The room sat in silence. All around the dining room table, mid-breakfast, an affair that should have been far more relaxing than it was, and after not eating a decent meal the last few days, I'd have thought we'd at least make it through the second course. That said, the looks I was getting from the others were less than appreciated.
Well, perhaps not everyone, Bright looked more amused than anything, and Spade seemed as uninterested as always. I could even swear to him mumbling a joke about blue moons. I wouldn't have been surprised. No, the looks of those two were well within reason. Now for the others. Thorax looked stressed. He held his head in his hooves and stared down at his oatmeal like he'd seen someone's ear bubble to the surface. I felt Chrysalis would want a word or two when that was all said and done.
Blueblood, well, quite frankly, I wasn't sure if he was relieved, livid, or still asleep. He seemed to stare out at nothing, lips twitching as he did so. Now, the other two were a picture-perfect team. They had me locked in a three-way stare-off, where when one blinked, the other waited. I entertained the thought of Sabre beating me to death with the silverware, if only for a moment. Sombra, his weird eye aura, was back, and his horn looked heated enough to melt steel beams. All in all, it seemed like they took it better than I expected.
"Luna?" Sabre asked.
I nodded. "Luna."
"Luna!" Sombra growled.
I nodded. "Luna."
"Luna!" Bright shouted, drawing Sabre's ire for a moment.
"You're positive?" Thorax asked.
"Yep."
"It's a trap," Sabre said cooly.
I shook my head. "Considered that. It didn't make sense, not in context. I honestly can't imagine Nightmare having that much insight into my mind, or we wouldn't have made it this far. Could you picture Nightmare of all ponies sitting on this info and doing so little?"
"We just fought and bested her top assassin," Sabre said, hooves to the heavens.
"Technically, you and I did nothing. We were gone when the others bested Cadence."
"He's right," Spade said.
"Have you all lost your minds?" Sabre slammed his hooves onto the table hard enough to shake the whole of it. That Earth Pony power was on full display. Considering the table could easily host twenty was impressive.
"Sabre."
"Enough."
It wasn't a request. Sombra had let us argue without saying anything. Until now, he'd managed to reign in the crazy eyes and was staring at me with a leveled but measured intensity. His horn still looked prepped for a meltdown, but one step at a time.
"Sombra, you can't--"
Sabre was cut off by Sombra's hoof rising. Sabre looked taken aback but held his tongue. Sombra looked at me and took a deep breath. "I believe, Stargazer. Lest you forget, I have had several similar visions. I had one last night, in fact. One that mirrors but does not corroborate Stargazer's own.
"Oh?" Bright said. The thestral had whipped out a notepad at some point. We needed to stop feeding that stallion's delusions at some point. He'd end up owning the rights to our likenesses at this rate.
"Go on," Spade added.
"My vision was far less vivid, but it leads to some rather unfortunate conclusions regarding Stargazer's dream. As it stands, my dream conveyed an echo from my past, a scene of Luna and her blasted sister when they confronted me all those centuries ago. When the scene finished as history had intended. Luna did not dissipate. Instead, eyes still focused on where I'd been during the conflict, she changed."
"Changed?" Sabre asked.
I had a feeling everyone knew precisely what he meant. There wasn't much room for guesswork. Sombra had priorly never seen Nightmare Moon in person. He'd only seen what his visions had shown him and heard what we'd had to say. At this point, I believe he understood why Luna was no longer whom he'd known and that Nightmare Moon was something all too different. As much as I'd like to assume Luna and Nightmare were utterly absent from what made one and what made them wholly separate. I'd be a fool to believe it didn't start from within.
"Her form twisted in shadows, her eyes like a maligned beast. A wholly vitriolic aura, self-serving and arrogant. A form I wish I had no means to gauge. That said, I'd be mindless to not see something of myself in those dark reflections. A feeling I do not hold lightly."
"That's because you hold them darkly," Spade offered with a shrug. I cough back a snort. Bright had to hide a grin, and Sabre seemed at war with an inner demon. Sabre really needed to get a hold of his ridiculous sense of humor. I just couldn't put my hoof on where the line between morbid and funny was for my loyalist guard.
"Perhaps," Sombra said.
"Well, at least you are self-aware enough to know the difference. That puts you leaps and bounds further within reality than the twisted farce that Luna has become."
It was the first time since I'd expressed my dream of meeting with Luna that Blue had voiced his thoughts. He still seemed somewhat distant, but all the same, he'd snapped back to reality in some regard. It was getting eerie with that lost look he'd been wearing.
"True," I agreed.
"Your thoughts are noted, ex-prince of the sun," Sombra said. He tutted at Blue, who let out an indignant huff. Nobles will be nobles, ex-noble, or exiled kings withstanding.
This was all so open-ended. If we agree, Luna is a separate entity that wants to help. Then we'd be shattered, and the March Hare ignored her. If this was Nightmare Moon, then that added a whole new layer to just how badly this could fall apart. At some point, I wanted to have Thorax play proxy so I could pass on what I was planning to the Rebels. I had little doubt they had thoughts as well. I wouldn't pretend to understand the nigh immortal class of beings from Equis, but Chrysalis seemed to know more than most. If she wasn't an immortal like Luna and her sister, she was at least long-lived. She might know something we could use to prove if Luna was really 'Luna.'
Then there were the Elements. I was really sick of the day-night terminology thing. My brain just couldn't displace them from one another. Sombra seemed sure of their ability to save the day, literally.
"Thorax."
The Changeling blinked and looked at me. "Yes?"
"You've been talking to Queen Chrysalis, keeping those back in Canterlot up-to-date. If they're still in Canterlot. This all seems so convenient."
I huffed and slumped in my seat. There were no middling circumstances here. There was either good or bad, hope or despair. The last few weeks were catching up with me. It made me feel sick. My mind seemed to ring at a nearly imperceptible pitch. I could feel it in my ears.
"I am."
Thorax's response seemed strained. He looked about as ill as I felt. If I had to guess, Chrysalis wasn't happy. I didn't blame her. This whole mess was back-to-back insanity.
"Would it be possible to talk to her or for you to speak for her? I won't pretend I know the lengths your hive mind goes. I think we need everything we can muster before this whole thing reaches a head.
"It is possible, yes, though unconventional. While I could speak for Her Majesty. There is an easier way for a non-Changeling to speak through the Hive."
"There's a bit if ever I saw one," Spade said with a wink.
"Like I said, it is unconventional," Thorax emphasized.
"By all means, Thorax, the floor is yours."
"That's a bit dramatic, don't you think?" Blue asked.
"Yes, yes it is," Spade said, nodding along.
"Right, anyway."
I motion for Thorax to continue. He coughs into a hoof and nods once.
"It is possible to have a non-Changeling to enter the Hive. For instance, Sir Armor is within the Hive proper and has been for a while. For it to become as permanent as Sir Armor's example, you must be indoctrinated by the Queen. That said, a normal ling can give temporary access. A skill which, given our current situation, has been vital in maintaining clear lines of communication."
"Indoctrination?" Sabre asked. Sombra had his brow raised as well. I'll give them that the term comes off a little cult-like, but it wasn't like every Changeling had the power to brainwash anyone they met on the street. Besides, Thorax had a point with the lines of contact. It fit the theme of the secret underground resistance they had going.
"I mean, it's like a special intimate ceremony. A rite of passage, being granted a place in the Hive is an honor. If you're given such a chance, it means both the Queen and the Hive have accepted you, Changeling or not."
“Interesting,” Sombra said. That was that. Sabre seemed perplexed but otherwise dropped the subject. Even Sabre didn't have the heart to browbeat Thorax, bless his wholesome soul.
"Well, intimate cultural customs aside. I think we best get Canterlot's thoughts on the whole Crystal Empire and Elements of Harmony debacle. I'm sure Shining and Chrysalis will have thoughts. I'm sure Thorax has gotten an earful, eh?" I said.
Thorax leaned back in his seat and sighed. "You have no idea."
"So, how does it work?" Bright asked. He was practically standing in his own seat, leaning so far in he looked ready to fall face-first into a platter of fresh pastries.
"It isn't super hard, but it can be a bit disorientating for those who haven't been in the Hive before. But before we get to that part. Anyone interested will need to join hooves. I mean, you technically need a connection to the joining host. But the joining will happen as long as one of you is touching me and the rest are even tirciarily touching someone touching me. Oh, you also may want to close your eyes. Otherwise, you might throw up."
My brow creased as I reviewed Thorax's directions. "So, we're hosting a seance? I asked. The similarities were a tad concerning.
"A what?" Thorax asked.
"A means to talk to the dead," I said.
"Ponies can do that?" Thorax asked, joining Bright in the stand over our food club. I swear no one had any manners anymore. They agreed if the look of the rest of the group was anything to go by.
"Supposedly," I offered.
"Or so some would claim. The actual likelihood of such a power being within the bounds of magic is dubious at best. If it were so readily available, It wouldn't be in question, to begin with, would it?" Blueblood asked.
Thorax deflated and fell back in his seat. "Oh."
"Sorry."
Thorax shook his head. "It's not your fault, Star."
Blueblood patted Thorax's shoulder. "Shall we begin then?"
So one by one, those who sought to hear what Chrysalis had to say happened to be everyone present. I was surprised Sombra had joined. He did so silently and with some seeming internal conflict. But all the same, his hoof found perch among the rest. Then eyes closed, we waited. Thorax didn't seem to do anything, so we sat there in silence for several seconds, none the wiser. Then, I felt it. A niggling sensation, like a stray thought you couldn't quite find the words to express. No, that wasn't quite right. It was almost like static, a wall of noise that seemed to lack any direct meaning in itself.
I wanted to open my eyes, to add something to the sound, but in the confines of my mind, it left me feeling uneasy. Then something broke through the static. A thought, a thought that was clearly not my own. It had no voice, yet, it was clear as day. Thorax, I recognized it, I don't know how, but it just felt like Thorax.
"Can you hear me?" Thorax asked. Or, more precisely, though. The term hears almost seemed contradictory to the presence in itself. It was different even from the voices that came with my visions and dreams. Those had a more immediate urgency, a weight behind them. Thorax felt like an afterthought on a literal level.
"Can I?" I thought.
"Oh good, Star, you're in." Thorax smiled. The thought felt happy, like one that made you smile. Was I smiling, too? Could you smile in the metaphysical plane of thought alone?
"Hello?" A new thought asked. It took a second, but I knew the feeling of somber coherence could only be one pony. This whole thing was giving me a headache. Thorax wasn't kidding about the disorientating thing.
"Spade, nice of you to join us."
Thorax was taking a weird level of enjoyment in this. Though, he did say something a few minutes ago about this being super intimate, or at least the Queenly version. If that was intimate, this had to be at least a bit meaningful to Thorax.
"Present."
That was Sabre, as matter-a-fact one could be when dipping into the psionic parallels of telepathy. It was somewhat reassuring, in a strange sort of way.
"This is quite odd," Blueblood added. I could practically feel the eye roll from here.
"Oh good, glad you made it," Thorax thought.
"I'm here. Sorry got distracted trying to notate this whole thing. This is so exciting. I can't imagine many ponies getting to feel this connected to one another. I love it."
I didn't need sight, sound, or thought to feel Bright Pitch vibrating in his seat. The pure exhilaration his every thought exuded was palpable. Never have I found another soul so happy to do his job, or would his writing be a hobby? He was technically a noble before this, well off enough that he didn't understand normal job mechanics. He was a little younger than m e sure, but his child-like glee was still a bit much at times.
"Star."
"Yes?"
"We can hear you, Star."
"Oh."
It occurred to me just how much time I spent thinking to myself. This was gonna be a pain. Not to mention an exercise in self-control.
"I see?"
That was Sombra. The sheer volume and dread the thoughts embodied would be unmistakable even among a crowd of fifty thinkers, maybe even a hundred.
"We can still hear you, Star," Spade said. The smirk in the thought had my eye twitch, even while closed.
"Damn it."
"Language," Thorax said with a tsk.
"So what now?" Sabre asked.
"We converse."
That thought was new. It was vibrant and held a deep feeling of material love and authority. So, Chrysalis by any other name.
"My queen," Thorax thought. I imagined a bow following it. Or was that Thorax projecting the idea? My headache was getting worse.
"Captain, it is a pleasure to hear from you once more, even if we spoke only an hour ago. The guests you brought this time are interesting and welcome. All of them, Even if the darker thoughts of the allotted King of The Crystal Empire are rather bitter."
"I'm sorry, my Queen. I didn't actually think he would be joining us."
"I see. Anything to add, King Sombra?"
"This foray into shared consciousness is for the collective sake of our kingdoms. I would be at fault to ignore such a meeting."
I could feel Chrysalis crack a smile, one I had a feeling was in both the waking world and this Hive Mind plane. I could also feel the scowl Sombra returned.
"So, shall we begin then? Stargazer."
Oh great, now I am the center of attention, super. "Well, firstly, it is a pleasure to speak with you once more, Your Majesty. Will your other half be joining us?" I asked.
"I'm afraid Shining will not be here. We can hardly spare both of our time as is."
"That makes sense. So, well, we'll start with the recap. So, we made it to the Crystal Empire, met Sombra, got thrown in prison by Sombra, then were let out to be used as bait by Sombra. Bait, by the way, that worked, and oh boy, was Cadence mad. Then Sabre and I fell off a tower and nearly died. The others beat Cadence. And Sombra only then suggested that the weapon that beat him, the Elements of Harmony, might be able to best Nightmare Moon."
I took a metaphysical breath. The rest were silent. Though I could feel Sombra's glare trying to borehole through my head.
"There's more," Chrysalis said. It wasn't a question or cue to continue.
"Also, Nightmare Moon is actually Luna, who was Celestia's sister who may or may not be trapped in her own mind by Nightmare Moon, who has, through whatever means, assumed control of her body. I spoke with her last night in one of my dreams."
"I see."
An answer that could have more meanings than I've had hot meals. Most of those meanings were usually a bad thing too.
"My Queen?" Thorax asked.
"This complicates things. If Luna is as you say, we take that for a certainty. Then killing Nightmare Moon would also mean killing a potential ally, an alicorn, no less. That could be ultimately better or worsen our situation depending."
"How so?" Sabre asked.
"If both Nightmare and Luna die, then who would move the moon? Who would call forth the day? Who would subdue the many who willingly follow Nightmare Moon? Who would bring back Celestia? Many things need to be accounted for. If there is a possible means to undo all Nightmare Moon has done, we must consider its worth and price."
"I've thought the same," Blue thought.
"As have I." Sombra agreed.
"Well, that's fair. But, there is a more immediate question on hoof."
"The Elements?" Bright thought, loudly, I might add, more an internal scream than just a thought. Though, that might just be me assuming the volume, filling in the blanks.
"The same, yes." Chrysalis mused. The cheek was real with this one.
Do you have any ideas on where one might find such a helpful evildoer slaying magical weapon of justice? I pondered.
"If we did, would we not have tried using it?" Chrysalis' cheek was gone.
"Sorry." I offered with a dreary chuckle.
"That said, we shall investigate the Elements more thoroughly now that we have confirmation that they exist and are a potential end to this pointless tyranny."
"Agreed. If I were to surmise the jewels and their location. I would be amiss not to assume they are well within Luna's or, more precisely, Nightmare Moon's grasp. She would be leaving it to chance otherwise. A chance only a fool would take."
"Oh, so this should be easy then?" Spade thought with an imaginary bow.
"If only." Sabre thought.
"I will ask Solemn to look into potential vaults in the Everfree. We shall also rescower what remains of the Canderlot Castle Archives. If we happen across any leads, we shall notify you immediately. Though I suspect this will not be so easy."
"No, I doubt it will," I thought.
"Oh yes, before I forget, I would also like to thank you for besting that pink harlot for her actions against my subjects. You will be rewarded properly once the other monster is felled. Your tale shall be etched in history."
"Wow, you really didn't like Cadence, did you?" Bright asked.
"No, no, I did not."
"For now, all we can do is prepare what we can and begin our return journey. Even if you find something, if no one is there to wield these Elements, it will be all for naught."
Blueblood had a point. I was certainly not going to enjoy slumming through the ice and snow again. At least it'll be less likely to have us assaulted by Nightmare's soldiers. Or, now that I think about it. We might be more likely to be attacked. We'd see it coming this time, though I'm not a fan of hurting or killing a bunch of brainwashed fanatics.
"Star."
"Yes, Sabre?"
"We can still hear you."
"Damn it."