8:30pm, Sunset
I had found myself subjected to at least fifteen different mares by the time Fire Strike managed to locate me, and it only took her ten Faust damned seconds!
After Delilah casted an illusion spell while Fire lifted me up and away before practically hurtling us up a staircase and through a doorway into the upper levels of the apparent library we we're in. Why and how the residents of this town decided to carve out a tree and make it into a library I just don't know.
Eventually we found what appeared to be a small bedroom and darted inside, Delilah quickly following after us.
"Okay, does anypony have any idea what just happened or what?" the unicorn soldier asked.
"Apparently the mares of this town are crazy for a start" I replied.
"Yes, apparently they are" Fire chimed whilst checking me over. Delilah looked back towards the door.
"We should be safe in here. With the amount of mares that dogpiled onto each other while chasing my illusion we should have a bit of time before they realized what happened, and by then they won't have any idea where we are" she added.
"Excellent, good work you two" I said.
"Hardly" Fire muttered. Though it was quiet I had been straining to hear the ponies of Ponyville's hushed conversation's all day. With the mare herself right next to me it was easy to hear her.
"Fire, are you alright"? I asked, though I already knew what was wrong. The mare looked up at me in surprise, then to Delilah, and then at the ground.
"No sire, no, yes, grr...- take your time Fire" I cut in.
"It, it's just that you tell us we've been doing a good job and yet I feel like where just getting by through the skin of our teeth" she replied.
"From the calamity with Fluttershy, the Rainbow Dash incidents, to what just happened out there" she emphasized by pointing her right forehoof to the door moments before we barreled through.
"I... I feel like I've failed you my prince. I feel useless to you" she added.
"I agree sire, we have failed to protect you on multiple occasions today. With what happened down there being unacceptable. We should have just forced that mob of donkeys back, why didn't we! You... you shouldn't have to suffer by having pathetic guardsmares under your command like us..." Delilah added.
"Delilah, Fire, look at me" I began. Once both mares did I continued.
"You two are not useless to me, I might not have as many years of experience in the army under my belt as you two do but I do know that the unexpected will occur when in the field. What matters is how you react to it, as that can make the difference between life or..." considering our situation I decided not to finish that sentence. "Victory or defeat" I substituted.
"If you say so sire" Delilah replied.
"I know so, and besides I'm still alive am I not. It takes more than a few crazed mares to take me down" I laughed. At this a small smile graced both mare's faces.
"I suppose you are more than a match for a few mares" Fire chuckled.
"Crazed madmares but the point still stands" Delilah smiled.
"Indeed you two, indee- ugh I can't believe this. I swear that every single pony in this bucking town is gah" Immediately Delilah covered the both of us with a shield spell while Fire took down the intruder by diving across the room straight into her. Once she was restrained Delilah dropped the shield and we trotted over.
Fire had her front pressed against the purple unicorn's back. With her hindlegs draped around the mare in a crisscross style, keeping the mares own legs pined. Her right forehoof was against her horn keeping her from using magic while her left was around her mouth, to keep her from yelling.
The three of us looked at each other. We had unknowingly shared sensitive information while she could have been listening. For all we knew we might have to kill her.
"Guard the door" I whispered to Delilah and trotted forward to begin the interrogation. The mare looked terrified, I kind of felt sorry for her. Though if she was eavesdropping that would change quickly. I got right up into her face for maximum intimidation.
"Now, you aren't in trouble. I just want to ask you a few questions. You will answer them when my friend removes her hoof from your mouth, and if you scream things will only get more ugly for you. Do you understand?" I asked.
The mare rapidly nodded her head and so I backed off a bit.
"Good, now what is your name?" I began softly, Fire removed her hoof from the mare's mouth.
"Twi, Twilight Sparkle" she trembled. "Well met Twilight, my name is Night Storm. Now why are you in this room with us?"
Thankfully at my more relaxed tone and stance she seemed to calm down. "I... I accidentally put hot sauce on a cupcake. S, so I tried to find some milk or water to help with the taste. This was the first place I found that had a unoccupied sink" she replied.
"I see, I suppose that we we're not in the room at the time?" I asked. Upon hearing me the mare's eyes seemed to contort ever so slightly before she remembered that Fire Strike had her restrained. We hadn't shown her our concealed weapons yet, but the few spies we had always liked to joke about how weak Equestrians we're when compared to us.
"I guess they we're right, but why do I feel that I should recognize this mare's name?".
"No you we're not" she replied.
"Right... do you have any family Twilight?" That question seemed to have caught her off guard, and even Fire Strike raised an eyebrow.
"W, well I have two parents who live in Canterlot along with my two brothers".
"Hmm, answering my question but vaguely. She's obviously scared but still hiding something, and clever enough to do so... This needs to be explored further" I thought.
It was then that I noticed a saddlebag up against the door to the bathroom, a saddlebag with the mare's cutiemark on it. I nodded to Fire and she released the mare fully.
"What do you like to do Twilight?" While the mare got up and thought over my question I discretely looked at Fire and motioned my right forehoof in the direction of the bag.
"Well I like to read... a lot. Same with studying... anything and everything really" Twilight answered. By this point Fire had reached the bag and began to rummage through it.
"You never played a sport, I know fillies and young mares like to do that?" While it was true that the definition of what a sport was, was quite different in Ashen when compared to Equestria I had done enough research throughout my life to know what hoofball, tennis, and basketball we're. As well as have a basic understanding of how each sport worked.
"I... wasn't really into that kind of stuff" she said sheepishly. Almost as if she was embarrassed by the topic.
I decided to throw her a bone and changed the subject. "All right, though as it happens I also like to read and study things".
At this the mare's behavior changed from reserved at best to almost fanatically interested.
"You do!?" she nearly yelled.
"That's right Flameheart, keep her talking".
"Please calm down, the whole party downstairs doesn't need to hear us" I was only joking but Twilight seemed to almost take it as a threat.
"Oh uh right, s, sorry sir" she apologized.
"It's alright, now what do you like to study about" I continued.
"Like I said before anything really. From science to history, languages to math even" she answered, regaining a little of her earlier proverbial spark.
"Give me an example?" I asked.
She took a second to think. "Well recently I was doing an essay for my teacher about the eruption of Mount Illomarego and how it... sorry that's a bad example. I don't expect you to know about- and how it may have been the direct cause leading to the disappearance of the Mareyan civilization around three thousand years ago?" I cut her off.
Twilight stopped and stared at me for a good ten seconds. While Delilah looked back with a bemused expression on her face, even Fire looked up from the bag with a similar expression.
Twilight meanwhile finally seemed to find her voice. "Y, you know about that, and you actually are knowledgeable enough about it to keep up with me!" she actually yelled this time.
"First yes, second quiet" I admonished.
"R, right sorry. But how do you know about that. All the stallions I've ever met only cared about appearances or whatever their friend group's daily gossip was. I don't think I've ever met a stallion who know when the Mareyans existed, if they ever knew about them at all" she emphasized.
"Well I'm glad that I've been able to impress" I smiled.
"Yes, yes, you have" she replied. Then her expression went from elated to nervous as Fire quietly pulled a book from her saddlebag.
"N, Night um, do you live here? In Ponyville I mean".
"Well that's a weird question".
"No, me and my two friends are just passing through" I replied. Twilight seemed to perk at this for some odd reason, and for whatever reason Fire's eyes grew as wide as dinner plates behind her. Remembering Plasma's interrogation lessons from when I was a young colt I remade eye contact with Twilight.
"Why?" I added.
"Oh w, well, you see I... well" she paused and took a deep breath. Then muttered something I couldn't hear before she spoke up again.
"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to... well, go on a- excuse me miss" Fire interrupted her. If Twilight was angry when she turned around she was absolutely furious when she saw that Fire had been going through her things.
"What do you... hey that's my saddlebag, mine! Why are you going through it!?" she yelled. Fire remained calm and held up the book she had been looking through. Opened to a page with a very familiar mare.
"Sweet Faust, that... that's Nightmare Moon!"
"Do you know who this mare is?" Fire asked.
"What's it to you, and why are you going through my things?" Twilight replied.
"I'll answer your question if you answer mine" she replied. For a second I thought I saw literal steam come from Twilight's ears before she calmed herself down.
"Fine, I... I was looking through an old book because I like to read. I just got this as a gift from Prin... my teacher and I was reading through it when I stumbled across this old legend. It's about- The Mare In The Moon, Nightmare Moon" I interrupted her again.
"Y, you know about her!" Twilight astounded.
"...Yes I know about Nightmare Moon" I replied.
"So... it's not just an old foals tale then?" she lamely asked.
"Old foals tale? Absolutely not, I can assure you of that!" I said. Twilight then did something completely unexpected.
"Yes!" she almost danced. "Haha I was right, I was right, I was... then why did she say to stop worrying about an old foals tale?" she muttered.
"Who?" Delilah asked, having grown bored of standing by the door.
Given the nature our conversation had turned I didn't blame her.
Twilight meanwhile had gone from extremely elated, to confusion, to downright horror in about six seconds. "Wait, if... if you're saying that she's real- which she is" I cut in for the third time.
"Which she is" Twilight continued as she swiped the book from Fire's hooves. "Then on the thousandth anniversary of her banishment, on the longest day of the year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternally!" Twilight panicked while flipping through the pages.
"... no, just no... this is not happening, this is not happening!" I thought.
"Oh no, this bad, oh how I am I going to stop Nightmare Moon if I keep letting distract... wait, how do you know about Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Uh... let's just say that where I'm from we like to write things down" I answered.
"Okay..." she replied. However I didn't even hear her, as I was too busy panicking myself.
"This was never supposed to happen damnit, we we're supposed to still have time to prepare. Now we're still without any means of defeating her and she's coming in less than twenty four hours. We are so bucked, we, we've failed, I've failed...".
5:30am, Nine Hours Later
"Make sure the legion combs that castle from top to bottom. We have to find the elements, Nightmare Moon could return at any moment now".
"Understood sir" Fire Strike replied before taking off into the night sky from the balcony. I then trotted back inside the libraries bedroom we had commaredeered, shutting the door behind me. Delilah meanwhile was standing guard on the other side of the room while Twilight was lying on the bed and had been going over books for hours now. Though she looked just as determined and resolute as she had when we began.
"Mare, she really wasn't lying when she said she enjoyed studying".
I however was absolutely exhausted. From the days prior events to an eight hour study session with Twilight had left me dead tired. It also didn't help that "The Lunar Rebellion" had been practically wiped from Equestrian history books.
"How did it come to this, how did we go from being on the doorstep to enact our vengence upon Equestria to scrambling to prepare for the Mare Of The Night's return" I thought.
I was brought from my thoughts when Twilight floated a book over to me via magic. I nodded and she returned her attention to her own book to try and find anything else that could be of use to us, though at this point I was beginning to doubt it. I also wasn't fully certain on the credibility of the book that Twilight had in her bag with her, but with the mare in question having contacted me herself in the dream realm and self-admitting her return was near I wasn't taking any chances.
As I sat down at a small desk and opened the book on the ancient siege of Rudhelm the door suddenly opened. Surprised Delilah moved to intercept the intruder, however it spoke before she could.
"Hey Twilight, Pinkie Pie is starting 'Pin The Tail On The Pony', wanna play?! he asked. Me and Delilah we're shocked.
Meanwhile Twilight, given that she had been concentrating very hard towards her book did not take this interruption lightly.
"No! All the ponies in this town are crazy! Do you even know what time it is?!" she yelled.
"It's the eve of The Summer Sun Celebration" the purple dragon replied with... something on his head. Perhaps a hat of some sort. "Everypony has to stay up or they'll miss the princess raise the sun. You really should lighten up Twilight, it's a party" he added and turned around to head back down towards the festivities. Not seeming to notice me or Delilah thanks t his hat.
Twilight meanwhile muttered out the most mature and intelligent response I had ever heard of.
"Whibididiwibididiwibididi" she whined before noticing me and Delilah still staring at the door.
"Yes he's a dragon, no he doesn't bite, nor is he evil and has never given into hoarding instincts" she grumbled.
"H, hey I... we didn't mean anything by it. Just... back home we didn't get along very well with dragons" I replied. Which was true, dragons in theory where a united tribe under "Dragon Lord" Torch. However they we're mostly more solidary creatures, only coming together to breed or during other events, such as... feasts.
"May Faust have mercy on those poor souls".
Twilight looked at me quizzically. "Where are you two from anyway, I don't think you guys ever mentioned that?" she asked.
"Grr, bad question Twilight!"
Later Twilight, first let's focus on the task at hoof" I deflected. She nodded and she went back to her current book. I however only pretended to read since I already knew how to defeat Nightmare Moon, that and I knew about Rudhelm well enough as it was.
It was only a matter of time before the legion located the elements. The only questions remaining was if the elements we're in the castle, how long until they we're located, how long did we have before Nightmare Moon arrived, and the wildcard... Twilight Sparkle.
She was obviously very smart and determined, why I didn't know, and that made her dangerous. Potentially, but still. She seemed to be knowledgeable in a vast amount of subjects, and if she knew how to fight... Tartarus she could turn into a real pain in the flank extremely quickly. Especially if she was in cahoots with the Equestrian government, which at this point wouldn't surprise me.
"Just my damn luck".
As time went on I asked the occasional question trying to learn more about her. Anything that could answer one of my many questions about her, especially her name. I knew it from somewhere, I just couldn't remember.
However she remained closely guarded against my prodding. Giving only vague answers to my questions. Eventually I just decided to stop with my questions as she appeared to grow suspicious and annoyed.
"Augh this is hopeless" Twilight vexed and threw herself back onto the bed. "We've gone through nearly every non-fiction book in this whole Celestia damned library!" "Here I thought I would have time to learn about the elements of harmony, but silly me. All this ridiculous "friend making" has kept me from it!"
I kept quiet and thought of how to turn this outburst to my advantage while Twilight stood up from the bed.
"Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about everlasting night" she muttered and brought her original book closer to her.
As I watched the distraught mare I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for her.
"I hope the princess was right, I hope it really is just an old foals tale..." she muttered.
"Princess... buck, maybe my hunch on her being a government official wasn't that far off. I'll need to watch my back around her".
I got up from my seat. "Twilight, are you all right?" I trotted up to her. She looked back and I could see the worry in her eyes, plain as day.
"No Night I'm not, either nopony believes me or isn't taking this serious... except you that is" she smiled sheepishly, which I returned.
"Is there anything I could help you with?" I asked and placed my right forehoof on her withers.
"Uh... n,no Night. Thanks it's... just been a rough day" she looked away momentarily.
"Night, why are you and your mares helping me with this... how do you guys even know about Nightmare Moon? Tartarus I didn't even know until this morning".
"Great, more difficult questions".
"Well uh, you see Twilight- come on Twilight it's time to watch the sun... who is this?"
"Oh Spike! Um, uh, this is Night Storm.. He and his mares have been helping me with research on the elements and Nightmare Moon" Twilight replied to the drake.
"Right... okay then" he replied. "Anyway it's almost sunup, you guys coming or what?" he added.
"What! No it can't possibly be morning yet, we still have an hour or so!"
"We'll... be along shortly Spike. Just give us a second okay" Twilight asked.
"Kay Twilight" he replied and shut the door. Meanwhile I looked at Delilah. Twilight opened her mouth to speak but I cut her off.
"Give us a moment as well please Twilight" I asked. She looked like she wanted to protest this but acquiesced.
Me and Delilah then trotted into the opposite corner of the room before she casted a small near invisible shield around us to keep out any eavesdropping spells. She was subtle about it but any experienced enough unicorn could detect magic being casted in their general vicinity.
"All right this is what we're going to do" I began.
"We're going to play for time and be inconspicuous. Princess Celestia is probably already here along with an army of Royal Guards. I've given the legion orders to remain within the Everfree and around the castle as well. If Nightmare Moon or anypony for that matter enters the area they are to either capture them, kill them, or withdraw while remaining undetected, though Fire Strike will be arriving with a small detachment for our own security soon. Though they will be remaining inconspicuous as well, even to us".
Delilah nodded to signal she understood and I continued.
"We are going to stay throughout this event and act like normal Equestrians. Princess Celestia is wise and powerful I'll give her that. But even she shouldn't be able to just look at a mare and stallion and know they're spies. Once the celebration is over we'll quietly sneak out, either alone or in small groups as not to arise suspicion. If anypony asks the cover story is that we're just here for the holiday and nothing more. As for Twilight leave that to me" I finished.
"Huh, that's actually not a bad plan sire. You really seemed to have thought of everything" Delilah complimented.
"Indeed, I've been taught well" I smiled.
"Of course, on your lead sire" she replied. I nodded and she ended the spell. Then we walked back over to Twilight who'd been looking away the whole time.
"Alright Twilight here's the plan. If Nightmare Moon shows up we're going to let Celestia deal with it. Our job will be to help any unfortunate civilians before falling back ourselves. The Royal Guard can take over from there" I stated.
Twilight however didn't like this plan. "No Night, I'm not just going to sit idly by while the princess is in trouble" she replied.
Damn mare, why can't you just make things easy!"
"Then you may do that while we help civilians or afterwards. Though I would strongly advise you to not go horn to horn with an Alicorn... especially one fluent in dark magic" I said.
"Ugh fine... damn colt. This is a mare's job anyway" she muttered.
"Pretending I didn't just hear that are we ready to go?" I smiled.
Twilight's eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks while Delilah just chuckled. "I believe we are Night, shall we go Twilight?" she added.
Twilight, to her credit did manage to make proper words after about five seconds of sputtering.
"I, um, y-yes, let's go!" she squeaked and quickly trotted out of the room.
"Heh, what a beta" Delilah chuckled to herself.
"Come along now Delilah, no need to subside to her level now" I said.
"Uh... yes sir, of course" she replied quickly, and we made our way down. Though as soon as I re-entered the main area of the library I once again found myself as the center of attention.
Though many had seemed to have left by now there still remained a considerable amount.
"Woah, I-is that him?"
"Yep, quite the looker ain't he".
"Sweet Celestia, now that is a stallion!"
"Aww he's got two mares with him already"
"Do you think that they're still accepting?"
"Wow, they might actually be worse than those suitors" I thought as we approached a frowning Twilight. Ignoring the townsponies.
"Remember Twilight, stick to the plan and you'll do fine, alright?" I said.
"Thanks Night, thank you. The main celebration will be at the town hall, follow me" she replied. I nodded and we started off.
"So do you guys live here, I didn't see you earlier?" Spike asked from Twilight's back.
"Just here on business... and the celebration. After tonight we'll be moving on" I answered. Twilight seemed to deflate at that.
"Well... m, maybe we should keep in touch. You know too uh, uh... share theories and stuff?" Twilight said.
"I would very much like that Twilight. Especially when talking about history" I replied. "You've a lot to learn about subtlety little filly".
"R, really! Oh wow that's great. We can study so much together, put forward new theories of spellcraft, even- Twilight!" I interrupted.
"Oh, I got carried away again didn't I?" she said.
"Yes, yes you did" I smiled.
"Sorry" she mumbled.
"It's alright, just try to focus. We seem to be here anyway" I stated.
The townhall was a massive... tower I guess. Like most things in this town it had been built out of wood with a small raised deck that ran the perimeter of the building. Along with massive windows with a smaller tower located at the top with the Equestrian flag flying high above in the night sky.
We trotted up the stairs along with a few other ponies and soon entered into the main hall. Where a massive congregation of ponies was located. There we're a few pegasi hovering and flying about and some balconies we're occupied, but most ponies we're on the ground.
We soon found a spot not far from the exit but still somewhat in the center of the room, this would give us the ability to keep an eye on everything around us while also allowing us a quick exit should we need it.
In addition it also- isn't this exciting, are you excited cause I'm excited I've never been so excited well except for the time that I saw you walking into town and I went augh!" Pinkie Pie made herself known.
"Holy shit mare calm down, bucking hell you nearly gave me a heart" however I would never finish that sentence as a group of birds... began to sing? Yes sing, the classic royal attention tune, the room fell silent, and a spot of light landed upon a mare on a small stage.
"Stallions and gentlemares, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of The Summer Sun Celebration". A cacophony of cheers sounded out from the gathered ponies.
"In just a few moments our town will witness the magic of the sun rise and celebrate this, the longest day of the year... and now it is my great honor...". Suddenly Twilight nudged us and motioned to the moon, me and Delilah just happened to catch the last second of a few stars seeming to crash into it... and "The Mare In The Moon" disappear entirely.
"Sweet bucking Tartarus! All right... here we go. Buck, a thousand year old prophecy in the making. Right before us".
"...Princess Celestia!". A band trumpets blew out more fanfare as a curtain was pulled back by a mare i recognized as Rarity, and to the shock of many ponies it revealed nothing but an empty room. Instead of cheers and applause now gasps and murmurs filled the hall.
"This can't be good" Twilight said.
"Remain calm everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation" the mare on stage said.
"Oh oh I love guessing games, is she hiding?" Pinkie asked.
"She's gone!?" Rarity announced.
"Oh she's good!" Pinkie then abruptly screamed as a blueish mist began to swirl into existence upon the very balcony Celestia was supposed to stand on.
"Oh no... Nightmare Moon" Twilight whispered.
Sure enough when it cleared there stood The Mare Of The Moon in all her glory. A pure black coat, blue fluorescent ethereal mane and tail with flickering stars. Accentuated by her blue greenish eyes and purple eyelashes.
"Holy. Bucking. Shit."
Delilah meanwhile was just as in as much awe and terror as many other ponies while poor Spike succumbed to shock and fainted, though he was caught by Delilah's magic.
"Oh my beloved subjects, it's been so long since we've seen your precious little sun loving faces" she purred.
"What did you do to our princess!" Rainbow Dash yelled out before attempting to charge. Though thankfully for her she was spared a gruesome death by being held back by Applejack.
Nightmare just cackled. "Muhahahaha, why, are we not royal enough for you? Does't thee not know who we are" she asked.
"Oh oh more guessing games, um hokey smokes, how about Queen Meanie, no Black Sooty Black Snooty ahm mhm mhm" Pinkie replied before a cupcake was shoved into her mouth. Courtesy again of Applejack who mayi] have just saved the foolish mare's life. Though just to be safe myself, Delilah, an unconscious Spike, and Twilight had moved well away from her by now.
Thankfully however Nightmare took no notice of us. "Does our crown no longer count now that we have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Dids't thee not recall the legend? Dids't thee not see the signs- I did!" Twilight spoke up.
"No Twilight what are you doing!"
"...and I know who you are! You're the mare in the moon, Nightmare Moon!" she growled.
"You dumb, stupid, arrogant filly! You're going to get us all killed!".
"Well well well, somepony who remembers us. Then you also know why we are here" she narrowed her eyes.
"You're here too, too... " Twilight started but wilted under her gaze.
"Mhmmhmhmhm, remember this day little ponies. For it was your last. From this moment forth the night, will last, forever! Ahahahaha, ahahahaha, ahahahahahaha!" she laughed.
"Seize her! Only she knows where the princess is!" the mayor yelled. Almost immediately Nightmare was swarmed by snow white Royal Guardsmares with golden armor.
"Stand back you foals!" She yelled before smiting them with conjured lightning strikes, sending them flying across the room. It was also at this point that ponies began to panic and rush around like headless Cockatrices. Nightmare decided to take this time to escape and began slowly floating down towards us...
It wasn't until she made eye contact with me that I knew something was up.
"Well well well , what have we here?" she purred.
"Oh buck me".
"With pleasure, muhahahaha".