Past Moons, Powerful Magics and Peculiar Mares
The large room became strangely silent. Even the happy flapping of wings and giggling of mares relented as the afterimage of Starswirl gazed intently at me.
"So, will you do it?" the old unicorn asked me. His voice was steady and even, but, in his eyes, I thought I saw the smallest twinkling of light. My lips curl into a sly smirk as Clover and Cirrus land next to us with a small pattering of hooves.
"I will help you, Shade of Starswirl," I said, pausing momentarily to watch everypony beam at me brightly, "but not for free, of course."
"Azure!" cried Twilight. Clover gave a little growl as she scrunched up her face in protest. Cirrus only looked mildly amused.
"What?" I said, shooting them all a stern look. "I was almost squished into a pancake, thrown into lava, found out Golden was actually a changeling, and all the while was dealing with the idea of you being tortured." I narrowed my eyes at Clover, before turning my killer irises on Starswirl. "I think I've earned the right to a couple of books and a few questions before I have to go kill some giant monster." I planted my rump on the ground to emphasize my disapproval.
Starswirl turned to glare to Clover, who was edging slowly away from the group.
"I thought I told you to bring them straight here, Clover," he said with barely concealed irritation.
"Awe, but where's the fun in that?" Clover asked with a giggle.
"Don't make me get out the bottle again!" Starswirl said sternly. The only sound from Clover was a small squeaking noise before she furiously shook her head. "Good. Now," he said turning back to me and Twilight, "what can we offer you as an apology for being such terrible hosts?"
"I've got a few questions about the library and a few other things, but, firstly, I need to see your collection of works on earth pony magic, your zebra runic compendium, and anything you have for advanced magical artifact creation and manipulation," I said, my tone raising slightly as excitement started to creep in.
"Clover, please fetch what Master Azure has requested. We'll begin preparations after I've answered his questions," Starswirl commanded. Clover stuck her tongue out, but the flew off before the old wizard could comment on it.
"Please forgive Clover," he said as he shook his head slowly. "From time to time, the mist of the sirens has crept into the library, and, after a while, it started to twist her magical makeup."
"Where is the mist coming from?" Twilight asked, sounding both curious and concerned.
"The queen of the sirens is sealed deep within this mountain, where she has remained for over a thousand years," Starswirl answered.
"Wait..." Cirrus said, taking a step forward, a strand of her blue mane falling across her face, "you mean to tell us that this library was built on top of a dangerous monster?"
Starswirl chuckled at that. "That's not quite right, Miss Changeling, but rather, it was built because of that dangerous creature."
"My name is Cirrus, not 'Miss Changeling', Mister Ghost-of-a-Pony." Cirrus snapped, her wings flaring out slightly in indignation.
"You will be respectful to Starswirl, or else, you bug," Twilight growled at Cirrus, who didn't seem very intimidated.
'Now, now, Princess Twilight. I deserved that comment, and you would do well to show respect to others if you value being shown any for yourself." Starswirl said in his old, sage-like voice.
I nodded approvingly to Starswirl, and was given a small smile from the old wizard in return before he continued.
"The queen of the sirens was sealed away long ago by the great Starswirl the Bearded, who built this library in an attempt to stop anypony from accidentally, or even purposely, waking her. But over time, the essence of the creature has seeped into the ground and out into the forest that surrounds us." Starswirl gestured out towards the spiraling structure that surrounded us. "Far beneath us, not far from the grand flow, she resides. When you're ready, you must break the seal and defeat her."
"Hey, um, if the queen is trapped beneath us, what happened to her children?" Cirrus asked, her tone displaying genuine curiosity.
"They were banished to an alternate universe over a thousand years ago," Twilight supplied instantly.
"Yes..." Starswirl said carefully, "but how did you know it was an alternate universe? For all we knew at the time, they had been banished into a pocket of space somewhere."
"I, um, I don't really want to talk about it," Twilight said, before looking down at her hooves with a shiver.
I raised an eyebrow at Twilight, but decided to drop the subject. "So what of the village in the mist?"
"Oh, you've met them, have you?" Starswirl chuckled. "I'm glad to see they're still surviving in such a condition."
"So, care to explain that whole situation?" I asked him.
"Well, you see, many years after the Great Starswirl the Bearded passed from us, the mist had begun to leak from the soil. Clover and myself were the only witnesses to its horrible effects upon that small village." Starswirl shuddered, which looked more like a ripple in a colorful pond than anything else. "Using a majority of the reserves I had been given, I traveled down to the village and created the sealing magic that both keeps them safe and that also stops the mist from venturing beyond the forest."
"That explains a good deal, I suppose." I said to him.
"But, wait," Cirrus spoke up again, "if you had enough power to seal the mist here, could you have not dealt with the queen yourself?"
At this, the ghost of Starswirl actually smiled, a warm glow spreading across his face. "I admire your confidence in me, Ms. Cirrus, but I couldn't have gone to challenge the queen, even if I thought I could beat it."
"Why not?” Twilight, Cirrus, and I all chimed in unison. We stopped and looked around, the smallest of grins making it upon Cirrus and Twilight's face as they looked back at each other.
"Because I'm not allowed to alter any enchantments placed before my creation," he said with a sigh. "It's the same reason I can't help my dear Clover, as she was created before me."
"So, do you have any advice for fighting the creature?" Twilight said with a twinge of anxiety.
"All I know is what was written, dearest princess," Starswirl said as he gave a half bow. "The sirens use their voices to influence your hearts and minds. I can only imagine the queen is similar to this, but far more powerful in that respect."
"Hmm," I said, rubbing my hoof against my chin. "Twilight, can you create a soundproof barrier?"
Twilight blinked at me a few times before her eyes lit up like Pinkie Pie's when she finds out she gets to plan a party.
"Of course, that's so simple..." Twilight said chuckling.
"Just focus on keeping its voice from reaching us and I'll focus on actually defeating it." A cocky grin spread across my face as I looked back over to the old wizard.
"Hey! What can I do to help?" Cirrus asked cheerfully.
Twilight and I looked back at her, then at each other, then back at her. "Just stay behind us," we said together.
Cirrus's mouth hung open in dismay, before she shook her head rapidly. "What? Why not? These pretty feathers aren't just for show, I'll have you know!" she said indignantly.
"You'll just get in the way," Twilight managed to say without too much spitefulness.
"Will not!" Cirrus retorted, her wings flaring out in protest.
"You won't be able to help because of how the sirens affect changelings," I said, both of the mares going quiet. "I can't really imagine what it would feel like to have your very life forced sucked out of you, but if you have a relapse in the middle of the fight, you mind end up getting hurt, or worse..."
"I, I...just..." she started to say before her head slumped to the floor. After a moment, she looked up, her eyes moving from Twilight to myself, and then nodded.
"Alright, so how do we go about getting to the giant pest anyway?" I asked, glancing down into the magnificently deep column of books, stone and magical liquids.
Starswirl floated wordlessly into the air, levitating backwards and then gesturing with a hoof at a descending staircase. If he hadn't pointed it out, I might not have ever noticed it as it blended in perfectly with the wall with which it was connected.
"Ah, stairs. Of course," I said, looking back at the winged mares beside me. "Must be nice to be able to fly."
"I could just teleport you down there, Azure, if you’d prefer that." Twilight reminded me.
"That would be most unwise, Princess Twilight, as there is far too much magical interference in the area," Starswirl responded.
"And you remember what happened the last time you tried to teleport while affected by magical turbulence, don't you?" I said, somehow managing to suppress a snicker. Twilight scowled at me, her face lightening several shades as she she looked away.
"Well, I'm taking the stairs, it seems. You girls are more than welcome to join me, or fly down, if you want. I don't mind," I said as I walked to where Starswirl had gestured.
"I'll walk with you, Uncle. I don't feel like flying all the way down there, just to sit and wait," Twilight said as she moved to follow me.
"Well, I'm don't want to be alone, either!" Cirrus said as she ran after us.
"Just don't try to eat any of my emotions! I mean it!" Twilight said in annoyance.
"Ugh, I wasn't in the mood for anything grape-flavored anyway!" Cirrus retorted in a child-like manner.
"Hold on," Starswirl said as he looked toward something in the distance. "There's Clover with the books you requested, Azure."
“Weee!" the violet mare squeaked as she descended towards us. In her hooves were a small assortment of old tomes, each one appearing to have been carefully protected against the slow erosion of time.
"Thank you, Clover. Now, please apologize for causing our guests so much trouble," Starswirl commanded, his tone one that broke no argument. Clover let out a low growl, but was silenced by a fierce look from the old wizard.
"Oh, all right, I'm sorry for using you as my test subjects," she muttered, barely audible over the perpetual sounds of the large tower. She looked down at the ground to avoid any eye contact.
"I don't think they could hear you," Starswirl said irritably.
"Oh, alright, I'm sorry for causing all of you trouble, please don't be mad at me!" Clover cried out, bending down on her front hooves. She looked up at us with pleading, tear-filled eyes, and, after a moment, her bottom lip started to quiver.
"Well, you're a good actor, I'll give you that, Clover," I said with a shake of my head. "Just please don't do it again, alright?"
Clover perked up at this, shooting straight onto her hind legs and giving me an old style military salute. "Not likely!"
"Alright, now that we have that all over with, let's get a move on." I said, gesturing to the mares with a hoof. I started walking down the steps as I heard Twilight levitating the books Clover had collected into my saddlebags.
"Actually, Twilight, can you levitate one of those in front of me so I can read it while we walk?" I called back to her.
"Alright, but if you fall because you're distracted, I don't think I'll be able to catch your heavy flanks on the way down," Twilight quipped at me.
"Well, Cirrus was able to do it, even though my legs were almost removed from my body in the process," I said, rotating my shoulder blades as I walked down the steps.
"Well, excuse me!" Cirrus shouted down past me. "Next time you plan on falling to certain doom, try to give me a bit more notice so I can get a fluffy pillow to cushion your fall, Your Majesty!"
"Hey!" I cried out indignantly. "Twilight is the only royalty here. I've got enough to deal with without being responsible to a kingdom or anything like it.'
"But you're family to a princess now," Twilight said in a mocking voice. "I formally decree that you are to be known as The Royal Uncle!"
The face-hoof that day was strong enough to send tremors all the way out to the Badlands. We waited as the echo of hoof against skull subsided before we all burst into laughter.
"Okay, so, what book do you want to read, Azure?" Twilight said as she stopped giggling like a school filly.
"The Zebra compendium on runic symbols and translations, please." I felt my saddlebag open a moment before the book opened up in front of me. "I've waited a long time for this, you know. It's actually kind of hard to believe," I said as my eyes started to explore the table of contents.
"What? Is there no copy of that book anywhere?" Cirrus asked in confusion.
"Most likely not," I said with a good degree of certainty.
I moved to the edge of the stairs and peeked into the chasm below. “It’s a long way down,” I said, glancing back at the mares. "How about I finish the story I was telling you earlier, Twilight?'
Twilight's eyes brightened and I could help but grin as she chanted, "Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" while she practically leaped off the stairs in excitement.
"What story? What are you talking about?" Cirrus asked in confusion.
"Shhhh," Twilight said, holding a hoof up to Cirrus' mouth, a manic twinkle in her eyes. "It's Storytime," she whispered.
"There I was, standing before the door of the Princess of the Night..."
---
The climb to the Moon had been a long one. This was more due to me taking my time in order to delay the inevitable, rather than the actual height of the tower. However, regardless of my pace, I had to eventually reach the top as the door slid into view. The strange-looking, wooden entry was carved with the most amazing and intricate features. A grand full moon and very-accurately placed constellations were shining upon a small clutch of grass where a mare lay curled into a blissful slumber.
After a while, I shook my head furiously, suddenly aware that I had been standing still, mouth agape as I stared at the door, and completely unsure of how long I had been there. Moving forward, I raised a hoof and tapped it against the door. The sound echoed throughout the room behind it, as well as down the stairs behind me. I waited several moments, listening carefully for a sound, but was met with silence.
I knocked again, this time speaking aloud, "Princess Luna, your sister has informed me that I am here to serve under you." Again, silence was my only answer. I tapped once more upon the wood, harder this time and was surprised to see the door open slightly. Having expected it to be locked from the inside, I pushed it open slowly to reveal quite the sight: before me lay an ink black floor, small dots of light shining from hundreds of different points. As my gaze moved further into what was starting to seem like a dream, I saw balls of light dashing across the walls of the room, along with a large white sphere which was embedded into the center of the floor. Lying atop the white circle, curled up tightly, was the mare that must be Princess Luna.
Without further entering the room , I could observe her dark blue wings and coat, along with an impressive horn, though not as big as Princess Celestia's. Her cutie mark was a dark spot upon her flank, which helped highlight a crescent moon at its emblem. I carefully step into the room, relieved to see that I didn't simply fall forever into space. As I slowly approached the Princess, my eyes adjusting to the light, I noticed that she seemed to be asleep, but I found this strange as I could also detect the hint of a dim magical aura emitting from her horn.
Should I wake her or just return later when she's done resting? I started to back up, quietly creeping away from the sleeping Princess, when she shivered fiercely. The shadows and small stars around us quivered and rippled before my eyes. I looked around in search of a blanket, but the only ones to be found were those which were made of stars. I once again approached Princess Luna, getting as close as I could without actually touching her. I carefully and silently laid down beside her, resting my belly atop her conjured moon.
I thought carefully about what I was about to do, considering the possible ramifications, but promptly ignored them as the princess shuddered again, sending another ripple into the fabric of space. I started to shut my eyes, but, upon looking into the night sky, I found it was peaceful enough that I didn't need to close them in this moment. I gently pulled at the energy of the universe around me, maintaining a constant yet narrow stream of magic. Next, I touched the fire gem embedded into my collar, which gave a small almost cheerful hum in response. I felt its warmth spread through me as I guided magic into it. I kept my hoof in contact with it as I gazed into the perfect representation of the night sky.
My fur began to warm, spreading from my neck and face down through my back and into my hooves. Slowly, and with a patience that surprised even myself, I allowed the magic inside me to attune itself with the fire element. After a minute or so, my fur actually started to wave and crackle like a flame. The color of my coat had also moved from a dark blue to bright cerulean color. I couldn't help but smile as I imagined myself a small blue star out among the pristine gems before me.
After about ten minutes or so, Princess Luna had ceased shivering, and I took a little pride in my brilliant plan. Now, all I had to do was maintain my focus until she woke up.
That would probably be just before sunset, which was at least four hours from now.
Buck me, I groaned inwardly. To focus for that long would require the use of a special type of meditation, with which I had always had issues. Slowly, I closed my eyes, calling into mind the exact scene that had been laid out before me. The stars appeared in my mind, along with the Princess slumbering atop the luminous moon. I thought of myself as a blue star, orbiting a short distance away from Princess Luna, but always in sync with the moon’s rotation. I slowed my breathing in the waking world, then imagined the slow threads of energy constantly flowing into myself. The streams of magic collected into my being, and, in that moment, I felt like I was the center of the universe with webs of energy stretching out across the vast systems.
I remained this way for an unknown length of time as my mind detached itself from reality. All I knew was the life force of the universe, the heat of the flame inside me, and the sleeping Princess below me, that is, until she started to move. Slowly, she stood, looking around for something before alighting her horn with magic. The brilliant glow of blue enveloped the moon, rotating it, and myself quickly in one direction. As we flowed through the vacuum of space, I looked to see a giant shape rise from the moon’s horizon.
An enormous mass rose above my head, a sphere of comprised of beautiful shades of blues, green and reds looming over me. Suffice to say I felt pretty small in comparison to what must have been the planet that was home to all known species. I gaped at it, completely awestruck until some movement caught my eye. I turned to see Princess Luna in mid flight, moving toward me. Her face was cryptically blank, and I thought I saw her horn glowing again. Behind her, I glimpsed a small object, but couldn't identify it. Then, when she was only a few meters away, her horn brightened briefly before she pushed whatever it was forward towards me. Thus, I was splashed in the face with water from a bucket.
---
"Hey! If you're going to laugh that much at me, I won’t finish the story!" I hollered at the giggling mare behind me.
"I'm sorry, Azure," Cirrus managed to say under her breath. "It's just that you had a"—the changeling at least had the decency to blush before she said it—"you had a wet dream about Princess Luna!"
"Why's that so funny?" Twilight asked, slightly confused. "He just got splashed with water. Why's that so entertaining?"
This only served to further increase the laughter of the silver mare, who had to stop walking in order to maintain her balance.
"Twilight, are you serious?" she said, looking at the purple alicorn.
"What do you—" Twilight started to say.
"Do you want to hear the rest of the story or not?" I said irritably.
"Yes, yes, sorry, Azure," Cirrus said after she stopped emulating a schoolyard filly. "Please, continue."
"Right...now, where was I?"
---
I sputtered and gagged as the smell of smoke permeated the room around me. I felt an ache in my back as I slid down against a wall, which I hadn't been lying next to when I had sat down. I looked up to see a wonderfully blue-hued bedroom, complete with an impressively large, moon-shaped bed, a full length mirror next to a writing desk, a set of glass doors leading out to a balcony, and, in the middle of it all, a very puzzled-looking Princess Luna.
"Art thou still alive?" Princess Luna spoke quietly.
"If this is the afterlife, then I suppose it could be a lot worse," I said as I pushed myself forward onto my hooves. Princess Luna simply blinked at me, missing the joke, so I decided to move on. "Are you alright, Your Majesty?" I asked, giving a formal bow as required. Celestia had been very insistent that I follow protocol unless told otherwise by Princess Luna herself.
"Yes, We are alright," she said, her phrasing somewhat forced as she spoke.
She seems to be speaking in Old Equish.
"I was sent by your sister, Princess Celestia, to serve you in whatever means you think best," I stated verbatim, as Shining Armor had relayed to me.
Princess Luna grimaced, looking away from me before muttering, "My sister doth not trust us to be alone, it seems. Hast thou been sent to spy on us then!?" Princess Luna's voice rose from a whisper to near a shout in that short moment.
"Of course not, Your Majesty. In fact, I owe you my thanks," I said quickly.
This momentarily stopped Princess Luna's building fury. "Explain!" she commanded me.
"Princess Celestia had decided that I would be of more use being your servant, than to be thrown into the castle dungeon, Your Majesty. I am here to aid you however you would please, until you dismiss me."
"Thou art a criminal? Surely thou jests," she said, her eyes widening.
I cocked my head slightly, a bit confused, before I understood her meaning. "What? You don't think I'm a bad enough pony to be a criminal?" I said, a clear level of dejection in my voice. "I'm the most wanted pony in Equestria!” I said, barely able to conceal a grin.
"’Tis a lie!" Princess Luna boomed, her tone firm, but I caught a small light twinkling in her eye. "If it be true that thou art in mine own service, then we wouldst have thou speaketh thine name."
"I am Azure Sparkle, Your Majesty," I informed her, bowing again.
"Azure Sparkle!" she cried out while stomping her hooves. "Thou hast been appointed the First Guardian of Nocturnum. Doth thee accept?"
I looked into Princess Luna's eyes, and, in their depths, I saw not only strength, but also a glimmer of joy. "Yes, Your Majesty!" I called out with equal fervor.
"We command thee, calleth us ‘Luna,’" she said as she gazed into my blue eyes, "but still, ‘Princess Luna’ or ‘Your Majesty’ in public."
"That would be improper, Your Majesty," I said, thinking of royal protocols. In response, I received the glare that could freeze the eternal fire of the sun.
"Wouldst thou liketh us to douse thee with water once more?" she said, a small edge to her voice.
"Um, please no. I'm still drying out from the first time, Your Maj..." I stopped when her horn lit and sprayed me with a large quantity of water. I coughed for a moment, before looking up at the princess. "Was that really necessary, Your Maj.."
Again, I was cut off with a sharp blast of water, this time directed right at my face. Hacking and sputtering once again, I looked at Princess Luna, who definitely seemed to be enjoying this.
"Okay, message received." I said as I shook some of the water off myself. "What would you have me do first, Luna?"
Princess Luna allowed herself a slight smile at my expense, before walking towards the balcony doors. I followed her, the water still dripping from my coat as I crossed her royal bedchamber. "Wouldst ye prefer that I speaketh in the olden tongue as well?"
"One thing we hast need of is to learn of thine common language," Princess Luna said, "but we wouldst be lying if we claimed it dost not set us at ease." She walked to the pair of door, the glow of her horn manifesting upon the handle and pushing them open. She moved to the edge of the balcony, the crimson rays of the setting sun seeming to reflect off her coat, causing a glow to appear around her.
She turned around to face me, the sunset behind her paling in comparison to the look upon her face as she asked, "Wouldst thou like to see the moon rise?"
---
"Aw," that's adorable," Twilight said teasingly. Both her and Cirrus had remained relatively quiet up until that point, but eventually, their discipline waned.
"If you don't stop giggling, Twilight, I'll have Luna give you nightmares for a week!" I said loud enough to be heard over their giggles.
"Oh, and what would that be?" Cirrus asked curiously.
"The dream would be that every book she tried to read would instantly turn into a plate of Quesadillas!" I said in a comedic voice. I turned in time to see Twilight turn even more scarlet, if that was possible.
"I don't get it" said Cirrus.
---
Many weeks had passed since I had officially become Princess Luna's night guardian. In time, we had grown to become friends, and, though I was still a servant, it wasn't usually an impact on our time together. The time we didn't spend alone however was definitely a struggle at first for me. I was confined to the castle unless I was escorting Princess Luna, and consequently spent most of my free time in my own quarters. The room I had been given was a branch of the hall of the moon, and was meant to house the Princess's Thestrals or so I been told.
I sat at the edge of my small bed, gazing around the room at my sparse belongings. Next to a small desk was my saddlebags I had brought with me weeks ago. I had unpacked most of my books and papers, many of which were strewn across my room or cluttered on the desk. On the other side of my bed was a wooden instrument I had requested, so that I might learn some songs of old for Princess Luna to enjoy. I had been practicing for a little while, but was not yet at a level that I felt confident in. Glancing out the window, I saw the sun starting to dip past the far mountain ranges, and moved to leave my room, leaving the stringed instrument where it lay.
Exiting into the main hall, I turned right and made for the first of the doors to the tower of the moon. Opening the door with a hoof, I saw the two unicorn stallion, who were keeping watch over the second door, straighten as I entered. When they saw who it was, they relaxed slightly and nodded to me in acknowledgement.
I stopped a proper distance in front of them. raising a hoof to my temple in a salute, "You are relieved of your posts," I stated.
They both saluted back and then walked past me to the door I had entered. Before I moved to ascend the tower, one called back to me.
"Hey, Azure, wanna join us in the mess hall for a change? Shining Armor complains that you're never there when he is!"
I turned my head to look at them with one eye, "Tell Shiny that if he would stop sleeping in so late, he might actually catch me at breakfast." Both of the stallions laughed in response as they opened the door to leave. "Also, I already ate, so maybe next time. Thanks anyway," I called to them as the door was pushed shut.
I opened the grand door and began my climb to the top. When I was on duty, there wasn't any required guards for the base level. Whether this was because of the Princess's trust in me or some other reason, I didn't know. I trotted at a brisk pace and reached the top after a minute or so. Pushing the door open, I was surprised to find nopony waiting for me. Moving into the room, I looked around quickly, checking the covers of the bed (which had been left rumpled) and the balcony, which was empty as well.
I felt a few hair prick up on the back of my neck, so instead I called out, "Oh, Luna, wherefore art thou, Luna?" Something made a shifting sound from behind me, but when I spun around to face it, a triumphant look upon my face, I was greeted by a blank wall. Then, the sound came again, this time from above, and I was then crushed by the weight of the moon itself.
"Huzzah! I am victorious!" cried Princess Luna, completely uncaring about the now total lack of air in my lungs.
"Fantastic, I'm very happy for you, Princess, now if you would kindly..." I wheezed as I struggled to breath. She got up very slowly, as if to emphasize her victory.
"Thou art in need of practice, Azure," she said.
"Apparently," I said, standing up with a groan. "I didn't expect a surprise attack from the pony I'm guarding!." I finished, my voice raising in irritation at the end.
"Thou wouldst have no chance against us in glorious single combat!" Princess Luna proclaimed in her royal voice, much to the suffering of my eardrums.
As I rubbed my ear with a hoof, I smiled in spite of myself, "If ye doth truly desire a contest of might, perhaps another time," I said, gesturing a hoof behind her. "For now, the time for moonset has come, and then, we are to convert the first thestrals tonight.”
Princess Luna nodded and turned around to walk outside onto the balcony. I walked behind her, observing as always her radiance underneath the setting sun. As the last glimmer of golden light disappeared from one side of the horizon, she called forth a brilliant light from her horn. Slowly, with concentration that was almost palpable, Princess Luna raised the moon until it was almost directly over Canterlot. The shining pale light caressed the white marble of the city like a thin blanket of fog.
"Beautiful as always, Luna." I said as I gazed up into the star-filled night.
"We still wish more ponies would remain awake to bask in Our wondrous night," she said with a sigh.
"My dearest Princess, tonight is the moment of which several ponies wish to make the ultimate pledge to you, please don't think there aren't those who love and respect you." I pointed out in plain equish.
"Thou doth have a point, Azure," she said with a smile.
---
"You mean to tell me you got to witness the first ceremony of Nocturnum in over a thousand years?!” Twilight gasped, seeming both amazed and a bit jealous.
I heard the sudden flapping of wings, so I turned, just in time to see Cirrus hovering in front of Twilight with her hoof pressed against Twilight's lips.
"Shhh!" Cirrus said in an exaggerated whisper. "It’s storytime."
I turned around, chuckling to myself as I did so. "I wasn't just a witness to it, my little ponies," I said, pausing for suspense, "I was also a key part of the first ceremony!"
---
The chilly wind whipped past me, my long silver mane waving against moon-painted zebra mask. I walked beside Princess Luna as we ascended the mountain area of Canterlot. A nervous clopping of hooves came from behind us, which were made by four ponies. Each pony was wearing full guard armor, and had come to pledge themselves to my princess of the night. I had told Princess Luna of my magical experience atop these hills and she had seen it fit that this be the place of the first Ritual of Nocturnum of this age.
"Art thou nervous, Azure?" Princess Luna asked me, keeping her voice low as to not be overheard.
"Nothing I have done before now couldst serve as preparation, Princess Luna," I said slowly.
"A word of advice, Our little pony," she said quietly, "keepeth something deep within thine self, or lest thee be transformed." I couldn't understand to what she was referring, so I simply remained silent. "The first day of our meeting, thou transformed thine self into a brilliant light, to radiate warmth upon Us. Thou wast like a light in the darkness," she said with a smile. "That art what thou needst now, a light to keep inside thine heart." I looked down at my hooves, thinking over her words slowly.
A light inside of my heart? When had I ever had something that peaceful to dwell on?
I thought of home, of my mother and father, and of... Night Light. We’d been great friends as foals, running and playing in the streets of Canterlot. My parents were always happy to watch us play, and would join us whenever we asked. Night Light and I did everything together, honestly, even read books together. We’d both been really into magic, even before school started. Though I had no horn, I understood the basics of magical theory that I read, maybe even better than my brother had. And so I coached him, anytime we weren't playing outside. It wasn't long before he caught the hang of it, and soon after that, gains proficiency rather quickly. He got his cutie mark a month later, during one of the first magical lessons taught in school. I wasn't even there to see it, as I was given lessons in agriculture instead.
Needless to say, he'd been placed into Celestia School of Magically Powered Horn-heads soon after, and things changed between us. Whenever he came home, he started to act like he was better than me, especially when I asked him about his studies. He would just laugh and say that I wasn't a unicorn and wouldn't understand. The last time I saw him before our encounter at the castle was when I was headed see my Hay Burger in Canterlot, and had run across him and a few of his unicorn friends. They had thrown rocks at me using their levitation, teasing me about how earth ponies didn't belong in Canterlot and that magic was only for those chosen few with horns. I left them both with black eyes and broken noses, but, when I turned to Night Light, he only screamed at me. He had said I was a burden on our family, and that a 'mud-pony’ like me should just go live on a farm somewhere.
"Foals are so stupid sometimes," I said to myself. I would live through this, whole and intact, and then I would tell Night Light about how I felt about everything. With so few good things in my life, I needed to repair that bridge before it crumbled into dust.
At last, the familiar grove came into view, the trees around the large opening waving in the wind, as if to greet me after all this time. My ears picked up the familiar sound of water trickling past me, and I took a deep breath as I recalled the my time here. This place felt more like home than anywhere else, and it put me at ease.
Turning back to the pledges, I put a hoof out and they stopped in place. "This is the place of your initiation, my fellow ponies, into the encompassing moonlight of the princess. I will make the preparations while her majesty performs the oath-taking. Be warned, however, that this process will be harrowing for all those involved, including myself. If anypony wants to change their mind, now is the time."
To their credit, not one of them even fidgeted as I spoke. "Follow me," I commanded as I moved to a small area that would serve as a good place to address them. Princess Luna, who had been circling above us while I spoke, came down in that perfectly silent way only she was capable of. All four ponies bowed to her in unison, with me giving a half-bow and a small smile to her. She nodded to me, which was my queue to begin my work.
Trotting into the large open area of the grove, I looked out towards Canterlot. The city sat as a silent observer to the wondrous night, of which the brilliant full moon shone down upon us. The wind swept past me, my eyes closed as the serene calmness of the night filled my very being. I moved in a large circle, dragging my hoof through the dirt as I did so. The magical circle that would be required wasn't complex or even anything new to me, but still I took my time carving it out. I was slow and methodical as I moved, mostly because I was also listening to Princess Luna speak to pledges.
"Dost ye accept the commitment to Our night, of pale light and darkness?" She spoke in her royal voice.
"Yes, My Princess!" they shouted in unison.
"Shall ye serve Us dutifully and without reservation?"
"Yes, My Princess!" they responded again.
It was all pretty inspiring in my mind as I laid out the magical symbols of the runic language. It was a slow and tedious process, but I didn't really care. I listened intently to the Princess's speech as I thought of what was to come.
"Are ye capable of carrying out Our will, through night and shadow, without fear?"
"Yes, My Princess!"
"Then forsake thine former selves and become one with Our glorious night!" Princess Luna called unto them.
"Yes, My Princess!" they all shouted boldly and proudly.
"Art thou finished, O Guardian of the Night?" she called out to me.
I stood up straight, having carved into place the final lines of the magic circle, and nodded firmly to Princess Luna.
"Very well, let us now commence with the ceremony!" she called into the beautiful night.
Moving to the center of the circle, I directed each of the ponies around me. They each moved into one of the four small circles that I had drawn at corners of the diagram. I looked about my hooves, examining the runes one final time.
"You may do the honors, my guardian!' Luna called down to me. I looked up to see her high above us, her sleek form highlighted by the magnificent light of the moon.
I turned to the first pony and loudly called out to him, "State your name!"
"Barren Dawn!" he called out. I turned to the next pony and waited.
"Sugar Cloud!" she said, her wings flaring out to emphasize her emotions.
"Twisted Lightning!" called the third guard.
"Steel Bolts!" spoke the last one, his voice low and strong.
"Repeat after me!" I called out to them. "I shall not move!"
"I shall not move!" they echoed back to me.
"If I move, I might die!" I continued. They responded in turn.
"Good, I shall now begin the rites. Do not speak until we are done," I called out to all of them.
I pulled a small necklace that had been tucked beneath my collar and let it dangle freely. Set inside it was a small piece of moonstone, which Princess Luna had placed a bit of her magic. It was a key part of this process, which normally required at least four living bat-ponies to accomplish. Perhaps some still existed, but, since Princess Luna's return, none had come forth. That left us with this option, which I hadn't been completely okay with initially. However, over time, I understood that it was needed in order for there to once again be true servants of the night.
Opening my inner self to the magic of the night, I drew in the power around me. I could even feel the princess offering a bit of her own energy as I touched a hoof to the moonstone. I poured magic into it, and thus, allowed it to resonate within myself. Shadows began to creep across me, darkening my blue coat to a smokey black. I drew more and more magic, to where eventually, a pair of black wings formed out of the smoke upon my back. I looked over at one of the pledges, and was pleased to see he hadn't moved, or even shrunk back. Rather, the stallion before me seemed awestruck and even anxious. When the magic of the night transformed my vision, I knew I was approaching my limits.
Tendrils of the magic began to seep into my being as I continued to gather more energy. I shuddered as I felt the chaotic magic began to nibble at my flesh, unconstrained by my mind. Thinking back to what the princess had said, I brought an image of my family into my mind. I thought of my father, his wise words and firm discipline. I thought of my mother, who always loved me, even without an extra bone upon my head, and, finally, I thought of Night Light. I went over all the times we'd spent together, and how we used to laugh and cry like real siblings.
This shall not beat me! I screamed inwardly. In that instant, a small spark ignited within me, staving off the cold and shadows. My fur and wings remained shrouded by the magic, but the tendrils that had creeped into me were burnt away as a warmth spread through me. I stood up, before slamming my hooves upon the circle, all of the magic pushed from my body into the runes. The circle began to alight with twilight shadows, the tips of the shadow flame rising above each pony’s torso.
"We hope thou art ready, Azure, my friend," Princess Luna called down to me. I looked up to see a few small tears escape from her beautiful eyes as her horn glowed its wondrous blue aura. With a flap of her wings, she brought the tip of her horn to align with the center of the moon, and after a moment of focus, brought all the power of moonlight down upon me.
Like a white hot iron, the magic struck down upon me with the force of an ocean wave. I struggled to remain upright, calling myself to focus on channeling the magic into the circle. Princess Luna's magic was not intended to cause any harm, but the sheer scale of it threatened to buckle my hooves from beneath me. I allowed my mind to empty, save for the Night Light that burned within me, and simply acted as a living channel for the princess magic. I breathed heavily as moonlight flowed out of my hooves, and then intermingled with the darkness. The magic swirled around the circle before brightening. Then, in a swirl of black and white color, the four ponies were encased in the magical aura of the runic circle.
As Luna landed beside me, we watched the transformation magic weave itself in and around the ponies. The energy changed their very nature, slowly revealing dark featherless wings, along with dark coats and eyes with slit pupils that glowed with magic. As the vortex of moon and shadow seeped into the ponies themselves, I took note that even their armor had been transformed, becoming dark with purple accents and a lunar crest in the center of the breastplate.
Princess Luna gazed upon all the ponies around us and then spoke loudly, her voice will with pride. "Welcome, my children. Thou art now truly one with the night."
---
"That sounded awesome," Twilight spoke in a hushed tone. I turned to see her wide magenta eyes quivering with the strain from visualizing my story.
"You've been hanging around Rainbow Dash too much, Twilight," I teased her after I finished chuckling.
"She's right, though," Cirrus chimed in, her expression of pure wonder. "That must have been really intense, Azure."
"It was thrilling in the moment, yes," I said, turning around to face them, "but not something I would do again if I could avoid it." I smiled at the Twilight and Cirrus as as I continued, "Like my contention with the other royal sister, I couldn't really put into words just how powerful they both are."
Both of the mares nodded in mutual agreement as they started to move past me. I stopped them with a hoof, and then gestured over the stone stairway.
"See that?" I said as they followed my gaze. I stepped near enough to peek over the steps, and about thirty feet down was what I was referring to. The grand magical stream of the planet coursed continuously beneath us, the twisting hues of blue and purple interweaving as they passed outwards through the ground. "Be careful not to touch it, either of you." I said sternly.
"Didn't we use it to travel here, Uncle?" Twilight asked studiously.
"Eeyup," I said with a smile, "but travel by magical incantation through it is completely different than coming into contact with it otherwise."
"So, what would happen then?" Cirrus asked, who was looking at the stream of energy with concern.
"Yeah, Twilight, what would happen when you touch a powerful, constant stream of raw magical energy?" I asked her questioningly.
"The force of magic would penetrate your body at a molecular level, tearing into you and ripping your body apart until the magic overwhelmed you."
"Wow, that actually sounds kind of kinky, doesn't it, Azure," Cirrus teased the alicorn.
I raised an eyebrow at her, her smile at me only growing wider as I glared at her.
"What?" Cirrus said, her voice filled with fake shock.
"Is that the only thing you think about?" Twilight asked, a little blush creeping into her cheeks.
"I'm a changeling, remember?" Cirrus teased again.
"Anyways..." I said, turning to continue down the steps, and definitely not trying to change the subject. "Would you like me to finish the story?" I asked, glancing back at the pair of mares. I couldn't help but chuckle as their smiling faces and wide eyes stared back at me like those of an expectant filly waiting for ice cream.
"I guess I have my answer," I said with a smile.
---
Many moons after the first Rite of Nocturnum, as early one morn, I was summoned to Princess Luna's side. It was a few hours after moonset, and the princess and I had just parted ways to rest. Though I was tired, instead of lying down, I had been strumming across my wooden instrument, which I been told was called an oud. Strumming across its many strings, I was humming to myself as I sat on the edge of my bed, when a knock sounded upon my door.
"The Princess has requested your presence, Guard Master Azure," came a familiar voice.
"Sugar Cloud, you know that's not an official title," I chided the mare as I walked to open the door.
"Sorry, Azure," she said as I looked into her face. "You know how all of us feel, though, and it's Shadow Cloud now, you know that!"
"That's what you get for calling me Guard Master," I chuckled, looking the bat-pony over. I looked over her new coat color, which really served to highlight her golden slit eyes."You know, those wings really suit you, Shadow Cloud."
It turns out that blush is still visible on dark fur.
"Thanks, Azure," she said as we walked towards the tower. "Do you want to put your instrument back in your room before we go?"
I looked back at my oud, which was slung across my back by its strap. "Nah, I'll bring it with me," I said, looking back at Shadow Cloud. "The princess most likely just wants to talk, so she won’t mind."
Shadow cloud shrugged as we approached the entrance to the tower. Barren Dusk, as he was now called, was guarding the door at perfect attention. Shadow cloud trotted from my side and rejoined her brother-in-arms at the other side of the door. Both saluted me sharply, which I returned in kind.
"May the shadows protect you," I called out.
"And may the moonlight guide your way," they returned in kind.
I walked past them, through the door and up the tower. The chamber door lay ajar as I approached, which wasn't that strange. Even so, I advanced slowly, moving to knock a hoof against it when I heard a noise. The sound of a mare sobbing made its way through the opening, and for an instant, I stopped. I might be interrupting some moment and would prefer not to get on the Princess Luna's bad side.
But she called me, so I guess I don't have a choice. I shrugged, moving to open the door. Damned if I do, damned if don't
The only pony that I could see was Princess Luna, lying in her bed, curled into the fetal position. She continued to sniff and sob, apparently to not have noticed my entrance. It was not the first time I had seen her cry, but it was the first time I had come before her during such a time. In past times, I would silently close the door, and stand guard outside, sending away visitors until she called for me. We never talked about it, and I didn't bring it up, figuring that she would do so herself when she felt like talking about it.
"You called for me, Dearest Luna?" I said softly, standing at a polite distance from her bed.
She sniffed again as she uncurled slowly. "Azure, we are sorry for thee to witness thine princess in such a state." Her modern equish had improved over these past moons, but she still mixed the two in a rather interesting way.
I gave a short bow. "I'm at your call, Princess, for whatever you might need, even if it is simply for me to lend an ear," I said sincerely.
"Thou art a good pony, Azure," Princess Luna said quietly. "Far better than ourself, it seems."
"Do not berate yourself in such a way, Dearest Luna, for I too have done things for which I'm sorry."
"Thou hast told us of such. We have not forgotten." She shook her head. "However, thou dost not seem pulled down by such memories."
"Tis' a lie!" I called out at her suddenly. She jumped a few inches into the air, startled by my sudden change in volume, but then smiled at my joke. I looked down at my hooves for a moment, and then decided to simply just speak my mind.
"Ever since the ceremony, I've been thinking a lot about my past, about my brother and my regrets for how things happened. It's been eating at me a little each night, and I just can't help but think about it." I looked up into Luna's eyes, and stated without reserve, "I understand how it feels, so much that it hurts. To regret your actions, to want to tell somepony how they feel, to give them forgiveness and in turn, ask for theirs."
Princess Luna's eyes were watering as I spoke, a soft melancholic smile upon her face. "So how shall we move past this, my closest friend?"
"I've been writing a song about it, thinking about what we've been through," I said, slinging my oud from my back. "Wouldst ye be inclined to hear it?" I said, pulling my hoof across the strings. She nodded as she settled herself into a more comfortable position.
I pulled a large cushion from beside a small dining table and placed it before Luna's bed. Sitting down comfortably, I placed the instrument across my leg, and pulled a hoof across it. A quiet, minor key sang its sad, melodic tone across the room, filling all the corners with its demeanor.
Looking into Luna's eyes, I smiled and closed my own. My hooves found the strings in a practiced movement that, in many moons, had become an easy rhythm. Strumming up and down the each of the eight taunt strings, I pressed my hooves against the line to lay out the melody that would serve as the foundation for the song. Then I opened my mouth to sing in a quiet, but strong voice.
"Ghosts in my past they haunt me.
All of my sins they plague my mind,
I'm paralyzed with tears in my eyes."
I slapped my hoof across the strings, creating a percussion effect as I sang.
"Nothing I do can quell them.
But deep in my soul I tell them no,
I'm still ashamed, oh I'm so ashamed"
I picked up the speed a tad, hitting the chords with slightly more force as I hit the chorus.
"How can I carry on.
How can I right all my wrongs,
I am torn to my core with regret."
I sniffed a little, a strange feeling growing in my chest.
"How can I ever atone.
For all the things I have done.
‘Cuz I am so burdened down by regret,
I'm filled with regret."
I slowed the melody again, falling back into a lower key.
"Night after night in torment,
Just when I think I might break free,
I get lost in the pain."
I heard a small sob from somewhere beyond my closed eyes, but I continued, unable to stop myself until the song was finished.
"Each day the guilt consumes me,
Part of me feels like I deserve,
To remain wracked with pain."
Changing the chord again, I played harder, a small tear trickling down my cheek.
"How can I carry on?
How can I right my wrongs?
I am torn to my core with regret.
How can I ever atone
For all the things I have done?
‘Cuz I am so burdened down by regret,
I'm filled with regret."
My voice picked up and carried through the room, a sound infused with sadness and longing.
"For all the things I've done,
The pain that I've caused everyone,
I suffer now for my mistakes.
I'll suffer for as long as it takes."
I fell back into a softer rhythm, moving into the final chorus. This time, I was surprised to here Princess Luna join me.
“How can I carry on?
How can I right all my wrongs?
I am torn to my core with regret.
How can I ever atone
For all the things I have done?
‘Cuz I am so burdened down by regret.
I'm lost with regret."
I let the final chord ring out, the vibrations of sound carrying our feeling out into the world around us. Finally, putting my hooves down from the strings, I opened my eyes. Before me was a softly smiling princess of the night, tears flowing down her face and dripping onto the bed. I felt small drops fall down and splash across the strings of my oud, making soft pings as they did. I set the instrument aside, and moved towards Princess Luna. We embraced each other without words, her face snuggled into my silver mane.
I held her for hours, until we eventually tired, and lay down. I didn't bother to even go back to my room, instead, collapsing next to Princess Luna. She didn't even care, her horn simply lit to close and lock the door. I finished the morning with my eyes closed, my hooves wrapped around Princess Luna and the sound of drapes pulling around to shut the light of the sun away.
---
"You actually slept with the Princess of the Night?" Cirrus asked incredulously.
"Yep, best dreams I've ever had," I said, completely ignoring the intended innuendo of her statement.
"I can't believe you made the princess cry," Twilight said in awe. "No wonder you don't have a marefriend!
I tripped and then fell the rest of the way down the stairs, thankfully, that was only a few dozen or so. I looked back up at the mares from an upside-down position, with my legs hanging in the air and my muzzle in against the ground. After blowing my tail hair away from my face, I struggled to get up, twisting in a very undignified way as I righted myself.
"Very funny, Twilight!" I called back. "Remind me to tell that to your coltfriend the next time I see him."
Twilight blanched and coughed, before looking around for something to talk about instead. "Hey! Isn’t that where we're supposed to be going?" she said pointing a hoof out.
I glanced over to see a long hallway, at the end of which was a magically sealed door, complete with a wooden sign hanging near it. The sign itself was an artistic skull and crossbones, which oddly enough, was painted in bright pink and signed by one Clover the Clever.
"Most likely, I said, amused by the sign. "That mare is something else, isn't she?" I said, looking back at Twilight and Cirrus.
They nodded, looking from the sign to the magical rune-covered door. "Are we ready to do this?" Twilight asked.
"Just think of it as a test of our friendship, Twilight. You'll do fine," I said with a grin.
"Ha-ha," she said with a huff.
"Does that mean I'm your friend?" Cirrus asked slowly.
I chuckled at the question, looking over to Twilight to see her reaction.
“Maybe. We’ll see,” she answered with a smirk. I rolled my eyes at her, but when Twilight took a step towards the door, I snuck Cirrus a stealthy hoof-bump.
Hey, mares and gentlecolts, how's everypony doing? This chapter is SOOOOO long, but I love it, and it doesn't feel long when I read it. I'm glad to finally get out this Luna background story, and honestly, I couldn't help but have fun with it. Hopefully I wont take as long with the next chapter, but life can be a pain sometimes. In the meantime, I've posted a few short stories that you might want to take a look at, heheh.
I want to thank PeerImagination for his editing work, even if life has been busy. Another shot of thanks goes out to a group of ponies on a Discord server, who were the first to hear this chapter and give me feedback 
If you want to hear the song Azure sung in this chapter, click here
As always, comments and critiques are appreciated, and error, ohh the errors.
With love and dedication, Dreams of Ponies 
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FINALLY!
WE'VE WAITED FOREVER FOR THIS YOU SKRUB!
Also: Actual plot progression! YAY!
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
10:53_1/16/2017
7872053 heheh...
Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy.... but I'm glad to see you've updated! I've missed snarky Azure so much...
...Wrong 'aw'.
Did you mean 'then'? This confused me so much at first...
Heh, they're so adorable. As much as I miss Golden Quill, I admit they make a good trio.
...If this is their opinion, then why bring her along at all? I assume she's coming because she's going to end up having to save the day somehow, but if Twilight and Azure truly believe she'll just be in danger, why would they let her come?
...Are you sure the version you're releasing is the one the editor looked over?
Luna's room and the spell Azure cast are beautiful and entrancing.
...Huh?
"Scream" to me is like a cry of terror, so at first I read this as Night Light being scared his brother was about to hurt him, too. The sentence that comes after makes me think you meant something more like 'yelled'.
Bwa ha ha ha!
I'm glad to be back; I hope there's more to come soon.
7916735 Aw, I'm sure Azure has missed your eye for detail just as much
For you to only catch that many mistakes in a ten thousand word chapter is pretty good for my editor. I'm glad you're taking a liking to Cirrus, even though she still needs a few more chapters to grow as a pony, er changeling...whatever. I had actually thought you'd abandoned reading this story, as you have always commented within a day or so after chapter releases, so I had a pretty wide smile when I saw your name in my notification box.
I've been pretty busy with other stories as well, even while I continue on with Sparkles. If you need something else to read, I'd love to hear your sage-like opinion of a few of my other works
7943313 Sorry, it was supposed to be mega-joules. I'm glad to see you've caught up a bit, eheh. I'm interested to see what you think of the next chapter :)
Welcome to the club of writing 10k+ word chapters, DoP
That was a bit of a chapter. The innuendo seems to simply fly over Twilight's head most of the time. Looks like Azure is turning into a bit of pony Forrest Gump, being around through some of the behind-the-scenes more interesting moments in Equestria in the last few years. Well, not really, but you get what I mean.
Now would be a good time for Twilight to actually reveal her encounter with the Sirens. Not telling anypony else about it is phenomenally stupid when it might include information vital to defeating the Mother of all Sirens.
7947158 I agree completely with your assessment of Twilight and her past experiences, Emperor. This was the longest chapter I've ever written, but it didn't feel long to me. The flow is paced in a way that things don't drag, at least in my mind, and there's plenty of interesting moments. I think I'll have time this weekend to write the next chapter, I'd put it off for other projects, but it's been floating back up from the depths of my mind lately. Also, when's your next chapter for Phantasmare coming out
Bad Clover! Bad!
Geez, Cirrus, reel it in a bit.
And in pops Twilight with information she 'wasn't supposed to know.'
Aww, Cirrus is like Jade from Jackie Chan Adventures—wants in on the action but will probably do more harm than good.
Oh Clover. You're just as much of a child as Cirrus is.
The Royal Uncle. Has a ring to it.
"The Facehoof Heard 'Round the World" by Twilight, now "The Facehoof Heard 'Round the Library" by Azure.
Ooo, flashback time...
Nice description of Luna's room. I like.
I like the use of the fire ruby.
Ha! This is why you don't randomly lie down next to a young, likely-still-frightened princess without her knowledge.
Oh Twilight, your innocence is astounding.
Azure, you clearly have a drowning fetish.
For some reason I just heard "Do you wanna see the moon rise?" in Anna's sing-song from Frozen... Oh yeah, that exists... Was that intentional?
Books --> quesadillas... you fiend!
Ah, friendly terms with the guards now. Always a good thing.
Frankly, I'd be delighted if Luna pounced on me, air or no air.
Part of the ceremony... lucky bastud...
Yeesh, still not over that old quarrel with the bro, huh?
Woah, woah.., you're saying there was a possibility the bat-ponies were extinct? Shit...
Ah yes, mix the light with darkness. The true balance.
Ah, finally able to see the stream for yourselves, girls.
Geez, Cirrus, get your mind out of the gutter.
Hmm, name changes with species changes. Guess that's only appropriate.
I like that. I like that a lot.
I sense a serious heart-to-heart here.
Interesting song lyrics. Seems very accurate.
Added: Didn't realize this was pre-written. Very nice song.
Seriously, Cirrus. Get out da guttah.
Nice to finally hear this back story between Luna and Azure. I was wondering how long it would be until it was revealed. Yes, chapter was long, but the back story is a good reason for it to be. I'm having a little trouble picturing the age difference between Azure and Luna at the beginning (well, Azure's actual age and the age Luna appears to be, since she's still over 1000...), but it felt a little like cradle robbing (again, though, she's waaaaaaaayy older than him either way).
I like how you weaved the flashback into the group's travel down to the vault instead of just pasting it in here. Twilight's and Cirrus's commentary in the mid-points was also pretty amusing (and Cirrus really needs to get her mind outta the gutter, but I still found that hilarious, especially the 'wet dream' comment). The image of Twilight getting all sparkly-eyed by the story as a whole is just adorable.
Alright, almost caught up. One more chapter before the final, so where is it, huh?