Shifting bobbed in place. "You can try on me! I won't get mad, promise."
But Umbra looked doubtful. "I appreciate the offer, but you're not a pony."
Shifting wrinkled her nose. "I see how it is..."
"I don't know if umbrum magic works the same on a changeling as a pony. The first should be a normal pony." Umbra nodded slowly with a noise of consideration. "I appreciate the offer."
"Thank you," added Morning sedately. "Once I have mastered the technique, I will enfold your mind next."
Shifting burst into giggles. "Is that a good thing or not?"
Morning considered Shifting with her impassive eyes. "It could be either. Which would you prefer?"
Shifting pawed at the filly. "Naughty thing! Don't talk that way to ponies more than double your age. Sheesh... So what pony do you have in mind?"
Umbra took a step towards the door. "I can enter dreams, which means I can consider time magic. This has been a valuable trip for learning, and not just for me. I was thinking we could visit the time magic pony. She seemed very cheerful, so I think she'd probably work with us without even any resistance."
Morning clopped her hooves lightly. "An excellent idea, mother. Minuette seemed like a willing pawn." She hopped up to her hooves and trotted after her mother, tail swaying with each step.
Shifting waved as they departed. "Have fun controlling the minds of the public."
Umbra swiveled an ear at that. "I'm not in the broadcast business." That got a look of mild confusion from the other two. "Nevermind, bad joke. Onwards!"
She emerged into the hallway with her daughter following along. "We should ask nicely, to remind. We may be nobles, but our house isn't based around here. She doesn't owe us anything."
"That's where you're wrong." Blueblood was coming the other way on the same hallway. "Nobles command respect wherever they happen to be."
Umbra started, ears flickering. "You'll catch more flies with honey, ever hear of that?"
Blueblood blinked slowly. "Why would you ever want to catch a fly?" An appalled face flashed briefly. "I will gladly forget that idea, really. Now what is it you're trying to get done with a commoner?"
Morning looked up at Blueblood camly. "I am practicing my magic. I need a pony volunteer."
Blueblood pricked up his ears. "Oh? How delightful! What sort of magic is it? Is it exciting?!"
Umbra glanced between the two. "Actually... Maybe you could help more than a commoner could."
Blueblood buffed at his chest with a hoof. "It would be an honor to assist a fellow noble. What is it you need of me? I will outperform some random commoner, I promise that."
That sounded like permission to Morning. "Look at me." Her eyes became blank slates, a window into the bottomless depths of her soul. "And tell me what you see."
Blueblood leaned in to examine the filly. The white energy pouring from her eyes drew attention. "I say. That's a curiou--" His words slurred and petered out, falling into the pit created just for him.
Morning made a hugging motion, gently wrapping up Blueblood in her influence. "You are my servant."
"I am your servant," Blueblood echoed. "When do I get to see this magic?"
Umbra hiked a brow. "Is he... mind controlled or not?"
"I am her servant," Blueblood repeated, pointing at Morning. "But I'd still like to see that magic. Will you show it to me?"
Morning considered her ensnared victim. "I will demonstrate it if you are good. Pick me up."
"Of course." His horn glowed as he lifted Morning up onto his back. "Are we going somewhere?"
"We are," joined Umbra. "To see her teacher. He'll be so happy to see you."
"Jolly good." Blueblood followed alongside Umbra. "Is he a pony I know?"
"I doubt that..." Umbra imagined Blueblood wandering the dark alleyways. That seemed... unlikely. "But he knows a lot about Morning's magic, and has been a talented tutor for her."
"Very good, very good. The education of our foals is a high priority, especially this one." Perhaps a side effect of being her servant, but he seemed to have elevated her in priority in a ripple effect. "I'm glad to hear they're doing it properly."
Umbra led the way, smiling at how proud her daughter looked with her new carriage. Not that she wasn't ready to play the part herself, but she didn't fight Blueblood taking over for a little bit. "One thing, Blueblood. You have to promise not to be mad, later."
"Whyever would I be upset?" He looked around a bit nervously. "We are going a fair distance from the castle. I say... some ruffian might think I'm a good source of bits."
Umbra noticed that, despite his words, he was still moving right along. "You're safe with us. As if a random thug could challenge the shadow slayer of the crystal empire?"
"Too true!" he crooned, his smile returning. "I was being silly. I'm in the company of a tested and true hero of the lands. You wouldn't allow harm to come to me, obviously."
"Obviously," echoed Morning. "You are entirely safe. Nothing can scare you."
"Nothing can scare me." Blueblood nodded with building confidence. He had been ordered to not be scared, so he wasn't. "Are we almost there?"
"We are." Umbra poked her nose in around the corner. "Night? We have a present for you."
"A present, for me?" Night was there, in the darkness. His eyes were somehow darker pits in the dim. "You owed me no such thing, but let me see."
Morning pointed the way, guiding her ride into the alleyway towards Night. "Blueblood, this is Night. Say hello."
"Hello." He twitched an ear back. "Are you the tutor they were speaking of?"
Night considered Blueblood for a quiet moment. "They are awfully talkative for one who's mind is grappled."
"I am holding gently, but they are mine."
"I am her servant," agreed Blueblood. "Thank you for teaching her."
Night snorted. "A hold that weak... Make him do something he wouldn't want to do." He waved over Blueblood with the command. "Prove you can."
Blueblood looked over his shoulder at his rider. "You wouldn't do that, would you?"
Morning inclined her head slowly. "I would." No hesitation there. "Tell us your most embarrassing secret."
Blueblood colored, but also spoke, "Well, there was that one time, as a little colt, I snuck into the kitchen. Now, to remind, foals are strictly forbidden from the kitchen, even noble ones like myself at the time. They were lax in their security, and my eyes were far larger than any good sense... When they found me, I was in terrible pain, having eaten myself to a stupor. That was a mistake I did not repeat, I'm glad to report." He wiped his sweating brow. "Dreadful time, really."
Night laughed at the tale. "Tricky... Your hold is weak, but unbreaking. Your mother is a bad influence, but one doesn't argue results. If you don't mind your victims being so... chatty... then this works."
Morning casually pet the top of Blueblood's head. "I like him, and his words. He is free to speak if he wishes."
"I say... I do have words." Blueblood considered Night critically. "Your fashion is sorely begging to be improved on. The 'natural' look is out. This is Canterlot! You should be wearing something presentable." He reared up just enough to clop his hooves. "Come with me and we'll get that sorted right out."
Night stepped into a shaft of life, allowing his skull of a face to come into view. "My natural is not yours," he sneered at the pony. "Don't lecture me on your fashion."
Blueblood recoiled at the sudden visage. "I say!" But he didn't flee. "You will need some specific choices to accent... your features."
Morning wasn't allowing that, hoof firm on his back. "Umbrum can adjust their fashions on their own. This is the fashion he wants."
"Really?" Blueblood considered Night in a new light. "A bold choice. Quite bold. It does make a rather strong statement. If that was the intention, you've done a bangup job." He nodded with approval of it. "Do tell, what is the statement you're making?"
Night snarled at the question. "What statement? Really? It says you should quiver in your hooves. It says fear has arrived, and will not be denied!"
"Then it says that admirably." He looked over his shoulder. "May I run away in terror now?"
"Do you want to?" Morning gently pet the head of her minion.
"Very much. This entire meeting has been quite troublesome." Blueblood reconsidered Night. "I know Umbra Shadowheart would avenge me swiftly, if not prevent harm to begin with, but I'm still quite a bit scared. May I?"
Morning ruffled the side of her worried stallion. "There there. He would not harm any possession of mine, and you are mine. You are safe."
"I am safe," agreed Blueblood with a tired sigh. "Safe..." His smile returned. "Stunningly on point then. Your fashion says exactly what you aimed it to. I can't complain, but is that the message you truly desire?"
Night stared at the pony and her mistress. "Hm. Today, I learned something..."
Morning leaned forward from atop Blueblood. "What's that?"
Umbra jumped in, "I think that you're getting a lot of mileage by not holding so tight. Blueblood knows you care about him, and he can argue his case, which makes him a lot more relaxed than he'd otherwise be, if not an unthinking automaton you had to order step by step."
Night scoffed. "Basically that. You put a nice soft glove over your iron hoof and your victims are thanking you."
Blueblood perked an ear. "Victim? Where?" He looked around aimlessly. "Mistress, whatever does he mean?"
Morning tapped at her chin. "I will release you, but you have to promise that you won't run away, or throw me to the ground. Can I get that promise?"
"Why would I do either of those things?" scoffed Blueblood. "Unless you asked, of course. Please, do share. I'm eager to hear."
Morning spread her hooves, releasing the hug, and allowing Blueblood free of her grasp. His pupils pulled into tight pricks as he drew a sharp breath. "Oh my!" He began to dance in place. "This place is far too dark!" He turned and saw the skull of Night. "Oh! That... That fashion really does say what you aimed it to..."
Night watched impassively a moment. "You're not running?"
"I very much wish to." But he wasn't, instead shivering with fear under Morning. "You won't hurt me... right?"
"If I hurt you, I anger her." He pointed up to Morning. "If I anger her, I anger her." He turned the hoof on Umbra. "Then I pay the price, and it's not a small one. Speaking of considerable fees, you haven't paid for today! Fix that!"
"Right right." Scary shadow wizard of the north or not, Umbra paid her dues, floating out the coins for Night to claim. "We're already learning things. Blueblood, Prince Blueblood. This is Night Terror. Do be nice to one another, hm?"
"A... pleasure to meet you..." Blueblood offered a quaking hoof forward. "Why did I come here?!"
Night inclined his head upwards at Morning. "She told you to come here, and you did what she asked."
Blueblood frowned with thought. "She did... and I did... What was I thinking!?" He coughed against a hoof. "I'm being terribly rude. You are her tutor, are you not?
"So long as the bits keep flowing. Now... She passed her test. Unless you want to watch her dip her hooves deeper into dark and terrible magic, you should leave." His words were flat and sharp, a barely hidden threat.
Blueblood instead lowered to the ground, allowing Morning to hop free easily. "It's been a true pleasure, if frightening, to meet your instructor. I can think of a thousand uses for that trick. But, for now, I will be off." To his credit, he made it a few steps with his composure before bursting into an outright gallop back towards the safety of the light.
Morning nodded in Blueblood's direction. "I think he wanted to be held. A willing minion."