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// Chapter 1 - Welcome to the Night 
// Story: Shadows' Call 
// by NPP6 
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	“Who are you?”
“Something tells me you’re asking for more than my name… I am The Alicorn of Hope. I also have the distinction of being a Wishing Star. The things you’ll find relevant at present though… A thousand years ago, before my body was turned to stone and my mind and soul were sealed in the star I am bound to, I was Princess Luna’s general and military advisor. Do you remember the story of Nightmare Moon?”
“Yeah, Princess Luna got trapped in the moon for a thousand years after she attacked Princess Celestia.”
“A bit simplified, but good enough. At the same time Luna was sent to the moon, I was sent to my star. Because I surrendered willingly to my banishment, I retained certain… privileges. Tell me, do you know where we are?”
“My dream?”
“Close. Closer than many adults would have gotten on their own. We are in a place called the dreamscape. This is where ponies’ minds go when they sleep. Usually the dream provides surroundings, but in your case, you were pulled out of your dreams and into the dreamscape itself.”
“How?”
“Every pony has a small dreamscape in themselves, even when they are awake. When they dream, it interacts with the Dreamscape itself, creating a… bubble of sorts, where their dream is contained. Some ponies, called ‘dreamwalkers’ can travel between these bubbles, but doing so requires them to cross through the dreamscape as they do so. Princess Luna and I are both dreamwalkers, and in a way, you are now too.”
“I am?”
“I can only do so much, so yes. For the rest of your life your dreams will always have an exit, and you will always know where it is. Does this make sense so far?”
“Sort of…?”
Midnight laughed, “Fair enough. It took me years to figure this place out. The point is that we are in a very dangerous part of the dreamscape right now.”
“Dreams can be dangerous?”
“You already know the answer to that.”
“…Why does this feel so real?”
“Because it is real. You are not dreaming right now Diamond Tiara. And you were in very real danger just now.”
“What was that thing?”
“A Nightmare.”
“I thought I wasn’t dreaming?”
“Not that kind of nightmare. This was more akin to the creature your town faced a short time back, what was it called… The Tantabus. This was a creature of Darkness, intent on pulling you down and making you like it.”
“Why me?”
“Momentum.”
“What?”
The stallion sighed, “You were already moving in that direction. You were charging for the Darkness full tilt. You never even noticed when you left the Day and entered the Night. Honestly, I didn’t notice you going over the cliff either.”
“Cliff?”
He motioned at the wall behind her. “The boundary between Day and Night, like the boundary between Night and Darkness, is a cliff in the dreamscape.”
“Wait, what’s this whole thing with day, night, and darkness?”
“The dreamscape is comprised of two realms, Light and Darkness. A long time ago, the Light was split, to further protect ponies, into the Day and the Night.”
“Isn’t the night darkness though?”
He smiled at her. “Walk with me.” As she hurried to follow him, he continued to speak, “Tell me, if you were to choose a symbol to represent the night, what would you pick?”
After a moment of thought, the filly decided. “I would probably pick the moon, like Princess Luna did.”
“Exactly. A source of light. Do you understand where I’m going with this?”
“Yes.”
“The Night is a battleground. A defensive measure to protect ponies’ dreams. Unfortunately, without guardians, it becomes a trap for ponies like you.”
“What do you mean?”
He sighed again, “You have left the Day. As long as you are in the Night, you are within the reach of Darkness. You can fight, run, or fall, but the Darkness will always be there. The rest of your life will involve it.”
“So how do I get back to the day?”
“You can’t.” He gave her a sad look. “Not as you are now. There is one possibility, but…” He shook his head. “You wouldn’t be able to, not as you are now. You’re already fragile, it would destroy you.”
“So I have to keep coming here night after night until I fall or die?”
“No. I refuse to allow that. That is why I’m bringing you here.” He pointed with a hoof.
Diamond realized she had been watching him instead of looking where she was going. Turning, she saw an old castle. Full of holes and falling apart, but still a castle. The drawbridge had a bare flagpole on either side. “What is this place?”
“Noctus Bastion. Luna and I built this place to protect ponies like you, and to protect the dreamscape. This is as far from the Darkness as you can get while still remaining in the Night.”
She started walking towards the castle. She noticed that it was built in a spot where the cliff pulled back, creating a horseshoe shaped space. “If this place is safe, then how’d it get so broken down?”
“Time. Nopony’s used this place in centuries. Also, I never said it was safe, it’s just safer than the rest of the Night.”
“Still looks like it needs repairs.”
“That is something I cannot do at present. If you wish, you may claim it as your responsibility for now, but I am only allowed to do so much.”
“Allowed?”
“There are rules that those with power must follow. Rules that cannot be broken without sever consequences.”
“So what are you allowed to do?”
“This.” Midnight fired a spell at the flagpole on the left. The tattered banner hanging from it began to repair itself.
Diamond recognized the style of banner from the class fieldtrip to Canterlot; it was the same kind of flag that the princesses had hanging around the castle. The blue six pointed star and the weird shape inside it were familiar too, they were the same as the shield that had protected her earlier. Suddenly she realized that it was the stallion’s cutie mark. “That’s it?”
He chuckled at her, “Don’t underestimate the power of a signal. That is not merely a decoration, it is a banner. Moreover, it is on a military fortress. That banner is about two steps short of a declaration of war. It is a reminder to our enemies that I am back and protecting this place, even when neither side can see me.”
“So I’ve got a flag to protect me from the nightmares?”
He sighed. It was starting to get annoying when he did that. “No. Follow me.” He walked slowly across the drawbridge as she moved to keep up. “I have something special for you. A gift of sorts. Unfortunately, while I can give it freely, the rules require that you cannot accept it without a price.”
Something sent a red flag up in her mind. “What price?”
“I cannot give you the ability to protect yourself. However, I can give you the ability to protect others. If being able to protect yourself is a byproduct of that, then it’s hardly my fault.”
“Loopholes, I get it. Daddy taught me all about those. He also taught me about contracts. What price?” As they crossed the threshold of the castle’s entrance hall, she stopped and sat down.
Midnight circled around and sat down facing her. There was that irritating sigh again. “If I’m going to do this, I have to do it right.
“Diamond Tiara, you need to understand that had I not intervened, the Darkness would have taken you. You also need to accept that this was caused by a path that you chose yourself. Your newfound friends tried desperately to save you, and to a degree, they succeeded. But you had already left the Day, and were very close to darkness.
“You had realized this to an extent, and were doing your best to turn yourself around. You were also too late. The darkness wasn’t about to let you go. And so it chased and hunted you for a month.
“There is a group, an order. Ponies who walked to the edge of darkness and didn’t like what they saw. Ponies who stand in the way of darkness when it tries to hurt others. Ponies who live in the shadows, using them to protect those who live in the day.
“These are the Shadow Rangers.
“When I walked Equestria, I led them. They had a Captain, like the other guard divisions, but that Captain reported directly to me. After Luna and I fell to our Nightmares and were banished, the various guard divisions changed slightly in nature.
“The Solar and Lunar guards, instead of following the princesses into battle, protected the princess by day and night respectively. Thus they were almost absorbed into the Royal Guard.
“The Freedom Guard was similarly absorbed by the Equestrian Guard, which is why they now watch the wild places as well as our borders.
“The Heart Guard and the Storm Guard were both annihilated when their leaders tried to break away from Celestia’s control.
“The Travelers survived mostly intact. They infiltrated the embassies before the other guards tracked down and destroyed their headquarters. They’re still there, though they’ve hidden behind another name now. Her Majesty’s Secret Service, a combination bodyguard and spy network.
“The Shadow Rangers vanished into the night when the guards came for them. They survived intact for centuries, hiding on the fringes and in plain sight. For hundreds of years, they protected ponies from the wrong side of the law, hunted by their own allies.
“About a hundred years ago, that started changing. It got harder and harder for them to find recruits in a land almost without nightmares. Ironically, this came at the very time they were trying to prepare for the return of Nightmare Moon.
“They dwindled as they were driven from place to place. As far as I know, the last Rangers died a decade ago. I had lost contact with them a good twenty five years before that though, so there’s a chance that some are still out there. If you can find any of them, you need to bring them in. There’s a storm coming and Equestria will need them.
“This is my gift.” A small box rose out of the ground between them where Midnight’s shadow was cast by the only lit torch in the room. “The Shadow Armor. If you accept it, you will be a Shadow Ranger.” He scooted it over to her. “There is a price.
“Shadow Rangers are sworn to protect ponies. All of them. Even ones you might not necessarily like. As long as they are not considered an enemy, you must do what you can to help them.
“You must understand. You will be standing between evil beings and their goals for the rest of your life. Many Rangers have died in the line of duty. Others have succumbed to the darkness we face and become nightmares.
“The armor will disguise you in order to protect those you care about. As part of this, you will not be allowed to tell anypony about your role as a Ranger.
“You will also be required to face threats in the waking world, just as you would here. The war against darkness is not confined to the dreamscape. You will be a soldier. The heaviest price is if you have to kill another. That is a very real possibility that you need to consider as well.
“You have the right to refuse. As long as you do not leave this fortress when you sleep, you will be able to stay away from the Darkness. I would suggest repairing it when you find yourself here, but that is up to you.”
Diamond looked between the box and the stallion. “I…”
“I do not want an answer for some time Ms. Tiara. Nor will I accept one here. The box will be there in the waking world, appearing when you need it. Just out of reach so that if you decide to take it, you need only walk to it.”
She slowly nodded. “How am I understanding all this?”
“Communication in the dreamscape involves all five senses, even if only words are transmitted.”
“Like talking to somepony to affect their dreams?”
“Exactly. Literally. There are two more gifts I have for you, but they must wait until your decision is made.” He looked up in resignation as she felt the warmth of the sun on her back. She watched as her shadow replaced his on the box. As the shadow armor sunk into her shadow the same way it had risen from his, he gave her a small smile. “Our interview has run long, and it is time for you to awaken.
“Good Luck Diamond Tiara.”



Some time after the filly faded from the castle in wakefulness, an alicorn mare walked in through the front door. “I haven’t been here in some time,” She chuckled. "You know we all felt it when you planted that banner again.”
Midnight looked over at her with a sad smile. “I know. I only hope that they felt it too.”
Luna sat down next to the stallion, leaning into him as she did so. “Were you able to save them?” She didn’t need to point out that she was talking about the attacks.
“Yes.”
“…How many fell?”
“None. That filly is strong.”
“That… You mean,” She straightened to get a better look at him, “One filly has been surviving full attacks by Nightmares for an entire month?”
He nodded. “I intervened as little as possible. It bought me enough leeway to actually help.”
“How?”
He sighed. She recognized that tired sigh; it was the one he gave when things were bad. “I gambled. Luna, this was only a small problem. Something’s coming. Something big.”
“What?”
“I can’t tell you. If I were to warn you, the price… the threat is already too great.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“Gamble. I’m hoping to appoint an agent to act on my behalf in Equestria.”
“Who?” Silence. “No…”
“She was already too close to falling for me to keep her safe any other way. Let your sister know that the Shadow Rangers may be back soon.”
“Midnight… a filly? Are you sure?”
“Luna, believe me, I don’t like it either. I would love to keep her safe in this fortress until she grows up. Unfortunately, that’s not an option. She’s not the best shot, or even my best shot at saving Equestria. She’s the only shot. Everything is riding on those tiny shoulders now.”
“Does she know?”
“No. I told her about the Rangers, but not the threat. She needs to decide before she finds out about the enemy. That way… That way I have enough wiggle room to try and find a second chance.”
“So there’s a threat, but we don’t know who it is. There’s a hero, but she’s a filly, and we don’t know who she is either. What do we do while we’re waiting for either side to reveal themselves?”
“Hope. Any wishes help too.”
“I see… Does this mean…?”
“I’ll still come by, though it may be less often. If she accepts, I’m going to try to train her as much as I can. She’s definitely got what it takes to save Equestria; she’s proved that over the past month. I’m just not sure if she’s got what it takes to survive it.”
“…You always said you would let Equestria burn to save one filly.”
“And I meant it. I would also let anypony else make the same choice.”
“Are you talking about her or those who will find out about her?”
“…Yes.”
They shared a timeless moment, leaning into each other as they considered the end of the world. Then the mare shifted. “The moon needs to lower, and I need to go.”
“I’ll see you the next chance I get.”
“I know,” The mare tossed over her shoulder as she walked out. She paused as her eye caught something fluttering on the breeze. After a moment of consideration, she reared back and fired a spell at the banner that was still in disrepair. When the light faded, her cutie mark was hanging in its proper place across from his.