//------------------------------// // No More // Story: The Moon in the Dark // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Celestia paced back and forth on the open plains at the foot of Canterlot Mountain, glancing in the direction of the Everfree Forest every so often as she'd paced. She'd heard the reports from the scouts who'd returned, the reports that had caused the gathering of the army behind her. A horde of what could only be called Monsters had marched out of the Everfree Forest, heading straight for Canterlot Mountain. And now the army was gathered, and Celestia could only wait, and worry, and hide her fear. The gilded war armor she was wearing had been made with the expectation of her being at least 20 before she'd ever have to wear it, and as such was clunky and unwieldy on her 12 year old frame. However, she wasn't expected to actually engage in physical battle here. She was expected to lead, to direct, to inspire, and to lend aid with battle magic or the power of the sun. She only wished she felt capable of even one of those things. The timing of this also upset Celestia greatly. Only a few months ago, that terrible fight with her precious little sister, the report of her last seen heading towards the forbidden mountain peak, and then no sign of her no matter how many search parties were sent. It had since taken all the strength Celestia had to guide the sun and moon, and not collapse from worry and grief. And now, after Canterlot Mountain had shaken from a massive surge of underground magic, followed by the approach of this army...the rumors were already abounding. The Moon Princess had reached the forbidden peak and had disturbed the Ancients in the Depths, and now they rose to claim the surface. Celestia could not allow herself to think of any of these things. She had to lead her army. She had to shoulder her grief for her sister, for her parents, and face down the approaching army, ready to lead her ponies into battle for the safety of the surface. She would not fail here. In the distance, she saw the dust cloud of uncounted feet marching towards the mountain. Focusing her eyes, she could see that not all the Monsters were walking. She couldn't make out shapes yet, but she could see that some of them flew over the others, on wings of flesh or even metal. She shivered, remembering the horror stories some told of the Deep Ones. She prayed her army was strong enough to defeat what approached them. The dust cloud stopped, and across the open field she saw her foes. Monsters of every shape and size lined the field from end to end, looking like every image dredged from the depths of nightmares, shaped to bring terror to the living. Celestia found her own eyes drawn to a tall armored skeleton who gazed out at the amassed army of ponies and up the slopes of the mountain to Canterlot... Before clapping his gloved hands to his cheek bones. "OH MY GOD!" he screamed out in stunned shock. "I FORGOT MY RACE CAR BED!" Other shouts followed that one from the group of Monsters, promptly resulting in the vast majority rushing back towards the Everfree Forest, leaving Celestia to sit down heavily. "What?" she spoke up, totally confused. "That's...not how an army behaves..." She shook her head. "And what is a race car bed?" When the new dust cloud faded, a much smaller group of monsters stood in the middle of the field. Three looked like bipedal goats, two adults and a child. The male adult was garbed in armor and wore a crown. The female adult wore purple robes. The child wore a striped shirt. Beside them was a fishwoman, standing tall and proud in metal armor and clutching a spear, her helmet under her arm. On the other side was a shorter skeleton in a blue hoodie. Surrounding them was about a dozen small creatures that looked like a cross between a dog, a cat, and a gerbil, pure white wearing blue sweatshirts and vibrating across the ground rather than walking. Each of these smaller creatures had large bags strapped to their backs, and suitcases by their side. And a single figure raced ahead of the group towards the ponies, a figure Celestia instantly recognized, but at first could not believe...until she heard her voice. "Tia! Tia!" The moon princess raced up, tackling her older sister and sending the war armor scattering as she glomped onto her. "I missed you so much!" Celestia immediately enfolded her younger sister in her warmest embrace. "Oh Luna, my little Luna...I'm so sorry...I never should have yelled at you like that...I'm just so glad you're finally home..." "Y-Your Highness," a nearby Earth Pony General spoke up. "There is still the...enemy?" he offered, gesturing to the remaining monsters. "What do we do?" "Stand down!" Luna bellowed, the Royal Canterlot Voice erupted out of her small frame to the stunned amazement of all present, sending many of the nearest soldiers to their knees through sheer volume. "You will not harm our friends and family!" Celestia was startled by what Luna had shouted, but she knew better than to question where others could hear. "You heard my sister," she told the General once he was standing again. "Tell the troops to stand down. Princess Luna has brought us new allies." I hope, she added silently. Once the soldiers had shifted to a more peaceful stance, demonstrating the strength of the Princesses rather than prepared to unleash it, Celestia turned to Luna. "Family?" she inquired. "hoo dis, Papa?" a curious voice spoke up. Celestia glanced down, seeing a tiny version of the white creatures she'd seen in the distance, this one barely big enough to hold in one hoof...which possessed a unicorn horn and a tiny pair of wings. Luna giggled at the creature. "This is Tia, my big sis!" she proclaimed. "Tia, this is Princess Temmie! Say hi, Tem!" "Hoy, Auntia!" the little creature greeted warmly before vibrating along, gliding up Celestia's leg and along her body before stopping on her muzzle, petting her on the bridge of her muzzle between her eyes. Celestia stared at the tiny creature. "...wat?"