To me, the bird looked bored. Chase would have told me I was being silly, but I could swear that bird was as bored as I was. I didn’t know what kind of bird it was, but it was blue and pretty and had a brown beak. Whatever it was that birds were supposed to do, like flying and tweeting and stuff, it wasn’t doing them. It was just sitting there on the wall, pecking itself.

I wished it would do something. Like eat a worm, or start a fight with another bird. That might be fun to watch. I remember back home my mummy always hated worms and threw them out when I brought them inside, but if Daddy was home and Mummy wasn’t, he’d let me play with them on the forge room floor as long as he wasn’t busy. I missed daddy’s forge. It always smelled like the coal and limestone daddy smelted with. Even though he told me it was coke, I still always called it coal because it looked like it to me. I knew it annoyed him a little, and I giggled when he rolled his eyes. He made a silly face.

“Is something funny?” I blinked and looked over at the nightkin glaring at me.

Valued Teachings was mean. I wish Chase was teaching us, or maybe Stygus... Or even Victory. Everypony else complained that Astral Victory was mean, but I didn’t think so. As long as you did what he said, and didn’t pull funny faces when his back was turned, he left you alone.

Valued Teaching though... I hated this classroom and every minute I was in it. These rows of rich wooden desks, the stacks of parchment and scrolls with history on them, and maps... the whole place smelled like paper to me. I hated that smell. The whole room was boring and the same. All the desks were the exact same and they were all the same distance apart, so there wasn’t even anything for me to look at. The walls were the same dark rock as the rest of the castle, and the courtyard outside wasn’t much more exciting. Just a staircase up to the walls on the other side, and the orangey dirt that made up the ground. No one was even doing anything out there! The most exciting thing in the room was the window I was looking down at the courtyard through. And it was only exciting because Chase told me it was actually called a ‘murder hole’ and that was kind of a cool name for a window if you asked me.

“Uh...” I answered her. “Yes?” Was that the answer to the question?

“And what’s so funny?”

After a moment, I realised nothing was supposed to be funny. Oh...

“No! Nothing’s funny.” I looked around the room again, before glancing out the window. The bird was gone. I looked back to the teacher, hoping she’d leave me alone.

I didn’t like these lessons. It was supposed to be a break or easier than the time in the yard with Victory, but to me they were just boring. Listening to an adult talk for an hour was boring, and just sitting in place for an hour was even more boring. At least with Victory we were doing things.

“Are you bored then?” Teachings asked me from the front of the room. I blushed as I realised all the other fillies and colts were staring at me. I stared down at the desk. I wish my mane was longer so they couldn’t see me blush.

“Yes,” I answered correctly. Then I blinked. No! That wasn’t the correct answer! “I-I mean-”

“That you’re bored and wish I’d leave you alone?”

This time I didn’t answer. In the corner I noticed Strong Faith snickering at me. Strong Faith was that stupid-head grey and white pegasus I kicked in the doodle.

Teachings sighed and rolled her eyes. She didn’t look as funny when she did it as daddy did. “So can you tell me anything I just taught you?”

I nodded quickly. That was the right answer, the one that wouldn’t make her angry.

“So you were listening?” She raised her eyebrow, and I knew she didn’t believe me. “Can you tell what happened when reinforcements led by General Case Hardened arrived at the battle of the unicorn ranges?”

My ears folded low. “He... he... he won?”

Teachings snorted. “Over-simplified, and wrong. He lost that battle. Why did he lose that battle?”

“B-b-because he ran away?” Everyone was staring at me. I wish they’d stop staring at me.

“No he did not run away. General Case Hardened was many things, but a coward wasn’t one of them.” Finally leaving me alone, Valued Teachings walked back through the desks to the front of the class. “No, Case Hardened charged the enemy. A frontal charge led by earth pony skirmishers into the ranks of the unicorn war casters. That could be a reasonable tactic, but he failed to remember the mire and swamplands in between his troops and the unicorns. On such a battlefield, the armoured earth ponies were a liability with their heavy weight and slow movement.”

Strong Faith poked his tongue out at me, and I glared at him.

She turned back to face the class. “The correct use of armoured earth pony skirmishers would have been to-”

I glanced at the window and sat up a bit with a smile. Oh Look! The bird was back!

Chase paced back and forth in front of me, and I knew she was annoyed. She looked like Mummy did when I walked mud into the house, or when daddy left his hammers on the kitchen table. After a second Chase stopped pacing and just looked down at me.

“Song...” She sighed and rubbed her face. My ears folded flat. “Why? I mean... just... why? It was a theory lesson, how could he... I mean... why did you have to hit him in the first place?”

“He was laughing at me,” I mumbled, “and he called me Pong of Shite.” He was a stupid head. He thought I wouldn’t hit him just because Teachings was in the room. He was wrong.

This hallway looked the exact same as the rest of Castle Black. No decorations on the walls, nothing pretty or fun. Just the occasional torch, though they were only lit at night, and even then they were spaced really far apart because the nightkin needed barely any light.

“Come on Song!” Chase even sounded like mummy did too. “Damn it, kid. It’s been a month and you’ve started how many fights? That part is over, Song. You’re not fighting for bread anymore, or proving yourself in front of Luna.” She grabbed my face and looked at my eye. “I mean, look at you! This is your second black eye since you got here!”

“I made both his eyes black...” I defended myself. “And the filly that helped him didn’t get back up.”

Chase grit her jaw. “That’s not the point, Song. You need to stop starting fights. You’ve already proven you’ll do fine in the physical part of being a nightkin, but now’s the time to make friends and start showing some leadership skills.”

“But I didn’t start that fight!” It’s not my fault that all the other foals were dummy heads and I didn’t want to be friends with them. I could have as many friends as I want! I scuffed my hoof on the floor. “And they keep calling me Pong of Shite.”

Chase let out a frustrated huff. “Look, I gotta get back to the yard, but we’re not done with this. Tonight we’re seriously gonna sit down and talk, but do not start another fight!” My ears folded down again as her tone got all angry. “I swear, if you get into another one... Just don’t. Alright? Don’t. And pay attention in class! I’m sick of having Val complain to me about you, got it?”

I nodded, but I didn’t meet her eyes.

“Good. Now I really gotta go, but... I’m here for you Song. You gotta start listening to me soon.” She ruffled my mane, and trotted back down the corridor. “Take her back to class! And make sure she doesn’t wander off.” She ordered over her shoulder.

“Come along, little one,” one of the castle’s unicorn servants said behind me.

I followed after her with my tail between my legs. I hate stupid theory.

The rest of the lesson took ages. I know it was supposed to have been five minutes, but there’s no way that it was over that quick. I had to have been in that room all day.

“Alright, young ones. Arms Master Astral Victory will be taking you for the rest of the afternoon.” Some of the foals groaned, but I let out a relieved sigh. “The servants will take you all to the practice yard. Oh, and Song of Night?”

I was just stepping away from my desk when I froze with my hoof in the air. I didn’t even do anything wrong! What was I in trouble for now?

“Don’t give me that look.” She rolled her eyes at me. “Captain Stygus wants to see you in his office now.”

I blinked. “Why?”

“You can ask him that yourself when you get there.” She jerked her head at the door. “The servant outside will escort you there.”

“But I-”

Valued grit her jaw. “I’ve had enough trouble from you today, Song, so unless you want me to call Chased Redemption back here-”

“No!” I interrupted her, and she glared at me. “I-I mean... I’m sorry, Ms. Teachings. Uh... I’ll go.”

She snorted at me, before shaking her head and pointing at the door with her wing. “Just go.”

I quickly scrambled out of my seat, and behind me I could feel the other colts and fillies staring. Some of them were giggling, and I looked across at Strong Faith who mouthed at me, ‘Pong of Shite.’

I glared at him as I walked out. Stupid head. He was lucky I wasn’t gonna be in the yard, or I’d kick him off the climbing wall again. He couldn’t fly very well yet, but he always managed to slow himself down just enough to hurt his rump when he landed hard.

“Come, little one,” a unicorn said to me, while staring at the ground. “Master Stygus wishes to see you.”

The unicorn servants were weird. They were all adults, but they didn’t seem like grown ponies to me. They didn’t say anything to anyone other than the foals unless asked, and all of them seemed scared to me. And they even seemed a bit scared of the foals too. I didn’t really understand why. But whenever they saw a nightkin, it was like they were watching a snake or something.

This servant was a grassy green with a silver mane, and just like all the others I couldn’t see her cutie mark underneath the servants’ brown and blue cloak that they all wore for their uniform.

I’d never been to this part of the castle before, but to be honest I wasn’t that excited about it. Castle Blackrock all looks the same, except for the barracks and rooms where the higher ranked nightkin sleep.

The only thing that made this hallway any different from the others was the red carpet leading up the hall. We were fairly high up in the fortress, near the top of the main building. The only places that were higher up were the towers and the roof itself. We eventually came to a stop at the door at the end of the corridor.

The servant stepped forward, knocked, and said quietly, “Mistress Song, your lordship.”

A moment later, Stygus’ deep voice sounded through the wood. “Send her in.”

The servant bowed, even though there was no pony there to see it but me, and opened the door for me. I swallowed nervously, glancing at the servant who refused to meet my gaze, before I walked into the office.

Stygus’ office was way more plain than Chase’s room. He had a ripped white banner on the wall behind him with a picture of an orange sun on it, but other than that there weren’t any decorations at all. There was a desk with some maps and paper, and a shelf lined with books, and a table in the middle of the room with some little toys on it that looked a little like chess pieces. There was nothing pretty in here; everything in the room looked like it was there for a reason, like Stygus used it.

“Have a seat,” he told me from behind his desk. There were two chairs in front of it, and he watched me as I climbed up onto one of them. I sat there kicking my hooves for a second, before he smiled and leaned back in his chair. “So, how are you enjoying Castle Blackrock?”

I gulped. What did he want? “Uh... it’s nice.”

He snorted at that. “I’m sure. So,” he started again, “Do you know why you’re here?”

“...Am I in trouble?” I asked hesitantly.

He gave a wry smile at that, before he shook his head. “No, you’re not.” He shuffled through a few papers on his desk, before he moved a few aside. “But that’s something worth mentioning. You’ve gotten under quite a few ponies’ skin, especially for a foal that’s only been here one month.”

The floor looked really interesting to me suddenly. Was that carpet a browny red, or reddy brown?

“You’re lucky Chased Redemption is your mentor, few nightkin are as patient as she.” I heard the shuffling papers stop, and Stygus say, “But no, that is not what I was asking. What I’m asking is why are you here in Castle Black?”

“...because Luna picked me?”

“And what did Luna pick you for?”

I blinked at his question. “To be a nightkin?”

He nodded at me. “And what are the nightkin?”

I blinked again. “Uh... bat ponies?”

He smiled and rolled his eyes. “Let me rephrase that, what do the nightkin do?”

Was this a trick? “Um... They... do... Uh... what Luna asks?”

He blinked in surprise at my answer, before he tilted his head to the left and gave a little nod. “That’s actually correct. Not the point, but you’re not wrong. What will Luna ask us to do?”

“Uh...” I kicked a hoof against my chair. “I don’t know?”

“Well then, what have you been learning for the last month?”

“Uh... stuff about battles?”

He nodded and smiled. “Soldiers,” he said after a moment. “The nightkin do many things, but our greatest role is that of the soldier. We are the elite of Luna’s armies, and are the greatest of her servants.”

I was being looked at expectantly, and I paused as I tried to think of whether or not there was some question in that I was supposed to answer.

“Now then,” he continued. “Tell me, why are you here?”

“...To learn how to be a soldier?”

Stygus tapped his hooves together and leaned back in his chair. “Are you asking me, or is that your answer?”

After a pause I hesitantly said, “Uh... My answer?”

A snort of laughter, and he smiled at me. “Yes, Song. You’re here at Castle Black to learn to be a soldier.”

I nodded at that. We sat in silence for a moment, before I asked, “So... why am I here?” I waved at the room. “Am I in trouble?”

He stared at me for a moment, before he breathed out a sigh, and his shoulders slumped. “No, you’re not in trouble. I like to talk to all the foals at least once a year. We’re a family, and as such I like to know its younger siblings. You just got into trouble today, so I figured that I may as well start with you for the foals in your year.”

“Oh...” I stared at him for a moment. “So Chase isn’t gonna get mad at me?”

Stygus smiled wryly. “Sergeant Redemption isn’t one to get mad at anything at all really. It’s what I think makes her so effective as a nightkin. She can get frustrated maybe, irritated or disappointed, but she has the gift of being able to stay in control and relaxed in all but the most stressful of times. You’re lucky to have her as a mentor.

“Regardless, we’re here to talk about you.” He smiled at me pleasantly, and pushed a glass of water across the table towards me with his wing. “So, how are you finding your days among the blessed here at Castle Blackrock?”

After a moment, I shrugged. “Um... I like practise with Astral Victory, and... Chase is nice.”

“Yes, Arms Master Victory has mentioned you.” He started shuffling through the parchments on the desk. “Let me see if I can find it... Ah, here it is... Let’s see... ‘in general the group is standard mixed affair, earth ponies excel, unicorns fall behind and pegasus’ etcetera etcetera... Let me see if I can find where he mentions you...”

Then he said a bunch more things. I’d already had Miss Teachings saying things at me all day, so I found it hard to listen to another adult drone on about things like, ‘the second’, or ‘inability to contribute in group activities’. I wasn’t even sure what ‘inability’ meant, but it sounded boring. Eventually he stopped talking and looked up at me again.

After a moment I realised he was waiting for me to say something. “Oh... Um... thanks?”

He didn’t really seem to notice that. “So, you’re having a hard time getting along with the other foals?”

“Oh... Um... I don’t mind. They’re all stupid-heads anyway.”

He snorted out a laugh. “That wasn’t what I was really asking, but I suppose it answers my question. Reports from your other instructor Valued Teachings are less positive. She notes your inability to work in a group or a team, and when it comes to lectures or any other intellectual exercise you display a short attention span, boredom, and shyness when prompted to contribute.” He looked up at me again.

I looked at the ground and kicked my hooves.

“You’re only in your first month, so it’s certainly too soon to tell what sort or pony you’ll grow up to be, but at the moment it looks like you’re headed in the direction of The Second.”

I blinked at that. “Um... second place? In what?”

He paused for a moment. “Every year, thirteen foals from Hoofens are selected by our Lady Grace to have the honour of being inducted into the nightkin. There are a number of milestones in the lives of all our foals, the first major one being one month, tomorrow for you, when the foals are separated from their mentors and put into one barrack together. Another is age twelve, when you’re regarded as adult enough to no longer need a mentor, and the most important milestone, is age sixteen. That is when you will undergo the ritual to transform you into a true nightkin. There are three kinds of nightkin, but you only know of them as one. Nightkin are not special merely because they have bat wings and cat eyes.”

“They have funny teeth and ears too?” I suggested after a moment.

He snorted. “Yes young one, we have those too. But they are not what make us special. What makes us special are the abilities granted to us by our mother, Luna. Shadow Magic. There is a power to be found in the dark, and our Lady has graciously allowed us to trespass in what is her rightful domain. Shadows are everywhere, and just as some creatures draw energy from the sun, we can draw it from the dark. In the shadows resides energy. The three kinds of nightkin are: those who can draw in energy, those who can manipulate it, and those who can do both.”

He took a sip of water before he continued. “Those who can draw it in can use it as substitute energy, giving them the endurance to match and exceed all but the hardiest of earth ponies. Often we grant this to unicorns who become nightkin, to help compensate for their usual lack of toughness. Those who can manipulate the shadows are given an extra more technical edge to their combat, akin to the way a unicorn, or some pegasi, have an edge over earth ponies. We usually give this ability to earth ponies or pegasi.”

He looked at me expectantly, and I nodded to let him know I understood, even though I sorta didn’t.

“The third group of nightkin, the ones who can do both, are the least common, but easily the most dangerous. Not all ponies can become the third kind of nightkin, due to the inherent risks involved in going through the ritual twice, but those who can are the greatest of Luna’s warriors. The ritual isn’t intended to make the pony who undergoes it more powerful; rather, it’s intended to reduce their weaknesses, the exploitable flaws that plague each individual tribe of pony. There are other more obvious benefits to the ritual such as wings, enhanced eyesight, an expanded diet and greatly improved healing, but shadow magic is truly what gives the nightkin a unique edge. Our versatility on the battlefield allows us to win any fight and exploit any weakness our foes present.”

I nodded. “So... You think I should be the kind of nightkin that can do things with the shadows?”

He smiled at me. “Not quite, little one. ‘The Second’ is a title. Only three of the thirteen each year will be selected to undergo the ritual twice and be granted both abilities. ‘The First’ is chosen based on their intelligence and leadership skills. ‘The Second’ is chosen based on their prowess in combat and is regarded as the greatest warrior of their year; they’re intended to be the First’s right hoof, the brawn to supplement the brain. ‘The Third’ is given to the pony who I select based on their performance across the board. I was the Third of my year, and it is usually the Third who takes the Green.”

I blinked. “And... what’s the Green?”

He smiled at me. “I’m sure Chased Redemption will explain; after all, she was the Green of her year. Ask her about it, I’m surprised she hasn’t told you already.” He took another sip of water, and smiled at me. “So, I see you have a cutie mark. The purpose of this chat is to help me get to know you, yet I’ve done most of the talking. Why don’t you tell me what your special talent is?”

I smiled up at him. “Oh! My special talent is dancing!”

He nodded. “Dancing cutie marks aren’t so common among earth ponies, usually the pegasi are better known for their grace and sure-hoofedness.”

I just kicked my hooves. “Uh... thanks?”

“It wasn’t really a compliment, but you’re welcome, nonetheless.” After a moment he shook his head and said, “And what of your parents? Do you miss them?”

I froze. “No!” I didn’t miss them at all, and I wasn’t rubbing tears from my eye.

He stared at me for a moment. “It’s okay to tell me the truth. I understand that when you separate any foal from their parents that it’s only natural they’ll miss them.”

I sniffed and rubbed my nose. “I don’t miss them!” For some reason my stupid voice cracked when I said don’t.

Stygus sat there for a moment, looking at me before he shrugged. “Alright, enjoy your last night with Chase.” He tilted his head at the door. “Go, and send the foal at the door in.”

I nodded at him, and hopped down off the chair before I walked to the door.

“Oh, and Song?”

I hesitated at the door.

“Be sure to ask Chase about the Green. I’m sure she’ll have a lot to tell you, believe me when I say that you’re lucky to have her as your mentor. She’s a resource you should definitely be using.”

“I will,” I promised. I was just glad he didn’t keep asking me about Mummy and Daddy. I quickly pushed open the door and walked out.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

“Feeling tired, Song?” Chase asked.

“I’m not tired!” I told her, and she just gave me that look all adults gave when you say that. Or that you don’t want to eat your grass, or when you don’t want to do the dishes. Actually, they give you that look for a lot of reasons. “I’m not!” I repeated and stomped my hoof.

“Uh huh.” She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at me. “And I’m an earth pony.”

I glanced at her wings and frowned. “But you’re not an earth pony. You’re a nightkin.”

She snorted at me, and opened the door to her bedroom. “You’re not wrong, but I did use to be a unicorn.”

I followed her into the room, and watched as she took the three silver rings out of her ear and put them in the jewellery box next to her bed.

“Really?”

“Yep,” she said as she shook her mane out and grabbed a brush from the bedside table. Closing the door before sitting down on the edge of her bed, she said, “I wasn’t always a nightkin.” Chase glanced over her shoulder, and patted the bed next to her. “Sit down, and I’ll brush your mane.”

When I sat where she told me to, Chase started running through my mane with the brush in her hoof. We sat like that for a while, and it felt good having her untangle my mane, even if she did yank a bit too hard when she found the knots.

“So, last night with just the two of us, huh?” Chase said after a while. “Tomorrow you’re into the barracks with the other foals in your year.”

I swallowed. “Uh huh.”

“You gonna miss me?” Chase asked jokingly.

I didn’t answer her, and just gulped. I didn’t want to leave Chase. I didn’t want to sleep in a room with all of those meanies.

“Song?” she said my name like a question.

“N-n-n-o!” I choked out, and rubbed the tears from my eye. When did I start crying?

“Oh, Song.” Chase chuckled. “You’re just too adorable.” She wrapped her hooves around me and pulled me into a cuddle. “Come on, give me a hug.”

I turned around and threw my forehooves around her. My face was wet, for some reason, it must have been because her chest was wet. Not because I was crying into it. Or sobbing. Big fillies don’t cry.

“Sh-sh-sh...” She rubbed my back. “It’s okay, Song. I’ll still be here. I’ll be here for as long as you need me, and even after that.”

“I-I- don’t wanna go,” I said quietly and looked up into her eyes. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“You won’t be alone.” She smiled as she looked down at me. “I’ll always be here for you, and I know you’re strong enough to do fine even if I wasn’t.” She poked me in the chest, and it tickled so I giggled through the tears. “You’re a little trooper, right? Tough as nails and only four years old. Trust me, you’ll do fine. Just remember, never show any weakness. That’s what it takes to get through in Castle Blackrock. You can be scared, or sad or hurt or angry, but never show it. No matter how bad it gets, when you’re at your worst, that’s your chance to show your best, alright?”

I didn’t answer her, but my lower lip trembled as I nodded at her.

She guffawed and looked up at the ceiling. “Wow, you’re adorable.” She ruffled my mane, undoing all the brushing she just did, and looked back down at me. “So, Stygus said he talked to you today. Said that you might have a shot at being the Second.” She smiled. “To be honest, I really doubt you’ve got a chance at making the First. I was kinda hoping you’d be the Third like me, but-”

She was interrupted by a knock on the door. After sighing and rolling her eyes, Chase walked to the door and opened it. Standing outside the door was a unicorn servant.

“What?” Chase said flatly.

“My pardons for the interruption, mi’lady,” the stallion said, glancing between me and Chase.

Chase just snorted. “What’s the problem? If Starlit needs more help with the Ten Years he can find somepony else.”

“Urgh... no mi’lady,” he said slowly. “Nightmare-”

“Nightmare?” Chase interrupted, sounding hard. She stepped forward and growled into his face. “I’m pretty sure I just misheard you. Luna herself has forbidden anyone calling her Nightmare, hasn’t she?”

“I-I-I-” he stuttered then blurted out, “Luna! Lady Luna has requested you in her bed chambers!” After a second he added, “Mi’lady.”

Chase straightened up in surprise. “Luna?” She repeated after a moment.

“Yes, mi’lady.”

Chase looked over her shoulder at me, and I saw that she was biting her lip. “Crud,” she said after a moment of looking at me. She sighed and looked back at the servant. “Please tell Lady Luna, that... I would love to spend the night in her chambers, however my ward, Song of Night, is in a vulnerable state right now, and I think it is important that I spend the night with her.” She pressed her hoof against his shoulder, and made him look into her eyes. “Use those words, and be certain to stress my reluctance in staying here. Alright?”

“Yes Mi’lady.”

“Good,” she said. “Now go.”

The servant bowed and left as Chase closed the door. She turned back to me and came over to sit next to me again.

“Sorry about that.” She glanced back at the door. “Look, we might not have a lot of time, so I’m gonna have to cut this short. Wipe your eyes, and chin up, alright?”

I nodded and dried my eyes.

Chase sighed. “I’m not gonna lie, things get a lot harder after today. At the end of every day you’re gonna walk back into those barracks dirty, bruised and teary eyed. The older foals are gonna be utterly ruthless, the only thing they won’t do to you is permanent damage. I’m still gonna be there for you, if I can I’ll make time for you each and every day, but I’m not always gonna get that chance. Understand? Things aren’t gonna be easy, but believe me, it’s all worth it when you turn sixteen. Things start to ease off a bit when you turn twelve. They encourage bullying up until a certain age, but after that they expect the foals to grow out of it.”

I blinked at her. “Um... what happens when I’m twelve?”

Chase hesitated. “Anyway, remember, if you want the Green, the way to do that isn’t by being the best. It’s by being Luna’s favourite.”

“What’s the Green?”

She blinked at me. “Right, you don’t know, do you?”

She stood up from her bed and opened up her closet. Inside I saw her nightkin armour, but she pulled out of it what looked like a sword hilt that she strapped to her hoof. After a moment, a green sword stretched out from the end of her hoof.

“This is the Green.” She waved it in the air a few times.

It was weird. I’d seen one from a distance when Stygus dueled Luna, but this was the first time I got to see one up close. The sword didn’t look very solid. It kinda made me think of glass. There was this black smokey stuff coming off it, and when she waved the sword it rippled like a puddle when you splash in it. It was straight and thin and I could see some letters on the blade.

“What does it say?” I asked.

She glanced at the lettering. “It says my name, ‘Chase’. When a nightkin turns eighteen, they are given a red ghost blade, except for one who gets a Green. The Green is forged by Luna herself for her favourite nightkin of that year, and the Blue is Stygus’s blade, given to him by Luna. It's for her absolute favourite among all the nightkin. Usually it’s the Third that takes the Green, but I’ve seen the Green taken by the First or Second, and I’ve even seen it taken by someone who wasn’t any of the three.” The blade shrunk down back into the hilt, and she unstrapped it. “The Green is for Luna’s favourite, the one that’s done the most to earn her affection, not the best.”

I nodded at her. “Can I look at it?”

She shrugged and unstrapped the sword before she passed it to me. It landed on the bed, and I picked it up. I tried to make the sword come out again, but couldn’t figure out how. Frowning, I looked into the hole where the sword was supposed to come out. I glanced over when I heard Chase laughing.

She had her hoof pressed against her face as she laughed. “So, the first thing you do when you get it is hold it right up to your face?” She chuckled again. “Good thing you need shadow magic to use it, or you’d be one very dead filly. A ghost blade can cut through any living or formerly living thing like it wasn’t even there. Skin, bone, wood, it doesn’t matter, a ghost blade will go through it like a hot knife through butter. Non-living things though? Steel, iron, rock, that sort of thing, you may as well just be using a normal sword. The ghost blade also doesn’t have any weight to it, so it can be hard to get through armour. Still, it cuts through leather armour no worries.” Chase smiled at me as she watched me fiddle with it. “Anyway, pass it back now.”

I handed her back the sword and she ruffled my mane again.

“Anyway, how about we-”

Just then the door opened, and that servant unicorn stallion from before came in. Except he looked different this time. His eyes had slit pupils like Luna’s, and there was black smoke coming out of his mouth and nose.

“Your Grace,” Chase said instantly and dropped to the floor in a bow.

“I was told a most curious thing,” the stallion said in a voice that sounded just like Luna’s. “Do you wish to know what it was?”

Chase hesitated for a moment. “Uh, yes, Your Highness?”

“I was told that you refused my command.” He... er... she? Luna, examined the stallion’s hoof. “So there I sat in my bedroom, all nice and comfortable in those socks you so adore, thinking to myself that it did not sound like you at all.”

“My Lady, I... Uh... That’s not to say I was disobeying your orders, just... asking you to reconsider. There are other nightkin who could have served your needs tonight, and I merely thought I should take care of young Song.” She glanced over at me. “Song, you’re in Luna’s presence. Get off the bed and bow.”

I quickly did what Chase said and bowed low to the ground next to her. Why did this stallion sound like Luna?

“Yes... your charge.” His eyes flicked down at me for a brief second.

“Er... Yes? I would certainly love to serve you, your highness, but I have to take care of Song; she has needs too. Perhaps someone else?”

“And what needs are those? Just have some servant take care of it, that is what they are here for.”

Chase glanced over at me again. “Your Grace, she’s a filly. A filly that was taken from her family just a month ago and tomorrow is going to be forced into fights she can’t possibly win. I think it would be best for Song if she was with me tonight.”

The stallion Luna rolled its eyes. “Well then bring her with you if you are that concerned.”

My ears perked up. A night with Luna and Chase? I liked that idea...

“I-I-I... Your Grace?” Chase said, sounding confused.

“Well a pony must learn about sexuality at some point in their life. I am the Mistress of the Night, and thus desire, sexuality and perversion all fall under my care.”

Why did Chase not want me to go? Maybe I could convince her. “I could learn about sexality and persversion,” I said, smiling at Chase hopefully.

“No!” Chase suddenly burst out. “I-I mean, that won’t be necessary, Your Highness.” She glanced over at me again, looking worried, before she turned back to the Luna stallion. “I’ll go with you.”

That wasn’t fair! “But Chase! I-”

“No, Song!” Chase said to me sternly. “You’re not coming with us.”

“Such a shame. Come now my dear, let us enjoy the night together.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Chase bowed low again. “Um, may I just have a quick word with Song before I come to your chambers?”

The stallion Luna rolled its eyes. “If you must, but who said anything about my chambers?”

“I... don’t follow, Your Grace.” Chase sounded confused. “The servant you’re possessing told me to come to your bed.”

“Are you saying I am not allowed to make a change of plans?”

“No, of course not, My Lady...” Chase answered hesitantly. “I just don’t know where you want me.”

“I shall wait here for you to get ready, but I was thinking the balcony, a roof that just happens to catch my fancy, or perhaps a cloud.” Luna paused for a second, thinking it over. “No, a cloud is too secluded, I feel; lacks that thrill, if you understand.”

“I... will meet you on the... Western Tower’s eastern balcony?” Chase suggested. “The one with the view of the training field, so you can see the other nightkin at practice, and with the view of the forest?”

Her ears perked up at that before a smile slowly spread over her features. “They’re practising with real weapons, correct? Till first blood, if I recall correctly... Change of plans, meet me in the training room in fifteen minutes. That should give them enough time to clear out the room and if you please me enough, I may move us onto the balcony once I’ve had my... fill...”

Chase blushed at that, and a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “I-I...”

“Of course, you are allowed to arrive early, just know that if you do, I will not wait for everypony to leave.” And with that, the servant collapsed to the floor, and the smoke stopped rising from his mouth. He stood up and looked around, blinking. “Uh... when did I get here?” He didn’t sound like Luna anymore.

“Don’t know, don’t care!” Chase shoved him out the door. “Go clean a floor or something.” She slammed the door shut, turned back to me and sighed. “Sorry, Song.”

“Why can’t I come with you?” I asked, frowning as my ears folded down.

“Trust me, you just can’t.” Chase said as she walked over and hugged me. “I was planning on having the night with just the two of us, but...” She glanced over at the door. “I swear I didn’t know that Luna was planning on having me tonight.” A grin did appear on her muzzle. “Mind you, that’s not exactly the worst thing that could happen.”

“Please, Chase.” I whispered. “I don’t want to be alone anymore. I’ll be good if you take me, I’ll be really quiet, and Luna said she didn’t mind if I come.”

Chase sighed and massaged her temples. “No, Song. You can’t come, because... Ugh... Look, I’ll explain it to you someday, but I swear that if I could I wouldn’t leave you alone tonight, but having you with me isn’t an option, and turning down Luna never works.”

“Chase...”

“No. I’m sorry, Song. But no. You’re just gonna have to stay here tonight.” She glanced out the window. “Anyway, I better get going if I want to... I better get going.”

She ruffled my mane, and gave me another hug. She tried to move away, but I didn’t let go of her. Pausing, she sighed and stroked the back of my head.

“Let go Song.”

“No.”

Chase hugged me for another second, before she pried my arms off and stepped away. I stared up at her, my lower lip trembling, and she scrunched up her face. Sighing, she threw her ghost blade in the closet, and left the room. The door closed behind her, and I heard it lock from the outside.

Tears dropped off my face onto Chase’s bed, and I crawled over to her pillow. It still smelled like her, and so did her blankets. This wasn’t my first night alone, Luna had summoned her four times already, but this time it made me even more sad than usual.

Chase wasn’t Mummy, and she was a mare so she couldn’t be Daddy, but I still missed them so much and she helped me miss them less. I just wanted to forget them, because every time I thought about them I felt like crying. When Chase was here, she hugged me and helped me feel better. When she smiled and told me I was a trooper and tough and that I’d be fine, it helped me feel better, stronger.

“I want my Mummy,” I whispered into her pillow. No, it wasn’t Mummy’s pillow, it was Chase’s. “I want to go home.”

I don’t know how long I was awake for, but it felt like hours as I cried and the tears seemed to never stop. Eventually they did, and I did fall asleep, but my face was damp.

When I dreamed I saw me, a little filly with a golden blond mane, running towards two earth ponies, one a chocolate brown stallion with a black mane, and the other a tan brown with a silver grey mane. No matter how close I got to them they always seemed further and further away, and when I did see them they didn’t have faces. No eyes or lips or nose, just a deep shadow cast by their mane.

“What are you doing at our table?”

He was twice my size. There were other things about him, like he was an earth pony and he had a yellow coat and blue hair, but all that mattered was he twice my size. And smirking at me. Oh, and there were three of him. Well, not three of him, but there were two colts standing behind him. And they were all looking at me.

I leaned down behind the table a little bit.

“I said, why are you sitting at our table?” he asked me and stepped forward angrily.

I’d never seen the mess hall so crowded before. Apparently that was because they tried to keep the new foals separate from the other ponies for the first month, but I still didn’t realise that I’d be sharing breakfast with foals that were as old as twelve. There were a few nightkin watching over us, but almost everyone in here was a foal.

The rumbling sound of a crowd was everywhere, and all the ponies that were moving into the hall seemed to be sticking together in groups of three or five. Not all the foals had tables to sit at. Actually, now that I looked around, a lot of the younger ones were standing near the walls and it was only the bigger foals that were sitting down... I gulped as I looked back at the three colts. Maybe sitting by myself wasn’t such a good idea...

“I-I-I’m sorry... I’ll move.”

“You better.” He stepped towards me again, and I jumped out of the seat quickly.

They all took seats around the table, still glaring at me, and after a moment I turned around and ran away. Not that I was scared! I just felt like running, not because I was scared -I never got scared!- but because I just felt like running... Yeah.

I noticed a bunch of foals my age grouping together near a wall so I trotted over to them. As I got closer, a bunch of them started watching me, and Strong Faith stepped between me and the rest of the group.

“Go away,” he said with stomp of his hoof.

I ignored the little white pegasus with the black eyes that I gave him, and shoved past him to stand in the centre of the group.

He huffed at me, before he turned to the other ponies. “Come on, let’s go somewhere else.”

After a few moments of staring at me and murmuring they turned and trotted away with him. Fine then, they could all be big stupid heads!

...But I noticed a mean looking twelve year old glaring at me, and not that I was scared, but I ran after them.

“Wait for me!”

Strong Faith pushed himself between me and the group again. He snorted and stomped his hoof. “None of us like you. Go away.”

I froze up, and he watched me for another moment before he turned around and walked away with the rest of the foals.

“Fine then!” I shouted at them. “You’re all stupid anyway!”

“Did you just call me stupid, you snot nosed little brat?” I flinched and looked across at the twelve year old I’d noticed staring at me before. He was walking towards me and snickering as I backed away. Not that I was... I swallowed as I looked up at the big brown unicorn colt.

“I-I-I no...” I took another step back from him and yelped as my hind hoof was wrapped in a pink magical aura that matched his eyes.

“I think you did,” he chuckled at me as I was dangled in front of him.

I kicked and screamed and struggled. “Let me go! I’ll tell my mum!” Then I covered my mouth with my hooves and only just realised my mistake.

“You’re gonna call your Mummy, are you?” He laughed. “Stupid little cry baby missing her mummy!” He tossed me up in the air, and I screamed on the way down till he caught me with his magic again. His magic gripped my neck, and he dragged me right up into his face. “Mummy’s not here foal, and your nightkin isn’t either.”

His breath smelled really bad, like milk and that grey slop we had to eat. I tried to pull away but he only dragged me closer, and I could see a little bit of grey sticking to some of his teeth.

“I got news for you, cry baby... Even if your nightkin was here, they wouldn’t do anything. So it’s just you and me...”

I was jerked away from his face and thrown onto the ground in front of him. Whimpering, I started to stand up when he kicked me in the stomach.

“Come on! Get up!”

I scrambled to my feet, and stumbled as he shoved me towards the door.

“Go on! Keep moving, cry baby.”

With him shoving me, I stumbled out of the dining room and down some corridors. “W-w-w-where are we going?”

He just laughed. “I need to take a shit.”

I didn’t know a laugh could sound so scary. We passed out of the main building, and headed through the courtyard where I’d watched the birds to the outhouses near the wall. There were a couple of nightkin around, sitting and practicing combat drills, but none of them really paid attention to us.

The bully yanked open the lavatory door, and jerked his head. “In.”

I quickly jumped inside and stared out at him, trembling. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t scared. Show no fear. I wasn’t scared.

He stared at me for a moment, before a scary smile, that only scared me a little bit, came over his features. “No, I meant in.” He pointed a hoof behind me.

I turned around and gulped as I stared at the hole. The place where ponies sat and went potty... A fly buzzed out of it, flying in slow circles around the rim, and I could see dark brown stains on the wooden seat.

“I said!” I felt myself picked up in his magic again, and shrieked as he threw me into the hole. I caught onto the rim, and kicked and flailed as I barely managed to stop myself falling into the filth. “In!”

His hoof slammed into my face, and it was like the world was a bell that just got rung. I lost my grip on the rim, and fell screaming into a squishy smelly awful mess. It was in my nose, and in my mouth, and I coughed and gagged, and vomited, and coughed and gagged, and my eyes watered even though I wasn’t crying and in between the things my body was doing that I wasn’t telling it to do, I find myself sobbing and spitting things out of my mouth.

Then the light above me was blocked out, and I looked up only for something sloppy to land on my face. I could hear the bully laughing as he dropped more down onto me. It was in my eyes and in my mane, and I know Mummy always told me never to rub my eyes, but I did anyway and they only hurt worse because I did.

“Stooooooooop!” I screamed up at him. “Stooooooooooooooooop! Muuuuuuuuuuuummy!”

Then the light returned, and a stern voice barked, “That’s enough!”

Something black curled around my ankle, and I was dragged up and out, blinded by sunlight as the shadows tossed me out of the lavatory and onto the grass. I curled up into a ball, shivering and sobbing.

“Go back to the mess hall!” The stern voice barked again, and I heard hoof steps galloping away from me.

I looked up to see the bully running away, and glanced over to see a nightkin staring down at me, concern on his face as he covered his nose with one hoof. He watched me for a moment, before he sighed and turned away. “Try making some friends, kid. It helps... at least a little. Go-” He gagged and wiped his mouth. “Go find a servant to clean you up. Tell them the orders are from Hymn.” He glanced back at me, and saw me still lying there. “Didn’t you hear me! I said go!”

I staggered to my feet and ran back for the palace. Tears blurring my eyes made me crash into a wall, and I paused to choke out a sob before I ran in again.

I wasn’t the only one sobbing. We didn’t even fight for top bunk when the day ended and we walked to our barracks with the servants. It was a big room, with lots of beds. Thirteen foals with seven bottom bunks and seven top. There was one spare for the servant that watched us, making sure none of us tried to leave during the night.

Not that anypony would try to leave. All of us were curled up and whimpering. Glad that the horrible, sad, bad, day was over, but miserable because we all knew we’d have it again tomorrow. Slowly and steadily, we all sobbed ourselves to sleep.

I missed Chase. I wished she was here with me. I wished I wasn’t here at all, but in Chase’s room and hugging her as she brushed my mane. My pillow was wet with tear stains, and even though big fillies don’t cry, I cried. And was scared. A salty smell over my head made me look up, and I flinched as a drop of water landed on the tip of my nose. Another drop fell, and I froze as I realised it wasn’t water, it was pee. The foal above me had wet the bed.

“Oh no... not here...” I heard what sounded like a colt whisper in complete despair.

Tomorrow I’m sleeping in the top bunk. No matter what. Another drop landed on my face, and I groaned and rolled out of the bed. With my pillows and blankets I lay down on the hard floor, and tried to get to sleep. It wasn’t easy. I still felt like crying, and I may have been a little bit, but the cold stone didn’t make it easier, and everything hurt. Eventually, I fell asleep.

That night, I dreamed of my bed back at Daddy’s forge. I knew that Mummy and Daddy were upstairs asleep, and Chase was in the room with me. Sleeping in a bed that faced the door, so if someone tried to break in to hurt me, Chase would stop them.