Imperial Forclousure

by The Sound of Loneliness

Too Many Volunteers

It was a very long time since Daybreaker last had anyone to spar with. She once met a warrior-monk who claimed to be able to shatter stone with his hooves. It indeed was so. Much to the bewilderment of the gathered crowd, he broke every stone they challenged him with. The monk wasn't boisterous and was only showing what an attuned mind and body could do. He, of course, proved no challenge at all for her. To his credit, he still accepted a duel. He did not cower or spit her: but calmly accepted his defeat. He still gave her his critique: her magic was a walking stick that prevented her from running and her emotion clouded her judgment. She considered showing the impudent peasant his place, but quickly realized that it would only demonstrate his point.
He then invited her to visit his temple. The place was nothing special, but it was maintained. The monks she met were spending their days in training, meditation and maintaining the temple. Although their skills were only impressive to the lesser ponies, their meditation practice intrigued her. The goal was to clear the mind of all emotions, both good and bad. The monks believed that this was the way to enlightenment. Although Daybreaker could not testify to that end, she did feel the most at peace she had ever been when practicing.

When Shining Armor foolishly challenged her to a duel, Daybreaker did not ridicule him. Although he had absolutely no chance despite his expertise in defensive magic, mocking him would not be a worthy way to respond. Nightmare in her great wisdom was, as always, right. Insulting a host in his home was unworthy of a noble lady. So she honored the Prince and his pretentious attempt to get back at her for her previous insults and used the opportunity to practice her calm in battle. She allowed him a couple of attempts to penetrate her defense, mostly to test her calm against attacks. She effortlessly deflected his spells, her breathing never growing any heavier. Once she got content enough, she simply pulled his legs from beneath him. He may have been remarkable in his defensive spells, but they were no use if he simply never saw her attack. She then calmly thanked him for practice and left him to contemplate his failure, he did earn some of his pride back by simply trying, she expected.

Her sister was waiting for her outside the sparring room,
"I hope you are finished humiliating Cadance's husband," she said humorlessly. "We are prepared to move again."

"You seem in a foul mood," Daybreaker said with concern. "Was your foray less than satisfactory?"

"I suppose that would depend on your perspective," Nightmare Moon responded gloomily. "The news of me gathering a troop spread like a wildfire. It seems that I am quite appreciated by changelings. Singular drones and groups came to asking me to take them with us."

"I can see how that can get tiring, yes," Daybreaker suddenly remembered their sisters simply inviting themselves into her presence and asking her to direct them. "Did you accept?"

"No. Much to their displeasure no doubt."

"If they so wish to fight for you, why not allow them?" Daybreaker asked probingly: mostly to have Nightmare speak her frustration. But Nightmare simply stared at her.

"Sometimes you bewilder me," Nightmare said after a pause. "Do you wish to fight?"

"If that is what you require of me - I will," Daybreaker said readily.

"That is not what I asked. Do. You. Wish. To. Make. War?"

Daybreaker was unsure what exactly displeased her sister but she expected that prolonged hesitation would only disappoint her,
"No," Daybreaker asserted. "War wastes our potential. We could be doing so much more."

"Yet you ask why I would not allow young changelings, the last of their kind to be hatched, fight for me. Sister, it often seems to me that you only think after you speak," Nightmare Moon verbally slapped Daybreaker enough to make her reconsider her attempts to have Nightmare vent. "A Princess must protect her subjects, not the opposite. I picked the most capable of them and in the lowest acceptable number. I will not have any unnecessary death in my service."

"I would not have thought you a pacifist," Daybreaker said with genuine surprise. "You never seemed to have qualms with having others fight for you."

"A pacifist is a different word for a coward!" Nightmare Moon spat in disdain. "War is a solemn duty to perform, sister. We must not shirk from it but we must always minimize the damage. I still hope that it won't come to that, but I cannot blame Celestia for her desire to prepare. I can also only hope that the changelings see the good their effort brings, instead of simply exercising their loyalty to me."

"Can I help?" Daybreaker asked.

"Yes, thank you for asking. Take care of our little sisters and Mister Rich while I am away. They might get a little restless during prolonged inaction. Maybe have them learn something new, that usually distracts ponies enough. Also, please assist Her Majesty if she requests you to."

"Nightmare, I still ask you to perhaps reconsider," Daybreaker made no attempt to hide her enduring displeasure. "I wish to walk with you, I have done enough waiting. I could cast illusions as well as any of your changelings, if not as seamlessly. Rarity and Filthy Rich can provide enough overwatch over our sisters. If not, they will find help, they are not too incompetent. You could leave Sparkle behind, you and Celestia both ensured she would be overqualified for the task, she might even enjoy teaching again."

Nightmare Moon sighed,
"I suppose yes, she would indeed be overqualified. Very well, dear sister. I shall take you with me instead of Twilight."

"Thank you!" Daybreaker beamed. "I will not disappoint you! Give me your orders!"

"Not so fast, dear Daybreaker," Nightmare halted her. "We must get to our mission area first. I believe I know a good-enough place for us to shelter in the field that should still be unoccupied. At least it would have taken our subjects a large amount of effort to take it. However, we cannot afford another teleportation mishap; there's more at stake than having our hooves frostbitten. So, please, gather Twilight and Celestia, and draw the teleportation circle together. Make calculations independently and check them between each other. Let Twilight draw the circle and watch her."

"I am admittedly rather rusty on my triangulation equations."

"I would not believe that Celestia and yourself spent so much time on the throne that you no longer remember such simple geometry! Have Twilight get her maps and count. Twilight will recite the equation for you out of her memory if you are uncertain of your own."

"As you order," Daybreaker bowed.

"Now, I will bring our little helpers. Mister Rich would have had his fill of them by now."

"Wait! Nightmare, tell me where we are going?"

"Oh... we are going on a nostalgia trip, to our old castle," Nightmare almost purred, pleased with her idea of a hideout. "Go now, I will be with you shortly and I expect you three to be done by then."

"It shall be so, sister," Daybreaker reverently bowed one more time and trotted past to get the order to Twilight.

To this end, Daybreaker was content. She managed to have her sister reconsider her decision and Daybreaker wanted nothing else. Yes, loyalty to those who treated her with kindness was what gave life meaning.
Daybreaker's train of thought had to be cut short, as a door to Sparkle's chamber was swung open just as she was about to enter.

"Oh, hi!" Flurry Heart sheepishly smiled at her, still not forgetting to close the door behind her back. "Are you here for aunty Twilight too? What a coincidence! I just wanted to come and see if you are doing fine. Daddy said he was going to 'have something straightened' and then I didn't see you two for a little while."

"Your father is unharmed," Daybreaker said, furrowing. "I will speak to your aunt now."

"Wait-wait-wait," Flurry, quite annoyingly, stepped in Daybreaker's way. "What do you mean he is unharmed? Did you do something dangerous?" Daybreaker rolled her eyes.

"We sparred," she admitted, simply. "Your father challenged me to a duel. He lost."

"Wow!" Flurry breathed out. "I wish he told me, I would've loved to watch! Mom says fighting is for soldiers, but I always thought it's kinda useful for more things than just fighting a war; you see what I am saying? It's like Nightmare, everyone knows she can... well, could, hurt you by not even being in the same town with you. So everyone respected her just for that if nothing else."

"And how would you know?" Daybreaker sharply shoved her foreleg into Flurry's chest. "You were but a filly when she lived."

"Hey! Don't shove me like that! It's rude!" Flurry stepped back into place. "I know 'cause everypony does. Even changelings do. They tell stories about how out of nowhere their tanks would catch fire and how their officers woke up in the middle of the night screaming. I never hear anything like that being talked about Celestia, so I guess Nightmare has the whole spotlight to herself, you can say."

Daybreaker felt a sudden urge to fix her posture,
"If Celestia is any less powerful than Nightmare was, then only marginally. Celestia can burn her enemies in just the numbers as Nightmare can."

"Well, she never showed it," Flurry shrugged. "Or at least no one remembers it."

"That is because Celestia is a coward who only has others fight for her, little Flurry," Daybreaker glared down at the smaller alicorn. "Nightmare handles her enemies herself, that is why she is so popular with her soldiers."

"Oh, so that's why changelings can't have any more hatchlings. They think it was an accident, but I never heard them say how it really happened. Nightmare just took their Queen in and then she wound up dead."

"That's..." Daybreaker's retort stuck in her throat. To be totally fair, she didn't really know why it happened either. Chrysalis was, seemingly, accidentally killed by Shadow herself, Daybreaker witnessed it. And Shadow was Nightmare's assassin. "She deserved her fate," Daybreaker was forced to pedal back.

"I guess," Flurry frowned sadly. "Wish the buggos didn't have to die cause of her. They are kinda cool. They love Nightmare as any of her former guards in here. She's their Queen now, she's also kind of the reason why they will all die out soon."

Daybreaker found no response to that and simply kept solemn silence for a little longer.

"Well, good talking to ya, Big D," Flurry smiled at her again. "Guess you better go see Aunty now, wouldn't want her to be late on doing something important. I'll go find Dad now."

Daybreaker almost lost enough of her temper to teach Cadance's brat the importance of respect, but Nightmare wouldn't have approved. With nothing more but a tired sigh, Daybreaker returned to her task. Cadance's daughter unknowingly gave her a new perspective, but that changed nothing.

"Twilight Sparkle," Daybreaker announced herself from the doorway.

The Princess in question looked up from her paper-laden desk, pen still tightly gripped in her sorcery. Her room didn't have one, Daybreaker noted, Cadance's staff likely hauled a desk to Twilight's room specifically.

"Yes?" Twilight asked with slight worry.

"I bring word from Nightmare. We are to find your former mentor and draw a new teleportation circle, the three of us together."

"Well..." Twilight put her pen down. "I suppose it is better we start," Twilight readily stood up and levitated her bags. "Where are we going exactly?"

"The Castle of Two Sisters."

Twilight froze for a second giving Daybreaker a panicked look.

"Nightmare permits you to stay," Daybreaker added.

"I think I would like to," Twilight sighed in relief. "Let's find Celestia now."

"Find?" Daybreaker tilted her head. "Does this mean you don't know where your mentor is?" Twilight blew through her nose.

"I have about as much stake in her being here as you do," Twilight pranced straight past Daybreaker, leaving her a glare to remember.

"Oh, I am most confident of that, Twilight Sparkle. Your disdain towards Luna's despicable sister pleases me," Daybreaker followed suit, feeling amused at the younger alicorn trying verbally shove her.

"One thing we agree on," Twilight muttered.

"Pray tell, what have I done to draw your misplaced ire?"

"Start with your self-assured attitude."

"That says Twilight Sparkle," Daybreaker didn't stop herself from having a chuckle. "Always so right, so confident in her own judgment that she blindly followed a rotten hypocrite most of her life."

"I also hate having to keep looking at your face," Twilight spat out.

"Indeed, but one thing we may always agree on." Daybreaker found herself smiling behind Twilight's back. Seeing her trying to talk back was like having a kitten trying to bite into her hoof with all its might - amusing and adorable. A cub could grow into a tiger in the end still, it would've been interesting to witness. Perhaps one day, Twilight would duel her and prove herself to be a worthy sparring partner.

"You!" Twilight called out to a staff pony pushing a trolley with clean sheets down the guest room corridor. "Have you seen Princess Celestia?" The pony warily shook his head. Twilight looked back at Daybreaker's derisive grin, "Ugh! Princess Celestia looks exactly like this mare, have you seen one that looks like her recently?"

"N-no, Princess," the pony answered, with another shook of his head.

"It seems you intimidate him," Daybreaker pointed out with a stifled chuckle.

"Why is that funny?! You intimidate everyone!"

"That's the point, young one; I was unaware you have already learned from me so much," Daybreaker's mock praise made Twilight groan in exasperation.

"Let's just get on with this," she said through gritted teeth, stomping on to find the third part of their team.

---

Daybreaker, as usual, wasn't glad to see Celestia. Especially considering that the mare was apparently occupying herself with teaching Daybreaker's young sister. Having caught Celestia and Tiny practicing spellcraft, Daybreaker wanted to puke. She wasn't angry, just sick of the Sun Princess' constant hypocrisy. Celestia hated Daybreaker and her kind, that was something she learned personally and that could be respected. But seeing her acting so pleasantly to Tiny could only mean that Celestia found a use for her. Daybreaker still said nothing as they went outside together, she didn't believe Celestia to be a threat; she simply wanted to fulfill her orders and be separate herself from Celestia yet again. It eluded Daybreaker entirely why Nightmare decided to keep Celestia aboard, but she was not going to question her decisions.

Daybreaker listened to Twilight reading out the formula out of her head, as Nightmare said she would, and then calculated the coordinates. Daybreaker and Celestia checked the map and ran the numbers themselves. Daybreaker only put half of her mind to it, but her result matched Twilight's. Daybreaker noticed Tiny listening in and gave her a stern glance, warning her that it was still too early to study complex spells. Shadow took this as Tiny having too little to do.

Celestia needed to draw her own equation on the map, but her result matched Twilight's aswell. Minus the time they wasted searching for Celestia throughout the Crystal Palace, they've made good time. So all five of them, including Shadow and Tiny, had to wait together. They mostly waited in silence, apart from Tiny complaining to her caretaker. At some point, the Captain came by; Daybreaker did not notice him doing so and paid him no mind. He was as inconsequential as any other trooper serving them, even if the former Guards were more loyal than most. The Captain was followed by Princess Flurry Heart, who must be here to wish her goodbyes.

Eventually, Nightmare did show up, and she had the number of soldiers Daybreaker had already seen. They had the same collection equipment dangling from their backs, chests and shoulders but also carried crates with them. Nightmare slowly floated towards the three alicorns, examining the circle on her way.

"Are you sure in your calculations this time?" Nightmare Moon asked coldly.

"Yes, Lady," Twilight readily answered. "I have all my notes-"

"Sister, have you checked?" Nightmare cut Twilight off before she could reach for her writings.

"My own calculations match that of Twilight's," Daybreaker stated impassively. "Celestia wrote hers down, she has the same end result," Daybreaker quickly continued, preferring to say it herself rather than let Celestia speak. Nightmare's eyes quickly centered on Shadow and Tiny.

"Tiny," Nightmare Moon said intently. "Come here." Tiny wearily looked first at Nightmare herself, then at Shadow. She then cautiously approached, not quite sure what exactly the sudden interest in her entailed.
Nightmare Moon gradually lowered her ethereal body closer to the ground until she wasn't towering above the foal anymore.
"Sister, it is time to say goodbye," Nightmare gently whispered. "Where I go now, many ponies will get hurt. You will stay here with Mister Rich, your other sisters and Cadance's ponies. Twilight will teach you what I had no time to." Nightmare then fell silent, watching for signs of her little sister's response. Tiny stared at her for a second in silent shock.

"Noooo!" Tiny loudly sobbed. "You can't leave me here!" Daybreaker winced and grimaced at the foal crying.

"Now, sister, be a big filly. I am only doing this because it is very dangerous to bring you with me," Nightmare said with the same calm softness, while gently wiping Tiny's tears with her the cloud of her material smoke. "A war camp is no place for foals. I am only leaving for a time; I will be back for you, I promise."

"But I can fight!" Tiny cried out, stomping her tiny hoof in frustration.

"It is not whether you can fight, sister. It is the question of whether you should. Hurting others for no good reason is wrong. There's no good reason for you to do that."

"But you have a reason! I'll just help!"

"No, sister," Nightmare Moon calmly but firmly said her verdict. "You have no stake in what Celestia and I shall be doing now and I will not have you share danger whilst you are not required to. Stay here, I will be back shortly and I will have you show me everything you studied. And listen to Twilight and Mister Rich while I am away." Nightmare Moon slipped past Tiny and drew closer to the three waiting mares.
"Twilight, have her learn something useful," Nightmare Moon whispered quietly. "Make absolutely sure she does not have too much free time she knows not what to do with. And tell Rarity, and Sky Star, I am sorry I didn't say goodbye."

The purple alicorn hesitated, but just a moment,
"Well, I guess it's back to books then," she even smiled.

"Thank you, Twilight," Nightmare spoke warmly. "Now, we must depart."

"Uh... Actually..." Flurry Heart stepped forth. "Rolling here wanted to ask you something," she beckoned the Knight.

"Lady! Permission to-"

"Granted, Captain. Be quick with it," Nightmare Moon said with visible annoyance at this new distraction.

"Lady, I want to go with you."

"Out of the question, Captain. You served your time already, enjoy your civilian life."

"Lady-Marshal!" he suddenly raised his voice at her, even invoking her old rank. "I was a soldier in your Guard for many years and then I was your Captain! When you disappeared we were left to rot!" he angrily snarled. "We thought that we failed to protect you, but it turned out that you are just fine without us!"

Nightmare Moon quietly waited for him to finish,
"I shall remember your insubordination, Captain. Dismissed."

"No, I don't think I will, Ma'am!" Rolling refused. "Don't you understand?! You deprive us of our lives purpose! There's a couple of Old Guard here, they want nothing more than to come back to the glory days again!"

"Captain, for the sake of your honorable service, I will tell you one more time: No. Next time you will hear that from my soldiers instead."

Rolling Thunder looked like he was going to protest again, but instead, he just stooped his shoulders and with a defeated sigh went on his way.

"Wow, cold," Flurry remarked. "I don't suppose I could come either?"

"No, you most certainly can't," Nightmare Moon responded, already turning back to Daybreaker and Celestia. This situation felt horrible to observe, Daybreaker thought. She could tell that Rolling Thunder was hurt by this rejection, the one he did nothing to deserve at that.
"Open the gates, we have wasted enough time already," Nightmare impatiently ordered.

"Uhmm! Nightmare, darling! Just a moment, please!" the familiar voice has cut the air. Daybreaker moved to obey the order, but she kept her ears to the source regardless. "I am so glad I could catch you before you left, dear! It would've been horrendous otherwise!"

"Rarity, I fear there's little time left for that. My sister shall open the gate and we would have to leave quickly. I apologize that I couldn't tell you my farewells before."

"Yes, darling, most unfortunate. I hope Shadow could spare a moment to say goodbye too, her darling girls just wanted to see her one more time oh so much!" That remark made Daybreaker turn around and sure enough there they were. She remembered them from way before and now both of the drones, much older at that, stood before her regal sister again... except the larger one was giving her not reverent enough look. Daybreaker frowned and glanced at Shadow, who looked almost as crushed as Rolling Thunder was a minute ago. Daybreaker must have grown sentimental for the changeling after so many years because she couldn't help but feel sorry for her. It must have been terrible to see her own daughter dishonoring herself by glaring at her superior.

"Take us with you," a short demand was offered, delivered flatly and impassively. Other changelings started giving the pair bewildered looks, even her own sister gave the large one a weird look. "We want to follow our mother, take us with you," the changeling repeated. Nightmare Moon didn't answer, instead, she slowly turned to look at Shadow, who looked like she wished the earth would swallow her.

"Nightmare Moon, I believe we have something to do," Celestia impatiently hurried Nightmare, much to Daybreaker's displeasure.

"Dear children," Nightmare Moon sighed heavily, using the most atypical address Daybreaker has ever seen her sister do. "I cannot allow you to accompany us. Please, understand."

"We are changelings, not your regular pony farmers," the large changeling almost growled, even earning a shove from her sister but not moving an inch. "We can fight. I am my mother's oldest drone and I trained in the Royal Academy. I am better than any of these hatchlings you have! Take me with you!"

"No," Nightmare Moon answered, her composition slowly returning. Daybreaker glanced at Shadow again she was still staring at the scene with barely restrained desire.

"Nightmare!" Daybreaker heard her own voice. "This is cruel! We cannot do this to our retainer! Allow them to come, 'the mother must not be separated from her foals'." In response, Nightmare stared at her in mute shock. Daybreaker could feel it even without any body language to judge by. Without noticing it, she made a step away from her sister.

"Did you just question my authority?" Nightmare Moon asked without any anger, just pure disbelief. Daybreaker bit her lip.
"I cannot believe this, of all of them, it is you. My own kin!"

Daybreaker immediately dropped in a deep bow,
"No, of course, I am not questioning your authority; I would never." Daybreaker quickly muttered, still hoping to avoid the strife. "I have only said that you, perhaps, forgetting some circumstance," Daybreaker slowly pointed at Shadow with one of her legs.

Nightmare Moon continued glaring down at her sister for another long moment,
"Major Tarsus, have both of these drones fitted in a uniform given a rifle and assigned to one of the company's sergeants. I want to forget they are even here," Nightmare Moon said coldly, almost bitterly.

"Yes, Ma'am!" the old changeling screeched.

Daybreaker dared to look up at her sister, but she was no longer there. Looking for her with her eyes, Daybreaker instead found Princess Flurry. The filly smiled at her and with a sly wink disappeared behind the moving ranks of soldiers.

Comments

[Carbon]

In fact, I don't remember who took power at Canterlot. So war against?