//------------------------------// // 07: Discoveries // Story: Not All That Sparkles Is Twilight // by Stellar Light Sparkle //------------------------------// Stellar sat looking at the tome of Canopus Star, somewhat in awe. The magics that made it work were almost as advanced as the magic Twilight's tomes had in them, but it was suited for a single purpose: To be written in as a journal for Canopus Star's thoughts and secrets, not as a repository of advanced, multiple and diverse subjects copied from many other tomes. She now sat, looking at the symbol on the cover once again. "How did he know?" Stellar asked herself. "He couldn't have known... There's no way he could have, unless he'd seen the future..." Stellar shook her head. She needed to sleep, she realised. She'd be able to get four hours if she went to sleep now, before Luna expected her in the Audience Hall for that evening. She closed the tome and put it back in the case, locking it shut and returning the key to the cross-guard of her sword, before putting that away as well. Once everything was secure, Stellar set her internal alarm and stretched out on the bed in her quarters and was asleep in seconds. ======= Velvet and Night Light were sitting in their parlor, reading about the fire at the Blueblood property overnight, several of the Canterlot papers in front of them. Velvet was nervous. "What could it mean?" She asked Night Light. "I mean... who could have...?" "Amadeus." Night Light said, his voice serious. "Only he would order something like this, without caring about the others around him." He sighed. "So... you think he's...?" Velvet asked. "He's cut and run." Night Light told her. "I've always felt there was something very wrong about him and his dealings... his son's duel with Stellar has opened him up to official scrutiny, and that was the last thing he wanted, that I am sure of in so many ways." Night Light told Velvet. "Oh, he's not dead, Beloved." Night Light gave Velvet a nuzzle. "He's just left. Amadeus was never one for getting himself killed, no matter what went wrong. He's gone somewhere else, maybe to continue, maybe to start again." Night Light snorted. "Whatever he's done... I hope he keeps things out of Equestria from now on." Velvet nodded, but she couldn't help but think that they hadn't seen the last of the Bluebloods. ======= Twilight also was reading about the fire in the Ponyville Satellite. She was glad that her parents were safe, the Sparkle estate being about as far from the Blueblood estate as it was possible to be in that quarter of Canterlot and still be part of it, but she was still concerned as any fire in Canterlot had the capacity to be a disaster, as any fire could spread extremely quickly in any city. She was grateful the Fire Brigade had been so quick and competent. She wondered if she should return to Canterlot and see her parents... but decided "No. Not yet. Stellar is there and she can help them much more than I can, like this." She decided. Spike came in at that point. "I don't know why you want this, Twilight, but it's ready." He told her. Twilight sniffed the aroma of freshly-cooked fish wafted up, but it was lying on a bed of ice-cream and eggplant. "Mmm... Yummy!" She said. "Thanks, Spike." She thanked Spike, then dug in. Spike frowned, but said "You're welcome to it, Twilight." And he left. Twilight munched down on the lot without a quibble, then relaxed with a contented sigh. "Now THAT was a fish meal." She said with a big grin. Spike just shook his head and chuckled. "Well, at least she's still eating fish..." He said as he took the plate away. Twilight gave Spike a big raspberry as he walked off, Spike breaking out into laughter as he went into the kitchen. ======= Stellar got up just before she'd set her internal clock to wake her, and stretched herself out before heading for a shower. She called through for something to eat before she dried off, then groomed and preened herself. "Thank you." Stellar told the two mares who brought her dinner, then sat and ate. By the time she'd finished dinner, Stellar actually felt fully rested and ready to do it all over again. "I can barely believe I feel so fresh on four hours' sleep." Stellar said to herself as she checked herself over in a mirror. She shook herself, spread her wings and stretched, then stretched each leg. "By Celestia, I wish I could remember what I used to be. At least I'd have something to compare to how I am now." She sighed, but then she grinned. "But by Celestia's boundless mane, I have to say again, I love being an alicorn." Stellar shook her rump in the mirror, then giggled. Stellar slipped her helmet on and her new armor flashed out from it, encasing her in its protection. She took the time to look herself over in the mirror. "Oh yeah! As smart as Wingscythe said." Stellar commented. "I'm going to have to bond the armor to me, like Silver Rings said... Canopus Star said I have to find a 'place of power' to do the ritual." Stellar said to herself. "I wonder if Luna knows any such places?" Seeing she had only a little time before Luna was ready for Night Court, Stellar slid her sword into place over her back and headed for the Audience Hall. ======= Luna watched as Stellar entered the Audience Hall just after she herself had entered, after she'd raised the Moon. The new alicorn was dressed in her new suit of armor, its complete covering something that Luna recognised, not just from Canopus Star's armor, but from the old Air Cavalry 'Slasher' suits from the Dragon Wars of over a thousand years ago. She also recognised the Lunar metal she'd left with Small Rings Fine Armor and Arms to make her own armor, and that made her smile even more. "Trust Stellar to get them to make her armor out of my own metal." She said softly to herself. Stellar bowed to her, then saluted Luna as she stood at attention. Luna stood and saluted her back, then gestured her up beside herself. Stellar climbed the dais and stood slightly beside and behind Luna, as was proper. "You have had a very good suit of armor crafted for yourself, Stellar Sparkle." Luna commented. "It suits you well." "Thank you, Mistress Luna." Stellar replied. "The metal you left for the Rings to make your suits is... most interesting." She commented back. "Did you have it made from the lunar regolith?" Luna smiled. "It is your senses that are most interesting, Stellar." She said back. "But yes. It was made from the soil of the Moon." Stellar nodded. "It's an interesting alloy, far more advanced than any alloys that have been made before on Equestria itself." She told Luna. Luna grinned. "Well, thank you for saying so." She replied. "I make it myself." "Really?" Stellar asked. "That's very interesting. I didn't know you knew about metallurgy." Luna looked a little bit lost at the strange word. "Metal..lur..gy?" Stellar smiled. "The study of metals and their applications." Stellar explained. "Ah." Luna said, finally understanding. Stellar nodded. "It's something a metal-smith or anypony who works with metals really needs to study, but I can see that those here in Equestria aren't that versed in it, by the state of alloy-making practised here." She told Luna. "If you know a lot about it, maybe you should write a book." Luna suggested. Stellar blinked, then grinned and nodded. "That's not a bad idea." She agreed. "The more we learn as a race, the more we can advance as a race." Luna told Stellar. Then they heard a commotion from outside the doors. Luna sighed. "We shall talk of this later, my apprentice. It seems Night Court is ready to start." "Whenever you have the time, Mistress." Stellar replied. "Then sound the gong, Stellar Sparkle! Let Night Court begin!” Luna proclaimed. Stellar used an armored hoof to strike the gong, and yelled “Open the doors!” to the guards on the doors. After they opened completely, there was a number of parties that entered, looking hopefully at Luna as they approached her and bowed... = = = = = Traffic slackened off around midnight, and Luna relaxed as Stellar stretched. "I take it this is normal, Mistress?" Stellar asked. "Oh yes." Luna replied. "Things get quiet this time of night, although the city is still awake out there, especially in the entertainment district." Luna smiled to herself. " 'Twas very different before my 'Time-out' as my sister now calls my time on the Moon." Luna sighed happily. " 'Tis a wonderful time now, Stellar. I can feel the joy my ponies have in the night... unlike before. Now there are those who seem to awake only for the night. They revel in my beautiful Summer nights, even if Wintertime is still much quieter. However, I do realise now that that is only natural." Stellar smiled at Luna. "I'm glad you've reconciled with yourself, Mistress." Luna nodded. "Yes... so am I." She said softly, and looked about her. The Audience hall was empty of petitioners and others, save for the thestrals of her Lunar Guard and some of the Palace staff, who were cleaning one of the big stained glass windows at the time. "Come, my apprentice, let us begin your lessons." Luna told Stellar as she rose from the throne. "I have had one of the auxilliary chambers set up for teaching." Stellar walked beside Luna as they headed out of the Audience Hall. Inside the converted parlor, they found a meal waiting for them, and some teaching equipment. As they sat and ate, Luna told Stellar. "Now, your main lessons with me will be in the study of creating magic constructs and magic circles and arrays." She explained to Stellar. "My sister told me that, while Twilight has some knowledge of constructs and many of the normally-used divination circles and some arrays, she has not the knowledge of many of the combat-orientated circles/arrays that I know of and helped develop over a millenium ago. Some of them were instrumental in defeating such foes as King Sombra and others." Stellar nodded as she washed down some of her food. "So, what's the difference between a Magic Circle and a Magic Array?" She asked. "A Circle is usually drawn on a surface in a medium such as chalk or paint, or some more powerful and permanent ones can be chiselled into stone or this new concrete material." Lune explained further. "They are normally very complex and are used for a sustained effect or sometimes an effect beyond the power of the creator, since some can draw mana directly from the ground itself, instead of the wielder." Stellar nodded and listened as she continued to eat. "An array, on the other hoof, is a free-standing energy form in the shape and likeness of a magic circle." Luna detailed. "They are used usually for fast and decisive casting, such as enhanced battle shielding or acceleration arrays for etherial sword or spear constructs. They can draw mana from the air, but are not as efficient as circles are in drawing mana from outside sources, which is why arrays are usually short-lived and one-use only. Usually they are cast using a one-word incantation, almost like your Light runes are in that the one word can produce the array by casting several spells together, ones that would take far too long to cast separately." "I see." Stellar replied. "So a free-standing rune and an array are similar, just from different schools of magic." "That's correct, Stellar." Luna said with a smile. "I see Twilight's easy understanding of magic is shared by yourself. That will help you greatly in learning the various schools of magic I will pass on to you." "Thank you, Mistress." Stellar said with a smile. "Mistress, could you answer a question for me?" Stellar asked. "Of course I can, if I know the answer, of course." Luna replied with a smile. "Do you know any 'places of power' nearby?" Stellar asked Luna Luna stiffened a little, but then relaxed again. This was not some youngster unicorn or neophyte she was talking with, but a fully-grown alicorn with great knowledge of her own already. "Indeed, I do know of one ancient place near to Canterlot." She answered. "May I inquire as to why you need to have access to one?" Luna asked. "I need to bond Canopus Star's armor to me, as well as activate all the new runes on my new armor and bond it to me." Stellar explained. "Canopus Star's journal has instructions on how to do so, but he said it requires a place of power to do the procedure properly." Luna thought on that. "Hmm... it must be because of the mana drain. Such a casting would require very large amounts of mana, and a pegasus such as Canopus Star was would not be able to furnish the amount needed by themselves." She thought aloud. Luna nodded. "I shall lead you there before the sunrise, Stellar. You should cast the spells on your new armor by moonlight, and those for Canopus Star's armor in the daylight, since it is most likely that his armor had its runes activated under the Sun." Stellar nodded and bowed her head. "Thank you, Mistress." She replied. "So, let us begin by teaching you the activation of a large circle, such as the one that draws mana from the ground for use by a mage or other gifted individual." Luna said with a smile. "After all, you will be using a circle of this type later on today." Stellar grinned and listened avidly... ======= Luna ordered Night Court be shut down for the morning two hours before Sunrise, so they had time to head out to the place Luna wanted to show Stellar. With her armors and Canopus Star's tome, Stellar flew out with Luna, heading up towards Mount Canterhorn's summit. Eventually Luna headed for a snow-packed mountain spur, a flat place off the main mountain with an indent into the face of the mountain itself. Stellar found herself flying through a shield that surrounded the spur and she felt a little reluctance for the shield to let her pass, but Luna had gone through it without any problems, and after putting a bit more effort into her forward flight, it seemed to relent and let her pass though it. Luna watched this and asked "Are you all right, Stellar?" Stellar smiled back. "That shield was a little reluctant to let me through, Mistress." Stellar told Luna. "But it let me through eventually." Luna nodded. "Starswirl the Bearded made that shield. It is supposed to only let Alicorns in to this area." She said as they descended to the spur of rock, which was now clear of snow and ice, Stellar noticed, revealing the indent was actually a cave entrance. "I guess it took a little time to recognise you as an alicorn." Stellar smiled. "Just part of getting used to being this way, I guess." She said back. Luna chuckled. "After all, there were only two alicorns when the shield was erected, then only one for ages." Luna went on. "Now there are six, seven if you include Twilight's unborn foal. I don't know if Starswirl even thought there'd be so many alicorns in existence in such a short timeframe." Stellar nodded as they alighted on the rock spur. "Yeah." She agreed. "Mistress, there's something else you should know." Stellar told Luna. "And what might that be, my apprentice?" Luna asked as they walked into the cave entrance off the spur. Stellar got out Canopus Star's tome and showed Luna the cover. "This hasn't been seen in at least two and maybe as long as four decades." She told Luna. "And yet Canopus Star put my cutie mark on the cover." Luna's eyes widened as she took in the design on the cover of the tome. "I... see." She said, a little awe creeping into her voice. "Maybe there was more to Canopus Star than anypony realised." Stellar nodded as they entered the cave. "It's... spooky to think he knew what my cutie mark was going to be, even before I got here." She said. "And he called me 'Granddaughter' as well." Stellar told Luna. "Maybe I am his granddaughter, reincarnated... maybe." Luna chuckled as they headed inside. "One never knows, Stellar. Magic as powerful as we share is often sometimes very random in how it does things, but there is almost always a purpose in how things happen, even if we cannot see it, or may never know it or understand." She sighed. "Only when we go against Harmony, such as I did when I became Nightmare Moon, does magic backfire against us. Magic always seeks out the most harmonious way to do things, if it is acting on it's own. Only when it is harnessed by outside forces can it go against Harmony... and there is always a price to be paid." Luna told Stellar as they entered a large chamber. "This is why this place is kept a closely guarded and shielded secret from most others. As far as I know, not even Cadance or Twilight have been here yet." Stellar looked around as moonlight flooded into the chamber from a shaft upwards through the rock. There was a huge circle carved into the stone and more patterns carved into the walls as well, ones to help contain mana inside the casting area. "This... is ancient." She commented. "Then again, you did say Starswirl created this." Luna nodded. "It is a very special place." She agreed. "If you had been in Canterlot when your mana levels hit bottom, we could have brought you here to recharge you. As it is, well, you benefitted from Tia's actions in more ways than just a recharge." She looked at the sundisk on Stellar's cutie mark. Stellar chuckled. "That's something Canopus Star didn't foresee, either." She told Luna, who chuckled as well as they approached the circle. "This is the one you were talking about earlier, weren't you, Mistress?" Stellar asked. "The mana-generating circle." Luna nodded. "Yes. It can be augmented for various other purposes, but this is it's most basic configuration." Luna confirmed. "Do you feel confident enough to activate it?" She asked Stellar as she unlocked the circle, allowing Stellar to activate it, if she could. "I'm fairly certain I can do it, at least as it sits now." Stellar said. She retracted her Night Guard armor and took the helmet off. She crossed into the circle and extended the armor out and stood it up. Once that was done, Stellar retreated from the circle and put her bags down, again retrieving Canopus Star's tome from her backpack. She had the tome float near her as she read again the instructions for activating the various runes stamped into the surfaces of various plates. Once she was sure that she had everything ready in her mind, she went and pressed a glowing hoof into the activation rune of the circle, saying "Mana Circle, activate!" The circle seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, but then it lit up and the entire chamber glowed. All the runes and even the wall carvings were lit brilliantly as the circle gathered mana within it's boundaries. Once it has stabilised, Stellar stepped into the circle, her body glowing slightly as it absorbed some of the mana, the circle providing much, much more. She was very glad Twilight had taught her how to limit her ambient mana intake, or she might be in danger of over-charging and producing a mana spike, something that could ruin what she was about to do. When Stellar was ready, she tapped each of the individual runes, saying the activation keys as she read them from the tome, and they glowed brilliantly silver as they absorbed the mana and moonlight together. Luna noted what Stellar did as she walked around the armor, touching each rune and activating it. Eventually the armored panels were glowing with the mana and moonlight they'd absorbed, as Stellar moved to the front of the armor and, with both forehoofs, touched the peytral plate and the helmet. Stellar then said in a soft-but-commanding tone "Eshel thu Lunari pahl fordrass, ekhen sho mattrel Stellar Light Sparkle. Su mordrhi etha Shib!" The armor became brilliant with the mana and moonlight flowing through it, and when the light faded, only the helmet sat in the circle. Stellar picked it up and slid it onto her head, activating it. Once it had encased her again, she could feel the difference palpably. It was no longer just a dead suit of metal, but almost felt like an extension of her will, of her strength, and of her magic. It felt like her great-sword did whenever she held it. Satisfied, Stellar retracted the suit back into it's helmet-based pocket, then retrieved the red-and-silver armor of Canopus Star. As she extended it out into the mana field, she watched as all the runes glowed brilliantly. But she could feel it didn't like the moonlight-toned mana. She retracted it and put it aside for the moment. She would complete the ceremony with the armor once the sun was up. Stellar walked out of the circle, then deactivated it for the time being. She smiled at Luna and bowed to her. "Thank you for trusting me, Mistress." She said to Luna. Luna smiled. "You did that very well, Stellar. While it was an easy thing to activate, the power this circle can produce is not to be underestimated. If Tirek had found and activated this circle, not even all of us could have stopped him... ever. That is why it is so carefully guarded. "I understand, Mistress." Stellar replied. "It shall not be revealed to anypony or any other being from me. If Twilight needs it, she can ask Celestia to bring her here." Luna nodded. "Good." She said. "Now, I shall leave you here for the time being. Once I have lowered the Moon and Tia has raised the Sun, you may complete your work here and return to the palace. I shall see you again there before you go off-duty." Stellar saluted Luna, and watched as the dark-blue alicorn princess left. While she waited, Stellar sat down and continued to read through Canopus Star's journal. ======= Luna arrived back at the palace in plenty of time to meet up with her awakening sister in their favorite breakfast nook. Celestia welcomed Luna at their breakfast table. "You look very pleased this morning, Dear Sister. I take it things went well last night?" Celestia asked. "Moderately so." Luna replied. "The investigation of the fire at the Blueblood estate is still ongoing, but that magic was involved is not in dispute." She informed Celestia. "Also, Stellar Light Sparkle has her new armor, and last night, I took her to our place on Mount Canterhorn." Luna told her sister, who frowned. "You revealed our special place to Stellar?" Celestia asked, looking concerned. "I take it there was a good reason?" "Canopus Star said she needed 'a place of power' to bind his armor to her, as well as activate her own." Luna explained. "And quite spectacular the process was, too. Her knowledge of rune-magic seems to be growing daily, under instruction from Canopus Star's notes." Celestia nodded. "I see. But she is an alicorn, sister. She probably could have done this 'binding' without the use of... that place." Celestia pointed out. "True." Luna agreed. "But after what happened to her when she received her cutie mark, I did not want to risk her over-extending herself so soon." Luna explained further. "This way, she has learned even more about her own innate magic, as well as true circle magic and what it can do. I felt she was ready for the lesson, advanced as it was, and she has proven me correct." Luna looked seriously at Celestia. "Tia... she activated the Circle by herself, with only instruction from me. And Starswirl's barrier allowed her through." Celestia's eyes widened a little. "She activated it..." That got Celestia thinking. "She must truly have Twilight's capacity, then. I can't see Cadance activating that circle. I have even been reluctant to show it to Twilight, for fear it might swamp her too quickly." Celestia looked ashamed. "I will have to rectify that, once she has had the foal. She needs to know about this... just in case." Luna nodded. "I'd thought after what happened with Discord and those horrid plants, let alone what happened with Tirek, that you would have seen that Twilight has the capacity to handle the circle and revealed it to her." Luna looked at Celestia with a little reproach. Celestia sighed. "You are right, Dear Sister. Twilight has grown far more from what she has faced than I was willing to admit to myself." She nodded to Luna. "It is time I started treating her as the grown alicorn mare she is. If Stellar has such capacity to handle even the Circle, then Twilight should have that capacity, and maybe beyond that, too." Luna nodded. "Yes." She agreed. "And you can see for yourself when Stellar returns. Once she binds Canopus Star's armor to her in the daylight, she will return and reveal her true capacity to all of us." Celestia smiled. "Yes. And maybe teach me more about Twilight in the process... things I have been reluctant to see." ======= Stellar had read almost right through the journal of Canopus Star as she waited for the sun to fill the chamber that morning. The knowledge the pegasus general had left her was filling Stellar with a sense of awe at his knowledge and abilities. The section about Canopus' studies into the magical martial art known as Arcane Wing alone was an incredible find. It revealed to her nuances to the wielding of the art's power that the books she'd read from the Archives simply didn't have recorded in them. She'd practised some of these while waiting for the Sun to rise, and she was now sure of controlling magic through her wings in the same manner as she could through her horn. While the fine control a horn gave her was still absent from her wing-magic, she knew with practice she would refine her abilities and become a full practitioner of Arcane Wing given time... and that she knew she had plenty of as an Alicorn. Then the chamber started to glow again, this time with the brilliant light of the Sun, as it creeped higher into the sky outside. Stellar smiled. She loved to feel the Sun in the morning, her tiny link to it allowing her to absorb it's power in the same manner as Celestia, even if it was only in a very miniscule amount compared to the Solar Avatar. She rose and stood in the beam, feeling it's warmth and light fill her with a feeling that caressed her like... 'Like a mother's gentle presence', she admitted to herself. She then activated the circle again, watching as the feel of the magic the circle brought forth was almost completely different to the mana from the night. As the mana had absorbed moonlight during her casting hours before, this time it absorbed the solar light and the mana was warm, almost hot to the touch, and glowed with the solar colors. Stellar brought out Canopus Star's armor and walked into the circle again. She gasped as the heat of the mana flowed through her, but she extended the armor to have it float before her, it's hoof-shoes barely touching the ground. The runes the armor had embossed deep into the plates also glowed with a fiery brilliance, since they were fully-activated already. She couldn't help but admire the genius of her Grandfather/Great-uncle as she felt each one of the runes and the power they contained. She also confirmed that the runes on her Lunar Armor were powered to the same level as those here. Once she was sure both sets were similarly-empowered, she put her forehoofs to the peytral and helmet emblems and spoke in the same soft-but-commanding tone she'd used the night before. "Eshel thu Solari pahl fordrass, ekhen sho mattrel Stellar Light Sparkle. Su mordrhi etha Shib!" She incanted, and this time the light that filled the red-and-silver armor was blinding, even making Stellar close her eyes. When the light in the circle faded, the helmet sat there, looking like it had always done... save that Stellar noticed something strange. As she picked up the helmet and moved out of the circle, she saw the helmet had undergone a color change. Instead of silver edging, the helmet's edging was now a metallic gold in color. Frowning, Stellar put the helmet on and extended the armor, feeling it wrap around her with the familiar feeling she'd gotten when she'd put it on... but the difference was palpable again. As with her Lunar Armor, the suit felt like an extension of herself, not just the dead armor she'd felt encase her before now. Both suits felt almost the same to Stellar, save for a difference in... flavor, or tone. Her red armor was warm, almost comforting in it's heat as it encased her. Her blue armor, on the other hand, was cool and soothing and.. 'as lovely as a cool breeze on a hot day', were the only words she could find to describe the feeling. Stellar did note the gold edging was the same on every part of the armor now, making her wonder if it meant something more than perhaps an affinity with the Sun. Shaking her head, Stellar put the tome back in her backpack and headed for the cave entrance. She slid her sword into place as well as she reached the outside of the cave, and took off from the edge of the spur of rock. The shield hardly even registered on her this time as she passed through it, and as Stellar looked back, she noticed the spur looked... insignificant; covered in snow and ice and the cave entrance looked like the shallow indent it had appeared to be as she'd approached it during the night. "It must have an illusion spell as part of the shield." She said to herself as she cruised along, gliding around Mount Canterhorn back to Canterlot. Stellar laughed as she flew along. Canopus Star's armor... "No. This is my armor now." Stellar said to herself. "I have claimed it, and it is mine to wield." Then she paused. Stellar felt that, even as she'd made the statement, the feeling of the armor's magic had subtly changed again. "Such subtleties..." She said, sighing. "I have to learn more about Magic! If I can't understand how even such a simple declaration as I just made can produce a shift in the tone of the magic of my armor... then I don't have anywhere near the proper understanding of Magic that I should." She admitted to herself. Stellar sighed softly before she said "So much that I know... but so much I do not know. Twilight might be a magic prodigy, and therefore I probably am as well, but there are so many areas of Magic she has never delved into to their fullest depths. Plus I haven't assimilated all her memories as yet, either. Gonna have to work on that." Stellar looked at Canterlot as she cleared the side of Mount Canterhorn again and the city came into view before her. "Looks like I have a lot more to study than I had figured on having to do, if I'm ever to become the Warrior I feel is my destiny." Stellar gently landed before the Guards' entrance to the Palace. The Royal Guards stationed there turned to face and challenge her, when their eyes opened wide at the sight of Stellar in her red-and-gold armor, the winged Sparkle Star on her helmet and peytral standing out in its legendary status. They snapped to attention and saluted as Stellar reached them, and she saluted as a matter-of-course as she passed them. Stellar smiled as she walked through the palace towards the Audience Hall. The attendees for the day moved out of her way as she walked through them, some bowing to her as she passed them. Then the guards outside the Audience Hall saw Stellar coming. They snapped to attention and opened the small access door for her to pass through as they saluted her. Stellar returned their salute and stepped through into the empty hall. She quickly moved up through the hall and down the back, until she reached the Breakfast room where Luna and Celestia awaited. Stellar changed from her battle armor to her Night Guard armor, though, first, so when she entered, she saluted Luna and Celestia. "Good Morning, Your Highnesses." She said respectfully, bowing to Celestia after Luna returned her salute. Celestia nodded her head to Stellar, then gestured to a seat. "Welcome and good morning, Lieutenant Sparkle." Celestia replied as Stellar sat down. "I have to say, Small Rings have out-done themselves again, if that fine suit of armor is an example of their craft-ship." Stellar smiled as she removed her helmet and laid it beside her, shaking out her mane. "Indeed, they have." Stellar agreed. "They managed to copy Canopus Star's original design perfectly... of course, they did forge his original armor too, so it didn't take much of a stretch for them to reproduce the design again." "It suits you well." Celestia added, as breakfast was served. "You look every inch the proper Guards-mare now." "Indeed." Luna agreed. "Stellar is more than appropriate for my apprentice, now that she looks the part." "Thank you, Mistress Luna." Stellar said before she started eating, while Celestia and Luna discussed the handover of the Kingdom as they ate. Once they had finished, Stellar escorted Luna to her apartments. "Go home and spend some time with your family, Stellar." Luna told her as she was readied for her sleep. "They need you as much as you need them." Stellar nodded. "Of course, Mistress." Stellar said with a smile. "Sweet dreams." "Thank you." Luna said, as Stellar bowed to her, then took three steps back before she turned and left, putting her helmet on as she walked out the door. She moved to the nearest balcony and took to the wing, heading across the city for Home... and her new family, a soft smile gracing her face. ======= Velvet Sparkle was sitting in the main living room of their house when Stellar walked in. The older mare hadn't been up when Stellar had arrived home, but now she greeted her new daughter warmly after she'd risen from her sleep. "Good..." She looked at the clock. "Well, I get to wish you a good morning barely in time." Velvet said, as the clock chimed mid-day. Stellar smiled as she shook her mane out and felt it settle into place. "Sorry, Mama, but I am working nights now." Stellar replied as she sat down next to Velvet, then they shared a hug together. "I don't mind, Stellar Dear." Velvet replied. "At least I get you for part of the day... which is more time than I often got with Twilight when she was studying with Celestia." She sighed and leaned into her daughter's strong body. Stellar nuzzled Velvet. "Yes, I heard that, as she got older, Twilight was often more absent than present as she studied." Stellar said. "I'm not going to be home as much as I'd like, of course. But I will spend as much time as my duties allow me with my new family." She promised Velvet, who smiled and nuzzled back. "Of course, working at night means that I have the time during the day, like now." Velvet nodded. "And I am grateful for any time you can spend here, Stellar." She confirmed. Stellar laid her head across the back of Velvet's neck, as if Velvet was her younger foal, and Velvet giggled. "I never thought my daughters would grow big enough to do that to me!" She commented. Stellar giggled. "Hazards and perks of being an alicorn." She replied. She moved so she could look Velvet in the eye. "You do know Celestia raised a surrogate daughter in Twilight, don't you?" She asked, hoping that she hadn't opened a can of worms by doing so... Velvet's ears drooped and she looked sad. "Yes... I figured that out about the time that Twilight turned ten, and Celestia threw her a big birthday party at the castle. It was so lavish, yet so Twilight, too." She leaned back against Stellar. "But Twilight never stopped showing signs that she remembered us. She never missed Mother's Day or Father's Day, our birthdays, special occasions, and she did come home occasionally. She wrote long, complex letters; sent every award she received for her efforts back here to us, sometimes even delivering them personally. It was like having her away at Boarding School, to be honest... even if she was only four when she started there." Velvet smiled as a tear slipped from her eye. "And she never failed to spend time with me for a five-minute-or-longer hug." And she hugged Stellar. Stellar nuzzled Velvet back, hugging her close. "And I will never fail to do the same." She told Velvet. Stellar slipped her big wings around Velvet, who nickered softly as she held Stellar tightly to her, tears slipping out of her eyes. Stellar held Velvet close to her, not crushing her, but allowing Velvet to hug her as tightly as she wanted to. Her strong body could easily take it. If Velvet could have purred, she would have purred like a cat being pampered after a big meal. "I never dreamed I'd be so blessed." She told Stellar. "I was lucky enough to bear a son as our first-born... then I thought I would never have another foal, that Shiny would be my only family." Velvet sniffled, as Stellar nuzzled her tenderly. "Then, fourteen years.. such a long time between foals, Stellar. I have never heard of any mare going so long between birthing siblings, to be honest. Shiny was such a fine colt, everything a mother could hope for in a son... but I so missed having other foals around... and Shiny seemed to always be lonely... well, until he made friends with Cadance." She smiled softly. "Then, after almost giving up hope, I found I was pregnant with Twilight. I was so astonished. Our doctor called her my little miracle." Velvet chuckled as she looked up at Stellar. "And she was, too. She was so beautiful..." And Stellar nuzzled Velvet as she started to cry softly. She offered Velvet a handkerchief with a wing-tip. "Thank you, Stellar Dear." Velvet said, her voice a little choked-up. "It's okay, Mama." Stellar said. "Go on when you're able to." Velvet and Stellar sat together for a while, then Velvet went on. "I felt I had been blessed a second time, until... until the day Twilight went for her test at the school." She told Stellar. "When what happened happened, and Celestia herself took Twilight as a student, I have to admit, I was so thrilled." She sighed happily. "Twilight's gift was far too strong for Night Light or myself to handle, I will admit. But," She looked sad again, "it took everything I had to let Twilight go. I wanted so much to keep her with us... but I could not let her or myself deny her destiny." Stellar nodded. "You gave her up because you saw she was something special." Stellar said. "And you knew only Celestia could give Twilight what she needed to be her best." Velvet smiled and shook her head. "You are so perspecacious, Stellar. Then again, as you have said, you were trained by a military to be observant and be quick to process those observations." "And you're much more than a house-mare." Stellar said back. Velvet nodded. "I have been educated, Stellar. I went to Canterlot University... not for anything major, I have to agree, but I have had a very good education and trained in the use of magics and other things, including the study of Equestrian and it's history." Velvet sighed happily, a faraway look on her face. "I met Night Light at the university one night. He was out stargazing, and I bumped into him accidentally." She chuckled. "He helped me to my hoofs and we went for coffee. We were married about two years later, when I graduated and he was offered a job there, helping to map our sky out through a big new telescope the university had installed. We conceived Shining... and maybe Twilight, out under the stars." Stellar nuzzled Velvet softly, and she nuzzled back. "That's so beautiful. I can see you two still have a deep romantic thing going." "Oh yes. It's kept me from being depressed as things happened to us that might have driven me to despair otherwise." Velvet agreed. She looked up at Stellar. "And now Shiny has one of the most wondrous mares as his wife: the Alicorn of Love herself." Velvet chuckled. "I never even dreamed things would turn out like this, Stellar. I am just an ordinary mare, but part of an extraordinary family. I may never have done great things..." "But without you, there would not have been anypony to do great things." Stellar finished for her. Velvet nodded her head. "Yes. So there's my claim to fame, such as it is. I am mother and mother-in-law to three alicorns. That's something no other mare can ever say." "Well... give Cadey a chance, and she'll beat that some day." Stellar said, grinning. "But you did it first." "Yes. I did it first." Velvet agreed. "So, there you two are." Said Night Light as he stepped into the parlor. "How does Lunch at Brekkersley's sound?" He asked. "Sounds great, Daddy." Stellar answered. "Indeed, Beloved. it has been a while since we went there." Velvet said as she slid off the couch and let Stellar rise as well. "Good. Because I'm hungry and it's my treat." Night Light said back, grinning as he nuzzled Velvet lovingly, a gesture she returned with full affection. "Then lead on, Daddy!" Stellar exclaimed, and she walked out beside Velvet, keeping her mother between herself and her father, feeling comfortable now with her new family. ======= Stellar landed outside the Palace Guard entrance as she'd done every day that week, in her Lunar Guard armor. The Night Guard Nightwalkers on the gate merely saluted her as she passed by them, now that she was known and becoming familiar to them, Stellar returning their salute as she passed them. Stellar was smiling as she walked along, the simple respect the other ponies were showing her making her feel not only good, but as if she truly belonged there. Very few of her non-Twilight memories that she still had made her feel as similarly welcomed, but even Stellar admitted she didn't have a lot to go on about her former life. She was trying to fit the pieces into something that could give her an idea who and what she had been, but it was as if she was trying to put together a puzzle with most of the pieces either blank or missing. But she put that aside for now as she approached the Audience Hall, and the chamber where Luna would be getting ready for Night Court. Stellar stepped into what she considered a preparation room, where Luna's thestral attendants were grooming her out and putting her regalia in place. Stellar nodded to some of the waiting attendants, the female thestrals giving her warm smiles in return. Stellar was just starting to learn all their names and pinning them in her memories to their faces, coat color patterns and cutie marks. Then Luna noticed her. Stellar immediately came to attention, saluted Luna and, after Luna had saluted back, said "Good evening, Mistress Luna." "And a good evening to you too, Lieutenant Sparkle." Luna replied as one of the thestrals brought Luna's crown to her, freshly polished and spotless. Luna lifted it from the cushion it was on and placed it on her head, making sure it was straight. 'Celestia might like her maids to put her crown on, but I will always prefer to do it myself.' Luna thought to herself as one of her maids held a big round mirror close for her to check her appearance. Satisfied, She allowed the maids to slip her hoof-shoes in place, and stamped her hoofs to settle them. "Do we have anything special on tonight, Midnight?" Luna asked. Midnight Azalea, Luna's trusted personal assistant, had checked her roster and the list of petitions for the night carefully. "The opening of that new club, the Crimson Mask, has been postponed until next week, Your Highness. Apparently their electrical system failed to pass their scheduled testing and needs more work." She explained. "A shame." Luna commented. "I was looking forward to that." Midnight nodded. "There is a group from the Astronomical Society who feel that they may have discovered a new solar system in our skies." She told Luna, who smiled and looked very interested. "They have a presentation for you first up, since they needed time to set up. I have put them in the Celestial Star Chamber for your viewing." "Excellent." Luna grinned. "That should be very interesting. The skies have opened up so much since before I went away and returned." Luna sighed. "So many things are different, Stellar. We used to think the stars were celestial beings like ourselves." She looked at Stellar. "It is only recently that we have discovered they are far more than that... and that we might be unique in this universe." Stellar actually moved and place a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "Not as unique as you once were, Luna." She said softly, as a friend to a friend, not Apprentice to Mistress. Luna smiled at Stellar. "Yes." She agreed as she turned to Stellar. "We do not know what agency sent you here, Stellar Light Sparkle, but we will always be grateful to them for doing so. Even in the short time you have been with us, you have proved to be a fresh breeze bringing new things to all the lives you touch. And may we keep learning from you, as you learn from me." "To live is to learn. To live is to serve." Stellar replied, bowing to Luna, as did every pony in the room. "To serve..." "...Is to Love." Said every pony in the room with Stellar. Luna smiled at them all. "If I had had ponies like you, before I fell..." She sighed sadly. "There never would have been a Fall." "That was then." Stellar said to Luna. "All we can do now is make sure you never fall again. Neither you, Luna, nor any of us." She stated. "We live, we learn, we love, we support each one of us, so all of us are stronger than we are alone." She daringly nuzzled Luna, who nuzzled back. Then Luna found herself in the middle of a group hug, something that filled her with the love from all her ponies. "Thank you all." She said to them. Then they all stood back and bowed to Luna, who nodded to them. "Come, Stellar, Court awaits." "After you, Mistress." Stellar replied, and moved to her right side as Midnight Azalea moved to Luna's left, and they walked down towards the Celestial Star Chamber. = = = = = After an hour of star-gazing, and several petitions heard, Luna and Stellar were in the study room, going over the basic creation of magical constructs, when Luna felt a ripple of despair and anguish slip through the Dream-world. Frowning, she looked at Stellar. "Somepony is having a very bad dream." She told Stellar. "Maybe you should go see what's happening." Stellar said. "I can stay here and watch over you." Luna thought on this. "No. Perhaps this is a good time to teach you how to enter the Dream-world on a conscious level." She told Stellar. "Now, lie here with me, and I shall show you the way." Stellar dropped to her barrel beside Luna, and the two of them closed their eyes, as Luna led Stellar into the dreams of others... ======= Twilight was experiencing what she hoped was a nightmare. There before her lay Celestia and her friends, all slashed to pieces and quite dead. Nightmare Moon was standing above her on the dais of Canterlot Palace, the Scythe of Sombra floating above her back, dripping blood. "Well, Twilight Sparkle... I hope you enjoyed your little stay of execution. Because now that I have finished off your supporters and my execrable sister, it is your turn. And with no Elements of Harmony to help you this time, I am going to enjoy this... So. Very. Much." Nightmare Moon said with an evil grin. Twilight screamed as Nightmare Moon leaped from the dais, scythe ready to slice her in half, when the weapon's blade simply went through her. As Nightmare Moon landed with a huge BOOM behind her, Twilight looked herself over in amazement. She turned and grinned at Nightmare Moon. "What is this?" The black-armored mare asked, incredulous. "How have you survived?" "Because this is nothing more than a nightmare, and that's all you are." Came a familiar voice from behind Twilight, as Luna stepped out of a crack and into view. "You are nothing." "Luna!" Twilight said, moving back beside her fellow alicorn, as the Audience Hall around them faded to leave just a stone floor. Nightmare Moon growled in rage. "YOU!" She yelled. "How can you be free of me? I OWN YOU!!" "Not for a very long time, Nightmare." Luna replied. She frowned at her former aspect, tilting her head to one side. "No... you are not just a normal nightmare. There is something else..." Nightmare roared again, the scythe glowed with black energy and she slashed at Luna, but the scythe came to a clanging halt against a red-and-gold sword-blade, being held by none other than Stellar. "WHAT???" Nightmare Moon looked from Twilight to Stellar and back again. "How? That is impossible!" She exclaimed. "You cannot make a duplicate of yourself, even in a dreamscape!" "Not entirely true." Stellar answered this time, slamming the blade of the scythe into the floor and holding it there. "You can clone yourself, but the clones will usually be weaker in their effect." Then she grinned nastily at Nightmare Moon. "But I'm no clone." "Twilight... can you see the core of this figure?" Luna asked Twilight, as Stellar distracted Nightmare Moon by blowing a huge raspberry at her. Twilight focused her magic senses on the figure, then gasped. "It... it has a core of dark magic!" She stated, as Nightmare Moon freed the scythe with a roar and started going for it hammer-and-tongs with a grinning Stellar. "Indeed. This is a projection, not just a nightmare." Luna told her. "Somepony very close to you is projecting this image and controlling it." "But why?" Twilight asked as Stellar kicked Nightmare Moon in the jaw, causing her to crash to the floor. "That is a very good question." Luna admitted. "But... this is your dreamscape, and you can control it. You can disconnect the nightmare figure and follow the trail back to the source." Twlight nodded. She powered up her horn and sent a bolt of energy across to the Nightmare figure as it rose to its hoofs. Nightmare Moon stopped moving, dissolving away and leaving a small sphere that glowed darkly and pulsated with foul light. Then Twilight screamed, in the dreamscape and the real world, and vanished. Luna and Stellar found themselves forced back into consciousness as the dreamscape collapsed. Luna had barely time to shake her head before Stellar launched herself across the Audience Hall and out the front doors, heading across the City. Once she had gained her equilibrium, Luna jumped up and followed, a dozen Nightwing Guards following behind her. She was just in time to see Stellar teleport with a 'boom'... = = = = = Stellar appeared over Ponyville and landed on the balcony of Friendship Castle, slamming the doors to Twilight's bedroom aside and racing in. She found Twilight was writhing and gasping in agony on the bed, little tendrils of dark magic floating around her and seeping into her. Stellar growled and said "Ernamu uthis pahl desanti!" and a glowing lavender rune about the size of her head appeared before her. She moved towards Twilight, pushing the rune ahead of her, and as she neared Twilight, the dark tendrils were pulled off Twilight and into the rune. Stellar parked it above Twilight and then nuzzled her sister. "Come on, Twilight. Snap out of it!" The internal doors to Twilight's bedroom burst open, Starlight Glimmer and Spike there, ready to take on whomever had burst in, but Starlight paused when she saw Stellar, and that Twilight was moaning on the bed, still asleep. "Stellar?" Starlight asked, confused. "Starlight!" Stellar said, "See if you can help me wake Twilight. She's under attack in her dreams from something using Dark Magic!" Starlight gasped, but rushed forward and did what she could to help. After nothing seemed to work, Stellar growled and bit Twilight on the nose. Twilight awoke with a scream, but she glanced around, holding her nose, as Stellar and Starlight looked relieved. "Are you okay, Twi'?" Stellar asked. "Yu bid by doze!" Twilight exclaimed, as Spike went for the first-aid kit. "Yes, I did bite your nose, Sis, but you were stuck asleep, and nothing else we'd done seemed to want to wake you." Stellar said as she healed Twilight's bleeding nose. "I'm both sorry and not sorry, if you can understand that." "Yeth." Twilight said as the pain in her nose faded away. Then the pain returned to her body and she winced. "Buck! What is causing that?" She asked clearly. Starlight gasped. "There's some kind of magic coming out of you, Twilight!" She explained, just as Luna and her entourage landed outside. As Luna walked in, Stellar was probing Twilight gently. She looked up at Twilight. "Twilight... it's coming from your womb." She said in a cautious tone. Both Luna and Starlight gasped, as Twilight looked devastated. "But... but how?" "May I probe deeper?" Stellar asked, then looked at Luna and gestured her up as well. Twilight shivered, but nodded. "Go ahead." She agreed. Stellar nodded, and she and Luna probed into Twilight's womb. Inside, they found a swirling layer of dark magic with the foal inside it. Luna frowned as the innate protective field of Twilight's womb seemed to be keeping the mass from touching the foal, but both knew they couldn't leave it there. Stellar looked at Luna. "Looks like Twilight's natural magical resistance is protecting the foal." She stated. "Yes, fortunately." Luna agreed. "Can we remove it?" She asked. "I think so." Stellar replied. "If you can strengthen the rune I have in place, it should drain the dark magic and destroy it. I'll cast another rune under her that will cleanse the dark magic from both Twilight and the foal." She looked at Starlight. "Starlight, can you cast an anti-pain spell on Twilight while we deal with this?" Stellar asked. "I can." She agreed, and stepped up to Twilight's head. Stellar nodded. "All right. Luna, the rune is yours." And as she handed it over, the rune changed from lavender to dark-blue as Luna's magic took control of it. Stellar got down on her back and crawled under Twilight's bed. Fortunately, there was enough space for her to fit, until she was right under Twilight. "Okay! Here it goes!" She then said "Asparty pahl densu!" A big white rune appeared under Twilight and it slowly moved up and through her. Starlight cast her pain-removal spell as well, touching her horn to Twilight's, and Twilight sighed as the pain vanished. Luna was powering Stellar's dark-magic destroying rune, as the other one made the dark magic seep out of Twilight's body, purifying her and the foal as it creeped upwards. The darkness flooded out of Twilight's body and was sucked directly into the rune Luna was controlling. Several tendrils tried their best to head for Twilight's head, Starlight's head or Luna herself, but the rune captured them and sucked them into it before they could go very far. Eventually the cleansing rune finished passing through Twilight, and the two runes met. With a flash, they disappeared, taking the Dark magic with them, and Luna, Twilight and Starlight sighed with relief as Stellar crawled out from under Twilight's bed. "No dust-bunnies, thank goodness." Stellar said with a grin. That got a giggle from Starlight as Stellar moved to Twilight and started scanning her again. Luna joined her, a smile on her face, as they checked over the foal. "She's okay." Stellar proclaimed, and Luna nodded as Twilight looked back at them. "Yes, there's no darkness left inside you that I can detect any longer." Luna added. "Thank you both for that, Luna, Stellar." Twilight said, her gratitude painfully obvious in her voice. "And thank for helping, Starlight." Twilight said to Starlight with a big smile. "It was... You're welcome, Twilight." Starlight said, smiling back at her friend. Twilight smiled back as she rolled on her barrel. "What the hay was that doing inside me and where did it come from?" She asked. Stellar shrugged, but Luna looked thoughtful. "I... I have felt something like that before, but, as you can imagine, it was a very, very long time ago." She told them. "Before your 'Time-out', obviously." Stellar said. "Indeed." Luna said drolly. Then she looked serious. "When we were working our way through the Crystal Empire, Celestia and I saw many ponies that were... infested and transformed by Sombra's dark power. We managed to see something incredibly horrid being done by some of his dark mages. They were casting spells into the wombs of mares who were pregnant. These spells would eventually enter the foals and make them not just susceptible to Dark magic, but replace their natural magics with only Dark magic, making them like the ones we fought against before we reached Sombra himself. I believe the dark magic we found in you, Twilight, are similar spells." Luna told them all. "So... they must have put these in place while the foal was in it's mother." Twilight replied. "And when you transferred everything across into yourself, you brought that with you." Stellar added. "Then... why couldn't we feel it before now?" Twilight asked. "After looking at the spell you used, Twi', I'm guessing the spell's power kept the dark magic suppressed for a time." Stellar suggested. "Yes. And once it wore off, it felt your powerful magics keeping it from the foal and attacked you to weaken you, so it could reach the foal." Luna added her opinion. "Your innate magic was obviously too powerful for it to just attack stealthily, so it... I believe the term is 'ramped up the effect', and attacked you openly while you were asleep." "Maybe that's why we couldn't tell what gender the foal is." Starlight then suggested. "A probable cause, and probably true." Luna agreed, bowing slightly to Starlight, who bowed back much deeper. Stellar nodded. "So, feeling better now, Sis?" She asked Twilight. "Yeah, pretty much." Twilight said as she slid off the bed. "But it's made me as hungry as a bugbear in a copse of beehive-bearing trees." She added as she headed slowly for the door. As Stellar helped Twilight out of the room, Luna chuckled to Starlight. "Now that is a good sign she is recovering." Luna commented, which got Starlight giggling.