> Seraphis Virtuoso
>  by Absentialucci
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Prologue
Scootaloo wasn’t sure when it happened, all she knew was that one moment, she was excitedly chatting with Sweetie and Applebloom, the next… screams. Sounds of shattering glass, distant explosions. Everypony around her started panicking, and she was separated from her friends. She darted under and around hooves, left and right, over and over until she was completely disoriented. All she wanted to do was find some place she could hide.
The tables!
Of course! If she could get under the tables, she’d be safe. Well, at least safer. She wouldn’t be in danger of being trampled. Trying to center herself in the chaos, she breathed deeply. Slowly, her senses returned. The tables weren’t too far, now that she wasn’t fleeing aimlessly. She took another deep breath, calculated a route between all of the panicking ponies, then she dashed forward. She dodged a pair of forehooves slamming into the ground in front of her, jumped over a Unicorn who had fallen amidst the confusion, and swerved around an unusual looking pony. She couldn’t tell if the pony was a mare or stallion, but it looked like a weird Pegasus. There were wings, but they were weird looking. Almost like a beetle. And there were holes in random parts of its coat. She ignored it, staying focused on the table. Just a few more hoof lengths, and she would be able to take a quick breather, and decide what to do next.
She dove under the table, breathing heavily. She swallowed hard, moistening her throat. Had she been screaming? She shook her head, then winced and hissed in pain as she hit a table leg with her head. Rubbing her head with a wing, she was able to take in the chaos surrounding her little island of solitude.There were a few Unicorns and Earth Ponies lying on the ground, not moving. Maybe they’d hit their heads? There was certainly fruit punch pooling around them. Maybe they’d been knocked into the punch bowls. To her left, she could see two regular Pegasi wrestling in the air with three of the weird looking Pegasi. Maybe it was a game that only Pegasi who could fly played together. To her right, she saw three Earth Ponies, dressed as Royal Guards. They had their weapons out… was there a training exercise? She soon got her answer as two of the strange Pegasi dove at them from the air. She averted her eyes as one of the Royal Guards speared one of the Pegasi. The other strange Pegasus tackled one of the guards to the ground. She only now noticed that the weird Pegasi were armed. This wasn’t a training exercise! And the Pegasi who were wrestling…
She turned back towards them, and gasped before covering her eyes. The two Pegasi were no longer flying… their attackers stood above, flicking blades clean. She peaked out from behind her hooves. The red liquid on the ground wasn’t fruit punch… it was blood! And the weird Pegasi were attacking the wedding guests! She watched in horror as the three attackers turned from their slain victims towards the two remaining Earth Pony guards. They were about to attack them from behind!
She scrambled from under the table. The screaming seemed more distant now. All around her, guards and some guests were fighting with the attackers. It was a losing battle. But maybe she could help the two guards nearest her.
“BEHIND YOU!”
She screamed as loudly as she could. The three ambushers jumped, having been startled by her. One of the guards whirled around, Scootaloo could now make out that she was a Unicorn, not an Earth Pony. She didn’t let the three attackers recover from their shock. Immediately with her horn aglow she threw the table Scootaloo had been hiding under into the ambushers, knocking them flat. Her companion, who was still facing away from Scootaloo, towards the two attackers in front, turned his body. One of the attacker’s swords was deflected by his armor, and he plunged his spear into the other, impaling it. Before the first could react, he stepped over the fallen attacker, and lined up a solid buck. He hit dead on, catching the remaining attacker in the cheek and neck. There was a sickening crunch, and Scootaloo watched it crumple to the ground. She was frozen in shock. Just like that, she had seen life snuffed out of five, maybe more creatures! She started trembling.
The mare looked at her for a moment, before she was instantly by Scootaloo’s side.
“Sergeant! Check on our three would-be ambushers. You know what to do if they're still breathing. Check on Flicker, Clouddust and Echosong. On the double!”
The Earth Pony snapped a quick salute before carrying out her orders. The Unicorn mare slowly approached Scootaloo, eyes scanning everything, though there was a brief respite in the immediate area. Scootaloo started breathing quickly and shallowly.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay!” The mare’s voice, harsh in her commands, was soft when addressing Scootaloo. “It’s okay. You’re safe for now. But I need you to come with me. We’re setting up an evacuation point.”
Scootaloo stared at her, eyes dilated, vision darkening at the edges. “W-wha… h-how?” She could barely form words with her mind rushing with adrenaline.
“I’m Captain Sunflash. You’re safe with me and my team. Can you tell me your name?”
Scootaloo tried to forcibly slow her breathing.
“That’s right, slow down. If you keep hyperventilating, you might pass out.” The mare was right in front of Scootaloo now, she opened her forehooves invitingly. Scootaloo’s natural aversion to touch left her, as she darted into the inviting forehooves of an adult. “There we go.”
Scootaloo wrapped her forelegs around the Captain, babbling and mumbling. It was as if she couldn’t get close enough to her.
“You’re okay. You saved me and Sergeant Spade, did you know that?”
Scootaloo nodded, burying her face into the chest fur of Captain Sunflash.
“What’s your name sweetie?” 
Scootaloo felt herself calming down. Though there seemed to be a cloud in her brain, causing her thoughts to seem distant.
“S-Scootaloo… ma’am.”
“I’m just Sunflash for you, Scootaloo. Thank you for saving Spade and I.”
Scootaloo just nodded numbly. A short cough sounded behind her, and she tensed up.
“Report, Sergeant.” Sunflash’s voice hardened as she saw her comrade approach.
“Corporal Flicker is dead, but Private Clouddust and Lieutenant Echosong were only injured.”
“We’ll have to mourn Flicker later. Are Clouddust and Echosong fit to move?”
“Yes ma’am. Their wounds aren’t life-threatening.”
Sunflash nodded.
“Okay.”
She squeezed Scootaloo.
“I’m going to let you go, but I want you to stay close to the four of us, okay?”
Scootaloo slipped out from her grasp, and silently nodded.
“Right. Lieutenant! Private! I want you two on either side of Scootaloo here. Sergeant, you take the front. I’ll follow up on the rear. Understood?”
Sunflash’s comrades gave her a chorus of affirmative words.
Sunflash nodded. ‘Alright, just like your training. Starburst. We’ll quickly and efficiently move through here, link up with any other Royal, Solar or Lunar guards. Our main priority is getting these civilians out of here safely. Move out!”
Scootaloo found herself being ushered through the room. The four guards seemed to be moving around her in an efficient and professional manner, as though she were royalty. In a way, it was almost unnerving. As a team they checked any pony who had fallen. The fighting seemed to have moved away from the room, further outside. Scootaloo could hear the sounds of fighting. Her four guards turned into six, and she was joined by two more foals about her age, and five adults. All the others who had been in the room, including her friends, were either dead or missing. Scootaloo numbly moved in tandem with the other two foals, who wore similar expressions to her own.
“Okay everypony. We’re heading outside. Captain Armor should be organizing an evacuation. We’ll get through this. Stay together!”
As one, the group burst outside. The distant sounds of fighting suddenly came crashing down in full force onto Scootaloo. One of the foals she was with, a little Earth Pony filly, crouched down, whimpering. Scootaloo looked at her other small companion, another Pegasus colt. They had a brief, silent communication, then they both pressed on either side of the Earth Pony filly.
“Come on, the guards will keep us safe!”
Scootaloo hissed, her colt companion nodded.
“Yeah! They’re awesome! Come on Blossom!”
They gently nudged Blossom forward until she started moving.
“W-what’s your name?”
Her voice was a high-pitched squeak. Scootaloo could tell she was on the verge of panic, and was desperately searching for anything to distract her from it.
“I’m Scootaloo. Your name’s Blossom?”
She nodded shakily.
“B-Blossom Fall. A-and this is my friend, Cider Press.”
The Colt nodded to Scootaloo, though she could see in his eyes that he was just as scared as Blossom and herself. Summoning all of the courage she could, she put on a tough face.
“Well, Cider, Blossom. Stick with me. I saved Captain Sunflash and Sergeant Spade here. So they’ll doubly keep us safe. We’ll get through this!”
Despite everything going on, Scootaloo felt warmed when both Blossom and Cider seemed to visibly relax. They’d get through this. Then they’d find her friends, and everything would be perfect again!
She tried to push the sight of the ponies they’d passed by who did not join them. She would not think about them. She would not dwell on them. She wouldn’t! She had to be strong! Strong for her two new friends, and strong for her two missing ones. Scootaloo steeled herself, and moved confidently with the group, as they made their way towards the Evacuation point.
> Chapter 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chrysalis was not happy. Yes, the invasion had overall been a success. But in all of her planning… all the years of preparation and infiltration… she had failed to consider one thing.
“Princess Luna…”
Her voice came out as an aggravated hiss.
“Could one of you explain to me…”
She reared up, showing off her impressive size in comparison to her Generals.
“Just how that particular bit of information slipped the net?!”
She allowed herself a small moment of vindictive pleasure at how her generals cowered before her. They, each and every one, had started out as drones.
Chrysalis made sure to pay attention to all of her drones. Yes, many were identical and only fit to serve… but depending on the creature she had mated with, some drones came out different. Either physically, or mentally. She took special interest in these subjects. Many would distinguish themselves, and climb the ranks. She expected the best from each and every one of them. And in turn… each and every one could be removed. Demoted.
Chrysalis sighed mentally. The general in charge of her information net, a drone with the genetic markers of a Griffon, had gotten lazy. Sloppy. And though he had served her well for nearly a decade… he failed her when she needed him most to succeed. With a second Princess out and about… it would be significantly harder for her to convert Equestria to her cause. Princess Luna was a rallying point, and she had escaped Canterlot with a sizable portion of its defensive garrison.
“General Setae. Front and center. Now.”
A trembling Changeling moved closer to her.
“Y-yes my Queen?”
Chrysalis turned her cold, hard gaze down on him.
“Remind me, General, how long have you served as Netmaster?”
“M-my Queen! Please! The Lunar Princess… she–”
“Answer plainly, grub!”
General Setae flinched at the force of her voice. She took no pleasure in making him feel fear, but an example had to be set.
“T-twelve years. Three months. Seventeen days, your Highness.”
“And in that time you served me faithfully…”
The general visibly relaxed.
“...Until now.”
Chrysalis continued, voice unsympathetic.
“Until the greatest moment of our Hive! The moment, I may remind you, was only possible with accurate and updated information. Which is why we have our net. And why you bare the name ‘Setae.’”
Setae tensed. He knew what was coming.
“General Setae. Who is next in line? The one who you hoof-picked to act as second Netmaster. Who you screened, and trained to replace you, when you faded away?”
Setae swallowed hard.
“Caster… Confluent, your Highness.”
“Fetch him.”
Setae hesitated.
“Now, General!”
Setae scrambled up from his submissive bow, then nearly tripped over himself in his haste to carry out his last order as General and Netmaster.
Chrysalis did not move a muscle. Nor did she utter a word. The rest of her Generals maintained their stance, and silence. None wanting to earn the ire of their Queen.
It wasn’t long, though it likely felt like a small eternity for her Generals, before General Setae returned. A young drone following behind him. Chrysalis silently looked the Caster over. He had little to no discerning marks, as was typical for most drones, save for one mark across his mesothorax. While most drones sported three straight lines, two of his lines crossed the middle one. Unusual.
The general scrambled back to his spot, front and center, bowing so quickly that he nearly imbedded his fangs into the carpeted floor of the throne room. Confluent slowed, and bowed with more dignity.
“General Setae.”
Chrysalis began, watching Confluent carefully. She detected a momentary flash of disgust in his eyes when she spoke the General’s name. Good. He knew that his General had displeased her. He would offer no sympathy.
“You have disgraced and endangered this hive with your carelessness. You failed to pass on vital information to your Queen at the hive’s most crucial point of history! For this disgrace, I, Queen Chrysalis of Hive Mantis, hereby strip you of rank and name!”
Chrysalis noticed a hint of satisfaction flash across Confluent. He was certainly ambitious. This gave her hope in her next steps in the war with Equestria. One thing her former Netmaster hadn’t failed in, was finding a worthy successor.
“No longer shall you walk with freedom within, and without the hive. No longer shall you be entitled to the privileges of Generalship. You are nothing more than a drone! Fit for nothing more than the honor of carrying out your superiors’ orders! No longer will you carry the name ‘Setae.’ You are nameless. Begone! And pray that you never fail your Queen again!”
The drone unsteadily got to his hooves, then turned tail and fled away from the glare of the Queen he had once served.
Chrysalis turned her attention fully on Confluent.
“Caster Confluent. Step forward.”
He did so, with self-control and dignity. Chrysalis noted that for later.
“How long have you served as Caster?”
Confluent saluted smartly.
“Ten years, three months, seventeen days, my Queen.”
Chrysalis nodded. She of course knew this already.
“Caster Confluent, you have proven competent and efficient in all of your tasks. There remains a gap in the chain of command. A gap that must be filled, post haste.”
Chrysalis inhaled, then proclaimed.
“I, Queen Chrysalis, of Hive Mantis, hereby promote you to Netmaster. You will be free to come and go from the hive as you see fit. You will be my eyes, and ears across the world. Our information net remains intact, and I expect you to acclimate quickly to your new responsibilities. No longer do you bare the name Confluent. From here on, you carry the name of Setae. My Netmaster, and General. Serve your Queen faithfully, and you will be rewarded. Fail me…”
Chrysalis trailed off, not needing to finish her sentence.
General Setae stiffened and saluted once more.
“It is my honor and duty, Majesty, to spread your will across the world. I will not fail you."
Chrysalis nodded curtly.
“See that you don’t. Dismissed.”
Setae turned smartly, and marched out of the throne room. Chrysalis watched him leave, then turned her attention to her remaining Generals.
“Let this serve as a reminder. Failure will not be tolerated. You are the trusted advisors of the Queen. Now go!”
Her Generals saluted as one, then turned and marched out. Chrysalis suppressed a sigh, then sunk into the throne she had rightfully earned. She allowed herself a few moments respite, before rising once more.
She carefully tapped into the mind of the collective, bracing herself for the sudden influx of information. She followed a few threads until she found the individual she was looking for.
Codex Master. Fetch me anything we have on the Lunar Sister, Princess Luna. We have much to study.
It took but a moment for her to receive a confirmation. She rubbed her eyes. It would be a long night, but she was accustomed to long nights. The greatest path towards success, was planning and information. And Chrysalis had no intention of sacrificing the momentum she had picked up. Equestria would submit. Every creature had their weaknesses. Princess Luna was no different. All it would take is the right application of pressure. In the meantime, everything else would proceed as planned. She would not idly sit back, waiting for her enemy to strike back at her.
“Soon, Princess… soon you too will submit. Equestria will be mine.”

	***

Princess Luna, lunar diarch of Equestria. Nightmare Moon. Princess of the Night. She had many names, some lost to history, some remaining from the civil war that had ripped Equestria in two, and some she only shared with her most trusted friends.
Centuries of history and culture… and none of it mattered. None could save her city from attack. She had failed in her sacred protection of the night. She could still see Canterlot in the distance, its protective magic shield long since having collapsed. All she could make out, were the dark forms. Fighting was still breaking out, Canterlot would not be so easily suppressed. Occasional bursts of arcane light pierced through the darkness of the new moon. Her enemy had chosen its time well.
She tore her gaze from the scene below her, and surveyed her collection of guards and civilians. Even now, there could be infiltrators amongst them. She could only hope that they would be found in time. They knew it would be foolish to reveal their nature now., but she would find them. She always found her enemies. And they would pay for daring to attack her ponies. Without another word, she began the march towards the nearest town. Towards Ponyville.
“Harsh Echo. Captain Sweet Siren. Attend me.”
Silently, her two summons flanked her on either side. The rest of her guards set about organizing the refugees. She knew they would keep a close eye on any and all, including each other. Thestrals, Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies. All dispersed before their Princess, like water from stone. They kept their distance, as Luna conversed in soft tones with her Captain and attendant.
“What’s our situation at a quick glance, Captain?”
Sweet Siren snapped his leathery wing in a salute.
“We have a ramshackle collection. Royal Guards, Lunar and Solar. They’re integrating with each other well enough, though there are some disagreements on protocol.”
“What disagreements, Captain?”
Luna kept her gaze straight ahead as she spoke, Harsh Echo silently walking beside her.
“Mainly amongst guards of the same rank, from different branches of the guard. I am the highest ranking commissioned officer, but several of the noncommissioned officers are quietly arguing their seniority.”
“We cannot afford such discourse. Identify the main cause of the disturbances, and have me a list of names put together by the time we reach Ponyville. We must squash this cancer early, before it has time to fester.”
Sweet Siren snapped a salute once more, then fell behind the two of them.
“The Captain seems quite capable, my lady.”
Harsh Echo commented idly, not breaking her pace.
“Yes… we are lucky to have him amongst those who escaped.”
“You sound weary, my lady.”
“Alas, I can’t hide anything from you, Harsh. Truth be told… I’m not sure what to do. My sister’s fate is unknown, Canterlot is under attack, yet we’re here. Outside the city limits. And even now, we could have traitors in our midst.”
“You made the right decision, my lady. Equestria needs some degree of leadership intact, and if you’d stayed you would surely have been captured or slain. Just…”
Harsh caught herself, and Luna turned her piercing gaze to her.
“Just as my sister was.”
She finished for her.
Harsh held her gaze, unfaltering.
“Yes, my lady. You couldn’t do anything else other than what you already have.”
Luna turned back to the road ahead.
“I know. Elysium, I know. It doesn’t make it any easier though.”
“Such is the burden of command. You’ve known this for centuries. There is no one here more important than you. I haven’t forgotten that. You must not lose sight of that yourself.”
Luna bowed her head, allowing one last sign of weakness, before she dropped the mask of cold calm over herself once more.
“I will need your help in organizing the resistance and recapture of Canterlot. Our first priority is to reach Ponyville safely, and set up a base of operations. I want you working with anything you can find. Scrolls, ancient texts, myths, anything you can get your hooves on. We do not know our enemy, and our enemy knows us. Until that is remedied, we are at a disadvantage. I want you to start a screening process. Basic tests, cantrips for Unicorns, feats of weather manipulation for Pegasi, affinity for the energies of Equus for Earth Ponies, and tricks of moonlight for Thestrals. Things that all creatures know of from a young age, things that should be second nature. With luck, we may weed out some of the infiltrators amidst us.”
“You think there are many?”
Luna was silent for a few paces.
“I am certain of it. Any creature of suspect is to be detained immediately. I will perform my own investigations through their dreams, but the screening of thousands will take time. It would be most helpful to have leads that could narrow down my efforts.”
Harsh Echo bowed her head, and touched a wing tip to her temple, a traditional gesture of respect amongst Thestrals.
“It will be done, my lady. I am at your disposal as you see fit.”
Then she too fell back, melting into the mismatched group of guards and refugees. Luna was left alone with her thoughts.
Not even a year has passed since my return. This is a different world than I remember. Ponyville was nothing more than a single farm when I rose against my sister.
She cursed herself.
Foolish. Uncoordinated. A reaction of emotion, without thought.
This time it would be different. She would not make the same mistakes she had made in her childish rampage against Celestia. Information was the key to victory. She would have to keep her emotional side in check. The very fate of Equestria depended on it.
Luna clenched her jaw, and picked up the pace of the march. There would be no stopping until she reached Ponyville. The screening process would be refined, and she would enlist the help of any she could find. Greatness was hidden inside every creature. She just had to find the ones whose spark was being ignited at this time of tragedy. She would have to be weary, however. Periods of great change had the equal potential to release the inner darkness within every creature. She was beginning to formulate a course through history, but navigating the course was its own challenge.
“One thing at a time…”
She muttered to herself.
She marched on. Movement and flow. The currents were dangerous and turbulent, but a skilled navigator knew how to use them to her advantage. At least she wasn’t alone, even if she felt the absence of her sister like a black hole within her… She was not alone.