Luna

“Sister. Sister, please wake up.”

The Princess of the Night awoke with a moan, being shaken quite roughly from her slumber. She was in her room within Canterlot castle, with the violet covers of her bed covering just below her shoulder. Her purple eyes opened and focused on the white alicorn at the side of her bed.

What is the time? Her eyes shifted from the solar princess and saw the light shining in from her windows. Luna groaned and sat up, glaring at her sister for waking her up early. “Sister, why hath thou woken me? It is not yet time to raise the moon.”

“Believe me, Luna,” Celestia began, appearing far more worried than she normally allowed herself to look. She sighed and shut her eyes, standing up straight. “If I didn’t think that something was terribly wrong, I would not be here right now.”

The violet pony centered herself and looked at the shaken expression on her sister’s face. She is struggling with something. This is not one of her innocent pranks. With little more than a nod, Luna pushed the covers off and stepped onto the floor of her room. “Very well. What wouldst thou ask of me at this early hour?”

Princess Celestia kept her eyes closed, tilting her head away from the lunar princess. Luna stayed put, waiting stiffly and with a neutral expression on her face. This is difficult for her, so I must be strong in her stead for whatever it is that she hath to say.

After a few more moments of silence between the two mares, the white alicorn managed to look into Luna’s eyes. “I am afraid of what has happened to Rarity and Spike.” She sauntered over to one of the windows of Luna’s room. “My powers of sensing presences were never as good as yours, even with one thousand years of practice.” The Protector of Dreams knew where this was going. She followed her sister up to the window and awaited the inevitable question to escape her lips. “Can you locate the two of them?”

Luna’s head tilted to the side, with her flowing violet mane shifting to account for the change. She nodded. “I will try.” Luna closed her eyes and gathered her magic within her horn, allowing the light to radiate from it. She took deep breaths to calm her mind and channel her innate gift: the Dreamscape.

The night princess could feel her soul fade out of her body and enter the realm that she had known throughout her life as Princess of the Night. Her dream self knew each and every voice in the land of Equestria, having to heal ponies’ hurts, doubts and fears each and every night. She could locate a pony by the aura that they gave off during their dream sequence and appear wherever they were to aid them in their dream world.

This ability allowed her to follow an aura given off while that pony was awake, though it was much weaker and more difficult to track. Whether the two of them are awake or asleep, I should find them. It was second nature to the lunar princess, and within moments she could sense Spike’s path of dreams. Her mind trained on the aura, attempting to pinpoint the dragon’s and hopefully by association, the unicorn’s location.

It is unnaturally clouded, Luna thought, struggling to see through what appeared to her to be a concentrated snowstorm. She began to sweat under the stress that this storm seemed to foster. She clenched her teeth together in an attempt to retain her concentration. There was a dark magic that permeated the area around Spike’s presence, causing the pony to return to the waking world with few comforting words. That was not a normal storm. It is blocking me somehow.
The Protector of Dreams opened her eyes, stern in expression but shaken by what she saw. She glanced over at Celestia and sighed with regret. The sunlight was pouring in from her drawn curtains, making it difficult to discern what expression her elder sibling held. “Sister, I have followed the stream of Spike’s dream aura, yet I am unable to establish a confident location. I fear that something is preventing us from seeing what lies on the western continent.”

“So it is as I feared.” Luna saw the room grow darker, the sun as well as her sister’s expression dimming even further.

“Worse, I am afraid.” Celestia stared into Luna’s eyes, looking far less composed than she normally was. Whether or not thou art ready, sister, thou must hear this. “I could at least tell that Spike is still in the Ibexian Tundra, so it is not too unlikely that both he and Rarity are alright. However…in all of my time being the Protector of Dreams I have never not been able to locate an animal I know, nor have I felt such an ancient presence concealing them from me.”

Her sister nodded, almost at the brink of tears. She breathed in carefully and calmed her mind down before focusing back on Luna. “They will be in peril eventually then. I had sensed that same presence three hundred years ago when I found Spike. It appears that it still resides there.” The regal princess shook her head sullenly. “I’ve sent them to their deaths.”

“No sister,” replied the violet alicorn, shaking her head and placing a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “Thou doubt the strength of those two. They will protect one another, we have seen it from both of them, and it is our duty to be prepared to aid them when the time comes. Should your fears be made a reality, and something greater than dragons is at work here, we must be ready.”

After a brief silent stare between the two ponies, Celestia hung her head. “Yes. You are correct, sister. My mind was clouded by fear and regret. I made a promise to the dragon that saved Spike’s life, whether or not he was related to him.” She stepped away and faced the door leading out into the hall. “This is not the way to keep it. Thank you, Luna. I suppose that you would like to return to bed. I will leave you.”

The Princess of the Night waited until Celestia was at the door, about to walk back into the hall, when she spoke up in answer. “I am afraid I cannot do that.” Her statement caused the alicorn to stare back at her curiously. Luna in turn stepped forward to be heard more clearly. “Thou require my aid in this matter. This may be larger than one princess can take.”

“That is why I have sent Twilight and her friends to follow Spike and Rarity, though I fear that they will not be returning with them any time soon.”

Luna nodded. Thou art merely proving my point, sister. “We must warn our allies on the western and southern continents: the ibexes, giraffes, zebras. The buffalo to the west must be told as well and the griffins to the north.”

She saw her sister give in to what she was saying, turning back into the room to face Luna properly. “I agree, but what do we tell them, sister? We do not know what it is that is hiding.”

“We must tell them to be careful when wandering close to the Ibexian Tundra. I feel a great presence there. For good or ill I cannot say at this point, but should your fears be true, the world must be warned of coming battle.” Celestia walked up to her and nodded, her firm and stern expression returning in full force.

“Our own borders must be protected as well. I will contact Princess Cadence and Shining Armour, and debrief them on the current situation. Soldiers must be trained and posted at all of the major cities in Equestria, and border patrols must be conducted to ensure no surprises.”

“Very well,” the lunar princess confirmed. “I will begin to alert the guards, if thou would contact Princess Cadence and Shining Armour in the Crystal Empire.”

“Yes, I will depart immediately. It would be best to speak to them in pony. Should anything arise that requires my council…” Luna nodded in response to the white pony’s unasked request.

“I shall send for you, as I hope you will do the same for me.”

Celestia bowed her head. “Thank you, Luna.”

Luna cracked a smile at her sister’s solemn bow of respect. “Hey. Thou art always awake when some important quest occurs and I must listen to a retelling of it once I am awake. Thou art not the only alicorn that doth grow bored.”

That had the princess chuckling, waving a hoof in Luna’s direction. “I wouldn’t doubt that. You never were very patient.”

Luna grumbled at her sister’s accusation, causing the Sun Princess to laugh. Shall I list the impatient streaks that thou hast had throughout the millennia? The violet alicorn let that thought go; although she made certain to remember those moments should Celestia choose to renew that conversation at a later time. “I shall rouse the night guard. We will need every soldier to know the situation if things should come to a point.”

“Oh, don’t disturb your guard,” responded Princess Celestia, shaking her head with a steady smile. “Who will keep the night safe if both you and your guard are asleep?”

“I will not sleep. There is too much to do to sleep at such time, and I require aid to train our soldiers.” Celestia smirked at her. Luna strolled out of her room quietly, hearing her sister’s hoofsteps following her out. “Fine. I will not rouse them all, but I will wake Dusk Darkhelm. I shall require his unique abilities to train the soldiers.”

The lunar princess saw the smirk swiftly developing on Celestia’s face as they stared at each other in the hallway. “Are you sure that you don’t just want him to keep you company?”

“Yes,” she replied steadily, unmoving and unflinching at the suggestive question. “Now, if thou could gather thine guard in the courtyard before leaving, I would be most grateful.”

Her sister chuckled. “Alright. I hope that you will find the day guard to be suitably trained.” Luna nodded her head silently, and Celestia continued. “I will be back as soon as I can. Farewell.”

“Farewell, dear sister.” She watched in silence as the Sun Princess strolled down the hall and down a set of stairs at the end.

Luna began walking in the opposite direction from her sister and down the halls to the night guard’s quarters, going through several ideas on how to determine how equipped her sister’s guard was. Thine guard may well be trained to deal with outside threats adequately, but what about things that cannot be seen; those thoughts hidden deep within themselves?
The solar princess had said so herself; she did not have the same skill at entering the dreamscape and dealing with her dreams as her, so how could she teach her guard how to deal with threats hidden within their own dreams?

If this unseen presence proves to be hostile, and the threat still hidden within that snowstorm, our soldiers will need to rely on more than sight and sound alone. As the light shone in from the stained glass windows of the night guard’s hall, Luna stood at the door to Dusk’s room. They will need to learn to control their emotions and be strong when faced with their own fears. It was late in the afternoon and the sky was growing dark, but it was still early for her to be up, and by extension it was early for Dusk as well.

I can think of nopony better to teach them. The alicorn knocked on the door, waiting and listening for hoof steps on the other side. She stood up straight and tall as she heard the pony stirring. Within moments the door swung open, revealing a tall, midnight blue unicorn.

The bags under his eyes showed the signs of no sleep, but his golden eyes themselves betrayed no tired appearance. He was thin, though not unhealthy, and his mane and tail were greyish-blue. His face was fair, with a goatee, kept neat and tidy as he kept everything that he owned. He was still wearing his night guard uniform, though he held a different helm under his hoof; pitch black and more streamlined than those of her guard.

“My lady. What is it that you require of me?”

“Thou hath not slept,” Luna pointed out as she gestured to his eyes, ignoring his question. She glanced past him and into his room, seeing that the covers of his bed had not been disturbed by slumber. The unicorn shook his head, concern plainly presented in his eyes.

“No. I sensed something amiss and I could not shake the feeling. Normally I do not sleep in my armour, if my quick appearance confuses your grace.” He bowed, making Luna crack a small smile. After a few seconds though, the smile faded.

She said, “So you have noticed it too.”

“Noticed what, your highness?” he asked. “Has something happened that I am not aware of?”

“My apologies for disturbing thee,” she said, “but I promise that I have clear cause to call for thine aid. Out of all of the soldiers that I have trained in the ways of the dream world, you have always shown the most promise.”

“Thank you, princess,” Dusk said, bowing low again. “I only wish to please your grace.”

Luna said, “Thou doth please me, rest assured. Thou hath always taken my teachings the most seriously and done what I asked without question. Thou art my most faithful friend. I often imagine what would have transpired should thou hath been alive one thousand years ago…if I would have felt lonely enough to turn into that nightmare.”

“Your grace is too kind, to put such faith in me.” At that he bowed lowest, almost touching his chin to the carpeted floor, if Luna hadn’t lifted his head back up with a hoof.

“Nonsense. My compliments are very much earned,” the lunar princess replied. “Now, I have need of thine ability. My sister and I fear that war may be upon us. A war unlike any that Ponykind hath seen. Neither of us know of what this presence is or what it wants, but we must be ready if it should be a danger. That is what thou must have sensed, though thou had no clear form in thy mind.

“The night guard are well trained to use all of their senses, including the Dreamscape to some extent, so that if one fails them or betrays them, they may rely on another. Celestia’s guard do not have such training, and I believe we will need each and every soldier trained in such a way. Unseen, hidden evils are always our undoing.” Her expression grew stern as she looked upon Dusk critically. “Will you do this?”

Dusk replied, “Of course, my lady. I live to serve.”

“Good. Come with me.” She made her way back the way she had come and down the stairs that her sister had taken moments earlier, the midnight unicorn following close beside her. “Celestia should have gathered her guard before she left for the Crystal Empire. While she warns Princess Cadence and Shining Armour about the possible threat, you will begin training the guard immediately.”

The guard was lined up in four rows on either side of Luna in the castle courtyard, once they reached the front gates of the castle. They stood tall with spears, flags or with their horns glowing, all clad in the golden armour of the day guard of Princess Celestia. At the arrival of the regal alicorn and Dusk Darkhelm, the guards stood at attention and awaited instruction.

They are punctual and organized at the very least, she mused. The pony stood at the top of the stairs just before the courtyard, searching through all of the faces of the soldiers to determine their resolves. “Now then,” she said, addressing the rows of ponies. “Doth thou know the reason for this gathering?”

A breeze from the west blew past the castle courtyard, chilly and steady. The flags flowed in the gusts of wind from the sea, the soldiers either leaning on their poles or their spears for support. Birds flew about in the afternoon breeze, landing in trees or shrubs to rest or being pushed about on the air currents.

“No,” one pegasus called from Luna’s left. “The princess had little time to speak with us. She said that we were to be debriefed on the situation and to be trained by you.”

The lunar princess said, “Not by me, no, but by him.” She gestured to Dusk, who until this point remained still and silent. He looked at her and then back to the guards, who appeared confused. “Thou art correct on my first point, however. Before training may begin, thou must be told what to expect and what is happening.”

“Whatever the threat is princess,” one guard spoke up, a unicorn mare. “I assure you that we are well trained to deal with it.”

Luna nodded in response. “I do not deny that claim. Nor do I doubt thy troops’ ability in combat. What I fear is that I believe thou rely too heavily on what thou can see.” The guards exchanged looks and waited in silence for the princess to continue. “But what about those threats one cannot see?”

She walked down the steps and joined the soldiers on level ground, glancing from one face to the other. “Threats cloaked in shadow and those hidden deep within ourselves. I hath no doubt that thou wouldst not flee from a fight if fought fairly, but thine courage is nothing if thou do not hath the fortitude and focus to prevent they mind from being corrupted. Thou must learn to tell the difference between reality and dream, and use all of thine senses should one fail.

“Dusk Darkhelm is my best soldier, a leader amongst the night guard. He had the most prowess and promise when learning to enter the Dreamscape. From now on, until we are called to war, he will teach you how to control thine senses and fears and how to master them. A well trained body requires a sturdy mind.”

The day guard were silent, everypony turned to face the Princess of the Night and Dusk Darkhelm. Luna could feel her flowing mane being caught in the breeze, as she awaited a response from these ponies. Her face was stoic when she glanced from each of them. She knew their fears and their determination to prove their worth. The princess knew the fear behind these faces well, having to live with such doubts and terrors for one thousand years herself.

She said, “Will thee do this?”

“Yes, princess!” they shouted in unison. The soldiers stood straight and tall, saluting the dark alicorn and her guard. Luna nodded to them, a small smile on her face. She turned to the unicorn with the black helm and gestured to the rows of guards. Dusk bowed his head in understanding and took a step forward.

“Very well,” he spoke, raising his voice to be heard by eveypony. “We will begin immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

Luna watched as the guard formed up to begin training, watching out of the corner of her eye as Dusk gave out orders. “I shall leave you presently. I hath much else to do, before the day is done. Farewell.” With no further words between them, the Princess of the Night teleported back into her room and magicked a quill, some ink and some parchment over to her stand. I will have to warn each city guard of this first, then our allies across the sea.
She halted in her writing, remembering back to her search for Spike. She had known about Celestia’s promise to the dragon hundreds of years ago. Celestia told her once she had returned as Princess Luna that Spike had been found on the Ibexian Tundra as an egg. He was special to her sister, and for the past four years she always seemed happier having the dragon around.

Her quill returned to write the messages to the other pony cities, though what she had felt while searching for Rarity and Spike still weighed heavily on her mind. She had held something back from her sister’s knowledge, fearing that Celestia would only continue to blame herself for sending them into danger. Luna did not want to worry her further about what she had felt while finding the dragon; that Spike’s aura had grown cold and dim, from something lurking there.

I hath no doubt in my mind. We must be ready for war.

Author's Notes:

Hello,

Here is the next chapter in the story. Things seem to be becoming far more dangerous than before, needing all of the princesses involved to deal with the threat. Rarity and Spike seem to have come across something far more threatening and ancient than either of the princesses could have known about. I apologize if you wanted a Rarity or Spike chapter, but I felt that this was necessary to be placed before another of those.

Next weeks chapter also won't be cutting it so close to the end of the day either, because it is already written out. I apologize again for being late, but this chapter was causing me some trouble and my scattered brain wasn't helping much either. Thank you for reading this newest chapter and I will have chapter twenty for next Saturday. Ta ta!