"So lemme get this straight," Spike said, as he shoved a frying pan into the right-hand pocket of Twilight's carryall, which was draped over her robe. "There's an entire town on the other side of Canterlot Mountain, it's not on any official map, and almost no one outside of Luna and her guards knows much about it?"

"That's about the size of it," Twilight agreed. "But it's not really a town, so much as a final way station for the Night races who make the journey to attend the Lunar Court. It started out as a bunch of caravans in a forest clearing and it kind of grew from there once Celestia gave her official sanction for permanent structures."

Twilight looked at the brief scroll that had been delivered to her by Spike-post:

Our Devoted Acolyte:
We are unavoidably detained this night. We therefore direct thee to visit Skadenstâd, to call upon our old acquaintance Zeugma for a lesson in the darker emotion spells. We anticipate your usual thorough report.
Luna, Princess of the Night

"Sounds like it. I wonder how we get there. I assume it's the same way we get to the Lunar Court, but from there I haven't a clue."

There was a thumping rap at the door, which Twilight had come to associate with Luna's guards. She trotted over and opened the door, finding Nacht standing in the corridor outside.

"Good evening, Mistress!" he rumbled. "I have been assigned to you as escort and bodyguard for this evening. I have also been informed I should consider myself under your orders, except where your safety is concerned."

"Well! Thank you, Nacht!" Twilight looked back at Spike and motioned her head. Spike quickly scrambled up onto her back. "Can you guide us down to Skadenstâd, please?"

They ascended to the night-shrouded landing platform. Nacht spoke briefly with the two nightmares standing in the traces, and then followed Twilight up onto the platform of the Chariot itself. At his gruff order, the flyers swept out their wings and pummeled the air, lifting the dragon-winged Chariot up into the sky. They banked it in a long sweep around the Palace itself, and then upward, through a pass between the moonlit peaks beyond.

Swiftly they descended the slopes of far side and approached the stretch of forest that covered much of the plains between Canterlot and the Foal Mountains. And as they got closer Twilight could just make out a few lights winking through the branches. The Chariot swept downwards towards a broad clearing, and finally touched down on a rough stretch of cleared ground.

It was like landing in the Town Square in Ponyville. To all sides beneath the forest cover there were rough-built thatched houses of varying sizes and shapes, their windows lit up with candle light and cook-fires. Here and there near one of the dwellings a patch of ground had been cleared for a small garden plot. And at the end of the clearing, shaded beneath a cluster of ancient elms, there was a multistory building with many projecting rooms, practically a tree itself in house form.

The denizens of the Night strolled about the clearing casually, as if on errands or simply enjoying the night air. A few glanced briefly at the Chariot but quickly averted their gaze when the nightmare guards' searchlight eyes swept their way.

Twilight stepped down from the Chariot, Spike close on her hooves, and followed equally closely by Nacht. The nightmare seemed atypically on edge as he gazed around. The other two guards quickly unhitched themselves from the traces and came over to join them, equally alert.

Twilight looked round quickly. Standing on the Chariot platform in a cloud of smoke was a tall, rail-thin stallion, ash-gray in color and white-maned. He wore a top-hat and elegant formal attire, and wouldn't have looked at all out of place at the Grand Galloping Gala.

All three nightmare guards whirled to face him with loud, gutteral hisses. The stallion merely tch-ed gently at them.

"Nacht! It's okay!" Twilight wished she felt as certain as she sounded. She stepped forward.

"... Acolyte of the Lunar Court," the stallion smoothly added, "favored protégé of Her Royal Highness Luna, Princess of the Night, the Moon, and the Stars!" Stepping down from the Chariot, he knelt before her, took up one of her forehooves with his own, and bowed formally over it. "M'lady! I am honored, your servant, and Zeugma!"

It was all done so swiftly and with such unfettered grandeur and sincerity Twilight felt herself blushing despite herself.

Zeugma looked up, a twinkle in his eye. "As for me... oh, I'm just someone Luna met at a party once!"

Twilight was momentarily lost for words. Then she felt a tug on her robe. "Oh, sorry! This is Spike. He's my Number One Assistant!"

"Lend me your comradeship and your claw, my proud dragon!" He offered his hoof and they shook. Then he leapt to his hooves sprightly. "Now, with the formalities out of the way, allow me to welcome you to Skadenstâd, m'lady! Or as we locals are pleased to call it, Dark Town. Now, I understand by Luna's missive I may serve in some small way as tutor for your good self. But as I understand that this is your first visit, might I also take a moment to show you round this, my adopted abode?"

Beside her, Nacht glared balefully at the stallion for a long moment. Then he grunted an order to the other guards. One of them took up station by the Chariot. The other fell in alongside them as Zeugma confidently led the way along a path through the trees.

"The clearing where you landed is mostly for new arrivals coming by air. I'm sure you noticed the Crooked Tree Inn when you landed. They rent rooms at reasonable rates, though anyone who plans on staying here a while generally finds or builds a place of their own soon enough. Up that path is the registration office, where supplicants for the Court can sign in and request an audience. Down that way is the administrative office, which takes care of local paperwork. Across that log bridge is the Black Cavern, where justice is meted out. And when anyone needs anything for anything, they come here," he concluded, as the path took a jog to the left, "to Merk Street."

It was a narrow, moon-lit lane packed with multi-story wattle-and-daub houses, interspersed amongst the trees that shaded them. The buildings were strung with brightly colored lamps and there were shopfronts and vending carts all along its length. Despite the varied creatures that slouched, crept, and stormed along its length, it radiated a warming sense of commonality, of community.

"You can find a meal, a souvenir, or perhaps a very good friend here," Zeugma went on. "There's just about everything, from all across Equestria, bought and sold by pilgrims to the Lunar Court." He leaned closer to Twilight. "Even, I dare say, a book-peddler or two?"

Twilight almost asked where to find them... then she saw the twinkle in his eye. She rolled her eyes, smiling at how smoothly she'd been played.

They passed along the street for part of its length, Zeugma in front and the two nightmares escorting Twilight and Spike on either side. And it was hard to tell whether it was the gray stallion or the nightmare guards that the inhabitants gave the most room to as they passed.

"Is that a minotaur?" Twilight asked, pointing. Then she grimaced. "Sorry! I know it's not polite to point... it's just... there are so many different races here. It's not at all like Canterlot or Ponyville!"

"We have all sorts here, look!" Zeugma said, gesturing politely as they walked along. "Dragons, gargoyles, the Morirohin -- rather stuck up sort, the dark ponies, act like they're Night's gift to Equestria -- plus the Azeban," he indicated a group of bright-eyed raccoons. "And wereponies, and the Anansi," he doffed his hat to a passing giant spider. "And the Shabti," he said, indicating a group of terra-cotta ponies pulling a wagon loaded with boxes. "Marvelous workers, though everyone's afraid they'll lose their jobs having them around, can't think why. Oops, mind your feet!"

"Ouroborous," Zeugma explained. "Swallows its tail and its pride when it wants to go for a walk, poor thing. Ah! And here's our resident Pooka!"

"Pooka?" Twilight looked around near her feet for something small and fuzzy. Then she realized she was looking at a set of yellowed hooves. She looked up. And kept looking up. Facing her was a night-black stallion, eight feet tall, with blazing golden eyes and a mane and tail like a bonfire. It glared down at her, and snorted gently. Its breath was like brimstone.

"Mind your manners, Harvey," Zeugma admonished it. "She's a guest! And don't mind him, M'lady! He may be fond of a prank now and then, but he's your friend in a tight spot!"

Twilight looked, and drew back. Trotting down the street were a trio of four-footed decaying corpses, with lolling heads and glazed eyes.

He waited until the ponies had just passed them, then snuck up behind the last one in the group and tapped it on the hindquarters. It turned to look.

The pony jumped, shimmered, and in its place was a strange black insectoid creature with glowing green eyes and wings. It glanced about hurriedly, then chittered angrily, shimmered once more, and was a zombie pony again. Then it turned and lurched quickly after the rest.

"Changelings," Zeugma explained. "Somewhat disturbing to my way of thinking, not being able to tell who's who! And that's me saying it! But Luna has granted them asylum here, so they're as welcome as anyone else!"

"She walks their dreams," Zeugma pointed out. "She would know. Oh, excuse me one moment!"

A short distance away there was a three-way dispute going on between a dragon, a diamond dog, and a mini shopkeeper. The latter was hopping up and down angrily on its shop counter, screaming in a piping voice at the other two. Zeugma walked up, put one forehoof around the dragon's arm, the other around the diamond dog's shoulder.

The dispute was quickly settled, the dragon and dog each slapping an extra few bits on the counter, then hurriedly departing. Zeugma came back, calmly adjusting his jacket with a forehoof.

"And then there's me!" he said cheerily. "Our resident vampire. As Luna is fond of saying, you never need more than one!" His red eyes blazed.

"More like, I keep peace. I have made my home and my place here," he said. "And if a little gentle persuasion is needed every now and then to keep it in the style to which I have become accustomed, well... who better, eh?"

Twilight shivered a bit. There was an easy certainty to Zeugma's outlook. He walked around confident that the worst thing he might ever encounter in the neighborhood was the one thing he could never see in a mirror.

Twilight wasn't certain what to expect: a palatial mansion, a spooky castle on a hill, or an underground crypt. What she found was almost a let-down. Zeugma led them to a small, well-constructed cottage up a winding path, situated between a temple and a bridge over a trickling stream.

"I don't know where these stories about running water come from," Zeugma observed. "I find it rather soothing!"

He paused at the front door. "Ah, there's not a lot of room indoors... could I possibly persuade one of your charming guards to keep watch out here?"

"It's all right, Nacht," Twilight said. "You can come in and keep an eye on me. I trust him -- I think."

Zeugma welcomed them into the cottage's single room, which held a bed, a worktable, and a small kitchen area with sink and stove. Nacht took up station near the door, Spike sitting beside him with Twilight's carryall. Zeugma hung up his hat and his jacket, then turned to Twilight, all business.

"Now, to begin with, the darker emotion spells are generally oriented around changing your opponent's mind, either through intimidation or persuasion. For example: BOO!"

Twilight hit the floor, her forehooves covering her head, shivering. She suddenly had a pretty good idea of how Fluttershy felt most of the time. Nacht hissed threateningly. But Twilight, feeling the spell rapidly dissipating, quickly stood up and waved him into silence.

"Okay, I see," she said. "A fear spell, just like you used on the Changeling. But that would only really work if the opponent was inclined to be timid, right?"

Zeugma nodded. "I see you've done your homework! Yes, you must always take into account who you're dealing with. Now for someone like our friend here," he indicated Nacht, "one could try a rage spell, to get them to do something rash and self-destructive." He eyed the guard for a moment. "I think I shall just take that one as read, to avoid any unpleasantness. Let's move on to the debilitating spells. Like grief!"

He gazed at her, a sympathetic, sorrowful look on his face. And suddenly Twilight felt as if a trapdoor had opened beneath her sense of comfort and certainty. Her eyes welled up with tears, for no reason she could put a hoof on. It was simply as if the worst thing that could possibly have happened had just happened, and any moment now she would remember what it was.

She shook her head, and wiped her eyes. "Very impressive." She cleared her throat. "And presumably there's a spell for sapping confidence?"

"And for destroying one's focus, the ability to concentrate. There are as many spells as there are emotions, with different applications and nuances. One must inevitably specialize, find a niche and one's feet, so to speak. As for me, well, the choice is obvious. Seduction!"

His red eyes shone, gazing at Twilight. And she didn't like the feeling that suddenly washed over her in a hot, flushed wave. It felt dirty. And not dirty like being splashed with mud by a cart. It was more like a strong desire to wallow in the mud, smearing oneself with it beyond any hope of ever being clean again. Her vision blurred, and all she could see was Zeugma's glowing eyes, all she could feel was how attractive he suddenly was.

There was a blurred moment when she wasn't certain what she was feeling or thinking.

And then suddenly she came to. She found herself staring straight into his glowing eyes, two inches away from her own.

His voice had a tense, choked quality to it. She drew back and looked past him. And saw that Nacht had him pinned by the neck in the guard's bulldog jaws.

The guard reluctantly did so, and Zeugma gently massaged his neck with a hoof. "You realize of course that even ripping my head off isn't a sure way of killing me!"

Twilight shook her head. "This isn't getting us anywhere. I'm not learning what I need to know. I mean, what if Nacht wasn't here? How could I possibly defend myself from a spell like that?"

"A excellent question, m'lady! You must be very sure, in and of yourself, that you can resist. You need to trust yourself. And trust is an emotion like any other, so you can use a counter-spell to help build up your own sense of trust."

Zeugma demonstrated, and they practiced the spell until Twilight was fairly confident she had it.

"Nacht," she said, "I need you to let Zeugma help me test this out. If you feel that I'm actually in danger, fine, do what you have to. But short of that, this is a lesson I need to learn, okay?"

"All right," Zeugma said. "I'll start off standing over here again." He moved several steps way from her. "You signal when I should begin. And I'll keep moving towards you as long as the spell is still affecting you. I'll stop when it stops, acceptable?"

Zeugma recrossed to his starting point. Twilight called the count. And she once again came to, staring into his eyes.

Zeugma gave her a suggestive look. "Is it at all possible that you want the counter-spell to fail, m'lady?"

He put up a hoof. "I'm joking, of course! But the point stands. You need to be very determined, very certain in your mind and will. That will take practice and strong motivation. And you shouldn't expect to master it all in one session."

"Motivation..." Twilight nodded. "I hoped it wouldn't come to this, but I need to make this work! If I can't beat back this spell, how can I hope to deal with anything more subtle? Spike!"

Spike hurried over to the carryall that Twilight had shrugged off near the door, and returned with the pan.

"Okay, stand right here beside me. That's good. Now, if you see me going under, I want you to hit me with it!"

And each time when she came to, she saw that Zeugma hadn't gotten as far across the floor as before. She was steadily improving her ability to resist. She was also developing a bit of a headache, yet in a twisted way that helped. It made it harder for the spell to monopolize her will.

Eventually Zeugma called a halt to it, on the grounds that she had already made far more progress than anyone could be expected to in so short a time. "Besides, your assistant looks like he wants a break even more than you do. Now, turn about is fair play, let's have you try some of these spells on someone else. Like our friend Spike, here."

They continued the lesson until well after midnight, by which time Twilight was feeling much more confident in her handling of the various emotion spells. Then Zeugma led the way back to Murk Street to treat them all to a light supper at a local take-away he frequented. Then he escorted them back to the Chariot, where they found the remaining guard had determinedly trampled a circle into the grass surrounding it.

"I shall leave you with a fond farewell, a wish for a safe trip, and... a homework assignment," Zeugma said, smiling as he offered her a scroll with a list of references for her to look up when she got back to Canterlot and its Archives. "And I hope I shall have the honor of your company again soon. For now... adieu, m'lady!" He bowed over her hoof once more. "And you, my noble dragon!" He shook Spike's claw. Then he looked at Nacht. "Don't be a stranger," he said.

Twilight looked and saw nothing. When she looked back, there was only an expanding whiff of smoke, and Zeugma had disappeared.

Twilight shook her head in amusement, and reboarded the Chariot with Nacht and Spike while the other guards reharnessed themselves and prepared for the trip back.

Acolyte of the Lunar Court

by Lets Do This

Dark Town