Red Moon Rising

by Silver Tail

Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

Blood Mane arrived at the village after an hour’s slow walk. The cold night air felt wonderful on her coat after the long sleep in her sarcophagus. Most of the building and homes were dark, the ponies inside having fallen asleep hours ago. She could hear their hearts from a hundred feet away as she slept. Her hunger burned within her, and she kept it in check through pure willpower. It would be so easy to simply break down one of the doors and feast on the ponies inside one of the houses, but that would cause noise and leave evidence behind. Her shadow abilities weren’t on the level of Night Shade’s, and she was on a mission anyway. She had to find a Pegasus pony to replace her lost companion. Night Shadow had been a powerful Pegasus, and Blood Mane had known her for several years before the Defeat. She had been abrasive at times, but her desire to help Red Moon and her other friends had been genuine, which was the main reason she had been turned so early. The two of them had born witness to the fall of their army at the hooves of Celestia, and had been two of the only ones to escape that final battle that had killed so many of their companions.

Before she realized it Blood Mane found herself at the opposite edge of the town. “Ponyville,” she read from the welcome sign set up by a bridge over the thin river. She didn’t recognize the name, but given its size she doubted the town had been built before she had slept. She hadn’t come across any ponies in the streets, but she’d known that was a possibility. Looking around she saw an old newspaper near a trash bin, its pages slightly yellowed sitting on a bench atop a small stack of others near one of the houses. Flipping to the first page, she saw six ponies standing next to a white Alicorn, smiles on all seven of their faces. “Celestia,” she bared her fangs. “Soon you’ll pay for what you did to us.” The headline caught her eye a moment later. “Elements of Harmony save Equestria from eternal night,” she read aloud. This was information Red Moon would want to see. She checked the date, seeing the paper was from just over a year ago. Reading the rest of the article, she learned the names of each pony, and that they all lived in this town. “This will make things too easy,” she smiled. If the elements could be captured, Celestia’s most potent weapon would be neutralized. But she would need Night Shade’s magic, for if the holders of the Elements knew even a fraction of their power they could kill her with a single spell.

Taking the newspaper in her mouth, she stuffed it into one of her saddlebags and started making her way back through Ponyville. The colors were darker than usual with the red moon, blues turned red and red to blackness. It reminded her of Night Palace before it was destroyed, when Red Moon’s power lit it up. She kept her senses on alert for any ponies that might be awake. She saw a few windows lit on one of the buildings, a small tower in the center of town. She carefully made her way up to the window and peered inside. A tan Earth Pony with a grey mane was working on a scroll by candlelight, the way she was sitting telling Blood Mane she was half asleep already. Cases of scrolls and folders lined the walls around her, and embers of a fire glowed in a hearth. “Interesting,” she said as she slowly opened the door soundlessly and approached the working mare.

“Oh, hello there; I didn’t expect anypony else to be up this late. Is there something I can help you with?” The mare asked.
“Yes, there is,” Blood Mane said as she trotted up to the tan mare and looked deep into her eyes, eyes that quickly glazed over as shadow magic took hold. “Who are you?”

“I am the mayor of Ponyville,” the Earth Pony replied, her voice a flat monotone.

“Tell me where I can find the homes of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack,” Blood Mane smiled.

“Twilight lives in the town library, Pinkie Pie has a room in Sugercube Corner, Rarity owns Carousel Boutique, Applejack runs Sweet Apple Acres outside town, Rainbow Dash has a cloud home above Ponyville, and Fluttershy’s cottage is near the edge of the Everfree Forest,” Mayor Mare answered.

Blood Mane spotted a map on one wall of the room and tugged it down. Taking the writing quill from the major’s desk, she circled the locations of the Elements. “This will be very helpful. Now, there is one more thing I require from you.” Leaning in close, the vampire Earth Pony sank the tips of her fangs into the mayor’s neck. She took only a small portion, just enough to quench her thirst. As she pulled back she could already see the wounds closing. Come sunrise there would be no signs of her attack. Tucking the map of Ponyville into her saddlebag, she gave one final command. “Sleep now,” she said, and the mayor’s head quickly sank down onto her desk. Taking several sheets of blank parchment, she placed them in the fireplace. The mayor would think her map had fallen into the embers, leaving no evidence Blood mane had ever been here.
As the Earth Pony left the town hall, she contemplated that while she hadn’t managed to hunt down a suitable Pegasus to replace Night Shadow, Red Moon would certainly be pleased to know the Elements of Harmony were within her grasp. And with two of the holders of the Elements being Pegasi, she might still fulfill her mission. Beginning her walk back to the hidden crypt, she began working her way through her mental list of ways she would make Celestia suffer, one for each of her friends and companions lost in the Defeat. The list would be more than enough to keep her brain occupied during the walk back.

….

Night Shade approached the small party on a hill ahead. She could see a few dozen ponies gathered there, and one purple unicorn was watching the moon through a telescope. Her magic sight showed her as a shining bacon among the rest of the ponies, the power within her stronger than any unicorn she had ever seen aside from Celestia and Red Moon herself. She was surrounded by five other ponies and a baby dragon. Drawing on her magic, Night Shade changed her coat to a deep blue, and her cutie mark returned to its original design, a jewel encrusted staff with a blue glow around it. “Hello there,” she called to the group. A pink-maned Pegasus gave a squeak and hid behind an orange coated Earth Pony. “I apologize if I startled you; I’ve been on the road for a long time and the light from your celebration looked very inviting.”

“That’s all right; it’s nice to meet another pony who enjoys the night sky. I’m Twilight Sparkle, what’s your name?”

“You can call me Silver Staff, or just Silver as most ponies do. You’re enjoying the red moon I see.”

“Oh yes, it’s so rare I just had to study it!” Twilight smiled. “I hope to get enough information to write my own book about it someday. Would you like to take a look?” She nodded to her telescope.

“Thank you,” Night Shade smiled, placing her eye to the lens. Instantly the red moon looked close enough for her to touch. Telescopes hadn’t been invented before her long sleep, and with devices like these she could easily see why more ponies would be entranced by the wonders of the night sky. “Amazing, I’ve never owned a telescope myself. You’re very fortunate.”

Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but before she could utter a word a blob of pink assailed her new quest. “Hiya there I’m Pinkie Pie and I’ve never seen you around her before s that means you’re new and that means you get one of my special ‘welcome to Ponyville’ parties but we’re already having a party here to celebrate the moon I wonder if you can have two parties at once I’ve never tried before but it sounds interesting don’t you think?” The party pony asked in a single breath. Suddenly her body shook for a moment and she scratched her neck while rubbing her eye with a hood. “Spine shiver, neck pinch, eye twitch. That’s a new combo,” she smiled. “Wonder what it means.”

“It would be another first for me,” Night Shade replied as she ignored the mare’s twitches, an image flashing through her mind, a light green Earth Pony with a mane just like hers.

“Awww, you look sad, what’s wrong?” Pinkie asked.

“Nothing,” Night said quickly. “You just remind me of somepony I used to know. He even spoke just like you.” Focusing his magic sight, the unicorn examined the pink mare’s aura. It was wild and chaotic, filled with bright emotions, but underneath an undercurrent of fear ran deep. That could prove useful, he mused. “He even had your aura.”

“My aura?” Pinkie asked, examining her coat for something. “What’s an aura?”

“You aura is the energy your thoughts and emotions generate,” Twilight answered. “Is that your special talent, reading auras?”

“Something like that,” Night Shade said. “My friend and I grew up together and had a lot of adventures together, but I lost him a long time ago.” As she spoke the unicorn observed the ponies’ auras to see how they reacted to her story. The pink maned Pegasus watching from behind Twilight Sparkle was very nervous, but there was a shard of bravery buried deep beneath it, shining like a bit in a fountain.

“What happened to him?” Pinkie asked.

“He was killed, by a monster. I wasn’t strong enough to save him.” Night Shade suddenly found herself wrapped in an iron-strong grip as Pinkie Pie hugged her. Her aura subtly changed, becoming ever so slightly more subdued.

“That’s so sad,” Pinkie said. “Losing a friend hurts like nothing else can.”

“Yes, it does,” Night Shade replied, smiling internally. The auras of the six ponies around him all showed the light blue streams of sympathy and sadness. They were reacting just as she expected them too. Keeping her saddening expression, she returned Pinkie’s embrace. The pink mare’s blood was pumping so fast it was like a river in her ears, tempting the vampire to pen a vein, but she banished the desire the instant it appeared. “But I’ve learned to live with the loss. Tell me Twilight, your special talent is magic isn’t it? I could sense it from several minutes away. You must be very skilled and powerful.”

“You bet, Twi’s the most powerful unicorn in Ponyville, and probably Equestria too,” the small dragon boasted, drawing a blush from Twilight’s cheeks. “She’s not Princess Celestia’s student for nothing.”

“Now Spike, there’s no need to boast,” Twilight said.

“You’re a student of the Princess?” Night Shade asked, using all her willpower to keep a scowl from breaking out on her face.

“Yes,” Twilight answered. “I attended Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, until she sent me to Ponyville to learn the magic of friendship.”

“Interesting, did you take Ancient Equestrian History while you were there?”

“Oh yes, I took nearly all the optional classes. I earned top marks in nearly all of them. Did you go there too?”

“Oh no, I never lived in Canterlot,” Night Shade replied. “But I do enjoy studying history, especially the forgotten parts. If you explore the world, it’s amazing the secrets you can find, things some ponies want to forget.”

“Things like what?” Twilight asked, her expression now very interested.

“Forgotten eras where Ponykind didn’t enjoy the peace it has now, secrets about the world, even things Princess Celestia doesn’t want her subjects to remember. I’ve found many tales which survive only as oral stories and legends, any physical copies having been destroyed long ago.” The unicorn watched Twilight’s aura very closely as she talked.

“I’m sure the Princess must have good reasons if she wants things forgotten,” Twilight said. “Maybe they were false records that lead to disputes about property or something.”

Night Shade nearly broke into a smile as she watched the tiniest flecks of doubt enter Twilight’s aura. “Perhaps, or maybe there were other reasons. You’d have to ask her.” Looking up at the sky she felt a subtle pull on her magic. “Well, it was lovely meeting you but I have to return to my travelling group. We’ll likely be nearby for several days as we pass through. I hope to meet you all again.”

“Oh, you’re going to come to your party tomorrow right? I just can’t let you leave without showing you how awesome my parties can be. So can you come? Huh, huh huh?!” Pinkie bounced in place.

“I suppose I can come tomorrow night, my group should have made camp. We simply love the outdoors, never stay indoors if we can help it,” Night Shade smiled. Having free access to the town would prove useful in her future endeavors.

“Sounds like fun. Can I come?” Pinkie asked, her bounces getting a bit higher. “I haven’t been camping in soooo long.”

Night Shade smiled widely. She hadn’t anticipated it would be this easy to extend her influence. “I think that can be arranged. The others would probably love your ideas for parties,” she said.

“Are you sure Pinkie? You just met this girl,” Applejack said as she came over. “No offense,” she added to Night Shade, “name’s Applejack.”

“None taken,” the vampire unicorn replied, reading Applejack’s aura, which contained an unnatural amount of energy for an Earth Pony. “If you’re worried for your friend you’re welcome to accompany us back to my group’s camp.”

“Yea come on, it’ll be fun!” Pinkie smiled at her friend.

“Well, ok, but only for a bit. I got a lotta work ta get done on the farm tomorrow,” the cowgirl said. Despite her friendly attitude, something about this new unicorn felt off to Applejack. “Where’d ya say this camp is?”

“Only a short walk from here, near the river unless they’ve moved it,” Night Shade answered. “I think we’ll be just in time for our late night meal.”

“Do you have anything sweet there?” Pinkie asked.

“Oh yes, the cooking of my friend Lemon Tart is to die for.” Leading the two Earth Ponies along the path she had walked, the unicorn began subtly weaving together a calming spell. She could easily read the doubt in Applejack’s aura, but since she was an Earth Pony it was easy to dull her senses. Even then however, Night Shade was cautious since she was dealing with a bearer of an Element of Harmony. If she had been trained in its magic, even she might be able to pick up on the vampire’s spell. As her spell built power, she Shade spotted Blood Mane up ahead. Her horn glowing, Night Shade sent a brief command to her fellow vampire, who trotted up to the group. “Oh, seems I was missed. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, this is my friend Dreamy.”

“Nice to meet you,” Blood Mane smiled, her grin widening as she saw that Night Shade had ensnared two of the Elements of Harmony. “I’ve seen your picture in your town’s paper. It’s an honor to meet two of the ponies who wield the Elements of Harmony,” she said as she stepped into place alongside Night Shade.

“Nice ta meet’cha too,” Applejack replied, feeling a shiver go down her spine as the crimson maned Earth Pony stepped close to her. She couldn’t put her hoof on it, but something didn’t feel right. “So how many ponies are in this group ah yours?”

“Not very many, only a few ponies have the stamina to keep up with the pace we set. You must work on a farm; your back legs are very well muscled.”

“Mah family and I run Sweet Apple Acres in Ponyville, so yeah, these legs get quite a workout,” Applejack said, a relaxed feeling slowly replacing her apprehension as the group cantered on. Time seemed to melt away until the group found themselves at the edge of the river. The Everfree Forest a short distance away, looking even darker and more spooky in the light of the red moon. “Hey, where’s the rest ah your group?”

“You’ll meet them later, but we have things to discuss first,” Night Shade said, her horn glowing a deep crimson.

Applejack got another shiver, but before she could even move a sudden blow to her head sent her into the ground. Pinkie gasped, but was lifted into the air before she got two steps. “Hey, what are you doing?!” She demanded, watching Applejack try to get back to her feet. Blood dripped from a cut on the side of her head. Suddenly the magic holding her jerked the pink pony forward, and she found herself looking into a pair of eyes as red as AJ’s cutie mark. She tried to look away, but it felt as if all her energy was being sucked out of her like a milkshake through a straw. Images flashed through her mind; her friends in the castle in Everfree, baking at Sugercube Corner, even her playing in her room.

“The Element of Laughter is in the bakery where she works,” Blood Mane smiled, watching as Applejack finally got to her feet. Night Shade had her in the air an instant later.

“Ah, another mind to fillet,” the vampire said, her eyes locking with the bright green of Applejack’s.

“What…are ya doin’ ta…me,” the orange Earth Pony demanded as she tried to fight off the itch that seemed to be pouring into her brain through her eyes, but all it seemed to do was cause her brain to feel like it was being stampeded by a herd of buffalo. ‘Where is your element crystal?’ A vice spoke inside her head. Instantly Applejack saw her room in the farmhouse before her eyes, saw herself remove a lose floorboard and pick up the chest she kept her harmony necklace in. ‘Excellent,’ the voice said, the words echoing inside the farm pony’s mind.

“We have the information we need,” Blood Mane said. “Can I kill them now?” She asked as her fangs lengthened, causing two pairs of eyes to widen in terror.

“Not yet, I still have a use for them,” Night Shade replied. Her mind was working rapidly. With the Elements of Harmony taken, even just two of them, Celestia would lack the power she had wielded the night of the Defeat. They wouldn’t need a fourth member to bring the crystal to full power. “We will use them to gather all the Elements so Red Moon can bind them to her power. I’ll give them a false memory and have them gather the other Elements together so we can seize them all at once. Once we have them all, then you can kill them.”

“You never let me have my fun,” Blood Mane frowned, walking away.

Night Shade stalked over to her captives. Applejack was shaking, and Pinkie had tears in her eyes as they both saw the fangs glinting in the dark coated Earth Pony’s mouth. Their hooves touched ground, but magic still held them immobile. “Now then, the less you resist, the less painful this will be.” Raising her right foreleg, Night Shade’s horn glowed, the magic solidifying into a small black blade. Bringing the spectral knife across her leg, she opened a small gash just above her hoof. As blood began leaking from the wound, she used her magic to gather the liquid into two small orbs. With a series of rapid hoof gestures, the spheres shifted into complicated runes which glowed with the light from her horn. Closing her eyes, she retrieved a memory from her past, a party she and her friends had thrown in this very location so long ago. She blurred faces just enough that neither pony could identify them if pictures still existed. Potent drinks had been shared at that party, and she planted a faint taste of them in her victims’ minds to counter any questions they might have. “This is the part that will hurt,” she smiled as she pressed the blood runes to the two Earth Ponies’ foreheads, the memories forcing their way into their minds. Keeping their mouths shut with her magic, she listened to their muffled screams as the blood stated to boil, steam rising from her victims.

After a long minute Applejack and Pinkie went limp and Night Shade let them fall to the ground. The burns caused by the runes were healing quickly, already half gone. The unicorn smiled. “I haven’t had the opportunity to do that in a long time.” Her spell would take some time to wear off as her false memory merged with true ones to complete her illusion. “Blood Mane, you go back to Red Moon and tell her what we’ve learned about the Elements. I’ll join you once our guests are back with their other friends.”

The Earth Pony nodded. “Have fun sitting here waiting,” she smiled, enjoying the slight revenge for not being able to feed on their captives. As she trotted back into the Everfree Forest, Night Shade levitated Pinkie and Applejack and took them part of the way back toward the hill their friends had occupied. A third of the way there she set them down and waited, looking up at the night sky. If she focused hard enough she could see the threads of magic that crisscrossed the heavens, promising power beyond measure for those strong enough to bring them through the barriers that separated Equestria from the ancient magics. She remembered the experiments Red Moon had done, and the power she had wielded from tapping into the most minor of those powers. Now, with the Elements of Harmony almost within her grasp, Equestria would once again know the secrets Celestia had fought so hard to keep forgotten.

After nearly an hour, Applejack and Pinkie Pie began to stir. Night Shade smiled down at them as they opened their eyes. “Well, looks like you weren’t ready for the kind of night my group enjoys.”

“Anypony get the number ah that buffalo?” Applejack groaned, rubbing her head with a hoof.

“That punch was awesome!” Pinkie smiled, swaying a bit as she stood. “Hey, where’d everypony go?”

“When you started getting a bit tipsy I thought I should take you back to your friends,” Night Shade replied. “We didn’t have any spare sleeping bags, and nights can get pretty cold.”

“That’s mighty kind of ya,” Applejack said, finally finding her footing, “But ah reckon Pinkie and I can find our way from here.” In the distance the lights of the stargazing party could still be seen. “Thanks fer the lift though.”

“It was no trouble. I’ll see you both tomorrow at Pinkie’s party.”

“You betcha!” Pinkie grinned. “And it’ll be the best party you’ve ever had.”

“I can’t wait,” Night Shade smiled. “Oh, and tell Twilight and your other friends to bring their Elements, I have something I’d really like to show you all about them that I learned of in my travels. I’m sure Twilight will find I fascinating.”

“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie bounced. “Cya then Silver!” Supporting Applejack slightly, the two Earth Ponies slowly made their way back to their other friends.

“Yes, see you soon,” Night Shade whispered. It would be a meeting they would not soon forget, if she let them live once the Elements were in her hooves.

Comments

[Silver Tail]

I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong with my stories.

[Changeling]

Amazing story so far really looking forward to the next chapter.

also on your comment "I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong with my stories." i realy dont see enything wrong with your stories i find it realy odd that you havent had meany good responses to your writing but still at least you haven't had eny hate comments written about your story so it means nobody thinks its bad.

keep up the good writing.

[SCOOTALOOxDAAWW]

nice story dude but im warning you that if fluttershy or scootaloo gets harmed i will END YOU!!
keep up the good wwork

[Silver Tail]

442533

The lack of comments seems to say that simply no one thinks it good enough to waste time tying about. It's not easy having the least popular story on five diferent sites, including this one. I'd welcome hate comments if it meant people were actually reading my story.

[Changeling]

444505

but people are reading your story you have 425 views and 4 favorites if you write a few more chapters it might pick up. its a good story and personally i think you shouldn't give up on it.

[Silver Tail]

446573

Yes, my story got as many views in 6 months as every single other story on this site gets on its first day. Definetely something for me to be proud of.

[Changeling]

446690

Having that meany views is something to be proud of and if u continue writing your story those few hundred people will tell the friends about your amazing story and then you will have more fans but if you just give up your letting a good story go to waste.