//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: War of the Moon (or Thanks MA Larson for the inspiration // by WildmoonNH //------------------------------// Chapter 20 Princess Celestia reminded Thunder Arrow and Lionheart the following day that all pegasus patrols should only report to her if any sign of Twilight or Aurora were found. Knowing that any other soldier's arrival in the Great Hall may not raise eyebrows, she minimized the traffic for the sake of maintaining order. There would be critique either way: if she told Canterlot now, they would demand immediate action which she wouldn't permit, yet once the word was out there would be complaints that information was not shared. To her, this was an internal matter, albeit a little too personal; two of the best students in Canterlot's School for Gifted Unicorns had been kidnapped. The reports of Strife on the loose gave her an immediate suspect, though word from Manehatten and Fillydelphia had no answers for her. Luna chose not to sleep that day and continued her own means of searching. She asked for volunteers to rise early to assist in the later afternoon patrols, perhaps cover more ground. Flank Attack grumbled to them both about spreading out their forces, and Celestia's assurances came less and less hopeful. Luna simply sent the guardcaptain to increase perimeter patrols to keep him otherwise occupied. All actions had to be discreet but the tension was already palpable around Canterlot proper. "Words travel faster than the wind," Count Solaris reminded Celestia. "It is only a matter of time before we have inquiries from within and without." "I worry which words will carry faster," Celestia's distant response. "Rumors run faster than truth, making them harder to stop." "You have held this kingdom on your shoulders for so long, Princess. You really should delegate more responsibilities." The words resounded in Celestia's ears, and her voice slightly wavered. "I should..... but I can't...." Count Solaris kneeled in apology. She waved him off with a wing. "No, it's not you that's causing this. My worry and a lack of rest in recent weeks only compound the problem. We still don't know if Strife is indeed behind this, and if he is not, who COULD be so cruel? Canterlot has not had an uprising in centuries, and those nations who did not attend the Armoring Ceremonies would not stoop this low. I cannot speak openly of this until I know more, and that news is slow to come." "But hope is never lost." "No..." her reply less than convincing. Count Solaris could not think of any other means to console the Princess, so the outside world beat him to it with the melody of a songbird perched on a window to the Great Hall. Celestia heard the song and relaxed, knowing that Equestria still stands, regardless of her own troubles. She gracefully raised her head to listen to the bird's song, a proud and slightly dissonant tune befitting Canterlot. A simple gesture with her wing and the bird sailed through the Great Hall, landing carefully before her. "It seems the inquiries begin already," Solaris posited as he examined the purple and silver bird. The noble was suitably impressed; the bird's lavender plumage complemented silver and grey striped wings, and a "mask" of darker gray across its eyes. The crest trailed down the back in a light cascade of white feathers, the tail neatly folded behind. "A customized breed," he appraised. "So this will be important." He nodded at a gold band around its left leg. He carefully magicked the band from around its leg, listening to it chirruping to both of them in importance. Solaris then presented it to the Princess, as her eyes should read such important correspondence first. She nodded and brought the band closer to examine where it may have come from.... and froze. "Count Solaris, have my sister meet me in the Atrium. No others to disturb us for the next hour." She abruptly teleported away with the bird in tow. The blue unicorn blinked, then dashed off to seek Luna. -------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight awoke from her rest seemingly alone. Faint traces of the brightly colored unicorn's warmth remained, staving off the chill of the room. She stood and stretched her wings, not at all rested from leaning on a stone wall and sleeping on a stone floor. Even if she would only be here a few days, they would be very long ones. To pass a little time, she thought about Spike, who was likely in a panic over her disappearance; Fluttershy and Rarity likely worried over where she'd been taken; Applejack probably having everyone scouring Ponyville and the near area for her. As for Rainbow Dash.... her friend was in the Crystal Empire with Cadance and Shining Armor. Her eyes closed, a sigh and a wish already forming in her mind. The shackles objected, dragging her back to her knees. "I know they'll come for me.... or I'll find a way ou-" reflexive casting only silenced her quiet pep-talk as the shackles once again stung her. The crackling of the anti-magic and her stifled cries almost hid a high-pitched chuckle nearby. "Who's there...?" She asked to no one in particular. Without a reply, perhaps she was already hearing things in her current confinement. "Boy do YOU look lost," the imaginary voice blurted out next to her. She tried to stand too quickly, fumbling over hooves and wings and chains all at once, nearly landing on her snout. She managed to keep her balance without casting. She stumbled again when something other than the shackles brushed against her back leg. "Ooops, 'scuse me," it giggled. "I'd watch where I was going if someone could see me." Twilight kicked out at the voice irritably. Nothing. "Over here," the voice taunted from her left. A wing-sweep caught nothing. "Or is it here?" The voice whispered behind her. Bucking back toward it, she again almost lost her balance. "Oh wait," the voice materialized in front of her, "I'm right..... here~!" and a tiny zebra appeared from the dark. Twilight lunged, stopping just short of where he stood. He smirked down at her. "Boss wanted me to make sure you weren't gonna try anything." Her anger allowed her to focus on the little tormentor. Definitely a zebra,dark blue with dark gray stripes. His close-cut light gray mane well out of his huge eyes, and fitting that there was a bug stamped on his flank. He was doing too good of a job "bugging" her. She flailed at the colt with her forehooves and wings. "Get... me.... out of... here!" She demanded. "Nnnnope," the colt replied as he danced in and out of her range. "You're stuck here for a bit - don't worry, boss still needs you intact." "So I'm just his 'ransom pony'?" The colt shrugged. "Princess Celestia and Princess Luna aren't going to give in to some petty demands!" "How do YOU know?" he vanished but continued to talk. "You're here because boss wanted you here. So why didn't those Royal Pony sisters DO something? You didn't even have guards! I bet we coulda stole you at the Armoring Ceremonies and none of the other Princesses would have batted an eyelash!" "I'm one of Princess Celestia's best students - " "Blah blah blah, brag to yer mom when and if we let you go." She felt tugs on the chains. "Yep, good and secure. You're not going anywhere, heheheheh." Flustered and frustrated, Twilight kicked and swung each limb in hopes of getting a shot in on the invisible zebra. "Nyah nyah, yer no fighter - no earth pony in ya! Just a fancy little pretty princess who should be in a fancy little princess dress, wearing your fancy little princess tiara and sprinkling Happy Dust on everything around you!" Again she attempted to cast, shackles reining her in. "You get one hit on me and I'd probably be down," he mocked. "so I'm making sure that doesn't happen. I'm not stupid like my brother - then again, rocks could fall on his head and he wouldn't notice!" "If MY brother was here, he'd - " "He'd what? Beg? Cry? Say 'pretty please with alfalfa sprouts'?" Dustmite laughed at his own joke. "He's some fancy prince in a shiny castle halfway across Equestria with a trophy wife!" Twilight's horn flashed, the shackles responding in kind. Staggered once more, she could hear the colt dancing around her in her helplessness. His laughter rang off the walls and tore at her ears, and the insults tore at her mind. Every muscle ached from the drain of the shackles, gripping her legs ever tighter as she tried to pull free. His laughter only increased with her anger, the echoes losing his position to Twilight. She stomped and fumed, attacking again when he reappeared almost in range. The room darkened. Confused she started to buck and thrash again, only making the colt laugh even harder. "Look at her go!" he jeered, "that's the most fun I've had giving someone a blanket since Stony was a colt!" She finally stopped flailing when she realized the darkness was nothing more than a makeshift blanket that Dustmite had thrown at her. She remained standing there steaming as the laughter faded up the stairs and back into the compound. -------------------------------------------------------------- "TRAIN~!" Rainbow Dash remained ahead of the arriving vehicle, calling all the workers away from the tracks. They had to allow for the continued traffic; the secondary line assembled nearby, the main line bringing more visitors and assistance from other cities. Thankfully the interruptions came close to lunchtime, so the pegasus normally had everyone head back to camp for food and rest. She'd join everypony else soon. Curiosity needed to be sated first, as the train pulled in twenty minutes ahead of schedule. The pegasus swooped into the train station to witness only a few arrivals, including a dark yellow unicorn with gray eyes. "Anypony here for railway work please report at the west end of the train station for assignments!" She announced with as much authority as she could muster. Some of the arrivals gave her strange looks before heading into the Empire, while the unicorn carefully magicked his saddlebags into place. "You must be Rainbow Dash," The unicorn observed as he gathered himself. "Yeah! Have ya heard of me?" She posed for the unicorn's amusement. "Who hasn't heard of the ponies that saved Equestria time and again? The miracles you work fascinate me." "All in a day's work!" Dash declared. "Saving Equestria one kingdom at a time. Ponyville, Canterlot, the Empire - heck, we might get called to Manehatten after all this is over with!" She looped around the unicorn a few times before falling in step next to him. "So- are you here to help with the railroad stuff? We can always use a helping horn or hoof." "Let's back up just a bit. My name is Golden Silver, and I was sent from Canterlot by Princess Celestia personally." "'Golden Silver'.... are you a merchant?" "I'm a metal-worker, actually. I'm not on the railroad project but will be involved in something else for the Crystal Empire. Could you at least walk with me to the castle? I'll explain on the way." Dash grinned and suddenly dashed away, returning to the unicorn's side in ten seconds flat. "Ok, just had to let someone know where I was. So what kinda project?" "I understand that a jeweler named Malachite Braid has a shop here. She and I will be collaborating on an armor project for the Empire's new guards. I have several rough ideas that will need some fine-tuneing, between Malachite and myself I hope to have assembled armors that rival the Solars and Phalanx." "Cool! Do you do custom armor? I got some ideas....." "As I said, I'm a metal-worker, not a weaver. I've been told you would give your left wing for a proper Wonderbolt uniform." "I didn't even-" "Tsk," Golden Silver chuckled. "Merely a vain attempt at humor. I do wish my partner Iron Forge would have attended as well, he has a sure hoof in his metalworks." "I haven't met Malachite Braid yet, but I've seen some ponies wearing her stuff. Wouldn't her work be a little.... delicate for armor?" "Not at all! She's done adornments similar to what Princess Celestia herself wears. She might have some secrets that were lost with time and the Empire. I'm VERY excited for this project." Dash followed the unicorn to Crystal Heart Plaza before turning back toward the railroad. "Just head straight in there, tell em I sent ya. I gotta get back." --------------------------------------------------------------- Cepheid admitted to the start given him of his sisters just appearing in his favorite sunny spot. Sadly, the fading rays of daylight felt warmer than their expressions. "This must be pretty important, since you aren't having me involved in much else." "Your strength is more important than diplomacy," Celestia began unsteadily. "It seems our captor has shown his hoof." She levitated the band and tiny scroll case toward him. "And given your place in our Family, I thought you should see this as well." The stallion peered closely at the crafted band. "It's well-made, so I see it's from a high office. The bird is exotic, that was more Solly's thing anyway. So why did you...." his voice trailed off when he recognized the insignia on the scroll case. "...Lapis...? Not like him at all." "He is still bitter, still angry, even after all this time," Celestia almost apologized. "He stormed castle Canterlot three years ago." "He brought me back from the moon," Luna added, "...or Nightmare Moon back to Equestria...." "Family is still family," Cepheid retorted impatiently. "That little brat needs to get off his own high horse about what happened. That filly - Twilight? - She doesn't have anything to do with this! What's he trying to prove...." he angrily ripped open the case with his magic. The scroll pulled itself free of its casing, spreading before them like a new rug. "Peace" . "Harmony", ... they, like rainbows and shadows, are all illusions. You think you maintained a thousand years of peace as only once since then have the shadows erupted in anger, righting a wrong. A wrong that gave you all this "peace"... you don't even consider as the moon rose every night, the forlorn face that looked down, still asking you "why?".... And in the shadows the question asked again, "why?".... Why did she leave me there for so long? Why did she not come for me? Why must someone cry a thousand years before such a prayer is answered? It's your turn now - will there be a thousand years of alicorn tears and heavy shackles that bind the seasons, invisible ones that you wrapped around the Moon? Simply take back the wings you gave an unworthy unicorn and place them back on our lost brother, how hard is this? Then let the sun slowly fade, as a new "peace" arrives.... the peace and quiet of a Shadow and the Night. Where is the Sun, they ask? Oh, it will return.... once uncovered and tamed by the Shadow of the Moon. You will watch your illusion of "peace" with much less light... and every shadow will watch you decide." Cepheid's frown only deepened. "I don't even know where he's going with this. I don't need another pair of wings." "It's figurative," Luna offered. "He is still angry, after all this time... I had hoped my return would have been enough." "He was very proud to have brought you home," Celestia added. "Yet angered that there's another alicorn...? Has he not seen Princess Cadance if he's seen Twilight?" "And her giving me her wings?" Cepheid flapped his in annoyance. "Got a perfectly good pair, two more would be a mess." "Perhaps he thinks you incarcerated." "How would he even KNOW that? Sure he was around but nowhere near where it all went down...." "All that confirms is that he has eyes and ears here," Celestia realized. "He wants the throne, he wants Twilight changed back. Why does he think threats like this would be met with anything but refusal?" "Is it a 'test' of his?" Luna pondered. "This entire threat is more a riddle." "For Twilight's safety I don't think we can take that chance." --------------------------------------- The Crystal Empire's railroad crews knew that putting down the lines took time, and having to stop every time a train came in made for a lot of stop-and-go processes. The pegasi grouped together near Snowcatcher's post to compare notes while the unicorns and earth ponies chatted over snacks. Red Embers brought warm cocoa out for everypony so she could eavesdrop. One conversation touted the unicorn that had just arrived - something about custom armors and working in the Empire. Definitely from Canterlot. Another chat from the pegasi talking to Snowcatcher about updrafts and cloud positioning. They were likely fascinated that a grounded unicorn had any sort of weather control ability. While cold-mannered, Snowcatcher was quite the expert in the weather outside of the Empire. It wasn't until she placed her tray at the earth ponies' table that she first felt a strange twinge. She couldn't put her hoof on it, just a rush of emotions out of nowhere. Her ears swiveled in curiosity. "....we don't need Sugar Rush up there leading all of this. We're doing the heavy work, aren't we?" one mare queried. "Rainbow Dash," an earth pony stallion corrected, "is one of the best weather ponies out there." "Not according to her school records," the first voice disagreed. "She can break all the Wonderbolt Academy records she wants, they'll never take her." Red Embers absently pulled one mug of cocoa for herself so she could listen in. Strange that an earth pony wouldn't appreciate one of the Elements in charge of the operation. Perhaps there was some resentment that Shining Armor and Cadance weren't out there? This wasn't a place for royalty anyway. "Being in charge of the weather in Ponyville is important enough, this is even bigger, isn't it Siren?" "Not really," the mare's lilting voice dismissed. "She likes to look important and think she's important, but she's not. The fact that a unicorn does a better job with the weather than this supposed 'talented' weather pony says a lot." "That unicorn's from the Cloudsdale Weather Council. She was appointed by Princess Celestia herself." The mare was not impressed. "And while she's showing off how well her horn contrasts against the snow, we're doing all the heavy lifting. I'm sure she's smart enough to multitask." Red Embers hesitated. While nowhere near as frustrated as the speaker, she felt more and more inclined to agree. Why weren't the unicorns and pegasi helping with positioning? It's not like pegasi can't carry loads and unicorns can't finesse something into place. Settling to steam with her cocoa, she thought about how she would discuss this further with Snowcatcher. --------------------------------------- Twilight did her best to keep her mind occupied. The solitude deafening, the cell itself dank. Another soupy bowl of oatmeal dropped off while she slipped in and out of consciousness, the blanket barely a comfort. She wondered if that colt was still flitting nearby, invisible; she almost cast to see for herself. A glance at the shackles and a long sigh all she could do. "Do you not appreciate this roof over your head and adequate food?" A dark voice asked emotionlessly. "There are worse fates. I can prove this." "Just tell me what you want - from me, from Princess Celestia, from Princess Luna - what do you want from us??" she pleaded, just relieved that someone was speaking to her. "You're not that invisible colt from before- what do you-" Her cries shuddered to a halt as the midnight blue eyes materialized in a shadow. The body of the alicorn stallion slowly focused into view in the stairwell, surprisingly alone. "There are many things worse than just being imprisoned. You yet live." "I... I still don't understand...." "The explanation is a simple one, really. You were given wings, taken away from Family. Return them, and resume your life as a unicorn." "It's not like these come off," she grumbled as she waved each in turn. "Not by request or a spell, anyway," he continued. "I am disappointed in one who is renowned for her intelligence and wisdom to not know the whole of history. I will tell you merely what you need to know. "The Discord War was much worse than anything you and your 'allies' ever faced - all of Equestria turned upside down, days and nights at Discord's whim. Buildings balanced impossibly on their rooftops or doors, ponies forced to dance themselves unconscious or utterly brainwashed and driven mad by this monster. It took more than two alicorns to put him away, yet he now roams Equestria anew. "Since the banishment of Nightmare Moon, many other ponies were punished by this edict, and history erased to cover her tracks. The Phalanx disbanded, and many of those soldier ponies left Canterlot, never to be seen or heard from again. Only now, Princess Luna desperately attempts to restore her reputation after a thousand years of lore and lies of her ways!" "I helped Princess Luna break the curse of Nightmare Moon!" Twilight protested. "And *I* brought her home so you could TRY~!!" The alicorn thundered. "She was to finish up our remaining business in Canterlot so that we could rule. We were to take back Equestria and see how Celestia enjoyed a thousand years without the duty of the sunrise, the adoration of the populous. We'd spead sorry stories about her and perhaps a rumor that she had died, just to see how Luna felt. How I've felt, all this time. "One thousand years is a very, VERY long time, and sometimes history gets altered by winners of wars. But the complete omission is inexcusable, unpardonable." He raised a hoof before Twilight interrupted him. "'Oh, but you should go to her and tell her you want to talk'. No; there is no more talking. She imprisoned Luna for a year after her return, and once Cepheid reappeared he too was imprisoned. It is now your turn, just to see if Celestia understands what she has done." "She hasn't done ANYTHING to you!" Twilight nearly screamed. "Cepheid isn't even in the dungeon anymore! Luna needed the year to recuperate and adjust. What have YOU done for them?" "I Remembered them. I Remembered the entire Family, but no book nor scroll in Celestia's hooves remembers us. So therein is a price to pay." "Then let me go back - I'll explain everything - then my friends and I-" "'Friends'?" Umbral repeated. "I have some friends too. Would you like to meet a couple of them?" Twilight gulped. She worried about the dark calm in Umbral's voice as he made the offer in the most friend-less way possible. "Okay... " "He's mostly harmless.... and this will be VERY educational." Some of the shadows around Lapis coalesced into a gaunt unicorn, mane wavering much like Celestia's or Luna's. Within that mane flowed more shadows, black as the ones on the walls and black as its sightless eyes. A strange doll lay on its back, gazing lovingly at nothing. "This is the prisoner....?" the unicorn asked slowly, head motioning slowly toward Twilight. "She is the one I spoke of, Ichor. This is Twilight Sparkle, one gifted her wings." "I still don't understand why this is such a big deal to you," Twilight protested. "You say I'm not 'worthy' of these wings- wait, is Ichor a wraith?" "Ichor is a ponylich," Umbral explained, knowing that the new sight would calm her down. "He was trapped in a mine by anti-magic. Much like you are trapped now." Gurgling sounds interrupted the dark alicorn, and a garbled little voice made itself known. "Uhhnakah Dahagosee," it babbled. "My apologies, Sweet Pea. Can you see her? Can you see how she's trapped like daddy was?" Only now did Twilight note that the ragged stuffed animal on Ichor's back was actually alive. "A golem?" "She is zombified, alas," the undead unicorn told her. "Choosing to remain with me for eternity than living a life without me. She just called our host 'uncle....' something." He slowly turned his head. "Why do you use that word, Sweetpea?" "Dahagosseeee!" Sweet Pea repeated, pointing at Umbral. "You called one of the other pegasi that. I doubt they're related." Twilight cocked her head. "What is she saying?" "Dah!! ahgo! see!" she insisted. "She remembers Phalanx soldiers, many of which left after that fateful night..." Ichor clarified. Twilight wasn't convinced. Umbral's expression could darken no further. "Now I have given you some education, perhaps that will keep you better sated than...." Umbral looked at the bowl. "That might be closer to oatmeal, I don't have a proficient cook." He and Ichor melted into the shadows, Sweet Pea giggling all the way. Twilight sat once again alone, with more questions than answers. --------------------------------------- Dreamcarver hated being up before sunset, but would never refuse a request from Princess Luna. Word from around the castle spoke of missing students, one of them Princess Twilight Sparkle. He'd only caught glimpses of the new Princess after the Armoring ceremonies, but had been otherwise distracted by Phalanx ritual. He'd been sent far south to explore an open waste between Appaloosa and San Palomino, since city leads hadn't brought any new information. Hazard Watch had turned in a box found in Ponyville, and Shadow Tracker would look that over once they could get that unicorn guard out of bed. Maybe a Solar guard unicorn could look, too; but what did he know, he was just a grunt animal of a soldier. Scoffing at the stereotype added from his new post, he landed a short distance from a paler spot on the ground. Landing too close might spook the target. With the sun setting and the shadows lengthening, at least his eyes could adjust quickly to the coming dark. They stung from the sunset. He walked closer, wings closed and eyes scanning the ground. A glance up had his eyes catch Luna's crescent moon ascending with the new night. Comforting to him, but what of who he had found? He was at least relieved to find the pink unicorn under a scavanged blanket, preparing for the cold of a desert night. She was alive. Aurora heard his approach, curling up tighter and eyes squeezed shut. Perhaps she feared a predator approaching? Dreamcarver worried he would scare her with his visage, and even moreso his deep voice. The unicorn already shivered, though the full cold of night had not settled. The pegasus stopped a few feet from her and cleared his throat, a rumble of distant thunder to Aurora's ears. "Aurora, student of Celestia?" Dreamcarver asked with as little malice as his armor allowed. "I'm here to take you back to Canterlot. Are you injured?" She stirred, shivering some more at the chill of the coming night. Her eyes wide, trying to see around her, but with no fire to curl up beside, all she had was the rainbow of dusk to guide her, ears swiveling toward Dreamcarver. She startled a bit at seeing a Phalanx soldier, worried that it might be one of Lapis' guards. The questioning convinced her otherwise. "I am unharmed," she replied, nervous timbre to her voice. "Please do not fear me, Aurora," Dreamcarver continued after a moment. "Princess Luna requested her guards, as well as the Solars, to search for you and Princess Twilight Sparkle. Do you know where she is?" The unicorn shook her head sadly. Keeping the blanket around her, she trudged up to him. "I'm still not sure what happened," she told him. "One moment we were talking, the next everything was black." Dreamcarver nosed her toward his back. "Please climb aboard, we will talk on the way back to Canterlot. Others are still searching for the Princess. I am thankful that you are okay." Aurora shivered as she clambered onto the dark pegasus' back. "I just want to go home." "To Canterlot, then. Use the blanket to keep you on my back. Fold it diagonally....." Faint magic from Aurora completed his request. The blanket folded to its corners, a makeshift bundle for her to stay in while he flew. With a nod he launched northward, knowing that for this little unicorn, it would be a very long night.