Chapter One

THE SIXTH ALICORN

By Shade Nightingale

Chapter One

It was the witching hour.

The skies above Equestria were dark and overcast. Thunder rumbled in the distance. But the storm had not arrived.

These were not ideal conditions for flying. And yet that was what a score of winged ponies were doing, soaring swiftly above the clouds. The Pegasus stallions had white coats and blue manes, with marks on their flanks resembling shields. They wore gilded barding, which did not slow them down at all as they raced to keep up with their leader.

This was a tall, white mare. Only one word could truly describe her: radiant! Her flowing mane of pastel colors glowed even in the dark of night. On her flank there was a mark like the sun; around her neck was a golden peytral; and on her forehead, just behind a long horn, sat a golden tiara with a purple gem in its center.

She was Princess Celestia, co-ruler of all Equestria!

Celestia surveyed the dark forest below, her violet eyes narrowed in concentration as she soared on mighty wings. The Everfree Forest was a foreboding place even under the best conditions; in this weather it resembled a tempest, its canopies billowing like waves on the ocean.

Please be alright, Celestia thought desperately. I can’t lose you! Not like this!

A beam of blue energy shot skyward.

“There!” Celestia shouted. She banked towards the energy burst, her guards following behind closely. They arrived above a clearing by a pond. And in that clearing was the strangest gathering Celestia had ever seen.

Several scores of ponies stood in a circle, all wearing black cloaks. Each pony had glowing cyan eyes with slits for pupils. Most of them were unicorns, and each one was focusing their magic on curious lines painted onto the ground. In the center of the lines sat a wooden bowl upon a metal pedestal, from which black smoke was rising. Whatever kind of spell these ponies were casting, it was extremely powerful; Celestia could feel the reverberations even in the air. Some sort of blob was forming in the wooden bowl.

Celestia caught sight of a unicorn nearest the pedestal and inhaled sharply. In addition to the glowing slit-eyes, the unicorn was pitch black, and wore silvery-blue barding. The peytral had a crescent-moon insignia on it. Why, that pony looked like--!

But no, Celestia knew it was not her. This pony was not tall enough, and did not have wings. But the resemblance was clearly intentional.

Celestia noticed a pony lying in the midst of the circle. It was a lavender unicorn mare, whose dark-blue mane bore pink and violet highlights. There was a magic restrainer around her neck, and her head was stuffed inside a brown canvas bag. She was shaking.

Anger tore through Celestia. Power charged in her horn. Lightning shot from it and descended upon the metal pedestal. The electricity tore through it and the bowl, destroying both.

“It’s Celestia!” cried a male voice. It was the black unicorn.

The gathering broke up in a panic. Celestia’s guards rushed in, the captain declaring the participants under arrest. To their surprise, some of the Cultists charged the guards. A skirmish resulted. Celestia saw some of the Cultists sneak up on the guards from the rear. She landed in their midst with such force that the Cultists were knocked down. Several sprang back up and tried to charge her, but Celestia picked them up with her magic and threw them to the ground. They did not rise up again.

Seeing this, the remaining Cultists turned and fled in multiple directions. There was no sign of the black unicorn.

“C’mon, boys! Let’s get after them!” shouted the Captain, as he and half the guards pursued the Cultists. The rest stayed behind, corralling the defeated into a tight circle. No-pony had died.

Celestia rushed to the lavender unicorn’s side. There was a long cut across her right foreleg, and a large bruise on her stomach. But she was alive, so Celestia pulled the bag off her head. Twilight Sparkle screamed.

“NO! NO! DON’T HURT ME! PLEASE!”

“I am not going to hurt you,” Celestia said gently. Her voice was like a warm, sunny day.

“P-Princess Celestia,” Twilight whispered.

“Yes, Twilight. It’s alright, no pony will hurt you now. I’m here.”

Celestia lay down on the grass and pulled Twilight close with her wings. Twilight started crying.

“I-I’m so sorry! They took me by surprise! I let you down! I—”

Celestia nuzzled her. “Twilight, you don’t have to be sorry for anything. You were the one who was harmed here, but no-pony shall hurt you now.”

Her horn glowed. Golden magic covered Twilight’s cut and bruise, healing them instantly. Celestia then held up Twilight’s chin with her wing, so that the mares could look into each other’s eyes.

“You have not let me down.” Celestia’s voice was firm yet warm and gentle. “You have been very brave, and I am very proud of you. None of this is your fault at all, and I will see to it that these ponies meet justice for this crime against you.”

Twilight sniffed and shuddered, but managed a shaky smile.

“Thank you, Princess!”

They embraced.

Then Twilight remembered something.

“Princess Celestia! They were trying to bring back Nightmare Moon!”

Celestia blinked. She had suspected as much, but receiving confirmation was startling nonetheless.

Twilight trembled. “Princess Celestia? What’s happening?”

What’s happening? Now there was a question Celestia would have liked an answer to! Over the last couple of years, things had taken a turn for the dangerous in Equestria.

First, there had been the return of Nightmare Moon, a return that had been foreseen a long time ago. Celestia had dreaded the coming of that day, but to her surprise, it all worked out better than she had hoped. Twilight had befriended five other mares from Ponyville, and together they had used the Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon. To Celestia’s great joy, the Elements simply removed the dark magic that constituted Nightmare Moon, leaving behind Celestia’s sister Princess Luna.

After a thousand years, Celestia had her sister back!

As for the darkness that had corrupted Luna, there had been little left of it aside from some scraps of armor. These had given off a strong magical aura, so Celestia transferred them to Spell Nexus, the head of her school, for further study.

But the scraps had been stolen recently. Nexus had been assaulted in his own home, and the scraps taken by parties unknown. This attack had bewildered Celestia. Who would want the scraps of Nightmare Moon so badly, and why? It looked like she knew now.

And then Discord awoke. Once again, it had come down to Twilight and her friends to stop the Spirit of Disharmony from plunging the entire world into chaos. Though Celestia had noticed that Discord was not as vicious as she had remembered. Aside from tricking the Element Bearer’s into acting opposite their virtue, all he did was make it rain chocolate and act a nuisance. Discord seemed less like a threatening villain and more like a spoiled child that had refused to grow up.

Or maybe he seemed that way when compared to the other major villain to plague Equestria: Queen Chrysalis. Now, that witch was nasty. Celestia had fought against the Changeling Queen and her army many times, the latest battle occurring only a couple of months back. On that occasion, Chrysalis had taken the form of Celestia’s adopted niece, Cadance: the third alicorn in Equestria. She then brainwashed Cadance’s fiancé Shining Armor, the Captain of the Royal Guard. Her plan was to use their wedding as part of a plot to take over Canterlot. The plan ultimately failed, thanks yet again to Twilight, who also happened to be Shining Armor’s sister. But not before Chrysalis had managed to trick the entire wedding party into temporarily disowning Twilight after she had pointed out how strangely “Cadence” was acting. Including Princess Celestia.

Celestia still felt bad about that.

And then there had been the return of the Crystal Empire, and an attack by the evil unicorn warlord King Sombra. Twilight, Spike, and Princess Cadence were able to stop him, and Cadence and Shining became the new rulers of the Crystal Empire.

That had been two weeks ago. And now this had happened. What was going on with Equestria?

Celestia looked Twilight in the eyes. “I don’t know, Twilight. Perhaps the leaders of this cult can provide us with some answers. My guards are returning now.”

Celestia’s guards became visible among the trees, marching some of the black-clad ponies in front of them. They were corralled in with the other Cultists.

Celestia stood up. Twilight also stood up, staying close to Celestia’s hind legs. “Is this all of them, Captain?”

The Captain’s ears wilted. “I apologize, your Highness, but no. Half of them managed to escape into the woods.” Twilight’s eyes became very wide.

Celestia sighed. “Did you manage to capture the black unicorn?” The Captain’s ears wilted even further. Celestia frowned, but nodded. “I see. We shall have to make do with the ones we have.”

The Captain looked crestfallen. Celestia smiled warmly at him and lifted his chin up with her hoof. “You did your best, Captain. You got half of them, and we shall soon find out where the rest are from those you have captured.” The Captain was still abashed, but his ears picked back up a little. She turned away from him and approached the host of assembled cultists.

She surveyed them contemptuously. She did not smile at them. And when she spoke after a moment of silence, it was as if the sun itself had gone out.

“I am very disappointed with every single pony here. I expect better from the ponies of Equestria.”

Not a single cultist looked ashamed. Rather, they stared back at her with looks of deep loathing. Celestia could not recall any of her little ponies ever looking at her with such hatred. At the very least, their eyes were back to normal. The cyan slitted-eyes must have been a cosmetic spell.

“Well? Does any pony have anything to say for themselves? You can talk to me. You can always talk to me. I don’t know what has made you try to resurrect Nightmare Moon, but it was not necessary. If you are in some kind of trouble, you could have come to me or my sister. You do not need guidance from a ghoul.

“Instead, you chose to participate in the kidnapping and assault of a unicorn mare who had never harmed you. You chose to come to these woods, and participate in an illegal necromantic ritual to resurrect an enemy of Equestria. And if those scraps are what I think they are, then you also chose to burglarize the home of Spell Nexus and beat him.”

A few of the ponies made a movement when she mentioned Spell Nexus. Celestia nodded internally. So, it was them after all.

“Now, these are very serious charges, and you will spend a lot of time in prison on account of them. But I am lenient. I am willing to be less severe if you will tell me the name of your leader. The black unicorn who posed as Nightmare Moon.”

Celestia waited. The Cultists said nothing.

“I want his name now.”

They stayed silent.

“I’m waiting.”

Nothing.

Celestia turned to the Captain.

“Captain, take these ponies straight to the dungeons in Canterlot! I shall deal with them later. Leave a few guards behind to watch this site, in case any more decide to return.”

The guard saluted. “Yes, your Highness. And what about you?”

Celestia turned her attention to Twilight, and wrapped her wing around the young mare. “I shall be taking my student back to the library in Ponyville. She’s had a rough night, and sleep will do her some good.”

All Twilight could do was nod. Celestia lifted Twilight up in her magic and placed the unicorn upon her back. She nodded at two guards nearest her. “You two. With me, please. You will be posted at the doors of the library. I don’t know if any of the Cultists will try anything more tonight, but I shan’t take that chance!”

The guards nodded and took flight. Celestia spread her own wings, but then paused. She surveyed the scene one more time. She felt like there was something she was missing. But she saw nothing else unusual, and launched herself into the air. Twilight was too shaken to even yelp. Higher and higher they went, until the ponies below looked like little ants. The trip to Ponyville would be quick.

But as she flew over the Everfree Forest, Celestia had an uneasy feeling. She was certain she had missed something, but she could not place her hoof on what…

It was several hours later.

Only five guards remained on duty. Thunder pealed in the distance, louder than before. The guards were arguing.

“Look,” said one. “We haven’t heard from the Captain in a while, and that storms looks like it will be a doozy! I say we regroup with the main unit.”

“The Princess and the Captain said to stay here,” said a second. “We need to guard the crime scene and capture any Cultists should they return.”

“None of ‘em are comin’ back, I reckon,” a third guard replied. He looked skyward. “That’ll be a right nasty storm, sure ‘nough.”

“That’s what I mean!” said the first. “We aren’t prepped for a storm! We should just go before the storm gets here. They’ll understand. Besides,” he added slyly. “We should check on the caravan. Make sure they get to Canterlot alright, you know?”

The other guards assented at once, save for the second guard, a new recruit named Event Horizon.

“Orders are orders,” said Event Horizon, firmly. The other guards grinned at each other.

“Alright, Event Horizon, have it your way! You can stay here all alone in the cold, dark, spooky forest during a thunderstorm!”

“Yeah,” laughed another. “Looking forward to your amazing stories when you get back!”

“Wait!” cried Event Horizon.

“Naw, its fine; we’ll remind the uppers you’re still here.” The guards extended their wings.

“Not that! I thought I heard something!” The other guards tensed.

“What did you hear?” asked the first guard nervously.

Event Horizon looked around. “I could swear I heard a foal crying.”

“A foal? In the Everfree?” a fourth guard said skeptically. “Are you sure?”

“I have a foal of my own,” said Event Horizon. “I know what one sounds like!”

The guards milled about, listening. For a few tense moments, no-pony said a word as they searched. Finally, they gave up.

“You must be hearing things!”

“Yeah!” said the first guard, winking. “You should come with us, you need some shut eye!”

But Event Horizon stood firm. “Orders are orders!”

The other guards laughed. “Suit yourself, mate!”

And with that, the four guards took off. Event Horizon watched them become smaller and smaller in the distance. When they were no longer visible, he turned to patrol the area. Idiots! They would be de-merited!

But not Event Horizon! Oh no, he would stay right where his Princess had stationed him! His Princess would know he was diligent!

His Princesses. He was still adjusting to that concept. He wondered why Luna had not been invited along to save Twilight Sparkle. Night was her time to rule, after all.

It must be the Nightmare Moon angle, he reasoned. Celestia probably did not want her near this one.

He passed by the occult runes left on the ground. Event Horizon could not fathom why any pony would want to raise Nightmare Moon. Princess Luna did essentially the same thing, minus the evil. She could even chase bad dreams away! Contrariwise, Nightmare Moon supposedly gobbled up foals on Nightmare Night. Pretty stupid, now that he thought about it. He had attended to Princess Luna at mealtimes, and she was as vegan as any-pony else!

How did such an asinine story start, anyway?

Event Horizon heard another peal of thunder—that storm must be drawing closer. He shivered in the cold breeze. Orders were orders, but he did hope some pony would relieve him soon. As mad as he was at the other guards for leaving, he could not blame them completely…

There! He had heard a child sobbing, he was sure now! He turned around, listening attentively. The child sounded afraid. Event Horizon had been a proud father for over a year, and so could tell what a child felt by its cry.

As he listened for more sobbing, he could not help but think about his own family. His son was a healthy colt—he was going to grow big and strong, just like his father! And his wife was beautiful, loving, and kind—he could not ask for a better helpmeet! And just the other day, she had told him that she was expecting again. Their future together seemed bright! His heart filled with the love he had for his family.

And that was when his head started to hurt. Bad. He closed his eyes in pain. A migraine? Now? That was odd…his pain would have to wait though…there was a scared child to find…

Event Horizon opened his eyes.

And looked into a monstrous face. It was greenish-black with a pair of glowing eyes, green and hungry, with pupils like a cat. The mane was greenish-blue, and the horn was crooked. A three-pronged black tiara sat in front of the horn. The creature’s body was tall and covered in a hard carapace, with a green mid-section and wings like a dragonfly. These wings, and the creature’s body, had holes that allowed him to see all the way through to the foliage behind it. The stallion was so startled that it was a moment before he was able to react, and by then he was paralyzed.

“Shhh, that’s a good boy,” said Queen Chrysalis, her voice low-pitched and smooth. Her crooked horn glowed green, energy flowing out from the stallions’ head and into it. The guard could only utter a few sporadic syllables in response, his body growing thinner, wrinkles appearing under his eyes. Chrysalis grinned wickedly. “Mm, that’s good. Feed your Queen!”

Again, the stallion could only offer a few incomprehensible words as his body became weaker and weaker, and Chrysalis became stronger and stronger. The green flow of energy increased its intensity. Finally, with a sound like a cross between a vacuum and a flying arrow, the energy stream came to an end. The stallion collapsed. Queen Chrysalis stood over him.

“That was excellent, dear. Tell me, was it good for you? I certainly enjoyed it!” She cackled nastily. Her horn glowed again. The stallion was dragged back to standing. Chrysalis reached over with her right hoof and rested it on his cheek.

“Dear, you don’t look so good. Are you all right?” She put her face very close to his. “Let me guess, it feels like all of your love has been dragged out of you, doesn’t it? Tell me, what’s it like, being a sad little husk? To know that you have loved, and have been loved, but can’t remember why or to who? Hurts, doesn’t it?” She placed her left hoof on his other cheek and narrowed her eyes. “I said, “Doesn’t it?”” The green magic flared briefly, and the stallion said “um-hum” against his will.

“I know it does,” Chrysalis said soothingly. “Would you like me to make that better for you?”

“Um-hum.”

From a distance, the two ponies seemed like lovers, the tall Changeling mare appearing as if she was about to kiss him, with her hooves on both his cheeks and her lips so close to his…

Chrysalis twisted his head around with a crack.

The stallion’s body fell to the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Chrysalis stood over the corpse, her glowing eyes dancing madly.

“Pharynx. Thorax.”

Two creatures appeared next to her. They were also Changelings like Chrysalis, but smaller and with more insectoid characteristics, such as compound eyes. Thorax had blue eyes while Pharynx had purple eyes. They stuck their tongues out and hissed at her, which is the proper way to greet a Queen.

“I have taken a kill,” said Chrysalis, her voice cold and imperious.

“It is good!” exclaimed Pharynx.

“It is good,” said Thorax, evenly.

Chrysalis raised an eyebrow at Thorax. “You will take the meat back to our colony,” she continued, her draconic eyes boring into Thorax’s. “I expect this meat to be butchered and made into a pot pie. We haven’t had pony pot pie in such a long while, now have we?”

“No,” said the two drones. “Not for a while. It shall be a great feast!”

Chrysalis studied them. Pharynx seemed enthused about the prospective meal, but Thorax seemed…what? Put off? Disgusted? Was he…sorry?

Sorry for that stallion?

Chrysalis was unsure about Thorax. She had taken note of his intelligence, which was a little higher than those of his peers. Thorax had a good memory too, recalling almost word for word speeches Chrysalis had made to his class when he was small. And his transformations were top notch, right down to precisely mimicking the cadences of his targets. Quite impressive.

And yet there was something about Thorax that rubbed her the wrong way. The Changelings were at war constantly—they had no use for mercy! Yet Thorax seemed a little too sympathetic to other races.

Perhaps she would need to cull him. She had a pair of hedge-clippers for that purpose. However, Chrysalis thought that step might be too drastic at this stage; after all, her subjects were becoming increasingly obtuse. Perhaps she should could still breed him, if only to allow her subjects a little more intelligence?

His empathy was something that needed to be addressed.

“I’m glad you agree, my little Changelings. Especially you, Thorax! I think that pony will make for a very fine pie. Don’t you agree, dear?” She smiled at him. Thorax stiffened, fear flashing across his face.

“Of course, your majesty,” Thorax said nervously. “A mighty fine pie! Best pie ever, without doubt!”

“Mm, without doubt,” agreed Chrysalis. “Since you will be the one to make it.”

Something like horror flickered across Thorax’s face, before it settled into bewilderment. “Me, my Queen?” he asked anxiously.

“That is correct. You will be the one to prepare the meat. You shall butcher it, cook it, and then you will serve it to me.” Thorax looked mortified. Chrysalis hardened her gaze. “Unless…you have a problem with that?”

Thorax recovered fast. “N-no my Queen! No problem!”

Chrysalis leaned in a little closer. “I do hope so. It should be a simple enough task for you. I have already done the difficult job—I slaughtered it!” She laughed, her voice deep and guttural. Pharynx also laughed, joyfully. Thorax laughed along, but his laughter was more subdued.

“Now buzz along, my subjects. You have meat to take back to the colony, and I have a magical disturbance to investigate!”

“You want us to leave you here alone?” Thorax asked, confused.

“Yes,” said Chrysalis sharply. She hated being questioned.

“You said this was a major magical disturbance. What if a garrison appears? What if they bring mages? What if,” he swallowed. “Celestia appears?”

“I can hold my own,” Chrysalis replied flatly. “Now, do as you’re told and take the carcass out of here!”

The two Changelings trotted forward, and picked up the corpse with their magic. Taking flight together, the drones lifted the corpse into the air and were off with it.

Chrysalis watched them go, her eyes fixed mostly on Thorax as he became smaller and smaller. As she had suspected, there did appear to be concerning levels of empathy in him. On the other hoof, the questions he asked, simple though they were, were the right sort. Chrysalis had noted Pharynx’s face throughout the proceedings, and saw at once that it had never occurred to him to ask such questions.

A lot of her subjects did not think to ask such questions.

She would need to work to remove that empathetic streak, but once Thorax’s compassion was eliminated, he would no doubt make for a fine captain.

Chrysalis took her mind off these matters and began to focus on the task at hoof. Her horn glowed green as she surveyed the clearing in the woods.

Mighty magic had been wrought here—that much was certain! She could feel the strength of the spell all over her body, a cool tingling that ran down the length of her spine. Power like this both delighted and infuriated Chrysalis; she loved being near it but hated being without it. She had seen the blue energy blast from miles off, and had come to investigate.

She could see a metal pedestal in the middle of the clearing, broken apart from some sort of blast. Here and there she could find splinters of burnt wood, probably from a vessel of some sort. Had the spell needed some kind of potion? What were the unicorns cooking up? And why was a guard posted here?

Perhaps the Princesses were up to something. No doubt they were casting a spell to give themselves more power. Chrysalis believed that the alicorns would do anything to become stronger.

But what was the end result? Aside from the magical harmonics, the broken artifacts and those peculiar patterns on the ground, nothing seemed to be out of place here.

Thunder pealed. Chrysalis gazed at the sky. That storm sounded close. She would have to leave soon. Well, there did not seem to be much else here…she should take her leave…

She saw something in some bushes. Coming closer, Chrysalis saw a brown saddlebag under the eaves. She picked it up in her magic and held it aloft in front of her. She could make out words: Property of Twilight Sparkle.

Chrysalis grinned. So, Miss Perfect left her bag behind! She must have been helping Celestia with this little project. Chrysalis was sure Twilight Sparkle would be missing this bag. She opened the it and looked inside. She saw three old books, all of which seemed to be spell books of some sort. What a nice present. Perhaps she could determine what spell had been cast here by examining these more closely. Chrysalis closed the bag and put it onto her back. She turned to leave.

And then she heard it. Sobbing.

She looked around. Was there some pony hiding nearby? She hoped so; she could let her Hive drain this one.

Chrysalis listened carefully. She had very acute hearing. She followed the sporadic sobs until at last she arrived at a hawthorn bush.

She listened again. The crying sounded like that of a small foal. Even better! Chrysalis loved foals; they tasted much sweeter than adult ponies. Perhaps she would have some dessert to go with her pie tonight.

“Ready or not,” Chrysalis snickered, while pulling back the branches with her magic. “Here I com—”

Chrysalis stared. She stared with her green serpentine eyes. And cyan serpentine eyes stared back at her.

The eyes belonged to a filly, tangled up in the branches of the hawthorn bush. Her coat was a very deep midnight blue, almost black; her mane was violet, dirty and tangled up in the branches. But what was truly unusual was that this pony had wings and a horn.

The Queen’s brain buzzed. An alicorn filly? Here? How was this even possible? Alicorns were not born, they were elevated. Even the Sisters had been unicorns before they discovered their celestial abilities. The youngest alicorn was Princess Cadence, and she had elevated as a teen. Yet this was clearly a young child.

And why did she resemble Nightmare Moon? Chrysalis knew all about Luna’s alter ego. The Changeling Queen had been very amused to hear that Celestia had sealed her own dear little sister in the moon.

Was this actually Nightmare Moon? If so, why had the ponies resurrected her? The last Chrysalis had heard, the ponies feared Nightmare Moon to the point that they sacrificed candy to her on Nightmare Night.

Power. That was it. The ponies must have wanted to use her power. For what? Conquest, perhaps? Or did the last Changeling invasion have the ponies so on edge, that they decided to conjure an alicorn who could do some real damage?

Chrysalis accepted this last explanation. Celestia must have become afraid of the power of Queen Chrysalis. So afraid that she gathered powerful mages, including Twilight Sparkle, to resurrect Nightmare Moon. Something went wrong, they gave it up as a bad job, and left a guard behind to keep unwanted eyes away. Mustn’t let any pony think their precious Sun Princess would do anything unseemly! And somehow, they missed what they had actually created.

Well, finders-keepers! The ponies would regret trying to raise up a power against the Changelings. Chrysalis would see to it that they trembled in fear when their intended weapon swooped down to devastate them!

All of these thoughts marched through her mind at a brisk tempo; to any observer she only stared at the filly for a mere moment before smiling at her.

“Hello there, little one,” Chrysalis said, in a warm voice.

The filly shrank back, frightened. She flinched as the thorns cut into her.

“There’s no need to be afraid of me,” said Chrysalis. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Y-You’re not?” asked the filly. Her voice reminded Chrysalis of resonating glasses. “You aren’t going to help the bush hurt me?”

She thought the bush was deliberately hurting her? Chrysalis doubted a great monarch like Nightmare Moon would even think to say something as absurd as that. She decided to play along.

“No, sweetie. Here, let me help you out of those thorns.”

It took some doing. Chrysalis had to be very careful pulling the thorns apart, lest it cut the filly further. After a few minutes, the bushes were de-tangled enough for Chrysalis to lift the filly out and set her on the grass.

Thunder boomed. Instinctively, the filly bolted for Chrysalis, hiding under her hind legs. It was the first time Chrysalis could ever remember a pony seeking safety with her. She smiled to herself. This was a good start. But she thought of something to further the child’s trust.

“See? I told you I’d help you get out of those nasty thorns. Now,” she added slyly. “That bush was mean, hurting you like that. I think we should teach that bush a lesson, don’t you?”

The filly peered wide-eyed at Chrysalis, who smiled and charged her horn. The bush burst into green flames. The filly yelped and jumped back from Chrysalis as the heat washed over her. She gaped at the spot where the hawthorn bush had stood. Now, there stood naught but cinders.

She looked impressed.

Chrysalis smiled at her again. “There we are! We showed that bush a thing or two, now didn’t we? Come over here!”

The filly came, albeit with some trepidation. Chrysalis took a moment to look the filly over. She was dirty, covered in cuts and bruises, with a couple of twigs tangled in her mane. She seemed unconcerned about any of that though, instead looking at Chrysalis with wide-eyed admiration. Chrysalis noticed the filly did not have a cutie-mark.

“Let’s come a bit closer, sweetie. That’s it. Now,” she said, looking into the filly’s eyes. “Do you know how you ended up in that nasty bush?”

The filly shook her head.

“Do you know where you come from?”

She shook her head again.

“What is your name?”

The filly’s eyes filled with tears. “I don’t know!” she sniveled.

“There, none of that!” said Chrysalis. She hated criers. “Well, you might remember it eventually. If not, we can just come up with a name for you! Does that sound alright?”

The filly sniffed. “Thank you, Miss…” She looked thoughtfully at Chrysalis. “Dragon lady?” she asked.

Chrysalis smirked.

“I am a Changeling, sweetie. I am Queen Chrysalis, ruler of all the Changelings!” she announced her name with a dramatic flourish.

The filly looked impressed. “Thank you, Queen Chrysalis!”

“That’s “Your Majesty”,” replied Chrysalis sternly. An idea had formed in her head, one that would secure the alicorn’s loyalty forever. But she would need to build the child up to it first.

And get her Hive on board. This new plan would require their cooperation.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” the filly said, her ears drooping slightly.

Chrysalis lifted the filly’s chin up. “It is quite alright, my dear. You only need to be sure you show me the proper respect. I’m a very special mare!”

But before the filly could respond, there was a crack of thunder. The filly jumped. Chrysalis also jumped and looked up, rain falling onto her face. The thunder continued as lightning flashed and the wind picked up sharply. The storm had arrived.

Chrysalis cast a shield over herself and the filly.

“Goodness, the weather certainly got nasty, didn’t it? Why don’t you come along with me? I live with my colony in a very big castle. You will be welcome there amongst us. We shall feed you and give you a place to sleep. Does that sound alright to you?”

The filly nodded.

“Okay, then,” said Chrysalis. “We are going to fly there.” She pointed at the filly’s own wings. “I don’t think your wings are quite up to a lengthy trip yet, so I will let you ride on my back.”

The child glanced at her own wings, as if now noticing she had them. Chrysalis picked up the filly and set her by the saddlebag. She cast a securing charm on the child. “That’s so you won’t fall off,” she explained. “I’m going to fly very high, but since you have wings, I think you’ll enjoy being up there.”

The child did not answer, but looked at Chrysalis appreciatively. The promise of food and shelter was more than enough to secure her cooperation. Chrysalis expected a smooth flight--once she rose above the storm clouds.

She looked around the area one last time. Seeing nothing else of value, she launched herself into the sky with her prizes.

They arrived at the Changeling Fortress several hours later. This was a foreboding place, its muted gray-green coloration inspiring dread in all who beheld it; its organic, twisted and alien architecture reflecting the twisted psyche of this Pandemonium’s mistress.

Chrysalis thought it was gorgeous.

She landed on a balcony. At once, she was surrounded by guards, with Pharynx in the lead.

“My Queen,” he said. “We were getting worried! I had prepared a search party, and—”

“That obviously won’t be necessary,” Chrysalis cut in. “I want you to gather the Hive together in the throne room. I have an announcement to make!”

She looked at the filly, who had fallen asleep during the journey. “Wake up, little one,” Chrysalis said softly, poking the filly’s forehead with her hoof.

“Isn’t that a pony?” asked Pharynx, puzzled. The other guards craned their necks for a better look. “Is she to be food? Does she have information? Or—” He stopped, his purple eyes widening in surprise.

The filly had opened her eyes, bathing the area immediately around her in a cyan luminescence. She caught sight of Pharynx, who found himself staring into glowing draconic eyes like his Queen’s.

Chrysalis smirked at her subject’s astonishment, before turning her attention back to the filly. She looked frightened.

“It’s quite alright,” Chrysalis said soothingly. “These are some of my subjects. They will not harm you.” She gave the guards a quick glance. Pharynx was glaring suspiciously at the filly, but snapped to attention when he noticed Chrysalis frowning at him.

“Naw, wouldn’t dream of it,” said Pharynx quickly. The other guards quickly gave their assent.

The filly calmed down. Chrysalis set her on the floor. Some of the guards inched closer for a better look.

And hissed.

The little filly shrank back against Chrysalis’ right foreleg.

“No need to be so alarmed, sweetie,” Chrysalis said. She sounded amused. “That’s just how they say hello! Why don’t you be a sport and hiss right back?”

The guards smirked at each other. The filly looked up at Chrysalis nervously.

“It’s all right. Just relax and give it a try.”

The little filly seemed to steel herself. She inhaled deeply, and hissed.

It was enough. The guards stepped back, astonished. Chrysalis stopped smiling; her eyes widened. Did she see what she thought she had seen?

“That was a good attempt,” Chrysalis said, gazing at the filly intently.

“Erm, yes, very good,” Pharynx said nervously.

“Let’s do it one more time. Just spread your lips a little wider.” Chrysalis bent closer. “Make sure we can see your teeth.”

The filly cocked her head, but obeyed. She hissed again, and this time it was more convincing. It helped that they could see the little pony’s sharp fangs clearly. They were like the teeth of a wildcat, the four incisors much longer and sharper.

The guards looked at each other, dumbfounded. Even Chrysalis was taken aback. What sort of creature had she brought to her colony? Chrysalis could understand creating a new alicorn. They had powerful magic. And Nightmare Moon had been nearly unstoppable. But why provide her with fangs? To look scary? To match up with the old stories?

The filly sensed something was wrong. She looked anxiously at Chrysalis, who regarded her with a brief calculating look before smiling.

“That was a wonderful hiss, sweetie,” she said smoothly.

“Um, yes. Very good,” said Pharynx. “That was a good try for a uni—”

He stopped again. Pharynx’s insectoid eyes widened, looking from the horn on the filly’s forehead to the wings on her back.

“For an alicorn,” he finished.

An idea suddenly popped into Chrysalis’s head.

“Pharynx! I want you to send a message to your dear brother Thorax—I think he’s still in the kitchens? I’d like to sample that pie now.” She grinned wickedly. “Make sure he brings a portion for our guest as well! I’m sure she’s famished!”

At the mention of food, the little filly perked up. Pharynx, who well understood what kind of pie Thorax had made, arched a brow but said nothing. The Queen was always right.

“It shall be done, my Queen.” He turned and walked into the fortress.

Chrysalis turned to the other guards. “The rest of you! Carry out my first order and gather the Hive in the throne room! I want every-ling to meet our guest. Wait!” She removed the saddlebag and handed it to the guard nearest her. “Take that to my chamber. I shall peruse it at my leisure. Then go and help the others alert our Hive. Dismissed!” All of the guards bowed, and left the foyer. Chrysalis smiled down at the filly.

“Well, come on then,” she said warmly. “Let me take you into my home.”

The filly did not need to be told twice.

The corridors were dark and narrow, winding around the fortress like a labyrinth. Any trespasser foalish enough to break into the fortress would lose themselves in the catacombs. But Chrysalis knew the fortress like a spider knows its web, and could see in the darkness even with out the luminescent stones set into the walls. All of her changelings could see in the dark.

And so too could this filly. She walked the whole way down with Chrysalis and did not stumble once, even when the two moved through unlit passages darker than night. Chrysalis noticed the filly’s shoulders tended to rise and fall as she walked, something like a cat.

At last they came to the Atrium. This was a wide chamber with a high ceiling, lit by luminescent crystals around the room. The walls were covered with tunnels of various shapes and sizes, like capillaries from a stone heart. Changelings were spilling out of these tunnels like blood out of arteries. The chamber was nearly full already, the crowd gathering around a circular dais, on which sat a black chair.

The throne of Queen Chrysalis!

Pharynx, who had returned from the kitchens, stepped forward.

“Presenting our majestic monarch, Chrysalis! Queen of Changelings!”

The chamber buzzed appreciatively. Members of the crowd stepped back so their Queen could make her way through with her little guest. The filly hung close to Chrysalis, anxious. Chrysalis kept her head held high, her expression demure and her presence regal. She took note of her subjects’ reactions. Most of them were staring at the filly with great interest, but very few were surprised to see her.

Chrysalis was fascinated. How quickly her Hive exchanged information with itself! Her little Lings were such efficient gossips.

Chrysalis and the filly arrived at the dais. Chrysalis turned to her and pointed to a spot on the bottom step.

“Stay there.” The filly obeyed.

Chrysalis made her way to the top of the dais. She sat on her throne.

“Greetings, my faithful subjects!” she said, her low voice filling the chamber. “Your Queen has returned to you!”

The Changelings buzzed happily. That had been a very obvious thing to say, but her subjects always responded positively to statements like it.

“Your Queen has been abroad,” she continued. “And whilst I was abroad, I found a very special little guest…”

All eyes turned to the filly. She shrank back, her eyes darting around as if to find a place to hide. The Hive whispered among themselves, many staring hungrily at the child. Chrysalis went on.

“I decided to invite her along as my guest here, where she will be safe and unharmed.

No Changeling missed the emphasis. Any attempt to drain their new guest without their Queen’s approval would be met with harsh penalties. And Chrysalis could be very creative when it came to harsh penalties…

Chrysalis looked down at the filly.

“Well, don’t be shy sweetie,” she cooed. “Stand up and say hello!”

The filly looked at Chrysalis, and then turned to the hundreds of curious eyes studying her in the darkness. She stared back at them for a long moment.

Suddenly, the filly did something that took every-ling by surprise. She bared her tiny fangs—and hissed at the entire Hive!

The Changelings were momentarily taken aback. Then, the entire hive snarled and hissed in response. The filly stiffened, but did not shrink back or try to hide. Instead, she just turned and looked up at Chrysalis, as if for assurance. Chrysalis grinned back at her. What nerve! This child was made of sterner stuff than she had thought!

“That was very good, sweetie. We are most pleased! But now,” she added, with a gleam in her eye. “I think you must be famished! I have asked for some pot pies to be brought out for supper. Interested?”

The filly perked up at once. Well, now was the time for a little experiment! The child had sharp teeth. It was entirely possible that they were only cosmetic, and that the pies would only make her ill like any other pony.

If so, her response would be very entertaining!

Chrysalis stood up.

“Bring in the pies!” she demanded.

Thorax came into the chamber pushing an old cart with mismatched wheels, a silver covered-dish sitting atop it. Chrysalis could smell the sweet aromas of the pies even through the lid. So did the filly, whose little nose sniffed the air fervently. The other changelings watched the cart hungrily. Every-ling would have loved a slice of pony pot pie.

Though Thorax looked ill.

He stopped at the foot of the dais. Thorax glanced at the filly curiously, but did not let his gaze linger on her for too long.

“My most royal Majesty, I submit these pies for your consideration,” he said, quietly.

“We accept them,” said Chrysalis. “Place the table on this dais”

Thorax muttered his thanks and lifted a tray table from under the cart with his magic. Keeping his head down, and avoiding the Queen’s eye, he set the table close to the throne. Next, he took a large plate, silverware, and some napkins out and set them on the table.

“Good,” said Chrysalis. “Now, let us see these pies!”

Thorax lifted off the lid. Chrysalis saw two steaming pies, a larger pie for herself and a smaller one for the filly. The crusts were golden brown, with green gravy seeping out from the centers.

It looked delicious. Perhaps Thorax was a decent cook?

Chrysalis picked up the larger pie and set it on the tray table, before picking up the smaller pie and setting it before the filly.

“There you are, sweetie!” said Chrysalis, a wicked gleam in her eye. “Eat up!”

The filly looked delighted. Chrysalis settled back into her throne to enjoy the show. Watching a pony eat pony meat should make for an amusing spectacle. Equestrian ponies could not stomach red meat, and hated the taste of it. She imagined the filly would spit the food out in disgust. The Hive would have a good laugh, and then Chrysalis would order some proper produce brought in for the filly.

She could even blame Thorax for it! Stupid fool, giving the filly Changeling food. It was not as though anyone would call her out on it…

The filly took a bite.

Chrysalis waited. But the filly did not spit the pie back out. She did not vomit or turn green. Instead, her eyes brightened. She made an “mmm” sound and swallowed down the food. Then she took another bite. And another.

The chamber had gone very quiet, aside from the sounds the filly made as she ate. The Hive members looked at each other. Thorax stared agape. And Chrysalis gazed down upon the filly, her mind buzzing.

At length the filly finished her pie. She looked up at Chrysalis expectantly, who smiled at her.

“Care for some more, sweetie?”

The filly nodded, hesitantly. She seemed to be aware of the strange looks every-ling was giving her. Some were even whispering to each other.

Chrysalis pulled up a slice of pie from her own dish, and set it on the filly’s dish with her magic. “There you are, sweetie. There’s plenty.” The child looked at her second helping, then at the larger pie, and suddenly looked guilty.

Chrysalis smiled. “It’s fine.”

Some of the changelings had to stifle a gasp. They had never seen the Queen share before!

But that seemed to placate the filly, who tore into the second helping with gusto.

Chrysalis watched her for a moment or two longer, before she turned her attention to her own pie. She could see there was indeed pony meat it. The meat had been undercooked, as Chrysalis preferred, and the dark-green gravy was thick and creamy. She could see carrots, celery, turnips, mild red peppers, peas, and onions inside the pie as well.

She tasted it. The crust was hot and crispy. The gravy was rich and mildly tart, complementing the natural sweetness of the pony meat and vegetables; the peppers balanced out the sweet taste with some spice; and Chrysalis could detect a pinch of salt. It was delicious!

“It is…satisfactory,” said Chrysalis evenly, looking down on Thorax from her throne. “I have no criticism. At this time.” Thorax’s ears dipped slightly. “You shall stand by for further instructions.” Thorax bowed, and hung by the steps, looking straight at the floor. Chrysalis resumed eating, making sure not to look as though she were enjoying the pie.

A flash of light caught her attention. The filly, having observed Chrysalis use a fork, was now making an attempt to lift her own fork with magic. Her horn sputtered and flashed indigo, before puttering out completely.

Chrysalis nodded internally. Good to know her throne still worked.

“Having trouble with your magic, sweetie? No need to fret! It’s my throne; it has the ability to suppress magic. That way, none of our enemies can hurt us! But for you, I shall make an exception.”

Chrysalis lit her horn. “You will need to light your horn up as well for this to work.”

The filly’s horn sputtered indigo again. Chrysalis released a spell upon her throne. The throne was briefly surrounded by green energy, which quickly turned indigo. The filly’s horn glowed steadily.

Chrysalis could hear more whispers. Some of the Changelings sounded offended. Pharynx looked furious.

Chrysalis ignored them. “There you are. Now you’re keyed in to my throne, so you may use your magic in its vicinity. Why don’t you try to lift the fork again?”

The filly lit her horn. Indigo magic surrounded the fork.

Which then shot out at a tremendous speed. Some of the Changelings gasped aloud as the projectile flew in their direction. Chrysalis’ own horn glowed green and she grabbed the fork out of the air.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” wailed the filly. “I didn’t mean for that to happen! I didn’t!”

Chrysalis smirked at her. “That’s quite alright dear. Common mistake, could happen to any-pony! Especially,” she added, “One with as great a magical gift as you!”

Chrysalis held the fork aloft in front of the filly.

“Take it. You don’t need to use all your magic to bear on it! Just focus on what you want to do with it. Your magic should do the rest.”

The filly’s horn glowed again as she took the fork. This time, she succeeded in just keeping the fork aloft. This accomplished, the filly turned her attention back to the pie and tried again. She succeeded in spearing a piece of meat, but missed several times getting the food to her mouth. She succeeded finally, and licked the gravy stains off her face. Her successive attempts were more successful.

Chrysalis watched her with fascination. This child clearly had great magical ability, but it was raw and unfocused, like un-tempered iron. She would need to be carefully instructed in order to bring out her true potential. But once that potential was forged into true fighting steel, the Changelings would have a truly mighty ally on their side!

Chrysalis wondered why the meat was not affecting the filly. Even buried under the gravy and vegetables, the meat should have made her quite ill by now. And yet she was sifting through the vegetables with her fork and spearing any chunks of meat she could find. There was no doubt she enjoyed the flavor.

The filly eventually slowed before at last placing her fork down on the plate.

“Did you get enough?” Chrysalis asked her pleasantly.

“Um, yes. Thank you, it was delicious,” the filly said. “Um, miss Chrysalis?”

“Queen Chrysalis,” Chrysalis replied, her smile faltering a little. Chrysalis hated it when she was not addressed by her title.

“I’m sorry, Queen Chrysalis,” said the filly quickly. “But I was just wondering. What’s a Changeling?”

The Hive snickered. Chrysalis let them go on for a few moments before answering the question. She was amused.

“Why, a Changeling is what we are! We are a very special sort of magical creature! We have the ability to change into anything we like! Allow me to demonstrate.”

Green flames ran down her body before dissipating, and where had stood the Changeling Queen now stood an exact copy of the filly. The Hive applauded.

“Well?” asked the doppelganger. “What do you think?”

“That is amazing!” said the filly, awed. The Hive snickered. Some of them even transformed into their own copies of the filly.

“I’m glad you think so, little one,” said Chrysalis, changing back to normal. “It is our most famous ability! In fact, we’re renowned for it!”

“Wow!” exclaimed the filly. “Can I try?”

The Atrium rang with peals of laughter. Even Chrysalis could not suppress a chuckle. “I guess you can try.”

The filly’s nose crunched up in concentration.

“But I should warn you. Transforming is innate for our kind, but for you it will be very difficult in…what?” Chrysalis trailed off, transfixed. The filly’s hair had changed to a bluish mist. Her eyes glowed with a bright white light. Chrysalis could feel a great surge of power. The other Changelings had stopped snickering.

The filly’s horn glowed indigo, and for a moment she was covered in indigo flames. When the flames dissipated, where had stood the alicorn filly now stood a copy of the Changeling Queen.

Or to be more precise, a filly Chrysalis; and one with cyan eyes instead of green. Her wings and limbs also lacked holes.

The filly looked up at Chrysalis.

“O! I do not think that came out right!” she exclaimed. Her voice was still her own.

“That is…good enough to begin with,” said Chrysalis, dazed. The Atrium had gone silent.

How very interesting that the child took the form of a filly Chrysalis. Perhaps she could only turn into other children. She would need to work on that. And work on that she would indeed! That pulse during the transformation, the power she displayed…she had amazing potential! She would be a potent addition to the Hive!

But would the Hive itself go for it? They had never adopted a new member before. And what Chrysalis planned to do with this child was certainly more ambitious than simply adding her to their nursery!

If the Hive were smart, they would.

Chrysalis laughed.

“Well, doesn’t that just beat all?” she chortled. “Not only can she eat our food, but she can change like us as well! Isn’t that interesting?” She looked knowingly around the room. “I think she should join our colony. She would fit right in!” She leaned back into her throne. “Don’t you think so?”

The Atrium remained silent. And then some-ling shouted:

“Are you kidding?”

Astonished, Chrysalis searched the room. Who dared?

It was Pharynx.

“She isn’t one of us!” he snarled. “She’s a pony! They are our prey! We can’t just add her to our Hive! It would be obscene! Only Changelings can be part of the Hive!”

The Atrium erupted into chaos. Chrysalis could hear arguments breaking out all around her. Many changelings sounded to be of similar mind to Pharynx, and others sounded unsure. Only a few seemed to consider the idea.

Chrysalis was furious. Idiots! Did they not understand how valuable an alicorn would be to them? This was not some random nag! They had a demi-Goddess who could one day become powerful enough to control the skies above! She looked down at the filly, who had returned to her normal form. She had shrunk back against the steps, trembling.

“Silence!” Chrysalis bellowed. The Atrium went quiet. Chrysalis looked angry enough to kill. But before Chrysalis could say anything more, the filly cried out:

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she wailed. “I did not mean to upset every-pony! I will go in the morning so you won’t be upset anymore!”

Chrysalis seethed. Now the child wanted to leave. All that effort to court her ruined. She would need to do something to persuade the filly to stay and the Hive to accept her.

An idea occurred to Chrysalis. She stood up from her throne.

“Come with me,” instructed Chrysalis. She descended the dais, the filly following in her wake. The Hive hurried to move out of her way, some of them bowing up and down repeatedly, lest they receive some of their Queen’s wrath. Even Pharynx tried to look as small as possible. Chrysalis had not forgotten him; she would deal with him later.

Chrysalis and the filly walked across the Atrium. They came to a halt in front of a large green crystal. Chrysalis could see herself reflected inside it. This should do, even if the reflections were a little dark.

“Take a look at my reflection in this crystal.”

The filly looked at the reflection carefully, and then back at the real Chrysalis.

“That rock makes you look backward!” she exclaimed.

Chrysalis could not suppress a grin. Behind her, several Changelings snickered.

“It does, doesn’t it?” Chrysalis chortled. “Now, why don’t you turn around and have a look at yourself?”

The filly looked at herself in the crystal. Her eyes became very wide. She then closed and re-opened them, and stared directly into those of her reflection. Then she looked Chrysalis in the eyes.

“I…have eyes. Like you. But blue?” she asked hesitantly.

“What, like mine?” Chrysalis asked innocently. She batted her eyelashes comically. “Aren’t they beautiful?”

The filly giggled. “Yes! They are!”

Chrysalis grinned—wide enough for her fangs to show. The filly became alarmed.

“What? Don’t you think I have a beautiful smile?” Chrysalis asked pleasantly.

The filly backed away. “Uh, they’re nice?”

“I’m glad you think so sweetie. Go back to that crystal. Let me see you give it a nice, wide grin!”

Reluctantly, the filly did as she was told. Arriving at the crystal, she smiled wide enough to show her teeth. She gasped.

“I have sharp teeth!” she exclaimed. She looked up at Chrysalis. “Just like you!”

Chrysalis flashed a winning smile. “Why, you do, don’t you? How about that. Do you see anything else interesting?”

The filly looked between the crystal and Chrysalis several times.

“We are both…black?”

“Indeed,” said Chrysalis encouragingly. Actually, the filly was a midnight blue, but now was not the time to be pedantic.

“And we both have horns?”

“Of course, dear! We both know magic, after all."

The filly looked at her back. “And we both have wings!”

“Naturally!”

The filly looked between her back and the back of Chrysalis. “But my wings are different. And…you have holes?”

“Nonetheless, we both have wings,” Chrysalis said quickly. “We have an awful lot in common, don’t we?”

“I look like you!” said the filly, awed.

Chrysalis beamed. “You do.”

“But what does it mean?”

“What it means, little one, is that you belong here with us.” Chrysalis reached out a hoof and pulled the filly close.

“The ponies would not want you among them. Why, with your dragon eyes and sharp teeth, they would think that you were too scary!”

The filly’s ears drooped, but Chrysalis held her chin up.

“But I think you are beautiful! We think you are beautiful.” Her eyes darted quickly around the Atrium. No-ling corrected her.

“And you can transform like us! You may not be perfect at it yet, but you will get there. I shall teach you. I can teach you many things. Including,” she added, with a gleam in her eye. “How to hunt!”

The filly looked bewildered. “Hunt?” Then her eyes widened. “Your Majesty? Was that—was there—was there meat in that pie?”

Chrysalis nodded. “Yes, sweetie. There was meat in that pie.”

Tears formed in the filly’s eyes once more. “I didn’t mean to! I was just really hungry! And, and…”

Chrysalis wiped away the filly’s tears.

“I know, I know. But that meat was clearly good for you! It did not make you sick at all. In fact, I think I see some color in your cheeks. That tells me that you are like us—a predator!”

“The ponies won’t want a meat eater among them. They will fear you because you are a predator. But my Changelings and I, we are predators too! We need love to survive. You will need meat to survive. We are all in the same club here!” She leaned in a little closer. “We understand you. You belong amongst us, not among ponies. And do not let any neigh-sayers tell you otherwise!” She shot Pharynx a dirty look. He looked away and stared at the floor.

She went on. “Think of us as your family. All of my subjects will be like your brothers and sisters. And I,” she added, “I shall be your mother!”

An audible gasp came from the Hive. Chrysalis ignored it. Her decision had been made.

The filly looked amazed.

“Mother?” she asked. “Do you really want to be my mommy?”

“Of course!” Chrysalis said. “I…would be honored to call you my daughter! I am the Queen of the Changelings; you shall be our Princess!” She glanced at her subjects. “And we shall all be very glad to have you, isn’t that right?”

She gave her subjects a look. Every single Changeling in that room knew that she was not to be questioned on this. For many, the events of this night were bewildering. But the Queen clearly had some plan in mind, and every-ling knew better that to question it.

It was Thorax who stepped forward.

“Of course, we are! We welcome you to our hive, your Highness!”

His welcome woke the Hive from its stupor. The Atrium erupted into calls of welcome for the Hive’s newest addition. Many of them worked to make it as convincing as possible.

“You see? We all want you here among us!” Chrysalis said proudly.

The filly was in tears again, but this time they were tears of joy.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you! I—I would love you to be my mommy!” The filly embraced Chrysalis, who embraced her in turn. She did not see the wicked smile play across the Queen’s face.

They parted.

“Well, well, that’s that! Let us cheer our new princess! Princess—” Chrysalis paused. She looked back at the filly. “You know, I still don’t know—what is your name?”

The filly’s smile faded. “My name?”

“Yes, do you remember they call you now?”

The filly was mortified. “I don’t know! I can’t—I can’t remember!” She looked like she might cry again.

Chrysalis intercepted. “Now, my daughter, there is no need to be upset. If you do not have a name, we shall give you one instead. I am your mother now, so I shall have the pleasure of naming you!” Chrysalis put a hoof to her chin. “Now what shall I call you?”

“Perhaps we should go with Black Beauty? No, that’s stupid. Maybe we should go with Nyx? A brave name. It has an X in it. But no, that’s from a little kiddy book…I think ponies name their dogs that sometimes. It shan’t do for you!”

Of course, Chrysalis had already decided on a name. There was only one name the ponies would scream when Chrysalis unleashed her greatest weapon upon them.

“How does the name “Nightmare Moon” sound to you?”

The filly cocked her head. “Nightmare…Moon?”

“Why yes! Nightmare Moon was a very brave and powerful warrior, who fought against Celestia long ago.” Chrysalis looked hard at the filly, as if she had just seen her for the first time. “You know,” she said thoughtfully. “You do resemble her a little.”

“I do?” asked the filly, impressed.

“Uh-hum. Only a little, mind,” Chrysalis replied, smirking.

A Changeling spoke up. “Hey, you’re right! She does look like Nightmare Moon!”

“Dead ringer,” said another.

“Uncanny!”

Chrysalis shut her eyes in annoyance. Why did she have such idiots for subjects?

“Did she win?” asked the filly.

“Huh?” replied Chrysalis.

“Nightmare Moon. Did she win? Did she beat”—she fumbled for the name— “Celestia?”

“No, she was defeated. Twice. But,” Chrysalis added quickly, “She tried! Celestia had an unbeatable weapon called The Elements of Harmony. She beat Nightmare Moon with them because Celestia was too weak and cowardly to fight fair!”

“That was mean of her!” the filly exclaimed angrily.

“I know, right?” Chrysalis replied sourly, as if it was she who had been banished to the moon. “But even though Celestia had those weapons, Nightmare Moon battled her anyway! Even though the odds were entirely against her, she still fought on!”

“Wow!” squealed the filly. “She sounds really brave!” Her eyes were shining. “I would be happy to have her name!”

Chrysalis smiled. “Then that shall be your name henceforth. Every-ling! Welcome our newest member: Princess Nightmare Moon!”

The whole Atrium erupted into cheers and shouts of praise. Chrysalis noted the calls from the mares sounded more sincere than the calls from the stallions. Even among the hordes of Queen Chrysalis, mares loved little princesses.

The filly, now christened Nightmare Moon, beamed bright as the sun. Chrysalis was pleased. It had been a struggle, but now she had Nightmare Moon firmly on her side. All Chrysalis needed to do now was guide her new charge until she was ready. Then, with Nightmare Moon as her knight, Chrysalis would become Queen of Equestria!

But that was for the future. Chrysalis beckoned for silence.

“The time has come for your Queen (and your Princess) to retire. If any-ling wants pie, there is more in the kitchens—first come, first served. Dismissed!”

The Hive made a bee-line for the kitchen tunnels. Several broodmares stepped forward and bowed.

“Your Majesty, shall we escort her Highness to the nursery? She must be very tired.”

“What?” asked Chrysalis blankly. She forgot Nightmare Moon would need to sleep someplace. “Oh, right. No. No, she shall room with me. For tonight.”

The broodmares exchanged glances, grinning.

“Naturally, your Majesty. Your little daughter should stay by your side!”

“Naturally,” Chrysalis snapped. “Now head to the Nursery and keep our grubs safe!”

The broodmares rose and made for the nursery tunnels. Chrysalis could hear them giggling. She huffed. Her drones were idiots, and her mares were school-fillys. What was a Queen to do with subjects like these?

Chrysalis noticed two specific Changelings heading for the tunnels.

“Pharynx. Thorax.”

Both Changelings froze.

“Your Queen and your Princess wish to retire to our chambers. You two shall escort us.”

“Yes, my Queen,” replied both stallions evenly.

Chrysalis turned to Nightmare Moon.

“Well, Nightmare, you look quite a sight,” she said, in a warmer voice. “I shall have to get you cleaned up before bed. How does that sound?”

“Great!” Nightmare Moon squealed happily.

“Good to hear! Follow me.”

They left for the tunnels.

The corridor leading to the private chambers of Queen Chrysalis was more opulent relative to the rest of the fortress. Here, the walls were less jagged, the lighting was better, and an honest attempt at something resembling architecture had been made. Her chambers even had a door!

Chrysalis opened it.

“Well, here we are! Go on in, Nightmare. Wait for me on the futon—Mommy will be along in just a moment!”

Nightmare Moon beamed at Chrysalis before stepping inside.

Chrysalis closed the door and locked it before casting an enchantment on it. Pharynx only realized it was a silencing charm just before he felt the blow fall across his face.

Pharynx went down instantly. He grabbed his nose, the pain throbbing and blood pouring from his nostrils. Thorax shrank against the wall, trying to be as small as possible.

“How dare you,” snarled Chrysalis. She kicked Pharynx in the gut. “How dare you!”

Pharynx was in agony. He knew she was going to take some time between blows, to make sure her new blows would hurt as much as the old. It would be seen as cowardly to cry out in pain, and would likely enrage the Queen even more. And Chrysalis could be sadistically cruel when she was angry.

Chrysalis lifted Pharynx into the air with her magic, shook him, and slammed him against the wall. He slid down it, the breath knocked out of him, before he felt a tightness around his throat as Chrysalis threw him back against the wall with her own hooves. She was in his face, nose to nose.

“Don’t you ever, ever contradict me like that again!” Her voice had dropped down to a low, throaty whisper. “I am the Queen! I. Will. Not. Be. Questioned.” She pointed to the door. “That child is too important an asset for us to ignore! She’s an alicorn! I should not have to explain to you the potential her powers offer this hive! I will not have some mealworm mess this up! AM I UNDERSTOOD?”

“Yes, my Queen,” Pharynx choked. “I’m sorry!”

“Yes. Yes, you are.” Chrysalis replied coldly. She released her grip. Pharynx collapsed, coughing hard and gasping for air. Chrysalis waited haughtily for his coughing to subside, looming over Pharynx like an imperious Titan. When the worst of his coughing had subsided, she reached out with her forehooves and held his head between them. She smiled.

“Oh, Pharynx, whatever am I to do with you?”

Her voice was sugary sweet. Pharynx was terrified.

Chrysalis continued. “You are one of my best warriors. You have great promise! It would be a pity to lose you.”

She pressed her hooves into Pharynx’s head. His head throbbed violently, and he could not suppress a gasp this time. Chrysalis held for a long moment before she relaxed the pressure.

She giggled.

“Why must you make me so angry with you? I wouldn’t have to discipline you otherwise.”

She released her hold completely. Pharynx fell to the ground, sputtering. He crawled toward Chrysalis, who held out her right forehoof to him. He took it and kissed it repeatedly.

“Forgive me, my Queen! I shall never speak out against you! Ever!”

Chrysalis smirked triumphantly.

“See that your loyalty never wavers. You are forgiven.”

She noticed Thorax.

“Thorax! Why don’t you step out from that corner? I should like to have a word with you.”

Thorax approached tentatively. Chrysalis said nothing to him at first, leering down upon him in as queenly a manner as possible. Finally, she spoke.

“Your pie was excellent.”

Thorax was taken aback. A compliment? He had not expected that!

“T-thank you, my Queen!”

“I am also pleased by your efforts to make our new Princess feel at home. Unlike many others who shan’t be mentioned, you seem to grasp the reason why we need her in our Hive.”

“Yes, my Queen. She will be a great ally to have in battle! When she’s older, and—”

Chrysalis leaned closer. “When she’s older?” she asked threateningly.

Thorax swallowed. “Yes? No? I mean…she isn’t trained and ready to go yet, right?”

Chrysalis stared at him impassively. Then she smirked.

“No, not yet. She has a lot to learn right now. But when she is ready, she shall decimate all who stand in our way! You are a very clever little Changeling by far, aren’t you?”

Queen Chrysalis was paying him compliments? There was a shoe to fall somewhere, surely?

“With brains like yours, I don’t feel it would be remiss to promote you to captain. One day.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Of course, there are a few kinks you should work out first…”

Yup, there it was. Thorax braced himself.

Chrysalis pressed her face so close to Thorax that they were practically nose-to-nose.

“…namely, the fact that you are a disgusting little coward!”

Thorax wilted at once. Chrysalis went on, her voice having lost any trace of kindness.

“You do not fool me for a second! I have seen how timid you are, how reluctant you are to participate in any of our doings! Your heart is not in our glorious cause! And do you know what our cause is? Say it!”

“To feed the colony,” said Thorax. He was close to tears and his voice cracked.

“I didn’t hear that,” hissed Chrysalis.

“To feed the colony!”

“Better! Yes, to make sure no-ling hungers! Every-ling must see our cause to the end, lest we all starve. Or is that what you want? Do you, Thorax, want to see your brothers and sisters die of starvation?”

“No,” said Thorax. He was trying hard not to cry.

“I don’t believe you.”

“No!” cried Thorax.

“That’s a bit better.” Chrysalis stood to her full height. “I am not going to punish you today, Thorax. You are timid, cowardly and weak, but you followed my orders. And you have brains, no question. But I expect my drones to be assertive, bold, and strong. You will have to work very hard to become the Changeling I expect to see in our Hive. And you will work. Otherwise,” she added threateningly, “I shall have to bring out the hedge clippers.”

Thorax’s eyes widened.

“No, you don’t want to make me bring those out, do you? Then get to it!”

Chrysalis went to the door. Upon reaching the threshold, she glanced back at the two drones behind her. “Tomorrow, the two of you shall do drills. An awful lot of drills. Be glad that is all. For now, you may go back to your barracks. You will need plenty of rest for to-morrow.”

And without another word, Chrysalis went into her chambers and slammed the door.

The private chambers of Queen Chrysalis were bizarrely furnished, consisting of items plundered over many years. No piece matched any other piece, but all of these items were of very fine quality. The centerpiece was a large futon, which Chrysalis used as her bed. Its cushions had once been red, but many years of use had faded the color to a cream-peach. Next to the futon stood a cylindrical pedestal, upon which sat a great crystal ball. And on top of the futon, gazing at a display of a large stuffed spider, sat Nightmare Moon. She looked up when she heard the door slam. She frowned and tilted her head.

“Are you angry?”

“What?” answered Chrysalis. She caught her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her mane was tussled, she was breathing heavily, and her pupil slits were thin.

“No, no, I was…in a hurry. To come in.”

Nightmare Moon looked at Chrysalis. Draconic eye met draconic eye. Chrysalis suddenly felt like she was being X-rayed.

“I was mad at one of my guards,” Chrysalis said, surprised by her own honesty.

“I thought so,” said Nightmare Moon. “Was it the purple one?”

Chrysalis gaped at her. This child was more intelligent than she had thought! Was she being played? Was the filly about to transform into her true adult form and reveal her master plan?

But the filly only looked at Chrysalis, who dismissed the thought. If this was the real Nightmare Moon, she would have slipped up by now. No-pony was this good of an actress. But she was precocious. Chrysalis would need to be careful how she treated this filly.

“Yes, it was,” answered Chrysalis. “I was mad at him because he didn’t want you to be our princess. But I want you here with us.”

The filly smiled. “That is good. I want to stay here with you. I think you are very nice.” She pointed at the stuffed spider. “You have a lot of them. Do you like spiders?”

It was true. The room had reliefs of spiders all over the walls, and nick-knacks of sorts with spider decals. Chrysalis also had several items that were mantis themed, including a clock with the mantis forearms as clock hands.

There was also a pair of red-handled hedge-clippers on the wall.

Chrysalis smiled. “I admire spiders very much. I slew that creature about a year ago and then had it stuffed and mounted.”

“Wow! You must be really strong!” said the filly, awed.

“Of course! But now let’s get you cleaned up. This way, Nightmare.”

Nightmare jumped off the futon, and followed Chrysalis through a door.

The bathroom of Queen Chrysalis was very much like her bedroom, in that its furnishings clearly belonged to different suites. The ceramic tub had been stained a very light blue, the sink was bright pink and sat on a cabinet of cherry. The toilet, which sat inside its own closet, was silver.

The bathtub had a golden tap and a silver one. Chrysalis turned on the golden knob for hot and waited a moment. The fortress had plumbing, but the Changelings would not win any contractor jobs with their skills. It took a few moments for water to make its way through the labyrinth of mis-matched pipes, most of which were stolen.

Water eventually came out of the faucet. The filly’s eyes widened as she saw the water pour forth. Chrysalis smirked. Wait until she saw how the toilet worked!

After the tub reached a comfortably warm temperature, Chrysalis stopped the drain. She allowed the tub to fill until the water level was several inches high, then switched the water off.

“Go ahead and get in,” said Chrysalis. Nightmare climbed into the tub. While she was doing that, Chrysalis picked up a green ceramic jar. Unlike practically everything else in the bathroom, this item was truly of the Changelings. The jar had been fired by the Queen’s own potters, out of Badland clay. Inside the jar was an indigo-colored gel that smelled of lavender. It was a shampoo of Chrysalis’ own creation.

Normally, Chrysalis would bathe with a small contingent of changeling hoof maids. If she ordered it, some could come right now and bathe the filly for her; but on this occasion, Chrysalis wanted to clean the filly herself. Nightmare Moon was starting to imprint on her, and so it behooved Chrysalis to bond with her as much as possible during this phase.

Besides, what mother didn’t bathe her own foal?

She took a dab of the indigo-colored gel and rubbed it between her own hooves. She then applied it to the little filly, spreading the bodywash all over Nightmare before washing it off by siphoning water with her magic. Chrysalis then washed out Nightmare’s hair, removing the twigs and leaves from it. Nightmare flinched as the twigs were removed, but otherwise gave no protest.

When Nightmare Moon was finally cleaned to the satisfaction of Chrysalis, she picked her up from the tub and set her on a rug. She then pulled out a comfortable towel from a cupboard and dried Nightmare with it. The filly now looked cleaner, but she still had a lot of cuts and bruises all over her body.

“It looks like some-ling has some nasty scratches. I have just the thing.”

She opened the medicine cabinet over the sink and pulled out a red ceramic jar. She opened it to reveal a crimson paste. “Now this may sting. Be brave.” She applied the paste to Nightmare’s injuries, who sucked in her breath when the paste met her skin. But she did not cry out, nor did any tears well in her eyes.

After the paste was placed on every scratch, cut and bruise that Chrysalis could find, she used her magic. The crimson paste glowed brilliantly and vanished into the alicorn’s coat, taking all of the injuries with it. Nightmare Moon looked like she had never been cut up at all.

“Wow,” said Nightmare Moon. “That’s amazing!”

“I know a lot of things, my daughter. One day I shall teach you about that potion. But right now, I think it is time we went to sleep. I think we both could use some rest, right?”

The filly yawned. “I guess so.”

Chrysalis led her back into the bedroom. She settled down upon the futon and pointed at a spot by her side. “Go ahead, hop on up.” The filly obeyed. Chrysalis smiled at her.

“There we are now. Don’t you feel better without all those nasty scrapes?”

The filly looked up at the Queen. She was very happy; her eyes were filled with adoration. She snuggled close.

This was a strange experience for Chrysalis. She had cuddled with other creatures before, but she had always done so disguised. She had never derived enjoyment from that, even as she whispered sweet nothings to her targets. The enjoyment came from their looks of fear when she revealed herself, and they fell by her hooves…

But little Nightmare Moon knew Chrysalis’s true form and felt quite safe. Chrysalis draped a wing over the child before turning her attention to the books in the saddlebags, which had been left by the futon. Now was the time to see about her other goodies!

She opened the bags, and pulled out three volumes. They were clearly magical texts. Chrysalis gazed at them hungrily. While a capable enchantress, Chrysalis belonged to no school of magical thought. Her spells were either natural for her kind, or her own invention; she knew some spells only because she had read about them. Or forced it out of others.

Chrysalis was a skilled reader. If it was in a subject that interested her, she could memorize volumes of works, and never forget them.

And then she would set them on fire, so no-pony else could use them against her.

Chrysalis held up the first book. It was titled The Magic Shapes: Geometric Magic for Advanced Students, by Pi Thyforrest. This was a geomancy book. She recalled the patterns back in the forest clearing. Clearly, powerful magic could be had with the right shapes. She would find this book useful.

She opened the book. On the inside cover was an ornate sticker: Property of the Canterlot Royal Library.

Oh ho! Some pony was going to be in big trouble! Thinking of Twilight Sparkle explaining to Princess Celestia how she had lost these books filled Chrysalis with joy!

She took up the second book. Terribly Trying Transfiguration, by Star Swirl the Bearded. Transfiguration. Well, that was a subject near and dear! And a Star Swirl too! Now, those were hard to come by! Chrysalis giggled. She hoped Celestia tortured Twilight Sparkle good for this; if any of her drones had lost something this valuable, she would have had him flayed alive!

The last book was not written in the Equestrian language. Chrysalis recognized it as Mareñol, the primary language of Maredrid. La historia de la magia, by Alfonzo Levy. Oh, a history of magic. Chrysalis approved of history, provided it approved of her. She turned to the table of contents; a quick look and she came away disappointed. There was an entire section about Celestia’s powers, but no mention of the Queen of Changelings! There was not even a mention of the Changeling species!

But Luna was mentioned. The little brat had an entire chapter about her stupid dream walker ability.

Chrysalis fumed. She felt slighted, and also disappointed. None of these works looked like they were directly linked to the resurrection spell. Now that was magic with real power. Chrysalis wanted magic like that dearly. She could have an entire army of dark alicorns at her disposal! No pony could stop her!

But it looked like she would have to settle for just one. She glanced down at the filly by her side, and was surprised to see that Nightmare Moon was still awake, and regarding the last book with interest. “Why does the book make you angry, Mommy?”

Chrysalis decided to vent a little. “This book doesn’t talk about my—our kind.”

“How come?” Chrysalis noted she sounded a little affronted. Good.

“Because the writer of this book doesn’t think our kind matters! Ponies always think their magic is so much more important than ours!”

“Why do they think that?”

Chrysalis bent her head lower. In a conspiratorial voice, as if she were revealing some great secret, she said:

“Because they control the sun and moon! Their power is greater than that of Changelings, and they control knowledge of that power. Remember this, and remember it well: the stronger always control the weaker! It is the stronger that decide what is useful, what is moral, and what is not!”

“Does that mean the ponies control the Changelings?”

Chrysalis arched a brow. What an interesting extrapolation! That had not been what Chrysalis had meant, but she liked that concept. More and more, the Changeling Queen found she approved of the way this child’s mind worked.

“That is a very good question, Nightmare. And you know what? That’s almost correct! You see, we Changelings need love to survive! And the ponies have lots of love that they hoard among themselves!”

“That’s selfish of them!” growled Nightmare. Chrysalis thought Nightmare Moon’s bell-like voice sounded better with a growl.

“And because of that,” Chrysalis continued, “Every-ling in this Hive starves. So, we are forced to disguise ourselves as their loved ones just to survive!”

Nightmare’s face softened. “Is that why everypo-ling have holes?”

“That is exactly why! And if we were to present ourselves in our natural form, they would surely kill us!”

“Oh, that’s terrible,” sniffled Nightmare Moon. She buried her face into her “mother’s” side. Chrysalis turned and pulled her into her forehooves and embraced her. The filly did not see Chrysalis’s eyes dance gleefully.

Nightmare Moon pulled away. She looked livid now.

“Why?” she demanded. “Why would they want to do that to you?

“Because we look different from them. To their eyes we are ugly and disgustful. So, they reject us. Then we have no choice but to disguise ourselves.”

“That’s terrible! I think you look really pretty!”

“You think?” asked Chrysalis incredulously. She was immensely vain, but it was odd to hear such compliments coming from a pony.

“Yeah! I think you’re wonderful! I’m really happy to call you my mommy!”

She gave Chrysalis a tight hug. Chrysalis was pleased. Nightmare Moon had now fully accepted Chrysalis as her mother! This would make influencing her very easy from now on.

But any further considerations were diverted when Chrysalis realized she was having trouble breathing.

“Ach! Can’t breathe. Can’t breathe!” Chrysalis sputtered.

The filly relaxed her grip. “O! I’m sorry Mommy! I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

“It’s fine,” gasped Chrysalis. She was astonished. Such strength! It took a lot to make Chrysalis hurt!

Nightmare’s eyes welled up with tears. “I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!”

Chrysalis pulled Nightmare Moon into another hug.

“It’s fine. Just make sure you mind your own strength from now on. You are much stronger than you realize.”

“I am sorry I made you hurt, Mommy,” Nightmare Moon said again.

“There is no need to apologize, sweetie! You have great power. But I can teach you how to use it. I can teach you to learn how much strength to apply, and when it is an appropriate time to use it.”

“Thanks!” said Nightmare Moon brightly. “Do you think you could show me what the letters mean too?”

Teach her to read? Chrysalis considered. She did not let any of her own subjects read. It gave them ideas. But then, why not teach her? Princess Celestia had her own personal student. Why should Queen Chrysalis not have a student of her own?

Besides, she had named Nightmare Moon the Princess of the Changelings! It simply would not do for the Queen’s daughter to be ignorant. She would teach her what being a ruler was all about! None of that ridiculous rubbish about peace and harmony; she would teach her how to wage war and destroy her enemies! She would show her what life was truly about!

She would also teach her about magic, about mathematics, and how to read. In multiple languages, that would be the thing. It could prove useful.

She glanced at her clock, and saw that it was close to dawn. Her eyes felt a little sore. Sleep was in order. She turned back to her young charge, and kissed the child’s forehead.

“I will be more than happy to teach you what the letters mean! But some-ling has had a very big day, haven’t they? Let’s get some rest, and I will start teaching you how to read this afternoon! And some other things too.”

The filly, whose own eyes were droopy, nodded. She curled up and rested her head on Chrysalis’s forehoof. She fell asleep almost instantly.

Chrysalis rested her head on the arm of the futon, while draping a wing over Nightmare again. Yes, she would have a lot to teach this filly. But she would do it, and her daughter would become infinitely more powerful than Twilight Sparkle! More powerful than Celestia!

She would teach the filly the most important lesson of all: how to think like her mother!

There was a peal of thunder from outside. The filly snapped awake, looking around anxiously, but Chrysalis leaned over and nuzzled her.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Mommy’s here.”

Chapter Two

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Chapter Two.

Princess Celestia landed on the main balcony of the Crystal Palace, the seat of power for the Crystal Empire. She heard her Sister touch down behind her. They were met by three semi-translucent Crystal ponies, a courtier and two guards.

The courtier bowed low. “Your Highnesses. We are pleased to see you in our Empire once again.”

“We came after we received your letter,” Princess Luna said, in a stentorian voice. Luna was a blue alicorn, with an ethereal mane like the night sky. She wore barding, which consisted of blue-silver shoes and a black peytral, along with a tiara that was also black. Her cutie mark was a black splotch with a white crescent moon over it.

Princess Celestia smiled. “And we received your update on the way. Where is he now?”

“He is in the dining hall right now, with the other Princesses, the Prince Consort, Sunburst the wizard, as well as Princess Twilight’s personal student. And of course, Sir Spike the Brave and Glorious.” The courtier smiled wryly. “But perhaps we should add “Befriender of Changelings” to the title!”

“Indeed,” said Luna, smirking. “We can discuss adding that to his official title later. In the meantime, you will take us to them!”

The courtier beckoned to the guards, who turned and opened the doors. He led the two Princesses down the pastel purple-and-pink crystal corridors. The palace reminded Celestia of a polished geode. Its ceilings were high and vaulted, with blue crystal skylights that allowed more illumination in. There were many vaulted windows, each divided from each other by blue-green crystal half-pillars. The floors were of blue polished stone, with intricate design work that focused around hearts.

At last they arrived at a pair of blue ornate doors. The courtier turned to the Sisters.

“If the Princesses may remain here, I shall go in to announce you.”

Princess Celestia nodded. “Of course.”

The courtier bowed again before opening the doors and disappearing inside. His voice was heavily muffled behind the thick doors.

“The Princesses of Canterlot have arrived!”

There was some further murmuring, but Celestia heard a familiar mare’s voice say, “Show them in!”

The courtier returned. “I may now present you!”

The Sisters smiled at one another. The extreme formality amused them greatly. “Present us, then!” said Luna.

The courtier turned and walked back to the room, the Sisters following closely behind him. Upon entering the room, the courtier announced:

“Presenting the Princesses of Canterlot, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!”

Celestia glanced around. The dining room of the Crystal Palace, like its halls, was illuminated with many alternating windows and blue skylights. The centerpiece of the room was a great round table made of solid oak, laid out for late-afternoon tea. The chairs surrounding the table were also oak, with red-velvet cushions for support.

Several creatures occupied those chairs, most of them ponies. There was the ruler of the Crystal Empire: Princess Cadance, a pink alicorn with a goldenrod, violet, and pink mane; Princess Twilight Sparkle, who had elevated into an alicorn in the time since her abduction; and Prince Consort Shining Armor, a white unicorn with a blue-and-white mane—Cadance’s husband, and Twilight’s brother. Shining held a pink-white alicorn foal—Princess Flurry Heart, his daughter by Cadance.

In addition to the royals, there also sat a pink unicorn with a purple-and-pink mane. This was Twilight’s personal student, Starlight Glimmer. Next to her sat a yellow-orange unicorn with a flame-colored mane and beard. He was wearing blue wizarding robes and thick glasses. His name was Sunburst, an advisor for the Crystal Court. From what Celestia could ascertain, he and Starlight were childhood friends.

But it was the other two creatures at the table that caught Celestia’s attention. One was Spike, a purple dragon youth with green slit-eyes. Next to him sat the guest of honor: a teal-eyed Changeling drone.

His name was Thorax.

Princess Cadance stood up. “Aunties! I’m so happy to see you!” She rushed to Princess Celestia and the two mares nuzzled.

“It is wonderful to see you too, Cadance,” Celestia replied warmly. She turned to Shining Armor. “And it's great to see you, Prince Shining.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thorax shift anxiously.

“You too, Princess Celestia,” said Shining Armor. In his forehooves, Flurry Heart burbled.

Celestia smiled at Flurry Heart. “And how is my favorite great-niece today?”

“Yes, who’s happy to see Great Aunty Luna?” cooed Luna, warmly. Flurry Heart babbled and giggled.

“Princess Celestia,” said Twilight. Her pupils were shrunken and her teeth were clenched. “How great to see you! Boy, do we have a funny story to tell you!” She laughed nervously while her left ear twitched. Starlight Glimmer rolled her eyes and shook her head, bemused. Celestia decided to intervene before Twilight had another of her infamous panic attacks.

“Spike, are you going to introduce us to your new friend?”

Spike straightened up quickly. “O, right.” He cleared his throat, and in a very formal voice said, “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna: this is Thorax, my new friend!”

Thorax sunk down, his ears wilting. “Um, hello. Your Highnesses,” he said quietly. His voice was pleading, as though he thought he needed permission to speak.

“Hello, Thorax,” said Celestia warmly. “It is nice to meet you!”

“Indeed!” affirmed Luna boisterously.

Thorax’s ears perked up.

“O! Well, thanks! It…It’s good to meet you too!”

Celestia’s smile broadened. She was reminded of some of her younger students when they presented themselves to her for the first time.

The Sisters seated themselves next to Thorax, Celestia sitting the closest to the drone. Thorax looked at her anxiously.

“You—you’re not upset by my presence? Like, at all?”

“Of course not!” said Luna sweetly.

“Not at all,” said Celestia. Then she added, “This isn’t the first time we have hosted Changelings.”

She regretted saying it at once. Every-pony in the room gasped in astonishment.

Except Thorax, who became very quiet.

“What?” exclaimed Twilight. “You mean, you’ve had Changelings in your court before?”

“Yes,” replied Celestia. Her voice was wistful. “Only a few, though.”

“How come we’ve never heard of this before?” asked Shining Armor.

Celestia’s gaze darkened. “They did not stick around very long.”

“Really?” asked Twilight, confused. “Did they go somewhere else?”

“No,” Thorax said, in a clear voice that took every-pony by surprise. “The Queen had all of the defectors killed.”

There was a collective gasp.

“She had them killed?” repeated Twilight, mortified. “That…that’s horrible!”

“That’s in keeping with Queen Chrysalis,” said Celestia gravely. “She does not like defectors.”

“The Queen does not like it when she is disobeyed,” Thorax said, monotonously. He was staring into space. “She deals harshly with any-pony who does not obey her. Once, she nearly beat a drone to death for going against her orders.”

“She did what?” Princess Cadance gasped. “What could he possibly have done to justify such a cruel punishment?”

“He tried learning to read,” said Thorax. “The Queen does not like it when her subjects read. It is not allowed.” His voice sounded dull and empty.

Twilight was shocked. “She doesn’t let you read!” she exclaimed. “And she beat one of her own subjects just for trying to learn?”

“Just for that,” repeated Thorax. “The Queen will be very angry when she discovers I have abandoned her. If I return, she will have me killed. I just hope she doesn’t take it out on my brother.”

“Brother?” asked Starlight Glimmer, confused. “I’m sorry, but I thought all the Changelings were siblings? And Queen Chrysalis was…well, she is the Queen…and you’re all bug-ponies…so I thought…”

Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of Thorax’s face. For a moment, Celestia thought Starlight had said something very offensive. And then Thorax laughed. It was not a cheerful kind of laugh; it sounded bitter and hollow.

“You think we’re like actual insects?” he chuckled. “No, we have family units, but we keep our eggs in the same nursery. It’s supposed to be a kind of communal thing, but every-ling knows their birth parents and siblings.”

“So, Changelings do get married?” asked Princess Cadance curiously.

Thorax shrugged. “We pair up. There is no ceremony. But we have to receive permission from The Queen to do so. Sometimes she will match us up herself to enhance a particular trait. And she is always present for every hatching. But she doesn’t have any children of her own.” And then he added, “Well, except for Princess Nightmare Moon, but she’s adopted, so I don’t know if that counts.”

The room became very quiet. Celestia and Luna straightened in their chairs. Thorax realized he had said something wrong. He shrank into his seat.

“Well, that’s fascinating to learn,” said Twilight. Then what Thorax had said landed and her eyes widened. “Wait, what?”

Spike chuckled nervously. “That’s a pretty good joke, Thorax!”

Starlight grimaced. “Uh, Spike? I don’t think Thorax was joking.”

“No,” said Princess Celestia. She looked at Thorax intently. “He isn’t.”

Princess Luna frowned. “You are confused, friend Thorax. I was Nightmare Moon. A thousand years ago, I became envious of my Sister, and transformed into Nightmare Moon because of that envy.” She nodded at Twilight. “But Princess Twilight and her friends used the Elements of Harmony to restore my right mind. That involved stripping away the faux-personality that was Nightmare Moon. She does not exist anymore, except as a costume for Nightmare Night.”

“Yeah, I know all about that stuff,” replied Thorax. “But there is also the filly Nightmare Moon that The Queen found in the Everfree Forest.”

Celestia gasped.

Luna furrowed her brow at Celestia. “Sister! Do you know what he’s talking about?”

“I just might,” said Celestia, dazed. Memories of a dark spell cast on a stormy night came back to her: Twilight Sparkle’s head shoved in a sack; Cultists wearing black robes; and a black unicorn in silver barding. “It can’t be! I stopped it!”

“Stopped what?” demanded Luna.

“Yeah, what?” asked Twilight anxiously.

Celestia ignored them. “Thorax, do you remember when this was?”

Thorax thought for a moment. “It was about eighteen moons ago, I think. I know that because the Queen had me—” He froze, his eyes staring straight ahead. His expression changed to one of absolute horror. Celestia glanced worriedly at Luna, who looked completely baffled.

“Thorax?” Spike asked, cautiously. “Are you alright?”

Thorax came back to himself. “It was eighteen moons ago.”

Celestia pressed him. “And this was in the Everfree Forest?”

“Yes.”

“And you were with Queen Chrysalis when she found this…filly?”

“No, but my brother and I were with her when a blast of magical energy caught her attention. We went to the epicenter of the burst and found a kind of magical circle”—Twilight gasped— "And then The Queen sent us away. She returned to The Hive several hours later with Princess Nightmare in tow.”

“Princess Nightmare?” repeated Luna, stunned.

Celestia arched a brow. “Queen Chrysalis sent you and your brother away?”

Thorax wilted. “Yes.”

Celestia could guess why Chrysalis did that. But she did not wish to discuss it now, not with other ponies present. If Chrysalis did what Celestia believed she had done, bringing it out publicly could very well cause Thorax’s new friends to turn on him.

Celestia never forgot a pony. She knew one of her soldiers had not returned home that night…

She turned her attention to a very dazed Princess Twilight. “I think you remember the night in question, Twilight?”

“The Cult,” whispered Twilight. “I forgot about them.”

“How do you forget getting foal-napped by an evil cult?” demanded Spike.

“Foal-napped? Wh-What do you mean?” asked Shining Armor, aghast.

“Evil Cult?” asked Luna, bewildered. “What Cult? Sister, what is going on?”

“Wait, you mean you don’t know?” asked Twilight, looking between the Sisters in confusion. “Princess Celestia didn’t tell you?”

“Tell me what?” shouted Luna.

Princess Cadance rapped several times on the table.

“I think an explanation is in order,” she said calmly. She looked at Celestia. “Auntie, will you tell us what happened that night? Then Thorax can finish his story.”

“Yes, please?” Shining said, gaping at Twilight in shock.

“Very well,” said Princess Celestia. “As I recall, that specific evening fell on the Spring Equinox, which as every-pony knows is a date of great magical significance. I received an urgent message from Spike, informing me that Twilight Sparkle had been abducted by ponies wearing black robes.” Every-pony but Celestia, Twilight, and Spike gasped aloud.

“…And that he thought they had fled into the Everfree Forest,” continued Celestia. “My response was to gather a contingent of soldiers and pursue them. While flying over the forest we were attracted by a magical burst, which I little doubt was the same burst that attracted Queen Chrysalis to the area. When we arrived, we discovered dozens of ponies in black robes gathered in a circle. They were performing some sort of ritualistic spell with a wooden basin on a metal pedestal. The apparent leader of this Cult was a black unicorn stallion who wore armor fashioned after that of Nightmare Moon.”

Luna gasped.

“And Twilight?” asked Shining, anxiously.

Celestia grimaced. “Twilight was on the ground, with a deep cut on her leg and her head stuffed into a sack.”

“What?” shouted every-pony, Shining’s voice the loudest.

“But, why?” asked Starlight incredulously.

“They used her blood in the spell,” said Celestia.

“And you never mentioned this to any-pony, Twilight?” cried Shining, horrified.

“Yeah, I’ve never heard you talk about this before,” said Starlight.

Twilight’s ears wilted. “I…kind of forgot about it.”

“You forgot?” It was Thorax who spoke this time, awed. “Bad ponies kidnapped you for a necromantic ritual and you forgot all about it?”

“Well, I was anxious about it for a couple of weeks,” admitted Twilight sheepishly. “But then Pinkie Pie duplicated herself with the Mirror Pond, and we had to sort out which Pinkie was the real one. Then Chrysalis kidnapped some foals from Ponyville, and my friends had to go out and rescue them from her. Then we reformed Discord, I became a Princess, Discord’s chaos vines attacked, Lord Tirek blew up my library, and then we got the Cutie Map—”

“Which pointed you to my village,” said Starlight. She placed her foreleg on the table and leaned against her hoof. “Was all that stuff I did just another day for you?”

Twilight grinned nervously. “Yeah, kind of. I guess after all that, getting foal-napped by Cultists sounds kind of tame.” She turned to Shining Armor. “And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it, I didn’t want you to worry! And,” she added, “I kinda thought Princess Celestia told you about it already.”

“She didn’t say anything to me!” exclaimed Shining Armor, looking between Twilight and Princess Celestia, dumbfounded. Flurry Heart looked up at him, sensing something was wrong. She gurgled and nuzzled into her father’s chest sympathetically.

“She did not deem to inform any-pony,” grumbled Luna, glaring at Celestia ruefully.

“So, obviously you were able to save Twilight from this Cult,” Cadance said. “I take it you were the reason the spell appeared to have failed?”

“Yes,” replied Celestia quickly. She avoided eye contact with Luna as she continued her story. “I struck the spell at its epicenter and destroyed what appeared to be a black mass of magic. The Cult immediately dispersed. I attended to Twilight while my soldiers went after the Cultists.” She inhaled deeply. “We were only able to secure half of them.”

“Only half?” asked Shining Armor, startled. “Did you catch the rest of them?”

Celestia stared at the table. “No. Even after all this time, we have not been able to locate the rest of the Cult.”

Twilight’s pupils shrank. Starlight and Sunburst gasped. Luna looked angry. Even Cadance was startled.

“You mean they’re still out there?” Cadance asked, aghast. “Even after all this time?”

“Yes.”

“Including the black unicorn?”

“Yes. I don’t believe that was his true color; he was certainly dyed. Black isn’t a common color among ponies.”

Luna harrumphed. “A pity, Sister. Perhaps you may have fared better if you had asked some-pony for help.”

Celestia kept her gaze fixed on the table. “Yes, that may be,” she said quietly.

Princess Cadance cut in again.

“But you never found anything to make you think the spell had actually done something?”

“None at all,” said Celestia. “Not until Thorax mentioned that Queen Chrysalis found a filly that looked like Nightmare Moon.”

“But that simply cannot be!” shouted Luna. Every-pony jumped as she went into the Royal Canterlot voice. “I was Nightmare Moon! Me! There can simply be no way she exists as her own pony!”

Thorax, who had shrunk back further when Luna started shouting, meekly suggested, “Perhaps I should just show you?” His body erupted into blue flames. When they dissipated, Thorax was gone, and in his place sat a very deep midnight-blue alicorn filly with a violet mane and cyan serpentine eyes.

“She looks like this,” said Thorax, in a voice like a glass harp.

The room became very still. Every-pony stared transfixed at the exotic-looking filly before them. Then, almost in unison, nearly every-pony broke into wide grins and said,

“Daaaaaaaw!”

“That’s Nightmare Moon?” Starlight giggled. “She looks like a big kitten!”

“Look at her mane!” laughed Cadance. “It's the same color as Rarity's!”

“She’s…she’s an actual alicorn filly!” said Sunburst. “Fascinating! That means there are two alicorn fillies in Equestria! Six alicorns all together!”

Luna stared at the filly-Thorax with her mouth agape. “They really did it,” she said finally. “They took that part of me and made…made that. Made her. I can’t believe…I can’t…” She looked around the table. “This can’t happen!”

“But it has happened,” said Celestia, stunned. Her worst fears had been realized: Nightmare Moon was back as her own pony. As young as she appeared, there was no mistaking her. She was a beautiful child, with strong, sharp features and high cheekbones that hinted of a greater beauty once she matured. Yet there was still something about her appearance that was more than unsettling, even after factoring in her teal slit-eyes. Her muscles were more toned than a child of her apparent age should be. Her wings, while not yet fully developed, were scalloped and vaguely resembled those of a bat. And around her neck hung an ornate silver peytral, with a round, black gem stuck in the center. Celestia took it to be onyx at first, but then Thorax-as-Nightmare-Moon shifted in the light and she saw that it was polished wood. Black wood? Odd.

But what disturbed Celestia the most was the child’s mane-style: it was brushed straight, with a long bang that hung over her left eye.

“How could this have happened,” asked Princess Twilight. “I don’t understand how a spell to resurrect Nightmare Moon could result in a filly!”

Sunburst took off his spectacles and polished them with his robe.

“I can’t make a committed opinion without studying the spell itself,” he said, returning his spectacles to his face. “But from what I can gather, it sounds like the Cult tried to create a new body for Nightmare Moon. Obviously, you can’t just make up a body from nothing. So, they must have attempted to create a new body for her by generating a kind of magical embryo and then age her up. That would explain what the black mass was. My guess is that they gave enough magic to advance her to a young filly, but Princess Celestia interrupted them before they could finish the spell properly.”

“But how?” sputtered Luna. “They would have needed some kind of base to start from. How could they hope to resurrect Nightmare Moon without any involvement from me?”

“With Nightmare Moon’s scraps,” said Celestia.

“From whose scraps?” Luna demanded.

Celestia heaved yet another sigh.

“After Twilight and her friends defeated Nightmare Moon, scraps of her remaining magic were left behind. I was curious about them, so I left them with Spell Nexus for further study.”

“I remember,” said Twilight thoughtfully. “There were bits of armor lying around after we freed Princess Luna.”

“You gave the scraps to this Spell Nexus?” Starlight asked. “Who’s that?”

Twilight and Sunburst gasped.

“You’ve never heard of Spell Nexus?” Twilight cried incredulously. “He runs Princess Celestia’s school!”

“Spell Nexus is a genius,” said Sunburst reverently. “I have everything he’s ever written! His contribution to magical ritual theory is astronomical!”

“Ok, ok, sorry I don’t know whose who in the magical research field,” replied Starlight, rolling her eyes. “But if the scraps were given to Spell Nexus for study, how did this crazy Nightmare Moon cult get a hold of them?”

“They stole them from Nexus,” replied Celestia. Her voice held a tremor. “After they broke in and beat him.”

“They beat him?” demanded Luna furiously. “You mean to say that a crazed Cult ran wild about Equestria, beating ponies in their homes…kidnapping mares…performing evil necromantic rituals…and you never bothered to me about any of it?”

Celestia stared at the grains on the table. “Yes.”

Princess Luna fumed. Every-pony looked anxiously at each other. This conversation had turned ugly very quickly. Sunburst, in a rare bout of social sensitivity, decided to cut in.

“Alright, they used those scraps as a base, and combined it with Princess Twilight’s blood,” Sunburst mused. “With other ingredients, no doubt. And then they were successful in re-making Nightmare Moon, at least as a filly. Whoever designed that spell must have been a genius!”

“An insane genius,” grumbled Starlight. “That’s just what we need.”

“We’ll deal with that later,” said Cadance. “What I want to know is how this filly Nightmare Moon could have formed with no-pony the wiser. Thorax, where exactly did Queen Chrysalis find her?”

Thorax, who had resumed his normal appearance, shifted nervously. Celestia did not blame him. The poor Changeling had not expected an interrogation.

“I don’t know. The Queen returned to the Hive several hours later with The Princess already in tow. But I did see a lot of hawthorn twigs tangled in her mane. And since no-pony saw her form up, I guess she materialized in a hawthorn bush?”

Every-pony flinched.

“Ow, “said Starlight. “Just ow.”

“I bet that hacked her off,” said Spike. “All that effort to bring her back, and she ends up as a filly in a thorn bush.”

“I’m sure it did,” agreed Luna. Something like savage satisfaction glinted in her eyes.

“She did look pretty upset when The Queen presented her to us,” said Thorax thoughtfully. “She cried several times throughout the assembly.”

Celestia looked up, startled. “Do you know why?”

Thorax shrugged. “Some of the other Changelings didn’t like it when The Queen decided to make her our Princess, and they made that clear. That upset her. And then she got upset again when The Queen asked for her name and she couldn’t remember it.”

Celestia blinked. “She didn’t remember her name?”

“No. The Queen made a show of coming up with a name for her, and then she named her Nightmare Moon.”

“Seriously?” said Spike. “Queen Chrysalis could have given her a new name, and all she did was name her Nightmare Moon anyway? Lame.”

“And how did she react to this name?” Luna asked. She sounded as though she were trying to keep her voice even.

“She didn’t know who it was.”

The knot that had been growing in Celestia’s belly loosened. “That name meant nothing to her?"

Thorax shook his head. “It didn’t look like it.”

“But she did not object to receiving that name?” asked Luna sharply.

“No, your Highness. The Queen only told her that Nightmare Moon was a great warrior who fought against Princess Celestia.”

Every-pony in the chamber chuckled darkly and shook their heads. Even Luna seemed amused. “That…is one way of putting it.”

“I guess its sort of true,” said Starlight, tilting her head. “If you squint really hard and ignore all the facts!”

Celestia asked, “Did she have any kind of reaction when my name was mentioned?”

“No, your Highness. She didn’t recognize your name at all when The Queen mentioned you. She also didn’t know what Changelings were, and she didn’t react when The Queen mentioned the Elements of Harmony to her.”

“But she knew how to speak.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Simply, though. About what you would expect from a young filly.”

Celestia leaned forward. “Do you know if she has ever recalled anything since that time?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t think so.”

Celestia leaned back into her chair, relieved. “Thank you, Thorax. This is the best news I’ve had since this conversation started.”

“It is?” asked Twilight, confused. “How?”

“Memories provide a sense of self,” said Celestia. “If she has no memory of ever being Nightmare Moon, then she is functionally a blank slate.”

“In that case, she really is only a child,” said Luna, guiltily.

“Just a child,” smiled Celestia. “New to the world, having no ideas about it, vulnerable to the elements or any-pony who should find her.” Her smile vanished. “And Queen Chrysalis has had her. For eighteen moons.”

Every-pony froze as the implications fell on them.

“That poor child,” whispered Cadance, horrified.

“I cannot imagine what sort of upbringing Chrysalis is providing,” said Luna. “Friend Thorax, how has the filly fared under your Queen’s…care?” She spoke the last word distastefully.

Thorax sunk into his chair.

“I can’t really say, your Highness. The Queen keeps her mostly in her chambers, and takes her out of the Hive in the late evenings. Sometimes she makes appearances at court, but The Queen doesn’t let any of the other Changeling’s interact with her much. She won’t even let her play with the other nymphs.” He added, “The Queen moved me to the night shift, so I don’t see either of them very much. Which is how I was able to escape from her.”

“Morning shift?” asked Twilight, puzzled. “Why did that keep you from seeing them?”

Thorax looked at her oddly. “Because the morning is when Princess Nightmare goes to sleep.”

It took a moment for Twilight to catch on. Her eyes widened. “O. Right, she’s a night pony.”

“That explains why I have never encountered her in the dream realm,” mused Luna.

“Eighteen moons with the Queen,” Celestia muttered. A horrible realization had dawned on her. “Thorax, I presume you remember when we had the Changelings imprisoned?”

Thorax swallowed. “Yes, your Highness. I…I was in there.”

Celestia flinched internally but continued on. “We…had your people for over a full moon cycle before you all were able to escape our custody.” She purposefully did not look at Princess Twilight, who had buried her face in her hooves. “That was staged fifteen moons ago—” Twilight’s head shot up, her eyes widening in shock— “But you have just said Chrysalis found this filly eighteen moons ago. Where was she during your people’s incarceration?”

“In the fortress, with us,” replied Thorax. Every-pony gasped, but Thorax continued on. “The Queen had her in a different room when Princess Twilight and her friends came to save the fillies. The Queen made the Princess take the form of a young Changeling whenever any-pony came to check on us. And when she ordered us into hibernation, she had the Princess transform and sleep with her in The Queen’s own cocoon. And after The Queen knocked out Princess Twilight and escaped, she had The Princess ride her while still disguised.”

“We had Nightmare Moon in our custody for a whole moon and no-pony was the wiser?” gasped Luna.

“I can’t believe it!” cried Twilight. “I had no idea!”

“You guys had the Changelings incarcerated?” asked Starlight, bewildered. “Queen Chrysalis knocked out Twilight? What the hay happened?”

“O, right, you don’t know…” said Twilight. “It happened when the Secretariat Comet came around.”

Starlight nodded. “I remember that.”

“I watched it!” exclaimed Sunburst. “It only happens once every three thousand years! All magical creatures felt their power burst when it came around!”

“That’s what Queen Chrysalis was counting on,” said Twilight. “A few days prior, she sent some of her minions to Ponyville and abducted three village fillies: The Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

“Those three?” exclaimed Starlight. Every-pony in Ponyville knew about the Cutie Mark Crusaders—their escapades were the stuff of village lore. “Why would she want them?”

“It was so my friends and I would have a reason to journey to her fortress. She replaced many of the villagers with her soldiers, and cocooned them up at City Hall. My friends and I freed every-pony, but Queen Chrysalis sent us a message, telling us that she had kidnapped the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She threatened to do terrible things to them if we did not go to her within three days.

“We set off on a three-day journey filled with monsters and all sorts of tribulations before we finally confronted Queen Chrysalis. The meteor made her powerful, but it also boosted my magic as well. We were able to defeat her, and locked Chrysalis and her subjects into the fortress. Princess Celestia had it turned into a prison.”

Starlight was incredulous. “And you never saw even a hint that Queen Chrysalis was keeping an alicorn filly hidden in there?”

Twilight shivered. “There was a lot of freaky stuff in that castle! No-pony wanted to go exploring.”

“I get that,” said Starlight, smiling. “So, you had the Changelings locked up. How did they escape?”

Twilight blushed. Starlight raised an eyebrow. “Okay Twilight, what did you do?”

“Me? Whatever do you mean?” Twilight asked nervously.

“You have that look,” said Starlight, smirking. “The one you always get whenever you do something really embarrassing.”

Twilight laughed nervously and swallowed. “Well, a few weeks after the Changelings were imprisoned, I elevated and got these.” She spread her wings out. “I became a Princess, and took on a lot of new responsibilities. One of them included going to the Changeling prison, to make sure their sentence was being carried out correctly.”

“Sentence?” Starlight asked. “How long were you planning on holding them?”

“A thousand years,” replied Celestia.

Starlight glimmer chuckled. “Wow, you’re sure into those thousand-year sentences, aren’t you?”

Celestia smiled sadly. “I don’t like to issue them, especially on an entire sapient race. But I have a duty to keep my little ponies safe from threats. And Queen Chrysalis can stand to serve a thousand years in prison—she’s been hurting creatures of all kinds for at least that long.”

“Yeah, we discussed a few of those,” said Twilight wearily. “The sacking of Timbucktu…her siege on Trot…we even learned how she escaped from that volcano Princess Celestia sealed her in after the Trot fiasco.” Twilight swallowed hard. “She seemed really talkative. So, I asked her about where she and the other Changelings had come from. She acted like she was interested in talking about it, but then she asked about a book Rainbow Dash brought along.”

“Daring Do, I take it?” asked Starlight.

Twilight grimaced. “Yeah. The newest edition.”

Starlight grimaced back. “Ok, I think I see where this is going. She asked if she could read it, didn’t she?”

Twilight sank back into her chair. “Yes.”

“And of course, you couldn’t say no to some-pony wanting to read a book.”

Twilight closed her eyes tightly. “No, I couldn’t. I tried to stick it through the door-flap, but it didn’t fit. So…I opened the door.”

Sunburst was incredulous. “You opened the door to a prison containing a crazed war-pony just to give her a Daring Do book?”

Twilight slumped down. “It sounds really bad when you say it like that. But when we arrived, she looked malnourished and utterly dejected. I felt sorry for her. I thought she was too weak to be a threat, so I didn’t think popping in to leave a book there would be a problem.”

“But it was a problem, right?” Starlight asked. She was leaning on her hoof again. “So, was that actually Queen Chrysalis you were talking to, or was it a decoy?”

Twilight’s mouth hung open. “Uh, yeah. It was another Changeling posing as her. How did you know?”

Starlight nodded knowingly. “Well, it was kind of obvious. This is the Changelings we’re talking about. Tricking ponies is kind of what they do. No offense, Thorax.”

“No, its true,” said Thorax, bitterly. “That is what we’re best known for.”

Starlight looked at him pityingly before turning her attention back to Twilight. “Alright, “Chrysalis” was just an imposter. Where was the actual Queen?”

“Right over the door. As soon as I came in, she slammed it behind me.”

Starlight’s pupils shrank. “She locked you in with herself? Sweet Celestia, what did she do to you?”

Twilight shivered. “She…she grabbed me. Then she offered to tell me her real origins. But then, she laughed and told me she “was born this way.”” Twilight exhaled sharply. “Then, she slammed me against the wall.”

Starlight’s jaw dropped. So did Shining’s. Even Cadance looked horrified. “You mean, she assaulted you?” Cadance exclaimed. “I knew you accidently released the Changelings—I didn’t know she threw you against the wall!”

“Queen Chrysalis is an extremely dangerous mare,” said Celestia wearily. “You are extremely fortunate the guards opened the door when they did—I don’t even want to think what she might have done to you if they had waited.”

“The door opened,” said Starlight thoughtfully. “Which was her real objective the whole time, right? And when it did, they all came spilling out?”

“Yeah,” said Twilight bitterly. “It was awful! But not as awful as having to explain it to Princess Celestia.”

“That’s water under the bridge now, Twilight,” Celestia said gently. “I’m just glad she didn’t seriously hurt you.”

Now it was her former protégé who was studying the table. “It was still a huge mistake, and I’m sorry. And,” Twilight added bitterly. “Chrysalis didn’t even tell me anything about the origins of the Changelings. I would love to know that!”

Starlight brightened. “Well, we can find out right now! We have Thorax here—perhaps we could ask him?”

Every-pony turned to Thorax.

“Well, Thorax?” Twilight asked, her former shame replaced by academic enthusiasm. “We would love to find out more about your people! Do you know where you all came from originally?”

Thorax looked sad. “I’m sorry. I—I don’t know where we’re from.”

Twilight’s face fell. “You don’t know? But doesn’t Chrys—I mean, doesn’t your Queen mention it at all? You said she doesn’t let you read. Isn’t there an oral history? Something like that?”

“We don’t really have a history,” said Thorax, frowning. “I mean, we do, but no-pony really knows what it is. No-pony but The Queen. And she changes the stories so often that no-pony is really sure what happened. All we know is that The Queen is The Queen, and she has always been the Queen.”

Shining Armor was astonished. “She hides your history from you?

Thorax nodded. “I think so. She is always cryptic about where we came from. And what she does reveal is never consistent. History is whatever she says it is, and she becomes very angry when any-pony questions her version of events. And it’s hard to contradict her, since she claims to be immortal. I don’t know if that’s really true, but the oldest members of our Hive remember her being the Queen for as long as they can remember.” He glanced at Celestia. “She boasts of our, uh, victory in Timbucktu, over a thousand years ago. Do you know if that is really true?”

Celestia nodded. “Yes, she really did sack that city. It was the first encounter any-pony had with the Changelings, and the ponies of Timbucktu were not prepared for either their ferocity or their shape-shifting ability. But the leader of the swarm was most definitely Chrysalis. She declared herself a “Queen” after she stole King Orion’s crown.” She said no more. The full horror of the Changeling assault on Timbucktu had shocked Celestia then, and disturbed her even now. There had been very few survivors…

Starlight was dumbfounded. “You mean she just lies about everything?”

“I think so,” Thorax replied grimly. “To be honest, we don’t know very much about The Queen ourselves. We know she is a great schemer, a furious warrior, and a powerful spellcaster—and is constantly angry. That is about all we really know about her. Sometimes she leaves the Hive for long lengths of time. She goes alone. No-pony can say what she does when she is away.”

Celestia nodded thoughtfully. Chrysalis was trying to present herself as a powerful, mythical figure to her subjects. Why she would want that was something Princess Celestia could not understand: she hated being aloof with any-pony.

“Queen Chrysalis lies to and abuses her own people,” said Twilight, flabbergasted. Her eyes had become very wide, and her left ear twitched again. “And now she has this Nightmare Moon foal under her control.” She shook her head in dismay. “This is terrible! Chrysalis must be doing terrible things to that little filly!”

Celestia arched her brow. She wondered if Twilight had really understood the implications. This new Nightmare Moon filly, while only a foal, was still an alicorn. The usefulness this child offered Chrysalis was not something she would risk with mindless cruelty.

“Do you think so?” asked Starlight, wide-eyed. “I mean, I know some ponies call her “The Scourge of the Sun”, but is she really as bad as the histories say? You know,” she added with a nervous laugh. “Aside from beating up her own subjects for reading?”

“No,” said Celestia quietly. “She is much worse.”

“See?” said Twilight. “Who knows what awful things she’s doing to that child!”

“Are you sure about that?” asked Shining Armor, with a glance towards Princess Celestia.

“She must be!” Twilight insisted. She pointed at Thorax. “I mean, look at him! He’s one of the nicest beings I’ve ever met, and look how horribly Chrysalis has treated him! How she’s treated her own subjects! And then there was what happened to the Cutie Mark Crusaders when Chrysalis foal-napped them—they had nightmares about her for weeks!” Twilight turned to Celestia. “There must be something we can do!”

Princess Celestia shook her head. “I’m sorry, Twilight. There is nothing I can do at the moment. We have very little information about Changeling defenses or this filly. In any case, invading other nations is not something Equestria does. Even if we disapprove of their rulers.”

“You would have a hard time regardless,” said Thorax softly. “The Queen’s throne works as a kind of magical nullifier, so you wouldn’t be able to use any magic in our fortress. Only those she keys into the throne can use it.” His voice sounded hollow. He stared intently at the table.

Flurry Heart yawned.

“I think its time we put Flurry to bed,” said Cadance. She smiled at Thorax. “She’s had a big day: she made a new friend!” Thorax nodded, smiling weakly back but keeping his eyes on the table. “Perhaps Thorax would like to see more of the castle? Then we can show him to our guest suite.”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Twilight exclaimed. “There’s lots of fascinating history in the Crystal Palace!”

“You know, I don’t believe I’ve seen that much of the Palace myself,” said Starlight.

“Me neither,” said Sunburst.

“I guess I’ll come too,” said Spike.

“I’d be delighted to show all of you!” said Cadance. She rose as Shining handed Flurry Heart over to her.

“Just a moment,” said Celestia gravely. “This business with Nightmare Moon should stay in this room.”

“More secrets, Sister?” growled Luna. “I should think you would be quite through with them.”

“Is it a security concern?” asked Shining Armor.

“Yes,” said Celestia. “First of all, I fear news of Nightmare Moon’s return, even as a young filly, may cause a panic. Ponies tend to be very jumpy about possible danger.”

“Yeah, we’ve noticed,” said Spike, smirking at Twilight.

“But there is another reason,” said Celestia. “The Cult.”

“The one you did not tell me about?” asked Luna, coldly. “The one you have yet to capture entirely?”

“Yes,” said Princess Celestia. “They are still out there. Including the leader. I do not wish for those still on the loose to be aware of her existence. They have already shown themselves to be both cunning and powerful. The last thing any-pony needs right now are the Cultists either starting a war with the Changelings, or attempting to make some kind of deal with Queen Chrysalis.”

“No-pony at all?” asked Twilight incredulously. “What about my friends?”

“You should tell the other Bearers as well, so that they may be aware of Nightmare Moon’s re-emergence. But only them.” Princess Celestia leaned back into her chair. “I know this is a hard thing I ask of you. But until we catch the Cultists, I think it safest that the knowledge of the filly be kept secret.”

“We understand,” said Twilight. “We promise not to tell any-pony.”

“Thank you,” said Princess Celestia. She smiled. “Have fun exploring the castle.”

They stood up and filed out of the room. Only Shining, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna remained at the table.

Shining leaned back in his chair. He looked ashamed.

“Is…everything alright, Prince Shining Armor?” Celestia asked.

“I called him a thing,” Shining replied, shame-facedly. “When Thorax finally revealed himself. I told Spike to “get away from that thing.”” He burst out furiously, “I had no idea Queen Chrysalis treated her subjects like that!”

Celestia nodded gravely. “I know. I’ve always pitied the Changelings.”

“You do?” asked Shining, surprised. “All of them? Even Chrysalis?”

Celestia’s face hardened. “Not her. Queen Chrysalis is an evil, vicious creature. She has committed unspeakable crimes, all the while claiming that she only wants to feed her subjects. The plight of her people has never justified the atrocities she commits.” She softened. “But I pity her subjects. She is all they have known.”

“Thorax sounded as though Chrysalis was going to kill him from afar, just for talking to us!” Shining said, angrily. “All I know is that I wouldn’t want any of the Crystal ponies talking about myself or Cadance like that! I think I would die inside!”

“I am glad to hear that,” said Celestia warmly. “It speaks well of you.”

“All that said, that bit about Nightmare Moon coming back as a filly is really worrisome,” mused Shining. “I get she lost her memory, but she’s still an alicorn. Remember how powerful Flurry Heart turned out to be? I bet Chrysalis is keeping that child just so she can weaponize her magic!”

“That’s my belief as well,” said Princess Celestia. “I just hope we can find a way to save that child before Chrysalis uses her to further her own evil.” She glanced at the sky. “I think it’s time the sun was set.”

“Yes, past time,” said Luna. Her voice was like ice. Shining Armor looked between them anxiously.

“Right, I should probably go see how that tour is doing.” He left hurriedly.

Celestia began to speak. “Sister, I—”

But Luna brushed right past and strode through the doors without even looking at her sister. Celestia bristled. Luna was angrier than she had been in a long time. This was going to need some fixing. Celestia stood up and walked after her.

It was dusk. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stepped out onto the main balcony of the Crystal Palace. Neither one said a word. They made their way to the edge of the balcony, where the setting sun was visible. Princess Celestia’s horn glowed and the sun sank below the horizon. Princess Luna lit her own horn and raised the moon into the sky. The Sister’s watched the night sky for some time. Below them, the markets of the Crystal Empire closed down as crystal ponies concluded their business. Finally, Luna broke the silence.

“Sister—when were you going to tell me?”

Celestia kept her gaze locked onto the moon. “I don’t think I was,” she said. “I…I did not tell you then because I thought it would upset you. And then so many things happened afterword. Discord’s reform. Twilight’s ascension. The Changeling breakout. Terik’s rampage. Sunset Shimmer and Starlight Glimmer reforming.” She glanced at Princess Luna. “The Tantabus Incident.”

Luna’s ears wilted. “You are never going to let that go, are you Sister?”

“I never said I had not,” said Celestia quickly. “I just want you to understand why I never said anything. I never heard another word from the Cult. That spell did not appear to have worked—but we know now that was not the case.”

“It is unfathomable!” Luna said furiously. “There is an incarnation of Nightmare Moon running about, and none of us were ever the wiser! For a year and a half!”

Celestia nodded. “Yes, the Changeling Queen has been very careful to conceal her from us. Now we know why the Changelings have been so quiet lately. Have you noticed any interference with the moon?” she added suddenly.

Luna shook her head. “No, have you had any problems?”

“No. Either she isn’t able to impact celestial bodies yet, or Chrysalis has been stopping her.”

Luna inhaled sharply. “Yet?” she asked anxiously.

“That’s right,” Celestia replied. “If she doesn’t possess that ability now, I think it is likely that she will develop it in the future.”

“And then she will try to bring about the night eternal,” Luna finished glumly.

“Not necessarily.”

Luna was surprised. “You believe she couldn’t?”

“O, she could—but why would she? You heard Thorax’s report; she did not sound as though she remembered anything about herself. Therefore, she has no reason to want to. And I doubt Queen Chrysalis would encourage the “Night Eternal”—she is wicked, but not stupid.” Princess Luna mouthed an “o.” Princess Celestia added, “Did you notice her cutie mark?”

“Cutie Mark?” asked Luna, confused. “I didn’t see a—O!” Her eyes widened. “She didn’t have one! In that case, does that mean she is her own pony?”

Celestia nodded. “That is what I believe. Of course, this is speculation; it would be more instructive if we could examine her ourselves.” She sighed deeply. “Chrysalis complicates things.”

Luna grimaced. “From what I have been told about this Changeling Queen, I doubt she took that child in out of the goodness of her heart.”

“Chrysalis doesn’t have a heart,” said Celestia. “That’s what troubles me the most. A young alicorn can be very dangerous, as we have seen with little Flurry Heart, but she can be kept in hoof with proper guidance. Chrysalis is everything but. Even a week would be devastating for the foal’s development—I shudder to think what damage a year-and-a-half has wrought!”

“That poor child,” said Luna. “Is there really nothing we can do for her?”

Celestia shook her head. “No, not at this time. As I told Twilight, we cannot go and fetch her ourselves—Chrysalis has that nullifier throne, remember. Even our power would falter before it. Add to that, the Changelings are capable warriors who never fight fair. And then there is Chrysalis herself, who is one of the most vicious creatures I have ever faced. She is a skilled hoof-to-hoof combatant, and that’s on top of her magical abilities, which are formidable even without draining love.”

“I have heard only a little about Queen Chrysalis,” repeated Luna sadly. “And what little I have heard is beyond shocking. I am sorry you had to face her alone all these centuries, on account of my selfishness.”

Celestia turned and, to Luna’s surprise, pulled her into an embrace with her wings.

“No Luna, I’m the one who should be sorry! I’m sorry I didn’t make you feel better all those years ago, when you felt as though no-pony cared! I’m sorry that I hid all of these things from you, when you deserved to know the truth!”

“O, Sister,” said Luna. They held each other for a long moment, before Luna asked,

“What happens now?”

“There isn’t a lot we can do right now,” said Celestia sadly. “Not for the Nightmare foal, anyway. It depends on Chrysalis now. All we can do is wait for her to make a mistake of some sort, and perhaps get to the filly in that way.” She paused. “However, there are other things we can do. Tomorrow morning, I shall send a letter to Bastion Yorsets.”

“Bastion Yorsets?” asked Luna. “The magicologist?”

“The same. While we know now what the spell ultimately accomplished, I would like to find out more about it. We don’t know the precise extent of this new alicorn’s power, so I want to put a team together to study her. In the meantime, you and I can do what we can about this Nightmare Moon cult.”

“You don’t have to worry, Sister,” Luna said. “Wherever this cult is hiding, we shall seek them out. Together.” The Sisters embraced again.

“I need to go,” said Celestia, after they had parted. “I need to ask Thorax about several particulars from that night, and I should like to ask him privately.”

Luna arched a brow. “About what?”

“That night, I left a guard detail behind whilst I took Twilight back to her library. They left their post due to the storm—but one went missing. From the timeline I can guess what happened to him…but I need to be sure.” Her face was grim. “He had a wife and two foals who need answers.”

“I see,” said Luna, her eyes widening. “Shall I offer assistance?”

“No, I can manage,” said Celestia. “I don’t want him to feel too intimated to speak openly.” She made for the door. “But I will let you know what he says.” She went inside the palace.

Princess Luna remained on the balcony to overlook her night. She had much to think about.

Princess Celestia had stayed at the Crystal Palace many times before. She knew exactly which suite she needed to go to. She came in through the single window door, which led out to its own balcony. She could hear voices coming down the hall:

“…so, you may be our guest for this evening, and many more to come!” Princess Cadance was saying. “You may stay here for now.”

“Thank you so much, all of you! You have all been so kind to me! I…I just don’t know what to say!” That was Thorax.

“You don’t have to say a thing, Thorax!” Spike said.

“We’d love to talk with you more tomorrow!” Twilight exclaimed.

“But for now, try to get some rest,” said Cadance. “Have a good night!” The other ponies and Spike bid him goodnight as well.

“Goodnight!” exclaimed Thorax.

The door opened. Thorax walked in and closed the door behind him. He looked around the magnificently furnished room in awe.

“Good evening, Thorax.”

Thorax jumped. Celestia stood behind him.

“Your Highness! I—I did not see you there!” Thorax sputtered. “Am I in the wrong room?”

“No, Thorax,” said Celestia kindly. “I merely wish to speak with you for a moment.”

“O,” said Thorax. He looked anxious again. Rulers typically did not come into a subject’s bedroom to idly chat.

“There’s no need to be alarmed,” Celestia continued. “But I want to ask you a couple of questions about the night your former ruler brought the alicorn filly to your hive.”

Thorax was stunned, but kept his composure. “Ok, your Highness. What did you want to know?”

“You mentioned in your story that you had accompanied the Changeling Queen to the forest that night.”

“Yes?” Thorax asked, confused.

Celestia sighed. “When I took Princess Twilight home after stopping the ritual, I left behind a small contingent of guards. However, they left the area due to severe weather. Save one.”

Thorax’s eyes widened. Celestia nodded.

“You do know whom I mean. Go ahead and tell me. It will be alright.” And it would be. Celestia guessed what had happened as soon as she had learned that Chrysalis had been in the forest that night.

Thorax was shaking. “The Queen killed him!”

Celestia grimaced. “I thought so. Do you know how?”

“S-She drained him of his love. And then she…she…” Thorax swallowed hard. “Twisted his head around.”

Celestia shut her eyes for a long moment. Even after a thousand years of rule, and a thousand years of fighting the Changelings, the violent death of any of her little ponies still hurt her.

But it was not the worst thing Queen Chrysalis had ever done.

“And what became of the body?” Celestia asked gently.

Thorax was tense, but it seemed like a lot of his initial fear had dissipated. Perhaps he realized he was not telling Celestia anything she had not already guessed. But she sensed something was off here…like there was something Thorax was trying to keep to himself.

“The Queen had…she had him baked into a pie.”

“I see,” Celestia said, grimly. She knew Chrysalis ate her victims after draining them of all of their love. This was standard procedure for Chrysalis, a convenient way to dispose of the bodies. Given the state drained ponies lived in, it might even be considered a mercy. And yet it never ceased to horrify Celestia, even after all of these years.

Thorax was still shaking. Something about Thorax’s careful choice of words stood out to Celestia. A horrible suspicion crept into her mind.

“She made you and your brother take the body back to the Hive,” Celestia said slowly.

Thorax swallowed hard. “Yes, Your Highness,” he squeaked. He was trembling even more. Celestia remembered the way he had gone peculiar earlier in the dining room, staring off into space as though re-living some private horror. Celestia took a guess.

“…She had you prepare the pie, didn’t she?”

Thorax stared wide-eyed at Celestia for a long moment. And then he burst into tears.

“Yes! She thought I was spineless, so she made me take the body back to the Hive, and ordered me to butcher the poor pony into a pie! I had to go and chop…and chop…and…” He broke off and started sobbing, hard.

“Spineless?” growled Celestia, suddenly angry. “She actually called you that? To your face?”

“Yes,” Thorax sniffed. “Our Queen never liked me very much at all. She did stuff like that all the time to me, and to other drones she felt weren’t tough enough.” Thorax threw himself on the ground. “I am sorry! I know you will not forgive me, so kill me swiftly!”

Celestia was stunned. “I have no intention of doing any such thing!” she exclaimed. “Please, stand up. I know this is difficult for you, but I am not angry with you. If I sounded upset, it’s only because I am angry with your Queen.” She reached out and held up Thorax’s chin with her wing. He inhaled sharply, but Celestia smiled at him.

“Its alright, Thorax. I don’t consider this to be your fault,” she said. “So, you were forced to bake the guard into pies?”

Thorax still wept, but continued his story. “Yes, Your Highness. After I finished the pies, I took some out for the Queen. She tried it, she let Princess Nightmare have some, and then she told the rest of the Hive to help themselves. But I did not have any of it, I swear!”

Celestia blinked. “What?”

“I said, some of the other members of my Hive had some of that pie. But I didn’t have any of it! I—”

“Not that,” interrupted Celestia. “Did you say Nightmare Moon had some of this pie?”

“O. Yeah, she did.”

Celestia felt nauseated. “Surely that made her sick?”

“No, it didn’t. She actually liked it! The Queen even let her have seconds!”

Celestia gasped. “Was…was she fed any more meat after this?”

“Yeah, she eats it often.”

“Often,” repeated Celestia, dazed.

“Yes, Your Highness. The Queen even takes the Princess hunting in the evenings.”

“Hunting?” cried Celestia. “For meat?”

“Yes,” said Thorax, nervously. He probably thought she sounded crazy, asking such an asinine question. What else would a meat-eater hunt for?

Celestia made a succession of sounds that tried to become words but failed to do so. Eventually, she was able to sputter out a complete sentence: “Is—is she successful?”

“Yes,” said Thorax, carefully. “From what I have heard, anyway. I was moved to working days, and the Princess doesn’t typically get up until late afternoon.”

“What does she bring back?” Celestia asked anxiously.

Something like understanding came into the Changeling’s eyes.

“She hasn’t brought pony back, I know that.”

The knot in Celestia’s belly loosened. “She hasn’t?”

No, Your Highness. She hunts a lot of other animals though. Usually, its whatever they happen across; The Badlands don’t have much to offer her. Small mammals, birds, frogs…I think they’ve caught wild boar on occasion. Sometimes she will just eat the meat raw, out in the wilderness. I can’t say what animals those might have been.”

“Has—has she hunted any sapient creatures?” asked Celestia.

Thorax’s ears wilted. “I know The Queen fed The Princess Love-cats while we occupied their territory. And The Queen slew a cow once and used its hide to make a leather coat for The Princess.”

“Leather?” Celestia repeated, shocked. She had never heard that word before, but it sounded like something out of a horror novel.

Thorax nodded. “Yes, Your Highness. But I haven’t heard of The Princess hunting anything sapient herself.”

Yet. Thorax did not say it, but it hung in the air. Celestia could see what Chrysalis was doing. She was getting her “daughter” acclimated to killing. It may not be ponies she was hunting, but Celestia suspected it would be in the filly’s near future.

“And none of this has made her ill?” Celestia asked again.

“No. She looked alright to me, whenever I saw her with The Queen. Which was not often, because she’s typically closeted in the Queen’s chambers.”

“And what does she do in there?” Celestia asked.

“I don’t really know. I think The Queen is teaching her magic. And how to read,” Thorax added, bitterly.

Celestia was starting to suffer a panic attack, and calmed herself with the breathing exercises she had taught Cadance. This was getting worse and worse. But she decided to ask Thorax the question she had been pondering all evening.

“One last question, Thorax. Please bear with me. Can you tell me how Princess Nightmare is taking to her surroundings? Is she…happy? Happy with Chrysalis?”

Thorax gave Celestia a pitying look. In spite of her growing horror, Celestia found herself taking a strong liking to Thorax. He seemed to intuit exactly what Celestia was thinking but not saying. Due to having to serve under Chrysalis, no doubt; her violent mood swings were legendary.

“I-I think she loves her. She calls The Queen “Mommy,” and sounds happy to call her that.”

Celestia shut her eyes, and held them shut for a long moment. When she opened them, she said,

“Thank you for telling me these things, Thorax. I have nothing else left to ask you.”

Thorax bowed his head. “I understand. I will leave in the morning.”

Celestia raised a brow, confused. “Leave? Whatever for?”

“Because of that guard! I mean, I did…I helped…I…”

Celestia laid a wing on his shoulder.

“You mean, what Chrysalis forced you to do. All that is going into the official report is that the guard in question was murdered by Chrysalis. I don’t need to tell you that this is not the first time I have had to record that. I have an entire filing cabinet dedicated to her criminal record.”

“You mean you aren’t mad?” asked Thorax incredulously.

“Not with you,” said Celestia darkly. “Chrysalis ordered that butchery, and so I lay the blame on her. You have done no true wrong in my eyes.”

Thorax’s eyes filled with tears again. Celestia smiled at him.

“I am glad to have you amongst us, Thorax. I really am. I know that you have not led an easy life, and I know that choosing to leave your Hive behind was a difficult choice. But I am happy that you came to us, and I hope that one day, the rest of your people will learn to share love as well.”

Thorax sobbed, and Celestia pulled the changeling into an embrace with her wings. He cried for a long while.

Finally, his crying began to subside, and Celestia let go of him.

“I think I should like to talk with you in the morning…about more pleasant topics than what we discussed tonight.”

Thorax sniffed but smiled broadly. “I—I think I’d like that!”

Celestia smiled warmly. “Very well, then. I shall see you at breakfast. Have a good night, Thorax. I think you will enjoy your stay among ponies.”

“Thank you!”

And on this happier note, Celestia left the room.

Princess Celestia went into the guest suite she shared with Luna. She was waiting.

“They killed him, didn’t they?”

Celestia nodded grimly. “Yes. Chrysalis killed him herself.” She added, casually: “And then she had Thorax bake his body into a pie for her.”

Luna gasped. “What? That’s insane! No wonder Thorax fled from her!”

“He’s terrified of her,” agreed Celestia. She made her away across the room and seated herself at the writing desk. She tried to light a candle several times—her magic was flickering—and shakily picked up a goose feather, the tip of which she formed into a nib. “He speaks as though he expects her to slay him in the night for his perceived betrayal.”

“That is awful, Sister!” Luna shouted angrily. “How could she be cruel to one of her own subjects?”

“She realized he was not a soldier.”

“That is no reason to abuse him so!”

“I quite agree,” Celestia replied. “Prince Shining was absolutely right: it is a terrible thing for any subject to live in fear of their ruler. I have always dreaded the notion that any of our little ponies might feel the same about us.”

“Indeed,” said Luna. “I saw how he talked about Chrysalis at dinner. He acted like she was some sort of god who would smite him for daring to talk out of turn. I pity her subjects. And this new alicorn filly.”

Celestia felt her stomach drop. She was still recovering from the shock. Nightmare Moon hunted for meat! Celestia could understand the Changelings eating meat, they were predators after all. Its why they had fangs. But Nightmare Moon was a pony! Ponies were not supposed to eat meat! The very notion of carnivory made ponies feel ill. Even eating eggs was considered controversial. It was why the old Nightmare Night fable was spooky. Celestia had never cared for Nightmare Night that much—too many unpleasant memories. And besides, the real Nightmare Moon had never been as unpleasant as the one depicted in the stories. She was baffled how the foal-eater absurdity became a part of the lore.

It had taken the Changeling Queen no time at all to weaponize the filly she had found. The first thing Chrysalis did with the little filly she found tangled up in a thorn bush was to feed her pony meat. Celestia could see at once what Chrysalis was up to: she was getting the filly accustomed to killing, and did so by encouraging her to see other animals as food. Celestia had noted that the animals Thorax had mentioned were growing in complexity. First, small woodland animals, reptiles, and amphibians; then, larger prey, like wild pigs. Celestia knew Chrysalis: she’d be teaching Nightmare Moon to hunt goats and sheep soon, and then move on up animals like cows and deer.

Finally, Nightmare Moon would be taught to go after the most interesting game of all: pony.

The thought of this horrified Celestia so much, that she found it impossible to even articulate it. She was silent for a long moment.

“I know, Luna,” said Celestia at last. “I feel sorry for her too.” Please, she thought desperately. Ask me if she had the pie. I want to tell you, but I can’t bear to even suggest it. Its horror beyond horrors. Ask me!

But Luna mistook her silence.

“This is upsetting you, isn’t it, Sister?” said Luna sympathetically. “The thought of all the horrible things Chrysalis is doing to that child upsets me as well.”

She walked up to Celestia and embraced her. Celestia embraced her back.

“You know, it’s funny,” said Luna, when they had parted. “I should be a lot more upset that Nightmare Moon is back. But when Thorax changed into her and I saw her little face, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. It’s like I wanted to reach out and save her, tell her everything was going to be alright, that the mean old Changeling Queen will not hurt her anymore.” She giggled. “I think Princess Twilight felt the exact same way!”

And if you knew what she ate? Celestia thought. Would you be as willing to help her, if you knew? Either of you?

But Celestia smiled and nodded. “Yes, I know exactly what you mean.”

Luna beamed. “I knew you would understand, Sister! Fear not! I thought about what you said earlier, and I believe you are right. Chrysalis is such an impatient creature; I have no doubt she will make a mistake soon. If we are fortunate, perhaps we shall be able to use that error to rescue that child from her vile clutches!”

“We can only hope, Sister.”

Luna glanced at the clock. “I think most ponies are asleep now. I shall go about my duties. Will you be going to bed soon?”

“No, I have a few letters I need to write.”

“Very well, then. Until the morrow, dear Sister!”

Luna left the room, the door closing behind her. Celestia hung her head, ashamed. Chrysalis was teaching Nightmare Moon to hunt and eat meat. That was such a simple thing to say! But Celestia could not say it. And Luna had named the reason. Celestia had seen that sweet little face, and had felt the same as Luna. The idea of that sweet, little face, with the big eyes like a kitten, butchering up helpless animals and eating their flesh made her stomach curdle.

How? How could Queen Chrysalis take in a child and pose as her mother, all the while manipulating her into becoming a weapon? If Thorax was to be believed, the child had come to love Chrysalis. Celestia knew there was no way Chrysalis saw her as anything more than a useful pawn.

But the child called her “Mommy.”

More than anything, she wanted to rescue the filly. She might be Nightmare Moon re-born, and a flesh-eater at that, but she was still just a child in a very bad environment.

But Luna had been right about one other thing. There were other ponies who needed to be helped. Celestia could do nothing for little Nightmare Moon right now. So, she would have to focus on the ponies she could help.

Celestia dipped her pen into the inkwell. She had a widow with two foals to write to.

Chapter Three

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Chapter Three

“Good morning, Spike.”

Spike looked up from the stove. “Good morning, Twilight,” he said, flipping a pancake. “You’re up later than usual.”

“I was up late reading,” explained Twilight Sparkle, taking a seat at the table. It was a simple oval table, made from good, sturdy wood. Whenever her friends visited, they would take meals together in the ornate dining hall of the Castle of Friendship. But when it was only herself, Spike, and Starlight, breakfast took place in a cozy kitchenette.

This room was not as ostentatious as the main kitchen. It was smaller, with lavender crystal counters spanning the whole length of one side, and cabinets spanning another. The counter sat beneath tall, narrow windows; these were closed, so as to keep out the cold. There was also a great fireplace, near which the table had been set. Twilight had seated herself closest to the fire, basking in its warmth. Castle Friendship maintained room temperature throughout the year, but nothing was better than a hot fire on a cold morning in January.

Twilight sniffed the air graciously.

“Smells pretty good, Spike. But I don’t think that’s your usual recipe?”

Spike sighed and held up an empty bag of white flour, a small hole visible in the bottom.

“The mice again. This is the third time this week! I had to use hayseed flour for the pancakes. I hope that’s okay with you?”

“It’s fine. But I’m going to have to talk to Fluttershy about this. Maybe she can talk them into leaving.”

“Yeah, like that ever works,” said Spike, rolling his eyes. He stacked five pancakes onto a plate. “Berries and cream?”

“Sure. Add some syrup, please?”

“You got it.” Spike opened a cabinet and pulled down a tall glass bottle of maple syrup. He continued ranting as he unstopped the cork. “I mean, it’s ridiculous! A magical castle gifted to us by the Tree of Harmony itself, and we have mice?”

Twilight smiled. “Little creatures can get into almost anyplace. We have several repel charms in effect, and I still find the occasional roach.”

“Yeah, well, it’s really annoying,” Spike grumbled. He came over to the table and set the warm, syrup-soaked pancakes before Twilight. Spike prepared a stack for himself, coating it with gems as well as syrup. He joined Twilight at the table.

“You didn’t make any pancakes for Starlight,” Twilight observed. “Has she left already?”

“Yup. Trixie picked her up early. Said she needed to get to the hamlet of Shake’s Spear to set up for her performance today.”

“I see,” said Twilight evenly. She did not get on very well with Trixie; Twilight considered the show-pony terribly obnoxious. Yet Starlight had bonded with her almost instantly. Twilight had come to accept the friendship between the show-pony and her pupil, but she wished her student would find a friend who was not so egotistical. One whom she could present to Princess Celestia as a sign that Twilight’s teachings were taking effect. “Well, it’s nice to see Starlight putting herself out there again.”

“Yeah,” said Spike. “Here’s hoping she doesn’t freak out again like last time.”

Several months before, Starlight’s old village invited her to celebrate a festival with them. Starlight had been reluctant to go, but finally went with Trixie coming along to provide moral support. The trip was a disaster. When Starlight arrived, she discovered that the ponies of the village wanted her to help plan some of the festivities. The idea of taking on any sort of leadership position terrified Starlight so much, that she fled the village and came right back to Ponyville. Twilight had done her best to comfort her, but Starlight had not gone on any trips since then.

“It won’t be this time,” replied Twilight. “I know Starlight can handle it. She has made a lot of progress since her trip to her old village. In fact,” she added brightly. “I’m almost ready to graduate her!”

Spike paused, a bit of pancake hanging off his fork. “Really? Do you think she’s ready?”

Twilight frowned. “I think so. She may need one last test before she’s ready.”

“What kind of test?”

“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to think of something.”

Spike shrugged and resumed eating. “You’ll figure something out, Twilight. It’s what you’re best at!”

“Thanks, Spike.” Twilight tried her pancakes. Her face lit up at once. “You know, these hayseed pancakes aren’t bad at all!”

“Cool. I’ll see about logging that one later. What do you want to call them?”

But before Twilight could answer, there was a knock upon the great door of the castle.

“Now who could that be?” wondered Twilight.

“I have no idea,” Spike replied. “I wasn’t expecting any-pony.”

“Perhaps it’s Starlight. Maybe she forgot something—or had another problem.”

Twilight and Spike stood up and made their way out of the kitchen, down the great lavender-crystal corridors, and into the foyer. Spike opened the door.

On the steps stood three of Twilight’s closest friends: Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. All three looked very disheveled.

“What happened to you all?” asked Twilight, alarmed.

Applejack, an orange Earth pony with a blonde mane and a cutie mark consisting of three red apples, stepped forward. She lowered her Stetson over her eyes.

“Twilight, you gotta help us!” Applejack said, in a deep, rural voice. “Somethin’ mighty big just happened, and we gotta talk!”

“Big?” Twilight repeated. “What happened?”

“There’s no time to explain!” cried Rainbow Dash, in a loud, raspy voice. Dash, as her friends called her, was a light blue Pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane and a thundercloud cutie mark. “We gotta get inside and strategize, stat!”

“But what’s going on?” Twilight asked. She was beginning to feel a little scared.

“We can’t tell you out here, darling,” said Rarity, in her posh accent. She was a white unicorn with a coiffured violet mane and a cutie mark consisting of three diamond-shaped gems. “It might cause a panic,” she whispered conspiratorially.

Twilight looked around. Several ponies were starting to look curiously in their direction. It was also very cold. Twilight wondered why her friends were not wearing any winter clothes.

“All right,” said Twilight. “Let’s go to the map room.”

“Right you are, Sugarcube,” said Applejack. “Lead the way!”

Twilight turned and trotted down to the map room, Spike following close behind her. Neither of them noticed the smug grins her friends exchanged with each other, or the green lights that flashed across their eyes.

They followed Twilight down the corridors and into the map room. This room contained a great table, upon which sat a three-dimensional map of Equestria and many surrounding lands. Around this table sat six stone thrones. On the heads of these thrones were engraved the Cutie Marks of Twilight and her friends. Overhead hung the roots of a great oak tree—the roots of the Golden Oak Library, which had been destroyed in a battle against the centaur Lord Tirek, the magic-devourer.

Twilight seated herself on her throne and faced her friends. They remained standing, looking curiously around the room as though they had never seen it before.

“Okay, what’s the situation?” asked Twilight. She looked at Applejack expectantly.

“It’s the Changelings!” said Applejack. “They’ve overrun my farm!”

Twilight gasped. “The Changelings? They’re back?”

“Yup, that’s the truth! I was out in the orchards tendin’ my apple trees, because I love apples o so much…”

Spike raised a brow. “Yeah, we know you do.”

“Anyhoo,” continued Applejack. “I was out tendin’ to my orchard, and Rainbow Dash and Rarity was helpin’ me out.”

“Helping you?” inquired Twilight. “How? It’s the middle of winter!”

“And this early in the morning?” asked Spike. “Dash, don’t you normally get up way later than this?”

Dash stiffened. “Uh, usually? But Applejack needed me because…because…”

“Because I needed you to move some snow clouds,” growled Applejack.

“O, yeah! That’s why I was there! I can do that! Because I’m a completely real Pegasus!” said Dash brightly.

Applejack face-hoofed. “They was helpin’ me bundle up my apple trees so they’d stay warm,” she explained irritably. “Don’t want no frost killin’ my trees, now do we?”

“No, of course not,” replied Twilight. She turned to Rarity. “But why were you there?”

“Me?” asked Rarity, startled. “O, right. I was there to, like, make sure the wrappings were fashionable. It simply would not do for all those trees to wear autumn colors, because…those are so last season?” She smiled winningly. “Darling?”

Spike shrugged. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”

Twilight nodded, but she felt uneasy. “Right, so you were all on Applejack’s farm. And then Changelings just…appeared?”

Applejack nodded. “Yup, right out o’ nowhere! One moment, everything was just peachy; the next, we were surrounded by Changelings! And you won’t believe who was leadin’ them: Queen Chrysalis!”

Twilight’s eyes rounded. “Chrysalis was there?”

“Queen Chrysalis, sure ‘nough,” said Applejack.

Spike swallowed. “That’s awful! Was…was Nightmare Moon with her?”

Applejack stiffened. Rarity and Rainbow Dash suddenly looked anxious.

“I should think not,” snapped Applejack. “Why would any-pony bring a child to an invasion?”

“Whoa!” said Spike, holding his hands up defensively. “No need to be so harsh, Applejack! I was just asking.”

“Very well,” replied Applejack, calming down. “I reckon I’m just feelin’ mighty stressed about this whole invasion thing. Seems mighty fishy, you know?”

Twilight nodded and looked down at the table, perplexed. Why had the Changelings started their invasion with Sweet Apple Acres? Twilight could see no strategic advantage in taking over a farm. The back of Twilight’s neck prickled. Something felt off. Her friends were acting…odd. Had Queen Chrysalis done something to them? Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity were talking about invading Changelings. Something about this scenario seemed very familiar…

“I don’t understand,” said Twilight, frowning. “You said you were surrounded. How did you escape?”

“They didn’t,” said Applejack. But that was not Applejack’s voice. Instead of her folksy accent, Twilight heard a low, smooth voice. A dark voice she knew better than she wished.

Twilight looked up. Applejack was gone, and in her place stood Queen Chrysalis.

“You!” exclaimed Twilight. She lit her horn. But Chrysalis spat green ooze onto Twilight’s horn before she could activate a single spell. “Rarity” and “Rainbow Dash” dispensed with their disguises, and promptly spat ooze onto Twilight’s wings and body, gluing her to the throne.

“Twilight!” shouted Spike. He charged Chrysalis from the side. She caught him full in the face with the back of her hoof, without sparing him a single glance. He flew across the room, hit the wall, and fell to the floor. He did not get back up.

“Spike!” shrieked Twilight. Chrysalis shot more ooze onto Twilight’s mouth, sealing it shut. All Twilight could do now was glare as Chrysalis loomed overhead, refusing to let on how frightened she actually was. If Chrysalis wanted to see Twilight tremble, she was going to be disappointed. But she looked amused instead.

She raised her hoof and grinned. “Light’s out, little Twilight.” Queen Chrysalis slammed her hoof down on Twilight’s head, and everything went black.

Twilight did not know how long she had been out, but she sensed a long time had passed. She was floating in a warm, thick liquid. She should have been alarmed by this, but instead she felt strangely tranquil. She felt like going back to sleep. But Twilight knew something was very wrong, and she needed to know what. She opened her eyes.

Green. Twilight was floating in green fluid. It was in her nose, in her mouth, and even in her lungs—yet she was not drowning. She was enveloped in the liquid by a semitransparent green membrane, wrapped so tightly around her that she could not move any of her limbs. Groggily, Twilight reached out with her magic, but felt nothing. She realized it was being suppressed somehow.

Twilight looked around. This was difficult, as the green fluid was warm and viscous. It took effort merely to keep her eyes open. The first thing she understood was that she was upside-down. The second was that she was in a cocoon, and, looking through its semitransparent walls, she saw other cocoons as well.

The third was that her friends were inside them.

Not just her friends. Twilight could see Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Flurry Heart cocooned as well. And Princess Luna. And Princess Celestia.

They were in deep trouble. And as she sluggishly recalled the events proceeding her imprisonment, she knew exactly whom was responsible for all of this.

Twilight looked down (or from her perspective, up). Below was an atrium, the centerpiece being a wide dais upon which sat a large throne. Like a distant dream, Twilight remembered talking with the changeling Thorax. He had mentioned a throne that had the ability to nullify magic. And if that throne was down there, then that meant that Twilight and her friends were captives in the Changeling Hive itself!

Twilight lowered her head. Even if some-pony knew where to look, there was no way they could infiltrate without magic. Even Discord, who had become their friend, would find his chaos magic blocked. They were truly trapped.

She felt sudden pressure on the cocoon, as though something heavy had landed on it. Twilight looked over and found herself staring into a pair of green serpentine eyes. The owner of those eyes grinned triumphantly, her sharp fangs gleaming in the dim light. Queen Chrysalis spoke, but Twilight could not hear what she was saying, given that her ears were filled with the green viscous liquid. It was just as well—Twilight did not want to hear Chrysalis gloat.

The Changeling Queen opened her mouth. Twilight felt the love for her friends and family drain off as pink energy, and enter the mouth of Queen Chrysalis. She then cut off the energy, closed her mouth, and swallowed. Chrysalis smirked, licking her lips with her long, forked tongue. She said something else. Twilight was able to lip-read “That was delicious,” but she could not make out the rest. Then Chrysalis flew to the cocoon containing Princess Celestia, and repeated the process.

Twilight looked away, her head aching. Chrysalis had not absorbed much of Twilight’s love, but the little she had taken had felt excruciating to lose. Twilight felt hollow, as though she had lost part of her soul. What love Chrysalis had taken was replaced by despair, as Twilight accepted the reality of her situation. Chrysalis had won. She had taken all of Equestria’s alicorns, Twilight’s friends, Shining Armor, and even poor Spike. They were all cocooned upside-down in the fortress of the Changeling Hive, their magic nullified. Twilight tried to think how they could escape, but she found thinking difficult. The gel dulled her senses.

For once, some-pony was going to have to rescue them. Perhaps Starlight? Twilight did not see her cocooned with the others. But what could Starlight accomplish? Even if she were able to find them, how could she hope to win? Queen Chrysalis was a powerful, vicious war-pony. She was backed by a Hive full of scary Changelings, who were also tough fighters. And all this was before taking into account their innate ability to transform!

The heavy green fluid became too much. Twilight closed her eyes and did not try to open them again. She embraced the closing darkness willingly…

Twilight woke up. She was aware of a great deal of activity around her.

She looked below her and saw numerous drones frantically flying in and out through yawning tunnels in the walls. She spotted Queen Chrysalis standing on Princess Celestia’s cocoon, gesturing wildly and shouting orders. Twilight could not hear what she was saying, but she could feel the air vibrations from Chrysalis’ powerful voice.

Twilight did not understand what was happening. Perhaps Chrysalis was getting ready to drain them? Knowing her vanity, she was likely to make a show out of it. She was going to drain alicorns, after all.

The fluid weighed down on Twilight, and she closed her eyes again. She wondered if there were something in the fluid that acted as a kind of tranquilizer, she kept nodding off…

More time passed. Twilight awoke again and saw that the Atrium had cleared. But she could still sense Chrysalis lurking among the cocoons; her dark, powerful presence was inescapable. But Twilight sensed some-pony else enter the Atrium. Queen Chrysalis spoke, her smooth, dark voice filling the chamber. Even with her ears filled with fluid, Twilight could understand her words:

“Well, well. A little pony, all by herself. However shall I stop this daring rescue?”

Twilight’s mind was sluggish. A long moment elapsed before she registered what Chrysalis had just said. Rescue? Some-pony had come to rescue them? She looked to the floor below her. The room was filled with drones, some of whom stood circled around a single drone with teal fins. Queen Chrysalis herself was on the ground, prowling among the alcoves. She was hunting.

Twilight shut her eyes again. She did not want to see what Chrysalis would do to whomever had come to the rescue. But she could sense a struggle happening. She hoped whomever had come to save them would not suffer too much at the Queen’s hooves.

There was a flash of light. That was probably Chrysalis draining her latest victim…

And then there was a brighter flash of light, followed by a tremendous shockwave. Twilight tried to open her eyes to see what was happening, but the green fluid had sealed her eyes shut.

Even more flashing happened. And then there was a great tremor, and Twilight felt herself falling through space. She had no time to register this change before she hit the ground and her cocoon burst open.

Twilight Sparkle lay on a stone floor. The cold air made her shiver. She was covered in green ooze—the green fluid had congealed upon exposure to air—and felt disoriented. Around her, she could hear her friends moaning as they disentangled themselves from their cocoons. She heard Discord the draconequus call anxiously for Fluttershy, and she heard his joy when Fluttershy answered him. She also heard the buzzing of countless wings.

A pink hoof helped Twilight to her feet.

“Starlight?” asked Twilight blearily. She looked around. The Atrium was gone; now she was standing outside in the middle of a plateau, surrounded by ruins. Her friends and family were covered in slime, but none the worse for wear.

But what grabbed Twilight’s attention were the dozens of beautiful insect ponies hovering above them. Their bodies were in every color of the rainbow, with lovely compound eyes like gems, and a collar of crystals around their throats. They were the size of ponies, save for one that stood before her. This creature was taller, with a lemon-colored carapace, tangerine antlers, and a lime midsection. Its wings and tail were a semi-transparent violet.

“What happened?” Twilight asked.

Starlight stiffened awkwardly. “We defeated the Changelings—with no magic at all! …They found a new leader…and they’re all kinda good now?” Starlight smiled anxiously. She sounded like even she did not quite believe what she had said.

The tall changeling came up behind Starlight and nodded. Twilight suddenly recognized him: Thorax!

Princess Luna stepped forward. “Well done, Starlight Glimmer!” she said proudly. “It seems as though you learned a great deal since we last spoke—”

She was cut off by the sound of falling rubble. Every-pony turned and saw two very large oblong boulders, close to a sort of cliff, explode. Twilight’s heart skipped a beat as the furious form of Queen Chrysalis emerged from the rubble. She most definitely had not reformed. She hissed furiously at them, her horn glowing green.

Twilight spread her wings and powered her own horn. Her friends readied to fight. Spike put up his fists. Shining Armor stood ready to charge. The Sisters, Princess Cadance, and Discord took on defensive positions. Even Flurry Heart angrily readied her tiny horn. Thorax lit his antlers. And the reformed Changelings glowered at their old Queen.

Chrysalis froze upon seeing this great opposition. She un-lit her horn and looked away. She fumbled around the debris for a bit before pulling out her tiara. It was covered in dust and missing a nodule.

Twilight steeled herself. What were they going to do with her? But before Twilight could say anything, Starlight approached Chrysalis.

“When Twilight and her friends defeated me, I chose to run away and seek revenge,” she began. “You don’t have to! You can be the leader your subjects deserve!” She held out her hoof.

And for a moment, something about Chrysalis seemed to change. The fury passed, and something like vulnerability came into her eyes. She looked away from Starlight, towards Twilight and her friends. Twilight’s anger at Chrysalis mixed with hope. Was this it? Was Chrysalis going to become another former villain turned friend?

Chrysalis’ gaze fell on something behind Twilight. Her eyes widened and her body tensed before she turned her attention back to Starlight. She extended her hoof toward Starlight’s outstretched one, and for a moment, Twilight was sure she would take it. Suddenly, Starlight gasped as Chrysalis pinned her hoof to the ground. She brought her gaunt face close to Starlight’s.

“How dare you invade my Hive, corrupt my subjects, and then offer me my own throne!” fumed Chrysalis. “There is no revenge that you could ever conceive of that will come close to what I will exact upon you one day! All of you!” Her eyes danced madly as she turned her hateful face to the other ponies. “I’ll cut your throats and drink your blood!”

Twilight gasped. She had never heard any-pony make such a violent threat before.

Chrysalis was not finished. She glowered furiously at Thorax. “And I’ll be back for you too, grub! I’ll have your head for this!”

Princess Celestia slammed her hoof down. “That’s quite enough! Have it your way, then!”

“Let’s get her!” roared Shining Armor.

Every-pony charged. But Chrysalis hoisted Starlight up with one hoof and tossed her into them, and they stumbled while Chrysalis cartwheeled off the cliff and took flight. By the time Twilight and her friends untangled themselves, Chrysalis was well out of range, a black dot disappearing into the horizon.

And just like that, it was over. Every-pony breathed a sigh of relief. Twilight was glad they did not have to fight Chrysalis; her time in the cocoon had left Twilight feeling a little languid. But she had enough clarity to wrap a hoof around Starlight’s shoulders and smile encouragingly. Starlight was obviously shaken, but brightened after seeing her mentor’s face. Twilight was very proud of her student, and Starlight knew it.

Princess Celestia approached Thorax.

“Thorax, as the new leader of the Changelings, I look forward to discussing how we can improve our relationship in the future. However,” she added, turning to Twilight, “For the moment, perhaps it is best that we leave…”

Princess Celestia trailed off. Her eyes widened as she stared incredulously at something behind Twilight. Twilight turned around.

Standing before them was a little dark alicorn filly, with a violet mane and large cyan cat-slit eyes. She wore a silver peytral with a piece of chatoyant black wood set as a gem, and her slender body was surprisingly toned for a filly of her apparent age. Her eyes were very wide, the pupils shrunk to thin slits, and she was shaking very hard.

“That’s her,” whispered Starlight, awed. “Nightmare Moon.”

Twilight nodded, captivated. Although she had seen Thorax change into this filly four moons prior, it did not compare with the reality.

Every-pony else noticed the filly. There were gasps of surprise, especially from Trixie (what was she doing here?) and Discord. Trixie’s eyes shrank to tiny pinpricks. She pointed stupidly at the filly and sputtered a succession of sounds that failed to become words. Discord’s jaw literally hit the ground. He popped out his manic yellow eyes, rubbed them several times on his scarf, and then stuck them back into their sockets.

For a moment, it felt as though they were frozen in time. Then, Princess Celestia cautiously approached the filly. Nightmare Moon looked away and stared straight at the ground. She stiffened as Princess Celestia knelt down beside her.

“Hello, little one,” she said warmly. “I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”

The filly made no reply. She did not seem to hear Princess Celestia at all.

A voice hissed into Twilight’s ear: “Who is that?” It was Trixie.

“Her?” replied Twilight nervously. “Well, that…that’s kind of a long story.”

“O ho, I think I should like to hear this one!” said Discord. He was a dragonequus, a curious creature that had a long body like a snake and limbs from numerous other creatures. His face reminded Twilight of a goat. “Has little Twilight kept a little secret from us little folk?” Discord made himself smaller each time he said “little,” until he was the size of a parasprite.

“It was kind of a need-to-know sort of thing,” said Starlight. “If you’ll step over here, I’ll try to explain.”

“Yeah, please?” squeaked Trixie, eyeing Nightmare Moon nervously. The three stepped aside, and Twilight turned her attention back to Princess Celestia and the filly.

“I know this is all very sudden,” Princess Celestia was saying. “A lot of big changes are going to happen. But I don’t want you to worry! I promise everything is going to be alright.”

Princess Celestia draped a wing over the filly. She stiffened as the wing touched her. Twilight felt a pang of pity wring her heart. Poor filly, not able to respond properly to Princess Celestia! Chrysalis must have traumatized her!

Applejack—the real one--came up behind Twilight. “That’s her, huh?” she asked. “She’s sure littler than I was expectin’.”

“Little?” exclaimed Dash. “Look at those muscles! Twilight, you didn’t tell me she was so jacked!”

“But she’s so young!” exclaimed Rarity. “She looks younger than Sweetie Belle!”

Twilight took stock of the filly. Nightmare Moon was indeed very young; she looked hardly older than five, perhaps six. But, as Dash had pointed out, she also displayed a surprising amount of muscle tone for a filly her age. Just how hard was life in the Hive?

“She looks so scared!” said Fluttershy, a skittish pale-yellow Pegasus with a light rose-colored mane. Her cutie mark consisted of several butterflies, with wings the same color as her mane. “Poor thing! Is she going to be okay?”

“I don’t know, Fluttershy,” replied Twilight. “She looks really shaken.”

“Well, who can blame her?” interjected Rarity. “I can’t imagine how awful her imprisonment by Chrysalis was. The poor little dear!”

“Well, she’s free now,” said Princess Cadance, Flurry Heart in hoof. “But what are we going to do with her?”

Princess Celestia looked up. “I’m not certain. Perhaps we should ask the Changelings what they think?”

The Changelings became very anxious all of a sudden. None of them spoke. Gradually, every-ling began to look to Thorax, as though expecting him to tell them what to do. Understanding this, Thorax—King Thorax! —stepped forward.

“Perhaps Princess Nightmare should go with you?” he suggested. Despite his change in stature, he sounded the same. He was nervous, unused to giving instructions rather than receiving them. “I mean, she is an alicorn. It makes sense she should be with her own tribe, right?”

“Yes,” replied Princess Celestia. “Yes, I think that would be the best course of action.” Neither she nor any-pony else noticed the brief scowl that flew across Nightmare Moon’s face. “But we need to discuss where she will be going.”

Twilight tilted her head, confused. “We do? Don’t you want to take her in?”

“I’m not so sure that would be a good idea, Twilight,” Princess Celestia said carefully. “I have a very busy schedule. I don’t believe I will be able to provide her with the kind of close attention she will no doubt require.”

“Well, what about you, Princess Luna?” Twilight asked, turning to the blue alicorn behind her. “She did technically come from you. Perhaps you could take her in?”

She stopped. Princess Luna had frozen; she stared dazedly at the little filly. Twilight wondered if she had even heard her.

“Okay, maybe not,” said Twilight, exchanging a worried glance with Princess Celestia.

“I was afraid of this,” sighed Princess Celestia. “We can’t take her in, Twilight. Our history with the original Nightmare Moon will cast a pallor over us should we try to raise her. That would prove disastrous for her as well as ourselves.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” said Starlight, re-joining them. She had finished talking with Discord and Trixie, who were now listening to the conversation the princesses were having. Discord seemed particularly interested. “How about Princess Cadance? She already has an alicorn foal, and she foal-sat before that! She’d know how to take care of Nightmare, right?”

Princess Cadance considered this, bobbing Flurry Heart up and down in her hooves. “I guess. But Flurry Heart takes up a lot of our time, and that’s on top of running the Crystal Empire. I don’t think we could dedicate a lot of time to her.” She turned to her husband. “What do you think, Shiny?”

Shining Armor studied the filly. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said at last. “In fact, I think it would be best if we placed her under observation.”

“Observation?” Princess Cadance repeated, frowning. “Shining, she’s a foal.”

“A foal Nightmare Moon,” Shining argued. “Who has spent the last twenty-two moons with Queen Chrysalis.” His gaze became hard. “We need to be sure she isn’t dangerous before we decide what to do with her!”

“Shining Armor, I can’t believe you!” scolded Princess Cadance. “We just freed that filly from Chrysalis, and now you want to put her inside another prison? What is wrong with you?”

Shining faltered. “I didn’t mean it like that! But you remember what Flurry Heart was like before we got her magic under control! I can only imagine what kind of harm Nightmare Moon can do after spending nearly two years with Chrysalis!”

Princess Celestia spoke up.

“I understand your concerns, Prince Shining. However, I do think your family would be the best place to send her. She is an alicorn, so she is a princess according to Equestrian tradition. As such, I quite agree with Thorax—this filly would be best fostered among ponies of her own tribe.” She nodded at Princess Cadance. “Princess Cadance is an alicorn, and so too is your daughter. Don’t you think it would be best if Nightmare Moon were raised around other two alicorns, who could set an example for her to follow?”

Shining Armor was unconvinced.

“I get it, your Highness, I really do! But we don’t know a lot about her! She might be dangerous, and I don’t want to risk my daughter’s safety. Besides,” he added. “I’m not sure how the Crystal Ponies would react to that creat—pony. After Sombra, I think they’d be suspicious of a dark-colored pony with weird eyes!”

“O, how indeed!” laughed Discord, coming up suddenly behind Shining Armor. “Funny how you know what they’ll think!” He pressed his grinning face closer to Shining’s. “Is it really the Crystal Ponies you’re speaking for? Or some-pony else?”

Shining Armor bit his lower lip, avoiding Discord’s eyes. Twilight felt disappointed in her brother. Little Nightmare Moon needed their help, but Shining Armor was treating her with mistrust and resentment? What sort of impression would that make? She glanced around at the Changelings around her. They no longer looked cheerful; a few of them even looked a little offended. Thorax was frowning. And from the tunnels, more drones were coming up, many of them still un-Reformed. Twilight was not a politically savvy pony, but even she realized that this was not a good look.

Twilight turned her attention back to the filly. She was a dead ringer for the original Nightmare Moon, there was no denying that. But she had not done anything wrong as far as Twilight could see. She looked helpless and sad, staring at the ground and shivering in the cold January air. It made Twilight want to give her a hug.

But Thorax was right: this filly should be fostered by an alicorn. Cadance would be a good choice, but Shining’s behavior removed her from the list of eligible candidates. And since the Sisters could not take her in either, Twilight’s course became very clear.

“I’ll take her in.”

Every-pony looked at Twilight incredulously. “Are you sure, Twilight?” Princess Celestia asked. “Taking care of a filly is very difficult. And I have a hunch that this filly is more of a hoof-ful than she appears.”

“I’m sure,” replied Twilight confidently.

Her friends exchanged worried glances. Even Discord arched a brow.

“But is this really a good idea?” asked Starlight. “I mean, you’re you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight demanded.

Discord smirked. “She means you’ll have another of your famous freak outs!”

“What? No!” sputtered Twilight.

Princess Cadance grimaced. “Well, you have had moments with Flurry. Remember that time you foal-sat her? You were ready to tear your mane out by the time we came to pick her up!”

Twilight’s ears flattened, but she took a deep breath and strengthened her resolve. “I know this is a huge responsibility. And I know that I don’t always handle stress well…” Discord snorted. “But I know that with the help of my friends, we can overcome any challenge together. That is,” she added. “If you’ll help me?”

Twilight’s friends looked at each other briefly. Then they smiled.

“Well, shucks, Sugarcube,” said Applejack. “When ya’ put it like that, I reckon we can help ya’ out with her!”

“You can count on me!” said Dash. “This will be so cool! She has wings, so we can totally race! I bet she’s fast!”

“O, that poor dear looks so scared!” said Fluttershy. “I’ll do whatever I can to help!”

“She looks dreadfully grungy!” said Rarity. “We must have her cleaned up at once!”

“And I have to throw her a super-duper triple birthday party to make up for all the birthdays I missed!” squeaked Pinkie Pie, a hyper pink Earth pony with a fluffy, cerise-colored mane and a cutie mark of three balloons.

“Thank you,” said Twilight. “All of you!”

“This is a huge responsibility, Twilight,” said Princess Cadance. “Believe me, I know! But you have my support. If you have any questions or need any help, we’re only a dragon-letter away.”

Shining Armor stepped forward. “I can’t say I approve of Nightmare Moon staying with you,” he said sheepishly. “But if you’re really serious about this, then I’ve got your back. If any-pony can handle her, it’s you, Twily.”

Twilight turned to Princess Luna. “What about you?”

Princess Luna blinked. “Sorry, what?”

“Do you have any problem with this filly coming to live with me?”

Princess Luna seemed to come back to herself. Her voice regained its regal composure. “No, Twilight Sparkle. No problem. But my Sister and I shall check in as much as we can.”

Princess Celestia stood. “That settles it, then. We shall send Princess Nightmare Moon to stay with Princess Twilight in Ponyville.”

“Ponyville,” mused Thorax. “With all those forests surrounding it? Yes, I think she would like that. There’s more to offer her in Ponyville than in the Badlands.”

“Thank you,” said Twilight. “I shall do my best to take care of her properly.” She turned to the little filly. “Did you hear that?” Twilight asked, in the warmest voice she could muster. “You’re coming to live with me!”

The filly made no response. She stared at the ground and said nothing.

“So, she’s coming to stay with us,” said Starlight uneasily. “That’s…certainly going to be a change of pace!”

“Well, the more the merrier!” said Spike, with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

“O ho! Isn’t this going to be fun!” exclaimed Discord. “Imagine! Nightmare Moon, coming to live with Princess Twilight in the Castle of Friendship!”

“No, we’re not going to keep calling her “Nightmare Moon,”” said Twilight, frowning. “We should change it.”

“You’re going to change her name?” asked Thorax uneasily.

“Of course,” replied Twilight. ““Nightmare Moon” has too much of a stigma attached to it in Equestria. She needs a new name.”

“That’s sensible,” said Rarity. “What shall we call her then?”

Pinkie Pie raised an excitable hoof. “O, I know! I know! Black Snooty! No, that’s not nice at all, is it? O! O! How about “Black Beauty?” That’s way better than “Black Snooty”, right?”

Rarity face-hooved. “No, Pinkie, that is the absolutely most ridiculous name I’ve ever heard of! She’s an alicorn—a princess! She simply couldn’t show her face in public with a name like that! She needs a name more proper for her station, a name with class! A name that is unique and magnifique!”

“Like what?” asked Pinkie Pie, tilting her head.

“Perhaps Selena?” offered Princess Luna.

“That’s a pretty name, Aunty,” said Princess Cadance, as she cradled Flurry Heart in her forehooves. Flurry had noticed Nightmare Moon now, and looked unsure whether to be afraid of her or not.

“Selena?” mused Twilight. “I don’t know. That might be a little too fancy. Something simpler, perhaps.”

“Ooh, I have an idea!” Discord said, leaning in so that he and the filly were nearly nose to nose. “Why don’t we ask her what she wants to be called?”

The filly’s eyes widened. She shrank back from Discord.

“Discord!” scolded Fluttershy. She brushed past him and Princess Celestia, and placed a wing over the filly’s shoulder. “You’re scaring her! O, you poor thing,” she added soothingly. “It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared anymore!”

The filly did not reply. She went back to staring at the ground.

Twilight pondered a moment. “How about…Nyx?”

“Nyx?” Princess Cadance asked, smiling. “You mean, like the old stories? I remember reading those to you when you were small.”

“Yeah, figures you’d pick a name out of a book,” chuckled Dash. “Hey, sounds good to me! Its fast and, like, has an X in it! That makes it X-tremely awesome!”

“I suppose, if you think that works,” sighed Rarity. “O dear. I liked Selena better…”

“Nyx?” asked Thorax. “I think I’ve heard that name before…was that some-pony important?”

Princess Celestia smiled. “Nyx is a mare from pony folklore. She had a black coat and protected her village from fearsome monsters.”

Some of the Changelings exchanged knowing glances.

“I guess that works,” said one.

“Suits her,” said another.

“I guess that sounds alright,” said Thorax. He still sounded uncertain.

“I think it is a wonderful name,” said Princess Celestia. “Luna?”

Princess Luna nodded. “I have no objections.”

“Nyx it is then,” said Twilight. She smiled at her new ward. “How do you like your new name, Nyx?”

The newly-christened “Nyx” made no comment on her new name. But she was shaking, hard. Twilight suddenly realized how cold it was.

“O, you must be freezing!” exclaimed Twilight. “Thorax, does Nyx have a coat?”

“She does,” replied Thorax. “It’s probably in the Queen’s chambers—along with her other belongings.”

“Nyx has belongings?” Twilight asked incredulously. “Chrysalis gave her things?”

“Um, yeah? Not a lot of stuff, I guess. We—we don’t value things the way ponies do.”

“I guess we’re going to have to go and get it,” huffed Starlight.

“I don’t know if she would even want any of that, after all she has been through,” mused Twilight. She turned her attention back to Nyx. “Do you want to go and fetch your belongings?”

Nyx nodded slowly, without looking up from the floor.

Twilight turned to her friends. “We’re going to collect Nyx’s things and grab her coat.”

Princess Celestia suddenly looked anxious. “That sounds like a good idea,” she said quickly. “I think I shall accompany you…Chrysalis may have had her hooves on some dangerous artifacts. If so, I can help identify them. Luna? I need you to return to Canterlot. We need to assess the situation there.”

Princess Luna nodded. “Of course, Sister. Discord? Could you snap us home?”

“Puh-lease, Lu-Lu! Easier done than said! Any-pony else want to take the Discord express?” Discord suddenly wore a train conductors’ uniform, and sported a ridiculously large moustache. He checked a pocket watch, and then pulled Princess Luna’s tale, which caused her to make a sound like a steam-whistle. She pulled her tail out of Discord’s grip and glared at him.

“Us, please,” said Princess Cadance. “We need to return to the Crystal Empire before any-pony realizes we’re gone.”

“Gone?” repeated Thorax. “That reminds me…we should probably send a message to the drones posing as you…tell them to return to the Hive…”

A couple of reformed drones exchanged glances, and then flew down a nearby tunnel.

“Will you be alright here, Twily?” Shining asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Twilight replied, curtly. She still felt irritated with Shining for his earlier behavior.

Shining’s face fell. “Okay, then. Cadance and I will get things straightened out in the Crystal Empire. Then, we’ll come down to see how you and your new…charge are coming along.”

“Good idea. I’ll see you all in a couple of days.” Shining made his way over to his wife, who arched a brow and frowned at him as he approached her. Cadance was not happy with him either.

“So, we have four royals leaving to try and keep order in their houses,” Discord said. He yawned. “How droll. Any other takers?”

“Not me,” said Starlight. “I think I’ll go down with Princess Twilight to help Princess Night—Nyx pack.”

“I reckon we’ll come along, too,” said Applejack.

“Yeah, I want to see what kind of stuff Chrysalis was hiding!” exclaimed Dash. “I bet she has, like, super-secret treasure hidden in there!”

“I want to inspect this coat of Nyx’s,” sniffed Rarity. “I do hope it isn’t too drab looking.”

“I better come too,” said Spike. “In case we need to make an inventory or something.”

“You can count me out!” said Trixie. “Trixie has had more than enough excitement for one day! Trixie just wants to go home and recover from this terrible ordeal! I’m very delicate!” She leaned in close to Starlight. “You’ll be alright? Going down there with…her?” She pointed a hoof at Nyx.

“I’ll be fine, Trixie,” said Starlight, rolling her eyes and smiling. “Really. She’s only a little filly. She doesn’t go around gobbling ponies up, that’s just a story.”

None of the ponies noticed the uneasy glances the drones gave each other, or the worried look Princess Celestia exchanged with Thorax.

“Right, a little filly...who happens to be Nightmare Moon.” Her voice was very shrill. “You have fun with that! Just do me one favor: could you let Trixie know what kind of candy she likes?”

Starlight arched a brow. “And why do you need to know that?”

“No reason,” laughed Trixie nervously. “Just asking.”

Starlight rolled her eyes and smiled. “Alright, I’ll tell you when I find out.” Trixie nodded and trotted over to where the Crystal Royal Family and Princess Luna stood. Discord snapped his talons, and they were gone in a flash.

“Well, that was fun,” drawled Discord. “I guess now it’s time to go have a look at Queen Meanie’s private chambers. O look, little Nyx is already off!”

Twilight turned around. Nyx was prowling toward the same tunnel she had come in from. Twilight had not heard her leave.

“O, Nyx! Wait up!” Twilight hurried after her, her friends following in her wake.

They made their way inside the Hive. Twilight Sparkle was fascinated by all that she saw. She had seen many strange things in her lifetime, but the architecture of the Hive was totally alien to her. The walls were solid like stone, yet somehow organic at the same time. The entrances to the many tunnels opened and closed like yawning mouths, branching off into every conceivable direction. The Hive was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from strange glowing crystals embedded in the walls, ground, and ceiling. The fortress felt less like it had been built so much as grown. If geometry had been used to build this place, it was with a kind of geometry Twilight had never seen before.

The Hive was occupied by hundreds of Changeling drones, and most of them had not Reformed yet. They stood and watched curiously, not only on the ground, but also on the walls and ceilings. None of them made a move to stop them. Occasionally, Twilight spotted a Reformed drone speaking with some un-Reformed ones. Twilight guessed they were discussing the events of the Atrium. The un-Reformed drones seemed to be listening carefully. Many of them gave Thorax considerable interest.

Twilight turned her attention back to Nyx, her mind bursting with questions. The scientist in her found the filly’s unique attributes intriguing. Her cyan cat-slit eyes attracted the most attention. They glowed in the darkness, illuminating the way before her. No surprise there, but Twilight found herself puzzled by some of her other characteristics. Nyx moved silently and with a strange gait; she did not trot so much as creep, her shoulders rising at the withers every time she took a step. She walked one side at a time, left side, right side. It was not a pony-like walk; ponies walked with a diagonal gate, front left and back right, front right and back left. Twilight remembered her previous encounters with Nightmare Moon, and could not recall her ever moving in such fashion. Was this the result of living around Chrysalis? Having to creep around Chrysalis, lest Nyx set the Changeling Queen off?

But Nyx was not the only pony walking strangely.

“Starlight? Are you okay? You’re walking kind of weird.”

Starlight grimaced. “I’m fine. But my flank is sore from when Chrysalis bit my tail and threw me against the wall!”

“Gracious me! I did not realize Chrysalis had brutalized you so!” exclaimed Rarity, shocked.

“Are you going to be alright?” Fluttershy asked, concerned. “She also threw you at us before she flew away. That must have hurt a lot!”

Starlight nodded. “It did! But I’ll be fine.”

No-pony noticed Nyx smirk upon hearing this exchange. It was very brief, and when Twilight looked down at her, her expression had once more become blank.

The party soon found themselves in a more ornate corridor. Twilight could see a large door, which seemed entirely out of place compared to the rest of the Hive. In front of the doors stood a quartet of guards. Three of them were normal un-Reformed changelings. A fourth, wearing armor that Twilight had come to recognized as those of an officer, was a little larger, with purple fins and eyes.

They hissed at them, and then the purple-eyed drone stepped forward. “Who are you?” he growled, in a deep, harsh voice. He peered up at Thorax. “What are you?”

“It’s me, Pharynx,” said Thorax. “It’s Thorax.”

“Thorax?” said Pharynx, amazed. He looked his brother up and down. “What happened to you? What happened up there?” he added, pointing at the ceiling. “We heard an explosion, and then rubble fell. Where is The Queen? Is she alright?”

“Chrysalis is gone,” said Thorax. “I…I’m in charge now.”

Pharynx raised an eyebrow. “You? Don’t be ridiculous. You couldn’t lead yourself to water standing next to a lake, never mind the Hive!” He looked Thorax up and down. “You look like a moose wrestled a can of paint and lost. No Changeling with eyes would want to follow you! I am going to ask again, and this time I expect an answer: where is the Queen?”

“I…we chased her away.”

Pharynx and the other drones gasped.

“You…helped chase the Queen away?” Pharynx cried. “Thorax, what were you thinking? We need The Queen to protect the Hive!” He pointed at the ponies. “You helped them chase her away? You expect us to call you our new leader, after treason such as this?” He was shaking. “What about Princess Nightmare? Did you chase her away too?”

Nyx stepped forward. Pharynx gasped, and he and the other drones bowed reverently. Nyx did not acknowledge this, but instead strode toward the chamber door. The drones stepped aside, and one of them opened the door with his magic. Nyx disappeared inside, and the drone closed the door behind her. Twilight made to follow Nyx, but Pharynx blocked her path.

“And just where do you think you’re going?” he demanded.

“Inside to help Nyx,” explained Twilight. “We’re here to help her pack.”

“Nyx? Who in blazes is that?”

Twilight pointed towards the door. Pharynx’s eyes widened, but then he spread his wings defensively.

“Princess Nightmare isn’t going anywhere,” snarled Pharynx. “She’s our princess, and I have no intention of hoofing her over to the likes of you!”

Dash darted close to his face. “Just a moment, buster! Nyx is coming with us, and if you think you’re going to stop that, you’re—whoa!”

Pharynx grabbed Dash with his forehooves and slammed her into the ground. He held back her forehooves, and pinned her right wing to the ground.

Every-pony gasped. Dash was stupefied. “What?” she asked, dazed. “What just happened?”

“You Pegasus ponies are all alike,” sneered Pharynx. “You think because you control the weather, it makes you tough stuff! Then you act so lost when you get your flanks handed to you by true warriors!”

Princess Celestia was indignant. “Un-hoof Rainbow Dash at once!”

Pharynx’s lip curled. “Why don’t you come make me, your Highness? You’ll have to try harder than last night—they tell me you and your Sister were the easiest to take!”

Princess Celestia’s nostrils flared. Twilight was amazed. Did he understand whom he was speaking to?”

Thorax stepped forward. “Pharynx, would you let Rainbow Dash go? Please?”

“Please?” repeated Pharynx incredulously.

“Yes,” said Thorax. “The—the ponies aren’t our enemies anymore. And since Princess Nyx is an alicorn, I thought it would be best if she went to live among her own kind.”

Pharynx released Dash and marched right up to Thorax. “So, not only have you chased the Queen away from the Hive, you’re also hoofing Princess Nightmare over to the ponies? Are you insane?” He pointed at the door. “You do realize that she’s supposed to be in command now, right?”

Twilight blinked. Nyx was supposed to be in charge?

“Well, she isn’t old enough to rule any-pony right now,” countered Thorax. “She’s only a nymph—sorry, I mean filly. And since I have made this transformation, and learned to share love, it has been decided that I shall lead the Changelings from now on.”

Pharynx snorted. “You? A leader? Who decided that? What, you think because you had a few tea parties with the fancy princess ponies, you’re suddenly fit to run this entire Hive? You? The weak, cowardly traitor who ran away?”

Thorax flinched. Pharynx began to circle him.

“Did you honestly think we would forget? While you were off gorging yourself on love and teacakes, the rest of us went right on starving! And the Queen was furious! It’s a miracle she didn’t send a death squad after you! Want to know why I have guard duty? BECAUSE THE QUEEN WAS SUSPICIOUS OF ME AFTER YOU RAN AWAY!” Pharynx was shouting now. “AND IT WASN’T JUST HER! FOR FOUR MOONS, I HAD TO DEAL WITH EVERY-LING WHISPERING BEHIND MY BACK, TELLING EACH OTHER TO STAY AWAY FROM THE TRAITOR’S BROTHER!”

Pharynx pointed wildly at the ponies. “I AM ONE OF THE STRONGEST WARRIORS IN THE ENTIRE HIVE! I SHOULD HAVE GONE TO HELP CAPTURE OUR ENEMIES! I SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE ATRIUM TO PROTECT THE QUEEN! INSTEAD, I WAS FORCED TO GUARD A DOOR, AND IT IS ALL! YOUR! FAULT!”

“I—I’m sorry, Pharynx,” said Thorax. His ears had drooped.

“Yeah,” huffed Pharynx, shaking. “You are.”

The ponies held their collective breaths, unsure whether to intervene or not.

Pharynx pointed accusingly at Thorax. “And now that we Changelings have finally achieved victory over the ponies, you come back here, with more ponies and the Daemon”—he pointed at Discord, who was watching the entire exchange with amusement—“and then you blow out part of the Hive, betray the Queen, and surrender the Princess to the ponies. And after all of that, you think that makes you our leader? You’re crazier than I thought!”

Princess Celestia cautiously approached Pharynx. “I know that these changes are sudden, and may seem frightening to you,” she began. “But Thorax has demonstrated exceptional courage in returning here. I am quite pleased to say that—”

“O, shut up, you old nag!” Pharynx snapped.

Every-pony gasped. Twilight’s mouth dropped in shock. Princess Celestia looked stunned. “What?” she asked blankly.

“Pharynx!” exclaimed Thorax, mortified.

But Pharynx refused to stand down. He glowered contemptuously up at Princess Celestia.

“Don’t try to be all high and mighty with us, Your Highness,” he spat. “Don’t even pretend to care. You knew about our plight for an entire millennium, and never once did you lift a fancy, gild-shod hoof to help us! All you’ve ever done was imprison us inside volcanoes, or seal us inside our own fortresses!” He laughed suddenly, a dark snicker without any mirth. “You know something? Our nymphs are still traumatized by our last imprisonment. They sob themselves to sleep, and our broodmares spend hours reassuring them that the ponies aren’t going to come and trap us again. They would probably have nightmares—but they can’t, because you and your darling sister break into our dreams to spy on us! The only reason you couldn’t before was because our Queen’s throne blocked you out! And then there was Trot. Every-ling remembers Trot—you made sure we couldn’t!”

Pharynx held up his hooves so that the holes were clearly visible. “I was not born when Trot happened. Nor was my father, his father, and his father before that. But we’re not allowed to forget! You shot up every-ling there, even after we had given up, and then sealed us up inside a volcano as punishment for our “crime” of trying to survive! The Queen told us all about that day…she said it was the day she truly understood how the world worked! There is no good or evil; only the weak and the strong! You were stronger than us, so you sealed us away inside a volcano for years, and pretended we didn’t exist! You didn’t even lend a hoof to help us when a dragon tried to eat us all!

“But we beat you!” he added triumphantly. “We beat you. We captured your Sister, your Student, every-pony! We won. And now, only now, having seen our might, do you decide you want to be friends. Friends! Sure, only as long as your little puppet gets to be in charge!

“We see through you, pony. Don’t try to act all nice and benevolent now!” He held up his hooves again. “We never forget. It isn’t allowed!”

And with that, Pharynx spat at Princess Celestia.

Princess Celestia looked as though a close friend had slapped her. Twilight was stunned and furious that any-pony could say such horrible things about her mentor. Starlight’s jaw hung open. Thorax was horrified. And Discord chuckled, drawing another claw-full of hot, extra-butter popcorn from a red bag he had summoned from nowhere.

“Okay,” whispered Pinkie Pie, backing away slowly. “This just got really intense.”

Dash stood up, shaking in rage. “How—how dare you!” she sputtered. “I—I oughta’ clean your clock for that!”

“Do it!” snarled Pharynx. “Name a time and a place, pony! I’ll be there. I’ll beat you again! I’ll make you taste the earth! You’ll learn what it means to battle a true Changeling warrior!”

Twilight finally found her voice. “But this is Princess Celestia!” she sputtered. “The pony who raises the sun. Do you really want to insult her like that?”

Pharynx sneered. “What’s she gonna do? Give me more holes? Kill me?” He turned his attention back to Princess Celestia. “Go ahead, then! Kill Me! Vaporize me with your magic! I’m not afraid! I’ll show you how a true Changeling warrior dies!” He snorted and stamped his hoof, readying for battle. But Princess Celestia did not respond in kind. She looked upon him pityingly.

“I am sorry, Captain Pharynx,” she said softly. “But protecting my little ponies is my first priority. My duty is very clear.”

“As is mine,” growled Pharynx. “To serve, to kill, to die. That has always been our way.”

Thorax stepped forward. “That’s enough, Pharynx. No-pony is killing any-ling, and no-ling is killing any-pony. That—that way is done.

“Listen to me, all of you,” Thorax continued, addressing the other drones as well. “I know that we have been stealing love from ponies for centuries now. That we have only seen ponies as our enemies…as our prey.” He swallowed nervously. “But…I have found a new way. A better way. I have learned that it is better to share love instead of taking it. In order to receive love, we have to give love. That is how I was able to achieve this form. It’s how we were able to chase away the wicked old Queen. No longer do we have to starve for love—now we can make our own!”

Pharynx scoffed. “Seriously, Thorax? That is the prissiest fluff I have ever heard in my life! Cute speech, lots of pretty little words, but it doesn’t mean a thing to—huh?”

Two bright flashes of light burst out from two guard drones as they levitated into the air. The flashing pulsated for a moment, and then the two guards descended. The light faded away, and there now stood two beautiful Reformed Changelings. One had turned lime-green, while the other had become turquoise, with magenta eyes and wings.

Twilight was mesmerized. So that was how that transformation worked! How beautiful! They had been ugly and scary before; now, they were beautiful and friendly! Truly a victory for friendship! She whooped and cheered with her friends. Thorax beamed. Pharynx was stunned. “You have got to be kidding,” he said.

“Yeah!” cheered Dash. She grinned at Pharynx. “Well! What’d’ya gotta say about that, Pharynx?”

“They look pathetic,” replied Pharynx, glaring disdainfully at them. “Weak. They are no longer of any use to our army.”

Twilight’s smiled faded. Pharynx had just seen the benefit of reforming! Why was he still so surly?

“We aren’t an army anymore,” said Thorax gently. “We no longer need conquest to feed ourselves. Chrysalis is gone now. We’re free.”

“Free?” spat Pharynx. “Free to do what? Free to roll over and let our enemies take away our only remaining weapon?” He moved closer to Thorax, almost nose to nose. “I know you, brother. You haven’t any guts at all. The minute a bugbear or a dragon shows up, you’ll flee in an instant! Or curl up and beg them not to eat you.” He pointed at the ponies again. “You are a fool if you think the ponies will stay friendly towards us! They’ll only tolerate us while they find us useful. The minute we have a disagreement, they’ll come and stamp us out! And they won’t have to try very hard, because you ran off our Queen and surrendered our Princess!

“I bet they’ll kill her! As soon as they get the Princess out of our sight, they’ll vaporize her so she won’t be a threat!”

Twilight had enough. “HOW DARE YOU!” she shouted furiously, slamming her hoof down on the stone floor. Both Changelings jumped. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU THINK WE WOULD HURT A CHILD!” Every-pony stepped back in amazement. Discord let out a low whistle. Twilight took a few breathes to calm herself before continuing on.

“I understand if you believe you have grievances, Captain Pharynx. But you don’t know anything about ponies if you think we intend to harm Nyx! I’m taking her in because she is a pony, and she belongs with us!”

Pharynx’s lip curled. “You think she’s a pony?”

“Of course!” replied Twilight. “A very special pony, but a pony nonetheless!”

“Yeah!” said Pinkie Pie cheerfully. “Can’t get any more special than her, no—sir—ee!”

“She’ll be safe with us,” continued Twilight. “And happy, now that she’s free from Chrysalis! All of you are free from her! Thorax told us how cruelly she has treated all of you. Now that she’s gone, you don’t have to suffer in fear any longer!”

A voice spoke up. “And what does a pampered little brat like you know about suffering?” It was the un-Reformed drone by the door.

“What?” asked Twilight, faltering. The drone stepped forward and Twilight got a better look at him. She saw that it was an old changeling. His face was wrinkled, and the blue of his wings and fins had faded to a dark silver. He took careful steps, yet in spite of his age he seemed robust. And when he spoke, his voice was strong, yet carried the unmistakable warbling fry of a stallion advanced in years.

But the most distinctive feature of this drone was his left compound eye. It was milky white, with a long white scar running across it, from his left ear down to his left cheek. His other eye was sharp and clear, the only part of his body that still retained any vibrancy.

“Our Queen knew all about suffering,” the old Changeling spat. “She suffered with us. She starved with us. She was always scheming on our behalf, planning how best to keep us all fed. Her will is not to be questioned. She is to always be obeyed. And if she saw fit to hoof out harsh punishments for our indiscretions, so be it! That is her right as Queen! Serves us right too, I reckon!”

His body shook with dogmatic intensity. “Hail Chrysalis!” he shouted, spittle raining from his mouth. “Queen of Changelings!”

“All hail,” murmured Pharynx.

“All hail the Scourge of the Sun! May the rivers of Equus run red with the blood of her enemies! Hail!”

Twilight stepped back in horror. She had encountered talk like this before. She had heard something like it back when she had first met Starlight Glimmer, from the adherents of Starlight’s cult. And she had heard it a time before that. She had heard it on a dark night in the middle of the Everfree Forest, from a soft-spoken but cruel stallion, just before she felt the icy prick of his knife...

Twilight rubbed her right shin with her left hoof. She did not register doing it.

Thorax frowned. “That is quite enough, Mandible. No matter how you may feel about it, Chrysalis is gone. We’re going to have to go on without her.”

“Don’t talk to me like that, young grub!” snarled Mandible. Twilight noticed he was missing a lot of teeth. “I’ve stood guard over proper royalty for fifty-seven years! I have served a true Queen, and for nearly two years now I have stood guard over a Princess! She’s twice the Changeling you’ll ever be, grub!”

“That’s quite enough of that!” said the turquoise drone. Twilight realized it was a mare. “The old Queen is gone, and no-pony knows where she is! Until we find her and settle things, we are going to need a new leader! Thorax will have to do, and he has decided to send the Princess to live with the alicorns! And he’s right to do so! You know none of us can take of her the way the Queen could! At least in Equestria, there will be lots of woods and forests! You know how she loves them!”

Nyx liked forests? She must be a nature lover! Twilight decided to arrange a hiking trip in White Tail Woods, after winter wrapped up.

The old changeling grumbled. “I suppose there’s more for her there than here in the Badlands. But I don’t like it.” He pointed at the ponies. “I don’t trust any of ‘em one bit! They’re our enemies, always have been. I reckon they’re just biding their time before they destroy us all.” He shot the ponies a final glare before taking wing and flying back up the hall, vanishing through a hole in the ceiling.

“I am very sorry about Mandible,” said the turquoise drone, bowing to the ponies apologetically. “He’s very old, and all of this is very new.” She opened the doors with her magic, before turning to Thorax and asking, “Now, Thorax: could you tell us a little more about what happened?” You can go on ahead,” she added shyly, nodding at Twilight. Twilight smiled back at her and stepped inside the Queen’s Chambers. She gasped when she saw the interior.

It was a wreck. Large pieces of ceiling lay scattered around the room. Half of a peach-colored futon lay crushed beneath a large boulder. A tea set spread out on a coffee table had been knocked over. Grotesque knick-knacks, display cases, and furniture lay smashed on their sides. Dust and debris filled a large fireplace near the futon.

Nyx stood by an antique writing desk. She wore an eggplant-colored coat, made from a thick, sturdy, pebbled material that Twilight did not recognize. Its collar fit perfectly beneath Nyx’s silver peytral. She also had on a set of large saddlebags, which Twilight recognized at once.

“Those are my old saddlebags!” Twilight exclaimed. “I wondered where those had gotten to!”

She darted forward excitedly. Nyx’s eyes widened and she stepped back against the desk. Twilight froze, realizing she had frightened the filly. Nyx must be very timid.

“I’m sorry if I startled you,” said Twilight. “But those used to be my bags. See? My name is engraved right here.”

She pointed at her nameplate. Nyx glanced at it, then turned her face to the floor. Twilight frowned, but brightened as she remembered something.

“Say, I had some books in there! Do you know where…aha!” She recognized one of the books in question lying on the desk, and picked it up with her magic. She frowned; the book felt lighter than it should have. Opening it, Twilight gasped: half of the pages were missing!

“This book is ruined!” cried Twilight despairingly. She looked at the cover. “O no! It’s the Starswirl!” She started hyperventilating.

“It will be alright, Twilight,” said Princess Celestia, carefully stepping through the debris. “I have several copies of that book in a secure location.” She took the book from Twilight and examined it carefully.

“This is normal for Chrysalis,” she said, after a moment. “Whenever she comes across a book that interests her, she destroys it after she has read it. She has been known to destroy books without even opening them, if the subject provides no interest for her.”

“She destroys books?” gasped Twilight, mortified.

“Yes. When she conquered Timbucktu, she seized all the books in the Royal Library concerning the magical sciences, tactics, weapons and barding, and herbology. But the songs and poems, epics and folklore, histories and arts…she had those piled up and burned without a second thought.”

“That—that’s terrible!” wheezed Twilight. Her head was spinning. Chrysalis burnt an entire library! This was wickedness beyond redemption! Twilight’s left ear twitched. Her lower right eyelid quivered.

“Breathe, Twilight,” instructed Princess Celestia. She lowered her voice. “Remember, you need to set an example for your new charge.”

Twilight glanced at Nyx. The filly stared back, looking Twilight in the eye for the first time. Twilight suddenly felt very uncomfortable; like she was being studied. It occurred to her that she had never seen Nyx blink. She did not have long to think about this, for Nyx looked away and went back to staring at the floor.

Remembering the breathing exercises Princess Cadance had shown her, Twilight began to breathe deeply. As she did so, she glanced at the desk. A ceramic bottle of ink had rolled off of it and smashed open upon the floor, and a cup of quills had tipped over. The quills were different colors, including several black ones Twilight suspected had come from Nyx’s own wings. And there were other books on the desk as well, lying on their sides after being knocked over by the blast. Twilight saw at once that pages were missing from these books as well. They covered many topics, such as basic mathematics, spelling, potions, herbal remedies, and elementary magic. There were also several books in foreign languages, such as Prench and Maredrish, as well as a few others she did not recognize. Twilight wondered why an ancient being like Chrysalis would have such rudimentary books.

“Gracious me, what an absolutely atrocious décor!”

Rarity was taking in the room’s furnishings with dismay. She and the rest of Twilight’s friends—and also Pharynx—had made their way inside the room.

“It used to look nicer than this,” grumbled Pharynx. “But that explosion upstairs ruined everything! This room is a safety hazard now.”

“O no. This room was a disaster before that. Look at these furnishings! Not a one of them match! And these knick-knacks! They’re so revolting!”

“Yes, Chrysalis has always had very morbid tastes,” agreed Princess Celestia, frowning at an overturned display case. It contained an enormous stuffed spider.

“O, this is such a scary room!” whispered Fluttershy anxiously. She noticed the stuffed spider and shuddered.

“Chrysalis kept Nyx locked in here?” asked Starlight incredulously. “This is hardly a place to keep a foal!”

“Yeah!” squeaked Pinkie Pie. She was examining a cabinet. “There aren’t any toys in here! No balls, no yo-yos, not even little dollies!” She brightened as she happened upon some boxes. “Ooh, here are some games!”

She lifted the boxes out of the cabinet. The designs were faded, but the titles were still legible. “Chess…Go…Warboat? These are all war games!” Pinkie frowned at one particular game. ““Imperil?” That’s funny, I’ve never heard of this game, and I know lots of games!”

“I have,” sighed Princess Celestia. “It’s a military conquest game. The first pony to conquer Equus wins. It is not a popular game in Equestria.”

Pinkie Pie grimaced and returned the boxes to the cabinet.

Rarity, meanwhile, was still examining the room. “Now, where is the bed? If this is a Queen’s chambers, one should think there would be a bed in here.”

Pharynx pointed at the futon. “There. That was her bed.”

“A futon?” asked Rarity, startled. “Chrysalis slept on that?”

“Yeah,” grunted Pharynx. “The old Queen preferred futons to beds, because they were easy to move during evacs. And easy to climb off of,” he added. “That way she could be ready at a moment’s notice when our hive was threatened. She was a true warrior.”

Twilight stared at the futon, bewildered. It was just big enough to fit Chrysalis. But if that was where Chrysalis slept, where had Nyx? Twilight did not see any other futons in the room. There were a few old wooden chairs, and an overturned rocking chair of recent vintage, but aside from those there was nothing that could conceivably serve as a bed. Had Nyx slept on the floor?

Applejack trotted over to the fireplace. “Well, let’s see if we can’t get a fire goin’. It’s gettin’ right chilly in here.” She pushed aside a large cauldron and looked inside of the grate. She let out a tremendous cry, backing away from the fireplace and falling against the futon.

“Applejack! What’s wrong?” cried Dash, flying to her friend’s side.

Applejack shakily pointed at the fireplace. “There…there are bones in there!”

“What!” cried Twilight. She made her way to the fireplace.

Sure enough, bones lay scattered in the grate. They were the bones of a boar. Twilight could tell by the skull lying haphazardly on its side, the skullcap smashed open. There were still bits of brain left inside. There was also a large roast ham sitting on the mantlepiece, the calve and hock still attached.

“O. O my stars!” groaned Rarity, her face turning green. “How…how barbaric!” She gagged and held her hoof to her mouth, fleeing into the bathroom. Fluttershy bent over the fireplace, tears streaming down her face. “That poor thing! Look, there are toothmarks all over these bones!”

This was the truth. All of the bones had toothmarks. Some bones had the ends bitten off. The limb bones had been split apart, stripped of the marrow. There were tooth marks all over the skull.

Twilight’s blood ran cold. What horrors had poor little Nyx been exposed to?

“What…what is this?” she asked, stunned.

“That’s the Queen’s roasting fireplace,” said Pharynx. His lip curled. “That’s where she roasts her prey for dinner.”

“Her prey?” asked Twilight nervously. “Is…is this what she was going to do to us after she took our love?”

Pharynx grinned. His fangs were long and sharp. “Yes,” he hissed. Twilight backed away from him. He laughed uproariously. “The Queen told us we’d have a banquet after we had our fill of love! Guess who she wanted to eat personally?” He leered wickedly at Twilight. Her blood went from cold to icy.

“That is quite enough, Pharynx!”

It was Thorax, flanked by the two Reformed drones. He sounded exasperated. “No-pony is getting eaten. Not anymore. Since the Changelings share love instead of taking it, there is no more need to eat ponies!”

“No more need?” asked Dash. “Hold up! I thought you guys only ate love from ponies, not…ponies.” She shuddered.

“Love is important for our metabolism,” replied Thorax. “We’d starve without it! But we do eat solid food. Including,” he added guiltily. “Meat.”

“Yeah,” snickered Pharynx. “It puts the emotionless husks of our prey to some practical use.” He proudly bared his fangs. “What do you think these are for?”

Twilight swallowed. A horrible thought occurred to her. “Has…has Chrysalis ever roasted…ponies in that fireplace?” Twilight pointed at Nyx. “Since she found her?”

“No, not in that fireplace,” replied the turquoise drone. “It’s a recent addition, too. It was only installed a year and a half ago.

Twilight felt slightly relieved to hear that. Only slightly. She could not bear to think what else had been roasted in that fireplace. She glanced back at it, and was astonished when Starlight approached the grate and picked up a femur with her magic. She inspected it carefully, her brow furrowed. The bone had long, wide toothmarks all over it. Starlight frowned, and then picked up a rib. The marks on it were thinner and shorter than the marks on the femur, and the marks of each tooth were closer together.

“Ugh, I can’t believe you’re picking those up, Starlight!” said Twilight. “Are you alright?”

“Sure, I’m fine! Fine!” replied Starlight. “I just…thought of something.”

“Really?” asked Twilight. “What?”

“It’s just…never mind. It’s a funny little idea. Don’t mind me!” she flashed Twilight a nervous smile as she tossed the bones back into the fireplace. But then she looked askance at Nyx, Starlight’s face a mixture of puzzlement and concern. Twilight nodded internally. Poor Starlight must have reached the same conclusion as Twilight: Chrysalis roasted and ate meat with Nyx watching! That poor little filly must be beyond traumatized!

Rarity came out of the bathroom. She seemed better, although she still looked a little green.

“I am terribly sorry, I had to freshen up after…after seeing that,” she said, waving at the fireplace. “I must say, Chrysalis has some fine pieces in here, regardless of how motley her collection is. Especially her”—she lowered her voice conspiratorially, her eye on Princess Celestia, and pointed at the bathroom door— “loo. Why, it’s sterling silver! Wherever did she find it?”

“That toilet used to belong to some pony duchess or whatever,” Pharynx explained, chuckling nastily. “She drowned in it after generously bequeathing it to our Queen. Somehow, the pony’s head got shoved down the basin, and somehow the toilet flushed her face. Thirty-seven times.” Pharynx grinned wickedly. “It was so sad!”

Rarity gaped at him. “O my stars, how horrid!” she cried. “Dear me, I could use a drink right now. Is there anything to drink in here?”

“Do I look like a butler?” snarled Pharynx.

“Ooh, here’s something!” interrupted Pinkie Pie. She had rifled through another cabinet and found a large ceramic pitcher, glazed a solid crimson. She shook it, and a thick liquid could be heard swishing around inside.

Applejack arched a brow. “Now, you be careful ‘bout drinkin’ in here. We don’t know what kind of stuff that nasty ol’ nag has in here. That there stuff sounds too thick to be cider.”

“Whatever it is, I hope it’s a good vintage,” said Rarity wearily. Pinkie Pie smiled and pulled out a goblet made of a dark polished wood. She set it and the pitcher on the coffee table.

Pharynx glanced at the jug and grinned. “O, yes. It’s a…very recent brew. The Queen liked to drink it at her leisure.”

Thorax suddenly tensed. “Um, I don’t think you should open that,” he began, but Pinkie Pie had already begun pouring.

It was a thick, deep-crimson liquid with a sharp, metallic odor.

Pinkie Pie’s eyes widened. Twilight shuddered. She knew at once what the liquid was, and it certainly was not a drink fit for ponies!

Rarity spoke at last. “Is that…blood?”

Pharynx howled with laughter. “Yup! It’s the Queen’s favorite drink!” He pointed at the fireplace. “That particular “vintage” is fresh boar’s blood! Go ahead, little pony! Have a taste!”

Rarity pushed the goblet away, looking green again. Pinkie Pie looked mortified, her fuzzy hair straightening a little. Twilight was aghast. Chrysalis had sat in this room and drank blood with Nyx watching? She looked down at the filly. Nyx had brought her head up and was staring at the wooden goblet with great interest.

Twilight was done with this awful room. The last ten minutes had been a waking nightmare. She could not imagine what it must have been like for Nyx, who had spent twenty-two moons alone in this room with Chrysalis. “We should go.”

Thorax’s ears wilted. “Already? If it’s because of the blood, we do have water in here.” He pulled a blue ceramic pitcher from the cabinet.

“Thank you, Thorax,” Twilight replied. “But I really think we need to get Nyx settled into her new surroundings as quickly as possible.”

“Really?” asked Discord sweetly. He had been watching the expressions on Twilight’s face with much amusement. “And here I thought you wanted to sort through all these wonderful things first.” He snapped his claw lazily. Several other Discords materialized and began rifling through some of the cabinets. Each of them wore tuxedos and top hats, and one even wore a monocle. This last one picked up a jade clock with praying mantis claws for hands, and examined it through the wrong end of a brass loupe. “Hm, yes, fascinating,” he said, in a theatrically pompous voice.

Princess Celestia face-hoofed. Thorax shook his head and studied Twilight carefully. Her emphasis had not been lost on him. “I see,” he said. “In that case, why don’t I send this other stuff to you later? You could shift through it then.”

“Are you sure that’s alright?” asked Princess Celestia. “There isn’t anything here you would like to keep? Relics of your people, perhaps?”

“Not really,” said Thorax. “We don’t have very many relics like that, aside from an artifact known as “The Talisman of Mirage.”” He glanced around the ruined room. “But who knows where the Queen stuck that.”

“Alright then,” said Starlight. “What does it look like?”

“It’s a kind of rod, with a bronze scarab-beetle on the top, with an amber-colored focusing gem.”

Every-pony looked around. Discord pulled out a magnifying glass and studied the stuffed spider with it. Pinkie put on a detective hat and stuck her head inside a teapot. No-pony noticed Nyx smirk and pat her saddlebags.

Thorax shrugged after a few minutes. “It’ll turn up, I guess. To be honest, I really don’t want anything to do with the old Queen around. I want the Changelings to have a fresh start.”

“Yeah, good luck selling that,” growled Pharynx. Thorax ignored him.

“Give us a few days,” he went on. “We’ll have these rooms cleared out quickly.”

Rarity perked up at once. “O, you simply must let me come and decorate! These rooms aren’t so bad; without all of these ghastly knick-knacks, these rooms have potential! I can make them fit for a king!”

“Thank you for the offer,” said Thorax. “But I have no intention of using these rooms. In fact, I think I’ll have them sealed off.”

“Sealed off? Whatever for?” asked Rarity.

“Chrysalis always held herself apart from the rest of the Hive,” explained Thorax. “She gave herself all of these privileges, and then treated us like we were her own possessions. No more. Now that I’m in charge, I’m going to live among my brethren, as I did when I was still a drone.”

“That is very noble of you, Thorax,” said Princess Celestia warmly. “I see that you are wasting no time bringing about sweeping changes to your new hive.” No-pony noticed Nyx glowering murderously at Thorax, her eyes dancing furiously.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Thorax was saying. “I hope we can create a bright new future. A future without Chrysalis to darken it.” He did not notice Nyx trembling, her glare fiercer than the wildest of tigers. He turned his attention to Twilight. “You can sort through this stuff when it arrives. Maybe you’ll find something worth keeping.”

“What about the rest of it?” asked Twilight. “The stuff we don’t want?”

Thorax shrugged. “Burn it, I guess.”

“Burn it?”

Thorax nodded. “I don’t want anything belonging to Chrysalis left here. We have had quite enough of her.”

Twilight nodded. “That makes sense. After what I’ve seen in here, I wouldn’t want any mementos of her either. I doubt we’ll keep very much of this stuff.”

Princess Celestia stepped forward. “And you need never fear Chrysalis. If she tries to come back here, let us know. We shall do all that we can to support you against her. May your reign be long and glorious, King Thorax!”

Thorax blushed a little. Twilight, her friends, and even Discord assented cheerfully. No-pony noticed Nyx’s face. Her fury would have frightened actual Furies. Her lips parted back, revealing long sharp fangs. Her pupils shrank to the thinnest of slivers. Her eyes darted around, eyeing Twilight and her friends with utter loathing.

Her attention shifted to the nearest wall, a wall covered floor to ceiling with weapons of every conceivable kind. Her gaze settled upon a worn, wooden javelin that was mounted towards the bottom. Silently, Nyx crept over to the weapon wall. She reached out and took the javelin into her hooves.

Then Twilight saw her. “Nyx! Put that down!”

Twilight pulled the javelin out of Nyx’s hooves and put it back on the wall. “That isn’t a toy for you to play with,” she said gently. “When we get back to my castle, there will be plenty of toys and games for you to play with! And lots and lots of books!” she added enthusiastically. “Won’t that be fun?”

Nyx said nothing. She went back to looking at the ground. How timid she seemed! The poor girl was still shaking. Twilight looked pityingly at her for a moment before turning her attention to the wall. It was covered with all sorts of weapons. None of them looked like they belonged to the same set or maker. All of them looked as though they had been used at some point—Twilight tried not to think too hard about that.

“Wow. Chrysalis had a lot of weapons. I can’t believe she kept a foal in here with all of this—Nyx could have hurt herself!”

Dash was immediately interested. “Wow, look at this stuff!” she exclaimed. “Swords, maces, spears…I don’t know the names of half this stuff! Bows, crossbows, daggers…hedge clippers?”

A pair of red-handled hedge clippers sat prominently at the top. Thorax saw them and shuddered.

“The hedge clippers. They’re a lot cleaner than I expected.”

“The Queen keeps them in good repair,” said Pharynx gravely, dropping his flippant tone. The other drones stared at the hedge clippers in a sort of awed reverence.

Twilight was confused. “I’m sorry, but what’s so important about a set of hedge clippers?”

Thorax grimaced. “They’re…they’re what Chrysalis pruned us with.”

“Pruned?”

“Sterilized. If she thought a male drone was weak, she would take down the hedge clippers and…” Thorax stopped. He did not need to say anything more. Every-pony understood at once.

“No way!” whispered Dash, horrified. “She took those hedge clippers and cut off—”

“Yeah,” interrupted Thorax. “Yeah, she did.”

“That’s horrible!” said Fluttershy.

Even Discord was taken aback. “What?” he asked, dazed. “Seriously, what?”

“I can’t believe this!” Twilight angrily exclaimed. “That’s completely insane!”

“Outrageous!” spat Princess Celestia, in a hushed, angry tone. “Such wickedness! I did not realize what depths of depravity she sank to!”

Thorax sighed. “I know. This is one tradition I’m ending as of now.” He shook his head. “I’ll be honest: I would be more than happy if I never had to see Chrysalis ever again.”

Twilight nodded. After what she had seen and heard, she hoped Chrysalis kept as far away as possible.

“What if she reforms?” asked Starlight. “Would you be willing to take her back then?”

Every-pony exchanged glances.

“Well, I think that’s really unlikely,” said Fluttershy tactfully.

“No way that’ll ever happen,” growled Spike. He gestured at the room around them. “I mean, look at this stuff! No sane pony would ever want to live with stuff like this!”

“She’s a monster!” exclaimed Rarity. “And those threats she made at you, darling! I’ve never heard the like!”

“I have to concur,” said Princess Celestia. Her voice had become very cold. “Chrysalis is a ruthless, evil creature. Even if through some miracle she decides to reform like the other Changelings, it’s going to take more than an apology to make up for the things she has done to the ponies of Equestria…and her own people.”

Starlight frowned and turned her attention to Twilight. “What about you? If she wanted to try friendship, would you help her?”

Twilight bit her lower lip. In all honesty, she agreed with Princess Celestia. Any-pony who abused her own subjects, terrorized an innocent filly, and burned books was pretty far gone. But Starlight had also been pretty bad as well, and Twilight had gotten through to her. Now that Starlight was finally coming to understand friendship, Twilight did not want to say it was impossible. She decided to be tactful.

“I…I guess I would,” said Twilight carefully. “But I would not want her to stay anywhere near Nyx. I consider it a duty to keep them as far apart as possible. It’s for her own good.”

Princess Celestia nodded. “Yes, Twilight. Chrysalis should have no more to do with Nyx. That filly has gone through enough as is.” She looked at Thorax. “I think it’s time we took our leave.”

Thorax nodded. “Yes. Get Princess Nyx away from here.”

“Do let us know how she fares!” said the turquoise drone. “We are all fond of her! Make sure she gets plenty to eat!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll make sure she’s well fed!” said Twilight brightly. She did not notice Princess Celestia stiffen, or Thorax suddenly looking more uncomfortable than usual. She turned her attention to Nyx. “Are you ready to go?”

Nyx had been looking up, but snapped her head back down as soon as Twilight looked in her direction. Twilight’s smile faded a little. She could have sworn Nyx had been glaring at her, but that had to be her imagination…a trick of the light…

“Do you have everything you need? Are your bags packed?” Twilight thought of something. “What do you have in here, anyway?” She opened a flap on one of the saddlebags and saw a kind of furry material inside. Blankets? Were these all Nyx had to her name?

Nyx started backing away, her eyes very wide. “O, it’s okay!” Twilight said reassuringly. “I’m just making sure you’re packed up tight! Now, come along with me!” Deciding to inspect the bags later, Twilight led Nyx over to Discord.

“This is our friend, Mr. Discord!” Twilight said, introducing the draconequus to Nyx.

“Mister Discord?” he sputtered, in feigned indignance. “No, that won’t do at all! I will accept nothing less than Uncle Discord!”

Twilight scowled. “How about no.”

“No? Well, fine. Knowing you ponies, you’ll probably have her call your friends “Aunty” by the end of the week,” replied Discord, rolling his eyes. He held his claw in position for a snap. “If we’re all ready, shall we get away?”

Every-pony gave their assent. Twilight turned to Thorax. “We’ll be talking to you soon, Thorax. You helped us, and we can’t thank you enough.”

“That is absolutely right,” said Princess Celestia. “We shall have to have some kind of ceremony! It is the least we can do!”

Thorax blushed. “You don’t have to go to all that trouble…”

“We insist! We’ll send a letter as soon as possible!” exclaimed Spike. “Until then, farewell!”

Every-pony except Nyx said their farewells. Thorax and the reformed Changelings waved goodbye. The turquoise drone even blew Princess Nyx a kiss.

Discord snapped his fingers. And in a flash of light, they were gone.

The turquoise drone looked up at Thorax. “She will be okay with the ponies, won’t she?”

Thorax smiled. “Sure! The ponies are very kind and generous! They love children. They’ll take good care of her, I know it!”

The green drone shuffled nervously. “Are you sure about that? I mean, Princess Night…Nyx is really different from them.” He pointed at the fireplace. “And they were pretty freaked out when they saw her supper in the fireplace! Do they know she eats meat?”

Thorax faltered. “Yeah. I mean, they should…I did sort of mention it to Princess Celestia once.”

“And did Princess Celestia mention if to any-pony else?”

“I think so,” said Thorax, frowning. “Why would Princess Celestia keep something like that a secret?”

The green drone shrugged. “I do not know. You know her better than we do.”

“But are you sure she’s going to be okay? The Princess was…unusually quiet,” said the turquoise drone. “She didn’t even say goodbye to me!”

“Yeah,” agreed the other. “She’s usually a lot…noisier.”

“Well, this has been a lot to take in,” said Thorax. He looked nervous again. But before he could discuss the matter further, two more Reformed drones entered the room. They bowed.

“The drones that had been impersonating the ponies have returned,” one said. He arched a brow wryly. “As you can imagine, they have questions.”

Thorax brightened. “I can imagine! I will go and talk with them. Once they hear about our new way, they’ll join us in a heartbeat! A new day had dawned on our Hive!”

He left the room, the four reformed drones following behind in his wake. But Pharynx stayed behind.

““A new day has dawned?”” he sneered. “What a load of sentimental garbage! I’m not falling for that, Brother.” He spat out the last word as though it were something poisonous. “The Queen will come back; you can be sure of that. She’ll put you in your place! And when she does, I’ll be standing by her side.”

He spotted the javelin Twilight had taken from Nyx and grinned. “And if she doesn’t, I know some-pony who will! O, she’s real royalty, sure enough: I’ve seen what she can do! Those ponies don’t know what they’ve got! Heh heh heh!”

Pharynx spotted the goblet filled with blood and picked it up. He raised it in a toast: “To the Hive!”

He emptied it in one gulp.

Chapter Four

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CHAPTER FOUR

Discord’s teleportation magic was instantaneous. One moment, they stood in the ghastly chambers of Chrysalis; the next, they stood in Twilight’s own foyer. She could see the doors through which she had allowed Queen Chrysalis and her drones entrance—it felt ages ago now.

Twilight looked around and quickly realized she had another guest. “Princess Luna? What are you doing here?”

“I could well ask the same, Sister,” said Princess Celestia, frowning. “Why are you here and not in Canterlot?”

Princess Luna’s nostrils flared. “There was little for me to do. Our doppelgangers had already departed, and the nobles noticed nothing. As usual.” She rolled her eyes. “We might have gone on holiday for all any-pony knew. So, I set some affairs in order, and teleported here. I…I wanted to see Nyx settled in.”

She smiled at Nyx, an anxious, nervous smile that did not quite reach her eyes. But Nyx stood frozen. Her slit-pupils thinned and her ears wilted; the hairs of her coat stood on end.

Princess Luna’s smile faltered. “O, goodness little one! Was that your first teleport?”

Nyx trembled. She backed away from Luna, only to come up against Twilight, who placed her hoof reassuringly on Nyx’s withers and smiled. “I’m sorry, we did not realize you hadn’t teleported before! Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it! It can even be fun!” Twilight grinned winningly. But Nyx became even more tense. She stared dumbfounded at Twilight’s hoof, as though not quite believing it was there. Twilight hastily pulled it away.

Princess Luna turned to Twilight. “Has she said anything yet?”

“No, nothing. She doesn’t seem willing to talk right now.”

“Indeed, it’s very strange,” Discord said, stroking his beard. “Why, it’s almost as if she doesn’t want to talk to us at all. But that can’t be it. After all, who wouldn’t want to talk with me?”

“She’s probably scared,” Fluttershy said. “Maybe she’ll open up after she’s stayed with us a while.” She smiled warmly at Nyx. “Do you feel better now?”

Nyx gave no answer, but her shaking lessened. She brought her head up and looked around the foyer. Her ears flicked in different directions. She seemed especially interested in the windows, and the double-door entrance.

Twilight felt a gentle tap on her withers. It was Princess Celestia.

“Twilight? Would you come with me for a moment? I should like a word.” Her eyes darted to Nyx. Twilight nodded, and turned to address her friends.

“I’ll be right back. Princess Celestia wants to see me for a moment.”

“Of course, Darling,” Rarity replied. She gazed intently at Nyx. Twilight guessed she was planning an outfit for her.

“We’ll keep an eyeball on Nyx, don’cha worry none!” Applejack said. She and the rest of Twilight’s friends gathered around the little filly, smiling and talking encouragingly. Twilight, reassured, followed Princess Celestia into an empty chamber.

Princess Celestia closed the door. She turned and gave Twilight a warm smile. “Let me start by saying how proud of you I am, Twilight. It was very kind of you to take in Nightmare Moon. Not every-pony would have been willing to open their home to the so-called “Bogie-mare.”

“Thank you, Princess Celestia,” Twilight said, blushing. “But her name is Nyx now.”

Celestia’s smiled sadly. “Yes, Nyx. However, a lot of ponies will need some time before they call her anything else but Nightmare Moon. And,” she added, “My researchers tell me that is who she truly is.”

Twilight gasped. “She really is Nightmare Moon? Truly? I thought she was just some kind of magical clone?”

“That spell the Cult used was meant to bring Nightmare Moon back. As far as my team of magicologists can tell, they did.”

“But she doesn’t act like her!” Twilight protested. “I mean, does she know?”

“We cannot be sure what she knows,” Celestia said. “There is a possibility she may remember things from before her re-materialization, if she hasn’t already. Perhaps she never will. But you need to keep a close watch on her regardless.”

Twilight’s mouth tightened. “That sounds like Shining.”

Princess Celestia nodded. “Yes, it was very foolish of him to go off like that in front of the Changelings, after we had just extended our hooves to them in friendship. From what I saw, the Changelings were rather fond of little Nyx.” Twilight nodded. That had been her impression as well. “That said, I believe he was right on one point—we should at least keep a close watch on her.”

“You sound worried. Is there something wrong with Nyx?”

Princess Celestia made her way to the window. It would be time to set the sun soon. The first pinks of dusk gleamed in the sky, the sun changing from its bright yellow glow to a golden orange. Its light lit up the snow-covered grounds below.

“What you need to realize,” said Celestia softly. “Is that Nyx is going to have issues, regardless of what she remembers from her prior life. I have dealt with foals for centuries. But never before have I encountered one who skipped over their entire infancy. There are certain phases that ponies undertake from birth to maturity, and Nyx has skipped over some of the very first. We can only speculate how that affected her psyche.”

Twilight had not considered this. She tried to imagine popping into existence out of the blue, but her mind could not grasp it, and she desisted.

Princess Celestia went on. “But what worries me most is her up-bringing among the Changelings. Nyx was raised personally by Queen Chrysalis. She has only interacted with her, and un-Reformed drones. As I’m sure you’ve realized, the Changelings were a deeply militaristic society, accustomed to harsh austerity. You can imagine how this will have impacted Nyx’s development up to this point.”

Twilight pictured little Nyx shivering in a corner while the enormous form of Queen Chrysalis loomed overhead. The dark Queen cackled horribly as the helpless little filly hid her eyes in terror. “Yeah, I think I can.”

“Then you understand that Nyx is going to have difficulties adjusting to our society. Our ways are different from what she’s used to. She will have many questions. She is likely to carry strange opinions and display odd behavior patterns. Adapting her to our society will undoubtedly take time.” She paused. The corners of her mouth tightened. “And then there’s how other ponies will respond to her. As an alicorn, she will be shown a great deal of reverence by normal ponies. But as Nightmare Moon reborn, she is going to garner a great deal of fear.”

Twilight recalled the old Nightmare Night legends and winced. Now that was going to require some explaining! And then there was what happened when the real Nightmare Moon appeared on the Summer Sun Celebration…a lot of ponies still spoke of the day the sun failed to rise…

“That is why I think it would be best to hold off on announcing Nyx for the moment,” Celestia continued. “We will have to acknowledge her eventually—a new alicorn is far too important an event to ignore—but until then, you must monitor Nyx carefully.

Twilight nodded. “I guess that makes sense. What sort of things should I watch for?”

Princess Celestia sighed. “First off, I need you to be on your guard. I don’t wish to frighten you, but that Cult is still out there. Once they learn about Nyx’s existence, I suspect they may try to abduct her…assuming they have not disbanded already.”

Twilight shuddered. Those Cultists had terrified her. Aside from the eyes, the ponies involved with the Cult had seemed normal. Several were citizens of Ponyville! Yet they carried such hateful malice in their hearts, and no-pony the wiser.

“You can count on me to watch out for them. Although,” Twilight added sheepishly, “I almost want to meet this Cult leader. He’s clearly insane, but he created an alicorn filly through magic! I really want to know how he did it!”

Princess Celestia smiled. “Curious as always, Twilight. But I too have questions. There are many aspects of that ritual we don’t understand. We aren’t certain what other ingredients were used in it, for one.”

“Other ingredients?” Twilight asked. “You mean, besides the Nightmare scraps?” And my blood?

“Yes. We identified traces of phoenix feather and mandrake root among the ashes, as well as powdered unicorn horn.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. She was not sure she wanted to know how the Cult got a hold of something like that. Celestia seemed to read her mind, and quickly skipped to the next part of the list.

“There were other, strange powders involved, some of which appear to have come from Zebrica. We also identified one other ingredient: powdered ivory. We believe it came from a tooth.”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “A tooth? From where?”

“We aren’t sure. It was too finely ground for any-pony to tell. Add in the fact that most of it was burnt up during the ritual, and you can well understand why we are having difficulties there. But Bastion Yorsets thinks it activated during the ritual’s ignition phase. What it was meant to do is any-pony’s guess. I suspect it was meant to augment Nyx in some way…have you noticed anything strange about her?”

“Strange? You mean, compared to the original Nightmare Moon?” Twilight pondered a moment. “Well, she is a little more…toned than the original. And she has a real mane...”

“Anything else?”

“No. Wait, yes! Her walk is a little strange. Her withers rise whenever she takes a step.”

“I noticed that as well,” said Princess Celestia, frowning. “It’s very peculiar.”

“And she’s very quiet. I would have thought that “Nightmare Moon reborn” would have been a little noisier.”

Celestia chuckled. “One would think. But I don’t believe using the old Nightmare Moon as a comparison is very useful. Assuming she still has amnesia, she won’t have any sense of her old self to build a personality off of. All she has to go on right now are the memories created after her “birth”—which mostly involve Chrysalis.” She sighed, and then burst out, “Who knows what sort of personality she has developed under that bug’s care!”

Twilight was taken aback by this outburst. But then she thought about Nyx’s strange silence; her trembling, and her timidity. She felt a flash of fury flare up at Chrysalis in her heart.

Princess Celestia calmed herself and continued. “That brings me to another point. Chrysalis. Watch for her. I don’t know what sick schemes she’s planning now, but I have little doubt she may try to steal Nyx away from you.”

“How would that help her?”

Princess Celestia gave Twilight an odd look. “Do you remember Flurry Heart’s Crystalling?” Twilight nodded, recalling the havoc her niece had unwittingly caused, such as shattering the Crystal Heart. “Nyx will undoubtedly display a similar level of ability. Greater, perhaps. You can imagine the potential for some-pony as unscrupulous as Chrysalis.”

Twilight pictured Chrysalis draining all of Nyx’s magic off, laughing hysterically while making the sun perform figure-eights in the sky. She shuddered. “Yeah. I…can definitely imagine.”

“Then you understand why keeping Chrysalis away from Nyx is vitally important. I daresay the longer they’re apart, the better off Nyx will be.”

“I agree, Princess. I’ll keep her safe from Chrysalis. You can count on me!”

“I know I can, Twilight. But as I just said, Nyx will undoubtedly display incredible magical power. You will need to monitor that closely, like Princess Cadance does with Flurry.”

Twilight nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem for us. Between myself and Starlight, we can handle any magical fluctuations easily. Anything else?”

Princess Celestia suddenly looked apprehensive. “Yes. I also want you to keep a close watch on Nyx’s…diet.” She gave that last word a peculiar emphasis.

“Her diet?” Twilight asked, puzzled. “Why?”

Princess Celestia looked as though she were choosing her words carefully. “Because Nyx…may not be accustomed to our kind of food. She may prove fickle. Keep a close eye on what she does and does not like. And don’t be surprised if she…has unusual tastes.”

“Unusual tastes? You mean, exotic Changeling dishes or something?”

Celestia’s mouth tightened. “Something like that. Just…let me know what she prefers to eat. With any luck she’ll take to our food, and you won’t have any problems feeding her.”

Twilight was bewildered. Why was Princess Celestia so interested in what Nyx ate? Was it to prep for banquets, the same way she kept quesadillas off the menu at any function Twilight attended? That must be the case. And yet Twilight felt somehow that Princess Celestia was holding something back, something vital...

She dismissed that thought at once. Why would Princess Celestia hold anything back from her? She was her prized student, after all! “I’ll keep an eye on that, too.”

Princess Celestia smiled warmly. “I know you will. If you have any questions, or issues, remember I’m always a dragon-letter away.”

“Thank you, Princess. It’s really good of you to give Nyx a second chance like this, given…well, you know…” Twilight trailed off sheepishly. But Princess Celestia chuckled.

“You mean, given her past? That she doesn’t even remember? Come now, Twilight. I let Discord have a second chance—why shouldn’t I do the same for a small child?”

“Indeed! Why not?” said a familiar voice.

Princess Celestia massaged the bridge of her muzzle. “It isn’t polite to eavesdrop, Discord.”

Discord appeared out of her right ear, nose to nose and grinning broadly. “O, but I pick up the juiciest gossip that way! Ponies always seem so guarded whenever I’m around.”

“We’re not gossiping,” Twilight snapped. “We’re discussing Nyx.”

Discord’s grin widened. He popped out of Celestia’s ear and hovered in the air above them. “Oh, yes. Your new little ward. I find her so interesting.”

Twilight felt another headache coming on. “I’m sure you do.”

“Of course! I’m always delighted when a new alicorn appears! It’s practically my job to grace them with my chaotic presence!” Discord sighed dreamily. “I wish you had told me you had a new little Princess running about. Why, it almost feels as though you don’t trust me or something.” Twilight realized his grin did not quite reach his eyes. Nor did she miss the note of accusation ringing in his voice.

Princess Celestia stepped forward. “I am sorry, Discord, but we couldn’t say anything. We needed to keep her existence a secret in order to avoid a panic.”

“And we did not even know of her existence until a few months ago,” Twilight added. “We’re only now getting to learn more about her.”

“O, I would love to learn all about her too!” Discord summoned a pipe to his lips. “I think she’s fascinating, simply fascinating.” He drew from the pipe, and blew bubbles out of his ears.

Twilight took a moment to use one of Cadance’s breathing exercises. “We’re trying to acclimate her to us, Discord. I need you to behave yourself around her.”

“Why Twilight! You wound me to the quick!” Discord exclaimed, laying his paw theatrically across his forehead. “Thinking I don’t know how to behave among royalty! And here I thought we were better friends than that!”

“We are,” Twilight replied, through clenched teeth. “And since we’re such good friends I hope you will make sure Nyx feels welcome here. We don’t want to upset her.”

“O no, I wouldn’t dream of upsetting dear little Nyxie! She looks so sweet and harmless, doesn’t she?” He leaned closer to Twilight, eyes glittering. “Would you like to hear something interesting? I can’t get a good read on her at all.”

Twilight was confused. “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, I can’t tell what sort of pony she is. Which is odd; usually I just know.”

Princess Celestia arched a brow at him. “What are you saying, Discord?”

Discord grinned. “Who me? O, I’m not saying anything at all. Wouldn’t want to cause a panic, after all…” He snapped his fingers, and vanished in a flash of light.

Twilight blew her lips, annoyed. “Honestly, can’t he have a normal conversation for once? Why must he always speak in riddles?”

“It’s his way,” Celestia replied. “He enjoys toying with ponies. It amuses him.”

“But what did he mean?” Twilight asked. “All that about being unable to read Nyx?”

Princess Celestia bit her lower lip. “I don’t know, Twilight. Discord loves being cryptic. He thinks it makes him look clever.” She arched a brow. “We know how that plays out. I wouldn’t pay too much attention to him.”

Twilight nodded wearily. She was very familiar with Discord’s games. They made him difficult to like sometimes, even though they were usually harmless.

Princess Celestia glanced out the window again. “I think this conversation is finished. Why don’t we check and see how your new ward is getting along with your friends?”

Twilight nodded. Princess Celestia opened the door, and they returned to the foyer. Every-pony stood gathered in a circle. Fluttershy was kneeling on the floor, so that she and Nyx were at eye level. Discord, who had re-materialized next to Fluttershy, caught their eyes and winked. Nyx and Princess Luna stood together in the center of the circle. By the looks of things, Princess Luna was trying to converse with Nyx.

“…you see, I have the ability to come inside the dreams of ponies!” she said. “To help stave off their nightmares! I don’t suppose you have any problems with those, right? I mean,” she added awkwardly. “Being you?” She flashed a very wide grin that failed to reach her eyes.

Nyx stared at the floor and gave no reply. Princess Luna’s grin vanished. “Are you quite all right, little one?” She stretched out a wing to comfort her, but Nyx shrank back at once, staring up at her with anxious eyes. Princess Luna drew her wing back, hurt by this response.

Princess Celestia cleared her throat. “I think Nyx needs space right now. She has had a big day, after all.”

“You’re right, Sister,” Princess Luna replied. Her ears drooped. “Perhaps we should take our leave…”

“I reckon that there’s a good idea,” Applejack said. “I need to get back to the farm…let Granny and them know I made it back okay.”

“And I need to check on my animals,” Fluttershy said, rising from the floor. “They must be very worried about me! Especially my dear little Angel bunny.”

“And I need to go home and get ready for a hu-uge party!” Pinkie Pie squealed, beaming at Nyx.

“Dang, I wanted to see her fly,” Dash grumbled, nodding at Nyx’s wings. “But I guess we could see tomorrow?”

“Why, yes, what about tomorrow?” Rarity asked Twilight. “Perhaps we could come around then? For lunch, perhaps?”

Twilight smiled and nodded. “That sounds like a good idea! Perhaps around two? That should give us enough time to get Nyx settled in.”

“Of course, Darling! I can definitely manage two.” Rarity turned to the others. “Does that sound satisfactory?”

“Yup, I can make it,” Applejack said.

“I’ll be there!” Dash exclaimed. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

“Me neither,” Fluttershy said, smiling at Nyx.

“Count me in!” Pinkie squealed.

“Then it’s settled,” Twilight said. “See you then!”

They exchanged farewells and took their leave. Fluttershy paused at the door and looked back at Discord. “Are you coming? You must be very tired after everything that’s happened today. Would you like some tea?”

Discord smiled broadly. “I would be absolutely delighted! I’ll be over in a snap!” He snapped his fingers dramatically. A swirling-blue vortex appeared before her.

“O!” she said. “Thank you very much!”

“Bah! ‘Tis nothing!” Discord replied, in a tone of voice that suggested the exact opposite. He turned around and winked at Twilight and the Sisters. Then he and Fluttershy stepped through the portal, which closed behind them with a loud pop.

Twilight turned to the Sisters. “Did you want to join us for lunch tomorrow?”

“Luna and I have things to attend to in Canterlot,” Princess Celestia answered. “Another time, perhaps.” She glanced out a window. The sun sat just over the horizon. “I think it is time for Luna and I to depart. Twilight, I shall leave you to get Nyx adjusted. We shall contact you the first chance we get.”

“I’ll let you know what I learn about her.” Twilight said. Her mind was already turning, mapping the data points she would need to develop a comprehensive report on her new charge. “I’ll write weekly.”

“We’ll try to come back for a visit!” said Princess Luna, giving Nyx a shy smile. “To become better acquainted.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Luna beamed. “Then, until next time! Farewell, Twilight Sparkle!”

The Sisters stepped outside, as Twilight, Starlight, and Spike waved them off. They took to the skies and quickly disappearing over the horizon.

Twilight closed the door and smiled at Nyx. “Well, my little pony…you’ve had a big day, haven’t you?”

Nyx went back to staring at the floor. Twilight’s smile faltered. “You don’t have to be afraid to speak with us, you’re in a safe place now. Feel free to speak openly!”

Silence. Twilight cocked her head. “Don’t…don’t you want to say anything?”

No answer.

“Maybe she still needs more time?” Starlight suggested. “Perhaps we should focus on little things first. Like, where she’ll be sleeping?”

Twilight brightened. “O, right! A place to sleep!” She smiled at Nyx. “Guess what? You’re going to have your very own room!”

“Cool,” Spike said. He jerked his thumb at the massive castle around them. “Which one? We have a few to spare!”

“One of the suites near my room.” Twilight nodded at Nyx. “You know what? There are a lot of rooms in that hall. I’ll let you choose one! Doesn’t that sound exciting?”

Nyx shrugged, while keeping her gaze on the floor. It was the largest reaction Twilight had gotten from the filly yet. Twilight turned to Spike. “Starlight and I are going to help Nyx upstairs. Could you put on some supper for us?”

“Sure. Do you have anything in mind?”

“Nothing too heavy—I’m still a little tired from today.”

“Something light, then,” Spike murmured, tapping his chin. “How does celery soup and daisy sandwiches sound?”

“Sounds perfect.”

“Cool. I can fix that up in a jiffy.” He marched off toward the kitchens.

“Alright, Nyx,” Twilight said. “Spike’s going to put on some supper, and while he’s doing that, we’re going to let you pick out your very own room! Are you ready?”

Nyx watched Spike march down the corridor. She sniffed the air fervently after he turned a corner. Twilight could see her ears twisting around, and wondered what the filly was thinking. She was hard to read.

Starlight smiled and stepped forward. “I bet those saddlebags are heavy, huh? I can take them up for you, if you want.” She started to lift the saddlebags with her magic, but Nyx snapped open her wings, shielding her saddlebags and backing away. She looked anxiously between the two mares, her ears drooped and her slitted pupils thinned.

“Or not,” Starlight said, releasing her hold on the saddlebags. She exchanged a worried glance with Twilight.

“Perhaps you’d like to hang your coat up?” Twilight suggested. “We have a coatroom over there.” She pointed at a small chamber just off the main entrance. But Nyx stayed put, appearing even more tense.

“Well, if you’re sure…” Twilight said uneasily. “The rooms are right this way.”

She and Starlight made their way upstairs. Nyx followed behind; her hooves silent against the crystal steps. They arrived on the third-floor landing and turned down a right-hand corridor. They made their way down this corridor and turned left. Twilight opened a pair of double doors, revealing another grand hall.

“Here we are!” Twilight said. “These are the main bedroom suites. We have rooms of our own here, too.” She pointed at a pair of teal diagonal-latticed doors with gilded borders. “That’s where I sleep; that room over there with the purple door is where Spike sleeps.” She pointed at another door. “And that one over there is Starlight’s room!” She waved her hoof at all the other doors in the hallway. “All the other rooms are free—go ahead and pick one!” With a dramatic flash of her horn, all the doors to the empty rooms sprang open.

Nyx gave Twilight an odd, searching look, but quickly turned her attention to the open doors surrounding her.

“Do you see one you like?” Twilight pressed. “O! I know! Follow me!” She turned and trotted to the room at the far end of the hall, Starlight and Nyx following close behind. Twilight’s own room sat on the right-hand side of it; this room also had a set of double-doors, though these were painted cerulean.

The room was cavernous. A great four-poster bed with deep-blue bedspreads and violet curtains took up the center of the room. It had three towering windows, and several pictures of night scenes on the walls. There was an empty bookcase, and a fine desk of ebony sitting in the corner.

“You want to give her this room?” Starlight asked, arching a brow. “Isn’t this the room you set aside in case Princess Luna decided to stay over?”

Twilight kicked her hooves sheepishly. “Well, yeah. But this room is set up perfectly for Nyx! And it’s right next to my room! So, if you need me,” she added, eyeing the filly. “I’m right over there! How about it?”

Nyx looked around the room, frowning. Then, without a word, she turned and strode into the hallway. She made her way to a different room down the hall and darted inside. Twilight and Starlight exchanged glances, confused, and made their way to the chamber Nyx had entered. It was several doors down, divided from Twilight’s room by a single suite.

They found Nyx standing in the center of the room. It was smaller than the room Twilight had recommended, and furnished more modestly. The queen-sized bed against the wall lacked curtains; there was an empty nook for books; and instead of a writing desk, there was a low circular oak table with a small pouffe. There was a nightstand with a single drawer.

But what concerned Twilight was the color scheme. The crystals here were tinted in deep shades of teal, so the room had been decorated in green. The curtains were green, and the sheer panels were a green tint. The rug and pouffe were green as well. The bed’s comforter was also green, but featured intricate chartreuse linework. The sheets were also chartreuse, and the pillowcases were teal.

Twilight suppressed a shudder. Green was not her favorite color at the moment. “You want this room?” she asked. Nyx nodded; her gaze was fixed on the room’s singular window. “Are you sure? I mean, the room I recommended is a lot better than this one! It’s bigger and fancier and it’s right next to mine! Wouldn’t that make you feel safer?”

Nyx pulled her saddlebags off with her left hoof and dropped them at the foot of the bed. It landed with a note of finality, like a mallet striking a gavel. She made her way to the window and pushed the thick, green curtains aside to look out of it.

Twilight made to say something, but Starlight pulled her aside. “Let it go, Twilight.”

“Sorry?”

“Let it go. I can see you’re getting worked up over this—but you did say Nyx could choose her own room.”

Twilight sighed. “You’re right, I did say that. I just thought she’d want the other room.”

“That is a nice room, but it’s a room we’d like. But it may be too overpowering for her. Foals are fickle, right?” Starlight flashed a nervous smile.

“I suppose you’re right.” Twilight looked around the room. Though not as ostentatious as the other room, it was elegant in its own right. The oak furniture was stately and well-made. The fabrics were high quality. And it was very large. It would allow plenty of room for her to grow.

And Nyx had a lot of growing to do.

Twilight turned to Nyx and smiled at her. “So, this is the room you want? It’s a very nice room. It’s so big! And the window faces east!” she added, walking up to the window and standing beside her. Nyx glanced at Twilight briefly, before gazing back out the window. “That means you’ll be able to see the sun rise! Won’t that be great?” She waited, hoping Nyx would speak at last. But the filly remained silent. Twilight sighed and followed her gaze; it seemed to be locked onto the Everfree Forest. Night had fallen at last; the houses Twilight could see had their lights on, smoke rising from the chimneys. The moon was a waning crescent. In the distance, well beyond the gnarled trees of the Everfree, Canterlot could be seen, rising out of the horizon like a marble steeple.

“You have a lovely view,” Twilight commented. She felt increasingly awkward. “You’ll probably want to settle in. Why don’t you get yourself unpacked, while Starlight and I see how dinner is coming? We’ll bring it up if you want.”

Nyx nodded absently, continuing to stare out the window. It occurred to Twilight that she had never seen Nyx blink. But she turned and left with Starlight, closing the green double-door behind them.

Nyx turned away from the window, eyes narrowed, and bared her fangs at the closed door. She growled, a primal sound emanating deep within her body. It was a low, feral tone that had no business resonating inside a juvenile equine.

Nyx left off growling. She stood straighter and tossed her head back, so that her loose bang landed behind her horn. She held her chin high and her wings erect, surveying her new accommodations with a kind of cold curiosity. Her slitted eyes darted into every corner.

She studied the window, her eyes flicking briefly over the curtains, before drawing them close and sniffing them. She then turned her attention to the little table, examining the top and squatting down to inspect the legs. Next, she turned her attention to the pouffe. She examined it top to bottom, prodding the cushion with a hoof and sniffing it. Placated, she turned her attention to the bed.

Nyx lit her horn, and picked up the pillows in indigo magic. She pressed the pillows, sniffed them, and then set them back onto the bed again exactly where she had found them. Next, she lifted the bed skirt and bent down, inspecting the dark underside of the bed.

The nightstand was the next focus of examination. She studied the top and bottom of it, and also looked behind it. She opened the empty drawer, and pulled it completely out of the nightstand. She looked inside the crevice. Finding nothing, she returned the drawer to its original place.

Nyx froze. She looked at the walls, her ears swiveling intently. In the walls were the sounds of scratching. There was a squeak.

The door opened. Twilight re-entered the room, followed by Spike and Starlight. Twilight held a plate with a sandwich aloft in her magic, while Spike carried a small covered dish in his claws. Starlight brought up the rear, holding a tall glass of milk steady. They set these dishes upon the table.

Spike cleared his throat. “Dinner is served!” He lifted the silver lid, revealing a bowl of steaming soup. He set a spoon and several white napkins next to it.

They waited for Nyx to come and dig into her supper. But Nyx went back to staring at the floor, her bangs falling over her eyes.

Twilight cocked her head. “Don’t you want some food?”

Starlight frowned, scrunching her nose. She seemed to be thinking hard.

“It’s not bad at all,” Twilight continued. “Spike made celery soup, and a wonderful daisy sandwich.”

Spike suddenly looked apprehensive. “Well, it’s not quite perfect. I couldn’t use the white bread. I hope hayseed works fine.”

“What was wrong with the white?” Twilight asked, lowering her voice.

“The mice.”

“O.” The mice were becoming a problem. She needed to talk with Fluttershy about them. “But hayseed is a wonderful bread!” Twilight exclaimed, her attention back on Nyx. “You’ll love it.”

“And we brought up a tall glass of milk!” Starlight added. “It’s got a lot of calcium!” She laughed, but her laugh sounded hollow. “And plenty of animal proteins.” Twilight arched a brow at Starlight, puzzled, but let it pass without comment. Her student was odd sometimes.

Nyx stayed right by the nightstand and looked at the floor. She did not even acknowledge the presence of food.

Twilight’s smile faded. “You…you are hungry, right?” She glanced between Spike and Starlight for help, but they seemed just as bewildered.

“Well, it’s here if you want it.” Twilight continued. “We understand if you would prefer to eat alone. I’ll come by later for your dishes.” She turned to Spike and Starlight. “We’ll have supper in the kitchen. And you,” she added, grinning at Starlight, “Are going to tell me all about what happened today!”

Starlight blushed. “Right, I haven’t told you everything yet…knowing you, you’ll be taking notes, right?”

“Yup!” Spike said, beaming. “I have the quill and parchment already set up!”

“Great. Just great.” She and Spike left the room. Twilight gave Nyx a reassuring smile, and then followed them out.

Nyx waited until their steps faded away, and then quietly closed the door with her magic. She tossed her head back again and approached the table, head held high. Nyx stared ruefully at her meal for a moment, before taking the daisy sandwich in her magic and bringing it up to her face for closer inspection. She sniffed it suspiciously, and then opened it. Her nose scrunched up disgustfully upon seeing the daffodils. She tossed them onto the plate without a second glance.

She scrutinized the bread carefully. Her horn glowed brighter, thin rows of magical energy running across the surface of the bread slices. After a long moment, Nyx halted the spell, and tentatively took a bite. Her face blanched. She forced herself to swallow her bite of bread, and then tossed the bread slices back onto the plate.

Next, she turned her attention to the bowl of steaming celery soup. She sniffed it deeply, and then cast the same spell on the soup that she had cast onto the bread slices. After a few seconds of this, Nyx took the bowl up to her lips and drank the hot soup down. She winced as she did so, but kept drinking. When she finished, she set the bowl down with a grunt.

Nyx reached for the milk now. She scanned it and, finding no fault with it, began to drink. Something like enjoyment flickered across her face as she drained the white, frothy liquid down, milk running down the sides of her muzzle. When she finished, Nyx licked the milk off of her face and forehooves, the sharp barbs on her tongue helping to brush the milk off her coat.

The scratching in the walls began again. Nyx paused; ears twitching; her attention focused itself onto the opposite wall. She crept over to it and pressed her ears against it. The scratching became louder. There was a shuffling of tiny feet, and then a loud squeak. Nyx sniffed the wall, her cyan eyes gleaming. She bared her fangs and licked her lips.

Twilight materialized in a flash of light. “Hi, don’t mind me, just here to pick up your dishes—"

“Eep!”

Nyx dove under the table. Twilight saw her glowing eyes peering at her from beneath the table, watching warily, her cat-slit pupils thin slivers.

Stupid ninny, teleporting in like that, Twilight thought. You saw how she reacted to it earlier! Why did you think that was a good idea? “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you like that. I forget you’re not used to teleportation. Are you alright?”

Nyx shrank down to the floor, as though trying to make herself appear as small as possible. Twilight wondered if she should coax her out, or if that would only make things worse.

She glanced at the dishes. “I see you were hungry after all! You ate all the soup and drank your milk, that’s nice.” She spotted the sandwich. It had been taken apart, the daisies lying untouched on the plate. “Didn’t you like the sandwich?”

Nyx shook her head. She understands Equestrian well enough, Twilight thought. Then why doesn’t she say anything?

Twilight stacked the bowl and glass onto the plate, placing the remains of the sandwich into the bowl. She trotted to the door, but turned to speak. “You can talk to me. You can always talk to me.” Nyx did not answer, but Twilight could tell she was listening. “You don’t have to worry. This is a secure place. Chrysalis can’t get in here.”

Nyx stiffened upon hearing the name. Twilight wondered if bringing Chrysalis up so soon was a good idea, but she decided to plow ahead, if only to reassure the filly. “You don’t have to worry. You won’t ever have to see Chrysalis again, I promise.” Her smile broadened. “I hope you have a good night, Nyx. I’ll see you in the morning.” Twilight left the room, closing the door cheerfully behind her.

Nyx crept out from under the table, staring at the closed door with wide, moist eyes. Her lower lip trembled. She stood there for a long moment, numb, and then suddenly darted under the bed, dragging her saddlebags along with her.

The underside of the bed was vast and roomy. The bed skirt cut off much of the light, making the underside dark like a cave. Nyx’s bioluminescent eyes glowed, bathing the underside in bright cyan light. She sidled to the head of the bed and sat on her haunches, her horn several inches away from the mattress boards. She pulled the saddlebags close to her and opened a pouch. Inside was one of the blankets Twilight had seen when she examined Nyx’s bag earlier. Nyx pulled the blanket out and spread it before her.

It was a brown fur pelt. It had a large claw attached to it. The pelt was larger than Nyx, and spread out under most of the bed’s underside. A large collection of items had been wrapped inside of it. There was a large crimson leather book with thick pages; several other books that were missing pages; two knifes in thick leather sheathes; and a blue ceramic spray-bottle.

But it was a photograph in a simple black wooden frame that caught her attention. In the forefront stood Nyx, beaming brightly at the camera, her fangs plainly visible in her wide grin. There was a mare standing behind her. She was a tall, desiccated-looking mare, who may have been reckoned beautiful were she not so gaunt. She had a teal oily mane and wore a four-pronged crown with round nodules. Her horn was crooked, and her gossamer wings were torn. She had serpentine eyes like Nyx, but they were green instead of cyan. And while Queen Chrysalis did not smile as broadly as Nyx, something in her regal bearing came across as proud. She rested a hoof across Nyx’s left wither.

Nyx reached out and felt her wither, the very one Chrysalis had her hoof on in the picture. Her eyes watered. She held the frame close to her, embracing it as tears ran down her cheeks.

“Mommy.”

Author's Notes:

It's so nice to have an update for you at last! You may notice that this chapter is shorter than the others I've posted (6,622 words). There is a reason for this. After I finished the initial draft of Chapter Four, I discovered that the document extended 20,000 words! Placing this in perspective, that is the minimum count required for a novella. So, I elected to split the chapter and parse it down. This is the first part. The second part has been changed into the new Chapter Five, and is roughly twice the length of Chapter Four.. I have a complete draft for it, but it will need some revision and polish. I hope to have that up either later this month or in early December.

I hope you enjoyed the update! I look forward to hearing what you thought about it!

Chapter Five

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CHAPTER FIVE

It was dawn. Twilight trotted out of her room, humming a cheerful melody as she made her way down the hall to Nyx’s door. She knocked before opening it and sticking her head in. “Good morning, Nyx! Rise and shine, it’s time to get—” Twilight froze. The room was empty!

“Nyx? Nyx! Where are you?” There was no reply. Twilight’s eyes widened. She ran into the room, searching for clues to Nyx’s whereabouts. She was not in the bed, or under the table. Twilight ran a hoof through her mane, mind racing. Had Chrysalis stolen her away, as Princess Celestia predicted? Twilight did not think Chrysalis could penetrate the Castle’s wards—but then, she knew magic Twilight had never heard of. Who knew what she was truly capable of?

Twilight checked the window. It was locked, and did not look as though it had been forced. That meant that no-pony could have come in or out through there. That left one other place to check.

She lifted the bed skirts. To her great relief, Nyx lay under the bed, fast asleep. She was wrapped in her strange blanket, and using Twilight’s old saddlebags as a pillow. Nyx looked so cute like this! Twilight could not suppress a smile. But she also felt a little uneasy. Why wasn’t Nyx sleeping on the bed?

Her eyes crept open. Twilight’s smile broadened. “Good morning! It’s time to wake up!”

Nyx huffed and buried her face in the saddlebag. She moaned irritably.

“Come on, rise and shine!” Twilight pressed. “I need you to come out from under there.”

Nyx reluctantly obeyed. She still wore her silver peytral, as well as her eggplant-colored coat. Twilight looked at them in bewilderment. “You slept in your coat? Weren’t you hot?”

Nyx shrugged. Her eyes looked bleary.

“You don’t need to wear your coat in the castle, it keeps a stable temperature always. Why don’t you go ahead and take it off?”

Nyx wrapped herself tighter in the coat, to Twilight’s bewilderment.

“Do you get cold easily?” she asked. “In that case, why don’t we let some light in here?” Twilight opened the curtains, bathing the room in sunlight. It was a bright, clear winters day. The sun sat just above the horizon, its light reflecting off the snowy grounds. Nyx flinched in the light.

“See? It’s a beautiful day. My mentor, Princess Celestia, is responsible for raising the sun! Isn’t that amazing?”

Nyx looked at the sun, her gaze blurry and unfocused. Her pupils thinned and her eyelids drooped.

“It’s time for breakfast,” Twilight continued. “Spike’s already in the kitchen—he’s making pancakes! Doesn’t that sound good?”

Nyx offered no reply.

“I’ll take you down to the kitchen in a bit. Why don’t you freshen up, and then we’ll go down together. Sound good?”

Silence. Twilight frowned. It was very hard to talk to some-pony who didn’t say anything back. Perhaps Nyx would open up after she tried some of Spike’s pancakes? Twilight hoped this would be the case as she turned and trotted out of the room.

Nyx looked into the sunlight. Opaque membranes slid across her eyes from the side, briefly turning them milky-white before retracting. Her normal eyelids drooped further, and she yawned, fangs gleaming in the light. Nyx proceeded straightway to the underside of the bed.

She froze. A mouse snuffled about on top of her blanket, its tiny nose twitching. It paid her no heed.

Nyx became alert. Her pupils dilated, focusing in on the mouse. She lowered herself to the floor and crept closer to it, eyes gleaming.

The mouse suddenly became aware of her presence. Nyx snarled and lunged at it, but the tiny rodent scurried away. It darted out from under the bed. Nyx poked her head out to pursue, but stopped when she saw the tail of the mouse disappear inside a tiny hole behind the nightstand.

Nyx huffed irritably and threw herself onto the fur blanket.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight re-emerged from her bedroom, holding several books aloft in her magic. She was going back down the hall when a door opened. Starlight Glimmer poked her head out. “Good morning,” she said. Her voice sounded a little husky. “What books do you have today?”

“These? They’re books on child care! After you went to bed, I pulled down as many as I could find!”

Starlight smiled. “Of course. Did you get any sleep last night?”

Twilight chuckled nervously. “I slept…eventually? But I was so excited! I went through several of these books…I want to raise Nyx right.”

“That’s so you, Twilight. What’d you get?”

“Some of the best! I have “The Care and Keeping of Colts and Fillies,” “Rearing Responsible Foals Responsibly,” and “How Little Fillies Become Lovely Ladies.”

“Rarity would love that last one.” Starlight pointed at another book. “What is that one called?”

“This? “Elever des pouliches magiques.” It’s a classic!”

Starlight blinked. “Sorry, what?”

“O, right, you don’t speak Prench. Translated, it means “On Raising Magical Fillies.” It’s a very popular unicorn text…but I think the Equestrian translation loses a lot of the flavor of the original Prench text—”

“I’m sure it does,” Starlight cut in. “But are you sure these books will help with Nyx?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t they?”

Starlight bit her lip. “Well, they were written for normal fillies. But Nyx definitely isn’t normal. Are you sure these books will work with a child like her?”

“They should. I know Nyx is an alicorn, but she’s a normal filly otherwise. Why wouldn’t they work?”

“Nyx isn’t exactly a normal alicorn either.”

“Okay, a normal filly with an unusual birth and exotic eyes,” Twilight admitted. “But that shouldn’t make her too different from any other filly.”

“If you say so.”

Twilight smiled. “We can learn more about her at breakfast! I can’t wait to find out what toppings she likes on her pancakes!”

“That’ll be interesting. Let’s take her down, then.” She took a step forward, and gasped sharply. She turned and glared at her flank.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked.

“I’ll be fine. Chrysalis threw me pretty hard yesterday. My flank is still sore.”

Twilight glanced at it. She could see a wide purple bruise around the point Starlight’s tail connected with her body. “Do you need to go back to bed?”

Starlight waved her off. “No, no, I’ll be fine. It’s just a sprain, I’ll get over it.” She glanced at the door to Nyx’s room. “Do we teleport in?”

“No, teleportation spooks her. We’ll just have to knock.”

Starlight nodded. She followed Twilight to Nyx’s room, wincing as she trotted. Twilight opened the door and poked her head in.

“I’m back! Ready for breakfast?” She stopped. The room was empty again.

Starlight looked in behind her. “Did she go down already?”

“She doesn’t know the way. I think…” Twilight made her way to the bed and flipped the bed skirts up. As she suspected, Nyx was under the bed again. She had gone back to sleep.

Starlight carefully lowered herself next to Twilight. “Aw, that’s so cute! It’s like she’s in a little den.”

“I just got her up!” Twilight protested. “She was supposed to get ready for breakfast!”

“She’s probably tired. Why don’t we let her sleep in, and feed her when she wakes up?”

“That’s the worst thing we could do!” Twilight snapped open “On Raising Magical Fillies” and turned to a carefully tabbed page. “See? Right here on page two-hundred and thirty-seven.”

“Okay. What am I supposed to be seeing?”

“What? O, right…roughly translated, it says, “…it is important for your little one to keep to a steady rhythm each day. She should rise and set with Celestia’s sun.” See? We need to keep her on a consistent schedule!”

“I get that, but don’t you remember what Thorax said? About Nyx being a night pony?”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “O. She’s used to sleeping during the day.” Her left ear twitched. “But that’s not feasible! She needs to adjust to a daytime schedule!”

Starlight nodded. “I agree with you, Twilight. But in the meantime, perhaps we should step back and see what hours she’s used to?”

Twilight felt irritated. “We should have asked the Changelings about her routine.”

“I guess it just slipped our minds. After everything that happened yesterday, I don’t think any-pony can blame us for that.”

Twilight nodded glumly. “Yesterday was pretty stressful,” she conceded. “I guess we can let her sleep in.”

Starlight rose gingerly. “Good idea. We can ask her about her normal routine later.”

Twilight nodded. “And in the meantime, let’s see to that bruise of yours. I think I have just the thing…”

The two mares left the room. Neither of them noticed Nyx crack an eye open.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rainbow Dash was incredulous. “She isn’t up yet? Still?”

Twilight shook her head, seating herself at the table.

“But it’s four in the afternoon! Even I don’t sleep in this long!”

“I know. We’re going to have to work on getting her up earlier.”

Twilight and her friends sat on their thrones surrounding the map table. Above their heads hung a great chandelier of tree roots, magical baubles hanging from them like ornaments—all that remained of the old Golden Oaks library. They were not the only ones in the room. Spike had a throne for himself, and Starlight sat in a wooden chair next to Twilight.

True to their word, every-pony had arrived at the appointed hour for lunch, only to discover that Nyx was still asleep. They waited a full hour before finally conceding defeat and taking lunch without her. Then they gathered in the throne room. Twilight had been going up now and again to check on Nyx, and had just returned from her latest inspection.

“And she’s sleeping under the bed?” Rarity asked, for the umpteenth time. “That’s so peculiar! I’ve stayed the night here, and your beds are the most luxurious I’ve ever slept in!”

“I think it sounds adorable!” Fluttershy said. “Would it be alright if I went up to see her? I promise to be extra quiet.”

“No, we don’t want to risk waking her,” Twilight replied. “We’re trying to get a feel for her usual hours.”

Applejack shook her head, irritated. “If you ask me, it was pretty dang irresponsible of Chrysalis to keep that little filly up all night.”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Yeah. Because everything about Chrysalis screams “responsible.””

“But why did she do that?” Dash asked, puzzled. “Has Nyx said anything to you about that?”

Twilight shook her head. “She hasn’t said anything at all.”

“O, that poor dear!” Fluttershy said. “Maybe she’s still scared of talking after living with Chrysalis for so long.”

Pinkie Pie gasped. “Maybe she doesn’t know how to talk!”

“Or perhaps she’s naturally quiet,” Rarity suggested. “She has a very muted hoof-step.”

Twilight pondered. “When Thorax first mentioned her to us, he said that she was able to talk. And she made some audible responses to me this morning. I don’t think she wants to talk.”

“Looks like we got ourselves a bunch a’ questions,” Applejack said. “I reckon we ought to have stayed at that there Hive and asked a few.”

Twilight nodded. “I agree. The next time we see Thorax we should ask him about her. And interview any Changelings who would know about her habits.”

“And find out what kind of cake she likes!” Pinkie Pie squealed. “It’ll help me plan her Welcome-To-Ponyville party!”

“O yeah? How’s that going?” Spike asked.

Pinkie’s face fell. “I’m…kind of stuck. It’s so weird! I’ve been working extra-super-duper hard on it, but every time I sit down to plan in my ultra-top-secret underground party cave that every-pony knows about, I keep drawing a blank!”

“Really?” Twilight asked, surprised. “That’s strange. What’s the problem?”

“I don’t know! I write “Welcome Party for Nyx” down, draw a nice, long line under it…and then zilch!” She suddenly looked thoughtful, or as thoughtful as was possible for a pony like Pinkie Pie to be. “Maybe I’m doing something wrong.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” Twilight said. “After all, we have another celebration we need to plan.”

“We do?” Starlight asked, looking between the other girls in bewilderment. “For what?”

The girls grinned at one another. “Well,” Twilight said. “Recently, we were held captive by an evil changeling Queen.”

“But then,” Fluttershy continued, “Some very brave ponies, a draconequus, and a friendly changeling came and saved us!”

“And we’re all so very grateful to them for rescuing us,” Rarity giggled.

“So, we thought we’d thank ‘em by throwing a huge whoop-dee-doo in their honor!” Applejack finished.

Starlight’s cheeks turned deep cerise. “You really don’t have to do that.”

“Yes, we do,” Twilight said. “If it weren’t for you, every-pony would be suffering under the cruel reign of Queen Chrysalis!”

“Yeah! And I don’t wanna think about what she was going to do to us after she took our love!” Dash added, shuddering.

“Me neither,” Fluttershy whispered. “I had bad dreams last night about that room! It was so scary! I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for little Nyx!”

Twilight nodded glumly. The bones in the fireplace loomed ominously in her mind. “We owe you guys a lot,” she said to Starlight. The least we can do is formally thank you for saving us.” Twilight smiled. “I’m very proud of you.” Starlight’s blush deepened.

Twilight turned to Pinkie Pie. “How about it? Does that sound like something you can do?”

Pinkie Pie smiled broadly, clapping her hooves together in excitement. “Planning a “Thank You for Saving All Our Lives” Party? Now that’s something I can definitely do! Easy-peasy!” She tapped her chin, sticking her tongue out in deep concentration. “Now, let’s see. We’ll need a stage to present our heroes, and a place to fit loads and loads of guests!”

“How about the ballroom?” Twilight suggested. “I’ve never used it before.”

“Sounds perfect!” Pinkie Pie squeaked, bouncing on her throne. “It’s brightly lit and extra roomy! We can invite our friends and fancy dignitaries to see it!” A new idea occurred to her. “O! We can invite the Changelings too!”

“Why do you want to invite them?” Dash demanded. “They’re why we needed rescuing in the first place!”

“Now Dash, they were only doing what Chrysalis made them do,” Rarity said. “But now that they have reformed, we can teach them about friendship.” She made a face. “We have a lot to teach them…”

“And we’re going to celebrate Thorax for helping save us!” Pinkie Pie added. “I think they’re going to want to come and see their new king be honored for saving his friends!”

“That’s a great idea,” Fluttershy said. “We can find out more about them now that they’re nice. We could ask them about Nyx, too.”

“Okay, okay, I guess they can come,” Dash relented. “But let’s not invite the ones that didn’t reform. Like Pharynx! And that Mandible creep.”

Spike shuddered. “Yeah, those guys gave me the willies!”

Twilight nodded. “That’s a good call. We don’t want the holdouts causing trouble. And I don’t want to have them near Nyx. They might frighten her.”

Rarity was interested. “You’ll be having Nyx attend, I take it?”

“Certainly! She’ll definitely want to see who helped free her from Chrysalis! She’ll probably want to thank Thorax personally.”

“Okay then!” Pinkie said. “Those are all the things I’ll need to get started on planning this great big party! I’m going to need lots of cake and punch and—O!” She added, a fresh idea occurring to her. “Let’s put out some traditional Changeling dishes!”

“Now there’s an idea,” Rarity said. “Do you know any?”

“Nope! I was hoping we could ask Thorax! He knows how to read now, right?”

“A little,” Twilight replied. “Sunburst was working with him on that. He can read basic passages, but Sunburst said his writing was still shaky.”

“So, asking him before the ceremony is problematic,” Starlight mused. She turned to Spike. “Did he mention anything about Changeling recipes to you?”

Spike shook his head. “Not to me. To be honest, he didn’t like to talk about his life in the Hive. He always seemed a little embarrassed about it.”

Applejack leaned forward. “Do you reckon a lot of their recipes use…meat?” She uttered that last word with great trepidation.

The girls looked at each other, mortified.

“Goodness!” Rarity whispered. “I did not consider that!”

“Cooking with meat?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “That’s the awfullest idea I’ve ever heard of!” She pulled out a notebook from her mane and jotted a few notes down with a pink quill pen. “I’ll just use normal party treats instead. We can ask the Changelings what they like later.”

“That covers refreshments,” Twilight said shakily. She felt nauseous. The fireplace in Chrysalis’s chambers loomed in her mind again. “Is there anything else we may need?”

“Dresses!” Rarity exclaimed. Her eyes were shining. “I have every-pony’s measurements on file, but I shall need to take Nyx’s. I must say, I’ve never worked with a coloring like hers before! With her unique palette I’m sure I can come up with something wonderful!”

“Thanks Rarity, but you don’t need to do all that,” Twilight interrupted. “I would prefer this ceremony be a little more casual.”

Rarity’s face fell. “O? But surely we could make it more formal! After all, we are celebrating our liberation from Chrysalis, as well as the Changeling’s reformation! And this will be Nyx’s debut to society, she’ll want to make an impression!”

“I understand,” Twilight replied sympathetically. “But the Changelings don’t have a tradition of formal wear.”

“So, if we wear stuff like that, they’ll probably feel intimidated,” Starlight added.

Rarity deflated. “I suppose you’re right. Those poor dears! They have been so deprived!” She laid a hoof over her forehead. Every-pony smiled and shook their heads at her theatrics. But then a new idea occurred to the fashionista: “In any case, why don’t you go ahead and bring Nyx along to my boutique tomorrow?”

“I guess I could,” Twilight replied. “How come?”

“Because I want to take her measurements and determine her season. And to make her a present!” she added, batting her eyelashes.

Dash snorted. “You just have to make her something, don’t you? Go on, what’s it gonna be? A dress?”

“A new coat.”

Applejack arched a brow. “Why d’ya want to do that for? She’s got a coat already.”

“I know. Such a repulsive thing! It’s such a crude creation! The only positive thing I can say about it is that the color was a good choice. It complements her mane. At least Chrysalis didn’t give her a black one, that might be too overpowering…although I suppose she could pull it off…”

“Nyx seems fond of it,” Twilight interrupted. “I found her sleeping in it.”

Rarity frowned. “That’s odd. Does she get cold easily?”

“I guess? She’s sleeping in her coat and that fuzzy blanket. She even left her peytral on.”

Dash cocked her head. “Her what?”

“Peytral. It’s that silver neck guard she wears.”

“O, you mean that metal bib thing?”

“It isn’t a bib, it’s a piece of barding,” Rarity corrected. “Like the ones the Sisters wear.”

“Whatever,” Dash said, rolling her eyes. “They look like bibs to me.”

“It looks kinda valuable,” Applejack mused. “I wonder why Chrysalis gave her somethin’ like that for?”

“I’m not sure,” Twilight replied. “I wonder why Nyx won’t take that stuff off?”

“Maybe they’re special to her,” Starlight suggested. “I mean, I doubt she had anything else to call her own.”

“Exactly!” Rarity exclaimed. “She wasn’t allowed to have many things, so she clings to what little she has! But she’ll toss that ratty old coat away when she sees the one I’ll make!”

“I dunno, her coat looks alright to me,” Applejack said. “Been meanin’ to ask. What’s that there coat made out of, anyway? Sure looks strong.”

Rarity furrowed her brow. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen material quite like that before. It reminds me a little of some plastic fabrics I’ve worked with, but courser.”

“I think I’ve seen something like it,” Twilight said.

“You have? O Darling, you simply must tell me where!”

“I don’t remember. But it looks familiar.”

Rarity sighed. “I suppose we can ask Nyx about it sometime. I’m rather curious to learn more about that fabric. As crude as that coat may be, the material has possibilities.”

“So, no-pony can identify the material that coat is made from?” Starlight asked, puzzled. “In that case, where did Chrysalis find it?”

“She probably stole it,” Rarity suggested. “Stole it off some poor traveler and cast it off on Nyx.”

“You sure?” Applejack asked. “That coat looks like a good fit to me.”

“She must have!” Rarity insisted. “I doubt Chrysalis would have wasted a lot of time on dressing Nyx, she’s such a horrid monster! She—well, look who it is!”

Rarity was looking at the door. Twilight turned and saw Nyx standing over the threshold.

“Well, good afternoon!” Twilight said warmly. “It’s great to see you up and about!”

“Finally,” Spike grumbled. Twilight glanced disapprovingly at him and he looked away, abashed.

“Why don’t you come right on in ‘ere,” Applejack said, smiling.

Nyx crept into the room, her large eyes peering into every corner. She glanced upwards, taking in the wooden chandelier with bewilderment. Twilight noticed she still wore her coat and silver peytral.

“I’m glad to see you found your way around,” Twilight said. “My castle is very large, and it’s easy to get lost in.”

“Isn’t that the truth,” Spike muttered.

Fluttershy left her seat and approached Nyx. “Hello, little one. Are you feeling better?” She spread a wing to lay over Nyx, but Nyx backed away from her. Fluttershy froze. The ponies glanced at each other.

Pinkie Pie recovered first. “Good afternoon, Nyxie!” she squeaked, bouncing off her throne. “We were just talking about you! Do you like cake? Pie? We have lots and lots of questions for you! Aren’t you excited?” Nyx’s eyes widened as Pinkie came nose to nose with her. She looked from Pinkie to the door, as though calculating her chance of escape.

“That’s enough, Pinkie!” Twilight yelled. “You’re scaring her!”

Pinkie wilted. “O. Sorry, Nyxie.” Nyx did not answer. She brought her head down and stared at her hooves.

“Are…would you like something to eat?” Twilight asked awkwardly. “We had lunch earlier, but I think we have some food left over?” She glanced questioningly at Spike, who nodded. “Would you like some?”

Nyx shrugged, which Twilight took as a yes. She stood up. “Then come along with us! We’ll take you to the kitchen, okay?”

Another shrug. Twilight decided that this was a sign of progress—they were communicating at least.

Nyx turned and left the room. She stopped in the hall and sniffed the air.

Spike stepped forward. “If you’ll follow me, the kitchen is down…that way?” He trailed off, confused, as Nyx strode down the hallway he was just about to indicate, her shoulders rising and falling like a counter-balance. Again, Twilight found herself puzzling over Nyx’s odd movements. She found them unnerving, but could not explain why. They were familiar; she felt she had seen some other creature move that same way.

They followed Nyx down the halls, taking many turns as they went. Nyx would stop on occasion and sniff the air, then proceed to walk down the correct corridor. Several times Twilight found herself attempting to correct her navigation, only to realize that Nyx was going down the right way. How could Nyx already be this adept at navigating the castle corridors? Twilight lived here, and she still got lost finding the bathroom!

They reached the kitchen. It was, in fact, the very kitchen Twilight and Spike took breakfast in the day before. How long ago now that seemed!

Twilight pulled a chair close to the fire and offered it to Nyx, who hesitated a moment before leaping onto it. Spike made his way to the stove, where several pots sat on burners. He had left them there after making lunch, for when Nyx woke up. The other ponies gathered around the table, but only Twilight took a seat, sitting opposite Nyx so that they faced each other.

“Spike is a really good cook!” Twilight said. “You’ll like what he whips up.”

Nyx watched Spike as he pulled a paring knife out of a knife block and carefully chopped a clump of parsley. He scrapped if off into the largest pot, and then climbed onto the counter to open a hanging cabinet.

Something small, gray, and furry darted out.

“Whoa!” Spike yelled.

“O, don’t hurt it!” Fluttershy cried. The mouse ran across the counter. Spike pounced, but it darted into a tiny hole behind the toaster.

Spike smacked his fist against the counter. “Again! I can’t even cook without mice running out of the cupboards! Fluttershy, can’t you do anything about them?”

Fluttershy buried her face in her mane. “I’m sorry, I keep asking them to leave, but then they come right back. Don’t be mad at them. It’s so cold outside, and it’s nice and warm in the castle.”

“You need to be firmer,” Spike grumbled, climbing back up the counter and reaching into the cabinet. Inside were glass bottles filled with oils, vinaigrettes, and sauces. Spike pulled down a bottle of red vinaigrette. “We’ve had to toss out a lot of food because of them.” He unstopped the bottle, and spread a small amount of the vinaigrette inside the pot.

“I’ll talk to them again,” Fluttershy promised.

“Thank you, Fluttershy,” Twilight said. She turned back to Nyx. “I’m sorry about that. The mice are a little annoying, but they won’t hurt you.”

Nyx did not answer. She was staring intently at the mousehole.

Dash waved a hoof in front of her face. “Uh, hello? Any-pony home?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy scolded. “That’s not nice!”

“But she’s not blinking!” Dash protested. It was true. Nyx had not blinked once. Even Dash waving a hoof in front of her face had not prompted a blinking response.

“That’s no reason to wave your hoof in front of her face like that!” Rarity huffed. “Really, I shouldn’t have to explain why that is so rude.”

“Fine. Geez, I’m sorry. But seriously, why won’t she blink?” She turned back to Nyx, only to realize that she was staring at her now. “Seriously kid, that’s kind of creepy.”

Nyx continued staring at Dash, with an odd, calculating gaze. It almost looked as if she were studying her. But then Spike tapped the edge of the pot with a spoon, and Nyx turned her attention back to the dragon.

Twilight was puzzled. Nyx staring for such extended periods of time was strange. But then, Princes Celestia had told her to take note of any unusual characteristics Nyx displayed. She decided to make a note of this—as part of a comprehensive report, of course.

“I hope you got enough rest,” Twilight said, attempting to change the conversation. “Now, why don’t you tell us all about yourself? We’ve wanted to know more about you!” She materialized pen and paper. Nyx arched a brow at them.

“Can you fly?” Dash blurted out.

“Rainbow,” Rarity scolded.

“Hey, I’m just asking!” Dash said. “She’s got wings, I wanna see how good she is with ‘em!” She grinned at Nyx. “Well, come on! Let’s see you hover for us!”

Nyx stared at Dash. For a moment, it seemed to Twilight that her gaze became analytical. But then she extended her wings, without blinking or breaking eye contact. They were scalloped, with a silhouette like that of a bat, but feathered. They were large and strong, yet proportioned to her body.

Rarity was entranced. “O my dear! Your wings are simply stunning!”

“Yeah, they’re pretty cool,” Dash said. “Come on, let’s see you hover a bit!”

Nyx stared at Dash for a moment, and then flapped her wings rapidly. She hovered over her seat for a few seconds, but then promptly plopped down onto her chair again. She seemed fatigued.

Dash frowned and exchanged glances with Twilight.

“It looks like she doesn’t know how to fly yet,” Fluttershy commented. She smiled sympathetically at Nyx.

Dash’s eyes gleamed. “Maybe I can teach her! That’ll be awesome!”

There was loud bang. Spike was squatting in front of a lower cabinet, struggling to pull out a heavy basin. “Ugh. This thing weighs a ton!”

“O, isn’t that the crystal basin Princess Cadance gave you?” Rarity asked Twilight.

“Yes. It was a housewarming gift. We never use it, though.”

Starlight trotted over to Spike, lighting her horn. “Here, let me help you with that.” She pulled the lavender basin out, grimacing as its weight acted against her magic. “Wow! That is heavy!” she said, but she succeeded and set the basin onto the floor. Spike reached inside it and pulled out a stack of smaller bowls. He selected one made of polished wood.

Starlight blinked. “That was it?”

“Yup,” Spike said. He set the bowl on the counter. “I just needed that soup bowl, but the cabinet is too shallow to pull it out from that basin. Here, let me put all that back…”

“No, no, I’ve got it.” Starlight placed the nested bowls back under the cabinet, straining as she did so.

Spike turned off the heat, and poured the steaming stew inside the wooden bowl. He came to the table and set it before Nyx. “Hang on, let me grab some silverware,” he said. Spike darted over to a nearby drawer and pulled out a spoon. He brought it over and lay it next to the soup bowl.

“How about we get you a drink?” Starlight suggested. She pulled a quart of milk from the refrigerator, and poured it into a glass. She set it next to the soup bowl.

“There you are!” Twilight said brightly. “Eat up!”

“Wait!” Rarity cried. “You don’t want to wear your coat while you eat, my dear! You might get it dirty.” She reached out to take the coat, but Nyx wrapped it tighter around herself and shrank back from her.

Rarity frowned. “Or not. Do you prefer to keep your coat on?”

Nyx stared expressionlessly at Rarity. Again, Twilight found herself struggling to understand this child. Why was she so protective of her coat?

“Well, I suppose you don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Rarity said. She ran a hoof along the coat. “What a curious texture! I’ve never seen fabric quite like this before…do tell, what is this material?”

Nyx stared at Rarity’s hoof, clearly discomfited. Rarity sensed this and promptly drew back her hoof, flustered. The child stared at her for a moment longer, and then turned to examine her soup. She leaned forward and sniffed it.

“O, I’ve got to get a picture of this!” Pinkie Pie squealed. She pulled a Polaroid camera out from nowhere. “Every-pony, act casual!” She snapped a shot, the camera generating a blinding flash of light.

Nyx’s reaction was instantaneous. She inhaled sharply and flinched, rubbing her eyes with her forehooves.

Pinkie Pie’s ears wilted. “O, I’m so sorry! You don’t like bright flashes, do you?”

Nyx blinked rapidly. It was the first time Twilight had observed her blinking at all.

“Are you alright?” Twilight asked.

Nyx did not reply. She stopped blinking and lowered her head, staring at the bowl.

“Strong sensitivity to bright lights,” Starlight noted. “That’s odd.”

“In that case, we’d better avoid using flash photography with Nyx,” Twilight said. “Okay, Pinkie? Pinkie?”

She caught Pinkie’s face. The Polaroid had printed, and Pinkie was staring at the image in total bewilderment.

“What’s a-matter?” Dash asked. She looked over Pinkie’s shoulder. “Did you get your hoof in the way, or—” She froze, eyes widening, as she saw what was on the photo. Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike came around to look, and each of them gasped when they saw the photo.

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie did not reply, instead passing the photo over to Twilight. “What the—!” Twilight sputtered. The photo showed herself, her friends, and Nyx gathered around the table. She and her friends looked normal, but Nyx’s eyes glowed bright red! “What is this?”

“Let me see,” Starlight said, taking the photo. She arched a brow. “That’s odd. Is this a reaction to the flash?”

Twilight’s head cleared. “I guess?” She turned to Pinkie. “Could you take another photo? No flash this time.”

“Okay,” Pinkie said. She sounded dazed, but lifted the camera again. “Nyxie, look this way!”

Nyx glared at her as Pinkie took the shot. There was a loud click and a winding sound as the camera processed the image, but there was no flash this time. The Polaroid printed, and Pinkie held it up to the light.

“O, that’s muuuuch better! Nyxie’s eyes aren’t glowing and…ooh, she looks really grumpy.”

Twilight glanced at the picture. Nyx’s eyes no longer glowed red. But she was glaring at the camera. She looked exceedingly fierce for a filly her age. The image reminded Twilight of stills from the great pony filmmaker, Que Brick.

Starlight glanced over Twilight’s shoulder. “Wow, she really doesn’t like flash photography.” She turned to Nyx. “We’re sorry that flash hurt your eyes. We promise we won’t use it again.”

Nyx huffed and turned away. This was the largest display of emotion Nyx had displayed yet, and it was irritation. Twilight exchanged nervous glances with her friends. Any-pony could see this was not going well. She decided to change the subject.

Twilight pushed the spoon to Nyx. “How about you get started on that yummy food Spike made? You know how to pick up a spoon with your magic, right?”

Twilight and her friends closed in eagerly. They were all very curious to see how the alicorn filly handled her magic. Nyx looked around at them all, her gaze inscrutable. But then she shifted her attention to the spoon. Her horn lit up. Indigo magic surrounded the handle.

Indigo? That was an unusual color. Twilight recalled the original Nightmare Moon’s magic color as bright cyan. She also noticed Nyx’s magic sounded quieter. She quickly scribbled a few notes.

Nyx looked as though she were straining. The spoon, despite the magic surrounding the handle, did not budge. After a long moment, the handle rose, but just briefly. The spoon clattered on the wooden table, and Nyx leaned back against the chair, breathing heavily.

Twilight frowned. She thought a simple task like this would have been easy for an alicorn foal; Flurry Heart tossed around heavier objects all the time. Did Nyx not know how to use her own magic? Or had Chrysalis done something to her?

“Are you having trouble with your magic?” Rarity asked. “Poor dear. Spiky, do you have any Earth-pony silverware?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah, I think we have a set somewhere. Hold on.” He rummaged through the drawers of the kitchen. No-pony noticed the calculating way Nyx’s eyes darted between the ponies, or the smirk that played briefly across her face.

“Got it.” Spike came back to the table and set an Earth-pony spoon down. In contrast to unicorn silverware, earth-pony silverware featured longer, thicker handles, with elastic straps to wrap around the hoof.

“I remember those,” Starlight said wistfully. “It was such a big deal to graduate to normal silverware. I felt so grown up.”

“Speak for yourself,” Applejack grumbled. “There ain’t no outgrowin’ them when you’re an Earth-pony.”

Starlight wilted. “Sorry.”

Twilight pushed the new spoon to Nyx, who eyed it carefully.

“Do you know how earth-pony spoons work? You wrap the loop around your hoof and eat with it. Like this.” Twilight placed her right hoof through the loop, and then took the spoon off and set it in front of Nyx. “Now you try.”

Nyx stuck her left hoof through the loop. She took it up and gave Twilight a questioning look.

“Well, don’cha want to dig in?” Applejack asked. “That there soup is gonna get cold soon.”

Twilight thought the soup looked—and smelled! —great. In fact, she had pulled the recipe out of “The Care and Keeping of Colts and Fillies.” It was at base a thick, hearty tomato stew. It contained boiled potatoes, celery, onions, red beans, carrots, and rose pedals, and seasoned with pepper, sage, cilantro, red vinaigrette, and ground alfalfa. Any-pony would have dived right in to such a stupendous stew! But Nyx wrinkled her nose at it.

The ponies exchanged uneasy glances. Spike in particular looked distressed. “Is there something wrong with the soup?”

“Of course not, Spiky-wikey!” Rarity said. “Your stews are always exquisite!”

“Then why won’t she eat any of it?”

“Maybe it’s too hot?” Fluttershy suggested.

“Maybe it isn’t hot enough!” Dash offered.

“Or maybe we oughta ask Nyx what’s wrong,” Applejack said, arching a brow. “What’s a-matter, Nyx? D’ya not like that kind of soup?”

Nyx gave no answer.

“Um, Nyxie? Hello-oo?” Pinkie Pie said. “Are you going to say anything? We’re saying lots of things here, and you’re not saying anything at all!”

No reply.

“She did this last night,” Twilight said. “We gave her supper, and she wouldn’t eat it—”

“Until we left the room,” Starlight finished.

Twilight looked around at the herd of ponies stuffed into the small kitchen. “I guess we are a little crowded in here.”

“She must feel shy when she’s eating,” Fluttershy said. “Perhaps she’ll start if we leave her alone for a bit?”

Applejack nodded. “I reckon we can try that.” She glanced out the window. “Matter of fact, I reckon it’s about time I got on home anyways. I need to haul some firewood in.”

“My little animal friends are probably getting worried about me. I should go check on them.”

“And I have a hu-uge party to plan!” Pinkie Pie squealed. “I’m going to need to plan for the cake! And ice sculptures, can’t forget about the ice sculptures!”

“It is starting to get rather late,” Rarity said. “Perhaps it’s best that we just head home for now?”

Twilight nodded. “You’re right. I’ll see you to the door.” She turned to Nyx. “My friends are heading home. We’re going to leave you alone for a bit so you can eat. Okay?”

Nyx nodded noncommittedly. Twilight smiled warmly, and then she and her friends filed out of the room.

Nyx sat at the table, her ears twisting. She made no greater movements until the retreating hoof steps became inaudible. Then she scowled and pushed the bowl away. Her horn lit, and she removed the spoon from her hoof with barely any effort. She glanced at the open door, and her gaze suddenly became impish. Nyx picked up the other spoon with her magic, and made them dance around, giggling merrily as she did so.

Nyx quickly became bored by this, and set the silverware down. She leaped from the chair, made her way to the threshold, and peered around it. The ponies were out of sight, but the sound of their voices in the foyer was audible. Nyx nodded to herself, and retreated back inside the kitchen. She strode resolutely past the table and halted before a large cabinet—the one Spike had rifled through earlier.

She opened it. Her gaze fell upon the crystal basin that Spike and Starlight Glimmer had pulled out earlier. Nyx hoisted the basin in the air with her magic. She pulled out the bowls from it with only the slightest fluctuations, and carefully set them back inside the cabinet. She took the basin into her forehooves, and felt the decal work around the front. The interior of the basin was very smooth.

Next, she turned her attention to the hanging cabinet containing the oils. Setting the basin on the floor, Nyx spread her wings and took flight. She flapped her wings quickly but silently, until she hovered in front of the cabinet. She opened it with her magic, rummaging through the glass bottles, until her attention was taken by one containing a thick amber oil. It was stoppered by a wooden cork and sealed in wax. A thick paper label stuck to the side read “Peanut Oil.”

Nyx sniffed it and held it up for inspection, grinning when she noticed tiny tooth marks on the cork. She landed and placed the bottle of oil inside the basin. She lifted the both of them into her magic without any difficulty.

She approached the door and peeked around the threshold again, listening; the voices of the ponies were even further away. Satisfied, Nyx took flight, while still holding the basin in her magic. She soared silently through the corridors like an owl in the night, flying up the stairs and through the corridors, landing at last inside her own room.

Nyx approached the side of the bed, setting the basin down next to it. She picked up the bottle of peanut oil and pulled the cork, easily breaking the wax seal. She poured the oil into the basin, forming a shallow pool. Then she lifted the bed skirts and slid the basin under the bed, close to the foot board, and let the bed skirts fall back. There was a lingering scent of peanuts, but other than that, nothing seemed out of place.

This task completed, Nyx re-corked the bottle and took flight. She soared back through the halls, down the stairs, and back to the kitchen. The ponies were still in the foyer.

Nyx hovered in front of the oil cabinet and set the half-empty bottle of peanut oil back inside of it. This done, she flew back to her seat and landed on it without a sound. She gave the food another disdainful look, but spotted the milk. She took it into her magic and drank it down.

Hoof steps approached. Nyx set the glass back down and quickly licked the residue off her muzzle. She cast a quick spell and closed all of the cabinets back. Then she settled down and went back to staring at the soup bowl.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twilight saw her friends to the coat room. This chamber stood close to the foyer, empty aside from the many coat racks lining the walls. The ponies pulled their coats on. Rarity turned to Twilight, buttoning her violet-and-white coat as she did so.

“About that new coat for Nyx…do you think you could get her into my boutique to-morrow morning?”

“I can try. Getting her up is a bit tricky—”

“Yeah, we noticed,” Dash interrupted, rolling her eyes.

“—And I have to make sure that no-pony sees her.” That got Twilight a lot of puzzled looks. “Princess Celestia doesn’t want too many ponies knowing about Nyx just yet.”

Applejack frowned. “That’s odd. The Princess say why?”

“Security, mostly. She’s still working out how to formally present Nyx to Equestria. Hopefully, she’ll have that sorted before the ceremony.”

“Letting her come wouldn’t be a problem, surely?” Rarity asked, concerned.

“I don’t think so. I should run it by Princess Celestia, though.”

“Nothin’ ‘gainst the Princess, but I don’t see how hiding her is gonna help,” Applejack said. “Thing ‘bout secrets, they got a funny way of comin’ out when you don’t want them to. Besides that, I reckon that ain’t a good impression to set for that little filly.” She winked at Twilight. “‘Specially since you’re her mama now!”

Twilight blinked. “Her mother? Me? No, she’s my ward. I’m not—”

“But of course you are!” Fluttershy interrupted. “You’re the one taking care of her now.”

“I don’t think I’m cut out for that—”

“But Darling!” Rarity interjected. “You’d be a perfect mother!”

Twilight looked around at her friends, amazed. “Do you really think so?”

“Of course!” Dash said. “You’ll be a totally amazing mom! You’re super smart!”

“And caring!” Fluttershy added.

“And generous!”

“And responsible. Ain’t no-pony more responsible than you.”

“And you’re not Queen Meanie!” Pinkie Pie interjected. “I bet you’ll take wa-aay better care of Nyx than she did!”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Applejack said. “After bein’ kept prisoner by Queen Chrysalis, it’ll be good for her to have a proper family at last.”

Twilight’s mind raced as she and the other ponies made their way to the foyer. One after the other, Twilight’s friends bid her farewell, and trotted out into the wintry evening. Starlight also stepped out, saying she was going to see Trixie to tell her about the ceremony. Spike disappeared; Twilight suspected he went to sulk somewhere. Rarity was the last remaining.

“I’ll try to get her up earlier tomorrow,” Twilight said to her. “Would ten work for you?”

“That would be absolutely marvelous!” Rarity replied. She smiled, placing a hoof over Twilight’s wither. “Think about what we said. That filly needs a mother more than a guardian. And I think you should be splendid at it.”

“Thanks Rarity. I…I’ll give what you guys said some thought.”

Rarity smiled. Twilight waved her goodbye and shut the door behind her. She trotted back to the kitchen, going over the conversation she had just been a part of.

Her, a mother? Twilight had not considered this. When she agreed to take Nyx in, it had been to care for her as a guardian. It had seemed the most logical decision, given that none of the other Princesses could take her in for various reasons. And leaving her with the Changelings certainly was not a good idea. Nyx was likely frightened of them; in any case, Twilight doubted they had the means to care for her properly.

It was down to her now. She was going to be the one to raise Nyx. Then why not formally adopt her? She would know the best way to raise her, after all. The more Twilight thought about this, the more appealing it became. Twilight began to think of the ways she would be a good mother for Nyx.

She would be warm and kind and caring. Nyx would be overjoyed to have such a wonderful mother, and soon all memories of that awful Chrysalis would be forgotten. With Twilight’s wise guidance, Nyx would make all kinds of wonderful friends, learn all about the magic of friendship, and grow up to be a most wonderful princess. Princess Celestia would be very impressed and heap plenty of praises on Twilight for raising such a delightful mare.

She entered the kitchen. Nyx sat exactly how Twilight had left her. The only sign of activity was the empty glass sitting next to the untouched bowl of soup.

Nyx glanced up. Their eyes met, but Nyx turned away quickly. Twilight felt a wave of pity wash over her, as well as a flash of red-hot anger at Chrysalis. What had she done to this child?

“Hey,” Twilight said, using as much warmth as she could muster. “You haven’t touched your soup.”

Nyx gave no response.

“Is there something else you’d like? We have plenty of food here. I’m sure we can ask Spike to whip it up for you.”

She was met again with silence. Twilight frowned, studying Nyx carefully. She had been in Twilight’s care for a full day and had not uttered a single word. Twilight was starting to wonder if she had gone mute. Was the trauma of life with Chrysalis simply that great?

But Twilight was not one to give up easily. “It’s okay to talk to me. It’s…always okay to talk to me.”

Nyx regarded Twilight with an odd, calculating stare. Twilight suddenly felt as though she were being studied, but for what purpose she could not say. Nyx’s face betrayed little emotion. Twilight could not tell what she was thinking; it was like trying to read a cat.

But the moment passed. Nyx looked away, turning her attention to her hooves. Twilight lay a hoof on Nyx’s. The filly tensed.

“It’s going to be alright,” she said soothingly. “Remember what I said last night—this is a secure place. There’s no way that nasty Queen Chrysalis can get in here! We’re perfectly safe!”

Nyx jerked her hooves back and shrank against the chair. She pulled her coat tighter, as though trying to seek shelter within its folds. Twilight mentally berated herself. Why had she mentioned Chrysalis? She should have realized that would upset Nyx.

Any further reflection was diverted when Nyx suddenly leaped off her chair. She moved briskly towards the door, shaking. Twilight called after her.

“Wait! Don’t you want to finish your dinner?”

The filly glanced back and shook her head. Twilight felt bad. She felt she had upset the filly tremendously, but was unsure how.

“I guess we can save it for later,” Twilight said, glancing at the soup bowl. “Is that alright?”

Nyx shrugged and looked away. She started towards the door again.

“Hold on.”

Twilight approached Nyx. The filly’s body tensed once more as Twilight lay a hoof on her withers. She took a deep breath. “I know all of this has been quite an adjustment for you, but don’t worry. I promise to keep you safe and secure.” She smiled warmly. “In fact, you can think of me as your mother! How does that sound?”

Nyx’s reaction was not what Twilight expected. Her large eyes widened, and her pupils thinned to the narrowest of slits. She began trembling even more heavily.

Twilight felt aggrieved at this sight. “O, you poor girl,” she said. She pulled Nyx into a hug.

Nyx’s eyes became large as saucers. She looked at Twilight’s back with something between horror and revulsion, and then her eyes darted frantically around the kitchen, coming to rest at last on the knife block. Nyx’s horn lit. Indigo magic surrounded the handle of the large chef’s knife. It began to rise from the block, its sharp blade gleaming in the light…

Spike entered the room. “What’s going on?”

Twilight released Nyx, who backed away from her. Nyx’s horn was un-lit.

“I was giving Nyx a hug,” Twilight said. “She looked like she needed one. Right, Nyx?” she added, flashing her most winning smile.

Nyx stared at the floor and said nothing. She was still shaking.

“Yeah, I guess she does deserve one,” Spike said, seating himself at the table. For some reason he frowned at the knife block, puzzled. All the knifes sat in their appropriate slots...though the chef’s knife was ajar.

Starlight trotted in. “Hey Twilight, hey Spike.” She smiled awkwardly at Nyx. “Hey, Nyx. How are you doing?”

Nyx made no reply. Instead, she brushed past Starlight and slunk out of the room. Twilight followed her to the threshold, and watched as she climbed up the stairs.

“She gives me the willies.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow at Starlight. “Seriously? That little filly gives you the willies?”

Starlight nodded. “Yes. I know it’s silly, but I can’t help it. She creeps me out.” Starlight kicked her hooves bashfully. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t feel that way.”

“Don’t sweat it,” Spike said. He shuddered. “You’re not the only one.”

Twilight was surprised. “Really? I didn’t think she’d bother you.”

Spike looked sheepish. “I can’t help it. I know she’s only a little kid…but she’s still a kid Nightmare Moon. I know we’re supposed to call her “Nyx” now,” he added quickly, before Twilight could interrupt. “But whenever I see her, I can’t help but remember that dimension where Nightmare Moon took over.” He swallowed hard. “And what she threatened to do to me!”

Starlight looked between Twilight and Spike. “Is this from when I tried to mess with your timelines?”

They nodded. Starlight winced, her ears drooping. “You only showed me that wasteland reality. You never told me much about those other realities you visited. Aside from how they got worse every time.”

“They were awful,” Twilight replied. “I was worried you’d freak out if I told you about them.” Twilight took a seat at the table. “One had King Sombra conquer the Crystal Empire and wage war with Equestria. In another, Queen Chrysalis’s invasion of Canterlot succeeded, and the Changelings never reformed.”

Starlight gasped. “That’s terrible!”

“They all were. But the worst was the reality where Nightmare Moon won…” She went on, telling Starlight all about Nightmare Moon’s rule over that Equestria. How she and Spike had stumbled upon her castle in the Everfree and encountered Nightmare Moon there. How she brought Eternal Night and sealed Princess Celestia inside the moon. And how she had threatened Spike unless they told her about time-travel magic.

Starlight listened in horror, only interrupting the story after Twilight mentioned that Rainbow Dash and Rarity served Nightmare Moon. “They collaborated with her? I can’t believe it!”

“It’s true,” Twilight said. “That was the worst part. In all the other realities, our friends did their part to fight against those villains. But Nightmare Moon’s control over Equestria was so complete that they ended up serving her.” She shook her head. “Neither of them looked happy. Rarity acted unbelievably haughty, and Rainbow Dash was fanatically loyal to Nightmare Moon. She was even her Guard Captain!”

“That’s terrible!” Starlight exclaimed. “But I guess that’s kind of…good? I mean, at least she was able to get along with them?”

“Only as long as they did what she wanted,” Spike said, rolling his eyes. “You should have seen their faces when I mentioned Princess Celestia. They were terrified!”

Starlight grimaced. “I can understand that. I remember visiting her statue on Nightmare Night when I was a filly. That was the worst part of the night for me! I had to give up part of my candy to Nightmare Moon, or she’d come and gobble me up!” She shuddered. “The first time I visited her statue, I gave her all of my candy!”

Spike winced. “Ouch.”

“I know. Luckily, my dad went and took some of it back.” She grinned all of a sudden, her eyes gleaming mischievously. “But when I became a teenager, I thought she was the coolest pony ever! Cooler than Princess Celestia! It was a phase,” she added, catching Twilight’s expression. “I was way into grim and creepy! You should have seen my room.”

“I always thought Nightmare Moon was creepy,” Spike said, with a shudder. “Dragon eyes just don’t look right on a pony. Especially when they glow.”

“What about you, Twilight?” Starlight asked.

“Me? O, I was never frightened of her.”

“Never?” Starlight asked, amazed. “Not even when you challenged her?”

“Okay, the real thing was super intimidating,” Twilight admitted. “But I was never afraid of visiting her statue on Nightmare Night. In fact, I thought the whole thing was kind of silly.”

“Really?” Starlight asked. She sounded impressed

“Of course! A pony eating meat is ridiculous! We all know it makes us sick.” Twilight leaned in, dropping her voice and smirking mischievously. “I didn’t even leave any candy at her statue!”

Starlight laughed. “I wish I’d thought of that! It would have saved me a ton of grief as a filly.” She laughed again, but then her expression became more serious. “Seriously, though. The real Nightmare Moon. What was she like?”

Twilight sighed. “She was absolutely terrifying. I had never seen any creature summon the kind of magic she did. If not for my friends and I unlocking the Elements of Harmony, she would have been unstoppable!”

“How powerful was she?”

Spike shuddered. “Really powerful! When she held me hostage in that other reality, she had Twilight lead her through the Everfree Forest to the map. It was crawling with Timber Wolves! But she blew them into sawdust like they were nothing!”

Starlight blinked. “Wow! She must have been ridiculously powerful! I wonder why Nyx doesn’t display magic like that?”

Twilight’s face darkened. “I bet I know.”

“You do? Tell me.”

“I think Chrysalis drained her magic.”

“Drained her—!” Starlight gasped. “Can she do that?”

“Yes. She threatened to do that to me when I encountered her that second time. But she did not succeed!”

“Obviously,” Starlight said, smirking.

“But I think she might have done that to Nyx. That’s why the poor filly can’t even lift a spoon.”

Starlight’s ears wilted. “That’s awful! Do you think she’ll stay powerless?”

“I don’t think so. She’ll need time to rebuild her reserves, but it should come back to her eventually. Then we can teach her how to use it.”

“Teach her?” Starlight repeated. She tapped her chin. “That reminds me. What are your plans for schooling Nyx? Were you going to tutor her yourself?”

Twilight started. She had not thought about that. “I…I haven’t made up my mind. I guess I do want her to go to school with other foals her age, if only to make some friends of her own.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Starlight said. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “When do you want to try that?”

“I’m not sure. She’s obviously not in any condition to go to school just yet. We need to get her acclimated first.”

Starlight grinned. “That would actually be really funny to see! “Attention class, we have a new student today. O Sweet Celestia! It’s Nightmare Moon!””

Spike snorted. Even Twilight smiled. “I guess that would be a little funny,” she said. “Of course, her name is Nyx now.”

Starlight’s face fell. “That’s not what a lot of ponies are going to call her, at least at first.” She thought for a moment. “How are we going to explain Nightmare Night to her?”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Nightmare Night? I didn’t think about that! You don’t suppose that would hurt her feelings?”

“Maybe?” Starlight replied. “Or maybe not? I’m not very good with foals, but I’m told they can be hard to predict. At any rate, I could see her playmates asking about that story. And some grown ponies too.” She smiled softly. “Did you hear Trixie asking what candy Nyx liked?”

“Is that what that was about? That’s just dumb. Nyx isn’t going to eat any-pony!”

“No, but a lot of ponies might think she would,” Spike said glumly. “They’ve been reciting the Nightmare Night rhyme for centuries.” He suddenly became very anxious. “What does all this mean for Nightmare Night now?”

Twilight thought about that. She recalled the first Nightmare Night after Princess Luna returned from the moon. Every-pony had been terrified of her, thinking she was Nightmare Moon still. Princess Luna herself did a poor job disabusing them of that notion, shouting at every-pony in the Royal Canterlot voice, and speaking in an Early Modern dialect replete with “thees” and “thous.” Luna had felt crushed when the foals ran from her, screaming that she wanted to eat them. She was so upset, she tried to cancel the holiday.

In the end, she was able to adapt herself to modern Equestria. She became more accepting of Nightmare Night, and even took on Nightmare Moon’s appearance as a sort of costume. But Nyx, according to Princess Celestia, was Nightmare Moon. Luna could cease looking like the Bogey Mare on the morrow, but Nyx was always going to resemble her.

“I don’t know,” Twilight said. “We may have to re-think how we conduct Nightmare Night in the future. We don’t want to give Nyx any more grief, after all she’s been through.

Starlight looked thoughtful. “Did Nightmare Moon look just like her statue?”

“For the most part. Why do you ask?”

Starlight bit her lip. “Did Nightmare Moon have…fangs?”

“What? No!”

“Yes!” Spike exclaimed. “Don’t you remember? I got a good look at them when she held me captive!”

“She had them in that other reality,” Twilight conceded. “But when I faced her that first time, she didn’t have any fangs.”

“Then why did she have them in that other reality?”

“For show, I suppose. Maybe she heard about the legend, and transfigured her teeth to look more intimidating.”

“Worked for me,” Spike muttered.

“So, Nyx probably doesn’t have fangs?” Starlight asked.

Twilight blinked. “What? No, of course not! Why do you ask?”

Starlight shifted nervously. “Well, Nyx looks really well-fed for a captive. She has all that muscle tone.”

Twilight frowned. She wondered what Starlight was getting at. “Okay? What about it? That’s from the Hive being such a harsh place, right?”

“Not tone like that!” Spike said, his eyes widening in realization. “You have to eat a lot and exercise hard to gain that kind of conditioning!”

Twilight arched a brow at him. “You seem to know a lot about that.”

Spike grinned. He flexed his small biceps. “Hey, a drake’s gotta have a hobby, right?”

Starlight giggled at him. “I think you need to work out more.”

Spike stuck his tongue out at her. Twilight smiled at this exchange. But the wheels in her mind turned, pondering what Spike had just told her. She tried to remember what had been in Chrysalis’ rooms. “I don’t remember seeing a lot of food in those chambers.”

“But there was,” Starlight said, her smile vanishing. She swallowed hard and shuddered. “There was that boar.”

Twilight gasped. “Starlight! Are you saying Chrysalis fed Nyx…meat?”

Starlight gave a little nervous laugh. “Well…yes?”

“That…that’s absurd!” Twilight sputtered. “Ponies don’t…they can’t…eat meat. Why…why would you even think that?”

Starlight wilted. “Because it makes sense? I mean, there wasn’t any other food in that room. And it explains the tooth marks.”

“The tooth marks?”

“Yes. The toothmarks on those boar bones were different sizes.”

“So that’s why you examined the bones yesterday. You were comparing the toothmarks.”

“Yes,” Starlight replied. “And when I did, I realized the toothmarks were different sizes. Some were thinner and closer together than the others. I don’t think Queen Chrysalis was the only one eating that boar…and the only other occupant in that room was Nyx.”

The room became deathly still. Twilight’s mind reeled. She stood up from the table and began to pace, trying to process this notion. A flesh-eating pony? Who had ever heard of such a thing? She could picture Chrysalis devouring meat—she was certainly cruel enough. But Nyx? The very idea sounded totally absurd.

But the logical part of her mind saw a lot of sense in Starlight’s arguments. It would explain why Nyx seemed reluctant to eat anything they gave her. The toothmarks were an oddity that demanded explanation. Yet the whole idea was so wrong! It went against everything Twilight had ever read about ponies.

And she could not imagine such a quiet, meek little filly doing such a thing.

“No. No, that can’t be right.” Twilight said finally. “Nyx couldn’t have been eating meat. There must be some other explanation.”

Starlight tilted her head, giving Twilight an odd look. “But it makes the most sense.”

“And it explains why she doesn’t like my stew,” Spike added. “Dang. If that’s true, how are we going to feed her?”

“Spike, Nyx is a pony. There is no way she’d be able to process meat. She certainly wouldn’t be able to tolerate the taste.” Twilight shook her head incredulously. “That Nightmare Night story is only that. Nyx wouldn’t do such a thing!”

Starlight cocked her head, eyeing Twilight warily. “If you say so…but are you sure? I mean, I know she doesn’t seem threatening…but we actually don’t know anything about her. In fact, she seems kind of uncomfortable around us. We’ve never even heard her speak. All we do know is that she spent nearly two years living with Queen Chrysalis.”

“That sounds like Shining. You agree with him?”

Starlight simpered. “To an extent. I agree we need to keep a close watch on her. There’s a lot about her behavior so far that doesn’t make a lot of sense.”

Twilight turned her attention to Spike. “And you?”

Spike looked uncomfortable. “I agree with Starlight,” he admitted. “I think it’s great you decided to take Nyx in! But…she is kind of weird.” He looked pleadingly at her. “Are you sure taking her to Rarity’s is such a good idea?”

“Yes.” Even Twilight was surprised to hear such firmness in her tone. “I understand that you guys are worried about her. But I want Nyx to feel at home here. And how is that supposed to happen if she’s looked on with suspicion?”

Spike look away, abashed. But Starlight was not finished. “We’ll try, Twilight. But are you sure she isn’t dangerous?”

Twilight sighed. “Nyx can barely use her magic. She has difficulty hovering in the air, and is too afraid to even speak.” She looked between Starlight and Spike.

“How dangerous could she possibly be?”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nyx stormed into her room, kicking the door closed behind her. She marched straight to the bed and crawled under it. Her body was shaking, her glowing eyes blazing in rage.

“How dare she!” Nyx snarled, her voice just above a whisper. “How dare she say such bad things to me!” Her nostrils flared. “¡Que malvado villano!”

She pulled the fur out of her saddlebags and unfolded it. She seized the picture of herself with Chrysalis and held it in her hooves, staring directly at the image of Chrysalis. “You are my mommy! Not that mean old bruha! I do not like her. She made you go away. She broke our home and calls me a dog name.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and her fury shifted to grief. “O, Mommy—where are you?” She sniffled and embraced the frame, holding it close for a long while, tears streaming down her face. But eventually she set the picture down, and picked up the red leather book.

She opened it. Inside, pasted to heavy parchment pages, were dozens of pictures, most of them focused around Nyx. There were pictures of Nyx looking through books, sipping tea, or even playing games with Chrysalis, who appeared infrequently throughout the album. There was a photo of Nyx posing next to a freshly slain boar, beaming triumphantly, a wooden javelin nestled into her left hoof. The end was stained a deep crimson. Another photo depicting her next to a dead bear, its head twisted completely around. Its fur was the same color as Nyx’s blanket.

And there was a picture of an ancient black oak tree, on a small stony island on a dark murky lake. In the center of its trunk was a massive hole.

But the picture Nyx stared at the most was a simple one. It depicted Chrysalis sleeping on her futon. Nestled between her forehooves, snoozing peacefully, was Nyx.

Nyx pawed it. “Mommy, where did you go? I miss you. ¿Vuelve a mí? ¿Por favor?” Fresh tears welled in her eyes… then her gaze fell upon different photo.

This one showed Chrysalis posing with Nyx. Chrysalis wore unusual green barding, making her resemble an armored dragonfly. Her helmet covered her entire head, with round yellow lenses for the eyes, and sharp tusks around the cheeks. Nyx wore barding nearly identical to Chrysalis’, but in cobalt blue, with aquamarine lenses.

Nyx’s expression hardened. She wiped her tears away. “No. I will not cry, Mommy. You would not want me to cry. Crying does not win wars. It is bad in a Changeling Princess.” She brought the book closer to her face. Her eyes were pink from crying, but they burned with a fire that made the flames in Tartarus look like spent coals.

“I will kill them, Mommy. I will kill these villains for making you go away. Muertas a las enemigas! I will break their bones and drink their blood. I will escape their prison. I will find you. Then we shall free our Hive from their evil pony magic! We will kill the traitor Thorax!” She spat the name out with enough venom to kill a cobra. “No. I will kill him! Then I will put you back where you belong.” Nyx suddenly smiled and hugged the book close. “With me! We’ll be together forever and ever and always!”

She brightened, as a new idea occurred to her. “Then, we can boil their blood into pudding! ¡Me gusta pudín!” She clapped her hooves together. “And then we can invite up the little nymphs, so they can have some too! They will like that. Then, we can—”

SPLASH!

Nyx’s ears perked up. She set the book down and approached the crystal basin she had placed under the bed earlier. Inside, soaked to the skins in canola oil, squirmed four little mice. The rodents were trying to climb out, but the oil made the smooth crystal too slippery, so the mice kept sliding back in.

They paused and looked up at the filly standing over the basin. A pony? O well. Game over. At least for a while. There was an expected rhythm to this: the pony would dump them out in a field or forest—preferably after a nice bath--and then they would make their way back. The usual routine.

But then Nyx grinned predatorily, displaying her sharp teeth. Her pupils expanded, focusing on the mice. She licked her lips, her mouth awash with saliva. She unbuttoned her coat, folded it, and laid it carefully onto her fur blanket.

Nyx grabbed a mouse with her magic. It barely had time to squeak before it was dropped inside Nyx’s waiting maw. There was a wet, sickening crunch.

Nyx’s eyes lit up. “Mmm!” she squeaked. Nyx swallowed and turned her attention back to the basin. The mice stared transfixed in horror. It was only after her magic had wrapped around another mouse that they resumed their frantic bid to escape. They tried desperately to run up the basin, but it was of no use.

The second mouse struggled more than the first, but its resistance proved futile. It shrieked shrilly as Nyx plopped it inside her mouth, but Nyx silenced it with a quick bite. She paused, her ears twitching in the direction of the door. Hearing nothing, she chewed her prey and swallowed.

Now only two mice remained. They embraced each other, trembling as they stared wide-eyed at the creature that loomed over them in the darkness. Nyx licked her lips and enveloped her magic around a third mouse. The mice squeaked desperately and clung tightly to each other, the last trying to hold the third back with all of its feeble strength.

Nyx huffed impatiently. She applied more magic and pried her prey away. The two mice squeaked frantically at each other, but Nyx paid little attention to this and bit into the mouse’s hind quarters. It shrieked, but then Nyx pulled it further into her mouth and bit down again. The mouse’s face froze as the second bite connected with a crisp crunch. Its mouth hung open; its eyes stared at nothing. Blood raced down the side of Nyx’s muzzle and into the basin. Nyx pulled the rest of the mouse into her jaws and swallowed it down.

And then there was one. It was covered in blood and shaking, staring at the red liquid cupped in its paw with dumbfounded bewilderment, as though not quite believing it was there. And then the mouse was enveloped in magic. Up it went, Nyx’s mouth open and ready like a cave of death. Her tongue was red and her fangs were stained pink. She bit down, but did not chew the mouse up immediately. With its bottom half hanging from her mouth, she began to suck, more blood running down the side of her muzzle. After several long draughts, Nyx pulled the rest of the mouse in and swallowed it.

Nyx licked her muzzle, getting off as much blood as she could with her long, rough tongue. When she was as clean as possible, she crawled out from under the bed and made her way to the door. She opened it and poked her head outside. Distant voices were audible; the ponies were in the kitchen still.

She closed the door and made her way to the center of the room and crouched close to the ground. She kicked up her hind legs and raised herself, balancing on her forehooves. She inhaled before slowly bending her forelegs until her muzzle was a breadth away from the floor. Nyx held this position for a moment, and then slowly straightened her forelegs to raise herself back up. She repeated the movement, counting down every repetition softly:

“Uno…dos…tres…”

Chapter Six

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Chapter Six

Pinkie Pie sat in her super-secret party cave beneath the Cake’s bakery, which only she and Gummy and the Cakes and her all of her friends knew about. Here, Pinkie Pie planned her parties. And such parties as hers required much planning! The cave was floor to ceiling in filing cabinets, bursting with records of every citizen in Ponyville. Notes on every food, drink, and sweet a particular pony liked were meticulously recorded. There were notes on the games each pony liked, which of their friends to invite, which ones liked sprinkles, and if to include a piñata.

A playful pony Pinkie Pie might be, but parties were serious business!

She tapped her chin with the end of her pink flamingo quill, deep in thought. A large folder labeled “Thanks for Saving Us and Congrats on Becoming Good Guys!” lay beside her. That party was planned, its invitations completed and ready for submission. Easy-peasy!

But Pinkie Pie’s attention was focused on something else. On the desk before her lay a single sheet of parchment, titled “Welcome Party for Nyx”. This title, written in comic sans, had been underlined twice. Pinkie Pie had been staring at it for the last ten minutes.

Her brow furrowed. “I don’t know, Gummy. This should be the easiest party to plan, but instead it’s super-duper hard! What do you think?”

Gummy gave no indication he had heard. The baby alligator lay under the lamp on Pinkie’s desk, basking in the warm yellow light and staring at nothing. But Pinkie Pie spoke as though he had answered.

“Hmm, good point. But it’s super hard to find out anything from a filly who doesn’t talk to any-pony. She wouldn’t even tell me what kind of cake she likes! Wait!” she added, a new idea occurring to her. “Does she even know what cake is? That’s terrible! In that case, I should try laying out all the cakes! Then we can find out which one she likes!”

She dipped her pen into the ink well, tapped it, and made as if to write. Then she changed her mind and set the pen down again.

“No, that isn’t right either. I don’t get it, Gummy. I’ve never had problems planning a party before! Usually, I just meet a pony and I know exactly what they need, but with Nyx I keep drawing a blank!”

Gummy tilted his head and said nothing.

Pinkie Pie frowned. “Well, no, I don’t really know very much about her. I mean, I know she’s a filly Nightmare Moon with amnesia who’s lived with Queen Meanie for almost two years, but aside from that, nothing! She’s all spooky and mysterious! I don’t even know what her voice sounds like!”

Gummy blinked.

“Well, maybe it is better to wait…but it’s practically a tradition now! Not throwing her a welcome party would be, like, the worst possible thing!” She looked at the parchment, as though expecting it to give her some ideas. But all it did was roll up on the bottom.

Pinkie Pie sighed and flattened it out. “You know, I haven’t had this much trouble planning a party since that time we invited the Yaks to Equestria. I did all of that research into Yak culture, but they just kept smashing everything up because we kept offending them! Then it turned out they just wanted to feel at home in Equestria, instead of us making Equestria like their home.” She sighed and laid the pen down. “But at least we knew how Yaks lived. They told us how they felt about things. But we don’t know a whole lot about Nyx, except that a super scary Cult foal-napped Twilight and used her blood in a super evil necromantic ritual to revive Nightmare Moon, but made Nyx instead! And right after Winter Wrap-Up, too!”

She brightened. “O, but we do know one thing! Her birthday! Those mean old Cult ponies brought her to life on the Spring Equinox—the day after Winter Wrap-Up! Let’s see…that would make it the twentieth of March…” She scribbled “Birthday: March 20” in the space below the margin.

“Yup, that definitely feels right, yes-indeedy! March Twentieth…” She gasped. “Goodness, do you realize what this means, Gummy? It means Nyx will be having her next birthday in less than two months! And I missed all her other birthdays, so I’ll have to cover those too! Let’s see…that’ll make her…two?”

Her brow furrowed. “But she doesn’t look two, she looks like she’s about six. Or is she? I mean, those Cult ponies tried to bring back Nightmare Moon! So does that make her a thousand and two?”

She gasped as an idea overtook her. Not even Pinkie Pie understood how her “Pinkie Sense” worked, but she trusted it, and it never let her down. Slowly, as though some-pony else guided the quill, Pinkie Pie crossed out “Nyx”, and wrote “Nightmare Moon” in its place.

She stared at the name she had written. Better, but somehow wrong. Pinkie Pie tapped the quill several times on the parchment, and then scribbled “the Younger” next to the name she had already written. She frowned.

“Hm, that can’t be right. I mean, her name is Nyx now. But this feels right. Any ideas, Gummy?”

Gummy stared at the lightbulb.

“You do have a point, Gummy. We called her Nyx, but Nyx never said whether she liked being called that or not. O! Maybe that’s why she doesn’t answer when we talk to her! We keep asking “Nyx” questions, and Nyx won’t answer because she doesn’t know who that is!”

She glanced at the name she had written. “The Younger? I don’t know why I wrote that, but it feels right. I wonder what that’s about?” She pondered a moment. “She was supposed to be Nightmare Moon reborn… but she doesn’t remember being her at all. So, did Queen Meanie tell her she was named after Nightmare Moon? Wait a sec…”

A misconception some ponies had about Pinkie Pie was that she was a scatterbrain. But she was as capable of critical thinking as any other pony—it was the way she expressed her thoughts that made her seem kooky. But on occasion, she had moments of lucid clarity that took even her closest friends by surprise.

“Nyx lived in that room with Queen Meanie,” Pinkie Pie said slowly. “Queen Meanie really likes to talk. Really talk! She likes to talk about how brilliant and clever she is all the time. So, she probably talked to Nyx a bunch! What did she say to her? Did she talk to her the way I talk to you, Gummy? Or did she—”

“Pinkie!”

It was Mrs. Cake, standing above the trap door that formed the entrance to Pinkie Pie’s party cave. She was a plump Earth pony with a cerulean coat and a light-crimson mane styled like frosting on a cupcake.

Pinkie Pie beamed up at her. “Hiya Mrs. Cake! What’s up? Besides you, since you’re up there and I’m all the way down here!”

“We’re having a rush,” Mrs. Cake explained. “I hate to interrupt your party planning, but could you come up here and lend us a hoof, dearie?”

Pinkie Pie saluted. “Sure thing! Be right there!”

Mrs. Cake breathed a sigh of relief and stepped away from the entrance. Pinkie Pie switched off her lamp. “Well, Gummy, I guess I’ll have to think about Nyx…sorry, Nightmare’s party later. But I need to tell Twilight about this when I can, yes indeedy—”

Suddenly, Pinkie Pie froze up. Twitchy tail! Pinchy knees! And a doozy of a shudder! The shockwave from this burst of the Pinkie Sense threw Pinkie Pie to the floor.

After a long moment, she pulled herself up, shivering. “Wow, Gummy! That was a doozy of a doozy! Something huge is coming, I can feel it!” She saw the parchment, and frowned. “I hope it isn’t anything bad...”

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Rarity carefully pulled a needle through white satin. The embroidery of her latest creation was intensely intricate; it required a fastidious hoof. She sat at her bureau beneath the eastern window, working with direct sunlight. She wore a pair of magnifiers with cherry-red frames.

She had been up since daybreak. Twilight, punctual dear that she was, was certain to bring precious little Nyx along at ten o’clock sharp for their rendezvous. That gave Rarity several hours to work, and she was not one to waste time.

The only other occupant in the room was Rarity’s pet cat Opalescence, or Opal for short. Opal was a white long-haired cat with the fur on her head tied up with a purple bow, a matching collar fastened around her neck. She snoozed on Rarity’s red chaise lounge.

Rarity made several more passes with the needle, joining at last with the start of the decal line. She cast the thread off, and tied it into the tiniest of knots. Next, she reached for her red-handled scissors. Carefully, she lined the blades up, and—

BOOM.

Rarity winced, and drew the scissors back before she made a costly mistake. Opal looked up from her nap, glaring at the ceiling. Sweetie Belle must be awake. O dear.

Rarity laid the thread and scissors down, and made her way upstairs. Poking her head into the room Sweetie Belle stayed in, she found it in disarray. Clothes, toys, and other objects lay scattered about. The bed was undone, the armoire was pulled open, and the curtains were thrown aside. Sweetie Belle herself rummaged inside an open trunk, tossing random items out of it.

“What is going on in here?” Rarity demanded, taking in the state of the room with dismay. She hated messes.

Sweetie Belle peeked out from the trunk. She was a white-coated filly with a pink-and-violet mane, and a shield cutie mark adorned with a musical note. “O! Hi Rarity!”

““O, hi Rarity,” she says. What is all this?”

“I’m trying to find my bubble wand.”

“Your bubble wand?” Rarity asked. “In winter? Why in the world do you need that?”

“Dinky got her cutie mark, and the Crusaders and I are going to meet with her so we can figure out what it means.”

“So, it’s a Crusader mission then?” Sweetie Belle, along with her friends Applebloom and Scootaloo, formed a club called the “Cutie Mark Crusaders” in order to find their special talents. This led the trio into a number of misadventures, until several moons ago, when they finally found their cutie marks. As it turned out, they were adept at helping ponies find and understand their special talents.

Sweetie Belle brightened. “Yes! Miss Muffins invited us to talk about Dinky’s new mark!”

“Miss Muffins?”

“You know, the post-mare? The one with the googly eyes?”

“O, her.” Rarity scrunched up her nose. “I never can keep that mare’s name straight. I didn’t know she had a daughter.”

“Yeah, she goes to school with us. She’s that little purple unicorn with the yellow mane.”

Rarity smiled. “Ah, yes, I know the filly you mean. Little dear! I didn’t realize Muffins was her mother.”

“Dinky’s a little shy. And,” Sweetie Belle added, kicking her hooves furtively. “A lot of other foals tease her.”

“Tease her? Why, whatever for?”

“Because Miss Muffins has those googly eyes. Some of the foals at school make fun of Dinky for it and call her mom “Derpy”.”

“Why, I never! Some-pony should have a word with those foals about respecting other pony’s feelings! I certainly hope you aren’t among those bullies?”

“Not us!” Sweetie Belle protested. “We tell those mean foals to stop, but they don’t listen to us!”

“Hmm, some-pony should have a talk with your school,” Rarity mused. “Perhaps I should ask Twilight to deliver a speech.” She shook her head, and then smiled warmly at Sweetie Bell. “Regardless, I think it’s absolutely wonderful that you’re helping ponies find their place in life. In fact,” she added, “I know a very special little filly who’s looking for her own cutie mark!”

“Really? Who is it?”

Rarity’s eyes glittered mysteriously. “O, you’ll find out soon enough.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “What time is your little rendezvous with your friends supposed to occur?”

“Ten!”

“Ten?” It was nine twenty-four.

“Yeah! My friends are coming to pick me up at nine-thirty.” Sweetie Belle cocked her head, watching Rarity carefully. “Is that a problem?”

“Of course not! It isn’t a problem at all.” Rarity felt relieved. When she had arranged the appointment with Twilight, she had forgotten that Sweetie Belle was staying for the weekend. Nyx was supposed to be a secret; if Sweetie Belle caught sight of her, how would they explain? She doubted Sweetie Belle could keep it a secret for any length of time.

“Are you expecting some-pony?” Sweetie Belle asked. “You have your measuring tape on.”

Rarity glanced at the measuring tape hanging off her withers, at the ready for when she took Nyx’s measurements later. Celestia’s sake, why did foals have to be such brilliant little sleuths when it came to some other pony’s business?

“Well, yes. I’m expecting a client later this morning. It’s a…private appointment.”

“Wow, you don’t do those very often!” Sweetie Belle said. “Who’s it for?”

“It’s a new client, you wouldn’t know her,” Rarity said quickly.

“Really? Is she new in town? Does Pinkie Pie know her? Will we get to go to her “Welcome to Ponyville” party?” She bounced up and down. “O, I know! Is it that filly you said was looking for her Cutie Mark?”

Rarity wanted to face-hoof. “Yes, Sweetie. My client is the new filly I mentioned.”

“O boy!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, bouncing even higher (seriously, were foals made out of rubber?). “Can we meet her?”

“Not quite yet,” Rarity replied. “She’s…actually rather shy, so we don’t want to overwhelm her with too many ponies yet.” She paused. It occurred to her that introducing Nyx to the Cutie Mark Crusaders might be a bad call. Those three got into enough trouble by themselves—she shuddered to think what sort of havoc they could wreak with an alicorn filly in tow.

But then again, they might be good for Nyx. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were some of the friendliest little fillies Rarity knew. They might be just the thing to draw Nyx out of her shell. “I’ll be happy to introduce you to her a little later. But for right now, this room needs to be cleaned up at once! It’s an absolute disaster! Let’s have all this picked up before your friends arrive, alright?”

“But—”

“No buts!”

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes and huffed, but did as she was told. She returned her toys to the toy chest while Rarity made the bed. Rarity smiled, pleased with herself for deflecting attention away from Nyx. For the time being.

The bed finished and toys put away, the unicorns turned their attention to the clothes strewn about the floor. They just finished folding them when a knock came on the door downstairs.

“That’s them!” Sweetie Belle squeaked.

Rarity glanced at the clock. They were a few minutes late.

“We’re coming!” Rarity called. She and Sweetie Belle made their way downstairs to the front double-hung door of the shop. Rarity opened the top, the bells above it chiming. She winced as her eyes stung in the winter chill; her breath condensed into clouds. She smiled at the two fillies on her doorstep. “Good morning, you two!”

“Hiya Rarity!” Scootaloo said, in a small scratchy voice. She was an orange pegasus with a messy magenta mane and small wings. She wore a rather ugly brown coat and worn boots—gifts from her adventurer parents, no doubt. “Can Sweetie Belle come out?”

“Sweetie Belle will be out in just a moment,” Rarity replied. “Give her a moment to get her coat on, would you please?”

“Okay Rarity,” the other filly, Applebloom, said. She spoke in the same rural accent as her big sister, Applejack. Applebloom’s coat was pale-yellow, with a red mane and a pink bow. She was wearing warm-green snow boots with a matching scarf. “Tell ‘er to hurry on up! Dinky and her mama are waitin’ for us!”

“I’ll be sure to let her know,” Rarity said. She closed the door and turned to Sweetie Belle. “Alright then, time to put your coat on.”

She pulled Sweetie Belle’s coat off a nearby rack. This particular garment was a creation of Rarity’s, a warm blend of cashmere and wool, dyed cream, with lavender lining and mother-of-pearl buttons. She helped Sweetie Belle into it, and then helped her pull on her lavender snow boots.

Sweetie Belle put on her fuzzy, deep-periwinkle earmuffs with her magic. This simple feat would have been impossible for Sweetie Belle a few short years ago. She was growing up so fast!

Rarity opened the door, standing just behind it to block the chill. “You go and have fun with your friends. Try to stay out of trouble this time, will you please?”

“Okay Rarity. I’ll try.”

“That’s all I ask.”

Sweetie Belle trotted outside, the Boutique’s bells chiming behind her. She snuggled into her scarf as the morning winter chill blew against her face.

“Hey guys!” Sweetie Belle said. “Do you have everything?”

“Yup!” Applebloom replied. She patted a saddlebag by her side. “I got everything we’ll need. Ya ready to come see ‘bout Dinky’s new cutie mark?”

“Yup!” Sweetie Belle said. “Where are we going to meet her at?”

“That café by the railroad tracks,” Scootaloo said. “Miss Muffins is treating us to hot chocolate!”

Sweetie Belle brightened. “Hot chocolate? What are we waiting for, let’s go!”

The Crusaders set off. Despite being the middle of winter, Ponyville was as active as any other season, and many ponies could be seen trotting about the town. Every-pony was bundled up in their winter best. Few traveled alone; most opted to trot together, a strategy the CMC were quick to adopt for themselves. The cafés were filled with patrons sipping hot drinks such as tea, chocolate, and cider, merrily chatting with their friends about this and that. Sugarcube Corner was packed; Sweetie Belle could see the Cakes and Pinkie Pie scrambling to take all the orders for hot cocoa and warm baked goods.

She and her friends darted down Market Street. Being children, they were unable to resist the urge to look at the goods on display. Ponyville’s markets never shut down, staying open well into winter. Merchants and local farmers stood in their stalls, bundled up, with small fires or enchanted heat crystals glowing close at hoof. Few vendors sold produce; those that did displayed their goods nestled under sheets of brown burlap, in order to stave off the cold. Quite a number of farmers sold jams and preserves instead. Sweetie Belle could see Applebloom’s older brother, Big Macintosh, selling apple preserves from one such stall.

Applebloom waved at him. “Howdy, Big Mac!”

Big Mac acknowledged them with a nod and gentle smile. He was taller and stronger than most stallions, with a barn red coat, blonde mane, and a cutie mark displaying a half-cut green apple. He had replaced his usual yoke with a thick, green scarf. “Ya’ll stay outta trouble now, ya hear?” he said, in his deep, rural-accented voice.

“We will!” the Crusaders said together.

Big Mac nodded, and turned to face an approaching mare adorned in a thick grey cloak. This mare was as tall as Big Mac, the end of a gray muzzle visible under the hood. Applebloom recognized her at once. “Howdy, Zecora!”

The zebra smiled at them. “Hello to you, my little friends! On any new cutie mark errands?” Zecora spoke in a low, vibrant voice, her words carrying a distinct Zebrican accent. She had a strange habit of speaking in rhyme.

“We’re gonna go down and have hot cocoa with Dinky and her momma,” Applebloom answered readily. Applebloom had the closest relationship with Zecora, even helping mix potions in her Everfree Forest cottage; Sweetie Belle still felt a little awkward around her. “We’re gonna help her figure out what her cutie mark means!”

Zecora nodded. “I bid you all well on your quest.” She turned back to Big Mac’s stall, her eyes wandering along the different flavors on offer. “Now allow me to make some requests…”

The Crusaders giggled at each other and turned to walk away, only to nearly collide with a stone-gray pegasus colt with a pepper-gray mane and a silver woolen overcoat. They recognized him at once.

“Hiya Rumble!” Scootaloo said.

Rumble jumped back, as though he had been given an electric shock. “H-Hi,” he replied. His eyes darted between the Crusaders and the street, as though he were guessing how fast he could charge down it.

“Good to see you,” Applebloom said, smiling. “We’ve been meanin’ to talk with you about your cutie mark!”

Rumble shrank further, folding his wings over his flank. “My cutie mark? Wha-What about it?”

“Well, it ain’t come in just yet! We was wantin’ to arrange a meetin’ with you so we could help you find it! Whad’ya say?”

“No way!” Rumble yelled.

Applebloom was taken aback. “How come?”

“Because you’re girls!”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Scootaloo demanded.

“Because girls have cooties!” Rumble cried. “And if I hang around with girls, I’ll get cooties too!”

“What?” Scootaloo yelled. “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of!”

“Yeah!” Applebloom said. “You’ve hung out with us before, and you weren’t afraid of no “cooties” then!”

“Well, now I know better!” Rumble snapped.

Sweetie Belle was confused. “Wait, isn’t your mom a girl?”

Rumble froze. “Wha-What?”

“Sweetie Belle’s right, your mom’s a girl too!” Scootaloo said. “You live with her! I bet you already have cooties!”

Rumble gasped and stepped back from them. His eyes darted desperately between the Crusaders, before finally letting out a yell and charging down the street. The Crusaders, startled, leaped aside as Rumble barreled past them, crying for his mom.

Scootaloo scowled after him. “What a jerk!”

“Don’t be too hard on him. It’s just a phase he’s going through.”

The Crusaders turned to see Rumble’s brother, Thunderlane, standing behind them. He was a pepper-gray pegasus stallion with an icy-blue mane and a lightning bolt cutie mark. He wore a silver-and-gray scarf.

“Hi, Thunderlane!” Scootaloo greeted eagerly, her former irritation gone.

“A phase?” Applebloom asked. “What does that mean?”

“It means Rumble’s decided he doesn’t like fillies right now, but he’ll grow out of it soon enough. I know I did!” Thunderlane added, grinning.

“You thought fillies had cooties?” Scootaloo asked, amazed. “But you’re a Wonderbolt! You work with Rainbow Dash!”

“Right. Obviously, I changed my mind.” His grin became goofier. “I decided I really liked mares after all!”

“If you say so,” Scootaloo harumphed. “I still say he’s a jerk.”

“Who’s being a jerk?” a gentle voice asked. It was Miss Fluttershy. She was wearing a green turtleneck sweater with matching earmuffs. Her pet rabbit, Angel Bunny, ran about her hooves.

“Rumble,” Thunderlane answered, amused. “He’s entered that “fillies have cooties” phase.”

“O,” Miss Fluttershy said, smiling softly. She turned to the Crusaders. “Don’t worry too much about Rumble. Give him a little space, and he’ll want to be friends again.”

“Are you sure?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“I’m sure,” Miss Fluttershy said confidently. Sweetie Belle felt better. If Miss Fluttershy said Rumble would grow out of it, he would.

“It’s very nice to see you girls,” Miss Fluttershy continued. “I hope you three are behaving yourselves today. I wouldn’t want to see you get into any trouble—yes, Angel, what is it?”

Angel was tugging on Fluttershy’s mane, pointing urgently at a nearby produce vender. The rabbit seemed particularly interested in a large basket of carrots.

“O, I see. Those look very yummy, Angel.” Miss Fluttershy turned back to the Crusaders, smiling apologetically. “I’m sorry to leave in such a hurry, but I need to take care of something. Excuse me…” She followed after Angel, who bounded eagerly toward the carrot display. The Crusaders shook their heads at them. Angel Bunny was spoiled and capricious, hopping from one fleeting desire to the next, while expecting Fluttershy to meet every one of them. Sweetie Belle thought Angel was cute, but Applebloom and Scootaloo disliked him.

Thunderlane chuckled at this. “That rabbit of hers cracks me up! Anyway, I should probably go after Rumble. I’ll catch you kids later.”

He spread his wings and took off. Sweetie Belle noticed Scootaloo longingly stare after Thunderlane. Despite being a pegasus, Scootaloo had never been able to fly. This always rankled her, though she did her best not to show it.

“Are you all right, Scoots?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Who, me? O, I’m great! Never better!” Scootaloo said quickly. She grinned at them, but it failed to reach her eyes.

“Ya sure?” Applebloom pressed.

“Of course! C’mon,” she added, taking a few steps down the street. “Let’s go see Dinky.”

The Crusaders continued their trek through the market. They saw several more of their classmates, such as Twist, a filly with a frizzy red mane and wide, rectangular glasses. She stood in her own booth, selling candies. The Crusaders also saw Button Mash, a brown colt with a propeller beanie, wandering around the stalls while his mother followed close behind. They saw Snips and Snails, two slow-witted colts, engaged in a fierce snowball fight. The two colts invited the Crusaders to join in, but they graciously declined, and kept on their way. They were almost at the end of Market Street when two fillies appeared from around the corner.

“Howdy, Diamond!” Applebloom greeted. “Howdy, Silver!”

Diamond Tiara greeted them in return, albeit awkwardly. Silver Spoon smiled, but as usual said little. Pleasantries were exchanged; their talk was friendly but formal. The Crusaders still felt awkward around Diamond Tiara, who used to bully them relentlessly before they found their Cutie Marks. Diamond Tiara came up with all sorts of insults, tricks, and mind games to humiliate the Crusaders, but it all backfired when she finally alienated all of her classmates. Even Silver Spoon left her.

Any-pony else would have left Diamond Tiara alone. But the Crusaders were kind-hearted fillies. They helped Diamond Tiara by teaching her what her mark really meant and, in so doing, finally earned their own. Things between Diamond Tiara and themselves were more cordial now, though none of them could say they were close friends.

Diamond Tiara asked where they were going.

“We’re going to that café on down by the railroad station,” Applebloom explained. “Dinky just got her Cutie Mark, and we’re gonna help her figure out what it means.”

“Dinky got her Cutie Mark? That’s wonderful! Do you know what it is?”

“It’s a bubble pattern, like her mama. But neither of ‘em know what it means. They reckoned we might be able to tell ‘em.”

“With your help, I’m sure they’ll figure it out in no time,” Silver Spoon said.

“Say, why don’t we come along?” Diamond Tiara suggested. “We could come up with some ideas.”

“I don’t know about that,” Sweetie Belle said. “Miss Muffins was only expecting the three of us—”

“That’s alright, we can cover ourselves,” Diamond Tiara interrupted, waving a hoof.

The Crusaders exchanged glances. Until very recently, Diamond Tiara had been one of the ponies mocking Dinky. That was in the past now, but how would Dinky react if she saw two of her former tormentors coming in with the fillies who were supposed to help her?

Diamond Tiara seemed to read their minds. “And we can also apologize to Dinky and her mom for being so mean to them.” Her ears wilted. “We haven’t had a chance to say we’re sorry.”

The Crusaders relaxed.

“Well, gosh, Diamond,” Applebloom said. “I reckon you can come along then!”

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon brightened. “That’s great!” Diamond Tiara exclaimed. “You won’t regret this, I promise! I bet we can come up with some great suggestions for—"

“Diamond Tiara!”

They turned to see Diamond Tiara’s mother, Spoiled Rich, approaching. She was a pale pink Earth-pony with a deep-magenta mane and an upturned nose, as if she were constantly smelling something foul (Sweetie Belle suspected it was because of the strong perfumes she used). She wore an expensive-looking plum overcoat.

Spoiled Rich glared at Diamond Tiara. “There you are, silly girl. I’ve searched all over town for you.”

Diamond Tiara glared back. “Have you now.”

Spoiled Rich’s mouth tightened. “Yes, I have. And where should I find you, but down this lowly village market! Associating with…poor fillies.” She scowled at the Crusaders. “I expect better from you than to associate with ponies beneath your station. And that goes for you as well, Silver Spoon!” she added. “What your parents will say about this, I can’t imagine!”

Silver Spoon’s ears drooped, and she tried to make herself look smaller. But Diamond Tiara held firm, and returned her mother’s haughty contempt in equal measure. “They’ll be delighted, I’m sure. Making new friends is very important, after all.”

The tension was palpable. The Crusaders looked between Diamond Tiara and her mother, unsure what they were supposed to do. Spoiled Rich was an elitist, condescending nag, convinced she was better than every-pony else on account of her life of wealth and luxury. She expected Diamond Tiara to behave as snootily as herself, and Diamond Tiara did so…until she realized how miserable it was making her. After the Crusaders helped Diamond realize how much better her life was when she had friendship, Diamond finally stood up to her mother.

Spoiled Rich had not taken this change in her daughter’s attitude well at all.

“I will not have you take that impertinent tone with me, Diamond Tiara!” she snapped. “You’ve been acting saucy ever since you started associating with these troublemakers.” She glared at the Crusaders. “I suspect they’ve been a bad influence on you.”

“Yeah,” Diamond Tiara growled. “I was such a perfect angel when I followed your advice.”

Spoiled Rich’s face flushed. She leaned forward until she and her daughter were practically nose to nose. “I will not hear you speak that way to me again! I don’t know where you learned to speak in such an insolent tone—”

“From you.”

“—But I will not be having it!” Spoiled Rich finished. She spun on the Crusaders. “And as for you three, stay away from my daughter! She’s a delicate flower! She doesn’t need to be influenced by ponies of your class!”

“Our class?” Applebloom repeated, outraged. “Now hang on just a minute. Where do ya get off—”

“Daddy!” Diamond Tiara cried suddenly. Every-pony turned to see Filthy Rich trotting up the street. He was a brown Earth pony with a slicked-back mane and a cutie mark depicting a money bag filled with gold coins. He wore a heavy wool coat in addition to his usual tie and collar. He acknowledged his daughter with a nod and soft smile.

“Hello there, Diamond. You doing alright?”

“She’s doing splendid,” Spoiled Rich interjected, before Diamond Tiara could answer. “I was teaching her to be careful about who she associates with.”

Filthy Rich nodded gravely. “That’s an important lesson to learn.”

“Excellent! Just the point I was trying to make! I—”

“Which is why I’m glad to see Diamond getting along with Applebloom now,” Filthy Rich continued. “Her gran and my pappy go way back, I tell you what.” He gave the Crusaders a gentle smile.

“Well, thanks a whole lot for sayin’ that, Mister Rich,” Applebloom said, glancing smugly at Spoiled. She seemed at a loss for words. “I’ll be sure Granny and them up at the farm know you said hi.”

Filthy Rich’s smile broadened. But Sweetie Belle noticed he appeared gaunt, with dark, heavy bags under his eyes. His natural brown coat looked a little faded as well.

“Are you feeling okay?” she asked him. “You look tired.”

Filthy Rich’s face blanched. He shuffled nervously. “O, not me, I’m fine. Never better. Just lost a little sleep is all…” He looked down Market Street and spotted Big Mac. “Ah, there’s Big Macintosh! I reckon I’ll have a word with him. ‘Bout business, of course…Take care, girls.” He turned and quickly trotted toward Big Mac’s stall, Spoiled Rich following close at hoof. He glanced back over his withers. “Come along there, Diamond. You too, Silver.”

“Yes, Daddy.” Diamond Tiara gave the Crusaders a sad smile and followed after her parents, with Silver Spoon close behind.

“Can you believe her?” Scootaloo thundered, when the Richs were out of earshot. “Why does that Spoiled Rich have to be so mean to every-pony?”

“I can’t believe any-pony could be so mean to her own daughter,” Applebloom moaned, shaking her head. “It ain’t fair!”

“But what can we do?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Spoiled Rich is a grown-up! We can’t tell her how she should parent, she’d just get mad and yell at our parents!”

“And Granny Smith,” Applebloom added. “Maybe we should tell an adult? I reckon Applejack could talk to Princess Twilight or somethin’. I betcha she’d know what to do!”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said. She glanced at the clock over the rail station and gave a start. “Look, it’s almost ten! We need to hurry!”

The Crusaders started running. They darted out from Market Street, turned a corner, and ran past the train station before finally arriving at the café. It had similar architecture to the other Ponyville houses, timber-framed with an overhanging thatched roof, but with very large windows. A number of small tables were arranged on the portico, brushed down of snow. They stood empty; all the customers sat inside the café proper. The Crusaders saw a gray pegasus mare and a little unicorn filly sitting by a window.

“There’s Dinky and her mama!” Applebloom cried. “Let’s hope we ain’t too late.”

They made their way to the café. They had just gotten the door open, when Sweetie Bell caught sight of the Boutique across town. She gazed at it, for just a moment, when suddenly there came a flash of lavender light near its entrance, and a familiar alicorn appeared.

“There’s Princess Twilight!” Sweetie Bell exclaimed.

Scootaloo squinted. Like most pegasi, her long-range vision was excellent. “She has company with her. There’s Spike—but there’s some-pony else with them. Is that a filly?”

Sweetie Bell strained to see. Sure enough, a small dark shape stood between Spike and Twilight. It was hard to distinguish them clearly, since the Boutique was nearly on the other side of town, and the sun shone brightly from that direction. The CMC had little time to process what they were seeing; the door of the Boutique opened, and Twilight hurried Spike and their companion inside, the door slamming shut behind them.

Applebloom frowned. “That was odd. Did you see who that new kid was?”

Scootaloo looked puzzled. “I couldn’t get a good look. But I could swear she looked like…” She trailed off, staring at the Boutique as though unsure whether to believe her own eyes.

“Somethin’ wrong?”

Scootaloo shook her head, and grinned sheepishly. “It’s nothing. I guess I’m seeing things.”

Applebloom patted her on the withers. “Come on, I reckon some hot chocolate will set you right.”

Scootaloo smiled. The three fillies made their way inside the café.

Rarity closed the door, smirking at Twilight. She pointed at the clock. “Running a little late, are we?”

Twilight chuckled nervously. “Yeah. Some-pony did not want to get up this morning.”

Rarity glanced at Nyx. Her large eyes were bleary, and she looked as though she were trying to stifle a yawn. “Ah, poor dear. Were we feeling extra sleepy this morning?” Nyx glanced at Rarity, but as usual said nothing. “Well, I have some tea on the stove. I’m sure that will perk you right up! Have you ever had tea before?”

Nyx nodded and looked away.

“Good to hear! Now, do you take one lump or two?” Nyx gave no reply. Privately, Rarity wondered when Nyx would have had a chance to sample tea, but decided against pressing the matter for now.

“Thanks for the offer, but perhaps it would be better to get everything done up front,” Twilight said.

“Yeah,” Spike said, arching a brow at Nyx. “At this rate, she’ll fall asleep in the saucer.”

Rarity could see their point. Nyx was eyeing Rarity’s chaise lounge longingly.

Opal yawned and stretched. She glanced at Spike and Twilight with polite disinterest, a little irritated to see these noisy interlopers stomping around during her fourth nap of the day. Then she noticed Nyx. Opal’s fur stood on end, and she darted beneath the lounge, staring at Nyx with wide, frightened eyes.

“What’s this you’re working on?” Twilight asked, coming around to the bureau. “Is this a new dress?”

“Of course, Darling! It’s for a distinguished client!”

“It’s beautiful.”

Rarity waved a hoof dismissively. “You should see it when it’s complete. The embroidery shall be intricate, subtle…but the full effect will be simply sublime!”

“Embroidery?” Spike asked, surprised. “I don’t see your sewing machine over here. Are you doing this by hoof?”

“Yes! Do you see how gracefully these lines curve? I should never dream of creating such intricate linework with a sewing machine! It has to be done stitch by stitch.”

“Wow!” Twilight exclaimed. “That sounds like a lot of work!”

Rarity nodded. “It is. It may be a little too thorough, but you know me—once I get started on a project, I can’t stop until it’s finished!”

“I can’t wait to see it!” Spike gushed. “How many thread colors—”

The door burst open. Every-pony jumped; Nyx darted under the lounge. Rarity turned and saw Rainbow Dash hovering above them, grinning ear to ear.

“Hey guys!” she yelled. “Is she here, is she here?”

“Rainbow Dash, have you no sense of decorum?” Rarity snapped. “It simply does not do to burst in like this!”

“She?” Twilight asked. “Whom do you mean?”

“Nyx!” Dash said eagerly. “You said I could teach her to fly, remember?”

Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes. “O, that.” She lit her horn and shut the door, locking it. “Not quite yet, Rainbow. Nyx is still settling in.” She glanced at the door for a split second before saying, “And we’re still keeping her under wraps for right now, remember?”

Under the lounge, Nyx’s face scrunched up in bewilderment. Her gaze darted between the ponies and the locked door.

“And as you can see, we’re clearly in the middle of something,” Rarity huffed.

Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. Say, where is the kid? I don’t see her anywhere.”

“She ran under the lounge.”

“O yeah, that’s your fainting couch, right?”

“It’s not a fainting couch, it’s a chaise lounge,” Rarity sniffed.

Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah, whatever.” She crouched down and peered under the lounge. Nyx stared back, eyeing Dash carefully. Opal had fled; Rarity spotted her trembling on top of an armoire.

“Hiya kiddo! What’cha doing down there?”

“She’s hiding from you!” Rarity said. “That’s what happens when you go barging in like this!”

Dash wilted. “Sorry.”

“Tell Nyx that!”

“Sorry, kid. Are you gonna come out from under there or what?”

Nyx slunk out from under the lounge, eyes locked on Dash. She appeared more alert; Dash’s abrupt entrance had chased the sleep from her eyes.

Dash grinned at her. “Hey, Twilight says I’ll get to teach you to fly! What d’you say about that?”

Nyx cocked her head, without blinking or breaking eye contact. Dash stepped back, unnerved.

“Okay, that’s a little creepy,” she said. “Do you ever blink, kid?”

“Dash!” Rarity scolded, though she had to admit Dash had a point. This child did have a rather piercing stare. Rather like a hawk…

There came a knock on the door. Every-pony tensed, but then relaxed when they heard Applejack’s voice on the other side:

“Rarity? Twi in there with ya?”

“Yes, I’m here,” Twilight answered, opening the door’s top. Applejack stood on the porch wrapped in a brown overcoat, flushed and out of breath.

Twilight took in Applejack’s haggard appearance in alarm. “Is something wrong?”

“Frost weevils!” Applejack spat. “Them varmints done gone and burrowed into our zap apple seedlin’s! If we don’t get rid of em’ soon, our trees ain’t gonna make it to spring!” She noticed every-pony gathered in the Boutique, and sheepishly added, “Uh…this ain’t a bad time, is it?”

Rarity was on her in a flash. “Of course not, Darling! Come inside out of the cold, this is important! Just remember to wipe your boots on the rug.”

“Thank you, Rarity,” Applejack said. She noticed Nyx. “Howdy, there! Feelin’ alright this mornin’?” The little filly looked at her without a word. Applejack glanced at Twilight. “Still ain’t talkin’?”

Twilight shook her head. “Not a word. Don’t worry, we’ll get her to talk eventually.” She closed the door again. “But for right now, let’s focus on those frost weevils. Spike, don’t we have a book on them?”

Spike nodded. “Yeah. “Elemental Insects of Equestria.” There’s a whole bunch of weird insects in there. Frost weevils, lightning bugs…even fire ants.”

“Fire ants?” Rarity asked. “I know their bites sting terribly, but I should think they would be considered mundane compared to frost weevils?”

“No, they’re actually made of fire.”

“O!” Rarity gasped, her eyes widening. “O, my!”

“Awesome!” Dash exclaimed.

Applejack leaned toward Spike. “Does that book say how to repel them varmints?”

“I think so,” Spike answered. “I don’t remember the specifics…do you, Twilight?”

“Vaguely. We’re going to have to get it.”

“Now?” Dash asked. “Are those weevils really that big a deal?

“They are,” Twilight replied grimly. “Frost weevils can freeze a whole crop if they’re left untreated. And they can spread to other orchards…they aren’t specialized to any particular plant type.”

Applejack’s eyes shrunk to tiny pinpricks. “Sweet Celestia, they’re worse than I thought! We gotta do somethin’ about ‘em!” She made for the door, but came to a halt when she remembered where she was. She gave Rarity an apologetic look. “I mean, if it ain’t too much trouble…don’t wanna mess nothin’ up.”

“Don’t worry about a thing, Applejack!” Rarity said, waving a hoof. “Your orchards are very important! We can always do this another time.”

“Well, if it throws you off…”

“Nonsense, Darling! Your farm is far more important! In fact, why don’t you and Twilight run along and find that book? I’ll keep Nyx here and get straight to work whilst you conduct your research.”

Twilight looked uncertain. “Are you sure, Rarity? It might be a better idea to reschedule—”

“Nonsense! I can handle Nyx, I’m sure she’ll be just fine with me!” She beamed at Nyx, but Nyx declined to meet her gaze. Rarity wilted a bit, but continued. “This won’t take too long.”

Twilight considered. “I guess that would be alright. But we’ll come back as quickly as possible. I mean, I don’t think treating those frost weevils will take too long to sort out…”

“Now, don’t go gettin’ your mane up in a twist,” Applejack said. “All I really need is that there book…I reckon I can handle them frost weevils from there.”

“Okay.” Twilight looked down at Nyx and smiled kindly. “I’m going to help Applejack solve a problem on her farm. Rarity’s going to take care of you while we’re gone. We’ll be back soon, okay?”

Nyx stared at her but said nothing. Twilight shook her head and stepped back.

“All right. Spike? Applejack? Could you come closer?” Twilight charged her horn. There was a flash of light, and then they were gone.

Rarity shook her head. “Honestly, that pony takes her job far too seriously sometimes. A pity she doesn’t dress for it.” She turned. Dash was still there, airborne, noisily beating her wings. “O, Dashie. You’re still here.”

Dash grinned eagerly. “Yeah! You do your thing, and then I can take her flying!”

“How kind of you,” Rarity said, wincing a little. “But I’m sure you have other things to do while I’m working.”

“Nope!” Dash said brightly. “My whole schedule’s clear! You won’t have to worry about a thing, you totally won’t even know I’m here!” She stayed airborne; the breeze generated by her wings blew pieces of fabric off the bureau.

Rarity grimaced. She was fond of Dash, but her loud and boisterous personality rankled her sometimes. To concentrate, Rarity needed quiet—the last word any-pony would use to describe Dash. That, and Dash seemed to make Nyx uncomfortable. The last thing Rarity needed during a fitting was a tense, anxious filly.

Thankfully, Rarity had a plan for this. She batted her eyelashes.

“Dashie, dear. Would you like to do me a favor?”

Dash froze. “Me? A favor?”

“Of course! Since you’re free all day, you can stay and help me with Nyx.”

“You mean, like, holding her still and stuff?” Dash asked, suddenly anxious.

“Certainly! Perhaps you could…hold the pins for me?” That was the coup de grâce. If there was one thing Dash hated, it was pinning.

Nyx looked up anxiously at the mention of the word “pins.”

Dash shuddered and backed away. “No way! This stuff is, like, torture!”

Nyx’s eyes widened.

Rarity huffed. “Really, Rainbow, you can be so over-dramatic at times.”

Dash faltered. “I’m not being dramatic! It’s just that I, like, can’t handle being kept still for so long while you pin me—never mind watching! It’s such a pain!” Nyx’s pupils shrank to thin slivers; she started trembling.

“Well, fine,” Rarity huffed. “If you’re going to be like that, have off with you then! I work better alone anyway…I’m sure we’ll have a marvelous time without you!”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Yeah, sure. I’ll catch you later.” She flew out the door. Rarity shook her head, closing and locking it back.

“Honestly, I don’t know why I try with her sometimes. She has all the sophistication of sackcloth.” She turned to Nyx, smiling. “Now, shall we get started then?”

Nyx backed away from her, eyes darting between the door and the windows. Rarity stared at her, confused. “Is anything the matter, dear?”

Nyx eyed Rarity warily, as if to ascertain her threat level. Rarity felt a pang of sympathy for the filly. What kind of life had she led, to be so guarded against others?

“It’s alright, Darling—everything is going to be just fine. We’ll get this all done, and then we can have some tea. How does that sound?”

Nyx looked puzzled, as though an offer of tea was a trick of some kind. Poor dear. Rarity decided to give the child three lumps instead of two when they took tea.

But that was for later; now was the time for working. Rarity cleared away her previous project, to give herself more space. Nyx watched, tensing whenever Rarity made any sudden movements. At length Rarity finished her preparations, pulled out quill and parchment, and turned to Nyx.

“Now, let’s have off with that coat, my dear. That’s it.”

Nyx hesitated, maintaining a wary eye on Rarity.

“I’m not going to do anything with it, I promise.”

Nyx complied, albeit very reluctantly. Rarity took the coat into her magic, wrinkling her nose at it. Such a tasteless looking thing. “How about I hang…this up for you?” She trotted over to a nearby coatrack. But before hanging it, she held it up to the light for inspection.

It was crude, but now that she looked at it, she realized its construction was far from shoddy. Its stitching held together well, the mysterious material strong and durable. The lining was made of a fluffy, off-white material. If Rarity didn’t know better, she could swear it was fur—but that was just ridiculous.

She frowned. Applejack’s comments on the coat from yesterday played in her mind: It seemed like a good fit. Rarity had waved that comment off, assuming Chrysalis to have stolen the coat off some-pony. But as she inspected the coat more carefully, she realized it had been made with Nyx in mind. Even the vents in the back had been cut to suit her distinctive wings. It was highly unlikely Chrysalis had forced some tailor pony to create this coat. The only viable explanation was that it was of Changeling make.

Rarity felt guilty all of a sudden. She must have insulted some hapless drone Chrysalis forced into making a coat for Nyx. Perhaps she should ask after the tailor at the ceremony. The hoof work was not meritless; the color an excellent choice. Whomever had been tasked with making this coat had talent—a little guidance, and the Changelings might have an amazing tailor among their ranks!

Wait a moment. Nyx had been held prisoner by Chrysalis. Yet Chrysalis had adorned the filly in a warm coat and an expensive-looking silver peytral. For a pony who was supposed to have been a prisoner, Nyx had been taken care of to the point of ostentatiousness. Something was not adding up here; if Nyx had been a captive, why had Chrysalis invested such resources into her upkeep?

Rarity cleared these thoughts from her mind—there would be a time to consider them later. She glanced at the silver peytral Nyx wore. It was a simple piece, reminiscent of the one Princess Celestia wore. It too bore a jewel—a piece of polished, petrified black wood. Rarity could see that the wood had been black before it was petrified. She had never heard of a tree with black wood before…but then, there were many strange things outside of Equestria.

“I’m also going to need you to need you to remove your peytral.” Nyx pressed her hoof against it. Rarity noted the protective manner of that gesture. “You don’t have to worry; it will be perfectly safe.” But Nyx kept her hoof firmly in place.

Rarity considered. Leaving the peytral on would pose problems during measuring, and Rarity always wanted as many measurements as possible, to achieve the closest fit. But she also saw that Nyx was very reluctant to remove the peytral, as though she feared she should never see it again.

Rarity had been a seamstress long enough to respect the clients wishes over her own. “Well, that peytral does look rather nice on you,” she said. “Why don’t we leave it on for right now, and you can tell me all about it later?”

Nyx relaxed. Rarity smiled and pulled the measuring tape off her withers.

“Now, hold still a moment.” She brought the tape up to Nyx.

The filly’s eyes widened. She backed away from Rarity, eyes darting between her and the window.

Rarity was dumbfounded. “I’m not going to hurt you, dear! I’m measuring you. Won’t you please come back?”

Nyx approached, albeit cautiously. She eyed the measuring tape, and then she looked Rarity in the eyes. It was the first time she had looked her in the eye, and Rarity realized it made her feel uncomfortable. The way Nyx stared at her made her feel as though she were being studied, examined for every conceivable flaw.

Rarity took a deep breath. Focus on the work. “Come a little closer, dear. That’s it.” She took the filly’s height and length. She made to measure around the neck, but Nyx recoiled as soon as the tape touched her throat.

“Goodness, you’re a jumpy little one! I’m only taking your neck measurements.” Rarity wrapped the tape around her own throat to demonstrate. “See? I line the marks like so, and that tells me my neck circumference.”

The filly glared suspiciously at her. Rarity simpered; for one so small, Nyx certainly had a fearsome little glare.

“Now, let’s see about you,” Rarity continued, keeping her voice level. She wrapped the tape around Nyx’s neck, keeping her attention focused on the tape marks and not on the child’s eyes. The little filly tensed as she felt the tape wrap around her throat. Rarity wasted no time taking the measurement, quickly drawing the tape away afterward.

“See? That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She gave Nyx what she hoped was a winning smile, but Nyx continued glaring at her. Rarity sensed the child did not like her very much—and if Rarity was honest with herself, she wasn’t sure she liked Nyx much either. There was something off about her, something that triggered Rarity’s pony instinct to flee.

She suddenly wished Dash had stayed.

“Well, that’s done,” Rarity said. She scribbled a note on the parchment, the quill trembling in her magic. “Let’s attend to the rest of you...”

She took further measurements. As she did so, she inspected Nyx’s physique more carefully. Nyx displayed a lot of muscle tone for a filly her age. Her hooves were strong and healthy; Rarity lifted one up and found the soles to be thick and smooth. Her black coat was glossy and clean; her feathers preened and healthful. And her mane, while messy with bedhead, was long and conditioned. In short, she was one of the healthiest foals Rarity had ever seen, despite her time with the Changelings. Perhaps it was her alicorn heritage.

At last Rarity was satisfied, and placed the measuring tape, parchment, and quill back on the bureau. Now it was time to determine Nyx’s season. This would allow Rarity to formulate the perfect palette to flatter Nyx’s distinctive colors. It made Rarity feel giddy with excitement to think of this little alicorn princess wearing her outfits!

“Would you be a dear and step over by the window please? Make sure you’re in the light.”

Nyx looked at her, curious, but did as she was instructed, standing in the dapple of sunlight on the floor. Her pupils thinned.

“Hmm,” Rarity said, stepping back. Now that she had Nyx in sunlight, she could see that her glossy black coat held an attractive blue iridescence, like the plumage of ravens. Her mane was violet (the same shade as Rarity’s own, in fact). Her eyes featured two tones of cyan, both the whites and the iris. And those slitted pupils were sharp and thin, like small black daggers, poised to stab…

Rarity shook her head. Stupid panicky pony brain. Why, it was hardly Nyx’s fault she had such oddly-shaped pupils! She was probably a very nice girl who happened to be shy around strangers.

She re-focused on her work, carefully considering her options. Nyx was definitely cool toned. Her season was either winter or summer; Rarity strongly suspected winter, given the contrast between the deep violet mane and those bright cyan eyes. But she would need to be sure.

Rarity turned to a nearby rack with long sheets draped over it. Each sheet was patterned with broad, vertical stripes of chromatically-ordered colors. These were Rarity’s palette sheets, which she used to check the seasons of her customers. Each sheet ran the full spectrum of color, but differed in hue and saturation.

Rarity chose two, and brought them over to Nyx. She draped the summer sheet around Nyx’s withers, sliding the colors around. It became clear almost at once that Nyx was not a summer; the colors appeared too dull against Nyx’s coat and mane. She laid that sheet aside and tried the winter one. She knew at once this was better; the bolder colors suited Nyx. Blue-reds, true yellows, navy, blue-greens, jewel tones and icy shades…they were all good choices for her.

Nyx stared. Rarity tried not to stare back; she hardly wanted Nyx to think she was afraid of her.

“You have very, um, exotic eyes,” she commented. “They go along very well with your coat.” But if Rarity was completely honest, Nyx eyes unnerved her; dragon eyes looked all wrong on a pony. They looked cold and predatory, like some beast in the jungle, crouching low, preparing to pounce…

Rarity brushed those thoughts aside. They were merely her primitive pony genes overreacting, and she was certainly more civilized than that. This was a filly, not a wild animal in the woods!

But still…

“Would you be a dear and take a step back? A few more, please…perfect.”

The filly assented without a word. As Rarity hoped, Nyx’s slit-pupils rounded as they adjusted to the dimmer lighting. Rarity took note of yet another of Nyx’s physical peculiarities—her shoulders. They rose and fell like levers on a dynamo whenever she took a step. Rarity did not know what to make of it. Should she design her coat to hide this trait, or flaunt it? Nyx would certainly raise eyebrows wherever she prowled.

Prowled. The word popped into Rarity’s head unbidden. And yet she kept thinking words just like it the more time she spent with Nyx. Her continued silence, her odd behavior…those eerie reptilian eyes that never seemed to blink, staring at her as though looking through her. Rarity suddenly remembered that she was in the presence of a being that was supposed to be Nightmare Moon reborn. She almost wished she would laugh and monologue at her…it was better than all this silence.

Movement above her caught her attention. Opal was still on the armoire.

“Opal! Get down from there at once!”

Opal complied, albeit with great reluctance. She prowled towards Rarity, giving Nyx a wide berth as she did so. Her shoulders rose and fell like levers on a dynamo, her pupils shrinking to slits as she passed through sunbeams from the other window. Rarity stared at Opal, then at Nyx, then back at Opal, realization dawning upon her.

“Why, Nyx! You’re a little kitty-pony, aren’t you?” Rarity said, giggling. “Isn’t that adorable? Can you say “meow”? “Meow meow?”” Nyx glared at Rarity, pouting slightly. Rarity giggled again. Nyx actually looked rather cute when she pouted like that!

She turned away from Nyx and allowed her mind to run over the sorts of designs she would like to try on her young client. She hummed merrily as she did so, no longer feeling unease about Nyx.

After all, what harm could a cat do?

Rarity laid out more parchment, her mind running over different ideas for Nyx’s new coat. Perhaps she should try burgundy? A delightful color—though perhaps with a pattern running through, to keep it from being too overpowering. She could consider working in some of Nyx’s natural colors…some violet might work wonders. But there were so many other colors she could try! Green perhaps? It would be a nice color on her, provided it had some blue undertones…

Green. A memory of green passed before her sight. She was drowning in green fluid but could not escape; she was wrapped too tightly. And she could hear a lubricious voice laughing as the green smothered her…

Rarity shuddered. She wondered if she would ever take to green again after…all that.

Her eyes fell on Nyx’s mane. It was a beautiful color, but rather messy, and hung about her like wavy curtains with lots of split ends, a long bang falling over the left eye. It was a very familiar mane-style, and Rarity could guess who the stylist had been. She tried not to think too hard about that. The idea of Chrysalis running her hooves through this child’s mane, styling and cutting it just to look like her own…it made Rarity feel very uncomfortable.

She needed to talk to Twilight about giving Nyx a different mane style. She doubted Twilight knew anything about styling, so Rarity would be more than happy to give her some suggestions. She already had an idea about a headband…at the very least, she could trim her coiffure of its split ends.

Rarity picked up her red-handled scissors and turned around. “All right my dear—hold still. I—” She stopped. Nyx’s eyes had become very wide again. She stared fearfully at the scissors in Rarity’s magic.

“Is something the matter, dear?” Rarity asked. She stepped towards Nyx.

And then Nyx snarled, a resonant sound that sat surprisingly low for such a small filly. But it was the teeth that shocked Rarity the most—sharp fangs, with incisors double the length of the others.

“What?” Rarity gasped. “What in the world?” And then she felt powerful magic wrap around the scissors and pull them from her grasp…

_____________________________________________________________________________________

“…And that’s when I looked down and saw I got my very own Cutie Mark!” Dinky Hooves finished. “So, then I ran to Mommy and I showed it to her.” She smiled at her mom. Miss Muffins smiled right back.

“I was so happy to see Dinky’s cutie mark had come in!” she told the Crusaders. “I’m so proud of her!”

Dinky beamed and took a long draught of hot chocolate, the mug wobbling in her shaky magic. When she lowered it back, her nose was covered in froth. Sweetie Belle giggled, and took a swig from her own mug in case Dinky thought she was laughing at her.

They sat near the café’s front window, drinking chocolate and nibbling on muffins. The fillies had requested chocolate chocolate-chip muffins, while Miss Muffins opted for banana nut. There were other patrons in the café, but only a single waiter.

Miss Muffins wiped the froth off her daughter’s muzzle before continuing: “We were so excited! But then we realized neither of us knew what it meant. Dinky couldn’t remember what had happened to trigger it. She just looked down, and there it was!”

Applebloom nodded. “Yup, that there happens a lot. Ponies get their marks, but they’re all so busy with things they don’t even know they came in!” She looked Miss Muffins in the eyes and smiled. The Crusaders were doing their level best not to stare too hard at Miss Muffin’s goggled eyes, hoping to avoid being seen as rude. Her eyes were the only part of her that seemed a little odd; otherwise, Miss Muffins was an ordinary pegasus mare with a blonde mane and a gray coat. Her daughter was a unicorn, with her mother’s blonde mane but a pale purple coat. Dinky’s new cutie mark consisted of three blue bubbles. It resembled her mother’s mark, though Miss Muffins’ bubbles were a faded gray-mauve in color, and numbered seven instead of three.

“I’m glad we’re not the only ones,” Miss Muffins answered, relieved. “Do you think you three can help us? I was going to have Pinkie Pie host our cute-ceañera, but we were hoping to find out what her mark meant before we threw it.”

“I can’t wait for my cute-ceañera!” Dinky squeaked. “Mommy says there will be lots of cake! And we’ll invite all of our relatives and friends over!” She beamed at the Crusaders. “And you can come too!”

“Awesome!” Scootaloo said. “We’ll be there!”

Dinky bounced in her seat. “Yay! Who else can I invite?”

“Well, have you thought about inviting Diamond Tiara?” Applebloom suggested.

Dinky’s eyes narrowed. “No! I don’t want to invite her! She is very mean! She is mean because she makes fun of Mommy and that’s bad!”

“She used to be mean, but she’s a lot nicer now,” Sweetie Belle said.

“In fact, we ran into her on the way over,” Applebloom added. “She was wantin’ to come with us so she could say sorry.”

Dinky looked puzzled. “Sorry? Does that mean she isn’t going to be mean anymore?”

“Nope! She’s turned over a new leaf.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Miss Muffins said, spreading warm whipped butter over her muffin. “Dinky, I know you don’t like Diamond Tiara, but why don’t we invite her and see if she’ll be nice now?”

“But Mommy! She made fun of you and called you mean names!”

Miss Muffins smiled gently. “I know, but I don’t need you to fight for me.” She leaned over and kissed Dinky in front of her horn. “When ponies who do bad try to make amends, the least you can do is hear them out. So why don’t we let Diamond Tiara come so she can say sorry? Then you can decide to forgive her or not.”

Dinky softened. “Okay, Mommy. I’ll invite her.” She gave Miss Muffins a hug. “I love you lots and lots!”

Sweetie Belle stifled another giggle. Dinky was so cute! The filly was several years younger than the Crusaders, and remained closely attached to her mother. The innocent, genuine love she had was so sweet! Sweetie Belle thought about her own mother, Cookie Crumbles, and decided to give her a big hug later. Just because.

“Would you like more cocoa, young miss?” It was the waiter, Horte Cuisine. He was a brown stallion with a neatly combed mane and pencil-thin moustache.

“Yes, please,” Sweetie Belle answered, remembering her manners. Horte Cuisine bowed and poured more steaming chocolate into her mug from a steel coffee decanter. As he leaned in, Sweetie Belle noticed heavy bags and crows’ feet around his eyes. He tried to suppress a yawn as he poured.

“Are you okay?” she asked him, concerned. “You look tired.”

Horte Cuisine blinked, surprised at the question. “I’m doing fine, young Miss. I merely…stayed up far too late into the night. I had much work to do.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. Rarity tended to stay up late as well, either to catch up with business or work on new designs. Sweetie Belle sometimes found her asleep at her workbench. She would get her up, and Rarity would blearily make them tea (Sweetie Belle was not to use the stove, ever).

“If nothing else, Miss, you will excuse me. I have other customers to attend to.” He turned away to address a different table. Sweetie Belle stared after him for a moment, but then shrugged and turned away. She dismissed him from her thoughts as she listened to the conversation. Applebloom had returned to the subject of cutie marks.

“So, like I was just sayin’, a bubble cutie mark could mean lots of things! But let’s start real simple and see if you’re really good at blowing bubbles first before we start gettin’ all ess-oh-tare-ic…you got the formula, Scootaloo?”

“Check!” Scootaloo held up a purple bottle of bubble formula. “I got the suds right here.”

“Great! And Sweetie Belle, you got the wand?”

Sweetie Belle gasped. “The wand? I forgot it!”

“You forgot? How could you forget about the bubble wand?”

“I was in a rush! Rarity really wanted to get me out of her shop, she had some client or whatever coming! It slipped my mind, okay?”

Applebloom facehooved. “Darn it, Sweetie Belle.” She turned to Dinky and Miss Muffins. “I’m awful sorry about this, but we need to go and grab somethin’ from Rarity’s place. We’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Sweetie Belle stood up and grabbed her coat. “No, I’ll get it. Why don’t you guys go on without me, I’ll be right back.”

“You sure?” Applebloom asked. “We can help you look for it.”

“No, that’s okay. Rarity’s busy, and she’ll probably get upset if all three of us show up.”

The other Crusaders nodded. Rarity always got upset when ponies interrupted her work. “We’ll save your seat,” Applebloom said.

“You’ll be back soon, right?” Dinky asked, a note of anxiety in her voice.

“Of course,” Sweetie Belle said, buttoning her coat. “I’ll be back in a flash.”

She darted out of the café and ran back down the way she came. She felt furious with herself. How could she have been so careless as to leave the bubble wand behind? She would probably have found it if Rarity had not interrupted her. Her sister was going to be very annoyed if Sweetie Belle showed up while Rarity’s new client was there. Hopefully, Rarity would just wave her off and let Sweetie Belle look for her wand. Then Sweetie Belle could get back to the café before all the chocolate was gone.

She hurried through the town, occasionally sliding on the icy streets. There were several close calls wherein she nearly collided with other citizens, costing her valuable time as she hurriedly shouted her apologies and resumed running. At last, huffing and puffing, she arrived at the Boutique. She paused for a minute to catch her breath.

She looked up at the Boutique. The door and windows were closed. It was very quiet; Sweetie Belle would have expected to hear Rarity’s muffled voice, discussing her design plans with her new client.

But she was in a hurry. She went up to the door and found it locked, so she knocked instead. “Hello, Rarity? It’s me, Sweetie Belle. Listen, I left that bubble wand behind. Could you open the door so I can run in and get it?”

There was a yelp on the other side of the door, and a sound like galloping hoof steps. A window burst open, and a small dark shape leaped out. Sweetie Belle only had enough time to process a black coat and wings before the figure took off, soaring swiftly toward the Everfree Forest. Sweetie Belle could make out that it was a foal, but could see no other details against the bright winter sun.

“I wonder who that was,” Sweetie Belle wondered. She supposed it was the new client Rarity had mentioned earlier. Her sister must have been a little too enthusiastic again.

Sweetie Belle stepped aside from the door, guessing that Rarity would charge out to yell after her escaped client. But the door stayed shut. Rarity did not even call after her.

Sweetie Belle suddenly felt that something was terribly wrong. She called again for Rarity, but received no reply. But she did hear sounds inside, a kind of hoarse, repeated wheezing.

Opal jumped onto the windowsill.

“O, hi Opal,” Sweetie Belle said to the cat. “Do you know where Rarity is? I need her to—”

Sweetie Belle froze, her young mind processing Opal’s appearance at last. The cat was shaking, the pupils of her eyes shrunken in fear. Her fur was disheveled, and there was a bruise across her nose. But it was Opal’s paws that caught Sweetie Belle’s attention—paws that were stained dark red.

A cold chill ran down Sweetie Belle’s spine, one that had little to do with the weather. Cautiously, she approached the window, and looked inside. The place was a mess; the pony-kins, cloth sheets, and workbench lay on their sides.

And in the middle of it all lay Rarity, in a pool of red liquid, her hooves wrapped around the handle of the scissors stabbed into her throat. She gasped for breath, fresh blood oozing from the wound while bubbles frothed in her mouth. She caught sight of Sweetie Belle and moaned, her eyes pleading for help.

Sweetie Belle screamed.

Chapter Seven

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Chapter Seven

Queen Chrysalis smiled. “You did well today, Nightmare.”

Princess Nightmare Moon the Younger beamed. Her hunt tonight had been a good one—she caught a pheasant all by herself! Mommy was so pleased, she took the pheasant back to the Hive and roasted it up just for her!

They were seated on cushions at a low table in Mommy’s chambers. The pheasant lay on a dish on the table. Mommy plucked off all the feathers and roasted everything, including the head and claws. She had also pulled out the organs and set them, raw, in a dish beside the bird.

Mommy went on. “You’ve come a long way since I took you in. You used to be very reluctant to hunt with me, weren’t you? Now you’re catching pheasants all by yourself! How does it taste? Is it good?”

Nightmare swallowed. “It is yummy, Mommy! I like pheasant! It tastes better than quail!”

“It does, doesn’t it? I imagine you’re sick of quail by now, aren’t you?”

Nightmare nodded. The Badlands made poor hunting grounds; very few animals could live there. But quail could survive almost anywhere. And the fat little birds were easy targets for Nightmare, easier than the bunnies were. She typically ate them right where she caught them. This was the first time Nightmare ate in Mommy’s chambers.

Mommy’s mouth tightened. “We take what we can get, my daughter. But small prey like quail and pheasant can only feed you for so long. You’re going to grow bigger, so you will require more meat.”

“Will I get to be as big as you?” Nightmare asked.

Mommy smirked. “Why, yes! I daresay you’ll grow to be as big as me one day.”

Nightmare gasped. As big as Mommy? “You think so?”

Mommy tapped her hoof on her chin. “Hm, yes. I think it’s quite likely.”

Nightmare clapped her hooves together and giggled. “Goody goody!”

Mommy’s smile broadened. “Nice to have something to look forward to, isn’t it? But for that to happen, you’ll need a lot more food than what my kingdom can offer. To-morrow, we shall hunt in the Forest of Leota.”

Nightmare’s eyes widened. The Forest of Leota! Nightmare had always wanted to go there, but Mommy said it was too dangerous. “Really? Aren’t there lots of monsters in there?”

Mommy nodded. “Yes. Creatures such as basilisks, chupacabras, and Timber-Wolves dwell in those woods. Yet junglefowl, hares, and even monkeys thrive in there. And so do bears, feral goats, and wild boars.”

Nightmare’s eyes shone. “Do elves live there too?”

Mommy blinked. “Elves?”

“Yeah! They sound like the kind of woods the elves live in!”

“I see,” Mommy said. “And what do these elves do in the woods?”

Nightmare thought about that. “They play games there.”

“Really? What sort of games?”

“Elf games!” Nightmare exclaimed, jumping up and down in her seat.

Mommy snickered. “Elf games, hmm? Is that so? Well, they must be very good at hiding, because I haven’t seen any. Where did you hear about elves?”

“I just know about them,” Nightmare said, awkwardly. Mommy looked at her, but said nothing more about it. Sometimes, Nightmare knew about things without being told. Like how she knew many of the animals Mommy had mentioned without having seen them before. “Are those animals good to eat?” she asked, wanting to talk about something else.

Mommy smiled. “O yes, sweetie. I’m sure you will have many fine hunts in Leota.”

“Even though the woods are full of bad stuff?”

Mommy nodded. “The Forest of Leota can be very dangerous if a girl is careless in her approach. But we shall be fine, as long as you follow my instructions. At any rate, I doubt you and I shall have anything to fear—we’ll be the scariest creatures in there!”

She suddenly snarled and hissed. Nightmare shrieked, giggled, and snarled right back. Mommy pretended to be surprised, and then they snickered together. Mommy was the better-est Mommy in the history of all of everything! She was smart and pretty and tough! She knew all sorts of amazing things. Mommy knew how to fight, and cast powerful spells, and even talk in other tongues. She taught Nightmare how to pounce and pin, how to create small fires, and how to bite the prey so they bled out faster! Only the really good Mommy’s taught you that!

Mommy continued. “We shall visit the forest to-morrow afternoon. Now it’s time for lessons. Eat, whilst I look over last night’s assignments. Before we begin, I see your sippy cup is running empty.” She pointed at a yellow sippy cup sitting on the table. “Want more blood, sweetie?”

“Yes!”

“Very well. But this shall be our last draught of blood for to-night. After this, it shall be plain water for us both. Blood is good, but it is important to stay hydrated as well.”

“Okay, Mommy.”

Mommy picked up the sippy cup, unscrewed the lid, and filled it with warm blood from the blood pitcher. She screwed the lid back on, and made to give the cup back to Nightmare—but then she noticed the spout. “Nightmare Moon! You have been chewing on the spout again.”

Nightmare’s ears wilted. “Sorry, Mommy.”

““Sorry” does not fix the lid. These things are hard to steal from the ponies. And this is not the first lid you have ruined.” Her voice was firm and steady. It was the voice she used whenever Nightmare did a Bad Thing, like rolling around in mud, or going potty on the futon while they were sleeping on it. “I understand that you need to teethe. But these are meant to be sipped on, not chewed on. If you must teethe, use bones instead.”

“Like this, Mommy?” Nightmare asked, picking up a pheasant bone and biting down. Her fangs broke through it almost instantly.

Mommy arched a brow. “Okay, maybe something a little harder than that. Let’s see if we can catch a boar tomorrow, that should work. Just promise me you won’t chew on these anymore.”

“I promise.”

“That’s my girl.” Mommy set the cup before Nightmare, who picked it up with her forehooves and drank eagerly, enjoying the sweet, coppery flavor. Mommy said that there were “him goblins” in the blood that were good for her. Nightmare wasn’t sure what they were doing there, but Mommy told her they’d help her grow, so Nightmare made sure to drink those goblins.

Mommy grinned. “Good stuff, isn’t it?” Mommy drew her wooden goblet close and poured blood for herself. She raised it in her magic, toasted Nightmare, and took a long drink from it. “Ah! That hits the spot.” She wiped her mouth with the back of her hoof, and then glanced at Nightmare.

“You have blood stains all over your muzzle. Let me get that.” She licked her hoof with her long, forked tongue, and then leaned forward, wiping Nightmare’s muzzle vigorously. Nightmare whined a little, but otherwise bore her toilet with patience. “That’s better. Now then…time for lessons.”

Her horn lit. Several slates and books flew off the desk and settled on the futon, which sat next to the table.

“Let me begin by saying you’ve made incredible progress ever since I brought you home from those bushes. Would you believe that was only a moon ago to-night?”

Nightmare shook her head, her mouth too full of pheasant meat to answer. One moon! A lot of exciting things had happened since then! Those early hours in the bush felt like an old memory now.

“I can’t either,” Mommy continued. “You’ve learned many wonderful things, haven’t you? And your magic is developing nicely. Your grip is stronger…your transformations are improving dramatically!” She reached over and gave Nightmare a playful boop on the nose. “You will become a fine mage someday!”

Nightmare giggled. “Thank you, Mommy! But I’m still turning into baby animals, though.”

Mommy nodded. “Yes, that is something we need to work on. Even so, I think you’re at a point that we can start working from that painfully alliterative transfiguration text.” She nodded at the desk, where Terribly Trying Transfiguration sat, along with several other books. “I know it’s a bit heady, but you’re a clever girl, you’ll figure it out. Make sure you eat the liver,” she added. “It’s good for you.”

Nightmare fished the liver out of the organ dish and ate it up, enjoying its smooth, gamey flavor. The liver was her favorite organ, just ahead of the intestines.

“That’s my girl,” Mommy said. “You’ll grow up strong if you drink your blood and eat your liver every day. Of course, that isn’t all you must do to become strong.”

Nightmare became very interested. “There’s more?”

“Indeed, my daughter. It is time I taught you to fight properly. To-morrow, I shall start training you in our Changeling Jujutsu.”

Nightmare giggled. “Chew-jet-sew? That is a funny word!”

Mommy smiled. “Do you like it? I picked it up on a trip to Neigh-pon. It’s what they call their fighting arts.”

“Wow!” Nightmare exclaimed. “Did you learn all about fighting from them?”

“No. I heard the word and decided it sounded right. I never bothered infiltrating any of their silly little dojos. That wasn’t what I was in Neigh-pon for.” She tossed her mane back. “In any event, I have little doubt their methods are inferior. We learned fighting on the battlefield, not in some remote temple in the mountains.”

“How does chew-jet-sew work?”

“Our combat art has several components,” Mommy explained. “Kicks, naturally. Thrusts with the sole of the hoof. Biting, which you’ve become rather good at, I must say…also, horn attacks and body slams. And of course, attacking with magic. But we also deal with grappling maneuvers to a fair degree.”

“Like wrestling?” Nightmare asked.

“Like wrestling,” Mommy agreed. “We’ve had plenty of practice in that, haven’t we?”

Nightmare giggled. After hunting, she sometimes played games with Mommy, like “Chase” and “Seek.” But her favorite by far was “Wrestle.” Mommy was really good at it, and taught Nightmare some basic pins. Nightmare loved wrestling! It was so much fun!

“But wrestling is not the only component,” Mommy added. “There are also takedowns, sweeps, and throws. All of which you shall find very useful in your hunts.”

“Wow!” Nightmare exclaimed, her eyes shining. “I can’t wait to learn all of those things!”

Mommy grinned. “All in good time, sweetie.”

“Does that mean you’ll teach me those, too?” Nightmare asked, pointing at the
Weapon Wall. It was loaded floor to ceiling with every kind of weapon, from swords and spears to maces and bows. Nightmare thought they were very interesting! But Mommy said she was never to touch them without her permission.

“Yes, that includes weapons training as well,” Mommy replied, her smile faltering. “We don’t focus too much on those—our magic, cunning, and strength are usually enough to carry the day. But every campaign is different, and it is important to learn about war in every aspect. In any case, I think you’ll find things such as archery and javelin throwing very useful.”

“And sword fighting?” Nightmare asked excitedly.

Mommy harrumphed. “I suppose. In my experience, a sturdy lance in hoof is always better than a sword. The lance can keep the enemy some distance away, while the sword is only good for short range. Show me a duel between the world’s greatest fencer and the world’s greatest lancer, and I guarantee the lancer will prove the victor.”

Mommy thought for a moment. “Of course, there are other things you need to know. You are the Princess of Changelings, and as a princess you have many responsibilities. One day, I shall need you to help me lead the Hive into battle!

Nightmare’s ears wilted a little. “You go to war a lot, don’t you?”

“Life is war,” Mommy said. “Remember that always. Everything that lives does so at another’s expense. Nothing is ever given. If you wish to survive, you must take what you can, however you can. Did you ask your pheasant if it wanted to be food?”

Nightmare looked at her pheasant, feeling a little guilty all of a sudden. “No, Mommy.”

“No, of course not. You need meat to survive. The pheasant was food, so you took it for prey. We Changelings are no different. We need the love of living creatures to survive, but they aren’t going to give it up willingly! So, we make war, hunting for love so that we might live.”

“That sounds really hard,” Nightmare said.

Mommy nodded. “It is. Making war with our limited resources is my greatest challenge. I must constantly plan our next move. It’s an important task that I entrust to no-pony else. But you are my daughter. And as such, I think it important to teach you about strategy.”

“Do the other Changelings learn about strategy?”

“Certainly not!” Mommy answered. “Their place is to obey my orders. The drones need to have their minds on the battle at hoof, not worthless questions. But you are my daughter, so it behooves me to teach you. I know you can handle it—you’re a clever girl, aren’t you?”

Nightmare beamed, proud her Mommy thought so highly of her. “Uh-huh!”

“I thought so,” Mommy said, smiling. “Let’s speak now of subterfuge.”

Nightmare tilted her head. “Sub-ber-fuge?”

“Subterfuge. It means things like spying on the enemy. Infiltration. Deception. And what,” Mommy added, “Does Sunny Shoes say about deception?”

““That all war is based on deception,”” Nightmare quoted, giggling. Mommy made Nightmare memorize quotes from Sunny Shoes’ The Art of War every night. Nightmare knew the entire first section by heart.

“Correct. See? Your lessons are bearing fruit already.” Mommy thought for a moment. “And conditioning. I know plenty of exercises to make you stronger. But they’ll only work if you do them every day. Do you promise to keep up with them?”

Nightmare bounced on her cushion. “Yes, Mommy!”

Mommy’s eyes glittered. “Excellent. It makes Mommy very proud to hear you say that.” She picked up a chalk slate. “But that’s for tomorrow. For now, let’s have a look at your spelling.”

Mommy took another sip of blood, and carefully examined the slate.

“Your writing is getting better,” she said at last. “It’s legible, at least.” She turned the slate around so Nightmare could see. Mommy had written words on the top, with Nightmare’s own attempts to copy them written below. Nightmare’s sinistral scribbling looked really sloppy compared to Mommy’s ornate cursive.

Mommy tapped on one of the words. “You’re missing a letter here, sweetie. The word was “slaughter,” not “laughter.” But not bad, on the whole…you just need more practice.”

Nightmare’s ears wilted a little, but she nodded.

“I also have some passages I should like you to read,” Mommy continued. “I have some notes on a flash charm that you might find…illuminating.” She smiled at her own joke. “And this. An article about photosynthesis.”

“Photo…sinny-sis?” Nightmare asked. “What’s that?”

“Photosynthesis. It’s the process by which plants convert sunlight into food.”

Nightmare tilted her head. “You have me read a lot of things about the sun, Mommy.”

“Well, of course! The sun is a very useful thing to have about! It helps plants grow, keeps the world warm, and helps us track time.” She gave Nightmare a meaningful look. “Why, things would be very difficult if the sun went away! No creature could live without it!”

“Wow!” Nightmare said. “I did not know the sun was so important!”

Mommy smiled. “See? You’re learning all sorts of wonderful things with me! Now, let’s see about your Maredrish.”

She picked up the second slate. Nightmare leaned in eagerly. Maredrish was her favorite language! Mommy made it sound so pretty whenever she spoke in it.

Mommy examined the slate. “Not too bad. Plenty of room for improvement here. I see some issues with your verb conjugations…you’re also leaving the tildes off the top of your eñes. But not bad, on the whole. Your Maredrish is coming along exceedingly well, Nightmare. At this rate, I might get you started on Prench before the winter. Now, let’s have a look at tonight’s passages.”

She took Historia de Magica into her magic. Mommy had been using it to teach Nightmare Maredrish, as well as the history of Equestrian magic. Finding their last stopping point was very easy, because whenever they finished a page, Mommy would tear it out and burn it away. That way their enemies would be unable to use the information against them.

Mommy’s mouth tightened. Nightmare knew at once that she disliked what she was reading. “It looks like we’ll be discussing larvae next.”

“Larvae?” Nightmare asked. “Aren’t those baby bugs?”

Mommy shook her head. “No. Larvae is an old word for revenants. Re-animated corpses and such.”

Nightmare’s eyes widened. “That is a real thing that happens?” She eyed the pheasant on the table, suddenly wary of it.

“Only sometimes, under certain conditions,” Mommy said quickly. “It doesn’t usually happen. Your pheasant isn’t going to leap off your plate and attack you, I promise.”

Nightmare felt better. “Okay, Mommy. Why does that happen sometimes?”

“Depends. Sometimes, the corpse re-animates itself because it has a grievance that demands sorting. Or a mage has elected to summon the dead for her own purposes.”

Nightmare tilted her head. “Why would some-pony want to raise the dead up like that?”

“Information. It is said the dead are privy to knowledge hidden away from those of us among the living.”

“Do they?”

Mommy scowled. “One can never tell. The dead can and will lie. If they do choose to speak the truth, it’s either wrapped up in a riddle, or phrased so ambiguously that it could mean anything. That reminds me,” she added. “When we go to Leota, there are certain ruins we must avoid. They’re crawling with restless spirits.”

“Wow!” Nightmare exclaimed. “Can we go there?”

“Certainly not!” Mommy cried, her pupils thinning. “The undead are dangerous! You must stay away from them!”

Nightmare tilted her head, studying Mommy carefully. “You have met these larvae before?”

Mommy’s mouth thinned. “I’ve had encounters.”

She said nothing else, and Nightmare sensed that she did not want to talk about it anymore.

“Now then,” Mommy said, stiffly. “Let’s discuss your mathematics next.” She summoned another chalk slate. This one had addition problems written upon it, with Nightmare’s answers written under horizontal lines.

Mommy turned the slate so Nightmare could see. “Your adding has come a long way, sweetie. But I see you are still troubled by adding with zero.”

Nightmare nodded. Adding nothing to something sounded weird to her.

“We’ll study that later. But before we do, there is something I should like to discuss with you.”

Mommy set the slate aside, and pulled out a brown envelope, from which she pulled a stack of photographs. She laid them on the table.

“As Princess of the Changelings, it will be your duty to protect the Hive against our enemies. And what,” Mommy added, arching a brow, “Do we do to enemies?”

Nightmare giggled. “We kill them! Kill them all dead!”

“That’s right. What a good girl you are.” Mommy’s eyes glittered. “You will be a good help to me, I know it. You want to help Mommy, don’t you?”

“Yes!” Nightmare replied, bouncing on her cushion. “I like helping! I am a good helper!”

“That’s my girl. Let me introduce you to the Enemy.”

Mommy held up a photo. It showed a white alicorn mare with a flowing, tri-color mane. On her head sat a golden tiara. “This,” Mommy spat, “Is Princess Celestia.”

Nightmare’s eyes narrowed. “This is her?” she asked coldly. “This is the one who hurt you? At…Trot?”

“The very same!” Mommy snarled. “She descended down from on high and shot me and every-ling she could find with fire from the sun!” She held up her right hoof. Nightmare could see through the holes. “We were permanently scarred. Worse, every single member of our Hive since then is born with these!”

“That is bad!” Nightmare snarled. “How dare she hurt you like that!”

“O, it gets even worse,” Mommy said. “Not only did she scar us, but Celestia sealed us inside a volcano! Forever!” Chrysalis tossed her head back. “But I did not let that stop me! I led our Hive out of that volcano! I bear my scars with pride!”

“Yay!” Nightmare exclaimed, her eyes shining with admiration. Mommy was so brave! When Nightmare grew up to be a big Changeling, she wanted to be just like her!

Mommy went on. “Of course, Celestia was not pleased when she noticed our escape.” She sighed deeply, and lay a hoof across her face. “Ever since then, Celestia has made it her mission to stop us from feeding!”

Nightmare’s nostrils flared. “That mean old witch!” she yelled. She glared down at the photograph and growled at it. She failed to spot Mommy peek from under her hoof and smirk at her.

“But, alas, Celestia isn’t the only Princess we have to contend with,” Mommy said, with another loud sigh. Nightmare’s eyes narrowed. Who else was hurting her beautiful Mommy?

Mommy laid down another photo. It showed a deep-blue alicorn with black regalia. “This one is Princess Luna.”

“Princess Luna,” Nightmare murmured. “This is the creepy one? The one who sneaks into dreams?”

“The very same,” Mommy said. She stared intently at Nightmare. “What do you make of her?”

Nightmare shuddered. “I do not like her. She’s spooky!”

“I quite agree,” Mommy said, her eyes still fixed on Nightmare. “She’s a very sneaky mare, who creeps into our dreams to spy on us. I have little doubt of this. After all, she does the same thing to her own subjects. Thankfully, we have strong defenses against her. My throne keeps Luna at bay, at the cost of our own dreams. That should be enough—but I taught you that mental-shield spell to be doubly sure. You have a good handle on that, I must say. Very impressive.”

Nightmare giggled. Mommy smiled back and laid two new photographs on the table. The first showed a third alicorn, this one much younger than the Sisters. She had a long, flowing mane and wore a small golden tiara on her head. The other photograph showed a muscular white stallion with a blue mane. He wore an ugly jacket pinned with medals.

Mommy scowled at them. “These two are Princess Mi Amore Cadenza and her husband, “Prince” Shining Armor.” She made air quotes with her hooves when she said Shining Armor’s title. “It’s because of them that you and I are dining here in the Badlands instead of Canterlot Castle. Our latest campaign there was thwarted by them.” She arched a brow. “I may have mentioned that once or twice.”

Nightmare nodded. It was one of Mommy’s “favorite” topics.

“It was one of the most humiliating defeats I ever suffered,” Mommy growled, more to herself than Nightmare. “She and that fool of a groom of hers pooled their love together and cast us out of Canterlot!”

“Pooled their love?” Nightmare asked, puzzled. “But don’t Changelings eat love?”

“Yes. But the wave they generated was so powerful it overwhelmed us. It’s rather like how all living creatures need water to live, but a tsunami can decimate an entire village.”

Nightmare’s eyes widened. “Wow! How did they make all that love?”

“Cadenza styles herself the “Princess of Love,”” Mommy answered, rolling her eyes. “She can produce an endless supply of love, but she hoards it all to herself!”

“That is mean of her!” Nightmare shouted.

Mommy nodded. “O, she is. But it’s to be expected, really. Cadenza is a spoiled, selfish mare. Her refusal to share her love is yet another example of the innate cruelty of ponies.”

“What about him?” Nightmare demanded, pointing at the picture of Shining Armor.

“Armor? He’s an imbecile.”

“He looks strong.”

Mommy snorted. “Looks are deceiving. Armor is actually useless in a true fight. His shield spells, I admit, are impressive. But he’s nowhere near as talented as his precious younger sister.” Her eyes blazed. Nightmare knew instantly whom she was talking about. She mentioned her a lot, too.

“So, he and Cadenza got together and blew all of you out of the city?”

Mommy came back to herself. “Yes, that’s right. And we were so close too! We had Celestia trapped in a cocoon and the Bearers captured! Shining Armor stood under my influence! The city was ours! But then Cadenza got Shining Armor out of his trance. They combined their powers and blew us all out of Canterlot!”

Nightmare tilted her head, puzzled. “How come you couldn’t stop them?”

Mommy huffed. “They powered up behind my back while I was personally supervising our forces.”

“Didn’t the guard drones see?”

“I—I sent them off to feed,” Mommy replied, flustered.

“How come you didn’t put them into cocoons, like you did with Celestia?”

Mommy stared at her. “That appears to have been an oversight,” she said slowly. “Perhaps we should bear that in mind for future endeavors.” She went quiet, as though she were thinking really hard. Nightmare resumed eating, until a new question came to her.

“Does this mean we can beat them if we keep them apart from each other?”

Mommy came out of her stupor. “Yes, that’s certainly one strategy we can use against them. They are not particularly strong by themselves. Shining Armor is only slightly harder to beat than a normal guard. Unicorns fall rather easily if you can get your hooves on them.”

“But what about their magic?”

Mommy grinned. “Unicorns need focus to charge their magic, and they can’t focus while being kicked in the face. Do you remember that time you hit your horn while learning to pounce?”

Nightmare nodded. It had hurt a lot!

“Unicorn horns are like that,” Mommy continued. “They are very sensitive. A hard strike is more than enough to cancel any spell the unicorn is preparing. The trick is getting close enough to deliver such a blow.”

Nightmare pointed at the photo of Cadenza. “What about alicorns?”

Mommy’s mouth tightened. “Alicorns are much harder to deal with due to their greater magic, enhanced strength, and extreme durability. But they can be taken by surprise. That’s how I was able to capture Cadenza.”

“I wish I were strong like them.”

Mommy smirked at her. “O? Don’t worry too much about that, my daughter. I have no doubt you shall become as strong as The Sisters. Perhaps even stronger!”

“You think?” Nightmare asked, wide-eyed.

Mommy’s smirk widened. “O, yes, I think so. If you train diligently, I have no doubt you will surpass them someday.”

Nightmare clapped her hooves and giggled, pleased to hear Mommy say such wonderful things about her. “And then I will be a real Princess?”

“Yes,” Mommy replied. “If you take down one of the Princesses, you will become a true Princess. You will claim their crown for your own. Like my defeat of King Orion.” She pulled off her crown and held it so Nightmare could see. “I took this from him, and made it my own. That was when I became a true Queen.” She nodded at the photos. “Do any of their crowns interest you? This one, perhaps?” She pointed at the photo of Princess Luna.

“I like hers better,” Nightmare said, pointing at the photo of Cadenza.

“Really?” Mommy asked. “How come?”

“Because her crown looks like yours!

Mommy smiled at her. “That’s nice of you to say, sweetie. But let’s speak of the Bearers now.” She laid six new photos on the table. “These are the six mares that wield the Elements of Harmony.”

She pushed forward a photo of a pegasus mare. She had a pale-yellow coat and a long mane that hid part of her face. “This one is called Fluttershy. Bearer of the so-called “Element of Kindness.””

“Kindness?” Nightmare asked, arching a brow. “Why is it called that when it is a weapon?”

Mommy shrugged. “I wonder that myself. Remember though, ponies are very duplicitous. They like to use euphemisms to hide what they really mean.”

“So, kindness is actually meanness?”

“O yes,” Mommy said quickly. “Fluttershy is very mean indeed. She pretends to be kind and sweet, but that’s only her ruse to lure you into her trap! She also has the power to control animals. She makes them do whatever she wants!”

“Like what?” Nightmare asked, amazed.

“Serve her every whim, of course. Why, I hear she even forces predators to eat plants!”

Nightmare gasped. Making predators eat plants? What a mean thing to do! She stared hard at the photo. Fluttershy looked as if she were trying to hide behind her own mane. But there was no way Celestia would entrust Equestria’s greatest weapon to a timid pony! Nightmare would be sure to stay on her guard against this Fluttershy.

Mommy chose another photo. This one also depicted a pegasus mare. She was caught in mid-flight, a determined look on her face. She had a cerulean coat, with a multi-colored mane and a thundercloud cutie mark.

“This one calls herself Rainbow Dash,” Mommy explained. “Her element is “Loyalty.” As you might expect, she is fanatically devoted to Celestia. From our reports, it would seem she is the most fearless of the Bearers. She is certainly the most aggressive, and ranks as one of the fastest fliers in all Equestria.” She sighed. “I wish I had an entire legion like this mare. We’d take Equestria in a single night!”

Nightmare studied the photo. Rainbow Dash had a lithe, athletic body. She looked more like a proper warrior than Fluttershy. “She looks tough.”

Mommy nodded. “Yes, the drones who fought against her during our takeover attempt can attest to that. However, she isn’t particularly intelligent. She’s reckless. Her courage is admirable, I suppose. But courage without cunning leads to a quick death. I suspect she will be the first of the Bearers to die.”

“Are most pegasus ponies like her?” Nightmare asked.

“In my experience, yes. Of the three pony tribes, the pegasi are by far the most martial. They also control the weather, making them especially dangerous. But I think you could do that as well,” Mommy added thoughtfully. “Yes. I daresay you could.”

“Are pegasus ponies the hardest to beat?”

Mommy thought for a bit. “I wouldn’t say that,” she said at last. “Any-pony can be defeated, if you’re clever about how you go about it.” She took a sip of blood, considering carefully. “Pegasi have more endurance and speed, but they aren’t as durable as Earth ponies. They have lighter bones to make flying easier. But the trade-off is that they are more susceptible to injuries. So, the best way to defeat them is with hoof-to-hoof combat…if you can catch them, of course.”

“What about magic?”

“That also works,” Mommy said. “Bear in mind, most pegasi can out-maneuver magical beams. But if you can land a spell, they have no answer for it. I find them especially vulnerable to ice magic.” She set the photos of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash aside. “That’s enough talk about pegasi. Let’s discuss Earth ponies next. There are two of them in this little group.”

Mommy held up another photo. It showed a muscular pony with freckles and a yellow mane. She wore a funny-looking brown hat.

“This one is called Applejack. A common laborer. She specializes in growing apples.”

“Eew!” Nightmare squealed. “I do not like apples! They’re yucky!”

“Nasty things,” Mommy agreed. “So dry and bitter. They’re nowhere near as good as a nice, juicy nectarine.”

“I have never eated one of those before.”

“Eaten, sweetie. And right now, it’s early spring. We shan’t see any until summer rolls in.” She arched a brow. “Though with your diet we’ll have to see. You don’t care for fruit, do you?”

Nightmare shook her head. Most plants tasted bad to her. They made her tummy feel yucky.

“What is this Applejack like?” Nightmare asked, turning her attention back to the photo.

“She is a compulsive liar!” Mommy said. “She is undoubtedly one of the most deceitful ponies in all of Equestria. Why, she even lies to her own allies!”

Nightmare gasped. Lying to an enemy was okay, because they were bad guys. But lying to ones you cared about was truly wicked! Was there no low these ponies would not stoop to? “She must be the worst of all!”

Mommy’s lip curled. “O, they’re all bad, sweetie. Bad in their own despicable ways.”

“She does look strong,” Nightmare commented. She licked her lips. “I want to have her for my supper! She looks like she has good meat on her!” She looked up and gave Mommy a questioning look. “Ponies are yummy, right?”

Mommy gave Nightmare a searching look, as though she were trying to figure out what to make of her. But then she started laughing.

“O, Nightmare. They’re delectable. Spend enough time with me, and you’ll have ample opportunity to savor their flesh for yourself!”

“Yay!” Nightmare cheered, clapping her hooves again. She could hardly wait to try pony meat! It sounded delicious!

Mommy set the photo of Applejack aside, and pushed forward yet another photo. Her brow creased into a frown. “Now, this one is bizarre. Her name is Pinkamina Diane Pie. A baker.”

She turned the photo around. It showed an Earth pony with a poofy, curly mane and a wide, unnerving smile.

“What’s wrong with her?” Nightmare asked.

“She’s insane, to begin with,” Mommy said. “I have never encountered a being more untethered from reality in all my life! But it is her powers that I find the most disturbing.”

“Powers?” Nightmare scrunched her nose, studying the photo. “Isn’t she an Earth pony?”

“Yes, and that’s what makes her abilities so peculiar. She possesses an innate sort of magic unlike anything I have encountered before. Do you recall what I told you about the daemon, Discord?”

Nightmare nodded.

“Well, Pinkamina exhibits powers of a similar nature. Nothing close to Discord’s,” Mommy added, spotting Nightmare’s anxious expression. “But the normal laws of physics suspend themselves around her. Some of my most able and level-headed drones reported they saw her pull a cannon out from nowhere during our campaign.”

Nightmare’s eyes widened. “Wow! How can we beat a pony who can do that?”

“By outthinking her. As I said, she displays signs of insanity. She doesn’t seem to have matured much past the age of four.” She scowled. “And all this pink! She’s such a vibrant shade…it almost hurts to look at her.”

Nightmare scrunched her nose. “Pink? What’s that?”

Mommy frowned. “Pink. That’s the color this pony is.” She tapped the photo, as though expecting it to suddenly become clear.

But Nightmare was even more confused. “Is pink a kind of green?”

Now it was Mommy’s turn to look puzzled. “Green?” She turned the photo around and looked at it closely. “What sort of green is she?”

“Like the mint plant!”

Mommy stared between her and the photo. After a long moment, she held up the photo of Princess Cadenza. “What color is she?”

“Green.”

“I see.” Mommy tapped the blood pitcher. “And this? What color is it?”

“Green,” Nightmare said again. Her ears wilted. She sensed she was saying something wrong, but she wasn’t sure what it could be.

“Interesting.” Mommy looked thoughtful. After a moment, she pointed at a very dark corner. “Can you tell me what you see over there?”

Nightmare looked. It was very dark in that corner; Mommy didn’t keep a light crystal over there. But Nightmare saw clearly in the darkness. “Your praying mantis clock.”

“Good girl. Read the time for me.”

Nightmare squinted. She was still learning to tell time, and counting up all the minutes was hard for her. “Eight…seven-four?”

“Eight thirty-nine, sweetie. Remember, the seven becomes thirty-five when the minute hand points at it.”

“How come?”

“Because clocks were invented by imbeciles. You can recognize Pinkamina’s face, right?”

“Yes, Mommy,” Nightmare said. She glared at the picture. “I will remember that face. When I see that face again, I will strike it.” Nightmare hissed at the picture and slapped the table. It shook from the force of the blow.

“That’s my girl,” Mommy purred.

“But did I say something wrong?” Nightmare asked. “You acted funny when I told you what color the ponies were.”

Mommy looked as though she were thinking carefully. “It’s nothing for you to worry about right now,” she said at last. “Merely one of life’s little trade-offs. Come, I have more I wish to show you.”

She held up the second-to-last photo. It showed a white unicorn mare with a fancy violet mane. “This one is called Rarity.”

“That one is a unicorn,” Nightmare observed. “That means she has magic.”

“Correct,” Mommy replied. “Though her magic doesn’t appear to be especially strong. I could easily overpower her. You could too, I imagine.”

“What does she do?” Nightmare asked.

“Nothing important. Apparently, her occupation is dressmaking.”

“What’s a dress?”

“It’s a garment pony mares wear to fancy galas and such,” Mommy answered, rolling her eyes. “They have no defensive value whatsoever.”

“Then why do they wear them?”

“Because ponies squander resources,” Mommy said, scowling. “They like to flaunt their wealth to show how important they think they are.” She sighed. “Meanwhile, the rest of us have to starve out here in the barren wilderness.”

“That is very bad of them!” Nightmare growled. She glared at the photo of Rarity. “She must be very selfish to waste so much!”

“O, she’s terribly selfish,” Mommy said. “And immensely vain! She is obsessed with making herself look more beautiful than any other mare.”

“No-pony is as pretty as you, Mommy!”

“That’s sweet of you to say,” Mommy answered, smiling.

“Or as nice!” Nightmare added. “You’re the nicest mommy ever! You’re way nicer than this Rarity pony!”

Mommy’s smile faltered a little. “Of course.”

Nightmare beamed at her, and turned her attention back to the photo. “Are unicorns hard to beat?”

Mommy came back to herself. “Yes, sometimes. Remember, they possess magic. But this Rarity is dangerous even without it. My drones inform me she used some sort of fighting art against them during our occupation. It took four drones to finally subdue her!”

Nightmare’s eyes widened. This Rarity must be a great warrior indeed if that many drones were needed to stop her!

“So, a good deal of caution must be exercised in dealing with her,” Mommy finished. “But now I have one last pony to show you.”

Her eyes flashed. Nightmare knew at once whom the next pony would be, and leaned forward to get a closer look. Mommy held up the final photo. “This,” she spat, “Is Twilight Sparkle.”

Nightmare studied the photo. The unicorn featured on it was light violet, with a navy-colored stripy mane. She did not look very tough, but as Mommy kept saying, looks were deceiving.

“You talk about this one a lot,” Nightmare said. “You hate her above all the rest. But what did she do to make you so mad at her?”

“Everything!” Mommy fumed. “She’s why we lost Canterlot!”

“I thought Princess Cadenza was why we lost?” Nightmare asked, puzzled.

“Certainly, Cadenza and her fool of a husband delivered the final blow,” Mommy admitted. “But Twilight Sparkle was the one who freed Cadenza and brought her to the wedding hall.”

“Freed? Does that mean you captured her before?”

“Yes, I did. Very astute of you to pick up on that. I captured Cadenza and posed as her during their wedding preparations. I used the opportunity to extract as much love as possible from Shining Armor. In the meantime, I imprisoned Cadenza in the caverns below Canterlot.”

“Wouldn’t it have been easier to kill her instead?”

“She was more useful to me alive,” Mommy said. “I needed to learn about her behavior, in order to make my façade more convincing.”

“And this Twilight Sparkle found out where she was and got her out?”

“Yes! And then they stormed into the throne room where the ceremony was taking place. Thanks to Twilight Sparkle, Cadenza was able to thwart our plans!”

“That’s bad!” Nightmare exclaimed. “How were all the Changelings supposed to feed then?”

“They weren’t,” Mommy answered. She sighed heavily. “I even told them why we were invading, and none of them cared. No-pony will ever lend us a hoof, I can assure you of that!”

Nightmare was furious. “Those mean old ponies! They are so selfish!”

Mommy nodded. “O, indeed. But what else can we expect from the creatures that left you all alone in that nasty thornbush?”

“They left me in the thornbush?” Nightmare asked, stunned. “All alone? How do you know this?”

Mommy turned and hoisted up the saddlebags she had found by the bushes. She lifted a flap and pointed at a label sewn on the inside. “Are you able to read this?”

Nightmare read each syllable carefully: “Pro-per-ty…of...Twi-light…Spar-kle.” Her eyes widened. “This was Twilight Sparkle’s bag?”

“That’s what the name says, sweetie. My guess is that she forgot about it after they made you in their ritual.”

“The ponies made me?” Nightmare asked. Her eyes suddenly felt watery. “Then why didn’t they take me home with them? Didn’t they want me?”

Mommy shrugged. “Who can say? The ways of ponies are strange. Perhaps it’s because you are different from them.” Mommy bowed her head. “I guess they hoped you would die.”

Anger overtook Nightmare. “Those wicked ponies!” she cried, slamming her hooves against the table. It gave way easily, collapsing into a pile of wood and sawdust. The blood pitcher tipped over, spilling blood all over the photos. Pheasant meat splattered across the floor. Nightmare’s sippy cup rolled under the futon.

Mommy gasped and backed away, surveying the damage with wide, astonished eyes. “That table was solid mahogany,” she said, dumbfounded. “And you smashed it to pieces!”

Nightmare came back to herself. She looked around at all the damage she had made and felt guilty. She did a Bad Thing! She broke Mommy’s table and made a big mess! Worse, she scared Mommy! That meant she was a bad daughter!

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to break your table!” Nightmare cried.

“It’s fine. It’s…accidents happen.” Mommy surveyed the mess, a peculiar glint in her eyes. If Nightmare were not so upset, she might have wondered why Mommy seemed pleased.

Nightmare’s eyes watered again. “I’m sorry, Mommy! Please don’t be angry!”

“I told you, it’s fine,” Mommy snapped. “Dry those tears at once. Weeping is for the weak.”

But it didn’t feel fine to Nightmare. She did a Bad Thing, and the sharp tone in Mommy’s voice made it clear Mommy was unhappy. That made Nightmare cry even more!

Mommy’s eyes narrowed. “I said that was enough! Stop that crying this instant!”

Now Mommy was really angry! She would not want to have a crier for a daughter. She would take her back to the forest and put her back in the bush! Then she would be all alone again!

Nightmare broke into a full-on wail, sobbing and screaming and apologizing over and over. Mommy was taken aback by this. She tilted her head and stared, perplexed. It was as though she had never seen a child cry before, and had no clue how she was supposed to respond.

“Nightmare,” she said finally, after Nightmare’s wailing started to quiet down. “Come here.” She spoke in a very quiet voice, only just above a whisper. Nightmare obeyed, sniffling as she approached her. Mommy reached out with her forehooves and pulled her close. Nightmare suddenly felt very warm and safe. She nuzzled into Mommy’s chest, feeling less upset than she had before. Mommy cradled her, and hummed a gentle tune. It carried no distinct melody; yet just hearing Mommy’s voice made Nightmare feel a lot better. She stopped crying, and rested her head against Mommy’s chest.

“Now Nightmare,” Mommy said, in that same quiet voice. “What’s all this boo-hooing about, hmm?”

Nightmare sniffled. “I did a Bad Thing, Mommy. That means I am a bad daughter.”

“No, you’re not,” Mommy said. She reached over and brushed Nightmare’s tears away. “You just smashed up my table. That can be easily remedied.” She lit her horn. Green magic surrounded the table’s remains, and then it pulled itself together. It looked good as new.

“See?” Mommy said. “No harm done. In fact, I shall teach you that repair spell. Then you can clean up your own messes. Sound like a plan?”

Nightmare looked up at her. “You mean you’re not going to put me back in the bushes?”

Mommy looked surprised. “Certainly not, sweetie! You’re going to stay right here with me and be my daughter. Okay?” She leaned down and kissed Nightmare on the forehead, in front of her horn.

“Okay,” Nightmare said, smiling. “Does this mean we’ll always be together?”

Mommy hesitated. “Certainly, sweetie,” she said at last. “Always.”

Nightmare snuggled up against Mommy’s chest, feeling a little silly. Mommy wouldn’t leave her—how could she think otherwise? She and Mommy would always be together! And how well she loved being wrapped up in Mommy’s hooves! They were so cold, so thin, so—

No, that wasn’t right. Mommy’s hooves were warm and safe. And now that she thought about it, hadn’t she done all this before? This had happened a long time ago, long before the ponies destroyed their Hive and Mommy—

Wait.

Nightmare’s eyes snapped open. She was no longer in Mommy’s chambers. Instead, she was curled up inside the hollow of a tree, her hooves wrapped around a moldy stick.

At first, she wondered where she was. Then she remembered the last few days. How she had awoken to find her home destroyed. How she had raced to what remained of the Atrium, only to see Mommy chased away by the ponies. How the Changelings had been horribly transfigured by evil pony magic. How they made that slimy worm Private Thorax a king. And how they stole her away from her home, and made her a prisoner of war. These memories, along with the one she had seen in her vision, prompted tears to run in Nightmare’s eyes. That memory of herself with Mommy felt so real! It was almost like being back with her again.

Nightmare huffed and coughed, and wiped the tears from her eyes. She needed to stop this crying. Mommy would not want to see it. Not when Nightmare could be helping her instead! ¡Ahora era el momento de actuar!

She breathed deeply, calming herself so she could think. The vision puzzled her. It was a memory of the day Mommy showed her the faces of the Enemigas. But why had she remembered that? She recalled flying into the forest, and stopping to rest. Then she saw images! But what happened? Was that a dream? Nightmare had never dreamed before, so she didn’t know what they were like. Mommy’s throne made dreaming impossible. And when the ponies stole her away, Nightmare cast the mind-barrier charm whenever she went to—

Sleep.

A jolt ran through her. She had fallen asleep! How much time had passed? She had made such a good start after slaying the torturer Rarity and fleeing into the woods! She flew far in. But her eyes were sore and tired. She meant only to stop and rest, but then she took a siesta instead! ¡Estúpido!

It was all that Twilight Sparkle’s fault! She wouldn’t feel so sleepy if that old nag didn’t keep waking her up at the wrong times! And she kept feeding her such yucky food! It was all plants! How stupid were these ponies? Could they not see she was a huntress? She needed meat!

But worst of all was the name they forced on her. Nyx! What kind of a stupid name was that? Not only did the ponies ruin her life, but then they insulted her by giving her a dog name! She was not Nyx! She was Princess Nightmare Moon the Younger, daughter of Queen Chrysalis, and Princess of the Changelings! No-pony was going to tell her different!

She glared at the stick. Normally, she slept with Mommy. But because of the ponies, all she had was this stupid stick! She hurled it away from her with a snarl. The stick hit some of the bramble on its way to the forest floor, and she stiffened; noise was a bad mistake in the woods, but she had been too upset to remember that.

Nightmare stuck her head out of the hole and peered up at the canopy. She could see sunlight filtering through at the very top. She must have slept for only a little while. But a little while could spell disaster. The ponies would come after her because of Rarity. She needed to make her getaway before they could catch up. Tiempo de moverse.

She exited the hole and walked over the thick bough of the tree she had hidden herself in. The forest was cold, but Nightmare felt plenty warm in the leather coat Mommy made for her. She paused, flicking her ears around, listening for any sounds that might indicate the approach of ponies. Nothing. Satisfied, Nightmare spread her wings and flew to the next tree.

She glided from bough to bough. It would have been easier to fly over the forest, but that posed far too great a risk. The ponies would surely send pegasi to comb the forest canopies for her. She was a fair flyer, but there was no way she could out-speed adult pegasi. And she dared not run along the snow-covered forest floor, either. That would leave tracks. The safest path, therefore, was among the boughs and branches of the trees. Sentido común.

Nightmare’s mind wandered. While she had been successful in escaping from the ponies, she had no idea where she was going to go next. She needed to find Mommy. But where had she gone? They had never discussed where to meet in the event of a coup. And why didn’t Mommy summon Nightmare when the ponies attacked? That puzzled Nightmare the most.

There had been no warning. When she went to sleep the night before the attack, Mommy tucked her in with the Bear-blankey and told her a funny story about that old rascal, Grogar. Then she sang a sweet little tune and brushed Nightmare’s mane. Mommy seemed very happy for some reason. She had been very busy with the Hive in recent days, but she promised she would show Nightmare a wonderful surprise when she woke up. Then she kissed Nightmare good morning and left the room.

Nightmare had been asleep for a short while when she was jolted awake by a tremendous explosion. The roof was caving in! Boulders fell onto the other side of the futon, crushing it beneath their weight. A good thing Nightmare slept on the opposite side, or she would have been crushed too!

She cried out for Mommy. The door opened, but it was only the guards. Lieutenant Elytra was quick to ask if she were alright. Nightmare assented, and asked them what had happened. Captain Pharynx reported that there had been an attack on the Hive by the ponies. Nightmare’s fear was quickly replaced by anger. Ponies, attacking her Hive? How dare they! They would suffer for hurting her little Changelings! ¡Muertas a las enemigas!

She took flight—over the protests of the guards—and soared to the Atrium, hoping to find Mommy. She saw that a great deal of destruction had been wrought, but nothing prepared her for the sight of the Atrium in ruins! And among the rubble stood the very ponies Mommy had warned her against! All the Princesses were there. They must have led an invasion force against Mommy, to get rid of her for good! The Bearers were also there, along with the dragon slave, and several unicorns whose names Nightmare did not know. They even had the daemon, Discord, with them!

But what surprised Nightmare the most were the dozens of creatures hovering above the ruined Atrium. It took her a moment to realize that they were her own subjects. But what had happened to them? They were all bright and colorful and shiny. How awful! The poor Changelings must be suffering under this terrible curse! And standing beneath them was the ugliest creature Nightmare had ever seen in her life! He stood as tall as Mommy, but with bright colors, and big antlers like a moose. The mere sight of him made Nightmare want to barf!

But where was Mommy?

A pile of rubble shifted, and Mommy burst out from underneath. Nightmare’s tummy turned over—the ponies buried Mommy alive! But she seemed unharmed, and unaffected by the ponies’ evil magic. She snarled at the invaders. She was so brave! But they prepared to fight her—even the Changelings! Nightmare knew then they were under a spell. There was no way they would ever betray their beloved Queen of a thousand years! ¡Qué crimen tan terrible!

Twilight Sparkle’s servant, Starlight Glimmer, stepped forward and gave Mommy some lame speech. Nightmare heard little of what Starlight said, but it sounded as though she were offering Mommy’s own throne back to her. It was clear what was happening; the ponies were taking over the Hive, and they wanted Mommy to be their puppet! Nightmare knew Mommy would understand it that way. But for a moment, it almost seemed as though she were thinking about it. Then she spotted Nightmare.

They stared at each other. Mommy looked as though she did not know what to do; it was the first time Nightmare had ever seen her at a complete loss. But then Mommy remembered herself. She smacked that ugly old Starlight’s hoof away and promised she would have revenge on her, as well as Thorax! Of course, the ponies became very angry when she refused them. That mean old Shining Armor yelled for them to “get her.” They charged, but Mommy threw Starlight Glimmer at them. This tripped them up enough for Mommy to cartwheel over the cliff and fly away.

And just like that, Mommy was gone.

Nightmare stood there, stunned, while the ponies congratulated themselves over their victory. Celestia went over to the moose-monster, identified him as Thorax, and announced he was the new leader of the Changelings.

Then she spotted Nightmare.

Nightmare quickly dropped her head, to avoid showing her fury to the ponies. She wanted to attack, to slay every single one of them! But that would fail. What could she do against a force such as this? Their side had all the alicorns, powerful mages, and the Daemon! All Nightmare could do was act defeated, and hope the ponies didn’t decide to execute her.

The ponies discussed what to do with her. That was when Private Thorax suggested that the ponies take Nightmare away from her home. Of course. The usurper must have realized that Nightmare would oppose him. He knew that she would never rest until he was dead. So, now he needed to get her out of the way as well. Then he would be free to corrupt the Changelings as much as he liked, while she became a prisoner of war in a pony prison. They would torture her for information. But she would hold firm! She would say nothing! ¡Nada! Then they would kill her, leaving Private Thorax to reign as a puppet-king over a mind-controlled Hive. ¡Que maldad! The evil of the ponies knew no bounds!

She listened while the ponies squabbled over which of them would claim her as their prize. Her eyes burned, but she shed no tears—she refused to give her captors the satisfaction of watching her cry. Finally, that nasty old bruha, Twilight Sparkle, “volunteered” to take her. For some reason, the other Princesses seemed reluctant to allow this. She suspected it was because they thought her inept. But then Twilight gave a really boring speech and asked her servants to help her. They agreed, and the Princesses relented. Then they stole her away, leaving Private Thorax in charge!

The ponies acted friendly, but she was not fooled. Their niceness was just a pretense to pump her for information. And their tone annoyed her, especially Twilight Sparkle’s. She talked down to her, as though she were too stupid to understand anything. Nightmare was a Princess! She could understand big words, because she was a big girl now. Twilight Sparkle kept trying to wake Nightmare up when it was daytime, and fed her the wrong food. And then Twilight Sparkle did the worst thing imaginable. She told Nightmare that she was going to be her new mother now! Her! The nerve of this nag to say something so repulsive drove Nightmare’s temper over the edge. Nightmare decided then that she wanted to kill this evil bruha herself!

The castle Twilight Sparkle lived in was awful. At the Hive, Nightmare was often lulled to sleep by the buzzing of countless wings. But in Twilight Sparkle’s castle, there was only silence. What did her captor need with such a vast, empty fortress? She had few servants, and ruled no territory. What was the point?

At least it was easy to track the ponies. When she awoke the following afternoon (after being constantly woken up by Twilight Sparkle “checking” on her) it had been a simple feat to find the ponies, just by listening for their voices echoing around the fortress. They were gathered in a strange room with tree roots hanging from the ceiling. They acted glad to see her, but Nightmare overheard them saying mean things about her Mommy. They decided to take her to a kitchen to give her food. But it was pony food, full of yucky things like hay and flowers. Blech!

Sitting in that kitchen was a very trying experience for Nightmare. They pressed around and stared hungrily at her, expecting her to do some kind of trick. Nightmare made herself look as weak as possible. It hurt her pride to display weakness, but it ensured the ponies would underestimate her. If the ponies wanted to believe she was weak, she saw no reason to prove otherwise. N’interrompez jamais l’ennemi lorsqu’il fait une erreur. And it worked! Somehow, the ponies bought that she was weak and flightless. Meanwhile, she studied the ponies, waiting for her chance to strike.

The perfect moment came the very next day. Twilight Sparkle got Nightmare up extra early and tried to feed her breakfast, but Nightmare took none of it. She listened, eyes drooping, as Twilight Sparkle went on about some sort of “surprise” for her. Then she drew Nightmare and Spike close together and teleported them away. Nightmare only had enough time to process she had arrived someplace with snow, before being rushed inside someplace else.

They had come to visit Rarity. She welcomed them in, and treated Nightmare as though she were some sort of honored guest. Nightmare ignored these overtures, and studied the large room with all the fabrics. She wondered what any of it had to do with her.

Rarity showed Twilight and Spike a dress, and then Rainbow Dash burst in unannounced. This startled Nightmare, and she ran beneath a fancy-looking futon to hide. The ponies were very upset with Rainbow Dash for this behavior. But Nightmare noticed Twilight Sparkle locking the door back, and saying something about needing to keep “Nyx’s” presence a secret. Nightmare’s stomach turned over. What were they planning to do with her?

Then Applejack knocked on the door. Again, Nightmare noticed Twilight Sparkle acting strangely; she only opened the top door until she saw who it was. Applejack told them that her trees were being attacked by frost weevils, and then she, Twilight, and Spike left to go and find a way to repel them. Now Nightmare was alone with just Rainbow Dash and Rarity. Sola con Las Enemigas.

Rainbow Dash wanted to stay and help, but then Rarity acted weird, and asked Dash to hold the “pins” for her. And then Rainbow Dash suddenly became very anxious, and said that would be “torture.” Nightmare’s blood froze. That was why she was there! Rarity was going to torture her for information! Nightmare started panicking. She didn’t know if she could stand up to torture! It sounded like the “pins” hurt a lot!

Rainbow Dash left in a hurry. Rarity closed the door behind her, and then turned and smiled broadly at Nightmare. Nightmare shrank away from her. Did Rarity think she was deaf? She had no intention of letting this torturer harm her!

Rarity started talking gently then, as though trying to reassure Nightmare. She then asked her to take off her coat, which Nightmare agreed to reluctantly. Rarity took the coat and examined it. Something about the coat puzzled her, but she said nothing more about it, and hung it up on a rack. Next, she attempted to take Nightmare’s peytral, but Nightmare refused flat out. That was far too important to let a pony handle! Rarity was confused, but waved it off. She pulled out some sort of tape, and attempted to wrap it around Nightmare’s throat. Nightmare backed away, worried that it was some sort of noose. But Rarity wrapped it around her own throat and explained that she was only going to measure her with it. Nightmare wondered how this would help her with the torturing. But she allowed the measurements to continue, ready to strike if Rarity made to harm her.

Rarity ran the tape all over Nightmare’s body, stopping only to write things down on a piece of parchment. She said little as she worked, only asking Nightmare to lift her hoofs now and again. Finishing that task, she pulled some sheets off a nearby rack and ran them along Nightmare’s body without a word. Nightmare had no idea what Rarity was trying to do, but she could detect hesitation coming off of the pony. She smelled of fear. But that went away when she noticed her cat, and started teasing Nightmare about being one too.

Then Rarity turned away, rummaged in a drawer, and came out with a pair of red-handled blades. They looked just like Mommy’s gelding clippers! O no! The torture was starting! Rarity was going to cut off Nightmare’s maiden-head, so she couldn’t lay any eggs! Then she would cut off her tail, and her nose, and her ears too!

It was time to fight. Nightmare snarled at Rarity, surprising the mare. She froze, giving Nightmare enough time to snatch the weapon away and stab her with it, pinning her to the floor. Blood burst from the wound. Sweet wonderful blood! The scent made Nightmare’s mouth water. She stooped down, ready to lap up the blood, when a knock came on the door. She heard a voice on the other end asking for Rarity.

O no, more ponies! Nightmare needed to get out of there, fast! She grabbed her coat, knocking over the rack Rarity hung it on. She leaped out the nearest window, without sparing a glance at whoever was at the door, and flew straight for the forest. She flew deep into it before stopping to rest. She was only going to take a breather. And then her eyes got heavy, and she closed them for a bit…

And now she was in the woods, gliding from bough to bough. She still wasn’t with her Mommy, but at least she had escaped the clutches of those vile ponies! She slew one of the Bearers—now only five remained! But she did feel a little guilty, leaving Rarity behind to bleed out on the floor like that…such a waste of good meat…

No matter. She would find her Mommy, and together they would re-take their Hive, and free their subjects from the evil pony magic! And Private Thorax would die—Nightmare would kill him herself! She’d mount his head on a pike! And after the Hive was saved from that wicked usurper, they would turn their attention to the remaining Bearers and their Princesses. Their act of war would not go unanswered! They would all die for daring to lay a hoof on her beautiful Mommy! Especially that bruja, Twilight Sparkle! Why, when she got her hooves on her, she’d—

There was a rumbling sound. Nightmare froze; there was a thundering beyond the trees, as though many hooves charged wildly on the underbrush. The creatures the sounds belonged to were very noisy, and Nightmare knew from experience that animals that made such noise were dangerous. She leaped several branches higher and peered down, waiting for the owners of those hooves to pass by. She sniffed the air, trying to determine what they could be. Whatever they were, they had a strong, musky odor. It was too strong to be ponies, but it smelled familiar…

She realized what they were almost as soon as they crashed through the foliage—wild boar! At least a dozen charged below her, oblivious to her presence in the trees above. Nightmare watched them, her eyes dancing. Wild boar was Nightmare’s favorite prey. Their flesh was so sweet and tasty! Their bacon was the best part; whenever she and Mommy hunted boar in Leota, Mommy would harvest the bacon and fry it for her.

But the boars of Leota paled compared to these! Their massive bodies were almost entirely muscle. Their tusks were long and sharp; their bristles glossy, in spite of the twigs and branches tangled up in them. Nightmare’s mouth watered at the thought of all that meat. These boars looked like they should make a fine hunt. It would be such a joy to clamp her jaws into their throats, to taste the blood gushing hot and fresh from their bodies! ¡Muy dulce!

For the first time, Nightmare took stock of the forest. It was like Leota, but better! The vegetation here was thick, even in the dead of winter. Many of the trees retained their leaves. Vines hung from the higher branches; countless shrubs, herbs, and bushes grew on the misty, snow-covered forest floor. The canopies above her were thick and voluminous. And there were more creatures here besides boar. She could hear the padding feet of small woodland animals, scurrying just out of sight. She smelled bears, deer, junglefowl, and other animals that would make fine game for her. But there were creatures besides these in the woods: she detected the lingering scents of magical beasts, such as manticores, hydras, and ophiotauruses. Even better! Hunting them should make for fine sport!

Maybe when Mommy was Queen again, they could come and lay claim to this forest. O, how she wished Mommy were here, exploring them with her! They could hunt, and then go and find rare plants for potions. Perhaps they might even find elves here! These seemed like the kind of woods they would like.

The sounder plunged deeper into the forest. Nightmare’s tummy gurgled. What an opportunity these boars presented! She had not eaten since yesterday evening. The mice she trapped had been enough to get by, but it would be a joy to have a bigger meal at last! ¡Que comience la cacería!

She took off after the sounder, staying in the eaves while keeping good pace with them. The boars took no notice of her. They charged through the forest with no clear aim to their stampede. But Nightmare noticed the trees thinning, and the forest growing brighter. She could feel sunlight shining in her eyes, but she blinked it away. This was no for sleep! It was Bacon Time now!

The trees grew thinner and thinner, until at last the forest opened into a sloped clearing, a hard, rough terrain split with a vast canyon. There was little in the way of vegetation, aside from patches of shrubs and several craggy willows. The boars spilled downslope toward an unknown destination. But Nightmare no longer cared about them. She had seen something more important: there, on a plateau beyond the canyon, stood an enormous castle!

Nightmare’s face brightened. This could only be one place—this must be where the elves lived!

The castle had the feel of an Elf-place. It had damaged turrets and crumbling walls; the roof fell in a long time ago. The castle was overrun with ivy. And yet there was a power to it. She could feel it drawing her closer. Her spine tingled—she had a strange feeling she had been there before. But she had no memory of ever visiting such a place. Perhaps this was an effect of Elf magic?

Nightmare hid her eyes in her hooves and giggled. Everything was going to be alright now! She would visit this castle and ask the Elves for help. No way they’d turn down a fellow fae! They would help her find Mommy, and then help them reclaim their Hive from the evil ponies and the usurper. Then, they would help them wage glorious war on the ponies for their crimes against the Changelings! ¡Todo estará bien ahora!

Nightmare tossed her head back and prepared to take flight for the castle. But just before she launched herself off the branch, she caught a familiar scent on the winds.

Ponies.

Nightmare looked at the castle. There was no way she would be able to make it without being spotted by the ponies. And then they would find the Elf-place too, and that would be bad. They might inflict their evil magic on the Elves! It was clear she would have to go back and head them off, before any of them found this place.

She slunk from tree to tree, stopping now and then to smell for the ponies’ location. The forest became dark again as the trees thickened, and the branches closed together. The smell of pony grew stronger. They were getting close. But how? Even if she fell asleep, the forest was still a big place. How were they catching up?

Nightmare suddenly became aware of approaching voices. She leaped several branches higher, squinting her eyes so their light would not betray her location. In the distance, she could see the pink glow of a magical aura.

It was Starlight Glimmer, holding aloft Mommy’s bag. She was accompanied by Trixie, who bore a large piece of parchment in her magic. Behind them trotted Applejack and the dragon Spike. Above their heads hovered the pegasus, Rainbow Dash. None of them looked happy.

Nightmare’s heart skipped a beat. They found her! But how had they traced her? She could not have napped long enough for them to have caught up so quickly! And why did they have Mommy’s bag with them?

She did not have to wait long for an answer. “Ya sure that spell’s workin’ properly?” Applejack asked.

“It should be,” Starlight Glimmer replied. “Princess Twilight showed me how to work it. All we needed was a map and something belonging to Nyx. It’s the best means we have to track her down.”

“Then we can get answers about Rarity!” Rainbow Dash thundered. “Why did she attack her like that?”

“We’ll just have to ask her,” Applejack said, grimly.

“Perhaps it was an accident?” Starlight Glimmer suggested.

“Right, an accident,” Spike growled. “She “accidentally” stabbed Rarity to death with a pair of scissors. Honest mistake. Could happen to any-pony.”

“She ain’t dead, Spike,” Applejack said. “Them folks up at the hospital said she was still alive. Mind you, those were some mighty serious wounds she had. They were fightin’ to keep her stable.”

Nightmare huffed. So, the evil torturer lived. O well, it could not be helped. She needed to remember to slash instead of stab, it left more serious wounds that way.

“It looks like we’re getting close!” Trixie declared. “She should be around here somewhere…”

“Where?” Rainbow Dash demanded, snapping her head around. “Tell me where she is, right now!”

“Close-ish,” Trixie answered, waving a hoof. “Seriously, do you realize how much territory this map covers? We’re lucky it narrows it down this much!”

“But we’re closing in on her,” Starlight added. “The point on the map is getting brighter.”

“Then she can probably hear us,” Applejack said. “Nyx? Can ya hear me? We need ya to stop hidin’ and come on out. We ain’t gonna hurt ya.”

“Speak for yourself,” Spike grumbled.

“Not helpin’, Spike.”

“It’s all right, Nyx, you aren’t in any trouble!” Starlight Glimmer yelled. “Just come out and tell us what happened. You don’t need to be scared!”

Nightmare scowled. She would not give herself up to the ponies. This time, they would make sure to cast their evil mind-control magic on her. But fleeing was impossible—they could follow her anywhere as long as they had her bag. She was going to have to fight. She had to protect herself, her Mommy, and the elves. But could she hope to win against such powerful warriors as these?

Nightmare steeled herself. All she needed was a plan. She took a deep breath, and studied her targets. The first priority was to take them out. Her second was to seize the bag, so the ponies could no longer track her. The problem was that there were five of them and only one of her.

She remembered what Mommy told her about facing multiple opponents: Find the leader. Take her out first. The body dies without its head. From what she had seen, that leader must be Applejack. She was the one giving orders and keeping the others on track. She even had a deep leader voice! It was almost a pity Nightmare had to kill her. Pero así es la guerra.

Then there was the matter of the unicorns to deal with—Starlight Glimmer in particular. Nightmare was unsure what purpose she actually served. Mommy called her out for the overthrow, so she must be a powerful mage. She would be hard to beat. Luckily, Mommy had hurt Starlight Glimmer already. Injured prey was easier to take down. Without her and Applejack, the others should fall in short order.

But how to launch her attack? She couldn’t just leap out at them; they’d see her. And who knew how strong they really were? Did she even have enough magic to beat them? She might have enough to at least take out Applejack. The others she would have to fight in hoof-to-hoof combat.

What she needed was some sort of diversion, a way to attack them without being seen. Like when Pinkamina flashed that light in her eyes! That had hurt a lot. She was blinded, and struggled to see afterward. If only there was a way to do that to the ponies! Wait…

Nightmare suddenly realized how dim the forest was, and how little light those magical auras actually gave off. She smiled, realizing she had a plan, and the means to carry it out. She just had to execute it.

She let them draw closer, and just when they were right beneath her, a brilliant burst of white light shot from her horn. The flash charm blinded the ponies and the dragon instantly.

“Aaargh, my eyes!” Spike shouted, rubbing them furiously with his claws.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie is blinded by the light!”

“What’s happening?” Starlight Glimmer cried, covering her eyes with a hoof. She dropped the saddlebags. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know!” Applejack exclaimed, staggering. “But we just need to keep calm and—”

Applejack did not finish her sentence. As she was talking, Nightmare charged her horn and shot her full in the face with a magical beam. The Earth pony fell with a scream.

“Applejack!” Starlight Glimmer yelled, staggering around. “What just—”

Nightmare pounced. She landed on Starlight Glimmer’s head and tackled her to the ground, knocking the breath out of her. Nightmare bit her on the tail, and threw her overhead.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie can see again!” Trixie exclaimed, triumphantly. She looked up. Her pupils shrank when she saw Starlight Glimmer’s body hurling towards her. “O, cra—”.

Starlight’s head collided with Trixie’s, and both unicorns collapsed into a heap on the ground. They did not get back up again.

Nightmare’s heart overflowed with joy. She took three out already! This was much easier than expected. All she had to do now was take out the other two and—

She was suddenly tackled to the ground, knocking the wind out of her.

“I got you now!” Rainbow Dash snarled. “You aren’t getting away from me!”

Nightmare tried to stand, but Rainbow Dash pinned her wings, so she could not move without risking them. She felt angry with herself. She could imagine what Mommy would say: “Foal! Celebrating your victory when there is still a battle to be fought! Now the pegasus warrior has you pinned!”

Rainbow Dash leaned closer. “Why are you doing this?” she demanded. “Come on, what’s your plan?”

Nightmare growled at her but did not answer. What kind of dumb-dumb told their enemy their plan?

“Are you all right, Dash?” said a voice. It was Spike. “Where’s Nyx?”

“Relax, I’ve got her,” Rainbow Dash said. “Uh, she’s putting up quite a fight here. She’s a lot feistier than I—Oof!”

Rainbow Dash had slackened her grip slightly while talking to Spike. That gave Nightmare just enough play to bring her head up and smack the bottom of the pegasus’ chin with her horn. Nightmare’s horn wasn’t sharp enough to cut yet, but it was effective nonetheless. Rainbow Dash, out of instinct, brought a hoof to her face. Nightmare turned her head and sank her fangs into the other leg’s fetlock, slicing through the pony’s flesh and striking the bone within.

Rainbow Dash screamed. Blood gushed from the wound and into Nightmare’s mouth. The flavor was so sweet! ¡Muy dulce! She had almost forgotten how sweet pony blood was. She took a deep draught, making loud slurping noises as she did so.

“Wha-What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash asked, shocked.

Nightmare remembered herself. She was in a battle! Now was not the time to savor the taste of La Enemiga—that was for later. She realized her wings were free, and quickly kicked out and grabbed Rainbow Dash’s throat with her hind legs. The pegasus only had enough time to cry out before Nightmare rolled and threw her against the ground. Rainbow Dash went down at once, blood oozing from her wound.

Nightmare paused, her heart pounding after her fight with Rainbow Dash. That had been close. She turned around—only for the dragon to jump her. Nightmare lit her horn, but Spike slapped it with his claw and she recoiled, hissing in pain from the blow. Spike grabbed Nightmare in a tight bearhug, pinning her wings and hooves against her body.

“I’m not letting you go!” Spike roared. “Not after what you did to—huh?”

Nightmare’s eyes glowed white, her violet mane subliming into a misty starfield. Indigo flames suddenly lit at her feet, and traveled up her entire body. The flames dissipated, and Nightmare was now transfigured into a young she-dragon. She was long and lean, her scaly body the same deep-midnight as her normal form, and her belly the same color her mane had been. And unlike Spike, Nightmare had proper dragon wings. Only her eyes remained the same.

Spike’s eyes widened. “Wha—?” he sputtered, before Nightmare breathed indigo flames into his eyes.

“Aaargh!” Spike wailed, releasing Nightmare and burying his eyes into his claws. Nightmare did not waste her opening—she seized Spike by his tail and hoisted him into the air. She swung with all of her might, and slammed him headfirst into the forest floor, knocking him out instantly.

Flames flickered up Nightmare’s body again as she regained her normal form. She panted, surveying the bodies sprawled out around her. She was winded, yet her heart practically sang; she won her very first battle! Mommy would be so proud of her! Too bad she was not here to see it.

She surveyed the bodies around her. They were all knocked out; Nightmare could see the slow movement of breath in their bellies. They would be out for a while.

Nightmare found her bags and paused to examine them. They were damp and cold from lying in the snow, but otherwise untouched. She opened the bag and saw that the insides were intact. Nothing was missing. Nightmare frowned. Why hadn’t the ponies emptied the bag out and then cast the tracing spell on it? Then if they lost the bag, they could use the other items to trace her. Maybe it made the spell work better? There had to be a reason…the ponies were too clever to make stupid mistakes.

Her tummy growled, louder this time. She looked around at the bodies surrounding her and licked her lips. She needed meat, and now she had a whole buffet to choose from! And two of those choices were Element Bearers! Nightmare could make sure they no longer posed a threat and get a good meal out of it!

But which one should she eat? Nightmare licked her teeth; a faint trace of blood remained. Rainbow Dash had very sweet blood. She must have very sweet meat, too. But Applejack had big muscles, so there was plenty of healthful meat on her. But unicorn meat was the sweetest of the pony meats, and Starlight Glimmer looked delicious! And then there was the dragon; Nightmare had never tasted dragon meat before, and now she had a rare chance to try it!

A thick mist enveloped around her. Nightmare shook her head, re-focusing. She was wasting time. It would be simpler to kill them now and decide later. She could sample a little of each, and then be on her way to see the Elves.

She rummaged around inside the bag, and came out again with her beloved sicca knife. She slipped it out of its sheath, its sickle-like blade gleaming in the scant light of the forest. Both sides of the blade were very sharp. Perfect for slitting the throats of the Enemigas! Mommy was going to be thrilled when she learned her daughter had slain so many of their foes! “Very good, my daughter,” she would say. “I’m very impressed. You shall have my permission to hunt alligators now.”

The fog grew thicker around her. Nightmare pressed the knife across Applejack’s throat. Her mouth watered. What a delight it would be to taste more blood, gushing free from a fresh kill! She wanted to sink her fangs into Applejack’s throat and enjoy her flesh…but it was better to be quick and sure. She pressed the blade in and—

Her head felt very heavy all of a sudden. She felt sleepy, so much so that it took a lot of effort on her part to stay awake. It felt as though sleep was trying to overwhelm her. She staggered back in a stupor, the knife falling onto the snowy ground.

The fog was green. Nightmare had just enough sense left to remember that fog was not supposed to be green. She fell to the ground, fighting to keep her eyes open. On the edge of her vision, she became aware of a hooded figure standing above her, and with a moan, realized she herself had been ambushed.

And then everything went black.

Author's Notes:

Eleven months. That's how long it took me to finish writing this chapter. I never meant for it to take that long. A lot of the difficulty was in getting the first draft down. I had periods of writer's block that kept getting in the way. A lot of the main difficulty was with the passages involving the last few chapters from Nightmare's perspective. I thought it was very important that I show what she thought about those events, since they shape her motivations. But I ended up summarizing nearly everything, which was a chore to write and a bore to read. So, a lot of cutting went on there, which I'm not thrilled about, but it helps keep the pacing going. The parts with Chrysalis were a lot more fun to write! I had to cut stuff out of there as well. The first draft ran 20,000 words and spanned forty Word pages! The draft I'm posting here runs 13,930 words and spans only 29 pages of WordDoc.

I would also like to thank SpokenMind93 for her contribution! Some of you may know her as the artist behind the "Past Sins" comic adaptation. I commissioned the artwork from her, and I'm very happy with how it turned out! You can find her in these places:

DeviantArt: https://www.deviantart.com/spokenmind93

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArtOfBeep1404/status/1499070849248374789?cxt=HHwWisC96da_4s0pAAAA

Thanks for your patience! I expect Chapter Eight to take much less time than this one did! ...Here's hoping

Chapter Eight

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Chapter Eight

The first thing Starlight Glimmer became conscious of was the pounding pain in her head. It was like some-pony was hammering nails through the back of her eyes. Her horn throbbed, and her flanks felt as if they were on fire. She wanted to turn over and sleep, to recover from this sudden migraine. But then she sensed the cold beneath her, and realized she lay on snow-covered ground instead of her bed. She groaned, and reluctantly opened her eyes.

Trixie lay beside her, eyes closed and body still.

“Trixie,” Starlight whispered. “Are you…?” Her pulse quickened. Was Trixie—? But then she noticed her sides rising, and realized Trixie was merely unconscious.

Starlight heard groaning around her. With considerable effort, she raised her pounding head and looked around. Applejack and Spike were getting up, moaning and pressing their hooves against their temples. Rainbow Dash lay still, a tall figure in a gray, hooded cloak standing over her. “W-Who are you?” Starlight asked. The figure looked up, and Starlight recognized her. “Zecora!”

Zecora smiled gently. “Rest easy, friend Starlight. You’ve had an awful fight.”

“I gathered that much,” Starlight said. She stood up, her flanks burning in protest. “Who were we fighting?”

Zecora pointed. Nyx lay asleep on the ground, Twilight’s old saddlebags slung around her barrel. “Her?” Starlight asked, incredulous. “Are you sure?”

Zecora nodded. “With Slumber Smog I put her to sleep. From her, we shan’t hear a single peep. You’re lucky I got here so soon; she was about to spell your doom. But tell me, and tell me soon: why does she look like Nightmare Moon?”

“It’s…It’s kind of a long story. She is…well…her name is Nyx now.” Starlight bit her lip. She had met Zecora before, but she always felt a little uneasy around the zebra. But then she registered what Zecora had said. “Wait, doom?”

“That you, Zecora?” drawled a voice. It was Applejack. She stood up, but staggered forward. “Hayfeathers! I feel like I ran headfirst into a stampedin’ bull!” She pressed a hoof to her face. “What the hay happened?”

“Zecora was just about to explain,” Starlight answered. “She says Nyx attacked us.”

“What? She sure?”

Zecora nodded. “I saw her hit you with a great flash, then assail you in a mighty clash. I stepped in only to save your life—against your throat she pressed that great knife!”

“Knife?” Applejack asked. “What knife?”

Zecora pointed. Starlight and Applejack followed her hoof, and gasped. There, gleaming in the dim light of the forest, lay a long, curved knife. Starlight knew little about knives, but she realized at once that it was meant to be a weapon. A sheath lay nearby, made of a thick, porous substance similar to Nyx’s coat.

“Where the hay she get that?” Applejack demanded.

Starlight glanced at Nyx, and noticed that her saddlebags were open. “From the bags?” she guessed.

“Must have,” Applejack said. “I reckon she snagged it out o’ Chrysalis’ room.”

“Chrysalis?” Zecora asked. “What does she have to do with this?”

“She’s the one who had Nyx,” Starlight explained. “We rescued her from the Changelings a few days ago.” She looked around at her friends lying on the ground, and chuckled nervously. “I guess…she picked up a few things from her?”

“I’ll say.” Spike stood, his claw pressed against his head. He pointed at Nyx’s prone form. “She knows Changeling magic!”

Applejack gasped. “What? Are ya sure?”

“I saw her! I grabbed her after she beat Rainbow Dash, but then her mane went all starry and she burst into flames, and then she was a dragoness!”

“What?” Starlight said. “That can’t be right, Spike, she—”

“She did this to me!” Spike shouted, pointing at his eyes. The scales around them were singed, his green sclera tinted pink. “I saw her! She changed into a dragoness and spat fire into my eyes!”

“Fire?” Applejack asked, frowning. “She did that while transformed? Sounds mighty advanced for a little filly who couldn’t lift up a spoon yesterday!”

“It’s very advanced,” Starlight said. She studied Nyx with a mixture of fascination and bewilderment. “I can’t believe she could do all this! She seemed so weak before!”

“O, how thick can you guys be?” Trixie had gotten up, one hoof pressed over her right eye. She clearly was in a lot of pain, but had enough presence to glare at Nyx with her other eye. “It’s so obvious! She was only pretending to be weak! That way, you’d all underestimate her! Ooh, Trixie’s head…”

Starlight blinked. “That makes sense,” she said slowly. “It explains why her magic appeared so weak for an alicorn.”

“It was a trick,” Applejack growled. “There we were, tryin’ to make her feel at home, and she was sittin’ there deceivin’ us the whole time! Shinin’ Armor was right, we ought to have been watchin’ her closer!”

“But why?” Starlight asked. “That’s what I don’t understand. What does she gain from all of this?”

“Maybe she remembers being Nightmare Moon?” Trixie suggested. She found her hat and placed it onto her head. “She’s probably been planning to make the night last forever! She was just biding her time, waiting to strike!”

“Yeah!” Spike said. “That’s why she killed Rarity!”

Zecora gasped. “What, our friend Rarity is dead? Surely I mishear what you’ve said!”

“No, she’s not dead,” Starlight said quickly. “But she is seriously hurt. Sweetie Belle found her lying on the floor of her boutique, stabbed in the throat with her own scissors.”

Zecora’s eyes widened. “No! Such a wicked blow!”

Starlight continued. “Princess Twilight left Nyx with her to be measured, but she disappeared by the time we found Rarity. So, Twilight asked us to find her. She gave us a map, cast a scrying spell on Nyx’s bags and…well, here we are.”

Zecora shook her head. “That is a terrible deed to have done. I would not think it from such a small one.”

“Princess Twilight didn’t either,” Starlight said. “She—she thought there might have been some sort of accident."

Spike scoffed. “Yeah. Accident. Right.”

Zecora turned away. “I can see that you are in great distress. But first, Rainbow’s wounds do I need to dress.” She pulled out a roll of linin bandages from within her robes and stooped down over Dash. Starlight, concerned, drew closer. Her breath caught. Dash bled profusely from a massive wound in her foreleg. She was awake, but her was face contorted into a terrible grimace from the pain.

“O my Celestia!” Starlight cried. “Dash! Can you hear us?”

“Yeah,” Dash croaked. Her voice was hoarser than usual. “It was Nyx! She bit me and threw me on my head!”

“She bit you?” Applejack asked, coming up behind Starlight and staring, wide-eyed, at Dash’s injuries. “Dash, that there wound looks mighty serious!”

“It hurts so much!” Dash moaned. “I didn’t think a bite could hurt so badly! Her teeth felt really sharp!”

“Sharp?” Starlight asked. She turned to where Nyx lay and, with her magic, pulled her lips back. Nyx’s mouth was filled with very sharp fangs, with canines twice as long as the others. Every-pony stared at them in shocked silence.

Applejack was the first to speak: “How the hay did no-pony notice those?”

“She never opened her mouth,” Starlight replied, dazed. She let Nyx’s lips fall back. “We couldn’t get her to speak, and she never ate anything. Not with us watching, anyway.”

“The stories are true!” Trixie squealed. “She really does eat ponies!”

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Don’ be stupid, that’s jus’ tall tales. Get a hold o’ yourself, girl.”

“No, she’s right!” Dash said, jerking her head up violently. Zecora frowned and pushed her back.

“Do stay still, Rainbow Dash,” she said. “I need to treat that gash.”

“But it’s true!” Dash insisted. “I felt it when she bit me! She—she was drinking my blood! And enjoying it, too!”

“She what?” Applejack asked, stunned. “Are you sure about that?”

“I ain’t lying, I swear!”

“No-pony says it didn’t happen,” Starlight said quickly. “It’s just…well, that’s a lot to take in.”

“I guess you were right, Starlight,” Spike said. “About Nyx. She’s—”

“A vampire!” Trixie shrieked.

“What? No, that’s not—”

“Vampire!” Trixie insisted. “That’s why she attacked Rarity! She got thirsty for blood, and Rarity had a nice, juicy artery!” She pulled her cape tighter around her throat. “She’s not going to drink Trixie’s blood! Trixie doesn’t taste very good!”

Spike rolled his eyes. “No, not a vampire. A carnivore.”

Trixie frowned. “What’s that?”

“It means she eats meat.”

Trixie’s eyes went wide as saucers. “That’s even worse! That’s, like, a vampire-plus! A super vampire! The Great and Powerful Trixie must secure garlic! And wild roses!”

“O, shuddup,” Applejack snapped. She turned to Starlight, apprehension written all over her face. “What’s all this I’m hearin’ ‘bout Nyx eatin’ meat?”

Starlight swallowed. “Well, it’s just an idea I had yesterday. I was telling Princess Twilight about something I noticed on those boar bones in Chrysalis’ fireplace…remember those?”

“I’d been tryin’ to forget. What about ‘em?”

“They had all those bite marks on them…and some of them looked too small to have come from Chrysalis.”

“And you reckon Nyx was the one bitin’ on those things?”

“Yes. But Princess Twilight didn’t believe it. I wasn’t certain myself. But after seeing those fangs, I’m beginning to think I may have been right.”

“But that can’t be!” Applejack protested. “I ain’t never heard of no meat-eatin’ pony before!”

“I’ve never heard of a pony made from a magic ritual before, either,” Starlight countered. “She’s unlike any pony in history.”

Applejack turned away, the wheels in her mind spinning. “I don’t wanna believe that, but it’s the only idea I’ve heard that’s explainin’ things.” She pointed at Trixie. “Well, is she right about why Nyx attacked Rarity? Did she do it because she…was hungry?”

Starlight shrugged. “I can’t say. There’s a lot going on here I don’t understand. It’s clear now that Nyx has been suppressing her magic this whole time. Why?”

“To pretend she was weak, like I just told you,” Trixie said.

“But why was making us underestimate her so important? What’s her goal here?”

“It’s obvious why,” Spike growled. “She does remember being Nightmare Moon. She was waiting for us to lower our guard around her, and then take us out one by one!”

“But Thorax said she didn’t remember nothin’,” Applejack said.

“He must have been wrong.”

“But why come to this forest,” Starlight wondered. “Why attack Rarity and then run in here?”

“I’ll bet she was looking for the Elements,” Spike said. “Recognize this part of the forest? The Castle of the Two Sisters is only a short distance away from here!”

“Hey, you’re right!” Applejack said, looking around. “I reckoned these here woods looked familiar.”

Starlight blinked. She picked up the map and, sure enough, the Castle of the Two Sisters was marked close to their current location. “That…is interesting,” she said.

“Sounds awfully convenient,” Trixie sniffed. “Nightmare Moon runs off to the place that housed the items that beat her. Funny coincidence, that.”

“That tears it!” Applejack said. “Soon as that girl wakes up, we’re sittin’ her down and askin’ her what she knows!”

They were interrupted by a loud moan.

“You need to stay still, Rainbow Dash,” Zecora scolded. “This will be over in a flash.” She was applying a sort of balm to Dash’s wound, but Dash was handling it poorly.

“That stuff stings so much!” she moaned.

“It will sting for a little while,” Zecora agreed. “But then you’ll run many a mile.” She applied the rest of the balm to the hoof, while Dash gritted her teeth and hissed. Zecora let the balm set, and turned her attention to Starlight. “What you have said leaves me puzzled and sad—the story I’m sure shall be twisted and bad. But perhaps a question will give up a clue: how does Nightmare feel about her rescue?”

Starlight blinked. “We don’t really know. She hasn’t said anything to us at all. Almost complete silence.”

“We reckoned it was because she traumatized or somethin’,” Applejack added. “But what’s that got to do with anything?”

Zecora shook her head at them. “In your anger you miss what is tragic: how does that filly know Changeling magic?”

There was a long pause. “Uh, because the Changelings taught her?” Trixie offered.

Applejack scrunched her nose. “But Thorax said she spent all her time cooped up with Chrysalis. None of them other Changelings could have shown her anything! None except—”

“Chrysalis,” Starlight finished.

“Wait, you think Queen Chrysalis was teaching Nyx magic?” Spike asked incredulously.

“That’s the only answer that makes any sense,” Starlight said.

“No, it doesn’t! Why would Chrysalis bother teaching her magic?”

“Because she wasn’t a prisoner,” Starlight said. She thought back to the day they took Nyx, and what the Changelings said about her. “They kept calling her the Princess.”

“Well, yeah,” Spike said, rolling his eyes. “She’s an alicorn. It means the same thing.”

“Hang on a minute now,” Applejack said, frowning. “They sure didn’t sound like they was meanin’ it that way. Now I think about it, they all seemed to have a whole lot o’ respect for her. Even the Changelings that didn’t reform.”

“Like that Pharynx creep!” Dash shouted, raising her head. “Remember? He kept acting like Nyx was supposed to be in charge!”

“O,” Trixie said. “That sounds like they thought she was their Princess then.”

The entire party became deathly still. Every-pony stared at Trixie, stunned beyond words. Even the Everfree itself seemed to grow silent. Trixie shifted uncomfortably. “What?”

Applejack was the first to find her voice. “Their princess? Is that what this here business is about? Was she trying to get back to them?

“Maybe,” Starlight said, her eyes widening. “I remember. Pharynx was mad at Thorax for getting rid of their Queen and their Princess.”

“Yeah, he did say that!” Applejack cried. “How the hay did we forget?”

“I guess it just slipped by us,” Starlight said. “We were so euphoric, I guess we didn’t really process what Pharynx was saying. Princess Twilight was the one who decided Nyx was a prisoner of Chrysalis.”

“You can’t blame her for thinking that,” Spike said defensively. “This is Chrysalis we’re talking about here. Knowing her, she probably pretended to make Nyx a princess as a joke.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Applejack said. “Chrysalis is a lying, deceitful old nag who enjoys lordin’ over every-pony else. But whether she lied ain’t what we’re talking about here. The question is, did Nyx believe her?”

They glanced at Nyx’s prone form on the ground. Starlight noticed Zecora close her eyes and shake her head sadly, and Starlight had the impression she thought they were missing something. There was a buzzing in the back of Starlight’s head, a sense that she was forgetting a vital detail. Was it something Thorax said? If only she could remember…

“She must have,” Starlight said finally. “That would explain her behavior. Avoiding our gazes, hiding under her bed, refusing to speak or show us her magic—she may have been trying to keep us from seeing how upset she was.”

Applejack sat on her haunches, mortified. “Is that why she’s doing all this? Ya reckon she thinks we foal-napped her, or—?”

“NO!” Spike shouted. Every-pony jumped. Spike’s eyes blazed; his small body shook furiously. Starlight had never seen the little dragon this angry before.

“We haven’t done anything wrong!” he roared. “Don’t forget why we’re in this forest to begin with!” He pointed his trembling claw at Nyx. “We’re here because she attacked Rarity for no reason! She beat us up, and tried to kill Applejack! She doesn’t care about our lives at all! She probably doesn’t even care about us kicking out Chrysalis! She’s just mad because she wanted to be Queen herself!”

“You don’t know that,” Starlight interjected. “You—”

“I don’t care!” Spike snapped. “She hurt Rarity! She’s too dangerous to have around! Princess Celestia needs to send her to Tartarus so she can’t hurt any-pony!”

“Now, hang on a minute there!” Applejack cried. “Spike, ya need to calm down this instant! You ain’t thinkin’ straight right now, and ya—”

“But Rarity!”

“I know about Rarity!” Applejack shouted. “Do ya think no-pony else cares about her? I’m worried about her, too!” Her eyes glistened, and she lowered the brim of her hat. “I saw her when they carried her out—and all that mess in her workshop. I—I ain’t never seen so much blood before…” She swallowed hard, but looked up from under her hat. “Rarity’s more than just my friend. I love her like she was my own kin. I’m scared for her—and I’m also furious she’s hurt right now.”

Spike stared at his feet. His arms were folded and he frowned, but his eyes moistened.

Applejack continued. “I’m just as upset as you about what happened. But ya need to listen to yerself—yer talking about sending a filly into Tartarus!”

“She’s not a normal filly!” Spike protested.

“She’s still a filly. They don’t know what they’re doing half the time—especially when all she had to teach her right from wrong was Chrysalis.” She paused. “Ya gotta ask yourself: would Rarity want her in Tartarus?”

“We don’t know what she’d want!”

“Guess.”

Spike looked down at his feet again. “No,” he whispered.

Applejack nodded. “That’s what I reckon.” She turned to Zecora. “How’s it lookin’ over there?”

Zecora finished wrapping Dash’s hoof. She bit the linin off the spool, secured it, and then turned to Applejack. “You’ll find my healing beyond reproof. But Dash should go easy on that hoof.”

Dash stood up, slowly. She set her injured hoof upon the ground and flinched. “Ow! Yeah, you’re right. I think I’ll stick with hovering for now.” Word became deed, and soon Dash hovered several feet off the snow-covered ground. “There, that’s better! Right, so I guess now we have to figure out what to do with her.” She pointed at Nyx. The filly shuffled a little in her sleep, but otherwise dozed peacefully.

“We gotta take her back, that’s number one,” Applejack said.

“Do we have to?” Trixie asked anxiously. “You know, we could just leave her here. We’ll say we couldn’t find her, or—”

“No,” Applejack said sternly. “We ain’t leavin’ no filly out here in the Everfree with all the monsters. It ain’t safe.”

“For her, or the monsters?” Trixie asked.

Applejack ignored her. “We’re getting’ her back to Twilight,” she said. “But some-pony’s gotta carry her.”

“Don’t look at Trixie!” Trixie shrieked. “She might wake up and do vampire things to me!”

Starlight smiled and shook her head at her friend. “I’m sure you’d find a way to deal with it.” She looked at Applejack. “I can’t carry her, either. I’m so sore, I can barely walk.”

“Worry not for this young child,” Zecora said. She walked over to Nyx and carefully bit her odd coat, lifting her up and setting her on her back. She then slung the saddlebags over her barrel. “I shall bear her from this wild.”

Spike stepped forward. “She’s our responsibility,” he growled. “I’ll carry her.”

Zecora studied him. “If it’s the same to you, I shall carry her through.”

“No, give her to me!” Spike snapped, his voice rising. “She’s too dangerous! I can secure her better.” He cracked his wrists.

Zecora frowned and arched her brow. “Your temper has grown fierce and hot. To carry this foal, I think not!”

“We don’t have time for this!” Spike yelled. “Give her to me!”

“No.”

There was a pause. They waited for the rhyme, but none came this time. Spike’s eyes widened, and he backed away. Zecora huffed. “I think it best we take our leave…you have what you came to retrieve.”

Applejack stared at Zecora like she had never seen her before, but quickly came back to herself. “Right, we should get goin’, I reckon.” She turned to Starlight. “Can ya warp us back?”

“To the square,” Starlight replied. “But we’ll have to walk to the hospital afterward. I don’t know where it is.”

“I can show you!” Dash said brightly. “I’ve ended up there loads of times!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Trixie muttered.

“The square then,” Applejack agreed. She looked at Spike, who was sulking. “Spike? Any chance you could send a message ahead to Twilight? Let her know we got Nyx?”

Spike tensed. “I didn’t bring any parchment.”

“Don’t get fussed, it ain’t a big deal…we’re gonna be headin’ up to that there hospital pretty soon now anyway. We all ready?”

Every-pony nodded and gathered into a tight circle. Starlight made to join them, but then she noticed the dagger gleaming on the frosted forest floor. She stooped to picked it up.

Trixie winced. “You’re taking that?”

“We can’t leave it in the woods, something might step on it,” Starlight replied. “And I think Princess Twilight would like to see it, too.” She found the sheath and slid the dagger inside, and then made her way to Zecora to place it inside the saddlebags. Opening them, she noticed that the furry blanket had been pulled back. Starlight could see other objects wrapped up inside of it: books, picture frames, a second knife, some odd-looking rod—what was all this stuff?

“What’s the holdup?” Trixie demanded. “I, the Great and Powerful Trixie—would like to leave these dark, spooky woods before any monsters notice us.” She eyed the trees surrounding them anxiously, as though expecting one to leap out on cue.

Starlight blinked. “Sorry, I was distracted.” She slipped the dagger into the bags and trotted over to the others, ignoring the biting pain from her flanks. “Every-pony set?”

They nodded.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

She lit her horn. In a flash, they were gone.

Twilight Sparkle sat in the hospital waiting room, too preoccupied with her own thoughts to look through any of the magazines lying across the table. Pinkie Pie was looking through one, but it was clear from her glazed-over expression that she was paying little attention to it. Her poofy-mane had deflated and hung from her face like curtains, while her usual good cheer was gone. Fluttershy sat next to Twilight, staring into space, her eyes red. Angel Bunny patted her hooves encouragingly, but Fluttershy was too distraught to notice.

The ER waiting room was a cheerfully decorated place. Its wooden walls were painted green, the lower section featuring tongue-and-groove wood paneling varnished walnut-brown. The waxed floor boards glistened under the light of the lanterns hanging from the wooden checkerboard ceiling, with further illumination provided by thin windows along the sides. The furniture consisted of navy-colored sofas and small coffee tables.

The only sounds were the ticking of the clock on the wall, and Sweetie Belle crying. The poor filly sat across the room while her mother, Cookie Crumbles, held her close. Her father, Hondo Flanks, sat beside his wife, his hoof lying across Sweetie Belle’s wither. On the other side of Cookie Crumbles sat Applebloom and Scootaloo, who were close to tears themselves. The only other occupant in the room was a kindly-looking but unkempt police lieutenant, who had a dark messy mane and wore a shabby trench-coat. He stood in front of Sweetie Belle and spoke in a warm, if hoarse, voice: “I know this has been a terrible experience for you, but I need you to be brave and tell me what happened. Can you do that?”

Sweetie Belle nodded, tears running down her face. “I-I’ll try.”

“That’s all I can ask for. Now, I understand you went back to your sister’s place to pick up a bubble wand. Do I have that right?”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“Alright. Are you up to telling me exactly how you found her?”

“I-I went to the door to open it, but it was locked.”

“Was that unusual?”

“Not really. She does that when she has a special client and doesn’t want any-pony interrupting her.”

“So, that locked door would not have been a sign of anything amiss?”

“No.”

“Was Rarity expecting a private client?”

“Yes,” Sweetie Belle said. “She said she was expecting a new filly in town who didn’t have a Cutie Mark.”

The lieutenant raised a brow. “A new filly in town, eh? Did your sister ever mention her name?”

Sweetie Belle shook her head.

“Do you know if she arrived for her appointment?”

“I don’t know.”

“Yeah, she did!” Scootaloo interrupted. “Don’t you remember? Princess Twilight and Spike showed up with a filly and went inside the Boutique!”

“Did she now?” The lieutenant murmured, glancing at Twilight. “That’s very interesting.”

Twilight stared at the floor. She had been careful to avoid mentioning Nyx to any-pony. How Rarity had managed to stab herself was any-pony’s guess, but it must have been very scary for Nyx to see! That must have been why she ran into the Everfree Forest, of all places. She must be so scared, all alone in those frightening woods!

The lieutenant leaned in. “Was any-pony present in the shop after you knocked? Besides your sister?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “There was. After I knocked, I could hear some-pony shuffling around inside. I thought it was Rarity. But then a window opened, and some-pony flew out of it.”

“Did you see who it was?”

“I couldn’t, they were too fast,” Sweetie Belle answered. “They weren’t very big, though. I don’t think they were any bigger than I am.”

“So, they must not have been grown, whomever they were,” the lieutenant mused. “Is it possible they were the same filly Princess Twilight brought to the shop?”

“Maybe?” Sweetie Belle answered. “I couldn’t get a good look! I’m sorry!”

The lieutenant placed a reassuring hoof across her withers. “It’s alright, you don’t have to apologize. Now, you say you saw them fly away. Did you see where they went?”

“It looked like they were going to the Everfree Forest.”

Twilight was baffled. It sounded as though Sweetie Belle had seen Nyx. But the figure she saw flew away, and Twilight knew for a fact that Nyx could barely do more than hover. Yet, Sweetie Belle was an honest filly. She must have seen some-pony leave—but who was it?

The lieutenant smiled sadly. “I appreciate you talking with me, you’re such a brave little girl. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to be brave for just a bit longer. I want you to tell me what happened after the unknown party left.”

Sweetie Belle swallowed. “I called for Rarity, but she didn’t answer me. I went to look in the window, but Opal jumped onto the window sill. Opal’s her cat,” she added, seeing the confused look on the lieutenant’s face.

“Ah, I see. And what was so unusual about that?”

“She was really scared,” Sweetie Belle said. “And her paws were all r-red…” She started trembling, and Cookie Crumbles pulled her closer.

“And then?” the lieutenant pressed.

“She jumped off and ran away. I didn’t see Rarity come out, so I l-looked into the w-window.” Sweetie Belle broke off, shaking profusely. Applebloom and Scootaloo lay their hooves over hers, and she swallowed and continued. “I looked inside, and the whole room was a big mess! All her fabrics were lying around, and her pony-kins were all tipped over! And…th-then I l-looked and there was R-Rarity and she was ch-choking on b-bubbles! And there was a big pool of b-blood and she was l-lying in it. And I could see her scissors st-stuck in her th-throat and th-then I…I…”

She started sobbing uncontrollably, and Cookie Crumbles pulled her close. Twilight stared at the floor, close to tears herself. She knew the rest; Sweetie Belle’s screams had roused the entire village. By the time Twilight arrived at the Boutique, the medical ponies were already carrying Rarity out. Twilight shuddered. No filly should have to see that.

The lieutenant sighed and turned to Pinkie Pie. “Begging your pardon, Miss Pie. Do you think you could take Miss Sweetie Belle back to your shop and treat her to a cookie or something?”

Pinkie Pie started. “What? O. I guess. I mean…if it’s all right with Sweetie Belle?”

“I can’t leave!” Sweetie Belle cried, tears running down her face. “Rarity!”

“It’s alright, we’ll be right here,” Cookie Crumbles said gently. She was a pink unicorn, who wore her violet mane tied up in a messy bun, and spoke with a sharp Mane-isoda accent. “If we hear anything about Rarity, we’ll send for you. Just…go with your friends and take your mind off all this. You’ve been very brave.”

“Rarity’s a stubborn mare,” Hondo Flanks said. He was a white unicorn with a thick brown moustache. “Don’t worry, she’ll pull through.”

“We’ll go with you,” Applebloom added.

Cookie Crumbles leaned forward. “Do you feel up to going?”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yes. I…I’ll go.” She climbed down from her seat, and went to take her coat off the rack in the corner.

Pinkie Pie stood up. “Alrighty then. I’ll take her to Sugarcube Corner and mix her up something lickety-split.” She smiled, but it was without cheer, and her voice sounded forced. She waited while the Crusaders put their coats on, and then led them to the connecting hallway where the door to the stairs stood. They filed in morosely, as though they were going to a funeral instead of a bakery.

Fluttershy made to stand. “I guess I can go and collect my knitting,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Something to take my mind off…what’s happened. Hmm?” she added, looking down. Angel Bunny was hopping up and down and pointing at himself. “O, will you go and fetch it for me, Angel?” Fluttershy asked. Angel nodded, and Fluttershy smiled softly. “That’s very sweet of you. I left it in the living room by the sofa. It’s the afghan, you know the one.”

Angel nodded and gave a smart salute. He bounded to the stairway door. Bouncing upward to grab the doorknob, he turned it and kicked against the threshold to open the door. Then he dropped to the floor and hopped down the stairs.

The lieutenant smiled. “That’s an eager friend you have there, Miss Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy was startled. “Angel Bunny? O yes, he’s a dear.”

“It’s always good to have friends you can count on,” the lieutenant said cheerfully. “Friends who’ll have your back even when you’re at your lowest. Isn’t that right, Princess Twilight?”

Twilight blinked, caught off-guard by the lieutenant suddenly addressing her. “What? O. Yes, that’s right.”

He beamed. “Good to hear it! I must say, it’s an honor to be in your presence, your Highness. Forgive me if I don’t remember all the honorifics…I’ve never talked to a Princess before.”

Twilight smiled. “That’s quite all right. I’m sorry, I don’t believe I got your name?”

The lieutenant bowed. “Lieutenant Column Bough, at your service. Delighted to be in your presence—huge fan of your work, of course. Such a shame we couldn’t meet under better circumstances.”

“I know. I—none of us were expecting any of this.” Twilight’s eyes moistened.

“O yes. Terrible, absolutely terrible,” Lt. Column agreed. “I’ve been on the force many years, and I’ve never seen a case quite like this one before. This is Ponyville, after all. Things like this just don’t happen here…aside from Timberwolf attacks.”

“That’s what happened to Applejack’s parents,” Cookie Crumbles said softly. “Poor dears.”

“I was there. Sad case, sad case.” Lt. Column shook his head and looked at Twilight. “Were there any-ponies who had a grievance against Rarity?”

Twilight blinked. “No-pony I know of—aside from our villains, maybe. Why? Wasn’t this an accident?”

Lt. Column squinted at her. “You think this was an accident?”

“Well, of course! What else could it have been?”

“If this was an accident, it’s the strangest I’ve ever heard of,” Lt. Column said, frowning. “I’ve spoken with the first responders—they tell me that Rarity wasn’t just stabbed, she was impaled to the floor.”

Twilight gasped. “Impaled? I—I didn’t realize she was hurt that badly!” Fluttershy moaned and sank deeper into her seat. Cookie Crumbles brought her hooves to her face, and Hondo Flanks pulled her close.

“O, her wounds are extremely serious,” Lt. Column said. “Not to be too graphic, but the responders had to pry her free from the floor before they could move her. Now, I’m not much of a physicist, but it seems to me that it would have taken tremendous force for those scissors to pin her to the floor like that. More force than a mere stumble could have done.”

Twilight’s mouth hung open. “Are you saying some-pony came into the shop and attacked Rarity?”

“That’s the only answer that makes any sense to me,” Lt. Column said. “The only question is who. Now, you heard me chatting with Miss Sweetie Belle just now, and she seems to think she saw you and Mister Spike visit Rarity’s shop shortly before the stabbing. Is that correct?”

Twilight tensed. “Yes.”

“Was she expecting you?”

“Yes.”

“Was it a personal visit or an appointment?”

“An appointment.”

“I see. Now, here’s the point I should really like to know: was there any-pony else with you at the time? A filly, perhaps?”

Twilight paused. How much would Princess Celestia allow her to say? “Yes. I have a filly in my care now. Her name is Nyx.”

“O?” Cookie Crumbles said, with a faint smile. “I didn’t know you’d taken in a filly, Princess Twilight. How nice.”

“I’ve only just taken her in,” Twilight added. “She’s only been with me for a few days.”

“Nyx, eh?” Lt. Column asked. “Like those old stories?”

“Yes.”

“I remember those! My mama used to read them to me when I was a colt, rest her. Is Nyx’s coat black, by any chance?”

Twilight hesitated. “Yes.”

“Just like in the stories! Now, where is this filly? I think I should like to chat with her for a bit.”

Twilight shuffled nervously. “I don’t know where she is.”

Lt. Column arched a brow. “You have a child in your care, and you don’t know where she is?” He suddenly looked concerned. “Do I need to put out for a missing foal?”

“She’s run off. We think she was frightened by what happened with Rarity. She was with her when…that happened.”

“She was with Rarity when the stabbing occurred?” Lt. Column repeated, stunned.

“Poor dear,” Fluttershy whispered.

“Is there a reason you haven’t mentioned this before?” Lt. Column asked, his voice suddenly stern. “I’d have thought finding that filly would be pretty important to you.”

Twilight bristled at his tone. “My friends are out looking for her. I gave them an enchanted map to scry her location.”

“Yes, I was just about to ask about your friends. I was surprised to see so few of them here, with Rarity so badly hurt.” He squinted at her. “Is that why they went into the Everfree Forest? To look for Nyx?”

Twilight gaped at him. “How did you—?”

“Never mind about that. Am I correct in my assessment?” His gaze bore into hers. Twilight noticed his right eye stayed in place, and realized it was glass.

“Yes,” Twilight answered. “We think whatever happened spooked her so much she went to hide in the Everfree.”

“Your little ward ran off into the Everfree?” Cookie Crumbles cried. “Goodness, I hope they find her soon!”

“Me too, Mrs. Crumbles. But let’s back up a little, your Highness. You and Mister Spike took Nyx to see Rarity. Why did you leave?”

“Applejack came shortly after we arrived,” Twilight explained. “She was dealing with a frost weevil infestation, so we left to find a book that had information on repelling them. Then we heard about Rarity…” She trailed off, and shook her head.

“So, that’s how Rarity and Nyx ended up alone together?” Lt. Column pressed.

“No, Rainbow Dash was there too.”

“Was she now?” Lt. Column murmured. “Where was she during the stabbing?”

“Gone,” Twilight answered. “Rarity tried getting her to stay and help with the measuring, so Dash left.”

Lt. Column smiled. “She didn’t want to help, I take it. What was she doing there to begin with, if not helping?”

“She wanted to teach Nyx how to fly.”

“Does Nyx have issues flying?”

“She can barely hover.”

“Nyx can’t fly?” Lt. Column asked, puzzled. “Then who was it Sweetie Belle saw fly out of the window?”

“I don’t know,” Twilight replied. “It couldn’t have been Nyx, I know that. We tried persuading her to fly yesterday, but all she could do was hover a bit before getting tired.”

“Is Nyx too young for flying?”

“No, she’s old enough. We’re not sure what the problem is. She looks healthy, but she doesn’t fly, can’t use her magic, and won’t speak.”

“Sounds rough.” Lt. Column said. “Has she—” He froze suddenly. He squinted hard at Twilight, puzzled. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that last bit?”

“What bit?” Twilight asked, confused. But before Lt. Column could offer any clarification, the doors to the ER opened, and a white-coated mare trotted out. She wore scrubs and a white nurse’s cap, and kept her mane rolled up in a neat bun.

“Nurse Redheart,” Hondo Flanks said. “How’s our Rarity?”

“Will she pull through?” Cookie Crumbles asked.

Nurse Redheart hung her head. “It’s not looking too good right now. She’s lost a lot of blood, and is losing more. The doctors are doing everything in their power, but these are some of the worst injuries we’ve ever seen. Frankly, it’s a miracle she survived at all. That much damage is normally lethal.”

“That’s our Rarity,” Hondo Flanks said, forcing a shaky smile. “She always was tough as nails.”

“It’s possible she might pull through,” Nurse Redheart added. “But—I think you should be prepared for the worst.”

“No! Celestia, no!” Fluttershy whispered, putting her hooves over her mouth.

Twilight sat down again, her blood running cold. Be prepared for the worst. One of Twilight’s friends was in the greatest peril of her life, and Twilight could do nothing. She knew many things from years of careful study, but healing magic was something she had little skill in. She could treat small cuts and bruises, like the ones Starlight sustained fighting Chrysalis, but anything more advanced required specialty knowledge she lacked. This had never been a problem before. But now, sitting here uselessly while Rarity languished in another room, it now seemed a tremendous oversight. She wracked her brains for something, or some-pony, that could help. “Princess Celestia is great with healing magic,” she remembered.

Nurse Redheart nodded. “I don’t doubt it, but Princess Celestia isn’t here. Have you contacted her?”

“Spike sent a letter as soon as we heard,” Twilight answered. “But I haven’t heard back from her yet.” She frowned. “I don’t know what’s taking her so long.”

“Why don’t you teleport to her?” Fluttershy suggested.

Twilight blinked. “What?”

“Teleport to Canterlot, and tell Princess Celestia what happened,” Fluttershy explained. She simpered a little under every-pony’s gazes, but continued. “I mean, you can do that, right?”

Twilight sprang to her feet. “Fluttershy, you’re a genius! Why didn’t I think of that? I’ll just pop right over there and—”

“Just a minute,” Lt. Column interrupted. “Sorry, Princess, but I need to ask if I can send out a missing foal alert. For Nyx.”

“O,” Twilight said. “But my friends—”

“—Will appreciate the help, I’m sure,” Lt. Column finished smoothly. “The Everfree Forest is a dangerous place, Your Highness. I’m sure you’ll want some extra hooves on the ground to make sure your little charge is found.”

Twilight smiled. “Thank you, that would be most welcome.”

Lt. Column nodded and turned as if to leave. Suddenly, he spun around with an embarrassed smile, as though he had forgotten something. “Sorry, just one more thing. A little thing, shouldn’t take up too much more of your time. It’s about something you said earlier…you told me Nyx had problems flying?”

“Yes,” Twilight replied, puzzled. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, when you said that, I guessed Nyx was a pegasus foal. But then you said the strangest thing: that Nyx was also having problems with her magic.”

Twilight’s stomach dropped.

Lt. Column’s true eye glittered. “So, before I send out an alert, I think I should like to know what I’m sending out for. What exactly is Nyx? She wouldn’t be an alicorn, would she?”

Twilight stared at him, dumbstruck. Nyx’s existence was supposed to be a secret, and Twilight had unwittingly leaked the whole thing. What would Princess Celestia say? Would she be furious to learn Twilight had managed to lose Nyx and reveal her alicorn nature after less than two days?

Teleporting to Canterlot suddenly seemed less appealing.

“I…I…” Twilight stammered, at a loss for anything else to say.

Lt. Column looked like he was about to speak, when there came a stomping of hooves from the stairwell. The door sprang open, and Zecora walked into the room, followed by Applejack, Starlight, Spike, Dash and Trixie.

“Guys! You’re back!” Twilight exclaimed. “Did you get Nyx?”

“Yeah,” Applejack growled. “We got her.”

“O good,” Twilight said, relieved. “Where is she?”

Zecora stepped forward. “Do not fear for the foal you lack. You’ll find her sleeping on my back.”

Twilight looked and, to her great relief, saw Nyx lying across Zecora’s back, nestled between the saddlebags. She was sound asleep. Poor filly! Being out in those dark, scary woods must have tired her out!

Nurse Redheart gasped. “What the—is that an alicorn filly?” Twilight suddenly realized that Nyx was visible to every-pony else in that waiting room. Rarity’s parents were staring at her with astonishment and reverent curiosity. Nurse Redheart stood on tip-hooves to get a good look at her. And Lt. Column stared with his mouth hanging open, taken aback to see his guess so vividly confirmed.

So much for that secret.

But at least Nyx was safe. “I’m so glad you found her,” Twilight said, turning back to her friends. “Was she scared, or—”

She froze. Now that she could give her friends more attention, she suddenly realized they were in terrible shape. Spike and Trixie sported large bumps upon their heads, Starlight’s bruises were darker and wider, and Dash’s front hoof was wrapped in linin bandages. “O my Celestia! What happened?”

Spike pointed at Nyx with a shaking claw. “She attacked us!”

“What?” Twilight gasped.

“That little girl?” Lt. Column asked. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah, we’re sure!” Spike snapped. “We followed her deep into the forest. Just as we were closing in on her, she blinded us with a flash charm!”

“A flash charm?” Twilight asked. “But her magic—”

“Works perfectly fine!” Applejack interrupted. “She blinded us, then went and knocked me out with a magic blast!”

Twilight was stunned. “But that can’t be! There must be some mistake—”

“It’s not a mistake!” Starlight cried. “Her magic is incredibly strong! She’s incredibly strong!” She lifted her face up, and Twilight gasped; her face was covered with purple bruises. “She stomped me on my head, then bit my tail and threw me!”

“Right into Trixie!” Trixie moaned. “Could some-pony go and get Trixie an ice pack?”

“She threw you?” Twilight asked Starlight, ignoring Trixie. “How? That filly barely reaches your knees!”

“I saw her do it!” Dash yelled. “That’s when I tackled her, and—”

“You tackled her? Dash, Nyx is a foal.”

“She’s not a normal foal!” Dash held up her bandaged hoof. “She bit me!”

“She bit—!”

“Then she pile-drivered me into the ground!” Dash finished. “Like, it would have been totally awesome if she wasn’t doing that to me. And then she drank my blood! She’s, like, a vampire or something!”

Twilight frowned. “Dash, you’re exaggerating again. I think the magical energies reverberating in those woods confounded you.”

“That’s what happened!” Dash protested. “I’m not confounded, I swear!”

“No, she isn’t,” Spike said. He pointed at his face. Twilight’s eyes widened—his scales were singed and his eyes looked a little pink. “She did this to me! She turned into a dragoness and breathed fire into my face!”

Twilight’s frown deepened. “Spike, I think I’m going to have to scan all of you for magical contamination. You may have picked up a curse or—”

“We’re telling the truth!” Spike shouted. “Look at us! Do you think we did this to ourselves?”

“Well, no,” Twilight admitted. “But what you’re saying makes no sense. We know her magic barely works. She couldn’t possibly turn into a dragoness, or fire magical blasts.” Her friends exchanged glances, the sort they traded whenever they thought Twilight was being irrational. The sight of it annoyed her, and she stomped her hoof loudly. “She couldn’t!”

Applejack approached Twilight and lay a hoof across her withers. “Twi, do ya really think we’d come back here with Nyx and make all this hullabaloo ‘bout her if we didn’t think it were true?”

Twilight was unable to meet Applejack’s eyes. “No.”

Zecora cleared her throat. “I know this is not what you thought you knew, but every word we say to you is true.”

Twilight turned and started pacing. Applejack and Zecora were the most reliable ponies she knew. But everything they said clashed against the evidence of her own observations. She had seen first-hoof how feeble Nyx’s powers were. Yet her friends were clearly wounded, and every one of them claimed Nyx was responsible. But if Nyx could do all that, why had her magic seemed so feeble earlier? And why would she hurt any-pony to begin with? “I don’t understand,” she murmured.

“Nor do I,” Lt. Column interjected. “Sorry to intrude. Lieutenant Column Bough, Ponyville Police.”

“I remember ya,” Applejack said, suddenly morose. “You were the police-pony who came to tell us ‘bout Ma and Pa after they…well, you know.”

Lt. Column hung his head. “Tragic case, that. A pity we keep meeting under these kinds of circumstances. But I’m curious about a few details from your encounter. For starters, if that little filly did all that to you, then how’d you get her to sleep?”

Zecora held up a corked glass bottle, filled with a thick purple fluid. “My Slumber Smog sent her into a snooze, or else their very lives your friends would lose.”

“Lose?” Twilight asked.

Starlight rummaged in the saddlebags, and came out again holding a long, curved sheath. She pulled on the handle, and out came the wickedest dagger Twilight had ever seen. “Zecora says Nyx had this pressed against her throat. We think…we think Nyx was about to kill her.”

“You can’t be serious!” Twilight protested. She looked to Zecora, expecting her to shake her head and explain how Starlight had misunderstood. But Zecora nodded, and Twilight felt her blood run cold.

Lt. Column suddenly looked ill. “So, what you’re saying,” he said slowly. “Is that this little filly—this child—possesses great strength, and a familiarity with bladed weapons?”

Starlight nodded. “Yes.”

Fluttershy gasped. “No! Then that must mean…” She covered her mouth with her hooves, too frightened to finish the sentence.

Hondo Flanks stepped forward, shaking. “Are you saying that she’s why my Rarity’s fighting for her life?” he demanded, his voice shaking with rage. “Because she attacked her?”

“No!” Twilight cried. “She couldn’t have!”

“O, for crying out loud, Twilight!” Spike snapped. “Of course she did! She’s been deceiving us from the very start! It’s the only answer that makes sense, and you know it!”

“No, it doesn’t!” Twilight shouted. She and Spike were almost nose to nose. “We saved her from Chrysalis! Why would she want to hurt us?”

“Perhaps you should ask her when she comes around?” Applejack said, lowering her voice and placing herself between Twilight and Spike while looking anxiously between the two of them. “We can make her explain everythin’ then.”

“You won’t have to wait very long to ask,” Lt. Column said. He was studying Nyx carefully, his brow furrowed.

“Why?” Twilight asked. “Is she coming around?”

“She’s already awake.” Lt. Column replied. “In fact, I think she’s been pretending to be asleep for some time.”

Twilight looked and, sure enough, Nyx breathed faster than a sleeping filly should, her eyes shut much too tightly. Twilight’s mouth thinned. She still doubted Nyx did any of the things her friends claimed—yet there she was, playing a trick on them. “We know you’re awake,” Twilight said sternly. “Stop pretending and get up.”

Nyx opened her eyes at once. She lifted her head up and stared at Twilight with her serpentine eyes, her gaze focused and unwavering.

“Nightmare Moon!” Nurse Redheart shrieked.

“Good grief!” Lt. Column said, backing away.

Zecora turned to look at Nyx, startled. “That smog knocked her out like a light! She’s meant to sleep into the night!”

“She recovers quickly?” Starlight guessed.

Twilight scooped Nyx up with her magic and set her down in front of her. She looked at her for a long moment. “Are you hurt?” she asked.

“Is she hurt?” Dash sputtered.

Nyx gave no answer. She stared at the floor and said nothing.

“Givin’ us the silent treatment again, are we?” Applejack growled. “No more o’ that, ya hear? Yer in big trouble, little missy!”

“Applejack, please,” Twilight said firmly. Applejack huffed, but stepped back, and Twilight turned back to Nyx. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you don’t have to be afraid. Please, just tell us what happened.”

Nyx continued staring at the floor, making no sign she had even heard Twilight.

Nurse Redheart looked concerned. “She can talk, can’t she?”

“We think so,” Starlight said. “But she’s never spoken to any-pony since we got her. We thought it was because she was traumatized.”

“Traumatized, huh?” Lt. Column snorted. “You sure about that? I’ve got another theory for you: she can speak, she’s just refusing to!”

Nyx looked up and stared at Lt. Column with her strong gaze. She held her head high, her expression hard but neutral, almost defiant. There was a sense of the regal in the way she held herself. Yet, there was also a cold fierceness in her gaze that seemed almost predatory. She gazed at Lt. Column as though she were a great bird-of-prey looking down upon a hapless mouse.

Dash snorted angrily. “Refusing, huh? Well, she better stop refusing this instant and tell us what we need to know!” She spun on Nyx. “Why’d ya do it? What’s your evil plan? Come on, Nightmare, spill it!”

Nyx glanced at Dash and then, to Twilight’s amazement, huffed and rolled her eyes, as though the grown adult before her was an annoying pest. Dash’s eyes narrowed. “Why you—!”

“That’s enough,” Twilight said to Dash. “Let me talk to Nyx, okay?” She put firm stress on Nyx’s name. Dash grumbled to herself, but hung back. Twilight turned her attention back to her charge. “Nyx, just tell me the truth. Did you…were you the one who hurt Rarity? And my friends? You can shake your head if you like. Please, look me in the eyes and tell me you didn’t do this.”

Their eyes met. For a moment, Twilight hoped that Nyx would look away and shake her head, or that she would finally speak and tearfully proclaim her innocence. But instead, Nyx’s eyes narrowed, and she glared at Twilight with an icy fury that caught her entirely off-guard.

“You…you did,” Twilight said slowly. “You…you were the one who hurt her.” For a moment, all she could do was stare at Nyx in complete shock. And then a wave of anger over took her, and she snapped. “Why would you do that?” she shouted. “Rarity was being nice to you, and that’s how you repay her? What’s wrong with you?”

But Nyx said nothing. She seemed entirely unfazed by Twilight’s yelling, and her expression became disdainful.

“Stop it with that mute act!” Dash yelled. “We’re not falling for it anymore! Talk!”

“You’d best start answering our questions,” Lt. Column said sternly. “You’re in an unbelievable amount of trouble, young lady, and we’ll have the truth from you!”

Nyx arched a brow at him but said nothing. She seemed nonplussed by Lt. Column; in fact, she looked as though she were studying him. Her attention was most focused on his glass eye.

Twilight stamped her hoof. “Answer us this instant!”

Nyx’s ears twitched, but she gave no other sign she had heard.

Lt. Column stepped closer. “I’m not going to stand here all day and wait for you to talk. If you’re not going to say anything, I’ll drag you down to the station! We’ll make you talk soon enough!”

Nyx tensed. Her slit-pupil eyes thinned.

“Still nothing? That’s fine, you’ll come along with me then!” He raised a hoof for her.

What happened next was so fast as to seem unreal. Nyx reared up and struck Lt. Column in the right eye with the flat of her hoof. There was a thick “crunch” sound, and Lt. Column screamed while blood and shards of broken glass fell from his eye socket. Nyx turned and bucked Lt. Column in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. She followed up with a sweep, bringing him to the ground with tremendous force. He lay where he fell, bleeding and wheezing, hooves pressed to his bleeding face.

Every-pony gasped and stepped back, stunned by this sudden display of extreme violence. But before any-pony could respond, Nyx turned and hissed at them. It was feral, that hiss; there was bass in it.

“What?” Twilight asked blankly. She took several steps forward, more transfixed than frightened. Nyx’s coat stood on end, and she snarled at her. It was a terrifying sound. It sat deep and resonant, like the rumble of distant thunder. And then Twilight saw the fangs. “What?” Twilight asked again, her pupils shrinking to tiny pinpricks. “W-What even are you?”

Nyx scowled at her. “¡Ustedes ponis malvados lastimaron a mi mami y esclavizaron a nuestros súbditos!” she shrieked. “¡Voy a encontraría y luego marcharemos a Equestria! ¡Ponte en mi camino y te mataré!”

“She’s, like, speaking Moon-speak!” Trixie cried.

“Huh? What are you saying?” Twilight asked, bewildered.

Nyx’s answer was to fire an indigo magic-blast straight at Twilight’s face. Twilight gasped and brought up a shield, and the spell smashed against it. The shield held, but the sheer power of the blast forced Twilight back a step. “Stop it!” Twilight cried. “Why are you doing this?”

Nyx growled, and began pacing in front of the shield, her withers rising and falling like a dynamo. Twilight was suddenly reminded of the tigers in the Canterlot Zoo, pacing their enclosures in search of an opening for escape.

Starlight tossed the dagger aside and stepped next to Twilight, raising a shield of her own. “Every-pony, get behind us! Down the hall, hurry!” The others did as she asked, though Nurse Redheart was quick to grab Lt. Column and pull him behind the shields.

But Fluttershy stormed towards Nyx. “Stop this at once!” she shouted. She looked angrier than Twilight had ever seen her. “Stop hurting my friends! We’re only trying to help you!”

Nyx snarled, unabashed. Fluttershy gasped, but then closed her eyes, steeling herself. Suddenly, she snapped her eyes wide-open and fixed Nyx with a fierce glare. There was a power to her gaze, magically enhanced beyond just glowering. This was The Stare, a unique ability Fluttershy used to tame unruly creatures. Dragons the size of mountains trembled beneath this fearsome gaze; cockatrices looked away in horror at it. Now, Fluttershy brought the full extent of this power to bear against Nyx.

“I said, settle down,” Fluttershy said sternly. “You won’t hurt my friends anymore!”

Nyx stared back at her. Then, without a word, she struck Fluttershy across the face with the back of her hoof. “O!” Fluttershy squeaked. She sailed across the room and crashed into the wood-paneled wall.

“Fluttershy!” Twilight yelled.

Dash’s eyes flashed. “That does it!”.

“Ya varmint!” Applejack growled, stamping her hoof and snorting smoke.

“Wait!” Starlight cried.

But neither pony paid heed to Starlight. They charged around the shields, Applejack on the ground, and Dash by air. Nyx hissed, and her horn glowed. Light glowed around Dash and Applejack as Nyx attempted to catch them in her magic—and succeeded.

“Whoa nelly!” Applejack cried, finding herself floating in midair.

“Put us down!” Dash demanded.

Twilight was taken aback. The amount of magic needed to lift a pony was immense—and here was Nyx, hoisting two adult ponies in the air! This took some effort; Nyx strained to hold both ponies up, and she started sweating profusely from the effort. Twilight expected her to drop them before she overclocked her magic. But then something strange happened—her violet mane started waving by its own volition. Nyx let out a fierce yell, and then there was a powerful magical surge. Dash and Applejack went flying into the walls. Nyx’s mane settled down, and she panted heavily, drained from such an intense use of power.

“No!” Twilight cried. She spun furiously on Nyx. “That does it! How dare you hurt my friends! I’m ending this now!”

“About time,” Spike said, smiling.

Twilight dropped her shield and lit her horn. Nyx was much more dangerous than she had expected. Drastic action was needed. But first, she needed to deliver a scathing friendship speech: “My friends are a part of me, all of them! You hurt them, you hurt me as well! Together, we have prevailed against many foes! That spirit of love and friendship allowed us to defeat evil villains like Queen Chrysalis! And now, I’ll show you—”

But Twilight never got to show Nyx anything, because as soon as she had mentioned Chrysalis, Nyx let out a loud cry and charged Twilight, jabbing her between the chest and throat with her horn. The blow knocked the air out of Twilight, staggering her. Nyx followed through, rearing up and hoisting Twilight up with her front hooves and slamming her headfirst into the opposite wall. Twilight collapsed to the floor, stunned. She heaved and coughed, her head spinning. She had no time to think about anything else, for Nyx immediately pounced on top of Twilight’s chest, and started punching her repeatedly in the face.

“Bruja!” she shrieked. “Villana! Puta!”

“Get away from her!” Spike shouted. He ran forward, and Nyx, hissing, bucked him down the hall. She seemed to remember that she had other enemies, and left Twilight alone to focus on them.

Twilight moaned. This was the worst beating she had ever received; the pain was overwhelming. Her face felt numb; her right eye refused to open, and she could feel blood running from her nose. She lay there, overwhelmed by pain, and very much confused. What had made Nyx go berserk like that? Twilight had never seen any-pony commit this kind of extreme violence before, and she had no idea how to react to it. Nyx’s strength was terrifying; every blow had felt like they came from a steel hammer.

She lifted her head. Along the opposite wall, Zecora crouched, the vial of purple liquid in her hooves. Their eyes met, and Zecora nodded at her. Twilight understood; if they could keep Nyx distracted, Zecora could apply the Slumber Smog and knock her out again. Trembling, Twilight stood up, searching for a spot to use the Smog. She noticed an alcove nearby. If she could back Nyx into that, Zecora could use the Smog without it affecting any of her friends. Twilight glanced at Zecora, to the alcove, and back again. Zecora nodded, and placed herself into position as Twilight advanced further. Starlight picked up on the plan as well, widening her shield to keep Nyx from running past her.

Twilight summoned a shield and approached Nyx. “That’s enough of that!”

Nyx snarled at her. Twilight froze, taken aback once again by the unnatural sounds Nyx produced. But she remembered herself, and advanced on Nyx with the shield. “Don’t take that tone with me, young lady!”

Nyx growled and hit the shield with another magic-blast. The shockwaves staggered Twilight—Nyx’s magic was powerful! But Twilight held firm, and took several more steps forward with her shield up, and Nyx, hissing, took several steps back. Zecora stood ready, the cork sealing the bottle clenched between her teeth. Nyx noticed Zecora, then turned and saw the alcove. She seemed to understand the trap almost at once, and suddenly looked concerned.

“You can give up now,” Twilight said. “Stand down, and we won’t have to hurt you.”

Nyx hissed in response, and shot a third magic-blast at her. Twilight sighed. It looked as though they would have to do this the hard way. She continued to push Nyx back. She was almost into the alcove now, just a few more steps. But then Nyx did something very strange—she smirked at her. There was an impertinence about it that annoyed Twilight, like she thought all this was some sort of game. Nyx charged her horn again, and Twilight resisted the urge to roll her eyes at it.

She realized too late that the magic was icy-blue instead of indigo.

Nyx fired this spell, but instead of firing it at Twilight’s shield, she shot it onto the floor directly in front of Twilight’s path, forming a sheet of ice over the waxed floorboards. Twilight only registered this fact after she had already taken another step. She slipped and fell, sliding along the ice headfirst towards Nyx. Nyx leaped gracefully in the air and glided over Twilight, while Twilight slid headfirst into the wall of the alcove.

“She can fly!” Dash shouted angrily. “She was faking that too!”

Nyx landed on the floor in front of Zecora. Before she could react, Nyx leaped up and bucked Zecora under the jaw, knocking her into the wall. The cork pulled out of the vial, and it went flying, purple Smog spewing out of the top. Nyx grabbed it in her magic and, holding her breath, hurled the vial into the alcove with Twilight.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Spike yelled “No!” and ran to intercept the vial. But it was too high, too fast, too late. Twilight turned in time to see the vial smash open in front of her. Purple fog rose from the shattered vial, enveloping Twilight. At once a sense of irresistible drowsiness overtook her; she could scarcely keep her eyes open. Spike fell to the floor, and Twilight sank down next to him.

Twilight looked up to see Nyx surround herself with a transparent indigo barrier. The last thing Twilight saw before succumbing to the darkness was Nyx smirking at her.

“Twilight!” Starlight yelled. “Twilight!” But it was too late. The Smog felled Princess Twilight, taking Spike down with her.

“We’ve got to help them!” Dash cried. She made to fly over the shield, but she was pulled back by Applejack. “Hey, what gives?”

“You, if you don’t keep back here!” Applejack said. “That there smog will knock you right out!”

Nyx turned to face them, an indigo barrier shielding herself from the smog. She was smirking, her stoic mask dropped entirely.

“You saw that trap coming,” Starlight said slowly. “We thought we were backing you into that alcove, but you were leading Twilight in instead. You know, that is rather clever! I’m actually impressed!”

“No, bad Starlight!” Trixie yelled. “You’re not supposed to praise the psycho vampire-pony! Bad!”

“Sorry, you’re right,” Starlight mumbled. She turned her attention back to the battle, taking stock of the situation. Too much Smog had been used, and it poured out from the alcove and into the hall. Twilight and Spike were now sound asleep, while Zecora had been knocked out. Nurse Redheart hid in an alcove with the police-pony, struggling to catharize his wounds. Rarity’s parents quavered in a corner of the waiting room, hoping no-pony noticed them. And Fluttershy lay crumpled up on the floor, moaning. That just left herself, Trixie, Applejack, and Dash, but Applejack and Dash were worn from their fights with Nyx. All they could do now was keep Nyx from escaping. The windows in the waiting room were too thin for her to fit through, so the only possible exit were the stairs down the hall, which Starlight’s shield blocked off. Perhaps they could delay her long enough for the princesses to show up. “There’s no place for you to go now!” Starlight declared, hoping she sounded braver than she felt. “We’ve got the only exit closed off, and you can’t drop your shield without the Slumber Smog knocking you out! So…just give up already!”

Nyx grinned broadly at them. It was an awful thing, extending wider than a normal pony’s should, with her fangs prominently displayed; yet, her eyes remained as calculating as ever. Starlight lacked Pinkie Pie’s smile expertise, but she could tell the purpose of this one was to intimidate. “E-Every-pony, remain calm!” Starlight said, her voice shriller than usual. “She’s just trying to freak us out!”

“It’s working!” Trixie moaned. “Trixie is very freaked out right now! Very, very freaked!”

“Well, we’re gonna put a stop to her freakiness right now!” Dash thundered. She scowled at Starlight. “What’s the matter? She’s right there! Why don’t you use your magic and grab her already!”

“I’d have to drop the barrier first,” Starlight replied. “And that would leave us vulnerable to the smog!”

Dash grinned. “Smog? Leave that to me!”

“Wait!”

But it was too late. Dash rose into the air and rapidly flapped her wings, driving the Smog out of the hall—

Right into the waiting room.

Rarity’s parents cried out, before yawning loudly and slumping over. Fluttershy, meanwhile, had gotten to her hooves. “Ow, my head” she said, dazed. “What just happ—” But then the Smog overcame her, and with a little yawn she fell back down again, sound asleep.

“Fluttershy!” Starlight cried.

“O no,” Dash said, mortified.

“Dang it, Dash!” Applejack snapped. “Next time you get an idea, run it by us first!”

Nyx giggled, amused by Dash’s idiotic ploy. Dash scowled at her. “You think that’s funny, do you?” Nyx giggled more. Her voice was surprisingly sweet, something like musical glasses.

“Well, that was a dumb move, Dash,” Starlight admitted. She turned to Nyx. “Alright, the Smog is gone now. But my shield is up, and there’s no way you can get past it!”

Trixie chuckled. “You’re stuck, you creepy weirdo! There’s nothing you can do now!”

Nyx arched a brow, and dropped her barrier. For one blissful moment, Starlight thought she was going to surrender—until she saw that Nyx’s horn was lit. Her mane started waving again, and suddenly collapsed into a misty starfield. Indigo flames burst out from beneath her hooves and ran up her body, enveloping her, and then dissipating above her head.

In her place stood a young midnight-colored dragoness.

“Spike was right!” Applejack cried. “She really can transform!”

“Like a changeling,” Starlight whispered.

“That’s awesome!” Dash exclaimed. Then she remembered herself. “I mean, no! Not awesome! Or, you know, it would be awesome if you weren’t running around hurting every-pony. You know?”

“Yeah, we get it,” Trixie said, rolling her eyes. She turned to Nyx. “Okay, you’re a dragon now. Whoopty-doo. There’s still no way you can get past that shield! Whatcha gonna do, breathe fire on it?”

Dragon-Nyx snorted smoke from her nostrils, clearly thinking something along those lines. She inhaled, and then exhaled indigo flames…at the rafters above them.

Starlight gasped as a hanging lamp and flaming wooden-tiles fell on top of her. Instinctively, she pulled the shield closer around herself, leaving behind several feet of headroom. Dragon-Nyx leaped for it, gliding through the headspace and landing with surprising grace on the other side of the shield.

Trixie squeaked and stepped back. “Uh, Trixie was just kidding about the “creepy weirdo” bit! It’s just one of Trixie’s little jokes! Heh-heh!”

“Get her, quick!” Applejack shouted. She made to grab her, but Dragon-Nyx was ready. She swung her tail and smacked Applejack’s face, knocking her off-balance and dropping her to the floor.

“You brat!” Dash shrieked. She lunged for Nyx’s chest. However, being a dragoness meant Nyx had some extra weapons besides her flame-breath: her claws. With an air of nonchalance, she slashed Dash across her muzzle with her left claw. Dash screamed and fell to the ground, grabbing uselessly at her face.

Trixie came up behind Dragon-Nyx. “Fear not! The Great and Powerful Trixie shall…” Trixie froze as Dragon-Nyx turned to glare at her. She held up her left claw, fresh blood running down it. Without breaking eye-contact with Trixie, she started sucking the blood off her fingers. Trixie’s eyes shrank to tiny pinpricks. “…Trixie is just going to back away and pretend she isn’t here right now,” she squeaked, backing into the alcove opposite the one Nurse Redheart and her patient were hiding in.

Starlight charged her horn. “Alright, that does it! I—” But before Starlight could do anything, Dragon-Nyx turned and unleashed more flames upon her. Starlight yelped and raised her shield. The flames blew around it, so Nyx changed course and spread the flames at Starlight’s feet, setting the floor alight. Then she exhaled a steady stream of fire at the ceiling above Starlight’s head. More burning tiles crashed around Starlight, and then burning timbers caved in on top of her. It took all of Starlight’s concentration to shield herself from the burning wood. She was finding it hard to breathe now, the air around her consumed by the inferno.

“She’s setting the entire hospital on fire!” Nurse Redheart shrieked.

“No, she can’t do that…” Lt. Column mumbled. “That’s arson, that’s against the rules…”

Dragon-Nyx noticed them. She growled, her dragoness form amplifying its already substantial depths. Nurse Redheart wept, her pupils shrunk in terror while she cradled Lt. Column, shielding his body with her own. “Please, don’t kill me!” she begged. “Please, no! I have to save him, he’s hurt!” She shivered. “I don’t want him to die! Please!”

Dragon-Nyx studied her. For a moment, something in her fierce gaze lightened. Then, without a word, she slid past the alcove without giving them a second glance. Flames ran up from her hooves, and Nyx resumed her normal form. She stooped down and picked up the curved dagger from where Starlight had tossed it. She sheathed it, and tucked it away inside her coat. Then she galloped for the stairs.

Starlight quickly expanded her shield, knocking back the flaming debris. “Stop her!” she yelled, before succumbing to a coughing fit from the smoke. “Don’t let her reach the stairs!” She teleported to the stair door, but it was too late—she arrived in time to see it slam shut.

“I’ll go after her,” Dash snarled, blood oozing from three cuts spread across her muzzle.

Starlight shook her head. “No. You guys stay here and guard the door. I’ll head her off at the exit!”

Nurse Redheart poked her head out from behind the alcove. “Wait, about those stairs—”

“No time!” Starlight yelled. “Trixie, put out those fires!”

Starlight teleported, materializing downstairs in front of the stairwell exit. She glared at the door and charged her horn. When Nyx emerged, Starlight would hit her full force with a magic-blast. It was extreme, but it was the only way Starlight could think of to subdue her. It was unlikely the blast would keep Nyx down for very long, but hopefully it would be enough for Starlight to rouse Twilight. Then they could decide what to do with her.

She waited. And waited. Nyx was taking a long time to go down a single flight of stairs. What was keeping her? Starlight suddenly felt uneasy. Determined as she was to head Nyx off, Starlight had neglected to consider whether there were any other exits in that stairwell. Or had Nyx guessed her trick, and waited in the stairwell in ambush?

The only way to know was to check. Cautiously, she opened the door and peered inside. What she saw made her heart skip a beat.

The stairwell was split by a landing, and on that landing was a large window.

That window was open.

Author's Notes:

Man, this chapter was a pain to complete, I can tell you that! For those of you who missed my blog posting, I had a near-final draft completed on Christmas Eve Eve. I closed it out, and meant to have a final read-through on Christmas Eve. But when I uploaded the chapter again, I realized it hadn't saved my last two edits! I tried to recover the files, but ultimately I had no luck. I had to go back and re-edit everything. As you can imagine, that incident really sapped my interest in the chapter. That, combined with some personal upheavals, is why I'm only now posting it nearly a month after Christmas.

I do think the draft I had before was better, but I did add a couple of things to this other edit that I do think add a little more. The biggest challenge was the police pony, who I thought was a little too on the nose as a spoof, especially in a fic that has been mostly serious. In the end, I decided the show had even more ridiculous spoofs, so I went ahead and kept him. The name is definitely too easy, but I couldn't think of a better name for him.

MY attention now goes to Chapter 9. I've actually been working on it, and have about 27 pages of a composition book filled out. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you guys think!

Sincerely,
ShadeNightingale.

Chapter Nine

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Chapter Nine

Princess Celestia had a headache. On her right, Luna struggled to keep her eyes open. Both worked to suppress yawns, and both were losing.

Being a ruler was hard. Sure, the admiration and respect of their subjects was wonderful. Living in a grand palace with access to unlimited cake was a consummation devoutly to be wished. But it all came with a lot of tedious busywork. Like judging between petitioners with equally valid complaints. Settling disputes between warring nations.

Sitting in on long, boring tax meetings.

“…As you can see, revenue for the previous quarter has decreased three percentage points in the outlying counties. We suspect this drop is due to trade disputes between several large companies and the town of Neigh-boo…” The bespeckled pony droned on and on, his monotonous voice dryer than sheet rock.

There had been several meetings of this kind over the past few days. While the Changelings held Canterlot for only a brief time, the Princesses’ doppelgängers had issued many orders that needed to be rescinded. In addition, the sudden reversal of centuries of Changeling aggression had thrown the entire kingdom into disarray; the pony economy fluctuated wildly as speculators and stockbrokers wrestled with what this unexpected event signaled for the next quarter. All these questions added up to a lot of meetings, shifting through Equestria’s current circumstances with a fine-tooth comb.

And this was before they heard there was a new princess.

Nyx occupied Celestia’s thoughts a good deal now. While sending her to Twilight was no doubt for the best, Celestia felt disquieted. Nyx had spent nearly two years with Queen Chrysalis—surely something rubbed off? The child had stayed quiet, but Celestia was sure she would have plenty to say soon enough. Any day now, she expected to hear from Twilight that Nyx had thrown a tantrum and demanded more cookies.

Assuming she could eat them. Celestia frowned. She neglected to inform Twilight that Nyx had eaten meat, out of concern that it might put Twilight off from raising her. She assumed Nyx would leave that behind after she tried good, wholesome pony food. But that old draconequus called Doubt whispered to her. Suppose Nyx hated pony food? What if she were so accustomed to flesh that all they could feed her was meat? Could Twilight handle that?

“Your Highness?”

Celestia blinked. “Sorry?”

“I said, were there any comments you wished to make concerning our liquid asset projections within the next quarter?” The tax pony peered up at her, patiently awaiting her reply.

“None immediately leap to my mind. Luna? Anything you wish to add?”

Luna jumped. “Nor I, nor I,” she said quickly. She composed herself. “We thank you, friend Book Keeper, for bringing these matters to our attention.”

“We will consider your proposals, and get back to you on them,” Celestia said. “Thank you for honoring us with your presence today.

“There are other matters that require your Royal notice,” Book Keeper drawled. “I propose a further meeting to discuss the calendar for such dates as needed.”

Luna stared. “You’re proposing a meeting…to schedule further meetings?”

“Of course, your Highness.”

“I have an empty time slot this afternoon,” Celestia said, suppressing a sigh. “We can hold a scheduling meeting then.”

“Excellent. I shall present my recommendations at that time. With your permission, I shall take my leave.”

“Permission granted,” Luna said hastily.

Book Keeper bowed, and, lifting his easel, pointer, and abacus in his magic, departed. Luna sank into her throne. “A meeting for a meeting! Sister, I propose that the next time an evil villain comes to conquer Equestria, we sit them through a full day of these tax meetings.”

Celestia smiled. “Think they’d surrender?”

“Aye! I wager they yield before lunch.”

“Somehow, I doubt one who stoops to conquer is interested in picking up economic policy,” Celestia said wryly. She turned to a white, bespeckled unicorn mare, whose black mane was rolled into a bun. “Raven, do we have any other petitioners?”

Raven Inkwell pulled out a scroll and examined it carefully. “I see no-pony else for the time being,” she said, in a clear, clipped voice. “Your next petitioner isn’t due until after lunch…Spell Nexus has school business to discuss with you. But I do have some paperwork that requires your signatures.”

Luna’s mouth tightened. “We are sick with joy.”

Raven smiled softly. “Perhaps her Highness would like to read her correspondence first?”

“We have mail?” Princess Luna asked, her eyes shining. After her return from the moon, Luna had become fascinated by the Equestrian Postal Service.

“Certainly, your Highness,” Raven said. “I believe you have a number of thank-you notes from foals across the land.”

“Huzzah!” Luna cried, delighted. Part of her duties involved settling the nightmares of foals, many of whom sent her thank-you cards.

Princess Celestia smiled at her sister, and turned to Raven. “What else do we have?”

Raven pulled out another scroll. “More of the usual, your Highness. A few fan letters…several personal invitations from prominent nobles…an application to your school…and a formal request from Queen Novo of Seaquestria to render aid in their struggle against the Storm King.”

“The Storm King,” Celestia murmured. “We’re going to need to keep an eye on him. Anything else?”

“Yes, your Highness. Princess Twilight sent a letter by dragon-mail several hours ago.”

“Ah! I’ve been waiting to hear from Twilight,” Celestia said. “Raven, I should like to see that letter first.”

“As would I,” Luna added. “Though I question why it was delivered without, rather than into our Royal Presence.”

“They come direct when I have no petitioners,” Celestia explained. “Otherwise, it goes straight to the mailbox.” She smiled at Raven. “Go ahead and bring those letters in.”

Raven left the room with a graceful bow. Luna leaned closer to Celestia. “Does Twilight know you are having these meetings? It impresses me strangely that she would send a letter at such an inopportune time.”

“Twilight keeps a copy of my schedule, and mails me when I’m clear,” Celestia answered, frowning. “It must be something urgent.”

“Do you suppose it has anything to do with N—" Luna began, but then she glanced at the guards standing nearby. The Sisters had told no-pony about Nyx yet. Even Raven was ignorant of her existence. “Do you suppose it has to do with her…new charge?”

“Undoubtedly,” Celestia replied. “She must have a problem.”

Luna became grave. “Do you suppose it is serious?”

“It’s hard to say with Twilight. She stresses herself whenever small details don’t work out quite as planned.” Celestia lowered her voice. “Nyx probably threw a fit.”

Luna giggled. “Nothing a little time-out can’t cure!”

Raven came back into the room, a stack of envelopes held aloft in her magic. A sealed scroll sat on the top. “The letters, your Royal Highnesses.”

“Thank you very much, Raven,” Celestia said. “Let me have that letter of Twilight’s.” She took the scroll into her magic, and unsealed it.

Suddenly, the doors burst open. An off-white unicorn with thick moustaches and a red dress jacket ran in, his small spectacles hanging off one ear. “Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!” he cried.

“Kabitz? Whatever is the matter?” Celestia asked, bewildered. Kabitz was usually more dignified than this; he was the very incarnation of prim and proper.

He stopped at the foot of the throne, panting. “A thousand pardons for this intrusion, but a dreadfully serious matter has been brought to my attention—the Griffon Kingdom and Abyssinia have declared war!”

Luna gasped. “What? On us?”

“Goodness, no! On each other!”

“I don’t understand. What prompted this?” Celestia asked. “The griffons and the Abyssinthians have been allied for ages. I see no reason for them to stoop to war!”

“Nor do I, Your Highness,” Kabitz sighed, his usual stoic demeanor returning. He adjusted his spectacles. “At least, no sensible reason.”

“How have you come to learn of this war?” Luna asked.

“From the ambassadors waiting outside. They have come to request Equestrian aid for their respective nations.”

Celestia leaned closer. “Have they told you why they have declared war?”

Kibitz shut his eyes tightly and sighed. “Because the Changelings have declared peace.”

There was a long pause. “Sorry, what?” Celestia asked.

“Because the Changelings declared peace,” Kabitz repeated. “Since they’ve ceased hostilities, the Griffons and Abssinthians no longer see why they should continue as allies. As your Highness knows, the two kingdoms ended centuries of enmity to unite against Changeling encroachments under their…previous monarch.”

Celestia nodded gravely. Ponies were not the only race to suffer at the hooves of Queen Chrysalis. Every kingdom Equestria had ever contacted had a Chrysalis story. Thorax would have his hooves full reaching out to them.

“I fail to see what any of this has to do with starting a war,” Luna said, arching a brow.

“I am coming to that,” Kabitz said. “Both kingdoms have decreed that since their alliance is no longer needed, they should resume their conflict in respect for tradition.”

Celestia stared. “But they’ve been allies for seven centuries.”

“I am well-aware of this fact, Your Highness. If I may be bold, it would help if Her Royal Highness reminded them of it.”

Celestia sighed irritably and gave Twilight’s letter back to Raven. “You will have to give me this correspondence later, Raven. We have a war to stop.”

“Understood, Your Highness.” Raven bowed and made her way to a small desk in the shadow of the dais. Placing the mail on the side of the desk, she drew forth quill and parchment, to record what would undoubtedly be a historic petition.

Celestia turned to the guards standing at the door. “Kite Shield. Stonewall.” Both guards stood at attention. “You have heard what Kabitz has said. I want you both to accompany him to the ambassadors and escort them in.”

The guards bowed, as did Kabitz. “Very good, Your Highness. I have no doubt your keen judgement will resolve this matter.” He and the guards turned and left the room.

Luna leaned in. “What about Twilight’s letter?”

“This is far more urgent,” Celestia replied. “We’ll see what she has to say later.” She glanced at the scroll. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s under control.”

“O no, no no no!”

Starlight ran to the window. She thrust her head out, scanning the streets below for a glimpse of black, but saw no-pony aside from ordinary townsfolk.

The door upstairs opened. “That you, Starlight?” Applejack called. “Did’ya get her?” She saw the open window and huffed. “Horse apples! Don’t tell me she went out the window?”

Starlight chuckled nervously. “Okay…I won’t?”

“She won’t get away from me!” A rainbow-colored blur blew past Starlight and out the open window.

“Dash, wait!” Applejack hollered. “Your face—”

But Dash was already halfway across the Ponyville skyline, a rainbow contrail falling behind in her wake. Applejack shook her head. “Dang that girl! We needed her to stay ‘till we figured somethin’ out!”

“That’s Rainbow Dash, she can never keep still,” Starlight said. “At least if Nyx tried flying away, she’ll find her.”

Trixie peeked around the threshold. “Did Nightmare Moon get away?”

“Yeah, she went out the window,” Starlight admitted. “I don’t see her anywhere.”

“Great!” Trixie said, relieved. “The further, the better!”

“No, it ain’t!” Applejack snapped. “We gotta find her, and quick!”

“Do we really need to?” Trixie pleaded. “She can take care of herself just fine, right? How about we just let her run off someplace far away? Far, far away?”

“Not a chance.”

“O, come on!”

“Applejack’s right,” Starlight said. “Nyx is too dangerous to be left alone. We need to find her, now.” She turned back to the window, scanning the streets below for any sign of Nyx.

Applejack and Trixie came up beside her. “Trixie doesn’t see her,” Trixie said. “O well. Princess Twilight will just have to wake up and sort it herself.” She turned away, but Applejack pulled her back.

“Six eyes are better than four,” she growled. “Keep yer eyes peeled—she could be anywhere.”

“Or any-pony,” Starlight added. “She can transform, remember. Keep an eye out for some-pony we don’t know, or one who suddenly has a twin.”

They scanned the streets below. Dash’s sudden departure from the window had startled the towns-ponies below, who stared up at them with bemusement. Starlight waved sheepishly. “Heh, that Rainbow Dash, right? Always in a hurry, you know?”

The towns-ponies shrugged and resumed their business. Starlight studied them carefully, but saw no strangers among them. She noticed a couple of foals playing in the snow, and leaned out the window for a closer look. Was it—? No, those were neighborhood colts. Snips and Snails, if she remembered right.

“Is that her?” Trixie asked suddenly.

“Where? Oof!” Starlight, startled by Trixie’s outburst, stood up and smacked her head against an overhanging gargoyle. “Ow, my head,” Starlight grumbled, rubbing it gingerly. “Stupid statue. Where are you pointing?”

“Over there. See that colt loitering in that alley? That must be her in disguise!”

“Naw, that ain’t her,” Applejack said. “It’s Rumble. Looks like he’s sulkin’ again. I wonder what’s buggin’ him now?”

“That’s not important,” Starlight said. “I don’t see Nyx anywhere! Where could she have gone?”

“Well, it ain’t likely she flew away,” Applejack said, glancing skyward. “I reckon Dash would have found her by now if she tried that.” A familiar rainbow-blur blew by. “Yup, Dash is still lookin.’ She must be hidin’ out in town somewhere.” She paused. “Unless she turned into a bird?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Starlight said. “She’d have tried that already.” She sighed and shook her head. “I guess we’re going to have to look for her. Again.”

“I’ll step out and have a gander,” Applejack said. “Horsefeathers! Bet she’s halfway ‘cross town by now. Do ya still got that map Twi gave us?”

“No, it’s under the rubble,” Starlight answered, her ears wilting.

“Dang. Well, if I see Pinkie Pie, I reckon I’ll have her come help me. She’s usually pretty good ‘bout seein’ through them disguises.”

Starlight nodded. “We’ll go up and check on every-pony, see if we can rouse Princess Twilight, and look for the map. Then we can go and look together.”

“Right,” Applejack said. She turned and charged downstairs.

Starlight and Trixie went up to the second floor. It was an absolute wreck. The fires were extinguished, but the air was heavy with smoke and the smell of burnt wood. Remnants of the Sleeping Smog filled the waiting room; Starlight lit her horn and opened the windows, allowing the Smog and the smoke to slither outside and drift skyward.

“That’ll give us room to breathe,” Starlight said. She turned to Nurse Redheart, who was still cradling the police lieutenant. “How is he?”

“N-Not good,” Nurse Redheart said shakily. She had a blood-soaked handkerchief pressed against the lieutenant’s face. “That strike shattered his glass eye—he needs to be operated on immediately.”

Starlight nodded grimly. “Trixie, go into the ER and see if they can spare a doctor.” Trixie gave a facetious salute and galloped through the double-doors. Starlight turned to check on Twilight, but Nurse Redheart pulled her back.

“Wait! Please, you must tell me—was that N-Nightmare Moon who did all this?”

Starlight hesitated. “Yes.”

“H-How is t-that even possible?” Nurse Redheart stammered. “I thought she was part of Princess Luna?”

“Uh, they split up?” Starlight said, in an attempt at levity. It had no effect, so she gave a straight answer. “Yes. She’s her own pony now.”

“Pony?” Nurse Redheart shrieked. “That wasn’t a pony! What even is she?”

“I don’t know,” Starlight admitted. “I’ve never seen anything like her before. Did she hurt you?”

“No,” Nurse Redheart said. She sounded puzzled. “I b-begged her not to hurt us and she…just passed us by.”

“That’s odd,” Starlight said, frowning. “Why wouldn’t—”

“Found one!” Trixie yelled triumphantly, in a sing-song voice.

Starlight turned to see a cream-caramel unicorn stallion dressed in scrubs, glasses, and a face-mask follow Trixie from the ER. He did a double-take when he saw the destroyed waiting room.

“Doctor Greymare!” Nurse Redheart exclaimed. She raised the lieutenant’s head. “He needs help, stat!”

“What’s his condition?” Dr. Greymare asked.

Nurse Redheart made several motions Starlight recognized as a breathing exercise. Then she cleared her throat and spoke in a brisk voice: “The patient was struck in the head. His left eye was made of glass and has shattered inside the socket. He is bleeding profusely, and there are signs of possible skull fractures. In addition, the patient is expressing symptoms of delirium.”

Dr. Greymare nodded and lifted the handkerchief. Blood seeped from the wound, fragments of splintered glass glistening in the socket. Trixie suddenly looked anxious.

“Um, is he going to be alright?” she asked. “He’ll live, won’t he?”

“Too early to tell,” Dr. Greymare replied. He turned to the ER door. “Orderlies, get in here, stat!”

Two orderlies rushed out, pulling a gurney between them. They quickly scooped up the lieutenant and rushed him into the ER. Dr. Greymare surveyed the unconscious ponies littering the room. “What in thunder happened out here? What’s their condition?”

“There was a fight,” Nurse Redheart explained. “Every-pony you see here was put to sleep by a magical mist called “Slumber Smog.” But Miss Zecora was knocked out by a kick to the head.”

Dr. Greymare knelt next to Zecora and took her pulse. “She’ll be alright. But I want her taken in for observation. Nurse, go upstairs and rouse the other staff members. We’ll need every pony we can spare.” Nurse Redheart nodded, and, her terror pushed to the side, made for the stairs. Dr. Greymare adjusted his glasses and turned to Starlight, looking deeply troubled. “Alright, could some-pony tell me what happened? I heard there was a fight…is the assailant still in the building?”

“No, she got out,” Starlight replied.

“She? You know who did this?”

“We’ll explain later,” Starlight said quickly. “We’re taking care of it. You need to focus on the hurt ponies first. Especially Princess Twilight.”

Dr. Greymare stared at her for a moment, but then nodded gravely. “You’re right, of course. In the meantime, ask a nurse to have a look at your flank. You have some serious bruising there.”

Starlight glanced at her flank and winced. Her bruises were back, the purples and blues interspersed with a nasty shade of yellow-green. The heavy bruising almost entirely obscured her cutie mark. “I’ll be fine. That’s from getting thrown several times by my tail over the last few days.”

“What about your head?”

Starlight reached up with a hoof and found a hard knot. “O, that’s not from the fight. I just hit my head on one of the gargoyles outside, it’s nothing.”

“Gargoyles?”

“Yes, there’s one right outside the stairwell window.”

Dr. Greymare looked confused. “But this is a modern hospital, we don’t have any gargoyles.”

Starlight’s eyes widened. She exchanged shocked glances with Trixie, then both mares turned and galloped back to the stairs. They hurried down the steps and peered out the window, to where the gargoyle had been.

It was gone.

They stared at the empty space for a long moment before either of them could speak.

“That…that was actually really clever,” Starlight said lightly. “I guess this means she can change into inanimate objects as well. That’s interesting.”

“She was right there,” Trixie whispered. “She was sitting above our heads and we didn’t even realize it.”

“It was a neat trick,” Starlight continued. “We were so sure she escaped, it never occurred to us she would hang back. She must be a lot cleverer than we realized!”

“Starlight!” Trixie snapped. “Do you realize what this means?”

“Um…she overheard our plans?”

Trixie laughed hollowly. “No, Starlight. It means she could have killed us before we even knew she was there.” She was smiling, but her body was shaking, her eyes wide and staring.

“Well, yes,” Starlight said. “She could have done that.”

“And that doesn’t freak you out? Like, at all?” She laughed again, her pupils shrinking to tiny pinpricks.

“Maybe a little,” Starlight admitted. “But she didn’t, and here we are.” She frowned, thinking over what had happened. “Why not, though? We would have been an easy kill.”

Trixie trembled. “Easy…kill?”

“Maybe it was too great a risk?” Starlight continued, absorbed in her own thoughts. “Perhaps she thought it would attract the town’s attention?”

“Why would she care?” Trixie said, her voice growing shriller. “She’s stronger than most ponies—she could just beat every-pony up!”

“No, that would be a waste of energy,” Starlight realized. “She’s trying to flee, not fight. That’s why she left Nurse Redheart and that lieutenant alone—they weren’t a threat to her.”

“Threat?” Trixie repeated in disbelief. “She’s threatened by us?”

“Maybe,” Starlight said. “I mean, she didn’t attack until Lt. Column tried to grab her…and she jumped us only after we’d caught up to her.”

“What about Rarity?”

Starlight frowned. “I don’t know what happened there. Maybe Rarity did something?”

“Sorry, but what could Rarity possibly do to make any-pony feel threatened?” Trixie asked. “No offense, but Rarity is so hoity-toity! Trixie can’t take her seriously!”

“Who knows? That filly’s mind works in ways none of us understand. The only way to find out is to catch her.” She made for the stairs. “You stay here and try to get every-pony up. I’ll go tell Applejack what happened.”

“Are you crazy?” Trixie shrieked. “That kid is a deranged lunatic! She’s dangerous! And she’s got that knife on her now, don’t forget that!”

Starlight cringed. “I…I’ll deal with that when it becomes relevant. But we need to find her before she hurts some-pony else.” She thought of the empty space on the wall outside. “She can’t have gone far.”

Sweetie Belle trudged through the snow, a double-chocolate cookie, nestled in a white wax-paper envelope, held aloft in her magic. Sugarcube Corner’s cookies were regarded as the finest in Ponyville. On any other day, Sweetie Belle would have stuffed herself sick with as many cookies as she could reach. But she barely nibbled on the one Pinkie Pie had given her.

She trailed behind her friends, too absorbed in her own thoughts to care about keeping up. Only Pinkie Pie was slower, walking with her head down and mane straight, her colors decidedly less pink. Sweetie Belle had never seen Pinkie Pie this depressed before; it made her feel even worse.

Their visit to Sugarcube Corner had been brief. Sweetie Belle insisted her place was in that hospital waiting room. She left Rarity once already, and look what happened! She needed to be by her side, not sitting in a bakery eating cookies! So it was that they found themselves trotting back to the hospital. As a means to cheer her up, the whole excursion had been a failure.

That didn’t stop the other Crusaders from trying to comfort her anyway. “Aren’t you gonna eat your cookie?” Scootaloo asked her. “They’re really good!” She was doing her best to sound cheerful, but Sweetie Belle knew better. Neither Scootaloo or Applebloom had eaten much of their cookies either, keeping them stowed away in their pockets.

“I’m not hungry,” Sweetie Belle said.

Scootaloo’s face fell. “Rarity has really got you worried, doesn’t she?”

“I’ve never seen her get hurt like that before,” Sweetie Belle sniffed. “What if the doctors can’t help her?”

Pinkie Pie looked up. “Don’t say things like that. Those doctors will fix her up, don’t worry.” She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself as much as them.

“See? It’ll be like Pinkie Pie says,” Applebloom said. “But whatever happens, we’ll be there for ya. Crusaders forever!”

“Forever!” Scootaloo repeated.

Sweetie Belle smiled weakly at them. She still felt bad, but hearing her friends say such things made her feel a little better. “Thank you.”

“There is one thing that’s been buggin’ me, though,” Applebloom said, frowning. “That filly you saw leavin’ the Boutique…Who was she?”

“I don’t know,” Sweetie Belle answered. “Why does it matter?”

“Jus’ seems funny to me, is all. Rarity got hurt, and then that filly who was with her ran off instead of gettin’ help?”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo agreed. “Maybe she’s the one that did it!”

Pinkie Pie looked up sharply. “Don’t say things like that. You don’t know what happened.”

“Well, she could of!” Scootaloo insisted. “It’s not like Rarity would have done that to herself, she’s too careful for that!”

Sweetie Belle furrowed her brow. She had thought little of whomever had leaped out the window, aside from telling the funny detective about her. Her thoughts had been preoccupied with whether Rarity would pull through; the idea that the mystery filly had attacked Rarity never crossed her mind. “I should have stopped her.”

“Now don’ go blamin’ yerself,” Appleboom said. “You didn’t know what was goin’ on. Besides, she might a’ just hurt you too.”

“No, she wouldn’t,” Pinkie Pie said. “Do you really think Twilight would bring any-pony to Rarity if she thought she was dangerous?”

Applebloom turned. “D’ya know that filly?”

Pinkie Pie tensed. “O? Um, yeah. She’s Twilight’s new ward.”

“Does Twilight know where she is?” Scootaloo asked.

“No…not exactly. We’re not sure where she went.”

Sweetie Belle was suddenly suspicious. “Why did she run away? Why didn’t she go and get help?”

“We’re not sure. Twilight thinks she was scared after Rarity hurt herself.”

Scootaloo tilted her head. “Princess Twilight thinks Rarity hurt herself? How?”

“Uh…” Pinkie Pie’s nose scrunched up. She seemed just as puzzled as the Crusaders. “Well…”

“Hey! Sweetie Belle!”

Every-pony turned to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon galloping towards them. The pair came to a halt in front of Sweetie Belle. “We heard what happened to your sister,” Diamond Tiara said. Her ears wilted. “We’re so sorry.”

“Yeah,” Silver Spoon gasped. She panted heavily, being out of shape. “Real sorry.”

“Um…thanks?” Sweetie Belle replied, feeling a little awkward. She had no idea how to respond. Apparently, neither did they. All of them spent an uncomfortably long moment staring at each other before Diamond Tiara finally spoke.

“Is…Is Miss Rarity going to be alright?”

Sweetie Belle suddenly teared up. “I don’t know! She—She looked awful when I found her. The doctors are trying to save her, but…” She started sniveling.

Diamond Tiara noticed the cookie. “Is that to cheer you up?”

“The police pony she was talkin’ to told Pinkie to go get her one,” Applebloom explained. “It was supposed to cheer her up but…it don’t look like it worked.”

“Cookies didn’t work?” Silver Spoon exclaimed. “Wow, Rarity must be really hurt!”

“Are you headed back to the hospital?” Diamond Tiara asked. “If you are…can we wait with you?”

Sweetie Belle wiped her eyes. “Thank you. I’d like that.”

“Wait!” Scootaloo cried suddenly. “Who’s that?”

Sweetie Belle turned and saw a unicorn filly walking towards them, staying close to the sides of the buildings. She moved very quietly, occasionally stopping to look at the sky. Her coat was the color of warm butter, over which she wore a plain, woolen opal-colored jacket. Her yellow-orange mane was long and straight, with a long bang hanging over one of her vermillion eyes.

“I’ve never seen her before,” Diamond Tiara said, frowning. “Maybe she’s new?”

“New?” Pinkie Pie repeated. “A new pony?” She stared, transfixed, at the approaching filly. Suddenly, she broke out into a huge grin. Her mane poofed back into a mess of curls, and her body’s colors resumed their normal saturation. “A new pony! How exciting! O my gosh, I have another welcome party to plan!” She bounded forward, landing in front of the new filly, almost nose to nose. “Hiya! I’m Pinkie Pie! What’s your name?”

The filly’s eyes widened, and she backed away. She looked from side to side, as though searching for an escape. “¿Mi nombre?” She thought for a bit. “Call me Sunny Daydream.”

“Sunny Daydream? That’s a lovely name! Yes-indeedy!” Pinke Pie clapped her hooves excitedly.

Silver Spoon giggled. “Uh-oh! Looks like Pinkie Pie found another one.”

“Poor kid,” Diamond Tiara said, smiling. “She’s about to get the full Pinkie experience.”

“And look!” Applebloom cried. “She ain’t got her Cutie Mark yet!” Sure enough, the filly’s flank was bare. “Crusaders, we know what we gotta do!”

“We do?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Of course! Help her find her Cutie Mark!”

“What about Rarity?”

Applebloom froze. “O.” She considered for a moment. “Well, it wouldn’t hurt to say howdy, right? Least we can do is let ‘er know Pinkie Pie ain’t nothin’ to be scared of.”

Sweetie Belle considered. She was worried sick about Rarity…but helping ponies find their Cutie Marks was part of her special talents. To brush this new filly off was as foreign to her as the Prench language. “Okay,” she said, stashing her cookie in her pocket. “Let’s say hi.”

They approached the little filly while Pinkie Pie asked her questions at a rapid-fire pace: “Do you like cake? Ice cream? Ooh, ice cream cake? What flavor’s your favorite? Do you like sprinkles?” Sunny Daydream said nothing, but stared at her with a mixture of suspicion and bewilderment.

Applebloom went up to Pinkie Pie. “Um, Pinkie Pie? D’ya mind if we cut in? Crusader business and all.”

“Sure!” Pinkie Pie squealed, hopping up and down. “Isn’t this exciting, Sunny? You’ve just gotten into town and you’re already making friends! You must be so happy!”

“¿Que?” Sunny Daydream asked, bemused.

“Howdy!” Applebloom exclaimed. “Good to meet ya!”

Sunny Daydream stared at her. “I do not know you.” She had a pretty voice; Sweetie Belle was reminded of musical glasses.

“We’re the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” Applebloom said. “I’m Applebloom, and this here is Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle!”

“Hiya!” Scootaloo greeted.

“Hello,” Sweetie Belle said.

Sunny Daydream nodded at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. “Who are they?”

“They’re friends of ours,” Applebloom explained. “That there is Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.”

Sunny Daydream stared at them for an uncomfortable length of time. “What do you have to do with me? I know nothing of you.” Her speech was a formal yet smoothly delivered lilt, and she sustained certain vowels longer than usual. It was a voice that caught the ear. Yet, the quaver in it suggested a very young filly; she sounded closer to Dinky in age.

“We help ponies find their special talents and earn ‘em their Cutie Marks!” Applebloom said excitedly. “And we couldn’t help but notice you ain’t got yers yet!”

Sunny Daydream turned to look at her flank. “No, I do not have one. Only ponies get those. No querría uno de todos modos.”

Applebloom tilted her head. “Do what now?”

“Ooh, you speak Maredrish?” Pinkie Pie squealed. “How exciting! I love Maredrish! ¿Te gustaría una piñata en tu fiesta de bienvenida?”

Diamond Tiara was stunned. “I didn’t know you spoke Maredrish!”

“Well, duh, of course I speak Maredrish!” Pinkie Pie said, laughing. “It’s the language of piñatas! ¡Carnavales! ¡Fiestas! It’s, like, the language of parties! I’d be crazy not to know it!”

“Well, I reckon that’s pretty neat,” Applebloom said, turning back to Sunny Daydream. “Maybe learnin’ languages is your special talent! Ya know any other languages?”

“Yes,” Sunny Daydream said. “I can talk in Prench, too.”

“Prench?” Diamond Tiara said, impressed. “That’s what all the posh ponies speak!”

“Rarity knows Prench,” Sweetie Belle murmured. Sunny Daydream shot her an appraising look.

“Wow!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “Where’d you learn all that from?”

Sunny Daydream brightened. “From my Mommy!”

“Your Mommy?” Pinkie Pie asked. She bounced with excitement. “That’s two ponies I need to make a welcome party for!” She leaned in eagerly. “What’s her name?”

“Mommy.”

The fillies giggled, even Sweetie Belle. Pinkie Pie chuckled too. “Okay, should have seen that one coming. I meant, what is your Mommy’s name? Like, what does your Daddy call her?”

The little filly suddenly looked stricken. “I don’t have a Daddy.”

“O,” Pinkie Pie said, her ears wilting. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“I know just how ya feel,” Applebloom said morosely. “My folks ain’t around no more neither. They…they got rushed by some Timberwolves…” She sniffed. “Didja lose yer Daddy like that too?”

“No, I never had one. It has always been me and my Mommy. Nuestros solamente.”

Every-pony looked at each other uneasily. Poor filly! She must be too young to know better.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Pinkie Pie said softly. “I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings. But where is your Mommy? I’d love to talk to her.”

Little Sunny’s eyes watered. “I do not know where Mommy went. I lost her!”

Applebloom gasped. “Ya lost her? How did that happen?”

“We were separated,” Sunny said. Tears streamed down her face. “Now I must go and find her, but I do not know where to look. I may never see Mommy again!”

“O, you poor thing,” Silver Spoon said. “We’ve got to do something!”

“Silver Spoon’s right,” Applebloom said, suddenly business-like. “We gotta help Sunny find her mama!”

“You do not have to do that,” Sunny said quickly. She backed away, eyeing them warily. “I can find Mommy all by myself! I am a big girl now. Mommy said so.”

Applebloom chuckled. “I reckon you could, but it’ll be so much faster if we look together!”

“But you do not know me,” Sunny protested. She sounded confused. “Why do you want to help me? There is nothing in it for you. Nada.”

“Because it’s the right thing to do, silly!” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully. “When ponies have problems, we all come together and help! That’s what being helpful is all about!”

“Yes. Ponies help other ponies,” Sunny said. “My mistake. I had forgotten.” Her tone was strange. Sweetie Belle thought it sounded bitter, but she quickly dismissed that as her imagination.

If Pinkie Pie noticed her odd tone, she said nothing about it. “Yup-er-doo! We’ll find her, don’t you worry! Detective Pinkie is on the case!” She suddenly wore a grey deerstalker cap and inverness cape. “What does your Mommy look like?” she asked, blowing bubbles out of a pipe.

Sunny stepped back from Pinkie Pie. “She is very tall,” she said, staring at Pinkie Pie’s new attire with utter bafflement. The Crusaders glanced at each other. It had become clear to them that Pinkie Pie’s…Pinkie-ness was intimidating Sunny. While Pinkie Pie’s personality endeared her to many of Ponyville’s foals, occasionally there would be one or two who found her overwhelming. Sunny seemed to fit into this latter category.

“Tall, huh? That’s a start,” Pinkie Pie murmured, oblivious to Sunny’s discomfort. “How tall is she? As tall as a Saddle Arabian?” She blew pony-shaped bubbles out of the pipe, tall and stout like the ponies of Middle Eastern Equus.

Sunny was confused. “¿Quien? How tall are those?”

“Real tall!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“Uh, sí?” Sunny said. She backed another step away.

Applebloom stepped forward. “Uh, Pinkie Pie? I reckon we can help Sunny find her mama just fine. Why don’t ya go back to the hospital and let ‘em know where we went?”

“But I’m really good at finding ponies!” Pinkie Pie said, beaming. “Just give me a good description and I can find them easy-peasy!”

“Maybe, but I reckon Sweetie Belle’s parents are gonna wonder why we’re takin’ so long to get back,” Applebloom said, suddenly sounding thoughtful.

“And we offered Sunny help first,” Scootaloo added. “It’s kind of a Crusader mission now.”

Pinkie Pie deflated a little, but she kept her smile. “Alright, if you’ve got this, I guess I can go back to the hospital. But let me know everything you find out about Sunny’s mommy! I can’t wait to throw her a welcome party, I know she’ll love it!”

“Mommy doesn’t like parties,” Sunny said.

“What?” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “That’s awful! Why not?”

“Because she says they are silly,” Sunny replied. “They are loud and wasteful. Our resources are too small to spend on celebrating days just because something happened a long time ago. Surviving to the next day is all that matters.”

Pinkie Pie’s mouth hung open. The Crusaders exchanged uneasy glances with Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara. Sunny sounded as though she had a very stern mother.

“Does that mean you don’t celebrate anything at all?” Pinkie Pie asked shakily. “Not even your birthday?”

“What’s a birthday?”

Every-pony gasped. “It’s the day you were born,” Applebloom said, stunned. “Don’t ya keep track of how old yer gettin’?”

Sunny tilted her head, in a strange, stilted motion. “Why is that important? Do you ponies celebrate not dying for a full year?”

“Well, no,” Pinkie Pie said. “It’s because we’re happy you’re with us, and we want to celebrate that you’re here!” She smiled warmly. “You know when you were born, right?”

“No.”

Pinkie Pie’s face blanched in astonishment. “No? But…how do you not know? Didn’t your Mommy tell you?”

“No. She doesn’t pay attention to dates,” Sunny replied.

“But what about yer age?” Applebloom asked.

“Why does that matter?” Sunny demanded.

“So…everybody knows how old you are?” Scootaloo said.

Sunny once more appeared puzzled. “How old am I? Do you mean how many winters I have?”

“Uh, I guess?” Scootaloo said, hesitantly.

Sunny considered. “This is my second winter.”

“Two?” Pinkie Pie asked incredulously. “Um, are you sure about that?”

Sunny pursed her lips. “You asked a question and I gave you an answer. Is my word not enough for you? ¿Crees que soy un meniroso?” She spoke fiercely, but with a sense of command. It sounded entirely wrong coming from a filly who looked like she should be in magical kindergarten.

Pinkie Pie stepped away. “O, no no no! I didn’t mean anything by it!”

Sunny glared at her. “Then what did you mean?”

“I just…don’t understand,” Pinkie Pie mumbled. She lowered her head. “Maybe I should just go back to the hospital. I’ll let every-pony know where you kids went. Good luck finding her mommy.” She set off for the hospital, looking dejected.

Applebloom frowned at Sunny. “Ya didn’t need to treat Pinkie Pie like that, she was jus’ tryin’ to help.”

“I do not like her,” Sunny replied. “She smiles too widely and shows all her teeth.” She tossed her head, so that her prominent bang landed behind her horn. “What is a hospital?”

“It’s that building over there,” Silver Spoon said, pointing at the hospital looming several blocks away. Sunny’s eyes flickered with recognition.

“O, that place. What do they do there?”

“It’s a place where they help sick and injured ponies feel better,” Silver Spoon answered.

Sunny looked puzzled. “Why do they do that?”

“Because helping ponies feel better is good?” Sweetie Belle said, arching a brow at her. “You mean you’ve never heard of a hospital? Then where were you born?”

“In the bushes,” Sunny said. “They were mean to me.”

The fillies looked at each other, baffled. What sort of upbringing did this kid have?”

“Well, a hospital has a lot of doctors,” Applebloom explained. “Don’t ya go see the doctor when ya get sick?”

“No, Mommy takes care of me. She knows all about healing.” Sunny perked up, her former aloofness gone. “She knows lots of things!”

“That’s nice,” Diamond Tiara said, carefully. “Does she use her magic, then?”

“¡Sí! And she makes potions, too.” She nodded towards Pinkie Pie’s retreating figure. “Who is she going to see in this hospital place?”

“My sister,” Sweetie Belle said softly. “She was hurt really bad this morning.”

“Your sister?” Sunny asked. She sniffed in Sweetie Belle’s direction, and her eyes narrowed. “What is her name?”

“Rarity,” Sweetie Belle replied. “She’s the bearer of the Element of Generosity.”

“Rarity is your sister?” Sunny cried. She stepped back, looking between the Crusaders with an odd, calculating gaze. “Are all of you related to the Bearers?”

“I am!” Applebloom said proudly. “Applejack is my big sis!”

“And I’m Rainbow Dash’s biggest fan!” Scootaloo squealed.

“That ain’t the same thing, Scoots.”

“It’s close enough!” Scootaloo said defensively. “Rainbow Dash lets me hang out with her! She’s so cool! She’s super-fast and can make a Sonic Rainboom! And she’s in the Wonderbolts!”

“Yeah, we know,” Diamond Tiara said, rolling her eyes.

Sunny turned to her. “What of you? How do you know them?”

“We…don’t know them very well,” Diamond Tiara admitted, her ears wilting. “My Daddy does business with the Apples, but that’s between Granny Smith and him.”

Sunny licked her lips and looked between the Crusaders and the street, as though she were calculating how fast she could run down it. Sweetie Belle was puzzled. When other foals discovered she was related to an Element Bearer, they became super excited and asked a lot of questions, thrilled to meet some-pony connected to Equestria’s heroines. But Sunny seemed anxious instead. “I can find Mommy on my own. Why don’t you go with Pinkamina and see your sister? Puedo hacerlo bien por mi cuenta.”

“It ain’t no big deal, we’ll help ya find her,” Applebloom said. She hesitated. “Though if Sweetie Belle wants to go back to the hospital, me and Scoots can go on ahead?”

Sweetie Belle took a deep breath. She did want to go back to the hospital. But Sweetie Belle also knew Rarity would be upset to learn that she had refused to help a little filly in trouble. “No, I’ll help.”

“Thanks, Sweetie. Good on ya.” Applebloom turned back to Sunny, smiling. “See, we’ll help ya find yer mama! You don’t have to be afraid.”

Sunny scowled. “How dare you! I am no coward! I fear no-pony!”

Applebloom backed away, aghast. “I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ like that! I just thought ya looked worried!”

“You don’t need to get so upset, we’re only trying to help you,” Diamond Tiara said, baffled.

Sunny relaxed. “Muy bien, I see you mean nothing by it. El error fue mio.”

“I’m sorry I made ya feel bad, I just wanted to help,” Applebloom said, sharing uneasy glances with her friends.

Sunny leaned closer to Applebloom. “Helping me find my Mommy—do you insist on this thing?”

“Um…yeah?” Applebloom replied, bemused.

Sunny stared at them. Her gaze made Sweetie Belle feel as though she and her friends were being studied. “I might find Mommy at the end of this street,” Sunny said carefully. She pointed at one of the roads leading towards the end of town.

“Alright then,” Applebloom said. “I reckon we can start down that way.”

Sunny nodded and set off down the street at a brisk pace. The other fillies fell back a few paces and whispered among themselves.

“She’s weird,” Diamond Tiara said bluntly.

“That ain’t a nice thing to say,” Applebloom replied.

“It’s true!” Diamond Tiara insisted. “There’s something off about her. She acts like she’s never talked to ponies before!”

“Yeah!” Silver Spoon agreed. “And did you see how mad she got when you told her not to be scared? What’s that about?”

“She’s got a temper somethin’ fierce,” Applebloom admitted. “But she’s little, so maybe she don’t know no better?”

Scootaloo nodded. “Yeah, little foals get mad for no reason, right? Dinky did that while we were talking to her, remember?”

“Maybe she and her mom lived out in some faraway place where there isn’t any-pony else,” Sweetie Belle suggested. “That’s probably why she doesn’t know how to talk to other ponies.”

“Or maybe her mom is like mine,” Diamond Tiara said, her ears wilting. “She sounds harsher than her. At least my mom remembers my birthday.”

The other fillies nodded glumly. What sort of mother forgot her own child’s birthday?

“We’ll just have to find out,” Applebloom said. “Pinkie Pie wanted to meet Sunny’s mama, too. Maybe she can get Princess Twilight to give ‘em friendship lessons?”

“If we find her,” Scootaloo interjected. “I don’t see any new ponies down this way, do you?”

Sweetie Belle looked around. There were few ponies about, townsfolk Sweetie Belle knew at least in passing. The street they were going down was a new development. Cottages were wrapping up construction, including an extra-large one built for a Saddle Arabian family. Sweetie Belle briefly pondered if Sunny was the daughter of that same family, but Sunny trotted right by the large cottage without a flicker of recognition. There was little else of interest here; the road led out of town, towards the Everfree Forest.

Applebloom caught up to Sunny. “I don’t see no-pony else ‘round here,” she said. “D’ya wanna try a diff’ernt street?”

“This street is good,” Sunny replied. “Just a little further.”

“But it don’t look like she’s here,” Applebloom pressed. “Maybe she went to the market in the center of town?”

Sunny glanced at her. “What is a market?”

“It’s a place where ponies sell things,” Diamond Tiara answered. “Like jam and vegetables.”

“Sell? ¿Qué es eso?”

Diamond Tiara blinked. “Uh, you know? Buying things? With money?”

Sunny’s expression became dismissive. “O, money. Mommy told me about that. It’s what ponies barter with. Estúpida.”

“Huh?” Applebloom asked. “Ya mean ya don’t know nothin’ ‘bout money neither? How d’ya get stuff ya want then?”

“We take it.”

“What d’ya mean by that?”

Sunny was about to answer, when her belly suddenly growled. Applebloom smiled. “Uh-oh! Sounds like some-pony’s hungry.”

“Sí,” Sunny agreed, massaging her belly. “It is hungry in there. It wants me to eat some food now. I have had not eaten for a while.” She gave them an odd, searching look; she seemed to be sizing them up now, her eyes hungry and calculating. Sweetie Belle felt an unexplainable chill; something in Sunny’s gaze raised her hackles. It was a very similar feeling to the tension she felt in the moments just before she found Rarity. There was no reason to feel that way, yet her intuition kept insisting it was in their best interest to feed Sunny. Now.

She slipped her cookie out of her pocket and offered it to Sunny. “If you’re hungry, how about a cookie? I don’t really want this one.”

Sunny brightened. “Cookies? I know those! Mommy made them for me sometimes! ¡Muy deliciosa!” She jumped up and down excitedly.

Sweetie Belle smiled. “There you are, then. Is your magic strong enough to hold it?”

Sunny nodded. She took the cookie into her own indigo-colored magic and pulled it out of the wax-paper envelope. Her nose scrunched up. “Why is it so dark? Did this one burn?” She drew it closer and sniffed deeply. “No, it does not have the burn smell. But it has a weird scent. What is this?”

“It’s chocolate,” Sweetie Belle explained. “Double chocolate. The cookie is chocolate, and there’s chocolate chips in it, too.”

“I have never heard of chocky-let before.”

Scootaloo gasped. “What, never? Just how far away did you guys live?”

Sunny became morose. “Very far. Very, very far.”

“Well, chocolate is really good!” Applebloom said eagerly. “Try it! You’ll like it, trust us.”

Sunny squinted suspiciously at the cookie, turning it over in her magic. But then her belly growled again, so she took a bite from it. She made a face.

Silver Spoon frowned. “What’s a matter? Don’t you like it?”

“No! I do not like this kind of cookie. It is too sweet.”

Every-pony’s mouth hung open. “Too sweet?” Sweetie Belle repeated, dumbfounded. “But…it’s a cookie! They’re supposed to be sweet!”

“Sweet enough for you,” Sunny replied, giving the cookie back to Sweetie Belle. “But it is too sweet for me.”

“But what did yer mama put in her cookies, then?” Applebloom asked.

“Honey.”

“O, that sounds good, actually,” Silver Spoon said, smiling. “What else did your mom put into them?”

Sunny’s eyes shined. “Mommy put lots of yummy things in her cookies! Honey, nuts, dried fruit…”

“That sound awesome!” Scootaloo interjected.

“…And lots of bugs!”

Sweetie Belle blinked. “Wait, what? Bugs?”

Sunny nodded happily. “Yeah huh! She put beetles and crickets and caterpillars in them! ¡Muy deliciosa!”

“Eew!” the fillies cried.

“That’s gross!” Applebloom said, turning a little green. “Ya can’t put bugs in cookies!”

“You can too!” Sunny pouted. “Mommy says they add new-tree-ants so the cookies can be a travel snack. So there!” She stuck her tongue out at them.

Applebloom shook her head in disbelief. “What kind o’ pony is yer mama anyhow?”

“Applebloom!”

Every-pony turned to see Applejack galloping towards them. “Where in the hay have y’all been?” Applejack demanded. “I didn’t see y’all at the hospital. What’re y’all doing out here?”

“Pinkie Pie took us out to give Sweetie Belle a cookie, then we decided to help Sunny here find her mama,” Applebloom explained. She arched a brow at her sister. “Never mind us, where’ve you been? And what happened to yer face?”

“That ain’t important right now,” Applejack snapped. “I been out lookin’ for some-pony. Any of y’all seen a new pony around? One y’all ain’t seen before? Like—” She broke off, suddenly noticing Sunny. “Hang on now, who’s this?”

“I was just tellin’ ya, this is our new friend, Sunny Daydream!” Applebloom exclaimed.

“Sunny…Daydream,” Applejack repeated in disbelief. She shot Sunny a stern glare. “That’s the name yer going with? Seriously?”

“Do you have a problem with that?” Sunny asked calmly.

Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “Can talk now, can you?”

“Of course she can talk!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “She even knows Maredrish! Isn’t that amazing?”

“Amazin.’ Girls, I need ya to step away from her right now.”

“Huh?” Applebloom said. “Why?”

“Never mind why!” Applejack snapped. “Just do as I say!”

Applebloom frowned. “We ain’t doing nothin’ like that ‘till you tell us what’s going on!”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo agreed. “Sunny’s our friend! We’re trying to help her find her mom!”

Sunny looked surprised. “We are friends now?”

“Of course!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “We’re happy to have you with us! Even if you are a bit weird.”

“Like puttin’ bugs in cookies!” Applebloom said, making a face. “But Granny says that they eat funny stuff off in for’n parts, so I guess that’s jus’ normal.”

“Bugs in cookies?” Applejack repeated. “What in tar…never mind, it don’t matter. Jus’ do as I say and get away from her! She’s dangerous!”

The fillies looked at the little lost foal beside them, and then stared back at Applejack as if she had grown antlers. “How?” Diamond Tiara asked. “She’s a little kid who’s gotten lost, how can she be dangerous?”

“Yeah!” Silver Spoon agreed. “What’s she gonna do, act cute at us?”

“Y’all don’t understand, she’s a little hellion!” Applejack snapped. “Now do as I say and move aside!”

No!” Applebloom yelled. She stormed towards her sister. “I don’ know what’s gotten into you, but ya can’t jus’ go around scarin’ off some-pony jus’ cause she’s new in town! I can’t believe you, Granny is goin’ to be so mad when I tell her!”

Applejack was taken aback. “Applebloom, it ain’t like that, she—”

“Applejack!”

Starlight Glimmer galloped up to them. Applejack cocked her head, confused. “Starlight? What’cha doin’ here? I thought you was off helpin’ Twilight?”

“I was, but then I realized Nyx was closer than we thought,” Starlight explained. “I came to tell you before she got too far.”

Applejack’s expression soured. “Yup, I know. I found her.”

“You did? Where is—” Starlight spotted Sunny, and her eyes widened. “O.”

“Nyx?” Applebloom asked. “Who’s that?”

Starlight hesitated. “Well, um, that’s what we call her.” She pointed at Sunny.

Sunny scowled. “That is not my name.”

“No, it sure ain’t,” Applebloom said. “Her name is Sunny Daydream, not Nyx.”

“Sunny Daydream?” Starlight repeated. She rolled her eyes and smiled. “Seriously? You couldn’t have thought up a better name than that?”

Sunny glowered at her. “Are you making fun of me, Bruja?”

Starlight faltered. “What? No, of course not! I just…” She stopped, and stared at Sunny in bewilderment. “Wait, you’re talking to us now?”

“No. Some-pony else is speaking. I cannot speak at all.” Sunny giggled, amused by her own wit.

“Ok, I set myself up for that one,” Starlight huffed. Her face hardened. “You’re in serious trouble, young filly! You better give up and come quietly!”

Applebloom snorted angrily and slammed her hoof down. “Sunny ain’t goin’ nowhere! What the hay’s gotten into you two? First, ya don’t show up at the hospital when Rarity got hurt, now yer runnin’ around town yellin’ at little foals? The hay is wrong with y’all?”

Applejack’s face flushed. “Ya wanna know? Fine, I’ll tell ya!” She pointed furiously at Sunny. “That new “friend” of yers is Nightmare Moon in disguise!”

There was a long silence.

“Um, Miss Applejack?” Diamond Tiara said carefully. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Never better,” Applejack snapped. “Y’all move along, too.”

“Sis, maybe you should go home,” Applebloom said, her tone now caring and sympathetic. “I love ya, but you ain’t all right. Maybe you should go to bed?”

“I’m perfectly fine!” Applejack yelled. “Why in the hay wouldn’t I be?”

“‘Cause Nightmare Moon is gone, remember?” Scootaloo said. “You were there, you helped beat her.”

“And supposin’ she were Nightmare Moon, what would she be doin’ walkin’ ‘round town pretendin’ to be a little filly?” Applebloom asked. “That don’t make no sense.

“We’ll explain later,” Starlight said. “Please move aside.”

“No!” Applebloom yelled. “Yer both talkin’ crazy!”

“We’re tryin’ to keep ya safe!” Applejack yelled. She pointed at Sunny. “She’s the one who hurt Rarity!”

Another shocked silence greeted this pronouncement. Then, Sunny started sobbing. Hard. It was a pitiful sight, tears streaming down her face while her body shook in the cold. “Why is every-pony being mean to me?” she wailed.

Applebloom spun on her sister. “Well, Sis? You happy now?”

Applejack was taken aback. “I didn’t mean for…that is, I didn’t say…”

Starlight cut in. “Look, you need to listen to us, she’s—”

“I just want to find my Mommy!” Sunny howled. “I cannot find her, and now you bad ponies hate me!” She sobbed even harder.

Applejack blustered. “We ain’t bad ponies! You’re the one who—”

“You’re right, I’m sorry, we made a terrible mistake,” Starlight interrupted, her eyes darting around quickly. Sweetie Belle looked around and realized that a small herd of ponies was forming around the scene. Many of them were glaring at Applejack and Starlight, whispering angrily among themselves and shaking their heads. “We were looking for some-pony else, but it seems there’s been some mistake—”

“We ain’t makin’ no mistake!” Applejack shouted. “That’s—”

“For which we are deeply sorry,” Starlight finished. “Excuse us a minute, we need to talk.” She dragged a protesting Applejack away in her magic.

Sweetie Belle shook her head at them, upset that they made Sunny cry. But then, Applejack always needed to do things when she was upset, and Starlight Glimmer was…odd. Perhaps this was just their way of trying to deal with Rarity’s accident?

Sunny was still crying. Poor little filly! Sweetie Belle moved closer to console her. She decided right then that she was going to give Sunny a hug, and then help her find her mom.

It’s what Rarity would want.

“Let go o’ me! Let go, right now!”

Starlight ignored Applejack’s protests as she pulled her across the street, releasing her only when they were out of ear shot.

“What’s the big idea?” Applejack demanded. “That’s her, can’t ya tell?”

“Of course I can!” Starlight said irritably. “It’s so obvious! But, none of those other ponies know about Nyx, remember? They think we sound crazy!”

Applejack blew her lips. “Dang it, I told Twilight keepin’ this a secret was a bad idea. Now Nyx is running amuck and no-pony believes us!”

They watched the scene unfold before them. “Sunny” was still crying, the other fillies and even a few of the adults trying to console her. Applejack’s stern gaze wavered. “We did get it right, didn’t we? Because if we’re wrong, I got no idea how I’m gonna face Granny when she hears I yelled at a child.”

“It has to be,” Starlight answered. “It’s too big a coincidence. I mean, “Sunny Daydream?” That’s not even trying!” The filly gave another loud sob and Starlight hesitated. “Then again, that crying does seem genuine…”

Across the street, Sweetie Belle leaned forward and gave the crying filly a hug. “There, there!”

“T-Thank you,” the little filly sniffed. She looked over Sweetie Belle’s withers, to where Applejack and Starlight stood, and smirked impertinently at them.

Applejack’s eyes narrowed. “That’s her. Dang little sneak, she’s doin’ what Chrysalis did back at the weddin’!”

Starlight was confused. “Wedding?”

“Cadance and Shinin’ Armor’s weddin’,” Applejack clarified. “Twi figured there was somethin’ funny about “Princess Cadance” during the preparations. Turns out she was Chrysalis in disguise. But when Twi called her out, she turned on the waterworks and got us all sided against her. Made us think Twi was jealous or somethin’.”

Starlight tapped her chin. “So, she’s using one of Chrysalis’ tricks? That’s very interesting. Did she teach her that?”

“Who cares? Right now, we gotta figure out how to get her away from Applebloom and all those other ponies.”

“Hi guys!”

Starlight jumped. Pinkie Pie was suddenly standing next to her.

“Pinkie Pie, what’re ya doing here?” Applejack asked. “And what the hay are you wearin’?”

Starlight suddenly realized Pinkie Pie was wearing a string of purplish-white bulbs around her neck. “Is that garlic?”

“Yup!” Pinkie Pie said proudly.

“And yer wearin’ that why?” Applejack asked, annoyed.

Pinkie Pie spoke quickly. “We-ell, I went back to the hospital and saw what a big mess Moony made after she threw her tantrum and ran away, so I decided to help you find her! I didn’t catch all the details, but Trixie says Moony is actually a vampire, so I got some garlic so she won’t bite my neck! Want some?” She held up two more strings of garlic.

Applejack face-hoofed. “No, Pinkie. Nyx ain’t no vampire.”

“Yeah, but do we know? We haven’t seen her look in a mirror yet, have we?” Pinkie Pie nodded knowingly, as though she had made a profound point. “So? Any luck finding her yet?”

“We found her,” Applejack said dryly.

“Really? Where is she?”

Applejack pointed across the street. Pinkie Pie frowned. “Where? There are all those ponies gathered around Sunny…o no! Who made Sunny cry?”

“That’s her,” Applejack growled.

Pinkie Pie looked puzzled. “Huh? No, that’s Sunny Daydream. She’s new in town. She’s missing her mommy, but the Cutie Mark Crusaders are helping her out.”

Applejack shut her eyes, as if to block out the headache that was beginning to form. “No, that’s Nyx! She’s in disguise!”

“Huh? Are you sure? Sunny doesn’t look anything like her!”

Starlight cut in. “Okay, Pinkie? What color is Nyx’s coat?”

“Black,” Pinkie Pie answered.

“And what color is Sunny’s?”

“It’s white, silly!” Pinkie Pie said, giggling. “Which is, like, the exact opposite of black! And her mane is yellow-orange, which is the exact opposite of violet! And her name is Sunny Daydream, which is the exact opposite of Night—” She froze. She turned and looked back at “Sunny,” comprehension dawning. “O.”

““O,” she says,” Applejack huffed. “Seriously, Pinkie? Yer Pinkie Sense couldn’t tell ya she was in disguise?”

“It doesn’t always work,” Pinkie Pie admitted. “Like, I’ve noticed that I can’t ever spot Changelings when they’re in disguise…wait!” She gasped. “Guys! I think Moony knows Changeling magic!”

“Ya don’t say,” Applejack deadpanned. “Thanks fer tellin’ us, we’d never ‘ave guessed.”

“Never mind that,” Starlight said quickly. “We need to think about how to get her away from those fillies!”

“Ooh! Maybe we just wait her out?” Pinkie Pie suggested. “I mean, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are friends with her. What’s the worst she could do?”

“Oof! Not so tight, not so tight!”

They turned quickly. Applebloom was being squeezed by Nyx in a crushing hug, to the point she was choking.

“Whoops,” Sunny said. She loosened her grip.

“Golly!” Applebloom exclaimed. “Yer strong, girl!”

“I am sorry,” Nyx said. She looked over Applebloom’s wither, to where Applejack, Starlight, and Pinkie Pie stood. “I would not wish to cause you any unnecessary harm.”

A chill went through Starlight’s blood. The threat had gone over Applebloom’s head, but Starlight understood it well enough.

“No!” Applejack whispered, her eyes widening in horror. “Not my Sis! She wouldn’t!”

Pinkie Pie trembled. “She can’t be that much of a meanie, can she?”

“We can’t put anything past her,” Starlight said shakily. “Look what happened to Rarity.”

Pinkie Pie suddenly looked ill. “You mean that was her? O no…”

“We gotta get her away from them,” Applejack said, pounding her hoof. “But dang it, how? She’s got ‘em all wrapped around her hoof, and not one of ‘em will let us near her while she’s playin’ “little lost foal.””

Starlight considered. “Perhaps we’re thinking about this the wrong way? What if instead of getting Nyx away from them, we get them away from Nyx?”

“Huh?” Applejack said. “Ain’t that the same thing?”

“No. I mean, we get them to leave Nyx alone.”

“And how the hay you gonna do that?”

Starlight smiled. “I think I’ve got an idea. Pinky, does every-pony in town know how Rarity got hurt?”

Pinkie Pie looked puzzled. “No? All any-pony else knows is that she got hurt in some kind of accident.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Applejack demanded.

Starlight’s smile widened. “Just follow my lead.”

“Are ya feelin’ better, Sunny?”

Sunny sniffed. “I guess so. Why were those big ponies so mean to me?”

“I dunno,” Applebloom replied. She glanced across the street. Her sister, Pinkie Pie, and Starlight were talking urgently among themselves, occasionally throwing furtive glances towards Sunny. “Maybe Rarity gettin’ hurt has got ‘em all too wrung up to think straight.”

“They are very scary,” Sunny said, wiping her eyes with her hoof. “Y también muy malvadas.”

“O, you poor thing!” a nearby mare said. Sweetie Belle looked up and saw that it was none other than Miss Muffins, Dinky clinging close to her side. “I’m so sorry they spooked you! They’re usually a lot nicer, I promise!”

Sunny looked at her curiously. “You have funny eyes.”

The Crusaders tensed. Diamond Tiara face-hoofed, while Silver Spoon suddenly looked as though she wanted to be anywhere else. And Dinky, who had been watching with sympathetic eyes, suddenly looked furious. But Miss Muffins smiled kindly at her. “I know, they look funny, don’t they?”

“How are you able to see with your eyes all cross-y like that, Señora?”

“Just fine!” Miss Muffins said. Her smile faltered. “Well, mostly.”

“Can you see in two places at once, like the chameleon?”

“I—” Miss Muffins started, but Dinky interrupted her.

“Stop picking on my Mommy!” she shrieked. “She is a good Mommy! Stop being mean to her!”

Sunny slowly turned her head towards Dinky, without blinking. “How can it be mean to ask about what we can all see? That does not make sense. No comprende.”

“Because bad ponies tease my Mommy all the time!” Dinky started crying. “They say mean things to her and laugh at her and make fun of me because she is my Mommy!”

Sunny’s eyes narrowed. “How dare they! Who are these bad ponies? I will punish them for saying those things!”

Dinky looked confused. “Punish?”

“Of course! When ponies say bad things about my Mommy, I pummel them! Like that!” She slammed her hoof on the ground beneath her.

Dinky’s eyes became very wide. “Pummel them? You mean, beat them up?”

“Of course!” Sunny answered. She tapped her side. “That spot is where the liver is! Kick right there, and your enemies will fall! Then you can stomp their heads in until they’re dead!”

Every-pony gasped. Dinky backed away and hugged her mother’s leg. Silver Spoon’s mouth hung open. Many of the adults looked at each other in shock; Miss Muffins shook her head in disbelief. “That’s a horrible thing to say, little one,” she said. “Where did you hear stuff like that?”

“From my Mommy,” Sunny replied brightly. She seemed entirely non-plussed.

“Yer mama taught ya that?” Applebloom asked. “Why the hay she teach ya somethin’ like that for?”

“To slay our enemies!” Sunny replied. “We have to fight to survive, or else we die.”

“Where have you guys been living?” Diamond Tiara asked, stunned.

“A far place, with lots of danger,” Sunny replied.

“Well, I can see why you decided to move,” Miss Muffins said. “But Ponyville is a nice, safe place to live, so there’s no need for fighting. Where’s your mommy, little one? I think I’d like to speak with her.”

Sunny faltered. “I do not know. I lost her.”

“You lost your mommy?” Dinky asked. She sounded mortified.

“Poor dear,” Miss Muffins said.

“We was tryin’ to help her find her mama, before she got her feelin’s hurt,” Applebloom explained. She shot a glare behind Sweetie Belle. “You comin’ to say sorry, Sis?”

Sweetie Belle turned to see Applejack approaching, Starlight and Pinkie Pie in tow. Applejack looked affronted. “What d’ya mean—”

“Yes!” Starlight interrupted. “Look, we’re sorry we made you cry, Sunny. We thought you were some-pony else. I hope you can forgive us, okay?” Her eyes darted to Applejack. “Right?”

“Um, yeah?” Applejack said. She looked very uncomfortable. “Sorry I was yellin’ at ya,” she said, though Sweetie Belle noticed she was looking at Applebloom instead of Sunny.

“I’m sorry, too,” Pinkie Pie said. “Even though, like, I didn’t make you cry, I’m totally sorry all this is happening.” She smiled nervously. There was a wariness to her that was not there before; she was also wearing a string of garlic bulbs for some reason.

“See?” Starlight said. “We’re all very sorry. Okay?” She smiled again, which made Sweetie Belle feel uneasy. She never knew how to feel about Starlight Glimmer. It was known that she was Princess Twilight’s personal student, but Starlight always rubbed Sweetie Belle the wrong way. She never felt genuine. It was as though Starlight acted out how she thought ponies were supposed to behave, but had no real understanding of their feelings.

Sunny seemed to feel the same way. “No, you are not!” she snapped. “You are trying to trick me. You are telling lies.”

“No! We’re in earnest!” Starlight said, with false cheer. “We—”

“You do not fool me,” Sunny growled. “You are lying to me.” She nodded knowingly, tapping her nose. “I can smell it.”

Starlight’s smile faltered. “You can smell when ponies lie to you?”

“I can smell their fear.”

“O!” Starlight exclaimed. She was suddenly anxious, and this time it was genuine emotion, rather than the unconvincing performance of friendliness she had given prior. “That’s…really interesting.”

“You can’t be for real,” Applejack said in disbelief. “D’ya even realize how freaky that is?”

“Applejack!” Applebloom scolded. “I can’t believe you! Still bein’ mean to Sunny, and after ya said you was sorry too!”

Miss Muffins frowned at Applejack. “I thought you were better than that.”

Some of the other ponies whispered to each other, their tone expressing agreement with Miss Muffins. Applejack’s ears wilted. “But—”

“Let’s focus on the problem at hoof,” Starlight interrupted. “You said you were helping Ny—uh, Sunny with a problem? Maybe we can help!”

“We were helping her find her mom,” Sweetie Belle said, cautiously. “She lost her.”

“O, her mom,” Starlight said, rolling her eyes and smiling. “Right. Why don’t we help, too?” She leaned closer to Sunny, studying her intently. “Why don’t you tell us what your, uh, mother looks like?”

Sunny met her gaze defiantly. “She is tall.”

Starlight’s smile faltered. “Tall? How tall is she?”

“Taller than you, bruja.”

Starlight suddenly looked uncomfortable. “And what color is her coat?”

“She is black,” Sunny answered. “And her mane is teal.” She gave the adults a hard gaze.

Starlight’s eyes widened. She exchanged quick glances with Applejack and Pinkie Pie, who both looked equally uncomfortable.

“Huh,” Applebloom said, tapping her hoof against her chin. “I don’t reckon I’ve seen any-pony in town lookin’ like that. What color are her eyes?”

“They are green.”

“And is she a unicorn, like you?” Scootaloo asked.

“She has a very long horn,” Sunny answered.

Starlight was aghast. “Wait, are you saying that she’s—erm, that’s what your mommy looks like?”

“Yes!” Sunny said. She was shaking with passionate excitement. “She is the better-est mommy in the history of everything! She teaches me and tells me stories and knows all about magic!”

“Aw!” Silver Spoon said. She must really love her mom!”

“Of course I do!” Sunny declared. She tossed her head back and looked Starlight dead in the eye. “I love Mommy more than life itself! And if any-pony hurts her, I kill them!”

Every-pony gasped. “Goodness, little one!” Miss Muffins exclaimed. “Where in the world have you heard such talk?”

“I think I can guess,” Starlight whispered, backing away.

Sunny seemed puzzled. “What have I said that was wrong? Would you not do the same to some-pony who was mean to your mommy?”

“No!” Applejack exclaimed. “That there’s a bunch o’ crazy talk!”

Sunny glanced at her. “Then you are a bad daughter.”

Applejack looked stricken. But before she could respond, Miss Muffins piped up. “I’m glad you love your mommy, little one. But some-pony being mean to her is no reason to harm them!”

“It is too!” Sunny snapped. “When some-pony is mean to my Mommy, that makes them an enemy! And when some-pony is an enemy, I kill them! Like that!” She stomped her hoof onto the ground, the snow making a loud crunch under-hoof.

“Stop!” Sweetie Belle cried. Every-pony turned to look at her. “Please, stop talking about killing! I can’t bear it anymore.” She was on the verge of tears.

Starlight put a hoof on Sweetie Belle’s wither. “You’re really upset about Rarity, right?”

Sweetie Belle nodded.

“O yes, I heard she was in the hospital,” Miss Muffins said. “No-pony will explain what happened. Did she fall?”

“Well—” Sweetie Belle began.

“O, yes! She fell,” Starlight said quickly. “Broke her leg. Terrible accident.”

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle said. “That’s not what happened!”

“You are saying lies again,” Sunny said, scowling. “Rarity did not fall and break her leg. She was stabbed.”

The ponies around her gasped. “Stabbed?” Miss Muffins cried. “Sweet Celestia! I didn’t know she was hurt so badly!”

“You wouldn’t, the police haven’t released that information yet,” Starlight said. She smiled at Sunny. “So, how is it that you know about it, then?”

Sunny froze. The Crusaders turned slowly and stared at her. “Yeah, Sunny?” Applebloom asked, suddenly wary. “How do you know about that?”

“Did not one of you tell me?” Sunny asked. She backed up, her eyes darting between them and the road to the Everfree.

“We never said how Rarity got hurt,” Scootaloo said, squinting at her.

Sweetie Belle moved closer. “Do you know something?”

Sunny’s expression suddenly became unreadable, like she had put on a mask. But her eyes were now cold and calculating. “It is not important,” she said firmly. “I need to find my Mommy. Eso es todo lo que me importa.”

“We’ll help you look for her after you tell us about Rarity,” Sweetie Belle said, narrowing her eyes. “What do you know?”

“Help me find my Mommy, and perhaps I shall tell you.”

“Why not tell us now?” Starlight said, sweetly. There was a gleam of triumph in her eyes.

“Yeah, why don’t you?” Silver Spoon agreed.

“It is unimportant,” Sunny growled.

“It’s important to me!” Sweetie Belle snapped, her voice rising. She was nose-to-nose now with Sunny.

Sunny’s eyes narrowed. “I think we should talk about other things. It would be bad for you otherwise.”

“Are you threatenin’ us?” Applebloom asked, surprised.

“I am warning you,” Sunny replied. Her voice sounded incredibly calm, yet hinted at a deeper menace, like the frozen surface of a pond full of piranhas. “I think I like you fillies. I have no quarrel with you.”

“What’re you talking about?” Sweetie Belle demanded. “We just want you to tell us what you know!”

Sunny studied them for a moment. “You are not going to help me. I will have to find Mommy on my own. Goodbye.” She turned away.

“Hold up, you stay right here and answer us first!” Applebloom yelled, laying her hoof across Sunny’s wither to stop her from leaving.

“Wait!” Applejack cried. “Don’ touch her, don’ touch her! She’ll—”

But it was too late. Sunny crouched, hoisted Applebloom over her back, and tossed her out into the street. The ponies surrounding them gasped in astonishment. “Applebloom!” Applejack cried. She ran to her sister’s side, panicked.

Sweetie Belle spun on Sunny. “Why did you do that? We only wanted to know—” She froze.

Sunny Daydream crouched as though she were preparing to pounce. Her eyes changed color to glowing cyan, while her pupils thinned into sharp slits. She growled at them, a deep, un-ponylike snarl that made every-pony’s fur stand on end.

“Sunny?” Sweetie Belle asked, stepping back. “W-What’s wrong with your eyes?”

Sunny gave no reply. Instead, indigo flames shot down from her horn and ran over her body. They dissipated quickly, and in Sunny’s place stood a black-coated filly with a violet mane and a jacket made of a strange material. A silver peytral hung around her neck, and a pair of serrated wings spread from her back. And her teeth had lengthened into razor-sharp fangs.

Sweetie Belle recognized her at once. “You!” she exclaimed. “You’re the one who—”

But Sweetie Belle never finished her sentence, for with a loud snarl, Nightmare Moon pounced.

The Sixth Alicorn

by ShadeNightingale

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine