Prologue: Changes

1 year before present

Deep under Manehattan lied the Crimson Hive. Like the city above it, the Crimson Hive was one of the largest changeling hives known. Spirit Vengeance: a Pegasus with orange coat; black mane and tail, styled similarly to Apple Jack's; blue eyes; and cutie mark of a yin-yang symbol, walked along the black and crimson caves, two changeling guards: both with red eyes, red wings, dark red saddle carapaces, black carapaces, and red mane and tails styled like any other changeling drone/nymph, on either side of her, ready to attack should she attempt an escape. It wasn't long before Spirit was brought into the throne room where the queen: who had a red carapace; black saddle carapace; black wings; dark purple, oval-like, slitted, eyes; and a black and purple mane and tail, both swirling near the tip, sat.
"Ah... Spirit Vengeance, nice of you to join us." the queen, Queen Black Wing, said evilly, her voice had a faint echo to it, like all changelings.
"You realize that the guards are unneeded, if you had just called me I would have come. What exactly do you want though?" Spirit asked.

Black Wing's eyes narrowed "You know things, things that should never be known. You know secrets held from the public eye, secrets that I want."
"So you want me to divulge these secrets to you so you can use them against the princesses and gain control over Equestria, driving out any and all enemy hives, and likely killing thousands?"
"Yes."
"If it was just because you wanted to know them, then I would say yes, but I will not risk the lives of thousands for you. I'd rather be turned into a changeling in your hive than do that."

Black Wing was very angry. "What's it to you if a few ponies and changelings die?" she asked, her voice dripping acid.
"Meanless violence and chaos will not get us anywhere, I should know. No matter how little emotion I show, I'm still a pony, just like you, and ponies don't go around killing each-other for power, well most don't."
"And which do?"
"Secrets are secrets because they aren't to be told."
Black Wing hissed "Guards, turn her."

The changeling guards instantly grabbed Spirit and began weaving a metamorphosis cocoon around her, she blacked out from the sedatives the gel had instantly.

Spirit was in the storage section of the hive, where ponies were stored in stasis cocoons to be used as sources of food for the hive when they can't get enough from the outside world. The walls were tall and far apart, each one was a mixture of black and red with the red seeming to move like lava. Spirit knew what the red parts were: changeling gel with a color change spell (something mostly known in the changeling magic arts) applied, usually the gel was green unless that spell was added.

"I thought it'd take longer to anger her than that." Spirit said, her voice had gained the faint echo that all changelings had. It wasn't long before Spirit found herself standing next to a Metamorphosis cocoon.

"Step into the pod, become one with your hive my little nymph." a voice echoed through the halls. Spirit couldn't resist the command and stepped onto the platform.

"Goodbye Spirit." Spirit said to herself as she slid into the pod. As the warm green gel within the cocoon covered her's body, she began to forget her life and by the time she was fully submerged, the only thing she remembered was that she was once a pony.

The room was dark, a soft green glow, which was the normal color for changeling related magic, emanated from the gel in the walls. It was all that illuminated the room. To any of the primary pony races, the room would seem ominous, but not even a changeling queen was immune to the instinctive calming effect that the set up had. In the room, a few feet away, was the metamorphosis cocoon that held the former Spirit Vengeance, now she looked just like any changeling nymph. The nymph began to stir suddenly, moving slowly as she awoke.
"Break free my little nymph, it's time to see the world." Black Wings said through the Hivemind.

The nymph's horn lit up in its stable green changeling magic as she drew energy from Black Wing's love supply to allow her to get through the cocoon. A section of the cocoon seemed to just melt away, though the gel inside stayed, and the nymph pushed herself out. After stumbling for a bit, the nymph stood up and bowed.
"What is your wish my queen?" she asked through the Hivemind.
"Go rest for the time being, I will tell you when you're needed."
"Yes my queen." with that, the nymph left, quickly finding a descent place to sleep and weaving a sleeping cocoon before going in and falling asleep.

five months before present

"Bye girls, I'll see you tomorrow." Scootaloo said happily as she watched the other members of the CMC head off in the directions of their respective homes. Scootaloo waited until they were out of site before looking around, finding nopony in sight, Scootaloo entered the Everfree forest. Most ponies knew that she was an orphan, but she would refuse anypony's request to adopt her. As she walked along an old and worn-down path, she thought back to that day, the day she lost her parents.

Flashback: four years ago

Scootaloo walked into her family's home in Manehattan after visiting a friend.
"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" she called out, no answer.
All ready knowing something had to be wrong, Scootaloo started walking around and soon entered her parent's room, she quickly hid behind a plant at what she saw. A Changeling, which she had recently learned about, was holding a bloodied knife while standing over Scootaloo's parents. The changeling spit its knife out before speaking.
"You shouldn't have snooped around the Crimson Hive." the changeling said.

Scootaloo suppressed a scream as the changeling picked the knife back up and brought it down, cutting Scootaloo's parent's heads off. The changeling left with a promise to find and kill the couple's child, Scootaloo, as well. Scootaloo called the guard and was sent to an orphanage.
end flashback

Scootaloo growled as she thought about what that changeling had done to her parents. "Because of that bug, I was sent to possibly the worst orphanage in Equestria." she hissed as she approached a cave and entered, thinking about all the tortures she had gone through in that orphanage.

The cave was lit by a sphere of pure magic floating in the center, a Timberwolf heart. On one side was a small training area,on another was her food storage, watering hole, sleeping quarters, and a set of Lunar guard armor fit for her size and race. In the center was a pedestal with an elegant sword on it. The blue hilt was in the shape of outspread alicorn wings with a silver crescent moon in-between them, the handle was the same blue and wrapped in a black cloth-like material, the silver blade was long with Scootaloo written on it, and it changed size as she grew to always be just the right size.
"Because of that orphanage, I was emotionally scared and can't fly because of it." Scootaloo then glanced at the Lunar Sword that was on the pedestal. The sword floated over to her, no magical aura marking unicorn magic being used, and she looked at the name.
"Of course, had it not been for that orphanage, then I wouldn't be a child of the night and I wouldn't have a sword tuned to my soul." she added before thinking about the writing that was on the sword's stand. Take thy blade and strike down thy foes, my child of the night Scootaloo set her sword back down on its stand and walked over to her bed, going to sleep calmly. Little did she know, someling was watching her.

one day before present

'Scootaloo' and her friends were heading for the large crystal castle that now served as the home of the Elements of Harmony.
"Hey Scootaloo, you've been quite for some time." Sweetie Belle said.
"Sorry, I've just been thinking." Scootaloo said.
"About?"
"That doesn't matter."

They got to the castle then and knocked on the huge doors. Twilight answered quickly.
"Hey girls, what are you all here for?" Twilight asked.
Apple Bloom cocked her head to the side in confusion. "It's time for our weekly lessons, remember. You haven't been around during this time for several months now." she said.
"Oh right. Sorry girls, I've just been very busy lately. I need to finish a lot of peace treaties, I've got to visit Canterlot several times a month to either aid or substitute during Celestia's court, and I have my own court to hold. I also have several events I'm needing to attend like the Wonderbolts shows, several formal events, competitions, and so on. Not to mention I've got my studies in Changeling magic. I'm free right now though."

Before 'Scootaloo' could take one step forward however. The real Scootaloo attacked her, pining the changeling to the ground and levitating her sword against the changeling's neck.
"I will destroy you for fillynapping me, taking over my life, and for being a member of the Crimson Hive." Scootaloo hissed, her sword glowing in the silver aura of Lunar Magic, which looked like millions of tiny stars.

Twilight grasped both fillies and brought them over to her in her magic. "Neither of you are attacking until I sort this out." she said as her horn lit up in changeling magic and she began charging a reveal spell.
Rainbow Dash briefly shot past the group and began speeding up in a loop.

Right as Twilight released her spell, the changeling released her magic for a shield, Scootaloo cut her with the lunar magic charged sword still floating next to her, and Rainbow Dash performed a Sonic Rainboom right over them. The changeling passed out from the sheer force of the four magics effecting her at the same time.

present

The Changeling slowly opened her eyes. She didn't feel right, she could feel that she wasn't connected to the Hivemind and it scared her.
"W-where am I-I?" she asked fearfully.
"Currently the castle interrogation room, which my castle apparently comes with." Twilight said calmly.
"W-what are you g-going t-to d-do to m-me?"
"Get answers. Why are you here?"
"N-not a-allowed to t-tell." the changeling partly hid behind her mane, not even noticing that it had changed.
"What happened to you, you seemed confident even when I was charging that reveal spell?" Twilight asked, the more harmonic side of her showing.
"I-I w-was s-severed f-from the H-Hivemind."
"You can calm down, I'm not intending to harm you, I'm just worried for my kingdom. Besides, you need to look yourself over."

The last part left the nymph confused, but she did so anyway. After Twilight levitated a mirror over, the nymph was shocked about her new appearance. She still had the same glowing red eyes, the same holes in her hoofs, the same horn, and the same black carapace with dark red saddle carapace, but that was where the differences began. Her body looked much more like a mares; her mane and tail were now styled exactly like Rainbow Dashes (though slightly different to accommodate her horn) and were multiple hues of red; her wings were now those of a bat-pony, the parts that had bones were red, the membranes between the 'fingers' of the wings were dark red, the membranes had holes in them and still held the shine they had before; her fangs were now retractable, something she easily took notice of; and she had a cutie mark, which was of a pair of red bat wings with holes in them. She absently noted that the design was a lot like her ex-hive symbol.
"W-what happened?" she asked

"I've theorized that the combination of magics that knocked you and Scootaloo out may be responsible. Your changeling magic from your shield spell is no doubt why this has become your true form; Dash's Sonic Rainboom is likely why your mane, tail, and general physical stature match hers, that was Harmony Magic so you know; the Lunar magic that charged that sword Scootaloo had is definitely why your wings are like those of Bat-ponies, as they use a Pegasus version of Lunar Magic to fly, see in the dark, stay silent, hide in the shadows, and use there sonic squeak that they use to communicate; and my Alicorn Magic, which I instinctively use to increase the power of my spells, is likely the reason you kept your horn, it might also have been involved in the reason you lived after have four of the most powerful kinds of magic hit you at exactly the same time."
"O-okay." the nymph was afraid of angering Twilight at the moment

Twilight smiled warmly and placed a hoof on the nymph's shoulder, causing her to squeak and jump like Fluttershy would. "You have a name?" Twilight asked.
"N-no. N-not a-anym-more, I-I had o-one w-when I was a p-pony t-though."
"So you were turned,if my research is correct, then that means you only remember being a pony once, nothing else from that life." the nymph just nodded at the comment.
Twilight put a hoof to her chin and started thinking "Hmm... how about... Midnight Locus, for a name?"'
"I-I l-like i-it." Midnight really did like it.
"Good, now come with me, I've got a certain orange filly to interrogate and Rainbow Dash is insisting on meeting you since she was involved in the reason you're like this."
Midnight gulped, she was definitely not looking forward to meeting Scootaloo's idol, or Scootaloo, for that mater.

introductions

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Rainbow Dash sat outside the door of the interrogation room Twilight had brought Midnight in, she had been listening in on the conversation and was thinking back to only a few hours ago.
She had performed her Sonic Rainboom like always and the returned to find Scootaloo being held back by Twilight and a changeling unconsciousness on the ground. She had watched the changeling's body slowly morph in, what Twilight said, was a way completely different from Changelings using their changeling magic. She had seen how Midnight looked after the changes were done and even listened to Twilight's lecture about how it was possible with interest. Twilight had then brought both the Changeling and Scootaloo to separate interrogation rooms, which Rainbow was surprised to find even existed in the castle, and then she had sat down and waited while Twilight interrogated the Changeling.
The doors opened and Rainbow smiled warmly at the Changeling, it was a bit of a habit, towards shy ponies, that she had picked up from being best friends with Fluttershy for so long. "Hey. How are you?" Rainbow asked Midnight, who hid behind her mane in a similar way Fluttershy did. Rainbow couldn't help but to imagine Midnight as her and how she'd look hiding like that.
"H-hi." Midnight whispered so low that, had Rainbow not been use to it from Fluttershy, she wouldn't have heard.
"You know, you were pretty good at acting like Scoots, Twi says you were likely doing it for nearly five months."
"Y-yea... q-queen's o-orders."
"You don't have to be shy around me, I'm under royal orders from twi to not bring you any harm, Scoots is too." Rainbow, Twilight, and Midnight started walking after that. The walk was more of a tour, since Scootaloo's interrogation room was on the other side of the castle, so Twilight decided to make it just that.
"Y-you don't h-have t-to do t-this, I d-don't think I-I deserve i-it." Midnight said, she clearly felt bad for taking a filly away from their life like that.
"You're right, you probably don't, but you need to be familiar with the palace and all it's rooms and secrets. You're going to be staying here, more specifically here in Dashie and Scootaloo's quarters, from now on." Twilight said.
"Wait what!?" Rainbow Dash asked in shock.
"Midnight can't return to her hive, and I don't think my subjects will accept her just yet. Besides, I wouldn't exactly be the Princess of Friendship if I didn't at least give her a chance. What makes it worse is that she was part of an Insect Hive, which has no form of individuality for its members except the queen, so she isn't use to thinking for herself."
"Okay, but I don't think Scoots will like it."
"I doubt so, but she'll have to deal with it, I'm the princess and it's my wish."
"You're starting to sound more like a real princess, and I don't like it."
"I-I think s-she's just n-nedding t-to pract-tince." Midnight, who hadn't spoken during the conversation, said.
"Midnight's right, I've got court in thirty minutes and I need to give the image of a princess if I'm to at least lower the amount of complaints from those stuck up nobles, especially since several of them are moving here soon." Twilight said.

The door to the room opened up, causing Scootaloo to look up from her place on the floor. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and the Changeling walked in.
"Yes?" Scootaloo asked as Twilight walked up.
"You've got some explaining to do." Twilight said, motioning to the sword by Scootaloo's side.
"I'm a Child of the Night, ponies that were tortured or abused in orphanages. The sword is a copy and enchanted version of the sword Luna used against the Nightmares that once tormented pony's dreams. It grows as I grow and is literally tuned to my soul and my soul alone. I usually keep it in the cave I live in, which is within the Everfree Forest, so it's quite a useful thing to have on hoof when Manticores, Timberwolves, and other creature come by." Scootaloo said, then looked hatefully at the Changeling.
Midnight shied away from Scootaloo's haze and hid behind her mane again, then she remembered something she was wanting to ask. "H-how?" she asked.
"How what, bug?" Scootaloo asked.
"H-how did y-you know m-my hive's n-name?"
"How did I know your hive's name? They killed my parents that how!" Scootaloo's sword began glowing again. Midnight flinched away from the hateful tone.
"Scootaloo, that is enough. Midnight, and the changeling that killed your parents, didn't have a choice in what they did. The Crimson Hive is an insect hive, they don't have control over themselves. Either way, Midnight said she's only been a Changeling for a year, so it wasn't her. You can't blame it on her." Twilight's voice was firm.
"Either way, she's a bug and she deserves to be squashed."
"I will not have you saying such things towards my guest Scootaloo, while I'd rather not, I'm willing to banish you if that continues." It was a bluff and Twilight knew it, but she didn't want such a comment directed toward the already fearful and sad Changeling. Scootaloo had gone silent after hearing those words.
Rainbow Dash was also silent, she knew Twilight was lying, but that didn't change her shock at hearing Twilight's anger when she had been only annoyed not two seconds before.
"So, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, you two take Midnight to meet the girls and show her around, I've gotta head to court." Twilight said calmly before turning and leaving.
"Let's go Scoots." Rainbow said as she motioned for Midnight and Scootaloo to follow her.

The loyalty section of the castle seemed to be made of clouds on the inside; The walls, ceiling, and floor were all clouds with a rainbow pattern to them; rainbow colored lightning shot across the ceiling, bathing the halls in the colors of it; all-in-all, the Loyalty section was extremely colorful.
"W-why's it s-so colorful?" Midnight asked.
"Beats me, I mean I like rainbows, but this place was like this when we got this castle from the Tree of Harmony. Now that I think about it, it's likely like this specifically because this is my wing of the castle, I wouldn't be too surprised." Rainbow said, even though she tried to ignore it, she couldn't help but talk to Midnight as if she was talking to Fluttershy, the two were just so similar and that brought out the kind and defensive side Dash almost exclusively showed to Fluttershy.
"What's with you Rainbow Dash, I expected you to be mad after she stole my life?!" Scootaloo asked angrily.
"There's more to life than revenge or anger Scoots. I wouldn't be the Element of Loyalty if I went against Twilight's wishes, just try to give Midnight a chance."
"Easy for you to say, her hive didn't kill your parents."
"They might not have, but yours likely died quickly, my parents were murdered in front of me and that was only after they had been tortured with me being forced to watch." Rainbow's voice came out terrifying and dark. Scootaloo was silenced for the second time that day.
"T-that's horrible, w-who would do th-that?" Midnight asked.
"No idea, but I will have revenge when I get the chance."
It wasn't long before they stopped in front of a door.
"This'll be your room, I'm just across the hall and Scoot's is next door. Now that you know where to go, let's meet the rest of the Elements." Rainbow smiled kindly as she motioned for Midnight and Scootaloo to follow her.

They first visited the Kindness section, which had an outdoors theme and a lot of animals.
"Fluttershy, you here?" Rainbow asked.
After a moment, Fluttershy flew down and landed. "Oh, um... hi Rainbow Dash." Fluttershy said.
"I wanted you to meet our new guest, she'll be staying with us for a while." Fluttershy looked up at that comment and quickly noticed Midnight, who was hiding behind her mane and mumbling hi.
"H-hi." Midnight said, rubbing one for-leg with the other like Fluttershy did.
"H-hi." Fluttershy repeated, also in the same position.
"Fluttershy, this is Midnight Locus, shes a changeling who's true form was altered from some event I'll talk about later." Rainbow Dash said.
"N-nice to meet you." Fluttershy said quietly.
"S-same."
"Okay, let's go meet Rarity now." Rainbow Dash said, trying to ignore the sheer amount of similarities between Fluttershy and Midnight.
The other element bearers had varying reactions. Rarity wanted to use Midnight for her modeling, since Midnight changeling magic meant she could turn into anypony; Apple Jack wanted her to help on the farm for the same reason, and Pinkie, natural, wanted to throw a huge party, Rainbow had to tell her that nopony in the kingdom except the element bearers and the CMC were allowed to know of Midnight's true form and so the party would have to be either for her in disguise or not happen at all.
Midnight shivered as her, Scootaloo, and Rainbow left the Laughter wing of the castle.
"I-I don't t-think I w-want a p-party." Midnight said.
"It'll be all right." Rainbow assured.

plans

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Midnight walked into the throne room slowly. She had left Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to ask Twilight something.
"Yes Midnight?" Twilight asked, turning her attention away from the pony that was in front of her throne.
"I-I need to talk to y-you about something" Midnight glanced at the confused pony for a moment before continuing "Alone, preferably." she finished.
"You're getting better at managing your fears, let me just finish up with this pony and I'll be right there." Twilight turned back to the pony in question.
Midnight had to resist the urge to feed off the pony's growing excitement and just started thinking. She still couldn't remember her life at all, which wasn't surprising considering how powerful the spell to turn a pony into a changeling was. She knew that she would in-fact never be able to remember her old life, though it wouldn't stop her from trying to find out just who she use to be and other lost facts about her former life. Midnight made a silent vow to figure out why she was changed and then, if she feels it necessary and is strong enough, get revenge. She wondered if she had had friends in her old life, or a love.
"You are dismissed." Twilight said, bringing Midnight out of her thoughts.
"Thank you princess." the pony said with a bow before leaving.
"So what'ed you need to talk about?" Twilight asked.
"I-I was just a-asking if you could give me p-permission to use Rainbow Dash, you, and Scootaloo as s-sources of food. I still need emotions to live." Midnight said.
"Sure, but before that, here." Twilight's horn lit up and a glass of bright pink liquid appeared next to her, she easily levitated it over to Midnight. "It's liquefied love, I can't get more of it though as it takes a lot of time and magic."
Midnight drank the glass of pure love happily. "Thanks." she said quietly.

"what!" Scootaloo asked later on, after hearing that Midnight was allowed to feed off her.
"Midnight needs emotion to live, like any changeling. Since we were responsible for her new form, we are entitled to aid her in her new life, that includes providing her with our emotions when she needs them." Twilight said.
"How does it feel?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking over to Midnight.
"Y-you wont f-feel it." she said.
"All right, then I see no problem with it." Rainbow said.
"I do, you're asking us to let a changeling use us for food. Why is it that you seem so unwilling to just get rid of her?" Scootaloo asked, Twilight, who had been listening to comments like this for over an hour, finely snapped.
"Midnight has lost her entire life, she has trouble just talking to ponies she doesn't know, and we partly worsened her life by letting our combined magics clash like we did. All of us have to be there for her at least until she is ready to face the world again!" Twilight was almost using the Royal Canterlot Voice.
Scootaloo cringed and retreated into the shadows, trying to hide. "S-sorry p-princ-cess." she said.
"You'd be wise to not let that happen again Scootaloo. Now, I was thinking and we need to do something to help Midnight."
"L-like w-what?" Scootaloo asked fearfully.
"Seeing as she doesn't remember anything from her old life, and never will, I was thinking of trying to help her get an idea of who she was by going to Manehattan."
"T-that would be n-nice, I might be able to f-find something out there." Midnight said.
"Then I'll have my Rainbow Guard keep the place safe while me, you, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo all head to Manehattan for a few days, then we'll return for a while and possibly head out again. Come on, let's go to the barracks."

The barracks, much like the rest of the castle, was made entirely out of crystal, it was shaped like a hexagon, with several armor stands holding armors for seven of the eight pony races, excluding alicorns. The armor was silver with a purple eight-pointed star medal in the area that the Night Guard had their draconic eye symbol. There was two entire walls of weapons. The weapons included wing blades for changelings, Pegasi, Alicorns, and Bat-ponies; there were several spears with designs that matched how the eight pony races usually crafted them; hoof-claws of multiple sizes and lengths;different swords; and even a few spell books for the unicorn, changeling, alicorn, and dracorn (the 'sub' race of unicorns) in one section to allow for practice with magic combat spells for each one. Midnight gasped with shock at the sheer variety of armor, weapons, and spell books.
"I'll take Scootaloo to her cave to get some armor she apparently has, I'll be back." Rainbow Dash said before picking up Scootaloo and leaving the castle as fast as a bolt of lightning.
"Here's some Pegasus armor, I'll have the blacksmiths get to work on a personalized set for you." Twilight said as she levitated a set of armor over to Midnight.
Midnight thought for a moment before going up in green flames. When the flames died down, she looked like a Pegasus with a black coat; the same mane and tail as before, except with changes that made it match Rainbow Dash's; the same cutie mark as before; and normal looking eyes that were the same color as Rainbow Dash's. After finishing her disguise, Midnight got to work on the armor. She started by opening the wing panels on the side of the body armor and slipping the armor on, then she put her wings through the large holes that the opened wing panels provided and closed the panels to where only a small amount of fur was still visible around the wing base, after that she easily slipped on the hoof-shoes and put on the helmet, she finished by tying her tail at the base with a silver band that was about four inches long and straitening her mane. Soon she had finished getting on the helmet: a simple band that went around her temples and over a portion of the top of her head from the front. Midnight watched in a mirror as the enchanted armor started changing out her color pattern: making her coat gold, her mane and tail rainbow colored, and her eyes light-blue.
"All right, here's a set of wing blades to have on." Twilight said as she levitated the weapons over.
The wing blades were silver and looked like the outspread outer bones of a Pegasus' wing with about eight stumps (per wing blade) pointing off at slight angles and a series of wing clasps on the area around where the wing base and at the joints. Midnight closed the base clasp around the base of her wings, about three centimeters from the actual base, then she closed the clasps at the wing joints that were used to fold one's wings. The second she closed the final clasp, the one near the tip of her wings, the multiple stumps shot out to reveal that they were a series of thin blades that extended to about four inches away from the wing, yet were on pivots to where they folded in a way where they wouldn't interfere with her wings when her wings were folded.
"You look like you're related to Rainbow Dash now." Twilight said as she started putting on a set of golden armor with a purple crystal, which looked like her Element of Magic, embedded in the chest; golden hoof-shoes with smaller forms of the crystal in the chest on them; a headband that had another small form of the crystal embedded in the center; and she restyled her mane and tail (using a golden version of Midnight's silver tail braid) after that. Twilight grabbed a golden sword with a purple blade, the same crystal as the hilt, and several small blue gems embedded in the blade off the wall and slid it into a sheath.
"As a princess, I have to be in either regal cloths, which I hate, or armor when I visit any place." Twilight explained as Rainbow Dash flew in with Scootaloo, now in a small Pegasus set of Night Guard armor, on her back.
"I had to take a moment while Scootaloo killed a manticore and disposed of the body. Anyway, I like your look Midnight, reminds me of myself in armor." Rainbow said as she flew over to a set of six armor stands, each with special armor used for the element bearers, and started putting on her own armor. Rainbow Dash's armor looked almost exactly the same as Twilight except with a different helmet, which looked like the helmet of most guard factions, and a red lightning bolt shaped crystal replacing the crystal Twilight's had. Rainbow went with her own set of wing blades, these were gold, and put them on. After that she restyled her mane and tail in a way that matched perfectly to Midnight's.
"We look like twins." Rainbow Dash observed, then glanced at how Midnight had styled her mane and tail. "I think some of my habits also entered you when all this happened." she added.
"I-I guess." Midnight said.
"Come on, I've told the Rainbow Guard and I've got a chariot ready. Let's go to Manehattan." Twilight said after sending letters to explain what was happening to the other bearers.

The First Trip part 1: Letter From One's Self

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"I've been studying Changelings for a while now. I started after seeing them during the Canterlot invasion. My interest, for some reason, grew when I became a princess." Twilight said.
Her and Midnight Locus were riding in a large golden chariot with two Pegasi guards pulling, Midnight didn't want to aid them because she was still shy around most ponies. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo were flying there, or rather, Scootaloo was riding a snow board with Rainbow Dash pulling it via reigns.
"Some changelings, separated from their hive at a young age, grow up not knowing that they were Changelings, but they always have a wish to learn everything about them." Midnight said, she mentally congratulated herself at managing not to stutter from fear, though it was only towards Twilight.
"Are you saying I'm a Changeling?"
"No, I was just saying it was possible."
"I've all-ready tried a reveal spell on myself, I did it after the invasion for the very reason you just mentioned."
"Oh."
"So, I've been wondering, what are the holes in your hoofs for, or the fangs?"
Midnight blushed at the mention of either. "W-well, the h-holes are usually there to l-lessen a-air f-flow when flying, the f-fangs are to i-inject s-sedatives into a pony or to d-directly f-feed."
"Why'd you stutter?"
"T-that's not all e-either is u-used for, they're a-also for more... i-intim-mate th-things."
Twilight blushed brightly at that. With the two blushing, one could see that, like all pony races, they had two different colors for their blood. Midnight's blush, thus her blood, was the color of an inverted rainbow. Twilight's was the color of a rainbow.
"Y-you know, the f-fact that A-alicorn b-blood and C-changeling blood are inverts of each-other is the r-reason they're considered sub-races, the same goes for other races." Twilight gave the fact mostly to get on a different subject.
"Y-yea, but for Changelings it's color usually changes with the disguise. I didn't bother using the more complex disguise spell to get the added effect."
Before Twilight could answer, the Pegasi began their decent and landed on the ground. As expected, Rainbow Dash was all ready there with Scootaloo, who was riding a scooter around.
"Where'd she get a scooter, she left with a saddle bag and a snow board?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow seemed to get a little giddy at that. "You... are... amazing Twilight! Scootaloo used what you taught her about mechanics to rig her scooter for almost any terrain, we're about to head to the store to pick up a few parts so she can add 'air' to her list!" Rainbow said energetically before flying over to Scootaloo and then taking her to a nearby wood and metal works store.
"She better not spend all the bits I gave her." Twilight said as they headed for the Manehattan hotel to check-in.

The hotel was about twenty stories tall, seventy feet wide and seventy feet long. The unicorn stallion behind the desk looked up as the door opened, and he nearly flew out of his coat when he saw that it was Princess Twilight Sparkle and a guard. The Stallion quickly bowed before the princess.
"It's a pleasure to see you Princess Twilight Sparkle." the stallion was clearly nervous from the Princess' sudden arrival.
"Same... I need three rooms, one for me, one for my friend Rainbow Dash and her biggest fan, and one for this pony." Twilight motioned to Midnight.
"How would you like your rooms?"
"I'll, naturally, take the best one you've got. Rainbow will want one with plenty of flying space."
"I-i'll t-take o-one t-that's m-mostly e-empty." Midnight said
"Hmm, she's not the best guard." the stallion casually observed.
"That's because she's a changeling under my care who's trying to get use to being severed from her hive. I had her disguise herself because I don't need attention drawn to myself more than it all ready is. She's a turned changeling so I'm trying to help her find out who she once was as well." Twilight said.
"Okay. Here're your keys." he hoofed them three sets of keys, then looked over to Midnight "I've had changelings stay before, please clean up your room before you leave, getting that stuff off the walls and ceiling is extremely hard." Midnight just nodded.

rainbow Dash watched in amazement as Scootaloo rigged her scooter with fold out wings to help reduce drag when being flown by Rainbow.
"Wow kid, you've got quite a talent." Rainbow said as Scootaloo tested the mechanism that folded out the wings, the second she had triggered the mechanism, two sharp-ended bat-wings snapped out of the sides. The wings matched in color to Scootaloo's scooter and soon folded back in.
"Good, the automatic re-tractors work, now I just need to wire the automated extenders to the altitude sensors at the bottom." Scootaloo wasn't listening, she was just too absorbed in working on her scooter. Despite what most would believe, Equestria was actually one of the most advanced places to be, it just held to several ancient traditions.
Wow, I wonder what's kept her from getting a cutie mark in mechanics. Rainbow thought as she remember when Scootaloo had showed her the triggers to change her scooter to a snow board. Scotaloo had told Rainbow that she intended to eventually have a scooter that could change instantly to match any terrain.
"There!" Scootaloo said happily as she finished her wiring. "Let's test this." she added as she tossed Rainbow the reigns that the rainbow manes pegasus had used to pull Scootaloo through the air. Rainbow caught them and nodded.

Even though she had seen it at least four times by now, Twilight still found the Sonic Rainboom to be the most amazing sight in Equestria.
Midnight was also, naturally, speech-less when Rainbow performed her legendary move.
Soon, a rainbow blur shot through Twilight's window and, as the dust cleared, Dash stood there with Scootaloo skidding to a halt on her scooter. Scootaloo's scooter's recently attached wings were visible for only a moment before retracting.
Scootaloo glanced at where the wings had retracted. "I need to properly tune the timing mechanisms. Hey Twilight, how quick do I need the sensors to transmit information when the thing's going faster than sound?" Scootaloo looked up to Twilight, who soon gave her answer. Scootaloo instantly got to work.
"How can she do that kind of math, I mean, she's just a filly?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"She's a filly that's been in my library, then our castle, every week since I became a princess. Besides, if you ever join the wonderbolts, you'll need to do similar." Twilight said.
"Nah, the Wonderbolts are cool, they'd never need to know that stuff."
"A-actually, they do." Midnight said.
"Why would they?"
"Y-you need to be a-able to know the right a-angle and how to get the right s-speeds to perform a lot of their moves. You a-also need great t-timing to perform the moves at the s-same time as th-the o-other m-members. So there's actually a lot of math needed in their routines."
"How would you know, it's not like you were one of them?" Rainbow said.
"A-actually, I-I was hired b-by them, or r-rather my hive was h-hired, to t-take F-fleetfoot's place after she got sick with the f-feather flu shortly b-before the W-wonderbolt's show h-here two months before I-I was sent to take S-Scootaloo's place." Midnight shrunk under Rainbow Dash's glare, which quickly calmed Rainbow down as, like the several other times before, the way Midnight did it looked a lot like how Fluttershy would have.
"What about the other wonderbolts shows, certainly they've gotten sick before?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Rainbow, there is literally a changeling hive hidden under most major cities, even under the Crystal Empire, though those changelings are free to walk around." Twilight said.

Midnight Locus looked around at her, formerly empty, room while she took off her armor. It was nearly midnight and she had been working to design the room to feel right to her. The walls were now black and green, with the green glowing faintly, calming her; on the ceiling was a sleeping cocoon, the only indication of the cocoon's type was the semi-transparent window near the top. There were several pillars woven out of the changeling goo, several tables and shelves made of it, and even an armor and weapons stand. In short, Midnight had turned the empty room into a perfect replica of the room of a changeling, just with an armor and weapons stand.Having finished removing her armor, Midnight dropped her disguise and was about to go up the wall to her cocoon, when something was slid under her door. Midnight walked over and lifted the letter with her magic before reading it.

Dear me
I'm the former you, I've written this letter in anticipation for your, I mean my, return to Manehattan after likely being revealed by one of the princesses after getting turned into a changeling.
Anyway, I've discovered countless lies and secrets concerning Princess Celestia, some of which either involve or are known by Princess Luna. I know this will have been sudden and I will have only recently been freed of the Hivemind, seeing as the stallion behind the counter was instructed to only give me this letter if I was with Princess Twilight. Now, I should start with explanations. I've left a careful magic signature on me thanks to a unicorn acquaintance of mine, she's the sister of the stallion that gave you this letter, and I showed it to him so he could detect it. I'm currently a Pegasus and have no doubt that that will have been my choice of disguise. I will not just simply tell myself what the secrets are, but I've left clues, one is at the bottom of this letter, that will eventually lead me down the path that lead me to learning these secrets the first time, should you decide to re-learn them that is. I've planned all this out with care, I intend to let myself get captured by the Crimson Hive within the week and anger Queen Black Wing enough for her to turn me, this'll effectively erase me from the world, which I need to do to ensure these secrets are learned and Celesta doesn't catch me first. Now... I only have a few ponies I don't want you telling about this letter, this list is as follows.
-Princess Celestia
-Princess Luna
-The Stallion behind the counter, mostly because he already knows
-a pony that goes by the name, 'The Shadow Hoofed Colt', he's one of the few known celestial spies
-Queen Black Wing, or any of her drones/nymphs
-any random pony on the street, unless I've said otherwise in a different clue
Well those are the main ponies you should never tell, feel free, though, to tell Princess Twilight or anypony that's with you, I mean us, dang it's hard to remember that I'm writing this to myself, wait does that sound crazy? Never-mind, your first clue is bellow
*Where the sun and moon once lived, where the Nightmare was vanquished, there within a room hidden by 'Time' you will find she who sleep eternally.
Probably not the best riddle, anyway, this is the first place we need to go

That probably wont make sense until later.
signed, your past self
Spirit Vengeance

p.s. do not tell anypony, not even Princess Twilight, what your name was. There is literally a 14,000 bit reward for my head, I mean really just my head, weather it's the same as it was or not.

Midnight stared at the letter for a long time before slowly nodding and using some of the changeling goo (sometimes called gel); which was actually a spell that condensed pure magical energy, gained from emotions, into a solid form; and used it to block out the name.
"I need to let Twilight know." Midnight glanced out the window, which was now a semi transparent peace of changeling gel, and shook her head. "I'll tell her tomorrow." She then climbed up the wall and entered her cocoon, falling asleep with ease, the letter tucked in-between her front hoofs.

The First Trip part 2: Careful Planning

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"Hmm... This is truly interesting Midnight, but are you willing to follow in your hoof-steps?" Twilight asked after reading the letter.
"I think so. I'm getting better with being... alone... and I really want to know what these secrets are." Midnight said, she had her back facing Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash to help her with conversing with Twilight.
"Then we should figure this out, well... we should after we get to the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, as that's obviously the place it's talking about when it says 'Where the sun and moon once lived' 'where the Nightmare was vanquished' would be around the throne room. I'm not sure what everything else means."
"Um... can we start after looking around the city, I've only ever see the hive bellow it, well... that and parts of it from assignments?"
"Sure."

To Twilight, the city looked great, but lacked an air of friendship; to Rainbow, it was not a safe place to fly, leaving her grounded for the most part; to Scootaloo, it served as a huge reminder of her parents and the hive that killed them; Midnight was just absolutely fascinated with everything, from the large buildings, to the ponies walking around, to a lot of the neon signs advertising night clubs and other places. It was definitely a sight to see with a clear mind.
"So." Scootaloo said from Midnight's right, she jumped a bit before replying.
"Y-yea?" she asked.
"Twilight says I need to talk to you and get to know you for who you are and not what your hive did."
"O-oh, well g-go ahead a-and ask m-me anyth-thing."
"I guess I should start with... how does it feel now that you've got your own mind and can think clearly?"
"I-it's a little s-scary, I'm a-alone in my m-mind and n-noling would d-dare to try and c-comfort m-me, they'd o-only try to k-kill m-me, even my fellow h-hive m-members."
Scootaloo actually had to try to keep from showing any sadness, she hadn't thought that Midnight was likely going through something very similar to losing her family. Scootaloo suddenly took notice of Midnight's horn, which had been glowing and now suddenly died down. "Why was you horn glowing just now?" she asked.
"I-I was feeding off y-your curiosity, b-but then y-your emotional spectrum t-turned s-sad."
"Oh. Emotional spectrum?" Scootaloo partly wished she could yell at Midnight for feeding off the filly without her permission, but she had seen how Rainbow acted around Midnight and didn't want to upset her.
"I-it's the s-spectrum of emotions that all ponies, i-including Changelings, have. It's a-also h-how we know w-what p-ponies around us are f-feeling."
"That makes sense."
The rest of the walk around the city was uneventful for the most part. Suddenly, a Pegasus filly flew down from some rafter and held out a letter to Midnight, who took it in confusion. "G-girls." Midnight said as the filly flew off.
"Huh?" Twilight asked as she stopped and the group gathered around Midnight, who opened the letter and began reading it.

Dear me
It's your past self again, this is just something small that I forgot to mention in my first letter to myself (that still sounds crazy). Anyway, the Pegasus I will have received this from is Aurora Light, she's a kind filly messenger that loves to fly, I'll see her around a lot. She's also able to see and recongnize magic signatures (something that's rare for Pegasi) so that's why I chose her as my messenger. If I've received this then I'll have one less fear on my chest as well. Aurora is my sister's daughter who lives with my cousin, since my sister died protecting me (she literally said she would let herself die to protect me and she did). Anyway, I'm getting off track again, I had her give this letter to you so I would know what to go by when dealing with ponies that have information you'll need. My primary alias is Spirit Fire, remember to ask for that name when dealing with anypony (or anyling) who may have information or other things from me to... well... me.

signed, your past self
Spirit Fire

After Midnight and the others had read the letter, Twilight spoke.
"We should go by the city hall and ask about where you lived, we might find something there."

City Hall was, surprisingly, one of the smallest buildings in the city. The walls were old and made of carefully crafted stone, and the doors were twice the necessary size. Twilight and her friends opened the doors to the hall and slowly trotted into the main room, where an Earth-pony stallion with a grey coat and dyed purple mane and tail sat behind the desk.
"How may I help you?" her asked, seeming to pay no mind to the fact that Twilight was there.
"Yes, we're looking for a friend's house, she went missing about a year ago and has recently been declared dead, we're wanting to ensure all her stuff is safe." Rainbow Dash said.
"What's his/her name?"
"Spirit Fire." the second the words slipped pass Rainbow's her lips, the stallion froze solid.
"I-I'm n-not a-allowed t-to t-tell y-you w-where s-she i-is." he stuttered.
"Too bad I'm not giving you a choice. I'm Princess Twilight Sparkle, and this is not a request it's an order." Twilight's tone was dark.
"I have to have proof that you're on her side."
Midnight pulled out the letter from earlier and showed the stallion.
"Oh, sorry Spirit, I'm... just on edge." the stallion gave them the location on a piece of paper before leaning in. "I'll warn you, that place is filled with evil, you'll find out why later."

On the outside, Spirit Vengeance's house looked like a tree with most of the base covered by the door. The inside was a whole-nother story. The inside was about the size of Twilight's throne room with at least four stories above it. What was disturbing, though, was the golden markings on the walls, each one made from the blood of a Pegasus (since their blood was gold), every kind of storm seemed to be occurring at once withing the room.
"What... is... this?" Twilight asked in shock as a families white Pegasus filly flew off a storm cloud. Aurora smiled at the ponies calmly, as if the storm didn't even exist.
Aurora Light had a pure white coat with Red, Blue, and Yellow colored mane and tail; she was wearing a Pegasus saddle bag; her eyes were blue with the pupils having a faint white tint to them; and her cutie mark was of, what looked like, the ring created from a Sonic Rainboom, only it had a misty appearance to it, similar to magic. "Hi, I'm Aurora Light, though aunt Spirit's letter likely said that already, I just wanted to introduce myself and I knew you'd come here." Aurora said as she reached into her saddle bag and grabbed a letter. "I went ahead and found Spirit's letter for the house." she added, handing the letter over.
"N-nice to know I-I've got f-family." Midnight said quietly as she opened the letter.

Dear m- oh forget it!
anyway, this letter was left so that I could tell myself (nope, still sounds strange) some extra stuff about me. I've found a more active form of Pegasus magic. The magic can't be performed unless the Pegasus in questions has performed at least one of the fourteen maneuvers of Hurricane (The fourteen highly powerful and extremely complex aerial stunts that Commander Hurricane came up with). The one I've performed, and thus you've performed, is the legendary Dark Light Twist. Aurora, who will no doubt be having a blast with actively commanding the weather inside my home, has performed the Magic field Razor (which is a move only Pegasi who can see the magic signatures of the world can do). Anyway, the form of Pegasus Magic is a lot like how Zapp from Power Ponies uses her pendant (just with the magic being channeled through the body and wings instead of a pendant). Now, you'll probably be wondering what all the blood is for, well that's just some ancient Pegasi wards that prevent our enemies from entering the area (you wouldn't believe how many cuts I had after drawing all those)

Well that's it for that.
p.s. almost forgot, Aurora is to come with you to your first destination, as she will know what to do.

"So, you're coming with us?" Scootaloo asked, looking sad.
"Hey it's all-right, you'll learn to fly someday. Besides, to tell you the truth, I'd rather be a Child of the Night like you than be able to fly, and that's saying something." Aurora said, then turned towards Midnight. "I almost forgot, I need to go get the book on the other side of Pegasus magic, the stuff I need for our trip, and Spirit's scrapbook." with that Aurora was off, going almost faster than Rainbow Dash.
"Cool, I can learn my own kind of magic. The Sonic Rainboom is one of Commander Hurricanes most notable aerial maneuvers, and is one of the fourteen maneuvers of Hurricane."
It wasn't long before Aurora returned, gave Midnight the scrapbook, Rainbow the magic book, and sheathed a dagger she had. Soon the group headed off.

dead and alive

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Aurora looked up in awe as the group of one Pegasus mare, two Pegasus fillies, one Alicorn, and one Changeling stepped off the bridge that lead to the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters. The castle had been going through repairs and so it almost looked brand new, if you excluded the large hole in the ceiling where Nightmare Moon had blasted the roof off during her rampage.
"Yes the castle is quite large and breathtaking during the day, but at night it become a fear-inducing maze of traps." Twilight said with a smile.
Aurora didn't speak, she was too busy flying in circles fast enough to put Rainbow Dash to shame. Suddenly, Aurora abruptly stopped and reddish magic could be seen flowing slightly off her. "Sorry." Aurora said in a shy tone as the group entered the castle
Twilight lead the way through the castle with extreme care, it was decided that she'd have the most knowledge of the traps and so she would be able to avoid most of them and shorten the trip by taken the countless secrets paths. After a while, the group made it to the throne room.
"Now then." Twilight said as she pulled out the first letter from her saddle bag and reread the clue "Hmm... 'within a room hidden by Time' What could that one mean?" she asked.
"I don't know, a clock, the very concept of time, there're are a lot of things that mean time." Rainbow Dash said as she looked over to Aurora.
"Spirit said not to tell you the answer, just to help a bit. Look back at the riddle, it has 'Time' written with apostrophes, which is what Spirit likes putting when she is not meaning the literal form of the word. The 'T' is also capitalized, symbolizing a name." Aurora absently motioned to a room near the throne room, it was the library.
"Oh, so we're looking for a book?" Twilight asked to which, Aurora nodded.
The Library at the castle was huge, though only about one-third the size of the library in Twilight's own castle. Countless books thought to be lost through the ages were present with some depicting the darkest and most forbidden of magics. Twilight took to the air and flew-over to the section about history.
"You wont find it in that section." Aurora said, she had conjured a cloud and was currently resting on it.
"We're looking for something from history though."
"No we're looking for a book on Time. Remember, it's capitalized, so what all is capitalized?"
"Titles, names, spells, magic, aerial moves, some attacks, etc." was Twilight's instant response.
"Exactly. We know we're not looking for a title as I've all ready said we weren't, we're of course not looking for attacks or aerial maneuvers, so what does that leave?" Aurora listed
"Names, spells, and magics."
"We know there is no such thing as Time Magic." Aurora added.
"So that leaves a name or a spell."
"We're obviously not meeting with a pony, since it said that we were looking for a room with somepony in it."
"So it's a spell!" Twilight happily declared as she flew to the magic section and started looking through the books.

"So... I have to reach into and actively feel out my Pegasus magic and channel it through my wings?" Rainbow asked, she had had Aurora start teaching her on the 'active side of Pegasus magic', as Aurora called it.
"Yep, it's not useful for clearing weather though as you can only disperse the whether you created with it and the whether you create doesn't effect the existing whether." Aurora said.
"Wait, isn't the process of using this magic the same as normal Pegasus magic for flight?"
"Almost. When you fly, walk on clouds, or really anything a normal Pegasus does, you're only instinctively channeling magic through you body, not consciously (which is what is needed for this)."
Before Rainbow Dash could try, a green flash nearly blinded them, they both looked to the only possible source and found Midnight.
"S-sorry, but T-twilight thinks she f-found the spell." Midnight said as Twilight levitated the book over to Aurora.
"Yep, just cast it in the throne room." she said as they headed back to the throne room.
Back in the throne room, Twilight was charging her magic to cast the complex spell.
The magic was collecting around Twilight's horn in a large aura. Unknown to any however, there was a faint green tint to her magic. Soon the complex spell was ready and Twilight cast it full force. The magic shot out and hit the tapestries above the thrones, both tapestries began glowing in Lunar and Solar magic respectably before an explosion rang through the throne room.

As the smoke cleared, the group noticed that they weren't in the throne room anymore, in-fact, they didn't feel like they were even alive.
"Ah, Spirit Fire, it's been a while. Of course, you don't remember." a voice said, it sounded female and seemed to be dead in the literal sense.
"H-hi. And it's M-Midnight L-Locus." Midnight said as a unicorn walked into existence, she was completely blue.
"My name is Shadowed Death, it's not my original name, my soul exists inside of the walls of this castle, but enough small talk. You're here to learn what I taught you a year ago, correct?" the unicorn, revealed to be Shadowed Death, said.
"Y-yea." Midnight wasn't making eye contact and was siting down with her mane hiding her face, which once more heavily reminded Rainbow of Fluttershy.
Shadowed motioned for the group to follow her and so they did. She lead them through a wall and out into the library, which looked completely different. All the books that had been there were now gone, each replaced with a different, glowing, book. The walls seemed to pulse with a white light that seemed to whisper, Necromancy. The floor had completely changed to bone.
"What happened to this place?" Twilight asked.
"This is the Spiritual Plane version of the library. What I'm going to teach all of you is a powerful and not-entirely-allowed spell from the books of the ancient Necromancers. As you all know... even though Necromancy is Blood Magic, it's also Spiritual Magic. This spell dispels your mortal body for as long as needed and basically turns you into a spirit, unseen and unbound from mortal limits." Shadowed said.
"But, not even the evilest of unicorn fugitives will dare to use Necromancy. Why are you teaching us an illegal magic?"
"Because there will be times during your quest when you can't get somewhere because physical entrance is blocked by guards or the place you're looking for doesn't exist in the living world."
"Celestia will banish us if she finds out what you're trying to teach us!"
"You're all-ready going to be banished if she finds out that you've been trying to learn secrets so ancient and well-kept that their revelation could shatter Equestria. You've been an enemy to Celestia since you read that first letter, but the secrets she's keeping are far worse than what you might think. I'll warn you though, you may think you know everything about Celestia, but all you know will be shattered as you progress through all this. Now let's begin." without another word, Shadowed motioned for the group to follow her to the barracks.
The Spiritual Plane version of the barracks was made of hardened Alicorn blood, with several remains of pony skeletons lying around in a sort of obstacle course fashion, and a river of blue Dracorn blood flowing just beyond the walls. Etched in the center was a magic binding circle with an eight-pointed star in the center and several ancient runes surrounding the circle, each one written at a point in the star and written in the blood of all eight pony races. The floor bellow the circle and runes was a slightly dark blue color to allow all the runes to be seen.
"What's that?" Scootaloo asked.
"That's a Magic Binding Circle for all ponies. It's used to help ponies master and control highly corruptive magics without running the risk of being corrupted by it during or after training. The way it does that is by-" Shadowed was cut off when Twilight spoke, finishing what was being said.
"Binding the specific magic to the soul and then allowing the soul to adapt to the feel of it while in a controlled environment." Twilight finished.
"Hmm, you know a lot about magic Twilight Sparkle, of course, I shouldn't expect anything less from a decedent of Starswirl the Bearded, you know, you look almost exactly like his wife." Twilight blushed rainbow at that comment, she had always known she was a decedent of Starswirl the Bearded.
"Let's get on with this, um, if that's okay?" Midnight said, Rainbow was shocked that she was still shocked at the similarities to Fluttershy and Midnight.

After three hours in the Spiritual Plane, about an hour in the living world, everypony was use to both using the spell to enter the Spiritual Plane and getting around in their spirit forms, which Shadowed identified as their Ethereal forms.
"Thanks for the lesson Shadowed Death." Twilight said as she fazed back into the living world, followed by everypony except Midnight.
"I see you are expecting another of your letters." Shadowed said as she levitated a letter, this one black with a red seal on it, over to her, then to Midnight. This is still from you, but it was written here and so it has a spell to allow you to take it back with you. The colors are so you can identify it as a letter from 'beyond the grave' according to yourself. With that, Midnight left as well.
When Midnight fazed back into the living world, she motioned for her friends and niece to come over before unfolding and reading the letter.

Hey, it's you again (Wait, is it bad that saying that is starting to seem normal to me?). So, if I've received this letter then I now know the 'Planes of the Ethereal Path' spell, which will be a necessity for a lot of what we'll be encountering. So, I've mostly written this letter to explain what lead me to meeting with Shadowed Death. It's not much of a story as I met her out of shear curiosity, but what started that curiosity was legends of a powerful and barely known spell that only she would teach, I'm not going into detail about how I managed to cast the spell to enter her domain. I would tell us that Aurora Light is not to come to our next destination, but I know her too well and she'll just follow us and then create the strongest tornado in existence to ensure we're unwilling to deny her wishes. So, I hope all of you, including Aurora, are mostly use to your Ethereal forms as you'll likely end up being in them more than your corporeal bodies during this. Now for the next part.
*Where the air is all that's known, where we first began to roam, within the commander's barracks, where the marks of defense burn, lies a room of secrets and weapons hidden by the warriors, to there you must turn.

was that better?
signed you
Spirit Fire

p.s. keep in mind that the room isn't one the living can get to, I just couldn't think of how to word that in the riddle

Lessons of the Past

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"'Where the air is all that's known, where we first began to roam, within the commander's barracks, where the marks of defense burn, lies a room of secrets and weapons hidden by the warriors, to there you must turn.' what's that suppose to mean?" Twilight asked, having read over Midnight's shoulder.
Midnight had been taking off her armor when Twilight spoke and let out an eep from suddenly hearing her voice. "I don't know." she said quietly.
"Midnight, you don't have to be scared. Is there anything that can at least help you be calm around us?"
"M-maybe, but I don't know if all of you would agree." Midnight had her back facing Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash, and Aurora as to help her stay calm.
"Then what is it? I mean, I don't want to force you to do something you might not want to do, but psychological studies show that one can get use to others best after getting use to a select few."
"Hivemind." Midnight had whispered the single word, but years of being around the friend that Midnight most reminded her of, allowed Rainbow Dash to hear her almost as if she'd spoken normally.
"What do you mean 'Hivemind'?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"T-there's a s-spell that allows a Changeling without a H-Hive, so without a H-Hivemind, to connect p-ponies to a p-personal H-Hivemind, but the ponies have to be w-willing." Rainbow Dash took note of how Midnight seemed to especially stutter at the mention of a Hive or Hivemind.
"Of course! How could I forget the connection spell! A Changeling's Hivemind allows them to evenly distribute feeling through those connect and minimizes the effect it has on them, plus it'd be helpful in communication if we were talking about something of extreme importance and can't allow a chance of being overheard! We could even use it to share memories!" Twilight said all this in a single breath.
Rainbow looked at Twilight with confusion, she had seen Twilight excited about some things, but this seemed to be much stronger than other times. "You seem cool with the idea." Rainbow said.
"Yes I am! I don't know why, but I've wanted to experience a Changeling Hivemind since I first read about it!" Twilight nearly shouted.
"So, would that put you in control of us Midnight?" Scootaloo asked suspiciously, while Aurora was flying in energetic circles that left a faint red trail of magic behind.
"What! O-of course not, I-I'm n-not a q-queen and there would b-be several p-ponies, which m-makes it i-impossible to start a true Hive." Midnight's shock had made her speak quite loudly, now she shied away, hiding behind her mane and saying "sorry" in a small voice.

After nearly an hour of talking, during which Midnight finely got out of her armor and let her disguise drop, Twilight was on the verge of convincing Rainbow Dash to accept the idea of being connected to a Hivemind. "I'm telling you Rainbow, it'll be fine. Just because you'll feel a little shier doesn't mean you'll be any different. Besides, this can be helpful for all of us." Twilight said.
"How could it help us?" Rainbow asked.
"It'll help you avoid another break down like what happened at the Young Flyers Competition. It'll help all of us stay calm or just have somepony we can talk to at all times-" Twilight was cut off as Rainbow Dash put her hoofs in the air.
"All-right, all-right, I'll do it, just don't go lecturing me." Rainbow said in annoyance.
Twilight smiled and turned to Scootaloo. "What about you, are you willing?" Twilight asked.
"Only because Rainbow Dash is." Scootaloo said.
With that, Midnight moved over to Twilight and placed her horn on Twilight's head before casting the connection spell. The Changeling magic spun around the two for a few seconds before a green tether of magic between them briefly flashed into view then vanished. Twilight and Midnight swayed slightly afterwards and then Twilight seemed to become shier as Midnight evened out her shyness.
"Your turn." Midnight said quietly as she moved over and repeated the process for Rainbow Dash, Aurora Light, and Scootaloo.

"This feels really strange." Rainbow Dash said for the third time, she was talking about and speaking through the recently established Hivemind, called a Localized Hivemind since it was just for them and not a real hive.
"I know it does for you, but you'll get use to it." Midnight said.
"So, with this connection done, should we get back to the original question?" Twilight asked as she levitated the letter back out. "'Where the air is all that's known, where we first began to roam, within the commander's barracks, where the marks of defense burn, lies a room of secrets and weapons hidden by the warriors, to there you must turn.' Any idea what it's referring to?" Twilight had a little trouble speaking with her friends aloud instead of through the Localized Hivemind.
"Wait! That's what it said?" Rainbow asked.
"yea, why?"
"I think I know what it's talking about."
"What?" the other members of the group asked in sync.
"I think it's talking about the Cloud Tribe, the first place Pegasi existed and the ancient homelands of them, it's in ruins now."
"Then let's go." Twilight and the others took off after that, with Scootaloo riding her, recently modified, scooter while Rainbow pulled.

The ancient Pegasus Homeland was on an extremely large cloud that was storm grey, likely the result of no Pegasi being there in centuries, the cloud houses were generally small with a lot of them having missing parts. Towering above everything else, was the Barracks, which at the time was considered the castle, of Commander Hurricane. Everypony looked at the place in awe, the castle seemed to be made of stone with large spikes around it and coming off it, the doors were huge and had the Pegasus tribe symbol etched into the center of the doors. The group was suddenly hit with a strong wave of energy and curiosity, they all looked to where Aurora had been, only to find she was missing.
Twilight and Midnight felt a tingle through their horns suddenly and quickly pressed a hoof against the base. right as they finished doing that, a loud bang, followed by the hum of magic, rang through the area. Looking up, the group spotted a red magical aura spreading outward.
"That was fun!" Aurora yelled out from their right, shocking the group.
"What, but you weren't here a second ago. How'd you get here so fast?" Midnight asked, her voice ringing stronger as she was more use to being part of a Hivemind.
"I was just too energized and curious to walk, so I went and performed the Magic Field Razor, which means I broke through the Magic field that all races pull magic from." Aurora's mental voice carried the extreme energy level of a filly on a caffeine and sugar rush, which was barely altered by the Localized Hivemind's natural dispersion of emotions.
Twilight just ignored this and headed for the Barracks.

"Okay. '-where the marks of defense burn, lies a room of secrets and weapons hidden by the warriors, to there you must turn.' So Rainbow, since you're the most learned on Pegasus history, what'd you make of this?" Twilight asked as they walked, the group had eventually decided to try to just speak verbally when not around other ponies, though they knew that the instincts that came with being part of a Localized Hivemind would make it difficult.
"I can imagine that that'd be in the weapons room, since that's likely where the stronger Pegasi wards would be." Rainbow said.
"Wow, I've never seen you talking like this, and don't say it has to do with the Localized Hivemind."
"I wasn't going to. I really like the Pegasus history, they were warriors and powerful weapons crafters, that's why I talk the way I do about the history of Pegasi."
The halls of the Barracks proved to be made of cloud stone: a stone that's created by condensing clouds into a thick, near solid, state. The entire place seemed to be older than even Discord, but was still intact.
The weapons room was a large circular area with a pillar, one too small to really hold anything, at the center. Ancient armor and weapons lined the walls, with gold and silver Pegasi wards there as well. The weapons varied from ancient spears made of old metals found only in the clouds of the Everfree, old fashioned wing blades with the same metal, and countless unidentified weapons. Needless to say, Twilight was amazed, as was everypony else.
"Woah, I didn't know the Pegasi were so good with weapon crafting." Twilight said, not intending to use the Localized Hivemind, but still doing so.
"They're the best, they forged their weapons out of Everfree Metal, which is forbidden now because of it's strange effects on ponies." Rainbow said, unable to hide her excitement from the Localized Hivemind.
"So... where do you think the room is?" Midnight asked.
"Let's find out." Scootaloo and Aurora said in unison, something made easy by the Localized Hivemind, as they fazed into the Spiritual Plane, followed by the others.
To anypony looking at the time, it would simply seem that they blurred out of existence, but to them it was the exact opposite, it seemed as if the world blurred and changed around them. The Spiritual Plane version of the room was made of black storm clouds with lightning striking at random places, the weapons were all made of bones with iron mixed with blood as their tips, and there, standing in the center where the pillar once was, was none other than Commander Hurricane herself.
"You must be Spirit Fire, I was told you'd return without any memories and as a Changeling." Commander Hurricane said.
"Yea, that's me." while Midnight's tone of voice was calm, it also held a note of shyness.
"Well, come along then, we've got some training to do." Hurricane said, appearing unfazed by the fact that her and Rainbow Dash looked like near copies. She then trotted off towards a Pegasi Spell Ring, the ring was made of gold and had the symbol of Pegasi in the center. "Since you once were a Pegasus, and seem more like a Bat-pony now, then it's likely that you can still learn the ancient Pegasi spells. Aside from that, I can see that the Alicorn hasn't performed any of the maneuvers to gain access to the spells."
"I've only been an Alicorn for a short time, I'm still getting use to flight and still strengthening my wings." Twilight said defensively.
"Understandable. Hey, has anypony ever told you that you look exactly like Clover Leaf?" Hurricane said in a seductive tone.
Twilight blushed for the second time in the past twenty-four hours. "Several ponies have, but that doesn't matter right now. Besides, I don't think the dead can have a stable relationship with the living." Commander Hurricane blushed at that, turning her cheeks a gold-cyan color.
"Let's get on with training." Rainbow Dash, who was just a little confused, said.

The next Spiritual hour was spent practicing ancient Pegasi Magic and receiving lessons on combat with different weapons.
"Wow, being in are Ethereal Forms is really fun, I don't even feel tired!" Aurora said as she flew around, a filly-sized spear strapped to one wing. The others had to agree, especially Midnight, who had been training the longest. Even Scootaloo had gotten some form of training, hers was with weapons and some Lunar-based Pegasi Magic. Twilight had simply practiced Lunar Magic, even though it was technically forbidden.
"You've all done well. This was really all Spirit asked me to do when she returned, well that and deliver this." Hurricane said as she pulled out a scroll like the one from the castle and handed it to Midnight.
"Thanks, we'll be sure to visit again one day." Midnight said as she levitated the rolled up scroll to her side.
"Please do, I don't get many living visitors." Hurricane said.
"Thank you for all your help Command Hurricane." Twilight said as the group got ready to depart.
"You're welcome Twilight Sparkle." Hurricane leaned in closer and her voice dropped to a darker tone as she said "No matter what you think Twilight, You are not a true Alicorn, you'd be wise to remember that Luna and Celestia are the only real Alicorns, just as you'd be wise to stand and fight the Goddess of the Sun when the time comes. As I've learned, stick with your friends only, never trust those in power, ever." the comment froze Twilight for a few moments.
"G-got it." Twilight didn't waste time leaving after that.

It's you again. So, as I know we've just got done meeting Hurricane (fun fact, did you know that Commander Hurricane was a Fillyfooler, because I didn't). now, as to what lead us to this place the first time, in this case it was answers. Hurricane Storm knew Celestia personally when they were young, so it made sense that she'd be one of the best ponies to talk to about the theories we had at the time. She's also the only other pony on record who can use the ancient Pegasi Magic. I feel I should warn us now, The Crimson Hive is planning something, they're starting to become much more known and much more active, I feel they intend to march onto Canterlot and slaughter the princesses, which I admit I couldn't care less about, well Celestia at least, I have a bit of a soft spot though for Luna.
*Deep within the forest of fear, where shadows walk with Nightmares, within a ruined fortress of darkness, there you must find the true Shadow.

Not my best, but I don't care
Signed you
Spirit Fire

p.s. KEEP AURORA LIGHT NEAR YOU AT ALL TIMES, THEY DON'T TAKE LIGHTLY TO FILLIES OR COLTS BEING IN THEIR SACRED FORTRESS OF DARKNESS

"The Everfree Forest." Twilight stated plainly.

Shadows and Truths

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"So, what do you think she meant by 'where shadows walk with Nightmares'?" Twilight asked as they walked through the Everfree, it had become night so the place had gained its usual evil feel.
"She's probably talking about the Nightmare Tribe that's about four-hundred yards that way." Scootaloo said as she motioned to her left with a wing.
Not having anywhere else to go, the group left for the Nightmare Tribe. As they entered the place, they saw several Nightmares: the 'sub' race of Earth ponies. The Nightmares had shadows that moved mostly on their own and were darker than the group's own shadows, they had glowing dragon-like eyes (basically different colored versions of Nightmare Moon's eyes), and they had sharp teeth. The rest of the small tribe was made up of Bat-Ponies and some Dracorns. The Dracorns had slitted eyes, sharp teeth, and some were breathing small amounts of fire.
"Woah! What are all those?" Aurora asked via the Localized Hivemind.
"The Earth-Ponies that look a lot like how the legends describe Nightmare Moon are called Nightmares, they're considered the sub-race of Earth-Ponies (like Changelings are considered the sub-race of Alicorns). The ponies with bat-wings, fangs, and slitted eyes are Bat-Ponies which are considered the sub-race of Pegasi. The remaining ponies are Dracorns, they're considered the sub-race to Unicorns." Twilight said.
"Good-night Princess, to what do we owe the pleasure?" a Nightmare mare asked as she came up and bowed briefly.
"We're here trying to learn what a Pegasus called Spirit Fire found out." Twilight said in a regal voice.
"Ah yes, Spirit Fire, I swear she was more like a Bat-Pony than a Pegasus. Follow me, I'll take you to the ruins of her royal majesty Luna's Fortress of Darkness." the mare said as she spun around and headed off, followed by the group.

The group soon found themselves looking at a large ruined fortress with purple mist swirling around it. The place was made of an odd black stone and the doors were a black lunar metal.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to take the fillies off your hoofs and allow them a place to rest, after all, the ponies living in that fortress don't really like fillies being around them when they're doing business. Besides, being parents can be a bit difficult." the Nightmare said.
"Wait, back up. Parents, no you've got it wrong there, we're just friends." Rainbow, Twilight, and Midnight said in unison.
"Oh I know, but the chance was just too good to pass up." the Nightmare said with a giggle.
"Okay, but sure, just let us know where they are on our way out." Twilight said.
"Will do Princess Twilight." the Nightmare took Aurora and Scootaloo after that and left.

It didn't take the remaining members of the group long to get to an office-like place and enter. Rainbow Dash instantly growled when she saw the ponies in the room, the Shadowbolts.
"I will rip you all apart." Rainbow Dash said.
The Shadowbolts looked up and groaned in slight annoyance. One of them then pulled out four bits and handed them over to another.
"I new Rainbow Dash and Princess Twilight would be the ones accompanying Spirit Fire." the leader, a Bat-Pony with blue mane and black coat, said
"Hey! What are you all doing here?"
"We live here!" one of the other Shadowbolts yelled.
"Excuse Black Claw... I'm Shadowed Mist, the 'True Shadow' as some call me. I'm the leader of the Shadowbolts. Of course, I doubt Spirit Fire came all this way just to here me talk about myself. So... you all, no doubt, have no clue as to why Spirit Fire has a Nightmare Tribe on her list of places to visit, well just follow us." with that, Shadowed Mist stood up and walked through a door, followed by the other two Shadowbolts that were in the room.
The door lead into a large training arena with a Spell Binding Ring painted on the floor, it looked a lot like the Pegasus one from the cloud Tribe, but with bat-wings replacing the Pegasus wings in the center.
"Okay, so you're going to be learning some Lunar Magic, in this case, the Shadow Duplication Spell, which allows you to create copies of yourself that listen to your orders." Shadowed Mist said as she motioned for Midnight to stand in the center of the ring.
Midnight obeyed, though she avoided eye contact and having to look at Shadowed Mist. After some instructions, Midnight began collecting Lunar magic in her horn, turning the aura to a silver color that seemed to be made of millions of tiny stars. soon, her shadow seemed to multiply, then rise into four exact copies of her. Midnight swayed slightly from the exertion of her magic.
"The spell is easy to cast, but it does take a lot out of you." Black Claw said as Midnight went back to her friends, dispelling the spell in the process, and Twilight stepped up.
"Hey, you all-right Midnight, I noticed you looked rather shy?" Rainbow Dash asked through the Localized Hivemind.
"I've never seen a Bat-Pony before." Midnight said.
"Why didn't you just distribute your fear through the Localized Hivemind?" Aurora, who was apparently still awake, asked.
"I didn't want to burden you girls with my fear."
"Gee, you're so much like Fluttershy." Rainbow said, finely voicing the fact.

After another hour, which seemed to be the basic time for learning these things, Shadowed Mist brought the group into her office to discuss something important, which was proven to be extremely important when Aurora and Scootaloo were called to the fortress, resulting in another four bits for Shadowed Mist.
"Now then, tell me, how much do you all know of the Nightmare Moon legends?" Shadowed Mist asked.
"Nightmare Moon was the evil that befell Luna and tried to bring eternal night, she was stopped by Celestia and banished to the moon for a thousand years." Midnight said, feeling confusion seep in from those around her before saying "What? Hatch-lings and recently turned Changelings hear the legends as well you know." through the Localized Hivemind.
Shadowed Mist winced at the summarized version of the legend. "That's all a lie you know. Luna never became Nightmare Moon to try to bring eternal night, she just tried to dethrone Celestia because the sun princess was becoming tyrannical. The day and night use to be exactly the same time with the day starting at one in the morning and the night starting at one in the afternoon, but Celestia elongated her day because she wanted to be the most known, then she got most ponies to sleep during the night, and then she cast a spell on Luna to make her take on the form of Nightmare Moon as to bring more fear into the ponies' eyes. When Luna rebelled, she was banished, and when the Element's brought her back, Celestia cast a memory spell to alter what Luna thought happened."
Everypony's jaw dropped at what Shadowed Mist said.
"Th-that's a l-lie, when w-we saw N-nightmare M-moon for the f-first time she was p-pure evil." Twilight finely said.
"Let me ask you this Twilight Sparkle, if you were left on the moon, constantly starving, constantly in need of air you can't get, unable to use your magic, and with absolutely nothing to do for a thousand years, would you stay loyal to the world, or would you wish it to suffer as you had?"
"I-I didn't think of that." Twilight looked down at her hoofs as Shadowed Death's words returned to her 'you may think you know everything about Celestia, but all you know will be shattered'
"How can we trust you!" Rainbow Dash was suddenly in front of Shadowed Mist, "You helped Nightmare Moon's attempt to separate us!"
"For the record, we weren't even aware of Nightmare Moon's return. We had heard about you from allies and we came with that offer because we felt you'd be great for the team. We were hoping to have you as a member during one of our free run shows, that's why we said that it was us or your friends, we said it because we were almost late for the show and didn't have time to let you tie the bridge."
"Can we get back on subject?" Twilight asked, interrupting them.
"Yes, Spirit Fire left us a note so here you go." Shadowed Mist pulled out a letter then and hoofed it to Midnight.
"Thank you."

Hey again, now you've met the Shadowbolts and learned the Shadow Duplication Spell. Anyway, you'll need this later.
I first entered this place because I had received a letter from my cousin, Nightshy, who's a Bat-Pony. The letter said that the Shadowbolts had an interesting bit of information regarding Luna and Celestia, which you now have. So I came here, I actually ended up getting roped into foalsitting a Bat-Pony, Nightmare, Dracorn, and Changeling foal before I could leave (That was the craziest night I've ever had, especially when the Nightmare started playing with my dreams).
So, as I'm sure you or one of your allies will point it out, Nightshy's name is similar to Fluttershy's, well that's because they're twins (Yes one's a Bat-Pony and the other a Pegasus, but they look almost exactly the same) anyway, the main subject of this letter is our family. My sister, the one that died protecting me, was a Pegasus by the name of Silver Wing. My cousin, and I hope Rainbow Dash (if she's there) doesn't faint from this, is Spitfire of the Wonderbolts (you can guess where I came up with my alias), her sisters are Nightshy and Fluttershy (by the way, did you know our family is made up entirely of Bat-ponies and Pegasi? Well now there's a Changeling in it). Oh, I also found out, through more contacts than the holes in your legs, that Rainbow Dash is actually Daring Do's lost little sister, but that doesn't matter.
*Hidden inside the Castle of the Sun; in a room of reader's fun; in the purple legend's favorite section; lies but one of two ancient tombs, look for her mark, the mark of the first; and within those of disharmony, lies the second, the tomb of darkness, hidden past the eyes.

signed you
Spirit Fire.

P.S. PLEASE ensure Aurora is safe during this, she's going to come, just keep her safe.
P.S.S. WATCH OUT FOR THE GUARDS!!!
P.S.S.S. Also, as you can likely tell, I'm giving up on the whole thing where I say that you're me in these letters. I'm doing this because I'll soon lose my sanity if I don't.

Rainbow Dash managed to not faint through the entire letter, but the second it was finished being read, she did so.
"That's a lot to take in." Midnight said through the Localized Hivemind.
"Yea, well that aside, We're definitely going to the Canterlot Castle Library, that's obviously where we need to head off to. Once all this is over, then we're going to talk with Fluttershy, Nightshy, and Spitfire about who you were in the past." Twilight said as she levitated Rainbow Dash on her back, Midnight doing the same for Scootaloo and Aurora since they had fallen asleep.

Forgotten Hive and Forbidden magic

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"Couldn't we just go through the front door, I mean, I'm a princess, I'm allowed to bring anypony I want to the Castle." Twilight said through the Localized Hivemind as she watched the night guards walk by on their routes, oblivious to the mare in the bushes.
"That wouldn't be fun! You can't deny that you're excited!" Aurora's energetic voice said within Twilight's head. Aurora herself was currently standing on top of a reproduction of the statue of Discord within the Canterlot Gardens.
"I'm only excited because you distributed your own energy and excitement through the Localized Hivemind."
Midnight, hiding in the water of a fountain, spotted her opening and shot out of the water quietly, dashing right under a guard. One glance at Midnight would tell anypony that she had disguised herself as a hatch-ling version of herself, making movement quicker and harder to notice. Midnight jumped as she approached the castle walls and landed on the wall before running up it, Midnight was actually having fun with the passive ability of Changeling Magic to walk on walls. It wasn't long before she was approaching a window that lead into the hall that held the library. After looking around, Midnight used her Changeling Magic to disguise herself as a filly version of her main disguise, the one she used while in Manehattan. After only about three seconds, Midnight had an opening and jumped through the window. "I'm in." she said, moving soundlessly through the halls to find the library.
Aurora looked across the gardens to see that the guard's were in position for her plans, she smiled. Taking a small step back, while still balancing on the head of the statue, she shot forward. Aurora landed on the back of the first guard, then she jumped to the top of another statue, then to the head of a different guard, and repeated this process of jumping on a guard then something else until she was standing quietly on the back of the last guard. Three... Two... One. right when Aurora finished mentally counting, a guard spotted her.
"Halt!" the guard yelled as he took flight.
Aurora smiled as she jumped off the guard bellow her and landed on the flying Bat-Pony. The energetic filly started jumping from one flying guard to the next until she was right next to an all-ready open window, where she jumped in. "I'm in as well." she said as she shot through the castle halls.
Scootaloo watched Aurora's display of acrobatic talent with a smile. That filly sure knows how to stir up the local guard, and out-race them at the same time. she thought as she looked at her Lunar Sword. The weapon was glowing with Lunar Magic, even though she doubted she'd need it, as she stared at her name, engraved in red along the blade, the thought of how she could impress Aurora, the filly had been jokingly teasing Scootaloo about her inability to fly. Scootaloo had found herself actually laughing at the jokes instead of feeling insecure or saddened, but now she really wanted to do something that'd impress Aurora, and that meant doing something more daredevil than what she had done in the past. Scootaloo brought her sword close to her and closed her eyes. "Give me strength... mother of the Night." she said quietly, then she sheathed her sword and pulled out her, now transportable, scooter from her saddle bags. The orange filly examined her surroundings, an act made easier by the passive effects of the Lunar Magic that was in her from being a Child of the Night. The statues were of multiple different ponies, some were of Pegasi with outspread wings, some of Unicorns with their head at an angle from bowing, some were of Earth-Ponies on their hind legs in a stance as if they were about to charge, and in the center of it all... was the statue of Discord with his dragon body twisting in a spiral, but Scootaloo didn't see a garden of statues, she saw an obstacle course. She prepared herself as she unfolded her scooter and got on, then she shot off. Scootaloo forced her scooter off the ground enough to hit the first statue; turning the Unicorn's head, body, and horn into a ramp; she hit a Pegasus statue next with the Pegasus in a battle stance, balancing on two wheels, she used the wings for a different ramp. After almost eight statues, each used in a different way, Scootaloo was coming towards the Discord Statue. Her scooter hit the statue at an angle and she began spiraling from the base to the head, where she launched off and headed for the window Aurora had gone through. Her scooter's wings snapped out as she was in the air and she spun the scooter, avoiding an oncoming Lunar Guard and easily getting through the window. "Twi and Dash are the only ones left." she said.
Rainbow Dash smiled after seeing Scootaloo, Midnight, and Aurora's display of talent, as well as leaving the guards greatly disorganized. Reaching into herself as she'd been taught, Rainbow pulled at the Pegasus magic within her. A small air current began forming around her wings as clouds began forming along the gardens, each one striking with silent lightning. Rainbow smiled as she flew on-top of one of the clouds and made them move in erratic patterns, often striking guards and disorienting them. Rainbow continued weaving a large and very bizarre storm of rain, snow, lightning, tornadoes, wind, and hail as she jump from one cloud to another. Soon, the Bat-pony guards shot into the air to start working on clearing the random and uncontrollable storm. "Hey!" Rainbow Dash called out after landing in front of the window her friends had gone through, though she was several yards from the window itself. The guards turned around to face her, only to see her become in-cased in a tornado that spread upward until it was right bellow the window. While most of the guards saw only the tornado as it vanished, the ones closer could swear that they had seen a cyan and rainbow colored blur enter the window. "All-right Twilight, your turn." Rainbow said.
"I think I'll just teleport." Twilight said, not sure what to think after seeing the rest of her friends enter in their own spacial way.
"Oh no you don't, I challenge you to do something better than me." Rainbow let some of her competitiveness seep into the Localized Hivemind. This changed Twilight's mind instantly.
"You're on."
Twilight was quick to come up with something to do. Channeling her Lunar Magic, she created several clones of her self. "All-right, all of you use Changeling Magic to become Changeling nymphs of a hive with a color scheme that'd match me closely." she commanded. Twenty flashes of green briefly blinded her and; standing in place of her clones; were several Changelings with violet eyes, lavender wings and saddle carapaces, dark lavender carapaces, and sapphire manes and tails. "Stage an invasion, don't hurt the guards, but keep them distracted." Twilight commanded. The clones all nodded and shot into the air, the guards were shocked. Twilight could practically taste the guards' confusion, it seemed to taste similar to orange juice, which she didn't like nor dislike. Twilight channeled some Changeling Magic and went up in green flames, when they died down, she looked like a normal Bat-Pony in Lunar Armor with a sword in her mouth. Twilight took flight and started flying around, pretending to attack her clones, even though she wasn't and they recognized her. It wasn't long before Twilight was sword and sword with one of her clones right in-front of the window. "Kick me into the window." she whispered.
"Yes creator." the clone whispered back before spinning around and delivering a strong kick, sending Twilight flying through the window, though she soon caught herself. Twilight waited for about ten seconds before disabling the spells she'd cast. "Beat that Dash!" Twilight said as she sent the memories of her plan through the Localized Hivemind for everypony to see.

Only five minutes later, the group was in the Castle library. The library was huge, though it still paled in comparison to the library at Twilight's castle, which seemed to take up the equivalent of three Ponyvilles and would if it weren't for the fact that the entire castle's inside was under the influence of a dimensional displacement spell.
"Okay so let's see" Midnight pulled out the letter from the Nightmare Tribe's home "'in the purple legend's favorite section' I'm sure that's talking about you Twilight."
"Then we should head to the Changeling section." Twilight said as she lead her friends to the section in question.
As expected, the Changeling section was full of books about Changelings, with some even marked to be specifically for Changelings. 'look for her mark, the mark of the first' Twilight looked through the sections as she tried to decipher that part of the clue. After only a few minutes, she stopped. "I think this is it." Twilight pulled down the book and levitated it between her and her friends, then she opened it to a bookmarked page.

After the battle that claimed four-hundred ponies and Changelings, Queen Lightning Bug of the Yellow Hive signed a deal with Equestria, promising to protect Equestria for as long as Equestria protected them. This was enough for Celestia, but not enough for the Hive Queen. As per Changeling culture, Lightning insisted on giving Celestia a gift for her willingness to aid against the Storm Hive's attack. Celestia eventually agreed and request only two things, the True Metamorphosis Spell (a Changeling spell, one that's forbidden in most hives, that can turn anypony into a Changeling with or without their permission. The spell is irreversible.) and the Advanced Disguise Spell (a spell that allows a Changeling to take on a disguise that goes as deep as the blood and makes it nearly impossible to tell that the disguised Changeling is a Changeling at all. This spell is also unaffected by Changeling reveal spells of the normal variety.). Even though her hive forbid the use of the spell, as per custom, Lightning Bug gave Celestia the spells and never asked why she wanted them.

"Are they saying that Clestia might have used these spells on somepony?" Twilight asked after finishing reading the section.
"I think so." Rainbow Dash said.
Twilight just nodded. '-all you know will be shattered' Twilight couldn't help but think of that statement once more, it had left an impact on her. 'within those of disharmony, lies the second, the tomb of darkness, hidden past the eyes' After a minute, Twilight found the section on Discord's reign and started looking.
"So where could it be?" Aurora asked, she was currently flying several feet above the group.
"Hmm 'past the eyes'... as in past the mortal limits of sight." Rainbow Dash said as she fazed into the Spiritual Plane.
The Spiritual Plane of the library had shelves made of pony bones, black books with spikes on the spines, and a doorway that hadn't been there before. After her friends entered, Rainbow Dash entered the door to find a room with flowing Unicorn and
Alicorn blood as the walls, the Unicorn blood was yellow. The floor seemed to mostly be made of black stone with a magic binding circle exactly like the one back at the ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, in the center. The floor bellow the circle and runes was a slightly dark blue color, to show the eight runes that were painted in the blood of their respective races. On a bone pedestal was a thick black book that had black mist surrounding it and a blood red rune on the front.
"That's a tomb on forbidden Magic." Twilight said in shock as she lifted it up with her magic and flipped to the front, revealing a letter from Spirit.

Hey again. The spells I'm wanting all of you to learn are as follows.
Black Magic
-the Crystal Blade Spell
-the Crystal Shield Spell
-the Crystal Shard Spell
-the Crystal Field Spell
Dark Magic
-the Temporal Age Spell (did you know that the age spell is actually Dark Magic?)
-the Spacial Warp Spell
Necromancy
-The Skeletal Armor spell
Nightmare Magic
-the Dream Manipulation Spell
-the Shadow Walker Spell
-The Fear Spell (this is basically a spell version of Fluttershy and Nightshy's stare)

These are all combat spells for a reason and all of you are to learn them.
Magic lesson (the truth)
-All pony magics can be performed by all ponies. When a Unicorn/Dracorn uses magic, they channel it through their horns. For a Pegasus/Bat-Pony to use Unicorn or other Magics, they channel it through their wings (this requires twice as much focus). When an Earth-Pony/Nightmare uses any of the pony magics, they channel it through their hoofs (This splits concentration into one to four sections. The more hoofs used, the strong the magic will be, but the harder it'll be top concentrate.) one hoof is equal to about as much power as a filly just learning to control their magic, while all four hoofs are equal to the power of a fully grown pony. Alicorns can do any or a combination of these.
-their are exceptions to the points of magic channeling for some magics in some races. Races that have a base magic (so really all races) generally have the default passive effects of each with Unicorns, Alicorns, Changelings, and Dracorns being able to access the active parts. Also, I've researched further into the active form of Pegasus Magic and it turns out that any Pegasus with good focus can do it as well, though it'll take more practice.
*Your next target is actually a contact I have in the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom. She is nicknamed "The Five Bladed Bat" (It was something different a while back, but that doesn't matter) (just leave a blank note to her on the counter of the hospital desk and she'll get it, then she'll set up when you should meet. Expect a reply from her within four hours of placing the note on the counter. DON'T STAY AT THE HOSPITAL AND WAIT FOR HER) After her, there is "Night Wind" (not her real name. Find her at the fourth abandoned house on the left going opposite the door of the Castle.)

signed
Spirit Fire

Twilight shivered at the concept of using so many forbidden magics. "Okay girls, we've got a lot to do and I don't know how long it'll take." Twilight said as she flipped to the first page.

Bat and Wind

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Midnight Locus and her friends walked into the hospital quietly.
"How may I help you?" nurse Redheart asked as they approached the counter. Twilight Sparkle said nothing and only placed a piece of parchment on the table with 'to: The Five Bladed Bat' written on it. Nurse Redheart took one look at it and nodded. "I'll get your appointment set up, have a nice day." she said with a kind smile.
"Wow! How many contacts and secret allies does Spirit Fire have?" Rainbow Dash asked, through the Localized Hivemind, on their way to the castle.
"Yea, it makes me wonder what she's planning." Twilight said in a suspicious tone.
"Twilight... I know what you're thinking. Don't go and ruin this for us by telling Celestia." Midnight said in a calm tone.
"How else am I going to get the answers I'm looking for!!!" Twilight immediately regretted yelling through the Localized Hivemind as a splitting headache claimed the group. After a few minutes of rubbing their temples, the group was able to return to what they had been doing. "Sorry."
Twilight walked into the castle's throne room not long after that.
"Okay, I'm sure we've got a lot of ponies waiting for a turn to stand before us." Rainbow Dash said, her demeanor instantly shifting to a regal one, as she tapped her hoof several times on her throne.
"Then the court begins, Midnight, could you take the fillies somewhere else?" Twilight asked.
Midnight nodded and picked up Aurora and Scootaloo, flying silently to her room.

Midnight's room was all-ready decorated in the style Changelings liked. The walls were black and green with a sleeping cocoon hanging from the ceiling. The green was Changeling Gel and had its usual glow. there was a bookshelf on one wall with several books anyling would find in their Hive library. There were some tables; clothes; mane brushes; some Changeling medical supplies; and a set of armor in a corner with a pair of wing-blades, two swords, and a set of hoof-claws hanging on stands along the wall as well as a few more weapons. The armor was silver with panels that opened to allow her wings through, much like the Pegasus armor she had previously been wearing, which was actually on a stand in the opposite corner with the Pegasus variant of the weapons previously mentioned; her armor had the purple eight-pointed star that symbolized Twilight's kingdom; a large peace of the back was missing, she new that it was the part that her saddle carapace would make-up the lack of armor at; The helmet was designed with a hole at the top to allow her horn through, with a part where she'd put her mane through, and it had additional plates going down the neck where it would connect with the body armor; the hoof-shoes were designed to have attachment points to allow her to attach the hoof-claws, they also had a green crystal heart with holes in it embedded in them (this was the common symbol for changelings). Midnight remember that, while she hadn't noted it before, the Pegasus armor had had a grey crystal cloud (the common symbol for Pegasi) in the same place.
"Wow!" the sound of Aurora and Scootaloo brought Midnight out of her thoughts as she looked at them, they were both examining one of the two sets of armor in the room.
"I guess you've never seen Pegasus or custom armor without it being worn at the time, have you?" Midnight asked.
"I've never seen armor like this before." Aurora said, from her place next to Midnight's main armor, as she started flying in the kind of erratic pattern an excited hatch-ling would.
"Twilight had that armor made for me because there was no armor that would fit my true form. You know, you remind me a lot of a Hatch-ling on an excitement rush." Midnight said (excitement was a lot like sugar for hatch-lings).
"Mom, you, Fluttershy, Nightshy, and Spit Fire always said that."
Midnight was about to answer, when she spotted something on the table closes to the wall, a note. "Huh?" Midnight levitated the note over and opened it to a, now familiar, hoof-writing.

Hey again. Don't ask how I managed to get this in here when I'm, technically, no longer existing. I was just wanting to let you know some of my preferences. My preferred way of getting around, much like my cousin and sister, is flight; my favorite food, like Nightshy, is oranges; and my favorite weapon, and thus the one I'm best with, is Wing-blades.
There is a lot more, but you can find it out later. Anyway, some things about me. I often seem completely emotionless, but if you ask Aurora you'll find that I'm quite a kind pony. Another thing I'll admit is that, like Commander Hurricane, though that wouldn't have worked out, I'm a fillyfooler. I feel that our gender shouldn't stop us from loving who we want to love, nor should we be judged by really anypony for who we are. I got my cutie mark (a Yin-Yang symbol) after performing the Dark Light Twist, though it also represents my talent for getting mixed up in the dark secrets of ponies (I'm the light and the secrets are the dark). So you know, to perform the Dark Light Twist, you have to dive off a point of at least 100 feet straight down, then level out and glide 6 inches above the ground while spinning, curve and go straight up thirty feet from where you leveled out while spinning the opposite direction you had just been spinning, and finely dive down with your wings closed at 200 feet, you can pull up after performing it. The move will leave behind a swirling cloud of black and white. There's more about me, but you'll find those out from the different contacts you'll meet.
Also, I've been looking into it and it seems the Crimson Hive is planning an attack on the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom sometime within the next two years, be ready for when it occurs if it hasn't all-ready occurred.

signed
Spirit Vengeance

P.S. DO NOT SHOW THE SIGNATURE ON THIS LETTER TO ANYPONY

Midnight used her magic to hide the name and then set the note down on her table.
"What'd it say?" the fillies asked with curiosity as Aurora flew over and opened the letter, reading it.
"Oh." Aurora said.
The next hour was spent playing with the fillies.
"Girls, a note from 'The Five Bladed Bat' just arrived." Twilight said over the Localized Hivemind.
"Coming." Midnight, Aurora, and Scootaloo all said as they headed to the throne room.
When the group got to the throne room, they read the letter.

Hello Spirit, Princess Twilight, and allies. You all-ready know me, but that doesn't matter. Meet me at the lake a mile into the Everfree going from the back of Fluttershy's cottage. Don't expect me to reveal myself then though, I'll be cloaked and hidden in darkness. Bring nopony except you two and whoever has been with you throughout the entirety of your mission. I will be answering only certain questions and telling you what I've been told by Spirit.

signed
The Five Bladed Bat

The Everfree lake was small and looked a lot like it ran with red blood. Twilight and her friends were trying to recover from being pulled into the shadows as they had passed a bush.
"Welcome, now then... any questions?" a voice, that sounded slightly familiar, said from within the shadows.
"Why are you called 'The Five Bladed Bat'?" Twilight asked, she had recovered first and was positive that this was the pony they were looking for.
"I'm a master swordspony, even though I know longer willingly take up my blades unless my friends are in danger. I gained my original nickname, which was the one I go by now except with something else in place of Bat, from being able to wield a pair of wing-blades, two normal swords, and a sword in my mouth yet still fight without a problem. I changed the last word of my original nickname to 'Bat' after an event that occurred a while back."
"Okay, so if you have the answers... why did Celestia request a forbidden spell?"
"You speak of the True Metamorphosis Spell. Celestia requested that for two reasons, the first is more significant and will be understood over time. The second was as a punishment to those that stood in her way, all she had to do was cast the spell and then reveal the pony she had cast it on and she could get away with killing them. Some have escaped her and those include ponies like Vinyl Scratch, who attempted to get ponies to work together to overthrow Celestia, She did this because Celestia, unlike her sister, didn't try to help the ponies that didn't have a home or family. To put it simply, Vinyl is a Child of the Night and you know what that says about her life. Another is even closer than you think, Shadow Claw, your guard captain, tried to tell ponies of a secret he had learned about Celestia. There are several more within the kingdom, Manehattan, Clousdale, and Canterlot."
"Who was part of the first reason?"
"I was told to give you hints, but leave the answer to be revealed at a later date as to add to the suspense, shock, and anger that it will bring. The first reason is the one that she used the Advanced Disguise Spell in, it was used to help increase her public image in a sense. This one has only had two victims so far, one far closer to you than you'd like to think."
"Who are some of the victims of the other?" Twilight was desperate for answers, even if she wouldn't like them.
"One victim was Clover Leaf, AKA Clover the Clever, Celestia did this to ensure that her secrets would be safe, since Clover had found some of them out. She has also turned those that she found were loyal to Luna and not her as well as Luna's best friend, Crystal Bliss, now known as Chrysalis, that's why the invasion happened and why Luna didn't aid or even send guards to help. Celestia has also been known to hunt down and kill the four nocturne races, those being, of course, Bat-ponies, Dracorns, Nightmares, and Changelings. That's all I'm allowed to say, more secrets will be revealed by Night Wind. You will find her within the Everfree Storm." the cloaked pony left after that, but not before unintentionally revealing a bit of her pink mane and yellow coat. Twilight looked over to the large, black, storm that was a few miles south and being created by the Everfree, before shivering.

Twilight looked rather unsure about flying into a raging storm that no Pegasus could hope to control, but she did so anyway, simply because she was still desperate for answers.
The inside of the storm was shockingly calm, with a single Pegasus in a black cloak flying around. The Pegasus' wings were arctic blue.
"I take it that you're Night Wind." Rainbow said.
"Ah yes, it's nice to see that you made it, I wasn't sure taking up base within an Everfree Storm was a good idea, but since you all made it unharmed, then it was." the pony said.
"I think it was a bit much." Twilight said.
"Oh well. You came here for answers, some of which will shatter your view of the Sun Goddess, one such is that the statues in the garden are, in fact, real ponies that tried to defy her and that she wanted to suffer far worse than those she turned. There are also a number of ancient spell books that's she's hidden within the Starswirl the Bearded Wing, one such is Clover the Clever's personal diary. They're hidden within the Spiritual Plane. Got any other questions?"
"Who were the two ponies Celestia turned to increase her public image?" Rainbow asked.
"They aren't what they appear, and not even they know it. If the Crimson Hive knew of who they were, as well as all the secrets Celestia has kept, they would use them to take over Equestria, they'd say that it was them who found these secrets out."
"That didn't answer my question."
"Spirit, was clever and crafty, she wants to keep this secrets from being found out for a long time, so that your distrust and anger at Celestia can condense into enough hatred and anger to make you wish to dethrone Celestia. All these secrets are fact, but Spirit's full plan is to dethrone Celestia and get sompony better qualified to take her place, one that's not going to turn to evil or let their position corrupt their minds. She wants to do it fast though, for the Poison Hive is getting ready for a second invasion and she wants a pony that can lead without having any other interest except the survival of both races in mind to be the one commanding the Equestrian army." Night Wind flew up to Midnight then and held out a letter. "This'll explain further, but for now, don't open it."
"Okay." Midnight said.
"Hey?" Rainbow suddenly asked.
"Yes?" Night Wind asked.
"Who are you and The Five Bladed Bat, really?"
Night Wind chuckled as she placed her hoofs on the edges of her hood. "The Five Bladed Bat is your long time friend, the side of her never shown to be precise. She's Fluttershy."
"What!"
"You can tell her I told you, but don't treat her differently and don't pester her for answers, otherwise..." Night Wind threw back her hood, revealing herself to be Fleetfoot of the Wonderbolts. "Captain Spit Fire will never let you into the Wonderbolts, and you are quite close Rainbow Dash." with that, Fleetfoot closed her wings and dived down.
"Come on, we've gotta head home." Twilight said as she dived as well, followed by everypony.

Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Midnight, and Aurora were on their way back to the kingdom, specifically the castle.
"That was interesting. Hey Twi, you all-right." the answer to Rainbow Dash's question was obvious. Twilight's mane, tail, and wings had flames licking at them; her coat was a few shades closer to light-orange; the magic around her horn held an orange aura that mixed with her normal magenta aura; and her irises were blood-red. Twilight was extremely angry.
"You know the answer to that." Twilight said, her voice having a faint crackle to it that sounded like crackling fire. This served to complete the fact that she was half-way through her rare flame form which, Rainbow had learn, was the result of a failed spell that left her with a fiery (literally speaking) alternate personality that showed when she was experiencing 'extreme emotional stimuli' as she had put it.
"Does she do that a lot?" Midnight asked through the Localized Hivemind. Because she's kind of cute like that. Midnight blushed as the thought passed through her mind.
"Only when she is extremely emotional about something." Rainbow said.
Twilight suddenly stopped and growled angrily. "When I get my hoofs on the Crimson Hive Queen, I'll show her every torture known to pony." she hissed.
Everypony turned to see what Twilight was so mad about, and froze in horror. The Crimson Hive was attacking the Friendship Rainbow Kingdom.

Crimson battle

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Twilight's horn lit up and Midnight found her self in her room.
"Get your armor on, take as long as you need!" Twilight yelled over the Localized Hivemind.
Midnight Locus only nodded as she ran over to her main armor and opened the wing panels, sliding the body armor over herself before bringing her wings through the panels and closing them, leaving only a small ring of exposed chitin around the base; tied her tail with a silver band, like the one she had used before; straightened out her mane while bringing it through the helmet; ensured the helmet went over her horn properly; and slipped on the hoof-shoes. Next she grabbed the, bat-pony based, wing blades off the weapons wall and put them on, watching as the five back blades snapped out of their hiding place and over two of the 'fingers' of her wing with the other three coming out between the first two and between the outer parts of the wing and the first two, she folded her wings back up after getting them on; next were the hoof-claws, after grabbing them, she used her magic to put the claws on the small pegs on either side of both her front hoof-shoes, once they were on, she put the small purple eight-pointed stars that acted as the holds for the claws on and snapped the claws up, thus having them stay at the sides of her hoofs and not in attacking position. After that, Midnight sat down. She greatly wished to help her friends, and by extension, the Group Hive she had created with them, however, she wasn't a warrior, she had only ever been a nurser or infiltrator. Another factor was that the hive attacking was her former hive and, even though she didn't like them that much, she still felt like she was a small part of it. A final question was weather or not she'd actually be able to bring herself to fight.
"Midnight... what's wrong?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"S-sorry, I'm... just not sure I'll be able to fight them." Midnight admitted.
"all-right."
Midnight walked over to her window and watched the battle playing out bellow. Crimson Hive Changelings darted from left to right as they attacked the Rainbow Guard and Midnight's friends. In the air, several Pegasi and an unidentified blur of white could be seen attacking airborne changelings. Midnight could see that even a few Changelings were among the guard, each one without an altered color scheme. Midnight's wondering eyes suddenly fell on the white blur, which had stopped and was revealed to be Aurora in white Pegasus armor, seeing her made Midnight's mind up.

Aurora Light was giggling like the filly she was as she dodged Changeling after Changeling. As one of the Changelings closed in on her, Aurora sliced his gut open with the sword that the filly had in her mouth. After another two Changelings fell to her sword, one managed to grab it with her magic and pull it out of the fillies grasp.
"Hey no fair, you used magic!" Aurora yelled as storm clouds began forming around her. Before Aurora could strike down the cheating Changeling though, it stopped flying and fell in two pieces, followed closely by three more. Midnight flew over to Aurora and hoofed her back her sword, revealing her hoof-claws to be extended. Aurora took the sword and flew off as Midnight spun around and slashed open another Changeling.
"Hey, good move!" Twilight said aloud from nearby, she had a bit of a seductiveness to her voice.
Midnight spun around and cut apart another changeling before facing the Alicorn.
"You've got three things wrong. First, Twilight doesn't have six smaller stars on her cutie mark, second, she doesn't talk to me like that, and third, I can feel Twilight's exact location." Midnight said without even blinking at the Changeling. The Changeling didn't have so much as enough time to drop her disguise before Midnight had cut through her and hovered a few feet away. Midnight launched herself into the swarm as she started cutting open Changelings in her path. Midnight wasn't entirely sure about why, but she was most violent towards the Changelings that impersonated Twilight. She also wasn't sure why seeing Aurora being attacked had ended with her going into battle, though she was pretty sure it involved the fact that Aurora was her niece.

At the other end of the Kingdom, Twilight and Rainbow Dash were easily fending off the Changelings attacking them. By this time, Twilight's anger had reached its max. Her wings, mane, and tail had all become fire and stayed in their original forms with thin trails of flames flowing off them; the pupils and irises of her eyes had merged into a single glowing blood-red form; her coat had turned tan; her teeth had become far sharper; her magic had become orange; and her cutie-mark's color scheme had changed, the main star had turned red and the rest had become the same purple as the main star once was. Rainbow Sliced apart another Changeling as Twilight drove a sword through a different one's chest.
"These bugs better not harm Midnight, or I'll rip their queen to bits." Twilight said, her voice having a sound of crackling fire mixed in with it.
"Oh does somepony have a little crush?" Rainbow mocked as she stabbed another Changeling.
"No!" Twilight said in a voice that had now gained a bit of a demonic tone, though she was blushing.
Twilight spun around and sent out a wave of flames then, incinerating several Changelings. Rainbow glanced at the Kingdom-turned-battlefield, it had mostly been covered in the blood of Changelings, but now there were only a hoof-full remaining.

Scootloo jumped off her scooter as she brought her sword through another Changeling before landing back on the scooter and riding to where Rainbow Dash and the others had met up. It took her a bit to recognize them though because of all the inverted-rainbow blood that covered each of them.
"What about them?" she asked as she motioned towards the large mass of Changelings that had gathered into a tight sphere.
"Hive Sphere Tactic, they're protecting Queen Black Wing." Midnight said.
"So we kill the bugs then kill the queen?"
"No, we kill the queen, but not the Changelings, they are only following orders, they don't deserve to die."
"I think being part of their hive at one point is clouding your judgement."
"It is a bit, but think about it. If you were in an orphanage with thousands of other ponies of different races and the only caretaker was controlling and evil, would you rather the caretaker and the orphans die, or just the caretaker?"
"Just the caretaker... I guess I understand."
"Come on, let's form a tornado to blow the Changelings away and break their ranks." Rainbow said as she flew up, followed by the others.

Pegasus magic filled the air, looking like a whitish trail of wind, and began to shape something.
"What's going on?" Black Wing asked herself as the magic began to swirl around the area bellow the swarm. Soon a tornado formed and her Changelings were blown away, leaving her to be hit full force by several events. First was Rainbow Dash moving with the speed granted from her Sonic Rainboom; then there was a spike of extreme pain through her horn as Aurora performed her Magic field Razor, effectively cutting off Black Wings magic for a time; next came several cuts in her chitin from Scootaloo's lunar charged sword; then Midnight's Dark Light Twist destroyed her visibility as it inverted the position of the presence of light and lack of light; and finely came a blast of practically every magic Twilight currently had control of that sent her flying into a nearby wall.
"H-how?" Black Wing asked as her executioners landed in front of her.
"Secrets must remain secret until the time they must be revealed, until then all that can be said is that you are not the true target." Midnight said, unintentionally quoting what she would often say back when she was Spirit Vengeance.
"W-why?" Black Wing would never hear the answer as her life ended there.
Midnight slowly bowed, as did any remaining Changelings. "May the great queen allow you a second chance at life." she said in a language of hisses, clicks, and buzzes. Midnight got back up and turned towards the semi-lost Changelings, who all nodded before picking up the body and flying off.
"What was all that about?" Rainbow dash asked.
"When a Changeling Queen dies, the members of their hive give her a final bow and request that the first Changeling queen give the recently killed queen another chance in a different life. Midnight's an ex-member, but she's still subject to the tradition. Afterwards, the Changelings retreat to their hive to give her a proper burial and then they select a new queen, even if the hive was an insect hive." Twilight explained as Midnight pulled out the parchment Spit Fire had given her.

I have a deep liking of Changelings and their culture, this is why I wish to stop Celestia from waging war against them. Chrysalis' hive has separated into two different hives, the Poison hive is lead by a vengeful ling with the name blood wind, Chrysalis now commands a hive named the Venom Hive, you will need her help. Only when a new pony is in charge will the Venom Hive aid Equestria, but Twilight has no intentions of dethroning Celestia, I doubt she does even after everything she's learned.
*Go to Canterlot and enter Starswirl's undead wing, from their you will find Clover's diary, read it for it will aid you later on. (remember, Twilight Sparkle, what you learn from the diary will do more damage to your trust of Celestia than anything else has so far). There are more secrets to be learned, but those will come in time.

signed
Spirit Fire.

Solar Lies (revised)

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Twilight's horn ignited in its normal magenta glow, seeing as she was back to her normal self, and she teleported the group right into the Starswirl The Bearded wing. The doors to the room closed the second Twilight had teleported into it and then the doors locked from Twilight's magic. After readying themselves, the group began casting the spell to enter the Spiritual Plane. White magic that seemed to whisper and held an evil aura around it began spinning around and through the five casters as they felt their hearts slowing. Soon, the world blurred around them and refocused in the Spiritual Plane.
The entire room had become a bedroom. The walls were made of bone with several pictures of Clover Leaf and Star Swirl side-by-side on them. Several tapestries were hung around the room with some having Star Swirl's cutie mark and some having a version of Twilight's cutie mark without the star behind the primary one and with only four stars around the central one (Clover Leaf's cutie mark). The floor was black with several runes painted in yellow Unicorn blood and blue Dracorn blood seemingly placed at random intervals. The hour-glass in the center was made of bone with red tinted glass and black sand in it. There were two beds on opposite sides of the chamber with a few tables and night-stands scattered around the place. One bed had a blue star-pattern blanket while the other had a purple magic themed one. On a podium in-front of the hour-glass was a book with Clover's cutie mark on it and 'Dairy' written in purple lettering, there was a book-mark on one of the pages.
"That must be Clover's diary." Rainbow said through the Localized Hivemind.
"Thanks for the obvious." Twilight jokingly said as she levitated the diary over to her and flipped to the book-marked page.

Celestia... I never thought I'd see the day that I wrote that name down with only hatred in my heart. She lied to me, to Star Swirl, and to Princess Cadence. I've learned so many evil secrets of the so called 'fair ruler of the day'. I'm now awaiting my execution for replacing the real Clover, when I am the real Clover, because she's used some ancient spell to turn me into a Changeling. She's given me a day to remove all mention in my writings of the secrets I've learned. I'm not letting her keep these secrets, I've fed off everypony's love for several hours straight, now I'm going to weave a spell to allow any Unicorn, strong enough to find and read it, the ability to see flashes of the past that reveal these secrets, even if the secrets now pertains to another, this spell will show them. The spell is hidden within the fabric of the magic signature of this book, use it and reveal the lies the solar ruler has told us!!
With final good-byes
Clover Leaf

"Ready girls?" Twilight asked as she looked over to her friends, who all nodded. Twilight's horn began glowing in a mixture of light-blue magic and Changeling magic as she charged the spell, tuning her magic to match Clover's own. The magic began swirling around her horn as an ethereal wind picked up in the room. The area around the group began to distort from the magical pull as Dark Magic, Black Magic, and Nightmare Magic all joined the two magics around Twilight's horn. After another moment of silence, the aura grew tenfold and Twilight released her spell, casting them into darkness.
The girls found themselves in a plane of existence unknown to them, not far from their location was Princess Celestia and a past Twilight without wings. As her ascension, for this was what was about to happen, began, the past twilight's magic swirled around her, but soon green flames began spreading from her bottom hoofs to the tip of her horn, increasing her size and forming wings along her back. The group stared in shock at the obvious Changeling Magic.
The world blurred suddenly.
They were now all watching as the recently ascended past Twilight brushed her mane while looking in a mirror. Her eyes suddenly flashed purple and the scene froze, showing the magenta slitted eyes of a Changeling princess or queen, before returning to normal speed. "Hmm, what just happened?" the past Twilight asked herself before shrugging and going back to brushing her mane.
the world blurred again.
Midnight and Twilight instantly recognized where they had ended up, overseeing the chariot ride to Manehattan, though most of the conversation they had had was blurry.
"I've been studying Changelings for a while now. I started after seeing them during the Canterlot invasion. My interest, for some reason, grew when I became a princess." While the words from past Twilight were exactly the same, the last part seemed to hold a strong emphasis.
"Some changelings, separated from their hive at a young age, grow up not knowing that they were Changelings, but they always have a wish to learn everything about them." like with the past Twilight, the past Midnight spoke the same words she had at the time shown, but extra emphasis seemed to be applied to a part. A few incoherent words were spoken before the words became clear once more. "Y-yea, but for Changelings it's color usually changes with the disguise. I didn't bother using the more complex disguise spell to get the added effect."
the scene shifted.
They were now watching the scene from when Twilight had cast the spell to enter the Spiritual Plane to learn the real spell to do it. Everypony noticed that there was a lot of Changeling Magic mixed in with the spell gathering around her horn and several thin streams of emotion flowing off the others to her, both seamed far more vibrant and noticeable then they had been.
The next scene was of the group looking at the pages of an over-sized version of the Changeling History book that Twilight had read from the last time they had been in the castle.
'the True Metamorphosis Spell (a Changeling spell, one that's forbidden in most hives, that can turn anypony into a Changeling with or without their permission. The spell is irreversible.) and the Advanced Disguise Spell (a spell that allows a Changeling to take on a disguise that goes as deep as the blood and makes it nearly impossible to tell that the disguised Changeling is a Changeling at all. This spell is also unaffected by Changeling reveal spells of the normal variety.)'
The next scene was Their conversation with 'The Five Bladed Bat', AKA Fluttershy.
"I was told to give you hints, but leave the answer to be revealed at a later date as to add to the suspense, shock, and anger that it will bring. The first reason is the one that she used the Advanced Disguise Spell in, it was used to help increase her public image in a sense. This one has only had two victims so far, one far closer to you than you'd like to think."
Twilight suddenly released a spell she had been unaware was charging, an advanced reveal spell that could drop the disguise of an advanced disguise spell. Midnight winced at the feeling of such a powerful spell passing through her and was glad that she wasn't in disguise. Twilight felt the spell's effects as well and was engulfed in green flames. When the flames died down, her true form was revealed. Her carapace was dark lavender; her cutie mark was still present; her mane and tail were the same as before except more silk-like and with several holes; her hoofs had holes in them, she had the fangs of a princess or queen (about the size of a normal bat-pony's); her eyes were magenta with slitted pupils; her saddle carapace was the same color as her coat had been; her wings were like those of a queen's, but a little thinner, symbolizing a princess.
She looks beautiful Midnight thought the second she'd seen Twilight's real form, then she blushed at the thought.
"S-she turned me into a Changeling." Twilight was extremely shocked, and blushing inverted rainbow a little bit.
"Why are you and her blushing?" Rainbow asked as she looked at Midnight.
"I-I've been feeding o-off her emotions like I have the rest of you. Changelings can f-feed off each-other's emotions, but it's not food for them, it's kissing." Midnight said, her blush intensifying.
"Huh? We couldn't here you?" Aurora and Scootaloo said, they had been too busy watching the events that had unfolded to speak until now.
"She said that Changelings feeding off each other's emotions is basically them kissing." Rainbow said, having been able to here her from being around Fluttershy.
The world suddenly started shifting scenes rapidly. It started showing scenes of Celestia hunting Bat-ponies, Changelings, Nightmares, and Dracorns; turning Cadence during her ascension; turning Clover; cursing her sister; banishing her with an evil smile; turning several other ponies; turning some ponies to stone; and watching Twilight from afar, ensuring that she didn't turn against her.

Twilight, Midnight, Rainbow, Scootaloo, and Aurora opened their eyes after the scenes had stopped.
"She really did all that?" Rainbow Dash asked, trying to process all of it.
"A Time vision spell of that power is as true as possible, I can see why Clover fed off a lot of emotion before creating it." Twilight's voice had the familiar crackling sound in it again as her fiery other side began coming out.
"So, um... what does this mean between us since... you know?" Midnight's blush had returned.
"We'll talk about it later, I have a sister-in-law to visit and a Solar princess to confront." Twilight said as she started walking off. Her mane and tail regained their fire design, just with the holes in them remaining; her wings ignited, becoming pure flames that held an unnatural transparency; Her irises went blood-red, though the pupils stayed the same, only with a small fire in them; her carapace turned dark gold, the saddle carapace turning tan; her fangs seemed to sharpen even further; and her cutie mark changed to the version it had last time she had changed like this, only with a pair of Changeling Princess wings spreading out from behind the primary star and in-front of the star behind it.
Midnight couldn't even find the right words to describe how beautiful she thought Twilight was, though she did know one thing, she was definitely in-love, the thin pink aura around her made that clear, though only her and Twilight could possibly see it.

Epilogue: The Solar Battle

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The Crystal Empire had been mostly peaceful since Sombra's defeat, the Crystal Ponies were living great lives with new ponies coming in almost daily. As Twilight (Still in her flaming true form) and her friends stepped off the train to the Empire, everypony gave them only brief, strange, looks before returning to what they had been doing.
"They don't seem to mind, then again, it's not the first time Changelings have entered this place." Twilight said through the Localized Hivemind.
"What-ever, we still need to speak with Cadence." Rainbow said.
The group continued in relative silence as they approached the Crystal Castle and knocked on the door. Two guards opened the door, quietly, to allow them in.
"We wish to speak to the princess." Twilight said.
"As you wish." the guard said as they turned down a corridor.
The castle was about the size of Twilight's own with everything made of a form of crystal. A few staff ponies, including Changelings, walked around with treys of food, cleaning supplies, or anything else one would need as a servant. The group entered a hall that anypony would recognize. The hall was lined with stained glass windows showing important events in history. Rainbow smiled slightly when she saw the window depicting her with the crystal heart as she flew past Sombra to return it to its proper place.
"We're here." the guard said as he stopped.
"Thanks." they entered the throne room then. Cadence was siting on her throne with Shinning's currently empty, Twilight asked Cadence where Shinning was.
"Prince Shinning Armor left on a call from Princess Celestia concerning somepony breaking ancient laws like using forbidden magic." Cadence said.
Twilight hissed before speaking "How cruel of Celestia to send Shinny to kill his own little sister simply because she, being the most powerful being yet according to Celestia herself, wanted to test her limits."
"Wait! Twilight is the one that did that, but she would never go against Celestia."
"I assure you that I have." Twilight threw up her original disguise then, though it was her flaming form.
Cadence just stared, noling, and there had been plenty that tried, had ever been able to match Twilight's fire form, something Cadence had learned about the hard way. "Twilight? Why are you a Changeling?"
"Ask Celestia, she's the one that cast the spell to turn me into a Changeling and give the illusion of a new Alicorn, similar to what she did to you."
"What? Aunt Celestia would never do that."
"Really, she did it to Vinyl Scratch, to my own guard captain, to you, to me, and even to Clover. Don't you find her execution for 'impersonating Clover Leaf' to be a little too well timed in comparison to her intended meeting with you?"
Just then, Shinning came in. He looked at the fiery Twilight and instantly erected a shield to protect from her powerful magic, in-case she attacked as she had several years ago.
"Took you long enough Shinning, I was just getting to the point where I'm sure you'd be needed. Tell me though, have you ever memorized Cadence's magic signature, the only thing that can't be altered with any form of magic?"
"Of course I have." Shinning said with hurt in his voice, likely from the natural malice in Twilight's voice when she was in that form.
"Good. Cadence, if you want my proof then here." Twilight cast the advanced reveal spell then and aimed it at Cadence, revealing Cadence's true form.
Cadence's carapace was dark pink with a saddle carapace the same color as she originally had for a coat; her mane and tail retained their colors but were silk-like and had several holes in them; her horn, like Twilight's, had a few holes in it; her hoofs had holes in them; she had fangs like those of a bat-pony's; and her wings were of a Changeling Princess' and, like Twilight's, held the former color of her coat, except in Cadence's case they also faded to purple near the tips.
"What?" Cadence asked as she stared at her self.
"The spell I just cast is an advanced reveal spell, it's needed to reveres the advanced disguise spell you were under." Twilight dropped her disguise after saying that.
"Huh?" Shinning was utterly confused now.
"Basically, Celestia uses the True Metamorphosis Spell to give the illusion of turning a pony into an Alicorn, she also uses the Advanced Disguise Spell to make them look like Alicorns, She does this both to increase public image and to be able to stage a replacement and execute the Changeling should they learn her secrets." Midnight clarified.
After an hour or so of explanation Twilight took her got up to leave.
"So where are you going now?" Cadence asked, she hadn't bothered with putting her disguise back up.
"To pay a Sun Goddess a little visit." Twilight said, even after an hour of talking peacefully, she was still in flames.

The doors to Celestia's throne room were blasted open by powerful orange magic as Twilight, in her Harmony armor, which had changed to accommodate her new appearance; Midnight, in her personal armor and with a set of wing-blades strapped around her wings; Scootaloo, in her Night Guard armor with her sword floating near by; Aurora in the bright white armor she apparently had and with a sword; and Rainbow Dash, in her own Harmony armor ad Wing-blades burst in.
"Sister, what's going on?" Luna asked from Celestia's right.
"I'm being over thrown." Celestia said as she un-sheathed a golden sword with a sun emblem on the hilt and stood to fight.
Twilight spoke first "I can't believe I ever looked up to you Celestia, all the lies and deceit and I never saw them, now you'll be scorched by the Fires of Harmony."
"Stand down Changeling."
"So Luna doesn't know then, you mean to tell me that you wont even tell your own little sister that you've secretly turned me and Cadence into Changelings to give the illusion of turning us into Alicorns, you could have just as easily cast an advanced disguise spell on us to give the illusion."
"What is she talking about sister?" Luna asked as she looked at Twilight.
"I'm Twilight Inferno, the fire within Twilight Sparkle, and I'm here to bring her secrets to light and destroy her power over this land."
"But, what are you talking about?"
Twilight closed her eyes as a powerful rainbow energy began swirling around her body, the elemental symbols on all the Harmony Armors glowing brightly. Twilight released the spell and let it slam into Luna with full force, Luna then held her head while fighting off a major headache. "And that's with just one other element near me."
"Make it two." Fluttershy said as she flew in through a window with her own armor on. Her armor was gold with a metallic gold head band around her head and a butterfly in the center of the headband, chest, and hoof shoes. Fluttershy had a set of wing-blades on, a golden sword in each of her hoofs, and one in her mouth.
Celestia narrowed her eyes. "The Five Bladed Shy." she said angrily.
"It's The Five Bladed Bat now, and I'm not alone." all shyness was gone from Fluttershy's voice.
Fleetfoot, in armor that held the same color scheme as the wonderbolts uniforms and with a set of hoof-claws on; Spitfire in similar armor with a sword that had a fire design in her mouth; and a pony that looked like Flutterbat, but was Nightshy in full Night Guard armor with a set of wing-blades, and a set of hoof-claws all flew in threw the recently smashed window.
Celestia looked over each pony, stating their well-known nicknames. "The Nightly Wind, The Fire Phoenix, and The quad-blade Bat... where's The Vengeful Spirit?" she asked.
"Right here." Midnight said as she spread her wings out wide, using small amounts of Dark Magic to keep airborne, she had read about the nickname in a letter she had found in the room with Clover's diary.
"Hey!" Aurora said as she flew right in-front of Celestia. "Are you forgetting about me, The Dead Spectrum? I might be a filly, but I'm still part of the Spirit Clan and I'm still well known!" she yelled as she flew back to her original spot and placed both hoof's on her sword before splitting it in two, both halves holding the white tint that symbolized a pony with the natural ability to see the magic signature of others.

Twilight struck first, moving in from the side and slashing Celestia's side. Fluttershy was next, delivering five cuts in the form of a pentagram. Aurora stood off to the side with large amounts of Black Magic swirling around her in a cloud. Scootaloo flew in with a Lunar charged cut across Celestia's face.
"Come." Nightshy said as she flew over to Midnight and then flew her back to Fluttershy and Spitfire.
"Time to relearn a bit of you life." Fluttershy said.
Aurora was in darkness, literally no light could escape the Black Magic's hold. She didn't see anything with her normal sight, but she did see the different colored outlines that represented the magic signatures of those around her. Rainbow Dash was about four feet to her left and ten feet above her, she had a strong rainbow colored signature, the signature was moving in a circular motion around her. Twilight was slicing at the large golden signature that was Celestia, but Twilight's signature was about twice as large and held an orange fire design. Fluttershy, Nightshy, Midnight, and Spitfire were all in one place. Fluttershy's signature was a calm pink with little movement and was about as large as Twilight's and Rainbow's (Likely from them being Element's of Harmony. Nightshy's was light blue with a calm waving motion. Spitfire's was the color of fire and shifted from calm to erratic every now and then. Scootaloo's was silvery blue with a similar movement pattern to Nightshy's, though a lot more erratic. Fleetfoot's was the color of ice and misty like something that was extremely cold. Midnight's was the most interesting, it had been slightly recolored through a lot of training and practice, which was all that could really change a signature other than a powerful event, her signature was black and white with a faint grey tint in some areas, the tints were in the shape of a bat and were what had been faintly altered to make ponies that saw her signature know who she was. Aurora looked down at her own signature, hers was thinner then the others and moved like a storm, the coloration was red. Aurora was finely ready, right when the signatures of her family started moving in at four different angles, she unleashed all the black magic around her and shot upwards.
Celestia was blown through a nearby wall from the powerful team move the Spirit Clan had performed. Rainbow met her on the other side with a punch that's speed and force had been increased by a sonic rainboom. Celestia groaned as she slowly stood up.
"Where did that little brat come from?" she asked herself, thinking of the filly that had delivered the blow that sent her through the wall.
"You mean me?" Aurora asked as she flew in, both her swords now having Black Magic flowing off them, with the same occurring in her eyes. Aurora Light shot forward then and cut clean through Celestia with her twin swords, stopping a few feet away and looking at the badly wounded Alicorn. There was a lot of rainbow colored blood on her coat from the attack, but Celestia still stood. Twilight Inferno, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash flew in then, Scootaloo was no where to be found. Twilight's sword ignited in bright flames as she shot towards Celestia, cutting through her and spilling even more blood. Celestia angrily stood up and released a powerful explosion of magic, sending everypony there into the walls.
"I'm tired of this." Celestia released several blasts of magic at her captives. None of the blast made contact as a blue shield blocked them. Celestia turned to see Scootloo standing on top of Luna, who was now awake and very mad.
"I UNDERSTAND ALTERING MEMORIES TO HELP COPE WITH SOMETHING, BUT TO ALTER MY MEMORIES JUST TO ENSURE I'D CLING TO YOU IN HOPES OF GAINING FORGIVENESS YOU DIDN'T DESERVE, THAT IS JUST EVIL." the Lunar Princess yelled in the Royal Canterlot voice. Luna's magic swirled around her at an immense speed then and, with Scootaloo lending extra Lunar Magic, she unleashed it on Celestia.
When the smoke cleared, Celestia was weak, but she was still breathing. Twilight approached darkly and spoke to Celestia.
"As I said in the beginning, you'll be scorched by the Fires of Harmony." five streams of rainbow colored energy flowed from each of the element bearers, swirling around Twilight chest before she looked at Celestia. Celestia let out a pained scream as rainbow colored flames engulfed her. When the fire died, she was dead. "She had too much evil for Harmony to save her." Twilight said as she spun to face Luna, Midnight beat her though.
"Princess Luna, Chrysalis, formerly known as Crystal Bliss', Hive has split in two. we need Chrysalis and her Venom Hive to come and aid us as the Poison Hive, now lead by a vengeful Changeling, is planning to attack." she said.
"Got it." Princess Luna said.

Past Secrets

by BloodHive1998

Prologue: Changes

introductions

plans

The First Trip part 1: Letter From One's Self

The First Trip part 2: Careful Planning

dead and alive

Lessons of the Past

Shadows and Truths

Forgotten Hive and Forbidden magic

Bat and Wind

Crimson battle

Solar Lies (revised)

Epilogue: The Solar Battle