//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6: A Talk With the Princess 
// Story: Starry Night 
// by Detsella Morningdew 
//------------------------------//

       It was several months before I got a break.

I could, of course, had the authority to take a break at any time, but I wanted to make sure that my Guards were reasonably prepared.

You see, something was happening. Something big.

We needed to be ready.

And I needed to speak with Twilight about a few things.

And maybe Celestia as well.

You see, I had finally realised something that I should have known since the Winter Solstice. If the Nightmare was stripped of its magic, and banished to who-know-where-it-is that I saw, I shouldn't be able to see it. Period.

The Nightmare had regained its magic.

It was coming back.

That star bothered me too. Did it have some sort of connection?

Its existence made no sense. The creation of a star requires immense magic to create. It was only power, another form of energy separate from magic. I could see it, if only when I crossed the barrier. What was that barrier, anyway?

I mentally cursed myself for not allowing myself a break before now.

Maybe the Nightmare wouldn't come back for another hundred years. Maybe Equestria was safe.

Or maybe it was coming back tomorrow.





Twilight was reading in the castle library, as usual. It had expanded quite a bit in the past few years. Twilight was almost bouncing when Celestia told her that the old Everfree Castle library would be incorporated into hers.

It certainly helped with my own projects.

But right now, I was on a mission. Nothing would distract me.

Wait, is that really a book on pegasus magic?

...

Thirty minutes later, I remembered what I was doing.

"Twilight, I need to talk to you."

"What do you need?"

"I need to talk to you about last winter solstice."

"Wasn't that amazing? Thousands of totally new stars! I tried to catalog each one, of course, but there just wasn't enough time."

"Yes, it was amazing. And each one of them totally unique."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, each one of them was created by a different unicorn so long ago. It's a shame that those ones never got to be seen by anypony."

"So those old stories were really true."

My mind informed me that this conversation was getting off-track.

"Yes. But that wasn't what I was trying to say. I think I've told you before how I can see more when I'm past the sound barrier."

"Something of the sort, yes. Why?"

"Well, I was flying that night. The stars look so much better that way. Anyway, I noticed two...anomalies when I was searching the sky. If you know about either of them, I need to know."

"Anomalies?"

"One of them was a star not created by any mage. There was no magic present, only raw power."

"That...that doesn't make any sense."

"Exactly my thoughts. But there was another that made more sense, but the meaning is far more urgent. I can't believe that I missed it until now. I saw, further than the stars, even the moon, the magical signature of the Nightmare."

"But I thought it was destroyed!"

"Remember what Celestia said, all those years ago? Destruction is against the Elements' nature. They will contain, they will banish. But they will never kill. The Nightmare is alive, Twilight. And it is increasing in power."

"No..."

"I was hoping that you might be able to tell me what these objects were. But we'll have to talk to someone who was alive near the birth of the stars."

Twilight gasped with understanding.

"We need to talk with Celestia."







It was strange, being in Canterlot again.

This time, I was escorting Twilight as her guard.

Only for official purposes, of course.

I needed to be here just as much as Twilight did.

I liked Canterlot just as much as last time.

I still couldn't see anything.

Still, this time we were flying in. We could go directly go to the castle, without having to set foot in that accursed city.

Guards saluted as we walked past.

I felt almost as if we were foreign dignitaries.


Celestia met us in the same room as before.

I sat down with a lot more success than last time.

"You don't have to tone yourself down anymore, Princess. I've been around Twilight enough to get used to it."

"Thank you." Celestia reverted to her normal form. It was still quite bright, brighter than Twilight, but not by much anymore.

"I believe you wanted to speak to me about something. You said it was quite important."

"There are two things, actually. One of them is of pressing concern, the other, less so, but I believe it may be connected in some way."

"Last winter solstice, during the extra-long night, almost all of Equestria was stargazing, including me."

"I am very glad I allowed Luna that little treat. I doubt Equestria would thank me if I made the day that long, as well."

"But I saw things there. Two things that didn't belong. One of them baffled me. It was a star that contained no magic. IT was only raw power. The other alarmed me, but I believed Equestria safe at the time. I realised my mistake just recently. You see, I saw the magic of the Nightmare."

"Oh. I see. That is quite alarming."

"At first, I dismissed it. The signal was very weak, and very far away. I assumed that that was where it was banished."

"In which you are correct."

"But now I realise that the Elements stripped away the Nightmare's magic. She has somehow regained it. Soon, but I don't know when, the Nightmare intends to return."

"Yes, that much is certain."

"But I am very curious about two things."

"One, what is that star? Do you know anything about it? But that is not as important as the second thing. I saw the Nightmare. But if not the moon, where has she been banished to?"

Celestia sighed. "I'm afraid it's time for a story. A story on how the stars were made. Why they were made. A tale of how the sun and moon came to be."