Author Note: This happens exactly at the same time that the Chapter 7 and 8 take place, so, while Stormy is on the University, and fighting on the Mayor Office, Luna is here… also, a few cameos are here, hope you like them ^^
Luna woke up….her head was ringing after she touched that monster bracelet…. The only pain she felt was from her head… her wounds where healed… she got up… just to fall from the place she was resting… it looked like a bed… with sun designs and all sorts of homebooks, like cooking, fairy tales and even a little police law… Luna, quickly searched the place….
" Stormy?, wake up!, we have to…."
Then she noticed…. Her companion was not with her, thing that got her worried… why would he leave her from all of the sudden?... but she noticed she had on her hoof the Deep Ambition Bracelet, she inspected the place…there was a photo on the desk near to the bed where Luna woke up…she noticed 2 colts…. One little one, just born, and another one like the age of 10 at most… with a black jacket… she recognized the mane stile… it was Stormy….so that means…. She is on his home, and the room must be from the only mare on the photo…
"could this be…. His mom?...no…she looks way to young for that, and she is the same size as him…. Could this be his sister? "
Luna was a sharp one… didn´t took her much to figure it out… she checked the room well, there was a old dairy, opened on the same desk… it was against her princess code to read other ponies dairies, then again… she is able to see other ponies dreams when they are asleep and they never notices… a little peak wouldn't hurt, she start reading the last entries
" We just came from mom burial… I never saw my brother so down… nothing seems to get him to smile anymore… I had a friend in Ponyville who is able to help… but Im afraid that he is only able to come to birthdays… my dad got special permission from work to be at the funeral… he talked to my bro Stormy, to encourage him… I don´t know what in the hay he told him… but whatever it was, made him inexpressive… I will talk to him later to see if I discover something…. In the meantime… I will take care of Mistshine the best that I can… these 2 are my responsibility now, and I will show my mother that I can protect him! "
The next page said
" Mistshine Birthday number 5 is today, my friend told me he would send a special cake along with somepony he trust, that will help stormy to recover his smile… he gave me a brief description, a Pink Earth Pony with balloons cutie mark… and cotton candy mane… im sure I can manage whatever Mistshine do with her… last time he almost blew up the kitchen "
" Wait…. Pink Earth Pony… balloons cutie mark…. There is only one mare that I know that has that cutie mark and ability to make other laugh " Luna reflected " It´s the Element of Laughter, Pinkie Pie... "
The Laughter Element…. Luna remember Nightmare Night, when she made things more difficult to her to make friends, but after Pinkie explained why… she was relieved… also, her mind started to make connections with Stormy… from what she remember from Stormy dreams, he always tried to make her smile during her exile, just like Pinkie… maybe she would have to ask Stormy for more details later… when she looked the last page… it was incomplete, and blood was on it…. Luna felt a shiver to her spine… as she read the page…
"_ had snapped, Dad defended the home, but he got killed…. Im next…. Bro…. if you read this…. i….. _, please forgive me "
The blood covered the ink, making unable to read… when Luna stepped again from the diary, she noticed a ghost corpse, with her throat cut, Luna got scared a little as she noticed that a mysterious black unicorn has in the room, and wrote something in the dairy, using the mare blood, Luna saw what it reads, it reads " you are next… kid…", all ghost disappeared and Luna noticed that the blood from the page, extended until the door, how did she not noticed that before?, the bookshelf contained tales like Robin Hoof, Equine Tales, but one book picked up the princess attention… it was a police book, containing laws and methods to investigate… so… Stormy Sister wanted to be like her father?... nothing out of the common until she got out of the room, the house itself looked burned and had ashes from the walls… when she touched with her hooves… her hoofprint was visible, there was a room that read, " Mistshine " , Stormy little bro name, Luna opened the door, and there was enough circuits to make a alarm system on the castle… she noticed a LED Lantern, but she didn't need it, she found some blueprints for several inventions… but she was unable to understand most of it… she did noticed what it seems to be a necklace, but to attach a lantern… Luna took the lantern out from the saddlebags and combine it with the necklace she found… that way, she can use the lantern without holding it on her mouth. Not much info there… she exited the room and tried Stormy room… but the door was locked, she tried a unlocking spell, but the door still didn't open, strange… she started to think that they got separated by something… or somepony?
She noticed the double doors, leading to the studio downstairs…she went to investigate… and she found several books, one of them was literally new… and even had a bookmark on it… Luna read it… it described the moon dust magic
"Moondust magic… the same one Stormy used?, I remember… that specific magic is not only magic… is a special talent hidden within a unicorn, very few are able to control it… let see… " Luna said to herself as she read the book
" In all arcane magic, there is but one special spell that is both, beautiful and dangerous to user and targets as well… it is the moondust magic, only Unicorns conceived and born under the full moon are granted this ability , but even with that requirements, they must survive their first months of the magic surges as baby unicorns, not because they are fragile, but for the moondust magic power, since the magic is powered by the moon, and in addition, their normal magic are still getting adjusted, a magic outburst as a baby would prove to be fatal, since there is no telling which of the 2 magic will be the one coming out, it is recommended to pay attention to the different moon cycles, each one could have a random effect on the foal magic, if the moondust don't manifest during this period, it will never will, and the unicorn will live as a normal pony, but if it does, and the foal survives… his or her moondust magic will be in a dormant state, and will only be awoken by 2 things… extreme psychological and physical stress, or direct influence of the moon, with this one we mean, nights of full moon, once awoken, the arcane magic will be at his disposal, sadly… the excessive use of this magic, cause several damages to the user, from just a simple headache, to cardiac arrest or even organs failures, the only way to prevent this, is with a special training given only by Princess Celestia, but since the cases of moondust users are extremely low, it has never being implemented… " the text ended
Luna started to fear what that the book mentioned, since she already knew the consequences of the moondust magic, then… if stormy has it… that mean he must be the only unicorn in modern days, to have the ability to use the moondust, a magic that she still know… a magic that she remember, during her time before Discord, King Sombra or even her Nightmare Moon transformation, that the guards from her sister and her old castle, where capable of using the moondust magic, but those guards where reserved for special cases or even for secret missions, if that was the case, that means that stormy father must have been a long time descendant from those guards, something that the book didn't mentioned, in fact, besides the full moon requirement, in order for another pony to have moondust magic, they must be a blood descendant from another moondust capable unicorn… that's why those guards where most of the time, either identical twins or whole families, she felt both happy and sad… happy for the fact that Stormy not only loved her moon, but also, he is capable enough to use the magic from the ancient guards, and sad because… despise knowing that Stormy loves her… she can't be with him from the rest of his life.. she is not able to die by old age… but stormy does….
All those memories from recent events, and the memories from her exile, made Luna realized that…each time that he protects her, even if she is capable of holding her own, the fact that he, during his dreams, was always on her side, driving away the sadness during her time as Nightmare… made her feel something special for the stallion…but… why?, after 1000 years… she promised herself she would not feel love for a mortal pony, after all, she can't die of old age… but the other can… and they will leave their side… just like Snowdrop did… that is when it reality hit her…Snowdrop was also the only one who understood her night… she was her most close friend… and when she was exiled… she still wished on the stars for her… until her depart…and Stormy was doing the same when he heard about the Nightmare Moon tale… she started to cry, as she finally understood what Noirstar the Changeling meant…Stormy loved with all his heart… and she didn't even noticed or remember him before he came to the Castle to see her sister, desperate to find help, to get rid of his nightmares… Luna had the power all the time, to help him during those desperate times… but she didn't even try to help, in fact, she forgot him completely, " What a way to repay him for helping you out Luna " she said to herself, Even when Stormy was in training… the only ponies she laid interest in, where Pipsqueak on Nightmare Night, or even Scootaloo during her nightmares… but she completely discarded the colt that practically gave himself to her, to keep her safe from her own nightmares… 4 months of suffering she ignore… 4 months that he was not able to get any sleep at all, she started to think, that she would be better if the Nightmare had completely consumed her… she got herself up…. Only a few words came from her mouth
"im sorry Stormy…. I didn't knew… im so sorry "
Stormy was now the lost one, and Luna was again, alone…she put the book back to it's place… she need it to find Stormy now, whatever this nightmare is, there is a reason for both of them being trapped, she will be there for him this time… as he has been for her… as she walked to finish her search on Stormy house, she started to think, was she only concerned about the stallion only for regret?, because she felt guilty of forgetting him? Or… was because she really like him?... that question was still not going from his mind… she checked stormy parents room, and only found everything destroyed… another diary was there… it seems to be Stormy father writing…
" I came back from work, and what do I found?, my son, Stormy, he literally blew up the studio, but he is a baby… how did he do it?... that is when I noticed a white dust from everyplace burned… this can't be, moondust magic, my great great great grandfather was a descendant of the ancient guards… but I was never able to use it, but my son can…I must take care of him more… I know he will do great things… "
Another entry read
"….. I lost my wife and daughter… thanks to some…. Murderer…. I don't care if I get fired… as soon as I find the bastard, I will make him suffer! "
Luna closed the entry and exited the house from the front door… the door was not locked, but as soon as she got out… the door locked itself…she checked her saddlebags and the key from Stormy house was gone, well… she don't need to be back there right?, she followed the alley, until she found herself back on the main street…she noticed a monster coming to her… this one was different… was a shadow, like the Armodered Shadow, but this one was clearly a Stallion… it didn't had cutie mark, or visible face… just a mouth, his face was covered of what it seems to be a bag… only one space was for the eye… it was a little yellow eye…, as for the mouth, it had like a hole, enough to make moans and screams, the pony was wearing a leather straitjacket, unable him to use his front hooves… so he was crawling towards the princess… she calmly concentrated her magic, but from the monster mouth, it spit a very corrosive acid, Luna dodge the attack, but the acid manage to burn her bandages… even the piece of raincoat that Stormy used the fist time to patch up her wing, the creature used its back hooves to jump, Luna, pissed about the piece of raincoat, attacked the creature with a magic burst, the creature felt towards its back, but got itself up pretty quickly, just to receive Noirstar sword on it's chest, the creature spit blood one more time, Luna quickly used the wooden table to defend… but it melted, it didn't protect her from the acid though, one more quick swing to the creature, was enough to kill it… she had the sword in hand… but felt her wing already healed… guess the raincoat did it's job… so she removed the bandaged on her other wing… besides the dried blood, it seems it was ok… still, she had to fly low, so she started flapping them, hovering herself from the floor, taking advantage of this, she started to search the town, but as soon as she lift herself… she felt something heavy on her back, she looked behind, it was a Ceiling filly, and it was licking its knifes before attacking the princess back, she lose altitude and couldn't keep herself airborne, so she literally crashed on a window of a building, she didn't know which building she crashed, but what she did knew, was that the creature was dizzy, she kicked him with her back hooves from the building… without Stormy´s Radio, she could not detect the monsters, neither she had a instrument to perform the songs to help herself… but she had more magic that Stormy, so, she got herself out from the room using the door, she could feel the blood, escaping her left wing… seems that fly will prove to be impossible, the building looked expensive… and very neat and tidy… she noticed several offices and documents… this could only mean 2 things, she is either on a school, or in the Town Hall. She looked at the long hallway, there was a receptionist desk… Luna could saw the photo… she could see all the Brave family, the Photo seems to have been taken in the hospital, she recognized Stormy almost instantly, the newborn foal, probably Mistshine, was in her mother arms, but her mother look reveal a tired look, almost as if, the last joy in her life… was bringing her son to this world… Luna put the frame back to the desk and continue searching the Town Hall, it was clear to her where she was in the town hall, since most of the frames are from ponies that founded the Manehatten town, she tried to go to the mayor office, but the door was damaged, she couldn't open it, it was really strange… the aspect of the place is not the twisted one… but most doors are broken, except one, the one opposite to the hallway she came in… she searched on the receptionist desk for a map, and indeed she found it, with map on hooves, she entered the opposite hallway… but just as soon as she enter, a click sounded coming from the door, meaning she was not able to go back.
" What?, im… locked?, somepony locked the door? "
Luna said, as she tried to unlock it… but quickly gave up, the door was very sturdy… she continued checking the rooms, but most of them where empty, few of them had monsters, but on those ones, she fought them with her magic instead of the sword, although in one of them, she found a couple of bandages… the room itself looked like a medical wing… Luna checked a file that was on the desk from said room
"Patient: Ms Cloverleaf Brave
Description: Abortive Pills
Top Secret, Never Disclose
Observations: Under Mayor Goldenscroll orders, Ms Brave medicine, in case of contractions, must be change to abortive pills, I still don't understand why, put in danger the life of a incoming baby, no matter what hate did he had to her… but we have to do it… it's a top priority order
PS: NEVER send this info to Canterlot Main Hospital."
" What in the name of the moon?, the mayor… tried to end Stormy´s Mom pregnancy?!, why Celestia didn't do anything?! " Luna said, very upset
Why Celestia didn't intervene?... just like her, the princess have the ability to see what happen under her sun… Luna now felt worse… not only he was ignored by her… but also for her sister… whatever happened between the mayor and Stormy´s family, was overlooked by the princess… until it was too late… she patched herself her injured wing… and continue to walk… she then entered a big hall, similar to the circular room where the Grand Galloping Gala was held on Canterlot… but this one…actually had ponies dancing there… Luna tried to talk to some of them… but they ignored her plead for information… Luna noticed that none of the ponies where reflecting on the mirrors on the sides of the room… just 2 ponies only…. She manage to recognize the colt dancer… but his clothes where different… they where a black tuxedo with a red rose in it, and still a ocarina holster on his side… it was Stormy, while his dancing partner…. Was a Earth Pony mare, with a pink ribbon on her tail… Luna noticed she was way to similar to the monster she encountered with Stormy on the mall… she was wearing a beautiful red dress with pink diamonds everywhere… but the thing that got Luna concerned, was the Deep Ambition Bracelet on the Mare hoof, she came quickly to the 2 dancing ponies… just to noticed, that they where both ghost… she couldn't take her eyes out of the red mare… was she feeling jealous?, that cant be, a princess do not know jealousy… but…. Luna was not the case… since after all…. Jealousy did play a part in her transformation… the mare constantly tried to kiss Stormy… but by some reason, she hesitated… as if she wanted to say something important…. As she approached more… she heard a breaking sound, it was the floor, she hovered, even if her wing was injured, to prevent falling to the hole that just opened below her hooves, at that moment…. All ghost including the mare and stormy, disappeared… she exanimate the hole left on the ground, a faint breeze was coming from it… like if there was something there… there was no other way out of the hall, since the door was also locked… she took a deep breath and risk herself, jumping to the hole, with her wings spread to lower the descent…
Even with the Lantern on, she was not able to see beyond her horn… but after a short moment, she landed on what it seems to be, a storage room, she noticed that on the desk, they where several bandages and energy drinks, also, there was a Zap Apple Pie, the rainbow colored pie was surprisingly in good conditions to eat… it was enough for only 2 ponies though… so Luna… feeling hungry from all her travel so far… ate a slice… leaving the other one on the box…, her stomach took the sweet dessert into it, and Luna felt herself full… on top of that, she could felt her magic recovering or even extending it's limit, she exited through a door, and she noticed a large hallway… several pictures and Newspaper clips where attached to the walls, most of them, about Manehatten History, such as the Statue of Friendship creation, they first meeting with the Princesses, and even the founding on Manehatten University, the best one in Equestria… but also… there was one that told about a hero, of the moon, Luna, interested, read the newspapers, and dates… seems that after the Goldenscroll election, and the rise in criminal rate… a hero decided to put a end, his name was Moonlight Strike… and according to the newspaper clip, he a strange magic that simulates web attacks, like the fictional character, Spider-colt, just that in this case… when the web remains was touched, they disappeared into moondust, hence the name, Moonlight Strike… as soon as Luna read the dust part, she was sure about the hero identity, since the moondust had that peculiarity, that after usage, it leaves a beautiful display of the moonlight while it disappeared into the wind as white colored dust, but… that means Stormy, without knowing it… he was using his moondust magic… she touched the frame, which hold that specific information… but as soon as she did that… all her surrounding change and she felt a very strong light coming from the newspaper… almost as if she… was getting pulled into the newspaper… when the light subsided, she was seeing 2 colts… Stormy was the older one. Next to him, was his little brother… Mistshine… both of them had black clothes… indicating that they just came from a funeral, Luna saw, silently as they said something…
"Brother… what we are going to do now?... we lost dad and know our sister… we are alone… " Mistshine said, very sad with tears in his eyes
"We are not alone…we have each other…but…we won't leave the town like this… with dad gone… we have to do our part… " Stormy said, taking out a cyan suit his sister made for him
"what are you going to do? " his brother said… looking at him a little confused…
"im going to change this town… even if I have to do it by force!, nopony else will die again! " Young Stormy said, as he put the cyan suit
A strong light again blinded the princess for a moment, this time, she was greeted by a cold rain… next to her… was Stormy… already dressed up as the Moonlight Strike from the article…his face was all covered and his white " eyes " on the mask prevented to see his expression, but it was more than clear that he was preparing a heist… 2 thieves already stole a store
"Stormy? " Luna's hoof passed right thought him, as he receive a message
"Brother?... is this on?" his little brother voice came from a comunicator on Stormy left ear
"Yeah bro… this works perfectly…" Stormy or… Moonlight in this case, replied
" the thieves are moving to the alley, stop them" Mistshine ordered
" yes… little bro " Stormy said
The stallion then jumped from the building, Luna, knowing that he can't fly, tried to follow him, that's when she noticed… Stormy extended his hoof and his horn glowed, making a magic rope, that attached to the buildings, the rope itself… contained moondust… simulating perfectly, spider-colt web, that is when Luna, felt everything fading to black, she woke up… again on the hallway… could that be one of the lost memories from his guard?, if yes…why Stormy kept it so secret?, she walked towards of what it seems, in the end of the hallway, a door with a red carpet, the door reads " for Mayors usage only " near the door… there was a pony corpse… it had police uniform… but Luna was not able to recognize who he was… above him, there was another newspaper clip… but this one… was not a happy one… it reads…
"Manehatten tragedy, tonight, the daughter of the mayor was found dead on the mayor office, along her side there was seen a white coat Colt in a Cyan suit, according to police chief Silverbadge, the attacker was Moonlight Strike, the so called hero of Manehatten, near the body of the mare, there was another one, that died from suffocation, it was the mayor Goldenscroll, apparently, he first was stabbed on his chest multiple times, then suffocated with his tie, there was also next to him a bloodstained knife and a bag full of bits, currently Manehatten police Department are searching for the killer, the victim was Redhoof Goldenscroll and died from multiple stabs on her chest, also, she had a bandage on her mouth, preventing her from screaming, in the meantime, Manehatten elections where moved to a more sooner date, the next mayor will be chosen in 3 days "
She felt a cold wing on her spine… Stormy… killed Redhoof?... that can't be!, he was the most kind and strong pony she ever met, she knew he don't have the heart to kill another pony… these monsters are the exception… she walked away from that newspaper clip… and entered the door, once she passed it, the door closed itself with a electronic lock… Luna noticed that she was in a Train… a big train reserved only for the mayors visits, seems that the train according to the big screen on the entrance, is connected to Ponyville and Canterlot, she choose Ponyville… since in Canterlot, there was nothing else they could make, and if Stormy already went ahead of her, he would have gone there… the Train started to move by itself… she stayed there… she was going to Ponyville…
A short while passed… and the lights on the train started to blink… Luna turned on her lantern, and notices a colt, holding another pony closer, his clothes where bloodstained, and the little pony was very injured… Luna came closer to the colt… she noticed her Cyan Suit… and when he turned around, his mask was torn in half, making Luna notices who he was… was little Stormy…
"Who is there? " Young Stormy said
"Luna…" the princess replied " What happened? "
"My brother… he was attacked!, I must get to Canterlot Hospital! " Young Stormy voice sounded worried
" im going to Ponyville… " Luna said… a little coldly… perhaps still doubting about Stormy, due to the Redhoof and Mayor Murder
"P-please!, I beg you! " Young Stormy started to cry as he hugged the Princess " My brother will die if I don't help him!, is my only family! "
Luna felt angry… Stormy killed those ponies, and yet, he was asking for help… he felt, on her heart that Stormy was innocent… but the newspaper clip she saw… nopony else could be besides Stormy…but… was it really true?, is that blood on his suit, Redhoof blood?, or his brother blood?, either case… it was visible that the damages on Mistshine body was from a sharp blade, and Stormy wasn't carrying anything, she could end the young colt life there.. in fact, she felt hate crawling on her spine… and her horn glowed , as if she was about to shoot a magic attack…but wait… the was not only hate building up… but also jealousy, from Redhoof herself… was she actually even considering this?, she was actually thinking of attack the younger version of his guard…that would be the second biggest mistake in her life… she could feel on her soul that little voice telling her " kill him ", but Luna… remembering the recent events…she smiled…if Stormy forget her, about everything, why she wouldn't do the same?, she let Stormy know that she will protect him, until Ponyville stop, her horn stopped glowing, Stormy smiled when the Look on the princess, changed to a smile and gently voice, that is when all light has gone out….
"L-Luna?" Young Stormy said
"Don´t worry….guard" Luna said, in a more charming and calm voice
"…" Young Stormy didn't said anything, just smiled…
On the other side of the train… a hoofstep was heard, Luna shinned her lantern to where the sound came… a sword was visible… and a black robe… skeletal features… it was the Skeletal Mare that stole Stormy´s Sword, Luna made a Shield around Young Stormy and Mistshine and ran towards her foe, the creature, just stood there… as if she was waiting something, Luna let a magic blast came and hit the creature, which passed right through it,
" you will never came near him, you hear? " Luna said, to the creature
"….. foo….lish… pony….. " The Skeletal mare said.
The mare attacked Luna, Stormy sword almost cut her throat, but Luna wasn't her target, it was Stormy " ghost ", the Barrier could hold 3 powerful blows at much, the creature attacked the barrier, making it crack like a window against a tiny boulder, Luna attacked the creature again, this time, using her steel pipe, a sword won't be much use against it… she let a strong hit on the creature hooves, it's bones cracked a little, dropping stormy sword, inside the circle, Stormy was shielding his brother, as if he preferred to be killed before his bro, the creature, ignoring luna again, and send on its task, tried to step on the shield with her hooves, Luna, tired of her foe, let a powerful magic blast… but this one, was more powerful, the Skeletal mare was stuck on the wall
" If you touch that colt, I will Personally Kill you!" Luna shouted angry…
"…..you….forgive….him?... " The skeletal mare said
" huh? " Luna was confused at the creature words
" …..g…..oo…d" The Skeletal mare said
The creature simply disappeared… and appeared behind Luna, the princess using her agility, dodged the attack and used Stormy sword on the creature, it didn't do much damage, but manage to repel her, the Sword however, got stuck on the mare ribs, What was the reason the Skeletal Mare was following Stormy?, she will get those answers now, she jumped to her foe and used a magic bubble on it, starting to make it smaller and smaller, until the creature ribs and bones started to crack, Luna then launched the bubble outside the train. Stormy was looking at Luna… and smiled… the train itself let a message.
" We have arrived at Ponyville Town Hall, Please make sure you have all your belongings at all times "
"Thanks…. Princess " Stormy said as he hold Mistshine
" No problem…." Luna smiled again
The automatic doors opened, leaving Luna in another hallway… as soon as she stepped out… the door and train closed….the train itself moved…probably towards Canterlot Castle…Luna walked, the hallway itself was too short compared to the Manehatten one… there was a single elevator that opened… as if it was expecting her… Luna stepped inside, The elevator was really old, but operative… once she got to her destination… she noticed the Town Hall doors, she stepped up, just to find that she was below the balcony, where she first came to Ponyville as Nightmare Moon.
The elevator automatically went down… leaving Luna on the Town hall…alone… a soft noise was heard from the basement…seems that somepony else was using the elevator….