"Some wars are not fought on the battlefield."

                                          Lady Rarity

"Alright the runes are set Doctor."

Dr. Whooves tuned his gaze from the full moon and nodded to his assistant. He and his team of ponies had been working on a way to open the strange tome Spike had given them. After many failed attempts, one of which almost destroying his lab, they had decided to try to concentrate moonlight to open it. They had set up a ring of pedestals, each with a crystal on it to gather the moonlight, outside in Fillydelphia's main square. The tome was set in the middle and a rune circle had been set on the ground under the pedestals. Six Brood unicorns stood at the ready to activate the runes.  

'Well tally ho,' Whooves thought with a nervous gulp.

His assistant, an eccentric Pegasus mare named Winterbreeze, grinned then trotted up to the Brood that surrounded the rune circle.

"Alright boys lets make some magic," she sang. They nodded and began charging their horns with arcane energy. The circle began to glow as the crystals hummed to life and began floating up into the air. The moon itself seemed to glow as the square was lit up by moonlight.

One of the unicorns surrounding the circle looked to Winterbreeze and nodded," We have a sufficient amount."

The mare cackle and rubbed her hooves together," Excellent."

"Aright Winter," Whooves said with a deadpan look," We're not raising the dead. You can calm down."

Winterbreeze chuckled nervously," Sorry got a little excited."

"Quite alright," Whooves said then turned to the unicorns," Do it."

The crystals glowed brightly then each shot a beam of concentrated moonlight at the tome in the center. Then with a flash, Dr. Whooves and his team were knocked back in a burst of energy. When the dust settled Whooves sat up with a groan and rubbed the side of his head.

"Alright that happened," Winterbreeze grumbled as she rolled an unconscious unicorn off her.

The Doctor rose to his hooves and walked over to the smoking tome and picked it up. With a click it opened.

"Success!"

Whooves carefully open the tome to the first page.

'The night will conquer all.'

The dark brown stallion stared at the word's written in the page's center. The words glowed faintly and were written in a beautiful script. Whooves turned the page to the first entry.

'Day 1 of Freedom.

I am finally free of my imprisonment but there has been a setback. I was routed by a group of mares that were able to wield the Elements of Harmony. In my arrogance I chose to try to discourage them but I see now I should have killed them. I now know this is my sister's doing. She had prepared for my release from the moon. Thankfully I am of quick mind and even quicker reflexes. When they were just about to banish me again to my prison I used my life-force to stop the blast. I was drained of most of my power and I was forced into a lesser form but at least now I will have time to plan. I had chosen to play the victim and it has paid off. My foolish sister believes that I was corrupted by a darkness, turning me into 'Nightmare Moon.' Now she believes me 'reformed'. Amazing how a few stray tears and an apology will sway a soul.

For now I will wait and gain strength, knowledge. A thousand years have passed and I have much to learn of this time. As well I will learn as much as I can about Celestia's six little pawns. They might prove useful, particularly that Twilight Sparkle.'

Whooves looked up from the tome. A thousand questions flew through his mind. Had Luna faked her reformation? Had the whole Nightmare Moon persona been a  horrible, if not brilliant hoax? Whooves was shake from his internal debate when Winterbreeze tapped his shoulder.

"Hmm What?"

"So it worked?"

"It would appear so," the Doctor said as he gazed over the tome. The lock had been shattered by the overload of lunar energy. With a snap he closed the tome and turned to Winterbreeze.

"Have word sent to Pyrequill. He will want to see this."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Moondancer felt out of her element as she trotted into a massive ballroom. She and Octavia had decided to attend so that the unicorn could get the feel for gatherings such as this. Where the other houses had bloody plains to serve as their battlegrounds this is where Whitegold did battle. When Moondancer and Octavia entered the ballroom several eyes found them. The stares were discrete but Moondancer caught them. The fuchsia unicorn had chosen to wear a simple slim fitting black and white dress. The silk dress clung to her curves in an appeasing way. Moondancer thanked the dragonblood that flowed through her veins, for it gave her an exotic look that drew ponies to her. Add that with her gift of charm and acting this would end a preverbal slaughter. Octavia had chosen to wear a rose red dress with a slit up to her right thigh, barely showing her cutie mark.

The grey mare goggled," You seem to have already garnered some attention."

Moondancer's face remained neutral, almost bored but the ghost of a smirk appeared on her lips. She was no stranger to these kind of parties. She had attended many before she had become a thief.

"I hope they know I'm a married mare."

"They more than likely already know," Octavia giggle then took Moondancer's hoof," Come lets see what they have in the way of hors-doevres."

The earth pony led Moondancer to the entrée table, which was full of small, exotic foods. A dapper old pegasus stallion was talking with a pink earth mare in a stunning white dress. A tiara studded with diamonds sat atop her mane, which was a mix of white and dark pink. The stallion looked at Moondancer in amusement as she picked something to eat.

"Try one of the scones," he said as he gestured to a tray of scones to the unicorn's left. Moondancer took one and bit into it.

"Mmm that is quite good."

"Indeed," the stallion chuckled," I must say your accent sounds familiar. Are from Stalliongrad?"

Octavia smirked behind her scone and remained silent as Moondancer took the floor.

"Why yes I am. My husband and I came to visit a dear friend of ours.'

"And is he here this evening?"

Moondancer took another bite from her scone and politely swallowed," No. We just arrived this afternoon and he was tired from the trip."

"He must be very trusting to let a beautiful mare such as yourself from his sight."

'Already a complement,' Moondancer thought as she giggled.

"Why thank you sir. My name is Rose Aria," Moondancer gretted with a small curtsy," it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr..."

"Golden Scales and this lovely mare beside me is-"    

"Diamond Tiara," the pink mare cut in as she stepped forward, a champagne glass in hoof.

Moondancer gazed at the mare with an amused glint in her eye. Diamond seemed to carry herself with an air of arrogance but she held a cleverness to her. Her eyes wandered Moondancer's frame in a way a wyvern gauges its prey. Octavia held a glare out of the corner of her eye at Diamond fro the briefest of moments that only Moondancer caught.

'It seems this mare is our reason for being here,' Moondancer thought to herself as she smiled at the pink earth mare.

"Quite the party wouldn't you say?"

Diamond chuckled," It's a rather small gathering but I find it pleasant. The hors-doevres are certainly top-notch."

"Yes they are quite good."

"So you are of House Moon and Stars hmmm?" Diamond asked as she took a sip from her champagne glass.

"Yes even though I do not always agree with their crude ways."

"Indeed but they have stumbled across an interesting industry in the way of slaves."

Moondancer held back a gasp at that. Her face remained neutral though as she took a glass of wine from one of the passing servants.

"Yes it is an interesting industry though I find myself shocked you aren't appalled by the idea of slavery."

Diamond chuckled," I find it as a way to weed out the riffraff. You see there are those who need to be at the bottom so the deserving few can stand high. Do I agree with the idea of a unicorn supremacy? No but there is something to be said for a workforce that you don't have to pay."

The pair continued to talk of the current affairs of the war until a stunning white unicorn mare in a deep blue dress studded with sapphires came walking up. Her mane was a mix of pink and purple and tied in a loose ponytail," Oh Diamond dear there is someone you simply must meet."  Her bright green eyes looked over to Moondancer and Octavia," Oh I'm so sorry. I'm not interrupting am I?"

"Of course not. myself and Miss Aria here were simply talking politics."

"I thought you found politics a bore," the unicorn said with a giggle.

Diamond's expression flashed with annoyance for the briefest of moments before she returned the uniconr's smile," Yes but it has its moments. This is Sweetie Belle a good friend of mine. Sweetie Belle this is Rose Aria. She's a friend of Miss Melody."

Sweetie Belle curtsied," It's nice to meet you."

"Thank you Miss Belle and I must say your dress is stunning."

"Oh please call me Sweetie," she giggled," and thank you it is one of my sister's earlier designs." She went up to Octavia and embraced her in a gentle hug," And it's so good to see you Octavia. How have you been?"

Octavia smiled politely and returned the hug," And you as well Sweetie. I've been quite well thank you."

"You said you had someone you needed me to meet?" Diamond asked.

"Oh yes this way," the unicorn turned to leave," It was so good to meet you I hope we will meet again."

"Yes we should meet again. Will you be attending the Gala a week from now?" Diamond asked.

Octavia stepped forward," We had planned on it. I believe it will be quite the affair."

"Indeed," the pink mare said before following after Sweetie Belle," until next time. Come Golden."

The pegasus followed after her, a frown on his muzzle from being ignored. Moondancer watched them leave, her expression pensive.

Octavia smirked at the unicorn," Very good. You fit in quite well with these ponies."

Moondancer held back a grimace as she took a sip from her wine glass," I have dealt with these kind of things before."

"Yes well you already have Diamond's interest."

"That easily?"

"Well you do look rather exotic," Octavia said with a shrug," I believe she shows interest mainly due to you 'being' from Stalliongrad, Very few Moon and Stars nobles come here."  

"Wait until they see the what the illusion hides then we'll see if they find me 'exotic'." She turned to leave," Come on lets go I need some time to prepare."

Next Chapter: Las Pegasus Estimated time remaining: 49 Minutes