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// Chapter 26: Good Evening, My Queen 
// Story: When Snow Falls 
// by Prophet Of Doom 
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     Twinstar walked along the many rows of books that were in the collection of Canterlot Library.  Using her magic, she pulled a random book off the of one of the shelves without stopping. It didn’t matter to her which book or what it was about, it just had to be a big one. Ahead of her was a reading table, sitting at it was the stallion host of Nightmare Moon. 
Twinstar narrowed her gaze and pulled up a chair next to him. Taking her seat and opening her book, only now discovering that it was a book on cake decorations.
“Good Evening, my Queen,” Twinstar whispered.
“Do you have what I ordered?” Nightmare Moon replied impatiently.
Twinstar frowned and levitated a small pouch out of her saddlebags, and deposited it in front of the stallion. With one fluid motion, steel walls hoof opened the pouch and inspected its contents, blue rose petals. 
“Excellent,” -Steel Wall nodded- “You have done well, Twinstar.”
She intern did not respond to this praise’,for Twinstar had been gathering seeming random materials for weeks. She had begun to suspect that Nightmare Moon was simply been humouring her, or entertaining herself by sending her on pointless scavenger hunts.

“If you would indulge, my queen,” Twinstar began. “But what would one need with rose petals?”
Steel Walls eyes flashed indigo, as he gave her a sideways look before giving her an unnerving grin.
“The items that have had you sent for this last moon,” Nightmare Moon said’ using her voice. “Will be brewed together to make a couple of useful potions, such as ‘Mind Ease’.”
“Mind Ease?” -Twinstar raised an eyebrow- “I’m not familiar with this potion.”
“That I don’t find surprising,” Nightmare chuckled. “”Under Celestia’s rule, it is forbidden.”
An illegal concoction Twinstar thought. How very you, Nightmare moon. 
“And what may I ask, does it do, my queen?”
Steel wall leaned back and surveyed the area around them, looking for prying eyes. Once Nightmare Moon was satisfied that they were alone, she turned her host back to the magenta mare.
“If enough of this potion was to find its way into the drinking water of let's say, the barracks of the royal guard,” Nightmare Moon theorised. “Then it would make their minds are little more susceptible to my influences.”
Twinstar nodded, understanding her queen’s sinister intentions.
“When this potion is brewed, will you be able to start you coup, my queen?”
“No,” She replied’ shaking her host’s head. “I’m lacking one final piece, which will be vital if I’ am to succeed.”
“Which is?” Twinstar asked.

Steel Wall gestured a hoof to himself, pointing up and down his being.
“Steel Wall, my current host is insufficient. Even with the alicorn amulet in my possession, I can not wield my magic is strongly enough to take on any of the princesses.”
“You need a new host,” Twinstar inquired.
“Indeed,” -Steel Wall nodded once again- “I was hoping to use one of the princesses as my next host but alas, I fear that they are too strong willed for me to take over, even Luna would be able to resist me.”
“What about Flurryheart?”
“No. She is too young to be useful to me, yet.”
“How about Midnight Snow?” Twinstar pointed out after a moment pondering. “He too is an alicorn.”
“Snow?” Nightmare Moon said’ almost insulted. “Snow has only has one wing, he is defective. Plus he’s male and I prefer female hosts. They are so much more elegant, don’t you think.”
“Why then did you not take me as your host when we meet in my office or the unicorn night guard outside the castle vault, she was a mare?
Nightmare Moon’s terrible grin shone through onto her host, as she willed him to move over to Twinstar. Running a hoof through her mane, she took delight in watching Twinstar freeze rigid, unsure what was happening.
“With the greatest of respect, Twinstar. You are not the youngest of mares and the magic that will need to be wielded against the princesses is a little out of your depth,” Said Nightmare Moon almost purring, adding to Twister’s discomfort. “And that guard was one of Luna’s and being that close to the night princess would likely blow my cover, for she seems to be able to sense my presence.”
Nightmare Moon withdrew her host from Twinstar and took back her seat at the table.

Twinstar took all this in and nodded, a possible solution cropping up in her mind's eye.
“So a young unicorn mare is what's needed,” She said thoughtfully. “I think I have a host for you’ my queen.”
“Really,” Nightmare Moon said doubtfully. “Is she magically gifted?”
“Yes, and she continually wastes it.”
“Is she weak in heart and mind?”
“She can be made to be,” -Twinstar leaned towards Steel Wall- “I can make it so.”
Nightmare Moon studied the former Dr. with a fine eye and intrigue.
“Tell me more about this mare.”