> Griffons and Magic and Nightmares, oh my!
>  by bahatumay
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Ardue the griffon shivered as he stepped into the cave. Stepping from bright, morning sun to creepy dark cave always gave him the shivers, and no matter how many times he saw the slimy black rocky crags and smelled the dank air, it always creeped him out a little. He made sure to keep his wings folded, not knowing, or trusting, what foul substance was on the floor. It didn't help at all that griffons had almost no night vision to speak of. Walking blindly into a cave? Every griffon instinct he had protested at the thought.

But when one receives orders from the high king, he obeys them; or he will be receiving something sharp between his head and his chest. And if those orders are to visit the Royal Alchemist, deep in the dank caves, you become really grateful that griffons as a species were not gifted with a fine sense of smell.

Inas'i (for some reason, all alchemists seemed to have apostrophes in their names...) was working deep inside the cave. Every other griffon guard thought he was crazy. Ardue shared this opinion. It wasn't natural for a griffon to spend that much time underground. It just wasn't.

He entered what could be called the laboratory. Having learned long ago not to startle the alchemist (another griffon had had the misfortune of doing that while he had been working with acid at the time...) he called out. “Inas'i?”

A griffon stood up and pushed protective goggles off his eyes. His eyes... something seemed off about them. Ardue figured it was from spending too much time underground. His feathers were not preened, and had lost much of their shine. The fact that he held a somewhat large knife made this assignment that much more unnerving. It glinted dangerously in the numerous torches that lined the walls—griffons weren't known for their night vision.

“Let me guess. The High King wants a progress report on my work.” Inas'i's voice was raspy from disuse. And no wonder—nobird would want to visit him down here.

“Yes, Inas'i.”

“Then you will be the bearer of good news. Much of the important work has already been done. I have but to add the final ingredients and my work will be done.”

Ardue felt his heart race. “So it's true? Unlimited magic power will be ours?”

“Oh, not unlimited,” said the alchemist. “But close enough. The power is directly correlated with the sun. But as long as the sun is shining, yes. For our intents and purposes, unlimited power.”

Ardue couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face. If Inas'i had truly found a way to let griffons use magic, that would change many things. It would be an exceptionally large stick in the aerie for all griffons.

Not that they were planning an attack or anything. But griffons are, by nature, quite competitive; and the fact that a strong, proud, mighty griffon couldn't use magic while a puny, furry pony could... well, that rubbed many feathers the wrong way.

See, in open combat, a griffon is superior to most ponies. Their flight and hunting instincts allows them to pick off earth ponies from the air like a hawk hunts a rabbit (if engaged on the ground, it's a bit of a double-or-nothing—if the claws score a one-hit-kill, the griffon wins; but it only takes one powerful buck to break a griffon's light bones, and victory is assured for the earth pony (1) ); and while not as quick as a pegasus, they are more than a match in a straightaway flight; and if they do catch one, their claws and beak can quickly make short work of them. A unicorn is the only race they fear, because a unicorn can strike with impunity.

So it was not hard to imagine the confidence that would be inspired by the ability to use magic.
Ardue returned to the present as Inas'i started to describe his ingredients. “Powdered extract of Hearts' Desire,” he said, pointing at a small bowl of powder with his knife. “That is quite hard to acquire, I might add. Grows only in this pony place called Everfree.”

He took another step forward. “Oh, and the last ingredient.” He turned and took a burlap cover off of a cage Ardue hadn't noticed before. Ardue gasped in surprise as he saw a tiny unicorn, no older than his younger cousin.

“Did you... chicknap that unicorn?” he asked, shocked.

Inas'i grinned evilly as he leaned over the cage. “Well, her parents didn't exactly volunteer her for my experiments, if that's what you're asking. But she helps provide the most important component.”

The quivering unicorn looked up, her eyes full of fear. She was young enough that the irises of her eyes still hadn't developed yet.

“The blood of the innocent,” Inas'i finished.

The knife came down.

Ardue was aghast. Griffons and ponies were not on the best of terms, but generally bore no ill ill to one another; but killing a hatchling was just beyond acceptable.

“What will the high king say?” he stammered, taking a step back in revulsion and horror.

“Nothing,” said Inas'i, collecting the blood in another bowl. “He ordered me to find a way to let griffons use magic, and I have delivered. He does not question my methods.”

“But I do!”

Inas'i added the crushed purple flowers. “Ah, but you are of no consequence.”

“When the high king finds out about this...”

Inas'i had added the final ingredient, and mixed them together. “If,” he corrected. “If the king finds out.” Having mixed sufficiently, he took a drink of the foul substance. Inas'i shuddered as the mixture flowed through his body. He fell on the ground, twitching uncontrollably.

“Inas'i?” Ardue asked, unsure if this were a problem or what normally occurred. Normal griffons didn't deal much with alchemy. For all he knew, this was what was supposed to happen.

Within thirty seconds, Inas'i had ceased his twitching. He stood up. “And he won't.” He calmly began to leave the cave. Ardue stared after him in shock, before running to catch up.

“Even if he has no qualms, you can't just kill a pony and get away with it, much less a baby unicorn! Do you know what the Equstrians are going to do in retaliation?”

“It doesn't really matter what they do if they are no longer in charge,” Inas'i said.

Ardue felt a shiver run up his back. “What was that?”

“Too long we have been in the shadows of the ponies. Too long we have kept but a semblance of self-government. They own us and they know it, what with their coinage and their princesses...”

“Surely you're making a molting out of a lost feather,” Ardue protested.

“You are a fool (2). The time has come again to rise up! For griffons everywhere to asset their authority again as the superior species. For griffons to live as we were meant to live! On the top of...” 

This rousing speech was cut short as they stepped into the sunlight. Ardue squinted, slightly blinded, but Inas'i had stopped completely, being very blinded. He had been underground for too long.

But griffon eyes were designed for sunlight, and they soon adjusted. Inas'i continued, “On the top of the social structure, for we are the superior species. There must be some... adjustments made.”

“You're insane,” Ardue breathed.

Inas'i examined a claw thoughtfully. “They have said the same of other visionaries. But I have done what no other could do. I provided magic for the griffons.” Suddenly, his claws glowed, as if they were miniature flames, but gray. A quick wave later, Ardue was on the ground, a rock embedded in his head. (3)

Inas'i stepped forward and lay a claw on Ardue's dead body. “You should be proud, Ardue. You were my first test. And it seems as though I was successful.”

Stepping over his dead body as though it were worthless slag, Inas'i stepped out confidently. Speaking of adjustments, there needed to be some... rearranging of affairs in this kingdom.

> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Another normalish day in Ponyville. No invaders, no crazy mares running around, no enemies from the past resurfacing suddenly. Nope, no problems could be seen. This is what made the day 'normalish' as opposed to just plain 'normal'.

Unfortunately for Rainbow Dash, this day was about to become normal.

Rainbow Dash was, as usual, napping on a cloud. This one was supposed to be pushed out to the Everfree, but surely nopony would notice if she gave Sweet Apple Acres a bit of a watering boost first.

At least, that had been the plan. Then she had decided to do it after her nap, which had started two hours ago.

She suddenly found herself in the shade. Blinking awake, she reared back and yawned. “Aw, who swiped the sun?”

“Dude. Not cool. Do you really not recognize me? You crash into too many walls or somethin'?”

Rainbow Dash stopped midyawn. She recognized that voice.

“Gilda?”

Sure enough, the griffon stood on her cloud, smiling in a what might have passed for slightly sheepish manner. “In the feathers.”

Rainbow Dash flew and gave her old friend a hug, but then quickly turned it into a friendly punch on the shoulder.

This was not lost on the griffon. “Your friends turned you soft, Rainbow Crash,” Gilda sneered, ruffling the rainbow mane with a claw and using her friend's old nickname, but a hint of a smile that played at the edges of her beak showed that she didn't mean it as an insult.

“Nah, I'm still the coolest of them all,” Rainbow tried to recover, idly brushing a hoof through her mane. “Seriously, though, it's good to see you again. You know, I didn't expect you to come back. How've you been?”

Gilda shrugged. “I've been better. I didn't really want to come back, but I figured my friend would get a little peeved with me if I didn't warn her about the coming attack.”

“What attack?”

Gilda clamped a claw over Rainbow's mouth and looked around wildly. “Shut it, moron! I'm really sticking my neck out for you and your lame-o friends here! If I get caught, I'll have my wings pulled off as a traitor. Let's go somewhere quieter.”

“We can go to the library. It's quiet in there. And that's where Twilight lives.”

“The nerdy one?”

Rainbow's eyes narrowed. “The unicorn who took on Nightmare Moon—alone—and lived to tell about it. The smartest pony I know. The most magical unicorn in this quarter of Equestria. When you can top that, you can start smack-talking her, but until then, making fun of her is my job.” Dash tried to keep an angry face, but soon broke into a giggle. “She is a bit of an egghead, isn't she?”

“About that magic bit...” Gilda started, but then changed her mind. “Let's bounce, Crashie.”



*  *  *



Twilight and Gilda faced each other. It was obvious they weren't on the best of terms, but Twilight reminded herself that she didn't actually see too much of what Gilda had done on her last trip into Ponyville, and thus had to reserve her judgment until she had gotten to know the griffon.

“So... you had something you wanted to share?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah. So whaddaya know about alchemists and alchemy?”

Twilight answered easily. “It's a bit of a pseudo-science, if you're defining alchemy as 'changing metals into other metals'. Starswirl the Bearded's fifth postulate explains that magic simply cannot change a metal on such a basic level as to change its type and properties entirely. Although you can enchant metal to look like another, you can't imbue it with the properties of the desired metal. Iron enchanted to look like gold will still be hard and unmalleable like iron. Any magic user with a moderate amount of skill can easily distinguish any fakery.”

Gilda blinked, having only understood about five words of Twilight's speech. She glanced at Rainbow Dash. “'Egghead' was an understatement,” she said, already regretting asking that question.

But Twilight wasn't done. “The other branch of alchemy involves using potions and procedures to mimic the effects of magic; this is historically done by earth ponies and griffons. Have you ever heard of Ghiur the Great?” Not waiting for an answer, Twilight continued, “He was one of the more famous alchemists, and definitely the most well-known griffon alchemist. Most of his rules and protocols are still in place currently, and his Fourth Law was the springboard for the discovery of most of the painkillers we use today.”

Gilda did not know what to say to that. She turned to Rainbow Dash. “Remind me to never ask this pony a question again,” she said.

Rainbow rolled her eyes, already used to Twilight's quirks. “Next time just say 'mad scientist',” she suggested.

Gilda shook her head and continued. “So as I was saying before you started giving me a really boring egghead lecture, griffons are good at alchemy. And one figured out a way to let griffons use magic.”

Twilight, of course, took this dubiously. “I'm not sure what to say to that, but I'm 97.6% sure it's not true.”

Gilda had been expecting such a reaction, and had prepared a demonstration. She raised a claw. It glowed with gray light, and she shot a bolt of magic at Twilight.

Unfortunately for Gilda, Twilight was quick. Instinctively, she formed a reflective shield (not a large bubble; she didn't quite have time for that), and the magic bounced off and hit Gilda in the face. The force of the impact knocked Gilda backwards, sending her crashing into a bookcase and spilling books everywhere.

Gilda had NOT been expecting that. And she sure wasn't expecting Twilight's response to the exchange, either. Her field of vision was quickly filled with an ecstatic purple unicorn vibrating with excitement, saying something like, “Oh my gosh you can use magic I didn't think that was possible but that is so cool you don't have a horn or anything though I have no idea how but then again Discord used magic without using his horn and I know other ponies have inherent magic but I didn't think griffons had inherent magic but that is really awesome and your magic is strong because you got knocked back I mean I could feel it on my shield so I knew it was strong oh wow so this is so exciting please please please let me do a little research on this!”

Gilda blinked. “Crazy unicorn say wha'?”

“You used magic!”

Gilda lifted herself back up and coolly brushed off her shoulder. “Psh. Sha. Toldja I could.”

“This is awesome!”

Gilda had gotten annoyed with this unicorn already. Griffons as a species are fairly proud, so getting knocked back on her own tailfeathers by her own magic was a low kick right in the pride. Compound that with Twilight's fangirling, and you had one seriously irked griffon. “Yeah. See how awesome you think it is when you get invaded by a bunch of magic-wielding griffons. See who's laughing then.”

That had the desired effect of shutting the unicorn up. “Run that by me again?” Twilight asked nervously.

“The head alchemist, Inas'i, gave griffons magic. He's training them right now, and when he's done, he's going to lead an army and take over Equestria.”

Twilight's eyes snapped open in surprise. “We gotta tell the princess!”

Gilda reached out a claw and pulled her in close. “No! If you tell the princess, she'll want to know where you got that info!”

Twilight blinked in surprise (and tried not to reel at the smell of unwashed griffon). “You just gave it to me.”

Gilda groaned. “Yeah, but I wasn't supposed to, and I don't want to be here when the excreted fecal matter hits the rotating air circulation device.” Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion. Gilda smirked. “See? I can speak fancy too.”

Twilight shook her head and her horn began to glow. Gilda instinctively raised a claw pulsing with gray magic. The two stared at each other in a terse standoff until Twilight broke the silence. “The princesses can handle this threat,” she said, but Rainbow thought her confidence had flickered briefly.

Gilda's eyes narrowed. “There is a lot of magic here that you don't know. I got my magic a week ago, and look how strong I am already. Some griffons have been training for months. They are strong. I don't think you can win. Inas'i—the leader—he's insane. He's powermad.” Her eyes flicked back to Rainbow Dash. “I just figured I owed it to a friend to let them know they should de-tail the area with all quickness.”

“I'm sure...” Twilight levitated a scroll over to Spike. “Spike? Send this, would you?”

“Sure thing!” And with a quick burst of green fire, the letter was gone.

Gilda looked around in confusion. “What just happened?” she demanded.

“She sent a letter to Canterlot,” Rainbow explained, instantly realizing that that had been the wrong thing to say as Gilda's eyes widened, and then narrowed angrily.

“No. No,” Gilda said. “I am not sticking around for this. This is not my fight and I don't want to be involved in this. I just wanted to warn you and that's it. Griffon, out.” She turned and stomped to the door and opened it, getting an eyeful of white. This wasn't surprising, as griffons had excellent eyesight and her eyes would have adjusted to the dimmer light of inside the library, making the outside world look much brighter. What was surprising was the fact that the white wasn't resolving into other colors. Gilda looked around, and looked up—and realized that the white was actually a pony. A very large pony with very large wings and a very long horn and a very long, very colorful mane.

Spitting a rather explicit griffon curse, Gilda stumbled back into the library and instinctively fired a blast of gray magic at the Princess. A small shield made of golden magic appeared instantly; when the gray magic hit, the golden magic simply wrapped around it (looking for all the world like a truffle being unwrapped, but in reverse) and absorbed it.

Twilight gasped.

This process was repeated for the next three blasts. Celestia's responses were quick and accurate, and absorbing magic was not an easy task.

Celestia slowly advanced, backing Gilda into a corner. She leaned forwards, meeting her eyes. Gilda shot another blast of magic from point-blank range.

Celestia stood there and took it. No knockback, no wincing, no blood, nothing. She just stood there, impassive.

Twilight's mind had been blown.

Celestia spoke, her eyes never once leaving Gilda's. “You were right, Twilight. The griffons do have magic. I had heard rumors from the cities along the griffon border, but the disturbing rush of foalnappings took higher priority over what I thought to be unfounded rumors. It seems I have... misjudged.” She smiled wryly. “Equestria has indeed gotten stranger these past few years.”

“Well, Equestria as we know it is gonna get a little weirder,” Gilda said. “I'm one. There are at least twenty-two thousand more. He's attacking soon, you're all gonna die.”

Celestia leaned in. Her voice dropped low, and her eyes hardened, glinting dangerously. “I will not stand for attacks against my little ponies. We will be ready. Return to your master and tell him that we do not fear his threats, and that he should begin digging the graves for his soldiers.”

Gilda looked to the side, almost sheepishly. Rather impressive, for a griffon (these expressions don't come out well on feathered and beaked faces).

Celestia understood in an instant. “You are a traitor,” she observed.

“I prefer the term, 'on a permanent, unapproved leave of absence', your shininess,” Gilda said. Even face-to-face with an alicorn that had just easily withstood magic blasts that would have knocked out any normal unicorn, 'sarcasm' was Gilda's first language.

Celestia sidestepped the barb with amazing grace. “I thank you for your bravery. Saving the lives of the Elements of Harmony would save Equestria, and I know what the griffons do to traitors.”

The visible shiver that ran down Gilda's spine revealed that she, too, knew too well what the griffons did to traitors.

“Why risk all that?” Rainbow Dash spoke up. “What's worth it?”

Gilda, never one for sharing touchy-feely things, retorted angrily, “I guess I was hoping you could do something. I guess I was hoping you'd survive, as a shot at him for killing everyone else. I don't know. I don't know why I'm here, I don't know why he's even planning this war, I don't know and it's killing me!”

“What do you know?”

Gilda's expression hardened. “I know what he did to the rebels.”



*  *  *



Griffons are a very proud, very tough race. As a general rule, though, they do not initiate conflicts. They have no qualms about finishing one, though.

So when Inas'i outlined his plan for Equestria domination, many were nervous and did not wish to participate. After all, angering the one that moves the sun on a daily basis is risky at best.

He, as retaliation, ordered a forced draft and massive fines and long imprisonment sentences. And griffon prisons are not pleasant places.

Late one night, a small group decided to stage a coup. It was night, they could be sneaky, and no one could use magic. At least, that was the plan.

Imagine their surprise when Inas'i unleashed magic on them, in the middle of the night.

“I have forgotten more about magic than you all will EVER know!” he roared, scattering them with blasts of gray magic.

The griffons stood their ground as best they could, but Inas'i had loyal guards.

And powerful magic.

And intense interrogation techniques.

And soon, the rebellion was crushed.


*  *  *


“Then he rounded everyone up—their families, friends, chicks, neighbors, and everything—and decimated them,” Gilda said softly.

“Whoa!” Dash breathed. “So he just wiped them out?”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “No, you moron, he decimated them. Lined them up, and killed every tenth griffon.”

As absolutely horrible as that had been, Twilight was very grateful that someone had used ‘decimate’ correctly.

Celestia made the connection instantly. “You had a friend among the slaughtered, didn't you?”

Gilda's right eye twitched once very slightly, but other than that, her face was a stony mask. That was her only answer—but the only one Celestia needed.

“A special friend, then.”

“Fiancee,” Gilda whispered so softly that even with her augmented hearing, Celestia barely heard it.

Celestia returned to her full height. “Twilight? Send word to the other Element bearers to meet here as soon as possible. You are now under Royal Protection.” She turned to Spike. “Yes, that includes you.” 

Spike rubbed his claws in glee. Finally! He got to be part of the adventure!

She then looked at the stone-faced griffon in the corner. “Griffon, you are welcome to the same protection if you wish.”

“I can take care of myself,” Gilda snapped.

Celestia nodded serenely, having been expecting a similar answer. Griffon pride was an interesting thing—had Celestia not offered, she would have been considered offensive, inhospitable and insensitive; but for the griffon to accept such an offer was tantamount to an expression of weakness.

And griffons do not well tolerate weakness.

With a brief nod farewell, Celestia disappeared in a flash of gold.

Twilight turned to Rainbow Dash. “If you've got Fluttershy and Applejack, I'll take Pinkie Pie and Rarity.”

Rainbow nodded assent and flew off, leaving her trademark contrail behind.

Twilight turned to her other guest. “Gilda...”

The griffon waved her off. “Don't mind me, girlie,” she said, flopping on a couch. “I'll just chill here until you get back.” Her eyes flicked to Spike. “Hey, lizard-dude, you got anything good to eat around here?”

Twilight's eye twitched once. She decided it would be more than prudent to hurry back.



*  *  *



Celestia appeared back in her rooms in a flash of golden light. She turned to face the guards that stood at attention by the doorway.

“Leave me,” she commanded. “I have important matters to ponder.”

The guards saluted and turned to leave.

As soon as the large doors closed behind them, Princess Celestia slumped over in pain. Gritting her teeth, she examined where she had been hit. The mysterious gray magic had left a sizable bruise. Sure, her healing ability had soon kicked in, but it had hurt a lot more than she had expected, and a lot more than normal magic would have. She examined the bruise with interest, trying to discern what she could from the residue of the magic that remained. It was solar magic, yes, but it had been tainted somehow. It... tasted wrong, for lack of a better term. When she had absorbed the attacks, it had been straining, but not impossible. The griffon had been powerful, and Twilight's letter had indicated that she claimed recent knowledge of magic.

It was at this time that Celestia determined that it was very possible that this could end very, very badly.

> Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The griffon alchemist sat at his bench, working on yet another batch of this magic-giving potion. Leader de facto of the entire nation he may have been, but he was still much more content in a laboratory than on a throne. That position was reserved for his most trusted lieutenant, Gruarch.

Who, incidentally, was going to have an unfortunate accident soon that would leave him unfit to fulfill his duties, whereupon he would be replaced by Inas'i's second most trusted lieutenant. 

A griffon captain burst into the room, interrupting his stirring ever so slightly. “Inas'i!” he called, trying very hard to not look at the empty cages that lined the walls. 

Inas’i merely grunted in response.

The captain took this as an invitation to speak. “There are rumors spreading among the troops.”

Inas'i finally looked up and raised an eyebrow. “And you thought this important enough to risk interrupting me? Griffons die if this is not performed correctly, you know.”

“Yes, sir. They say you gave our magic recipe to the Diamond Dogs, and they fear more enemies in more places.”

Inas'i shrugged and turned back to his mixing. “'Tis no rumor if it is the truth.”

The captain stared in shock. Finally, the griffons had accomplished something no one else had been able to do—something they had been told would be forever impossible—and he had just let it go, just like that? “You gave them the recipe?”

Inas'i didn't even look up. “I needed the rubies they had. They do not simply grow on trees, after all.”

“But won't they become our enemies too?”

Inas'i shrugged as he began to prepare a clawful of said rubies to be added to the mixture. “I think not. The Diamond Dogs are a fallen kind. They are scattered, a shadow of the proud race they once were. Besides, I do not think they will succeed in making the mixture. They are an impatient group, too rash and hasty to wait for it to stew to maximum potency. And on the off-chance they do succeed, and make magic-wielders, I need them to trust me. I'm going to need a ruby supplier, after all. Such things do not grow here in these mountains.”

That wasn't right. Inas'i had indeed gotten overconfident and drunk with power. But past experiences had led him to know when it was prudent to say nothing, and now was definitely one of those times.



*  *  *



Meanwhile, in the lair of the Diamond Dogs, another underling was also baffled with the actions of his own superior.

“You traded all our rubies for a piece of paper?”

“This powerful paper,” Rover reassured his friends. He tugged his red vest proudly. “This paper tells us how to get magic!”

Spot scratched behind one grimy ear. “But... all our rubies?” He just could not get over that. How does one become a leader of a group formed for getting gems if they keep giving away all the gems? It just made no sense.

“Listen, dummy. If we get magic, we find even MORE rubies. Like that white horsey did.”

The three gave an involuntary shudder at the memory of that awful pony.

“Now, follow me. We need ingredients.”

The idea of splitting up hadn’t quite occurred to them (after all, mining is an operation that should never be undertaken alone). This misuse of resources meant that it took until the next morning until they had finally gathered the necessary ingredients. All but the last one.

Rover squinted at the paper. “Blood of an inn... innnu... innocent unicorn, preferably a filly.”

His companions seemed a bit surprised by that.

“Blood?” Fido repeated. “Do you think we need it all?” Diamond Dogs were many things, but murderers they were not.

After much pondering and head scratching, Spot raised a paw and suggested, “Let's find one and just ask for it. If we ask nicely, surely they help out?”

This logic was accepted, and the three climbed out of the hole in the ground, squinting in the bright light. Picking a random direction, they started walking hopefully towards pony civilization.

As they walked, one asked, “So what means 'innocent'?”

“I dunno.”

“Mebbe it means 'young'?”

Not having any other definition available, this was accepted; and soon enough, they spied a young unicorn digging in the dirt. She was white, with a curly purple and pink mane. She was probably very pretty by pony standards, even with all the mud on her face and coat.

But as soon as they decided to make a grab for her, they heard another voice.

“Sweetie Belle!”

The three Diamond Dogs froze. They knew that voice...

“Honestly, Sweetie Belle. What are you doing out here? All alone, and so messy.” Another unicorn entered the scene. This one was also white, but larger, with a purple mane with voluminous curls. “What with those horrible griffons flying about, you could get hurt! What were you thinking?”

The filly unicorn looked up at her sister. “I was just looking for gems like you,” she said, her face falling a little bit.

Rarity's reply was interrupted by faint screams of terror. She turned to see three shadows shaped vaguely like Diamond Dogs running full tilt deeper into the desert.



*  *  *



“All the gems in the world not worth that!”
“Nope! Nope nope nope!”



*  *  *



Rarity paused, staring after them, an expression of bewilderment on her face. “Well, I have seen weirder...” she said to herself. She turned back to Sweetie Belle. “Well, that is an admirable idea, but your coat is filthy! What have you to say for yourself?”

Sweetie Belle pulled out a green gemstone she had found. “Surprise?” she offered weakly.

Rarity's eyes widened at the sight of the emerald. She picked it up and examined it with a practiced eye. “That would go perfectly with the fall line I'm working on right now...” she breathed. “Right in the center of the lineup… yes, yes indeed…”

Sweetie's relief at having escaped a scolding was tainted by the fact that no cutie mark had appeared on her flank, but seeing her sister speechless was a pleasant surprise, too.

This moment of triumph was interrupted by the appearance of Twilight Sparkle. “Rarity! There you are! I've been looking all over for you! It's urgent, Princess Celestia herself was here and she's sending chariots because she wants us to come to Canterlot right... away... You're not hearing a word I'm saying, are you?”

Rarity stroked the gem gently. “Such a vibrant green...”

Twilight raised a hoof hesitantly. “Uh, Rarity? You're drooling.”



*  *  *



When Twilight finally managed to drag Rarity away from her emerald (and that didn't happen until after Rarity had kissed it goodbye and locked it inside a small chest, and then locked that chest inside of another chest), she returned to the library and was pleasantly surprised to find the library still standing and not on fire. Considering she had left Pinkie alone in there, that was quite the accomplishment.

She entered and found Rainbow Dash, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Gilda involved in a poker game. Gilda was shooting the pink earth pony some dark looks, but the pony remained happily oblivious. Applejack, who couldn't bluff to save her life, had opted instead for a quiet read. Fluttershy had found a coloring book and was enjoying herself immensely.

“Hey Twilight!” Rainbow called. “You want in this round?”

“No, thanks.”

Gilda passed out the cards (having claws makes it much quicker) and each settled into the game. Rainbow picked up her cards, and though her blank facial expression didn't change, her wings flared out with a quick 'pomf'.

The other three looked at each other. “I fold,” Spike sighed, tossing down his cards. 

“Fold.”

“I'm out.”

Twilight rolled her eyes, but a knock at her door interrupted her witty remark.

There stood a Solar Guard, accompanied by a few golden chariots. “Twilight Sparkle. We are here for the Elements. And the griffon, if she so desires.”

The griffon in question raised a claw and twisted a digit in a rude gesture, indicating that she did not so desire.

The guard remained stoic. “Come, then. We don't have much time.”

And soon, they were all flying to Canterlot.



*  *  *



Celestia stood waiting as they burst into the hall (heaven forbid they walk in gracefully like normal ponies).

“Princess!” Twilight said, skidding to a stop in front of the alicorn. “We came as soon as we could!”

Celestia nodded. “Thank you for coming so quickly. I don't know how much you know, but the rumors of griffons and magic have been circulating for almost six months. This is a very volatile situation. Your friend just confirmed what we have long suspected, much as I hoped to the contrary. The griffons are preparing for war.”

Rainbow Dash shrugged. “We'll get the Elements! That's like our catch-all for every problem, right?” She threw a couple punches to accentuate her point. “We'll just give them a blast of rainbow-powered action and blast their furry flanks back to Griffinlandia or wherever they came from and bam! We saved the day again!”

Celestia shook her head. “I don't think that is our wisest choice of action.”

This, of course, was greeted with no less than six loud vocal protests; but Celestia raised a hoof for silence.

“The Elements are powerful, but they are born of deep magic; deeper even than the Alicorns and back to the dawn of time. They have taken various forms throughout the ages, but they have always been there when ponykind have needed them. They are to be used when there is no other option, when ponies need them and all other hope is lost. When the Elements are used against this code, they work; but never as intended, and their connection with the user is severed permanently.” Celestia took a breath. “That's what happened the night I... banished my sister. I meant to send the taįn̡t to the moon, not her. Never her. But the power of the Elements was never meant to be used by one alone. They did not work as intended, and after they had done their work, my connection with them was severed.”

“What else could you have done?” Applejack asked, in a tone that clearly showed that she could see no other option.

“I don't know,” Celestia admitted. “But a physical attack is nothing I haven't seen before, and I know how to defend our land. I don't want to risk breaking your connections to the Elements for a threat that can be handled in other ways.”

“So why are we here?”

“For your own protection.”

Rainbow frowned. “So who's going to be doing the griffon flank kicking?”  

“We will. As we speak, guards and soldiers are being recruited and trained. We will lead. Luna and I are not the guardians of this land for nothing.”

“That's it?” Rainbow Dash was incredulous. “That's your plan? We're here to hide and do nothing? That's the worst idea I've ever heard, and I've been hanging out with Pinkie Pie all week.”

Everypony's eyes flicked instinctively over to Pinkie Pie to see her reaction to this thinly-veiled insult, but she was contentedly making funny faces in the stained glass windows and making bubbly noises at her distorted reflection, and was apparently unphased.

Fluttershy raised a tentative hoof. “I like this plan, actually,” she said softly.

Celestia stood silently for a moment. Then, with a face as expressionless and flat as the marble pillars surrounding them, she said, “Allow me to explain. Yes, you are here for your own protection. No, you are not here to hide away like a frightened sparrow. You are here as a last line of defense, in case all else fails. If we cannot stop them, then will be the time to evacuate the city, garrison all the civilians in the castle, and use the Elements to repel the griffon attack. I would rather lose the connection to the Elements than have my little ponies be utterly destroyed.”

Twilight was taken aback. “Do you think it would get that far?” she asked nervously.

Celestia's expression didn't change. “I hope not.”

This tense moment was broken by Pinkie Pie, who had apparently been paying attention the entire time. “So does this mean we're, like, on a vacation for a while?” she asked brightly. “I love vacations!”

Celestia cracked a smile. “Yes, Pinkie Pie. Consider the castle your temporary home until further notice.”

“Will I be able to throw parties here?” Pinkie wanted to know.

“No. Not during wartime,” Celestia answered. “But each of you will be assigned a set of bodyguards, and you could maybe have a little fun with them.”



*  *  *



Deep in the barracks of the Lunar Guard, a mare sat up with a gasp, covered in a cold sweat, and bringing the blankets up to her neck in fear, fear such as she hadn't known since she was a tiny filly living on the street.

Her partner stirred. “G?” the stallion next to her asked, blearily rubbing his eyes. “Something wrong?”

“I just had a terrible sense of foreboding, Stone,” she answered shakily, trying to retract her wings after the fight-or-flight stimulus that had coursed through her body. “Something awful is going to happen. Probably on our shift tonight.”

The stallion was concerned, as it took a lot to shake the mare. “Really? Like what?”

“Just...” The mare known as G shook her head. “Something is going to end badly, Stone. That's all I know.”



*  *  *



The next day, bright and early, two weary Lunar Guardsponies trudged back to their room and as one threw themselves down on the bed without even taking off their armor.

“'Guard the elements,' they said,” the stallion whined. “'It'll be fun,' they said. Look, I've been through basic training twice. I've faked my own death. I've survived the return of Nightmare Moon. I've stood guard for two full shifts in sleeting weather. I've helped break up more barfights and riots than I can remember. I've jumped into fights where I've been outnumbered twenty to one, and won; and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But I have never experienced anything like that before, and if I never see that mare again it will be too soon. I think I'd rather relive the hot sauce incident than guard that mare for another five minutes.”

G was much more succinct in her judgment. “Pinkie Pie,” the mare spat, like the name was a curse.

“Pinkie Pie,” Stone bitterly confirmed.

And with that, both silently prayed that some other unlucky pair would be assigned bodyguard duty next.

> Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	When it is peacetime, there is organization in everything military. When it is wartime, it is more like organized chaos. Even so, Shining Armor was more than ready for the challenge. Two days later, the two princesses stood at attention as Captain Shining Armor and an underling gave a report on the state of the preparations for war.

“We have only one source of information, but all signs indicate we might see an attack in weeks. Maybe even days, if Inas'i knows we're preparing.”

“And does he?” Celestia asked.

Shining Armor gave a tight nod. “We think so. We've mustered in every fighter we can. We've pulled in reserve guards, retired guards, militias; if we have them, we're arming them and training them.”

“Excellent,” Luna said.

As Luna spoke, Shining Armor winced slightly. Luna's quick eye caught the motion, and she frowned. “What is it, Captain?” she asked.

“It is the... well... it's nothing personal, of course, but...” Shining Armor never stuttered, so the fact that he was doing so now meant something big was coming.

“Speak,” Luna commanded, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“The Lunar Guards.”

Luna smiled. “They will be ready and willing to fight.”

“That's the problem.”

Luna's expression dropped instantly. “What?”

Shining Armor spoke quickly now, as if afraid he would lose his nerve if he slowed his pace. “The general consensus among the solar troops and most of the ponies in general is ‘they are not wanted’. The troops are afraid of them. And some have even gone so far as to say they will not join if they are forced to fight with the Lunar Guard.”

Luna stood in shock, her jaw working silently as she struggled to process this. “But... but... but... my Lunar Guard is beautiful...” she stammered.

“'Scary' is more like it,” the junior Solar guard muttered, but was silenced with a quick glance from Celestia.

“So now they are not to join in the fight for Equestria? How fair is that?” Luna's attitude quickly turned angry. “Are we not as much citizens? Have we not sworn to defend our homeland and way of life as well?”

Celestia looked at her. “I'm sorry,” she said. Those two words said a lot more than they appeared at face value.

Luna's eyes narrowed and she grit her teeth. Lifting herself off her throne, she marched rigidly down the steps and headed out of the throne room. But before she exited, she paused. Without warning, she quickly turned around and punched one of the supporting pillars as hard as she could. Her hoof tore chunks of marble out, scattering them across the floor.

With a herculean effort, she set her hoof down and managed to restrain her seething anger. “Very well. I shall inform my guard,” she said stiffly, before continuing out the door.

Shining Armor stood in shock at what he had just seen. “She is... much stronger than I would have expected,” he finally managed to say.

Celestia shrugged that off. “Well, if you do nothing but train for revenge for a thousand years, that does tend to happen.” Her tone shifted. “I trust I will not regret forcing her to stand down?”

Shining Armor snapped back to his professional manner. “Of course not, your highness.” He paused. “I hope not. For Equestria, I hope not.”



*  *  *



Luna appeared in a hidden alcove in the castle. Not even Celestia knew where it was. Well, in all honesty, she might have found it in the thousand years Luna had been gone; but there were some things the Sisters just did not do. Each had their own secrets, and both had learned to respect the other's privacy.

With a quick flare of magic, she opened the door and entered the long, dark hall. Being Princess of the Night, she could see in the dark just as well—if not better than—she did during the day (a fact that often annoyed Celestia, as her dominion had granted her no such powers). She paused before continuing. She listened for... yes, there it was. The sound of armor and fur rubbing against each other, so soft that had she not been listening for it with her sharp hearing, she would have missed it.

She smiled, glad that the watchpony had been paying attention. Once, many years ago, the watchpony had fallen asleep. The punishment for that had been a full week in Solar Armor.

Well, that was the original plan. Luna had remitted the punishment after one day, after seeing how miserable he had become.

Rumors flew fast and hard about the Lunar Guard. She enjoyed the mystery, though. That was one of the Night things, after all. Mystery, intrigue, and, above all, power.



*  *  *



A Lunar guard in full armor ran through the dormitories, one bat-like wing outstretched so the metal bracer that protected it would hit the metal poles of the bunk beds. The resounding clangs were accentuated by his happy shouts.

“Mother's coming! Mother's coming! Get up, everypony!”



*  *  *



When Luna entered the barracks themselves, her whole Lunar Guard had lined up in two lines, forming a living pathway for her to walk. Each bowed as she passed. Each looked up expectantly at their leader, expecting some happy surprise.

Her sour expression quickly sent those hopes down. In flames. Down a canyon. Into a river. Washed down into the deep ocean. Dragged down a whirlpool. Crushed into smithereens by the pressure at the bottom of the sea. Buried in a deep crevice to never be seen again.

Luna threw herself on her seat. Well, it had been a seat at one time. But it had deteriorated with age, and had been broken during an impromptu sparring match over dessert one night. As a joke, somepony had replaced it with a beanbag chair, and Luna ended up loving it so much that it was kept.

That was actually a fairly accurate representation of how the Lunar Guard worked. Jokes, pranks, and playfulness were their unofficial mottoes; and more often than not, it worked.

“Your highness?” her captain Farsight asked, stepping up hesitantly. “Is something wrong?”

“Oh, nothing,” Luna said, the sarcasm evident in her voice. “Nothing whatsoever. Just that Equestria is going to be invaded by magic-wielding griffons, and our help is not wanted. Our service is being refused. We are not being summoned for the battle.”

Surprised, angry mutterings answered her. She raised a hoof for silence, which was instantly granted.

“I am just as angry at this as you all are.” She sighed. “Why does nopony love the night?”

The question was rhetorical; being under-appreciated was just one of those things you got used to when you were a Lunar Guard.

“But we can help!” another guard shouted.

“The Solar Guard is sunk without us!” another added.

“I know!” Luna hissed, frustrated as well. “But I can do nothing about it. Celestia has spoken,” she said, a hint of bitterness entering her voice there at the end.

She sighed and rubbed her temples with her hooves. “I meant not to trouble you all... You have been more than helpful and have served more than faithfully. But this is our lot, is it not? Fear and distrust.” She sighed and lifted herself up. “I am sorry, Lunar Guard... I had hoped to bring better news.” Her eyes hardened. “Perhaps when Equestria is nearly fallen, they will finally embrace the Night.” She walked out of the common room, not making eye contact with anypony.

Silence reigned in the room, until Farsight spoke, succinctly summarizing everypony's thoughts.

“Well, that sucks.”



*  *  *



The young pegasus Sky Dancer sat at the table, feeling more than a little depressed by the news. She was the newest Lunar Guard, about to have her first real fight... and got it taken away in an instant. Like most of the other Lunar guards in the room, she was dressed in her full uniform in the hopes that the announcement would be reversed, but judging by the amount she was drinking, this was but a vain hope. It wasn't even alcoholic; but somehow it soothed the pain nonetheless.

“I faked my own death for this?” she muttered in disgust, glaring at her mug as if it were the source of her problems.

“Aye,” another voice answered, “I did too, an' it's not quite what I was hoping for.” Being one of only a few females in the Lunar Guard, Sky Dancer was used to random Lunar stallions coming up and talking to her, and this time was no different. This time, though, she recognized her visitor: Red Hoof, the big earth pony. They said his hoof was always red with blood because he was always getting into fights and punching somepony, but when he wasn't drunk, he was a bit of a softie. He chortled as he continued, “But, after all, drownin' at sea is a bit of a painful death, though, so I'm right glad it wasn't for real.”

Sky Dancer rolled her eyes. Typical... always with something offbeat to say. As long as he was here, though, she decided to attempt some serious conversation. “So why does the Solar Guard hate us so much?”

“I'd wager they be jealous. Under Royal edict 334b...”

“You're making that number up,” she accused.

“Am not... The Guard training was divided 'tween the Princesses, and at no time were they crossed. So while the Solar Guard's training has evolved through the years, the Lunar Guard's training has stayed the same since Mother got sent to the moon. So while we're still scrappy, fightin' war machines,” (here he flexed his muscles, prompting an eyeroll from Sky Dancer), “the Solar Guard has been reduced to so much of a shiny police force.”

“That doesn't explain why they hate us, though,” Sky Dancer protested.

Red Hoof looked at Sky Dancer. “Oh, right. You're new, aren'tcha? Well, you'll find out soon enough, but the Solar Guard and the Lunar Guard ain't exactly on the greatest of terms, if'ya catch my drift.”

“Why not?” Sky Dancer was curious. She had been recruited directly out of the Academy, so she hadn't learned anything about the internal workings of the Guard yet.

Red Hoof coughed awkwardly as memories popped back into his head.





“So, you seen the Lunar Guard that's supposed to take our places?”
“Nope. They're freaky, though.”
“You know, I hear that sometimes members of the Lunar Guard fake their deaths so they can stay with Luna forever.”
“Yeah, I heard that too.”
“I mean, I would. If I were a freak batpony, I wouldn't want to hang around normal ponies. They've got a face not even a mother could love.”
One lowered his voice conspiratorially. “I hear they call the princess 'mother' behind her back.”
“Well, she'd be the only one who could love the little freaks, that's for sure.”
A third voice entered the conversation. “Most amusin'.”
The two solar guards spun around, weapons raised, but saw nothing.
“You seem to like jokes,” the voice observed dryly.
“Where are you?” one demanded, slowly starting to back up, casting anxious looks around him.
“I've got a joke f'r you. What do you call a Solar Guard who i'n't watchin' where he's goin'?”
The solar guard turned around—and found himself with a wingknife at his throat, a Lunar Guard holding it, smiling widely with his sharp teeth.
“A solar shish-ke-bob.” Laughing uproariously at his own joke, he turned to walk away. Another laugh joined his, and a second Lunar Guard walked by from behind the stunned Solar Guards. Neither had been visible before. They kept walking, quickly disappearing into the shadows.
They could hear their playful voices long after they had lost sight of the strange ponies.
“They didn't laugh much, did they?”
“Aye, but rememb'r—they be solar guards. They wouldn't know a good joke if'n it jumped in front of 'em and bit 'em on the flank, no they wouldn't!”
“How can something jump in front of you and bite your flank at the same time?”
“Ach, I didn't say at the same time, you idiot.”





“Thanks for an amazing night, but I have to go before someone sees me.”
The solar guard sneaked out, treading softly down the hall, opened the door, turned and closed it softly... then nearly screamed when he turned around and saw a Lunar Guard standing there.
“What're ye doin'?” he asked, playfully.
The solar guard stammered. “Uh... nothing.... You?”
“Patrollin', as per me orders.”
“Yes, well, carry on, I suppose.”
Recognition dawned in Red Hoof's eyes. “You're the one who made fun of me for callin' Luna 'mother', aren'tcha?”
Realizing his position, the solar guard stammered, “Well, yes, but....”
The Lunar Guard took a step backwards and threw his head back.
“Please don't,” the solar guard begged.
Too late.
“WAAALK OF SHAAAAAME!!” Giggling uncontrollably, the Lunar guard sprinted down the hall (not being very quiet at all) and soon faded into the shadows. 





“So, I guess y' could say that part of it is me doin',” Red Hoof said, absentmindedly scratching the back of his head with a hoof.

Sky Dancer giggled but then paused. “But aren't the Solar Guard all stallions?” Her eyes widened. “Don't answer that.”

Red Hoof tried his best to not laugh. He failed. When he had himself under control again, he tried to comfort her. “Don't you worry none. The Night will Rise again.”

“They've been saying that for years. Nothing has changed,” a third voice interjected behind them.

Red Hoof rolled his eyes. “Well, excuse me if I haven't given up all hope yet, Sparky.”

“Yeah? Well, the day that the Lunar Guard gets hailed as the saviors of Equestria, I'll make you a triple batch of cookies and won't eat any myself.”

“Good. Then I hope you're good at makin' chocolate chip, 'cause those are me favorite.”

Sparky snorted and walked away.

“Do you think we’ll get to see any action?” Sky Dancer asked.

Red Hoof sighed. “Aye, I hope so. I think we’ll see somethin’ at least. I mean, it’s not like Celestia’s gonna try to end this with a peace negotiation, now, is she?”


*  *  *


Luna slammed her hooves against the table in frustration. “A peace negotiation? You cannot simply invite warmongers over for tea and crumpets and expect both parties to leave happy!” she spat.

Celestia gave a tiny chuckle. “You haven't tried our crumpets recently, then.”

“Celestia! Do you not recall what happened last time the griffons went to war?”

Celestia looked at Luna coldly. “I remember. I was there as well.”

“I have no doubt that this time will be bloodier and even more destructive, especially if that of the magic is as true as you fear.”

“Perhaps,” Celestia said. “But blind panic helps nopony.”

“It is not blind panic!" Luna insisted. "It is reasoning and logic and learning from the past!”

The room grew colder as Celestia glared. “I have learned from the past, and I have learned to not make decisions I may come to regret. I will not go out and attack.”

Luna calmed ever so slightly as she realized her sister was talking about her. “I hope the deaths of our little ponies is not what it takes to change your mind, Celestia.”



*  *  *



Unfortunately for Luna, her words rang prophetic. The next morning at high noon, a large platoon of griffons gathered in the forest next to one of the outlying border cities of Equestria. The sun was high... and their magic was strong.

“What a nice little village…" Inas'i whispered. "Destroy it.”

> Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	To say that Celestia was shocked beyond comprehension at the devastation would be a bit of an understatement. She slowly walked through the desolation, her practiced eye catching tiny details that a casual observer might have missed. The blood splatters along the wall—that had been done from close range, and likely by a claw. Scorch marks covered the walls, the pattern indicative of lots of power but no finesse. Though they may have been magic users, the griffons had been more accustomed to physical warfare. 

Celestia's hoof crushed something brittle, and she couldn't bring herself to look down. It had been small, almost the size of a tiny skull. 

And the Princess of the Sun, the one who had led all of Equestria through numerous trials with poise and grace, felt the beginnings of hot tears in the corner of her eyes. 

She quickly looked over at the sound of wingbeats, and she saw Luna there, landing and taking stock of the situation. She gently nudged at a griffon helmet, and the sound of metal on stone sounded abnormally loud in the stillness. Celestia suddenly noticed that the bodies of griffons were few and far between, as opposed to the near blanket of pony corpses.

“Still think we can settle this peacefully, Celestia?” Luna whispered.

Celestia didn’t answer.



*  *  *



Shining Armor looked at the map and shook his head. “I don’t know,” he finally answered. “I have no idea where they could strike next.”

“Not even an idea?” Luna demanded.

“I didn’t expect them to attack Riverton in the first place!” Shining defended himself. “This was completely unexpected!”

Celestia coughed lightly from her position near the window. “I can think of something else completely unexpected.”

“What’s that?”

She pointed out the window, and both Shining Armor and Luna leaned over to see. To their shock, griffons. Griffons everywhere, approaching in a military formation. They had painted their faces and armor red, and their claws glowed gray.

“Did they learn nothing of the Changelings?” Luna briefly wondered, before her horn glowed softly. Her sister's began to glow as well. Thick armor materialized on both princesses. Solidified moonlight gleamed in the sun as Luna's armor appeared. Luna's armor was tight-fitting, but designed for movement and flexibility; Celestia's large, golden armor was designed for intimidation and the ability to absorb all manner of impacts.

This was a difference that had been the source of playful debate for eons.

“Still employing the rhinoceros look, I see,” Luna grinned. “Do you wish to intimidate them with the threat of sitting upon them?”

“Did you forget your armor?” Celestia teased back. “Or will the single tin can you are wearing suffice?”

“This ‘single tin can’ has more magic enlaced through it than is in your toothbrush, your shininess!”

“Is that so? Well…”

Shining Armor coughed. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but…”

“Right,” Celestia said. “Let us fly!”



*  *  *



To say the average laypony was unprepared for combat would be an understatement. The arrival of the griffons was met by mostly screams of terror and fleeing. 

Oh, and dying. That too. 

A red earth pony tripped, and he shrieked as he looked up to see a griffon with her claw glowing. 

Then all of her glowed as a jet of golden light impacted her in the chest, caving in her armor and sending her beak over tailfeathers, rolling a perfect strike into the griffons behind her. 

He looked over to see Celestia, smiling. She winked at him before spreading her wings and flying again. 

Being a large golden rhinoceros, Celestia became an instant target. Blasts of gray light flew through the air, and one griffon was even brave enough to try and grab onto her midair. 

She didn't even flinch; she just kept flying, knocking her attacker back and making him spiraling out of control. She lit her horn, sending a beam of punishing golden light tearing through the ranks. Griffons took off and dove out of the way as the golden beam tore through rock and any griffon not fast enough.

Over in another section of the city, Luna was facing her own enemies, complete with her own cheerleading squad of citizens.

“Luna? I was hoping for Celestia…”

Luna charged the griffons... only to teleport quickly to one side right before contact. She lashed out with a back hoof, buckling in the armor the griffon wore. She unleashed a barrage of magic from her horn, wiping out another ten griffons, before jumping in the air to take on airborne enemies. One charged at her, but she teleported above him and kicked down so hard that he left a cracked impression in the cobblestone street when he landed. She gored the next with her horn, and flung his body into the next wave. Before they could recover, she landed, reared up, and blasted them back with an explosive magic fireball, filling the air with the smell of charred fur and feathers.

Luna could hear the pony who had spoken up at first. “...never mind. I am perfectly happy with Luna.”

A slow smile played at her lips before the Night Princess took off.

Elsewhere, the Royal guard was doing just as they had been trained. Surprisingly, the advantage was firmly on the side of the ponies. 

Griffons are historically hunters, and usually hunt alone. In contrast, ponies are herd animals. This means that while the griffons split up and attacked one at a time, the ponies would defend themselves in groups. It also didn't hurt that the griffons were using their newfound magic. What they hadn't realized, though, was that Canterlot is a city mostly populated with unicorns. Unicorns who use magic. Unicorns whose first instinct when attacking is to use magic. Thus, the guards' riot training was specifically geared to suppressing unicorn magic. Their armor was designed to resist magic. Their techniques were modified from techniques used for quieting rogue unicorns. The ponies worked in teams of three, with pegasi-unicorn chariot teams providing covering fire from above. Two ponies would restrain their claws, the third would fire the killing blow with horn or blade. Earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns worked as one. Their armor may have been piecemeal and dull, but the ponies followed their training to the letter. While now and then a few ponies would fall victim to the griffons’ claws or magical blasts, the tide was definitely going towards the ponies.

The two princesses continued swooping overhead, drawing their fire and attention and delivering death at every blast. It seemed a very easy battle. 

Too easy. 

“This seems somewhat easier than I had expected,” Celestia called.

“That is because it is not their full army!”

Celestia's magic misfired as she heard Luna's shout. “What?”

“The friendly griffon mentioned their army stood some 22,000 strong. This is at best seventeen!”

“Defense on the home front!” Celestia dismissed this and fired another blast of magic. “Surely he is not enough of a fool to leave his hometown unguarded.”

Luna shrugged this suggestion off as she shrugged off the dead body of a griffon she had impaled on her horn. “Six thousand is more than enough to guard an entire city! Canterlot is ten percent larger than their capital and a thousand is sufficient guard for us!” She ducked another blast. A griffon decided it would be a good idea to get closer before releasing his magic; Luna flared up a shield surrounding him and let his own magic reflect off and roast him alive before releasing it and turning back to her sister. “That leaves five thousand unaccounted for! I fear this does not bode well!”

“How do you know this?”

“I read the spy's report!”

Celestia was surprised, and not just at how many pieces that last griffon had shattered in to. “All fifty-four pages of it?” she asked, mid barrage of golden magic.

Luna paused, slightly embarrassed. “Night court was boring! Nopony came!” Again, she silently added.

“Oh, you. Always strategizing. Just relax and enjoy the fight!” Celestia was being fasticious, of course. Nopony enjoyed war.

But ponies do enjoy winning. It was hard, but they were winning.

And then a young, unarmored griffon neared Celestia. She nearly blew his head off, too, until she realized he was holding a white flag.

“Message from Inas’i,” he said. Though he tried to show bravery in the face of certain death, he was trembling the entire time.

Celestia raised an eyebrow and took the paper he held out.

Her eyes flicked over the paper. As she did, her eyes widened.

The young message-carrier weighed his options. Perhaps he could attack her right now, while distracted? Killing Celestia herself would surely give him untold honors. Feeling daring, he raised his claw, firing a blast of magic right at her.

Without even looking up, Celestia raised a hoof. The beam reflected off her armor, nailing him between his own eyes. He dropped to the ground like a sack of hammers, and did not get up again. 

Celestia allowed herself a tiny smile as she actually began to read. Some things never changed, she mused. 
That smile faded as she read the words on the paper.  



*  *  *



Luna had taken out another group of griffons and was about to light up the last living member when Celestia landed on his back, crushing him.

“Aw, Celi!” Luna pouted. “That still counts as mine!”

“We have bigger things to worry about, Luna,” Celestia said. She held out the letter, and Luna took it. 

Her eyes widened. “Hoofshale is surrounded?”

“And they'll destroy it if we don't permit a full retreat,” Celestia said grimly. “You were right, Luna; there was a reason the army held a reserve.”

Luna quickly ran through some mental calculations, which led to horrifying results. “That’s too far,” she whispered. “Even if we were fully rested, the city will be destroyed before we can arrive.”

“We have no choice but to accept this proposition,” Celestia said quietly.

“Ponies died for us today, Celestia,” Luna hissed. “I will not see their sacrifice be in vain!”

“So you will see an entire city destroyed instead?” Celestia returned. “I don’t like this any more than you do. But if we do not accept this, we will have the entire city of Hoofshale dead and five thousand griffons with nothing left to live for—and with no reason to fear death.”

Snarling, Luna reared up and smashed her hooves against the ground, sending wide spiderwebs of cracks all along the street.

“Very well,” she hissed through clenched teeth. “We will agree.” She looked around. “But how to get them to st-?”

“Enough!”

Celestia's Royal Canterlot Voice shocked the fighters into ceasing. Well, one griffon got in one more hit; but that was it.

“This battle is over. Griffons, you are to leave as an envoy of peace.”

Amidst the protests of the ponies, the griffons began to leave.  

Celestia growled, her horn glowing brightly as she saw one griffon ready to take a swipe at a pony. “As an envoy of peace,” she emphasized, ”but if you wish to remain a warrior, by all means, go right ahead.”

He quickly dropped his sword.

Celestia let her horn fade. “Ponies, to defensive stations. Let them all pass.”

It was clear that while the griffons were leaving, they were not defeated. They taunted and threatened the entire way.
Celestia kept her expression neutral, but internally, she was legitimately afraid. This was most definitely far from over. 



*  *  *



“We were defeated,” a council member said accusingly.

“I miscalculated,” Inas'i said dismissively. “That is why we always have a backup plan.”

“So what is your backup plan for the attack?”

The council flinched at their outspoken member, but Inas'i was completely unoffended. 

“Now, we grow our numbers. Then, we attack smaller towns and wear them down. Hit and run attacks, smaller groups of griffon warriors. Spread their army so thin they cannot repel us.”

This seemed like a decent plan, and was met with nods. 

“But then I realized something else. We attacked in the morning, when the sun was just rising.”

“And?”

“Our power wanes with the sun. We were not at our full potential.”

“So we attack at noon?”

“We make it noon,” Inas'i smiled. “We’re going to hold up the sun.”

> Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“They grow stronger every hour. They are probably conscripting hundreds as we just sit here!” Luna fumed.

“I still cannot move the sun,” Celestia observed.

“It has been noon for nearly a full day now,” Luna grumbled. “We got lucky when the training camp guards just happened to run into the squad about to attack Fetlockton. The next attack is coming; it's only a matter of where. And we have no idea where to even start fortifying.” She began to pace. “Mass relocation won't work; they'll just pick off the stragglers. We can't keep training; we'll spread our real fighters too thin. We can't keep moving the army; they'll be too exhausted to fight…”

“We will think of something,” Celestia said. 

Luna's left eye twitched. “Something doesn't cut it, sister. Ponies are dying out there. What would you have me do?”

Celestia was silent for a moment. “We can win... we just need to regroup...”

Luna blinked. "Did you learn nothing from the changelings, sister? We are powerful, but unstoppable we are not. That is why… after much thought…" Luna didn't finish her sentence. She merely pulled out a small glass jar filled with liquid darkness. There was no other way to describe what was... dancing? writhing? agonizing? inside.

Celestia blanched. "Luna… is that… the tai̸nt?"

Luna nodded. "Yes. Dark power it may be, but power it is; and power we need."

"Where did you even get that?" Celestia asked, horrified.

Luna smiled darkly. "The tai̸nt seeks out that which it has tainted before. Every couple weeks, I find another tendril hanging on to me. I merely remove it and store it."

"So what are you going to do? Infect yourself again?" Celestia's voice had taken on a light tone, but by the end of her sentence she realized Luna was not joking.

Luna looked at her sister. "Unless thou canst see any other choice?"

"But, Luna...."

Luna smiled weakly. "Thou knowest how to change u... me... back again."

"But why can't I do it?"

Luna slipped back into her old voice again as she snapped, "I told thee, I wish that thou stayest free of it. It never leaves, Celi. Never. I̷t constantly seeks me out. I wish not that for thee."

"But, Luna...."

Luna smiled weakly. "Art thou not out of excuses yet?"

The jar glowed with gold magic as well as blue. "I won't allow it! We will find another way!"

Luna smiled again. "Too late."

Celestia's magic had been re-enforcing the jar, so if her sister had tried to smash it, the surge of magic would have simply dissipated. But Luna didn't surge magic; she merely canceled the enhancing wards that were holding the jar together under such intense pressure. 

The jar shattered, releasing its prisoner. Celestia stepped back in horror as the d̨aŕknȩss leaped at her sister, grabbing hold of one foreleg and slowly spreading, like a fungus. Luna’s expression shifted from triumphant to one of utter regret as the pain of infection overtook her, and she quickly raised a hoof to try and scrape off part of the taint; but her actions just allowed it to spread to her other foreleg. She stared at it in horror at the thick black taint that connected her forelegs until a strand lashed out and wrapped itself around her nose, forcing itself inside. Luna screamed in primal agony, but the darkness was not phased. Completely disregarding Luna’s scrabbling attempts to scrape it off, it crawled up her face, injecting itself into her ears and into her mouth. Luna fell to the ground, her entire body twitching painfully, and screaming her throat raw.

Celestia shook her head. Luna would be crazy? Well, Celestia had some crazy ideas too. You don't stay a princess as long as she had without learning to think quick on your hooves.



*  *  *



With a shudder, Nightmare Moon opened her eyes. Her eyes, now yellow with slitted pupils, took in the room and her new body.

“Yes,” she murmured as she examined her hooves. “I remember this host...”

She sat up and examined her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the sun. It was high in the sky. It must have been noon. Well, if she had anything to do with it, when the sun set again, it would stay set. Then the griffons would know who truly owned the little ponies... whatever they had tried. 

She raised herself up to her hooves, armorless but still terrifying in her poise and her royal, aloof demeanor... which was quickly replaced by confusion when she saw her sunny counterpart hanging upside down from the roof, blood running down her face, eyes closed, mouth open, unconscious. The rope was tied around her left hind leg, and from the redness and rope burns, it looked as though she had been hanging there for some time.

Nightmare Moon walked up carefully, suspecting a trap. Raising a hoof gingerly, she poked Celestia. 

No response.

She prodded again. No response.

She glared and her horn flared once. Celestia's eyes opened with a snap. She gasped sharply as the reviving spell shot through her body like an electric shock.

"Explain." It was more growled than spoken.

"Y... you...." whispered Celestia.

Nightmare Moon raised her hoof again. "It looks as if you've been through a lot tonight, 'Celi'," she hissed, the nickname becoming soured by her sarcastic tone. "So talk, and maybe I'll let you go with a warning. Stars know it's more than you gave me."

Celestia averted her eyes from the animalistic snarl that contorted her former sister's face. "Well, if you came back to take over Equestria, you certainly picked a good time to do it."

Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Without a host, the dar̨kn̕e̶ss had no neurological functions; the last thing it remembered were six mares and the Elements of Harmony. But she hadn't had time to rummage through Luna's memories, and she sure as night wasn't going to betray her ignorance to this pale freak that used to call her 'sister'.

"As you may have noticed, it is high noon outside."

"You don't say," hissed Nightmare Moon. "If you don't have anything new to share, maybe we'll see how you like the moon for a thousand years. Maybe two."

"It's the griffons. Using some dark process, they have discovered the use of magic, and they are powerful. They gain their power from the sun. They entrapped me... A diversion…” She chuckled mirthlessly. “ I'm not as young as I used to be. It has been noon for a week. Our ponies... they can't take the heat for so long.... The weak have started dying already."

"I know what happened. And they are soon to be my ponies, 'sister'," whispered Nightmare Moon, sarcasm dripping from the endearing term.

"I have been bound. I cannot move the sun, I cannot do anything." A pause. "I cannot resist you, or your rise to power."

"So, you admit defeat already?"

"Can you not see? I have been defeated!" Celestia howled. Her voice dropped into a low whisper. "If you defeat the griffons, perhaps the right to rule does belong to the younger."

"Younger does not mean weaker, Celi."

"I never said it did."

"Oh, but it has always been implied."

Celestia said nothing, but she closed her eyes and bowed her head again.

Nightmare Moon chuckled darkly as she walked away. "Night makes might, sister."

"For the sake of our ponies, I hope you succeed."

Nightmare Moon froze and her voice took on a dangerous tone. "My ponies,” she growled. “I will not be your lackey." Something occurred to her suddenly. "How are you not free yet?"

Celestia's horn flared, then fizzled. "Magic-reducing silk," she answered, gesturing faintly at the strands of silk tied around her horn. "Alicorn though I be, I cannot break all the rules."

Nightmare Moon nodded, and turned to walk away.

"Good luck, sister," Celestia said.

"Burn in Tartarus," Nightmare Moon growled back before striding purposefully out the door.

She paused, then, smiling brightly (ironic, considering that she's the Mare of the Night), cast a magic barbed net on the room. It pulsed with dark, purple magic, promising a near-fatal shock to anypony foolish enough to try to cross it.

“Enjoy your... 'alone time', Celestia,” Nightmare Moon said, laughing heartily.

She walked out into the hallway and grimaced at the bright sun, bringing up a wing to shield her eyes. Blinking furiously, she reared up and slammed her hooves down, causing thick black clouds to instantly gather over Canterlot. Her eyes adjusted quickly to this darker state, and she stepped forwards to achieve her destiny.

> Chapter 6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	As she walked down the castle halls, she bumped into two Solar guards on patrol. Nightmare Moon stood up straight and proud, awaiting their response. 

If she was expecting genuflection and oaths of service, she was sadly disappointed. The guards shrieked like little schoolfillies and ran. 

“Of course,” Nightmare Moon hissed. “The light has always feared the night. Soon I will get the respect I deserve.” Growling, she continued along the corridor, all the while scanning Luna's memories. Her eyes narrowed as she discovered the invasion and the costs. The Lunar guard. She needed the Lunar guard. 

As she entered the main chamber, she stopped short. 

Solar guards stood, shoulder to shoulder, filling the hallway. Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow. This had been a quick gathering. She was almost impressed. 

Almost.  

Shining Armor stepped forward. “Nightmare Moon,” he shouted. “You are still an enemy to the state. Prepare to be taken into custody.”

Nightmare Moon certainly had no intention of doing that. She lifted her tongue to her top teeth, and whistled. At least, it looked like she whistled; but nopony heard anything. They did see the brief shine of Lunar magic that sparked on her lips, though.

“What is she doing, sir?”

“She's summoning the Lunar Guard,” Shining hissed, his eyes flicking wildly from side to side. 



*  *  *



Sky Dancer was practicing throwing blades with her wings when a shrill whistle filled her ears. In surprise, she threw it high, and the throwing blade embedded itself in the ceiling.

“Who's doing that?” she demanded. She turned around to see Lunar Guard in a bigger state of excitement than she had ever seen. Armor was being strapped on, manes were being quickly brushed, Sparkwinder even abandoned a cookie on the table, so great was his rush.

“We're being mustered!” shouted Farsight. “Let's move, nightwalkers!”

Sky Dancer felt a rush of energy flow through her. This was what she had been waiting for!

But, of course, no event would be complete without an off-beat comment by Red Hoof, and he delivered as he picked up the abandoned cookie. “Personally, I prefer relish meself, but I'll take what I can get.”



*  *  *



“Th- the Lunar Guard, sir?” the private stammered.

Nightmare Moon smiled in affirmation.

“Then where are they, sir?”

The private jumped and let out a squeak as another voice sounded in his ear. “I think a better question would be, where are we not?” Giggling playfully, the Lunar Guard stepped forward and began to recite. As he spoke, other voices joined as if from nowhere, filling the air with an eerie, unholy recital as Lunar Guards seemed to materialize from nowhere; stepping from shadows that seemed far too small to hide a pony, dropping from the ceiling like overgrown bats, emerging from unseen hidden passages in the nooks and crannies of the wall.


There are those who fear and rue the night
as it fills them all with fear and fright,
But there are those who shun the day
and wait until the night to play.
We are quite few, our breed is rare,
But if you meet us, you should take care.
We swiftly attack, but more swiftly defend,
We are dangerous foes, but more dangerous friends.
Our bark is awful, our bite more fierce,
with sharpened teeth to rend and pierce
Pupils slitted, nerves like steel,
Nothing hidden, all revealed.
This is the time for fighting our foes.
A time for vengeance and crushing blows,
This is the time for power and might.
This is beauty and majesty. This is the Night!


Nightmare Moon stood majestically, surrounded by Lunar Guard. Most looked nervous, but all surrounded her as if protecting her. Any hopes of assistance was dashed, as was any hope of a fair fight—the Lunar guard easily outnumbered the small Solar Guard platoon by at least twenty to one.

“Are you... defending her?” 

The Lunar Guard captain, decked out with blue stripes along his chestpiece to show rank, answered with a flippant, “Psh. Yeah.”

Shining Armor was, to put it nicely, quite miffed. “Your oath was to protect Equestria!” he raged. “How dare you betray your oath, your country, and your mothers!”

A Lunar guard shook his head. “Actually, the Solar Guard oath has changed over time, and they do swear allegiance to Equestria; but the Lunar Guard still uses the ancient oaths, written back when each guard swore allegiance to a single princess. A Lunar Guard's allegiance belongs exclusively to the Princess of the Night.” He looked at Nightmare Moon. “Through life or death, no matter the conditions.”

Nightmare Moon felt a flare of pride at her guards.

Shining Armor looked as though he were about to have an aneurism. “You're... that's grounds for charges of treason! Sedition! Insubordination!”

At this, Nightmare Moon scoffed. “Insubordination? But my dear captain, they are not under your command; they are under mine.” Her eyes narrowed further. “And I, Empress of the Night and ruler of Equestria, remind you, oh lowly guard, that you would do well to remember your place,” and she accentuated that last word with a blast of magic. He was propelled backwards, hit the wall with a sickening crunch, whereupon he slowly slid to the ground, and lay still.

She raised an eyebrow. “Anypony else?”

She scanned the room, looking each in the eyes. None could hold her gaze. Never before had the Royal Guard looked so cowed.

With a satisfied nod, Nightmare Moon turned. “Now I go to address my subjects.” She strode through the gathering towards the parapet designed for that purpose, and not a single solar guard attempted to stop her. 

Soon, the convoy was at the balcony. The lunar captain bowed. “Do you wish for an introduction, your eminence?” he asked. 

“No, I shall speak myself. Thank you...” Nightmare Moon quickly scanned Luna's memories for his name, “Captain Farsight.” Standing on the edge of the parapet, she began, using the Royal Canterlot Voice to ensure that she was heard. “Ponies of Canterlot! I, your true ruler, have returned!”

She had been expecting cheers and screams, of course.

Unfortunately, the screams seemed to be of terror, rather than joy; and the cheers seemed to be sarcastic ones of the “Yay! We're all gonna die!” variety.

Her expression sank into a frown. “Citizens! I mean you no harm!” she tried.

She could hear their complaints even from up high.

“First magic griffons, and now eternal night? What else could go wrong?”

“How did she get back?”

“Hide!”

“We're all gonna die!”

Again? Really? Nightmare Moon shook her head and tried again. “I have heard of the troubles with the griffons and their invasions! I swear that as your ruler, I will eliminate this threat and restore peace to our land! And then we all shall return the Night to its former glorious station!”

Her announcement was greeted with silence. A tumbleweed drifted across the empty street.

Enraged, Nightmare Moon reared up on her back hooves and slammed her front ones into the stone wall. The stones crumbled under the assault. Not the mortar holding them together; the stones themselves.

The Lunar Guard stood shocked at this display of raw, brute power.

Muttering something incoherent under her breath, Nightmare Moon disappeared in a flash of purple light and returned to the Lunar Sanctuary.



*  *  *



It was really quite disturbing, how much Nightmare Moon was like Luna and yet so dislike her at the same time.

“After all these years!” Nightmare Moon fumed, pacing around the common room. Her Lunar Guard stood at attention at regular intervals against the wall. “Still they see me as somepony to be feared! Me! I have naught but their interests at heart! A love for beauty!” She turned to face the closest Lunar Guard, who couldn't hide an involuntary flinch as she raged not even two inches from his face. “Why is that so hard to see?”

Attempting bravely to keep his shaking under control, Quartzite swallowed and assented gently. “A crying shame. You are just misunderstood, your grace.”

“Misunderstood?” Nightmare Moon howled, causing the stallion to step back in fear. Fortunately for him, Nightmare Moon's rage was not directed at him. “Misunderstood is putting it lightly! Does nopony care for the beauty of the night?”

“I- I do, your eminence. A week ago, you put a new constellation in the house of Virgo, and the meteor shower that followed was beautiful. A nice long one, too, over ten minutes long.”

Nightmare Moon scanned Luna's memories, and found the new constellation and shower indicated. She also noted, with no small annoyance, that she had received not a single letter of appreciation or praise.

“So it was,” she said dryly.

The guard tried not to let his relief show on his face. That particular night had been the night Twilight Sparkle had been in Canterlot, and he had been assigned to escort her to Luna's chambers—and she had chatted incessantly. Grateful that he had made a token attempt to listen, he made a mental note to never say anything bad about her again.

“Congratulations, Quartzite. You have been promoted to ambassador. Take a small group—five should do—and go speak to the griffons under a banner of peace. Find their terms, and report. If they do not seek peace, tell them that Nightmare Moon, Empress of Equestria, shall wage war against them until they do.”

Now uncertain as to whether he should thank his lucky stars or curse the fates, Quartzite bowed. “And where might I find the leader, your majesty?”

Nightmare Moon paused. “You have a point...” she muttered. “How indeed...” Then, an evil smile slowly curled across her face. “I believe I can bring him straight to us.” She turned to another guard, and quickly scanned Luna's memories for his name. “Stone?”

Stone snapped to a salute. “Yes, your majesty?”

“Fly down to the kitchens and retrieve for me a glass of warm milk.”

To Stone's eternal credit, he managed to keep a straight face. “Warm milk, your highness?”

“Cows' will be sufficient; though if there is one more rich, bring that.”

Stone saluted again and flew off, returning in almost no time with a large mug of warm milk.

Nightmare Moon conjured a cloud and sat down on top. Lighting her horn, she took the mug and took a long drink before tossing it away and laying down. She rolled over, curled up like a tiny foal, put her hooves under her head, and soon fell asleep.

The Lunar Guard decided that it would be safest to retreat a safe distance away.

“She looks so innocent when she's asleep,” Sky Dancer whispered, feeling somewhat conflicted. Clearly, Nightmare Moon was evil… wasn’t she?

“Aye, but so did my cousin, and he took great pleasure in cuttin' manes of sleepin' ponies and playin' all manner of pranks. I'd rather be servin' under her, so I would.”

“You can’t compare the two,” Sky Dancer protested.

“He stuck a pencil up mai tailhole while I was sleepin’!” Red Hoof hissed. “If that's not evil incarnate, I don’t know what is!”



*  *  *



Around half an hour later, Nightmare Moon awoke, stretching and yawning just like a filly. She opened her eyes and grinned, dissipating the cloud with a quick kick. “Quartzite!” she called. “Time to prepare.”

Quartzite jumped. “Where shall I go, your eminence?”

“Oh, he will be coming here.”

Quartzite paused. “How can you be so sure, your highness?”

Nightmare Moon smiled evilly. “Let us just say that my name is not Nightmare Moon for nothing.”



*  *  *



Inas'i awoke in a cold sweat. He sat up, breathing heavily, panting as he tried to regain control of his . 

One of his attendants rushed to help, pulling back the thick curtain and letting in the light. “My king?” she asked hesitantly. 

He grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulled her close, and hissed, “We need to go to Canterlot! Now!”
> Chapter 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The griffon army marched. The general tone seemed to be disgruntled; they had been aroused early this morning by urgent orders from Inas’i himself that they needed to go to Canterlot. He had refused to say anything else on the matter, and the sudden departure and fast pace coupled with the lack of information (and the memory of their previous experience in Canterlot still fresh in their minds) meant that the griffons were restless.

Still, Inas’i marched. 

And then the envoy of five Lunar Guards came.



*  *  *



Waiting was never something Nightmare Moon found easy. That might be one reason she trained so hard on the moon—she needed something to do constantly to keep from going mad in the solitary silence. 

In the throne room, Lunar Guards and Solar Guards held an uneasy peace. Some didn't handle it so well (for example, Shining Armor had regained consciousness and was sitting in a corner, glaring angrily at anypony and everypony as he held an abnormally large ice pack on his head), while others seemed to enjoy it. Red Hoof, for example, had found a Solar Guard of his same heritage, and the two had taken to sharing stories and jokes that got increasingly raunchier as the day continued (and causing quite a few blushing faces from the younger members of the party). Various games of cards or dice were scattered around the room, and the sound of metal scraping against metal and blades being sharpened mingled with the conversation.

This was interrupted by a call from a Lunar watchpony. “Your eminence! The envoy approaches!”

Nightmare Moon threw down her cards. “Finally!” she said, rushing to the top of the tower. She looked out, and saw one guard returning. He walked slowly, unsteadily. Nightmare Moon frowned, and teleported in front of him. “Why do you not rush your report back to me?” she demanded, but her voice trailed off.

It suddenly occurred to her what it meant that only one guard had returned although she had sent five. Looking closer, she noticed the pain etched on his face. Her eyes took in his missing tail, and the bloodstains scattered on his flank area. “What happened,” she demanded. It did not come out as a question.

Shuddering sobs racked his body as Quartzite gasped out the story. “Your majesty... We were... mistreated... captured... they do have magic... They pulled out our tails... We were... I was... I...” His head fell.

Nightmare Moon paused, and then her eyes widened. Only one thing could cause a stallion such shame. Abandoning all pretense, she bent down and looked at his undercarriage. A gasp slipped unbidden from her lips.

“They gelded you,” she whispered in horror.

He shuddered as he ashamedly pressed his rear legs together and nodded, ashamed. “They gelded us all, your grace. We were all to return, but then their leader Inas'i asked, 'how many messengers does it take to deliver a message?'.”

“Only one,” whispered Nightmare Moon, already knowing the answer.

The stallion nodded, unable to bring himself to meet her eyes. “I'm the only one left. The message of peace was refused, and a return challenge issued, and many insults to your majesty that I do not wish to repeat.”

Even in pain, he kept up the formality. Nightmare Moon was proud. With a quick glow of magic, she regenerated his tail, healed the bruises, and soothed the physical pain. “That is all I can do for now, but I will not soon forget your sacrifice.”

Quartzite nodded, his newly regrown tail tucked firmly between his legs.

With a flash of light, she returned to her waiting troops. “Lunar Guard!” she began, activating the Royal Canterlot Voice. She never ceased to be amazed at the effects of the Voice as all her guards stopped and faced her, enthralled at once by its power. As she well knew, the Voice was a magic ability that could inflame emotions in the listeners. In its original purpose, it was used to evoke awe or wonder at the Princesses. Sometimes, it was used to incite fear, thus becoming a psychological weapon during battle. 

Other times, as this time, it was used to incite bloodlust in the royal troops.

She began to pace, meeting guards in the eyes as she walked in front of them. “I sent an embassy of peace to the griffons. They have refused. They insulted your empress! They killed my messengers! They killed your brethren!”

A chorus of derisive hisses and boos spread through the crowd, even as those who knew the ambassadors twitched. It is never easy knowing that your friend that swiped your food this morning might be dead right now.

Nightmare Moon continued, “They tortured your fellow guards! They pulled out their tails!”  Her voice dropped in horror. “They removed their stallionhood.”

The growls and hisses increased in intensity, even as every single stallion in the room (Lunar and Solar alike) flinched and drifted a hoof back to their own for reassurance.

“And this is after they had the audacity to enter our country, kill our citizens, and eliminate our wondrous night! By my stars I will not stand for this.” She paused, looking around at her guards, and pointed a hoof accusingly. “Will you stand for this?”

“No!” came back a chorus of roars. Nightmare Moon or no Nightmare Moon, the Lunar Guard was a close-knit group. You messed with one, you messed with them all.

“No,” Nightmare Moon whispered, her voice dropping dangerously low. “I thought not. These griffons thrive in the day, and they fear the night.” Her eyes narrowed again as she raised her Voice loud enough to shake the dust off the ceiling. “I say we give them something to really be afraid of!”

The growls and cheers grew into a roar of vengeful frenzy. “VIVAS NOCTUS! VIVAS NOCTUS!” Long live the night! Long live the night!

She turned to the group of Solar Guard congregated warily in the back. “Do any of you wish to join?”

None moved.

Nightmare Moon let a small smile play on her lips. “Then I hope you all enjoy latrine duty. Your first assignment will be to clean up the aftermath of this battle. Sans magic.”

“And if we refuse?”

Nightmare Moon didn't even take the time to determine who had said that. She just shot a bolt of magic in the general direction, sending guardsponies flying through the air and crashing messily into the walls.

“Any other stupid questions?”

The Lunar Guard cheered again, working themselves into a bloodlust. THIS was their leader. THIS was their figurehead. THIS mare was made of POWER. Now was their time to shine. No longer shunned, feared, distrusted. The Lunar Guard would rise again!

Nightmare Moon smiled, exposing her sharp teeth. With a flare of magic, armor made of solidified moonbeams materialized over her body as she became once again the mare that left entire generations traumatized. As they watched, the armor of the Lunar Guard seemed to grow thicker and sharper, the edges of the armor and bracers covering the wings becoming keen and bladelike.

The Lunar Guard was going to war.

“We fly!” she called, and took off. 

“Go on, then!” one stallion said. “You won't be coming back!”

Red Hoof couldn't resist a jibe back. “Aye, but if we win, ye'll be cleanin' our flanks wi' a toothbrush, so y' will.”



*  *  *



Celestia watched through the window and waited to make sure her sister—or what used to be her sister—didn't return, and then she shook her head. The loosely-bound silk slipped off, and with a flash of light, Celestia was back to her full, happy (relatively speaking) self. She smiled as she magically wiped up the ‘blood’, and with another quick flash of her horn, the protective wards around seven others dissipated.

Twilight Sparkle and the rest of her friends slowly came out of hiding. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Twilight asked hesitantly.

Celestia gave a small, mirthless smile. “No. I do not know what will come of this. But my sister has made her choice, and I have made mine.”

“Now what?” Rainbow Dash couldn't help but ask.

“Now? Now, I go back in time so that Princess Celestia can retrieve you six, hide you and cast the protective wards around you, and then hang myself up and knock myself out.” She grimaced. That sounded much weirder out loud than in her head. “And then... we wait.”

“Wait?” Rainbow asked. 

Celestia nodded. “Wait... and trust my sister.”
> Chapter 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	“Sir?” one of the griffons said.

“What?” Inas’i snapped.

“There's a strange storm appearing from the east.”

Inas'i turned, and found that he was right. Thick, black clouds billowed out, and they seemed to be heading right towards their path, looking somewhat like a sandstorm. It was wide and thick, and cast a deep shadow over the earth as it passed.

“Go clear that out,” Inas'i ordered the weather griffons. He was not taking any risks this time. Their power must remain secure.

A squad of about twenty griffons headed up, ready to bust the cloud. As the first neared it, a bolt of lightning struck him, and he fell to the ground, dead.

The second didn’t even have time to change his flight pattern before another flash of lightning came and he, too, met the same fate.

“That's not a normal cloud,” hissed another griffon, pulling back.

The writhing black cloud continued approaching. As it neared, flashes of gray fur and metal armor could be seen through the darkness.

Suddenly, a portion shot to the ground, looking like a tornado had landed. A Lunar Guard dropped out of the cloud, took a few steps to the side, and inhaled deeply. “Fillies and gentlecolts of all ages, races, and orientations!” he roared. His voice had been magically enhanced, making him sound like an announcer of some kind. “It gives me great pleasure to present, for your imminent destruction! She is! The Empress of the Night! The Mare in the Moon! The Keeper of Dreams!”

The clouds on the ground started to give way. A black horn and purple helmet could be seen poking through the dissipating smoke, and nebulous clouds of a dark purple sky peeked out from the sides. 

“The Mistress of Midnight! The Elegance of Equestria! Fillies and gentlecolts, I give you! The one! The only! Nightmare Moooon!”

The roar of thunder filled the air and lightning flashed repeatedly as all the Lunar Guards that were natural pegasi flew out of the clouds and began jumping on them. Wind from the wings of the other guards finished revealing Nightmare Moon, terrifying and beautiful in her armor as she stood upon the ground. Her mane flowed rapidly in the wind, but she stood unmoved and undisturbed. She smiled widely, revealing her sharp fangs. Yes, Luna's talent may have dealt with the moon, but the da̕r̴k̕ne̛s̛s had always had a bit of a soft spot for thunderclouds and lightning flashes.

Inas’i, however was not so impressed, and raised an angry claw. “Destroy her! And by destroy her, I mean kill her until she is dead!” Inas’i roared.

Griffons flew towards Nightmare Moon with their claws raised and their expressions snarling, ready to obey. 

One side of Nightmare Moon's mouth curled up in a brief smile.

The first griffon neared, beak open, claws extended… but his path was sharply interrupted by a jet black wing that clotheslined him. With a quick motion, Nightmare Moon redirected his flight up and then right back down, slamming him into the ground with an awful crunch of bone. She reared up in challenge, and caught the second griffon in her ponyshoes, and the griffon didn’t even have time for her eyes to widen before Nightmare Moon dropped down to all fours again, crushing the metal armor (and the warrior inside) nearly flat. The third griffon was knocked back into other flying teammates with a punishing left hook. Nightmare Moon sidestepped the fourth just enough to keep her body safe, but remaining close enough that she could bite his trailing tail--her fangs easily pierced the bones and blood spurted up in her mouth--and she flung him back at the army.

She spat out a bit of fur and blood. “Who’s next?” she roared, baring her teeth.

Another griffon was either brave or dumb enough to try, but as he neared, the guard who had announced her flicked a wing sharply, and a throwing blade embedded itself into his neck. He collapsed, gagging on his own blood.

Nightmare Moon lit her horn and charged. “Take no prisoners! For the Niiight!”

“For the Niiight!” the gathered Lunar guards shouted, charging. The cloud began to spread out as the ponies who had been maintaining it turned to attack, fangs bared, wings spread, blades glinting.

With a thousand years of peace, the Solar Guard has been reduced to a shiny squad of police ponies. In contrast, Lunar Guards are still trained in war and dark fighting arts. Luckily, griffon fighting styles have not changed much in the last thousand years. It was just a quick in-battle combination of anti-griffon and anti-magic technique, and it was deadly effective. The Lunar Guards may have been few, but they were a powerful enemy.

The cloud covered the battle as the fighting continued. One griffon seemed to have had enough, and fled to the edge of cloud. The mare known simply as G followed, intent on physically kicking him back into the fray. She outflew him and appeared in front, her lunar armor glinting in the sun. He instinctively slashed with his gray magic.

She looked in shock at the deep gouge it had left in her armor. Then, it clicked. She changed tactics, and instead of kicking him, tackled him back into the shade and let him strike again. This time, the armor was barely scraped. 

“Their power is tied to the sun!” she called as she ended the scuffle with a simple flicked wingblade. “Keep them under the cloud!”

The Lunar Guard armor was not as strong in the sun; this was the purpose of the cloud in the first place. Even with the cloud cover, though, the sun was still strong. Orders flew back and forth above the rage of battle. 

“Stay in the sun!”

“Keep them out of the sun!”

“I hate the sun!”

“Praise the sun!”

“The sun is our lifeline!”

Nightmare Moon screamed in primal rage. “The sun this. The sun that. Everything is the sun, the sun, the sun, the sun, the sun! Well, here's what I think of your pitiful sun!” And she dug her hooves into the ground, grit her teeth, and lit her horn, blinding any who were near; and with an inequine strength and fury, she cast the spell. 

The sun began to descend. 

Griffons desperately raised their claws and tried to hold the sun in place, but Lunar Guards receive extensive, rigorous training—especially about how to recognize magic users hiding in a crowd, and how to neutralize them. It was a small matter to spot the ones holding the sun up, and, with a flash of sharpened teeth or a buck from extraordinarily strong hind legs or a quick swipe with a wingblade, take them out.

The sun slid further.

Some griffons had the bright idea of attacking Nightmare Moon herself, but a swarm of Lunar guards surrounded her, flying around her, protecting her like a gray whirlwind of teeth and armor and metal blades.

Slowly, the sun set. This was, to say the least, slightly worrisome to the griffons. Ponies (especially pegasi) have excellent eyesight; griffons (being hunters) have even better eyesight. But griffons fly and hunt during the day, meaning they have crystal clear day vision, while leaving their night vision with much to be desired. On the other hoof, ponies used to be a prey species, so their vision adapted to seeing well at night as well as in the day. 

A more urgent problem quickly made itself manifest—their magic didn't work at night. Griffons squeaked in fear as their magic weakened, and finally fizzled.

Horn still alight, Nightmare Moon raised the moon. And, to be honest, it was a large, beautiful full moon.

Her eyes glowing pure white with power, Nightmare Moon threw back her head and roared her challenge to the skies. “THIS is beauty! THIS is majesty! THIS IS THE NIGHT!!”

The Lunar Guard seemed to be shifting slightly. On closer look, their fur seemed to be growing darker, their eyes yellower, their teeth sharper. Audible in the darkness was their elevated breathing. One mare licked her sharpened fangs, quivering with desire to fight.

Inas'i laughed and, with a powerful blast of magic, blasted back a Lunar Guard. His claws lit up with a foreign gray glow. “I too gain power from the moon!” he crowed. “My first attempt tied my power with the moon!”

“Oh, so you like my moon, do you?” Nightmare Moon asked in faux politeness. Her horn lit again, and this time her voice was colored with fury. “Well, allow me to indulge you for a bit!”

Tides all over Equestria shifted as Nightmare Moon brought the moon down, closer to earth. It began to fill the sky, brightening it. Not that it helped the griffons much, though.

Inas'i laughed insanely as power began to flow through his body. “The power! It is all mine!”

Griffons looked in nervous anticipation at their leader. Sure, he had magic; but what did that leave them?

Still Nightmare Moon's horn glowed.

“So much power!”

To make matters worse, the Lunar Guard seemed to be getting just as much of a powerup as he was. Their armor and their eyes glowed brighter, and some could not restrain laughs of exhilaration of their own as arcane power flowed through them.

Still Nightmare Moon's horn glowed.

Wings flared and breaths got shorter among the Lunar Guard. Tails flicked eagerly. Sparks started to fly from the armor they wore. Inas'i's eyes started to glow with light and power... and his body began to smoke.

“What?” he asked, confused at the pain that started to spread through his body.

Still Nightmare Moon's horn glowed.

Inas'i screamed as power, more than he had ever experienced before, coursed through his body (or, more accurately, burned its way through his body). With an awful sound, his body exploded in a burst of white lunar magic, leaving nothing but a pile of blood-stained armor, covered in bloody feathers and the random patch of fur.

Griffons stared in shock.

Finally, Nightmare Moon released the magic. She held up a hoof. “Lunar Guard?” she said quietly.

A very pregnant pause followed. Griffons half-blinded in the dark shuffled nervously. Lunar Guards quivered in anticipation, excess lunar energy sparking off their armor like tiny lightning bolts, giving the impression of a very tiny, but very deadly, meteor shower.

Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed again as she gave her next order in the same, quiet, emotionless voice. “Avenge the death of thine comrades.”

Her stony expression did not change.

Not even when the full moon was blotted out with blood, fur, and flying feathers.

> Chapter 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The Lunar Guard regrouped, walking up the field, swiping what they could from their fallen enemies—and finishing those that had not fallen completely with a well-placed hoof or wingblade. The griffons had been blinded and magic-less; it had been nothing short of a slaughter. Nightmare Moon walked across the field as well, healing what guardsponies she could, giving a lunar blessing to those few she could not.

Casualties were surprisingly low on the side of the Lunar Guard. Nightmare Moon felt herself swell with pride at her loyal subjects.

Having finished the walk-by, a guard bowed respectfully. “Your eminence, what do we do now?” came the question.

Nightmare Moon turned and stared at the one who had dared to ask the question. “How did this war begin?”

The Lunar guard tried to calm his breathing. The battle may have excited him, and the Lunar energy may have thrilled him, but Nightmare Moon still frightened him. “The griffons leveled a border town as warning, your grace.”

Nightmare Moon nodded. “Then, my dear soldier, don't you think it would be fitting to return the
favor?”

The guard's eyes widened. “Your eminence...?”

“The griffons are a proud race,” Nightmare Moon stated, in a very formal, regal voice. “If their fighting spirit is not crushed completely, they will retaliate. Our purpose is naught but the assured and continual protection of our land.” Her eyes narrowed. “Oh, and I'm still mad about my stallions being gelded.”



*  *  *



As per their empress's orders, the Lunar Guard lined up in one straight line facing the town, each guard being one wingspan apart.

“Lunar Guards!” Nightmare Moon commanded from behind the line. “March in a straight forward motion. Do not deviate from a direct path.”

One stallion raised a hoof. “What if something gets in our way, your eminence?”

Nightmare Moon's eyes twinkled playfully, even as her words came out harsh. “Then knock it down, imbecile. Or burn it, whichever you prefer.”

A few guards could not prevent their wings from flaring out in excitement.

“You heard our empress,” captain Farsight barked. “March!”



*  *  *



Surrender was almost instantaneous. Much like the citizens of Riverton, these were not warriors. Nightmare Moon had the villagers line up all in a row, facing the town, rearing back on their haunches, claws clasped behind their heads.

She raised her head. “Lunar guard? Count off, in threes.”

Quickly, the guard obeyed.

“Ones and threes, guard the prisoners. Kill any who attempt to escape, or you will take their place. Twos...” her mouth curled in a twisted smile. “Finish leveling the town. If you get tired, come find a replacement. Don't stop until the land is as smooth as a foal's flank.”

It wasn't long before the only remains of the border town were black patches of ash and burning piles of wood and whatever else happened to be in the houses.

Nightmare Moon cast an eye over the prisoners, and turned to the closest guard, the female she had seen earlier. As there were far fewer females, the memory of her name was easy to find. “Sky Dancer,” she called.

The mare turned and bowed. “Yes, your eminence?”

“When the griffons attacked our border town, what was the result?”

Sky Dancer knew that Nightmare Moon knew perfectly well what had happened, so for her to be asking meant something truly sadistic was in store. She swallowed and composed herself before speaking. “All our citizens were killed, your majesty. None were left alive.”

“Really?” Nightmare Moon asked, a hint of faux surprise in her voice. “No mares or foals spared?”

“That is what I meant by 'none were left alive', your grace.”

A collective gasp ran through the guard. Nopony had yet dared to talk back to Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon, on the other hoof, smiled; a real, genuine smile. It's not that she liked yes-ponies—she despised them. But the most important part of power is presentation. Why else appear in the middle of the Sun Celebration, in a place surrounded by Royal guards, in the tiny back-water town of Ponyville? It was to make an impression, nothing more. Presentation is everything. And this pony, she did more than just parrot her sentences back. She liked this pony. She would use her later.

“Indeed,” she said. “So, Sky Dancer, would it be fitting to… shall we say… return the favor?”

Sky Dancer felt her heart start racing. Would her oath force her to kill foals tonight? Not wanting to risk another smart comment, she licked her lips and went with a much safer and theoretical, “It… would be a fitting retribution to the atrocity committed against us, your eminence.”

“So it would,” Nightmare Moon mused, beginning to pace again. “But it would be quite barbaric, wouldn't it?”

Sky Dancer tried to not let her relief show. “Quite, your majesty.”

“And we ponies are not so barbaric, are we? No, no... we are much more... civilized. As such, we understand the meaning of entertainment.”

That made Sky Dancer pause. “E- entertainment, your grace? I'm afraid I don't understand.”

Another point for this mare! No blind following answers. Nightmare Moon was pleased, but kept her face an expressionless mask. “Yes, Sky Dancer. Entertainment. As in, for our amusement. Like playing a game.” She stopped pacing when she arrived in front of the prisoners. She held up a normal bit. “This is an Equestrian bit, with the engraving of the Royal Pony Sisters-” she paused to spit derisively here, “-on one side, and the denomination on the other. If you have any of these, keep them—they are soon to become collector's editions. The new money will have a more... shall we say, ‘night-friendly’ theme. However, this will serve for now.” She walked behind the row of prisoners. One tried to turn to look at her, but quickly received a buffet from a wing of one of Nightmare Moon's guards.

“You were not given permission to turn!” Farsight barked.

“He is quite correct,” Nightmare Moon agreed. “That would ruin my fun. Now, we're going to play a little game.” She rested the bit on her hoof and flicked it up, flipping the coin. It gleamed in the moonlight, and she caught it expertly. “Heads, you live.” She stepped behind the second prisoner and flipped the coin again. “Tails...”

CRACK!

Her hind hoof shot out and connected right in the middle of the griffon's spine. Or more accurately said, her hoof had so much power behind it that it went through his spine and penetrated through his body, sending a small spray of blood, flesh, and bone chips into the air. He collapsed, dead before he even knew that he had been struck.

“...you die,” Nightmare Moon finished. Her hoof had struck and recovered so quickly that her leg barely carried a trace of blood. She smiled, ignoring the gasps and shivers coming from the griffons, stepped behind the next prisoner, and flipped the coin again.

Sky Dancer watched as Nightmare Moon continued flipping her coin, dealing out life or death depending on the outcome, with no feeling or hesitation whatsoever.

She stepped behind a griffon mother, holding a chick.

“For the mare.” She flipped.

Sky nodded. She was using classic intimidation.  By using the pony term “mare” instead of the proper griffon term “dam”, Nightmare Moon was cementing her superiority.

She caught it and smiled. Then her expression hardened again. “For the foal.” She flipped again.

Sky Dancer shuddered. She wouldn't... would she?

A black hoof shot out and connected with a sickening crunch. She would.

Ignoring the cries of anguish from the former mother, she stepped behind the next griffon and flipped her coin again.

Only Sky Dancer's strict training kept her expression stoic. Equestria under Nightmare Moon would be quite a different place indeed.



*  *  *



Nightmare Moon stood before the prisoners. Sky Dancer noticed with some surprise that her back hoof was clean, and briefly wondered if it had been magically cleaned, or if she had just kicked so quickly that she had kept it clean.

Her eyes wandered from one end of the line to the other, enjoying the flinches, whimpers, and squeaks of fear her gaze elicited.

“Thank you for your participation,” she said finally. “You are dismissed.”

“What of our dead?”

Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed, and she retrieved her bit again. Ignoring his pleas for mercy, she flipped. She scowled in disappointment as it came up heads. “I said, you are dismissed. I do not wish to repeat myself a third time.” She looked up. “Lunar Guard! Move out!”

Some flew, some walked, some hovered, but every Lunar Guard swarmed around Nightmare Moon like a group of bats, and then dissolved into the night, and when they had cleared, Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be seen.



*  *  *



Nightmare Moon stood proudly on the dark cloud, surrounded by Lunar Guards. Some walked with a slight limp, and it was clear that all had been taxed fairly heavily. “Well done, Lunar Guard. Your empress is pleased. Rest yourselves.”

“Your majesty,” Captain Farsight interrupted, standing as best he could on an injured foreleg. “We still stand ready to serve. Just speak the order, we can go right now.”

Nightmare Moon smiled at his loyalty and gave him an affectionate pat on the head. “I know you would. But now, we rest.” She turned to look out over the night again. “And we let the rumors spread.”
> Chapter 11
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	And spread they did. With their hometown destroyed, the survivors made their way back to the main base of the army. Each survivor told their story to any who would listen as they searched among friends, family, acquaintances, and inns for sanctuary. As every version spread, Nightmare Moon became scarier and scarier. It wasn't long before the news got back to the second in command, Tryal. 

“Surely you have heard the rumors? She slaughtered nine-tenths of them, burning them alive with her black magic! At the very least, we should go investigate!”

“No,” Tryal growled. “Inas'i left me in charge until he got back, and I say we remain still until he does.”

“But-”

“The magic doesn’t work at night. Do you want to go out in the night, blind and unarmed?”

“N- no, sir.”

“Then shut it. We wait for Inas’i.”



*  *  *



Needless to say, Nightmare Moon had not factored this into her plans.

“I am bored,” Nightmare Moon announced. She threw back her head and called. “G! Stone! Stop banging and attend your empress!”

“We were not 'banging', your highness!” Stone protested as he rushed to her front and bowed. 

Nightmare Moon snorted. “I don't care. Where is G?”

G staggered to her front and bowed. Nightmare Moon frowned as she took in the numerous bandages covering G's body. Stone also had a wrapped leg and one eye that seemed to be opening slower than the other. Gashes too small to need binding also peppered their bodies. She looked around at the other ponies, realizing that their bravado outweighed their stamina. Nightmare Moon was many things, but completely heartless to her servants she was not. These ponies were in no condition to fight another army. 

“Change of plans,” she murmured. “Find me a white flag.”



*  *  *



Another guard ran in and saluted. 

“What do you want?” Tryal spat. “I’m not-”

“Sir! The ponies are here!”

Tryal shot to his paws. “Is it an invasion?” he asked, grabbing desperately for his sword.

The guard shrugged. “They have a white flag, maybe they just want to talk?”

“Very well,” he said, putting on his helmet. “We go to talk. But I want a full platoon of guards.”

“Yes, sir. Consider it done.”



*  *  *



Nightmare Moon stood in the field, her armor looking bright and penetrating in the moonlight. She was flanked by Captain Farsight and Sky Dancer (after her smart remarks, she had already become somewhat attached to the mare). Sky Dancer held the white flag in her mouth, and her teeth were starting to feel sore.

Luckily, she didn't have to hold it much longer. A full platoon of about 50 griffons appeared, flying slowly in a show of intimidation. The leader landed with a soft thump. His assistant also held a white flag. Scattered griffons held torches—they couldn't see as well at night.

Sky Dancer smiled—her sharp eyes could see that their flag had a stain on it. It was probably a tablecloth or something like that. So very professional.

The two groups stopped about fifty feet apart. “We are here. What do you want?” the griffon captain asked gruffly.
Nightmare Moon said nothing. She just nodded.

A Lunar Guard appeared from behind her, carrying armor of some kind balanced on his wings. He walked in front of Nightmare Moon, dumped it unceremoniously in front of the captain, and walked away, disappearing into the darkness behind his leader.

The griffons began to shift and mutter—that was Inas'i's armor!

Another soon followed, carrying the dead and mangled body of a griffon warrior. He also dropped his cargo in front of the griffon assembly, and walked around Nightmare Moon, also fading away into the darkness. A third followed him, bearing the same load. He too let the mangled body fall, and walked away, silently becoming one with the night. A fourth followed him. And a fifth followed him. And a sixth followed him.

With each succeeding guard and body, Sky Dancer saw their expressions wilt and will weaken even more.

Eventually, the pile had grown so large that the griffons could not see over it, and still the bodies came.

The chain was interrupted by the appearance of Nightmare Moon in front of the leader with a flare of purple teleportation magic. He toppled over and squealed in fright.

“The war is over,” Nightmare Moon growled. “Return to your lands.” She lit her horn and lifted the foremost griffon by the throat. “If I catch even a rumor of a griffon using magic in Equestria... I trust you have heard of the game I played with the village on the border?”

The captain could do nothing but nod, terrified beyond all reason.

“I will 'play' with your entire nation. And I do not promise to use a fair coin as I did before.” Her eyes narrowed even as her mouth curled in a smile. “Now go,” she said, dropping him unceremoniously on his tail.

Tryal needed no second invitation. He turned and sprinted away as if his tail were on fire and all the prisoners of Tartarus were chasing him. Seeing their leader run was more than enough impetus, and the whole platoon of guards quickly followed.

As they ran, Nightmare Moon’s dark laugh followed them, ringing in their ears like a threatening pall of destruction.



*  *  *



Nightmare Moon returned to the palace in a miniature explosion of purple. She stood every inch a war-mistress, with her armor scuffed and dripping in blood. She trotted up to her sister, still trussed up, hanging upside down, a string hanging from her mouth. 

"Good night, Celi," she greeted her sister.

Celestia's eyes flickered open. "Luna? Did you make it?"

The black alicorn's eyes narrowed. "My name is Nightmare Moon. And of course I did. Was there ever any doubt?" Nightmare Moon hissed in return. "There will be a new system in place. One day for every three nights seems fair, does it not? And that's only if my ponies are on good behavior.” She paused. “Perhaps it is my bloodlust speaking, but I am half tempted to merely kill you right now. Fortunately for you, I am secure in my power." 

Celestia sighed. "You won, Luna. You have done what I could not. It.... appears you are my superior."

The part of Nightmare Moon that was Luna felt a thrill of exhilaration at hearing her speak those words, but she hid it well. "But of course, sister." She walked up closer, taunting Celestia. "So, it has come to this."

"Always one for drama, weren't you?" Celestia murmured. 

Nightmare Moon strode forward and hoof-slapped her sister. "Silence! If I do execute you, it will be very slowly and very publicly."

"Ah, but that is a big 'if', Luna."

Nightmare Moon leaned in until their faces were touching. "Call me Luna, one more time," she hissed.

Celestia reared her head back and flipped the string hanging from her mouth around Nightmare Moon's horn. Deftly catching it with her teeth, she pulled tight, pulling Nightmare Moon's head down.

“Why, you…!” Nightmare Moon reared back, casting a spell that would have blasted Celestia halfway to Trottingham, but her magic just fizzled.

Too late, she noticed that the string hanging from Celestia's mouth was actually magic-reducing silk.

Too late, she felt the pull of Celestia's magic, for the silk around the white horn was not the magic-reducing kind.

Too late, she noticed the mares appearing as if from thin air as the cloaking spell was removed.

Too late, she noticed that they were all wearing golden necklaces or crown thingies.

Celestia teleported away to the top of the room as the Elements of Harmony were activated again, dousing Nightmare Moon in rainbow light.







When it had cleared, Celestia slowly lowered herself to the side of her sister. "Luna?" she asked.

The blue alicorn had returned to her normal colors, but she still looked so helpless and hurt, laying on the ground with her head down.

Celestia knelt down next to her sister. "Luna?"

Luna looked up, and the slitted eyes of Nightmare Moon stared deep into Celestia's.

Before Celestia could respond, she saw a blur and felt a searing pain in her ribs. Her sister had stabbed her! She looked down at her wound. Blood trickled from the wound, but that was not what drew her eye. It was the black, tainted glow around it. She watched in horror as her healing abilities surged, cleaning the wound—but unable to remove the black glow. It degressed into a cut, then a scar, then smooth fur again, but still the faint back glow was present.

"Never underestimate the darkness," hissed Luna, in a voice that was not her own. Then she twitched once, shuddered deeply, then fell to the ground again.

Celestia's wound was not deep, nor had the taint spread far. But the taint was there.

Luna's eyes flickered open, and then she rolled over, coughing and hacking like a coal miner. "I… I'm back,” she murmured. “Did we win?"

Celestia hid the wound behind her wing. “No, Luna. YOU won.” She bent down to nuzzle her sister affectionately. “We no longer have the threat of the griffons. And it is all thanks to you.”

Luna smiled, but then her expression turned serious. “Do I want to know what I did?”

Celestia shrugged. “Probably not, but there will always be time for that later.”

“She's right!” Pinkie Pie interrupted. “Now it's time for a party! Party until the sun comes up!”

Celestia checked her internal clock and winced. “The sun was supposed to rise an hour and a half ago,” she said.

Twilight Sparkle had spent much time with Luna since her original return, but she had never seen her pull puppydog eyes. Then again, there was always a first time for everything.

Celestia sighed. “Another hour wouldn't hurt, I suppose,” she conceded.

> Chapter 12
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Sky Dancer lay on her bed. Now that the moon rush was gone, she’d had time to reflect on things. And, truth be told, she wasn’t sure she liked where her mind was going.

Her ears flicked up at the sound of somepony approaching. “I hear big stomping hooves, so Red Hoof, if that's you, go away; I'm really not in the mood to chat.”

“'Tis somepony much larger, Sky Dancer.”

Hearing Luna's voice, Sky Dancer jumped to attention. Sure enough, the lunar princess herself stood in the doorway, closely followed by two Lunar Guards that she had seen around but whose names escaped her. They bore a large cask of some unknown liquid, and judging by the sound it made (and the strained expressions on their faces), it was quite full.

“Your highness!” Sky Dancer sputtered, flushing bright red with embarrassment. “I didn't mean to insinuate... nothing against... I didn't mean...”

Luna laughed lightly. “Peace, Sky Dancer. I know you meant no insult. It was your first fight, was it not?”

Sky Dancer nodded.

“And tell me truthfully. How do you feel?”

Sky Dancer averted her eyes. “I don't know. I'll never be able to forget what I've done, will I?”

“No. Never.” Luna's voice grew quieter. “And it is far worse for us who have all eternity to reflect on the lives we've taken.”

Sky Dancer looked up, meeting her princess's gaze. “Does it ever get easier?”

“A little bit. It is like sexual intercourse—the first time is a mixed experience and mostly displeasurable, but it gets easier over time.”

To say that Sky Dancer was shocked that such a thing had come out of Luna's mouth would have been the understatement of the month. Her expression reflected that—until Luna laughed. “Oh, that never ceases to amuse me... three thousand years and that joke has not gotten old.” She settled down on Sky Dancer’s tiny bed. “No. That is what this is for.” She jerked a hoof at the large barrel suspended between the two ponies.

“For?”

Luna turned to pour a drink and levitated it over to Sky Dancer. “To remember... or to forget. I have yet to decide which is better.”

Sky Dancer drank. “It has no alcohol,” she mentioned.

Luna stifled a chuckle. “Do you think I would have my Lunar Guard parade around drunk? Just drink slowly. It helps, I promise.”

Sky Dancer did, and somehow, she felt better. It was crisp, cool, and tasted of apples, but with much more flavor and intensity.

“So how did you two get stuck carrying that?” she asked.

Too late, she realized that they did not want to be asked that question. The stallion shook his head quickly, and the mare turned and bitterly muttered something under her breath.

“What was that?” Luna asked playfully. “I don't believe she heard you.”

Both answered in a slow monotone. “A violation of rule thirty two, subsection fifty five, article b; which clearly states that post-conflict celebratory coitus is not to be commenced until both participants have been completely cleared from duty.”

Sky Dancer cocked her head.

“We were banging on the clock,” Stone translated.

“Oh. Ew.”

“Why is that always everypony's first reaction?” the mare grumbled.

Sky Dancer answered instantly. “Because the clock is in the commons, and you shouldn't be doing that out there.”

Stone grinned in spite of himself. “I like her. We should keep her.”

“Keep her we shall,” Luna said pleasantly. “But now we must leave you. There are others who faced war for the first time, and I must visit them before the griffon ambassadors arrive.”

Sky Dancer frowned. “You’re expecting griffon ambassadors?”

Luna could not keep a devious smile off her face, and her body shook with suppressed laughter. “In a manner of speaking.”



*  *  *



Griffon ambassadors entered the throne room, standing proudly and tall. Their angry expressions meant this was not to be a pleasant meeting.

Celestia set down her scroll. “Ah, yes. I've been expecting you.”

They did not bow, an expression of derision not missed by Celestia. Nor by her guards. They scowled and shifted, readying themselves for anything.

“We have come to demand compensation! Your sister slaughtered an entire village and over three-fourths of our army!”

Celestia's eyes twinkled playfully. “Ah... I was under the impression that she had flipped a coin for every death. Statistically, that is but half of a village.” Her eyes narrowed again, the playfulness in her voice vanishing instantly. “As opposed to the village of Riverton, whose inhabitants were slaughtered completely by the griffon invasion.”

The lead griffon ignored that barb. “Irrelevant! Our griffons are without defense! Unguarded! Exposed!”

Celestia nodded. “True. Griffons are, however, much tougher than ponies, and are quite able to handle themselves. Nevertheless, if the griffons indeed need such help from the ponies, I would be more than willing to provide a detachment of Solar guards to your lands.”

A young Solar Guard tried his best to not make a noise, but he did let out a tiny snort of laughter at the offer.

The griffons fumed and struggled to maintain their composure at the backhanded offer of help. Celestia didn't show her smile, but that little “snrk” was the very reason she had requested such a young guard in her throne room today.

“I do appreciate your efforts,” Celestia continued, “but under Royal Edict number 334b, the Separation of the Powers of the Sisters, which was enacted almost two thousand years ago, I am powerless to fulfill your requests, as I am not the one with whom you need to speak. Perhaps you would like to meet the one responsible for such atrocities?”



*  *  *



They headed down towards the dungeon, the path marked by Solar Guards every hundred paces. As they descended, the griffons grew more nervous. Griffons don't like being underground.

Celestia hid a smile as they arrived. “Right this way,” she invited, opening the door.

Beyond the door, there was a circular room, large and made of stone. It was surrounded and guarded by what could only be called a legion of Solar Guards, and an even larger army of torches that made it bright as day. Celestia led the griffons towards the middle, where a black alicorn lay stretched out on a table, held down by rows and rows of golden, pulsing chains. They snaked around her body, and each hoof was wrapped tightly and chained to the wall, held there by thick reels with earth ponies at the wheels and at various places on the chain to keep it steady. Pegasi stood next to chains that looped around a gear system, providing extra leverage to be used for restraint. Nightmare Moon's mane was a solid steel-blue, and it hung limply, without magic. A glowing magic suppressor was attached to her horn by thick bolts, and it was almost as thick around as her hoof. Her regalia and armor were missing, and without the scowl on her face she looked… tired, and young, like a lost foal. She almost looked innocent.

“This is the one you must seek retribution from.”

“She's insane,” one griffon said, unsure if he referred to the sleeping Nightmare Moon or Celestia.

“Oh, Luna,” Celestia called. “You have visitors.”

The black alicorn's eyes snapped open, revealing slitted eyes. Her mane poofed out, recharging with magic. It flowed, a starry midnight black, a stark contrast to the well-lit dungeon. Her eyes narrowed. “I told you never to CALL ME THAT!” she roared, straining against the belts that held her down. Unicorns flared magic and the golden chains pulsed quicker. Pegasi picked up the chains with their mouths, ready to fly.

“Oh, calm yourself,” Celestia said. “These noble ambassadors have come to speak with you.” She took a respectful step back.

Nightmare Moon's eyes flicked wildly around until settling on the griffons. “Ah... I warned you about setting hoof in our lands again, didn't I? Now, only one question remains: How would you like to die?”

The griffon leaned in. “You really don't have much of a choice, now, do you?”

Nightmare Moon smiled... and then swung her hoof into his head with such force that she ripped the reel off the wall and jerked the earth pony guards to the ground. She swung at the other, but by then the solar guards had descended. Rows of earth ponies grabbed the chains and pulled with all their mighty strength, pegasi pulled up, unicorns flared magic and the golden chains began to glow steadily, sapping her magic energy. Her hoof and body slammed back into the restraining table.

“Lucky little birdie,” Nightmare Moon hissed, writhing against the chains. Her body twitched and squirmed in fits of rage, and some of the earth ponies began to slide on the ground under the stress. She began to stretch towards them.

Celestia stepped protectively in front of the griffons and cast a protective wall. “Perhaps we should continue this discussion some other time?” she suggested.

The griffons began to back away slowly.

With a sudden snap, one of the chains holding a front hoof down broke. Nightmare Moon quickly shrugged off the remainder of those restraints and used that free hoof to relieve herself of the chains on the other. Unicorns swarmed the area, but she lashed out with the strength of a madpony, hooves flying wildly and—more often than not—connecting solidly with armor.

The griffons decided to flee. Celestia had never seen griffons move so fast.

Wrenching herself free from the body chains, she flew up into the air... only to be tackled by Celestia. The two alicorns crashed into the ground, with Celestia landing on top. The two locked horns, spewing fiery threats and insults.

“The destiny of the Night is in my power!” roared Nightmare Moon. “A new era approaches!”

“You will never rule Equestria!” Celestia hissed. “You couldn't then, you can't now!”

“You are a weakling and a figurehead, nothing more!” her sister snarled, gnashing her fang-like teeth ferociously.

“You are a mockery of all I hold dear!” Celestia retorted.

A Lunar Guard entered the room and coughed politely. “They're clear of the line, your majesties.”

Neither alicorn moved or reacted to this news; they just continued yelling.

“You always take the last slice of cake!” Nightmare Moon accused.

“You always eat the most of it, anyway!” retorted Celestia.

“You leave your toothpaste uncapped!”

“At least I use toothpaste, oh empress of bad breath!”

“I know you do! I find it splattered all over the mirror and you never clean up after yourself!”

Both princesses paused, and then Nightmare Moon burst out laughing before slowly shrinking back into the much friendlier Luna. Celestia lifted herself up and held out a hoof. Luna accepted it, still laughing uncontrollably.

Celestia said, “I do believe that went better than expected.” Well, that's what she meant to say. But what came out was, “I do believe... th.. snrk!” as she couldn't help but join in. Some of the guard kept stoic expressions, but others couldn't help it, either.

Suddenly, Celestia gasped and leaned over, grabbing at a spot on her ribs. She winced in pain and hoped her sister hadn't noticed.

“Celestia? Are you ok?”

Celestia blinked, and for a second, Luna thought her pupils looked slitted; but when she opened her eyes again, they appeared normal. “Don't worry, Luna, I'm just f̶ine.”

> After the Credits
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Being one of a very few mares in the Lunar Guard, Sky Dancer had accustomed herself to life in the barracks. She had been given a far bunk, offering a bit of privacy, but the only place she couldn't be alone was in the bathrooms. As for showering, it became an unspoken agreement of timing, meaning everypony knew when she went in and made themselves scarce until she came out. As for relieving oneself, that isn't as scheduled; and Sky Dancer decided to abide by the old adage, 'it's not awkward unless you make it awkward'.

So, strictly speaking, there was nothing culturally or procedurally wrong with the fact that she was leaning against the outside of the bathroom stall wall and holding a conversation with Red Hoof, who was inside that wall and sounding very miserable.

“So, how are you doing?”

“Ach... I' been better.”

Sky Dancer nodded, fully aware that Red couldn't see her. “So... laxatives in the cookies he owed you. Sparkwinder's pretty crafty.”

“Aye,” groaned Red. “Well played, if I do say so meself.”

“Now I have to know... what are you going to do to get him back, and how far away should I be?”

“Already done it,” Red Hoof responded.

“Really?” Sky Dancer was surprised. “Do I want to ask?”

“D'ye like hearin' about a colt's stallionhood?” When Sky Dancer didn't immediately respond, Red Hoof laughed. “Thought not.”

A loud scream filled the air.

Red Hoof laughed. “An' there it went. If'n I were ye, I'd lay low fer a while.”

It was Sky Dancer's turn to laugh as she walked away. “Me? I'm not the one stuck in here until those cookies wear off.”

Red Hoof swore under his breath. “Knew I was fergettin' somethin'...”