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Description
“Nocturnus.”

A low voice suddenly pierced the darkness, and the batpony standing guard jumped. “M-my liege-” The pony dropped down onto their forelegs in a fumbling bow.

“At ease, Nocturnus. We wish to speak to thee.” Artemis, the heir to the night, emerged from the darkness, quiet and graceful as a prowling panther. Nocturnus swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

“Ah...yes, your highness. Er….lovely moon out tonight?”

“Indeed.” Artemis glanced skyward. “Mother’s artistry with the night sky knows no limit. But forbear thy flattery, Nocturnus. We have come to discuss thy performance at guard training last night. Your spar against Gladiolus was a disaster. You were sloppy, unfocused, distracted. Had your opponent been a genuine threat, you’d have been finished. A moment of inattention is all it takes for a wayward sword to spill your guts to the ground, Nocturnus.”

“I...I know, my liege. Please, I implore your forgiveness-”

“You are our lieutenant, Nocturnus. We are captain of the royal guard. Incompetence on your end reflects poorly on us. Your failure is our failure, and we will not be dishonored because thou cannot stop daydreaming during battle practice.” Artemis’ glare was enough to shame stone, and Nocturnus looked away.

“I-I’m sorry. I just...I haven’t been sleeping very well.”

“Why?” Artemis barked, making the guard pony startle. “There are countless sleeping potions available to thee-”

“No, it’s not that...I just….” Nocturnus’ ears slicked back, and he gave a quiet sigh. Artemis paused, before reaching out and placing an awkward hoof on the smaller pony’s shoulder.

“Nocturnus, what is the matter?”

“It’s nothing, your highness. You don’t need to concern yourself with me.” Nocturnus smiled, but it was half-hearted and sad, and quickly slid from his face.

Artemis was at a loss for what to do. They were a royal, a commander of ponies, not a giver of pep talks. For a moment, the alicorn considered leaving Nocturnus to sort himself out, but there was something about the slump of the batpony’s shoulders that compelled Artemis to try again.

“....Look into my eyes, Nocturnus.”

The batpony obeyed his leader. Nocturnus’ gaze was unsteady at first, afraid to look too long upon the heir to the night...but gradually, as Artemis wove a connection of magic between their minds, Nocturnus’ eyes grew dazed and lax.

“What is the source of your sorrow, my lieutenant?” Artemis’ voice echoed dully in Nocturnus’ mind, like cool rainwater dripping in a cave. The bat pony spoke, sluggish under the spell.

“....been sick….”

“Why have you not then gone to the infirmary?” Artemis’s tone was impatient. "Why have you not taken care of this earlier?"

“No, no….not me….” Nocturnus mumbled. “Her...her…....my daughter…...” A glint of worry flickered over the guard’s slack face. “Just a...filly…...can’t get out of bed…...fever, burning…..vomiting, can’t….the doctors…...don’t know what’s wrong…….told us….to get ready…..to say…...g-goodbye…” Noctunus’ eyes welled with tears.

“Dying…...”

Artemis suddenly understood. They summoned magic from their core, and probed deeper into Nocturnus’ mind. Artemis felt the smothering might of the bat pony’s despair, but pushed past it, deeper into the brain...until at last a memory floated up-a child’s bedroom. In the bed, tucked under the covers, was a tiny batpony filly, cheeks flushed with fever, being worriedly tended to by an elderly grandmother. The child let out a whimper, too weak to even cry, and the grandmother murmured desperate words of comfort and sponged at her brow.

“Nocturnus. Heed me.” Artemis barked. Despite the lulling effect of the spell, the guard pony stood at attention by habit.

“You will fly to the Whispering Mountains, and there you will fill a saddlebag with the Saussurea Obvallata flower heads you find. Return home, and mix the flower petals into a solution of equal parts meadowsweet, yarrow, and honey. Administer a spoonful thrice daily to your daughter, until her fever is broken. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my liege.” Nocturnus was waking from Artemis’ mind spell, and glanced about, baffled, but alert. “My liege...your words, I understand now...but how could you possibly know of a cure?"

"Mother Moon has been a master herbalist since the times of plague and famine. Did thou not think she'd teach me a few things?" Artemis offered a very rare smirk to the smaller pony, and Nocturnus gaped, incredulous. "Go, Nocturnus. Save your daughter."

Nocturnus' eyes burned suddenly, and without thinking, he surged forward to envelop the heir to the Night in a hug. "Thank you, my liege-"

Artemis went tense immediately, but did their best to remain calm and not shove the strange, sentimental pony away. Instead Artemis lifted a regal hoof and gingerly gave Nocturnus several quick, awkward pats on the head. "Ahem...yes. You are...er, welcome, we suppose. We will overlook this offense, Nocturnus, but, ah, touching a royal without consent can be considered treason-"

"Sincere apologies, your highness." Nocturnus hugged the alicorn even tighter for just a moment, before releasing them with a bright smile. "Perhaps imprisonment would be worth showing my gratitude to you."

"Thou can express thy gratitude with double guard shifts when thou return." Artemis coughed awkwardly, shooing the smaller pony away. "Fly, Nocturnus, make haste. Your task awaits you."

"Yes, my liege." Nocturnus spread his wings, and in an instant he was aloft and off, sailing into the light of the midnight moon. For a time, Artemis watched him fly, before they shook their body lightly, and trotted off to finish their nightly patrol.

~~~~~~~~

Princess Luna's innate magic-namely dream walking and astral projection-have manifested in strange new ways for her child, Artemis. Artemis has mysterious powers involving mind and memory...and one of their particular powers is hypnosis. Artemis can exert their will over other ponies and influence them into doing Arte's will. The ability requires steady, unbroken eye contact, long enough for Artemis to be able to command the other pony's mind (some ponies are stronger willed than others and require Arte to exert more power). Artemis usually just says "Look into my eyes", and most ponies feel automatically compelled to do so, so the eye contact thing isn't too much of a handicap

Ponies put under the spell describe it as feeling suddenly quite sleepy and pleasantly warm, with a gentle voice in their head telling them to do things.

no worries tho, artemis truly doesn't abuse this power (like Iridescence and Pandora suggest), but it really doesn't help the rumors in Canterlot that Artemis is secretly a goddamn vampire

now with dialogue. Artemis typically speaks in the royal we (unless relaxed or with friends and family), like season 2 Princess Luna

Description
“Nocturnus.”

A low voice suddenly pierced the darkness, and the batpony standing guard jumped. “M-my liege-” The pony dropped down onto their forelegs in a fumbling bow.

“At ease, Nocturnus. We wish to speak to thee.” Artemis, the heir to the night, emerged from the darkness, quiet and graceful as a prowling panther. Nocturnus swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

“Ah...yes, your highness. Er….lovely moon out tonight?”

“Indeed.” Artemis glanced skyward. “Mother’s artistry with the night sky knows no limit. But forbear thy flattery, Nocturnus. We have come to discuss thy performance at guard training last night. Your spar against Gladiolus was a disaster. You were sloppy, unfocused, distracted. Had your opponent been a genuine threat, you’d have been finished. A moment of inattention is all it takes for a wayward sword to spill your guts to the ground, Nocturnus.”

“I...I know, my liege. Please, I implore your forgiveness-”

“You are our lieutenant, Nocturnus. We are captain of the royal guard. Incompetence on your end reflects poorly on us. Your failure is our failure, and we will not be dishonored because thou cannot stop daydreaming during battle practice.” Artemis’ glare was enough to shame stone, and Nocturnus looked away.

“I-I’m sorry. I just...I haven’t been sleeping very well.”

“Why?” Artemis barked, making the guard pony startle. “There are countless sleeping potions available to thee-”

“No, it’s not that...I just….” Nocturnus’ ears slicked back, and he gave a quiet sigh. Artemis paused, before reaching out and placing an awkward hoof on the smaller pony’s shoulder.

“Nocturnus, what is the matter?”

“It’s nothing, your highness. You don’t need to concern yourself with me.” Nocturnus smiled, but it was half-hearted and sad, and quickly slid from his face.

Artemis was at a loss for what to do. They were a royal, a commander of ponies, not a giver of pep talks. For a moment, the alicorn considered leaving Nocturnus to sort himself out, but there was something about the slump of the batpony’s shoulders that compelled Artemis to try again.

“....Look into my eyes, Nocturnus.”

The batpony obeyed his leader. Nocturnus’ gaze was unsteady at first, afraid to look too long upon the heir to the night...but gradually, as Artemis wove a connection of magic between their minds, Nocturnus’ eyes grew dazed and lax.

“What is the source of your sorrow, my lieutenant?” Artemis’ voice echoed dully in Nocturnus’ mind, like cool rainwater dripping in a cave. The bat pony spoke, sluggish under the spell.

“....been sick….”

“Why have you not then gone to the infirmary?” Artemis’s tone was impatient. "Why have you not taken care of this earlier?"

“No, no….not me….” Nocturnus mumbled. “Her...her…....my daughter…...” A glint of worry flickered over the guard’s slack face. “Just a...filly…...can’t get out of bed…...fever, burning…..vomiting, can’t….the doctors…...don’t know what’s wrong…….told us….to get ready…..to say…...g-goodbye…” Noctunus’ eyes welled with tears.

“Dying…...”

Artemis suddenly understood. They summoned magic from their core, and probed deeper into Nocturnus’ mind. Artemis felt the smothering might of the bat pony’s despair, but pushed past it, deeper into the brain...until at last a memory floated up-a child’s bedroom. In the bed, tucked under the covers, was a tiny batpony filly, cheeks flushed with fever, being worriedly tended to by an elderly grandmother. The child let out a whimper, too weak to even cry, and the grandmother murmured desperate words of comfort and sponged at her brow.

“Nocturnus. Heed me.” Artemis barked. Despite the lulling effect of the spell, the guard pony stood at attention by habit.

“You will fly to the Whispering Mountains, and there you will fill a saddlebag with the Saussurea Obvallata flower heads you find. Return home, and mix the flower petals into a solution of equal parts meadowsweet, yarrow, and honey. Administer a spoonful thrice daily to your daughter, until her fever is broken. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my liege.” Nocturnus was waking from Artemis’ mind spell, and glanced about, baffled, but alert. “My liege...your words, I understand now...but how could you possibly know of a cure?"

"Mother Moon has been a master herbalist since the times of plague and famine. Did thou not think she'd teach me a few things?" Artemis offered a very rare smirk to the smaller pony, and Nocturnus gaped, incredulous. "Go, Nocturnus. Save your daughter."

Nocturnus' eyes burned suddenly, and without thinking, he surged forward to envelop the heir to the Night in a hug. "Thank you, my liege-"

Artemis went tense immediately, but did their best to remain calm and not shove the strange, sentimental pony away. Instead Artemis lifted a regal hoof and gingerly gave Nocturnus several quick, awkward pats on the head. "Ahem...yes. You are...er, welcome, we suppose. We will overlook this offense, Nocturnus, but, ah, touching a royal without consent can be considered treason-"

"Sincere apologies, your highness." Nocturnus hugged the alicorn even tighter for just a moment, before releasing them with a bright smile. "Perhaps imprisonment would be worth showing my gratitude to you."

"Thou can express thy gratitude with double guard shifts when thou return." Artemis coughed awkwardly, shooing the smaller pony away. "Fly, Nocturnus, make haste. Your task awaits you."

"Yes, my liege." Nocturnus spread his wings, and in an instant he was aloft and off, sailing into the light of the midnight moon. For a time, Artemis watched him fly, before they shook their body lightly, and trotted off to finish their nightly patrol.

~~~~~~~~

Princess Luna's innate magic-namely dream walking and astral projection-have manifested in strange new ways for her child, Artemis. Artemis has mysterious powers involving mind and memory...and one of their particular powers is hypnosis. Artemis can exert their will over other ponies and influence them into doing Arte's will. The ability requires steady, unbroken eye contact, long enough for Artemis to be able to command the other pony's mind (some ponies are stronger willed than others and require Arte to exert more power). Artemis usually just says "Look into my eyes", and most ponies feel automatically compelled to do so, so the eye contact thing isn't too much of a handicap

Ponies put under the spell describe it as feeling suddenly quite sleepy and pleasantly warm, with a gentle voice in their head telling them to do things.

no worries tho, artemis truly doesn't abuse this power (like Iridescence and Pandora suggest), but it really doesn't help the rumors in Canterlot that Artemis is secretly a goddamn vampire

now with dialogue. Artemis typically speaks in the royal we (unless relaxed or with friends and family), like season 2 Princess Luna