The Last Crusade

by Scribblestick

First published 1st of October, 2012

A tyrant has ruled for a decade. A crusading trio sets out to stop her.

Nightmare Moon has ruled Equestria for a decade with an iron hoof and a cold heart. Three crusaders who have lost everything craft a desperate plan to bring her reign to an end.

Cover image by BrittishStarr.

Assignment

Ironically, the only problem with eternal night was that it was too white.

Nightmare Moon took her time walking along the castle’s outer wall, patiently examining the structure for any sign of weakness. She didn’t particularly care if the walls crumbled to dust, as she had more than enough magical wards to protect her from harm, but it gave her something to do while she waited.

She didn’t really like waiting, but when one’s informant has to travel halfway across the country by hoof, one’s options tend to be limited.

Eventually, Nightmare Moon ran out of wall, and she allowed herself a scowl. To one side stood Canterlot Castle, the former seat of her now-dead sister’s power. To the other, beyond the frozen moat, stood what remained of the once-vibrant city. Dark buildings, most crumbling to some degree, sat in silence, covered in pristine white snow that reflected the constant glow of the moon overhead. If she squinted, Nightmare Moon could just make out a crater, and she couldn’t help but smirk at the sight. In her mind, she could still see the rainbow streak slicing through the sky, the pegasus’ face set in a grim mask as it drew closer, before the full force of a sonic rainboom knocked the dark mare off her hooves.

It was a valiant effort, she admitted, but valor will only go so far.

Growing tired of standing on the wall, Nightmare Moon opened her wings and propelled herself into the air, drifting in slow circles around the castle until she came to rest on the highest tower. From her vantage point, she could see almost all of Equestria to the south. A few villages still stood here and there, their occupants scratching out a living underground. The nearest, a place once called Ponyville, was practically indistinguishable from the surrounding plain. She reminded herself to destroy the remains of that ridiculous tree library, the scorched orchard and the charred remains of a cottage by the forest. Their occupants had been dead for years, and she saw no point in keeping around anything to remember them by.

She scanned the land for any sign of her informant, but none was found. She frowned. Her spy knew better than to arrive late. She circled around the castle and landed on a high balcony, a suitable punishment half-formed in her mind for her informant’s tardiness.

The sound of a sharp knife smashing into the wall an inch in front of her face brought the princess to a sudden halt. She turned to see her assailant standing near the far wall, twirling another knife in her hooves. “Must you make every entrance dramatic, Shadow Strike?” she asked.

“Just makin’ sure your shield spells are still working, your highness,” the mare replied with a tip of her worn-out Stetson, stowing her knife in the black vest she always wore. Nightmare often wondered how many blades the mare kept hidden in there. “They must be, since you’re not dead.”

“You’re late,” Nightmare Moon remarked.

“I was here before you, your majesty.”

Nightmare Moon ignored the mare’s insolence for the time being. “I take it your mission was a success,” she said, extracting the mare’s first knife from the wall with her magic. “What do you have to report?”

“The rumors were just rumors, as usual,” the mare answered. “There’s nothin’ out of the ordinary about the Trottingham shelter. Although, I did hear mention of a certain orange pegasus from Ponyville. Seems she’s been sighted with the griffons.”

“I see,” Nightmare said, examining the knife. “An old friend of yours?”

“Perhaps.”

Nightmare Moon sent the knife shooting across the room. Shadow Strike caught it, spun it a couple times, and stashed it within her vest. The mare had allied herself with Nightmare Moon a few years after the assault on Ponyville, and the princess had willingly taken her under her wing. Celestia had had a protégé, after all, and Nightmare only found it fitting to take one of her own as well.

“So,” Shadow said as she walked towards her master, “what’s my next assignment?”

Nightmare Moon brushed a little crystal dust off her coat before she answered. “What do you know about zebras?”

Shadow tilted her head to the side. “Quite a bit, as a matter of fact. They don’t have much in the way of magic, but they’re masters of herbal remedies and potions.”

“And how do you know this?”

“I’ve seen a lot in my travels, your highness,” Shadow replied.

“I see.” Nightmare had hoped to catch the mare off-guard and find some clue as to her origins, but as always, Shadow was more than prepared to respond. “As you know, Zebrica is currently the biggest threat to Equestria.” And by Equestria, she meant herself, of course. “I need you to find the zebra named Zecora. From what I can gather, she’s creating some potions that could cause us some problems.”

“What kind of problems?”

“I’ll let you find that out on your own,” Nightmare replied. “Once you discover the nature of her potions, report back to me and kill her if necessary.”

“Will do.” Shadow turned and began walking away.

“There’s one other thing,” Nightmare added, bringing Shadow to a stop. “Rumor has it that Zecora is sheltering a dangerous fugitive as well. If you find her, I want you to eliminate her, too.”

“Fugitive, your majesty?”

“Somepony that should have died ten years ago,” Nightmare Moon replied. “I’m sure you’ll understand when you see her.”

“I wouldn’t count on it, but if I see her, I’ll take care of it,” Shadow replied without the slightest hesitation. “Anything else, your majesty?”

“Your true name?”

Shadow smirked beneath her Stetson. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

It was the response Shadow always gave, and she knew the princess would not answer. She made her way out of the castle and into Canterlot's ruins. The land was covered in ice and snow, but she paid the cold no mind. She left the castle behind and made her way towards the first of many shelters between Canterlot and Zebrica. She would not fail her mission. Not this time.

Griffon's Nest

Six months later

Captain Gilda planned to leave the forge ten minutes ago, but the armor smith was having trouble fitting her with a new chest plate. “How much longer is this going to take?” she asked.

“Just a minute more,” the armor smith replied, tightening the chest plate’s straps.

“This has taken too long already,” Gilda said with a heavy sigh as several griffons flew by in a tight formation. “Look, my lieutenant had to start the exercises without me.”

“I’m sorry, captain,” the armor smith said. “I’m working as fast as I can.”

“It’s not fast enough,” Gilda replied. The heat from the forge was beginning to make her feel dizzy, which did little to improve her mood. “Next time, I suggest you pick up the pace.”

With her armor finally fitted, Gilda walked to the edge of the cave and looked out at the Nest, letting the wind revive her senses before she took off. It was nothing spectacular, but it was outside Nightmare Moon’s influence, so at least they got to see the sun. The forge was nestled along the east wall of the horseshoe-shaped cliffs, which were dotted with several small alcoves — quarters for the hundred or so griffons stationed here. A new flight of recruits was training in the cavern across from the forge, led by the only non-griffon in the camp, an armored orange pegasus with a lightning bolt on her flank. She was teaching them basic close-range combat, which was no small feat considering every recruit was at least twice her size. Gilda opened her wings and glided over to the training ground to make sure the recruits stayed in line.

“You have to know your enemy,” the pegasus was shouting when Gilda floated within earshot. “You must understand her strengths and weaknesses and know how to take advantage of both.”

“Guess they should have thought of that five years ago,” one recruit muttered. Gilda suspected he thought only those closest to him could hear. “Is this army really so lame that they have to get a stupid pony to teach us?”

The pegasus, of course, heard every word. “You! Step forward!” she barked, pointing a hoof at the recruit. The griffon walked forward with a roll of his eyes. “First rule of the Nest,” the pegasus said. “Calling anyone lame or stupid constitutes a challenge from which you cannot back down. What’s your name, recruit?”

“Garret,” the recruit replied.

“Garret, ma’am,” the pegasus said. “Second rule of the Nest, address your superiors as ‘sir’ or ‘ma’am.’ Failure to do so also constitutes a challenge. So, Garret, you have decided in your first twelve minutes as a soldier that my teaching is ineffective?”

“N-No, ma’am,” Garret replied.

“Rule number three,” the pegasus said. “No lying.”

“Let me guess,” the recruit muttered. “Lying constitutes a challenge?”

“No, lying earns you a week of bathroom duty,” the pegasus snapped. “Speaking out of turn, however, does. Rule number four.” The other recruits started to snicker, but the pegasus silenced them with a glare. “So, Garret, by my count, you have just issued me three separate challenges. Is that correct?”

“Y-Yes. Ma’am.”

“Well, seeing as you’re the challenger, you get to pick the arena,” the pegasus continued. “Also, seeing as this is your first day, you have three choices: unarmed close-range combat, aerial combat, and aerial maneuvers. Which would you like to do first?”

“Um…”

“Hurry up, recruit, I don’t have all day.”

“Close-range combat,” Garret said quickly. The pegasus raised an eyebrow at him. “Um, ma’am.”

“Very well, I accept your challenge.” The pegasus grabbed her helmet and put it on over her purple mane. “Recruits! Line up against the walls!” The other recruits were quick to obey her order. “The rules are simple. The first to immobilize his or her opponent wins. You may use any means at your disposal except weapons, of course, though keep in mind that causing severe injuries is frowned upon. Do you understand?”

Garret nodded as the two faced each other in the center of the cavern. “Very well,” the pegasus said. “Begin!”

The two began circling each other. Though she was half Garret’s size, the pegasus showed no sign of nervousness or fear. Garret charged forward and swiped at his opponent with a talon. The pegasus ducked under the attack and pivoted her body to deliver a brutal hind-leg kick to Garret’s face. The griffon stumbled back, rubbing his cheek, and the pegasus took advantage of his shaky balance, knocking him over with a quick tackle. Seconds later, Garret was lying on his stomach with the pegasus on his back, trying not to scream as his opponent twisted one of his front legs in a direction it probably wasn’t meant to be twisted.

“Do you surrender?” the pegasus shouted. Garret grimaced and nodded. The pegasus immediately jumped off his back and began pacing around the perimeter as though nothing had happened. “The challenge is mine. Which would you like to do next?”

Garret rubbed his shoulder with a grimace. “I-I apologize for my disrespect, ma’am,” he said.

“I’m glad,” the pegasus replied. “That still leaves you with two standing challenges. Aerial maneuvers or aerial combat?”

Gilda could tell the recruit wasn’t taking kindly to defeat, especially at the hooves of a pegasus pony. “Aerial maneuvers, ma’am,” he said. “I should warn you, my flight instructor is the fastest griffon of this century.”

“My mentor would have joined the Wonderbolts if Nightmare Moon hadn’t killed her, and she turned the Sonic Rainboom into a weapon,” the pegasus replied. “Also, that comment would constitute a challenge on its own, so watch your mouth.”

Gilda saw the recruit getting angrier by the second, but she held back for now. The class moved to the edge of the cavern, where Garret and the pegasus lined up to begin the race. “The course runs through the ten cloud rings floating between here and the forge,” the pegasus said. “The first to pass through all ten rings and return here is the winner. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good.” The pegasus pointed to the nearest recruit and said, “Count us off.”

“Yes, ma’am. Three, two, one, go!”

Garret was a little slow to push off, so the pegasus took the lead immediately and held it for the rest of the race. The griffon was quick, but he was unfamiliar with the course and the air currents, which the pegasus used to her advantage. Garret still had three rings to go when the pegasus landed once again, drawing several ‘ooohs’ from the other recruits. “Victory is mine again.”

“That wasn’t fair,” Garret gasped. “You’ve flown this course a hundred times.”

“Then I suggest you practice before you decide to challenge me again,” the pegasus replied. “Shall we commence with the third and final challenge?”

“Enough of this!” Garret snarled. “I don’t have to take orders from some pony!”

“This pony has bested you both in combat and speed,” the pegasus said, her voice soft but tense. “I suggest you hold your tongue, soldier, before you say something you’ll regret.”

Garret let out a battle cry and charged the orange pegasus. The two slipped off the side of the cliff and plummeted through the air. Gilda signaled to a passing officer and hovered near the cave. She knew one of them would need rescuing, and she had a feeling it wasn’t going to be the pegasus.

Sure enough, the pegasus kicked Garret away and spread her wings, turning her fall into a steep dive. Her wings strained as she made a sharp turn and shot back into the sky with the griffon hot on her tail. The two disappeared into the clouds above. Gilda heard the recruit yelling as the cloud slowly grew darker. When it was pitch black, the pegasus shout out its side, flared her wings, and kicked. A deafening thunderclap shattered the air as a flash of light assaulted Gilda’s eyes, and when the spots cleared, she saw Garret falling once again, dazed and disoriented.

Gilda and the officer caught him as he passed by and carried him back to the cavern, where the orange pegasus was already waiting. “It seems the aerial combat challenge goes to me as well,” she said, breathing a little heavier than normal. “So, class, what have we learned?”

The recruits glanced uneasily at each other. “Not to challenge your instructor, ma’am?” one said tentatively.

The pegasus smiled. “That’s one way to look at it,” she said. “Can anyone tell me why Garret lost all three challenges?” None of them dared to answer. “Garret underestimated his opponent. He assumed that because he was a griffon, he was better than me. He assumed that his size would give him an advantage, and he relied too much on his own skills without bothering to assess mine. He also let his emotions get in the way of rational thinking, which could have saved him from such a humiliating defeat in the aerial combat challenge. In short, recruits, he failed to know his enemy. In a real battle, it would have cost him his life.”

The recruits watched her silently as she began to pace. “Five years ago, General Rainbow Dash led an army against Nightmare Moon. As you probably know, that attack was a catastrophic failure. Hundreds of ponies and griffons lost their lives that day. Hundreds of trained soldiers against one pony.” She paused to let her words sink in. “If you think being a pony makes a soldier weak, I suggest you talk to someone who was there that day. It might just safe your life when Nightmare Moon attacks.”

Gilda couldn’t help but smile as the recruits pondered the pegasus’ words. “That will be all for today’s lesson,” the pegasus said. “You are dismissed.”

A few recruits grabbed Garret and carried him toward the medical ward while the rest disappeared to their nests. “Impressive lesson,” Gilda told the pegasus.

“There’s one in every flight,” the pegasus said with a sigh. “I figure if he’s going to be a punk, I might as well make him an example for the others. Nice armor, by the way.”

“If only it didn’t take that armor smith so long to fit it,” Gilda replied.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the pegasus said. “I think I’m due for a refitting next week.”

“I’ll cover your classes if it runs late,” Gilda replied. “By the way, I didn’t hear a ma’am in there.”

The pegasus smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Nope. Guess that constitutes a challenge, huh?”

“It would, if I was inclined to enforce that rule with you,” Gilda said.

“Scootaloo never backs down from a challenge,” the pegasus replied. “Race you to the mess hall.”

Gilda chuckled and prepared to take flight. “You’re on.”

Drinks

Yesterday, the bar had been filled with noisy newcomers, bright-eyed and eager to defend their home against Nightmare Moon. That was before Gilda and Scootaloo put them through training. Now, only a few were present, quietly complaining and stretching sore wings and limbs. “Do you ever wonder if you’re too hard on them on the first day?” Scootaloo asked between swigs of her apple cider.

“Tough love, Scoots. We gotta weed out the weak ones while we can, ‘cause we don’t want Nightmare Moon to do it for us,” Gilda replied, downing her fourth shot of some foul-smelling concoction she’d come up with during her spare time. Scootaloo had asked her earlier what it was. She told her every shot was the cure for one idiot recruit and promptly ordered seventeen of them.

“I know, but I wonder if a gentler approach would be better in the long run,” Scootaloo said, staring pensively at her wooden mug. “Rainbow Dash always gave everypony a chance to improve.”

“And look where it got her,” Gilda muttered as the bartender placed two more shots in front of her. Scootaloo shot her a dirty look. “I’m just sayin’,” Gilda added quickly. “You know I admired her just as much as you did, but there’s no room for soft spots in war, only tough hide and armor.”

Scootaloo knew from hard experience that it was true, but she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about the griffons she’d bullied. “You didn’t push me so hard when I first came here,” she said.

“That’s ‘cause you’d already proved your stuff,” Gilda answered as two more shots disappeared down her throat. “You got more experience than half the officers above you and more drive than most of the griffons that came in yesterday.” She tapped the bar with a talon, letting the bartender know she was ready for more. “You’re a special case, Scoots. Most soldiers with your background would’ve flown away into hiding, but you keep coming back for more.” Gilda chuckled, tossing back another shot. “Guess that makes you crazy.”

“I’m about as crazy as you are sober,” Scootaloo said as Gilda began tipping over. “Sure you can handle seventeen?”

Gilda’s eyes narrowed. “That a challenge, Scoots?”

“What’s in those, anyway?” Scootaloo asked as three more shots vanished down Gilda’s maw.

“Dunno,” Gilda replied with a hiccup, “but I can still hear that idiot asking how to do a dive, so I must need a few more.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and took another drink. Cider was a rare commodity these days. Most of the world’s apples came from Equestria, and production there had slowed considerably, to say the least. Still, the bartender always had at least one barrel in his stores at Gilda’s request. She and Scootaloo saved it for special occasions. Today’s was the fact that Scootaloo had survived her first day as a trainer, though Gilda had hardly seen that as reason enough to celebrate.

“So, why did you pick me to be a trainer?” she asked.

“I jus’ told you,” Gilda mumbled, downing shot fourteen. “Stop fishin’ fer compliments.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Scootaloo asked. Gilda was swaying back and forth unsteadily, her eyes unfocused.

“Ahm fine,” Gilda said, brushing Scootaloo’s hoof away as she finished off two more shots. “How many is that?”

“Sixteen,” Scootaloo replied, regretting a second later that she hadn’t just lied. Gilda clawed at her final shot and took several deep breaths. “You know, you don’t have to–”

The shot went into Gilda’s mouth, and the griffon slammed the glass upside-down on the bar, a look of triumph on her face. “Beat that, Scoots,” she said.

“I think I’ll let you win this one, Gilda,” Scootaloo replied, unable to suppress a smile. “Come on, let’s get you back to your quarters.”

“Ah can do it,” Gilda murmured before promptly tripping over her own tail.

Scootaloo helped her right herself and led her towards the exit. “Excuse me,” she said to two large griffons standing near the doorway. “The captain could use some assistance.”

“Always does when a new flight comes in,” said one of the griffons with a roll of his eyes. “Come on, captain. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Ahm fine,” Gilda protested, but since she was barely able to stand, she had no choice but to let the two griffons carry her home. Scootaloo smiled as she watched them soar clumsily through the Nest. The sun had already set, so the only light came from the forge and the torches that marked each cave entrance. She saw a green flash out of the corner of her eye coming from a cave known only as the Dragon’s Den. She often wondered what was up there, but since neither she nor Gilda were allowed to enter the cave, the two could only speculate.

Scootaloo had learned a lot during her five years at the Nest, but the most shocking was how different Equestria was from the rest of the world. She’d asked Gilda a while back who raised the sun and the moon around here. Gilda had looked at her like she was crazy. As a child growing up in Ponyville, she’d never realized how organized and controlled everything was. Though the Nest was like a second home to her, it was a lot more like the Everfree Forest than Ponyville. Here, the animals fended for themselves, and while the griffons could control the weather to a certain extent, they normally chose to let the clouds, wind, and rain sort things out on their own. “We don’t need magic,” Gilda had told her one day. “Control makes you ponies soft and vulnerable.”

“We’re not vulnerable,” Scootaloo said indignantly.

“Oh yeah? How’s that eternal night working out for you?” Gilda asked. “If you’d just let nature run itself, Equestria would still be Equestria, and we wouldn’t have to worry about an evil alicorn trying to wipe us out.”

“You can’t blame us for all that,” Scootaloo said defensively. “Magic has brought plenty of good things, too.”

“Still makes you soft, kid,” Gilda answered. “You’d be completely lost without it. Sure, sometimes you get a fighter like Dash, but most of you wouldn’t last a week without some kind of magic to help you out.”

Scootaloo had taken that statement personally, and now, here she was, training new recruits at the Griffon’s Nest. Life without magic was difficult, but it certainly wasn’t impossible. In a lot of ways, she was glad the griffons didn’t have any magic of their own. It made things less predictable, but at least there would never be a griffon version of Nightmare Moon.

The orange mare leapt from the cliff’s edge and spread her wings, letting the strong evening updraft lift her higher into the sky. She took a deep breath of the cool night air and released it slowly, letting her tension ease away. If only Sweetie Belle could see me now, she thought, remembering with a smile all the days she’d wondered if she would ever fly at all. Rainbow Dash’s guidance had given her the confidence she needed, and Gilda’s methods, though tough, had driven her to excel. Though not the strongest flier by any means, she had gotten better among the griffons, and for that, at least, she could be thankful.

A soft whistle brought her out of her thoughts. She had just enough time to open her eyes before a knife flew past her head and embedded itself in the cliff face behind her. She screamed and flapped her wings frantically as her eyes scanned the cliffs around her for any sign of the attacker. She thought she saw a silhouette duck behind a boulder, but she couldn’t be sure in the dim light.

Heart still racing, she turned and examined the knife, which was buried to the hilt in the solid rock. She tugged on it a couple times before noticing a strip of paper tied around the handle. She frowned as she undid the string, still watching the cliffs in case the knife’s owner was still there. With paper in hoof, she glided to the nearest torch and squinted, trying to make out the jagged writing.

A friend waits for you in Zebrica. And so do I. – Shadow Strike

“Shadow Strike?” Scootaloo repeated. “Who in the hay is that?” She scanned the cliffs once again, but there was still no sign of her assailant. “You! Soldier!” she shouted at a passing griffon. “Where is the colonel? I must speak with him right away.”

“Sergeant Scootaloo,” the soldier said with a salute. “I was just looking for you, ma’am. The colonel wants to see you and Captain Gilda immediately.”

“Immediately? Did he say why?”

“Only that he has received troubling news from Zebrica, ma’am,” the soldier replied. “He’s waiting for you in the Dragon’s Den.”

“Dragon’s Den?” Scootaloo frowned, wondering what this sudden invitation to the Den could mean. “Tell the colonel I’ll be there as soon as I can. Oh, and you might want to tell him the captain is a little indisposed at the moment.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The soldier saluted and flew away towards the highest cave in the Nest. Scootaloo quickly located Gilda’s nest and glided towards it. The griffon was in for one rude awakening.

Dragon's Den

“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” said Colonel Glade as Scootaloo and a very unhappy Gilda landed in the Dragon’s Den. He was large for a griffon, but his tail was a little too short. Gilda had told her once that he lost the end of his tail in a fight with a dragon, but Scootaloo didn’t know whether to believe her or not. “I know you’ve been busy training the new recruits, but I have an urgent mission for both of you.”

“Does it involve sleeping?” Gilda mumbled. She was a little steadier than before, but Scootaloo could tell a massive headache was on its way.

Colonel Glade sighed. “Sergeant, how much did the captain drink tonight?”

“It’s difficult to say, sir,” Scootaloo replied. “She had seventeen shots of something. I’m not sure what.”

“Captain, I’m tired of talking to you about your drinking problem,” the colonel said.

“And I’m tired of recruits who can’t tell their wings from their tails,” Gilda replied.

“You’re a good soldier, Gilda, but if you can’t control yourself, I’ll be forced to relieve you of your rank and duties,” the colonel said. “This will be your last chance. I’ve been incredibly forgiving as it is.”

Gilda looked like she wanted to reply, but her headache must have kicked in, and all she could do was crouch on the floor with her talons pressed against her skull. Scootaloo had always been amazed at how quickly the griffons could process alcohol, but this ability wasn’t working to Gilda’s advantage tonight.

Colonel Glade rolled his eyes and turned to face Scootaloo. “My messenger said you had something you wanted to discuss with me,” he said.

“Yes, sir,” said Scootaloo, holding out the paper. “I was almost hit by a knife while I was flying near the cliffs. This note was attached to the handle.” The colonel took the note and looked it over. “I think we should increase security patrols for the time being,” Scootaloo continued. “Whoever attacked me is probably still out there.”

“Somewhere,” Colonel Glade agreed. “You’re lucky to be alive, sergeant. She doesn’t usually miss.”

“She, sir?”

Colonel Glade frowned. “Surely you’ve heard of Shadow Strike.”

“What?” Scootaloo jumped at Gilda’s outcry. The griffon was staring at the colonel with wide eyes. “Shadow Strike is here?”

“Was,” the colonel replied. “No doubt she’s long gone by now.”

“Not if I can help it!”

Gilda ran for the cave entrance, spreading her wings as she went. “Gilda, wait!” Scootaloo yelled, grabbing the griffon’s tail in her teeth as she passed. “Hooth Thadow Thtike?”

“Let go, Scoots,” Gilda yelled, whipping her tail out of Scootaloo’s grip. “I have a score to settle with her!”

“Captain, stop!” Colonel Glade ordered, but Gilda was past listening. She kicked off the ground and flapped her wings as the cave entrance drew near. “Stop her!”

Something moved in the shadows, and a moment later, bright green flames shot across the entrance. Gilda flared her wings and backed away, the hot air uncomfortable against her skin. “W-What was that?” Scootaloo asked.

A twelve-foot purple dragon with green spikes stepped into the light, causing Gilda to back away several more feet. Scootaloo had to fight the urge to run. A dragon? An actual dragon? Here?

“Name’s Spike,” the dragon said, brushing some soot from his scales. “Former assistant of Twilight Sparkle, current messenger between the Griffon’s Nest and Zebrica.”

“W-What’s your problem, huh?” Gilda demanded, her attitude overriding her shock. “Some punk’s throwing knives at our soldiers, and I’m gonna make sure it doesn’t happen again!”

“Gilda, hold your tongue,” Colonel Glade said.

“Don’t you know anything?” Gilda screamed. “Shadow Strike’s the reason Nightmare Moon’s still alive and Rainbow Dash is dead!”

“Enough!” the colonel roared. “I order you to be quiet!” Scootaloo didn’t realize she was still backing away until she bumped into the wall. In five years, she’d never seen the colonel pull rank like this. Gilda’s mouth hung open for a moment before she sank to the ground in a surly sulk.

“Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get on with the briefing,” the colonel said. “Earlier this evening, Spike received an urgent message from our allies in Zebrica. Zecora is on the verge of discovering a potion that will nullify Nightmare Moon’s magical powers for a short time. This potion could be instrumental in our defense.”

“Great,” Gilda said. “What’s that got to do with us?”

“That potion is only good for us if we have it here in the Nest,” Colonel Glade said. “We need to get it from Zebrica.”

“So we should be looking out for zebra messengers?”

Colonel Glade shook his head. “The zebras have done us a huge favor by discovering it. We can’t ask them to bring it through Equestria, too.”

“So, what?” Gilda asked. “You want us to go to them?”

“Exactly.”

Gilda’s eyes widened. “Are you crazy? It’ll take weeks for us to find a safe route around Equestria.”

“You won’t be flying around Equestria,” the colonel replied. “You’ll be flying through it.”

“Through it?” Scootaloo and Gilda said in unison.

“I know it’s dangerous, but–”

“That’s insane!” Gilda cried. Colonel Glade glared at her.

“Sir, Equestria is an icy, desolate wasteland,” Scootaloo said. “We’ll freeze before we make it to Zebrica.”

“If Nightmare Moon doesn’t catch us first,” Gilda added.

“I know it’s dangerous, but it’s a risk we have to take,” Colonel Glade replied. “Zecora’s potion is vital to the success of our attack. If we can’t stop Nightmare Moon here, our cause will be lost.”

“So how do you expect us to survive?” Gilda asked.

“That’s where I come in,” Spike said. “I can protect you from the elements as well as Nightmare Moon.”

“You?” Gilda raised an eyebrow at the dragon. “No offense, but you don’t look very tough for a dragon.”

“I was raised by Twilight Sparkle,” Spike replied. “I know more about magic than any dragon alive. If anyone can stand up to Nightmare Moon, it’s me.”

“We hope it won’t come to that,” Colonel Glade added. “Spike can provide warmth and shelter, but you must do everything in your power to avoid a confrontation with the mare of darkness.”

“Fine,” Gilda said with a sigh. “We sneak down to Zebrica, find Zecora, and bring the potion back here. Am I missing anything?”

“I believe you’ve summed it up quite nicely, Captain,” the colonel replied. “Spike will meet you at the training grounds tomorrow morning. Don’t be late.”

“Yes, sir.”

The colonel dismissed them. Gilda and Scootaloo left the Den and glided silently toward their nests. “He’s right,” Scootaloo said at last. “We do need that potion.”

Gilda shot her a glance. “Can I tell you something, Scoots?”

“Sure.”

“I’d rather stay here and train the recruits.”

Student and Master

The Canterlot Library was the only building Nightmare Moon tried to preserve. The gardens had gone almost immediately—much to that animal lover’s dismay—and the rest of the city wasn’t worth her time unless there were rebels hiding in it. The royal palace was mostly undamaged, if only because no enemy had ever reached it, but the library held something of value—knowledge. Nightmare’s powers were formidable, but it was her studies that really gave her an edge. She had learned everything about every town and city in Equestria just by reading the reports they used to send to her sister, which gave her a crushing advantage when somepony decided to rise against her.

The problem with Zebrica, of course, was that few ponies knew much about it, and fewer still took the time to write that knowledge down. Most of the records she found were vague and incomplete legends written by ponies who had obviously taken too much poetic license. All that had changed, now that Shadow Strike was among them. Her reports, though few, were lengthy and detailed and gave the dark mare the information she sought, from geography and social structure to military strength and political trends.

Most importantly, she learned that a powerful spelllcaster was living among them, which made her wonder if they were somehow in contact with the griffons to the north. She knew Twilight’s slave had fled there shortly before the Baltimare assault, which was the biggest reason Nightmare had yet to wipe the griffons out. Griffons and zebras she could handle, but dragons were in another league entirely.

Fortunately, the library held quite a bit of information about dragons, thanks, ironically, to the efforts of Twilight Sparkle. After her mentor’s death, the purple mare had sojourned among the dragons near Zebrica, trying to convince them to fight against Nightmare Moon. It was a desperate and futile move on her part. The dragons wanted nothing to do with the affairs of Equestria, regarding them as pointless and unworthy of their time. Twilight had destroyed all the information she could during the attack on Baltimare, but Nightmare Moon was too fast, and most of the notes had been saved.

The princess was expecting a visit from Shadow Strike, so it didn’t surprise her when a shadowy figure slipped through the broken library window. “Good evening,” the princess said without looking up from her scroll. “Did you find the Nest?”

“No,” Shadow Strike replied as she placed her latest report on a nearby table, “but I did find the pegasus. She’s in league with the griffons, as we suspected.”

“You found the griffon soldiers, but not the Nest?” Nightmare Moon frowned at her student. “That seems a little unusual for you.”

“They were conductin’ a training mission,” Shadow Strike explained. “I may be fast, but I can’t keep up with fliers in those mountains.”

“I see.” Nightmare Moon let out a disappointed sigh. “What do you propose, then, my student? I want to take out that Nest before the griffons decide to attack.”

“Don’t worry,” Shadow said. “I left the pegasus a little message. With any luck, she’ll try and get to Zebrica, and you can interrogate her when she flies through.”

“Oh?” Nightmare Moon was surprised at this course of action. “What makes you think she’ll try to do that?”

“Just a hunch.”

The dark princess scowled. “It’s not right for a student to hide things from her master,” she said.

“Nor the master from her student,” Shadow Strike replied. “Besides, when have I been wrong?”

“That’s beside the point,” Nightmare Moon said as she stepped closer to her student. “I have been patient with you, Shadow, but I grow tired of your secrets. How do you know the pegasus will travel to Zebrica?”

Shadow Strike stared back at her from beneath her Stetson. “The griffons recently received a message from Zebrica, asking them to send aid. They want to make sure Zecora has the protection she needs to finish her potions.”

“How long have you known the zebras were in contact with the griffons?”

“Not long,” Shadow answered. “I was going to tell you during my last visit, but I didn’t have time between assignments.”

Though Shadow’s tone was even, the dark princess sensed something odd about the way she had spoken. “Are you criticizing me?” she asked.

“‘Course not,” Shadow replied. “Just makin’ a statement of fact, your highness.”

Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes a little. “I should hope not, my student. I taught you how to survive on nothing, and so far you have failed to locate Zecora or the Griffon’s Nest. I hope you will give me more than that in return.”

“I’ve been doin’ your bidding for seven years,” Shadow Strike replied. “You know just as well as I what I’ve given you.”

Nightmare Moon watched her student carefully as she returned to her table. “You’re dismissed,” she said.

“To do what?”

“Find Zecora and kill her,” the princess replied. “You’ve learned more than enough about the zebras. It’s time to take action.”

“As you wish, your majesty.” Shadow Strike leapt out the window and disappeared into the night.

“Insolent wretch,” Nightmare muttered to herself as she resumed her studying. The mare was certainly skilled, but her attitude grated against her nerves. “It’s a wonder my sister put up with any of them.” Shadow Strike’s skills and record were enough to keep her on the dark mare’s good side for now, but they wouldn’t be for much longer. If not for the dragons, she would have no need of her student, but until she discovered a way to defeat those infernal lizards, she would have to proceed with caution. The fact infuriated her, but she knew that would not be the case for long. Sooner or later, Zebrica and the Nest would fall. Whether or not Shadow Strike was around to see it would be irrelevant.

Shadow Strike weighed her options as she ran through the ice-covered city. She knew her teacher was losing patience, and she knew it was only a matter of time until she would have to produce results, one way or another. She would have to hope her message to Scootaloo produced the results she needed. I won’t let you down, she thought as the white powder billowed behind her. After seven years, I can’t afford to fail now.

Into the Night

Scootaloo rose before the sun the next morning and did a few slow laps through the training course to stretch her wings. Gilda joined her a few minutes later. Scootaloo landed on the training ground to stretch her muscles and watched as Gilda completed her laps. They would be flying far, and they would be flying fast. She hadn’t been to Equestria in five years, and she didn’t want to spend any more time there than she had to.

“You ready?” Gilda asked as she landed beside her and started stretching.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Scootaloo replied. “Think Spike can actually protect us?”

“Well, he is a dragon,” Gilda said. “That’s gotta count for something.”

“Yes, but this is Nightmare Moon we’re talking about,” Scootaloo said.

“Look, Scoots, I don’t like it either, but the colonel’s right,” Gilda said with a sigh. “You were right. This zebra potion is too important. If we don’t get our talons on it, it’s all over.” The griffon sat down in the cave’s mouth and look out over the nest. “Who knows, Scoots. Maybe Shadow Strike will be there. I bet she’d give anything to get her hooves on that potion, too.”

“How do you know about Shadow Strike, anyway?” Scootaloo asked. Gilda had said the mysterious mare was somehow connected to Rainbow Dash’s death, but Scootaloo couldn’t see how. Both of them had seen the cyan pegasus’ last moments, that final sonic rainboom that was undoubtedly meant to knock Nightmare Moon back into orbit. Scootaloo hadn’t been on the front lines, but Gilda told her later that the attack had failed. When Scootaloo asked for more details, Gilda ordered her never to bring it up again.

“The colonel asked me not to talk about it,” Gilda replied. “He said it might upset the recruits, or something like that.” Scootaloo could tell from Gilda’s tone that she might hear more about the mysterious mare during the trip.

Spike arrived a few minutes later with large saddlebags tied to his sides and a pair of mechanical wings strapped to his back. “You ready?” he asked. The griffon and pegasus nodded, and the three took off, heading south towards Equestria. Scootaloo couldn’t help but look back at the Nest as it faded into the distance, shrouded in fog and clouds. The sun was just beginning to rise, and she knew the recruits would begin their drills soon.

“Are you feeling better, captain?” Spike asked. “You didn’t look so good last night.”

“Much better,” Gilda replied, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. “It feels good to get out of the Nest, even if we do have to go through Equestria.”

Spike nodded. “Colonel Glade only lets me leave the Den to go hunting,” he said. “He says it’s too dangerous for me to wander around.”

“Well, you are the only connection we have with Zebrica,” Scootaloo said.

“Yes, but it’s not right for a dragon to be kept cooped up,” Spike replied. “Even though I lived most of my life with Twilight, I still need to get out and stretch my wings now and then.”

“Speaking of your wings,” Gilda said, “where did you get them?”

“Twilight made them for me,” Spike replied with a smile. “We never figured out why I didn’t have wings of my own, but Twilight thought they would help me fit in better with the other dragons.”

“Did they?” Gilda asked.

“Not really,” Spike answered with a sigh. “Dragons don’t really like anything that has to do with ponies, but Twilight meant well, so I kept using them. I’ve had to have them enlarged a few times, but they still work just as well as the first time Twilight showed me how to use them.”

“She sounds like a great mare,” Gilda said.

“The best,” Spike agreed.

They flew on for several hours, chatting about this and that, until they took a break for lunch at midday. “How much farther is it to Equestria?” Gilda asked.

“We’re getting close,” Spike replied, a shiver running down his body as he munched on a few gemstones. “I can feel it. I may not know how to use magic, but it always makes my scales itch.”

“How is it that the sun never rises there?” Scootaloo asked. “I mean, it rises just fine here.”

“And in dragon territory,” Spike added. “Twilight thought it was a kind of time spell, like Equestria was trapped in a time pocket or something, but she never explained it to me very well.”

The group took off again, and soon, Scootaloo could see Equestria’s border. It was as though a line had been drawn through the air, forbidding the sunlight to cross. The icy ground glowed in the moonlight, and she felt a few icy air currents leaking into griffon territory. “The spell’s gotten stronger,” Spike muttered. “And bigger. The border wasn’t always this close to the Nest.”

Though Scootaloo had prepared herself mentally to cross the border, she still gasped as the sudden cold struck her body. Her breathing quickened and her muscles tightened against the chill, and she had to concentrate just to keep her wings flapping. “How far to Zebrica?” she asked.

“A full day’s flight,” Spike replied, squinting his eyes against the falling snow. “We’ll land in Trottingham to rest. There’s an underground shelter there that will keep us safe from the elements.”

“I thought you said you could do that,” Gilda snapped.

“If you stay close to me, the heat from my wings can keep you warm while we fly,” Spike replied. Scootaloo instantly moved as close to the dragon as she could without getting caught in his updraft. It was still cold, but her teeth chattered a little less violently.

“So, captain,” Spike said after a few minutes. “How do you know about Shadow Strike? I haven’t met many non-ponies who’ve heard of her.”

“I was part of the griffon battalion that fought with Rain—I mean, General Dash during the fourth rebellion,” Gilda replied. “Right before the attack on Canterlot, we caught a strange mare outside the general’s tent. She said she had an urgent message. We told her the general didn’t want to be disturbed and to give it to us, but she wouldn’t give it to anypony but Dash.”

“Did she say why?” Scootaloo asked.

Gilda shook her head. “We thought the whole thing was pretty suspicious, but she ran off before we found out what she wanted. She was pretty quick for a pony—a little too quick, if you ask me. After the battle, some of the soldiers mentioned seeing her around camp. We put all the pieces together, and we realized she had been spying on us for a while.”

“It sounds more like she was trying to warn you,” Spike said.

“It would,” Gilda agreed, “except for what Nightmare Moon told the general before she killed her. I didn’t hear exactly what she said, but she basically told Dash that her spy, Shadow Strike, had told her everything.”

“Maybe she had a change of heart,” Spike suggested.

“Then why didn’t she just tell us?” Gilda asked. “The fact is, it’s her fault we lost that day. If not for Shadow Strike, our attack would have been successful. We were this close to beating Nightmare Moon.”

“But why would a pony be her spy?” Scootaloo asked.

“Ponies do desperate things these days,” Spike replied. “After the things I saw in Baltimare, a pony spy doesn’t surprise me at all.”

“Hey, is the wind picking up?” Gilda asked. Scootaloo looked around and saw that the snow was falling more sideways than down. “What does it mean?”

“Hopefully, nothing,” Spike replied, beating his wings a little harder. “We should pick up the pace.”

Blizzard

The snowfall grew thicker and the wind harsher the farther they pressed on. Soon, Scootaloo could barely see where she was going. “We should land!” she shouted over the gale. “We’ll only get lost in this storm!”

“We’re almost to the shelter,” Spike replied. “Just a few more minutes.”

“I can barely see where I’m going!” Scootaloo yelled. A gust of wind knocked her sideways, and she lost sight of the dragon. “Spike, where are you?”

“Over here!” Scootaloo flew towards the voice and eventually caught sight of the dragon once again. “Stay close to me!”

“I’m trying!” Scootaloo shouted back.

A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the sky, and a familiar cackle echoed through the night. “It’s her,” Gilda said, her voice barely audible over the roaring wind. “It’s Nightmare Moon!”

“Get down,” Spike said. Scootaloo felt more than she saw Spike begin to descend and followed him down, staying close to his large purple body. They quickly landed on the bare, frozen ground. Gilda and Scootaloo took refuge under Spike’s wings while the dragon scanned the skies, eyes narrow. “She’s looking for us,” he muttered. “I can feel her magic nearby.”

“What do we do?” Scootaloo asked.

“We fight, of course,” Gilda replied, clawing at the ground with her talons. “If it’s a fight she wants, it’s a fight she’ll get.”

“I can’t let you do that,” Spike said. “You have a mission to complete.”

“I’ve trained to take her down, and I’m doing it the first chance I get, potion or no potion,” Gilda growled. “There’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“You can’t win this fight, captain,” Spike replied, still searching the skies. “Nightmare Moon has only grown stronger since the fourth rebellion, and a whole army couldn’t beat her then. You need to find Zecora and make sure that potion gets to the Griffon’s Nest.”

“I’m not letting her get away with what she did!” Gilda said. Another bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

“Then get yourself and the sergeant to Zebrica,” Spike replied, meeting her glare with one of his own. “That potion is the best chance we have. Colonel Glade wouldn’t have sent me on this mission if he didn’t think it was important. My orders are to make sure the two of you make it through Equestria alive, and I intend to obey them.”

“Gilda, he’s right,” Scootaloo said, huddling closer to the dragon for warmth. “We have our orders, too.”

“I don’t care about orders!” Gilda yelled. “I want her dead!”

“Then you’ll do as you’re told,” Spike said, bringing his face within an inch of Gilda’s. “I’ve wanted my revenge since Twilight made me leave her side, but I stayed at the Nest, doing what was necessary to bring about Nightmare’s end. Wait a while longer, captain. You’ll get the revenge you’re looking for.”

Scootaloo could tell Gilda didn’t want to run, but the wisdom and truth of Spike’s words won her over. “All right. Where do we go?”

“The Trottingham shelter is that way,” Spike said, pointing with a claw. Scootaloo could barely see anything through the storm, and she hoped Gilda’s inner compass would be able to guide them to the shelter. “The two of you need to get there as quickly as possible. This storm is only going to get worse.”

“What about you?” Scootaloo asked.

Spike gave her a soft smile. “Like I said, my job is to make sure you two get to Zebrica,” he said. “It’s possible that she doesn’t know you’re here with me. She’s wanted to see me dead for years now. If I can distract her, it’ll give you the time you need to get through Equestria.”

“I thought you said we weren’t going to fight,” Gilda said.

“I said you weren’t going to fight,” Spike corrected her as he spread his wings. “Get to the shelter. I’ll distract Nightmare Moon. If I’m not there by the time you wake up, go on without me. I’ll catch up as soon as I can.”

“Spike!” Scootaloo cried, but the dragon had already pushed off the ground. The air grew more frigid in his absence, and it took most of her strength to not fall over. “Gilda! Let’s go!”

Gilda stood there for a moment as Spike disappeared into the storm. “Probably just wants the revenge all for himself,” she muttered. “Come on, Scoots. Let’s go find this shelter before we freeze to death.”

Scootaloo heard a distant roar as she and Gilda ran through the blizzard and hoped Spike was still okay. She knew Gilda had an excellent sense of direction, but the farther they ran, the more she began to wonder if even the griffon was getting disoriented. The cold was unbearable, and she knew they wouldn’t last much longer. “Do you think we sh-should be there b-by now?” Scootaloo gasped through her chattering teeth.

“I… I’m not s-sure,” Gilda replied, breathing deeply. “I… I think…” Suddenly, Gilda stumbled and fell, half-disappearing into the blanket of snow.

“Gilda!” Scootaloo bolted to her side. The griffon’s eyes were unfocused, and she was struggling to get up. “Come on! You can do it!” the pegasus yelled, but no matter how much she struggled, Gilda couldn’t get back on her feet.

A green flash of light lit up the night. Scootaloo turned to see a giant plume of green flames shooting across the sky in the distance. “Come on, Gilda! Don’t give up!” she yelled, but it was no use. Gilda’s legs twitched a little, but beyond that, she was still.

Scootaloo looked around for any sign of shelter, but she could see nothing in the storm. “H-Help!” she yelled. If they were anywhere near the shelter, there had to be somepony close enough to hear. “Somepony! H-Help me!”

Scootaloo’s vision started to blur as another roar echoed through the night. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed next to the griffon, unable to stand up. “H-Help me,” she said, her voice barely audible even to herself. A glowing light seemed to be drawing closer. She tried to back away from it, but her limbs refused to budge. “H-Help… please…” The light stopped in front of her, and then her vision was covered in black.

Dragonfire

Nightmare Moon’s life had been dull for quite some time, but her research had once again paid off. Twilight’s dragon-detecting spell had alerted the dark mare the second the dragon crossed into Equestria, and she’d used her own storm spell to slow him down. Twilight’s detailed notes taught the princess everything she needed to know about the dragon’s strengths and weaknesses, and though she had no idea why he was in Equestria now, she knew it would be easy enough to finish him off.

That was the plan, anyway. The dragon didn’t seem very eager to cooperate.

Nightmare Moon was out of breath when she hit the ground and ducked under a snow bank. Blistering green flames hit the ground a second later, turning the ice to water and blasting her with hot air. She cast a quick barrier spell as wave after wave of fire rained down on her. Her blizzard had long since worn off, and despite everything she’d read about dragons, this one was giving her far more trouble than she’d bargained for.

“A barrier spell, huh?” A purple mass shook the ground a short distance away. “Nice try, but Twilight taught me all about that one.”

Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth and ducked as a bright green spear of flame shot toward her, smashing her barrier to pieces. Even in death, Celestia’s protégé was making her life difficult. She quickly morphed into a bluish cloud and sped away, trying desperately to come up with a plan. The dragon—she thought Spike was his name—was quick in the air, and his scales had so far repelled every spell she shot at him. Even his wings gave him an advantage. A normal dragon surely would have tired by now, but those mechanical contraptions ran on some kind of magic, which left him with more strength to maneuver and fight.

“Oh, no you don’t!” Spike yelled, shooting into the air after the blue puff of cloud. Nightmare juked to the side as his jaws closed around her, barely escaping his toothy grip. She assumed her pony form and delivered a quick kick to his belly. Spike let out a gasp and clutched his stomach, losing a few feet of altitude before he could recover. “It’ll take more than that to stop me!” he yelled.

“Oh, will it?” Nightmare Moon cackled as an aura burst around her horn. A second later, a lightning bolt shot toward the dragon, but a second was all it took from him to twist his body around. The lightning struck his side and bounced off the thick purple scales. The dark mare had to do a quick dive to avoid being hit herself, and the next thing she knew, green flames were licking at her black coat.

Nightmare Moon screamed as she hit the snow, rolling to put out the flames. The burns weren’t too severe, but they still smarted when she moved. “Looks like you’re losing your touch,” Spike said, smiling despite his heavy breathing as he slowly circled the dark mare. “Twilight said it would happen eventually.”

“Twilight Sparkle was a fool,” Nightmare Moon spat, turning to keep the dragon in her sight. “Her feeble magic was no match for my powers.”

“Yeah, right,” Spike said with a laugh. “Princess Celestia didn’t pick just anypony to be her personal student.”

Nightmare Moon growled as a dark beam lanced from her horn, striking the dragon squarely in the side. It didn’t hurt him, but it did knock him over. “Celestia was a bigger fool than Twilight,” she said with the fiercest glare she’d given anything in years. “She never cared that nopony paid attention to my night, and she banished me for a thousand years for trying to do something about it.”

“All you’ve done is destroy Equestria,” Spike replied, his smile replaced with a scowl. “If you ask me, Celestia didn’t banish you for long enough.”

“That weakling couldn’t even defeat me when she had the chance,” the princess said with a smirk as her horn lit up once again. “Neither could your precious Twilight, and neither will you!”

Spike lunged forward, teeth bared and claws outstretched. Nightmare Moon hit him with a blast of lightning and leapt into the air, easily dodging his attack as he dove blindly toward her. She rained several more lightning bolts down on the disoriented dragon, striking his head, tail, and wings. Spike let out a roar and shot yet another jet of green flame at her, but this one she dodged easily as she continued her aerial assault.

A lucky lightning bolt penetrated his wings’ armor, causing a small explosion that crippled the dragon’s left wing. Spike roared again as he shied away from the heat, flinging the ruined wing away from his body. When the smoke cleared, Nightmare Moon could see that some of the scales on his shoulder had been blown off, leaving the surrounding area charred and black.

“Well, well, not entirely fire-proof, are you?” she murmured with a grin. The wound was small, and Spike’s thrashing made it difficult to get a clear shot, but after a couple tries, she managed to land a lightning bolt on his exposed flesh. Spike screamed. His left side gave out, and he slumped into the snow, coughing and breathing deeply.

“Had enough, dragon?” the dark princess gloated as she circled her wounded foe. Her side still stung from his flames, but stronger than her pain was the satisfaction of knowing she had a dragon at her mercy.

“Lucky hit,” Spike gasped, struggling to raise himself from the ground.

“Luck had nothing to do with it,” Nightmare Moon said. “I have whatever idiot built those miserable wings to thank for their poor design.” Spike glowered at her, but another lighting blast to his wounded shoulder sent him slumping back to the ground. “Who was it?” the princess wondered out loud. “Was it the griffons? Or was it your pathetic caretaker?”

“Twilight Sparkle was a million times the pony you’ll ever be,” Spike growled.

“Twilight Sparkle is dead,” the princess replied. “Funny, isn’t it? I killed her teacher, I killed her, and now, I’m going to kill the closest thing to a student she ever had.”

“Whatever you say, Luna.”

The princess froze, her heart skipping several beats. “What did you just say?”

Despite the paralysis in his left side, Spike managed a grin. “Luna,” he repeated. “That’s your name, isn’t it?”

Nightmare Moon bared her teeth and struck him with another lightning bolt. “I abandoned that name over a thousand years ago,” she growled.

“Celestia didn’t,” Spike said. “She told Twilight all about you in the second-to-last letter she ever sent me. How you two were sisters, how you were jealous of Celestia’s day.”

“How dare you!” Nightmare Moon pounded the snowy ground with a hoof, causing the ice beneath to crack. She almost killed the dragon then and there, but something stopped her. “You said second-to-last. What did the last one say?”

Spike’s eyes glittered as he smirked at her. “I don’t know,” he said. “It was addressed to you.” His eyes widened, his cheeks puffed out, and with a belch of green flame, an old scroll appeared, held closed with Celestia’s seal. “That never did get any easier,” the dragon mumbled.

Nightmare Moon ignored him and opened the scroll with her magic. The message was short, but it was enough to make the dark mare’s blood boil. She tossed the scroll aside and hit Spike with another electric jolt. “You think you can trick me?” she demanded. “You think I’m afraid of a mare I defeated over a decade ago?”

“Maybe you should be,” Spike murmured, struggling to keep his eyes open. “Twilight always said the ghosts of our past are the ones we should fear the most.”

Nightmare Moon clenched her teeth as she flew closer to the dying dragon. “I can agree with that,” she said softly, her muzzle close to whatever passed as ears for dragons. “It was true for Celestia. It was true for Twilight. And now, it’s true for you.”

The dark mare pointed her horn directly at Spike’s wound and let loose a vicious stream of electricity. Spike’s body writhed and shook as her attack fried every nerve in his body. When she stopped, the dragon slumped to the ground, never to move again. “Good riddance.”

With her foe defeated, Nightmare Moon began to feel the effects of their long battle. Her muscles were stiff and sore, her side still ached, and she could feel a horrible headache coming on from using so much magic. “You were a worthy opponent,” she said to the dragon’s corpse. “I will give you that.” She spread her wings and flew toward Canterlot, determined to add a few notes of her own to Twilight’s. The snow slowly began to cover the last letter Spike delivered, burying its message in the frozen waste.

Your night will not last forever, sister. The day will come again. – Celestia

Shelter

Scootaloo awoke to the sound of snapping, crackling wood. She cracked her eyes open and found herself in some kind of cave illuminated with orange firelight. Gilda was lying at her right, wrapped in a thick blanket and breathing slowly. “Gilda?”

The griffon opened her eyes and looked at the orange pegasus. “Well, look who’s finally awake,” she said with a small smile.

Scootaloo sat up with a moan and adjusted her own blanket. “Where are we?”

“Trottingham shelter,” Gilda replied. “Guess we got pretty close before we passed out.”

“How did we get in here?” Scootaloo asked, taking a closer look at the cave. Her armor was leaning against the wall beside Gilda’s, and she could see a tunnel heading to some unknown chamber. “Did Spike come back for us?”

Gilda shook her head. “Some pony found us outside and dragged us in,” she answered. “I don’t know where Spike is.”

Scootaloo heard soft hoofbeats drawing closer and looked towards the tunnel. A moment later, a mare walked into the room, carrying steaming cups and bowls on her back. She was wearing a strange white suit that covered her entire body, but the hood was pulled back, revealing her yellow face and red mane, which was tied back with a large pink bow. Scootaloo thought she looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place her face.

“You’re awake,” the mare said with a warm smile as she placed a cup of tea and a bowl of vegetable soup in front of Scootaloo. Her rural accent triggered more bells in in the pegasus’ head. “You’re lucky I found you. That’s one of the worst storms we’ve had in a while.”

“Who are you?” Scootaloo asked.

“My name’s Apple Bloom,” the mare answered as she gave Gilda her food.

Scootaloo leapt to her hooves. “Apple Bloom?” She had to blink several times before she could see the resemblance. “No way! It’s me, Scootaloo!”

“I know,” Apple Bloom said, her smile widening a bit. “I recognized you when I found you and your friend outside.”

“I thought I was the only filly to make it out of Ponyville,” Scootaloo said, sitting down as her head started to spin. “This is incredible. Where have you been?”

“Zebrica, mostly,” Apple Bloom replied. “I escaped with some other refugees from Ponyville.”

“Then what are you doing here?” Gilda asked.

“Collecting herbs,” Apple Bloom answered, pointing at a pair of saddlebags Scootaloo hadn’t noticed before. The bags were filled with strange leaves and flowers. “Zebrica’s too swampy for some of them, so we grow them here.”

“How can you grow anything here?” Scootaloo asked. “It’s just a frozen wasteland.”

“Sunlamps,” Apple Bloom answered. “They’re special lamps that can make plants grow, just like the sun. We’ve been using them to grow food here since Nightmare Moon took power. Please, eat,” she added, gesturing towards their untouched food. “It’s not much, but it’s warm, and you two could use the energy.”

Gilda eyed the soup suspiciously, but her hunger won out, and after a couple experimental sips, she downed the whole bowl in one gulp. “Slow down,” Apple Bloom said with a laugh. “You’re going to burn yourself.”

“I’m too hungry to care,” Gilda replied hoarsely. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo couldn’t help but giggle.

“So, what brings you two to Equestria?” Apple Bloom asked once the soup was finished.

Scootaloo and Gilda glanced at each other, unsure how to respond. “We were just passing through,” Scootaloo said at last.

“To where?” Apple Bloom asked. “Zebrica? That’s a pretty dangerous journey.”

“We can handle it,” Gilda said before chugging her hot chocolate. Scootaloo rolled her eyes.

“‘Course you can,” Apple Bloom said with a laugh. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you going to Zebrica?”

“Why do you want to know?” Gilda asked.

“Well, it’s not every day a pony and a griffon try to cross Equestria,” Apple Bloom answered. “Nightmare Moon could have killed you.”

“And she still might,” Gilda replied. “It’s hard to know who we can trust around here.”

“Gilda, she’s an old friend of mine,” Scootaloo said, glaring at the griffon. “Besides, she’s been living with the zebras.”

“Can’t be too careful, Scoots,” Gilda replied. She jerked her head towards Apple Bloom’s bags. “I don’t know much about herbs, but I know Magebane and Poison Joke when I see it. What are you collecting those for?”

“Potions, of course,” Apple Bloom answered.

“What kind of potions?”

“Why do you want to know?”

Gilda narrowed her eyes and scowled. “I don’t know much about potions, either, but Nightmare Moon took out half my battalion with a poison made from Magebane and Poison Joke. Now, I don’t know who you are or what you’re up to, but if you don’t tell me what those herbs are for–”

“It’s all right,” Apple Bloom said. “I’ve been helping a zebra named Zecora come up with a potion that will take away Nightmare Moon’s powers. We were really close five years ago, but things didn’t go as planned.”

“You mean that was your potion?” Gilda asked.

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “Probably. It’s too bad Nightmare Moon got her hooves on it. We could have ended all this by now.”

“Shadow Strike,” Gilda growled through her clenched beak. “Guess that’s one more thing I need to punish her for.”

Apple Bloom’s brow furrowed as her eyes darted between the pegasus and the griffon. “You must be the soldiers Colonel Glade sent,” she said at last. “You’re here for the potion, aren’t you?”

“The colonel only mentioned Zecora,” Gilda replied, her eyes still narrow. “He didn’t say anything about any helpers.”

“It’s a secret,” Apple Bloom said. “Zecora doesn’t want anyone to know I’m helping her. That way, if things go wrong, no one will come looking for me.”

“Well, that seems convenient.”

“Gilda, come on,” Scootaloo said with a roll of her eyes. “Nightmare Moon killed her family. Do you really think she’s going to turn around and help her?”

Gilda’s expression hardly changed, but she let out a sigh. “Can you take us to Zecora?”

Apple Bloom nodded. “Once we get both of you fitted with snowsuits, we’ll be on our way.”

“Snowsuits?” Scootaloo repeated.

“These,” Apple Bloom said, showing off her white suit. “They’ll keep you from freezing to death.”

Gilda sighed and rested her head on her talons. “I hate getting fitted,” she muttered.

Zebrica

Apple Bloom moved quickly for an earth pony, and Gilda and Scootaloo soon found themselves asking her to slow down. The snowsuits kept them warm, but there were no holes for their wings, so the three of them were stuck on the ground until they made it out of Equestria. “How much farther to the border?” Gilda demanded, panting almost as heavily as Scootaloo.

“Just over that ridge,” Apple Bloom answered, gesturing at a hill a short distance away. If she looked hard enough, Scootaloo could see blue sky and sunlight on the other side. “You sure you’re all right? We can rest if we need to.”

Gilda shook her head with a glare. “The sooner we’re out of this wasteland, the better.”

The trio carefully made their way up the steep ridge. Gilda’s talons kept her from slipping, and Apple Bloom was used to walking on ice, but Scootaloo found herself struggling even more to keep up. “Here, let me help you,” Apple Bloom said, offering the orange pegasus a hoof. Scootaloo gratefully accepted it.

“Come on, Scoots,” Gilda called from the top of the ridge. “You gotta see this.” With Apple Bloom’s help, Scootaloo reached the ridge and got her first view of Zebrica. She’d heard about its jungles and swamps, but seeing them firsthoof was a new experience entirely. Brightly-colored birds flew above and through the tangled treetops, and she saw a town half-hidden in the trees and vines.

“That’s New Appleloosa,” Apple Bloom explained, smiling at her companions’ wide-eyed wonder. “I came here with my cousin Braeburn after Nightmare Moon destroyed Old Appleloosa.”

“I didn’t know there were any pony settlements in Zebrica,” Scootaloo said as the three descended the ridge. The air grew warmer the closer they got to the jungle, and Scootaloo started to feel uncomfortable in her snowsuit.

“This is the only one,” Apple Bloom replied. “The zebras don’t have very many towns, and they didn’t like that we ponies were building one, but they agreed to let us keep it if we didn’t expand too far.”

“How can they live without towns?” Gilda asked, removing her hood as sweat trickled down her face. “Also, can we take these off now?”

“We should wait ‘til we get to New Appleloosa,” Apple Bloom answered, removing her own hood as well. “There’s some nasty bugs in the jungle, and the suit will keep them from bitin’ you ‘til we get you some anti-bug potions.”

The transition from Equestria to Zebrica was even more noticeable than the one from griffon territory. The air was thick and humid, and Scootaloo was soon gasping for breath. “To answer your other question, zebras are mostly nomadic,” Apple Bloom continued as though nothing had changed. “A few, like Zecora, stay put and offer food and shelter to travelers, but most of them don’t stay in one place for more than a few months.”

“I… see,” Scootaloo gasped. Apple Bloom turned to see her companions panting, their eyes wider than usual.

“All right, let’s get those off,” Apple Bloom said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. “You two are gonna have a lot of adjustin’ to do.” She carefully unzipped her companions’ snowsuits and put them on her back over her saddlebags. “Better?”

“Much,” Gilda replied, stretching her wings. “See you at the town.” Gilda leapt into the air and soon disappeared above the thick canopy.

“She’s not very patient, is she?” Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo shook her head. “Well, at least we can catch up on old times,” Apple Bloom said as the two pressed forward through the jungle. “What have you been up to?”

“Fighting, mostly,” Scootaloo answered as several birds flitted past, twittering at each other. “I was with the Equestrian Uprising until General Dash died, and I’ve been living in the Griffon’s Nest ever since.”

“I heard about that uprising,” Apple Bloom said. “Rainbow Dash was a real hero, wasn’t she?”

Scootaloo nodded. “It’s too bad Shadow Strike had to give away our plan.”

“You keep mentioning her,” Apple Bloom said with a frown. “What did she do?”

“She told Nightmare Moon our plans,” Scootaloo replied. “At least, that’s what Gilda tells me. If it wasn’t for Shadow Strike, Nightmare Moon would have died five years ago.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom’s frown deepened. “How’d you find that out?”

“Gilda saw her spying on us before the attack,” Scootaloo explained.

“Maybe she was tryin’ to warn you.”

“Then why’d she steal your poison?” Scootaloo asked.

“Look, all I’m sayin’ is there might be more goin’ on than you know about,” Apple Bloom said as she pushed a couple branches out of her way. “Maybe there’s more to this Shadow Strike than meets the eye.”

“Maybe,” Scootaloo muttered.

“Hey.” Apple Bloom stopped and flashed her a smile. “At least we’re together again. Just like old times, right?”

Scootaloo managed to return her grin. “Right.”

An angry, familiar voice echoed through the jungle, causing both ponies to stop and listen. “Hey! What’s the big idea? Let me go!”

Apple Bloom glanced at Scootaloo and rolled her eyes. “Sounds like Gilda’s already got herself in trouble,” she said with a sigh.

The two pushed their way through the last bit of jungle and found several ponies holding the griffon down in the square. A small crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle. “What’s your business in New Appleloosa?” demanded a yellow stallion with an orange mane, a brown vest, a brown Stetson, and a fierce glare.

“Tell your goons to get off me, and maybe I’ll answer,” Gilda growled.

“Gonna play tough, huh?” the stallion said with narrowed eyes. “Take her to the jail. Maybe that will loosen her tongue!”

“Braeburn, stop!” Apple Bloom shouted, running towards the crowd. Scootaloo was right behind her. “She’s with me!”

“Apple Bloom?” The yellow stallion turned to face the yellow mare. “You know this griffon? And who’s this pegasus?”

“She’s Gilda, and she’s Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom explained, pointing at the griffon and pegasus. “They’re from the Griffon’s Nest.”

“You know this punk?” Gilda asked.

“He’s my cousin.”

“Hmmph.” Gilda resumed glaring at Braeburn.

“You’re sure they’re from the Nest?” Braeburn asked. “You’re sure they’re not…?”

“I’m sure,” Apple Bloom replied. “I found them freezing to death in Equestria. We can trust them.”

Braeburn motioned at the ponies pinning Gilda to the ground, who quickly backed away. Gilda jumped to her feet with a snarl to make sure nopony tried to hold her down again. “Sorry for the confusion,” Braeburn said. “You never know who might be coming to visit.”

“Whatever,” Gilda grumbled, brushing the dust from her feathers.

Braeburn cleared his throat and turned to Apple Bloom. “How was your trip?” he asked. “Looks like you got a lot of herbs.”

“Sure did,” Apple Bloom replied. “Do you know if Zecora’s home? I want to deliver these as soon as possible.”

“I haven’t seen her in town,” Braeburn said. “Guess I’ll let you three get on with what you need to do, then.”

“Really?” Apple Bloom said as Braeburn began walking away. “You’re not gonna do the thing?”

Braeburn stopped and sighed. Then he turned around, put on a big smile, reared up on his hind legs, and shouted, “Welcome to New Aaaaaaappleloosa!”

New Appleloosa

Apple Bloom said she had some things to take care of in town before they went to Zecora’s hut, so Scootaloo and Gilda let Braeburn give them a tour while they waited. The buildings were made almost entirely of wood, unlike the stone ones Scootaloo remembered from Ponyville, except for a large clock tower, which was made of brick. Most of the ponies wore outfits like Braeburn’s, and a lot of them seemed surprised to see a griffon in their midst.

Braeburn first took them to the hospital, where the nurses gave them several foul-smelling and fouler-tasting potions. “What are these for again?” Scootaloo asked, trying not to gag as she sniffed the brownish sludge in one of the cups in front of her.

“They keep the bugs from biting,” the nurse replied.

“That doesn’t sound too bad to me,” Gilda grumbled, leaning as far back as possible from her potions.

“Well, if you don’t mind spending three months in bed with a burning fever, uncontrolled vomiting, and a horrible itchy rash,” the nurse said. Gilda eyed the potions for a moment longer before choking them down as fast as she could.

They stored their armor and bags in New Appleloosa’s small hotel before continuing with the tour. “Over there’s where we grow our food,” Braeburn said, gesturing towards the largest building in town. “It took us a while, but we finally figured out how to grow all the food we need in the limited space we have. Combined with what we gather from the jungle, nopony ever goes hungry.”

“You don’t have any farms?” Scootaloo asked.

“We tried farming at first, but the zebras wouldn’t have it,” Braeburn answered. “Besides, it’s a lot of work clearing the ground, and a lot of it is too swampy for good farming anyway.”

“Seems like a lot of extra work,” Gilda said, glaring at a group of ponies shooting her strange looks.

“Maybe, but it’s worth it to keep the zebras happy,” Braeburn replied with a smile. “There’s nothing worse than makin’ your host mad.”

“Making a griffon mad is a close second,” Gilda growled. “Why are they staring at me?”

“Well, we don’t get a lot of griffons down here,” Braeburn answered with a laugh. “Actually, we don’t get any griffons down here. You’re the first I’ve ever seen ‘round these parts. Don’t worry, I’m sure they’ll warm up to you once they know why you’re here. We’re all willin’ to do whatever it takes to take Nightmare Moon down.”

“I wouldn’t get your hopes up,” Gilda said.

“You just leave it to us,” Braeburn answered. “Once the potion is ready, we’ll be taking back our homeland. Nightmare Moon’s days are numbered.”

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked.

“Sheriff!” Scootaloo turned to see a young stallion galloping towards them. “Sheriff Braeburn! She’s coming!” The ponies nearby stopped what they were doing and watched.

Braeburn’s smile disappeared. “Where is she, deputy?”

“She just entered town, sir,” the stallion gasped. The ponies around them started murmuring quietly amongst themselves.

“Everypony, stay calm,” Braeburn said. “Continue about your business. We’ll handle this.”

“Would you mind explaining what’s going on?” Gilda asked.

“I’ll explain as we walk,” Braeburn replied as he trotted down the street. Scootaloo and Gilda followed. “There’s a strange mare who started coming into town a few months ago. She never stays long, and she rarely speaks to anypony except to buy apples.”

“What does she look like?” Scootaloo asked.

“She has a white coat, and her mane and tail are pink and purple,” Braeburn answered, lowering his voice a little. “She always wears a black cape and hood, so we’ve never gotten a good look at her face or cutie mark.”

“So what’s the big deal?” Gilda asked.

“Spies,” Braeburn said. “We get our share of travelers, but this one’s been hangin’ around too long to be just another nomad. We think she might be workin’ for Nightmare Moon.”

Scootaloo and Gilda glanced at each other. They said nothing, but each knew what the other was thinking. “I think I’ll get a look at her from above,” Gilda said. “Maybe I’ll see some resemblance.”

“Resemblance?” Braeburn repeated. The griffon opened her wings and rose into the air, leaving him alone with Scootaloo before he could ask more. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” Braeburn said with a sigh.

“Focus,” Scootaloo said, letting her military training take over. “We need to get to the bottom of this. Where does she buy apples?”

“Right.” Braeburn shook his head vigorously. “This way.”

The two made their way to the apple stand, and sure enough, a black-hooded pony was talking with the owner in hushed tones. The strange mare lifted a few bits out of her saddlebag with magic and gave them to the owner. “Well, we know she’s a unicorn,” Scootaloo muttered. “Have you ever talked to her?” Braeburn shook his head.

“Will that be all?” the owner asked with a shaky voice, tapping the side of his stand as the mare filled her saddlebags with apples. The mare nodded and started to walk away.

“Hey! Wait!” Scootaloo called, bounding after the mare. The mare glanced her way before taking off at a full gallop. “Come back! I just want to talk to you!” The mare paid her no mind, and soon she disappeared into the jungle. “Well, that went well,” Scootaloo huffed.

“Good job, Scoots,” Gilda said with a glare as she landed beside the orange pegasus. “You scared her off.”

“It wasn’t my fault,” Scootaloo shot back.

“She’s not usually that skittish,” Braeburn said with a furrowed brow. “I mean, she’ll run away if we’re insistent, but she usually just ignores us.”

“Whatever,” Gilda said. “Come on, let’s go follow her.”

“But what about Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo asked. “She was going to take us to see Zecora.”

“Zecora will have to wait,” Gilda replied. “We need to figure out who this mare is and why she’s being so secretive. If we hurry, we can catch her.”

Scootaloo wanted to argue, but she could tell Gilda wasn’t going to change her mind. “Tell Apple Bloom we’ll be back,” she told Braeburn.

“Wait! It’s not safe!” Braeburn called, but Gilda was already gone, and Scootaloo didn’t stop running after her. The sheriff was about to follow when a familiar voice stopped him.

“Hey, Braeburn, have you seen Scootaloo and Gilda?” Apple Bloom had changed out of her snowsuit and was looking around for her companions.

“They just ran into the jungle,” Braeburn answered with a sigh. “I think they think that strange mare is the spy.”

“And you don’t?” Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and put a hoof against her forehead. “Let me guess. Gilda’s idea?”

“Eeyup.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but smile. “You sound just like Big Mac when you say that,” she said. “I’ll get these herbs to Zecora, and then I’ll go lookin’ for them. They took their potions, right?” Braeburn nodded. “Good. At least they won’t get swamp fever.”

“You sure you can handle it?” Braeburn asked with a frown. “You just got back from Equestria, after all. I could have some of my deputies go after them.”

“You know the zebras won’t like that, Braeburn,” Apple Bloom replied. “Don’t worry about me. I’ve faced harder challenges before.”

“If you say so,” Braeburn said. Apple Bloom turned and began trotting towards the jungle. “I like that hat,” Braeburn called after her. “You look just like your sister when you wear it.”

Apple Bloom gave him another smile. “Thanks.” Then she picked up her pace and disappeared amid the trees.

Intrusion

Scootaloo gritted her teeth as she pushed her way through a tangle of vines, hoping she wouldn’t run into another snake. “Gilda, wait up!” she called to the barely-visible griffon ahead of her.

“There’s no time, Scoots,” Gilda yelled back. “We should have known Nightmare Moon would send Shadow Strike to find the potion. She’s probably been looking for it for months, and now she’s going to follow us right to it. We have to find her and take her out before she finds Zecora.”

“We already lost her,” Scootaloo grunted, wriggling her way through a particularly thick knot of vines. “Besides, we don’t even know if she is Shadow Strike.”

“I’m not taking that chance,” Gilda said, tearing a branch out of her path with a quick swipe of her claw. “I’m not letting her get away again!”

Gilda charged through a relatively clear patch of jungle, leaving Scootaloo behind. The pegasus ran after her, dodging the low-hanging branches that threated to put out her eyes. “Gilda, do you even know where we are?” she called, taking a moment to observe her surroundings. Everything looked like one big mass of green. “How are we supposed to find New Appleloosa again?”

“Will you stop worrying?” Gilda yelled, turning so abruptly that Scootaloo barely had time to stop before she collided with her companion. “We’re going to take down Shadow Strike as fast as possible and worry about everything else later.”

“Gilda!” The griffon started to run away again, but Scootaloo managed to pin her tail to the soft ground with a hoof. “We’ve lost her. Running around blindly isn’t going to bring us any closer to Shadow Strike. We’re lucky we haven’t gotten stuck in a bog or fallen in quicksand.”

Gilda struggled to free her tail, but Scootaloo refused to budge. “Fine,” Gilda murmured. “What do you think we should do then?”

Scootaloo released Gilda’s tail and thought for a moment. Before that moment was over, there was a soft whish, and she found herself leaning away from a spear hovering near her throat. She glanced at Gilda and saw three similar weapons leveled at her companion, held by three scowling zebras.

“We do not like outsiders here,” said a deep voice behind her. He spoke softly, but his tone left no doubt he meant business. “Speak, or you shall taste my spear.”

“W-We’re just passing through,” Scootaloo said as calmly as she could. “We’re here to see—”

“Ponies do not just pass through,” the zebra said, moving the spear a little closer to Scootaloo’s throat. “Tell me why we should not kill you.”

“We’re trying to protect Zecora from a dangerous spy,” Scootaloo said quickly. She didn’t know if it was true, but Gilda’s eyes were narrowing, and the pegasus knew she only had a few moments before the griffon decided to fight back. “We were tracking a strange pony through the jungle, but we lost her.”

The zebras didn’t look totally convinced, but they did withdraw their spears a little. “We know this mare of whom you speak,” said one. “It is her whom we do seek.”

“Great!” Scootaloo said. “So, you can put the spears down, and we can work together, right?”

“I think not, young pegasus,” said the voice behind her. “The two of you must come with us. Perhaps we were wrong at first glance, but still, we cannot take that chance.”

Gilda’s jaw tightened as she tensed her muscles. Scootaloo gave her a wide-eyed stare and shook her head. The griffon lashed out with her tail, knocking the three zebras behind her off their hooves. Gilda leapt into the air as the two zebras beside Scootaloo lunged forward. Scootaloo took to the air as well and landed on a high branch, far away from Gilda and the zebras.

“You think you can hold us down, huh?” Gilda taunted as the zebras regrouped.

“Come back down here right away!” yelled one of the zebras. Judging by his gold cap, Scootaloo assumed he was in charge. “You two will do as we say!”

“Or what?” Gilda asked.

The zebra scowled at her. “The pony town gave us its word that it would contain its herd. You have trespassed on our land, so you must obey our command.”

“We’re on the same side!” Scootaloo yelled. “We’re just trying to help you!”

“Hold your tongue, you little whelp,” the zebra yelled back. “We zebras do not need your help.”

“Hold your own tongue, foolish guard.” Scootaloo turned and saw another zebra emerge from the jungle. Like the others, she wore several gold rings around her neck and foreleg, and her flank bore the image of a strange sun. “These two friends mean us no harm.”

“Zecora, how can you be sure?” the zebra guard asked. “We must keep this place secure.”

“They came here with me.” Apple Bloom walked up behind Zecora, her face half-hidden behind a large-brimmed hat. “They’re the soldiers the Griffon’s Nest sent to get the potion.”

The zebra soldiers looked at one another, unsure of how to proceed. Scootaloo held her breath and pushed herself a little closer to the tree’s trunk. “Very well,” the leader said as he turned to face his prisoners. “We’ll let you go, but there is one thing you should know. If any harm comes to this place, the pony folk will lose our grace.” The zebra nodded to his soldiers, who promptly turned and followed him into the jungle.

“Thanks, Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said as she and Gilda returned to the ground. With her snowsuit off, Apple Bloom’s cutie mark was clearly visible—a green herb and a vial. “What’s your cutie mark mean?” the orange pegasus couldn’t help but ask.

“Potion-making,” Apple Bloom replied. “You should have waited for me. Ponies aren’t supposed to wander around out here.”

“I’m not a pony,” Gilda protested.

“It does not matter, griffon kind,” Zecora said with a glare. “It will not do to act so blind. If Apple Bloom had not found me, the two of you would not walk free.”

“I could have taken them,” Gilda muttered.

“Perhaps, but what would you do then?” Zecora asked. “You would not earn our trust again.”

“Look, can we just do what we came here to do?” Gilda snapped. “You asked us to come to this miserable jungle, didn’t you?”

“I asked you to see my work,” Zecora answered. “There is no need to be a jerk.”

“I’m not being a—”

“Gilda, stop,” Scootaloo said. The griffon rolled her eyes and scowled at the ground. “We’re sorry for causing trouble. We thought we saw a spy, and we thought if we took care of her now, our mission would be a lot easier.”

“That mare in town? You mean you didn’t recognize her?” Apple Bloom asked.

“How was I supposed to recognize her?” Scootaloo replied. “She was wearing a cape and hood, and she ran away when I tried to talk to her.”

“But she’s your friend,” Apple Bloom said. “She’s your old friend Sweetie Belle.”

Three of a Kind

“Okay, back up,” Gilda said, moving out of the way so Zecora could get to her cauldron. “You’re friends with Shadow Strike?”

“For the last time, her name’s Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom snapped as she ground a mixture of herbs in a small stone bowl. “And yes, she’s one of our friends from Ponyville.”

“Sweetie Belle, Shadow Strike, it’s all the same,” Gilda muttered. Zecora’s one-room hut was far too cramped for her tastes. A bubbling cauldron sat over a fire at the center of the room, and the walls were lined with eerie wooden masks. Zecora and Apple Bloom moved constantly from one shelf to another in search of ingredients, forcing Gilda and Scootaloo to constantly move out of the way. To make matters worse, the cauldron was emitting a foul-smelling gas that made the griffon’s eyes water and throat sting.

“Gilda, you do not know that,” Zecora said as she examined her brew and added Apple Bloom’s herb mixture. “Your suspicions may fall flat.”

“How long has Sweetie Belle been here?” Scootaloo asked.

“We’re not really sure,” Apple Bloom answered. “As you could probably tell, she doesn’t like talkin’ much. As far as we know, she showed up about five years ago.”

“Same time as the uprising,” Gilda noted.

“She hides in the jungle all alone,” Zecora added. “No one is able to find her home.”

“Guess we’ll have to go looking for her,” Gilda decided.

“Maybe you should, but not today,” Zecora said. “The soldiers will chase you away.”

“We’re wasting time!” Gilda groaned, stomping the ground with a talon.

“If the zebras haven’t found her, we won’t either,” Scootaloo said. “I think we should stay here, for now.”

Gilda was still scowling as she walked towards the door. “Surveillance, then,” she said, pushing the door open and jerking her head outside. Scootaloo walked through the open door. Gilda shut the door behind her as she followed. “What’s on your mind, Scoots?”

“What do you mean?” Scootaloo asked, giving her friend a frown.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Gilda explained. “Ever since Apple Bloom told us that strange mare’s name.”

“I… I’m just surprised to see her here,” Scootaloo replied.

“Uh-huh.” Gilda raised her eyebrows as she examined one of her talons. “You know, I’m surprised you’re not more eager to find her. She killed your mentor, after all.”

“Might,” Scootaloo said with a hint of a growl in her voice. “Might have killed her.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Scootaloo didn’t know why Gilda kept pressing the issue, but she answered anyway. “It’s like Apple Bloom said. Sweetie Belle’s an old friend of mine.”

“And a traitor,” Gilda added. Scootaloo started to protest again, but the griffon cut her off. “You have to face the facts, Scoots. She showed up here for the first time five years ago, right when Nightmare Moon stole Zecora’s first potion. She hides out in the jungle, she doesn’t talk to anyone, and not even the zebras can find her. Sounds like a spy and an assassin to me.”

“We don’t know that yet,” Scootaloo said, her voice rising. “There are a lot of reasons she could be acting this way.”

“Like what?” Gilda asked. Scootaloo glared at her. The griffon stared evenly back.

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo said after a moment.

Gilda studied the sergeant’s face carefully. “What’s really bothering you, Scoots?”

Scootaloo let out a heavy sigh and dug at the soft earth with one hoof. “Sweetie was one of the best friends I had back in Ponyville,” she said. “Us and Apple Bloom, we tried everything we could think of to get our cutie marks. We used to call ourselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders,” she added, smiling at the memory.

“And then Nightmare Moon destroyed it,” Gilda finished.

Scootaloo nodded, her smile vanishing. “We were at our clubhouse when she attacked. Apple Bloom’s big sister came running to get us. She told us to hide in the orchard until the danger was gone, but Sweetie Belle wanted to find her sister and ran straight to her boutique. By the time we caught up with her, the boutique was burning to the ground.”

Scootaloo squeezed her eyes shut and hung her head, wishing for a moment that her mane was long enough to hide her face. “What happened then?” Gilda asked softly.

“Nightmare Moon spotted us,” Apple Bloom said, walking outside with two steaming bowls on her back. “Soup?”

“Soup?” Gilda repeated. “Is that what you’ve been making in there?”

Apple Bloom nodded as she set the bowls carefully on Zecora’s front step. “I know it smells weird while it’s cooking, but it tastes great.”

Gilda looked at the soup warily. “You were saying?”

Apple Bloom took a seat next to Scootaloo. “Nightmare Moon was after my sister and her friends,” she said. “Applejack held her off while Scootaloo and I ran away. I went to the forest, and that’s how I ended up with Zecora.”

“And what about you, Scoots?”

Scootaloo took a deep breath to steady her voice. “I ran into Twilight Sparkle,” she said. “She teleported me away from the town and told me to stay with Pinkie Pie while she went to rescue more ponies. I think she tried to get Applejack, but she was too late,” Scootaloo added. Apple Bloom nodded.

“I wasn’t there, but I heard she saved a lot of ponies that day,” the yellow mare continued. “She couldn’t save my sister or all of her friends, but she did her best.”

“So what’s this have to do with Sha—Sweetie Bell?” Gilda asked.

“I thought she was dead,” Scootaloo muttered, her voice cracking. “I thought she died in the boutique. And now you’re saying she’s a spy and we have to—to—”

“It’s okay,” Apple Bloom said, patting Scootaloo’s shoulder. The orange mare bowed her head as her tears ran freely.

Gilda clawed at the ground for a moment, not sure how to say what she needed to say. “Look, Scoots, I get that you’re old friends,” she said slowly, “but we can’t let Zecora’s potion get stolen again. We need that potion if the Griffon’s Nest is going to succeed, and we have to defend it at all costs.”

“I don’t want to kill her,” Scootaloo sobbed. “I can’t.”

Apple Bloom glanced up and saw a black-robed figure standing just inside the tree line. The figure gave her a short nod before disappearing into the jungle. “Would you like to talk to her?”

Scootaloo wiped a few tears from her face. “What?”

Apple Bloom glanced at Gilda before continuing. “I’ve tracked her down a couple times,” the yellow mare explained. “I can tell you where you might find her.”

“Why didn’t you say so before?” Gilda demanded.

“Because I’m not about to send a bloodthirsty griffon after her,” Apple Bloom snapped, giving the griffon a glare. “Listen, Scoots, I know where you can find her. It’s not her home, but we’ve met there a couple times in the past. I can take you there if you like.”

“Perfect,” Gilda said. “We can set up an ambush. You’ll draw her out, and I’ll—”

“No,” Apple Bloom said sternly. “If she goes, she goes alone. Sweetie Belle’s one pony you don’t want to mess with.”

“It’s okay, Gilda,” Scootaloo said softly before the griffon could keep arguing. “I’ll be okay. At least this way… this way I can know for sure.”

Gilda looked from one pony to the other. “Fine,” she mumbled at last. “I’ll stay here and stand guard.”

“Thank you,” Apple Bloom replied. “Let me get my things, and we’ll be on our way.”

Reunion

The sun was beginning to descend when Scootaloo and Apple Bloom started their trek into the jungle. “Be careful,” Apple Bloom warned as she moved a few branches out of her path. “There’s a lot of swamp around here.”

Scootaloo didn’t need to be told again after a misstep sent her hoof splashing into a murky puddle. “How far is it?” she asked.

“It’s a ways,” Apple Bloom replied, brushing a few bugs off her brown vest. “Far enough to make a safe hidin’ place.”

“Why is she hiding?” Scootaloo asked, swatting a few mosquitos away from her face. “Wouldn’t she be safer in New Appleloosa?”

It took Apple Bloom a moment to answer. “Not for her. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a great pony, but…”

“But what?”

Apple Bloom shook her head. “I can’t tell you.”

Scootaloo frowned. “Why not?”

“It’s not my place,” Apple Bloom answered, pausing to leap over a watery section of her path. “To be honest, Scoots, both of us got lucky compared to her. You lost your mentor, and I lost my whole family, but Sweetie Belle lost so much more.”

Scootaloo felt a chill run down her spine as she glided over the water in her way. “What do you mean?”

“I hope you don’t have to find out,” was the only reply.

The two continued on in silence for a while as the sun drew closer to the horizon. They eventually reached a relatively dry clearing. “Here we are,” Apple Bloom said softly as she came to a stop in the middle of the clearing, her eyes scanning the jungle around them. “Now we just wait for her to show her face.”

Scootaloo looked around for any sign of the black-hooded mare. “How long does it usually take?” she asked.

“Depends,” Apple Bloom answered.

After a few more minutes, Scootaloo spied a dark shape moving amidst the trees and vines. “Is that her?” she whispered. The figure walked closer and stepped into the clearing. Scootaloo held her breath. It sure looked like Sweetie Belle, but with the hood up, she couldn’t be sure.

“Is the griffon here?” the mare asked.

“Nope,” Apple Bloom answered. “She stayed at Zecora’s hut.”

The mare lifted one white hoof to her hood and threw it back, revealing her face. Her pink-and-purple mane was less curly than Scootaloo remembered it, but there was no mistaking her face. “Sweetie Belle!” the pegasus cried, bounding towards her old friend. Sweetie’s eyes widened as she backed up several paces, but Scootaloo tackled her before the unicorn could get too far. “I can’t believe it’s you.”

“Yeah, it’s me,” Sweetie Belle said with a shaky laugh. “How’re you, Scoots?”

“I’m great!” Scootaloo replied. Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, as great as you can expect, anyway. Where have you been all this time? I thought you died in the fire!”

“I wish,” Sweetie Belle muttered.

“Huh?” Scootaloo frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing,” Sweetie Belle said quickly, putting on a smile. “So, I guess you’ve joined the griffons?”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo answered, though her thoughts were still on Sweetie’s strange comment. “I’ve been at the Griffon’s Nest ever since Rainbow Dash died.”

“Apple Bloom told me about that,” Sweetie Belle said. “It’s too bad her potion didn’t work.”

“Didn’t work?” Scootaloo turned to Apple Bloom. “I thought you said it was stolen.”

“It was,” Apple Bloom answered. “That’s why it didn’t work.”

Scootaloo thought that sounded a little odd, but she let it go. “So, Sweetie, did you learn how to do magic?” she asked.

“A little,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

Sweetie Belle looked at the ground before asking her question. “Do you know where I can find Twilight Sparkle?”

“Huh?”

“She’s Princess Celestia’s protégé,” Sweetie explained. “I heard she’s the best magician alive. I was hoping she could help me with my magic.”

Apple Bloom let out an uncomfortable cough. “Uh, Sweetie Belle, there’s somethin’ I’ve been meanin’ to tell you.”

Sweetie Belle frowned. “What is it?”

“Well, you see,” Apple Bloom said slowly, “Twilight… well, she’s dead.”

“Dead?” Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle repeated.

“For about a year,” Apple Bloom added, hiding her face behind her hat.

The unicorn and pegasus stared at the earth pony for a long moment. “You mean to tell me she’s been dead for a year and you never said anything?” Sweetie demanded.

“Look, I’ve been meanin’ to tell you, but I’ve just been so busy—”

“Did you kill her?” Sweetie shouted. “Did stupid Nightmare Moon—”

“I had nothin’ to do with it, and you know it!” Apple Bloom yelled back.

“Girls!” Scootaloo cried, putting her hooves in her friends’ mouths. “Come on,” she continued with a shaky laugh. “We haven’t been together in ten years. This is supposed to be a happy meeting.”

Sweetie Belle jerked away from Scootaloo’s hoof and glared at Apple Bloom, who pointedly avoided her gaze. “You know how much that meant to me,” the unicorn hissed.

“It wasn’t my fault,” Apple Bloom muttered.

“What’s going on?” Scootaloo asked. Neither of her friends answered. “What’s gotten into you?”

“You really want to know?” Sweetie Belle asked, turning her fierce glare on the pegasus. “You really want to know what happened after you and Apple Bloom ran away?” Scootaloo could only nod. “Nightmare Moon,” the unicorn said. “That’s what happened. She captured me and Rarity and took us to Canterlot with some of the other ponies from Ponyville. Most of them she just killed, but not us. She tortured her for trying to help Twilight beat her. Then she tortured me.”

“Sweetie—”

The unicorn ignored Apple Bloom’s soft interruption and walked slowly toward Scootaloo. “She killed Rarity right in front of my eyes,” she said. “But she didn’t kill me. No. She made me her student. She tried to teach me everything she knew about magic and make be just like her.”

“Sweetie Belle—”

“That’s where she made her mistake,” Sweetie continued, ignoring Apple Bloom and the fact that Scootaloo was slowly backing away even as she advanced. “See, I was never very good at magic in Ponyville, but it turned out I could do some pretty powerful stuff, stuff she wasn’t expecting.”

“S-Stuff like what?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle stopped and stared straight into Scootaloo’s eyes. “Stuff nopony should ever be able to do,” she answered. “That’s why I need Twilight. I need to know how to get rid of this curse.”

“Sweetie Belle!” The unicorn blinked a couple times and turned to face Apple Bloom. “I’m sorry about Twilight, but there’s nothin’ we can do about it now. We’ll just have to come up with somethin’ else.”

“What else is there, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie demanded. “How can anypony help me get rid of this?” Sweetie Belle threw off her cloak to reveal her cutie mark. Scootaloo recoiled when she realized her friend bore the image of a skull on her flank.

Apple Bloom’s mouth moved noiselessly for a moment. “I-I don’t know,” she said at last, “but I’m sure Zecora and I can come up with something.”

“There’s no potion in the world that can get rid of this… this… thing!” Sweetie Belle yelled, her voice cracking. “My only hope was that Twilight knew some kind of spell that would help me, and now she’s dead!”

“Sweetie Belle, calm down,” Scootaloo said. “So you have a creepy cutie mark. It’s not the end of the world.”

The pegasus wished she’d kept her mouth shut when Sweetie Belle’s furious gaze rested on her again. “Do you even know what this is?” she hissed. “Do you have any idea what my special talent is?”

“N-No,” Scootaloo stammered as Sweetie Belle’s horn began to glow with a black aura.

“The skull is a symbol of death,” Sweetie said softly, her eyes narrowing. “Who wants a special talent like that?”

Before Scootaloo could find an answer, a brown-and-white blur shot out of the sky and knocked Sweetie Belle across the clearing. “Get back!” Gilda screamed, taking a defensive stance in front of Scootaloo.

“Gilda! Get out of here!” Apple Bloom yelled with more fear in her voice than anger.

“Stay out of this,” Gilda snapped. “You’re the one who brought her to this murderer.”

“I’m not a murderer,” Sweetie Belle growled. The aura around her horn glowed brighter as she got to her hooves.

“Oh yeah?” Gilda began creeping around the unicorn in a wide circle, her tail flicking back and forth. “What about the griffons you killed in Canterlot? What about Rainbow Dash and the rebellion?”

“I’m not a murderer!” Sweetie Belle screamed, stomping her hoof on the ground and sending a tremor rippling through the clearing.

“Gilda, stop!” Apple Bloom tried to push Gilda away, but the griffon brushed her aside with one swipe of her talon.

“I’m not letting you get away this time,” Gilda said. “I’m going to make you pay!”

Gilda lunged forward, talons outstretched, ready to sink her claws into Sweetie Belle’s flesh. The unicorn’s horn glowed brighter still, and a paralyzing aura surrounded the griffon, stopping her in her tracks. Gilda struggled and writhed, but the spell held her fast. Sweetie Belle smirked. “Rainbow Dash, you say? I think I can help with that.”

Scootaloo’s eyes widened as a crack appeared in the ground between Gilda and Sweetie Belle, a toxic green glow emanating from within. A cyan hoof reached out of the crack and planted itself on the ground beside it, followed shortly by a second hoof and a rainbow-maned head.

“W-What is this?” Gilda cried as a cyan pegasus slowly clawed her way out of the crack. “What are you doing?”

“I thought you wanted Rainbow Dash,” Sweetie Belle said. The cyan pegasus stared at Gilda with vacant eyes, her teeth bared. Her wings were tattered and shredded, and her skin was stretched tightly over her bones.

“T-This is insane!” Gilda screamed, redoubling her thrashing. “You’re insane!”

“You tried to kill me,” Sweetie Belle replied as the ghostly pegasus crept closer to the griffon. “Looks like you’re the one who’s going to pay.”

There was a soft swish followed by a startled cry. Sweetie Belle jumped sideways as a hoof shot to her forehead to remove a small dart that had struck her just below the horn. “What is… what?” The aura around her horn began to dim, and the ghostly pegasus sank into the ground as the glowing crack sealed itself. “No!” Sweetie cried, swaying on her hooves. “You don’t… I can’t…” She stumbled and hit the ground hard, breathing quickly. “Somepony… help… me…”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes closed as her breathing slowed to normal. Scootaloo and Gilda stared at the unconscious mare for a moment before turning their gaze to Apple Bloom, who still held a blowpipe to her lips.

“Sorry about that, Scoots,” Apple Bloom said quietly as she stowed her blowpipe inside her vest. “She doesn’t really control her powers that well.”

“Wh… what was that?” Scootaloo gasped.

“Her special talent,” Apple Bloom replied, putting a hoof to Sweetie Belle’s neck to check her pulse.

“That’s her talent?”

“Now you know why she wanted to see Twilight,” Apple Bloom said. “Come on, let’s get her back to Zecora’s.”

Searching

Nightmare Moon had read a lot about dragons, and aside from Twilight Sparkle, she probably knew more about them than any other pony since the founding of Equestria. What she hadn’t realized, however, was just how painful a dragonfire burn could be.

A spasm jerked through the princess’s flank just behind a flare of pain, nearly causing her to drop a set of vials she was holding in her magical aura. Her entire left side ached and burned, but she forced the pain to the back of her mind and concentrated on the task at hand. She examined the vials until she found the ones she was looking for and returned the others to their places in the potions cabinet. She’d spent the first year of her reign stockpiling potion ingredients once it became clear that her eternal night was less than friendly to the local vegetation, and it looked like that plan was finally going to pay off.

The dark mare carefully mixed the ingredients in a beaker suspended over an open flame and waited. It wasn’t a potion she was familiar with, but it didn’t seem too difficult. After a few minutes, the mixture bubbled and turned blue. She shut off the flame and waited a minute for the potion to cool while her singed flesh twitched against her will. Finally, she brought the beaker to her lips and drank. The tart liquid chilled her throat and stomach as it went down. With the potion finished, Nightmare Moon sat back and waited for the pain to ebb away.

It didn’t.

After a minute of waiting, the princess realized her latest plan had failed. Scowling, she wrapped the potions book in her magic and checked the recipe. After reading it through three times and finding no mistake, she threw the book against the wall and screamed. “Accursed dragons! May all your kind rot in Tartarus!”

Nightmare Moon took several deep breaths to regain her composure only to have it ruined by yet another searing jab in her flank. With another scream, the dark mare grabbed an entire bookshelf with her magic and threw it across the room. Shapeshifting did nothing to heal her injuries like it usually did, and every healing spell and potion she knew had failed as well. Loath as she was to resort to zebra lore, she had nevertheless dug through the Canterlot library in search of every recipe for Zebrica healing potions she could find. Now, that too had failed her, leaving her in rage-inducing pain with no plan for recovery.

Panting more from anger than exhaustion, Nightmare Moon looked out the window at the frozen waste beyond. As always, her bright full moon lit up the landscape with its pale white light, which reflected off the pristine snow that covered Canterlot’s streets and rooftops. The stars glowed and twinkled like diamonds against black velvet. She let out a slow sigh as she took in the beauty of her night. Even after ten years, she was always amazed by its splendor. “If only you’d seen it too, Celestia. I might have let you live.”

The princess turned away from the window and looked at the ruined bookcase that lay shattered on the far side of the room. Its books lay in a heap on the floor, and with a sigh, she began to stack them neatly on a table. She spied a few that might help her find a way to rid herself of these accursed dragonfire burns and set them aside, but for the most part, they looked pretty useless. “‘The Science of Harmony,’” she read before tossing the book aside. “Pah. As if I need any more ‘harmony.’” It was no wonder Celestia had fallen so easily. “Perhaps you should have spent more time on meaningful studies, dear sister, rather than sentimental nonsense.”

With the books cleared away, she began to examine the crumpled bookshelf. With some careful spellwork, she managed to repair the damage and return the shelf to its place against the wall. After stacking Celestia’s useless tomes on its shelves, she turned her attention to the few that might be of use to her. Most of them were written in Old Zebrican, a language she didn’t feel like translating after the day’s many failures. She set them aside for later.

The others were written in Old Equestrian, a language she had grown up with. She located three possible potions and turned to find the ingredients when a slight glow caught her eye. A spot on the wall was emitting a dull, yellow light where the bookshelf had struck it. She stared at the spot for a moment, wondering why she hadn’t noticed it before. She’d done a thorough magical sweep of the castle after claiming it for her own, and she’d sensed nothing odd about this particular wall then.

Nightmare Moon prodded at the glowing spot with a small tendril of magic. The glow grew stronger and bigger until an arched section of the wall glowed with yellow light, a sun blazing at its center. “Well, well,” she muttered. “Seems you were more clever than I gave you credit for, Celestia.” She decided to leave the potions for another time and see what this secret had to offer.

The aura around her horn grew brighter, and three shadowy shapes formed around her. It had been years since she’d cast this spell, and it took more effort than she remembered. After a moment, the shapes coalesced into three black pegasi with blue manes. “My Shadowbolts,” said Nightmare Moon with a smirk. “How would you like to test Celestia’s power?”

“It would be an honor, your majesty,” said the pegasi as they bowed in unison.

“Investigate this glow,” she instructed with a nod towards the wall. One of the Shadowbolts stepped forward and prodded the glow with a hoof. When nothing happened, it then pushed on the wall with its forehooves before returning to the princess.

“It is a doorway, your majesty,” the pony reported. “It has been sealed with a powerful spell.”

Nightmare Moon nodded. This news didn’t surprise her, but it did pique her curiosity. “What were you hiding, Celestia?” she murmured as she stepped forward, pointing her horn at the sun’s center. She quickly examined the seal and formulated what she hoped was a proper counter spell. She then focused her energy, and with a quick burst of magic, the glowing seal faded away, leaving only a plain-looking door emblazoned with a sun and a moon.

“Come,” the princess said, using her magic to open the door. The Shadowbolts followed her as she stepped through the doorway and into the unknown.

Revelation

“I’m sorry.”

Scootaloo sighed and looked at her companion. Gilda was lying on the ground, her tail curled around her, digging a small hole with a talon. The only light came through the windows in Zecora’s hut, where the zebra was still tending to Sweetie Belle. The two soldiers had spoken little to each other since returning from the jungle clearing, though Zecora had given the griffon quite a tongue lashing when they brought Sweetie Belle’s limp body into her hut. Until this moment, Gilda had been almost silent since.

Gilda pried a rock out of the soft earth and studied it for a moment. “It’s just… it’s Shadow Strike,” she said, flicking the rock away. The rock sailed through the air and disappeared in the shadows that lay beyond the broken circle of torchlight. “Dash and I… we were close, you know?” Gilda looked over at Scootaloo, who gazed wordlessly back. “I guess I let myself get carried away.”

“Shadow Strike’s still out there,” Scootaloo replied, turning her attention toward the shadows. “We’ll get her eventually.”

Gilda poked at the ground a couple times. “Look, Scoots, I hate to keep bringing this up, but how do you know we haven’t found her already?”

Scootaloo didn’t answer, and Gilda returned to digging holes. To be honest, Scootaloo couldn’t answer. She didn’t know that Sweetie Belle wasn’t Shadow Strike, and she had to admit the evidence wasn’t in her favor. Still, a part of her couldn’t believe her childhood friend was Nightmare Moon’s spy and assassin. Or did she just not want to believe it?

The orange pegasus sighed again and closed her eyes, resting her head on her forelegs. This was by far the most confusing guard assignment she’d ever had.

The hut’s door creaked open, and Apple Bloom stepped out, her head hanging a little lower than usual. “Howdy,” she mumbled. “How y’all doin’?”

“Fine,” Scootaloo muttered back.

“Okay,” Gilda added.

Apple Bloom sat down behind the two and yawned. “Well, you’ll be glad to know that Sweetie’s doing okay,” she said.

“Is she awake?” Scootaloo asked, perking her head up a little.

Apple Bloom shook her head. “Shutting down a spell that powerful is dangerous at best,” she said. “On the bright side, we know this latest potion is at least half-ready.”

“Potion?” Scootaloo repeated. “You mean the one for Nightmare Moon?”

“Wait, back up.” Gilda sat up and brushed a little dirt out of her fur and feathers. “What’s this have to do with the potion?”

“The potion is supposed to suppress all kinds of magic,” Apple Bloom explained. “I was going to test it out on Sweetie Belle once you were done talkin’ to her, but… well, it got a little more dramatic than I thought.”

“Test?” Scootaloo said, her voice rising. “You were using Sweetie Belle to test a poison?”

“Relax, Scoots, it’s not a poison,” Apple Bloom said, raising her hooves defensively. “After what happened five years ago, Zecora and I decided to make the potion non-lethal. Besides, Sweetie’s been helping test the potion for months now. That’s how I knew where to meet her.”

“You were still testing on her!” Scootaloo shouted. “What if the potion was too strong and she lost her magic forever?”

“You think she didn’t know that?” Apple Bloom snapped. “She was hopin’ for it! You think she wants to keep summoning those… those… things every time she gets mad?”

“Cool it, sergeant,” Gilda said.

“You’re one to talk,” Scootaloo shot back.

“Scoots, I wouldn’t have dreamed of testing it on Sweetie Belle if I thought it wasn’t safe,” Apple Bloom said. “We needed to be sure it would work with pony magic, and she was the only unicorn available.”

“Pony magic?” Scootaloo repeated. “What other kind of magic is there?”

Apple Bloom smiled in the dim light, despite the bags under her eyes. “Come with me. I’ll show you.”

“Don’t think so,” Gilda replied, getting to her feet. “Scoots and I have a potion to collect.”

“It’ll be fine,” Apple Bloom said. “Nightmare Moon won’t find it here.”

“She found it once,” Scootaloo said. “Gilda’s right. Unless it’s to keep the potion safe, we can’t leave.”

Apple Bloom’s smile faded, and she stared at the ground as she ran her hoof up and down her foreleg. “Listen… Scootaloo, we’re friends, right?”

“Of course,” Scootaloo replied with a frown. “Why?”

“Well…” She glanced quickly at Gilda. “Five years ago, Nightmare Moon didn’t exactly steal the potion.”

“What do you mean?” Gilda asked, her usual scowl returning. “How did she get it?”

“She got it from me.”

Scootaloo’s mouth hung open for what felt like much longer than a moment. “What?”

“I-It was an accident,” Apple Bloom added quickly. “When we heard Rainbow Dash was going to attack, Zecora sent me with the potion we had. I was supposed to sneak into Canterlot and poison Nightmare Moon, but she caught me, took the potion, and used it against Dash’s army.”

“You mean it’s your fault my soldiers died?” Gilda yelled, her scowl deepening.

“It wasn’t my fault!” Apple Bloom shouted, her voice cracking.

“Who decided to send you in, anyway?” Gilda demanded. “You’re an herbalist, not an assassin!”

Apple Bloom’s eyes narrowed, and she touched a hoof to her Stetson. “You really don’t recognize me?” she asked. “You saw me trying to get into Rainbow Dash’s tent, didn’t you?”

Gilda’s eyes widened. “You!” The griffon lunged at the yellow pony, who deftly dodged to the side. “You’re the one who killed Rainbow Dash!”

“Gilda!” Scootaloo cried.

“I was tryin’ to warn her,” Apple Bloom replied as the griffon lunged again. The earth pony sidestepped, and Gilda missed once again, nearly crashing into Scootaloo. “It’s not my fault you didn’t listen!”

“You gave her the potion!” Gilda snarled, preparing for a third attack. “You told her our plan!”

“Nightmare Moon knew about your plan all along!” Apple Bloom shouted. “You think I’m the only spy she had?”

“You’re the only one that matters,” Gilda growled.

The door to Zecora’s hut flew open, and a very angry zebra stepped outside. “What is going on out here?” Zecora yelled. “My own thoughts I cannot hear!”

“Zecora! Apple Bloom is Shadow Strike!” Gilda lunged at the earth pony for the third time, and Apple Bloom avoided her once again. “She’s after the potion!”

“Apple Bloom is no threat to us,” Zecora said. “There is no need for all this fuss.”

“No need?” Gilda repeated. “She’s working for Nightmare Moon! She’ll steal the potion and kill us in our sleep!”

“If she was going to kill us, she’d have done it already,” Scootaloo said, putting herself between the griffon and the earth pony.

Gilda stared at her. “Whose side are you on?”

Zecora stomped on Gilda’s tail. The griffon let out a high-pitched squeal and rounded on the zebra. “Hold your peace, you headstrong fool, or you will face an end most cruel.”

“Is that a threat?” Gilda growled.

“You are too hasty in your youth,” Zecora said. “Settle down and hear the truth. You’ve been tricked by what you’ve seen. Not everything is as it seems.”

“And why should I trust you?” Gilda asked. “You can’t even give me a straight answer!”

“Because I am your only chance if your plan is to advance,” the zebra answered, taking her hoof off Gilda’s tail at last.

“I’ve already waited long enough!” Gilda yelled. She turned to face Shadow Strike, only to find that the earth pony was gone. “Where is she?” Gilda demanded. “Where’d she go?”

“Apple Bloom has work to do,” Zecora said. “She just left with Scootaloo.”

“What? No!” Gilda bolted for the forest, scanning the darkness for any sign of her best friend or her greatest enemy.

“They are gone, my griffon friend,” said the zebra, walking forward to stand beside Gilda. “The time for hatred is at an end. If we are to avoid our doom, we must not judge our friends so soon.”

“You don’t understand!” Gilda said. “She… I saw her!”

“You cannot always trust your eyes with one whose life is wrapped in lies,” Zecora replied gently. “Give her time to tell her tale, and she may help us to prevail.”

Gilda looked desperately towards the trees once again, but she knew in her heart she would never find the two ponies. “Fine,” she grumbled as she walked towards the hut. “But if anything happens to Scootaloo, I’m holding you accountable.”

Secrets and Lies

Scootaloo hated to leave Gilda behind. They were partners, after all, and they’d become good friends during their time at the Griffon’s Nest. Still, the griffon’s paranoia and anger were getting in the way, and the pegasus needed answers. Apple Bloom was hiding a lot from her, both about herself and Sweetie Belle, and while she was glad to find her old friends alive, it was clear they had some serious catching-up to do.

Apple Bloom set a brisk pace through the jungle, checking occasionally to make sure her pegasus companion kept up. For a while, the only sounds were their pounding hooves and ragged breaths. Scootaloo had expected to hear a lot of noise from the jungle’s nocturnal animals, but they were eerily silent, and the pegasus wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“Apple Bloom, wait,” the pegasus gasped, and the two came to a halt. “Where… where are we going?”

“Deep into the jungle,” Apple Bloom replied, her speech distorted by the lantern she carried in her mouth. Scootaloo shot her a glare. “It’s a part of the jungle where the zebras never go.”

Scootaloo decided to ignore the unhelpful directions. “Why don’t they go there?”

“Scoots, I’d love to explain, but we don’t have time right now,” Apple Bloom answered. “Now let’s go. We still have a lot of ground to cover.”

“Apple Bloom!” Scootaloo cried, but the earth pony was already moving deeper into the jungle. Scootaloo gritted her teeth and unfurled her wings as she leapt into the air. She quickly overtook the earth pony and landed in front of her, blocking her path. “Enough with the secrets, Apple Bloom! Tell me what’s going on!”

Scootaloo couldn’t see her friend’s face in the dark, but she heard her sigh. “It’s too complicated,” Apple Bloom said, sidestepping to get around the pegasus. “I’ll explain later.”

“No!” Scootaloo lunged to the side to keep Apple Bloom from going around. “Apple Bloom, what’s going on? Who are you?”

“I’m your friend,” the earth pony replied.

“That’s not what I mean!” Scootaloo was so close to Apple Bloom, she could feel the earth pony’s breath on her face. “You’re—you’re Nightmare Moon’s student! You’re a spy!”

“I’m the pony who brought you safely to Zebrica,” Apple Bloom replied. “I’m the pony who helped Zecora create the potion that will put an end to Nightmare Moon’s reign.”

“How do I know?” Scootaloo asked, grimacing as her eyes started to burn and her voice cracked against her will. “How do I know I can trust you, Apple Bloom?”

For a moment, the two stood there, muzzles barely an inch apart. Apple Bloom let out a long sigh and set the lantern on the ground. Scootaloo squinted as the warm air hit her face. “I am a spy, but not for who you think,” Apple Bloom said at last.

Scootaloo wanted to shout that her friend was only making things more confusing, but she held her peace. Apple Bloom seemed to be opening up at last, and she didn’t want to risk cutting her off.

“After Nightmare Moon killed my family, Zecora took me in,” she said. “She taught me how to make potions and some zebra meditation techniques. Without her, I probably would have lost my mind.”

Apple Bloom stepped around Scootaloo and walked deeper into the jungle. Scootaloo picked up the lantern and followed closely. “We hid here for a long time, trying to stay out of Nightmare Moon’s way. Eventually, we caught wind about Rainbow Dash’s rebellion, and we decided to help. Zecora asked me to go to Canterlot to find some rare herbs for the potion. Nightmare Moon caught me, but for some reason, she decided to make me her spy instead of killing me. I guess she was impressed that I managed to get into Canterlot without her noticing.”

“Why would she do that?” Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom didn’t answer immediately. “I offered. I didn’t know what else to do, so I told her I wanted to be her student. I didn’t know it at the time, but Sweetie Belle had just escaped, and Nightmare Moon wanted revenge.”

“So you were working for Nightmare Moon,” Scootaloo said. It wasn’t an accusation this time, just a statement of fact.

“You have no idea how terrifying these last few years have been,” Apple Bloom said with a shudder. “Nightmare Moon doesn’t take kindly to betrayal, so I had to keep giving her something without ruining everything. Every time I went back to Canterlot, I was sure I would never see Zecora or the resistance again.”

“But you did help, right?”

“Yes,” Apple Bloom said. “The things I learned about Nightmare Moon were invaluable to the resistance. Everypony knows about her strength and power, but over time, I started to see some of her weaknesses. She’s very alert, but if you give her a big enough distraction, it’s possible to catch her by surprise.”

“Like what?”

“Well, a dragon, for one,” Apple Bloom said, momentarily disappearing from view behind a tangle of vines. “That’s why she didn’t follow you and Gilda.”

“Spike,” Scootaloo muttered. She didn’t know what had happened to the dragon, but she had a feeling it wasn’t good.

“Want to know her biggest weakness, though?” Apple Bloom asked. Scootaloo nodded, then remembered the earth pony couldn’t see her. “Princess Celestia,” Apple Bloom answered anyway.

“The princess?” Scootaloo repeated as a frown came to her face. “How? She defeated Princess Celestia years ago.”

“Yes, but the memory still haunts her,” Apple Bloom replied. “Most ponies don’t know this, but Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon are actually sisters.”

“Sisters?”

“Sisters,” Apple Bloom confirmed. “Twilight told me about it one day, during the rebellion. Her real name is Luna, but she changed it when she rebelled against the princess a thousand years ago.”

Scootaloo had to take a moment to let this latest revelation sink in. She knew the stories of Nightmare Moon—there wasn’t a foal in Equestria who didn’t—but she never suspected the Mare in the Moon was actually related to Equestria’s former ruler. “Why doesn’t everypony know about this?”

“Twilight kept it a secret out of respect for the princess,” Apple Bloom replied. “Princess Celestia, I mean. Twilight said most ponies wouldn’t be able to accept that detail. Despite everything, Princess Celestia loved her sister to the end, or so she told Twilight. Banishing her was the hardest thing she ever had to do, and when Luna refused to change her ways even after a thousand years, it broke her heart.”

Scootaloo was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn’t notice when Apple Bloom stopped walking and bumped into her. “Are we here?” she asked.

“Yes,” Apple Bloom replied in a hushed voice. “Be still, and be quiet.”

“Why?” Scootaloo whispered, peering at the darkness that surrounded them. “What’s out there?”

“Possibly our strongest allies,” Apple Bloom replied. Scootaloo heard something scuttle away and moved closer to her friend. “Don’t get scared. I’ve dealt with them before.”

“Who?” Scootaloo asked. She saw a flash of green light in the distance and suddenly wished she had her armor. “Who is it?”

“Hush,” Apple Bloom whispered.

Scootaloo heard something moving through the jungle. She had to fight the urge to hide behind Apple Bloom as the soft hoofbeats moved closer. A moment later, a tall, white pony emerged from the jungle. Her long, pastel-colored mane rippled gently around her horn, and she kept her wings tucked against her body, partially obscuring the sun she bore on her flank. “Good evening, my little ponies,” she said in a soft, soothing voice. “What brings you to my humble abode?”

Scootaloo stared openmouthed at the pony before her. “It… it can’t be,” she managed to gasp, but her eyes only widened further when she saw Apple Bloom bowing. The pegasus quickly followed suit as her brain tried to understand what her eyes were telling her.

“Your majesty,” Apple Bloom said. “I have come once again to seek your help.”

Dear Pupil

Sweetie let out a soft moan. The sound of a heavy drumbeat pounded in her skull. She heard hooves scuffing and two hazy voices nearby, which fell silent when she stirred. She slowly pried her eyes open, squinting against the flickering light that greeted her. A hoof touched her shoulder, sending an involuntary twitch through her body. “Welcome back, dear Sweetie Belle. I hope that you are feeling well.”

“Uhn,” was the white unicorn’s response. She tried to sit up, but the throbbing in her head made it difficult to move. “Stop drumming.”

“Drumming?” an unfamiliar voice said. “No one’s drumming.”

“It must be the beat of her heart,” said the first speaker. Sweetie recognized the voice, but her brain was too addled to put a face to it. She heard someone pouring some kind of liquid. “Why don’t you drink this to start?”

Sweetie turned her head to squint at the speaker. She saw a striped foreleg offering her a steaming cup, which she accepted with a shaky hoof. “What is it?”

“A potion to counteract the first,” the first speaker replied. A blue-eyed zebra’s face flashed through Sweetie Belle’s mind. “Let’s hope that you are through the worst.”

Sweetie sniffed the potion and grimaced, but she managed to pour it down her throat without choking or spilling it. A moment later, the pain in her head began to ease, and she felt her tense muscles start to relax. “Where am I?”

“You are in my hut, my dear,” the zebra answered. Zecora. That was her name. “Tell me when your thoughts are clear.”

Sweetie Belle’s joints shook as she pushed herself into a sitting position. The candlelight told her night had come, and she tried to remember what had happened. Her gaze rested on a griffon lying across from her, watching her intently as her tail swished back and forth. “You,” she said, fighting to break through the fog that obscured her memory. “I met you earlier, I think.”

“You could say that,” the griffon replied.

The image of the griffon held captive in her magic flashed through her mind. “Yeah, I guess it wasn’t the best first impression.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve seen worse.”

Sweetie Belle frowned. Her memories were jagged and disjointed, but she had a feeling she’d lost control of her power. Again. “What could be worse than… what I did?”

“Trust me, kid, you’re better off not knowing.”

Zecora handed the unicorn another cup, which Sweetie Belle emptied with considerably less difficulty than the first. “Well, I guess I might as well ask your name,” she said.

“Gilda,” the griffon replied. “Captain of the griffon army and leader of the resistance. And you’re Sweetie Belle, old friend of Scootaloo’s and Zebrica’s resident necromancer.”

Sweetie Belle’s jaw stiffened at the second title. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t bring that up.”

“What? It’s true.”

“Do not pester her with this,” Zecora said with a stern glare. “More will only go amiss.”

“Or she could just chill out,” the griffon muttered.

“You do not know, as I do, the depths of her despair and gloom,” Zecora said. “Nightmare Moon took all from her, all that will be, all that were.”

“She took everything from a lot of us,” Gilda replied.

Zecora added a couple herbs to her cauldron as she spoke. “Sweetie Belle lost so much more, something we cannot ignore. Though loss of friends will truly smart, Sweetie lost her cutie mark.”

“Lost her cutie mark?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “Looks like she has one to me.”

“I’m sitting right here, you know,” Sweetie Belle said with a scowl. She couldn’t help but wonder what the two had talked about while she was asleep.

Zecora glanced at the unicorn before turning to look through some jars on a shelf. “More than this, I cannot tell. You must ask dear Sweetie Belle.”

The unicorn and griffon stared at each other for a moment. “Well, guess we should get this over with,” Gilda said with a sigh. “What’s your story?”

“Depends,” Sweetie Belle answered, rubbing her head. “What’s yours?”

The griffon’s eyes narrowed a little, but she answered. “I fought against Nightmare Moon with General Rainbow Dash and lost. I’ve been trying to get revenge ever since.”

Sweetie Belle waited a moment to see if she would say more, but the griffon just watched her in silence. “Fine,” Sweetie said. “I was Nightmare Moon’s student. I escaped. Now I live here.”

“How descriptive,” Gilda said.

“You, too.”

The two regarded each other for a while, with only the cauldron’s constant bubbling to break the silence. “All right,” Gilda groaned at last. “Rainbow Dash and I went way back. When she came asking for help, I made sure she got it. I helped her plan the attack on Canterlot, and Zecora here promised us a potion that would destroy Nightmare Moon. Then we attacked, and… well, everything went wrong.”

“The potion’s theft was not your fault,” Zecora said without turning around, “nor was the failure of that assault.”

“Yeah, guess we have Apple Bloom to thank for that,” Gilda replied. Both Zecora and Sweetie Belle glared at her. “I’m sorry,” Gilda said with a sigh, “it’s just… I’ve spent five years blaming her for Dash’s death. I mean, I didn’t know it was her, exactly, but still… it’s hard to let it go.”

“You should let go of your old grudge,” Zecora said as she filled three bowls with the cauldron’s contents and passed them around. “You, my friend, are quick to judge.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Gilda’s tone was gruff, but Sweetie thought she sensed a hint of resignation. “So, that’s my story. What’s yours?”

Sweetie took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Nightmare Moon captured me when she destroyed Ponyville. I was a blank flank at the time, and she thought she could turn me into her successor. She tortured the ponies I cared about and made me watch. I think she thought it would help me discover my magic or something, but it just made me hate her.”

“Can’t blame you for that,” Gilda said. “I’ve hated recruits just for existing.”

Sweetie Belle didn’t know what to make of that, so she kept talking. “I did discover my magic, but it wasn’t what either of us expected. After she killed my sister right in front of me, I somehow used my magic to—”

“No!” she screamed. A shadow-cloaked pony shoved a curved blade into Rarity’s chest. Rarity’s luxurious white coat was stained red, and all she could do was gasp before her eyes closed for the last time. “Rarity! No!”

“Use your magic.” Nightmare Moon’s voice drifted from the darkness.

“You killed her!” she screamed. “You killed her!” She felt a strange energy rushing through her body. A moment later, Rarity’s blank eyes opened, and she shambled slowly to her hooves. “I’ll kill you!”

A flash and a hoof on her shoulder brought Sweetie Belle back to the present. She looked up to see Zecora standing above her. “I don’t remember what happened, exactly,” Sweetie said, her breath coming out in quick gasps. “When I woke up, I was lying in a soft bed, and Nightmare Moon was stroking my mane, calling me her ‘dear pupil.’ That’s when my cutie mark appeared.”

Gilda set her vegetable stew aside, and though Zecora had heard the story before, she sat in silence, watching the unicorn intently. “Even after that, I still struggled with magic,” Sweetie continued. “She kept trying to make me do that same spell, but I never could. One day, she lost patience with me and tried to trample me. I was tired and frustrated and angry, and the next thing I knew, there were three ponies backing her against a wall. Only they weren’t really ponies, they were…”

They stared forward with dead eyes and bared teeth. Rarity’s skin was starting to sag on her bones. Fluttershy still bore the scars of her long torture, and Applejack looked like half her flesh had been burned off. “Stop this at once!” Nightmare Moon ordered.

“You don’t control me,” she said.

Sweetie Belle stopped herself as her body began to shake at the memory. “At first, I thought they’d come to save me, but they disappeared once I stopped casting my magic,” she said. “Nightmare Moon forbade me from using that spell again.”

“No kidding,” Gilda muttered.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Over time, I realized I could summon… them if I got angry enough, so I bottled up all my resentment and hatred for Nightmare Moon so I could practice when she wasn’t looking. Eventually, I figured out that I could control which ponies I summoned, so long as they were dead. When the time was right, I summoned every pony I could from Ponyville and made them attack Nightmare Moon. They weren’t strong enough to beat her, but I did manage to escape while she was distracted.”

“Wait. You overpowered Nightmare Moon by yourself?” Gilda asked.

“I was having a pretty bad day,” Sweetie Belle answered.

“Bad day? That’s awesome!” Gilda said.

“You think summoning those… things is awesome?” Sweetie yelled, rising to her hooves.

“If it helps beat Nightmare Moon, then yes!” Gilda replied, returning the unicorn’s fierce glare.

“I bet you didn’t think that in the clearing,” Sweetie growled, a dark aura flaring around her horn.

“Calm yourself, dear Sweetie Belle,” Zecora said, stepping between the griffon and the unicorn. “You must not bring those things from Hell.”

Sweetie Belle squeezed her eyes shut and took several deep breaths, and the aura slowly dissipated. “You see?” she said. “I can’t control it. Any time I get mad, those things come out and attack something.”

“Come on, there has to be some way,” Gilda said.

“There’s not!” Sweetie yelled before pausing to take a few more breaths. “I’ve tried everything.”

“But we need your help,” Gilda said. “You can help us take down Nightmare Moon.”

“What good will I do?” Sweetie demanded. “For all you know, those things will turn against you!”

“That’s enough from both of you,” Zecora said. “Settle down and eat your stew.” The griffon and unicorn stared at each other for a moment before turning away and eating their food in silence.

Shift

Scootaloo felt as though she had slipped into a dream. Everypony knew Equestria’s former ruler was dead. Everypony knew the dark princess had defeated her. And yet, here she was, standing before her, a soft smile playing on her lips, her multi-colored mane flowing in the breeze. Her white coat seemed to glow in the moonlight, and even here, in the middle of a jungle, she looked just as regal as Scootaloo had always imagined.

“Come with me,” the alicorn said—Scootaloo couldn’t quite bring herself to think her name—as she turned and led them deeper into the jungle. “How is Zecora, Apple Bloom?”

“Well enough,” Apple Bloom answered. “You were right about her zebra pox. That remedy fixed her up in no time.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” the alicorn replied. “Zecora has been more than kind to us. I found it only fitting to return the favor.”

“And how are you, your majesty?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Oh, you know how it goes,” the alicorn said with a sigh. “It’s hard to find food without being spotted my some pony or zebra, but we find enough.”

“We?” Scootaloo repeated.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met,” the alicorn said gently, turning to look at the pegasus. “I am Princess Celestia, former ruler of Equestria.”

“Scootaloo,” the pegasus replied. “Of the Griffon’s Nest. Your majesty.”

“Griffon’s Nest, you say? I hope you didn’t run into any problems on your way through Equestria,” the princess said.

“Nothing we couldn’t handle, your majesty,” the pegasus answered, feeling a pang of guilt as her thoughts turned once again to Spike. Still, the thrill of seeing the princess alive and well made her heart begin to race. “Where have you been? Everypony I’ve talked to told me you were dead.”

“Did they?” The princess chuckled. “Well, that’s good to know.”

“Why?” Scootaloo asked. “Aren’t you supposed to protect us from ponies like Nightmare Moon?”

“Yes, but it isn’t that simple,” the princess replied with a sigh. “You see, Nightmare Moon’s powers are greater than my own. I can’t defeat her, and if she knew I was still alive, she would hunt me down mercilessly. Who knows how many innocent bystanders would be hurt?”

“But couldn’t you lead ponykind against her?” Scootaloo pressed. “I’m sure there are plenty of ponies who would help.”

The princess shook her head. “Not even my royal guards could stop her.”

“But Equestria needs you,” Scootaloo said. “I mean, who knows how many have suffered and died since she took over?”

“Perhaps, but I cannot change the past,” the princess said. “I can only change the future, which I hope to do once Zecora perfects her latest potion. Speaking of which,” she added as she came to a stop, “I believe this will do.”

Scootaloo couldn’t tell what was so special about this patch of jungle, but before she could ask, she saw several glowing, blue eyes watching them from the shadows. “Um, what are those?”

“One of our greatest assets, my young pegasus,” the princess replied as the eyes drew closer. Scootaloo recoiled a little when one of them stepped into the lantern’s circle of light. Its jet black body was vaguely pony-shaped, but it was covered in holes. Its teeth were sharp, and it bore a jagged horn on its head. It stood there, buzzing its gossamer wings softly as three more of the creatures drew near. “They’re called changelings,” the princess explained. “They were enemies of Equestria in former years, but a common enemy has forced us to make peace.”

Scootaloo had heard legends of the changelings from some of the griffon soldiers back at the Nest, but she’d never believed them until now. The four changelings bowed to the alicorn, who nodded her head in response. Apple Bloom reached into her vest and pulled out her blowpipe. “What do they have to do with the potion?” Scootaloo asked.

“It’s their magic,” Apple Bloom replied. As if on cue, the changelings’ horns flashed with a green light, and a moment later, four ponies stood in their places. “Nightmare Moon can shapeshift, just like the changelings. We know from what happened with Sweetie Belle that this potion will stop pony magic, but we need to make sure it stops changeling magic, too.”

“You tested it on Sweetie Belle first?” the princess asked, her eyes widening a little. “You've never done that before.”

“It was kind of an accident,” Apple Bloom said before putting the blowpipe to her lips. She let out a quick breath, and a moment later, a small dart pierced the nearest changeling’s neck. The changeling jerked back and growled. A moment later, the creature shuddered, and with another flash of light, it returned to its normal, bug-like self.

“Looks like it works,” Apple Bloom observed while the other three changelings stared at their companion in surprise. Scootaloo looked up at the princess and saw her smiling.

“Well done, my little pony,” said the alicorn. Apple Bloom walked over to the stunned changeling and examined it while the other three backed away, hissing softly. “How long do the potion’s effects last?”

“I’m not completely sure,” Apple Bloom answered, peering into the changeling’s eyes. “Sweetie Belle hadn’t woken up when I left, but like I said, that was an emergency case.”

“I see. I suppose we’ll have to watch this drone, then,” the princess said. The words had barely left her mouth when the drone let off a green flash and assumed its pony disguise for a brief second. “It looks like it’s already beginning to wear off,” the princess observed.

“That should give us more than enough time,” Apple Bloom replied. “Besides, that was a small dose. After what happened with the last drone, I thought it would be safer.”

“Do you have a full dose with you?” the princess asked.

“Yeah, why?”

The princess furrowed her brow for a moment. “I want you to use it on me.”

Scootaloo gasped and looked at Apple Bloom, whose mouth hung slightly agape. “But your majesty—”

“Do not argue with me,” the princess said. “Unicorns and drones are one thing, but Nightmare Moon is something else entirely. I am the closest thing we have to Nightmare Moon. Using it on me will give you the best idea possible of how it will affect our enemy.”

Apple Bloom looked uncertain, but she reached into her vest and withdrew another blowpipe. “You’re sure the drones won’t try anything?” she asked.

“They won’t if they know what’s good for them,” the princess replied, shooting the drones a stern look.

“All right, then,” Apple Bloom said, raising the pipe to her mouth. “Here goes nothin’.” One quick breath later, the princess winced a little as a dart pierced her neck. Scootaloo wasn’t sure what to expect, but a bright green flash wasn’t it. After the spots cleared from her eyes, she found herself looking not on Equestria’s former ruler, but a very tall changeling with a dull green mane that hung limply from her head.

The orange pegasus couldn’t help but scream as the monstrous changeling turned her bright green eyes towards her. “Surprised?” she asked, her voice suddenly deeper and more ominous.

“Who—what—where’s the princess?” Scootaloo stammered.

“Sorry to startle you,” the changeling said. “I am Chrysalis, queen of the changelings.”

“But—you—what?”

“She was pretendin’ to be Princess Celestia,” Apple Bloom explained, stowing the blowpipe inside her vest.

“Why?”

“Practice,” the changeling queen replied with a less-than-comforting smile. “Did I fool you?”

“That wasn’t very funny!” Scootaloo shouted. The channeling drones bristled at her outburst, but Chrysalis stilled them with a wave of a holey hoof.

“It wasn’t supposed to be,” Apple Bloom replied. “Like I told you, Nightmare Moon fears Princess Celestia more than anything else.”

“And we will use that fear to our advantage,” Chrysalis continued. “Together, we can rid our world of Nightmare Moon before she rids it of us.”

“But I thought you said the changelings were our enemies,” Scootaloo said as her mind tried to catch up with recent events. “That’s what the griffons always said, at least. Never trust a changeling.”

“We were,” Chrysalis agreed. “Ten years ago, I was planning to sneak an army into Canterlot and take control of Equestria. We changelings feed on love, and Equestria was the biggest source of love we’ve ever discovered.”

“Exactly!” Scootaloo said, surprised that the queen was being so open. “So what’s changed?”

“Quite simply, there’s no more Equestria,” the changeling queen replied. “Nightmare Moon’s reign has all but eliminated that particular food source. From what Apple Bloom has told me, she plans to extend her kingdom over Zebrica as well, and we changelings will lose what meager sources of love we can find. Our only chance of survival is to destroy Nightmare Moon before she destroys us.”

“And what’s to stop you from taking over Equestria after that?” Scootaloo asked, trying to remember everything she’d ever heard about the shapeshifters. “You just need us for food.”

“That’s true,” Chrysalis agreed, “but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from Nightmare Moon’s actions, it’s that it’s never a good idea to destroy your source of power. My drones and I lived undetected among the ponies for years, and we can do it again without causing any problems. We are willing to try living in peace with ponykind. Our only other option is extermination.”

“And what’s in it for us?”

“This plan can’t work without them, Scoots,” Apple Bloom said. “We’ll never get this potion anywhere near her if we don’t distract her, and this is the best shot we have. Queen Chrysalis has been more than helpful so far, and I think we can trust her.”

Scootaloo eyed the changeling queen warily. Every bit of griffon lore she’d heard told her the changelings couldn’t be trusted, yet here was their queen, willingly allowing herself to be stripped of her powers, however temporarily, and put herself in danger in order to free Equestria from its tyrannical ruler. Sure, she was only trying to protect her kind, but at the moment, the queen’s goals matched up pretty well with her own. “You’re really going to help us?” she asked.

“Of course,” the queen replied. “Provided, of course, that you ponies do your part.”

“Our part? And what’s that?”

Queen Chrysalis smiled. Scootaloo guessed it was supposed to be friendly, but it still sent chills down her spine. “It seems we still have some things to discuss,” she said.

“I just hope Braeburn’ll listen to reason,” Apple Bloom muttered. “Listen, I gotta go get my cousin. I’ll meet you and the queen back at Zecora’s hut, okay?”

“What?” Scootaloo frowned at her friend. “How do I get back there?”

“Just follow the queen. She knows the way,” Apple Bloom answered before disappearing into the jungle.

“Shall we?” Chrysalis asked.

“I guess,” Scootaloo replied, picking up the lantern in her mouth.

“Very well.” The tall changeling began walking away, her four guards close behind. After a moment’s hesitation, Scootaloo followed as well.

Unlikely Allies

Scootaloo kept a close eye on the changeling queen and her guards during the trip back to Zecora’s hut. She didn’t want to doubt Apple Bloom, but it was hard not to after all the stories she’d heard in the Nest. “You seem a little nervous,” Chrysalis observed.

“Me? Nervous?” Scootaloo repeated.

“I feed on emotions, my friend,” the queen continued. “Don’t think you can hide your feelings from me.”

An involuntary shiver shook Scootaloo’s body. “Well, I haven’t heard a lot of positive things about you or your kind,” she said. The drones buzzed their wings, and Scootaloo hoped they weren’t offended.

“Understandable,” said the changeling queen. Her drones seemed to relax a little. “My people certainly haven’t earned a good name for ourselves. Still—Scootaloo, was it?—you must understand that we have never borne ill will towards any race of this world. We simply do what we must to survive.”

“But feeding on others’ emotions?” Scootaloo asked. “That just seems so…creepy.”

“Is it?” Chrysalis replied. “Rabbits and birds must kill plants to survive, just as you ponies do. Manticores and hydras eat other animals. Dragons eat gemstones.”

“But emotions?” Scootaloo said. “How does that even work?”

“Emotions are among the most powerful forces in our world, Scootaloo,” Chrysalis answered. “Think about it. The stories you’ve heard about me and my kind are causing you to feel large amounts of fear in my presence. This fear makes you want to run away from me and doubt my intentions, though in reality, you know very little about me.”

Scootaloo held her tongue, but she couldn’t deny that she had just been thinking about making a break for it through the jungle. Only the thought of getting hopelessly lost kept her near the changeling queen.

“In a way, Scootaloo, every race—zebras, ponies, griffons—is just as consumed by emotion as we are,” Chrysalis continued. “It was Nightmare Moon’s jealousy and anger that started all this a thousand years ago. When one cannot control her emotions, too often her emotions will control her.”

“So what makes us ponies so special?” Scootaloo asked. “What made you come to Equestria?”

Chrysalis sent her a smile, a smile that seemed less sinister than the ones Scootaloo had seen from her before. “As I said, Equestria was the most loving nation we changelings had ever come across. There were problems, but on the whole, you ponies tended to be happier than the griffons and less reserved about it than the zebras. Speaking of which…” Chrysalis stopped and sniffed the air. The drones halted around her. “We’re almost there. I sense something…odd.”

“Odd?”

“Well, there’s Zecora, of course, tranquil as always,” Chrysalis said. “Then there’s the white unicorn—she may be the angriest, most volatile pony I’ve ever met.” Scootaloo wanted to jump to Sweetie Belle’s defense, but she didn’t want to risk making the queen angry. “It’s the third one that seems off,” Chrysalis muttered. “She seems tense, like she’s worried about something. I don’t think I’ve felt emotions quite like this since we scouted griffon territory.”

“It must be Gilda,” Scootaloo explained. “She came from the Nest with me to get the potion.”

“Really? I thought Apple Bloom said she’d only invited you.”

Scootaloo suddenly remembered the note on the knife back at the Nest. “Why did Apple Bloom want me to come to Zebrica?”

“All in due time,” the queen replied. “The potion’s effects are wearing off, but I don’t think I’ll be able to maintain a disguise for long. Tell me, Scootaloo, how do you think Gilda will react to seeing a changeling queen?”

“About as well as she usually reacts,” Scootaloo answered. “Maybe you should let me talk to her first. She can be… aggressive.”

“I believe it,” Chrysalis said with a nod. “Very well. I will wait for you here.”

Scootaloo didn’t know what to expect when the door to Zecora’s hut opened, but a sudden tackle hug wasn’t it. “Scoots! You’re all right!”

“Gilda?” Scootaloo wasn’t sure which shocked her more, the mild blunt force trauma or the fact that Gilda was actually hugging her. “Yeah, I’m fine. Um, you?”

Gilda released her and let out a loud cough. “W-What were you thinking, soldier?” she barked. “Y-You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

Scootaloo grinned. “Missed you too, captain.”

“Yeah, w-whatever.” Gilda brushed some invisible dust off her feathers and coughed again. “So, um, where’ve you been?”

“Kind of a long story,” Scootaloo replied. She looked towards the hut and saw Sweetie Belle and Zecora walking towards her. “You’re awake!”

Sweetie Belle smiled. “You’re alive.”

“Of course I’m alive,” Scootaloo said. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“We have worried for you, my dear,” said Zecora. “This jungle is filled with danger and fear.”

“Apparently, Zecora has some kind of weird sixth sense or something that lets her know when there’s trouble,” Gilda explained.

“Why must you be oh so dense?” Zecora huffed. “Magic spells are no sixth sense. I have spells set all around that let me know when beasts abound.”

“Whatever. The point is, she sensed something with really strong magic coming this way and thought you might be in trouble,” Gilda finished.

Scootaloo glanced back at the jungle, where she knew the changelings were waiting. “Have any of you seen Apple Bloom?” she asked. “She went to get her cousin from town.”

“Right here.” Scootaloo turned and saw Apple Bloom and Braeburn walking towards them. “Wow, you got here pretty fast,” the yellow pony remarked.

“You too,” Scootaloo answered.

“Well, I’m no pegasus, but I can move when I need to.” Apple Bloom looked around. “Where’s the queen?”

“Queen?” Gilda repeated, giving Scootaloo a frown. “What queen?”

“I was just getting to that,” Scootaloo replied. “Long story short, the potion is ready, and Apple Bloom found some…one willing to help us take down Nightmare Moon.”

“Best news I’ve heard in years,” Braeburn said. He had bags under his eyes, but he seemed excited. “Who is it? Apple Bloom here said I had to meet her right away.”

“And you will,” Scootaloo said, “but you have to promise something first. You have to promise to stay calm.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Braeburn said. “How can I be calm at a time like this? With the potion finally ready, we might have a chance at taking back our home!”

“Well… she’s not exactly the type of… ally you’d expect.”

“You’re talking about attacking Nightmare Moon,” Gilda grumbled. “What kind of ally would you expect?”

“Will you just promise to stay calm?” Scootaloo shouted. Gilda rolled her eyes and nodded. “Good. Okay. Our ally is… well…”

“She’s a changeling queen,” Apple Bloom finished.

Braeburn let out a short laugh. “Come on, cuz. Quit foolin’ around.”

“I ain’t foolin’ around,” Apple Bloom snapped. “Her name is Chrysalis. She’s been livin’ in the jungle with her hive ever since—”

“You’re serious?” Gilda asked. “There are changelings here, and you’re asking them for help?”

“You have a better idea?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Sure. How about you wipe out the parasitic shapeshifters before they wipe you out?”

“It’s not like that,” Scootaloo said. “They don’t want to hurt us.”

“They use us for food!” Gilda cried. “It’s what they’ve always done!”

“Is this true, Apple Bloom?” Braeburn asked. “Are you really saying we should ask changelings for help?”

“It’s the best chance we have, Braeburn,” Apple Bloom answered. “I know it sounds crazy, but you have to trust me on this.”

“I dunno,” Braeburn said. “I trust you, cuz, but these are changelings we’re talkin’ about.”

“Then allow me to speak for myself.” Scootaloo turned once again to see Queen Chrysalis herself bowing her head towards Braeburn. Her drones followed suit. “I am Queen Chrysalis, leader of the changeling hive that lives in these swamps. We offer you our assistance.”

Leader

Scootaloo expected to see Gilda preparing to pounce, but the griffon’s eyes were wide, and she was slowly backing away. “P-Pleasure,” Braeburn stuttered, returning the changeling’s bow. “W-What can I do for you?”

“I think the question at hoof is what we can do for you,” Chrysalis replied. “To put it simply, my hive is fighting for survival, and our situation will only become direr as Nightmare Moon’s dominion expands. Apple Bloom tells us that your village plans to attack Canterlot with the help of Zecora and her potion.”

“Y-Yes,” Braeburn stammered.

“I admire your courage, but I do not see such a battle ending with your victory,” Chrysalis continued. “Equestria has been at peace for so long, there are few of you who remember the ways of war. While your intentions are noble, you ponies do not have an army or a military leader. I can offer you both.”

“And what’s the catch, huh?” Gilda asked, her voice slightly squeakier than usual. “You get the throne? Or do they have to be your slaves?”

Chrysalis stared at the griffon for a moment before continuing. “I ask that you allow us to live among you as equals,” she said. “We may have fought in the past, but it is clear to me now that our hive cannot flourish without your love and friendship for each other. It is equally clear to me that you need our help if your mission is to have any chance of success. My drones are good workers and resistant to harsh elements. We can help you retake and rebuild your home.”

“W-Well, I guess that seems fair,” Braeburn said. “My deputies and I don’t know much about soldierin’, but we’re all ready to do our best.”

“Ah, we come to my second condition,” Chrysalis said. “I and my army are willing to help, and Apple Bloom and I have come up with a good plan, but you ponies need a strong military leader to carry it out. Unless you appoint a pony familiar with the ways of war to lead you into battle, I cannot risk my hive on this endeavor.”

“Let me guess, you’re the one to do it?” Gilda asked.

Chrysalis shook her head. “This is their homeland, and they should be led by one of their own. Fortunately, I’m told there is a pony here with the skill and experience necessary to lead and train an army.”

Chrysalis’s gaze turned to Scootaloo, and the orange pegasus suddenly felt her stomach turn to ice. “M-Me?”

“You saw General Dash in action, and you’ve been trainin’ recruits at the Nest,” Apple Bloom said. “Not to mention you’re a great flier and fighter.”

“Uh-uh,” Gilda said. “We’re on a very important mission, and she’s coming back with me.”

“Scootaloo, you’re the only pony I know who can make this work,” Apple Bloom said. “Nightmare Moon is only going to get stronger the longer we wait, and believe me when I say we don’t have much time before she comes for us.”

Scootaloo looked at the faces around her. “I dunno,” she said.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Gilda demanded. “Colonel Glade ordered us to bring the potion back to the Nest.”

“You are beginning to try my patience, griffon,” Chrysalis growled. Her drones bared their teeth and hissed. “Your kind have no part in this battle.”

“My kind were slaughtered five years ago in the biggest military disaster in history!” Gilda yelled. “Where were you? Hiding in a hole somewhere?”

“You want to talk about hidin’ in holes?” Apple Bloom asked. “What about you? We’ve been tryin’ to get you griffons to help us for years, but all you do is hide in the Nest and wait for Nightmare Moon to come wipe you out!”

“You ponies had your chance,” Gilda replied. “General Dash was a hundred times the pony any of you will ever be, and even she couldn’t take her down. This whole plan of yours is just one big death wish if you ask me.”

“We didn’t,” Chrysalis said. “We asked Scootaloo.”

Apple Bloom ignored Gilda’s protests and turned to Scootaloo. “I’m askin’ you as a friend,” she said. “I spent six months trackin’ down the Griffon’s Nest when I heard you were there just so I could find you. We need a leader, somepony who knows how to fight. Will you help us?”

The note on the knife flashed through Scootaloo’s mind. “So what you said about an old friend waiting here for me… that was just to get me to come here?”

Apple Bloom cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Scootaloo had to take a deep breath before she could finish her thought. “Did either or you actually want to see me just ‘cause we’re friends?”

“Of course,” Sweetie Belle said. “I practically begged her to get you to come here when she told me you were still alive.”

“And we’ll still be friends no matter what I choose, right?”

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged glances. “Scootaloo, we need your help.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

“Of course we’ll still be friends,” Apple Bloom sighed, “but unless we have a strong leader, we might not live long enough for that to matter.”

“And I cannot commit my subjects to this war without a strong pony army beside me,” Chrysalis added. “It is only fair.”

“Seems to me it’s the only solution,” Braeburn said. “Unless you know of somepony else who can lead an army against Nightmare Moon.”

Scootaloo shook her head. “I… I need to think about it.” Without waiting for a reply, she opened her wings and took off, letting the warm night breeze carry her in to the sky. She quickly found a soft cloud and curled up, letting the wind carry her toward the distant torches set atop New Appleloosa’s clock tower. Looking down, she could see Chrysalis and her drones returning to the jungle while Apple Bloom and Braeburn made their way toward the town. Gilda and Zecora stood talking to each other for a moment before entering the hut with Sweetie Belle.

For a while, Scootaloo just let herself drift through the sky while thoughts collided and buzzed through her head. She didn’t want to disobey orders, not after everything the Nest had done for her, but Apple Bloom’s words wouldn’t leave her mind. The earth pony knew Nightmare Moon better than anypony alive, and if she said time was short, how could Scootaloo doubt her?

“Hey.” Scootaloo looked up and saw Gilda landing beside her with a small bag strapped to her side. “I got the potion.”

“That’s good,” Scootaloo said.

“I think we should spend the night in New Appleloosa and set out in the morning,” Gilda continued. “We’ll make our way back to the Trottingham shelter and see if we can’t get some food there. After that, it’s a straight shot to the Nest, assuming Nightmare Moon doesn’t come after us again. What do you think, Scoots? Scoots?”

Scootaloo shrugged. “Sounds great.”

Gilda stared at her for a moment. “You’re still thinking about what they said, aren’t you?” she asked. Scootaloo nodded. “Come on, Scoots. You know how that’ll end. Besides, orders are orders.”

“You heard what Apple Bloom said. Nightmare Moon’s getting stronger every day.”

“It doesn’t matter, now that we have this,” Gilda replied, gesturing toward the bag she carried. “One dart, and she’s as good as dead.”

“So why not do it now?” Scootaloo asked. “We can catch her off-guard. I know Canterlot pretty well, and—”

“Yeah, so did Dash,” Gilda replied. “I already tried that once, and I don’t feel like trying it again.”

“And you think waiting for her to come to us is better?” Scootaloo asked.

“This isn’t our fight, Scoots.”

“No, but it is mine.”

“You think a bunch of parasitic shapeshifters and a ragtag pony army can stop her when Celestia’s Royal Army and Dash’s rebellion failed?” Gilda demanded. “You were there when she destroyed your home. You were there when Dash fell. What makes you think this time will be any different?”

The griffon and pegasus stared at each other for a while. Try as she might, Scootaloo couldn’t come up with an answer. “I don’t know,” she said at last, “but I have to believe it will be.” Gilda rolled her eyes and started to walk away. “I’m not asking you to stay,” Scootaloo called after her. “Like I said, this isn’t your fight, and I don’t blame you if you want to go back to the Nest, but the way I see it, we’ll have to fight her again one day, whether we like it or not. We can wait for her to come after us when she’s good and ready, or we can strike her now when she doesn’t expect it.”

Gilda stopped and turned around. “You know, you sounded a lot like Dash just now.” Scootaloo didn’t answer. “Just tell me this, Scoots. Are you willing to risk your life on this plan? ‘Cause if Nightmare Moon doesn’t go down, you will.”

“I am.”

Gilda let out a long sigh. “You’re crazy, Scoots. You know that, right?”

“I’d have to be to try and train a bunch of recruits twice my size.”

Gilda smirked. “I get it. You just don’t want to go back to those idiots.” She let out another sigh. “Well, Scoots, I’ve always admired your guts. Can’t say I think it’s a good idea, but I hope everything works out.”

Scootaloo blinked. “Really?”

“What, did you think I’d wish you bad luck?” Gilda asked.

“No, it’s just….” Scootaloo smiled. “What about you? I could use your help.”

“Orders are orders, Scoots,” Gilda said. “The colonel sent me to get the potion and bring it back, so that’s what I’m going to do. Best to have a fallback if things don’t turn out.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Travel safely. You won’t have a dragon to help you out this time.”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “If I did, I’d leave it here. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”

Ghosts

Torches flared to life along the otherwise dark hallway as Nightmare Moon and her minions entered. The walls on either side of the door were covered with two ancient tapestries depicting Celestia’s yellow sun against a white background. The princess scowled as she tore one down with her magic and tried to set it ablaze with one of the torches, but the tapestry proved impervious to flame, much to her disappointment. “We will dispose of these later,” she told her servants, who merely nodded in acknowledgement. “Let us proceed. I’m sure Celestia hid more than a few fireproof banners here.”

The passage led deep into the castle, much to the dark mare’s bemusement. “Surely I would have noticed this before,” she muttered as she ventured farther down the hall. Torches continued to light themselves every dozen paces or so, illuminating more tapestries. Some bore Celestia’s sun, while others were emblazoned with a silver moon set in black.

The passage eventually opened into a large, domed chamber lit by a glowing orb floating near the ceiling. She stared at it for a moment, considering the complexity of such a spell, before turning her attention to the room’s contents.

In the center of the room stood a stone pedestal bearing a glowing crystal and engraved with the image of a scroll. Four more stood near the walls, one in each corner, each crowned with slightly smaller crystals. She carefully examined the pedestals and found that each bore an image as well—a spear, a paintbrush, a weaver’s loom, and a broom. “I know these marks,” the princess muttered as distant memories stirred in her mind, “but from where?”

She examined the rest of the room carefully but found nothing of interest. She turned her attention to the center pedestal—or more accurately, the crystal it bore. After a moment’s hesitation, she hit the crystal with a dark blue beam of magic. The crystal let out a flash of light, and a moment later, an old orange stallion with a long, gray mane and a scroll-shaped cutie mark appeared in the air.

“Hello, Princess Luna.”

Nightmare Moon gasped as the pegasus’ bright blue eyes stared into her own. “No… it can’t be!”

“By the time you see this, I will undoubtedly have been dead for close to a thousand years,” the pegasus continued. His voice was weaker than she remembered, but there was no mistaking the wisdom behind it. “My name, as you may recall, is Scrollkeeper. It was my honor to stand beside you and your sister and wield the Element of Honesty when Discord threatened our land. Alas, it was also my burden to turn that same power against you after your… unfortunate transformation, and I hope you bear me no ill will. We only did what we thought was best, not only for Everfree and Equestria, but for you as well.”

A part of her wanted to blast the crystal to pieces, but she found herself unable to move, much less attack. “Princess Celestia was kind enough to allow me the use of this crystal, since I will not be around to greet you when you return. I hope, your majesty, that you can forgive us for what we had to do, and I dearly hope that all of Equestria can learn to love your night as we did. More importantly, I hope you will be able to see it.”

The old pegasus bowed, and the image vanished, leaving Nightmare Moon to blink at the space it had occupied. She slowly turned her gaze to the other four crystals. A part of her wanted to destroy them all, along with this room, but another part, a part she hadn’t felt in ages, begged her to watch them all. Reluctantly, she located the pedestal marked with a paint brush and activated the crystal.

“Hey there, princess,” said the purple earth pony that appeared. Her mane had more white than she remembered, but she still had several blue strands of hair left to match her eyes. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“Too long,” Nightmare Moon muttered.

As if sensing her response, the mare’s gaze fell to the ground. “It’s me, Color Wheel. The one who bandaged your wing when you first came to Everfree.” She let out a chuckle. “I feel silly saying that, but your sister says your memory might be a little rattled when you get back, so I thought I’d give you a friendly reminder.”

“Friendly. Ha.” The princess couldn’t help but roll her eyes as her memories returned. “After you used the Element of Kindness against me? Pah.”

“Anyways, you’ll be happy to know that Grainthresh and I are doing well. We moved back to Trottingham after… well, you know. Times were tough for a while, but we managed to pull through.” The mare looked up at her, a look of sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry about what happened, and we all wish there had been some other way, but… well, I just hope you can forgive me. I wish you the best.”

The image faded, and Nightmare Moon moved on to the next crystal. A gray stallion dressed in an old guard uniform appeared, his spear-shaped cutie mark barely visible beneath his armor. “Hello, princess,” he said with a bow. “I… well, I’m not really sure where to start.”

“Shieldwall,” muttered the dark mare. The name felt like acid on her tongue. “You traitor.”

The stallion coughed a couple times as he collected his thoughts. “To this day, your highness, I’m not sure why the Element of Loyalty chose me to replace you. I mean, Scrollkeeper said it was because I was loyal to the true you, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if that’s really why.” The stallion removed his helmet, revealing a cropped, dark yellow mane. “I keep thinking of how many things I could have done differently, all the things I could have done to stop you from… from…”

The stallion bowed his head for a moment as he took several deep breaths. “I’m not the only one, you know. We’ve all thought about it, even your sister. You should have seen her the morning after you left us. I’ve never seen a pony as brokenhearted as she was… not even me.”

The image faded faster than Nightmare Moon could scoff at his words. “You promised to always stand by my side,” she hissed, “yet even you turned me away for your precious princess of the sun.” She turned to face the last two pedestals, both of which sat opposite the entrance. She selected the one on the left, the one decorated with the image of a broom. “Let’s see what you have to say.”

The princess was greeted not by the energetic colt she remembered, but a full-grown stallion with an orange coat and a rust-red mane. “Greetings, your majesty,” he said. “I’m Cleansweep, by the way. I’ve grown a lot since you saw me last, so I thought I should mention it.”

“As if I could forget,” the dark mare replied, forgetting for a moment that she was talking to a mirage.

“Everypony else has left you a message, so I thought I would, too, seeing as I won’t be able to tell you this myself,” he continued. “It’s been a long time since you were banished. Lots of ponies are telling stories about you to their children, how you helped defeated Discord and all that. Thought you’d like to know that we all still remember you fondly.”

Nightmare Moon couldn’t help but laugh. “Was that before or after they created a holiday dedicated to slandering my name?” she demanded. “Had the legends of Nightmare Moon already begun to spread, too?”

Cleansweep, of course, was incapable of answering. “I don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll just say it was an honor to bear the Element of Laughter by your side, and I hope everything turns out well for you.”

The image vanished, and the princess couldn’t help but wonder if dear Celestia had cut him off on purpose. She turned to the last crystal and wondered for a moment whether she should watch its message. “Might as well,” she muttered as she used her magic to activate the crystal. A teal unicorn mare with a well-kept brown mane appeared. “Well, what do you want?”

“Hello, Luna,” the mare said. Nightmare Moon flinched. “Oh, I mean, Princess Luna. I’m Shuttleweave, in case you don’t remember. I… well, I don’t really have much to say, except that I’m sorry things turned out the way they did. I never thought I’d have to use the Element of Generosity after we defeated Discord, much less against you, but… I guess that didn’t turn out so well.”

Nightmare Moon snorted. “No, not well at all.”

“I… well, I know the party was kind of a disaster, but I hoped you would still accept our gift,” Shuttleweave continued. “Cele—I mean, Princess Celestia said she’d take care of it for me and make sure you got it when the time was right. I know you’ll make a great ruler one day, and I hope you can accept my apology.”

A whooshing sound to her left made Nightmare Moon jump. She turned in time to see a large tapestry unfurl, and for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. “Best of luck, your majesty,” Shuttleweave’s voice said before her image disappeared, leaving Nightmare Moon alone with… well, herself.

The dark mare stared at the tapestry, unable to believe it had survived all this time. It was by far Shuttleweave’s best work. A dark blue alicorn sat in a cobblestone square with her horn aglow, looking intently at the night sky above. The stars gleamed like diamonds—they were, in fact, real diamonds—and the alicorn’s crescent moon cutie mark had been woven with silver thread. “She made this for me,” she murmured, and for a moment, she felt a sense of warmth and peace spread through her chest and fill her body.

The dark mare shook her head and turned away. “It’s a trick,” she told herself. “Just another of Celestia’s tricks.” She walked briskly toward the door, where her Shadowbolts stood waiting at attention. “Destroy it,” she ordered as she stepped into the hall.

“Everything, your majesty?”

Nightmare Moon paused and turned her gaze to the tapestry, which hung against the far wall. “Everything,” she said. The sound of shattering crystal echoed down the hallway after her as she tore every solar banner from the wall. “Nice try, Celestia. But not good enough.” She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn’t notice a lone griffon slip across the Zebrican border, nor did she notice that same griffon cross the northern border several hours later.

Author's Notes:

This chapter is based on my first two fanfics, Falling Moon and Discord's Game. I recommend reading either or both if you'd like to know more about these characters, though Falling Moon is shorter and more relevant to this chapter.

Chain of Command

Gilda took off her snowsuit the second she crossed into griffon territory. “Would it really be so hard to cut holes for wings?” she muttered. She stuffed the suit into her bag and took off, stretching her sore and cramped muscles as she made her way toward the Nest. Surprisingly, she’d seen no sign of Nightmare Moon, and she wasn’t sure what to make of it.

She decided to leave that oddity for another time and focus on getting home. A smile came to her beak when the Nest came into view. A flight of recruits was practicing a formation near the training grounds, and she reminded herself to thank whoever had taken over their training in her absence.

To her surprise, the griffon overseeing the recruits was none other than Colonel Glade, the very griffon she needed to see. She swooped down beside him, panting a little from her hard, fast flight, and said, “Captain Gilda reporting, sir.”

“Major, take over,” Glade said to a griffon standing to his left, who immediately began barking orders to the flight. “Welcome back, Captain.”

“Thank you, Colonel,” Gilda replied.

“Did you get the potion?”

“Yes, sir.”

Colonel Glade looked around, as if searching for someone else. “And the sergeant?”

“She stayed in Zebrica, sir.”

The colonel frowned. “Was there a problem?”

“No, sir. Well… no. No there wasn’t, sir.”

Colonel Glade raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem so sure, Captain.”

“It’s a bit complicated, sir.”

The colonel glanced at the snowsuit poking out of her bag and sighed. “I expect your full report in half an hour. Get yourself some food and meet me in the Dragon’s Den.”

“Yes, sir.” Gilda nodded and flew towards her quarters. The bulky snowsuit was throwing off her balance, and she was glad to get it out of her bag. She then flew to the mess hall, scarfed down a quick meal, and made it to the Dragon’s Den with five minutes to spare.

“You’re early,” the colonel noted as she landed in front of him and a few other officers. “That’s unusual for you.”

Gilda ignored the veiled jab and saluted. “Captain Gilda, sir, here to present my full report of the mission to Zebrica.”

“And down to business,” Glade said with a smile. The other griffons chuckled. “I’ve asked Major Gardner and his staff to listen to your report, since they are in charge of planning and coordinating the defense of the Nest should it fall under attack.”

Gilda gave the major a quick salute as well. “Yes, sir. As you know, Sergeant Scootaloo, Spike, and I were assigned to travel to Zebrica and retrieve a potion that would potentially strip Nightmare Moon of her powers. We successfully located the zebra Zecora and obtained the potion.” She reached into her bag and removed the carefully-wrapped bottle from within. “Zecora’s assistant demonstrated the potion’s capabilities, and both the sergeant and I are convinced that this potion will play a key role in our defense.”

One of the major’s assistants stepped forward and took the potion from the captain. “You said Sergeant Scootaloo remained in Zebrica,” the colonel said.

Gilda took a deep breath. “Yes, sir. It seems two of her childhood friends are living with the pony colony in Zebrica. The colony is planning to attack Canterlot in the near future, and she felt it was her duty to remain in Zebrica to help her friends.”

“Canterlot?” Glade repeated. “Have they lost their minds?”

“The sergeant is convinced that the ponies have a reasonable chance of success, sir.”

“Has the sergeant forgotten what happened the last time such a feat was attempted?” Glade asked.

Gilda shook her head. “No, sir.”

“Have you, Captain?”

“No, sir.”

“Then explain to me why you allowed an officer under your command to not only abandon her duties but also support and plan such a risky attack.”

Gilda took another deep breath. “As I said, sir, the sergeant felt it was her duty.”

“The sergeant’s duty is to the Nest and the protection of those who call it home, as is yours, Captain,” Glade snapped. “As her commanding officer, it was your duty to make sure she returned to the Nest, as ordered.”

“I was unable to persuade her, sir,” Gilda answered. “Scootaloo’s decision was her own to make. Her friends are determined to retake their home, and they needed her help. Who are we to say she shouldn’t help her own kind?”

Colonel Glade scowled. “I suppose she took Spike with her, then?”

“Spike? I haven’t seen him since we got separated in Equestria.”

The colonel froze for a moment. “Separated?”

“Yes, sir. Nightmare Moon attacked us en route to Zebrica. Spike distracted her so we could get away. I assumed he came back here.”

The colonel exchanged a nervous glance with the major, who cleared his throat. “We have not seen Spike since he left the Nest.”

“You’re sure he’s not in Zebrica?” asked the colonel.

“I think a giant purple dragon flying around on mechanical wings would be pretty obvious, sir.”

Colonel Glade began pacing back and forth. “I can’t believe this. I told him specifically to stay with you two.”

“He was trying to make sure Scootaloo and I made it to Zebrica,” Gilda said.

“Silence!” Glade barked, and Gilda obeyed. “Do you have any idea what this means, Captain?”

“Spike was instrumental to our defensive strategy,” Major Gardner explained when he saw Gilda’s blank expression. “We believe dragons are one of the few things Nightmare Moon fears, and for good reason. Their hide is nearly impervious to magic, and they’re ferocious fighters.”

“And thanks to you, we’ve lost him!” Glade shouted.

“Me?” Gilda said. “How is it my fault? You’re the one who sent him away.”

“And you’re the one who let him face Nightmare Moon—alone, no less,” Glade replied. “Not only that, but you’ve allowed one of our best officers abandon her post for a suicide mission.”

“You say that like I can control them,” Gilda said, her voice rising. “Scootaloo can be almost as stubborn as I am, and Spike’s a full-grown dragon, in case you forgot. Besides, blaming me won’t get us any closer to taking Nightmare Moon down, so I suggest we organize our defenses before we start pointing talons at each other.”

“I didn’t ask for your suggestion, Captain,” the colonel spat before turning to speak with Major Gardner. “Nightmare Moon’s spy knows where we are. We must assume the dark mare knows as well. We must also assume that since Spike has not returned and Equestria still lies in eternal night, he lost the battle with Nightmare Moon and is now imprisoned or worse.”

“The captain did bring us the potion,” Major Gardner said. “It could give us the edge we need.”

“Nightmare Moon could attack at any moment,” said the colonel. “You and your soldiers must come up with a strategy, and quickly.”

“We could attack Canterlot,” Gilda suggested.

Colonel Glade’s head snapped around. “What are you talking about?”

“I saw no sign of Nightmare Moon on my return journey,” Gilda explained. “It is possible that she was wounded in her battle with Spike.”

“Possible, but not probable enough to risk our soldiers,” Glade replied.

“Well, our other option is to wait for her to recover and plan an attack on the Nest,” Gilda said. “Any chance that she’s weak is better than that, however small it is.”

“She does have a point,” Major Gardner started to say, but the colonel cut him off.

“The ponies put you up to this, didn’t they?” Glade asked. “They asked you to come back and rally our forces to help them in their attack.”

“No, but I think that’s a good idea,” Gilda replied. “The ponies might not be strong, but they have some powerful allies and a plan that I think could work.”

“You said the same thing about Rainbow Dash,” Glade said.

Gilda’s jaw stiffed. “Yeah, what of it?”

“I don’t think I need to remind you how that turned out.”

Gilda felt herself lowering into an aggressive crouch. “Don’t you dare speak poorly of General Dash.”

“Captain, I know you two were friends, but Dash’s strategy cost us dearly,” Glade said with a sigh.

“You think it was her strategy?” Gilda growled. “Think again, Colonel. Dash sent a spy to poison Nightmare Moon. When she failed, she tried to warn the general, but our griffon guards sent her away. If we—if I had listened to her then, we might have been able to save ourselves and the battle.”

“Don’t talk to me about what might have happened, and don’t try to blame our soldiers for it,” Glade hissed. “Also, you will address me as sir.”

“No, I don’t think I will.”

Glade’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a challenge, Captain?”

“Depends. Will you apologize for insulting Rainbow Dash?”

Glade took a few steps toward her. “You are out of line, soldier.”

“Am I?” Gilda asked. “Our allies are preparing to attack, and you’d rather stay here and do nothing?”

“An attack on Canterlot is suicide.”

“It’s no different than waiting for her to come to us,” Gilda replied. “Nightmare Moon defeated Spike without any time to prepare. If we wait for her to attack, she will have a plan, and we will be in serious trouble, potion or no potion.”

“And if we attack, we’ll be fighting her on her own territory,” the colonel shouted. “She’s had over ten years to plan how to defend Canterlot.”

“I know that,” Gilda said. “The ponies and their allies know it, too. I told Scoots she was crazy for staying, but the more I’ve thought about it, the more I think she’s right.”

“You’re letting your feelings get in the way of reason and duty.”

“My duty is to protect the Nest,” Gilda replied. “The way I see it, the best way to do that is to strike now while Nightmare Moon is weak and our allies are strong. They have a plan, Colonel. For our own good, I suggest we help them carry it out.”

“That is my decision to make, not yours.”

“Not if I can help it.”

The colonel stared at her for a moment. “Name your challenge.”

“Aerial arena. First blood. Winner commands the Nest.”

Colonel Glade smirked. “Very well. See you in thirty minutes. And next time, Captain, remember that I expect my orders to be obeyed.”

Challenger

Word of the challenge spread quickly through the Nest. New recruits whispered in hushed tones, debating whether the loudmouthed captain or tough-as-dragon-hide colonel stood the better chance of winning. Those who knew the two officers well remained relatively silent; Glade was by far the more experienced warrior, but Gilda had drive, and she was angry. Officers cleared the space between the training ground and the forge and began filling it with clouds of varying sizes, shapes, and temperaments. The smiths sharpened swords, spears, and metal claws and scattered them across the arena. A half hour later, the whole Nest gathered breathlessly around the arena to await the combatants’ arrival.

Colonel Glade was the first to arrive. He was wearing his breastplate—the only equipment the challengers were allowed to bring with them—and for many in the Nest, it was the first time they had seen him in armor. He landed on a cloud near the forge and stood still, ignoring the cheers and shouts around him.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Major Gardner asked as he searched the colonel for any contraband items. “The captain is no pushover.”

“She’s arrogant, Major,” Glade replied, lifting his wings so Gardner could inspect them. “A good officer, yes, but her pride cannot be ignored. I’ll have to put her in her place eventually, so it might as well be now.”

The major said nothing more as he finished his search and took off towards the training grounds, where Captain Gilda was poking the cloud she sat on with a bored talon. Her breastplate looked significantly more worn than Glade’s, and the major had no doubt that it has seen more action than the colonel’s. Whether that was to Gilda’s advantage remained to be seen.

“How are you feeling, Captain?” Gardner asked as he searched Gilda for weapons.

“Fine,” Gilda replied.

“You sure you’re up for this?”

Gilda shot him a glare. “No one insults Rainbow Dash and gets away with it.”

The major held back a sigh as he finished his search. “Very well. The challenge will begin shortly. Good luck.”

The crowd’s buzzing filled his ears as the major flew to a cloud in the center of the arena and cleared his throat. “Captain Gilda has issued a challenge to Colonel Glade, her commanding officer,” he shouted. The crowd instantly fell silent. “The captain has chosen to face the colonel in an aerial arena. Colonel Glade has accepted. The griffon that first draws blood from his or her opponent will be declared the winner and the new commander of the Nest.”

Gilda rolled her eyes as the major blabbered on about how they were only allowed to use what they found in the arena as a weapon. She’d forgotten how tedious formal challenges were. She should have known that Glade would insist on doing this the proper way. Gilda, on the other paw, preferred Scoots’ method—get it over with and move on.

The griffon couldn’t help but wonder what her pegasus friend was up to. She hadn’t discussed specifics with Scootaloo—at the time, they hadn’t seemed important—but she had a feeling the sergeant would be drilling the New Appleloosans for quite some time before Chrysalis was satisfied. “Don’t worry, Scoots,” she muttered as the major droned. “Help is on the way.”

Major Gardner finally finished his speech and turned to face Gilda and Glade. “Are the combatants ready?” he asked. Colonel Glade nodded curtly. Gilda waved a talon in Gardner’s general direction. “Very well. Let the challenge begin!”

Gilda leapt to the nearest cloud, hoping to find some kind of weapon. The cloud was barren, and she leapt to the next, keeping an eye on Glade as she went. She found a set of metal claws and quickly strapped them to her right talon. It wasn’t her favorite weapon, but it was better than nothing.

She glanced at Glade, who appeared to have found two sets of claws and a blunt-tipped spear. Gilda scowled and took to the air, scanning the clouds below her as she went. She spied a club and dove, but before she could seize it, she heard strong wing beats coming her way.

Gilda twisted just in time. Glade’s spear struck her breastplate and spiraled away. Gilda’s talon closed around the club as she slipped through the cloud, trying to put distance between herself and the colonel. She flared her wings and banked sharply to her right just as the colonel burst through the cloud, claws bared. Gilda’s sudden change in direction caught Glade off-guard, and he shot well past her before he could recover.

Gilda scanned the clouds below her for equipment. She found a dagger and helmet and scooped them up, keeping an eye out for Glade as she went. The helmet was slightly too big, but the put it on anyway. She strapped the dagger to her right hind leg and landed on a cloud, scanning the arena for any sign of her opponent.

She spotted him a short distance away, flitting from cloud to cloud in her direction. Gilda kicked off the cloud she was standing on and head-butted another above her, unleashing a sudden downpour of rain. She then flew behind another cloud and waited for Glade to draw near, discovering a second set of claws and strapping them on. As she hoped, Glade saw the rain and assumed she had accidentally started the deluge as she flew through. He angled upwards as he scanned the sky for his opponent, giving Gilda the split-second of surprise she needed.

Gilda scrambled over the cloud as Glade flew past and launched herself at the colonel. Glade spotted her out of the corner of his eye, but she was already swinging her club. He twisted around, and Gilda’s club hit his breastplate. The shock stunned both of them for a moment, and by the time Gilda recovered, Glade had raised his shield to ward off her next blow. Gilda bashed his shield several times with her club before flaring her wings and flapping hard to regain her lost altitude. Glade did the same, and a moment later, the two landed on a cloud and began circling each other while the assembled Nest cheered.

“Not bad, Captain,” Glade said with a smirk, tossing his shield aside. “I see you’ve learned a thing or two from your pegasus friend.”

“She’s a good soldier,” Gilda replied. “I’d follow her anywhere.”

“Then why did you leave her in Zebrica?” Glade asked. “Why not join her with the pony uprising?”

“Because this army needs a leader who isn’t afraid to strike.”

Glade’s smirk turned to a scowl. “What this army needs, Captain, is a leader who knows how to be cautious. What this army needs is a leader who values the lives of his soldiers more than his grudges.”

“It needs a leader who knows when the odds are in her favor, Colonel,” Gilda spat. “We’ll never get another chance like this.”

“You said the same thing when General Dash came asking for help,” Glade replied. “I believed you then. Now I know better than to trust your judgment. You’re a good fighter, but you will learn your place in this army, and it’s not as its commander.”

Gilda chucked her club at the colonel’s head and charged. Glade ducked under her weapon and braced himself against the cloud. Gilda hit him low and tried to throw him off his feet, but the colonel knocked her aside with little difficulty and pounced on top of her. Metal claws raked towards her face. Gilda turned her had to the side and let her helmet take the blow. She got her legs under Glade’s body and shoved, throwing him to the side as she twisted to her feet.

Glade rebounded and lunged, talons outstretched. Gilda met his attack head-on. Their talons locked with metallic clinks as the two pushed against each other, trying to throw the other off-balance. “Give it up, Captain,” Glade grunted as Gilda stumbled back several steps. “You may be quick in the air, but you’re no match for my strength.”

Gilda stumbled back another few steps. She glanced to the side and saw the cloud’s edge less than an inch away. “I’m well aware of that, Colonel,” she said. Glade faltered for a split-second as he frowned. “Maybe Scoots is crazy to go after Nightmare Moon, but if I had to follow anyone to Canterlot, it’d be her.”

Glade’s confusion gave way to a glare. “And why’s that?”

Gilda smirked. “Because unlike you, she knows her enemy. And so do I.”

Gilda shifted her weight backwards, propelling both herself and the colonel off the cloud. Gilda kicked Glade away and let go of his talons. She drew the dagger from its sheath and dove, and before Glade could recover, he let out a scream as the cold metal drew a red line across his cheek.

Gilda looped around and landed on the cloud, tossing the ill-fitting helmet to the side as the Nest screamed and cheered. “The challenge is over!” Major Gardner shouted. Gilda could barely hear him over the crowd’s roar. “Captain Gilda has drawn first blood. I hereby declare her the winner of this challenge and the new commander of the Griffon’s Nest!”

Gilda looked around to see what her fellow soldiers thought of this news. Most of the newer recruits were cheering wildly—not because they cared who won, but because any challenge among their leaders was interesting for them. Her fellow officers looked neither glad nor upset, only surprised that she had won. Gilda couldn’t say she blamed them.

“That was a nice move, Captain.” Gilda turned and saw Glade land a short distance away and begin stripping off his armor and weapons. “You’re a good fighter. But that doesn’t make you a good leader.”

“I know you don’t like me, Colonel,” Gilda said. “I know you’ve only kept me around because there’s no one better to take my place.” Glade merely nodded in acknowledgement. “But let me ask you this, Colonel. Why did you accept my challenge at all?”

“To put you in your place,” Glade answered as a couple griffons took away his armor and a medic pressed a bandage against his cheek. “It seems I’ve failed, and you’ve become more arrogant than ever.”

“Perhaps, but remember this,” Gilda said. “By focusing on my weakness, you overlooked my strengths, and that is what lost you this battle. That same attitude is what would have kept us here in the nest while our allies, flawed as they are, fought for all of us at Canterlot. Scootaloo and her friends know Nightmare Moon better than any of us can imagine, and they believe the time is right to strike. I intend to fight by their side, and I hope you will, too.”

Glade let out a short laugh. “Do I have a choice?”

“Yes.”

Glade sighed and looked around the Nest. “Well, Captain, if you’re going to lead this army on a suicide mission, I might as well do what I can to keep the casualties down.”

Messenger

One month later…

Scootaloo and Chrysalis looked out at the mostly earth pony army from their vantage point on top of the clock tower while Braeburn put them through some drills. “It’s better,” Chrysalis said, “but they still have a long way to go.”

“What do you expect, the Royal Guard?” Scootaloo asked. “You asked me to train an army, and that’s what I did.”

“I asked you to train an army that could stand beside my hive as its equal,” Chrysalis said. “Until that happens, I will not risk my kind.”

“We don’t have time for that, your highness,” Apple Bloom said, making both the queen and the pegasus jump. “Nightmare Moon’s up to something. We have to strike soon.”

“What is it?” Scootaloo asked. “What’s wrong?”

“I went to Canterlot, like you asked me to,” Apple Bloom explained between pants. “The good news is she’s been hurt by somethin’. I didn’t get a good look, but whatever it is, it’s taking its toll.”

“Perhaps with a little more time, her wounds will render her all but defenseless,” Chrysalis suggested.

“I wouldn’t count on it,” Apple Bloom replied. “She’s found somethin’ that cures her for a short time. It’s only a matter of time before she comes up with somethin’ permanent.”

“And what’s the bad news?” Scootaloo asked.

“Shadowbolts,” Apple Bloom replied. “She’s been conjurin’ up shadow ponies to do her bidding. I’ve seen her use that spell before, but never like this. I could barely get to the palace without one o’ them spottin’ me.”

“So she has an army as well,” Chrysalis concluded. “All the more reason to train your ponies properly.”

“What does it mean, Apple Bloom?” Scootaloo asked. “What’s she up to?”

“I’m not sure,” Apple Bloom said. “She wouldn’t tell me. I think she’s starting to suspect I’m spyin’ on her. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s planning an attack.”

Scootaloo let Apple Bloom’s words sink in. Her life had been nothing but drills and exercises for the past month, and though it had been difficult to adapt griffon training techniques to earth pony soldiers, she felt she’d done her job well, despite what Chrysalis said. “Any idea where she plans to strike?”

“With the army she’s buildin’ up, I’d say either the Nest or here,” Apple Bloom answered.

Scootaloo nodded. “We should send word to the Nest to warn them that Nightmare Moon may be on her way. Where’s Zecora?”

“If you want to send a message, you need Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom replied. “She’s the one who’s been sendin’ and recievin’ all the messages from the Nest.”

“Find her,” Scootaloo ordered. Apple Bloom nodded and began climbing down the clock tower. She moved quickly through New Appleloosa, keeping an eye out for her white-coated friend. She’d only been gone a couple weeks, but the town felt very different from how she remembered it. Aside from the drills in the square, many of the shops had been converted to smiths, and the sound of hammers banging on metal followed her wherever she went. Many of the ponies she met were covered in soot, and almost all of them wore grim expressions. Apple Bloom didn’t blame them. She knew better than they what they were up against.

Apple Bloom came to a stop at an intersection and looked around. She caught a glimpse of Zecora walking towards the jungle and decided to follow. The zebra didn’t seem to notice her as Apple Bloom followed her to her hut, but the yellow mare wasn’t surprised when Zecora said, “Quiet as a mouse, you are, for one who’s traveled oh so far.”

“I’m lookin’ for Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom said. “Scootaloo needs to send a message to the Nest right away.”

“You will find her in the glade, meditating in the shade,” Zecora replied.

“Meditating?” Apple Bloom repeated. “What for?”

“Sweetie Belle wanted to find a way to leave the past behind,” Zecora said.

“Really?” Apple Bloom knew her friend had tried meditation before, but it never seemed to help. “How’s it going?”

“Her mind is shadowed in such murk, I do not know if it will work,” Zecora replied. “I have told you all I know. She will not tell me how it goes.”

Apple Bloom sighed. Sweetie’s reclusive behavior was nothing new. “All right, I’ll see if I can help her.”

“I wish you the best of luck,” Zecora said. “I cannot get her unstuck.”

Apple Bloom moved quickly through the jungle, trying to look on the bright side of things. At least she’s in the glade, she told herself. Last time she tried meditation, no one saw her for a month. She hoped the fact that Sweetie Belle had chosen their usual meeting spot this time meant she wasn’t trying to isolate herself from ponykind—the last time she tried that, New Appleloosa had found itself terrorized by specters and strange noises for a week.

Apple Bloom found her friend sitting in the center of the glade, moving several small rocks in a circle around her with her magic. The yellow mare stood at the edge of the clearing while she tried to decide whether to wait for Sweetie to emerge from her trance or interrupt her. She knew Scootaloo’s message was urgent, but she knew from experience that startling Sweetie Belle was a terrible course of action.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long. Sweetie Belle lowered the rocks to the ground, and the dark aura that surrounded them and her horn faded away. Sweetie took several deep breaths before opening her eyes and meeting Apple Bloom’s curious stare. “Hello,” Sweetie said. “How was your trip to Canterlot?”

“As uneventful as it could be,” Apple Bloom replied as she stepped into the glade. “It looks like you’re getting better,” she remarked.

“I guess,” Sweetie replied, rubbing a hoof against her foreleg. “I… I feel a little more in control.”

“That’s great!” Apple Bloom said with a smile.

“Yeah, well, it’s not the first time,” Sweetie said with a sigh. “What brings you out here?”

“Scootaloo’s looking for you,” Apple Bloom answered. “Nightmare Moon’s buildin’ up an army, and we don’t know if she’s comin’ here or goin’ after the Nest. Scootaloo wants you to send a message to the Nest so they can be ready if she shows up.”

“All right,” Sweetie said. “I think I can handle that.” The two made their way back to New Appleloosa. “Hey, Apple Bloom, do you have a cape or a hood or something?”

“No, why?”

“Well…” Sweetie Belle slowed to a stop. The first buildings were just visible through the vines. “It’s just… I never come to town without a hood.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Apple Bloom said. “I’m sure the New Appleloosans will welcome you in without a problem.”

“You mean like how Ponyville welcomed in Zecora when she first came to Equestria?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I’ve seen the way they react when I come into town. They all think I’m weird.”

“Well, you haven’t exactly done much to change that opinion,” Apple Bloom pointed out. “Come on, Sweetie Belle. It’ll be fine. Just stick with me.”

Sweetie kept her head down as the two walked through New Appleloosa towards the clock tower. “They’re all staring at me,” she whispered.

“No, they’re not,” Apple Bloom said. “Well, okay, some of them are, but they’re just curious.”

“They know, don’t they?”

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. “Know what?”

“That it was me who made all those specters appear.”

“That was almost a year ago,” Apple Bloom said. “Relax. No one here’s out to get you.”

The two made it to the square, where Scootaloo was busy barking orders at her army. “We still have a long way to go if we’re going to beat Nightmare Moon,” she shouted. “I need every pony to work twice as hard so we can be ready to strike before she does!”

“General, we’re workin’ as hard as we can,” Braeburn told her. The gathered ponies were breathing deeply, and some of them looked ready to pass out.

“We need more, Colonel,” Scootaloo replied. The stallion stood a full head taller than her, but he still recoiled a little at her words. “Time is of the essence.”

“Is she always this angry?” Sweetie Belle asked.

Apple Bloom shook her head. A glance at the clock tower told her everything she needed to know. “Come on,” she said, leading Sweetie Belle towards the tower.

“I thought you said Scootaloo wanted to see me,” Sweetie Belle said.

“She does.”

Sweetie’s confusion quickly gave way to revelation. “You mean this one’s a changeling?”

“Probably Chrysalis,” Apple Bloom muttered as the two entered the tower and began to ascend. “Not sure why Scootaloo decided to let her run drills for the day.”

Sure enough, the real Scootaloo was still waiting for them at the top of the tower, observing her doppelganger’s progress with a scowl. “She’s not much for motivation,” she muttered.

“I’m back,” Apple Bloom said, drawing the pegasus’ attention from the training below.

“Thanks,” Scootaloo said. “How’re you doing, Sweetie Belle?”

“Well enough,” the unicorn replied. “Apple Bloom said you wanted me to send a message to the nest.”

“Yes,” Scootaloo said as she grabbed a sealed scroll with her hoof. “I need to warn the Nest that Nightmare Moon might be on her way. I need you to send this letter to them immediately.”

Sweetie Belle took the scroll in her magic and closed her eyes. “All right,” she said. “You might want to stand back.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom backed away as the dark aura around Sweetie Belle’s horn grew darker. A moment later, a green flash of light burst from the letter, and it disappeared into thin air. “There,” Sweetie said. “Your letter is on its—”

There was another green flash, and a scroll reappeared in the air in front of Sweetie Belle. “That was fast,” Scootaloo remarked.

“Too fast.” Sweetie Belle tore the scroll open and read its contents. “It’s the same scroll. It came back to me.”

“Came back?” Scootaloo repeated. “Why’s that? Did you get the spell wrong?”

“No,” Sweetie Belle replied. “It means the dragon in the Nest can’t receive my messages.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exchanged nervous glances. “What do you mean, can’t?”

Sweetie Belle let the letter fall to the ground. “I mean, he’s dead.”

Change of Heart

“We don’t have time!” Scootaloo shouted at the changeling that stood opposite her, slamming her hoof on the table. “Nightmare Moon could attack the Nest any day!”

“Rushing into battle will not help them, General,” Chrysalis replied, rising to her hooves as well. Her drone bodyguards bristled and growled. “Your army is not ready for this task.”

“They’re as ready as they’ll ever be, your highness,” Scootaloo spat. “Once she destroys the Nest, she won’t hesitate to come after us.”

“You act as though the Nest has already been destroyed,” Chrysalis said. “If they’re anything like your griffon friend, I doubt they will be overrun easily.”

“It’s difficult to say,” Apple Bloom said. “The Nest is well-defended. The griffon soldiers are well-trained, and they have Zecora’s potion. However, the Shadowbolts are fearsome warriors, and Nightmare Moon herself will not be easily beaten, even with her dragonfire wounds.”

“I’m not taking that chance,” Scootaloo said. “The Nest is the only home I’ve known for five years now, and I have to do everything I can to protect it.”

“Perhaps you should have thought of that before you abandoned the Nest to train a pony army,” Chrysalis replied. Scootaloo glared at her from across the table. “You may do as you please, but I will not risk my hive on your emotional decisions.”

“She has a point, General,” Braeburn said from his place at Scootaloo’s left. “Our soldiers may have spirit, but they don’t have much experience.”

“I didn’t ask you, Colonel,” Scootaloo snapped.

“Scootaloo, calm down,” Apple Bloom said from Scootaloo’s right. “We need to look at this reasonably.”

“You want reason, huh?” Scootaloo asked. “I’ll give you reason. I fought under General Dash, the greatest general Equestria’s ever seen. I’ve fought against Nightmare Moon and her minions. I’ve fought and trained with the griffons in the Nest, and need I remind you that you came looking for me when you needed somepony to lead this army? I’ve been saying it for days now, and I’ll say it again. We’re ready to take back Canterlot and take down Nightmare Moon. The longer we wait, the harder it will be.”

“A small suggestion, if I may,” said Zecora. The zebra had been sitting quietly between Apple Bloom and Chrysalis, watching the others in the flickering candlelight. “Save this choice for another day.”

“We don’t have time!” Scootaloo groaned.

“We can’t afford to make mistakes,” Zecora replied evenly. “One wrong choice is all it takes. This grave news has left you worried, making your decisions hurried.” Scootaloo groaned and pressed a hoof against her forehead. “Take a night to calm your nerves and give it the thought it deserves. In the morning when you’re rested, make your choice with feelings bested.”

Scootaloo looked from her worried colonel to the stubborn queen and sighed. “Fine. We’ll meet back here in the morning.”

Chrysalis nodded and stood, assuming a pony disguise as she did so. Though the New Appleloosans were aware of the changelings in their midst, they had decided early on not to walk the streets openly in their true forms in order to avoid pandemonium. The disguised queen and her drones walked into the cold night air and toward the jungle. “Stubborn queen,” Scootaloo muttered.

“She has to look out for her kind,” Apple Bloom replied. “She’s riskin’ a lot on us, Scootaloo. She cares about her hive just as much as you do about the Nest.”

Scootaloo knew her friend was right, but she still couldn’t help but feel frustrated. The New Appleloosans had come a long way in a month, but the queen kept demanding more. “I don’t know what she expects,” she said.

“You could try askin’ her,” Apple Bloom suggested. “In the meantime, I’m goin’ to get some shuteye. You comin’ Braeburn?”

“Eeyup.” Braeburn yawned loudly as he and Apple Bloom exited, leaving Scootaloo and Zecora alone.

“What do you think?” Scootaloo asked after a moment.

“I’ve already spoken my mind,” Zecora answered. “The answer is for you to find.”

“But what would you do?” Scootaloo pressed. “What would you do if you were me?”

Zecora sighed as she stood. “I don’t know, dear Scootaloo, the path I’d choose if I were you. My only counsel is to start by looking deep inside your heart.”

“What does that mean?” Scootaloo asked, but Zecora was already out the door. Scootaloo’s head fell to the table as she let out a loud groan. What am I going to do? she wondered. The Nest could fall any day now, and without the changelings’ help, she knew she wouldn’t stand a chance against Nightmare Moon and her army. I have to persuade the queen to see things my way, she told herself. She has to see that we have to act now.

“Scootaloo?” The orange pegasus looked up to see Sweetie Belle standing in the doorway. “Are you busy?”

“No,” Scootaloo sighed, gesturing for the white unicorn to take a seat beside her. “Just frustrated is all.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Have you decided what to do?”

Scootaloo shook her head. “We need to attack, but the changelings want a stronger pony army first. We’re going to talk about it some more tomorrow, but I don’t know how much of a difference it’ll make.”

Sweetie Belle opened a saddle bag with her magic and withdrew two apples. “Want one?” she asked. Scootaloo nodded and took one of the apples in her hoof. “They’re almost as good as Sweet Apple Acres apples,” Sweetie Belle said as Scootaloo took a bite. “It’s one of the few things I can still remember from… before.”

Scootaloo watched as her friend took a bite as well. “What else do you remember?” she asked.

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes and swallowed. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Come on,” Scootaloo pressed. “There has to be something.”

“Well… I remember Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera,” she said.

Scootaloo smiled. “The day we became the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I kind of remember the clubhouse and that silly song we performed at the talent show.”

Scootaloo chuckled. “I still don’t understand why you let me take the lead on that. You had a great singing voice.”

“I guess.”

“You guess?” Scootaloo gave Sweetie Belle a friendly shove. “Come on! You were awesome! Remember that time we spent the night at Fluttershy’s and you totally stole her thunder with that lullaby?”

Sweetie Belle flinched at the sound of Fluttershy’s name. “Please don’t mention her.”

“Who? Fluttershy? Why, what happened?”

Sweetie Belle took a long breath before answering. “Nightmare Moon… used her against me.”

“How?”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about it,” Sweetie Belle snapped before taking another bite of her apple.

“Okay, I’m sorry.” Scootaloo watched her friend for a moment. “How well did you know Spike?”

Sweetie Belle’s jaw slowed to a stop, and the apple slipped out of her levitation spell. She bowed her head, swallowed, and spoke. “Pretty well,” she said. “He used to send me advice on how I could control my magic when he got the chance. He always talked about Twilight and how powerful she was, and I just assumed she was the one writing the advice. Then he told me one day that Colonel Glade didn’t want him sending or receiving messages unless it was official correspondence. I think he thought Nightmare Moon would be able to track the letters or something.”

“Can she?” Scootaloo asked.

Sweetie Belle shrugged. “I don’t know. Ask Apple Bloom.”

“So, why didn’t he tell you Twilight was dead?”

Sweetie Belle shrugged again. “Maybe he just didn’t want to talk about it.” The two were silent for a moment. “Listen, I know I said I didn’t want to fight, but… well, Spike helped me out a lot. If it wasn’t for him, my powers would be even more out of control than they are now. I owe him a lot, and… well, I just wouldn’t feel right letting Nightmare Moon get away with that after everything else she’s done.”

“Are you sure?” Scootaloo asked. “I can’t have you losing control in the middle of the battle.”

“I know,” Sweetie Belle agreed, “and I’m really trying to control myself. I’ve been thinking about this all day, and I know I can help you beat Nightmare Moon. Just promise me one thing,” she added quickly. “If I lose control, don’t hesitate to stop me. Knock me out, use the potion, whatever you have to do.”

“Sweetie Belle, I don’t think—”

“Promise me!”

Scootaloo stared into her friend’s fierce green eyes and sighed. “All right. I promise. But you have to promise me you won’t lose control,” she added.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

The sound of beating wings drew Scootaloo’s attention away from the conversation and toward the world outside. She stood and walked out the door, wondering what all the commotion was about. To her surprise, she found a pair of griffons standing in the square, looking around as if in search of something. “Good evening,” she called. “Can I help you?”

“Well, well, if it isn’t the AWOL sergeant,” said the lead griffon in a voice Scootaloo knew all too well. “Your captain tells me you’re training a pony army.”

“Yes, sir,” Scootaloo said, saluting instinctively as the two griffons drew near. “What brings you to Zebrica?”

“Gilda’s orders,” Colonel Glade answered. “She’s taken control of the nest, and she’s planning and assault on Canterlot. We hoped we could count on your support.”

Now or Never

Apple Bloom had to wake Scootaloo up in the morning to let her know that everyone else had already gathered at town hall. Scootaloo thanked her friend—at least, she was pretty sure she thanked her—and mentally reviewed what Glade had told her the previous evening as she prepared for the day’s negotiations. After chewing her out for abandoning the nest, he’d explained Gilda’s intention of assaulting Canterlot with the help of Scootaloo’s army. He hadn’t shared the details of Gilda’s plan, and Scootaloo didn’t press him. They were both tired, and she figured it would be best if he explained the griffon’s strategy in front of everyone.

“We have a hundred or so soldiers at your disposal,” Glade said. He and his companion—oddly enough, the recruit Scootaloo had humiliated on his first day at the nest—were seated between Braeburn and the changelings, a position neither of them seemed to like very much. Zecora was conspicuously absent. “Commander Gilda and I recommend deploying our soldiers as air support. You don’t seem to have many pegasi in your ranks, and our griffons will be able to complement you best from the sky.”

“I agree, Colonel,” Scootaloo replied. A part of her still couldn’t believe Gilda was bringing the Nest to help, and the other part was busy celebrating. “What do you think, your majesty?”

“My drones can take whatever form necessary,” Chrysalis replied. “Tell me, Colonel, how do you propose coordinating our attack with the Nest? General Scootaloo informed us that we currently have no means of communicating directly.”

“And I wouldn’t count on messengers,” Apple Bloom added. “Equestria is crawling with Shadowbolts, and Nightmare Moon could launch an attack any day.”

Colonel Glade raised an eyebrow at the yellow mare. “Seems my old sergeant found herself quite the little spy.” Apple Bloom stared evenly back at him. “If our situation is really as desperate as you make it out to be, I think our best option is to strike hard and fast. What I need to know from you is how you plan to get to Nightmare Moon.”

“We’ll draw Nightmare Moon out of Canterlot with a decoy,” Apple Bloom explained. “We will then use Zecora’s potion to weaken her and strip her of her powers.”

“What kind of decoy?”

“I will assume the form of Equestria’s former ruler, Princess Celestia,” said Chrysalis. “Given the history between Celestia and Nightmare Moon, this should be enough to lure her out into the open.”

“And I’ll be there to make sure it is,” Apple Bloom added.

Glade looked at her again. “And how do you plan to do that?” he asked.

“Apple Bloom has her ways,” Scootaloo answered. She didn’t know how Glade would react if he found out Apple Bloom was a double agent, and she didn’t want to risk wasting time trying to calm him down. “I will lead the attack with Gilda’s help. Our primary objective will be to keep the Shadowbolts from overwhelming Chrysalis while she distracts Nightmare Moon.”

“And how will you administer the potion?” Glade asked.

“All of us will be carrying blowpipes with poison-tipped darts,” Scootaloo said. “If any of us get a clear shot at Nightmare Moon, we take it.”

“Once we strip her of her powers, she’ll be practically defenseless,” Apple Bloom finished. “The Shadowbolts rely on her magic for survival. Once we take that away, her army will crumble, and she’ll be at our mercy.”

Glade nodded. “When do you plan to march on Canterlot?”

There was a moment of silence before Braeburn spoke up. “That depends on when the queen feels we’re ready.”

All eyes turned to Chrysalis. “I’ve already stated my conditions,” she said. “I must have a strong pony army at my side.”

“We’ve done the best we can,” Scootaloo said for what felt like the thousandth time. “What more can you ask?”

“You seem to forget, General, that I will be facing Nightmare Moon head-on,” said Chrysalis. “If you army can’t hold back the Shadowbolts, I do not see this battle ending well for me or my hive.”

“Your majesty, the griffon soldiers are powerful allies,” Scootaloo said. “Whatever faults you see in my army are more than made up by the Nest.”

“My commander has absolute trust in you,” Glade added. “I know she’ll stop at nothing to rid the world of Nightmare Moon, and I know our soldiers are up to the task.”

“We may not be the best army in the world, but we’re willin’ to give it all we got,” said Braeburn, puffing out his chest a little. “You can count on us, your majesty.”

Chrysalis was silent for a moment. “And if we wait?”

“Then Nightmare Moon will only get stronger,” Apple Bloom replied. “The longer we wait, the harder it will be to take her down.”

Chrysalis closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. “Very well,” she said. “How soon can your griffons meet us at Canterlot?”

“A week,” Glade answered. “As long as this recruit can keep up with me, that is.”

“Yes, sir,” Garret said.

“Then it’s settled,” Scootaloo said. “In one week, we meet in Canterlot and put an end to Nightmare Moon. Any questions?” There were none, and the council adjourned.

Colonel Glade lagged behind as the others began to leave. “Well, sergeant, I have to hand it to you,” he said. “When Gilda told me you were planning to attack Canterlot, I thought you’d gone crazy.”

“Maybe we have,” Scootaloo said as she thought of her allies—a pony army fresh out of training, a changeling hive, a hundred griffons—and sighed. “But if we don’t end this soon, it’ll only get worse.”

Colonel Glade nodded. “Well, one way or another, it’ll all be over soon. Let’s hope it turns out in our favor.” The colonel gestured for Garret to follow him, and the two exited and took flight.

“Good luck,” Scootaloo murmured.

“What are your orders, General?” Scootaloo turned to see Braeburn standing beside her.

“Tell everypony we’re moving out,” she replied. “Gather provisions and sharpen the weapons. We leave a dawn tomorrow.”

Progress

Sweetie Belle was gathering supplies for the trip when Zecora walked into the hut. “Sweetie Belle, what is all this?” she asked as she looked at the food the unicorn had gathered. “Has something gone amiss?”

“No, everything’s fine,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Well, as fine as it could be right now.”

“Tell me, child, what is the matter?” Zecora said. “You look as though something has shattered.”

Sweetie Belle let out a sigh. “The army’s moving out tomorrow,” she said.

Zecora put a gentle hoof on her shoulder. “This sad feeling I well know. It is hard to see friends go.”

“But that’s just it,” Sweetie Belle continued as she looked through Zecora’s potions. “I’m going with them.” She pulled a magic dampening potion of the shelf and held it up for Zecora to see. “Do you mind if I take this?”

Zecora took the potion and put it back on the shelf. “First, my friend, you must explain what it is you hope to gain.”

Sweetie Belle blinked. “We’re trying to stop Nightmare Moon.”

Zecora shook her head. “That may be the army’s goal, but I speak not of the whole. The one thing I want to know is why you, Sweetie Belle, should go.”

Sweetie Belle sighed. “I know it’s going to be dangerous, but I have to help them,” she said. “I’m the only unicorn here. I can use my magic to help them.”

“Then what on earth gave you the notion that I should give you that potion?” Zecora asked.

“In case I lose control,” Sweetie Belle replied.

Zecora shook her head again. “My child, you are too full of fear to truly help those you hold dear. If you are to help them now, to Nightmare Moon you must not bow.”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked. “I’m not loyal to her.”

“You may not support her rule, but part of you is still her tool,” Zecora said. “If you want to fill that role, you must master self-control.”

“I’ve been trying, Zecora, all right?” Sweetie Belle shouted, slamming her hooves on the ground. “I’ve tried everything I can think of, and I still lose control from time to time. My friends need me, but I need that potion to help them!”

“Calm yourself, my little friend. This anger will not help you mend.”

“I’m not little!” Sweetie Belle said. “I’m a grown mare! And what else do you want me to do?”

“Perseverance, my dear friend. You must simply try again.”

Again.

Again.

“Again,” said Nightmare Moon.

“I’ve tried this a million times,” Sweetie Belle muttered.

“And you’ll try ten million more if that’s what it takes,” Nightmare Moon snapped.

“Stop trying to force me!” Sweetie Belle shouted. A magical slap to the face was her reward.

“You will not raise your voice against me,” said Nightmare Moon. “I am you master, and you are my pupil, and you will do what I say.”

“No.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said NO!” The aura around Sweetie Belle’s horn burst to life.

“Do not trifle with me,” the dark mare said as the aura flared around her own horn. “Do not forget that without my guidance, you would be little more than an earth pony with a horn stuck on her head.”

“I’d rather be that than your student,” Sweetie Belle spat. “In fact, I’d rather have my horn cut off than be here with you!”

“That can be arranged.”

Five years of barely-suppressed rage finally boiled to the top. “You want my horn?” Sweetie Belle asked. “Come and get it.”

Nightmare Moon hesitated for a moment. The ground at Sweetie Belle’s feet cracked open, and specters began pouring out and rounding on Nightmare Moon. “Enough!” the dark mare shouted. “I command you to stop at once!”

“You don’t control me,” Sweetie Belle replied as more specters crawled from the pit. “You never have.”

Nightmare Moon blasted the specters with her magic. Sweetie Belle knew she couldn’t overpower her, so she turned and ran while she still had the chance. “Get back here!” Nightmare Moon commanded, but Sweetie Belle ignored her as she ran through the palace and out the front gates.

A gentle hoof brought Sweetie Belle out of her memories. She looked up to see Zecora’s soft blue eyes looking down at her. “Little one, you’ve tried so hard to mend your heart and hide the scars,” the zebra said as she wrapped the unicorn in her embrace. “I think the answer that you seek lies much deeper than you think.”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“These things you must learn on your own if you are to retake the throne,” Zecora replied. “Let go of those who are long gone, and only then can you move on.”

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes. “I don’t know if I can.”

“I’ve no doubt that you’ll pull through when your friends have need of you,” Zecora said. “True that it may take some time, but change will come, sure as this rhyme.”

Sweetie Belle gave her a mischievous smile. “You kind of cheated on that one, Zecora.”

Zecora returned her smile. “If you did always speak in verse, you too would see it as a curse.”

Sweetie Belle’s gaze drifted to a pile of scrolls stacked neatly in a corner. “Are you going to talk with the other zebras?” Zecora had been trying to convince them to join the battle for weeks, with no success.

“I’ll try once more, but don’t delay,” Zecora replied. “My kind are difficult to sway.” The zebra grabbed her saddle bags and walked out the door. “You may take the supplies you need, so long as you don’t succumb to greed.”

“I won’t,” Sweetie Belle promised. Zecora nodded and walked outside, closing the door behind her. Sweetie Belle walked to the pile of scrolls and began looking through them. It didn’t take her long to find the one she wanted, and she spread it out on a table and began to read.

Dear Sweetie Belle,

You asked me a while back if I had any suggestions for controlling unicorn magic. I gave you a pretty good list, but I was thinking about Twilight today, and something occurred to me that might help you with your particular situation.

One of Twilight’s favorite stories was how she got her cutie mark. I’m sure you recall it—how she was taking her entrance exam for Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and how she almost failed until Rainbow Dash’s sonic rainboom startled her. It was that detail that caught my attention today—how her powerful inner magic was triggered by being startled. You told me your particular talent was tied to your anger and hatred towards Nightmare Moon. It seems both you and Twilight lost control of your magic when it was triggered by emotion.

I’m no expert, I’m just shooting in the dark here, but maybe what you need to do is learn to do magic without having to fuel it with hate. I’m not sure how you’d go about that, but it’s an idea.

Your friend,
Spike

Sweetie Belle sighed as she rerolled the scroll and put it with the others. At the time, she hadn’t given this piece of advice much thought. After all, it was that anger and hate that had enabled her to do magic in the first place. But now, she wondered if perhaps he was right.

The unicorn stepped outside and looked around. The sun had already set, and as far as she could tell, she was alone. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She’d done simple spells like levitation without relying on her anger, but this spell was in another league entirely.

She could feel her pent-up resentment bubbling to the surface, but she held it down and focused on her magic. The ground in front of her cracked open, and a mangled hoof poked its way to the surface. The strain of casting the spell and quelling her emotions became too great, and she released the spell with a gasp. The fissure closed, and the hoof disappeared.

“Well, it’s a start,” Sweetie Belle muttered before returning to Zecora’s hut. “Guess I just need to practice.” It would take a week to get to Canterlot. She hoped she’d be able to control her magic by then.

Traitor

“The moon curse that dragon!” Nightmare Moon hissed as she took another swig of a foul-smelling and fouler-tasting concoction that felt like a slug oozing its way down her throat. She coughed and spat several times to get the horrid taste out of her mouth while the pain in her side subsided to a distant ache. “It’s losing its potency,” she murmured as she reviewed her ingredients stock. “You three,” she said, gesturing to a group of Shadowbolts standing nearby. “Get me more herbs from the Trottingham shelter. If they try to put up a fight again, do not hesitate to fight back.”

Her slaves bowed and exited the room. The dark princess turned her attention to the advanced potions books she’d been dissecting for weeks. Dozens of experiments and trials and more than a few accidental explosions had led her to a pain reliever, but still a cure evaded her. She was running dangerously low on supplies, and it was only by luck that her Shadowbolts had discovered the underground herb garden at Trottingham. Why Shadow Strike hadn’t told her about it was a mystery to her.

“Your majesty.” The dark mare looked up to see another group of Shadowbolts kneeling before her. “We have detected an intrusion on Equestria’s northern border. A flight of about a hundred griffons is making its way towards Canterlot.”

“Keep an eye on them,” said Nightmare Moon. “The griffons have been getting restless as of late. They may be trying to communicate with the zebras, now that their accursed dragon is dead.”

“Your majesty, they come very heavily armed,” the Shadowbolt said.

“Then keep a close eye on them,” the princess snapped. “A hundred griffons are surely no match for the Shadowbolts, are they?”

The Shadowbolt bowed a little lower. “No, your majesty.”

“Good. I’ll leave them to you, then.”

The Shadowbolt nodded, and he and his companions left the room. Nightmare Moon returned to her books. That was the trouble with her slave army—perfectly obedient but in need of constant direction. Regular ponies may have been hard to deal with, but at least they didn’t feel the need to ask her about everything.

She was just about to start working on a new formula when yet another pony burst into the room. “Your majesty,” the yellow mare said, gasping for breath. “We have a problem.”

“Shadow Strike,” Nightmare Moon said, giving the spy her full attention. “How nice to see you again. You have another report to make so soon?”

Shadow Strike sucked in a couple deep breaths before answering. “Equestria is being invaded, your majesty.”

“Yes, my Shadowbolts already informed me of the griffon flight.”

“It’s more than that, your majesty,” Shadow Strike pressed. “There’s a huge army of ponies coming up from the south. They’ll be here within the hour.”

“What?” Nightmare Moon turned her attention to the detection spells she’d placed around Equestria’s borders. “Impossible. I haven’t sensed anything from the south.”

“They have a powerful unicorn named Sweetie Belle with them, your majesty,” Shadow Strike explained. “She may have disrupted your detection spells so the pony army could sneak in.”

“I see.” Nightmare Moon let this new information sink in for a moment. “Do you think they plan to coordinate an attack with the griffons?”

“It’s possible,” said Shadow Strike.

“Of course it’s possible,” the princess snapped. “Do you think they will?”

Shadow Strike thought for a moment. “It would make the most sense, your majesty.”

Nightmare Moon nodded. “You’ve done well, Shadow Strike. I shall mobilize the Shadowbolts immediately.”

“There’s something else, your majesty,” Shadow Strike added quickly. “It’s their leader. She… well, I know it sounds crazy, but… well, they’re being led by Princess Celestia.”

Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment. “That’s not possible. I killed her myself.”

“All I know is what I saw,” Shadow Strike said. “It’s possible that she’s been hiding in Zebrica this whole time, waiting for the perfect moment to attack.”

Nightmare moon was again silent. “And how is it, Shadow Strike, that you didn’t tell me about this before?”

“I didn’t know, your majesty.”

“Didn’t know?” Nightmare Moon frowned. “You know the name of the unicorn who helped them slip through my defenses—a unicorn who escaped from under my very eyes, I might add—yet you didn’t know that Princess Celestia was hiding in Zebrica?”

“I…”

“You were able to track down Sweetie Belle, but you didn’t notice the ponies raising an army?” Nightmare Moon continued. “Your spying capabilities seem rather selective, my student.”

“L-look,” Shadow Strike said, backing away a couple paces. “It’s not as easy as you think it is.”

“Don’t talk down to me, Shadow Strike,” Nightmare Moon snapped as her horn began to glow. “How many times have you been to the Trottingham shelter?”

“S-several times, your—”

“And yet you told me nothing of the herb garden?” Shadow Strike backed away as Nightmare Moon stepped forward. “If I didn’t know any better, Shadow Strike, I’d say you were spying on me instead of for me!”

“N-no!” The mare hit the wall and pressed herself against it. Five Shadowbolts appeared around Nightmare Moon. “It’s not like that!”

“Oh, but it is,” Nightmare Moon said. Now that she said it out loud, it made perfect sense. “You’ve been lying to me this whole time.”

“No!”

“You were trying to scare me, weren’t you?” the princess continued. “You thought by telling me Celestia was out there, you could scare me into staying away from the battle.”

“Your majesty, please—”

“Well, my little spy, you’ve pushed your luck too far this time.” The Shadowbolts bent their legs and growled. “When your little pony army arrives, they’ll be facing more than just my Shadowbolts.” The princess turned and walked toward the door. “You five, take care of this traitor and join your brothers and sisters on the battlefield. This pathetic uprising will be over soon enough.”

Apple Bloom couldn’t help but smirk as the princess left the room. Not quite what I had in mind, but I’ll take it. She turned her attention to the Shadowbolts closing in around her and drew two knives from her vest. Now, to take care of you.

Battlefield

“Form ranks, my little ponies!” Celestia shouted. The only other noise was the crunch of snow underhoof and the ponies’ heavy breathing. “Nightmare Moon is waiting for us there,” Celestia yelled, pointing to the distant Canterlot, which hung in the shadow of the mountains. “She will be coming to meet us soon, and she will not come alone. I know for many of you, this is the first time you have seen battle, but believe me when I say I have absolute faith that you will pull through—not only for me, but for all of Equestria!”

The army let out a cheer as Scootaloo soared overhead. So far, it wasn’t a bad speech—for changeling. The New Appleloosans were in on the ruse, of course. In fact, Scootaloo guessed there were more changelings in disguise than actual ponies in the army below her. Still, if they wanted to fool Nightmare Moon, they couldn’t take any chances. Chrysalis and her hive had been in disguise since they entered Equestria, and now the changeling queen was giving them their pre-battle pep talk. Not even Nightmare Moon could tell the difference, she thought.

Scootaloo kept her eyes on Canterlot as Chrysalis continued. “This battle will not be easy. Nightmare Moon is not a pony to be trifled with. But remember this, my little ponies: Every night has its dawn, and every sunset has its daybreak. Nightmare Moon’s long night has come to an end, and we, my fellow ponies, are the sun!”

Scootaloo couldn’t help but roll her eyes as the army cheered louder than before. “Way to end with some cheese,” she muttered.

“Well, I liked it,” said a pegasus to her left, a deputy named Gunsmoke. “It got the troops motivated, so that’s all that matters.”

“I guess,” Scootaloo agreed. Her eyes narrowed as something stirred in the distant mountainside city. “Hey, do you see that?”

Gunsmoke squinted and nodded. “Looks like she’s on her way.”

“Keep the pegasi in formation,” Scootaloo ordered before swooping down in front of Chrysalis. Braeburn stood at the changeling queen’s other side. “It looks like they’re coming,” she muttered.

Chrysalis nodded. Her pastel-colored mane flowed ethereally in the wind, and the moonlight shone off her pristine white coat and golden armor, which only made the twin suns on her flanks stand out all the more. “Are you ready, colonel?”

Braeburn nodded. “Just keep her attention on you. I don’t want to get hit with a lightnin’ bolt while I’m gettin’ my blowgun ready.”

“I’ll give you all the time you need,” Chrysalis replied. “Hide yourself in the ranks. Hopefully, we can end this battle before it begins.”

Braeburn nodded and disappeared into the mass of ponies behind them. “What if he misses?” Scootaloo asked.

“Then we proceed as planned,” Chrsyalis answered. “I will draw away Nightmare Moon. Keep her army at bay, and take another shot when you get the chance.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Scootaloo asked as the murky cloud from Canterlot drew closer.

“It’s a little late for second thoughts, don’t you think?” Chrysalis asked as she watched the skies. “I don’t see her.”

“She’ll be here,” Scootaloo said. “Apple Bloom won’t let us down.”

“I worry Nightmare Moon might suspect her true allegiance,” Chrysalis replied.

“She’ll be fine. She knows what she’s doing.”

Chrysalis gave a slight shrug. “Have you seen the griffons?”

“Not yet.”

Chrysalis scowled. “They better show up.”

“They will.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Gilda’s my friend,” Scootaloo replied. “She’ll be here.”

“Well, whether they come or not, we can’t back down now,” Chrysalis sighed. The dark cloud was close enough they could make out individual ponies. “I need you in the air until the griffons arrive. Tell the colonel to take charge of the earth pony battalion. My soldiers will do the rest.”

Scootaloo nodded and turned to face her army. “Earth ponies, follow Braeburn! Pegasi, behind me!” The soldiers saluted in acknowledgement.

“What about me?”

Scootaloo looked at her white-coated friend, the only unicorn in all of New Appleloosa. “Just stay with Braeburn for now,” she said. “Do you know any protective spells?”

“A few.”

“Great. Just do what you can.”

Sweetie Belle looked at the ground, her black hood and cloak obscuring her face. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Before Scootaloo could think of something to say, the sound of cracking thunder met her ears. She spun around to see a mass of purple-clad, dark-coated, blue-maned ponies forming ranks a few hundred yards away. A blue-armored alicorn with a jet-black mane stood in front of them. “You,” she said.

“Princess Luna,” Chrysalis said as she stepped forward, looking every bit the part of Equestria’s former ruler.

“I killed you!” Nightmare Moon screeched, her eyes wide.

“You tried to,” Chrysalis agreed with a nod. “Nevertheless, I do not come with anger in my heart. I do not wish to fight you.”

“Then you shouldn’t have come here with an army behind you,” replied Nightmare Moon with bared teeth. “I don’t know how you escaped, much less in one piece, but I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“Sister, be reasonable,” Chrysalis begged, and even Scootaloo forgot for a moment that the real Princess Celestia didn’t stand beside her. “You rule nothing but a frozen waste.”

“The time for talking passed over a thousand years ago, sister,” the dark mare replied, spitting out the last word. “Spare me the speech and do what you came here to do. Your death is long overdue as it is.”

“It’s you who’s going down!” Scootaloo yelled.

“Don’t make me laugh,” said Nightmare Moon. “Your little assassin friend has been trying to kill me for years. What, you thought I didn’t know?” she asked when she heard Scootaloo’s gasp. “It was obvious, really. But don’t worry your little head. I’ve taken care of her.”

“T-that’s a lie!” Scootaloo shouted.

“Enough, General,” said Chrysalis. “Sister, please. We were meant to rule together.”

“Well, you should have thought of that before you banished me!”

“You left me no choice!”

“It was you who left me with no choice!”

A dart whizzed through the air, missing Nightmare Moon by a hair and impaling one of her soldiers, who immediately fell to the ground and melted away. Scootaloo turned to see Braeburn with a blowpipe still pressed to his lips, his eyes wide.

“So much for talk,” the dark mare said. “Shadowbolts! Attack!”

Scootaloo rose into the air as the Shadowbolts advanced. “Pegasi! Charge!” she yelled. She heard several similar orders echo through the ground ranks, and the battle began.

For several minutes, Scootaloo’s world was nothing but chaos and noise, quick maneuvers and acrobatic dodges she was sure would have made the Wonderbolts proud. She raked passing Shadowbolts with her steel-clad hooves, leaving deep tears in wings and flanks that didn’t move quickly enough. Most of the ground soldiers carried spears and swords, and a lot of the changelings used magical blasts to drive back their opponents, but for her pegasi soldiers, the most dangerous weapons were their speed, agility, and the weather, and until she could figure out a good way to use the third, she would have to rely on the first and second to get her through.

Whether through luck or a sense of self-preservation, both armies left a wide, open circle around their leaders who were exchanging blasts of energy so quickly, Scootaloo couldn’t even hope to keep up with them. Chrysalis was keeping up with Nightmare Moon for the time being, but now that they were here in Canterlot’s shadow, Scootaloo had to admit she shared Chrysalis’s doubts. The changeling queen was strong, but Nightmare Moon had overthrown Celestia, and Chrysalis’s source of energy, love, was scarce, especially in the middle of a battlefield.

Scootaloo’s thoughts were cut short as a Shadowbolt rammed into her side, barely missing her wing. Her armor protected her from the worst of the blow, and she quickly retaliated with a swipe of her hoof. A gash appeared across the Shadowbolt’s face, and Scootaloo followed it with a brutal kick to the head. The Shadowbolt fell to the ground and melted into shadow.

Scootaloo looked around, frantically trying to locate her fellow soldiers. Most of them appeared to be doing well, but she spied a few who bore deep cuts and were struggling to stay airborne. “Keep it up!” she shouted. “We can handle this!”

“They outnumber us four to one,” Gunsmoke panted as he suddenly appeared at her side. “We need to change our tactics or we’ll be overrun.”

Scootaloo glanced around as a plan formed in her mind. “Keep them off me,” she ordered as she shot upward, aiming for a group of clouds that hung high above the battle. She heard a few Shadowbolts give chase but ignored them, pushing her wings to their limit. Come on, Scoots. Make Rainbow Dash proud. If she could get the storm clouds into range, she could wreak havoc on the Shadowbolt’s forces and turn the battle in her favor. Just a bit farther!

She felt a set of teeth close around her tail and gasped as a Shadowbolt yanked her down. Scootaloo flipped around and headbutted her attacker, momentarily stunning him. It only took a moment, but a moment was all the other Shadowbolts needed. Scootaloo kicked and twisted, but the Shadowbolt swarm was too much for her, and she felt herself begin to sink back towards the ground.

A shrill cry echoed through the darkness, and a moment later, the Shadowbolts fell away from her with grunts, thuds, and a flurry of feathers. When the confusion passed, Scootaloo found herself looking at a familiar face. “Miss me, Scoots?”

Sootaloo smiled despite herself. “Took your time, didn’t you?”

Gilda smirked behind her helmet. “Come on. Let’s turn this battle around.”

Pursuit

Scootaloo, Gilda, and a few other griffon soldiers pushed the storm clouds into position and unleashed their fury. The lightning struck several dozen Shadowbolts, both in the air and on the ground. “Good plan,” Gilda said.

“Thanks,” Scootaloo replied. “You can tell me more about it later.”

Gilda nodded and leapt into the fray. Scootaloo took a moment to catch her breath. The battle was more even, but the ponies were still outnumbered. She caught sight of Chrysalis, whose attacks were beginning to lose their strength. Despite her injuries, Nightmare Moon was beginning to overpower the changeling queen. Scootaloo knew she had to do something to even the odds, and fast.

Glancing around to make sure nopony was coming toward her, she reached for the blowpipe on her foreleg and raised it to her lips. She was a little farther away than she would have liked, but she was confident she’d be able to hit Nightmare Moon at this distance. She took careful aim and—

“Ahh!”

A Shadowbolt hit her from above just as she exhaled, causing her dart to fly wildly into the air. Scootaloo rolled and smashed her front hoof into the Shadowbolt’s face, throwing her off the cloud and onto the ground below. She turned, wide-eyed, to see where her dart had landed. To her horror, the dart had missed Nightmare Moon completely and found a place in another pony’s neck—or more accurately, a changeling queen’s.

Chrysalis’s disguise disappeared almost immediately, and the changeling queen fell to her knees, breathing deeply. “Pull back!” Nightmare Moon shouted. Immediately, the Shadowbolts retreated several paces, and the ponies began panting to catch their breath. “What is this?”

Chrysalis smirked. “Not what you were expecting, your highness?”

Nightmare Moon scowled. “I don’t know what you are, but you’re about to regret attacking my kingdom!”

A bolt of lightning shout out of her horn just as a while unicorn threw herself in front of Chrysalis and raised a magical shield. The lightning bolt shattered the defense but missed both Chrysalis and Sweetie Belle completely. “Stay back!” Sweetie shouted.

“Well, well, if it isn’t my renegade student,” Nightmare Moon said. “I see your barrier spell is just as weak as always.”

“Back off,” Sweetie Belle growled, her horn glowing bright.

“Very well,” Nightmare Moon said. “I’ll leave this abomination to die at the hooves of my soldiers. You, however, I will deal with personally.” A second lightning bolt lanced forward, knocking Sweetie Belle off her hooves. “Destroy them,” Nightmare Moon barked at her army as she wrapped Sweetie Belle’s limp body in her magic and took to the skies. “Let this battle be remembered as the end of Equestria’s uprisings!”

“Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo cried, but half a dozen Shadowbolts converged on her before she could give chase. Scootaloo launched herself off the cloud and rammed one of her assailants, knocking her out cold. A second she dispatched with a well-placed punch before two more slammed into her sides, sending her spiraling out of control. A pair of griffon soldiers took out the rest while Scootaloo righted herself. Nightmare Moon was but a speck in the distance. “Sweetie Belle!”

“Yelling won’t help her,” Gilda shouted over the roar of battle. “Come on, let’s go!”

“But the battle,” Scootaloo said.

“Glade can handle it,” Gilda replied. “The whole point of this battle is to take down Nightmare Moon, and we’re not going to do that from here.”

Scootaloo nodded. “Gunsmoke!” she called. “Take charge!” The deputy nodded. Scootaloo and Gilda pumped their wings and rose above the battle without being followed. “All right, let’s go.”

The griffon and pegasus shot through the night. The sounds of battle faded behind them, leaving their ears filled with the rush of wind and the sound of their own ragged breathing. “I think we’re gaining on her,” Gilda gasped as both Canterlot and Nightmare Moon grew larger.

“Not fast enough,” Scootaloo answered, straining her wings despite her burning lungs and muscles. “Plan?”

“Ram her,” Gilda said.

“Sweetie Belle?”

“Catch her.”

“Potion? Dart?”

“Can’t breathe,” Gilda answered.

The two flew wordlessly for a minute or two. Nightmare Moon entered the city just before they did, and as they drew nearer, Scootaloo’s spirits began to rise. “She’s weak,” she muttered. “I think she’s slowing down.”

“No kidding,” Gilda snapped. “I’ll hit her from the side. Be ready to catch Sweetie Belle when she falls.”

Scootaloo didn’t have the strength to argue, and her years at the Nest had trained her to follow Gilda’s lead. Gilda flew up and to the left while Scootaloo slipped down and to the right. The pegasus kept a close eye on both the alicorn and the griffon as she positioned herself below and just behind Sweetie Belle, who still hung limply in Nightmare Moon’s magic. Scootaloo caught Gilda’s eye and gave her a slight nod. Gilda’s eyes narrowed, and she dove.

Nightmare Moon screamed as Gilda crashed into her back and dragged her toward the ground. The aura around Sweetie Belle disappeared. Scootaloo put on a burst of speed and caught her unconscious friend several feet above Canterlot’s snow-covered streets. The pegasus glided to the ground and landed just in front of the palace a little more roughly than she would have liked. “Sweetie Belle,” she said. “Can you hear me?”

Sweetie Belle moaned something, but a crash across the frozen moat drowned out whatever she tried to say. Gilda and Nightmare Moon tumbled out of a building covered in drywall and dust. Nightmare Moon rolled to her hooves and pointed her horn at the griffon. Her body was covered in scrapes, and one of her wings hung limply at her side, blood flowing from a deep gash at its base. The dark mare kicked Gilda in the side and ran towards the palace. “Hang on, Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo said. “She’s coming this way.”

Nightmare Moon reached the drawbridge just before Gilda leapt at her with her metal-clawed talons outstretched. The dark mare let out a feral growl as Gilda’s claws pierced her flank and whirled around, throwing Gilda halfway across the bridge. “I’ve had enough of you!” Nightmare Moon screeched.

“Then let me put you out of your misery!” Gilda shouted as she lunged forward. The aura around Nightmare Moon’s horn burst to life, and a moment later, Gilda was thrown from her feet with a flash of lightning. She flew through the air and slammed into the castle wall before falling to the ground, eyes closed and feathers smoldering.

“Gilda!” Scootaloo cried, but she had not time to help her friend. Nightmare Moon was stalking towards her, a mad gleam in her eye.

“Step aside if you value your life,” the dark mare growled.

“I won’t let you take Sweetie Belle or Gilda,” Scootaloo replied, taking a defensive stance in front of Sweetie Belle, who was just beginning to stir.

“I’ve defeated armies of pegasi stronger than you, you little foal,” Nightmare Moon snarled. “Get out of my way!”

“Never!” Scootaloo yelled. “Your reign ends now!”

“I am your princess!” Nightmare Moon’s voice shook Scootaloo’s bones, but she held her ground. “I command you to stand aside!”

“You’re not my princess,” Scootaloo said. “Long live Celestia!”

Nightmare Moon let out an unearthly scream and charged. Scootaloo galloped forward as well, watching carefully for the right moment to dodge. She knew hitting the alicorn head-on was suicide; even if the horn didn’t impale her, the alicorn’s size guaranteed Scootaloo would the thrown from her hooves. She waited until the last second before diving to the side, taking a swipe with her hoof as she sailed past the dark mare. Her hoof found Nightmare Moon’s left shoulder just below her breastplate and dug in. The impact sent a jolt of pain through her leg, and she collapsed to the snow, her head threatening to explode.

“Curse you!” Nightmare Moon screamed. Through her blurry vision, Scootaloo could see the alicorn limping on her injured leg. “I’ll destroy every last pony in your pathetic army!”

Scootaloo shook her head to clear the fog. “T-try all you want,” she stammered. “You might be powerful, but one day, you’ll meet your end.”

Nightmare Moon smirked. “There is no day here,” she said, “and there never will be.”

“Whatever.”

It was by no means her best comeback, but it got under Nightmare Moon’s skin just the same. “I know one thing for certain,” she said as her horn began to glow. “If by some miracle I am overthrown, you won’t be alive to see it.”

Scootaloo could push her body no further. She stumbled to her hooves and faced the dark mare with a look of defiant resolution. Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes, and Scootaloo closed hers. I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash. I tried.

Last Stand

“The sun take you all!” Apple Bloom hissed as she hit three of her Shadowbolt pursuers with a heavy statue she’d pushed down the stairs. The Shadowbolts melted into shadow and immediately began reforming. Apple Bloom bolted down the hallway, her mind racing for some way to kill her assailants for good. She was no unicorn, but she knew Nightmare Moon’s enchantments almost as well as Nightmare Moon herself. A complex series of spells protected the dark mare from any and all harm within the castle walls—hence the need to draw her away from her fortress—and now it seemed the Shadowbolts were invincible as well, endlessly reforming no matter what she threw at them.

Apple Bloom reviewed her options as the all-too-familiar sound of hoofbeats echoed behind her. Her knives were lost somewhere in the dining room, and crushing was apparently ineffective. She could trap them under a tapestry like she’d done to a couple in the downstairs hallway, but that was only a temporary solution, and no matter how fast she ran, they always managed to cut her off before she could reach a doorway and get them away from the castle’s enchantments. She considered using her blowgun, but that would only take care of one of them at best and leave her defenseless should she come across Nightmare Moon.

A pair of Shadowbolts melted out of the floor in front of her. Apple Bloom redoubled her pace and shoved past them, pausing only to kick down the door that stood at the end of the hallway. She guessed she was somewhere near the castle’s outer wall, but she couldn’t think of any way to use that to her immediate advantage. Her only hope was to get outside, and the Shadowbolts were making that all but impossible.

The sound of cracking thunder echoed through the passage. Apple Bloom frowned. Nightmare Moon can’t be here, she thought as she leapt over a Shadowbolt who stood in her way. They were supposed to fight her down on the plain. She skidded to a stop in front of a window and looked outside. To her horror, she saw Nightmare Moon herself standing in front of Sweetie Belle’s body, pointing her horn at Scootaloo.

A series of growls brought her attention back to the passage. The Shadowbolts were closing in on her from either side, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to get past them this time. Apple Bloom took a moment to weigh her options before backing as far away as she could from the glass that separated her from the outside world. Then she pushed off the wall and threw herself at the window, hoping that it wasn’t as strong as it looked.

Jagged shards of class cut her skin as she crashed through the newly made hole in the wall. She ignored the pain, the Shadowbolts diving out the window after her, and everything on the ground except the black-coated mare about to unleash her fury on Scootaloo. She reached into her vest and withdrew her blowpipe, sucked in a deep breath, pressed the pipe against her lips, took aim, and blew.

For the first time in her life, Apple Bloom heard a startled cry come out of Nightmare Moon’s mouth. Apple Bloom hit the snow and rolled, hoping she hadn’t broken anything she’d need to keep running if her plan didn’t work out. Her gaze shot to the shattered window just in time to see the Shadowbolts disappear in puffs of black smoke.

“You!” Apple Bloom turned her attention to Nightmare Moon, who looked ready to tear out her throat with her teeth. “I should have killed you when I had the chance!”

“You got that right,” Apple Bloom replied as she rose slowly to her hooves. Her shoulder ached where she’d hit the snow, and though she could walk, she doubted she’d be doing any more running for a while. “Guess that mistake came back to bite you in the flank.”

“I’ll not be making it again,” Nightmare Moon growled as she pointed her horn at Apple Bloom. Nothing happened. “What is this?” the dark mare demanded. “What have you done to my magic?”

Apple Bloom couldn’t resist a smile. “Remember that potion you sent me to destroy? I’ve been helpin’ Zecora make it this whole time.” Nightmare Moon’s mouth hung open, and her eyes went wide. “It should come back eventually—if we let you live that long.”

Nightmare Moon stumbled back a couple paces and flared her good wing. “I can defeat all of you without my magic!” she yelled.

“I wouldn’t count on that,” Apple Bloom replied. “Sure, you might be able to take me and Scootaloo, but I know for a fact there’s one pony here who scares you—so much you wanted me to kill her if I got the chance.”

Nightmare Moon’s expression gave way to confusion, then shock. Her gaze shot to Sweetie Belle, who was pushing herself to her hooves with a cough. “No,” she whispered. “No!”

“That’s right,” Apple Bloom said. “How you feelin’, Sweetie Belle?”

“Dizzy,” Sweetie Belle said as she rubbed her head. She looked up at Nightmare Moon and glared. “Hello, teacher.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Nightmare Moon shrieked. “Those monsters are just as likely to attack your friends as they are me!”

“Maybe that was true five years ago,” Sweetie Belle replied as her horn began to glow, “but I’ve learned a lot since I got away from you.”

“Even if she can’t control it, it’s still worth it if it means taking you down,” Apple Bloom added, more for Sweetie Belle than Nightmare Moon. “We’ve all come this far, and we’ve all been willin’ to sacrifice our lives to get Equestria back to normal.”

“So, you would sacrifice your friends for a petty grudge?” Nightmare Moon asked. “Well, well, it appears I taught you better than I thought.”

“It’s a sacrifice I’m proud to make,” Apple Bloom replied.

“Me too,” Scootaloo agreed as she landed carefully beside Apple Bloom. “Do it, Sweetie Belle. It’s time this tyrant met her match.”

Sweetie Belle closed her eyes, and her horn glowed brighter still. Come on, Sweetie Belle. Just like you’ve been practicing. Her pent-up hatred for the mare in front of her surged against her chest, but she forced it down. You don’t need it, she reminded herself. You can control this.

The ground at her hooves split open, and a greenish glow emanated from below. Hooves began clawing at the edges, struggling to reach the surface. The ponies that emerged from the crevice were every bit as horrible as Nightmare Moon remembered them. Their half-rotted skin clung to their bones as they shambled towards her, dead eyes boring a hole into her soul.

“Stop!” the dark princess cried, falling on her rump as she tried to back away. That stubborn farm pony and prissy fashionista were closing in from either side. A cyan pegasus she remembered from the last uprising emitted a feral growl, and even that timid, yellow animal lover was stalking closer, rotting teeth bared. What scared her most, though, was her sister’s protégé. Even in death, her horn still glowed with a faint purple light.

“G-Get away from me!” Nightmare Moon cried, but the mob was beyond hearing. The princess swiped her horn at those that drew closest, but her feeble defense was hardly enough to deter them. A pink mare with a flat pink mane lunged forward, knocking Nightmare Moon onto her side. The others closed in quickly and began to feed.

Apple Bloom closed her eyes as the dark mare’s screams echoed across Canterlot. She cringed as the sound of tearing flesh filled her ears, but Sweetie Belle’s spell stayed strong. “Kill me!” the dark mare screamed in anguish. “Kill me!”

Sweetie Belle wanted nothing more than to tear her former master to pieces. Her hatred burned hot in her chest, and she could feel more specters scrambling to the surface. Stop it, said a voice in her head. Stop the spell while you still can. Something clicked inside her head, and she felt both her magic and her anger ebb away. The skeletal ponies backed away from the princess, their mouths, hooves and bodies dripping with blood. Nightmare’s groans filled the silence. “Just do it,” she gasped. “Just get it over with.”

The ponies sank into the ground, and the aura around Sweetie Belle’s horn faded. “I won’t lose control,” she said. “Not again.”

A sickening cross between laughter and choking escaped Nightmare Moon’s throat. “I knew you couldn’t do it,” she said. “You’re weak, just like your sister.”

“I’m not weak,” Sweetie Belle replied. “I’ve learned on my own to control my power, which is more than you ever taught me.”

“Insolent foal!” Nightmare Moon gasped. “What’s the matter? Afraid to take my life? I killed your sister before your eyes!”

“I know,” Sweetie Belle said as she put a hoof to her chest. She expected to feel a surge of hot anger, but she felt nothing. “That’s what fuelled my magic. That’s what made me strong enough to escape Canterlot.”

“Oh, spare me your sob story.”

“But I don’t need that anymore,” Sweetie Belle continued. “Anger and hatred, they might make you strong, but they also make you lose control and do things you don’t want to do, things you’ll come to regret. I thought I’d never be able to control my power until Apple Bloom and Zecora took me in. They never doubted for a second that I’d be able to master my own strength, and they were right.”

“Will you just kill me? You sound like Celestia.”

“Maybe you should have listened to her,” Sweetie Belle replied as her horn glowed once again. This time, the familiar surge of anger never came. “Guess it’s too late now.”

The ground shook, and another specter crawled out of the crevice. Nightmare Moon stared in horror at a being she had not seen in ten years. The white alicorn still bore the burns and scars of their final battle. Her tattered wings hung limply at her side, and her broken horn still glowed with residual power. “Celestia,” she gasped as her sister’s glowing eyes snapped open, fixing her with an accusing glare. “No!”

“Luna,” Celestia gasped as she stumbled closer, her broken leg bending at sickening angles.

“No! Sister! Stop!”

“You betrayed me… you betrayed your friends.”

The white alicorn towered above Nightmare Moon, baring her teeth in the dim light. “Sister,” the dark princess whispered, tears coming to her eyes for the first time in over a millennia. “Please.”

“Your long night must end,” Celestia gasped. Her mouth opened, and she lunged forward. Nightmare Moon had time to utter one final scream.

The aura around Sweetie Belle’s horn dimmed, and the specter sank back into the ground. Apple Bloom cracked her eyes open to see Sweetie Belle walking towards them, a look of exhaustion over her face. “I did it,” she gasped.

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said. “Yeah, you did.”

Sweetie Belle turned to Scootaloo, who was huddled over Gilda’s body, trembling and covering her ears. “It’s over,” Sweetie Belle said softly, putting a gentle hoof on the pegasus’ shoulder. “She’s gone.”

A sudden glare lit up the horizon. Apple Bloom squinted and covered her eyes as the sun rose over Equestria for the first time in over ten years. The sun moved quickly across the sky until it reached its highest point and stopped. Though Nightmare Moon’s corpse lay just a few feet away, only now did Apple Bloom believe that her mission was finally over.

“Come on,” she said to her companions, who were looking up at the sun with tears in their eyes. “Let’s get Gilda inside. Hopefully the others will get here soon.”

Rebuild

The combined pony, changeling, and griffon army spent most of the afternoon tending to the wounded. Surprisingly, it looked as though all of the soldiers would pull through, though some would have a few interesting scars to brag about. Both Glade and Chrysalis attributed this to the fact that the entire Shadowbolt army had disappeared into thin air relatively quickly, though Braeburn and Gunsmoke insisted it was because Scootaloo had done such a good job training them. They realized a moment later that they weren’t sure where Scootaloo was—or Gilda, for that matter—and it took them a moment longer to remember Nightmare Moon had fled the battlefield with Sweetie Belle in tow. Glade and Gunsmoke quickly rounded up a group of able-bodied griffons and pegasi and set out for Canterlot, not knowing what to expect. What they found was a mangled corpse outside the castle gates and four creatures hiding inside—three ponies, and one griffon.

“We’re fine,” Scootaloo told them one she explained what had happened. “We’re all a little banged up, but we’ll get over it.”

“Where is Commander Gilda?” Glade asked.

“Upstairs with Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle,” Scootaloo answered. “Nightmare Moon hit her pretty hard, so they’re working on a potion to help her recover.”

As if sensing her cue, Gilda came crashing down the stairs, half-flying and half-running. “I told you to back off!” she yelled at the earth pony and pegasus behind her. “That stuff tastes like death mixed with vomit!”

“I told you, it’ll help you recover your strength,” Apple Bloom shouted.

“I don’t care if it makes me immortal, I’m not drinking it!”

“Gilda!” Scootaloo shouted. “Colonel Glade is here to see you.”

“What?” Gilda whirled around and noticed the newcomers for the first time. “Ah. Yes. What is it, Colonel?”

Colonel Glade cleared his throat before speaking. “I’m here to give you my report on the battle, ma’am,” he said. “Also, I think you should listen to the pony and drink your potion.”

“Didn’t ask you,” Gilda snapped. Scootaloo stifled a laugh. Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

The next few hours were spent listening to reports about the battle, the state of the armies, and plans for what to do next. “I suggest the griffon soldiers return to the Nest,” said Colonel Glade. “Now that the battle is over and Nightmare Moon defeated, we should let the ponies rebuild.”

“What do you think, Scoots?” Gilda asked. “You need any help from us?”

“Well, we could use some help wrapping up this winter,” Scootaloo said. “It’ll take a ton of horsepower just to clear away all the snow and plant crops.”

“I know of a half-dozen shelters with good underground farms,” Apple Bloom said. “It’ll be tight, but I think we can rely on them until we can get some aboveground crops planted and grown.”

“Winter wrap up?” Gilda sighed. “Haven’t you learned anything, Scoots? Just let nature take its course.”

“It’ll take months for all this ice to thaw out on its own,” Scootaloo replied. “We just need to clear enough ground for us to get started, and then we’ll let the world run itself—well, except maybe for the occasional weather management.”

“Where do you plan to settle?” asked Glade. “I hope you don’t plan to clean up all of Equestria at once.”

“I’d recommend Trottingham, for now,” Apple Bloom said. “There are some buildings there we can use for shelter, and their underground farm is one of the best in Equestria.”

After a little more discussion, the griffons agreed to help clean up Trottingham before returning to the Nest. The group returned to camp to find most of the soldiers organizing a party. “Welcome back!” Braeburn shouted as he galloped towards them, a massive grin plastered across his face. “You’re just in time to celebrate!”

“That didn’t take long to put together,” Scootaloo remarked as a cart of apple pies rolled past. “Where did you get all the produce?”

“The Trottingham ponies,” Braeburn answered. “Turns out they have this huge underground farm. Who knew?”

“Well done, General.” Scootaloo turned to see Queen Chrysalis walking towards her. Her body sported several bandages, but she was smiling. “Your army performed admirably, considering the amount of training it had.”

“Thank you,” Scootaloo replied. “We couldn’t have done it without you, of course.”

“Of course,” Chrysalis agreed. “Nor without the griffons,” she added with a nod toward Gilda.

“Yeah, well, I figured Scoots here needed all the help she could get,” Gilda said. Scootaloo shot her a glare. “So, what’s your plan from here?”

“We’ll be returning to Zebrica once the party is over,” Chrysalis replied.

“I thought you wanted to live among us as equals,” Scootaloo said.

“Yes, but you ponies will be facing difficult times,” Chrysalis said. “Nightmare Moon may be gone, but you’re a long way from reclaiming your home. Once my soldiers have recovered their strength, we’ll return to Zebrica for the time being.”

Scootaloo wasn’t sure what to make of this decision, but she could tell she wouldn’t have much say in the matter. “Thanks for your help,” Scootaloo said, extending a hoof, which the changeling queen reluctantly accepted. “Let’s just remember this day in the future and not forget where our loyalties should lie.”

Chrysalis nodded. “I hope all of us will do the same.”

The party proceeded smoothly, though Scootaloo decided to distance herself from the festivities. Gilda found her observing the party from a low-floating cloud in the early evening. “What’s up, Scoots?”

“Just thinking.”

“Thinking?” Gilda gave her a playful shove. “Come on, Scoots. We finally won. We’ve earned a party.”

Scootaloo smiled. “I know.”

Gilda settled on the cloud beside her. “All right, I’ll bite. What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” Scootaloo replied. “It’s just weird being back here after all this time.”

Gilda sighed. “Yeah, I don’t have a lot of fond memories of this place.”

“I do.”

Gilda noticed the pegasus’s frown and gave her a nudge. “You know, I heard Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom talking about visiting Ponyville.”

“Really?”

Gilda nodded. “I think Sweetie Belle thought it would help her with her magic or something.”

“Did they say when?”

“Right now, I think.”

Scootaloo thought for a moment. “I’m going to see if I can find them,” she said as she got to her hooves.

“Don’t stay out too late,” Gilda replied. “We’ve got a ton of snow to melt tomorrow.”

Scootaloo shot her a sideways glance. “When did you get so responsible?”

“When I had to come save your tail from the Shadowbolts,” Gilda replied. “You’re good, Scoots, but you’re not five-Shadowbolts-at-once good.”

“Is that a challenge?”

The two stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter. “I’ll miss you, Gilda.”

“You too, Scoots.”

Scootaloo walked to the edge of the cloud and spread her wings. “I’ll see you in the morning. Don’t get too drunk.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gilda watched the orange pegasus kick off the cloud and glide away. “Take care of yourself, kid.”

Home

Few ponies had set foot in Ponyville since its destruction ten years before. Most of them came scavenging for supplies in the burnt-out and broken buildings and only stayed as long as they had to. Few ponies cared, much less knew, where Sugar Cube Corner or Carousel Boutique once stood. The ruined library, a blackened orchard, and a half-demolished cottage by the forest were the only landmarks that still stood, but for Sweetie Belle, those were enough. She’d spent hours looking down at Ponyville’s remains from Canterlot castle when Nightmare Moon wasn’t tormenting her, and though it had been years since her escape, she could still piece the town together in her mind and locate the remains of every building she needed to find.

The evening after Nightmare Moon’s defeat, she only needed to find one.

Scootaloo found her standing in what looked like any other charred, snow-covered wreckage of a building. “Hey, Sweetie Belle. Gilda said I could find you and Apple Bloom here.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “I thought it’d be good to visit again. I saw the ruin every day from Canterlot, but I figured it would do me some good to come back one more time.”

Scootaloo stepped into the building and looked around. “What was this place?”

“Carousel Boutique,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Rarity’s workroom used to be right here, and the kitchen was over there.”

“How do you remember all that?”

“I’ve thought about it a lot,” Sweetie Belle said. “It helped me stay mad at Nightmare Moon.”

Scootaloo looked up at the darkening sky. Several pink clouds hung in the air overhead. “Dash used to sleep on those clouds,” she said. “When she wasn’t clearing them out, of course.”

“Are clouds comfortable?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“They’re a bit breezy,” Scootaloo answered. “Great for warm nights, but not so much for winter.”

The two left the remains of the boutique and walked through what remained of Ponyville. Sweetie Belle occasionally pointed out a place or building, like the park and town hall. “You know, I kind of forgot about a lot of this stuff,” Scootaloo said.

“I tried to remember as much as I could,” Sweetie Belle replied. “Sometimes, when I was having a bad day in Zebrica, I’d wonder if anyone else still remembered Ponyville.”

Scootaloo looked around. “Where’s Apple Bloom?”

“She said she was going to Sweet Apple Acres,” Sweetie Belle answered. “We should probably go find her. It’s getting late.”

The two left the town ruins and made their way toward what remained of the famous Apple family orchard. The crunch of snow under her hooves and the familiarity of the path reminded Sweetie Belle of the many times she and Scootaloo had made this trip in their childhood. “Things were a lot different back then, huh?” she said. Scootaloo nodded. “Back when crusading for cutie marks was the most important thing and Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were the biggest threats.”

Scootaloo chuckled. “I almost forgot about those two,” she said. “I wonder if they made it out of Ponyville okay?”

“I don’t know,” Sweetie Belle replied. “I hope they did. I mean, they were jerks, but still.”

Scootaloo nodded. “After everything we’ve been through, they do seem kind of silly, don’t they.”

The two arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Black tree trunks surrounded the demolished farm house as far as they could see. “Apple Bloom? You here?” Scootaloo called. There was no reply. “Come on, let’s go find her.” The two approached the farmhouse, keeping an eye out for their friend. “Looks like Nightmare Moon really did a number on this place.”

“Got that right,” said a soft voice from the shadows. Scootaloo turned to see Apple Bloom walking toward them. “Everything’s gone, ‘cept for a few trees on the edge of the farm.”

“What did you expect?” Scootaloo asked.

Apple Bloom shrugged. “I dunno.” She looked around the farm again in the dying light of day. “Guess we might as well go back to camp. We’re not goin’ to find anything here.”

“Maybe we will,” said Sweetie Belle. “You said there were still some trees around here.”

“Over there,” Apple Bloom replied, pointing with a hoof. “They must be dead by now.”

“Maybe, but that’s not the point,” Sweetie Belle said as she took a few steps in the direction Apple Bloom had indicated. “When we were little, we had a clubhouse, remember?” The other two nodded. “It was in those trees,” she continued. “Maybe it’s still there.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom exchanged glances. “It’s worth a shot, I guess,” Apple Bloom said at last.

After a few minutes of searching, the trio found a sagging hut wedged in one of the trees. None of them spoke as they walked up the ramp and into their old clubhouse. A lantern still hung from the ceiling, and Sweetie Belle lit it with her magic. Everything was covered in dust. Scootaloo fixed that with a few flaps of her wings, revealing the clubhouse’s contents for the first time in over a decade.

“It’s just how we left it,” Apple Bloom said at last. “That map we made is still on the wall over there.”

“And look,” said Scootaloo as she moved some broken shingles to the side. “That bull’s eye we used to stand in to come up with ideas for getting our cutie marks.”

“This is where it all started,” said Sweetie Belle. “This is the last place we were all together before…”

The room seemed to grow a little darker, and not just because of the setting sun. “Hey,” Apple Bloom said at last. “The important thing is that we’re all together again.”

“Not all of us,” Sweetie Belle mumbled.

“We can’t think like that,” said Apple Bloom. “We’ve lost a lot, but we have to keep goin’. I know that’s what my big sister would want.”

“That’s what Rainbow Dash would want, too,” Scootaloo agreed.

Sweetie Belle nodded. “So, what do we do?”

“Well, we’ve done potion-makin’, spyin’, soldierin’, magic usin’, and tyrant destroyin’, not to mention cheatin’ death multiple times,” Apple Bloom said.

“Gee, who’d’ve thought that’s what it would take to get us our cutie marks?” Scootaloo asked. The three mares giggled softly. “There’s still a lot to do, though. We’re going to have to clear a lot of snow and build a lot of houses.”

“And set up a lot of farms,” Sweetie Belle added.

“And let’s not get started on the shelters,” said Apple Bloom. “I don’t know who’s goin’ to be able to lead ‘em all like Princess Celestia did.”

The three mares looked at each other as smiles crept onto their faces. “What do you say, crusaders?” asked Scootaloo. “Ready to take on the next challenge?”

“You can count me in,” said Apple Bloom.

“Me, too,” said Sweetie Belle.

The three mares raised their hooves in the air and slapped them together. Then they shouted, in near-perfect unison, “Cutie Mark Crusaders Nation Builders, go!”