What if you were somepony who has been subjected to a forbidden spell since birth? Would you cope being less than equine and more than mortal? Or would you be tormented by that curse till the end of your life?
Author's Notes: This story is up for adoption!
What if you were somepony who has been subjected to a forbidden spell since birth? Would you cope being less than equine and more than mortal? Or would you be tormented by that curse till the end of your life?
It was a quiet afternoon in Equestria. There were clouds covering half the sky and the only sound heard was a gentle breeze and chirping birds. A mysterious, cloaked figure walked through a terrain of hills that were completely covered with grass and very few trees. Under the ragged cloak was a Pegasus pony with a cream-colored coat, red eyes and a black and grey mane and tail.
"I should be near Ponyville by now.", the Pegasus thought, "I've been walking since this morning. Maybe I'll take a breather at the top of that hill.", he thought as he stared into the distance to his temporary destination.
As he got closer to the tree shading the hill, he could hear voices coming from behind it. When he quietly got to the base, he decided to hide behind it and take a peek through the side to see where the voices were coming from. There were two ponies sitting around on a large quilt having a picnic. One was an Earth Pony who had a pink coat and a pink cotton candy mane and tail. The other was a Unicorn who had a purple coat and a dark blue mane and tail with a light blue stripe.
"Pinkie, stop hogging the whole cake! There won't be enough for me!", the Unicorn exclaimed to the Earth Pony.
"Sorry, Twilight, but I can't help it. Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cheesecake is my favourite!", the pink pony said with an innocent tone.
"Do you have any idea how many calories that... Oh, nevermind. I'll just have some tea.", said the Unicorn.
Meanwhile, the anonymous Pegasus behind the tree who was still peeking at them backed up.
"Should I ask them for directions?", he whispered to himself, "It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? They look friendly enough. Besides, I might get some information from them. I just have to remain discreet and things should be..."
"Hello?"
Before he lost his train of thought, the purple Unicorn's head popped out around the tree. The Pegasus didn't notice her presence behind him. The purple one asked without hesitation, "Oh, hello. Didn't see you there. What's your name?"
"Uhh... my name is Grey Nimbus", he said in a nervous tone.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Grey Nimbus. My name is Twilight Sparkle. This is my friend Pinkie Pie.", Twilight said likewise.
In a split-second, the pink pony appeared in a flash right in front of him, startling him.
"Oh, my gosh, I've never seen you before! That must mean you're new to Ponyville! You know what this calls for!?" Pinkie Pie shouted excitedly.
"I don't think I want to know.", Grey Nimbus thought.
"A PARTY! There'll be music, cake, games, punch and other ponies there, too! It'll be FUN!", exclaimed the hyper pink pony.
"I don't have time for a party. I'm looking for Ponyville." Grey Nimbus said with a serious expression.
"Oh, well why didn't you just say so? We're FROM Ponyville. We can take you there if you'd like. It's right over there." Twilight said while pointing to Ponyville in the distance.
Grey Nimbus had a blank expression on his face, pondering how he did not see the town sooner.
"Oh, okay. Thanks. I'd better go find a hotel to stay at before they all close. It's already dusk."
Grey Nimbus walked past the two ponies and walked towards Ponyville. Pinkie Pie nudged her friend and Twilight slapped her hoof away.
“Stop that, Pinkie.”
“He can’t walk to Ponyville by himself! What if he gets lost? Or attacked by a vicious gang of Timberwolves? Or a herd of zombies? Or a vicious herd of zombie timberwolves!?”
“Pinkie, that’s ridiculous.”
“Maybe so, but I don’t know of anypony who would say no to my company!” She bounded after Grey Nimbus and Twilight galloped to catch up to her.
"Hey, Mr. Nimbus! wait up!" Pinkie exclaimed as she ran towards Grey Nimbus.
As Pinkie Pie got close to him at arm's length, she reached to put a hoof on his back. Just before Pinkie could touch him, she was engulfed in a purple aura which pulled her away from the Pegasus. Grey Nimbus stopped in his tracks and turned around to face the mares.
Twilight moved in front of Pinkie to get the stallion's attention.
"Please excuse Pinkie. She's always enthusiastic. Anyway, I insist that you stay with me at my library. I won't charge you anything, I have a spare room and you can stay for as long as you need."
Twilight forced a smile on her face. She knew that new ponies wouldn't be to comfortable staying with Pinkie Pie so she decided to make the offer before her pink friend could.
"Well... If you insist, Miss Sparkle. It'll save me the trouble of finding a hotel. But are you sure? You don't even know me."
"I'm sure." Twilight said with a nod
"Very well, then."
With that settled, Twilight and Pinkie Pie packed up their picnic and escorted Grey Nimbus to Ponyville. The sun was setting and the sound of the gently breeze was replaced with crickets chirping. When they finally arrived in Ponyville, Pinkie Pie said goodnight to her friend while Twilight lead her guest to her library where he'll be staying. The library was a large oak tree with a door, windows and a balcony. Since the sun was already going down, there were lights shining through the windows. The two went inside.
"I have a guest room that you can use upstairs." Twilight said as Grey Nimbus put his saddlebag down next to the couch.
"Thanks, Twilight." he said as he took a seat on the couch.
"No problem, Grey Nimbus. Would you like some tea?" Twilight offered.
"I would love some, Twilight. And, please, 'Nimbus' is fine." he replied with a reassuring smile.
Twilight exited the living room and into the kitchen to make some tea. As soon as Twilight was out of sight, Grey Nimbus let out a worried sigh. I was hoping I wouldn't get too physically close to a Unicorn. I just hope she doesn't notice too soon. Grey Nimbus thought. He sat and waited for a few more minutes until Twilight finally came back in while levitating a tray of tea with her magic. As soon as Twilight put the tray on the table in front of the couch, she levitated one of the cups over to Grey Nimbus. When the magic-embraced cup came in contact with his hooves, she felt her magic burst, like she was just hit by an explosion. She gasped loudly and was pushed back slightly by the burst of magic.
"Oh, I was hoping you wouldn't notice..." Grey Nimbus stared at the cup in his hooves guiltily. "I shouldn't have touched your magic."
Twilight backed up slowly, deciding to listen to Grey Nimbus' explanation. Despite her fear, she was still a curious scientist at heart; she needed to know more. "What's this dark magic that's emanating from you?"
Grey Nimbus was preparing to tell Twilight everything. "Alright, I'll tell you. For as long as I can remember, I've always had this powerful dark energy inside me. I never found out why I have it but I found out what it was. I went to an expert Magic Unicorn in Baltimare and he confirmed that a forbidden spell called 'Soulbound' was cast onto me when I was bor-"
Twilight interrupted, "I've read up on many magic hexes, and this sounds familiar to me... Soulbound. Care to explain?"
Grey Nimbus let out a deep breath before getting ready to explain.
"Soulbound is an ancient spell used to seal away the souls of wraiths, demons and other evil entities. The soul is sealed together with the soul of the host to form one soul, like a mutated cell. But it's risky because if the soul is too powerful for the host to absorb, then the host will suffer endless pain and agony until the host is nothing more than an enigma of it's former self and the dark soul escapes. Nopony in history has ever survived the Soulbound spell... except for me."
Twilight was speechless, knowing she had an interesting test subject in her home. She had read up on this type of dark magic before, but only as a precautionary; if a pony uses dark magic, it can corrupt the magical reserves within and in turn, corrupt their minds. She thought back to Nightmare Moon and shivered; the black arts were not to be trifled with.
"Well, it looks like I've made history, doesn't it? I was hoping not to get too physically close to you, Twilight. Not because I don't trust you, but because when a Unicorn's magic comes in contact with my body, my dark aura surrounds me and then repels magic away with a counter-shock. And I guess you're gonna drive me away like the rest, huh?" Grey Nimbus explained in despair.
"But... you seem like a good pony to me. and you're still in one piece after that spell was cast on you. You DID say you've had it for your whole life. Besides, I'd like to hear more, if that's okay with you." Twilight said in a calm manner, allowing Grey Nimbus to stay at her home, only to be her test subject.
"Thank you, Twilight. I'll explain everything to you. The only explanation I can think of is that I'm either extremely lucky or not a normal pony. I think the second option is more believable. Anyway, I left my home about a month ago to find a way to use the power of my soul for peaceful purposes. I first came to Ponyville to find some information." explained Grey Nimbus
"Well, I happen to be Princess Celestia's protégé. I have good connections with her and maybe I can ask her to help you." Twilight said.
Grey Nimbus had a very surprised yet relieved look on his face. "Really? You'd do that for me, Twilight?"
Grey Nimbus was sitting on the couch in the living room, waiting for Twilight to finish her letter in her study. I can’t believe I’ll be getting help from Equestria’s monarch. It’s a good thing I came to Ponyville; I don’t think I could be luckier. Grey Nimbus thought to himself while being patient.
After several minutes of waiting, Twilight returned from her study while levitating a scroll with her magic.
“I’ve finished the letter. I’ll have my assistant Spike to deliver it later. Right now, he’s asleep. Shall we go to the welcoming party? Knowing Pinkie Pie, she'd probably have it set up by now."
"Why would she set up a party for a complete stranger?" Grey Nimbus asked
"That's just what Pinkie does. She sees somepony that she's never seen before in Ponyville and she instantly throws them a welcoming party to show that she wants to be friends."
They stepped outside and saw Luna’s moon brightening the night sky as Twilight and Grey Nimbus headed to Sugarcube Corner. Grey Nimbus was starting to warm up to Twilight and her generosity. Twilight and her kindness; making friends other ponies was never any interest to him, but after being encouraged by Twilight and being offered to stay at her library, Grey Nimbus decided to give ‘friendship’ a chance.
After seconds of leaving the library, Grey Nimbus and Twilight were walking side-by-side. There was nopony in sight; very few lights were shining through windows of houses and faint party music could be heard in the distance. Grey Nimbus turned his head towards Twilight with a curious expression.
“Hey, Twilight?”, Grey Nimbus asked
“Yes?”, Twilight replied with a smile.
“Why aren't you afraid of me?”
Twilight could understand why she was asked such a question. She turns her head towards Grey Nimbus, still keeping the smile, and answered...
“Well, the reason I’m not scared of you is because; in recorded history, the ponies that perished from the spell did not have pure hearts. They were ponies reduced to the level of thievery, brutality and greed; they embraced their darker magic and in doing so, destroyed their mortal bodies." Twilight shook her head. "They all gave in. You, on the other hoof, don't seem to be showing fatigue or wear. You're sustaining it well."
Twilight’s words put a surprised look on Grey Nimbus’ face. Grey Nimbus didn't know how to respond to such kind and flattering words.
“Thanks, Twilight" was all Grey Nimbus could say.
“You’re welcome, Nimbus.”, Twilight said as they heard party music getting louder with each step and they found themselves at the entrance to Sugarcube Corner.
“Oh, we’re here. Nimbus, why don’t I introduce you to my friends? I think you’ll all get along swimmingly.”
Grey Nimbus had his hoof to his chin, still thinking about making friends.
If Twilight already accepts me, even when she knows that I'm a potential threat, I guess meeting her friends wouldn't kill me... I hope, Grey Nimbus thought.
Twilight then noticed Grey Nimbus rubbing his eyes and the side of his head.
“Nimbus, is something wrong?”, Twilight asked with a worried expression.
Nimbus snapped out of his slight struggle and looked back at Twilight.
"Please don’t tell anypony about… what I told you earlier. I don’t want to make any enemies.”
“Don’t worry. I Pinkie Pie Promise.”
“Pinkie Pie Promise?”
“Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” Twilight chanted while making the gestures.
“Oh, I see”, Grey Nimbus said in an unimpressed tone.
Twilight let out a small snicker and walked towards the front door. “Now, let’s go inside. We wouldn't wanna miss the fun.”
Twilight and Grey Nimbus stepped inside Sugarcube Corner, and Grey Nimbus' eyes went wide with surprise. He had never seen so many ponies in one room. There were at least over 20 ponies in sight.
"All of these ponies were invited to a welcoming party for a complete stranger?" Grey Nimbus thought. "Ponies aren't so welcoming where I come from."
"Why don't you go mingle for a minute, Nimbus? I'm gonna go gather up my best friends so you can meet them, okay?"
He nodded before Twilight left his side to find her friends. Grey Nimbus walked through the crowd of ponies for several minutes, greeting each pony who said 'hello' to him. To everypony, he just replied with the occasional 'hi'. It was almost impossible to mingle with 20 ponies at the same time. Unless their definition of 'mingle' is "gather your friends and shower a soon-to-be-friend with questions".
Grey Nimbus managed to escape from the crowd of 'minglers' and made his way to a snack table that was up against the wall. He turned his gaze to the contents of the table and saw a round tray piled with chocolate-covered eclairs with whipped cream filling.
"My favorite...", he though.
His mouth was beginning to drool at the sight of the personally irresistible delicacies in front of him. He wiped the falling saliva from his mouth with his forearm before reaching his hoof out to take one. His train of thought was then suddenly lost as he felt another pony's hoof wrap around his other forearm. He was interrupted by Twilight Sparkle, who came to inform Grey Nimbus that she is now ready to introduce him to her friends.
"Nimbus, my friends are ready to meet you." Twilight said.
Grey Nimbus wanted to grab an eclair but was being dragged away by Twilight before he could even touch one. He groaned with frustration as she continued to pull him.
”Twilight, I can walk on my own. Will you please stop trying to drag my across the carpet?” Grey Nimbus said with a frown.
Twilight quickly realised what she was doing and suddenly released her grip on her guest. She put her hoof to the back of her head and chuckled nervously.
"Eh-heh, sorry. I just couldn't wait to introduce you to my friends and I guess I let myself get carried away."
Grey Nimbus raised a hoof between them both to reassure her that he didn't mind the enthusiasm.
“Anyway, I'm sure my friends will really like you, Nimbus. And I hope the feeling will be mutual.” Twilight said with an reassuring smile.
Grey Nimbus nodded and followed the lavender Unicorn. Shortly after, Twilight lead him to a round table against a window where 5 ponies were sitting around. There, he saw Pinkie Pie, another Unicorn with a white coat and a purple mane. Two Pegasi; One with a blue coat and a rainbow coloured mane, the other with a yellow coat and a bright pink mane and an Earth Pony with an orange coat, a yellow mane and a Stetson hat atop her head.
“Well, everypony, here he is; the guest of honor.” Twilight said before taking a spare seat around the table.
“Everypony, this is Grey Nimbus. He just arrived in Ponyville today and is staying at my library during his time here. Grey Nimbus, let me introduce you to my best friends; this here is Rarity…”
“Salutations.” The white Unicorn greets herself in a very lady-like manner.
“This is Rainbow Dash…”
“How’s it goin’?” says the prismatic pony in a confident tone.
“That’s Fluttershy…”
“Um…… hello”, whispers the shy Pegasus as she slowly cowers behind the table.
“And then there’s Applejack.”
“Howdy, partner!” says the farm pony in a country accent.
“And together, we’re the Elements of Harmony.” Twilight says after finishing the introductions.
“Elements of Harmony? What are those?” Grey Nimbus asked
“They are six supernatural artifacts that are the most powerful force in Equestria. Each artifact represents an element of friendship and the six of us each possess the corresponding traits to wield them. They are used to purify and/or extinguish dark entities and restore harmony and order.” As Twilight explained, Grey Nimbus widened his eyes and started to slowly walk backwards in fear, as if he had just seen a ghost.
"Nimbus, where are you going?" Twilight called to the fleeing stallion, but she was ignored.
Grey Nimbus rushed through the door and made it outside. While he was still running, he became airborne and quickly made his way towards the open field outside of Ponyville. The girls all came out through the door and watched Grey Nimbus fade into the night sky.
“Leave it to me, girls. I’ll go see what’s buggin' him.” Rainbow Dash said before quickly zooming through the air to pursue Grey Nimbus.
“What was that all about? Did he not like the party I threw for him?” Pinkie Pie asked in a dumbfounded tone.
“I don’t know, but we have to talk to him. Maybe we can help.” Twilight said to her friends in a concerned tone. I wonder… was he scared to think that we were a weapon against him?
Grey Nimbus flew as fast as his wings will carry him as he fled from Ponyville, not wanting to be around Twilight and her friends and knowing that they possess the most powerful force of magic known to Equestria: The Elements of Harmony.
“I can’t be around those ponies any longer! Those Elements will instantly wipe me from existence if they plan to use them on me!”
Five minutes after fleeing from Ponyville, he already exhausted the wings that he rarely used. While traveling Equestria, he preferred the ground environment, where he can remain most inconspicuous. Drawing attention to himself would be the equivalent of starting a riot. If anypony got a glimpse of what the Soulbound spell can do to him, it could mean either being treated like a monster or imminent death. Most likely both.
Grey Nimbus guessed that his best course of action now would be to avoid eye contact with all inhabited ponies, sneak back into Twilight’s library, collect all of the possessions that he left behind and then move on to the next inhabited settlement, hoping to find the info that he needed while keeping his contact with other ponies to a minimum.
Grey Nimbus looked over his shoulder as he descended to the ground to rest his wings. There was neither a pony nor town in sight. He assumed that nopony was pursuing him out of town until…
“GOTCHA!”
He was tackled to the ground from behind by an unknown pony. All four of his hooves were pinned down, preventing him from escaping despite his struggling.
“I was way ahead of you and waited for the right moment to stop you in your tracks.” said the tomboyish voice on top of him.
Grey Nimbus couldn’t tell who it was in the darkness of the night. Well, not the way his eyes are now. He stopped struggling and shut his eyes tight.
“Vokun Fus… Sahqo Miin.” he chanted mentally. (Shadow Force... Red Eyes)
He opened his eyes wide to show that his irises were now glowing an unholy red. This grants him night vision. He looks over his shoulder to get a good look at his attacker.
“Rainbow Dash!” Grey Nimbus exclaimed. “What are you doing?! Let me go!”
“Not until you answer my question; Why did you just fly off like that? And… why are your eyes glowing red?”
Grey Nimbus chose to ignore her questions and instead, struggled to free himself from her grasp, but she had him pinned down too well. Flying had completely drained his stamina, and he had none left to fight back. He grunted and sighed in frustration as he could no longer fight off Rainbow Dash and had no choice but to comply.
"Fine, I'll explain!" Grey Nimbus exclaimed
The glow in his eyes starts to fade away as he calmed himself
"Come back with me to Ponyville and explain it to Twilight. She's the Element of Magic, so she'll probably understand."
The two Pegasi flew towards the now silent town of Ponyville. By looking at the position of the moon, Grey Nimbus could calculate how late it was. As the town came into view, they both noticed the lack of lights lit in and out of the residential homes. Grey Nimbus felt more at ease to not be seen by any other ponies. He much preferred the night to the day. The night may seem dark, scary and lonely, but Grey Nimbus... Nimbus could see the night... in a different light. At night, he doesn't see a world turned into a realm of Darkness; He saw how peaceful, serene, quiet and beautiful the night can be. He liked to think of himself as a nocturnal pony.
Fatigue had taken over Nimbus' body and could no longer fly right. Rainbow Dash offer to help keep his balance by slipping his hoof around her shoulder, which Nimbus accepted uncertainly.
"Have you ever used your wings? You fall faster than Granny Smith if she had a pair of those.", Rainbow Dash bickered.
The two winged ponies slowly descended, and by the time they touch the ground, they were in front of the Golden Oaks Library. Rainbow Dash released her grip on Nimbus' shoulder to let him stand on his own. She tapped a wing on his back to reassure him that he has nothing to fear from Twilight and her friends. Nimbus responded with a slow nod. Rainbow Dash walked to the door to knock, but was swiftly opened before she could lay a hoof on it. On the other side of the door frame was a small, purple Dragon with green spines.
"Hey, Spike. Is Twilight home? I managed to catch this new guy for her." Rainbow Dash asked the little Dragon.
"Yeah, she and the other girls are here too. I heard you two land outside, so I opened the door for you. Come in." The Dragon replied
Spike cleared the way for the two ponies as Rainbow Dash walked in with Grey Nimbus behind with his head down. Inside the library were Twilight and the four other friends she introduced him to. They were all sitting on two separate sofas around a coffee table. They all turned their attention to Nimbus, the pony who flew away without a single word. Twilight got off her seat and walked towards him.
"Nimbus, we were so worried about you. Why did you fly off like that?" Twilight a worried tone.
Nimbus didn't make eye contact with Twilight. With hesitation and depression, he answered...
"Twilight... I think you know."
Twilight knew exactly what he meant. He explained Soulbound to her shortly after they met. She knew what such a life-threatening curse can do to a pony, yet she couldn't even come close to imagine how much pain he has suffered since birth. With a silent pause, Twilight pondered on how to help her new friend. Her first option was closure.
"Nimbus, we need to talk." she said with a neutral voice.
Nimbus wasn't comfortable sharing his unpleasant life story with anypony, but it felt like he had no choice. During a silent pause, Nimbus was pondering on how to look at his current situation. He is surrounded by six strange ponies who say they were worried about him, one of them is a magical genius and has connections with the most powerful pony in the land and she considers him... a friend. For the first time in his life, he felt that the feeling is mutual. Is this what having a friend means?
It feels... warm.
With a lift of his head and a smile on his face, Nimbus looked to Twilight and said with a friendly tone...
"Okay, Twilight. Let's talk"
He did not feel like a monster anymore.
Nimbus prepared himself to explain to the rest of Twilight's friends about himself, including the Soulbound curse. After explaining it to Twilight earlier, she took it unexpectedly well. He doubted that her friends would also understand, because no two ponies are that similar. But even several minutes of closure with his new pony companions would feel unsettling. He expected fear and resentment from them. But, to make him feel more at ease, they explained to him that together they have experience coping with a lot of unusual incidents in the past. After he reveals his dark secret to the group, he predicts that he will get showered with questions from each of Twilight's friends all at once.
"I hope Twilight's friends aren't 'minglers' too?"
"We're ready to listen, Nimbus." Twilight said with a smile.
The six ponies sat on the separate sofas in front of him. He inhales deeply and slowly lets it out, hoping to calm his mind. He looked at the mares.
"It all began when I was just a yearling," Nimbus began, "I was raised by an Earth Pony mare named Sweet Fields. She was the most caring mare I have ever known. She taught me everything; How to read and write, how to walk and talk, how to cook and eat, even how to survive in the wild. She was like a mother to me. And she treated me like her own son. We lived together happily, until one day..."
He paused for a moment before Twilight asked nervously, "Wh-what happened?"
Nimbus continued, "When I reached the age of 13, I discovered that I possessed dark powers. But I had no control over such power, and I was temporarily and periodically corrupted by evil. It turned me into a monster. Then I... I..."
Nimbus shut his eyes tight and began to sniffle. Despite the emotional pain, he reopened his eyes and continued.
"I... the dark magic forced me to... attack my mother..."
The mares all gasped in shock. Before any of them could say a word, Nimbus proceeded.
"I took away one of her legs.", They all gasped, "But despite all that I did to her, she never held anything against me. She knew I wasn't myself. She than told me something that I never would of expected. I wasn't born as her real foal. I was adopted. She told me that she found me as a baby inside a cave, somewhere in forest near our house. She decided to take me in. After the incident, she told me of a way to help me overcome my power. So I had to journey through Equestria to find somepony... or something... and never return until I do. I didn't have any choice, so I abandoned my home to make sure that I never hurt her again. I was forced to fend for myself in the wilderness. The dark magic still came to me every few days, but after 3 years of trying to refuse it's control over me, I finally control it. It was an extremely painful process and it changed my physical form over time. It changed my eyes to look that of a dragon's and my wings started to change their appearance too."
Nimbus looked to his wing as he spread it out to show the mares. What they saw, left them speechless; On the underside of his wing, where some of the feathers should have been, was a patch of thin leather skin. It wasn't like the wing of a Pegasus at all. His wing looked like it was a combination of a Pegasus' wing and a bat's wing.
"This is why I tend to isolate myself from any settlements around Equestria. But I had to find information on what I had to find."
"What did you have to find?" Twilight asked.
"Sweet Fields told me to find the thing that can help me resolve this curse. Something to make me a normal pony so I can return to her. Something called 'The Mare in the Moon'."
"Huuuh?" The six mares exclaimed confusingly in unison.
Nimbus took a moment to look at their confused faces. He than asked...
"Wait... do you girls know of it?" he asked curiously.
"Well...", Rarity began to answer, "... The Mare in the Moon, preferably Nightmare Moon, used to be a major threat to Equestria, dear. I'm surprised you never heard of her before. It used to be an old mare's tales."
Nimbus began to contemplate what Rarity just said. It wasn't an object he was looking for. It was a living pony.
Twilight was the next one to speak. "Nightmare Moon returned to Equestria from banishment over a year ago to bring night time eternal. But the six of us together stopped her evil plans with the Elements of Harmony and took away her dark powers, turning her back into Princess Luna."
"Why was Nightmare Moon evil?"
Applejack was the next to answer. "Well, a thousand years ago, Princess Luna was got jealous of her sister, Princess Celestia's, duty and came to resent her. The ponies of Equestria did everything during the day, but during the night, they all just went to sleep. This made Luna angry and transformed herself into Nightmare Moon."
Fluttershy decided to continue. "She, um... wanted to make the night last forever, so that she could be loved, but Princess Celestia had no choice but to banish her to the moon for a thousand years."
Nimbus was surprise, yet disappointed, to hear that what he was looking for was just a tale. He waited patiently for another one of the group to continue.
"But over a year ago, during the Summer Sun Celebration, Nightmare Moon escaped and once again tried to bring eternal night. I read that the only way to defeat her was to use the power of the Elements of Harmony. We found them in the old castle ruins in the Everfree Forest. Nightmare Moon ambushed us there and tried to destroy the Elements. She managed to destroy the Element stones, but the virtues of the six of us embodied the Elements themselves and we defeated Nightmare Moon and changed her back to Princess Luna. Now she and Princess Celestia have been ruling Equestria side by side till this day.", Twilight finished.
Immediately after Twilight finished her explanation, Grey Nimbus asked suddenly with curiosity, "So... The Mare in the Moon still exists? And is co-ruling Equestria right now?"
Rarity replied, "Why, of course. Since it is now night time, she is performing her royal night duties from Canterlot as we speak."
Nimbus stood back up on his hooves with a look of confidence in his draconian eyes.
"I know what I need to do now! I need to go to Canterlot, seek an audience with Princess Luna and plead for her guidance and wisdom. Maybe she can help me with my corrupted magic! Thank you for giving me the information I've been looking for, girls! I'm very grateful!", he exclaimed.
All the mares in the room got up from their seats with proud smiles on their faces. They each stood around him to congratulate him in their own words. Grey Nimbus couldn't keep track of any of their words as they all spoke in unison. After several seconds of praising, Twilight interrupted and curiously asked Grey Nimbus a question that he hoped was never asked...
"Nimbus, we'd be happy to help you see Princess Luna. But before we do, I need to ask...... What can you do?"
Nimbus raised an eyebrow and stared at Twilight with a dumbfounded expression. "What do you mean 'What can I do'?".
"Well, I don't like to brag, but my special talent and Element is Magic...", She asked nervously, "So I hope you don't mind showing us what you can do with your... dark magic."
Nimbus suddenly went wide-eyed. He was just asked to use his dark magic in front of his new friends. He wanted to panic. He wanted to scream. He wanted to crawl into the deepest, darkest hole and never come out. But he had to keep his emotions intact; the ponies in front of him may be his one chance of freedom. He closed his eyes tight and inhaled deeply through his nose. He slowly exhaled which calmed him slightly and slowly opened his eyes.
He then looked at Twilight and replied in a serious tone, "Twilight... Do you even know what you're asking of me? I can keep it under control, yes, but I have limits. I already used a dark spell once today when Rainbow Dash caught me. Using another on the same day? I don't even know what could happen afterwards."
Twilight smiled sadly and replied with a tone of sincerity, “I know it's a lot to ask, but we need to know the caliber of your dark magic to best decide how to help you. If it's not too strong, I might be able to help you myself. But if it's too much for me to handle, we'll have no choice but to consult the Princesses."
Nimbus let out a sigh of preparation before saying, "Alright. Can I trust you not to regret this?"
The lavender unicorn pondered the question. She could never regret gaining knowledge, of any kind, but she was hesitant to put another pony (or seven) at risk to do so. But she had come so far in her studies; she was the Element of Magic. And, if the worst were to happen, the Princesses were only a letter away. Eventually, she reached a conclusion.
"I'd never leave my friends in the sun to dry when they can be ironed out.” Pinkie Pie giggled at the analogy, and Twilight shot a stern glance before continuing. “You can trust all of us, Nimbus. And I trust you to at least help yourself. Can you do that?"
"Thank you, Twilight. Now, I don’t know what will happen. I would feel much safer, though, if you all were up on the second floor, away from me as possible. Just until I cast the spell… I will cast a small one, just in case. I shall perform a transformation spell.” He decided, almost talking to himself.
The ponies nodded and gathered upstairs into Twilight’s bedroom. As a precaution, they all took cover behind the far side of the bed and exposed their heads to at least catch sight of this rare occurrence. Twilight was the most focused as she wanted to witness Nimbus' potential the most.
"Thanks for understanding, it makes me feel safer." He said before closing his eyes to concentrate his magic, "Okay, here I go..."
Around Nimbus, the surroundings were slowly shrouded in a dark purple and black aura. The whole library began to vibrate mildly as the pressure in the air got heavier.
"Vokun Fus..." he chanted under his breath. (Shadow Force...)
The aura around him began to expand and disperse. Fluttershy yelped and ducked down on the floor with her hooves over her head while the rest of her friends looked on.
Nimbus' whole body began to hover slightly of the floor without budging his wings. His wings started to turn pitch black as the aura covered every inch of his body. He opened his eyes, which revealed slit draconic pupils with bright red, glowing irises, and the sclera turned from white to a dark grey. His teeth slowly grew and became as sharp, looking more dangerous than a Timberwolf. His wings were also slowly changing, both in size and in shape; the wings grew twice in size and were forming the unmistakable shape of bat wings. Once the growth stopped, the dark aura began to fade over the rest of his body. His wings remained coated in thick, transparent darkness.
"Vopraan... Dinok Vulon." (Awaken... Death Night)
The air pressure in the library began to soften as Nimbus finished his spell and fell to the floor with a soft thud. The silence that now fell upon the library was deafening.
"You can all come down now." Nimbus said with an ominous change in his voice. His voice was suddenly much deeper with a low echo, reminiscent of a demon from Tartarus. They slowly traveled down the stairs with cautionary steps to get a closer look.
"This... is what I can do."
“Fascinating…” Twilight muttered, reaching out to Nimbus’s grey leather wings with a hoof. Nimbus backed away worriedly, and his rump hit the bookshelf with a crash. One of Spike’s interactive comic books landed on his wing and it was instantly vaporized.
“Oops… I’m so sorry, Twilight. My wings incinerate just about any small objects, if they’re enchanted with magic. It doesn't kill ponies, but they might hurt unicorns. You shouldn't go near them; I don’t want to hurt you.” He growled. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and muttered something behind her hoof to Pinkie Pie, and she snickered in turn.
“Good thing we ain't unicorns, then.” Pinkie drawled and ran up to Nimbus with Rainbow Dash in tow. Dash grabbed his wings and he twitched uncomfortably.
“Your wings are so cool! I bet you could get some great air with these things.” She mentioned excitedly. She dashed upstairs, and out the open window, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. She returned within seconds with a piece of cloud in her hooves and she flew back to Nimbus, rubbing the cloud against his wing; the cloud evaporated almost instantly with a sizzling sound. Rainbow lowered her head in disappointment.
“Guess you can’t do tricks with clouds then, huh? Too bad, it would have looked awesome! I didn't know cumulus clouds were enchanted, though…”
“Of course they are, silly. But maybe you don’t know that, Nimbus!” Pinkie snorted, “I can take a guess that you don’t fly much with those kooky wings. How about your strength, though?” She grabbed Nimbus’s foreleg and examined it closely. He smiled nervously, looking over at Twilight for help. Twilight only shrugged, sharing his expression.
“Look… girls. I really don’t agree with being prodded like this…” He whispered; it seems his little dark magic stunt had the opposite effect of what he’d expected. He was certain they would have run away… the only one that seemed affected was Fluttershy; she had been cowering behind Rarity ever since the mares came down from the stairs. Nimbus wasn't entirely sure if this unanticipated reaction was a good thing.
“Pink pony, please stop.” He shook her from his leg and she giggled as if she was enjoying herself.
“My name’s Pinkie Pie! Well, I suppose it’s really a nickname. But, Pinkie is what my friends call me, so call me Pinkie! Can I give you a nickname?” She smiled happily and Nimbus was absolutely stunned. Never before had he met a pony who reacted to him like she did. “I’m gonna call you… Batty! Or Nimby! Or Grey Nimbus! Oh, wait- that’s already your name…” She scratched her chin and pondered.
“So, darling…” Rarity grabbed Pinkie by her tail and shoved her roughly aside with sapphire magic, “What is the purpose for this transformation spell?”
“More importantly, is there anything else you can do?” Twilight interjected with wide eyes and a bright smile.
“Like, perhaps some weather spells? Even without ‘em, those wings of yours would be great for cloud busting; maybe you’d be interested in joining our Ponyville weather team?” Rainbow added, still patting his leathery wings.
“I don’t think you know how dangerous this magic could be, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight chastised, stomping a hoof on the hard wooden library floor. “Now, please… if you could answer my question?”
“Well… I’m sure I can do more, but I don’t know for sure…” Nimbus stuttered uneasily under Twilight’s cold, analytical gaze, “I have little memory when the… darker side takes hold.”
“Well then, Dr. Jekyll, why don’t you and Mr. Hyde open the lines of communication?” Rarity commented, with a hint of sophistication in her already heavily-posh tone.
“Who?”
“You know, Dr. Hoofrey Jekyll! He drank a potion and went totally insane.” Pinkie hopped across the room and crossed her eyes, stumbling around like a madpony. She trotted up to the stallion and grabbed his face with her hooves with a wild demeanour. “He brought his evil side out and the evil took over!!”
“Do ignore them. They saw the musical the other day; Rarity designed the outfits and Pinkie provided the snacks, so they got free tickets.” Twilight snickered and, with a flourish of her magenta magic, picked up the hyperactive pony and floated her away from Nimbus. “I do have the book though, if you’re interested.”
“I don’t really care much for musicals.” He scratched behind his head uncertainly and backed up. Rarity just shrugged in response and watched Pinkie as she continued to dance. The room fell silent once more; it created an uneasy atmosphere for the ponies in the library. The only sound was the hoof-stomping of Pinkie’s less-than-graceful dance moves on the floorboards.
“With that said, I think Rarity brings up a good point.” Twilight broke the silence with an awkward laugh and a forced question, ”Have you tried to communicate with… whatever it is, when you lose control?” Nimbus widened his eyes with shock and shook his head. What a risky manoeuvre that would be!
“Of course I haven’t attempted it; I don’t even know what it is! It could be my sub-conscience, or something more sinister. I wouldn’t know where to begin.”
“Don’t worry, Grey Nimbus.” A timid voice spoke up from behind the rest of the crowd, and Fluttershy rose to her hooves for what seemed to be an eternity of hiding, “No matter what happens, you’ll be fine. Our magic is stronger than the dark.” She smiled reassuringly and the other mares nodded in agreement. Nimbus smiled back, and he looked to the night sky out an open window of the library.
It was a pleasant, uneventful evening in the city of Canterlot. The sun had been lowered and the moon had risen, and the sleepy inhabitants below were all in their homes.
All, except one.
“Princess Luna, Princess Luna!” A young royal guard ran through the empty castle halls and the clip-clop of his heavy hooves echoed down the corridor. He burst open the balcony doors with a swift kick of his back leg and screeched to a halt beside the indigo alicorn before him. He bowed low, brushing his muzzle against the floor as he did.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt, my Princess, but I bring news from Ponyville.”
“Ponyville, you say?” Princess Luna looked up from her telescope and peered down at the guard. “Why do you send for us, and not our sister? Is this urgent?”
“It isn’t exactly urgent, but your audience has been requested there. Twilight Sparkle has met with an… unusual pony, and she says that you may be able to help.”
Princess Luna nodded and glanced at the sky. A full moon, tonight, with stars that shone brilliantly in the dark like sequins on a velvet dress. A shooting star flew by the moon and she smiled to herself.
“Despite our age, we know very little of this new world. We know only the night; the skies we darken and the moon we rise to light it.”
“That may be so, Princess,” The guard stammered uneasily, unfamiliar with objecting to the comments made by an immortal alicorn princess, “But the letter tells of something that you may be more familiar with; even more-so than The Princess of the Day.” Princess Luna scoffed and waved an armour-clad hoof in front of the guards face, and he shrunk back.
“Nay; our sister has spent a thousand more years on this godforsaken planet than we. How is it possible that we know something that Celestia does not?” She sighed, with a resigning tone painting her voice.
“Well, Princess Luna, what the ponies need your help with, is your experience.”
“Experience, you say?” She cocked her head inquisitively.
“Your past experience with the… shall we say, the darker side of magic spells.” The guard spat out the words quickly like sour seeds.
“Oh.” Princess Luna lowered her head sadly. She folded her wings and sighed, articulating her words carefully. “We see… You are dismissed.” She growled at the guard, who quickly saluted and backed out the door, leaving Luna alone with her thoughts. She was stronger now; she had friends. She was understood. She knew in her heart that she had friends, that she was loved… that she had been forgiven for what took place over a thousand years ago.
Now, it was time for her revenge.
In Ponyville, the seven ponies and a dragon had since grouped outside; the spell that was performed in the library had given it a hanging, sickly smell of burning ash, after Grey Nimbus cancelled his transformation, and the ponies could only stand it for so long before they felt suffocated. The night air was crisp and the ponies breathed it in like a fine, exotic scent. Like a stain of breath upon a mirror, the peaceful atmosphere that surrounded them could never last, and to some degree, they all knew it. It intoxicated the stallion the most; never had he felt more alive as he did tonight. Grey Nimbus had since reverted back to regular form and now appeared like a regular stallion, albeit with slit pupils better suited to a reptile than a pony. He brushed his mane low over his eyes; even though it was the middle of the night, he was afraid to be seen with his oddity. At least Spike thought they were interesting.
“Wow, a pony with eyes like mine!” He giggled excitedly, “I’ve never seen anything like it before!”
“Nightmare Moon had those kinds of eyes, remember?” Twilight commented, raising an eyebrow at the young dragon.
“Oh, yeah…” He mumbled. “You know, Twilight, I should be asleep right about now.” He stretched his scaly tail and cracked his back.
“I know, Spike, and I’m so very sorry. But I need you, just in case the Princess writes back!” Twilight apologised and picked up the sleepy dragon with her magic, gently placing him on her back. He curled up and closed his eyes, preparing to fall asleep…
"DAME TWILIGHT SPARKLE, WE HAVE RECEIVED YOUR LETTER!”
A piercing echo of a voice shook the earth and the moon began to glow brighter as the image of a dark alicorn appeared as a shadow against the heavenly body above them; her mane and tail the same colour and texture as the stars she flew amongst. The slow beating of her wings drew storm-clouds around the moon, and under her gaze, her glowing white eyes felt like a steel knife to the chest. The mares all turned and bowed low at the sight. Grey Nimbus was stupefied, his jaw hanging and all four legs shaking. He hadn’t known fear of any pony other than himself, but he was now standing in front of a goddess; a goddess who looked like she could kill you with a glance, if you looked at her the wrong way.
“Princess Luna! Remember your quiet voice?” Twilight Sparkle whispered, noticing the terror gripping the stallion next to her. She didn’t fancy another episode like last Nightmare Night, with frightened ponies scurrying and Princess Luna appearing more aggressive than she needed to be. More than anything, she knew this meeting had to go smoothly.
“Ah, yes. We… I mean, I, am sorry for raising my voice.” Princess Luna laughed lightly as she descended from the sky and landed delicately on the stony pavement with a soft clink of her armoured boots. "It slips my mind on occasion, that the Royal Canterlot Voice is no longer the proper way to address my subjects. Now, where is this unusual pony thou speakest of, Twilight Sparkle?" Luna narrowed her eyes among the group of ponies before her until she stopped at the sight of an unfamiliar stallion.
"Right over here, Princess." Twilight gestured towards Nimbus. "He's the one who requested a private audience with you." Luna raised an eyebrow, making Nimbus slightly nervous. Not having any experience or knowledge on how to act in the presence of royalty made both him and the Princess of the Night uncomfortable. He began to sweat from panic and his hooves shook more so, but he kept a straight face.
"Um... ah!" He stammered with wide eyes andears pinned swiftly to the side of his face, his mouth gaping open and shut like a goldfish. Briefly thinking, he let his shaking forehooves collapse and bowed before the night princess, who observed that he was still shaking. "I-it is an honour to meet you, Princess Luna. My... my name is Grey Nimbus a-and I seek your guidance."
"Please rise, my friend. There is no reason for formalities or to fear us. Now, what is it that you wish us to assist you with?" she questioned the stallion delicately. Slowly rising, Nimbus nodded and took a calming, deep breath.
"Princess, I was told by Twilight Sparkle and her friends that you had a past experience in dark magic. Is that right?" he asked respectfully. Luna frowned.
"You are correct, my friend." Nimbus noticed the negativity on Luna's face, instantly regretting to ask. He opened his mouth to apologise before Luna spoke first. "We... I hoped to not bring back memories of my mistakes, but I will let it cloud my mind no longer. I have moved on and forgave myself. Please, continue." Nimbus slowly closed is still-open mouth began to explain his reasons for summoning the princess of the night.
"Well, you see, Princess Luna, I have explained to Twilight and her friends that... I, uh... umm...” He stopped and stammered, losing his courage. Quickly, he turned to his new purple friend. “Actually, Twilight?” He addressed.
"Huh?" Twilight raised an eyebrow.
"Can you explain it to the princess? You know her more than I do and I don't want to say anything that might offend her."
Everypony looked at Twilight to wait for her reply. She tapped her chin with her hoof, thinking of a way to explain the situation to Luna. After a few seconds, she jolted her head up with a brief exclamation. "Ah! I have a better idea. Grey Nimbus, I would like your permission to perform a memory spell on you, so we can understand all the specifics of your situation." she said enthusiastically.
"Twilight, you know what happens when magic comes into contact with me” Nimbus glared, a disturbed look crossing his face. “You've witnessed it yourself. My dark magic will only reject it with a counter-shock." Realising what he just said, his eyes widened. He slowly made eye contact with Luna, who had the same eyes, only to instantly lower his head in panic. He began to shudder.
"Dark magic?" the Alicorn growled as she stamped her elegant hoof into the dirt, her eyes glinting with bloodlust. She despised all forms of the black arts; and most of all, those who intended to weave it. Merely hearing the words 'dark magic' was enough to make her blood boil; being reminded of her biggest mistake only brought anxiety and rage upon her. Nimbus risked looking up, and a look of hopelessness crept into his face, which was more convincing than the fear.
"I... I'm... not what you think I am Your Highness. Can I just...” he stuttered.
"SILENCE!” Her voice cracked the skies. “You claim to possess dark magic; all weavers of the black arts must perish!" Luna increased the volume of her voice with every word she said. She slowly moved towards Nimbus, stomping her hooves hard enough to leave cracks in the earth in her wake. Her horn lit up in a dark blue coat of magic, readying an arcane spell. The frightened Pegasus fell on his haunches and lowered his head. Completely terrified, he began to shudder once again, his eyes widened and irises reduced to the size on pinpricks. Tears began to escape his eyes; he wanted to flee, to escape Luna's judgement, but he couldn't move. The incorporeal shadow of the Princess of the Night towered over him, and he prepared for a magical burst of pain. Instead, he heard the distinct clop of four hooves.
“Stop, Princess Luna!” Twilight cried, “He means no harm, he doesn’t practice this magic out of his own free will. He needs our help to save him from it’s grasp!”
Luna's rage disappeared in an instant, along with glow surrounding her horn. She could see in Twilight eyes that she was being truthful. She really wanted to help this pony. The Alicorn looked past Twilight and saw Nimbus still frightened. She understood how he feels. Being plagued by darkness without a choice, unable to cope with it day after day. The pain of being treated so differently like you're a monster or like you don't even exist.
"Please forgive me for my rude outburst, my little ponies. I should know better than to jump to conclusions. I will hear what you have to say."
The tension was weighing down as fast as a popped balloon. Nimbus stood up, nodding to Princess Luna. "Of course, your highness. But I would like to inform while we're not in plain sight. May we discuss this inside?" Nimbus said as he gestured towards the front door to the library.
"Good idea." Twilight acknowledged. "Right this way, princess."
After the group settled themselves back into the library, Twilight, being the host, prepared coffee for everypony to stay awake after midnight. Princess Luna and Grey Nimbus being the exceptions. Nimbus still looked wide awake in everypony's eyes.
"How can you not be tired?", Rainbow Dash questioned annoyingly, "You've already been through a lot today. What with your constant walking, fleeing from Ponyville and using that freaky magic, you'd think your eyes would at least be half-closed. But your eyes look no different from the princess's."
"Oh, I sleep during the day." Nimbus replied with a neutral expression. "My magic allows me to see in the dark, as clear as the day."
Everypony was confused. Discovering that their new friend is a nocturnal pony. But why were they so surprised? They've already seen some unimaginable things happen around the ominous stallion. Luna, however, was more taken back by Nimbus' sleep schedule. He sleeps the same way she, herself, does everyday.
"I enjoy living in the darkness of the night. The air is refreshingly cool, the moon shines so radiantly, the stars in sky are more beautiful than any form of art and, for some strange reason, I actually feel safe outside."
Luna smiled.
"But doesn't it get cold at night?", Fluttershy asked curiously, "Don't you have a way to stay warm to avoid catching a cold?"
"No need. My body is able to cope with the night air. I much prefer night over day. After all, it's a lot easier to warm up than it is to cool down, right?"
Nimbus heard grunts and hums of agreement from the surrounding ponies. The stallion smiled, acknowledging his new friends agreeing with his methods in life. He suddenly felt a hoof on his shoulder. Nimbus looked to his side. To his surprise, the Princess of the Night was sitting next to him - looking down on him with a warm, friendly smile.
"It warms my heart to know there is somepony like you who cherishes the night as much as I do. Thank you, my friend."
Nimbus slightly blushed and turned away in embarrassment. Luna noticed his nervous expression and giggled, removing her hoof.
"But enough distractions. I am ready to hear about what curse has been placed upon you."
"Well, I never really thought about it, but a 'curse' is the best way I can describe this... well, curse." He got up from his seat and moved into view from the rest of the group. "First, have a look at this...", He lifted up one of his wings to show Luna it's hidden state, "The underside of my wings is a thin hide instead of feathers.", He folded his wing back, "That's the first sign that I'm not a normal Pegasus."
Luna was flabbergasted. Seeing the wings made up of two different creatures merged into one wing.
Nimbus continued. "Next, I'll show you my magic. This one will be a lot safer for my surroundings, so no need to brace yourselves."
The Element bearers all nodded. Luna turned to them, assuming they know when to take precautions around the cursed stallion. She turned back to Nimbus.
Nimbus closed his eyes. "Vokun Fus...", he chanted out loud.
Luna's eyes widened. That language... She though.
"Sahqo Miin!"
He opened his eyes wide, revealing two Draconic irises that glowed an intense, unholy red.
"Hey, those are the eyes I saw when I caught up to you! They look... so awesome!" Rainbow Dash blurted out, finishing in a high-pitched tone.
"That's right. The very same. This spell temporarily grants me the eyes of a dragon, thus the ability to see in the dark. That's how I knew it was you who tackled me."
"The eyes of a dragon?" Twilight pondered "Does that come from you or the demon inside of you?"
Nimbus shrugged "I've no clue. I don't even know what kind of demon was sealed inside me."
Twilight tapped her chin with her hoof, thinking of what to do next. The only theoretical way to help her new friend was to do a full magic scan in him. But as they established earlier, his dark magic, with a will of it's own, shields him from magic other than his own. Only dark magic can reason with dark magic. Wait, I think I've got it! Twilight thought. "Princess Luna, I think I may have an idea, but I need your aid."
"..."
"Luna?"
"..."
"Princess Luna!"
Luna was pushed out of her trance at the shout of her name. "Huh? Uh... what?" She blinked rapidly, turning her head in random directions until she focused her sights on Twilight.
"Princess, are you alright?"
"You looked like you were lost in another world." Pinkie added.
Luna slightly frowned. "Forgive me. T'was just thinking about one."
"You are?"
"That strange language Grey Nimbus chanted when he casted his spell... I've heard it before. Countless moons ago."
"You have!?" Nimbus exclaimed "Please, Princess Luna, tell me what you know!"
All the ponies in the room looked at the night princess, keen to hear how Luna came across this strange language. Luna sighed smoothly, calming her nerves.
"You spoke Dovahzul; the ancient language of Dragons."
Nimbus raised an eyebrow, “Language of Dragons? But I’ve never met a Dragon before, let alone heard one speak in its native language. So how could I possibly know their tongue?”
“Hmm… It is possible that your curse has a connection to dragons. Do you happen to know the name of the spell that has befallen you?”
“I do. It’s called ‘Soulbound’.”
Luna slightly gasped at the mention of that name. She kept her composure and continued her questioning, “And how long have you been cursed?”
“To be honest, I’ve had it my whole life. Probably even before I was born, if that was possible. I have no idea who my birth parents were, but I was found and raised by my adopted mother, Sweet Fields, who found me in a cave outside the Everfree.”
Now Luna was more shocked than ever. Nimbus’ story was all too familiar to her. She stood up and slightly raised her voice in a serious tone, “Were there crystals in the cave!?”
Nimbus was taken back by Luna’s dramatic increase in volume. His recent trivial fear of her loud voice quickly changed to curiosity. His instincts told him that he was only a step behind in finding the answer he’s been searching for.
“Y… yes, there were some large crystals surrounding me when my mother found me. Although, there were no crystals deeper in the cave, since I was found close to the entrance. But how did you know?”
“I think… I might know who you are… and where you came from.” Luna replied flabbergasted.
“WHAT!?”, Everypony in the room yelled in surprise.
Twilight intervened, “You mean you've met Grey Nimbus before? You know his origin? Please tell us, Princess!”
The night Alicorn nodded, “Of coarse. I’ll tell you the story… of the Frozen Legion.
The two regal alicorn sisters were wandering through the snow-covered wasteland of Northern Equestria. They were equipped with thick scarfs and saddlebags filled with survival rations and folded-up tents. The weather was a soft gust of snowy winds; not strong enough to impair the two sisters vision.
“Sister, we think thy plans to intercept the Crystal Empire are not well thought out. We insist that thou reconsider.” Princess Luna says in her traditional vocabulary.
“Trust me, Luna. We’ve been over the plan over a dozen times and it’s the best course of action we have. I know you’re not comfortable with complying, but we have to try. Remember what I said; ‘When it comes to the safety of the kingdom, sometimes you have to take a risk.’” Celestia responds.
“But sneaking into the Legion’s stronghold? Even our greatest spies were unable to infiltrate the enemy’s ranks! How does thou expect us to succeed where they have failed!?”
“Luna, too soon!” Celestia looks at her sister in disappointment.
Luna lowers her head in shame.
“We apologise. It was wrong of us to dishonour their deaths. But how can thou be so optimistic? The Legion is determined to end our reign and destroy Equestria.”
“Sombra controls their forces. Without their leader, the Legion would crumble. We must sneak in and interrogate Sombra; it won’t be easy, I know, but it’s not impossible. We must remain vigilant.”
The royal sisters continue to trek through the frozen barren for a few hours. The cold didn’t slow them down, as they have natural fur and a thick scarf to keep them warm. Hunger was also not an issue since their survival rations contained enough bare essentials to last for at least a week.
What is the Legion, you might ask?
The Frozen Legion; a vast army of crystal ponies, living elementals and various races all corrupted by dark magic who seek to destroy any trace of order in Equestria and dominate all that they see. It is unknown who their main leader and founder is, but it is certain that Sombra is only a second-in-command for the Legion. It can be said that the Frozen Legion is the greatest threat to Equestria.
Their first target of conquest was the Crystal Empire and corrupted the once-beloved king Sombra into a monstrous tyrant due to the Legion’s influence. Many members of the world’s races have fallen victim to the corruption of the Legion’s dark magic, turning them into soldiers with no free will. Their forces now count in the tens of thousands. It is now up to the regal rulers of Equestria to put an end to the chaotic and disorganised state that the Legion has wrought.
Approaching their destination, they notice the smell of the cold air disappear and replaced by the strong scent of stone.
Slowly and quietly walking to the peak of a snow-covered hill, the two princesses could see pillars of grey smog billowing from multiple locations. Finally making it to the top, they could see it all.
“Keep your head down, Luna.” Celestia whispers.
Luna gulps nervously and nodded in silent agreement.
The sight of a massive army met them. They could see many races among the hostile crowd; Ponies, Gryphons, Minotaurs, Diamond Dogs, even a few Dragons made up the Legions’ army. All the soldiers were standing in formations of squares all over the barren landscape. The Crystal Empire, now littered with black crystals instead of its usual cold-coloured stones, can be seen in the distance; their destination was in sight.
"Now comes the hard part." Celestia whispers, observing their enemies.
"Care to explain how we make it to the Crystal Empire without being seen?" Luna asks quietly.
"All of those soldiers have their consciousness corrupted by dark magic, so they lack most perception, but we won't be able to fly high above them; not with all those dragons. An Invisibility spell is not an option since our hoof-prints can easily be discovered. Teleporting into the Empire would draw too much attention…”
“Why would that be, sister?” Luna interrupts, to which Celestia sways her head and mutters a response.
“Princesses don’t interrupt, Luna.” Celestia whispers kindly, “We must be kind in our words; it’s what the broken state of Equestria requires most of us right now.”
Luna nodded solemnly, an apology gracing her lips, before Celestia raised her hoof to stop her. “We are sorry, dear sister – We did not mean to chastise. Just think; why dost thou think we cannot teleport inside the Empire?”
“Well…” Luna ponders, one of her hooves touching her chin, “We don’t know what could be in the Crystal Empire, and the flash of magic could draw unwanted attention.”
Celestia nods in agreement to her little sister, before continuing, “We also can't disguise ourselves as soldiers as they're all in formation and we would be the only ones left out." She puts a hoof on her chin, imitating Luna’s action. "The Legion is more cautious than I thought when it comes to intruders infiltrating their ranks."
"Then we are at a dead end. If only we knew an easier way to sneak in."
Moments later, after analysing the landscape for any more openings, the two sisters heard light hoof-steps in the snow behind them. Remaining crouched, they both turned around; horns glowing, preparing for what danger they may confront. Unexpectedly, the two alicorns were met by a Crystal Pegasus mare; her coat as white as the snow falling around her while her mane and tail were a light shade of blue. As the mare got closer, the two sisters were able to get a clear view of her face.
What they saw made them both transfixed.
There was a long, fresh scar vertically across her left eye. The dried blood was easy to notice on her white coat. The mare lifted her head to the two princesses before collapsing sidewards, losing consciousness.
Both alicorns gasped in horror before rushing to the downed mare. Upon closer inspection, Luna noticed something out of shape; the mare’s belly was more expanded than the average pony...
"Luna, we must return to base. She needs medical attention."
Luna gently put a hoof on the mare's round belly, feeling a hard firmness. She only needed one guess as to why that was.
"Yes, sister, we must make haste! This mare is heavily pregnant!”
A few hours passed and they managed to trek back to their base camp with the pregnant mare suspended in their magic. In a medical tent of the Equestrian Military, the two alicorns and medics were standing around the bed that held the pained, suffering mare.
"Doctor Herbal, may you and your staff kindly allow my sister and I to talk to this poor mare in private?" Celestia asks.
"I’m afraid not just yet, Your Highness – we feel we should wait until this mare is stable. However, it may be best for this patient to not feel so crowded." Celestia nods in understanding and the doctor smiles sheepishly, leading the fellow medical staff out of the tent with a harsh word and a wave of his fetlock hooves.
The doctor leapt back to the bedside of the mare, and Celestia was the first to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled between the five ponies still inside the tent. "My little pony, can you please tell us your name?"
With fear still cloaking her mind and a look of desperation on her face, the mare lowered her head and whispered:
"C... Corona."
"Corona. Would it be alright with you if we ask you a few questions?" Celestia asks her, softly.
Corona limply nods her head.
Luna asks the next, and obvious, question, - "We would like to know what had happened to thee." - Okay, maybe not in the form of a question.
Corona hesitates to answer, and both alicorns realised, by her expression, that the answer they seek wouldn't be that easy.
"We understand if you don't feel comfortable talking about it, so please - take all the time you need. In the meantime, feel free to ask us any questions that you have in mind."
Corona raises her head at this, and stares at the princesses. After a moment of silent pondering, she opened her mouth. "Umm...” She pauses before speaking, with a hoof over her distended belly. Celestia immediately recognises the concern in her eyes as that of a mother to a child - she lightly tapped the doctor’s shoulder with a cloven hoof to stir him out of his thoughts. He jumps at the sudden contact.
“Perhaps this stallion will be able to answer your questions better than we can at the moment.” Celestia comments.
"Certainly”, the doctor answers, “…What was the question?”
“How is my foal, doctor?” Corona stutters out a question in a soft voice.
"First of all, from what we could analyse, you are 10 months pregnant and should be giving birth any moment, which raises another question that I will ask later. Secondly, you're body is suffering from a minor case of hypothermia, but you should be safe and warm in this tent."
"But what about my baby? Is it still alright?"
"Your foal is perfectly fine, Miss Corona. You have nothing to worry about."
As the doctor and Corona discussed her condition, Celestia felt a hoof rest on her shoulder. She turned to look at her sister who intervened. "What is it, Luna?"
"Sister, as much as we would like to hear more from this mare, shouldn't we focus our attention on the Legion's advances?" She whispers.
Celestia stares at her sister for a few seconds before briefly turning her glance at Corona and back to her sister. "...You're right. Our time is scarce and we must act with haste. Go to the command table and formulate a strategy while I..." She was suddenly interrupted by an agonising scream.
"Aaaaaaaaaahhh, haah, haah!!"
Turning to the source of the scream, the princesses saw Corona flailing in her bed. Right on cue, the rest of the doctors and medics who were waiting patiently outside came storming in the tent to analyse her condition. Doctor Herbal's horn lit up and slowly moved his magic aura around Corona's pregnant belly. The medical staff were holding her limbs down to avoid any accidents. After a brief moment, Herbal quickly turned his look of worry towards the princesses.
"She's going into labour! Your Majesties, please give us some space!"
They both nodded "Of course. Please look after her." Celestia said.
As they both exited the medical tent, they made their way to the command table in the officers’ tent.
"Sister, after the foal is born, I suggest we move them both to the refugee camp back at the castle."
"Good idea. This is no place for an exhausted mother and her newborn foal. I'll arrange two of our scouts to escort them when Corona's ready."
{Present}
"After a few hours, my sister and I returned to the medical tent to check in on Corona. She gave birth to a healthy Pegasus colt... But, unfortunately..." Luna concluded with a frown.
"What happened" Twilight asked.
"Corona died in the process."
“…oh.” Twilight responded. Sadness filled the room.
"Her overexposure to the cold left her body completely weak and had suffered internal bleeding while giving birth. The colt was unharmed, but now, he had no mother."
"Oh, that poor mare." Fluttershy whispered reverently.
"So what did y'all do with the poor lil’ guy?" Applejack asked.
"With the Legion not making any advances as far, we assumed it was safe enough to let one of our pegasus troops escort the foal to our castle. But not everything went according to plan...", Luna sighed, lowering her head as she recalled the events. She paused briefly before proceeding, "After transferring Corona's corpse to the morgue and the newborn colt to my bedchambers, with the company of one of the medical staff, the entirety of the castle started to rumble. After moving outside onto the balcony, we witnessed catapult artilleries coming from the forest - we were under attack by the Legion."
"Were you able to beat them up?" Rainbow Dash asks.
"Unfortunately, no", Luna answered, "We were hopelessly outnumbered. The Frozen Legion made their move when we least expected it; The only thing we could do was flee. While we were successful in evacuating the refugees and escaping the onslaught, our castle was in ruins, along with what remains of Corona."
"The poor mare never got a proper burial." Rarity lamented.
Before Luna could continue with her story, Grey Nimbus raised his hoof, gaining the attention of everypony in the room.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but what does all this have to do with me? I'd like to get to the point, if you don't mind, Princess."
"Very well. But you might not be prepared for what I'm about to tell you." Luna closed her eyes, "The little colt who was born that day..." She then reopened them and gave Nimbus a serious look.
To nopony's surprise, Grey Nimbus' eyes turned to pinpricks, mixed with the expression of horror. He slowly sat up before asking as calmly as possible...
"What did you say?"
Luna clearly saw what was coming to her when she dropped the bomb on him. She could sense that Nimbus was a cool and collected pony and would allow others to explain so he could understand.
Luna cleared her throat, "Allow me to elaborate; When I first saw you, I didn't recognize you. But after Twilight Sparkle told me that you possess dark magic, it all came flooding back. I remember now that you have the exact same appearance as the foal me and my sister had under our care."
"But that was over a thousand years ago! How could I have existed way back then if I'm alive today!?", Nimbus exclaimed.
"After we escaped the Legion's onslaught, we, along with the refugees, retreated due South to our nearest outpost. On the way, we took shelter in a cave on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. We were lucky to find the cave completely empty and large enough for all the refugees. After we settled in, Celestia and I were trying to get to the bottom of how we were going to counter the Legion's advances while, with equal worry, deciding what to do with Grey Nimbus."
She turns to Nimbus who still looked disappointed.
{Flashback}
"Luna, we are losing the battle. At this pace, the Legion will triumph and leave no survivors."
Celestia and her younger sister were sitting outside by the entrance of a cave where they decided to make camp for the night. All the other refugees were sleeping soundly further inside. As for the colt, Luna decided to personally keep watch over him. She had him cradled in her hooves and wrapped in a thick blanket as he slept like the foal that he was. Seeing how peaceful he looked in his slumber made Luna forget about the war they were facing.
"Luna, are you listening!?", Celestia exclaimed.
Luna lifted her head and let out a low 'ssshhhhh'.
"Sister, please lower thy voice. Thou art going to wake this poor child.", she whispered.
Celestia cleared her throat and said in a lower volume, "Forgive me, Luna, but we have more important matters to focus on. I know that you've taken a liking to this foal, but our fight with the Legion is our top priority. We can't just let anything distract us."
"We know. But what can we do? Our castle has been destroyed, the enemy continues to advance and they have succeeded at pushing us back when we least expected. But worst of all, we have just witnessed the death of a mother and the birth of an orphan. And now...", Luna couldn't bring herself to continue on.
Luna frowns and looks down at the foal in her forearms. She gently leans the sleeping colt against her chest while unfolding her wings and wrapping them around him for, surprisingly to Celestia, motherly protection.
"Luna...", Celestia placed a hoof on her sister's shoulder.
"We swear by our mother...", Luna whispered, "if we make it through this chaos, we shall take this poor soul under our wing and protect him with our life."
Celestia smiled, her hoof still on Luna's shoulder.
"It would appear you have found a new reason to continue fighting. You now have something worth protecting. Use that dedication to boost your moral, little sister."
Luna lifted her head and stared at her sister in slight shock.
"Sister... we..." Luna shook her head, snapping our of her daze. She pushed away all signs of doubt, fear or weakness...replacing them with confidence and strength. "Thou art right, sister. We feel like nothing can stop us."
"It's good to see you in high spirits again, Luna. But save that energy for the morrow."
Celestia yawns. Her sister reacting with her own yawn.
"Good point. Let us get some rest. We'll continue along our route to the outpost in the morning"
The two sisters stand up and trotted back into the cave. Luna carries the foal with one of her wings and they quietly trot back inside the cave.
{Morning the next day}
As Celestia rose the sun, it's bright beams of light touched Luna's face, making her squirm in her sleep. She slept with the foal tucked under wing, giving him more warmth. Celestia was still at the entrance facing away from the cave, her horn still glowing. As the sun was now at it's peak, she turned and trotted back inside to wake her sister.
Celestia put a hoof on her sister's shoulder and gently rocked her, "Luna, it's time to wake up. We must move posthaste."
Luna started groaning as she slowly opened her tired eyes. She let out a long yawn and rubbed her eyes. "Good morning, sister. We shall be up momentarily. For now, We must see how..."
Luna slowly shifted her wing and notice that something wasn't right. She moved her wing out of the way only to reveal a piece of cloth... with no foal to wrap it around. She swiftly stood up and looked at her surroundings, hoping to find the little colt. She then turns to Celestia.
"Sister, the foal hast vanished! We cannot find him!". Luna was stressfully panting
Celestia walks over to her sister and puts a hoof on her shoulder, hoping to get her calm and focused.
"Luna, please, calm yourself! We'll round up the refugees and we'll all search in and out of this cave."
Luna's panting turned into long, heavy breathing. She looked up at her sister and nodded. Immediately, The two Alicorns woke up the refugees, who were all sleeping a little further in the cave, and asked them to help find the missing colt.
"We looked for a whole hour, but you were nowhere to be found. You were too young to move around on your own, so the only explanations were that you were taken away. But that's not what happened."
Everypony in the room listened carefully to Luna while Nimbus was trying to piece together what happened but to no avail.
"What did you do afterward?", he asked.
"I wanted to continue searching in the Everfree Forest for you, so I told my sister to take the refugees to the outpost without me. I encouraged her enough to let me go with my decision. After she left, I was searching in that cursed forest for a whole day. To both my shock and surprise, there was no sign of you... or the Legion. I found it very odd that the Legion's presence could not be found during my day of searching. Either way, I wasn't too stubborn to realise how deep in over my head I was, so I gave up the search and caught up with my sister and the others. On the way over, I was greeted by an allied Changeling who had a message for me from the outpost my sister was heading to.
"It said that the Frozen Legion... vanished."
"Vanished? Whatever do you mean?" Rarity asked.
"I didn't understand it myself, but whatever happened during my search for Grey Nimbus, the Legion simply faded away like a bad dream. Besides the destruction they have wrought, it was as if they didn't even exist."
"That doesn't make a lick of sense!" Rainbow exclaimed.
"I agree. How can an army large enough to conquer the whole world just disappear without a trace?" Twilight asked.
"Whatever was behind their disappearance, I'm afraid we have no clarification as to why. But the Legion wasn't all that faded away. The Crystal Empire went with it."
"A whole city disappeared too? That's unheard of." Fluttershy said.
"Indeed. It was both a victory and defeat. The threat was gone, but we lost a good city." Luna sighed.
"So where does that leave me?" Nimbus asked, gaining everypony's attention. "How am I still alive in this timeline? Unless... when the Legion and the Empire disappeared... so did I?"
"Exactly. Centuries later, you reappeared in the same cave where I last saw you."
Nimbus lowered his head. After hearing Luna's shocking tale, he was overwhelmed with too much confusion to think straight. He faintly heard hoofsteps growing louder with each step, followed by the feeling a foreleg wrap around him gently. He raised his head to see Luna looking down towards him with a frown.
"I understand that this is a lot to take in, Grey Nimbus. I'm sorry." she said calmly.
Nimbus lowered his head again and leaned against Luna's breastplate. He then started to shiver and whimper, making Luna sit back down and wrap her other foreleg around him in a hug. The other mares slowly trotted closer to the traumatized stallion. Everypony wanted to try and comfort him, but none of them had any idea as to what will work. Rarity took the risk.
"Are you going to be alright, darling?"
"I... I don't know." he answered, sniffling "I left home because... because Mom told me to find... Princess Luna. Then... I hear the truth about where I came from... who I am... what I am..."
His melancholy was effecting everypony in the room. Pinkie and Fluttershy had tears building up in their eyes, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Twilight had sad expressions on their faces and Applejack lowered her stetson hat to hide her face.
"What am I suppose to do now?" Nimbus said, calming down from Luna's embrace "Even if I go home, I'd still feel guilty for what I did to Mo... I mean, Sweet Fields. I can't just cut my losses, I'd still be an outcast to society. I don't even have a home anymore."
After hearing that last statement, Luna pulled back and looked directly into his eyes.
"You do now. You're coming back to Canterlot with me!"
The atmosphere in the library suddenly got colder. Everypony, including Nimbus, all had widened eyes. The six mares soon followed up with a long...
"WHAAAT!?"
"I mean it." Luna said, turning her head towards the Element bearers.
"I have already made up my mind when I realized who you are. I did promise myself that I would take you under my wing, did I not?"
Luna looked back at Nimbus. "The choice is up to you, though. So, Grey Nimbus, would you like to live with me in Canterlot? You will no longer have to fear about Equestria treating you like a monster. Because I will help you control your dark magic. What do you say?"
His wide eyes slowly squinting as tears start to stream down his face. He then started crying before returning the hug.
"Yes! T-thank you! You have... you have no idea how m-much this m-means to me! Th-thank you so much, Princess Luna!"
Luna gently rubbed his back, reassuring him that everything will be alright.
