Utaan

by Imploding Colon


A Light Beyond the Boundaries

Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle, and Applejack all floated in a circle—scarcely containing their bursting grins as they listened in on the conversation that Rainbow Dash was having.

"—and then after I shook off the Talon for the last time in the canyon with the train, I made my way into Wyvern Point where—you will never guess—I ran into the Eastern Branch of the Herald!"

"The Herald?" Princess Luna's voice reverberated in the enchanted air.

Wildcard and Bard exchanged glances. The rest of the slack-jawed adventurers sat around the campfire, their beady eyes aimed starward as the alicorn's voice continued.

"I can only hope you were better prepared to face them this time, Rainbow Dash."

"Oh! That's just the thing. They're... uh... the 'good Herald.'"

"I was not even aware there was a 'bad' Herald—simply a singular group of misguided mortals who incorrectly interpreted Urohringr lore as an excuse for militantly hijacking your flight eastward."

"Yeah. And I understand why you would think that way." Rainbow Dash shook her head as her glowing pendant rattled. "But these ponies aren't like that. For one, they haven't had Khao leading them and poisoning their heads. Maybe at one time they were—as you say—'misguided.' But they've cleaned their act over the past few centuries, even going so far as to limit their group to an easily controllable seven defenders of Austraeoh. So... like... they're less cult and more kick-flankery." Rainbow Dash stifled a giggle. "It's totally cool! You remember Wildcard and Bard? They were totally members of the Herald all along! Well... Wildcard was. Bard is now, but... eh... that's a long story."

"Your 'Desperado' friends are in league with these ponies?"

"That's right, Your Highness."

The silver glow carried with it a thoughtful breath. "That is indeed most reassuring."

"Heh... how 'bout that, Dubya?" Bard murmured aside to his griffon friend. "We done impressed a moon chick."

"Correction!" Pinkie Pie huffed. "The moon chick!"

"Shhhh!" Rarity hissed. "Pinkie, let us listen!"

"And get this, Your Highness..." Rainbow Dash leaned forward, her muzzle straightening into a serious expression. "...for the longest time, this Herald's been led by none other than Mortuana."

The mortals in attendance held their breaths.

Eventually, Princess Luna replied: "The first-born of King Onyxxus and Queen Mesmer."

Kepler blinked at that while Ariel's lips pursed.

"You remember them?" Rainbow Dash remarked.

"Dear child," Princess Luna spoke. "The alicorns who settled upon this plane were few, and the descendants they left behind even fewer. It has been many... many millennia since I last crossed paths with Mesmer, Onyxxus, and their family. But the memory of my own harmonic blood remains as ever bright as when it was first kindled inide me."

"Then you must know that Mortuana and Whitemane are sisters."

"This has also not been lost to me, and I find it more than fortuitous that you would have stumbled upon the presence of an Emeraldinian alicorn so wisely gifted with the knowledge of—" Just then, Luna's voice cut off. The enchanted silver light flickered... almost as if shifting.

Twilight and Fluttershy exchanged worried expressions.

"Luna?" Rainbow gulped dryly, tilting her head up even further. "Princess? Is everything cool?"

Silence... and then—

"... ... ...there are two of my children among you."

As if on cue, Echo and Nicole winced. Their slitted eyes glimmered with a new brilliance, as if reacting directly to the silver glow.

"You have found sarosians in your journey," Luna stated.

"Well... y-yeah, Your Highness." Rainbow slicked back her short-short bangs. "One of them is Echo. I... uh... I told you about him before."

"The one instrumental in dismantling the criminal organization within the underwater city of Shoggoth," Luna remarked. "A victim of misfortunate circumstances, if I do recall..."

"To say the bucking least," Echo droned.

"Shhhhh!" Nicole elbowed him hard—then froze solid (and wide-eyed) as Luna spoke again.

"Dear child. I had feared the worst for you, following the climax of your confrontation with such nefarious allies of the past. Please, do tell me. Are you doing safely at my royal subject's side?"

"Uh... yeah. Hi there, Mother of Nightmares." Echo gulped. Hard. "I'm kinda shitting myself right now."

Twilight Sparkle face-hoofed.

"That is... a rather poetic assertion," Luna's voice murmured. "And who is that beside you?"

"Uhm... I... I'm..." Nicole could only squeak.

"My lil' baby sis, Yer Majesty... er... Ma'am..." Bard tipped his hat to midair. "And, to be perfectly honest, I never done seen her this timid."

"I assure you, there is nothing to be afraid of. I am just as mesmerized by your presence as you are evidently shocked at mine," Luna said.

"Are... you r-really her?" Nicole murmured, shivering. "Are you really the Mother of Nightmares?"

A slight pause. Then:

"I apologize, for I am not familiar with that monicker, nor is it something that I feel that I should be taking pride in. My true name is Princess Luna, and I am the alicorn of the moon—for it is my righteous harmonic charge to oversee the safe passage of night for all my royal subjects in Equestria as well as all equines abroad. Sadly, several centuries ago, I fell victim to a malevolent spirit that twisted my ambition into something discordant and disharmonious. This gave birth to the brief but treacherous reign of Nightmare Moon, which ended with my millennium-long imprisonment... as well as a terrible rift driven between myself and my sister—the wise Princess Celestia. But do not dread. The heroic actions of Rainbow Dash—the Austraeoh—and the rest of the Elements of Harmony restored me to my true form, and Nightmare Moon is no longer."

"Glorrious..." Kepler smiled through his tusks at the other Heraldites. "Absolutely glorrious..."

"Uhm... Princess Luna...?" Nicole murmured.

"Yes, child. Fear not. Speak what is on your mind."

Nicole sniffled. "I... I-I'm feeling something right now... deep inside." She swallowed a lump down her throat. "It's like my heart is on fire... and my eyes are burning. It should be painful, and yet... I can't remember another moment in my life when I felt more whole. Could... could it be that—?"

Spontaneously, Luna's voice rang: "Whynn'mm lynnwlyn nrymm'lynn hymm'nmmm lyn w'numm'ymmm..."

Both Echo and Nicole gasped at once.

Wildcard's headcrest raised curiously.

"What..." Rainbow Dash glanced at her ghostly friends, then back at the scene. "What just happened?"

"Did you understand that, my children?" Luna remarked.

"Y-yes..." Nicole murmured, a tear running down her muzzle.

"Holy Hell, what a buzz..." Echo's leafy ears twitched. He gulped hard and murmured: "What did you just drill into your brains?"

"No 'drilling' whatsoever. That, my children, is Moonwhinny... the heartfelt tongue of all sarosians... born out of a singular dream—as was your flesh and blood. My spirit exists in all of Saros. It has since the foundation of your precious race." Her voice took on a grave tone. "Alas, it is my deepest regret that the evil legacy of Nightmare Moon forever tore you apart. From the valleys of Equestria to the deepest holds of Ponymonium, the dreamblood of Saros has been tainted by a spirit of malevolence. It has been reflected in malice and distrust by the rest of harmonic civilization ever since, and even today I am at a loss to seek out all of the disparate branches of my herd... scattered to the edges of the plain and into the Dark Side beyond. It pains me to this very day, and I can only apologize sincerely for the anguish that I have caused you."

"Hey..." Echo smiled crookedly, his eyes still glowing. "Who's anguished? I'm... k-kinda sorta on t-top of the world right now..." He chuckled breathily. "Who needs coral, am I right?"

"After all th-this time..." Nicole whimpered. "Blue told me that my kind were nothing but evil thugs and murderers to the core..." She slowly shook her head. "But how c-could something that feels this beautiful be so bad?"

"All things are beautiful, my child," Princess Luna said. "I trust that now, more than ever, you are in the right company of friends to truly appreciate that."

Nicole broke down. Tears streamed down her smiling muzzle. Swiftly, Bard trotted over and scooped her into a hug. She buried her face into his shoulder, sobbing happily.

"I... I-I gotta be honest, your Royal Ladyship..." Echo gulped. "I... I'm not really s-sure I count on this 'beautiful' scale..."

"I sense in your heart a soul much like my own, needing so desperately to prove itself worthy of trust and righteousness. If nothing else, consider me a companion in like-minded trials. Through Rainbow Dash, we have a bond, and we seek to make this plane a better place. Would you deny this?"

"No..." Echo slowly shook his head with a calm smile. "I sure as Hell wouldn't."

"Then may our righteous fury dwarf the flames of Tartarus in its combined zeal. Put the shame of the past behind us and focus on the horizon ahead. Rainbow Dash has operated by no less of a commitment." The silver light shifted. "My child, if you have encountered more than one Sarosian in your travels, then I trust you are approaching the edge of this plane?"

"That I am, Your Highness," Rainbow said with a salute. "They call this part of Rohbredden the 'Twilight Lands.' It won't be long now."

"I see." A breath. "Then—I trust—you have gone so far as to encounter Verlax herself? Perhaps even freed Applejack?"

Remna glanced over at Rainbow.

Rainbow bit her lip. She looked at Applejack, then Twilight.

"... ... ...or is this not the case?"

Rainbow took a shuddering breath. "How far are you from Princess Celestia at the moment?"

"Ponyville is just a short flight away, Rainbow Dash. You know this."

"Better go and sit next to her, then," Rainbow Dash murmured. Her wings coiled tightly by her side. "I think she needs to here this."

"Hear what, child?"

"The truth." Rainbow's nostrils flared. "The whole... stinkin'... ugly truth..."