Crow had everypony wrapped around his hoof. The entire crowd cheered as he gave his speech, while Starry watched helplessly as Crow’s plan came to fruition. Glancing to the left, she noticed the huge formations of soldiers standing at attention. Everything that surrounded indicated one thing; she had failed.
“Those were not just stories you were told as foal. The land of Equestria is real, and that is our true home, wrongfully denied us by that monster Celestia!” The crowd again erupted in noise, this time in shouts of anger, so loud as to shake the earth itself.
“Is this real?” Honey asked. “How could the princess let this happen to these ponies?”
“This isn’t the princesses fault!” Triage gasped. “If these ponies let themselves succumb to such barbaric living conditions, that’s all on them.”
Rose began to hover above the group. “It doesn’t matter now why they’re here. We need to stop them from invading Equestria!”
Buttercup was shaking nervously. “Maybe if we asked them nicely, they’d be willing to stay here.”
“That’s a great idea! We’ll have an Equestria-didn’t-get-invaded party afterwards!” May Day actually sounded excited.
“No! We need to show those bats who’s boss!” Rose tried to fly over the crowd, but Triage used magic to drag her back down.
“Don’t play their game, Compass Rose! Violence won’t solve anything.”
“I suppose you have a better plan!” Rose turned and stared angrily at Triage, who stood her ground.
“No, but at least I’m not trying to get us all killed!” The two began to butt heads. One could almost hear their blood boil.
“Girls, this is not going to solve this problem. Starry, do you have any ideas?” Honey had broken up Rose and Triage, and now the entire group was looking at Starry, who simply looked on at Crow, not even reacting to Honey’s question.
Starry’s mind was racing. Even if she tried Buttercup’s idea, she could at least say she tried something. It was still hopeless, though. She was about to watch two groups of ponies, who had never even seen each other, go to war, and there is no way to stop it.
Just as she was about to give up entirely, she was blinded by a bright light coming over the mountains. The other ponies obviously saw it, too. Even Crow didn’t expect it.
Once the initial blindness wore off, Starry uncovered her eyes, and was in awe of what she saw. I tall, pure white alacorn was descending right behind the pedestal where Crow stood. Her multi-colored mane flowed almost to the ground, and moved as if it wasn’t even hair, but pure magic.
Starry heard Triage muttering behind her. “Princess Celestia?”
That was Princess Celestia? Starry wasn’t sure how to feel upon seeing her. Was she the one responsible for the prosperity in Equestria, or the misery in Nocturna?
Starry noticed that all of the thestrals were staring at Celestia, away from the 6 of them. “Come on. Now's our chance to get close.” None of them disputed her plan. Any action was better than no action at this point.
The group were able to get close enough to hear both Celestia and Crow, but were disheartened by what they heard. The Princess was talking to Crow. “Lord Protector, you have been a good leader in the absence of your Princess, but you must see that this is no way to right the past. We will be will to assist your people’s recovery, but...”
Crow cut her off. “Princess, judging from your handling of our matters in the past, you’ll understand when I tell you we have no interest in dealing with you, or any of your precious day ponies.”
The Princess was taken aback. “Crow, I do not wish harm on any of my subjects, especially those who have suffered as long as all of you have.”
“I must correct you on that point. We are not your subjects. We are a sovereign kingdom, and as such, we must act to ensure we survive. Unfortunately for you, that means taking back what was taken from us all those generations ago.”
The Princess tried to give a reassuring smile, but Crow obviously wasn’t biting. “I banished those ponies because they were attempting to bring about an eternal night. I did what I did to maintain the proper balance of the world. I know you’re not the same ponies I banished, which is why I’m extending a hoof to help.”
Crow was apparently insulted by the offer. “All we want is apparently what you will not offer. We have plotted our course, and nothing you can say will change it. “
“Crow, please...”
Crow dropped his personable demeanor, and became a intimidating ruler. “Enough! We are done!” A bolt of magic bolted out of his horn, and headed straight for the Princess.
After that, Starry didn’t know exactly what happened. When she saw Crow try to attack Celestia, she felt a massive energy well up inside her, and in the next instant, she was between Celestia and Crow, surrounded by aghast ponies.
Celestia and Crow were by for the most shocked. Celestia hadn’t expected a thestral to help her, and Crow was surprised she was out of the city. “Princess!? What are you doing? I could have hurt you!”
“Please stop! Nopony needs to be hurt!” Her voice had a visual effect on the rest of the crowd, who were murmuring among themselves; Princess Starry Night? She’s still alive?
Celestia lowered her head to speak with her. “Princess? You seem to be on the wrong side of this dispute.”
Starry turned around to face her. “I’m trying to end the dispute. I don’t ever remember being a princess, but the thestrals are my subjects, and the day ponies are my friends. I don’t want either of them to be harmed.”
Crow had come back to his senses. “I’m glad you remember some magic princess, but the only way we can get our ponies’ land back is by force!”
“No, Crow! Please be reasonable! I don’t want any part in ruling a conquered kingdom.” Starry stood by Celestia. Crow thought for a few seconds, but when he looked back at Starry his expression was hostile.
“I took an oath to defend you and your subjects. Right now, their welfare is more important than yours.” His charged another bolt of magic, but this time, it wasn’t Starry who intercepted the bolt.
A thestral dove in front of the princesses, taking the bolt in her stomach. Starry couldn’t believe who it was.
“Harvest!”
Harvest looked up at her friend and princess, but could only manage a weak smile, before collapsing back to the ground. Starry could only look on, while Triage came and dragged her off and began barking orders at anyone within earshot. “Don’t just stand there! Help me carry her!”
Starry felt nothing but rage. Crow’s intentions may have been to look out for the bat ponies, but now he had crossed several lines. She could feel and unlimited energy all throughout her body, and she began to levitate, without the help of her wings. “How dare you! You claim to care for your ponies as you attack them!”
The ground beneath everypony’s feet began to crack, and Crow was suspended in a glowing sphere of magic. The bat ponies were all paralyzed with fear, and couldn’t even run from the furious alacorn before them.
Suddenly, Starry felt a hoof on her shoulder. When she turned around, and saw Celestia, looking right into her eyes. She began to speak, but she didn’t move her lips. “Don’t let his hatred into your heart.”
She didn’t know how, but Starry felt the rage begin to subside. Her thoughts were no longer focused on revenge, but on Crow. She looked straight at him, right through his eyes and into his heart.
She could see it; the hatred that had welled up inside him over all these years. He hated Celestia, and the day ponies, with a fiery passion. That was what was causing his behavior. His hatred had corrupted his devotion to Nocturna, and twisted it into bloodlust.
She no longer felt any anger, because she understood everything now. Crow’s actions were not his own, and the Princess did indeed care about the thesrtals suffering. She knew what to do now.
“You are forgiven.”
With that, Starry ceased her magic, and the two fell to the earth, Starry barely stopped her self from falling over. She felt as if she’d walked a thousand miles. Crow merely collapsed into a heap.
She felt sore, but she managed to move herself over to Crow, who was beginning to come to. “Princess, please tell me that was a dream?”
Starry shook her head, and Crow bowed his head in shame. “Then I’ve almost destroyed our people.”
Starry, weak as she was, helped Crow to his feet. “You are guilty of nothing. Your love of your home was twisted by hatred, you can’t be held accountable for something like that. You heart may have been stained black, but it was still in the right place.” Crow bowed properly this time, as did the rest of the thestrals. Only then did Starry notice the others working over Harvest.
Her heart sank. How could she have forgotten? She raced over to where she lay on the ground. Triage had found a stretcher, and was treating her with whatever medicine the thestrals had on them. Despite her efforts, Triage did not appear confident. She began to tear up.
“I’m sorry. I tried everything.”
Harvests breathing was labored, now. She could barely open her eyes when Starry came over. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget this.” She attempted to chuckle, but only elicited a heavy cough from herself.
“Harvest, stop. We can get you help.” Starry held one of Harvest’s hooves in hers, but felt it going cold.
“You’re safe now. That’s all I wanted.” As she finished, Princess Celestia walked over to where Harvest lay, and somehow, made the two less afraid.
In one fluid movement, she raised her horn high, then slung it straight towards Harvest’s chest. I beam of light shot out, and in an instant, Harvest sat bolt upright, breathing deeply, but normally. It was as if she had never been hurt at all!
Starry was in shock. “How did you do that?”
Celestia just gave her a smile. “You have the best set of friends a pony could wish for. What kind of princess would I be if I let that get taken away from you?”
Starry was eternally grateful, and almost wanted to bow herself. The Princess spoke up before she could get a chance. “There is one more thing I’d like to do for you.”
Starry didn’t want to question her, but she was curious. “What’s that?”
“Well, I already rule over Equestria, and all the day ponies. However, these thestrals have no future here. They must move back with us.” Celestia turned to face Starry. “I won’t be able to do a very good job on my own. That’s a lot of ponies to cycle day and night for. Since you’re already a princess, I’m inviting you to sit on the throne with me, side by side.”
Starry was speechless. Every bad thing that happened in the previous days seemed to vanish away. “Pinch me if I’m dreaming.”
She then felt a sharp pinch on her flank, and turned around to see May Day by her side. “No need to thank me!” She dashed off as quickly as she appeared.
Starry focused back on Celestia, who had had a bit of a chuckle over the incident. Starry laughed too, but quickly remembered what was happening. “Princess, I would be Honored to sit on the throne with you.”
“Very well.” She nodded her head, and a ribbon of light wrapped itself around Starry. She thought she should be afraid, but that thought disappeared quickly. The light made her feel warm, like she was in a comforting embrace. When it went away, her friends were starring at her, as if they were looking at a stranger.
She looked around, and notice she had changed. She felt taller, and her mane now moved in the same manner as Celestia’s. Her wings were no longer leathery bat wings. In there place were large, majestic wings of feather.
Celestia raised her head, and her voice. “All hail Luna, Princess of the Night!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, everypony around bowed to her, even Celestia. “I..I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything.” Celestia told her. “Though there is one more matter that needs to be attended to: your memories.”
Strangely enough, Starry had complete forgotten that about her memories. “Can you give them back to me?”
“I can, but if I do restore your old memories, you would lose all of the experiences up to this point. The choice is up to you. Do you want them back?” Celestia didn’t seem to sway one way or the other on the issue, but Starry knew which one to choose.
“Before I lost my memory, I let everypony in my kingdom starve, and couldn’t bring myself to confront the problem.” She turned to her friends, “I’ve learned a lot of lesson’s traveling through Equestria. One of them was how to stand tall and confront problems, not hide away from them.” She noticed Honey blush slightly. “I’d have to say, I much prefer the pony I am now.”
Celestia gave her a smile. “A wise choice, from a wise princess.”
The 6 other ponies came over to the princesses. They all seemed very concerned. “What’s wrong, girls?”
Honey stepped forward to speak for the group. “Well, since you’re a real princess and all now, we need to treat you a little different, but we were hopin’ that you still see us as friends.”
Luna gave them a chuckle. “You needn’t worry. I may be Princess of the Night, but to you ponies, I’m still Starry Night. I’ll always have a place in my heart for all of you.”
All of the ponies began to tear up, and gave the new princess a bow. Celestia called Luna’s attention. “Come now, there is much work to be done.”