War Mages & False Prophets

Chapter 7

Rescues And Royal Introductions

The evening began like any other for two Thestral Guardsponies making a patrol flight over Ponyville to ensure it remained peaceful. While pegasi took the daytime patrols, the night watch belonged to the batponies, whose nocturnal nature and cat-slitted eyes made them right at home in the dark. The shorter Thestral pony, a mare of five-foot-three turned to her partner with a smile as they flew nearly wingtip to bat-like wingtip.“Ready for a peaceful night, Sapphire Moonlight? ”

A rather tall mare at five-foot-eight, Sapphire Moonlight turned to her shorter wingmare, Twinkle Diamond. “Don't say that, Twinkle. I keep telling you the universe listens to always jinx the smug.”

Twinkle rolled her eyes at that. “Sapphire, its Ponyville. The one town in all Equestria where nothing ever...” Twinkle Diamond doesn’t get to finish her statement as the keen hearing of both mares pick up the sound of a door splintering in their sharp keen ears.

“You just had to open your big mouth, Twinkle Diamond,” Sapphire said exasperatedly, taking her spear from the harness upon her back. Twinkle Diamond was not far behind her partner.

Weapons wielded, both mares dove for the source of the noise, shortly seeing a silver Pegasus stallion scrambling to his hooves in terror. His wings hung limply down his back and the look on his face was as if all Tartarus was on his tail. Both mares then saw a tall and ominous figure coming through the door like an inky shadow, menacing the stallion. Deciding he was the danger, Sapphire Moonlight and Twinkle Diamond swooped in between him and the stallion and leveled their spears at the figure. “Hooves up!” the mares said in unison, trying not to be intimidated by his size or decidedly non-pony features, clearly visible to their cat-eyes even in the low light.

Braxton raised his hands slowly so he had the attention of both mares. As the first one began to shuffle her way toward Braxton to manacle him, he quickly opened his hands, sending a shower of sparks and a loud bang from his palms. He was able to then deflect both spear points away from himself as the startled mares jumped back at the lights and the noise, their eyes dazzled by the bright flashes, temporarily blinded. Pressing his advantage, Braxton brought both his arms back in an X and plowed into the mares, striking one on the right shoulder and the other on the left shoulder with such force that it spun the mares into each other, leaving them both dazed from the dual impacts and trying to blink away the spots in their vision as their assailant made his escape

Rubbing their foreheads which had collided, both mares groaned as they got to their hooves, picking up their spears. Recognizing they needed help, each gave a high-pitched call of distress, calling in reinforcements and were about to give chase when the sounds of screaming and other distress reached their ears from inside the house.

Ponies in distress took priority to the two guardsponies over an escaping figure. As both mares entered they found one stallion screaming like a foal, not understanding why until they caught sight of his leg. They didn't blame him or the other stallion either as they found him stapled to the foot of the bed, a dagger buried up to the hilt in his shoulder and stabbed deep into the wood of bed frame keeping him stallion in place.

Realizing the pair’s injuries were beyond their ability to treat, Twinkle Diamond turned to her friend. “Sapphire you need to go get Dr. Horse from Ponyville General. I can stay here to watch over these two. Also find out who else is on duty tonight. Whoever did this to them has to be caught quickly,” she said, wondering what kind of monster they were up against.

“Right.” Sapphire returned to the front door rubbing her shoulder but also thankful that her shoulder didn't look like the door hanging on a single hinge she gave a series of high pitched squeaks and listened to the replies before she yelled back into the house “Dark Star and Midnight Oil, Twinkle. I will advise them of what we face and tell them to inform Princess Luna,” said Sapphire before she took flight to get Dr. Horse.

Twinkle Diamond rolled her eyes at the thought of the hotshot rookie team of Dark Star and Midnight Oil; new on the beat, new to procedure, and new to working together. In Twinkle Diamond’s professional assessment those two batty jackasses couldn't close a patio umbrella together, let alone pursue a dangerous fugitive. She put her hopes in Princess Luna instead, knowing she would intervene personally in particularly dangerous situations as this one seemed to present. But who was that… creature? She shivered at the memory of him; of his size and alien features, wondering what business he had with the stallions they were now trying to help that he saw fit to torture them in such a way.

Unaware of her thoughts or the arrangements being made to hunt him, Braxton moved shadow to shadow after the first set of guards had got in his way as he tailed Silver Mane towards the clock tower. He had managed to slip past the second set on their first night patrol pass, recognizing from their thestral forms that they likely had the night vision and hearing of the bats they borrowed their appearance from, but he had no idea how sharp their senses truly were until they spotted him in the shadows and swooped down on him, catching him on their second pass.

“Halt in the name of Princess Luna!” cried one of the guards as they approached.

“Damn it,” Braxton thought, making a break for the clock tower on foot as the two guards descended quickly upon him. Recognizing he had to lose them quickly, Braxton reached into his left-handed belt pouch as he ran. His practiced fingers finding what he was looking for, he pulled an eyelash encased in a bit of gum arabic and disappeared from sight.

“What the…?” The two Thestral Stallions saw their suspect vanish in front of their eyes as they slowed down from a diving tackle to a graceful landing, looking around in confusion. “You see anything, Dark Star? ” the five-foot-nine Stallion asked his wingmate, looking around with sword and shield at the ready

“On it, Midnight Oil” said his friend, who looked all around them, scanning their surroundings carefully. When his red eyes couldn't immediately tell him anything, he gave three short but high-pitched yells before he whipped his head back toward the bell tower, having spotted movement there. “Two ponies just went into the bell tower,” Dark star announced with a whisper as he then moved his shield from his back hanger so as to fold his bat-wings against his back and drew his sword and closed in on the Bell tower with his partner, who did the same. “Let’s go.”

Still on the run, Silver Mane slammed the bell tower door shut, unaware that Braxton was present, having slipped in unseen with the near-exhausted and hysterical Stallion. “Master...Master Facade we... we have... a problem,” Silver Mane panted, out of breath as he made his way down to the belfry antechamber. For all he had been through, the mere presence of shadows made Silver Mane jump and even stifle a scream, some part of him certain he was still being stalked. When Silver Mane burst into the semi-lit room, two other stallions stood up. The first one to speak stood five-foot-five and possessed a gold mane and tail, his tone icy and uncaring. “So, the colt returns. Did you kill the mare as directed?”

He could only shake his head violently. “S-Something... was there… Wild Snow,” Silver Mane put his hands upon his knees, struggling to catch his breath. “I… barely escaped…” he managed.

“And this something… was what broke your wings, I take it,” Wild Snow noted with a sardonic and completely unsympathetic tone. “That being the case, it would seem you owe me a bit, Master Facade, my old friend.” Wild Snow smiled coolly at his five-foot-ten unicorn companion who was cloaked in a grey robe and wore a single silver ring upon his finger.

The unicorn was unperturbed. “It seems I do, old friend.” Master Facade flipped a bit to Wild Snow before turning his gaze to Silver Mane. “That bet was whether or not I sent colts to do a stallion’s job.” Master Facade turned to look sidelong at his friend. “It seems Lyra has made her choice… as these three proved useless, I do what I should have done from the start and dispatch you instead. Kill her friend and feel free to fun with her while you do so, Wild Snow. I am sure you can conjure something from that dark imagination of yours.”

“That would be my pleasure.” Wild Snow grinned and began to leave the room, motioning Silver Mane to follow him. Silver Mane went to do so but Master Facade stopped him with a hand on his chest. “You stand fast, fool. For I am far from done with you.” The look Master facade gave Silver Mane was one that could freeze water on a hot summer night. “You disappoint me, Silver Mane... you disappoint me and Wild Snow both. So I fear it falls to me to clean up your mess.” Master Facade's smile warmed a few degrees but was still anything but pleasant. “Say your name,” he commanded.

Silver Mane became nervous about the odd instruction, but obeyed. No sooner than had he done so, Master Facade drove his index finger right into the young stallion’s throat.

“Thank you,” Master Facade told him, his facial features unchanging.

Wild Snow left the room noticing Mane hadn’t followed him, which was a pity because he planned to kill him in front of their captive. He entered the lower belfry and saw the mare he had chained to the wall with makeshift shackles since her fillynapping. He neared a bucket of water and drew up the ladle and swallowed a mouthful. On his second mouthful he paused a moment, swishing it around his mouth before he spit it back on Bon Bon as she tried to lap up the liquid on her shoulders and face; the first water she had received in almost thirty-six hours. But Wild Snow only allowed her a moment’s peace to do so before he pulled on a bell rope, sending a cacophonous wave of sound throughout the belfry, the sound all but deafening the mare.

Wild Snow laughed at her distress and sobs. “I love cacophony torture. Though to be honest, that isn't truly the reason I do this. The truth is I just enjoy torturing young mares. I know it's sick, but as you ponies say… everypony has to have a hobby.”

At that moment, Wild Snow sensed somepony was behind him. He turned, expecting to see Silver Mane, planning to give him a nasty hooked-nose dagger in the gut as a gift for his failure. Braxton however was waiting for Wild Snow to turn around.

Having seen all he needed to, Braxton did not hold back. He delivered a mighty blow that shattered Wild Snow's Sternum and separated his clavicles from his chest. But the human war mage had one more, and very deadly card to play; one reserved only for the most deserving. he moment Braxton's fist hit Wild Snow, it delivered a powerful electrical charge that seized up Wild Snow's nervous system, causing Wild Snow's heart to explode within his chest.

Master Facade withdrew his finger as Silver Mane stood there shocked, suddenly unable to draw breath. “You may wish to cover that if you desire to breathe Silver Mane,” he informed him dryly.

Silver Mane used his own finger to cover the hole in his throat and took a breath.

“I have one last thing to give you, young stallion.” Master facade's voice seemed to warm for a moment before dropping back to its original arctic tone as he pulled a wand from the folds of his gray robes. “Run the tip of this along the table and touch it to your wound. Do so, and it will heal you.”

In pain and in terror, suffering terribly from many physical and mental traumas, Silver Mane needed no encouragement. He ran the wand along the table as directed, leaving a small black trail on the table as the wand's tip burned the wood. Silver Mane then touched the wand to his wound but the wound itself didn't heal. Silver Mane looked to Master Facade in horror as Master Facade spoke in Silver Manes voice.

“I, Silver Mane, offer myself and my friends, Bon Bon, and Wild Snow to the hounds of hell as a feast. As recompense for our pathetic inadequacy and our failures.” Master Facade gave a warm smile even as the sound of banging on the clock tower doors could be heard as the guards demanding the doors be opened in the name of Princess Luna. Master Facade saw the portals beginning to form and he gave a truly chilling smile as he touched the ring upon his hand looking Silver Mane right in the eyes before saying to him “...Goodbye...”

Silver Mane held his finger in his throat and looked around the room in panic as the seven Hellhounds emerged from their portals. Monstrous beasts standing thirty-six inches at the shoulder, they were covered in rust-red fur with eyes of glowing crimson, each smelling of brimstone and smoke, their different soot-black markings seemed to bristle upon their fur. As the horrified stallion watched, each mouth dripped with saliva that burned upon the stone floor of the bell tower as they opened their maws to mouthfuls of sharp soot-black teeth.

The Hellhounds gave pause for but a moment as the wand in Silver Mane’s hand snapped, completely spent. The Hell hounds dog piled upon Silver Mane, eating him alive as his screams were slowly silenced in the puffs of fire and demonic growls. When each had tasted of Silver Manes flesh and his soft internal organs, two Hellhounds gave an eerie hollow-toned howl that announced to the fleeing pray that the hunt was on.

Outside, Dark Star and Midnight Oil gave a full-body shiver as their short cropped manes stood on end, each taking an involuntary step back, their wings flaring for immediate escape. Dark Star turned to his partner and said, “I think this just became much higher than our pay grade.”

“Yes,” Midnight Oil squeaked, his sword trembling in his grasp.

“Get Princess Luna?” Dark Star suggested, starting to slowly back away from the door.

“Princess Luna,” Midnight Oil parroted, quickly doing the same.

A second bay brought them out of their conference circle as they both said “Now!” and raced back to Canterlot to get Princess Luna.

Dr. Horse had just extracted Onyx Fire off the bed post when her heard the howl cut through the night. Neither stallion had been very talkative other than to complain about how much it hurt and where, as well as what they planned to do to the stallions that did this to them. But their tongues loosened when the doctor gave them morphine injections, and when pressed, their story started out as being ambushed by ten stallions the size of Big Mcintosh, then it became five frisky mares belonging to a slumber party that had gotten out of hoof. When told both seemed unlikely, the two stallions settled on gotten into a drunken brawl with well trained celestial guards from Canterlot, though with the drugs taking effect, they could only answer very sluggishly, seemingly unaware how ridiculous they sounded.

Dr. Horse could only roll his eyes at their shifting explanations while Sapphire Moonlight coughed “bat guano” into her hand, only to have her hoof stomped on by Twinkle Diamond. She gave her partner a ‘bitch would you please?’ look, but Sapphire Moonlight could tell Twinkle Diamond not only agreed with the sentiment, she was trying her hardest to look serious and not fall over laughing at the two stallion troublemakers, when it was more than obvious that ONE being had handed them their testicles.

“Dr. Horse, when Princess Luna arrives she is going to want to ask them a few questions,” Twinkle Diamond pointed out. “When may she?”

Dr. Horse just shook his head. “lt depends on when these two stallions get out of surgery and how fast the morphine wears off, ” he said before lighting his horn and levitating the pair. “As I’m sure you can tell, they’re not going to be giving coherent answers before that,” he informed them with another eye roll before teleporting away with his two patients.

Just then the howls sounded again. “Okay, let’s find out where the others are and if they’ve found anything. Those bays make me nervous,” Twinkle Diamond said to Sapphire Moonlight.

“You said it. I just hope the rookies are alright” Sapphire Moonlight said with shiver, concerned for her inexperienced guardspony stallions.

“Me too. We will have to come back later to search the scene more carefully. I just hope the mare that lives here is alright.” Twinkle Diamond agreed as they marked Lyra's house with crime scene tape and took flight again into the night.

His heart disintegrating gruesomely within in his own chest, Wild Snow was dead before he had hit the floor.

Braxton began to pat his victim down with sudden haste as he heard the first bay of the hellhounds, recognizing them for what they were—a very real threat, even to him. Thankfully he found what he was after quickly, pulling the keys to Bon Bon's shackles free of a pocket. Braxton swiftly unlocked them and scooped the terrified mare up into his arms he heard the hellhounds coming toward the belfry, knowing he had to think fast.

Braxton uttered some words under his breath and instantly, both he and Bon Bon began to be surrounded in a fire of soft blue flame that was cool to the touch of both. “It’s okay. I’m here to save you,” Braxton assured the trembling and still gagged mare who clung to him as he made his way up the belfry’s stairs, knowing he had to get those hellhounds in a line for his next plan to work.

It was a race, and one Braxton was initially losing as the first hound made it to the belfry door barely three feet behind him. The slavering beast barked, but as it did so, fire shot from its mouth, hitting the stairs and setting the wooden risers ablaze and cutting off their quarry’s retreat. The second hound then closed in, passing right through the fire without harm—as did a third and the fourth. Seeing Braxton retreating deeper into the bell tower, the fifth hellhound tried jumping at him as he made his way up the stairs, but his jaws only snapped shut on Braxton's displacement, breathing fire and smoke as its teeth found only empty air.

His illusion spent, the sixth hellhound pounced, having a clear shot at Braxton, slowed by Bon Bon’s added weight as he was. This time, the Hellhound’s jaws came down on Braxton’s arm as he used it to shield Bon Bon from getting hurt, but his razor-sharp teeth didn’t penetrate his enchanted leather and mail vambrace and couldn’t find any purchase as Braxton backhanded the Great Dane sized animal back down to his packmates, who then released great gouts of flame as one.

Bon Bon tried to scream in terror through her gag, expecting the hellish fire that the infernal beasts breathed to consume them, but the blue flames that swirled and danced around upon their skin did not let one lick of heat touch them. The lead Hellhound then leaped but went low, trying to take Braxton out at the legs to bring him down so its brethren could have a chance. The hound made his jump to the open platform but only hit the bricks as Braxton had moved out of the way a little further up the belfry tower stairs, but allowed them to remain in striking range, seemingly trying to get them to rush him, one of their wild swipes managing to dislodge Bon Bon's gag enough for her to give coherent speech once more.

“ARE YOU CRAZY??? WE ARE DEAD! THEY ARE--” Bon Bon screamed in panic and fear, not wanting to die even though her rescuer seemed to have a death wish. He then spoke calmly, his voice quieting her storm of panic and fear.

“Right where I want them,” Braxton said with a thin grin and lowered his hand, pointing it at the hellhounds as they prepared for their final charge, having finally cornered their fleeing prey. As Braxton uttered another series of words, a cone of visible extreme cold erupted from his extended hand. The eighteen-foot diameter cone was funneled further by the belfry stairs, enhancing its effect in the closed space and adding to its already ninety-foot effective range, dousing the fire started by the Hellhounds even at the base of the stairs.

Hemmed in by the walls and narrow stairwell, the hellhounds had no way of escaping the devastating spell and were slain almost instantly, their internal fires doused as they stood as eerie statues for just a moment before they shattered like hot glass dipped in cold water. Their shards rained down to the floor, and even those soon crumbled to dust and left only a small stain of soot and the smell of brimstone behind. The stairwell, however, looked as though it was carved from ice until it, too, began to thaw and the wood splintered and collapsed, leaving Braxton and Bon Bon only one way to go.

Outside, two elite thestral stallion guardsponies and Princesses Luna appeared outside of the bell tower just as snarling sounds of the hellhounds were abruptly ended with puffs of cold vapor appearing from cracks in the belfry walls. Twinkle Diamond and Sapphire Moonlight landed next after spotting Luna teleporting to the location where their two comrades. They had no time to explain what they’d already seen before there was a loud crashing sound that caused the elite guardsponies to link their shields.

“Follow me, my loyal Lunar Guard!” Princess Luna ordered as she entered the base of the belfry, sensing unfamiliar magic and a decidedly evil aura, covering her guardsponies with her own power. Nevertheless, her escort entered with swords drawn in a two-by-two formation as they’d been trained, with the rear pair lowering their spears over the right and left edges of the forward guards’ shields as they moved in as a unit.

Upon reaching the darkened antechamber the two thestral stallion guardsponies wished they hadn't been so eager for action, their keen senses recognizing the smell and sight of blood, even in the nearly-nonexistent light. But it was only when Luna used a light spell that all the guards were overcome by the sight of a pony that had been not just butchered but also torn to pieces by large predators; the odor of blood and excrement from voided bowels hung in the air like a thick cloud.

“Proceed cautiously,” Luna directed, seemingly unaffected by the sight herself. She could see the tracks of large four-legged creatures leading out to the belfry hall and the sight there was little easier to take in, finding a second dead pony, this one looking like something big had hit him and crushed his chest, his rib cage visibly caved in in places or looking like it had burst outward in others, pieces of bone visible and sticking outwards in places.

“Curious…” was all Luna could say as her trailing Guardsponies tried valiantly not to become ill, wondering what other horrors yet awaited them and if they had a chance against them. “I am not familiar with this form of magic,” she noted as she then beckoned her escorts onward into the belfry stairwell, where they found piles of soot as well as the scorch marks upon the walls and the stairs that impossibly now held a thin sheen of ice on them. But the most unnerving thing was the evidence that a pony had been manacled here. It was then Luna heard voices coming from the very top of the bell tower.

“Princess…?” Sapphire Moonlight called out, her ears pivoting to the source of the sound, trying not to let her voice tremble as it was threatening to, wondering what other nightmares awaited them… or if she was forever going to be having nightmares after all they’d already seen that night.

“I heard it. Be on your guard,” she ordered, then led them up.

Now safe at the top of the bell tower, Braxton took the time to look over Bon Bon as she quietly sobbed in his arms after all the adrenaline and fear had gone “It's over Bon Bon... you’re safe now...” Braxton took a deep breath himself, letting his combat high ebb, feeling a hint of trembling in his own body from it. “Here, dear mare. Drink this slowly. But don't gulp it or you will throw it back up,” he warned her gently as Bon Bon looked on in amazement as her rescuer held out his hand and a globe of water seemed to materialize itself out of thin air and levitate over to her.

Still in shock, Bon Bon was afraid to drink it so he did so to prove it was safe, leaning in to take a small sip from the sphere. Having had very little to eat or drink for the past two days, this was all the encouragement she needed, immediately reaching in for it. After taking some tentative sips and finding it extremely cool and refreshing, even nourishing, she began to starting trying to gulp it down but Braxton moved the sphere out of her reach from within his arms.

“I said slowly, Bon Bon. If you drink too fast, you will vomit. And I don't want you losing what your body is screaming for,” he chided her gently. Once she had nodded her understanding, Braxton lowered the sphere once more and Bon Bon drank slowly till she had her fill. “There you go. Come on, let us get you home,” he gave the mare a soft smile

“Thank you, but… how do you know my name and where I live? ” Bon Bon asked with trepidation, still not entirely convinced she was safe.

“Lyra told me of your plight and I felt I could aid her,” Braxton stated simply as he stood up looking out over the town from the bell tower. “She was most concerned about you. Even willing to die if it would save you. But I will allow her to tell that part of the tale, so shall we go?” he offered her a hand to help her up.

She accepted it, and climbed to her hooves shakily. “B-but how are we going to get down? The stairs are gone,” Bon Bon stated flatly. “M-maybe we should call for help?”

Braxton smiled as he holds up a small leather loop in his fingertips, showing it to her. The leather loop disintegrateD and Braxton stepped off the side of the clock tower edge but doesn’t fall—instead he offered his hand to Bon Bon. “Going down, good mare,” Braxton says with a warm smile.

Bon Bon looked down over the edge to see her savior was really floating in the air, and all without a unicorn horn! “How are you doing that?”

Braxton merely winked at her and said, “It’s a kind of magic. And forgive me, my good mare, but where are my manners? I am Braxton Zeddmoore, at your service,” He bowed low as he hovered.

For the first time a week, Bon Bon found a reason to giggle. She took Braxton's hand he wrapped his arms around her and as she stood on his feet he lowered himself and her to the ground, beginning to lead her back to Lyra's house.

After casting an invisibility spell on herself, Luna reached the top of the tower only to find it empty.

She knew she had heard voices and after looking around but finding nothing but a strange mixture of ice, soot and scorch marks, she half-wondered if Celestia was playing a prank on her—or maybe Princess Twilight—only to immediately recall the corpses she left downstairs. Then she caught sight of a strange being walking next to one of her little ponies on the ground outside. She teleported to the bottom of the belfry tower and told two of her Lunar Guardsponies to secure the scene, beckoning the other two to come with her as she flew out after the unusual pair.

Unaware they were being followed, Bon Bon saw the splintered door of Lyra’s house and immediately became worried again, but Braxton told her the door was his doing and that he should make a sweep of the house first, telling her to stay close. Bon Bon agreed, following close on his heels, horrified by the ransacked interior as the entered. But Braxton realized the the house was just as he left it save for the scent of disinfectant and a few extra hoofprints in the dusty floor. From the smell of rubbing alcohol, he reasoned a doctor had been there, more than likely Dr. Horse since no smell of perfume was present. The good Stallion must have come at the guards’ behest, he reasoned as he completed his search of the structure and pronounced it safe.

“Where’s Lyra, Braxton?” Bon Bon asked, growing nervous that her friend hadn't responded to her voice.

“Take a seat on the couch, Bon Bon. I had to put her someplace to keep her safe. A place only I can access,” Braxton explained, whispering something to the door that would have lead into the bathroom.

Entering it and closing it behind her, Braxton made his way back to where he had laid Lyra down to rest and found her still asleep. He woke her gently with a light shake, calling to her softly. Somewhat blearily she opened her eyes and rubbed them, seeing Braxton as well as a bedroom she didn't recognize.

“Wha… where am I, Braxton?” Lyra asked looking around the room in some wonder.

Braxton chuckled warmly. “Forgive me, but that must remain my secret for now. You may ask me again sometime, but for now, just know it has served its purpose. My work is done, but allow me to see you home.” Braxton got up out of Lyra's way and escorted her out of his sanctuary.

Lyra turned her head back as she saw the door close behind them, noting Braxton had picked up a pack that was placed by the door. “You are going to have to tell me where I spent the night one day,” she told him, still looking back over her shoulder at Braxton as she spoke.

“Perhaps I will, but judging from her look she doesn’t want to wait another day,” said Braxton with a slightly wry tone, pointing behind Lyra with a warm smile.

“LYRA!” “BON BON!” both mares said simultaneously as they rushed to hold each other, crying tears of joy. Braxton let them have their moment, just checking his pack straps, pausing only to smile at the heartfelt reunion. He was just about to leave when Lyra grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into her, kissing him deeply, tears of joy streaming down her face. Her actions took all present, which now included Braxton, Bon Bon, two night watch guard mares and even Princesses Luna by total surprise.

“Well. That was unexpected,” Braxton and Kylnn Ka' Tar said as Lyra and Braxton parted for breath.

“Yet it was so totally worth it,” Lyra said dreamily resting against Braxton in her own world for a moment before she came back to Equestria. “Wait… Braxton, what happened to my door? ...and why are the Lunar Guards here? ...Eek! And Princesses Luna!? How long have they been there?” She went instantly embarrassed over both the state of her place and the very public display.

Braxton couldn't help but laugh warmly. “Judging from the guards’ faces, I would say they arrived about the time you kissed me,” he said as he pulled his hood back to look at the newcomers. He could tell they were sizing him up but in turn he had already done the same of the first two mares, finding them but the new mare…? She was something else. She was not only considerably larger than others and possessed both a horn and wings, but he could sense great power within her, and a great deal of experience and intelligence in her gaze. Whoever she was, she was not to be trifled with, he knew instinctively.

As if sensing his thoughts, Princesses Luna stepped forward at that moment and bowed to her subjects. “Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon... may we enter your domicile?” she asked politely, though she did cast a baleful stare at Braxton.

This got both mares to look around to see if anything needed cleaning at the last second, only to realize the state of their place was such that everything now needed cleaning. “Please, Princess Luna, come in,” Lyra invited despite her flustered state and joined Bon Bon on the couch, the pair holding hands. “Um… I guess you have a lot of questions…” she offered.

“And I am more than ready to answer them,” Braxton bowed to Luna, sensing she was somebody used to such respect, sitting on the floor while she levitated a chair to her and sat down, considering him carefully.

“Questions I have, newcomer. Not the least of which is... are you friend or foe?” She steepled her hands as she considered him, her wings partially flared behind him. “And you will forgive me if, considering the carnage and mysterious magic I have encountered tonight, I will need some assurance other than your word.”

“He saved us, Princess!” Bon Bon spoke up. “He saved us both!”

“That much is clear. However… many questions remain as to what happened here, and I do not believe mere explanations will suffice…” Luna said she looked things over again. She seemed to Braxton to be weighing things carefully before she finally nodded to herself and looked to her guardsponies. “Moonlight Shadow and Twinkle Diamond, I would like to have your thoughts upon this night,” she informed them, and both guards nodded and bowed their heads to allow Luna to take the night's memories from them as a glowing white orb.

Next, Luna looked to the two mares upon the couch and asked them for their thoughts as well. “Of course, Princess…” Both Bon Bon and Lyra answered, bowed their heads to allow Luna to add their perspectives to the orb. Finally, she turned to Braxton. “As you are not our subject, we will not require this of thee, but we ask that you indulge us as a courtesy. Will you grant me access to your thoughts and memories?”

“If It will ease your concerns… certainly, Princess.” Braxton placed his hands in his lap and closed his eyes, allowing Luna’s spell to do its work but check. Truth be told, every mare in the room was sad to see him close those beautiful lapis lazuli eyes of his; even the thestrals could appreciate their cool yet piercing blue. As Luna took the sphere from Braxton, she watched as it began to fall apart til it was the size of a small triangle, but it pulsed with thought that Luna could feel. Braxton opened his eyes and said softly. “Forgive me, Princess, but I will allow you only to take my memories of this night alone. The rest will take more trust.”

“As you wish. But may we at least say you have amazing mental acuity,” an impressed Luna complemented Braxton with a respective nod of her head, amazed that he had been able to limit her mental probes thusly. Luna then held each orb to her horn a moment, closing her eyes to take in the memories before she opened them again and looked to her guards. “We see you have acted to save and help others this night, Braxton Zeddmore, seeking only to aid your new friends,” she bowed her head to him, having gleaned his name from his memories. “You are clearly an ally, but we feel our accounting for events of this evening remains incomplete, given ‘tis not clear why these ponies sought to slay young Lyra or kidnap Miss Bon Bon. Therefore, I must see the two stallions in the hospital tonight to gain more information. They are all that is left of this story.”

“You are correct, Princess. That mystery remains unsolved,” Braxton agreed. “However, I must leave you to it for now. There are many other questions I have as well, but as I am quite fatigued. With your leave, I must head back to Princess Twilight's castle for a few hours rest,” Braxton said as he stood and bowed preparing to leave.

Without thinking, Lyra hopped up from the couch as Braxton stood up taking his hand in hers as she looked up at him “Could you please… stay here with us, Braxton?”

Braxton seemed to think for a moment before answering as if weighing something. “If that is what you wish… then yes, Lyra Heartstrings. I will rest on the couch and guard your door till I can fix it on the morrow.” Doffing his travelers pack, Braxton began to take off his armor, noticing he had one hysterically laughing sword echoing in his mind as well as an audience of mares. Seeing the way they were looking at him rather intently, he grinned. “Mares… it’s my armor, not my clothes,” he stated in jest.

Red was the color of every cheek in the room as Luna and the Night guard departed for the hospital, Bon Bon retired to her room, and Lyra soon followed, but only after she stole one last look at Braxton, dearly wishing it was his clothes.

The three nocturnal mares flew to ward Ponyville general to collect the memories of the two other stallions. Upon their way Twinkle Diamond turned to Sapphire Moonlight and said, “You know I'd pay good bits to watch that stallion take his clothes off!”

“You slattern,” Sapphire Moonlight said trying to get out of her wingmare’s line of verbal fire.

“Like the bit is going to stay between your knees if he came to you naked. I bet that stallion is hung,” Twinkle Diamond said a dreamy far off look in her eye. “Wouldn’t you say, Princess?”

Luna smirked and sped up, not about to let her own guardsponies wring any gossip out of her. “As our sister would say, methinks you both have one-track minds.”

The two Thestral mares giggled like fillies for a few seconds, but had put their game faces back on as they neared the hospital for answers.