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// 5 Secrets Revealed 
// Story: Like Sister, Like Student 
// by Bronyxy 
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High up above the city of Canterlot, two alicorns began their descent under a glittering moonlit sky. Following a night time of fast-track learning, an hour of aerobatics had been introduced as a reward for the diligent student.

From this altitude, Canterlot was just a criss-cross pattern of bright intersecting lines; the street lamps denoting the shape and direction of the roads over which they stood their lonely night time vigil.

They both knew where the castle was, not because there were any distinguishing features that could be recognised from so far up, but because of the way the street lights could be seen respectfully moving their paths around it.

Luna’s ethereal mane flowed from her in a portrait of serenity, the moonlight dancing joyfully off each individual spangle in her mane and tail, whereas her young companion’s conventional mane and tail buffeted and bobbed haphazardly in the airflow. The contrast could not have been greater, but equally neither could be the strength of the biological bond, as one was descended directly from a projection of the other, unadulterated by the genetic input of any other stallion or mare. They could have been mother and daughter, yet it was nowhere near as simple as that. 

Both carried dark stains from the recent past and both had tasted the fruit of evil, yet both had been redeemed from their excesses by the love of the same lilac pony, who to one was a trusted friend, and to the other, her mother. This most valued pony was currently down below them engaged in casual friendly conversation with the single most powerful alicorn in Equestria, stood out on the Royal balcony awaiting their return as the sun fidgeted restlessly just below the horizon.

The two dark silhouettes hurtling towards the ground with giddy delight had shared a night time of deep interpersonal bonding together and were now racing down to fulfil their final obligation of their watch.

It was Celestia who first heard the gleeful cries descending out of the sky and looked up to see the impending arrival of her sister and her step-clone. She and Twilight backed up instinctively in order to give the incoming ponies more space, but they needn’t have worried as the Royal balcony was a plenty big enough target. Luna held back and allowed Nyx to claim the honour of winning the race, at the same time ensuring that her young protégé had sufficient room to complete a safe landing without being crowded.

“Mom! Mom!” called the excited filly, “Look! Look what I did for you!”
Nyx extended her forehoof out towards where she had claimed a portion of the night sky with the lilac pony’s cutie mark.
“You … you did that?” asked Twilight seeing the bold artwork etched across the sky “By yourself?”
“Yes she did” said Luna, “It was the very first thing she did too.”
“Thank you Nyx, I’m very impressed” said Twilight leaning in to give her daughter a big hug.
“I was about to ask how you two had got on” said Celestia, “But I think I can see for myself. Well done, the pair of you.”

All four looked up into the night sky as Nyx gave a running commentary on everything there was to see, anecdotes spilling out from the excited filly.
“It is indeed beautiful Nyx, but all beauty must fade and so it is now as we must make way for the sun” said Luna, finally managing to get a word in, “We can do more tomorrow, but I believe we are already overdue the sunrise and must yield. The night was good, one of the very best I can remember, and I hope you will honour us by repeating the feat tomorrow?”
“Sorry” Nyx nodded, “I’d quite forgotten. But we can definitely do it again tomorrow, right?”
“Of course” said Luna, “Now would you care to lower the moon please?”

Luna stood a little behind Nyx and waved a forehoof that only Celestia and Twilight could see, attracting their attention to her own horn which remained unlit.
“That’s good” coaxed Luna, watching the stream of magical energy being directed by Nyx up towards the moon. It wobbled a little, but nothing like it had when it had risen, and sank contentedly below the horizon.

“May I, Princess?” asked Twilight, stepping forward.
Celestia nodded her approval and the lilac pony shot a stream of magenta energy towards the horizon whereupon she was greeted by the friendly feel of the sun, rising at her summoning to begin the day, albeit a little later than scheduled. Twilight turned to face her former teacher with a hint of triumph in her expression.

Nyx looked up as the patterns she had lovingly spread across the sky faded, bleached by the brightening sky. To Luna’s relief, Nyx was sanguine about the loss and did not make a fuss about losing what she had created.

“Well, I think I smell breakfast” said Celestia, ”Shall we?”
At the mention of food, Nyx rallied to Twilight’s side once again, bubbling with more stories about what she had seen and done. Meanwhile, the two Royal Sisters held back, not far enough for their hesitancy to be obvious, but just far enough so that they could not be overheard.
“Is she ready?” asked Celestia.
“Yes” replied Luna, “And Twilight?”
The Sun Princess nodded.
“Good” said the midnight blue alicorn, “And not a moment too soon.”

“And last night, Mom” chatted the filly excitedly, waving her forehoof around the dining room as they entered “There were different tapestries, really beautiful ones about stars and mystical creatures in the night sky … And the waiters were Bat Ponies … And it was all totally awesome!”
Twilight gave Nyx a hug and turned to the two ponies following on behind them, “You know Luna, I think I’ve just lost my daughter to the dark side.”
“Well Twilight, I think there was always a degree of inevitability about that” said Celestia, “Whilst you are her mother, and the most excellent and committed mother I can think of, she does owe her biological lineage to my Sister.”
“I guess” said the lilac pony reflectively, drawing Nyx tighter, “She certainly seems to have an aptitude for it. All I want is for her to be happy, and I can’t think of a better mentor to bring her talents out.”

The ponies all arrived at table and took their places, the Royal Sisters opposite each other with the more junior alicorns to either side.
Nyx had finally come to a stop in her recollections for the time being.
“So what did you get up to last night Mom, huh?” she probed.
“Oh, nothing much” she replied, ”Celestia and I had a chat by an open fire and then we went to bed. Tell me, how do you feel following the spell Luna cast to keep you awake?”
“I felt really bouncy, Mom” she said, “But now I’m starting to feel like I’m going to crash.”
“I am hardly surprised, Nyx” said Luna, “Your body must now rest, especially as you have just completed two waking cycles back to back whilst your day has been adjusted to occur during the night.”

Luna and Nyx tucked into their supper while Celestia and Twilight were served their breakfast, looking forward to the day ahead.
“So tell me, Celestia” asked the lilac pony, ”Why did you really invite us here this weekend?”
Twilight noticed a look cross between the Royal Sisters and felt a flash of concern strike her.

There was a pause.

Luna gave her sister a silent nod.

Even Nyx had finally come to recognise the silence that had overtaken the bright conversation around the table.

“Luna and I have to negotiate a treaty with the Diamond Dogs” explained Celestia, ”Their race is growing and expanding its territory under the ground.”
“There have already been cases of subsidence and sink holes have opened up within the Everfree Forest, some even as close as the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres” continued Luna, “And we must act before homes suddenly fall into the ground, injuring or even killing the occupants.”
“We have agreed to meet with them underground where we can negotiate on their own ground, so to speak” said Celestia.
“And whilst we are there” added Luna, “We can evaluate the scope of their tunnelling and the threat it poses to us.

There was a pause while the Royal Sisters let this sink in.
“So whilst we are underground, we will have no contact with the sun or the moon and need somepony or some ponies to keep the natural cycle going, so that the ponies of Equestria may continue about their lives; growing crops, controlling the weather, progressing trade and so on” said Celestia.
“We appreciate we are asking a lot of you” said Luna, backing up her sister’s position, “But without your support we would have to keep breaking off our discussions and would not be able to secure such a positive outcome with the Diamond Dogs.”
“Just for the moment we don’t want ponies at large knowing about this, just in case panic spreads, so life must be seen to be going on as normal” added Celestia.

Twilight and Nyx were dumbstruck.
“You want us to run Equestria while you’re away?” gasped Twilight, noticing that Nyx’s jaw hung open too.
“Well, most of the routine issues will be handled by the Court officials, but other than that, yes.”
“How long are you going to be gone?” asked Nyx, finally recovering enough composure to speak.
“We do not know” said Luna,” We do not know how many Diamond Dogs there are, nor indeed how extensive their tunnelling networks extend, but it could take days, especially if negotiations are difficult.”
“Are you up to it?” asked Celestia bluntly.

Twilight looked at Nyx, then at the Royal Sisters, then back to Nyx again. There really wasn’t much of a choice.

“We got this” she said.