Despite how exhausted he felt on the inside, Commander Maverick kept a resilient outlook as he flew ahead of the Royal Guard under his command. The three day march (or flight, in the case of the pegasus division) was nearing its end, and they hadn't stopped once. Maverick wasn't sure why he felt it was so vital to keep such a fast pace. Then again, he didn't really need a reason. Princess Celestia had assured him that it was very important, and that was all he needed. It was the same thing he would tell his troops if they asked the same question. That wasn't likely to happen; the Royal Guard wasn't known to question authority. This could either be a good thing or a bad thing. Shining Armor had been a well-respected leader, and ever since he resigned as Captain of the Royal Guard to focus on his new position in the Crystal Empire and opening the position up for Maverick, the chestnut pegasus had tried to fill his horseshoes. Even when Princess Celestia had promoted him to Commander (the first to ever be deemed this title in the entire history of the Royal Guard) he had tried to follow in Shining Armor’s hoof prints. After this assignment, though, his biggest priority was keeping his troops calm and focused.
It was no secret what was happening; the talk about disappearances of ponies and an entire town were spreading around Equestria like a wildfire in the Everfree Forest. Princess Celestia had seemed confident that the Elements of Harmony would take care of the problem, either peacefully, or otherwise. But Commander Maverick didn't share her confidence. Something big was about to happen, and they were caught in the middle of it.
“Something troubling you, Commander?” a reclusive voice came out of nowhere beside him.
Startled, Maverick defensively spun away, only to find the voice came from Princess Luna, who was now flying parallel with him. Slightly embarrassed, the commander returned to his spot and suppressed a scowl. To get the jump on a Royal Guard Commander was bad enough, but Princess Luna had managed to do it four times within their trek to Manehattan. “A better question would be what isn't troubling me,” he stated dryly.
Princess Luna nodded, understanding what he was going through. “I’m afraid it only gets worse. My sister just contacted me…” she stopped, as if she was still trying to comprehend the news herself.
Commander Maverick had a hunch what she was going to say, but chose to play ignorant instead. “More bad news, I take it?”
“Twilight and the others…have failed to negotiate with the enemy. As of now, they are believed to be captured or...” The princess didn't finish. The grief on her face was unmistakable.
Maverick closed his eyes. Even though he had expected something like this to happen, it didn't make the news any easier to swallow. “How does she know?” He asked, hoping to get something positive out of the update.
“Lord Plagueis contacted her himself, a few days ago.” Luna responded, her grief turning to resentment. “She just told me about it because she has spent the entire time trying to find Twilight and the others. She even sent her phoenix out to search for them, but he found nothing.”
“Lord Plagueis…” Maverick echoed. “This is the name of the foe that has caused so much trouble? I don’t recognize that name,” he noted, startled. He had spent hours in the Canterlot library; pouring over books of enemies of Equestria’s past. Not once had he seen the name ‘Lord Plagueis’ mentioned. “What else did he say?”
“He plans to overthrow my sister and me so he can take control of Equestria himself.”
“Then there is no doubt,” Commander Maverick concluded, “he will strike again. Manehattan will most likely be his target…and we will be the only thing standing between him and his goal.”
The alicorn reluctantly nodded. “I had wished battle would be avoided, but clearly it is eminent.” It was obvious she had hoped Twilight and her friends would succeed in a peaceful resolution with Lord Plagueis.
Maverick thought for a moment, trying to find some way to change the subject of the conversation. Finally giving up, he asked, “How do you think Mayor Smooth Horn is handling the situation?”
“If his reputation is truthful, I’m sure he has done the best any of us could wish.”
“I just hope we won’t get there and find that panic has already taken the city. Whether our presence will help ease ponies’ minds or not, it won’t matter if they are already in hysteria.”
“Well Commander, it seems we are about to find out,” Princess Luna said.
The pegasus gave her a puzzled look, and then he caught her gaze. “Yes, it seems we will,” he established.
Rising high above the grassy plains and knolls that bordered it was the city of Manehattan. With its lofty towers and vibrant shops around the town square, it wasn't hard to understand what drew so many ponies to the city. It was only about a 15 minute trout away from their current position. They had finally arrived at their journey's end. It was here that Maverick would finally learn if he had what it took to be Commander.
“Mayor Smooth Horn will probably want everypony to start fortifying the city as soon as we move in,” Princess Luna hesitated, “Perhaps after a meal. They should still have the city fully barricaded by the time my sister is raising the sun tomorrow.” She looked over to Maverick, expecting him to be relieved they had finally arrived. However, she found that he was anything but.
“Let’s just hope we are ready for whatever happens after that,” Maverick muttered grimly before flying back to inform the colts under his command that they had arrived.
**********************************************************
The first thing Rainbow Dash established as she became aware of her surroundings was that she wasn't in her bed, or her house for the matter. The ground was rough against her already aching head, and the air had a moist, musty scent to it. Past that, she couldn't tell anything, and she realized her vision was hazy. She let out a small groan. The last time she felt like this was after one of Pinkie Pie’s all-night parties. The festivity had lasted well into the early morning hours before everypony eventually dozed off.
Something, however, told her this wasn't the result of a party; mostly her sore head. Cautiously, she extended her hoof to inspect it. What she found shocked her back into reality. It all came back: the journey Princess Celestia had sent them on; the large, magic dome they had found imprisoning the town of Hayton at the end of that voyage; the threat made to them by whatever creature was hiding beneath the dome; and the spell Twilight had blasted her with before disappearing behind the dome and leaving her dying in the clearing. Rainbow Dash had been sure she would perish there... her cut had been bleeding so badly. The laceration itself seemed to have already closed up into a rough scar somehow, as if she had already had it for days. Putting it out of her mind, Rainbow Dash tried to remember what happened after that. When nothing came to her, she realized she still had no idea where she was or how she got there.
Gingerly rising to her hooves, Rainbow Dash once again surveyed her surroundings. As her grogginess faded and her vision returned, she saw that she was in a dark cave. The only source of light was a glowing crystal sitting next to her. She had been laying in some sort of makeshift bedroll that had been fashioned out of leaves and long grass. And it wasn't alone. A similar but larger bedroll was set up next to her. Anxious to get some fresh air, along with some answers, Rainbow Dash looked for an exit. She soon found that even walking was a challenge, but after a few attempts she reached her goal; a small tunnel from which she could feel a slight breeze. Leaning against the wall for support, Rainbow Dash made her way down the narrow passageway. She began to see sunlight bouncing of the rocks. Soon, the sunlight was so bright, she found herself blind once again. But she knew she was close, and with a few more labored steps, she found herself standing at the entrance of the cave… and right behind a cloaked figure that was intensely watching the sunset.
Rainbow Dash froze. The figure didn't seem to notice her yet. Gradually, she began to retreat back into the cave. She was only a few steps back when a familiar, rough voice caused her to stop in sudden recognition.
“I am glad thee hath awoken, Rainbow Dash. I was beginning to fear I had arrived too late. Even if I was not, it was closer than I would hath desired it to be.” The figure turned to face Rainbow Dash. His large, golden eyes were as unreadable as the rest of his concealed face. He looked just as he had the first time she encountered him in the clearing outside Ponyville.
“You…you saved me.” Rainbow Dash managed. A wave of mixed emotions washed over her. The most prominent was guilt. She had abandoned him in the forest, not believing what he had said. If only she had listened…
The unicorn moved closer, his eyes never leaving Rainbow Dash. “What I spoke of before still remains truthful. I need thee, as does the rest of this land.” He now stood over her, continuing his vigilant gaze on Rainbow Dash.
“That thing was what you tried to warn me about, wasn’t it?” Rainbow Dash tensely asked. She received a small nod from the unicorn. “Then it is my fault, what has happened to my friends. If I had just believed you when you told me, I could have stopped this…”
Rainbow Dash stopped as she felt the unicorn’s hoof on her shoulder. This time, his eyes were sympathetic; almost regretful. It was almost like he was blaming himself as well. “We cannot reflect about that presently. Right now, we must focus on what lays ahead. If we are to stop the evil we are confronted with, then we need all the time we can get.”
“What exactly is it we’re facing…and what did it do with to my friends?” Rainbow Dash demanded. She was tired of not knowing what was going.
The unicorn withdrew a few steps and closed his eyes. The air became uncomfortably quiet as he considered her questions. Just when Rainbow Dash thought he wasn't going to answer, the unicorn took a deep breath and spoke.
“The creature thee and thy friends indirectly encountered was Lord Plagueis. He is thy last of long-forgotten race of powerful beings. A race once thought to be gone eternally. His power extends beyond that of anything that has roamed this land. One of the most ghastly and malevolent forms of his magic is the ability to invade the mind of essentially any creature he chooses. This is thy curse he hath placed on thy friends, as well as thy entire town.”
The unicorn slowly looked over Rainbow Dash, taking in every detail before stopping at her rear. It took a few uncomfortable moments for Rainbow Dash to realize it was her cutie mark he was observing.
“And thee, Rainbow Dash, art thy only being that can stand up against this agent of darkness. It hath been predestined to be thus.”
The words slowly sunk in as Rainbow Dash attempted to hide her surprise at the cryptic unicorn’s sudden directness. She decided now would be the best time to take advantage of it. “And who are you, and why do you speak like you do?
The unicorn looked down. If Rainbow Dash could see his face, she was it would be tense. “My name…is Ageroth. I was a member of a band of warriors that protected Equestria. My dialect varies from thine dialect because I am not from this era. Just as Lord Plagueis is not. This is not the first time he hath attacked this land.”
Not from this era. Rainbow Dash waited for Ageroth to say more, but he looked away. It was clear that was all she was going to get from him. Still, it was more then she had expected to get, and more than she could handle. She was still trying to digest it all when she realized she was begging to get light-headed again, and had to find a rock to sit on before she collapsed.
“Art thee fine?” Ageroth asked, rushing to her side. It was the first time Rainbow Dash really understood how much this mysterious unicorn really cared about her.
“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just that this is a lot to take in,” Rainbow Dash attempted. Even without seeing his face, she knew Ageroth didn't believe her. “Well the gash in my head doesn't help either,” she added reluctantly.
“Yes, this is plausible. Even with the laceration sealed, I could not duplicate thy blood that was already spilled. This has caused thee to be unresponsive for three days.”
Rainbow Dash’s head shot up, the gesture causing a small surge of pain. “ I've been asleep for three days?!” Ageroth nodded, helping her back on her hooves. “That means this Lord Plagueis already has a three day head start on whatever he is planning next. We have to warn Princess Celestia!”
Ageroth’s head froze at the mention of Celestia’s name. “Princess Celestia…is she not queen?”
The question threw Rainbow Dash off. “What do you mean, ‘Queen’? Celestia has always been entitled as ‘Princess’. It’s been that way ever since the three pony tribes came together to form Equestria and Princess Celestia first came to the throne with her sister.” How could Ageroth know who Celestia was but not know that?
Ageroth pondered her response before speaking. “She rules over Equestria with Luna? Do thou mean they rule together?”
“Of course they do.” Rainbow Dash replied, still confused. How could this unicorn not know this? She stared at him, trying to read his thoughts. Something that was very tough to do without being able to see his face. Ageroth remained silent for a long time, seemingly lost in thought. Finally he returned her gaze.
“Thou must get some rest, Rainbow Dash. We can discuss more when thee awakens tomorrow morn.” His voice was strangely confronting, despite his typical rough undertone.
“Don’t you think I've slept enough in the past three days?” Rainbow Dash asked.
“Thou art still weak, and a little more sleep cannot hurt. But before thee departs, I hath but one inquiry. How doth this sun exist?”
At first, Rainbow Dash thought she misunderstood the question, until she remembered his last one. “Princess Celestia herself controls the sun and the day, and Princess Luna controls the moon, stars, and night. Just as they always has.”
Ageroth slowly nodded. “Of course they have,” he muttered. “Goodnight, Rainbow Dash.”
“Goodnight, Ageroth…and thank you,” Rainbow Dash answered, just realizing she had never formally thanked him for saving her from Lord Plagueis. The unicorn only nodded before returning his observation of the sunset. Smiling slightly, Rainbow slipped back into the cave and her bedroll. Even though she had learned so much, she felt even more lost. She couldn't even think right as she pulled the cover over her. But she was begging to think it didn't matter. Even though she hardly knew anything about Ageroth, she felt safe with him. It was the safest she had felt since this entire nightmare had begun.
Rainbow Dash was still thinking about Ageroth when her eyes closed and she drifted into a much more comfortable sleep than she had before.
**********************************************************
Rising very quietly as to not wake the sleeping silver unicorn next to him, Mayor Smooth Horn trotted across his bedroom and out onto the balcony. Just like his office, it was the penthouse floor of the tower. This tower, however, was much taller than his office. From here, he could see almost anything going on in the city…if there had been something going on. The only activity Smooth Horn noticed was the building of the makeshift barricade the Royal Guard was making around the city. Other than that, the city that until recently never rested was lifeless.
Mayor Smooth Horn shuddered. There had been nights when he had trouble sleeping because of the activity below. He had wished that it would all just stop, and that for once in his entire life within the city, he could rest in complete silence. Now that he was actually experiencing it, he realized it was actually unnerving. It certainly didn’t make sleeping any easier. Not that his anxiety about the future of Manehattan wasn’t already depriving him of it. After Dazzling Chainmail had fallen asleep, he had laid there and listened to her calm breath. He brought him a little comfort to know that she wasn’t as nervous as he was; even if it was only because she didn’t know what he knew.
His mind flew back to the moment Princess Celestia and Commander Maverick trotted into Manehattan. Weary from travel, Princess Luna requested a place to rest so she could get ready for the night, while the others wanted a meal before getting to work barricading the city. Wanting to help in any way he could, the mayor arranged a banquet in honor of their arrival, complete with Manehattan’s finest stocks of wine.
About halfway through the feast, Mayor Smooth Horn was pulled aside by Commander Maverick, who had left his meal almost untouched. “I’m afraid I must deliver dark tidings.” Maverick murmured when he was sure no one could hear them. “While on our way here, Princess Luna was contacted by Princess Celestia. The Elements of Harmony, our last chance at a diplomatic solution, have been lost. Their current whereabouts and status are unknown. The only thing we are sure of is our new foe, whose name is Lord Plagueis, has a single goal; to invade and conquer all of Equestria.”
Mayor Smooth Horn closed his eyes. “Then Princess Celestia was right to send you here. If he strikes again…”
“Manehattan will almost certainly be his target,” Commander Maverick finished.
“What can we do?” The mayor asked, suddenly not feeling like finishing his meal still waiting for him on the table.
“An offensive strike on him is too risky. At least not when we don’t know what he is capable of. The only thing we can do is the task we were sent here to do: defend the city.”
“So in other words, wait and hope we will be strong enough to repel an attack by an enemy we don’t even know the capabilities of?” Mayor Smooth Horn concluded in a vexed tone.
“I don’t like it either, but it’s our only choice as of now.” The commander grumbled. “And you can’t tell anypony about this, not even her.” Maverick gestured at Dazzling Chainmail, who was dubiously eyeing the pair from her spot next to Smooth Horn’s. “The last thing we need is for this to get out to the general public.
“I understand.” The mayor said. He attempted to give the silver unicorn a reassuring look before returning his gaze to Maverick.
“I just thought you of all ponies should know, so you could mentally prepare for the future. Whatever the future is…” Commander Maverick said. Then, almost as suddenly as he had come, the pegasus flew off to begin preparation for the barricading.
Thinking back on the moment, Mayor Smooth Horn wished he had just told Dazzling Chainmail that moment. Even if Maverick thought she shouldn't be told, he trusted her with his life and thought she deserved to know. The only reason he hadn't done it yet was she still had hope. She still believed The Elements of Harmony would prevail and that the problem wouldn't get any worse. Smooth Horn just didn't have the heart to take that away from her.
Unbeknownst to Smooth Horn, a figure had landed next to him while he was deep in thought. “Greetings, Smooth Horn,” it exclaimed with a brazen voice that dazed the mayor out of his contemplation and drove him over a few feet. He even let out a small yelp. The combined noise caused Dazzling Chainmail to stir slightly, but she soon fell back into her deep slumber. Smooth Horn slowly looked over to find Princess Luna herself starring back at him with an obvious look of embarrassment.
“I must apologize,” she began. “Even after all this time, I sometimes forget that the Traditional Canterlot voice is no longer used.”
“It is alright, Princess,” Mayor Smooth Horn said. He gave the customary bow in an elegant and practiced manner, but his blush showed that he was equally embarrassed. “It’s just that you surprised me.”
“Yes, I seem to have a talent for sneaking up on ponies,” the alicorn admitted. “I assure you that it is purely unintentional.”
“Of course,” Mayor Smooth Horn said. “So, what can I do for you, your Majesty?”
Princess Luna laughed lightly. “There is nothing I require. I simply finished my work on the night and saw you were out here. Since you were already awake, I thought we could keep each other company. That is, if you didn't mind, of course.” Princess Luna’s face darkened a little. “It’s just that, there are few things worse to me then a lonely night.”
Mayor Smooth Horn was silent. He knew why she of all ponies would feel this way, and the thought made him uneasy. “I would love the chance to just talk to you,” he said reassuringly.
Seeming relieved, Princess Luna moved closer to Smooth Horn and sat down. Following suit, Smooth Horn levitated a chair next to her and sat. For a while, the two just sat looking up into the heavens. “A real magnificent sight, your night is,” Smooth Horn said. “Your sister did her best to match you, but even she could not replicate the splendor you create.”
Princess Luna blushed slightly, but shook her head. “It’s nothing special, really.”
“What do you mean nothing special? Why, Princess, there are more stars in the sky then there are gems in the earth. The citizens of Manehattan always remark at how beautiful the night sky is.” The mayor slowly observed the deserted streets below him. “That is, when they aren't forced to stay in their homes during it.”
Despite the small talk, Mayor Smooth Horn could still feel the tense air around them. The question that had been forming in the back of his mind since her arrival was almost unavoidable. The mayor knew he couldn't help bringing up the subject, even though he didn't want to. “What do you think is going to happen next, Princess?” he finally inquired.
Princess Luna looked down at him for a long, stagnant moment. She knew exactly what he was talking about, but even she didn't seem to know how to answer. Eventually she let out a sigh returned her gaze back to the metropolis.
“I wish I could give you a conclusive answer. For moon’s sake, I wish I could reassure myself with a decent answer. As it is, however, neither I nor Celestia are certain of anything…not even current events. Worst of all, we have no idea what happened to Twilight and the Elements of Harmony.” Mayor Smooth Horn nodded, for he too was troubled by the disappearance of The Elements of Harmony. The best he, or anypony, could hope was that they were at least still alive and well.
“It has all happened so fast,” Princess Luna continued. “Ever since my encounter with what I can only imagine as the mind of this Lord Plagueis, everything has descended into chaos. If Celestia is right, and this creature really does have an army, then there will be no other outcome but…war.” Just the mention of the word sent a shudder down the alicorn’s spine.
“I regrettably agree, Princess.” Mayor Smooth Horn injected. “There is no other way out of this. That was decided when this adversary attacked a peaceful assemblage of ponies sent only to reason with him.”
Princess Luna shook her head, not content with that reasoning. “I know it is true, but it still feels wrong. We are a peaceful nation, not a violent one. Equestria hasn't been at war since…” The princess broke off.
“What is it, Princess Luna?” the mayor asked, worried about her sudden pause.
“It’s…nothing,” Princess Luna said. Despite her best efforts to hide it, Mayor Smooth Horn could tell she was withholding something. She got up from her seat and began to pace across the balcony.
Wondering if he should press her on the issue, Mayor Smooth Horn chose his words prudently. “If you do not wish to tell me, Princess, I understand. However, I’m equally ready to heed you, if you want me to.”
After a moment of nervous consideration, Princess Luna nodded to herself and spoke. “It is something about both my sister and myself that nopony else knows. If I tell you, you must swear never to tell it to anypony else, unless I allow it.”
“I swear to it, your Majesty,” Smooth Horn promised, adding a small bow as a gesture of his genuine honesty.
Princess Luna sighed. “I cannot tell you if Equestria has been had a war in its past. I cannot tell you anything about the time before what I imagine as the begging of our joint rule of Equestria; around 1,500 years ago. For you see, neither I nor Celestia have memory of a time before that.”
Mayor Smooth Horn’s eyes widened. Was the princess saying what he thought she was saying? “Princess Luna…you mean…”
“I mean…we have no memory of a childhood, or parents, or our rise to power; if we even had any of those things. In fact, we don’t know anything about Equestria’s history before we began our rule. As far as we can tell, there was nothing before us.” Princess Luna’s face became somber, as if she were still trying to come to terms with this truth.
“What about books, scrolls, and the other ponies of that time?” Smooth Horn questioned. “Surely somepony knew about the time before your regime.”
“At that period of time, books and scrolls were nonexistent,” Princess Luna scowled. “As for the other ponies…they seemed to be in the same condition we were. That is the part that troubles me the most. Not once did anypony question their lack of memory; not even us. We just …accepted… the collective lack of memory and began working on forming the nation we now call Equestria.”
Mayor Smooth Horn was silent for long time. That meant Hearth’s Warming Eve was just an imagined story, and the entire holiday was nothing more than the glorification of a fictitious incident. Just like all the other stories and legends of early Equestrian history. Not one tale had any truth to it. The whole revelation was very chilling to the unicorn. “If that is true, then why does it bother you now?” he asked.
It was a simple enough question, but Princess Luna found it hard to answer. “That detail is still unclear to me,” she muttered. “All I know is that both of us started to become uncomfortable after we felt Lord Plagueis’ presence.”
Smooth Horn shuddered. “Then, that means he must have something to do with your lost memory.”
“It would seem that is the case,” Princess Luna agreed. “If this is true, however, then it is the cause of even more concern.” Princess Luna was even graver then before, and just the sight of her somberness instilled fright in Smooth Horn. “If this creature has lived long enough to be from that era…to be as old if not older than us… then we are dealing with something more dangerous then we could ever have imagined.”
Stillness fell over the balcony once more, and Smooth Horn could not find a response to Princess Luna’s forbidding warning. Unable to think of anything else to say, he cleared his throat and stood up.
“Well I have kept you awake long enough,” Princess Luna said as she prepared for departure. “I just needed to get that off my chest.”
“I am just glad I could help, Princess.” Mayor Smooth Horn said. “Besides, I can’t sleep anyway. My nerves won’t allow it.”
“Oh…I can assist you with that,” Princess Luna said. "After all, you of all ponies need their sleep." She began slowly moving towards an unsure Smooth Horn, her horn emitting a soft blue aura. As she touched the mayor’s head, his worry and anxiety seemed to melt away. When she was done, he let out a large yawn.
“Well Princess…you never fail to disappoint,” Smooth Horn said in a sluggish tone. Even after all the new things he learned in the past few hours, he felt like he could sleep for days.“Thank you, and goodnight Princess Luna,” He managed in to say
“Goodnight,” The alicorn responded, before gracefully taking flight off the balcony. “I wish I was able to use that magic on myself” she whispered to herself as she watched Smooth Horn groggily return to his bedroom.
As the mayor climbed into bed, he affectionately laid his forearm around Dazzling Chainmail. Before he drifted to sleep, he kissed the back of the unicorn’s head. “I don’t care how dangerous it gets,” he guaranteed he, “I swear I won’t let anything happen to you.” After one last sigh, his breath fell into the same relaxed pattern as hers.