//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 // Story: The Nyxing Hour // by Nagel Navari //------------------------------// Nightfall Storm wasn’t worried yet. After her experience in the Everfree with Sapphire Breeze, she had no problem trusting her to take her home. The only annoying part had been that the pegasus wouldn’t let her stick around with her friends. She didn’t complain too loudly, not in front of the pony who wasn’t quite her guardian but still seemed to want to protect her. “Is something wrong?” she asked, as soon as they were on their way back to Nightfall’s home near city hall. “Midnight always lets me spend time with friends…” “Not wrong,” Sapphire said, though she could tell from her voice that she wasn’t being completely honest. What aren’t you telling me? “I don’t know how long Midnight is going to take before she makes it home. That librarian looked almost predatory.” Nightfall’s wings twitched as she tried to make sense of that. She knew the librarian, but beyond that… it didn’t make much sense. “I’ve got an idea for something fun we could do while we wait,” Sapphire continued. She gestured, and instead of heading home they turned down another street, towards the marketplace. The sun wasn’t down yet, which meant that most stalls would still be open. “Want to try cooking with me?” “I’ve never done that before,” she answered honestly. “Isn’t it hard? Won’t I burn things?” “Nah.” Sapphire waved a dismissive wing. “Midnight’s the one who’s part dragon, not you. I’ll teach you one of my old family recipes, and we can have it waiting for Midnight when she gets back. Assuming she survives Twilight’s scholarly wrath.” Nightfall had never been part of the shopping before, and new experiences were always fun. Comparing Ponyville’s market to any of the villages she actually remembered was a painful memory. Back then, ponies ate what there was and often that came down to many being so desperate they ate grass in summer and starved in winter. But Nightfall had never gone hungry, and now she saw why. There was grain in abundance, wheat and barley and amaranth and plenty of others she couldn’t name. But there were also so many different fruits and vegetables that she couldn’t identify them all. Is half this stuff even in season? Of course, the most interesting ingredients by far came from the import shop near the train station, where they bought thin slices of fish that smelled delicious even as they were. “Can’t I have one of those?” she asked, gesturing at the plain white box on their way back home. “There’s plenty in there for dinner. I just want to—” “No.” Sapphire glowered at her, lowering her voice “The only reason Southern Seas just sold us that is he knows we live with Midnight. Ponyville is an old village, with lots of traditional beliefs. You’re trying to blend in, remember?” “Right.” Nightfall’s ears drooped. “Sorry.” “Anyway, you don’t want to eat this raw. It’s been refrigerated for a while now, it’s not fresh. Ask Midnight to take you for sushi next time you’re in Manehattan. But ask quietly if you’re in town.” Actual cooking was another adventure. Sapphire’s sturdy appearance concealed abilities Nightfall had never even guessed at, including more expertise than prepping raw vegetables or plates of snacks as she’d done for them in the past. Cooking felt a little like magic in its way, with arcane tomes of instructions, special rules for how you had to accomplish each task, and dangerous tools that could hurt you seriously if you treated them too casually. But Nightfall thought things went pretty well for her first time. Despite her initial worries, nothing caught fire. By the time night finally fell, they had finished preparing Sapphire’s strange dish—a fishy-smelling casserole along with a more pony-friendly tossed salad. “Now we wait,” Sapphire announced, settling down at the table. “Twilight can’t be keeping her for much longer.” It was nearly an hour before Nightfall finally heard the sound of a pony coming in. Nightfall started, almost tripping over herself in her eagerness to get downstairs and see what Midnight would think of her hard work. She hurried down the stairs, gliding the distance more than actually walking. But then she heard something shatter—probably the big glass salad-bowl. Nightfall stumbled down a little further before she finally managed to stop on the edge of a step, whimpering. All that work. What happened? But they weren’t alone down there. Nightfall’s eyes widened as she saw there were several ponies waiting by the bottom of the stairs. Each one of them was wearing dark robes, obscuring their faces in shadow. Except for the brightly glowing eyes. She screamed, stumbling backward a few steps. It wasn’t Midnight at all. Behind the group gathered at the bottom of the stairs, another pony went flying through the air, as though they’d just been ejected from a giant slingshot. They crashed into the wall, shattering the framed picture there before landing limply on the ground. “Vineroot, restrain her! She’s just a pegasus!” shouted a voice from out of sight, sounding like it came from the kitchen. Then she heard another voice, desperate and out of breath. “Nightfall, run! Get out of here!” Sapphire. She didn’t need to be told twice. Nightfall spread her wings and took off back up the stairs. But she wasn’t alone—as soon as they’d seen her, the robed figures below gave chance. Nightfall hesitated for an instant in the hallway, then swerved into the master bedroom and locked the door behind her. But the door was flimsy wood, it wouldn’t last. She picked the biggest window and hurried over, struggling to lift the heavy glass with all her strength. Behind her, someone started banging on the door. It rattled in its hinges, tearing up the soft wood of the frame as it shook. “Queen, there’s no need to run! We aren’t here to hurt you!” Said the pony trying to break down the bedroom door. Nightfall struggled more desperately, squealing in nervous fear as the window started to lift. But it was so heavy, every inch was a struggle. And after just a few inches, Nightfall wasn’t even tall enough to get it any further. Her whole body was shaking, she could barely think straight. Downstairs, the sound of violence and things breaking continued for a little while longer, before it wasn’t loud enough to hear over the door. She couldn’t get it any higher. Nightfall’s eyes darted around, and she found an opening big enough under the bed. She jumped inside, pushing an empty box until it mostly covered her hiding spot. Then the door finally smashed open, and several sets of heavy hooffalls rumbled their way inside. Nightfall couldn’t see anything anymore, and didn’t dare stick her head near the edge of the bed. The ponies walked their way in, right past her hiding place, where they stared at the window. “Buck,” muttered a deep, male voice. “Did she fly away?” Midnight Storm’s voice answered. Nightfall’s heart practically froze in her chest as she heard it. The kirin sounded confused, like ponies sometimes did after way too much cider. “Nightfall can’t fly very well, only glide. You two should… go tell Spell Nexus. Get some… ponies out there to search for her.” “Got to make sure she got out first,” said another voice, this one female with an icy edge. “Could be a trick. That’s an awful lot of window for little hooves.” “She’s an Alicorn,” Midnight said, almost matching her cruelty. “If they can lift the sun, I think they can handle some glass. But if you’re worried, I’ll stay here and search while you get your flanks outside to start looking for her.” There was a little more arguing, though it didn’t go on for very long. Hoofsteps thumped back down the hall to join the sound of muffled conversation downstairs. What’s happening? Midnight, what are you doing? It didn’t make any sense. Midnight hadn’t been part of the Children of Nightmare, they’d destroyed her house! She’d looked so angry before, like she might actually attack them when she met them. Now here she was, telling these creepy ponies where to find her, not even helping while Sapphire fought for her life downstairs. Though there was no more violence from down there. We’re in the middle of Ponyville. Somepony will hear this. Somepony will come for us. It’s just a matter of time. But she didn’t hear the guard outside, not right then. Nothing but a single set of slow hooves, turning out drawers, opening the closet, walking in and out of the bathroom. Then she heard Midnight’s voice. “I know you’re…” She spoke slowly, practically tripping over her own words. Or maybe she was sick? “Here, Nightfall. Know you’re… didn’t get out.” She heard hooves again, and could recognize them this time as heavier than a regular pony’s. They stopped right beside the bed, and she could hear something moving above her. “Why are you helping them?” Nightfall squeaked, crawling back into the deepest corner of the bed she could reach. She could come up on the other side, try to run away—but there was nowhere to go but downstairs. There were no boxes to hide behind on that end, so if she went over there, she’d be plainly visible. “It sounds like they hurt Sapphire. I thought you liked her.” “I… am…” Each word came slowly now. “Not… going… to tell…” She smacked her tail into the floor, so hard that a chunk of wood went sliding along from the point of impact. Nightfall squeaked in surprise, sliding away from the opening as far as she could. She was probably poking out from the other side of the bed after all, but she had to get away! She was crying now for sure—tears streaked down her face, splattering against the floor. “I thought… you said you would keep me safe, Midnight.” “I… I… will.” The kirin made a pained sound. “S-stay put. Wait until… house is quiet. Run away. Z-Zecora. Remember where…” Then came the sound of somepony walking away. Thumps on the stairs, then the sound faded. Nightfall could still make out the voices down below. They were too far away from Nightfall to make them out for sure, or maybe she was just too afraid. Her own heartbeat seemed so loud that it pounded against her eardrums with each beat. “Get out there and find her!” came a male voice, sounding old and cracked like a dusty book. “The rest of you, take them to the ruins! We’ve already been seen by too many. This is our queen’s final chance. You will not disappoint her if you want to keep your place at her right hoof.” The door banged open and shut several times. Nightfall could make out more sounds, this time from outside. Screams of terror, glass breaking, ponies shouting for help or running in terror. The Children of Nightmare were attacking Ponyville. They were attacking her friends, her home. Why do they want to find me so bad? But she already knew the answer, really. As the sound of violence faded into the distance and the house became quiet again, Nightfall heard a little voice in the back of her mind that knew exactly what these ponies were really doing. You should go to them. Equestria can be yours. You don’t have to be the pony they expect. Why not be the queen you want to be? Do an even better job than Celestia. Take what you’re owed. She didn’t move for as long as she dared. Mostly she cried, scrunching up and trying to make the voice be quiet. Eventually it did, and she was able to think straight again. They’re doing something to Midnight. They’re hurting her with magic. Maybe all those ponies. Hadn’t Sapphire said something about mind control? Midnight had saved her, now maybe it was time to return the favor. If only I knew how.