Chapter Four

“Uh, I thought you wanted to meet my boss—or bosses?”

As Regnant shuffled back and forth on his hooves, Fleur had her hooves on the door leading into the private quarters of Tenebrous Quill, carefully keeping them hidden from his view. To him it seemed like she was shifting her body every time he tried to move to see what she was doing, too.

“I do,” she answered calmly, “I just like to know who I’m meeting before I meet them.”

“Does…I’m not sure that makes sense,” he answered. “Isn’t that why you meet somepony? To get to know them?”

She turned around and looked at him with a wide smile on her face. “That entirely depends on the person you are wanting to meet.”

With a slight push from Fleur the door to Tenebrous’ quarters swung open smoothly and silently.

“How did you do that?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Do what? I just opened the door. Anypony can do that,” she stated.

“Uh-huh.” He stepped forward to stick his head inside her room. “She’s not in here, anyway. I told you she wouldn’t be, so let’s head—“

“Nonsense,” she pushed past him into the room. “We’re already here. Might as well take a look around.”

“Get out of there!” He quickly glanced to either side to assure no pony saw them, and then followed her inside. “We can’t be in here!”

“We are in here,” she said and moved over to the desk in the room. “Might as well take a look around.”

“No!” He whispered as loud as he could and stepped over to her. “No! We cannot be in here. This is wrong!”

“It’s not wrong. I’m just getting to know her,” she said with a smile.

“I can’t let you do this. I’m sorry.” He stared at her with steely eyes and a thin mouth.

She smiled with a soft sigh. “Your name is Regnant Troth, son of Curious Night and Coxswain’s Eye. You have a sister by the name of Monvillea, but the two of you have never been very close as she left for school before you were born. You never had many friends growing up as they considered you a little too ‘odd,’ and you felt uncomfortable arguing about it. You went into the academy at the insistence of your father, who always wanted to serve but wasn’t physically able. Your mother still sends you packages with her homemade cookies to help get you through the rough times, which she feels is every minute you aren’t at home. Most of the time you keep all those cookies to yourself, but sometimes you take them and leave a plate in the guard’s mess hall, but don’t identify them as being from you.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “Did I leave much out?”

He blinked. His jaw hung slack. He blinked again. “How…how…?”

“You kept staring at me while I was running. I wanted to make sure you weren’t somepony dangerous.” She gently moved him aside and opened the drawer to the desk. Her horn lit up and items gently shifted around inside the drawer.

“But…but some of those things, they…I mean…” His eyes opened up wide. “Who are you?”

She laughed and continued to go through the drawer, and then slowly closed it a moment later. “Do me a favor and look through her closet. See if you find anything unusual.”

“What?” He shook his head violently. “No. No, no. I can’t—“

“Regnant,” she turned and spoke to him softly. “I need your help. Like you’ve already told me, you are very good at noticing odd details. I need you to put that to work right now. Hopefully we won’t find a thing, but—“

A knock came on the door and both of their heads spun towards it. A cocoon of magic appeared around Regnant’s muzzle, and Fleur stepped in front of him, placing her hoof in front of her mouth in a sign of silence. With great care she stepped towards the door and released the magic from Regnant.

“Miss Quill? Miss Quill, I need to speak with you, please?” The voice on the other side of the door was smooth and eloquent. “I do hate to disturb you at this hour, but there are some unusual inconsistencies in our journals that need clarification.”

Fleur stepped to the door, putting her ear next to it momentarily. She waited.

“I don’t mean to sound rude, but I did hear you in there a moment ago. If you don’t want me around, all you have to do is open the door and—“

The door was opened and closed in a flash, with the result of Fleur pulling the individual from the other side into the room with them. He stumbled inside, almost tripping and falling to the ground completely.

“—tell me,” he finished dully. His eyes darted back and forth between the two ponies who met him inside. “Who are you?”

“I was about to ask you that same question,” Fleur said as she locked the door carefully.

He stood and straightened his jacket with his magic. “I am Dapifer, Personal Aide to Princess Chrysalis. And now I demand to know who you are and why you so rudely pulled me into this room. You are not Tenebrous Quill.”

“You know her?” Fleur asked.

“Not personally, but I do know of her. It is my duty to know such things.” He glanced over at Regnant, who was smiling awkwardly. “And aren’t you a guard? Who are you?”

He nodded towards Fleur. “I’m her date.”

“Why are you here?” Fleur asked. “You mentioned something about a discrepancy.”

“I’m afraid that is none of your business, madam. Now, if you will kindly move aside I won’t—“

“We’re investigating under the authority of Princess Celestia, so it actually is our business,” she explained.

“We are?” Regnant asked.

Ignoring him, she continued. “What was the issue, Dapifer?”

“I’m supposed to believe you are acting on orders from Princess Celestia? What makes you think that—“

The clank of metal rang against the floor. He glanced down and saw a badge bearing the golden emblem of the sun. Below it were five letters: S.T.E.E.D.

Dapifer looked at it and slowly raised his head up to look at her. “Y-you’re an agent of S.T.E.E.D.?”

“And I need you to tell me what you were here for, please,” she said softly.

“Uh…excuse me?” They both looked over at Regnant. His eyes were sagging and his eyebrows were peaked. “What? What what?”

“S.T.E.E.D. is the most secret organization in the Equestrian military. A shadow organization to insure the country’s greatest enemies are always under close watch, and the most important ponies are protected. The Special Team of Equestria’s Elite Defenders,” Dapifer stated, and then looked over at Fleur. “I just never thought I would meet one of them.”

“We’re off topic,” Fleur jumped in. “Please, Dapifer, why did you come here?”

“Well, I don’t know how it can help you out, but, well…” His horn lit and four journals rose up from his saddlebags. “I was going over the books. Something I feel is a requirement for somepony in my position, to make sure everything is running smoothly. I haven’t had a chance to—“

“Cut to the problem,” Fleur interrupted as she retrieved her badge.

He grimaced for a moment. “Here.” He opened the four books. “All of them are indicating the same thing on the same day.”

“And that’s a problem how?” she asked.

“Logistics,” he answered. “It can’t work that way.”

“Explain.” She stared down at the books.

“Here.” He turned the books towards her and pointed at them in turn. “This volume indicates four separate purchases, each received at the exact same time and in the exact same amount. And this one shows those orders being placed.”

“So?”

He pointed again. “The orders were placed on the same day they arrived. And they were shipped from…” he shifted the other books into place, “…here. Which is days away from Canterlot. And what’s more, the supplier was changed from one used for years to a new one due to the destruction of the first.”

“There was a great deal of loss in the Coldheart Invasion,” Fleur stated.

“That’s just it. That location isn’t anywhere near any of the battles. It’s on the far border of Equestria, and the date it was destroyed was days after the events were complete,” he explained. “It wasn’t a part of the war.”

Her eyes moved from one volume to the next, reading over the information and absorbing it the best she could.

“What are these orders for?” she asked.

“Tea,” he said. “An unusual amount of tea.”

One of Fleur’s eyebrows went up. “What’s the name of the plantation?”

“Succedaneum Estates. I’ve never heard of it before,” he said.

“Neither have I,” she answered, “and that’s not possible. Who placed these orders?”

“Tenebrous Quill,” he said. “That’s why I came here.”

“Then it is definitely time to have a talk with this young mare,” she said and turned quickly to open the door. She stepped halfway through before his words brought her pause.

“Wait…I never got your name.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “Fleur. Fleur de Lis.” She smiled. “Let’s go!”

Dapifer was just behind her as she trotted out the door and down the hall. He had fully cleared the door himself before Regnant began to walk out of room.

“I’m on a date with a spy,” he muttered as he nodded slowly. “Cool.”

* * * * * * * *

“You would dare?” Celestia growled.

She paced slowly in a circle, moving around her opponent, keeping her directly in view. In turn, Luna walked counter to her, staying equidistant from her at all times.

“I would, and I do,” Luna answered. “You are no longer fit to rule, and as such it is my duty to remove you from the throne.”

Celestia’s lip curled up. “You traitorous witch! You always said you lusted after the throne, but you hid it behind the promise of never acting on it. Now I know just what your promises are worth.”

“Liar! You were hoping I would do this! You always feared me and never truly trusted me!” Luna’s mane and wings flared out as she shouted at her sister. “Which surprises me all the more that you would do this to your own country.”

Celestia’s eyes grew to immense proportions. “What? You come here and join up with that monster,” her wing pointed directly at Chrysalis, “and you accuse me of betraying Equestria? Is that the plan you two have concocted? To convince Equestria’s ponies I am the villain and the two of you heroes? That the changeling queen and Nightmare Moon are what is best for them?! You foals! My little ponies will never accept either of you!”

Luna nodded slowly. “So, the truth comes out. You have always plotted against me. Always pitted the ponies of Equestria against me. Time passes, but nothing changes, does it, Celestia?”

They circled each other, auras of pure night and day slowly growing around them, bathing the room in a shadowed mix of light and darkness. The few undamaged items in the room began to wither and decay underneath the magical assault.

“I will never surrender Equestria to you,” Celestia snarled.

“You will have no choice,” Luna answered.

“Ladies,” Chrysalis interrupted, “as much as I am enjoying—“

“Shut up!” Celestia turned and barked at her as flame leapt from her eyes. “When I have properly put my sister in her place, I will deal with you. As I should have the moment you arrived.”

“How gracious,” Chrysalis answered.

“Leave her alone!” Luna brought Celestia’s eyes back to her. “This isn’t about her, is it?”

“Actually,” Chrysalis began again, “I thought the both of you—“

“Do not aggravate things!” Luna shouted. “I will deal with my sister!”

“You never have, nor will you ever, be able to do that, or have you forgotten your many defeats?” Celestia stated.

“Hear me!” Chrysalis released a burst of green magic filling the room. Both of the other mares turned to her. “I do not know what has gotten into either of you, and as entertaining as I am finding this, I will NOT be ignored or dismissed. Now, personally, I don’t care if you tear each other limb from limb, but I strongly suggest you do it outside. I have already lost enough possessions for one night.”

“Do not give me orders, bug,” Celestia said, halfway lowering her eyelids and her voice.

“She’s right, Celestia,” Luna countered. “This is a formal challenge, not an open brawl in the halls of our castle.”

“Formal challenge? You jest,” she scoffed.

“No, I do not. I challenge you for the crown.” Luna raised her head back up.

“I do not think so,” Celestia replied. “I will issue an edict banishing the both of you. If you do not heed it, I will be forced to take action.”

“Actually,” Chrysalis interrupted, “according to the bylaws of Equestria, set forth by—well, the two of you, actually—when a ruler is believed to be acting in direct jeopardy to the wellbeing of Equestria, that individual may be challenged for the crown.” She raised the book in her grasp. “I believe it is informally referred to as The Discord Clause.”

Celestia turned and glared at Chrysalis, who in turn smiled wide enough to reveal a hint of fang.

“Where did you get that book?” Celestia asked.

“From the Royal Library. I had my aide bring it to me. I was looking for some light reading.”

“Do not quote Equestrian law to me.” Her voice rumbled through the room. “I have upheld the law for—“

“Too long,” Luna interrupted. “It is time for you to step down, by choice or by force. Do you accept my challenge or is this to be something far worse?”

There was an audible snap in the air as Celestia turned her head back towards her sister.

“YES!” Her breath was deep and ragged. “Yes, I accept your challenge.” She glared and took three steps towards Luna. “But know this: when we are finished and I have defeated you…again…there will be a cost. Is that clear?”

“It is up to you to name the time and the location,” Luna replied coldly. “As well as the terms.”

“Oh, well, then let’s speed this up, shall we,” Celestia stated. “The time is now. The location is our garden outside. And the terms…” She moved up to stand nose-to-nose with Luna. “The terms are simple: one of us must surrender, completely…or die.”

“I beg your pardon?” Chrysalis asked. “This isn’t my challenge, but that seems a bit extreme to me.”

“Accepted,” Luna answered, ignoring the changeling. “Princess Chrysalis, as the only other member of royalty in Canterlot at this time, you will serve as official witness. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” Celestia said with a nod.

“May I choose to agree or disagree?” Chrysalis asked.

“No!” they both answered in unison.

“Well, well, well,” she purred, “I was hoping to have an impact here, but this is beyond even my hopes.”

They both turned to look at her.

“Don’t think you are immune, Chrysalis,” Celestia stated. “There are still ramifications to what you did to me to be resolved.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to go to all this trouble just to say thank you,” Chrysalis said.

“Shut up!” Luna snapped. “If you were half as smart as you pretend to be you would keep your mouth closed right now!”

“Oh, Luna,” Chrysalis sighed, “that hurt.”

With a few steps, Celestia walked up to stand before Chrysalis. “When this matter with my traitorous sister is settled, you and I will finish this once and for all.” She glanced over her shoulder at Luna. “I will be outside.”

In a flash of gold, Celestia disappeared, leaving a void of light in the room.

“I do believe she is upset,” Chrysalis said with a laugh.

Luna stepped past her, heading towards the balcony. “You are a fool, Chrysalis. You don’t seem to understand one simple fact.” She turned and looked at the changeling. “If my sister defeats me, she will kill you. If I defeat her, well,” she smiled, “then I will kill you.”

It took two steps and a leap for Luna to take flight off from the chamber, gliding out into the cold of the night. Chrysalis slowly walked onto the balcony and stared after her, bracing herself against the chill of the air.

“I am beginning to question the value of this princess nonsense,” she laughed. She took flight after Luna, her wings buzzing against the silent backdrop of snow.

* * * * * * * *

He walked into the room the same way he had a hundred times before. At least, he hoped that’s what it looked like. This time he wasn’t showing up for work, though—he was already working in a sense. Nonetheless, he was walking with a calm, cool demeanor—for him. He hoped.

“What are you doing here?”

He jumped. He was sure he jumped when he heard her voice. Naturally, the best option was to continue to jump like he planned it all along. Sort of like a dance. A very awkward dance.

“And what are you doing?”

Regnant turned to look at Tenebrous with a wide smile on his face.

“Just…dancing.” He nodded as he smiled.

“Are you feeling well? You look like you are in pain,” she stated.

“Nope. No pain. Not a bit.” He still smiled.

“All right,” she answered slowly. “Then let’s move back to the original question: why are you here? You have tonight off.”

She was standing in the middle of the throne room, which wasn’t at all unusual for her at night, as she would normally be assisting Luna with the Night Court. The guards stationed around the edge of the room were also normal for the situation, as there were always guards in this room unless under strict orders to not be here. And he wasn’t supposed to be here. Which did make him stand out a little.

“I…was looking for you, actually,” he admitted.

“Me?” She raised an eyebrow. “Why would you ever want to seek me out?”

“Uh, well, I had a few questions to ask you. Work stuff. Kinda personal work stuff, actually.” He nodded repeatedly.

“They couldn’t wait until tomorrow night?” she asked with a sigh.

“Surprisingly, no,” he answered truthfully.

She sighed again. “Fine. You have three minutes. Go.”

“Uh, can we talk someplace else?” He glanced around nervously. “Someplace private.”

“No,” she answered flatly. “If you want privacy, schedule a meeting. You want to talk now, talk now.”

“Oh…” He looked around and nodded again. “Well, um…” He pointed his head towards the side of the room, and took two steps that way. She closed her eyes for a moment, and then reluctantly followed him.

“What is it?” she asked with a less-than-patient sound to her voice.

“Well, um, you see,” he scratched the back of his head. “Okay, there’s this mare, and…well, I was kind of hoping that…you see she—“

“Would you just get on with it!” she shouted. Regnant flinched and screamed a little more like a mare than she did.

“ShelikesteaandIwashopingyoucouldgetmesome.”

Tenebrous leaned in towards him. “I beg your pardon?”

“Oh, uh, this mare, she likes teas, and well, you always give tea to Luna, so I was kind of hoping you could…get me some?” He smiled.

“No.” She turned and started to walk away.

“What? Hey, wait!” He started after her, only to freeze as she spun back around.

“I have just about had enough of you,” she took a step towards Regnant, who reacted with a step back. “You are a barely competent guard who seems to hold no regard for his station or his responsibility, let alone the honor of the court. Now you are coming here asking asinine questions to me in the middle of my work? Do you really have that little respect for Equestria?”

“Uh…no?”

“Get out of my sight,” she growled.

“Can you at least tell me where you keep the tea? So I can get my own sample?” He smiled again.

She turned her head slowly to her right, arcing it over in a semi-circular motion. “Why are you suddenly obsessed with this tea?”

“No reason!” he blurted out. “I, uh, just thought that, you know, since it was good enough for Princess Luna that, heh, she might be impressed. Maybe.”

“What’s the name of this mare?” she asked with a cold voice.

“Name? Uh, well, I…uh, don’t want to say. She’s…I’m keeping it a secret.”

“I insist,” she turned to walk towards Regnant, who continued to back away. Until his rump hit a wall and she stood directly in front of him. “And actually, I now have some questions for you…”

“There you are, Regnant!” The deep, sultry voice caused Tenebrous to turn around. A tall, beautiful white mare came cantering into the room, tossing her mane to one side. She giggled before she spoke again. “You took that turn in the hallway and I lost you for a minute.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry,” he replied as he scooted out past Tenebrous. “I was just, um, talking to my boss.”

“You’re the mare who loves tea?” Tenebrous asked.

“Oh yes, how did you know? I just adore a good cup of well brewed tea. It sets the palate off in just the right way, don’t you think?” she replied.

“It depends. Well, the Princess enjoys a good cup now and again as well. You might want to try the red oolong from Werthier Farms. She seems to truly enjoy it.” She turned and took a few steps away. “Now, if the two of you will forgive me…”

“Oh, really? I had heard she was drinking that new Succedaneum brew,” Fleur said casually.

Tenebrous froze. She stood motionless for a moment. They could see her chest swell out and then deflate. Slowly she turned around, a small smile on her face. She looked over at one of the guards near the doorway, and then back at the two ponies in front of her.

“I do hate inconveniences,” she said, her voice as calm as night. “Nonetheless, they do occur, and must be dealt with as they arise.”

“Oh, um, well, we don’t want to be any trouble,” Regnant swallowed as he spoke. “We’ll just go ahead and go, then.”

“I don’t think so,” she stated and turned to walk towards the center of the chamber.

The sound of doors locking filled the chamber, causing Regnant and Fleur to move their vision around the room, watching ponies take up position in front of the exits. Their eyes finally fell on the only open door in the room—the one they entered through—just in time to see two guards entering the room, dragging another pony with them.

“Release me!” Dapifer shouted. Immediately afterward, as if to oblige, the two guards tossed him unceremoniously forward, where he stumbled while attempting to stay on his hooves. “I will not be treated this way! I am the personal aide to Princess Chrysalis!”

“Chrysalis?” Tenebrous asked as she climbed the ramp to the Equestrian throne. “Ah, you must be Dapifer. I’ve heard of you. I thought it best to keep my distance, though.” Upon reaching the top, she turned around and sat down on the throne. A huge grin grew across her face.

“We found him lurking outside, Regent,” one of the guards stated.

“Yes, yes. I’m sure he was with them.” She indicated Regnant and Fleur.

“Regent?” Regnant asked. “What does that mean?”

“It’s a title, you idiot. My title.” She shook her head. “Honestly, I don’t know how you were able to even make it past your training. Not that it’s going to be an issue for much longer.”

The last doorway shut with a thunderous finality.

* * * * * * * *

They stood opposite each other, eyes locked. Around them, snow fell lightly, glimmering in the faint magical light issuing from both of them.

“Surrender now and I may be lenient.” Celestia rose to her full height, her voice burning below the surface.

“I was about to offer you that same opportunity,” Luna said with a voice cold as the night surrounding them.

The details of the Royal Garden was hidden under a blanket of white, creating a barren canvas for their upcoming symphony of violence.

Almost lost in the snow, Celestia stood still, her multicolored mane flowing far out to her right. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes glowed with intensity, revealing a fire inside needing to be quenched.

Across from her Luna was almost invisible in the darkness. Her right hoof pawing slightly at the ground, looking for something firm beneath her. Fangs appeared briefly each time she pulled her lip up into a small snarl.

Between them was a grey figure. She glanced to Luna first and then to Celesita, letting her smile grow as she looked both ways. Her tattered cerulean mane loosely swayed in the wind. “I suppose this is actually the last opportunity the both of you have to just call off this nonsense. I suggest we all go back inside for a bit of fun.”

“Fun?” Celestia snarled at her. “What did you just suggest?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. “Each of you is very entertaining on your own, but I was wondering what it would be like to have the two of you at the same time.”

“Chrysalis!” Luna shouted. “I have not spoken to my sister about that.”

She brought her hoof up to her mouth, feigning shock. “Oh! Have I spoiled a surprise?”

They both looked over at Celestia, who remained still in the snow.

“Do you really think I didn’t figure that out?” she asked. “I’m just disappointed I didn’t foresee it myself. Trusting the two of you under my roof, that is where I was foolish.”

“You are blind,” Luna spit. “Blinded by your own arrogance and paranoia.”

“And you took advantage of me!” Celestia shouted. “Never again.”

“No, because after tonight you will no longer rule Equestria!” Luna shouted back.

“Ladies, ladies…” Chrysalis stepped forward, yawning. “This is the last chance to back out of this. Hmmm?” She glanced both ways, finding both mares still concentrated on each other. She shrugged. “Very well. You will battle until one of you surrenders, at which point the challenge is over and the winner declared. I shall serve as overseer to this contest. Are you both ready?”

She looked to Luna, who nodded sharply. Turning to face Celestia, she saw the white alicorn nod agreement slowly.

“Very well then,” she took a few steps backwards, “begin.”

The smell of ozone filled the garden as lightning crackled around Luna’s form. Riding the bolt of energy she propelled herself to Celestia instantly, colliding with her sister defiantly. The impact resonated like two trees crashing against each other in the open woods, with cracks and sharp snaps accompanying the blow.

They tumbled together, casting a huge cloud of snow into the air. Chrysalis lost sight of both of them momentarily, but as the snow settled once again she beheld them. Wings unfurled completely, they were locked together in a desperate moment. Teeth gnashed, hooves raked flesh, and arcs of magic laced across the both of them. Blood was already staining both of their coats.

No words were spoken. They simply chose to unleash raw, primal rage in a physical display of might, trying to batter the other one into submission. Beneath them, the snow gave way, fleeing from every blow landing between them, clearing out a patch of wintered grass hiding under it.

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of white sent a figure sprawling through the air, tumbling hooves over head. She tried to steady herself, but didn’t have sufficient time before her sister was upon her. Luna tried to deflect Celestia’s attack unsuccessfully, finding herself once again airborne as her sister piled into her with all her might.

A sharp scream pierced the night, the first sound either mare made—but it was not a sound of pain. A cry of anger and frustration escaped Luna as she finally caught herself with her wings, turning in air to confront her opponent once again.

Luna’s eyes glazed over silver, and then turned to brilliant white as she focused her magic into a single bolt of energy splitting the night. Bursting in a wide cone, it enveloped Celestia completely, stopping her in mid-flight and and sending her smashing into the ground. She rolled and toppled along the ground, crashing into and through one of the statues residing on the far side of the garden. It fell in pieces around her, a large chunk of stone rolling to rest beside her head.

From the corner of her eye she saw a flash of motion, and twisted enough to lash out with her hind legs, kicking with all her might. She felt the hard resistance of bone jerk away from her attack, and turned to see Luna staggering backwards. After a quick shake of her head, Luna lunged forward once again, and this time Celestia turned to rear up and drive her hooves into the helmet Luna wore, once more sending the mare recoiling backwards. With another shake of her head and a loud, dark hiss, Luna leapt forward a third time. Again, Celestia rose up to strike—and missed.

Luna slid up under Celestia’s body and drove her horn deep into the space between her right foreleg and her barrel. Blood rushed down Luna’s horn and seeped onto her helmet as she lifted and twisted her head.

Celestia made no sound, save for the rapid beating of her wings as she forced herself up high and back away from Luna’s attack. The ripping of flesh accompanied the moment Celestia completely separated herself from the intruding weapon, and she stumbled and fell onto her back. Instantly she twisted around, the snow underneath her shifting from pristine white to dark red—along with her own coat. With supreme effort she attempted to rise, only to discover her right foreleg unwilling to cooperate.

Luna stood above her.

“Yield,” she growled. “You are beaten.”

“Never,” Celestia spit back.

Luna took another step forward.

“I will not say it another time: Yield!”

“I would sooner die,” Celestia snarled.

She stood there for a moment, and then Luna raised up her head. “So be it.”

Across the way, Chrysalis yawned and watched with a large grin. The fight had carried them both so far away she had to pursue from her original vantage point. Beneath her, the snow crunched under her hooves, though she was scarcely aware of it. Watching the two princesses beat each other bloody was her sole focus.

She stopped, and arched her back in a quick stretch before watching Luna stand menacingly above her sister while blood poured from Celestia onto the ground. A short laugh came out of her, and she briefly cursed the fact that she couldn’t hear what they were saying to each other. It must have been priceless.

Unfortunately, she was just too tired to get any closer right now. She curled her legs up underneath her and lay down on the ground, somewhat annoyed by the snow cushioning itself below her.

Silently she cursed herself for being so tired. She may never get another opportunity to see one, or both if she were lucky, of these princesses humiliated—or worse. She just needed a little more energy, and she could be next to them, watching the whole while. Perhaps it was best to rest right now. Just for a moment, anyway.

She closed her eyes and the snow began to pile around her.

* * * * * * * *

The three of them looked up at her sitting on the throne of Equestria. Coldly she stared down at them, gently tapping her front hooves together. Regnant swallowed audibly.

“So,” she began, “I really need to know just how much the three of you know. Why don’t you make this easy and tell me.”

“What are you talking about?” Fleur asked with a toss of her mane. “Whatever this is, can it hurry up? I have important places to be.”

“And that’s another thing…” She pulled back and lolled her head to the side. “What is a supermodel doing dating a…well, him.” She pointed towards Regnant.

“What? He makes me laugh,” she said with a flutter of her eyes.

“I do?” he looked at her curiously. She giggled.

“Tenebrous Quill, I demand you release me immediately!” Dapifer stated with a small stomp of his hoof. “This is most unbecoming of another member of the court attache.”

“Well, you are every bit as proper as the reports stated. You do everything by exact decorum and direction, don’t you?” she laughed.

“And that is a problem how, exactly?” he asked defiantly.

“It makes you predictable,” Fleur answered. “Easier to manipulate.”

Tenebrous’s eyebrow went up. “Suddenly the model displays insight. Interesting.”

“It seems to me the time for a ruse is gone, don’t you agree?” she answered as she took a step in front of the other two.

“You first,” Tenebrous leaned forward in the throne, staring down intensely at Fleur. “How much do you know?”

“Tit for tat. I’ll tell you something, you tell me something,” she replied.

“What are you doing?” Regnant whispered. She dismissed him with a small wave of her hoof.

“You aren’t exactly in a bargaining position,” Tenebrous stated, gesturing around the room to the dozen guards who seemingly waited for her orders.

“We are if you want to find out anything,” she answered. “Such as how many others know what we know.”

“All right, that’s a good place to start: how many others do know?” She sat upright.

Fleur paused, clicking her teeth together for a moment. “Only the three of us right now…”

Regnant and Dapifer both turned to stare at her with wide eyes.

“That changes, however, if I don’t stop the spell which automatically files a report to the princess.”

The two stallions both let out the breath they didn’t realize they were holding.

“Which princess?” Tenebrous asked.

“Both, actually. Luna and Celestia,” she answered.

“You’ve left one out,” Tenebrous stated. “So you aren’t informing Chrysalis?”

“Not for my reports. Dapifer may have other plans, though. He’s closer to her than I am,” Fleur stated.

“Ah yes, dear Dapifer,” her attention turned to him. “How is it you came to be here?”

“There were discrepancies in the books. I wanted to get them clarified,” he stated.

“Really? Where?” Tenebrous asked.

“Everywhere, actually. The information in the journals seemed wrong, as though it was either fabricated or added on at a later date without using proper notation. I assume you were the pony who made those errors?” His eyes looked up and down her body as he took in her measure.

“No, but I will make sure they never happen again. Thank you,” she nodded towards him.

“Wait a second! Just…wait.” Regnant took a step forward and turned to look at the other two ponies beside him. “I thought this was going to be an exchange? She asks a question, then you ask a question, and then back and forth like that. So far, she’s been asking and you two have been spilling all the beans. I don’t get it.”

“No, Regnant, she’s been telling me everything I wanted to know,” Fleur answered with a smile.

Regnant raised a hoof up and opened his mouth, only to let it hang there for a moment. Finally, he put his hoof back down and spoke, “What?”

“She obviously doesn’t understand the details of court protocols. The surface level material, yes, but the finer details which must be learned over a longer course of time as you move up in rank she doesn’t understand. She isn’t working alone, as is evidenced by both the fact that these guards are protecting her right now, and the fact that she had somepony else make the entries in the journals. Also, she is concerned about others finding out what we know, which means she works in secrecy as much as possible. She was particular in noting that I didn’t mention Princess Chrysalis as well,” Fleur stated.

Regnant stared at her. “Which means…?”

“Simply put,” Fleur looked up and stared directly at her, “she’s a changeling.”

Tenebrous let out a slow, deep laugh.

“No, no,” Dapifer stepped in. “No, that’s not possible. I work with Princess Chrysalis on an almost daily basis. While I would hardly call her one of Equestria’s outstanding citizens, I don’t believe she would undermine the court—at least not so directly. It would surely be found out and ruin her current position. Besides, I have been studying changelings intensely since my appointment, and I can assure you they are all hibernating right now due to the cold, save for Princess Chrysalis herself. The only way Tenebrous could possibly be a changeling…” His voice trailed off and his pupils shrank to dots.

Slowly, Dapifer turned to look up the ramp at the figure sitting on Equestria’s throne. His next words came out slow and soft.

“…was if she was from a different hive.”

She filled her lungs with air and then slowly let them out. Tenebrous shook her head. “Clever, clever ponies.”

A flare of red covered Tenebrous, like a fire burning off her flesh, leaving behind the figure of a slightly taller changeling the color of dried blood. Just behind a horn curving back sharply, long, streaming strands of a mane began at the back of her head and ran down the middle of her back, ending between a pair or translucent wings. A thin, hairless tail whipped about behind her casually. A row of thin, sharp teeth revealed themselves in her grin as she stared down at them with glowing red eyes.

“A different hive? There are other hives?” Fleur looked up at Tenebrous. “Then why are you working with Chrysalis?”

“Working with…?” She threw her head up and the room filled with a cackling laughter. As it subsided, she spoke again, “Oh, oh I’m sorry. I have obviously given you too much credit.”

“Enilighten me, then. What are you doing here?” Fleur asked.

“To take over, of course. To dethrone the reigning monarch,” she smiled.

“You want to take out Princess Celestia?” Regnant chimed in.

“Their deaths would only be an added bonus if it happens.”

“Deaths?” Dapifer’s voice became frail. “You are here to kill the princesses?”

“I don’t care about your pony princess! I am here to remove the QUEEN!” she spat back.

There was a heartbeat’s pause.

“You’re here to kill Chrysalis,” Fleur stated. “You want to eliminate her from her hive so you can assume control of it. How?”

Tenebrous raised an eyebrow. “You want to know? Why not? You won’t be able to do anything about it, anyway.” She stood from the throne and stepped to the edge of the dais. “You already stumbled on the means to our victory, in any case. I have been slowly corrupting both the queen and the princesses, creating a situation where they will do my work for me.”

“With the tea, I suppose,” Fleur stated.

“Exactly. We have been studying the lot of you for some time, preparing ourselves for the inevitable. All of the royals here seem to have an addiction to that stupid brew, so it was easy to work it into their system. The fact Chrysalis herself started to imbibe it was an added bonus.”

“What about—“ Regnant was suddenly cut off by Fleur’s hoof on his mouth.

“Shh, she’s monologuing,” she whispered.

“It was easy enough to imbue the tea with changeling magic, the key was to make it so weak that it was virtually unnoticeable. Over time it would build, slipping into the victims in small, subtle ways. Changing them for our use.”

She looked around the room, staring at the various stained glass effigies decorating the walls.

“All of this beauty and peace. Such an easy thing to disrupt.” She looked back down at them. “The tea alters the victim’s perceptions. It brings to the surface deeply hidden fears and desires, altering their deepest feelings and clouding their judgment. They aren’t even aware of what is happening. The effect is sudden, actually, brought on by a strongly emotional event; something causing the victim’s body to have a strong physical or magical reaction. Once the poison is working it eats away at them, devouring their reason and turning them into a being of twisted emotion. And then they are lost…forever.”

“I don’t understand,” Dapifer said quickly. “Why do that to the princesses?”

The smile on Tenebrous’s face twisted into a sneer. “Because they are enemies. Chrysalis will do something foolish, and either Luna or Celestia will act on it. At worst it will start a war between Equestria and her changeling hive, but…” She laughed again. “I think a more likely outcome is that one of them will go too far, and Chrysalis will either kill or be killed by one of the pony princesses. If she kills one, the other will surely kill her, and if she is killed…perfect.”

“You underestimate the princesses!” Regnant shouted.

A pony burst through the doors, and then stopped suddenly at the sight of the ponies gathered. He looked at the red changeling standing on the throne platform and bowed sharply. “Regent, we have reports of the pony princesses battling. Queen Chrysalis is with them.”

Tenebrous raised a hoof up and looked down at Regnant. “You were saying…?”

“He was about to say that this is your one chance to surrender,” Fleur stated. “In the name of the Equestrian Nation, I command you to lay down your weapons and face justice.”

Her eyes opened wide and her body lurched as she began to laugh silently. “You must be joking.”

“On the contrary. These guards may be mind controlled, but I’m willing to wager they aren’t able to stop me from getting to you,” Fleur said. “So, surrender now, if you are wise.”

She kept her gaze on Fleur for a moment, and then slowly turned to look at the guard beside the door. Flashes of red began to appear throughout the room as the night guard transformed from their disguises into the blood red changelings.

“Or not…” Fleur muttered.

“I am not so foolish as to come alone, pony. We are never alone. Where there is one, there shall be another. We are Legion,” she announced.

“We are Legion!” the changelings repeated back to her.

Regnant recoiled from them slightly. “Uh, well, they seem to have that part memorized.”

“Are you ready?” Fleur looked at Regnant, her eyes cold and sure.

“For what?” His eyes were large and uncertain.

“I’m counting on you,” she said confidently.

“For what?!” he sounded slightly panicked.

A flash of brilliant pink magic propelled Fleur up and towards the throne platform, directly at Tenebrous Quill.

“Are you crazy?!” Reganant shouted.

“Here they come!” Dapifer drew his attention back, and Regnant was suddenly faced by the view of several onrushing, unhappy changelings.

“Aw…dammit,” Regnant whined and his shoulders slumped—for a moment. Before the first changeling got to him he took to the air, flying straight at the onrushing foe. His hoof met the changelings jaw, sending it reeling backwards. He arced over and brought his rear hooves in contact with another nearby changeling, driving it back into a third. A short, sharp twist brought him back to the ground just as three more got to him.

“Their undercarriage!” Dapifer shouted. “They’re vulnerable on their undercarriage and neck!”

“Right!” He yelled back and lunged for another one.

Dapifer lost sight of him as others surrounded Regnant, and he caught site of the two who were closing on him. “Oh no…” Desperately, he glanced up towards Fleur and Tenebrous, but no help was coming from there.

At the moment, Tenebrous and Fleur were locking horns, pressing against each other, testing their strength.

“You’re grossly outnumbered, unicorn,” Tenebrous said.

“And you know numbers are your only strength. One pony can take out several changelings. This is over,” Fleur stated firmly.

“Several regular changelings, yes, but I am a regent! You will fall!” Mustering her strength, she pushed Fleur away and took flight. The buzz of her wings lifted her high, but hardly beyond the reach of a unicorn’s magic.

A brilliant blast of pink energy spiraled out of Fleur’s horn. Tenebrous met it with a magical blast of her own, only to see it shrink back away from the unicorn’s attack. She was only just able to slip to the side of it, but as it passed her by it clipped her wing, sending her back towards the ground. She fell behind the throne, and Fleur jumped after her.

Meanwhile, Dapifer was running for his life. His limited magical ability kept tossing items behind him, hoping to throw his pursuers off the track. From the snarls and snorts he could at least assume he was annoying them, but he didn’t dare take a moment to look back for fear he would stumble.

Instead, he was racing in a wide circle, intent on coming up to Regnant. One look at Regnant’s situation caused him to hesitate, though. It seemed as though at every moment there were four changelings on top of Regnant, kicking and biting and slowly wearing him down. He would drive one away, only to have it instantly replaced by another. There was already a thin line of blood trailing from the corner of Regnant’s mouth, and he was certain it would be getting much worse very soon.

Swallowing back his fear, Dapifer lowered his head and charged straight forward as fast as he could muster. He grabbed the closest thing he could see, a planter resting on the edge of the room, and thrust it in front of him. With a scream he hoped sounded more blood curdling than terrified he ran into the fray, knocking changelings back and away with his newly created battering planter.

Fleur heard the fight, but had issues of her own. By the time she had landed behind the throne, Tenebrous was nowhere to be seen. Immediately she lit her horn, training both her physical and magical senses to anything moving nearby—and got nothing. She narrowed her eyes and made a magical call and one flash of light later a small glass orb hovered in front of her. The magic holding it aloft disappeared and it fell to the ground, smashing to bits and releasing a fine dust which rose into the air. With another glow of magic the dust spread out, covering everything within sight—and revealing the outline of a changeling disguised against the wall.

With no hesitation Fleur let loose another blast, and with a hiss Tenebrous revealed herself once more, leaping forward with fangs exposed towards the unicorn. Fleur was barely able to react in time, catching her and rolling back, tossing her away, and then springing back onto her own hooves. She felt something warm running down her right foreleg and saw the red with a quick glance.

“You won’t win,” Tenebrous laughed. “Your princesses, your kingdom, and especially the thrice-hated Chrysalis will all fall to nothing!”

“Thrice-hated? Well, right now I think even Equestrians have only two reasons to hate her. Sounds like quite the story.” Fleur took a few steps to her right, keeping the wounded leg out of Tenebrous’s view.

“One that you won’t have time to hear,” she jibed back.

Fleur looked past Tenebrous to see the battle continuing behind her. Regnant and Dapifer were standing flank-to-flank, one of them kicking and punching like a well-trained soldier, while the other was wielding a planter like a madpony. She smiled at the fact that more changelings were lying unconscious than were still fighting.

“Seems like I might,” Fleur stated. “Your changelings are losing.”

“You misunderstand. They don’t have to win. Our battle is already over.”

“You won’t be getting out of her, Tenebrous—or whatever your real name might be—so I don’t think you will be able to go back and lead your hive in any case,” Fleur stated.

Tenebrous smiled at Fleur and then suddenly tossed her head back in a wild laugh. “Lead the hive? You are a deluded pony. I am regent, not queen! I was sent here to die to complete my task. I don’t fear you!”

“Oh really?” Fleur let her lip curl up. “You should.”

She rushed Tenebrous, and caught her in a cocoon of magic, driving her back to the fight raging against her companions. Even as she pushed them back, she saw hooves strike Dapifer on the skull, sending him to the ground in a heap. She pushed on, throwing Tenebrous at the changelings and sending them bowling over in a heap. Regnant turned to her, his breath shallow and ragged.

“What…why in Tartarus…did you do that? Run…off like that?” he gasped.

“I didn’t run, I was being strategic,” she smiled.

They both looked up to see a half dozen changelings staring at them, fangs bared and dripping, identical in appearance.

“Regnant, do me a favor. Name each of those changelings,” Fleur requested.

“What?” he asked with a squint on his face.

“Which guards were they? Which one is Tenebrous?” she clarified.

“Oh.” He looked over and scoured them for a moment. Then he pointed them out in rapid order. “Front door, front door, side door, side throne, window,” he nodded with the last one, “and that’s Tenebrous.”

Tenebrous blinked, resuming her normal form, standing a head taller than the other changelings. “What?! How is that possible?”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re new here,” Fleur’s voice was silk. “Since the first changeling invasion, our soldiers have learned to identify changeling characteristics. Now that you’ve revealed yourselves, there is no way you’ll be able to hide. And since we know to look for a different hive, well, you won’t get past security again.”

“You lie! There is no such protocols!” Tenebrous spit.

“Obviously, you didn’t get the memo. Probably an oversight in paperwork.”

They both heard a sound not unlike a growl come from her. She glanced down at Fleur’s leg. “It doesn’t matter! We still outnumber you, and you are both wounded. You won’t defeat us.” She raised her head up. “Good-bye, Ms. de Lis.”

Red magic surrounded her horn for a moment—and then arced out, lacing through the other changelings. Their bodies shook and contorted, writhing in pain from the magical overload until they fell to the ground. The magic turned inward and jolted through Tenebrous’s body, until she slumped down to the floor with a scream.

“What the…?” Regnant looked on in confusion.

“Thank P-division for that. Changeling dust. Rises and adheres to a changeling in the area, messing with their magic. I wasn’t sure it would work on these red changelings, but…” She trotted over to Tenebrous.

“Y-you haven’t won,” she said weakly, fighting consciousness. “You cannot win. We are…never alone. Where there is one…there shall be another. We are…Legion.”

“So I’ve heard,” Fleur responded stoically. “Don’t worry, though, we’ll get you healed up well enough to answer questions, and you can tell us all about it.”

Her body lurched awkwardly as she laughed. “No, you won’t. Long live Queen Ersatz!” Tenebrous clenched her jaw tightly, and Fleur heard a sharp cracking noise. A moment later her body began to glow and hum.

With wide eyes, Fleur leapt away, landing next to Regnant and Dapifer just as the ball of flame erupted from Tenebrous, filling half the room in an instant with fire. After a half-dozen seconds it faded away, leaving darkly scorched walls and floor behind—and a magical force bubble containing two ponies huddled above an unconscious one.

“Wha…what was that?” Regnant slowly lifted his head up as Fleur lowered her shield.

“Final orders,” she replied. “I’m just glad I got that spell up in time or we’d be like them.” She nodded towards the piles of ash where changelings recently were lying.

“Wow,” Regnant whispered, and then he shook his head. “Oh, and what was that about me identifying them. There isn’t any protocol for that sort of thing.”

“I know that, but they didn’t. You told me you could spot the details others missed, and I trusted you would be able to do what I asked. It threw her off enough to try a spell to destroy us quickly,” Fleur explained.

She glanced down at Dapifer who moaned slightly.

“Take care of him!” Leaning over, she grabbed Regnant in her magic and bent him over until he lay beneath her. Her lips came down and covered his, pressing into a deep, hard kiss. His eyes became pools staring up at her. When she pulled back and magically turned him back onto his hooves, he staggered unsteadily. “Thanks for your help.”

She turned and began to sprint out of the room.

“Wait! Where are you going?” he cried after her.

“I’ve got some princesses to save!” she shouted over her shoulder and raced out of the room.

* * * * * * * *

The sun rose in the night.

Blindingly bright, a brilliant white uprising of energy exploded around them, driving Luna up and away from her sister. A cry halfway between shock and pain was drowned out by the intense sound of the blast as Luna spun and tumbled through the air.

There was a distinct lack of visual orientation. Everything was moving too fast to get a fix on any sort of direction—but she didn’t need her eyes. Reaching out she felt the moon, and unfurled her wings to raise her up towards it, flying high above the ground and the destruction below. In only a matter of seconds her vision was completely restored and she turned to identify her sister’s location, and was surprised to find her missing.

“You will not win, traitor!” Celestia’s voice cried.

The light flashed in the corner of Luna’s eye, and she acted instinctually. A beam of pure magic lashed out of her horn, expanding greatly as it moved away and impacting the one rapidly closing in on her. The two beams expanded rapidly into a massive ball of energy, floating above the castle gardens.

Black and white power spread, not mixing as it circled around each other, clashing and repelling where it touched. Sparks flew inside the massive sphere of power, as smaller battles waged to try to determine the ultimate victor in this test of raw strength.

Just when it seemed no side would prove superior, Luna’s magic pushed the sphere, shattering it and piercing a bolt of midnight into the surrounding sky—and found nothing. A bolt of energy side-swiped Luna, driving the breath from her and pushing her sideways through the air. Before she could turn to face it, another bolt battered her from directly above. Her wings faltered for a moment, but not long enough to drive her from the sky.

“Teleporting…” she growled and raised a sphere of shimmering darkness around her. “Coward! You won’t face me directly?!”

Outside her own shield, Luna saw another sphere form, burning with the intensity of the sun. Immediately she felt the heat roasting her alive. Sweat matted her coat and her air was burned away. With all the strength she could muster she expanded her own shell, trying to force the flames away, and found herself wanting. The sudden heat was proving too much for her, draining her power too quickly. Changing strategies, she brought her shield back closer, and forged a lance of solid night. With a scream of desperation and defiance she thrust it into the fire and pierced the shell, and in that moment she shifted into a mist and followed it through, disappearing into the darkness.

* *

Celestia winced as the sun sphere was penetrated. Her right leg was still curled up under her body, pressed against herself to stem the flow of blood. The sudden jolt of magical force shot through her and found that wound, aggravating the pain she was trying desperately to ignore. The light of the sun held no distress for Celestia, so seeing through this orb of her own creation was nothing, and she realized the moment Luna fled.

“Running, sister? And you call me a coward?!” she shouted. “You cannot hide! I will scour all of Equestria if I need! I will find you!”

“I am right here.” Lightening rained down around Celestia as the words reached her ears. Arcs of pain shot through her, scorching flesh and contracting muscles. Hundreds of pinpricks of power laced through her body, contorting it and causing her mouth to open in a silent scream of pain. From the core of her being she summoned her will, and let it out in a flash fire.

The lightning assault stopped. Celestia spun towards the sound of the voice to see Luna, coat smoldering in the after effects of the flame, flying towards her. She lowered her head and summoned up a wall of golden light. Luna snarled and increased her speed—and Celestia smiled.

When Luna struck the wall, it did not shatter. It did not crack. It didn’t even stand firm. The wall collapsed down, surrounding her and enveloping her, covering her like a blanket a thousand times thicker than any she had ever imagined. Celestia watched as her sister flailed about, fighting to keep herself aloft while spells sparked from her horn to rid her of the gelatinous coating. With a short huff of her breath, Celestia turned and rose skyward.

* *

From Fleur de Lis’ perspective, things looked bad. As she ran out into the garden, her eyes were focused skyward, watching the magical show unfold above her. Her mind raced faster than her hooves, searching for a solution to this before the princesses, Canterlot, and possibly all of Equestria paid the price.

“This is bad. This is bad. This is bad.” The words echoed again and again, vocalizing her innermost thoughts. Then her eye caught an image in the snow. A dark patch that shouldn’t be there, and a desperate hope appeared. She raced towards it with renewed intensity.

* *

Chrysalis felt something on her face. And then again. Annoyingly, it repeated itself multiple times, like a water drip she couldn’t locate. She sneered at it. At least that’s what she thought. It was hard to tell for some reason. Why was it so hard to tell? And why wouldn’t that annoying drip go away from her face?

“…get…have to…now!”

Was somepony yelling? At her? How dare they! She would have to put them in their place. Right after she stopped that facial issue.

“…Princess Chrysalis…this instant…so help me…”

That voice was close. And it…was in time with the facial issue. What was happening? Where was she?

She blinked her eyes open and saw the hoof headed towards her muzzle. All she could do was watch as it struck her soundly and slapped her head to the side.

“Princess?!” a white mare—rather attractive at that—was yelling at her. “Wake up, Princess! I need you. Stay with me!”

“Wha…who are you?” Chrysalis asked weakly. Her hooves shifted, trying to raise her up, but there was no strength.

“Not important. What is important is you listen to me right now. I need your help. Can you move?” Fleur asked.

“I…I am Chrysalis, of course I can—“ Her hooves gave out from under her as she tried once again to lift herself up.

“I was afraid of that. It’s too cold for you.” Fleur stepped back. “I’m sorry, Your Highness, but this is going to hurt.”

Bright pink swelled around Fleur’s horn and then surrounded the changeling. The light changed slowly from pink to red, melting the snow beneath Chrysalis’s hooves. At first, there was no reaction from her, but after a moment Chrysalis’s face contorted, shifting into a tight snarl, followed by a roar of pain.

“What. Was. That?!” Chrysalis shouted at Fleur.

“I just heated up your body. It won’t last. We only have a couple of minutes, maybe,” she answered.

“A couple of minutes for what?” Chrysalis eyed this pony, glancing up and down the length of her.

Magic gripped Chrysalis and turned her head towards the sky. “That!”

Above her she saw a ball of glowing goo surrounding Princess Luna, with Celestia flying higher and higher above it, glowing in the night sky.

“Ah yes,” Chrysalis purred, “the princesses little duel. Why is that important to me, again?”

“Because, if we don’t stop them, you’re going to die,” Fleur said. “Another changeling hive has poisoned their minds so that they will kill you.”

Chrysalis turned her head down slowly, her eyes gaining a deep green glow as she looked at this white mare in front of her. “What did you just say?”

* *

Content with the height she had reached, Celestia stopped beating her wings and shifted her weight around and angled her head towards the ground. Folding her wings back, she plummeted downward.

A corona of light formed in front of her as she sped downward, beginning a pale blue and then changing hue, becoming a rainbow of color streaming behind her, finally exploding into a circle of rainbow light. And then again. And again.

The ground approached at a frightening speed, impossible for any mortal to comprehend. The small dot of golden glow below her created a target, and she aimed directly for it. Within three heartbeats it had moved from a dot to a full figure, with Luna still struggling against the spell binding her. She had almost freed herself, and would be clear in another second or two—which she didn’t have.

Celestia impacted her sister as a blur, and before anypony could actually register what occurred, they hit the ground. A dome of white rose, covering the entirety of the garden and impacting against the castle proper. Windows shattered on the castle and rocked throughout the city, threatening to crack or fall from their frames. Small children woke and cried, while adult ponies were jolted upright in bed.

The darkness fell in behind the blast, and for a moment it was impossible to see what was left behind, but as everything adjusted all that was visible was a clear, barren space. One figure rose up, slowly, carefully, standing in the debris. She paced forward several steps, one wing dragging the ground and the foreleg on the opposite side hobbling as it refused to take any weight. A trail of blood could trace where she began to the point where she stood over her sister.

“Now…you shall…surrender,” Celestia’s voice said in short, ragged breaths.

Luna lay at her hooves, her body bent and broken. Her neck twisted back at an impossible angle. Three of her legs hung loosely, unable to move, while the fourth had a spur of bone jutting out through the flesh. One wing was bent underneath her, and the other lay back across her flank.

It was only through an impossible force of will that she was able to move her head and speak.

“You…would not…surrender. You expect…less…of me?” Her voice was the texture of rock slicing through silk.

“I expect…you to acknowledge me! Equestria is mine! I protect it!” Celestia’s voice grew louder with every word. “I will not allow you to poison and destroy it!”

“You never did trust me,” Luna growled. “You feared me becoming more popular than you. Replacing you in the hearts of ponies.”

“I EXPECT YOU TO OBEY!” Flame sparked from her eyes and ran along the length of Celestia’s mane. “And if you do not—if you do not surrender and accept me as Equestria’s true ruler—then you shall die.”

“Heh.” Luna snorted. “Ha ha. HA HAHAHAHAHAHA!” Her eyes snapped towards Celestia. “You idiot! I cannot die! Or have you already forgotten that fact? You cannot defeat me, Celestia. I will always be there, and you will always have to deal with me.”

“THEN YOU SHALL BE AN ETERNAL PILE OF ASH! I WILL BURN YOU INTO NOTHINGNESS!!” Her voice bordered on raw as she screamed.

“Yes!” The voice was startling familiar, causing Celestia to joltingly turn towards it. A tall, regal figure stood only a short distance away. A white, brilliant coat saw licks of flame dance over it, and intense fire danced in place of her mane and eyes. It was Celestia, but not the princess as she knew herself—this was her Nightmare form revisited. “Cast her down and we shall forever be free of her and her wretched influence!”

“Wha…how are you…this is not possible,” Celestia muttered.

“Anything is possible,” she hissed. “And with my power and influence, together no pony will ever stand against us!”

“No!” Celestia shouted. “I rid myself of you! Twilight Sparkle saved me, and returned my soul. You are not real!”

Nightmare Celestia smiled. “Then how are you having this conversation, Princess?”

“I am not! This is…this is in my mind! You are not real! And I…I…” She turned to look at Luna, lying prostrate at her hooves. The silver of her helm reflected a figure in the dim light, who had sparks of fire playing in her eyes and along the length of her mane. Celestia’s breath caught in her throat. “I…I…”

She closed her eyes. “I surrender.”

“You what?” Luna snarled. “Is this some trick?”

“No,” Celestia opened her eyes. The flames were gone. “I surrender. Equestria is yours.”

“Well, that’s good to know.” Celestia turned in time to see her Nightmare form engulfed in green flame, transforming back to her true form. “I don’t think I could have kept that up much longer.”

“Chrysalis!” She shouted. “How dare you?!”

The changeling laughed. “Well, as much as I would love to argue about this, Princess, I’m afraid that…I can’t…” She toppled over, falling to the ground in a heap.

“What…?” Celestia stared and took a hobbling step towards the fallen mare.

“Your Majesty!” another voice interrupted. Celestia turned to see Fleur de Lis staring at her. “Your Majesty, I beg you to listen to me. You have been poisoned. You, Luna, and Chrysalis all have been poisoned. You are not yourself.”

Fleur took two tentative steps towards the alicorn princess.

“Look around you, Princess. This is not you. This is not something you or Luna would do. Not to Equestria. Not to Canterlot. Not to each other. Remember who you are and what—and who—you love.”

Her mouth opened, but Celestia waited to speak. She let her eyes travel to the side, seeing Luna doing the same as their eyes met. Celestia closed her mouth, while Luna bared her teeth. Slowly, Celestia turned back to Fleur.

“What…have I done?” Tears streamed down Celestia’s cheeks, and her voice faded to little more than a whisper. “Luna, what have I done?”

The weight of her body seemed to overwhelm her physical strength, and she collapsed to the ground. Immediately she fell to one side, her body limp in the snow, tears freezing as they touched the ground.

* * * * * * * *

Epilogue 1 -

“…so it was not Chrysalis or her changelings who were to blame. This new hive refers to themselves, apparently, as the Legion Hive, and from what Tenebrous said with her final words, they are under the rule of a Queen Ersatz. They use a very different method and tactic to achieve their results, and have a different hierarchy of authority. At this time we are unaware if they feed off of love or emotion at all. Their physiology, while superficially different, reacted identically to known changeling counter-measures, however, so we do have means to track and neutralize them.” Fleur stood and stoically gave her report in the moderately-sized room. A single window let in the mid-afternoon light, adding color to an otherwise drab and ordinary spot. One bed. One chair. One table. Nothing fantastic or royal about it.

“And what steps are being taken to find out more about this new hive?”

Fleur took a deep breath. “Not much, I’m afraid. Not yet. Right now we have re-instituted full screenings of every pony serving in the castle, confirming they are not changelings in hiding. They were able to get in very deep, so we are taking no chances, Your Majesty.”

A deep breath preceded a heavy sigh. “Please, do not call me that. I am…uncomfortable with it.”

Fleur waited a moment before she spoke. “May I speak candidly?”

After another sigh, she nodded.

“Princess, you must accept what happened. It has been three weeks, and in that time all three of you have been recovering both physically and mentally. Princess Cadance has served admirably in your absence, and the citizens of Equestria are accepting of what they are being told, but they are going to need to see their Princess—the one who rules Equestria. They are going to need to see you.”

Princess Luna looked at Fleur and shook her head. “I do not rule Equestria.”

“I’m sorry, but you do,” Fleur stated bluntly. “You may not be happy about it, but that responsibility has been officially passed to you.”

“I do not know how!” Luna shouted from her bed, and felt the pain shoot through her body. She lay back gently, gathering herself. A nurse stuck her head in the door, but was quickly waved off by the princess. “My sister is needed. I do not know how to handle these situations. It is beyond me.”

“It doesn’t have to be. The only reason you feel it right now is that you haven’t embraced it—not yet. You will. You will because Equestria needs you to do so.”

“I…don’t know,” Luna sighed.

“If I may make a suggestion, Princess?” Fleur asked.

Luna nodded slowly.

“As I have told you, I was greatly assisted by a guard under your service by the name of Regnant Troth as well as by Chrysalis’s aide, a unicorn named Dapifer. I would like to recommend they both be promoted from their current position to assist Equestria—and you.”

Luna closed her eyes somewhat. “Are you suggesting I take on Regnant Troth as an advisor, Fleur de Lis?”

Fleur turned her head, slightly. “Oh dear me, no. I wouldn’t wish that upon anypony.” She smiled. “I do recommend you keep him as a personal guard, however. A close one. He may not be exactly the most wise pony I have ever known, but he has a genuine quality to him that you may find exactly what you need right now. Now, as to Dapifer, I—“

“No,” Luna interrupted. “He shall stay with Chrysalis. He is already familiar with what has happened, so keeping him closer to her is the wisest course of action. Besides, from what you have said, and I have been told by others, the two have built something of a rapport together. I won’t break that apart. If you would like, you may bring him in to find a suitable replacement to Tenebrous Quill, however.” She shook her head. “It is a shame, too. I found her to be quite efficient in her task.”

A small laugh broke from Fleur.

One eyebrow went up on Luna’s face. “You find something funny, Ms. de Lis?”

“Yes, actually. You’ve been sitting here complaining that you don’t want to take on the responsibility of running this nation, but the first two suggestions I gave you were immediately dealt with in a swift, authoritative manner. Like Equestria needs.”

“Those were small issues, and nothing along the lines of what is needed to run Equestria,” she countered.

“Actually, it’s exactly what Equestria needs right now. Swift, definitive action. In case you haven’t noticed, Princess, things are not stable right now, and if something isn’t done quickly then we might see others encroaching upon our borders in much more overt ways than the Legion Hive has already done.”

Luna nodded slowly. Her eyes ventured out the window, seeing the edge of the sun creeping down into view from the top of the window. She turned back to Fleur.

“And what is it, exactly, we are planning to do about the Legion Hive?”

A huge smile grew on Fleur’s face. “I have a few ideas, actually.”

* * * * * * * *

Epilogue 2 -

The vase smashed against the wall, sending the nurse scattering to the side.

“Please, Princess, do not throw things like that,” she pleaded.

“Do not tell me what to do! And stop bringing me these ridiculous decorations. They are doing nothing but—“

“I understand, Princess. I’ll make sure nothing like that is brought here again,” she answered quickly. “I’ll leave you alone for a while.”

“See that you do! And next time you come back, bring something useful to me!”

The pony hurriedly made her way to the door, and stepped back in shock as she attempted to step through it. Quickly she bowed and stepped aside, letting the grand white alicorn step past her.

“Hello, Chrysalis,” Celestia said as she nodded to the nurse who quickly slid out of the room. “I see you are keeping the staff busy.”

“Oh, what joy! I am paid a visit by Celestia herself! My life is now enriched!” Chrysalis grumbled. “Since you are here, does that mean I am finally allowed to exit this overly cloying prison?”

Celestia glanced around the room. Aside from the various scars on the wall—no doubt put there by its current occupant—it was a pleasant, if somewhat dull space.

“The room isn’t that bad, Chrysalis. I was in one almost identical to it, actually,” she said. “All three of us had to be kept apart and under a close watchful eye, you realize.”

“Yes, I was told that several times, actually,” she hissed. “How considerate of them…”

Celestia walked to the window and gazed outside. “You have a pleasant view, at least. The mountains are lovely this time of year.”

She sensed Chrysalis behind her.

“You realize I could have left at any time, don’t you?” she asked.

Celestia slowly turned to face the changeling. “Of course. Any of us could, but we all knew better, didn’t we?”

“Really? How so?” Chrysalis stood face-to-face with her.

“We don’t want the other ponies to begin to question us, do we? You least of all,” Celestia said.

“Me? Why would they question me?” Chrysalis raised a hoof to her chest with a gasp.

Celestia tilted her head. “Please, Princess, don’t feign emotion you don’t have. You know that if you had left this room everything you have been trying to build—all of the good will you have created for yourself—would have vanished in an instant. That wouldn’t fit in with your plans, now would it?”

“My plans?” Chrysalis’s voice fell down an octave.

“Yes—whatever those might be. Don’t ever think me a fool, Chrysalis,” she said gently.

“Oh, I never think of you that way, Princess,” Chrysalis cooed.

Celestia smacked her lips once.

“Yes, well, I wanted to come speak with you to not only let you know that the…let’s call it quarantine time, has passed for all of us, but,” Celestia looked her square in the eye, “to have a personal little talk.”

“Really? What about?” Chrysalis turned her head slightly.

“I want you to know that you have been cleared of all immediate wrongdoing in the attempted coup against the throne. It has been decided—by a committee led by Princess Cadance herself—that you are innocent. You had nothing to do with the other changeling hive.”

Chrysalis’s lip curled up into a snarl. “No, I had nothing to do with them. And now that we are finished here, I will take my leave. I have a hunt to begin, and another hive to destroy.”

“Not so fast,” Celestia replied instantly. “I never said we were finished, did I?”

Chrysalis growled.

“There is no need to be so harsh, Chrysalis. I just need to discuss some matters with you,” Celestia began. “Let’s start with that other hive, shall we?”

“What about it?” she spat back.

“You will not be hunting for it,” Celestia stated plainly.

Chrysalis’s eyes shrunk to slits. “Are you suggesting that you will stop me?”

“No. I am suggesting we will aid you.”

She pulled back, blinking. “Aid me? What?”

“You are a Princess of Equestria. This is an attack upon all of us, and as such we will all act accordingly. Which includes finding our foes and dealing with them in the best possible manner,” she said.

“Best possible manner? What sort of pony double-speak is that?”

“Simply put, Chrysalis,” Celestia continued, “we need your help, and you need ours. We have resources you do not. If you are going to play the role of the princess, you will have to accept that things are done in a particular way now.”

Chrysalis lowered her head. “But there will be a hunt for them, yes?”

With some hesitance, Celestia nodded. “In our way, yes. And you will have input on that.”

“Excellent,” Chrysalis purred.

“Now, to the other points,” Celestia said immediately.

“Oh, there’s more?” Chrysalis asked. “May I make a point? I have been kept here for weeks with no food! The emotion I have been feeding from has been almost non-existent! I am starving! Can we discuss this later?”

“No,” Celestia’s voice was firm and clear. “And I realize you haven’t had much food. Though if you had been more receptive of the flowers and other items that were sent to you…”

“I can’t feed from that!”

“No, but you can learn that ponies might actually want you to heal. And those ponies might actually provide you with some food through love that is given to you, not forced,” Celestia stated.

“What’s wrong with a little force now and then?” Chrysalis took a step closer. “I seem to remember a certain princess enjoying that not too long ago.” Her muzzle moved closer to Celestia’s. They could feel each other’s breath on their faces. “Perhaps you were just wanting to make me this hungry so you could feed me yourself?” Chrysalis’s mouth moved closer.

“Oh, Chrysalis,” Celestia whispered, “if you get any closer to me, I will make sure you are physically incapable of leaving this room for the next five years.”

There was a pause, followed by a light chuckle as Chrysalis pulled back. “You’re still upset, aren’t you?”

“You raped me,” Celestia said. “I don’t forgive or forget that easily.”

“I was under the effect of a poison, Celestia. I couldn’t control myself,” she countered.

“I know, which is why we are talking right now,” Celestia nodded, “but I want you to understand that anything else like that will be faced with the most desperate of responses. Most. Desperate. Do we have an understanding?”

Chrysalis shrugged. “Well, you know where my room is.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Celestia replied coldly.

“Don’t flatter yourself either, Princess. We both know the truth,” Chrysalis snapped back.

Celestia shook her head as she walked past the changeling. “You are a sad creature.”

“I am a hungry creature,” she stated. “Can I go get something to eat now?”

“Yes, of course,” Celestia paused at the door. “Oh, one more thing.” She looked Chrysalis in the eye. “You were reading a book on Equestrian law the night my sister challenged me, and I found her waiting in your room. How coincidental…”

“Yes, it was, wasn’t it?” She answered. “I don’t know how that happened. I was just brushing up on the law of the land, myself. She was amazingly accurate with her challenge, though. I was impressed.”

“I’m sure you were,” Celestia kept her voice low and even. “We can play these games, Chrysalis, you and I, but I want to make something clear: leave Luna alone. Completely.”

“She is a grown mare, Celestia. I think she is allowed to choose what she wants, don’t you?” Chrysalis’s fangs appeared.

“Yes, of course, but I want you to remember this conversation.” Celestia bowed her head. “Princess.”

Chrysalis bowed hers in return. “Princess.”

Celestia exited the room gracefully, leaving Chrysalis alone. She filled her lungs slowly, and then let the air out with a huge grin growing on her face.

* * * * * * * *

Epilogue 3 -

The door moved smoothly, but stopped suddenly halfway open.

“Oh…hello.”

She turned from the window to face her and nodded. “Hello yourself.”

“I…I honestly don’t know what I expected. I will leave. My apologies.” She started to turn, but didn’t complete the motion before she was verbally stopped.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Luna. Come in.” Celestia took a few steps away from the window towards the center of the room. “Please.”

Luna took a loud breath in and held it. Three steps into the room, she closed the door behind her and stood still.

“Are you well?” Celestia asked. “Fully healed?”

“Mostly.” Her voice was flat.

Celestia nodded. “My only issue is my right foreleg. The physicians say it will likely be another month or so before it is back to full health.”

Luna stared back silently.

“It’s good to see you, Luna.” Celestia took several steps towards her wife, a small smile creeping onto her face.

Luna nodded silently.

A heavy sigh rose and fell out of Celestia’s lungs. She took a step back and gestured into the center of the room. “Luna, come in. We obviously need to talk.”

“I…” Luna stiffened. “You’re right. Of course.” Awkwardly, Luna moved past her sister and to the center of the room. She turned and faced Celestia suddenly. “I will not hold you to what happened. The throne is still yours, of course.”

Celestia smiled. “No. No, I want you to have it. For a while at least. Perhaps…after a while…we can share the throne together. Truly.”

“I don’t feel right about what happened. I was not in control when I challenged you. My mind was…cloudy. I wasn’t thinking properly.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Celestia shook her head. “You deserve the throne. I do not.”

“How can you say that?!” Luna moved towards Celestia. “There has never been a more kind, loving ruler than you. There never shall be! If any pony truly deserved to lead others, it is you.”

“That’s exactly why you need to be on the throne,” she replied.

Luna blinked. “I…don’t understand.”

“We were not on the throne of Equestria for long before you…were sent away. I was not always a kind, trusted ruler. After you left, I was lost and confused. I made many, many mistakes. Thankfully, I had Starswirl to help guide me, but I had to be there—on the throne—to learn.” She moved up next to Luna. “So do you. It is your time.”

“I…I…” Luna stammered.

“I will be here to guide you, just as Starswirl guided me. Any questions. Any issues. Anything at all. I will do what I can, but you will sit on the throne. And you will make mistakes,” Celestia said softly.

“Tia,” she took a deep breath, “are you sure about this? The ponies may think I have usurped the throne, truly—and frankly, I wouldn’t blame them.”

“I would. And I will be there to tell them the truth. That I have decided to step aside and let my wife rule Equestria for a time. I will not be out of the public eye, Luna, I will simply just be…a Princess.”

Luna lunged forward, her hoof wrapping around Celestia’s neck, pulling her tightly to her. After she recovered, Celestia put her own hoof around Luna’s neck gently.

“I was so afraid,” Luna said. “The things that…” She pulled back to look Celestia in the eye. “I didn’t want to hurt you. Not truly.”

Celestia took another deep breath. “And that is why you will sit on the throne. When this poison rushed through us, what was your first thought? The deep thing that was dredged up from your soul?” She didn’t wait for a reply. “You wanted to protect. To protect me from what Chrysalis did. To protect Chrysalis from what I was going to do to her. To protect Equestria itself when I went too far. I wish I could say the same.”

Celestia pulled back and turned away for a moment.

“Tia, you were under the control of this poison as well. More so than any of us, actually, since you drank the most. It was only natural that—“

“No.” She turned back, a tear in the corner of her eye. “No, that is too simple. It pulled up the truth from me, as well. The fact that, somewhere deep inside me, no matter how much I deny it, there is a part of me that doesn’t trust you. That thinks you are still the monster that wants to hurt me and my little ponies. That puts you and Chrysalis together.” She shook her head. “No, it is time for me to learn as well. To let myself stand back and have others make choices for a change. Trust them to do the right thing.”

Slowly, she stepped over to Celestia, once more embracing her, but with a much more tender touch. “Then I shall be there for you, too. I don’t ever want us to hurt each other again.”

Celestia laughed. “Please. It is hardly the first time, and I am sure it won’t be the last. With beings such as ourselves, we cannot ever promise something will never happen. Time changes everything.”

“I suppose.” Luna chuckled. “After all, we are accepting Chrysalis as a princess.” She pulled back to look at Celestia. “We are still doing that, yes?”

She nodded. “We are. She has more to learn than either of us. Who knows? In time, perhaps she will be as wise a ruler as she is devious.” Celestia closed her eyes halfway. “Which reminds me… How was she able to bed you? You of all ponies?”

Luna swallowed hard and pulled away, her eyes staring at the ground. “I…don’t want to talk about it.”

“Luna,” Celestia chided, “I am your wife, your sister, and your friend. I love you more than anything in the universe. If there is any pony you can talk to about anything, it is me.” She smiled and softened her voice. “Now, please, what happened?”

Luna’s eyes darted back and forth. “Shwsbggrnme,” she mumbled.

“I beg your pardon?” Celestia asked.

“She…she was…” She looked up at Celestia, a pleading look in her eyes. “Do I really have to say this?”

“You don’t have to, no, but you might feel better if you do,” she suggested. “If you would rather not, though, I understand.”

“I…I don’t understand. I am not like that. I don’t know why I reacted the way that I did,” Luna said softly.

Celestia lifted up her head. “I think I might.”

With a speed that caused her head to shake slightly, Luna stared back into Celestia’s eyes. “You do?”

“Perhaps,” she walked around the room, heading towards the window. “From my experiences with Chrysalis, and my conversations with Cadance and others, it is very clear Chrysalis envisions herself as…an alpha.” She looked back at Luna. “And perhaps the first one who has ever had the ability to stand up to you.”

“I still don’t see—“

“AND,” Celestia interrupted, “somewhere deep inside of you, brought out by that same changeling poison, was a desire to give up control—at least for a little while—to somepony who you saw as stronger than you.”

“She is not stronger than I am, Tia,” Luna stated.

“No, but she might have given you that perception at that moment. Isn’t that possible?”

“That…is possible,” Luna whispered. “Too many things have happened. I don’t always want to be responsible for everything.”

“And you do not have to be. I love you, Luna, and I would do anything for you. Anything,” Celestia said.

“I know. I love you, too, Tia, and feel the same. I’m just not sure what to do about this,” she replied.

“I will remind you, Luna,” Celestia said, “that I defeated you in our duel. The only reason you won was due to my surrender.”

Luna blinked and pulled her head back. “Tia, that is hardly—“

“Ah!” Celestia raised a hoof up, and stared directly into Luna’s eyes. “You will call me Mistress. Is that clear?”

“Tia, I—“

A sudden snap cracked beside Luna’s head. She glanced over to see a golden buggy whip floating in the air. “Did I NOT make myself clear?! How are you to address me?”

Luna opened her mouth to speak, but it slowly pulled back into a wide smile. “You did…Mistress.”

“Excellent.” Celestia’s eyes smiled at least as wide as her mouth. “You may kiss my hoof to apologize.”

Lowering her eyes, Luna stepped over to her wife—and her new Mistress—and lowered herself slowly to her knees and placed her lips on Celestia’s golden shoes.

A rush went through Celestia, and she had to repress a visible shudder when her sister kissed her hooves. Her teeth bit into her lower lip as the kisses continued.

Looking out the window, the last bit of snow was melting from the shadows on the ground. Blooms were peeking up through the dirt, bringing a long absent color back to the Equestrian landscape. The world was new again.

Winter was over. Spring was here.

THE END