Night Reigns

by tursi

Chapter 10 - First Quarter

Arriving from the field that Nightmare Moon had landed in, Night Shift strode confidently into Ponyville. She found the dark morning streets quiet and with only a few ponies about, heading to their morning jobs. They tended to move slowly, heads down, never looking around and rarely changing their pace. She found herself somewhat surprised. She had been told that most villages had settled into daily life by now, but these ponies still seemed rather disheartened.

Curiosity overwhelmed her; she approached a pale green unicorn and called out pleasantly.

"Pardon me, I've just arrived in town. Can you direct me to the inn?"

It took the other unicorn a moment to notice her, and when his head finally came up, he first looked around to see who else was in the area. Night Shift scuffed the dirt in impatience before he finally spoke.

"Um… were you talking to me?"

Night Shift rolled her eyes. "Of course I was talking to you… do you see any other pony nearby?"

Again the unicorn looked around. "Mmm… no. No, I guess not. It's unusual for anypony to talk on the street anymore. I'm sorry… what did you want to know?"

"Why is it unusual?" pressed Night Shift. "I had thought that ponies were used to the night by now?"

The unicorn rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof in a somewhat embarrassed fashion. "Well… um, yes, I guess so. But things never exactly got back to normal, did they? I mean… it's still dark. Who knows what else might happen?"

Night Shift frowned. "Nothing else is going to happen," she stressed.

The stallion laughed, weakly. "Well… yes, I guess not. Um, I need to get to work. Bye now!"

Night Shift rolled her eyes again and side-stepped to block his path. "The inn," she repeated. "Where would I find it?"

"Ah, right, right! Umm…" He paused a moment in thought, and then raised a hoof to point down one of the narrow streets. "Down there, I think. Head straight down Appletail Lane - it's right on the far edge of town. If you see the forest, though, stop. You went too far, and you don't want to go into that forest."

Night Shift tilted her head. "Why? What is wrong with the forest?"

The stallion's eyes widened a bit. "Wow, you are from out of town, aren't you?" He peered at her for a moment, then continued. "Everfree forest just isn't safe - it's not right, either. It doesn't work the same way as the rest of Equestria, and the creatures there are wild. Everypony knows to just stay clear."

Night Shift nodded, slowly. She had of course been briefed on the Everfree forest over the years but she had never had cause to visit it, not even strong desire to see her old castle. Seeing the pony's seriousness was very different from merely listening to a briefing, however. It was amazing to think that the forest holding the ruins of her old home had become so wild.

After a moment she noticed the pony still staring at her, and she shook off the old memories. She nodded briefly, "Straight ahead, stay out of the forest. Thank you."

"Um, all right," replied the stallion, turning and walking off without a further word. Night Shift watched him go for a moment, and then shook her own head, starting off down the road again.

At last, she spied a weather-beaten sign on a building to her left: "Come On Inn". She smirked at somepony's idea of a pun, and then lit her horn to open the door. She looked around as she strode inside. The interior was built of rough-hewn wood, dimly lit by a single enchanted lantern on the narrow countertop lining one wall. She strode up to the counter and, upon seeing no pony present, used her magic to ring the small silver bell that sat next to the lantern.

Minutes passed without response. She rang the bell a second time, more insistently, and then several minutes later, she lifted it into the air and began striking it repeatedly.

The door behind her opened with a slight creak, and she turned to see an older, orange furred earth pony enter. He was carrying two saddlebags loaded with vegetables, and he looked up as she stopped ringing the bell.

"Oh, gracious, were you looking for me? So sorry, so sorry. Stepped out for a bit of morning shopping… not that you can tell it's morning, eh? Hah! Looking for a room, then?"

Night Shift sighed. "Yes, I shall require a room for two nights, at most. I shall be required back in Canterlot by then."

The orange stallion made his way behind the counter, removing his saddlebags and setting them on the floor there. "Ah, you're one of them bureaucratics, eh? Come to enjoy a couple of days in the country?"

She paused, and then nodded. "Aye, something like that. Will you be able to accommodate me?"

The stallion laughed, throwing his head back and braying like a donkey. "Hah! That's a good one! Why, hardly anypony travels these days – you've got the run of the place." He reached below the counter, bringing up a large key. "I figure I'll put you up in the penthouse, seeing as how you're from Canterlot and all. But if you need something smaller, just give me a shout. Name's Frank. Frank Lecture. I used to teach when I was a lot younger, now I just putter around here."

"I thank you," replied Night Shift. "But why do you say ponies do not travel? I observed the train arriving this morning?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, everything's still running. Ponies just have a thing about traveling in the dark, you know? Makes them nervous."

Night Shift bristled. "It's not that dark. There is the moon."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, fine if you're a unicorn. But the rest of us have to use our eyes, and the moon leaves a lot of shadow. Anyway," Frank waved a hoof to dismiss the argument. "I know you've got to say that, and I ain't looking for trouble. Room'll be 60 bits for the two nights."

Night Shift paused, and then nodded without a further word. She lit her horn and summoned the coins, and then placed them on the counter. She then locked a levitation field around the key and attempted to take it from Frank, only to find him holding fast.

"Before I give you this, I got to make sure you know about the Everfree Forest. Your room looks right over it, and it's a lovely view and all, but the forest ain't fit to enter, you understand? I don't have to tell locals, but I've never seen you before, and I don't know what you were told in Canterlot."

"Of course, but... what is wrong with it?" With another mention of Everfree's dangers, she found herself wondering what this pony's warning would be.

"Ever since Nightfall, the monsters in there got real brave. They don't always honor the edge of the forest, and the guards aren't always that quick about driving them back. Just stay in town and you'll be fine. If you wander too close to the edge, well, there are creatures in there that won't think twice about snatching a pony like you, and your magic won't do you a lick of good. You hear me?"

Night Shift nodded again, feeling a chill along her spine despite herself. Frank released the key and she levitated it closer to herself.

Frank smiled kindly. "I don't mean to scare you, Miss, that's just the way things are. Say, could I get your name for the records? Just need to put something down."

Night Shift nodded yet again, and returned the smile. "Of course. I am... Night Shift."

The old stallion cackled. "Of course you are." He smiled kindly, and then added, "Couldn't be more appropriate, eh?" He pointed over her shoulder and continued speaking. "Up those stairs to the top, you'll see your door right in front of you. Enjoy your stay in Ponyville, Miss Shift."

There were only three levels to the hotel, and it did not take long to reach the top. Night Shift used the key, and then applied her magic to push the heavy wooden door. As it swung open she stepped into the room, and then reversed the field to close the door behind herself. The room was about half the size of the lobby downstairs, very plain but neatly made up. A double bed stuck out from the side wall, and a small writing desk adorned the corner. Across from the desk was a small vanity with a heart-shaped mirror, and next to that a small window covered with a neatly pressed curtain.

She approached the window and slid the curtain aside, looking over the promised view of the forest. She could very nearly see over the canopy from here, although taller trees prevented seeing very far. The moon's bright light illuminated the tops of the trees, but beneath that all she could see was darkness, where she could see through at all.

She examined the window and found that she could push it open, smiling as she did so. Her horn then lit and her body glowed faintly, dissolving into a cloud of purple smoke. Deftly, the smoke flew out the window and then doubled back and up, settling over the peak of the roof where it once again condensed into the small, dark blue unicorn. Night Shift laid herself down and looked over the forest, as she was now high enough to see quite far.

Her thoughts turned again to her old castle – known today as the ruins of the "Castle of the Two Sisters". She snorted - it had started out that way, before it was "Celestia's Castle where Luna just happened to stay". But the ember of anger faded quickly and she lifted her head to look in the direction that she felt it must lay.

"I wonder what's left of it?" she mused. "It must be in very poor shape by now..."

She thought back to when she had last seen it, and realized that it had been a very long time indeed.Over a thousand years ago she had stood on the dais, looking down at Celestia. Her anger had reached a breaking point, and she had finally moved against her sister.

Did you really think I would just stand idly by while they all basked in your precious light?

She had worked for months on the spell. Her only goal: to increase her power level enough to overcome her older sister's. She had brought together magic from the unicorns, the zebra, the dragons, even the griffins; melding the arcane and the contemporary into a spell that had never been attempted before. The spell was designed to draw power from the land and the forest itself, converting it and feeding it into herself. But it was also a showpiece of a spell – eclipsing the sun as she flew before it and turning her coat as black as midnight. With the show she meant to induce awe and, she had hoped, a little fear. It had worked perfectly – enhancing her every attribute.

"Including my anger," she thought. But rather than fear, her sister had responded in the same calm, lecturing tone she'd been using against her for months.

Luna! I will not fight you! You must lower the moon! It is your duty!

Luna had attacked first, and for a while Celestia only dodged her magical beams. But when Celestia did fight back, it wasn't enough. Night Shift thought back to when her magic finally struck home, causing Celestia to issue a scream of pain and surprise as she fell from the sky. At the time, she had thought her victory complete and laughed triumphantly. Now... now she was not so sure that she liked the memory. That blast might have killed Celestia and the thought now left her uneasy. The exile was a much better punishment. In a thousand years… who knows? Perhaps, with the score settled, they could try again.

Her musings were interrupted by the sense of a pony approaching on the street below, and she looked down to see who it might be. Soon enough a hooded pony appeared, moving along the buildings and looking very much like she was expecting to be followed. Night Shift watched, curious as to what this pony was watching out for.

The pony moved out of the last fork and along the road leading out of town, pausing near the last of the buildings. Night Shift was certain that she caught the gleam of a smile beneath the hood before the pony winked out of existence. She blinked in surprise. Teleportation magic was uncommon and difficult for an average unicorn to track, but she was able to follow the spell along until she detected the pony re-appear inside the Everfree forest. Dark as it was, her senses allowed her to see the pony step off the path and crouch down under her cloak.

Curiosity became intrigue as she heard a swoosh of air over the road and turned her attention back into town. There she was surprised to see a sky-blue pegasus alighting on the road, wearing the distinctive marks of her Royal Guard. But it was a lighter armor, and she was not completely certain she recognized it. A scout?

The pegasus looked around the structures but his main attention was focused down the path into the forest. He paced and seemed to be muttering to himself. Night Shift was amused – had she managed to observe the escape of a fugitive? She wondered whether she should fly down and show this guard where the pony was hiding. Would the guard be honored or frightened?

Her decision was made for her as the pegasus' mood changed abruptly. He brightened visibly, even from this distance, and got a ridiculously silly grin on his goggled face. Without another moment's hesitation he charged directly into the forest, looking like he couldn't wait to get there.

Night Shift felt certain that she recognized the change in posture, and she rolled her eyes. She had not stumbled onto a pursuit but a tryst, and she had no need to watch any further. Turning back into the cloud of purple smoke she made her way back in through the window to her room, deliberately ignoring the next flash of magic she sensed from inside the woods. She pulled the window closed as she considered what she had seen.

"The forest may indeed be dangerous. But it is very private, isn't it?" She chuckled to herself as her hooves touched the floor again. "Although I suspect that guard may have been on duty. I should probably tell Captain Sterling Honor about this." She drew the blinds as she considered taking advantage of her impromptu vacation to nap, more amused than angry. Even love blossomed under her Moon, what had all the fuss ever been about?

She stretched out on the bed. Although it would have been small for her in alicorn form; in her smaller disguise it was quite comfortable. She smiled softly to herself as her eyes closed. "Perhaps a couple of days in the country is all I need after all…" she thought to herself. "After my nap, I think I will see if I can find a nice slice of cake and a tea, and just sit and watch the ponies for a change."

She succeeded in dozing off, only to wake with a start. She blinked a few times and rolled to her feet, turning her head towards the tiny window and opening the blinds with her magic.

"I couldn't have been asleep more than an hour," she wondered. "But that was no dream and no vague sense."

Her eyes locked in the direction of her castle ruins.

"That was a magic surge and it came from the ruins, I am certain of it."

She was surprised to see a pegasus darting over the forest. From the distance, she couldn't make him out, but she could see the sky blue coat. She could also see that, if it was the same pegasus, his attitude was completely different from earlier. As she watched, he dove straight down into the trees.

Night Shift pushed the window open again, and her body again dissolved into the misty purple smoke. She darted out the window and headed directly for the woods.

"I don't know what's going on… but if somepony is just playing games, they are going to be very sorry that they got my attention."

Comments

[tursi]

I rewrote this chapter because I agreed with the anonymous thumbs down ;) It's not too different but it takes a slightly different bent and actually does something at the end. ;)

[Obsidian Raindrop]

Ahhhhhh! Nightmare Moon is so stupid. Okay, she isn't stupid just frustrating when we the audience know what's going on. Also again no Trixie

[Scarheart]

6838335 45.media.tumblr.com/49287e47ad9b34a137cded3b64ccdf7c/tumblr_n5zv00YDZJ1s2wio8o1_500.gif

[Enza Ren]

Night Shift felt certain that she recognized the change in posture, and she rolled her eyes. She had not stumbled onto a pursuit but a tryst, and she had no need to watch any further

Thank goodness for the assumptions of antagonists.

[PearlyDoesStuff]

" I don't know what's going on… but if somepony is just playing games, they are going to be very sorry that they got my attention. "

UH OH, SWEET CELESTIA ABOVE, RUN!