The Calm
One turn, two turns on her heel. The young woman giggled, tracing the folds of her long, deep purple skirt as they settled against the light skin of her legs. The tissue felt as smooth as a fabric of royal origin should. It was a dress fit for a princess, for a woman of royalty just like the nanny she had had in her childhood.
She threw a tentative look at the balcony. It was nighttime. Everyone was likely getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration, so the odds were that she wouldn't be seen if she waltzed outside with the dress. Furthermore, it would surely shine like a star under the moonlight.
These thoughts were cleared by an explosive sigh from across the room. She turned to face the small dragon lying on the bed, arms splayed out on both sides to complement the boredom in his features.
"How do I look?" she asked with a broad grin.
"Like a pony that's choking." The dragon punctuated his words with another lengthy exhale. The girl's smile lost its brightness like a candle loses its flame. With a light push, she undid the knot that kept the dress together. The garment became loose and fell to the floor, exposing a skintight corset and leggings.
This didn't faze the young drake in the least. "Come on, Twilight, what's the big deal? Celestia asks you to meet her all the time..."
"The difference, Spike, is that she wants to meet me at the Canterlot Theatre." She stopped to remove a hairpin, allowing her carefully trimmed hair to flow freely over the shoulders. "Since Miss Philharmonica is performing there tonight, all the nobles are going to attend! I can't sit next to the Princess looking like a servant!"
Spike rolled onto his belly and buried his face in the pillow. "Sometimes I wonder if you aren't one."
Twilight turned sharply. "What did you say?"
"I said, 'You'd better run'," he spoke against the pillow.
The girl frowned, but held back her retaliation. She wearily set the dress on the back of a chair, pondering her next move. She knew her way around Spike. Getting her 'younger brother' to oblige only took the right amount of gems.
She sat on the bed next to him and yawned. Attending the meeting at the theatre wasn't exactly something she was looking forward to do. Were it not for having been invited - well, instructed, really - by her tutor, she would rather have stayed in her study and continue her research on magic. She was one of the lucky few, after all. The School for Gifted Wizards was not available to just about anyone.
The wooden staff that rested against the wall suddenly seemed very inviting. She always did find a certain beauty in the way the wood spiraled up the object, surrounding an alicorn rod about as tall as her.
She shook her head, as though it would allow her to dismiss those desires. There was no going back on her decision. Or in the decision Celestia had made for her. Either way, she knew where Spike was coming from, and it just made it tougher for her to find a proper excuse.
"Look, I just need you to be there for a while. I'll leave you at the dining room and then meet you back at the entrance when I'm done."
"I don't wanna go to that stupid party. It's gonna be so boring!"
There was definitely no going around him, she thought. It was time to use the tricks in her sleeve. "Did you know that I could get you a guest pass to Moondancer's party?"
Spike lifted his head from the pillow to stare at her incredulously. "...she invited you, Twilight."
"Yeeeaaaaah, I suppose she did. But I thought you had your eye on that Moondancer girl? Maybe you could go in my place, hm?"
The shadow of a smile played upon her lips when she noticed that Spike was struggling to keep his angered expression up. Finally, he gave in and sighed, "But only if you give me the bits to buy her a gift after that party of yours."
Twilight smiled triumphantly. "Deal. Now help me find something good to wear."
All of the guests in the theatre's lobby stopped when the horn players' fanfare filled the air. A sentinel entered the room with a thick, furled scroll in hand. His bright yellow uniform seemed to sparkle under the candlelight.
He stood at the top of the stairs with his chest puffed out proudly, studying the crowd as he waited for silent to settle in. Once it had, he opened the parchment and cleared his throat to speak:
"Announcing Baron Fancypants and Baroness Fleur de Lis!"
The sentinel moved out of the way to grant passage to a couple. The tuxedo-clad man smiled gently at the sound of his name, while his escort's lips tensed. One hand was wrapped around his companion's thin waist, another gave the slightest of adjustments to his brilliant blue fringe, parted in the middle of his forehead. Her dress was entirely hued light pink, a shade that the citizens of Canterlot had grown used to seeing on the fair lady.
"Thank you, my good man," he spoke as they passed by the announcer. Satisfied with his hair, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a little coin. "For your troubles."
"You are too generous, Master Fancypants," the younger man answered, bowing cordially with a hand stretched out to accept the money.
"Carry on with the good work," Fancypants added, stepping forth. "Shall we go, milady?"
Fleur only gave a quiet hum, but it was all the answer the man needed. Nobles were already flocking their way as they descended, their words of flatter saccharine sweet. Fancypants just paid them in kind. Not the woman, though. She merely pressed her body against his, squeezing his arm a little tighter.
The fanfare sounded again, and both sighed, one mentally, the other physically. They took the chance to step away. Maybe they would lose interest and just hound the next guest.
"It's alright, dear, they're gone," he whispered, caressing her arm. A butler that carried a tray with fine, glass cups filled with wine strolled by, and Fancypants signaled him to come closer.
The servant seemed thrilled to be of use, especially to a noble such as this man. With a certain pep in his walk, he welcomed the couple to the theater and offered them the tray to pick a cup. Fancypants inspected the beverages up close and stroked his curved mustache in thought.
"My, my! Baron Fancypants!" he heard as soon as he picked a cup from the tray. The butler excused himself - which seemed to annoy Fleur, who'd remained empty-handed - but his place was quickly occupied by another person. This time around, by a woman.
Fancypants would recognize her anywhere. If not for anything else, then because his suit had been her work.
"Miss Rarity," he spoke. He took her gloved hand and kissed its back with a short bow. "I am delighted to know that you made it to the play."
"Oh, but the pleasure is all mine, Baron Fancypants. Just knowing you are wearing one of my finest suits is sufficient for me. A true honor, Baron."
The man wasn't entirely sure why this woman didn't belong to nobility. She met with all the requirements: her voice carried one of the most beloved accents of Canterlot, and she carried herself with a grace and dignity not unlike that of Fleur de Lis herself. Her appearance would fool him into considering her a baroness of some sort, what with her stunning wardrobe, fitted with gems, and her thoroughly styled hair. Her very body was not to be scoffed at either.
Perhaps he'd see into the matter some time.
"Please, Miss Rarity, Fancypants will suffice. Oh, and I believe you have not yet met with my fiancée?"
Rarity's smile wilted when she caught sight of the venomous glare the other woman was throwing her way. She wasn't about to lose her composure, however. "I, ahem, have not. I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Baroness Fleur...?"
"Fleur," she corrected, her accent causing her to emphasize the 'r'. "Fleur de Lis. I greatly appreciate your work on my fiancé's attire. I may have to resort to your services in the future, Miss Rarity."
"I... would be most pleased to attend, Baroness."
"Ahem, yes, I do believe some compensation will be in order for doing such a fine job," Fancypants added, removing his monocle.
Rarity nearly choked on her drink. "I-I, hum, thank you for your generosity."
"Now now, I am only rewarding those who need to be reward. After all, it is not every day that we find such talent in reaches as distant as the front-UFF!"
Had it not been attached to his lapel, Fancypants monocle would have had the same fate as the glass chalice he held before something bumped against his back: on the ground, shattered to a million pieces. The man swore he had heard two distinct noises when the cup hit the ground, but was unable to find the other object's fragments. He was sure of one thing: the crowd had gasped in unison when they saw what had happened. Everyone had stopped to observe.
Right now, though, he had his entire sleeve to tend to. The contents had been completely spilled upon it, leaving behind a big, ugly patch of damp tissue.
"Oh my. This is unfortunate." He turned around to look for the guilty one. As it turned out, she had been brought to the floor after colliding against his back. A modestly dressed girl sat behind him in a rather uncomfortable manner, dusting off the long skirt while complaining about her rear. Despite the disproving looks that the crowd threw their way, he knelt to the purple-haired girl's height and held her by the arms. "Are you alright, madam?"
"I-I'm..." she mumbled, not yet able to produce coherent sentences. It wasn't until she took a good look at just who she'd bumped into that she spoke clearly, "O-Oh! Oh no, I am so sorry, Baron!"
"It's quite alright, Miss Sparkle, accidents hap--"
"Sorry?!" Rarity's voice at that moment felt like a needle being jabbed into their skins. She very nearly shoved Fancypants aside as she approached the younger woman. Twilight felt her hair stand on end when their eyes met. "Do you realize what you have just done?! Have you any idea of how hard this single suit was to create?!"
"I-I--"
"Oh my goodness, it's all over the sleeve! Ruined! Completely, utterly, ruined beyond repair! How will you pay for the damage?!"
Fancypants found this to be a good chance to interrupt the designer's rage. He quickly rose to his feet again and placed a hand on her shoulder to call her attention. "Miss Rarity, please, there is no need to--"
Much to both of their surprise, Rarity's anger ceased as suddenly as it had appeared. She gently removed his hand and held between hers. "It is quite alright, Baron, I do not intend on charging anything," she assured, smiling slightly. Her expression changed completely when she turned to Twilight again. "However, some people really should be more careful about where they're going. And please get up, you are spoiling your dress."
Fancypants offered his hand again, this time with a few words of encouragement. Twilight took it and stood up. The threesome of gentlepeople still appeared as imposing to her as they had from below.
"Run along, now, Miss Sparkle," Fancypants spoke. He put the monocle back in its place and played with his eyebrows once to confirm their stability. "Ah, much better. But I suspect Princess Celestia is expecting you, yes?"
Twilight's eyes went wide. "The princess! Please excuse me, Baron, Baroness. Hum..."
"Rarity."
"Right. Rarity. Please excuse me." Without another word, Twilight darted off, head hung low. She tried her best to hide her face as she brushed past the onlooking nobles.
"She knows the princess?" Rarity inquired once Twilight was far enough away. "A commoner such as her knows the princess?"
Fancypants snickered curtly. Two servants had appeared out of nowhere: one to clean the floor with a large, dirty-looking towel, and another one to wipe his shoes clean. The latter used a much more dignified handkerchief, and executed the service with an obvious professionalism.
"Why yes, I would have thought you knew that. Miss Twilight Sparkle is Princess Celestia's very own student."
Rarity brought a hand up to her mouth before gasping, "Oh my. Perhaps I should have stilled my tongue."
"Nonsense," the man spoke again, overflowing with confidence. "Miss Sparkle is as amiable as they come. Or so I would like to say. The truth is that she is seldom seen at social events the sorts of these." There was a hint of sadness in the baron's voice, Rarity noticed. She didn't say anything.
For now, she just looked on. A simple woman such as Twilight had succeeded in becoming the Princess's favorite. Perhaps she really would enjoy her stay in Canterlot, after all.
Across the theater, Twilight was beginning to wish she wasn't related to the princess in any way. Bad news spread like the ancient plague. Wherever she went, she was regarded with disdain and some amusement by the nobles. Her sight was set on the path ahead of her this time. She couldn't afford distractions like the one that had led to her encounter with Fancypants. Celestia knew that the next person she bumped into wouldn't be so kind.
She idly wondered if Spike was still in the dining room. She was well aware of the people's aversion to dragons. Celestia granted her a chance to attend her meetings with the villagers from the frontier on occasion. Their complaints were invariably related to strange creatures, be it sea serpents, stray manticores or, worst of all, dragons. 'They burn our orchards!', some said. 'They eat our cattle!', others said.
Truth be told, Spike was the only dragon she had ever seen. She couldn't imagine something as innocent as the youngling eating a cow whole. Then again, that's what he was: a youngling. Her brother had made her aware of that multiple times. Whenever they met, he would exchange stories of his troops' endeavors in the Badlands, otherwise known as Changeling Turf. These tales almost always had a dragon somewhere in the middle. According to him, the winged lizards had grown restless in the recent years.
She paid these warnings no mind. Spike was her little brother. Blood bonds didn't matter. He had been entrusted to her care when he was but an egg, and he was the sole reason she had earned the princess's trust.
Before she realized, she had arrived to the private balcony. It was the best spot in the entire theater, seeing as it was at just the perfect distance from the stage. There were only three chairs in that balcony, all of which had been richly crafted with gold and furnished with the best velvet textiles.
Princess Celestia occupied one of the chairs, quietly observing the red curtain that obscured the stage. Though the elegant carpet drowned the sound of her steps, Celestia noticed her arrival, but didn't turn to speak.
"Ah, Twilight," she said, breathing a relieved sigh. "Please, sit, my most faithful student."
"Please excuse me for not arriving any sooner, princess." Celestia waved her concerns aside, and Twilight sat down. "At least the play hasn't started yet."
"Forget the play, Twilight. We have both seen it maybe ten times. The Celebration Committee simply insists that Canterlot citizens must be reminded of the history of the Summer Sun Celebration every year." Another exasperated exhale. Celestia held her forehead with a hand. "They've lost sight of its true meaning. Though I cannot say I would rather have it any other way."
"May I have your attention?" a third voice was heard shouting.
A set of wheels, hidden in the darkness of the ceiling, creaked to life. The candelabras were raised, and their flames were extinguished, effectively dimming the auditorium's light. There was a moment of silence before a man appeared from behind the curtain, garbed in antiquated clothes that were more fitting of a bard than of a gentleman. The long, white feather that was perched in his hat bobbed up and down as he walked.
"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of our beloved princess," he continued, stealing a quick glance in Celestia's general direction, "Allow me to welcome you to the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration."
Silence was replaced by a roar of claps from the crowd. The man bowed in gratitude several times, then raised his hand to request their attention again.
"As you well know, today is the day we celebrate the thousandth year since the wicked Nightmare Moon was banished from Equestria. If we are safe and live happily today, we owe it to none other than to Her Highness, Princess Celestia."
Despite how thunderous the applause was when it returned, Twilight still heard her tutor's forlorn groan. The woman's tired eyes reflected that same emotion. It was as if the announcer's words had suddenly made her appear a thousand years older.
Deciding to try and divert the princess's attention away from the play, the young student shook her arm and whispered, "In the letter, you mentioned that you had something you wanted to tell me."
The princess didn't say a word for some time. Twilight was about to ponder how good of an idea the topic had been when Celestia finally answered.
"A thousand years ago, I made a promise to my sister and my people, Twilight," she said. Her voice carried the same dejected tone that her expression bore. Her eyes were fixated on the stage, where the curtains had been opened and her doppelgänger marched with a handful of men in cardboard armors. "Though my sister's actions had been regrettable, I punished her with the lightest penalty within my reach. She would be banished for a thousand years. Once those expired, she would be collected from her place of exile and brought back to Equestria."
"You mean... you wanted to bring your sister back?" The princess nodded in reply, which made Twilight furrow her brow in confusion. "But... she tried to overthrow you. She wanted to claim the throne!"
"And yet, she was my sister, even long before any of that happened." For the first time since her arrival, their eyes met. "I have long since forgiven her for her mistakes. If she had a choice today, I am certain she would gladly choose to return."
Celestia slowly faced the stage again. A poor imitation of her sister was barging into the throne room, yelling all sorts of eloquent curses and butchering the pronunciation of words from the archaic Equestrian language.
Every year, the part that followed her entry would get worse. She remembered when they still showed a very well executed sword fight, perhaps even more than she remembered having had.
Today, there would be no such thing. Nightmare Moon would simply approach Celestia and see her sword fly off because of a single swing from the princess, or worse than that, surrender without another word. Regardless of how the act would be performed, the crowd would always rejoice when the 'evil sister' was defeated.
"But... Princess Celestia..." Twilight's voice snapped the leader out of her thoughtful trance. She blinked a few times, her mind only now catching up to the events. She'd missed the rendezvous. Nightmare Moon was already being carried away. "Why are you telling me this? I already knew what had happened."
"Yet you did not know of my intentions to bring her back." Celestia's answer felt cold to Twilight. She was staring at the side of her mentor's face, and it was still clear that something was bothering the older woman.
The fake Celestia on the stage climbed a set of stairs that led to nowhere and looked down at the villagers that had gathered there. The backdrop had changed to that of the sea, and a ship overshadowed the actors and actresses.
"The reason I am telling you this, Twilight, is that rescuing my sister requires that sending a vessel to the New Moon Archipelago," Celestia spoke nonchalantly. "And I require a messenger who can safely reach my sister and bring her back."
"You want... me? You want me to be the messenger?" Celestia nodded twice, the second time even suggesting some surprise. Twilight tried to gather her thoughts, piece together what she had been told. The process resulted in her moving her lower jaw in an attempt to say something. "But... why me? I-I mean, I would be honored to help with this affair, but... wouldn't it be more efficient to send a trained guard?"
"Perhaps. But guards lack your knowledge, and the truce between my sister and I ends today. We are short on time and resources." Celestia held out a hand to grasp her student's arm in a comforting manner. Though the gesture seemed to produce the desired effects, the princess complemented it with a motherly gaze few had ever had the honor of receiving from her. "I taught you most everything you know today. It is with confidence that I say that you will succeed in your mission."
The princess's serenity was contagious. A little smile began to tug at Twilight's lips. Her very heartbeat slowed when the princess treated her like a daughter. "I understand. I won't let you down, princess."
"I am sure you won't." Celestia removed her hand to applaud the end of the play. Twilight followed, but her clap was much more absent-minded. She had a mission now. How harsh could the trip be, right? It was a matter of boarding a ship and see it develop from there...
With the round of applauses finally over with, Celestia received the last compliments from the acting crew, waved at her people one more time, and excused herself out. Twilight followed close behind, like she always did. Being with the princess allowed her to avoid the rest of the theater's halls, which were packed with nobles.
Their only company for much of the trip was a pair of royal guards. A rifle was dutifully held against their chest. Twilight was already used to this. Celestia couldn't go anywhere without having someone to guard her back.
Today, she would get to see why.
"DOWN WITH THE SOLAR EMPIRE!! DOWN WITH CELESTIA'S RULERSHIP!!"
The infuriated cries were heard from down the corridor, where the princess's private halls connected with those of the regular guests. There was a deafening BANG, and the doors were kicked ajar. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, and the shot had caused chaos to settle outside. The guards spun on their heels and readied their rifles while Celestia pushed Twilight behind her back. A man had broken into the halls, armed with a flintlock and garbed entirely in a deep blue suit. Another such weapon was in a holster that dangled from his waist belt.
"You promised her, Celestia! You promised she would return today!" he yelled, raising the firearm towards the princess. "Where is she?!"
"Don't fire!" Celestia cried out. "There are civilians there!"
"Put. The gun. Down!" one of the guards yelled back instead.
The man just laughed in response. "You still side with her? Even after everything she's done? After breaking that promise?"
"We will not repeat this! Put the gun down!"
"You will pay the consequences of yo--"
Twilight closed her eyes. It wasn't long before the guards had to lose a bullet to the man. An annoying buzz filled her ears after the two blasts. She just grasped her mentor's pure white uniform tighter, pressing her head against her flowing, rainbow-hued hair.
It was just a murmur, but she heard an object clank as it hit the wooden floorboards. Shortly after, something else slumped to the ground. After that, silence reigned for a few, short moments.
Then, applauses. She heard ecstatic cries from all around her. A squeeze of her arm from Celestia was what prompted her to open her eyes.
The people had flooded the halls to hail the two guards. She couldn't see the body of the assailant in the middle of the crowd. Gunpowder still lingered in the air, and a thin layer of smoke hovered above them.
"Let us move away," she heard Celestia whisper in her ear. With a short nod, the two abandoned the area. Not five steps later, two more guards flanked them.
"I am sorry you had to see that, Twilight."
The young woman had lost count of how many times Celestia had repeated that sentence since they arrived to her quarters. She knew one thing: Celestia had circle the room just as many times, constantly sighing and rubbing her forehead in contemplation. Any more laps and the round carpet beneath her feet would grow a hole.
Though Twilight struggled to deny it, the man's words had impacted her as much as they had impacted her tutor. He possessed information that, as far as Twilight was aware, only Celestia could know. The return of Nightmare Moon. The Summer Sun Celebration could change shape throughout the years, but Celestia's speech was always the same, word by word, letter by letter: 'We banish thee from Equestrian soil'.
"He knew," Celestia spoke at last. "He knew of the promise. He knew what everyone else had already forgotten."
Twilight sought for any words she could say, but came up empty. Tired of her routine, the princess walked over to an open window and took a deep breath.
"A thousand years. They gave me a thousand years. Not one more day. Not one more minute." She gave a sad laugh. "I should have known."
"You couldn't have kn--"
"I could and I should have, Twilight Sparkle!" The sheer ferocity of her tutor's bellow caused the bookcases in the room to empty their contents to the floor. Twilight felt her body shiver under Celestia's angered gaze. "I should have noticed the signs! My... ignorance... brought upon a man's death tonight... and many more are to follow, I'm afraid..."
Celestia let out a low grunt and stormed out of the room, leaving an appalled Twilight behind. She was unsure about what exactly had come over her tutor that could justify such an outburst, but she knew better than to ask. Maybe the princess was as shocked with the armed man's assault as she was. She'd just been threatened at gunpoint. Her life had been at stake, at the time. Twilight figured that she could barely imagine what it must have felt like.
In trying to dismiss these thoughts, she got up from the bed and approached the pile of books on the ground. Organization always soothed her mind, as did reading. It would do her good.
She wasn't surprised to find that the princess owned a very large collection of books on astrology. From the oldest studies to date about the cycle of life of a star to the most recent developments on the moon, the princess seemed to have it all.
A smile was painted on her face as she organized the books alphabetically. One by one, the books disappeared from the piles and returned to their place on the shelves. The young woman wanted to believe that such aptitude for organization was a gift.
Such pride in her skills only served to justify her disappointment when a single book remained. It didn't have a title that she could see anywhere, and it had aged terribly. Its plain brown cover had numerous indents, and its pages contained more blotches of ink than words.
Twilight read on. Here and there, she spotted legible words with no meaning without a context. The rest of the words in the page were blurred out entirely. This went on for much of the book.
Then, about halfway through, the messy writing stopped. The pages were cleaner here, and even bore a title of sorts.
"Luna F.," she read out loud.
"Twilight?" Celestia called from the hall.
The girl's eyes went wide. She looked around frantically, desperate to find a place to leave the book. She couldn't be found prying into the princess's writing! There was no space on the shelves, and leaving it on the bed would imply she'd at least touched it.
The creaking of the room's doors forced her to take a decision she was sure she would regret: she hid the book inside her dress.
Sure enough, when the princess entered the room, she found her student walking away from the window. Her lip twitched almost imperceptibly, as if trying to betray her actions.
"Yes, Princess Celestia?"
"I believe we both had a long night. You may leave for your quarters, my student."
"You be careful out there, Twily."
Twilight smiled goofily as she shared another hug with her brother. She had never been able to wrap her arms around him completely, and the heavy armor he wore didn't make the matter any simpler. He was a tall man, even by Equestrian standards, and just as bulky. There was no arguing that he was fit for the Royal Guard.
They had been walking together along the Baltimare harbor's boardwalks. Vessels of all shapes and sizes populated the water left and right. Though they laughed together, their minds were set on one ship in a particular. Said ship was not far away from them, and its aspect spoke volumes of its owner. From the momentous sun embroidered on its triangular sails to the polished, golden lines that decorated its hull, it was fairly obvious that this ship was here on royal duty.
"I still don't get why you can't go with me, Shining."
"I really wish I could," he muttered, halfheartedly pushing her away. "But Captain Lancer insisted on assigning me to the frontier. Says some trouble's been brewing over Dodge Junction."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Trouble with the natives?"
"Seems like it." Shining shook his head. "Don't worry, though. I'm sure we'll come to an agreement with them some time." He placed his large hands on her shoulders and smiled. "You focus on your own problems, okay?"
"Don't worry," she answered, lifting her staff to head height. Only its head stuck out of the leather bag that enveloped it. She flashed him a confident grin. "I know how to protect myself, too."
"That reminds me that you still owe me a rematch."
"Commander Armor!" someone called from the deck. A man outfitted with the Equestrian Navy's white uniform saluted him from the other end of the bridge. "We are ready to set sail."
"She will be there in a minute!" he answered, turning to hug his sister one last time. She could feel him wrapping his arms more tightly than last time, as though it would prolong the feeling of warmth. The commander's voice quivered ever so slightly when he whispered into her ears, "I'm serious now. New Moon Island is no laughing matter. Please stay safe."
"I'll be careful," she whispered back. "Love you."
"Love you too."
The frigid touch of the sea's breeze washed upon them as soon as they broke their embrace. Twilight slowly walked away, back turned to the ship so that she could see her brother. The latter only waved his farewell, even when the sails were hoisted and he had to move along with the ship to the edge of the boardwalk.
It wasn't until they were too far apart to see each other properly that Twilight decided go below deck. The ship had picked up considerable speed thanks to the favorable winds, and the sunny weather promised a safe trip all the way to the island.
Spike had already busied himself with creating - and using - a makeshift bed using whatever bags the crewmen had brought along. She found him asleep in the middle of the many boxes and barrels, right next to her own belongings. A cape had been thrown in with the rest of her bags, and what appeared to be the muzzle of a pistol peeked from underneath it. Merely considering using the weapon tied her stomach up in a knot. She pushed it away from Spike's bed - and, by extension, from her - and covered herself with the cape.
With a trip such as this ahead of her, she could think of only one distraction. She reached into one of the bags and retrieved the book she had... stolen... from her tutor. That fact disturbed her greatly, but even more disturbing still was the possibility of being caught reading it. She couldn't disappoint Celestia like that.
She cracked the book open and studied the ink blotches on the first page. There was a signature scribbled there, but it had been robbed of its legibility a long time ago.
She chose to do what she did best. Resting back against a barrel's tough shell, she began to read. The sound of a distant airship's rotors provided the soundtrack. Maybe it had strayed from the Cloud District.
Which was to say, from across Equestria.
'There are kings and there are queens. They watch over their lands from atop their majestic palaces, and govern them from the comfort of their gilded thrones. In an ideal kingdom, the people are at their leader's beck and call. If he or she so wishes, wealth becomes abundant, buildings are erected... wars are birthed. Likewise, their word is all the people needs to extinguish the already delicate flame of life. A thumb is pointed down, and soon, another kingdom ceases to exist.
My sister... she would know about that. She was called a queen, once upon a time. The kingdom prospered under her rule, let there be no doubt of that. Because of her, the citizens were able to relish in an everlasting peace. Her land grew like no other. One could travel as far as they wished in any of the compass's directions, for they would never find a home as bountiful as Equestria. I suppose ours was one such 'ideal kingdom'.
Like anything that was good, this begged the question: what was the price?
As the co-regent of Equestria, I had the chance to witness just how steep that price was. The servants and scribes that flowed in and out of my castle quarters were a constant reminder that there weren't many ways to uphold peace. Generally, war was the best option. It was then that the generals, the men with golden helmets and heavy armor, would attempt to make their opinion mine. I could not bear with this.
My sister... she was different. She always attended these meetings with the same irreducible enthusiasm. She, too, once sent men and women to their deaths. Her will never met opposition for they, too, were willing to fight for what they believed in. Before the gates were opened and the carnage began, they would all yell in unison, fists close to their hearts: 'FOR EQUESTRIA!! FOR OUR FUTURE!! FOR OUR QUEEN!!'.
The drawbridges would then fall, and most would never be seen or heard from again.
Yet she would watch them go with a smile upon her lips. Their last image of her would be the same they had grown used to. The figure of the woman they had served all their lives, garbed in the same, invariably monotonous uniform.
There was just one key difference between their memories and what they were seeing then.
She wasn't commending them, or talking gently, or being the caring queen they all took her for. No... her eyes spoke of the devilish deeds she desired, and the sword she held told them upon whom these deeds should befall. Standing on the tallest balcony with her bright yellow cape fluttering in the wind, she simply looked on and hoped for her plans to work.
But I digress. Remembering only pains me more.
I was content with my title. I was the princess. The one who was not responsible for taking this course of action. I suppose that's a two-edged blade. I was not responsible for her misdeeds, but I was not responsible for all that was good and righteous in Equestria.
I could not be, for I did not support her actions. To my eyes, the people were blind. There was no other way they could do her bidding without reservations of any kind. She was the sun to them in more ways than one.
Needless to say, I loathed my sister for that. Like the moon, I remained in her shadow 'till I could no longer hold back the desire to do something. I needed to act. I tried to voice my beliefs, but those were cast aside without a second thought. If the people could no longer use their eyes, then I would speak to them in their sleep. I would move like I always had: in her shadow. So long as the moon filled the sky, the people would listen to me. I would become my own sister's worst nightmare. The Nightmare Moon.
I would overthrow her if it meant the liberation of her people.
I waited. I sought for those who, like me, were unhappy under her rule. Before long, I amassed an entire army. We held meetings, and proposed solutions. The decision was unanimous: a revolution was in order.
When the right time arrived, I set my plan into motion. Hoping to catch her off-guard, I gathered my troops and, in the dark of the night, I struck. Under the guise of a being far more imposing than me, I strode into the castle and commenced my attack.
But I was hasty. Foolish, even.
I wanted to sever the root of the evil, so that it could not spread. So while my subjects were locked in combat, I decided to face my sister alone.
It came as no surprise to me that she was able to see right through my cloak. Yet I did not drop my pretense. If I was to achieve my goals, I would do so under the avatar I had chosen.
Standing from her throne, she demanded that I stopped the war, this ‘nonsense’, in her words. I did not attempt to reason with her again.
We unsheathed our swords, and we fought. The sparks that flew off our blades as they met in the air were nothing compared to the fire that burned in her eyes. Her fury had been unlike anything I had ever seen: a truly unprecedented sight. Emperor Discord’s insanity did not even come close to her current state. I had upset the most powerful woman in Equestria, and by extension, awakened the very sun’s wrath.
All of this, I had foreseen. We were equals: our strength was well-balanced, and our skills were matched. We were one of the same kinds in all but our minds.
Even so, an extremely important detail had eluded me. All it took was for her to raise her sword skyward in a manner that was extremely familiar to me. I clearly remembered the last time she had done that gesture, for I had been there to do the same, by her side. She was calling upon the power of the Elements of Harmony.
At that time, I smirked. The power of the elements was one we shared. Try though she might, pitting her power against mine could only result in a draw.
I was extremely confused when I was unable to call for that power. Then I realized: I had been the cause for disharmony. There was no reason why I could use the Elements of Harmony.
I was ready to submit to my fate. With that power in her hands, I would be at her mercy. Strength escaped my body. I fell to my knees, and my swords with me. Closing my eyes, I braced for the strike that would end me.
But my sister had other plans. Though she chose not to kill me, she delivered her justice at once. The warmth of her sword's blade felt extremely cold against my neck.
"We banish thee from Equestrian soil," she hissed, boring into my closed eyes. The guards swarmed in the next instant, stripping me of my weapon and cuffing me. As I was being dragged across the castle halls, I was able to see the outcome of my rebellion through the windows.
I did not see any of my underlings.
Once my cell's door was slammed shut, time lost all of its importance. For a nigh-immortal being such as I, those words should be apply twice as much. The nights that followed blurred by.
I was held prisoner in the dungeons. A fellow captive there lent me this same journal. They shared my view of Celestia. They told me of what their charges had been: unauthorized use of dark magic. I know not of their fate. Burned to death, if I had to guess.
The day came that I was brought to Equestria's richest harbor town, Baltimare. The people gathered in the streets as my carriage rode through, guarded on all sides by the best soldiers in my sister's army. A lonesome - but imposing - ship awaited at the end of a boardwalk.
I recently overheard the sentinel's chatter. Tonight is my final night in this cell. Tomorrow, I will board that ship. I have no idea where I will be headed.
It will not matter, in the end.
Equestria will likely know nothing of my fate. To them, I will be known as Nightmare Moon. Founder of the Lunar Empire.'