Forgotten History of the Moon

by Wolfoftimber

Thoughts Left on the Battlefield

“Hold that line! If that contagion spreads all of Equestria is done for!”

There was a rough jerking under his shoulder as a grimy hoof hauled him up off the ground. “What…” He looked up at the tall, white, earth pony. “Who…”

“On your hooves soldier! Knights of the Solar Empire don’t lay down on the job! Especially when we have civilians on the wrong side of that barrier that still need our help!” The stallion barked orders as he turned and helped another nearby earth pony in golden armor to her hooves. “Move your flanks blast it!”

“Pegasi! Focus your spell craft toward the Princess! Allow her to be the focus of the barrier’s form!”

His head swung quickly, his vision swimming as it did so, to seek out the source of the new voice. “Star…swirl? But, it can’t…” The gray coated mage had lost his signature hat somewhere on the battlefield, but his pink beard was a giveaway to who he was. “How?”

“Stormchasers! Keep that those shards from falling on our land locked allies! If they get corrupted we’re done for!”

He knew that voice, he’d eaten with that stallion in the Great Hall only days before. “Lieutenant Firefly? But why is he giving orders? Where are the commanding officers?”

“Look out!”

Fear raced along his spine as the warning reached his ears. His eyes just barely caught sight of the small, black, crystalline shard before it embedded itself into his flesh right between the eyes. The pain was like nothing he’d felt before, like nothing that should come from such a small piece of shrapnel.

“Sun Princess save us…”

He tried to turn, but had great difficulty in doing so. Thoughts of poisons, of brain damage, entered his mind for a moment. Then the tinkling of glass was heard as he tried to step forward. “No…” He watched, helpless, as the crystal coat grew and expanded over him like a second skin. “No, please…” Seconds later, the world went dark and only deep, basso, voice was left to his senses.

“My…slave…”

OOOOO

“No…no…no!”

“Twilight!” Applejack raced into the room as the scream cut through the Apple Family farmhouse. “Wake up Twilight. It’s just a dream!” She placed her hooves on the purple pony’s shoulders and shook her with enough force to facilitate the removal from the dream.

Tear soaked eyes opened slowly. “Applejack? What…where?”

“Easy sugarcube.” Applejack stepped back and let her friend sit up in bed. “You’re still at Sweet Apple Acres. Been here since you had that episode yesterday.”

Looking around groggily Twilight took in the surroundings of Applejack’s room. The fact that she was in AJ’s bed while a chair was just at the side of the bed made her frown slightly. Applebloom, still asleep in her sleeping bag, was next to the chair. “You’ve been watching over me?”

“’Course we were. You’re our friend Twilight.” Applejack nodded as she passed over a glass of water. “I wanted to take you to the hospital, but Big Macintosh would let me.”

Twilight sipped the water slowly, pausing as Applejack started to laugh nervously. “What’s so funny?”

“Well, you see…” Applejack looked away. “He wouldn’t let anypony take you off the farm, including the Royal Guards that came looking for you.”

Twilight blinked at this for several seconds. “How in Equestria did he manage to stop Royal Guards?”

“Darndest thing I’ve ever seen.” Applejack took back the water glass and placed it on the nearby nightstand. “I mean, Big Mac got into a few scraps when he was a foal, but he’s never really fought anypony before. He’s surprisingly good at it.” She started to rub her hooves together anxiously. “He didn’t exactly beat the stuffing out of them but, he knocked one of their helmets off… and then stepped on it… which shattered it.”

Twilight blinked at this in surprise. “Those are enchanted to be nearly impossible to scuff, let alone really damage.”

“Yeah, that’s what one of the guards mentioned.” Applejack shifted about nervously. “You think you could maybe get the guards to stop when they come back with reinforcements? I’d really appreciate it Twilight, Seein’ as you’re a princess and all.”

Twilight laughed. “My first official order as Princess, prevent my friends from being arrested by Royal Guards.” Her laughter faded as she considered what she knew now. “Why didn’t he let me go to the hospital though?”

“No idea.” Applejack hopped up into her chair. “He just said, the worst was over and then carried you up here.” She sighed as Twilight’s frown deepened. “Any idea on what happened? Seemed like you were having all kinds of bad dreams afterwards too because of it.”

“I don’t know.” Twilight shimmied herself to the edge of the bed and slowly climbed down. “It hurt, a lot. I remember that much. I don’t remember any dreams, but I guess its possible the spell could have done something like that.” When she didn’t feel any remaining traces of weakness in her legs she moved over to the window and looked over the farmland beyond. “Wait a moment…” Her eyes darted to the different trees that were in view. “You said that the trees on the farm were acting strange, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

Sitting back on her haunches she rubbed her chin with her hoof. “The spell that I got hit with was very strange. Really powerful, but, it was raw. Like somepony gathered up a ton of magic and stored it for one massive burst. The same way that unicorn foals try too hard when they first start learning magic.”

“So…” Applejack’s eyebrows furrowed. “Somepony stole magic from the farm, to use against you?”

“I don’t know, its only one possible idea right now.” Twilight’s head jerked up. “Wait! You said I’ve been asleep since yesterday! The ceremony!”

“Easy Twilight.” Applejack hopped off her chair. “Princess Celestia put the ceremony on hold when she heard about the attack you suffered.” The earth pony put up a foreleg defensively as she watched Twilight’s eyes widen and her pupils constricted. The quickly fraying mane was also unnerving. “Uh, Twilight? That’s a right creepy smile makin’ it’s way onto your face right now Twilight.” She shielded her eyes as a burst of light filled the room, along with Twilight’s cry of frustration, and then Applejack stood alone at the window. Her eyes half-lidded as a look of annoyance overtook her expression. “Guess I better go get the others.”

Applebloom sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes as the quiet click of the door woke her. “Where’d everypony go?”

OOOOO

Spike blinked quickly as the light intensity of the room suddenly shot up. “I’ve never been so happy to be seeing spots before in my life!” He raced across the Golden Oak Library’s main room and launched himself into a full on hug as the purple pony got her balance back. “You ok now Twilight?”

“I think so.” Twilight hugged Spike in return, smiling happily as she felt the familiar scratch of his scales against her. “I assume you’ve been helping Princess Celestia since you weren’t at Sweet Apple Acres?”

“He has.”

Twilight spun quickly, her wings flaring out in shock as she did so. “Princess Celestia! I…Why are you…I thought…”

“Easy Twilight.” Celestia chuckled. “I thought it would raise less suspicion if I stayed here under the pretense of visiting you rather than waiting at the farm or in the Ponyville Inn.”

“That…” Twilight paused. “Why is there a need to limit suspicion?” Looking around the library she noticed another oddity as well. “And where is Princess Luna? Shouldn’t she be here for the ceremony?”

Celestia took a deep breath sat down on the floor, inviting Twilight to do the same with a nod. “This is not to leave this room, that includes you as well Spike, do you understand?”

The younger occupants of the room swallowed loudly, but Twilight spoke first. “I…I don’t understand. It’s not like you to keep secrets.”

Celestia averted her gaze for a moment. “Actually, one of the sad lessons I have to teach you now that you’re a Princess, is that I keep a great many secrets Twilight.” She waited for several seconds as her student stared at her slack-jawed. “Being Princess mean doing what is right for all your subjects, sometimes that means…keeping the scarier things hidden away. The reason Equestria is able to maintain such happy and relatively carefree lives…”

Twilight jerked as realization hit. “All those times when you wouldn’t reply to my letters. You were dealing with something…something that must have been awful.”

“You begin to understand.” Celestia nodded. “It is not well known even in the Royal Guard ranks, let alone all the other ponies, but the attack that effected you also effected Princess Luna and myself.”

“Cadance!” Twilight jumped to her hooves quickly. “If the three of us…”

“It is why Luna is not here.” Celestia raised a hoof to placate Twilight. “It would look strange if I were to go, but given the history of the Summer Sun Celebration for the last thousand years it is, understandable, if Luna should not appear.”

Sadness crept into Twilight’s voice as she sat down again. “Right, the defeat of Nightmare Moon.” Her brow furrowed. “It’s a fair distance from Ponyville to Canterlot, and if the spell made it all the way to the Crystal Empire…” She glanced toward her mentor. “It would make more sense if it was cast from a centralized point to effect the three locations, but I think it was something else.”

Celestia nodded. “You are more sensitive to magic than even I due to your place as the bearer of the Element of Magic, but I believe the same as you do. The spell was cast here in Ponyville.”
Spike grit his fangs and his claws scratched audibly as he clenched his fists. “Then, does that mean, what I think it means?”

Celestia frowned as she watched Twilight tremble in her seated position. “It might. As the closest alicorn to the cast location, somepony might have targeted that attack at you, Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

“But…why?” Twilight murmured quietly.

Celestia was quiet as well for a time. “I don’t know. I wish I did my faithful student. You are the newest of the alicorn Princesses, the newest to your powers and abilities, it maybe that somepony wishes to take advantage of that.”

“The way Queen Chrysalis tried to used Shiny, Shining Armor’s, moment of weakness from the barrier to capitalize on attacking Canterlot Castle.” She looked up to her longest known friend and mentor. “What do we do now?”

“I’ll have a cohort of Royal Guards assigned to you from my most trusted ponies, they will keep you safe.”

“No.” Twilight shook her head, smiling slightly as she saw the look of surprise on Celestia’s face. “Who ever this pony is, the magic only targeted alicorns, it didn’t harm anypony else. Adding guards won’t protect me, and it would only raise suspicion if I suddenly had armored guardians all around me right?” She widened her smile, with a bit of effort. “It’s not like I haven’t been in danger before, I just am a Princess now, and Princesses have to hide the scary things in Equestria.”

Celestia showed nothing for several minutes on her expression. There were the barest hints of tears in the smaller pony’s eyes. “I knew you would make a fine Princess, even stronger than I dared hope.” Leaning in she gently brushed her cheek against Twilight’s to try and comfort her.

Taking a deep breath Twilight stood and roughly wiped her tears away before they could fall, it wouldn’t do to break down after such compliment from her teacher. “So, we have a Summer Sun Celebration to prepare for. Spike! Where do we stand on our list of things to do?”

“Twilight, you can’t just…” The dragon stopped as he saw the barely contained fear in Twilight’s eyes. “Right, nothing like a good list to make sense of everything.”

“I should see to things on my side of the preparations.” Celestia rose slowly. “Unless you would like me to remain?”

“I…I would, but you can’t.” Twilight shook her head. “We both have things to do, things the others need to see us doing.”

Celestia nodded, though there was a hint of sadness in the motion. With a nod in thanks to Spike for opening the door she made her way out to the streets of Ponyville. She smiled to a few ponies who waved as she passed by, though the motion felt hollow as she walked.

“Bravo Tia. A splendid performance.”

The pastel-maned pony managed to not jerk her head at the voice, but her eyes darted angrily toward the source. If not for the fact that Twilight’s mailbox was grinning at her she would have thought she imagined it. “I am in no mood for your games Discord. Leave at once.”

“Save your threats my dear Celestia, I’m going.” The snaggletoothed smile faded slowly. “The games have only just begun after all.”

OOOOO

“Let me see if I understand this.” Rarity lowered her glasses as she sidestepped from her mannequin. “Somepony may have tried to…to kill Twilight, and she wishes to act as if nothing happened?”

Spike nodded slowly. “I don’t like this plan.”

“I ain’t a fan of it either.” Applejack sat down haughtily. “But I can’t rightly say it’s the wrong call either.”

“How can you say that?” Rainbow Dash zipped down and put herself nose to nose with the earth pony. “Twilight is one of our closest friends and you’re ok with putting her in danger?”

“I didn’t say that at all!” Applejack pushed her face forward and match the anger in Rainbow’s voice with her own. “But her strategy is the same as when you deal with any predator. It’s big, mean, and hits hard. You make yourself prey, you get…you get eaten.” She turned her head away. “If you can fool’em into thinking you aren’t paying attention, sometimes you get some good licks in before they get you.”

“That sounds like a very risky plan.” Fluttershy whispered quietly from where she sat with Angel. “Whenever I have to go some where scary…”

“Everywhere for you right?” Rainbow Dash chuckled, at least until the others stared her down.

“I am usually scared.” Fluttershy admitted. “But that makes me more alert too, sometimes I see things that other ponies might miss. Maybe it’s the same for Twilight.”

“I think you’re all forgetting the most important part in all this.” Pinkie Pie bounced away as Rarity took back some ribbon she was playing with. “Twilight doesn’t have to worry about somepony attacking her again.” She came to a stop at the center of the room. “Cause whoever it is they’re going to have to deal with us first!”

Spike smiled as he saw knowing looks exchanged between the ponies. He’d known he couldn’t keep this a secret, but he was relieved that everything he’d learned along with Twilight about friendship had proven correct. There was no way her best friends would let her face this alone. “But, we still have no idea who attacked, where the attack came from, or when the next one might…”

Pinkie began waving her hoof excitedly. “Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! Pick me!”

“We’re not in school Pinkie Pie.” Applejack sighed.

“I felt it before!” Six sets of eyes turned toward the pink mare with confusion evident. “I didn’t know what it was obviously, cause it was so different than anything else I’d ever felt, but it was definitely something that was bad, and when bad things are about to happy you know how I get…”

Rainbow Dash floated over and placed a hoof over the other pony’s mouth. “Get to the point Pinkie.”

“It was like a super, mega, colossal, twitchy-McTwitch-a-thon!”

Spike snapped his claws. “The Pinkie Sense!”

“You can actually detect stuff like that?” Applejack inquired skeptically.

Pinkie bobbled her head excitedly in the affirmative. “Duh! Can’t everypony?”

Fluttershy shook her head. “Not usually, no.” She looked away nervously. “You’re, kind of special in that regard Pinkie.”

“Cool!”

Applejack tipped her hat back a bit and looked up at the ceiling. “Maybe we can catch whoever this pony is if we have some warning.” She glanced over to Rarity. “You’re the only true magic user after Twilight, any way to stop something like that you reckon?”

Rarity lifted a hoof apprehensively. “I…I truthfully have no idea.” She backpedaled as she got an eyebrow waggle from Applejack. “Darling, I may be a unicorn but that doesn’t mean I had the aptitude to enter Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. I know the basic conventions that every unicorn knows to get through their daily life, and most of those are just variations on levitation of objects.”

“Which is why you’ll need a pony much more versed in spell craft if you want to actually catch this mysterious somepony.”

Spike’s tail stiffened as he heard the familiar voice and his eyes shot toward the source. “Twilight! How did you?” He stopped as he realized the obvious solution. “Right, teleportation spell.”

Descending the stairs calmly Twilight tried to keep her unhappy expression on her face, but it soon gave way to a gentle smile. “I knew I’d find you all here.”

“Its not their fault Twilight!” Spike ran up to his long time friend. “I couldn’t keep this a secret when…” His words were cut off as he was grabbed up in a strong hug from the purple mare.

“I knew as soon as you said you were going to check on the costumes again.” Twilight chuckled. “Celestia probably knew you wouldn’t keep it a secret too even as she gave that order.”

“Don’t rightly like how you tried to keep us in the dark on this one.” Applejack stood up. “Watching the first go around of this was bad enough, a second time where something worse could happen though? That’s a mighty big lie to keep to yourself Twilight.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Twilight bowed her head. “I just, I guess I’ve kind of gotten used to rushing headlong into things. Putting myself in harms way instead of you guys is…”

“Traitorous.” Remarked Rainbow Dash.

“Mean.” Replied Fluttershy.

“Selfish.” Stated Rarity.

“Totally not ok!” Yelled Pinkie Pie.

Twilight flinched as each spoke simultaneously, differed words with one voice. “I’ve already apologized, so I won’t cheapen it by saying it again.” A mischievous grin grew on her face. “So what do you all say to trying to catch this unknown somepony?” With the exception of Fluttershy’s nervous expression, all the others smirked and nodded in agreement.

“I assume you have a plan sugarcube?”

00000

Mrs. Cake looked up as the door creaked open slowly and jingled the chime above the door. “Hello! Welcome to…” Her voice dropped away as she saw the familiar travel robe of the strange pony she’d met yesterday. It almost did not seem to be the same individual. Her skin began to crawl as she watched him limp across the wooden floor, his steps heavy as he favored one of his rear legs and refused to even place one of his forehooves on the ground. “Are you alright Blackbriar?”

“An unfortunate miscalculation.” The pony’s voice issued from the dark confines of his hood, his face completely hidden. “Didn’t realize how close a lightening rod was, I’ll be fine in a few days. Thank you for asking though. Is my order ready?”

Mrs. Cake nodded as she took a few steps back and swallowed down the bile that rose at the back of her throat. She hadn’t noticed it at first, due to the distance between them, but when he spoke the smell that came along with his words assaulted her senses. “Seems like you should be in Ponyville Hospital rather than a candy shop dear. Let me get some of the nurse ponies…”

“No!” Blackbriar’s voice rose. “No, I’ll be fine, I promise you. Please just let me take my order and I’ll be on my way.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” Hesitantly Mrs. Cake turned her back to the near crippled pony. “It’s a bit of a strange special order so the price is a bit higher.” Grabbing the large satchel of candy she turned about just in time to see a leather pouch fly through the air and land on the display counter with a heavy clink. “That sound like far too much.”

“I’m aware of how expensive peppermint oil can be.” Blackbriar turned his head away to reset his hood from his throwing of the coin purse. “If you wouldn’t mind, could you simply slide the satchel across the floor? I’m afraid I’ve reopened an old injury, I know I smell rather terrible right now and it’s a bit embarrassing.”

Mrs. Cake started to do as requested, but stopped in mid motion. “Is that why you asked for mints that are so strong? To hide the smell?” She frowned as the hidden head dipped in shame.

“Something like that, yes.”

The blue mare steeled herself against the smell and walked towards the injured pony. “I’ve dealt with my kitchen smelling like the Great Baked Bads incident for a week. After roasted earthworms in my oven I’m not bothered by such things, and you shouldn’t be either.” Settling the satchel on Blackbriar’s back she tried to look unfazed as the darkened hood turned toward her, but inside she suddenly felt terrified.

“I…did not expect such a reaction.” Blackbriar spoke quietly as he watched the mare back away slowly. “Thank you.” His cowl concealed gaze shifted towards the door behind the display case. “The little one is about to try his luck flying down the stairs. I don’t believe his wings are strong enough for that distance yet.”

Like any mother, Mrs. Cake turned quickly toward the door and was already in a run at the mention of her foals being in harms way. Throwing open the door she saw her little pegasus just as he started to tumble from the air. “Pound Cake!” There was a flash of light, followed quickly by the sound of infant laughter as Mrs. Cake felt Pound and Pumpkin land on her back. A sigh of relief passed her lips as she went to face her customer. “How…”

Pumpkin Cake stood on her mother’s back and looked around the empty room quizzically. “’Uppy?”

00000

Down the street from Sugar Cube Corner a figure paused in the shadow between two buildings long enough to reach into his satchel and select three of the candies contained within. The sweets disappeared into the hooded recess and the sounds of violent crunching filled the air shortly after. “So much planning, so much work, ruined by the one thing we refused to acknowledge.”

Pushing away from the building he’d been leaning on Blackbriar strode down the street again, limp barely detectable. “Maybe all is not lost.” Another peppermint was plucked from the satchel as he walked, his attention turned in the direction of distant Canterlot and then to Carousel Boutique. “Perhaps we did wait too long.” Tucking the candy into the pocket of his cheek he let this candy dissolve slowly.

Taking care not to get too close he found a shadowed spot to sit and stare at the clothing store. “What role will you play, oh new princess? Do you have a hoof on the fate of Her little ponies?” He spoke quietly to himself, completely ignored by the other ponies that walked the cobblestone ways of Ponyville. “And how do I need to remove you to change that fate?” Closing his eyes he began to hum softly. “Mare of the Moon, please light the way.”

00000

Celestia jumped as Luna gasped and bolted upright in her bed. “Luna? Are you alright little sister?”

The blue-coated mare looked around the room in a daze for several seconds before her focus returned. “I…I believe so.” She raised a hoof to her forehead and massaged it gently. “I cannot seem to remember. What transpired that makes my head hurt so?”

Shaking her head Celestia walked closer to where Luna sat, levitating a glass of water toward her sister as she did so. “In truth, I am not completely certain either. I was hoping you might remember something so that we could figure it out together.”

Nodding, Luna accepted the glass and sipped slowly. She studied her reflection in the water as she set the glass down, noting her paler coat color and her shoulder length, light blue mane. “I cannot say I remember much, but it must have been magic of a very powerful nature to revert my appearance so.” Her gaze looked over her unaltered form. “It has been a long time since I last saw this face. The visage of the Royal Luna so often in the mirror.” Sighing she turned her attention to her sister. “A shame that we both must hide what we truly are.”

Celestia bowed her head in agreement. “Such is the life of the Royal Sisters.” Her muscles seemed to relax as her body shimmered. Where once stood a tall pony with flowing, pastel, mane, a smaller pony with white coat and solid pink mane appeared. “It is nice to let things down from time to time though.” Hopping up onto the bed she faced her sister. “So you do not recall anything?”

“Visions and fleeting glimpses.” Luna looked out the window. “Anger that bordered on hatred most of all, but also pain, loss, death, blame, pride, joy, relief, and so many more.” Shaking her head again she turned away from her sister.

A frown creased Celestia’s lips as she silently watched Luna try to order her thoughts. “I almost regret sensing the strangeness in time, the barrier I put up shielded me from the worst of it, but as a result I have very little to try and follow up on.”

Luna’s eyes squeezed tightly shut. “It was akin to when I go walking the dreams of our subjects. I can feel the general temperament of their mind when I am near even without fully entering the dreamscape, allowing me to intercede only when truly needed rather than barge into a peaceful or enjoyable dream.” Gritting her teeth in concentration she focused further on those feelings. “There were words…in the background…underlying the emotions…so many emotions…like dreams…I was unable…to see…to reach.”

Celestia’s ears perked as Luna began to hum, and only seconds later before her eyes went wide. “Luna! Stop!”

The Moon Princess startled and nearly fell over as her sibling’s voice cut into her thoughts. “Sister? Why did you stop me?” Her demand for an answer full and thick in her tone. “We nearly had our answer!”

“I heard that tune just before the attack.” Celestia replied softly. “I felt the magic behind it which triggered my shield spell. It might be that the tune is part of the attack, I did not want you to trigger it again.”

“Oh.” The fight quickly went out of the younger princess. “I am…sorry I yelled.

Celestia smiled with an understanding nod. “At least we now know it was not imagined.” Looking to a nearby clock Celestia rose from her spot beside her sister. “There is some time yet before nightfall. Perhaps I should raise the Moon as well tonight? It would give you more time to recover your strength.”

Luna’s words died in her throat as she watched the illusion spell cloak Celestia’s body, transforming her again into the beloved princess all of Equestria knew. At the same moment she felt little shards of ice grip at her heart, an unease growing inside her. “No, I don’t believe that will be necessary. I will raise the Moon dear sister.”

“Very well.” Celestia bowed her head as she turned to leave the room. “Get a bit more rest before then at least?”

“Of course.” Luna agreed quickly. “Enjoy the rest of the day sister.”

As the door closed behind her Celestia’s smile faded. “If you even suspect my sister is unwell you are to notify me immediately.” She did not turn to face either of the guards that stood outside of Luna’s bedchamber to make sure they understood the whispered command, instead walking off briskly away toward another part of the castle.

Within her room, Luna rose from her bed and made her way over to her mirror. She stared at her reflection for several long minutes. “Princess of Night, Princess of Stars…” The little filly all but fell over herself as she tried to get away from the mirror, only by force of will managing to keep from screaming in fright. She sat there, unmoving, well away from the mirror’s reflections. It no longer mattered. The image of three faces staring back at her was locked to her vision. Her own current form, with her Princess Form to the left and the Night Mare to her right hung heavy in her mind’s eye. “No, no.” Her horn glowed with silver-white light and the mirror shattered. “No!”

The guards rushed the door as the sound of broken glass filled the near silent room. The two stallions exchanged worried glances as they found a lump of covers at the center of the bed, trembling uncontrollably. One nodded toward the door, silently ordering the other to go find Princess Celestia. The crackle of energy around the bed made it well known that a defensive spell was in place, preventing him from going to the Princess’ aid. All he could do was listen to the scared murmurings of a filly hiding beneath her blankets.

“I will not become her. I will not become her. I will not become her. I must not become Night Mare Moon. I will not become her. I will not…”