//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: A Nocturian Tale // by Corvus Eclipse //------------------------------// Twilight woke up from her dreamless dream. The tense feeling in her muscles and wings started to fade away while her eyes slowly adapted to the light. As usual she woke up early and checked her daily schedule but to her big surprise she did not prepare any schedule. Considering the fact that she has witnessed something quite unusual Twilight managed to push aside her hurt scholar pride. Right away she recalled the song Borealis was singing back at the cloud and how the air itself started to pulse with magic. < What was that? > < Something my kind will gladly share once the right time has come. > The princess let out a slight sigh and tried to find an answer for her question yet her mind did not find any logical solution. Borealis was a Batwing yet somehow he managed to use magic right in front of her. Could it be that he was reciting words that had inborn magic in them? Quite an interesting thought yet as interesting it was as absurd it was in the same time. Twilight stretched her bones and wings and looked through the window. As expected the cloud she was looking for was gone. Probably due to the wind provided by the Pegasi. "Mornin'... " The mare turned around and saw her small friend lying in his basket. Spike was inspecting her with his typical: "Why are you already up Twi?" look while scratching his shoulder. The small dragon looked like he could use some more sleep. "Good morning Spike." She came closer to him and gently nuzzled his cheek. "Go back to sleep. This is the best medicine you can get now." "A medicine I will gladly take..." He yawned and turned his back to her. His tail nearly slapped Twilight in the face but since it was not the first time it happened. She simply dodged it. Smiling and slightly shaking her head Twilight descended into the lower part of her library. Her wings barely made any sound and spared the poor Spike of hearing her hooves on the wooden floor. With unexpected grace she landed on the carpet and even performed a playful pirouette. < This will be a very important day for Equestria. > Thought Twilight and went into the kitchen to fetch some snacks out of her fridge. < While Princess Luna's guards are known throughout the land we did not know much about them. The strange thing is though that her guards did not know much about their kind as well... > It was also strange that she never thought about the lack of information about the Batwings. But while thinking about it she realized that she rarely had contact with the Night Guards. There was much to be learn from the Nocturians that was sure. And she intended to learn and understand them as good as possible. First she would try to learn the language Borealis used last night. It sounded old and it also had a very interesting and elegant tone which affected her mind. Listening to his voice was a very refreshing experience, but on the other hand Twilight also realized that wisdom was hidden behind the very words of Nocturian tongue. For now her lust for wisdom had to wait for on this day there would be a special meeting with the two royal sisters and other important individuals of Canterlot. Of course she would also participate in this meeting along with her friends. < I'll have to gather them quickly though... at least I do not have to worry about the preparations in the castle. I am sure Princess Celestia would take care of all the necessary precautions. > Once she was done with her breakfast and the dishes Twilight quickly left her home and started her search for her best friends. What she actually forgot was the stench of pollution outside of her library and nearly right away her eyes were filled with tears. As fast as possible she left the biggest polluted area and started her search for the girls. Gladly due to the pollution problem it was an easy task to find them for they have safely barricaded themselves in their homes. As expected the girls left their *sanctuaries* quite reluctantly. After a short talk they decided to go to the Apple Acres which has been gladly spared from the pollution. Apple Jack was quite surprised to see her friends visiting her unannounced which is why she was a little bit upset and annoyed that she did not prepare anything for them. "As much as I would enjoy to eat some of your delicious apple pies... there are far more important matters that we have to discuss." Said Twilight and sat down on the nearby hay stack. "Oh my... this sounds very important." It was surprising to hear Fluttershy speak first but it has not been noticed by the others it seemed. "Did something bad happen?" "Something special happened last night..." Twilight has been interrupted by giggling of her friends and right away she realized what she just said. Annoyed she huffed and ignored the thoughts of the girls. "Short after Princess Celestia lowered the sun and Princess Luna was about to relief her sister of her duty a guard suddenly ran into the throne room..." And so Twilight quickly yet very accurate summarized the events of the last night. The mares were listening to her voice like they would be under a spell and did not interrupt her even once. Something worth remembering. "The Nocturians asked us for help. Sadly I do not know much more... Borealis told me that he would reveal everything in Canterlot. Princess Celestia asked me to assemble you because we also should participated in this historical meeting. Just think of it girls! Something like that did not happen since the sudden appearance of Minotaurs." "I have to admit that I am surprised..." Said Rarity and let her hoof go through her marvelous hair. "The last time I had the opportunity to talk with an Batwing was during the last Night Mare Night. She was a very kind soul and also shown me a surprisingly big interest in fashion." "Sadly I've never spoken to any of these fellahs." Apple Jack played around with her hat while she said it. She did not even look at her friends while she went on. "Granny used to tell me stories about them. I'll not lie... for a long time I was bein' haunted my nightmares..." "The Batwings have nothing to do with this stories." Replied Twilight with lowered ears. "I understand you very well... I used to think the same until I met Borealis. The Nocturians deserve to be treated with the same respect as any other species. It will probably take a while until word will spread of their appearance, but I sincerely hope that with the Magic of Friendship this obstacle will be pushed aside." "So what are we waiting for!?" It was Rainbow Dash's voice that cut through the air while flying small circles above the ponies. "You said it yourself that they have offered friendship long time ago. And they were serving Princess Luna for generations as far ponies can think. We should repay loyalty with loyalty." The other ponies agreed to Twilight's great joy. Her trust in the Magic of Friendship and most importantly into her friends have not failed her and never will. "In that case I will quickly return to my library and sent a letter to Princess Celestia. Poor Spike. I thought that I would let him sleep a little bit longer... but I am sure he will understand." "How does he feel?" Asked Fluttershy with the voice of a caring mother. "Yes how does Spikey feel?" "He feels and looks better than last week. The fever is gone and eventually the weakness will also fade away." Everypony let out a relaxed sigh and the poor Fluttershy wiped away a tear of joy. "Uh... actually Twilight..." Suddenly the caring mother was gone and the well known Fluttershy returned. "Where is Mr. Borealis?" For a moment a tense silence was filling the air with its heavy and thick presence only to be cut through with the sound of a hoof palm and a very distressed yelp of Twilight. Rainbow Dash started to laugh right away once she saw the facial expression of the lavender mare. Others said nothing and seemed to be under shock. "Oh dear Celestia! I lost myself in my thoughts about the upcoming meeting and I totally forgot Borealis! No, no, no, no!" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The time passed by without being noticed by the two lovers in the sky. Eventually they realized that a new day have come and the pleasures of the body had to stop. The morning brought forth a very cold wind from the west and Lyria started to shiver. Both were still affected by the passion that let them forget the problems of their world and even time itself. Protected by the leathery weave of his wing (the very personal parts included) Lyria pushed herself closer to Borealis and enjoyed the feeling of his fur and skin. "We desperately need to take a bath my heart." Said the stallion and nuzzled her. Lyria's eyes were closed but she gifted him with a pretty smile. She also wrapped her wings around his body as good as she could to protect her mate from the cold element. "With the wind Pegasi will come as well." "Do I hear jealousy in your voice?" She chuckled and opened her eyes. "Are you afraid that a stallion will look at me?" "I am afraid that in your own jealousy you will hit me in the ribs." They both laughed and kissed each other. The Batwings knew that they still had some time for each other, but Borealis's idea about the bath was quite correct and necessary. Also during their passionate night their cloud changed its direction and was slowly heading towards the nearby mountains. The air was colder here and the tops of the mountains were already covered in fine coat of snow. For a moment both felt like they were not so far away from the homeland yet here the cold was not as rough. One could say it was gentle. While Lyria kept ruffling his mane and fur Borealis looked down and kept looking for a place which they could use as a bath. It did not take long and the stallion found a secluded place in a group of small forests which were doting the plains. "I found a small pond not so far away from us." The mare managed to let go of his mane and looked down. She inspected the place for a moment and even kept looking for other places. Eventually she did give up and laid her eyes upon the pond. "It is better than nothing." She let go of him and quite clumsily she got up. Her legs did not work along first and she landed on her backside. Her laugh filled the air and right away she got up with far more grace. Right away the Delegate realized that she was showing of her body to him. The delicate weave of her wings was hiding the most precious parts but while she was moving to the mixed up pile of clothes she revealed them to him seductively. He enjoyed watching the spectacle for a moment yet he also got on his hooves and moved towards the pile. A terrible mess of male and female cloths were scattered all along the cloud making it look like an abstract piece of art. Both mare and stallion rolled their eyes and started the search for their clothes. Gladly it took them only a short while until they found what belong to them. Quickly the attires have been roughly packed into their saddle bags. Soon they stood at the edge of the cloud holding their hooks together. Borealis took all the bags on himself. He could feel her eyes on him and he was quite sure that once he would look into the cat like eyes there would be a message in them. < Stallions and their childish and stubborn pride. > It was him who spread his wings first. A very polite move among the society of the Batwings towards a mare or an elder pony. With this message he was openly showing her that she would be under his protection and his guidance. Lyria also opened her wings gracefully but before that she let her leathery weave touch his own. Showing him that she was thankful and that she accepted him as a guide. Both smiled at each other and without looking down they embraced the cold winds of Equestria. Once more and not for the last time the Batwings returned into their element and allowed the wind to carry them down. While the stallion was busy maintaining their position Lyria took her time and enjoyed the sight she has been gifted with. Borealis noticed the same fascination that has taken hold of his heart and was glad to see how happy she was in that very moment. Rarely she smiled lately... but he could not claim that he was smiling either. The magical land of Equestria managed to free them from it even if it would be of short duration. A mighty blow threatened to take them with it but the experienced stallion used his own weight and a proper move of his wings to lower their flight. Or better said their gliding. It did not take long and both landed with such grace that several animals stopped to move only to watch the strange couple land. Right away Lyria freed herself of his hooks grasp and simply let herself fall on the grass. "This feeling is so nice. It feels better than any carpets I have felt... not even silk seems to have such delicate touch." She looked up to him and smiled while enjoying the touch of the soft grass. "Imagine how this land must feel like in the summer or in the spring. Even now I am thrilled by the clean air but I can sense the upcoming change of seasons. It is so unusual so unreal. I could claim that all this is only a dream." The Delegate of Nocturia took a deep breath and let it out with a very silent sigh. His breath turned into vapor only to disappear as fast as it appeared. Everything around him seemed to be a part of a dream he did not wish to leave. But what kind of life would it be to live in a fake reality? One would never want to leave it. Others would only call it a very comfortable prison of his or her mind. A soft touch ripped him out of his thought. He looked down and saw that Lyria was gently rubbing his leg with her back leg. "Does this feel like a dream to you?" As expected his wings reacted to her touch which was surely noticed by the sharp eyes of the Batwing lady. Borealis smiled and touched back but his smile did not last long. "You know... we could stay here with our brothers and sisters and live a happy life. Serving the Princess of the Night and the Subjects that live in this land." Lyria's back leg stopped to move for a moment only to continue very slowly. "I would lie if I would say that I did not think about it myself." She lifter her upper body a little bit and looked directly into his eyes. "Especially after the last night... I would love to stay here and simply live on your side. But it would mean to abandon everything we have worked on. All our efforts would be for nothing." "I do not agree." Borealis took his place on the side of his beloved and gently touched her cheek with his hook. "Everything we have done for the Tribes beneath the Mountain was worth all the effort, blood and tears. I would go through it again knowing that our selfless actions helped the poor souls who needed our assistance." The mare closed her eyes and enjoyed his touch. Her own hook found its way to his heart and remained there. Automatically the heart beat faster and stronger for now it was only beating for her. Beating for her now and to the ends of his days. "I followed you into the depths of Minotaur Labyrinths Borealis. If you will stay here I will remain with you." She open her eyes and looked at him. He could see that even if she really meant what she just said there was still a slight trace of insecurity in her voice. Something very understandable since it was a decision that might affect their life. "But before we will decide..." < We will end our mission. > Both ponies spoke in the same moment which surprised the mare more than the stallion. "That's my Lyri. Always eager to end what she has started. If not for you many missions would have ended badly or simply fruitless." Borealis grabbed her hook and helped his heart to get on her hooves. "In that case we have still much to do. Quite a lot of things will depend from the upcoming meeting." The stallion came closer and sniffed his mate under her neck. She did let out a surprised sound which was full of excitement. "But I do not think it would be wise or professional to enter the halls of the royal sisters with the smell of sweat and mating on our furs hmm?" This statement did catch the female Delegate by surprise. Her face quickly turned purple after realizing that Borealis was not joking, but also that he was right. " M-moron..." It was the only thing she said before she headed towards the forest where they have spotted the pond. The male grinned brightly while he followed and watched her every movement. Quickly the annoyance disappeared and the mare started to giggle quietly. It was obvious that both ponies liked the smell that was lasting on them. After a while and some hasty word exchange the Batwings managed to find the pond. Happy about finally freeing his back from the extra weight Borealis let the back bags slide down on the ground. Here and there leafs started to decorate the ground with their colors of red and yellow, but sadly some of them were about to decay. This did not matter though for both Nocturians simply ignored it. Lyria came closer to the pond, which was bigger than anticipated, and pushed her hoof into the water. A noticeable shiver ran down her spine and even her wings went up without any control. It was a funny thing to look at but he was smart enough to not laugh about it. "I did bath in warmer places... but we do the best with the things that are within our reach hmm?" "Do not worry my love. I will make sure that you will not freeze in it." "I will gladly accept this offer milord." She laughed and without warning him she grasped after his hook and pulled him into the cold water. The cold spread all over his body like a wild fire and he could only let out a yelp that sounded pathetic. Lyria laughed heavily about it for she knew which parts have been mostly affected by her hideous attack. She quickly pushed herself to him and wrapped her body around his. It did work at least a little bit but the intention itself was warming up better than any camp fire. "You are..." The stallion started to say. "Yeeeees?" "You are the most desirable of treasures. Only that the rich fools did not notice it over the years." He expected to hear her answer but her answer was way different than he had imagined. Their tongues found each other and the couple fell into a passionate kiss. For the day was still at its very beginning... they could spare some time for each other. Even if it would be a short while. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Where could he be?" Asked Twilight loudly while she was flying in the area where she has last seen the Delegate of Nocturia. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy joined her on her search but so far they did not find him. "I have been told that the wind would come from the west this time. We should head in that direction." "I suggest that we split." Said Rainbow Dash and looked around. "Yes the wind was supposed to come from the west, but it should also change its direction two hours ago. " "In that case I will look around in the south." It was Fluttershy who suggested to take that route. Not a surprise since if she would fly in that direction she would fly towards her home. "Good. I will fly to the north east. Twilight you fly to the west towards the mountains." "Okay. Remember to use the talismans I gave you. One touch will allow you to communicate with me." And so the mares separated from each other to look for one Batwing in the big open world. Twilight followed her instincts and the small remaining parts of clouds which were still strong enough to remain slight bits of its former self. Deep in her heart she hoped that Borealis was alright but the winds in this time of the seasons can be very dangerous. And the clouds can also fall apart if not tented properly. Quickly the Alicorn shook her head and freed her mind of the worst possible scenarios. The wind was on her side and she quickly arrived at the mountains which once has been inhabited, even if it was of short while, by a grown up red dragon. Close to the top she found a *herd* of clouds and to her great relief she recognized the cloud which Borealis used as a bed. Sadly she did not find him on it. Twilight let out a very long sigh which echoed in the mountains. The lavender pony looked around, searching for clues that might help her find the stallion. But as much as she tried she did not find anything relevant. But the Princess did not give up so easily. From her current location she had a great view on the land. Even a child would recognize Ponyville from here and she was quite sure that the Delegate would find his way back to the city. Or he would fly right away to the distant Canterlot which was only a small pillar on the other side of the mountains. < Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Apple Jack assured me that they would look for him in Ponyville. If he would decide to come back to my library they would take care of him. > There was also a very important point she had to keep in mind. The very point was the great fascination of the stallion for this beautiful land. Professional as he may be his eyes were literally feasting upon the sights of Equestria. This fascination could have taken over him for a moment and he might have taken a small tour in the area. Twilight herself knew that kind of fascination quite well but it was bounded to books and scrolls more than to travels. While she was thinking about the countless possibilities the mare spotted some movements beneath her. Her eyes laid upon a small group of forests that were doting the open fields like pocks. The closest to her seemed to have a pond in its center, but her attention belonged to an object that had nothing to do with nature. It looked like saddle bags if her eyes were not playing her a joke. Without better options Twilight started to fly towards the forest and managed to land without crashing into a bush. Which sadly happened way too often recently despite all her hard work. Her eyes did not play her any joke for she has found the saddle bags and some hoof prints in the ground. Right away she realized that the stallion was not alone and that the smaller prints must belong to a mare. Also she did notice that one of the bags was designed for females. It also had a very fine and nice smell that could only come from a perfume. A little bit uneasy about this situation Twilight looked into the forest, trying to penetrate the trees with her sight. As small as the forest was it was quite thick and she could not see anything. It does not take years of studies to imagine what a mare and stallion could or better said would do in a secluded place like that. The cheek of the mare felt warm for a moment and she was glad that the wind cooled her down. It was not her business this was clear. But she decided to wait for the two ponies as awkward it may be. While she was counting down all the flowers and herbs she could see on the nearby field suddenly the sound of breaking wood filled the air. This broke the concentration of the Alicorn Princess but quickly she regained her control over the shock. It did not take long and she could recognize two shapes coming out of the forest. As predicted she saw Borealis who was being accompanied by a mare. His wing was on her back and while they were moving towards her, without even realizing her presence, the couple was leaning their heads against each other. How they managed to move on with closed eyes it remained a mystery to Twilight, but the sight was nice to look at. They looked happy together and it was obvious that the mare was feeling safe next to Borealis. The Nocturians were both wearing nothing and their manes and fur were all wet. The only logical conclusion to it was that they have bathed together. Not sure of how to handle this quite unlike situation the lavender mare did the only thing she could think of. "H-hello." In her mind this sounded way better than in the reality. Right away the Batwings open their eyes and were pushed out of the land of dreams. Nopony said something in that moment and Twilight found herself in the most unpleasant position. For now she had to endure the eyes of two Nocturians that were feeling as surprised and awkward as herself. It was the mare who regained control and after freeing herself of the wing (which she left only reluctantly) she quickly tried to make her mane look at least a little bit better. Borealis made sure that his companion would have enough time to make herself pretty. Not that she needed it. Personally Twilight thought that she was a very beautiful mare. "Good Moring Twilight." The Delegate bowed gracefully and smiled at her. "I am sorry that you witness us in such condition. We... we were not expecting visitors at this early hour." He laughed hearty and let his hook go through his wet mane. "I can only assume that I was being missed?" "Yes I was quite worried Borealis. After all you are the guest of the two Royal Sisters... and of course mine as well. In my foolishness I lost myself in my thoughts and did not tend to my guest properly." "Please do not think like that. To honor a wish of a guest is the greatest thing a host can do and I was very pleased that you gave me the opportunity to enjoy the night sky." For a brief moment his eyes laid upon the female Batwing who manage to style her mane surprisingly well. It was questionable what Borealis thought now... but again it was none of Twilight's business. "Princess Twilight allow me to introduce you to Lady Lyria." He moved towards her and offered his wing like a gentlecolt. Lyria smiled at him and laid her wing on his and together they moved towards Twilight. "She is the true Delegate among us and the reason why we are here." "It is a great honor to finally meet you your Highness." Lyria also bowed down before Twilight with great grace and beauty which made her feel a little bit uncomfortable. "Please just call me Twilight. It is also an honor to meet you." A thought went through her mind and right away she confronted Borealis with it. "Why did she not come with you last night Borealis?" The stallion was about to say something but it was the mare who answered for him. A barely noticeable huff filled the air and the two mares had to smile about it. "Borealis can fly faster than me and I asked him to fly forward so we might skip the pleasantries. As much as I share his fascination for this land our mission must not be affected by our feelings." "I can assure you that Equestria will try to do its best to help the Nocturians in their time of need." "And for that we are most thankful." It was Borealis who answered this time. He grabbed Lyria's hook with his own and held it with a firm yet gentle hold. "We can only hope that one day we will be able to repay you for your Friendship." "It is hard to find allies in the depths of our Homeland. But I am confident of the future with the selfish help of Equestria." Lyria blushed prettily after she felt the touch of Borealis. She even move closer to him. "While I was absent I managed to gather my friends who will participate in the upcoming meeting. I suggest that we will return to Ponyville. Gladly I will present them to you." "As much as we appreciate your concern and your offer we have to return to our companions." "Companions?" Asked Twilight a little bit surprised. "We have traveled along with friends who have decided to accompany us into this land. It would be very inappropriate to simply let them wait in the wilds while we will participate in a meeting." Borealis was right about it. Not only it would have been rude but it would also make him and this land itself look bad if his companions would stay out there in the cold. "This is understandable. I will inform Princess Celestia about your friends and help her with all the necessary preparations. I hope you will not be angry at me if I will ask you to enter Canterlot without me? The Royal Guard will escort you during the day. The time has come for the Subjects of this land to find out about the existence of the Nocturians." Both Batwings bowed in front of her. And both answered in the same time... like they would be one mind, one soul and one body. "This is what we hoped for Princess of Friendship."