Nyx woke slowly, making sure he didn't move a muscle he tried sensing his surroundings but the blanket power of an Alicorns magic smothered any ability he had to pick out his surroundings with his magic. Nyx cracked one eye open slowly, forcing down the pain flaring up behind his eyes and over his ribs as he breathed. His ears were still ringing and his vision was blurred around the edges. He saw he was in a large room, the room appeared round from what of the wall he could see. Also he noted several bookshelves and scientific tools scattered about, premier among them a large telescope set near the door to what he presumed was a balcony. So a study, Nyx guessed, sure of whose it was.
Nyx took a moment to go over everything that had transpired in his head. He had destroyed the book without getting caught, well enough. Then he remembered giving a short excuse to Dream Aura about finding his unit before leaving her company, intending to flee the castle. That was when he ran across Princess Luna again. Nyx grimaced at himself, he was right at least. She saw straight through his ploy and had him accosted. Her guards had beat him silly and now...
Nyx heard voices begin to resolve themselves within the room as the ringing in his ears died down. Two mares he knew by the inflections but his head was still too fuzzy to place them, though he could probably guess whom they belonged too.
"Princess I must protest.. Nyx was not at fault for our not finding the book, it was my own failing!" The first voice droned, Dream Aura Nyx was sure. "There was no need to treat him so roughly."
Nyx risked shifting over slightly to get a better view of the room but then the voices stopped suddenly. Nyx froze but knew it was too late.
"So he awakes finally." a voice full of power spoke, definitely Luna, Nyx thought, and she sounded angry.
Nyx decided it would behoove him to feign as little as possible around the Princess and so stood himself on shaky legs, counting the pops and grinds as he did so carefully. "Princess Luna." He said evenly. "I must admit I did not come prepared to be in your chambers."
"Quiet Nyx. Your glib tongue will not serve you now." Princess Luna said as she stepped towards Nyx slowly. "Though I must profess my curiosity as to why you did not dream while drooling upon my floor."
Nyx grunted and wiped at his mouth self-consciously, "It is hard to dream when you're induced to sleeping forcefully Majesty."
"All ponies dream Nyx. So why could I not see yours?" The Princess cocked her head to look down her nose at him.
"Princess?" Dream Aura began.
Luna glanced backwards at her student before snorting lightly at Nyx. "I suppose curiosity can wait.."
"But Princess," Dream Aura continued.
"Not now Dream Aura," Luna snapped without even looking back, causing Dream Aura to take a step back. "Nyx... A unique name. One not easily forgotten."
"Thank you." Nyx said, determined not to back down further.
"But one that either Celestia has forgotten... Or never heard of."
Nyx remained silent, knowing the game was up. He stared at Luna, meeting her dark glare with his icy stare.
"There never has been a Nyx in Canterlot's Royal Guard."
"Wait what?" Dream Aura asked from the background, ignored by the ponies locked in a battle of will before her.
Luna continues on, her thoughts coalescing into words without pause. "Now several questions make themselves apparent; What were you doing in Royal Guards armor? How did you get into the castle? Where did you get the armor from? When did you decide this would be a good idea? Who even are you? But most curious of all I must admit...."
"Why?" Dream Aura finished, causing both Luna and Nyx to look to her.
Luna smiled, pleased with her student's intelligence and curiosity as well as her own ability to root Nyx out before he could do any damage. "Exactly, so why are you here Nyx?"
"The same reasons as the Changelings were; Power."
"You were working for the Changelings?!" Dream Aura blurted out, unbelieving.
"Don't be absurd! There are many pony folk who don't have Queen Celestia and a handful of magical artifacts to throw at everything that troubles them." Nyx noticed Dream Aura flinch at the mention of Celestia's favorite. "Surely you've heard by now Princess?"
"Heard what?" Dream Aura interrupted, not wanting Herself and her Princess to appear the lesser of Luna's sister.
"Princess Celestia," Luna stressed. "We rule in equality."
Now it was Nyx's turn to snort, "How often have you been to sovereign cities Princess? Flankfurt, Seaddle, Manebourne... None of them see you as Celestia's equal. Something She never sought to correct in your 1000 year absence from the throne."
Nyx could see Luna's nostrils flaring, as the muscles along her neck and legs contracted and relaxed slowly. Both the Princess and her student were worked up, and Nyx was now holding enough power to make a bid for his freedom and life.
Dream Aura stamped her hoof, "Would someone tell me what's going on here!?" Both Luna and Nyx were startled, so focused on each other that they failed to notice Dream Aura's rising ire.
Luna relented, she sighed and hung her head, "We were not the only ones the Changelings attacked this morning. They struck several pony kingdoms and beyond. We have received pleas of assistance from many.. None were so lucky as us in defeating the Changelings before a full blown war was started."
Nyx could almost see the floodgates opening, so profound was the realizations being had by all. He couldn't help himself but to smile as Dream Aura began, "What!? Why are we wasting time here!? Why are we not mobilizing our Royal Guard to help our kindred pony folk!?"
Luna spoke softly, "Celestia decided military action is not needed."
"She's going herself?" Dream Aura asked hopefully, afraid of the answer.
"Celestia weighed the situation and decided other items were more important."
"Like what!?" Dream Aura asked forcefully, not even caring that Nyx was beside her anymore.
"Shining Armor and Princess Cadence are planning an expedition to the Crystal Empire soon, with our backing. And Twilight Sparkles training is about to enter its final stages. Princess Celestia decided that these matters hold precedence while there are still dozens of other pony cities that can rely upon each other for support in the meanwhile." Luna spoke softly.
"This is just stupid!" Dream Aura began ranting, "The Crystal Empire JUST reappeared! We haven't heard anything from them and have no idea what's going on to the north just yet! And as for Twilight!"
"Enough!" Luna yelled, her anger rising again. "Celestia wants there to be no talk of the war outside Equestria. Her and I are going to cut this kingdom off from the outside world to focus on protecting our own subjects and keeping them happy."
"I..." Dream Aura began before being cut off by Luna,
"Do not want to continue that line of conversation!" Luna finished, before her anger gave way again. Both Princess and student stood in silence, mulling over the overload of information realized by the both of them, and Nyx stood to the side, revelling in the feeling of knowledge and power he now held.
"Princess Luna," Nyx cooed, his voice soft and melodic. "The world is on fire just like 1000 years ago and once again Princess Celestia's answer is to lock away Equestria from the rest of the world, forcing the rest of pony kind to fend for themselves with no one to guide them."
"the Children of the Night.." Dream Aura whispered softly, remembering the tale Luna once told her about her actions that directly led up to her banishment. Dream Aura looked up at the Princess, waiting.
Both Dream Aura and Nyx watched the Princess, so tense and stressed that she was shaking. Luna's head was almost to the ground, her eyes darting back and forth from scene to scene playing out before her eyes. Choices and opportunities that could be made. 1000 years ago when Equestria was suffering after the banishment of Discord she had proposed to her sister the expansion of their Kingdom, introducing other cities into their protection and founding new ones. Celestia of course forbade her from doing so, preferring to lock tight the borders of Equestria until the world calmed down. Luna could stand to see the misery of her subjects in that state for only so long, and finally broke her sisters edict, stealing away orphaned, homeless ponies to take them to a new land to colonize and begin anew... Luna remembered the fight that had caused, and how that fight had ended.
Nyx saw a single tear drop from Luna's eye as her head raised high again. "No." She said, her voice strained but calm. "I cannot go against my sister wishes again." She looked over Dream Aura, who seemed heartbroken, and Nyx whom appeared disappointed. "But that does not mean I can allow the world to go without guidance and assistance again either."
Luna paused, piecing together her plan before speaking aloud again, "But this time I am not alone either. I must remain by my sisters side to support and help her, but now I have somepony to act through. Which is why you two will do my bidding to help the pony folk of the world."
"Wait, what?" Both Nyx and Dream Aura said at once.
"Consider this your next test Dream Aura. You are to be an extension of my will through these trials. I will assist when I can of course but this is your time to prove you can stand and lead alone."
Dream Aura nodded and was about to respond when Nyx interrupted, "Excuse me, but why am I being included in this? I have nothing to prove to you or anyone."
Luna stared evenly at Nyx, the power he held quickly melting from his grasp as she found confidence in herself once again, "You have much to answer for Dreamless One, and if you wish your presence here to be kept secret from Celestia you will aid Dream Aura in her task. Besides, if you want the power of an Alicorn to assist the ponies of the outside world, the only way they shall receive it is from me through my student."
Nyx narrowed his eyes, knowing he was trapped. At least for now. But with nothing to counter Luna and no way to escape he decided to wait. Nyx turned from his captor and explored the Study while Luna was counciling Dream Aura, looking through books and scattered equipment for meaningless details he could draw knowledge from.
"Now Dream Aura," Princess Luna began, turning towards her student.
"Yes Princess?" Dream Aura beamed, excited for this chance to prove her Princess's worth as well as her own.
"We may not be able to talk much once you leave so pay attention now." Luna chided her student, "You will have more than a few things to keep in mind while away."
"But how am I supposed to help? I don't have your magic or your ability."
"But you do have knowledge and know my will." Luna reassured Dream Aura. "Let them know they don't stand alone, that Luna will aid them as will other ponies, build alliances between their states and cities."
Nyx wandered closer along the walls, listening to the conversation between the two mares while pretending to be enamoured by the variety of books Luna had in her personal library.
Dream Aura spoke again, "And I can use my special talent to help them find any Changelings hiding in their midsts!"
Luna nodded, "Now that you know what a Changeling's aura feels like they shouldn't be able to hide from you." Luna then dropped her voice low enough Nyx could hardly hear her, "But be careful of this one.. I don't trust that I cannot see his dreams. Nor that we don't know his true intentions."
Dream Aura glanced over her shoulder at Nyx, who was craning his neck to look at books a bit too high on the shelf for a pony without an Alcorn's stature. "I'm not so sure Princess. I mean," Dream Aura sighed, "He saved my life Princess.. If he was just trying to to steal or break something he could have fled but he didnt..."
Nyx suppressed a smile, and turned to walk further away from the two mares he could feel still staring into his back. They had continued to talk but he didn't need to hear anymore. His gamble with Dream Aura had payed off. She trusted him and now he had his way in. His circumstances were indeed unexpected but maybe he could do something with them, besides, he thought to himself merrily, he still had good news about his job to share with his employer.
Nyx glanced back to see Dream Aura hugging Luna, "Good Luck Dream Aura." Luna spoke softly, "Now you two prepare yourselves, I must go relieve Celestia and raise the moon." Luna walked over to the door by the telescope and swung it open with her magic, revealing the skyline of Canterlot. "I will be back in a while to assist you two in beginning your adventure." Luna then took off, her wings carrying her aloft towards the central towers of Canterlot Castle.