> The Rogue Stallion
>  by darkangel_31314
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1 - Rogue on the Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1 - Rogue on the Moon

He heard her before he saw her.

She wafted past, just outside his bedroom door; a black cloud with golden eyes, just like every time he saw his captor.  However, this time something was wrong.  She was nearly manifested into reality.  She limped, she cursed, and she wasn't supposed to be here.

He chuckled at this sight which only served to draw her attention.

With a tendril of nighttime sky she opened the door all the way and glared at him.  "What are you laughing at, Foal?"  She demanded of him with narrow, hate-filled golden eyes.

"Oh, nothing as usual... my Queen..."  He responded, heavy with sarcasm.  He knew how to press her buttons after a year of being imprisoned on this rock.

She scoffed at him, glaring.

"What?  I didn't expect to see you again.  You know, 'getting a whole new body' and 'getting my revenge on that little princess and her friends' and all that stuff.  Heh heh heh.  And here I thought you intended to leave me here."

"I did. There were... complications..."  She hissed in pain.

He could only smile.  "Well now... seems that 'my chosen' was too much for you, eh?"  He chuckled again, referring to a pretty, violet mare that the Nightmare had abducted, brainwashed, used her to kidnap him, then used her for a nefarious plan to give the Nightmare a new body.  Obviously, that plan had failed.

"Silence this insolence!"  She hissed and slapped him across the face with a forehoof.

He recoiled, the chain leashing him to the bed clattering as he fell back against it.  He wasn't surprised, however.  He'd gotten used to this long ago.  He merely spat a bit of blood to one side and grinned.  "Oh my... I expected better from you, Queeny.  Seems she did manage to break free of the brainwashing?"

That earned him another backhoof.

Once again, he chuckled weakly.  "Come now, you should have expected it.  You brainwashed her, you forced her on me..."  He grinned.  "How does the foal look?  A pretty filly like you wanted?"

Instead of crying in pain, he merely laughed as the Nightmare proceeded to take out her frustration on him.  She hit him a few more times for good measure before finally letting out another roar of anger and vanishing in a flash of black cloud.  

He lay there, nursing a hurt jaw, but he was also smiling.  It seemed the Nightmare had underestimated the mare.  The Nightmare was hurt and angry, and this meant she was now weak.  That meant it was now nearing time for him to escape. He was already working on plans.

To escape... to find his mare...  With the Nightmare distracted by her injuries, it was easy to sneak a few pieces of metal left behind for a thousand years.  These he used to undo his shackles once the enchantments wore off.  Seems the Nightmare was so distracted she forgot to redo them.

Her loss...

Eventually, it was several days between visits.  He took this time to snoop around the castle.  He'd eventually come to know the main levels like the back of his hoof.  He already knew a bit of the layout from when she used him to do some odd deeds as well as care for the purple mare.  These random walks allowed him to map out the area, and some months ago, learn that his prison was located on the Moon.  How that was even remotely possible was beyond him.  How the Nightmare had gotten him there after abducting him and the mare... 

He shook his head, refusing to think about the past.  Especially of his time in a Guard unit in Marelin, when he first saw the beautiful mare.  At that time he didn't know she was being mind controlled by the Nightmare, and that she had selected him for his magical abilities and physical form.  The mare had been used to select and steal him away for her plans involving said mare.  

He couldn't blame her, she was being controlled and used.  Even as he plotted his escape, he worried about that mare.  The Nightmare had sent her off when her time was near.  He indeed knew of the damned ghost's plans concerning her - 'Her Evilness' was quite boastful about them - so why did she come back without the mare or the foal?  Why come back at all?

He shook his head, remembering the brief times they had together, especially when she was lucid enough to realize what was going on.  She was able to give her name - Twilight Sparkle - but not much else before the Nightmare resumed control to use her, again and again.  If he could, he'd break the Nightmare's jaw.

If he could get off this rock and back to Equestria, he had long ago decided to do whatever it took to find Twilight.  Getting off would be a problem.

Fortunately for him, fate knocked.

A flash down a side corridor drew his attention during one of his secret forays into the castle, more than a month after the Nightmare's failed mission.

Immediately into his mind four words came to the front:  Survival.  Evasion.  Resistance.  Escape.  The four-steps a soldier should take when trapped behind enemy lines, as he was now.  He crouched, relying on his training to help him avoid detection as he slipped forward to investigate the disturbance.  What he did find was disturbing.

The Nightmare.  Her colors were off, lighter, and she was smaller.  She looked around the room she had appeared in, kicking things over and grumbling to herself.  The cutie mark was a crescent-moon on a splash of nighttime black so it was definitely her.  She was apparently weaker than he originally thought, having managed a physical form.

He pondered slipping back to his bed before being discovered, but he noticed her building up magic.  He could sense the teleportation spell - a big one.  This was his chance!

He grinned and timed his move.  At the moment his horn could sense the initiation spell, he pounced, latching onto her with all four hooves.

"GOTCHA!"

She recoiled in surprise, and released the spell.  They vanished.

The two re-appeared in another room.  He immediately punched her.  Her decision to adopt a physical form was the opening he needed, and allowed the blow to land true, knocking her senseless.  So, just to be sure, he hit her again to put her down for the count.

"Should've checked up on me more."  He laughed down at her, then looked about the bedroom they had appeared in.  The moon motif was rather tacky, but he couldn't be choosy and thus began ransacking the joint, looking for supplies, or anything he could use to escape before she woke up.

A door opened nearby.  A dark Night Guard stood there.  The two stallions blinked.  They reacted at the same time.

At the same instant the two charged each other; the stallion faking one way before sliding under his opponent's left wing.  He didn't even turn before he bucked, striking the Night Guard in the groin.  It was a low blow, but being held prisoner and in the midst of an escape attempt was a desperate situation.  When in a desperate situation, one had to fight dirty.  He quickly turned and put down the stunned guard with a blow to the gap between the helmet and the neck piece.  

Good thing too as another appeared.  He waited patiently for the second stallion to charge, before striking out with a forehoof at the last possible moment, landing a square blow onto the bat-winged pony's nose, sending him sliding back into a wall, out cold.

"Looks like my time's running out..."  He muttered and gathered the few items he had located so far into a pair of saddlebags.  He secured the guard's weapons for himself, hiding them under the saddlebags.  He knew he had to move quickly if he was hoping for a chance to escape.

A nearby window and balcony gave a teasing glimpse over a city.  He was back on Equestria!

"... this ...was unexpected..."  He muttered to himself.  So the Nightmare was still able to move between the Moon and Equestria?  Perhaps she hadn't failed as badly as she had let on.  This made it more imperative to find Twilight and their foal, as quickly as possible.

He selected a point and used a teleportation spell to get him to the ground.  Slipping past both gold and black-clad guards, he made his way out of the castle grounds and into an ally.  He wasn't sure what city he was in, but it resembled the descriptions of Canterlot he had gotten.

Why the buck was the Nightmare in Canterlot?  

This was serious.  He needed to find Twilight, and find out what in Tartarus was going on.  Unfortunately, he had no clue where to start.  The Nightmare didn't give her a chance to say where she lived or where she was going to end up.  That meant that there was one way he could find her.  He took out a small knife, a piece of paper, and a gold chain he had taken from the Nightmare's room.

He lay the paper out, and used the knife to prick one of his legs.  He let the blood drop onto the paper, along with some ash from a brazier he passed, a couple of other items, stirred with the tip of the knife.  He quickly folded it around the potion into a small, tightly packaged arrow before it could soak in or dry.  Using his magic he threaded the thin gold chain around it, and suspended it in the air before him, dangling from a forehoof.  Then, he worked the spell he'd learned during his training in tracking fugitives, careful to ensure his own self was omitted from the equation.  The basics of the divination spell was that using something of the target, a certain spell could be used to track somepony, the charm always pointing toward that pony.

Hopefully, the target that held his blood would be in close proximity to Twilight, especially after the mental conditioning the Nightmare put the poor mare through.  It was his only chance.

After finishing the spell, he gave the charm a spin with a forehoof and it settled to point to the southwest.  He slowly turned in a full circle, holding it up; sure enough, it continued to point in that direction.

"Excellent..."  He whispered, and put the charm around his neck.  It was time to begin his journey.

.....

"ALARM!"

The shout rang out through the upper towers of Canterlot Palace.

Guards began rushing to and fro, checking their assigned areas for intruders, and securing important passageways.

In one of the highest towers of the palace, Rainbow Dash charged down a hallway with the squadron she had been preparing to move to Ponyville, close at the heels of Princess Celestia.  They burst through a set of open doors to behold a pair of elite Lunar Guard checking over an unconscious Princess Luna who lay sprawled in the midst of her bedchamber along with two bruised guards.

"What happened here?"  The Solar Diarch demanded.

"We saw the door guards were not at their post and investigated.  We found them like this, your Majesty."  One of the night Pegasus quickly reported.

Rainbow Dash stepped forward and checked the Princess.  "Bruising.  She got clocked real good.  Any idea where the attacker went?"

"No, Lieutenant."

"Lock down the palace.  I want it searched, top to bottom!"  The conscious Alicorn barked at two of the Solar Guard whom accompanied her.

As they saluted and went to obey, Dash looked around the room.  "Something's not right... this wasn't an Assassination attempt."

"What do you mean?"  Celestia asked.

"After knocking her and the guards out, there is no other injury.  Plenty here to cause harm."  She stepped over to a nearby writing table with all its drawers open.  "This place is ransacked.  They were looking for something."  She tapped the Princess' fallen crown with an armored forehoof.  "... something specific."

The dark Alicorn groaned, and sat up.

"Sister!  Are you all right?"

Princess Luna murmured and rubbed her chin.  "I'll be all right... just got surprised, that's all..."

"What happened, Princess?  Did you get a good look at them?"  Rainbow Dash walked up.

"No... but it was a Stallion..."  She blinked.  "A Stallion!"  Her eyes shot open.  "I went to the Moon, to ensure the Nightmare was truly imprisoned there... but when I was teleporting back, a Stallion jumped on me from nowhere.  When we materialized, he knocked me out!"

"A Stallion?  On the moon?"  Celestia looked aghast.

Rainbow Dash could only frown at the implications.

"Yes... "  Luna looked around at the mess he had caused.  

Celestia stepped over to the balcony and looked out across Canterlot.  In the distance, flickering on one by one, were the lights of Ponyville.

"... A stallion... and he's on the loose... "  The co-ruler of Equestria scowled.  "Lieutenant!"  She spun to glare at Rainbow Dash.  "You need to deploy at once to Ponyville."

.....

The following morning found Twilight Sparkle sitting on Granny Smith's rocking chair on the front porch of the farmhouse.  The old mare had finally passed, but the chair had found a new use with the home's new (hopefully temporary) tenant.  The new mother, and curled against her the adorable daughter with the nighttime blue fur and silver mane streaked with purple whom slept silently.  Twilight could only relax and smile as she watched Applejack bark orders at a couple of farmhands who seemed to have trouble figuring out where a cart of apples needed to be pulled to.

Among the shouts was something along the lines of; "If'n I didn't have a bum leg I'd smack you all aside and move the darn thing m'uself!  But then again, if'n I didn't have a bum leg we would'na need to hire the likes of you!"

"Heh... she may be handicapped, but she is still Applejack."  The unicorn smiled recalling how not long after she first met the farmer, with her sister too young and brother laid up with a busted rib, the Earth Pony was determined to harvest the entire crop by herself rather than ask for help.

A flutter of feathers and a rush of air announced the arrival of a Pegasus.

"Good morning, Twilight."  Came a sweet voice.

"Good morning, Fluttershy."

The voices awoke the filly who smiled up at the butter-coated Pegasus doctor who trotted up to sit by them.

"And good morning to you too, Moonlight.  How are we today?"

"We are cranky."  Twilight caressed her daughter with a smirk.  "Can't sleep more than a few hours at a time without needing some attention."

"They are all like that for the first few months.  She will eventually get her own sleeping schedule worked out."  Fluttershy said, dropping a pair of saddlebags nearby.

"Hi Flutters!"  Pinkie poked her head from the front door.  "Still got some grub left if you want some!"

"Oh, sure!  I only had a bagel before checking in at the office.  I'll be glad, that is, if you don't mind."

"Of course, anything for a friend!"  The pink pony quickly ducked back inside.

After a moment, Fluttershy glanced at the new mother.  "And how's she?"

"Better."  Twilight gave a weak smile.  "Refuses to leave me alone for a moment unless I'm within earshot.  Treats me as a foal just as much as Moonlight."

"It may take awhile, but she'll get over it.  Pinkie just got you back, I doubt she'd let you go easily."  Another pause.  "And what about you?"

"..."  Twilight gently rocked back and forth, cradling her daughter.  "... It's... I guess it's still is sinking in.  The fact I'm a mother, the fact my friends are still getting back together. And the memories are still jumbled blurs.  With no reference point I don't know where to start sorting them."  

Fluttershy placed a hoof on her shoulder.  "We're here for you, Twilight."

"Thanks."  Twilight smiled back as another, louder flapping could be heard.

To everyone's surprise, a full squadron of Pegasus Guards landed in the yard.  Their leader tore off her helmet with an angry scowl.

"Come on, kids!  I used to do that kind of hump in my sleep!  And hold down two full-time jobs at the same time!  You heard the Princess, this is a combat assignment, but don't think I'm gonna let your training slack!  We're gonna work on that endurance!"

"Hay, Rainbow.  I knew you were a weather manager, so what was the other job?"  Twilight smirked.

"Why, being awesome!"  She trotted up to the porch.  "That alone is worth overtime."

"I thought you weren't supposed to be here until this afternoon."  Fluttershy asked.

Rainbow's face fell.  "Princess Luna was attacked last night, while checking to ensure the Nightmare was firmly locked away on the moon."

"Oh, dear!"  The doctor put a hoof to her mouth.

"Is she all right?"  Twilight asked in concern.

"She got clocked real good on the chin, but otherwise she's fine."  The guard officer sighed, then looked aside.

"Rainbow..."  Twilight glared.  "There's something you're not telling me."

"... it was a Stallion."

There was silence, before Twilight barked; "A WHAT?"

"A stallion."  Rainbow confessed.  "Possibly a Unicorn, judging by the way he ransacked the Princess' chambers before vanishing on us.  He jumped on her as she was teleporting back, using her to escape from the Moon."  She explained slowly.  "We don't know his story, if he's another of the Nightmare's ploys, or another brainwashed slave.  He good, I'll grant him that.  He beat up two of the Lunar Guards during his escape without breaking a sweat.  Princess Celestia wanted us here watching you early in case he is bad news."

She plopped her helmet back on her head and turned toward her squadron.  "Okay, kiddos!"  The half dozen guards immediately snapped to attention.  "Squadron C.P. will be right here!"  She marched back and forth in front of them.  "I want a full perimeter sweep of this farm, by the numbers.  I want to know the location of every pony, cow, pig, dog, tree, rock, fence post, what-have-you, I want to know who, what, where, and a description of them, and I want it by the book!  Now, hop to it!"

The guards scattered to obey.

"Seems like you've taken well to being a guard officer, Rainbow."  Twilight smiled and resumed rocking.

"Yeah, well, not that different from training a group of civilian Pegasus to make a tornado."  She smiled in return.

Pinkie emerged with a plate balanced on her head with slices of apple and three glasses of orange juice.  Somehow, she knew Rainbow Dash would be showing up.  Looks like her Pinkie Sense is coming back in strength.

As Twilight took the glass offered to her in her telekinetic field, her mind went to the Stallion that escaped from the moon.  Could he be the one?  She looked at her daughter who watched the guards circle the farm.

More importantly... could he be a danger to Moonlight?
> Chapter 2 - Rogue on the Farm
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2 - Rogue on the Farm

Due to the roundabout way he was forced to go, it took two whole days to reach the next town along his projected path.  Both a road and a rail line ran the same way, but he avoided them due to the possibility of them being heavily patrolled.  He stayed close to the south side of them, closer to the dark and foreboding forest.  At one point a river obstructed his path and he was forced to cross the railroad tracks to continue his trek, occasionally pausing to consult the charm that pointed him in his direction.

The town he found was very quaint, very small, like the ones in the rural areas of his native Germaney.  He skirted the edges first north, then south, having thought that it would be a bad idea to just waltz through the town, in case there were patrols stationed there.  The charm pointed him south, and thus he went that way around it.

He quickly found himself traveling along the fence of an apple orchard.  He paused to discreetly collect a few examples for his saddlebags.  There was no way to know for sure when he could next resupply while being on the run from… whatever authority was currently in charge of Equestria.  As he started to leave, he paused to check the charm.

Could it be just his luck?  It was pointing back into the orchard.

He turned and followed the fence outlining the property that the farm occupied, pausing every minute or so to check the direction… and sure enough, the charm was pointing to the center.  A few more circuits over the next few hours narrowed down his objective - the farmhouse.

“How lucky is that?”  He muttered to himself and stood just outside the front gate, having double-checked his findings a third time, he stared at the farmhouse.  The door opened... and he saw her.

She was being helped by a pink earth pony into a rocking chair on the front porch.  His heart rose in his chest as a butter-colored Pegasus flitted out the front door with a bundle cradled in her fore hooves, handing it to the mare who smiled warmly… motherly… down at the sleeping foal.

At the sight of the bundle, which Twilight opened to reveal a sleepy foal, a lump formed in his throat.  He swallowed hard, staring, unable to move, at what could only be his daughter.  Their daughter.  He was held in a trance by the sight, forced to watch her rock their foal back and forth, cooing softly as the two other mares attended to her.  The Pegasus was apparently the nurse, who had a set of saddlebags and was speaking, the pink pony an attendant who produced a tray with drinks seemingly out of nowhere.

His hooves were firmly rooted to the spot, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight.  He wanted to rush up there and hug her, but couldn't.

“Hay!”

The shout snapped him from the hypnotic sight.  His head snapped around and upwards into the air.

Two gold-uniformed Pegasi Guards hovered over the road behind him.  One aiming a fore hoof accusingly at him.  “Halt and stay where you are!”  They advanced.

“Grrr… I have no time for this!”  He barked in reply, before vanishing in a flash of soft blue light.

The two guards dived at the spot and circled, fluttering about angrily, trying to determine where he vanished to.

“… rookies…”  The stallion muttered to himself, watching from bushes further down the road.  “Seems to be my day.”

A quick glance toward the farmhouse confirmed that the commotion had indeed drawn the mare’s attention.  More guards had arrived, landing in front of the house, the leader with a rainbow-pattern for a mane urging her to go inside where it was safe while ordering others to begin a sweep for him.  While the rank-and-file were obviously new to this, this officer was no slacker.

“At least she is safe…”  He whispered to himself, turning away and slinking off into the forest.  “… that, in the end, is what matters…”

.....

"Get inside."

"What?"

"Get Inside!"

Twilight placed Moonlight on her back and quickly ducked back into the farmhouse, frightened into action by Rainbow Dash's order as guards swooped into the yard from nowhere.

"What's going on?"  She asked as Pinkie closed and locked the door behind them.

"I don't know..."  Fluttershy whispered, nuzzling the filly, whom was upset by the sudden excitement.

"It might have to do with the stallion spotted by the front gate."  

Both mares turned to the door where Pinkie sat.

"What?"

"He's here?"  Twilight curled up before the fireplace, holding her foal tightly.

"We don't know for sure, Twilight.  If the guards spotted somepony, it could be just a traveler."  Fluttershy caressed Twilight, trying to reassure her.  "Rainbow is just taking her job seriously.  We will just have to wait and see."

All three jumped when the doorknob twitched, followed by a knock and Rainbow's voice.  "It's me."

Pinky quickly opened the door.  "Well?"

"... he's here..."  The rainbow-maned Pegasus frowned.  "... Swiftwind and Cloudlace spotted him checking out the fenceline.  He teleported when they called out to him."

"Are you sure it's him?"  Twilight asked softly.

"He matched the description Princess Luna's guards gave.  Right down to the star and key cutie mark."  

Twilight nuzzled Moonlight, gently rocking her in her forearms, calming her.  Nopony said a thing for several minutes.

Finally, Rainbow removed her helmet and settled onto the rug beside Twilight.  "Twilight... you said some of your memories of the time you were imprisoned are coming back.  Can you remember him?"

"... what does he look like?"

"He looks like Moonlight, but the streak in his mane is a light blue... His cutie mark is a star, similar in shape to the large one in yours, white, with a old fashioned gold key laid diagonally over it."  

When her filly finally calmed and nuzzled into her, Twilight sighed and closed her eyes, trying to root through the jumbled mess that was her mind after the Nightmare broke her.  It was so hard to think about those times.  The only other pony she could make out was the Nightmare.  She was always there, always in her mind, always tormenting her.

"I... I can't..."  She finally gave up and held Moonlight protectively.

"It's okay, Twilight."  Fluttershy held her.

"Yeah..."  Rainbow nodded sadly.  "We'll catch him, then we can ask him."

Twilight looked up.  "Rainbow.  Just... be careful, okay?  The Nightmare captured me because I'm powerful.  If she had him there with me, he won't be a pushover either."

The cyan Pegasus grinned.  "Hay, this is me you're talking about."  She scooped up her helmet, trotting to the door.  "We'll find him, and find out what this is all about.  Don't you worry."

With a confident strut, she was out the door.

.....

It was hours later, just after sunset.  

Twilight finished tucking Moonlight into her crib before turning to the window and looking out at the forest.

"So... he was here..."  She muttered to herself, trying to find a stallion in her memories.  It was a difficult task due to the trauma still being treated by Fluttershy's regular visits and Pinkie's constant doting on her as well as Moonlight.  One memory just at the edge, of the night she was raped, it could be him.  Was he part of the Nightmare's plans?  A conspirator?  Or one of her slaves?"

She had to know.

Twilight furrowed her brow and looked across the yard at Rainbow's guards patrolling the area, now on alert for the stallion's return.  She then turned around to find Pinkie Pie asleep on her bed.  She knew Applejack, Big Macintosh, and Appleboom would be asleep in their own rooms.  Now was a good time as any.

"I got to find him... before he finds you, my little moon..."  She turned and glanced at the crib and the sleeping foal inside.  She looked over the railing and smiled at the sight.  The young filly that made all her problems vanish with every yawn, with every happy burble, with every smile and hug.

It could be the Nightmare's programming still echoing around in her brain, but Twilight knew that she would do anything to protect her daughter.

Even from her father... 

.....

It was a simple matter to teleport outside the perimeter set up by the guards.  Twilight could see the edge of the farm from her bedroom window, and once knowing where she was going, simply move herself from the room to the spot she was looking at.  From there, now she just had to track down the magic used by the Stallion.

Pacing the fence line, Twilight made her way toward the spot reported by the guards.  She had to be careful not to be spotted by Rainbow or her search would be over right quick and in a hurry.  She needed to know for sure, so she pressed on.  

It was there she found the faint trace of teleportation magic in the air, left by the static discharge that gave a visible glow when a unicorn uses his or her magic.  Now she had the scent.  She looked around.  From the way Rainbow described it, the pony had poofed almost immediately when the guards called out to him.  He had to have teleported somewhere close.

Bushes lined the far side of the road, separating the forest from the farmland.  It was a good place to start as any, so she started off.

Traveling through the Everfree is never really a good idea.  It is especially true at night, when all the dangerous creatures started to roam about, searching for food.  Ponies have been know to make a nice snack for Manticores or even the occasional Hydra.  Twilight had run afoul of many of them the two years she was in Ponyville.  Manticores, Hydra, she even got petrified by a Cockatrice once.  It was a very harrowing experience, and had Fluttershy not found her, she may still be a statue.

This time, she was the hunter.  She was not the young bookworm sent to learn the magic of friendship by the Princess, she was now a mother, a veteran spellcaster, and she was on the prowl.

Her search went on for a good fifteen minutes before she froze, hearing something moving through the brush ahead.  It was more of a feeling than hearing, as she crouched low, ears as well as her eyes alert for anything that would indicate a creature or pony was nearby.  

"You're good..."  The soft, male voice emerged from the direction she suspected.  "... I knew there was something I liked about you."

"I've had good teachers."  She whispered back.

"We haven't much time.  The patrols should be back around in another minute or so."

"You've been timing them."

"Been watching them all afternoon, memorizing their routes.  One of the first things any soldier learns when planning an attack."

"You plan to attack the farm?"  Her heart began to pound.

"Only if necessary."  The calm, cool, collected voice answered.  "I have to be careful, considering I'm on the run."

"Just who are you?"  She finally asked, her voice increasing in volume.

There was a pause, before the voice replied hesitantly.  "You... don't remember me?"

"No."  She answered firmly.  "The Nightmare took away my memories of my imprisonment."

There was silence.

"Are you still there?"  She eventually asked.

"For the moment... a pair of guards have made the turn down the road and are headed this way."

"Who are you?"  She asked harshly.

"Did you name her?"

"What?"

"Did you name our daughter?  What is her name?"  He asked.  The sincerity of the innocent question was strange.

"... Moonlight."  She finally answered.  She had one of her own, too:  This was indeed the father of her foal.

"Why Moonlight?"  He asked.

"Her coat shines."  She whispered.  "A reminder that even in the darkness of night, there is light that could lead me to safety."  She confessed.

"Appropriate..."  Movement, as the sound of trotting hooves could be heard from the road.

"The guards come."  More movement.  

Twilight rose slightly, getting ready to pounce.  Just as she was about to leap, his parting words hit her like a splash of cold water.

"Don't worry, Twilight.  I will always be nearby.  I will be here for you."

"Hay!"  

The shout came from the road and Twilight spun to find the guards flapping over the bushes, looking at her.

"Lady Sparkle, What are you doing out here?"  One asked.

Twilight quickly pounced the bush, pulling it apart.

She found nothing.

"Lady Sparkle?  What's wrong?"  The other guard hovered over her, looking around.

Twilight dropped to the ground, her legs no longer able to hold her up.  "... I'm not sure..."  She had been so close!  She had been so close, that she could taste it.

"Come on, we'd best get you back inside before the Lieutenant finds out and has our feathers..."

Lost in thought, and frustrated on her inability to catch him and ask him what happened to her in the prison, she went with them willingly.
> Chapter 3 - Rogue on the Run
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3 - Rogue on the Run

He watched as the guards took his mate back to the farmhouse and their foal.  He could feel her frustration even from this distance.

She wants answers.  Answers I cannot yet give.  He frowned.  I can still feel the Nightmare's taint on her.  She is a fighter, though.  He smiled and slipped back into the forest. Something I definitely like about her.

.....

The next morning, he donned a cloak he stole off a wash line on the edge of the town.  He needed more information about what was going on in Equestria, and to do that he needed to check the town itself.  After dropping a few bits off to pay for his borrowing of the traveling cloak, he concealed his noticeable colors and trotted into town.

Spying doesn't normally consist of breaking into places to steal information locked in a safe behind countless armed guards.  The best sources of information are acquired simply by walking in a public place and listening.  Thus, this was his start.  It paid off; by the time he made one circuit of the town square he had a general idea that Princess Celestia was still around, and her sister Princess Luna was nearly defeated by a mind-controlled Twilight not two months ago.  That would put it generally around when the Nightmare took Twilight from him.

It still did not confirm that the Nightmare wasn't ruling Equestria - the Royal Guard were still out for him, and he did attack a pony looking remarkably like the Nightmare in what he was assuming to be Canterlot Palace.

This did not bode well, for him at least.

He made a few discreet inquiries of the occasional passing pony.  An emerald unicorn mare with a lyre cutie mark lounging on a park bench beside a cream-colored earth pony... a pair of Pegasi teasing each other... his best bet came from a chestnut earth pony stallion with an hourglass cutie mark who just chuckled at him before pointing him down a side street toward the library.

Confusing, but helpful, especially when he saw the sign in front of it... 

"Twilight..."  He muttered.  "So she was that Twilight... no wonder the Nightmare wanted her."  He shook his head at the irony of fate before trotting inside.  Certainly the most powerful unicorn since Starswirl the Bearded would make the perfect mother.  Still, it was yet another reason he had to protect her.

"Welcome to Books and Branches."  An older Earthpony mare answered from behind a desk.  Her russet fur wasn't wrinkled, but the way she carried herself and the look in her steel grey eyes behind wire-frame reading glasses gave testament to her age.  "Can I be of assistance?"

"Hello there.  I am Mr. Key from Canterlot, here doing some research on some of the most powerful Unicorns."

"Heh.  You're here to learn about Lady Sparkle, aren't you?"  The pale green mare smiled up at him.

"Naturally.  Celestia's star pupil, defeated Nightmare Moon and Discord?  She's the standard by which all unicorns are now matched against!"  He gleefully smiled, laying it on thick, of course, but he had to play the part.

The Librarian smiled, standing and stretching.  "You young-in's today.  Especially you unicorns.  Of course, I knew I'd have to deal with you all when I took this job, I consider it doing my part."  She motioned for him to follow, leading him to a nook in the back of the main floor.  "This here's the Twilight Sparkle shelf.  A lot of the spells and research she worked on were confiscated by the Royal Guard when she was declared dead, But we have some of her stuff that was released by the Princesses.  We also have a fair number of her Friendship Reports."

"Friendship Reports?"  He asked, genuinely confused.

"Of course.  When Princess Celestia first stationed her here, she managed to find and use the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare Moon."  The Librarian went into lecture mode.  "The key component that enabled her to use such powerful artifacts was friendship, but young Twilight didn't really know the first thing about friendship.  So, the Princess ordered her to stay here and study the magic of friendship that allowed her to use the Elements.  She became quite the town hero over the two years she was here."

"Sounds like you are quite fond of this one particular Canterlot unicorn."  He smirked.

The mare nodded shyly.  "Well, we did have our problems with her once or twice... but her heart was in the right place.  When her antics did cause damage, she helped pay for it from her royal stipend."

He nodded, walking down the shelves and plucking a random scroll and reading it.

"I'll let you get to your research, Mr. Key.  I'll be by the front desk if you need me."

"Thank you, Ma'am."  He smiled politely and eagerly got to work.

.....

"... ugh... your turn, Pinkie..."

Twilight rolled over, pulling the blankets close as soft crying filled her ears.

"Nope-Nope, Miss Sleepy-Sleepy-Head!"

The blankets disappeared, and Twilight sat upright.  "Wha-huh?"

The crying stopped and Twilight beheld Pinkie Pie standing at the foot of her bed, a bouncing baby unicorn literally bouncing on the pink party pony's posterior.

With a bounce, a giggle, and a slide, Moonlight slipped into her mother's hooves.

"It's time to get up.  'shy wants you outside getting some fresh air today.  Even Dashie promised not to let any mind-controlled-meany-pony disturb you."

Twilight yawned, levitating her daughter onto her back as she slipped from bed.  "Ah.  Pinkie, what would I do without you?"

"Go even more crazy?"

The mother shot a glance at her friend who just smiled innocently.  "Pinkie... we're both certifiable."

"I know!  Mine came in the mail today!"  Out of nowhere, she produced a certificate.  Sure enough, it stated that Pinkie Pie was legally insane.

Twilight wasn't even surprised anymore.

"Come on, Twilight!  Gotta get you and little moonie out on the front porch for breakfast!  I wanted to make waffles with strawberries, but we didn't have any strawberries, so I spent an hour looking for strawberries, but then I thought what about blueberries?  But it's better to put the blueberries IN the waffles, and I got to thinking what about blueberry waffles with strawberries?"  

Pinkie followed Twilight as she went through her morning routine.  After two years of being Pinkie's friend, she had long ago learned how to turn her out when she went on a long-winded rant like this.

"But then I remembered we didn't have any strawberries, so I started looking for more strawberries, and I did find some cherries all the way out from Dodge City, but there is supposed to be the word 'straw' in front, but then I remembered that while they sound the same cherries are cherries and strawberries are berries, so I went looking for the straw to put in the berries."

Moonlight did find Pinkie's droning entertaining, however, so the unicorn could only smile as she stepped outside and slipped into Granny Smith's old rocking chair, cradling Moonlight for her morning feed.

"Pinkie."

"... and then I told Gummy that what he was doing was NOT how you make Pineapple Upside-Down Cake... Huh?"

"Breakfast."  She tapped an armrest with a forehoof, before motioning to the content Moonlight.

"Oh.  Here ya go."  She produced waffles... with strawberries and honey.

"Thank you, Pinkie."

"No problem!"  She bounced back inside, leaving Twilight to enjoy her breakfast and watch the sun climb into the sky.

In the front yard of the farm, Big Mac and Applebloom were working on one of the old plows, with the large stallion holding one side of it up, and the young mare nosed underneath it doing something to the blade.

Farther out in the distance, Applejack could be seen pointing several farmhands toward several trees that needed tending too.

And still further out, Rainbow Dash was lazily flying a circuit with a pair of armored Guards.

"I saw them bring you in, last night."  The soft, kind voice spoke from behind her.  

Twilight said nothing.

"You went to look for him, didn't you?"  The voice of Kindness continued.

"Yes.  I had to know.  For Moonlight's sake."

"Did you get your answer?"  Fluttershy sat beside her.

"I did.  It is Moonlight's father."  She nodded slowly.

"Do you know what he's after?"

Twilight frowned, thinking back to the dream she had last night.

"Twilight?"

"He said he wants to ensure our daughter is safe.  He was quiet, evasive.  I still can't remember him, but there was definitely something familiar about his voice."  

Fluttershy placed a hoof on her side when she paused.

"I think he might be suffering from some sort of brainwashing as well."

"Could he be dangerous?"

Twilight set the tray aside and held her daughter close.  "I don't know."

.....

Dear Princess Celestia, 

I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings. But when there's not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.

"Heh..."  The Stallion rolled the scroll back up and replaced it on the bookshelf, plucking down another further down the line.  He smiled as he read;

Dear Princess Celestia, I have learned a very valuable lesson about friendship: I was so afraid of being thought of as a showoff that I was hiding a part of who I am. My friends helped me realize that it's okay to be proud of your talents, and there are times when it's appropriate to show them off... Especially when you're standing up for your friends. 

It was rather hard for him to imagine the quiet, determined mare being shy and reclusive.  But of course, in all the time that he knew her, they were both under the control of one of the most evil entities in Equestria.

Then again, becoming a mother does tend to change a mare.

He read another;

Dear Princess Celestia, 

My friends and I all learned an important lesson this week: Never judge a book by its cover. Someone may look unusual, or funny, or scary. But you have to look past that and learn who they are inside. Real friends don't care what your "cover" is; It's the contents of a pony that count. And a good friend, like a good book, is something that will last forever.

Your faithful student, 
Twilight Sparkle

"Too true..."  He muttered to himself.  Replacing the scroll, he opened a book and began reading several of the spells Twilight created over the years.  He didn't mind that he had been distracted - entering town to learn about the current situation between Celestia and Nightmare Moon - he was now learning about Twilight Sparkle.

He paused.  Yes, he had to admit it.  He not only felt responsible for his daughter, he was falling for her.

He shook his head, snapping the book shut and replacing it just as the front door opened.  A quick glance confirmed it wasn't a guard looking for him, but another unicorn mare.  A rather properly dressed one, with what could only be a hoof-made dress adorning her.

"Good morning!  How can I help you, sweetie?"  The Librarian politely greeted the visitor.

"Oh, Darling, I'm quite fine for the moment.  It's just been so long since I've been here."  The white unicorn looked around.  "The place has changed, I must confess."

"Well, there had to be some renovations after the Library was renamed."

The newcomer put a hoof to her chin.  "Well, I am spending a few bits on charity to make up for leaving my friends, I might be able to do something with this place.  Perhaps some tapestries, new rugs (I can't believe Twilight even kept that one)..."  She muttered on about redecorating the place.

Both the Stallion and the Librarian exchanged looks.  

"Ahem."  He cleared his throat.  "I do apologize for intruding, but did you know Miss Sparkle?"

The white mare with cobalt blue mane practically beamed at him.  "Oh, of course, darling!  I was one of her close friends.  Lady Rarity, Owner of Carousel Boutiques, and Bearer of the Element of Generosity."  She held out a hoof which he took and politely kissed.  "Oh!  Such refinement, you're not from around here, are you?"

"Mr. Key is from Canterlot."  The Librarian answered for him.  "He's here doing research on famous unicorn sorcerers."

He just nodded in agreement.

"Well, I don't mean to brag."  Rarity smiled.  "But Twilight was perhaps the most powerful unicorn in existence.  The things I've seen her do... well, as you know she did challenge Nightmare Moon not once, but twice!  And she even stood up to Discord!"  She frowned.  "Saved me from one of his stupid spells..."

"I've been reading her study on the magic of friendship."  He regained her attention with a soft smile.  "I'm fascinated by such a concept."

"Oh, I've never really understood it myself."  She walked among the bookshelves.  "I'm a dressmaker, not a scholar like Twilight.  But what I've understood is that ponies don't give friendship the respect it deserves.  It has certainly helped me quite a bit over the years."  She smiled.  "Helped me to understand and respect my baby sister, helped me overcome some of my own faults, and allowed me to successfully help my own friends in turn."  

"Did it help you in your own battles alongside Twilight?"

"Oh, most assuredly."  She beamed.  "Without us working together, the Elements wouldn't even function!"

He nodded, his brow furrowed in thought.  That would be another explanation why the Nightmare targeted Twilight.  Remove the lynchpin, and the only weapon able to fight her wouldn't function.  

Inwardly, Rarity was thinking the same thing.  It would explain why the Nightmare was so sure of herself when she allowed Twilight to attack Princess Luna.  She expected to win.

"I do thank you for your time, Lady Rarity.  You've given me some wonderful insight for my research."  He smiled politely.

"Oh, of course, Mr. Key!  I am only too glad to be of help!"

He once again took her hoof and gave it a gentle kiss, before giving the Librarian his goodbyes.

.....

"You know I've never been one for waiting."  Rainbow grumbled aloud.

"Yes, sugercube, we know."  Applejack replied, poking the wooden supports to the cover of a nearby well.  Not only did it need a new coat of paint, but the entire thing might need replaced.  She made a mental note to ask Caramel about it later.

"We just got Twilight back, she's got a foal now, and here comes this Stallion who wants to do Celestia-knows-what to her!"  The guard officer snarled.

"I figured they'd teach ya some patience in that high'n'mighty school the Royal Guard have."

The cyan pegasus mare shot her old friend a glare.  "They also taught us not to fight on the enemy's terms.  He's out there, right now, planning something.  I can feel it!  We need to nail him before he can do whatever he wants to Moonlight!"

She merely shook her head and limped off, continuing her rounds of the farm.  "Dunno why you're confiding all this in me.  We haven't exactly been on speaking terms in a long while."

"Yeah, well, I remember you're the only one who could even come close to my awesomeness."  Dash shrugged, hovering slightly over Applejack's right..  "It's not like I can tell my squadron.  I gotta maintain distance, yanno?"

"Umhmm..."  Applejack nodded slowly.  "So, what could that stallion be up to?"

"I dunno, but that's the whole point!"  The armored mare shook her head in frustration.  "He could be one of the Nightmare's backup plans, out to grab Moonlight and take her to the moon so the Nightmare can still get her new body!"

"That does sound logical."  Applejack conceded the point.

"Yeah, or he could be out for revenge... to do something bad to Twilight and Moonlight for defeating her!"

"Now you're sounding paranoid."

"I'm a Royal Guard now, A.J., I'm paid to be paranoid!"

The earth pony shrugged.  "Or, he could be another prisoner who's broken loose, and is struggling to make sense of his newfound freedom like Twilight."

"... that too..."  Rainbow finally settled to the ground. "But the point is we don't know and that's what's getting to me."

"Princess said to wait."  A.J. pointed out.  "And Fluttershy says that leaving Twilight alone for any length of time is dangerous.  She's still strugglin' to make sense of those memories rattling loose in her head, and we don't know what other surprises the Nightmare left in her noggin'."

Her friend nodded slowly.  "Well I don't like it."

"But you'll obey.  Kinda comes with that whole military thing."  A.J. smirked.

"Yeah, well, I still don't have to like it."  Rainbow humphed.  
> Chapter 4 - Rogue in the Net
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4 - Rogue in the Net

Twilight sipped her tea thoughtfully, staring at the flames flickering in the fireplace of the old farmhouse.  This... this just wasn't a situation that could be carefully analyzed like it was in the past.  No matter how many times she turned it over in her head, a solution to the puzzle refused to reveal itself.  It was frustrating.

Unlike in the past, she didn't go nuts over it.  Her hair remained as perfectly combed as ever, her eyes fixed and focused on the flames in the fireplace, and her mouth in a thin line.  Beside her, Moonlight slept peacefully with Spike protectively wrapped around his baby sister.

It was that unicorn foal that kept her sane.

Or was it something else?  Something buried deep in her mind during her year imprisoned... wherever it was?

"Twilight?"

She blinked and turned toward the front door, where a perfectly dressed white Unicorn smiled.

"There you are, darling.  How is the little one?"

"Sleeping.  A rarity during this time of day."  She giggled quietly at her little joke.

"And here I am!"  The appropriately named unicorn giggled in turn, giving her friend a hug.  "Oh, darling, I met this nice unicorn stallion today!"

"Did you?"

"Oh yes.  A scholar from Canterlot.  He was in the library doing research on powerful unicorns, and your name came up."  She sat beside Twilight, straightening out her skirt.

"Really now."  Oh yes, it was obvious what this was.  "What did he look like?"

"Oh, darling, really, just had a foal and already looking for a daddy for her?"  She giggled.

Twilight blushed.  Well... she already had a daddy in mind for Moonlight.  Granted, he might have to do the job in a cell in Canterlot Dungeon, but what the hay?  "Come on, Rarity..."

"Okay."  She watched as Twilight poured her a cup of tea.  "Well, he was about our age, probably slightly older."  She took it in her telekinetic field, recalling all the details.  "His cloak could have used some work, but it was clean.  His coat was a nice nighttime blue.  His mane, from what I could see, was a silvery color with a streak of royal blue in it.  I couldn't see his cutie mark."

Twilight nodded thoughtfully.  Another piece of the puzzle... "It was a white six-pointed star with a golden key laid diagonally across it..."  She spoke softly.

Rarity nearly spat out her tea in surprise.  "How... how do you know?"

"Because he's Moonlight's father.  Showed up yesterday afternoon, ran when Rainbow Dash's guards gave chase."  She sipped her tea.

Rarity stared, open mouthed in shock.  It took several moments for her brain to restart; "How can you be so calm about this?  What if he's here to hurt Moonlight?"

"I don't think he is.  The Nightmare programmed us to protect Moonlight at all cost..."  She eyed Rarity.  "... all cost..."  She shook the dark thoughts from her mind, the implications that she would have probably just as easily turned on her friends as much as the Princesses.  "... I... we... don't know why he's here.  If he broke out on his own and is just following the programming, or if the Nightmare deliberately released him."  She set her cup down.  "I need to find out."  She stood.

"What do you mean?  Twilight?"

"I'm going to find him.  You said he's in town, right?"

"What about Rainbow?  And the rest of the Royal Guard?"  Rarity watched, wide-eyed as Twilight used her horn to scribble a note to leave behind.

"Princess Luna is probably already on her way.  They're more interested in removing him as a threat than finding out why.  He did attack the Princess, after all.  But there's something about him, something about the way he spoke to me last night when I tried to confront him."  She left it tacked to the carpet where Spike would see it when he woke up.  She then paced slowly back and forth.  

Rarity stared in mild horror as the purple mare's hair started to come undone.  "Twilight, please be reasonable.  What if something happens to you?  What would become of Moonlight?"

"I won't let it.  I have to-"  She cut herself off and shook her head.  It was still there, the brainwashing in her mind.  Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie have worked long and hard these last couple of months to help her try and remove it, but there was a good chance that the mental trauma would always live with her.

Might as well use it.

"... I have to protect her, Rarity."  She stormed toward the front door, snatching up a cloak.  "... even from her father."  

Rarity could only stare as she draped the cloak over her form.  "Rarity... look after Moonlight until I return..."  She then vanished in a flash of purple light.

.....

"Fancy meeting you here."

He turned at the sound of that soft, melodic voice, to regard the figure who simply walked up and sat beside him without pretense.  She had found him sitting on the edge of the statue in the center of town, and she smiled that wonderful smile.  Twilight's smile.

"Indeed it is."

"I hear you've been reading up on me."  She smirked.

"Seemed prudent."  He shrugged non-committal

"I would like to know your name."

"... Janus.  Janus Key."  He answered with a moment's hesitation.

"Ah."  She looked thoughtful.  "Gateways."

He nodded.  Smart, just as he thought she was.

"You know your stuff.  To have taken down an Alicorn like that in Canterlot.  I'm guessing military training?"

Again, he nodded.  "I was a city guard in Marelin."

"Germane?" She smiled.  "Ach. Dann sprechen Sie Deutsch?"

"Natürlich."  He smiled in turn, turning to face her.  "Sie sprechen es sehr gut."  He chuckled.  "Of course, I should suspect no less from such a learned student as yourself."

"Probably why she selected me.  Most powerful unicorn in Equestria and all that.  My brains and sheer magic power, combined with your strength and abilities. Moonlight will definitely be a potent unicorn when she grows up."  She smiled at him.

As he looked back, he found himself looking into those pools of magenta.  Her eyes stared right into him, but not with fear or hate.  There was feelings there.  Desire, perhaps?

He was tempted.  So very tempted to lean forward, kiss her, and take her.  But he couldn't.  The Nightmare was still out there, and would seize control of her.  Then... no shot whatsoever at a normal life, not for either of them, nor their daughter.

He forced himself to turn away.

"Janus... "  She spoke, worry in her voice.  "Why are you here?"

"You know why.  To protect you."  He looked at the rounded cobblestones underhoof.  "To protect our daughter.  The Nightmare wasn't very pleased when you broke loose of her control.  I can understand... you were so far under, even I had thought that you couldn't do it.  But you did, and you had our daughter."  He shook his head sadly.  "I jumped at the first opportunity to get out of there.  I had hoped to find you, our daughter..."

"Then you learned that my memory had been wiped."

"Made things complicated, yes, but not hopeless."

She placed a hoof on his shoulder.  "There's still some of her programming in my mind.  My friends are helping me to overcome it.  I should be with our daughter right now, but I'm here, looking for you.  A lot of ponies think you might be a threat to me or her, but seeing you like this... I don't think you are.  I think you're fighting the same problems I am."

He pushed her hoof off him.  "She didn't have to do much to me.  I was always a thorn in her side... that's why she used you, controlled you directly to do the deed."  He punched the edge of the statue's base under him.  "No more.  I'm not going to let her ruin your life any more than she has."

"Its going to be hard, Janus, for her to do so.  She's still weak after me and my friends blasted her with the Elements of Harmony."

"She was weak, but determined to get back at you."

"Princess Luna says she's still up there."

He blinked, and looked at her.

"You... didn't know...?"  A look of worry came over her face.

"Know what?"

A flash of gold caught his attention to the northeast.  They both turned to see a group of Royal Guard flying in formation with the darker Night Guard.  A familiar black chariot occupied the middle of the formation.  The wing-units broke off to flank the town from the east and north.  His eye easily picked up the encirclement maneuver.

As they stared something appeared to click in her mind.  "You thought it was Nightmare Moon... sweet Celestia..."  She breathed.

"What?"

"Janus... you didn't attack Nightmare Moon during your escape.  You attacked Princess Luna!  They think you're under the Nightmare's Control!"

The guards fanned out, some moving toward Sweet Apple Acres, the others spreading out to land in groups on each road leading out of Ponyville.  They were closing the place off, knowing he was somewhere in the town.

He was trapped.

"... oh boy..."

.....

Two sets of hooves trampled on the road at full steam toward the south side of the city.  Having more experience navigating the streets of Ponyville, Twilight led the way, careful to stay close to the taller buildings to avoid detection from units in the air.

"They're gonna send flankers out."  Janus warned.  "They'll be expecting us to slip out the back side."

"We just got to get close to the Everfree Forest."  Twilight fired back, taking a shortcut under a cart and into an alleyway.  "It nearly presses up against the southeast side of the city.  That's a ninety-degree turn, and I can blink us from there."

"Blink?"

"Teleport.  I got some pretty good range, and being laid up recovering these last few weeks my mana stores are pretty full."

Damn she was sexy when she was smart.  Of course, staring at her plot as she led the way through the town wasn't helping his libido.  The threat of capture and adrenaline was keeping him focused, however.

She suddenly slid to a halt and peered around a corner.  At the end of the road leading toward Fluttershy's old cottage, a pair of Pegasus Guards stood, scanning the nearby buildings for their quarry.  Unlike the normal blue-trimmed golden armor worn by them on ceremonial duties, they wore a more full-body covering of enchanted steel plates, wingblades, and one held a spear.

"Wow.  They're not pulling any punches, are they?"

"Considering what Nightmare Moon has done in the past, are you surprised?"  Twilight fired back.  She glanced over their shoulders.  "I think I can reach the woods from here.  There's a small stream that leads past a cottage on the outskirts of the city, used to belong to my friend Fluttershy.  A low ridge can hide us while we make our way into the woods..."

When she frowned, Janus caught on.  "... but if we use magic, they'll spot us."  A beat.  "Then we need a distraction."  Janus looked around them, and smiled.  He tore down a clothesline strung between the two buildings they were hiding between, then scrounged up a bucket, and plucked some cobblestones from the edge of the road.

"What are you doing?"

"Jury-rigging a distraction device."  He grinned.

He broke the bucket for the planks, creating a ramp upon which the stones were stacked end-to-end.  She watched him then loop the rope and tie it in place around a drainpipe and quickly got the idea when he suspended the ramp level braced against a nearby dumpster.  "Ah..."  She could only grin at his ingenuity.  She lit the rope with a small candle flame, working the magic to keep it from growing as it consumed the threads.

As the rope burned, the ramp would lower slightly until the stones began to fall onto the pavement rapid-fire like a set of running hooves.

"Smart."  She grinned, then went back to the corner, looking for a nice spot that would accept both of them.  "Okay, I got it."  She locked onto a spot just under the small rise in front of the cottage.  "Here..."  She held out her hoof toward him.  When he took it, she activated the spell, teleporting them both right on target.

Right on cue, the rope began to unravel, and combined with the flash of her magic discharging, caused the two guards to look into the town rather than out of town.

The two ponies slipped effortlessly past the cordon and into the Everfree Forest.

.....

She broke a branch with her magic, checking its length, before allowing it to join a growing collection of others at her feet.  Behind her, Janus arranged a circle of large rocks in a small clearing not too far into the Everfree.  It didn't take long to get the fire going, and soon the two were lounging on the ground.

"How long do you think it will take for them to realize we're not in town?"  She asked, looking up at him.

"Town that size... probably will take awhile.  They won't send all the Guard to search building-by-building - they'll need to leave a cordon to keep us from escaping."

"Keep you from escaping, I wonder if they even know I'm gone yet."  She smiled.  Then sighed.

"Why did you leave?  You should be with her right now, protecting her."

"In a way, I am protecting her.  From you.  I had my doubts, you know."  She levitated a narrow stick up and poked the fire.  "My friend Rainbow Dash came down early to guard me, make sure me and Moonlight were all right.  Brought an entire squadron with her."  She paused a moment.  "None of us knew your intentions.  We didn't know if the Nightmare allowed you to escape, or even sent you to take her from me."

"Neither is true, you know."  He shook his head.  "She kept me merely as a donar.  Selected me for my abilities..."  He grinned.  "... and I'd like to think for my good looks."

She smiled at him, giving a soft giggle.  "Can't fault her for that."

There was another long pause before he spoke again.  "She kept me locked up in my room, leashed to the wall by a chain and collar around my neck."  He went on.  "She'd have you sitting at her feet as she described every way she wanted us to do it to maximize the chances of you getting pregnant."  A soft sigh escaped him as he lay before the fire.  "Sometimes you'd be yourself, blushing, looking away in shame.  Others... you'd have a glassy-eyed look on your face, especially when she had to force you to do as she wanted."

She could only stare at the fire as she listened.  The memories were there, buried in the fog of the trauma, but they were there.  She simply knew it was all true.

"I honestly preferred the times when she didn't have to force us.  We were allowed to talk afterward."  He continued.  "It's how I learned your name.  You couldn't tell me more, some sort of spell or even shame, I couldn't tell.  Those were actually the better months."

She forced her gaze from the low flames to his face.  "What about afterward?  When we knew I was pregnant?"

He shook his head.  "I'm not sure.  Perhaps she wanted to have a daddy?  A backup plan in case something happened?  Or perhaps she simply just forgot about me.  I didn't give her time to figure it out.  When you defeated her, she was weak enough that the enchantments on my collar faded and I was able to break them.  I escaped the moment the opportunity presented itself."

She smiled and slid over beside him, placing a hoof on his shoulder.  "I can't blame you, Janus."

He smiled in turn.

Twilight forced herself to turn away, she could feel the blush on her cheeks.

Silence reigned as he turned away in turn.  Sneaking a peek toward him, she could see a similar blush on his cheeks.

"This... you still feel for me, don't you?"  She hesitantly asked.

He cleared his throat, politely coughing into a hoof.

"You do, don't you!"  She giggled.

"Well, when you're locked up with a pretty mare for almost a year..."  he shrugged.

Twilight couldn't help but laugh now.  It actually felt good to laugh.  She leaned on him, giggles flowing like the dam had broken.

"I'm so glad I could make you feel better, Twilight."

"Me too, Janus."

"Yeah, well, need to figure out the next move.  I have my doubts Princess Luna would listen were I to explain I thought she was the Nightmare whom had been holding us prisoner."

"Probably."  She sighed.

"Well... we'll figure it out in the morning."

She was already asleep.

.....

Twilight was awakened by the sun shining down through the edges of the trees, right on her eyelids.  	Dear Celestia, can't you let me get any rest?  She thought inwardly as she yawned and stretched.

She paused, feeling something pressing against her back, and a hoof holding her down.  It took several moments for her to remember last night.

Thoughts were instantly put on hold when her neck was nuzzled.  It was... rather nice.  Yes, right there... mmm that feels good!  Well... he did have some time to explore her body!  She giggled.

"Awake already?"  He murred in her ear.

"Well, Celestia is rather punctual with her sun this morning."

"Quite right my little ponies..."

The two immediately bolted upright, turning toward the source of the dark voice.  The Mistress of the Night had used her powers to conceal their approach, and now the two were surrounded by two dozen angry Royal Guards, and their even angrier Princess who glared at them with dark intent in her eyes.  The look everyone was giving her, Janus could only think of one word to sum up his thoughts on the situation:

"... damn..."
> Chapter 5 - Rogue No More
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 5: "Rogue No More"

Okay, Twilight.  The first step in problem solving: Identify the Problem.

A quick look around confirmed that they were indeed surrounded by at least two dozen Royal and Lunar Guards led by a very angry Rainbow Dash and Princess Luna.  At least a third were Unicorns with charged horns.  Yep, that's a problem!

Now, Step Two:  Analyze the Problem.

Uh... Yeah.  She or Janus moves, they attack.  See?  That was easy!

Step Three:  Identify Possible Solutions.

Fight?  Not likely.  Twilight will have to pull on her inherit magic to fight, and that would cause more than enough serious injury or death than she would like.  She only held out for so long against Princess Luna because she was being driven to go all the way by the brainwashing - she was actively trying to kill the Princess - but now is a different story.  These guards, on the other hoof, were only following orders and thus didn't need nor deserve to die.  Thus, fighting was out of the question.

Flee?  They were quite surrounded, and the Princess no doubt had magic prepared for such an eventuality.  Plus, Rainbow Dash was the fastest Pegasus in Equestria and had the trophies and awards to prove it.  Twilight herself had seen the mare in action, thus it was not to be disputed.  That meant that running was also was out of the question.

Talk?  Might work, but the Princess was obviously in a very agitated state, and might believe that Janus had done something to her to make her talk in his defense.  Rainbow was also a tough nut to crack.  Being the Bearer of the Element of Loyalty meant she was loyal to Equestria and her friends and nothing could be said to change that.

Now, on to Step Four:  Choose the best solution and implement it.

Twilight cleared her throat.  "Ahem.  Good morning, Princess."

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE, PLEASE STEP ASIDE SO THAT WE MAY TAKE YOU INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY...  AGAIN..."

She winced at the response.  "Um... Yeah.  I do suppose you are aware I am currently unwilling to acquiescence to your demands?

The Lunar Princess scowled.  "WE ARE MORE THAN AWARE YOU ARE NOT IN YOUR PROPER MENTAL STATE.  STALLION - THOU WILL RELEASE OUR FRIEND FORTHWITH OR THOU SHALT FEEL OUR WRATH!"

Rainbow and the guards began pawing at the ground, eager to charge.

Before Twilight could reply, Janus appeared to look down, considering his next words, before he took a determined step forward.  His hoof hit the ground hard, determined to make a stand, head held high, charging his horn with his soft silvery glow.

"My wife is already free to choose where she goes and whom she goes with!"

Even the wind stopped at that proclamation.

Both Luna and Twilight stood there with blank looks, the gears turning in their minds as they tried to comprehend just what Janus had said.  Twilight was the first to respond, taking the moment to blink, double-checking the results of her study of his words before comprehension finally hit: "Janus!  What in Tartarus?!"  She hissed to him quietly.

"Consider that my proposal."  He whispered back as an aside to her, still glaring daggers at the Princess.  "You can accept later, once we're not threatened with being vaporized by an angry Goddess."

The Goddess in question, however, couldn't even form a word for another full minute before she understood.  It still took a few seconds more for the connection between her brain and mouth was finally re-established.  "You-You-Wife?-But-" (apparently, it was trial-by-error to fix the link) "-THY DARE!  HOW DARE THOU CLAIM HER AS A MATE!"

The morning sun was blocked out by clouds, the sky darkening as a result of the Demi-Goddess' anger.  Lightning flashed, immediately followed by the ear-splitting crack of thunder that tore the canopy off the trees in the forest.  Janus pushed Twilight back, barely clearing the lightning bolt that struck the ground between him and the seriously pissed off Alicorn.

"YOU ARE AN ARROGANT FOOL TO THINK THAT THOU CAN STAND BEFORE US AND MAKE SUCH A CLAIM!"

Wind tore through the newly made clearing, yet Janus stood fast before Luna, his body positioned to shield Twilight.  The mare, however, peered around him wide-eyed in fear.  She couldn't dare fight against Luna!  The power required would harm Janus and the guards!  Maybe even kill them!  What was Janus thinking?!

Still, she had to try something to prevent this fight!  Her daughter needed both her parents, after all!

Okay, Step Five: Review and Correct... 

"Sorry, Luna..."  Twilight pushed her magic into overdrive, leaping atop Janus and latching on with her forehooves as her mind's eye focused on the clearing she awoke in just eight weeks ago.  Her magic soon released, a teleportation spell sending them deeper into the Everfree forest.

"AFTER THEM!"  Luna's angry yell followed them through the trees.

"I guess that's our cue to RUN FOR OUR LIVES!"  Janus recovered, bolting in a random direction, quickly followed by the metal-on-wood sound of several Pegasi Guards led by the rainbow-maned Lieutenant in hot pursuit.

"You cannot out-run Rainbow, Janus!"  Twilight warned, still clinging to his back.

"In a straight-run, of course.  So we don't go straight!"  He made a sharp left turn around a large tree, then quickly jinked back to the right, forcing the Pegasi to slow down

Rainbow's teeth-grinding could be heard over the panting and pounding hearts of the two Unicorns.

'She's actually smarter... need to congratulate her on that.'  Twilight thought as the Lieutenant pulled sharply upward, flying over the treetops, and shooting out ahead of the two fleeing ponies.

Janus slid to a halt, avoiding the plunging mare whom slammed into the ground not five paces in front of them.

"End of the line, scum!"  She snarled.  "Now give me my friend back!"

"Rainbow, this isn't what it looks like!"  Twilight tried to plead as Janus set her down.

The mare snorted, pawing at the ground.

"Stay back, Twilight..."  Janus gently pushed her back, eyes-locked on the challenger.  "I may be a year behind, but I could probably still take you, Lieutenant..."

"Try me."

"I had awoken from my bed, to see a friend returned from the dead.  And a battle about to ignite, so tell me, what is the reason for this fight?"

For the second time that morning, everything just stopped.

Heads turned to the side to find a Zebra mare standing in the front door of her little home, turquoise eyes mirroring the look of confusion on her face, head canted to the side.

"Zecora!"  Twilight smiled and bolted over to her friend, grasping her in a tight hug.  "I'm so glad to see you!"

"And to you as well, my friend, who I am glad to see has not met her end."  The zebra returned the hug, then looked back at Rainbow and Janus.  "So why the fight?  Might does not make right."

"Its a big misunderstanding.  One blown completely out of proportion, mistakes and assumptions..."   Twilight shook her head.

"For this fight to truly be over, perhaps explanations are in order?"

"If it were only so easy..."  The purple mare rolled her eyes.  "Janus is the father of my daughter, Moonlight."  She pointed to him with a hoof.  "... whom Luna thinks is being mind-controlled and wants to put me under a spell.  But all he did was escape the moon by pouncing Luna."  She shrugged.  "He thought she was Nightmare Moon and was only looking for me to ensure me and our daughter were all right.  Now Luna has sent Rainbow Dash, whom thinks he is mind-controlling me, to capture him."  

Zercora nodded, listening.

"Everything's spinning out of control, everypony's blaming everypony else for mistakes that I made on my own!"  She held her head, mane coming undone as she yelled in frustration, "CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!?"

Zecora patted her on the back motherly, before walking into the clearing, looking up at Rainbow.  "To escape the moon, a ride he did take. Attacking the Princess, a simple mistake. You did not know him, as you were not there there, but for Twilight and Moonlight, he does seem to care."

The Rainbow frowned at her old friend, looking down at the ground, before eying the Zebra.  "How can we be sure."  She growled, still refusing to lower her guard for the moment.  "All he has done is proven that he is a danger to our friend."  She glared at Janus who glared daggers right back.  "You've been stalking her for days now!"  She shot forward, pressing her nose to his, her cerise eyes staring deep into his powder blue ones.  "You're obviously a spy!"

"I am Janus Key, former Lieutenant in the Germane Guard, father of Moonlight Sparkle, and former Prisoner of Nightmare Moon."  He snarled, pressing his nose to R.D.'s and even pushing her back slightly.  "So lay off, rookie, and let's let your boss do the talking."  His horn glowed again and the Pegasus was snatched from the air by her tail and unceremoniously levitated over to be dropped to the ground in front of the arriving Guards and Princess Luna.

"You're also a bit temper-happy, Janus."  Twilight said from where she sat beside Zecora.

"A year of being tortured will do that to you, Twi."  He rolled his eyes.  "You're so lucky you can't remember it."

"I want to."

"No, you shouldn't."

"It's why I sought you out!  Out of everything that's happened to me, my friends losing me, my life being taken away, a foal forced upon me... you even called me that!"

He blinked.  "Called you what?"

"You called me 'Twi'.  Only close friends and my brother call me that!"

He blushed.  "... oh..."

"We really were that close, weren't we?"

He lowered his head and nodded sadly.  "... yeah... yeah, we were..."

"That's what I want to remember!  Not what the Nightmare did to me, I want to remember what we had."  She suddenly spun on Luna.  "... and I won't let you take him away until I get the answers I want!  The answers I need!  If not just for me, then for Moonlight!"

The moon Princess staggered back at her friend's tone.

"He is not a threat!  He is not mind-controlling me!  He simply wanted to be sure I and our daughter were safe.  Now you are going to escort us back to Sweet Apple Acres so I can feed my daughter, and she can meet her daddy."  She was practically yelling now.  "Then we are going to sit down, have a nice dinner among friends, and we can get back to having our lives put together.  Is that clear?!"

"My friend indeed, you must remember to breathe."  Zecora stepped up and placed a hoof on her shoulder.  "While your anger is most deserved, continuing this course is most assuredly absurd.  Perhaps some tea, and we let them be?"

Twilight stared at the ground while the Zebra gently caressed her back, running a gentle, reassuring hoof along her spine.  It took several moments for the anger to fade away and she nodded.  "... yeah, I'm sorry Zecora... this is just, these last couple of months have been pure hell.  I haven't even seen my parents yet!"  Her eyes went wide and she looked up at Luna.  "Do they even know about Moonlight?"

Luna nodded.  "They do.  We were going to bring them this week..."  She shot a glance at Janus.  "... until a certain stallion sucker-punched me..."

He eye-rolled in response.  "... never gonna hear the last of that..."

"No, you're not."  Twilight pointed her hoof at him.  "Apologize."

He blinked at her in surprise.

"Now,"  she commanded.

He sighed.  "Yes, Ma'am."  Immediately Rainbow let out a sound slightly reminiscent of a whip cracking.  He spared only a brief glare at her before he turned to Princess Luna and said, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

"Your apology... as much as I dislike it... is accepted."  She leaned close, glaring hatred at him.  "But keep in mind, stallion, we will be watching you closely!"

"Like I have a choice?"  He glared right back.  The two mere inches apart, staring into each other's eyes.

Twilight pulled Janus back before they could get into another verbal spar that might end up into an actual physical confrontation.  "Hey, now.  You two quit it.  Now... let's go home, okay?"

There was still silence as the two sides continued their stare-down.

"I said..."  Twilight spoke louder, her voice a threatening tone.

"Yeah, yeah..."  Rainbow huffed.  "We heard you, Twi..."

"As the neutral one here, I offer to be near."

"Sure, Zecora."  Twilight smiled.  

"Yeah, welcome aboard the crazy train."  Rainbow rolled her eyes.
> Chapter 6 - The Rogue's Fate
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 6: The Rogue's Fate

It was an interesting group that was marched back through a town now occupied by a hundred-plus Royal Guard.

Ponies throughout Ponyville had had their mornings interrupted by the Princess' arrival with a full Company of armored soldiers, and now lined the streets watching as Twilight led the procession through the town square and toward Sweet Apple Acres with Janus on her heels, head hanging low.  Nopony said a word.  Even some of the veteran Guards were rather reluctant to incite the mother's ire, and near the center of a ring of bat-winged Lunar Guard, Princess Luna forced herself to keep her head erect and regal wings folded neatly as if she was on parade.

Rainbow Dash had flown ahead to warn her own patrol of Twilight's 'rescue' and the other Element Bearers met them at the gate, Fluttershy cradling a babbling Moonlight in her forehooves to be handed over to her mother.

"Hello, my little moon, Mommy's back!"  The foal babbled again and wrapped tiny hooves around her mother's nose with a happy coo.  "I want you to meet somepony."  Twilight turned and smiled at Janus.  "This is your Daddy."

The foal stopped babbling and looked up at her father who blinked down at the bundle of joy.

Nobody noticed the soft hiss of Luna's horn igniting just in case...

"Hi there."

"Bah-Hee!"

Janus smiled, as a tiny hoof tapped him on the nose.

This time, Twilight did notice the magic around Luna's horn going out, the Alicorn giving a silent sigh of relief.  She said nothing for a moment.  "Alright then.  I missed breakfast, so, Pinkie?  Can I presume the barn?"

"Yepparoni!"

Twilight levitated Moonlight onto her back.  "Then, food time!"  She ordered, and trotted away to the amazed looks of everypony else present.

"What jest happen'd?"  Applejack glanced at Fluttershy who shrugged.

"Best if you don't ask."  Rainbow Dash replied.  "Come on."  She led the group toward the barn where a party had been assembled, complete with banner that read; "WELCOME MOONLIGHT'S DADDY!"

"Pinkie?"

"Yes?"

"... never mind."  Applejack rolled her eyes and limped toward the snack tables where Janus and Twilight had sat down to eat.

"How did your friend know?"

"It's Pinkie.  Best if you don't ask."  Twilight replied, giving Moonlight a cookie to suck on.

"... I'll remember that."  The Unicorn Stallion looked across the room where the pink mare in question was trying to get a couple of Rainbow's guards to loosen up and dance.

"I've known 'er for years myself.  Everypony in town just accepts it."  Applejack started to fill up her own plate.

"You'll stay sane if you do that."  Twilight nodded.  "I destroyed my notes after giving up trying to research her abilities.  Leading theory is that she's got a bit of draconequus in her."

"As in Discord?"  He blinked, worried about the implications of having someone related to the spirit of chaos anywhere near his daughter.

Twilight shrugged, taking a bite out of a cookie while watching Moonlight explore hers.  "Possibly.  But as I said, I gave up researching her and simply accepted that she's my friend."

"Ah."  He didn't really understand, but decided to trust his mate with it.

"Twilight."  Luna approached.  "Despite the Element of Laughter's attempts to make a party out of your reunion, there are some matters to discuss..."

"Yes, yes... I know."  Twilight sat, watching her daughter stare in amazement at Luna's flowing mane.  "What do you want to know?"

The Goddess of the Night blinked in surprise.  No demands?  No yelling?  "Well, an explanation is in order."

"I thought we'd already covered that?"  Janus sat by Twilight, secretly rather proud of the Alicorn's disapproving frown.  "I was abducted by the Nightmare to be Moonlight's father, escaped, yadda-yadda-yadda, we've all heard the deal."

"Enlighten me."

He sighed, glancing at his mate.  "Can I-"

"No, you may not punch her again."

"Rats..."  He went on again to explain the whole situation; how he had been lured off the streets of Marelin by a mind-controlled Twilight, abducted and sent to the Moon, chained and tortured, used to knock-up Twilight.  The mother didn't appear to be paying attention as he described their time together - thankfully leaving out the more intimate details.  He went on to describe his escape by hijacking Luna's teleport spell.  

Everypony in the barn sat and let him speak, nopony speaking for several moments after he finished until the silence was broken by Luna, "I still don't trust you."  Her suspicious scowl continued unabated by his tale.

"Yer just sore he laid ya out, ain'tcha?"  Applejack grinned, throwing the dice and taking a chance.

"What?  That is Absurd!  We do not hold grudges!"  Luna protested.

Even her guards were looking at her expectantly.

"... "  She looked even among her Lunar guard for some sort of defense.  She found none.  "... okay, maybe just a bit.  But We had good reason!"  She poked the Stallion in the chest.  "We could not be sure that he was not a threat to Our friend!"

"We can plainly see,"  Zecora smiled, sitting behind and between the two Unicorns.  "Such things are not what they seem."

"Yeah.  So when's the wedding?"  Rainbow Dash piped up from a nearby cider barrel where her Sergeant was passing out the mugs.

"What?"  Twilight suddenly exclaimed as Janus cleared his throat.

"'tis true.  He did propose to you."  Luna smirked, now that the tables were turned.

"She's got a point, Twi."  He wriggled his eyebrows, then nodded down to Moonlight.  "Would be a good idea in case your folks ask.  Speaking of which, they are still coming, arn't they?"

Luna nodded.  "Yes.  But nevertheless, you are still on probation, Stallion."  She pointed an armored hoof at him.

"... meh.  Best I can get, I guess."

"Of course, meeting the folks is right up there on a list of punishments for an involved stallion."  Applejack accepted a mug of cider from R.D. and grinned.

"... don't remind me..."  He facehoofed as Twilight grinned.

"And what now?"

Twilight glanced at the Princess.  "What?"

"What now?  You are already sharing a room with Moonlight and Pinkie.  Where will he bed down?"  She pointed a hoof a Janus whom arched an eyebrow at his mate.

"Uh..."

"Easy there, sugarplum."  A.J. put a hoof around her neck.  "We'll take care of ya'll.  Been planning that already."

"Well, care to fill me in, Applejack?"

"Already been chattin' with the Mayor about re-naming the Library and tucking the sign away until you really do pass on."  She waved her brace in gentle circles beside her.  "Me an' R.D. have been working on putting things back the way they were before ya was abducted."  She shot a disapproving scowl at the brace.  "... as much as we can."

"Things most certainly cannot go back to the way they were before all this."  Twilight eye-rolled, then scowled at her friend. 

"True.  But it'll help.  'specially with Pinkie."  She whispered, and nodded in the direction of said party pony.

Twilight looked at her pink friend and blinked as said pony was leading a conga-line of Guardsponies around the room.  Even Luna stared in surprise.

"... case in point."  The farmer muttered.  "Pinkie will be with you, and R.D.'s been chattin' with the Mayor about a small place right next door for the new town Guardhouse."

"... you win."  She glanced at Janus with a slight smirk.  "And you will be with me too, I take it?"

"Of course.  Moonlight needs a father, after all."  His face split into a smirk, his ice blue eyes focused on the Princess.  "Unless you have any objections."

"Oh, none at all..."  The Princess grinned right back.  "Leaving you locked in the middle of a government building surrounded by Royal Guards greatly appeals to me."

Twilight cleared her throat.  "Its a PUBLIC Library, Luna..."

The nighttime Princess didn't miss a beat; "Still having the guards."

"If that's what it takes to have peace in this mixed up family of mine, deal."  She nudged Janus.  "Now shake."  Her face fell into a frown when both ponies looked at her as if to ask 'are you serious?'  To which she replied; "Yes, I'm serious.  Now, Shake!"

"Sak!"  Came from the dark blue filly in her forehooves.  Janus could only stare into the filly that had his eyes, and was using them to stare at her father and the Princess.

Janus gave his daughter a look, then to the Princess; "Can't argue with that, can we?"

"Nope..."  She extended an armored horseshoe.  The two shook.

"Now that peace has been declared."  Applejack smirked.  "Now we have to deal with the Parents!"

Twilight's eyes went to pinpricks.  

"Something wrong, sugarcube?"  A.J. looked on in concern.

"My parents..."  She responded at a glance with Luna and Janus. "... compared to dealing with them, I'll be wishing you two were still at war..."