CH 59.2 Objectives
In the comfort of the silken darkness of her cabin, Twilight reclined into the indulgent softness of the cloud bed. It was the one and only thing she had changed about her cabin, but she just could not settle on the simple bunk it had come with.
She set the journal aside and let her eyes close for a long blink. Even with most of her senses suppressed, the night was anything but quiet. The lines and timbers of the airship creaked and sang with each change in tension. Feathers, fur and sheets rasped as they brushed against each other. Gentle breaths mingled with snores. Even a dozen heartbeats reached Twilight's Alicorn ears.
Two sounds, in particular, held her attention. The first, Rainbow's distinct and not so gentle snores as she rested in the room next door. Further away, Candice's large wings cut through the air with powerful flaps as she took advantage of Luna's gifts flying the night watch.
Twilight trailed her hoof over the empty space beside her. A warm-core of longing spoke volumes of what Nova would rather do. It only took half a second more to remember her Sweet Dreams was far too busy researching for more pleasant diversions. Twilight almost snorted. Since when have there been more pleasant diversions than reading?
She hoped that relit flame of desire was a good sign, that it was an indication that the fiery mare had recovered somewhat. Twilight’s mind settled back on that single rage-filled moment back in Canterlot.
Tendrils of shadows reached out and enveloped the book. Soon the soothing sounds of a quill marking the pages could drown out all the other incidental noises.
A pride not her own slowly built in her chest. Even without words, their link allowed no doubt in Twilight's mind that Night was more than just invested in Sunset's education. Night truly liked her. Deliberately, without using a single word, Twilight considered what those two could have possibly shared to become so close.
Twilight sighed. She was just distracting her again. Reluctantly, her mind shifted from her distant friend to the battles ahead.
Even in the near-total dark, Twilight's night aligned eyes easily devoured every detail of the wall-mounted map.
She tilted her head. The umbral colours were still somewhat alien despite their beauty. With the smallest effort of will, lines of darkness deepened their inverse radiance. "Now, if we start here… we can sweep the area. Leave Flame Dancer and the mercenaries to fortify … " she placed a pin in place. "Now, do we fortify a second location… or concentrate our efforts on one?"
Is your goal to save the griffons or to remove the blighted as a threat? Night inquired in a lazy purr.
“Of…" The reflexive answer stilled on her tongue. The part of her that was Celestia’s Faithful Student could only give one answer, but that was not who she was anymore.
Twilight took a moment to consider Night’s words. The curiosity drifting off her mental companion had no hint of manipulation or malice to it. So not just your dislike for the griffons? Night did not deign to answer.
Almost without her direction, Twilight set upon the problem. Her mind started a list of pros and cons for both options. It's just like one of Shinny's games. Even with the dire situation, a part of her mind could not help but view the pins as nothing but pieces on a board, and not the lives lost and those that may yet still be saved.
Sunset could have been a powerful piece. With her fire and solar aligned magic, she would be a perfect counter to the blighted. Twilight eyes settled on the communication journal as Night's magic still danced over the pages. She watched the words elegantly flow one to the next with a harsh beauty that Twilight's own horn writing lacked.
A part of Twilight's mind idly counted. Six counts of high crimes against Equestria, six counts of what mere knowledge of could very well be considered treason, now diligently delivered into Sunset's waiting hooves.
No matter how long she thought about it, she found not the least amount of guilt with this violation of Celestia’s law.
Thinking of one sister eventually brought her mind to the other. To that perfect moment at the end of the fair when Luna’s larger lips met her own. She savoured the phantom sensations her near-perfect memory provided.
With a simple twist of space, a near life-sized plushy replica of her betrothed popped into existence from Twilight’s pocket.
Twilight’s eyes trailed wishfully over the copy. Other than being a little smaller and clearly being made from fabric and stuffing, it was perfect.
Her wing reached out and drew the plush into an embrace. A moment later, the phantom sensation of feathers ran along her own back. No doubt her distant betrothed was also embracing her facsimile.
The soft smile that had formed evened out to a flat line. There were two many things that needed her attention first. She lifted the plushy’s left hoof with her own and began to tap out her message to Luna in hoof code.
The mighty Princess of Magic playing with dolls now? What is the world coming to, Darling? Night said in an exaggerated impersonation of Rarity's voice.
Upon reflection, what she was doing was patently ridiculous. An amused snort escaped Twilight. She was truly glad Rainbow was fast asleep in the next room, or else she would never live this down.
Yet, with Spike safe in Ponyville and the need to conserve magic for the upcoming battles, it was the most logical choice. “Oh, shush you,” Twilight said, not even trying to hide the affection or gratitude from her voice.
Sometimes all you needed was a little laughter to see the light even in the darkest of times.
Twilight rested her forelegs over the prow's railing as the world around her transitioned from night into day. She blinked and let her eyes shift from thestral slits to the familiar round pegasus ones in the moment her eyes were closed.
The pallet of both the land below and the sky around them changed. The exotic allure of darkness was replaced by the radiant colour of sunlit day. The bit of her that came from her time under Celestia wanted to smile, and yet she had to fight to not squint and hiss at the too hash light.
Despite the dark wounds the blight had caused to the land, the world below still held a picturesque beauty. Like the dislike of the daylight, the pride and annoyance that stirred within her was not hers. She knew it was merely an echo from Night.
Twilight glanced over at the easel set up beside her. Night's darker magic reached out and enveloped a brush. With deft strokes, paint started to form an image upon the blank canvas.
Why do you want to paint this? Twilight asked with a wave of her hoof.
Our history may not have to define us, but it must be remembered. Night answered.
Twilight let her eyes close and reached out with her senses. One by one, every source of magic from horizon to horizon filtered in. The bright sparks of uncorrupted life, and the dark motes of the blighted. One was far more than a mere mote, a squirming knot of malice that felt far too comfortable to her senses. A part of her sought to reach out and pet the monster. She deliberately put that issue aside. You can feel them can you not?
Yes… Night’s painting paused, her mental tone changed to a solemn wishfulness The spell has proven to be everything we wanted it to be.
You did not do this. Twilight visualised draping her wing over Night, sure the intent was more than enough.
No, but I laid the foundations. Once this is all resolved, we will need to seek out anything I may have left lying around, any contingencies I may have put in place.
You expect there to be more? A minuscule seed of panic settled in Twilight's chest. What other terrors could a mare like Nightmare Moon, in the height of her hatred, have conjured from her mind?
Yes, we would ensure that any move my opponents might make would lead to my inevitable victory.
... Thats only logical.
Yes, but tis proving to be most vexing now our objective’s changed.
You’re not doing this alone, Night.
The feel of a warm coat pressed against her side and a leathery wing embracing her was Night’s answer. The paintbrush resumed its dance over the canvas.
The mercenaries behind her on the deck talked as they got ready for the day, and the night watch retreated down below for sleep. "Royalty," somepony scoffed in disgust. Twilight pretended not to hear, and luckily for them, Night was too caught up by her muse to lash out.
The scent of tea followed on the distinctive hoof falls of Emerald’s elegant gate. Even here, even now, Night's pet insisted on treating her as the Princess she was.
Twilight took up the beverage in her aura and graced Emerald with a grateful smile. "Thank you. As always, you know my desire before I do."
"I live to serve." The disguised changeling started before she finished under her breath. "My queen."
Queen? Only her acceptance of her body as a mere flesh puppet stopped the shiver of desire that started between her wings.
You know you would rule justly. Night whispered in her mind.
Than Chrysalis or Celestia?
My answer would be the same.
Twilight tapped her chin thoughtfully The changeling Queen is not a dire threat. If we can reeducate her, she may even prove an asset.
You truly think you can reform her?
A smug smirk twisted her face. I have a good track record. It worked on you after all…
That is… diffrent.
Oh?
We are family. Night's statement was a line in the sand, a battlefield she would never retreat from.
A content smile replaced the smirk. Yes, we are… let's get this finished so we can go home.
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great chapter
I think Chrysalis will "reform" herself. She is a changeling after all, adapt is what they do. Change is litteraly in the name.
@
Nightsclaw
Prepare for the criticism!
who is this shinny you speak of?
Who eye?
*letters crying* grammar broken! grammar broken!
only 2?
i'd have expected the horse to communicate by mo - o - o - o - orse
well better than than the pellet
Why would there be an emerald gate on the shipt? No matter how elegant it may be, it would be too expensive and heavy and fragile.
feels like something was missing around there somewhere.
not sure if intentional, but reeducate is a pretty loaded term.
11249837
At the moment she's busy being a pillar of the Manehatten community.
The pillar, really, funny that.
My sus on Night is increasing ....
Night still hasn't noticed that two of her anti mind reading gems are missing...
What else did she have cooked up?
11250040
Why? What has you conscerned
Hrm... I wonder if Twilight painted before Night came along? If not that might be interesting to explain to folks (and Celestia) about when she learned and got so good at it.
Ok, I have a request, I want a chapter where Night has to deal with Twilight Velvet. Something tells me that would be an amusing encounter.
11250271
I second this notion. Halt the story. Write a festive mother's day chapter. Slap it in right here right now. Disregard all narrative flow,this has to happen.
11250156
Probably the lovers / mind control / family thing
11250598
What's this about Night and mind control? I think you may be confusing her with Celestia.
11250604
Well it is mostly semantics but technically Nightmare took over Twilights Mind and Body in an understandable Moment of Weakness and is controlling the Stitched body with Twilight being a passenger that is allowed control from time to time . .
I have no problems with this whole thing at all, the story started off kinda weak with way too much gratuitous gore and grimdark and mary sue undertones but has become so much better over time.
11250673
Ok, now i understand. I was being too narrow with my definitions, got it. But i have to ask, what do you think of what Nova and Gray do?
11250770
Nova is basically just horny or hangry.
I can relate.
Grey is just that.