The Darkness and the Light [FiM] updated 3/20

[Peace]

Authors Note: I got bad news about one of my favorite things to hit the airwaves last year. It wasn't entirely surprising but it still hurt. It brought tears to my eyes. What would, and should, have been my new favorite TV show was not to be. The Powers What Is at NBC can't seem to get their act together. I shouldn't be this upset- but dangit Mockingbird Lane was GOOD. As a remake it had the earmarks of being so bad, but it wasn't. It was awsome. And what does Peace-pie do when she's ticked off about something she loves.

She writes fanfic. She writes fanfic that TIES her loves together. She involves ponies. And vampires. Yea.

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The Darkness and the Light

I could tell you a story, but you probably wouldn't believe me.

It involves all the best that such a story could offer. It has magic, sorcery, humor, tragedy, villains and unlikely heroes. You know that evil villain laugh? You know the one. The 'muahahaha ha ha ha!' laugh? Yea. That's in there too.

That's why you wouldn't believe it.

It all takes place during the Return of Queen Chrysalis*. Ponies all over Ponyville were being replaced by Changelings, a comet was going to be hurtling through the sky in only days and Princess Celestia was in the midst of protecting Canterlot from all the mayhem happening at once.

*- See Friendship is Magic comic book written by Katie Cook.

All in all, not a great day.

But Twilight Sparkle, with the help of her friends, managed to fool the changelings, drive them off, freed captured ponies and set off on a quest to reclaim Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle from the clutches of the evil changeling queen Chrysalis, who pony-knapped them in an attempt to delay the six heroes.

This is not the story of these ponies, but of others.

Many other equines reside in Ponyville and they were quite startled at being shoved into stasis pods and having their identities stolen by changelings. That very night of the town's rescue the Mayor placed all residents under curfew.

Streetlights were glowing brightly, the houses were quiet and not a single set of hoofbeats could be heard along the avenues. Doors were locked, shutters were closed and curtains drawn. Citizens were scared.

They had every right to be.

For just outside of town more changelings lurked.

Two had ducked into a local park when the last battle had begun. Both still wore their fake pony bodies. One was a simple tan colored stallion, with darker brown make and tail, with eyes of bright blue. The other was a female pegasus of white with purple hair. Walking along the gravel paths of the old park, either one said nothing for quite some time.

Then the brown pony said "Well, that was pointless."

The pegasus grunted in return.

"Never should have agreed to this."

Another indecipherable sound came in response.

"I blame you."

Turning to it's comrade the changeling scowled. "Me? What did I do?"

"We could have taken them. All we needed to do was tackle that purple unicorn. She's the leader." It paused. "What's her name. You know the one I mean! But nooooo! You grabbed me and ducked behind a tree."

"Oh yea, right," the pegasus argued. "And I suppose you could have also done something about that pink one's cannon."

The brown pony flattened his ears back. "Okay. No. I suppose not."

"Look at it this way, we're still here!" The morphed pegasus gestured to the lights of Ponyville. A cruel smile spread upon its lips. "We weren't chased off like the others. We can still cause trouble for the ponies." It tapped a hoof it its head. "See, I have insight."

It received a flat glare in response from the other changeling.

"What?"

"Is that what you call running away? Insight?"

"Shut up. We're here, aren't we?"

They looked at one another for a beat before the stallion asked "So, what do we do now?"

"Uh. Ah." The pegasus changeling thought. "There are no ponies to terrorize, so how about we destroy stuff?"

The brown pony slowly smiled. His young stallion form quickly dissolved in a green glow. A true changeling body of deep black, with rotten, decayed features and a mouth of sharp teeth was in its place. "Now THAT is a plan."

Changing back into its body the other evil being shared in the toothy grimace and they both took off down the path, their menacing laugh ringing through the night.

Beautiful flowers were ripped straight from the ground, grasses were trampled, branches were ripped from trees, shrubs were dug up and all over ornaments of the park were laid to ruin in only a few short hours.

Beneath a lightpole, which had it's glass globe and lightbulb smashed, the two changelngs had laughed themselves into a stupor. Surveying their handiwork through half-lidded solid blue eyes, they smiled, their white fangs gleaming in the moonlight.

"That was fun."

"Yes it was."

"We need to do stuff like this more often."

"Yea."

One changeling shifted his membrane covered wings and sat on his haunches. He looked about.

Between a pair of trees he saw a figure standing in a small grove. A pair of pony eyes glinted in the midnight moonlight.

He shifted and poked his companion. The other changeling scowled and was about to say something quite rude when he pointed a chipped, blackened hoof over to the area where he saw the pony.

"Heh," the other changeling smirked, crouched down and stalked over to the trees. It was followed by the first changeling.

Both silently moved over to the treeline, skulked between the old oaks and moved into the grove. Vines and shrubs had grown up and over what had once been as well manicured as the rest of the park but had lain forgotten for untold years. The changelings crouched, stiffened their legs and leaped up. Their wings unfolded to make a dramatic soaring pounce but instead both collided with a great stone statue and fell to the ground.

Dazed, the black figures shook their heads and looked up.

What they had seen through the branches was not a pony but a stone statue carved in the likeness of a life-size stallion, raised high on a dias of white stone. It's vacant eyes were narrowed, looking out and through the trees as a silent sentinel.

The second changeling clapped a hoof on the head of the first one. "Idiot!" it shrieked.

Collapsing to the ground, the changeling grumbled something about painful death.

"Hmm," mused the other changeling, pale blue orbs narrowing as its mouth contorted back into its previous mischevious way. "Something else to break." It quickly flittered off.

While becoming familiar with the cool earth, the first changeling saw something attached to the large stone base. It pulled some clinging ivy out of the way to try and get a better look.

A bronze plaque had been mounted to the front. It read 'Never Forget that Even in Darkness You Can Always Find a Light'.

The changeling sat up, puzzled over the letters. It sniffed. Over its shoulder the other changeling returned, the base and pedestal of a metal drinking fountain in its mouth. "What's this say?" it asked its comrade in evil.

Dropping the metal object, the changeling shrugged. "I don't know. Do I look like I can read?"

That question received no response.

Picking the metal instrument of destruction back up, the second changeling glared at the first one. "Just get to smashing!"

"Yea!"

The changeling swung the metal hard against the statue. The result was a loud clang, causing a shudder to move through the creature and making it drop the pedestal. "Ah!" it shrieked, flailing its front legs in frustration. It rubbed a foreleg absently and hovered in the air, wings beating quickly. "That didn't work so well."

"This might!" The other changeling exclaimed, holding a large piece of cement step over its head. Flapping hard to gain altitude, it brought the lump down upon the stone pony.

With a crack an ear broke off and the cement block tumbled down. Staring at the statue the black pony-like beings did nothing for a moment.

"This is harder than the other stuff."

"Yea. Makes you think they didn't want it broke."

They both grinned.

Lifting the cement block as one, both changelings brought it down on the side of the statue's head with a twack. Once again they dropped their weapon, the piece crumbled as it fell this time.

At first it didn't seem as though the pair had done any damage at all, but then a crack formed along the neck of the stone pony. As the duo of destruction stared the head of the statue snapped right off, falling to the green forest floor.

Meniacle laughter erupted from the changelings. It was all too much for the evil creatures and they fell from the sky in a fit of insane giggles.

Their fun didn't last long.

Another crack soon formed in the statue. Flecks of stone flittered down. Both stood and marveled as all four legs snapped and the main body broke in two. Halves fell to either side of the base and pieces rolled into the brush.

"Heh," one grinned at the other. "We are awesome."

"Yea. High one!" It raised a hideous hoof, which was stuck high by the other changeling.

Then the ground itself rumbled. The changelings only had time to slowly turn their heads and look at one another as the earth shook, the leaves on the trees rattled and the base of the statue burst itself apart. They ducked down, covering their heads with their forelegs and through the cloud of dust and debris that had suddenly erupted a figure stepped forth from within the remains of the statue.

[Peace]

Cowering, the changelings hesitated as the dust cloud obscured the pony-shaped figure. As particles settled they raised their misshapen heads and looked upon a stallion that stood above them. He was an earthling, the palest of yellow in body, with a short mane and thick tail of spun gold. A forelock of hair was slightly curled just above his icy blue eyes. As he stepped, feathered hooves of black struck the stone statue base.

The pony glared down, his eyes coolly regarding the cringing beings with disdain.

Suddenly one of the changelings began to chuckle. It sat up and looked to its companion. "Seriously?" It pointed a hoof toward the pony. "I think we got ourselves a new plaything."

The other changeling got up and wickedly grinned. "I think you're right."

Tilting his head ever so slightly, the pony upon the dias said "I think you need to worry about what I am thinking." His voice was deep and mellow. The changelings blinked at him as a cool breeze began to rustle the leaves in the trees.

"Really?" the first changeling hissed through his pointed teeth.

The pony smiled ever so mildly. It was an unsettling feeling to the changelings. It reminded them of when their queen would smile.

They both shuddered involuntarily.

Then the pony stepped down from the ruins of the statue. His hooves easily glided over the rubble and brush as though nothing was there. He ignored the ogling changelings and walked by them. For a moment the two creatures just watched the pony vanish into the night. Glancing at one another, they scurried out of the glade and took to the air, following the strange stallion.

"Hey!" the first changeling called out to him.

He was promptly ignored.

"Hey!" the other shouted. "We're talking to you!"

"Insolent pests," the stallion coldly said. "Begone."

The first changeling hissed. "Get 'im!"

Diving down, the changelings bared their teeth in what would normally be a frightening gesture, but their intended victim merely stopped. He cast a sideways glance as the first winged creature bared down on him. His front hooves braced for an impact and in a flash of thick, shadow a wing suddenly erupted from the shoulder of the stallion. The changeling didn't have time to react as a large bat-like wing collided with his body and threw him back, striking an old tree with a solid thump. As he slid down, his eyes blurry, his compatriot also attacked the stallion.

Swooping lower than the other changeling, this one set to collide with the stallion and drive him down.

Instead, the stallion reared up. Wings of solid shadow stretched out from him, the black masses blocking out the light of the moon. In just a fraction of a second the changeling swore that he saw the pony's eyes glow red. Having too much momentum to stop, the changeling instead was struck by a front hoof and was caught in mid-air by the pony. The stallion picked up the changeling and brought it down to the ground, hard.

The changeling howled in pain as the stallion brought weight down on his hoof, pinning the creature. Opening its eyes the changeling found itself nose to nose with the pony.

Fangs glistened from the mouth of the stallion, his pale blue eyes alight with seething hatred. He snarled at the changeling.

"Eep," was all the changeling could muster.

"Listen well, thing," said the stallion, his voice a thunderous wave. "I would end you, save that such an act would be beneath me, pathetic creature that you are."

The changeling wasn't going to argue. It squirmed slightly, as though trying to meld with the earth itself. "Nng," was the only response it gave.

"Well said." The stallion raised his head, his black hoof still keeping the changeling down. "I shall not speak this again. Begone! Let no more of your ghastly kind stray into my path, for they will be destroyed." With that, the stallion stepped from the trapped creature. His shadow wings promptly vanished, his fangs disappeared and he turned and walked away.

Scrambling to its hooves, the changeling shivered and watched the stallion as he moved silently across the land. The other changeling appeared from where he had been thrown. It kept its head low and slunk around as though it had just been grounded by its mother. "What was that?" it hissed.

The changeling looked to its comrade. "I have no idea. I don't think I want to know."

Glancing back, the duo found that the stallion was gone. Just gone.

They were alone in the park.

"Let's get out of here."

"Best idea you have ever had."

* * * * * *

High in Canterlot castle, just after sunset, gathered a group of ponies in the observation dome. A magnificent telescope was centered on the heavens, the golden glow of day quickly fading and the twinkling of stars filled the night sky. Pointed to the encroaching Secretariat comet, the telescope granted a glorious view of the object. Princess Celestia, her sister Princess Luna, Shining Armor and Princes Cadence all took turns looking through the eyepiece and gazing at the object as it hurled ever closer.

The princess Celestia was the first to break away from the group and move toward a central table. Graphs, charts and maps were spread out on its carved surface. Her delicate white hooves made little noise as she glanced at each one. Her large feathered wings were folded against her body. Her lovely face wore a concerned expression. "We are sure that every precaution is taken?" her melodic voice asked all present.

"I assure you Highness," spoke Shining Armor, his face had a warm smile. "All preparations are well underway and all will be finished well in time. Canterlot will be protected from the strongest of the fluctuations in the flow of magic."

Princess Cadence nodded her pretty round, pink head. "Most ponies will notice nothing at all." She focused her unicorn magic and pulled up a map of the village that lay in the shadow of Canterlot Castle. The parchment glowed a slight purple hue as it hung in the air. "Carefully laid pillars of crystal columns will help center the magics needed to craft a protective dome around all of Canterlot. This way none of us," she glanced to her husband Shining Armor, who smiled in return, "will need to expend a vast sum of energy to keep the field going for an extended period of time. All four of us-"

"Three of you," corrected Princess Luna.

The other pegacorns and unicorn turned to see that the purple princess had not joined them, but stood before the opened observatory dome, looking out over the kingdom of the ponies. Her glittering hair waved slightly in the night wind. Large eyes narrowed as she stared over the valley below. Then she turned to the other ponies. "You can easily create and maintain the shield without me, can you not?"

"It shouldn't be a problem," Shining Armor agreed. "As long as these crystals do as they are designed, channeling and balancing the flow of the magic poured into them."

"They will operate as designed," Princess Celestia assured him. He tipped his head to her. Then Celestia swiveled and frowned at her sister. "Why will you not be joining us?"

Luna peered once again over the blanked land of night. "There is something I must attend to."

Celestia's scowl deepened. "Just as the comet approaches?"

"I will admit, it is rather bad timing," Luna told her.

"What could possibly be more important than this?" Princess Celestia asked of her.

Luna looked at Princess Celestia. "That is not a good look for you." Her sister blinked and Luna spread her wings, the light of the moon and stars filtered into the room, causing a glittering glow to drape over all of them. "This night feels," she paused, "Wrong somehow. I cannot explain it. It's as though the darkness itself trembles. I must find out the cause."

Celestia regarded her sister for a moment and then nodded. "Do what you must do, my sister."

"I intend to," Princess Luna responded, leaping toward the open air of night.

[sunstar]

Wow! other then a few tiny mistakes here and there, you are doing great. I noted a spelling mistake and a couple grammar mistakes. your comma placement is off in places, and your spelling mistake should be spelled Mainacal.

[Peace]

I have this THING with commas. Believe it or not I actually edited it several times to remove them. The grammar? Some of it is intentional. Some of it not so much. It's probably going to get some tweaks here and there anyway, depending on where the comic book goes.

It's all in progress. Keep an eye out for updates.

[Peace]

He deeply breathed the crisp air of night. It was almost intoxicating after being sealed away for what seemed forever. The sleep had never been restful. If anything, his sleep had been full of restless moments in time. What had once been comforting darkness had been a prison. Left to languish for an eternity by a creature of the light.

Now he was free.

How the stars twinkled.

How the moon shone brightly above.

How the creatures of the day shunned the glory of the night.

His pale head turned ever so slightly. Somewhere in the trees something stirred. It was small, insignificant to most and it was getting desperate. Sinister thoughts tickled his fancy. It was so small, so fuzzy and so warm.

A white rabbit was hunkered at the base of a tree, covered with some brambles. During the day she was frolicking with her friends. Then in the brazen attack of the changelings she had gotten lost from her fellows.

She was cold and lonely. Knowing that a helpful pony was only a sunrise away, the rabbit decided to wait and hope that nothing horrible would gobble her up in the meantime.

"What have we here?"

The rabbit blinked her pink eyes open. She glanced up at the sound of the voice. It was a pony! She scrambled out from under the bush and happily squeaked at the stallion before her. A handsome yellow pony with golden hair was her savior! He would lead her back to Fluttershy's home. He smiled at her as she wriggled her tail and hopped excitedly about.

"Calm down, little friend," He cooed. The white rabbit stopped moving and sat upon her hind quarters, stretching her neck to get a better look at the pony.

Suddenly there was something about him that didn't feel right. His smile had no warmth. His posture was stiff and formal. Eyes of icey blue were practically frozen. She crouched down again.

"Whatever is the matter?" He asked, his voice smooth as silk. "Poor little white rabbit, there is no need to worry about anything ever again." The smile grew wider, tips of white canines became visible.

Screeching, the white rabbit tried to dive for cover. Silence followed a blurr and a rustle of leaves.

* * * * *

The horizon was becoming a lovely shade of pink. Night was losing it's grip over Equestria and dawn was fast approaching. Citizens of Ponyville were beginning their daily rituals.

Pairs and groups of ponies began to meander down the avenues of the town. No one thought it was a good idea for any pony to travel alone until this mess with the changelings was resolved.

"How can any of us be sure that the changelings are gone?" asked a young stallion. He was a pale green color with darker green hair streaked with white. His mark was a single sparkling leaf. "Anyone could be a changeling, couldn't they? They can look just like any one of us." He looked to a young unicorn mare who walked along his side. She was the color of golden wheat, with a long flowing mane and tail of rich wine. A lit candle was her cutie mark.

"I suppose so Greenleaf," she threw a grin at him just as she stopped before a lit street lamp. "I suppose even you could be a changeling."

His golden eyes grew wide. "You don't think I'm a changeling!" He paused. "Do you, Luminera?"

Luminera giggled at Greenleaf. She then looked up at the glowing orb atop the lamp. She closed her eyes and summoned her magic. The glow faded from the globe and seemed to zip through the air, lighting the tip of her horn. Lowering her head, Luminera opened her eyes and the magic faded. The lamp was no longer lit. "Of course I don't think you're a changeling, Greenleaf. No changeling could ever have this conversation."

He happily nodded. "Good."

Luminera smiled sweetly. He was so clueless. "Let's get these lights off and have some breakfast."

He licked his lips. "That's the best idea you have had all day."

"The day has yet to begin," she told him. Then the first rays of the sun began to stream down on the valley. "Correction, the day has just begun."

* * * * *

The light straw colored stallion ducked behind a building as he lurked on the very edge of the town. Day was quickly upon him and the first dreaded rays of the sun would scorch his eyes. He silently cursed the Sun and everything about her. He peeked around the corner and saw that ponies were just starting to move through the streets. Growling, the stallion turned back. "I have no idea how much time has passed," he muttered to himself. "Some might know who I am. I need information."

Turning around he quietly went to the back of the building and found a line of laundry that had been left out all night. Most of the pieces of clothing were horrendous pieces of bright or pastel colors, with ruffles and bows of satin. Then he found a simple tunic of dark red. Snagging it right off the line, he slipped it on and moved off.

Holding his head high, the stallion started walking down the street. Shudders were thrown open, welcome doormats were being placed before thresholds and shops were opening for business. He wondered if the welcome mats constituted open invitation to enter. He filed that question away for testing later. The sun was starting to rise. Narrowing his eyes, the pony realized he needed some protection.

A store owner was wheeling a display outside his door. On it was an assortment of novelties. Anything from barrettes, to combs, ribbons, an assortment of simple inexpensive toys and of most importance was a jumble of sunglasses.

The shaded spectacles peaked the stallion's interest and he wandered closer as the shopkeep walked back inside for a moment.

Placed right below the large front window of the store, the male earthling looked down at the sunglasses and then through the clear glass to see what the other pony was doing. He was fetching a large A-framed sign for the outside. Then the yellow stallion casually glanced around him for any other sharp eyes.

A pair of metal framed sunglasses with lenses of purple disappeared from the shop, as well as the thieving shopper.

* * * * *

Near the center of town Greenleaf licked his lips. "That was a great breakfast. Hot cakes covered with cinnamon apples. Mmm." He closed his eyes in bliss.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Luminera said as they strolled down the street. "Now I need to get to the library and see if anyone returned that book I wanted to borrow."

Both ponies stopped as a large group of ponies came hustling down the wide path. The mayor and several ponies quickly moved down the road, seemingly in a hurry. The yellow unicorn had a scowl on her face as a stallion wearing a construction had said "It's a mess mayor! It's going to take quite a while to fix all the damage."

"I really don't think it's nessessary to go down there, Mayor," said another pony.

"Nonsense," the mayor exclaimed. "I must see this for myself."

Luminera and Greenleaf watched the procession go by.

"What's going on?" Greenleaf asked.

"I don't know." Luminera admitted. "I'm sure we'll know before long. It'll be in Ponyville Daily News."

He nodded and they crossed the street after a cart laden with bushels of apples was pulled along by Big Macintosh.

The library was quiet as usual. The librarian was behind the desk as usual. Struggling with a pile of books, scrolls and tablets the pony began to separate the returns according to their respective categories.

Luminera and Greenleaf moved past the desk and toward the shelves of books.

"So what do you want to do with the rest of the day?" Greenleaf casually asked. "I was thinking, you know, maybe we could take a trip to the lake or something."

Luminera began to investigate the shelves of tomes. "Mmm." she sagely responded.

"I have a feeling that it's going to be a beautiful day," he continued. "Just perfect swimming weather."

"Mmm." Luminera said again.

"So what do you think?" he asked.

"About what?"

"My idea."

"What idea?"

Greenleaf's face fell. "You weren't listening?"

"Sorry Greenleaf," she apologized. "But I don't see my book. Let's go. Better luck tomorrow."

They turned around and toward the door. Passing a pair of large wooden tables Luminera noticed several piles of books placed upon the surface. She paused a moment to scan the titles, then noticed that there was a pony perched on a stool behind the wall of paper. It was a stallion, a light canary color with a short gold mane. On his nose a pair of purple glasses were pushed down the length of his muzzle as he flipped through the pages of a history book.

She found him a strange sight. His hooves seemed to be painted black and he wore a collared shirt of deep crimson. She was also certain she had never laid eyes on him before. As Greenleaf and Luminera passed the front desk she decided to question the librarian. "Who's that?" she whispered, pointing a hoof at the stallion.

Looking up, the librarian blinked and then shook her head. "I have no idea," she quietly answered. "I didn't even see him come in."

"Okay. Thanks." Luminera said, following the green stallion to the exit. She took one last look at the yellow stallion before leaving.

The reading pony finished the first tome of Equestrian history and moved to another.

[Peace]

Queen Chrysalis was peering into a green glowing orb. Magic emanating from her crooked, holed horn kept the sphere a float before her muzzle. She cackled madly as a trio of young ponies sat in a cocoon that barely housed the three of them with very little room to move.

Apple Bloom yawned and plucked at the large red bow that was tied just behind her ears. She wasn't particularly concerned for their predicament. It's not like any villain managed to succeed against Applejack, Twilight Sparkle or any of the other fillies that were already on their way to rescue the school-age ponies.

Sweetie Belle leaned on her forelegs, peering out the transparent green dome that sat at the front of their cell. She was watching the winged leader with half-lidded eyes. "My sister is going to come and kick your butt," she said, lazily.

The black queen whirled around and bared her fangs at the unicorn. "What?" she spat.

"She said," Scootaloo piped up, "Rarity is going to come and kick your butt." She sat on her haunches. "And Twili and Pinkie and Dash and Fluttershy."

Apple Bloom raised a hoof. "And Applejack!"

"Okay, Fluttershy might not kick your butt," Scootaloo continued, "But one stern scolding from her and your troops will crawl away in shame."

Chrysalis moved her all-seeing orb over to the cocoon cage, hovering it near the clear membrane. Her face was twisted into a cruel smile. "Speaking of that idiot Pinkie Pie..."

The three foals stared as a blue rabbit opened it's mouth and sunk a pair of pointed front teeth into Pinkie's left rear leg. The pink pony screeched and shook off the seemingly carnivorous rodent. "Ow! Bad bunny!"

Apple Bloom slapped her forehead.

Scootaloo flicked her ears back. "Okay, so that's a bad example."

Sweetie Belle covered her eyes.

The orange pony stood and pointed a hoof at Chrysalis. "No matter. They shall be triumphant! We will be free and your dastardly plans will be foiled!"

Then in the viewing orb a large plant blossom was seen gnawing on Pinkie Pie's head. Om nom nom nom nom. "This feels nice!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Queen Chrysalis practically purred.

Scootaloo blinked. "Yea." Words suddenly failed her.

* * * * * *

Luminera was glancing at a newspaper. The large printed paper magically hovered in the air before her and Greenleaf as they scanned the articles. Most of it had covered various aspects of the attack from the changelings and the emotional and physical damage cased by it.

One elderly pony had a lengthy story about how one of those horrible blackened creatures trampled her prize winning poseys. Portions of a park had been apparently destroyed by the changelings. There was also a report of a small group of changelings chasing one pony into a blue closet. The pony escaped their wrath, locking himself in the closet with the evil equines clutching the side of the box. Then the box just disappeared with a high-pitched whir, surprised changelings vanishing with it.

"Strange," Greenleaf muttered as Luminera turned a page.

"We were attacked by winged unicorns that were half rotten." Luminera told him. "I think. How is that LESS strange?"

Mulling it over momentarily, Greenleaf finally had to shake his head. "I suppose it isn't."

The unicorn smiled at him, folded up the paper and placed it on the table.

The pair were sitting at an outdoor cafe. Several tables were clustered together with sets of chairs, while colorful umbrellas shaded each one from the sun. The ponies sat back and enjoyed the day for a moment before another unicorn came galloping by with a hovering magical bubble that cradled a small bundle.

"Out of my way! Coming through!" the filly screamed as she whipped past.

Luminera took a deep breath. "Strange."

Sighing, Greenleaf drank the last of his tea and slipped from his chair. "I think I have had enough of this strange, crazy, fun time. I am going home, crawling into bed and not coming out until the whole business about the comet is over and some sort of normalcy settles over the landscape."

"Bye," Luminera said as he walked off. After he responded in kind she also sighed and looked off in the distance.

The afternoon sun was getting lower in the sky, clouds were slowly gathering on the horizon. Eyes watching the ponies mingling here and there hours before the night's curfew was to take effect, Luminera's gaze settled upon a pony sitting at the table on the far side of the grouping. It was that same stallion from the library. Once again he had a pile of books before him, another volume being opened against the others.

Luminera bit her lower lip. He was so... Odd. She just wanted to just slip into the chair next to him and ask a ton of questions. But she also really didn't want to disturb him.

She agonized over the decision for several minutes before she sallied up to his table and awkwardly stood silently, hoping that he would notice.

Without looking up from his book the stallion noisily snorted and asked "What do you want?"

"Ah, I just wanted to say hi," Luminera nervously said. "So... Hi!"

"Seriously." It wasn't a question.

Suddenly Luminera wanted to be anywhere but where she was. "I saw you earlier in the library, didn't I?" He looked up at her. She paused briefly as his pale eyes glared over the colored lenses of his spectacles. "And ah, I was just wondering if you have been reading all day long."

His expression went from utter annoyance to an almost stunned, blank look.

She swallowed as he said nothing. "How come you're not still in the library?" she pressed, hoping that he would say something. Anything.

He blinked several times before finally speaking. "I was told that the library was being closed for the day. Shorter hours because of the curfew." He huffed and returned to his book.

"Ah, well, sorry about that." She stopped. "What are you reading about?"

The stallion rolled his eyes. "Why are you still here?"

"I just-"

"You are far too inquisitive for your own good."

Luminera paused again. "I... What?"

The yellow earthling let the shaded glasses slide further down his nose and he stared at the unicorn. She was quite speechless as he silently looked at her. "Look here. I want you to go away. Go home. Stay there for a while. Perhaps even until sunrise tomorrow. I have a feeling that it is going to be a dark and stormy night."

Reality became very strange for Luminera. The sounds of the town faded away and were muffled to the point where she could hear nothing but him. Only his deep voice cut through the silence. Her eyes unfocused and everything looked as fuzzy as she felt.

"Go." He finished.

The unicorn then turned and walked down the street in a half-daze. She was headed home for some reason she couldn't quite remember.

[Peace]

Thick clouds had finally blanketed the landscape. The sun was so low in the sky that it was nearly dark in the town before it had actually set. Ponies were taking no chances and were already heading to their destinations before curfew was in effect. The streets were nearly deserted by the time the yellow stallion had finished his last tome. As he closed the cover and stood a dark shadow fell upon him as thunder rolled in the distance.

He slipped the rectangular sunglasses from his nose as he turned.

The form of a slender winged unicorn was siluetted against the dark blue sky. He paused for a moment, eyes narrowing in an attempt to discern the identity of the form. For a brief second he thought that it was Sunsparkle, having discovered that his tomb had been destroyed.

Lightning flashed, illuminating the pony for only a second. Wild eyes of light blue appeared. Armor of polished blue glinted in the flicker of light, while flowing blue hair sparkled like jewels in the night sky.

His eyes grew wide. “Nightmare Moon!” he gasped in astonishment and quickly bowed before the form. “Your Majesty. I am not worthy.”

“No.” The figure said, stepping closer. The earthling raised his head to instead find a lavender mare standing before him. He scowled as he had no recognition of her at all. “I was once Nightmare Moon,” she continued, “but I am no longer. I am called Princess Luna now.”

Standing, he shook his head. “I don’t understand.”

“It is a long story. Suffice to say, she who was raging blackness has settled to the calm serenity of the night thanks to a young unicorn.” Princess Luna inspected the pony before her. He tilted his head, separating his forelegs ever so slightly as if deciding to either flee or attack. She knew the posture well. Many a pony displayed such a stance, usually before choosing to run. Luna knew that the stallion would not flee. She did nothing in return.

He was studying her. Every indication told him that she spoke the truth. She has once been Nightmare Moon. He could smell ancient magics around her. The magic of the night. Magic that once radiated with absolute power and fear was indeed now far more subtle. His scowl deepened. “How did this happen? You were once the queen of the night. You were worshipped and feared by all! You were beautiful!”

Luna now frowned at him. “Are you saying that I am no longer beautiful?”

He stopped. “No! I-“

Luna raised a hoof. “You are quite obviously confused. Do you know how long you have been asleep?”

He blinked. “Over a thousand years.”

She nodded. “Yes. Much has changed in Equestria.”

“I know. I have been reading.”

“Good. Then I don’t need to tell you everything.” A thought tickled at the back of her mind. “We have much to discuss.”

He opened his mouth to speak but Luna stopped him.

“And we shall make cookies,” she said thoughtfully, turning around and walking down the darkened street as lightning lit up the town again.

“Cookies?” he asked, utterly perplexed. He trotted after her. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely,” Princess Luna nodded. “Cookies will solve everything.”

He gaped at her.

“In deference to the old magic,” Luna said after a beat, “What shall I call you?”

He thought about this for a moment. Ancient magic was what surrounded both ponies as they made their way down the village center. Magic so old that even knowledge of an individual’s name was power. “Dee.” He said finally.

“Dee.” Luna repeated. “I like it.”

[Peace]

Two changelings moved slowly toward Queen Chysalis’s throne room. The walls in the hallway were a sickening black color, seemingly oozing with evil filth.

“You tell her.”

“I’m not going to tell her, you tell her.”

“You’re the one who broke it!”

“We both broke it!”

The first changeling paused and smiled. “It was fun though.”

Giving a toothy grin as the memory came back, the second changeling said “Yea it was. Until that pony came out.”

“Yea.” It hesitated. “Do you think that was fear?”

“What was fear?”

“What we felt when that pony beat us up.”

“No, that was pain.”

“NO! Not that! The other thing that went with it. That emotion that told us we had better run.” The first changeling stamped a hoof. “Was that fear?”

The second changeling blinked. “I think so. I’m not sure we have ever felt fear before. Have we felt fear before?”

“I think so. Remember that last time Queen Chysalis yelled at us and we shook all over?”

“Yea.”

“That was fear.”

“Oh.”

“I think. It was kinda like that.” The first changeling paused. “I’m still not going to tell her.”

“Well, I’m not going to tell her!”

“Tell me what?”

Both changelings stopped and peered ahead. They had walked straight into the throne room and hadn’t even noticed. Their queen was perched on a dias of blackened stone, a glowing orb was hovering before her emaciated head, suspended by her magic. She stretched lazily, her front legs hanging over the edge of her throne. She resembled a great cat lounging in its lair.

“ I am waiting.” She said, eyeing her two subjects.

“We have returned from Ponyville!” The first exclaimed, his fellow changeling nodding quickly in return.

Chrysalis stared at them and said very slowly “And?”

“Ah,” said the second changeling, smartly.

“Why did you not return with all my other troops?” The Queen asked of them.

“Ah,” said the second one again.

The first changeling had an idea. “Because we thought that with the pony’s guard down we would be able to do some recon… Reconas…” It stopped. Intelligent speech was something that it wasn’t used to. “Snooping.” The changeling finally said.

The other bobbed its head in agreement.

Queen Chrysalis leaned on a foreleg. “So did you learn anything with your… Snooping?”

“Ah.”

“Yes!” spat the first changeling, “The ponies are locking themselves up in their houses at night, because they’re scared of us!”

The second changeling looked at the other and opened its mouth for a second before a quick head shake fron its fellow caused it to snap its jaw shut again.

“Excellent,” growled the queen. “It is all going according to plan.”

[Peace]

Princess Luna approached a home that was covered in pink. Balloons, pastries and ribbons bedecked the façade in a mad cornucopia of pinkness. In the dimness of the night all the dimensional shapes looked more like red and purple blobs of goop. The wind began to pick up, causing the winged unicorn's hair to flutter even more than it naturally did.

Dee stopped at her side as she reguarded the chateau. “Cookies.” He repeated.

“Yes,” Luna said to him and walked around the home to the back door. “To have cookies, you must first make cookies.” She peered at the door. Knowing that it was locked, Luna conjured a dark from with her horn. A pale purple glow surrounded the tiny shadowy form and it slowly made a key. Luna made the key sail over to the door, entered the lock and with more manipulation clicked it open. The door swung inside.

The stallion slyly gazed at the princess. “You are entering a house without permission.”

She raised her head and walked toward the opening. “Believe me, Pinkie Pie will not mind that we borrow her kitchen. She probably will not even notice. We shall simply leave a platter of baked goods on her counter and she will be so estatic that she will not even think as to how those cookies came about.”

“You are still entering without permission.”

“Agreed that it is not exactly something that an entirely good equine would do, but these are extenuating circumstances.”

“Making cookies?”

“Yes. It is something that I picked up from my sister.” She felt Dee shudder ever so slightly at the hint of Sunsparkle being mentioned. “I have found through her dealings with her apprentice, often the best lesson learned is to provide a physical task to accompany the lecture. That way the lesson is engrained in the memory.” Luna crossed the door frame and entered the kitchen.

Dee eyed the doorway carefully. A ‘Welcome’ matt was placed at the bottom of the frame. The fanciful letters were surrounded by flowers and more balloons. “So, I am your apprentice now?” He sniffed.

“No,” she said, turning on the lights and looked to the pony standing just outside the door. “We shall consider it an exchange of information while we perform a task. To be aware of where we both stand in certain matters.” Then she waited.

Dee stared down at the bottom of the door frame. It was a threshold. It was the threshold of a home and there was little chance he could step across without the occupant of the house inviting him inside. He tilted his head up to see that Luna was watching. She also seemed to be curious as to how this was going to happen.

Perhaps the ‘Welcome’ was an open invitation after all. He picked up a black hoof and stepped upon the threshold. He stopped and shut his eyes.

Nothing happened. He felt no compulsion to flee, nor a powerful repulsion. Dee opened his pale eyes and took a single step inside Pinkie Pie’s house.

Still nothing happened.

Luna offered a small smile. “I thought so,” she said.

Dee narrowed his eyes in response.

“Very few are aware of old magic these days,” Princess Luna offered. “Laws have long since been forgotten and precautions have been abandoned as silly superstitions.” She purposefully picked up a mixing bowl and set it on the counter. “It has been a long time since you walked the world, and although books contain much, sometimes it helps to discuss such matters.”

“Making cookies,” Dee repeated, moving to the other side of the workspace.

Luna nodded sagely. “Over cookies.” She opened a cupboard and used her magic to bring out a set of measuring cups. “It was not all that long ago when I, too, was released from my prison.”

“What happened?” He asked.

“It is a long story,” Luna said, picking up a recipie book. “Could you bring me that sack of flour?” she said, pointing to another counter. As Dee moved to fetch it Luna continued “I was released as Nightmare Moon. But I was quickly reined in by my sister’s apprentice, Twilight Sparkle and her friends. They transformed me by using the Elements of Harmony into the pony you see before you. They helped me to choose.”

Dee carefully picked up the flour with his teeth and deposited it by the mixing bowl. “Choose?” he asked.

“Yes. I had no choice when I was Nightmare Moon. I was horrible and terrifying. I was evil incarnate. When I regained balance in my life, I actually had a choice. I could be good or evil. I had to consider the possibilities. I had to choose how to live my life from that moment on.”

As Luna began measuring out ingredients and dropping them into the bowl Dee snorted. “It doesn’t sound much like a choice.”

“Oh it was,” she told him, surrounding the sugar canister with a purple glow and bringing it over. “I definitely had the choice to become Nightmare Moon once again. But I ultimately chose not to.”

Dee frowned. “Why?”

Princess Luna then began adding sugar to the bowl. “It is difficult to explain.” Her brow furrowed in thought. “Yes I had power and awe and respect from all, but they also feared me.”

“So?”

“I was lonely.” She closed her eyes. “When your people fear you, they do not want to be near you. Sunsparkle was beloved. All wanted to be at her side. When I was Nightmare Moon I was jealous and wanted to destroy my sister because she had the love and adoration of our people. Then all would love me in despair. When I became Princess Luna I found myself not wanting to kill my sister, instead I found myself wanting to be like her. So I began to learn how to become like Sunsparkle. I wanted to learn how to have fun.”

Dee just stared at her as she summoned a spoon and began to stir the contents of the bowl after adding almond milk. “Where are you going with this?”

Luna looked at him. “You have had over a thousand years to think about your position. You were an evil being, thrust into a role between light and dark; life and death. You are a stampere; a stallion who is a vampire. Ancient magic made you what you are. That magic has slipped away from the world and evil’s grip on you has weakened.”

Dee opened his mouth to speak but once again Luna raised a hoof to silence him.

“You are not what you once were, this is obvious. From what I understand you would have decimated all those that stood in your path. Instead you walked among the locals, learning what you could about the new world you live in.” She tilted her head. “You did not kill that rabbit.”

Startled, Dee quickly said “I had just awoken and-“

“The rabbit is quite alright. A bit weak, but on a liquid carrot diet she will be as good as new in a few days. Her recovery would be even speedier if Fluttershy were here. The old you would have killed her.” She paused, “Could you bring those baking sheets?” she asked, pointing to a cupboard.

Dee was thankful that he didn’t have to look the princess in the eye as he moved over to where she indicated in the cabinets and pulled out a pair of flat tin pans.

When he brought them over Luna continued “The old magic was fading away, but it is slowly returning. You have a choice to make Dee and you must make it now, before more beings from the old days reawaken and threaten Equestria.”

Dee silently stood before the tall pony, mulling things over.

“Now then,” Luna said, offering him a warm smile. "You preheat the oven and we can start forming the cookies.”

[Peace]

Gazing into her crystal ball, Chrysalis sneered at the six colorful fillies as they continued to make their way to her palace. For the ponies a seemingly endless tract of hostile territory lay in store for them. The queen eargerly awaited every minute of their tribulations.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders sat in their prison, glaring at the emaciated creature. Apple Bloom stuck out her tongue in defiance while the other two continued to scowl.

“Don’t worry,” Scootaloo said. “We always get saved in the nick of time!”

Sweetie Belle looked at her. “I’m worried that we may not have any time to nick.”

Suddenly Queen Chrysalis erupted in laughter. “The comet approaches and we must make final preparations!”

Changelings snapped to attention as their queen fluttered into the air.

“With the power of the Secretariat Comet I shall steal Twilight Sparkle’s power for myself!” The winged Chrysalis said to her charges. They hissed in general approval.

The young ponies in the prison gulped.

“And with this power I shall take what is rightfully mine! No one will be aware when we swoop down upon the citizens of Ponyville, for they all cower under their beds at night. None will now of our presence before it is too late. Then we shall feed on them all!”

The changelings erupted in cheers.

“After we feed we shall move on to Cloudesdale! Then the Crystal Empire! Lastly we shall take Canterlot and forever seal away Princess Celestia and her goodness and light for all time!”

“For all time, is a long time,” Sweetie Belle murmered under her breath.

Chrysalis looked down at a group of her changelings. “All of you will go to Ponyville and await the signal. Then attack. The rest will await the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. Then we will join in the feast.” She raised her head and created an illusionary image of the comet streaking across the ceiling of her throne room.

“And what a glorious feast it shall be…” Queen Chrysalis uttered as dozens of changelings flew off into the night.

* * * * * *

Dee looked through the clear oven door at the dozen of cookies baking in the heat. He turned his head slightly as Luna continued to mill about in Pinkie Pie’s kitchen. “I still don’t see what this has to do with me.”

“I could make some sort of comparison to cookies and ponies,” Princess Luna said, placing the mixing bowl in the sink. “Countless variety and combinations; flavors and colors. Ingredients, toppings, fillings, shapes and sizes can vary in multitudes.”

He frowned. “Was that a joke?”

“It was an attempt,” Luna admitted. “It wasn’t very good, was it?”

Dee humphed.

Luna ignored him. “I shall tell you why all this should matter to you. When much of the ancient evils were sealed away or destroyed ages ago, many of the remaining ancient beings of goodness began to fade away as well. Some simply disappeared; others just passed on, leaving their descendents to carry on their legacy. The magic of the old ways just began to fade away. Unfortunately mortal beings have short memories. Even those who try to keep memories alive for future generations would find that much of what they attempted to pass on was simply lost. Ancient sages would weep at the information that is gone.”

“Mortals have short memories,” Dee said. “This I am quite aware.”

“You will not find one mention of you in all the history in all the books in the entire library in Ponyville.”

Dee nearly laughed. “I find that difficult to believe.”

Princess Luna shook her delicate head. “It is indeed true. All that you had done has been eventually undone in the hallows of time. As far as anyone is concerned, you never existed.”

Dee exclaimed “Ha!”

“Nor has the Dragon Knights.”

Suddenly his eyes grew wide. “The Dragon Knights? No one knows who the Dragon Knights are?”

Sadly, Luna shook her head again. “Were. You were the last Knight. The Dragon Knights protected Equestria in times of old. When the old magic faded away, so too did the Knights. There was no evil to defend the people from, so they just vanished.”

He blinked. “I was the last…?”

“Yes. Even after you slipped into the darkness, becoming a vampire. Your betrayal was the last marker in the history of the Dragon Knights.”

Dee shook his head. “I didn’t betray anyone!” he snapped. “I was the one who was betrayed! My own brother-“

“I know,” Luna said, softly. “And your sadness and despair quickly morphed into vengeance. You fell into the trap of the darkness.” She paused, placing more dishes in the sink. “The last of the Knights had fallen from grace and I fear after all these centuries you will never fully recover.”

Dee retreated to the doorway of the kitchen and moped. “Recover?” he puffed. “Recover from what?”

“From the grip of the darkness.”

He looked to her. “Princess, you are a being of the darkness! Even in this form and not as Nightmare Moon, you do not share the same properties as your sister!”

“You’re correct. I am indeed the Night. I am all things that exist after the sun has set.” She turned to him. “But there is something that I have learned while being who I am, rather than who I was.”

Dee hesitated before asking “What’s that?”

“That even the night sky is filled with countless sparkling stars, each a pinpoint of light in the darkness.” She smiled again.

He gazed evenly at her.

“And the moon itself does not glow of its own accord, it shines with the reflected light of the sun.” Luna said.

“You’re trying to tell me something,” Dee said carefully. “What if I don’t listen?”

Luna gave him a puzzled expression.

“What if I choose not to reflect the light of the sun?” He asked.

“Then that is your choice,” Luna said, with sadness creeping into her voice.

Then a sharp DING filled the room.

“Ah!” Princess Luna said, brightening. “The cookies are finished. Do retrieve them.”

Dee sighed and went to the oven. He created shadow wings again, pulling the door down with one and pulling the trays out with the other. He set the hot trays on a pair of cooling racks that had been set upon the island counter for just that purpose. He stared over the steaming baked goods as Luna walked up.

“All choices have consequences,” Luna told him. “Even the most simple of decisions. I chose to make cookies this evening. Now I have dishes to wash and put away. But I also have delicious little sweet biscuits to eat, that are dotted with little candy coated chocolates.”

Dee slowly looked up from the trays.

“Before you go,” Luna said. “Have a cookie.”

[Peace]

Everything was a bit muzzy. Sound was muffled, vision was fuzzy and Luminera's entire body was exhausted. She had collapsed into her bed and groggily opened her eyes hours later. She moaned, eyes blinking and then slowly picked up her head. "Wha' happened?" she uttered, syllables and vowels blending together to create some semblance of words.

Then it all came flooding back to her. Startled, the unicorn suddenly rolled off the bed, wrapped up in sheets and blanket. A muffled shriek exploded from the writhing mass as Luminera popped her head out from the bundle.

"He messed with my mind!" she screamed and scrambled out of her bedroom.

A knock at the door made her respond with a hasty "Come in, Greenleaf!"

The young green stallion pulled the latch and pushed in the door. "Are you okay?" he called to her. "I saw Princess Luna turning off all the streetlamps this morning. I thought maybe something had happened."

"Yes. No!" Luminera shouted at him from the bowls of her home. He decided that he should just hang out in the den while she got herself together. "That pony did something to me."

Greenleaf froze in place, his head slowly turning toward the doorway leading from the main room of the small home to the rest of the house. "Who did WHAT? Did someone hurt you?! I'll kick-"

"No. Yes!" Luminera told him, her hair tamed into something manageable as she stepped into the room. "Remember that yellow stallion? The one with the black hooves?"

"The one that just screams 'creepy'?" He eyed her. "What did he do to you? Do I have to kick his-"

She quickly shook her head. "No. He's mental."

"As in crazy?"

"No. As in he's got the ability to mess with minds."

Greenleaf looked at her blankly. "Um. Huh?"

"I know and he's not even a unicorn!" Luminera walked to the door and opened it. "I have to find out who he is. I'll tell you what happend on the way to the library."

"The library again? Why?"

"Because knowledge is power."

In spite of Greenleaf's protests about the whats and whys of Luminera's newest quest, the pair quickly made their way to the depository of knowledge once again. The shy over Ponyville was bright and blue, with a few wisps of cloud, but deep on the horizon was a golden orange glow. The comet would arrive that night, arcing through the starlit sky and dazzling all the inhabitants below.

More than a few vendors were out in the streets selling small, low power telescopes to the ponies and foals of the village. Even though there was a curfew, everyone intended to pop open a window and enjoy the sight.

Comet shaped cookies and biscuits were selling like hot cakes.

Safe within the walls of the library Luminera poured over tomes. Fascinating Ponies of the Valley. Unique Denizens of Equestria. Magic and Mayhem. Earthlings, Pegasi and Unicorns: What You Need to Know. History of Ponyville (annotated version). History and Mystery. Cutie Marks and Their Meanings volumes 1, 2 and 4. Volume 3 seemed to be missing.

"Found it!" called Greenleaf from a pile of carted books that had yet to be returned to the shelves. He held up the thick tome like it was a great triumph.

Luminera was holding up a book with her magic and flipping through the pages as she waved him over. "Bring it here."

He plopped the item down on the heavily laden desk. "Anything?"

"His cutie mark was a bat wing, right?" she asked him, eyes speeding through words.

He blinked and thought "I think so. I really wasn't checking him out." He paused. "Not like you were."

"Hm." she said, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Why?"

Luminera sighed. "Bats don't seem to be a common occurance in cutie marks. Practically nonexistent. Birds, fish, frogs even! Bats? No."

"I really can't say I'm all that surprised." Greenleaf picked up a random book and began flipping through it. "Bats are creepy and dark and all... nightish."

"But there's a ton of stars and moons and nightish things!" Luminera said, placing down her book.

"I think you're thinking too much about this."

"I think I'm thinking just the right amount."

"I'm going to start calling you Twilight Sparkle II."

"It can't be coincidence," Luminera finally said.

That stopped Greenleaf. "Huh? What coincidence?"

"The comet and the changelings and now the strange pony." she told him, taking up another tome.

Greenleaf ducked down, eyes peering just over the stacks of books. "Maybe he's a spy; a changeling spy! Sent to infiltrate and report on us." His eyes shifted.

"You're not taking this seriously," she eyed him.

He stood up. "And I think you're obsessing about nothing."

Luminera gave him a hard glare. "He used magic. On me. He's an earthling. He shouldn't be able to do that." Greenleaf sat in a chair. "There are rules," Luminera muttered. "Rules that were put in place for a reason. And he doesn't follow the rules."

Greenleaf placed a foreleg on the table and leaned on it. "So, what, you're the magic police now?"

"He was in my mind! That's not right!"

"Okay, so he freaked you out! Understandable," Greenleaf picked up a book and waggled it at her. "But he didn't hurt you! Was it right? No. But you're a unicorn! You'll be ready next time if he tries it again. Just blast him with something."

Luminera rubbed her eyes. "Maybe I should tell someone."

"That's probably the wisest thing you have said all day." Greenleaf said calmly.

"You said you saw Princess Luna?" Luminera asked.

He nodded.

"Maybe I should tell her," Luminera paused, suddenly pondering something. "Why is Princess Luna here? Shouldn't she be at the palace?"

Greenleaf shrugged. "Maybe she's here in case the changelings try something again."

"Coincidences..." Luminera nibbled a hoof.

The young stallion's pale green head met the desk. "Noooo..." He moaned.

"There has to be a connection!" she exclaimed.

"You're killing me," Greenleaf said, voice garbled.

Luminera dropped her last bit of reading and picked another.

"At this point I wish a dragon would burst in and eat me." Greenleaf groaned.

The yellow unicorn looked at him. "What?"

He didn't look up. "Dragon. Eat me."

"Dragon." she repeated.

"I'll even drench myself in ketchup."

"Dragon," she mummered again, flicking pages.

"I bet I'll be nice and crunchy."

"Maybe it's a dragon wing," she ignored him.

Greenleaf sat up, eyes glazed over. "I said something again, didn't I?"

[Peace]

They sat in silence for a while. The unicorn poured over written words while the earthling just took a walk in his own mind. He wasn't entirely sure if he fell asleep, if he became one with the universe or if he truly did just blank out for a while. Then Luminera thumped a thick tome down and woke him from his stupor.

"I have something!" she excitedly told him.

"Muh, huh?" Greenleaf said, smartly. "What?"

"Dragons as cutie marks are very rare. Only a few noted occurances in all of equine history. But those that had them, were often very special and had unique talents." Greenleaf took interest as she pointed a hoof over some illustrations. "There is one exception to this. A long time ago, when darkness covered the land, a group of stallions banded together to protect the citizens of Equestria. Unicorns, pegasi and earthlings of great valor and courage sought to push back the darkness. They called themselves the Dragon Knights."

An inked illustration of a trio of ponies were standing before a castle, wearing armor with distinctive dragon shapes. Helms all had reptilian features. Protective pieces had an embossed scale designs.

"Each knight protected the people that lived in a particular area. If any trouble erupted each knight could respond to the threat. But if they needed to band together and deal with a bigger problem, they could." She pointed to another illustration, this one resembled a stained glass window. "If a particularly terrible hardship was overcome, then the cutie mark of a knight would change. It often became a symbol of their knighthood. A sword, a shield, a dragon..."

The image depicted a unicorn dressed in barding, rearing up with a shaft of light bearing down. A halo of yellow points surrounded the colorful mark on his hip; a gold dragon.

"So what happened to the Dragon Knights?" Greenleaf asked.

Luminera turned the page. "It doesn't really say. It just says that when Princess Celestia came fully into her power she asked that the knights disband, since it was her duty to protect her people."

"So, did they?"

Turning several pages, Luminera scowled at the paper. "It says they did. But it doesn't really give any great details. It says that the knights just disappeared. The sun has set upon their time."

Greenleaf snorted. "My how romantic and not entirely believable."

Luminera smiled at him.

"How long ago was this?" he asked.

She shook her head. "It was long enough ago that most ponies were will living in huts, lean-tos and corrals."

"Yikes. You don't think this stallion could possibly be THAT old, do you?"

"Princesses Celestia and Luna are that old," Luminera told him.

"This guy doesn't scream demi-god to me. Celestia and Luna are practically walking goddesses. They make the sun and moon rise and set!" Greenleaf looked over the images again. "The Dragon Knights."

* * * * * *

Well into the afternoon, who shadowy figures moved along the trees close to the edges of Ponyville.

"So, what's the signal?"

"I don't know. I thought maybe you would know."

"Maybe we'll know it when we see it."
"Probably. I would assume that Queen Chrysalis would make it quite obvious."

"Huh?"

"How do I get stuck with someone as stupid as you?"

"We look exactly alike, what makes you think that you're not the stupid one?"

"Um..."

"That's what I thought."

"Just shut up and wait! The sun will set soon and our Queen shall take control of Equestria!"

* * * * * *

"Maybe we should sneak into Twilight Sparkle's house," Luminera told Greenleaf as they were promptly shoved out of the central library by the librarian. She shut and locked the door behind them.

"What?" the green-tinted stallion looked aghast. "We would be breaking and entering!"

"No, just entering. And it was a smaller branch library before she moved into it."

Greenleaf snickered. "Branch. That was funny." The house in question was situated in an ancient, living tree.

The golden unicorn gave him a small smile. "Pun unintended."

"I know. It was still funny."

She sighed. "It's a shame that its starting to get so dark," Luminera said, glancing up at the cloud covered sky. "I thought the pegasus ponies were going to ensure that the skies were cleared in time for the comet."

"Maybe the strange magical alignments are messing up with the weather controls as well," Greenleaf offered.

Luminera mused with an "Mmm."

"By the way," he said to her, "What is the comet going to do to you?"

She looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's suppose to make magic power go all wonkey or something," Greenleaf said. "You're a unicorn."

"I haven't really thought about it," she replied.

He nodded. "You have thought plenty about the comet, the changelings and that stallion but not about what your unicorn magic will do?"

Embaressed, Luminera looked down. "No. Honestly I haven't."

"You know what I would rather not think about?"

"What?"

"This fog that is getting thicker."

Luminera whirled around. The town had grown completely dark. A thick white fog had rolled into the streets and gave everything an eerie, muffled sound. Even the crickets and frogs grew silent as night quickly draped the land. High above clouds thinned, allowing the violet glow of night to be seen ever so slightly through the veil of white and grey. She quickly walked up to a streetlamp, standing nearby the pair. With her magic she caused the golden glow of the globe to shine.

It did little to illuminate the night as the fog ensured that the light wouldn't penetrate far.

"Okay, this is creepy," Greenleaf said. "We should get to shelter."

Luminera opened her mouth to speak as two pony forms walked up in the mist. Utterly indistinguishable at first, the pair steadily walked toward Greenleaf and Luminera, who cautiously took a step back.

"Poor little ponies," one of them hissed. "Lost in the night."

"What a shame," the other garbled in response.

The changelings sauntered into the hazy light. "It's a good thing that we found them," the first said, letting his long fangs glint in the glow.

"Oh, yes, it's a good thing."

"Run!" Greenleaf screamed, turning on his back hooves and plowed down the street, Luminera at his heels.

Sputtering hisses and shrieks of changelings filled the air in the streets. Beating of wings were above as the pair fearfully made their way blindly down the streets of ponyville.

Luminera tripped over a pail that had been left near a cart and tumbled forward. She collapsed in a heap, as Greenleaf skittered to a stop and attempted to help her a mouth suddenly clamped down on his short, brushy green mane and pulled back.

"Ah!" the stallion shouted and reared up.

Luminera's horn burst into a bright glow, highlighting the scene before her. She staggered to her feet and lowered her head. "Let him go!" she demanded at the changeling. When the changeling pulled harder she let a blast of light explode from her horn and strike the blackened pony-like creature, which let Greenleaf go and flipped over before landing hard on the dirt.