Twilight had showed up for the evening class period, which was a relief to Cheerilee. Cheerilee also noticed that Twilight was in much higher spirits than she had ever seen her. Looks like things went over well with Spike thought Cheerilee. Cheerilee was also relieved to see that Discord didn’t show up again.

The class period had just ended and all of the teachers were waiting outside with the foals for their parents when Cheerilee spoke, “Hey Twilight,” She said getting the Unicorn’s attention, “I need to talk to you about something.”

Uh oh thought Twilight. She thought for a moment that she was in trouble for ditching her boss/friend at the last minute, but Cheerilee didn’t seem to be upset in the least. Twilight, of course, couldn’t rule out that years of experience allowed Cheerilee to keep an air of professionalism during work hours.

After all of the foals had gone home with their respective guardians, Twilight followed Cheerilee back into her classroom, “I’m sorry about this afternoon Cheerilee,” Twilight said a bit more nervously than she had meant to.

“Think nothing of it dearie,” Said Cheerilee with a dismissive wave of her hoof, “I was the one who sent you into a panic attack. Besides, I had ‘help’ today, which is actually what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” Asked Twilight, “Who helped you?”

Twilight noticed Cheerilee swallowing saliva in a nervous manner, “Discord.”

Both mares paused their conversation to make sure that the creature of chaos wouldn’t come at the mention of his name, and both gave identical sighs of relief.

“What did he do?” Asked Twilight.

“He lectured about the Princesses and the Elements of Harmony,” Replied Cheerilee.

“So, he was actually helpful?” Asked with unmasked surprise.

“I know, right?” Both mares laughed at Cheerilee’s joke, “But he mentioned someone that didn’t come up in our lesson plans.”

“What?” Asked Twilight. She was sure she didn’t forget anything for their lesson plans, “Who?”

“Have you ever heard of anyone named ‘Bucephalus?’” Asked Cheerilee.

Cheerilee did not miss the bewildered look on her friend’s face, “What?” Asked Twilight, “Why did Discord mention Bucephalus?”

“He said that Bucephalus created the Elements of Harmony,” Explained Cheerilee.

“WHAT!?” Exclaimed Twilight, “But he’s a mythological being! How could he-”

At that moment, something in Twilight’s mind clicked like a combination lock. Celestia had told Twilight that she and her sister had this unexplainable determination to find something to fight Discord with. The Diarchs, like Twilight, had summed that up to being left with no other option. But that didn’t make since because no one else was so determined, no else believed Discord could be beaten, even Starswirl couldn’t find a way to beat Discord, so why would two teenagers think they could do anything against him?

In all of the books Twilight read about the Old-World Deities, one thing they had in common were their limited ability to affect the mortal realm directly. And then there was the world outside of Equestria, they could’ve found definitive proof of these beings existing. They might not be as powerful as the legends say, but no one in the Equestrian nation would know otherwise. Especially with how young Celestia and Luna were at the beginning of Discord’s reign, they would have little to no education on the religions of the time, not with the life they’ve lived. And then they were venerated as gods themselves for the next two hundred years, anything related to any other ‘god’ would be forgotten or destroyed.

Twilight adopted a determined expression, “I need you to tell me everything Discord said.”

Luna had just stepped into the Dreamscape. Once again, absolutely no one showed up to her Night Court. While this meant that she had all of her energy for helping her more troubled subjects, it reminded her of the events that drove her into madness. Luna shook her head in an effort to clear her thoughts, there would be time for ruminating later.

A common misconception was that Luna was some sort of nocturnal creature, this couldn’t be further from the truth. She only entered the Dreamscape when she slept, that was when it was the safest. While anyone who could use Dark Magic could go into the Collective Subconscious, it was dangerous to do so while awake. Manny had lost themselves by losing the ability to distinguish between the waking and sleeping worlds. And then there was the rest of Collective Subconscious. Luna wasn’t even sure if the Dreamscape was truly apart of the Collective Subconscious, it was more like the border between the physical and mental. Luna started to channel her magic to destroy some creature she at first assumed to be from the deeper parts of the Collective Subconscious, then she realized it was a member of her family.

“Oh, hello Noblesse,” Said Luna once she realized who it was she was facing.

“Good morrow grandmother,” Replied Noblesse, his voice echoing given his current form.

The reason Luna had mistaken Noblesse for one of the Nightmares from the Collective Subconscious, was because Noblesse was currently animated as a cloud of velvety red fog. It slowly morphed into his physical being, which surprised Luna.

“I have never seen one of you without armor on,” Said Luna, trying her best to mask her surprise in an effort to spare her grandfoal’s feelings.

When Luna had first returned to Equestria, she went to the Under-Cities as soon as she had learned of them. Luna had initially gone to the Under-Cities to assure the people there that they no longer needed to put themselves into exile, but going to someplace where she was praised in a similar manner to her sister after she self-loathing induced madness made Luna want to stay for a while. Which Celestia encouraged. This was why Luna had no idea that the Royal Traditions had died in the rest of world and why she used an archaic vocabulary. The Under-Cities was of course where she got her chauffeurs for when she visited Ponyville for the Nightmare Night Festival. It was also where Luna was during the Canterlot Wedding Fiasco, helping to fight off the Under-City Changelings that were conspiring with Hive Chrysalis.

“What brings you into the Dreamscape Noblesse?” Asked Luna.

Noblesse was an exception to the dangers of the Collective Subconscious, given that it was impossible for him to lose the ability to differentiate the physical and mental worlds. Luna had first met Noblesse in the Dreamscape, it was also where they meet up most often. Ponies rarely needed Luna’s intervention, given the safe world Celestia had provided for them. There were of course exceptions; the less fortunate, the mentally insane, Ponies who were ignorant to their own fears and insecurities, etc. This made Luna feel safe in, basically blowing off work with one of few people in the Equestrian Nation who step into the Dreamscape as she could.

“I had to give a tale from my service today,” Explained Noblesse “I am almost certain my classmates will have nightmares concerning it.”

“Oh,” Said Luna. That explains all of the foals staying up late this night, “Thank you for the warning.”

The two embraced briefly before Luna started seeing the small white lights flashing. Each light in the nebulous Dreamscape was a person sleeping, and a flashing light was someone having a nightmare, the more frequent the flashes, the more intense the nightmare. Luna was actually thankful when one of her subjects was having a nightmare. Luna knew that the nations outside of Equestria wouldn’t appreciate someone they thought was gone forever suddenly appearing in their psyche, so she and Celestia had decided to wait until they started interacting with the other nations more before leaping into their dreams. Which meant that Luna often spent her nights wandering the Dreamscape waiting for something to happen.

“I beg your forgiveness,” Said Luna as she broke the embrace, “But our subjects need me.”

“Worry not grandmother,” Said Noblesse, “I have business I must attend to as well.”

Luna watched her grandson trot towards the edge of the Dreamscape before diving into the mind of the person closest to her that was having a nightmare, it was also the one flashing the most frequently. This will be long night thought Luna with an excited smile.

She was running like her life was at stake. Though, it was not her life that needed saving. I have to save them thought Sweetie Belle There’s no one else left. Sweetie Belle ran through the burning orchards of Sweet Apple Acers hoping to get to the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse in time to save her friends from him.

The Clubhouse came into view just as it collapsed into flames. No was the only thought going through Sweetie Belle’s head. She barely noticed the debris coming towards her when the clubhouse fell from the desecrated tree and onto the now barren ground below.

“Ah!” Sweetie Belle screamed as she ducked for cover, the flaming plank of wood just barely missing. Though it didn’t stop the intense heat from getting to Sweetie Belle.

The young Unicorn heard sound of blackened trees snapping around her. She looked around to see that any way of getting out was now blocked by burning wood, the bright flames being the only reason Sweetie Belle could see through the light grey smoke. Sweetie Belle then hit the ground again, overcome with despair and hardly being able to breath.

Sweetie Belle saw the smoke and flames clearing in one section of the inferno around her, briefly bringing her hope. Relief came to Sweetie Belle like a flood when she saw the silhouette of a taller Unicorn walking towards. Sweetie Belle was instantly crushed like a sand castle in a tidal wave as the Unicorn came close enough for her to see properly through the smoke.

The Unicorn was clearly a young stallion with a copper colored mane and a strange metal grey coat that almost made him invisible in the miasma of smoke, though it did nothing to keep Sweetie Belle from recognizing the Unicorn. She also saw that he was holding something in one of his hooves. Why thought Sweetie Belle as her tears came like torrents.

The Unicorn was holding a red bow that had been singed by the fire with a few orange feathers that were similarly charred black around their edges. Sweetie Belle could now see that the burning wreckage of the clubhouse was behind him.

“Thy friends and family are gone,” Said Noblesse, “If only they had listened to your warnings,” Taunted the sadist as he tossed the bow and feathers into one of the flaming trees nearby, “Now, there is only you left."

Noblesse started laughing manically as the tongues of the flames suddenly stretched from their pyres to lick Noblesse’s body, slowly stripping his skin from his body. Sweetie Belle then noticed that Noblesse had never stopped moving towards her. As the flaming patches of skin fell to the ground, Sweetie Belle could clearly see Noblesse’s true form; that of a terrifying serpent. Sweetie Belle trembled as Noblesse stopped inches away from her, his rust colored snake eyes being the only thing she could see through the smoke as it swirled around them, “I am going to have lots of fun with you,” Noblesse started laughing again as he lifted a hoof off of the ground and started reaching for the paralyzed mare before him.

Just before Noblesse could touch Sweetie Belle, an eldritch bolt of azure light stroke the serpentine Unicorn, launching him into the flames, “GAAHH!!! IT BURNS!” Screamed Noblesse. Rain came in buckets, washing away both smoke and flame. Sweetie Belle could see the desecrated form of Noblesse, his skin either melting off of his bones or fusing to them.

“Begone, twisted parody of my kin!” Yelled a familiar voice as another bolt of light erased Noblesse, along with the ruined world Sweetie Belle was trapped in.

Sweetie Belle only opened her eyes when a soft motherly hoof picked her up from her prone position, “Rise Dame Sweetie Belle,” Said the guardian of dreams, “I fear there is much for us to discuss.”

“Princess Luna!” Said Sweetie Belle as she recognized who her savior was, “So, I was having a nightmare?”

“I’m afraid so,” Confirmed Luna, “Noblesse warned me that you and your classmates might have nightmares.”

“What?” Asked Sweetie Belle, “Why?”

“The Nobility exists to help my sister and I do our jobs,” Answered Luna, “It is also among their responsibilities to protect the citizenry within their families’ holdings.”

“Protect?” Asked Sweetie Belle in an agitated tone of voice, “Since when does he ‘protect’ anything? Do you have any idea what he has done?”

“I know much more about his accomplishments than you do,” Replied Luna, completely unfazed by Sweetie Belle’s words and tone.

“He has confessed to murder without an ounce of remorse!” Pointed out Sweetie Belle, “Ponies like him belong in Tartarus!”

Luna nodded her head in acknowledgement, “I’d agree with if the circumstances of the life he, and the denizens of the Under-Cities, have lived were different.”

“What could possibly excuse such atrocities?” Asked Sweetie Belle, clearly upset that Luna seemed to be utterly uncaring to anything her grandchild has done.

“Before my fall into madness,” Started Luna, “My sister and I worked together to see to the prosperity of Equestria, though our responsibilities differed greatly. Despite being born a Unicorn, my sister was always terrible with magic, but I was able to use it effortlessly. Also unlike my sister, I was hot headed and eager to face our enemies in battle. While my sister handled negotiations and domestic policy, I dealt with those who would plotted against us.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

“You wouldn’t know this, given how our nation has been closed off from the rest of the world,” Said Luna, “But there were surprisingly few that see us as their equals. And we could not stave off their ambitions with neither words nor trade,” Luna sighed, “So it was up to me to organize our military and face invaders head on. Sometimes it was enough to crush their invasion forces, others we had to extinguish their entire civilizations. I have done both on my own before.”

“But why?” Asked Sweetie Belle in distress, “What reason could they possibly have to go so far out of their way to hurt us?”

“Often it was the common flaws of all peoples,” Answered Luna, “Avarice, Pride, Envy, et cetera. But sometimes there were given no other choice. Left without resources to trade with their neighbors, and no nation can give freely less they find themselves in the same situation. And at the time, we happened to be their weakest neighbor, as well as among the most prosperous.”

“What does this have to do with Noblesse?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

“The foes of the Under-Cities are the foes of all nations upon the continent of Equestria,” Replied the Lunar Diarch, “Many of the first subterranean peoples are criminals banished from the surface, their children are also banished to the cavernous caves beneath Equestria. Then there are the nations who simply toss their dead and trash into the caves. Some want vengeance for being punished for crimes they did not commit, others have had their homes poisoned and have no choice but to try and take the surface. There are of course, those who use these situations to their advantage to gain power. These are the kinds of people that Noblesse and the Under-Cities strike down without mercy.”

“Have you idea how he feels about it!?” Asked Sweetie Belle, “What kind of monster gets pleasure from hurting Ponies? Let alone, killing them.”

“I am aware of Noblesse’s sadism,” Replied Luna coolly, “His comes from a different place than you think.”

“What?” Asked Sweetie Belle, “Does it really matter?”

Luna sighed, “More than you think. When I went to the Under-Cities myself, I learned of the… ‘reputation’ Noblesse earned. I couldn’t believe it after the first few times I met him, it simply didn’t seem possible with his personality. Then I finally asked him about. Do you know why Noblesse can cause so much pain and feel not remorse, but euphoria?”

Sweetie Belle was stunned at the revelation that Luna truly knew what kind of person Noblesse was, and let him go free. At first, she was disgusted with the Diarch, but the curious itch in the back of her mind wouldn’t go away, “Why?”

“It is not the pain Noblesse enjoys, but who he is hurting,” Replied Luna, “The way Noblesse interpreted his duty; is that it was his job to punish those who would put their families, or even just themselves, above entire nations. Those would crush all others in a mad quest for power. He saw himself as some sort of twisted parody of the Angel of Death, seeking those who could not be forgiven and bringing with him retribution.”

Sweetie Belle looked down in thought. It made since in a sick sort of way. She supposed that with the life Noblesse had lived, he would never see the world in a way anyone else in Equestria could. It would certainly explain how he could live with himself, if he saw himself as an agent of vengeance. And yet, Sweetie Belle still did not feel bad for the things she said about Noblesse, she still held her convictions over the ex-soldier she had established prior. Hurting people when you didn’t have to is wrong, with no crime being worse than murder. While Sweetie Belle believed she understood Noblesse a little better, she doubted she could ever forgive him for his crimes. That part of him would forever drive a wedge between her and him.

“Sweetie Belle,” Said Luna in a motherly tone of voice. She brought her hoof to the young Unicorn’s chin and Sweetie Belle look her in the eyes. Sweetie Belle could see that Luna had a sad smile on her face, “I think it’s wonderful that you feel so passionately for pacifism, and I don’t think it’s something you should let go off. All I ask, is that you not hate him for something he could not help. I won’t ask that you befriend him, I won’t even ask that you don’t hold his past against him, but you should not fear as badly as you do. He will only come after the enemies of Equestria, not your friends.”

“He told you to come here, right?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

“He did,” Answered Luna, “And you are not the only one having nightmares about him. As we speak, I am consoling several others over very similar concerns to yours.”

“You can be in more than one place?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

“As long as I am in the Realm of Sleep,” Replied Luna.

“How did he know we would be having nightmares?” Asked Sweetie Belle.

Luna sighed, “Noblesse’s specialty lies, not in the ending of lives, but in the breaking of minds. So, he made an educated guess.”

Luna started floating off of the ground as her horn ignited in a teal glow, “Forgive me,” Started Luna, “I know you have more questions, but there are others who require my attention. Know that your worries will not plague you again this night, Sweet Dreams Sweetie Belle.”

And indeed, the young Unicorn’s dreams were much more pleasant than the night terror she experienced that night after Luna’s visit. Though Sweetie Belle couldn’t remember anything about her dreams after the Night Princess’s departure when her alarm clock woke her. Sweetie Belle remembered something about the effects Luna’s magic has on Ponies when she enters their dreams, namely that the Diarch’s visit is remember with perfect clarity along with whatever nightmare brought her to their Dreams in the first place.

A few moments after Sweetie Belle had turned off her alarm clock, she became awake enough to feel the cold wet sensation in between her rear thighs and gaskins. Oh no thought Sweetie Belle. And sure enough, she had wet her bed in the night, most likely during her nightmare. Sweetie Belle sighed good thing Rarity’s still asleep. Sweetie Belle stripped her bed and brought her sheets to the laundry room for cleaning. Sweetie Belle had never been so thankful that her sister slept in late into the morning, something about ‘being able to keep more convenient hours for her clients.’

Sweetie Belle managed to clean her sheets and reapply them to the mattress in her room before eating two toaster strudels. Unlike her sister, Sweetie Belle preferred to hers without toasting them. That little quirk may or may not have to do with the fact she couldn’t prepare consumables without charring it into charcoal, including liquids. The young Unicorn looked to the clock on the kitchen wall. With Scootaloo on sick leave, she and Apple Bloom have had to leave early for school and they weren’t able to get together for the mandatory trip. Of course, it still be another few hours before she had to leave. An involuntary shiver went down Sweetie Belle’s spine as she thought of the Unicorn colt that had started sitting two seats to the right of her usual seat. If she left early enough, she’d be able to get to Apple Bloom’s usual seat on the opposite edge of the row where the aforementioned colt sat, which would put Sweetie Bell as far from Noblesse Oblige as possible.

“Maybe if I’m lucky,” Said Sweetie Belle to herself, “I’ll get through the day without talking to him.”

“To who?” Asked a familiar voice from directly behind Sweetie Belle.

“AH!!!” Screamed Sweetie Belle as she jumped out of her seat, actually hitting the ceiling with her head.

Rarity’s magic came to life as she grabbed her little sister with her telekinesis, she was also able to keep the light fixture from crashing into the tile floor as the damage Sweetie Belle’s jump caused loosened it from the ceiling. Rarity set Sweetie Belle gently on her hooves as she carefully placed the light fixture on the counter. At the same time, grabbing the first aid kit on the wall where the entrance to the lobby was, and directly opposite to the portal where the fire extinguisher was hanging.

“I’m so sorry Sweetie Belle,” Said Rarity as she placed bandages on the younger Unicorn’s head where she was bleeding, “I really didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay,” Assured the younger Unicorn, “But what are you doing up? You’re usually asleep for another hour and a half.”

“I heard the laundry machine running,” Answered Rarity.

Sweetie Belle had to resist the urge to facehoof, she forgot her sister’s bedroom was directly above the laundry room. She was hoping to keep her sister in the dark about her accident and her nightmare, but now Sweetie Belle was certain that wasn’t going to be a possibility.

Rarity saw the forlorn look on her sister’s face as she thought about what she wanted to say, “You don’t have to tell me now,” Said Rarity, “You have all day to organize your thoughts, it’s not like I’m going to let you go to school so soon after an injury like that.”

“Thank goodness,” Said Sweetie Belle. She immediately slapped herself in the mouth trying to keep the words from coming out, but she didn’t need to see the look on Rarity’s face to tell her that her sister had heard enough.

“So, it’s somepony at school who’s bothering you,” Observed Rarity, “Is it Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon?”

“No,” Answered Sweetie Belle, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to keep this from her sister, “It’s somepony worse.” Sweetie Belle then revealed to her sister every crime that Noblesse had confessed to, and her nightmare.