The Night Mare: Risen

by InkCrescent

4: The Plan

Crescent had spent the rest of the day looking for a hotel until she and Spirit Shadow Moon had finally found one: the Fair Hills Hotel, owned by a pegasus named Merriweather. She had purchased a room, which Spirit had chipped in on.

Finally in her room, Crescent sighed and took off her cloak. She filled her wall shelves with books, scrolls, her journal, jars of ink, and a tin can of quills. Lastly, she pulled out the Journal of Empress Lucena. She had already marked the page she needed: page thirty-one. This was the page with a spell that would hide her wings and size for approximately twenty-four hours -- a full day. If she kept her normal size -- she was the same size as Princess Luna -- someone would suspect something.

Crescent quickly performed the spell, sending out a blast of dark magic. I hope no one felt that, she thought to herself. Placing the book carefully on her nightstand next to her bed, Crescent faced the mirror.

She looked the same. Same mane color and style -- a large, thick braided mane and tail -- and the same unicorn's horn and coat color. As she turned, Crescent gasped as she noticed her bare back -- no wings. It was unusual for her to not have her wings. It was something she wasn't used to after twenty-one years with wings. She shook herself out and blinked as she heard a knock on her door.

"Are you getting settled?" Spirit asked, through the door.

"Yes, I'm fine." Crescent trotted over to the door and opened it, smiling at her new-found friend. "Hello, Spirit."

"Crescent. I see you're settled," Spirit added, noticing the walls shelves filled with books, scrolls, jars of ink, and the tin can of quills. "Surprisingly enough, you aren't the only new pony in town. I just heard that Winter Cloud -- that white pegasus with the cyan blue mane -- is showing a new pony named Bright Sky around town. She'll have the hotel room next to yours."

"Bright Sky?" Crescent froze, feeling her blood chill.

"You've heard of her? She was sent by Princess Celestia to see Princess Twilight. Crazy, right?" Spirit asked.

"Awesome," Crescent muttered. "So. When do I start work at the Hay Burger?"

The Hay Burger was a family business for Spirit and her brother, Knight Shields, a dark gray bat-pony -- like their father Dark Armor -- with harlequin eyes and a dark cerulean mane and tail. Spirit was an orange unicorn with a brown mane and tail, much like their mother Moon Dusk.

"Monday," Spirit replied. She led the way down the hall. "Come on. Twilight wants to see you and Bright Sky about something and told Winter Cloud and I to take you to her after getting your hotel rooms."

"Great," Crescent muttered under her breath. "Let's go."
~~~
"I'm glad you're both here," Twilight said, as Bright Sky and Winter Cloud entered the library. "Spirit, Winter Cloud, you two may go."

Spirit nodded and the pegasus Winter Cloud followed her out the door.

"You!" Bright Sky gasped as soon as she saw Crescent. "Ink Crescent, or something. You stole my book!"

"It wasn't yours!" Crescent shot back.

"Oh!" Twilight laughed nervously. "So . . . you two know each other? That's great." She could sense the tension between the two of them.

"Yes. We do." Bright Sky turned to face the princess. "Princess." She bowed her head.

"Uh," Twilight said, laughing nervously. "Yeah."

Crescent noticed Bright Sky's wings beneath her saddle bag and raised an eyebrow, before turning to the princess. "Thank you for inviting us, Princess Twilight," she said, bowing her head. She raised her head and blinked. "Why, exactly, are we here?"

"There's a luncheon on Wednesday that Pinkie Pie is planning. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, Prince Shining Armor, and I will be there, plus all my friends -- Pinkie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy -- and the Cakes -- Cup Cake and Carrot Cake -- as well. It's a Welcome-to-Ponyville luncheon for you two," Twilight explained, smiling. "You two are to meet me at Carousel Boutique where Rarity will give you a quick makeover and then we shall go and see the princesses."

"That sounds amazing!" Bright Sky gasped.

Crescent inwardly rolled her eyes. "Yes," she said aloud. "Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful."
~~~
"Wednesday. It's this Wednesday, Talon!"

Crescent blinked as she trotted down the hall toward her room. In her hotel room, she heard Bright Sky complaining.

"And that unicorn has the book! I doubt she actually needs it. Why would a unicorn need that book?" Bright Sky continued.

For reasons that are none of your business, Bright Sky, Crescent thought.

"Good thing I found it."

Crescent froze. What? Cold horror spread through her from the tip of her horn to the end of her tail. She has the book? Instantly, she burst into her room, anger surging through her. "Hey, Bright Sky!"

The white alicorn spun around and Crescent noticed her wings were missing.

Crescent smirked. "That's my book!"

In a panic and a flash of light, Bright Sky had teleported out of the room, taking the book with her.

"Hey!" Crescent yelled. "Get back here! Give me my book back!"

The book appeared in the air above her head, falling directly on her horn.

"Ow!" Crescent gritted her teeth as pain seared through her horn and she hesitantly checked the see if any of the leylines were broken. Luckily, they weren't. She sighed, placing the book back on her nightstand. "Ponies these days! No respect for privacy."

It would be a long week.

Comments

[Katnine]

My god this other 'unicorn' is such a pain,