The Family of The Night

by Night--Mist

Sleep Crawling and the Lunar Parents Decision

Please note that events for this story are going to be playing out of order, so this whole thing is taking place after the Crystal Empire was brought back Twilight was transformed into an alicorn, but this has all happened before Discord was released. Thank you and enjoy the chapter.

It had been a week since the meeting with the nobles. The caretakers had received severe punishment. The orphans, most had found new homes, some were even adopted by castle staff. In that time, Moonlight had introduced her brother to her friends, which consisted of the CMC, who were still searching for their cutie marks. Pipsqueak from Trottingham, and a little filly named Comet Shine. She made him blush when they first met, and Moonlight teased him a bit about it in a sisterly manner. It was nightfall, and the whole family was fast asleep. But one was a bit restless. Luna had woken up to a soft nudge on her rear hoof, when she awoke to find out what it was, she saw that it was her son. She could see was still asleep... and was crawling. He was using his forelegs to move, but his back legs were being dragged. As she saw this, she could only think of one thing. The dreams of the orphanage were still haunting him. She did her best to block them out, but sometimes they were too strong, and tonight was one of those nights.

She shed a tear, as heard her little son groan as he crawled around. He must be dreaming of the caretakers breaking his legs, and he was trying to crawl away. Luna, had she not been a level headed reasonable mare, unlike her dark self, would have given those caretakers such horrific nightmares, they would have to be put in the psych ward. She lifted her head and nudged her son awake as he came closer to her chest. "Huh?" Moon Dust said in surprise, waking up from the bad dream.

"Shh, it's okay sweetie, I'm here," Luna said as she nuzzled him.

"Mommy, I was back... at the orphanage, and... and they were hurting me," Moon Dust said, tearing up.

"Shh, they can't hurt you anymore. You were just having a bad dream. But I am right here. Just like your dad and sister," Luna said motherly.

"I'm sorry I woke you Mommy," Moon Dust said.

"It's okay. It's my job to keep you safe honey, and I would never give up that job," Luna assured him.

"Thank you Mommy," Moon Dust replied.

"You're welcome. Now try to get some sleep sweetie," Luna said.

Moon Dust yawned, "Okay."

He cuddled up close to her and was soon out like a light. Luna smiled and soon felt the large muzzle of her husband nuzzle her neck. "How much did you hear honey?" Luna asked.

"All of it. I think that the dreams are starting to get stronger. I think the Nightmare Moon's magic is effecting his dreams," Artemis said.

"I feel the same way. But what are we gonna do? I've looked through so many books already and even tried a few spells I thought would help, but every single one, gave me no result," Luna said.

"I know, I am looking and trying too. If we have to, we may have to call upon the Twilight and her friends to help, but only as a last resort," Artemis said.

"Alright... well, we best get some sleep ourselves. I know Moonlight will be all up and jumpy tomorrow, and we need the energy to keep up with her," Luna replied.

Artemis nodded, and cast another spell over their son to help stop the dreams. Morning was met with the same routine. Moonlight would come in all bouncy and cheerful. Moon Dust would try his best to stay asleep until either Moonlight or Luna gave him tickle torture. They would have breakfast in the family kitchen, and then Moonlight would try and think of fun things to do, but being aware of her brother's condition.

Soon the family met with Celestia and the Crystal family. Lovestruck finally got to meet her new cousin, and Cadence couldn't help but daw at how cute he was. Had you seen her a week ago though, she was in full on rage. All of this towards the caretakers. Had she been present for the trial of the caretakers and the "noble" involved, it would have ended in the accused being able to eat nothing but Granny Smith's apple sauce. But today, her head was on straight, and she was happy to see her nephew was walking, even if it was a bit of an effort. As the little ones attention was focused on a game, Celestia soon said, "I hear that Moon Dust is doing better. Any flight yet?"

"Not yet, but we know he'll get there. But recently, something has happened at night," Artemis said.

"Oh?" Celestia pondered.

"He's been crawling in his sleep, not using his back legs at all. We know it's because he has dreams about the orphanage and the caretakers doing what they did. It pains me to watch when it happens," Luna.

"I know that it must be hard. Have you done anything to counter it," Cadence said.

"Well, my dream protection spells do little to avert them away. And there's something else we discovered," Luna said.

"And what's that sister?" Celestia asked.

"You remember what happened 1000 years ago, but do you remember the state I was in before it happened?" Luna asked.

"You were near full on rage," Celestia said.

"I mean physically," Luna corrected her.

Celestia thought long and hard, then, it her like the Canterlot Express. "You're saying that," Celestia stopped as Luna nodded.

"Moon Dust is technically Moon Light's older brother, but he was locked in the moon with me. He wasn't released until a few years ago, around the time Moonlight came into our lives," Artemis said.

"I thought there was something familiar about him, but I hadn't thought about your pregnancy 1000 years ago," Celestia said.

"I hadn't either, until I saw something that shocked me. His eyes, now they've been going on and off lately, but, his eyes were turned to a similarity of "her" eyes," Luna said.

Everypony knew what she meant by "her", and were a little shocked. "So Nightmare Moon isn't completely gone," Cadence asked.

"No, she still clings to my son, and I feel that is why his nightmares sometimes out do our dream protection spells. I've tried everything I know and scoped through all the books I could get my hooves on to find something, but nothing that seems helpful worked. I'm scared that something might cause Nightmare Moon to take control of him, and that it will bring harm to him and others. With all that he's been through, I am surprised at how strong his own will power is to hold it back. But I can't count on that to hold out much longer, now that we unlocked his immortal alicorn form from his mortal pegasus form," Luna said.

"You haven't looked through all of them sister. Now, I do have a group of books that I have kept hidden. These have spells, that, put in the wrong hooves, would cause chaos, and may help release "You-Know-Who", but they do have something that may be one, if not the only thing that can help Moon Dust. Although, there are some, should I say, catches to this spell," Celestia said.

"What is it sister?" Luna asked.

"Well, it requires somepony around the same as your son, with maybe a year of age between them at most, in order for it to work properly. Now I know he was conceived over 1000 years ago, but it would appear that around the time your daughter was born Moon Dust was released in a mortal form, since the stars could only do so much for his situation at the time, so, physically, he's around your daughters age..... maybe around a year younger. But beside the point, their age group would be perfect for the situation. Another complication, is that only 'one' of the parents of the pony in question can perform the spell. I would be unable to help in that regard, since I am not his mother," Celestia said.

"Okay, well, me, or Artemis could perform this spell you speak of," Luna pointed out.

"Yes, that is true. But I have never read of this spell ever being used on a child before. Most who had performed this spell in the past, and the ones who the spell was cast upon have nearly failed in the past, almost causing themself and the one they cast the spell on to loose their sanity. This spell was created to try and purify ponies, purging them of any darkness in their hearts. This is why it was a spell kept in the most restricted space of our library. Me, and only a few others I know we can trust were allowed access to that area. Not even Prince Blueblood could lay his hoof on them," Celestia stated.

"Can you bring us the instructions so we can read over them?" Artemis inquired.

"I had a feeling you'd ask," Celestia said.

She soon used a spell to reveal the spell book she had been talking about. As Luna read over it, she saw something her sister had over looked. "Ah, I see why some ponies nearly lost their sanity with this spell. It states here that this spell is meant for siblings, not two ponies of different families. I suppose it's an easy part of the spell to miss, but as you said, it's quite complicated, and requires a lot of focus. But this is the best chance of releasing Nightmare Moon's hold she has on my son. If we don't purge him now while he's young, the older he gets, the more risk we have of her turning him, and causing him to become a threat, to his own family. I can't bare to watch that happen. Not with how much he's been through already. He has suffered enough," Luna said as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Artemis placed a hoof on his wife's shoulder to help calm her. "Whichever of us cast's the spell, I know we will succeed. Moon Dust deserves to have a better life. Not one of fear, or pain. It will take a while to purge him of his nightmares, but with Nightmare Moon out of the picture, I know that it will become a lot easier for both us, and him. Once they have finished their game we will let them know, and we'll explain it to them in a way that is best for them to understand, but I know they will have faith in what we will do. But I do say we breath caution and ask that Nurse Gentle Heart be on stand by for the procedure as well, just to check them over, after we cast the spell. I have a feeling this will take a lot of energy, not only out of one of us, but out of Moon Dust the most, since he's to be purged of Nightmare Moon's hold," Artemis stated.

"That's a good idea brother. I'll have one of the guards fetch her now while the little ones play their game," Cadence said.

After send the guard to fetch Gentle Heart, the parents and Tia sat down as they watched the little ones play Kingdom Hearts: Equestrian Adventures, a game Princess Celestia and Princess Luna personally gave the stamp of approval for, for being, well, historically accurate. They were now waiting on seeing what the sequel had in store.

Author's Note:

Guess what everypony:

Made some changes to this chapter. I felt that my choice to regress Moon Dust and Moon Light was a little too soon in the story, and thought I should give them some more adventures, or at least what children would think is an adventure, before adding regression into the mix. The next chapter should be out soon. How soon?

Well...... hey check out this video:

Comments

[Zen-Aku]

Great chapter now normaly i would question age regression but you told it was needed but why the cousins too?

[Night--Mist]

6939578 Mostly so they can all stay relatively around the same age. Just to point out, Blueblood will not be affected by the regression.

[Zen-Aku]

6939613 ah, cool now i get and thank you for not including blueblood in it by the way your blueblood is actually a good guy

[Night--Mist]

6939624 Well, I'd like to be open minded and see some more character development on him, and not just judge him on that one episode. But I don't have my hopes too high for change.

[Zen-Aku]

6939650 well i see you do bring a good point on the subject, their could be a number of reasons for blue blood being a complete wuss like take the way the author of my name is floyd damn took blueblood's reason why he did what he did

[Princess Elytra]

*sits in corner* Why am i alive?

[Night--Mist]

6979642 What's wrong?

[Princess Elytra]

6980291 Life.

[Koh319]

I hope you update soon, this story is too good