//------------------------------// // Backstory // Story: I will protect you // by Questionable Brony //------------------------------// Nyx groaned as she woke up from the stun spell. On hindsight, she should have seen this one coming. Looking around, she found herself in a hospital room, one for a single pony. The window's blinds where down. Better than waking up in a cell, I guess. she thought to herself. It was about then that Celestia entered the room, her gaze immediately falling onto the other alicorn. "I see you're finally awake." the princess stated, closing the door behind her with her magic. Nyx closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and opening them again. "I thought you would be holding a speech in front of your subjects or catching up with your sister or something." Celestia ignored the comment and stepped towards the bed the alicorn was lying in. Nyx made it herself a little more comfortable for both by getting off the bed and walking around it, her blue eyes never leaving the magenta ones of the princess. "How do you feel?" Celestia continued. "Just fine, considering all things." Nyx replied in a neutral tone. Celestia kept her gaze as well. "You leave me quite in the predicament. I could easily brand you as the Nightmare, given a second chance to redeem herself." "Huh? Did you read my mind? That's exactly what I was going to offer." Nyx replied. "Why would you do this?" Celestia asked. "You're an complete enigma. Another alicorn would have been noticed immediately, yet I have never heard of you. You do have some similarities to Nightmare Moon, but I can tell you are not her." "Can you now?" Nyx chuckled to herself. "Whatever, I can answer at least one of your questions. You have never heard about me. In case you haven't noticed, I am fairly good with disguising myself." The darker alicorn showed what she meant, by using a spell, which turned her into the little unicorn filly, her mother disguised her shortly after she was born. "Impressive." Celestia stated. "Thank you." Nyx replied turning back. "The rest, I'll keep to myself. Until I see it fit to reveal the rest about myself." Celestia shook her. "Given what you have done for me and my sister I can hardly tell you to do otherwise. However, before we go back on topic, I have one more question." Celestia stepped closer. "What kind of spell did you cast on my student?" "Oh this? Just a little protection on her and her Element. But you already knew that didn't you?" Nyx smiled innocently. Celestia nodded. "Yes, when I tried levitating it, it simply didn't work. Again, a most impressive work." "Thank you. I figured we should keep the Elements of Harmony secure. Even I can't use my magic on them anymore. If you allow it, I can cast the spell on the rest of them as well." "Later." Celestia waved off. I can't belief she hasn't figured out the other spell I cast. Well, I won't complain. "Now, back to the matter at hoof, I have a proposal of my own." Nyx raised an eyebrow, but listened. "Since the original story is hard to belief for the common pony, we'll say it like this: you tried to free my sister, which at least is partially true, tried to free her from the Nightmare, but ultimately were overwhelmed and possessed yourself. The Elements of Harmony freed you-" "-and we have the perfect fairy tale." Nyx finished for Celestia. "You're giving me a lot of leniency with that story. Why's that?" Celestia took her time before giving an answer. "Because, despite your unconventional ways" Nyx resisted the urge to laugh. She was surprised, when she was pulled into a tight hug by the princess "you gave me my family back." "..." Nyx stayed silent until Celestia finally broke the hug. "In any event, I think it is high time we introduce you to the populace. Properly this time." Nyx rolled her eyes. "Fine. But since you're not taking me into custody or anything, don't expect me to join the government or take any kind of position. I'll leave the paperwork and nobles to you." The hospital hallway was unusually empty, but Nyx noted the two guards standing on the other end with Luna of all ponies. She thought the night princess still needed to recover. Upon seeing the two alicorns, Luna and the guards approached the duo. The time traveler noted that Luna didn't seem upset at all, but kept her neutral gaze. Still, Nyx had more than enough experience with her pseudo mother to see the little signs to notice that she was still exhausted from everything. Her steps weren't as precise as usual, she slightly lost balance that one time and a couple of other hints. "Lady Nyx. Our last encounter was...not so pleasant. We hope thou will allow us another chance." Nyx bowed her head. "It is not a problem Princess Luna. It's me who should apologize for your not so pleasant separation from the Nightmare and my rather rude behavior afterwards." "Nonsense." Luna waved off. "Thou saved not only us, but all of Equestria from..." Luna trailed off at that. "Thou also reawakened the Elements of Harmony, though thy method...it reminds us a lot of what our sister would do." Nyx nodded. "I have kept myself hidden from the world." she looked back at her wings. "I was never interested in any politics or having any kind of political power. So for the most part of my life I kept myself hidden" she demonstrated this by turning into a unicorn for a few seconds "and after a certain amount of time I would move to another place, resume a new disguise and live on. Out of boredom, I started researching history. Eventually I found some rather interesting things, like that there once was an empire made of crystal and that this land once had two princesses." "I see." Celestia positioned herself next to her sister. "Out of curiosity, what are you planning from now that your true identity is out?" "I think I will stay in Ponyville for now, make up for the little scare I gave them. Plus, it's the only place aside from Canterlot I have yet to live. Aside from the frozen north, but there is nothing." At the moment at least. "Hmm, are you sure you want to stay here?" Celestia asked. "I am sure. I have heard quite enough about the ponies in Canterlot and I'd rather not deal with some paparazzo on my tail." "Well, for now you'll have to endure the press." "Yeah, let's just get this over with." Outside the hospital, the press was already waiting impatiently. A podium had been built up overnight for Celestia to stand on. The cameras immediately started to flicker as the three alicorns walked out of the hospital, clearly irritating Luna as she wasn't used to them. Nyx was surprised Luna didn't use her royal canterlot voice in order to stop them. At least they stopped, once Celestia was positioned behind the podium. "My little ponies, I thank you for your patience. I'll get right to the point. I am sure you have all heard about the legend of the mare of the moon. Truth to be told, it is not a legend." Murmured could be heard, but Celestia silenced them by raising her hoof. "I know this might come to a shock to you all, but I ask you to wait for your questions, until my sister recovered. For you see, unaware to all of us, for a long time another alicorn has been living among us, hidden by her magic." Again murmurs and again the raised hoof. It just showed how much those ponies respected their sun princess. "Not wanting to be the center of the attention, she used various disguises throughout her lifetime and lived a fairly normal life. Up until today that is. You see, she discovered that my sister was possessed by Nightmare Moon and decided to help her, by purging the spirit from my sisters body. Unfortunately, it backlashed. Instead of my sister, Nyx now was possessed by Nightmare Moon and was about to bring Eternal Night, if it wouldn't have been for six mares to stop Nightmare Moon once and for all." Nyx finally spotted her mother and her friends standing in the crowd or in Rainbow's case, hovering above them. They all tensed up once Celestia mentioned them. Well, at least I'm not the only who has to endure this. Oh, I can't wait for this to end and live a regular crazy life in Ponyville again.