“Hi Aunt Luna, how are you?”

The young mare in question winced a little bit at the surprise greeting, but quickly calmed down when the blue mare saw her strange looking niece approach her. “We are well,” Luna replied, lying as she looked up towards the night skies that she loved and adored so much. It was her only escape from her cruel thoughts. The lunar mare let out a weary sigh as her family member came to a halt next to her.

“You don’t seem very well?” Raven questioned as she leaned against the rail, resting her forearms on the cool metal. It had been days since the events of the event that had taken place days prior and Luna -along with Nightmare- were still adjusting to the changes. The world was not the one she had been exiled from. Words had changed, places had changed, grown, and disappeared to time. Princess Luna felt like an alien and a lost soul.

She was not the only one.

“Come on, what’s bothering you?” the human gently pressed, slightly leaning towards her aunt.

Luna let out another wistful sigh as she averted her gaze holding her hands close to her bosom as she spoke. “Doth thou know what it’s like to be a foreigner?” she asked.

Internally, Raven scoffed, but externally however, she glanced at the mare before her gaze slowly drifted out and over the royal city. Lights were starting to flicker on in the streets and buildings as evening gradually turned to night. “Strangely enough, I do.” The girl stood up and turned around, leaning against the railing of the balcony, crossing her arms and resting her sock clad foot against one of the railings cross members. “I mean, do I look like I’m from here?” Raven chuckled, gesturing to herself open-handedly with one hand. “It was a bit of a culture shock myself, to be honest.”

Luna couldn’t help but have the faintest of smiles grace her lips.

“Point is,” Raven continued as she leaned over and rested her hand on her aunts, taking it into her own. “You’re not the only foreigner in a strange land.”

“But we still feel as though we are not wanted…”

That statement caused Raven’s heart to ache.

“Is anypony giving you any shit?” she asked, genuinely meaning it too.

Luna nodded meekly.

“Staff?”

Another nod.

“Cadance or Blueblood?”

Luna paused as she thought about it. “Niece Cadance no, Nephew Blueblood yes…”

Alrighty, he was getting a beating…

“I’ll make sure that mom knows about what is going on,” Raven stated as she squeezed her aunt's hand reassuringly. The lunar mare went to open her mouth and say something negative, but Raven beat her to it. “I mean it!” Releasing the mare's hands, Raven crossed her arms again. “You’re not some criminal.”

“But we tried to kill our sister…” Luna sniffled.

Raven didn’t reply, just opted to take a deep breath and let it out as a lengthy sigh. She shifted her gaze towards the stars, imagining what was happening back in the Origin System. “I have killed ponies. Watched my friends die before me…”

Luna’s head snapped up in absolute shock at the admission.

“I’ve been experimented on like… some rat in a laboratory. Faced lethal, mutating diseases. My life was stolen from me. I’ve been called a demon and treated like a monster. Shunned by my own people. Slaughtered the ponies that tried to control me. There is a part of me that hates myself and everything around me. I have a bit of a temper and have been known to threaten ponies that like to press their luck.”

Raven shrugged, her gaze drifting back towards her aunt.

“Between you and me. I’m probably the one with the most demons.”

Pushing off from her perch, Raven patted Luna reassuringly on the shoulder as she went. “Feel free to talk to mom if you want to know anything else about me. Or come to me if you ever want to talk.” Just as the girl reached the door that led to the mare's new -although rather empty and standard looking guest- bedroom, she opened the door, but paused. “Also, you might want to take a second look at the city. You might be surprised by what you see,” she smiled before closing the door.

Confused, the mare blinked before she turned around and gazing out over the new capital city of her land.

She gasped…

Ponies… dozens upon dozens of ponies littered the streets, merry and joyous. Not scared, fearful and cowering. They were happy, excited, and enjoying her night. They were shopping, partying, and off in the distance, she could see a small group setting up a telescope in preparation for some star gazing.

Luna broke down, but not out of tears of sadness, malice, or hatred. But of joy. She crumpled against the railing, holding a hand to her mouth as sobbed.

The solar daughter smiled as she heard the soft sobs of joy by her aunt before she stepped away from the door and headed towards the other room that contained her other 'aunt.'

Nightmare Moon had been given an ultimatum. Prison or freedom. She was quick to choose freedom under the circumstances that she didn't try to do anything evil. It was strange really, technically having two separate beings of the same mindset in the castle. Well… they were technically twins, Raven mused. When the Elements of Harmony hit Nightmare Moon, instead of purging the dark spirit like everypony had expected. They separated the two, giving Nightmare a physical form instead of killing her, essentially.

It's what it was.

And in the last several days she has been in the castle, she has done nothing but act like the rowdy teenager she is. She locks herself in her room, yells when nothing goes her way, and is basically just an all-around pest. But Celestia had made the offer and it was to be honored by not only both parties, but everypony else. Maids and guards were not really allowed to just run and hide but work and be nice when they were around her. But if Nightmare was being a problem, the pony in question was to go to either Celestia or her daughter for help.

"Princess Raven?"

Such as now.

"Yes?"

Bubbles, her favorite maid and close friend -and now head maid- approached with a newer looking maid in tow. The new mare was smaller, a cute light pink with white hair and tail and as usual, in the castle maid outfit. Once the princess was close enough, she greeted her friend with a welcoming hug before getting down to business.

"Miss Nightmare is being a bit abusive to my staff again…" Bubbles sighed as she glanced at her subordinate with a concerned gaze. Raven glanced at the poor girl as well, seeing as the adorable little mare had been in tears and was still clearly in distress as she kept her head lower and gaze to the floor. "I don't want to be disrespectful, but I value my staff's mental and physical health above all else."

Raven sighed, rubbing her one good eye. This was probably the twentieth time she has had to, or has been near her mother, to deal with this. "I'll deal with her…" she said, rubbing the right side of her face before looking back towards the head maid with a smile. "Go and visit Luna, I'll go and see Nightmare."

Bubbles smile appreciatively. "Thanks Rave. Come along Dahlia." The head maid gently rested her hand on the back of her workers and led the poor girl along and away from the bad apple and towards the nicer of the two twins.

Raven waited until they were around the corner and out of sight before she stomped her way towards the room. The two unicorn guards stood at attention and unlike their maid counterpart, were veterans that had learned to take harsh words and not let it affect them. Spending years cleaning up the streets of Canterlot, they had been called everything under the sun and then some. So, a little verbal abuse was laughable to them. Raven didn't acknowledge them, just storming into the room, opening and closing the door in a single move.

The room was pitch black save for the little bit of light that entered through the open balcony door that silhouetted the rooms only occupant. Her ears on the top of her head swiveled back towards the door. "Did thou maketh right this time?"

"Wrong pony…"

"Ah… the battle princess returneth." Nightmare slowly turned around, her bright yellow eyes piercing through the darkness like a cat after a mouse. "Tell us, dear niece, for what bringeth thou to us?" Nightmare stepped into the room, her silhouette disappearing into the darkness, only her soul piercing eyes revealing her location.

"You're mistreating the staff again…"

"Hah!" Nightmare laughed, closing her eyes briefly. "They could use the strength it brings!"

"Well I'm not going to sit and tolerate it."

"Tell us dear niece. We hath seen your ability. We knoweth you do the same," Nightmare smirked as she continued to press her luck as she circled the human like a shark to a seal. "Do not deny it."

"I know what you're trying to do. "

"Is it working?" Nightmare teased, bringing her arms behind her back and grabbing one hand within the other. "You hath thee world. Why not take it?"

"Because I am better than that."

"Oh… well too bad!"

Nightmare suddenly spun on her heels, going for a sudden strike against her new family member. Her blade like hand was aimed right at her niece's throat.

Instead there was a loud thwack as her hand cracked against cold metal, a light flash of blue briefly illuminating the area. Nightmare cursed, hissing at the stinging pain shooting up her right arm and right into her brain. She cursed, grasping her palm as she bent over, distracted from the behemoth of metal looming over her.

"Nice try~"

Nightmare growled before throwing a wild haymaker, only for it to thump against the gargantuan glove that wrapped completely around her insignificant and tiny wrist. The poor mare's eyes went wide in shock before she finally saw the bull standing before her, like a dragon to a knight. The thud that came from the boots thumping against the floor was deafening as he marehandled Nightmare like the unruly child she was, dragging her squirming and panicking form across the room and into the light, her bright armor glinting in the moonlight.

Nightmare gulped, but quickly tried to act tough. "T-Take away the suit, what art thou?"

~Raven~ shoved the mare out onto the balcony, letting her stumble before Nightmare caught herself on the railing.

"Billionaire, playpony, philanthropist," Raven listed as she transferred from her warframe, crossing her arms and glaring at the mare. "But please, enlighten me." Reaching over, the girl drew her sword from her warframe's hip, resting it on the floor and kicking it over. "Strike me down and you may leave."

"You're kidding?" Nightmare questioned skeptically with a raised brow.

Raven gestured to the blade open-handedly.

Nightmare glanced towards the blade, then the woman, and back to the blade. Standing up, she continued to watch the human with a skeptical eye, never breaking contact as she slowly bent over and grasped the handle of the weapon, lifting the surprisingly well-balanced weapon before straightening back out. Trying to use speed and surprise to her advantage, Nightmare shuffled her hoof into the best position for a powerful, full body strike. Then, with a shout, she shot off, pulling the weapon back as far as she could as she aimed for the neck.

She caught nothing but air…

Even though the strike was tried and true.

Nightmare went pale as she watched the weapon faze through the girl’s neck like she wasn't there. That's when she saw the smirk of victory. Before she could even blink, Nightmare could do nothing as a pair of arms wrapped around her torso, grasping her from behind and lifting her into the air. The poor mare kicked and flailed frantically but it was all in vain as her niece reared back, suplexing the mare. Nightmare landed hard, shoulders first into the stone floor, knocking both the wind from her lungs and weapon from her grasp. Nightmare grunted on impact, as her opponent pinned her to the floor, knee square to the lower back and head pinned by a hand to the horn.

"We give we give!" Nightmare begged.

Huh… Raven... was a bit surprised by that. Nightmare was all bark and no bite it seemed. The dark entity was all high and mighty until someone better than her bests her at her game. The human was knocked from her thoughts when she heard a loud sniffle and felt the mare shaking under her grasp.

"Are… are you crying?" she tentatively asked the mare. Nightmare did not answer, most likely swallowing her pride than admitting it. "Jeez… you're just a big wimp when your older sibling kicks your ass. Come on, get up."

Raven gently stepped off the mare and grabbed her by the arm, helping a now actively sobbing teen to her hooves and into standing position before wiping off her grey sweatpants and t-shirt. "Okay look. No pony here is going to respect you if you keep acting like a bully. Because all that you're going to get out of it from me is another ass whooping," Raven explained, acting a lot like her mother as she scolded her new aunt, but with a twist. "Act your damn age and grow the fuck up!"

Nightmare nodded tentatively after a couple of tense seconds.

Raven stepped around, holding up an authoritative finger and dipping her head slightly, making her look rather disapproving. "I'm willing to help and be nice to you if you show a little bit of respect!"

Another nod from the dark mare.

"Alright," Raven said in a nicer tone before adjusting the mare's wrinkled top. "Stop harassing the maids and let them do their job. You can mess with the guards as long as it's harmless and garners a laugh. Because right now all you are doing is taking your grave and digging it deeper and deeper. Only then," she paused, looking the mare square in the eyes to accentuate how serious she was. "I cannot save you, because you are already too dead to try and resuscitate. No point in rescuing a corpse. Understood?" Nightmare nodded her head a third time. "I want to hear you say it."

"... We understand."

"Good!" The human did one last touch up with the mare's starry mane by brushing it from in front of her face before gently slapping her on the back as she stepped past Nightmare and picked up her sword, handing it off to Frost. "Don't fuck it up. I already have to deal with Blueblood, I don't want to have to deal with you as well."

Wrapping an arm around Nightmare's shoulders, Raven started leading her to the door. "I'm gonna go to the library and find something to read." The human poked the mare in the side, causing her to wince slightly. "I suggest you make a name for yourself."

Nightmare kept her head low and eyes to the floor. "It is not our nature to be kind…"

"Then I suggest you change that."

With that, Raven exited the room and headed down the hall towards the castle library. There wasn't much to really think about as the girl stuffed her hands in her pockets. The Grand Galloping Gala was coming here in a month or so. Her and Copper had a dare planed for the week. She was also going to go and visit some of her friends as well. Other than the occasional appearance, she didn’t have much going on. Other than finding a book…

And maybe rubbing one out…?

That's all she had left for the night.

But before she could do that, she would need to grab an actual book. So, the girl lazily wandered into the library, greeting the guards as she passed by. It was too late for the librarian to be in, so the guards were on duty. She wandered the aisles aimlessly for something interesting to read. The place was near endless, wall after wall, level after level of never-ending knowledge. No pony, not even an alicorn, could even get close to reading every book and tome within the castle library in their lifetime. But Raven was just after something to read.

She hummed in thought, grabbing the occasional book from a random shelf and examining its cover before putting it back in its rightful place. Eventually, she just opted to grab an adventure book by an up and coming author and was in the process of heading for the door when something grabbed her attention. It was a glint of violet that reflected in the dim light. Confused, the young princess eyed the books spine before she decided to investigate further.

She was a little interested at the sight of a stylized lotus flower embedded in the book’s spine. Curious, she hooked a finger and pulled the object from its place. The book was white on color with gold trim and no name. It was interesting say the least. So, deciding to just take it with her, she checked them both out with a scribble of her name and the books in possession in the checkout book and headed back towards her room.

Once she returned to her room, the human sat down at her desk, flicking on her lamp before dropping the two books on the table with a muffled thump. Frost watched her from his favorite spot near her record player as she decided to open the strange book first. Sliding it over, she flipped it over, eyed its fabric cover and tested it with a drag of her fingers across the rough and aged cover. Once she was sure there were no secret compartments -with an embarrassing picture of her at the Hearths Warming Party- that's when she finally opened the cover.

"Gods: Myths & Legends," she read. "Huh…" she idly shuffled past the table of contents and the introduction pages. Like the college student she was, she skimmed page after page, not reading a word and finding nothing of any interest. So, she closed the book and flipped it over a second time to try and find something yet again.

She decided to take a second, but much slower examination of the books content.

So, Raven opened the book yet again and started reading.

This book is dedicated to-

She skipped the intro again.

There have been many gods throughout history but none more famous than the god kings and queens of old. The formed the earth we walk, the water we drink, the birds in the sky and the fish in the ocean. They created us in their image, to be like them in every way.

"Where is this even going…?" Raven muttered.

From the god queen of the skies to the god king of the seas, this book was written based off the stories, legends, and miracles performed by our creators.

Raven rolled her eye as she sighed. "I swear, this is no better than some of the Orokin cults…"

She skipped ahead a few more pages.

In the early days, the gods watched over us like a shepherd watching of their flock, guiding us until were able to care for ourselves. The God King Inaros-"

…

Raven blinked....

She read that sentence again, aloud so that she was positive that her vision was not failing her. "The God King Inaros was one of the gods of the earth…"

A chill ran right up her spine.

"Mom!?" Raven suddenly shouted, immediately shooting out of her seat, grabbing her book and heading for the door.

Author's Notes:

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