//------------------------------// // Chapter 16: Day of the Dead // Story: Heir of the Nightmare // by Polaris501 //------------------------------// Canterlot Castle Thirty-six Hours Since Red Dawn Nightmare Moon Something…tickled her muzzle. It was warm. Nightmare scratched at it with her hoof and tried to go back to sleep. But it didn’t stop. She grumbled and tossed a black wing over her face, unwilling to give in so easily. Now the warm…something…was tickling her wing. The sensation was somewhat familiar, like a long buried memory that she was beginning to remember. What is that? What dares disturb the Queen of Sleep? Nightmare tried to match a name with the belligerent bothering her as she groggily opened her eyes. Sunshine. Nightmare’s eyes slammed open and she jumped up in shock, tossing off the blanket covering her. Rushing over to the obscured balcony, she threw back the curtains and stared out into the sky. A scarlet sun glared back down at her. It was starting to slowly dip down below the horizon, allowing a twisted twilight to dominate the sky before night truly fell. The sun wasn’t Celestia’s. The fear and anger that had begun to rise in her quickly drained away and was replaced quickly by confusion and bewilderment. She took stock of what she knew and what she could assume. The last thing that Nightmare remembered before waking up was casting a spell to show Twilight all that she had been through. Her banishment, her battle with Celestia, Twilight’s foal napping, and all the pain and anguish from before Twilight’s birth. She had been determined to show her daughter all the wrongs committed against them by Celestia and the denizens of Equestria. But then…Nightmare didn’t remember anything past that. The next thing she knew sunlight was waking her up. The spell had probably exhausted her. Mind magic was especially difficult, and the amount of energy it took to show Twilight all that had transpired over a thousand years ago had probably overtaxed her energy after their duel. Obviously, by the way the Sun’s magic had been twisted, Celestia hadn’t raised the sun. Cadenza didn’t have the means to do so either. Since Nightmare herself hadn’t raised the sun, there were only two others who could have done it. An imprisoned demon, or her own daughter. Second, Nightmare hadn’t been imprisoned. That meant that either her soldiers or Twilight had placed Nightmare in her chambers after falling unconscious. Furthermore, Nightmare could sense that Twilight was in the castle as she set the sun and moved the stars. Her daughter was safe and sound. Luna let out a breath of relief. Nightmare stretched out her magic to try to get a sense of what she was seeing. Her moon was rising in the east, mirroring the setting red sun in the west. The stars were starting to dot the sky as the red light waned and- Nightmare’s brow narrowed in confusion as she looked closer at Twilight’s stars. Much like the sun, the stars were now a deep crimson red. What has happened? Nightmare resumed her study of the sky. She could sense Twilight’s magic on the sun and stars. Although, upon examining it more closely, Nightmare could sense that Twilight’s magic felt…muted…and angry for some reason. Celestia’s sun was resisting someone not its mistress, but it reluctantly allowed Twilight to handle it. Eternal Night had ended. Nightmare frowned slightly. She was going to need a good explanation for this…change to her edict. She sniffed, and Nightmare could smell a faint whiff of smoke. Looking down from the crimson sky, she could see that the small town…Ponyville…had been reduced to ashes. Faint trails of smoke curled from the shells of the ruined buildings. Nightmare also saw that, somehow, the old ruins of the capital had been brought to the surface. The Everfree Forest and the surrounding land was dotted with gray weathered islands of stone. A large chunk of the Everfree Forest had also been burned away, leaving behind acres of smoking foliage. She needed answers. Now. Nightmare promptly opened her chamber doors and walked swiftly into the hallway. The Imperial Soldiers flanking her doors on the other side saluted and immediately fell back behind her at a respectful distance. She made her way to the throne room, passing soldiers and workers alike who were busy repairing the damage to the castle’s structure caused by Nightmare and Twilight’s duel. Arriving at doors to the throne room, Nightmare could hear Twilight’s slightly muffled voice as well as Commander Noctis’s. Curious as to what was happening, she paused and decided to wait and listen before entering. “…searched the whole forest?” Twilight questioned. “Yes your highness.” Noctis replied swiftly. “The 501st swept the whole area. After the destruction of the town, the residents fled into the forest and holed up in the old castle, just as you predicted.” “Did they resist?” “No. Once my scouts had discovered their location, I moved five battalions into positions surrounding them before making our presence known. Once they realized their situation, they surrendered peacefully. I currently have them in a camp at the base of Canterhorn mountain.” Noctis paused. “Your highness, all of these ponies are civilians who fled their homes. I have orders ready to start rebuilding Ponyville. Just give the order and-” “Your suggestion is noted.” Twilight cut off. “Ponyville will not be rebuilt however. They harbored known fugitives of the Empire and neither resisted nor notified proper imperial authorities of said fugitives. Speaking of authorities, what is the status of Ponyville’s government officials?” There was a pause before Noctis answered. He sounded unhappy and stiff. “According to the interviews my soldiers had with the survivors, Mayor Mare was killed by a manticore while trying to navigate the forest. The schoolteacher, a Miss Cheerilee, drew off a pack of timberwolves to save her students. Some of my scouts found her remains.” “What of Ponyville’s upstanding citizenry?” Twilight asked sternly. “Ponyville’s successful businessman, Filthy Rich, his wife, and his daughter were killed when the fire consumed their manor. According to witnesses, they were trying to save some of the wealth they had stored in their manor. A pair of local bakers in the center of Ponyville, the Cakes, were killed by some of your...by some of the initial fires. One of the town founders, a Granny Smith, sacrificed herself to save her youngest granddaughter from the fire that consumed their farmhouse.” “What is being done with the bodies, Commander?” “I have two battalions burying them now-” “Stop wasting time.” Twilight interjected coldly. “Recall one of the battalions and then order the remaining bodies to be burned. It’s more efficient and takes up less time.” The throne room was silent for a few moments before Noctis spoke up again, his voice firm and tinged a little with anger. “With all due respect, your highness, until Empress Moon re-confirms your legitimacy…in light of Cadenza and Armor’s escape…I shall note your suggestion.” Nightmare had heard enough. She pushed open the throne room’s doors with her magic and stepped through. Luna halted immediately. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened in shock. What appeared to be a…miniature…version of herself sat on the throne Luna had commissioned to be built for her daughter. The smaller alicorn’s fur was pitch black and her starry mane jerked angrily in an unseen wind. The stars that dotted her mane twinkled an angry red and her teeth were sharpened fangs. She wore dark blue plated legionnaire armor with the livery equal to that of a centurion. The alicorn’s eyes were slitted like a snakes, and blood-red. Luna blinked. It was Twilight…but it wasn’t Twilight. “My Empress.” The smaller alicorn stated calmly. The mare wearing Twilight’s face nodded in recognition and trotted dutifully across the throne room. She bowed in complete submission at Luna’s hooves. “I was taking stock of the situation while you recovered in your chambers. I took notes for you to review so that you are kept up to date on the Empire’s status.” Before saying or doing anything, Luna had to make sure she wasn’t being misled. Her magic washed over the alicorn, searching for the signature that was distinctly her daughter’s. She detected no deception. Despite all appearances, it was Twilight. What had caused this sudden change in appearance was still a mystery though. Perhaps Twilight had decided to don a glamour to mask her true-self, much like Luna had created the persona of Nightmare Moon. “Twilight?” Luna saw her daughter’s eye twitch at the sound of her name. “Why have you raised the sun?” Twilight rose and stepped back, the very expression of cool and collected. “Your majesty, by raising the sun under your authority, the initial impression will be that you are in fact Celestia’s equal. Something that ponies may doubt. Compounding this fact with your defeat of her, you prove that you are her superior.” Twilight stated primly. “Furthermore, heralds from the legions garrisoning Equestria’s cities have brought in reports that citizens now fear the Red Sun and have stayed shut indoors while it is daytime. They are only coming out at night. Ponies are now only gathering under the light of the Moon and Stars because of their fear of the Red Sun. They have, for the moment, switched sleeping patterns so as to sleep while the sun is up; then they wake and conduct their business at night. If we reinforce this attitude, society will surely switch from being diurnal to nocturnal.” Nightmare turned and looked out of one of the stain-glassed windows at the last glimpse of the setting Red Sun. It was horrifying sight to see. Celestia’s Sun had always glowed gently, like a shepherd among sheep. The Red Sun, however, glared down angrily from above like a vengeful god ready to smite those who dared to look upon it. From her memories of Celestia, Nightmare knew that her estranged sister would have been horrified at the state of her beloved Sun. “You are sure of this Twilight?” Nightmare demanded, still staring at her sister’s twisted sun. “I will not lift the veil of our Eternal Night by your whim alone. You are confident that this will not encourage dissidents?” “The exact opposite, my Empress.” Twilight said smugly. “I have weighed the probability, factored in all realms of possibility, and have concluded that as time progresses ponies will come to see the Night as a time of sanctuary from the Red Sun which they fear. Eventually, that fear will turn into hate towards the daytime with the Red Sun. The Night will hold sway in their hearts while they reserve their fear and hate for the daytime.” Irony. Sweet, delicious, satisfying irony. Twilight was brilliant. To have the ponies hate her sister’s precious sun brought a level of satisfaction that Nightmare hadn’t realized was absent. To have the situation reversed…for ponies to love the Night and hate the Day…it was a dream come true. “Well done daughter.” Nightmare praised, smiling despite herself. “It brings me great joy to see you taking an initiative promoting our beautiful Night.” Nightmare’s eyes narrowed and she scrutinized Twilight. “You haven’t done this out of some misplaced sense of loyalty for Celestia have you?” Twilight hissed and gritted her fangs. “No. My loyalty belongs to you and only you, my Empress. That-That mare is dead to me.” Nightmare sighed happily at her daughter’s declaration and she smiled again. She no longer had to worry about Twilight’s divided loyalty between herself and her sister anymore. It seemed that showing Twilight all of Nightmare’s memories from her banishment and before that moment had finally convinced Twilight of Celestia’s manipulations. Speaking of which… “What is Cadenza’s status?” “She rots in the dungeon’s deepest hole, my Empress.” Twilight reported dutifully. “She is broken beyond repair and is no longer a threat of any kind. I have ensured that she will never again defy you. Do you wish to visit her cell? ” Nightmare shook her head. “No. I will visit her later to make sure she won’t escape again, but if you are certain of her imprisonment, then I am satisfied. There are more important matters to tend to.” She sniffed the air and found that the smell of smoke was drifting in through some of the castle’s broken windows. Nightmare still did not have an explanation for Ponyville’s sudden demise. Nightmare turned back towards Twilight, a frown firmly back in place. “What of the town? I could see the smoke from my chambers. How was it destroyed? Twilight kneeled before her again, much to her mother’s annoyance. “I am responsible, my Empress. The destruction of Ponyville was my doing. They harbored the escaped prisoners from Canterlot Castle.” “What?” Luna gasped, shocked. “You? You destroyed Ponyville?!” “It is as you say, my Empress.” Luna stood back up abruptly and walked to one of the stained-glass windows, staring with sudden clarity at the devastation in the valley below. “Commander Noctis.” Luna intoned rigidly. “How many?” “Majesty?” The officer sounded confused. “Deaths.” Luna clarified, still staring at the columns of smoke that filled her vision. “How many deaths?” Although Luna could not see him, she heard Noctis’s armor clink as he shuffled around in discomfort. “Of the fifty Royal Guards who escaped, we have found thirty-six bodies. The rest, in consideration to the severity of Ponyville’s destruction, are presumed to be dead. Ponyville’s total population was one-thousand and ninety-nine; of them, only seven-hundred and seventy-seven remain, your majesty. We have found only two-hundred bodies, but it is most likely that the rest perished in the Everfree Forest.” “Three-hundred and seventy-two.” Luna calculated instantly. Her head turned slowly to fix Twilight with a horrified stare. “Three-hundred and seventy-two.” Twilight wasn’t affected in the slightest, her face could have been chiseled from stone for all the care she showed. “Three-hundred and seventy-three, actually. Shining Armor is dead.” The soldiers and the nobles who had been murmuring in the background of the throne room trailed off into silence at Twilight’s declaration. Amidst the shock of that pronouncement, Nightmare felt a glimmer of satisfaction. She had instantly disliked the stallion who had claimed to be Twilight’s brother upon meeting him. But then as she comprehended the full weight of Twilight’s words, the small fraction of satisfaction was quickly replaced by cold realization. Twilight had killed Shining Armor…who she had believed to be her brother. Something was very wrong. Luna hadn’t been with her reunited daughter for long, but she did know that Twilight was devoted to her “brother.” Luna turned and stared hard at Twilight, searching for the reason why she treated her mother with the same cold detachment that she was using to describe the status of her once beloved “brother.” She needed to get Twilight in private so that they could talk and Luna could discover what was bothering her daughter. “Enough.” Nightmare commanded. “I have heard enough. We have much to discuss Twilight, we will retire to my chambers to talk further.” Luna turned back toward the doors and gestured for Twilight to follow her. She needed to find out what had happened to cause this shift in Twilight’s personality. “Your majesty, what of Ponyville’s remaining citizens?” asked Noctis. Nightmare paused and thought it over. "The Element Bearers need to be found and re-imprisoned. Can you recognize the prisoners that escaped earlier, Commander?” “Yes, your majesty.” “Search the survivors and if there any of the escaped prisoners, arrest them and put them back in the dungeons. As for the rest of the citizens, provide the means for which they can relocate to another city of their choosing. I have no quarrel with them.” She paused, glancing at Twilight through the corner of her eye. “Identity the dead if possible and give them a proper burial as well.” Twilight scowled but said nothing, accepting her command without question. “What if some desire to return and rebuild Ponyville, your majesty?” Asked Noctis. Nightmare shot a glance towards the column of smoke before returning her attention to Twilight. “Tell them that Ponyville will not be rebuilt. The town harbored fugitives and this is the consequence. I won’t waste Imperial resources on a small town that has now defied me twice. My mercy should be enough for them.” Noctis bowed low. “Very well, your majesty. I shall go and organize their departure at once.” He rose and exited swiftly, taking his officers with him. Nightmare swept through the doors and into the hallway, Twilight following behind her. They walked through the hallway in silence, neither alicorns breaking the lull between them. Nightmare took this moment to study her daughter’s new form. The likeness between Twilight and herself was very close. The only major differences between them was that Nightmare towered over her daughter and that Twilight’s slitted eyes were scarlet. Once they had arrived back in the royal chambers, Nightmare closed the doors behind them and turned around to find Twilight standing quietly behind her. Nightmare’s rigid posture relaxed as she smiled down at Twilight. “Now then Twilight, you can drop your glamour now.” Twilight’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I…I don’t understand, my Empress.” Luna also became confused. She gestured with a hoof to Twilight’s entire body. “Your glamour, the one you cast to create this form. I understand why you want to imitate me in public, but now that we are in private, I want to see the natural beauty I gave you.” Twilight shuffled uncomfortably. “Have I displeased you in some way my Empress? I-“ “Enough calling me, ‘Empress.’” Luna snapped. Her impatience with Twilight’s formality was grating her nerves. “You have called me mother before and you can do so again.” Twilight look scandalized. “But…But Empress! You are the monarch of Equestria! I can’t address you so informally!” Luna’s anger spiked. “Do I have to command you!?” She spat. “Will you do it then!?” Twilight fell down and prostrated before her instantly. “I will do whatever you command Empress! Just tell me and I will do it! I live to serve you! I am your most faithful servant!” “Serve me?!” Luna growled. She stomped her hoof in frustration. “I don’t want you to serve me!” Twilight flinched as if Luna had stabbed her. She straightened back up and Luna could see that her left eye kept twitching sporadically. “Have I failed you, my Empress?” Twilight said quietly, her tone sounding unbalanced. There was a slight tremor in her voice. Her eye twitched again. “Have I failed?” Luna took a deep breath, willing her anger to drain away. She tried to smile at her daughter. “No Twilight, you haven’t failed. I just want you to be happy.” “Happy?” Twilight said disbelievingly, as if she had never heard of such a thing. Her scarlet eyes searched Luna’s. “You want me to be happy?” “Yes.” “Then stop calling me Twilight.” … Luna sat frozen. Surely she had heard wrong. “You…don’t want me to call you Twilight?” “Yes.” … “Then…Then what do you want me to call you?” “Nova. Nightmare Nova.” “…why?” Twilight snorted angrily. “Because Twilight is the name that belonged to a weak mare. Twilight was weak. I am Nova and I will be stronger that Twilight was.” Luna could scarcely believe her ears. It was like she was talking to herself. Twilight sounded just like her. Sounded just like Nightmare Moon. But she wasn’t supposed to. She was supposed to sound like Twilight. “I…I don’t understand. I gave you that name. It is the name you were born with.” “And this–“ Twilight gestured to her black fur and bat-like wings. “-isn’t a glamour. This is who I am now. I am Nightmare Nova, faithful servant of Nightmare Moon.” She stood tall as if her declaration was something to take pride in. “I have laid waste to your enemies, sent the Elements of Harmony running, turned the Captain of the Royal Guard to stone, and imprisoned the alicorn Cadenza in a cell. Surely that makes me worthy of your name? The name of Nightmare!” Luna stood taller, towering over her much shorter daughter, her eyes blazing. “I did not endure imprisonment on the moon for a thousand years and return to conquer my treacherous sister’s kingdom only so that you could put yourself in harm’s way again!” She said with conviction. “It is my burden to be the face of fear before which our enemies cower. To be a nightmare to those that would wish us harm. I learned a thousand years ago that the ponies outside these walls would never respect me as they did my sister. They would not stop at anything to destroy us, so I had to become something worse so that they would never dare again to seek your death.” Luna’s voice relented and her features softened. “I do not want your life to be mine. You are free of my fate, free to be the one that everyone respects and loves. Let me be the one to be the Nightmare and keep order. You be Twilight Sparkle and bring light amid my Night. Be the light shining through my darkness. Be the Stars that I brought into this world.” Twilight walked up to her and stared into her eyes. She unfurled her wings and gestured with both hooves to Luna’s black nightmarish form. “If you are the Nightmare, then how can I be anything less?” Luna said nothing. Words failed her in that moment of sadness. Nova stepped back and gave her empress a polite bow. “If I may be excused, my Empress, I desire to study in the Royal Library and expand my knowledge of magic. My fight with Armor and Cadenza left a lot to be desired. Do I have your leave?” Nightmare Moon nodded reluctantly. She felt numb. Nova made her way silently to the door and exited the room, leaving her empress alone in her chambers and shutting the door behind her. Nightmare stood up slowly and made her way to the window to gaze down upon the ruins of Ponyville below. She had the throne, she had her daughter, her enemies were scattered or imprisoned, and ponies were coming to fear her sister’s sun. There was nothing that she had desired a thousand years ago that was not in her possession now. She was…not content though. Though instead of desiring more, she now didn’t realize what she truly wanted. What Luna did know was that what she had now did not bring her the satisfaction she thought she would have. She didn’t know how to proceed with her daughter. Twilight was unfeeling and everything between them now was strictly formal. Everything had been going so well until Twilight had challenged her, and now…. “What do I do?” Ponyville Refugee Camp One Hour After Moonrise Noctis Good soldiers follow orders. That was what they taught him at the military academy of the Citadel of Stars so many years ago. A lesson that was drilled into the head of every legionnaire in the Army of the Night. Listen. Obey. Don’t ask questions. It was simple and to the point, just how he liked it. However, war was never so simple. “Commander Noctis? How soon does Her Majesty want the refugees relocated Commander?” Shaking himself of his thoughts, Noctis turned toward his second-in-command of the 501st Legion, Captain Scorpio. The two of them were walking around the Ponyville Refugee camp the army had set up for the refugees. Scorpio had been his best friend since their training days at the academy. They had fought together in the frozen wastelands of the north and battled monsters deep in the caves under the Unicorn Mountains. Scorpio was a brother to Noctis in all but blood. “Empress Moon wants us to begin relocating them immediately. With the stipulation that Ponyville will not be rebuilt, the refugees may go anywhere they want to in the Empire. Her majesty doesn’t have a vendetta with the survivors, but with the prisoners that escaped Canterlot Castle. Have any of them been found?” Scorpio shook his head. “No sir, none of the soldiers in the regiment know what they look like. I believe the soldiers who watched them are still in Canterlot Castle’s medical wing recovering. I think it might just be you who knows.” Noctis nodded thoughtfully, his eyes roaming the ponies milling around the campsite. Many of them were afraid while a few others looked dazed, probably from shock. Only a small number glared at his soldiers resentfully. “I thought this might be the case.” Noctis said. “That’s why we’re searching the camp. Nightmare Nova confirmed that the prisoners were in Ponyville when she destroyed it.” Scorpio never broke stride, but his face looked thoughtful. “Is it true, Noctis, what everyone is saying? Princess Twilight is the alicorn Nightmare Nova?” Noctis’s lips thinned and he nodded. “Empty skies.” Scorpio breathed. He frowned and gestured at the refugees around them. “I also heard that this was her doing.” “Yes.” For the next few moments, the two walked in silence. Each lost in their own thoughts. “Is this similar to how Empress Moon was once called Luna?” Scorpio asked. Noctis’s nocturnal eyes flicked from pony to pony, searching for the escaped prisoners. It was common knowledge among the Lunar Pegasi that their empress had once gone by the name of Luna. It was a history fact that their ancestors, the Night Watch, preserved in their records during the exodus from Equestria. Courtesy and practice since then dictated that the Lunar Pegasi call their ancient patron by the name she chose to call herself, that of Nightmare Moon. He thought long and hard about his answer before giving Scorpio a reply. “No…I don’t think so.” Noctis said quietly. “We know from our ancestor’s journals that Her Majesty had been called the Night Mare of the Moon for years before she was banished. For Princess Twilight, this abrupt change of names is out of character.” Scorpio snorted disbelievingly. In the right setting, the two of them maintained their formality as they were trained, however, they dropped protocol once they were relatively alone. “You know the Empress’s daughter so well now do you? Her Majesty’s reign hasn’t even been a fortnight.” “Not well, no. But Princess Twilight was an open book in the few moments we met. She had no subtlety. None.” Scorpio looked thoughtful, scratching his chin with a hoof. “You used the past tense…” Noctis sighed and closed his eyes. “Now I don’t know. Nova’s face might as well be cast from iron.” “Do you know what happened in the castle between the Empress and Princess Twilight? Rumors are flooding the Legion. I was taking a ‘kip when it happened and you gave the order to evacuate the castle. Then I was outside keeping the Canterlot citizens calm when Ponyville was destroyed and the Red Sun rose.” “Only bits and pieces really.” Noctis admitted. “I saw Princess Twilight confront Her Majesty in the throne room about Cadenza, Armor, and the escaped prisoners. The Empress was…extremely upset. Her screaming shook the entire city. Once they started fighting, I briefly saw Princess Twilight teleport away. Her Majesty commanded me to clear the castle and to leave the princess to her. She then teleported also then went after her I assume. I did as ordered, and everything after that is pure guessing.” Noctis snorted in amusement. “I have to say though, the princess’s plan had been brilliant. Princess Twilight’s confrontation with Her Majesty was a ruse to act as a cover for the prisoners’ escape.” Scorpio’s eyebrow rose. “Is this admiration I hear in your voice? Aren’t you mad about the princess defying our Empress?” Noctis grinned. “Admiration for an opponent is not treason, Scorpio. Respect leads to learning how they think, and how best to counter-move next time.” He grinned at his friend. “This is why I am in charge, and you are not. I can think outside the box.” Scorpio mock-frowned in pretend indignation. “Hmph. More paperwork for you then.” “Ah. Paperwork. The eternal nemesis of every officer in the army.” Scorpio snorted but said nothing more. They checked a few more tents before moving on. Noctis could see that his soldiers had obeyed his order and treated the refugees well. There were plenty of rations and living conditions were good. The refugees might have be detained until the escaped prisoners could be found, but they would be treated respectfully. Good soldiers follow orders. As he left another tent and headed towards another enclave, Scorpio trotted and joined him, a thoughtful frown on his face. “What do you make of Nightmare Nova?” Noctis shivered involuntarily. He could still see Nova’s blood red eyes. “Cruel…and cold. Like ice. She doesn’t have a shred of sympathy for anything or anyone.” “Do you know what made Princess Twilight become Nova? Was it Armor? Cadenza? The escaped prisoners we’re looking for?” Noctis shook his head. “No. I don’t know what…or who brought about this change. I’m not sure I want to know.” Scorpio glanced at him but didn’t pursue that line of questioning. Noctis searched another enclave of tents. Nothing. There were plenty of ponies, but none of them were the escaped prisoners. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.” Sighed Noctis. Scorpio kept searching the tents, though his twitching ears betrayed that he was listening. “What’s the matter Noctis?” “This.” Noctis waved a wing at the refugee camp. “All of this.” His eyes left the camp to look beyond it for a moment, where his soldiers were digging graves. “All of that. We came here to liberate Equestria from the Sun Tyrant and to help our ancestor’s hero, not to destroy these ponies’ homes. Our ancestors lived by a code of chivalry, to fight evil and to defend the innocent. A code we have tried to preserve. I don’t feel like a liberator. Looking at what Nova has done, at what we are an accessory to, I feel empty.” Scorpio stopped suddenly to stare sharply at Noctis. “Is Nova truly so destructive?” “I’m sure of it.” “Will you order…the Blood Moon Protocol?” Noctis stiffened, and shushed Scorpio quickly. Ears were everywhere. He glanced to see if anyone around them were listening in, but the two officers were between tent enclaves and well out of listening range. Nevertheless, he lowered his voice. “No.” He said firmly. “The Empress didn’t know; the shock was all over her face. She didn’t command Nova to destroy Ponyville. Nova may be heartless, but she has demonstrated that she is…fanatically loyal to Her Majesty. The Empress won’t allow another massacre to happen, not unless Nova goes rogue.” “And the Protocol?” The Legions of the Lunar Pegasi were trained to be prepared for anything. Anything. A thousand years of imprisonment was a long time after all. “I pray it never comes to that.” Noctis said. “I gave an oath to serve the Empress and Twilight Sparkle, not Nightmare Nova.” Scorpio nodded in silent agreement. An affirmation that was surely shared by all their kin in Equestria. “So” Scorpio resumed searching the tents. “Have you spotted anything?” “No, I-“ Noctis spotted a flash of familiar green scales. “Wait…I see something. Follow me, and stay quiet.” The two of them, with only the stealth a trained Lunar Pegasi possessed, crept from shadow to shadow as they weaved in and out of tents. Their destination was a quad of tents on the edge of the camp, far from the main paths regularly used by soldiers and refugees alike, but not far enough to be suspicious. They peaked around an empty tent to see what had captured Noctis’s attention. Spike the Dragon. The young dragon was carrying a clawful of supplies towards the tents and didn’t see the two soldiers following him. Noctis didn’t know how Princess Twilight’s assistant had gotten here. He had thought the dragon was still in the castle; nobody had told him he was missing. He realized that the dragon had probably helped the prisoners escape Canterlot Castle, a guess that matched with Princess Twilight’s defiance of the Empress. Spike was beat up a little. Some of his scales were singed and he had several bandages covering his head and left arm. His face was tightened up with worry as he concentrated on the tents in front of him. Noctis and Scorpio circled around and crouched underneath some bushes so that they had a clear line of sight for the four tents and its occupants. Surrounding the small campfire were at least nine ponies, not including Spike. There was a large red earth pony stallion grouped with the mare Noctis recognized as Applejack along with a small filly with no cutie mark. The trio were similar in color, so Noctis inferred they were family. The unicorn Rarity was with another small unicorn filly with a similar white coat but no cutie mark. The earth pony Pinkie Pie was hunched over a kettle, cooking something over the campfire. Rainbow Dash along with a much younger pegasus -- different colors, so they were unrelated – were helping the blind pegasus Fluttershy eat some soup. Noctis and Scorpio listened. When Rarity turned and spotted Spike, she wilted in relief. “Oh Spike, thank goodness you’re alright. You were gone longer than I expected and I was getting worried.” Spike set the supplies down and waved off Rarity’s concern. “Sorry about that. There was a long line for the rations. I also got some more medical supplies for later.” He handed a small package to Pinkie Pie. “Here is the cinnamon you wanted, Pinkie. That’s all I could get, spices are in short order.” Pinkie gave Spike a weak smile. Noctis could see that her eyes were red from crying. “Thanks. I needed if for making the Cakes cinnamon apple recipe.” She sniffed and her lip trembled. “It…It was their favorite.” In the bushes, Scorpio nudged Noctis. “Is it them?” Noctis nodded discreetly. “Should I double-back and get a squad?” Noctis hesitated. Something wasn’t right. He had only gotten a brief glimpse of them before, just enough to recognize the mares the Empress had placed in the dungeons, but he had been expecting something…more. Noctis had sharp eyes, trained to recognize friend from foe. He had thought the escaped prisoners would look like assassins veiled as refugees. But they didn’t. They looked like sad refugees who had lost friends, family, and their home. Good soldiers follow orders. Rising up, Noctis abandoned all subtlety, much to Scorpio’s shock, and calmly walked towards the small campsite. Once at the edge, he audibly cleared his throat. As one, everyone stiffened and turned to stare at Noctis. Rainbow Dash got up and made a mad dash towards him but Pinkie Pie grabbed her before she could attack them. Nobody else moved. The red stallion slowly rose up -- Noctis had to admit that the earth pony was huge – but said nothing. Though there was a clear snarl written on his face. Scorpio followed his lead and stood beside him, though his friend shifted uncomfortably. He was tense and ready to fight if it happened. Noctis doubted it would come to that though. These ponies were regular citizens, not skilled and dangerous assassins. Nightmare Moon had lied to him. “You are the five mares who escaped from Canterlot Castle’s dungeons, correct?” No response. He turned to Spike, who was frozen in fear. “Sir Spike, it is good to see you well.” Again no response. Rainbow Dash was glaring holes through him though, trying to escape Pinkie Pie’s embrace. “Please don’t take my sister!” The small unicorn with Rarity squeaked. Her eyes were wide with fear for Rarity. Noctis turned to look down at her. “What is your name?” The young unicorn was about to respond but Rarity clamped a hoof over her mouth, shaking her head furiously. Noctis sighed and allowed himself to relax visibly, trying to look unintimidating. “Miss, I’m not going to take your sister.” Finally, a reaction. Several of them shifted in discomfort before eying Applejack, their apparent leader. It was obvious that they didn’t trust him.” Applejack stared into his eyes and Noctis stared unflinching back. He had nothing to hide. She didn’t relax but her eyes burned with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. “He’s tellin’ the truth.” Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and the three young ponies all gave out sighs of relief and relaxed a little, though the tension didn’t leave them entirely. The others remained stiff and wary. “Why are yah here then?” The red stallion demanded. “You are…?” “Macintosh Apple.” “I was sent by the Empress to find five escaped assassins.” The tension returned swiftly. Noctis turned to once again stare into Applejack’s eyes. “I haven’t found any assassins.” The group shifted in confusion, glancing at one another uncertainly. Applejack mulled over his words before her eyes lit up in recognition. She was sharp, that one. “Yah letting us go?” The sharp intakes of breath from everyone else, including Scorpio, was almost amusing. Almost. “Yes. My report to the Empress will be that the five assassins were never found. They either escaped or perished in the Everfree. I believe she will think you are dead.” “And why’s that?” Demanded Rainbow Dash furiously. The pegasus was itching for a fight and Noctis knew it. Pinkie Pie was still restraining her though. “Because you’re not assassins.” He turned back to Applejack. “You know what this means though.” She nodded. “We disappear.” “Do not return. Nobody searches for the dead.” He turned to face the group as a whole. “I will not ask where you will go, but make sure you avoid ever coming near here again. It isn’t safe for you.” Spike strode forward with determination. “I won’t leave. I have to stay.” Ponies all around him protested and it took a bit of time to settle them down before he could speak again. “I have to!” He said firmly. “Twilight needs me! I don’t know what Nightmare Moon has done to her but I have to help her!” Noctis was taken aback slightly, he hadn’t expected this. “Twilight Sparkle is gone, young dragon. Nova is all that remains, I doubt she’d be happy to see you again.” Spike swallowed but didn’t back down. “I don’t care. I won’t believe that. Twilight is still there, she has to be!” Noctis frowned. He had to let the dragon what he was suggesting. “Nova killed Shining Armor.” Spike froze, his face drawn up in a combination of horror and grief. “She turned him to stone. He’s now a statue in the castle garden.” Spike’s lips trembled and his eyes filled with dragon tears. Nevertheless, he stepped in front of Noctis, the tears flowing freely down his face. “I have to go. Twilight needs me.” Noctis admired him. “I have warned you. Do you still want to return? You have to be sure.” “I have never been surer of anything.” Noctis waved a wing at the others around Spike. “What about them? You know they are alive. If you make a mistake, even the smallest one, the ruse shall be discovered and it will mean their deaths. Can you remain silent? Do they trust you to keep their secret?” The first hint of doubt flashed across Spike’s face and he turned around towards the other ponies. “No. Absolutely not.” Thundered Applejack. “Spike, yah seem a great guy, but Ah have to think of mah family first.” She blinked back her tears, fighting to remain strong. Scorpio spoke up for the first time since revealing himself, recognizing what was bothering Applejack. “You lost someone?” Applejack nodded. “Mah granny.” She pulled the younger earth pony closer to her. “She died saving mah sister from the fire.” Noctis felt his mouth run dry. “I’m sorry.” The words were hollow. Spike hesitated but walked up to Applejack, placing a his claws on her hooves. “I have to go back, Applejack. She’s my family. She hatched me from an egg.” Applejack wouldn’t look Spike in the eye and kept shaking her head in rejection until Macintosh put a single hoof on her shoulder. He gave Spike a single nod of his head. “Eeyup.” He said. “Let ‘im go AJ.” Applejack looked torn before her face screwed up in determination. She glared at Spike and pointed at him with a hoof. “Swear it!” She demanded, her eyes filled with unshed tears for her grandmother. “Swear on your life that yah will never, ever, reveal our secret. Swear that you will take it to the grave!” Spike stepped back, clearly intimidated by the mare’s ferocity, and wrung his claws before he took Applejack’s hoof, staring into her eyes. “I promise.” Applejack held his gaze for what seemed like forever before she turned to Noctis. “Will they read his mind?” “No.” said Scorpio. “Dragons are naturally resistant to most mind magics.” “I will say that we found him in the Ponyville wreckage.” Noctis added. “He has the injuries to prove it. He may be punished, but probably nothing severe. I imagine Nova would enjoy having a dragon serve her.” Spike visibly swallowed but walked to Noctis’s side anyway. Noctis spoke to the whole group. “Nobody else here knows what you look like, and there are no pictures of you in our possession. Soon, my soldiers will break up the camp and you can take a train to wherever you want.” Rainbow Dash finally escaped Pinkie Pie and stomped towards him. She was shorter than him, but only by a little bit. She stopped right in front of him and snorted in his face. Noctis tensed, there was something about this mare that screamed danger. “Tell me why!” She shouted, poking his armor harshly with a hoof. “Tell me why I should believe you! You’re loyal to Nightmare Moon!” Good soldiers follow orders. “I am loyal.” He admitted. “I am loyal to my leaders, I am loyal to fellow soldiers, I am loyal to my people.” He looked up from the irate mare to look at them all. “I am loyal to those who are innocent and need my help.” Rainbow Dash stepped back, rage shaking her, but she did not attack. For a moment, Noctis thought that she wouldn’t believe him and attack anyway. She snorted and turned away. Her anger not abiding at all. “You’re lucky I trust Applejack.” Beside him, Scorpio relaxed. “We’ll be taking our leave then.” Noctis said. Nobody bothered to reciprocate the farewell, not that he blamed them. Noctis turned around and started to leave with Scorpio following behind slightly. Spike was saying his farewells to everyone else. Noctis was sure he would catch up with the two officers, for now though, they needed to speak privately. The group they left behind murmured and Noctis could hear them pack up what little they had, getting ready to leave. “Noctis…those ponies weren’t assassins. They were just regular ponies” “Correct.” “What does this mean?” “It means that we don’t have the whole story. The Empress lied to us.” Scorpio gasped. “What do we tell her?” “The truth. We didn’t find any assassins.” “What do we do then?” Noctis thought about it.” “Nothing. The Empress may have lied, but there was something about them…something strong. Nothing sinister though. They were in that dungeon for a reason, a reason that involved Princess Twilight. With Nova though…I doubt whatever it was will work again. The bond they had, it died with Ponyville. There’s no reason to continue tormenting these civilians. They have done nothing to us, and have only suffered.” “I agree.” “We must march on and remain vigilant.” Noctis said firmly. He glanced up and eyed the crimson stars above them. “The night is long and dark days are ahead of us. All of us.” Good soldiers follow orders. Was he still a good soldier?