Black Feather

by Recon777

07 - Ruling by Moonlight

Nyx flew high over the meadows, forests, and rolling foothills of the Equestrian countryside on her way toward Canterlot. The familiar flight was one she had taken with Luna many times growing up. Their first flight together was when Nyx was only thirteen and couldn’t fly the full distance herself. The memory of that flight washed over her as she watched birds soaring in flocks below, unaware of her presence.

The flight was twelve years ago. She had fluttered along until she got tired, then clung to Luna’s back for most of the journey. With all four legs wrapped tightly around Luna’s frame, she could feel the warmth of her body contrasting with the cold breeze flowing around them. Luna’s powerful muscles moved in rhythm with her wings as they cut through the air together. On occasion, the princess would look back and smile at Nyx, asking if she was doing alright. Nyx would nod and smile back. Despite the nervous twitch in her stomach, the closeness she felt with her royal friend brought a warmth she would treasure forever.

As Nyx’s mind snapped back to the present moment, her eye caught the sight of smoke billowing from the tall brick chimney of the Buckington Munitions factory below, breaking her reverie. It was a grim reminder of what had changed since those innocent years. She shook her head. What had happened to Equestria? What had happened with Luna, her friend?

This damn war was what happened, of course. Only two weeks after Nyx’s sweet-sixteen birthday party, the zebras of Arkadia openly attacked southern Equestria. And over what? They were superstitious fanatics, raving about prophecy. The princesses had always been tight-lipped about the specifics, but anypony could see that Arkadia had no good reason for attacking.

Once war was declared, Canterlot went nuts with rumors and speculation along with trying to decide how to respond. The panic of an entire nation kept the royal sisters busy as the illusion of peace and safety crumbled around them.

Things had never been the same with Luna after that. Eventually, she didn’t even write, and Nyx moved on to other things. Mentally stimulating things like studying with her mother. Pleasant, dreamy things like Rumble. Then, her magical theory studies in Canterlot five months later, which refined most of her gifts. Since then, there had been little time for a close relationship, and on the rare occasion they saw one another, it was usually at a public event of some kind.

The exception, of course, was three years ago after Nyx's magical outburst in Aria. This had marked the beginning of her current season in life as a prototype field-tester, training and preparing for when she would, one day, join the war effort to defend her people.

Nyx flew along, watching the farmers far below tending their fields and the merchant convoys roaming between the small hamlets with their wagons. These days, it wasn’t merely cider and produce in those carts. Ponies had recently begun trading weapons and medical supplies as well. A small shiver ran down Nyx’s spine as she considered how close the war was coming to destroying their way of life.

The old Friendship Express steam engine paced her for a moment along the track of the Ponyville Line, and she glanced down at the heavily laden train. The cars were split evenly between passenger and military cargo, the latter being marked with the distinctive colors of the Royal Equestrian Army. Many of the passengers would be new recruits on their way to Brumby Ridge for enlistment and training, gathered from the towns further down the line.

Up ahead, the massive bulk of Canterlot Mountain took up most of her view. The majestic balcony-city of Canterlot itself jutted from its side, streaming waterfalls down onto the landscape far below. It was one of the few remnants of high society that the war had left untouched.

Nyx swallowed dryly, an empty feeling creeping into her gut. She had flown this approach over a hundred times. Why did she feel as nervous as a filly on a first date? Just because she hadn’t had a proper sit-down with Luna in ages… She chided herself; Luna was probably just catching up with her. After all, with the school massacre only six months ago, and everything going crazy since then, she was probably just way too busy to even think about Nyx and her activities.

As she drew closer, the opulent alabaster spires and towers gleamed with regal beauty. The entire city seemed to cast off an essence of luxury, power, and prestige. She glided high over expensive marketplaces and perfectly manicured gardens where fountains sprayed water in varying patterns into pools along the walkways. Ponies walked about every which way—some with the hurried air of important business, some with the casual stroll and turning head of an eager tourist. Others sat in the park reading or toured the grounds herding along their excited children, some of whom looked skyward, waving as they spotted her.

A subtle grin played at Nyx’s lips as she waved back to them. It would seem that certain things were better than they had been in the past. At one time, the sight of Nightmare Moon flying overhead would have sent such ponies running for cover.

Nyx approached the Palace, its many ornate stained-glass windows glinting in the sun. She caught a glimpse of the one depicting her mother’s ascension right next to the one depicting Luna passing judgement on Night—on her, ending one phase of Nyx’s life and beginning another. She circled around the largest tower and landed on the upper balcony next to a guard who was waiting for her.

“Princess Luna is expecting you,” he said as he stepped aside.

“Thank you, sir.” She walked past the guard into the immense hallway, looking up at the high arched ceilings. The sun shone through the detailed imagery of each delicately crafted stained-glass window, spreading a rainbow of colors onto the plush carpet that covered the walkway.

Nyx let out a sigh. What was she even doing here? In the past, she had felt at home at the Palace. Welcome. Now… with Luna on ‘professional’ terms for so very long, that feeling had faded.

She turned at a junction to walk down a smaller hallway leading to Luna’s study. Her stomach twitched as she reached the door distinguished by a crescent moon emblem in the center. The guard outside the door stood unmoving until she came to a stop. He then opened the door for her, revealing Luna on the other side, standing near the far wall of the study. Nyx entered, closing the door behind her.

Luna’s study was small as far as Palace rooms go but large enough to serve its purpose. Prominent against the lengthwise wall was an old, heavily used dark cherry desk, its brass hoof clasps polished from long years of use. Piles of papers littered its edges, leaving just enough room for the map currently unfurled on it. The adjacent coffee table had additional stacks of paper precariously topped with a dinner plate that held the remains of a half-eaten salad. Luna’s bookshelf sat opposite the desk, cluttered with books of all sizes.

Luna glanced at Nyx as she placed a book on the shelf where she was standing. She turned to face her visitor. Nyx trotted a couple quick steps forward out of reflex, then straightened, remembering herself. “It’s good to see you, Luna.”

“It has been too long,” Luna said with a smile. “Please, sit. Make yourself comfortable.”

Nyx knelt down on a fine plush floor cushion next to a large bookshelf.

“I appreciate you coming so swiftly at my request,” Luna said, kneeling down on the cushion directly adjacent Nyx. She hesitated, as if unsure which words to choose. “Have you been well?” she asked finally.

“There are tough times,” Nyx replied quietly. “But we manage to get through it together.”

“Indeed.” Luna fell silent for a moment, her somber gaze locked onto a distant, unseen point through the floor. Taking a breath, her eyes returned contact. “Nyx, I am sorry for how things turned out between us. I know I have not… You- You have a good family.”

Nyx’s ear twitched. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“You still field-test for GlimmerTrix Industries, yes?”

“Quite a bit actually,” Nyx replied, happy to leave the awkward moment behind. “We do a lot of war game scenarios, sometimes with the SkyGuard.”

“You do not often have a live encounter with Arkadian zebras, I assume?”

Nyx hesitated, not wanting to get into that topic. “Well, we don’t go looking for trouble, but it does happen once in a while.”

“Yes, I heard about what happened yesterday in Ponyville,” Luna said, causing Nyx’s stomach to twitch. “I am very impressed, Nyx. That was exemplary, saving the child from assassins.”

Nyx blushed, her hoof fidgeting with the cushion’s decorative edging. “Thank you.” She wondered if Luna would still think it was exemplary if she knew what Nyx had done to those two zebras. Just thinking about them caused her to become agitated.

“Why were they even there?” Nyx asked. “It’s Ponyville. We almost never get incursions this far past the border.”

“I wish I knew. I believe it will likely get worse.”

“Worse than this?” That was the last thing Nyx wanted to hear.

“The Arkadians are pushing in harder now than ever before. Many things are changing in the war, Nyx. I have called you here to ask for your help with something.”

“I’m always glad to help, Luna. What do you need?”

Luna levitated the map of Equestria off her desk and spread it across the floor between them.

“There is a situation in the west coast bayous. Are you familiar with the region?”

Nyx chuckled. “Only that Apple Bloom went out there by herself when she was a filly just to prove to her sister that she could handle it. Nearly got herself eaten by—”

Luna blinked, her face unreadable.

Clearing her throat, Nyx lowered her voice. “Um, no actually, I haven’t been out there myself. Why do you ask?”

“We normally hear very little from this area, but yesterday, I received a report of a group of zebras making their way inland through the labyrinth of paths and waterways.”

Nyx's chest tightened. “The zebras are trying to sneak in from the coast? Are you wanting me to try and stop them? I'm not sure that's something we're equipped for.”

“I am concerned for the local settlements, Nyx. There are good families living out that way who prefer a peaceful, isolated, rural life, and I want to ensure they do not fall prey to Arkadian military forces—or worse, become occupied by them. I would like for you to look into the situation.”

Nyx studied the map. “I don't know, this actually sounds like something for the military to be doing.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “That… is correct.”

An awkward feeling formed in Nyx’s stomach, her ear twitching again. “Um… Luna, I’m not allowed to fight alongside the military, per your orders.”

“I know, Nyx. There was a good reason. When you stopped the Arkadian attack in Aria, do you remember what happened?”

“Not really. It was three years ago. I remember seeing uncle Shining get shot. Everypony freaked out. I wanted to protect Mom, but I didn’t know what was happening. I couldn’t see them. I- I don’t remember what happened next, just waking up in the hospital.”

Luna paused as if struggling with whether or not to say something. After a moment, she spoke.

“The reason you burned out is because you cast a spell that required probably twenty times as much magical energy as you were capable of holding. It is an old war spell I developed some three thousand years ago called Death Blossom. It was designed to eliminate all nearby enemies, wherever they might be hiding. Even I can only cast it once without recharging.”

Nyx’s mind raced. War spell? She didn’t know any war spells. “Luna, how… But you took all my abilities from the time before I grew up.”

“I know. My sister and I asked one another the same question. It would appear that taking away somepony’s history is not as easy as I had once believed.”

“But if I kept that one, doesn’t it also mean…”

“I know many war spells, Nyx,” Luna stated slowly and with perfect clarity while holding steady eye contact.

That statement sent chills down Nyx's spine, a terrible understanding washing over her.

So that’s why. Nyx somehow still had some of Luna’s past knowledge. Knowledge that she was in no way prepared to handle. “And this is why I wasn’t allowed to fight.”

Luna nodded. “When an alicorn casts a spell, the energy is found to complete it. If we burn out, the energy is forcibly taken from other sources. You are strong, Nyx. But your energy capacity is very low for an alicorn. It will grow with time, of course, but you are still quite young, which makes burning out very easy to do. This puts yourself and any nearby friendly forces at serious risk. Imagine if something like that happened near one of our unicorn shielded positions.”

“Like that awful dream you once showed me.”

“Indeed.”

“I’m careful to watch my energy storage.” Nyx tapped a hoof at the spell matrix resting at the base of her horn. “I only cast high-drain spells when absolutely necessary. Still, how can I be sure this won’t happen again?”

A gentle smile formed on Luna’s face. “You have grown much, and your discipline has improved in recent years. It is a risk, yes. But a risk we must accept, which is why I am rescinding the decision. That, plus priorities have shifted much over the past six months. We need all the help we can get. So I hereby allow you to participate in the war but only under supervision, and only on missions I personally choose for you.”

Wow. After three years. It was too good to be true! “Thank you, Luna. This means a lot,” Nyx beamed. “But I still don’t understand something. Why do you need our involvement on this mission if you’re sending the military in anyway?”

Luna paused in thought for a moment before standing up and placing the map back on her desk. She turned to Nyx with a warm smile. “Would you like to get some air with me? I have been cooped up in this room for most of the day and could use a change of scenery.”

Nyx wasn’t sure why Luna avoided her question. She returned a weak smile with a nod. “Sure, sounds good to me.”

Luna opened the door and stepped out of the room. The pair of dark alicorns walked down the hallway to the upper balcony where the sun hung low in the sky. Long shadows cast across the city as they approached the railing.

“Follow me,” Luna said with a wink before leaping off the balcony. She flipped backward in a three-quarters loop and dived straight down with a full-spin, arcing just past the city’s foundation structure. She sped alongside the main waterfall that flowed to the land below, casting rainbows through the clouds of mist that surrounded them.

Nyx pushed herself to keep up. She had never tired of seeing the princess’s agility, speed, and aerobatic prowess. The two plummeted for several seconds as the ground rushed up at them, then broke with wings suddenly outstretched. They flew a short distance away and alighted on the top of a small hill within sight of a massive project. It was an entire town under construction.

Many zebras were working below on scaffolds, building an aqueduct at the base of the main waterfall. Off to the side, more zebras were building an array of simple houses and digging tunnels to channel water beneath them. Not far from the residential area, zebras were busy plowing land for farming or laying pipes that ran from the main aqueduct into the new fields for irrigation.

“I sometimes come here after a long day,” Luna said, catching her breath. “I find it gives me perspective.”

Nyx took in the scene. “I saw this place on the flight over. This is the new zebra village, isn’t it?

“The Underfall,” Luna confirmed with a nod. “I felt it best to give this place to them. Equestrian zebras have been requesting a more central community for some years now.”

Nyx kept her eye on the zebras. Several had noticed the pair of alicorns on the nearby hill but kept working anyway. A small part of her was surprised that they weren’t attacking.

“A lot of ponies think they should just go back home,” Nyx said quietly.

Luna turned to face her. “And where is home, Nyx? How many of them grew up in Equestria? Would they not be viewed as traitors by their own people even if they did return to Arkadia? This war is not inconvenient only for us; it has put the many good zebra citizens of Equestria in a difficult situation. A great number, especially in the south, even fear for their safety.”

An uneasy feeling fell over Nyx as she recalled her recent conviction about zebras being monsters. She understood the importance of not prejudging others. Her entire childhood was a battlefield of social conflict centered on this very concept. How could she have allowed herself to forget this?

“I… imagine these zebras are feeling like they don’t really belong anywhere. That they have no place in the world. It must be terrifying.”

“Indeed,” Luna replied, her voice soft. “So I have ordered the construction of this place where they can live in peace among their own kind, largely unbothered by potentially angry or vindictive ponies who cannot tell the difference between a citizen and an invader simply because they share stripes. Unfortunately, I will likely be criticized for this as well. I am already somewhat unpopular among the zebras as it is, given my… our legacy as Nightmare Moon. You, likewise, perhaps even more so, share in this.”

“That’s an understatement,” Nyx said flatly, eyes still on the zebras. They were hard workers and rarely caused trouble. While they still made her a little nervous, they weren’t the enemy.

“Why have you shown me this?” Nyx asked.

“A test,” Luna said simply, turning to face her. “And a lesson. Nyx, it is very likely that you will become a champion in this war in the near future, no doubt attracting considerable attention from the Arkadian government. You just witnessed three zebras attempting to murder an innocent child. I needed to know if you could still feel compassion for them as people—that you will not allow yourself to simply become a zebra killing machine. I need you to have the right perspective regarding who your enemy is. And why.”

Nyx was taken aback. Did Luna really see her as a champion of the war one day?

“I see. I think I understand, Luna. But my question remains about the mission. Why send us if you’re sending the military in anyway?”

“Your heroism yesterday convinced me that you were ready. But it would be unwise to throw you into a large operation as your first mission. You need a chance to prove yourself. This mission is a milk run; it is low profile, and you are unlikely to see actual combat. And if you do, I will be sending more than enough soldiers with you to handle this little incursion into the swamps. My goal is to ease you into your new role and get you used to working with a platoon, not to get you killed on your first mission.”

“Well, hopefully I won’t be killed on any of my missions.”

Luna poked her shoulder. “Fear not, young one. I say that tongue in cheek.” Luna shot her a wink.

“I know,” Nyx chuckled. “I’m actually pretty excited about it!”

“This mission is important, Nyx. It may be uneventful, but these zebras are up to something strange. I want somepony I can trust out there to figure it out if possible—somepony smart enough, intuitive enough, to get to the root of the matter. I cannot have them discovering how vulnerable we are.”

“What do you mean, vulnerable?”

“The reason I’ve been promoting militia groups in recent weeks is because we do not have enough soldiers to cover the outlying areas. This problem in the bayou region is a good example because it is entirely undefended. If the Arkadians learn of this, there will be strategic consequences.”

Nyx considered this for a moment. The pair watched in silence as the zebras worked in the distance, the sun sinking below the horizon. Dozens of lanterns were being lit across the new village as dusk fell over them like a blanket. Zebra children were playing in the streets and had begun to file into their homes, most of which were makeshift temporary shacks. Nyx could just make out the soft percussive sounds of strange, unfamiliar music coming from a central campfire that had several zebras gathered around it. Nyx shook her head. They were so very different.

“I need to ask you something, Luna. If I’m going to be active in the war going forward, what kinds of things would I be doing? I’ve wondered for a long time now how I might be able to help. Where do I fit in?”

“One moment, Nyx…” Luna turned her attention to the east and stared off into the distance, her eyes flashing white and her horn flaring for a second as subtle, detailed patterns briefly raced across her coat. Nyx’s mane was tousled by a gust of wind, and the air around Luna felt electric as the moon peeked above the horizon. After letting out a deep breath, she turned back to Nyx.

“As an alicorn, you can bring very mobile, concentrated strength to a fight. There are certain missions where having you along could mean the difference between success and failure. As your skills grow, I would like you to work with some of my officers and assist them in these missions. Eventually, you would act as a special operative or a commander, depending on what best fits your development.”

Nyx’s mind was spinning. She stared off to the horizon, the soft light of the rising moon shining in her eyes.

“One step at a time, Nyx. Do not stress over the future; that is my job. For now, there are preparations to make. First, you will need to be properly equipped. You have been getting by on very little from what I understand.”

Nyx snapped back into focus. “Um, we scavenge what we can if we encounter zebras. Sometimes, we come in and clean up after the military has pushed a zebra position back. GTI also gives us some fun toys to test out. My spell matrix is pretty cool.”

Luna offered an understanding smile. “I would like to open the doors a bit wider and give you greater access to weapons and medical supplies.”

Nyx’s ears shot up. “Oh, that would help us out so much, Luna. Thank you.”

Luna nodded. “I would also like you to consider adding somepony to your permanent team.”

Nyx's train of thought was instantly derailed. What was this? Add someone to the team? How could anyone possibly fit as well as Rumble and Flitter?

“Uhh… I can’t see that happening anytime soon,” she responded, trying to be polite about it. “I mean, the main reason we work so well together is because we’re all long-time close friends.”

“And I speak of none other than your close friend Dinky.”

Nyx stared at Luna for a moment. “Really? She’s… that’s… I really don’t see how that would help. She’s really not the kind of pony who would fit well in a dangerous situation, nevermind combat. Besides, she’s kind of busy with her, uh, delivery business.”

“Much of that may be true,” Luna agreed. “However, I believe she needs to begin applying herself to something greater. Her unique gift would likely allow her to reach her greatest potential when paired with a team such as yours. In addition, I may be sending you into situations where I will need to stay in close contact with you. Please consider this and speak with her prior to embarking on your mission.”

Dinky. Nyx chewed on the idea for a moment. Dinky was the last pony Nyx would have expected to be… compatible with missions and fighting and hiking through wild terrain.

“Okay, well we can mention it, I suppose.”

“Very good. I will be sending you out on this assignment in a few days, as soon as I organize some ground forces to accompany you. They will rely on your team’s hunting skills and aerial advantage.”

Nyx laughed. “Hunting skills? I guess.”

“It is true, is it not?” Luna smirked. “I have heard stories.”

“Somepony leaking our tactical secrets, now?” Nyx quipped. “But since you mentioned it, we actually had a crazy example of that just yesterday. Between Flitter’s weird changeling emotion detector and my T.E.I. it’s hard for them to hide.”

Luna grinned. “As I said. Hunting skills. Do not question your princess’s choice of words.” She poked Nyx in the side with a chuckle.

Nyx felt a nostalgic warmth at Luna’s demeanor. She had missed moments like this.

“Come. Let us return.” Luna looked at Nyx, a mischievous spark beginning in her eyes which blossomed into a grin. “I will race you to the top!” Luna took flight, flapping hard to quickly gain altitude.

A bright smile spread over Nyx’s face as she leapt into the air, recalling the moments from her youth when they would play together. Luna had often given her a head start with Nyx giggling as she raced on ahead. She would squeal in mock terror as Luna passed her then performed some aerial stunt that slowed her down. Those moments would end in occasional victories, then hugs, cuddles, and laughter, followed by tea and chatting.

Tonight, there was no such head start. Nyx had grown much in strength since those days. She pushed her muscles to their limit and worked to catch up to the princess. Luna glanced to her left, noticing Nyx just over her shoulder. The brief look of surprise etched on her face was priceless. Luna then fixed her gaze forward and redoubled her efforts. It was going to be closer than she had expected.

Comments

[Bronycommander]

nicely done!

[Ignimbrite]

It's good to see that not all zebras are enemies here. This does make me wonder what it's like for them, though. How many Equestrian zebras have families in Arkadia?

[DuvetofReason]

11696413
With the shift in power that went on in Arkadia, it's likely that those who fled to Equestria have many family members trapped there, serving the current regime. There are probably small groups of resistance back home, but the Warrior and Religious castes are hunting them relentlessly. Think a mixture of Revolutionary Iran and North Korea and you've got a good picture of life there.

[SlyBesker]

11687943
The one in google docs a year ago, though i have a strong feeling that I read something similar about Nyx long ago and it probably was black feather.

[Recon777]

11697433
Ahh, that would have been the 2018 version on Google Docs. Things have been updated since then. Also, that version stopped abruptly at chapter 21. You should be seeing some changes already, with the addition of Razor in chapter 5 and Dinky's scene in chapter 6. Best to read from scratch and disregard the old version.