Luna explains what really went on during the rebellion of Nightmare Moon.
(Teen for language and gore) GOING TO BE REWRITTEN
This is the story of a malicious ruler who let her greed consume her until she plunged Equestria into darkness and plotted to let the very ponies she promised to protect suffer.
This is the story of a ruler who ever pony trusted one thousand years ago.
THIS is the true story of what happened, one thousand years ago, when my sister decided she wanted to do things her way.
This is the story of my royal sister: Princess Celestia.
My sister sighed quietly to herself as she processed the news- so quietly, in fact, had I not been seated next to her I most likely would not have heard it.
Noble Thornguard, seated at the four o'clock mark of our circular table, had brought news to the council concerning the discovery of a faction of ponies in his city bent on overthrowing my sister and myself.
Noble Thornguard, one of the eleven nobles present, was the Prince of Stalliongrad- despite sharing no blood with either of us. Politics were very different back then, you see. While my sister and I controlled Canterlot itself, ponies spread out across the land. We needed a way to keep control over them so we established a system where we would select officials and dub them as semi royalty, giving them control over a city to do whatever they pleased.
Of course, while we could not directly control the fates of those outside of Canterlot, no information escaped our ears.
"And how art we to believe this information, Noble Thornguard, when thee bringth nay proof of such doings? Nary a scrap of information save for a simple rumor." my sister questioned. The time was old back then and ponies still spoke archaicly- for it was a few years before my banishment.
"Your majesty," Noble Thornguard began uneasily. "while I cannot speak with great certainty that these art more than just rumors, all I would ask of thee is for a small detachment from the Royal Guard to investigate the matter more carefully. Stalliongrad lay poorly defended after the snow wolf attack, and as such we have nay the means to conduct a full fledged investigation effectively ourselves. Would thee nayeth wish to crush this matter while it still sits as but a rumor?"
My dear sister furrowed her brow and focused her eyes in the distance, struggling to think about...Something. To this day I do not fully know what exactly she was thinking about, and nor do I ever think I shall.
"Indeed, Noble Thornguard; thou art correct in thy assumptions. Thou shall be granted a troop of twenty to conduct thy investigation, and we doth pray that for thou's sake this all is just a simple case of incompetent neigh sayers. Until next time, Nobles." Celestia said, her voice reminding me very much so of cold stone.
Back then I was so incredibly attached to my older sister. I could tell something was wrong, and so as we left the Council room I began to devise a plan to personally lead the detachment of troops to Stalliongrad and head the investigation.
"Tia," I began as my silver and her gold leg coverings quietly clicked on the floor, echoing throughout the empty hallways. "Dost thou think thee would let us lead the attending guard to Stalliongrad and perhaps...And perhaps conduct the investigation personally?"
Celestia turned to look at me as her pace slowed. Her eyes held the worry that any sibling would have if their other were to ask to partake in such dangerous tidings, but they also held something else as they searched mine.
Celestia was suspicious of me, for whatever reason.
We began walking at our normal pace after a few seconds, and she replied shortly after that. "Lulu, why would thou ever wish to leave the castle? Let alone to travel into the harsh north with battle hardened ponies..."
"Sister, thou appears to hath forgotten who thou art speaking to. It is I, thy darling little sister and the Goddess of War, among other aspects." I replied with a sarcastic smile.
Celestia shared my smile before continuing. "It appears I hath indeed forgotten whom I was speaking to. Regardless, Lulu, the answer is nay. If there is, indeed, a conspiracy against us and our throne, then I doth nay wish to put my sister in harms way."
"Tia, we hath slain countless ponies on the battlefield together when called for. We hath encased Discordias permanently in stone and placed him in the Gardens after he terrorized and ravaged our kind. I doth believe I will be able to survive a small trek through a blizzard along with twenty, strong soldiers."
Celestia sighed as we reached the fork in our paths. "Thou art indeed correct, Lulu. Thou hath proven thyself numerous times in the past. However, it is late and I doth believe thou hath a Night Court to attend to. I will sleep on the decision and give thee my final answer by morn. And Lulu? Think carefully for what thou art asking of I to do. Thou doth nay know what lay ahead, dear sister. Goodnight."
And with that, Celestia had retired for the night, leaving me to the throne. Her words made me curious and confused.
ῼ
Night Court was never particularly popular, for understandable reasons. Most, if not all, ponies worked during the day and were too tired come nightfall to ask us for things.
Mostly, I received letters rather than ponies. However, there were a few times where ponies would show up at the foot of the throne, questioning me about my night sky and the stars. I attracted astronomers and soldiers while my sister attracted farmers and politicians.
I did not envy my sister, but I am quite certain she envied me at times during our courts. I respected the farmers but loathed the politicians while my sister adored the soldiers and explorers that found themselves in my presence and, before I knew it, Night Court had ended and it was time for the moon to lower.
I envy you normal ponies sometimes, myself. You have no idea what it is like to have such power flowing through your body as you move something as large as the moon. It is not a pleasant experience.
But I seem to be straying from the main topic.
After my duty had been done, I exited the throne room and waited diligently outside the door to my sister's room.
Eventually, she came and opened the doors slowly and gracefully with her magic and stared rather shocked at me. "Lulu, I did nay expect thee to be waiting for me. I trust Night Court went well?" she asked as we began to walk down the halls.
"Night Court runs the same as every night, sister. I trust thou hath thought hard upon our plea?"
Celestia sighed as we stopped in front of the dining hall. "We shall discuss the matter over breakfast."
I nodded in understanding as we made our way into the large room with a laughably small table in relation to the room itself. While the table was long and- wait, why am I explaining the dining room to you? Forgive me, I know that you have been in the dining hall before.
Where was I...Ah, yes: Celestia sat at the far end of the table while I took my place on the opposite side. Servants brought us our respective courses and 'Tia began to dine cautiously as if she believed her food would attack her if provoked. I, on the other hoof, never saw the point to eating so painstakingly slow and ate however I saw fit.
"Lulu, table manners." Celestia warned softly. I rolled my eyes and corrected myself slightly.
"Thou art doing this on purpose, 'Tia."
"Indeed, I am. It is important for thee to learn the proper eating etiquette if-"
"Nay, sister. Thou art prolonging the inevitable. What is thy decision?"
Celestia stared long and hard at me for a moment before turning back to her food. "Luna, if thou truly wishes to venture with the Guard, thou must understand that conspirators art a ruthless breed. They will undoubtedly attempt to sway thee with lies and perhaps even coin, if they are foalish enough. Thou must keep thy wits sharp and thy blade sharper, sister."
"I understand, 'Tia."
"Then thou may venture with the soldiers once more. Make haste, however, as they art scheduled to depart in a few moments."
If the pink pony- Pinkie Pie, was it? -were alive back then, she would have been proud of my reaction. I clapped my hooves together giddily before hoarfing down the rest of my meal, much to 'Tia's disgust, and rushing out the doors to pack.
A long, dark road stretched on before me; one I was eager to follow.
At the First Lieutenant's command, his platoon spun on their back legs before marching forward as if they were a single being. They marched out of the castle gates proudly, their golden armor glistening in the early morning sunlight as the beat of their hooves echoed through the city.
It was still too early for most ponies to be up; the perfect time for the Guard to make its way out of the city without being stopped by curious civilians. Of course, one pony in particular had to stop the Guard just to catch up.
"Lieutenant!" I called from above, my voice echoing louder than their hoofsteps and surely waking a few ponies from their peaceful slumber.
Continuing to march but turning his head skyward, the First Lieutenant, Skyward Sword, noticed a little black speck grow larger and larger as it neared he and his troops.
Before he could react and warn the rest of his ponies, I crashed into the cobblestone street, causing a pony-sized crater to develop in my wake.
"Lieutenant!" I shouted in glee, making full use of the Royal Canterlot Voice. "We art most pleased that our sister hath allowed us to partake in this grand adventure! Fear not, Lieutenant- we art nay here to take command of thy troops. Rather, we art a simple follower!"
By now, his troops had halted their progress and stood awestruck by the sight of one of the Princesses before them. Skyward Sword blinked twice as he struggled to wrap his mind around the situation. "P-Princess Luna!" he said, bowing quickly with the rest of his ponies following.
"Arise, Lieutenant. We hath nay time for such preceedings. Onward, to Stalliongrad!" I commanded happily, grinning like a little filly before hopping alongside the Lieutenant as he marched. He was dumbstruck- he had never seen me act like this, but then again he had hardly seen the me at all.
"Lieutenant!" I shouted, unbeknownst to myself that I was still using the Royal Canterlot Voice.
"Y-Yes, Princess?"
"How fast doth thy believe we could make it to Stalliongrad?"
"We should arrive at Stalliongrad in four days, your majesty."
"Most wonderful, Lieutenant! And for how long doth thy intend to travel for this day until our next rest?"
"My Princess, we shalt halt whenever thou deems it so. However, should thy nay halt the Guard, we will make camp at sunhigh in Stonehill for a short rest, and then at sundown in the Crystal Mountains."
"Most wonderful, Lieutenant! Most wonderful indeed!"
ῼ
"Tis definitely not most wonderful, Lieutenant." I groaned.
We had been walking for what felt like days, and yet Canterlot was only just disappearing. I was not used to walking such great distances almost nonstop, as the last war had been nearly three hundred years before.
The Lieutenant and his Guard, however, were trained and practically begged for long, tiring walks through the blistering cold.
I shot the Lieutenant a glare as I saw his lips quiver, forcing back a chuckle as he continued his march. The freezing cold had forced my coat to cling tighter to my body as the north winds blew down from the Crystal Mountains in the distance.
"Art we nearly to Stonehill?"
"Almost, milady. Just a few hours more." the Lieutenant replied, not taking his eyes off of the path in front of him. It was going to be a long day.
Seeking to make the rest of the trip more enjoyable, I began to question the Lieutenant.
"What is thy name, Lieutenant? We grow tired of hearing the same sound upon our tongue whenever we address thee."
Straightening himself up the best he could, the Royal Guard attempted to make himself look somewhat presentable before continuing. "My name is Skyward Sword, milady."
"Sword? If we doth recall correctly, thy family hath been in service to us in one way or another for at least ten generations." I said with slight admiration.
"Indeed, we have, milady. My father served as the Royal Chef, and my mother as the Royal Scribe. My grandfather and grandmother on my father's side both served in the Royal Guard for Princess Celestia, and on my mother's side..." Aura began to ramble before I tuned him out.
I had merely stated why his name sounded familiar- I didn't expect, and quite honestly didn't care for, what positions each of his family members had served in.
I let out a silent sigh as Skyward continued his recollection of his family's history before I noticed him looking at me expectantly as we trotted.
I blinked suddenly, in confusion, before realizing he had stopped and asked me something.
"We apologize, did thou question us of something?"
"Indeed. I asked about thy own family. I mean- that is, if, as a mere guard, I am allowed to know such information." he began to stutter.
In a way, it was somewhat humorous to see a Pegasus, trained to kill, shaking slightly in his armor.
"We forgive thee, Lieutenant, but our family history is our own." I replied as politely as possible.
Humorous, indeed, but understandable when one fears evoking the wrath of the Goddess of the Moon.
As I am sure the stories have mentioned, I was always at least a tiny bit jealous of my sister. The ponies loved and adored her, as she brought forth the sun to light the way in front of them so that they wouldn't trip over their own hooves and tumble off of a cliff. But you must understand where I was coming from- my night was a period of rejuvenation for every living thing, but did any of the ponies pay heed to my work? Did any stop to think 'My, what a beautiful night sky, tonight, Princess Luna. Keep up the good work!'?
With that knowledge, and the added fact that I had practically been in control of a war that Skyward Sword's grandfather would have remembered, it is a little more understandable why even trained guards feared me.
With a slight nod, Skyward Sword turned his head forward and continued marching.
In the distance, I could just barely make out the silhouette of a clock tower- signalling that Stonehill was before us.
Skyward Sword let out a shout to signal this and rally his troops, who held formation but increased their pace a noticeable amount. Yes, even Guards tire after some time. You lot aren't machines, after all.
Our march through the snow was finally coming to an end, and I was pleased at such news.
We tromped on in relative silence, the only sound being the soft crunching of snow underneath hooves.
By now, Stonehill had come into full view- and we could all tell that something was dreadfully wrong here.
Banners flew loosely in the wind, clinging desperately to their poles in order to keep from flying away and being lost in the frozen north while doors lay ajar or off their hinges. Personal belongings, along with common goods to be sold by street vendors, lay scattered about the street. Carts were overturned and a few weapons were to be found deep in the snow, covered in rust.
"Lieutenant!" I ordered firmly, my voice carrying my request throughout the entire deserted town. I heard the somewhat comforting sound of quickly approaching hoofsteps.
"Yes, milady?"
"What hath transpired here? We hath had contact with Stonehill recently- less than a week ago, in fact! Explain to us how the entire desertion of a town is possible without foul play."
Skyward Sword followed my gaze as I continued to scan the town square for any signs of movement. Guards were idly picking through what lay in the streets, either out of curiosity or boredom, but we were the only life to be found.
And my fears of foul play proved correct when a shout from a guard below us called my attention to the town hall.
"Milady!" He cried, waving his hoof frantically until I landed in the snow before him, peering inside through the open doorway.
Like the other doors, this one had been forced inwards from the outside. Unlike the other doors, however, this one was adorned with scratch marks that seemed to have come from hundreds of scrabbling hooves and even a few horns. Something was dreadfully ominous about the whole situation and, as I stepped through the doorway, I was met with a horrifying sight: Scattered throughout the main floor of the town hall lay skeletons. Skeletons of ponies, both Unicorns and Pegasi and Earth Pony alike. Their bones were twisted and malformed, as if something had morphed them.
I felt my fury rise to the point that I started to levitate myself, but something broke my concentration: A little droplet of some foul smelling liquid. My head turned upwards in confusion as I landed on the floor and I found myself staring up at the ceiling, where hundreds of cocoons hung- all broken from the inside, out.
My eyes returned to the deformed skeletons, who I now realized lay on their sides on makeshift bedding- as if they had escaped their prison and attempted to rest before fleeing further. But if these cocoons were meant to change ponies into something, as the deformed skeletons suggested...What was it? And why were there so many cocoons, but so little skeletons? Where had the others gone?
"Lieutenant!" I called again, waiting for him to trot into the room.
"Yes, Princess?" he asked with a slight worry.
"Lead us to the nearest town. Stonehill is gone, and our sister must be notified of their undoing- whatever that may hath been."
"I understand, milady. Platoon! Form up, we art leaving!" Skyward Sword shouted before giving the order. His troops marched along with a purpose as I followed a few steps behind them, casting a wary, sad glance back at Stonehill.
I swear I saw something look back.
ῼ
Skyward Sword's cutie mark rubbed against mine as we sat together inside the cold cave.
It was purely for warmth, I assure you, as the measly fire was doing little to warm everypony.
It was time for night, and I had raised the moon- albeit a bit reluctantly, as it would only further the advancing cold that fell outside- before stepping back inside.
Most of the Guard was asleep already, with two standing guard at the entrance, one tending to the fire, and Skyward Sword shifting in his armor with a concerned, confused look on his face.
"Lieutenant? Doth something bother thee?"
"Nay, Princess...I am fine." he replied, incredibly unconvincingly.
"Skyward, if something bothers thee-"
"I am fine, Princess." he interrupted firmly, surprising me quite a bit.
But, I did not snap on him as I would have any other pony. He was a soldier and, even if he wore gold rather than onyx, if war came he would have been under my command.
I always treat my soldiers well.
However, I was incredibly curious, and almost tempted to cast a little scrying spell on his mind. But, that would have been a gross invasion of his privacy, and I was far above that.
Instead, I watched silently as the Pegasus gave a small, sad sigh before curling up into a ball and falling asleep.
Although my domain was night, I could not let these brave ponies change their schedule around my sleeping habits if there truly was a threat against Equestria.
Despite this, I did not sleep that night...
ῼ
Hello, Princess Lunarias...
"Excuse us? Who art thou? Show thyself!" I commanded in response to the bodiless voice.
I was stuck in my own dreamscape, listening to an unknown voice..
What's wrong, Princess? Unhappy to speak with someone who understands your doubts?
"What doubts? Present thyself, creature- less we flush thee out and do with thee as we please!"
A soft chuckle filled my head, only causing me to grow more furious with the uninvited guest.
Everypony has doubts, Lunarias...Doubts as to whether or not their parents love them, whether or not a dress looks good on them...Whether or not their sister is sending them on a wild goose chase for a group of ponies that don't even exist, perhaps?
"We will not repeat ourselves! Show us thy face, or face our wrath!" I commanded, my voice booming within my own head as my dreamscape avatar began glowing.
Before me, the shadows of my mind parted to reveal a creature from that of a near horror story.
A seaweed-like mane lat slightly curled, hanging down from the side of the creature's head as a jagged horn protruded from it's forehead. A quick look to it's back confirmed my suspicions of an Alicorn, and to my horror it's legs were riddled with numerous holes.
Was this how I saw myself, in my worst form?
"Greetings, Princess Lunarias; Daughter of the Night." the creature before me said respectfully, bowing slightly. "I am Queen Chrysalis, ruler of an ancient race and current leader of the order you pursue."
"You are the one threatening to overthrow our peaceful kingdom?"
"Indeed, I am. Your sister has sent you to apprehend me as a test of loyalty for what she has planned in the days, coming."
"Loyalty? Our sister knows we are loyal to Equestria!"
The creature tilted her head to the side slightly, searching my face for something. "You don't know, do you?"
"We are the owner of a great many knowledgeable subjects." I said in defense, causing the being to let out a slight chuckle.
"Fear not, Princess Lunarias...Everything will be revealed to you shortly, and when it does, you must choose who your loyalties lie. To your sister, or Equestria..." the being said solemnly as she began to back away form me, the shadows of my mind enveloping her once more until I could not feel its presence any longer.
And then, I awoke.
ῼ
Gasping from my dream, I sat up hurriedly and scanned the surrounding room.
Guards still lay in a heap on the floor where they had fallen asleep, with Lieutenant Skyward Sword still snoring peacefully beside me.
The fire had long since died down, and the soldier tending to it had fallen asleep beside it's warm embers.
Nothing was out of place, and nothing was wrong.
So tell me, why did I still feel the need to dread the coming days? Why was I so suddenly afraid of what was to come, from the simple words of merely my imagination?
'Queen Chrysalis'? I laughed inwardly at the name. With such a random slur of syllables and sounds, the name couldn't possibly exist- easing my doubts for a while that it was simply my mind torturing myself.
Cracking my neck to the side as I stood up, I noticed several guards begin to stir as well.
It was time to leave for Stalliongrad once more.
ῼ
"Princess?" Skyward Sword's voice came, pulling me from my thoughts as we trotted with a purpose through the snow, the satisfying crunching of it as we stepped down playing in my head.
"Speak, Lieutenant."
"Art thou alright? Thou seems...A bit depressed, if I ma say so..."
"We are fine, Lieutenant." I said simply, not averting my gaze from my freezing hooves.
While Skyward Sword and his platoon's attention were focused on the path before them, my attention was elsewhere, to much darker subjects...
In my mind, I was searching through every memory and snippet of information I had ever acquired, trying to recal my feelings on each and every one.
What had I said to myself about doubt? What did I doubt from my sister?
I could not find anything in the short time available; I had trusted my elder sister with my life on more than one occasion and she had not let me down.
Perhaps I was feeling a bit abandoned because Celestia let me go on this quest so easily? Usually, I had to beg her for days on end before she would even consider agreeing.
Shaking my head clear of the matter, my focus returned to the looming towers in the distance.
"Raise the portcullis!" a voice shouted as soon as we had come into view of the massive town.
From my studies, I had learned that Stalliongrad was the largest and northern-most town in all of Equestria, with the exception of Canterlot.
The nearby Crystal Mountains and deep forests held numerous jobs for the working pony who was able to put up with the intense cold.
The perfect place to hide a treasonous order.
"Princess Luna!" a guard exclaimed as he trotted over to intercept us. "Noble Thornguard hath anticipated thy arrival. I am to escort thee and thy guards to the castle grounds, immediately."
"Very well. Lead us, soldier." I commanded, falling in step behind the armor-clad Earth Pony as we marched through the cobblestone streets towards the relatively small castle further in.
I let my eyes wander around the town, taking in some of the sights: Stalliongrad, by far, was not an incredibly reach city but nor were they incredibly poor. Although the mining and lumber businesses in the area were continuously successful, the need for such materials in other pats of the land were not as high as they used to be.
Steady employment allowed the residents to live comfortably, but not lavishly.
Food was another issue entirely, however. As they were situated in such a faraway place- on the northern border of Equestria before the Crystal Empire - food was somewhat difficult to come by. They received most of their supplies through trading caravans, but during severe blizzards, when the supplies could not get through, the castle had several unicorns adept in conjuration.
Upon arriving at the castle, our escort broke off to return to guard duty; leaving us alone in the courtyard.
"Hmph." I snorted in slight disgust. "Usually a guest is to be escorted directly to the Great Hall."
Skyward Sword took this as a hint, although unintentional, and led the rest of the way into the castle.
Now, I had almost always detested Nobles and other 'high and mighty' acting ponies, but the sheer lack of decorations within the castle still greatly disturbed me.
Not a single suit of armor, nor crest, nor flowerpot decorated the interior as we finally arrived with the throne room- the only light being two braziers that sat beside the throne and torches that lined the wall.
"Noble Thornguard." I said, slightly nodding my head. "We hath arrived within thy city, as thou can clearly see. Where may we begin our investigation?"
"Greetings, Princess Luna. I hath already made arrangements for thy guards to lay in the barracks, which are quite empty, and a lavish guest room hath been prepared in anticipation of thy arrival. I hath nary the time to attend to the matters concerning the threat against the crown but, if thou wishes to learn more, my Captain of the Guard will be able to assist thee more so than I." Noble Thornguard replied, making me growl slightly in frustration.
A Noble, not having time to seek out the beings that threatened to plunge Equestria into possible war? What matters could be more important than putting an end to such a plan?
Before I had time to question his words, a gray-coated Unicorn trotted out from beside the throne, donned in brick-red armor.
"Milady," he began, bowing in respect. "I am Burning Heart, Captain of the Guard for Stalliongrad. If thou would please follow me, we have important matters to attend to."
Nodding to Skyward Sword, who in turn led his troops out back into the city, I began following the silent Unicorn through the dark corridors of the castle, descending into the the darkness.
ῼ
"We apprehended the criminal as she was attempting to flee one of our raids on a suspicious house. For several days, the city guard hath been watching over an abandoned house after we were alerted to the fact that several robed ponies were meeting there at night. Fearing Necromancy, I had three guards posted in the surrounding buildings. Somehow, a fire managed to break out within and the light brought my guards into action." the Captain explained as we began descending the wide, spiral stone staircase that led into the castle dungeons.
The smell of stale hay, urine and feces assaulted my nose to the point where I had to cast a small spell in order to be allowed to breathe.
"And what hath she told thee?"
"Nothing, milady. She refuses to speak to us, but we know she is able to, as she can be heard mumbling to herself."
"Allow us to see this prisoner, Captain. We will deal with her." I said as we reached the landing, turning another corner before a long row of cells stretched on before me.
Signs adorned the outside of the cages, marking their occupants as murderers, thieves, and rapists alike.
Their kind were as much as a threat to Equestria as an entire dragon army.
On the far end of the hall, however, a different kind of sign hung from the bars. It read, simply, "Unknown".
"Rise, foal." I commanded, eying the form of a small Pegasus clinging to her tattered robs as she lay huddled in the corner. "Present thyself so that thy Princess may properly address thee."
A small, mocking laugh made its way from the Pegasi's snout to my ears before she replied. "I serve nay princess, especially nary a one who so righteously follows her sister's hooves."
"Foal," I repeated coldly. "Rise, so that we may address thee as a pony, rather than a criminal."
But still, the pony refused to follow my instructions; opting instead to stare coldly at me from the dark, cold corner of her cell.
"Captain, grant us entrance within this one's cell, and leave us."
Nodding in understanding, the Unicorn guard brought up the keys from their hook and undid the lock on the door, closing it behind me as he returned the keys to their rack and began trotting upstairs.
"Why art thy within the castle dungeon?"
"Why am I being visited by the Princess of the Night?" the pony challenged.
"We art present in order to gain information that will lead to the capture of a group plotting to overthrow our sister and we."
"Then why art thy here? I am but a simple Pegasus, barely capable of flight, yet somehow suspected of plotting to overthrow thee?"
"Thou were suspected of Necromancy, but without a horn one would be useless in such dark arts. Tell us, child, what was thy mission that night, within an abandoned house? And why would one such as thyself wear ominous clothing if one were nary up to ill doings?"
With a smug smile, the pony gave out a slight chuckle. "Wouldn't thou like to know?"
"Indeed, we would. However, we can clearly see that thou art content with keeping thy snout closed, so we will leave thee be...For now." I said firmly as I unlocked the cage door with my advanced magic, stepping out and locking the door behind me.
As I began to ascend the stairs, Burning Heart descended and made room for me on the stairwell.
"Captain? For what art thy present?"
"Guard duty, milady. It is my turn to oversee the prisoners."
With a simple nod, I began climbing the staircase once more, passing Burning Heart.
But he did not stir from his spot, and I felt his eyes burning into my coat even as I rounded the bend and exited into one of the many dark hallways that lead throughout the castle.
ῼ
"Lieutenant. Rouse thy troops- we art departing to investigate an abandoned house suspected to have been used by the ponies plotting to overthrow us."
"A-At once, milady!" he stammered as he awoke, rolling out of his cot to don his armor and hide his cutie mark, which was a proud looking broadsword flanked on either side with two elegant white wings, before calling his troops forward.
When the Guard had assembled, I led them out of the castle and into the streets of Stalliongrad where, curiously enough, the few ponies who were out in the streets shied away from my guards and myself. Their faces were not etched with respect, however. Instead, their eyes betrayed fear.
But it was a different fear from what I was used to showing. These ponies did not fear me for what I had done, but they feared me for some other, unknown reason- as if I would turn on my hooves and devour them right then and there!
Turning my head slightly to Skyward Sword, who managed to keep pace with me to my side, I whispered my concerns. "Lieutenant...Doth these ponies appear to be...Acting rather strangely?"
"Indeed, milady. I hath observed strange doings, as well. We, the Guard, art here because Stalliongrad hath reportedly lost most of its guard to recent snow wolf attacks...But the barracks were tidy and well kept, as if cleaned by soldiers. Being a soldier myself, I can say with great certainty that we try and get away with doing as little as we can when not in war. Princess, something strange is occurring here, and I doth nay enjoy it." Skyward Sword whispered in reply, his eyes scanning the few ponies that continued to shy away from our group.
"Indeed, Lieutenant. Earlier,we spoke with a prisoner within the castle dungeon. We could gather no valuable information from her, but the Captain of the Guard came in unexpectedly and watched us intensely as we ascended the stairs. Keep thy wits sharp, and thy blade sharper, Lieutenant."
Flicking his wing open a bit to inspect his sheathed short sword, Skyward Sword nodded in understanding as we neared a blackened and charred building that had once been the meting place of mysterious ponies at night.
I gave a large sigh, surveying the damage.
There wouldn't be much to work with, as nearly the entire foundation had collapsed and been burnt.
I sighed again as I noticed the sun begin to lower, my sister waiting for me to raise the moon so that she could sleep.
We had spent hours picking through rubble and ashes, hoping to find something- anything that appeared out of place.
The Guard had grown weary of searching, having found nothing at all from every corner of what remained, leaving me to contemplate what could have possibly gone on here.
Was it a meeting hall for assassins? Had a contract been signed?
Was it simply foals hoping to explore? The Pegasus in the dungeon was awfully young, but no. Something was off about the entire town, and it was maddening not being able to figure out what.
"Lieutenant. Take thy troops back to the castle. We will raise the moon and follow thee, afterwards." I ordered.
Skyward Sword nodded sharply and rallied his platoon before leading them back to the castle for much needed rest.
When they had gone, I looked around at the ruins I occupied.
"What art thee hiding from us, shadows?" I asked quietly before raising my head and letting the comforting feel of the moon fill my body as I guided it into it's position among the stars.
When I opened my eyes again, a light twinkle shone at my hooves.
"What's this?" I asked myself, tilting my head to get a better look at the metal.
It was a handle!
Clever devils... I thought as I wondered whether or not to call back Lieutenant Skyward Sword. They hath known that this building would be searched during daylight, so a spell was cast in order to keep this entrance hidden until our moon rose, when the ponies...Were sighted in the building...
Deciding against loosing precious time intercepting Skyward Sword, and fighting down the adrenaline that had suddenly built up inside of me, I grasped the round handle in my magical grasp and lifted.
The scent of cold earth and moss was overwhelming, but not unpleasant.
Using my horn as a light, I carefully descended the wooden steps that led into the earthly corridor. The blackness stretched on in front of me forever.
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I smiled determinedly, proud of my victory.
I had spent many more hours traversing the inner workings of the caverns beneath Stalliongrad; besting traps and doubling back from dead ends, marking my previous paths with marks in the dirt, until I had reached the end.
The true end.
Before me stood a giant wooden door with a light coming from under it.
Whatever had brought those ponies to the now burnt down house was in here- I was sure of it.
Building up my courage was not a hard thing to do, and after I had done so, I pushed open the door and stepped into the candlelight that lay within.
The feeling was awkward; Princess staring slightly shocked, slightly confused at a group of black robed ponies who held the same gaze towards I.
Nopony moved for a few moments before I gently took a step forward, causing the ponies in the room to dash around, some grabbing weapons while others simply hid behind furniture.
I took a moment to note the location of these ponies, should they intend to sneak up on me while fighting the braver ponies.
In an instant, I suddenly felt a weight upon my shoulders, which I bucked off quickly.
"Release us and stand down! Thou art all under arrest by decree of her royal majesty- Princess Luna! To strike us again will forfeit thy trial and result in thy immediate death!"
My command went unheard, however, as a notched arrow suddenly found itself brushing mere centimeters from my snout.
I spat in disgust and charged forward towards the Unicorn who had dared to attack me.
"Then pay with thy blood, criminal scum!" I shouted, impaling the foalish Unicorn on my horn and flinging her bleeding body towards an approaching Earth pony.
He leapt over his fallen comrade in time to slash my cheek open with a blade he gripped in his mouth.
I was astounded!
I was a pony who had fought in countless wars, winning the final battle in most of them myself. And yet, here was a mere earth pony, managing to cut my cheek open with a simple turn of his head.
Either these ponies were trained to kill, or my skills were lacking after years of inactivity.
I prayed it was not the latter.
Using my magic to knock the bladed stallion away from me, I turned just in time to deliver a swift kick to the jaw on an approaching Pegasus, who thought it wise to sneak up on me.
As his body crashed into the wall and he slid down, stirring slightly, I felt a cold blade press against my throat.
Thinking on mere instinct, I gripped the blade in my magic and shattered it before repeatedly tossing the bothersome Earth Pony stallion into the wall, over and over again.
The weight from before returned to my shoulders, announcing that the Pegasus had recovered from his toss.
No longer holding back, I grabbed all three ponies in my magic, the bleeding Unicorn included, and flung them all to the center of the room; where their heads smashed together, painting my face with a bit of their blood.
Tossing their lifeless bodies aside as I felt my rage subside, I wiped away the blood on my face before speaking again.
"If thou dareth try to resist arrest, we will not hesitate to slay thee as we hath slayed thy brethren! Now, Unicorns, come from thy cowardly places with thy heads down! Pegasi- if we see even a feather up, thou shalt nary fly again! And Earth Ponies..." I paused, spitting the name out in disgust as I remembered the bothersome, blade wielding stallion from naught a few moments ago. "If thou lifts a hoof even a full apple length from the ground, we shan't waste a single moment in ending thy pitiful existence."
As the few ponies who hid began to crawl from their hiding places, I noticed that they all wore the same robes as the others, as well as the young Pegasus who currently slept within Stalliongrad Castle's dungeon.
The ponies, six in all, all pressed themselves against the hard, wooden floor before my hooves- shaking profoundly and some even crying a bit.
It was a pitiful sight indeed.
"Come now, Lunarias," a soft, slightly mocking voice called out. "Is that how you treat all your friends?"
Looking around the room, I saw nothing- save for the many bookshelves lined with literature.
"Who dares hide from us? Reveal thyself!"
"This again? I've already told you who I am, Lunarias. Now, why don't you tell me what's gotten you so worked up, hm?"
Having pinpointed the source of the voice, I cautiously turned my head towards ceiling, only to reel back in shock.
There, about two yards directly above me, hung the nightmare from my dreams- clinging to a stalactite and grinning down at me. The ceiling seemed to take over the entire room but, upon closer inspection, I realized that hundreds of beings- smaller version of the one that had called herself 'Chrysalis, but without a mane -were slowly crawling down.
I backed myself up towards the door slowly, only to find that it wasn't a door anymore; just a barrier of bug-eyed, nightmarish ponies.
I do believe I screamed.
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"Back! S-Stay back, thou foul beasts!" I shouted, flaring up my horn with raw magic as I prepared to lash out at the slowly advancing creatures.
But before I could attack, a soft chittering sounded from above me and the monsters halted their progress, some looking up at the bigger creature expectantly while the others eyed me intensely, as if studying my form.
"Now then, where were we, hm?" Chrysalis teased as she flipped over and flittered her wings, landing gently in front of me.
"Who art thou- what art thou?!" I demanded, raising my voice slightly higher than I intended due to my current state.
"I have already introduced myself, Lunarias. But, if I must do so again, my name is Chrysalis, and I am Queen of the Changelings; a race of shape-shifting insectoid ponies. And what about you? Just who are you? I know of you, and I know about you...But just who am I speaking with, right now?" the creature replied, staring at me boredly with its head tilted slightly; a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she twitched her wings.
"We are Princess Luna, Daughter of the Night and ruler of Equestria!" I announced loudly, hoping to intimidate the Changeling.
My attempt, however, had no effect whatsoever on the Queen- who just held a hoof to her snout and giggled.
"My, so loud! Do you always use such volume when speaking?" the Queen teased, beginning to circle me.
I held her gaze as she rounded, glaring slightly. "What is thy purpose here, underneath Stalliongrad?"
"Oh, I'm so glad you asked! You see, we're here to kill your sister."
"Thou dares to threaten our sister in front of us?!" I shouted suddenly, flicking my wings open and stretching them to their full length.
To any other pony, I would have seemed like a demon as my eyes glowed pure white. Likely, they would be a simple quivering ball of horse at the mere sight of me like that.
Unfortunately for me, Chrysalis was not one of those ponies.
"Indeed, I do dare threaten a tyrant who sends her own kind off to war for her own personal gain." Chrysalis spat, loosing her calm, slightly joking demeanor.
I took a proverbial step back.
"Tyrant? Tyrant?! Doth thy even know of the hardships that we hath faced throughout the years in order for our ponies to live peacefully, without fear of a dragon suddenly deciding it wanted an easy meal?! Doth thy remember the times when Ponykind lived in constant fear of Discord?! Surely, thou should remember if thou knowst our full name!" I shouted angrily, spitting in the face of the creature who so foolishly decided to call my sister a tyrant.
But there was no fear nor fury played out across her face as she wiped my saliva from it. Instead, there was only a slight smile as her eyes filled with laughter.
"She doesn't know..." she whispered, I assume to herself. "Marvelous! This will speed things along quite nicely! Burning Heart!"
At call, the gray-coated Unicorn trotted in from the adjacent room; pushing his way past immobile Changelings.
When he had reached the clear center, where Chrysalis and I stood, he took up a space next to the Queen and awaited his orders.
"Captain, would you be so kind as to show Princess Lunarias what she needs to see? The Dusk is approaching..."
"The light of truth shalt shine upon her snout, milady." Burning Heart replied with a nod before turning towards me. "Princess, if you would accompany me into the library, please."
As he turned to leave, I cast a wary glance at Chrysalis.
"I assure you, no harm will come to you while you are within this sanctuary. We need you more than you know, Lunarias. And when the light of truth finally shines in your eyes...I believe you will be more than willing to help us."
At that comment, the Changelings around me began climbing up the walls once more as I turned to follow the Captain of the Guard.
Whatever they had to show me, I was immensely curious of- but not especially trusting.
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"Give us one good reason why we should nary paint the room with thy blood."
"Because everything thou hath read is the truth. Thou knows the facts of the war, as thou hath been through them personally. Hath thy never questioned why the dragons suddenly invaded without warning? Thy sister learned of the mineral deposits underneath towns but could do nary a thing about it unless they were moved. The entire Second Dragon War was staged as an excuse to add to her coffers, castle, and armory."
"Tis a lie!"
"Is it?! Consider the records I hath just presented to thee! A whole, battle hardened military at the time was available to defend Equestria! A leader, knowing full well the dragon's capabilities and tactics after the first war in command- and where doth she send her army?! To Zebrica in order to 'quell a local uprising in order to secure good relations'! Hundreds of ponies died for that! And where did all those harvest minerals and gemstones go to, hm? Thou hath never even been aware of such doings, hath thee?! Straight to the furnaces to be smelted into coin or armor- armor that sat in storage for years on end when Equestria's finest needed it!" the Captain of the Guard shouted angrily, placing his hooves upon the table and leaning forwards towards me.
I didn't want to believe.
I couldn't
This stallion had just showed me unquestionable proof- written, legal documents from ponies that were long since dead -that my sister had planned almost every single war that Equestria had fought in.
And every outcome was the same: cities that sat atop proverbial gold mines were destroyed- cities that held no significant power sometimes, even! -so that the royal pockets would remain full!
I had been living off of the wealth of murdered ponies for years on end, and I was too horrified to speak.
To horrified to see the light of truth.
"Thou speaketh lies!" I shouted in rage, flipping the table onto Burning Star and slamming myself onto it.
"Princess, p-please! We only wish to better Equestria!"
"Better Equestria with your blood!" I shouted in blind fury, channeling all of my magic into the table until a sickening pop could be heard and a pool of blood began forming under me.
But I was not finished yet- oh no.
Chrysalis would face my wrath, along with every black robed pony I came across while searching for her.
My rage had fueled my body so much that it had started to morph in order to contain the power, and I didn't even notice it.
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"Chrysalis!" I shouted again as I continued trotting forward, the halls behind me smeared with blood and bits of flesh from the few foolish ponies who had either attempted to halt my advance or 'talk some sense into me'.
I had cleared out every room within the caverns except one.
This final room sat at the end of a long hallway.
Its door was but a simple wooden slab with an eerie green light glowing from underneath.
I turned and bucked down the door with such strength that anypony behind it would surely have been killed by the force.
Unless, of course, that somepony had caught the door in her magic before it had a chance to strike.
I leapt onto the door, straining Chrysalis's magic as she struggled to hold me aloft before, with a simple flick, she sent me flying into the opposite wall.
I glared and let out a roar as I charged, trampling down many bulbous, green pods that sat on the floor while many more hung from the ceiling.
I couldn't see past the thick membrane that protected them, but I knew enough that whatever these things were, Chrysalis was responsible for them- and what we had seen at Stonehill.
As I bent my head down to impale the Changeling, she flipped open her wings and dodged my attack, causing me to crash into the wall.
I spread my own wings and gave chase, following her as she weaved to a fro- dodging my every attack.
Her face was what confused me the most, causing me to drop my guard for a moment.
She was not scared, nor worried, no furious.
She looked as though she was simply...Disappointed, like a mother towards its foal after it had stolen a dessert.
Sensing my defense drop, I found myself being held tightly in Chrysalis's magical grasp only to meet the wall again with a sickening thud.
"Thou art what occurred to Stonehill!" I shouted, feeding myself with whatever anger I could muster.
"You have no idea what you're talking about, Lunarias!"
"Stop calling us that!"
"A disease had stricken the town, and had we not been there to offer them new life- all would have perished!"
"And what of the tortured skeletons?!"
Chrysalis flared her wings and threw me downwards- too fast for me to recover.
As I hit the floor violently, I felt Chrysalis land on top of me and press her hooves onto my legs, holding me down.
"The conversion process is not kind to all..." she said rather sadly. "There were...Mutations that we could not be reversed, and only impeded their lives! It was mercy, Lunarias! I love all of my children, pure or converted! Do you?!"
"Every citizen of Equestria is a child to us!" I shouted in reply.
"THEN WHY DO YOU CONTINUE TO LET YOUR SISTER DO WHAT SHE DOES?!"
As the furious Changeling panted softly, cooling herself down, my emotions and logic caught up with me in an instant.
Every memory I had ever had of my sister- that proud, elegant, caring ruler was shattered.
Everything I knew and had grown up around was a lie.
How many others- the castle staff -new of my sisters doings? Had they suspected from the documents? Why hadn't they said anything?
I realized that I could not trust anypony any longer- perhaps not even Skyward Sword.
And then, I began questioning why my sister had allowed me to come here.
She knew what lay in waiting, didn't she? She had expected me to investigate, find the culprits, and have them executed for their threats against the crown.
She had expected me to play the role, once again, of an unquestioning, loyal soldier.
That is why she allowed me to come.
Everypony in the town was in on the conspiracy.
Everything suddenly made sense: why Noble Thornguard's castle lay so barren- he had given up his possessions to the common folk! -,why the townsponies were afraid of me- they feared I was like my sister! -and why Burning Star had come down so suddenly to the dungeon- he was making sure I had spoken to the prisoner!... But why?
My mind reeled with questions.
Why had they imprisoned one of their own? Perhaps she had caused the fire? Was it an accident?
"There never were any snow wolf attacks, were there?" I asked calmly.
"No. It was I, and the guard- along with every other pony in this town -let the truth into their eyes. The missing guard are currently training to battle as soldiers, rather than mere guards. And what about you? What will you do, now that you have learned everything there is to know?"
I acted as if nothing had happened, but I could no longer when I reached the castle.
Nopony was there to open the gates for me, and I felt as if I didn't have the right to enter in the first place.
It had been two days since I descended into the dark caverns beneath Stalliongrad.
It had been two days since I had learned the truth about my sister and the thousands of deaths caused by her greed.
It had been one day since I had brutally murdered exactly forty six ponies in cold blood; my mindless rage.
It had been six hours since I had stopped crying.
I flew over the castle walls quietly, ashamed that I had lost my temper with ponies who had only meant to save Equestria.
I avoided the main hallways, not wishing to see Noble Thornguard.
Why had he come to the Council? Did he know that I would come?
Unlikely...
I assumed that he hoped to convince the coming guards to join them.
But instead, he was joined by a Princess.
It occurred to me now; had he been waiting this whole time for me to leave so that he could talk to them without risking my possible wrath?
If so, how would they react if I were to question them again? What would Celestia do if she found out her sister had defected?
The town would surely be destroyed then. The only reason it hadn't been was because she either wasn't sure such an order against her existed, or because she thought it too minimal to do any damage...
"They art worried, thou knowst."
I gave a deep, pained sigh.
The very pony I had hoped to avoid had found me.
"I hath said nary a word to them about what hath gone on. I believe I will leave that part up to thee, unless thou wishes it otherwise?"
"Nay, Noble. We will speak to them..."
"...Chrysalis brought us together, thou understands? But it is thou, and thou alone, who will lead us. Celestia may be a tyrant, but even an evil beast such as Discord held a soft spot in his heart."
"Oh? And pray tell, who might that hath been?"
"Thou would not believe me even if I showed you his diary."
"Discord kept a diary? Now that is unbelievable."
"Heh. I assure thou, it is real, and few have read it. The foul thing reeks of dangerous magic, but one page in particular fills the room with such a burning passion that it almost killed three Unicorns."
"A protection spell, perhaps?"
"Nay; a page about thy sister. His love for her was near undying and, according to him, he did most of what he did when he discovered her existence so that she would better herself, if love him she could nary."
"The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony loved the embodiment of Order and Harmony?"
"Ah, thou art still thinking of thy sister as a pure being. Perhaps Discord saw Celestia for what she truly was, all those years ago. Or, perhaps he saw that mask that she cleverly wears. Regardless, if thou wins against Celestia, Equestria hath a bright future. If thou fails, then the betrayal will be too much for her wretched heart, and she will be easier to take down."
"We art but a pawn in a grand game of chess...Delightful."
"Nay, Princess. Thou art what thou chooses to be in life. I must leave thee now- important matters to attend to, and what not." Noble Thornguard said softly as he turned away, taking another corridor and leaving me standing at the door to the barracks.
"Thou art what thou chooses to be in life..." I repeated, thinking carefully upon his words.
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"P-Princess Luna?!" Skyward Sword stammered, taking a few steps back in fear as he instinctively grasped his sword with a wing.
It was by this time that I realized my body had changed drastically to the point where all that I could recognize was my mane and cutie mark.
I had grown exceptionally taller; now completely towering over the frightened Pegasus rather than standing a full head above him.
"Calm thyself, Skyward Sword. Our body hath gone under metamorphosis. It is natural when an Alicorn contains too much power for its current body to contain." I explained, hoping that he wouldn't question why I had suddenly gained so much power over the course of two days.
But, luckily, he said not a word about it.
"H-Hath thou found anything while thou were gone? We searched high and low for thee, but could not find hoof nor flank of thee."
I chuckled a bit.
"Apparently not low enough, Lieutenant."
Giving a sigh, I prepared myself for the inevitable.
"Skyward..." I began calmly. "How much doth thou trust us?"
"...Milady?" he asked, uncertainly.
"We hath discovered the location and members of the conspirators."
"That is wondrous news, Princess! I assume that they art dealt with,and we may return home?" he asked excitedly, smiling up at me as if he had asked me for a pet, and my answer would either make or crush his life.
"Who doth thou serve, Skyward Sword?"
"Why, the Crown, of course."
"The crown is shared, Skyward. Who doth thou serve?"
"Milady, art thou alri-"
"Answer us, Skyward Sword!" I bellowed, planting my hooves firmly in the ground and baring my new fangs dangerously at him. "Doth thy serve Celestia, or us?!"
To his credit, Skyward Sword stood his ground and glared firmly at me. "I served the Goddess of the Sun, the Righteous Protector of all of Equestria. I serve your sister, milady."
"Then leave us, Skyward Sword. Leave us and never return to Stalliongrad." I ordered before storming out of the castle angrily.
The fool would follow Celestia no matter what, to his dying breath.
"You've returned rather quickly." Chrysalis said simply as I trotted sadly through the main door of their underground sanctuary.
"Our...Meeting nary went well."
"I see...You understand what these pods are for, correct?"
"We will not force them to choose a side, Chrysalis. We are not monsters, as is our sister."
"Heh...Some would argue that, but these pods aren't just for converting ponies into Changelings. A pony would have a very hard time telling the difference between the two, but this pod is an egg, while the other is a conversion chamber."
"...An egg?"
"I am a Queen, Lunarias. It is my duty to raise my hive. What, did you think all Changelings used to be ponies?"
"Perhaps, although that really does not matter."
"Sure it does. This means that I can raise an entire army- one hundred thousand strong! -in the short span of one month. Changelings come out fully grown, unless birthed by the Queen directly."
"Thou means thou laid nary a single of these eggs?"
"Ah, no. That's not what I meant. I laid every single Changeling egg after I became Queen, but Queens cannot lay a royal egg. Instead, we give live birth once in our life time, and that Changeling will become the new Queen when the elder passes."
"...Changelings art strange, very strange indeed."
"You have not even begun to see just how right you are, Lunarias. But come, I have something for you. It is a gift, passed down from my mother from her mother, and on and on throughout Changeling history. It is our sacred armor, but I have never been fond of armor. In fact, I almost detest wearing it, so I have taken the liberty to make it your own- in more ways than just giving it to you."
"Armor? We hath armor- armor that hath served us for generations."
"Armor that is back in Canterlot. Besides, this armor is much more suited to your...Current look. I mean no offense by saying it that way, of course. Here, try it on."
"The armor?"
"No, Lunarias, the bookshelf. Yes the armor!"
"We art...We art not sure what to think of this." I said nervously after donning the chest piece, leggings, and flank cover. I held the helmet up to my face and stared into the space where my horn would fit.
After a moment, I turned it around in my magical grasp and slide the cold metal down onto my head.
"You look lovely, you know."
"...We thank thee?"
"You look like a powerful goddess- bent on revenge for the innocent."
"We art nary aware of how to receive that."
"It is a compliment, Lunarias."
"...Thou knowst, a stallion once said to us: 'Thou art what thou chooses to be, in life."
"And?"
"...And, we no longer wish to be known as Princess Luna. Instead...Call us...Nightmare Moon."
And you know the rest of the story, Captain Shining Armor.
You know the battles that happened, the cities that were destroyed, the countless bloodlines lost to our war...
I revealed the truth during the war- had copies made and distributed to every Equestrian town! -but the ponies treated it like demoralizing propaganda.
In the final battle, between my sister and I, she was crying.
Noble Thornguard was right: even tyrants have their soft spots.
But me? I was labeled a tyrant after my sister had won the war. I was banished within my moon to contemplate my actions while my sister conjured up a lie that would become a fairytale to explain why the war had even occurred in the first place.
After one thousand years, do you think I regretted my actions?
Partly, I do.
I regret causing so many ponies grief by taking away their husbands and fathers and brothers.
I regret razing the land so that my sister would not have any space for crops so that the army would be forced to defect in order to end the war faster.
But most of all?
I regret not noticing what she was doing sooner.
So, Captain Shining Armor, now that you know the truth behind my change and decisions, I trust you have decided upon the matter?
Will you put aside your hatred for Chrysalis for the sheer benefit of all of Equestria?
Captain Shining Armor. Will you fight alongside me, against Celestia?
