If You Don't Draw First

The door of throne room opened with such force that its blades crashed against the marble walls sending splinters of stone and wood into the air. An irritated Princess Celestia stepped into the room followed by her younger sister who had a concern look on her face.

"I can't believe it! That "human" thinks he can face me and walk away like nothing has happened? And not only that, Twilight and you think that he just needs some time alone to sort things? What in Tartarus is wrong with you two?”

Luna flinched at her sister's words but didn't back up.

"Tia, don't you think you're letting this affect you more than it should have? I mean, Booker didn't do something wrong, you even heard the guard's general, he avoided a tragedy today."

"Were you even there Luna? He threatened me!"

"No, you're wrong, you attacked him first."

Celestia looked at her sister with annoyance.

"And here she goes again mares and gentlecolts. Why are you so stubborn Luna?"

"Because I'm worried for you!"

"Oh please, I don't need your pity; I've been perfectly fine for over a thousand years without you. Why don't you go play with your little stars and..."

It just took one second for her to realize the gravity of her words, and one more to understand the impact and pain they were causing on her little sister.

"L- Luna, I... I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to..."

The goddess of the night was in shock, frozen on her place, her eyes shining with tears and a painful expression on her face. Her sister's words had brought terrible memories to her mind, memories that she had tried so hard to forget, those were the same exact words Celestia had told her the day she let the nightmares took her. Celestia tried to hug Luna but she backed away from her.

"You're a monster, Celestia."

Without giving her a chance, Luna disappeared in a bright flash of blue magic.

"Luna! Luna please! Forgive me!”

Her call had no effect, she had hurt her and nothing would change that. Celestia fell to the ground calling her sister's name between sobs and tears.

"Forgive me."

***---***---***

"I can't remember the last time I took a moment to see the moon. It's beautiful."

Booker stood outside Twilight's house trying to decide between talk to her or not, after all, he just tried to kill her mentor some hours ago. Things didn't go the way he would wanted, but in the end, he tried to think that something good came out of it.

Sure that trusting in the words of a strange creature was not a good idea, but it wasn't out of his alley, after all, he had done it before, why not do it again? A way back home was a good offer and if he could be the little stone on Celestia's shoe it sure was a plus, she deserves it, he thought. Sighing, he was ready to knock on the door when the sound of a door being opened came behind him and a small beam of light fell on his back casting his shadow on the floor.

"So… You're back?"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping Trixie?"

She didn't answer. Booker saw her standing on the door of her cart.

"I could ask you the same."

She finally answered, tapping her hoof on the floor of the wagon she continued.

"Booker, what happened today?"

"Sorry, I just don't want to talk about it."

"Oh… okay… I understand. Well, I don't think Twilight is still awake."

"Is that so? In that case, I think I'll stay here."

"Uh? You don't have to spend the night outside… I mean… why don't you come inside?"

Trixie’s words took him by surprise. For an instant Booker remained in silence and took his time to study her reaction, he could almost swear that her cheeks had taken a red shade.

“I don’t think it is good idea, it doesn't bother me to sleep outside, I’ve done it before, more times that those I would like to admit to be honest.”

“C’mon, today wasn’t a good day; you need a good night of rest.”

He thought about it for a moment.

“All right Trixie, I accept.”

She smiled and got back into the cart followed by Booker who after entering looked in awe at her house.

“Wow, it’s bigger on the inside!”

Although Trixie's wagon looked small from the outside, inside it could easily have the triple of its size, it had a small table in the center, a stove, a small wardrobe from which protruded a part of the coat she wore the day he met her and beside it a large bed.

“Is one of the advantages of magic, it helps you to enjoy certain amenities.”

She told him while opening a drawer.

“I think this is yours, I took it while Princess Celestia and you… you know, “talked”.”

She gave him the holster with the gun inside of it.

"Oh, thanks Trixie, I thought I would have to leave without it."

“Oh shit.” Booker thought in the moment those words left his mouth. He looked at her and he knew that she had heard his words perfectly.

“Do you plan to go? To where?”

“I...” “Great, this is just what I needed.” Booker didn’t know what to do, how could he explain her that he had accepted a job in exchange for a ticket back to home?

“Didn’t you hear Princess Celestia? You can’t leave Ponyville.”

“First of all, she can tell what she wants, but I’m not going to accept her conditions, less when these make no sense.”

“She’s afraid of you, Booker.”

“And what the hell does that mean?”

“I didn't catch all the details, but Princess Luna told us something about a nightmare that her sister has had. Princess Celestia swears that you…”

“That I what? Trixie?”

“Forget it; Princess Luna thinks that all was caused by the stress.”

With that, Trixie finished the conversation. Not even she could believe what Celestia had said, however, she couldn't stop imagine the apocalyptic scenery that the sun goddess had described.

“Trixie, what are you hiding?”

“If you want to know, it will be better if you speak with Twilight on the morning, right now is better if you rest.”

Booker decided to leave aside all his questions. “I think it is the best for now”. Without a word, he saw Trixie climb onto the bed and tap the empty space on the mattress at her side. He just shrugged and took off his vest and shoes before getting on the bed. The minutes went by, Booker remained in silence listening to the nocturnal noises and Trixie's gently breathing.

“Booker, where are you going to go?

She asked him. He turned his head and saw her staring at him intently.

“I'm sorry, but I can't tell you, all I know is that I don't plan to come back, or at least i don't know if I will."

A shiver ran down her back when she heard the last part.

"Booker ... I know very well how you feel. I too have felt lonely, desperate, out of place everywhere and that the whole world was against me, I really hope that wherever you will go, you find what you're looking for."

Trixie began to mourn; Booker felt his heart broke into pieces after hearing her. Something in her words made him realize that they shared, in a way, the same sorrows and regrets. Without thinking, he did the only thing that seemed right and hugged Trixie tightly. He felt her body go rigid for a moment, but in the end, he felt her arms wrapped around his torso while his hands roamed her back.

"Thanks Trixie."

She nodded and squeezed a little more her embrace. Both remained like that until sleep defeated them.

***---***---***

Another day went by and Seraphy walked the corridor to her room with a tired expression. It had been just another ordinary day of tests for her showing her powers to the sorcerers of the colony. That always left her without energy, she didn't know why they were always so interested in her abilities, she always did the same for them, levitate things, teleport from one place to another and some other tricks, she couldn't help but to feel like a circus monkey entertaining the crowd.

The worst part of these tests was the chamber. For the last three months, she had spent half of the day inside a metallic bubble, the sorcerers had told her that said chamber served to increment her magic; however, she always felt that it had the contrary effect. In the moment that she was sealed inside the chamber, all her energy started to fade away leaving her unable to use magic or even move. On more than one occasion she had tried to speak about the chamber with her father, but Antares always tried to avoid the topic or told her the same that the sorcerers.

Leaving those thoughts aside, Seraphy closed the door behind her and walked to the balcony of her room. The night brought with it that freshness to the desert that she loved so much and let her aching body rest on a pillow while admiring the starry sky and the full moon that crowned the night. Inevitably, her mind returned to her father. Antares had not spoken to her about his audience with the other leaders of the clan and even he had tried to avoid her for the last few days, always that she went to see him on the throne room, his guards didn't let her enter. Something inside her heart started to tell her that there was no hope, that she should accept the fact that she'll never leave the colony.

"No." She whispered. "If I can't have my freedom by his decree, I’ll seek it on my own and, if the destiny gives me the chance; I’ll take it without hesitation."

Her eyes sparkled with hope and a smile appeared on her lips. Sighing contently, her horn shone with a faint gray glow, the air surrounding her was filled with tiny sparks and soon after a tear appeared in front of her. Closing her eyes, she focused her magic on the tear and it opened slightly with a purple glow coming out from it.

This ability was something she had kept in secret from her father and sorcerers; after all, they didn’t need to know about it. The light of the tear flicked and otherworldly music began to come out from it with a male voice giving lyrics to it.

I see the bad moon arising.

I see trouble on the way.

I see earthquakes and lightnin'.

I see bad times today.

Don't go around tonight.

Well it's bound to take your life.

There's a bad moon on the rise.

Seraphy closed her eyes to enjoy the song, even when it was unknown to her, and as the music went on, she let her worries fade away.

I hear hurricanes a blowing.

I know the end is coming soon.

I fear rivers over flowing.

I hear the voice of rage and ruin.

Don't go around tonight.

Well it's bound to take your life.

There's a bad moon on the rise.

Hope you got your things together.

Hope you are quite prepared to die.

Looks like we're in for nasty weather.

One eye is taken for an eye.

Well don't go around tonight.

Well it's bound to take your life.

There's a bad moon on the rise.

Don't come around tonight.

Well it's bound to take your life.

There's a bad moon on the rise.

***

Antares stood in front of the vault while another small dragon at his side was focusing a beam of light on it.

“Her powers are immense, do you think that this thing will be capable of contain them? She’s not a filly anymore.” Antares asked.

“At first we had our doubts, but after the last session, the vault was capable of suppress her magic completely, her vital signs were decreased to non-lethal levels and she fell asleep."

“Is good to know it. How long will it take until the vault is ready for the process?”

“It will take two more weeks to finally have all the details and errors solved.”

“Good, I don't want to delay this more.”

Antares turned around to leave the room; however, he stopped when the other dragon asked something.

“My Lord, the vault will endure the process, however, and I know that this is not of my concern, isn't there any other way to solve this? Are you really going to lock her away and force her into a half-life state?”

Antares’s face showed sadness.

“Believe me, if there was another way to protect her, I’d gladly give my life for it, for her to never live under the shadow of fear. I can't take the risk of losing her."

With that, he opened the door and walked away, outside, two red eyes looked at him from the shadows.

“Oh Antares, you don’t know what will fall over you, hell will consume your soul, and I’ll witness it, there comes a time when even gods must die.”

Ridley said in a dark tone.

***---***---***

Celestia’s steps were muted by the rug under her hoofs, the pale light of the moon fell over her face as she walked towards a bed were Luna rested hugging her pillow. The white alicorn noticed the wetness on the soft cheeks of her sister, a sting of pain and guilt pierced her heart. Gently, Celestia brushed Luna's mane causing her to awake.

Luna moved away from her touch and rolled over the bed to not face her sister; after all, she still was feeling the pain of her words. Celestia pulled back her hoof, more tears appeared on her already red eyes and her lips moved, but no sound came from her mouth, only muffled mourning.

“Luna… I know you hate me, but please… don’t leave me now…”

The goddess of the night could almost feel the sorrow on her sister’s words, with a quick movement; she wrapped her arms and wings around Celestia’s body nuzzling her soft coat.

“I don’t hate you and I will never leave you.”

Celestia returned the hug. “Can I… can I sleep with you tonight?” She asked shyly. Luna nodded and moved aside to let her sister hop into the bed. A moment later, they lay there embracing each other tenderly.

“Luna.”

“Hmmm?”

“I will follow your advice, I will give Booker some space and time, I hope he can find peace here.”

Luna smiled. “He will, you’ll see.”

***Ponyville.***

Twilight saw herself surrounded by changelings, the creatures looked at her with murderous intentions but the unicorn's face instead of showing fear showed determination and bravery.

"All right beasts, who wants to be the first?!"

Twilight shouted and some of the creatures got closer to her just to be attacked by a blast of crows that came out from the unicorn’s hooves.

“Yes! You don’t know who you’re messing with! I will kill you all with my powers!”

She laughed like a maniac while more blasts of crows; lightning and fire launched by her hit the changelings causing them to scream in pain. She got ready to finish them all, but stopped in her tracks when all of them said her name, even those on midair were frozen and staring at her with eyes wide open and repeating her name.

“Twilight.”

“Wait, what?”

“Twilight, wake up.”

“But I… and all of you… what’s going on?”

***

“C’mon, Twilight, wake up.”

"Just five more minutes mom."

The lavender unicorn mumbled to the voice calling her name. Outside the house, the night was still settled and some hours still needed to pass before sunrise.

"Twilight, please, I need to tell you something."

Called the voice again and this time Twilight felt something cold poking her side. Finally sitting on the bed, she looked at her right finding two deep purple eyes staring back at her.

“Trixie? What are you doing here? How did you get here? What time is it?”

“It’s five in the morning, your door was open and as I said before, I need to tell you something.”

Twilight groaned wrapping the blankets around her. “Can't it wait until tomorrow?”

“It’s about Booker.”

Trixie told her and Twilight sat on the bed again. “What happened? Is he all right?”

“Yes, he got back yesterday’s night; I left him sleeping in my wagon.”

“Thanks Celestia, I was worried for him… hold on, did you just say that he was sleeping… with you?”

Trixie’s eyes shot open and her cheeks turned red.

“W-well… yes… but is not what you’re thinking…”

“He has only some days with us and you already got him into your bed?” Twilight told her with a mischievous smile on her lips.

“Sparkle!” The cyan unicorn screamed. “He was tired and about to fall sleep outside your house, I just couldn't let that happen, okay?”

“Okay, okay, I was just playing with you. Now, what was that so important you need to tell me?”

Trixie mumbled something and took a deep breath. “Booker will go, I don’t know where, he didn't tell me.”

“What!” Twilight gasped.

“Yes, he said something about leaving the town to never come back.”

“But he can’t do that, the princess said that if he leaves Ponyville he will get in troubles.”

“He also said that he didn’t care.”

“That’s enough!”

Twilight got out of the bed and walked outside the room with Trixie following her.

“Where are you going?”

“To speak with him.”

“But he’s sleeping.”

“Too bad, he will need to wake up; he can't just decide to disobey a royal order.”

They left the library, once in front of Trixie’s wagon, Twilight opened the door.

“Booker! What in the hay are you… you…”

“Twilight, wait, he…”

Both mares stood perplexed, the bed in front of them was empty.

“He’s gone!” They said in unison.