Shadows' Call

by NPP6

Chapter 2 - Fork in the Road

Diamond Tiara snapped back into focus when she realized the teacher was calling her name. “Yes Miss Cheerilee?”

The mare looked worried. “Are you alright Diamond? You’ve been very distracted lately.”

The filly nodded rapidly. “I’m fine Miss Cheerilee, just lost in thought. I’ll try to keep it from happening again.”

Cheerilee looked at her for a little while longer. “Alright Diamond Tiara. You do know that you can come talk to me if something is wrong though, right?”

You mean like nightmare beasts and alicorn stallions in my dreams? Yeah… “Yes Miss Cheerilee.”

It had been a little over a week since Midnight Star had taken her to the castle. It was exactly like he had warned her; she always knew when she was dreaming. And she always knew how to leave the dream. One night it was a door, the next a tunnel, the next something else. It wasn’t always the same, but it was always there, even if she didn’t take it.

She had taken it a few times, when she got bored with her dreams. She would always walk out of her dream into the castle’s entrance hall. She had started fixing the place up, purely out of boredom. She had done some exploring, but hadn’t found much.

She snapped back out of another daze as she heard the school bell ringing. She was about to leave with the rest of the students when she heard Miss Cheerilee calling her name, “Diamond Tiara, can you please wait a moment? I’d like to speak with you.”

The filly sighed as she finished packing up her saddlebags. She then waited patiently as the fillies and colts she now called friends filed out. The fuchsia mare walked slowly over to her desk. “Diamond Tiara, you’ve been distracted in class for a while now… I understand that it may not be something you want to talk about, but… please tell me Diamond, is anything wrong? Even if I can’t help, you’d be surprised what somepony listening can do.”

Diamond shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong Miss Cheerilee. Thank you though.”

“For what?”

“For caring.”

The filly slipped her saddlebags on and turned to leave. She stopped as she felt a hoof on her shoulder. “I just want to say again, if something goes wrong, you can always come and talk to me.”

Diamond smiled at her. “Yes Miss Cheerilee.”

---

As Diamond was leaving the schoolyard, she noticed one filly who wasn’t leaving with the others. The black alicorn was trudging away with her head down. Diamond almost called out to her, but the words caught in her throat. Something was obviously wrong, and given their past…

They had been friendly with each other since the student pony president election, but Diamond was still probably one of the last ponies that Nyx wanted to help her. Still… She couldn’t just leave her sad, could she? Especially since she was the only pony who seemed to notice.

She followed the other filly at a distance. Nyx was taking the road that ran along the edge of town, obviously trying not to be noticed. Diamond hung back, not sure what she should do. If the trio’s example was anything to go by, then spying on her should solve at least a few of Nyx’s problems, right?

“Hey little filly.” Nyx froze and Diamond hid as a voice came from the side of the road. A stallion stepped out from where he was hiding under the bridge in front of them. His hooded cloak hid his features, but the slight glow from under the hood and around the ropes and hoofcuffs floating in front of him clearly marked him as a unicorn.

“It’s funny,” He chuckled, “That line is so overused that I don’t have to say anything else to let you know what’s going on. Come quietly filly.”

Nyx was backing slowly away from him. “No. I am not letting myself get foalnapped again.”

More dry laughter, “Since I’m using clichés, have it your way.”

“Step away from our princess.” The stallion looked up at Diamond as she stood in the middle of the path. Nyx used the opportunity to back away further.

He never stopped with that annoying laugh. “I was hoping you’d come to me. I couldn’t have you getting away and raising the alarm after all. Such a shame that you had to follow your friend home from school.”

“Nyx, run.”

“That won’t do you any good.”

Diamond smirked as she heard a rustle behind her. She had been right. “You’re a unicorn, so you can probably catch one of us, maybe both. But can you also catch the three fillies in those bushes who followed us because they were worried I was going back to my old bullying ways? And the one in those bushes who was following me because she was worried about me? And the one behind that rock who was following Nyx because she was worried about her being sad?

“And after all of that, what are you going to do about the colt that’s reached town by now and is already telling them what happened?”

Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, Silver Spoon, and Twist sheepishly stepped out of their hiding places.

The laughter stopped. “…Well played fillies. For now it’s more important that we stay hidden than get her, so congratulations. You win today.

“But remember that I’ve seen your faces and cutie marks, and I will be back for each of you.”

There was a flash of light as he teleported away. The tension in the air vanished as the seven fillies circled up. “That was ahmazin Diamond!” Applebloom cheered.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo commented, “How’d ya know it would work though?”

She smiled sadly at them. “My special talent is getting ponies to do what I want, remember? Besides, if there’s one thing I know a lot about, then it’s bullies.”

Silver Spoon spoke up, “Who was the colt though? I thought I was the last one to follow all of you.”

The smile turned into a smirk. “What colt?”

Her friends stared at her in shock. “You mean,” Sweetie squeaked out, “you-you were lying?”

“Daddy called it ‘bluffing’ when he was teaching me his card games.”

Nyx nodded. “Uncle Shiny calls it that too, when he’s teaching the new guards.”

“Tho… Doeth that mean it wath okay?” Twist seemed to be struggling with the concept. None of her friends had an answer for her.

---

“Sir… Sir, I am sorry to report that Subtlety has failed.”

There was an ancient sigh. “It is of no consequence. He has not damaged our plans I trust?”

“No Sir. As soon as Subtlety realized he could not escape cleanly, he retreated as ordered.”

“In that at least, he has never failed. Do not worry, we need not remove the filly yet. Who saw him?”

“More fillies. He mentions seeing six of them in his report. There was also a colt he never saw, but who was apparently there.”

“Can they identify him?”

“No. He was wearing a cloak with an obscuring enchantment.”

“Will nopony believe them?”

“A group of fillies on a lonely road are accosted by a faceless shadow pony who vanishes without harming them. You tell me.”

“…This is a very strange age indeed.”

“By the time anypony is willing to listen to them, we will have already silenced them and taken the Warrior of Night.”

“And the colt?”

“We will use them to find him.”

“Excellent work Cunning.”

---

“So what were y’all so down ahbout anyway Nyx?”

She sighed and looked down at her hooves. “I can’t tell you.”

Silence descended. “You remember the last time ya tried to keep something secret from us, right?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie nodded. “Good luck keeping us from finding out now.” She traded looks with Applebloom and Scootaloo. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SECRET FINDERS! YAY!!!”

Nyx groaned. “No, girls, I can’t tell you. It’s… princess stuff.”

Twist put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Even printhetheth need to talk thometimeth.”

“I know your mom talks to Rarity about a lot of stuff. Even when she was hiding you from everypony. Maybe it’s okay to tell us if you need our help?”

Nyx looked away. “That’s just it though; I don’t think you can help.”

“We can at least help you feel better, right? I mean, after all of the times Silver Spoon and I made you feel bad, we kind of owe it to you.”

The alicorn snorted and stamped her hoof. “…It’s my talent.” She finally whispered.

After a few moments of waiting for her to continue, Applebloom prompted her, “What ahbout it?”

“I’m… I’m not living it, and it sucks!”

“What do you mean?” Diamond asked.

Nyx looked at her. After a moment, she sighed again. “You aren’t going to leave this alone, are you? Fine, I’ll tell you.

“My special talent is protecting ponies. I’m the alicorn of protection! And now there’s some big scary threat out there that we don’t know about, and somepony else is the one who’s going out there and stopping it.”

There were a couple of shrugs. “So the grownups are handling things for now,” Scootaloo rasped, “So what?”

“Yeah Nyx, it’s the same thing on the farm. Sometimes Big Mac ahnd Applejack have to do things cause I’m too little. They’re just tryin to keep ya safe.”

“…I wish it was that. The adults aren’t doing anything though. Mom and the rest of the princesses are really worried, because apparently the only pony who knows what’s going on told them that only a filly can stop this. She’s our age, that’s what they told me.”

“So you’re… jealous?” Sweetie guessed.

“No! I’m… I’m not jealous, I just… I feel so useless!” She stomped again, “Somewhere, out there right now, there’s a filly just like us who’s risking her life doing my job. I wish I could stand in her place, but I’m not jealous, I’m… I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I’m not good enough at my responsibilities, so she has to do it. I would if I could, but…

“Apparently she’s the better pony for the job.”

---

“MIDNIGHT STAR!!!”

The alicorn stepped out of a doorway behind her before his name had even finished echoing on the wind. “Diamond Tiara. Have you made a decision?”

She turned on him, fury in her eyes. “Did you know? About what almost happened to Nyx?”

“Oh. That.” He shook his head. “No, I did not. I am not omniscient Diamond Tiara, I merely have a unique perspective. I knew no more about that than you did. I would have warned somepony if I had.”

After a moment of glaring, the anger cooled and she nodded. “Alright. I’ll believe you.”

“Thank you. Are there any more questions I can answer?”

“Yes. Daddy always says that ‘good decisions require good information.’ I want you to tell me more about the Shadow Rangers. To help me decide.”

He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. “I see.” His voice was even softer than usual. “I think I have a better idea, one that will not cost so much. Follow me.”

He led her through a door, then down a hallway. He stopped at one of the doors in the hallway. “This is probably the best place for you to find what you need.” The handle of the door glowed with his magic. “This door is unlocked now. Let me know when you’re ready for the next one.”

Almost hesitantly, she reached up and opened the door. The room on the other side had a lush purple carpet. In one corner was a small desk, with bookshelves along that wall. A portrait hung over a mantle where a magical fire suddenly burst to life. There were a pair of glowing crystal lanterns on either side of the painting, and by their light she could just make out the words Nyx tis nýchtas.

Curious, she looked up at the painting. It was weird, it didn’t look a thing like her friend. The mare’s coat was the same purple as the carpet, her mane dark blue with a few highlights. She turned to ask her guide about it, but found him gone, the doorway empty.

Looking around the room some more, she noticed the books again. With a groan, she realized that she could probably only solve this puzzle in Nyx’s way. She walked over to the desk, for the first time noticing a book already on it.

Captain’s Log
Nyx of the Night
Volume I

Seemingly having no other options, she opened the book and began to read.

Captain’s Log

Fiftieth Year of Celestial Reign

Seventh Month

Thirteenth Day

I have just become the third Captain of the Shadow Rangers. I write to an unknown audience, so I will explain them in brief.

Our task is to protect a nation known as Equestria. Our ruler is Princess Celestia, but while we support her, we do not answer to her. Not in the same way the other guards are starting to.

Perhaps this is because they lost their leaders earlier. I hope not, as this would mean that we too shall fade soon. This would be a disaster. Equestria needs us, it always will.

My name is Nyx. I am known among the masses as Nyx of the Night. This was not always my name, but it is the only name of mine that matters.

I am the last Ranger who knew Him personally. I will speak of Him later, so that future generations may know the general they serve under, even indirectly. But this is not the place for that.

I will mention him once more though, as I begin my story. The story of how I came to be Nyx of the Night. Because it does start with him.

Everyone who knew him will always remember what the first thing they said to him and he said to them was. I will always remember my first words to him.

“Never leave me alone with my uncle.”

…

---

Luna cast a glance over her shoulder as the stallion entered her dream. “So Midnight, how fares thy champion?”

“She’s still deciding.”

“You do not sound as… downhearted as I would expect from these tidings.”

“She’s trying to make the right decision. She officially has better judgement than a good third of heroes throughout history. She’s competent, resourceful, smarter than she’s given credit for… I can see why the Darkness wanted her so badly. At the moment she’s reading through the Shadow Ranger archives, trying to find out more about them.”

“Are you sure that is wise? Some of the things in those reports…”

“I can’t afford to sugarcoat things Luna. She needs to know that this isn’t a fairy tale and ‘happily ever after’ always comes at a price.”

“And so you take her innocence to save Equestria?”

“No. Never. I told you, she’s already capable of saving Equestria. This is about making sure she survives it.”

“I see…”

“I know. I don’t like it either. I’m sure Poppinjay will rip me a new one the next time we see each other. But it’s the only way I can save her. I’m not about to let a filly fall to…”

“And you cannot tell us anything?”

“I can tell you she’ll need help. So be ready to help her.”

“Why can I not visit her at Noctus Bastion?”

“The price. Right now I am keeping you separate, but if you were to meet her because she was in a place I put her in, it would be as if I introduced you. While she remains unknown to you, I can help her without aiding you. The price is small. If you knew who she was…”

“The price we paid would be steep. You are truly doing everything you can, aren’t you?”

“Always.”

---

She read for hours. It might have been a side effect of the dreamscape, but it was the first time she ever truly immersed herself in a book. She devoured page after hoofwritten page, working her way into the second volume she found after a determined search of the room’s shelves.

As the dawn rose on the dreamscape, she noticed for the first time the small window high over the door. She could not begin to guess what it was for, but she knew what the appearance of the sun meant.

The world faded out of focus, and then back in as Diamond Tiara blinked blearily. She crawled out of her bed and made her way to her bathroom. She started a shower – her butler had been told long ago not to wake her up if she didn’t respond to his first call, so she had no time for her usual bath.

She was probably going to be a little late for school, but she honestly didn’t mind. The book Nyx of the Night had written was so amazing, the way she had –

Diamond’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at herself in the mirror. She actually remembered! She never remembered the things she read, but she remembered everything she had read last night!

Including some interesting things she had noticed. Grudgingly, she admitted to herself that she was probably going to have to read some books while she was awake too. After all, she needed to find out about the stallion’s claims of working with the princesses.

Comments

[Rhanoa]

At this point, I feel like you forgot to tag some pretty relevent characters for this story, as Luna, Midnight Star, Cheerilee and Twilight. I have the feeling they will play an important part.

Diamond shook her head. “Nothing’s wrong Miss Cheerilee. Thank you though.”
“For what?”
“For caring.”

This part warmed my heart. Caring Cheerilee is best Cheerilee.