As Applejack, Rhino, Cybis, Twilight, who had put a spell field around herself so she could breath on the moon that had proven to not be needed by the thestrals, and I entered the castle, I asked Rhino, "So why do you think those thestrals were anthro?"
"No idea," Rhino asked. "We should probably ask Nightmare when we find her."
"Uh, who's Nightmare," Twilight asked.
We hesitated to answer, but Cybis was the one to answer. "Nightmare's Celestia's sister, Twilight."
At Twilight's wide mouth of shock prompted an explanation. "You've heard of the Mare in the Moon?" I asked, to which she nodded. "Well, the legend's true. The Mare in the Moon is Nightmare Moon, Celestia's sister." Guess I should point out that I am one of the few bronies who believe that Nightmare is the actual personality, with Luna being one for the public, with Celestia wanting to rewrite the personality. Breaking news: Celestia's an idiot. Nolandroid, remind me to sweep kick and drop kick Celestia after I ask her why.
Right.
"Celestia banished her after she tried to cause eternal night," I added before Nolandroid came into the conversation.
"Which, by the way, wouldn't have caused mass death," he said, appearing while floating alongside us. "I analyzed the lunar composition, and, somehow, the moon would focus the solar rays, maybe even enhance them. The only change would be the fact that the planet would be in constant solar eclipse."
"Well, that makes sense," Spike said as he too appeared. "I actually remember reading something about that in the book Celestia recommenced to Twilight that was about the solar system. It was dated a few years before the mare in the moon story originated."
"Which means Celestia probably knew about it," Rhino said. "Yeah, she'll be lucky if I don't put a whole Hard Light clip in her face."
"We don't need war, Rhino," Cybis said. "Even if we wanted one, that wouldn't be good for anyone, even if war does lead to technological advancement."
"Yeah, I know, but still."
"Guys, that's enough," I said. "We can discuss that on the way back to the Tower."
"I'm just saying," Rhino said. "So, any idea as to how we find her?"
"Simple," a female voice asked, one Cybis, Rhino, and I recognized instantly. The five of us looked up, and saw a certain midnight black alicorn. "All you have to do is come and ask for me," Nightmare said. I'll say it now: I thought we were going to have to fight her. I had the perfect song to. Actually, fuck it, here it is.
We founding Vanguard members and our Ghosts, who materialized next to us, bowed, the Ghosts lowering and tilting their bodies, and I said, "Princess Nightmare." This made Applejack, Twilight, and their Ghosts scramble to do the same.
"You know who I am," Nightmare asked, I assume with a raised eyebrow.
"We do," Cybis said. "I imagine you're curious as to who we are?"
"Only the actual pony," Nightmare said. "The rest of you, I have seen in the few dreams I have witnessed in the past few years, which is how I know the spell that made your subjects what they are now."
Explains the thestrals, Rhino said.
"Now, why are the five of you here?"
"To bring you back to Equis, your highness," I said, which I heard a gasp as the response.
"I know that voice," she said in a whisper, but the helmet was able to pick it up. "You, take off your helmet," she said in a more audible voice. I did so, taking off my helmet, which was the Jackknife, as I hadn't switched out back to my usual one. I knew I wouldn't suffocate, as the thestrals could, and they had no fields around them. "Rise, and show me your face."
I did so, and looked her in the eye. She gasped. "Lone," she whispered. "Is that you?"
"What," I said, a little surprised, as that was the name of my OC. "How do you know that name?"
She reached up with an armored hoof and touched my cheek, not giving any indication she heard me, to which I slightly recoiled. "It is you," she said. "I had thought you were killed, all those years ago."
"What do you mean," I asked.
"You don't remember, do you?"
"No," I said. "This is the first time in memory of me talking with you."
She closed her eyes, and I thought I saw a single tear fall from her eye. "It's me," she said, opening her eyes, and, for a moment, I saw her eyes change. Not in color, but in shape. The pupils were still snake-like, but the white's became, well, white. She gave a small smile, looking at me. "It's not important," she finally said, but that didn't mean it left my mind. "Why did you come for me, because my sister asked you too?"
Cybis answered. "No. We came to return you because we wished to give you the position you deserve, as yourself."
"To make you a fellow ruler of our country," Rhino added. "Should you wish to, that is."
Nightmare glanced at me, I doubt the others noticed, hell, I barely noticed, then looked at the others. "So long as I am given the respect I deserve."
"That we can take care of with our subjects, at least," Cybis said. "As for those under Celestia's rule, we can't guarantee anything."
"I guess that will have to suffice," she said.
"Yeah, and you'll need to use that spell, as everyone who's under our rule is in that form," Rhino said.
"I shall do that when we get to the planet," Nightmare said. "But how shall we get there?"
"Already taken care of, your highness," Nolandroid said as we heard the roar of engines outside. "Assuming you are okay with shrinking yourself for a while, that is."
"I do not know a spell for that," Nightmare said. "I will need to be in one of your ships for that."
"Maybe not," I said. "We've been working on a project meant for transport a a group of ponies that don't have our tech, and we've tested it. We'd have to wait a while, though. An hour or two, max."
"As long as that is it," Nightmare said. "I do not wish to be here longer then is needed."
I nodded my head. "Of course, your highness," I said as I got on my feet. Now, the project I was talking about is that ship in the lower part of the tower hanger, where Xur sometimes spawns, the one with that music thing and the Hunter symbol on the side, near dead orbit.
"I'll get it here," Nolandroid said before he and the other three Ghosts vanished.
Celestia-3rd
Celestia, a calm look on her face, sat on her throne, worried for her student and what was happening on the moon, as she had lost the connection to the Guardians. She did not wish to send Forge and her team, or ask Josh to investigate personally, as she was afraid of what would happen if they found out the truth.
She was in the middle of listening to her nephew drone on about having all the shrubbery in the royal gardens and the public parks in Canterlot trimmed to his likeness so "the masses may gaze upon my glory, and know what a true prince looks like, unlike those creatures called 'Guardians'." She had learned to tune him out, but that didn't mean it got easy listening to him.
Mercifully, a guard rushed in and said, "Your highness, activity in Ponyville."
"Oh, leave those uncultured slobs be," Blueblood said. "Whatever's going on, I 'm sure they deserve it."
"I wasn't talking to you," the guard said. It was common for any guard to ignore Blueblood, as they knew he'd simply complain to Celestia, who would let them go while saying to Blueblood it was handled. "Princess," he said, bowing. "Our far seers report a ship leaving the Tower, and it's trajectory points it to the planet's atmosphere. What should we do?"
Ccelestia's eyes widened for a second, but she hid it and replied, "Have all the guards put on alert, and have a contingent sent to Ponyville. I'm certain Josh and the others will appreciate help."
"Yes, your highness," the guard said. "And also, our seers have news as to your student. They report, well, they report she's on the moon, but they can not see her surroundings."
"Prepare all guards for a powerful magic user then," Celestia said, steel in her voice. "And make sure all of them are protected from dark magic." She rose from her throne. "I'm sorry, nephew, but we must reschedule this. I have something else I must attend to." Before her nephew could respond, Celestia lit her horn and teleported, and the guard went to pass along the orders.
Celestia reappeared in a ruined castle she knew well. It was the last place she had seen Luna before she had fallen. The room, once a noble, regal throne room with two seats, was in ruin of her fight with Nightmare Moon. The pedestal that held the Elements, though, was still there, the five Elements of Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, and Honesty still there, and she could feel the power of Magic around the five. She lit her horn, and took the five physical ones in her grasp, her power brining the Element of Magic into the physical realm from the ether.
"Do not worry, sister," she said. "I will free you." Just before she lit her horn to teleport, a great Darkness came over her, and she fainted.
When Celestia opened her eyes, she saw nothing but a void blacker then the night sky without the moon or stars. "Wh-where am I?" she asked, only for the reply to come from a regal sounding voice.
"Hello, my daughter," the voice said, causing Celestia to widen her eyes in surprise.
"Father? Is that really you?"
"Indeed it is," the voice said. "I have seen your plight, and wish to help."
"But how," Celestia asked.
"By giving you a power. Two, in fact," her father said, his figure not visible at all. "The first is the ability to reach into other dimensions and bring it's denizens here, to yours. Before you say anything, there are three who could help you, and they come from the same as those Guardians.
"The second is the ability to take away one's fears, and give them a new power to use based on those fears that counteract those fears, as well as give them new shape. The only downside, though, is that they simply become one of a greater force, with their will being yours. True harmony. However, I would not recommend having those you use the former technique on in visible sight of the Guardian's, nor would I try it on those you take from the other dimension."
"But Father, why would I do any of that," Celestia said.
"Wouldn't you do so to protect your subjects, as well as your sister?"
Celestia was speechless. It was true, she would do anything to protect her little ponies, as well as her sister. "Yes, I would," she eventually said. "Please, Father, help me."
"I will, my daughter. I will." With that, Celestia lost what little sight she had, only for her vision to return and for her to see the old throne room. One new thing, though, was something pressing down on her mind, which she assumed were the spells her Father offered her.
She picked up the Elements from where they fell, not noticing a new white and black accent to her yellow magic, and hid them with a simple spell, and teleported back to Canterlot.
Josh-1st
It's been near an hour since the ship was sent for, and I was alone with Nightmare in the throne room oh her lunar castle, and I decidd to adress something. I walke dup to her as she looked out a window and said, "So, if I may ask, who is Lone?"
She sighed. "Not 'is', 'was'," she said. "He was the one pony who saw me as an actual pony before I was banished. In fact, he was once my husband, but a group of ponies who were radicals who wished for my death found out about him and saw him as a traitor. During one of my night courts, they snuck into his chambers, and killed him while he slept." A tear came to her eye. "I thought you were him, Josh, because of your voice and how you carried yourself, and that you were him in a new form. The ironic thing about what happened to him: he was a part of Celestia's guards."
"Why wasn't he a part of yours?"
"Because back then, one could not change which part of the guard they were in, and he was a unicorn, and only pegasai could join my guard, a law by the unicorn nobles to ensure my guard did not become too powerful. It was because of what happened to him that was part of the reason I tried to overthrow my sister, so that I could make a memorial for him." She began to sob. "I only wish I could see him once more and say goodbye" she said between sobs.
I put my hand on her shoulder, or what ever the pony equivalent was. "I'm sure he was a good stallion," I said, "and that, wherever he is, he's watching over you, Nightmare, wanting to speak to you once more."
"I'm sure he is," Nightmare said, "but I still wish to speak to him once again."
It was here the two of us heard a voice behind us, which made me bring up my Loner.Rebel, poised to shoot. "Me too, Moony," the voice said.
There, partly see through, was a pony I knew well, as he was my OC. He had a black coat wiht his hooves being red, his mane and tail being the same black as his coat, with accents of red and orange, giving them a firey look to them. He was as tall as Luna from season two onward, and his horn had a sharp point to it.
"Lone," Nightmare whispered. "I-is that really you?" she asked, reaching out a hoof as I put my hand cannon away.
"Yeah, it's me," Lone said, smiling. He walked up to Nightmare, and, as much as he could, placed a hoof on her cheek. "I missed you. I wanted to speak with you earlier, but I couldn't."
"Why?" Nightmare asked.
"I was making sure Celestia didn't mess up Equestria, but I failed," Lone said. "For all but a story, an old mare's tale, she let you be forgotten, and erased all but peaceful times from history, including Discord and the Empire."
"She let ponies forget of Discord," Nightmare asked. "Why?"
"Because, if I had to guess, it was so ponies wouldn't believe that there can be a force as evil."
"Even if Chaos is essential to Harmony," I said, which made Lone chuckle.
"I've watched you, Josh, as well as your allies," he said. "And I have to admit, I was a little surprised when I saw you in action. In fact, the three of you use both light and dark magic in your abilities, resulting in harmony magic, which Celestia believes to be pure, light magic. In fact, the elements aren't even a means of Harmony," Lone said, making Nightmare gasp in surprise. "They're a weapon made to control ponies by completely rewriting their minds, encasing them in stone, or, in your case, Moony, banishment."
Huh. I'll be damned. I was right. Damn. Wish I had made a bet with the others right now. Oh well, too late now.
"But still," Lone said to Nightmare. "Moony, please. I love you, and I don't want to see you upset. It's okay to grieve, but don't use me as a reason to overthrow Celestia. Please, move on, for me."
"But Lone," she said. "If I do, then I'd be abandoning you."
"No, you wouldn't," Lone said. "I'll always be with you. Don't worry about making me mad or upset. Please, make yourself happy. As long as you are, I am, and I'm sure there are a few stallions that are a part of Josh's nation that would be interested in a mare such as you." Lone began to fade away. "Please, for me."
Nightmare reached for Lone's hoof, but her hoof passed through it, and I saw a tear roll down her face. "I will," she said. "I don't want to, but for you, Lone, I will."
"Thank you," Lone said, almost entirely gone. "I'll always be watching over you, Moony," he said, and he completely faded away. In his honor, I gave him an Exo salute.
I then told Nightmare, putting a hand on her shoulder, "We'll make a memorial to him."
"Why," Nightmare asked, lookiing at me with tears in her eyes.
"Because he must have done something important to get your eye," I said with a small smile.
"He did," Nightmare said, looking out the window. "He treated me like an actual pony."
Before I could reply, Nolandroid appeared. "Ship's almost here," he said. "Oh, and Forge delivered the letter to Celestia." Ah, right. Cybis, Rhino, and I decided to have a public coronation ceremony for Nightmare, with her consent, and have Celestia there, along with some of our other allies, which included the Griffons, whom we helped rebuild Griffonstone, the Saddle Arabians(damn puns.), and, I'll admit, a little surprising to me as well, the dragons, though only a small amount. As a saftey precaution on the Celestia side of things, Fire team Disciple, Twilight, whom the three of us had agreed to make a Guardian, though under probation, which meant she'd get rare and uncommon grade gear until we decided otherwise, and Applejack would be standing guard.
"Right," I said before stepping back and offering a hand to Nightmare. Hey, never hurts to be chivalrous. For those who don't know, that means, basically, being kind and honorable, like opening a door for a woman, or mare, in this case. "Shall we," I asked.
"Hm," Nightmare said with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Well, it seems chivalry is still alive," she said as she took my hand. "Let's." With that, Ghost transmatted my helmet to the ship, and the two of us made out way to where the ship was going to land.