My New Life

by Ark125

Tomb Raider

Luna's POV - 5 Years Later

"Mommy, I'm tired." Nightshade said in a groggy voice as he trudged along side of me.

We were in the Everfree Forest, a less dangerous part of it, of course. We were searching for something I remembered seeing in a dream a few days ago. I had told Pure Heart that I was taking Nightshade on a mother and son outing.

He wanted to make it into a family outing, but I insisted it was just for me and Nightshade and told him it would give him time to spend with the girls. He agreed but asked that I at least take Vapor Sky to which I agreed to.

"Don't worry sweetie, we are almost there." I said back to him.

"If you would like, and your mother will permit, I can carry you." Vapor Sky offered.

He looked up at me with his tired eyes and I smiled and then nodded my approval.

He smiled back as Vapor perched down and extended a wing for him to climb up. He did so and then curled up on her back.

"Thank you, Ms. Sky."

"You are quite welcome."

I walked up to them and gave Nightshade a kiss on the forehead. "Get some rest, you have earned it." He yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep.

We continued walking through the thicket of trees towards our destination.

"Princess?" I turned towards Vapor Sky. "We have been through a lot over the last couple years, right?"

"Indeed we have."

"And I have helped you with many problems before."

"Yes?" I said inquisitively, wondering where she was going with this.

"So would you call us friends?"

I looked at her with caring eyes. "Of course."

"And friends can divulge personal things to each other, right?"

I started to get a bit nervous. "Um, yeah."

She looked at me with eyes of longing. "Do you think there is somepony out there for me?"

I wiped my forehead. "Oh, is that all?"

She stopped and looked at me with wonder. "What?"

"Nothing." I regained my composure. "Yes, I do believe that there is somepony out there for you."

"But it seems like there was only one pony for me, and well, we both know why I can't be we with him."

"My husband?"

She nodded. "Yes. I have had a crush on him for a while, and I don't think I can ever get over it." She flattened her ears. "Please don't be mad."

I smiled and walked over to a fallen log. I sat down upon it and gestured her to sit down as well. As she walked over, I took hold of Nightshade with my magic and laid him gently in a patch of grass in front of us.

I stared at Nightshade for a bit. "You are from Earth, correct?" She nodded. "Did you have siblings?"

"Um, no."

"Well, he did. He had three sisters and four brothers."

"Wow, big family."

"Yes, it is. Now, I have only meet them once, but from what I could tell, they were all very close. I don't know much else about them."

"Okay, so what does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, I think you remind him of one of his sisters."

"Really?"

"I am not entirely sure, but yes. The one time I meet them, I saw the way he looked at one of his sisters. It was a look of love and care. But it was a very different look than I have ever seen before. In fact, that is the only time I have ever seen that particular look."

"Even towards yourself?"

"Yes. Don't get me wrong, I get a very similar look from him. But the one he gave his sister was one that is meant for siblings." She nodded. "Now I say I have only seen that once, but I have seen that love many times since you have arrived."

"Are you saying that he looks at me like a sister?"

"Well, yes. That is why he felt okay about sharing a room with you when you two were in the academy."

She blushed. "Oh, you know about that?"

I nodded. "Yes. And I will say that I did not like you for a while. That is until I saw the way he looked at you."

"So you aren't mad?"

"How could I be mad? You loving him confirms that he is a good pony and that I didn't marry a dork." We laughed together at that. "But really, it is natural for you to have a crush on somepony like him. I just want you to know that he doesn't have the same feelings for you."

Her ears flattened. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Love him like a sister would and keep looking for that special somepony."

"Well, okay."

We stood up and stretched for a moment. "Well, we should get going. We want to reach the castle before sundown."

"Alright. And Princess Luna." I looked at her. "Thanks."

"No problem." I placed Nightshade on my back and we were on our way.

As the sun was just about to set, we finally reached my old castle. We entered and found our way to an old bed chamber.

"Here we are. We shall rest for a couple of hours and then we will start our search."

After we rested, we all made our way out of the bed chamber where I stopped and closed my eyes.

"What is wrong mommy?" Nightshade asked.

I opened my eyes and looked down at him. "Nothing, just some old memories."

"Like what?"

"Like this hallway. This is the hallway that me and my sister would play in when I was around your age."

"You were a filly once?!" He said awestruck.

Vapor Sky and I both looked at him then at each other and laughed.

"Yes, I was a filly at one point in time. Though it was a long time ago."

"Was daddy a colt once, too?"

"If you ask me, he still is a colt sometimes." Vapor Sky laughed, to which I laughed at as well.

"Come on, we have a tomb to find." I said, still lightly chuckling.

We walked out into the old courtyard and I looked around.

"What are we looking for Princess?" Vapor Sky asked.

"I am not sure. I am a bit fuzzy on the details, but I am sure I will know it when I see it."

As I scanned the area, I began to piece together the my dream. "Let's see here. I remember standing here and then I saw a..."

"Mommy?"

I just stared straight ahead as I began to remember... Remember an event that transpired here long ago.

"Princess? Are you okay?"

I shook my head. "No. It wasn't a dream."

"What?"

"It wasn't a dream I had, it was a suppressed memory. A memory from when I was her. From when I was Nightmare Moon all those years ago."

Nightmare Moon's POV - Flashback

"Come now you worthless ponies. I want that hole dug now!"

"Yes Mistress Moon."

I turned back towards him. "Now, is there anything you would like to say before I seal you away forever."

He struggled against his bonds and looked at me directly in the eyes. "Witch! Release me now or the heavens will reign down upon you in anger."

I laughed in his face and gestured one of my minions to whip him again. He screamed in pain as the instrument of torture was once again brought down upon his already torn and bleeding flesh.

"Not the answer I was looking for." He spat out the blood that was collecting in his mouth into my face. I wiped it off my face and grinned. "Too bad. You had such a handsome face. You could have worked along side with me." I stood up and put my forehooves on his chest for balance. Then I gave him a long lick up his face and tasted his sweet blood. "Mmm. Such a wonderful taste." I gave him a kiss on the lips to savor the taste and then got down and turned my back on him.

"Princess Luna! I know you are in there! Please, you can fight this!"

I turned back to him and gave him a swift jab in the stomach, causing him to splutter even more blood. "Luna can't hear you. She is gone, and she won't be coming back."

"Mistress! It is ready!"

I smiled. "Good. Pick up the prisoner and take him in."

The minions took hold of his restraints and lifted him. We all walked down the spiral staircase and into a chamber that held a platform and a stone box that lay in the center.

"Put him in the coffin." They did so and then I fired an immobilization spell at him. "Take off his bonds. He is harmless for now." The ponies took off the shackles and such. I walked up to the box and looked in. "No one will ever find you down here. Do you have any last requests?"

"Go to hell." He said with venom.

"Hee hee! We are already here!" I lifted the lid with my magic and placed it on top of the box. I then began to inscribe symbols into the stone lid and then blasted it with my magic. The symbols in the lid lit up with a black light.

"Now then, let us return to the surface and finish the job."

"Princess!"

I shook my head again. "What?"

"You are crying."

I wiped my eyes and stood up.

"Mommy, why are you crying?"

I sniffed and picked up Nightshade. "I am just sad from bad things that I did." I hugged him tightly and then set him down.

"Are you okay to go on?" Vapor Sky asked.

"Yes." I pointed towards a fountain in the center of the courtyard. "It is there." We all walked up to the long dry fountain and looked up at the figure on the center pedestal.

"So what do we do?" Vapor Sky said.

"I don't remember."

"Hey mommy! Look, I'm on top of the world!"

I looked up and gasped as I saw Nightshade on top of the pegasus statue's head. "Come down here before you get hurt."

"Hee hee hee!" He was jumping up and down on head. All of a sudden the head snapped downwards and he yelped as he fell.

"I got him!" Vapor Sky jumped up caught Nightshade, landing in a tuck and roll.

"Woo hoo! Let's do it again!" Nightshade said enthusiastically.

I rolled my eyes but then saw that a passageway had opened up in the commotion.

"Wow! Wasn't expecting that." Vapor Sky said. "Good job Nightshade!"

He blushed. "Thanks."

"Alright, down the stairs." I said. I picked up Nightshade and placed him on my back.

We all walked lightly down the dusty old steps that led into darkness.

"I can't see." Nightshade said.

I lit up my horn. "Is that better?"

"Yep, thanks mommy."

We descended deeper into the eerie darkness. The air was musty and stale, and there was the faint sound of water dripping in the distance.

"Mommy, I'm scared."

"It's okay sweetie. I am right here." I said soothingly.

We finally reached the bottom of the stairwell and walked up to a giant double door.

"Alright, so do we just knock or..."

"How about we just ring the doorbell?" Nightshade said, standing against the wall with his hoof on a large button.

"No, don't!" Vapor Sky jumped flew towards him, picking him up just as he pushed the button.

A boulder fell onto the spot where he stood just moments before. "Man! Another close one."

There was some rumbling and the giant doors began to slowly open into a chamber.

"Are you serious? Hey, are you sure you are only five years old?" Vapor Sky asked, rubbing his head. He giggled in delight.

"There it is!" I said, pointing towards the stone box on the platform.

We all walked towards the platform and stood in front of the box that lay on the floor. The symbols on the box lid still lit up with black light.

"Now, how do we open it up?"

"We can't. That would be desecrating this tomb."

"What?!" Vapor Sky turned to me. "You can't be serious?!"

I turned to her. "I am completely serious."

"You are saying we came all this way for nothing?!"

I was about to argue back when there was a loud thud.

"Hey mister! You awake?!"

We both turned slowly back towards the coffin and gasped at the same time. The lid was no longer on place and Nightshade was sitting on top of the corpse, that lay inside poking it in the face.

"Nightshade! Get out of there!" I screamed.

"Shh, mommy. This pony is asleep." He said, putting his hoof to his mouth in a quieting gesture.

"Oh my gosh. That is nasty." Vapor Sky said.

I walked over to pull Nightshade out of the crypt when suddenly, the eyes of the stallion opened.

I screamed and pulled Nightshade out in time for the corpse to sit up.

"Oh wow! That was a long nap." He said.

"What the-?" Vapor Sky started to say.

"Hey, how you all doing?" He said, looking around.

"Great, how about you?" Nightshade asked back.

"Oh, well my back is sore from laying down on this rock for so long. But other than that, can't complain."

Nightshade wiggled his way out of my grasp and walked up to him, extending his hoof. "My name is Nightshade. What is yours?"

He grasped his hoof. "Cloudlight." He let go then stood up and shook coat clean of dust. He then stepped out of the box and extended his wings. "Oh. Darn, my wings are sore."

"You have really big wings."

"Yeah, common trait where I am from."

"Where are you from?" Nightshade asked.

"Somewhere far away from here." I said, stepping forward.

"Princess!" He quickly bowed.

"Rise Cloudlight."

He did so and then came forward and gave me a hug. "How did you get free? Where is that evil witch?"

"Gone. For good this time."

"Wow, really? You will need to fill me in on the details later." He let go and turned to Vapor Sky. "Who is this beautiful mare?"

"Um, I am Vapor Sky, head of royal night security."

"Well then, it is wonderful to meet you, Vapor Sky." He picked up her hoof and kissed it, causing her to blush.

"Ahem." They both stood at attention. "If you two are finished, shall we leave?"
"Of course Princess." They both said at the same time.

Once we were outside, Cloudlight began to speak. "So how did you guys get down there? Nightmare Moon made it next to impossible to find me."

"Actually, it was Nightshade who did most of the work." I said.

"Oh really. Well I guess I have you to thank then." He said, messing with Nightshade's mane. He laughed in return. "Now then, how long has it been?"

"Um, about 1007 years." I said.

"Wow, that long, huh?"

I nodded.

"Well things have probably changed a bit, right?"

"Yes, quite a lot actually."

"Well I guess that explains why your castle looks so bad." He said, pointing out the dilapidated structure.

"Yes, but we live in a better one now."

"Well, then. Let us go. You can fill me in on the details on the way there."

"Alright, I am sure Pure Heart will love to meet you." Vapor Sky said.

"Who?"

"My daddy, silly."

"Wait, who is your mommy?" He asked.

Nightshade looked a little confused. He turned his head to me. "Mommy, does he have trouble remembering who ponies are?"

"Luna's married?!"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"

"Nope." He took a second to regain his composure. "Now then, let us be off. I can't wait to meet the pony who got married to you?" He began to crack up, but I quickly punched him in the side.

"Let's go, before I have to hurt you."

"You already did."

"Get over it." I picked up Nightshade and placed him on my back. Then we took off towards the castle.