Night's Magic

by SteampunkBrony

Downtime

"Really? there are whole cities on the moon now? Get a little bored up there?" Starlight said chuckling as he poured tea for Luna and himself.

"Indeed, although I have little doubt that that the fact that I built them on the far side of the moon will throw off the first few travellers to the moon when the majority of the population finally figure out a reliable way to get up there." Luna said with a smile.

"I can picture the tabloids now, 'Lunar Ponies? Celestia's greatest prison? More on page 15!'" Starlight said causing them both to laugh.

"It seems your library remained intact all these years, you must teach me that preservation spell you used here, we could really use it in the Canterlot Archives."

"I can imagine so… But first I would like to talk a bit of business, seeing as now i'm going to have Solaris breathing down my neck." Starlight said with a smirk. "That and the limiter spell, i'd like to get that switched from the old one we used before it actually kicks in, I can feel it starting…"

"Ah yes, let me get that for you…" Luna said as her horn flashed once, then after a moment started to glow a deep blue as Starlight was enveloped in a similar aura. "Same idea as we were trying for last time, limit your power but enable you to release power as needed, and authorized?" Luna asked.

"That would be the general idea… although let's hope that a full release is never needed." Starlight said with a sigh, "Although if you do remember that one scholar's philosophy, Murphy was his name I believe, 'If it can go wrong, it will at one point or another.' "

"Yes, I suppose so, that's why we aren't locking down your power permanently." She said as her horn flashed again, and the aura faded from around starlight as his cutie mark glowed a deep blue for a moment, then that faded as well. "There, it is done."

"Now, on to business, we have to somehow hide the order's activities in Ponyvile, despite a heightened solaris presence… any ideas?"

"Well, my sister has an academy for gifted unicorns, and I know it is a bit of a Solaris stronghold so why don't we do the same. A bit bold perhaps but they won't try anything against a school, I mean we almost could use this house if not for the sheer effort it would take to hide all of these books…" Luna said glancing around the library. "Perhaps something close by? It wouldn't take me too long to build a structure after what I did on the moon… Terraforming spells are tricky but when you master them, buildings become child's play to create."

"Who would be the head of the school, yourself?" Starlight asked after a moment of thinking.

"Either me or you, I wouldn't trust it to anyone else." Luna said.

"Hmm… well I would gladly do the job, we'd just want to get a good number of the order here first. We could make it an academy for all pony academics, not just for gifted unicorns as 'Tia has. I'd have to hide my cuitie mark constantly but that would be a small price to pay." Starlight smiled at the prospect. "Clan Solaris will do all that they can to sabotage us…"

"What's life without a little challenge here and there?" Luna said, a mischievous smirk giving voice to her thoughts. "I would throw up a distraction first of course, perhaps a large dark magic pulse near Stalliongrad, or Manehattan. Both are large population cities and far enough from Canterlot to distract the Solars for some time."

"That sounds like a good plan. In the meantime I shall improve my wards around my home, can't have those who would use the teachings of the order for evil getting in here now can we?"

"Then it is settled, i'll announce the completion of the school in a few days, after of course I build the place. Tia is going to go bananas on me… and probably come to speak with you." Luna said, sounding worried at the idea.

"Let her, she doesn't have control of the elements of harmony anymore and the wards on this property can protect me in time in case negotiations go south."

"This is quite the gamble my old friend…"

"Still, let us roll the dice and try our luck, the daring do end up getting the best rewards after all."

"Yes, but the grander the dream the harder the fall."

"Ah but one does not know the outcome until the end of it all."

"Stop that." Luna said chuckling. "You're rhyming like a Zebra."

"I am not." Starlight said chuckling as he sipped his tea.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Applebloom!" Applejack shouted as her, rarity and the rest of the Elements of harmony ran towards the riverbank where Steven Magnet had stopped. "Where in Celestia's name were you three!"

"Thank Celestia you three are alright!" Rarity cut in hugging her sister. "Although I can't say the same for your state of clenliness."

"Yes where were you three... actually I think I know that answer." Twilight said looking over to Steven Magnet. "Good evening Steven, care to explain where you found these three?"

"Don't be too hard on those three little darlings... they've been through a lot." Steven said worriedly. "I hope Gilda's alright though."

"You mean that meany-pants griffon? She's still around Ponyville?" Pinkie chimed in cheerily.

"She was living in the castle of the pony sisters, girls would you like me to tell what I know first or would you like to tell the while story?" Steven asked the crusaders.

"I'll tell the story." Sweetie Belle said. "We were out treasure hunting after hearing your story about the castle in the forest, and we ran into Gilda there. She's much nicer than you described sis, and she sounded sorry for what happened. We were just about to have something to eat when a hydra crashed through one of the castle's walls." the gathered ponies gasped at that revelation. "We started running as one of the towers fell on it, stalling it for a little while. When it was clear we weren't fast enough Gilda picked us up and started flying, we were almost at the river when she hit a branch head on, knocking us out of the air. After we landed she yelled for Mr. Magnet who brought us here. We passed some ponies who said they would go help Gilda."

"What are we waiting for we should go help them!" Rainbow said, about to fly off.

"You won't need to do that." A familiar voice said. "We are safe."

The elements of harmony turned around, surprised to find Trixie there.

"We managed to get the griffon to safety, she's in the hospital although she's in pretty bad shape." Trixie said. "It looked like she'll probably have lost an eye, but aside from that the rest should heal if we managed to get her there in time."

"Tr-Trixie?" Twilight stammered. "How did you get her back so fast and what do you mean by 'we'?"

"I was following the riverbank and ran into three other ponies just before the sea serpent passed by. I helped them carry the griffiin to the hospital through some kind of portal. Before yo ask, I don't know who they were, although one used some kind of ridiculously powerful spell to kill that hydra." Trixie said with a shudder. Applejack eyed her suspiciously but didn't say anything. "Also, about last time I was here... I'm sorry for how I acted." Trixie said with a sigh.

After a moment Fluttershy said, "Well... I forgive you at least Trixie." Trixie looked up, slightly shocked as the rest of the elements agreed with the yellow pegasis.

The last to speak was Twilight."I do as well Trixie, besides, the ursa wasn't your fault, that was snips and snails and I think they are still grounded for that." She said with a chuckle before her expression changed to a more serious one. "Those ponies who helped out, what did they look like?"

"Well, I wasn't really paying attention because I was mostly trying to stabilize Gilda. They must have been unicorns because they were all using magic, one didn't return with us, but the other two helped me get Gilda to the operating room then teleported away." Trixie said. "All three had dark coloured coats though, although I bet it was a disguise because I remember one having wings."

Twilight sighed. "I think you may have just run into members of the Order of the Moon, perhaps even their founder."

I am glad I was in showbiz before this... Trixie thought before replying. "I remember reading something about them. Was the founder's name Starlight by any chance?"

"Yes." Twilight said shocked. "Did they call one of them by that name?"

"They did, although I heard him say he was leaving the area. Do you recall his last name? They said it although I don't remember what... wait, your last name is Sparkle right?" Trixie said with a chuckle.

"Yes... Why?"

"No reason, I just remembered running into one of your relatives last time through Canterlot, I can't remember her all to well but I do remember that name. Small world..."

"I.. guess?" Twilight said looking confused before a certain pink earth pony gasped.

"Does this mean we can have a 'crusaders are safe and trixie's back and not a meanie anymore' party?" Pinkie said excidedly.

Twilight chuckled before saying, "Let's put that off a bit, that way we can add Gilda in as well. Dr. Mend should have her fixed up in a few days if everything goes well."

"Well, as fixed up as he can." Trixie said with a sigh. "Like I said before, it looked like she's probably lost an eye. Anyhow, I'd best be on my way. Oh, before I leave, do you know if anyone saved my cape and hat?"

"I don't think so darling." Rarity said as she levated a measuring tape out of a small saddlebag she had on. "However, if I can take a few measurements I think I could remake them for you, free of charge."

"Th-thank you." Trixie exclaimed smiling. "Although I really only need the hat now, the cape was just for show. It can look however you want so long as the type of hat remains the same." The showmare said as Rarity took a few measurements.

"Oh I have the perfect Idea, I have some black and silver cloth that i'm never going to use otherwise that will be perfect for this." 'Rarity said as she finished. "Do you mind stopping by my boutique in two days? and do you have a place to stay?"

"I'll can pick it up then, yes, and I do have a place to stay. Thank you again, and have a good night everypony." Trixie said as she left, in considerably higher spirits.

-=-=-=-=--=-=--=--=-=-=-=-=-=--

A/N Sorry about the hiatus there, been feeling rather uncreative of late, but I think my muse is slowly returning. Per usual let me know of any errors in my writing and please leave a comment below regardless, I like hearing what people think about my writing.

~Steampunk

Comments

[Ancient]

Jesus fucking christ that was one long wait man

[Shimmer_Spark]

What.