Nightmare Moon was furious. She reigned in her emotions, but was still as close to white-hot rage as she could be while still remaining in control. She wanted to destroy that place and free all of its prisoners. Nightmare Moon hated what they had done to Celestia, but she hated what Dawn implied they did to others so much more. It was unforgivable. Removing a unicorn’s horn not only stripped them of magic but stripped them of their identity. This callous mistreatment of a tribe for merely inconveniencing the state was an affront to everything Equestria was. Not even Sombra could be so cruel.
Nightmare Moon could not stand aside and watch anymore. She knew exactly what she was called to do. She lost her title with her death, but it mattered not to her.
“Soldiers! Form a double-file column!” Nightmare Moon’s order came like thunder in the relative silence of her camp. Changeling immediately jumped up and began hastily assembling. Nightmare Moon leaned towards Celestia’s ear,
“Prepare an earthshaker spell. I will send for you when it is time.”
Celestia rammed a bewildered stare into her companion,
“Were you serious about burning down that place?”
“Deathly,” Nightmare Moon icily responded. “After it is done, we will head for Canterlot. You are returning to your throne tonight.”
Ignoring Celestia’s visible hesitation, Nightmare Moon turned to search for Rarity with her eyes. Having located her dear friend, she rushed through the air forming a long, black streak. Her sudden burst of speed left Rarity slightly frightened.
“Return to the Queen’s domain and bring my sister and all troops that she managed to gather,” Nightmare Moon commanded. “Ensure my little sister stays out of harm’s way until dawn.” Having delivered her order, Nightmare Moon sharply turned away and repeated her search for the next servant that currently required orders.
“My Shadow,” Nightmare Moon called imperiously. The Changeling looked back at her, her round, insectile eyes unreadable. “I require your aid again. This time I must ask you to do more than merely scout. Take the knowledge that you gathered during your last raid and use it against our enemies. Take your daughters with you and prepare the airfield for our arrival. Our enemy must not know of us until we are already inside. Assume the identities of the checkpoint guards and await our arrival. Kill the originals if you must.”
“Mistress, are you certain?” Shadow cautiously asked.
“My Shadow, I understand what I must do now. I see why I am required. Princess Celestia refuses to protect her subjects if it means violence. There is no one else who is able and willing. You will aid me, that is how our existence shall have a purpose again.”
Shadow’s glassy eyes kept trailing her, before slowly closing in compliance,
“Of course, Mistress.”
“Thank you, My Shadow. I may not be able to save your race from extinction, but I can ensure that you will be revered as the great heroes you always were. Just as Falcon brought the Shield of Flash Magnus to the first Queen of Equestria, we shall bring ponies the means to protect themselves.
”Go now, and know that I am always with you in my thoughts.“
Shadow uneasily went to collect what she required for her mission. Nightmare Moon still had one more order to give.
“Twilight,” the purple alicorn uneasily looked up from the circle, still intact on the floor. “I will venture through the gate again with our troops. Keep the gate open until we return, but send Rarity to Mount Aris when she is ready.”
“Yes, Lady,” Twilight answered readily, but unsurely.
“Twilight, when I was there, I witnessed ponies being not merely kept out of sight but maimed as well to ensure they would not escape. That place exists for ponies that must never be seen again. We shall not stand aside and watch this happening.”
Twilight nodded in agreement,
“No, we shall not.”
Nightmare Moon looked at her with gratitude. Meanwhile, her troops had assembled; and the major dutifully stood beside, waiting for her decree. Changelings were hard to read, but outwardly they looked resolute and prepared to do as she ordered,
“My soldiers!” Nightmare Moon addressed them directly. “Before the night ends, you shall be covered in glory! But before that, we have much to do. Beyond this gate lies a repugnant prison where ponies are brought and never to be seen again, they shall join us in our struggle if we free them. Go forth and open their cells, kill all personnel that will not surrender. For what they did, they deserve neither your pity nor your lives. Be fast and win before our enemy organizes, for this is only the first and easiest of our battles tonight. Go and hide not your faces, let the enemy look you in the eyes as you crush them! Charge!”
Upon the order, the changelings went into a full gallop, the sum of their feet shaking the ground, and they rushed into the gleaming gate,
“Major, stay with me. I shall have you by my side tonight.”
The Changelings surged from the shining gate as a great buzzing wave of black, chitin, cloth, and metal. Flying up and away as soon as they were on the other side to make way for their sisters as quickly as possible. The guards were more prepared but did not expect the scale of the assault they were facing. A few of them threw together a makeshift barricade and huddled behind it; while others were trying to fire from windows; their single-shot rifles had formidable stopping power, but they lacked the fire rate to truly suppress the enemy. The Changelings, however, quickly suppressed the guard with their automatic fire. Then, like a swarm of angry bees, they swiftly swarmed all over them and surrounded their barricade before they could even fathom what was happening. The guards’ surprise was quickly followed by confused panic: but they knew it was already over, hesitating for a few moments before they dropped their weapons and raised their hooves. The swarm quickly neutralized them before just as quickly surging inside the prison, firing, bashing, throwing, and stinging anyone offering it resistance. Just as quickly as it began, it was over, the few ponies left inside were confused and horrified at the speed and ferocity of the assault. None of them died, but some had bleeding bites and cuts, and others were only bruised. The Changelings had suffered two of their sisters dead and few more inured - an inevitable price of an infantry assault.
Nightmare Moon sent many to death in the past, and had no doubt she would be sending more in the future. Yet now, it felt different; she felt nought but shame and regret.
The few remaining terrified guards were presented to her; there were only twelve. The civilian staff all totalled in fifty-four heads total. Nightmare Moon cared little for them;, her concern was in the prisoners. Prisoners were numerous. It took them almost twenty minutes to find everyone and lead them outside, looking as confused as their jailors were. Few of them were unicorns, but looking at them confirmed that Dawn meant what she said, as their horns were conspicuously missing. Nightmare’s long-dead heart filled with anger at the sight. These fools were destroying Equestria’s largest benefit over short-term advantage.
“I am Nightmare Moon!” she proclaimed loudly enough for all to hear. “I came to free you from your shackles and avenge crimes done to you. Those of you who wish to join me in my quest to bring freedom to all who have had their freedom denied to them can speak to my soldiers. For those of you who do not, I will offer safety from the despotic government that imprisoned you. I will not lord over you, nor will I use coercion against you. To the jailors among you: know that I will not allow any harm to come upon you as long as you are my prisoners as the customary honors of war dictate. You shall remain in my care until you can be transferred to a dedicated facility, where you shall remain until your past actions can be reliably verified. Know that I will not hesitate to order your execution if you abuse my hospitality. All of you shall be fed and clothed as needed. Now come, there is much to do tonight.”
Nightmare Moon then ordered the ponies to be taken to the Castle and asked Major to retrieve Celetia. The Princess of the Sun emerged from the gate visibly in thought,
“Must we be so destructive?”
“Yes. We shall destroy every single dungeon where they harm ponies. Now cast the spell;, we have much more to do tonight yet.”
Celestia was obviously biting back objections but decided to trust Nightmare’s judgement nonetheless. Nightmare Moon appreciated Celestia’s understanding but decided to muse on it later.
Celestia summoned a monstrous quake, and before long, the building collapsed into opened fissures.
“Using spells for destruction feels unnatural to me,” Celestia stated, surveying the newly made ruins. “Someone has built this.”
“Someone who has used to it deprive your little ponies of their freedom. This is why you always fail when there is no one to shift responsibilities to. You are unwilling to break your principles even if your duty requires you to. For the sake of your subjects, I hope that you will know better in the future. The likes of us have no luxury of being rigid.”
“Rigid?” Celestia looked at Nightmare, surprised. “Is it rigidity to look upon this devastation and feel regret? Is it rigidity to only wish my subjects to be happy? Is it rigidity to refuse to harm them?”
“Oh, but how could you be so old yet still so naive? Sometimes harm is unavoidable. Your only choice is whether you do harm yourself or allow others to do it. The first option allows you to be certain that only what has to happen will be done. The second option leaves all of us at someone else’s mercy. That is why we must fight now;, that is why this place must be destroyed. Stone can be made anew. Ponies cannot be. Not every set of choices includes a moral one.”
“Oh, I am not naive. I am well aware that my inaction does nothing to stop monsters like you from harming ponies. Violence always begets violence. There is a point where one has to stop. I teach ponies to not turn to destruction. For a thousand years I labored to achieve Equestria, where ponies would never be afraid. Before you returned, no pony had seen war for generations. I hardly ever had to try a murderer, and even drunken brawls were a rarity.”
“That was a noble goal indeed,” Nightmare Moon acknowledged calmly. “No amount of repentance shall be enough to atone for my crime. But neither will be for yours. I am guilty of destroying our subjects’ lives, but you are guilty of allowing me to do that. No one else could have stopped me, you knew that.”
“Haven’t you said that we had more work to do tonight?”
Nightmare Moon huffed and headed through the gate back to the camp with Celestia in tow.
Her castle was now crowded even more so than usual, but Nightmare Moon had no time to organize them just yet. No, she had a battle to attend to.
“Twilight,” she turned to the purple alicorn patiently waiting by the gate. “Watch over our new guests, if you would be so inclined. Keep in mind that some of them are prisoners and could attempt to escape. Celestia, stay for the moment. You will have your city back by morning, but before then, it is dangerous.”
“Do what you must, Nightmare Moon,” Celestia sighed. “I suppose you will regardless of what I say.”
Nightmare Moon did not deign to answer. She quickly summoned her Major and allowed him to issue ten minutes for the troops to resupply. After those minutes expired, Nightmare Mood once again had her troops form a column and led them out of the Ccastle’s front gate. She noted that they must have been quite a sight to behold, she even felt nostalgic. Many-many years ago she already led her ponies-at-arms out of the gate to war just like this. This time it will end better than the last time.
Nightmare Moon led her soldiers through the forest in near-total silence and order. No one spoke unless asked to and even marched in-step, as if during a parade. The goal of their trip soon appeared in Nightmare Moon’s sight. It was a walled compound on the edge of Ponyville, not quite inside the town itself but close enough to see it clearly. A new, paved road was laid just in front of the gates. The compound was also silent, even in comparison to the forest at night. Her advanced team had to have successfully carried out their mission. Otherwise, the ponies would’ve been all over the place by now. She hoped that none of them were severely harmed, she would already have to bury far too many of her few remaining loyalists. She kept telling herself that doing nothing was pure cowardice, but no matter how hard she tried to chase the doubt away, she could not. She could only ignore them.
The gates of the compound were slightly ajar. Not obviously so, just slightly to tell anyone who had business to know that they weren’t locked. Nightmare Moon peeked inside. The area was mostly empty, safe for a loose metallic barrel or a leftover crate. A weary-looking truck rested by the open garage doors, next to several more closed shut. Large, square barracks stood to her side, gloomily reminding her just how many ponies lived here until tonight. A smaller but multi-storied headquarters building with neatly trimmed grass by its walls met her directly in front of the gate with a depot huddled by its side.
Ensuring that the area was safe, she ordered her troopers to move in and check for any vehicles in working order. Her plan required at least a couple. Seeing their sisters pour in through the gate, the advanced team showed themselves. Their uniforms were dirty from crawling through mud. The drone she put in command calmly and nonchalantly walked over to her and reported that the area was taken by subterfuge instead of an open assault. The drone seemingly did not mind that the hoof she was saluting with was covered in blood almost to her elbow. Considering that Nightmare Moon did not directly order them to take prisoners and that the drone reported none, she could guess accurately, exactly how many they took. Nightmare Moon looked at the barracks with open sorrow, but didn’t regret her decision. The lives of her own soldiers were so much more important to her. She would never order them to take unnecessary risks, even if it resulted in high casualties for her enemies. She had to remember to return and lay them down as warriors should be. Although changelings did not understand such customs, they had enough decency not to throw them in a pile or burn them.
For now, her own warriors prepared their vehicles. She counted five trucks. It will be crammed, but they will all fit. So far, the plan was proceeding just as intended. Now was the time to make sure that her subordinates understood what they were meant to do, as she could not expect to micromanage such a battle.
She divided her soldiers into five, equal teams and allowed them to choose their own leaders, as their internal hierarchy would suggest. Sadly Shadow did not bring her a map of the airbase, but Nightmare Moon remembered it well from memory; it had been a long time, but military installations rarely changed in layout significantly. She drew a map on the ground with a borrowed bayonet and began explaining it to her changelings-at-arms. They will be able to get inside the perimeter in their stolen trucks with changelings disguising themselves as ponies, her Shadow will make sure they do. What comes next would be much more difficult and bloody. While they had the element of surprise on their side, the airbase holds the area of a major munitions stockpile and will undoubtedly be heavily guarded. She expected that the major strong points would be the barracks and the command center. Barracks will be housing the majority of the garrison at night, but the command center was an extremely advantageous position that could be defended from an infantry attack even without stationary weapons. Nightmare Moon briefly deliberated on bringing a few mortars and leaving them behind to shell the barracks when it was time, but Major Tarsus quickly warned her that his changelings were not trained for mortar duty. It was a pity, but Nightmare Moon could hardly expect the same quality of training as the storied infantry academy of Tall Tree could provide from Crystal Empire.
Instead, Nightmare Moon decided to proceed with her original plan: an infiltration attack by infantry. No matter how far technology advanced, infantry fighting would always devolve into bayonet charges eventually. Even if every trooper had suppression ability for a whole squad these days. Tarsus agreed with her judgment and suggested they assault the command center first before switching to the barracks. Nightmare Moon had to decline. It had to be simultaneous, lest the garrison arms itself. Of course, she could not commit entirely to any sort of assault and had to leave reserves.
Her finalized plan was simplistic but brutal in its execution. They will drive inside the perimeter and approach as quickly as possible to the command center, it happened to be located beneath the air control tower and therefore was an excellent landmark. When in position or discovered: they will disembark and advance at peak speeds towards assigned objectives. Every single one of her soldiers being capable of flight aided in this greatly. One squad would assault the command center, as committing more would only result in changelings hindering each other in cramped conditions; three more will fly towards the barracks, engage with grenades and destroy the opposition in close combat; two more squads will be left in reserve to reinforce or deal with any other unforeseen source of opposition. After the main sources of resistance were suppressed, the headquarters will be garrisoned with the reserves and remaining members of the assault team; meanwhile, the other half of the company attempts to secure the ammunition storehouses. With these in control as well as the fortified position at the air tower, they will be able to easily repel any counterattack should it come immediately. Nightmare Moon was confident in her strategy, but one thing was making her uneasy: they had no ability to repel an armored reversal. Her troops consisted entirely of light infantry and were poorly suited for defending against anything other than infantry. She had to hope that they would be able to find everything they needed for that on-site.
She also had little in terms of an escape plan. As much as she regretted admitting to herself: if she failed, there was a significant chance that her soldiers would be wiped out. If they fail to capture the air control tower, they are likely to be surrounded and destroyed in several hours. This was a risk that she would not have taken under different circumstances; but her resources were few, and her enemy was mighty. This looked like an attack of desperation more than anything else, but no other option would be any safer and will only grow more dangerous by the day.
“To your vehicles, please,” Nightmare Moon ordered, having ensured that all team leaders understood their objectives precisely. Changelings began boarding with no word of complaint or a murmur of doubt, such was their faith in their queen. But others quickly trotted to the compound’s arsenal for more grenades and ammunition with the permission of their leaders. Nightmare Moon chose to ride with her reserve in the back of their column, together with Tarsus, serving as her adjutant. They were soon on the road: their engines announcing their movement far into the night. The ride was uneventful, even as they began passing through Canterlot’s lower parts. The city was much like Nightmare Moon remembered it: although with less splendor and much less carefully maintained. The ponies looked on curiously at the passing vehicles, none keen-eyed enough to notice a speck of blackness in the already dark night. The ones wearing clothes wore their working outfits, with only a few going out to spend time with their loved ones in simplistic, but often decorated by hoof, attires suitable for a warm summer night. Despite the grimness of the deed she had to commit, Nightmare Moon felt relieved to finally be home again; she could only hope that Canterlot would stay like this even after her arrival.
The road soon took them up the mountain again, bypassing the governmental part and her old palace until it was level again. Almost there now.
The vehicles soon stopped. A signal came from the driver’s cabin, it was time for her to dismount. Nightmare Moon gracefully floated out of the truck and looked towards her goal. There were two ponies at the checkpoint, seemingly speaking to the driver of the first truck. Nightmare Moon could not reveal herself. She was confident in her Shadow, she never once failed a mission in her service, her daughters undoubtedly just as formidable as their mother. Yet there was a chance of their failure: and in that case, they will all be in grave danger if anyone at all saw her.
Nightmare Moon slowly slithered beneath the trucks, silently moving closer to the head of the column until she could hear the words spoken. To her relief, the guards were indeed disguised changelings. All was proceeding as planned. This was one of the smoothest plans she had ever put into action, which was bizarre considering the circumstance. Nightmare Moon would not have been surprised if the base would’ve been raised by the time they arrived. Either Dawn neglected to inform anyone of her presence… or this was a trap. For one long moment, Nightmare Moon paused in doubt once more. She could still retreat, leave this place, and return back to Queen Skystar and hippogriffs. They would welcome her with an open embrace, especially if she committed herself to keeping the peace between ponies and hippogriffs.
This was… appealing. In truth, Nightmare Moon was tired. She was deathly tired. She spent barely three hundred years in Equestria but felt as if it had been millennia. It felt so long when she enjoyed the simple pleasures of life. She was so foolish to rebel against Celestia who magnanimously shouldered all responsibility so that her sister could be free and happy.
But what’s done is done. She had made mistakes and was determined to set right what she could. The first step was to tear the land out of the usurpers’ cold grasp and return it to the one who is willing to restore it. She only hoped that this time, it was no mistake.
She left the protective hull of the vehicle, and the eyes of the disguised infiltrators were on her,
“Where is your mother?” Nightmare Moon calmly asked. The changeling nodded towards the guard shack, and Nightmare Moon went there. Inside were several tied up and struggling ponies, ever gracious Shadow refused to harm them even if it meant putting herself a danger. She was there too, clutching a rifle to her chest and watching them like a griffon.
“Mistress,” she acknowledged her with a short bow.
“My Shadow, come with me. I require you to be close when the battle begins. I shall leave your daughters to guard the prisoners.”
“Mmmmwww!” one of the ponies squealed upon seeing her speak, although his gag prevented him from being heard. Nightmare Moon paid him no mind.
“As you command,” Shadow stood up and began to step stepped towards the door.
“One more thing, My Shadow. Did you spot anything different from your last visit?”
“The planes have flown away, taking their cargo and some of the troops,” Shadow answered.
“As expected,” Nightmare Moon confirmed. “But is there more? My Shadow, I must confess to you, this feels… too easy. When an enemy seems weaker than they should be, it indicates a trap about to be sprung.”
“Mmmmwwhhh!” the pony again tried speaking, but once again could not get a word out.
“At the prison, I have met an old servant of mine. She expected me. She knows me. I do not believe that she would simply allow us to be this brazen.”
Shadow entered deep thought, the plates on her face rhythmically shifting,
“We could interrogate one of the captives,” she suggested. “I have not noticed anything abnormal compared to my prior observation.”
“My Shadow, I am afraid we do not have time. Our vehicles arriving unannounced is already drawing attention. I must commence assault soon lest we lose our advantage.”
“Have you brought Princess Flurry, Mistress? Perhaps she can tell.”
“She is conspicuously missing. This makes our situation even less clear, but I must press on. Perhaps calling you with me is not proactive enough. My Shadow, go and find us the safest path to retreat. In case of treachery, perhaps some of our soldiers may yet live.”
“It will be done, Mistress,” Shadow bowed and quickly trotted outside, leaving Nightmare Moon alone with the prisoners.
She gave them a single lookover and followed her Shadow out.
Having assigned the guard for prisoners, she decided to press on. Her vehicles slowly poured in and followed the road towards the air tower.
The trucks slowly rumbled down the road towards their goal, grim barracks and stores on one side and a fence on the other. The road was clear of sentries, no one expected them. Her truck suddenly came to a stop, and Nightmare Moon heard a loud speech from the column’s head. She took a look from the side. They have arrived. A pony in officer’s regalia was standing by the first truck, speaking to the driver. He wouldn’t even know what happened to him. Nightmare Moon gave one last look at her changelings, huddling together and clutching their weapons. Grim determination on their faces.
“Now,” she whispered. That was all she needed to do, they knew what came next. One by one, they swiftly hopped out of the vehicle and went forwards, covering themselves behind the vehicles. The officer gave a surprised yelp followed by a gurgle. Other changelings began dismounting and flying off or rushing towards the nearest building. Nightmare Moon did not choose a field headquarters location in her plan, for she did not know the exact layout to the minute details required:, but she was confident that one of the near, thick-shelved storehouses would do. She intended her reserves to stay put there with her as well, she needed to make use of their radios too.
Before she could make a definite choice, the sounds of struggle permeated the air. There were no gunshots just yet, but they will come in a few seconds.
Most of her soldiers were already away on their tasks, and therefore they won’t be easy targets. Nightmare Moon ordered several of her remaining troopers to smash the door into a large building closer to the strip, it seemed large enough to serve as an effective fortification for a platoon and would do as her headquarters. The air was full of gunfire when they arrived. By the time they got inside, explosions were ringing only a stone’s throw away. Awfully-sounding siren made Nightmare Moon internally moan.
“Fortify the entrances,” Nightmare Moon instructed. “I need a sentry on the second floor watching for threats.”
The building they occupied was a motor pool. Several vehicles in various states of repair were lined on the outside, and a few were suspended by hydraulic lifts. This was new. Nightmare Moon never intended this base to serve as a maintenance point for ground forces. Though she did not complain. Internal tool storage and had no windows, this would serve her needs. She asked for one radio and left her soldiers to organize the defense themselves. Then, she waited. Her Major was dutifully by her side as her trusted staff. The hardest part of warfare was waiting. It didn’t matter how many times she did this, it never felt easy. She had to be here, to plan and execute stratagems, while her soldiers were fighting outside; losing their lives in her service. Nightmare Moon wished she could lead them herself, but that was no general’s role. She was glad it was not ponies she was leading this time. She loved them dearly, but she had to admit that most of them were poorly suited for war. Explosions and gunfire were always nerve-wracking, Nightmare Moon remembered her first modern battle to minute details due to the fact of just how terrified she was. Fear was an alien emotion to her for most of her life. Before, battles were the prerogative of knights, their house forces, and levied peasants. They were almost quaint by modern standards. Now wars were a singular unending battle stretched for thousands of kilometres and hundreds of thousands of participants on each side, each day going through the hailstorm of shrapnel and bullets with no guarantee that they will even see the face of the one who killed them. It was impersonal and mechanical. Nightmare Moon resented having to adapt for the longest time.
The battle raged on for some time when the radio came alive. The assault detachment reported having secured the air control tower. Nightmare Moon immediately ordered half of her remaining troops to reinforce and fortify. She hesitated asking of their casualties.
This was easier with Changelings. They were much like knights of old rather than pony soldiers. A pony had more to them than simply their ability to fight, for changelings, it was their purpose. At the thought, Nightmare Moon remembered Queen Chrysalis, her old enemy, and how easily she crushed her. For the first time, Nightmare Moon thanked her in her mind. Changelings around her did not panic, their faces did not even twitch when they heard a particularly close explosion or shot. It was not merely their discipline, as impressive as it was, changelings simply reacted differently to stress. Instead of panicking or shutting down, changelings simply focused on their goal with single-minded determination to the exclusion of anything else.
Nightmare Moon waited until the fighting quieted down. She broke the radio silence and asked her troops to report their status. To her relief, every detachment reported success. The battle was theirs. She ordered her final reserve to sweep the premises for any holdouts and immediately call for reinforcements when discovered.
The search continued for another half an hour until every building and ground depression was explored. They took prisoners, but most were either heavily wounded or caught in their beds before they could react. Nightmare Moon wished they could do as much for all of them, but the watch alerted most of the garrison quickly enough for them to reach for their weapons. They were not supposed to have their weaponry stored inside their barracks, one could only imagine how many of their tools went “missing” over the years. She would not have let that stand.
She probably should call her witch to look after the wounded.
“My Shadow, fly back to my castle and bring Zecora, ask her to bring many blood clotting remedies.” The elder changeling silently bowed, spread her transparent wings, and buzzed out.
Nightmare Moon was left to contemplate her next actions. Her sister will arrive soon and bring her reinforcements. She did not expect much resistance in the city itself. Canterlot in itself had no military value. It was extremely defensible due to being situated on a mountain but provided little other advantage. This likely meant there would be no other source of military resistance. There will certainly be policeponies to contend with, but lacking orders and being taken completely off-guard, she did not expect them to offer significant resistance.
“Major. Take stocks of our losses and choose six changelings to conduct recon in the city. I wish to know the locations of police stations and any additional forces garrisoned there.”
“At once, my lady,” Major quickly but calmly trotted out of the building the same way Shadow just left. Leaving Nightmare Moon alone with the radiomare. The only thing left to do was wait.
“What is your name, filly?” Nightmare Moon asked.
“Fuchsia, my Queen.” Nightmare Moon resisted the drive to correct her on the title. As annoyed as she was at the commoners constantly using the wrong titles for her, she supposed that this was one exception. It did not matter how many times she corrected them;, for changelings, she was the queen.
“Like a flower,” Nightmare Moon said. “I understand the tradition for your people is to give foals anatomical names.”
Fuchsia shrugged and looked at her radio,
“My mother named me this way,” she simply answered.
“Did she ever explain to you the significance of your name?”
“No, my Queen.”
“Fuchsia is an entire genus of flowers. Some are deep red, others are white, but they all have their pollen pods elevated so that hummingbirds could reach them easier.”
“The flower can be a different color, but it stays the same,” the drone acknowledged.
“Indeed. Just like your kind does. Tell me something else: what did you do before you were a soldier?”
“I trained.”
“Is that all you did? I do not imagine so. There is something about your species that has been troubling me from the moment my dear Shadow sought me out. You only wish to be seen as servants to your hive - your queen, but you were not blindly loyal to your former queen. After I defeated her in battle, your ancestors renounced her and pledged their loyalty to me. This is not how your hierarchy should operate. There have been many times when your hive has suffered defeat, but never before have you simply abandoned your queen.”
“I was told that she was unworthy. She allowed her selfish ambitions to stand before the needs of the hive.”
“Is that so? While we were not deeply familiar, Chrysalis did not appear to me as a mare who would disregard her children. To all her vanity and lust for power, Chrysalis was first and foremost a mother. She wished to secure a stable food source for her hive: and to that end, she went very far. She has tried subterfuge twice but was stopped by brave ponies. She only attempted a direct assault after exhausting other options. Although, she was much too uncompromising. While her desire to be independent of the pony leaders is understandable, one must also be mindful to not overstrain. Chrysalis believed that overwhelming numbers could win the war for her, but that is only a single factor. Numbers are a significant advantage, but they will matter little if the enemy already knows where and when they will be. I knew the exact date and hour of their strike. I had proper units laying in wait with reserves prepared to counter. Before they knew what was going on, they were already being bypassed and their communications cut. It was over rather quickly afterwards.
“Frankly speaking, Chrysalis never stood a chance.”
“Not against you,” the drone mechanically agreed.
“She would not have fared well against Princess Celestia either if she was to be convinced that simply giving up was not her best course of action. I merely was able to do it faster.”
“Is this what it was like? You knew from the beginning but waited for our queen to attack first?”
“Precisely. I waited for her to expose herself and then brought her low. If I were to attack first, it would have resulted in unnecessary casualties. As it stands, her casualties were much larger than mine despite me being the one on the offensive.”
“How many?”
“It is hard to say. Before my death, they were not yet accurately counted. The estimates ranged from five hundred thousand to a million.”
“Couldn’t you have sent your assassin instead?”
“I could… although that had an unfortunate possibility of failing. If My Shadow were to have been captured, I would have not only lost her, but it would have also given away just how much knowledge I had about Chrysalis and her plan. Please, understand that in war, failure is unacceptable. Casualties are unfortunate, but ultimately worthwhile as long as one’s objectives are achieved.”
“Is that still true? Are we the means to achieve your objectives, my Queen?” the question was not delivered with the accusation, she merely asked a question. Yet Nightmare Moon still felt that she was being judged. Changelings would not dare to speak against her, but she knew very well that they always judge her actions, just as they did Chrysalis.
“Regrettably, yes,” Nightmare Moon decided to speak honestly. “As much as I lament this fact. I wish that I could provide you with a better future. I cannot save your species, but I can ensure that you are at least remembered. Raise the rest of your company on the radio, I need a report.”
The reports from her squads consisted of their status, and this time they had time to count their losses. Sixteen were wounded, and only five dead. Considering they were up against a similar force, these were acceptable casualties. Mighty Bucephalus could have done no better.
It would be a moment before her scouts return with the information she needed, but her sister would be arriving any moment now.
Indeed in ten minutes, she heard a commotion outside, and her sister’s voice was barking commands as any sergeant-major would. She was a good pick for this.
Nightmare Moon found her outside, by a shimmering gate spewing forth dozens of ponies. Some she vaguely remembered, others she did not know.
“I welcome you back, dear Daybreaker,” Nightmare Moon addressed her sister, floating closer. Daybreaker acknowledged her with a curt bow.
“I come when ordered. Your soldiers are mustered and armed as you commanded. They are prepared and in high spirits.”
Nightmare Moon looked at the quickly forming crowd, staring at her in silent bewilderment. They were so old now. This was all she had now, she supposed. The old and the dying. Yet… they were her most loyal warriors if even after all this time they flocked to her. Changelings felt they had no other way;, their loyalty was thin. But ponies… these were the creatures that truly followed her out of something deep.
“I am grateful that you could come, my soldiers,” Nightmare Moon began respectfully;, she would bow to them if she could.
“I have no right to call for you after all you have already done, but you came nonetheless. Some of you already know me, and I welcome you as old friends, for the others I can only explain myself: You are not here to seek glory or riches. I have neither to give. I only offer you duty, just as I always did. Yet this time, your duty will not be to me. But to them,” Nightmare Moon pointed with her gaze at the city just barely visible behind the curve of the mountain due to its bright lights.
“When I led you to Canterlot last time, I demanded your fealty: but now I only ask for help. I came to set my mistakes right. I have gathered the splitters of what I shattered, and I intend to put them together and forge something new. I cannot restore the harmony that some of you might still remember, but I can try. Perhaps I may just approach it. I do not ask you to die for this cause, for there will be no grand battles to fight. I only ask that you labour alongside me for something larger than any of us. Your names will not be remembered, but your deed will be. I hope this much is enough; if not, my sister will transport you back.”
Nightmare Moon looked on intently at the gathering. Some ponies were visibly disappointed. She had to agree, this was not her finest speech. But she couldn’t manage any better under the circumstance. She had nothing to inspire them with besides hope. Equestria is not yet lost.