Redemption of a Nightmare

by Prismfire Productions

Of Light and Darkness: Part I

Sunrise and sunset always held a special place in Luna's heart. With her and Celestia having opposing sleep schedules ever since they took up the mantle of their celestial bodies, the exchanges of sunrise and sunset were the only chance she had to spend time with her older sibling.

At first, all was well, with both of them exchanging how their shifts went and the court proceedings that had occurred. Sure, they both had secretaries for such matters so they stayed on the same page and no law was enacted without both alicorn's genuine signatures, but it felt extra special to Luna to be able to talk to her sister face to face. However, as the distance between them grew, those talks diminished to nothing more than exchanging the duties and Celestia leaving. It deeply burned, but in the time since she, Celestia, and Moonie made up since her return that closeness had started to rebuild.

However, when she heard the doors to Celestia's chambers open, it surprised her and Moonie both that it wasn't their sister that joined them. Instead, Pinkie Pie was the one who came out, with Celestia's peytral, crown, and hoof covers on her and all three scaled down to fit her smaller frame. Under most circumstances, wearing such was a crime punishable by death on a torture rack, but the way Pinkie's mane and tail moved like waves under the surface of a bubblegum ocean made Luna's and Moonie's eyes widen in pure shock at the implications as the two alicorns looked at her.

"Good morning Luna, you too Moonie!" Pinkie giggled, seemingly having no ill effects from how late of a night she had been up for. "I know you must be super-duper tired from all the baddie excitement last night, so how about we make this quick so you can go drift off into a much deserved extra comfy dreamy slumber?"

"That sounds inviting," Luna said, giving the party mare a tired smile as her energy levels continued to slowly drift towards her own spot in her realm. "But alas, I am curious as to why you are wearing our sister's regalia, it is punishable by law unless certain circumstances apply, and that list is quite short."

"Oh! Well, after we talked about what I saw in my scrying pool, things got… heated, in a very adulty-fun bed party way," Pinkie said, making both Luna and Moonie's jaws drop and cheeks color as their wings unfurled. "At first, I suggested a good massage to help her relax, and she took me up on the offer. As I did, she went on about how all her subjects see her as a princess and not Celly, and that led to my patented Pinkie Pie Snuggles! She loved them, and after I nibbled an ear trying to make her relax but not knowing how sensitive she was there, lets just say we mixed sunshine and lollipops!"

"Oh my…" Luna was beet red, she knew how sensitive her sister's ear was, not to mention all the scandalous things the two of them did behind both their parents' and the noble's backs, so she knew exactly what happened next and a deep part of her wished to see that in a dream. "That's certainly something Dame Pie, but that still doesn't explain why you are wearing her regalia."

"She is currently preoccupied freshening up for the day and using spells to clean the room and air in it," Pinkie said, waving the question off with a cover-clad hoof. "So, since she didn't want to freak everypony out with a late sunrise, she sent me in her stead."

"Our sister is wise," Moonie said, turning her gaze towards the horizon as she and Luna started to lower the moon to rest. "Dost thou know how to raise thy sun? Surely, Celestia would not giveth thee her blessing without instruction."

"Yepperoni pepperoni!" Pinkie giggled, closing her eyes and scrunching her muzzle in concentration. For several tense seconds, nothing happened besides the sounds of the Earth Pony grunting, the sun refusing to accept the strange magic that was being used. Luna nearly added her magic, but just as she went to charge the spell, she felt the sun begin to move into place. The colors of the sky began to change to those of the sunrise that she had known all too well, but at the same time, something felt vastly different.

Ever since Celestia's first sunrise, Luna had paid careful attention to how each sunrise was the same. The sky always went from her tranquil night to her sister's bustling day, and the crystal blue sky that came with it as ponies started their daily routine by cooking breakfast and getting shops ready for business. With Pinkie's smaller body, the process was slower, and both Luna and Moonie's eyes widened as the magic deepened.

First came Violet, the deepest color on the prism and the one rarely seen. It crept across the sky like a fine, thin filament, blotting out all of the faintest stars in the sky while acting as a primer for its successor.

Next came Indigo, the color that showed wealth and royalty. Luna and Celestia both had received many indigo and purple trinkets over the years, but none of them compared to when the color was present at the boundary between the Heavens and the ground they trod. The mix of purple and blue lightened the sky further, leaving only the brightest of stars visible as the next guest arrived at the celestial dance.

Yellow arrived on the scene, bringing with it the earliest warmth of the sun, the warmth that served as the alarm clock to all the birds and flowers all over Eques. Luna and Moonie both, however, noted that not a single note was heard from even the smallest robin. It was as if the entire universe itself was captured in the beauty of the moment, and nothing was going to break it.

Vibrant Orange woke up from its nightly slumber and took off to follow its more energetic sister, never able to catch her from the head start that Yellow always had, but carried more heat that spread across the land. Flowers and leaves turned themselves skyward, eager to drink in their fuel source so they could do their part in helping keep everypony alive.

Lastly, Radiant Red made her appearance as the sun climbed higher, but much to Luna's shock she had company. A beautiful pink was with her, carrying the youthfulness and joy of a freshly bloomed rose that had opened its petals to the world for the first time. The red and pink seemed to dance, twirling and twisting with each other as they spread across the sky and announced the arrival of Sol Invicta herself.

The entire sky seemed to be a prismatic fire, shades and hues of each solar pillar made themselves visible for the first time. It showed that the sun had many guards hidden in plain sight, but revealed themselves for the Element of Laughter to put them on full display in all of their elegant glory. A few early risers, like Prism Nova, the headmare of the Royal Canterlot Astronomical Society, gaped at the display and took a picture that would soon be spread across every newspaper on the planet.

It was, without a doubt, the most beautiful sunrise Luna had ever seen.

Even the blue of the day seemed different as it replaced the forepillars and took its seat as Sol Invicta took her throne. It had a clearness to it that had not been seen in eons, and everycreature that woke up, even in the Everfree, arose feeling more at peace and with a bigger sense of joy and purpose. Whereas everypony would say that they simply had a good night's rest and felt safe in Luna's realm, the Princesses of the Night and Dreams knew it was Pinkie's Element having an influence.

"See? Told you I could do it!" Pinkie said, snapping the alicorns' attention back to herself as she looked at them slightly panting. "How did I do?"

"Majestic," Moonie said, earning a nod from Luna in agreement. "Dare We say, We have to doubt even our sister could have put forth such a magnificent display."

"No offense there," All eyes turned to the doorway, where Celestia stood with a bright smile on her face. Her mane and tail both seemed to have a little extra wave to it and the colors more enhanced, subtle enough that a passerby would not notice but a pony with Luna's keen eye would. "For over 1100 years I have raised the sun in the same fashion, bringing it up and putting it in its place so I could start my duties. You, my dear, put actual effort into it and the result was something that even I could not accomplish. I may be the Princess of the Day, but it is clear that you have an affinity for the Dawn."

"Yeah, well, a good morning is a start to a good day!" Pinkie giggled, wiggling a bit as Celestia took the regalia off her, returning to its normal size as its normal host put it back on. "I just did what I felt was right, because the sun is super heavy but I managed to do it all by myself!"

"I'm proud of you for doing so," Celestia said, draping a wing over the smaller mare. "Now come, I need to start my duties, you need to go be with your friends, and Luna and Moonie both need to turn in. Although, I do give you my word, every time you come here to Canterlot and visit me it will be you who raises the sun."

"Okie Doki Loki!" Pinkie smiled, nuzzling into Celestia's barrel as they headed for their doorway. "Come on Celly, lets go! Bye Moonie! Bye Luna! See you in my dreams!"

"Quite right," Luna said, letting out a tired yawn as Celestia and Pinkie departed. "You know Moonie, I think one last round through the castle is warranted, especially after last night, just to make sure things are in order and to make our daily appearance to the subjects."

"Was going to suggest the same," Moonie said, silently thankful that Twilight had been able to rework the spell allowing her a solid body, resulting in a reduced strain on her's and Luna's mana pools and allowed her to be out of the mental space for a longer period without being tired. However, after such a trying night Moonie knew she had to return to it soon. "We are drained, but tis a matter of necessity for once."

"Agreed," Luna said, a flash enveloping them both and they re-merged into their hybrid form and headed through their room and into the castle interior. The halls were filled with Solar Guards, executing their shift change, but all gave a polite nod to the navy-blue alicorn as she passed.

{All seems well so far…} Moonie said, using their landscape like a viewing window to see what Luna saw. {No trouble seems to be present, nay even a single bad vibe!}

"Both of us can thank Pinkie Pie later, she did a good job, " Luna replied, also noting that the general feel of the castle was much lighter than normal. Businessponies came and went, talking out deals and making final preparations to present in Day Court, and even opposing parties seemed to be getting along without a fuss. Overall, it seemed like today would indeed be one where she could have a resting slumber and Celestia would have a relatively easy schedule. "You know, how about we surprise Celly tonight? We get up a few hours early and make our breakfast and her dinner, not the cooks."

{Perfect idea Luna,} Moonie said, thinking about how she could always nap during Night Court since nopony hardly showed up to make up for the occasion. She had just started to plan the courses when something painfully lurched in her stomach, and a single angry wave crashed on the shore of their mindscape. {Did thee feel that?{/i]}

"I did…" Luna replied, stopping her walk as the source of the pain grew closer. She mentally gathered her wards, preparing for any that dared to enter the castle and threaten her subjects, but much to her annoyance it grew to a gut punch as Blueblood came around the corner. "Ah, dearest nephew, how are you doing this fine morning?"

"A fine morning it is," Blueblood said, dipping into a bow before looking Luna-Moon in the eyes. "I was just on my way to thank her for such a magnificent sunrise, something really got her in a good mood, and I would like to see that more often."

"As would we," Luna said, deliberately using the plural to remind the unicorn he was technically talking to two different ponies at the same time. "Alas, tensions are running high behind closed doors, so don't be surprised if you don't see another one like it for a while."

"I heard the whispers in the noble district," Blueblood said, keeping his expression and voice level, and making sure nopony was overhearing their conversion by occasionally glancing around. "If the whispers are true, then you are about to have a fight on your hooves."

"Pray tell, how about informing us on thou rumors?" Moonie said, making Blueblood shrink back at the sudden frontal swap. "All information tis good information at this point, since there be no counter-evidence to dismiss claims."

"W-well," As much as Blueblood hated the half of Luna he was currently talking to, a hate that was continuing to slowly grow and change him, being in such close range to those teal-slitted pupils made him want to run and dive under the nearest piece of furniture. However, he knew that would have been a sign of weakness, and managed to keep his ground. "High Rise saw two bat pony soldiers taking off in a hurry a little while ago while testing out an experimental binocular lens that would allow normal ponies to see crystal clear at night. In addition, a few of my night patrol left a note saying a group of Zealots took off and came back into town in the dead of night. There are rumors we might be gearing towards war."

"Interesting…" Moonie mused, making a mental note to speak to High Rise at a later date. "If we were heading for war, there would have been an emergency summons for the noble house leaders to meet in the chamber to plan rations. Verily, as Luna said, there be increased tensions to address, yet not to worry, we have it under control dear nephew. As such, while thou art here, there is a matter we need to address with thee.

"There be magic most foul in you," Moonie said, making Blueblood gulp as a deep part of him revolted at the claim. "We felt it before seeing thyself, and thou art the source. Tis no small secret thou hast a grudge against us, Madame Velvet warned us of such, so we have a question. Thy goal will bring pain to Luna, so is it worth the cost of ridding me, if it hurts her? A princess of tis land? Thou won't be the hero, thou would be the villain."

"I would simply be doing my part to keep Equestria safe, and looking out for a distant relative of the family," Blueblood sneered, his own eyes narrowing at Moonie's. "I don't care what Auntie Tia said, or what actions you do to put yourself in a better position. You might have been able to pull the fur of their coats to your liking, but I will not suffer the same fate."

"Seems to us, thou already has gone the way of Luna all those moons ago," Moonie countered, letting out a tired sigh as Blueblood shot up an eyebrow. "We have nopony to fool, and Harmony doesn't make mistakes, it spared us for a reason. Celestia turned her back on Luna, and it was that anger and jealousy that caused me to exist in the first place, she explained all of it on the balcony when she announced us as her equal.

"Yet, we already see the beginning stages of your own fall. Thou don't want to listen to us, Luna, or Celestia when it comes to our redemption, choosing thee foolish thoughts that we are evil. There is a battle on the horizon, yes, but we rather fight alongside thee than against thee, there is still time before it consumes thee nephew, so take heart our advice. Give us a chance, for when the darkness in thee fully matures it will be far too late. If thou insists on being the enemy and losing everything thou hast, so be it, but we will stand with Celestia with casting judgment, bloodline be damned and thou will be held accountable for thy actions. Now, we bid thee good night, and have a pleasant day as we wait for our turn to address Celestia in Day Court."

"Oh, I can't wait for the day I end that pathetic creature's existence," Blueblood muttered, watching the Princess of the Night continue on her walk as he turned his attention back to waiting for his turn to enter Day Court. "Soon she will-"

"Blueblood? A word?" Before the noble had a chance to even blink he had an angry Captain Quill in his face, a bubble of silence spell around them both. "Your little stunt cost me a damn fine soldier, and now I have to deal with training Private Armor."

"If you need to train it for longer than four hours, then you aren't using it right," Blueblood smirked, only to have it wiped off his face by the intense scowl that Satchel was giving him. "Jokes aside, what happened? I know that your group got to Peachhill in a rather flustered state, but I thought your entire platoon was accounted for?"

"Mostly," Quill said, glancing down at the floor as he drew a deep, slow breath. "On the way to Peachhill, we ran into the territory of a mating pair of bugbears, Cloud stayed behind to be a distraction."

"Oh dear," Blueblood frowned, the full scope of his actions running through his mind. Being responsible for the death of a Zealot was punishable by public execution, but a tiny and slowly growing part of his mind accepted it was a small price to pay to achieve his goals. "That is rather unfortunate, surely if there is any compensation I can provide, I will gladly give it."

"Compensation?" Quill chuckled, using his magic to levitate the bag of thirty silver bits and tossing it at Blueblood's hooves. "Is that all Cloud is to you? A price for a life? She has a wife and three kids at home, how do you think they will take knowing that she is nothing but a bag of bits to you?! Do you want to know your compensation? Fine, I'll tell you, all three of those girls have a fully paid scholarship to Cloudsdale Flying Academy, and her wife have enough bits in her personal fund that she will never have to work another day for the rest of her life. Granted, the Grievance Fund will give her a pretty sum, but you have to own Cloud's life on your soul."

"I think you are a bit out of line Captain," Blueblood said, his octave slightly pitching higher as he narrowed his eyes into a leer. "I technically outrank you considering my status in the noble ranks and the fact I am directly related to Celestia. Now, that being said, and given the… situation on our hooves about not letting things slip, I will honor the terms listed. However, from here on out you are on eggshells, is that understood?"

"Crystal," Captain Quill nodded, turning to face away before suddenly stopping. "In case you were wondering, I returned the bribe for one simple reason: I would rather die a stallion with a clear conscience, than a million who is wrapped in greed. Cloud's death is on my hooves, just as much as her blood is on yours, now farewell."

"Farewell…" Blueblood said, teleporting the bag of bits back to his personal treasury just as Quill dropped the opaque shield. "Seems to us, he is another loose end that has to be addressed within time…"

Shaking that thought away, Blueblood took his seat in the hallway queue, waiting his turn to see his older aunt. As he did, he looked at the others that were ahead of him, business ponies from various cities, a couple of lower nobles, several Zebrican diplomats, and a single donkey. However, he noticed that the majority was tipped in favor of the poorer class, specifically farmers.

"Look at them," Blueblood thought, shaking his head slightly in silent disgust as pony after pony stated their cases and left either ecstatic, angry, or just plain sad. "These presents are coming to auntie, begging for funds, total nonsense! You would think the buts they get for shipping would cover everything, but no! The worst part is, the loans aren't even taxed! If I were in charge, oh how things would be differ-"

"Blueblood? Prince Blueblood?" The addressed pony was about to snap at his thoughts being interrupted for the second time already with morning, that is until he saw Raven Inkwell was the one who addressed him. Behind her, the doors to Day Court flung open, and a couple of Zebrican diplomats stormed out and left in a hurry. "Princess Celestia will see you now, and I hope you can make whatever it is short, those diplomats and you are cutting into her midday cake time, and you know how she can get when that is shortened."

"Yes, yes I do…" Blueblood had to repress a shudder, recalling one occasion from his youth where he has Celestia have flames come out her mouth with every word and exhale from a group of difficult yaks making her lose out on her midday cake. It had terrified him to witness it, and despite a small part of him wanting to challenge that authority he knew to stay in line. "Thank you Raven, and I hope that your day isn't too bad just because of court."

"Are you going to stand there talking to Raven, or do you have some business with me?!" Celestia shouted, making both ponies jump as she glared at them from her perch and a few faint ambers rose from her mane. "If you are just here to complain and whine about something, come back in two hours you little silver spoon-fed weekly thorn in my side!"

"Harsh auntie," Blueblood said, actually feeling a little stung as the growing darkness in him decided to hide its existence, choosing instead to continue silently tinkering with its host's body to suit its needs. "Surely, you only mean that in jest."

"Actually, I do, cake or not," Celestia huffed, narrowing her eyes and Blueblood swore they briefly became cat-like and the temperature of the room rose a few degrees. "You come in here, every week, complaining about one thing or another with the commoners, things that they do daily as part of their lives. Things that you would have no clue about since you have butlers, maids, and staff catering to your every need and handling all your business while you are sitting your rump in the lap of luxury!"

"Auntie, please," Blueblood backpedaled, only to be stopped by the doors slamming shut from Celestia's magic. "Call up a maid and have them bring you your cake, or, maybe, teleport it straight to you?"

"Mmm," Celestia closed her eyes, deep in thought, as her horn pulsed once a three-layered black velvet cake with strawberries and green buttercream frosting appeared in front of her. Ignoring her audience, she unhinged her jaw like a snake and attacked the poor, innocent culinary creation with ruthless abandon.

The sight of black crumbs, green frosting, and strawberry juice against her white fur made her look like something out of a horror novel, and even made the ancient umbral in Blueblood shudder.

"Much better, and thank you for the suggestion, nephew," Celestia said, a small burp escaping her lips as she used a cleaning spell to make her fur look pristine once more. "However, my points still stand, you do give me a headache with all the whining that you do."

"My sincerest apologies," Blueblood bowed, a sigh of relief escaping his lips at being able to dodge the wrath of the sun. "It is just that I believe the commoners don't give you enough respect, considering how lenient you are."

"They give me plenty of respect Blue," Summoning a cup of her favorite tea, she hummed as the warm liquid soothed her throat and nerves. "They pay their taxes, obey the laws, and thank me and Luna-Moon for all the hard work the three of us do. Whereas I prefer everypony to have control of how they live their lives, you, on the other hoof, have a mindset that borders on absolute control."

"W-well," Blueblood gulped, caught off guard at Celestia's assessment. "Is it so bad that I think that they don't pay their share? Or, at least, pay back a percentage on the bits that you give? How are we going to be able to further Equestria's advancement, infrastructure, and upgrade/renovation costs if there is nothing in the treasury to cover the costs? That is not even including a monster attack from the Everfree, Pearou Bog, or Catilia Cove; or Harmony forbid a natural disaster."

"The matters of economics are not that clear cut," Celestia knew the game Blueblood was playing, trying to make her feel guilty for being such a soft-hoofed ruler. It was a tactic that was vanquished every time it was called to action, and she was not about to let her nephew be the first to succeed. "We have trade agreements with other nations, exchanging materials and bits that can be traded and stockpiled in return. In fact, the Zebrician diplomats were here to discuss extending the duration of our mutual agreement, but I had to push that back to tomorrow due to… circumstances."

"They did seem quite displeased when they passed by me in the hall, that's for certain." Despite keeping a puzzled look of concern, Blueblood mentally rejoiced as a plan quickly formed in his mind to cut Nightengale out of the equation while still doing what she had asked without having to do anything in return. "Tell me auntie, what troubled them so that they would storm out of here like a couple of gluttonous ponies being turned away from an all-you-can-eat buffet?"

"Oh nothing much, just typical complaints about being woken by creatures of the night," Celestia said, rolling her eyes as Blueblood slightly tilted his head. "Late last night, I was having trouble sleeping, and while I was discussing the reason why with Luna-Moon her top two guards came in. A couple of residents from Peachhill were behind them and, by the residents' account, the village had been attacked and they had to flee as It burned to the ground."

"Oh goodness, that is quite disturbing," Blueblood said, using the lessons he had been taught as a colt at Celestia's Academy for Fantastic and Artistic Foals to keep his fake shocked poker face up. "Did they have any clue as to who would dare attack Equestrian soil?"

"Sadly no," Celestia sighed, closing her eyes as she sighed and took another sip of her tea. "It was pitch black, save the flames, and the only reason they were able to flee was the wife of the couple heard a crashing sound and smelled something burning. Once they realized what was happening, they grabbed their foal and bolted."

"At least they are safe," Blueblood said, sitting on his haunches as he tapped his chin with a hoof. "Although, what does that have to do with those diplomats being mad?"

"Everything," Celestia leaned forward in her seat, multiple guards quivering in their armor at the demeanor she was putting off as her aggravation showed once more. "Luna-Moon took that family to the only spare rooms we have at the castle, the diplomat wing, and apparently the foal had a crying fit shortly before sunrise and woke them up far earlier than they wished to be. So, instead of venting to my sister for putting them there, they came to my court demanding that I reprimand my sister and kick that family out on the street.

"Now that is just plain rude," Blueblood said, shaking his head slightly as he tsked. "Yet, I bet they would want Equestria to accept refugees from their villages if it happened to them. It's a shame really, I thought they were better allies than that, surely you aren't going to tolerate such behavior?"

"Careful nephew," Celestia, raising a hoof before the unicorn could vent in protest, calmly stated as she adjusted her seating position to ease her back. "I am a bit sour at them, but Zebrican pewter powder is a fundamental part of the alchemy classes at my school so I do need to try and keep them in good graces."

"You gotta be kidding me," Blueblood was floored. He knew 1000 years of ruling alone certainly made Celestia have a side that she never showed in public, but to make moves for her gain was something that he never imagined to be possible. "You are willing to have representatives of our allies walk and talk all over you and Luna just to be able to secure things for your school? No offense, but that seems a bit… underhoofed."

"Such is the price of the crown that I wear," Celestia sighed, levitating her crown into her forehooves and looking at it with heavy eyes, as if all the weight of her past hit her at once. "Being a ruler isn't just about issuing edicts and orders, or holding court, every action I make carries a price Blue. That is part of the reason why I let mine and my sisters' subjects have so much freedom, making their own choices and living with the consequences is something that they have to learn on their own, and gives everypony valuable life experience. Tell me, when you hear my name in passing, what is the first thing you think of?"

"The protector of Equestria, for starters," Blueblood suddenly felt very uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going, the pony he looked up to in his youth as the head of the noble bloodline starting to crack the edges of his visage of her. "The Princess of the Sun, the Leader of the Guards, and the judge, jury, and executioner to any who dare break your laws or try to cross you."

"So, a figure of perfection then?" Celestia smirked, and she could see Blueblood's muscles tense at the sudden shift in her facial expression. "Your silence speaks volumes nephew, but let me tell you an inside secret… I'm far from perfect, I never have been, and I never will be. Do you recall when I stood upon that balcony and said that I created Moonie? That was the truth, the cold and bitter truth. Do you remember me telling everyone about Daybreaker, and the speech I gave about good and evil?"

"Yes, I do," Blueblood said, putting aside the minuscule influence the umbral had on his mind as he cleared his throat. "At the time of that ceremony, I thought you were just saying that to help ease her into rulership; however, since I can tell that you meant those things, why did you expose yourself in that manner? Forgive me auntie, I am still having trouble understanding the thought process behind that decision."

"To show I am no more of a pony, than anypony else is," Celestia knew her answer had an immediate effect, going by how fast she saw Blueblood's eyes dilate. "Me, Luna, Moonie, and your cousin Cadance may be alicorns, but we are still ponies. Why do you think there are no public religious groups worshiping the four of us? I outlawed those decades ago. Sure, there may be some who do it in private, but I am not going to ruffle their manes over it because that is their business. Worshiping us will grant no additional favors, for we are not some supreme, omnipresent being who can answer prayers or gift boons."

"What about the batponies?" Blueblood said, tilting his head slightly as he stored everything his aunt was telling him to break down later just in case she was overthrown or had a coup against her, not that he would be the one leading it. To him, it was a precaution, but to the umbral she saw an opportunity and quietly listened while making her own notes. "I have done some reading on them since Auntie Moon returned, and they call her 'Night Mother', isn't that breaking the law since they are worshiping her?"

"No, not at all, although I can see why you would ask that," Celestia said, getting off her throne and slowly approaching her nephew with gentle steps and a smile on her face. "One good thing about being as old as I am, is that you know the original meaning behind things that could be taken out of context. Them calling her 'Night Mother' is not in a worshiping sense, but the literal sense. A few decades before her banishment, a group of her pegasi troops went to her asking to be infused with the power of the moon so they could become nocturnal and serve her better. At first, she refused due to the danger involved with such a complex ritual, but after reassurance from me that I would keep the mana field stable, she converted them and that is how batponies came to be. She is literally the mother of the race, so it is an honorific.

"Granted, that took place when we were still young in our rulership and were dealing with skirmishes, so since it happened before whole Emprili-Lunar Republic division happened it looks as if there have always been batponies in the ranks and as a whole. Even Rainbow Dash has taken up calling her by that title, because the rank my sisters gave her as the Commander matched perfectly with her Element of Loyalty."

"That's just, wow.." Blueblood fumbled over his words, the makeshift history lesson being completely unlike what he had been taught in his tutoring lessons as a colt, but provided valuable insight to a time in Equestria's past that had very little written down. "Well that explains that, but what about the different types of bat ponies?"

"Genetic diversity through the eons, a result of the original bloodline branching out and adapting to the environment." Celestial said, wrapping a wing around her nephew as he leaned into the soft, downy embrace. "No different than how pears from different places have different tastes and textures, or how even unicorns in two different cities have different vocal accents."

"That explains a lot, even how my ancestors have a different body type than I do," Blueblood said, enjoying the feeling of his aunt's feathers being wrapped around his barrel, but a tiny treasonous part started looking for pressure points and weak spots to take advantage of. "Don't get me started on the looks of the last half-generation, talk about a nightmare! Although, that does lead to one very big question I always wondered, how exactly am I related to you when you and Luna both have not had a single foal?"

"Now that, my dear nephew, is a story for another time," Luna said, smirking at Celestia, Blueblood, and the guards all jumping with a start, none of them paying attention to her having teleported into the throne room. "You must be getting a bit slow in your reflexes sister, I expected Bluey not to hear me, but I thought for sure you would."

"Lulu-Moon!" Celestial stammered, making all in her audience giggle at the flustered look that showed itself as she played her wings. "I am only eighty years older than you, so by alicorn standards that is not much older at all!"

"By birth yes," Luna said, exposing a fang as she smirked at her older sibling. "However, you forgot to take one very important detail into consideration…"

"When thou cast the spell that locked us away," Moonie said, appearing beside Luna and sharing the same smirky expression. "It stopped aging our body, even we recall our heights being almost identical during that fight, now thou art over a head taller than us."

"Oh…" Celestia's expression fell, realizing the implications involved with what her nighttime siblings had just said. "So by locking you two away…"

"You effectively made it so that you would pass many centuries before me and Moonie," Luna said, the air suddenly feeling heavier until Blueblood's soft giggles started to build in volume. "You ok nephew? Please, entertain us as to how anything we discussed is humorous."

"Oh, no, quite the contrary," Blueblood said, trying, and failing, to contain his giggling as he pointed a hoof at Moonie. "Everything you all said is serious in nature, but it is what she is wearing that has me in fits!"

"Pardon?" Moonie said, a questionable look forming as she looked down at her bedtime outfit. Whereas Luna had resorted to simple silver-colored fuzzy slippers, a nightcap with a crescent moon, and a sleep mask, Moonie's outfit was vastly different. A silken black veil, thick enough to block out light, was flipped up over her horn so she could see, but was soft enough not to irritate her eyes as she slept. Further down, her tail was done up, positioned in a way that would allow her to hold it like a plush against her barrel when curled up. However, the biggest shocker was the bright pink stockings that covered her legs, decorated with mini black licorice candies and interwoven with bright blue ribbon. "Doest thou hast tissue with our bed garments? We saw in a magazine this was proper attire for mares of the night, which fits us as Princess of the Night, Keeper of Dreams, and Vanquisher of Nightmares."

"Irony on the last title…" Blueblood muttered, earning a frown from all three alicorns as part of his mind cheered at the minor rebellion to his aunts' authority. "Regardless, what magazine was it you saw that outfit in? Many publications cater to that particular clientele, as that term probably means something vastly different than what it did before your banishment. By chance, do you still have the magazine?"

A flash of teal magic lit up in front of his eyes, and when it died down, he could see every stallion and even a few of the guardmares cross their hind legs. The slick, black cover with a crimson full moon in the corner displayed a yellow bat pony in a rather intimate looking pose and looking over her back to the camera while giving bedroom eyes. Fine purple and teal lace stockings covered her legs, the rear ones drawing attention to her pink bat cutie mark and a silver bell hanging from her dock in a way that covered her most sacred area.

Her strong leathery wings were bound by an intricate, jewel-embedded framework of leather straps connected to a silver and ivory saddle nestled perfectly on the small of her back. Even with how risque the mare was, the magazine's signature Saddle and Bedcrop namesakes was also a hint towards bedroom activities, with a miniature saddle above the 'S', saddle itself fonted to look like a lasso rope, and a riding crop under Bedrop acting as an underline.

"Ah, that one," Blueblood said, clearing his throat to get some rather disturbing mental images out of his mind. "I happen to know the publisher, Fleur De Lis, and she would be delighted to know her creations are 'Princess Tested and Approved'. That being said… I mean no disrespect here, bear that in mind, but the term has changed to mean mares who pleasure clientele in the Bridle District after your moon rises into the sky. Pleasuring both mares and stallions as their source of income."

"We see," Moonie said, an eerie calmness in her tone that made even Celestia's blood want to freeze like ice. "A visit to the mare may be needed to clarify some… 'misconceptions'."

"Don't be too hard on her," Celestia said, making Moonie give a slight scowl at her solar sibling. "If anything, blame me for not keeping a careful watch on how that term got shifted from your guardmares. You have my apologies there, but I am curious as to why the two of you showed up to begin with, normally you are both asleep by now."

"As much that happened last night, plus an energy spell, gave us a little more adrenaline than we are used to in the mornings," Luna said, Celestia giving a silent, sagely nod at the description. It was the truth, a half-truth, but not a full lie like Celestia's 'honeybunny cake' she loved to mess with guests with on occasion. "Nonetheless, I gave that bat pony couple my word that I would present the motion to have Peachhill be given emergency funding during Day Court. Per the Chedderston Law, since you and your court guards have not departed from the throne room, the court is still in session and therefore I kept my word."

"Did… did you just use one of the most, by today's standards, random laws on record as justification?" Celestial said, her jaw hanging slightly before scooping Luna into a hug, making the younger alicorn squeak in embarrassment. "Of course they can have emergency funds, as soon as Rainbow and Applejack return I will send them to survey the town itself."

"Giving orders to my troops? That's hearsay dear sister," Luna giggled, but let out an involuntary shudder as the air temperature suddenly plummeted. "Say, does it feel colder to anypony, or is it just me?"

"I feel it too," Celestia said, her horn igniting Into a golden hue as she started using multiple scanning spells on the air in and around the castle. "Temperature is indeed dropping, the front entrance by the castle gate is where the greatest drop is. It is down close to freezing there, and the strange part is there is no trace of magic, not even pegasus weather magic, causing it."

"That should be impossible," Blueblood instantly regretted opening his mouth from the look his aunts gave him, a silent look that told him to either leave or be seen and not heard as frost started to creep up the walls and the guards had to shed their armor to keep from freezing in it. "I mean, I know the Windego can because of how the Frozen North is, but here in Equestria? I thought the powers of Harmony kept this land free from them."

"Under normal cases yes," Celestia said, opening the doors as her, Luna, Moonie, and Blueblood followed with the guards close behind. The closer they got to the door, the slicker the polished floors became, making Celestia use her connection to the sun to heat the area around them to ensure no falling occurred as a piano played a few soft notes in the distance. "However, Chaos and Wickedness both in great concentration can disrupt the natural flow of Harmony. Considering you are of our bloodline Blue, I want you to barricade yourself in the North Tower just in case things get… ugly."

Nodding and beating a hasty retreat, Blueblood left the three alicorns, who saw a pale blue mare in a flowing dress playing the grand piano in the grand foyer connected to the front door. The music was soft, but told the tale of a princess in a far away land who had suffered immense pain, grief, and trust issues, and was learning to grow and heal as the princesses headed outside.

Opening the doors that allowed their citizens to visit them in their sacred home revealed a sight that both thought they would never see. A thick frost covered the ground, the air so frigid that every exhale made the sisters look like dragons angrily snorting smoke to ward off any would-be thief for their precious stone; however, the towering pillars of ice carefully sculpted into ponies neither sister recognized caught the sunlight in a way that made the air itself have a fine shimmer.

The normally well-kept grass and flowers, due to the sudden shock of early unreasonable cold rushing through their systems, laid flat and dull while increasing the eeriness the siblings felt. All three sisters could see a massive gathering behind the stone walls and spilling down the streets, all with a look of interest and fear cast upon the massive goliaths of glacial ice that looked strong enough to present a challenge from all comers. In front of the creatures, stood a very sheepish-looking Rainbow and Applejack, and a mysterious mare in the middle that neither had seen before.

"Well now, what do we have here?" The mare said, taking a few steps toward the alicorns as their guards pointed their spears at her. Even still, the mare had the air of a battle-proven warrior, as the spear tips froze solid and the shafts splintered from the sudden thermal shift. Yet, despite the cockiness she was brazenly displaying, Celestia could see the mare was in pain, but hiding it for appearances. "Celestia and Luna I presume? Your guards told me a lot about the two of you on the way here, trying to convince me that you are the ones of old. Seeing you before me does incline to give them merit, however, I have seen some rather life-like constructs in my time. Prove yourself true, and they will be let go, otherwise I, Princess Wynter Rose, will finish you off with my power."

"Thou art a princess?" Moonie said, raising an eyebrow as her and Celestia both placed a wing in front of Luna to keep her from doing something drastic. "Thou hast much gall to make thy claims, on what grounds art they just?"

"I have fought against many legions," Wynter said, taking a few more steps forward and having to subtly hide a slight stumble as she grit her teeth. "Many dark forces have fallen by the might of my hooves, and torn into ribbons by the sharpness of my ice. I am the last line of defense against the Darkness, the final burning flame in the eternal blizzard. If I fall, I will fall with honor defending the ways of old and protecting the Light of Resistance. You ask on what grounds I stake my claims?

"I stake them based on my lineage as a Windrider, just like my mother and grandmother before me, protecting the last hope of freedom. Like I told your guards, show me your power, and I will let them go and apologize to you both for detaining them. Rest assured, other than being a little chilly, they are perfectly fine and well but I had to make sure that Umbra didn't have me in her dastardly hooves."

"U-umbra…" A cold chill, that had nothing to do with the air temperature, raced down the alicorns' spines with the touch of a master teaser. Moving on pure reflex, Celestia teleported the mare, the golems, Rainbow, Applejack, and her lunar sisters to the throne room and sealed the doors with noise canceling wards as a tea tray and table appeared with enough chairs for the gathered group. "I have many questions, little pony, starting with how do you know about that vile mare? She has been locked away in the Frozen North for a very long time, and I made sure her name and account was scrubbed from the public records to ensure that it stayed that way. Only two options I can think of are either you broke into my private study, which I know you haven't because my wards were not tripled, or you are the victim of a time travel mishap."

"That explains why I woke up in the woods instead of my ice castle, and I didn't feel a trace of her magic in that teleport, only warmth." The mare mused, rubbing her chin as she closed her eyes and softly hummed before looking at her golems and giving a nod. The great creations, acknowledging their master, gave a deep grunt before undoing Rainbow and Applejack's collars before shimmering and turning into water vapor. "Again, sorry you two for that ordeal, just covering my flank."

"If that pony is bad enough that the Sun Bringer had to teleport us into privacy, already forgiven." Rainbow said, getting the kinks out of her neck as Applejack did the same. "So, Your Highnesses, do me and AJ need to leave?"

"Nay Lieutenant," Moonie said, making even Luna look at her as if she had suddenly turned into a stallion for no reason. "Go get them. Thou art the Bearers of Harmony, so this is thou matter as well."

"Ah'll get 'em," Applejack flapped her wings once and, once Celestia opened the door, hovered out into the hallway to where the guest rooms were and returned a few minutes later with them in tow. "Good thing ah remembered to make a map in mah head of which room was which, mighty confusin' since every corridor looks alike."

"I grew up here AJ, remember?" Twilight said, giving Applejack an ear rub and making her 'eee'. "So, trust me, I know how it can be for somepony that is not used to the layout. Did you know it actually changes? Fascinating magic there that I don't even comprehend! Anyways, why did you have us brought here Princess?"

"It is a matter of national security," Celestia said, a bit surprised as Pinkie instantly went over and nuzzled under her wing. How the Earth Pony knew she was stressed, she had no idea, but the pink mare's gentle motions was enough to ease some stress. "This mare is the victim of time travel, and has knowledge regarding one of Equestria's greatest threats."

"A shortage of quills and paper?!" Twilight exclaimed, her eyes widening and mane frazzling as the others snickered. "We have to stop that! Quick, make everypony start stockpiling to ensure future generations have paper in every hoof and a quill in their inkwells!"

"No Twilight, nothing like that," Celestia smiled, Twilight's outburst being a nice tension breaker and reminding her of how the unicorn was when she was just a filly. "The threat I refer to is one that I personally made sure would never be put on historical record just in case somepony got in their head that it would be a good idea to host such evil. The threat is the Queen of the Umbrum, Queen Umbra."

"Umbra?" Twilight accompanied her question with a raised hoof, making Celestia giggle. "By chance, is that pony related to King Sombra and the fall of the Crystal Empire that I learned about princess?"

"Oh no Twilight, it goes far beyond that," Celestia said, and she swore she saw little comet pencils writing on star scrolls in her student's eyes. "However, before I tell you the true history of the Umbrum and the Empire, we have a guest that needs to tell her side of history first."

For the first time since she could remember, Wynter gulped and ruffled her feathers as all eyes fell on her.

Comments

[RegMoDII]

"We ran into that Ursa Major breeding grounds by accident and she volunteered to try and hold them off. When returning from Peachhill we saw her armor laying in the bushes, but she presumably lost from the number of feathers we saw laying around."

"On the way to Peachhill, we ran into the territory of a mating pair of bugbears, Cloud stayed behind to be a distraction."

Did you deliberately change the farce or did you forget?

[Prismfire Productions]

10928347
Deliberate, you will see why

[RegMoDII]

10928680
OK, just making sure continuity was maintained

[PonyDragon]

"Ah, that one," Blueblood said, clearing his throat to get some rather disturbing mental images out of his mind.

Oh, and how do you know about such things?

Only two options I can think of are either you broke into my private study, which I know you haven't because my wards were not tripled, or you are the victim of a time travel mishap.

Or maybe she has somehow frozen herself?
Considering her abilities that may be something she is able to pull off.

"A shortage of quills and paper?!" Twilight exclaimed, her eyes widening and mane frazzling as the others snickered. "We have to stop that! Quick, make everypony start stockpiling to ensure future generations have paper in every hoof and a quill in their inkwells!"

And by doing so she created the very shortage she wanted to prevent, dooming Equestria forever.

---

Finally got around to read this chapter!
Whew, it certainly was a big one.
It was certainly a good idea to split it in two, because it shouldn't have been any longer.

Anyway, good chapter!
I enjoyed reading it.

But maybe try to keep the chapters a bit shorter?
In my personal opinion it shouldn't be significantly more than 4000 words in a single chapter.
Better to make more, but smaller one. But that's just me.

[Prismfire Productions]

10957521
4-7k is my normal average, but with so much going on, it was better to chunk it due to these... Well, that's a surprise~

I will say this: it is far from the endgame

[Block]

10984061
Yep, pretty easy for a Christian brony to catch a Bible reference in a pony fanfic.

[Teikan]

11362670
This is a true fair assessment of the first chapter. The first chapter should entice, not discourage the desire to read

[Prismfire Productions]

11362734
What in the chapter discourages reading the rest? If I may ask. Considering this is an extended continuation of another story that I was graciously allowed to pursue by that author, I tried to build a unique setting and world building.

[Teikan]

11363541
I have seen such a story about such characters with the same reactions a million times. Changing the scenery doesn't help. (I read it a long time ago, so without details)

[Ryebuck Coppercap]

Ooh! I quite like what you have written of this story mate!

Have a favourite and a tracking

Cheers!

[Yubella]

I personally consider loyalty more important than magic. None of the ponies really deserve there places or titles really. The side characters have better relations than they do.