How many lovers have you made today?

by Sarcastic Brony

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, Anon, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Romance, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Human
Length: 97598

With things improving, Celestia is now interested in trying to court Anon but things are never that simple when it comes to Anon.

For Anon, so much has changed in a little amount of time. He can't really complain about it either. Things are getting better and he knows that the sisters are happy too. However, there's been a change in Celestia, it's small but it still has him questioning the reason. Did he do something wrong or could it be something else?

A special thanks to the following people:
PeerImagination, Dedicated and always ready to proofread any story I make. (c1-13)
SirReal, Countless hours of editing and refining my story. (c1-8)
Proofreading (c1-6) by Ra1nbowCrasH and Anonimous
I appreciate all the time you've invested in my stories.

Published 2018-04-01 19:10:06 UTC
Last updated 2021-09-03 13:33:03 UTC

What's come to pass

Anon drowsily opens his eyes. The soft glow of the moon fades in tandem with the rising sun. He looks over to his right and finds Celestia still snuggled up close, her head at the nape of his neck. He turns to look over at Luna, who’s nestled to his left, her head lying on his chest. Anon examines the ceiling as he watches the shadows around the corners dance and bend in response to the playful rays of morning light pouring into the room. It’s been two weeks since that night happened, the night he helped Twilight.

Anon remembers when he trudged back to Celestia’s room, exhausted over everything. How he explained to them the events of that night. To say the sisters were surprised would be putting it lightly. It took Anon the better half of a day to get across what went down with Twilight and it felt as if it took just as long for it to sink in for the sisters. The moment of truth came the day after, during breakfast. Twilight was there, and while Anon still felt sick around her, he now at least tolerated her presence.

He could see how happy this made Celestia and it filled him with the resolve to continue, even if his body protested. There were a lot of worries from both sisters, but Anon tried his best to alleviate those concerns. Celestia was easy enough, as she thought Anon only did this for her sake. It’s true that she was a big reason for why he decided to help Twilight, but she wasn’t the only reason. Luna also felt guilty over what she did and how it had inadvertently affected Anon.

Anon didn’t need to forgive her because he didn’t blame her. After everything was said and done, he felt it all worked out in the end and that was enough for him. He trusts Luna and he knows she only did it because she thought it was the right thing to do. Perhaps he didn’t agree with her methods and admitted that he didn’t want her to put herself at risk for his sake but overall he wasn’t mad at her. Tears were shed and hugs were had, as is pony tradition.

As for Twilight? Well, Anon doesn’t really know. They didn’t speak, barely made eye contact, and for the better part of the week, Anon has been busy helping Celestia with this upcoming festival. Twilight mostly talks to Celestia and leaves Anon be. At least he’s not a complete mess when she’s around anymore, so that’s a plus in his book. However, he can’t deny that he’s noticed an odd look from Twilight, as if she’s holding herself back for some reason.

What about the others? Anon hasn’t seen much of Spike. Guess he’s been spending a lot of time by himself to think things over about what he’s learned. Anon recalls briefly running into Spike once and Spike thanked him for being upfront with him and helping him back to the room. After that, he just left without saying anything else. Now, Blossom... Well, she’s still Blossom. Protecting from the shadows and asking for Anon’s help with paperwork whenever he’s available.

Bonbon and Lyra... Yeah, he hasn’t heard from them either. As far as he knows they’re still working at the store but he’s not sure anymore. He still thinks about them, and wonders often if he did the right thing. He knows he did but he hates that Bonbon had to suffer because of his choices. Anon lets out a sigh. It doesn’t matter. Everything is going better than before and that’s all he cares about. The sisters are happier than ever and the kingdom isn’t at war.

Things are a lot better than before, actually. Anon feels more at ease. He doesn’t worry about where Twilight might be or if something bad may happen. It’s weird for him to admit, but he’s enjoying the moments given to him. Even now, just being here with the sisters is nice. Hearing their soft, rhythmic breaths as they rest is calming. Just being with them is enough to make his day. He appreciates what they’ve done for him and helping them makes him feel as if he’s doing something right.

Anon can feel Celestia start to stir awake. She nuzzles into his neck slightly just before she lifts her head and gives off a yawn.

“Morning,” Celestia says drowsily.

“Morning.”

“You couldn’t sleep?” she asks.

“I slept. Just woke up early is all.”

“Mmm...” She rests her head on the nape of his neck again. “No more festival preparations,” she mumbles. “We can finally relax.”

“That’s good news.”

“What are you two doing up?” Luna growls. “Go back to sleep.”

“Sorry, but I’m already awake,” Anon says as he moves from both sisters and gets out of bed. “I’m just going to walk around for a little.”

“See you at breakfast?” Celestia asks hopefully.

“Yeah... Maybe we can do something together today? You know, the three of us?”

Celestia smiles. “That’s a lovely idea.”

“Alright, see you at breakfast,” Anon confirms before leaving the room.

Once Anon is gone, Celestia looks down to her sister, who’s trying her best to fall asleep.

“Luna... I think it’s time,” Celestia shakily says.

“Time for what?” Luna murmurs, eyes heavy.

After a moment of silence, Celestia summons the courage to speak. “I-I want to try and court Anon.”

Luna’s eyes snap open at that. She sits up on the bed to properly face her sister. “Really?”

Celestia nods. “I couldn’t ask for a better time than now. Anon has done so much for us and now I want to offer him something no one else can.”

“If that’s what you want, then go for it,” Luna says with a grin. “Remember, you lay the groundwork; then I come in for the kill.”

Celestia blushes at that. “I still can’t believe we’re doing this...”

“Don’t worry, Tia. It’ll be fine! Anon is very understanding, and I’m sure he’ll be fine with the idea of dating.”

That makes Celestia wonder.

“I hope you’re right, Lulu.”

Anon seats himself under a tree and leans against it. Man, he feels exhausted. He definitely can’t shake his introverted ways. He likes being around the sisters and all, but there’s been so much going on with the festival preparations that it’s nice whenever he can get some time to himself. He hasn’t even been dream walking, instead opting to keep to himself. Luna has been busy too, as there were a number of things she was responsible for in this festival as well. So they haven’t dream walked together in a while.

Even with all the time that’s passed and the promise Anon made to Luna, he still finds his mind wandering to Nightmare Moon. It’s weird, there are just a lot of things about her that bother him. He’s not willing to break the promise on a hunch, but maybe talking to Luna could help ease his thoughts? Perhaps she would tell him more about Nightmare Moon? It’d at least help sate his curiosity.

Anon shakes his head clear of those thoughts. Why does he even care? Nightmare Moon did horrible things and she’s being punished for what she did... At least, that’s what Anon wants to believe. Luna and Nightmare Moon had shared the punishment on the moon. Now, she’s just trapped in that void forgotten and alone. She truly has no one. Anon knows how it feels to be alone, but that pales in comparison to Nightmare’s complete isolation.

Anon snorts. Why is he humanizing her? The things she did hurt Luna and she’s getting her just desserts... For all eternity. He hates this. When he thinks about her he can’t help but empathize and realize that she’s suffered far more than he has, far more than anyone ever should. Sure, Nightmare’s actions are what caused her imprisonment, but that’s beside the point. She didn’t seem like a bad pony and that’s why Anon keeps thinking about her. It’s why he wants to understand and form his own opinion of her, despite Luna’s instructions not to.

Anon was so lost in thought he didn’t notice the sound of a pony approaching.

“A-Anon?” says a quiet, distressingly familiar voice.

Anon freezes up as it registers just who the voice belongs to... That’s Twilight. He trembles a bit but otherwise stays in control of himself.

“Yeah?” He answers nonchalantly, trying to keep his cool.

Anon looks over to see Twilight. That hesitant look is still there, even as she uncomfortably glances around, searching for anyone who could be near. She returns her gaze to Anon and he notices she is unnaturally rigid, as though at any moment she would bolt and try to put as much distance between them as possible. Looks like she shares the discomfort he feels when they’re together.

“May I speak with you?” she asks.

He doesn’t like that idea. He doesn’t like being around her; actually he all around hates this situation, but despite the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach he’ll try to play nice... If only for Celestia’s sake. It’s a struggle but Celestia has done a lot for him and he’s returning the favor. Even if his body and mind are against him.

“I’ve got the free time.”

Twilight can’t believe she’s managed to run into Anon alone. For these passing weeks she’s wanted to talk to him. There’s something significant she wants to discuss with him and it’s not something she can speak of with anyone but him. Twilight approaches Anon, making sure to keep her distance to a respectable level. She sits down to get comfortable and notices how Anon fidgets some. She’ll have to make this quick.

“Anon... I wanted to thank you.”

Thank him? That’s an odd thing for him to hear. Why would she want to do that? He decides to keep silent and let her speak her mind.

“The night you helped me... I was lost. I couldn’t think or feel anything. Everything was gone and I was afraid of what would happen to me. That’s when you came. I know you helped me as a way of protecting Luna but I am grateful for it. That’s why I’ve kept silent about what she did. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

“Um... You’re welcome?” Anon says, unsure of how to respond.

“I know that there’s no point in saying this, but I want you to know that I’m sorry for what I did in Ponyville. I should’ve been there for you like Pinkie was, but I wasn’t... Not for very good reasons but I suppose that matters little now. I don’t expect you to forgive me but I still want you to know that I deeply regret everything that happened between us and I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you.”

This is all getting a bit too weird for Anon. He’s doesn’t know what to say in return... She’s right, he’s not going to forgive her and her apology means nothing to him. However, she is trying and that’s a good thing, right? All of this is complicated; what he wants for himself versus what he wants for Celestia is the center of an intense conflict within him. So, he decides to stay silent.

Twilight notices how tense Anon has become. She’s not surprised. He doesn’t know what to say to her, not like she’d have the answers if the tables were reversed, so she decides to talk about one of the main reasons she wanted to speak with him. Something that’s been grating on her mind for a while.

“Anon, there’s one last thing I’d like to talk to you about.” She takes a moment to gather her thoughts as she tries her best to look him in the eyes, but every so often she has to avert her gaze before unsteadily returning it. “I-I’d like for you to help me with something.”

This is becoming too much for Anon. This has got to be the longest he’s ever spent near Twilight and it’s taking its toll. He can feel the sickness rising but he’ll persevere, if only out of curiosity.

“You want my help?”

She nods. “It took me some time to realize it, but you’re not the only one I’ve hurt. I want to make amends with those I’ve wronged.”

Hmm... This is somewhat interesting for Anon to hear. He thinks back on Gilda and her story about how Rainbow Dash turned her back on her. It’s not surprising to hear that Twilight has hurt others, but still, why would she need his help?

“Why are you asking me of all people to help you?”

Alright, Twilight feels as if she’s making some headway right now. Anon is at least willing to hear her out. She was sure he’d just ignore her or even walk away.

“Well, the first pony I’d like to speak with is Trixie.”

“You know Trixie?” He sits up slightly, lifting an eyebrow.

“No! Well, yes... It’s complicated.” Twilight dejectedly paws at the ground. “Do you want to hear the story?”

As much as he doesn’t want to be here, he can’t deny that she has his interest. So for now, he’ll stomach his revulsion and hear what she has to say.

“I’m listening.”

Celestia and Luna are in the royal bathhouse as they bathe, both deep in thought. Since they woke up they’d been thinking over various ideas for approaching Anon. Not many have stuck and as time goes on decent ideas have become few and far between.

“Is there no other option!?” Celestia finally cries, exceptionally frustrated.

“Just ask him?” Luna offers.

“I can’t just ask him, Luna.”

“Perhaps we are complicating things too much. Why not just be upfront?”

Celestia rolls her eyes. “Anon may be understanding but you know he’s easily spooked by new things. Especially when they are so brazenly thrown in his face! No, this must be broached delicately.”

Luna can’t really argue with that, as she has no idea how Anon will react to this situation. “I suppose you’re right.” She rests her head upon her hooves. “So then, dear sister, how should we go about this?”

“Why not just spend time with him as you would normally but in various romantic settings?” a new voice suggests.

“Well, that’s better th-” Celestia looks over to her right to see Cadance in the bath with them. “Cadance?!” Celestia blinks a couple of times, “When did you get here?”

Cadance chuckles at that. “I’ve been here for awhile. You two were so absorbed in your plans for courting Anon that you didn’t even notice me enter.”

“How much have you heard?” Luna asks, disturbed that she allowed herself to be so easily caught off guard.

“Just that you want to woo Anon.” Cadance flashes Celestia a winning smile. “I’ve known how you felt since the party. I’m happy to hear that you’re finally going after him.”

A blush explodes across Celestia’s face. “You knew the entire time?”

Cadance’s smile widens. “I have to say, your raw love energy for him is rather amazing... Have you always felt this way about him?”

This is odd for Celestia. Not only because this is her niece but because she’s never really talked much about love until just recently with her sister. This is all still new for her and she admits that despite all her years she’s slightly blind to the whole concept.

“I believe so. I have always cared for Anon but recently it’s grown to be something… different. A feeling more intimate. It’s thanks to Luna that I have become more aware of what it is I feel.”

Cadance looks over to Luna. She appears to be somewhat ill at ease, as if she doesn’t like Cadance being here. She’s probably embarrassed.

“So you were the first to discover how you felt?”

Luna tenses. “Yes, my captain made it clear that what I was experiencing was the feeling of love.”

“Is this the first time you two have felt this way about anything?”

The two sisters nod. While they’ve both been close to others, their hearts never fluttered then the way they do now when they are around Anon. However, as Luna starts to think about this entire situation, she finds herself questioning something.

“Cadance.”

“Yes?” Cadance turns her attention to Luna.

“You know we both love Anon?”

Cadance furrows her brows, pondering where Luna meant to go with this question. “Of course. Again, the love energy from you two is so potent. It’s almost painful to be around.”

“So, you understand we intend to make a herd with him?”

“I’m no prude, Aunty,” Cadance responds with a chuckle. “I’m all for you both sharing your love with one creature. Love is complicated and I’d never condemn you for wanting to be happy. It makes sense, considering the circumstances.”

Luna remembers what Anon told her about Cadance. She’s still somewhat upset by that but she can’t deny that Cadance has nothing but the purest intent in mind. Considering she’s young and in love with her own partner, perhaps she could prove useful?

“Why?” Celestia chimes in. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but don’t you have other business to worry about?”

“I’m done with my training for the most part.” Cadance then feels her smile fade a bit. “I’ll be honest. I feel a bit guilty about some things I said to Anon during his party.”

This is news to Celestia. “What did you tell him?”

Cadance’s eyes sorrowfully fall to the surface of the water. “I told him that Twilight was in shambles and he should forgive her. I was insensitive to him and his plight, all because of what I wanted for Twilight.” Cadance drags her gaze back up to Celestia. “I’m sorry for not having listened to you, Aunty... I should’ve kept my muzzle out of it.”

Cadance hangs her head low, but is surprised when she feels her aunt wrap her wings around her and pull her to her chest.

“It’s alright, Cadance.” Celestia whispers. “I know it must have been hard to see Twilight in so much pain.” Cadance’s eyes water as she remembers that night Twilight and her talked in the park. “However, things are better now, are they not?”

“They are.” Cadance nods.

Celestia leans back and brushes away Cadance’s tears with a wing. “Come now, there is no need for tears.” She smiles warmly at her niece, Cadance returning the smile with cheer. “So, you wish to help us court Anon?”

Cadance brings her hoof to her aunt’s. “If you would allow me.”

Celestia looks over to her sister. “Luna?”

Luna just sighs as she shakes her head. “Fine. I guess we could use the help.”

That mood in the room lightens immediately as Cadance takes a second to compose herself.

“Very well, so where do we begin?” Celestia asks.

“How about you tell me more about Anon?” Cadance confidently replies.

That was an interesting story for Anon to hear. Well, interesting isn’t the word he’d use. Upsetting is a pretty good word to describe what Twilight told him. Trixie is a lovely mare and hearing about how mistreated she was in Ponyville angers him. Sure, she’s eccentric and egotistical but that’s what a magician is supposed to be. The fact that she was blamed for what two stupid kids did is absurd! Not to mention that her home was destroyed and no one so much as blinked.

“I know it’s horrible.” Twilight says, attempting to calm Anon. “This is why I have to talk to her. I’ve done so much wrong and now I want to make things right.”

As much as Anon hates this... He can’t speak for Trixie. It’s her decision whether she wants to see Twilight or not. Might as well take a page from Blossom’s book.

“I don’t know where she lives but I do know she visits my shop often. You’ll meet her there sooner or later,” Anon proposes.

Well, that should be that but Anon notices that Twilight’s still sitting here. Not only that but that hesitant expression has reappeared as she rubs one forehoof over the other. This can’t be a good sign.

“I... um... I was wondering if you would come with me? As a favor.” she asks.

That was the very last thing Anon was expecting to hear from her. It’s one thing to be this close to her for as long as he has but now she wants him to accompany her on this quest of amends? What could she possibly be thinking?

“Why?” He asks, voice low and drawn out.

Twilight gets why he’s hesitant. The last thing he wants to do is be alone with her after what she did in Ponyville, but she has a good reason for why she wants him there.

Twilight rubs a foreleg against the other, her gaze resting squarely on the ground. “I don’t want to do this alone. I know you hate me, but... but that’s why I need you. Even if it hurts me, you’d tell me what I’m doing wrong.” She looks to the grass as she digs her hoof into the dirt. “It hasn’t been easy since you helped me. Not even before then. Everyone trots carefully around me, treating me as though I’ll break if they say one negative thing.” She then peers into Anon’s eyes. “That’s not what I need right now. I want to become better. I have to become better. Even if it hurts.”

Twilight wants him to help her because he’s capable of hurting her? It makes sense to some degree but Anon isn’t too sure about this. If he agrees, he’ll be alone with Twilight. If he denies her, then who knows what could happen. She could become worse. Or perhaps it won’t matter either way. Then there’s Trixie... Does Anon really want to leave her alone with Twilight?

Anon runs a hand through his hair, unaware of the sweat breaking from his skin. Dammit, he doesn’t want what he suffered to happen to anyone else. Even if there’s only a slim chance of something happening again, that there was a chance at all was all the reason to be wary. He doesn’t like this but it’s something he must do. Then again, it never hurts to have a little insurance.

“As long as Blossom is with me,” Anon concludes, his tone brooking no argument.

“Blossom?” Twilight tilts her head slightly in confusion.

Blossom falls from the tree Anon was leaning against and lands beside him. Twilight jumps back in fright as she didn’t expect another pony to be there... Wait a second. As Twilight eyes this pony, she instantly recognizes her. It’s the thestral she ran into once!

“Captain Blossom,” Twilight whispers.

“You knew I was here?” Blossom asks Anon, ignoring Twilight.

“I always know when you’re around.” Anon then reaches over and flicks her nose. “Also, stop coming into the royal bath house. It creeps me out knowing you’re there watching me.”

“When the sisters aren’t there I have to protect you. Especially when you’re at your most vulnerable,” she asserts with a smirk.

“At least take a bath with me. It’s a lot less awkward.” Anon then turns to Twilight. “This is Blossom. She’s my personal guard.”

Twilight’s eyes rapidly flick between the two. “How long have you been there?”

“The entire time,” both Blossom and Anon answer.

“Oh...”

“I’ll only entertain your favor if Blossom can come,” Anon declares, deciding to get back on track.

Twilight fully understands why Anon would do this yet she can’t fight the embarrassment from having another pony hear what she plans to do.

“I-I’m alright with her coming.”

Anon glances at Blossom. “You good?”

Blossom shrugs. “I just follow you. If you want to help her then that’s your business.”

Anon leans against the tree again and closes his eyes for a moment.

“I’d like some time to reflect on this. Even with Blossom on the table this is rather out of the blue for me.”

“I understand. I have a few other things I’d like to take care of before leaving the castle anyway.” Twilight stands up. “Send me a message if you accept. We can talk about what to do after that.”

Without another word, Twilight leaves Anon alone with Blossom. The guard watches Twilight leave and makes sure she’s gone before turning her attention to Anon.

“You going to take her up on that favor?”

“I don’t know, Blossom.”

“This for the sisters?” she guesses.

“A little, but you heard Twilight’s story... There are others out there and I don’t like the idea of leaving them alone with Twilight.”

Blossom feels a large smile grow on her face. She crouches down low and suddenly pounces onto Anon’s face, hugging the panicking human and burying his face in her stomach.

“Oh, you!”

“Blossom get off me!” A muffled voice shouts past her fur, Anon attempting to peel the furry nuisance from his face.

“You’re so cute when you care about others!”

Anon tries to get Blossom off his face but she’s really strong. He just falls onto his back in defeat, lying on the grass. He’s disgusted by even the idea of being with Twilight for an extended period of time, but knowing Blossom will be there calms him... Man, he needs to consider whether or not this is worth doing. Then again, does he have a choice?

Author's Note

It's finally here! I hope you guys enjoy the epic continuation of the "How many-verse".

Knowing the differences

Anon is lost in his thoughts as he walks toward the dining hall with Blossom in tow. Neither of them have uttered a single word since they left the gardens. It’s not like there’s anything to say. For the most part, Anon has been dwelling on what Twilight has asked of him. He can’t wrap his head around that mare one bit, not that he cares to try. Even he can’t deny being curious as to why she wants his help, though. A small snort escapes him. He can’t allow his curiosity to put him in harm's way. One lapse in judgment could wind up putting him into a situation he’ll regret.

Anon sets his jaw. This strange turn of events has his mind racing. Why does she want him to help her so badly? Why does he care about what would happen to others if he were to ignore her?

“You know, I’m here for you if you want to chat,” Blossom finally speaks up.

He considers her offer. Ever since he and Blossom had opened up to each other about their respective situations, he’d had a very easy time speaking his mind with her; sometimes even more so than with the sisters.

“Why am I considering Twilight’s offer? Why not just cut her loose completely and ignore her?”

Blossom chuckles upon hearing that. She and Anon have been getting to know each other a lot more lately and Blossom freely admits that she enjoys his company. Through their time shared together, Blossom found familiarity with Anon. In many ways he reminds her of Sweeps, and it’s heartwarming to hear him ask things that he would’ve asked.

“Anon. You trust me, right?” Blossom asks.

“Yeah,” Anon says with no hesitation.

“We can be honest with one another?”

“Of course.” Anon raises an eyebrow, not knowing where Blossom is going with this.

“Anon, I think you hate seeing good ponies get hurt. I believe it’s in your nature to protect others, even if you’re hurt in the process.”

Anon takes a moment to let that sink in. Him, a protector? She must be kidding.

“Come on, Blossom.” Anon shakes his head some. “Me, a protector?”

“Let me ask you something,” Blossom says. “Why is it a far fetched idea that you protect others?”

Anon thought it was apparent, but as he looks over at Blossom, he can tell from her face and the tone that she’s serious.

“Really? I hurt everyone I know, Blossom: Bonbon, Lyra...” Anon grits his teeth. “Even Luna. Just being her friend is enough to make her do stupid things.”

Blossom recalls their conversation about how Luna spoke with Spike about what Twilight did in Ponyville and that in turn had forced Anon’s hand in making sure Celestia didn’t find out about what she did.

“She did it―”

“For my sake,” Anon interrupts. Sighing, he comes to a stop. “That’s why I hate it so much.”

The two of them fall into silence as they stand in the hallway. Neither of them are sure what to say. Blossom wants to tell Anon all about Luna’s feelings for him and why she went so far and yet she can’t betray the princess’ trust. Even if Anon knew, Blossom has a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t make him feel at all better.

“Anon, do you know how I choose who gets accepted into the knights?” The perplexity on Anon’s face is as good an answer as any. “I choose them based on pain.”

“Pain?” Anon repeats.

“Pain,” Blossom confirms. “Pain is something we all understand, Anon.” Sauntering over to a nearby window, the Captain wistfully observes the castle grounds. “Every creature has felt it at some point in their life, and I pick the recruits who have endured the greatest amount without breaking. I think you can hazard a guess as to why.” Anon maintains his silence, opting to join Blossom in staring out over Canterlot. “Pain is what allows living beings to empathize with those in need of help; because there was a moment in that being’s life where they cried out for help, and no one answered their plea. These are the ones who are ready to drop everything and come running to help their fellows whenever they call.”

Anon wishes to scoff but remains silent. Where were these creatures when he needed help? He was alone for so long and it was only Celestia that really did any saving back then. Still, hearing how adamant and straightforward Blossom is being is enough to keep him listening.

“You have that same mentality, Anon; it’s just buried beneath all of your fear. You hate to see good creatures coming to harm, so you weigh any and all options available to reach the best outcome. It’s why you pushed your business partners away to save their relationship. It’s why you helped Spike and why you’re considering helping Twilight now, despite everything she put you through. Because deep down, by helping her, you’re helping Celestia and that means more to you than your own wellbeing.”

Grimacing, Anon returns to peering out the window. It’s like Blossom knows just the right words to get under his skin.

“You’re wrong,” Anon mumbles.

Blossom continues down toward the dining hall.

“We all hate ourselves, Anon; it’s why we have friends at our side to remind us of the good we have inside of us.”

Anon takes a slow breath in as he lets that sink in for a moment. He hates her sometimes.

“You’re not cool just because you say something meaningful and walk away!” Anon shouts.

Blossom turns back at him with a smirk on her face. “Whatever you say, Stud.”

The three Royal Princesses made their way to the dining hall. The three of them have discussed a lot, and Celestia has tried her best to commit everything to memory. What her niece brought to the table has indeed proven insightful, and now both sisters feel as if they have a hoof to lead with. Though Celestia is still flustered by some of the suggestions, such as being more flirtatious with Anon when they are alone, complimenting how he looks, or describing traits that she likes about him.

Celestia blushes just thinking about some of them. She has no idea how this will turn out, but it’s worth a try. There were also a few other suggestions made: being more playful with him, nuzzling him more often, bumping him slightly as they walk, things of that nature. Cadance suggested going slow with Anon after hearing a bit more about him. She worried that being too forward would scare him away. So no seduction tactics just yet; those would come later, if all else failed.

Cadance did praise her aunts for getting Anon to be more comfortable around them in the nude, even if she didn’t fully understand his aversion to the entire thing. All she saw it as was a small step in bringing her aunts closer to Anon. That’s another thing; it was recommended that Luna hang back during this process and prepare herself to successfully form a herd with Anon later. Again, his skittish nature would only harm any chances for a relationship if he felt pressured into one.

Luna was willing to accept this, as it was part of the original plan. With the details set, the three of them were much more confident. They still feel butterflies, but at least they no longer feel as ignorant as they were before.

“So, we’ve gone over a lot. I’ll give you two some time to digest all this information. If you need to ask me anything, don’t hesitate to find me. For now, Shining and I are on our way to take Twilight out for breakfast,” Cadance says with a smile.

That’s news to Celestia.

“Oh? It’s nice knowing that my student isn’t cooped up in the castle. Is this a regular thing?” Celestia asks.

“Not really. It wasn’t an easy sell, but she eventually accepted our offer. I want to help Twilight get out into public a bit more. Maybe it will help with her social problems.”

“That is a nice thought, Cadance. Just try not to push her too far, will you?”

“I know Auntie, it won’t be a problem. I’ll see you two later.”

Celestia waves a farewell as Cadence walks down another hallway. Luna, for the most part, has kept to herself, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Celestia.

“Luna, is something bothering you?”

“Just taking a moment to think over what we’ve discussed.” Luna huffs. “I’ll be honest, I am worried that Anon may not be interested in us.”

Yes, this is a doubt Celestia is all too familiar with. It has been bothering her for a while now. Sure they’re friends, but Anon still has a long way to go before he breaks from his shell. The simple act of being naked around another was abhorrent to him when he first arrived, so what of dating another species? Celestia knows little about Anon’s world and how human society views these things. Not only that, but Celestia is still anxious Anon may accept her advances not out of love, but obligation.

“I have concerns as well, Lulu.” Celestia rests her wing on her sister’s back. “But we are in this together, right?”

Luna stands tall with newfound determination. “Of course, Tia. Together...”

That gets a smile from Celestia. “Let’s not keep Anon waiting, then. I’m sure he’s already at the dining hall as we speak.”

“Checkmate,” Blossom says with a cocky grin.

Anon is glaring at the board with an unwavering gaze. No matter how long he sits there thinking over what happened, he can’t figure out how it could’ve ended this way. Unable to comprehend where he went wrong, he flips the board. He has no idea how she managed to do that, for the tenth time. Blossom is like the pony version of Bobby Fischer!

“You cheated!” he exclaims. “I don’t know how, but I know you did!”

“Stop being a foal. No need to throw a hissy fit just because you lost.” Blossom’s grin remains as she spares the human a sly glance, brushing a stray pawn from her lap. “I guess you’re not as bright as you pretend to be. Maybe Go Fish is your type of game?”

Anon is shaking in pure rage as he gives her the dirtiest scowl he can muster. This does nothing more than make Blossom giggle. Anon takes a second to calm down a bit, and once he does, he notices the room is still terribly empty.

“The sisters are taking their sweet time,” Anon mutters.

“You worried?”

“No, just wondering if I have time to take a bath before they get here.”

Blossom looks at Anon with a raised brow and smirk. “Hmm? Want me to join you?”

That makes Anon scoff. “Why even ask? You’d just watch me like a creeper anyway.”

Blossom shrugs. “I will admit I find your anatomy to be rather interesting.”

That remark is enough to get a blush from Anon. “Don’t get any funny ideas.”

Hearing that only makes Blossom smirk. “Funny ideas? From the blush on your face, it seems to be quite the contrary. Are you thinking naughty thoughts about me, Nonny?” she teases.

“Just... Can we change the subject?”

Blossom rolls her eyes. “You’re too easy to tease, Anon.” The both of them go silent for a moment before Blossom asks, “So how long do humans last in bed, anyways?”

Just before Anon can lose it, the door to the dining hall opens. Celestia stands there as she scans over the place. Anon is there at the table with a red face, Luna’s captain sitting across from him. A chessboard lays on the floor with all the pieces scattered about as well. What is going on here?

“Are we interrupting something?” Celestia asks.

Anon realizes that he left a bit of a mess after his last match with Blossom. “Things got a bit heated.”

Anon is about to get out of his seat but finds that Luna had already picked everything up in her magic and set it back on the table.

“I assume Blossom beat you?” she deduces, approaching the table with a grin.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Anon replies, pretending the loss didn’t bother him.

Luna giggles at that. “I’m not surprised. I’ve played against her more than a few times in the past.”

“Did you ever win?”

Luna shakes her head with a small smile. “Not once. She’s very good at it. Ironic, considering I was the one who introduced the game to her.”

Blossom gives a short bow. “Thank you for the compliment, Princess.” She gets out of her seat and takes a small step away from the table. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to head back to work. I wouldn’t wish to disturb your meal.”

Celestia can only look between Luna’s captain and Anon. She’s surprised by how quickly Anon has taken to trusting this pony, but she’s happy that Anon is comfortable. Any friend of his is undoubtedly a pony worth getting to know.

“You don’t have to go,” Celestia speaks up. “It is no bother to me.”

Luna examines her sister before her attention falls to her captain. She has a hunch her sister has taken an interest in Blossom. It’s not surprising, seeing as Anon and her have grown somewhat close since they’ve met. This brings solace to Luna, knowing that her most trusted captain is not only protecting Anon but perhaps even coming out of her own shell. For a while now Blossom has mostly been stuck in the barracks doing work, a side that Luna never knew personally because Blossom was once very social when her partner was alive.

Luna shakes those dark thoughts away. She’s glad it’s worked out so well, and that she doesn’t have to have to worry about Anon when she’s not around.

“You know I don’t mind the company, Captain,” Luna encourages as she faces Blossom.

“...I guess I have the free time,” Blossom concedes, taking her seat.

With that out of the way, both sisters take their seats beside Anon, one at each side. However, Blossom takes notice of the fact that Celestia is sitting uncomfortably close to Anon. In fact, she’s all but leaning against him. This is something that Anon is keenly aware of. Celestia is pressing against him so much that he’s now pushed against Luna.

“I-Is everything alright?” Anon stammers.

Celestia, for the most part, is enacting the first phase of Cadance’s plan, doing small things to get Anon comfortable with her being close. She has to start somewhere and this felt like a good time as any.

“I just feel a bit cold is all,” Celestia lies.

Weird, but indeed not the strangest thing Anon has experienced. It honestly feels pretty hot in here but then again that’s probably due to the fact that he’s currently sandwiched between both sisters. He doesn’t understand how pony biology works but wouldn’t he get cold before Celestia did? What does he know. Alicorn physiology is complicated and there’s no point in him trying to make sense of it if that’s the case. He’s not entirely uncomfortable, so he’s willing to let whatever this is happen without complaint.

“Get comfortable, I guess.”

Thanks to her sister’s initiative, Anon is firmly pressed against Luna. The night princess receives a knowing smirk from her captain which causes her eyes to widen as her heart starts to race. It’s hard for Luna to control herself with Anon as close as he is. Adding to that the fact that her sister is finally taking steps in the courting process, some excitement swells within her as well. Celestia is faring no better right now: her face is so red that her blush is even starting to creep down her neck a bit. Luckily Anon is facing the table, otherwise, with her earlier account of being cold, he’d likely worry she was running a high fever.

It’s nice having him near. She imagines a day where she can hold him this close all the time.

“Um,” Celestia clears her throat, “Let’s enjoy our meal.”

Celestia casts a spell to call a waiter to take their orders. Despite how unusual this situation is, it’s nothing too out of the ordinary for Anon, so he’s okay with it.

Twilight is waiting at the front gate for Cadance and Shining to arrive. While she should be looking forward to the meal she is about to have, her thoughts always circle back around to what happened with Anon. He actually considered her proposal! She never thought in a thousand years he’d be willing to hear her out, let alone seriously consider what she asked of him. Twilight still isn’t clear on what drives Anon but it has to be something invaluable.

She hopes to find something like that and perhaps it awaits her at the end of this quest for redemption.

“Twilight!” calls the easily recognizable voice of her former foalsitter, breaking her from her reverie.

Cadance and Shining, upon exiting the castle, are quickly trotting over to her. She lifts a hoof and gives them a small wave.

“Hey there,” she says meekly.

“You all set?” Cadance asks.

It’s not like Twilight could plan for something like this. Other than taking a bit more time this morning to groom herself, she didn’t do much else than talk to Spike for a bit. The two of them have been slowly coming to terms with what happened. It indeed was tough to get him to listen at first but he’s thankfully calmed down a bit since then. He does tend to head out on his own a lot more, probably to think about things.

“Y-Yeah,” Twilight hesitantly replies, “Where are we headed?”

Cadance could see Twilight’s apprehension. Though it disconcerts her, she will admit Twilight looks better than she did all those weeks ago. Cadance can thank Anon for that it seems.

“Just a small restaurant around the corner. Have you eaten yet?”

Twilight shakes her head. “No. I was preoccupied with something else this morning.”

“Then this all works out. Shining and I are starving!”

Twilight hesitantly looks over to her brother. Shining, for the most part, appears indifferent, having not uttered a single word. It’s been a while since Twilight has spoken to Shining: the last she can remember was when he tried to take the ring off her horn all those months ago. The pained look on his face when she refused to let him take it off is burned into her memory. After that day, they haven’t seen each other much.

He was there when Twilight went to her parents for dinner and he did try his hardest to talk to her but Twilight knew how much it strained him. At the time she didn’t understand why Shining was acting the way he was, merely thinking his actions were because he hated her. She knows better now. Shining believes that he’s failed. Not only in his job but also protecting his family. She can see, even now, how much pain he’s in due to how he holds back from saying anything, in fear that he could break whatever little progress Twilight has made.

Twilight is also at a loss for words. This is another reason why she must undergo this task, to hopefully find the right approach to help mend their strained relationship. To tell him that she’s sorry, that she loves him and that he’ll always be her BBBFF. Right now though, it doesn’t seem as if those words have much meaning to her. He has a tremendous burden to carry and it’ll take time for her to help him. She has so many ponies that she’s wronged and the thought crosses her mind that this outing is just a waste of time. This is something she must come to terms with, the idea of taking things slowly and allowing others to take control, as opposed to her never-ending self-absorption.

“No time like the present,” Twilight says.

Cadance nods. “You’re right. We’ll have more than enough time to chat when we’re seated.”

Twilight lets Cadance and Shining take the lead as she follows behind them. An odd question hits her from nowhere: Why are Cadance and Shining together so much? Twilight decides not to dwell on that realization for too long. It’s none of her business.

Anon rests his back against the closed door to his room. It’s been some time since he’s come in here, mostly because he practically lives in Celestia’s place now but that’s not the reason why he’s returned. He needed a moment away from Celestia. She’s acting really strange and Anon can’t wrap his head around why. Usually she only acts this touchy-feely when she’s worried about him. However, the intensity certainly has been dialed up a notch. Not too much but enough for Anon to take notice. What could be bothering her so much?

Anon thinks over the week they’ve been having. Other than all the festival stuff, there hasn’t been much worth noting, so the only conclusion is that this has something to do with Twilight. Could she still be worried about his reasons for helping her? Anon tried his best to spin Celestia a believable tale on why he helped Twilight, but perhaps she doesn’t believe him. It’s not like the story was false. He may have mostly omitted Luna’s involvement but other than that it was all true. She was in his thoughts at the time but she wasn’t the main reason he helped Twilight.

So could she still be thinking about it? It wouldn’t surprise him. For the past few weeks they’ve been busy with the festival and she’s probably been holding off her concerns so she could focus on the task. Should he talk with her again? Lay everything out on the table for her? He rubs his temples in frustration. Why is this so complicated? He just wants things to start calming down, not relive what’s already passed. Then again, what if her strange mood is because she’s happy? Anon takes a moment to mull that over.

It’s certainly possible. She talks to Twilight more, doesn’t have to worry about him as much and in turn is spending more time enjoying the small things in life. Weird as that may be, this is Celestia he’s thinking about. Other than that issue, he’s not too sure what else it could be that’s driving her behavior.

“Are you ready?” Celestia calls from outside the door.

“Almost!”

He’ll just have to let things play out for now. Celestia suggested they spent time together at the park. He’s okay with that but it’s just going to be the two of them alone. Luna is staying for morning court and Blossom left to do some paperwork. Anon wanted to do something with both sisters but that’ll have to wait for another time. Maybe he’ll do something with Luna later? He shakes those thoughts away to focus. He’s going to the park; it’s a nice and simple idea. However, he does fret about running into Bonbon or Lyra. Canterlot is a prominent place, but his shop is close to the park. Chances are low they’ll be there, seeing as these are working hours, but that’s never inconvenienced fate.

Damn... This is wasting time. He needs to relax after everything that’s happened. Then again, it’s hard to break a habit.

As focused as she outwardly appears, Luna has a lot on her mind right now as she walks down the hall toward her room. She’s thinking about what her sister and Anon are up to right now. The two of them, alone in the park, snuggled up close. Different scenarios rapidly flash before her eyes―purely fantasy―but a fantasy she hopes she shall be able to indulge in someday soon. When that time comes, she too will be ready to confess how she feels to Anon. She can only hope he will come to make her the happiest mare in the world; the thought alone is enough to make her heart skip a beat.

“It’s too early for this,” an irritated voice whispers.

Luna blinks. In her excitement she all but forgot the mare locked inside of her mind. Talk about a quick way to sour the mood.

“What is it, Nightmare Moon? Does the very thought of love sicken you?” Luna gives a scoff. “It would not surprise me; I could imagine anything unrelated to misery or violence is anathema to the likes of you and your perverse depravities.”

“I find it quite humorous, in an ironic sense of course, that a parody of a mare tainted as yourself believes you deserve to be rewarded after all you’ve done.”

Luna stops in her tracks as she leers off into nothingness. “What is that supposed to mean, demon?” Luna snarls.

A small chuckle echoes in her head.

“Anon is rather upset with you, Luna. He may not have said it aloud, but you saw how disgusted he was with your transgressions against the young drake.”

The Night Princess’ throat suddenly becomes dry. Try as she might, she could not deny Nightmare Moon spoke the truth: Anon did appear somewhat displeased with her actions... Even if he forgave her in the end.

“He knows what I did was for him,” Luna tries to assure herself.

“That’s why he despises it. That’s why he despises you.” The voice flows from one ear to another, and for a moment Luna could swear the demon was standing right beside her in the hall, leering over her. “You say that you did it for his sake, but was that your true intention, or merely what you wanted him to believe? Impetuous as you are, I doubt even you know the answer to that. You’re poison, Luna; a lecherous snake in the grass...”

Luna squeezes her eyes shut, her ears pressed against her head. “Shut up...”

“‘All for his sake’,” mocks The Mare in the Moon, “You may delude yourself into believing you’re a virtuous mare, Princess, but I see through your hypocrisy, your deceit! Love is not fit for a liar, little Lulu.”

“I said silence!” Luna shouts, furiously stomping her hoof to the ground.

The strike is loud enough to reverberate from the halls. In the hollow corridors, devoid of life, Luna is met only with derisive laughter, haunting her to her core.

“Princess?”

Luna snaps back to reality and notices that Spike is standing at the end of the hall. Luna releases a shaky breath as the chuckling of Nightmare rings in her ears.

“A-Are you alright?” Spike asks as he nervously comes closer.

“My apologies, young Spike. I was… preoccupied.” Luna sneers a bit at nothing. “As though my thoughts have a mind of their own.”

Luna looks back down at Spike as he nods his head slightly. “Yeah... I feel that way too. It’s, um, it’s the reason why I’ve been searching for you.”

This is surprising for Luna to hear. “You’ve been seeking my audience?”

“I wanted to talk to you about some things.” Spike twiddles his claws a bit. “If that’s alright with you, Princess?”

Luna can see the apprehension in Spike’s frame as he stands before her. The fact that he treats her no differently than before shows how pure of heart he is. Recalling the biting condemnations of the Nightmare, guilt surges within the Princess. The least she can do is console him.

“I’m always willing to converse, young Spike. I’m heading to my room for a moment; then I must start morning court. Will you accompany me?”

Spike’s melancholy mood lifts slightly. “I don’t mind that at all.”

“Very well. Follow me.”

As Luna leads Spike down the hall, she can still hear the distant laughter of Nightmare Moon in her mind. That mare shall have her laughs for now, but she will be proven the fool in the end. As much as Luna would like to take steps in preparation to confess to Anon, there’s also the question as to why Nightmare Moon came to his aid during his night terrors. For now, Luna will focus on Spike; then she’ll personally deal with the Corruption.

All that is done

Walking down the streets of Canterlot with Celestia by his side, Anon can’t help but admit it’s nice that some things haven’t changed. All the ponies look at Celestia in awe as she walks by, many of them taking a moment to bow before moving on their way. However, there’s one change that is apparent to all around. Celestia isn’t paying attention to anyone but him. Her head is currently leaned against his shoulder as they walk toward the park, eyes closed without a care in the world.

Anon is still unsure why she’s behaving like this, but perhaps he shouldn’t be worried. He gets the feeling that she’s content right now and that makes him happy. Maybe his thoughts on her feeling better about the Twilight stuff were right on the money? He’ll admit he’s never seen her this open around her subjects. Usually she hides behind her princess mask, standing tall and always facing forward. He saw a lot of that during their time setting up the festival.

Now, though, she no longer sees the need to adopt a royal persona for her subjects. Anon doesn’t know how to verbalize how he feels about this... But it’s nice. The both of them don’t say anything as they make it over to the park, simply basking in each other’s company. Upon inspection, Anon doesn’t recognize anyone at the park, and that’s fine by him. It means he doesn’t have to keep an eye out for any unwanted guests.

The duo walk over to a secluded part of the park and take a seat on a bench. Just like the last time they came here, Celestia decides to rest her head on Anon’s lap. Despite how weird it is, Anon is willing to let this happen; it’s calming for him, in a way, as he absentmindedly combs his hand through her stunning mane while they sit and enjoy the fresh air together. It’s moments like these that make Anon feel as if everything is alright.

“It’s a beautiful morning, isn’t it?” Celestia asks with a contented sigh.

Anon comes back to reality as he looks above. A lone cloud is hanging in the otherwise clear blue sky before a pegasus comes out of nowhere and sweeps it away. Anon still has a hard time believing his eyes. Despite being here for as long as he has, there are occurrences like this where he reminds himself he’s on another world that’s vastly different from his own.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” Anon says coolly. “Must be lovely being able to control the weather to make mornings like this routine.”

Celestia notices Anon’s shift in mood. It’s enough to concern her a bit. Does he perhaps miss Earth? It’s not a subject Anon prefers to speak freely on. He usually only references a few things from his world, but he never talks about his connections to them. Even when he spoke of hazy memories and other words, he never went into much detail about them. Perhaps this is something Celestia should try to get him to open up about? Maybe grow closer and learn more things about him and his people?

“It must bother you, how different our worlds are, ” Celestia observes. “Even after all this time.”

“It does, from time to time. Whenever I think everything is somewhat normal, something comes along to remind me that I’m a stranger in a strange land.”

“Do you miss your world?”

“I...” Anon pauses for a moment. “I don’t miss it for the right reasons.”

Celestia raises a brow. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t remember much about family and all that stuff, but I do kinda miss the luxuries my kind enjoyed.” Anon chuckles a bit. “The internet was pretty nice. Games and food. Music, too. Music is different, where I’m from. Trivial things like that.”

“You know, I can give you anything you wish...” Celestia says. “It may not be much compared to what wonders your people have created, but I would provide you with everything I could.”

Anon grins. “It’s not that big of a problem. Whatever I lost in my world, I found something different here; something more worthwhile.” Anon pats Celestia on the withers. “It’s odd to think I’m enjoying myself just by sitting here with you. On Earth, I probably would’ve never done the same thing.”

“Well, I’m pleased that you’re happy.” Something pops into Celestia’s mind. “Do you mind if I ask about a few things? I do always enjoy when we get to talk about your world.”

Well, it’s not like Anon had anything better to do, but what else is there for him to talk about when it comes to his world? He’s pretty sure he told her about technology and politics, among other things. So what else is there to know?

“Uh, sure. Shoot.”

Celestia’s cheeks heat up as various questions flood her mind. She doesn’t want to be too direct with her feelings, but she also finds interest in a few things—namely the practices and taboos of his species when it comes to intimacy.

“I don’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable...” Celestia leads. “You’ve told me before about how your culture is averse to being nude, yes?”

“I did,” Anon confirms.

“I wish to explore the more romantic aspects of humanity,” Celestia says, trying to remain calm. “Is that alright with you?”

Well, it’s certainly an odd thing to ask about, but it isn’t too surprising. From time to time, Anon has found himself wondering about pony dating rituals. Maybe it has become more relevant after what happened between him and Lyra. Aside from that, it’s probably a question anyone would have when dealing with what’s effectively an alien.

“Do you mind if I ask a few things of my own?” Anon asks.

“I don’t mind at all.”

“Alright, you first.”

Celestia takes a few breaths. She doesn’t want to stumble over her questions or babble like a school filly right in front of him. This is her opportunity to gather some much-needed information on how to take the next step with Anon. She can’t mess this up.

“I find it fascinating that nudity in itself can be titillating in your culture. Can you enlighten me as to why that is?”

This is weird. While he doesn’t take it the wrong way, considering it’s an honest question from Celestia, he just can’t shake the awkwardness of having to explain something so private to her. It’s like running a kid through the birds and the bees; it’s uncomfortable for everyone involved, especially the person who needs to clarify.

“Well, um... Nudity is mostly reserved for when you’re about to have sex with your partner,” Anon says bluntly, a small blush on his face.

Celestia’s eyes widen in shock. “Y-yes, I recall you said something similar when we first discovered this about you. Is there no other reason to be nude?”

Anon bites his cheek. “Well, no. Outside of bathing, we almost always wear clothes. Perhaps in private some people forgo articles of clothing for comfort, but in public we stay decent. It’s actually against the law to be naked in public.”

Celestia furrows her brows. “Really?”

“Yeah. You’d get tossed in ja-, I mean a dungeon for a bit.”

“Interesting. Since you’ve answered my question, I suppose that means it is your turn. So, what do you wish to know?”

Anon takes a moment to mull over what he wants to ask. It’s perhaps the most obvious one, as it’s been a thought stuck in his mind for a while now. “Is it normal for ponies to have a herd?”

Celestia feels something catch in her throat. “W-Why do you ask?”

“Well,” Anon feels his mood darken a bit. “Lyra proposed to form one with Bonbon and I. So, I don’t know; I just think about it every so often.”

What happened between Anon and his friends clearly still grates at him; it’s not surprising considering how close they were. She can only hope to ease some of this pain and perhaps provide consolation.

“It’s not common nowadays,” Celestia answers, “Though it is not entirely unheard of, either.”

“Is that so?”

Celestia nods by way of response. “What about humans?”

“Excluding a small minority, we’re largely monogamous.”

“I see.” Celestia grows uneasy, considering how her sister could fit into this equation. “Um, how do you feel about herds? I know you were very uncomfortable with being nude, so what about herds?”

Despite the subject matter, Anon does feel things becoming less awkward, if only because he’s interested in learning more about this place. Not just that, but talking to Tia freely about this stuff kind of makes him feel more at ease with whatever questions he may have. Knowing that he always has someone he can talk to seriously, about anything, is reassuring.

“I don’t mind the idea. As long as everyone involved is alright with it and love each other, why not?”

“So...” Celestia feels hesitant to ask this but she must know. “Why didn’t you take your business partners up on their offer?”

Anon jerks in surprise, his hand trembling and no longer petting Celestia.

“...I don’t love them,” Anon says in a dead tone. “Well, not in the way Lyra was hoping for, at least.”

Anon takes a deep breath. He hoped this morning in the park could’ve been peaceful, but now he finds his mind flooded with questions. He mostly worries about how Bonbon is doing. He’s sure she’s doing fine, but he wonders if maybe he should’ve tried to keep in touch with her in some way. Still, he doesn’t want to remind her of the reasons he left and would rather stay out of the way until she can work things out with Lyra.

“I’m sorry to have spoiled the mood,” Celestia says noticing Anon’s darkening temper.

“Don’t… don’t worry about it. It’s nothing, really.”

“No, I do worry.” Celestia sits up and looks at Anon. “You should never be afraid to tell me how you feel.”

Anon feels a small smile crawl onto his lips upon hearing that; even a brief chuckle leaves him.

“I worry about you too, Celestia.”

Celestia’s heart swells at that. “I know. Please, ask something you’re interested in.”

Getting back on the subject, Anon can get behind that idea. Then again, he’s not too sure what else he could ask about pony relationships. Although he’s picked up on a lot of similarities thus far, there is one odd thing he has noticed: mares tend to be far more forward than he’s used to. Anon has seen mares almost playing a dominant role, approaching stallions instead of the other way around. It’s the reverse of how things work on Earth.

“Um, is it normal for the female to ask a male out?” Anon asks.

“Of course.” Celestia’s thoughts then abruptly grind to a halt. “Is that not something your people do?”

Anon shakes his head. “No. It’s… actually the opposite.”

Celestia thinks that over. So, the male is the one to ask a mare out? The concept is so foreign to her. If the men were typically the chasers on Earth, would Anon be offended if she were to ask him out?

Anon finds his mind now starting to wonder if the behavior of the various mares he knows is due to this cultural clash. “Is that why my friends are always trying to protect me? You know, because they’re all mares and I’m a guy?”

“No, it’s not that simple.” Celestia thinks for a bit. “It’s not because you are a male; stallions are very capable. There is a reason I have them on my guard and Luna had them as knights. However, I’m... not sure how to put it into words. It’s instinctual, you could say. If a male is in danger of being harmed, a mare will not hesitate to protect him. If that male is important to us, well, that instinct only becomes stronger.”

Anon scratches his head. Who knew such a simple difference could be so alien? “I guess I can get what you’re saying.”

“So it is a male's duty to court a female on your world?” Celestia asks.

“I wouldn’t say duty; it’s just common.”

Celestia starts to twiddle her hooves a bit as she thinks over her next question.

“Other than humans... What creatures have humans become intimate with? Do you perhaps have dragons or griffins?”

Anon rubs the back of his neck, staring out over the pond for a moment. He knows he’s told Celestia about humans being the only creatures on Earth. Then again, it’s been awhile and a lot has happened.

“Um, we’re the only sapient creatures. Well, kinda.”

Celestia’s ears perk up as she recalls their old conversation. “Oh, yes! Pardon my forgetfulness. I remember now you’ve already said something to this effect before. If that is the case, what would a human think about dating a pony?”

“Well, I guess many would find it wrong,” Anon admits.

“What about you?” Celestia asks hopefully.

Anon shrugs. “I wouldn’t mind if someone wanted to date a pony. It’s not my business.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Celestia sets a hoof on Anon’s thigh. “What do you think about dating a pony?”

Anon looks confused for a moment before it clicks in his head.

“Oh.” He takes a moment to think about that question. “I’ve never really thought about it before. Well, I guess that’s not true, after what happened with Lyra, but... It’s hard to explain, I don’t think I’m against the idea, but I’m not eager to go out dating anytime soon.”

Well, it’s a far better answer than Celestia was expecting: if he were entirely against the idea of dating a pony then that would have been the death of this whole plan, but with his reluctance, this will still be far from easy.

“What about you, Tia?”

The white alicorn blinks, bodily ejected from her trance. “Excuse me?”

“Well, have you ever dated? You’ve been around for a while and I’ve never seen you with a pony.” Anon doesn’t miss the blush which explodes across Celestia’s snout.

“N-No. It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but I’ve never dated. I have grown close to ponies, yes, but I’ve never been one to become attached in a romantic sense.”

“Really!?” he exclaims, genuine surprise in his voice. To be so long-lived and never once pursue one’s romantic interests?

“Yes. My sister and I were always very busy ensuring our little ponies were satisfied and safe from harm. However,” Celestia hangs her head, her voice lowering, “after my sister’s banishment, I could not bring myself to endure the pain of losing anyone else...”

Anon knows he’s hit a sore subject for Celestia. The whole isolation thing, especially after sending Luna to the moon, is still something that weighs heavy on her. Perhaps that’s another thing she’s worrying about? Maybe she’s concerned that he will leave her? Anon feels his mood darken as the thought of his mortality comes to his mind...

“Yeah, I get it,” Anon shakes his mood off. “Well, since we’re in the awkward zone, what else do you want to know?”

Celestia nods, no reason to sour the mood. “Um, what type of pony would you be interested in?”

Whoa... Well that’s certainly an awkward question for Anon. There are so many layers to it that he has to take a second to think over how he could possibly answer it. A type of pony? Well, there are only four as far as he knows or does she mean type as in looks? Maybe even both? Anon has never really thought about any of this stuff; he’s not interested. Regardless, he takes a moment to ponder over how to answer, but can only find one.

“One kinda like you,” Anon says honestly.

“M-Me?” Celestia asks with a full blush.

“Yeah. You’re very nice and you care about what’s bothering me. You try to help me wherever you can, but you also make sure not to let your concern sway you from what you believe is right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I knew how conflicted you were with what was happening between Twilight and I.” Anon looks off into the distance as he gathers his thoughts. “You were unbiased in your kindness and I respect that about you. You just wanted to make things right.” Anon looks a bit irritated as he stares into the dirt. “Luna isn’t like that. She’s always worried about me. I appreciate it, but sometimes she takes things too far... For my sake.”

A thoughtful frown touches Celestia’s lips. Her ears perk in interest. “Forgive me, Anon, but I’m a bit lost. What has my sister done?”

Anon’s eyes widen a hair before he huffs. “Forget it. We’re supposed to be relaxing, right?” Anon turns to Celestia with a fake smile.

This is disturbing to her on many levels. What is he hiding from her? What has her sister done to gain such ire?

She decides to shelve her questions for now, to ask Luna later, “Yes, you’re right. So, you’re interested in a mare like me?”

The weirdness of this situation is a bit more comforting than what he was feeling a few moments ago.

“Well, when you say it like that, it sounds a bit odd. I just like who you are. I’m not really into types, you know. They can be graceful in their beauty or rugged in their plainness, but what I care about the most is who they are.”

“That’s a very mature way to look at things,” Celestia says with a smile.

Anon shrugs. “Maybe. Again, this isn’t stuff I think about. I’m fine with having friends and that’s it.”

Celestia feels her smile slip some. “I see. Keep an open mind, though-” She brightens her expression some, noticing the chill seep into the air, “You never know what the future might hold in store for you.”

Anon chuckles a bit. “Always the optimist.”

Celestia leans against Anon, humming contentedly as they sit side by side on the bench. It throws Anon off guard for a moment, but soon he settles in and simply puts an arm over her withers. This is nice, just to be here alone with Tia, enjoying the peace and quiet. Anon often wonders what he did to deserve a friend like her, but it doesn’t matter. He’s happy that she’s around.

“So, what had you so busy this morning, Twi?” Cadance asks with a smile.

Cadance, Shining, and Twilight are at a restaurant and have already placed their orders. Despite Cadance trying to get the ball rolling, there’s been a lot of long periods of silence. She can tell how tense things are between Twilight and her brother, but she’s sure that with time things will work out. Shining feels guilty about a few things as well and she feels getting that out in the open will be the first step to helping them both heal.

“It’s a bit complicated,” Twilight says, fiddling with a napkin with her hooves.

It’s been a few weeks since she got her magic back, but she finds herself still using her hooves for whatever is close by, with the exception of anything that’s high up. It’s odd, in a way, how much she’s learned about picking up and holding things with her hooves since wearing the magic dampening ring. Before, she took her magic for granted. This whole experience has given her an appreciation for what earth ponies have to deal with on a daily basis.

“Really? It’s nothing too intrusive, is it?”

“Um, it’s personal. I just want to keep it to myself for a bit.”

“Alright..." she says, her and Shining sharing a look. “Everypony ha-”

“Everyone,” Twilight corrects, suddenly tense.

“E-Everyone has a right to a few secrets.”

Twilight falls back to her timid demeanor. “S-Sorry...”

“No, I understand. I’m proud you’re starting to broaden your vocabulary.” Cadance thought for a moment. “You know I don’t say it out of ill intent, right? I just say everypony because it’s what’s common in Equestria.”

Twilight nods. “I know. I just see a flaw in it now. We’re supposed to value friendship, yet that word excludes anything not like us.” Twilight looks at her brother for a moment but quickly faces the table. “H-How are you doing, Shining?”

Shining jerks some out of his stupor. He looks over to his sister as she messes with a napkin in her hooves. He can feel a deep burn in his heart.

“I’m fine,” comes his terse reply. “Just, a lot of work lately.”

Twilight gives a few small nods and goes back to being silent. Cadance can feel how distant the two are. She’s never seen them act this way in all of the years she’s known them. Before, they were inseparable, and yet, now, they can barely look the other in the eye. There’s so much that needs to be fixed, and yet time feels limited. Maybe bringing in some good news could lighten the mood?

“You know, Shining and I have thought about getting married,” Cadance says.

Both Shining and Twilight looks to Cadance with wide eyes.

“What?!” Twilight did not expect to hear that.

Shining is left speechless. Why did she decide now to reveal that!?

“Yes, we’ve been dating for awhile an-”

“You’ve been dating?” Twilight asks past grit teeth.

Cadance is a bit thrown off by her sudden mood swing. “Y-Yes.”

“How long?”

“U-Um, two years?”

Twilight’s left eye twitches some as she hears this. So, they’ve been keeping this from her? Twilight clenches her eyes closed. Two years, she’s not even sure if they started dating before or after she left to Ponyville. She was wrong. Shining and her had grown distant long before what happened with Anon. He doesn’t care and this is just proof! In all that time, he never thought once to tell Twilight... Send a letter or something!?

“I’m leaving,” Twilight emotionlessly says before getting up from her seat.

Cadance wants to say something, but can’t find the right words. The worst part is that Shining has kept silent this entire time. Cadance can only watch as Twilight storms out of the restaurant, tears falling from her eyes as she tries to keep herself from weeping openly. Cadance feels her concern turn to anger as she looks back at Shining.

“You never told her?”

Shining keeps facing the table, never turning to address her. “She was off saving the world, Cadance. She had better things to do than read a letter about who I was dating.”

“Shining! Two years! We’re talking about getting married and you thought it was fine not to tell her?” Cadance feels her heart freeze up a bit. “W-Were you even going to invite her to the wedding?”

As though a switch had been flipped, Shining’s head snaps to his fiancée’s eyes brimming with a menacing fire. “Of course I was!” Cadance flinches at the sudden hostility. Shining takes a deep breath, guilt welling within him.

“So why not tell her?” Cadance quietly insists. “Why just suddenly tell her once the day arrived?”

“I...” Shining covers his head. “I don’t know. I just, I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Getting married is a big deal but not dating.”

Cadance lets out a sigh. “She already has a hard time opening up to us. Now we’re back to square one again.”

Shining doesn’t say anything as he continues to face the table. Why didn’t he tell Twilight they were dating? There are many reasons: He joined the guard to protect ponies, and yet, he couldn’t even defend his sister. When she left, she was the only pony that could stop Nightmare Moon and Discord. Then after all that, Shining learned about what she did to Anon. He couldn’t protect anyone, even though he’s the captain. They’ve been drifting apart ever since he realized that Twilight was stronger than he will ever be.

“You ready to head back?” Anon asks.

“Only if you are,” Celestia says.

“Yea-”

Anon was giving a quick look over the park and quickly spotted Twilight running in with a look of distress. That can’t be a good sign. It appears that Celestia didn’t notice, which leaves what happens next in Anon’s court. Should he follow after her and see what’s wrong? What if things get crazy and he needs help? Why not bring Celestia with him? No, he can’t. He doesn’t know why, but he feels as if he can’t have her involved.

“Actually, could you go ahead of me? I just want to get something in town real quick.”

“Do you want me to accompany you?”

Anon shakes his head. “I’ll be fine. I’m sure Luna could use a break from morning court.”

“Very well. Don’t take too long,” Celestia says with a small smile.

“See you at lunch?”

Celestia nods. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Alright. See you.”

Anon gives a wave to Celestia as she gets up from her seat and heads toward the castle. He stands there watching her until she’s finally out of sight. Anon quickly makes his way to where he last saw Twilight when he’s sure Celestia is gone. Each step he takes is slower than the last. He can already feel a slight tremble in his action and a sense of dread washing over him.

He fights back his trepidation as he continues. He can’t just ignore Twilight anymore. After the talk they had this morning, he needs to make sure she hasn’t gone off the deep end. There are many things he wants from her and knowing that her mental state is also tied to Celestia’s happiness drives him to move forward. It takes some searching, but Anon finds Twilight laying on a bench crying to herself.

This is a delicate situation. He has no idea what her problem is, but it must be something big. He needs to tread carefully and ensure that she doesn’t go ballistic. He tries to take his first step, but feels himself stop mid-stride.

He can't...

Everything in his body is fighting him at this moment. If only it wasn’t Twilight, he’d feel confident going up to her and checking to see if she was ok. Just as he considers merely walking away, something lands beside him.

Anon jumps slightly in shock but finds Blossom standing there looking up at him in irritation.

“You know, it’s not fun flying all the way to the park this fast. You owe me a wing massage.”

Hearing that snaps Anon back to reality. He’s actually glad she’s here. His heart calms considerably and the tremors in his body have stopped.

Anon runs a hand through his hair. “I’ll be honest... I’m happy you’re here.”

Blossom’s attitude drops as she rolls her eyes with a smirk. “You say that as if it’s not always good to see me.” She raises a brow quizzically at the unicorn as she says, “Alright, what’s her problem?”

Anon looks over at Celestia’s sobbing student.

“I haven’t the faintest clue. I just saw her run into the park like that, and thought I’d check up on her.”

“Is that so? Does that mean you’re seriously considering her proposal?”

“I think so,” Anon says feeling some weight lift off him. “Celestia is happy, and if this leads to something that’ll keep her happy, then it’s something I have to do. I don’t have a choice here.”

Blossom narrows her eyes as she scans him. “You always have a choice. Once you make it, be sure you don’t regret it later.”

Anon looks down at Blossom as she stares at him.

“I regret everything,” Anon says before walking over to Twilight.

Soon, he’s standing beside the bench as she continues to weep. Seems she’s not even aware of her surroundings.

“So,” Anon notices Twilight flinch. “Is there a reason why you’re crying in the middle of a public park?”

Twilight looks up in surprise to see Anon standing there beside her. It takes a moment for her to understand what he just said, as she looks around and notices a few ponies are looking her way. She feels her cheeks redden as she buries her head in her hooves to avoid their gaze.

“...Something happened,” Twilight mumbles.

Anon can feel his patience starting to fade as his emotions are all over the place. Being this close to Twilight screws with his insides.

“Just... Tell me what’s wrong before I leave,” Anon says, irritated.

Twilight moves from her hooves so she can look up at Anon. After a moment’s debate, she swallows the awful feeling swelling in her chest, telling him, “Cadance just informed me she’s been dating my brother.”

Anon furrows his brows. “So?”

“For two years.” The dejected unicorn hiccups, bringing a hoof to her mouth in an effort to prevent another sob from escaping as she shuts her reddened eyes.

“Huh... That’s pretty fucked up.” Anon looks at Blossom. “That’s pretty fucked up, right?”

Blossom nods. “Yeah, in my professional opinion, I’d say it’s pretty fucked up.”

“Well, there you go. It’s pretty fucked up,” Anon says, returning his gaze to Twilight. “So, what are you going to do about it?”

“What am I going to do?”

Anon nods. “Yeah, what are you going to do?”

“Um, nothing?” Twilight looks at him confused.

A sigh leaves Anon. “Well, I can’t blame you for that. It’s what I would’ve done too. However, the right answer is to confront him and tell him how that makes you feel.”

Twilight’s fur seems to stand on end. “I-I don’t think I can do that.”

Anon goes dangerously quiet for a moment. “Twilight, if I could somehow manage to tell you how I felt, after all the shit you put me through, I’m sure you can tell your brother that he’s an asshole.”

Twilight flinches back at Anon’s words. She lets them sink in and she knows he’s right. She just ran away from what she felt. She wants to help her brother, but that doesn’t mean she should accept something like this. She has feelings too, and it hurt to know that he kept this from her for so long. She and Cadance have been friends since childhood and Shining didn’t think once to tell her that they were dating, even thinking of marriage!?

“You’re right,” Twilight said clearing her tears. “He is a jerk for not telling me.”

Anon takes a moment to let the situation settle before thinking on what could possibly be going on.

“Well, it’s probably not one-sided,” Anon admits. “Tell him how you feel, then let the guy explain why he didn’t tell you. There are always two sides to every story. Draw whatever conclusion you have about him after that.”

“Ok... I’ll do that.” Twilight looks up at Anon with a smile. “Thank you. I feel better now.”

Anon feels a sneer across his face. “I want to make it clear that I’m only helping you for personal reasons. And with that whole deal we talked about; I have a few changes I want made.”

Twilight gives an understanding nod. “What do you want?”

“First, I want you to find out Celestia and Luna’s birthdays.”

“T-Their birthdays?”

Twilight wasn’t expecting that. Now that she thinks about it, it’s something she’s wondered about too.

Anon places a finger on his temple, gazing thoughtfully skyward. “Yes... I want to throw them a surprise party, but they’ve never invited me to either of their birthdays, so I can only assume they don’t celebrate them.”

“You’re correct,” Blossom comes in. “Even I don’t know when they were born.”

Anon purses his lips as he turns to Twilight. “You like reading, so study up. I want the answer.”

“A-Alright... What else do you want?” she asks.

“Don’t use magic around me,” Anon says with a deadly edge. “To be honest, I have some issues when it comes to magic now, thanks to you.”

Twilight looks to her hooves. “I-I understand. That... shouldn’t be too hard. I haven’t been using my magic much, anyways.” Twilight returns her gaze to Anon. “M-Magic isn’t all bad... It can do amazing things. I don’t want you to think poorly of it because of what I did.”

“I know. Celestia and Luna use it enough for me to see the benefits... That doesn’t change the fact that I dislike it. So, while we’re together, no magic.”

“Ok...” Twilight twiddles her hooves a bit. “S-So you’re accepting my offer?”

“For now.”

“Thank you.” Twilight looks up at Anon with another smile. “I appreciate it.”

This fills Anon with disgust and heartache. He hates her and yet seeing her like this makes him wonder what things would’ve been like if she didn’t go off the deep end. Still, it’s not enough to make him forget. That’ll never happen.

“So, are we done here? I’d like to head on back to the castle.”

“May I ask one favor?” Twilight asks hesitantly.

“Yeah?”

“C-Can you walk with me back to the restaurant? You don’t need to come inside, I-I just want you there for a little bit.”

Anon looks over at Blossom as she looks at him just as confused. She eventually shrugs.

“Uh... Sure.”

“Great!” Twilight says with a large smile. “It’s not far from the castle, so it won’t take long for you to get back.”

“...Ok.”

Anon watches as Twilight walks merrily toward the entrance to the park. One moment, she was crying, and the next she’s thrilled? He has an awful feeling about this.

“Blosso-”

“I know...” she says seriously. “She’s unhinged; keep a close eye and never be alone with her.”

“Agreed.”

Anon can only hope that his worries exist only in his head and that perhaps things are getting better for everyone. However, praying never got him much. He’ll keep a close eye on Twilight and keep Blossom closer.

What's been left unsaid

“What is it that you wish to discuss, young Spike?” Luna walks over to a mirror to look herself over, ensuring she’s fit for morning court.

Spike is left in the center of Luna’s room looking around in awe. He’s never been in here before and the colors are a stark contrast to what he’s used to from the majority of the castle. There’s a variety of dark blues and an array of books that line the walls, many of them looking centuries untouched, despite there being obvious care in their maintenance. The room was oddly familiar, bringing back memories of his time in Ponyville.

Perhaps it’s a quirk he gets from Twilight, but Spike imagines what stories lie within these old tomes. Adventures? Untold and forbidden spells? The possibilities are endless to his intuitive mind. Luna notices Spike’s wandering gaze, a small grin curling her lips.

“Do you see something that piques your interest?” she asks, not turning away from the mirror.

Spike starts at her observation, bringing him out of his stupor. “Sorry... I like your room; it’s nice,” he compliments.

Luna’s smile dips at Spike’s apparent nervousness. “No apologies are needed. You are intrigued, and for good reason. Very few have ever had the privilege of entering my chambers. That makes you one of only four.”

Spike’s eyes widen. “R-really?”

“Yes. You, my sister, my captain and Anon.” Spike winces, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Luna. “Is something troubling you?”

Spike shifts uneasily in place. “Sorry, I’ve just been thinking about what happened to Anon lately. I never properly thanked you for telling me the truth.”

Luna can barely stiffle her wince at Spike’s words. Her guilt comes flooding back as she turns around to face the young drake.

“You should not thank me, Spike. You are very young and I put a large burden on your shoulders. It was not my place to do such a thing, let alone in a manner as cruel as I have.”

Spike takes a few steps towards Luna but stops short. “No, I’m glad you did,” Spike says honestly. “I just feel confused about a few things.”

Luna’s ears perk in curiosity. “Speak freely and I will try my best to assist you.”

“Ok...” He takes a moment to gather his thoughts. “I don’t hate Twilight, even after what she did. She’s family, and while I can’t ignore her actions, I also can’t push her away. We’ve been together for a long time and I know what she did was wrong, but I also know she wants to make things right.” Spike twiddles his claws as he faces the floor. “I’d probably be mad like everyone else if I didn’t know her so well. She’s been studying day after day, worrying about this forgiveness stuff, and I was always taught that everypony deserves a second chance. Twilight has been working hard to do just that.”

Spike returns his gaze to Luna. “Does that make me a bad drake?”

The two simply look at one another for a small moment. The innocent worry across his face melts Luna’s heart, but she also feels a twinge of pain. She is the reason for all his strife, and for what? Revenge? Protection? Love? He’s so young and full of hope. He believes in friendship, forgiveness and redemption: the things Luna and her sister strived for many years ago and what she lost when she took her first life.

Despite where he stands, Luna cannot find it within herself to be upset. She walks up to him and rests a wing on his shoulder.

“No, Spike. That doesn’t make you a bad drake. You are loyal and you wish to protect those you hold dear. It’s an admirable trait and something you should take pride in.”

Spike can feel his worries start to fade. Even with her words, there are some things that still bother him. “It’s just... Twilight isn’t herself. She’s acting like everything is fine, but I know she’s hurting. I think...” Spike is struggling to find the right words to say, “I think she needs Anon’s help. Now more than ever.” Spike’s eyes water some. “I-I think she’s been having nightmares. She calls out to him in her sleep, asking for him to save her.”

That wince in her heart intensifies as Spike starts to shed tears. Luna chews the inside of her cheek, the taste of copper filling her throat. She’s noticed the nightmares and every time she did nothing more than turn a blind eye, allowing Twilight to suffer for all that she’s done.

“I...” Luna doesn’t know what to say as she removes her wing from him.

“Do you hate Twilight for what she did to Anon?” Spike asks as he tries to compose himself, wiping his tears away.

Luna would want nothing more than to lock that troublesome pony away so that Anon would never have to worry about her and yet she cannot. It angers her to no end that Twilight is allowed so much freedom. In fact, considering what they were meant to represent, it’s a travesty that any of the Elements got off as quickly as they did.

“I do hate her,” Luna answers honestly. “More than that, I find how lenient my sister has been in her punishment to be nothing short of insulting. Twilight Sparkle, the Element of Magic, the one whom I once held in the highest esteem for what I believed to be her selfless act in coming to my aid, betrayed and wounded me when she hurt my friend. Just as you wish to protect Twilight, I wish to protect Anon.”

Spike nods glumly. “Thanks again for being honest.”

Luna looks to her hooves in anger. She didn’t want it to be this way. This is not helping him. “I say again in hopes that the truth in my words washes away your doubts: I do not look down on you, young Spike,” Luna says with conviction. “No matter what I feel for Twilight, I do not think poorly of you for your loyalty.” She kneels low so that he may meet her eye to eye. “You have my admiration and respect for having made such a hard choice in the face of what you’ve learned.”

Spike’s eyes are sparkling at Luna’s words. “I don’t think poorly of you either, Princess Luna. I appreciate the fact you’re so straightforward with me. It’s nice, even if it can be painful to hear.”

Hearing him say that does little to alleviate Luna’s discomfort. “Is there any way for me to lift some of the burden I’ve placed on you?”

Spike smiles a bit at her determination to help him.

“Are you sure?” Luna nods. “Alright, it may be a bit too much to ask, but... can you please help Twilight with her nightmares? I know you don't like her, but I think a good night's rest would help her a lot.”

“If that is what you wish, then I shall do it.”

“Thank you.” Spike yawns a bit as he looks over to the balcony and notices the position of the rising sun. “With everything that’s been going on, I haven’t slept much lately. If you don't mind, Princess, I’d like to take a nap.”

Luna stands up and waves to her door. “Feel free; I must attend morning court.” She watches as Spike walks away, but before he can leave she adds one last thing “Do not hesitate to come to me should you wish to talk, young Spike. For you, my doors are always open.”

Spike turns to face Luna, a broad smile on his face as he gives a bow. “I will. Thank you, Princess Luna.”

Luna is left alone as the door closes shut behind Spike. Wordlessly, Luna walks over to the side of her bed, taking in all that has transpired. She agreed to help Twilight with her nightmares! The treasonous thought causes her to snap as she throws her forehoof into the thick bedpost beside her. The blow is hard enough to snap it in half as the post hits the floor with a sizable thud, the drapery following soon after as they pull taught on the other posts left standing. Luna is shaking as she tries to reel back the pure burning rage boiling inside of her.

With a few breaths, eventually she calms down enough to center her thoughts. As revolted as she is, she will keep her promise. Luna walks over to her door and opens it, the two guards outside looking at her from the corner of their eyes.

“Send somepony to fix my bed. I have morning court to attend.”

“Understood,” one says as they give her a salute.

Luna nods as she trots down the hall.

“Then Spike told me about his day. I think things are getting better,” Twilight happily says.

“Right...”

Anon has no idea how to take this situation. Twilight, Blossom and he are walking towards the castle, but Twilight is beside him chatting casually as if they were the best of friends. The nervousness she had displayed this morning had disappeared, the merry unicorn telling him all about how things have been after he helped her. All Anon could do was let her talk, say as little as possible, and wait until this restaurant was close enough for him to leave.

“The Princess has also been teaching me various perspectives on body language. I find it absolutely fascinating.” In her rambling, Twilight looks up, noticing the human’s discomfort. Her ears pin back to her head upon realizing how candidly she’s been acting. “S-sorry... I guess behaving as though nothing’s wrong is a bit odd.”

“It’s certainly not normal.”

“I just- I appreciate you helping me. I haven’t felt great about myself lately, but being near you makes me feel as if I’m… as if I’m not alone...” Anon looks down to meet Twilight’s wavering gaze. After a moment, she moves her gaze to the cobblestone below. “Funny, isn’t it? The creature I hurt the most—the one that hates me to the core—is the one to whom I feel the closest.”

“That’s some disturbing stuff,” Anon admits as they walk past a few stores, him briefly looking at what they sell if only to move his thoughts from this situation for a moment.

“I guess it is, but it’s no less true.” Twilight smiles briefly. “I feel like no one else understands what I’m going through. No one but you.”

Anon furrows his brows. “Alright, now I’m creeped out.”

Twilight chuckles at that. “You don’t know how nice it is to talk to you again, Anon. I know it must sound crazy, but I have missed this. Thinking about how things used to be between us before… everything… is unpleasant. But I’d never give up those memories for the world. I don’t want to hurt you ever again and I...” Twilight bites her lip to stop herself. “Just silly musings, I suppose. Welp, we’re here! Thank you for tolerating me for the time being.”

Anon watches as Twilight walks toward a nondescript restaurant. He can’t control the hurricane of emotions raging inside of him: significant anger and disgust, but something softer and less repugnant wells up as he calls out to her before she enters. “I missed our talks too.”

He doesn’t wait for a response, turning and walking quickly away. Why did he have to tell her that?! The urge to vomit is at the front of his thoughts as he feels his stomach turn uneasily. Anon stops in the center of the street as he rubs his temples. In that moment, he told her the truth. When everything was new and scary in this world, Twilight was there at the start to talk to him about whatever questions he had.

She wasn’t a monster from the start; that came later.

“I’m proud of you,” Blossom says, causing Anon to jump. He’d all but forgotten she was there in the confusion. “That was brave of you to say.”

Anon spares Blossom a glance as he continues walking to the castle. “I had to tell the truth,” Anon assures himself.

“We talked about it before and I’ll repeat it: I believe you could become a great knight if you’re willing. Just ask and I’ll personally train you.”

“I’m sure Luna would be interested in sparring if I were properly trained.”

“If only you knew,” Blossom says under her breath.

“What was that?”

“I said ‘If only we screwed’,” Blossom responds with a smirk.

Anon’s face becomes red at that. Getting under his skin, like always. “Why do I hang out with you again?”

“Because you need a strong mare like me in your life.” Blossom flies up and flexes her forelegs, actually showing off a bit of muscle under her soft features.

Anon rolls his eyes, unable to keep a grin from working its way to his face at his bodyguard’s antics. “Whatever. Don’t you have paperwork to do?”

Blossom lands beside Anon as they walk. “Yeah, but with the sisters busy, I’ll have to watch over you. Wanna take me up on my offer and start training, stud?”

Anon seriously considers it for a moment. “No thanks. I still need a bath, then I’ll probably take a nap. All this Twilight stuff has made me exhausted.”

“Ooh... Now that sounds fun. Mind if I join?”

“Sure, fine. Let’s just hurry before I end up with more problems today.”

Neither of them say a thing as they make their way to the castle. Anon has a lot to think about when it comes to Twilight. While helping her is a good thing, letting her get too close isn’t. There needs to be a line and that’s something he’ll have to draw himself.

Celestia is walking down the hall that connects to the throne room and notices that only a few ponies remain for morning court. They give her a bow just before she enters into the room. Once inside, Celestia takes note of her sister on the throne and a lone stallion in the center of the room.

“Thank you for the help, Princess.” He sighs sadly. “I’ll be going now.”

“I regret not being able to help as much as you had hoped. Should you have more questions, do not hesitate to return.”

As soon as the stallion turns around, he flinches back upon finding the second Princess of Equestria patiently waiting. He gives her a quick bow, but takes his leave without so much as a word said to her. Celestia looks over to her sister with a raised brow and nods her head at the stallion briefly. Luna sighs and waits for him to leave before speaking.

“I must say that I am not used to dealing with subjects that have love problems...” Luna admits. “Even with Cadance’s aid, it is not really my forte.”

Celestia gives a nod of understanding. “I see. Yes, these questions are difficult, considering our own situation.”

“Speaking of which, how did it go?” Luna asks.

Celestia wants nothing more than to indulge her sister, but there’s a far more pressing matter that needs to be addressed. For now, Celestia must remain focused on the answers she seeks.

“It went rather well, sister. However, there was something Anon brought up that I would like to discuss with you.”

“Hm? What would that be?” Luna asks, looking over an official notice from a royal wanting to make changes to his place of business.

Narrowing her eyes, Celestia says, “I’m not quite sure how to say this without being blunt, Luna, but Anon seems rather upset with you.” Celestia notices her sister flinch slightly. “He was hesitant to explain as to why, but I know that whatever it is, it’s bothering him.”

Luna sets the notice down and addresses the guard beside the throne: “Morning court is over. Something pressing has surfaced and it requires the attention of both my sister and I. Clear the room and make sure for those left waiting get priority tomorrow as an assurance.”

The guard nods and all of them move out of the room. Celestia maintains her silence throughout. Luna waits for a moment as she thinks over how to approach this situation.

“Tell her what she wants to hear,” Nightmare whispers. “Spin her a tale and put her at ease; Celestia doesn’t have to know of your transgressions. You’re a good liar, after all.”

Luna grits her teeth as she severs the connection with Nightmare Moon. She doesn’t have the patience to deal with her right now. After taking a moment to center herself, Luna returns her sight to her sister.

“Tia, We… I’ve done something horrible to Anon,” Luna starts.

A spike of rage courses through Celestia’s veins. Her breaths become labored as she desperately holds steady. Her mind is in two places: one part of her brain screaming at her to attack her sister for harming her stallion; the other begging her to listen before acting rashly. She collects herself and faces her sister.

“Tell me everything,” Celestia orders.

“I did not harm him directly, if it is any consolation.” That part of Celestia’s mind calms at hearing Luna’s words. “However, what I did hurt him nonetheless.” Luna takes a moment to reflect on the situation Anon has given her. She’s happy he was willing to protect her, but she can’t keep this secret forever. “Sister, Twilight Sparkle...” Luna begins to tremble, “Every step your student takes, free to walk about the same now as she did before revealing herself to be the vixen she truly is, is an affront to everything Equestria stands for! She is a traitor to Harmony itself!”

Confusion spreads into Celestia. “Luna, how could you say tha-”

“Please, let me finish,” Luna says, holding up a hoof. “As retribution for what traumas she inflicted upon Anon, I wanted her to suffer deeply. I was not going to forgive or allow her to gain his forgiveness. I would protect Anon, even if it meant destroying her.” Celestia’s eyes widen in shock. “I know she is an Element—our first line of defense against Equestria’s greatest threats—and that, sister, is why I had to find another means of hurting her. To make her understand the pain she so callously put the one I care about through.”

Luna stands from her dais and walks all the way up to her sister, so they’re face to face.

“I told Spike everything about what happened in Ponyville. I turned her only support into a blade that would cut her so deeply that she would think twice about harming Anon ever again and make her feel true despair, emptiness, and isolation.”

Celestia’s ears splay back, unbelieving of the vile words streaming from her sister’s mouth.

“However, my plan didn’t work.” Luna looks away from her sister in shame, searching the stained glass windows depicting Equestria’s history. The light itself draped over her, cloaking half her face in shadow, and revealed the mare’s weariness in what was visible. “Anon found Spike, and in turn, was forced to help Twilight. He was afraid of what would happen to the relationship between you and me if he were to ignore Twilight and allow madness to take hold of and shatter her fragile psyche. So he covered up what happened and even kept the full story from you.” A few tears trail down her cheek. “Despite what I did, all he wanted in the end was to protect me.”

Celestia tries to reach out to her sister but Luna takes a step back, hiding herself in the comforting shade as the conversation with Nightmare from before grates at her thoughts. She’s not like her; she’ll never be like her! “That was not the sole reason for my actions.”

“What other reason do you have?” Celestia asks, breathing deeply.

“Tia, it’s hard living in the shadow of my past. I try my hardest to move past it and yet it incessantly looms, haunting me. The actions of Nightmare Moon were not my own, but she was a clear reminder of what I failed to overcome. Due to my own weakness, I allowed myself to fall from grace and into despair.” Luna locks eyes with her sister again, her tears having long since dried, leaving her eyes red and fur matted. “I was afraid that Twilight would become what I once was: a Nightmare.”

Celestia is speechless at hearing this revelation. “T-Twilight, a Nightmare?”

Luna nods. “Consumed by her own feelings and need for forgiveness, it would’ve corrupted her given enough time. I saw the signs and with that I knew to strike at her with the fury I failed to bring upon myself. A broken mare is no less a puppet than a corpse is a body.”

Luna looks down to the floor as she takes a breath to steady herself. “So, I broke her. Devoid of emotion, she’d be useless to any corruption. That was the plan, until Anon got involved.” Luna chokes back a sob. “I wanted to protect everyone and instead I nearly ruined everything we have created with him. If she were to become a Nightmare, she undoubtedly would’ve come for him, and I could not allow that!” Luna stomps her hoof in anger as tears rush down her face. “I’d sooner die than let Nightmare have him!”

As Luna cries, Celestia’s concerns fade. She knew her sister disliked Twilight, but she never expected it to have gotten this bad. Celestia wraps her sister into a hug and lets her cry to herself. The past still haunts Luna, as it does Celestia, no matter what they try and tell themselves. But what she did was indeed wrong and Celestia will need to address this.

“I’m sorry you’ve felt this way, Luna,” Celestia speaks gently. “Still, bringing Spike into this mess wasn’t your call to make. He’s a child, and I have spent many days trying to figure out the right words to explain to him what happened. Adding the fact you did this explicitly to harm Twilight is another issue entirely.” Celestia sighs as everything comes together. “Anon’s story now makes sense. I’m happy it’s worked out in the end, but now I fear the secrets Anon holds are putting a burden on him.”

“I’m not sorry for what I did,” Luna says with conviction. “I’m only sorry that Anon got involved.”

“Luna, you need to stop this,” Celestia says with some anger as she moves back slightly to face her sister. “You are my sister. I love you, but if you insist on again going down this path of vindictive hatred, I’m afraid I cannot stay my hoof. I punished the Elements for their crimes. If your terrible actions were to succeed in bringing Twilight to harm, you would have received no mercy from me. However, Anon has indeed saved you from this, as well as Twilight. I will help you through your plight because you are my sister, but overcoming your fear is a battle you must fight yourself, Luna.”

Luna pushes away from her sister, her eyes on the floor. “Twilight got far less than she should have.”

Celestia looks away from her sister. “It’s not entirely her fault. I have mishandled her teachings, focusing too much on educating her about friendship instead of pushing her to experience it firsthoof, and that is why she is struggling against the tide right now. As such, I’ve kept my punishment light.” Celestia then faces her sister. “You know better, Luna. I’d...” Celestia takes a deep breath to steady out what she says next. “I don’t want to see Anon hate you for what you’ve done.”

Luna flinches at that, but doesn’t say a word.

“He’s worried about you. About what having him as a friend does to you,” Celestia adds. “If you are to pursue your hate for Twilight, it will not end well for either of you. That much I can assure you. So let this lie, sister.”

Luna allows this to sink in for her. Her sister is right, she knows that, but there’s so much for Luna to think about. Can she really let go of what she feels? She doesn’t want her relationship with Anon to deteriorate, but she also doesn't want him to be at risk due to her inaction. Luna takes a long breath in as she centers her thoughts. She’ll follow Anon’s lead; if he wishes to ignore Twilight, then Luna will do the same.

“Very well,” Luna says. “I have a lot to think about. If you don’t mind, Tia, I’ll be on my way.”

Luna walks past Celestia, but stops as she’s taken into her sister’s embrace again.

“I love you, Lulu. I’m upset, but I still love you.”

That calms Luna down considerably as she rests her head onto her sisters withers.

“I love you too, Tia. I just- I worry... My hesitation allowed Nightmare to seduce me with her hollow words and has cost me greatly. I have no idea if the same will happen to your student, but it’s something I fear.”

“Don’t worry. If it should come to that, we’ll take care of it.” She held Luna closer. “Together.”

“Yes. Together.” Luna squeezes her sister before moving away from her. “I have a few things I’d like to take care of. See you later, sister.”

“Lunch with Anon,” the white alicorn reminded.

“I’ll be there.”

With that all said, Luna leaves Celestia alone in the throne room. Celestia doesn’t know what to think, but there’s one thing that’s certain: she needs to ease Anon’s worries.

Blossom is giggling uncontrollably, unable to keep still.

“Stop moving!” Anon shouts as he holds the wriggling captain firm.

“I-I, hah! can’t help it! My wings are super sensitive!”

“How did you talk me into this?” Anon groans.

Blossom tries her best to suppress her giggles as Anon works on her leathery wings. Perhaps he’s being too tolerant with his friends. Bathing with them is one thing but it’s getting to the point where any pony that gets the chance will ask him to help with something on their body. Admittedly, Blossom doesn’t have magic like the sisters, so it makes sense why she would need help... but it’s the principle of the matter. If he doesn’t stop now, who knows how many ponies will come asking!

“It didn’t take much, I have a feeling you secretly love washing ponies,” Blossom teases.

“I honestly don’t care. It’s you ponies that seem to enjoy being washed,” Anon remarks.

Blossom smirks slightly. “Are you sure you don’t care? I think I feel something pressing against my flank.”

Anon takes a moment to facepalm, some soap covering his face. “Blossom, it’s bad enough that you’re in the bath with me. Just give me a break, alright?” Anon pleads.

“Just try to relax. I’m just having fun,” Blossom assures him.

“I know. It’s just- Twilight is still on my mind. And it’s so… frustrating!”

Blossom, not moving from Anon’s lap, spins to face him.

“Well, doing the right thing doesn’t always feel good,” she admits. As she examines his body, she purses her lips, her wet hair falling over one of her eyes. “Here, let me wash you.”

Anon accedes, watching Blossom as she takes the shampoo, pours it on herself and then gives him a big hug, moving up and down his chest. His face burns in a furious blush.

“W-Why do you have to be so weird all the time!?” he asks, his mind drawing blanks.

“Because it’s a distraction,” Blossom says honestly as she looks up and smiles at him.

“Well, I can’t deny its effectiveness.” Anon chuckles a bit at the situation.

“Sweeps was the same way. I’m glad I can help at all.”

“Well, it’s appreciated,” Anon admits. “But seriously, get off. Your fur is making me itchy.”

Blossom shrugs as she climbs off the grouchy human.

“So, what’s next?” she asks.

Anon looks down at his body and can see Blossom’s fur on him. What time of the year is it? Is she shedding more? Great, juuust great. Anon washes himself off before getting out of the bath.

“Get dried, dressed, then bed.”

“Going dream walking?” she asks.

“Probably not.” Anon answers. “Just want to decompress.”

“I get you.”

Blossom gets out of the bath as well and grabs a towel to dry herself. It doesn’t take them long before they’re ready and they walk out of the bath into Celestia’s room.

“I don’t feel right sleeping here when she’s gone,” Anon remarks. “I’m heading to my room.”

Blossom doesn’t say anything as she follows him. They make it to his room in a few minutes and walk inside, Blossom closing the door behind them. Anon doesn’t even pause as he tosses the blanket halfway off the bed, climbs in, waits a moment for Blossom to get in as well, then covers them both. Blossom snuggles up close to Anon as he begrudgingly puts an arm over her.

“This is still weird” Anon states.

“It’s only weird if you make it weird.”

“I highly doubt that, Blossom. Like, who even does this?”

Blossom rolls her eyes. “Actually, a lot of ponies. There are such things as cuddle buddies, you know.”

Anon raises a brow. “Really?” Blossom gives him a deadpan stare. “Huh. I’ve never had that before.”

Now it’s Blossom’s turn to raise a brow. “What do you consider the sisters then?”

Anon shrugs. “I have no idea... Weird?”

“Is that how you describe everything?”

“Yeah. When I don’t understand something, it tends to be weird. I’m an alien, Blossom. There’s still a lot I don’t know about this place.”

“I guess that’s true.” Blossom lets out a yawn. “Ask me anything if you want, but for now, let’s sleep.”

Anon too yawns. “Yeah, I can get behind that.”

Blossom smirks as she closes her eyes. “You already are.”

Anon just shakes his head. “Shut up,” is all he says as he closes his eyes.

The last of us

Anon is laying beside Blossom, the captain resting peacefully in his arms. He’s spent a least half an hour with his eyes closed in a failed attempt to relax. He can’t take his thoughts away from Twilight. Everything is starting to move faster than he thought and the way she’s acting is throwing him off his original plan: his plan to just help her and forget she exists. His mind is a minefield under normal circumstances, and Twilight has managed to set most of them off like the clumsy pony she is!

Visions of the past flash before his eyes. Questions about her motives and intentions. Does she genuinely wish to reform herself? Or does she want something far more sinister? She acts sincere in her regret over what happened, but is it just a ploy to get Anon to drop his guard? The facts frighten him more than his paranoia. He knows she’s sorry and regrets what happened and wants to make things better for everyone. Anon isn’t stupid, he knows he’s on that list of hers, perhaps the last one she wants to help.

His emotions are all screwed up. He still hates her, that hasn’t changed, but listening to her talk so casually as they walked reminded him of a time when she wasn’t the monster he knows her to be. A pony that was curious and helpful, a pony that he may have once considered a friend... Anon pulls Blossom closer. He doesn’t have a choice. If helping Twilight can make Celestia happy, then that’s what he’s going to do. Anon owes Tia for all that she’s done for him and this time he’ll do something she wouldn’t expect.

There’s also the side benefit of Twilight being shipped back to Ponyville when she’s done with this stupid stuff but this is still mainly for Celestia. Anon nods to himself. Alright, he has a clear goal and there’s only one way to get there.

A knock echoes from the door and breaks the silence.

“Who could that be?” Anon whispers.

“Twilight,” Blossom answers.

Blossom moves from Anon and sits up as she keeps her gaze onto the door. She doesn’t look happy and Anon can’t comprehend why that mare is here of all places. There’s another knock at the door.

“Um, Anon?” Twilight calls out. “Is this even his room?” she mutters to herself. “If you’re in there, I uh... I just need a moment of your time.”

Anon knows if he remains silent then she’ll eventually leave, but that goes against what he’s trying to accomplish.

“One minute,” Anon calls back.

“Oh, thank Celestia,” Anon hears Twilight say to herself, sounding relieved.

Anon looks at Blossom. “Better get this over with.”

“I’ll be right here,” she answers, still facing the door.

Anon gets out of bed and answers the door. Standing there, nervously shifting her weight from one hoof to the other, is Twilight. She looks up at him but quickly averts her gaze.

“What do you want?” Anon asks, leaning against the door.

“I’m sorry... I couldn’t do it.” Twilight can’t face him, to see that look of disappointment. “I sat there at the table, the words were on my tongue, but I couldn’t say it.”

Well, Anon isn’t surprised to hear this, not in the least. The fact is, it took him years to build up the courage to say anything to Twilight and even then that was only with the support of his friends. In this rare case, Twilight is actually facing against her support, so there was no one there when she needed someone. This leaves Anon in a tricky position. Now he’s her support.

This isn’t what he wants, but it’s the only choice available to him.

“It’s to be expected,” Anon says trying to ease her mood. “If it’ll help, I can come with you next time.”

Twilight snaps up to face Anon. “R-Really?”

“Yeah, just invite your brother and Cadance to that restaurant again and we’ll both talk to them.” Anon hears a pony clear their throat behind him. “Make sure there’s a place for Blossom too.”

Twilight snaps out of her stunned daze as she nods rapidly. “Yes, of course! So, what time is good for you?”

“Tomorrow during morning court. I’m sure one, if not both, of the sisters will want to spend time together after then. So it’s best to do this when they’re busy.”

“Alright, I’ll take care of everything.” Twilight beams with a smile.

Anon rubs his hand on the back of his neck, the two of them staring at each other for an awkward amount of time. “So... yeah.” Not knowing what else to say, Anon closes the door in Twilight’s face.

“Thank you!” Twilight shouts past the door as she gallops away.

Anon’s shoulders slump as he trudges back over to the bed and falls onto it.

“You’re taking this seriously,” Blossom remarks matter-of-factly.

“I have a goal and I intend to make it happen.”

“Good to know.” Blossom cuddles up to Anon again. “This time, get some sleep. Your thoughts were keeping me up.”

“What?” Anon looks at Blossom confused.

“It’s a joke, but still, you twitch slightly when in thought. Get some sleep; you’ll need it.”

Anon takes Blossom’s lead and gets comfortable and closes his mind. Unlike before, his mind is calm and sleep takes him easily.

Nightmare lays on the floor of darkness of her dream, Luna panting heavily over her beaten form.

“All I wanted was silence,” Luna hisses, the floor of the void wisping around her hooves and rising to lick at her fetlocks. “Yet you test me at every turn!”

Luna kicks Nightmare in the stomach, knocking the wind from her already labored breaths from her lungs. The bloodied mare violently heaves as she fights to draw in a breath.

Ever since morning court, Luna had been using the Corruption as a means of stress relief, trying to beat sense into her thick skull so that she would learn her place. Nightmare has taunted her and belittled her one time too many!

After catching her breath, Luna tries to compose herself the best she can. “You. Are. Nothing,” Luna says, pacing around the once mighty Mare in the Moon as she observes her handiwork. The immaterial tendrils of darkness dance around her hooves wherever she steps like raging flames. “Keep your silence or this will become routine.”

Luna turns to leave but a chuckle fills the dead air she left behind. Nightmare tries to pick herself up but collapses on the floor in a broken heap. This does little to stop her chuckle as it turns to full blown laughter. Luna looks over her withers to face the mare and finds that Nightmare is looking right at her.

“You’re a scared little filly,” Nightmare mocks. “You think you’re in control, that you possess power, but we both know that you’re hanging on by a thread.” Luna flares her wings, attempting to intimidate her, but she only smiles coyly as a result, noting the wisps of shadow churning around the diarch and clinging to her. “It’s only a matter of time before you lose yourself to me.”

Luna narrows her eyes. “That will never happen. Not again. You are weak, Nightmare. I wonder what I ever feared in you.”

Despite her pitiful state, Nightmare cracks a smile. “You can’t lie to yourself like you lie to Anon.”

Luna’s eyes widen, and Nightmare Moon can feel the heavenly brew of dark emotions stretching and shaping the void.

“Still your tongue, parasite,” Luna coldly warns. “I have tolerated your insolence for long enough.”

“Why don’t you show him your true colors?” Nightmare suggests, smirking. “I’m sure he’d be thrilled to see that when it comes to being a monster, you and I are one in the same. Though,” she cracks her neck, blood trickling past her lip, “I am touched by the intuition that perhaps you are far more practiced in cruelty than even I. You make me proud.”

Luna’s eyes fill with fury as all the fur and feathers on her body stand on end. “I am not you!” Luna shouts as she picks Nightmare up in her magic and slams her into the floor multiple times.

Nightmare can only continue to smile as she has long since lost the ability to feel pain. Anything Luna does to her at this point is just for her own enjoyment. Luna stops her onslaught as she lifts Nightmare up to face her, the smile ever present.

“So much anger to relish in,” Nightmare remarks. “You haven’t changed one bit. You’re weak, the same little Lulu I’ve always known.” She flips around in Luna’s magic with worrying ease, causing the alicorn to involuntarily take a step back, staring daggers into her eyes as her smile, now inverted, deepens. “It’s only a matter of time before your ‘loved ones’ too are victimized by your aimless passion. Your sister, your captain,” Nightmare’s glares death into her host. “Anon.”

Luna drops Nightmare, backing away as her blood runs cold. “You’re wrong. No, I’d never hurt any of them.”

Nightmare gasps in false sympathy. “That’s why Anon is weary of you. He knows better than to trust a vulture!”

Luna doesn’t know what to say, her breath catching in her throat.

“That’s not true,” a voice echoes.

Luna’s head snaps towards the voice and finds Anon standing there. His brows are furrowed as he looks between Luna and Nightmare. Anon has no idea what’s going on, but it doesn’t seem pretty. Nightmare is beaten to hell and Luna looks like she’s one wrong word from a full-blown meltdown. He can already guess what’s happening here after what he experienced at the hall of doors. Still, he wasn’t expecting to find this.

It puts a lot of stuff into perspective for him. What an excellent mess Anon finds himself in. First Twilight, now this. Anon is shaking his head as he walks up to Luna.

“Anon, I can explai-”

Anon slaps her without pause. The hit is hard enough to knock Luna off balance for a moment. She looks back at him in surprise as she brings a hoof to her cheek.

“Stop being crazy,” he reprimands before his features soften. “I trust you, Luna.”

As the pain and shock begins to fade, tears start rolling down her cheek. Slowly, she rests her hoof back onto the floor. Anon is taken off guard as she dashes and takes him into an embrace. For the first time, Anon sees Luna cry and for reasons that he’s not even aware of. He wraps his arms around her and allows her to cry all the pain away.

“I-I was afraid.” Luna cries into his shoulder. “I thought you hated me for what I’ve done.”

“There’s not much you can do that would make me hate you.” Anon speaks calmly. “Am I upset? Yes. Am I disappointed? Yes. Do I hate you? No.”

“I just- I just want to protect you.” Luna nuzzles into him an a desperate attempt to convey how sorry she is.

As Anon holds Luna close, he realizes it was a pipe dream to think that everything was fine with the sisters. Sure, he’s helped them, but there’s a millennia or more of issues on top of what he’s fixed. Luna has always been afraid of abandonment. Who isn’t? Though the difference is that nopony has another in their head trying to corrupt them day in and day out.

“I know, but it hurts me when you do something so reprehensible for my sake,” Anon admits as he lifts Luna’s chin so she can face him. “You left Blossom to protect me, and as a guard and friend, she’s exceeded my hopes. You can relax and we can try to move past what happened in Ponyville and Spike. I want to enjoy the time I have with you and Tia, not worry about the next dumb thing either of you try out of some misguided attempt to protect me when there’s no need.”

As Luna looks into Anon’s eyes, she feels the urge to lean in for a kiss. She loves him so much and his words only spur the need to relay that feeling to him. However, she must hold herself back but she must show him how much she cares. Luna leans in and kisses Anon on the cheek instead.

Pulling away, she feels her worries melt away. “I apologies for losing myself. Having her constantly there puts stress on me. I should have talked to you about my worries, but I know how much you have on your shoulders.”

Anon wasn’t expecting that kiss but it was a somewhat emotional exchange. “If you’re concerned about something, I’ll always listen. It’s no problem.”

Luna can feel that love swell inside of her. However, another issue is at hoof.

“Anon, you no longer need to keep what I’ve done a secret. I came clean to what happened. I’m sure Tia will come to talk with you about it.” Anon looks worried, so Luna hugs him again. “My sister and I are fine. This is something we’ll work out together.”

Anon calms down at her words. If that’s what she believes, then he’ll accept it. So much is going on right now that he’s not sure how to cope with it all.

“Thanks for the warning,” Anon responds, trying to clear his rampant thoughts.

Luna lets go of Anon as she feels her face cover in a blush. She can’t believe she kissed him! However, for Anon, he’s reminded that they’re not alone as he looks over to Nightmare Moon. She lays on her side, back facing them. His thoughts calm as he looks at her, a particular pain inside of him taking its place. A need to help, even though he knows it’s wrong. He has to remind himself that this mare tries to hurt Luna mentally.

Nightmare has been laying on the floor in silence. Despite all the damage she’s taken, there’s something else causing her to hurt inside. She doesn't know what it is, but ever since Anon has shown up, it feels far more unbearable than what Luna was subjecting her to. After their exchange, Nightmare could sense the resolve in Luna at Anon’s words. There’s no chance her words will cut at her now; he’s ruined everything in just a manner of seconds! She might as well rest while she has the time.

“What are you doing?” Luna asks.

Nightmare feels something rest on her side. She opens her eye and looks... to see Anon. He's kneeling beside her as he runs a hand over some of her wounds. He doesn’t answer, moving around to the front of Nightmare, lifting her head up to examine her face. There’s blood, bruises and scratches covering her from head to hoof. Once again, he has no idea if what he’s doing will even help, but at the very least, it makes him feel better. He snaps his fingers to summon bandages.

“Leave her.” Luna walks closer to Anon. “She doesn’t deserve the kindness.”

“Maybe not, but there’s something that’s been bothering me.” Anon starts wrapping Nightmare’s wounds. “Were you the one that helped me with my nightmare?” Anon can see how her eyes soften but she doesn't speak. Then again, with the beating she’s taken, she’s probably tired. “It makes sense. Only Luna and I can do that kind of stuff and I know it wasn’t her... So that leaves you.”

Anon lays Nightmare’s head onto the floor as he continues to work on her. “Thank you.” Anon says, placing a hand on her side. “You had no reason to help me, but you did regardless. I appreciate it.”

“Do not take her act as one of kindness,” Luna warns. “It could be nothing more than a ploy to corrupt you.”

“It’s something I’ve considered.” Anon still working on Nightmare. “Can I request something, Luna? You’ll probably be upset, but it’s something that’s been eating away at me.”

“What is it?” Luna cautiously asks.

“I want to visit Nightmare again.”

That causes both Nightmare and Luna to flinch.

“What?!” Luna looks baffled as she stomps her hoof. “No! You and I have talked about this. I don’t trust her, and you will undoubtedly be at risk.”

Anon finishes working on Nightmare. He stands up and walks back to Luna.

“I have to do this, Luna...” He turns away from her. “With or without your permission.”

“Give me a reason, Anon,” Luna asks seriously.

Anon looks from Luna back to Nightmare, who has yet to move. Even with what little history he knows, and the recent issues she’s been causing with Luna, he feels a small part of him wanting to know more and to help. The only thing he can say is what is apparent to him.

“She’s alone here.”

Nightmare winces. Loneliness has always been her companion, yet now she takes umbrage at the fact? Luna looks at Anon in awe. Even though the pony before him is Nightmare Moon, he still cares about those he can relate to. However, this is not something Luna can see from his point of view, given the history, but looking into his eyes, she can see a specific pain behind them. A need to at least try, even if it’s a fruitless endeavor.

She loves him so much, but his words from before are still on her mind. He trusts her, and after what she did, she may as well give him leeway on this. No matter how much her soul cries out to protect him from the monster before her.

“Please, come with me to speak in private.” Luna summons a door for them to leave.

Nightmare can’t believe what’s happening as she watches Anon walk out of her dream with Luna close behind. Once the door closes, the pain starts to fade away and numbness takes its place. She doesn’t understand that creature. Perhaps this will be what she needs to escape? However, despite her thoughts, she can’t look away from the bandage on her hoof.

Celestia is trotting through the halls of the castle in search of the resident human. Now that everything has come to light, she wants to assure him that whatever problems may arise can be solved together and he does not have to carry this burden alone. This is upsetting in many ways: it makes her question if he trusts her or if he’s afraid that everything will come crumbling to the floor, should he not hold it together.

She can’t blame him. He had just recently lost two of his closest friends and she knows how much that affected him. Now he’s probably worried about everyone and how their actions could destroy what little he has. Celestia understands that feeling; she felt it herself toward Luna when she first returned, but things worked out, thanks to Anon. While they may disagree or even fight, she wants him to know that they’ll always work things out in the end.

Celestia nods with confidence. However, that feeling fades as she remembers she hasn’t found Anon yet. She’s searched the dining hall, her bedroom, the bathhouse, and even the library. Twilight was there looking busy over something, so Celestia let her be. The only place left is his room, though one he’s seldom used over the past few months. It’s the only lead she has, unless he’s still out shopping around, but it’s been almost half an hour and Anon doesn’t stay out in public longer than necessary.

Turning toward his old room, she continues on with a newfound goal. While romance is indeed on her mind, she first needs to help Anon realise that what they have is strong and nothing can break it... A somber mood washes over her. If the worst should happen, and he’s not interested in her, she wants him to know that she will accept his choice, no matter how painful it may be.

Celestia shakes the thought away. No reason to assume the worst. Anything could happen, and she’s sure that with time, everything will work out.

Twilight is looking over the library with haste. She needs to find when the sisters were born and quickly! Her tongue pokes past her lips in concentration as she searches, but her mind is occupied with something else: she’s thinking about Anon. The giddy smile on her face hasn’t left since she spoke to him and how they plan to face Cadance and her brother together. This is undoubtedly the first step to making amends, and Twilight is well aware of how far Anon is pushing himself to make it work between them.

“By the end, maybe we can be friends?” she whispers to herself.

“Who can be friends?”

Twilight jumps in fright, turning on a dime to face the voice. Standing there is Spike. She instantly calms down.

“Oh, it’s you, Spike!” She places a hoof over her racing heart. “Sorry, I didn’t notice you there. I’ve got a top priority mission I’m on.”

Spike cocks his head. “Really? Is it from the Princess?”

“Nope!” Twilight goes back to searching. “It’s a secret, but I’ll tell you when the time is right.”

Spike doesn’t understand what she’s talking about, but she looks far livelier than when they last spoke, at least.

“Oh, do you need any help?” he offers.

“Um.” Twilight taps a hoof to her chin. “Yeah. Can you look for any records that reference when the sisters were born?”

“Any particular reason why?” he asks while walking over to a shelf to look through.

“As I said, it’s a secret... So, can you keep this between us?”

Spike salutes, puffing out his chest. “You got it, ma’am! This drake’s lips are sealed!” He smiles, looking excitedly at Twilight. “So what’s the secret?”

Twilight giggles, holding a hoof over her mouth. “Alright... Anon wants me to find out when the sisters were born so he can throw them a party.”

Spike drops the book he pulled from the shelf at that. There are so many things about what Twilight said that have Spike questioning his sanity.

“Um... Alright, let me get this straight... Anon asked you to help him find this stuff?”

“Eh… Sort of?” Twilight nervously rubs the book in her hoof. “It’s a long story. I swear I’ll tell you everything tonight, but please, I need you to keep everything as our secret.”

“I already said ‘ok.’” Spike picks up the book he dropped, but then an idea comes to mind. “Uh... I may know where a book like that is.”

Twilight whips around to face him. “Really?!”

“Yeah...” He takes a second to think about what he’s considering. “Luna has a lot of old books I’ve never seen before in her room. It has to have that kind of information in there. Or at least something that can help point us to it, if not.”

Twilight’s fur stands on edge. “L-Luna? You went into her room?” she asks in concern.

“Yeah, she was nice and I wanted to talk to her about a few things.” Spike faces Twilight. “She offered a lot of good advice and I feel better about a lot of things.”

Twilight bites her lip, her ears splaying against her head. Spike walks up to Twilight and hugs her, pulling her from thought.

“I don’t hate you, Twilight,” Spike says. “I know you’re trying hard to be forgiven, and that’s why I’ll always be by your side. Who else could be your Number One Assistant?”

Twilight’s heart melts as her eyes glisten, she hugs him tightly as a weight lifts from her. She’s been worried that what happened would make Spike leave, but hearing this makes her sure of the path she’s chosen. It also makes her wonder what Luna talked to him about to bring about this change.

“Thank you, Spike. I love you. I know it’s not something I say often, but I do.”

Spike can feel his eyes water a bit. “I love you too, sis...” He clears his throat as they move away. “So, I could probably ask Luna if I can look over her library. I don’t need to tell her why, but I have the feeling it’s the best shot at finding out when they were born.”

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Twilight asks. “I doubt you’ll get in trouble, but I wouldn’t want you to lose whatever trust Luna has in you.”

“It’s fine. We’re not doing anything wrong, right?”

Twilight shakes her head. “No.”

Spike nods. “Alright. I’ll talk to her now. There were a lot of books, so it might take some time.”

“No problem. I’ll be here if you need me.”

“See you at dinner?”

“I’ll be there.”

Twilight watches as Spike walks away. Everything is going to work out. She’s sure of it.

Celestia stands before the door to Anon’s room. She lifts a hoof to knock, but stops just shy as a thought comes to her. Could he be resting? Not to rudely wake him, she leans an ear against the door to be sure. There’s a set of rhythmic breaths from within. He certainly is resting, but not alone. Has her sister come to see him and they decided to take a nap together? She’s not sure and that leaves her apprehensive of what she should do.

Shifting from one hoof to the other she weighs her options. She wants to speak with him, but doesn’t want to wake him. However, if she’s to leave, then she’ll lose this opportunity to talk to him. Celestia wants to put this issue to rest as soon as possible, so going is not an option. Then a brilliant thought comes to mind. She’ll join in his nap and when he wakes, she’ll be there to talk to him. It’s foolproof!

Celestia silently opens his door and peeks into his room. There’s a large lump in the bed, apparently him resting. She remains quiet as she enters and closes the door behind her. Taking care to make each step towards his bed light as a feather. When she gets close enough, she confirms that Anon isn’t alone but the pony isn’t her sister, it’s her captain! Celestia isn’t sure how to take this. How close have they become that Anon would allow her to rest with him?!

Celestia can feel that other side of her mind starting to act up. It questions how familiar they are, if Luna’s captain is in some way a romantic threat. She calms down to settle her thoughts. They’re close friends and for that she’s grateful to see Anon as relaxed as he his when Celestia isn’t around. Though that still doesn’t mitigate her jealousy, it helps calm her irrational side.

Celestia can feel her heart race as her school filly thoughts boil to the surface. She wants to hold him and whisper sweet nothings as he rests. Kiss him awake and tell him that she loves him. She sits on her rump as she covers her face. She's so embarrassed by these thoughts that it’s almost unbearable! She quickly sets her mind back on course. Her plan will still work, even with company. Celestia lifts the blanket off Anon with her magic and scoots in behind him as she covers them properly.

She lets out a sigh of content, resting her head behind Anon, taking in his scent. Her heart and thoughts settle as she relaxes. Now she’ll wait, and then ease his feelings once he wakes. From there, well, only time will tell.

Settling thoughts

Luna stands beside Anon as they face Nightmare’s door. The shadow that billowed forth has calmed to a lingering mist on the floor. She’s plagued with thoughts of what Anon has asked of her. He doesn’t understand the forces he’s messing with.

“She will use you.” Luna turns to face Anon, her expression devoid of emotion. “This I know for certain. She’s not a broken mare lost in her thoughts over how to improve herself. She’s evil, a beast, nothing like what you think her to be. She’s a toxin that burrows deep into your veins and corrupts your very actions. I cannot allow you to become a pawn to the likes of that disease.”

Her words are so sharp that he feels cut by them, as though, despite her intention, he was the target of her ire. However, he can’t take her words at face value, not with the sneaking suspicion that there’s something Luna isn’t telling him. The thought troubles him. He must know the full story if he is to let this rest.

“I get it.” Anon walks up to Luna, resting a hand on her cheek. “You’re afraid.” Luna’s solid stance goes slack at that. “‘What is she going to do to turn me against you?’ That’s what you’re thinking, right?” Luna remains silent as Anon runs the length of her cheek to the back of her neck, gently coaxing her into an embrace. “It’s something I’ve thought about as well. Perhaps she’ll use magic to erase my memory of you, or worse, just make me forget altogether.” There’s a tremble in his arms now. “I can’t say for sure what will happen, but I want to say one thing in Nightmare’s defense.”

Anon gives Luna a moment to say anything but her continued silence is enough to urge him forwards.

“She helped cure my nightmare for no benefit. I’m sure we’re both aware that she could’ve easily manipulated it to whatever she willed. However, that wasn’t the case. I still remember the dream vividly: I was alone. Everyone left me and I couldn’t take it. All by myself in eternal darkness.” Anon feels his grip on Luna tighten. “I was surprised to find that you were there. You held me and told me it’d be alright and I just had to wake up. The thing is,” Anon moves back as Luna faces him with wide eyes, “you were colder than usual. You also smelled of ozone. At first I was confused but then I recalled only one other pony smelled this way. It was confirmed when I touched her a few moments ago, the same coldness I felt before.”

Luna tenses, eyes wide. “You have full right to think of her as evil. After hearing the horrible things she said and did to you, I don’t think hate is a strong enough word to describe what you two feel for one another. However, something is amiss, and it’s why I can’t leave this be. She very well may be pure evil but she’s never treated me poorly. So, I want to know more about you and her, so that I can draw my own conclusion and finally put this to rest.”

Luna cannot turn away from his eyes. There’s so much care, and yet he wishes to waste it on the creature that corrupts her mind. “Those memories are fuzzy for me,” Luna admits. “Like a flash of images, I know what happened, but something else is lost in their meaning. All I know, is that I cannot trust her, not after what she did to everypony.” Luna leans in to nuzzle him. “I will not allow her to hurt you.”

There’s that familiar pain creeping across Anon’s chest. He wants to do what is right, but he must also consider what is right for the sisters. He cares about them deeply, and it’s why he finds himself second guessing if this is something he should go through with.

His mood grows dark as his thoughts run rampant. Nightmare is an entity that plagues Luna and one that will remain with her for as long as Luna lives. One day, Anon will be gone, and he worries Nightmare will bide her time until that moment when Luna is left emotionally vulnerable to strike. Anon isn’t one for the laissez-faire approach to life, so if he intervenes there’s a slim chance that he can salvage this. Maybe if he gets to know Nightmare, then someday he will bring these two to an understanding.

While that’s one reason to take this monolithic task, it’s not the entire reason either: when he worked on her and their eyes met, for a brief moment, he saw a vulnerable mare staring back at him. He questioned if it was a ruse, but deep down, her knows the look was far too genuine to fake.

“I know you don’t want me to do this,” Anon moves from Luna as she lands on all fours. “It’s hard to believe, but I can take care of myself. Though I will meet you halfway. If it helps, I’ll tell you whenever I visit her. That way, you can check every so often to ensure I’m fine.” Anon rubs the back of his neck. “Of course, I’ll need privacy too. I doubt she’ll be open if you’re around.”

Luna finds herself questioning how long Anon has thought about this. “Anon, tell me again why you want to do this.”

“Luna, if things were different and you were Nightmare, wouldn’t you be lonely in that void? To be imprisoned there for what could very well be eternity?” Luna starts at the insinuation. “She was on that moon for a thousand years too, and even after that, she’s still trapped by herself. Wouldn’t that be unbearable?”

“I... I-It’s not the same.”

“I don’t know what else to say,” Anon admits. “I just can’t pretend I didn’t sense her loneliness.”

“Where will this end?” Luna tests. “What meaning does it have?”

“I don’t know yet, but it’s something I will explore,” Anon says with finality.

“What if it doesn’t go well?”

“Then I’ll never see her again. I want the chance. That’s all I’m asking.”

Luna closes her eyes as she takes this in. She already knows her answer. “...Very well. Every night, while you rest, I will give you an hour alone with her. You will be monitored by me to ensure your safety during this time. After that, I will train you in more advanced dream manipulation. If Nightmare is to attempt harming you, I want you to be able to defend yourself until I arrive.”

“I can accept that.” Anon smiles as he embraces Luna again. “Thank you. I know I’m being demanding, but it’s something I have to do.”

Luna rests her muzzle onto his shoulder. “You’ve always been difficult, Anon. Though, I find it hard to tell you no when you’re so adamant about it.”

“We’ll see how it goes.” They move from one another as Anon thinks over the time. “It’s probably lunch time.”

“I’m sure my sister is waiting for you. Ease her mind and your own.”

“Alright, see you later, Luna.”

“Until we wake.”

Luna is roused by a knock upon her door. With a small grunt, she lifts herself from bed, making sure her connection to Nightmare is severed; there’s a headache starting to take hold of her and she doesn’t want it to be exacerbated by her unwanted visitor. She knows it’ll only be a matter of time until that disease harms Anon, and yet she cannot direct him from this fate. All she can do is ensure he’s protected when that time comes. So she’ll allow him his freedom for the time being, then, when the inevitable occurs and Nightmare reveals her hoof, he’ll know what she asserts is the truth.

Another round of knocks pierces her thoughts.

“One moment!” Luna shouts, agitated.

Her shoes touch the cold marble flooring with a soft clack. She takes one moment to smooth her fur before answering the door, only to find that standing a few hooves from her knights is none other than the young drake.

“Yes?” Luna addresses both Spike and her knights.

Spike looks to say something but a knight cuts in: “The drake has returned to seek further audience, Highness.”

Turning her attention back to the young drake, she finds him looking unsure of himself, as if he is considering taking his leave, as to not be a disturbance.

“My apologies, young Spike. Intimidating as they may be, my Lunar Knights are the most honorable and loyal knights in Equestria, bar none. There is no cause for fright,” Luna says. “Is there a reason you’ve come knocking at my chamber doors?”

Spike cautiously approaches the princess, keeping an eye on the two imposing guards despite Luna’s assurance. “I know we talked a little while ago and I was wondering if I can ask another favor.”

Luna kneels low to meet Spike’s reluctant gaze. “Is that so? Well, I’m here, so what is it that you wish?”

Spike is starting to wonder if it was a bad idea coming here. However, knowing how important this task was, he stays his resolve, saying “I hope you don’t mind, Princess, but I’d like to look over your library.”

Luna takes surprise in the demeanor shift from Spike. Where there was reluctance, there now is clarity, a smile on his scaly face and a certain glint in his eye that spells determination. She cannot comprehend what this drake has in mind.

An amused smirk crosses her lips as she rises from her kneel and walks deeper into her room. “Follow.”

As Spike enters, the door behind him closes and locks. The both of them stroll over to one of the large bookshelves that line the walls. There they stop as Luna looks down to Spike. “Explore this shelf freely.” Lifting her wing, she brings it to another shelf that’s covered in a shimmer. “Refrain from touching those books, however. Their arcane energy is unstable and could cause untold damage if mishandled. Should you grow curious, ask me and we shall explore them together.”

A giddiness wells inside of Spike, as his sense of discovery, once insatiable, now grows positively rapacious in the wake of being surrounded by so much knowledge. It’s little wonder Twilight can’t seem ever to put a book down. He’s hanging on to every word Luna says as he watches her sweep from one shelf to another with her wing. The next shelf is covered in what Spike can only describe as dark fog.

“That area is forbidden,” Luna sternly says, noting Spike’s wandering, hazy gaze. “Not even I will peer into the depths of those tomes.”

“Why’s that?” Spike asks.

“Spike, you’ve been with Sparkle for many years and have seen the power magic can grant.” She kneels once more to face him properly. “There is far more dangerous magic that exists in the world. Fortunately, most of the more baneful magicks have been lost with the ages, but as fortune would have it there are plenty still left uncontained and seductive. It’s best to leave it at that. Do not allow yourself to grow curious, as what is locked away could very well harm all that you love.”

“So why not destroy them?”

“They’re bound by what’s known as ‘soul magic’. I will not go into details, but suffice it to say that no known magic can tear these books asunder without great risk. I’ve placed a ward onto these books until such a time comes where they can be appropriately disposed of. Should anything be removed from this shelf by anything other than myself, the culprit will turn to ash.”

At those words, Spike makes sure that that particular shelf is burned into his memory so he can avoid it. Luna rises up as she waves to a few other shelves in a broad sweep.

“The rest is free to explore as you see fit,” Luna walks past Spike towards the door. “My knights will let you in, should you ask.” She stops briefly to face Spike, waving him to her side with a wing. “Would you like to accompany me? Lunch is nearing and I’m sure you’re hungry.”

“Uh, actually I was wondering if I could do some research now?” Spike asks. “I’ll just have dinner later.”

Luna shakes her head, “Nonsense! A young drake such as yourself needs to eat properly, should you wish to grow.” Spike teleports to her side as she rests a wing on his back, opens the door, and leads them towards the dining area. “I’m certain you’re eager, but you’ve all the time in the world, little one. After our meal, you may return to study.”

“I guess I could use a snack,” Spike relents.

“May I ask why you’re interested in my library?”

Spike twiddles his claws. “It’s a secret, but I swear if I find the answer you’ll be happy.”

Luna smiles. “Very well, then I await this surprise with baited breath.”

This puts Spike at ease as he smiles back. The two of them walk towards the dining hall and Spike can only hope he finds the answer Twilight is looking for.

Hot... That’s the leading thought for Anon as he comes back to the conscious world. He kicks his blankets off to try and gain as much relief as he can from this unbearable heat. Anon opens his eyes to see Blossom in his arms, snuggled up to his chest with her mane covering her face as she rests peacefully. Blossom can’t be responsible for all this excess warmth. Anon’s focus shifts as he notices a long, slender leg resting over him from behind.

There’s no doubt in his mind whose limb that belongs to. Peering over his shoulder, he confirms that it is indeed Celestia in bed with him. Not only that, but she’s the source of this heat right now. It’s no secret to Anon that each sister has their own unique body temperature. Luna tends to feel somewhat cool to the touch and Celestia warmer than the average pony. He’s slept in bed with them long enough to figure this out. Now there’s a stark contrast between the heat she usually emanates to what he feels now; she’s practically a furnace.

It’s not painful by any means, but it is indeed uncomfortable. If the weather were colder, he’d probably enjoy the warmth, but that isn’t the case. His body is covered in sweat, and his clothes are feeling like a soggy mess against his skin. Anon rolls over to face Celestia.

“Hey, Tia.” Anon prods her snout.

Her nose twitches slightly as her grip on him tightens. She mumbles in her sleep and starts to roll over. Anon’s eyes widen as she rolls towards the edge with him held firmly in her grasp. There’s no time for him to react as she falls off the bed and right on top of him. Celestia lets out a yelp in surprise as she wakes from her dream, only inches from Anon’s face.

“Good to see you’re awake,” Anon groans, rubbing the back of his head.

The blood rushes to the princess’ face as she comes to realize the position she’s in: she has Anon pinned to the floor, his body pressed firmly against her own. She can smell his musk. It’s enough to get her heart to flutter, but she takes back control as she hops off and helps him up with her magic.

“I’m so sorry!” She brushes off whatever dust that’s on him with a hoof. “I must’ve thought we were in my bed.”

“It’s fine.” Anon pushes her hoof down. “No harm done.”

Celestia fights back the urge to hide behind her wings, to pretend that didn’t just happen. In all her years, it’s moments like these with Anon that she feels the most foolish. She has to get a handle on her behavior before it gets the better of her.

With Celestia off and him still covered in sweat, he walks over to his dresser and pulls out a change of clothes. He doesn’t pause for her as he tears off what he’s wearing and quickly dresses. At this point, she’s already seen him naked, so what’s the point in asking her to leave? Celestia’s eyes are locked on Anon’s body, taking in every inch of him, that burn swelling up inside of her.

“The reason I’ve come to your room is to speak in private. Are you free?” Celestia asks, casting a brief glance at Luna’s captain, who’s still resting, before turning back to Anon.

Once Anon is changed, he starts to feel better. The lingering heat from Celestia that clung to his body finally settling down to his average temperature.

“I’ve got the time.” Anon waves for Celestia to follow him out the room. “Let’s talk.”

She’s quick to join him and walk out the door he opened for her. Anon takes a step out, but pauses as he leans into his room before shutting the door.

“See you later.”

“I’ll be around,” Blossom replies.

Closing the door, Anon turns to face Celestia, but finds she’s already a few feet ahead of him down the hall. He quickly catches up to her as they walk side by side in silence. The clopping of her hooves and the rhythmic thuds of his feet are the only noises that collect from the marble floor below. Casting a brief glance to Celestia, Anon finds her lost in thought. He can’t stand this silence and her trepidation, so, he’ll be the first to speak on this matter.

“I should’ve told you what Luna did, but I didn’t want you two fighting over it.” Anon looks to the floor disappointed. “I’ve betrayed your trust.”

Celestia allows his words to sink in for her. He doesn't know the whole reason and yet he still believes he did something wrong in the end.

“You’re wrong. My sister had her reasons for what she did. True, they may have originally been guided by her want to protect you, but, over time, it turned into something else. Do not blame yourself for her actions. She is her own mare, you have no control over her.” Celestia sidles closer to Anon. “As for what you’ve done, I do not take it as an act of betrayal or a strike against the trust I’ve placed in you. You care deeply about my sister and I. It’s because of this that I understand why you made the choices you made when faced with what could’ve been total destruction.”

Celestia takes a moment to gather her thoughts. “If we trust each other, we must not fear the thought of growing apart. Instead, we must work together to ensure any difficulties that lie ahead are overcome. This is what trust is, Anon. To allow others to wither the burden and look out for one another other through trying times.” She rests a wing on him to pull him close. “I know it’s hard for you, but you must allow yourself to be vulnerable, to tell me you are afraid and that things about the future have you worried. We cannot help each other if we hold our problems to ourselves, and keeping secrets will only burden you in the long run.”

Celestia can feel Anon shake slightly in her hold. Yet as they walk, he doesn’t say a single word, instead keeping silent as he matches her pace.

Twilight trembles in place as she brings a hoof to her chest in a vain attempt to calm herself. She’s already made reservations at the restaurant. Now all she has to do is tell Cadance about it. She doesn’t like this, a weary sensation that tickles her spine and weighs heavy on her withers. Despite her apprehension, a smile curls onto her lips. If Anon was able to overcome this, then she can too. That helps calm her considerably as she faces the door in front of her with determination.

Twilight knocks a few times and waits. The door is answered by a surprised Cadance.

“Twilight?”

The shaky confidence Twilight had built before is culled, falling to a timid demeanor as she shifts uneasily from hoof to hoof.

“I would like to speak with you and Shining tomorrow morning where we ate. You know, before… my outburst. Does seven work for you?” Twilight asks.

“Uh... Sure.” Cadance responds. “Is everything alright?”

“Y-yeah. Just fine.” Twilight turns away, walking off down the hall.

Cadance watches Twilight walk off with her tail hanging low. Why did Twilight ask to see them again? This is what has Cadance the most puzzled.

“Who was that?” a voice asks from inside the room.

Cadance closes the door and walks into the sitting room. Shining, a cup of tea in hoof, looks up from a book as he takes a small sip.

“Twilight. She wants to meet again.” Shining’s mood darkens a bit as he stares into his tea. “I don’t know what she’ll say, but it’s clear that it’s about what we talked about.” At Shining’s silence, Cadance walks to her room. “We have one day. Remember, we’re doing this for Twilight.”

“...Yeah,” Shining says as he’s left alone with his thoughts.

Celestia pulled Anon off to a sitting room. She wants to spend more time with him alone and talk more about what’s happened. However, the entire walk, Anon kept silent, not uttering a single word. She questions if she made the right call back there. Perhaps it was too much to ask of him but she wants there to be a day where they can freely speak to one another about anything. It would make things easier for them and, should things become more romantic, they could talk about it and not bury it away.

There’s also the rising problem of her constant fantasies whenever Anon is close. Even now, as he sits beside her, she finds her mind wander. Thoughts of him taking hold of her withers and pulling her into a forceful kiss. She’d fight back lightly in surprise, but soon fall into his arms and allow him to take the lead. The pure passion, all of the fear of what is happening, what it could mean, but all of it means nothing at that moment. It’d just be the two of them, sharing their love for one another...

She shakes those filly thought clear. This is what she’s talking about! She must get these thoughts under controls and above all else not allow them to drive her actions. She turns her gaze back to Anon where he sits staring off into nothing. His unmoving nature, the slow rhythmic breaths; while appearing as nothing to others, she can almost sense the tension to his demeanor.

“Tia.” Celestia starts at his voice breaking the silence. “Tell me something you’re afraid of.” Anon continues to stare off into the distance. “You said that trust is based on allowing yourself to be vulnerable to others... So, what are you afraid of?”

Celestia takes a moment to think that question over. “I guess you could say that my fear is putting a burden on you. You believe that the problem of others is in some way a mantle placed on you. That’s not something I want, so I try and tread carefully, as I’m sure you do the same. We are alike in this mindset, but as we both know, it feels as if we carry the world on our withers.”

Her mind starts to wander to Anon for a different reason now. Her worries taking hold.

“I fear to lose you.” There a catch in her throat that she can’t suppress. “Either by the problems we lay on you or the unknown you constantly face. I find myself thinking often, ‘Is today the day he’ll leave?’ Because I know how much you strain yourself to meet our needs. Twilight, my sister, and even myself. I’ve become so comfortable in your presence, that I often forget that you come from another world. This morning, when you spoke of the clouds, I was reminded of the fact that you tread a world so foreign to your own and that must be terrifying.” She looks over to Anon as he now faces the floor, his expression grim. “You have so little to call your own and it makes sense why you cling to us with such intensity... It’s why you tried to keep what Luna did a secret.”

Anon is trembling as her words sink into him. She can read him like an open book. Have they really become this close? It’s funny in a way how Celestia can peer so far into his thoughts that even Luna herself, the mare he shared his memories with, cannot match what Celestia can see.

“Magic, ponies, griffins... The majority of these creatures can overpower me and I’d be at their mercy.” Anon speaks with a shaky sigh. “I don’t have magic, I’m no fighter, and talking can only get me so far. In the end, I’m weak, alone, and afraid of the world.” His grim mood turns slightly to joy. “Well, not alone; I have you, Luna, and all the friends I’ve made. That changes things for me. I’m afraid because I don’t want to let any of you down.”

Celestia scoots closer to Anon. “I can only speak for myself, but nothing you do will ever make me disappointed. I know it comes from a good place in your heart, that’s why I trust you as much as I do.”

There’s the wince again. He doesn’t understand how she can make him hurt with such sweet words. Why everything she says weighs on him so heavily? Being near her, it’s agonizing.

Anon tries to rub the tension in his neck away. “It’s hard for me to accept something so unconditional. I just question why and for what purpose.” He lets out a sharp sigh, turning to Celestia with a smile. “Guess I’ll just have to get used to it.”

Celestia allows herself a titter. “That you will.”

As Anon faces Celestia, he leans in and hugs her. He takes this moment to relish the feel. Her warm body, soft fur, even the rapid beat of her heart. A small chuckle leaves him. She’s as worked up as him. Still, holding her like this feels right and calms him considerably. Celestia’s eyes are full, but soon calm as she wraps Anon into her wings.

“Everything will be alright. I promise,” she whispers.

“I trust you, Tia.” Anon speaks. “I don’t know if I’m a good friend or not, but I’ll try my best.”

“You’re perfect the way you are.” Celestia nuzzles the back of Anon’s head. “To me, at least.”

Again, these words. They’re so sweet and pure, it hurts, but in a right way for Anon. He doesn’t want her to change, and he doesn’t want to hurt her. He’ll make things better. It’s all he wants for all of them. It’ll be a challenge, but with Celestia by his side, he’s sure it’ll work out in the end. After a moment, they move from one another.

“Do you wish to have lunch?” Celestia asks as she looks down at him with a sweet smile.

As Anon looks at Celestia, the way she’s looking at him, the way he feels inside right now... That’s when it all stops for him. He swallows hard as he gives her a small nod.

“Yeah, that’s a great idea.”

“Alright, give me a moment to call a servant. If you don’t mind, I’d like to eat privately with you.”

“I’m fine with that,” he answers, losing himself again in thought.

Celestia doesn’t even notice his slight mood change as she casts a spell to summon a servant to the sitting room. However, for Anon, he’s stuck with one thought...

I love Celestia.

Temporary silence

Celestia stands upon her balcony, the morning air brushing past her as she overlooks her city. The soft glow of their lights dull with the break of first light. A new day is upon the citizens but not for the princess as she did not find a wink of rest last night. She spent her night thinking about Anon, worrying over what they spoke on. After lunch, he asked to be alone for some time, as he wasn’t feeling well. It was understandable, as she too felt some butterflies in her stomach, so she accepted without complaint.

So, she went about her day as she usually would. There was plenty of busy work to keep her preoccupied as the hours went by, but even then, she would wonder about him. Dinner came around, and yet he was absent. Luna, Spike, and even Twilight were there, but Luna’s captain came by to say that Anon was still under the weather and was going to rest alone in his chambers for the night.

It was a rather quiet dinner between them all. Come bedtime, Luna went off to perform her royal duties and Celestia was left alone in her room. Lying in bed, she assured herself that Anon was fine and it was just the unforeseen emotional circumstance that put him off. Being vulnerable is difficult, and Celestia, too, fears the time when she will genuinely lay her heart bare and allow Anon to decide what to do with her love.

She went to bed with these hopeful thoughts. However, it did little to bring her a peaceful rest. She tossed and turned, noticing the lack of something beside her. The faint scent of Anon was still there, it comforted and hurt her, as it was little consolation to his absence. Memories of a time when she would rest without anyone and how lonely things truly were without him.

Minutes turned to hours and rest never came. She thought about going to his room, but decided against it, as he apparently wanted time to himself. Celestia turns from the balcony and enters back into her chamber to ensure she’s ready for morning court.

Give him time; that’s all he needs.

He’ll come back and from there they can move forward. She’ll tell him those three fateful words, and perhaps he’ll say them as well. Maybe not immediately, but given time, he’ll know that her heart is pure and only for him. For now, she’ll focus on work and allow him his time to think. Patience, that’s what matters here.

Spike covers his mouth as he yawns to himself, setting another book he’s finished aside before reaching for another. With the exception of dinner, Spike hasn’t left Luna’s library since lunch yesterday, only taking small breaks here and there to rest his eyes. It’s all the same, as late night study isn’t a new thing for him. Twilight used to ask for his help all the time, so it’s second nature to him. Though he will admit that when he started, his interest was purely to help Twilight find the sister’s birthdays, now he’s become enraptured by the many stories held in this collection.

There are personal notes from Starswirl the Bearded before the age of arcana and his creation of the first levitation spell. Not to mention many detailed history books that held the hoof/claw-written accounts of the battles that took place from various skirmishes. A series of combat-related texts that taught self-defense for both magic and non-magic species. So much was here, things he’s sure aren’t available anywhere else.

However, as the hours went on, he fell into a different sort of book. At first, he thought it was nothing more than a log of basic happenings of the kingdom; taxes and the like. However, as he kept reading, the accounts became more personal and he soon realized this was written by Luna herself. Talking about the rise of the kingdom, how things were faring and what worries she had. With each new page, more depth was found and it soon became something akin to a diary.

Spike wasn’t sure if Luna knew they were here and questioned if he should be reading them, but it was by far the best lead he could find. Since finding them, he’s been following this series since sundown, late into the night and into the now rising sun. If he’s thankful for one thing, it’s that these books have been organized into a sequence, each one beside the other, so moving between them is seamless.

“I hope this isn’t a dead end,” Spike yawns to himself. “There’s gotta be something here.”

Why is it that today of all days I find myself feeling giddy? It’s humorous in a way that despite the battles I’ve had that such a simple day could incite these emotions from me. Though, admittedly, as work mounts and time passes, we find these moments slipping from our minds ever so slightly. Why, it wasn’t but a few months ago that my sister surprised me with a party, to which I forgot was even on that day. Though, now she will find herself at the receiving end, as within a sun’s time I will have everything ready.

Spike’s eyes slowly widen at the text before him. This is it! He scans the page for any date and is thankful to find one in the bottom left corner. The smile on his face slowly falls as something strikes him odd about this date. Why is it so familiar? He shakes that away, he finally found it! He pulls out a small piece of parchment and writes it down, once done, he closes the book and makes sure everything is where he found it before sprinting out the room and towards the library.

The smile returns as he feels something he hadn’t felt in a long time: a warmth from helping Twilight when she needed him.

Anon is peering off into the ceiling as he tries to make sense of the turmoil inside of him. It’s been a restless night for him. He brings an arm to rest over his eyes in an attempt to suppress a headache that’s plagued him since yesterday. It’s a futile attempt, as nothing today can bring him from thinking about her. He chuckles sadly to himself, not even the fiasco with Twilight is enough to stop all the questions he has. The conversation is etched into his memory, every single detail.

Even as he made his excuse to be alone, she still had that loving look. He expected so many doubts to flood him that night and yet the only thing to take him were his musings of Celestia. No questions, worries or concerns... Just that pain in his chest and that warmth she exudes. Despite her not being there, he could almost sense her worry for him.

Just laying there made him realize a few things. The most important was how cold things felt and a crushing sense of loneliness with her gone. He’s become accustomed to her being there and it’s uncomfortable when she’s not. However, the silence fades as his thoughts start to creep back into his psyche. What is he going to do about this? There’s so much that can go wrong, no matter what path he chooses. Why does this have to be so hard?

He’s sure of one thing: he doesn't want to lie to her. But at the same time, he can’t tell her how he feels either. He wants to protect her, make her happy, but there’s no way she’d be satisfied with him. Anon winces as his thoughts sour. He’s broken, unreasonable, and causes trouble. She deserves so much more than him, and yet the idea of losing her is agonizing. Why is he irrational? This should be simple, yet he can’t hear any voices inside of him trying to dissuade his love.

That’s because he’s overall the problem, not her. Anon tosses his blankets off as he gets out of bed. Walking over to the dresser, he gets everything ready for the day in a vain attempt to forget about this. These thoughts are not so quickly quelled, creeping back to the front of his mind. He’s going to die one day; that sobers him up considerably... Even if he wanted to try and see if she were interested, he’d never live down the fact that one day he’ll pass and all the love she has will become toxic, hurting her far more than anything he could ever do in his lifetime.

Feeling light-headed Anon rests his hands on the dresser to keep stable. He can’t do that to her... She’s made his life better. He should be grateful. All this love stuff is just a fantasy. That’s all it’ll ever be. He must ensure that it stays that way. Taking a few breaths, he nods a few times to reassure himself. The pain he feels now will pass, and from there he can move on.

This is for her.

He takes in his reflection, the large bags under his eyes and messy appearance. He’ll lock what he feels so deep that she’ll never know the difference. He takes a moment to clean up. Twilight will help keep his mind preoccupied as he buries these feelings. It won’t take long before he puts this behind him.

“One day at a time,” Anon says to himself.

Anon dresses in silence, making sure he’s ready for this breakfast with Twilight.

Twilight waits at her study table, dressed in her finest for this upcoming breakfast, all the while with a book in front of her, as she lazily glosses over it. Her mind is elsewhere, as she thinks over what could happen at this meeting with Shining and Cadance.

“It’s none of your business, Twilight,” Shining scoffs.

She winces... It’s true, they’re living their own lives and it’s not any of her business if they’re getting married. Still, that doesn’t suddenly make the pain she feels knowing they’ve kept this from her go away. She closes her book and pushes it aside as more negative thoughts flood her. In a few minutes, this will become a reality as she’ll be berated by the ones she thought cared for her. She covers her head with her hooves, trying to drown out the venomous whispers of her brother and caregiver.

This was a horrible idea! She should call it off while there’s still time.

“Getting cold feet?”

Anon is looking down at Twilight as she lies pitifully on her desk in silence. She looks up at him startled but then hastily clears her face.

Twilight faces away with shame. “Maybe we should call it off.”

“We’re in this together... If the worst should come, I’ll be there.” Even saying that makes Anon want to vomit.

Twilight’s thoughts calm as she faces Anon. Once again, he's so kind to her and for reasons, she’s not fully aware of, but that’s ok, at least he’s here for her. That means the world to her right now.

“Ok... Sorry to be this much of a mess.” She brushes her mane back in place.

“I’ve been there. No worries. So, are you ready?”

Anon wants to get this show on the road before he starts doubting his resolve. Twilight nods in agreement but then notices something out of place.

“Where is the captain?”

Without so much as a sound, Blossom lands beside Anon. Her eyes are locked onto Twilight. “I’m always around.” She turns her attention to Anon. “Feeling well?”

“I’ll let you know once this is over.” Anon turns back to Twilight. “Anything we need to know before this thing goes down?”

Twilight shakes her head. “Nothing worth noting. Just,” she scuffs her hoof on the floor. “Just stay, no matter what happens.”

Closing his eyes, Anon tries to center his thought. Funny, even with Twilight this close, he still can’t shake Celestia from his mind. How did he manage to get himself into this fine mess?

“Pending magical means... I’ll be there.”

Twilight smiles brightly at Anon, but as she looks into his eyes, she notices something isn’t quite right. She’s not sure what it is, but his demeanor is causing her to worry. It’s like he’s slowly locking something away; it’s a look she recognizes whenever she looks in a mirror. Is he in trouble? Does he need someone to help him?

No, he has friends that are more than willing to help. So why does he look lonely? She’s stuck between asking and keeping her silence... She’ll keep an eye out, but overall it’s none of her business and she doesn’t want to upset him by meddling in his affairs.

“Twilight.” Anon snaps his fingers to catch her attention. “Are you ready?”

“Oh.” She shakes her head some. “Yes.”

This is great, having to deal with her as well as himself. He wonders how long that'll last until he calls it quits. Drawing in a long breath, he reminds himself what this is for. Just a little while longer and he’ll work this out. Before the three of them are ready to leave, the door to the library slams open.

“Twilight I found―” Spike stops short as he notices the company. “Oh, uh... Sorry to interrupt.”

Twilight walks past Anon and up to Spike. “No worries. What has you so excited?”

Spike shakes his head as he faces Twilight. “I found out when the Princess was born.”

Anon’s head snaps to the drake... She told him. A hoof rests on his knee and Anon finds Blossom looking up at him. This is annoying, but he’ll have to accept it. He keeps his silence.

“Really?!” Twilight, squeeing, pulls Spike into an embrace, twirling with him before setting him down. “This is great news! So when is it?”

“I wrote it down.” He hands the parchment to Twilight.

“Great!” Twilight’s eyes twinkle as she hastily grabs the note and looks it over, however, her smile falters as she looks over the date. “Which Princess?”

“Celestia.”

Anon notices the mood shift from Twilight. “Is something the matter?”

“I-It’s one week from today,” she stutters facing the floor.

“Twilight, doesn’t the date seem familiar to you?” Spike asks.

She nods. “It’s the day of the summer sun celebration... When Celestia banished Luna.”

“What?” Anon walks beside Twilight and takes the parchment from her and confirms the date.

“I’m sure of it... It was that day when she banished Luna and the same day I brought her back.”

“Well, that doesn’t matter,” Anon declares, catching everyone’s attention. “Now, I want you all to keep this to yourselves. I have special plans for this, so it needs to be kept a secret.”

Spike gives a salute. “You can count on me!”

“I have no choice,” Anon mutters under his breath. Anon pockets the note but then notices something. “What about Luna’s birthday?”

“Well, it said hers was two months before Celestia’s. I’ll be sure to get the date later.”

“Alright, that makes planning easier.” Anon turns his attention to Twilight. “So, Twilight. We have a prior arrangement and we’re about to be late.”

Twilight’s eyes widen as she nods rapidly. She leans in to kiss Spike on the forehead. “Thank you, Spike, but we’ve gotta go!”

Without another word, Twilight gallops out of the room. Anon just shakes his head as Blossom and him follow after her. Spike is left there, confused for a moment... Why were they dressed up? Also, who was that bat pony? His thoughts leave him as a yawn draws his attention. Well, he’ll ask Twilight about that stuff later. For now, he’s earned some rest.

“This is it.” Twilight looks over to Anon as he faces forward. “Are you sure about this?”

That makes him scoff. “Am I sure about this? That’s my line.”

“To be honest, I’m not sure about anything.”

“Then you’re ready.” Anon opens the door and pushes her inside.

Anon is about to follow after her but feels a hoof rest on his leg to stop him.

“I’ll be here waiting,” Blossom says. “I don’t do crowds.”

“This shouldn’t take long,” Anon remarks.

Twilight can already feel her heart pounding as she notices all the ponies looking her way from her entrance. She chuckles nervously but finds their gaze turning to the creature behind her. Well, she shouldn’t be surprised Anon still draws a crowd. Scanning the room, she finds Cadance and Shining are already at the table she reserved in wait. Since it’s seated further in the back, they haven’t noticed her yet.

She takes a few breaths to calm herself before casting a brief glance behind her to make sure Anon is there. He’s looking down at her with a raised brow, then gestures his head toward the table.

“I know!” she whispers. “Just give me a moment.”

“That time has passed.” Anon pushes her forward with his foot.

It’s strange, but for the first time in awhile, Twilight feels frustrated by Anon’s pushiness. Remarkable how that calms her down and makes it seem as if they’re just here to enjoy breakfast.

“Ok!” she grunts, making her way to the table.

As they make their approach, Shining and Cadance are whispering to one another. Though once Twilight is a few hooves from them, they turn to face her. Their eyes meet but then instantly snap to Anon, who’s standing just behind Twilight. Neither of them can comprehend what they’re looking at right now as they try and piece together a reasoning why they’d be together.

Seeing this, Twilight is quick to react. “Um, I’ve invited you both to talk about something and... I couldn’t do it alone. So, Anon’s here for his reasons. Don’t worry, I didn’t ponynap him.”

“T-That’s nice.” Cadance forces out. This is not something she expected when Twilight invited her to breakfast. “Um, please, take a seat.”

Anon and Twilight take their seats across from Shining and Cadance. There’s an awkwardness in the air and no one is saying anything. This is starting to aggravate Anon as he jabs his elbow into Twilight’s side.

“Ow!” She rubs her side, looking at him annoyed. “Yes, I get it...” She sighs in frustration. “I...” Twilight grits her teeth as she tries to find the will to say what’s bothering her. Yet, she can’t. With them so close, she feels everything start to shut down.

Catching her internal struggle, Anon knows he needs to make the first move, otherwise, she’s going to run away from this problem. That makes him chuckle on the inside. He's got a lot of experience with that.

“Shining, you’re an asshole,” Anon states aloud.

Cadance’s eyes widen at hearing Anon say that, while Shining narrows his at him.

“What was that?” he asks. “You may be friends with the Princess, but I’m still the captain of the guard.”

“Well, Captain. You’re an asshole.” He lets that hang in the air for a moment. “However, allow me to go in depth. You two have been keeping a rather big piece of news from Twilight and now she feels betrayed. I’d understand if this was something that happened over a few months, but we’re talking two years. How do you think that makes her feel?”

Anon grunts, he can’t believe he’s defending something he hates and what’s worse is that he believes every word he’s saying. “Like shit, that’s how. She’s too afraid to tell you how much it hurt her because she thinks you’re going to throw her away, to be forgotten.” Twilight’s eyes are glued to Anon as they start to glisten. How does he know this? Is she that readable to him, or is this something he has faced on his own? “So here I am. I’m willing to put aside the past to help her with what she’s asked of me.”

Cadance can feel it. It’s faint but there’s love in his words. Even behind all the hate and pain, she can feel the inkling of love there. She’s unsure if it’s for Twilight, or perhaps another reason entirely, but she knows that deep down what he’s saying is true to his heart. This must be what her aunt sees in him. Where he once was the source of Twilight's misery, he is now a foundation for her to rebuild her life.

Shining can’t believe how blunt he’s being. Not to mention that he’s protecting his sister, the pony that caused him so much pain. Though what he says must be true, as Twilight continues to face Anon with a look of awe, her gaze unmoving. This is almost comical... The creature she hurt is now more a part of her life than Shining has been in years. It’s like the whole world is playing a joke on him, to show him how much he’s failed as her brother.

“Tell him how you feel,” Anon says, looking at Twilight. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

She allows what he’s saying to sink in for a moment before clearing her tears and nodding a few times to psyche herself up. Once she feels ready, she faces her brother.

“Two years, I didn’t get a single letter. Two years, neither of you said a word. This entire time, I was ignored. Cadance and I have been friends since I was a filly and to hear that you two are thinking about getting married... It’s agonizing.” Twilight takes a breath to steady herself, this is tough for her, as she looks down to see her hooves tremble. “I think it’s accurate for me to say that we’ve grown apart and it has nothing to do with what happened between Anon and me.” Twilight’s heart winces at her next words. “I don’t know why you’ve done this, but if you’re just pretending to care, don’t... I have better things I can do with my time.”

There’s some silence before Shining speaks up. “I guess I felt inferior to you.”

“What?” Twilight looks confused.

“Twilight. I joined the guard because I wanted to protect everyone and yet, in the end, it was you and your friends who protected Equestria time and time again. I trained for years, pushing myself farther than I ever thought possible, in the hopes that I would be given a chance to rescue others. However, you were handed it and that’s why I’m upset with you. Born so smart and strong. Yet, because of how you were trained, it was as if someone handed a filly the power to control the sun.”

Shining has no idea if he should be saying this, but it’s something that’s been bothering him for a while now.

“I couldn’t protect you, not even from yourself. My training was for nothing and I failed in my job. Why did I even become a guard if, in the end, it was my little sister that was going to save the world? I can’t protect you and I can’t stop you either.”

Cadance places her hoof on Shinings. “That’s enough.”

Anon doesn’t want to be here, but before the thought of leaving comes, a hoof rests on his leg and squeeze slightly. Twilight is trembling as she continues to face her brother despite her body telling her to run. The only thing keeping her anchored here is Anon.

“I can’t say I understand what you feel, Shining,” Twilight responds after a moment. “For me, you’ve always been strong and kind. It’s not something I envy, but something I treasure. You’ll always be my big brother and that won’t change because I’m stronger than you. You’re right, though. I’ve abused magic for a long time, now, and only recently have seen how I’ve taken it for granted.” Twilight lets out a sigh. “I’m happy you and Cadance are together. I know Cadance is a good mare and you a good stallion. I just wish I knew you like when we were kids.”

Twilight rises from her seat. “I believe we can’t be around one another right now. So, this is goodbye, Shining. I hope one day I’ll return and give you an answer that will make this all better, but right now, I have nothing. I’m sorry to be so selfish to ask this of you, but I think we both could use the space.”

“Twilight you don-” Shining puts a hoof on Cadance’s shoulder to stop her, never turning away from his sister.

“If that’s what you want,” he answers. “You probably won’t believe me, but I love you Twilight.”

Twilight gives Shining a small smile. “Don’t be silly. I know you do.” Twilight turns to Anon. “Let’s go.”

As Twilight walks away, Anon stays seated for a moment as he faces Shining and Cadance. “You’re probably wondering why I’m here, but that’s between Twilight and I. However, should the sisters find out about this, that will quickly change. So, keep this to yourselves.”

“I don’t need to know why,” Cadance asserts. “I know you’re doing it for a good reason.”

Anon gives her a curious look. He decides to ignore that and follow after Twilight. This entire situation isn’t something he’ll stick around voluntarily. Shining and Cadance are left alone as silence fills the air. They can only watch Anon and Twilight walk side by side as they leave the restaurant. There’s so much they want to ask, but for now, they hold their tongues.

Healing wounds

Trixie is out and about in Canterlot as she browses the various shops she passes by. The only thing on her mind at the moment is what she should make for dinner tonight. A few fruit stands litter the streets and she entertains the thought of making a pie. It’s been some time since she’s made anything with apples in it, but decides to pass on the idea. Not too long ago, she nearly burned down her home during a cooking fiasco.

Darn, she needs to look into improving her current home/stage to make it fireproof. However, an upgrade of that caliber requires time and bits, two things she’s in short supply of. She affords herself a sigh as melancholy thoughts come to her. Ever since Ponyville, she’s been forced to rely on her savings merely to get by. The new carriage put a significant dent into years worth of hard work, but was a necessary investment should she return to performing magic acts. Though, she has yet to rediscover the nerve to put herself out there.

Performing is without a doubt her talent and something she greatly enjoys, but since ponies found out her wild stories are made up, many have shunned her. She misses the smiles her tricks used to bring to the masses; fillies and colts would laugh and cheer alongside their parents. It wasn’t uncommon for a pony to visit her backstage and thank her for lifting their spirits on a particularly dark day.

Nowadays, well, the show she put on last had barely any ponies and the few that were there only booed and heckled her until she decided to shut the show down. It’s been several months since her most recent performance, and with the things that happened in Ponyville being on the top of everyone's mind, there’s a chance they’ve since moved on from her misdeeds. A newfound spark ignites inside of her. This could be the comeback she’s been waiting for!

Only a moment passes before her body sags. That’s easier said than done. With very few bits left in her savings, she can’t afford the permit required to run a show here in Canterlot. It’ll take a lot for her to gather that much money and there’s a chance she may need to get a side job soon just to survive.

“H-Hello, Trixie.”

Freezing in place, Trixie instantly recognizes that voice. In an almost painfully slow turn, she faces Twilight, but to her surprise she’s not alone. Standing beside her is Anon.

He gives Trixie a light wave. “Hey.”

Trixie needs a moment to try to understand what has brought about this situation. She forces her attention past Twilight to Anon.

“What’s going on?” she asks, casting a brief glance down to Twilight.

“Short version: Twilight is making amends to various ponies; she wants me to help with this endeavor. In return, she’s helping me with a few things.” Anon shrugs. “Remarkably, here we are.” Placing his foot on Twilight’s flank, Anon pushes her forward. “Your turn.”

Twilight lets out a snort of frustration before returning her attention to Trixie. “I... Yeah, what Anon said.” Hanging her head low, Twilight tries to think of what to say. “I’ve been thinking about a lot of things, Trixie. Like when we first met and how poorly we treated you in Ponyville.” Twilight takes a long breath in. “It probably means nothing now, but I’m sorry for what I did back then. I know it’s of little consolation, but if there’s anything I can do to show my regret, I’m all ears.”

Trixie is left speechless. This is almost too good to be true. “Is she serious?” Trixie asks Anon.

“I believe so.” Anon scratches his chin. “Who knows, though? If you take her for a liar, that’s well within your right.”

Giving this a moment of thought, Trixie finds that perhaps Twilight may be able to solve one of her more pressing issues. It’s because of the events of Ponyville that Trixie lost her stage and was forced out of work due to unfavorable rumors spreading. If Twilight can provide her with anything, then perhaps it could be a means of easing her financial trouble.

“Twilight, after what happened in Ponyville, Trixie became a laughingstock. Trixie couldn’t even host shows to get by and has since been living off her rapidly shrinking savings.” Twilight’s ears pinned back at hearing this. “That’s not counting my home, which was destroyed by that Ursa Major.”

“Minor,” Twilight corrects.

“Minor, which she might add, was only provoked due to those two colts that went galavanting into the forest!” Trixie takes a few breaths to calm herself, the memory still fresh. “Trixie was without a home for weeks before she could find a town to provide her with one, and it wasn’t cheap. So the truth is, Twilight, Trixie needs bits. She can’t even afford to pay the permits required to put on another show in this town, or any town for that matter. If you truly wish to help Trixie, then all she needs is enough bits to purchase the proper permits to run a show.”

Anon wasn’t aware that Trixie was practically at the end of her rope. “Trix, if you need money, I have plenty to―”

Trixie holds up a hoof to stop Anon. “No, I don’t want bits from you.”

Anon chews the inside of his cheek before huffing. “Very well.”

Twilight is now back in the middle as she looks between Anon and Trixie. “W-Well, I don’t have any bits,” Twilight admits. “I’ve―” her head hangs low once again “―I’ve never had a job.”

Trixie scoffs, unsurprised. “What a privileged life you live. Trixie has never been fortunate enough to have such a thing hoofed to her, but it’s a dream she longs for someday.” Repulsed, Trixie turns her back on her. “We have nothing more to discuss, Twilight.”

“Wait!” Trixie stops in her tracks. “I... I can get a permit. I’ll ask Celestia and she’ll―”

Hearing Twilight say that so casually makes something inside of Trixie snap. Twilight’s never had to work for anything; she doesn’t understand what it’s like to starve or live from paycheck to paycheck, worrying about if things will ever get better.

“Don’t you get it!?” Trixie turns back to face Twilight, an unseen level of hate in her eyes. “It means nothing if you don’t fix this! That’s how Trixie knows you’re not sorry! Because whenever you’re faced with something that can’t be solved with the wave of your horn, you wish to pawn off your trouble onto somepony else!”

Twilight takes a few steps back, eyes wide. “I-I’m sorry...”

“Leave. Me. Alone.” Trixie turns her attention to Anon. “I don’t know why you’re doing this, but please stay safe.”

Anon subtly nods his head up to a building. “I’ve got someone watching my back.” Trixie looks over to see a pony of some kind watching from afar. “Don’t forget your batch at the store. I’m sure they have it ready for you.”

“Thank you. I’ll be sure to pay you back when I can.”

Anon waves it off. “No worries. But seriously, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

That causes Trixie to smile as she brushes past Twilight, stands on her hind hooves and hugs him. “Always so nice. See you later.”

Anon returns the hug before Trixie lands back onto her hooves and begins to leave.

“Later.” He gives her a small wave.

Trixie makes it a few hooves away before a voice calls out to her. “I’ll find a way!” Trixie looks back to see Twilight looking at her with determination. “You haven’t seen the last of me.”

Trixie rolls her eyes at this. “Trixie will be waiting, Twilight.”

With nothing more needing to be said, Trixie continues her way down the street. Once she’s far enough away, she spares a glance back at Anon and Twilight. She can’t hear them over the clamor of the ponies out and about in the city, but Anon is saying something to Twilight, to which she nods a few times as they turn the opposite direction Trixie is going and walk off. Trixie finds herself overcome with questions on what’s going on between them.

The only possible lead she may have comes from his partners that run his store. She heads that way in hopes of finding answers.

Trixie pushes open the door to Anon’s shop. It’s been some time since she’s come here. After the party, there were a lot of things going on around Canterlot with the upcoming festival. She sighs happily losing herself in the idea of being able to perform for such a vast venue. Now that would be something that would undoubtedly set her life back on track but alas it’s nothing more than a pipedream.

She needs those permits. Her thoughts on that subject cloud as the scent of candy fill her senses. It’s funny how coming here has a calming effect on her. A certain warmth she can’t place lingers in the air. That’s most likely because of Anon. Even when he’s not here, there’s a certain je ne sais quoi ever-present.

Coming to her senses, she trots up to the counter where Lyra sits in wait.

Busy with her own work, she perks up when notices Trixie is walking up. “Oh! Long time no see, Trixie. Uh―” her perkiness wavers “―Anon isn’t here.”

“I know. I spoke to him briefly outside,” Trixie states matter-of-factly.

“H-He was here?” Lyra asks hopefully.

“No, just down the street. He wished to talk to Trixie about something.” Trixie picks up on the strange vibe Lyra is giving off. “Is there a problem?”

Lyra blinks. “No, he’s just... been at the castle for a while.”

Trixie is a master of deception; it’s in her job description. So it’s easy for her to see that Lyra is holding something back. However, it’s none of her business, though it does make her wonder if they know why he’s with Twilight.

For now, she’ll focus on why she’s here. “Anon reminded Trixie you might have her order.”

Lyra nods a few times. “Yes, you can head into the back and talk to Bonbon. She’ll have it ready.”

“Thank you.”

Trixie walks around the counter and into the back kitchen. Upon entering, she finds all the ponies Anon trained hard at work, a few of them affording her a quick glance before returning to their work.

“Trixie?”

Trixie looks over to find Bonbon sitting at a desk, looking over some papers in hoof.

“Hello. Trixie has come to check if her order is ready.”

It clicks for Bonbon as she sets the various papers in her hooves down. “Yes, they should be in the back. Please, follow me.” Bonbon gets out of her chair and leads Trixie towards the back but Trixie trots up so they’re walking side by side. “It’s been awhile. We’ve been selling the ones you didn’t retrieve, but we always made sure to have a batch ready in case you came by.”

Trixie blushes at that. “Sorry to trouble you. Trixie has been busy these past few weeks.”

Bonbon chuckles out of tired understanding. “Haven't we all.” She continues to the cabinet where she’s been keeping the order. “We received a direct request to attend the upcoming event. We’ve been working tirelessly for the past couple of days, but the work’s rewarding.” She pulls out the small sack and hoofs it over to Trixie. “Still, we find time to make sure Anon’s friends are taken care of.”

“Thank you.” It’s difficult for Trixie to accept that she has friends like this. “Uh, speaking about Anon, something bizarre is going on and Trixie was wondering if you by chance knew what it might be about?”

Bonbon’s ears perk up. “Something bizarre?”

Trixie nods a few times while floating the candy from Bonbon’s hoof into her saddlebag. “Trixie knows it’s hard to imagine, but he was with Twilight this morning. He briefly said it had to do with something about her making amends and that he needed something from her. Has he talked to you about this?”

Bonbon’s withers sag. “No. We had a falling out of sorts. It’s complicated. Sorry, but at this point, you know more than I do.”

“Oh, Trixie is sorry to bring it up.” Trixie’s ears pinned back. “It wasn’t any of her business. Trixie just found it odd is all.”

“No need to feel sorry. You couldn’t have known.” Bonbon purses her lips. “Is he doing well?”

Trixie reflects on how calm and collected Anon appeared to be. “He wasn’t distressed, and considering Twilight was there that’s saying a lot.”

“It’s certainly a mystery.” Bonbon is reminded of her schedule, as well as Trixie’s. “Sorry to keep you. I’m sure you have a lot of things to do today.”

“As Trixie is sure you’re busy with your work. Thank you for the order.” Trixie gives a thankful nod. “Trixie will be sure she’s on time for the next one.”

“You’re welcome here anytime!” Bonbon waves to Trixie as she walks out of the back kitchen and towards the front. Her plastic smile fades as her mind races. Stepping into the kitchen, Bonbon turns her attention to one of her employees. “Butterhooves!”

He jumps slightly but quickly gives Bonbon a salute, smearing chocolate on his forehead.

“Yes, Ma’am!”

“I need you to work the register for a moment, please.”

“I’m on it!” He shouts while clearing his station as fast as he could.

Bonbon takes that time to walk into the storefront beside Lyra. “Follow me.”

“Is something the matter?” Lyra asks.

“It’s important, Lyra.” Bonbon urges.

Lyra is confused, but the urgency of Bonbon’s voice is enough to grab her attention. So, she follows quietly behind her.

“Are we low on ingredients?”

Bonbon shakes her head never breaking her stride. “No... Lyra, today’s the day.”

“For what?” Lyra is still confused.

Bonbon stops in the center of the street as the ponies now filter around the two of them. She turns around to face Lyra as she continues to look at her, unsure what this is all about.

“Anon is somewhere around here. We have to talk to him.” All the fur on Lyra’s body stands on edge, not a single word leaving her. Bonbon quickly closes the gap and rests a hoof on her withers. “Honey, I know... But we can’t keep hiding forever.”

“W-What if I’m not ready?” Lyra asks fearfully. “I’m afraid it’ll happen again.”

Bonbon’s hoof moves from her withers up to her cheek as she gives her a loving smile. “I believe in you. Just trust me.”

Lyra nods a few times to reassure herself. “A-Alright. Just, please, help me should I start to slip.”

Bonbon leans forward and gives Lyra a quick kiss. It’s enough to calm Lyra as their eyes meet.

“Easy enough. Now, let’s go see our friend.”

The sparkling blue eyes of Pinkie snap open as the fresh morning air wafts into her room. She springs up from her bed with a broad smile plastered on her face.

“~Good morning, Gummy!~” Pinkie sings before looking to the extra pillow that rests beside her own. There she finds Gummy all curled up on top. “Ready for breakfast?”

He lazily opens his eyes, looks at Pinkie for a moment before licking them and resting his head to sleep. Pinkie shakes her head with a playful smirk.

“Oh, Gummy. Still the lazy lizard, but Mama Pinkie knows how to make you feel better.”

With the swift pulling motion of one of the strings beside her bed, the curtains fly open, allowing the sun to come rushing into the room; covering the small reptile in its warming rays.

“There we go! You’ll be up and warm in no time.” Pinkie explains as she hops off the bed. “I’ll get breakfast ready.”

With no response from Gummy, Pinkie trots from her room and down into the kitchen. Once there, she takes a moment to decide what she wants for breakfast. She taps a hoof idly to her lip in thought.

“I would like to cook something, but my tummy is still queasy... Nevertheless, you can’t start a day without breakfast.” In one swift motion, she moves to one of her cabinets and pulls out a bowl and cereal box. “Nothing a little cereal can’t fix!”

With each scoop, she feels her spirits starting to soar as her mind begins to wander over what she’ll be baking today. It’s been some time since she’s last worked and that’s what’s causing a lot of her anxiety, but she’s sure it’ll be just like it was before she left. Though that matters little to her! Before all that stuff, she needs to head over to Fluttershy’s to help her with a few things.

Sure, her animals are well behaved, but feeding them all can be a hassle, and with nothing better to occupy her time, Pinkie decided to spend it on helping Fluttershy. It’s hard for Pinkie to admit that she didn’t know Fluttershy all that well. She was just a friend of a friend, but with everything that’s happened, Pinkie has been taking her time to learn more about the ponies around her.

Before, any creature would just become her friend willy-nilly. Pinkie is ashamed that other than their name and perhaps birthday, she didn’t know anyone very well that weren’t part of the Elements, and even then she doesn’t know as much as she thought either. Pinkie shakes those mopey thoughts away as she focuses on the good things she’s learned.

Like, she’s always known that Fluttershy is kind, but as it turns out, she’s super smart too! Pinkie would even dare say she’s just as bright as Twilight. Sure, she doesn’t know much about magic, but she knows a lot about farming, as she mostly grows her food for herself and her animals. Only Zecora matches her knowledge of the Everfree, and that’s impressive, seeing as no pony dares go in there.

Not to mention she’s pretty hoofy with a needle and thread, fixing all fabric damage her animals make. Pinkie never realized how self-reliant Fluttershy was. But she’s not perfect, where she is strong in those areas, she’s weak in others. What Pinkie believed was her being overly shy, was actual fear of being around crowds. It took some time to understand all this but Pinkie cherishes the time they’ve spent together, as she feels closer to Fluttershy in a way she’s never been with other ponies.

Pinkie absentmindedly hits the bottom of her empty bowl, the ring of porcelain and metal grabbing her attention. She takes her bowl to the sink and makes sure to leave some food out for Gummy just as he enters the kitchen.

“Breakfast is ready!” Pinkie leans low to face her pet. “Gotta go, be a good boy and don’t make a mess.” She kisses him on the top of his head as he lazily blinks. “See you later!”

Pinkie bolts out of her home and trots to Fluttershy’s. She still has those butterflies in her tummy but this morning is just getting started!

“If you ask me, I think that went rather well,” Anon ‘compliments’.

Twilight shakes herself out of her stupor. “Well? Well?! You call that well! She hates me!”

“Yeah, so do I, but at least she heard you out. I wouldn’t have given you the same courtesy weeks ago.”

“You’re not helping,” Twilight huffs.

Bonbon has been watching Anon and Twilight from afar as they converse with one another on the street. Her confident attitude has begun to fade as she allowed her thoughts to carry her away. Just seeing them together makes her questions how much she’s missed since he left. She also wonders what will come of her confronting him. The best case is that they become friends again and she doesn’t even want to entertain the worst outcome.

Bonbon stomps her hoof to regain focus. She can't doubt herself here; they’ve been working hard at this! Before her though become consuming, she feels a hoof rest on her flank. She turns back to see Lyra give her a reassuring smile.

“I’m here.”

That’s right; she’s not alone. It’ll be an uphill battle, but thankfully Lyra and she are in it together.

“Alright, let’s do this.” Bonbon steels herself over as she makes her way towards Anon.

However, before she gets there, Anon says something first. “I was wondering when you two were going to say something.” Anon turns around to face Bonbon and Lyra. Twilight looking confused as she faces the same way he is. “You’ve been following us for a good ten minutes.”

“They have?” Twilight didn’t even notice anypony following with the crowd around them.

Bonbon can see it. He’s trying to act relaxed but there’s a definite tension in the air. He’s looking past her and laying his eyes directly on Lyra. The fact he’s acting this way towards Lyra and not Twilight is baffling to her.

“May we talk in private?” Bonbon urges.

His gaze shifts from Lyra to Bonbon. “Sure.” He looks down to Twilight who’s clearly out of the loop. “We’ll talk later, Twilight. I’ve got other business to attend to. Remember what we talked about.” Anon then puts two fingers into his mouth and gives a short whistle.

“You called?” Lyra and Bonbon jump as they notice a bat pony standing between the both of them.

“Take a few minutes to yourself. I need some privacy.”

Blossom flies up and slowly around Anon’s head. “~You owe me.~”

“I’ll be sure to bring you something,” Anon turns his attention back to Bonbon as Blossom flies off. “Where to?”

“I believe our store is private enough.” Bonbon answers.

“Perfect.”

Bonbon takes the lead as she walks back to the shop with Anon not far behind.

“But, what?!” Twilight just stands there trying to discern what transpired. She can only sigh in defeat as she walks back to the castle. She needs to figure out how to make bits to pay for that permit and she gets a strong feeling that anon isn’t going to help her with that. “Well,” Twilight feels her heart sink. “I’ll call it a day. I feel sick.”

There’s too much for her to consider right now as she walks off into the crowd, toward the castle. She’ll figure this out somehow.

Fluttershy’s ears turn toward the sound of somepony approaching before she turns to face them. She’s delighted to find Pinkie happily trotting toward her. “Good morning, Pinkie.” With minimal effort, Fluttershy pushes over the sack of birdseed onto the grass. The chickens flock as they peck about. “That ought to do.” She says giving a nod of satisfaction.

“Morning, Fluttershy. Need any help?”

“Well, I wouldn’t turn down the help, but there’s no real need for it,” Fluttershy responds as she starts picking up the bag of seed.

“It’s no problem!” Pinkie helps alongside her. “I’ve got my mornings free and I wanted to do something to calm my nerves before returning to work.”

Fluttershy perks up at that. “Is that today? I’m glad. I’ll be honest, I’ve missed your cupcakes. They’re the best.”

Pinkie blushes. “Thank you, but I’m still nervous... You know, seeing all those ponies again.”

Working together they manage to get the sack back to where it belongs. Fluttershy can see that her friend is in need of some support.

“It’s pretty scary, huh?”

“...Maybe.” Pinkie looks to her hooves.

“We’ve all grown, Pinkie. You just have to give them a chance.”

Pinkie doesn’t like the idea but she trusts Fluttershy. “Alright. I’ll try.”

That gets a smile from Fluttershy. “Good.” Turning back to view her feed, she says “I think the fish should go next.”

“I’ll take care of that!” Pinkie says brimming with confidence. “Just leave it to me!”

“Fine, I’ll feed Mr. Bear and you can feed the fish. Remember, two scoops, no more.”

“Understood!” Pinkie salutes before dashing off towards the pond.

Bonbon enters the store and motions for Anon to go ahead of her. “You know the way.”

He shrugs, taking the first step inside. As they enter, Bonbon notices how all the customers look their way before doing a double take as they see Anon. Many of them are regulars and a few give him an enthusiastic wave, one he returns reluctantly. After Lyra enters, Bonbon closes the door behind them and follows as Anon makes his way to the counter

Butterhooves is dealing with a customer, shakily hoofing over their change.

“There’s your change.” He reaches under the table. “Now your order.”

With a motion that makes Bonbon cringe, Butterhooves violently jerks up with a bag in his mouth. It’s so sudden that even he looks surprised as he lets go of her bag. He panics, getting onto his hind hooves in an attempt to catch the wayward bag. However, it doesn’t go far as it stops mid-arc. Mesmerized by the bag, Butterhooves follows the familiar arm, holding it all the way to the annoyed look Anon is giving him.

“I thought I told you to stick to cooking, Hooves.” Anon lets out a tired sigh as he hands them back to the customer. “Thank you, Mr. Roomy, for being so patient.”

The pony waves Anon off. “No worries. See you two later.”

Butterhooves is twiddling his hooves. “Sorry, the boss wanted me to watch the place when she left.”

Bonbon watches Anon walk past Butterhooves, open the back door to the kitchen and call to somepony inside. “Dipper, you busy?!”

“Hey! Long time no see! I’m good right now; you need something?”

“Watch the register for a few minutes please.”

“Can do, Boss!”

Anon turns back to Butterhooves and nods his head to the kitchen. “Station, now.”

Without hesitation, Butterhooves runs into the kitchen as a filly sized mare exits the kitchen.

“I was wondering why BH was called to the front. Take it he didn’t do well?” Little Dipper asks Anon.

“Something like that. Anyways, just watch the register, there’s some business I need to address since my absence.”

“Good to see you back,” Dipper admits. “I know you left this place to us, but it was still rather strange not having you here.”

“Well, don’t relax just yet.” Anon turns to Bonbon. “After you.”

Bonbon was lost there for a moment. Just enjoying the way Anon interacts with his employees like nothing’s changed. She nods and takes the lead as she enters the kitchen but before entering the backroom she turns to address Butterhoooves.

“Thank you again, Butterhooves. You did a fine job.”

He looks up from his pot and nervously chuckles. “Thank you, but if it’s all the same to you, I think I prefer my station.”

“Understandable. Keep up the good work.”

With one last nod to tell him he’s not in trouble, Bonbon leads Lyra and Anon into the back kitchen. With each step, she can feel her doubts coming into play, even as she waves for them to take their seats. Lyra waits for Anon to take his place, just so she can sit across from him, an action that doesn’t go unnoticed. Bonbon sits beside Lyra as Anon simple sits and waits. The silence slowly grows, no one wanting to say a word and apparently Anon isn’t planning on breaking the ice here.

“We’re sorry.” Lyra blurts out. “No, I’m sorry, for everything.” Bonbon can see a certain fire inside of Lyra she’s never seen before and it’s enough to allow her to speak her mind. “Anon, I’ve never lied to you and I won’t now. No one in the world can change how they feel in the short amount of time we’ve been away. I don’t think I could stop loving you.” Lyra makes sure to keep eye contact with Anon. “But, I’ve noticed what it’s like when you’re not around. I didn’t appreciate the many things I admire about you until you were gone.” Lyra giggles to herself. “The grunts of frustration when Butterhooves drops something. The twitch in your left eye when a customer is nasty. The way you listen to everyone who talks to you, even if you’re busy.”

Lyra’s joyful mood shifts to heartache. “The special orders for creatures that can’t eat a specific ingredient. How the entire staff steps into line whenever you walk by, not out of fear but respect. The lengths you’re willing to go for the sake of others.” She feels the urge to cry but she’s not going to. Not while she has something to say. “The way Bonbon laughs when you’re around. How she looks happier about everything around her. The smile she has when you ask her about the various bills or if you want her to try a new item you’ve made.”

Lyra brings a hoof up to her mouth, holding back a choked sob. “I love you because you make Bonbon so happy. I love her with all my heart and I never wanted it to turn out like this. I just wanted us all to be happy together... It took you leaving for me to realize that Bonbon needs you more than I ever did.” Lyra looks to her hooves. “I’m sorry, Anon. I’m sorry, Bonny.”

Bonbon is speechless as she looks at Lyra. Has it always been like this? She doesn’t need an answer as she hugs Lyra with all her might.

“I love you, Lyra,” Bonbon says trying to comfort her.

“I love you too, Bonny.”

Bonbon looks over to see Anon looking at them both with indifference, but that’s just the surface. She can see that he’s conflicted. There’s nothing she can say, so she merely gives him the room to do as he must. Anon sits there for a moment, lost in thought, before getting out of his chair and walking over to Lyra. He hesitantly rests a hand on her withers.

“I wasn’t expecting a miracle,” Anon states. “Thank you for being honest, Lyra. As long as you respect my boundaries, I believe we can let bygones be bygones.” With that said, Anon walks back to his seat and falls into it, the weight of this situation setting in. “As fate would have it, I need your help,” Anon addresses them both.

“What do you need?” Bonbon asks, still holding Lyra.

“I get you’re worried about Twilight. That’s understandable. But I have something important I need done.”

“You know you have my support,” Bonbon says with finality.

Anon smirks hearing her say that. “Do you know how to bake a cake?”

Pinkie wipes the sweat from her brow as she sets a few pans to the side. She almost forgot how exhausting baking could be, but she will admit it feels nice working with her hooves again. She was so in the zone that she didn’t even notice Mrs. Cake enter into the kitchen.

“Closing time, Pinkie!”

Pinkie looks over to Mrs. Cake, then to a wall clock. “Wow, that time already?” She walks over and turns off the stove. “Alrighty then! I’ll just clean up a bit before I go.”

“How are things working out for you at Anon’s place?” Mrs. Cake asks, entering the kitchen.

“Fine.” Pinkie sets a bowl into the sink. “Everything is taller than usual, but I consider that a positive. After some adjusting, it’s the perfect place. Not to mention it’s closer to Fluttershy, so I get to visit her often.”

“That’s nice. Um.” There’s a slight pause that Pinkie catches. “Have you, you know, spoken to your other friends?”

Pinkie packs a few extra cupcakes she made into a small box. “I plan on seeing them now.” Try as she might, Pinkie can’t shake the butterflies in her tummy. “I don't know what I’ll say. It’s been so long.”

“I’m sure being there will say enough,” Mrs.Cake tries to console. “Remember: One hoof forward and see where it takes you.”

“I guess.” Pinkie glances around the kitchen to make sure she didn’t miss anything. “Time to go. See you tomorrow.”

“Have a good night, Pinkie.”

Pinkie picks up her boxes and walks towards the back door. “You too, Mrs.Cake.”

Once outside, Pinkie finds it’s already moving towards the evening faster than she thought. She’ll check on Rarity first, as she’s the one that puts her the most on edge. Walking down the streets of Ponyville she can see all the ponies getting ready for the coming night. Shops are closing and what not, fillies and colts being ushered back to their homes, a few waving to her as she waves back.

Pinkie loses herself on the walk to Rarity’s. Thoughts of where Rainbow Dash could be and if she’s okay. As far as she knows, no pony knows what she’s up to, and that makes Pinkie worry all the more. There’s also Rarity. She didn’t hear much talk around town about her or from the customers. AJ seems fine; Pinkie saw her in her usual spot during the market hours selling apples as she always did. She didn’t stop by but that’s probably to give Pinkie her space.

She’ll stop by her place soon enough but right now she needs to focus on Rarity. It takes a few minutes to get to Rarity’s and from the outside, she can say things look perfectly reasonable. The grass is a little long but for the most part, everything seems taken care of. Pinkie hesitates for a moment before walking up to her door and knocking. There’s a slight pause before the door opens.

“Oh, hello Pinkie,” Sweetie Belle greets with a smile.

“Hi, Sweetie Belle. Um, is Rarity in by any chance?”

The smiles she had slowly faded. “S-She’s in her room... She doesn’t come out often, but I could tell her you’re here.”

“Please, and,” Pinkie pulls out the box of cupcakes and hoofs it over to Sweetie Belle. “For you. I know it’s been awhile.”

That quickly puts the smile back on her face. “Thank you. I’ll go tell her know.”

Taking the box, Sweetie Belle runs up the stairs and out of sight. Pinkie takes this time to step inside and examine the room. Despite the dire sense of the situation, the house is immaculate. Whether that is the effort of Sweetie Belle or Rarity is unknown, but at least the place isn’t in a state of decay.

“Hello, Pinkie.”

Startled, Pinkie whips around and comes face to face with something she wasn’t expecting. It’s Rarity, just Rarity. She looks perfectly fine. Her coat is as pristine as ever; her mane is styled as it usually is, no dark bags or crows feet under her eyes... It’s as if nothing changed. But something is wrong with her. The smile she’s giving is fake and the way she holds herself is reminiscent of the very ponnequins she places clothes on, rigid and unmoving.

In a motion Pinkie has seen many times before, Rarity uses a hoof to toss her curl behind her back but what’s disturbing is how mechanical and unnatural it looked.

“Hey, Rarity... Been busy these past few months, huh?” Pinkie can’t shake this sense of unease with the mockery of a pony standing in front of her. “Thought I’d come by and check up on you.”

“No need to check up on me, darling. I’m perfectly fine. Speaking of busy, I have a few orders I need to attend to, sorry to cut this visit so short. I’m sure you understand.”

All Pinkie can muster is a slow nod at the creepy situation she finds herself in. “Sorry, I should’ve called first or come by earlier.”

“Perhaps another time we could chat?”

Rarity hasn’t moved and her expression hasn’t changed the entire time she’s been talking. This is disturbing.

“Another time.” Pinkie is losing track of what she wants to say.

“You know the way out. Good evening.” Rarity turns around and walks up the stairs, leaving Pinkie alone in the living room.

“She’s always like that.” Pinkie jumps at the voice coming from below her and finds Sweetie Belle there. “I don’t know what’s wrong but she’s been working on those orders for months now...”

“Well, you know Rarity... It’s gotta be perfect.” Pinkie gives her best smile just for Sweetie Belle. “Once she’s done, she’ll finally get to relax.”

Sweetie smiles too. “Yeah, you’re right! She’ll be better once she’s done working.”

Pinkie feels her smile crack at the seams. She can’t leave Sweetie alone here; it’s as if something terrible would happen if she didn’t at least offer an open door for her. “I gotta go now, but if you need anything, then don’t hesitate to come to Aunt Pinkie, alright?” Pinkie leans down to face Sweetie Belle proper. “I live at Anon’s house now. Do you know where that is?”

Sweetie’s ears pinned back. “R-Rarity always told me to stay away from there.”

“It’s fine, I live there now,” Pinkie says. “In fact, how would you girls like to try baking as a way of getting your cutie marks tomorrow?”

“Really?!” Sweetie Belle looks excited by the idea. “Sure! I’ll tell Applebloom and Scootaloo at school tomorrow!”

“Alright... I better get going now. Goodnight, Sweetie.”

“Goodnight, Pinkie!”

Pinkie walks out of Rarity’s home, giving a small wave to Sweetie Belle as she returns it briefly before closing the door. Pinkie stands there for a moment just facing the door, the last of the warm light giving way to the soft bluish hue of the night.

“This is a lot worse than I imagined,” Pinkie says to herself before setting off back to her home. She’ll talk to AJ tomorrow and see if she knows about Rarity’s current mental state, as well as Rainbow’s whereabouts.

Pain, that’s all Nightmare feels. No matter how much time passes, the wounds never heal. Gritting her teeth, Nightmare leers off into the void. That damn mare severed her connection to this world and in turn, left Nightmare isolated. This means there’s no magic for her to heal herself. So the wounds she suffered that day remain unchanged as she lays on the floor in perpetual agony. If it weren’t for her splitting headache, she’d rest until the connection was made.

Though something else is calling to her. It was a whisper at first, but now it’s slowly becoming a shout. With a groan, she rests her head and tries to ignore the call. Still, it’s difficult to overlook a disturbance that’s trying to shape her world from the outside. What could be producing that much negative emotion? It matters little to her; it’s not like she can leave this place to investigate. Coughing a few times, she tries her best to rest. That’s when she feels it. Her eyes snap open as something materializes into her world.

She can sense a great deal of negative energy coming from something further into her dream world. This has never happened before, so she forces herself onto her hooves and limps her way toward the source. Off in the distance, she spots a door leading to a dream. It only takes a few hooves for her to recognize the door from afar; it’s Anon’s. The difference is the mass amount of dark fog that billows from it.

Something about this causes Nightmare’s thoughts to drift to an old memory. This type of nightmare, she’s experienced it once before. Curious, she continues to approach, but with each step, she takes notice of a particular weight lifting from her. The various bandages around her body start melting away as her wounds rapidly heal. The nightmare is so potent she can feel her body surge with power.

Her mane starts flowing with a lustrous sheen, the stars twinkling with newfound life. Her already black fur is absorbing whatever little light there is as her fangs grow slightly longer and sharper. She hasn’t felt this powerful in ages! The elements took everything from her but now she feels fit enough to take over the dreamscape if she wishes. However, her mind is focused on the door before her. What could that creature be dreaming to cause this much negative emotion? As she lifts her hoof, she stops a few inches short...

Does she want to touch it? The last time she felt his nightmare, it wasn’t what she was expecting it to be. This, this must indeed be something else. However brief that thought was, she connects her hoof to his door. Nightmare tears her hoof away as she grits her teeth. Her entire body is trembling in pain and she wants nothing more than to scream out in agony but she made sure to prepare herself this time around and was able to shield her psyche from the brunt of the trauma.

Still, that was enough to fill her with rage. Without a single word, she tears his door open and leaps inside. She lands into a place of darkness, not unlike her void. She whips around, looking for where he could be. In her anger, she smashes a single hoof to the floor, causing the darkness to peel away as it drifts up slightly, before being absorbed by her fur. Eating this nightmare makes her sick, but that matters little to her. She needs to find that creature and teach him a lesson.

Still, there’s too much darkness for her to see him outright. So, she closes her eyes for a moment of irritation and thinks of him. It’s faint, but as she opens her eyes a thin thread of light connects her to him. A simple spell that should help her considerably. It doesn’t take her long to follow the trail to the huddled form of Anon. A cloud of darkness billows from him as he lays there.

That spark of anger returns to her for being forced to come here. That wench is so pathetic that she can’t even be bothered to attend to her stallion’s nightmares.

“Hey! Do you think I want this annoyance right next door?” He doesn’t respond, so she takes a few steps toward him. “Are you ignoring m―”

It’s too fast for Nightmare to register until it’s already happened. Anon is clutching to her right now, his face buried in her fur. It takes a moment for Nightmare to get her mind straight as she sits on her hind end and tries to pry Anon off.

“What in Equestria are you doing!? Let go,” she warns as he keeps a death grip on her. He doesn’t respond. “I said let go!”

She casts a spell to pry him off, but finds little resistance to pull him away. What is going on? As she correctly faces Anon, she is disturbed by what she sees. Where his face should be is nothing but an empty hole. This isn’t what she expected to find. He falls back to the floor in a gesture of what she can only guess is pain.

Despite her emotions from before, she finds herself worried. He’s starting to lose his identity, that much she knows. As she watches him rock back and forth in place, she feels that weight on her chest. Not a single sound is leaving him, and yet blackness seeps from him endlessly. A thought enters her mind. She could use him, right here and now. The amount of power he’s exuding could allow her to take over Luna, Equestria even... But she can’t.

“AH!” Nightmare screams as she slams her hooves into the darkness below in a fit of rage. “Why?! Why can't I do it!? I can leave! Be free from the void!” She turns her anger to Anon. “Answer me!”

He doesn’t respond or even acknowledge her, not that she expected as much. Another primal scream leaves Nightmare as she grits her teeth and thinks over this once in a lifetime opportunity. She cannot allow a faint sense of duty pass up what she’s been given. However, she feels something on her hoof. Looking down, she finds the faceless being wrapping a bandage around her hoof. The darkness still billows from him; she can practically hear his screams and yet he’s tending to her.

Nightmare is starting to hyperventilate as she clenches her jaw so much that she feels a tooth chip. Even in his sorry state, he’s caring for others. She feels sick to her stomach. As he works on her, she can feel how he gently applies the bandage, making sure not to nudge any injury he may think she has, but also keeping it snug. She hates creatures like him; he reminds her of Luna when she was a filly. During that night when she took her first life.

That memory brings back so many things. A time that has long since turned to bile. As angry as she felt, all of that lifts away as she crouches low to face the creature before her. As if reliving a memory, she rests a hoof on his hand to stop him from bandaging her. The pitiful thing before her just faces her with that gaping hole.

“There there, little one.” Why am I doing this? “This is nothing more than a terrible dream.” I can finally be free. “All will be better when the moon lights the way.” My one chance, gone. “Let not the pain of this day haunt your world.” All for what? “For I am here.” A memory? “And I will protect you.”

With that last word leaving her lips, she rests her horn against his forehead and casts her spell. All the darkness from the dream rapidly flows into the empty hole of the faceless being. Heavily dazed, Anon sways in place, utterly oblivious to his surroundings. Nightmare quickly fades into smoke before he can notice.

“W-Where am I?” he asks himself. “Talked to Bonbon, stayed at the shop to bake a cake, decided to stay the night...” He rubs his eyes. “Am I asleep?” He shakily stands and examines the area. “Guess I am.” Nightmare watches as Anon covers his mouth, but it does little to help as he vomits onto the floor. He pants for a moment, trying to regain his composure. “You should go before Luna gets here. I can sense her coming.” Did he also notice Nightmare’s presence? Unlikely, but perhaps his intuition is stronger than she anticipated. “Thanks again for helping me. I’ll be chatting with you soon, but for now, I have something I need to take care of.”

Nightmare scoffs. “So you say.”

With that, she shifts her smoke form to the door she came through and quickly enters it back to her void. Turning to look back, the door slowly melts away into a fine mist, but despite it being gone, Nightmare can still feel a connection to Anon’s world. She snorts in anger as she lay on the floor. She’ll never live down what she just did, a moment of weakness for a memory that has long since turned to waste...

Pointless. She rests her head on the floor. It’s all pointless.

Unacquainted love

Bonbon and Anon stand side by side as they look over his latest creation. Neither of them say anything as they simple mull over the entire piece, taking into account that neither of them have much experience when it comes to baked goods.

“It's certainly not the best-looking thing we’ve made,” Bonbon remarks, “but it’s unique and that makes all the difference.”

Anon steps forward, pacing around the table to view the cake from all sides. It annoys him that this is the best he could manage. All the hours he’s put in and yet something is missing. This is meant to be the centerpiece to Celestia’s party? It’s lackluster, basic as they come, but it’s the best he could do. Bonbon is right, he is not Pinkie Pie, and so his cake is elementary when compared to some of the things he’s seen her make.

A few times he entertained the thought of folding, to ask Pinkie to come over and help, or at least give him some pointers, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that. He wanted this to be special, to make Celestia something with his own hands and having someone else do that didn’t sit right with him. So, instead, he took on this task on his own... Well, with some essential guidance from Bonbon.

Neither of them have baked a cake before, so it was a learning process for the both of them. Anon will admit it was nice working in a kitchen with Bonbon again and at times when he wanted to give up she was there to push him to continue. This is the fruit of their labor. It may not look like much, but he can’t deny a touch of pride for having made this cake. Still, he could at least add a little something to it.

“Your idea about the cutie mark was a nice touch.” Anon admires the familiar cutie mark of the princess that takes up most of the top of the cake. Looking almost like an image printed on top. Lyra was very helpful in that regard. “Do you think I should add some icing here?” Anon traces the border of the cake. “Rosebuds, perhaps?”

“Anon, the princess is going to love it no matter what you add.” She steps closer to the cake. “But, if you must, a few roses wouldn’t hurt.”

Anon ponders this as he reflects on the choices he’s made while creating this cake. For the base, he went with chocolate, as it’s one of Celestia’s favorites, but there’s something very pedestrian about it. Then there’s the frosting dilemma; he elected to go with a lilac mix, seeing as those flowers are plentiful in the garden, and he could only assume they were her favorite. It gives the cake a subtle violet hue, which does help with the presentation, but that doesn’t mitigate the plainness of it all.

Though he knows his worries aren’t entirely on the cake either. “Maybe I should’ve invited a few others, but I didn’t want them blabbing and tipping her off. Do you think I should’ve taken the risk?”

“You’re overthinking this.” Bonbon playfully hits his thigh. “She’s going to be thrilled, so calm down and just let things happen.”

“Easy for you to say.” Anon grabs a nearby pastry bag and writes ‘happy birthday Tia’ at the top left corner. “You don’t have two alicorn princesses that worry about you or a certifiably insane mare that believes making amends is quickly solved.”

“You’re right. I just have an alien that blows things out of proportion, a significant other that’s in love with said alien, and a large-scale event coming up that I’m in charge of hosting.”

Anon flinches. “Touche.”

“Seriously, Anon... You’re overthinking this.” She rests a hoof onto his leg. “Just take it easy for once and go with the flow.”

Bonbon is right. He’s making something out of nothing before anything can happen. As hard as it is, he’ll try to relax and enjoy this day. Anon sets the pastry bag aside and grabs a candle from the counter, placing it in the center.

“I doubt they make enough candles for her age, so one will have to do.” Anon stands up and gives the cake a once over. “Maybe I should add those rosebuds?”

Bonbon smiles at Anon’s continued worried expression. So she stands on her hind hooves and gives him a hug from behind. “It’s nice having you back... What Lyra said is true; I missed you.”

“I can’t complain,” Anon agrees as Bonbon lets go and take a few steps away, then both of them look at the cake once more. “Rosebuds it is, then I’ll pack it up and head over to the castle.”

Bonbon relishes in the view of Anon making a new pastry bag and diligently work the small red rosebuds onto the rim of the cake. His precision work is impressive because despite his nerves, his hands are as steady as they can be.

“You know, we might need to consider adding a baked goods section to the shop,” Bonbon comments.

Anon chortles. “Yeah, right.”

“I’m serious!” She looks at her messy kitchen. “Well, maybe not now, but it’s an idea.”

Lyra’s head pokes in through the door. “Bonny, I really need a hoof with something. Are you busy?”

Bonbon cracks Anon a smile. “Well, no rest for us, it seems. Good luck.”

“Here’s to hoping I don’t need it.” Anon adds his finishing touches. “There...” He can feel his nerves starting to act up. “Just one step at a time.”

Well, here she is. One of the Princesses of Equestria, considered all-powerful and full of wisdom, slumped upon her throne with a sour look on her face. She does nothing more than face the door to her throne room, where not a single citizen has come to visit. It’s not surprising to her. The Wonder festival is but a few days away and with that comes last minute changes. Ponies purchasing new garments to doll themselves up as a means of showing off prestige.

Others focusing on their business, ensuring that their wares are cleaned, organized and readily available for the masses that will be passing through. A lot of creatures throughout Equestria and outside of it will be attending. So business will be booming. Though this is of little concern to the princess; she’s been in a crummy mood all week.

A single letter came from Anon a few days ago, beguiling her in a brief tale of how he’s made amends with his business associates, and due to their invitation to being one of the shops within the Coliseum, he needed to help them make sure everything was in order. She’s been pondering as to what led to this sudden change in what she believed was a very strained relationship between them.

Not that she believes he’s lying, but she would be remiss not to think that something else was ahoof. Celestia slams her hoof onto the foreleg rest of her throne in a fit of anger. She wouldn’t be as annoyed as she is if he at least came by to visit! He hasn’t come by to rest or even get a change of clothes, as far as she knows. Brooding, she crosses her hooves with a grunt.

Perhaps he’s keeping his distance after their intimate discussion? She collapses into her throne with a moan.

“Why must my thoughts misguide me?” Celestia questions herself. “What could he be up to?”

“I find myself falling into the same mindset.”

Celestia lazily glances over at her sister who’s standing alongside her. “Hello, Luna... Are you in need of something?”

“Solely looking to share my concerns.”

Celestia sits up to properly face her sibling. “Is he still not dream walking?”

Luna nods. “I’m afraid so. He’s either too fatigued to dream, or utterly rejecting my entry. Either way, I don’t like it.”

“Well, there is the festival,” Celestia attempts to reason. “I’m sure that’s why he’s so busy.”

“True, but several things have crossed my mind.” Luna recalls when she found Anon a week ago recovering from a nightmare, the stench of that vermin was all over him. “He’s still holding secrets, but I suppose we can’t expect him to always speak of what lies within his soul. I know you tried your best regarding that, but he’ll need time.”

Celestia nods glumly. “Agreed. Still, I can’t stand having him so far from me. My heart aches.”

“Mine too, Tia. Though we must give him time. Wouldn’t want to scare him away now, would we?” Luna jokes.

That helps lift Celestia spirit a little. “You are correct. So, what do you have planned for the day?”

“Blossom has notified me that a few recruits have come in. She wants me to test their mental fortitude.”

Celestia recoils. “Oh, no... Not the test, right?”

Luna smirks. “Yes, sister. The test.”

Celestia briefly recalls the one time she was subject to this test her sister concocted. It was brutal as it was efficient. A collection of tests to push a creature to their absolute limit of both body and mind. During their period of war, it was paramount to train soldiers as quickly as they could, but they didn’t want to send colts out there unprepared to die needlessly.

So, her sister created this test. Broken stallions and mares would be left behind and those who endured were fit enough to fight. The first few tests where a breeze, but the mental version was where most of them were scarred. Celestia didn’t want her sister to do these tests without having experienced them herself, and she will freely admit that parts of it still haunt her.

Because, as she now thinks back, those were the first signs of Nightmare moon. A dark abyss that drove a pony mad with their greatest fears and scenarios of taking a life. Celestia can still hear the laughter of the Mare in the Moon, but gave it little thought as she believed it was part of the test.

She shakes those memories clear as she addresses her sister. “Luna, you know I keep my distance from your knights, but don’t you think that training is a bit too harsh? It was perfectly fine considering the time but we’re at peace now.”

“Call me paranoid if you wish, Tia, but I want to assure my knights are always equipped for the worst.”

“Very well,” Celestia yields. “I’m to assume that training will keep you occupied?”

She nods. “Afraid so. I doubt I’ll get any rest or breaks.”

“Another day alone.” Celestia slumps again into her throne.

“Come now, I’m sure you’ll find something―” Luna’s ears perk up as she beams. “Or something will find you.”

Celestia raises a brow as the throne room door opens. Moving inside is none other than Anon. He gives both sisters a wave as he strolls up to greet them.

“Hey, there! Sorry for being so busy.” Luna swiftly grabs onto Anon and he embraces her without a fight. “Nice to see you too,” he states patting her back a few times.

“We need to speak tonight about you know what.” Luna whispers for only Anon to catch.

“I’ll be free,” he whispers in response.

Luna steps away. “I have some training to do. A pleasant day to you both.”

“Bye.” Both Anon and Celestia say as Luna leaves.

Anon is about to turn to face Celestia, but is immediately glomped from behind as she envelops him in her wings. “It’s been awhile.”

Anon is thankful he’s facing away from her as his heartaches. That filling is still present, and having her this close is painful. Nevertheless, he focuses on his task, turns around in her grasp and returns the hug. “Yeah, a lot’s been going on. Sorry for leaving without a word.”

“I understand.” Celestia sighs happily, taking in his musk as it calms her. “The festival is only days away. I’m glad you’re here.”

“Thankfully, things have calmed down.” Anon and her pull away. “Would you like to have lunch?”

Celestia glows at the idea. “I wouldn’t turn your offer away.”

This is working out as Anon planned. He wants to spend the entire day doing what Celestia wants just before finishing everything with the party. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d like to go out to eat this time.”

Celestia’s ears perk up. “W-What was that?”

“Would you like to go out to eat?” Anon offers with a faint smile. “We eat at the castle so regularly, I imagined a change of pace would be nice.”

“O-Of course...” When she thought they had left, her filly thoughts come rushing back. With reddened cheeks, Celestia tries her best to remain calm. “Do you have someplace in mind?”

“I’ve made reservations,” Anon answers, waving for her to join him. “Follow me.”

With Anon guiding the way, Celestia calms down by resting her head against his shoulder as they walk. For Anon, the gesture isn’t abnormal, but the pain inside of him unquestionably is. A week wasn’t enough time for him to overcome the overwhelming emotions Celestia causes him. It’s torture being this close to her, but he can’t stop now. He’ll endure this pain for now to ensure everything goes according to plan, and once the party is over, he can take time to snuff out the love he has for her... From there, things will finally return to normal.

“I can do this, I can do this.” Twilight drones to herself. “Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle. Would you like me to watch your foal?” Her too long of a smile drops as she studies herself in the mirror. “Only a deranged pony would simply stroll up to a random family and ask that.”

“I don’t get why you want to start foalsitting,” Spike observes, setting a few books back onto the shelf.

“I told you, Spike. I need the bits. And after contemplating it for awhile, I deemed it would work out.” Twilight uses her hooves to move around her lips, trying to make the perfect smile.

With his claws clear, Spike turns around to face Twilight. “Twilight, you’re smart, but I doubt you can take care of a foal.”

Almost dropping the mirror held in her magic, Twilight whips around to confront Spike. “What does that mean?” In a puff of smoke the mirror she held vanishes. “I took care of you, didn’t I?”

“Well,” Spike thinks that over. “Yeah, I suppose. That’s beside the point. Wouldn’t you like a job you’re good at?” Spike taps a claw to his chin. “Why not teach at the gifted unicorns school?”

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. Still, their approval process is too long. I need these bits as fast as possible.”

“And becoming a foalsitter is the fastest?” Spike mocks. “You’d have a better chance performing magic on the street.”

Twilight grits her teeth. “Why does getting a job have to be so difficult!? I only need enough bits to get Trixie her permit so she can forgive me and we can make amends!”

Spike blinks a few times at her outburst. “Wow, that’s more than I expected... Seriously, Twilight, you shouldn’t rush this kind of thing. Maybe you can clean up around the castle for a little? I know Feather Duster could use a helping hoof.”

“Me, a maid?” Twilight thinks it over. “Well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

“That’s the spirit!” Spike runs beside Twilight and drags her towards the door. “I know her pretty well. Let’s go see her now.”

Twilight can’t help her smile as she follows Spike. “Alright, no need to pull me, I’m coming.”

“Anon, table for two.”

Since walking in, the pony standing behind the podium has been staring at the Princess with a slack jaw and wide eyes. Anon would say this is standard, but he’s here for a reason, and having him gawk at Celestia isn’t going to move things along. So, he snaps his fingers in front of him to catch his attention.

“Excuse me, I said, ‘Anon, table for two.’”

“I... Terrible sorry, Sir!” With haste the pony looks over his ledger. “Y-Yes, Anon... Please, follow me.”

Putting on his best airs, the pony apprehensively leads Anon and Celestia through the restaurant. Anon scans the room, finding many of the ponies in awe as they follow their Princess as she gracefully walks past. Celestia is lost in this moment, but out of instinct, offers each pony a slight nod of acknowledgment before passing by.

On the walk there, Anon thinks over his plan one more time. After their meal, he’ll take her strolling through the park to unwind for a few hours, and on their way back to the castle, he’ll pull her off into a store that has a special order for him, but he’ll keep that from her till they’re alone.

Lyra gave him a great idea during their week together. The cake and party were fine, but she also suggested that Anon should get the princess a gift. He was so preoccupied with making sure everything was flawless that he almost skipped the most crucial thing about a birthday: the present. After some discussion, they concluded that a horn ring would be perfect, as Celestia doesn’t ordinarily wear anything other than her regalia, and getting her cake would be moot as he’s already made one.

So, Anon went looking around for the perfect gift, with Lyra and Bonbon in tow. It took some time, but he ultimately settled on one he felt fit Celestia correctly; it wasn’t elaborate, just a simple gold ring with a few purple gems set into it, like the ones in her crown. He even had it engraved with the date of her birthday so she’d never forget. It cost him a hefty sum of bits, as he needed to get it on the day of her birthday, meaning he had to pay the pony overtime. That was fine by him, as he had a lot of money, thanks to Bonbon stashing it into the bank account she got for him.

If this all goes according to the plan, then Celestia will be speechless. Indeed, a birthday she’ll cherish for a long time. At least, he assumes so. While Anon thinks, Celestia is preoccupied by her filly thoughts. She can’t believe they're together, having lunch in a public setting. It’s almost as if they’re on a date! An explosion of redness crosses her face as they take their seats across from one another.

“What can I get you two?” the waiter asks.

Despite her thoughts, Celestia can already feel the answer leaving her before it even registers in her mind. “He’ll have a hydra steak, medium rare.” Did I just answer for him? Celestia is concerned that Anon will notice her rapidly growing blush if she keeps this up but pushes onward. “I’ll have the rose petal salad.”

The waiter hesitates before scribbling down what she asked for. “Very well, Princess.”

Anon laughs a bit as he watches the waiter bolt off toward the kitchen. “They don’t serve meat here,” Anon informs Celestia. “Not that I’m complaining.”

Now her redness is more from embarrassment than anything else. “Well, I’m sure what they provide will be entertaining.” As things settle down, Celestia’s thoughts start romanticizing the situation. Anon will rest a hand on her hoof, perhaps even kiss her right in front of everypony. The fantasy before her fades as she buries her filly thoughts and tries to enjoy this rare occasion. “How have things been with your associates?”

Anon’s smile slips for a moment. “Uh, yeah, that... Sorry for disappearing so suddenly. It just happened and they needed my help.”

Celestia rests a hoof on his hand. “I’m not upset, just curious is all.”

Anon wants to tear his hand away from Celestia. Just having it there burns, but he remains calm and tries to play the part. “Well, things are better. We set everything out on the table this time, and it was nice getting back into the kitchen. I guess Fancy Pants sent them an invite to the festival.”

Celestia nods knowingly. “Fancy sent me a letter about it a few days before approaching them. So, two days until the festival. I hope you and your associates are ready.”

As subtle as he can, Anon pulls his hand away. “We have all our bases covered. We’ve been stockpiling candy just for that day, and even have additional ingredients, should we sell everything we have in stock.”

“Always prepared,” Celestia compliments.

“Bonbon had the plan. I just made sure things stayed on track.” Anon feels as if Bonbon already had everything under control, but he missed having something to do and the hectic nature of the festival provided him with some release from his thought of Celestia. “It’s going to work out, though. All in all, I can’t complain about how things have turned out.”

“I’m delighted to hear that.”

The both of them notice a waiter standing beside them with two plates being held in his magic. “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He sets them down before giving a bow. “Enjoy.”

Glancing over his steak, Anon allows himself a chortle at what’s before him. Calling it a steak would be a mockery of all the steaks he’s had. It’s burnt in numerous places, cut poorly, and he’s more than sure it’s undercooked. Taking his knife and slicing into it, he confirms that it’s more raw than rare. Well, he wasn’t coming here for himself anyways.

“So, how has your week been?” Anon asks, pushing his plate away.

“Boring.” Celestia teleports away his meal and summons a new plate for him. This one is properly cooked and seasoned. “Thank the chef when we get to the castle.”

Anon smiles. “I will, but thank you for having it prepped ahead of time.”

“We’re having lunch, I wouldn’t dare share it alone.”

“You’re too good to me,” Anon states, cutting into his steak.

“You deserve it,” Celestia remarks.

Anon’s hand slips slightly as he clutches his utensils before losing his grip... Dammit, that wince of pain. He takes a quiet breath to calm his tremors before continuing where he left off. “Something had to have happened. A week is a lot of time.”

“Other than the usual, not much to talk about. Ponies were complaining about something or other, land disputes and the like.”

“What about Luna?”

“She’s been training her knights.” Celestia pierces a pettle and eats it. “She watches over court every now and then, but seems adamant about adding a few more to her ranks.”

“Yeah...” Anon also eats a slice of his steak, excellent, as always. “I haven’t had much rest this past week.” Anon clears his throat. “Work and all.”

“My sister has noticed. Do not push yourself too hard,” she urges.

“After today, things will calm down, until the festival.”

Celestia perks up at that. “Will you be accompanying me throughout the festival?”

“Most likely. The store is already set for the event and I’m sure Bonbon can handle the rest.”

“I can’t wait. It’ll be the first time I’ve attended the event with anyone.”

“Well, it’ll be my first time going. So I hope it’s fun.”

Feeling her heart flutter, Celestia gets her mind back on track. “Let’s not let our food get cold.”

“Fair enough.”

As Anon eats, he can sense that pain slowly radiate. The day is just starting and he needs to get it under control before she starts to notice.

“It’s rare for us to share a day together like this,” Celestia sighs blissfully as she leans against Anon as they walk the park. “You’re always rushing off doing something or other.”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to up and leave as much as I do, but things just happen.”

She nuzzles him. “I’m not upset. I take it for granted that you are with me during most of my busy work. If you weren’t, then I’m sure I’d be the one constantly running off to work.”

“You’re a princess,” Anon notes. “That’s a lot of responsibility. Honestly, I don’t know how you manage so much.”

“It’s not easy, but you make it easier to bare.”

Anon gnaws the inside of his cheek. Why does she have to say things like that? It’s almost like she does love-... No, that’s just his emotions messing with him. Above all else, he can’t let that be true.

“What are friends for?”

That puts a damper on Celestia’s mood. “Y-Yes... What are friends for.”

Anon considers this isn’t going as well as he thought it would. They’ve been here for a few hours now, and the sun is gradually starting to descend. If he starts heading back to the castle now, then they’ll be there just before nightfall. Perhaps that’ll help bring the mood back?

“I’m kinda tired. Do you mind if we start heading back?”

“Are you staying the night?” Celestia asks with a clear pleading tone.

Just hearing her say that makes his heart burn. “Yeah, of course.”

“Very well, then. Shall we?”

“I have one stop before we get back.” Anon throws out there.

“Certainly.”

Celestia doesn’t question Anon as the two of them leave the park. He’s close now; just a few more steps and then he’ll be there.

“Hmm,” Celestia taps a hoof as she looks over the various jewelry before her. “Honestly, Anon. I’m not sure I’m the pony to help you with this gift idea. Is there any reason why you want to give something to your business partners?”

“Just a thought,” Anon lies, sneaking the gift the pony behind the register gives him. “As an apology.”

“All I wear is my regalia and this was made centuries ago...” Celestia says to herself. “Um, possibly this?”

Celestia floats up a twin necklace, each one with half a heart that matches the other. Anon’s brow raises... that’s not a bad gift idea. He walks up and looks it over. Should he get them a gift? No, but he will tell Lyra about this. It’s the least he can do to pay her back for helping with his present.

Anon turns to the jeweler. “I’ll be back for this.”

He nods. “Very well.”

“Ready?” Anon rests a hand on Celestia’s withers.

She can’t help the blush on her face. Something is unusual about this entire day. It practically feels like a date, but that’s most likely due to her filly dreams. He’s just trying to make her feel better for being gone for so long. Not that she’s complaining.

Celestia and Anon are finally at her room. The two guards give a salute to the princess before returning to their standard positions. This is it... A week's worth of preparation. The cake, present, and even convincing Blossom to distract Luna so he and Celestia could be alone. It’s all comes down to this moment.

“Um, Tia...” Celestia stops before entering her quarters. “Do you mind if I did something real quick?”

She cocks her head curiously. “Is something the matter?”

“No, not at all, just, stay here.” He walks past her and enters the room before closing the door behind him. Now, this is odd... What could Anon be planning? Before Celestia can question, Anon returns. “Alright, will you close your eyes?”

Anon is definitely up to something, but she can’t put her hoof on what it could be. “Anon, is something troubling you?”

“Just, please,” he urges.

“Alright.” Celestia closes her eyes. “You’re behaving strangely today.”

“You’ll understand why soon enough.” Anon gets close and leads her into the room. “Just, keep them closed until I say so.”

“They’re closed.” Celestia takes cautious steps forward as Anon guides her. “I’m not sure if I should be excited or worried,” she jokes.

“Alright, we’re here.” Anon takes a deep breath to soothe his nerves. “You can open your eyes now.”

Celestia opens her eyes and finds the room bathed in nothing more than the moonlight and a warm glow in front of her. A candle? She looks down and sees a cake with a single candle in the center, but, upon closer inspection, her eyes widen as she notices what’s written on the cake.

Happy birthday, Tia.

“It’s kind of a long story.” Anon breaks the stillness. “With some help, I managed to find out your birthday... So, for the past week, I’ve been learning how to bake a cake.” He looks down at his pitiful attempt. “It’s pretty basic and probably doesn’t taste as good as some of the other stores’, but I tried my best.” He sighs with his eyes closed, feeling as if he’s finally made it to the ideal moment. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. Happy birthday, Ti-”

His eyes snap open as he feels something hold onto him tightly and mash their lips against his. He’s face to face with Celestia; his mind is rapidly working to understand the situation as he fumbles back some before catching himself, as to not fall onto the bed. Without thinking, he pushes Celestia off, his heart hammering in his chest as the love he locked away springs to fill his veins like a toxin.

Celestia is panting laboriously as she remains facing Anon... She just did that. When she saw the cake, it brought back so many memories. Her time with her sister, the Nightmare Moon incident, how each passing year she neglected her birthday until it was nothing more than a day for ponies to glorify her greatest failure. The fact Anon went through all the trouble to do this for her...

She couldn’t hold herself back anymore. She can’t. This has to be the perfect moment for her to lay it on the line. To honestly tell him how she feels.

“I love you,” she blurts out.

It’s subtle at first, but Anon is shaking in place. He’s not moving but his body trembles like an injured animal. That word, it gradually seeps into his very being... This can’t be happening. This isn’t what he wanted! He takes a few steps back, but almost falls onto the bed before catching himself. He continues to face Celestia with a look of sheer terror. Celestia’s heart drops at his response.

“A-Anon?” She tries to reach out to him but his trembling intensifies.

“This can’t be happening...” He says clearly. “Is this a trick?”

“Trick?” Celestia looks confused. “Anon, I lov-”

“Don’t say it!” he yells. “D-Don’t you dare say that word!”

Are her worst fears coming to fruition? “Do you not love me?” she asks, heartbroken. Anon grits his teeth as he keeps himself from revealing the truth. Seeing him hold himself back, she takes a cautious step forward. “I love you.”

“No, you don’t.”

Celestia is taken aback. “I do, Anon, I love you―”

“You can’t!” This feels like a losing battle for Anon, but he can’t do that to her. He swore to himself he’d not make this mistake. Anon covers his face, but that does little to hide what Celestia sees... He’s crying. Since arriving here, he’s never cried before, as far as she knows. His tears push through his fingers as they fall to the floor. “You can’t,” he declares pitifully.

“Anon, what’s wrong? Please, say something.”

Maybe it’s not too late for him. Perhaps he can convince her why this is a bad idea? “I’m going to die,” Anon states.

Like a bolt of lightning, Celestia feels her body freeze up. “What?”

Anon clears his tears, calms his nerves and faces Celestia. “I’m not ageless like you. One day, I’ll die. I’m notgoing to allow you to love me when the end is just going to cause you pain.”

He will not allow her to love him? Celestia is outraged by this. As his words sink in, her worry turns to passion. Anon is thrown off guard as Celestia shoves him onto the bed and climbs on top of him, her eyes brimming with tears. She doesn’t say a single thing to him, and instead leans into a forceful kiss. Anon tries to resist her, but she keeps him held down with her magic. There’s a desperation to this act, her eyes clenched shut as her tears run from her eyes down her cheek and then down Anon’s.

After a minute, she opens her eyes and there’s so much pain in them, the anger had long since passed.

“Please don’t fight this,” she implores. “Not this. Not for my sake. I love you.”

Looking into her eyes is agony. He can feel that love of his starting to burn his insides. He wants to reject her, to force her away, but his heart is crying out for him to let her in. He’s afraid, terrified of what could happen should he accept her love. How does she not see the negatives?

“What about when I di―” She rests a hoof on his lips to stop him.

“I care more about the present than the future.” She releases her magic and kisses him, gently this time. “I love you.” Another kiss. “I love you, Anon.”

“I-I...” He doesn’t want to say those words. If he says them then that’s it. “I love you too.”

Celestia lets out a huff of surprise, but gets little time to react as Anon puts his hand behind her neck and drags her back down into a kiss, one he shares with her this time. Tears of joy take the place of pain as they lose themselves in this moment. A sense of eternity passes as they move apart from one another, just to look into the other's eyes.

“How long?” he asks.

“Close to a month. You?”

“When we talked.”

“Are you afraid?”

“Terrified.”

“So am I... but I have you.”

“I’m trouble.” Anon feels his mind slipping back into persuading her not to do this.

“I can take care of it.”

“I’m not royalty.”

“You will be if we marry.”

“I can’t give you kids.”

“Magic is a wonderful thing.”

“I―” she gives him a peck on the lips. “I’m not going to convince you otherwise, am I?”

She shakes her head with a smile. “No.”

There’s a flood of emotions coming from the both of them, but Anon notices something jabbing the inside of his pocket. He reaches in and pulls out the small box with the horn ring. “So, this was your birthday present.”

Celestia’s eyes glisten as she finds the ring inside. She gives a squee as she levitates it out and places it on her horn. It slides all the way down until it reaches the base. A perfect fit.

“You know, it’s customary to give a mare you’re betrothed to a horn ring,” Celestia notes as she looks down at Anon. “How does it look?”

This all seems so crazy for Anon, but there’s only one way for him to answer. “You look beautiful.”

Celestia blushes heavily at hearing him say that. “Thank you.”

“So, um... Do you mind getting off?” Anon chuckles nervously. “Getting kinda hot in here.”

Celestia realizes her position as she hastily hops off him. “I-I’m sorry...”

“No, no need to be sorry.” He has to get his mind centered on something else, if only for a moment. “So, um, the cake?”

Celestia looks back at the cake and finds the candle has long since burned out. The smooth blue light of the moon is the only source for them to see. With a smile, she levitates a slice over to Anon.

“Say ‘ah’,” she teases.

Anon can’t fight the blush on his face. “Come on, Tia―”

She shoves the cake into his mouth to silence him. With a giggle, she kisses him, making sure to get a good taste of the cake in his mouth. Anon is shocked by this, but lets it happen as she pulls away with a broad smile.

“I think it tastes perfect,” Celestia teases.

“You’re, um, taking this better than I expected?” Anon comments.

“I’m frightened beyond belief.” Anon takes a closer look and notices her trembling hooves. “But I want you to realize that this isn’t a trick... I truly do love you.”

“I... I know you do.” Anon grabs a nearby napkin and cleans the chocolate off her lips. “This is a lot for both of us. So how about we just slow things down?”

Celestia nods. “I agree. Just, please tell me if you’re uncomfortable with anything. I don’t want us to bury our feelings.”

“Ok.” Anon stumbles slightly as the entire weight of the situation hits him. “I think getting some rest is a good idea.”

Celestia smiles as she lifts him with her magic and places him on her bed. She climbs in and wraps her hooves around him as he rests facing her.

“We have much to discuss tomorrow,” Celestia says, gazing down at Anon as he looks up at her. “I love you.”

This isn’t what Anon expected from throwing Celestia a birthday party, but despite the many questions he has, his heart is oddly calm at this moment.

“I love you too.”

New dawn

A sudden jolt brings Anon from rest and into the black void of his dream. He looks around rapidly in a daze, trying to understand where he is. A moment passes before his thoughts return to him, and the events of last night gradually sink in. All by his lonesome is he left to wonder and question what could be next. If he wasn’t in the void right now, he’d be questioning if last night was a fever dream.

It’s bizarre for him to think that no more than a week ago he realized his love for Celestia, and in a heartbeat, she confessed to having felt the same way. Longer, in fact, did she keep her desire from him. Months of feeling what he believed was agony over the past week. While in hindsight, he did recognize the signs, he above all wanted to believe otherwise, due to his own concerns.

This matters little to him now; it’s hard to come to terms with the idea that they’re together... If it weren’t for the words they shared, he would’ve played it off as a joke. A cruel, sick joke. But she kept says those three words, over and over. It’s troublesome for him to repeat them; he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of something so grand. A tired sigh escapes him.

He’s grateful that he’s been afforded some time to reflect until morning. Once the sun rises and he wakes up beside her, things will never be the same between them. There’s an unfamiliar shift in his negative thoughts. Now he finds himself concerned with what duties a lover has to their companion. The fact is, he’s never dated anyone before, no one that he can remember, at the very least. Sure, he knows about the standard movie stuff, but that’s not real life, right?

Should he take her out? Are they dating, or is it already beyond that? They’ve been friends for a long time, and he knows a lot about her, so what would they even talk about on a date? Overwhelmed with the prospect of this new relationship, Anon is losing himself on what it all means. Not to mention the intimate aspects of this development. Is it alright to just spontaneously kiss her, or should he ask first?

There’s also the fact she’s a princess. What of her subjects? Anon isn’t a political person, but if one pony sees him kissing Celestia, that’ll spread like a wildfire. He’s sure that all the ponies would know about it by the end of the day, if not within the hour. So how would that affect Celestia? Anon’s thoughts continue... What about Luna? It’s only a matter of time before she knows about this. He has no idea how she’d react.

This is too much for him to think about right now. He just needs to calm down and try to be happy for once. She said she loves him... That calms the rising storm of thoughts immediately. She loves him and he loves her. It’ll work out, he dreams, at least. A knock enters the void, seizing his attention. Yes, Luna did say she’d come around to talk.

“Come in,” Anon beckons.

Materializing from the darkness, Luna stands a few feet from Anon. She studies the void of his dream, somewhat miffed by the familiarity it has to Nightmare’s prison. Usually, Anon livens the place up a little, but he has been occupied with things.

“It’s been a while.” Luna walks up to Anon and embraces him.

He hesitates slightly but welcomes her embrace. “Yeah, lots to get ready for the festival.”

She noticed that hesitation. It appears he’s disturbed by something. “Are you doing well?”

Anon moves away as Luna lands on all fours. “Well enough. So, I imagine you want to talk about Nightmare?”

Shifting the discussion. Well, Luna will put this aside for now. “Regrettably... Was it her?”

Knowing this conversation may take some time, Anon summons a pair of chairs. “Couldn’t have been anyone else.” He takes his seat, glad he can move his thoughts to something other than Celestia. “I’m grateful she was there to help. I have a vague idea of what the dream was about and there’s no doubt in my mind it was a strong one.”

Luna’s tail whips from side to side in frustration. It shouldn’t be that parasite helping Anon! “This is why I am confused and bothered.” Luna walks over and sits, trying to calm down. “Nightmare feeds off nightmares. It is the root of her capabilities. The fact she has gone out of her way to rid yours is baffling to me. I have no idea what she has planned, but it can’t be anything good.”

Luna’s distressed, it makes sense but he still stands by his opinion on the matter. “We’ve already discussed this. I don’t believe she’s evil. Not entirely, at least.”

“That is not all that bothers me,” Luna insists. “She shouldn’t have had access to your dream world. I separated our connection, making it impossible to escape the void or draw magic from me. So, I’m left to ponder how she managed that. Has she been hiding her power from me this entire time? Maybe some outside force is at work? These are things I have to think of, Anon.”

Anon doesn’t understand what Luna is talking about. His knowledge of dream magic is basic at best. “I can’t help you there, Luna. I don’t know much about dream magic... However, why would she use something she’s been hiding from you just to help me?”

Luna grunts. “That is the question, isn’t it? Her motives are a mystery, but I can’t shake this pit that sits in my stomach.” Sighing to herself, she stands up and summons a doorway for them to pass through. “In spite of my beliefs, I am a mare of my word. Come, you shall commune with the beast, as you’ve requested.”

“Actually...” Anon catches Luna attention. “Can we start tomorrow? I have a lot on my mind right now.”

Luna turns to face Anon anew. It’s peculiar that while he appears troubled in mind, his demeanor is calmer than usual and by no means is he trying to hide his emotions. Curious is she on what could’ve brought about this change. “Do you wish to speak on what bothers you?”

As much as he’d like to say something, he’s sure this should be discussed while Celestia is there. “Um... I’m sure Celestia will fill you in.”

Hmm, that certainly has her attention. “Very well, I’ll leave you to your thoughts for the night. Rest easy. I have other dreams I must attend to.”

“Goodnight, Luna. See you tomorrow.” Anon waves as she departs his world. He collapses on the couch, feeling exhausted. “What is Luna going to think when she finds out I’m dating her sister?” He groans, closing his eyes in hope to ease his mental fatigue. “One step at a time.”

Celestia yawns as her internal clock tells her it’s time to raise the sun. Licking her dry lips, her eyes lazily drift open. Her magic already reaching out to the sun and moving it into the proper orbit. Still in a dreamy haze, she looks around her room as the thin rays of sunlight begin to find their way through the balcony door and across the room. What’s this odd scent in the air? It’s familiar and soothing to her.

She looks down and finds Anon pressed firmly upon her barrel as he holds her in a firm embrace. Her heart skips as the memories of last night come flooding back. She did it. She actually did it! Her face is completely red as she replays that night over and over in her head. She looks up to see the ring he gave her still snug on her horn. A smile passes her lips. He loves her... Gazing down, she can see how content he seems while resting next to her.

With their feelings understood... Would it be alright to indulge in a fantasy of hers? Certainly Anon wouldn’t object, right? They kissed last night so this should be fine... Though, he may still be shocked by everything. Well, if he doesn't fancy it, then she won’t do it again, but this is her only opportunity and she’s been wanting to do this for a long time now.

With her thoughts settled, she leans over Anon and rests her lips lightly against his. An innocent kiss, but one that causes Anon to stir awake. His eyes meet hers and there’s a flash of panic but he calms down, carefully returning the kiss. Pulling away, they’re both red as can be and nervous as they gawk at one another.

“Good morning,” she whispers sweetly, cutting the silence.

“...Morning,” Anon answers, still taken aback by this intimate display. “So, is that normal?”

“I don't know, but I wanted to give it a try. Did you not enjoy it?”

“It was fine. Just, you know, still new to this.”

“So am I.” Celestia sits up in bed as Anon does the same. “We’re both inexperienced here, but I want to explore these feelings together freely.” She scoots closer. “If you are uncomfortable with something, then let me know. But if you want to do something, then do it and we’ll figure it out after.”

She rests her forelegs onto his shoulders, wraps them behind his back and draws him into another kiss. Anon’s heart is racing but his mind is blank. He’s not sure what to think about it. He’s not uncomfortable with this. At least, not when it comes to her. Celestia pulls away with an ever-growing smile.

“How was that?” she asks.

“F-Fine...”

This is going better than she expects, but she must press this advantage to continue healthy growth of their budding relationship. “Excellent! Because this is all new and scary, I’m sure you have things weighing on your thoughts. Tell them to me and I will try my best to ease these worries.”

Looking into her big, beautiful eyes is enough to calm him as is... Still, he’s fearful of so many things, and it’s because of these that he’s disturbed about the future between them.

“My mortality,” Anon blurts. “I... I’m afraid of how that’ll affect you, should we grow closer.”

Moving her hooves back to her lap she nods a few times. “It’s a troubling thought, one I cannot find an answer to. There are no known life-extending spells out there.” Celestia nuzzles him. “That doesn’t mean we can’t look. Perhaps we may find a way to prolong your life, to which I will give you that choice, as it’s not one I’d accept without your full approval.” She moves away, somber. “Though, should the worst come... I will miss you dearly, but I don’t think I could endure the thought of never having you.”

That’s about what he expected, and continuing on that line will only run him in circles, so he’ll move on to another topic. “What about the other leaders? Will this cause problems?”

Celestia shakes her head. “A leader has the right to date. It is no business of theirs, and I can assure you it will bring no negatives to the table.”

“What about your subjects? Many of them think I'm a monster.”

“Again, it is no concern of theirs who I fall for. I love you, and should trouble come, we will face it together.”

There’s gotta be something Celestia isn’t considering here. Those toxic thoughts are seeping in. “What about me? What if I don’t want this? What if I push you away for one reason or another?”

“...That’s why I want us to be honest. I don’t want to pressure you into this if you truly do not want it, but I won’t stop trying unless I know what you feel is true.” Anon falls speechless at her words. She knows it must be demanding for her to lay so much on him, but he’s not the only one here that has concerns. “Are you interested in this?”

He can still hear that voice in the back of his head telling him to let her go for her sake, but that’s not going to work anymore. “I am.”

She smiles in relief before another thought strikes her. “How did you figure out my birthday?”

Anon blinks. “Twilight came to me asking for help some time ago... In return for helping, I had her find out when your birthday was. As fate would have it, she discovered it one week ago.”

Celestia’s eyes widen. “You spoke to Twilight again?”

“Yeah. I’ve helped her with a few things already, but she wants me to tag along with her for a little longer before it’s done.” He purses his lips. “I may loathe Twilight, but I admire you more than that. If I can assist her, then things will get better for you, and ultimately, she’ll head on back to Ponyville. At least that was my thought at the time.”

Celestia allows herself a moment to let that sink in. Her mood lifting considerably as a smile spreads across her lips. “That’s why I love you, always thinking of me before yourself.” She rests a hoof on his hand. “I will not tell you which path to take; that is for you to choose. Though you are correct: I care for Twilight and want nothing more than to protect and nurture her. She is lost, Anon, like you were. And she needs someone to guide her. I failed her many years ago, but perhaps I was never the one to teach her in the first place.” She looks up to face him eye to eye. “Again, the decisions you make are your own and I will respect them without issue.”

“I can’t describe it, Tia...” Anon turns to look away. “There are fleeting moments when I see a side of her that has long since been tainted for me. The stupid way she talks about the things she’s learned. Her embarrassment when she recognizes no one knows what she’s talking about. It’s these things that remind me of a time before she did what she did and it makes me sick.” Anon lets out a huff. “I’m doing this to make sure she doesn’t harm anyone else. Once she’s done, I hope she goes back to Ponyville.”

Celestia doesn’t want this to spoil the mood, so she uses a hoof to bring Anon back to face her. “Kiss me.”

That instantly changes his frustration to confusion. “W-What?”

She smiles. “I said, kiss me.”

This isn’t what he expected, and if Anon is being honest, he forgot what they were talking about a moment ago.

“Um... Alright.”

Slowly leaning in, he can feel his heart racing as fast as it did yesterday, not that he’s surprised. This is still new and jarring for him. But, as their lips meet, he’s content with this. She’s gentle, soft and the kiss is simple. Nothing like the forced tongue-fest Nightmare gave him and he’s okay with that. After a time, they pull away, the both of them with full blushes over their face as they gaze at one another.

Though, with Nightmare in his thoughts, Anon drifts to another concern. “What about Luna? Do you think she’ll be upset?”

“She was the one I confided in when I began feeling this way about you.”

“...Oh.” Anon shifts uncomfortably. “Um, who else knows about… y’know, us?”

“Cadance. She contributed some sound advice to get you into intimate situations, but as it turns out, you were the one to set up the perfect scenario for me to share my love.”

Wow... This is a lot for Anon to take in. “So, this entire time you’ve been thinking about this stuff?”

“I have. Troubled about how you felt, how your culture would determine your choices.”

“...The questions at the park. Was that―”

“Y-Yes...” Celestia reveals, embarrassed. “I wasn’t sure how you’d view dating a pony. I know you have your reluctance to being nude, though that’s been getting better.”

If they’re taking this time to ease worries, he might as well support her too. “I’m fine with dating a pony,” Anon admits. “Again, it’s not so much the appearance I care about, just who they are.” He chuckles. “And, uh, as I said before... I like who you are.”

That redness is creeping down Celestia’s neck from both listening to what Anon's saying and another question that’s on her mind. “W-Well...” She clears her throat. “As far as appearances go... Are you, well, not interested?”

Oh, wow... Anon wasn’t anticipating this type of talk so early. “I-uh... I’m fine with your looks. Other than nervousness, I don’t think I’d turn you away, should the proper time come.”

Celestia hides behind her hooves. “Why did I just ask that?”

Anon rests a hand on her withers. “It’s fine, but, yeah, give me some time on that part...” He chuckles nervously. “How about we put that behind us and get ready for the day?”

Celestia peeks past her hooves. “Alright.”

Taking a moment to calm after that awkwardness, Celestia gets out of bed with Anon by her side as they walk to the door that leads to the bathhouse. Just as they get to the door, Anon freezes up, realizing something.

“Um, Tia.” Anon grabs her attention. “Since we’re, you know, a thing... Do you think it’s appropriate for us to bathe together?”

Celestia gets what he’s talking about, but she’s also embarrassed to admit that she’s already been checking him out during the other times they’ve bathed together. “I’m fine with it if you are,” she admits. “We’re just bathing, nothing more.”

“I guess you’re right,” Anon agrees, once again standing beside her.

Celestia leans close to his ear. “Not that I don't appreciate the show.”

With that said, she walks past Anon, flicking her tail up to hit his face. Anon takes a second to himself, just to calm down before taking a step inside after her.

Luna enters into the bathhouse at the same time as Celestia and Anon. Celestia looks over at her sister, glowing far brighter than Luna has ever witnessed before. Curious by this and the words Anon left her with, she walks over to greet them both.

“Morning, Sister,” Luna says. “I take it you’ve slept well?”

“Better than well, Luna.” Celestia smiles, bumping Anons lightly with her hip. “Wouldn’t you say the same, Anon?”

Celestia makes it a show to move her head around drastically for her sister. It takes but a moment for Luna to catch the ring at the base of her horn. Her eyes swell as she looks from her sister to the red face of Anon and then back to her sister that waggles her eyebrows at Luna.

“I-Is that what I think it is?” Luna asks.

“Of course not.” Celestia playfully uses a wing to pull Anon to her side. “This was solely a gift for my birthday.”

“Birthday?” Luna stiffens up... Of course! My sister’s birthday was yesterday!

“Don’t fret, dear sister. I forgot myself, but Anon here was generous enough to throw me a private party.”

“W-What do you mean by private party?!” A certain jealous spark ignites inside Luna, her face turning red.

“~Oh, you know~”

“Will you just tell her?” Anon pleads, being the subject of this entire topic.

Celestia looks down at Anon with a smirk. “Alright, I was just having fun.” She turns back to her sister. “I finally told him and we’re exploring these feelings together.”

Luna calms for a moment before it all comes together. “S-So...” Luna looks over to Anon who’s turned away in humiliation. “Is this what she was to tell me?”

“Yeah, we’re going to see how this love business works out.” Anon sighs. “I’m starting to regret it.”

Celestia nudges him. “Come now, don’t be so grumpy.”

“I’m not grumpy. It’s bizarre for me.”

Alright, Luna needs to calm herself. This isn’t what she foresaw but it’s setting a great mood for the day going forward. Her sister has finally taken a step forward; now it’s only a matter of time before she gets the same opportunity to admit her affection to him.

“This is great news. Good job, sister,” Luna praises.

Celestia looks to Luna with an understanding of what lies ahead. “Thank you, Luna. We can talk more about this as we bathe. So, please, let us get ready for the day.”

“Finally,” Anon says to himself as he gets naked and immediately gets into the bath.

Celestia makes sure to take her time to watch him, unashamed by her apparent desire to see his anatomy. Looking back at her sibling, she gives her a wink before following Anon in the bath. Luna is stunned by her sister's behavior. It’s nice to see her enjoying herself, but Luna will admit she’s somewhat jealous she must wait before she’s given the same privilege. Putting that aside, she joins them in the bath.

Anon tries his best to relax as the two sisters talk about what happened. Celestia is speaking about the day they shared together, the restaurant, park, and whatnot. She talked about everything in an excited tone, as if she still can’t believe this is true, but Luna listened all the same, and intensely, too. Finally, the story comes to an end. Anon is thankful, as overhearing it fills him with embarrassment.

“So, here we are!” Celestia ends.

“Quite the tale.” Luna nods a few times. “So, what are your plans for the day?”

Celestia turns her gaze to Anon. “Well, if you’re not busy, I’d like you to accompany me for morning court.”

“I’ve got nothing to do this morning, but I’d like to stop by the shop around lunch to talk to Bonbon and Lyra.”

“That can be arranged.” Celestia looks at her sister. “What about you, Luna?”

“As I said before. I have guards to train for the week. Speaking of which, I can’t fill in on day court during this time. My apologies.”

“Hmmm...” Celestia taps a hoof to her chin. “I’ll get Cadance to help. Considering her relatively free schedule, I’m sure she’s bored to death.”

“That is up to you, sister.” Luna gets out of the bath. “For now, I must depart for training. Have a good day, you two.”

“See you tonight,” Anon comments.

“Tonight.” Luna nods before walking off.

“Bye, Lulu!” Celestia shouts.

Luna recoils somewhat before shaking her head while leaving. “Bye, Celly.”

Now Anon and Celestia are left alone in the bath... He prefers Luna not leaving. She was like a buffer for the awkwardness of this situation. Now that he’s alone with Celestia, he can’t prevent his mind from straying.

“Anon.” Celestia looks at him. “I’m hesitant to admit that during our times bathing together I’ve taken more than a few opportunities to appreciate your... unique body.” Anon has no idea what this is about or where it’s going. “S-So I believe it is completely reasonable to grant you a gander at what I have as well.”

Is this happening? “I... I already saw Luna’s.” Ok, that sounds much worse than he expected it to be. “Y-You know when she showed it to me months back when we bathed. So you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Again, I think it’s only fair,” Celestia declares, standing up from the bath and turning her hind end to Anon. “J-Just one quick look, ok?”

Anon swallows hard. “I-um... ok.”

Celestia’s heart is hammering in her barrel, but she’s already made her decision here as she flings her pink tail to the side. Just as suddenly as Anon sees it, she’s covered it up with her tail and returns to her seat.

“S-Should you desire to see more, you only need to ask,” she asserts.

Anon decides to clear his mind of that particular offer... “Good to know.” He takes a second to calm his nerves. “So, morning court?”

Celestia is not faring much better than Anon is after having done that. “Yes. There’s not much listed for today but tomorrow is the festival.”

“Yeah, that’s why I want to go to the shop real quick.”

“Very well.” Celestia scoots close to Anon. “I love you.”

Will he ever get used to hearing her say that? He's not sure, but he can't find a reason to complain about it. “I love you too.”

“Can you help wash me?” she asks, hopeful he may continue to indulge her.

Anon sighs, unsurprised. “Sure.”

She squees to herself before pulling him into another kiss. Anon is stunned for a moment as she lets him go and floats over all the soaps. This is going to be challenging to get used to, but curiously enough, his mind is free of any protest.

Day ahead

Anon is pleasantly surprised by how ordinary this is. Well, almost. For the better part of morning court, Celestia has been acting like her typical self. The ponies that came by took notice of her horn ring, but none commented as to why she was wearing it. Things were discussed, and business dealt with, as usual. Though, between the time a subject left and the guard brought another, things changed. She would nuzzle, embrace, and even kiss him just before they entered her court; return to her usual stoic demeanor, proceeding as if none of what she did had happened.

There have also been the guards watching them from the corner of their eye. They remain diligent in their task, facing forward and waiting for orders from the Princess, but Anon knows their attention is on what is going on between the two. There’s no doubt in his mind that this will quickly pass down until it gets to Shining Armor, but that is of little concern to him.

No, what Anon is concerned about is just how empty his head is. There’s little thought on why he should cut ties with her and save them both the pain of his passing. No, those thoughts have long since passed. Things like how ponies will react and what it means to be a partner have taken its place. It’s troubling, because he wants to give to her as much as she’s given, and yet what could ever compare to the love she’s given?

Sure, he loves her, but it's not as important when compared to hers. There has to be something he can do to make this right!

“Are you alright?” Celestia asks as the latest pony leaves.

“Just thinking about this relationship,” Anon admits.

Celestia turns her full attention to him. “Anything I should be worried about?”

Anon takes a breath to calm himself. “So, I know this isn’t a competition or anything, but I feel as if I’m not bringing enough to the table here. You’re a princess, you give me anything I ask for, and, well, you love me too... All I do is hang around, and I can’t offer you as much as you have. So, I don’t know, it just feels one-sided.”

Despite the nature of his concerns, Celestia can’t help the smile it brings her. Knowing that he’s so worried about how things are between them makes it clear that he’s taking this as seriously as she is.

“Anon, I don’t need anything other than your love.” She nuzzles him. “That means more to me than my title and all that comes with it.” Celestia feels a mischievous spark inside of her. “However, if you want to indulge me, a kiss would do just fine.”

That shock of embarrassment is palpable to Anon. Nevertheless, she’s right. For the most part, Celestia is the one initiating contact, while Anon is just along for the ride. Maybe he can be a bit more impulsive with this relationship? Take charge of a few things to put it out there that he’s trying to make this work.

“Um, alright.” Anon leans in for a kiss, but just before their lips meet, the door to the throne room opens.

“Aunty, you summoned me to courtㅡ”

Cadance freezes in her tracks as she fears she may have interrupted a pivotal moment between her aunt and Anon. Anon can’t believe the timing of this pony. It’s as if the world is testing his resolve. He can’t stop now, so he pushes his reservations aside and leans the rest of the way into the kiss. Celestia is pleasantly surprised by Anon’s initiative, despite being the center of attention. They share a short kiss, and once they pull away, Celestia looks to her niece with a broad smile.

“Correct, Cadance,” she answers without skipping a beat. “Anon and I are going to be busy during lunch, and unfortunately, my sister cannot watch over day court. Are you available?”

Like the heat of the sun, Cadance can feel her aunt's love radiating from her. Despite her aunt's imposing aura, what grabs Cadance’s attention is how strange Anon’s love is. It’s like nothing she’s ever experienced before. The only way she can explain it, is that his love is only existing because Celestia is nearby. Like the moon that reflects the light of the sun to glow, his love for her is only there because her love shines onto him.

It’s enough to cause Cadance pause. She believes he’s still at odds with what he feels, but that’s understandable, considering who he’s with. A smirk grows on Cadance. This is going better than she expected.

“I have nothing planned,” Cadance answers. “I can take over day court if you wish. I’m sure you and Anon are very busy.”

“Thank you, Cadance.” Celestia looks out a window. “In fact, it appears to be that time.” She looks down to Anon. “Ready?”

He sighs. “Yeah, ready.”

Cadance just waits as her aunt and Anon get up and walk past her. “Love the ring,” she comments.

“I believe it fits me perfectly.” Celestia gives a titer. “Good day, Cadance.”

“~Good day you two.~” Cadance gives them a small wave as Anon ignores the entire situation.

Once the two are gone, Cadance giggles uncontrollably as she hopes a little in place. “She did it!”

“Excuse me. We have ponies waiting,” a guard says.

Cadance shakes off her excitement as she walks over and takes a seat on her aunt's throne. “Very well, send the first in and get Shining over here as well. I have a few things I’d like to discuss with him.”

“Understood.” The guard salutes and walks off.

Cadance can feel her heart racing. This isn’t what she expected when she woke up today, but she’s beyond happy that those two have gotten together. Now, all that’s left is her Aunt Luna. If that works out, then everything will be perfect.

Luna looks before the broken griffon before her. “Admirable, but foolish. In a contest of wills, it’s better to hold defense than attempt a strike.” With a small flourish, she puts her sabre back into its sheath. “You are strong, but that matters little when faced with technique.” Luna looks to Blossom. “What others are there?”

Blossom chuckles as she looks over the many injured creatures she brought in. “That’s all of them.”

Luna nods. “Very well. That will conclude training for today. Heal their wounds and we’ll start fresh at first light.”

“Well, you heard the Princess!” Blossom shouts. “Medics, heal the requisites with ninety-nine percent efficiency. If any of you waste magic, I’ll have you lifting the entire battalion for an hour!”

The medics give a salute before rushing over to the injured. Blossom walks over to Luna and gets close to whisper to her. “You were sloppy. Something happen?”

Luna smirks. “Let us speak in private.”

Blossom leads the princess to her office as she closes the door and takes her seat. “I guess it has something to do with Anon?”

“Yes, I’m glad to say that my sister has finally made the first step.”

Blossom’s eyes widen at that. “So, they’re actually a thing?”

“So it would seem. My sister was more than happy to indulge in the night they shared.”

“Yes, her birthday.”

“You knew?” Luna is taken aback by Blossom’s response.

Blossom rubs the back of her neck nervously. “Sorry about not telling you. Anon made me promise.”

Luna calms as she relaxes in her seat. “I’m not upset. I tasked you with protecting him and you’ve certainly gone beyond that. I’m grateful.”

“So, what happens now?”

“Now I wait for them to grow closer. It’s new for them, and if I were to intervene too soon, then it may backfire on the end goal. They will bond, and hopefully in no time at all, I may approach Anon with my desires.”

“Good to know the plan is still in effect,” Blossom admits. “What about me?”

“You will return to protecting him once our training here is done. While my sister may be dedicating more time to him, she cannot be there all the time. For those moments, he will need you.”

“Understood.”

Luna glances behind her to the closed door. “Was I too harsh?”

“It’s to be expected, considering the training.”

“Maybe my sister is right. Perhaps I’m too cautious? But I know I couldn’t sleep at night if I weren’t sure my knights were ready for anything.”

“I feel the same way. Enjoy the peace, but prepare for war.” Blossom remarks. “Speaking of, I have intel on a possible threat.”

Luna’s brow raises. “A threat?”

“Yeah, it’s just a whisper right now, but I’ve been informed a small group of insect-like ponies are gathering. Perhaps something or maybe nothing.”

Luna grits her teeth. “Changelings. Of all the things I’ve faced, those are the creatures that haunt me the most.”

“...Yeah.” Blossom shakes those memories away. “Again, it was just a whisper, but I’ll be sure to keep tabs on any further activity.”

“Good. Should anything develop, come to me immediately.”

“As always.” Blossom leans back some. “Forget about that stuff. I want to know, if things go well between your sister and Anon, when will you approach him, and how?”

Luna feels those butterflies in her stomach. “I would like to ask him in the company of my sister as soon as it’s appropriate. Nothing fancy, just how I feel.”

“I didn’t expect anything less.” Blossom sits back up. “Since training is over for the day, I suggest you go enjoy yourself. I’ve got paperwork to do.”

Luna gets up from her seat. “Very well. Take care, Blossom.”

“You too, Luna.”

Blossom is left by herself as she looks over her paperwork. This change between Celestia and Anon is both a good and bad thing. Changelings are attracted to love, so that paints Canterlot as a potential target. She’ll need to be diligent about any possible invasion or spies. No rest for her, it seems.

“How're the grandchildren doing?” Lyra asks as she levitates a bag to the elderly pony before her.

“Fine, just fine. They’re always looking for something to do around Canterlot to get their cutie marks.”

Lyra giggles. “We had a small trio of fillies back in Ponyville who did the same thing.”

“It’s rather common. Why, I was in a group like that when I was their age.” The mare looks around the shop. “Where’s that tall fella? What was the name... Anoon?”

“Anon, Mrs. Hazelnut. He’s been busy with a few things,” Lyra answers.

“Been busy for quite some time,” Hazel comments. “Though, I guess ponies these days are busy with something or other.” She takes her bag and puts it on her back. “Thanks again for the order. Toodaloo!”

Hazel slowly walks to the front door, but just before she gets there, it opens up to reveal Anon and the Princess, side by side... In fact, Lyra notes from afar that they’re uncomfortably close.

“Last time, stop it,” Anon warns. “I can barely walk with you pushing into me.”

Celestia pouts. “If you wish.”

The both of them pause as they spot the elderly pony standing in front of them. Mrs. Hazelnut goes wide-eyed for a moment before trying to kneel before the Princess. Seeing how wobbly the old mare is, and the bag on her back, Anon quickly grabs the bag with one hand to keep it from falling and the other to steady her out.

“No need to bow, Mrs. Hazelnut.” Anon lifts her. “How’s the hip?”

“I may be old, but not too old to show respect!” She pushes Anon away. “Sorry, Your Highness.”

Celestia giggles. “I agree with Anon. No need to go out of your way to bow. I’m not offended.”

Anon takes the bag and puts it into her saddlebag. He takes note of the color of the container. “I wasn’t aware you were allergic to sugar, Mrs. Hazelnut.”

“Oh yeah, I forget all the time. When I first bought your candy, I almost put myself in the hospital! Then I remembered you saying something about special orders, so I came and that nice little mare there told me all about it,” she says, pointing to Lyra, who nervously waves at Anon.

“Good to know.” Anon gets up. “Take care.”

“Good afternoon.” Hazel gives a head bow to Celestia. “Princess.”

Anon turns his attention back to Lyra as he walks up to the counter. “Bonbon in?”

Lyra finds her gaze drifting to the princess as she spots the ring on her horn. She’s thankful that his party has gone off without a hitch. However, there’s also something strange about them. It’s almost enough to make Lyra’s fur stand on edge. The princess is looking at Anon in what she can only describe is a loving way.

“Lyra.” Anon grabs her attention. “Is Bonbon here?”

“N-No...” Lyra can’t shake an odd feeling in her stomach to attack the princess. “Fancy Pants and she are going over a few last minute details before the festival tomorrow.”

“Dammit.” He whispers under his breath as he looks over Lyra. “You’ll have to do. Come on.” Anon doesn’t say another word to Lyra as he walks past her to the back kitchen. “Dipper, register please!”

“I’m on it!” She hops off her chair and walks to the storefront.

Anon guides Lyra and Celestia to the back room but doesn’t sit as he wants to make this quick.

“Is something the matter?” Lyra asks, taking a few steps away from the princess.

“Tell Bonbon that I need her to get a few crates of honey. Last time I was here, I noticed we were getting low and forgot to tell her.” Anon takes a deep breath in and slowly lets it out. “Also, go to the jeweler we went to for Celestia’s gift. He should be holding an item I think would be perfect for you to give to Bonbon.”

Lyra’s eyes widen. “W-What?”

“Think of it as thanks for that.” He points to Celestia’s horn.

“Is that all?” Lyra keeps sensing something is different between these two.

“Yea-”

“Actually,” Celestia speaks up as she looks down at Lyra. “I’d like to say something.”

Anon wasn’t expecting Celestia to say anything. “Uh, sure...”

Celestia hasn’t turned her gaze from Lyra. “Anon is my stallion.” She proclaims. “You dare touch him and I’ll turn you to ash.”

Lyra’s eyes widen, as well as Anon’s. “Little uncalled for.” Anon throws out there.

“I find it appropriate,” Celestia remarks, “considering her past transgressions. I know you’ve made amends, but her desires are still there. However,” Celestia leans low, pushing her muzzle against Lyra’s. “He’s mine.”

Lyra’s teeth grit as her hoof paws the floor. That’s why she’s been feeling this way. Her entire being is screaming at her to strike the competition before her, but she can’t... She loves Bonbon.

“Understood,” Lyra says, holding herself back.

Celestia smiles as she pulls away and just as a show, she leans over to Anon and kisses him. That alone sets everything into stone for Lyra. Celestia pulls away just to nuzzles Anon. “All done?”

He’ll have to ask about that later, but it's probably got something to do with that weird pony relation stuff. “Yeah, all done.” Anon looks down at Lyra as she just stands there, almost on the verge of tears. He pats her on the head a few times. “See you later, Lyra.”

“Yeah, see you later,” she answers.

With nothing else that needs to be said, Anon leaves with Celestia in tow.

“Was that necessary?” Anon asks as they pass through the kitchen and into the storefront. “Thanks again, Dipper.”

She nods. “No problem boss!”

“I find it entirely appropriate, given your past with her,” Celestia remarks as they step out into the streets of Canterlot. “She needs to know you’re not free on the market anymore.”

“I know, but she’s still a friend.”

Celestia’s ears pin back. “Sorry, it just felt like the right thing to do at the time.”

Anon sighs. “I get there’s a lot about your people I still don’t understand, especially when it comes to dating, but can you at least give me a heads up before doing something like that?”

“That’s fair.”

“So, what can you tell me about this dating stuff? Anything I should keep an eye out for?”

Celestia nods. “A few things. I’ll try my best to explain them. First, as the mare you’ve accepted as a lover, that makes me the lead mare.”

“Lead mare?”

“A lead mare is a mare that keeps things together in a herd.”

“...Herd?”

Celestia blushes. “Um, yes... If you ever become interested in another, we could form a herd and agree to be with you.”

Anon didn’t think he’d fall into this conversation again and so quickly. Though, it’s far different than what Lyra proposed. For her, it was already going to be a herd. While Celestia is simply explaining the option is always on the table.

“Is this... Is this a normal thing for ponies?” Anon asks as his thoughts fray.

“I wouldn’t say normal, but it’s there, should you have an interest.” Celestia realizes she needs to be as clear as she can here. “I’ll start from the top and try to explain everything to the best of my ability.” Celestia thinks over how to put this. It’s seems like a no brainer but that’s due to the cultural differences. “Lead mare is a symbol. It represents who was accepted first by the other. It’s an unspoken rule that should a partner desire, they may entertain the thought of bringing another into their fold. It’s a herd’s job to protect their stallion and the lead mare is the one that manages things.”

Despite the conversation, Anon can’t deny a certain curiosity in the topic. “Such as?”

“Well, where they go, how much time each herdmate gets with their stallion, but the most important job is being the diplomat of sorts for any potential new partners that wish to join. Centuries ago, lone stallions would be hounded by mares. If a lead mare was established, they would calm down or else ensight rage from the entire herd.”

“This is a lot more complicated than I thought it would be,” Anon admits. “So, other mares keep their distance?”

Celestia nods. “I know I seemed rather harsh to your friend, but it was necessary to establish that I was in charge and that her actions were no longer acceptable. She’s still very much in love with you, even I could see that, and that could prove a problem with our own relationship if she were allowed to roam freely. So, by taking the initiative, I’ve asserted that you’ve accepted me as the lead mare. So any further advances are now delegated to me.”

“So, she’s not going to try and hit on me?” Anon asks confused.

“Yes. Again, to ignore this basic rule is to bring ire from the herd.”

Anon takes a moment to let that soak in. “This is all so confusing.”

Celestia chuckles. “I know the feeling. To explain this is like asking you how you breath. It’s difficult and much of it is purely instinct. However, I believe this is a good thing. Your friend is now faced with a wall she cannot pass, and this will keep her in check. So there’s no need to worry about any unsavory behavior from her anymore.”

Anon is still reeling from this information overload as he continues to walk beside Celestia toward the castle. With the silence building, Celestia finds her thoughts drifting to her sister and their own plan of creating a herd.

“What are your thoughts on a herd?” Celestia asks.

Anon snaps out of his stupor. “Tia, this thing between us... It’s already a lot to take in. I don’t think I can handle the idea of throwing another partner into the mix.”

Celestia can’t shake her worry for her sister, but there’s also something else there as well. “...To be honest, I agree that it’s too early to think of things like that. I want to enjoy you all to myself for the time being.”

Anon can’t stand when she says things like that. “Y-Yeah, well, let’s get something to eat. I’m starving.”

“Very well.”

Twilight is walking around the castle with cheer as she floats her duster and cleans a passing vase. Once done, she skips off to the next vessel in line. She never thought having a job could be so exciting! Spike was right in recommending her a job to Feather Duster, a young mare who’s scrutiny almost made Twilight back out at the last second, but overall is sweet and takes pride in what she does. Though if Twilight had one complaint, it would be the outfit.

She glances at her attire from the reflection of a window. She rarely wears clothes, but this Prench maid outfit is a size too small, so it pushes and hugs various features she has. Feather Duster was adamant about her wearing this getup. Stating that all maids are required to wear it and that she’ll make sure to fit her with the proper size later. So, she accepted her terms without a struggle.

The fact is, Feather Duster knew Twilight never worked a day in her life and was mostly taking Spikes word for Twilight’s commitment. So despite the costume lifting her rear and slimming her midsection to the point of it being difficult to breath... she’s okay with this. The pay is decent, too, but after some research on the cost of a permit in Canterlot, Twilight will be doing this for quite awhile.

However, she’s enjoying this new feeling of independence. She’s got a job and she feels as if she’s doing something with her time, as opposed to sulking in the library.

“Twilight!” a voice shouts.

With a salute, Twilight turns around to face the pony behind her. “Yes, Ma’am!?”

“The princess is having lunch right now. I want you to serve her.” Feather Duster informs her.

“M-Me?”

“It’s something we maids do from time to time. I suggest you get used to it.”

“A-Alright.” Twilight relents. “Anything else after that?”

“Take your break and come see me after. I’ll have plenty more work waiting.”

“I’m on it, and thank you again for giving me this job.”

“Don't make me regret it,” Feather Dusters states as she walks away. “Don’t keep them waiting!”

Once Feather is gone, Twilight starts walking toward the dining area. After a few hoofsteps, she looks down to her uniform for a brief moment... Oh no, this is going to be embarrassing. She can’t afford to think about this right now. She’ll focus on her job and worry about that stuff later.

Follow up

There’s a lot for Anon to ponder while he and Celestia wait for a pony to take their order for lunch. These ponies continue to perplex him at every turn. The complexity of dating the princess is one thing, but now he must wonder about this ‘lead mare’ and ‘herd’ business. Though, he shouldn’t be surprised, as this world is filled with many things he has yet to experience, and his next journey is into new territory.

Anon frets about Tia’s aggressive nature. He surmises it’s mostly instinctual, and that putting Lyra in her place is crucial to their relationship, but there must be a way to mitigate some of her reaction. Casting a glance at her horn ring, Anon wonders if he too should carry something as a sign that they’re together? It would undoubtedly show to anyone curious that Anon’s taken, but this also brings his anxiety of what her subjects will think.

“Tia.”

Celestia looks over to Anon with a broad smile. “Hmm?”

“I’ll be straight with you; I don’t like how hostile you are about our relationship,” Anon reveals. “I know it’s instinct and quite normal to you ponies, but it bothers me. So, is there some symbol for me to wear that, uh, tells others we’re in a relationship? You know, as a way to deter others at a glance?”

“I understand it can be jarring, and I thank you for being honest.” Celestia takes a moment to mull it over. “I agree wholeheartedly. If you’re interested, I can arrange for a crown to be made for you?”

Anon freezes up. “Crown?”

Celestia gives a knowing smirk. “Indeed. It’ll be a clear sign that I’ve taken you as my partner, and with that comes a change in status. For all intents and purposes, you’re a prince.”

Anon is uneasy about this. “But we’re not that far in the relationship, right?”

“We’ll only go as fast as you want,” Celestia says. “However, a crown is undoubtedly something that’ll bring change.”

“Um...” He really doesn’t like this idea; not yet at least. “Anything else? Perhaps a ring or necklace?”

Celestia taps a hoof to her bottom lip. “I suppose an emblem with my cutie mark could work.” Celestia starts as something comes to mind. She looks at Anon with a loving smile. “However, I believe this will do fine.”

Celestia cranes her neck to an outstretched wing. Anon watches as she gently grasps a feather with her lips and gives a light tug to pull it out. She offers Anon the feather, which he takes and examines. This is a huge feather. Without a doubt, it’s a primary feather, and no pony in the world could ever have a feather as long as Celestia’s.

It’s pristine white, and Anon swears it glows very dimly in his hand. However, as he holds it, it starts to burn bright enough that he must close his eyes.

“All done.” Celestia states. He opens his eyes and finds the tip of the feather is now attached to a gold necklace. “That will without a doubt tell others we’re together.”

The necklace floats from Anon’s hand as Celestia puts it around his neck. While being a rather large feather, it perfectly lays on Anon’s chest for anyone to see. He picks the feather up and looks it over, it still glowing faintly. Such a strange thing.

“This will do,” Anon states. “I still can’t believe this.”

“I know, but we’ll get through this. Don’t worry; I’m here for you,” Celestia says, resting her wing around Anon.

“I don’t know if I’m worth it, but thank you, Tia.”

“You’re worth it to me,” she states.

Anon doesn’t say anything as they embrace each other. The silence is broken as the doors to the dining room are thrown open. Celestia and Anon look over to see Twilight standing there in a maid outfit. They’re both equally confused by this as she blushes heavily, walking toward the table. Once she’s by their side, she pulls out a quill and parchment.

“H-Hello, what would you two like for lunch?”

“Twilight, what the hell are you doing?” Anon asks.

Her crimson covered face looks to the floor, embarrassed. “I-I got a job to get some bits.”

“A job?” Celestia asks.

“Long story,” Anon says. “I’ll tell you later.”

Twilight’s head snaps up to look at Anon. “But I thought it was a secret?!” Her eyes then instantly catch the necklace and feather that’s attached to it. “W-what is that?”

“What do you think it is?” Anon asks, annoyed.

Her eyes rapidly shift from Anon to her mentor, her breaths becoming labored. “I―you―Princess...”

“I think she’s going to pass―” A thud stops what Anon was going to say.

“Oh dear.” Celestia lifts Twilight up with her magic. “It appears she’s out cold.”

“I got this.” Anon gets out of his seat, walks over to Twilight, and slaps her hard enough to cause a lasting echo. “Wake up!”

Twilight’s eyes snap open as they look up at Anon, then down to the feather again. “You and the Princess?”

“Yup,” Anon answers.

“But... How?”

“Twilight, you have a job to do. Don’t want to get fired so soon.”

Her eyes widen again as she nods rapidly. “Y-Yes! What would you two like?”

Anon walks back to his seat as Celestia sets Twilight onto her hooves.

“Manticore ribs,” Anon states. “Dry rub.”

Twilight’s left eye twitches, but she writes it down as she looks to her mentor. “And for you, Princess?”

Celestia smiles. “Fruit salad.” As Twilight writes it down, Celestia leans close to nuzzle her student. “I’ll explain everything later.”

Twilight calms down as she nods a few times. “I’ll get your orders ready.”

With nothing left to say, Twilight leaves the two of them alone. Anon watches Twilight walk away in that silly maid uniform that’s undoubtedly one size too small. It seems she’s starting to take the initiative and has found herself a way to make money. Fine by him, that means for the time being she’ll be preoccupied, and he’ll be left to deal with his latest challenge.

“She’s looking to make amends with various ponies,” Anon states, knowing Celestia’s thoughts. “Currently, she needs bits to buy a permit in Canterlot.”

“Permit? Why not ask for one?” Celestia states, confused.

“It’s complicated. She can’t ask for it because then she didn’t earn it herself. You shouldn’t hand everything to her, Tia.”

Celestia flinches slightly at that. “I guess you’re right. So this is what you’ve been helping with?”

“Pretty much.”

“It’s nice to see my student outside of her element for once.” Celestia smiles. “I have a strong feeling you’re going to make a big difference in her recovery.”

Anon scoffs. “I have my reasons.”

“The future isn’t written in stone,” Celestia states. “Did you ever imagine we’d be dating?”

Anon scratches his head. “You have a point.”

Luna looks to the recruits that have passed the fitness test. Now, they stand in wait for the mental exam. As much as she despises this, she must summon the fiend into play. So, she unites their minds once again, and the silence she relished is swiftly broken. An insidious chuckle permeates the void.

"And here I thought you were intent on childishly ignoring me, Lulu. Did you miss me?" Nightmare Moon teased.

Luna suppresses the urge to set her jaw in front of her recruits. Though many of them, including Blossom, notice her annoyed aura, none of them say a single thing as they quietly wait for whatever may come.

"Do what you’re best at and speak nothing more," Luna commands.

"Very well, it's been some time since I've been allowed to stretch my wings."

"Prepare yourselves." Luna pierces the composure of the recruits. "You lot may think your wills unbreakable, your mettle untested, but what you're about to encounter will reduce you to nothing more than the bastard fillies and colts your whorse mothers had the displeasure of spawning." While Luna talks, a slow swirl of darkness rises from her hooves, gradually engulfing her form. "I will not condemn those hesitant to advance, but for anyone courageous enough to confront what lies within, dare to take a step forward."

The darkness clings to her body and takes shape. Many of the creatures standing before the Princess reel back as a being of pure corruption takes Luna's place, Nightmare Moon. Her smile is broad as her gaze sweeps over the group in front of her.

"A gift for me?" she asks with a chortle. "And here I thought you all forgot about me…"

A few of the ponies take a step back out of fear, but realize that where Nightmare Moon stood, there was no one but them. Blossom shakes her head as she walks up to the three ponies before her.

"You've failed," she states. "I'll keep you three in the file if you wish to return when we open recruiting again."

The three of them say nothing as they stand stock still, unsure what to say about what they just witnessed. Blossom knows all too well what they've seen and even that pales in comparison to those that are still in there.

Nightmare looks to the few remaining, her smile growing too large for her face. "Come now, come forward and entertain me with your pitiful minds!"

An eruption of darkness overwhelms those remaining as they plunge into their deepest nightmares. This is definitely what Nightmare needed to calm down after what she did to help that creature!

Twilight kicks open the door to the throne room. While she was putting in the order for Anon and the Princess, she heard from a passing maid that Cadance was taking questions for day court and a lot of ponies have been coming by for relationship advice. Twilight knows that things will probably be strained between her and Cadance, but she has to tell her about Anon and Celestia!

Both Cadance and a random pony jump in shock as they turn around to see Twilight standing there, huffing heavily as she tries to catch her breath but the uniform making that difficult.

“Beat it!” Twilight yells as she tosses the pony out a nearby window with her magic.

“Twilight! What in Equestria are you doing?!” Cadance quickly casts a spell to catch the pony before he lands, bringing him back into the room, setting him where he stood.

“Emergency!” is Twilight’s only reply.

Cadance sighs as she looks to the pony shaking on his hooves. “Terribly sorry. I have to take this, but feel free once I’m done to come back. We can continue where we left off.”

The pony chuckles nervously as he glances at the degranged pony behind him. “Um, actually, I think life’s too short to mope around about lost love. I’m going to give Twirl a try and not think about Blaze.”

“Well, if you—” The pony is already out the door before she can say anything more. Cadance looks to Twilight, narrowing her eyes. “That was rude.”

Twilight's ears pin back. “I-I know, but something huge has happened!”

“What is it?”

“I-I think Anon and the Princess are dating!” Twilight exclaims. “She had a horn ring on and he was wearing her primary feather!”

“Oh?” The primary feather is a nice touch. “I’ve known for quite some time how your mentor has felt about Anon. It’s only recently that they’ve taken the first step into their relationship.”

“So, it’s true?”

“Yes, it’s true. Don’t make such a big fuss over it. They’re both getting used to the idea and don’t need any more pressure than they already have.”

Twilight’s gaze becomes vacant as she loses herself in thought. This wasn’t something she anticipated, and now she’s left to wonder how this affects her plans moving forward. Clearly, Anon will want to spend more time with the Princess. Who wouldn’t?! She blushes. They’ll probably date and do a lot of romantic things. She can’t take that precious time away.

Her eyes widen with a new purpose. A smile crawling onto her lips. This is certainly a way for her to become Anon’s friend again! She doesn’t know anything about romance, but she could possibly be a pony he confides in for advice concerning his relationship.

“You’re right, Cadance. A good friend would keep their distance.” Twilight turns around to leave. “I have things to clean around the castle. Talk to you later!”

Cadance can only watch Twilight run off. So many questions, but it’s best to leave them for now. Afterall, she has many more ponies waiting for her.

“Next subject, please,” Cadance says to the guard next to her.

He nods as he walks to the center of the room, takes off his helmet and idly kicks the floor.

“S-So... There’s this mare I like, but I always get nervous whenever she’s around and end up acting like an idiot.”

“I see. Well, tell me everything about her and then we’ll come up with a plan.”

“Lunch is ready!” Twilight sets the two plates she was carrying in front of her mentor and Anon. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you, Twilight.” Celestia smiles warmly. “You look good in the uniform. I’m sure Feather Duster is treating you well?”

Twilight nods. “Of course! I’m having a lot of fun working on my own. It’s tough, but fulfilling.”

“Good to hear.” Celestia looks over to Anon, who’s already eating, trying his best to ignore Twilight. “Wouldn’t you say she’s doing a fine job?”

Anon raises a brow as he looks from Tia to Twilight. With a roll of his eye he sets his rib down, cleans his hands and face before turning his attention to Twilight. “You cringed when taking my order and serving me. I have no idea how long this’ll last, but if you do that while serving a delegate, they’ll consider that disrespectful.” He gets up out of his chair and walks over to her. “Your uniform is a size too small. I have no idea how ponies view clothing, but on my world, we’d call this promiscuous or overly sexualized.” Anon reaches down and grabs the duster from her hip and examines it. “You also failed to clear your duster before coming here. There’s a high chance that there’s dust or other dirt in our food.”

“Anon, no need to be overly critical,” Celestia reprimands.

He’s not done yet, because despite Tia’s words, he can see the negatives. “I should also mention you smell like sweat, which I noticed from my seat. You’re sweating now, as we speak.” Twilight takes a napkin from the table and quickly wipes her face. “You also took a napkin from the Princess.” Twilight, shocked, throws it back onto the table. “You just tossed a dirty napkin at the Princess.”

“You’re being ridiculous now,” Celestia comments. “This is new to her.”

“One last point.” Anon notices another scent mixed with the general musk. “You went to talk with Cadance while on the clock. A big no-no.” With that said, Anon walks back to his seat. “There’s a lot to improve on.” Picking up a rib, he continues where he left off.

Twilight is embarrassed to have been razed by Anon in front of her mentor, but she can’t deny that everything he said is true. Celestia nervously smiles as she looks between Anon and Twilight. Their relationship is strained, but definitely better than it was. She rests a wing onto her student and gives her a small smile.

“The fact you’ve taken it onto yourself to improve is a great thing, Twilight.”

“Thank you, Princess.” Twilight looks up to Anon. “I’ll be sure to improve on my flaws.” He doesn’t even acknowledge her as he eats in silence. “I must return to my work. Good day.”

“Good day,” Celestia says.

Anon keeps silent as Twilight leaves, only sighing once she’s left the room. “That pony, I swear.”

“I know this is old news to you, but I’m happy she’s growing so quickly with your help. I can’t help but praise her for the steps she’s taken.”

“She’s not a kid, Tia. She doesn’t need constant praise for every little thing she does.”

“But I believe all good should be rewarded.” Celestia nuzzles Anon. “Hurry now, I want to spend quality time in the garden with you. Tomorrow is the festival and I’d like relax as much as I can before then.”

“Alright.” Anon calms at the attention. “I... I love you.”

Celestia smiles. “I love you too.”

“I swear this generation is far more soft than those of our time.” Nightmare gives a sigh of satisfaction. Her void is covered in blood and various creatures shivering in place. “Putting that aside, I had fun.”

The creatures slowly fade into nothing as the darkness pulls them into the floor. In their place, Luna rises up to face Nightmare.

“Just as evil as I remember,” she sneers. “Prepare yourself for tonight and dare not let what you’ve done today replay upon Anonymous.”

Nightmare smirks. “I have bigger plans for him, Lulu. These wretched, pitiful things are nothing more than toys to relieve stress, but that stallion you cherish so much? I’ll take special pleasure in corrupting him.”

Luna wants nothing more than to strike this mare down for her toxic words, but she’ll not play into her mind games.

“He knows who to trust in the end,” Luna asserts. “You will return to being nothing more than a memory, for he will see your true colors, given time; on that day, I will relish in locking you into the void with nothing but darkness to greet you.”

The smirk on Nightmare’s face falls for a moment, only to be replaced with a vicious sneer. “On that day, I won’t be the only one falling into that pit.”

Luna turns her back on Nightmare, summoning a door to leave. “There’s nothing more to say. Keep your hooves to yourself. That is a warning.” Before stepping out, she looks over her withers. “A bit of news for you, Nightmare: my sister finally told Anon how she felt and he’s returned her affection. It’s only a matter of time until I’m given that privilege.”

With a chuckle, Luna walks out, leaving Nightmare by herself in the void.

“Well, that’s interesting,” Nightmare smirks. “Love and hate both stem from the flame of passion, dear Luna, and you of all ponies should know that flame needs little encouragement to consume everything in its path.” She rests her head on her hooves. “This shall be child’s play.”

Listless Nightmares

With the day now coming to a close, Celestia and Anon are getting ready for bed. It's been a taxing day for both of them, but now they have a moment to relax. Anon is getting undressed as Celestia takes off her regalia. With each article of clothing that Anon takes off, his nerves grow frayed.

"You know, this will be the official night we sleep together as lovers," Celestia remarks.

Anon drops his shirt and turns around to face Celestia, but she's already waiting in bed for him. He's overthinking this too much. They've been sleeping together for a while now, just because they're dating doesn't change that.

Anon takes a moment to shake his nerves away before climbing into bed beside her. Celestia is quick to grab hold and pull Anon to her barrel.

“Today has been great,” she whispers, nuzzling him.

"I prefer being back here," Anon admits as he relaxes in her embrace.

A sharp pain shoots through Anon's heart for a moment. So many doubts and fears flooding his mind. Having her this close is painful in a way he's never felt before.

"I don't deserve you," he adds.

It's true, no matter how he tries to rationalize it, he doesn't deserve her. She's perfect in every way possible, and he's nothing more than a burden. Anon's thoughts pause as a hoof rests under his chin and lifts him to face Celestia. She looks somewhat annoyed by what he said.

“I swear one day you’ll see just how magnificent you truly are and why I want to love none but you.” Celestia leans in and kisses him briefly before pulling away. “Tomorrow is the festival. Get your rest while you can.”

Anon doesn't know how to respond to that. So for the first time in a long time, he puts his thoughts aside and returns to resting on her chest. The two now lay beside one another, Celestia holding Anon firmly to her barrel. It's rare, but Anon tries his best to relish in this little moment he’s been given.

Just like when he first arrived in Equestria, he questioned his sanity at every turn and wondered if he’d wake up from the world he found himself thrust into. Now, if this is indeed a dream, he wishes to never wake from it. It’s a terrifying thought, but as her fur sits on his skin, he knows Celestia is real, and his mind would never give him something that’s nice and caring.

However, to accept these events so blindly would fly in the face of what he’s been taught. To question and keep others at arm's length as a means of protecting himself because of the inevitable betrayal that will come. He believed that back when he first arrived but being with Tia has changed things. He wants so desperately to dive into this relationship without a single care, but like a dog on a chain, he can feel that tug on his neck.

Anon looks up at Celestia as she looks down at him with a gaze that’s overflowing with love, utterly content in the broken mess she chose to love. He doesn’t understand how she can love him and he most likely never will. Love is illogical, and she is very much in love with him.

“You’re still a mystery to me, Tia.”

“I hope you enjoy the time spent getting to know me,” she quips.

Anon notices that urge to kiss her rise into his throat. It’s odd how unnatural it feels, to want to display where words cannot physically but he allows his actions to speak for him as he leans up and kisses her. Pulling away, she’s smiling at him, and he can feel a smile on his face as well.

“Goodnight, Tia.”

“Goodnight, Anon.”

Luna and Anon stand before Nightmare’s door. The time has finally arrived for Anon to talk to this parasite. Even now, Luna questions her sanity in allowing him this freedom. Her suspicion of what Nightmare may try is grating at her, and it’s because of this that she will try once more to convince him to forget about this and focus on more meaningful things.

“Anon, I implore you to reconsider this. You gain nothing more than a satisfied curiosity in communing with that demon. Is it worth the potential risk? Is it worth the stress? You have my sister to worry about, do not gamble what you’ve gained for something that has no value.”

Anon takes a moment to let Luna’s words sink in. He can’t dismiss where she’s coming from, but even with everything that’s been happening lately, he can’t forget about Nightmare. Just like his love for Celestia, something he can’t explain is urging him to investigate whatever Nightmare is keeping from him.

“Luna, I know you’re right, but I can’t give up that easily.” Anon looks away from the door and to Luna with a smile. “It’s funny in a way. I’m scared to go in there, to risk the possibility she may do something to me, just to follow a path I’ve chosen to go down.”

“Why? Why not chose to ignore this path?” Luna challenges.

Anon walks up to Luna and rests a hand on her cheek. “I know you’re going to despise this, but I believe she wouldn’t hurt me.”

Luna sets her jaw. How can he have so much faith in a beast like Nightmare Moon? The way he speaks about her is nearly reminiscent of his thoughts on her sister! Still, that look in his eyes, it’s enough to tell her that anything else would be nothing more than a waste of breath.

“Very well, ” Luna forces out as she pushes Nightmare’s door open. “If she does anything, call me.”

“I will.” Anon rests his hands onto Luna’s head and pets her. “Don’t worry; I’ll be fine.”

Despite the attention, it does little to calm her. “I’ve already said my peace. I will return in an hour to retrieve you. Do whatever you must in that time.”

“Got it.” Anon looks at the door before giving Luna one last glance. “Wish me luck.”

Without another word, he steps inside, leaving Luna alone in the hall of doors.

“Goodluck,” she whispers to herself before fading back into the waking world.

Luna opens her eyes and looks before the single griffon standing in front of her.

“I commend you for holding fast against something most ponies could never begin to imagine,” Luna delivers with pride. “In the face of your nightmares, you have discovered strength and peace. Even if you decided to leave this very moment, the fear of death holds no weight, no obstacle appears vast, and no judgment is ever second-guessed.” The Griffin before her doesn’t say a single thing as he waits for his princess to command him. “For that, I am grateful to have found someone strong to join my ranks.”

Luna turns to Blossom. “He’s all yours.”

“Very well.” Blossom nods before focusing on the Griffin. “As of now, we are investigating a small group of insectoid ponies. Follow me while I brief you on the situation.”

“Understood!” The griffin salutes, following Blossom after bowing for Luna.

Once those two are gone, Luna lets out a sigh. She imagined this testing period would be long-drawn, but many of the beings that signed up couldn’t manage what she threw at them. Several dropped out during the physical exam and the rest fell to Nightmare’s mental barrage. As much as she hesitates to agree with that leech, she’s correct in her observation that many are soft nowadays...

Ignoring this, she at least managed to find one that could withstand it all. Another time will come to add others, but for now, she has more pressing matters to attend to. Mostly, Anon and Nightmare. Without pause, she makes her way to her sister's room, so that she may rest comfortably and the walk will give those two enough time alone for her to pull him out.

Anon lands into total blackness. He knows that she’s waiting for him, but his mind drifts to how this reminds him of how they first met. Darkness seemingly impenetrable and the unknown of what would come next. Even though he can’t see anything, he can hear the swirling of something ahead of him.

“So, you’ve finally come.” Nightmare’s voice gently breaks the silence. “Word has it you’ve been rather busy as of late?”

He’s not surprised she knows about Celestia. Luna and her share thoughts and experiences to a certain extent. There’s also the possibility Luna spoke to Nightmare and told her. Anon isn’t sure, but it matters little to him.

“No need to beat around the bush. I’m dating Celestia,” Anon boldly states. “That’s not why I’m here.”

A substance begins snaking up his body. It even comes up to his throat, but soon settles onto his shoulder. Looking over, he finds Nightmare’s head resting there, just her head. It appears as if the rest of her body is comprised of dark smoke that’s keeping him in place.

“Still playing this game?” Nightmare muses. “I have a few we can play.”

Shifting her form into a cloud of smoke, she lands in front of him, the thick darkness from before fading away as the mass begins to change and take a form Anon is very familiar with. Standing before him is Celestia, but it’s far from the mare he knows. The typical look of joy and love have been replaced with disgust and annoyance.

“How could anyone ever love a beast like you?” she mocks. “I can assure you that I welcome no such emotion towards something so worthless. The only reason I’ve tolerated you these past few months is that of pity, nothing more.” Celestia raises her head in a brief laugh. “You’re just damaged goods! I doubt you’d ever find a mare willing to deal with you! You’ll always be alone and estranged from this world. My world.”

Nightmare knows that her words will cut deep, but as she watches for any reaction, he just smiles dejectedly at her.

“Nightmare, I doubt you can say anything that would make me feel worse than I already do.” Anon takes a few steps closer until he’s inches away from the imposter Celestia. “Everything you’ve said... I tell myself that every waking moment.” He reaches up and rests his hand on Celestia’s cheek. “Why do you love me?” He asks, losing himself in her confused expression. “You’re wasting your time on me. I’m broken, trouble and I don’t deserve you. You could have any creature on this planet, and yet you chose me?” Nightmare notices some darkness seeping from him as his hand drops. “Tell me something I don’t know.” There’s a pleading to his tone. “Why does she love me?”

Nightmare didn’t notice it until now, but she’s taken a few steps back as soon as his hand left her cheek. She was lost in his eyes for a brief moment. She doesn’t understand what is wrong with this creature. When their eyes met, she saw how much love was there, but that love was just as potent as the pain that’s eating away at him. He’s miserable to be with the sun goddess, and yet he’d never consider being somewhere else.

Nightmare is irritated by him; he’s nothing like the creatures that call this world home.

“Why is love a chore to you?” Nightmare questions, shifting back to her form. “Wouldn’t most beings be thrilled to have the love of another?”

The darkness trickling from Anon’s body fades away as he chuckles to himself.

“I’m sure they’d be ecstatic to be with the princess.” A heavy sigh leaves him as he locks eyes with Nightmare. “We’re not like that, are we?”

Nightmare leers at Anon. “What do you mean by we?”

“Nightmare, we have more in common than I’m willing to admit.” Anon turns away and gazes off into the abyss of her world. “Just glancing around this place tells me more than you’d ever say. I also find comfort in nothingness. It’s why I appreciate Luna for having taught me dream walking so that I don’t need to dream as often.” Anon takes a breath, hesitant in wanting to share with Nightmare. “Do you know why I avoid dreaming?”

Nightmare is studying Anon closely. She can’t get a bead on his thoughts or emotions. Even the topic leaves her unsure where he is leading.

“Is it the nightmares?”

“No, those are normal for me.” Anon chuckles to himself. “I’m terrified by happy dreams.”

The sneer that was on Nightmare’s face relaxes some.

“Why?”

Anon turns from the abyss and looks over at her with a sad smile. “Because eventually you have to wake up.” Out of the corner of Anon’s eye, he notices a door materialize into Nightmare’s world. “Guess it’s already been an hour.” Anon looks back to Nightmare and finds her looking off into the abyss with a blank expression. “Goodnight, Nightmare.”

That’s all Anon says as he walks past and out of her world. Nightmare is now left to her thoughts as she gazes into the blackness she’s always known. Nightmare lies down on the floor as that last comment of his continues to play over in her mind. She wanted to manipulate him, to turn him into her pawn and yet a particular string is being pulled from within, one she hasn’t felt in a very long time.

“Goodnight.” Is all she can whisper before closing her eyes to rest.

Once Anon steps out of Nightmare's dream and into the hall of doors, a wave of sickness washes over him. Luna is there waiting for him, and she catches the strange shift in his body as his breaths become shallow for a moment.

"Anon, are you doing well?" she asks, taking a few steps closer.

Anon quickly pushes down the churning in his stomach and gives Luna a hesitant nod.

"I'm fine," he answers before standing up straight and facing her. "Its already been an hour?"

Luna wants to press him on what she just witnessed but keeps silent on the matter. Chances are he wouldn't tell her anyway, and at the very least he doesn't appear to be injured.

"That it has. As per our agreement, I shall now teach you more advanced dream manipulation techniques.”

Finally feeling like himself, Anon nods. “A deal's a deal.”

“Follow me. I have much to show you and little time.”

Despite the task that lies ahead, Anon finds his thoughts drifting back to Nightmare Moon. Should he have been that honest with her? He doesn't know, and it'll haunt him until he can see her again. Coming back to reality, Anon catches up to Luna before she leaves him behind.

He must focus on the tasks put before him because today is going to be a busy day.

Spike walks into Twilight's room to wake her up for the festival today. However, as he enters, he finds her slumped over her desk, face in a book. Sadly not a sight that's rare by any means. He shakes his head as he walks beside her and pushes her some.

"Twilight, it's time to get up." All he gets in response is a mumble. "Twilight?" Nothing. "Twilight!"

“W-Wha?” Twilight’s eye slowly flutter open as the blurry figure of something looms over her. It takes a moment before Spike enters her vision. “S-Spike?”

"Yeah, that's me. It's time to get up."

"G-Get up?" Twilight's mind instantly goes into overdrive. "I'm late!"

A blurry mass flies from the desk and runs over to the dresser as Spike finds Twilight quickly squeezing her maid uniform on. He's confused as she puts it on and then zips across the room in search for something else.

"Twi?"

“Where’s my duster?” She lifts a large stack of books with her magic before tossing them to the other side of the room.

“Twi?”

“I swore I put it here last night.”

“TWILIGHT!” Spike shouts, catching her attention.

"What?" Another set of books she was floating fall from her magic and bury her under a pile of books.

“Today's the festival,” Spike remarks.

Digging her way out, Twilight looks over to a calendar and finds a large circle around today's date.

“Oh... So, no work?”

Spike shakes his head. “No work. If I recall, the princess wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Oh, almost forgot." Twilight uses her magic to organize all the books quickly she tossed around. "Yes, she wanted me to do something at the festival. What time is it?”

“Just enough time to clean up and get ready before breakfast,” Spike says looking over Twilight's sorry state. "You could use a bath."

Blushing, Twilight rubs the back of her head. "That's true." She takes off her uniform and walks over to her clothes drawer, pulling out a dress. "Are you excited for the festival?"

“Am I? Of course, I am!” He smiles broadly. “I wonder if the princess will give me some bits to spend?”

“I’m sure if you ask her nicely, she’ll give you some, just don’t overdo things like last time,” Twilight says walking over to her bathroom.

“That’s for future me to worry about.”

“Spike...” Twilight glares at him some.

“Alright, I promise I won’t go overboard.”

“Good, let's get ready and head over to meet the others for breakfast.”

"What are you talking about, I am ready?"

Twilight shakes her head. "I don't think so, mister. I haven't seen you bathe in a few days." She quickly snatches Spike in her magic and drags him into the bathroom.

"I don't need a bath! I shed!"

"For one, Spike. That's gross. Two, what's this?" Twilight picks off a piece of skin that didn't entirely shed.

"Ugh, whatever." Spike is resigned to his fate.

"It won't be that bad. Now let's hurry, we don't want to be late."

Anon once again finds himself being woken up by Celestia as she kisses him. His heart is racing and mind trying to catch up on what’s happening but like before, he settles down before returning the kiss. Though, unlike previously, there’s something else holding him from behind. Confused by this, he breaks the kiss to find Luna in bed with them.

This shouldn’t be strange, but Anon can’t dismiss being taken aback by her being here. Before he was close to both sisters equally, so while bizarre, it wasn’t weird that they shared a bed. Now, now that isn’t the case anymore. With him and Celestia dating, having Luna so close while they’re intimate is throwing him off. It’s one thing to kiss Celestia in public; it’s another thing entirely to kiss her in the privacy of their room.

Anon turn back to Celestia but avoids eye contact; Celestia instantly picks up on that. She can sense that he’s uncomfortable with her sister's presence. She wants to say something but with Luna now stirring awake, that conversation is put on hold. Anon is so disturbed by this that his body acts on its own, throwing him out of bed as he hastily walks to the bathroom.

“I’ll be in the bath,” are the only words out of his mouth as he leaves.

Silence builds as Luna finally wakes up with a yawn, glancing around the room in search for something.

“Where’s Anon?” she asks.

Celestia remains silent for a moment as she tries to understand what Anon was feeling. Is he perhaps uncomfortable with being intimate with her while Luna is nearby? She can only guess this has to do with his nerves about this relationship. To which, she can understand. It’s about comfort and while in this room, just the two of them, she can freely admit that it’s nice and private.

“Sister?” Luna waves her hoof in front of her sister's face grabbing her attention. “Is something bothering you?”

“Luna, I would like to request a favor but do not take what I ask as a slight against you.”

“What is it?” Luna sobers up quickly due to her sister's tone.

“I would like it if you were to sleep in your bed from now on.” Celestia can see Luna fall to a more neutral expression. “This is not a request of selfishness, Luna. I believe your presence in our bed slightly perturbs Anon.”

“Why would that be?”

“That I cannot say for sure. I can only note that his reaction this morning was one of unease. I’ll be sure to talk to him later about it, but for now, I believe it’s related to how new this relationship is and how we can express ourselves to one another comfortably. I know you understand the difference between the public eye and the privacy of our chambers.”

Luna wants to protest, but she cannot deny the logic behind it. There’s also the fact that pushing for something so little could overall ruin her chances of being with them.

“Yes, I do know how vast those two things can be. Very well, Sister. I shall grant your request.” Luna gets out of bed. “Should I refrain from bathing with you two as well?”

"I'm sure he's fine with that." Celestia pauses for a moment. "Though I believe we should give him a moment to himself before joining. It’ll take some time before things settle between us, I’m sure he’ll be a lot more open in the future.”

“No need to continue explaining yourself, I understand.” Luna walks over to a mirror and looks herself over. “We shouldn’t tarry, today is the festival after all.”

“Yes, the festival. Let us hope things go well.”

Anon is sitting alone in the bath lost to his thoughts. Why does it feel wrong to have Luna in bed? She’s still his friend, the only thing that’s changed is that he’s dating her sister.

...

Yeah, that about sums it up. Why does dating have to be complicated? Why can’t he enjoy something for once? It’s not like Luna is judging him silently about this relationship, he thinks. Judging him over the Nightmare stuff, yeah but not the dating stuff. However, no matter how logical he tries to be about this, he can’t shake the feeling away. He wants to express to Celestia without words, to do things without questioning if its wrong or right.

Anon’s face collects a shade of red. Celestia has also been direct with the idea of doing more physical stuff. What if one thing leads to another? He can’t do that with Luna around. Not that he expects it to happen anytime soon, but the possibility is still there. Having Luna around for anything else is fine, but Anon also believes that there should also be a line too.

He’s tried to blend in and understand this new world he found himself in, but this is one thing he may have to put his foot down on. Though he fears that he may not be able to relay how he feels, that it’s not because he doesn’t like Luna but because he wants some privacy with Celestia. Anon rests his head in his hands.

“What am I going to do?”

“Problems?” A voice calls out.

Anon jumps as he instinctively backs away from the voice he wasn’t familiar with. It takes him a moment, but he recognizes Cadance as she sits in the bath.

“Cadance?”

She nods with a gentle smile. “That’s me.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I use the royal bath from time to time.”

Anon eyes her wearily. He is on the fence with Cadance. She did confront him about Twilight when they first met, but he knows it was out of love and seeing as he’s now helping Twilight; it would be wrong to hold it against her. Still, he barely knows her, and with everything in his thoughts revolving around Celestia, he’s not sure how to react here.

“Ok.”

Cadance can see from his demeanor that he’s hesitant. Not that she’s surprised, they hardly know one another. However, she knows that he’s facing some inner turmoil when it comes to his relationship, to which she wants to nurture.

“I’m guessing you’re having some issues with your relationship with my aunt?”

Yeah, he almost forgot she knew. That feeling from before starts to well up. He doesn’t want to talk about this stuff with anyone but Celestia.

“I’d prefer if we dropped the subject.”

His unsure nature quickly turned hostile. If she pushes him, this won’t end well.

“That’s fine. I get it; it’s none of my business. No hard feelings.” Cadance sinks a bit lower into the water to cover most of her neck. “Are you excited about the festival?”

“Not really.”

“Even with my aunt there?”

Anon doesn’t like her. It’s as if she’s prodding him for a reaction, though he’s sure that’s most likely in his head. She’s curious; it’s understandable but still annoying. He knew this would be the case when dating Celestia and this is only the start. Once it becomes public, all that privacy is gone. Anon smirks, he’s sure Twilight will have questions too. He better get used to it.

“She’s the only thing I care about.” He says honestly. “Just to put it out there. That’s also why I’m helping Twilight. I hate her, so much so that it hurts, but I love Celestia more than my hate. So, I’ll help Twilight, and if all goes well, she’ll be back in Ponyville in no time.”

“I expected as much.” Cadance sighs as she looks up at the ceiling. “I’d like to apologize for how things went when we first met. I was insensitive to what happened to you, but I believe we have something in common.” She looks over to Anon as he looks at her. “I love something enough to put my thoughts aside to make it better. I hope we can help Twilight in the end.”

Anon scoffs. “Right.”

One of the double doors open as Celestia and Luna walkthrough. For Anon, everything becomes muted as the three greet each other. There are many ponies in play here that he must consider because while Celestia is on the front of his mind, he can’t deny that there are three other ponies that are unaccounted for. Perhaps that’ll be something he will face months from now, but he was never one to expect fate to play by the rules.

Want without reason

Twilight strolls down the hall with Spike by her side, a cheerful smile on her muzzle. Today is unprecedented; it's the day of the festival. She honestly can't even recall the last time she's been to one, and with all the developments that are happening in her life, she's confident that for today she'll be able to unwind. There's also whatever task the Princess has in store for her as well.

Will she ask her to watch over something or perhaps organize some last-minute changes? She doesn't know, but she's thrilled nonetheless.

"Hey, Twilight."

"Hmm?" Twilight looks down at Spike.

"Do you think the festival will be packed?"

"That I know without a doubt, Spike. This festival is rare and brings creatures of all types to the capital. So I want you to be on your best behavior and try not to get lost."

"Do you think a few dragons will show up?" Spike asked with a curious glint to his eye.

"I'm not too sure about that. It's possible."

Twilight would hope at the very least it's a smaller dragon, as anything too large will be near impossible to accommodate.

"What about your friends? Will they come too?"

Twilight notices a heavyweight slam down on her. The girls... She's been so preoccupied with her problems that everything else has slipped from her mind. She recalls the letter Applejack sent was quite a while ago. How is everyone doing over there? Have things gotten better since then? Have they heard from Rainbow Dash?

She hopes that Rainbow is taking time to herself and isn't planning anything drastic. Twilight shakes her head of those thoughts. Today she's going to relax! All of that stuff will come with time. She's sure the girls are doing much better.

"I don't know," Twilight answers sincerely. "But I'm sure they're alright."

"Yeah, I guess so. I just haven't seen many of them in a while." Spike twiddles his claws.

"Still worried about Rarity?" He nods, and she stops to face him. "How about this: After the festival, we'll write a letter to Applejack. How does that sound?"

Spike looks up at Twilight, relieved. "Alright, that sounds great."

"Now, let's not waste time; there's plenty to do today!" Twilight tries to get him excited. "But first, we need breakfast."

There is tension in the air. Ever since Anon sat at the dining room table, everything has been silent. The bath was mostly routine for him, as he left as soon as the sisters showed up and decided to wait for everyone to gather here for breakfast. Every passing moment by himself began to develop his annoyance.

However, even with the three princesses entering shortly after didn't alleviate that sensation. No, he knew they were playing a part, acting as if a stray thought or two weren't about him. Luna being the most blatant, as she would thwart her gaze if their eyes met and even chose to sit a chair length away from him.

While that does bug him, what is genuinely grating at his psyche is how Celestia's passion has been significantly dialed down when compared to yesterday. He doesn't like this. Where in the past he would've most likely brushed it off, now he finds himself irritated. Celestia has spoken to Luna about this morning, that much he knows, but as for the reasons why he was opposed to her being there, that is only something he can express.

With each passing moment in silence, his irritation starts to turn to anger. He doesn't want to be reserved with Celestia for the sake of others. His resentment and thoughts melt away for a moment as he's taken aback. Such a novel idea but one that he genuinely believes. Before he can even question it, another springs up. He wants to be selfish.

Anon is so lost in thought he doesn't notice Twilight entering the room with Spike by her side. She's smiling brightly but promptly stopped once she saw Anon's annoyed expression. Though as soon as she felt worry course through her veins, she could tell he was lost in his thoughts and not looking at anything in particular.

So, she walks over, greets everyone, and takes her seat. Once she's settled down, she can sense the weight of the situation before her. Something is going on right now, so she will try her best to keep to herself as she watches from afar.

"I'm hungry," Spike says.

Twilight immediately summons a bowl of gems for him, to which he promptly starts shoveling into his mouth. Anon takes a moment to acknowledge Twilight as he looks at her for a moment before returning to his thoughts. He has to speak his mind, he doesn't want to lose what he has with Celestia, and as there's a festival coming up, the time to talk is now.

"I'm annoyed," Anon declares plainly.

Celestia didn't want to say anything, but the aura Anon is putting out is ominous. She thought giving him some space would make him feel better, but since they gathered at the table, it was progressively getting worse.

"I'm all ears," Celestia calls to him gingerly. "Whether that's here or somewhere private."

"I want everyone to hear what I have to say." Anon casts his gaze to all at the table. "I'd appreciate silence until I'm finished."

His tone alone is enough to grasp everyone's attention, except for Spike, who was too busy eating to notice.

"I'm going to speak precisely what is on my mind. I have no idea if it'll make sense, but I want you all to be as understanding as possible." Anon takes a breath in to try and calm his nerves and gather his thoughts. "I'm new to this, to being open and not completely repressing how I feel. I don't believe any of you truly get how painful it is for me to say I love Celestia. How displaying affection is a monumental task." Anon can feel his leg start to fidget.

"What others would consider simple, I cannot even fathom the scope. To want something, even if it hurts others I care about." Anon pauses in a vain attempt to gather his now rapidly fraying thoughts. "I can already tell Celestia is holding herself back, when she normally would be doing something or other to express her joy of this relationship. I hate this.”

That anger is swiftly coming to a boil inside of him. What is he trying to say? He doesn't know, but right now, the words coming out feel right.

"I hate that she's not hugging me so close I can hear how fast her heart races. I hate how she hasn't kissed me without a second thought of who's around. I hate how she's holding herself back from doing all the things that I want to do but can't do as easily."

Celestia is speechless. She knows he loves her; she knows how challenging this relationship is but to hear him say it... It's almost too much for her to take. She wants to bring him to her barrel, but as she looks down to his white-knuckled fist, she knows that he's far from finished but trying desperately to keep talking.

"I have no idea if she's doing this to give me space or for someone else at the table." Anon shifts his gaze to Luna, which she quickly reverts when she notices the anger and pain behind them. "I'm so angry, not at anyone here but myself. Time and time again, I reflect on the past. All of the wrong things I've done. How I was too much of a coward to say anything, all for the sake of others, to pretend as if everything is fine."

Anon loosens his stance to try and calm down. "I'm not going to make the same mistakes. I don't want to lose what I have. I don't want to fear the idea that Celestia is putting her feelings aside for others like I once did. Even if I'm more likely to go along for the ride than act on my own." Anon looks over to Luna, his features softer. "I'm not mad; I don't hate you. We're still friends. I'm fine with us bathing together and sitting side by side at the dining table. However, I want to be alone with Celestia in bed. At least until I'm more comfortable with this stuff."

Anon looks over to Celestia as her eyes glisten heavily. "Did I make sense?"

Celestia can no longer contain herself as she lunges forward and brings Anon into a kiss. It's shocking for him, but as soon as their lips met, all of that anger faded away. His pain of the past and worries of the future became nothing more than a thought on the wind.

"Thank you for sharing that with us," Cadance speaks out once they stop kissing. "Sensing the love inside you is one thing, but hearing it is far more compelling. You truly do love my aunt, and, understandably, you wish for privacy. Isn't that right?" Cadance turns to Luna and Twilight.

"Yes, I'm sorry if I've made you feel uncomfortable," Luna says. "Everyone needs space, and I know you are a good... friend. I will be more thoughtful while moving forward."

Twilight nervously smiles. "Well, um... If you need someone to talk to, I, uh..." Her voice dies out as Anon looks her way with a raised brow. "N-Never mind."

"I..." Anon gets hit with fatigue. Being that emotional takes its toll on him. "I'll pass on breakfast." He gets out of his seat and turns to Celestia. "I'm going to rest for a moment. Wake me up when the festival is starting."

"Very well; I love you."

There's that pain again. Something so simple to say, and yet it's a crushing weight on his shoulders.

"I love you too." With that said, Anon leaves to rest.

Celestia's smile fades some as Anon leaves. She always thought she knew Anon to a certain level but everything he just said... It's given her a glimpse into how much he's fighting to make this relationship work. She will now move forward with that in her heart. It will take time, but perhaps one day he will be able to express himself without anything holding him back.

That smile now returns in full force. That is a day she will cherish when it comes. With a kick in her morning, Celestia turns to the others at the table.

"We have much to do before the festival. Let's eat and discuss what's on the agenda."

Everyone at the table gives a nod as a waiter comes to take their order.

Anon hits Celestia's bed faster than he expected. That was too much, and now he can hear thoughts of regret for being so open in front of so many ponies. Why did he say all that stuff? It would've been better to talk to Celestia alone at the very least, but that feeling from before, it overpowered any logical thoughts he was having.

It doesn't matter now. He's exhausted, and with the festival only a few hours away, that's all the time he has to rest. Closing his eyes, he hopes that's the most memorable thing to happen to him today.

A stream of warm water washes over Pinkie as she stands in her tub. Today's the festival, and there's no way she's going to miss out on the fun! Though, she is a little antsy, as it's been some time since she's seen Anon and Twilight. She hopes those two are doing well. A sad sigh leaves her as she turns off the water and hops out.

Things haven't been easy here in Ponyville. Sure, all the ponies are happy to see Pinkie out and about again, but she's been trying to help with Rarity. AJ gave some insight into how long Rarity has been like that, she even tried to help her too, but it fell on deaf ears. Pinkie has been met with the same reaction; Rarity doesn't react or take notice of anything that has to do with what happened when they were punished or Anon.

It's like she's a doll now, but even Pinkie knows that's a facade. She didn't tell anyone, but she got a brief glimpse into Rarity's workroom, and everything in there was torn apart. Pinkie is at a loss for what she can do for her friend. She's tried so many things, and all of them were brushed off. Rarity is in her own world and refuses to leave her home for any reason.

Pinkie grabs a towel and starts drying off. The one hurt most by this is Sweetie Belle. She doesn't understand why her sister is acting the way she is. She's the one maintaining the house and even has the help of her friends when she needs to make food. Since learning this, Pinkie has extended a hoof to her, if only to ease some of her pain.

Seeing that smile of hers as she comes over to learn how to cook, but it's all in vain when Pinkie has to see that gloom wash over her when it's time to leave. What can anyone do to help? She's spent countless nights thinking of a solution, but there is only one that comes to mind. Anon would have to say something to snap Rarity out of it.

It hurts her that she has ulterior motives for going to this festival. She wants to simply enjoy being with him, see how things are going, and have a great time together. However, she can't hide what's happening. This problem here, it's not just about Rarity anymore, it's about her sister too. A knock rouses Pinkie from her thoughts.

She looks at herself in the mirror and shakes her head a few times until her mane puffs out.

"Come in! I'm just getting ready!"

The sound of her door opens, and a few sets of hooves enter.

"Ya close to done?! We only have a few minutes till the train is here!" AJ calls out.

"Yup!" Pinkie answers, walking out of the bathroom. "All done. How about you?"

Pinkie looks over to see AJ, the crusaders, and Fluttershy. Fluttershy and AJ smile at the crusaders' evident excitement.

"I've never been to a festival before!" Scootaloo says.

"None of us have!" Applebloom comes in. "Think there will be a lot of ponies there?"

"I wonder what kinds of sweets they'll have!" Sweetie Belle smiles.

"Alright, calm down, you three," AJ speaks with an authoritative tone. "We got a long trip ahead of us, and you can do your talking on the train."

"That's right, girls," Fluttershy speaks. "I know you're excited, but we need to go before the train leaves."

"You heard them!" Pinkie turns up the cheer. "Let's set sail! Or rails specifically."

Scootaloo groans at the joke, but it certainly keeps the mood high as the six leave Pinkie's home and head to the train station. Pinkie is glad she was able to talk most of her friends into coming. This should brighten their moods, but obviously, Rarity has chosen to stay behind. Just as Pinkie is about to feel her smile slip, a wing rests on her withers. Fluttershy is smiling at Pinkie just before removing her wing.

Pinkie nods a few times. Today is about fun! She'll worry about that other stuff later.

Nightmare hasn't found any rest since Anon left. Echoes of the past and thoughts of the future have turned her mind into a battlefield. His actions, his words, all of it bringing a haze to her resolve and crumbling the plans she's made with each passing second. How did it come to this? Thinking back, before he entered her mind, all she did was slumber in this endless void. No thoughts of her future, content with the fact that she would be forever locked away in this prison.

She never expected to see anything other than Luna enter her dream. She was surprised to see him, as all she ever knew of him was Luna's constant thoughts about him. It's strange how vividly she recalls their first meeting. That look of anger on his face when he realized Nightmare was real. It was refreshing. Where once all Nightmare did was rest, now she found her thoughts plotting a means to escape and get her revenge.

Her existence gained a purpose, a reason to live. Then that moment came when Anon saw what that whorse did to her, and rather than turn a blind eye; he treated Nightmare with kindness. The look he gave her back then is still burned into her mind, a glimpse of not pity but genuine worry. At the time, she didn't understand why, and when she thought he'd soon forget about her, he kept coming back to visit.

During that time, she only thought of him as an annoyance or puppet to be used for escaping. That all changed when she entered his nightmare. To experience his emotions first hoof, it brought clarity to why he does what he does. It was a simple answer; he is kind to those that have done him no wrong. Nightmare has only known the despair of others, and yet Anon doesn't show that when he looks at her.

She thought she buried these feelings a long time ago, but thinking of him brings a twinge to her heart. As much as she wants to push him away, to hate him, it's becoming difficult. Those words he said to her, they were haunting in their own way, as they were all too familiar. They walk a similar path and, in turn, think alike in more ways than one.

Nightmare looks to the abyss with comfort because that's all she's ever known, and he is no different. It's from this darkness that time passes with ease, and all feelings drift away. Nightmare now finds her mind starting to drift. What would she gain from revenge? Night eternal? A throne to sit upon? Or honestly nothing at all? Only the brief satisfaction that she won and then a lifetime of nothingness.

She scoffs as if that matters to her anyway. She lost the chance to escape when she helped Anon. She rolls onto her side as a long and tired sigh leaves her. Why is it that the more he comes around, the more these thoughts permeate her mind? She deemed nothing of the future, but now she cannot help herself. She lifts the same hoof she used to touch his door. There's no pain anymore, but she can still feel the bite of his emotions as they flooded into her.

Such a stupid man, worrying about others over himself. She knows he would sooner die than ask for help but wouldn't think twice to give his life for those he cares about. Her gaze drifts to where he bandaged her foreleg. She also felt the hate inside of him. Far more poisonous than her own and enough to show her that he cannot compare to the creatures that reside here. A walking contradiction and yet one she can fully understand.

She groans as her foreleg falls limply to the floor. This is nothing but a waste of her energy. So what if he wishes to get to know her? What does that mean in the grand scheme? That she wouldn't have to be alone anymore? That sharp pain hits her again... So, that weakness still exists? Nightmare rolls onto her back, looking up to the void she's always known.

She must clear her mind of this. Lifting her hoof, she drags it across the inky blackness, stars filling the sky and giving a dull glow to her once pitch-black world. With skill and grace, it doesn't take her long to recreate the night sky. Without notice, a small smile crosses her lips. It's been so long since she last saw the night sky with her own eyes.

Even looking to her recreation brings warmth to her side. Nightmare's brows furrow in confusion. A warmth to her side? She looks down and finds Anon holding onto her; his head rested against her barrel. With speed faster than expected, she bolts away from him. Her eyes locked onto him the entire time as redness creeps along her muzzle while her heart rapidly drums in her ears.

It takes a moment for her to calm herself, but once she does, she analyses the situation. Picking herself up, she walks over to get a closer look. Strange, this isn't a creation of her mind, as she initially thought. This is actually Anon in her world. The question is, how did he get here? She tries to extend her senses out into the void but finds that Luna has broken their connection.

This is disturbing in many ways because, by all rights, he shouldn't be here. This reminds her of when his door entered her world while he was under great stress. Curious, she continues to investigate. She kneels low and rests her horn against his head. It takes a moment, but she gets the sense that he's emotionally drained and has fallen asleep. Though that doesn't answer why he is in her world and not his own, she tries to reach out once again and finds that she does have a single connection; it's to his world.

She's never experienced anything like this before, and it leaves her to question what it means. As she continues to look at him, she has a stray thought enter her mind. What if she let him rest without interruption? A betraying idea that fills her with wrath. This is her world, and he has no right to be here! She lifts her hoof to stomp on him but stops again as she notices the worried look on his face.

Is he having another nightmare? She kneels beside him about to check but is surprised when he wraps his arms around her.

"Don't go," he says in a far off tone. "I'm sorry."

Nightmare leans back to see Anon is still unconscious. He's talking in his sleep, but his expression is locked in a perpetual state of fear. There's that pain again... Why can't she leave him be? Is it because he reminds her of the past, or is it something else? He's so weak, and despite his suffering, that whorse Luna can't even sense his cries in the void. He's all alone here, with no one but her.

Once again, she falls prey to an emotion that she thought she lost a long time ago.

"Why would I leave?" Nightmare whispers in Celestia's voice.

"I just think it's the right thing," he mumbles.

"I know that," Nightmare continues. "Get some rest."

"Y-yeah... Festival," Is all Anon says as he drifts off.

Nightmare is staring at Anon as he rests. Why does it hurt so much? Her mind is in two places. She could beat him until he wakes up, force him back to his world, something she would've done without second thought months before. However, she finds the second option better. To let him rest and try to find her own beside him.

He is still holding onto her as she lays down, and with ease she didn't have before, her eyes fall heavy as she rests.

Plans in motion

Gradually opening his eyes, Anon peers over his shoulder to find no one there. Curious, he could’ve sworn that while he slept, he was being held. Yet not a single pony, scent or noise lingers. Sitting up, his thoughts stray to another inconsistency. For the first time, Anon didn’t have a dream. His dreams are either plagued by the nightmares of his actions or him lucid in his dream world. Yet all he can recall is settling on the bed and waking up.

Perhaps he was emotionally exhausted after baring his soul in front of so many ponies? A possibility, but not one he can readily confirm. Either way, whatever rest he found has calmed his nerves, and that’s enough for him. Looking over to a clock, Anon takes note that he’s been asleep for two hours. A power nap if there ever was one. Feeling oddly satisfied with things, he gets himself out of bed and changes into something formal. For most of this event, he’ll be with Celestia and he’d at least like to look the part.

Neither cares about the other’s appearance, but Anon doesn’t want to make her look bad through association. Taking a moment to inspect his wardrobe, he picks out a modest but stylish button-up shirt and dress trousers. Compared to his day-to-day wear, this is a step up, but in the eyes of Canterlot ponies, it’ll probably only barely fit in. As he finds his dress preference coming into question, he once again recognizes an odd sensation of being embraced.

Maybe he’s being too accommodating for ponies that don’t even matter? With his thoughts settled, Anon accepts his choice of attire and quickly gets ready. It doesn’t take him long, and by the time he’s done, he heads on back to Celestia, as he’s confident that they’ll be done with their business talk. Leaving Celestia’s room, Anon makes his way to the dining hall.

Such a bizarre feeling. Even as he walks down the passageways of the castle, glancing about every so often, he can’t shake this sense of being held by something. It’s relaxing but slightly unnerving because he’s never spontaneously felt this phenomenon before. He lets out a sigh. Ruminating about it won’t solve the problem. As it stands now, it’s not harmful and could just be because of all these new emotions he’s struggling to come to terms with about Celestia.

For now, he’ll put it on the back burner. Anon’s eyes twitch as he notices movement. He peers over to find Blossom walking beside him.

“I was wondering when you’d notice,” Blossom states.

“Had something on my mind.” Anon returns his gaze ahead.

“Obviously.” Nothing but silence as the two walk. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Nothing to say,” Anon replies honestly. “I’m surprisingly content.” Anon looks down to Blossom as one thing becomes evident. “Why are you here? I’m sure you’re rather busy today.”

She shrugs. “Do I need a reason to check on you?”

“No, but you usually have one when you do.”

“True.” Blossom looks up at Anon with a thoughtful gaze. “I won’t be able to watch over you today. I know you’ll have Celestia to protect you, and while unlikely, if you need help, just call my name and one of my knights will assist you.”

Something about Blossom’s attitude puts Anon on edge, but as rapidly as those emotions welled up, they calmed as the embrace returned.

“Is something else going on?” Anon asks.

Blossom sets a hoof onto his leg to stop him from walking. “I can’t go into detail, but I want you to keep one thing in mind for me, alright?” Anon nods as he listens intently. “If you ever notice something unusual about me or someone you know, then trust your gut and ask them a question only they would know. Understand?”

Anon would categorize this as something unusual, but the look Blossom is giving him is enough to assure him that whatever she’s talking about is important.

“Understood.”

Hearing Anon say that causes Blossom to relax as she gives him a fatigued grin.

“Good.” Blossom walks over to a nearby window. “Do try to enjoy the festival today. It doesn’t happen often.”

“We’ll see.”

“See you later.” With that stated, Blossom jumps out the window and soars off.

Anon watches her for a moment before making his way to the dining hall. There’s a lot on his mind now, but for Celestia’s sake, he’ll try to live in the moment and enjoy this day to the fullest.

Celestia has spoken about many things. Much of the workload has already been divided up between Luna and Cadance. The only pony left is Twilight, and while Celestia worries about her recovery, she has confidence in her student’s ability to carry out this task. She floats over a list for Twilight, which she takes in her magic and looks it over.

“We have many events that are time sensitive. To keep things running smoothly, I require someone who has a keen sense of order. I believe no one to be more ideal for the job than you, Twilight.”

As Twilight looks over the list, she can’t help her heart as it races. There are several important activities here and all within hours of each other. To manage something this complex requires the coordination of various teams to accomplish. However, her teacher didn’t leave all the work to Twilight. She can tell that there are a few redundancies to compensate for timing errors.

It’s been so long since Twilight has managed an event, let alone one of this caliber, and while she’s undoubtedly nervous, she’s also excited.

“Are you certain? It’s been a while since I’ve done something like this.”

“I’m sure,” Celestia answers with a smile.

Hearing her teacher’s reassurance only lifts Twilight’s spirits.

“I’ll try my best.”

“That’s all I can ask for.” Celestia shifts her attention to her sister. “Anything wrong with what I provided?”

Luna has been looking over the paperwork her sister has hoofed to her. It’s a detailed breakdown of her solar guards patrolling path and time. It’s rather impressive, no doubt in part by Shining Armor. A perfect blend of having guards patrolling the event and the rest of the city. It requires flawless timing and map knowledge. Moments like these are rare, but Luna appreciates the military-like strategy Shining is using.

“I dare say that Shining Armor has outdone himself.” Luna compliments. “I have full confidence that the solar guard will have control, should anything arise.”

“I’m sure Shining Armor will be happy to hear such praise,” Celestia says. “How about your Knights? Are they prepared?”

Luna smirks. “That is without question, Sister.” Luna stands from her seat. “Though to be certain, I suppose I will pay each captain a visit to confirm everything is running smoothly.” Luna walks over to the dining hall door but stops to look at her sister. “I’ll meet you and Anon during the festival, but if that doesn’t work, we’ll see each other at the last event.”

“Understood.” Celestia watches her sister exit the dining room before turning to Cadance. “Questions?”

“None I can think of. It’s a shame we cannot enjoy the festival as much as our subjects.”

Celestia sighs. “True, but someone must do the heavy lifting.”

Before the mood sours, the doors to the dining hall open once more. Looking over, Celestia believes her sister has forgotten something but finds Anon standing there. Not only that, but when compared to his earlier state, he seems calmer and well-rested. Celestia rises from her seat and meets him halfway with a slight skip in her gait.

“You look better.” She speaks with a broad smile.

“I feel better.”

Anon doesn’t think in this moment and instead leans forward and brings Celestia into an embrace. Though admittedly, he’s already calm, but holding Celestia like this brings a warmth to him, which is missing from the strange sensation he’s been experiencing. Something about Celestia’s body heat and fur is almost enough to make him drowsy, but he shakes off this overwhelming comfort and instead focuses on the day ahead of them.

“Is everything ready?”

Celestia can’t help the sigh of content that leaves her as she revels in this moment for some time before moving away.

“Yes. If you have nothing to do, then we shall set off immediately.” Celestia looks over to Cadance and Twilight. “Though if you two have any last-minute things to take care of, I suggest you do so now. Once everything is in motion, there will be very few breaks.”

“I’d like to visit Shining before leaving,” Cadance remarks.

Twilight looks down to Spike, who’s been passed out this entire time. She gently bumps him and he snaps away.

“Huh? Are we done?” He asks, looking at Twilight.

“Yeah, let’s get going.” Twilight looks to her teacher. “I’ll be accompanying you there.”

“Very well.” Celestia turns back to Anon, rests a wing on his back and urges him forward. “Come along. We’ll wait out front for the carriage.”

With nothing left to say, Anon follows Celestia. He does not know what to expect from today, but he’s happy that Celestia appears to be in a good mood.

Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack and the Crusaders exit the train alongside a flood of ponies ready to attend the festival. They gather away from the crowd and make sure everyone is present. Once they’re certain everything is accounted for, they step out to a secluded area so they can talk without the roar of the other ponies around.

“Sure looks like a huge turnout this year.” Applejack looks around at all the ponies as they chat on their way to the colosseum. “We better hurry and get in line like the rest of these ponies or else who knows how long it’ll take to get in.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that.” Pinkie gives a confident grin. “If we head over to the castle, then I’m sure Anon and the princess will give us a ride.”

“Oh, that is a lovely idea,” Fluttershy agrees.

Applejack, on the other hoof, is hesitant. The last time she saw Anon was back in Ponyville and meeting him now of all times feels off. To stop by with Pinkie and get some special treatment to enter the festival. It doesn’t sit right with her. Applejack notices a hoof rest on her withers. She looks up to see Pinkie giving her a bright and wide smile.

“No need to worry, AJ. Just follow my lead!”

Pinkie leaves no room for questions as she marches off towards the castle and her friends follow behind her. Though as she takes the lead, her smile slips some. She wants what’s best for everyone, and doing so will require a lot of strength. She’s not too sure how she’ll convince Anon to hear her friends out, but all she can hope for is that their friendship is strong enough to weather the storm.

Anon pauses as Celestia, Twilight and Spike enter the carriage. He can’t explain why, but he finds his gaze drift down the street and into the crowd of ponies.

“Is something wrong?” Celestia asks.

Looking for something out of the ordinary, he doesn't find anything to cause him to pause.

“Must’ve been nothing-”

“Hello there!” Pinkie shouts.

Anon jumps as Pinkie stands beside him. His heart rapidly races but instantly calms as she embraces him.

“Dammit, Pinkie. You know I hate that.” He responds with a begrudging smile as he hugs her back.

“It’s been a while.”

“It hasn’t been that long. I assume you’re here for the festival?”

“Yup!” Anon drops Pinkie as she lands on her hooves. “I was wondering if it’d be too much trouble to have you take us to the festival?”

“You’re asking the wrong person.” Anon nods his head to Celestia. “She’s in charge.”

Celestia chuckles. “You know it’s no trouble. In fact, I’m sure it will thrill a certain pony here to have you.”

Pinkie looks into the carriage and is surprised to see Twilight and Spike there! Not only that, but Anon appears to be calm. Before she can even ask anything, what jumps out is the primary feather hanging from Anon’s neck. Her eyes widen as it dawns on her that that’s the Princess’s feather! What is going on here?!

“It’s good to see you again,” Fluttershy says, grabbing Anon’s attention.

He’s about to respond, but his sights instantly lock to Applejack. It’s apparent to everyone that his entire body tensed up, but he appears to calm down as he notices the Crusaders there. Looking between them and AJ for a moment, he closes his eyes and takes a breath before turning his attention to Fluttershy.

“Good to see you too. We’re in a bit of a hurry, so if you want a ride, get in.” Anon steps aside and waves for them to enter.

“Oh! Of course! We can chat on the way there.” Fluttershy agrees as she looks at the Crusaders. “Come along, Girls.”

They're hesitant to enter but do as they’re told as they hop in and instantly let out a squeal of joy as they see Spike. The three of them immediately start asking him what he’s been up to and many other things. Fluttershy notices Pinkie’s slack-jawed expression as she looks at something on Anon’s chest. Fluttershy too finds herself surprised by Celestia’s primary feather, but is quick to grab Pinkie and force her inside.

Now it’s just Anon and AJ as she looks at him, the feather on his chest and saying nothing steps inside. Anon gives himself a moment to comprehend what’s going on, but once more that embrace holds him from behind. He hates this, but he’ll deal with it for the time being. Getting in and closing the door, he sits beside the Princess.

“Everyone ready?” Celestia asks.

“Yup!” They confirm.

“Driver! To the Colosseum!”

As the carriage sets off, Anon ignores the apparent gaze on the primary feather and instead looks out the window. He can’t shake that today will not go as smoothly as he hopes.

Author's Note

Happy belated Thanksgiving.

Due to complicated circumstances, posting times will be severely affected. Don't expect weekly or even monthly chapter posts. Thank you for understanding.

Baby steps

“Are there any concerns for an attack today?” Luna asks Blossom as they overlook a map of Equestria.

“That would be unlikely. With security at its highest today, only a fool would consider attacking now.” Blossom looks to the changeling figures that sit on the map, only a few steps away from the Equestrian border. “Though it wouldn’t be farfetched to assume they’d send scouts to gather information. If they haven’t already.”

Luna sets her jaw. Why now, of all times, are the changelings in motion? It’s been millennia since they’ve crawled from their nests in the Badlands and tried to cause any trouble. What is their motive in all this? Surly not to take over Equestria? The changelings are solitary creatures and don’t care to make friends, political or otherwise. So attacking any region would be akin to suicide.

Luna shivers some. One memory that haunts her the most was when changelings would flood over the battlefield to consume the fallen’s essence. They took no side, but that wouldn’t stop them from taking the appearance of a fallen comrade and slicing the throat of a pony to feast on something fresher. It got so bad that both sides agreed to a temporary truce to eradicate the changelings before returning to their battle.

Never knowing who was friend and who was foe kept Luna up most nights. In those times, Nightmare Moon would whisper to her the most, and she could do nothing more than allow those hollow words lull her to sleep. Shaking those thoughts away, she gets back on track.

“Do we have any inkling of what their motives are?”

Blossom takes a moment, herself also falling back to the war and when she first encountered changelings. War is Tartarus, but those creatures exist on a level lower than that. To her, there was only one reason why they came, and now should be no different.

“They only showed up during the war to eat. Perhaps after all this time, that feast has given way to hunger.”

This is a disturbing observation, but one that Luna can’t deny. From what they could glean from those creatures, they only live through consuming the essence of others. To what extent this ability works is entirely unknown, but Luna knows that not even death can stop them from feasting on a pony. They preferred though taking captives alive.

“I unfortunately agree with you. If that’s the case, they’ll only grow desperate as starvation sets in.”

“I will monitor their movements.” Blossom assures. “Either way. I believe you have a festival to attend.”

Luna nods. “Correct. Outstanding work, Blossom. I will stop by soon for a status report.”

“Good day.” Blossom gives a head bow as Luna leaves.

Luna takes a moment to take in this entire situation. She must be vigilant to ensure no harm comes to her ponies.

Anon continues to look out the window and watch as the building and ponies roll by on their way to the colosseum. For the most part, he’s been thinking about how to handle things moving forward regarding his relationship with Celestia. Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Applejack are prime examples of what he should come to expect from ponies who catch a glimpse of the feather on his chest. It’s obvious they want to ask about it, but none have said a word; Instead, keeping to their conversations.

Celestia has also kept her silence on it, giving Anon the power to control the situation. So, he’s been thinking. What’s the most effective way of dealing with this? The answer is obvious but makes him nervous. Celestia will have to make an announcement to her ponies and confirm her relationship. She’s wearing a ring on her horn; Anon has the feather; the gossip will start as soon as they exit the carriage and walk around the festival.

There’s no other choice in dealing with this. Celestia is a princess. They can’t keep things between them secret. For a moment, he considers hiding the feather but decides against it. This is proof of their love for one another. He can’t just hide it and pretend it doesn’t exist, not after everything that’s happened. There’s a lapse in conversation, so Anon gets this over with.

“Celestia and I are dating.” He doesn’t look their way, opting to keep his gaze out the window instead. “I’d rather you not make a big deal out of it.” Looking away from the window, Anon turns his sights to Celestia. “I think you should make an announcement about us. It’ll be obvious to everyone once we’re at the festival.”

She gives him a loving smile while searching his eyes with a questioning gaze.

“Are you certain about this? I do not take this decision lightly because everything will change once the truth comes out”

Anon returns a reluctant smile. “I’m not certain about anything, but I can’t lie about loving you.”

Celestia says nothing and instead pulls Anon close as she holds him tightly.

“Understood. At the opening speech, I will tell everyone.” She pulls back to face Anon. “Do you regret picking me?”

Being in Celestia’s embrace like this does things to Anon’s mind. He can’t help but feel an almost uncontrollable urge to relay how much she means to him. So, where words fail him, he can only answer in a way he knows she would. He leans in and kisses her. One she returns smoothly and with a smile. Once they pull away, Anon quickly looks back out the window to avoid others' gaze.

“Oh, my...” Fluttershy speaks up. “Well, I’m sure everyone will be happy to hear you’ve found someone you fancy, Princess.”

“Thank you, Fluttershy. I can only hope some will give us the proper space, but I know all too well that many won’t. Anon and I are new to this, so figuring out these emotions without outside influence will be difficult.”

“When did this all happen?” Pinkie pops up between Celestia and Anon.

Celestia chuckles. “Are you certain you wish to hear about it?”

The girls give a nod; even AJ’s ears perk up as she continues to look out the window.

“Alright. I found out my feelings for Anon some time ago.”

Anon ignores this as he continues to stare off into nothing. Something isn’t right. At this moment, he’d expect himself to be thinking about all the horrible things that may happen once Celestia gives her announcement, but those thoughts are absent, and the only thing to take their place is that cold embrace.

Entering the Colosseum, Anon notices the enormous crowd waiting just outside the gates as they cheer and bow for their Princess. Soon everything is replaced with giant ivory walls that stretch far past his vision in the carriage before the light of the sun breaks through into a vast array of stands that litter the front entrance. He’s honestly impressed by how much they squeezed in one area.

There are ponies a plenty who run these stands and are hard doing any last-minute changes before the crowd’s let in. Anon even catches a glimpse of Bonbon and Lyra working their stand, but he rides past before they notice him. He will pay them a visit soon to make sure everything is running smoothly. As they ride through what feels like a never-ending assortment of shops, it breaks open to an area where various carnival-like games are played.

Then past that is the large stadium where most of the athletic events are being held. They carry on to the back, where Anon notices Shining Armor standing in wait for the carriage. Once it’s stopped, the door is opened, and Celestia grabs Anon’s attention by bumping him slightly with her wing. When he looks at her, she gives him a smile before nodding her head for him to exit.

He gets out, and the others follow, with Celestia being the last. Shining Armor bows low for her before rising to his feet. He doesn’t look at anyone but the Princess.

“We’re ready to escort you to the podium.” He announces.

“One moment, please.” Celestia turns to Twilight. “Show your friends around before things get hectic. I’ll see you later.”

“Alright. H-Have fun.” Twilight says the last part hesitantly.

“You too.” Celestia moves over to Anon and rests a wing on his shoulder as Twilight escorts her friends back over to the stands. “So much to do and so little time it seems.”

“Hopefully for only today.”

Anon and her make their way to a podium that sits in the middle of the stadium. Clearly, this is the best place for her to greet her ponies both before the festival starts and at the end. With practiced grace, Celestia walks up the steps and stands in wait for her subjects to gather. Shining and a small platoon set up a perimeter around the podium to keep ponies a safe distance.

Now all Celestia and Anon have to do is wait for the crowd to gather around for the announcement. Celestia looks over to Anon.

“What would you like to do once the festival starts?”

He shrugs. “What are you going to do?”

“Whatever you want to do.”

Well, it seems Anon will not get out of this easily. Then again, he has been trying to be more involved with this relationship. So even though this is his first event, he’ll try to take the lead.

“I’d like to stop by and check on Bonbon and Lyra.”

“That can be arranged. I have to chat with Fancy Pants afterward to double-check if things are still running well on his end. What else?”

Anon rubs his chin in thoughts. “Uh...” This is harder than he thought. He’s honestly fine as long as Celestia is there. “I guess playing a few games wouldn’t hurt?”

“Do you have anything in mind?”

“I-um...”

Anon can feel a wave of fatigue weighing on him. Being put on the spot like this, in a situation he’s not familiar with, it’s throwing his head for a loop. He’s rapidly trying to think of what he saw, what they could do, and everything else that entails. Just as he feels himself becoming lost, a wing rests on his shoulders.

“Sorry.” Celestia looks at him guiltily. “I let myself get carried away. How about we walk around and see what catches our fancy?”

Anon calms. “Y-Yeah... That sounds good.”

She hugs him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Once they break apart, Celestia looks over to see ponies already making their way over. It won’t take long before they arrive, and with their audience, she shall start the festival and proclaim her love for Anon to the public. Though no matter what happens, their relationship will be in their hooves, or hands respectively.

“There’s so many places!” Pinkie proclaims.

“Well, it is the festival, and business’ will thrive today.” Twilight remarks as she points out a few other shops, but then finds her gaze drift over to Anon’s candy store.

“Shouldn’t we be joining these other ponies for the announcement?” AJ states.

Twilight shakes herself back to the present. “You can. I have to start my duties for the festival. Maybe I’ll see you later?”

“Of course.” Fluttershy answers. “It was nice talking to you again, Twilight.”

“S-Same.” Twilight notices a certain flutter in her heart. It’s been some time since she’s spent time with her friends. While they appear more mature than she last recalls, she’s happy that who they are hasn’t changed. “Before leaving.” Twilight points to Anon’s shop. “That’s Anon’s candy store. I highly suggest trying it if you haven’t already.”

“Will do!” Pinkie confirms.

Twilight gives them a soft smile before looking down at Spike. “Show them around and have some fun.”

“Are you sure? I don’t mind coming with you.”

“I’ll be fine.” She rubs his head. “Go on; the Crusaders haven’t seen you in so long.”

“Alright, but if you need any help, you know how to reach me.”

Twilight gives him a nod as they set off towards the gathering of ponies. Today differs from yesterday. She feels confident and ready to take on her task. With a smile she hasn’t given since before everything that happened, Twilight trots to her first assignment.

Finally, it’s time for Celestia to start the event. A microphone sits in front of her to broadcast her voice all over Canterlot for those who are still making their way or are too busy with other things to attend. She’s as calm and collected as she always is, and when briefly looking over at Anon, she can’t help the smile that breaks past her Princess Mask before she turns back to face the crowd.

“Welcome, my little ponies.” The crowd gives a cheer before falling silent. “Today we gather to celebrate and watch creatures of all types push themselves to their limits to attain glory. Many have trained most of their lives just for the chance to be number one, but such a title is not given lightly. Though in the end, we shall praise the blood, sweat and tears that have been shed. As now is the official start to the festival.”

The crowd lets out a collective roar, and Celestia allows them to burn some of their enthusiasm before raising a hoof to calm them.

“I have one more announcement to make before you leave. Though it is rather personal.” The crowd quiets down immediately and look curiously at their Princess. “It would not be right to keep you all in the dark, and I’d prefer it not to be passed around as a rumor. So, I would like to officially announce that I’ve begun dating.”

Another collective roar leaves the ponies, with even some whistles here and there. Celestia smiles before waving Anon over.

“Please treat him with kindness.” She says while placing a wing on his shoulder, pulling him to her side. “We’d only ask that you give us some space, as we’re new to this sort of thing.” The crowd continues to cheer. “Thank you all for understanding. Now go and enjoy the festivities.”

The ponies give a round of applause before walking off. Anon can tell a lot of them are talking to one another, most likely about Celestia dating. He lets out a sigh of relief that nothing crazy happened.

“See, it wasn’t so bad.” Celestia states.

“I guess.”

“How about we head over to your store?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Taking his place by Celestia’s side, a bit of optimism does wash over Anon for a brief moment but something about today doesn’t feel right. Either way, he’ll try and go with the flow and enjoy his time with Celestia.

Author's Note

Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. Whatever else is said. Enjoy this chapter and lets see if 2021 is better than this year.

Over one's shoulder

This sinking pit in Anon’s stomach hasn’t let up. Celestia and him walk side by side towards where Bonbon set up the candy stand but he can’t help but scan the area for anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it had something to do with what Blossom vaguely warned him about, or maybe he’s still on the fence about the announcement. He doesn’t know why, but his body is shouting at him to keep his guard up.

“Is everything alright?”

Anon’s eyes snap over to Celestia as his nerves settle. Looking into her eyes brings some clarity to his mind. Why is he worrying about nothing? Celestia is here, he’s safe.

“I just feel as if something about today is off.” He answers honestly before returning his gaze to the crowd as he looks about. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the announcement.”

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Celestia assures him. “Just try to concentrate on what’s important.”

Anon takes a deep breath to clear his thoughts. Focus on what’s important? Well, he has to admit that the ponies appear to be acting normally after the announcement. Of course, many of them briefly look their way, mumble a few things, then return to whatever it was they were doing. They are respecting Celestia’s wish for privacy, and despite a few nobles who turn their nose up at Anon, things are civil.

“I’m surprised there aren’t any paparazzi around covering our story,” Anon remarks.

Celestia can tell that Anon is still on edge, but she can understand why. He’s never been one for crowds and there are so many ponies around them that even she is unnerved, but being by her side is keeping him calm.

“There are plenty of distractions because of the festival. I’m sure once things settle, they will be out in force to pry into our private lives.” She nuzzles him. “Nevertheless, that in time will pass and we’ll be left to our own devices.”

“Makes sense.”

The stand where Bonbon and Lyra set up is within view, and from afar Anon can already see the start of a line forming. On his approach, he notices a chef’s hat bobbing up and down behind the counter before it heads into the back, which he can assume is Little Dipper. There’s Lyra at the register taking orders, but Bonbon is nowhere in sight. Lyra is the first to notice Anon but immediately averts her gaze.

Things will be awkward with her for some time, so he walks past without a word and toward the back. Parting a cloth divider, he finds a small mobile kitchen in place, on the off chance that everything is sold. Only a few ponies are working today, Little Dipper, Butter Hooves, and Spoony. They give Anon a salute, to which he waves before walking towards a small desk tucked away in the corner where Bonbon sits.

“So, how are things going?” He asks.

Bonbon sets down her paperwork and looks up at Anon with an enormous smile before launching herself out of her seat and up into his arms.

“I heard the announcement! Congratulations!”

This shouldn’t surprise him, but even so, they have business to conduct right now. He sets her down on her hooves and brushes off some fur that she left behind.

“Thank you. Back on topic. How are things going?”

“No, no, no. You’re not going to gloss over the fact that you’re dating the princess.” Bonbon returns to her seat before motioning Anon over to the other side of the table. “Tell me all about it.”

A defeated sigh leaves him before he takes his seat across from Bonbon, Celestia sitting beside him.

“Remember that cake we were baking?”

“Of course.”

“Well, one thing led to another and Celestia told me how she felt. I already knew I liked her, so after some convincing, we started dating.”

“It makes sense that you two were into each other.” Bonbon looks over to the Princess. “I’m happy for you. I’m sure it’s tough being the ruler and all.”

“Being the ruler makes any relationship complicated with creatures of this land. Thankfully, Anon has never treated me in such a way. I believe this is why we’ve grown so close and why I want no one but him in my life.” Anon rubs the back of his neck as his face reddens. He hates when Celestia talks like this. “I’d also like to apologize for having to put my hoof down with your significant other,” Celestia adds. “Granting the circumstances, I could no longer allow what’s been happening between her and Anon.”

Bonbon’s ears pin back. So that’s why Lyra has been acting so strange lately.

“I should be the one apologizing.” Bonbon looks to her hooves in shame. “I couldn’t get her under control and now this is how things have turned out. Though,” When Bonbon looks up at Celestia, she appears relieved. “Having Anon officially dating is a load off my withers.”

“Be that as it may, I was perhaps a bit too aggressive.”

“It’s understandable.” Bonbon looks over to Anon. “Things are slow right now, but the festival has just started. It won’t be long before things start picking up. We’ve got it covered here, so have fun for once.”

Anon wants to offer some help but knows that ultimately this is a losing battle. Not to mention she has plenty of qualified ponies to lend her a hoof and he still has some things to take care of with Celestia.

“I know when I’m not welcome here.” Anon relents as he gets up and walks towards the front, giving Bonbon a wave. “I’ll see you later.”

“See you later!” Bonbon waves back as they exit the stand and back into the crowd.

“So, Fancy Pants?” Anon asks Celestia.

“Yes. He should be at the information booth. It shouldn’t take too long to speak with him. Then after that, we can walk around and enjoy some games.”

“You sure we can afford to do that?”

Celestia giggles. “Your friend was right. It’s a slow start but once things move, any chance to enjoy ourselves will pass.”

Anon can’t deny that. So with that settled, the both of them make their way over to the information booth.

“I’ve got two griffs missing and I can’t find them.” An older griffon says to Twilight. “We all came on the same train, so those knuckleheads are probably off in the crowd.”

“Understood. I will mobilize a small regiment of the guard to search for them. There is still plenty of time before the start of the athletic event, but they may miss out on some time stretching.”

“A pulled hamstring would serve them right.” He growls. “Thanks for the help. Let me know when you find them.”

“Will do!” Twilight walks over to a nearby guard. “I have two missing griffins.” She hoofs him a piece of parchment detailing the two. “Here are their names and descriptions. Please have my brother send out a small group to bring them here. They’re probably just goofing off.”

The guard gives her a brief nod before walking off. Twilight looks over her tasks to ensure everything is in order. Thankfully, the major events aren’t starting for a few hours, as to let ponies enjoy the festivities before finding a place to relax and enjoying the various trials. So far all the teams have been prepared and are doing their stretches to warm up.

Not to mention many of the event preppers have everything ready to swiftly move set pieces around. The first event is a standard relay race, so there’s not much to worry about other than making sure all the teams are ready. After that though is the weights competition, so moving all those bars into place will prove challenging. Of course, there’s also a magic casting event, which requires protection for the crowd in case of any errant spells.

Then there’s the biggest event: The flying race. Many species will compete, and there are plenty of obstacles for them during flight. For all these events, Twilight has medics on standby. While unlikely, any injuries will need to be addressed promptly. Twilight wipes the sweat from her brow. This is exhausting but fun! Being able to focus on something else is a breath of fresh air.

Taking a step into the stadium, she looks over the crowd in the distance. Once things get started, she’ll need to move over to the crowd side and make sure ponies make it into the stadium without issue.

“Twilight, we have a problem. One of the moving crew threw out his back. We need somepony to replace him.”

Twilight smiles as she turns to face the mare. “I can easily move whatever is needed now, then we can concentrate on getting a replacement.”

“So what have you been up to?” Sweetie Belle asks Spike.

The Crusaders and Spike stand in the crowd while Pinkie, AJ, and Fluttershy talk amongst themselves about what they should do first.

“Just a few things around the castle.” He remarks while glancing at the various games. “How about you three? Still trying to find your cutie marks?”

“Not really.” Scootaloo comes in. “Rarity has been busy lately, so we’ve been helping Sweetie Belle around her house.”

“But we’re still making a list of what we plan to do once Rarity is done.” Apple Bloom adds.

Ever since he learned the truth about Ponyville, Spike has taken a lot of time to think about his friends. How he plays a part in their lives and how much they mean to him. The innocent visor was lifted away, and Spike realized that his love for Rarity was just a farce. While he knows Rarity can be very generous, he can’t deny her cruelty as well. She knew he liked her, and yet she strung him along for her benefit.

So while he worries about her, a part of him is still upset by what she did to him.

“Spike?” Scootaloo whispers to him, looking over her withers at the others for a moment, making sure only he and the other Crusaders can hear her.

“Yeah?”

“Do you know what’s happened in Ponyville?”

Spike’s eyes widen a bit before he calms himself. It shouldn’t be a huge surprise that the Crusaders may have heard some stuff about what happened, but he’ll prod them a bit to make sure.

“What do you mean?”

Apple Bloom moves closer to Spike too.

“The day you and Twilight left, Applejack was hurt pretty bad and no pony would tell me why. Even after that, Applejack just kept telling me it was nothing to worry about.”

“It’s the same with my sister.” Sweetie Belle confirms. “After that day, she fell into this project and won’t leave her room.”

“I also haven’t seen Rainbow Dash in a long time.” Scootloo’s wings droop. “And all the fillies and colts at school keep saying that the elements did something wrong. Is that why Rainbow is gone?”

Spike isn’t sure how to respond to this. Then, he recalls what Anon told him the night he learned the truth. He can either allow the Crusaders to remain ignorant or he can tell them the truth. Spike does something he’s only seen Twilight and Anon do; he puts on a fake smile.

“Oh, that stuff? It’s nothing. We’ve just got a lot of stuff to do for the Princess.”

The Crusaders visibly relax as their smiles come back.

“Really?” Sweetie Belle asks.

“Of course. I know it’s tough right now and it will take some time, but everything will go back to normal.”

Scootaloo walks over and elbows Apple Bloom. “See! It’s just Element stuff!”

“I guess we were worried over nothing.”

The entire mood of the group has lifted considerably and while Spike feels sick to his stomach that he lied to them, he also can’t deny that ruining this day would’ve been worse.

“So when are you and Twilight coming home?” Sweetie Belle asks.

“Home?”

“Yeah! To the library!” Scootaloo comes in.

Despite the churning in his stomach, Spike continues to smile.

“Twilight and I are still busy with a few things, but I’m sure we’ll be back home in no time!”

Everyone here is filled with laughter and cheer. There are so many things to do that it’s enough to make a pony’s head spin. Where there is so much happiness all around, Pinkie can only focus on Spike. A shiver running up her spine as he gives the crusaders a smile that reminds her of Anon when he’s hiding his emotions. She couldn’t help but hear their conversation, but she didn’t expect to see this.

“Maybe we should get the girls worn out before eating?” AJ puts her two cents in.

“That may be the best idea. Then after we can head over to the main events.” Fluttershy adds.

“Still, what should we do first? There’s so much to choose from.”

“What do you think, Pinkie?”

Pinkie breaks from her thoughts as she looks over at Fluttershy and AJ.

“Well, why not something we’re familiar with first?”

Pinkie points over to a ‘bobbing for apples’ stand where plenty of ponies are giving their all to grab one.

“A small snack couldn’t hurt.” AJ nods in agreement.

“Sounds good to me.” Fluttershy walks over to the Crusaders and Spike. “Let’s try bobbing for apples first.”

“That’ll be easy!” Scootaloo announces as they walk over to the stand.

Pinkie sidles up close to Spike before leaning close and whispering to him.

“Hey, Spike. Do you mind if I talk to you real quick?”

He jumps in surprise before looking up at Pinkie. It’s strange, but he gets the sense that Pinkie isn’t herself, even though her smile looks as normal as it usually does.

“Ok.”

Pinkie leads Spike away from the others without a word, but Fluttershy gives a sidelong glance before returning her attention to the others as they wait in line. Once Pinkie leads Spike to a more secluded place, she pauses in thought on how to approach this subject.

“Are you alright, Pinkie?” Spike asks. “You’re not acting like yourself.”

Pinkie lets out a long sigh. “Was it that obvious?”

“Kinda.” Spike twiddles his claws. “I’ve been getting better at reading ponies recently.”

Pinkie can tell just by looking at Spike that he’s not the same drake she knew. Just the way he speaks is enough to tell her he’s done a lot of growing up since last she saw him. Though she can only guess it was out of necessity due to whatever’s been going on.

“When did you learn about Ponyville?” Pinkie asks.

He is surprised that Pinkie knew, but the sad look she’s giving him is exactly the one Anon had the night Spike learned the truth.

“After Anon’s party,” he answers. “Luna told me and then a lot of stuff happened.”

Pinkie kneels. “I’d like to hear about it if it’s not too much trouble.”

“Um, sure, but why?”

“A lot is going on that I don’t understand, and I’d like to know as much as I can before making my decision.”

“Decision about what?”

“Can you keep a secret?” Spike nods. “I want Anon to help me get my friends back on their hooves.”

“I don’t know how my story will help, but I’ll try.”

Pinkie gives him a smile and pat on the head. This information will hopefully give Pinkie a good idea of what’s happening and how she’ll approach Anon with this subject. After learning that Anon is dating the Princess, Pinkie is hesitant in adding more pressure to him. While she wants to help her friends, she doesn’t want to lose Anon either.

Anon stands beside Celestia as she chats with Fancy Pants. He continues to scan the area for anything out of the ordinary but finds nothing. A long and tiring sigh leaves him as he rubs the back of his neck. Being paranoid about nothing is just going to ruin this day Celestia and him have together. He needs to concentrate on something else.

Shifting his gaze, he studies the various games that are on display for everyone to play. A lot of the games look similar to ones from Earth but have been modified for ponies to use. Though what catches his attention is the griffin ran games. These are the same as the ones from Earth, most likely because they can use their talons like hands.

“You look nervous.”

Anon jumps as he finds Spitfire standing beside him. He can’t help the smile on his face.

“Hey, it’s been a while.”

“The life of a Wonderbolt is difficult.” Spitfire gives a fake sob. “Day in and day out, I was forced to train for today.” She looks up at Anon with a grin. “Or something like that.”

“I take it you’ll be judging the contestants?”

“Pretty much. I have an aerial dance before the start of the flying event, but after that, I’ll be monitoring any potential talent to recruit.”

Anon’s brow raises. “Aerial dance?”

“Oh, yeah, this is your first festival. It’s a dance in the sky without magic. It shows how much power and control a pegasus needs in their wings to keep them perfectly leveled in the sky. This year it’s my turn.”

“Sounds impressive.”

“You’ll understand once you see it.” Spitfire’s ears perk up as a tone is heard from a nearby speaker. “They’re calling everyone back in to get ready. Congratulations on dating the princess, by the way.”

“Thanks,” is all Anon can say as Spitfire takes off.

“Have a pleasant chat?”

Anon looks back at Celestia. “Yeah. You good?”

“Everything is going as planned. So, are you ready to enjoy some games?”

“Of course.”

Anon leads the way towards the games, feeling a lot better after having talked to Spitfire. Maybe his nerves were all for nothing?

Unfinished business

Pinkie stands a few paces away as Spike and the Crusaders have fun playing games together. Their smiles and cheer lifting some of her worries away but her mind returns to everything Spike and her talked about. So much has happened since she last saw Anon and she can’t even begin to understand why he’s helping Twilight. Just when she thinks she knows him, he ends up doing something she thought was unthinkable.

All of these thoughts could be easily solved by asking him about everything but her resolve for having him help with the girls has been shaken. Pinkie’s gaze drifts over to AJ. She’s been trying to play off as if nothing is wrong, took her punishment and learned a lesson but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Ever since that day, Applejack has isolated herself.

Where she would regularly leave the farm for one reason or another, she now chooses to work day in and day out. Never stepping hoof in Ponyville, instead sending her brother or sister to town if she needs anything. The guilt she has is as clear as day to Pinkie. What she did to Anon, she buries it just like everything else.

As for Rarity, she’s so far gone that Pinkie is terrified just being around her. Not that Rarity wants to be around anyone to begin with. She continues to lock herself in her room, only leaving to take care of the basic necessities. It’s why Pinkie has taken in Sweetie Belle so much. She’d like to think that Rarity wouldn’t hurt her sister but taking that chance isn’t something Pinkie plans to do.

Then there’s Rainbow Dash... Pinkie has no idea where she is or what she’s doing but she can only hope she’s alright. Pinkie sighs as the weight of the situation washes over her. Even she doesn’t know if having Anon by her side would help solve these issues. There’s a chance it could make it worse but she can’t just sit around and do nothing!

“Pinkie.”

Pinkie looks up and comes face to face with Fluttershy. She notices a burning around her eyes and quickly wipes her tears away.

“H-Hey, Fluttershy! These games look pretty fun!” Pinkie tries to give her a fake smile but the stern look she gets in return causes her withers to sag. “Sorry... I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Let’s try and enjoy today for what it is.” Fluttershy rests a wing onto Pinkie’s back and guides her to look towards the group. “See that?”

Pinkie watches as Spike urges AJ towards the kicking strength tester. She looks reluctant but that only causes the Crusaders to join in as they collectively drag her over.

“Alright, Alright! But don’t be mad when they kick us out after I clobber that thing.” AJ states with a genuine smile.

“I know you want to help the others but that will take time.” Fluttershy adds.

Pinkie takes a long breath in before letting out a long sigh. Fluttershy is right. Even with Anon’s help, they couldn’t solve everything overnight. This is an issue that requires time and patience. At the very least, she wants to talk to Anon about it and hear what he has to say. Knowing if he’s on board or not will help with planning for the future.

With those thoughts sorted out, Pinkie joins the others to play a few games together.

Luna walks among the crowd as her gaze shifts to and fro for anything out of the ordinary. She has a lot on her mind with the current happenings. This Changeling business being what worries her most. It’s why she’s kept her distance from her sister and Anon for the time being to search the area to calm her nerves. Thankfully, nothing out of the ordinary.

Though there are still plenty of things on her mind as she continues to search. The announcement came as a shock but was inevitable. The way her sister publicly displays affection for Anon would’ve undoubtedly brought questions from their subjects. Add the primary feather he wears and the ring upon her horn and it would be a no brainer. It’s better to snuff out rumors with the truth and see where everything lies. From what Luna can tell, ponies are joyful over how much happier Celestia looks when with Anon.

That puts Luna’s heart at ease but there’s one last thing she cannot deny... Nightmare Moon. Anon's infatuation with that parasite is baffling to her. Adding the fact that Luna has no idea what that demon’s motives are has her on edge. Nothing Luna says will change Anon’s mind. All she can do is sit back and prepare for the worst case scenario.

So many nights she’s questioned why the Elements didn’t destroy that leech. Why did they find the need to lock it inside her mind to torment her endlessly? She shakes those thoughts away. It doesn’t matter anymore. As long as Luna keeps Nightmare disconnected from the Hall of dreams, then any interaction with Anon is impossible. Keeping a close eye on those two, she’ll be ready to save Anon when that monster shows her true colors.

Returning to her task, Luna’s gaze shifts over to something out of the ordinary. It’s only for a brief moment but she catches the vacant gaze of a pony standing motionlessly away from the crowd. Never breaking her stride, she continues on in the hopes that it didn’t notice. The way that pony stood, it brought back a foul memory from her past.

“We have lost thirty five, Princess.” Blossom answers with a low bow.

“Rise, Captain.” Luna commands and can see the frustration clear on her face. “Speak freely. What’s on your mind?”

“How much longer do we have to be out here? Each passing day I keep wondering who else I know is going to be buried in this forsaken land.”

Luna gets out of her seat, walks over and rests a hoof onto Blossom’s withers.

“I don’t have the answer you seek, Blossom. I also pine for the day that you all may return home to never see this tartarus again. However, this cannot be until we snuff out the forces before us. For if we back down now, all that we fight for, all that our friends have died for, will be for nothing.”

Blossom grits her teeth in response. “Damned if we do and damned if we don’t.”

“Get some rest. You cannot expect yourself to carry this weight on a body hanging by a thread.” Luna states before heading towards the exit.

“What about you?” Blossom says. “When was the last time you’ve slept?”

Luna doesn’t turn to face her but gives a chuckle in response. “Somepony has to watch the troops as they rest. Goodnight, Captain.”

Luna leaves before Blossom can say anything and takes a stroll around the camp to make sure nothing is out of the ordinary. A few ponies are doing some last minute preparations before heading to bed but Luna takes notice of something strange. There’s a single soldier not in uniform and he’s just standing in place with a thousand yard stare.

A soldier walks over to the pony and tries to talk to him but doesn’t get a response in return. Just as Luna is about to head over to investigate, the pony bites the soldier by the neck and pins him down as his screams echo into the night. Everypony is out of their tents and ready for whatever is happening, blocking Luna’s view. She teleports to where the two were and her eyes widen when she finds a black insect-like pony creature with its fangs in the pony’s throat.

As soon as their eyes met, the creature changed back into a pony and took off into the night. Luna was so shocked by this that she couldn’t react. In a heartbeat, she checks the pony who was attacked and finds that he’s dead. Not because of the bite but because all of his essence was drained.

That was the first time she encountered a changeling. She couldn’t act back then due to the shock but her lesson was learned. There’s little doubt in her mind that the pony she saw was a changeling. Lighting up her horn, she contacts Blossom to let her know what she just found. They’re most likely collecting information, so any chance of them attacking today is unlikely but now she must inform her sister about this development.

Anon is standing beside Celestia as he focuses intently on the balloon in front of him. After a moment of pause he throws the dart and hits it dead center, causing it to pop and shower the stand in confetti. Celestia clops her hooves in celebration as Anon just lets out a sigh.

“Congratulations!” The pony behind the counter shouts. “First prize goes to you!”

The pony floats over a comically large stuffed toy that looks to be modeled from a manticore. Anon leans away as it gets closer and instead steps aside as he waves for Celestia to take it.

“For you.”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

Celestia takes the manticore and hugs it to her barrel with a smile on her face. Anon is just happy to not have the magic of a stranger near him anymore or to carry that giant thing. Looking around at all the various game booths: The games in this area are meant for ponies, so there aren’t many that he can do but thankfully this dart game was right up his alley.

They’ve been at this for what feel like hours and Anon is starting to become weighed down by being around so many creatures.

“How about we get something to drink?” Celestia offers while resting a wing on his shoulder.

“Yeah, that sounds fine.”

They walk over to the section that’s dedicated to various foods and drinks. There’s plenty of open spaces to sit, as well as typical fair foods that he would expect from Earth. Though, as per usual, a few of them have a pony flair to them. Such as the fried hay donut burger or the liquid apple fritter. Which Anon can only assume is a drink that tastes like an apple fritter.

“Sit here and I’ll get us something.”

Anon takes a seat and watches as Celestia walks over to one of the stands that’s offering cake flavored drinks. That puts a smile on his face. Tia will be Tia and having this moment is something he cherishes. He just wishes he was a bit stronger and didn’t feel sick just from being outside for too long. While his thoughts want to wander off to how worthless he is, he tries to focus on Tia.

It’s funny how all the ponies do a double take when they notice she’s standing in line with them. Though where they wouldn’t even give him a second glance, many of them look his way and point before whispering to one another. It’s to be expected. A wave of nausea hits Anon as his thoughts drift to other places. What if their relationship goes to the next level?

Did she really mean it when she said he would be crowned a king? What would a job like that entail? Just before his heart begins to race, something is placed in front of him and the scent of fried food fills his nostrils. He looks up to see Celestia giving him a gentle smile before taking her seat across from him.

“Since we’re here, I thought it’d be fun to try out a few things.”

Returning his gaze down, he finds a paper plate with flat fried patties? He’s unsure, as they’re cut into random shapes but it certainly smells good. There’s also a cup of some kind of blue looking slushie.

“You didn’t eat breakfast this morning.” Celestia states matter of factly. “It’s understandable that you’re on edge right now. Just relax and eat, you’ll feel better after.”

She’s always considerate of how things are affecting him and the agony of not being better drifts away as Anon accepts what’s happening. He reaches down and eats one of the fried things and flinches in surprise by a taste he’s long since forgotten. This is a chicken nugget.

“I hope it’s to your liking. A griffin over there is selling it and I thought you’d enjoy it.”

Anon eyes begin to waver as he tries to understand why he’s about to cry. He’s not sad nor is he happy. Is it because he’s relieved? Since coming to Equestria, there are some things he will never experience again. Some of it is technology and the other has to do with meat related food and while Anon has largely ignored it, having something so familiar while being surrounded by things of pure fantasy has brought him comfort.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve had this.” Anon reaches up and clears his eyes. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. I didn’t make it.” Celestia says still unsure why Anon’s reaction was so verseral.

“Not for the food but for getting me out of that crowd.” Anon looks up at Celestia. “I love you.”

Looking into his eyes, she can tell that he’s happy right now and that’s all that matters to her.

“I love you too. Now eat up, the events will be starting soon.”

“Alright.”

Celestia takes a sip of her drink but notices a strange disturbance of magic nearby. Odd but it could be some pony getting ready for the magic event, so she doesn’t pay it any mind but what she does pay attention to is her sister pushing through the crowd towards her. The look she has on her face is one that puts Celestia on edge. It’s a lot like the mask she wore just before going to battle.

Once she’s close enough to the table does she speak out.

“Hello, Sister. Anon.” Luna gives a nod to Anon before returning her gaze to her sister. “I have urgent news and it’s paramount that we discuss this in private.” Her eyes flicker to Anon for only a second. “Just the two of us.”

Hearing that is almost enough to cause Celestia fur to stand up but once again she pushes down her emotions and puts on her princess mask.

“Immediately?” Celestia asks.

“I’d rather it not wait.” Luna states.

Anon can tell that something big is going on and it’s definitely connected to what Blossom cryptically warned him about earlier. Celestia’s gaze turns to him and he can see that she’s reluctant to leave but from Luna’s tone, he knows she has to go.

“Attention, the first event will start in one hour. Please be sure to find a seat immediately.”

Anon looks away from the intercom and back to Celestia. “I’ll be waiting at our seats.”

Celestia bites her lip but knows that Anon is intentionally giving her an out. He’s right, the event is starting, he’ll be fine. She leans in and gives him a kiss but doesn’t pull back far and instead speaks in a low voice.

“Head to the back of the stadium, that’s where you’ll find Shining Armor, he’ll show you to our seats.”

“Understood.”

Celestia gets up from her seat and gives Anon an unsure look but a single nod from him is enough for Luna to teleport them both. Now, Anon is alone as he sits at the table with an empty plate and drink. All the wind has left his sails. He couldn’t care less about this festival. Celestia is the only reason he’s here and enjoying it. By himself, this is pointless.

Getting up, he tosses his trash into the nearest bin before making his way towards the stadium. Walking through the crowd Anon does take note of something on the wind.

“Alright, everyone! No pushing! There’s plenty of time to find your seats!”

Is that Twilight? Looming over everything, Anon looks further ahead to see Twilight is directing ponies to their seats. Keeping his distance but moving out of the way of the other ponies, he finds himself intrigued by this. Twilight is sweating, looks like a mess but there’s a noticeable smile on her face. She is a workaholic, so it makes sense that she enjoys working to keep her mind preoccupied.

Though deep down he gets that’s not all there is to it. She’s happy because she’s happy. Anon sighs. What is he doing? Just standing here like a weirdo watching Twilight.

“Hey! You two!” Twilight screams at two stallions roughly trying to push one another. “Your flanks are holding up the line! Move it!” She shakes her head as they shape up and walk through. She’s been at this for a good half hour now and she’s already exhausted from everything else she’s been doing but then her eye catches another group. “Hey, Girls!” She waves them over.

Pinkie, Fluttershy, AJ, Spike and the Crusaders push through the crowd over to Twilight.

“Hey! How’s it been on your end?” Spike asks.

“Pretty tough but-” Twilight looks off into the crowd. “What did I say about pushing! Celestia I swear I’ll teleport you to the back of the line if you keep it up!” Twilight gives her friends a sheepish smile. “I think I’m getting the hang of it.”

Her friends are surprised by her assertiveness but find it a breath of fresh air when compared to how she usually is.

“Well, we don’t want to take any more of your time.” AJ comes in. “So we’ll be heading in.”

“Why don’t you join our private booth?” Twilight offers. “I’d still like to talk with you girls during the events.”

“If it’s not too much to ask.” Fluttershy comes in.

“It’ll be fine.” Twilight points to a separate entrance. “I still have to stay here for a moment but head down that way and my brother will show you the way. Spike, can you escort them?”

“Can do!”

“Thanks.”

Spike leads the girls past Twilight and now she’s back in action directing all the ponies. The line is starting to thin out quickly, so not as many ponies are being pushed as they were a moment ago. Gazing around, she finds her eyes settle on Anon. He’s just standing there in thought. Has he been keeping an eye on her? She doesn’t know but she notices that the princess isn’t with him.

An overwhelming dread sinks into her very bones as the thinned crowd has disappeared into the stadium. It’s just Anon and her at this point and yet something about this moment feels surreal to her. Anon is still lost in thought but for Twilight she’s hyper focused on him. Today has been a good day and yet she couldn’t shake away the feeling that something was off.

Time is now moving at a snail's pace. The sounds and smells are replaced with stillness. This moment, it’s happened to her before. When she fought Nightmare Moon and Discord, there was a moment like this where she felt if she didn’t act then she would lose everything. Then she sees it out of the corner of her eye. Everything in the world has become muted of color but the flash of light and rainbow halo in the distance stands out against the sky.

Her mind is too slow to process what’s happening but her body is already in motion as she teleports herself in front of Anon. He breaks from his thoughts in fright but she doesn’t acknowledge it as she casts a powerful shield around them. It felt like all of this took place in the span of a few hours but, in the blink of an eye, Twilight flinches as an incredible force smashes into her shield, causing the entire structure to fracture in spider web like veins before shattering as the sonic boom blasts it away.

Twilight is panting heavily, eyes the size of pinpricks as she looks to the knocked out form of her friend Rainbow Dash. An eternity passes before she looks over her withers at Anon, who’s frozen in place, with only his eyes moving between her, where the shield was and Rainbow as his mind tries to comprehend what happened.

“A-Are you alri–” the words trail off as she’s quickly hit by a pain radiating from her horn. It’s been so long since she’s cast magic of this caliber but she can’t afford herself a moment to pass by. Tears begin forming at the ends of her eyes as she looks at Anon. “I’m sorry, Anon,” she mutters as the shock of what just happened sets in. “I’m so sorry.”

Is the only thing Twilight can say as she teleports herself and Rainbow away before anyone notices. Anon’s mind is too far gone after what happened. It’s sudden but everything goes white.

Nightmare is awoken by something that sends a shiver down her spine. She looks down to see that Anon is no longer holding onto her but before she can get back to her senses, she’s bombarded by a cry for help. She gets to her hooves and faces where the call came from. Only a few hooves away is Anon’s door. It’s wide open as a dark fog unlike any before gushes out before turning into a thick goo that pools around.

Her heart catches as an overwhelming sense of panic washes over her. It only takes her a few seconds to cast a spell to protect her psyche from this attack. A flash of anger takes hold but is just as quickly replaced with worry. Something life changing has happened to Anon and is causing him to have a mental breakdown. The dark emotion from before is amplified and is drenching Nightmare with more power than she can possibly contain.

Her ethereal mane and tail have grown by ten feet, the gleaming stars being replaced with entire galaxies. She’s never felt this much power and unlike before, she doesn’t contemplate how to use this to her advantage but instead rushes through the door to find Anon. When she enters, the door behind her slams shut and she’s drifting in a thick tar like sludge.

Without hesitation she casts a location spell and swims her way to find him. It doesn’t take long for her to come in contact with a force field that is keeping the sludge at bay but is rapidly shrinking. Pushing her way inside, she opens her wings to glide down and beside Anon who’s curled up into a ball.

“What is wrong?” She commands.

Anon draws in a sharp breath as if waking up, he’s disoriented as he looks around rapidly before setting his eyes on Nightmare.

“W-Where?” He puts a hand up to his skull as an intense pain shoots through him.

“You are dreaming.” She answers, taking a few cautious steps forward.

“Dream? Dream...” His memories slowly come back as he looks up at Nightmare surprised. “You look different.”

“Your negative emotion is giving me power.” She states. “Far more than I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

“Negative emotion?” It then dawns on Anon, what happened before things went white. “I was almost killed.”

“What do you mean?” Nightmare asked confused.

She grits her teeth as a flood of memories pour into her consciousness. She saw it, she felt it, everything. Why did that happen?

“Are you alright?” Anon asks moving closer to her.

“Do not treat me as if I’m some helpless mare.” Nightmare states with a sneer. “It’s time to wake up. Staying in this void will not help you come to terms with what happened.”

“I...” Anon looks to his feet. “I know you’re right but I can’t.”

“Why not?” Nightmare takes a step closer as the field around them shrinks.

“Rainbow Dash tried to kill me. I can’t lie to Celestia but if Luna finds out she might actually kill her. That’ll hurt Celestia and Twilight. I hate Twilight but she saved me. What if Rainbow tries again? What if the others have the same idea? What the hell do I do?”

Nightmare is only a hoofs length away from Anon as the darkness from the outside closes in. It’s difficult to see him like this because it only brings back the memories of her past. So much of her wants to hurt him, to take control, to be the monster others claim her to be and it hurts. It hurts so much. She closes her eyes and pulls him to her chest.

Anon’s eyes widen as Nightmare holds him, not because she’s doing something so strange but because he’s felt this sensation before. The embrace from this morning, it was her. It starts to fall into place for Anon. When Anon didn’t dream, it must’ve had something to do with Nightmare and she was comforting him. His fraying thoughts from before drift away as he hugs her back.

She feels so cold and yet he’s comfortable like this.

“It’s time to wake up.” Nightmare whispers.

Anon can’t even answer as he finds himself drifting off.

Anon’s eyes slowly drift open as he finds himself looking at an unfamiliar ceiling. He turns to his left and finds Shining Armor looking to his hooves deep in thought while Blossom paces in place.

“How did she break through the pegasi guard?” She questions.

“Considering her ‘Rainboom’ can accelerate her to the speed of sound, no one could’ve stopped her.” He answers. “What’s disturbing is why Anon was unconscious with no obvious signs of injury and Rainbow Dash missing.”

“And no one else saw this transpire?” Blossom asks, baffled.

Shining sighs. “It’s a festival. Fireworks are common. They most likely just thought it was a part of the event.”

Blossom growls under her breath. “Tartarus... We’re in the dark until Anon wakes.”

When she turns back to Anon, she’s surprised to find him staring back. A clear sense of relief washes over her as she walks to his bedside and rests a hoof on his hand.

“You had me worried. Are you alright?”

“Yeah.”

Shining steps up as well, though his focused gaze hasn’t let up as he faces Anon. “Sorry to be blunt but we don’t have much time to talk. What happened?”

Anon looks between Shining and Blossom. He doesn’t want to tell them the truth but they already have a grasp of what’s going on.

“Alright, but can we keep this between us?”

Blossom doesn’t say anything as she looks over to Shining Armor. He looks conflicted but gives a stern nod.

“I heard some of what you were saying and it’s spot on. The fact is, Rainbow Dash tried to kill me.”

Shining’s stoic demeanor breaks as his eyes widen before he quickly calms himself. Blossom on the other hand looks calm, too calm because for Anon, her entire aura is malevolent.

“What do you mean?” She questions with a deadly edge to her tone.

“It’s still a jumbled mess in my head but.” Anon takes a breath to try and collect his thoughts. “I noticed Twilight directing ponies at the entrance and paused in thought. I don’t know how long I was standing there but before I could even blink, Twilight teleported in front of me and created a shield. Seconds later, Rainbow crashed into it before falling to the ground unconscious. I couldn’t move or say anything but Twilight took Rainbow and teleported away. After that, I’m pretty sure I passed out from shock.”

“Twilight saved you?” Shining asks, hesitant.

Anon lets out a long sigh. “Yeah. There’s no doubt in my mind that if Twilight didn’t protect me, I’d be dead.”

“Where is Celestia?” Blossom comes in.

“Luna pulled her away for a moment, she told me Shining would take me to my seat, as it would take her some time before she came back. Then I saw Twilight in the distance directing ponies and got lost in thought.”

“What do we do?” Shining asks Blossom.

“We have to do our jobs.”

“Wait.” Anon stops them as they face him. “I’m not going to tell you what to do but I only have one favor to ask.”

“What’s that?” Blossom asks.

“Give Twilight some time.” Anon rubs his head some as his headache starts to subside. “While she’s dealing with Rainbow, I’ll talk to Celestia. If Twilight can’t handle Rainbow, you two can do whatever you want.”

“Does she have a plan?” Shining steps up.

“I doubt it but if she doesn’t come up with something, I don’t think Rainbow will get a slap on the wrist for this.”

Blossom studies Anon for a moment. Something about him is different. His entire aura is calmer than it should be considering what just happened and it’s also colder than she last recalls. However, his words ring true. If Shining and her step in, Rainbow would be lucky if she gets sent to the moon and not executed by Luna. However unlikely, Twilight may be the only key to Rainbow’s freedom.

“Very well.” Blossom relents before turning to Shining Armor. “If we act now the consequences would be immeasurable. I’m willing to put my trust in Anon. Can you do the same with your sister?”

Shining looks between Blossom and Anon for a moment before hanging his head.

“I don’t really have a choice.”

“Thank you.” Blossom says before facing Anon. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah, I’ll be up in a few minutes. After that I’ll go and wait for Celestia in the stands.”

“Alright. I must return to my duties.”

“I will be waiting by the entrance to show you the way.” Shining says before leaving Anon by himself.

Anon’s gaze drifts to the sheet that covers him as his vision begins to blur. That was almost it. For so long, death had no meaning to him. If anything, death would’ve been a release from the constant pain. He never pursued it but if it were to come for him he wouldn’t run away. Now though? With everything that’s going on with Celestia? He was afraid of dying of old age but the thought of his life being taken has shaken him in a way he’s never felt before.

His head falls into his hands as his teeth clench together. He wants to scream until his throat runs dry. He wants to see that bitch locked away for eternity. He just wants to live without having to worry about what could possibly happen. To enjoy the moment with Tia. Maybe being happy isn’t what he deserves? All he deserves is to suffer until he dies alone.

As his thoughts become as dark as the first time he appeared in Equestria... That cold embrace comes back to hold him.

“It’s over now.” A whisper echo’s in his mind.

There’s something else too. It wasn’t there before but Anon can smell Ozone in the air. He sits up in surprise as he looks off at the wall with a thousand yard stare.

“Nightmare?”

“Hmm?” She answers absentmindedly.

“I can hear you in my head.”

Author's Note

A huge thanks to ironwall, DracoBlair, and ClosetBrony for giving some much needed feedback for this chapter.

Whisper on the wind

A blinding flash lights up the Canterlot library for a few moments before Twilight emerges with Rainbow Dash dropping limply to the floor beside her. Twilight holds back a yelp of pain as her horn burns. The only sound that echoes out into the empty library is Twilight’s pained whimpers as beads of sweat roll down her brow. Casting a teleportation spell so soon after that shield has put a large strain on her. An immediate wave of nausea hits as she gallops to a nearby restroom and spews her guts into the toilet.

Her breaths become broken as panic sets in as the weight of the situation becomes clear. The corners of her vision blacken but she fights off the urge to faint as her fear of Rainbow waking up before her is enough to keep her alert. Tears flow down her cheek as she grits her teeth in anger. Why did this happen?! Is this her fault for not checking up on her friends? For being so self-absorbed by learning about forgiveness that she never once considered how the punishments were affecting the others?

A faint part of her whispers back that she shouldn’t take responsibility for what the girls do. It’s a brief moment, but it’s enough for Twilight to calm herself and think sensibly. She can’t help the pitiful chuckle that leaves her. That idea was something she’d expect Anon to say. It’s soothing in a way and true. The girls are their own mares. Taking the blame will resolve nothing and before her is a challenge the likes she’s never encountered before.

Rainbow tried to kill Anon. Twilight has to fight back the urge to vomit anew as her blood runs cold. She doesn’t have much time. She has to solve this as civilly as possible. Because at the end of it all, she wants to stand side by side with her friends as better ponies. What redemption can be had if Rainbow is sent to the moon or worse!

The only solution is obvious. Twilight must intervene or else Rainbow Dash won’t stand a chance. Forcing herself back onto her hooves, she peers into the mirror in the bathroom and takes in her appearance for a moment. She looks like a wreck, but her job isn’t over yet. She exits the bathroom and finds Rainbow is still unconscious. Good, she wouldn’t want her awake for what’s about to happen. It’s drastic but it may be the only way to save Rainbow.

She did the only thing that made sense and held him. At that moment, Nightmare was tired of being the monster that whorse declared her to be, so she shielded Anon from the brunt of his negative emotions. Even as she felt all his fears, pain, and desires. She held him tight and paid for the kindness that he showed her. After some time, she can’t recollect what transpired. All she recalls is him still being in her embrace, even as his thoughts stray.

...

Thoughts? Surely that’s a mistake. There’s no way she’s hearing his thoughts. The reasonable cause is him mumbling in his sleep. She doesn’t check but allows herself to savor a particular swell in her chest. It’s refreshing and for the first time, she feels at peace.

“It’s over now,” she mutters to him.

“Nightmare?” A voice whispers back.

“Hmm?”

“I can hear you in my head.”

Her eyes snap open as she glances to her hooves to discover that Anon isn’t there anymore. Not only that, but the happiness she feels hasn’t left and rather permeates her entire being. Her eyes swiftly dart around as she leaps to her hooves, trying to grasp her bearings. It only takes her a moment to recognize that this dark void isn’t the prison she’s become accustomed to. This is Anon’s dream world.

Nightmare’s heart races as questions fill her mind. Why is she here? Why didn’t she wake up in her world? Why can she hear Anon?

“Are you alright?” His voice echoes from the void.

“Why do you ask?” she demands with hostility.

“Well, it’s odd, but I think I can hear your thoughts. It’s different, not like you’re talking to me but I can understand you regardless.”

Nightmare grits her teeth as she casts a spell to shield her psyche. She doesn’t want to believe it, but there’s only one answer that makes sense. Her consciousness has fused with Anon’s.

“What is going on?”

“Shut up... I’m thinking.”

Taking a moment, she reaches out into the void and effortlessly connects with the hall of dream doors. Luna’s control does not affect her anymore. This makes little sense. The Elements imprisoned Nightmare inside Luna’s mind. Why is she now stuck within Anon? She summons the door to her world and shoves it open with a hoof.

The results disturb her. It’s just an empty frame. So, as far as she can tell, this is her world now. She takes a long breath in to soothe her thoughts before putting together everything she knows.

“I don’t have the faintest clue how but our minds are now intertwined.”

“So... Luna and I can hear you?”

“That connection no longer exists, only you will hear me now.”

If this happened several weeks ago, Anon would’ve panicked but, after taking a moment to let it sink in, he’s not that bothered by having Nightmare in his head. Considering what she did after Rainbow tried to kill him, as well as all the other times she’s helped, how could he not trust her?

“Didn’t that wench teach you anything about shielding your thoughts?” Nightmare sighs.

“Uh... A little, but not to a degree where it would stop you. Not that I’m worried about it.”

“I...” While Anon can’t tell what she’s thinking anymore, he gets the sense that she’s embarrassed. The fact he can sense her emotions is not as distracting as he believed it’d be. “I need some time to think. I’ll shield your thoughts until this is figured out.”

“Thank you.”

This new stuff with Nightmare brings a lot of issues to the table, but he has other things he needs to focus on right now. The fact of the matter is, this has proven a great distraction over what almost happened. Anon can taste that fear of dying creep up into his throat, but once again Nightmare’s embrace takes hold of him and brings him comfort.

“Let’s table this discussion for later,” Anon says to himself. “Right now, I have to find Celestia and tell her what happened with Rainbow Dash.”

“What will you say about us?”

“Eventually, I’ll tell her everything. Before then, I have to speak with Luna about this. It’s her secret and I don’t want to do anything without her knowing first.”

There’s a noticeable silence that hangs in the air.

“Why are you ok with this? Don’t you fear what I may do now that I’m within your mind? That I will take control or make you suffer?”

Anon can’t deny that what she’s saying makes sense, but there’s one thing she’s not mentioning.

“You’ve had plenty of opportunities to take control and use me as a puppet, probably far more than I will ever know. Yet, to me, you’re just the mare who’s helped me when no one else could.” Anon is only met with silence. “I have no issue with you pretending to be a monster, because I’ve had my reasons to do the same. Until the day you hurt me, I’m fine with you being in my head.”

There’s an audible scoff, but he can sense that she’s relieved to hear that.

“You should probably shield your emotions too.” He remarks. There’s a moment of alarm that disappears in an instance. Anon can’t help but chuckle to himself. “Good morning, Nightmare.”

“...Good morning,” she answers grudgingly.

Celestia bites her lip as she stands in thought in the isolation field her sister made. Luna has given her a breakdown of everything that’s transpired, as well as what she ran into earlier at the festival. If it’s not one thing, then it’s something else.

“Worry not, Sister. While unnerving, my knights are already on the move,” Luna states with some pride. “We’ll begin by sweeping the towns and cities that reside between us and the Badlands for changeling activity. The fact is, I’m unaware of how long their planning phase is. It may be months or years before they decide to attack but I wanted you to be aware of what’s been going on.”

Celestia lets out a sigh. “Thank you, Luna. Please have your captain speak with Shining Armor about this. I would like our patrols to also monitor anything suspicious.”

“That will certainly help,” Luna admits. “I’m sure Anon is wondering where you’re at. I’ll take care of things from here.”

Celestia nods. “I will show myself out then.”

Luna drops the isolation field and Celestia teleports away. Taking a deep breath in, Luna lets out a sigh of relief. While she doesn’t want this to break out into a war, she can’t deny that there’s a certain excitement welling up inside over the thought of a battle. Though before that, she’ll have to ensure all her subjects are safe. After that, a smile creeps onto her lips, she’ll ensure those creatures meet their end.

Anon is lost on what to say to Celestia when he sees her. His knees shake as he thinks back to that moment where it almost ended. Just before the urge to vomit rises, he notices Nightmare’s embrace calm him. He’s unsure if she’s actively doing this or it’s just another oddity from having her inhabit his mind. Anon shakes his head to clear his thoughts.

He wants nothing more than to become distracted by the whole Nightmare situation, but right now he needs to stay focused. He’s questioning his sanity over trying to convince Tia to let Twilight handle Rainbow. Anon grits his teeth. Why did Twilight save him? Was it out of fear? Instinct? Forgiveness? He doesn’t know, but this complicates things. He lets out a long and tired sigh.

He needs to stop wandering off and get back on track. Anon looks to the private booth’s door. Shining showed him here a few minutes ago and left due to an urgent summon. So Anon waited outside for Celestia to show up. So here he is, left to his never-ending thoughts.

“What am I going to say to her?” He whispers to himself. “Should I just come right out and say it or show her my memory?”

“I’d prefer the former.” Nightmare answers. “In case you forgot, the memory of our connection will be seen.”

“You’re right... Dammit.” Anon chews on the inside of his cheek. “I don’t even want to think about how I’m supposed to tell Luna about this, let alone you being in my mind now.”

Nightmare chuckles. “I can’t wait to see that wench’s face.”

Anon doesn’t have time to respond to that as a brilliant flash of light brings Celestia a few feet away. She’s just as surprised as Anon, as she wasn’t expecting him to wait outside for her.

“Oh! I didn’t think you’d wait for me. You know the show has started, right?”

This moment is surreal for Anon. It wasn’t until he laid eyes on Celestia that the weight of what could’ve happened hit him the most. Where his mind was filled with what he should say to Celestia, have now been replaced with the last moment they shared. It wasn’t where his life ended, but he can’t help but wonder what last moment they will have. What last words will he say and what she will regret after.

Celestia’s heart falls heavy as Anon’s eyes waver before he embraces her with a strength she’s never felt from him before. She becomes overwhelmed with panic as his entire attitude screams at her that something is wrong. Even now, he buries his face into her neck as he trembles in place.

“I wasn’t gone for that long, was I?” she asks worriedly.

He can’t break down right now. He has to tell her with what little strength he has.

“T-Tia... Cast a privacy bubble.” She does so without hesitation and after a moment, Anon looks up into her eyes and she can tell that he’s terrified. “Rainbow Dash tried to kill me.”

After Anon said that, Celestia could only hear a ringing in her ears. She didn’t hear that right. Rainbow Dash tried to kill him? No... That’s not possible. Though as she continues to look into his eyes, she knows he’s telling the truth. For Anon, he notices that the body temperature of Celestia is steadily rising as she slowly tries to process what he just said.

Holding her tight, he never looks away as he tells her what happened.

“I made my way to the front of the stadium. Twilight was there directing ponies through and I got lost in thought. Before I realized it, Twilight was in front of me, cast a shield, and Rainbow Dash crashed into it. Before I passed out, Twilight took Rainbow and teleported away.”

For Anon it’s sudden, but Celestia’s body goes slack as he is now holding her up. As quickly as it happened, she catches her balance and stands up.

“S-Sorry.” She says breathlessly. “I am still taking in what you said.”

Resting a hand on Celestia’s cheek, Anon moves her to focus on him. He has to remain strong for her right now or else Twilight won’t be given a chance.

“Tia, I’m alive.” That alone brings Celestia’s hazy gaze back to Anon. “Twilight saved me. I have no clue what you’re thinking right now but let’s try to remain calm.” Her body temperature was close to scalding, but his words take effect as the heat began to drop. It takes a minute but, mostly, Tia is thinking rationally again. “Listen, what I’m about to say may sound crazy but you should have Twilight handle this.”

Celestia looks baffled by Anon’s suggestion. “Anon, you were almost killed.”

“I was.” He nods.

“How can you expect me to stay my hoof after hearing something like that?”

Anon looks to Celestia’s fur, as he can’t bear to look her in the eyes right now. Celestia notices Anon’s body trembling harder than before.

“I want nothing more than you to make that pony pay,” he admits. “To lock her up and throw away the key or let Luna tear her limb from limb.” Anon takes a few breaths to calm himself. “But, Twilight saved me. I at least owe her the chance to save her friend.”

Celestia can tell that Anon was forcing himself to say these things. She doesn’t know what to do. A large part of her wants to ensure that pony can no longer harm Anon but the other side of her is trying to rationalize the best solution for everyone. Knowing she almost lost him, it’s almost too much for her to take. Anon regrets looking back up and into her eyes. Tears are rolling down her cheek as she tries to find the right words to say.

Anon knows all too well why she’s hurting so much right now. She wants to act out in his defense but she also can’t deny that Twilight is the only pony that can save her friend from a terrible fate. She’s stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“That isn’t what’s hurting her.” Nightmare whispers.

“What do you mean?” Anon asks.

Anon is only met with total silence. Returning his attention to Celestia, a thought hits him like a ton of bricks. She’s afraid of him dying. She never would’ve guessed that someone would try to end his life, and now the limited time he has with her has become real. Anon doesn’t know what to say, so he instead reaches up and pulls her into a kiss. It’s enough to break her out of her thoughts, but not enough to ease her soul.

When he pulls away, he can tell that she’s still at odds with what to do.

“This isn’t the first time she’s almost killed me.” Anon tries to joke, but it does little to help. A long sigh leaves him. “Listen... Let’s head into the booth and try to enjoy the show. That will give Twilight enough time to convince you why you shouldn’t vaporize Rainbow Dash. Sound good?”

Celestia looks into Anon’s eyes and can tell how hard he’s trying to make this work, despite the shake in his body. She wraps him in her wings and, without a word, teleports them both back to her room and on her bed.

“I couldn’t care less about the festival,” she says, while holding him. “I just want to be here with you.”

Anon couldn’t agree more as he hugs Celestia back.

“Tia...No matter what happens. I want you to always know that I love you.”

Celestia bites her lip as she holds him tight... She doesn’t know what to say and the fear of his mortality has never been so close to home.

Shaken

Twilight’s eyes flutter open as her gaze shifts around the room as she tries to understand what happened. Her thoughts are so hazy as she heaves herself to a sitting position. Her breaths are labored just from that simple act, and something is flowing down her nose. She touches a hoof to it and pulls away to find a crimson liquid there. Why is she bleeding?

A few light coughs draw her attention as her eyes fall onto Rainbow Dash. It comes back to her in a flood of memories and before her panic can set in, she can tell her spell was a success. Letting out a sigh of relief, she uses her foreleg to clear the blood from her nose before standing up. Rainbow tries to pick herself up, rubbing her head as she winces.

“W-What happened?” She asks herself.

“How are you feeling?”

Rainbow looks Twilight’s way with widened eyes. This isn’t what Rainbow was expecting. Twilight is right in front of her! She tries to recall the last time they met, but a wave of pain courses through her head as she rests a hoof on it. Returning her attention to Twilight, she notices she looks like a mess.

“How am I feeling? What about you? You look terrible.”

Twilight gives a faint chuckle. “I’m fine. You hit your head pretty hard. Do you remember what happened?”

“Uh...”

Rainbow scans her surroundings, trying to grasp anything she can recognize. This isn’t Ponyville, from the looks of it, this is the Canterlot Library. With widened eyes, her memories come back to her.

Rainbow is taking slow and steady breaths to calm herself as she rests her back on a cloud looking at the sky.

“This will be easy,” she assures herself. “I just have to do a Sonic Rainboom and hit that monster before anypony can interfere.” Bringing up her binoculars, she confirms Anon’s position and that he’s alone. “Why is he just standing there?” She shakes those thoughts away. “Doesn’t matter, the crowd is going to be gone soon.”

Rainbow sets down her binoculars before closing her eyes as her heart races.

“This is nothing. I’ve taken on Nightmare Moon and Discord. Once he’s dealt with, everypony will go back to normal.” Rainbow psychs herself up. “Alright, it’s go time!”

Rainbow leaps from her cloud and flies as far away as she can before diving straight towards where she last saw him. Just like many times before, she can feel that familiar strain on her body but pushes through until an air cone forms at the front of her hooves. She just has to push a little harder! A few moments later, the explosion happens behind her, but she’s concentrating her hardest to remain accurate.

It’s hard for her to keep her eyes open as all the various buildings and stands whizz by her. The last thing she saw was Anon and a pinkish glow before everything went black.

Rainbow looks at Twilight in shock. “Why did you protect him? I could’ve saved us, but you protected him!”

“Save us?” Twilight swallows hard as the experiments she performed on Anon come to mind. She was only doing it for the greater good... To save Equestria. She shakes those thoughts away to stay focused. “What would killing him accomplish?”

“Kill him?” Rainbow looks genuinely shocked. “I wasn’t going to kill him! I was going to knock him out so his power wouldn’t influence the princesses anymore!”

A chill runs up Twilight’s spine. Rainbow isn’t lying. She actually believes that hit would’ve only knocked Anon unconscious, that he is some kind of villain. This is worse than Twilight could’ve ever imagined, but they don’t have time to talk about this yet.

“Rainbow, I need you to listen to me right now because you have little time. Any moment, the princesses will show up here and if you’re lucky, they’ll send you to the moon.” Twilight shivers some. “Though, I believe Luna will assure you’re missing a few limbs before then.”

Rainbow’s eyes shrink as panic sets in. “W-What do you mean?! I was trying to save Equestria!”

“Just like how you were trying to “prank” him back in Ponyville?” Twilight shoots back.

That hits its mark as all the fur on Rainbow’s body stands up.

“You’re crazy! Clearly you’re under his spell too!” Rainbow jumps up to fly off but hits the ground with a hard thud. Looking back, she notices something missing. “Where are my wings?!”

Twilight takes in a long, trembling breath. “I used magic to remove them.”

“Y-You what?” Rainbow looks at Twilight in fear.

“Remember when Discord removed your wings?” Rainbow doesn’t move in response. “I did something similar.”

“You are crazy,” Rainbow responds. “Is this it? Has Equestria been doomed?”

Twilight is getting sick of this back and forth. She has no more time to take it easy. She still hasn’t found a reason to convince the princesses to leave Rainbow in her care! Not to mention she’s fighting off the urge to faint as her body screams at her to rest.

“Rainbow, do you want your wings back?” Rainbow nods her head. “Then you’re going to do as I say.” Twilight gets up and opens the door to the library. “Though never say I didn’t give you a choice. Will you leave and remain wingless or stay and listen to me?”

Rainbow looks between Twilight and the door. What’s the point of escaping if she can’t fly anymore! Rainbow’s heart is racing as her choices become clear. All she does is turn her back to Twilight without a word. Waiting a moment, Twilight closes the door to the library.

“I know you’re going to hate me for a long time, Rainbow. I’m willing to accept that because you’ll understand why I’m doing this in the end.” Twilight takes a seat as she faces the library door. “Now, we wait for the princesses to arrive. You’ll keep your muzzle shut and let me do the talking. Do you understand?” Rainbow doesn’t respond. “Do you understand?!”

Rainbow winces at Twilight’s aggressiveness. “Yeah.”

Twilight’s heart is tearing apart, but she doesn’t have a choice either. If she isn’t this tough with Rainbow, she’s not going to stand a chance. Taking a few breaths to calm herself, she returns to thinking about what she can say to make this all work out while gathering as much strength as she can to stay awake.

Anon remained silent as Celestia held him. Almost an hour has passed and yet she hasn’t spoken a single word. She’s trying her hardest to escape from the reality of what happened and to live in this moment. If only they could, but Anon knows they can’t remain here forever. So, he’ll have to take the first step and since he’s feeling safer in this place with her, he’ll speak his thoughts freely.

“I’m terrified by what happened.” Anon breaks the silence. “I want to enjoy my time trying to figure out this relationship, but there’s always something trying to get in the way. My mortality, how the public thinks of me, Twilight, Luna... The thought of being murdered never even came to mind.” Anon feels Celestia pull him closer to her chest. “Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised? I’m sure all of the Elements hate me. Perhaps it was just a matter of time? Like my mortality.”

Anon sighs. “My gut reaction is that I want Luna to deal with Rainbow because she’d handle it permanently. This is my life. I don’t care about their friendship, forgiveness, or redemption. All I care about is you and my friends.” Anon rests his hand on one of Celestia’s hooves. “I’m not a leader. I can’t weigh all possible outcomes for the greater good. I’m scared, that’s all I am.”

Even though some of that terror is looming over him, it’s not as potent as it was in the past. Either because Celestia is here or Nightmare’s influence.

“It’s kinda funny. I was almost killed, yet I can’t stop thinking about Twilight.” He shifts uneasily in place. “I don’t know why she saved me. All this time she’s been my enemy. It was easier to think she viewed me the same way, and her whole forgiveness thing was just a farce.” Celestia wants to say something of comfort but remains silent as Anon bares his soul to her. “I don’t want to believe that she cares about me. That she is truly sorry for what she did.”

There’s a pregnant pause as Anon chews the inside of his cheek. “That she’d die for me. How stupid is that?” He chuckles weakly. “If she would do that, why did she...” Anon’s heart races. “Why did she do that to me in Ponyville?” Once again, his emotions forcibly calm as the smell of Ozone fills his nostrils. “I never want to owe that mare anything. I want her always to be in my debt.” Anon states with conviction. “In the end, I will respect your choice, but I think you should let Twilight take care of this.”

Silence takes the room, but there’s nothing left to say, so Anon will give Celestia the time she needs. For Celestia, she’s been trying to keep herself calm, but this isn’t the time for that, she wants to show Anon how agonizing this situation is and how much she loves him.

“I’m not perfect.” She starts. “I’m just as lost as you. I envy my sister for her honesty and the lengths she’s willing to go for those she cares for. I, on the other hoof, have to always make the tough choices. To deny my emotions for a future I don’t know exists.” Anon can’t see it, but he feels tears falling onto his shoulders as Celestia holds him tight. “I’ve tried so hard to not show you how terrified I am by your mortality. Years pass in the blink of an eye for me and I don’t want to wake up tomorrow knowing you’re just a memory.”

“We just started our relationship and now I can’t get your death out of my mind!” Anon didn’t know it at the time but he didn’t want to hear this... This is everything he feared about this relationship, but all he can do now is stroke her hoof to calm her. “I hate this. For once in my life, I want to act as my sister does. To throw that mare into the sun and be done with it.” Her body trembles. “H-How can I do that when you’re willing to put your own feelings aside for Twilight?”

It makes sense. If there ever was a time for Celestia to act out, this would be it, but they both know that wouldn’t be the best choice in the end.

“You believe my love is something to be placed upon a pedestal, but it’s the other way around.” Celestia holds back her choked sobs. “How can I give you the love you deserve when my crown comes first?” Her grip on him tightens. “I can’t bear it anymore.”

Anon doesn’t know what to do. He’s so out of his depth that it’s almost enough to make him laugh. He doesn’t want to see Celestia like this, but is it even possible to make her feel better? Turning around in her embrace, he can see Tia looking at him with so much sorrow that it’s enough to make his heart wince. Just being here is all he can do. Closing his eyes, he leans forward until they meet in a kiss.

Pulling away, he can tell she’s calmer than before, but everything about this situation is complicated.

“Sometimes, doing the right thing sucks,” Anon states. “Just because you can make tough decisions that benefit everyone doesn’t mean I think you love me less for doing so. The reason I love you as much as I do is because you’re not like Luna. She claims she does those things for me, but I sometimes wonder about that. If it’s more of an excuse to justify what she does. Not that I have any ground to stand on, deep down, I want her to do those things.” Anon closes his eyes and rests his head against Celestia’s neck. “That’s why I need you to be Princess Celestia, for moments like this. Even though it hurts, you have to.”

Celestia sets her jaw while swallowing all the pain welling up inside from Anon’s words. He’s right. Her instincts are shouting at her to go to the extreme, but what world could they share if she turned it to ashes? She knew this relationship would be difficult, but even she couldn’t have realized the hardships they’d face.

“A-Alright...” Celestia lets out a strained breath. “I understand. I will hear Twilight out but no matter the outcome, I want you to know that I love you.”

Anon’s body trembles. He hates this. Just like with his love for Celestia, his body and mind are fighting against him. Still, this is the best choice in the end. At least, he has to believe it is.

“I know,” Anon responds before letting out a sigh.

“This will be a collaboration between our soldiers,” Luna states to both Blossom and Shining Armor. “With our numbers, we should easily be able to keep adequate surveillance of our settlements.”

“Excuse me,” Shining speaks up. “I’m still confused. What is a Changeling? Why are they spying on us? Why are we mobilizing for war?”

“My apologies. I’ve forgotten that our encounter with these creatures only played a small part in the overall war with Griffus.” There is also the fact that history has largely been overshadowed by her transformation into Nightmare Moon. “Changelings are ponyoid creatures. They remain a mystery to us. They’ve never been observed communicating with any species or even themselves.”

Luna walks over and draws on the chalkboard her best rendition of a changeling.

“We’re unaware of how sophisticated these creatures are, but they demonstrate some form of intelligence, as they actively hide and gather information before attacking.” She sets the chalk down before facing the two captains again. “What we do know is that they feed on the essence of creatures. Living or dead, but they appear to prefer living. Blossom and I encountered them during the war. They can shapeshift into a perfect copy of a pony.”

“Perfect?” Shining asks. “Then how would we know they’re changelings to begin with?”

“Excellent question,” Luna says. “While the copy looks perfect, the way they act isn’t. They appear to be devoid of emotion. It’s rather easy to spot them as they stand out. Though, because of this, naive ponies may approach the creature with concern and get attacked. Once they’re bitten, the changeling will shift back to their original form and drain the subject of their essence. This is guaranteed death.”

Shining listens intently to what Luna is throwing at him. Considering what happened to Anon earlier, it’s making things difficult, but he relies on his training to take over as his stoic expression returns.

“You’ve confirmed a Changeling at the festival?” He asks.

Luna nods. “Undoubtedly. I’ve already informed my sister of this matter, and she wished for her guard to join this operation. For now, we are taking things slow to find out how many are among us. We’re unsure what their primary target is, but we have to start somewhere.”

“Are we looking for around-the-clock surveillance?”

“Nay.” Luna shakes her head. “Pushing our troops to the point of exhaustion isn’t wise. To not tip the changeling’s off to our activity, I’d prefer your guard to carry on as usual with their patrols. However, inform them to keep an eye out for anything unusual and report it as soon as they can. Such as ponies standing motionless or in uncommon areas. My knights will investigate these reports. This is unfortunately all we can do at the moment. We’re in an information war and the changelings are in the lead.”

“Understood. Once the festival is over, I’ll gather my troops and give them the details,” Shining says. “If that’s all, I’d like to take this time to myself and think over the best way to approach this.”

“You are dismissed. If you have any further questions, then please talk to Captain Blossom.”

“Understood.”

Shining leaves and now it’s just Luna and Blossom alone.

“I can’t believe they’re already here in Canterlot,” Blossom says in disbelief.

“I never expected them to move this quickly.” Luna looks back at the drawing of the changeling. “We have much to do and little time.”

It’s been a long time since Luna and Blossom have done any planning. Even so, Blossom knows how grueling the process is. Letting out a sigh, she walks over to her office door.

“I’m sure we’re going to be in for an all-nighter. I’ll get us something to drink.”

Walking down the halls of the castle, Anon is on his way to the lunar knight’s barracks. He decided that while Celestia was dealing with Twilight, he would tell Luna about what happened. This will allow him to speak to her about Nightmare Moon too. His heart begins to hammer in his chest but, just like everything before, it calms quickly.

This strange sensation of being embraced. It’s not like his emotions are being controlled, but it’s clear that they’re not as potent as they usually are. Seeing as he’s alone on this walk, now would be the time to ask Nightmare about it.

“Nightmare.”

“Hmm?”

“Why are my emotions calmer than they should be?”

“Do you believe now is the time to talk about that?”

“It’s just you and me right now. I also know that after our talk with Luna, you won’t be in a good mood.”

She chuckles at that. “Truer words have never been spoken... It’s been some time since this has happened mutually but, to put it simply, we’re sharing emotions. Where you once would bear the brunt of the force, now it’s split between us.”

“Mutually?”

“It’s a two-way system. Just as you felt my emotions and thoughts, I can feel yours, but we are taking in half of the total sum. This is why you got the gist of what I felt or thought. The more powerful the emotion, the larger the sum that’s split, which means a deeper understanding of what the issue is.”

“I guess that makes sense.” This is just another aspect of magic Anon doesn’t get but can only trust Nightmare with the information she’s providing.

“Controlling this mutual connection is easy. All you need to do is envision yourself alone in a room. This will temporarily sever our connection and the brunt of your emotions will be yours again.”

“I appreciate you being honest,” Anon says, but then a thought occurs to him. “Since this is mutual, doesn’t that mean you also have the power to break the connection?”

“I do.”

“And you haven’t?”

There’s nothing but silence, and that’s enough to tell Anon everything he wants to know. It’s sweet in a strange way, but she’s intentionally sharing his pain. There’s an audible growl of anger from inside his head, but it only serves to distract him from the issue at hand and bring him comfort. Before he can say anything to her, he bumps into something.

Regaining his focus, he finds that he’s been standing outside the knights’ barracks and Blossom is looking up at him in surprise.

“Anon? What are you doing here?” She asks confused as to how and why he’s here instead of the festival.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought.”

She brushes her mane back in place. “No problem. Still, I thought you were at the festival?”

“I told Celestia about what Rainbow Dash did, and she’s dealing with that right now. We thought it would be a good idea if I talked to Luna during this time to let her know what’s going on. Is she busy?”

Something about Anon is different, but Blossom can’t put her hoof on it. Then again, her nerves are on edge over all this changeling stuff, so she focuses and tables that for later.

“I’m sure she’ll make time for you. Please, wait here a moment.”

“Alright.”

Anon is left to his thoughts as he waits for Luna. Twilight, Rainbow, Nightmare Moon, Celestia. It’s one thing to talk to Luna about Nightmare, it’s going to be an entirely different thing letting Tia know that not only has Nightmare been around the entire time but now she’s in his head. How is she going to react to something like that? Will she understand or flip out like Luna does whenever Nightmare is involved?

Anon rubs his face as his thoughts continue to scatter. Twilight... What the hell is he going to do about her? He hates her to his very core. It hurts how much he hates her, and yet his hate has become a poison to his thoughts. What should he do? Should he just do as a pony does and let bygones be bygones? Pretend she didn’t save his life? Assume she planned it all?

His thoughts are cut short as the door to the barracks opens and Luna is there with a large smile.

“It’s good to see you, Anon. Sorry about rudely interrupting you and my sister at the festival, but something very important came up. Blossom said you wished to speak with me?”

“Yeah, can we go to your room? This can’t wait.”

Luna’s happy mood shifts at Anon’s tone. Not only that, but there’s something disturbingly off about him. It’s as if there’s an air about him that is familiar, but it chills her very bones.

“Very well.” She teleports them to her room and even casts a privacy bubble, as he wishes for privacy. “What requires so much secrecy?”

Anon swallows hard as he faces her. “Luna... No matter what I say, I need you to stay calm. Alright?”

“Stay calm?” Luna looks confused. “What could you possibly say that would require such caution?”

“Promise me.”

Looking into his eyes, she can tell he’s dead serious right now. Which causes her fur to stand on edge but she gives him a nod.

“I promise to stay calm. So, what do you wish to tell me?”

“Two things. First, Rainbow Dash tried to kill me.”

Luna’s face deadpans. “I find that joke to be tasteless, Anon.”

“Celestia is already dealing with her,” he continues. “Though that’s not what’s important right now.”

“You’re not joking?” It takes a moment for what he said to sink in as her blood begins to boil and her thoughts race on tearing that pony’s wings off and tossing her off the edge of Canterlot. Though, she takes a few breaths to calm herself to keep her promise. “H-How would that not be important?”

“The second thing is that Nightmare Moon is in my head.”

Anon can see it. She’s waiting for a punchline but as the silence extends, her face morphs to absolute horror as she takes a few steps back from him but bumps against a wall. Luna connects back to her mind and where there once was an icy presence that loomed over her, there’s nothing now. Looking at Anon closely, she can sense it, an oddly familiar cold aura that sickens her.

Anon notices Luna’s hooves tremble as she sways heavily, as if about to pass out.

“Luna.” He tries to reach out for her but she presses her back further into the wall.

“Don’t touch me!” She shouts, her eyes rapidly darting as if she’s trying to think of what to do.

“Luna, calm down.” Anon tries to gently coax her. “You promised.”

“I make no promises with a demon!” She replies before staring off into the distance. “How do I save Anon? I-I knew this would happen, and I let him go!”

Anon clenches his teeth and tries to hold back his anger before trying to calm her again.

“She’s not controlling me. It’s alright.”

“Alright?” Luna chuckles to herself. “Alright, he says. How is having that monster in your mind alright?! For all I know, she’s making you say those things!”

“If she was controlling me, why the hell would I even tell you this to begin with?!”

“That’s the problem! I don’t know what she’s capable of! How can you claim so boldly that she’s not controlling you!”

“Luna, please, just listen to me for a second.”

“Why aren’t you afraid right now?” Luna fires back. “I know you. Why aren’t you paranoid, questioning what she’ll do, what she’s done. You’re acting as if this is a normal day for you!”

She’s right, he knows that but she also doesn’t have the full story. He understands the situation is pretty dire from her perspective, but he’s trying his best to explain this to her.

“You may very well already be her pawn.” Luna adds with a hiss.

Anon feels so lost and alone right now. What should he do?

Why don’t you tell her she’s being unreasonable?” Nightmare remarks.

Anon jerks slightly at hearing Nightmare’s voice. “She has her reasons,” he whispers back.

Luna catches Anon talking under his breath as his gaze looks past her.

“Is she speaking to you?”

“Would it be too cruel for you to be honest with the mare that has caused others so much pain?”

“How would that solve anything?” He responds.

“Stop talking to her!” Luna shouts.

Just as the weight of this situation is about to crush Anon, there’s an odd moment of calmness that overtakes him and it has nothing to do with Nightmare’s influence. Like he’s had an epiphany. Based on everything she told him, Nightmare is experiencing his frustration too and is trying to speak out for him. Of course, she’s trying to play the villain, but it’s her way of helping him keep his thoughts from festering.

That is enough to make him feel better and also solidifies his belief that Nightmare isn’t a bad pony.

“Thank you, Nightmare.” He says to himself. “I can handle this.” Anon returns his gaze to Luna and can see she’s on edge. “I’m fine. I don’t know what else to say because nothing will convince you otherwise. I just wanted to tell you. Nightmare doesn’t have a clue how our minds linked either. So, now you know.”

Peering into his eyes, Luna finds a certain look she’s only seen from Anon. He appears to be himself, but that still doesn’t shake away her worry. She swallows her emotions before calming herself.

“I’m connecting to Nightmare’s dream world to see for myself.”

“Go ahead.” Anon walks over to her bed and takes a seat.

She faces him and rests her horn on his head before they fall into a deep sleep.

Luna opens her eyes and finds she’s standing in the hall of dream doors. She takes a moment to look around to see if this is perhaps a trick by Nightmare, but that isn’t the case. This is indeed the world between dreams, but Nightmare’s door is nowhere to be found. Luna finds her eyes pulled to a familiar door, but it’s nothing like how it was.

Luna cautiously walks closer to Anon’s door as a sickeningly dark aura pours from the seams, a crescent moon now adorning the once plain door. Without hesitation, she tears his door open and leaps inside. When she lands into the void, she can tell right away that it’s Anon’s dream world, but something else is here. Extending her senses, she finds the culprit further within.

Taking the initiative, she teleports the distance. For a moment, Luna is confused by what she sees because this is far from the creature she knew. Her breaths become ragged as she takes in Nightmare’s new form as she simply grins at her. The magical aura that’s pouring from her is on a level she’s never seen before. How did she become this powerful?!

“So good to see you’ve arrived. How do I look?” Nightmare mocks.

“What have you done?” Luna commands an answer, but her words waver.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Nightmare chuckles evilly.

“She’s trying to get under your skin.” Luna whips around and Anon is standing there looking at her. “So, what do you think?”

Clarity comes to Luna at Anon’s voice as her nerves calm. He’s still here and appears to be unharmed. Still, she cannot allow herself to waste any time here. She refocuses and examines his dream world. As much as she wants Nightmare to be destroyed, that isn’t possible until Luna understands what has happened here. Taking a moment to extend her senses, there’s an odd presence of magic that isn’t anything she’s felt before.

“This is beyond my understanding and magic.” Luna states. “The only reasoning that makes sense is ‘The Elements’ had something to do with this but that’s nothing more than a blind guess.”

“Does that confirm Nightmare wasn’t at fault?” Anon asks.

“I cannot say with absolute certainty.” Luna turns her back to them both. “Congratulations, Anon. It appears as if your wish to commune with the demon has been granted. I’m happy for you.” Luna states with derision.

Anon opens his mouth but then closes it. She’s not wrong. There’s a part of him that is wondering if this is his fault. That if he’d just done what Luna said, then maybe this wouldn’t have happened?

“My, my, my... I have to admit I’m so proud of you, Lulu. To callously strike at the heart of someone you claim to care for?” Nightmare cackles. “Even to a mare like me that’s cold. I have much to learn from your cruelty.” Luna bares her teeth as she turns to face Nightmare, but Nightmare only grins in return. “This isn’t your world, Princess. I dare you to strike me and I’ll return all that you’ve given and then some.”

Luna clenches her eyes shut while shaking in anger but says nothing as she disappears from his world. Now it’s just Nightmare and Anon alone. He notices how her grin falls and her body relaxes.

“Thank you,” Anon says genuinely.

“For what?” She asks.

“Standing up for me.”

Nightmare watches as Anon lifts his hand and snaps his fingers before disappearing. She takes a breath before lying down on the floor. The swell in her chest returning and bringing her comfort. She simply rests her head onto her forelegs as a small smile tugs at the corner of her lip.

Twilight sits in wait as she faces the entrance to the library. Every so often she can feel herself nod off before jerking back awake. The strain she’s put on herself has her falling in and out of consciousness. However, her will to stay awake is just powerful enough to keep her lucid. This silence isn’t helping, as it reminds her of when she almost lost herself and Anon saved her.

The chances of that happening again are practically zero. She’s on her own and her mind has been trying to find the right words to convince the Princess to leave Rainbow in her care, but nothing has come. She doesn’t know how much time has passed, but it won’t be long before they walk through that door. Twilight jumps in shock as the door to the library opens and there stands Princess Celestia, but Anon is nowhere to be found.

She’s not surprised. Rainbow tried to kill him. The last thing he wants to do is be in the same room as her. Though a shiver runs down her spine as she takes in her teacher’s expression. It’s neutral but there’s a fury behind her eyes the likes Twilight has never seen before.

“P-Princess!” Twilight stands up and gives a bow before making eye contact with her. “I know this is bad. Really bad, but I implore you to hear me out about Rainbow Dash.”

Celestia doesn’t even look at her student and instead locks eyes to the wingless back of Rainbow Dash. The spell looks as desperate as Twilight does right now, it’s cobbled together, but appears to have had the effect she was looking for. A part of Celestia is proud of her student for having made something on the fly with her deep understanding of magic crafting, but the other part forces her to focus on what lies before her.

Bringing her gaze to Twilight, her heart winces at her barely conscious state. The only thing keeping Twilight on her hooves is the fear that’s coursing through her veins. Celestia doesn’t want to do this, to lay the burden on her student, but she’ll hear Twilight out and accept whatever path is placed before her.

“I’m listening,” Celestia speaks calmly.

“Thank you.” Twilight closes her eyes and tries to prepare herself, but it does little to quell the tremble in her hooves and exhaustion weighing her down. “I will not make excuses for what Rainbow did, but I think she’s confused right now like I was.”

“Confused about what?! I knew full well what I was doing!” Rainbow shouts, though it’s cut short when Twilight casts a spell to remove her voice before pinning her to the ground with telekinesis.

Twilight falls to her knees, her eyes unfocused as she faces the floor while panting.

“S-She honestly believed that hit would’ve knocked Anon unconscious.” Twilight continues “I’m not going to pretend as if it would have. The strength I put into that shield, for it to shatter under that force, there’s no doubt it would’ve killed him ten times over.” Twilight drops the spells on Rainbow as the edge of her vision blackens. “She thinks she needs to save Equestria, that Anon is using some kind of magic to control us.” A spike of adrenaline hits Twilight as she feels as if her words are going nowhere. “I will take full responsibility for her! I know little about forgiveness or what right words to say to ease the pain I’ve caused, but I want to learn and Rainbow needs to learn too!” Twilight rests her horn onto the floor. Her tears flowing freely as her voice trembles. “P-Please, please let me take care of this!”

Twilight has always been like a daughter to Celestia and having to watch as she desperately tries to protect her friend is painful. Glancing over at Rainbow, who has now turned to face Twilight, her face shows genuine concern for her friend. Celestia realizes the choice was never hers to begin with, and she’s sorry that her student must carry this burden.

“It’s alright, Twilight. You don’t have to say anymore.” Celestia rests a hoof to calm Twilight’s trembling form. “I was prepared to do what I must to protect Anon, but even he has trusted you to deal with Rainbow Dash.” Hearing that is shocking to both Twilight and Rainbow. “The task before you will be unlike any you’ve faced before,” Celestia confirms before locking eyes with Rainbow Dash. “However, should Loyalty attempt to harm Anon again, she will not be spared another time.”

Celestia looks down to her student who’s now weakly holding her head up to look at her teacher. It’s best to end this quickly, as she requires rest.

“Anon and I have put aside our emotions for a greater good. Please, don’t make us regret this.”

“I won’t,” Twilight says with conviction, despite her consciousness slipping away.

“Very well.” Celestia turns to walk away, but pauses, never looking back. “You’re free to return to Ponyville. I don’t want that mare in my castle.”

Twilight holds back a choked sob as she hangs her head low. “U-Understood.”

The doors close behind Celestia and Twilight is once again left to the deafening silence of the library as the blackness in her vision finally takes her.

Author's Note

Hope you guys enjoyed these chapters. Things will slow down again, as some important stuff has come up. Thanks again to ironwall, DracoBlair, and ClosetBrony for giving me feedback on these latest chapters.

Enemy within

Luna storms out of her chambers just as Anon finds himself back in the waking world. She’s working to collect her scattered thoughts, but the bubbling anger over Nightmare Moon isn’t helping her think critically right now. Not even Anon’s voice can reach her as she marches back to the barracks. Because of a lapse in judgment, Luna has put Anon in danger!

“Luna!”

Her thoughts consume her as she pauses just as Anon stops a few feet away. Why did this have to happen now? The changelings are already on the move and now she has to deal with this? She can’t afford to ignore the invasion of those bugs, but leaving that demon to her own devices is just as disastrous. The only saving grace is that Anon cannot use magic. So while his mind may be corrupted, he can't do magical harm to those around him or turn into a “nightmare” as far as she knows.

This is truly a worst-case scenario. She cannot delegate her time to destroy that parasite yet. The thought sickens her but Anon is on his own. While he appeared lucid when they spoke moments ago, she is confident that he’s losing control to that monster, even if he doesn’t realize it yet. Then again, perhaps he lost control long before she occupied his consciousness?

Why would he ask to meet her otherwise? There’s no reason for him to be concerned about that leech! Luna’s stomach churns at the mere thought of it. She should’ve put her hoof down at that point, but her fondness for Anon made her soft and she allowed him to do as he liked. And as a result of that, she has found herself in this circumstance. She has learned her lesson and will not make the same mistake twice.

Despite her resolve, she is powerless to quiet the hatred and dread coursing through her veins.

“If you are as sane as you claim to be, Anon, I urge you to maintain your distance,” Luna warns. “I cannot contain the fury that is raging inside me. I require time to figure this out.”

She is aware that she is being harsh, but he will understand after his mind has been cleansed. With nothing more to say, Luna proceeds to walk away.

“You know what’s funny about all this? When I found out about Nightmare, I didn’t treat you like this.” She doesn’t acknowledge him and continues on. “I guess I found the limit of your friendship.”

That catches her attention as she pauses mid-stride. She needs to keep in mind that he’s only saying these things because of Nightmare, but that doesn’t ease the wrath inside of her. She tried to steer him from this fate and yet he didn’t listen.

“You never understood the fire you were playing with. Lapping up a corrupt narrative, being charmed by a demon and led with your curiosity. You became a perfect pawn, just as I said you would. Nonetheless, my words rang hollow with you. You scorned my emotions, my past with that monstrosity, in order to sate your selfish desires.” Luna pivots to face him. “Can you declare with a clear conscience that I’m the bad friend here? Having prepared your bed, now it is time to lie in it.”

Luna immediately regretted it as soon as it escaped her muzzle. Anon’s eyes grew for a moment before everything became blank. For Anon, the pain inside of him was so intense that not even Nightmare’s influence was taking off the edge. Luna didn’t say anything he wasn’t already thinking in the back of his mind. Still... Hearing her say it felt like a slap in the face. And he deserved it.

All this time, despite how Luna felt about Nightmare, he ignored her. His thoughts stray to everything that’s happening right now... Perhaps if he had kept his mouth shut about Ponyville, everything would’ve been better? Things could have continued as they were, day after day, and the only one suffering would have been him. Yet, he chose to be selfish by involving the Princesses.

The world would’ve been better if I didn’t exist.

Nightmare is enraged. Since Anon woke up, his thoughts grew so unstable that they leaked through her isolation spell. In whispers she could hear his uncertainty about confronting Luna after what happened in his dream and his desire to be honest about how he felt, as he was this morning. How Luna’s treatment of him was no different than how he was treated in Ponyville and it hurt him deeply.

Then it became darker. He shouldered the blame for every little thing that happened. Nightmare's spell was broken at this moment, as his uncensored thoughts and feelings were echoing in her head. It made her ill that he would feel this way, and that the person who was causing him to feel like this allegedly loved him.

All these emotions welling up inside of her... It's enough to drive a pony insane.

The world would’ve been better off if I didn’t exist.

Nightmare grimaces. She's had enough of this. What's the purpose of being in his mind if she's not there to help him when he needs someone? Wasn’t she tired of being the villain? Then why isn’t she helping him? If there was ever a time to turn over a new leaf, it’s now.

“That’s enough.”

In an instant, the corridor's temperature plummets. Luna's eyes widen as ice begins to form on the surrounding walls and windows, her breath now visible as fear seeps into her very bones. She’s never experienced this phenomenon before, but this is without a doubt Nightmare’s doing.

“There is no blame to be had over what happened. To burden yourself with such trivial thoughts is nothing less than insulting to those who care about you.” Nightmare states. “Would the sun goddess be pleased to discover what I’ve been hearing?”

“N-No,” Anon replies.

“Then what else is there to think about?”

“But, if I just-”

Anon is taken aback when he’s embraced from behind because, for a moment, he swears he felt Nightmare's hooves wrapping around him and her fur brushing against his neck. Luna's body trembles as her eyes focus on a very faint ghostly apparition of Nightmare Moon as she clutches Anon from behind. Her eyes staring daggers at Luna, lips moving, but no sounds are audible.

“I will not deny that if you left me alone, none of this would’ve happened. What transpired at the festival would have but, at the very least, I would’ve remained locked away, forgotten by all but Luna herself.” Nightmare answers while squeezing him tight. “You are curious, but that is not why you came to see me. It was your kindness. To not leave me abandoned in a void that is so similar to your own.”

Nightmare breaks eye contact with Luna as she nuzzles Anon. “I know you’re confused about whom to trust and, while I cannot tell you everything now, I can promise that I’m done playing the villain.” She snickers. “Though, some habits die hard. So I hope you’ll excuse my attitude until then.”

Why... Why is Nightmare like this? He doesn’t understand. She’s so loving that he nearly believes she is Celestia herself. How did she become the monster history made her out to be? Why is Luna staring at him with such fear in her eyes? There are so many questions whirling around in his head, but in the end, Nightmare is right about one thing.

He was not drawn to her out of selfishness. He just couldn't bear the thought of her being alone, like he once was.

Luna talks about Nightmare corrupting him, and yet she’s the one toying with his emotions! Making him doubt himself! If Celestia knew what Anon was thinking, she wouldn’t hesitate to tell him all the reasons his existence brings meaning to her world. Not just her either, but all his friends. It's amusing how frightening that idea is in comparison to not existing.

To know he has value regardless of his flaws.

Anon hadn’t noticed the smile growing on his face. Is that why he adores Tia? Because she makes him feel as if he has a reason to live? That he doesn’t have to fear being judged when he makes a mistake and she’ll offer him advice should he need it? To guide him but always keep his heart in mind as she does so? He knows how lucky he is and it’s why he doesn’t want to lose her.

Anon’s smile dwindles. On the other hand, Luna... He is always reminded of a kid being scolded. As though all he is capable of is making mistakes that she must fix. He hates this. Despite the fact that he poured his heart out for her, she has trampled on it. Aren’t they supposed to be friends? Even with Nightmare in his head, she doesn’t have to treat him like the enemy!

Anon chuckles pitifully to himself. Maybe she’s right in thinking of him as a helpless child. The fact he’s so emotionally fucked that he can easily be broken down does put into perspective how pathetic he is. Anon is finding that his unwavering loyalty is holding him back. He’s tired of being silent and he will not take this abuse anymore. Luna’s gaze returns to Anon as the visage of Nightmare fades.

“You’re right, Luna. Everything that’s happening right now, that’s on me.” He replies quietly, perhaps too calmly for Luna. “The way you’re treating me, that’s on you. Though maybe I should be grateful? It took some time, but now I’m beginning to see what you really are.”

Luna’s fur stands on edge. “And what is that?”

“A monster.” He fixes his gaze on her, giving her a look of pure hatred she has never seen from him before.

“You are not yourself,” Luna exclaims, as the ice creeps up her hooves. “Leave it at that; you will understand when I expel that demon from your mind.”

“For so long I thought you were my friend.” Anon continues. “I took the blame for everything you did. Believing it was for my sake or that I influenced you to do so. The truth is, you did that all for yourself. Pretending as if it was for your “friend”. Yet, I never asked for you to tell Spike about Ponyville. Nor did I ask for you to hurt Twilight. That was your doing, no one else’s and I will not take the blame anymore.”

Luna averts her eyes from Anon's scorching stare. “I never wanted you to believe it was your fault. I was only trying to protect you.”

Anon rubs his face. “Do you know why I avoid dreaming?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Luna inquires, but when she faces him, she can see how hurt he is.

“After all we’ve been through, you still don’t get me. Funny because Nightmare knows why I avoid dreaming.” That causes all the fur on Luna’s body to stand on edge. “Maybe it’s time for me to wake up.”

Anon then turns and walks away silently. Luna reaches a hoof out to him but stops as she sets it down. The cold aura retreats inside of him and she can only reflect on what he said... She cannot blame him for how he is right now. This is all Nightmare’s doing, she’s sure of it. However, she needs to set her plans for the Changelings in motion first, then she can focus on how to remove that filth from his mind.

Anon is wandering the hall before stopping and leaning his back against a wall. He’s tired of all this. He slides down the wall, sits, and follows Nightmare's instructions, isolating himself to bear the weight of his emotions. His face sinks into his hands, tears fill up his eyes as the desire to puke becomes stronger in his throat. Life is a cruel and long joke that never ends...

When push comes to shove, Anon is getting a glimpse of the true nature of those around him. To think his worst enemy was willing to put herself in harm’s way to protect him, but Luna was ready to toss him aside without care. He’s not sure if he wants to laugh or cry over how stupid he is. His mind, however, relaxes when the idea of Tia takes the place of everything else.

She is the only constant he can rely on at the moment. Despite the terror in his heart, he knows all he wants to do is be honest with her. His life may be a joke, but he will not make this relationship into one by lying to her. Honesty is the very least she deserves, and now that Nightmare is in his mind, he cannot keep that a secret anymore. Anon undoes the isolation as his thoughts come together.

“Nightmare... I’m going to tell Celestia about you. I don’t know what will happen but I’m sure she’ll understand if I explain it to her.”

There’s extended silence before Nightmare responds. “This will undoubtedly bring a wedge between the sisters.”

Anon can’t help the small smile on his face. Once again, she’s bringing up his worries instead of trying to convince him otherwise.

“They're going to be fine.” Anon's thoughts turn to Nightmare.

“If you trust the sun goddess as much as you do, then there’s nothing to worry about. Now is the time to act, before you lose your edge.”

Anon inhales deeply to re-center himself. Maybe Luna is right. Maybe he’s lost his mind, but he wants to know everything about Nightmare, and he can only hope Tia will hear him out. Though, with everything that’s happened, he knows this will be an uphill battle.

Twilight is startled awake as fear creeps in as she takes a look around a room she is unfamiliar with.

“W-Where am I-AH!” Her comments are cut short by the excruciating agony emanating from her horn. She can’t hold back the tears, as it feels like her horn is about to crack.

“Nurse! Nurse!” cried a voice beside her, but the pain is so severe that she can only see white flashes of light.

Time slips away from Twilight as the pain becomes indistinguishable from the solitary tone echoing in her ears. That doesn't last long, as she is jolted back to reality. In her stupor, she notices a unicorn nurse standing by her, as well as Rainbow Dash.

The nurse turns to Rainbow. “She’s going to be a little out of it until she’s fully rested. Under no circumstance is she to cast any spells or else the damage may become permanent.”

Rainbow only nods in response as the nurse walks away. Twilight hasn’t pieced together what’s going on as she aimlessly looks around the room, trying to figure out where she is. The pain from her horn slowly dies down and with that, her thoughts make sense. Her promise made with the Princess, how she passed out, and now she’s in the infirmary.

“H-How did I get here?” Twilight asks.

“That stuff can wait, the nurse said you need to rest.”

Twilight shakes her head. “I can’t leave you alone.”

Trying to force herself out of bed, Twilight is shoved back down as Rainbow holds her down.

“Just!” Rainbow takes a moment to calm down. “I’m not going anywhere. Ok? Just, please, get some sleep.”

Even with all the uncertainty in her heart, she can’t deny a familiar look to Rainbow that she hasn’t seen in a long time. Her unwavering loyalty to her friends. There’s also the fact that she still doesn’t have her wings anymore, so any chance of her trying to harm Anon is mitigated for the time being. Twilight gives Rainbow a nod and relaxes.

“What did the nurse say?”

Rainbow rubs the back of her neck. “Um, something about depleting and overloading?”

“I’m not surprised.” Twilight sighs. “I’ve been out of practice with my magic for some time. The strain of all those spells in such a small amount of time has undoubtedly caused some damage.” She can see Rainbow’s concern. “Though, nothing a little rest won’t cure.”

Rainbow looks relieved but also confused and sad.

“Twilight... Am I the reason you’re here?”

“Well, I suppose it depends on your point of view. On one hoof, I made all of my decisions on my own, but on the other hoof, I made them because of you. I went to such lengths to protect you, yet it was only because of what you did that I had to go to such lengths in the first place. No matter how you look at it, we’re both equally responsible for why I’m here.”

“I don’t understand.” Rainbow hangs her head low. “Why am I the bad guy?”

“You’re not the bad guy, Rainbow,” Twilight says honestly. “You’re just confused. I know right now you have no idea what’s going on, but I’m going to help because that’s what friends do. Right?”

For the first time, Twilight can see a hopeful smile from her friend.

“Yeah.”

“Get some rest, I’m not the only one who needs it.”

“I guess you’re right.” Rainbow walks over to a larger couch, lays down, and is out like a light.

Twilight can only watch Rainbow as she rests. She’s always been a hard-headed mare, but Twilight believes that teaching Rainbow will be easier to solve than some of her other friends. Twilight lies back and closes her eyes. There’s no reason to think about that stuff now. She can’t expect herself to do anything in her current state, so she might as well recover and take things from there.

Author's Note

This chapter was pretty difficult to write, not only due to my limited to work on the story but also trying to convey the emotional toll that's on both Anon, Luna and Nightmare. It's pretty intense! But the day is not over yet. Either way, I hope this was worth the wait.

Fear of trust

At this moment, all that can be heard in the stadium is the swell of orchestral music as Spitfire and Soarin dance above the band in a synchronized dance. All are transfixed, left in awe of what’s being performed. Dancing in the sky isn’t uncommon, but Spitfire and Soarin are doing something else entirely. They’re dancing as if they’re standing on glass.

There’s little to no wing movement from either of them as they hold hooves, twirl about, and step in line. It’s an aerial feat few have mastered and is so beautiful that many can’t believe what’s before their eyes. Yet they cannot turn away. Despite such skill on display, there are a select few who find themselves busy with their thoughts.

Pinkie and her friends haven’t been able to concentrate after what happened. Not too long ago, an eerily familiar explosion occurred. None of them could see where it came from, but there was something about it that resonated with them. Spike and the Crusaders were none the wiser, simply enjoying all the events, as many others were. Pinkie though, couldn’t shake the ache in her heart.

Her Pinkie sense didn’t give her any inclination that something was off, but there was an almost unbearable weight that came over her when it happened and hadn’t gone away. She notes that neither Twilight, Anon, nor any of the Princesses have returned. She can’t help but assume that something happened. Why else wouldn’t they be here?

She can’t bear the weight of it all anymore as she rises from her seat.

“I have to use the little filly’s room,” she says, excusing herself.

Applejack and Fluttershy give her a nod in response as they stay back to watch over Spike and the girls. Exiting into the hallway, Pinkie scans for anyone familiar, but no one is in sight. Trotting around, she hopes she’ll bump into someone. Maybe she’s overthinking things? It could just be her nerves about talking to Anon about helping her friends. Yeah! That totally makes sense!

Just as Pinkie is feeling better about the situation, she spots Twilight’s brother up ahead. He looks busy, but she might as well ask where the others are, to be sure.

“Um... Shining Armor?”

Shining turns around and finds one of The Elements of Harmony. Pinkie Pie, if he recalls correctly.

“Do you need any help?”

“Kinda. I just noticed that Twilight and the others haven’t shown up yet. Are they busy with something?”

Shining’s expression falls to the typical stoic guard. “I believe something urgent came up.”

That weight is back now more than ever. She doesn’t want to believe it, but one thought came to her when she felt that explosion.

“That explosion earlier... Was it Rainbow Dash?” Pinkie is forward with her suspicion.

Shining takes a breath in before sighing. “I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, you’re an Element of Harmony.” He stands up straight, no longer holding his stoic expression. “I can’t go into detail about what happened, but no one has been hurt. You’ll have to wait for someone to tell you everything that happened.”

“Should we go to the castle?”

Shining shakes his head. “Celestia will deliver her closing speech for the Festival soon. If no one comes for you before then, I’m sure she’ll speak with you herself. Again, no one was hurt, so try your best to enjoy the Festival while you can.”

Pinkie can only nod as Shining returns to his patrol. Everything is silent now as Pinkie takes a moment to calm herself before returning to her friends. There’s nothing she can do right now but wait. She just hopes the pit in her stomach isn’t related to what Rainbow did.

Celestia stands resting her head against her chamber doors. This day is the longest she’s had in recent memory. Not a single moment of rest is given as time after time something else comes crashing down onto her already heavy withers. All she wants is a moment of peace to process everything but that appears to be a seldom given privilege. A sigh leaves her as she finds the strength to open her door and step inside. Entering, she pauses as her eyes rest on Anon as he sits on the bed.

The weight of her day lifts, but only momentarily. Instead, a chill taking its place as something about him is off. He is gazing blankly at a wall, oblivious to her presence. Her first thought is that he’s emotionally exhausted, but something else is wrong. There’s a cold aura that’s hanging over him, it’s familiar and yet so foreign at the same time.

She shakes her head to clear her thoughts. Those things don’t matter right now.

“Ano-” She stops as Anon jerks violently, facing her in surprise. It’s as if he was startled awake. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were so deep in thought.”

“N-No... I um.” When he glances down at the floor, she notices his knuckles are white from clenched fists.

She’s not sure what to make of this. If Anon is in the same shape as her, he’s well past his breaking point. Walking over, she takes a seat beside him and drapes a wing on his back.

“Are you tired?” she asks.

“...Yeah.”

“You may rest if you want. Other than my ending speech, there’s nothing more expected of us.” Anon is grinding his teeth as he’s lost in thought over something. “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

Anon isn’t sure how to bring this up as he’s long since lost his edge. “Tia... What would make you stop loving me?”

That’s a heavy question to come out of the blue for her but one she’s sure of.

“I think the tough thing about loving someone with all your heart is that you never really stop loving them. So, if you were to do something horrible, it would hurt all the more for me to punish you, but I’d still love you.”

“That’s not...” Anon massages his temples a few times before sighing. “What if I’ve been keeping secrets from you?”

“I think it’s expected to keep a few things to yourself in a relationship,” Celestia admits. “However, if these things are becoming a burden, perhaps that would be the time to be upfront. Have these secrets become a burden to you?”

“Something like that.” Anon looks at her, and for the first time, she can see how wounded he is, even if just through his eyes. “So, you’ll love me, no matter what?”

“No matter what.”

Looking into Celestia’s loving eyes, Anon has never wanted to lie to her more than this moment right now. If only to spare her the pain of the truth.

“N... Nightmare Moon is in my head.” He forces his gaze to the floor before seeing her reaction. “The Elements of Harmony didn’t destroy her. This entire time, she’s been imprisoned inside Luna’s mind.” Anon wrings his hands as his legs fidget. “I’m not sure how but Nightmare has merged with my consciousness. If this wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have even told you.”

It’s subtle, but he can feel Celestia tremble, but he’s far from done. “This is a lot to take in, and you’re probably scared out of your mind, but...” He doesn’t want to say this, but he can’t stop. “I don’t think Nightmare is evil. I know she did a lot of horrible things that hurt you and Luna, but... but something isn’t right here. She’s never been what the stories said she’d be.”

Anon rests his head in his hands. “Were all those good things just some kind of nefarious plot? I don’t know, and I don’t know why this happened to begin with! The only thing I know is that I couldn’t keep this from you. I swear I’m not under her control, and I’ll do anything to prove I’m still me.”

There’s nothing more that can be said as silence takes the room for what felt like an eternity to them both.

“N-Nightmare Moon is inside your mind right now?” Celestia asks. “The creature that tried to bring darkness eternal? The being that forced me into banishing my sister to the moon for a millennium?”

Anon looks from the floor to Celestia, and dread washes over him. That look, it’s the same as the one Luna had, sheer terror. For Celestia, all the pieces fall into place. The reason she didn’t pay any mind to the aura hanging over Anon is that she had become accustomed to it on her sister. So, the entire time, this coldness was some kind of manifestation of Nightmare Moon?

How did this happen? Why has Anon become involved? Celestia notices white spots in her vision as she’s almost overwhelmed to the point of passing out, but she swallows her emotions and falls back to her princess mask to keep her calm. Though it does little to ease the terror of that creature being inside Anon’s mind. Taking a moment to look Anon over and think logically, she finds it strange that he would even tell her this.

If he was being controlled, what would Nightmare Moon gain by revealing her existence? Nothing, because biding time would allow the greatest amount of success for a being in her situation. So it begs to question, what has she done to make Anon trust her as much as he does? It’s clear to Celestia that Anon is not only scared by how she’ll react but what she’ll do to Nightmare Moon.

This is complicated beyond comparison, but she can’t understand without some inkling to go on. She must remain calm, as she’ll require all of her wits to take the next step. She rests both of her hooves on Anon’s cheeks to keep him facing her.

“I’m going to look through your memories. I have to confirm that no magic has been used to alter your mind or emotions.” Anon looks unsure as his body trembles. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Do you recall what my specialty is?” Anon shakes his head. “Anti-magic. If she is controlling you or has altered your memories, I’ll find it and protect you. Your safety is all I care about right now. After I know you’re safe, we can talk more about this.”

“O-Ok...” Anon takes a breath to calm himself and closes his eyes.

Celestia hesitantly rests her horn against Anon’s head before casting her spell.

When Celestia opens her eyes, she finds herself in an empty void.

“Welcome,” a voice calls out to her.

Whirling around, Celestia comes face to face with another alicorn, but this isn’t the Nightmare Moon she remembers... A being of pure darkness in a mockery likeness of her sister. No, this creature is far different when compared to the past. Not only in appearance, but power as well. Even without casting any spells, Celestia can see how much mana is pouring off of this creature.

“Who are you?” Celestia asks.

“You already know the answer,” Nightmare responds as she sits and closes her eyes. “I will not stand in your way. Search as much as you like.”

This isn’t what Celestia expected, but if she is not being met with hostility, then she will take this time to ensure Anon is alright. Casting her spell, she’s bombarded with all of Anon’s memories of this creature, including the heated argument between him and Luna that happened not too long ago. She remains focused as she scans for any signs of tampering, but nothing is there.

Taking in what she saw, she decides to move on to this void. She extends her magic out and instantly finds the latent magic of the Elements of Harmony. The age of the magic is directly from when Anon first came to Equestria. This isn’t new to Celestia, but the fact it appears to have changed recently is what gives her pause.

Was this truly The Elements doing? Celestia turns her gaze back to ‘The Mare in the Moon’ as she simply sits in wait. Even with Anon’s memories, she doesn’t understand why Nightmare Moon is acting like this, but there’s one thing Celestia is sure of... If she wanted to escape, she could do so easily. With the power she has right now, it appears Anon is a match made in heaven for her. All his negative thoughts and emotions are only building on her already ludicrous amount of power.

Yet, why does she remain here? Why has she helped Anon? How could this monster be so kind?

“Find anything interesting?” Nightmare breaks the silence as she locks eyes with Celestia.

“Why haven’t you escaped?” Celestia asks.

“So direct.” Nightmare takes in Celestia’s glare for a moment before answering. “What would await me if I did? An epic fight between myself, The Elements, and two sisters? That doesn’t interest me.”

“And Anon does?”

Nightmare smirks. “Jealous?”

“Concerned.” She corrects without batting an eye.

“You know, I’ve always admired your mask. During our battle all those millennia ago, you never let it down for a single moment, not even when you had to banish your sister. Can’t say the same about your dreams, but it’s impressive.”

“What are your plans?” Celestia continues, ignoring Nightmare’s attempts to rile her up.

“Plans?” Nightmare chuckles. “I don’t have any. I’m perfectly content with staying here.”

Celestia is wary. Nightmare Moon is being uncharacteristically civil, or at least as civil as she’d expect from a creature that wanted to bring night eternal. Have The Elements altered her after she entered Anon’s mind? There are too many unknowns, and wasting time pondering is pointless. For Nightmare, she’s finding it difficult to not say anything snarky to the Princess.

After all, their only interaction was brief all those millennia ago. Still... She doesn’t want to make this situation worse for Anon. So while the thought makes her sick, she’ll try to be nice.

“I get the sense that an outside force has locked me in with Anon. Though I can’t say for sure, my specialty lies with dreams, so I couldn’t get many details.”

Celestia lets out a huff of bemusement. “I would say that your social skills are that of a foal, but at least foals are enthusiastic when talking to others.”

“Well, as time goes on, I’m finding that I’m not as skilled in many things.” Nightmare grins. “I can’t even claim the crown of most cruel anymore... No, that title belongs to your sister now.”

Celestia’s fur stands on end. “Do not talk down about my little sister.”

“I’m not one to downplay what she’s done.” Nightmare’s smile is gone as her eyes hold a fire that is matched only by Celestia’s. Just as things couldn’t get any tenser, Nightmare suddenly peers off into the void. “Your spell is straining his mind. It’s time for you to leave.”

Celestia is hesitant, but she knows she can’t stay here any longer as her spell is mentally intensive, and Anon was already well past his limit.

“I will be keeping an eye on you,” Celestia warns.

“Fine by me,” Nightmare responds. “One last thing. Your hate for me is justified. I don’t intend to spin a cutesy tale for Anon about how I’m an innocent mare put in a bad light. All I will offer him is the truth.”

“Why bother telling me?”

“Because you hate me. I care little that you see me as a being of pure evil, but do not direct that hatred onto him as your sister has.” Nightmare locks eyes with the sun goddess. “Do not give me a reason to leave this void.”

Celestia is taken aback for a moment. She saw these glimpses from a few of Anon’s memories, but experiencing it herself is shocking. Nightmare Moon is worried about him... Celestia turns away before lighting her horn.

“I’m not my sister.” With that said, Celestia disappears.

Nightmare’s tense body relaxes as she’s left in silence. “... I know.”

When Anon opens his eyes, he finds Celestia staring back at him with uncertainty.

“Did you find anything?” He asks.

Celestia shakes her head. “I found no signs of tampering.”

That is relieving for Anon to hear, but he’s still worried about how Celestia will take this.

“Tia... Am I wrong about Nightmare?”

Celestia can’t stand to see him like this, afraid of what she’ll say. So she reaches out and embraces him.

“That is not something I can answer. The Nightmare Moon of my past is evil, but something is different... I found traces of magic from The Elements of Harmony. I haven’t the faintest clue as to why but it gives me pause on what to do.” Celestia squeezes him. “Why has it spared that creature not once but twice? What role do you play in all of this? I do not know, and that’s what scares me... At the very least, I did not sense any malice towards you from her.”

“That’s a good thing, right?” Anon states.

“That doesn’t mean I trust her.” Celestia leans back to face him. “Anon, no matter what happens, come to me if you need help. Our relationship will face hardships, but it’s our responsibility to work together to solve them. Alright?”

Hearing her say that puts Anon at ease. It’s hard for him to trust so blindly, but Celestia has done enough to prove that his trust in her is anything but blind. The weight of this entire day hits him at once as he leans heavily on Celestia. His eyes becoming impossible to keep open.

“Alright.” He answers. “I... I think I’m tired.”

“Go to sleep. I’ll take care of everything else. I love you, Anon.”

“I love you too.” He mumbles before passing out.

Celestia takes a moment to watch him rest before laying him down. She closes her eyes and lets out a long sigh. There’s so much for her to take, but she must give her closing speech for the Festival. After that, she must proceed with caution, not only with Nightmare Moon but Luna as well. It’ll be in everyone’s best interests if she lets Luna focus on the Changelings... After that, hopefully, she will have calmed down, and then they may begin discussing Nightmare Moon and why she kept this a secret for so long.

When will today end?

Author's Note

So much stuff to cover in such a short amount of time! Chapter is a little rough but I had to get it out for the sake of my sanity. Hope you enjoy.

Uncertain times

“Why can’t I sleep?” Anon mutters to himself, holding Tia close.

“What do you expect when your mind continues to wander,” Nightmare answers.

Anon’s eyes snap open as he stares at Nightmare, his arms enveloping her while she lies down on all fours beside him. This is the furthest thing he expected to happen today as he’s frozen in place. The worst part is the neutral expression Nightmare is giving him. Without hearing her thoughts or emotions, he doesn't know how to approach this dilemma.

“I don’t mind,” she responds. “You couldn’t move even if you wanted to. You’re well beyond your limit.”

Is that why he seems so exhausted despite being in his dream world? Not that it matters because, now that he’s here with Nightmare, he wonders how things went with Tia.

“So... What did you two talk about?”

“Nothing worth mentioning. She came to explore your memories and examine this void. I wasn’t interested in starting a fight, so you can rest easy.”

A load is lifted from Anon upon hearing that. Gazing at Nightmare, Anon notes that her eyes are different. The typical slitted pupils are rounder than he recalls. They’re considerably gentler, and despite the neutral expression, there’s a sense of caring behind them. It’s strangely calming as he finds his thoughts drifting back to when he was alone in that corridor with Luna.

He hasn’t forgotten how Nightmare supported him; he took everything said to heart. Adding that she was willing to let Tia do her thing, it means the world to Anon. Luna may think of him as an idiot, but Anon isn’t blind. Nightmare is powerful, but she’s never harmed anyone. Tia confirming that his memories haven’t been altered also drives home that he can trust her.

Anon holds his gaze on Nightmare as his confidence begins to swell; his thoughts bring a moment of clarity that he seldom sees. He swears that so long as Nightmare doesn’t hurt him or his friends, she’ll never have to endure the pain of being alone because he’ll be there for her. Nightmare’s eyes grow as her muzzle runs red. She raises a hoof to hide her face.

Puzzled by her reaction, Anon takes a minute to think, but then it hits him. Earlier, he didn’t say anything to Nightmare when she answered him. A wave of embarrassment washes over him as he realizes she could hear his unfiltered thoughts. He, too, tries to bury himself with his hands.

“W-Wasn’t there a spell that isolated my thoughts?”

“It was overwhelmed by your argument with Luna. Once you rest, I’ll take the time to put another one up.”

Well, it’s too late for Anon to take that back. Not that he would, but this amount of embarrassment is more than he can handle.

“I think I’ll try to sleep now,” he states.

When Anon drops his hands, Nightmare is looking at him, and she has a slight smile on her lips.

“Goodnight,” she says.

While Anon is still flustered, seeing Nightmare in a good mood puts him at ease.

“Goodnight.”

Just like in the waking world, Anon is out before he knows it. Nightmare watches Anon for a bit before leaning down and nuzzling him. He’s such a strange creature, but she’s alright with that. Once the time comes for her to tell him of the past, she wonders if he’ll keep his promise? A hefty sigh leaves Nightmare, experiencing Anon’s emotions has taken a significant toll on her.

A quick nap will benefit them both. Then, once she wakes, she’ll cast her spell to contain his thoughts. So with that swell in her chest, she closes her eyes and falls into a slumber with Anon.

An explosive flash of light fills the backstage before dying out with Celestia standing at the center. All events have come to an end, and her final speech is imminent.

“You’re on in five minutes.” Shining calls out, having been waiting for her return.

“Very well.” Celestia looks herself over to make sure she’s fit for the public. “Have you spoken to my sister about what’s going on?”

He nods. “I’ve already familiarized the rest of the guard about our current plan.”

“Good. Be certain to keep me posted on any developments.”

“Understood. I would also like to add that Twilight’s friends are concerned about her whereabouts.”

Celestia is grateful for Shining having reminded her. With everything going on, they’ve slipped her mind. “I’ll speak with them after this.”

Shining bows as Celestia makes her way up to the podium just as a few bells toll. The sun is closing in on the horizon, and whatever light is left illuminates the princess as she gives the crowd a smile.

“Today has been exciting.” She starts, the crowd giving a round of applause, which she pauses a moment so they may calm themselves. “I’m sure this day will go down in history as one not to be forgotten. I thank you all for coming and showing your support to the numerous creatures that have competed today. With that, I can now declare that the festival is over! Have a wonderful night, my little ponies.”

All around, give the princess a bow as she exits the stage, her smile dropping before she teleports to the private booth. When she enters, she finds Spike rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly; the fillies nodding off against him while Pinkie, Applejack, and Fluttershy sit in wait.

“I apologies for the wait, but an urgent matter came up.” Celestia states before shifting her gaze to Spike. “Can I trust you to keep them company while I have a discussion with these three?”

“Um, sure,” Spike responds.

“Where’s Anon?” Pinkie asks, concerned.

“Resting. Now please, gather around me. It would be best if we returned to the castle.”

They do as she says, and in an instant, Celestia brings the three to the throne room while having left Spike and the Crusaders in Twilight’s room. Celestia sits on her throne while the three look around, confused.

“I will be blunt because I have the sense that you three already have a clue as to what’s going on.” Celestia takes a minute to collect her thoughts. “Rainbow Dash attempted to kill Anon.”

All their eyes shrink at hearing that. Pinkie shakes in place as she tries to respond.

“K-Kill him? How?”

“She used a Sonic Rainboom to fly through our defenses and aimed at Anon. The only reason he wasn’t harmed is due to Twilight shielding him.”

“Twilight saved him?” Applejack asks.

Celestia nods. “She is in the infirmary if you wish to see her.”

“What about Rainbow?” Fluttershy comes in.

“I’ve already hoofed down my punishment. I would recommend speaking to Twilight about anything else. It’s been a difficult day, and I need to rest.” Celestia tries to hurry them along, as her patience is running thin.

“Can I see Anon for just a moment?” Pinkie pleads.

Celestia draws in a long breath to soothe her nerves.

“No. He’s already at his breaking point. For the time being, I urge that you go to Twilight and lean on her until Anon has recovered. There’s plenty for him and me to review about this mess, and that can only be done alone. Do you understand?”

There’s a certain sting to Celestia’s tone that gives everyone in the room the impression she’s not interested in addressing this further. Pinkie looks to add something, but a hoof rests on her withers as she looks back to Fluttershy as she shakes her head.

“I’m positive the princess knows what’s best for Anon right now. She is his marefriend, after all.”

This isn’t what Pinkie wants, but she backs down, her head sinking low as she steps back and beside Fluttershy.

Celestia looks at Fluttershy, her expression growing soft. “Sorry for acting so harsh, but this is a delicate situation. Twilight will have most of the answers you’re looking for. I’ve left Spike in Twilight’s room, and you’re welcome to stay at the castle for as long as you like. For now, I merely wish to be by Anon’s side.”

“I understand. Please tell Anon that we hope he’s doing well and want to see him soon,” Fluttershy responds with a smile.

“I will. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Fluttershy says as she escorts her two friends out of the throne room. She can see that Pinkie is distraught, and Applejack looks completely emotionless. “Maybe we should let Twilight rest and see her in the morning?”

“That sounds best.” Applejack replies as she walks off.

Pinkie follows behind Applejack, her mane flat and head swinging low. Fluttershy doesn’t know what to do, but she trusts Twilight has some good news for them about Rainbow. Otherwise, she’s not sure how they’ll ever heal from this.

Blossom is doing paperwork as she reflects on the plans that are in motion for the changelings. They have various avenues covered, but no system is perfect, and she’s wondering what cracks those bugs will sneak through when the time is right. She sighs to herself; for now, she should concentrate on the things she can control to ensure everypony is protected.

Easier said than done. With so many things to consider, her thoughts drift to why Luna hasn’t returned yet. What could those two be discussing that would take this long? The door to her office is thrown open as Luna stands there with a grim expression. Where Blossom should be relieved of her Princess’s return, instead, a shiver runs down her spine.

“Princess?” Blossom gets up from her seat.

“Effective immediately: Thou art no longer overseeing Anon.”

“Excuse me?” Blossom can’t believe what she’s hearing. “If you’re concerned about it affecting my duties involving the changelings, I can guarantee that I’ll have no issue with doing both.”

“This is an order, Captain.” Luna asserts. “The knights are forbidden from getting within hoofs’ length of him. We can’t go into detail why, but tis paramount that no pony gets near him until we’ve dealt with the issue.”

Something is wrong here. Blossom can tell that Luna appears calm and collected on the surface, but deep down, she’s terrified. What could’ve fallen between her and Anon to have led to this? It’s as if she’s a different mare now.

“I-If those are my orders, I will follow them.” Blossom states. “May I tell Anon myself? I’d rather him not assume I was avoiding him on purpose.”

“He will understand thy actions once we’ve fixed the issue. Until then, keep thy distance.”

“Understood.” Blossom gives a nod as Luna exits her office.

Blossom doesn’t agree with this one bit, and while it’s true she’s loyal to Luna. Some things are too cruel for her to do. When the moment is right, Blossom will tell Anon about her orders because that’s what a friend does.

Celestia enters her chamber for the night and closes the door behind her. Her gaze rests on Anon as he dreams peacefully. Celestia is exhausted, but seeing him like this puts her at ease as she makes her way over to the bed. Taking off her regalia and crown, she climbs into bed before embracing him. Right now, she should sleep, but her mind is left with many thoughts.

She’s lost in what to do about Nightmare Moon. Above all else, she wants to ensure that Anon is safe, but she cannot deny that The Elements appear to be in play. A magical force the likes Celestia has never seen on this planet, acting as if it has a will of its own but only bringing a harmonious outcome. She sighs, no good will come from her wandering thoughts, but she cannot help them.

The unusual bond between Anon and Nightmare Moon takes the forefront of her mind. There’s a tenderness with which Anon approaches that creature and not something she sees very often. Is it because he’s free to express himself in his dreams? That he fears being that open in the real world? Try as he might to be sincere with his feelings in their relationship; Celestia knows it’s a struggle.

Yet, he’s found some form of peace with Nightmare. Despite the urge to vomit from the image, Celestia cannot deny that it’s a two-way street. She returned his emotions in kind and went so far as to protect him when no one else could. This isn’t the monstrosity Celestia knew, and she cannot fathom what has brought about this change. Then there’s her sister.

It’s difficult for Celestia to remain neutral because of how Luna handled the situation. All those appalling things she said. Celestia understands the complexity of this position and her sister's warning to Anon about this unlikely outcome. Still, the fact she threw him under the carriage without remorse upsets her the most. He, too, was scared about everything and doing what he thought was right.

Celestia takes a moment; she must calm herself, or else she won’t be capable of bearing the wrath that’s beginning to swell. Luna isn’t innocent in this matter. For so long, she’s kept Nightmare Moon a secret. How could she abuse Celestia’s trust like this? Just when she hoped they were close and things were getting better... It just makes her feel like a fool for believing Luna changed.

There’s nothing that can be done. Celestia doubts that with all alicorns and Twilight, they’d be able to remove Nightmare Moon. With little distance between Celestia and Anon, she can sense Nightmare’s mana seeping from him. Her powers are on par with Starswirls, maybe even surpassing him. Yet, her mana is calm. Celestia recalls from their battle her mana being like a frigid hurricane of corruption.

Though right now, it comes off as nothing more than a cool breeze on a summer night. To think Anon has so much sway with a being that desired nothing but to plunge the world into everlasting darkness; that she values him more than all of her power. Was this The Elements’ intent the entire time? To make a friend of an enemy?

This is complicated, and the only reasonable course of action is for her to observe. So long as Anon isn’t being controlled, Celestia is prepared to let him explore this uncanny friendship. As for her sister? That will have to wait, but Celestia is concerned that she may try something dangerous, which will cause a disaster by upsetting Nightmare Moon.

This is all so strange that it’s almost enough to make Celestia laugh from the absurdity, but she’s too tired. She’s startled when Anon embraces her, his head buried in her chest with a content smile. For now, she needs to rest and recover from this day. They have plenty to talk about tomorrow.

Author's Note

Had one of those artistic days where everything just came naturally and required minimal tuning to finish it. Was pretty nice. Enjoy.

Edit: Story is finished, please check out blog for more information. https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/965235/hml-ending-now-or-soon-story-update