Nyx Returns

by Bronyxy

9 Surprise Disclosure

“Sister, fellow Princesses; I am glad you were able to join us in Canterlot this evening” said Luna, acting as chair for the meeting she had convened.

The table around which they gathered was circular and had been arranged with the seats at cardinal points, such that none had precedence amidst the ruling quadrature. Twilight pointedly was not sitting next to Celestia, but directly opposite, flanked by the other two Princesses.

“I trust we have all had a chance to go through the information pack I sent out” she continued. Twilight flipped over a few of the pages that she had already reviewed many times that day, marvelling at how Luna had phrased events with Nyx as victim rather than the cause, thereby reducing the risk of Celestia making any rash moves against her. She also noticed how it had avoided any reference to Luna’s secret library.

“This entity is parasitic and feeds off magic; the only defence I have been able to make against it so far having been through long forgotten magic of ancient Unicornia.”
“Yes, I am intrigued by this Wand of Fulfilment” said Celestia.
“It appeared out of thin air during a transfiguration exercise …” said Luna.
“But how is it that I haven’t seen any reference to such an artefact before, anywhere in my library and yet when it appears you know precisely what it is and how to use it?” pushed Celestia.
“I am certain there is reference within your repository and you have probably just overlooked it” replied Luna.
“What are you hiding from me Luna?” pried Celestia.

“Luna stood up for the whole of Equestria and put herself in the gravest of danger to protect all of us!” blurted Twilight, standing and banging her forehooves down onto the table “I think she deserves our thanks rather than being put on the spot to try and remember the exact location of a book in a library!”

Celestia stood and stared back straight into Twilights’ eyes, resting her forehooves on the table and started to unfurl her wings; she wasn’t going to let her former student get the better of her two times running, and this time she was prepared. “Yes Twilight, my most faithful student, and now deputy dream walker too; I figured you would be bound to know something about this.”

Twilight hadn’t realised, but her wings were already raised, and she formed her face into a determined scowl, lowering her head and pointing her horn towards Celestia. She had gained so much magic from her intensive research in the secret library that she now had assimilated most of the power that Luna had used to turn into Nightmare Moon, and once again that power sought out Celestia as its target.
“Jealousy? From you, Celestia?” she whispered menacingly “How flattering.”

Celestia spread her wings and pointed her horn straight back at Twilight.

Cadence caught a determined flash in Twilight’s eye and knew she had only a split second to act before things got really out of hoof and jumped up onto the table facing Twilight and acting as a barrier between her and Celestia, while Luna, who knew all too well the scope of the newly acquired magic at her command, restrained Twilight to prevent her from doing anything she may regret.

Celestia watched with surprise. Yes, things had gotten a little heated and she was grateful that the cooler heads of the other two Princesses had prevailed, but she, Celestia was the most powerful alicorn in Equestria - surely it was her they should have sought to restrain? Yet they had both seen fit to protect her from Twilight. What was going on?

Celestia furled her wings and resumed her seat “I’m sorry Luna, Twilight; I was out of order there.”

She watched as first Cadence and then Luna resumed their places, noting the looks on their faces and the way they kept an eye on Twilight as she calmed down. The lilac pony took some deep breaths and furled her wings too, raising her head out of the threatening posture she had adopted.
“I’m sorry too Princess” she apologised “My response was uncalled for.”

Uneasy looks were exchanged around the table as Celestia noticed that both Luna and Cadence had moved further away from her and towards Twilight, creating an obvious three onto one inequality. Instead of feeling powerful, she suddenly started to feel isolated. What was happening to her?

“I appreciate feelings are running high, but I suggest we won’t be able to defeat this threat unless we can bond together to face the common enemy rather than each other” said Cadence in a measured voice “Principally, how are we going to defeat this entity?”
“There are a number of problems” said Luna “Firstly, the entity does not exist in isolation, only as a shell around the victim whilst in the dream realm. Secondly, where it only exists in the dream realm, it can only be attacked by Twilight and myself, and from what we have witnessed, I believe it requires more magic than we can muster between us.”

Brows furrowed all round the table as each tried to think of a way round this seemingly intractable problem.
The silence was broken by a tentative sound from Twilight and all the others looked up in unison with expressions ranging from being startled to immediately supportive.
“What if one of us acted as a conduit for the power of Celestia and Cadence, and relayed it through into the dream realm?” she posed thoughtfully.
“That sounds very dangerous for whoever acts as the conduit” said Cadence immediately “Am I to take it that you are volunteering?”

“No, I wasn’t” she replied “Somepony will have to be with Nyx, inside her dream, protecting her from the power of three alicorns. That is my place. If anything goes wrong, I choose to share my fate with my daughter, even if that means we die together.”
Celestia raised an eyebrow at that last comment, but noted it was said in deadly earnest.

“I will contest you, Twilight Sparkle” said Luna with uncharacteristic softness “You are her mother, and I know how seriously you take that responsibility, but Nyx was made from me and so she and I are inexorably connected. She stands a better chance of fighting off any attack from the entity once it feels threatened or from your magic if it penetrates through provided she and I are joined as one.”
“No Luna, please let me …” Twilight gasped.
“Nopony is taking her away from you, Twilight Sparkle. I seek only to ensure that you and Nyx never have to be parted again.”

Cadence brushed a tear from her muzzle and opened her mouth to speak but gave forth only a strangled croak.
Celestia caught the reference of taking Nyx away from Twilight and suppressed a scowl, but even she could see the wisdom of the decision.

All eyes fell on Twilight.

Her lip trembled.

“I promise I will lay down my life for her, should the time come” comforted Luna.
“No! Not her! Not you! You can’t take that away from me!” Twilight’s muzzle collapsed into her forehooves “I love her … I love you …”

The three other Princesses stood in shocked silence as Twilight sobbed uncontrollably, the adrenaline from her brush with Celestia having now worked its way out of her system. Had she just announced that she loved Luna? Cadence certainly thought so and her purple eyes began to sparkle as she raised two forehooves to her mouth to cover her growing smile, but an excited "Squeeee!" still escaped her.

A Royal Romance? She was elated.

At that precise moment, an uncontrolled twitch suddenly afflicted the corner of Celestia’s eye, but she failed to give any other response.

Luna moved over to give Twilight a hug.
“I will look after her as if she were my own; be assured of that.”
“I know you will” said the lilac pony in between sobs “I know you will, but I don’t want to lose either of you; ever.”
Luna spread a comforting wing over and drew her close, feeling a damp muzzle bury itself in her neck fur and closed her eyes blissfully in a moment of rare intimacy. She knew she faced an uncertain future in what lay ahead, and clasped to this one special moment as she didn’t know how many more she would be able to enjoy.

Shortly, Twilight gave a gentle tug to inform Luna that she was ready to pull away and the Princess of the Night yielded, allowing the purple eyes and lilac face to look out upon the other Princesses.
“I’m sorry” she whispered.

Celestia and Cadence bowed their heads briefly in silent acknowledgment and Twilight turned to face Luna, planting a tender kiss on her lips. Luna closed her eyes in bliss and allowed her mind to drift at the subtle and delicate tingling feeling that she found strangely compelling. Twilight’s disclosure had come as much less of a shock to her as it had to everypony else and she welcomed the declaration that she knew would be coming, fully prepared to consummate if she survived.

“I believe Nyx is in the Royal Court currently” said Celestia looking away from the spectacle of her sister being kissed by her former student.
“Yes” replied Twilight distractedly, staring into Luna's eyes as she pulled away, knowing for sure at that moment that her feelings were reciprocated.

“Then we should perform what needs to be done before it can get any worse. If we are all in agreement, I suggest we work tonight.”
“Only if Nyx agrees” interjected Twilight firmly “She must consent or it doesn’t happen – nopony will ever do such a thing against her will.”

Celestia bristled, but held her tongue.

Comments

[Princess Estrella]

I don't like the idea of Twilight being in love with Luna.

[SupernalDawn]

agreed. but then again i think its sweet that twilight cares for Luna like that it. think of it like this if twilight would have stayed with Celestia then the same "royal romance would have occurred. Celestia or Luna either way the author intended for it to happen

[Bronyxy]

8904489
Thanks for the insightful comment. I wanted to inject an element of romance as it reinforces bonds in ways that will become clearer as the drama unfolds. As Celestia was initially in favour of banishing Nyx for her time as Nightmare Moon in Past Sins, it was Luna who came up with the more elegant and humane “punishment” of returning her to being a foal, a solution that Twilight as her adoptive mother found eminently preferable. Given the prevailing differences between Celestia and Twilight, then Luna x Twilight is not too far-fetched.

Luna also makes a promise to look after Nyx like she was her own, which is something she would not be likely to do if there was no commitment to Twilight.

Fasten your seat belts – their love will be put to the test!

[FolkloreBrony]

Wait, WHAT? Where did THAT come from? That doesn't make any sense!?

[FolkloreBrony]

8905236
I understand that, but you failed to set it up and build on it, therefore it doesn't make sense and it's completely out of the blue. In short, it falls flat on its own ass