Luna's Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion

Chapters

The Champion Appears
The Champion's Origin
The Champion's Victim
The Champion's Oath
The Champion's Bite
The Champion's Connection
The Champion's Tongue
The Champion's Battle
The Champion's Identity
The Champion's End

The Champion Appears

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 1: The Champion Appears

“Hurry up, hurry up.” Whispered one of the three stallions crouching in shadow. “The lunar patrol will go by any minute now!” with a rather un-graceful hoof the bigger of the three broke one of the windowpanes in the door and reached to unlock it. They tumbled in a heap into the pie shop. “Spread out, thirty seconds, and we’re out.” The three of them rushed about, opening display cases and getting their saddlebags ready. Putting stacks of pies gently in their bags, they searched the shop for anything else of value. One of the three found a strong box behind the counter, nickering and signaling their biggest group member over. The barrel-chested stallion squinted at it back and forth. Pulling it from the shelf they’d found it on, he gave one of the corners a firm kick. It sprang open, drawing smiles from their faces. It was an old design, to have such an obvious flaw. The bits inside shone in the full moon’s light. Reaching greedily, they ran their hooves through it.

“Hey you!” Somepony had emerged from the upstairs apartment, clopping quickly down the banister. “What do you think you’re doing?!” it was a portly, angry stallion, no doubt the baker. His wife rushed down after him, whinnying angrily as they leapt from the stairs to defend their shop. Splat-splat! They fell in a heap, both pie’d to the face. The weaponized sugar took hold quickly, and their eyes rolled into their heads. The poor shop owners had never known what hit them.

“Nice one.” One of the three complimented the smallest. He was the fastest draw with a pie, after all. He nodded, bobbing his head as they continued their work. When they’d stuffed their bags with pies and secured the strong box’s bits. “I can convert these into throwing pies in an hour so, let’s get back so we don’t get—”

A shadow interrupted the moonlight streaming in the front shop window. All three ponies turned quickly, but not quickly enough. Suddenly a shape burst through the glass, tackling the largest of the three thieves into shadow, over the counter and beyond sight. He screamed ferally, but a sudden sickening thud silenced him. There was a stomach-churning whack, whack, whump-ing of hooves on flesh before a quick spatter of blood shot across the wall. Both remaining thieves stared slack-jawed. Something had knocked the boss right off his hooves! “Let’s get outta here!” one of them made a gallop for the door, desperately grasping his saddlebags of loot as he went.

The same shadow grunted, leaping off of its first victim and over the counter. Sailing through the air, it landed on the running thief’s back and tackled him to the ground with sheer weight. In one horrific bite of triangle teeth, it tore the saddlebag off his back and bashed his head into the doorframe two, three, four times until he stopped resisting. His yelps were throat-wrenching, like a bawling foal’s. Blood dripped from the oak wood, and by the time it finished with him he looked almost dead. His hooves bicycled weakly, then he went limp under the terrible figure. Whoever it was loomed over its second conquest, turning slowly and setting its sights on the last thief standing.

“I give! I surrender!” he dropped his loot bag and threw himself on his belly to beg for mercy. “D-don’t hurt me! Please! I surrender!” The stallion turned pale as the shadow loomed over him. Igniting its horn, it grew so close he could see golden mist curling out of its amber eyes. Boiling, frothing, untamed rage twinkled in the darkness. He put his hooves over his head in terror, shaking like a leaf. “M-mercy!”

It slowly turned to study the shop owners, spilled out over their banister and stairs. A young and healthy couple, struck down by weaponized confections. Its jowls lifting to reveal a piranha’s triangle-tooth’d smile. Looming over the remaining thief like an apocalyptic black shadow, it finally spoke. It was a flushed, exhilarated whisper. “Not for you. Not tonight.” The stallion stared up at the shadow in slack-jawed terror. A silvery, gauntleted hoof dashed out of the darkness into a flash of moonlight, blinding him as he was struck down. He didn’t have long to scream as the predator leapt upon him, but it was a luscious sound.

=-=-=-=

The next morning solar guards surrounded the area, for it was a crime scene. Right after the dawn the shop owners had been found laying in their own shop, spatters of blood and pie all over the place. “What happened here?” one guard that had just arrived asked his fellow.

“Break-in. Pie thieves using weaponized sugar pies.” The other said. “The owners said there were three.” They stepped in together to examine the scene. “We’re not sure about the blood, though. The couple said they got hit with pies and went down, but…”

“A serious beating happened here.” Finished the first, nodding slowly. “I’ve never seen anything like this before…” he trailed off, seeing the spatter of blood on the doorframe, the wall behind the counter, and the big blot of it in the middle of the store’s floor.

“Also, the door was unlocked, but the front window was completely broken in.” He nodded towards the debris and mess that was all over the floor. “Watch your hooves, we didn’t let anyone clean up yet. We’re still piecing everything together.” He gestured mildly.

“So… the thieves broke in through the door to steal pies.” The first guard said, walking slowly through the scene. “The owners hear the ruckus and come down… they get pie’d, and then…” he turned slowly and looked to the broken in front window. “Somepony, or some-thing, came through the front window.”

“And that kind of leads us to our biggest question.” The second guard said with a sigh.

“What’s that?”

“Where are the thieves?”

“We don’t have them in custody?”

“No. The store owners saw them, but… they weren’t here when we arrived.”

“You don’t think they’ve been kidnapped, do you?”

“Who kidnaps thieves?”

“I dunno. But whoever it was certainly bucked the hell out of them before he left.” He winced at all the red that painted the room. “Looks pretty brutal.” The other guard nodded his agreement. “You think we’ve got a vigilante or something?”

“Dunno. Seein’ something like this, there’s no telling what happened after the store owners were hit.” He said, cocking his head and rolling his eyes. Then, he paused. “What the…” his eye-rolling stopped mid-roll and he tilted his head back. The vaulted ceiling was high, like a church, making it easy to heat with the ovens of the pie shop and such. But that wasn’t what drew his attention. Attached to the ceiling were a set of ropes and plastered to the skylight, blocking it out entirely, was a limp stallion. Next to him in huge letters carved in the plaster was VIVAS NOCTUS. “Get him down!” the guard roared. “Get the others!”

Rushing outside, the other guard called more in. Working with magic and wings, they dislodged the poor stallion. Working quickly with the ropes that had cocooned him, they recoiled when they saw his condition. He’d been beaten, badly. The hoof prints all over his body were proof enough, as well as the crusted blood on his mouth and nose. A little piece of paper was tucked under his arm, which one of the guards snatched with magic. “This one was smart enough to surrender. Regards.” He read aloud, cocking his head with a frown. The gathering of guards stared at him, then down at the bloodied stallion.

One knelt, taking off his helm. Green washed over his body as the solar magic gave out. He pressed his ear to the victim’s chest. “He’s alive. Barely.” He told the others. “We’ll need to get him to a doctor, right away.” They all nodded in affirmation, rushing to call for a cart and secure the roadway. They never found the other two thieves.

=-=-=-=

Princess Luna awoke with her head resting on something warm and breathing. She murred quietly, lifting her head a little. The past few months had been so peaceful. She had beautiful nights, a happy demeanor, and most importantly, Aegis Shield. Her handsome, wonderful stallion. Leaning a little, she studied his face with a smile. He was so peaceful when he slept, she often forgot he was also one of her personal guardians when they were in bed together. In private, they were very much in love, and very much equals. They studied the stars together, often ate together, and shared the same bed now and then. She nuzzled him quietly. He was one of the captains of the lunar stallions, in charge of the force of seventy night-time guards with magic armor and complete devotion to her. Quite flattering, really. Though, she did suspect he got ribbing now and then for sleeping with his boss. Whatever it was, he happily endured it and continued to excel.

Rising, she ached in a private way. She and Aegis had stayed up quite late celebrating the beauty of the full moon (to put it nicely). She nosed him again until he stirred. He turned over, his eyes slitting open. “Rise, my stallion. The new night is upon us.” she said sleepily. He grumped at her, pulling a pillow over his head. Smirking, she reached with a large hoof and rubbed his belly in wide circles. He laughed, jittering away and curling up. “Ticklish thing.” she mused, getting out of bed and going to the balcony naked.

Closing her eyes, the princess ignited her horn with deep magicks. Grasping at the silvery celestial body, she pulled the moon from beyond the horizon. Its pale face began to peek up over the end of the land, and she smiled. Setting it on its normal course, she nodded to herself and turned back to her room. Going to her vanity, she began to don her crown and regalia, fiddling with her shoes as she did so. All of the trappings were symbolic, really, but some ponies refused to look at her if she wasn’t wearing them. Like she were more nude than they.

Chuckling, she nodded to Aegis Shield as she saw him rising. Stretching back and forth, he pulled on his medallion. Popping his neck back and forth, he spoke the oath. “In the dark, we tear and rend. To end all evils, with spines to bend. Lust and power, hunger and might. By Luna’s will, and dark of night!” Old magicks gripped him as his fur stained an ashy grey. The ancestors raised their deep voices in song, rearing and whinnying as it all melted over him like quicksilver. Armor exploded over his body like so many drawing swords. His eyes glowed gold, sprouting a spectral mist while his feathered wings melted together like wax, turning bat-like. Lunar stallion! Shaking like a wet dog for a moment, he smiled at her smile. “What?”

“Thou art still so handsome.” She said softly, running a brush through her ethereal mane. He smiled despite himself, bowing slowly. “I’ll meet you in the hall to go to dinner.” She told him. He nodded, heading to the door.

When Aegis Shield opened the door, he found a solar guard with her hoof raised to knock. “Captain Aegis Shield!” She belted, a little startled. “A report, from the solar guard!” she said, thrusting a scroll to him with her hooves. He took it gently in his mouth, nodding his thanks.

Without leaving the room, he shut the door and unfurled it. His eyes raced back and forth across the letter, slowly widening in horror. “What is it?” Luna called from where she was brushing herself.

“There’s been an incident. They need me.” Aegis said apologetically. “Forgive me Luna, I--”

“Go on, a captain of the lunar stallions has many responsibilities other than the princess herself.” She smiled at him. “We do not think we will be assassinated on the way to the dinner table.” She snickered playfully. “I can make it on my own.” He smiled at her a little painfully. Pausing in the doorway, he went back over to her at the vanity. She blinked at him for a moment, but he leaned up to nuzzle her. She extended her neck with a quiet purr, and he ended it with a quick kiss. Luna shivered just a little, but he could already tell she was shifting into princess mode and out of Luna mode.

“I’ll try to be back before the midnight court starts.” Aegis Shield said, walking backwards towards the door. “Don’t start without me!” he called playfully, turning to leave. She shook her head at him, smiling contentedly. Turning, the mare admired herself in the mirror for a moment. Unlike so many other females, she liked her looks and could certainly understand how a stallion could be attracted. But the fact that she was a princess had stayed a thousand hooves. Until Aegis, that is. She smiled quietly, warmth gathering in her face. Companion. Friend. Lover. He fit them all. She was halfway to dinner before she wondered just how the messenger had known to look in a sleeping princess’ chambers for him. Ah well. Word was bound to get out eventually.

=-=-=-=

“Of course we agree to thy standard on the road tax across-the-board standard, but thy richer landowners are not exempt from such things.” Luna tossed her mane haughtily. “And if they try to wriggle their way out of the standard seven percent tax rate, I shall have their funds and their flanks seized.” She menaced the official with a quick and icy look. He shuddered, looking away quickly, unable to withstand the gaze of the immortal alicorn. Turning the glare off, she opened her mouth to speak again.

Aegis Shield burst into the Midnight Court, startling Luna and everypony else present. “Your majesty!” he shouted, the deep bronze of his voice echoing to the high buttresses. He practically shoved the official out of the way to take center stage on the red carpet that stopped at the base of the dais. Luna frowned. She’s not seen him so upset in a long time. “There’s been an emergency! You must come to the lunar barracks!”

“Aegis Shield! We are in the middle of the Midnight Court!” Luna protested hotly, ears turning back in an angry expression. The official lay in a heap, his eyes in comical swirls and one hoof twitching. The Stewarts and other ponies of the midnight court looked on in shock. Nopony just ordered the princess around like that. “What calamity could possibly ruffle thou so?” she demanded, rising from her throne.

“There’s been an… an incident!” he said lamely, curling his wings embarrassedly. “It’s lunar stallion business! I… I can’t say it here!” he pleaded with his eyes, a private look that stirred the night princess’ heart for a moment.

Luna considered for a long moment. Showing favoritism was not a good policy for a princess. However, the lunar stallions were seventy, not one. The move was politically sound. Weighing her options briefly, she looked out across the court. “We declare a two-hour recess!” she trumpeted across the room. “Eat, stretch, and return within the time.” She commanded all the ponies present. “Away with you.” She walked slowly down the dais stairs as the room emptied out, frowning deeply. When they were alone she spoke again, “Thou art my lover and heart, but I am not at thy beck and call at all hours of the night.” She scolded him with a frown. “I am still the ruler of Equestria right now.”

“Someone strung up a pony in a pie shop.” He whispered fiercely, all four of his hooves jittering. She blinked in shock. “Two others are missing, presumed dead. There was blood everywhere.” He gave her the quick run-down. “They were robbing the shop, knocked out the owners… but something stopped them, and strung one of them up like a birthday piñata. He carved Vivas Noctus on the ceiling.” He said in a low voice, worriedly.

“Impossible!” she snapped angrily. “None but the lunar stallions know that phrase’s meaning, it is a sacred oath! Writing it down is forbidden!” she loomed over him without meaning to and saw the shudder in his frame. Taking a deep breath, she calmed herself. Her mind raced while she frowned at the ceiling. “Captain, summon the lunar guard. All of them.” She commanded. Aegis Shield snapped a serious salute. She only ever called him by his rank when things had gotten serious. Gone was the soft lover Luna, now it was time to be the princess and ruler of Equestria.

Within the hour, seven rows of ten were gathered in the throne room, both captains front and center (Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide, the two original new lunar stallions). Those that had been taken from guard duty were replaced with their solar counterparts, and those that had taken the day off were mustered forcefully from their relaxing. The princess of the night called, and the lunar stallions answered unquestionably. “At-ten-HUP!” Stalwart Hide barked. As one, the rows of stallions saluted. “Or-der-ARMS!” their hooves fell in unison, a single massive clop on marble tile. The months of training had made the unit strong and unified, Luna observed with some pride. “Dress-right-DRESS!” their front-right hooves lashed out, and they spaced themselves accordingly. One stallion would be exactly far enough away from his comrade to touch his shoulder, no closer and no farther.

Their arrangement perfected, both captains stepped forward and saluted princess Luna. “Presenting to her majesty, the entire lunar stallion corps. Seventy ponies strong.” Aegis Shield announced in his captain’s voice. Turning on his hooves with military precision, he presented his salute to his stallions. “Vivas Noctus.” He said. It meant ‘long live the night’, an ancient Equestrian oath to her majesty of the moon, princess Luna.

“VIVAS NOCTUS!” Boomed the entire group in one voice. Aegis Shield turned back about, and with Stalwart Hide at his side, returned to the front-middle of the ranks by walking backward.

The formalities of the gathering over, Luna rose from her throne to speak. “Lunar stallions!” she said over the sea of ashy grey and purple armor. They all affixed her with their ‘guard stares’, blank and serious looks of attention. “Something terrible has come to our attention and I require all of you to speak truth this night!” she walked slowly. “One of you, it seems, has taken justice into his own hooves.” She told them briefly about the pie shop incident, and the implication of the two missing thieves as well as all the blood and signs of battle. “Also, the stallion in question chose to write your sacred oath, vivas noctus, upon the ceiling.” She got a few startled looks for that. Nopony WROTE vivas noctus, it was a sacred oath! “We demand to know whom.” She fixed the entire core with a narrow-eyed gaze. She saw eyes flicking back and forth, beads of sweat here and there. “We DEMAND TO KNOW WHOM!” The Royal Canterlot Voice concussed the night, shaking the throne room on its foundations. The core flinched as one, but nopony spoke. “Somepony will speak his admission, or we shalt spend the night together reading thy minds one at a time.” She threatened them rather openly. “We do not condone murder and violence in our guard, we are not at war! Thou art a peacekeeping force in this era, and we shall not have such senseless vigilantism among us!” Her voice rang over the group of stallions, but none of them spoke. There was a long and terrible silence.

Aegis Shield winced. Threatening the group as a whole was probably not the best way to ferret out a confession. But she was the princess so she would do as she pleased. Still at attention, the captain swallowed and hoped somepony would cave. Luna didn’t sound like she was fibbing when she threatened to read their minds by force. It was a harsh threat, for mind-reading was a deeply violating magic to use on another pony. It was up there with bodily injury and torture. The mind was the last sanctuary against the world, and to peer into it was to violate every sense of privacy that pony had ever known.

“Very well.” Luna said with narrowed and angry eyes. “We will not allow this to continue. We have no tolerance for vigilantism. The criminal shall be rooted out. His armor and honor cast from his family!” She stomped down the stairs of the dais from the throne. “Hammershot! Step forth!” she barked. The first pony in the first row came forth, shuddering as he was zeroed in on by her majesty. “Remove thy armor.”

“Yes you majesty.” He said a little fearfully. Reaching with a shaky hoof, he tapped the eye of the chest plate he was wearing. The eye closed and his normal form returned. Yellow fur and orange mane, he knelt before her on all four knees, presenting the crown of his head and spreading his wings on the floor. It was an invitation to crush his wings, an ancient gesture, if he displeased her. Luna’s horn ignited. A few of the lunar stallions squeezed their eyes shut and looked away. If this was the only way to root out a murderer, they would have to endure it. The princess of the night stared into his soul, and by the time it was over he was sweating and shivering.

“Melancholy! Step forth!” Luna commanded, done with him.

“Pen Maker! Step forth!”

“Storm Chaser! Step forth!”

“Wet Willy! Step forth!”

“Tree Knot! Step forth!”

She knew them all by name and face, despite their all being grey and dressed the same. One by one the princess worked down the line of the lunar stallions, each more exhausted than the last. She knew their minds now, their dirty little secrets. All in service to the crown. They were expected to give anything and everything, and they did so willingly. But, it didn’t make it any less chilling to have her peer into their thoughts. Princess Luna was nearly at the end of the first row when a loud clopping sound made her jerk her head around.

There upon the very top of the throne’s back was a unicorn, standing daintily with all four hooves very close together for balance. The armor covering it was silvery and bright, shining in the moonlight that poured into the room. Twin wing-swords hung on its shoulders, limp from being sheathed. Like a starry beacon the moon shone behind the armored pony, encircling it with a white halo of pure night. The helm and visor obscured the upper-half of the face. “Your majesty.” The voice was female. She bowed. “Vivas Noctus.” She recited. Every single stallion in the room gasped in anger. How DARE she?!

Luna’s eyes widened. She knew that silvery armor. She’d made it herself, millennium ago. Heaving a great and angry breath she thrust a hoof out as the Royal Canterlot Voice shuddered the palace. “SEIZE HER!” Wings opened. Horns ignited. Seventy sets of hooves pushed off. The silvery mare smiled quietly, hopping behind the throne with a dainty bending of her legs. There was a crack of parted air. A dozen stallions tackled the throne itself right off of its pegs to get at her as great swaths of them came at the hiding spot from all sides. They rushed forth to pounce on the intruder, but she was gone! Teleported away according to the sound, they realized as one.

“Princess, who was that?!” Aegis Shield said as the lunar stallions scrambled back and forth to check every inch of the massive room. “What was she wearing?!”

“White lunar armor.” Princess Luna murmured darkly, staring out past the throne’s platform and into the stars. “The one set ever made for a mare. The Moon Champion.”

End of Part 1

The Champion's Origin

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 2: The Champion’s Origin

Princess Luna heaved the massive tome down from the shelf of the royal library. It was the restricted section where one had to get special permission and paperwork to even stand in it, much less touch the books. At her sides stood Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide, who followed her to the nearest table and pulled the chair for her. She seated herself regally, setting the book down by magic. Leaning, she blew on it to disturb the dust. A crescent moon and a title of ancient Equestrian was on the cover. Stalwart Hide leaned over it, mumbling softly. “The book of the… luna… lunar…” he struggled with it, for his language lessons only took him so far.

“The Book of the Moon and Its Allies, Stalwart Hide.” said Luna gently. She caressed the cover a few times. “We were not sure it would even still be here, but the librarians are as meticulous about preservation as they always have been.” She smiled and gently opened it. The binding crackled and groaned as she did so, spilling dust into the air. Waving her hoof a little, she mumbled over the texts for a few moments.

“What does it say, princess?” Asked Stalwart Hide with interest.

“This is a record of the make-up and hierarchy of the lunar stallions, in ancient times.” She mumbled slowly, turning a few pages. “You make recognize this?” she gestured for both of her guards to look at a picture. They leaned, and knew it immediately. It was a drawing of the tablet in the antechamber of the lunar barracks. It was a grand battle scene depicting hundreds of lunar stallions fighting a nameless army. Back then they had all been pegasi, unlike the modern equivalent that covered all species of ponies. “And this?” she pointed to the opposite page, which was covered in runes with a list format.

“That’s the name wall.” Stalwart Hide tapped his hoof on it. “I’ve never gotten around to translating any of the names, but I assumed these were the names of the original lunar stallions.” Luna nodded with a smile at his deduction skills.

“Very good, that is right. But there is one that is unlisted here.” She flapped through great chunks of the book, being careful not to rip the ancient pages right out of the binding. Both stallions leaned on either side of her until she stopped on another drawing surrounded by runes. “Here she is.” Luna said gravely. The picture was of a rearing pony, standing atop a cliff with countless lunar stallions below her. The moon was in the sky, behind her, and the lines of radiance went all the way across the page. “The Moon Champion.” Her eyes darted back and forth across the page, reading the texts silently.

“What is she?” Aegis Shield asked in awe, looking at the picture. “You told us that only stallions could be a part of your royal guard. That’s why it was called the lunar stallions.” He furrowed his brow, staring over the tablet drawing of what was clearly a mare, by the curve of the body and shape of the face. The silvery armor was painted white and light-blue to signify moonlight, the helm covering the upper half of the face. Just like the unicorn they’d seen in the throne room the night before.

“It is true, the lunar stallions were strictly male.” Princess Luna admitted, tracing her hoof down the lines of tiny runes as she spoke slowly. “But I created one to stand above the rest. A female. I even created special armor for her, to keep her in tune with the ancestors as you are.” She glanced at both of them.

“Why a mare, though?” Aegis asked the obvious. “Back then the military was strictly male.”

Princess Luna smiled gently, “Well, truth be told, my stallions, the magic that powers your armor is feminine.” She saw their confused looks. “I am the one powering the armor, indirectly. I gave each medallion the magic to do all the things they do, and maintain them as such with a bond.” She explained, looking at the ceiling to find the right words. “However, there can only be so much connection between a female power source and a male recipient. Like… oil and water.” Both stallions tilted their heads as she continued. “However, if you have a source of feminine magic and a female recipient, the bond is much easier and much stronger. Like… tea and water.”

“So she’s stronger than we are?” Stalwart Hide said, making a face. “That’s not fair, all the lunar stallions are equal—!” Luna raised a stern hoof and he closed his mouth, a little embarrassed at making such foalish complaints. Aegis frowned, staring at the picture intently.

“The Moon Champion was just that, the champion of the lunar stallions.” Luna whispered, tapping the picture. “If there was a battle I could not attend, she stood in my stead. If there was a duel to prevent a pair of armies from clashing, she would step forth. She was my… my avatar.” She finally found a good word for it, nodding. “Thusly being female amongst so many males. The ultimate representation of a battle-time goddess is… well, a mare.” Understanding flicked across both of the stallions’ faces at last.

“So who is she?” Aegis mumbled. “If her name was never listed, how will we know? We couldn’t even trace the family line from records… or… anything.” He trailed off, scowling a little. “With the lunar stallions that would be harder, there’s seventy of us. But with just one mare, you’d think that would be much easier.”

“It was over a thousand years ago, but we still remember her name. Moon Dancer.” Luna smiled a little sadly. The sounds of the ancient battle were slowly being dredged up in her mind. “She took a ballista bolt meant for us during one of the last battles of the great war. It killed her almost instantly.” The princess shuddered a little at the painful memory. “Those were terrible times. We did not know she had a foal. The armor must’ve been passed down to her without my knowledge. With our banishment after becoming Nightmare Moon, it must’ve passed out of thought and memory…” she trailed off with a frown. Both stallions stared at the picture. “She was our ultimate warrior, I cannot imagine what that armor is doing to the mare wearing it now…”

“If that armor was passed down from mother to filly, why doesn’t she just come forward like all the other lunar stallions did?” Aegis Shield wondered. “If she’s loyal to the crown, shouldn’t she be bowing at your hooves, princess?”

“A certain amount of arrogance comes with being her majesty’s secret weapon.” Luna said with a sigh, closing the book and replacing it on the shelf. “Perhaps a thousand years has warped the original meaning of being the Moon Champion.” The alicorn rose slowly from her chair. “All we can do now is look for her, and bring her in to take the armor from her.” The princess turned and addressed both her captains. “Muster the lunar stallions. Tell them to conduct a city-wide search for any signs of the Moon Champion.”

“Yes, your majesty.” Both stallions snapped a salute and turned to go.

“Captains.” She said, stopping them for a moment. She gave them a meaningful look. “Be careful. Tell them to work in groups. She will be far stronger than any of you alone.” Both stallions nodded warily, and were away to do her bidding. Luna sat down again when they were gone, sighing quietly. “Moon Dancer…” she mumbled quietly, her wings wilting down. She recalled the beautiful brutality of her avatar. The headless griffons. The screaming dragons. The splitted boulders. The shuddering demons she’d conquered. Luna squeezed her eyes shut in distress, resting her forehead on her hooves for a few long moments. Sure, this new Moon Champion was stopping petty thieves for now, but if she decided to do something more drastic, she wasn’t sure her stallions would be able to stop her. The avatar of a goddess was not one to be trifled with. She prayed the poor mare didn’t understand everything about the armor she wore yet.

=-=-=-=

Stalwart Hide walked slowly down the alleyway, gaze sweeping back and forth. Flicking his wings a few times to stretch them, he inspected the place silently. How, exactly, a silver-armored mare could leave any trace of herself, he wasn’t sure. But the princess had sent the lunar stallions out in force, and he wasn’t going to disappoint her by being a stick in the mud. His group had found a four-way intersection between buildings, and they’d split up to search each of the alleyways. They were long and dark, but the night vision granted to him by the armor he wore certainly helped. Maybe they’d get lucky and see her just sneaking around, who knew. The pie shop incident had happened in the dead of night, so perhaps she had some sort of patrol pattern like they did.

The stallion whinnied in shock, rearing up when the brick wall to his right suddenly exploded like it had been hit by lightning! Mortar and brick showered the opposite wall and he staggered backward, shouting ferally. A pony’s body exploded from the hole, hitting the opposite wall with a sickening crunch of bones. He was wearing a mask and flank-covers to hide his cutie mark. A robber of some sort? Bits waterfall’d out of his saddlebags, all of them tied in stacks like one might find in a… Stalwart Hide glanced over and found himself looking into a metallic bank vault.

“My. My. My. Caught with your hoof in the cookie jar?” It was a slow, feminine chuckle. Predatory. Dark. “That’s a shame, didn’t your mother teach you better?” Out of the blackness of the back of the vault emerged a silver-armored mare. Stalwart Hide stared at her, slack-jawed. He hadn’t gotten a good look at her the first time, but now she was much closer and sitting still. He watched her horn ignite and the robber pony was lifted into the air by magic. She wrung him about like a rag-doll while the lunar stallion watched. Her cruel smile widened as she bashed him, over and over, against the brick wall until he stopped crying out. Tossing him to the height of the three-story buildings, she dropped him. Stalwart squeezed his eyes shut and looked away as he impacted, but the sound was sickening.

“H-halt!” he shouted, rearing up and spreading his wings at her. She turned, cocking her head at him as the light of her horn went out. “By order of her majesty, princess of the moon, you are under arrest! Deactivate your armor and surrender!” he shouted, hoping to Luna that even one of the other lunar stallions could hear him shouting. Surely they weren’t THAT far apart? She stared at him, and he back at her, for a long silence. The only sound in the alleyway was the trik-trik-trik of blood coming from the dead stallion she’d just violently trounced.

“On what charge, pray tell?” she walked through the puddle of blood until she was much closer, within arm’s reach. The red hoof-prints were sticky and sickening. She smiled with a certain arrogance that made her golden eyes dance and glow. Even through the slits of her helm’s disguise, he could see them steaming with golden mist. Stalwart Hide was suddenly very intimidated, and he fell to all four hooves again with his wings closed. Harrumphing to steady himself, he growled at her.

“You just destroyed the wall of a bank vault, and killed that pony!” he told her defiantly, lifting one hoof and leaning back just a little as though she might pounce on him at any moment. “You’re a murderer!” The word tasted so foreign, for the concept was almost alien to the modern, peace-loving Equestria. There hadn’t been an intentional murder in Canterlot for decades.

“A murderer?” she cocked her head at him, turning and flicking her tail in a rather sultry way. The wing swords on her shoulders clinked, shifting a little with her weight. “Destroying evil is what I do.” She turned to smirk at him rather haughtily.

“This pony could’ve been taken to jail! To trail and punished properly!” Stalwart snapped angrily. “You didn’t have to kill him like that!” he gestured to the avalanche of rubble and the bloodied pulp that was the body. “I bet you killed those two thieves too! You’re a triple murderer!”

“Jail.” She stared at him like it was a foreign concept. “So he can do what? Sit and brood, and then go out and do it again someday? I think not.” She gave her white mane a toss. He stared at her incredulously. “Pony society is far too forgiving. Evil deserves to be nipped at the bud. Rooted out for good.” She cocked her head, looking over at the body. “He’ll never rob, cheat, or steal from anypony ever again. I erased his evil for good.”

“Because you killed him!” Stalwart argued, opening his bat-like wings and starting forward with physical intent. “You’re a bigot! A vigilante!” Both ponies stared at each other for a long time, panting at each other. Finally the lunar stallion worked up his courage again and demanded, “Surrender, or I’ll have to take you in by force!” Throwing out his chest, he raised his jowls to show off his triangle teeth. The ancestors awoke from their hum drum. Their ears perked. Battle. Now was the time for battle! Rushing to their choir-like formation, they raised a hundred bass voices in song. The rolling thunder of their voices pounded in the back of Stalwart Hide’s head. He felt the adrenaline flowing, surging with magic and heightening his senses. The armor clenched at him and he tensed up.

“By force.” She repeated to him, cocking her head. “I think not.”

Both ponies reared as one, locking shoulders with each other’s hooves and head-butting wildly. The clang of their helms reverperated off of the alleyway walls. Wrestling wildly back and forth, Stalwart’s sheer weight gave him the upper hand and he forced her back, tackling her to the ground. She gave a strangled cry and battered at his undercarriage with all four hooves. He grunted, flinging himself off to spare the injuries. She rushed to her hooves, igniting her horn. The dumpster in the alley lifted itself and he charged her wildly. Slamming it down upon him with all its weight, she gasped when he propelled himself straight through the metal and debris! The dorsal fin on his helm was more than just decoration, it was razor-sharp. With a lunar stallion’s strength behind it he’d pierced the obstacle with ease.

Rearing again, they battered each other with their hooves, dancing like the warriors of ancient Equestria. The ancestors sang in jubilation, raising their voices to be deafening, wings opening wildy to embrace the thrill of battle. Stalwart Hide was soon drunk on their power, muscles coiling like hard rocks as he deflected a hard buck to his shoulder. His armor screamed yellow sparks and showered the ground with heat as they fought back and forth. Pin-wheeling wildly with his wings extended, he watched her crouch and then use her helm to give a jolting uppercut to his soft undercarriage. He cried out, reeling as she pressed forward. Silver armor flashing, she rode him back onto his back, straddle-bucking his chest and muzzle. Flailing wildly, he tumbled them over to return the favor. Her horn ignited, blasting him in the face. He reared with a whinny of pain, staggering back into the wall and rubbing his eyes.

Both warriors halted to pant and glare at each other. Blind in one eye and bleeding from the muzzle, Stalwart Hide snarled at her. “I’m… takin’… *pant*… you in.” he told her, chest heaving. The ancestor’s frothed and danced nervously on their hooves. The enemy still stood! She must be conquered! More, more battle! He leaned on the wall with a huff, spitting red on the ground before heaving himself upright again.

The silvery mare rose again, popping her neck both ways, limbering up for the next round. While she was doing so the lunar stallion charged unexpectedly, ramming her into the brick wall behind her! She yelped doggishly on impact, spit flying out of her mouth. Flailing a little, she gagged a few times, beating on him weakly so she could breathe. Satisfied he’d stunned her, Stalwart Hide eased up just a little. “How could you? I’m a mare!” she whimpered, leaning onto him weakly and just trying to breathe.

Stalwart Hide felt the blow to his male ego. The ancestors paused in their battle song, looking at each other uncertainly. They fell to a disarray of mumbling to each other. Wanted or not, he shouldn’t have been so rough with her, maybe? He moved back a little, trying to support her limpening body with his chest. She clung to him a little, panting with her hooves hooked around his neck. “I-I’m sorry, I—” the sudden blast of unicorn magic sent him reeling into the opposite wall. Stars exploded across his vision and he felt the mortar crack behind him. An impressive crater in the brick made the vault beyond it groan a little. Stalwart Hide couldn’t even cry out, the pain was so intense. He couldn’t breathe. He shuddered, the shocked expression frozen on his face. Gravity finally took effect and he fell in a heap, landing painfully on his wings and back. His whole body shivered in shock. The ancestors roared in fury, but his body wouldn’t obey him.

The silver-clad unicorn leaned over him, panting quietly. The bruise over her eye was certainly shiny, but she didn’t look much more than winded anymore. The armor sparkled in the moonlight, working rapidly to try and heal her injuries. Satisfied the lunar stallion had been defeated, she cocked her head. He stared at nothing, for he’d been blinded in one eye and then blasted again in the face. He blinked rapidly, just trying to get his vision back. Pulling up the visor of her helm, the mare smiled at him. “You’re pretty strong, but I’m still the Moon Champion.” She chuckled a little. Leaning down, she stroked his handsome sweaty face. Without another moment’s hesitation she suddenly kissed him violently. The ancestors exploded into confused shouting, stomping their hooves and whinnying in wild anger. Stalwart Hide squirmed and whimpered, curling a little but unable to fight her. His wings flapped weakly, out of sync. Pulling away slowly and deliberately, she nuzzled him. “See you later, then.” She dragged her tongue slowly, erotically across his cheek. He shuddered. Stepping back, she ignited her horn and vanished with a crack of parted air.

Stalwart Hide laid there staring at the starry sky, confused in more ways than one, unable to move. It would be another half an hour before his fellow lunar stallions found him. How they’d become so separated that they didn’t hear the sounds of a wall breaking, a battle happening, and the crack of teleportation… he’d never know. What confused him more, however, was the mild attraction to the mare that had just kicked the ever-loving buck out of him. He liked strong mares. Moaning, he curled up on his side to stifle the pain just a little. His armor sparkled, gingerly scanning his body for injury. There was a lot to work to do. The ancestors murmured sympathetically, then set work. The stallion whimpered in agony, unable to cry out for help. Darkness took him to soothe his pain.

End of Part 2

The Champion's Victim

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 3: The Champion’s Victim

Princess Luna paced one way, then the other, then back the way she came. Her wings were up and her jaw set in a deep and furious scowl. The stars in her mane and tail were twinkling wildly back and forth with the barely contained rage. The first squad of the lunar stallions was in front of her, one captain and the first eight ponies to emerge as the descendants of the originals. Stalwart Hide was in the hospital, so they were one pony short. “You have all brought shame to this corps.” She said, finally stopping to face them with a voice like ice. “We gave a simple command: search for any sign of the Moon Champion. Travel in groups, for she is far more powerful than thou.” All ten of them looked anywhere but her face, even though they were at attention. “And what happens? You leave one of your brothers alone in the darkness to face an enemy against which he has NO chance of winning!” Her gaze flicked back and forth, searing across them. “Captain Aegis!” she snapped, turning her gaze on him.

“Your majesty!” He saluted, stepping forward when he was addressed.

“You broke this squad into several groups, according to your report. Who was supposed to be with Stalwart Hide when he was assaulted?” Luna demanded to know, eyes lidding.

“Pen Maker and Hammershot, your majesty.” Aegis Shield said without hesitation, his salute remaining. Luna’s fiery glare turned over to the ponies in question, both of whom gulped a little. “They came to a three-way alleyway and split up briefly. That is when the attack happened.”

“Step forward, both of you. Upon your knees!” The princess stepped back so both soldiers could make themselves known. Hammershot was a pegasi, one of the very first lunar stallions to come forward when the corps was coming back, humble and loyal. Pen Maker was a unicorn, adept in the ways of non-violent magic and brilliant problem-solving. Both fine soldiers, but both in very, very deep trouble. They came forward and as per usual Hammershot lowered his wings to the floor, spread out in the ancient gesture of submission. The princess was invited to stomp on his wings if he displeased h—CRACK! That was a mistake. Luna’s dinner plate-sized hoof came down on one of his wings, and he let out a whinny of agony! “So proud you are of that gesture, Hammershot. I never thought I would make use of it!” She watched the winged pony hiss and groan, trying to contain his cries of pain. She hadn’t broken his wing, but she was certainly crushing it in her anger. The bruising alone would keep him grounded for a week. She ground her hoof into the tenderest of muscles, and he finally cried out like a bawling foal, unable to take it. The rest of the squad shuddered. “This is but a fraction of the agony you left your comrade-in-arms to endure, ALL ALONE!” She lifted her hoof enough to let her Royal Canterlot Voice knock him backward, tumbling over himself on the tile of the throne room. “You shame yourself and this corps!” she watched him lay there, clutching desperately at his wing. Finally, she turned her attention to Pen Maker, who looked up at her with a terrified expression. Glaring, she back-hoof’d him without mercy. He yelped at her strength, launched off his hooves and tumbling across to floor like a skipping stone. He crashed into Hammershot and they both cried out as they fell into a heap of hooves and armor and pain. Aegis Shield shuddered, for the black mark on Pen Maker’s muzzle would not fade anytime soon. “Captain, how many days did the doctors say Stalwart Hide would be bed-ridden?” the princess turned her gaze on Aegis Shield.

“At least a week, princess Luna.” He said, trying to stand stoic for his squad.

“Then that is how many days you and these two imbeciles will be doing double drills.” Luna turned, climbing the dais to sit upon her throne. She saw Aegis’ slack-jawed expression, and frowned down at him. “Rule number one of being in charge, Captain. Everything is also your fault. If my soldiers cannot follow simple commands, it is only because their leaders are lacking.” Aegis Shield flinched like she’d slapped him, for the chastising physically hurt. She sat regally on the throne, gesturing to a servant to open the double doors to start the midnight court. “You are all dismissed!” she said loudly. Aegis and the other lunar stallions bowed, visibly shaken. The squad retreated, stopping to quickly gather their fallen comrades, then scrambling out of the princess’ sight. Luna sat seething for the rest of the night.

=-=-=-=

Stalwart Hide awoke to the steady beep, beep, beep of hospital machines. He blink-blinked, and tried to sit up. The violent stab of pain brought him back down, though His softened yelp turned the ear of a nearby nurse, and she came in right away. The band-aid on her flank told of her medical talent, and she gave a pleasant smile. “I’m glad you’re awake. I’d be willing to bet you’re starving.” She said in a whispy voice. The stallion nodded. “Her majesty princess Luna said to have food at the ready, that lunar stallions could eat like Clydesdales.” She chuckled a little, wheeling a little cart in with her teeth. Stalwart Hide’s spirits lifted.

“How long…?” he rasped out.

“You’ve been here for two days, and due for quite a few more I’d say.” The nurse was pleasant and casual, which set him at ease. “Your armor took most of the brunt of the punishment. We found your bones mended and almost all of the deepest bruises healing when we took it off of you. She gestured to the medallion on the bedside table.

“Why not leave it…?” Stalwart Hide whispered.

“The princess said that it draws energy from the wearer to heal you. You were in no shape to donate energy to anything when you got in here.” The nurse said, shaking her head. “It may have killed you trying to save you.”

“Oh.” The stallion wilted a little.

“Don’t worry. Natural healing is good for you too, y’know.” She chuckled, getting a tray off the cart and offering it over him. Getting the mini-table to go across the bed so the tray wouldn’t be sitting on his chest, she set down his meal. “And don’t worry, the princess told me the special circumstances about lunar stallion diets, too.” She snickered a little, showing him the food cart. There were eight trays of identical food.

Over the next hour or so Stalwart Hide cleaned every single one, much to the nurse’s shock. She hadn’t believed it at first, but sure enough, a lunar stallion could eat enough for eight ponies just to restore himself. He certainly looked happier when his belly was full, a little more energetic. He still couldn’t sit up, but he was more awake and aware than before. That was an excellent sign. “Are you gonna eat that?” he asked curiously. The nurse looked at the pen in her breast-pocket. It had a pineapple-shaped top. “Oh wait that’s not food.” He squinted at it.

“We’re going to need to run a few tests on your vision. We found magic burns around your face and mane.” The nurse said, now that his basic needs had been met. The stallion frowned uncomfortably, but the nurse set to work. Pokes, prods, and listening to various parts of him were the order of the day.

=-=-=-=

Pen Maker rubbed painfully on the hoof print on his cheek. “Pull!” he shouted, horn lighting up. Clay pigeons launched themselves over his head thanks to his work-out buddies. Leading his shots, he blasted one after another out of the sky. They exploded into shards, but four of them managed to get away and land safely beyond the line. He groaned in frustration, rubbing his cheek again. “I can’t concentrate, Captain. Princess Luna didn’t have to hit us like that.” He said, stamping an angry hoof.

“Yes, and you didn’t have to leave Captain Stalwart Hide alone in that alley.” snapped Captain Aegis Shield. The mood of the first squad was certainly edgy, and the angry Captain didn’t make it any easier on them as he shared their punishment. “You’re not moving until you can hit all twelve.” He turned, nodding at the unicorn that was setting up a new group of clay pigeons. The trainer nodded when they were ready. “Pull!” Aegis shouted. The disks launched themselves skyward, and Pen Maker took aim with his horn. Still, four of them got away from his blasts, hitting the grass on the other side of the field. “Keep practicing.” He ordered, turning to check on the other pony being punished.

Hammershot had been trying to fly, but just couldn’t do it. His crushed wing allowed him to glide, mostly in circles, but that was it. The princess had punished him more harshly because of his winged gesture, and it wounded him. Huffing and puffing, her tried to flex the wing in an up-down-in-out fashion. But, it only brought him pain. “Captain.” He said in greeting, clenching his teeth. “I think I’ll be grounded for a few days, my wing is out of commission for now.”

“And you deserve it.” Aegis Shield said with a scowl. Luna was not around to chastise the two soldiers, so it had been left in his hooves. “Captain Stalwart Hide won’t be flying for awhile either, maybe you can share his woes whenever he wakes up in the hospital.” He was driving the point home extra, extra hard. Aegis knew it was a part of his job, but he was being punished too. His best friend and comrade was in the hospital, his lover was a furious bottle of unapproachable anger, and his soldiers were in disarray—both in fear and bruised ego.

“I didn’t expect her to actually do it. Crush my wing, I mean. It was something my father, and his father, taught me. Submission to the crown to show loyalty.” Hammershot groaned when the muscle pulled a certain way, wincing in pain.

“You shouldn’t have done it, then. Paint a target on your flank and somepony is gonna shoot at you eventually.” Aegis Shield said, closing his eyes and turning his muzzle up a little. “Keep working. You’re on double drills until my fellow Captain walks out of that hospital fresh as a blushing spring mare.” The reference was dirty, but the punishment fit the crime. “Nopony gets left alone in a group mission, Hammershot. Never forget that.” Aegis left the Pegasus to his suffering, walking briskly to check on the rest of the squad. They did drills and physical training every day to keep themselves honed and healthy. They were doing their cool down exercises and making ready to leave.

“Captain.” said Tree Knot, a pegasus approaching his leader with a salute. Aegis nodded for him to speak, allowing a small smile. Tree Knot was often poked fun at by his fellow stallions because he was ‘knot a tree’, and soon the name stuck. Even among the elite lunar stallions, there was a brotherhood of sibling ribbing and laughter. Dropping his salute, the stallion spoke, “Uhm… will you be speaking with the princess soon about our progress?” he gestured mildly to the squad. “She knows we’re not incompetent, right?” There was worry on his face.

Aegis Shield paused for a moment, for he could sense more than a few eyes on him while he was speaking to his soldier. “Princess Luna knows you are not incompetent.” He said gently. “She only steps forward to deal such punishment because she cares. She doesn’t want any of you slacking off and getting somepony hurt.”

“Will you put in a good word for us? Something? Please?” it was awfully informal to speak to one’s Captain that way, but the words were genuine. “She’s been angry for days now. I would kiss her royal flank if only she would smile at the lunar stallions again. We were doing so good…” he trailed off, his ears turning back.

Aegis Shield was touched by the foal-like devotion Tree Knot was voicing. He glanced over at the scattering of stallions, pretending to train hard while they listened in. He cleared his throat a little. “She won’t stay angry at us forever. This won’t be the first time we displease her, either. Just stay strong. We’ll ride it out together.”

“Yes Captain!” Tree Knot saluted.

“You’re all dismissed!” he told the squad. “Except you two. Another two hours for you.” He told Hammershot and Pen Maker. They both groaned, but obeyed.

=-=-=-=

Aegis Shield knocked gently on the door. It was the start of the evening, and princess Luna hadn’t yet emerged from her room. “Enter.” Her grouchy voice barked. He pushed the door open. She scowled at him a little as he shut the door behind him. She’d just finished setting the moon on its course across the sky. “If thou art here to beg forgiveness, Captain, thou shall receive none. Your comrade suffers in the hospital for thy squad’s incompetence.” He extended his neck and made to nuzzle her comfortingly, but she honked his nose with one of her massive hooves. “No.” she said flatly. “Thy affections are misplaced when we are this displeased with thou.” Her elder tongue was much stronger when she was upset, all of the ‘I’s and ‘you’s vanishing.

Aegis Shield wilted and she sighed, going to the vanity to put on her crown and regalia. “Stalwart Hide is awake and getting better, princess.” He said, saluting her. There was a gap between them right then. In her bedroom alone was a place they could always talk as friends and lovers, but a mighty shield had come up between them. “Pen Maker and Hammershot are being punished as you commanded.”

“Good.” She said, adjusting her regalia until it was straight across her chest as it should be. Fastening the chain properly, she cocked her head to settle her crown on her head.

Aegis Shield watched from behind, wondering what he might say or do to soothe his lover. The lunar stallion shifted uncomfortably, tilting his head. They could not afford lingering anger and suffering in the ranks. This needed to be rectified as soon as pony-ly possible. But what could he possibly do to soothe the angry princess? Her temper was the stuff of legends, and right now it was pointed more at her stallions than at her enemy. What would his father say about this? Son, someday you’ll learn that the mares are the ones in charge of everything. The sooner you figure that out, the better. And I tell ya, the mares might be the heads of the household, but handsome stallions like us are the necks. What does that mean, father? Aegis had been confused with his father’s wisdom. It means that the mares are the heads and they’re in charge, but as the necks, we can turn the heads any way we want. Ohhh. Aegis Shield tapped the eye of his chest plate, retracting his regalia. His brown fur and blonde mane returned, along with his circular-shield cutie mark. The princess was still scowling at herself in the mirror, adjusting her front-left horse shoe as she made ready for the day. He decided to take a page out of his father’s book, and Tree Knot’s book as well. Literally.

“ACK?!” Luna’s voice cracked her vanity mirror as something assaulted her from behind. She snapped her head around, and saw the most outrageous thing she’d ever seen in all her centuries of life. Aegis Shield with his lips pressed to her butt. “What are thou doing?!” she squawked, trying to swat him away with her tail. But, since her tail was ethereal, it couldn’t hit him physically. “Stop that!”

His lips made a smecking sound on her rump, and then the next kiss landed on her cutie mark. Smek. Her face turned scarlet and she just didn’t know what to do. So completely caught off guard, she could only stare at him. Aegis rubbed his cheek, hot with half-fear, against her flank and then switched sides. The princess snapped her head back around the other way to see him kiss her other cutie mark. The outrageous scoundrel! She ought to kick him right in his stupid stallion face! His hoof came up on the other side so it almost looked like he was snuggling her haunches. “Mrrr…” he said a little ferally, nuzzling her backside rather comically.

“S-stop that!” Luna said again, red in the face. She raised one of her back legs threateningly, coiling the muscle. Truth be told she could launch him out of the room and off the balcony if she pleased. His eyes lifted to look into hers, and that was all that stopped her. They were soft, apologetic, and slow to twinkle at her. She suddenly couldn’t bring herself to buck him, and lowered her leg. She turned to face the mirror again, using magic to slowly repair the crack. Sighing quietly, she closed her eyes and hung her head low. She didn’t like being so angry all the time, it stressed her deeply. “Mh… Ooh…” she managed to admit, flicking her tail at him again.

Aegis Shield nuzzled his lover, his warm breath tingling on her fur. Her wings slowly rose to their full and gorgeous span. There, against the vanity with her reflection desperately gasping back at her, the stallion helped to relieve some of her stress. She could only whimper in guilty delight. Something about making love in front of a mirror made the sweet release that much more powerful.

End of Part 3

The Champion's Oath

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 4: The Champion’s Oath

A little mare stood in an alleyway, having just witnessed a purse-snatching. She’d had no idea that Canterlot had so much crime in it. The underbelly of the place was worse than Manehatten! Ah well, it was certainly darkest at the base of the lighthouse anywhere else in the world. Splashing through the darkness, she chased after the culprit with all her might. Hooves splashed through puddles as she twisted and turned between buildings, crates, and passages. Whoever he was he was certainly a nimble one! She caught a quick glance of him, a skinny thing that was light on his hooves. He leapt a fence by sheer springing of his hooves, and she had to scramble over it rather slowly.

She looked around, finding herself in low town. Low town being the lowest tier of Canterlot where the seedy bars and seedy sorts were. She growled when she saw him sidestep between a tavern and a store, dashing down an alleyway. Following quickly with gritted teeth, she lit her horn to light the way. The moon was only half-full, so it made seeing difficult. “Stop thief!” she shouted shrilly, coughing and heaving with her poor lungs. “Give! Back! My! Bits!” she coughed, almost bouncing off the wall of the alley in her full-tilt run. She suddenly emerged into a ratty courtyard, and skidded to a halt. “I’ve got you now!” she said, only to look up and realize her mistake.

“Who’s your friend, huh Mouse Runner?” he was a massive stallion with a grizzled chin and huge muscles. “Bringing home the ladies already? That’s fast work, you just moved here!” The mare began to back up, but she hit her butt on the chest of another gang-member, wielding a chain around his front-left leg. “Wonder what else is in her saddle-bags, huh?” he jeered, striking the ground a few times with the chain. It spat sparks. “I’m more interested in what’s under them, I think.” A third melted out of shadow, tossing a weaponized pie up and down. “She must have pretty strong legs if she can keep up with Mouse Runner!” She whimpered as they spoke, backing into a corner.

“J-just let her alone, guys. I got her bits, just like you wanted. Let her go, huh?” Mouse Runner said timidly. When he stepped into the half-moonlight his ribs suddenly became visible, as were the little bags under his eyes. “She ain’t worth anything like this.” He showed them the bits bag, easily containing fifty or more of the little gold coins. The other three guffawed, and the largest of the three whistled with his hoof. (How one whistles with a hoof is a trade secret, sorry I cannot describe it to you, dear reader) There was a shuffling of movement, from the nearby tavern. A small grouping of stallions emerged, all with various brandings and marks in their fur.

“How about this one, huh? She looks upper-teir.” The largest of the three asked.

“Well I never!” The unicorn said, sidling sideways to try and make for an exit. They closed in around her.

“I bet she’s got a rich daddy or husband, huh?” There was general agreement. “With a wallet like this, she’s bound to!”

“Hey! I earned those bits myself making dresses!” the white mare said indignantly, angry. She shifted back and forth, very very aware there were no mares among her attackers. It was a bachelor herd. Well, that was the technical term for such a street gang. There were worse titles, but it would hardly do for the dressmaker to voice them. Only Mouse Runner didn’t seem to fit. He was much younger, much smaller, and looked underfed. “N-now hoof them over! I mean it!” Her horn lit up and she glared at the nearest stallion. Tossing her purple mane, she made ready for battle. He flicked a pebble at her forehead and she squawked, losing her concentration. Wow, was that really all it took?

“Yeah, she’s a soft aristocrat mare. Just grab her.” The leader decided, gesturing. “We’ll ransom her back to her upper tier family and scrap up the profit.” The group closed in around the poor mare, who shivered as she looked back and forth.

“Back off!” she said shrilly. “I mean it!” her horn lit once more, but she was cuffed by a large hoof. Yipping, she fell like she was made of glass, unconscious. So fragile, they snorted at her with laughter. The stallion with the chain leaned down and began to bind her hooves together, like a hog-tied pig.

“She sure is purdy.” One of them said, leaning over her. They studied her cutie mark. Three diamonds? She must’ve been from a super-rich family! They were gonna be rolling in the bits! The speaker ran a hoof over her perfectly brushed white fur, smudging it with grime in the process.

In the background, Mouse Runner fretted and drummed his hooves, looking back and forth. He was just a purse thief, he hadn’t agreed to pony-napping! Scratching at his matted fur and showing ribs, he glanced to one side when he sensed a figure in the dark. “Hey, who’s that?” he said. Everypony turned to look, ears perking. There in the blackness of the alley at the edge of the courtyard was another unicorn mare. Cloaked in shadow they couldn’t see anything but her outline and her horn sticking up. At least, they thought it was a mare, by the shape.

They were about to shout threats at her, standing over the white unicorn they had bound up, but they were interrupted. The stranger spoke, and something around her neck started to give off a silvery white glow. Some kind of necklace? The voice, though feminine, was powerful:

“Under the moon I stand to fight,
To root out evil through sheer might.
Magic and steel, swords that bite
None left standing, blood this night!”

The clouds parted all by themselves to spill moonlight over the mare in the alley like a spotlight. Suddenly her medallion exploded with a million shards of silvery metal, which latched themselves onto her body like dragon scales. They hardened and became one piece, covering her flanks and back. Melting up her mane came a helm, which slammed a visor over her eyes right as they turned gold. She seemed to sprout wings for a moment, but no, they were weapons. Wing swords! The sleekness of the chest plate melted over her front, reflecting the dazzling moonlight while gauntlets crawled across her hooves like silvery serpents and hardened in place. Her white fur was almost put to shame, so shiny was she in the night. Wait, was she white a moment ago? Hmm… She reared up on two legs for a moment, whinnying with exhilaration as her teeth turned into terrifying triangles of a piranha’s smile. Lunar goddess’ avatar, the Moon Champion!

The bachelor herd stared at her in shock and awe, none of them moving for the longest time. Finally the leader regained his voice. “Get her!” They drew out pies, chains, and pipes, making a mad dash to beat her to a pulp. “Twice the mares is twice the bits!” They rushed as one. This wasn’t anything like the movies where the bad guys circled and one came forward at a time to fight the main character. No, this was a bum rush of a dozen stallions! Behind her visor and helm, she smiled as she drew out one of her wing swords.

The sound of drawing metal made the frozen Mouse Runner shudder. He’d not joined the rush, instead moving quickly to unbind the unconscious mare. There was a big difference between stealing money and stealing ponies. If he starved, so be it, he just couldn’t hold somepony against their will. No matter how much his belly ached with lack of food. Pushing his muzzle under the mare’s side, he hefted her onto his back. She was heavy! Finding her bits bag on the ground and taking it in his teeth, he slid between buildings and out of sight just as the battle began.

Not waiting for them, the Moon Champion rushed forward with her sword raised high. The poor bastards never knew what hit them. The first raised his pipe to cross weapons with her, but the blade she wielded went through it like hot cheese. His head flew off mid-shout, and the spray of blood was magnificent. Mid-stride she LAUNCHED one of the gang-members into the sky with magic. He was an earth pony. Turning with a wild whinny of battle she bore the chain striking her cheek before she sliced through it and the leg of its owner. Barrel-rolling in midair she blasted three of them down with her horn. Icy needles of augmented magic went straight through their bodies and out the other side. Moon magic was not gentle. Thrusting out a hoof she used her magic to BLAST one of them into a brick wall, crushing his spine and rib-cage in the process. Panick and spraying blood took over the scene as they tried to knock her down and take her sword. They lost a few hooves in the attempted dog-pile. She just couldn’t be stopped. Two more of them went down hard, tumbling across one another in a bloody mess of carcasses, sliced open like slaughtered beasts. The Moon Champion danced wildly, sword a flickering flame of seemingly liquid metal that never stopped. She never stopped moving, never panted from the effort, never stopped her cruel smiling.

Before long only the leader remained. She skidded on her hooves, leg cocked to take his head off. Turning with more speed than she’d given him credit for, he BUCKED her right in the face! Her head snapped with an audible crack back like he’d broken her neck, sword sailing to one side.There was silence after she fell. The stallion was panting hard, looking around. All his fellows, dead! He stared, slack-jawed, at the bloody mess of bodies strewn around the courtyard. All his friends, all his gang, murdered! By a mare, no less! She fought like a demon, but… “Gotcha, you bucking monster.” He told her, still breathing hard. Not trusting that he’d killed her, he rushed over to pick up her silvery sword in his mouth. Taking the handle in his teeth, he cantered over to turn her into a pincushion. Murder had not been on tonight’s docket, only ransom, but this new monster had brought him to it. She would pay for what she’d d—! Suddenly eight-inch spikes erupted in all directions from the handle of the weapon, driving themselves through his head, muzzle, and brain. He didn’t live long enough to look shocked, he merely dropped like the others.

Bones slowly rearranged themselves in the mare’s neck, and she groaned painfully. Gingerly sitting up, she rubbed her head and tried to ignore the ringing in her ears. “Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to touch other ponies’ things?” she mused, prying the weapon from his mouth and sheathing it. The blood dripped off as though the metal had rejected it, and soon it looked brand new again. Another enchantment to keep it clean and sharp, no doubt. Her stomach growled loudly, and she briefly held it with a weak expression. Golden mist flowed from the slits of her visor. Huffing a little, she surveyed the scene. “Nine… ten… eleven… Eleven.” she rolled her eyes a little. One was missing. Turning, she followed the scent of fear and guilt.

Mouse Runner was several blocks away when the Moon Champion caught up to him, going between alleys and sticking to shadows. The unconscious mare was still on his back, limp and helpless. Right as she was about to tackle him to the ground and take his head off, she saw him turn into a medical clinic. Waiting in shadow, she saw him through the window as he found help for the wilted unicorn, huffing and puffing. He even put the bits bag on the bed with her, shaking like a leaf as he did so. The Moon Champion watched him with narrowed eyes. He came out nearly a half an hour later, looking exhausted and mentally drained. All too easy to snatch up. He screamed bloody murder as she mare-handled him into the alleyway and thrust a hoof in his mouth. He squirmed and fought her, moaning and weeping streams of tears from his eyes. Hyperventilating, he stared at her with pinprick pupils, fearing for his life.

She gave his neck a good snap by magic, and he went limp. Not enough to kill him, but enough to knock him out. She eyed his showing ribs and starved body. The bags under his eyes. Closing her eyes, the Moon Champion consulted with the ancestors. There were less than thirty of them, their voices raised in a siren’s feminine song. They’d been pleased with the battle and destruction of evil. Did they hunger for more? She had one more to kill, if they did. Mumbling quietly, she waited to hear their judgment of the street urchin. The ancestors mumbled back and forth with themselves, the song slowly fading from their gathering. Each mare had a silently-given opinion, cocking their heads and debating infinitely over the space of a few minutes. The Moon Champion waited patiently, as she had been trained to do. Suddenly they gathered back into their choir-like rows and raised their voices as one once more. They never spoke with words, but their meaning was always clear to her.

The Moon Champion dragged the unconscious stallion back to the scene of the bloodbath. Tossing him amongst the bodies, she summoned quill and parchment. Scribbling briefly, she fastened the note to his forehead. Smirking a little, she spoke to him. “Don’t waste your second chance, stallion. I shan’t spare you twice.” She patted his messy, tangled mane. The solar guard would no doubt find him in the morning, the sole survivor.

This one repented. Regards.

=-=-=-=

“Hey!” Aegis Shield poked his head into the hospital room. Stalwart Hide looked up, and his face lit up. He had a hoof-full of balloons, and he let them go to the ceiling. “To brighten the room.” He chuckled. “I heard you were getting better, thought I would stop in!”

“Have you caught the Moon Champion yet? What’s happening out there? Nopony will tell me!” Stalwart Hide said, squirming in his hospital bed. “They won’t let me wear my lunar armor either. It could heal me faster!”

“We haven’t heard anything new yet, still looking. And sorry no armor, princess’ orders.” Aegis said gently, coming to stand by the bed. “Heal naturally, so the armor doesn’t kill you or something.” Turning, he reached into his saddlebags. “Besides, your fellow lunar stallions sent gifts for you.”

“Oh?” Stalwart said, cocking his head. Aegis smirked, setting a big stack of dirty magazines in front of him. Playstallion. Barnhouse. Manehatten Mares. “Oh for Celestia’s sake!” He face-hooved and groaned. “Why? Why would you even—”

Aegis threw his head back and laughed, “I think the joke is that you got your flank kicked by a mare, and they want you to study the enemy so you’ll do better next time.” Stalwart Hide gave him a dirty look, but his friend went on. “Oh, there’s more though, not just those.” He dug into his saddlebag again. Stalwart Hide also received a variety of sweets, some art supplies, a lunar stallion action figure, several get well soon cards, some money, and even a little bracelet with ‘hope’ carved into it. The bedridden stallion smiled at the spread, spirits visibly lifted.

“Wow, I had no idea I was so popular amongst the corps.” Stalwart Hide said, flattered.

“Well, you are one of only two Captains. They miss you.” Aegis said, smirking at him. “I’ve had to be extra hard on them by royal order.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Princess Luna beat the hell out of the other two stallions from your group. Gave them double drills and yelled at the entire squad.” Aegis said a little painfully. “Nopony was supposed to leave anypony alone, and you got left alone. Your injury really got under her skin.”

“I had no idea…” Stalwart said, wilting a little embarrassedly. “If I’d been smart, I would’ve led her towards the others and gotten them mixed up in the fight.” Aegis stepped up to hush him about the battle, since he was still recovering. But, the injured stallion would have none of it. “Listen to me, Aegis.” He said seriously. “She’s strong. She’s so strong…” his face fell and he stared at the bandages across his chest and belly. He’d been lucky to recover his sight, thankfully the blast of magic hadn’t blinded him permanently. “She kicked my flank and she wasn’t even breathing hard at the end. Not even a little. Princess Luna was right, she’s far too powerful for any of us to face alone.”

“Did you get any sort of… of… gauge, from fighting her?” Aegis whispered, leaning close.

“It’s hard to tell. We tangled hard, but it never really felt like she was out of control.” He winced as he relived the battle in his mind’s eye. “Even her magic felt stronger than the average unicorn. I mean, we’ve trained hard amongst ourselves… but being hit by one of her blasts was like getting hit with a boulder. I hit that wall so hard it broke behind me.” He said, rubbing sorely at his back and wings.

“Then she wasn’t trying to kill thou, Stalwart Hide.” None other than princess Luna had appeared in the doorway. “If she had, those blasts would’ve been razor sharp and gone right through any exposed flesh.” Both stallions flinched, caught conspiring about the enemy when Aegis Shield wasn’t supposed to mention her. Aegis bowed and Stalwart tried to, but she quickly waved them off. “This is a social visit, we assure thou.” She sounded a little formal, but her eyes portrayed pity. She’d not visited the stallion in the hospital yet, so she was seeing him for the first time in almost a week. Approaching the bed she looked him over with a concerned face. She eyed all the cards and presents, then the stack of dirty magazines on the side table. Stalwart Hide wanted to die, right then. Let his injuries take hold and just stop his heart. Or spontaneous combustion. That would be fine too. Luna snorted. “Thy comrades would do well to take the address labels off of the magazines they give you.” She peeled one off of the top issue, peering at it. “Tsk tsk, Melancholy…” she mumbled bemusedly, flipping through the magazine briefly. “Thy taste in mares is deplorable.” Stalwart Hide sighed in relief, allowing himself to laugh at last. Luna tossed down the magazine, smiling genuinely this time. “How art thou doing in thy recovery?” she finally asked.

“Better. My vision came back. The nurses were worried I might lose partial vision in one eye, but it got better after a few days.” Stalwart Hide reported. “And Aegis just brought me all these presents from the corps, so I’ve got plenty to do while I rest.” Luna nodded in approval. The princess and Aegis Shield stayed to visit with him for an hour or so before heading out to let him rest. He would be on his hooves again in a few more days, hopefully without problems.

When he was alone, he sorted his gifts and smiled over the get-well cards. Feeling more at ease, he lay on his back and stared at the balloons on the ceiling. When he was bored, he doodled on the sketchpad he’d been given. Little stick-ponies and houses and things. He felt like a foal doing art class. His thoughts wandered, though, and he turned the page of the sketchbook. Frowning, he traced the pencil back and forth with his mouth without touching the paper. Reaching over, he flipped one of the magazines open. Folding the naughty bits back, he focused on the head of a charming-looking unicorn mare. Looking between his sketchbook and the page, he made a fairly accurate representation of a feminine face. Setting the magazine aside again, he drew a helm over it. Adding the slitted visor, he turned the mouth up to show the smirk he’d seen her make. “Why do you wear a face-concealing helm like that? Mm?” Stalwart Hide asked the drawing as he drew her horn. Sketching shadows in where they belonged, he stared at her after some time. “None of the other lunar armors are like that. Just you.” He said to her. “Who’s under the helm?” he whispered, drawing the sketchpad close to his face after he’d set the pencil in his mouth aside.

...Her kiss haunted him.

End of Part 4

The Champion's Bite

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 5: The Champion’s Bite

The barracks erupted into cheers and stomping hooves as soon as Stalwart Hide emerged into it. Ponies reared and flailed their hooves, welcoming home their newly healed hero. Even the maid kissed his cheek on the way out, giggling to herself. Before he could say a word, tables were lined up and a feast was called forth from the kitchens. It was one thing to feed a single lunar stallion, but to feed dozens of them would break just about any pantry.

Party poppers went off, there were songs to sing, and general happiness their Captain had returned with a clean bill of health. Somepony even had a fiddle, decorating the background with cheerful music. Forcing him to sit at the head of the table, the lunar stallions feasted together like it was Hearth’s Warming Eve. Sure, they couldn’t do this every time somepony returned from injury, but Captain Stalwart Hide was special. He was one of their leaders. They talked and laughed and celebrated, making him tell them all over and over about how he’d faced down the Moon Champion all by himself. The Captain couldn’t help himself in the face of their enthusiasm, recounting the tale of the battle in the alleyway. They were like little colts hearing about glorious battle for the first time, so attentive!

It was well into the night by the time the party began to wind down and they started dividing up the leftovers for the barracks cold box and pantry. They would all share it like family, as long as it lasted them. Stalwart Hide rose with a full belly and a happy heart, even better than he had after he’d walked out of the hospital. He stopped suddenly and the room went quiet, for princess Luna had appeared in the doorway. “Your majesty.” He bowed before her, smiling.

Princess Luna returned the smile. “I am glad to see you up and about, Captain.” Her sentence was slow and careful in its construction. Somepony had just come from her language lessons, it seemed. A few of the lunar stallions smirked at each other. Even princesses had their difficulties. “It seems… your, comrades did a good job to welcome thou back.” She eyed the table weighted with dirty plates and cider mugs. Cocking her head, she cast her smile to the rest of the room. “We art glad to see your company whole again.” Her wings rose into a happy span, and there was happy chatter in the room once more. While everyone was winding down and doing the clean-up in the great room, the guest of honor slipped out through the anti-chamber. Luna saw him go, but understood he probably needed some air.

=-=-=-=

Gliding on a warm current of air, Stalwart Hide closed his eyes to let the summer night caress him. The hospital had been cold and sterile, artificial in nature as it was in design. Even though he lived in the city of Canterlot, he could appreciate something nature-like to get back to his life. Flapping his wings idly, he sailed lazily back and forth while he admired the stars and city lights. Smiling, he landed gently on a shop’s rooftop. He wasn’t exactly on duty or anything, but he didn’t mind looking out for his fellow citizen either. He watched ponies go about their evenings, smiling contentedly. As a lunar stallion he liked that. No news was good news when it came to peacekeeping.

The Pegasus entertained the thought of a treat for himself. He’d just eaten, sure, but he was a lunar stallion. He could always eat more. Sweet tooth calling, he eyed a donut shop with a smile. Checking his bits bag he smiled and nodded to himself. Landing gently, he pushed the door open and went inside. The shop was definitely open, but it was empty. Cocking his head, Stalwart went to sit at one of the stools at the bar. Maybe the owner was in the restroom or something. He waited for a time, but there was no sign of anypony. “Hi there.” He looked up when a female voice greeted him from across the counter. Snapping out of his mild trance, he gasped and stood when he saw who it was. Silver armor. Twin wing swords. Confident smirk. “You!” He said with a gasp, reaching up and grasping his medallion. “In the dark we tear and re--!” she cuffed him right off of his stool and to the tiled floor. He groaned, holding himself.

“No.” she chirped. “I was just on my way out, thought I would say hello.” She leaned over the counter to get a better look at him, smiling before leaping to his side. He pressed himself up on his side while she loomed over him.

“Where’s the owner? What’ve you done?!” he demanded, pressing himself up at last. He went for his medallion again. “In the dark we tear and re--!” he yelped like a mare when she head-butted him rather nonchalantly.

“No. None of that.” She scolded him again. He moaned, rubbing his forehead. “I’d hate to send you to the hospital again.” She waited patiently for him to find his hooves again. He reached for his medallion a third time, but when she tensed up to cut him down again, he let his hoof fall. “Good boy.” She mused, smiling lopsidedly. When she was sure he wouldn’t try to transform, she made a head-motion towards the back room. “I just finished off the owner. He was selling weaponized sugar to local gangs to make into pies and other throwing weapons. The effects I’m sure you know.” She frowned at his horrified expression, and she could tell he didn’t believe her. Going to the display case, she threw it open and started tossing donuts over her shoulder onto the floor. When she had enough, she returned to him and started crushing them under her hoof. “Jelly. Jelly. Jelly… oh, what’s this?” the fourth donut erupted in a spray of white powder and both ponies quickly stepped back. “Weaponized sugar. Pretty potent stuff. Could send any number of innocent ponies into sugar comas for days, even weeks.”

“You killed Donut Joe?” Stalwart Hide whispered, for he knew the owner well.

“I uprooted another weed of evil in Canterlot. He won’t ever sell his dirty donuts to help hurt anypony ever again.” The Moon Champion smirked. There was a long silence. “Sure, I could’ve reported him and gotten him jailed or fined. But then what? The symptom is treated, but not the problem. He gets out or pays the fine, and keeps right on doing what he’s doing. Hurting Canterlot with his weapons.”

“Criminals can be rehabilitated!” Stalwart Hide said, coming forward and putting a brave hoof on her shoulder. She looked at the hoof sharply, like he might attack her, but did nothing. “You don’t have to kill them all.” He said in a lower voice. She stared at him, golden steam curling from her visor’s slits like cigar smoke. There was another long silence, and they stared at each other. She frowned at him for a time.

“Yes. Yes I do. In her majesty’s name, I destroy anything that lays in the path of peace and harmony.” The Moon Champion said in a low growl. “Never stop. Never compromise.” Her eyes flicked up and down him for a moment. “And you’ll meet the same fate if you try to stop me.” She promised with a narrowed gaze.

The stallion stepped back from her for a moment, staring quietly. Reaching up with a slow and careful motion, he touched his medallion. She made no move to stop him this time. “In the dark, we tear and rend to end all evils, with spines to bend. Lust and power, hunger and might— by Luna’s will, and dark of night.” He wasn’t shouting it as he usually did, but murmuring it like a silky whisper. His armor flowed over him, unlocking with the sound of drawing swords. His pelt faded to the ashen grew, his eyes igniting into gold. Bat wings opened, armor clanked into place. Lunar stallion. Panting a little when the transformation was over, he looked at her with a somber expression. “Must we fight?” he whispered to her. “Can there be no middle ground? No grey…?” he reached up as though to cup her cheek, but her jowls lifted to snarl at him lightly. He would lose that hoof if he touched her, the piranha teeth told him. “Must you kill them all?” he said quietly. His hoof traced one side of her face without touching it, a slow and rather erotic gesture. The stallion found himself aching to touch her, but didn’t dare. She’d hospitalized him once, he didn’t want to go back.

“…Yes.” She whispered, reaching and lifting her visor to see him more clearly. Her face was beautiful, but he did not recognize it. Unscarred, untouched, the softness he saw startled him a little. She had a pleasant look about her, to be honest. The golden eyes still poured quiet curls of yellow steam, though, and it made her look otherworldly. The ancestors in the back of Stalwart Hide’s head murmured at each other, unsure and growly. She’d put them in the hospital, but something about her made them hesitate to do battle. Was it charm? Was it attraction? The stallion didn’t know. Their eyes met for a long moment, and she took a slow step forward until their muzzles almost touched. She snarled a little, baring her teeth. Submissive under the power far greater than his own, Stalwart Hide cocked his head a little. Just enough to one side to show her his neck.

“H’ahn!” He cried out just a little bit when her teeth suddenly latched onto his neck. Not daring to move, he gave a quiet whimper when she dragged her fangs over the most sensitive parts of his neck. Her eyes betrayed quiet amusement when one of his hooves rose to hook itself around her neck, to draw her closer. Closing his eyes, he quietly gave himself to her, praying she wouldn’t decide to rip his throat out. Instead, she rather erotically chewed on him for bit. Anypony who’s ever had a frisky lover knows the incredible arousal that can spark from a lover that bites at the neck. It can be mind-blowing, even if it does leave marks. Trying to live up to his name Stalwart Hide panted quietly and stood stoic, red in the face as she had her proverbial way with him. The ancestors nickered in a confused way, looking at each other and not knowing what to do. Battle song? Healing factor? No. They fell to mixed grumblings, standing in their rows as they waited to see what would happen next.

Giggling and feeling a bit like a vampire, the Moon Champion released his neck. The line of spittle between them soon broke. Leaning, she slowly licked the pinkening teeth marks she’d left in him. She hadn’t drawn blood, only ignited the nerves with the prickling of her fangs. She saw the stallion shudder, and saw the red in his face. “Good boy…” she whispered, nosing him just once. He panted quietly, looking at her in a longing way. The moment ended when she turned and strode out of the donut shop. Ding-a-ling, went the bell above the door. The lunar stallion stood there for a few long moments, then cursed himself and leapt over the counter to check the store room for Donut Joe’s body.

=-=-=-=

Luna sat on her throne, a little flushed and antsy. She wasn’t quite sure why. The summer hadn’t been particularly cruel this year, but none the less she’d been struggling to stay cool for most of the evening. She saw a lunar stallion approach, bow, and spread his wings before her. “Hammershot.” She spoke plainly. “Speak.”

“Your majesty, there’s been another murder.” he told her, rising quickly and saluting. “The Moon Champion has struck again.” Luna growled, closing her eyes as he went on. “It was Donut Joe, from Donut Joe’s Confection Shop. We found stocks of weaponized sugar in his store room and several disguised donuts in the display cases and on the floor. He was a weapons dealer in disguise!”

Luna rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. “Where is Donut Joe now?” she knew the answer, but had to ask anyway.

“In the morgue, your highness.” Hammershot said, folding his wings cautiously. “Cut open like the others.” He made a mild gesture across his chest, then neck. A few of the servants shuddered. Word had traveled quickly about the wayward mare in lunar armor. Luna was only grateful the city itself was not panicking. “He never had a chance.”

The princess sighed angrily, then slowly rose from her seat. “That makes fourteen ponies she’s slain.” The thieves, the gang, and now a weapons dealer. How the Moon Champion had caught so many in such a short time amazed her, but she did not condone their executions. Equestria was beyond such barbaric things. Jail was enough to straighten out just about any pony in this era. Flaring her wings open in frustration, she walked down the stairs of the dais to Hammershot’s level. He kept his wings very carefully closed, pressed to his sides. “Who reported this latest incident?”

“C-Captain Stalwart Hide, your majesty.” said Hammershot with a low bow. “He was out getting some air, he said, after the party. Apparently he ran right into her.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “You are dismissed. Send the Captain to me.” She saw a grateful smile work across his muzzle as he was turning away. She instilled a fearful respect in that particular stallion, it seemed. The princess paced slowly and angrily while she waited. Somepony was wandering around Canterlot, wearing the special armor of her avatar, killing as she saw fit. Sure, all of the ponies slain were criminals and undesirables, but that did not make them unworthy of living their lives. Stalwart Hide emerged into the throne room, came to all four knees and bowed. Right away Luna was suspicious of him. Around his neck he wore a red bandanna, and a sort of cap on his head. “What is all that?” she asked, gesturing at him.

“Er… i-it’s still my night off, your majesty. They’re my street clothes.” He offered lamely, smiling at her in a nervous way. The princess scowled at him. She’d known him for the better part of a year, and he’d never worn bandannas nor hats before. He was either armored or naked. She leaned forward aggressively, her wings rising into an angry gesture.

“Lie not to thy princess, lest your lies get you in more trouble than a bad truth, Captain.” She called him by title, speaking in a whisper. She saw the stallion shudder guiltily. She reached, pulling his cap off. On his forehead was a mild bruise and nick mark. He’d been head-butted by a unicorn, the mark told her. Before he could stop her she snatched the bandanna off as well. The teeth marks were pink, and plainly seen even in the poor light. “Didst thou fight her again?!” Luna gaped at him, but then stopped herself. No… the positioning of the teeth was far too convenient and off a normal biting attack. How had she managed to latch onto him and NOT ripped this throat out?

“I met her at Donut Joe’s shop.” Stalwart Hide confessed. “We tangled… just a little. She let me go without beating me down this time.” He stared at his princess’ hooves.

“She seems to have a habit of selecting ponies to let live.” Luna said acidly, tossing the hat and bandanna at his hooves as she turned away. “Count thyself lucky.” She suddenly stutter-stepped, but he wasn’t looking at her so he didn’t see it. She shook her head a little, turning about to look at him again. “She’s let two thieves live thus far, and even left notes. If only I might be in the same room with her again, we might command her to cease and surrender her armor.”

“Of course, your majesty. She’s a lunar… mare. She would have to obey you.” Stalwart Hide said, quickly retying his bandanna to hide the teeth marks. His cheeks were a little flushed as he did so.

“Did she say anything to you?” Princess Luna asked.

“She said she would destroy anything that lay in the way of peace and harmony for Canterlot.” He said quietly, casting his eyes downward and not feeling brace enough to put his hat on yet. Luna considered his words for a time.

“That certainly sounds like something the Moon Champion would say. The armor she wears is a relic of war. It would compel her to root out anything she deems truly evil.” The princess went back up the stairs and sat on the throne, a little out of breath for some reason. “Thank you for your report. You are dismissed. Stalwart Hide bowed again, and was away. There was a bit of silence as the servants resumed their tasks around the midnight court. “Your thoughts, Aegis Shield.” Luna said, turning to look at him. The stallion standing guard could think of nothing helpful to say and shook his head with a sigh. The princess fought an oncoming headache, rubbing at the bridge of her muzzle.

=-=-=-=

The Moon Champion closed the loft door behind her. She didn't exactly own a penthouse. She was staying in the Canterlot clocktower, where nopony would think to look for her. After all, who could sleep with the endless tick-tick-tick and booming chimes of the massive clock? Well, she could, with the aid of a silencing spell. Anything within fifty feet of her would be completely quiet, a perfect sanctuary bubble for the weary to rest in. The dawn was coming, and it was finally time to rest.

Reaching, she touched her breast and her silvery armor flashed wildly. Exploding from her body like a thousand shards of shrapnel, they coalesced into a medallion about her neck. While the wing swords vanished the helm and visor melted away. Her golden eyes flickered a few times before returning to their normal color, and her white pelt shaded itself darker. Moaning in exhaustion, she sank forward on all four knees. The ancestors quieted for the poor mare. Sitting there, she just tried to breathe for a time. It was hard. It was so hard. The armor was powerful, and not letting up on her any time soon. She should’ve practiced the transformation a few more times before making herself known. Although it didn’t turn her wild and crazy anymore, it still took so much out of her.

When she’d recovered enough to move, she went and dislodged a floorboard. Reaching into it, she got a bedroll and a heavy sack of food. She ate hungrily until all of it was gone, and even then she was still hungry. She’d brought as much as she could carry from her last shopping trip, but lunar armor was as demanding on the body as it was on the mind. Falling rather hard onto her side, she unrolled the bedroll and curled up onto it. She stared up at the slowly lowering moon. It would be dawn soon. She sidled into the corner where it would be darkest. The Moon Champion sighed aloud, looking inward. The ancestors cooed softly, trying to soothe her troubled body and mind. Quiet, purring mares crowded around her in her mind’s eye, rubbing gently at her chest and legs. Momma, and grand-momma, and great grand-momma… and on back, and on back. No generation had skipped training in the armor she wore, so all of them were recalled in its memory. It was comforting to see their faces.

The stallion she’d met at the donut shop troubled her. The mild attraction had suddenly spiked and she couldn’t help herself. Laying her teeth on him had felt almost like claiming him in bed, exhilarating. The ancestors had sung in wild jubilation, egging her on at the time. She thought to blame the ancestors for augmenting her emotions, but didn’t quite have the focus to. She couldn’t hear what they had to say anyway, merely their tones of voice. She cursed quietly, closing her eyes. Tomorrow was another night.

End of Part 5

The Champion's Connection

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 6: The Champion’s Connection

Princess Luna had been acting very strangely all night. First, she’d consumed easily half of her body weight in fruits and salad at the dinner table. Then she’d become exhausted and decided to nap on the throne in the middle of the Midnight Court. Nopony dared wake her, for she snored like a raging Doberman. Even Aegis Shield couldn’t bring himself to mount the dais and shake her. Splayed out so oddly over the throne/pillow she favored, wings in odd directions and all four hooves in the air, she resembled a young filly if not for her ethereal mane.

“Should we call Princess Celestia, or a doctor maybe?” Stalwart Hide said under his breath, murmuring at his partner. Both lunar stallions looked up at the splayed out princess, unsure of what to do about her recent behavior. Usually she sat regal on the throne, now she was just laying there like it was her bed.

“And tell them what? She ate a lot and decided to take a nap?” Aegis Shield said, frowning up at the princess. It was true, she was acting way out of character, but something strange beyond that couldn’t be explained. She just didn’t DO things like that.

“Does she snore like that all the time?” Stalwart Hide wondered.

“No. She doesn’t even sleep with her mouth open.” Aegis said without thinking. Stalwart Hide looked at him, and the stallion blushed. “No, she doesn’t snore.” He said in such a way that it forbade questions or comments. The dark alicorn had been asleep for over an hour on the pillow/throne when Aegis Shield’s will broke. Sighing, he turned and went up the stairs to get a closer look at her. Was she sick? He touched her forehead with his foreleg. She was a little warm, but not ill. The way her back legs bicycled just a little, she was having an animated dream it seemed. Cocking his head, he prodded at her a few times. “Princess?” he whispered. “Luna, are you okay? You’re acting very strangely…”

Luna suddenly awoke with a slurred hiccup, sitting upright with a mildly matted mane. She spotted Aegis Shield and smiled a smile that seriously belonged in a bedroom, not in the royal courts. “Ahhh, my stallion.” She said, reaching for him. He tried to back up but she seized him and laid him out in front of her like a giant cat. Using one of her dinner-plate sized hooves, she proceeded to pet him. More than a few jaws in the room dropped. Aegis snuffle-snorted in embarrassment, trying to wiggle away. The princess’ horn ignited, pulling him back where he was so she could stroke his armored back some more. “So handsome.” She cooed with lidded eyes.

“Go get Princess Celestia!” Aegis Shield belted desperately at Stalwart Hide. The other ponies in the room had all stopped their tasks, staring at the bizarre scene in shock. Quills halted, travelling messages stopped, and squires just couldn’t believe their eyes. “Whuh-HUH?!” the stallion gruffed when her majesty’s magic flipped him over on his back so she could rub his belly instead. Her smile was just plain creepy at that point, like a young mare playing with her new husband. “Go! Now!” Stalwart Hide launched himself into the air, flapping his wings wildly and bucking the double doors open.

=-=-=-=

Earlier That Night...

“And stay out, you bucking vacuum cleaner!” The portly stallion shouted, shaking his hoof at her while she walked casually along. The Moon Champion sighed happily, finally finished feeding herself. That poor salad and fruit buffet never knew what hit it. The manager had to come out and cited a twelve plate rule for her to make her leave, despite the sign that said ‘all you can eat’. She was escorted from the place, but not before seizing a buttered bun in her teeth and scampering out. Chewing animatedly, she rubbed her belly and then licked her chops. She didn’t have a lot of money, but enough to treat herself like that now and then. After so many battles, the armor demanded fuel from her and her body. She wore it as a medallion under a featureless dark purple cloak, not trusting to fate to remove it entirely.

Stopping to gaze up into the sky, she admired the moon. Or rather, she tried to. It was waning and almost a fully new moon. A little sliver of it was still showing, but not much. In the next day or two, the night would be that much darker. Criminals tended to come out in greater droves during the full moon and the new moon. Why, who knew, but it was true. Smiling a little, she decided to take a walk in the lower tiers of Canterlot.

The city was divided into many levels, massive balconies and terraces. Built into the side of a mountain like it was, the builders had been forced to build up and down instead of out. So, the lower end was the older part of the city, and tended to attract most of the vermin. Maybe she could find some prey tonight. Licking her chops and rubbing her happy belly again, she made her way to the nearest grand staircase and started downward to the low tiers. All she needed to do was follow the scent of sweat and guilt.

It was over an hour later when she passed a tavern, the Pig and Whistle, when she saw a spectacle going on. There were streamers and balloons hanging all over the place, and confetti littered the ground. Who had a party down in this part of town? Curious, the mare went onto the tavern’s porch and peered inside. The Moon Champion wrinkled her nose at what she saw. Inside, there was a massive gathering of stallions partying the night away. The cider was flowing thick, the laughter and jokes bouncing around. The place stank, even through the glass. What suddenly drew her eye, however, was a mare who was way more pink than she had the right to be. Bubble gum pink? Neon pink? Cotton candy pink? Somewhere in there. She narrowed her eyes to focus in on her cutie mark. Balloons. Odd to see a pony with a talent for… balloons? Parties? She didn’t know. She watched the pink mare walk along on her back legs, giggling in a high-pitched way, pushing a huge cart. The stallions eyed it and her with big smiles.

Wheeling the sheet-covered thing into the middle of the room, she waved a certain stallion over. The pony was pushed forward by the crowd amidst the laughter and drunken-ness. Even from outside the Moon Champion, she could see the stallion was more than a little cider-touched, for his face was red and merry. The pink mare flung the sheet off of the cart, revealing a massive decorated cake. There were shouts of awe and approval, stomping hooves all around. “Happy Birthday to youuuu! Happy Birthday to youuuuu!” the entire tavern began to bellow, stallions falling over each other and laughing merrily at their bad singing. The pink mare joined in the singing, giggling and blowing a party popper.

The Moon Champion was about to turn away from the window and leave, but her eyes flicked across the bar for a moment before she turned away. A stallion was whispering to the bartender, who in response nodded and dropped a hissing white pill-cube into a mug of cider. It frothed wildly and he stirred it, trying to be inconspicuous. All eyes were focused on the birthday stallion and the singing pink mare, though. None but the Moon Champion saw him doing it. Narrowing her eyes, she went inside.

The place was so crowded with partiers none of them saw her enter. Shifting her way back and forth through the crowd, she made her way to the bar and sat at a stool. The bartender was busily putting mugs on a tray, though the one with an added ‘ingredient’ sat idle. The stallion that had been whispering was still idling there. “C’mon Quick Buzz, I wanna get at least a round or two into the party mare before the night is out.” He chuckled in a wink-wink sort of way. The Moon Champion’s eyes narrowed in icy anger. Snatching a mug that sat empty nearby, she licked her chops and practically crashed into him. “Hey! What the hay are you doing?!” he demanded.

“Ohhh shorry about thaaaat!” She put on a drunken swagger and leaned on him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. He held firm, bearing her weight with a cocked eyebrow. “I jushhht… I jushhht didn’t look where I was going.” She giggled and made herself nose him flirtatiously. She waggled her empty mug at him, “More please?” she teased him.

The stallion and the bartender locked eyes for a moment, which she saw. They glanced at the bouncing pink party pony, then to her, making very male comparisons. The stallion gave a slight, almost invisible nod. The bartender threw on a smile. “Herrrre you are, little lady. Party hardy.” He chuckled, passing her the dosed mug. She took it with a slurred thanks and, without hesitation, drained it dry. It was potent, and she leaned on the stallion next to her, huffing faintly. “Whoa, looks like she’s a little worse for wear!” the bartender said. “We’ve got a back room, why don’t you take her back there to rest a bit?” it was code, all too blatant for what the Moon Champion had seen.

The Moon Champion had not been drunk to begin with, so it would take a few minutes for the poisons to take hold of her. That didn’t mean she couldn’t act, though. Flushed and panting, she leaned on the eager stallion as he led her away into the privacy of the store room. “You okay, miss?” he said with a smirk, locking the door behind him as he spoke.

“I’m better than you will be.” She said, dropping the act when he’d stepped away from the door. He blinked at her as she tossed away her nondescript purple cloak. She touched her medallion with a quivering, angry hoof. ““Under the moon I stand to fight, to root out evil through sheer might. Magic and steel, swords that bite. None left standing, blood this night!”

The party poppers and shouting party-goers more than drown out the poor bastard’s screams of death. Before it was over the store room was a lot redder, and the stallion a lot less… stallion-y. Even a gelded solar guard would wince to see him. After fifteen minutes or so, the bartender decided to check on his friend. He quickly met the same fate. The party went on without them, and the other employees had to take over the bar and run the tavern. They wondered where their boss had gone, but the store room was locked from the inside so they knew he wasn’t in there.

The Moon Champion exited through a small window in the store room while rounds of ‘He’s a Jolly Good Stallion’ started going up and rocking the tavern. The birthday stallion and his friends would never know what atrocities had happened just one room away. Much less the bouncing pink party mare. The poisons had been meant for her. The silver-armored pony galloped out into the night, her armor working hard to dilute the mug of poisons she’d swallowed. It didn’t keep her from feeling hazy, though. Nor hot and bothered, as the drug was meant to do. Sick, sick bastards. She would kill them all, as many as it took to make Canterlot peaceful and prosperous again.

By the time she made it to the clock tower to hide herself, she felt like a springtime mare, plunged into a furious and sweating heat. “Ancestors!” she begged in a husky voice, flinging herself into a wall and clutching at her belly. “S-save me!” she moaned, curling up and sweating. The mares in the back of her mind nickered and shuffled around in a furious gale of activity. They rubbed and stroked at their poor foal. She’d ingested such a potent poison, any lesser mare would’ve keeled over and been… The Moon Champion shuffled to press herself into a corner, sweating and panting quietly. Shuddering every time her back legs moved, she recited every single phrase of ancient Equestrian she knew to pass the time. Given her training and upbringing, that was quite a few. Then she used her shaky magic to press pebbles back and forth. So long as she didn’t move her body at all, she could go without screaming out into the night like a wild beast. The clock struck one in the morning, the bell pounding. She cried out when she flinched at the sound. She’d forgotten to put the sound-proof spell on. The mare's ancestors worked dilligently, trying to comfort her and dispel the drugs working in her system. She tried to find sleep in her armor, but the thin bedroll made it hard. Laying there, she pressed her lips together and suffered for Canterlot.

=-=-=-=

Luna suddenly snapped back to herself, sitting up and almost poking Celestia in the eye with her horn. She saw her sister’s pearly magic aura go out as spell ended. She was in her room. Something had just been cast on her, snapping her out of… something? The ponies gathered around her stared, smiles washing across their faces. “I didn’t fall into another coma, did I?” croaked Luna. A few of them chuckled painfully.

“If only for a few hours, sister.” Celestia said gently, raising a wing to lean down and embrace her. “Stalwart Hide came to fetch me when you started acting… oddly.” When Luna gave them a confused look, her sister told her everything that had happened since dinner. Stuffing her face, sleeping in court, treating Aegis Shield like a stallion boy-toy.

The midnight alicorn quickly looked over at her guard and lover, aghast at herself. “I remember!” she said, cocking her head like it was a faint memory. “I remember doing it all, I just...” she trailed off, furrowing her brow. “I’m so sorry, Aegis. That must’ve been so humiliating!” she reached for him and he quickly came forward to hug her.

They shared a quiet moment before he pulled away to speak. “Well, I’m just glad you didn’t decide to pet another stallion or mare in front of everypony.” He said deeply. There were a few nervous chuckles in the room. “Any idea what brought on the weird behavior?” he tilted his head.

“No.” Luna said, shaking her head. “Well, maybe.” Her face suddenly lit up in mild panic.

“Are you sick?” Aegis Shield asked.

“No, I-!”

“Are you being possessed?” Stalwart Hide wondered wildly.

“No, I--!”

“Are you pregnant?” Celestia ventured.

“SISTER!” Luna belted in the Royal Canterlot Voice, knocking both stallions and a lot of furniture equipment down. “HOW DARETH THOU?!” her old dialect returned in her flustered ways.

“I was just asking.” Celestia said pleasantly, wearing her usual bemused smile. Luna seethed like a falling comet at her solar sister. Like that was any of her business! She was always careful with Aegis Shield when it came to that! She—!

Luna took a few breaths to calm herself while the lunar stallions righted themselves, their eyes in swirls. “No, it’s something I’ve feared for a time now.” She said, turning on her side and then righting herself. They made to stop her from rising from the bed, but she seemed okay. She went to the vanity, busily putting on her crown and regalia. Stalwart Hide averted his eyes, remembering she was naked and without her royal trappings. “The Moon Champion has reached the second stage of her transformation.”

“Have you come any closer to catching her, Luna?” Celestia said, frowning a bit. She’d been filled in on the rogue lunar soldier, though there was little to be done but let her bretheren track her. Solar guards could not see at night, and would only get in the way. The princess of the night shook her head sadly. “And what do you mean, the second stage?”

“The armor she wears is potent. It is like lunar stallion armor, but far more powerful. Therefore, it’s attachment happens in stages.” She spoke frankly, turning and making a slight gesture as she spoke. “The first stage is simple. A much more powerful version of the lunar stallion armor. It comes with weaponry and a visor.”

“And the second stage?” said Stalwart Hide warily, trying to ignore the itch in his neck.

“The second stage strengthens the bond between the Moon Champion and her patron goddess. Me.” She said softly. “The side effect is that it connects us in a very personal way.”

“How so?” Aegis Shield asked.

“If something happens to her, it will happen to me as well, to a degree.” Princess Luna said as gently as she said. She winced at their horrified looks. “You must understand, the Moon Champion was my avatar. She sometimes went into battle in my stead. It felt cowardly, so I imbued the armor with the ability to let us share feelings and effects.”

“Does that include injury?” Aegis Shield asked sharply.

“If someone were to stab her in the heart, I would feel a great pain in my chest, not pitch over dead. Remember, the last true Moon Champion took a ballista bolt meant for me. I did not fall from the sky when that happened.” Luna soothed. All three ponies seemed to relax at her words. So, the connection wasn’t total, then. “That explains my odd behavior, though.” She scratched at her scalp a little.

“So tonight the Moon Champion was super hungry, super tired, and then…?” Aegis trailed off, embarrassed. Luna nodded gravely. “Doesn’t that sort of… take you over, though? Can’t you sever the connection?”

“It is sporadic. Like a… check in system. During the last campaign of the great wars, thousands of years ago, the armor would 'check in' every few days or so. It let me know she was still alive.” Luna shook her head. “And no, I would need to disenchant the armor direction to sever the connection.” She sighed. “I’ve yet to see her in person again, so I’ve not had the chance.” The dark alicorn studied her companion’s faces.

“Luna, this is getting very serious.” Celestia said softly, coming forward and frowning sadly. “My Little Ponies, even the bad ones, are precious to me. They’re dying out there, so long as your Moon Champion is wandering the streets at night. You have to stop her.”

“We know!” Luna said, frustrated and returning to her vanity mirror. She brushed her mane furiously, setting her jaw. “But she has no pattern, no agenda beyond killing those that she deems evil! We have nothing to tempt her out of the shadows with!” She clopped a hoof hard on her vanity, leaving cracks across it. “No morsel she would stick her neck out for.”

“…Me.” Said Stalwart Hide softly, ears turning back. All eyes turned to him, and brows rose. At their confused looks, he dipped his head in an ashamed way. “We’ve been… that is… the Moon Champion and I have been… flirting. Sort of.” They stared at him like he’d grown an extra head. His face turned a slowly deepening red, and he stared at the floor. “Just a little, I mean… erm…” the lunar stallion felt deep shame, but it was all he could do to offer up the truth. He told them about the kiss, about the flirting, a few more details about the fight they’d had. Also, about the bite in the donut shop.

Luna’s mouth went agape and she suddenly put all the pieces together. “Thy neck bite marks were not from an attack!” Princess Luna rushed over and pressed him angrily against the wall. “Thou art fraternizing!” she said accusingly. “Aegis Shield, arrest him!” she demanded.

“Luna—” Celestia tried.

“No! This is unacceptable! There is a killer on the loose wearing the most sacred armor I ever created for ponykind, sullying the name of my most trusted soldier! And this stallion is out there… FRATERNIZING with her!” she blasted poor Stalwart Hide against the wall with her voice. He broke into a fit of coughing as the room shuddered. Aegis slowly went forward, helping the stallion to his hooves and starting to escort him away.

“You asked for something to dangle in front of her, what better than something she apparently wants? Or rather, somepony?” Celestia said. She pushed aside the neck flap of Stalwart Hide’s armor, blocking the doorway as she spoke. The bite marks were gone but the embarrassment was still there, like a colt that had been caught with a hicky on his neck. Luna stopped, cocking her head. It was a rather basic idea. The royal sisters stared at each other for a time, then down at Stalwart Hide, who wilted like they might strike him.

“Thou art un-arrested.” Luna grumped a little. She stepped up close to him, opening her wings. “Thou art now… bait.” She smiled wickedly. Even Aegis Shield had to shudder at the princess’ expression, for most of her teeth were showing. She didn't have the shark teeth that the lunar stallions had, but it didn't make her any less terrifying.

End of Part 6

The Champion's Tongue

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 7: The Champion’s Tongue

Stalwart Hide was seated on his haunches in the antechamber of the lunar barracks. He sat before the name wall, studying the endless lines of runes and pictographs laid out before him. A massive tome lay open in front of him, propped over several others. Mumbling with a furrowed brow, he gave a startled flinch when Aegis Shield appeared behind him and put a hoof on his shoulder. “Oh, didn’t hear you coming.” Stalwart said with an embarrassed smile.

“What’re you doing?” Aegis leaned over his shoulder to see.

Leaning down to turn a few pages with his nose, Stalwart Hide poked a series of translation lines. “Well, remember when I said this was a wall of names? I’m trying to find out if maybe I’m descended from one of the original lunar stallions.” He smiled at his partner, who cocked his head and looked up at the wall in wonder.

“But there are hundreds of names here. They all have their own family lines--”

“But you and I were given the only two sets of armor left here at the vault.” Stalwart Hide interrupted. “So, if there are any records of a retired lunar stallion, or maybe one that was dismissed…” he trailed off, smirking at his friend. Stalwart had been dismissed from the solar guard, no doubt there was record of it. “It would be fun to know, I think.” He smiled.

Aegis Shield looked up at the wall, leaning and squinting at the tiny writing and pictographs. It really was an impressive display, for all the symbols were inlaid with silvery filigree. Not only was the stone carved, but somepony had hammered malleable silver into every single individual symbol. It must’ve taken years and years to do. “You’re an egghead.” Aegis Shield smiled playfully, shoving his friend’s shoulder.

“Well fine. If I find one of your ancestors up here, don’t beg me to tell you which one.” Stalwart laughed, shoving him back and leaning over his book again. He shook his head with a smile, eyes racing back and forth over the pages. “Hrm.” He said contentedly, flipping a few pages and looking up at the wall again. “It’s odd, you know. Most of these ponies had titles. Ugly ones, too.”

“Oh?” Aegis said, peering at the book and then up at the lines and lines of old runes. “Like what?” he lifted a hoof and jabbed it at a random ancient name. “How about this one?” he asked.

Stalwart leaned, then squinted into his book, then looked up at the name again. “Red Hoof the…” he paused for a moment, puzzling out the other bit added onto the end. “Red Hoof the Stomper.” Both stallions made a face. That lunar stallion must’ve been scary, with a name like that.

“And this one?” Aegis tried again, hoping for a more pleasant name.

“Cinder Block the…” he flipped a few pages, considering the symbols and their arrangement. “Cinder Block the Immovable.” They both stared at the shining symbols, then shrugged at each other. Everypony on the wall had an impressive-sounding title to his name. Aegis wondered how Stalwart Hide would ever sort through them all. “I wouldn’t mind making a recreation of this wall using our modern alphabet. Then our brothers could enjoy it more, I think.” Aegis smiled wider, nodding his approval. “It would take years to do, but I think it would make a great monument to the original lunar stallions.”

“That was left in the old tongue for a reason, Stalwart Hide.” Princess Luna had appeared behind them both, and both ponies launched themselves to their hooves to salute her. She nodded once and they dropped their hooves. “Tell us, stallion, how far does your knowledge of the old tongue extend?” she cocked her head, eyeing the stack of books behind Stalwart Hide.

The stallion thought for a moment. “W-well, I took it instead of French all through high school, and then again while I was in the solar academy for my culture class.” He trailed off for a moment.

Luna thought for a time, then considered a question. Thinking back to the olden times, she spoke. “Nxuk seceh aj Aegis Shield's mudo?” she asked, gesturing. Aegis Shield frowned, he didn’t get a lick of that except his own name.

“Yellow.” Stalwart Hide said, nodding towards Aegis’ mane.

“And in the old tongue?” Luna pressed.

“0occen.” Stalwart Hide said.

“Nxuk aj kx0 fihfejo ad kxo ciduh jkuccaedj?” Luna constructed a new question. The language was beautiful, but a little biting. There were a lot of k’s and j’s, hard sounds that made speaking it come across as a little aggressive. The princess’ eyes were a little cold, staring deeply into his. Aegis picked up that the new question was certainly not about mane colors.

“Er…” Stalwart Hide furrowed his brow, working through each word slowly. Licking his chops, he came up with a rough translation after a lot of effort. He looked a little startled, his ears turning back in guilt. Aegis looked back and forth between them. Stalwart Hide sank to all four knees, taking her hoof in both of his. The expression on his face could only be described as apologetic. “To serve you, your majesty.” He said quietly, his wings unfolding and spreading them across the ground. Luna eyed the gesture, mildly annoyed that Hammershot’s tradition had spread. But, it was a gesture of submission, and she approved of this in the captain that had been out fraternizing with such a deadly foe.

“Good. We have thy next assignment.” She bade him to rise. Stalwart Hide did so, and the captains stood shoulder to shoulder before her. “Thou will paint a road with a large message, outside the palace for all to see.”

“A message? What should it say?” Aegis asked, feeling a little left out of the conversation.

“Mook ad kxo kxo fuhb uk knacawxk. A nudk ke joo 0ei.” Luna said, reciting slowly so Stalwart Hide could take the words in. Aegis looked at his friend, then at the princess. “It means ‘Come to the park at twilight. I want to see you.’ In Ancient Equestrian.” The princess said, folding her wings.

“You think the Moon Champion knows Ancient Equestrian?” Stalwart Hide furrowed his brow.

“We would be surprised if she did not.” Luna said. “She may not, but considering all the other oddities and circumstances, perhaps she may know a little.” Both stallions didn’t look convinced, frowning at her. Frowning back at her for their hesitation, she snorted and lifted a hoof to her chest. Closing her eyes, she tilted her muzzle up. “If, like the Moon Champion before her, she would seek to be powerful and regal as the goddess she represents, I would hope that she took the time for language studies.” Aegis Shield frowned at his lover. That was about as paper-thin as he’d ever heard.

“No, wait, it does make sense.” Stalwart Hide suddenly looked over at his fellow lunar stallion. “She thinks of herself as high and mighty, so of course she would know the scholar’s tongue to study her lineage and the powers she inherited. I doubt any recent texts would tell her about the armor she’s wearing. She would have to read private logs, old tomes—”

“And thousand year-old manuscripts, from those that came before her.” Luna nodded, glad they were catching on at last. “We cannot simply mail her a letter, we merely need to post up a message only she can read.”

“Won’t some academy students be able to read it? Or old professors?” Aegis said, still doubtful.

“Not using the syntax that the princess does.” Stalwart Hide shook his head. “The only reason I know it is because I’m with her almost every day. She speaks in the old dialect, using the old tongue. Her thee’s and thou’s barely translate at all.” He smiled apologetically at the princess of the night, but she nodded.

“Tiz true. If our guess is correct, thou will have a clandestine tryst by the week’s end.” Luna smirked, turning to go. “Aegis Shield, make preparations with a dozen of thy bretheren to surround the park and capture the Moon Champion. Stalwart Hide…” she turned and looked over her shoulder at him. She eyed him with a critical, feminine gaze. “Take a bath.” She bade. He leaned back and lifted a hoof like she’d just insulted his mother. The princess smirked a little, and was away.

There was a long silence between the pair of lunar stallions. “What the hay is a clandestreia tryfect?” Aegis was wayyy off in the pronunciation, furrowing his brow. His partner winced at the slaughtering of the language.

Stalwart Hide sighed in embarrassment, picking up his books and shoving them into his saddlebags. “It means uh…” he squinted at the ceiling for a better phrasing of the words. “Like uh… secret date.” He said at last. “Or, nuzzling in the shadows.” He said, trying to get across the more shady nature of the phrase. Aegis raised a brow, blink-blinking.

“Well… good luck, friend.” Aegis Shield said, putting a hoof briefly around his lunar brother. The stallion returned the embrace a little stiffly, then they went their separate ways.

=-=-=-=

The Moon Champion awoke feeling like a used piece of chewing gum. She moaned, long and loud. Her hoof came up and tapped the panel on her breastplate. As she moaned and turned over onto her belly, her armor melted away like quicksilver. The medallion around her neck was like a mild weight, but it hide the deadly secret as well as it always did. She stretched a little painfully. How long had she been out? She looked at the clock of the massive bell tower she stayed in. Flipping its hands in her mind’s eye, she moaned a little. She’d been asleep for over a day, at the very least. Hopefully she hadn’t slept through multiple days.

The ancestors mumbled at her from the medallion, sounding much happier now that she was awake. Pulling on her dark purple cloak, she hid the necklace under it to muffle the slight glow. Going to the glass of the clock face she studied herself. She looked like hell. Her mane was sticking in odd directions, her tail was a mess, and her fur smelled like salt and sweat. The drugs and poison she’d swallowed had really done a number on her. Sighing, she resigned to visit a bath house in the city. When she was sure she could move properly, she left the loft. Peeking out and making sure nopony was looking, she slid out into the alleyway and into the night.

The Moon Champion wandered the streets for a bit, then at last found a traveler’s kiosk. She knew the city, but not like the back of her hoof. Frowning at the map, she found all three local bathhouses. The Bounding Bunny, The Heaven on Earth, and The Rising Sun. She decided on the Bounding Bunny, that sounded the least expensive.

The Bounding Bunny turned out well enough. She turned down the lotions, expensive massages, and other such things. She really did just want a bath, and told the attendants she just didn’t trust the tap water in the local hotels. This made a few egos rise, and they didn’t question her logic. She soaked, medallion still around her neck, for hours. The ancestors nickered at her mildly, happy she was at least trying to take care of herself after that dark ordeal. Her muscles were slowly unknotting and relaxing, and she was happy to see the oils of dried sweaty readily come out of her mane and fur. Dunking herself, she came up and shook her head like a dog’s.

“Whoops, I didn’t know anypony else was in here.” A familiar voice made her jolt, ice flowing through her veins. She stared up at him, a rather bashful-looking stallion with a black mane and a portion of a brick wall on his flank. He had a towel draped over his back, and a few one-use shampoo bottles balanced there. Ponies had no concept of nudity, but bathing was something different altogether. The Moon Champion panicked, caught off guard by his sudden appearance. “Is… this pool taken?” he asked her. The hot, steaming spring had enough space to fit a dozen ponies, but it was just her for the moment. She frowned at him. Didn’t he recognize… oh no, he wouldn’t. He’d not seen her in her non-Champion state. Even when she’d lifted her visor, her eyes and fur color had been different. He wouldn’t know her.

“There’s plenty of room.” She said slowly, backing up and going to soak behind one of the boulders sticking out of the water.

“Thanks.” Stalwart Hide said, setting his towel aside and cantering down the ramp into the water. She listened to him moan at the feeling of stepping into the baths. Should she call out to him? Should she do anything? No. No. They were both here for bathing, not for battle or confused sexual escapades. She blushed at the last thought, then peeked over the boulder at him with a scowl. The ancestors murmured at her, a crowd of chuckling mares encouraging just a little bit. She hissed at them angrily.

The stallion scrubbed, then went about his bath. You were supposed to scrub and clean yourself to one side, pour water on your head to get rid of the suds, then soak in the spring to become clean in spirit and mind. Stalwart Hide set his things on the edge of the pool, then found a nice corner to lean against so he could relax. “H’ahhh…” he stared at the night sky, his head tilted all the way back.

“Nice night.” The Moon Champion said before she could stop herself. She sidled out from behind the boulder to look at him. He regarded her, then smiled in neutral way one would with a stranger. “The new moon makes it darker, so the stars are easier to see.” Twas true, the new moon had made the sky much, much darker than normal and all the stars were just radiant.

“Yeah.” He said, tilting his head back to admire them. She continued to quietly study him, splashing in the water just a little as she settled onto her haunches. The water came up to her chin while she was seated, and she tilted her head back. She sighed, enjoying its warmth as her internal body temperature rose a bit. It was nice to just sit and doze in the waters. It wouldn’t cool like a tub or a barrel bath, the springs were magically kept hot.

“So what brings a stallion to bathe so late at night?” she smiled playfully.

“I have a… date. Sort of.” The stallion confessed.

“Oh?” she said with interest.

“Mhm. I’m supposed to get all clean and polished up.” His expression was a worried one, though. She tilted her head, looking into his eyes and studying the troubled downward curve of his mouth. Tossing her silvery mane, she splashed a little to come closer to him. He flicked his eyes at her, but when she stopped at a closer rock instead he relaxed.

“Well that’s to be expected, I would imagine, for going out on a date.” She said in a friendly way, seating herself. “Can’t have you showing up in unshorn fetlocks and straw sticking out of your mane, can we?” she snickered, and he suddenly chuckled back at her. There, she was in with him.

“No, haha, I suppose not!” he fluttered his wings a little, fixing her with a friendly smile. He leaned back to dunk his mane in the hot waters, then shook his head so he could go back to relaxing.

“What’s she like?” The Moon Champion asked, unable to help herself.

“Er well… its complicated.” He said, blushing a little.

“I won’t tell.” She said conspiratorially, chuckling and pushing her mane behind her ears. “Besides, it’ll help to get it off your chest if there’s something bothering you.” She said.

The stallion looked at her for a long time, his smile fading a little. She leaned back, sure he was about to put two and two together and recognize her. She let out her held breath when he shrugged. “Well, she’s uh… overbearing. And strong. Stronger than me.”

“Something wrong with a strong female?” she said a little more hotly than she meant to. She lifted a hoof to her mouth, cursing inwardly. The ancestors nickered with amusement in the back of her head. She cursed them too.

“No, she’s just…” Stalwart Hide searched for a phrase, frowning at the stars. “She’s gotta be in charge. And… I kind’a like that.” He said, blushing a little. “But that’s not something a stallion normally likes.” He said quickly. “It’s weird.”

“You’d be surprised how many mares like to be on top.” The Moon Champion chuckled, thinking of her mother and grandmother. Both very formidable mares who wore the proverbial pants in their respective marriages.

“Oh yeah?” he laughed with her. “And what do you do when you like that sort of thing?” he didn’t know why he was spilling his guts to this perfect stranger. But, given the circumstances, it felt good to actually say it out loud.

“You let her be in charge.” She snickered at him, smiling a bit wider. “If you’re both happy with it, why question it?” she took the stallion’s pride down a few pegs with a haughty smile, but he could tell she meant every word. “So long as your happy, huh?” she offered.

“Yeah…” he said, returning his gaze to the sky. “Yeah, you’re right I suppose.” His eyes saw other things elsewhere, and the troubled frown returned.

The Moon Champion soon rose, quite finished pressing her luck for the evening. “Well, good luck.” She smiled over her shoulder at him. She tried not to laugh when she saw the stallion’s eyes flick between her face and her rump. Her ego inflated just a bit, and she splashed at him with her tail. He smiled apologetically, and she was away. Grabbing her towel as she went, she was gone from the springs.

The mare dried herself, brushed and tamed her wonderful mane down to something more manageable. She felt as fresh as a springtime daisy, and her spirits were certainly lifted. Not a bad stallion, either. She smirked a little, leaving the towel and other things behind for the servants to take care of. She paid for her bath and supplies, and was away. She was about to take off down the road when she came to a jerking halt. The street had been painted red! Ponies had stopped to stare at the massive, messy runes with confused frowns. None of them could read what it said. Tilting her head all the way to one side, she saw ancient Equestrian symbols lined up along the sidewalk. Her brow furrowed. The ancestors suddenly CROWDED forward, murmuring with loud interest. ‘Mook ad kxo kxo fuhb uk knacawxk. A nudk ke joo 0ei, Stalwart Hide’ it said. “Come to the… to the park… at twilight. I want... to see... see you… from Stalwart Hide.” she mumbled through it after sifting to get an okay translation. The stallion she’d taken the interest in? Was that his name? She remembered the brick wall cutie mark. It seemed to fit, considering how tough-as-rubber he was when she’d beaten the every-loving buck out of him in the alleyway. She smelled a trap, for the prickles in her mane told her so. The ancestors frowned at each other, unsure.

The Moon Champion stepped into an alley and out of sight. She had no doubt it was from someone in the palace, no doubt the princess herself. But if they were using Stalwart Hide as bait, it meant they were getting smarter and wanted to see her. She smirked just a little bit as she disappeared into shadow. She mumbled the oath and the armor exploded across her clean and happy body. She would go. She wanted to see how much of a trap it was.

End of Part 7

The Champion's Battle

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 8: The Champion’s Battle

Princess Luna was very pleased with herself, walking quickly down the corridor to her sister’s rooms. It was the dead of night, but she knew Celestia sometimes stayed up to read or do something else relaxing. Cantering along with her nose up and her eyes closed, she came to a slow stop when she came to the right door. The guards looked wrong, it suddenly struck her. Frowning, she leaned to peer at the two stallions. They were supposed to be at attention, scowling, unmoving as solar guards were want to do while on duty. Instead, their knees were pressed together and they were shaking just a bit. Luna saw a bead of sweat go down on of their faces. She silently wondered what was wrong with them, when suddenly a great cry came from Celestia’s door. “AH-HUAAGH!---oooohhh…” Luna’s eyebrows vanished into her mane. “AHNNN!” she flicked her gaze back and forth between the two guards. Both of them were silently shaking, trying very hard not to… do… something. The looks of effort were astounding, and their faces were red. Another feminine cry belted out from behind the door. The princess of the night rubbed her chin a little. Her brow lowered until her eyebrows almost connected, and she frowned. “R-right there! Right there, my subject! Mrrrr----” The next vocals were low and throaty, and it hit Luna like a ton of bricks.

Luna’s lips rose into a terrible grin. She suddenly got hit with a wave of mischievous intent. It was so strong, so irresistible she could think of nothing else, like a well-spring in her heart suddenly bade her to mess with her twin sister. Her eyes flickered gold for just a moment, before returning to their normal hue. This was her chance to get back at Celestia for her pregnancy comment. “SISTER! We’ve come to save you!” she put on a terrified expression and BURST into the room, horn lighting up just for show. The two ponies in the room jerked to a halt. Celestia was splayed out on her bed, wings (and back legs) wide. Upon her was a large, barrel-chested red stallion with a green apple on his flank. Luna stared at him, thinking him familiar, but couldn’t place it. His hooves were dug into the small of Celestia’s back, and when he applied pressure there was an impressive crackling of bones. A message? H’ohhhh no, it took more than a message to get her sister to sound like that. He was almost as big as she and Luna, what a large stallion! “Oh-hh?” Luna said innocently. “Are we interrupting something?”

“Eeyup.” Said the stallion, backing off quickly. His face, despite being red-furred, turned a slightly darker shade. He bowed to Luna, as was proper for a princess. Even from across the room she could scent straw and something sweet in his fur. He was a rural thing, to be sure. How had Celestia coaxed him into her bedchamber?

“Luna!” Celestia snapped up to sit on her haunches. “You should knock first!”

“You sounded like you were being attacked!” Luna was too busy grinning her face off to act anymore. “Was he hurting you, Celestia?” she said it with big soft eyes like an innocent filly might after walking in on her parents having sex.

For the first time in centuries, Luna was delighted to see her sister’s face turn scarlet. “N-no, Luna. He was helping me with an ache in my… back.” She cocked her head to one side, tilting her nose up and closing her eyes. It was far too late to look regal, in Luna’s book. The night time princess grinned wider and wider.

“I can only imagine what you’re paying your guards for their silence.” Luna teased. The stallion in the corner shuffled one of his hooves, staring miserably at the tile.

“Out!” Celestia suddenly decided, shuffling forth and herding her sister out of the room. Luna laughed like a teenage filly all the way out the door. “Out out out!” It was a rare and grand treat to have TRULY caught Celestia off guard, and Luna’s night felt like one of the best she’d ever had because of it. “W-what did you come to see me fore, Luna?” Celestia’s whispy voice was a little strained. Smiling silently, Luna reached up and corrected the tilt in her sister’s crown. The white alicorn swatted at her hoof, trying to ignore the great heat in her cheeks. The sisters glared at each other as only sisters could, alicorns or not. “Have you come closer to catching the Moon Champion?” Celestia shifted the subject as fast as she could.

“Actually yes. We’ve devised a trap to snare her in.” Luna nodded, looking over Celestia’s shoulder at the burly-looking stallion in her private chambers. Her sister opened her wings to block the view, clearing her throat a little to keep the topic on hoof. “Both of my captains and ten lunar stallions are going to capture her tonight.”

“That’s good to hear.” Celestia said. “She’s run free for far too long.”

“Wearing a weapon that I devised, yes.” Luna said with a frown of annoyance. There was a certain heady anger in her eyes, and the flecks of gold returned for a moment. “W-well, I just wanted you to know the plan.” Luna said, rubbing at her head like she had a migraine. Celestia leaned, tilting her head a little. Her horn glowed faintly, as though to relieve her sister’s aches. “No no, I’m fine.” Luna said a little tartly, cocking her head. “Go back to your stallion, I’ve got a murderous mare to capture.” She turned quickly away, her face in a grimace of slowly growing pain. It was happening right now. She could feel it in her gut. As soon as she rounded the corner she stepped into shadow and leaned heavily on the wall, panting. The Moon Champion was in pain.

Celestia stared after her sister, unsure of what to do with herself for a moment. She looked at the guards on either side of her bedchamber door. “…as you were.” She said with her usual bemused, feminine smile. Both of them snapped back to attention, scowling at nothing and remaining still as statues. Spreading her wings all the way up, Celestia returned to her bedroom. Big Macintosh chuckled good-naturedly when his princess locked the door behind her and fixed him with a predator’s smile. “I believe you were… here?” she poked herself in the base of her spine, crawling onto the bed so he could get back to work. The guards outside couldn’t hear the popping bones, but they could certainly hear the belting cries from their daytime leader. It colored their cheeks.

=-=-=-=

The Moon Champion grimaced, clutching her shoulder as it bled. Gritting her teeth, she bade the ancestors to heal her as quickly as possible while she drew one of her wing-swords with her good front leg. Raising the blade to reflect the starlight, she scowled at her opponent. The lucky bastard had managed to jab a broken bottle between the flaps of her silvery armor, getting her right in the shoulder. She’d caught him emptying a cash register in a toy store of all things, smelling of alcohol-induced bravery. More like stinking off it. Growling in savage anger, she rushed forward with her blade high. Her eyes gave off twin lines of yellow smoke as she moved. The ancestors raised their voices in song---! It was over. Frowning over the body, she leaned and peeked at the bits drawer. Half of it was in his saddlebags. Ah well, she could leave him there for the proper authorities to pick up. She whimpered a little, favoring her shoulder as old magicks worked to repair it. She sheathed her weapon, stopping to stare at a kiosk on the way out. There was a display of lunar stallion action figures there. She snorted with laughter, leaning down to look at the price. Rolling her eyes and unable to help herself, she tossed the bits in the open drawer and took one. It was only proper to arrive at a date with a gift for one’s partner. She found the little figure hilarious for some reason, and it helped take her mind off of her injury.

After an hour or so, her shoulder was as good as new. She marveled at it. That was far quicker than before. Usually injuries that pierced her skin took a day or so to heal entirely. Even then, it would be a few more days for the scar to disappear. But no, this was much faster. Counting her blessings from the princess of the night, she thanked her ancestors for their battle song with a toss of her mane. They nickered and smiled at her in the back of her head. Their beautiful foal was doing so very, very well. They loved how active and strong she had become. Bashfully quieting their neighs of encouragement, she walked between buildings and down dark alleys to avoid being spotted.

The message supposedly for Stalwart Hide hadn’t given a date or time for the meeting, and it was long past twilight. But, if she knew the rather submissive stallion as well as she thought she did, he would probably still be waiting in the park. Smiling predatorily, she started to make for the greenest part of Canterlot. She arrived in shadow, peering around. This was going to be exciting, and she knew it. Such a blatant trap would be hiding who knew how many lunar stallions waiting to jump her. Perhaps even the princess herself, that would be an honor. But, before anything could happen, she had to find Stalwart Hide to spring it. Searching down a few paths, she checked a kissing bridge, a fountain, and several other good meeting spots. She couldn’t find him anywh—oh there he was. She spotted the black-maned stallion standing nervously under a streetlamp. The Moon Champion chuckled a little. Of course, pulling her into a place with lots of light, given that the moon was still in its darkest phase.

She approached him slowly, stopping on the edge of the lamp’s light. “Hi there.” She said with a smile, in a way only a mare could say. He swiveled around to look at her, and she chuckled. He had brushed himself and his mane, shaved his chin, and done a few other things to look nice for the evening. It was cute, even if it was a trap. “It’s me.” She said with a tinkling giggle.

“Is it?” he said softly, lifting a hoof to paw at the ground a few times.

“You wanted to see me?” she asked, sticking her face into the light. Her visor shone in the half-light, but she didn’t step into it. “You’ve got an interesting way of getting a mare’s attention.”

“You’ve got a unique skill set, it only seemed right.” Stalwart Hide smiled nervously, drawn in by her hypnotic beauty. Even with all the armor he could see the trace curve of her flank, then feminine roundness of her face. She was very attractive.

Several hundred feet away from them, a set of lunar stallions watched the scene with interest. They were laid out on their bellies on a set of low-hanging clouds (all pegasi). The blessed lack of moonlight hid them. Their night vision eyes and telescopes showed them the scene up close and personal. Aegis Shield whispered to the others, “As soon as she steps all the way into the light, we strike. That’s when we can see her best and take her down.” He reminded them for the fiftieth time. The stallions shifted nervously, various sets of ancestors itching to get into the fray. They had but one opponent, but after Captain Stalwart Hide had gotten his flank bashed into the hospital, they were eager to carve the mare a new backside. But not until their Captain bade them to. “Hammershot, is the other group in place?” whispered Aegis Shield. Hammershot swerved his telescope, looking into the far distance. He spotted their back-up and nodded, giving a silent hoof-up gesture. “Good. Now we wait.” He sighed quietly. “Remember, Stalwart Hide is relying on all of us to protect him. He can’t take her on alone.” Setting his jaw, he squinted back into his telescope again. The assault group waited.

Back at the scene of the very-obvious-trap-date, The Moon Champion smiled when she led the stallion from the spotlight of the streetlamp. “So what made you call me, huhm?”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you when I was in the hospital.” Stalwart Hide said truthfully, his cheeks staining a little red. His feathers ruffled a little, but she saw the truth in his eyes and giggled a little. “I wanted to see you again.”

“You’re not made that I broke some of you ribs, bashed you into a wall and blinded you?” She said playfully, shifting to walk side by side with him. He looked over at her with a hurt expression. The Moon Champion smiled apologetically. “You can’t stop me, hun. Nopony can.”

“I’m not here to fight you.” He whispered.

“Good. I’d put you in the hospital again.” She leaned and kissed his cheek with a playful giggle.

“I don’t want that.” He said with a nervous smile. Since they were so close together, he lifted a hoof to touch her. She almost stopped him, but didn’t. He lifted the visor to look into her face. He had no idea who she was, but her face was pleasant and soft. Very feminine. The smoking golden eyes didn’t help, but she certainly wasn’t ugly. “I just wanna know you. I… like strong mares.” He said quietly, looking into her eyes. There was a short silence between them.

The Moon Champion smiled a bit wider, her eyes lidding in adoration. The ancestors in the back of her head were smiling, nodding encouragingly. Finally, a stallion that knew his place and accepted that she was more powerful than he. Her strength greater than his strength. He liked it, even. “Good boy.” She said with a heady smirk, leaning and kissing his lips. He gave a quiet yip of surprise, but didn’t fight her. She stepped closer, her chest pressed up to his. She liked his taste. She nuzzled his cheek a couple of times. “Promise you won’t run away after I kick the flanks of all your friends watching us?” she whispered in his ear. He gave a startled gasp. “I wouldn’t want to ruin our little date. You’ve yet to feed me or give me wine or anything.” She giggled at the clichés, but he’d frozen in horror. She knew. She knew there was a trap.

Stalwart Hide nervously scratched his cutie mark. Hundreds of feet away, Aegis Shield flinched into action. That was the sign for panic. “Lunar stallions, GO!” he roared. Wings snapped open and they dove out of the sky like an apocalyptic plague of black shadows. Riding the momentum they swerved down to surrounded the armored mare while more lunar stallions emerged quickly from the other paths behind her.

The Moon Champion eyed them all, smiling slowly. She lifted a hoof, turning in a slow circle to survey them all and count. “Oh my, let’s see…. One-two-three-four-five-size-seven…. Thirteen of you! That’s unlucky!” she flipped her visor down with a snort. “I’ll have to use actual effort this time!” she was either talking out her backside or was a brilliant tactician, Aegis Shield thought. There was no way she was powerful enough to take on over a dozen lunar stallions-- all armored up in regalia’s similar to hers, all at the same time. He knew she wanted to look eager to fight them, to unsettle them.

“Get her!” Aegis Shouted. They rushed, as one, and she vanished with a crack of parted air.

The Moon Champion popped up right next to one earth pony. He smiled down at her as she tilted her head back to look way up at him. The armor had made the already big stallion into a titanic pony with massive muscles and a giant set of shoulders on him. “G-head.” He said in a low, gravelly voice. “Just try an’ hit me.” Obliging, the Moon Champion leapt, turned, and bucked him right in the teeth! His head snapped back, and she was sure she’d broken his neck by accident. He slowly tilted his head back down at her, smirking. She turned and did it again, harder! Then again! As hard as she could! Not a scratch. “Huh-heh-heh.” He said slowly, lifting a massive hoof to crush her like an insect. Panzer Hoof was not known for being gentle, especially in his lunar armor. He reared up, and the Luna Champion saw her opening! Pushing him by his chest she SHOVED him onto his back then leapt forward onto his balls! He gave a shriek of agony and crumpled, holding himself.

The Moon Champion cried out as a pair of pegasi tackled her to the ground. Thrashing free she ignited her horn, launching one of them into the tree line and jabbing the other with her horn. The main group was upon her, and she drew both her swords to defend herself. Turning the blades backward, she danced wildly! Bruises appeared on faces, shoulders, and legs as she churned the battlefield like a tornado! Another earth pony appeared, walking through her strikes until he was upon her. He head-butted her to the ground and she spun about with the momentum, taking out his legs and sending him pin-wheeling through the air. Pegasi flung themselves through the air to be upon her and she cocked her head as a blast of magic shot over her shoulder. Wide-arcing her swords to keep them at a distance, she walked backwards to keep them from surrounding her.

A unicorn among then tried his hardest to wrench the swords from her by magic, but she just never stood still long enough. Flailing wildly she slammed one of them into the ground, spider-webbing cracks in the pavement before she received a buck to the face. Yelping, she careened backwards into a fountain, knocking the statue off and sending wild debris everywhere. The lunar stallions followed her, relentless. She coughed water for a moment, launching herself back onto her hooves. Igniting her long horn’s magic she grabbed one leaping pony and SLAMMED him onto one of his fellow stallions. Both saw white and collapsed into unconsciousness. One of the winged lunar stallions suddenly slammed into her from on high, a nasty angle to get at her ribs through the armor! She dug her hooves in, carving four paths in the pavement until she was crushed against a tree. Gagging and spit flying from her mouth, she focused everything she had to inflate her lungs. Using the butt of her swords she broke one of his cheekbones and sent him to the ground in pain. Whistling when she breathed, the Moon Champion staggered and held herself up with one of her swords. Heal me, she begged the ancestors. They were working furiously, but they had already healed a wound this night. HEAL ME, the Moon Champion demanded. They rushed to do as bidden. They could not lose this battle!

She turned to one side and crossed her swords like a shield as she was peppered with bolts of magic. Pen Maker rushed forward with a cry of battle, horn lowered. She fenced with him, back and forth, his horn against her swords. The lunar stallion pressed her back and back, the whirlwind of magic conjuring a pair of ghostly swords at his shoulders. “I can hit all twelve!” he roared, though it made no sense to her. The ghostly swords blasted apart into little missiles of magic, peppering the Moon Champion with pain. Reeling wildly she turned her front legs like a windmill and crushed his adam’s apple, sending him down hard.

Aegis Shield himself was suddenly upon the Moon Champion’s back and he locked his hooves around her neck. Holding on with all his might he weighed her down with his body and armor. His remaining soldiers rushed forth, kicking and punching and beating on her like beasts! She wailed out, bruises dotting her body like a young deer’s spots. Gritting her teeth in a moment of desperation, she reached deeper into her well of magics than she ever had before. Whinnying like a wild animal she formed a magical skin around herself and exploded it outward! All the stallions were flung away as a bubble of pure pain rushed away from her like a bomb had gone off. She shockwave shuddered the ground. At least two of the lunar stallions didn’t rise from the latest onslaught. The Captain saw his numbers dwindling, and roared out, “Regroup!” They lined up quickly, down to just four of them. The Moon Champion stood there, panting, bleeding, and very, very pissed off. She spat blood from where she’d received a few hoofs to the face. They’d hurt her. A lot. The ancestor’s were frothing at the mouth, battle song deafening on both sides. Such glorious, beautiful battle! They loved it! “Charrrrrge!” Aegis Shield reared like a war horse and together the quartet charged at her like the military unit they were. They crashed headlong into an invisible wall of magic, knocking themselves senseless.

Coughing heavily, the Moon Champion let the glow from her horn fade. Were they down? All of them? She saw Aegis Shield slowly rise, his wings wilted down and a great purple bruise over one of his muzzle. Hot, sticky blood was dripping from both of his nostrils. “I’m… gonna… stop you… the lunar stallions will stop you.” He said, saliva dribbling from his babbling mouth. He staggered, but shuddered and righted himself. She regarded him with a mix of annoyance and pity, like the insect on the bathroom floor that just refused to die after you’d smashed it six times. The Captain rose to his hooves at last, throwing his chest out and spreading his wings wide. “I am Aegis Shield, Captain of the new lunar stallion corps and YOU! Are! Going! Dow-!” she horn-blasted him right off his hooves and he fell in an unconscious heap.

“You. Are. Long. Winded.” She said groggily, spitting blood again. Staggering, she sheathed her wing swords. “One, two, three…” she counted them all. “Twelve. One is missing.” She mumbled in annoyance. Then she remembered that one of the thirteen stallions had never attacked her at all. He’d stood in place like she’d asked him to. “Stalwart Hide.” She said, limping over to him and grinning haughtily. “Do you understand now? A dozen of your fellows and I’m still standing.” She leaned and kissed his cheek roughly, leaving a speck of blood on his cheek.

Stalwart Hide leaned to support her, and she took his help gladly. She knew he would not harm her. “I do still owe you that wine and dine.” He said gently, easing her to a park bench. “Before we were interrupted, I was gonna…” he leaned under the bench, producing a little picnic basket. “Ge’ thi’sh.” He said, for the handle was in his teeth. She smiled in amusement, lifting her visor to see better. He set the basket down and opened it. It was a cute little dinner of daisy sandwhiches, cornbread, butter, corn on the cob, and even a little wine bottle with glasses.

“Well aren’t you cute.” She chuckled. The ancestors RUSHED forward, pushing her to eat as much food as she possibly could. She’d taken a lot of abuse, she would need the food and energy for her armor to repair her battered body. The gathering of mares in the back of her head encouraged, neigh, demanded that she stuff her face RIGHT NOW. She had no qualm with that at all. “Thank you.” She took a corn cob when he offered it to her.

“I didn’t think they would beat you.” He said gently. “When you struck me down, I got a little glimpse at what you were capable of.” The stallion looked out over the field of his fallen fellows. Thankfully none of them had been killed, but she hadn’t been trying to kill them. They weren’t evil. She’d just been defending herself. Sort of. More like avoiding capture.

“You’ve seen me break walls, bend matter and conquer evil ponies without effort. Was there ever any doubt I would be the victor to this rather obvious trap?” the Moon Champion snickered a little, chewing the corn on the cob eagerly. “I ought to punish you for your lack of subtlety.” Stalwart Hide shook his head as juice dribbling down his chin. It was very hard to enjoy the meal with his fellow lunar stallions lying on the ground all around them, but there was nothing he could do. She wanted to look upon the battleground and gloat. She was simply too powerful, and to go to their aid might anger her. He didn’t want to go back to the hospital… The stallion and mare ate heartily, and soon the basket was empty. Stalwart Hide reached and uncorked the wine. It was a small bottle, meant for just such a picnic. He emptied the contents into to glasses, and passed one to her.

“Vivas Noctus.” Stalwart Hide said in a strained tone. He knew that would please her.

“Vivas Noctus.” The Moon Champion agreed. Long live the night. She tink-ed her glass against his. Lifting it, she drained the contents without reserve and broke the glass jubilantly upon the sidewalk in front of them. Stalwart Hide smiled gently at her, his eyes betraying guilt. He’d not drunk his glass. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she rushed to her hooves, clutching at her neck. She’d tasted the powerful sedatives far too late. “You sneaky, c-c-crafty--!” she tried to make a swing at him, but her world had already started spinning. She moaned. “It was never about… about the fight at all…” Her eyes were rolling into her head. Her vision went muddy and she fell in a heap. Darkness melted over her, and even the screaming ancestors could not rouse her.

End of Part 8

The Champion's Identity

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 9: The Champion’s Identity

The Moon Champion moaned miserably, her world floating around her like an unstable ocean. A window with iron bars swam into view, the moon peeking in at her. It was nearly at its quarter phase, how long had she been out?! She tried to rise, but her stomach and lack of balance forbade it. She fell on her face and belly, squirming a little bit. The cold stone under her was aided only by the pile of straw beside her. She must’ve rolled out of the nest. Rubbing at her eyes over and over, she consulted with the ancestors. They were silent. “Ancestors…?” she whispered, closing her eyes and concentrating. They were nowhere to be found! Jolting, she clutched for her medallion, her armor, but it was gone! Somepony had removed it while she’d been unconscious. She turned, then fell over herself. She was hazy from the drugs still in her system.

“Rest, little mare. Thy punishments should not be self -inflicted.” The voice was quiet, but powerful. She looked up to see none other than princess Luna standing outside her cell. The iron bars were cold and shiny, the only barrier between them. “I have thy armor, think not of escape. In here you’re only a pony.”

“An iron cage can’t hold me, your majesty…” the Moon Champion was laying limply on her back, mouth running despite her fantastic lack of clarity and balance. “I can… magic… out.” She furrowed her brow in concentration, her horn lighting up--! Bzzz—z-z-z-z-z-zt!” She shrieked in pain, spasming wildly back and forth, then collapsed into a smoldering heap.

“But a horn inhibitor can.” Luna said gravely, gesturing to the black ring locked in place on the mare’s horn. She saw the defeated pony was unconscious again, and sighed. Perhaps she’d been a bit too generous with poisoning the wine bottle. Ah well, it was necessary. Rising to her full height, the princess turned and left her there. When she emerged from the dungeon, she found Stalwart Hide waiting for her. “She’s sleeping.” Luna told him.

“I heard the screaming.” He said stubbornly, frowning at her.

“Be happy that’s all it was, stallion.” She said, flaring her wings at him. “And be happy I restored thy honor for your services.” She frowned at him until he wilted and looked at the floor. Her expression softened into a sympathetic frown. “Go and rest, Stalwart Hide. Your fellows would certainly love your company.” She walked regally past him, sighing quietly. “We shall deal with the Moon Champion when everypony is recovered. Without her armor or magic, she is not going anywhere. Relax.” She bade him, patting his helmed head.

Stalwart Hide stared at the door to the dungeons until his princess was gone. Standing there in the hallway, he didn’t know what to do with himself. Should he go see her and apologize? Should he leave her to rot and never think of her again? Frowning curiously, he looked both ways, then went down into the dungeon himself. Passing the jailor with an official-looking I’m-supposed-to-be-here nod, he went further down into the cell block to find the Moon Champion. He peered in at her, swallowing slowly.

She was a slender thing, lying in the beam of moonlight that streamed in through her barred window. He’d never seen a more harmless-looking unicorn mare before. It was hard to believe she was the unstoppable, unbreakable mad-mare that had slain over a dozen ponies and kicked the buck out of a dozen of his fellow lunar stallions. While she lay there, naked of her armor and magic, she looked small and fragile. Her silvery mane seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, and his eyes ran slowly over her limp form. He ached to open the cell door and hold her. A ripple of guilt went through him. He’d never done something so under-hoof’d as to feed drugged wine to somepony. But it had to be done, the princess had commanded it. As a lunar stallion, he had to obey. Sighing, he rested his forehead and helm against the bars. “Sorry.” He mumbled at the unconscious mare.

=-=-=-=

Princess Luna was in the astronomy tower, her private laboratory where she worked on the night sky and other such things in private. Closing the door behind her and locking it, she lit her horn. The table in the middle of the room cleaned itself of the stacks of papers and instruments, shoving everything to one side. Lighting a series of lamps around the room with a quick word of command, she lifted her wing to reach for something. Nestled in her feathers was the medallion of the Moon Champion. Gingerly, she took the chain of it in her teeth and set it upon the table. She stared at it for a long time. To the naked eye it just looked like a gem of a medallion, nothing particularly special, with its silvery shell around the back to keep it from rubbing a pony’s skin raw.

The alicorn squinted slowly over it, frowning. “Reveal thy secrets…” she closed her eyes, touching the tip of her horn to it. The medallion hummed, glittered, and then pitched itself to the floor like a jumping bean. Luna followed it, frowning with interest as golden smoke began to fill the room. The princess waited patiently. Shapes started to appear in the fog, over thirty of them. All of them were mares, all staring at her in adoration and glee. Their mouths moved silently, but they nickered and reared up in joy at the very sight of her. She looked at each one in turn, eyes narrowed. She did not recognize any of them, but their garb told an interesting story. Across the gathering, she could see bits of clothing and accessories from across a millennium. These were the current Moon Champion’s ancestors.

“Moon Dancer…?” Luna said in a small voice. The group of spirits gave pause, then parted so one could step forward. A handsome, lithe mare stepped forward from the crowd and bowed. Her lips moved, smiling, but Luna could not hear her words. She had been white with a red mane in life, a speckling of red stars with a crescent moon on her flank. In this ghostly form she was all golden, a spirit of the long-forgotten past. The curve of her muscles and the glorious sheen of her fur told of a mare that was active, healthy, and battle-worthy. “Just as beautiful as thou were in life.” Luna favored her with a low incline of her head, a royal gesture of great respect. The mare blushed and bowed more deeply. Princess Luna smiled, letting her return to the gathering of long-dead warrior mares. “And who are the rest of you, I wonder…?” the alicorn walked among them while they stared at her in adoration. “I was banished for a thousand years, shortly after the great war. If you all wore the white lunar armor for the past thousand years, you could not possibly have imprinted yourselves on me--!” she suddenly stopped, one hoof lifted to take the next step. Her eyes turned to little pinpricks, then expanded out into a great and terrible sorrow. “No…” she whispered, head hanging. She fell to her knees. “No, that’s too horrible…”

The gathering of silent mares rushed in to press up to her. They were ghosts, so it was quite hard, but the intent was clear. Like a herd comforting its matriarch, they tried to nuzzle and comfort her with confused looks. Mares from every era that she’d been gone whimpered and cried for her sadness, silent and unable to voice their comfort. The princess of the night looked around at all of them, a chill of sadness working down her spine. Tears were already coming. Those poor, doomed fools.

“You’ve all been imprinted onto Nightmare Moon.” She moaned, a hoof rising to press against her face. “Not I.” she looked around at them, her vision watery. “You wore the armor and it connected you to my darker side…” It was the reason the current Moon Champion was such a twisted, never-say-die killer. The reason she’d chosen a stallion to keep under her hoof. The same reason she’d not hesitated to slay all those ponies. Not only was she wearing a war-time relic, but all of her mentors had been connected with Nightmare Moon, enraged and in chains on the moon-- feeding them hatred, violence, and deception. She had unwittingly warped her own champions into monsters. “Oh Faust…” Luna said, falling at last to her belly with both hooves on her face. The wave of guilt threatened to crush her. She wept. She had a terrible decision to make.

=-=-=-=

“And then she totally just jumped onto Panzer’s balls! Wham!” Hammershot laughed. The gathering of lunar stallions burst into uproarious laughter. Panzer Hoof smirked a little less enthusiastically, an icepack pressed between his back legs. The lunar stallions had made a make-shift hospital out in the great room, having moved lots of beds into it and shoved all the other furniture aside. There, the twelve stallions that had been in the battle told all about how they’d taken on the Moon Champion. It wasn’t bragging, per say, since they’d gotten their flanks kicked, but… well, yes. Yes it was. They were proud to have gone into battle for princess Luna, and finally captured the psychotic mare that had been running loose in Canterlot. “And then when it was all over, Stalwart Hide gave her the drugged wine and she went down like a ton of bricks.” There was whooping and cheering, many cider glasses raised to the victory. “Now she can just sit and rot in that cage, for all I care.” Hammershot drank deeply, hissing at the sting of it. There were murmurs of approval from his fellow veterans.

The lunar stallions had their heroes all in a long row of beds, clusters of them gathered around their favorite warrior. Even Captain Aegis Shield found himself with a few fans gathered around his bedside. He smiled a little painfully, twists of fabric shoved into his nose. His muzzle had blossomed into a gorgeous mass of purple after all the blood had been cleaned away. It would take some time to heal, magic notwithstanding. There was a certain respect in the corps that came with natural healing, rather than having a unicorn or a potion help. The Captain looked over when Stalwart Hide emerged into the great room, looking around at the spectacle. Waving him over, he smiled at him. “How’re you holdin’ up?” he asked.

“I went to go see her, she’s still out of it. It’s been almost four days.” Stalwart Hide said miserably. “What if she drank too much of the sedative or something?” he worried.

“She can take a longer nap after all she’s done, I’d say.” Aegis Shield said a little savagely, touching his poor muzzle. Stalwart gave him a look. “Sorry.” He amended after a moment, turning his ears back. “Let princess Luna decide what to do with her. We did our duty and brought her in. What happens to her is out of our hooves now.” Stalwart Hide nodded somberly, knowing it to be true.

=-=-=-=

Princess Luna stood outside the cell where the Moon Champion was being held. A few days had gone by, and she’d been working hard to come up with a proper plan of action. The nature versus nurture of the Moon Champion had become a twisted thing of what it once was. Could she blame her for her terrible actions? How much of it was she to blame for, and how much Nightmare Moon’s? How much for her bloodthirsty ancestors?

The Moon Champion rose, finally free of the grip of the drugs she’d imbibed. She blinked up at Luna a few times, coming to the bars and bowing. When she rose, she reared up to be at Luna’s eye level so she wouldn’t be looked down upon. The princess of the night looked her over. “What is your name? Your real name?” she said finally.

The blue unicorn sank to all fours with a toss of her mane, trying to make herself look presentable. This was hard to do given the straw sticking out of her mane and the lack of bathing for the past week or so. “My name is Trixie Lulamoon, descendant of Moon Dancer, the original Moon Champion.” She said with as much dignity as she could. Trixie looked up at her princess, unsure of her fate. Luna frowned at her, not recognizing the name from anywhere.

“Thy ancestor stood much taller than thou, Trixie.” Luna said with a somber frown. “She fought in many battles, but knew better than to slay ponies left and right for their transgressions.”

“Trixie was only doing what she was trained to do! To fight in your honor and rid Canterlot of evil!” She looked genuinely upset at her situation, and it made Luna’s heart ache. She really did believe she was in the right, slaughtering those ponies. The poor mare had literally been programmed to kill by her own mother, grandmother, and so on. Her sudden shift to third person told as such about her pride.

“We no longer need a Moon Champion.” Luna said firmly. “We are not at war. This is an era of peace and prosperity.” The words she spoke made the powder blue unicorn gasp in horror. “The Moon Champion was my avatar of battle, there are no longer battles to be fought.”

“B-but princess!” Trixie seized the bars, pressing her muzzle between them. “Canterlot teems with dishonesty, thievery, and evil ponies just trying to take advantage of each other! Trixie must stop them! All of them!” she said desperately. “It is what the great and powerful Trixie was born to do! What every mare in Trixie’s family was born to do!” Luna winced sadly as she spoke. Poor diluted foal.

“Anywhere there is civilization you will find thievery, dishonesty, and the like. No gathering of ponies is utopian.” Luna said sagely, reaching out and cupping her cheek through the bars. Tears slowly slid down Trixie’s cheeks. “It is a battle you can never win, Trixie.” The words made her flinch like the princess had slapped her.

There was a long silence between them until Trixie leaned her head into the princess’ hoof. “W-what can Trixie do now, then?” she said softly, eyes soft and desperate.

“You killed over a dozen ponies, Trixie Lulamoon.” Luna said quietly, stroking her cheek. “Diluted and misled though you have been, do you really think you can get away unpunished?” The princess’ expression was soft, her eyes lidded with a guilty expression. “All those ponies had families. Mothers and fathers. Siblings. Lovers. Don’t you think they’ll want justice?” The dark alicorn suddenly felt much older and motherly, like one of her own children had done a terrible wrong and needed to see it as it was. She opened her wings gently, and with a flick of magic the cell door opened. She took the Moon Champion into her arms, kneeling down to her level. The little blue mare shook like a leaf.

“Trixie found them all doing evil, though…” The blue unicorn said softly. It was a glass shield and she knew it. Luna sighed quietly, comforting her and stroking her mane. Pressing her lips into Trixie’s mane, she soon detached herself.

“If you spotted a pony killing another, would you not stop them?” Luna said softly, closing the iron doors of the cell as she stepped out. A bolt of ice struck the blue pony’s heart, and she quite suddenly saw what a bigot she’d become. Stalwart Hide had been right. Trixie nodded slowly, barely holding back her wracking sobs of guilt. “You and your family line became the very evil you set out to stop.” The princess turned about, and they stared at each other through the bars. “I’m so sorry…” the dark alicorn meant every word. The unicorn sagged against the bars and could say no more.

=-=-=-=

The gathering of ponies in the private courtyard was nearly fifty. The family members of the slain ponies that the Moon Champion had killed. There were no foals among them, for they all knew what was to happen today. They all dressed in black, covering their Easter egg colors and hiding their cutie marks. This was a dark night, a truly dark night.

In pairs, a long procession of lunar stallions emerged from the double doors of the palace. They turned and faced each other, taking three steps back to make an aisle. They closed their eyes and lifted their muzzles, regal. Down the aisle emerged a chained-up Trixie, jingling as she walked slowly to her doom. Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide were on either side of her, their expressions careful masks of ceremony. The mantacles about Trixie’s ankles and neck made her have to take small steps.

Across the way on a cold stone throne sat princess Luna. Her expression was a somber mask of sad, cold silence. Now and then one of the ponies in the crowd would glance at her, as though for comfort. But there was no comfort to be had this night. She looked skyward at the overcast clouds. There was not even a moon to look at tonight. Only a few meager lamps lit the scene. The princess of the night saw the outline of Celestia looking down on the courtyard from on high. In the highest room in the tallest tower, the white alicorn made no move other than to watch what was happening.

Trixie came before the stone throne and knelt, bowing her head. The Captains remained at her sides, but stepped back so she could be addressed alone. “Trixie— Trixie Lulamoon.” Princess Luna rose slowly from her throne. Her voice quivered for a moment and she stopped to steady herself. Gritting her teeth and folding her wings to keep them from shaking, the alicorn tried again. “It has been over a century since the last intentional murder in Canterlot, and in Equestria. You have slain over a dozen ponies, and left their families to mourn a terrible loss.” Trixie didn’t look up at her princess, she couldn’t. The crowd of gathered ponies leaned against each other like a frightened herd, but didn’t speak. They had to see this, to put them and their fallen family members at peace. “Thou has broken an ancient law, and for it your punishment shall be equally old.” She nodded to a once pony standing in the double doorway.

An earth pony emerged, a black cloth hood over his face and mane. He was massive and muscled, bringing forth a solid block of stone balanced on his back. The lunar armor lent him strength, and he deposited his burden between Trixie and the princess. Straightening it a bit, he bowed. Turning, he went slowly back into the palace. The powder-blue unicorn stared at it, and then turned to look again when the same earth pony returned. She started shaking. He had a massive axe in his teeth. Setting her jaw and trying not to tremble so hard, she looked up at her princess again with soft eyes.

“Axepony, is your axe sharp?” Luna said, referring to a ceremonial script she hadn’t read in ages. The words had to be said, there was nothing she could do about it.

“Yes, your majesty.” said the earth pony from under his black hood.

“How many swings will it take?” the princess asked, still on the script.

“Only one, merciful and quick.” He responded, also with words chosen for him. He hefted the great weapon up, turning it until it shone in the lamplight. Trixie whimpered, shaking harder and harder.

Luna looked over at the crowd, then up at her sister on the balcony, licking her lips. She hadn’t done this in over a thousand years, and even Celestia not in the past hundred. She watched Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide slowly escort Trixie to the block and help her to her knees. They removed the mantacles and chains from her body, stepping slowly back. Stalwart Hide looked ready to faint, shaking even under all his heavy armor. The princess of the night took a deep breath. “Axepony, are you ready?” she said ceremonially. After checking his axe’s edge one more time, the hooded earth pony nodded.

The axepony was not cruel when he said, “Any last words? They’ll be taken into record.” His eyes betrayed a certain sympathy. He’d never executed anypony before. He hefted the axe up while the mare thought carefully.

Trixie slowly cast her eyes to the crowd, to her princess. This had all gone wrong, so horribly wrong. She turned her head to look back at Stalwart Hide, then the other lunar stallions. She looked up at Luna again, who was looking down at her with sorrow in her eyes. High above, Celestia slowly turned and left her balcony. Leaning down at last and shaking like a leaf, Trixie had to try several times to draw enough breath to speak. She obediently lowered her head to the block and stretched out her neck. “V… Vivas… Noctus.” She whispered, crying softly.

The axe fell.

End of Part 9

The Champion's End

Luna’s Story 2: Wrath of the Moon Champion
Part 10: The Champion’s End

Stalwart Hide stood in the rain, over a fresh grave. His mane was a mess despite his helm, and he looked terrible. Here lies Trixie Lulamoon, it said. The last of her kind in a long line of those loyal to Princess Luna. There were two dates, and a dash between them. Simple, to the point, and it didn’t mention she had been executed by beheading. Nor that she’d murdered over a dozen ponies. The stallion had made sure she’d received a proper burial, and that none who hated her knew where the plot was. There had been enough heartache, and it was time to put her to rest.

Stalwart Hide’s armor pink-p-pinked in the rain while he stood there staring at the freshly dug earth and tombstone. He didn’t know what to feel. She wasn’t evil, just… confused. She’d done all those terrible things, even sending him to the hospital, but he’d fallen in love with her anyway. Why? What had she done to deserve any sort of adoration from him? He moaned miserably, kicking a stone into the treeline. He tilted his head back, squeezing his golden eyes shut and letting the rain sooth the hot misery in his face. Why did he mourn for her? She was a monster, wasn’t she? He could feel his abs and chest quivering. He would not cry. He would not-- the Captain of the lunar stallions suddenly fell to his knees and sobbed aloud. He didn’t even know why. He just had to cry, cry it all out. His wings opened and pressed against the muddy ground to steady him. The ancestors were strangely quiet. This was not their field to offer aide.

While he wept o’er the grave, a long and black wing slowly extended over him to block the rain. He looked up quickly, rubbing his muzzle. “P-princess Luna!” he gasped, making to rise quickly. She stopped him, pushing him gently back to his knees. She wore a strange, silken veil over her face. It sprouted from her crown and hung down past her chin, a thin-woven shroud of mourning. He looked up at her in wonder. “What are you doing here?” he asked in foal-like confusion, whispering at her.

The princess of the night looked down at the stallion, trying to remain upright and regal. But, she just could not do it. Keeping her wing extended over him to block the rain, she told him everything. About the original Moon Champion. About her descendants growing connected to Nightmare Moon. About how the whole thing had poisoned Trixie into a terrible, supremacist attitude in all she did. She told him of how, as Nightmare Moon, she had fed the entire family line the lust for battle, vengeance, destruction. Warped her beautiful Moon Champion’s line into jagged weapons of war they were never meant to be. He stared at her in slowly growing horror, then teary confusion, then in quivering rage. “And that is how--!” Crack! He’d slapped her. Right in the face. She yipped in surprise, not expecting the pain. She touched her cheek in confusion.

“Go away.” He whispered, touching his chest. His armor collapsed into itself and the ancestors quieted further. His black mane was weighed down by the rain as he stepped out from under her wing. Luna stared at him, wounded. “I’m not your lunar stallion right now. S’my day off anyway. Go away.” He asked, hunching forward a little.

“Stalwart Hide, I understand that you are sad for her death. I know exac--!”

“You’re immortal!” he barked at her savagely, turning to snap his wings open aggressively. “You know nothing of death! How fragile life is to those of us that don’t live forever like you do!” he coughed, shaking his mane and setting her with a glare.

Luna had never felt so far from one of her beloved lunar stallions. She closed her wings slowly, her head hanging. “I have buried more friends than you will ever know.” The alicorn whispered. She turned to leave. “I can only hope—“

“No! Shut up!” Stalwart Hide struck her with another arrow of hate. “You ordered her executed, now you live with it!” he spat at her, losing his head entirely. “Go away!” The stallion must’ve been mad with grief, telling his princess off like that. She recoiled a little at his anger, leaning back and lifting a hoof. He snapped his wings closed, turning away from her to stare at the grave some more. She could see his shoulders shuddering with silent weeping. Not wanting to make it worse, the alicorn turned and left him to his mourning.

When she reached the edge of the private graveyard, she found the waiting Aegis Shield. “How did he take it?” the stallion asked slowly, standing under a tree where she’d left him.

“Only as well as he could have. He was lovesick, and I took her away.” Luna said glumly, sighing. “He’s mourning.” They walked, side-by-side, until they reached the path and walked along it. “We wouldn’t be surprised if thy friend left the corps for our actions.” She slid into her old dialect, sighing sadly.

There was a long silence, and Aegis Shield looked up at his princess. “Luna, did Stalwart Hide ever tell you how he got his cutie mark?” he asked her. She shook her head no, her brow furrowing. “An old house collapsed on him when he was just a little colt, and he walked out of it alive.”

“A old house?! How?!” she gasped, eyebrows rising. “How did he survive?!”

“Nopony knows. Even something as big as a house falling on him didn’t keep him down. No matter what abuse he took, he would always get up again.” Aegis Shield said stoically, walking shoulder to shoulder with her. He swallowed a little, then looked at the path. “I suppose what I’m trying to say is he won’t be like that forever. He’s very tough. He can take any abuse the world throws at him, and keep going strong.” He smiled at Luna gently. “Give him time, he’ll come around.”

Luna nodded slowly. They stopped next to a fountain, having come back to the streets of Canterlot. She stared into the rippling waters for a time, then looked skyward. The silence was long, but the sound of rain was soothing. “Come to my room this coming dawn.” She said to Aegis Shield. “I… don’t want to be alone.” She said it in a vulnerable way. “I won’t tempt you with romance, I just… want you to be there. To... hold me.” She turned her ears back guiltily. Her lover nodded slowly, leaning and rubbing his chin on her mane a bit. She curled her head about to touch his. They shared a quiet moment.

A Few Days Later…

“You are sure this is what you want to do, sister?” Celestia asked. “This is a powerful artifact, surely it could be used for good again someday?” the white alicorn watched her sister shake her head sadly.

“No, it was rightfully hers, and we cannot continue the cycle with any relatives she might’ve had.” Luna said slowly, giving her sister Trixie’s lunar medallion. All the power of the ancestors, locked away for good. “Do it.” She nodded in confirmation.

Celestia stepped forward to the edge of the balcony. Heaving a sigh of effort, she lifted the medallion with her pearly aura. It hovered for a moment and then, quite suddenly, rocketed skyward and into the sun. Luna felt the ancestors within finally reach their complete rest. She sighed with relief. It was done. The daytime princess extended a wing and embraced her sister. Even now she could feel her quietly shaking. “Lulu…” she cooed softly, stroking her sister’s mane.

“Tia, it was so hard…” Luna whispered. “Just sitting there while it happened…”

“It had to be done. For the peace of mind of our beloved subjects.” Celestia gently smiled in the timeless way she often did, wrapping her sister in her wings for comfort. Luna leaned into her, an ink blot pressed up to a golden drop of autumn rain. “Their wounds will heal in time.” She said sagely.

“Yes.” Luna said quietly, resting her head on Celestia’s shoulder. They stayed like that for a long time, until it was time to lower the sun and raise the moon.

Later…

Stalwart Hide stood in front of the name wall in the lunar barracks in the middle of the day. All the lunar stallions were sleeping, and the princess as well. Looking around and making sure nopony was around, he slowly opened his rune books and mumbled through the lines of ancient Equestrian. Phoneticizing a quick alphabet, he composed something with pen and quill. Then, he reached into his saddlebags and squinted into a corner. Working with sharp, thin tools, he carved a new name. Trixie Lulamoon the Last Moon Champion. Satisfied with his work, he blew on it to get rid of the stone dust. Working slowly to get rid of the evidence so it wouldn’t draw any eyes, he put his tools away and closed his saddlebag. He leaned back, sitting on his haunches, admiring his work.

The Next Evening…

Stalwart Hide reported for duty early. Princess Luna and Aegis Shield were already set up for the Midnight Court. There were states-ponies rushing about and filling out the evening’s opening ledgers. Squires with fresh paper, quill, and ink were rushing back and forth. “Stalwart Hide.” Luna said, betraying surprise with her tone. “Thou aren’t due for duty for another half an hour!”

“I have an appointment.” He said with a slight smile.

The princess seemed startled by this. She turned and rather clumsily ruffled through the stack of papers up next to her on the throne. After a long and rather comical struggle, she came up with her blue sheet (blue sheet being her night’s appointments). Sure enough, there he was at the top of the list. Well, ‘list’ was generous, there were only three ponies on it and the other two weren’t due for hours. She looked down at him, blink-blinking, then slowly set the paper aside. “Hast thou come to curse me and quit the lunar stallions?” she said softly, turning her ears back in a sad expression. Right away she’d gone to her worst case scenario.

“No, I came to receive my punishment.” He said, smiling at her gently.

“For what?” She asked, again startled by his behavior. Aegis Shield cocked his head in confusion. What was his comrade doing? “Thou hast redeemed thyself for all thy transgressions…” she trailed off, confused.

“Well, let’s see…” Stalwart Hide said, cocking his head and looking at the ceiling. “Fraternizing with the enemy, bathing with the enemy, doing nothing about a murder right before it happened, striking a royal in the face and cursing her name, and--” he went on down a list, some of the items of which were as silly as stealing an extra piece of pie at the dinner table. Aegies Shield mouthed the words ‘bathing with the enemy’, just to see what they tasted like. He found himself slowly smiling. Was this Stalwart Hide’s strange way of offering an olive branch after what had happened at the cemetery?

“Stallion!” Luna said, rising from her throne. “We’ve already redeemed thou, and thy grief was more than enough to cover for thy… lack of control!” she tried to put it gently, a certain warmth touching her face. She hadn’t been expecting such an official apology, much less in the midnight court. Much less… at all. She didn’t know what to do with herself, but her hooves were carrying her down the stairs of the dais to stand in front of him. Stalwart Hide knelt on all four legs, bowing his head. Then, much to Luna’s vast annoyance, spread his wings upon the ground. Damn that Hammershot and his infectious, ancient expressions. He looked up at her wordlessly, and she stared down at him. His eyes were pleading.

“Go on.” He whispered to her, bowing his head. Was this his way of apologizing? She couldn’t tell.

Not knowing what else to do and knowing it was what he wanted, the princess of the night reared up and flared her wings. Just then, Hammershot appeared in the doorway of the throne room with a message for her majesty. He rounded the corner just in time to see Luna’s dinner plate-sized hooves come crashing down on Stalwart Hide’s wings, and hear his belting cry of pain. The stallion dropped his scroll in shock, turning as white as a sheet. One of the statesponies had to fetch it from the floor, for the lunar stallion just stood there slack-jawed and frozen to the spot.

Stalwart Hide clenched his teeth, hissing a little. After the short, jagged cry, he’d refused to make much sound at all. The body was a machine, and the pain caused tears. He shook his head quickly, rising up and gingerly folding his poor wings. Without another word, he went and stood at the left side of the dais. He stared at the rest of the room like he bucking belonged there, and the light flicker of gold in his eyes dared anypony to question it.

Luna flicked her confused gaze at Aegis Shield. Had she just mended something by stomping on it? She’d never done such a thing. Her lover shrugged rather openly, smiling and gesturing with his muzzle that she return to her throne. She did, seating herself regally upon it. Looking down at the back of Stalwart Hide’s head for a long time, she slowly relaxed. In some bizarre and twisted way, everything had calmed down again. After a long time, she looked up and saw Hammershot.

Frowning, princess Luna silently gestured to one of her statesponies. The mare approached the frozen lunar stallion, poking at him a little. Hammershot had turned into a statue all by himself it seemed. She gave him a brave shove, and one of his wings held him up at a rather impressive forty-five degree angle. He was that rigid. “Well what do you know, fainting pegasus syndrome.” Luna said with interest. “Leave him like that, we shall see how long he stays that way.” She smiled at the rather dirty look Aegis Shield gave her, but planted her royal rump on her sitting pillow none the less. It made the usually droll midnight court far more interesting. Stalwart Hide allowed himself a small smile.

THE END

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A/N: Be sure to read the next part, "Long Live the Night"!