• Published 19th Oct 2015
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Waning and Waxing - Calliope Pony



What happened a thousand years ago when Princess Luna turned into Nightmare Moon? And what happened in the present when she tried to seize power again? What was going through her head the whole time?

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Chapter 16

Back at the town the hall seems to be in turmoil. I can hear a babble of voices and see lots of commotion. I start to head towards it when another lit building catches my attention. What’s going on over there?

The structure is built into a large tree, and coming close I see a sign declaring it “Golden Oaks Library.” Smoke-formed I float over to a window and peer inside.

Within the library I see a small crowd of ponies gathered around the purple unicorn who recognized me. She’s reading from a book, and the others are listening. I press closer to the glass to hear what she’s saying.

She’s reading about the Elements of Harmony! Celestia didn’t have the Elements with her, and I saw no sign of them when I was at the castle. This unicorn is planning to find them and use them against me!

I don’t know if she would be able to use them. Even if she can, how much strength would a simple unicorn have to wield their power? Still, I was defeated by the Elements once, and I will not risk it happening again. I will destroy these ponies who seek to banish me once more. Taking the throne can wait; first I must ensure that the Elements will not be a threat.

I follow the ponies as they leave the library and head to the forest’s edge. They are clearly unhappy about the task. They fear the forest, and the purple unicorn tries to get the others to stay behind, but they refuse. Just as well; I’ll need to get them all out of the way, and it will be easier to do it all at once.

As they walk through the forest they are clearly ill at ease. Some of them whimper and shrink back from small noises. Others trudge ahead, putting on brave faces, but are quick to react to any little movement. Only the pink Earth mare appears unconcerned.

At first I consider simply revealing myself to them and fighting them here and now. There are only six of them, so I should be able to take them on with little difficulty. On the other hoof, if they expect to be able to wield the Elements they may have some power I don’t know about. When I fought Celestia the first time I was too rash, and I paid dearly for my overconfidence. Perhaps something a little more... subtle would be a good way to dispose of this threat.

I follow the group until the path stretches along the top of a cliff. Ah, this might be a very good place to strike them all at once without them even realizing I’m here. I sink my smoke form into the soil directly below them. I can hear muffled voices, and I wait until they are all above me...

Swiftly I yank out the cliff from below their hoofs. Cries and screams burst forth as they fall, and I pull back to see what happens.

Ah, the two pegasi were quick enough to regain their balance and fly up when the cliff fell. They fly swiftly down to catch two of their companions, but the last two are still falling.

The orange Earth mare catches hold of a branch and stops herself. The purple unicorn is still falling, but she manages to catch hold of the edge just before going over. She won’t be able to hold on for long, though, before she plummets down. The orange mare eases herself down the rock face and helps the unicorn to keep her grip. As they struggle there, the pegasi fly the other two ponies down. Then they loop back up and hover just below the unicorn, ready to catch her when she falls.

She doesn’t see them there and isn’t willing to let go. Her dangling back hoofs desperately search for purchase on the rock.

“Applejack, what do I do?” she asks the orange mare.

The Earth mare, Applejack, sees the pegasi and orders her to let go and drop down, but the unicorn refuses.

“Now listen here. What I’m sayin’ to you is the honest truth: Let go, and you’ll be safe.”

The unicorn seems to trust her. She drops into the waiting hoofs of the two pegasi, and they fly her down.