The library of Haven was a quiet place most of the time. Occasionally, Princess Luna or Moonlit Star would break the silence with some form of magic or instruction. Radiant Orchid had shown up before she was supposed to relieve me and dragged me off to a row of books furthest from the training area.
She poked her head around the end of the aisle, peering down where she knew the princess would be. Once she seemed satisfied that we weren’t being monitored, she turned back to me.
In a hushed voice, she said, “Our ponies are getting restless, sir. This was meant to be a meet-and-greet, but now there doesn’t seem to be any end in sight. Keeping them all cooped up in this place—a place that I need to remind you is almost pitch black—is bad for morale. We need to give them a target to focus on.”
This was a conversation I’d been anticipating. I was walking a delicate line between what the princess truly desired and my own goal of keeping my guards happy. “I’ve noticed it, too. Freeing our guards up from their shifts just gave them more time to stand around bored.”
“Yes, sir. Obviously they’ll stick it out, but we should do more than just rely on their professionalism. Can you talk to the princess?”
“I think I can. It might be difficult, but I’ll get it done. In the meantime, I want you to take everypony up and out of the mountain for the afternoon. Have Crimson send another watchpony to take over.”
Orchid’s head tilted. “All of us, sir?”
I nodded. “Yeah, best give them all some sunlight. The watchponies are trustworthy, and I’ll keep an eye on the princess while we’re in here. This place is a fortress, after all.”
My section sergeant stood up and nodded. “How about you, sir? Don’t you need some sunlight?”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t seem to bother me. I guess it’s a trait passed down by my ancestors.”
“Suit yourself,” Orchid replied before turning to leave. “I’ll handle our ponies while you handle the princess.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied absently as I tried to figure how I’d broach this subject with Princess Luna. Her excitement was off the charts since we’d arrived. This was not going to be an easy conversation.
Magic flared from the training area as I approached it. The princess was right in the middle of a lesson, so I stood off to the side, waiting patiently and observing.
Princess Luna wasn’t the same pony physically anymore. She stood taller, her coat was darker, and her mane had taken on the look of an endlessly flowing starlit sky rather than a gentle summer evening. I wasn’t sure but if she kept this up, she might end up being larger than her sister.
Eventually, the lesson came to an end and the princess looked my way, finally noticing me. “Silent Knight, what can I do for you?”
“May I have a word with you privately, please?” I asked.
“Of course.” She gave the matriarch a meaningful look. Moonlit Star nodded and hobbled past me out of the training area.
Once she was out of earshot, I spoke quietly. “Princess, I truly apologize for this, but I need to bring to your attention that unit morale is suffering.”
“And why is that?” she asked with a frown.
“We’ve been here for weeks with a very small complement of guards. There is little for them to do, they’re surrounded by darkness, and they are likely thinking about their commitments back home.”
The princess tilted her head. “Were we not gone far longer to Varrheim?”
“Yes, Princess, but they prepared in advance for the length of that trip and we had far more guards,” I reminded her, trying my best not to sound like a parent talking to a foal. “They were also not idle there and had a clear goal. We had a lot to do. These few ponies have been on constant duty with no end in sight. They’ll continue on forever out of loyalty to you, but as their commander, I owe it to them to have some answer.”
Luna’s expression grew tight as she clearly bit back what she wanted to say. She stood up and began to pace. “I cannot simply walk away from my mentor a second time, Silent Knight. You understand how important this is, do you not?”
On the surface, she looked and sounded irritated. I knew better. In reality, she was nervous and maybe a little scared. This was a sensitive subject for her, especially given how the Nightmare Moon incident played into things.
I lifted my head and looked her straight in the eyes. “It won’t be like last time. You’re not walking away, Princess. We’ll go home, you can attend to the royal business in Canterlot, and I can pick fresh guards for a second trip.”
She wasn’t convinced. “Why don’t you send the guards home? I’ll be fine here.”
I shook my head. “No, Princess. Idle or not, bored or not, we will not abandon our duty and you cannot abandon yours.”
There was a flicker of hesitation in the princess and I latched onto it.
With a soft breath, I pressed, “Luna, we’ll come back. If I have to come alone with you, we’ll come back. Moonlit Star isn’t going anywhere, but you do have other duties. I’m half surprised Princess Celestia hasn’t sent a search party.”
Princess Luna smiled like a cat that had gotten into the cream. “Oh, no, she’s aware that we are fine.”
My brow furrowed. No messages had left Haven; there was no mail service here. “How?”
“I informed her personally with one of the new spells I’ve learned. She knows I’m safe.” Her tone had a certain smugness to it that I’d never heard before.
Magic. Leave it to magic to try to ruin my solid argument. Nonetheless, I stood my ground. “That doesn’t change the fact that you have other duties. Other ponies to care for.”
After some deliberation, she sighed and nodded. “I agree. Very well, then. Tell your guards that we shall stay a few days more and then leave. I want you to work with Moonlit Star to establish a messenger service for future visits.”
“Of course, Princess. Thank you.” I bowed and left her alone to her studies.
☾
Dawn came to Haven once again. How these ponies decided when that was, I still didn’t understand. I just started my day when they started theirs. When the city burst into life, so did we. My first task of the day would be simple enough: a conversation with the matriarch.
She was easy enough to find, sitting in a rocking chair on her porch, looking at me as I approached. “Good morning, Silent Knight. Won’t you have a seat? May I get you something to drink?”
When she started to push herself up, I held my hoof out, urging her to stay in place. “No, thank you.”
The matriarch relaxed back into her chair. “Lady Luna tells me she’ll be leaving soon.”
“That is true,” I admitted without hesitation. “She has duties and I need to rest my ponies. We’ll return soon enough, though. She has an opportunity here that she has dreamed of for centuries.”
“It is probably for the best,” she said softly as she began to rock her chair. “After all, she may be the Student to us, but Princess Luna is the Ruler to you and thousands of other ponies.”
“How did you know?” I asked as my ears shot up in surprise.
Moonlit Star chuckled softly. “My granddaughter is very stealthy and even more curious. Your younger guards are not as cautious as you.” She raised one playful brow. “This was bound to happen, so don’t take this as a failing on their part.”
Young guards talking when they shouldn’t have been. They were good ponies, though. I shrugged and replied, “She didn’t want to seem presumptuous. I don’t have the full picture, but I guess there is some order to the three alicorn positions?”
She nodded. “Oh, yes. The Student is the youngest alicorn and has much to learn. The Ruler sees to the needs of all ponies. The Mentor teaches the Student the ways of magic and prepares her to one day take over the role of Ruler.
“When a Mentor is ready to take the great journey, she would train the Ruler to be her replacement. Then the Student would become the Ruler, and a new alicorn would become the Student.”
“Where do you get a new alicorn?” I asked.
She chuckled at first, then shook her head with a solemn frown. “That is a secret even I don’t know. I expected that Celestia would have found some new ones by now to replace, at the very least, the two her house lost. Yet both you and Luna say this is not so.”
This conversation was starting to unsettle my nerves. A little desperately, I suggested, “Perhaps she didn’t want to further aggravate the problem by having three alicorns of the day and only one of the night? Maybe once Luna is strong enough, they can rebuild their houses together?”
The matriarch shrugged. “If so, that is beyond the tomes we have here. There is no information on ascension at all, and I’ve read every book in the archive many times in preparation for my role as Luna’s mentor.”
My mind raced to search for an answer and instead landed on a memory. “Exemplar Ferrel believes that extra good ponies that help others will ascend to become an alicorn after they pass.”
“Then I suspect there haven’t been any extra good ponies in over a thousand years,” she replied simply.
I frowned at that and our conversation lingered there in silence. She continued to rock, her chair squeaking with every forwards sway.
Finally, I found something to ask. “I’m curious about your pegasi, the ones with draconic wings.”
“Ah, yes. The original nox ponies. In ages past, they were far more xenophobic. Even more so than we are now. In time, though, day and night ponies started to mingle. You’re an example of that. All that is left in you is the ear tufts.”
“Some are still…” I wasn’t sure the word to use.
“Pure?” she offered.
“That seems like a negative way of putting it, but yes.”
The matriarch chuckled and nodded. “Some of the families only condone selecting mates of the same type. Of course, I caution that this can be foolish, since without mingling, we’d have never had magic. I certainly wouldn’t be who I am. Still, they have their right to choose.”
“So they do. Given your open mind when it comes to… mingling, I hope you’ll all consider giving the rest of Equestria a try?”
Moonlit Star replied in a soft voice, “That seems inevitable now. In fact, I want you to take my grandchildren with you when you leave. I would like Luna to have some nox pony influence, and it is time they start learning about the world outside of this mountain.”
This was not a small task she was asking of me. They’d more or less be two very naïve tourists, and both of them would stand out both in appearance and their manner of speech.
However, the palace was a safe enough environment for them to learn about the world. Our guards knew how to deal with foreign dignitaries. This wouldn’t be much different, really.
I finally nodded. “I can arrange that, if you think it is a good idea.”
Moonlit Star looked at me for a moment, then out into the city of Haven. Her expression was soft and a little sad. “Tranquil Dusk will leave on her own sooner or later, regardless of what I want. She is too curious about the outside world. In doing so, she may invite many other young ponies to go with her.
“Crimson Dawn is far more obedient, but he dreams of being a great knight. He is enamored with you and your guards. As much as it pains me to say so, Silent Knight, sending them to your world for now may be the best thing I can do for mine. They will be no burden to you, I promise.”
We exchanged glances. Her eyes were full of fear and doubt. She was trying to quarantine her own family. Moonlit Star had chosen to be a leader first and a grandmother second.
“This must be tough for you,” I said softly.
“Immensely, but I trust that you’ll keep them safe.”
“Me?” I asked in surprise.
“Yes, I want you to be their guardian outside of Haven.” She leaned towards me, the sadness and fear replaced with a sharp, stern look. “Can you do that? Can you keep my family safe?”
Keeping track of two tourists wasn’t really in my wheelhouse, but they weren’t foals. How hard could it be, especially if it would give their grandmother peace?
“As long as they don’t do anything that is against the law, I can ensure their safety. You have my word.”
The matriarch nodded and stood from her chair. “Good. I’ll prepare them. Now, I need to get to the library. We have much work to do and only a few days to do it in.”
I bowed my head. “Thank you, Matriarch. Have a good day.”
She limped her way in the direction of the library, leaving me to consider my new mission. I’d need to set some ground rules but, in general, the risk to Canterlot was very small.
Would the two of them even stay there once we were out? Tranquil Dusk might run off to explore the world immediately. If I could get her into school, that might be helpful. Canterlot University had a lot to study.
At the least, I would have a few days to plan something for them. That was something to occupy my mind when I was standing watch and didn’t have the ability to read the Knights of the Moon tomes.
☾
The days passed by rather quickly, as I was busy getting everything ready for us to leave. Things were finally in order, and Radiant Orchid had taken the late shift so I could get some rest, which was exactly what I was trying to do. I was half asleep on the couch in Luna’s room when the door opened, and I nearly fell off as I prepared to confront the intruder.
A familiar face looked at me. The intruder was Princess Luna, apparently coming in early. Early for her and Haven, anyway. She and Moonlit Star had been working all the harder these last few days.
My nerves settled and I rose to look more respectable than a pony sprawled out on their back. “Welcome back, Princess.”
“You may go back to relaxing, Silent Knight,” she replied with a smile.
That was all the encouragement I needed go boneless again. “You’ve been working so hard I’ve barely seen you. Are you ready to go home?”
She frowned at me. We both already knew the answer to the question, but she replied nonetheless, “No, but I understand that it can’t be helped. For now, anyway.”
I watched her while she paced the sitting area. “I don’t understand, Princess. You have a whole lifetime to come back to this place. You may learn as you please. The knowledge isn’t going anywhere now that it’s been found. Why are you so... upset?”
She turned her back to me. “I stunted my development when I refused the wisdom of the original Moonlit Star, Silent Knight. Some of what I am learning now is pedestrian by alicorn standards. I should have long since mastered much of this.”
There was regret in her voice as she continued, “After a thousand years of banishment, I have become a very eager student. Celestia may be an immensely successful teacher and we may be sisters, but our magic is very different. The knowledge and magic have always been split between the houses. As such, there is only so much she can teach me. This is my opportunity to learn what she cannot.”
That was a perfectly logical explanation. One I couldn’t question, so I attempted to lighten the mood. “I think I understand. It’s like that time I wanted to go to jump school.”
Luna turned to me with a curious frown before she laughed and shook her head. “And I still maintain that you are a pegasus. You can fly. Jump school seems an impractical waste of time.”
“I wanted the badge,” I said with a wave of my hoof. “Yes, I can fly, but they teach other skills I didn’t learn at flight camp. How to land without getting hurt. How to discern terrain at a high altitude. But I just wanted the badge, because other guards had it.
“I didn’t care about the training, just the end result. I probably would have hurt myself because I thought that since I was a pegasus, I’d be fine. Just because you’re an alicorn that is supposed to master this stuff, doesn’t mean you should rush through it. You’ll wear yourself out, Princess. Don’t think just about the badge.”
Luna tipped her nose in the air. “A badge and alicorn magic are hardly comparable, you know.” She sighed and settled on the couch beside me, then started to fluff my mane. “But I see your point. As long as you remain true to your word that we will return, I shan’t hold a grudge.”
“Oh, thank you, Princess. It is good to know you won’t smite me for doing what is best for you.” My eyes widened when I realized I said that out loud. Stupid, honest mouth.
“Is that so?” She laughed and groomed the disheveled hairs on my shoulders from wearing armor all day. “I presume you mean that you only want to help me? This isn’t about you? Poor Silent Knight. Are you jealous of the alicorn tomes?”
I scrunched up my nose in preparation to make a face. Then I realized she was right. I was jealous of all the time she was spending away from me. “You were my princess first.”
This gave her cause to smile and she nuzzled my cheek. “I believe I was theirs before you were born, but I appreciate the sentiment.” She stood and turned away, walking across the room. “Pleasant dreams, Silent Knight. Tomorrow, you may rest assured I will not stop us from returning home.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Luna lingered in the doorway to her bedroom and looked over her shoulder. “I apologize for shirking my royal duties. Celestia has ruled so long that I feel as if she can continue to do so without me.”
I opened my mouth to reply, but she silenced me with a raised hoof.
“Be not concerned, I know I have my important part to play, too. I’ll be more useful to everypony once I’ve been appropriately trained. Even you cannot deny that. But what is most important is that I cannot keep you away from Crystal Wishes too much longer or she also may get jealous.”
“She may indeed, Princess,” I said, teasingly. “Good night.”
I pulled myself off of the couch and headed into my small bedroom. We would finally be leaving in the morning, and that was fine by me. It was time to rest my guards, see Crystal, and get some semblance of my regular life back.
Early the next morning, I made a quick stop at the library to borrow the next Knights of the Moon tome. I’d gone through the initiate’s guide several times, and though I still had a lot of practicing to do of what was in it, I could at least start reading ahead until we came back here. The second volume seemed to be focused on dealing with threats from manticores, dragons, chimeras, and other species that were dangerous during those times.
I arrived at the town square to find the chariots packed and my guards waiting for me, as they had been instructed the day prior. They were standing at attention, looking as professional as always, but I could see the fatigue in them. We were all ready to go home.
“Listen up, ponies: we’ll be leaving today,” I said as I walked up and down the line. “We’ve got a long flight home and I’d like for it to go smoothly. Thankfully, we’ve found ourselves two new volunteers to help pull these chariots. That should make things a little easier. In case anypony missed introductions, this is Crimson Dawn and Tranquil Dusk.”
Crimson stood to his full height. “It is an honor to be one of the first to go to Canterlot. I’m proud to have a chance to serve Lady Luna directly.”
“Glad to have you,” Orchid replied.
“I’m excited to get there,” Tranquil said, tapping her hooves together. “When I’m taking a turn pulling, we’ll go a little faster.”
I chuckled at that. “It sounds that way.” I turned my head to look at the rest of the ponies present. “Orchid, final inspection of our chariots, please. Nova, you’ll start with the princess. Crimson and Lightning Flash will be on the larger. We’re in the sky in one hour.”
“Yes, sir,” my ponies responded and set to their tasks.
I trotted over to where Princess Luna stood with Moonlit Star. “Lady Luna, we’ll be ready to go shortly. On your order, of course.”
“Thank you, Silent Knight. I’ve said my farewells and am pleased with the plans made for correspondence. As soon as the chariots are ready, we may go.”
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll let you know.” I turned to go, but Moonlit Star set a hoof on my shoulder.
“Keep your promise,” she said in a soft voice. “Watch over my family.”
“My word is given and it will not be broken,” I replied.
“Thank you. Now, have a safe journey,” she said before turning back to speak softly to the princess.
That was my cue to check over the work of my guards. They were hard at work finishing our preparations. While I watched them, I felt a presence at my side: Tranquil Dusk.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” she asked.
I smiled and nodded towards Crimson, who was fumbling with the harness. “Why don’t you go and help your brother get ready? He looks like he could use it.”
Her laughter was quiet but unmistakable. “Yes, sir.”
I stood quietly by and watched the two of them interact. They seemed about as fit as a pony right out of the Royal Guard Academy. I wasn’t sure how much protection they’d need, but I also wasn’t certain that the matriarch had meant they were in physical danger.
It was going to be interesting keeping my eye on them and guiding their interaction in a world that would be very unfamiliar. That was something I’d worry about later. For now, I moved over to where Nova was putting on her own harness to check her buckles and straps.
Everything seemed to be in order, and the remaining ponies had piled into the larger chariot. It looked like it was finally time to go, so I went back to Princess Luna. “We’re ready for you.”
“Very well.” Luna turned to look at Moonlit Star. “Matriarch, you have my eternal gratitude for your hospitality and your wisdom. I will return soon.”
Moonlit Star smiled. “You are always welcome here, Lady Luna. I shall prepare for your next visit.”
The princess bowed her head to touch her horn to Moonlit Star’s. “Until then.” She straightened up and looked at me. “Lieutenant, we may go.” She then strode to her chariot and took her place.
“Yes, ma’am. Move out!” I called before motioning with a wing.
The chariots lurched forwards and we were on our way home. It was a great relief to me even though I’d hidden that from the others. Once I felt the sun on my face and the wind in my mane, I realized how much I’d missed it. It took all of my discipline not to fly off like a foal that finally grew into her wings.
Tranquil Dusk spoke up, shifting my attention to her. “What is it we will be doing when we get to Canterlot?”
“What would you like to do?” I asked.
“I want to see everything!”
I chuckled. “That might take some time, but it is a great goal. Where would you like to start?”
Her eyes lit up with excitement. “The castle where Lady Luna lives!”
That gave me some pause as I thought it over. “There are some limits to where you can go within the castle, but initially, you’ll be living there.”
The mare quietly clapped her hooves together. “Wonderful! And then I would like to visit all of the major cities of Equestria. When can I leave to explore them?”
“I—”
Crimson shifted in his seat and asked, “What about me?”
I graciously took the chance to back away from Tranquil’s growing list of questions. “The same rules apply. The sky's the limit. What would you like to do?”
“What if I want to become a royal guard like you?”
My ear flicked in the wind. “Pardon?”
He frowned and repeated, “What if I want to be a royal guard, like you?”
“Your grandmother may not approve. At the same time, ponies your age are allowed to make their own decisions. Of course, they’re wise to listen to their elders. The Royal Guard is a long commitment. If you were to do that, you wouldn’t be able to go home for a while.”
Crimson Dawn looked back in the direction of Haven and then back at me. “I understand… but I would have that right?”
This was a complex question right out of the gate. “By our standards, you’re an adult, Crimson. That means you can do as you please, but it also means you must accept the consequences of your actions. Do you understand?”
The younger stallion shifted uncomfortably. “I do.”
“Then think about it very carefully.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied.
It seemed that being the one responsible for these ponies was going to be a lot more perilous than I’d thought. What had I gotten myself into?
Also. if I were Luna, I'd probably have told Silent: "I'm staying, you guys come and go as you please."
Oh boy. I have a suspsion what may have happened. Great job. Good luck with the next chapter.
His dad's dead. That's my guess.
I do believe Daddy dearest has passed away.
Oh Crap! What happened? Cliff hangers! Noooooo! Oh well... Great Chapter! Thanks as always.
Another cliff hanger.
Expectations running high for another.
I knew it! It all makes sense. How he can overcome any obstacle. How he comes back stronger after every defeat. How quickly he learned ancient arts of fighting just by reading about them.
Silent Knight is a Saiyan!
I'm really excited about Crimson Dawn and Tranquil Dusk being in Canterlot. This is going to be very interesting. And probably very awkward. I eagerly look forward to it. Oh, and we didn't learn anything about that scroll that Ferrel received, though it seemed important back then. Or maybe it's just me over interpreting, because she's my favourite. Meh. Also Silent Knight is about to be informed about something. But whaaaaaat iiis iiit?! Cliffhangers...
Dat cliffhanger, doh
6103366 and they're going to tell him the secret of spirit bomb!
I have to say, I dont really trust what Luna has been learning. Knowledge can be.. subversive and the Nox ponies, well atleast the elder, has show she doesn't trust Celestia. As for the changes to Luna, I hope she is still who she is personality wise, and doesn't get so withdrawn into what the books have taught her she loses herself completely. Just something nagging at the back of my mind. Its already shown a physical change to her, what about mental? As for the cliff hanger, I have a feeling the tidings are bad. All in all a good chapter though.
This could go any which way.
Oh dear. I can't help but notice the conspicuous absence of "Dad".
Haha nice chapter. Finally Silent Knight managed to have Luna go back home \o/
Dun dun dun!
6103556 Yes indeed. He's convinced her to return home... for now!
6103541 He was certainly not mentioned! Although he also has never been seeing traveling out to see any pony.
6103539 Indeed it could!
6103508 That is true. The counter would be that it is good not to trust Celestia since she may or may not have murdered all of the other alicorns. So there is that!
6103429 The best part of writing a semi-serial! Tune in next week same pony-time, same pony-channel.
6103422 I'm certain we'll see more of Ferrel later on and what she learned from the scroll.
6103366 Hmm, he MIGHT be. I'm not big on cross-overs though ;D
6103319 Sorry, it is what I do haha ^_^
6103295 Thank you, thank you!
6103292 6103270 That is certainly one possibility.
6103249 Thank you =D
6103241 She tried, but he wasn't having it. No leaving his post!
6103019 A valid point. We'll have to see where I go with it ;D
6102943 It is her special talent for sure. Lovey really belongs to Crystal Wishes though so for more detailed info she's the person to ask. I just love using her for cameos and where she fits in.
6103693
I know, I'm just saying I would have held out longer. For that matter, I would have just left and not told them in the first place. I'm the Prince(ss), what's he gonna do? arrest me? Then again, I'm not as nice as Luna.
Whelp, I have a bad feeling about what's happened.
6103693
I know you're just lucky you update so regularly. Otherwise I'd be tearing down your front door and holding you hostage. Force you to spill the beans.
6102943 Nopers, she is not the only pony that can see love lines. In this universe, Lady Cadence can not only see them but she can also repair them with her love magic. That is special to her (I won't say unique, but she is the only unicorn they know of!). In Lovey's words, "I've met a few other ponies who can see love lines, though I've certainly met a lot more who can't. [Do they tell you who a pony loves or some such thing?] Oh, no. I mean, well, yes. But not always. Love lines link two or more ponies who are perfect for each other. It's kind of like soulmates, but not a guarantee. Love lines are really delicate!"
6103693
No, no, it's too late Anzel. This is canon now.
Silent Knight is a Saiyan, but his Saiyan tail was replaced by a pony tail using magic. he feels such an affinity with Luna because she radiates enough Blutz Waves to transform him into the mighty oozaru, or would if he still had a Saiyan tail.
I should probably not be painting with all the windows closed.
6103541
......that never occurred to me.
6103693 Well, that's a relief to know that I'm not so obsessed with a character that I'm imagining things.
These cliffhangers are killing me anzel
Oh no, seeing family in your own house before arrived is usually a bad sign...
On another note, is there a picture of Orchid? I don't remember what she looks like and I can't seem to visualize her.
I think everyone talking about Straus Knight being dead is on the wrong tack. More likely it's time for the secret family backstory.
"We are descended from the Knights of the Moon....etc...etc... Basically assassinate Celestia and assist Luna in her take over. Also some Canterlot floozy was buzzing around while you were injured no doubt hoping to improve her standing. Since you don't seem to be taking steps to bed Luna, we have selected an appropriate mare for you. You will wed Iridescence next week."
BRAINWAVE:
You have taken a number of times to asset that Cadence in this universe is a unicorn. In the show both she and Twilight are Alicorns. We now know there are supposed to be three alicorns a side. Celestia, Luna = Rulers. Twilight,Cadence = student
I'd imagine that Princess Celestia will be in for quite a shock when she finds how much taller her younger sister is now.
Oh wow.
aspergersathome.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/beln703_5_480x360_2030108368.jpg
Cliff Hanger!
6104678 ...
Call me paranoid, but Luna's newfound knowledge and growth makes me uneasy...
6103270 Seconded warily...
6103705 My thought is that she wouldn't want to upset her sister and her friends. Yes she's a princess but this is MLP! They're very considerate ;D
6103664 Indeed sir, indeed!
6103713 Ominous for sure.
6103724 LOL Yeah, I honestly do try to follow the old Adam West Batman formula. Every other chapter or so ends in a minor cliffhanger and every so often I do a major one!
6104083 I know, I know ;D At least you get to read one draft ahead!
6104641 Yeah, sometimes it is. You never know exactly why they're there. Unfortunately there isn't a picture of Orchid yet. I have here on my to-do list but artist bandwidth is limited!
6104678 Poor Crystal Wishes ;) You are correct, Cadence is very much a unicorn in this universe. So is Twilight Sparkle even though we haven't seen that yet. It isn't a secret though.
6104700 That seems to be a curiosity of many readers! We probably won't see it "on screen" due to everything being from Silent Knight's perspective. Although Luna growing would not be totally out of place for Celestia.
6105050 It's what I do! =D
6105279 There, there, Crystal will be fine!
6105812 That seems to be a vibe with several folks. Nobody trusts the Alicorns of the Night!
6106139 It is a popular theory!
Uuuuuuugh, that cliffhanger left me with wrecked insides. What could have happened while the they were gone!?
Yeah, it is definitely time to head home for a little bit. This was supposed to be just a short duration trip after all, not an extended stay that Silent's squad wasn't actually prepared for.
Darker? We've seen a darker version of Luna that was more on-scale with Celestia before and it didn't end well.
Ahhh. Point for the "Celestia knows now" column even if not necessarily for the more general "Celestia knows" one.
Interesting details on how the three alicorn positions worked. Shades of the classic "maiden, mother, and crone" trope. I wonder if the "where did the new alicorns come from" question has anything to do with why the old alicorns got taken out.
Probably a good idea.
Someone needs to put Tranquil on an exclamation point diet. I definitely like the idea of her brother joining the guard. After a bit more time they should even have an open slot in Luna's house guard once Orchid retires, Iridescence moves up, and someone else gets promoted to sergeant.
Way to miss a perfect opportunity for Miley teasing, Silent. "Taller? Naw, she's always been this size. Are you sure you haven't shrunk?"
Hmn. Is Silent's father dead? Dying? Finally completed the process of shriveling up into a prune?
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(Possibly even more appropriate if it is true! )
Im going to call it now. Something happened to silent Night's dad.
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See no body cares about Winterspear
More seriously, the parents have been established to be extremely selfish, and I hardly expect that trend to change now after all they have done. As such I would not put it past them to simply present a bride to Silent Knight and expect him to go along with it. I also would not be surprised to learn that with the coming revelations they ask him to abandon his post to live with the nox or some other outrageous request that suits them.
That his father went blind, he only misses the sun when he remembers it. I wonder if part of his nox heritage is weak eyes if not bad sight.
Oh, Silent... Promising to protect someone no matter what is a terribly foolish promise. It's literally impossible to keep except by blind luck.
And now we wait for more information to be revealed. There are a lot of hints to things, but very little actual information. Though I will say that my theory about the top dog in the attack on Princess Luna being an Equestrian is looking more promising after that prophecy from Ferrel.
6110416 Haven't heard from you in a while! Always good to see your theorizing. Yeah, that is a tough promise to keep. We'll just have to see how he does. As far as the attack... we'll see!
6109079 Ah, but a counter point! Regular ponies don't know about the nox ponies yet ;D Although the bride thing would be plausible since it isn't dependent on that knowledge.
6108643 That is a popular theory!
6108078 Yes indeed. Luna and Celestia had some form of contact! That is a good analogy for the alicorns. I wanted to do something different and focused on the number six (for obvious reasons). That gave me three of each. Then I just had to make it fit. I also considered four at one point. One for each season but that just didn't make any real sense to me. There will be a Miley short joke in the nearish future.
6106625 They were gone for a while! There could be all sorts of things (but we'll find out for sure on Monday) =D
this next chapter, all I have to say is this:
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or they're just messing with him and giving him a surprise party...
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Yeah, I got a few chapters behind and this is the first day I've really had to just sit down and read.
And you really haven't left me a lot to theorize on simply because there are so many possible paths that everything can take. There's so much up in the air right now it's almost impossible to tell how it'll all land until we have more information.
I feel like I remember Winterspear getting a letter...or maybe that was in Crystal's story... Now I can't remember...
6110977 It is funny you mention that. I was just talking to Crystal about the same thing the other day. There are a lot of balls in the air right now in Secrets. I'm hoping to pull a few of them out and put them to bed. Still! Glad to have you caught up.
6110963 Not grumpy cat! Oh no!
6111017 cdn.meme.am/instances/59671629.jpg
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I lied, I do have a theory or two. I read so much at once that it took me a minute to realise what had been said.
At first I was wondering why Luna suddenly got bigger from learning magic there in the nox pony city. After all, Celestia has an entire school devoted to the practice of magic and an archive full of ancient lore. It seemed unlikely that the nox ponies could really have so much magic that a few days there could make up for what Luna could have learned in the past several years since her return.
But then she answered that by mentioning that her magic was fundamentally different from Celestia's, and that she could only teach her so much. That brings up several interesting possibilities.
The first is that alicorn magic is, somehow, fundamentally different from the magic used by unicorns. That would explain why they were divided into two houses to begin with. If Luna could gain power, or increase her magical might, or whatever she did, from the spells and knowledge used by regular unicorns, she would have already increased in size dramatically during her time in Canterlot.
Though, on that one, I will admit that there might not be a substantial difference between the magic used by Celestia and the magic used by unicorns. The matriarch mentioned that her tribe wouldn't have had magic at all if they hadn't intermarried with ponies from the day tribes, so it's possible that only the magic used by the night alicorns is unique, since the nox ponies apparently didn't have unicorns at all until they acquired it from the day ponies.
The second is about Silent's rather...suggestive banter with Luna during the trip. For any other pony it wouldn't be a big difference, but for a pony like Silent it's a big deal. I would chalk it up to him just being giddy still about dating Crystal, but they've been together for a bit, he mentioned that they've been on more than a few dates and all that, and I think there's more to it than that. With the way he was acting, If I didn't know better I'd say that Crystal gave him more than just a goodbye kiss before he left.
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6113501 I'm always glad when you do! Rumination brought out some good ideas!
The first is that alicorn magic is, somehow, fundamentally different from the magic used by unicorns.
That is an interesting thought! It is also something I've given a lot of thought. You're on to it when it comes to what Luna said. One of the points I wanted to get across is that Night Alicorn magic and Day Alicorn magic are indeed different. So much so that Celestia couldn't appropriately instruct her sister. Celestia had Star Swirl, Luna had Moonlight Star. Less than idea but better than nothing.
Unicorn magic is more similar to alicorn magic (in general) than night alicorn and day alicorn magic are to each other. Essentially, in D&D terms, alicorn is a prestige class which then further divides. Alicorns can use unicorn magic but unicorns can't use alicorn magic*.
The second is about Silent's rather...suggestive banter with Luna during the trip.
Yes, that is a great catch. This is showing a bit of his growing confidence in himself and with mares. It is unusual for him but he is very comfortable with Luna and Crystal is certainly removing some of the mystique of the fairer sex.
But at this point, no. Those two have been pretty timid together off screen ;) She's a lady!
*There are always exceptions to rules ;D
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She is indeed a lady, but she's a lady that has been waiting for her special somepony for a rather long time and lives with the likes of Velvet Step. Desire and corrupting influences could have provoked her to be a bit more...open, at least behind closed doors. I will admit that I figured that one was unlikely, but hey, it was worth a shot.
But the thing with alicorn magic also addresses a different concern that I've had floating around in my head, that being that Luna seemed fairly...underpowered compared to what one would expect a legendary alicorn to be. If she was stuck using what amounted to overcharged unicorn magic with little to no access to magic more suited to her, that would easily explain it.
Oh, and I want to weigh in on the possibility of Twilight and Cadance ascending, since people have been throwing that around. I don't think she will (as long as she has a choice in the matter), even if it is a possibility, unless Celestia guilts her into it. I don't think she'd take immortality now that she has Shining Armor unless Celestia pulled out the "for the good of Equestria" card and threw it down pretty hard.
Twilight might go for it though.
Also, why are there never male alicorns? I can't help but feel like there's a reason for that, but I have no idea what it is...
Well, that's not at all ominous. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
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She is indeed a lady, but she's a lady that has been waiting for her special somepony for a rather long time and lives with the likes of Velvet Step.
Are you suggesting that sweet little velvet is a bad influence? ;D
But the thing with alicorn magic also addresses a different concern that I've had floating around in my head, that being that Luna seemed fairly...underpowered compared to what one would expect a legendary alicorn to be.
Exactly! That is what I was trying to address specifically. Early on the show canon didn't seem to really know what to do with her and she certainly didn't seem on par with Celestia. I picked up on that thread and worked it into the lore. Thus the different houses with different magic.
Oh, and I want to weigh in on the possibility of Twilight and Cadance ascending, since people have been throwing that around. I don't think she will (as long as she has a choice in the matter), even if it is a possibility, unless Celestia guilts her into it. I don't think she'd take immortality now that she has Shining Armor unless Celestia pulled out the "for the good of Equestria" card and threw it down pretty hard.
A very valid point.
Also, why are there never male alicorns? I can't help but feel like there's a reason for that, but I have no idea what it is...
I might touch on that in the story. I have a few ideas I've been kicking around but I'm not sure it will really be more than a footnote. The obvious answer is that mares > stallions.
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I wouldn't say she's a bad influence, per se. I mean, she's no Sunny Days. Just that she doesn't have the same filters that Crystal does, and on more than one occasion has encouraged Crystal to ignore those filters. whether or not that's a bad thing is up to personal opinion I suppose.
But we've all seen the way Crystal leers. She's not fooling anyone, you know.
Silent Knight's Mom? O.o Next chapter is going to be interesting...