Canterlot Castle Press Room. Ms Raven Inkwell has been given the begrudging task of keeping the press up to date concerning happenings.
“As you are aware, the lockdown is still in effect,” Raven announced. “The group of colts who were detained around noon is an unrelated incident involving a group of delinquents who’d gotten into testing based on perjured testimonies. The colts were uncooperative refused to cooperate even in the presence of Princess Celestia and a medical examination has shown that they all possess sub-par amounts of manna and never should have been recommended in the first place. The individuals who recommended them will be facing perjury charges.”
“What about the explosion at the school?”
“On the one hoof, explosions at the school are an occupational hazard. I went to school with Twilight Sparkle, trust me. - That said, the incident in question was the result of an assault on Princess Nova. The reason for the lock-down is because the perpetrator was using an as of yet unidentified invisibility charm. Invisibility charms are strictly regulated, and prohibited on campus. Three other individuals have been located in the school, all of whom seem to have been there to disrupt the efforts of the students while taking their practicals. The pony who went after Princess Nova is now in stable condition. Princess Nova overexerted herself in the process of defending herself and is presently being monitored in the Castle’s clinic.”
“But what about the explosion?”
“I’m to understand that Princess Nova was responsible for that. By the time the proctors had realized what was going on the princess had, I’m to understand, supercharged and generated a sizable electrical discharge. A thunderbolt in an enclosed space and this was after having rebuffed her attacker several times. The incident is still under investigation.”
🏥
So there I was, looking up at the ceiling looking for patterns in the holes in the ceiling tiles bored out of my mind. Mom was looking over some stuff that looked a bit like college material that a pony had dropped off for her. Every pony else had gone and it was just the two of us.
“Hello,” offered a unicorn stallion standing in the door. His coat was a light grayish azure, his mane a dark blue that matches Mom’s plot cap color.
“Hi,” I offered. He’s familiar, but I can’t place him.
“Can I help you?” Mom asked.
“I’m Twilight’s father. I heard Nova was assaulted.”
“Night Light, wasn’t it?” I ask.
“I hear they are going to be implementing some new security protocols.”
“You should be alright, or is there something you are hiding?” Mom asked.
“Tails.” Night Light offered.
“Tails?” I asked.
“A thousand years of hiding who I am, causes some deeply ingrained habits,” Night Light explained.
“Your a nine tail? Wait, why are you telling us?” Yes, ponies change when they get older, but they maintain certain traits. I start rising up out of my bed, the monitor attached to me registering an increase in my pulse. “You wouldn't happen to have a different colored mane would you, and that’s dye?”
“Sort of striped pea green, teal, light blue, blush, and vermilion. In short, I take after Aunt Tia in the mane department.”
“Your Nachtlicht?” Mom asked as she looked at him. I’m sitting up now.
“I got wings too,” He offered and then dropped the illusion that hid the wings.
“So, you were basically being selfish?” Mom asked.
“No, yes, alright. I was being selfish. The last thing I wanted was for the sort of ponies that have gone after Sunset, and Nova to find out about me. And then the next thing I know they are after Velvet, Shining Armor, and Little Twilight. I don’t want them to ever have to go through what I did.”
“How many years were you on the run?” I asked.
“I had to be spirited out of Equestria. I was still very young at the time and it took a very long time. And the ponies who’d set everything into motion were hunting everyone down, and I am not my big sister Nova. Sorry. Not your fault.” The room fell silent for a couple of minutes. Seemed longer. “I only returned about a hundred years ago to see if any of the Night Clans still existed in Equestria.” More silence, but not quite as long. “It’s been so long, and I told myself you didn’t really need me. And then it was, I just didn’t want my family under a microscope. And I certainly couldn't have the cultist finding out about me. And then that pony went after Nova today and now everything is up in the air because of the security sweep.”
“You know you two are only a few minutes apart,” Mom offered as she got up and went over to him. He’s tall, but not unusually tall. “Is this your true height?”
“Pretty much. Dad is a Kitsune fox. Fox ponies don’t really get all that big. I think it has something to do with the way they channel manna. We don’t have to be big to do big things.”
“The ultimate Irony is that I probably owe the Nightmare for both of you. Not just for the drive it gave me, but for the increased size. Ordinary ponies can’t have twins. There isn’t enough room. Even when we are talking egg-laying winged ponies, there has to be room, It’s a miracle when twins do happen.”
“Any chance you’ll forgive me for not coming right to you?”
“I can forgive you,” I offered. I mean, I wasn’t exactly planning on presenting myself to Princess Celestia myself. The only reason I did was that I wanted to fly and learn how to use magic. Well, I was probably going to bump into her sooner or later, I just wasn’t in a big hurry because I had no idea what to expect.”
“To tell you the truth,” mom offered. “I wouldn't have had a clue who either of you was. I think I would have found it distressful.” She then closed the distance and gave him a hug.
“I guess this explains how I was able to absorb the manna Twilight left in that classroom,” I offered as I sat there on my bed hoping for a hug too. “The place was saturated.”
“Excuse me, wait, Princess Luna? Um, that’s my husband.” Twilight Velvet protested as she entered the room.
“I can explain.”
“And you even let her see your wings?”
“Nova’s my big sister.”
‘Ah…” Twilight Velvet seemed to be having difficulty processing that last bit of information.
“Remember how I told you my mom was in Heaven?” Night Light asked. “I didn’t lie, exactly, the moon is in the heavens after all.”
“But…” twilightvelvet.exe has failed to respond.
“Wow, I have a sister-in-law,” I said excitedly as the realization hits me. “And a niece and nephew. Twilight Sparkle is my niece. Shining Armor is my Nephew. This is so awesome! - Do foals say awesome?”
“Some pony is coming, quick, hide the wings,” Mom cautioned moments before a nurse entered the room.
“OK, whatever’s going on, it needs to stop. According to our equipment, you are overstimulating Princess Nova.”
“We were just talking about how Mr Night Light’s family might be distantly related,” Mom offered.
“Princess Luna’s your mother?!” Velvet exclaimed.
“Not now, Velvet,” Nightlight cautioned.
“What do you mean, not now?” Velvet asked.
“If it’s your intent to keep it secret, why tell us in the first place?” I asked. I’d no doubt that my ears were back in distress. “I’ve suspected for some time. I mean look at me, I’m a fox pony Twilight Sparkle in black and white save for the stripes.”
“Having relatives around who can provide a manna donation should say, Princess Nova push herself past her limits, would be advantageous,” Offered the nurse who I believed was called Old Iron Sides. Not sure if that was her actual name or not. And then she introduced herself as Nurse Ivy Baggs. I liked Old Iron Sides better.
“If you are wondering, my incident took place in the same room that Twilight Sparkle overcharged when the rainboom happened. The place is saturated with her magic. I absorbed some of that old magic.”
“And that’s not a good thing,” Nurse Ivy Baggs stated. “Regardless of compatibility that manna was stagnant.”
“And that’s bad I gather,” I said.
“Yes, and it’d been nice if someone had told me.”
“No one asked.”
“Is she going to be alright?” Mom asked.
“Truthfully, I’ve no idea. In fact, I’ll be right back,” Nurse Ivy Baggs replied and trotted back out through the door.
“Well, that’s not one bit ominous,” I said trying not to sound too concerned.
“Don’t get too worried. Worse case, you’ll get a little bit of a fever, and be fine by morning,” Nightlight offered.
“Are you sure?” Mom asked.
“Maybe a strong impulse to rearrange a library,” Night light offered with a grin. “Now, the problem we have is that I and Twilight have wings, no she doesn’t know. I’ve been using a simple illusion charm on myself. When Twilight was born I put a transformation charm on her so that she’d have the opportunity to grow up as normal as possible. A strong enough spell intended to cancel out active magic could potentially trigger a transformation.”
“So she could grow up normal? You saying I’m not normal?” I tease. "Hang on, Twilight is already an Alicorn? Wings an all?"
“Why I’d never suggest such a thing as to say that you were ever normal in any way,” Nightlight teased. “As far as Twilight goes, getting transformed in a security shakedown might not be a good thing.”
“Alright, stop it you two,” Mom chastised. Granted that by the sound of her voice she was loving it.
“I’m a little worried about what’s going to happen if either Twilight or myself get found out.”
“Do you have wings on your ID tag?” I ask.
“Since the detection charms on the gates detect things like wings and horns, yes, I made sure that was covered and the ponies in the ID section have willingly kept quiet about it. Granted I told them that I was just a fox pony and I didn’t want any ponies finding out and getting the wrong ideas. - Now Twilight’s spell is a little more sophisticated so the wings aren’t going to register in that at the moment they aren’t there.”
“And if someone breaks the spell? What can we expect to happen besides she gets her wings back?” Mom asked.
“Instant Alicorn, wasn’t it?” Velvet asked.
“She’ll pop up to the ascension plane, her wings will come back and it’ll give the appearance that she just achieved ascension even though she’s already an alicorn.”
“I’d better talk to my sister,” Mom announced, went to her studies, pulled out a blank piece of parchment, made a quick note, and popped it off to Celestia. “I said I needed to talk with her right away, but didn’t say why just in case.”
“Did you tell her where you are?” I ask.
“Luna?” Celestia called a moment later from the hall. “Is Nova alright?”
“She’s fine,” Mom offered.
“Mr and Mrs Sparkle?” Celestia said as she walked into the room. “So what is it that was so important?”
“Night Light is Nachtlicht, and he and Twilight are alicorns,” Mom offered.
“This is a joke, right?” Celestia asked.
“Twilight was born with wings and then a horn started growing,” Nightlight offered. “Her birth certificate lists her as a pegasus. I put a transformation spell on her so she could grow up as a unicorn and get lessons without having to deal with being an alicorn in a community that worships alicorns.”
Princess Celestia just gave him an incredulous look. That is until he dropped the illusion spell hiding wings and tails.
“I’d just assume the world not know,” Night Light offered.
“I can let the Guard force know to be careful not to use a spell that might undo your illusion,” Celestia offered with an air of resignation.
“Today’s little issue and the security sweeps,” He offered.
“I already knew about the spell on Twilight, but I honestly thought it was medical, and the guard force knows to be careful not to break it,” Celestia offered.
“I’m just surprised the elements didn’t undo the spell,” Night Light offered.
“It’s not time yet,” I informed them. And then I decided to lay down and close my eyes. “A slight fever was it?” I ask.
“I’ve read about ponies absorbing old manna,” Night Light offered. “It’s rare, but you can rest assured that no pony ever died from it.”
“Old manna?” Celestia asked.
“She used too much manna, and that old classroom is or was saturated with Twilight’s, and since Twilight is literally her niece, that old manna was compatible enough that her body soaked it up to try to correct the imbalance,” Luna supplied right about the same time hospital staff came rolling in with all manner of monitoring equipment.
“Just a fever,” I heard Velvet ask.
“It’s just an overabundance of caution, I assure you. Nothing to worry about,” Offered Doctor Horse.
“Dear, if you could roll over we need to shave your belly.”
“What?” Whatever mild sleepiness that had taken me was gone.
“We need to shave your belly so that we can attach these electric patches so that we can monitor your…”