Your Loyal Subject

Chapters

2. Narrow Silver Linings
3. Nightmares and Neurosis
4. Why all this Heartache?
5. I Was Like You, Once
6. (Moon)Light of Hope
7. Prelude to Great Change
8. A Romantic Flight
9. Stupid Things that we Do
10. Sunny Days, Dark Dreamscapes
11. Who is this, Luna?
12. Melancholy of Subordination
13. Secret Refuge
14. Background Check
16. Dance and Distress
17. Introducing an Old Friend
18. Blueblood's Antics
19. I Can Count on You
20. A Prince's Penalty
21. In Muck and Scum
22. Brutus' Backlash
23. Ethics and Karma
25. Resolution
26. Shadows from the Past
27. Enhanced Enemy
30. Please Let Me Live
31. At What Cost?
32. It's a Miracle!
33. Spiritual Reunion
34. Prince of Perseverance
35. A Better Outlook
1. Everyday is the Same
15. Wrath of the Moon
24. Mending a Stallion's Broken Heart (WARNING: CONTAINS CLOP)
28. Dinner with a Broken Spirit
29. Plans Need Changing
Soundtrack Guide

2. Narrow Silver Linings

The next day, Aversion was fortunate enough to have time off from work. He would get the next three days off, according to his schedule. He decided to go for a hike, since he hardly ever liked to stay cooped up in his small home. It was a nice, cloudy day. He would honestly take cloudy weather, or even just an overcast, over a sunny day.

Aversion was walking through the streets of Ponyville to get to the woods where he usually liked to walk around. It was very quiet there, with nothing but the subtle background noises of woodland creatures and faint breeze among the treetops. However, his trip to the woods was interrupted by the sudden appearance of several large-figure stallions approaching him. The largest, most muscular one of the group, an earth pony who had a rust-red hide and dark-brown, Mohawk-style mane and tail, as well as a dumbbell cutie mark, was the one leading the group. He stood right in front of Aversion.

It was Aversion's childhood bully, Brawn Brutus.

"Well, well... what do we got here?" Brutus said. "A scrawny, skimpy runt in our territory!"

Aversion sighed. "Not today, Brutus... I'm not in the mood."

"Ah, hear that, fellas?" Brutus said to his cronies. "He's 'not in the mood'! Ha!"

The group laughed.

"Well, let's, again, lay down the facts, wimp! This is our turf, and we told you that you ain't never to set hoof on our turf!" Brutus said.

"...Or what?" Aversion asked.

"Or this!" Brutus thundered.

Immediately, he splashed a mud puddle, which happened to be right next to his hoof, into Aversion's face. This caused the latter to stagger backward, trying hastily to wipe the mud from his eyes. The rest of Brutus' gang laughed at Aversion's misfortune.

"Yeah, that's nice!" one taunted.

"Looks good on ya!" another one said.

"Learned your lesson, Ass-version?" yet another added.

Brutus then smugly turned his back to Aversion, just before looking back one last time at the smaller stallion.

"I'm gonna buck you in the face and bust all your teeth out if I catch you on our turf again!" Brutus said.

He then turned to face his gang.

"C'mon, boys. We've wasted enough time on this living waste of space in Equestria!" Brutus said.

After Brutus and his clique of friends left, Aversion quickly left, mud still covering his face and mane, and continued until he came across a drinking fountain. He used what little spray there was from the tap to clean himself. It took several minutes, but he got it all off... leaving his mane fairly soaked. That did not matter to him, though. Being covered with plain water was better than being covered with mud. Besides, it would evaporate on his hike.

As he continued into the woods, following along the familiar two-mile loop trail, he still could not get the fact that he was stuck in a place that seemed to despise him off of his mind.

"Why did I have to end up in this washed-up excuse for a town, of all places in Equus?" Aversion asked himself.

It was bad enough that his worst elementary school bully had to end up in Ponyville along with him, but that fact that his boss, as well as cafe patrons, outright abused him as well... it made him feel absolutely worthless. Of course, he always tried to tell himself that this was not true, and he was capable of doing great things, but when the only feedback he received from ponies was that he was a terrible stallion, it was all he could focus on.

Aversion originally wanted to move to a major city and start a career as an actor, but whenever he applied for an audition, he never heard back, or in the rare case that he did, it was a rejection without audition. There was absolutely nothing he could do about this... and so, he gave up hope on his dream. He knew it was a fool's errand to try and get hired as an actor in this day and age.

The one thing Aversion could have really benefited from were connections and social networking made through other ponies. However, friendship has definitely been something that is not one of his strong points. Whenever he did try to befriend other ponies, it always backfired on him, and he ended up being betrayed or denied by the recipients of his attempted befriending.

Princess Twilight Sparkle says "Friendship will make Equestria a perfect place!"? Aversion thought. What a bunch of malarkey... if I know anything about friendship, it's that everypony uses it to exploit and backstab you, or never give you a CHANCE for it! I mean, she's got lots of friends, lives in a castle, and has an overall carefree life! Where's the bucking justice!?

Aversion could no longer bring himself to trust anypony, what with how carefree and happy a lot of them seemed to be. They had jobs they enjoyed... they had friends they could have fun with... they were overall better off than he was. Regardless, he knew that he had to come up with a plan to salvage his situation while he was still young...

Continuing to walk along the path through the woods, Aversion's ears perked up at the sound of shuffling in nearby bushes. He looked in the direction to see some movement among the foliage, and a moment later, a black equine figure appeared, sticking its head from behind them. They had a pair of translucent wings, solid blue eyes, a fairly plain, curved horn, and overall had a very insect-like appearance.

It was a changeling.

"Aversion?" the black insectoid equine asked. "Is that you?"

Aversion recognized him nearly immediately from his voice.

"Scolus?" he asked.

"Hey-hey!" Scolus said enthusiastically.

The changeling stepped forward from the bush, coming out into the open and walking right up in front of Aversion.

"How ya doin', buddy? Been a while since I've seen you!" Scolus said.

"Yeah, I know..." Aversion said. "...what's it been, like... two months?"

"Three, actually!" Scolus corrected his friend. "So, what's good?"

Aversion sighed, letting his eyes fall. "...Same as usual, unfortunately."

"Ah, that sucks!" Scolus said. "But there's plenty you can do to go out and have some fun to take your mind off things!"

"I know, Scolus... it's just that I really can't afford to." Aversion said.

"What do you mean?" Scolus asked.

"Well..." Aversion began. "...I'm still putting in fifty-hour weeks, which even then is barely getting me by for the rent, utilities, and insurance bills... plus, given that I'm forced to work mostly on weekends, I can't go and participate in any activities that happen during such a time."

"So... just make time!" Scolus said. "If you have some time off saved up, use it whenever you want to do something fun in your spare time! And if you have enough seniority, maybe they'll let you choose specific days to work! My point is, Av, just look for ways that you can get around your difficulties and make your life easier! Take me, for instance; I'm ordered by Chrysalis to participate with the other drones to survey regions of Equestria, but while I do so, I take the form of a random pony to go about spending time with others and doing fun activities in pony communities!

"I get that you're not a changeling, Av, so you don't have the same abilities at your disposal. But what I'm saying is this: look for a way to escape from the mundane routine, and seek out something enjoyable that is within your reach! It is possible; you just have to motivate yourself to do it!"

"...Nothing ever gets you down. Huh, Scolus?" Aversion asked, a slight smile appearing on his face.

"No way!" Scolus said, upbeat as ever. "What good is life if you choose not to have fun?"

"It's not that I'm choosing not to enjoy my life..." Aversion said. "...it's just that... my current circumstances are really making it difficult..."

"Things will get better! I promise that to you, buddy!" Scolus said. "Maybe one night, you'll have a dream that'll foreshadow the start of a new life to come for you!"

Aversion nodded. "Thanks, Scolus."

"Anyway," Scolus said. "I probably shouldn't be goofing off for too long; Chrysalis wants all of us to report back to the hive soon."

"Alright. Well, good talking with you, Scolus!" Aversion said.

"Yep!" Scolus added. "Hope to see you again soon, buddy!"

After his changeling friend had gone back the way he came through the bushes, Aversion sighed as he continued to walk, weighing his life situation heavily on his mind. Scolus was his only friend, and it was still, to this day, something that immensely surprised him. He was probably one of the only ponies to befriend a changeling, who were a sworn enemy race to the ponies. There were myths about how the two races used to co-exist together, but several ponies began to become extremely weak and ill, and even die, after having all of their love sucked from them by the changelings, forcing the latter race into isolation after being ordered to by the former race... but these were just myths.

Not only that, but it seemed like Scolus was the polar opposite of Aversion; where the latter was semi-apathetic, melancholic, and reclusive, the former was very energetic, enthusiastic, and fun-loving. You would think it was the other way around, given how each of their respective societies function. However, it was these differences that really worked in favor of their friendship.

Aversion still remembered the day he met the changeling...

Aversion, just a colt no older than six years, was wandering around the woods one afternoon in a brisk fashion. He was panting with both fatigue and anxiety.

"Hello? Anypony?" Aversion called out.

The young colt wanted to explore the woods outside of Ponyville after becoming bored with his babysitter (an old mare who did nothing but sleep, and never woke to anything), but he ended up losing track of where he was, and which direction his home town was in.

"Please, somepony help me! I'm lost!" Aversion cried.

There was nopony around to hear him; all his ears could pick up were the background noises of the environment. Having been wandering around calling for help for the past twenty minutes, the tired, hungry, and panicked colt sat under the shade of a large elm tree, tears filling his eyes. After a moment, he began to cry. He feared that he would never make it back home or see his mother again... he was stuck in the woods with no way to navigate... and he was alone...

...Or so he thought. After having cried for a little bit, Aversion began to hear some hoofsteps. Hopeful that help had found him, he looked to see who was approaching... but it was not a pony...

"Hey, you okay?" they asked.

The distinctive appearance made the colt realize that it was a changeling nymph. He stood bolt upright as he eyes widened to nearly their limit without popping out of his head.

"A-AAH...! CH-CH-CHANGELIIIIIIIIIIING...!" Aversion shouted at the top of his lungs.

The panicked colt took off running in the other direction. The young changeling galloped to keep up with him.

"Wait, wait!" the nymph called. "I don't wanna hurt you!"

Aversion did not listen and continued to run, the changeling child following him all the while. Though the nymph was insisting that he would not hurt the colt, the pursuit continued... up until Aversion found it very difficult to move his hooves, and then... he could no longer move them at all. He looked down at his hooves, which were being pulled into the fairly soft earth, and no matter how hard he pulled, he could not free even a single leg.

"AAAAAAAH...!" Aversion shouted. "Quicksand! I-I can't move...! I'm sinking!"

"Just hold on!" the nymph, who was right at the end of the quicksand pit, said. "I'll try to get you out!"

Aversion looked back at his "pursuer," surprised at what he just said, only able to rotate his head as most of his legs had been pulled under the surface of the quicksand.

"What are you gonna do?" he asked.

"Just don't struggle!" the changeling said. "I'll levitate you out!"

"H-h-hurry...!" Aversion said as he abdomen went under the quicksand, threatening to smother the colt.

Closing his eyes and focusing, the nymph's horn began to glow a bright green color, and a halo of the same color outlined Aversion's body. Just before the latter's head was about to go under, he felt himself start to rise. The mud was squeezing his legs, trying to hold him down, so the nymph had to put a little more oomph into his levitation. Eventually, though, Aversion was free, the mud slipping off of him, and the changeling levitated him so that they were both right in front of each other.

Aversion let out a relieved sigh. "Thanks for saving me!"

"It was nothing." the nymph said. "Just couldn't let you smother to death like that! You really gotta be careful around these parts of the woods!"

The two then remained silent for a moment as the colt examined the young changeling.

"So... why did you save me?" Aversion asked.

The nymph was put on the spot by the question. "...Because why would I feel good about letting you die?"

"Well..." Aversion began. "...I always thought that changelings were... savages."

The changeling nymph blinked a few times in astonishment.

"No... we're not all like that!" he said. "I mean, yes, Mamma Chrysalis conditions us, to think ponies are the enemy... but some of us can... resist the conditioning..."

"Really?" Aversion asked.

The changeling nodded. "In fact, I remember one of my hive-brothers, who was also one of my few good 'friends,' was the same way that I am... I think his name was... Thorax, or something like that. The only reason Mamma Chrysalis wants us to hate ponies is because... well... she had some bad experiences with them, but none of us know what happened."

"Oh..." Aversion said, surprised that this particular changeling was the way he was, and a few others, as he described, were as well.

"Yeah." the nymph said. "Just always remember that it's not how we look on the outside, but what we are on the inside."

"Yeah, I gotcha." Aversion said. "Anyway... do you know where we are right now?"

"Well... I know that we're a little ways outside of Everfree Forest to the North." the changeling said.

"So... do you know the way back to Ponyville?" Aversion asked.

"Oh, yeah!" the nymph said. "I know it off the back of my hoof! Especially when Mamma Chrysalis would have us... stalk the area for ponies to take the forms of..."

"Would you be able to show me the way back?" Aversion said.

The nymph nodded. "Totally! In fact, you weren't too far off from it!"

With that, the two started walking back in the direction from where Aversion ran from to try and get away from the changeling child. After about five minutes, they eventually made it to the familiar town limits of the Ponyville community, and sure enough, they caught sight of the town itself.

"Oh, there it is!" Aversion said.

"Yep!" the nymph said. "Told you it wasn't very far!"

"Thanks for helping me get home." Aversion said.

"Don't mention it!" the nymph said with a nod.

"Well, I guess I'll be going now." Aversion said, about to head off. "See you around!"

"By the way, what did you say your name was?" the nymph asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm Aversion." the colt introduced himself.

"Name's Scolus!" the changeling said. "It was nice to meet you, Aversion!"

"Good to meet you, Scolus!" Aversion said.

With that, he started trotting his way back to Ponyville... but he stopped and looked back at Scolus, who sat where he was, watching as the colt left him. To be honest, he felt a little guilty about asking for his help without offering anything in return... but he saw this as a good opportunity for something. Aversion walked back up to Scolus, who pickked his head up a little higher upon seeing the colt returning to him.

"What is it?" Scolus asked.

"Would you ever like to... meet up again?" Aversion timidly offered.

Scolus' ears perked up. "Really? You want to... meet up? With me?"

"Yeah! You helped me! It's the least I could do for a new friend." Aversion said.

The final word the colt said had a massive effect on the nymph.

"Friend...?" Scolus asked, smiling with tears in his eyes. "...Y-you really think of me... as your... f-f-friend...?"

Aversion nodded. "Why are you crying?"

Scolus sniffled. "...I-it's just... I've never had... a real... f-friend, before..."

"Well, as long as we can keep in touch... you can call me your first real friend!" Aversion said proudly.

Sniffling, the nymph leapt at the colt, pulling him into a firm, overly-friendly hug.

"We're gonna be the bestest friends ever!" Scolus said.

"Yeah...o-okay..." Aversion said, trying to pry himself out of the nymph's tight hug. "...no need to...o-overdo it..."

Aversion sighed with reminiscence at this flashback. Even though neither he nor Scolus could take a lot of time out of their routines to see each other, they had still been the longest-term friends either have ever had. The species barrier was nonexistent to both of them, because their friendship was something that transcended that. Whenever one had a bad time, the other was willing to hear them out and offer consolation. The two were never on bad terms... ever.

After completing the loop he liked to take, Aversion made it back to his rented house, where he laid down on his bed. He was staring up at the ceiling, thinking. If things were indeed going to get better... when would it happen? Was his purpose to suffer through this and have the light come to him eventually? Or would he have to seek it out on his own? He did not know... but he always had something that clued him in on the matter.

Aversion looked down at his flank, observing his cutie mark. It was a simple, blue flame. Even after all these years of bearing it... he honestly still had no idea what he ended up doing to receive it. All he recalled was that, one night during his childhood, when he was laying in his bed, crying after a bad day (he had been severely bullied), he was eventually able to remember what his mother used to say to him:

"One day, my dear little Avey... you will grow up to do AMAZING things! Just don't let anypony hold you back..."

It was this memory alone that allowed Aversion to stop his sad tears... albeit replacing them with happy ones. He then stood from his bed, walked over to the window, and stared up at the stars. He vowed, to himself with verbal speech, that he will do something that will impact all of Equestria in a positive light before he dies, and that he will make his mother... who was now "among the stars"... very proud of him. Immediately after giving himself this short, but powerful, pep-talk... that was when he saw a glowing light appear on his flank. The next thing he knew, the blue-flame cutie mark appeared, and it has remained imprinted on him ever since.

Regardless, Aversion did realize that there were a few narrow silver linings in his life that he could appreciate... however, the struggled he faced had gotten to the point where he could no longer find satisfaction with the little things. He wanted more... and as it just so happened, there was one particular part of his life, still left in a void, that he was hoping to fill with one thing he has always desired since entering his adolescence...

Author's Note

Credit for background images of Ponyville and present-day woods goes to "Dipi11."
Credit for background image of flashback woods goes to "BonesWolbach."
Credit for pony sprite images of Aversion and Brutus goes to "generalzoi."
Credit for changeling vector of present-day Scolus goes to "TheShadowStone."
Credit for changeling nymph vector of flashback Scolus goes to "charli3brav0."

3. Nightmares and Neurosis

It had become fairly late in the night. Princess Luna, on the brink of exhaustion, was about ready to collapse on her walk back to her room. After a full day of fulfilling her routine royal duties, she was depleted of energy... yet it was only for her physical form. Her astral form had spent the day recovering from her dream-surfing the previous night, and was ready to continue her work of entering the dreams of the ponies of Equestria.

Once she made it back to her room, Luna took off her crown, neckpiece, and horseshoes, and climbed into bed. She was out almost immediately due to her fatigue. From there, her consciousness transcended the material realm, into the dream world.

The next couple of hours consisted of Luna casually browsing through a long corridor lined with doors. Each door was a representation of a portal into a pony's subconscious. The door was the color of their hide, with designs and patterns that served as a visual depiction of their personality, and their name and cutie mark were imprinted on the door as well. For blank flanks, it was only their name.

Most of the dreams she went through consisted of nothing more than some casual, dreamlike activity, such as several earth ponies flying without the use of wings, pegasus ponies flying through the colorful nebulae of space, and unicorns manipulating their entire dreamscapes with, godlike, impossible-in-real-life magic. She did come across a few nightmares, but nothing too serious, so she was able to quickly take care of them.

Her notetaking was yet again very draining on her. It was all just the same thing, over and over. How she wished she could break this long, straining cycle of monotony... and it just so happened, that would be the case...

The very next door Luna came across was one that seemed... different to her. Out of all other doors she had been through in a while, this one seemed the most alien. It was a light-gray door, with rust-red patterns on it, as well as a bright-blue flame for the cutie mark, and the name on it was...

"...'Aversion'." Luna said. "Hmm... I don't think I've ever been in this pony's dreams before..."

Deciding to squeeze another log in for her Dream Reports, she entered Aversion's subconscious. At first, the landscape appeared to be that of Ponyville on a bright, summer day. At first, Luna saw nothing of interest. She did not even see Aversion for a few moments... up until she saw the pony in question running along a path through the deserted town. It was a colt with a color scheme that matched his door.

"Aw... just look at him running on those little legs!" Luna said, a smile appearing on her face. "Such a little sweetie..."

What she did not realize, however, was that Aversion was running from something... it took her a moment to realize that he looked quite distressed, too. The sky began to rapidly be covered by clouds, and the ambient lighting turned blood-red. Confused and startled, Luna saw that, from the direction the colt Aversion was running from... there were some shapeless, spectral objects of glowing crimson mist.

One shot ahead of the colt and materialized into a large, hulking, demonic stallion, who looked quite enraged. The colt stopped, slowly stepping backward at the sight in front of him.

"...P-please, Daddy..." he whimpered. "...please... d-d-don't hurt... me..."

"QUIET!" the nightmare version of Aversion's father thundered. "YOU DON'T SPEAK UNLESS SPOKEN TO, YOU INSOLENT LITTLE ASS!"

Luna gasped in disbelief at what she had just witnessed. What did this mean? Could it have to do with something that happened to Aversion? The colt in question, choking up with tears filling his eyes, began to run in the opposite direction... only to be met by the spectral, nightmare entities that looked like stereotypical bully colts, who were towering over Aversion.

"YOU'RE SUCH A STUPID, SCRAWNY PIECE OF TRASH!" one bully shouted.

"WE GOTTA DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE YOU DON'T EXIST!" another added.

"THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE WITH YOU GONE!" the third one said.

Tears began to fill Luna's eyes as she witnessed this horrendous torment. It brought flashbacks to her of what other ponies said about her when she was just a filly. Aversion cowered as the demonic ponies began to hover around him in circles. The father swung his hoof at the poor colt, striking him over the head. The bullies all bucked at him, striking him in the legs, plot, and barrel. This caused him to bury his face into his forelegs on the ground and start bawling his eyes out as the spirit continued to insult him.

Luna could not bear to watch any more of the needless terror being inflicted on the young colt. Refusing to sit back any longer, she powered up her horn, and her eyes began to glow a bright white color. This caught the attention of the nightmare entities who were slowly encroaching on the terrified colt; they stopped and looked directly at the Princess, fear manifesting in their glowing red eyes.

"O foul phantasms who plagueth this poor pony's soul..." Luna spoke in her Royal Canterlot voice. "...I commandeth thou to BEGONE!"

With a flash of her horn, Luna successfully banished the nightmare spirits, their otherworldly shrieks echoing as they were forcefully and painfully carried off by the Light of the Moon, produced by Luna's spell. All that was left was the sobbing colt, who was barely peeking over his forelegs at the Princess, who glided down in front of him.

"Do not worry..." Luna said in a gentle voice. "...they are gone now. I made them go away."

Aversion began to stand more upright. The look of fear was still rich in his eyes, as were the tears. Luna's heart ached to see such a young colt be subjected to such terrible phantasms.

"Come here, young one." Luna said, holding her forelegs open.

Without hesitation, Aversion ran up to the Princess and wrapped his own forelegs around her, letting off his tears once more. Luna held him in a gentle, caring hug, slowly flapping her wings to lift him up off the nightmare dreamscape, which was now dissolving into a peaceful space void.

"...P-please... don't let them... h-h-hurt me... or t-talk like that to m-m-me... anym-more..." Aversion uttered.

He continued to cry while Luna held him. He was still immensely shaken up from the nightmare he had just experienced. She gently rubbed his head while nuzzling him.

"It's okay... just let it all out." Luna said. "You are safe, now."

Judging by the way he was behaving, it seemed as if Aversion's memory reverted to that of his child-self while in this particular dream... but of course, Luna simply assumed that he was a colt in the waking world as well.

"I promise that you have nothing to worry about, so long as I am here with you, dear..." Luna said.

The colt looked up at the Princess.

"W-will you... be my new M-Mommy...?" he asked.

With a warm smile, Luna rubbed her hoof through his mane.

"Of course, little one." she said.

She continued to try and comfort Aversion so that he would no longer feel threatened. Given her level of experience with such a thing during her own childhood, she had a fairly good understanding of what a frightened pony requires to feel better.

"...As long as you're with me, you'll always be safe, Aversion." Luna said, brushing a bang out of his face. "You are special, and they just don't see it."

Despite tears still being in his eyes... Aversion finally managed to smile at her. This struck a warm spot in Luna's heart, knowing that she succeeded in helping a traumatized pony, albeit for what could be a temporary period of time. And for a bit of good measure... she let go of him, causing him to float in front of her due to lack of gravity, closed her eyes as her horn glowed, and conjured a large, rainbow-colored lollypop, hovering in front of the colt's face.

The younger Aversion, now even happier, took the candy and started licking it. He stopped for a moment, though, to look back at Luna.

"...Thank you...!" he said. "...Thank you so much...!"

"You're quite welcome, little one!" Luna responded.

Now that she had relieved him of his nightmare, the Princess knew that she had other matters to attend to regarding the other sleeping ponies of Equestria. However, just as she was preparing to leave Aversion's dream, she caught sight of a bizarre apparition... something that looked out-of-place in this peaceful space environment... something that looked eerily darker and more monstrous, yet also more subtle, than the nightmare spirits that attacked Aversion...

...In the distance was a jet-black pony, almost resembling a materialized shadow, with bright white glowing eyes. There were dark particles emanating from its body.

Luna only saw it for a brief moment before she was brought out of Aversion's subconscious, but during that time, she could almost feel its gaze on her... like that of a vengeful glare. This made the Princess feel somewhat on edge, but regardless, she continued her dream surfing. Despite her efforts to report the ever-mundane and standard dreams of the ponies... she could not get her mind off of Aversion and his dream.

I don't understand... she thought. ...what was that dream supposed to represent? I could understand the bullies... but his own FATHER?

The imagery of foal abuse kept creeping to Luna's eyes from her brain, and she could not suppress it.

Also... what exactly was that... shadow pony? I have never seen anything like it! It might've just been a subconscious image of his fear, but...

There was definitely something off about this whole thing. Luna knew that his dream did not play out like that of a normal pony. The whole time she was there... she could feel a very malevolent force, even after banishing the nightmare spirits from Aversion's mind... something was wrong.

Perhaps I should keep an eye on this Aversion... Luna thought. ...perhaps tomorrow, since I have some free time, I'll see if I can meditate and channel energy to achieve astral projection, and see what he does throughout his day.

4. Why all this Heartache?

For the first part of the day, Aversion tended to his garden. He poured river water from a bucket into his watering can, and used it to irrigate the small, potted plants he had. With the larger plants that were actually grounded, he simply poured directly from the buckets into the ground.

Little was Aversion aware... Luna was perceiving him with her special crystal sphere, which allowed her to throw her gaze to any point in Equestria. She was skipping out on her Dream Reports... but its nothing that Celestia would notice. She never looks through the archives herself, and neither did Luna for that matter.

"So... he's a young-adult stallion? Huh... must've been something to do with his dream that caused him to become a colt during it." Luna said while watching. "And he's got his own little garden. How nice! He at least knows how to care for living things, so I know he's got a good heart in him."

After caring for his plants, Aversion went back inside to get a small something to eat for brunch.

"Wonder what I should do today...?" he asked himself. "...Ah, I'll just go for a walk to see if there's anything interesting. I'll follow up on your advice, Scolus."

With that, the earth pony went on his way, leaving his small house, and making his way into Ponyville. He had effectively put off what happened to him the day before, having slept and gotten a decent recovery, as well as having a nightmare turn into a good dream. However, this recovery would become null with the situation that would arise...

Star Buck happened to approach him, whilst she was on her way to work, stopping right in front of her employee with a firm glare.

"Mr. Aversion!" She said. "You've got something you're gonna have to explain!"

On the spot from Star Buck's sudden appearance, Aversion went rigid.

"Uh... wh-what do you mean?" He asked.

"I was informed by Dark Roast, after your shift yesterday, that you ended up calling in sick last Saturday!" Star Buck angrily said. "You realized that it was the day when we would get the rush due to the special discount on the snickerdoodle caramel blend! We were shorthanded that day because of you! Why was this?"

"W-well..." Aversion began. "...it was due t-to... ineluctable circumstances..."

Star Buck narrowed her eyes. "What kind of 'ineluctable circumstances'?"

Aversion was struggling to think up something that sounded convincing. He just said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"See... i-it was that I... had become very sick." Aversion said. "I was... vomiting. Constantly. And it was accompanied by... severe bowel problems..."

In reality, Aversion was upset after having seen so many happy couples at the shop on the previous day. His anger and jealousy were getting to him after seeing that so many ponies had the happiness that he had desired ever since he entered his teen years. It went without saying... but he had, for a majority of his life, been a very lovesick stallion. He would never tell anypony this, though, because he did not want them to think that he was weak.

Regardless, Star Buck did not look pleased.

"Just because you upchuck and shit a bit, you think you're entitled to skip out on work?" she asked.

"...Would you rather I throw up in everyone's coffee, or all over the shop?" Aversion responded.

Star Buck pursed her lips. "Don't get smart with me! But... in that case... I suppose it was... a lesser of two evils to let you stay home... but you'd better not make a habit of this!"

"I-I won't...!" Aversion said. "...I promise that I do take my position seriously!"

"Well... you'd better start showing it a little better! You'd better act like you're happy to work there, which you should be!"

Luna was extremely taken back by this interaction.

"...What kind of boss treats their workers like this?" she asked herself. "No employee would be motivated if this is what they face on the regular..."

Regardless, she continued to watch Aversion's day unfold.

Suddenly upset by the unexpected confrontation, Aversion was fighting back to avoid tears as he hastily walked back in the direction he came from to retreat to his house... possibly for the day. However, he happened to catch sight of something that would help to perk him back up...

As he was walking, Aversion caught sight of a particular mare. She was an earth pony with a cyan hide, a cream-yellow mane and tail, a medallion with a sun symbol on it for her cutie mark, and brilliant golden eyes. Her name was Suncrest... and she had been Aversion's most recent crush. She was one of his co-workers at the Ponyville cafe for a brief time before she eventually moved onto a new job, but the lunch conversations and general walks to and from the cafe with each other still made the stallion become quite smitten with her.

Suncrest was strolling with two other mares, one a unicorn and the other a pegasus, all three of them conversing and occasionally laughing. Aversion ducked behind a nearby bush as they approached, none of them having caught sight of him. Peeking his head over the shrubbery, the young stallion sighed longingly as he stared at the mare of his dreams.

"Oh, Suncrest... sweet, lovely Suncrest..." he said, dreamily. "...how I wish I had the courage to approach you, and profess my feelings. Your kindness... your concern for me... all of it just turns me to mush when I so much as think about you."

The three mares continued to walk their way toward the spot where Aversion was hiding. Once they passed, he was able to hear what it was they were saying, following yet another spell of laughter.

"Hahaha! Yeah, that's great!" Suncrest said. "If she's gettin' herself all hung up on every stallion she lays her eyes on, it's her fault the affair made her look like a jackass!"

"Yeah, totally!" One of her friends responded.

"Anyway, we're gonna head back to our flat for a breather. Catch ya later, Sunny!" The other one said.

"Yep! See ya, Cloudstream! See ya, Cherry Blitz!" Suncrest said.

With that, her two friends went on their way, leaving her to continue her walk alone. Now that she was alone, Aversion saw this as a great opportunity... he just felt he had to do it...

"Hey, Suncrest!" Aversion called out after emerging from behind the bush.

Suncrest looked back, her confused expression quickly replaced by a smile at the sight of a former coworker.

"Oh, hey Aversion!" The mare said, waving. "How you been?"

"I've been... alright." Aversion lied. "How about you?"

"Same." Suncrest responded.

"So... anyway..." Aversion began. "...there's... uh... something that I've wanted to ask you..."

Suncrest tilted her head. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

Aversion's pulse was really kicking in. He was never able to hold his nerves down for very long in her presence... especially with what was going to happen next...

This is it... Aversion thought anxiously. ...this is what I've been waiting for! She's the one... I just know it! I FEEL it! She's the one who will finally end my long years of misery!

The stallion swallowed, darting his eyes around, causing the mare before him to narrow her eyes at him in confusion.

"Aversion? Are you okay?" Suncrest asked.

Finally, Aversion spoke: "...Well... I was wondering... w-would you... like to maybe... go w-with me... for some l-l-lunch... or a movie... or j-just a walk... in the park... o-or something...?"

Instead of looking excited... Suncrest simply looked... confused.

"Uh... what now?" She asked.

"...Well, I-I mean, you obviously don't have to, but..." Aversion stopped and took a deep breath to stabilize himself. "...whaddya say?"

Suncrest sighed. "Listen, Aversion... y'know, I really... don't know if... I can give you what you want..."

It was in this moment when Aversion felt his heart (or what was left of it) shatter into a superfine powder. The courage he built up to ask her... the hope he had that her friendliness was a sign of acceptance... the happiness of fantasies he had of her... all of it, gone. Just like that.

"Please, don't take this the wrong way..." Suncrest said. "...I think you're a great pony! And a lot of mares would be happy to have someone like you in their life... but, I really don't know if I could be one of them..."

"...B-but..." Aversion stammered in shock. "...but why?"

"...No offense, but... you've just seemed so..." Suncrest briefly trailed off. "...needy."

Aversion's eyes went wide as the last word she said resonated within his head at a deafening volume.

...Needy... needy... needy... needy... needy... needy...

"...I see." Aversion said, a stoic expression masking the emotions from his (re-)shattered heart. "I understand..."

"Aversion... please don't do that." Suncrest said.

Aversion, however, turned to face away from her.

"...Just forget I asked." He said. "I won't waste even a millisecond more of your life... because your time is clearly very important to you... and I am apparently just not worth it."

Suncrest sat where she was, overcome with immobilizing shock at what Aversion was saying to her.

"Aversion, wait!" she called, extending out her hoof in his direction. "Come back! Can't we just... talk about this...?"

Aversion paid no attention and simply sped up his walk. He was no longer on speaking terms with the mare he had, mere seconds ago, had a crush on. He simply wanted to do everything he could to cut her out of his life, and stay the hell away from her.

He retreated back to his house, where he collapsed onto his bed and fully began to cry into his pillow, struggling to hold it back as he was making his way back. The young stallion cried for a long time. He did not know how long; it could've been fifteen minutes, or an hour. But it was a long time indeed. He continued to do so until he eventually exhausted himself and he soon fell asleep.

Luna was absolutely appalled by the interaction between Aversion and Suncrest.

"What kind of heartless mare would turn down such a kind stallion like him!?" she asked out loud.

Had she not known Aversion's past, like most other ponies, she would've called Aversion the heartless one. However, after reading deep into his heart and memories... she realized that he was hurt. Like, really hurt. This was not the first time this has happened to him. Plus, it was not the only pain he had been subjected to throughout his life...

The Princess was infuriated that ponies still had the nerve to put someone down without knowing about a battle they could be fighting internally.

Aversion awoke hours later to find that the sun had already set, and it was nighttime. He had effectively wasted a little over half of one of his days off. After what had happened earlier that same day, though, he did not care. His long nap did not help him to feel any better. The loneliness of awakening in the dark, in a small house on the edge of town... all of it just added to his melancholy.

Straining himself to stand from his tear-soaked bedsheets, Aversion trudged out of his room into the near-empty living room/foyer, where he lit the oil lamp hanging on the ceiling, and from there... he sat his plot down in the middle of the floor, tears starting to flow once more. He did not know what to do with himself.

He was hungry, but had no desire to eat...

He was restless, but had no desire to be active...

Right now... he just wanted to not exist.

"I just wanna know... why?" Aversion asked. "Why, why, why? Why does this always happen to me, at this late age in my youth? Why all this heartache?"

The earth pony stallion sniffled as he wiped tear streams off his face, and buried his face into his legs as he folded them Indian-style. It was not just the fact that he was rejected that made him face chronic depression. There was also the matter of being bullied and mistreated by his boss and coworkers, he was struggling with his financial situation, he's being forced to sacrifice some necessities just to get some enjoyment that doesn't last long, honestly, it could go on and on...

"I'm sick of being treated like I don't matter... I'm sick of wasting away in this old, busted-ass house that I can't afford to have fixed... and... I'm SICK of being unloved! Why has the universe forsaken me from having a caring partner...?" Aversion said.

He struggled to stand, as his negative emotions made him weak and wobbly. He made his way over to the window, looking out at the starry night sky. A sigh escaped from his maw.

"...I-I wish... you were still here for me... M-Mom..." Aversion said to the sky.

In times like these, Aversion needed someone to be there for him. The problem was, there was never anypony who would do so. He had been bullied and ridiculed nearly his entire life, and his few friends had left, never for him to hear from them again. Hell, they were all probably married and living happy lives, he assumed.

Aversion was not just depressed anymore... after what happened today, he was borderline suicidal...

This led to him taking a walk through the town, now that everypony was asleep by now. He was going to be heading out to the edge of the community, near the woods, possibly to Everfree Forest, and see what would be a suitable location for a plan that he would carry out if push came to shove... a plan he would be likely to carry out in a short time. He was going to find a suitable place where he could end his own life, without anyone discovering his corpse. It would not make a difference, he assumed, since nopony would likely even care that he would be missing.

Aversion let out a shuddering sigh.

Why not just end it all now? He thought. It would be better than suffering through all this shit for the rest of my life! What good is life if all it entails is suffering? Besides, if I can't get a marefriend in this life, then perhaps there is a very special mare... my first love... waiting for me in the afterlife...

Luna, overwhelmed with horror at the stallion's self-destructive thoughts, could not restrain herself any longer.

"No more shall you suffer, Aversion..." Luna said. "...for I shall intervene, rid you of the pain your soul bears, and give you the will to live! I shall become your friend, and help you realize how valuable your life is!"

Immediately, she sat cross-legged, and with a bit of focus, entered a deep, meditative state... one that would allow her to project her magic to far-off locations, rather than just her astral perception alone...

The walk was definitely not helping Aversion. The only thing that could help him right now would be somepony who cares about him, who could console him. Or, even better, a sweet, loving young mare who would never let him go, no matter what.

Please, Celestia... hear my prayers... Aversion thought, tears streaming down his face. ...please... release me from my sorrow... give me a sweet, caring mare who I can love... and hold... and kiss... I would love her more than anypony else ever could...

As he continued to walk... Aversion began to feel a strange tingling sensation in his throat. It did not hurt, but still caused the stallion to stop and rub the front of his neck in confusion. It was not like anything he ever felt before. However, he dismissed it and just kept walking, his eyes closed and his head hung low. As he was walking, however, he happened to feel something very offsetting.

Aversion felt his hooves leave the ground... like, literally lifting off the ground. He opened his eyes to see that this is exactly what happened! He was levitating into the air! His mane and tail were rippling in the air, as if it were a fluid. It was as if gravity had suddenly stopped affecting him.

Aversion, frightened at this situation, tried to call out to somepony for help... but found that his voice was not working. No matter how hard he tried, he could not produce anything other than a whisper.

Suddenly, after floating directly upward until he was slightly above the Ponyville rooftops, he was being pulled North, over the buildings, and eventually... outside of the small town. There was not a pony who spotted him being levitated away from his home against his will... and he did not know how to make it stop.

The same question repeated a million times a minute in Aversion's head as this was going on: What's going to happen to me?

Author's Note

Credit for house background goes to "BitterPlagueRat."
Credit for nighttimes Ponyville background goes to "Foxy-Noxy."

5. I Was Like You, Once

Aversion was now very far from Ponyville, flying like a pegasus without wings... or guidance, for that matter. Lacking voice and gravity, all he could do was continue to fly helplessly through the air. No amount of flailing of the limbs or attempts at screaming were helping.

Oh no... he thought. ...as if my life couldn't get any worse, now some mystical force is carrying me away from my home, and my voice has stopped working! It's probably gonna set me down in the middle of nowhere! I-I'll be lost! And... n-nopony... will care...! They'll... never try to find m-me...!

Aversion, in a vain attempt, tried to grab the branch of a passing tree, but it broke as he continued to be pulled by the seemingly-supernatural force. It was far to flimsy to stop him. He was scared out of his mind, not knowing what was to come. There was nothing he could do, being a mere earth pony. Tears streamed down his face as his fright was urging to be released.

I wanna go home... the young stallion thought. ...please just let me down... I just wanna go home...

He noticed, however, during his flight, he was subtly ascending (which was triggering his vertigo), and the direction he was heading in was bringing him towards...

...Canterlot? Aversion thought. Why I am I going there? Is there... somepony doing this?

After a few more minutes of flying towards the city, he began to veer subtly towards Canterlot Castle... the capitol building of Equestria... in which he had never set hoof. He ascended one of the taller turrets, almost to its spire, to a balcony. From there, he leveled out as he slowly drifted inside... eventually stopping and hovering in mid-air right in front of...

Princess Luna!? Aversion thought.

It was indeed the Princess of the Night, sitting in front of him with her hind legs crossed and her horn glowing while she was still in her meditative state. However, she opened her eyes to see him... and they widened as a smile appeared on her face.

"Aversion...!" she said, happily. "...We meet at last! Here, I'll give you back your gravity..."

With a subtle flash of her horn, Aversion slowly drifted to the floor, back onto his hooves, and his mane and tail fell back to their original shape. Luna stood up, towering over him, albeit only by twelve inches.

"I've wanted to see you in-person for a little while now." Luna said.

Aversion tried to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse exhale. Luna quickly took notice of this and remembered what she did.

"Forgive me for silencing your vocal cords." Luna said, charging her horn. "It was just to make sure you wouldn't scream and draw anypony's attention while you flew over here. I'll restore your speech for you."

With that, she channeled magic through her horn once more, and a tickling sensation manifested in Aversion's throat. After a few seconds, Luna stopped her magic.

"There. You're voice is back, good as new!" she said.

"...Ah..." Aversion uttered.

"Now then... about why I have summoned you here—" Luna spoke before getting cut off.

"P-Princess... please, have mercy...!" Aversion suddenly said, bowing on all four of his knees with his face to the floor, a dogeza bow.

Luna was a bit confused and caught off-guard by this.

"Whatever I did, I'm s-sorry...!" Aversion pleaded. "...I promise it won't e-ever happen again...!"

Luna stepped forward, and tilted his head up to meet her eyes. The young stallion was expecting a stern glare... but instead, the alicorn smiled at him.

"Aversion..." she spoke. "...there's no need to be so worried. You are not in any trouble."

Aversion tilted his head. "I-I'm not...?"

Luna shook her head. "No. You have done nothing wrong." she said.

"So... why did I... fly... all the way here?" Aversion asked.

Luna smiled. "...It is because I called you to me. I would have teleported you... but doing so from a long distance is extremely difficult, as well as unsafe. Levitation was the best alternative to bring you here. It is one such method without any... detection."

"A-and... why did you do this, exactly, if you'll... p-pardon my asking...?" Aversion asked.

She knew that he was very shaken up by this unexpected turn of events, but it definitely motivated her to reassure him that she just wanted to help.

"I have watched you from afar, Aversion." Luna said. "I want to help you. I want to make you realize that your life is the most valuable gift you have... and throwing it away would be the biggest mistake you could make."

"And... how long have you been... watching me?" Aversion said.

"Only for a day." Luna responded.

"Just... one day?" Aversion asked.

Luna nodded. "It was all I needed in order to know that you needed help from somepony. You are very much how I was, Aversion; you were bullied, ridiculed, abused... in fact, you still are, am I not mistaken?"

Slowly, and biting his lips, Aversion nodded.

"Not only that, but... I have gone beyond your mere psychology, and have read the memories of your heart." Luna said. "I could feel the pain that you are overflowing with. Nopony should have to suffer as much as you have."

Aversion was a bit unsure of everything that has transpired. He was summoned, against his will, to Canterlot by one of the Princesses, and she, of all other ponies in Equestria, actually sympathizes with him to a genuine degree. He was confused, needless to say, but also... he was quite flustered. Never had he expected this to happen, but it made him feel fairly good about himself if Princess Luna herself cared about his situation.

"I'm truly grateful for your concern for me, Your Highness." Aversion said.

"Please, call me Luna." Luna said warmly.

Aversion shuffled his hooves tensely. "A-are you sure...?"

"I insist!" Luna responded with a nod. "You don't have to be so formal with me; feel free to treat me like a regular friend! Because, well... it's something I've always wanted... for a long time..."

Aversion was making very closed-off body language toward Luna. Given that he was very timid, he always had a hard time learning how to cope with authority figures. But in front of a Princess... this was something he thought would never happen. But now that it is happening, he has no clue what to do or how to act. He assumed she might just be trying to pull a fast one on him and get him into trouble for the smallest thing.

Luna, however, noticed that the earth pony was somewhat nervous. She wanted to make it clear to him that she has her own needs, just as he has his, and that both could fulfill each other's.

"Aversion..." Luna began. "...I understand if you feel intimidated by me. Lots of ponies do. But, I will assure you, with time, that I am really not much different than a regular pony! Plus, I really care about your life... I would hate to see it brought to a tragic end."

"Only... why do you want to help me, of all other ponies?" Aversion asked.

Luna took on a stoic expression.

"Because, Aversion, you and I... we are not so different." she spoke. "You have undergone ridicule and alienation from the society around you... you are different than most other ponies... you are hurt... broken... and yearning."

Aversion's eyes widened as she told him this, causing him to reflect on his life thus far... and she was right!

"I was like you, once." Luna continued. "The fact that I was being unappreciated, and even downright blasphemed... it hurt me. A lot. I felt worthless... I felt like I had no purpose... and it led me to..." she trailed off, sadness appearing in her eyes. "...take actions that hurt many others... and I regret it above all else. Even to this day, I still feel underappreciated, especially with my sister getting the spotlight."

Aversion slowly stepped forward, finally lightening up from his introverted persona.

"W-well, y'know, Your Hi... uh... Luna..." he began. "...I've always liked you!"

Luna's ears perked up and her jaw slightly dropped, but she managed to smile slightly at this remark.

"R-really?" she asked.

Aversion nodded. "Ever since you were... well, released from your inner darkness... you've always been my favorite Princess!"

Luna's gaze fell to the floor as her smile became wider and her face went slightly red. Aversion clear his throat.

"Um, so anyway..." he spoke. "...I'm glad that I have somepony to talk to who I can genuinely relate with."

"It's really nice to hear somepony tell me that they're grateful to talk and spend time with me." Luna said.

Aversion yawned. "Oh, jeez... I realized that I should be getting to bed soon."

"You may spend the night with me here, if you wish." Luna said. "I can easily teleport a bed from one of the spare bedrooms up here for you."

"Me?" Aversion asked. "Sleep here? In Canterlot Castle? Is... is that even allowed?"

"If I say so..." Luna said, closing her eyes and channeling her magic.

After a moment, there was a bright flash as a large shape materialized in mid-air, slowly drifting to the ground. It was a very ornate, four-poster bed with dark gray velvet sheets.

Luna opened her eyes. "...that it is allowed."

Aversion examined the bed for a moment, gently pressing down on the memory-foam mattress, rubbing the sheets to feel their texture.

"Wow..." he uttered. "...this is much nicer than the old, cheap, spring mattress I got from the discount store!"

"But of course! All accommodations provided to emissaries are to be of patented, royal-level standards." Luna said.

Aversion climbed onto the bed, and pulled himself under the covers. "Ah... so good. Like laying on a cloud..." he turned to face the Princess. "...thank you for doing this for me, Luna. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome." Luna said, walking over to her own bed.

She removed her crown, neckpiece, and shoes before climbing into her bed... and Aversion could not help but stare and blush as she did so. Just the act of removing her apparel was somehow... very erotic for the stallion. Not to mention... she looked rather... attractive... when she was not wearing anything.

Once she nestled herself into the bedsheets, Luna used her magic to switch off the lights, leaving only the faint, silver light of the moon. Aversion was, needless to say, very excited about everything now.

I can't believe this... my first sleepover in YEARS, and it's with a PRINCESS! he thought.

After having laid for a bit while trying to fall asleep... Luna thought about how this could all help to solve her loneliness. Aversion seemed to trust her, even if only just... and the fact that she could relate to him... something that she had never experienced before with any other pony...

"...How would you like to start visiting on a regular basis from now on, Aversion?" Luna asked.

Aversion was a bit concerned at the thought, and this manifested as a noticeable expression on his face.

"Don't worry!" Luna said. "I won't tell Celestia! This'll be one of our little secrets..."

The young stallion pondered, but eventually managed smile and nod at her in the dim moonlight.

"...Yeah!" He said. "I wanna start spending more time with you! Especially with having to put up with the same horsecrap, day after day... I need somepony to help me break the monotony."

"That's just what I wanted to hear." Luna responded. "Well, in any case, let us catch up on our nightly rest. Goodnight, Aversion."

"Goodnight, Luna." Aversion said.

With that, the Princess and the commoner both closed their eyes, and let their minds drift off... to serene memories... blissful thoughts... the mere physical presence of the other helping to ward off bad or harmful visions... until, soon enough, they were both off to sleepyland...

6. (Moon)Light of Hope

Luna awoke the next morning to ready herself for yet another day of her royal duties... starting off by filling out the Dream Reports she just gathered over the night. However, noticing the additional bed in her quarters... she happened to remember the event that unfolded the previous night. Sleeping in the other bed was a somewhat-familiar stallion. A smile appeared over the Princess' face as she recalled that Aversion had accepted her friendship.

Wow... after over a thousand years... I finally have managed to acquaint myself with somepony! Luna thought triumphantly. Who cares if he is but a subject before my royalty? I have gotten my first friend in a truly long time!

Soon enough, Aversion began to stir, his eyelids fluttering at the blinding morning light. After getting some awareness to his surroundings, his eyes opened widely as he became fully awake in an instant. He looked over at Luna, who was laying in her own bed, smiling at him.

"Good morning, new friend!" Luna said, warmly.

"P-Princess Luna..." Aversion uttered, just before tipping his head down. "...s-so... it wasn't a dream..."

"Of course it wasn't a dream, silly!" Luna said.

"I know..." Aversion said. "...it's just... so much to take in. Especially for somepony like me! I've always felt worthless compared to other ponies... and who else to truly feel sorry for me than a Princess of all others? The odds are just... out of this world!"

Luna stood from her bed, putting on her crown, chestpiece, and horseshoes. "I understand if this is all very jarring and sudden, Aversion. But I want to reassure you about this: everything is going to be fine. You've been hurt, and I intend to help you through it! Not to mention... I have been wanting some more excitement in my life."

"Really?" Aversion asked. "I always thought Princesses were free to do what they want, when they want."

Luna chuckled. "No, it's nothing like that. Royal duties are extremely... time-consuming, and tiresome. It's always the same thing everyday. I need excitement to retain my sanity!"

"...Sounds quite a lot like me." Aversion said.

"Yes, and much like you, I always look at the commoners..." Luna said, her gaze shifting to her window, over the city of Canterlot. "...I envy their free reign... they don't realize how easy they've got it compared to ponies like me, or you... and for many, many years... I've wanted to be more like them."

"WOAH!" Aversion said, in an amused manner of surprise. "Jeez, stop being so real! You're totally warping my perception of monarchy!"

Luna laughed again. "You sure are a funny stallion, Aversion! I like you for that!"

Aversion nervously rubbed his hooves together. He wasn't trying to be funny... he never does. But, it actually was kind of nice to hear somepony think it of him.

"In any case, it was nice to acquaint myself with you, Aversion." Luna said. "But now I must return you to your home in Ponyville... especially before my sister knows you're here!"

"But, I have to wonder..." Aversion asked. "...why did you even bother bringing me here in the first place? Isn't that kind of... risky?"

Luna inhaled to speak. "I brought you here, Aversion, for such a brief time, and taking such a bold risk... so you would know about what is truly going on. It was not pointless if it was only a few moments in the night. The fact is that you now know this: you are not alone. And especially... you are not alone in being alone."

Aversion chuckled. "You stole that line from a lyric in that one song by The Pon-lice!"

"Yeah, I just love classic rock..." Luna said. "...but anyway, I brought you here, Aversion, to let you know that I care about you. If you ever feel like you are at your lowest point... always know that there is somepony you can talk to, somewhere. And now... you have me! So... what do you say?"

Aversion let his eyes fall toward the floor as he pondered. Eventually, he looked up at the Princess with a warm smile on his face.

"...I look forward to seeing you again, Luna." he said.

Luna, now looking happier than ever, charged her horn with magic and began to levitate Aversion, preparing to send him home.

"Thank you, Aversion." Luna said. "I'm so glad that I am able to help you... but I think you should know that you are helping me even more. For many years... I've wanted a friend... somepony to talk to... and have fun with..."

"Well..." Aversion said. "...you can call me your first real friend! At least... in this era, right?"

Luna nodded. "And, also... you don't happen to have work tomorrow, do you?"

"Nope." Aversion responded. "I've got the next two days off. After that... it's back to the usual grind for me."

"Good." Luna said. "Then I shall bring you back over here again later tonight! I will have to resort to levitation again, though... since I'm still a bit off on my long-range teleportation skills."

"Fair enough... I don't mind the flying... so long as I'm able to just keep my eyes away from the ground." Aversion said.

"And, Aversion..." Luna said, her eyes becoming a bit sad. "...please don't ever think that taking your own life will solve your problems."

Aversion blushed, both in embarrassment and shame.

"You might not think it... but many ponies would actually be very sad if your life ended too soon." Luna said.

"...I understand that now." Aversion said, knowing that Luna actually cared enough about his situation... not to mention, he could not even comprehend how Scolus would feel if he committed suicide.

"Well, you best be off. I've got my work cut out for me today, before I get a day off tomorrow from it all..." Luna said, opening the door to her balcony, and Aversion began to float backward through it, still facing her. "...Farewell for now, Aversion!"

Aversion waved as he floated away. "Goodbye, Your Hi--uh... Luna!" he remembered to call her.

It was a bit... offsetting for him to address royalty by only their given name. Hopefully, he would get used to it.

Soon enough, he spun himself around in the direction of his flight back home, and Luna entered a meditative state to ensure her magic could continue to be used over a long range. As Aversion was slowly drifting through the sky back to the small speck in the distance that was Ponyville... he was still heavily fixated on the grand opportunity he has just been presented with.

"Wow... a Princess is actually my friend!" he said to himself. "And she's the Princess of the Moon, no less! Oh... hoh-hoh-hooooooh...!" a wicked grin appeared over his face. "Aversion the earth pony should not have access to these kinds of powers... but once he does...!"

He began to laugh in a very devious manner. However, he was quick to snap himself back to his true persona.

"What am I saying!? I can't let myself become a spiteful vengeance-seeker! I would just become no better than all the other bad ponies in my life..." he said.

A short while later, Aversion flew discreetly over the town of Ponyville. It was still early dawn, so many of the citizens were still sleeping. Nopony was out on the streets, but the few who were merely assumed that Aversion was just another bird flying through the air, since they did not bother actually looking up. Once he was near his house, Aversion stopped moving forward, and slowly descended onto the walkway to his front door. Once his hooves made contact with the ground, his gravity came back and his mane and tail reshaped.

Aversion more or less spent the day working on caring for his garden, going for a usual walk, playing some video games, watching a bit of television, and generally passing time. He was, above all else, eager to be brought back to Canterlot Castle to be with his new friend. One whom he could truly relate to with his melancholy...

7. Prelude to Great Change

Aversion's day got off to a great start. For now that he had received praise from Princess Luna herself, he felt far better about himself than he usually did. As he strutted though Ponyville, rather than his usual hunched, droopy walk cycle, he was upright, striding long, and keeping his maw and gaze pointed straight ahead, his head tipped slightly back. Anypony who saw him could tell that he now had a great deal of confidence.

He decided to go on yet another walk, around the loop that he typically liked to take. Only this time, he saw the scenery around him for what it truly was; bright, colorful, and beautiful, as opposed to when he saw it being monochrome, bland, and the same everywhere when he was in his usual apathetic state. It, for once, felt actually pleasant to go outside and take in the scenery.

"Hm..." Aversion thought. "...maybe I'll log onto the Ponynet later and see if there's any acting positions available in Canterlot or something. Surely the Princess could hook me up!"

Now that Luna had given him plenty of encouragement, the young stallion felt like he was able to do anything he put his mind to... especially what he was passionate about. His orphanage roommates, and especially... his mother... have all noted that he had excellent acting capacity.

While he was walking, Aversion happened to be glancing off to the side, and spotted a changeling who was looking at something on the ground in curiosity. Walking a bit closer, he noticed that it was Scolus, and that he was playing with a caterpillar by blocking its path with his hoof, forcing it to crawl in a different direction.

"Scolus!" Aversion said as he approached. "Hey, what's up?"

The changeling looked up from the smaller insect, and saw his friend approaching him. He also happened to notice his lively mood and confident smile... which was unusual for Aversion.

"Well... you seem really perky today, Av!" Scolus remarked.

"You bet!" Aversion said. "So, just playing with your fellow insects, I see?"

"Yeah, I was able to get a day off from my hive duties." Scolus said.

"That's good. Everypony needs a break from time to time." Aversion remarked.

Scolus stood up and let the caterpillar slink off on its way to some nearby vegetation to eat.

"So, what's up? Did, like... something really good happen to you yesterday or something?" Scolus asked.

Aversion's lip curled up on one side. "...You have no idea!"

"Oh, dude, tell!" Scolus said eagerly. "What went down that turned everything topsy-turvy for ya?"

Aversion shuffled his hooves nervously. "Well... I don't know if you would... believe me."

"Hey, c'mon buddy!" Scolus said. "I'm your friend! I'll believe what you tell me! Especially if it turned you from the reserved pony you once were to the bright-and-cheery one you are now!"

Aversion chuckled. "Well, would you really take me seriously if I told you something that happened to me that couldn't have happened to, well... anypony else?"

Scolus shrugged. "Just tell me! I want to know, so I can make sure it happens again if you ever get sucked back into your well of sadness!"

"Okay, okay..." Aversion relented, just before smirking. "...Princess Luna called me to Canterlot Castle, and she befriended me. There, ya happy?"

Scolus laughed. "Oh-hoh-hoh-hoh... you've really perked right up, I'll give ya that, Av... 'cuz you weren't always so funny!"

Aversion's face flushed, and he hung his head down. "Yeah... pretty funny, isn't it?"

"So, like... seriously, what happened?" Scolus asked again.

Aversion thought for a moment... but realized Scolus probably wasn't going to take him seriously.

"...You'll find out soon." he said. "Anyway, wanna come with me and get a bite to eat? It's on me!"

Scolus' eyes lit up. "Sure! But... dude, don't go sacrificing your hard-earned income just for me; let me help out!"

"Oh... I couldn't do that to you, Scol." Aversion said.

"No," Scolus responded, "friends help each other out when they need it. Besides, Chrysalis has a massive stash of stolen Bits... and I hardly see anything wrong with stealing something that's already stolen."

With that, Scolus was enveloped in a flash of green light... and in his place was a random earth pony stallion with brown hide, blonde mane and tail, orange eyes, and a fountain pen as a cutie mark.

"Anyway, until I change back, my name is 'Scripting Scribe'." the stallion said in Scolus' voice.

"Alright..." Aversion said, "...so, let's be on our way to Ponyville, 'Scribe'..."

Luna spent her day manifesting the dream reports she took and filing them correctly. Then, she tended to anything else that required her attention, as per her sister's requests. However, she was doing it very positively, since she was eager to see her new friend again later that evening, once everything had settled down and she could call him again when nopony would know he was there.

In any case, she did not have very many dream reports from one of the previous nights; the night she first encountered Aversion. She hoped her sister would not notice, despite neither Celestia nor herself ever inspected the archives.

Luna was sorting the dream reports on each pony in alphabetical order of their names, when Celestia walked in on her.

"Hello, Lulu!" she said. "I just finished presiding over the charity drive to the Foals' Hospital of Canterlot! How is your progress coming along?"

Luna stilled her feathered quill and looked at her sister and co-ruler. "Oh! 'Tia, I didn't hear you walk in!"

The Princess of the Day narrowed her eyes at her sister. "...You haven't been slacking off behind my back, have you?"

"W-well..." Luna began, hesitantly. "...everything is accounted for. I looked at as many dreams as I could in the span of one night, and warded off any nightmares I encountered. Then, I archived my findings and put them into the Archives of Subconsciousness."

Celestia chuckled. "I'm just pulling your leg, sis. You really need to learn to lighten up at times and take a little joke!"

"Ah, yes... heh heh..." Luna managed to emulate a chuckle herself.

"In any case, it's good that you manage to stay on top of things, all without complaining!" Celestia remarked.

Luna nodded. "And I believe the same can be said for you, 'Tia."

"And I have to say... I've been stalking you a bit throughout the day..." Celestia spoke.

Luna felt like her organs turned to liquid in that instant.

Oh, no! PLEASE don't tell me she's found out about Aversion...! she thought.

"...and I've noticed that, since you've walked out of your room this morning, you've seemed quite a bit... happier." Celestia said. "Now, that's, of course, not a bad thing, but I was just wondering... did something good happen?"

Luna mentally sighed in relief. Good... she doesn't know that I violated royal protocol...

"Well... see..." Luna began, trying to think quickly. "...for a while now... I was feeling... very restless... and I needed to... relieve it, by--"

"UHHH... say no more, Lulu..." Celestia said. "...sounds like it's no business of mine..."

Luna was a bit confused for a moment... and then her face went red upon realizing what she was implying. At least, in her sister's mind.

"Nevermind... anyway, I've been keeping up on my duties, and have been able to boost my morale as of recently." Luna said.

Celestia smiled. "Well, that's good. I'm glad you've found a way to motivate yourself."

Damn bucking straight! Luna thought. The very thing you've been teaching to Twilight Sparkle, your little Mare E. Sue protege, all these years... it's now something that I have for myself, in spite of your telling me it would take up too much of my time!

"So, I'll let you proceed with your work. I was just checking up to see if all was well." Celestia said.

Luna nodded. "I appreciate your concern for me, 'Tia."

With that, Celestia walked out of the room, leaving the Princess of the Night to finish her filing task. As she was working... her thoughts wandered to Aversion, and how depressed he had been before meeting her. She knew that there was quite a lot more going on, given the turmoil she could sense within him.

"Maybe once I can make time... I'll check up on him to see how he's faring." Luna said to herself.

Aversion and Scolus decided to eat at the local Ponyville diner, right after Scolus snuck back to the hive for a moment and swiped some Bits when the changeling praetorian guards wouldn't notice (he had to resort to turning himself into a housefly just to sneak in unnoticed, and throw a couple of Bits over their heads to lure them away with a noise distraction).

They had both been chatting about each other's time over the past few months when they had not seen each other. Up until Aversion wanted to ask Scolus something that he was sure he would know the answer to.

" 'Scribe'... I have to wonder..." Aversion said. "...what do you do... when something that seems too good to be true... is suddenly dropped into your life?"

"Hm..." Scolus, under the guise of 'Scripting Scribe', hummed. "...well, that is a good question. First, I would want to know for sure if it is something legit, and if it is... go for it. You never turn down a genuinely good opportunity when it presents itself!"

"That's just it, 'Scribe'... I don't really know if... whomever is doing this for me... has an ulterior motive..." Aversion said.

"Well, just see if they go out of their way to do something good for you, and if they really mean it. Just pick up on subtle body language to see if they are lying about it or not." Scolus said.

Aversion was well aware of how to pick up on lying, as he had been working on covering up such signals upon learning about them so as to become a skilled liar. Of course, he only ever lied if he had a good reason for doing so.

"Yeah... I think you're right..." Aversion said. "...it's just... so much for me to take in... a good thing that happens out of nowhere, after a long string of bad things..."

"I don't blame you! It must be really tough to be going through all this, only to feel unsure when a good thing finally happens. But take my advice, and take this chance!" Scolus urged.

Aversion nodded, in genuine agreement. "Fair enough. I won't pass this up! I'll go for it!"

Scolus gave an approving grin to his friend.

"See? What'd I tell ya the other day?" he said. "Your life has taken a turn for the better!"

Aversion, thinking heavily about the new opportunity he had to become a real friend to Princess Luna... it made him practically delirious with uplift. He knew that this would be something that would change his life forever... so long as it all went according to plan.

Later that same evening, Aversion had already parted with Scolus, who had to get back to the hive as soon as he could. The former then fixed himself some dinner, and proceeded to step outside onto his patio. Now, all he had to do was wait for Luna to summon him again.

"Shouldn't be too long, now..." Aversion said to himself, peeking inside at the clock on the kitchen wall. "...she said eight o'clock."

The clock read seven-fifty-eight. Needless to say, the young earth pony was quite anxious to meet up with his Princess friend again. This was what he had endured the entire day for. It made him very glad to know that she wanted to be with him, but it also made him very impatient.

The clock was now only seconds from eight PM. Aversion counted down the second-hand.

"Ten more seconds..." he said. "...eight... seven... six... five... four... three... two... one!"

The exact instant the second-hand aligned with the minute-hand over the twelve... Aversion felt a familiar, weightless sensation overtake him. He felt his hooves lifting off the ground, and his mane and tail began to be suspended by the antigravity spell Luna had placed on him.

"Finally!" Aversion said, his voice still working. "I've been waiting all day for this!"

With that, the young stallion floated straight up until he was high above the roofs of Ponyville, and then began to fly straight toward Canterlot Mountain. He was a bit anxious, being afraid of heights, as well as being afflicted with vertigo... but his excitement to see his new friend again was able to negate it sufficiently.

"Here, I come, Luna!" Aversion said.

After flying for several minutes, Aversion eventually entered the city limits of Canterlot, and eventually made it to Luna's room on the tallest spire of the castle, right below Celestia's room. He floated into Luna's room, and the situation was identical to their first encounter, with Luna sitting in a meditation pose, hovering a few inches above the floor, and her horn glowing.

Once he was right in front of her, Luna opened her eyes, smiling upon seeing him. Both of them set back down to the floor once she stopped channeling her magic.

"Hello again, new friend!" she said.

"Hi, Luna!" Aversion responded.

Author's Note

Credit for the background of Aversion's flight pic goes to "StarshineCelestalis."

Sorry to end it on such a cliffhanger; I didn't have enough personal time to get it all in one go. But I will get the next chapter up within the next few days!

8. A Romantic Flight

"It's so nice to see you again!" Luna said to Aversion.

"Yeah..." Aversion said. "...I would normally expect it to be just the other way around."

"Why is that?" Luna asked.

Aversion shuffled his hooves nervously. "...Well... 'cause, you see... I've never expected that a Princess... would care so much for a single, particular commoner..."

Luna giggled. "It's alright. Besides, isn't in the best interest of a monarch to lookout for the wellbeing of their subjects?"

"I guess you're right." Aversion responded.

In any case, Luna strode over to the balcony where Aversion had flown in from, and took in a lungful of the crisp, night air.

"Well, as always, after a long day of activity..." she spoke. "...everypony settles down for the evening... and Equestria falls much more silent... more peaceful..."

Aversion walked up next to the Princess, and looked out over the kingdom. He could make out Ponyville, and was taken aback by how small and insignificant it looked visually, compared to the grant scope of Equestria as a whole.

"...Usually by this time, I would either be working a late shift at the cafe, or just bumming around playing video games, or surfing the Ponynet, until I eventually go to bed." he said.

Luna gave him a warm smile. "And you should feel blessed on the nights when you can as you said, 'bum around,' just as I do on such nights. On a typical workday evening for me, I am often bustling to get my day's work done so as not to fall behind."

"Hm..." Aversion said, his face falling. "...sounds like I've got no reason to complain, then."

"That's not true!" Luna said.

Aversion looked at her curiously.

"I mean, yes, my life outside of work is very bland and uneventful, which has left me depressed... but just because I might be in a worse spot does not mean yours is, per se, ideal." Luna explained.

"Hm... I never thought of it that way. I always assumed that everypony who tells me 'There are LOTS of ponies who would give ANYTHING to have what you've got!' were right... that they knew more about Equus than I did." Aversion said.

"Yes, it is true that there are many societies, both inside and outside of Equestria, that are not faring well, but that does not in any way mean you have no right to be upset about your lifestyle." Luna said.

She stretched her wings out, tipping her head back, and closing her eyes.

"Take me, for instance..." Luna said. "...I often worry that I will be stuck in the same working loop all my life... and because of that, I try to... take a different approach, from time to time..."

Aversion walked forward a little bit, in front of her.

"...and I found that nighttime... the time I command and reign over... it is perfect, as everypony who would usually issue me tasks are all asleep... and I may do as I wish. It is merely the workload I am given that gives the illusion of me lacking free will... and I make the most of my time... with my abilities..."

"Oh?" Aversion asked.

Luna continued: "...My flights, though few and far between, are one of the most enjoyable aspects of my free time... and the fact that I take them rarely makes them all the more special..."

"Really?" Aversion said after she had trailed off.

Luna nodded. "Yes, and what I truly want... so that it is not so much the same thing... is to share such an experience with somepony..."

"...Where are you going with this, Luna?" Aversion asked.

"Well... would you like to, mayhaps..." she briefly trailed off. "...go for a flight with me?"

"A flight?" Aversion asked, tilting his head with narrow eyes.

Luna nodded. "You could ride on my back, and we could get out of the castle... see the world..."

"W-well... apart from your summoning me... I've... never flown before..." Aversion said, nervously. "...and... I'm afraid of heights..."

Luna pondered for a moment. She wanted her friend to know the joy that flight brings her, especially with him being an earth pony, who was bound to the ground no matter what. In fact, she herself could not get much time to fly around on her own, and was always trying to take time to recover from the strain of her royal duties in her limited free time.

"If that is the case, I promise to keep a safe flight pattern." Luna said. "And if you fall, I will catch you."

Aversion carefully examined Luna's anatomy. "Is it safe?"

"Of course! Do you trust me?" Luna asked.

Aversion's eyes went wide at what she just asked. He drew his eyes away from her wings to meet her own eyes.

"What?" he asked.

Luna extended a hoof toward him. "...Do you trust me?"

The earth pony looked at her hoof for a moment, before glancing back up at her eyes with a slight smile.

"...Yes..." he said, taking her hoof.

Once he took it, Luna used her magic to levitate him, and her hoof with his in it to guide him onto her back. With that, she spread her wings once more, and flapped, taking them several meters above the balcony, and launching forward.

"WOAH...!" Aversion cried out, hastily grabbing onto Luna's lower neck to hold on.

Luna could not help but laugh silently at how tense Aversion was. Soon enough, however, he loosened his hold around her neck, and became more awestruck as he watched the world pass by him... at such a high speed.

"I can show you the world..." Luna said.

Aversion found this experience to be quite nerve-racking... but it was beginning to grow on him. He was starting to really like what was happening. He was flying. Maybe it wasn't how he always fantasized it would happen. But still, he was flying!

Soon, Canterlot was far behind them. Luna took Aversion soaring over the breathtaking landscapes of Equestria, the mountains and canyons, the sweeping fields, and the major communities like Manehattan, Fillydelphia, Las Pegasus, Appleloosa, and so on.

Aversion could help but stare wide-eyed and jaw agape at how glorious the world looked from high above. He felt like a god, with everything seeming so small below them. Not only that, but at nighttime... it was even more amazing. The moonlight made everything look so beautiful, mystical, and mysterious.

Without warning... Luna smirked privately just before she let her wings go limb, and they both began to fall into a dive. Aversion gasped as they plunged toward the valley below them and he brought his hooves up to his face to cover his eyes. Luna took note of this, and used her own hoof to pull his own out of his face.

"...Don't you dare close your eyes." the Princess said to her subject.

Soon enough, before they even came close to hitting the ground, Luna spread her wings back out and regained her lift, leveling out and gliding again. She flapped to regain altitude, and as they ascended... an aurora split the sky, its bright colors filling the otherwise-dark sky. Aversion's eyes went wide at this spectacle, and his jaw fell. Luna herself was amazed by all of this; it had never happened. A great smile filled her face as her eyes gleamed with the aurora's glow.

While admiring the brilliant solar wind that lit the night, and the continually-appearing landmarks... Aversion hugged Luna's neck a little more passionately, and leaned his head against the side of hers. This made Luna inaudibly gasp and blush a bit, but it quickly left as an even bigger smile took over her face. She could not put her hoof on what it was... but something about his... intimacy... just felt so good, on a level that transcended mere touch.

Once they had glided for a long distance around the kingdom, soaring at a high speed... Luna eventually lowered her altitude over a certain patch of Everfree Forest. Aversion sat up from his dreamy embrace around her neck as he took notice of her descent.

"What are we doing, setting down here?" he asked.

"I need to rest for but a moment, and also..." Luna briefly trailed off. "...I want to show you something."

About one minute later, Luna set down in front of a fairly large castle. It had some parts that looked... cleaner than others. It seemed as if the place was in disrepair, but renovated with new stone that contrasted the old stone. Aversion glanced around the large fortress.

"What is this place?" Aversion asked.

"This..." Luna began. "...was our original castle."

Aversion examined the structure wide-eyed once again. "...This was your castle? But... I never even knew there was another castle!"

"Yes..." Luna said. "...this castle has been in disrepair for nearly a thousand years. Only recently with the help of Twilight Sparkle has it been restored as it had been back then."

Both the Princess and commoner walked inside to the entry hall. The long stretch of carpet... the elaborate support columns... the chandeliers... all of it was absolutely breathtaking, at least in Aversion's eyes. Luna sighed with reminiscence as she entered her old home.

"So... what happened to this place?" Aversion asked. "Why was it in disrepair? Why didn't Celestia continue living here?"

The Princess bit her lower lip nervously.

"Prior to my banishment to the moon for one-thousand years, my sister and I both lived in this castle, and Canterlot was merely a place of royal business. This was changed when... certain, unfortunate circumstances occurred..." Luna shuddered remorsefully. "...and so Canterlot Castle was refurbished to include living quarters, for the co-rulers, lesser monarchs, like my nephew Prince Blueblood, and emissaries."

"Oh..." Aversion said.

"Yes... and I, too, have been secretly doing my part to rebuild this place... my home... and rectify my mistakes." Luna said.

Aversion sighed as his eyes fell to the floor.

"Always wanting to make up for everything, even when your sister has forgiven you..." he said, before looking up at her again. "...you really are like me in many ways, Luna."

Luna managed to smile at what he said to her. "And it really makes me feel better to know that somepony is able to relate."

Aversion blushed as he bit the inside of his lips while smiling. Once he was able to brush it off, both he and Luna looked each other in the eye. For some reason unknown to either of them... they could not look away. Both of them were locked in on each other's gaze... almost hypnotized by each other. Aversion's face began to flush once again... and the same was happening to Luna as well... they were both leaning closer to each other... wanting more of the other's presence... proximity... and intimacy...

"...A-anyway..." Aversion stammered. "...it's a beautiful castle... I'm glad you stopped here, and shared something about yourself that I didn't know."

Luna nodded after breaking out of her trance. "Of course. Now, we should probably be heading back... I don't want anypony to notice my absence!"

"Right!" Aversion said. "So let's fly on back!"

A little while later, Blueblood was out getting some night air to "purify his 'magnificent coat,' 'majestic mane,' and 'wholesome lungs' of a day's pollutants."

"Hmph...!" The prince uttered. "The nerve of Auntie 'Tia! She wants me to use a napkin...! She wants me to say please...! And she wants me to acknowledge gratefulness toward the lowly guards! Is there no end to the slavery she puts me through!? I am a prince! Not a lowly serf!"

As Blueblood was walking along the bridge between turrets... he happened to spot Luna flying toward the castle... but there was something on her back. Curious, he used the nearby observation telescope to get a better look... and saw that it was a gray earth pony with a rust-red mane and tail. Needless to say... he was completely dumbstruck by what he was seeing.

"Do my glorious eyes deceive my intelligent mind?" Blueblood asked himself as he looked through the telescope. "A lowly, worthless commoner? Riding upon Auntie Luna's loin!?"

His jaw hung agape for a moment, just before he clenched his teeth, and his eyebrows came over his eyes.

"What... a... pathetic... rotten... PEASANT!" Blueblood raged. "How dare he have the audacity to so much as even lay his own eyes upon the ruler of the night!"

He put aside his night walk and hastily made his way back to his quarters. He was pacing in rage at the thought of Luna treating commoners with special treatment.

"I cannot comprehend Auntie Luna on the regular... but this...!? Was he threatening her, forcing her to take him into the castle to plan a terrorist invasion!? Or are they both, perhaps... changelings?" he asked nopony.

Blueblood shifted his eyes to the Royal Sisters' tower, and an evil grin appeared on his face.

"Well... I shall do some investigation of this matter... and if it turns out to be just a worthless, piece-of-trash commoner... heh heh heh... I shall give him the sheer misery he was made for!" he said.

He began to laugh maniacally... up until a yawn cut it off.

"Ahh... but first..." Blueblood said. "...I require a night's rest... I must maintain my image as the greatest stallion on Equus!"

Author's Note

Bet I got a lot of you singing "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, didn't I? :rainbowlaugh:

9. Stupid Things that we Do

Aversion and Luna had been secretly visiting for a full week, and both had come to really enjoy each other's company. They were both finding things to do in the castle when no guards were patrolling certain areas.

For instance, they decided to "explore the galaxy" with a special three-dimensional starchart room. They spent many hours messing with the dimensional imager, moving around the galaxy charted within, looking at stars, planets, and nebulae that were near and far. They liked to query each other on whether they believed certain planets contained life, but more or less liked to look at the wonders of the universe.

Other times, they liked to use Luna's special Viewing Sphere to see how things were playing out at other regions of Equestria. Mainly, their searches centered around Ponyville. They looked at the Ponyville cafe to see that it was busy as ever, with Star Buck going around praising the employees whom she favored, and scolding the ones she had distaste for. Aversion even remarked that she must be in a bad mood toward some because she worked over sixty hours per week. They also checked up on Brutus and his gang to see that they were terrorizing anypony smaller than them who "trespassed" on the part of the town they claimed to belong to them.

But overall, they were having themselves a bit of fun with the limited resources they had. And whenever they felt it was getting stale, they traveled to the Castle of the Two Sisters to see what it still had to offer. They enjoyed exploring all of the hidden corridors and nooks that Luna herself remembered quite fondly.

In any case, it was yet another night when Aversion and Luna promised to meet up with each other. Aversion was brought to Canterlot Castle by Luna once again.

"Hey, Luna." Aversion said upon his usual arrival. "Good to be back again."

"Good to have you back, Aversion." Luna said.

Aversion sighed, stretching his forelegs out to the side. "Ah, nothing beats getting to meet up with a Princess after a long day."

"I agree." Luna said. "I always work diligently in the hope of seeing you at the end of a day's work. I just can't get enough of your company, Avey."

Aversion's ears perked up upon hearing what she called him. He tilted his head. "What?"

Luna smiled at Aversion with her eyebrows angled upward.

"Is it alright if I call you Avey?" she asked.

Aversion hung his head down.

"What's the matter?" Luna asked.

"...My mother used to call me that." Aversion said.

Luna's eyes lit up. "Oh... I wasn't aware. I mean... i-if it's too personal, then I wont--"

"No, no!" Aversion said. "It's okay! You can call me that if you want!"

The Princess smiled warmly at his approval.

"Anyway," Luna began. "I decided that we're gonna go someplace special tonight! I don't have any royal duties to take care of early in the morning tomorrow, so we can do it!"

"Great! What is it?" Aversion asked.

Luna chuckled. "I don't wanna ruin the surprise!"

"Alright." Aversion said. "Well, lead the way!"

With that, Aversion and Luna were off, the former riding on the latter's back once again. They were flying away from Canterlot Castle in a different direction this time. Little were they aware, however... Blueblood happened to be following in their wake, using a carpet that he bribed some unicorn sorcerers to enchant so it could fly Aladdin-style. He was flying quite a bit higher than them to avoid detection. He was going to do what he could to sabotage that worthless commoner who had the nerve to ride upon Princess Luna's back. And given where he knew they were going, it would hopefully be able to work out well for Blueblood.

"Just you wait, Aversion the Lowly Peasant..." Blueblood said to himself. "...I'll show you what happens when you try to affiliate yourself with royalty when you are unworthy!"

After flying for a good length of time, Luna and Aversion eventually set down next to a darkened structure of some sort. It was a bit cloudy out (the pegasi were getting pretty lazy, they both assumed), so the moonlight was obscured and Aversion could not make out what it was.

"Is this the 'special place' you were talking about?" Aversion asked.

"Yes, we're here!" Luna said.

Luna landed right in what appeared to be the middle of the place. Tall, dark, bizarre shapes surrounded them.

"So... what is this place?" Aversion asked.

Luna focused magic into her horn, and the same glow appeared around a heavy-duty power lever on the wall.

"I shall let it speak for itself!" she said, just before flipping the lever to the "on" position.

One by one, each part of the place lit up with multiple colors. Several things began to move, and background music started up. Aversion became more and more awestruck with each portion of the location that received power, and he realized almost immediately where they were. It was an amusement park.

The young stallion's eyes lit up and a massive grin appeared on his face as he looked around at the roundabout, ferris wheel, rollercoaster, and other rides that were making a single test cycle upon activation.

"WOW!" Aversion said. "This is so cool! How have I never known about this place!?"

"This amusement park went out of business several years ago, but nopony has really bothered wanting to take it down. It's out in the middle of nowhere, and it doesn't really get in the way. I decided to take the time to fix the wiring with my magic, and get some power through... some secret means." Luna said.

"Really? You did all this yourself?" Aversion asked.

Luna shrugged. "Hey, I'd hate to let all this fun go to waste! This place needs to retain some purpose!"

Luna showed Aversion the arcade, which was inside the closest building nearby. All of the video games and prize machines were bright with neon lights that contrasted the ambient blacklight.

"Yeah, you're right! It's pretty neat!" Aversion said, just before his smile faded. "But it's a shame we can't play any games, 'cause I've got no Bits with me."

"I've rigged them all with my magic! They require no Bits!" Luna said.

Aversion's mood picked right back up again. "Well, in that case, let's have us some fun, shall we?"

Luna nodded. "Of course! So, where would you like to start?"

Aversion was a bit overwhelmed by the number of choices they had. He was looking around the cabinets, the dance game, the shoot-'em-ups... but he saw something right by the wide entrance door.

"A photo booth!" he said. "Wanna start there?"

"Sure!" Luna said.

"Yeah, just figured we could get ourselves a little souvenir for our fun together. Just to remember it." Aversion said.

So, they both entered the booth, and pressed the button that Luna had conjured in place of the coin slot, and the machine registered it as a token. They both decided that they would make silly pictures instead of standard ones. They did not want their memento to be so bland and uninspired. They took one with derp-eyes and tongues out, one with Aversion wearing Luna's crown, chestpiece, and shoes, one with a close-up of both the earth pony and alicorn cheesing, and one with both giving a firm glare, with Aversion holding up a sign, which Luna conjured, telling the viewer that his and Luna's friendship was no concern of theirs.

The pictures printed upon their exiting of the booth. The two friends were quite satisfied with how they were.

"Wow, these came out quite well!" Luna said.

"I agree!" Aversion said.

"Now, to make a copy..." Luna said, powering her horn.

With a flash of blue light, the photo strip in Aversion's hand had duplicated. Luna took one, leaving the other with Aversion.

"Well, that's quite a way to start!" Luna said. "Now, let us check out everything else this park has to offer! After all, we have special, nonphysical VIP passes to be first in line for everything!"

The two spent quite a lot of time playing the arcade games, riding several rides, and competing in the rigged games that were literally impossible to win... except for Luna using her magic to aid both of them. Aversion was, needless to say, having the time of his life. The same could be said for Luna as well.

"Man, this is awesome!" Aversion said as they were riding the ferris wheel. "I bet you always get to have such a great time, getting to come here so often!"

"I really wish I could come here more often..." Luna said. "...but sadly, I can't do so. My royal duties, more often than not, force me to remain at the castle, or go out on diplomatic matters... and I am often preferred to remain at the castle during my free time in the event something unexpected happens that requires my attention."

"Hm... never thought of it like that before." Aversion said.

"Yes," Luna said. "It is rather tiresome, and I wish I could have more time to myself. However, this is what I was born to do, and it is what I chose to set my life upon. I do, after all, want to look out for the wellbeing of the kingdom."

"Well, until then..." Aversion said. "...let's just enjoy ourselves while we can, shall we?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Luna said.

However, as their misfortune would have it... Blueblood happened to be in the amusement park, hidden and stalking them.

"Soon, you will come to your senses, Auntie Luna..." the prince said under his breath. "...and you will see the pathetic commoner for the worthless scum that he is!"

Both Aversion and Luna decided to go for a ride on the rollercoaster, both of them were yelling wildly as it dropped rapidly, twisted and turned, and so forth.

"Wooooooooooooh!" Aversion shouted. "Luna! Put your hooves in the air!"

Blueblood was concealed by a piece of panel on the side of the coaster's support scaffolding. Snickering wickedly, he focused magic into his horn, and with a subtle flash, caused the car Aversion was attached to, directly behind Luna, to break loose from the other cars and derail.

Aversion began to let off authentic screams the moment he realized he was plummeting. Luna, hearing his voice get farther away, looked back and saw, to her horror, that he had flown off the track. With split-second reaction time, Luna used her magic to levitate Aversion's car, and she carefully brought it forward, managing despite the high speed and rapid turns of the rollercoaster. Eventually, though, she reattached the car to hers, and both of them continued to enjoy the ride until the end. Blueblood was left irritated that it did not work.

Later, the two decided to go through the haunted maze. At one point, they both agreed to split up and seek separate ways out to make it more interesting. That was when Blueblood, who was watching from above, had an excellent idea. He conjured walls that would lead to the way out in order to block Aversion off. He continued this so that Aversion was trapped in a confined space.

This greatly confused the earth pony, and made him quite worried.

"Luna!" Aversion called. "Where are you? I'm trapped! There are walls appearing and blocking me!"

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared right next to him. From it, Luna materialized.

"No worries." Luna said. "I already found the way out. Who knows, perhaps this is a feature I was unaware of?"

With that, Luna took Aversion, on her back, flying out from the maze. This left the male unicorn monarch, who was stalking them, brimming with rage yet again. He stomped his forelegs angrily, like a colt throwing a tantrum.

Later on, Luna and Aversion decided to check out the observation tower, where there were high-powered binoculars on the four sides. Due to Luna's modifications via magic, they simply pressed the buttons to act as a "token," and her magic also allowed them to zoom much further than what they would normally be capable of. They used them to view the far-off, moonlit landscapes, in all directions.

Blueblood, hiding on the stairwell, started to use a bit of arcane magic on Aversion. As the latter was looking through the binoculars... he felt himself really starting to lose himself in the landscapes he was seeing... he felt almost like he was being drawn in... it felt so real, like he was being pulled toward it...

...and then Aversion felt like he was standing on nothing. Looking down for a moment, he saw the amusement park, and the tower behind him. He had passed through the binoculars somehow! He could only think for a split-second, though, since with no platform below him...

"...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH...!!!" Aversion shouted as he fell.

"AVEY!" Luna shouted, leaping over the guardrail and spreading her wings.

She dove quickly and caught the falling earth pony just in the nick of time, a few meters from the ground. She curved upward in a large arc, narrowly missing some structures of the park.

"Woah... that was way too close!" Aversion said.

"I agree." Luna said, helping Aversion climb onto her back with her magic. "Anyway, what's say we head back to the castle?"

"Yeah, that would be good. It's getting a little nuts at this point, and I'm getting tired." Aversion said.

Both of them ended up staying at the park a couple hours longer than they should have. Both of them had no idea how late it was. Regardless, they had no regrets, having ridden nearly every ride and played every game at the park. Luna used her magic to cut the park's power from a long distance as they flew off.

Blueblood, meanwhile, struggled in the dark to get around. He ended up tripping and falling a few times, and hitting his head painfully on a beam.

"Ngh... why!?" Blueblood vented. "Why must my efforts prove fruitless!? Well, either way... that lowly peasant will learn that he cannot have the privilege of interacting with royalty!"

Soon enough, he found his magic carpet outside of the park where he rolled it up and hid it. Just barely able to make out Luna flying in the distance, he followed as quickly as stealthily as he could.

(XXXX)

Once they made it back to the castle, Luna left Aversion alone for a minute, looking through her picture album, while she went to go and do something he was not aware of.

While he was examining the magically-captured photos... he happened to notice how happy Luna seemed back in the Medieval period of Equestria. He was wondering what exactly could've happened that resulted into her descent into darkness, and her becoming Nightmare Moon.

"I don't understand." Aversion said. "She seems so happy. And she was telling me how she was always upset around this time."

However, when he carefully squinted at the picture... he happened to notice the distinct expose of her upper teeth in contrast to her lower teeth; a clear indicator of a forced smile. It was in that moment when he realized the act she was putting up one thousand years ago.

"Of course... she put up an act, because she felt nopony wanted to help her... and because she thought they would think she was weak..." Aversion reasoned.

He understood completely... because he did it himself. He put on a false persona to maintain an image and reputation. He was really surprised to find more and more about Luna that he could relate with.

At that moment, Luna returned, levitating something with her horn.

"Hey, Avey! I'm back!" she said.

Aversion turned around and saw both Luna and the round thing she was levitating. "Oh, hey Luna! What's that?"

"I managed to snag one of my sister's cakes without anypony noticing." Luna said.

"From Celestia?" Aversion asked.

Luna nodded. "I know where she keeps her stash. I just thought we could share it."

"Great!" Aversion said.

With that, Luna gave him one of the two forks, and they both began chowing down. At one point, Luna glanced at Aversion with frosting covering her lips.

"How is it?" she asked.

"Excellent!" Aversion said. "Your sister has great taste in baked goods!"

"Hey, it's the least I could do for a friend." Luna said.

Aversion smiled gratefully... but only for one second. His eyes fell to the floor as he wiped the icing from his face. Luna took note of his sudden sulking behavior.

"...I..." Aversion began, hesitantly. "...I can't..."

Luna raised a brow. "You can't what...?"

"...I can't be your friend, Luna..." Aversion said.

Luna felt her chest jolt upon hearing what he said. She could hardly believe her ears.

"What!? Why would you say that, Avey?" she asked.

"...B-because... because I'm... unworthy..." Aversion said.

"Unworthy?" Luna asked. "Whatever do you mean by that?"

"Luna... you're an alicorn, the highest of all ponies... and me... I'm just a lowly, worthless earth pony... the lowest form of life in Equestria... I don't deserve your kindness..." Aversion said.

"Avey!" Luna said, shocked at his self-insults. "Earth ponies are NOT worthless! Every single pony in Equestria is special! In fact, without earth ponies... Unicorns would never have learned how to make due without magic when the situation calls for it. They would never have learned how to build things from scratch! Alicorns are, inherently, neither better nor worse than earth ponies. No variation of ponies are more or less valuable than others. Plus, only earth ponies are able to plant and grow food for everypony in a special way that even unicorn magic cannot replicate.

"What I'm saying, Avey, is this: without earth ponies, Equestria would never have thrived as it has. We would not be here had it not been for earth ponies. Not only that, but if either unicorns or pegasi were gone, the very same could be said! All of us play a vital role in Equestria!"

"Apparently, not me." Aversion said. "How would you even know that I have some role to play in the grand scheme of the universe?"

"I know because... I've watched you from afar, Avey." Luna said. "You've persevered through everything that has been thrown at you. And yet you continue instead of giving up! You are not weak for disliking all of it; you are strong for continuing on! And crying yourself to sleep is not a sign of weakness either; it shows that you still have your [insert pony-equivalent word for "humanity" here]! It shows that you care enough about yourself instead of being completely self-sacrificing, which is bad!"

Aversion never thought of it like that before. This was exactly the reason he needed somepony to be there for him; to give him some uplifting words of advice.

"Avey..." Luna spoke. "...your heart may be broken... but it is not gone. Otherwise, you would not be the kind, caring stallion that you are."

Aversion broke eye contact and lowered his head to the floor once again.

"I suppose you're right..." he said, trailing off.

"Hey..." Luna said, tipping Aversion's head with her hoof up to face her. "...can I see a smile?"

Aversion, reluctantly, curled his lips slightly upward. Luna smirked in amusement at this feeble attempt.

"C'mon, Avey. You can do better than that. I wanna see you smile." she said.

Aversion sighed... and was able to bring his head back up on his own with a good, photogenic smile on his face.

"There you go!" Luna said.

With that, Luna pulled the young stallion into a deep hug. He was a bit surprised by this move at first, but relented to it and returned the embrace.

"I promise you that things will be better, no matter what happens. Always know that you have me to confide in." Luna said.

...She really cares about me! Aversion thought.

The two held onto each other for a long time. Something was preventing them both from wanting to separate. There was something about this particular hug that just felt so... welcoming... enticing... heartwarming...

...eventually, though, Luna was able to summon the will to let Aversion out of her forelegs.

"Now... time for you to return home for the night." she said.

"Sounds great." Aversion said. "I'm on the brink of collapsing right now..."

"Then I shall send you on back." Luna said.

Without saying too much more, Luna assumed her meditative state, and achieved long-range magic projection, allowing her to, once again, levitate Aversion back down to Ponyville with ease. All the while, he was becoming drowsy as he continued to glide back to Ponyville... and unbeknownst to him, Luna was using her magic to mildly sedate him and help him relax so he would be ready for sleep before arriving back in his home town.

As he got closer to Ponyville, Aversion got sleepier and sleepier. It was becoming very hard to keep his eyes open, and his limbs felt very heavy. Even his head felt like a bowling ball being supported by a single strand of dry angel-hair pasta.

The young stallion was deeply asleep before his flight had concluded, his body fully limp as he glided... and Luna decided to be extra kind by placing a protective magic seal on his psyche, which would ward off any nightmares and give him only good, blissful dreams.

Once he was within range of his home, the window into Aversion's bedroom opened, and he was levitated inside. Luna, still deep in meditation, levitated Aversion carefully under the covers of his bed, and resting his head on the pillow. Once he was in a comfortable position, Luna released him from her magic... but she lingered in a spectral form for a moment.

She watched as Aversion curled up once he was subconsciously aware that he was in a bed... and found it oh, so adorable. It was one of the few things in the world to bring a genuine smile upon her face.

"Rest well, Avey... my sweet little prince..." Luna said to her sleeping friend. "...may the light of the moon protect you and stave off your nightmares, and may the light of the sun illuminate your path and guide your soul."

Aversion, still sleeping, slightly smiled and hummed a bit as his mind was filled with nothing but a happy dream. There were only beautiful sights... pleasant sounds and music... soft, comforting feelings... sweet flavors and aromas...

Luna was happy that her new friend could have yet another a peaceful sleep, after enduring a long run of nightmares.

Author's Note

Credit for vectors used in images goes to the following:
DashieSparkle
Mittenpatty
SigHoovestrong
Rya-Konsata
DragonChaser123
devilraker
Deja-Lu

10. Sunny Days, Dark Dreamscapes

Once Luna had fallen asleep, she expected to find herself in the Dream Void, where she would be able to access the dreams of other ponies and take notes for the Archives of Subconsciousness... however, this did not happen. Instead, when she became aware of her surroundings, she realizes that she was in a very strange place.

It appeared to be a sort of market, but all of the buildings, market stalls, and general environment, were tall or large... misshapen... almost non-Euclidean. It seemed almost as if Luna was in a world where either everything was larger, or she had become smaller.

"What in the name of...?" Luna uttered. "...Where am I?"

She began to wander around, hearing very bizarre, ambient noise that sounded like apathetic moans in the distance. She glanced at everything she could while slowly trotting. While she had seen many strange things in the minds of many ponies... never had she encountered something like this. And the worst part... she did not have any way of leaving. She even tried her Dream Escape spell... it did absolutely nothing.

Hearing a bizarre clicking noise, Luna looked to see what appeared to be some crude, pony-like mannequin figures approaching her. They each had a single, brightly-lit red dot in-between where their eyes would be. They were rushing toward her, as if on rollerskates. Luna became panicked, and tried to fly away... but her wings could not catch the air for some reason.

Hyperventilating from her nerves, Luna ducked for cover behind an enlarged stall, moving around it when the sentient mannequins peered around it to try and find her. However, she was able to evade them. Taking shelter away from them, she sat down... but the instant her plot touched the ground, her eyesight became colorless, and it seemed like there was very heavy motion-blur whenever she diverted her gaze elsewhere.

"Huh?" Luna uttered, standing to see her vision return to normal.

She looked at the ground where she sat, seeing nothing special, but what she happened to see directly in front of herself upon looking back straight ahead... there was yet another peculiar thing. There was a sign that had materialized a meter away from her, and it had four symbols on it. Two eyes, one open and one closed, and two pony-figures, one standing and one sitting. In between the open eye and the pony standing, there was an "equals" sign, and it was the same with the closed eye and the sitting pony.

"What is this?" she asked nopony.

Once more, she heard the clicking noise of the mannequins approaching her. When she saw them, she immediately thought about what the sign was telling her, and sat back down, hoping it would do something. To her surprise... it actually seemed to work. Once she sat, the glowing red dots on the mannequins' faces went out, and they went off in different directions.

"Of course... if I'm sitting, they don't notice me!" Luna observed.

So, using this tactic, Luna made her roundabouts of the area, looking for a way out. Eventually, she happened to spot a brightly-lit door with an "EXIT" sign above it, sitting in the middle of an open area, not connected to any structure. However, there was an obstacle that stood in her way; a series of checkout stalls, with what looked like gates that would prevent passage.

"Ngh... how do I get through there?" the Princess asked herself.

Almost immediately, something drifted down in front of her from the top of her eyesight. It was a piece of paper, with the items "milk," "bread," "eggs," "carrots," "hay," "apples," and "lettuce" written on it. It was a shopping list. Looking back at the till booths... Luna put two and two together.

"To get out of here... I need to bring these items to the registers." she said.

So, she set herself to the task, browsing the market, pushing around a shopping cart she managed to find, and grabbing each item she needed. Whenever the menacing mannequin ponies approached her, she sat down to make herself invisible to them and waited until they were away from her before proceeding. It took a little while, but she managed to grab the items she needed, and from there, went straight to the checkout tents.

She saw that there was yet another mannequin pony in place of the clerk, who "rang up" her items. There were six red lights hanging above the tent's opening, and each one turned green with the sound of a scan tone. Once they were all green, the gate in front of her opened, allowing her passage to the exit door.

"Yes!" Luna said. "Hopefully, now I can get out of this... bizarre dreamscape... whoever's it is."

Right as she was about to leave, after taking a final look at the location... she happened to spot something in the distance off to the left of the door, outside of the market area. It was a bit faraway, but still recognizable. It was spectral entity that was jet-black and had glowing white eyes. Dark particles were coming off its body...

...It was the shadow pony from Aversion's nightmare!

"You again!" Luna said.

She rushed for the shadowy entity, keeping her eyes on it the whole time... only for it to disappear when she got too close, an ominous hum happening as it did so, which continued on for some time after. This was making Luna uncomfortable, so she rushed back for the "EXIT" door.

Once she passed through, Luna found herself in the Dream Void, where she usually ended up immediately after falling asleep. She looked at the door behind her as she went out, and saw that it was...

"...Aversion's?" she uttered.

Luna did not understand. She did not feel Aversion's presence in the dream! Plus, with the ward she placed on his psyche, it would prevent any nightmares, and last she checked from how he was subconsciously reacting after being tucked into his bed... he was having a very good dream.

Regardless of how she felt at the moment, Luna knew she had other duties to attend to, as her sister would become aware that she was lazy if she did not follow through with it. As she browsed through the dreams of other ponies and taking notes... the contorted market she encountered was haunting her thoughts, and the same questioned played on repeat in her mind: what was that all about?

Aversion woke up the following morning, still as happy as he could ever be. Since he had the day off from work, he decided to go out and figure out something fun to do until Luna was able to summon him again later that evening. Her uplifting words still had a heavy effect on him, even hours later.

He decided to go for another walk, this time deciding to go through a route he did not usually take, but he knew that there were some very scenic views from what other ponies were saying about it. Of course, he had his "confidant" walk cycle that he picked up on a little over a week ago, abandoning his "coward" walk cycle.

As he was walking, however... somepony happened to step in front of his path. That somepony was Brutus... but strangely, he was not with his gang today.

"Hey, plotface!" Brutus said. "Why are ya so happy?"

Aversion raised a brow smugly. " 'Cause I feel great! Is it a crime to be happy?"

Brutus narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, yeah? Last I saw you over the past many years, ya weren't feelin' great! So spill! What's the drug ya pumped into your blood?" he asked.

"What's the deal?" Aversion asked. "You been following me around all morning or something?"

"And if I have? You can't stop me!" Brutus said.

Aversion narrowed his own eyes while raising his eyebrows. "Well, there's always the Ponyville courthouse and restraining orders..."

"Well, just you wait!" Brutus said. "I'm gonna find what's making ya so fine-'n-dandy, and I'm gonna send it all the way to Tartarus! Oh, but don't worry, 'cause you'll have it again, someday!"

You bucking wish... Aversion thought.

"Whatever, ya big beefnugget..." Aversion said, walking away.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME!?" Brutus said.

Aversion glanced back. "Y'know, the only reason you pick on me, is because you're insecure about yourself! Am I right, or am I right?"

Brutus, snorting in anger, rushed for Aversion. "YOU'RE A DEAD MULE!"

Aversion rushed as quickly as he could to get away, but was laughing all the while. Because he was smaller and more lightweight, Aversion was far faster on his hooves than Brutus, who was bulked up with heavy muscle tissue that slowed him down. Eventually, Brutus stopped, panting and drenched in sweat. Aversion kept going until he was out of sight.

It was then that the young earth pony found himself finally alone, walking along the hiking trail that stemmed from Ponyville into the woods. The only things on his mind right now, and that he really even wanted to think at the moment, were the interactions between him and Luna over the past week. They had gotten off to fairly good start with each other, which in and of itself was a surprise, but the fact that she also was giving him quite a few hints that she wanted it to be more than that...

"Could it be...?" Aversion uttered, ecstatic at what hit his mind. "...that Luna... sh-she... the way she... f-feels about me...?"

This led the earth pony to believe that what he has wanted, ever since the beginning of his adolescence, could very well come to pass. It was this feeling alone, coupled with the first real praise and appreciation he had received in a long time from a female, that really made him feel good about himself. He had a strong feeling of what Luna was implying throughout the time they've known each other... and just the thought alone washed away his sorrows.

Soon, Aversion found himself happily cantering through a flower field some ways outside of Ponyville. Everything around him seemed brighter, more lively, with more lighting bloom compared to how it usually looked whenever he visited the area. He could not help but laugh in joy as he leaped through the multicolored flora species.

Aversion felt alive. For the first time in years, he was no longer dead on his hooves.

"LUNA LOVES ME! LUNA LOVES ME!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, over and over.

Eventually, after running for quite a distance, Aversion stopped and simply laid upon his back on a bare patch of grass, propping his head on his forelegs, and crossing his hind legs. A pleasant grin filled his face as he stared up at the sunny skies. He finally did it. He had gotten the attention from a mare that he had been craving for Celestia knows how long.

"Haaaahhhh..." Aversion sighed in pleasure. "...and to think Oak thought this would never happen..."

(Flashback)

Aversion had been laying on his bed in his college dorm room, staring at his poster of Princess Luna raising the moon for nearly ten minutes now.

"Only day, Luna..." he said to himself. "...it'll be just you and me. Together. Forever."

His college dorm-mate, Scrub Oak, who just so happened to be standing outside the bedroom, laughed. This made Aversion jump and turn around with a red flush across his face.

"Yeah, right!" Oak said. "That'll happen... when Tartarus freezes over!"

"Hey! A stallion can dream, can't he?" Aversion asked.

"I mean, seriously... Princess Luna and you? Ha! That'll be the day..." Oak taunted.

Aversion sighed in disappointment, and sat still for a moment before returning a cold stare to Oak.

"Well, who knows what could happen!" he said. "You might be surprised, the things that might happen!"

Oak shrugged. "If you say so, dude..."

(End Flashback)

Aversion could not help but snicker as he thought of what would be the look on Scrub Oak's face if he could see the time he and Luna have spent together.

"One day... I'm sure he'll know. And then I can rub it in his thick face! Aha ha ha ha ha!" he said.

His eyes were fixed on the clouds, and the small specks that were pegasi flying around, pushing the clouds to and fro. A faint breeze ran among the flower field around him, and through the front part of his mane.

"What a nice day..." Aversion said out loud. "...and it'll be followed by an even more nice evening..."

Twilight Sparkle and the rest of the Mane Six, as well as Starlight Glimmer, met up at the Castle of Friendship. They all had some down time, and decided to spend time together. For the most part, they were all just lounging.

"Well, after yet another week of hard work, it's good to finally kick back with each other, right?" Twilight asked, reclined in his chair with a book in her lap.

"Oh, what fun is 'kicking back' anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked. "We need excitement to really make it all worth something!"

"Ooh! And I know just what to do for that!" Pinkie Pie said.

"Oh, come now, Pinkie," Rarity said. "you already threw an 'Another-Day-of-Work-Completed' party yesterday!"

"So?" Pinkie asked. "There's never a good reason not to party!"

"Well, all ah'm just gonna say... to each their own. Right, Twilight?" Applejack asked.

"So, um..." Starlight spoke up. "...Twilight, have you heard anything important from the Princess recently?"

"Well, she did send me one letter." Twilight said. "She said all's well... but apparently, Luna has been acting a bit... strange, lately."

"Isn't she always kinda strange?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Not that." Twilight said. "Celestia said that even by Luna's own standards, she's been acting a bit out of place. Celestia thinks she might be hiding something, but hasn't bothered asking her yet."

"Hm..." Fluttershy hummed. "...do you think we should visit Canterlot and check up on her to make sure everything's alright."

Twilight pondered for a moment. "...I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Besides, we all know what happened the last time everypony ignored Luna's problems..."

Silence hung in the air for a moment as the mares all exchanged glances to one another.

"Anyway, yeah. It's been a while since I've been to my home city. I wouldn't mind booking a train ride for us all!" Twilight said.

"Indeed." Rarity said. "I would like yet another taste of the city's high-class elegance."

Starlight's eyes fell to the floor. "I just hope everything's alright with Princess Luna..."

Author's Note

Sorry about the wait; I've been pretty heavily invested in midterms! Plus, I recently got hold of Subnautica off of Steam on a sale, and it is an extremely addicting game!

11. Who is this, Luna?

One evening, when Luna and Aversion met up again, the two decided to have dinner in a private room that Luna set up just for them. She managed to organize the guards' routines so that they would not bother them. It did not matter anyway, since all the guards were concerned about were any obvious threats. And Aversion, being an earth pony, was not so much of one. Some of the guards had seen Aversion themselves, but after Luna explained that he was her friend, they treated him like a guest.

The two were sharing a hay salad, and because Luna was feeling a bit frisky, decided to take some special wine from the cellar for them to share.

"So, Luna..." Aversion spoke over his meal. "...have your royal duties been ever-so-draining on you once more?"

"You have no idea..." Luna responded. "...what about you, Avey?"

Aversion sighed. "Well... Star Buck's being a real bitch again, like usual."

Luna frowned upon hearing this. "Ah, I see. I'm really sorry you have to deal with things like this. But, how about this: what's say I head down to Ponyville once I get the chance, visit the cafe, and let her know what I think about her?"

Aversion stopped moving as he moved his now-anxious eyes to Luna.

"Don't worry," Luna said. "I won't mention you specifically, but I will remark how poor her management skills are through... special whistleblowers, as well as observation."

Aversion smiled. "Thanks, Luna. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have somepony like you stand up for me against somepony else who I can't."

"Of course. Anything for my dear, sweet, little Avey!" The Princess said, rubbing Aversion's head with her hoof, causing the latter to blush.

Eying the bottle of wine on the table for moment, Luna glanced back at Aversion with a raised brow and a smirk.

"So, Avey..." she said, levitating the bottle. "...what's say... you and I... finish this?"

Aversion, with narrow eyes and a grin, held out his chalice to be refilled. "...Wine me!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Luna said as she refilled his glass, as well as her own.

A short while later, Blueblood, who had been searching the castle for Luna for quite a while, began to hear some laughter, and some muffled conversion, coming from someplace. He was not exactly sure where it was coming from, but as he continued walking, it became more audible. Eventually, he came to a room within one of the castle's atriums. Peeking through the keyhole, he saw Luna... and the earth pony stallion who he developed a strong distaste for.

Both of them were leaning to and fro oddly, and they had their eyes half-closed with mild facial flush.

"A-and then... she says-*hic*-she says... that I'm 'not upholding company code'..." Aversion said, slightly slurring his words. "...like... what does she even-*hic*-mean when she says that...?"

"I dunno..." Luna said, gulping down yet another glass of wine. "...b-but... *hic*... she really doesn't know how to manage if she can't manage having her employees live their lives."

"Ahh..." Aversion said, raising his empty chalice. "...amen to that, Luna!"

It was blatantly obvious that Luna and Aversion were both drunk. Blueblood's eyelids fell slightly over his eyes as his mouth hung slightly agape.

Oh, Auntie Luna... look what this pathetic lowlife has reduced you to! Binging on your fine wine? Have you no shame, Auntie!? he thought.

However... Blueblood had an excellent idea. He thought it could work fresh, but decided against it, thinking it could work better tomorrow morning. With that, the prince went back to his quarters for the night, allowing the two to stew in their self-shame.

Aversion and Luna, both heavily intoxicated, had just about depleted the bottle. They were both feeling, needless to say... under the weather. But surprisingly, something about it also felt oddly appealing. It was good and bad at the same time.

"...Haaahhh..." Luna uttered, a dreamy grin on her face. "...I think... I'll go and... make us some--*hic*--some tea... to wash it down..."

She stood from the table, but her walk cycle was so clumsy that she fell to the floor. Glancing back at Aversion, who appeared to be involved in his own little world... her vision became so blurry that she could no longer see him. Before she could say anything, she passed out. Aversion ended up doing the same mere seconds later, slumping over on the table.

The following morning, Blueblood stood from his elaborately-carved four-poster, running a brush through his mane and tail many times, and selecting his "best" shirtpiece for the day. After that, he left his fairly-oversized bedroom to head to the banquet hall for breakfast.

Upon reaching the large chamber, he saw Princess Celestia and recalled what he had to tell her regarding his other aunt.

"Oh, Auntie 'Tia!" Blueblood called.

Celestia looked over at her nephew, her eyebrows falling over her eyes. "Blueblood, listen, I already told you 'no' about having a sauna installed in your personal bathroom, it would be too--"

"No, that's not what I want to tell you." Blueblood said.

"Oh?" Celestia asked, raising a brow. "Then what is it?"

"I do believe Auntie Luna has passed out drunk." he said. "I saw her in a recreation chamber, unconscious with a bottle of wine! Would you, mayhaps, like to ensure she is well?"

Celestia stood up from the table she was sitting at. "Alright, I'll go and have a look, just to ensure she is well."

As Celestia was leaving the banquet hall... her nephew followed behind her, who was inaudibly snickering.

"Heh heh heh..." Blueblood chuckled under his breath so Celestia would not hear him. "...I've got you now, Aversion the Pathetic Peasant! Once dear Auntie 'Tia catches your sour being in the grand halls of Canterlot Castle, you shall be in for a realmsworth of pain! You shall never see Auntie Luna and pollute our glorious great halls with your foul essence ever again!"

Luna and Aversion were both still in the leisure chamber, unconscious from the amount of alcohol in their blood. They had not moved from their positions all night; Luna was still on the floor, and Aversion was still slumped over on the table.

Celestia entered the chamber to see her sister passed out.

"Luna, sis," Celestia said, stepping forward. "you hear me? What hap--"

Her speech stopped the moment her eyes met the earth pony stallion slumped facedown on the table, forelegs extended forward with a sideways chalice next to him. Her eyes became narrow and her lips pursed. She then stepped forward, nudging her sister.

"Luna!" Celestia said sharply. "Wake up! I have some questions to ask you!"

"...N-ngh..." Luna groaned. "...f-five more minutes... M-Mommy..."

"LUNA!" Celestia half-shouted.

"GAH!" Luna shrieked, now awake... enough.

Celestia lowered her head so she could be at eye-level with her sister.

"I have something I need to ask you..." Celestia said, just before shifting her eyes to the unconscious Aversion. "...who is this, Luna?"

"...Aah..." Luna said, somewhat aware of what was going on. "...aw, horsefeathers...! 'Tia, look... I don't... I don't want you so upset about this... see, I..."

"Luna... how long has this been going on?" Celestia asked. "Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"...W-well... what's the big p-problem...?" Luna asked.

Celestia sighed. "Luna, you know the protocol on which commoners are permitted in the castle. Has he met the necessary requisites?"

"...Well..." Luna spoke. "...why is that necessary?"

Realizing that questioning Luna was getting absolutely nowhere, Celestia directed her attention to Aversion.

"Excuse me, Mister...?" Celestia said, prodding the stallion.

"...A-agh..." Aversion strained as he awoke. "...ah... my head..."

The instant Aversion's eyes reoriented themselves and he caught a glimpse of the sight before him... he became very wide awake. At least, as wide awake as he could be with his hangover. He was in the presence of Princess Celestia herself.

"...O-oh... jeez..." he uttered.

"If you will pardon my asking..." Celestia spoke. "...who are you?"

"U-uh..." Aversion stumbled over his words."...my name... is Aversion... and... I'm a friend... o-of Luna's..."

"Friend?" Celestia asked, raising a brow.

With that, the ruler of Equestria turned back toward her younger sister, who was still straining to shake off her own hangover.

"Lulu... you didn't tell me you were inviting strangers into the castle. How long have you known him?" Celestia asked.

"...A couple of weeks... but why should that matter?" Luna asked.

"It matters quite a lot!" Celestia said. "Is this the reason I have noticed the stacks of your dream reports becoming ever-so-thinner over the time frame you just described?"

"...So what...? Nopony even reads them...! What's the point...?" Luna asked.

"There is no point; it's just how it's always been done. And with that in mind... you cannot have any distractions!" Celestia said.

" 'Distractions'...? Oh, 'Tia... 'Tia, 'Tia, 'Tia..." Luna uttered. "...if anything, Avey's been helping me enjoy my life! I've been severely fed up with the same routine...! I need excitement in my life...!"

"And just look at yourself when you say that!" Celestia said, picking up the empty wine bottle. "...you drank this ENTIRE bottle with him!? This was meant to be saved for the upcoming Gala!"

"...Please don't yell at me right now, sis..." Luna moaned, rubbing her head. "...I have a substantial migraine right now..."

Celestia glared. "Well, it serves you right for pulling the cork too early! What were you thinking?"

"Well..." Luna said, letting out a sigh. "...I just wanted a friend... and we started seeing each other more often... and then, yes... we did go a little wild, I regret to admit..."

"You know what? You are clearly in no condition to explain this to me right now. So, for the time being, I shall see to it that Mr. Aversion is sent back to his home, once we figure out where he lives, so he can recover from your childish peer pressure!" Celestia said.

"...'Peer pressure,' sis...?" Luna questioned. "...Really...? You would go so low as to--"

With a flash, Celestia used magic that amplified the sedation effect of the alcohol that was still in Luna's bloodstream, causing her to pass out again.

"Now then..." Celestia said to herself. "...I'll have the guards get Lulu to her bed... and I'll have to see to it that this young stallion is returned to his home, once we can identify him..."

Little were any of the three aware... Blueblood happened to be watching them. He snickered privately as he watched what unfolded before him, and imagined what was going to happen from there if the two continued to try and take action to see each other.

Well, Aversion the Sack of Mildew-ridden Manure... you and Auntie Luna alike have just both received strike one! If you keep trying to sneak behind Auntie 'Tia's back... you shall both be in for quite a terrible feat! Blueblood thought.

With that, he quickly left before Celestia would realize that he was still there.

A few hours later, Luna slowly came to, still bearing the same throbbing headache, no thanks to her hangover. She sat up, trying to become aware of her surroundings.

"...Oh no... did I oversleep again...?" she asked nopony in particular.

She stood from her bed, still a bit unsteady on her feet, and made her way over to the door. She already had her crown, neckpiece, and horseshoes on, so she did not need to spend any time getting ready for the day. However, upon making it out the door...

"Wha...?" Luna uttered upon seeing Celestia waiting for her. "...Sis... how long were you waiting out here?"

Celestia sighed. "...Long enough. Now, I have a couple of questions to ask you."

"Ugh... questions? Now? Seriously?" Luna asked. "I have a severe migraine, 'Tia..."

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "You said the very same thing not half an hour ago. Don't think a mere headache is going to get you out of telling me about that commoner you invited into the castle."

Luna's eyes widened upon hearing this. She looked at her older sister in shock and despair.

"You know about him!?" she asked. "What did you do with him!?"

"We pulled up his identification information in the Equestrian Citizen Databank, based on his name and cutie mark, and I had some of the guards obtain a property-access warrant to return him to his house. We shall allow him to recover from your night of getting yourself absolutely wasted before sending him a notice." Celestia said.

"A notice? What for?" Luna asked.

"...For entering Canterlot Castle without a pass, and being outside of citizen-accessible areas; in other words, trespassing." Celestia said.

Luna's jaw dropped upon hearing this. "It's not trespassing! I gave him permission! Isn't that something a Princess can do?"

Celestia let out a heavy sigh. "Luna, listen... these circumstances are not necessarily... ideal for somepony like him. For one thing, we haven't found anything in his life records that indicate any honorable service to Equestria."

"What about Twilight Sparkle's friends!?" Luna asked. "They are all commoners who had done nothing noteworthy, and yet they get access to the castle whenever they please!"

"They are the Bearers of the Elements! It was foretold in prophecy what they would do!" Celestia said.

"So?" Luna asked. "Prophecy should not count as an access barrier between royalty and subjects!"

"Luna, trust me... I'm doing this for your own good." Celestia argued. "If something like this got out to the public... it could result in a scandal! I don't want for you to unintentionally run our reputation into the ground!"

Luna hung her head down, tears filling her eyes. "Well... if that's the way you want it..." she said, turning away, back into her room. "...then you can consider both of us guilty! I'm calling in sick... because I don't feel so good right now..."

In truth, it wasn't her hangover that was making her feel bad; it was the act of Celestia crushing her heart that made her feel far worse than recovering from intoxication.

"Luna, wait." Celestia said. "I think we should talk about this a little more, just to get an understanding..."

Luna did not listen, and shut the door in Celestia's face. This made the latter hang her head down as she sighed once again.

"Oh, Lulu... ever so stubborn, as always..." Celestia said to herself. "...and especially, enigmatic and mysterious..."

Luna, meanwhile, was simply laying on her bed, feeling sick to her stomach now that Celestia had found out about Aversion. She was almost positive he would be banned from Canterlot Castle... and it was not even directly his fault. She was the one who brought him there, and for the first time, it was against his will. If anypony was to blame, it was her. In all honesty, she preferred to be the one punished in place of Aversion. That is, if he was to be punished.

From how Celestia worded it, Aversion would simply be given a warning letter. But still... this was going to make it significantly harder for Luna to be able to have him visit. She could hardly bear the thought of being separated from her friend... the best friend she ever had...

...She really had to say that he felt like more than just a friend to her.

Regardless, her mind weighed heavily on nothing but the situation, for hours on end, while she laid in her bed, refusing to leave the bed, let alone sit up. She was unsure about how to approach this with her friend.

"...What am I gonna tell Avey?" she asked herself, over and over.

Author's Note

Again, sorry for the long wait; school's been a real bitch this semester, and I've been going through the process of changing my major, as well as having to deal with some minor debit card fraud I've been facing (fortunately, I was reimbursed and given a new card, so all's well now!)

12. Melancholy of Subordination

Aversion awoke sometime just before noon, his head was spinning. His body was still clearing out the alcohol from all the wine he had with Luna last night, and he was still a bit hung over.

"...A-ah..." he uttered, rubbing his eyes and straining to sit up from his futon. "...wh... what happened...?"

He noticed a rolled piece of parchment sitting on his coffee table. It looked quite out of place to him, since he was so used to seeing office stationery more so than traditional Canterlot parchment. He pulled off the silken string tied around it and let it unfurl. There was text written with what appeared to be a broad-pointed quill.

Mr. Aversion of Ponyville,

While we may not be entirely aware of the circumstances of your presence in Canterlot Castle, we are sending you this notice to inform you that we cannot allow it to happen again. As you may know, commoners are not permitted inside the upper levels of the castle, except in very special or dire circumstances. Princess Luna, despite her pleading to your defense, was unable to provide an adequate reason for your presence in the historic building.

I am sending you this notice to inform you that you cannot return to the castle. If word of this had gotten out, it would likely result in a scandal, and you could face ridicule, defamation, and possibly a smear campaign by other civilian ponies. Please understand when we say it is for your own good. If there is any further consent between you and any party of the castle to gain entry, we will have no choice but to issue disciplinary action.

I wish you well, and hope you have a nice day!

Your benevolent ruler,
Princess Celestia.

Aversion frowned as he read through the note.

'Benevolent'? Yeah, right... from what Luna told me, you're quite pushy with the rules, Celestia!

It took a moment of thought... but suddenly, Aversion was overcome with the same depressive disposition that he was quite familiar with. If this warning was official... he would not be allowed back into Canterlot Castle. He would not be allowed to see Luna again. If he tried sending any letters, they would likely be discarded upon recognition of the address.

"Oh, no..." Aversion said, somberly. "...what am I gonna do now? Luna was my sunbeam... or rather, my moonbeam... in this stormy world... and now, she's been separated from me... by the damned wall of the red-tape aristocracy!"

He retreated to his bedroom, and laid on his bed. The more he thought about being separated from his newest friend, the more he longed to be back in her sweet, gentle embrace.

"Oh, Luna... where did we go wrong?" Aversion said to himself.

He squeezed himself into the tucked covers, tears filling his eyes. It fully dawned on him that this whole interaction with a Princess really was too good to be true.

"...I'll never forget the scent of Luna's fur when we hugged..." Aversion uttered, staring at the ceiling. "...she smelled like lavender and berries... she had me right up against her barrel...!"

He had never been so intimate with a mare in the twenty-six years he had been on Equus. It was oh, so addicting, the way her hug felt. Not only that, but her uplifting words... her gentle tone... he wanted to hear it again. With his own ears.

However, Aversion knew that, since he received an official warning from Canterlot Castle, any further hope to visit Luna was moot. Not only that, but even if he were willing to bite the bullet and go anyway, he did not have the means of reaching Canterlot on his own. He could not afford a train ticket, and walking the whole way was impractical, since he did not have the resources for hoof-travel at his disposal either.

Aversion simply laid in his bed, feeling utterly defeated and backstabbed by the world.

"...What am I gonna do?" the stallion asked himself.

Luna was utterly despondent. For many days, she remained shut up in her room, not doing hardly anything. She did a very minimal amount of work, refused to eat or sleep much... and had fallen into a deep depression, akin to what she had felt over a thousand years ago. She placed a spherical shield around her room on the spire, and magically sealed her door.

Being the older sister, however, Celestia decided to check in on her sister... but it was also for reasons that were causing some problems with the overall workload in the castle.

Celestia knocked on Luna's door. "Luna, are you going to stop acting like a foal and come out of there?"

Silence was the response she got.

"Lulu..." Celestia said, deepening her tone. "...this is getting ridiculous. I get that he might have been a good acquaintance to you, but you need to remember: protocol! We can't risk ruining our reputation with favoritism! Not to mention... there is a great deal of work you need to catch up on! I am not going to keep filling in for you!"

Once more, Luna refused to respond... sitting on her plot... facing the opposite wall with her cold, dead eyes... not a single part of her body moving (except her perpetually-rippling mane and tail)...

Celestia sighed impatiently. "...You really haven't changed, Lulu... always rebelling against your older sister..."

With that, the white alicorn turned to walk away.

"...Now then, I am going to continue fulfilling my duties and not let myself risk getting kicked out of the castle by the Royal Council!" Celestia warned.

She walked away, knowing Luna would not budge. Luna had indeed understood what Celestia meant... but she did not care. Abandoning her entire lifestyle... having her subjects look down upon her for her failure... being exiled from her home... it all looked like the abandoned amusement park in comparison to never being allowed to see her Avey again.

After what felt like several hours of a staring contest with the wall... a tear fell from Luna's eye, rolling down her face. She let her gaze fall to the floor.

"...Why must this be how it is? Commoners and royalty... royalty and commoners... why must there be a social barrier that alienates one from the other...?" Luna said to herself.

After contemplating the issue for a while... this got her to wondering something. Aversion was only banned from Canterlot Castle... but she was not banned from Ponyville in any way. Maybe she would not be able to bring him to the castle, but perhaps...

...If I'm not allowed to call Avey to me... Luna thought. ...what if I brought myself to Avey?

Once this realization hit her brain, Luna's eyebrows came down over her eyes as a wicked smile appeared on her face.

"Well, sis... I do believe there is one substantial aspect of this situation that you have failed to take note of!" she thought.

She was about to head out... but realized that it was still midday. If she took off now, her sister would no doubt realize her absence, as she could not keep the shield up around her room from a long distance, and Celestia would, of course, barge right in like the older sister she is.

"I suppose I shall wait until after dark..." Luna said. "...the right time... is nighttime! Heh, heh!"

She chuckled at the little rhyme she made up on the fly.

But in any case, she would simply pretend to mope until she was sure Celestia was asleep. She was always out like a light after a long, hard day of royal duties. This would give her ample time to make a getaway. Plus, she was sure Aversion would be surprised to see her at his doorstep.

Later that evening, Luna was waiting for everypony to fall asleep. There was the occasional sound of hoofsteps, which meant she had to wait a little longer before leaving. It would seem rather strange to everypony if she randomly lowered her shield and released the lock on her door.

Once thing began to settle down, Luna heard one final set of hoofsteps, accompanied by some singing. It was a voice she knew all too well...

"O', there once was a stallion, his name was Storm Crow! The mightiest warrior in Equestria, more so than most know!" Blueblood sang in a tone-deaf, off-key voice.

Luna recognized this tune; it was the first line of an old folk-song that originated back in Medieval Canterlot. There were rumors that Storm Crow was a warrior unicorn who was reincarnated after the death of each incarnate... and Blueblood believed that he himself was Storm Crow. But of course, to more intelligent ponies who have done their historical research... it was just a folk-song, and nothing more.

Oh, Blueblood... when will you learn to stop staying up so late, and sleeping well into midday? Luna thought.

She knew both she and her sister were not very good at issuing discipline, as Blueblood did not take too well to it. Luna herself would give him what he deserves... but Celestia always argues against it.

In any case, Luna waited a bit longer, and there were no sounds to be heard. She was certain there were two batpony guards standing outside her door... but they would not care about the shield disappearing; all they were concerned for were threats. Now that it was a good time, she proceeded out to her balcony, standing just before the guardrail.

With that, Luna spread her wings, and giving one defiant glare back at the door, the moon beaming from in front of her as she did... she spread her wings, preparing to take flight. The wind blew in her main and tail, and making the feathers of her wings rustle. She was pointed in the direction of Ponyville. Oh, how she wished Celestia could see her ice-cold, piercing glare.

You won't keep me away from my Avey, Sunbutt! Luna thought with fury.

With a massive gust that propelled dust across the balcony, the Princess of the Night took to the sky, flying high above the blind spot above the spire, and proceeding to glide to Ponyville. From this distance... she would appear as little more than a common bird.

Aversion was asleep later that evening, after a long, hard, miserable day at work. He was harassed by many customers over stupid things, and Star Buck had, yet again, scolded him and made him feel terrible about himself. Stewing in his self-pity, and lacking any hope again, like he always did... he simply went back to his usual routine of work, sleep, repeat.

However, at some point in the night... the doorbell rang out, causing the young stallion to jolt awake. He sat up, rubbing his bloodshot eyes.

"...Ngh..." Aversion groaned. "...who the hell's ringing the bell at this hour...?"

After a few seconds of sitting and doing nothing, the doorbell rang again. Irritated, Aversion trudged out of bed, making his way out of his room into the foyer of his small house. At this point, he was really tired of being constantly sleep-deprived with his out-of-whack schedule and whatnot.

"I swear, dude... the instant I open the door, I'm gonna buck the crap outta you for waking me in the middle of the night...! I don't care if you're a stallion, mare, colt, or filly...!" Aversion uttered under his breath.

He opened his door to tell whomever was bothering him to buck off... only to become wide-awake at the sight before him. A very unreal sight. A very beautiful sight. The tall, dark-blue alicorn mare before him had a massive smile on her face with her eyebrows pointed up.

"Avey!" Luna said.

Smiling with tears filling his eyes, Aversion stepped outside.

"Luna!" he said, lunging at the Princess and pulling her into a hug.

Luna hugged him back. After a moment, they looked at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Aversion asked.

"I came to see you, silly!" Luna said.

The two then separated.

"May I come in?" Luna asked.

"Sure..." Aversion said, darting his eyes. "...but... I don't know if... I have much to really offer..."

Luna stepped inside, taking a look around the shabby house. She managed to smile weakly upon observation.

"Yeah... I know it's terrible." Aversion said.

"Oh, balderdash!" Luna said. "You should consider yourself fortunate to have all this over being without a home."

However, the Princess was quick to turn around and head back out the door.

"But, given what you've been through... what's say you and I head somewhere a little... nicer?" Luna offered.

Aversion tilted his head. "But... I thought commoners can't enter Canterlot Castle! If I'm caught in there again, I'm busted for sure!"

"That's not what I meant." Luna said. "What I mean is... let us go someplace I showed you naught but a fortnight ago."

Aversion was a bit confused... but had a feeling of what she was implying.

With that, he got on her back, and she flew far out from Ponyville, above the woods just outside of the small town. She took him in a familiar direction, almost out to Everfree Forest... and then came into the view of the repaired Castle of the Two Sisters.

"We're back here again?" Aversion asked.

"Yes." Luna responded. "I decided that it is only fair you have yourself a better place to stay for the time being. And I have just a way to make it long-term with some special... devices I spent some of my free time working on..."

"Really?" Aversion asked.

Luna gave a single nod in response. "I'll show you what I mean once I have the proper chance to do so."

The two flew beyond the defensive wall, and landed just in front of the main door, which Luna opened with her magic. Once again, they walked into the great entry hall of the castle. Being accustomed to lower-class conditions... Aversion was, yet again, awestruck by seeing such a grand hall with his own eyes after many days of not doing so.

"And now, let us head to an isolated room where nopony would think to look for us, even if they were to come here." Luna said.

She led the earth pony to a room somewhere on the mid-height of the towering fortress. It was a moderately-sized bedroom with a writing desk, bookshelf, recreation space, and a fireplace, just to name a few of the amenities. It was extremely fancy to Aversion, having slept in a crammed room that many would compare to a walk-in closet.

"Wow!" Aversion said, walking around. "This is amazing!"

Immediately, he went to try out the bed. He laid to find that it was as soft and comfy as the spare bed Luna let him sleep in during his one night in Canterlot Castle.

"Ah... it's really nice." Aversion remarked.

While he laid for a bit, Luna happened to walk up right behind him, gently rolled him onto his stomach... and proceeded to start gently knead his back with her hooves.

"Ohhh..." Aversion moaned quietly.

Luna smiled. "Just seeing you lying there... I couldn't help but want to do something special for you, given the circumstances that rose up on that one morning."

Aversion, even after knowing Luna for quite a while, was still dumbfounded at the fact that he was getting a massage from a Princess! Typically, he always expected just about everything to be the other way around. After many minutes of alternating, but even, patterns, he let out a pleasured sigh as the alicorn continued to knead his back.

"...You're very tense, Avey." Luna commented. "Your loin is utterly saturated with knots."

After what seemed like half an hour, or maybe more, Luna slowly retracted from her massaging session for Aversion... and the latter felt such immense relief. He had become accustomed to the pain in his muscles, to the point that it was so constant, he did not feel it, and now that it was gone... it was like he had died and ascended, leaving his deteriorated body behind.

"So... how do you feel?" Luna asked.

Aversion took a moment to let the feeling from Luna's massage really sink into his mind.

"...Unbelievable." Aversion said. "You can't imagine how good I feel now. Thanks for doing that for me, Luna."

Luna pulled him into a hug. "Anything for my dear little Avey."

Aversion yawned. "Ah... I'm sleepy..."

Almost immediately, Luna climbed onto the bed... laying on top of him, spoon-style. This caught the stallion a bit off-guard.

"Uh, Luna... what are you doing?" he asked.

"I wish to sleep with you, Avey." Luna said.

Sleeping with a mare! A mare! Aversion could not believe how lucky he was, given this opportunity. It was all too good to be true indeed... but why shouldn't he enjoy it?

"...I'd love it!" he said.

Luna then closed her eyes as she wrapped her hooves around Aversion, still laying in a spoon position. Aversion himself could not help but have a smile as he laid with his eyes closed in Luna's tender embrace.

So warm... so cozy... Aversion thought blissfully. ...I wish I could just lay here with her, forever...

Luna's hide was very soft. With her especially luxurious bedsheets combined with it... Aversion felt like he was enveloped in clouds. He imagined this is what it must be like for pegasi.

Soon enough, the two were both off to sleep... both knowing that each other's presence would make for a very lovely sleep between them.

Author's Note

Picture is altered version of original from 90Sigma.

13. Secret Refuge

Luna found herself in a dreamscape again upon her falling asleep. It was, yet again, very similar to the one of the market, with everything being large and misshapen. However, the location was different. This time, she was in what looked like a long classroom. The desks resembled towers, and the room was even larger than a great hall in the castle.

"What is this?" Luna questioned verbally. "Why have I, for a second time, ended up in a place like this? This shall only slow me down!"

In any case, Luna began to wander through the mazelike layout of the "classroom" in search of a way out. She made her way to the ajar door, and into a hallway of towering lockers, yet there were also lockers of regular size and shape, placed on the floor in front of the enlarged ones. Once she made it out of the room, that was when she heard a schoolbell ringing... but it was deeper in pitch and slower (presumably due to the enlargement of everything).

Once that sound concluded, Luna saw the doors opening around the hallways... and emerging from them were swarming of weird, animate mannequin ponies that were the same size as her. As they approached the Princess, glowing red dots appeared on the spots where their faces would be, and they changed their course to move straight toward her. Panicking, she darted for the nearest locker and hid herself inside.

The mannequin ponies were sitting right outside the locker, despite Luna praying that they would leave immediately. They sat for about twenty seconds before another schoolbell sounded, and then all of the ponies filed toward the nearest classroom. It was then when Luna realized again what was going on.

"Of course..." she said. "...I have to time it so that I can get through with each interval of class-in-session to get to the exit!"

So, with that in mind, Luna retreated from the locker and began to follow "EXIT" signs mounted on the ceiling that directed her to the way out of this dreamscape.

"Could it be?" Luna uttered. "Is this... also Avey's subconscious, just like the market one?"

After making it a step of the way further, another bell sounded, and Luna took refuge in the nearest locker. Once she waited, the bell rang again and all the mannequin ponies went back to "class." She continued this process until she made it to a gymnasium, and right on the other side...

"...the egress of this dreamscape!" Luna said upon seeing the door.

She rushed for it... but upon glancing up at the rafters, she caught a familiar sight...

...The shadow pony, standing upon a beam.

"You!" Luna said, attempting to fly, but found her wings immobile yet again. "Why do you keep showing up in these dreamscapes!?"

The shadow pony said nothing, and continued to give her a cold, piercing glare as she decided to abandon this place ASAP. She made it to the EXIT door, and stepped into the wall of blinding white light just beyond it. Once she made it to the Dream Void, she looked back at the door... and saw that it was Aversion's subconscious indeed.

"I knew it." Luna said. "There is definitely something going on with Avey... but it'll have to wait until I'm awake to piece together."

Despite having escaped and taking a heavy load of dream-work, Luna still could not get her mind off the event, particularly after a second occurrence. And that shadow pony...

"...What does this all mean!?" Luna questioned the cosmos.

One day that came a few days after Luna and Aversion spent their night together just so happened to be Aversion's twenty-seventh birthday. However, even in his younger years... his birthday was never really a significant event. This was because it was always held on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, an event that stole his spotlight for twenty-six, and now, twenty-seven, years. Whenever he tried to bring it up with anypony, they always scolded him for "being selfish" and "disrespecting the ruler of Equestria by disregarding one of her most important duties!"

In any case, Aversion had told Luna about it beforehand, and told him that she would go out of her way to get something special for him. It was something that, she guaranteed, would make up for the birthdays he missed in his earlier life. Now that she met back up with him at the stoop of his house after several days absence, she was ready to give it to him.

"Hey, Luna!" Aversion said upon seeing the blue alicorn land on his lawn.

"Hi, Avey!" Luna responded. "Happy birthday!"

Aversion smiled weakly. "Thanks."

Luna was carrying a fairly large birthday present, strapped upon her back.

"Is that for me?" Aversion asked.

Luna nodded. "You're going to be quite happy when you find out what this is!"

Aversion began going at the wrapping paper after Luna took the present off herself, ripping it all over the place, and revealed what looked like a pair of doors inside frames. His smile left his face and his eyes narrowed.

"...I don't get it. Why would a pair of doors make me happy?" he asked.

"Observe..." Luna said.

She opened both of the doors simultaneously... and through them both was a mirrored version of Aversion, Luna, and his house... but it wasn't mirrored. Aversion realized what it was...

"...A portal!" he said.

"Yes!" Luna said. "And what I have in mind is something I'm positive everypony would envy about you should they ever find out. So don't tell anypony!"

"So, what am I supposed to do with them?" Aversion asked.

"Here's what will happen:" Luna spoke. "You put one someplace discreet, and I will put the other in the Castle of the Two Sisters!"

Aversion's eyes went wide as his mouth fell agape. "Really? You would do that for me, Luna?"

Luna nodded. "Of course! I believe a special friend deserves a special residence, especially with how much you have been through, Avey."

Aversion stood on his hind legs to give the Princess a hug, which she returned.

"Thank you, Luna." Aversion said. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

After a long hugging session, the two eventually separated.

"And, I happen to have a pair of my own that I finished creating in a long stretch of free time I was lucky to obtain. So, I can set it up in my closet, as well as the other castle. That way, we can both visit each other much easier!" Luna said.

Aversion, nodding with his eyes to the ground and a big grin on his face, looked back up at Luna.

"Great idea!" Aversion said. "I'll be sure to check up on the castle on a nightly basis, even if to see you for a brief moment before I have to go to sleep for work the next day."

"Fair enough. What time do you usually make it home?" Luna asked.

"Typically, shortly after eight." Aversion responded.

"Alright," Luna said. "I'm sure I'll be able to squeeze in a few moments to see you if I have something important the following day... but if I do not have anything important the next day, I'll be able to spend more time with you!"

"Awesome!" Aversion said.

"Also, feel free to use the castle as your residence, if you wish... my little prince." Luna said, rubbing his nose with the tip of her hoof.

"Heh heh." Aversion chuckled. "Stop it, Lulu."

Luna subtly gasped and smiled upon hearing what he called her. Aversion blushed as his eyes fell.

"...I hope it's okay I call you that." Aversion said.

"Absolutely!" Luna said. "If anything... I prefer you call me that!"

Despite Aversion now feeling quite good about himself... there was something still eating at him since the incident.

"So... what happened that one day when Celestia caught us drunk?" he asked

"...It was my nephew, Prince Blueblood." Luna said, regretfully. "He tipped off my sister to our fun... and she punished me for it."

Aversion's eyes went wide. "Wait... for real!? He squealed to your sister about me!?"

"I'm afraid so..." Luna said.

The stallion became overwhelmed with rage upon hearing this. "Well, why don't you just let me deal with him, Lulu? Clearly, I'm the one he has a problem with."

"No!" Luna interjected. "You mustn't try to 'deal with' anypony of royal status! It'll only make things worse!"

"Then what should we do about this?" Aversion asked.

Luna pondered for a moment.

"...Perhaps it is best we simply meet in secret for the time being." Luna said. "In the meantime, I'll have to feign contempt against 'Tia so she won't suspect anything from my sudden change of disposition."

"I see. I understand." Aversion said. "But, anyway, thanks for letting me have the castle!"

"Of course, Avey! I'll be sure to set up the other door on my way back to Canterlot Castle. We just need to ensure neither 'Tia nor Blueblood know that you're staying there! Don't even tell anypony in Ponyville about it!" Luna cautioned.

"My maw is sealed!" Aversion said.

"Well, 'tis time I went back. Farewell for now, my dear Avey..." Luna said.

With that, the alicorn gave her subject one final hug, and when the two separated... she planted a quick kiss on his cheek. This caught Aversion off-guard... while it was something he had been hopeful for, he was not expecting it to come so soon. A flush filled his face as a single hoof fluttered up to the spot where the Princess touched her lips to.

With a last, warm smile, Luna spread her wings and took to the skies, levitating the other portal door with her. Aversion watched her fly toward Everfree Forest until she was too small to be seen anymore. This left him with the other portal door. He tipped it onto his back and hauled it into his house, where he carefully set it up in the near-empty closet in his bedroom. He put an old, torn bedsheet over it to cover it up. He did not get any visitors... but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The Mane Six, Starlight, and Spike all arrived in Canterlot, and were granted permission to enter the Great Hall of the castle, where Princess Celestia was waiting for them.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight said.

"Ah, Twilight!" Celestia responded. "I see you've arrived."

"So, is Luna doing alright?" Starlight asked.

The ruler of Equestria pursed her lips as her gaze fell to the floor.

"...She's been doing nothing but giving me the silent treatment." Celestia said. "Honestly, that's the kind of behavior I'd expect out of a little filly, not a grown mare... let alone one who's immortal and has lived for thousands of years like me."

"So, like... what went down that got her so down-in-the-dumps?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"Well... I really don't want to throw out names, but..." Celestia trailed off.

"Ooh! Is it a guessing-game?" Pinkie asked.

Celestia sighed. "No, nothing like that. It's a matter that... entails a stallion from Ponyville..."

"A stallion?" Twilight asked. "What was she doing?"

"It seems that the two had gotten themselves drunk on some fine wine we had been saving for the upcoming Gala... and of course, Luna was drunk when she tried to explain what happened, so questioning her got nowhere at first. We returned the stallion to his home in Ponyville after issuing a warrant to the Royal Guard to enter his property to do so."

"Well, if anything, ah reckon she was prob'ly broodin' and just wanted to spend time with some'ne." Applejack said.

"I would understand that... but what I don't quite comprehend is why she would select... a stallion as her first choice..." Rarity added.

It was only after the fashionista unicorn said this that everypony fell silent... and pieced together what might've been going on...

"Wait..." Starlight pondered. "...a stallion... and Luna's very introverted... so that means..."

"Oh, hoh hoh hoooooh...!" Rainbow Dash laughed. "...Luna's got it bad!"

"Um..." Fluttershy uttered. "...she's got what bad?"

"Got lovestruck bad!" Dash responded.

"Well..." Celestia spoke up. "...I know my sister quite well, and I know that she wouldn't do something like this off the bat. She'd be quite selective over any stallion, and wouldn't start a formal relationship with any who she felt was unworthy."

"But, do you think we should try to figure out what she was up to, Princess?" Twilight asked.

"Like I said... Lulu won't budge. She's not going to lower that shield anytime soon, I imagine." Celestia responded.

"True..." Twilight said. "...but, what if we did a bit of investigating to find out exactly who this stallion is?"

Everypony thought about this for a moment.

"...I suppose it would be the best course of action, just to know why Lulu wanted him to visit in the first place." Celestia said.

14. Background Check

Princess Celestia, the Mane Six, Spike, and Starlight all went into the Equestrian Citizenship Databank to lookup the birth certificate of Aversion, as well as check the Civilian Archives to see if there were any noteworthy incidents he was involved with. Their findings were, surprisingly, a lot deeper and unexpected than they were originally anticipating.

"So... this Aversion..." Twilight said in shock as she read through the documents. "...sounds like he's had a rough past."

"Indeed. Given all that's happened, I can see why Luna is so particularly fond of him; he would likely be suffering chronic depression by now." Celestia said.

"So, like... the guy's got pretty much no connections?" Rainbow Dash said. "JEEZ, this stallion sounds like such a loser..."

"Rainbow Dash!" Fluttershy scolded, just before looking regretful. "O-oh... please excuse me for raising my voice..."

Dash simply rolled her eyes. Starlight stepped forward.

"Fluttershy is right, y'know." she said. "Take me, for instance. I had a hard time learning how to make friends throughout my childhood and adolescence, and I..." she hesitated to speak. "...developed a very... twisted mindset of it. But I've been reformed! So, Dash... you think I'm a loser?"

"W-well..." Rainbow Dash stammered, as everypony was giving her an icy stare, just before letting out a defeated sigh. "...you're right."

Twilight turned to face Celestia.

"So, Princess..." she said. "...do you think Luna might already know about all this?"

"Well..." Celestia spoke, briefly trailing off. "...I think it might help to bring this up with her, because... well... I do sympathize for Aversion... and her."

A little while later, Luna was sitting in her room, drawing a sketch of herself and Aversion, happily cantering through a flower field under a rainbow. As an added touch... she drew a heart above both of them. Once it was finished, she set her quill down, and stared longingly at the image, sighing dreamily.

"Oh, Avey..." she said. "...maybe one day, you and I can run off together, away from Equestria... find a new nation that will accept you and me being together... and we'll build our own castle! We'll live together... forever..."

She placed a hoof right next to the sketched pony figures of herself and Aversion. They had been spending a lot of free time at the Castle of the Two Sisters, which Aversion has made into his primary residence; everyday after work, he enters through the portal-door concealed in his house, and lives there like he would his own home. However, despite all of their interactions... there was just something Luna could not pick up from him, but something she was desperate to see.

I'm still unsure of how a stallion conveys signs of interest... Luna thought. ...I mean, I've really come to like Avey as more than just a friend... but... does he feel the same way about me?

More and more, her thoughts were set on nothing but Aversion. He was literally all she could ever think about. This got her to wondering: were her feelings for him really... growing? Was this... love? It was beginning to dawn on Luna that she was falling in love with Aversion. Truthfully, it's what she has wanted for a long time. However... she did not think she could bear it if she were turned down.

...I wish there was a way I could find out. I mean... his sweet smile... his gentle hugs... his trust in me... and how open he is with me... oh, it all just melts me inside. I want to feel that way forever... Luna thought.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.

"Lulu... may I come in?" Celestia said from the other side.

Luna sat upright as her pupils went small.

Oh, horsefeathers! I'm supposed to be 'resentful' and 'gloomy'! She thought.

Immediately, she rubbed her hooves over herself to mess up her fur, and rustled herself under her bedsheets. Then, she "reluctantly" opened the door to her room. Once Celestia stepped inside, Luna peeked her head over the sheet at her, feigning sleep deprivation.

"...What do you want?" Luna asked in a dreary tone.

"Well, you've finally opened the door. That's a start..." Celestia said. "...but in any case, I wanted to talk to you about Aversion."

Luna emulated an annoyed groan.

Celestia continued: "I'm not here to blame you, or try to do anything to him. Rather... I'm here because I've done a bit of research on him."

This was when Luna sat upright, giving Celestia her attention.

"Research...?" she asked. "...What do you mean?"

"Just follow me..." Celestia said. "...besides, you could benefit from some time out of your room!"

Celestia escorted Luna to the Archives and showed her what she uncovered about Aversion.

"So... from what I could find, according to Aversion's birth certificate..." Celestia said. "...apparently, he is the illegitimate child of the earth pony mare, Evasion. The biological father is unknown, but comments from Evasion say he was a stallion by the name of 'Lorn Longing'... she described him as being a very sweet, caring pony... but she could not bring herself to marry him, due to her life state by the time she was pregnant with their son."

"Oh my..." Luna said, her eyes wide and attentive. "...I never realized... that he was such a curious case."

Celestia nodded. "Apparently, Lorn Longing cut all ties with her as a result of heartbreak, and moved somewhere else. She lost contact with him, despite wanting to resume their friendship without commitment. But regardless, Evasion took up the task of raising Aversion; she did not want to put him up for adoption."

"Well... I can definitely say that his mother's heart was in the right place!" Luna remarked.

"...Also... it seems that Evasion died when Aversion was only five years old..." Celestia added as she glanced over the documents.

Luna gasped upon hearing this. After being silent for a moment, her eyes started tearing up.

"O-oh... my poor, poor Avey..." she uttered. "...h-he lost... his m-mother... when he was s-s-so little..."

"Indeed..." Celestia said. "...after that, he was under custody of his stepfather... but this was not rather... ideal for Aversion."

"Why?" Luna asked.

Celestia bit her lip. "...The stepfather, Sledge Hammer, was very... abusive. Apparently, Aversion was beaten regularly according to anonymous allegations, but since there was no evidence submitted, Sledge Hammer was never convicted. Also... um..."

"What?" Luna asked. "What is it, 'Tia?"

"...I don't know if you really want to know more about him." Celestia said.

"Please! I must!" Luna said.

"Well... alright..." Celestia said, taking a breath. "...while unconfirmed... it is believed that he..." she gulped. "...contributed to the death of Evasion."

Luna went silent as her head fell forward, but still facing Celestia.

"Yes." Celestia said. "From what was claimed by Aversion... Evasion had her neck snapped by Sledge Hammer during a struggle when he was beating her. However... the forensics teams matched her injury on the side of her neck instead to the corner on a counter. Since there was no sign of a struggle... they concluded that she slipped and fell. It seems he did not beat her hard enough to cause other injuries."

"N-no..." Luna uttered. "...no, no, no... HOW could such a criminal like Sledge Hammer get away with something of THIS magnitude!?"

Celestia hung her head down. "...The reports say that he was also the one who called the police and reported her death. From what was said, he sounded very emotional... but Aversion's testimony claimed it was all fake. Since there was no evidence, of course... Sledge Hammer received a 'not guilty' verdict."

Luna was utterly shocked about all of this. She knew Aversion had it rough... but never had he even told her about all of this. It made her, more than ever, want to comfort and console him whenever he was feeling down.

"So... I have made the decision that you may see him based on a system we may establish." Celestia said.

Luna's ears perked up upon hearing this. "Really? You mean it, sis?"

Celestia nodded. "I believe we may be able to organize some audiences with him, following standard protocol. This way, you both shall have a way to meet up and retain contact."

"Thank you, sis!" Luna said. "Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me!"

Aside from standard audience... she was positive that they could continue to meet up at the Castle of the Two Sisters. They would have more time than ever to spend with each other. Plus, it would give Celestia a chance to see that he is not so bad.

"And I believe we can see if there are any welfare benefits he may be entitled to, and help him sign up for it." Celestia said.

"Oh, there's no need for that, sis. He's doing quite well at the moment." Luna said.

She remembered quite well the gift she had given Aversion on his birthday, which was no doubt helping him immensely. Plus, she even tipped him in on some treasure left behind in the castle that he could pawn for a little extra cash.

"What do you mean?" Celestia asked.

"Well," Luna spoke. "I'd be more than happy with the occasional audience with him present. After all, you said it yourself that we mustn't give in to favoritism, what with welfare and whatnot."

"But... what makes you so sure he is doing well on his own without benefits?" Celestia asked.

"Well, I saw him myself quite a few times within the last week! And I--" Luna stopped.

She clasped her forehooves to her mouth upon realizing what she just slipped. Celestia's pupils went small as her jaw hung agape.

"Lulu..." Celestia spoke. "...you were going behind my back to see him?"

" 'Tia, listen! It's not what you think! I was--" Luna spoke.

Celestia, however, was quite upset with the course of action her younger sister had taken.

"Lulu, it's time for you to stop and really think about this..." she said. "...you're going behind my back because you don't trust me! I would've been willing to talk this over with you and see if we could reach a reasonable compromise... but when you're being all sneaky, defying the royal protocol... how can I trust you?"

"W-well... what do you even think I'm gonna do?" Luna asked.

"For all I know, you may try pulling some strings to provide him welfare benefits without the official process! Or perhaps grant him some form of nobility without justified service to Equestria!" Celestia said.

"No!" Luna argued. "I wouldn't do that! He's my friend! That's all I want! A FRIEND!"

Celestia hung her head down in regret.

"...I'm sorry, Lulu. But I'm afraid I'm not about ready to take any chances with our reputation. Imagine what our subjects would think if they found out we were sneaking around and giving select few ponies special treatment? There would likely be riots, castle sieges, and perhaps even rebellion! And they could end up physically hurting Aversion! Do you want that?" she said.

Luna said nothing, hanging her own head down and biting her lower lip as tears filled her eyes.

"So... until further notice, I will need to have the guards keep a closer eye on you. I'm sorry, Lulu... but you need to understand that this is for the best in the long-term." Celestia said.

"But..." Luna said. "...but what about Avey? He's depressed, and he needs me!"

"...He'll have to make due with therapy for the time being." Celestia said.

"He's too poor!" Luna said. "And he does not have any close friends or living relatives in the locality of Ponyville!"

"Well... I don't know what else to say." Celestia said.

Luna glared. "Of course, that's just like you, 'Tia! You don't know what to say, because you don't take into consideration the wellbeing of your subjects!"

"What?" Celestia said. "Of course I do!"

"...As in every one of your subjects!" Luna added.

"Lulu... you really need to settle down." Celestia said.

"NO!" Luna retaliated. "You need to look at the way you are disregarding them... by not allowing me to help MY loyal subject!"

Celestia raised a brow. "...Your loyal subject?"

"Yes! And he's loyal to me because, unlike you..." Luna paused. "...I ACTUALLY CARE FOR HIM!"

With that, the younger sister stormed off, back to Canterlot Castle. She took to the sky like a falcon.

"Lulu, hold on!" Celestia called. "Like I just said, we can talk this over! If you would just give me a chance to listen...!"

Luna was far out of hearing range. In any case, she did not want to listen to someone who had any objection whatsoever to her seeing Aversion of her own accord.

Celestia sighed. "...You really haven't changed, Lulu."

Luna stormed into her room, slamming the door so hard it almost came clean off its hinges. She was upset, angry, hurt, hateful... it was a heavy storm of emotion spiraling inside her.

"Hnnnggggh...!" Luna snarled. "That 'Tia... still treating me like a FOAL...!"

She struck at a row of vases sitting atop a shelf, knocking them all down and shattering them, before she resumed her borderline violent pacing.

"...thinks she can control EVERY ASPECT of my life...!"

Luna bucked at a cabinet, tipping it over and breaking a few things inside, from the sound of it.

"...and now, takes my FIRST FRIEND IN A LONG TIME...!"

She began tugging on the drapes in front of her window, ripping them, and she stomped in fury on the tattered fabric. She stopped for a moment, breathing heavily, veins pulsing in her neck and temples. The look of fury was still rich in her eyes, her adrenaline was still going at full release... and she was somehow managing to ignore the jets of dark light materializing out of thin air at random locations, all of which were converging into her body.

" 'Tia... you pretentious, prideful bitch...! I WILL have my revenge...! And I WILL have my... Avey... b-back...!" Luna stammered near the end.

The jets of light were beginning to have an effect on her. She partially lowered herself as her head fell forward. Her eyes closed for a brief moment.

"...G.gngh...!" Luna groaned. "...F-feeling... strange...!"

When she opened her eyes... the sclerae had turned pale green, and her pupils slitted, like a cat or reptile... her hide was darkening... her mane began to blur... her chestpiece turned a light shade of blue... her teeth were lengthening and sharpening.

"...O-oh... the power...!" Luna said as she continued to change. "...Ah... it's... both pleasuring... and... p-painful. It... f-feels... WONDERFUL...!"

After several seconds, the dark jets of light stopped appearing, and Luna herself was nothing like what she had been a moment ago. She now had her alternate form; the form of one of the most feared mares in Equestrian history...

"...Yes... YES...!" Nightmare Moon said, triumphantly. "...My true power... it has returned! And now... I shall have my revenge! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!"

The evil, dark Princess laughed maniacally for quite a while, all as the moon itself faded from its usual white to a deep, blood red...

Author's Note

Credit for the Luna vectors on the last image goes to "J5A4," and "Hendro107."

16. Dance and Distress

"Please, 'Tia?" Luna asked. "Can he please come with me?"

Celestia bit her lip. "I'm not quite sure... how do you suppose it would look in front of everypony attending?"

"I'm sure they won't mind! Besides, you told me that it's okay for me to start seeing Avey! I can't tell you how grateful I am for that!" Luna said.

The two sisters had, once again, gotten into a very drawn-out debate. By this time, Luna's color had become re-saturated, and her mane and tail were once again perpetually rippling after channeling the moon's power through her horn into her body.

"I'm just saying, he's never been to one before! And I'm positive he'll want to accompany me this year! I'll buy him a Gala ticket at my own expense!" Luna said.

Celestia relented, sighing whilst hanging her head down with a subtle grin. "...Very well, he may come."

"YES!" Luna exclaimed.

As it turned out, Luna had asked Celestia if Aversion could come to this year's Grand Galloping Gala. She wanted to have the opportunity to have some fun with him in a way that was not so discreet. That way, everypony would be able to see how much this really means to her. Surely they would all understand... right?

Luna managed to get in touch with Aversion about the night at the Gala. She went through the portal in her room to the Castle of the Two Sisters, and into Aversion's house through his, where she presented him with a ticket, as well as an invoice.

"What's this?" he asked upon noticing the latter.

"A gift receipt for the Carousel Boutique!" Luna said. "I have paid, in advance, for Rarity to tailor a suit for you to wear to the Gala!"

"Really?" Aversion asked. "You did all this for me?"

"Of course! After all, why would I want my Avey to spend beyond his budget just to come... and why wouldn't I want to be alone at the Gala after a couple thousand times of just that?" Luna said.

"Heh heh..." Aversion chuckled. "...I'm really glad you did this for us to have a special night!"

"Absolutely." Luna said. "And it truly will be a good night! I strongly look forward to having our first dance together, Avey!"

Shortly after Luna departed back to Canterlot Castle to aid in preparation for the upcoming Gala, Aversion went straight to Carousel Boutique, the receipt in his mouth as he walked. Upon making it, he went straight inside... but found nopony in the building.

"Hello?" Aversion called out.

He made his way to the front desk, where there was a small desk bell. He rang it a couple of times. After a moment, a white unicorn filly with a lilac mane and tail came down a set of stairs nearby.

"Oh," Aversion said upon seeing her. "hello there!"

"Hi!" Sweetie Belle said. "Need something, Mister?"

"Yes..." Aversion said, holding up his gift certificate. "...I have an appointment with a Ms. Rarity. Is she around?"

"Oh, yeah! I'll go grab her real quick!" Sweetie Belle said, going back up the stairs.

After a few moments of waiting, Aversion heard of some hoofsteps shuffling around from the stairwell.

"I'm coming, I'm coming...!" came a voice from upstairs.

Eventually, a white unicorn came down.

"Good day, sir!" Rarity said. "How may I be of assistance?"

"Ah, Ms. Rarity, yes..." Aversion said, holding up the invoice Luna gave him. "...I've got this gift certificate, here. I need a suit tailored."

Rarity took the receipt and looked it over.

"Ah, yes..." she said, realizing who the stallion was. "...Mr. Aversion, I presume?"

"That I am." Aversion said.

"Yes, so it seems your bill has been paid for in advance by... another party. So, if you'll come on up with me, I shall get started right away!" Rarity said.

"Great!" Aversion said.

With that, the unicorn escorted the earth pony up the stairs to her sewing room. Having heard the rumors from Celestia through Twilight... the former was quite confused by the stallion who had entered her boutique.

So... THIS is the stallion Princess Luna is head-over-hooves for...? Rarity thought. ...Odd. He does not seem much different from other stallions I have seen around here. What exactly does the Princess see in him, I wonder...?

As they were walking, Aversion sniffed, glancing around.

"Say, does something smell kinda like..." he took another deep sniff. "...marshmallow?"

Rarity pressed her lips together, glancing around nervously. "...O-oh, well... I'm sure it's n-nothing... just some... aroma..."

"Hmm..." Aversion uttered. "...I see."

They said no more on the matter.

...Nopony must EVER find out about... THAT aspect of me... Rarity thought.

Sure enough, after a good bit of time, Rarity got the measurements she needed, and would work on tailoring his suit for him over the next couple of days, having it ready before the Gala.

"I do hope it isn't too long of a wait." Rarity said as her customer was on his way out.

"Oh, not at all!" Aversion said. "Take all the time you need! But, y'know... before the Gala comes, and all..."

"Of course! I appreciate your affiliate's patronage!" Rarity said.

"Yes, of course! And thank you, Ms. Rarity!" Aversion said.

"It's merely what I like to do!" she responded.

Sure enough, within a week, the Gala was taking place. Luna had prepped herself up in a special dress that was made for her. As she glossed over herself in the mirror in her bedroom, she could not help but keep spinning herself around to get a view of all possible angles.

"Oh, I just know Avey's going to be so surprised when he sees me in this!" she said to herself.

This also made her wonder what kind of suit Rarity tailored for him. She hoped it would be worth the expense she put out for it... not that it really cut into her budget in the slightest. But she was sure that, in a nice, formal suit, which she had not seen him in before... it would blow her away regardless.

Once she was finished getting ready, Luna proceeded down to the Gala Hall, where Celestia, the Mane Six, Starlight Glimmer, Spike, and many attendees were all conversing before the actual Gala was about to begin.

"So... I take it the plans for this evening are going to be... better, this time?" Luna asked her sister.

"Hey..." Celestia said, shrugging. "...I just like to experiment. I can only hope everypony will be more excited about the Gala this year."

"Indeed. I just want to make sure Avey has a good time tonight!" Luna said.

And then, right on cue...

"Hey, Lulu!" came Aversion's voice.

Luna and Celestia both looked in the direction of the voice... and what met their sight was the stallion in question adorned in a sleek, black suit with dark gray trim, along with a white collar, and a black bow-tie. His mane and tail were gelled, and his mane being brushed off to the side. There were four leather coverings on all four of his hooves that matched the color of his suit. Both Princesses' eyes went wide, the younger one's jaw dropping when she processed what he looked like.

Oh my... Luna thought in awe at the sight of Aversion. ...he's so handsome! Aww, he even fixed up his mane and tail for the occasion!

Aversion stood in front of Luna, getting a good glimpse of what she was wearing herself.

"Wow!" he said. "You look absolutely beautiful in that dress..."

Luna blushed and giggled. "Why thank you, Avey. And might I say... you look quite remarkable yourself!"

Aversion himself blushed while hanging his head down and feebly smiling. With that, the two went off to one side, away from most of the crowd.

"So... I'm here." Aversion said. "Never thought I'd ever be able to attend the Grand Galloping Gala in my life!"

"Yes," Luna said. "life does play some unexpected cards at times... and I'm sure you'll have quite a good time with me!"

"I just hope this can make up for Prom, back in grade school." Aversion said.

"Why?" Luna asked. "What happened at your Prom?"

Aversion shuffled his hooves nervously. "...Hell if I know; I didn't go. That's why I hope the Gala will make up for me not going."

The two heard that the music was about to begin, and several ponies began to file to the dance floor. As Luna and Aversion approached... they were met with confused murmuring among the rich attendees what the music was likely to entail. Upon making it to the dance floor and getting a clear view of the stage, the young stallion saw why.

"Woah, no way!" Aversion said upon seeing who would be hosting the music on the stage. "You got DJ-Pon-3 here?"

Luna pressed her lips together. "...'Tia felt like changing up the Gala a bit this year. She's always wanting to experiment and try something new."

"...I just think it's kinda odd; wubstep doesn't really seem to fit the formal setting of a Royal Gala." Aversion commented.

Vinyl Scratch, more commonly known by her stage name, DJ-Pon-3, was quite popular for holding private gigs at college parties and dance clubs, and pioneering a new genre of electronic music that she has dubbed "wubstep."

Little were the two aware... Blueblood was at the Gala as well, and he happened to follow them into the dance ballroom, concealed by the large crowd of other ponies.

"Just you wait, Auntie Luna..." he said to himself. "...I shall make that pathetic wimp look so bad in front of you, you will want nothing of him any longer!"

"Alright, ponies of Canterlot!" Pon-3 said over the loudspeakers. "You're in for a real treat! I've just finished putting together some brand-new, never-before-heard mixtapes that are sure to make you shake your formal flanks! And bring back those memories of the good old days of young electronic music!"

This hyped up Aversion for sure; he has always been a fan of Pon-3's mixtapes and tracks. She was even the DJ at a college party he went to (...and was awkwardly trying to drum up small-talk with other students, who kept forcing him out of their little circles).

"Ooh... I feel this is going to be quite enjoyable!" Luna remarked.

With that, DJ-Pon-3, having just put some vinyl records on the turntables, dropped the styluses on them, and cranked up the volume on the mixing board.

Aversion's eyebrows shot up. "Well... this feels quite alien for a royal setting!"

Several of the attendees were quite confused by the selection of music. However, Celestia, the Mane Six, Starlight, and Spike all began to slowly move to the beat themselves.

"Well, c'mon Lulu..." Aversion said, extending his hoof toward her with a smirk and narrow eyes. "...give me your vibrations."

Luna returned the smirk as he mimicked the song lyrics, and took his hoof as they made their way more toward the center of the dance floor.

Once the bass kicked in, that was when things really started to get wild. Luna and Aversion both began to let their dance instinct kick in. They began to step in a DDR-style pattern, occasionally extending their forelegs forward.

Everypony was staring in confusion at Luna and Aversion dancing together... especially Blueblood, who happened to be off to the side, watching discreetly.

"Who is that stallion?" one pony asked. "The one dancing with Princess Luna."

"I'm not sure. Is he a prince?" another asked.

"I haven't seen him before... perhaps he is an ambassador from a neighboring kingdom?"

"Lulu..." Aversion uttered, glancing around. "...everypony's watching us..."

"Just ignore them for now." Luna said. "Right now... it's just you and me!"

At this point, she chose to really show off her dance skills.

Luna performed a series of different dance moves, such as balancing herself on one forehoof while spinning, and then doing a hoofspring into the air, landing on her hind legs. She also did some strange trick where she stood upright, and was somehow able to move backwards while making her forelegs look like they were walking forward.

At some points, she grabbed Aversion's foreleg and pulled him into some kind of fast-paced two-pony dance in between her solo movesets. Several ponies took notice, especially the Mane Six.

"Woah!" Rainbow Dash remarked. "Luna's got some moves!"

"Yeah, and that Aversion dances quite well, too!" Fluttershy added.

Twilight could not help but happily watch the two.

"It's good that Luna finally found somepony special in her life!" she said.

Blueblood was trying to get close, having pushed a small delivery tray of snacks with him. He levitated some, taking a moment to aim, so that he could ensure that some of them would end up hitting Aversion. His goal was to get him absolutely filthy, so Luna would end up being revolted by him... at least, that's what his mind pieced together.

Blueblood was getting ready to hurl the stolen snacks at his self-proclaimed rival... but something happened that caught him off guard a little bit.

The tone of the music had changed to just the sound of some fast bongos, as well as a whispering female voice. Both Luna and Aversion, pausing their dance for a moment and blushing at each other due to the shift in music, were both wondering the same thing:

Did Pon-3 intend to include in this song a... sexy breakdown?

Despite the shift in the tone of the song, they continued to dance, but with more subtle movements, since it would be overkill with the current instrumental arrangement. Blueblood was about to try and lob some snacks at Aversion to sully his suit... but some of the other attendees were starting to dance as well, becoming accustomed to the music.

This was making it difficult for the prince to get a clear shot at Aversion. He did not want to try and hit any other of the party members, not out of empathy, but because he hated when ponies would have the nerve to shout at him.

The segment went on for a little while, before the song went into its closing portion.

The song finally concluded, and surprisingly, there were quite a few attendees who had become quite interested in DJ-Pon-3's music, while the others were... well...

"Excuse me, but what, pray tell, is this disgraceful mockery of Gala symphonics!?" a rich mare questioned out loud. "This is not THAT kind of party!"

Luna and Aversion privately laughed at the select ponies who were complaining about the fact that an electronic music disk jockey was allowed to play their music at a Royal Gala.

"Well, that was quite a exhilarating start!" Luna said.

"I agree!" Aversion responded. "And knowing Pon-3... we've got quite a fun night ahead of us!"

The night carried on, and the Gala was quite a bit more interesting than it had been for the past couple of years. Celestia was really getting into DJ-Pon-3's music, and was dancing in quite a lively, borderline acrobatic style, which several other ponies were stopping to watch in awe. After all, how often does one get to see their Princess show off some epic dance moves?

"OH, YES!" Celestia exclaimed. "THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST GALA IN CENTURIES!"

Luna and Aversion had both been dancing together for quite a while, but nopony was really watching them anymore. The two had been at it for quite a while, and both were getting somewhat fatigued.

"I'm just gonna step out on the balcony for a bit to get some air." Aversion said, just before he began to walk off.

"Alright, Avey!" Luna said to him. "I need to stop, myself... and I definitely need something to drink."

Aversion made his way to the outer corridor, outside of the ballroom, and out to a balcony that looked out over the southern edge of Canterlot Castle. He took in a lungful of the cool, night air. It was a clear night, and there were lots of stars in the sky. The lack of any breeze and silence made it absolutely peaceful...

...but not for long. Aversion just so happened to be unaware of somepony creeping up behind him, as they were walking without making any hoofsteps. With a smirk on their face, they stood right behind their oblivious target, charging up their horn, and releasing the magic straight at the young stallion.

There was a flash of light, and then Aversion's whole body seized up as his eyes went wide for a split second... and then they rolled back into his head as he closed them and slumped over.

"Ahh..." Aversion sighed as he fell to the floor, unconscious.

Once he was on the ground, the pony who attacked him stood over him menacingly...

...It was Blueblood. He had used a special spell he looked up to knock Aversion out.

"Heheheheh..." the prince chuckled evilly. "...now you see what happens when you do not take a hint!"

He rolled Aversion onto his back, belly-up on the stone floor.

"Now..." Blueblood said, his horn glowing. "...let us strip you of these... unfitting garments that do not belong upon the body of a peasant!"

He then proceeded to rip Aversion's suit, seem by seem, off his body. Eventually, Aversion was fully exposed. With that, Blueblood levitated Aversion himself into the air, the golden halo outlining the earth pony's body. He did not resist in any way, being out cold.

"Now..." Blueblood spoke. "...I think it's time to say goodbye to Aversion the uncouth parasite!"

"Avey, are you out here?" came Luna's voice.

Blueblood went rigid with fear as he heard the voice. Luna herself exited through the door and stepped out onto the balcony. She was levitating two glasses of fine rosé wine, drinking out of one.

"I brought you a glass of—" she stopped speaking when the sight before her was processed in her brain.

The Princess' eyes went wide as she dropped the glasses, which shattered upon impact with the floor.

"BLUEBLOOD!" Luna thundered, making the stallion in question jump. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

Blueblood darted his eyes... but then hardened his expression and lobbed the unconscious Aversion into the air. "Removing the SCUM from our regal residence!"

"AVEY!" Luna said, rushing forward and charging her horn.

She was going to catch him using her magic... but Blueblood lobbed him fairly far off, and high up. Blueblood himself tried to rush away, but Luna partially redirected her magic, and conjured some glowing fields around his hooves that held him to the stone floor of the balcony.

"You are not going anywhere!" she said, continuing to try and achieve telekinesis from a long distance, using close-quarters magic.

Once she had a good hold on Aversion, she brought him back over toward the balcony. Blueblood was struggling to try and get away... but he stood no chance again the magic of the Moon Princess. Once Aversion was on the safe side of the ledge, she laid him down, face-up, and went to check on him.

"Avey!" she said, tipping his head upward. "Avey, are you okay? Please, say something!"

Aversion simply remained unconscious. Luna brought her gaze up to Blueblood... and it was akin to that of a vengeful glare.

"...What did you do to him, Blueblood!?" she asked harshly.

"Oh, come now, Auntie Luna! You know as well as I that commoners should not associate themselves with royalty! I was doing you a favor by getting—" Blueblood said before he was cut off.

"HOW DARE YOU HURT MY AVEY!" Luna shouted.

"N-no, Auntie...!" Blueblood said, covering the top of his head under his hooves and closing his eyes. "...p-please, mercy...!"

"Then you had better, the moment he wakes up, tell him what you did, and sincerely apologize for doing it!" Luna demanded.

Blueblood hastily nodded, before resuming his cowering and panting.

Luna glared at her nephew. "...This is your one and only warning, Blueblood! You will leave Avey alone, or else there will be more serious consequences! I catch you trying something like this again, and there will be Tartarus to pay!"

"B-but, Auntie...! You must understand!" Blueblood begged. "I heard him mumbling to himself... his..." he paused, darting his eyes around. "...his plan, yes... his plan to lure you into his trap... so he could take over the kingdom! He remarked to himself that it was all going according to his plan...!"

Luna opened her eyes wider as she stared Blueblood down. This made it abundantly clear that his words did not have the desired effect. She knew that Aversion would never try to trick her. He did not desire power; he simply desired love and acceptance from somepony special.

"...I find it extremely disrespectful that you actually think I am stupid enough to fall for such a paper-thin lie!" Luna said. "It looks like we are not going to get anywhere, because you clearly are uninterested in having a productive conversation."

With that, the Princess of the Night stomped toward Blueblood, making him cower before his younger aunt as she continued to give him her piercing, angry stare.

"I'm sending you to your room for the rest of the night! My guards will make sure you don't try to leave!" Luna said.

She then looked directly upward at the Sisters' Spire.

"GUARDS, I BECKON THOU FORTH TO THINE LOCATION!" Luna spoke in her Royal Canterlot voice.

In that moment, a group of batpony guards showed up, gliding down onto the balcony.

"Yes, Your Highness. What are thy orders?" one asked.

"First, see to it that my nephew here is escorted to his room; he is going to stay there for the remainder of the night. Lock his door from the outside." Luna said.

"Right away, Your Highness!" another batpony said, before he and another got on either side of Blueblood. Once Luna released the magical restraints on him, he conceded in defeated and walked with the guards. There was no way he would be able to take out two trained batpony guards... especially having no combat experience.

"But, Auntie..." Blueblood said, looking back. "...what if I have to use the lavatory?"

Luna stared blankly. "How stupid do you think I am!? You have a bathroom in your quarters!"

"But what if I get hungry?" Blueblood said.

"I saw you having dinner at the banquet just a few hours ago!" Luna said.

Blueblood took another few steps... but dared to look back one last time. "...But what if I—"

"BLUEBLOOD!" Luna thundered.

Blueblood gasped in horror. The batpony guards pulled him along.

"Keep moving!" one said. "Or we'll bite you, and you'll become just like us!"

They hauled Blueblood into the castle. With that, Luna returned her attention to the remaining two batponies.

"And you two, get him up to my quarters." she said, pointing to Aversion. "Just lay him in my bed, under the covers, and leave him to rest."

"Yes, Your Highness!" one responded.

The guards were trained to follow the orders of the Princess they served without question. So, with that, they both lifted Aversion, carrying him perpendicular in both of their forelegs, and ascended toward the tallest spire on the castle.

"Now then..." Luna said, striding briskly back into the castle. "...I will need to inform 'Tia about the misconduct of our spoiled-rotten nephew..."

17. Introducing an Old Friend

After about half an hour, Aversion began to stir. He was disoriented and confused.

"...U-ugh..." he strained, trying to sit up. "...wh... what happened...?"

The stallion lost all sense of time while he was unconscious, and was also very lightheaded.

"Avey!" came a female voice. "You're finally up!"

Aversion looked to his right to see Luna, who was sitting in the chair at her desk. He realized where he was laying...

"Wait..." Aversion said. "...w-why am I in your bed!? What happened, Lulu!?"

Luna sighed. "...My nephew, Blueblood, apparently knocked you out and tried to throw you off Canterlot Mountain. I caught him just before he succeeded in doing so."

"What...!?" Aversion uttered.

He tried to process this... the fact that he was nearly killed by a member of the Canterlot Royal Family... the thought made his stomach churn.

"Why would he do that to me!?" Aversion asked.

Luna hung her head down. "Your guess is as good as mine, Avey... but I think he feels that being of royal status automatically makes one better than everypony else. And that is simply not true."

Aversion's eyes quickly widened as he remembered something.

"Wait... where's my suit!?" he said.

Luna levitated something off her desk, which was his folded-up formal apparel.

"Blueblood had torn the entire set to get it off you, but while you were out, I repaired all of it with a Mending Charm." Luna said.

"Oh..." Aversion said, taking the clothing out of Luna's telekinetic hold. "...thanks, Lulu!"

"Now, once you slip into that..." Luna said, heading for the door. "...would you like to come back down for the remainder of the Gala with me?"

"Yeah!" Aversion said, just before his smile faded. "But... what about Prince Blueblood?"

"I've sent him to his room for the rest of the night as punishment for what he did to you. A pair of my guards are stationed at his door, and I personally enchanted his room so that he cannot use any magic that would allow him to escape. You won't have to worry about him anymore." Luna said.

"But... I imagine he's going to be very angry about this... especially with me..." Aversion said.

"Well, I made it very clear to him that, should he do anything else to you... the consequences will be quite severe." Luna said.

Aversion nodded. "Fair enough... now, I'll get re-dressed, and fix up my mane and tail... and I'll be down in a few minutes!"

"Alright!" Luna said. "I'll be waiting for you!"

The Gala was still going on strongly, with DJ-Pon-3 still playing tracks from a wide selection she put together. The density of ponies was a bit lower, due to some of the Canterlot residents having left, not able to stand the music. Others, such as the Mane Six, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike were still present... and they all had to agree that this was probably the best Gala they had been to, period.

"Ah, you're back, Avey!" Luna said, upon seeing her coltfriend coming.

"Yep!" Aversion responded.

"And just in time for the slow dances!" Luna added.

At that moment, Pon-3 put on some more electronic music... but it was more serene and calm compared to the upbeat music she had been playing throughout the night. Aversion extended an upward-facing hoof toward Luna.

"...May I have this dance?" he asked.

"Of course!" Luna said, placing her hoof in his.

With that, the two slowly spun, holding each other's hoof, occasionally alternating between the two on each side. Every now and then, Aversion stood on his hind legs, and sent Luna's foreleg in one direction, inciting her to do a single spin.

Sure, it was a simple dance... but the two enjoyed it nonetheless.

"I really need to get this off my chest, Lulu..." Aversion said. "...this has been the best night of my life!"

Luna blushed, her lips in a pursed grin as her eyes fell.

"Yes, and even after attending hundreds of Galas in the past... I can say with utmost confidence that this one has been the best for me... and it's all because of you, Avey." she said.

The made the earth pony himself go red in the face as micro-tremors surged through his body. He was so tense at that moment, and could do little to control it... but he kept up the dance, doing his best to look as natural as possible.

Eventually, the song ended, and the two finally put all four of their hooves back on the floor. Aversion took several deep breaths in the hope of mitigating his tension.

"Well..." Aversion said. "...that was actually quite fun!"

"I agree!" Luna said.

The two happened to notice that Twilight Sparkle had come up to them.

"Hey, Princess!" she said.

"Ah, hello Twilight." Luna said.

Aversion was a bit on the spot. "...Greetings, Princess Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight smiled. "You can just call me 'Twilight.' It's alright."

"A-alright..." Aversion said, pressing his lips together.

"And I have to say..." Twilight said. "...I can't help but say how cute it was to see you both dancing together!"

"Oh, why thank you!" Aversion said.

Twilight turned to face Luna. "...Is it alright if I steal him for one dance?"

"Of course, go right ahead!" Luna said.

With that, the next song started up, and Aversion (nervously) offered his hoof to Twilight, who took it. He then took the lead and the two started revolving around each other. In this instance, it definitely seemed like Aversion had more prominent control, since he was slightly taller than Twilight.

Wow... dancing with TWO Princesses...? SCORE, Aversion! The stallion thought.

"So... it seems like you've caught Princess Luna's interest quite well!" Twilight commented.

"Yeah..." Aversion said. "...and I admit, I'm still surprised about it to this day!"

He spun Twilight around a single time, and then the two reversed their direction, resuming the dance.

"So, I just have to wonder, and please don't take this the wrong way... what exactly does Luna find appealing about you?" Twilight asked.

"Well..." Aversion spoke, knowing all too well the reason. "...she sees a lot of herself in me."

"Oh?" Twilight uttered. "How so?"

Aversion sighed. "...She has always felt... rejected... unappreciated... and worthless..."

Twilight's eyes went wide.

"...and I feel exactly the same way. I have always felt like such a useless pony... but she helped me gain a greater understanding of my true worth." Aversion said.

"Oh..." Twilight said. "...really? Well, I think it's really nice of her to care about somepony going through a rough time!"

"Yeah... she really cares about me. I daresay she's borderline overprotective of me!" Aversion said.

Twilight lifted her hoof from Aversion's own and placed it on his shoulder.

"...Then you should consider yourself a very fortunate stallion." she said. "If she has helped turn your life around... then I would go through thick and thin to stay with her always, if I were you."

Aversion nodded. "Yeah... especially, since... s-since..."

Twilight tilted her head. "Since what?"

Aversion let out a sigh. "...since I felt like... I-I've started to... l-love her..."

Twilight went motionless. "...Oh... is that the case?"

"Yes," Aversion said. "Lulu and I declared our love for each other a short time ago... and we've been in a formal relationship ever since... she's officially my first marefriend... just as I am her coltfriend."

"Wow..." Twilight said, before lifting her fallen gaze back up to Aversion with a smile. "...that's so sweet! It's nice to see that Luna has found a way to truly escape her sorrow. And you even gave her a pet name!"

"Yeah," Aversion said. "and she also calls me 'Avey,' which I really like."

The song was just about to finish up, so the two would go on their way shortly.

"Well, just know this, Aversion..." Twilight said. "...it doesn't make a difference to me or any of my friends who Luna wants to be with. You two will have nothing but our support!"

Aversion's lips curled up. "Thank you, Twilight... that's exactly what I needed to hear from somepony. Because I was always afraid... everypony would hate me if they ever found out about Luna choosing me..."

"Hey..." Twilight said, holding up his head with her hoof. "...don't be so down on yourself! Learn to view yourself in a more positive way by looking at all of your good traits, and building on them!"

Eventually, the song ended, and Aversion began to walk off... but not before turning back to Twilight one last time.

"Thanks for the advice, Twilight." Aversion said. "It's something that I really had not gotten in years."

"Of course!" Twilight said.

With that, Twilight went back to rejoin her friends, and Aversion went back to dance with Luna again. The mood of the Gala was winding down after a while, and eventually, ended completely with the cleaners starting to come in.

Luna brought Aversion with her back to her quarters, and through her portal to the Castle of the Two Sisters, where the two decided to spend some time with each other. They were more or less just lounging about, trying to recover from how exhausted they were after the Gala. They were snacking on yet another cake Luna swiped from Celestia's stash.

"Well... this was quite a night, wasn't it?" Aversion said.

"Indeed it was." Luna responded through a mouthful of cake.

Aversion sighed. "...Sure does help me feel better after being relentlessly berated by my boss, and the customers I serve."

"I know..." Luna said. "...and I don't get why everypony feels like they have to put you down, Avey."

"Yeah... it just makes me feel worthless, when nearly everyone says those things about me." Aversion said. "When I was a colt... I was always bullied by a lot of my peers... my stepfather abused me, emotionally and physically... and... there was only... one, who really cared for me..."

Luna sat more upright. "...Your mother, Evasion, correct?"

Aversion's eyes widened. "Yeah, but... how do you know about that?"

" 'Tia dug up the court case of her death, and also documentation of your custody." Luna said.

"Wow... I didn't think anypony would be the least bit concerned with pulling up that case. But, still..." Aversion hung his head down, closing his eyes. "...I still really miss my mother... she was... the nicest mare you could ever imagine..."

"Yes, and I'm really sorry about everything you've had to go through, Avey..." Luna said, standing from the armchair she was sitting in, walking over to sit with her coltfriend on the lounge sofa. "...it's just not fair. But as always... there will always be a reason to keep going."

Aversion smiled weakly as his gaze fell to the floor.

"Lulu..." he said. "...do you think there's an afterlife? Do you think we have souls that transcend from our bodies after we die?"

This was something Luna had not thought about for a long time... but she was well aware of the answer, given the difference between immortal alicorns, and mortal lesser ponies.

"...I am positive that there is. One day, when your time comes to move on... I know you shall see your mother again." Luna said.

Aversion pressed his lips together briefly, swallowing. "I sure hope so..."

"Avey... I just want you to know this..." Luna spoke. "...no matter what, you shall always have me to show you the light, in times of your inner darkness..."

She then pulled him against her barrel.

"…and you will have my love to wash away the hate cast upon you by others." she said.

Then the Princess brought her face down toward the earth pony's, slowly closing her eyes... and planted her lips against his. Aversion was rigid and wide-eyed, unable to move, no matter how hard he tried to make a single muscle respond. However... the kiss eventually worked its way to his mind, taking control of him.

His eyes rolled backward as he closed them, and brought his forelegs around the alicorn as he returned the kiss, ever so passionately. Their lips were locked for several minutes, frequently adjusting suction, before they separated, a tiny strand of saliva connecting their lips before it broke at about an inch, opening their eyes and merely exchanging gazes while regaining their breath.

Aversion's face was now redder than he was sure it had ever been in his life. Slowing her panting down, Luna's lips curled back upward.

"...You truly are a special pony, Avey..." Luna said, hugging him yet again. "...and I consider myself the fortunate one for seeing it in you."

After a few seconds of holding each other... Luna noticed that Aversion began to cry. He was quietly sobbing and sniffling. She loosened her hug slightly and looked down at the teary-eyed stallion.

"What ever is the matter, Avey?" she asked.

"...N-nothing..." Aversion said, a smile filling his face despite the tears. "...I-I've just... n-n-never felt so... happy... in s-so long..."

Luna understood after thinking about it; given all the mistreatment and borderline abuse he has endured... it only makes sense that experiencing genuine love and acceptance would be very emotional for somepony like him.

"It's okay, Avey..." Luna said, wiping a falling tear from his face. "...always know that it's okay to cry, whether you're happy or sad. Like I said, it's not a sign of weakness."

Aversion took a moment to pull himself together, and eventually managed to stop his crying. However, it did help him feel even better.

"...I really can never thank you enough for all of the emotional support you've given me, Lulu..." Aversion said. "...it really helps me a lot more and longer than the advice my one other friend gives me."

Luna tilted her head. "Oh, you have another friend? I didn't know that."

"Yeah..." Aversion said. "...he and I are like two peas in a pod... even though were are different species."

"Different species? What, is your friend a dragon? A griffin?" Luna asked.

Aversion shuffled his hooves nervously. "Well, actually... he's... a changeling."

Luna looked totally dumbstruck. She blinked a few times, but made no other movement.

"...A changeling?" she asked. "Avey... are you sure he is not planning to lure you into some kind of trap?"

"Absolutely! I've known him since my childhood! We've been just about the best of friends ever since!" Aversion said.

Luna swung her eyes about, back and forth at the floor, before she eventually returned her gaze to Aversion with a slight smile.

"...Perhaps you could introduce me to your friend?" Luna requested.

Aversion nodded. "I'm sure you'll like him, Lulu. He's a really good changeling."

Scolus was asleep in the hive with all the other changelings, yet he was off to one corner in his own "sleeping bag" composed of a polymeric substance that changelings could secrete, as opposed to being in a huddle like the other changelings. This, however, would make the process of summoning him easier for Luna.

When Luna's magic reached Scolus, his changeling-style bed began to rip open, and once it was wide enough, Scolus himself, still sleeping, levitated out of it as Luna began to summon him. He floated through the large sleep chamber of the hive, and out through an opening. The young changeling then began to fly directly towards Canterlot, and the entire way, he did not wake up.

The changeling drone levitated into the spire of the Castle of the Two Sisters that Luna and Aversion were in, through the balcony.

"Alright..." Aversion said, walking up to the sleeping Scolus and nudging his barrel. "...hey, Scol... wake up, dude!"

"...M-mrgh..." Scolus uttered, his eyelids flickering.

Once he was aware of his environment, his eyes shot open and he was wide awake.

"Wait... wh-what...?" he said, rubbing his eyes. "Aversion... what's going on...? W-where are we...?"

"Well... I believe I will let Lulu here explain everything." Aversion said, motioning toward Luna.

Scolus' gaze shifted to Luna, who smiled warmly at him as she lowered him to the ground, on his hooves. The changeling himself had his jaw hanging agape at the alicorn before him.

"P-Princess Luna...!" he said, immediately bowing. "...L-listen, I promise I'm not a bad changeling...! Please, don't execute me...!"

"Do not worry, Scolus. Avey has told me much about you, and because I trust him... I believe you." Luna said.

Scolus lifted his head to make eye-contact with the Princess.

"R-really...?" he said. "So... what am I doing here?"

"Avey wanted to introduce you to me, because, well..." Luna trailed off. "...you are his best friend, and he is my friend, also."

Aversion nodded. "Yeah... I figured it would be alright for you to get to know her too, Scolus. So she used her long-range magic to levitate you over to here, much like how she did with me during our first encounters."

"So... your idea of introducing me to the Princess involves borderline kidnapping me in my sleep?" Scolus asked, raising a brow with a subtle smirk.

Aversion darted his eyes around as he bit down on the inside of his lips.

"Well... we couldn't think of any other way of getting you over here." Aversion said.

"I mean, hey, if I woke up during the flight over here... I probably would've thought I was being abducted by aliens or something!" Scolus said.

The three of them laughed for a moment, and then Aversion spoke up.

"So... do you believe me now, Scol?" Aversion said.

Scolus glanced at Luna, who still had that pleasant, welcoming demeanor about her.

"...I'd say I can believe you, Av! It's just something I really couldn't take your word for at face value, but... you've got the proof right here, alright!"

"Heheh..." Luna chuckled. "...I must say, Scolus, you sure are lucky to have a friend as kind and caring as my coltfriend here."

"Coltfriend!?" Scolus asked, astonished.

Aversion shuffled his hooves. "...Long story involving our... inner demons."

"WOW!" Scolus said, patting his friend on the back. "Sweet score, Av! You managed to woo over the Princess of the Night!"

Luna walked up to Scolus. "I've only known you for two minutes, and I already feel like you'll be a good friend of mine, with how supportive you are!"

She then lowered her face down over the changeling's... and kissed him on the head.

Scolus chuckled a bit, his face flushed green. "...Heh heh... please stop, Princess; you're making me blush...!"

"Shhh..." Luna said, putting a hoof over Scolus' muzzle.

After a moment, she smiled at the changeling as she lowered his jaw, and levitated a slice of cake into his mouth, closing his jaw afterward. Scolus sat still for a moment, unsure what to make of this. And then he slowly began to chew and swallow it. Luna tilted her head while showing every one of her teeth in her smile at him.

"...So, your way of silencing me... is by putting cake in my face?" Scolus asked.

"Perhaps..." Luna said. "...or maybe I just secretly want to fatten you up!"

Scolus chuckled. "...That'd be something!"

It was just a few moments, but the two were clearly off to a good start, from what Aversion saw. He was hopeful that Scolus could start spending time with them.

"Ah... I'm so tired..." Scolus said. "...I'd like to return home... get my sleep..."

"You may spend the night here if you wish!" Luna said. "There is a neighboring bedroom with a top-of-the-line luxury mattress bed!"

"Really?" Scolus said. "Oh, I... I couldn't, really!"

"Nonsense! I wish to provide our guest with a comfortable place to rest for the night." Luna said.

She then escorted Scolus to the nextdoor bedroom, where the changeling immediately laid down on the bed to get a feel for it.

"Well..." he said, shifting about. "...this is quite nice! At least I won't have to wear out my polymer glands to create a new sleep-sac."

"Of course..." Luna said, turning back toward the door as Scolus climbed under the sheets. "...happy dreams, Scolus."

She blew a kiss at him before shutting the door. Then, she returned to her own bedroom, where Aversion was still waiting.

"Now... I believe it is time we got our own rest, Avey." Luna said, noticing the position of the moon in the sky as a time indication.

"Really?" Aversion said. "But I don't feel like going to bed just yet. Don't you wanna do something to pass the time while the night is young?"

"As much as I would like to spend as much time as I can with you, Avey..." Luna said, her horn beginning to glow. "...we must be rested up for the day ahead. Too little sleep can deprive a pony of good health..."

Aversion began to levitate, and a soft blue glow filled his eyes; Luna was beginning to place him under hypnosis.

"Woah..." Aversion said. "...Lulu... what are... you... doing... ooooohhhhh..."

Luna smiled slightly with her eyes closed as she lowered Aversion's brain activity with her magic, along with sedating his muscular system.

"I want to look out for you, and do what's best for you... and I know that sleep, a very precious thing, is what is best for you."

"...B-but... Lulu..." Aversion said, his consciousness fading. "...I-I don't... wanna go to... s... sleep..."

"Shhh..." Luna shushed, putting a hoof over his maw. "...rest your head... it's time for bed..."

Unable to protest any longer, the sleepy stallion was rendered unconscious by Luna's sleeping spell, and she levitated him into her bed. She climbed under the covers with him, wrapping her forelegs around him as he was drifting off.

Sure, it seemed like cheating to use magic for inducing sleep in an earth pony, but Luna did not see it this way. In all honesty... she couldn't help it. She loved putting Aversion to sleep. (She wondered if it could be considered a sort of fetish...?)

In any case, Luna lowered her head further down, putting her ear to Aversion's barrel, and listening to the slow thumping of his resting heart.

"...You've got a nice, strong heartbeat, Avey." Luna said to her sleeping coltfriend.

It was this sound that Luna herself ended up falling asleep to. It was like a lullaby to her. The beat firm but still calm and peaceful enough to indicate that Aversion was at rest. The two slept through the night, and both had very wonderful visions and spectacles as their minds freely wandered the universe...

18. Blueblood's Antics

Blueblood was furious. After being sent to his room on the night of the Gala by his aunts, he really felt like he had to voice his concerns. He complained about Aversion being a "worthless peasant being given special privileges," but his voice fell on uncaring ears. Celestia and Luna were furious about his temperament.

For the day after, Blueblood threw a massive tantrum. He kicked Celestia in the hunch, hoofed Luna in the barrel, vomited on purpose, threw his glass of grape juice across the white tablecloth, and even hurled his prized, scaled-down bust of himself through the stained-glass window of the dining hall… but Aversion was still not barred from the castle. If anything, everything he did only earned Blueblood more time confined in his room.

Pacing rapidly with rough hoof movements, the young prince tried to do what he could to mitigate his rage… but the thoughts of his younger aunt giving such a lowlife undeserved treatment kept stirring him up.

"What is it going to take…" Blueblood muttered. "...for everypony to open their eyes!?"

He lowered himself to the ground and laid on his back, staring up at the ceiling with folded forelegs. Needless to say, he was sick and tired of being around a commoner, as well as being punished for something he tried to justify with his supremacist viewpoint.

"If nopony is going to get rid of him…" Blueblood said. "...then I shall do it myself!"

With that, the prince started trying to see what he could do to find a good opportunity to get rid of Aversion…

With Scolus having gone back to the hive before any of the changelings would notice he was gone, Luna and Aversion themselves went back on their own way to fulfill their daily duties… and Aversion had to, yet again, work another dull shift at the cafe.

He was idly taking the customers' orders and filling up cups with different types of coffee throughout the day.

Dear Celestia, PLEASE just let this day go by faster… he kept thinking throughout the day.

It felt like time was moving unnaturally slow. Just like any other day... the only thing that mattered to him was getting to see his lover after the end of his shift. Somehow, though, the day eventually ended, and it was now almost time for him to clock out. As he was making his way to the time clock...

"Mr. Aversion..." Star Buck said, grabbing him by the hunch. "...I have received a couple of complaints from customers again. I really need to know what's going on with you!"

Aversion's hope was shrouded in that moment by one mare who he had immense distaste for and fear of.

"O-oh... Ms. Buck..." he stammered. "...listen, I promise that—"

"I don't want to hear lousy excuses!" Star Buck said. "Customers have complained about orders taking too long, orders mixed up, and even one mention of a hair in somepony's coffee! I do not appreciate when one of my subordinates disregards the value of my business!"

The young stallion swallowed.

"It's because we're understaffed! I'm forced to pick up the extra load of ordering, preparing, serving, and counting out Bits for the register! It's getting to be too much for me! If you could just have the other staff in on these types of days, I wouldn't be having this problem!" Aversion said.

Star Buck's eyes went narrow. "Y'know what? I've had enough of you backtalking and belittling me! So, given that you are apparently unconcerned about serving the loyal customers... we'll need to have a little word in my office, now!"

Aversion knew that it would be a horrendous idea to disobey, so he followed his boss to the back of the cafe, trying to avoid tripping over his own hooves. The two spent no more than five minutes behind the closed door... and when Aversion finally emerged, his eyes were slightly teary, and he was not wearing his apron or hat, having left it in Star Buck's office.

With that, he clocked out and hastily left the building, rushing back home, and fighting to avoid crying in public. By the time he got back to his house... the tears were let off in full. Though there was nopony around, he bawled into his pillow. What happened back in Star Buck's office a few moments ago was quite devastating for him to hear.

Right about now, he really needed Luna...

Luna was setting up a table out on a balcony for her and Aversion to have their dinner. The servers would bring out their actual meal for them, but Luna had already prepared some tea for them both, keeping the pot warm by placing it on a holder with a candle burning underneath.

The Princess of the Night then went back inside to await Aversion's arrival through her closet portal, however, shortly after she left... Blueblood just so happened to have arrived at their dining spot, examining the area.

"Hmmm... no ceiling above this balcony..." he said, looking around. "...and nothing to grab hold of should one go directly upward! That shall be perfect for my plan!"

Blueblood then walked up to the table and pulled a small potion flask out from under his mane, and poured it into Aversion's pre-poured teacup above its own candle (he identified it since Luna had her own, special cup she liked to drink from).

"Heh heh heh..." the royal unicorn chuckled to himself. "...bottoms up, worm!"

Immediately after he poured it all in, that was when he heard the hoofsteps of the servers bringing out their meal. He immediately darted away toward the door to an adjacent room, closing it just as the servers stepped out to lay out the food.

Aversion entered Luna's closet through the portal.

"Hi, Avey!" Luna said.

Aversion smiled feebly. "Hey, Lulu."

"So, dinner's been prepared!" Luna said. "And I've setup a special spot for us to dine on this lovely night!"

"Excellent." Aversion responded.

With that, Luna took Aversion down the stairs of the spire to a lower area of the castle, and through a large hall to a door that led out to the balcony, where there was a single table with the food already served. There was a hay casserole, steamed broccoli, fried potatoes, a gourmet vegetable soup, and also some tea, with the pot sitting over a burning candle. They each took a seat in the chairs, and began eating.

"I had the chefs prepare the special hay casserole you like! How is it?" Luna asked.

Aversion looked up slowly as he absently forked the food into his mouth, his mood not very sunny. "...Oh, it's really good."

Luna frowned. "Avey... is something wrong? Why are you so somber tonight?"

The earth pony sighed, setting down his fork.

"...My boss put me on a suspension without pay." Aversion said. "I won't be able to afford my living expenses! It's going to be devastating to my finances..."

Luna's eyes went wide. "That's horrible! And she did it for things beyond your control?"

Aversion nodded. "Yeah. Needless to say, given what you saw when you visited my house... I don't get the best income. I've had to skip meals and get clean water from public drinking fountains just to be able to hold down a marginal budget."

"Oh, dear..." Luna said, her tone soft.

"And... to be honest..." Aversion said, taking a deep breath. "...I've even had to resort to occasional thievery just to be able to survive."

Luna's eyebrows pointed upward as she continued to listen to Aversion, who hung his head down.

"...My minimum-wage income has become so strained at times, and going hungry just wasn't an option for me... so I had to burglarize some food shops just to avoid starving. I'm not proud of myself for doing this... but I've had no other recourse. I've tried applying for poverty benefits from the state... but every single time, I've been denied." he said.

Luna's eyes hung toward the floor for a moment, before she looked back at her lover, placing a hoof on his shoulder.

"...I'm really sorry to hear that, Avey." she said. "It's really upsetting when your life doesn't provide you with the necessary means of survival."

Aversion took some sips of tea, hoping that the herbal blend would help calm him... but stopped for a moment as he looked into his cup.

"Hmmm..." he hummed.

Luna looked up. "Something wrong, Avey?"

"Well, tea tastes a little... off." Aversion said.

"Perhaps it's just a little aged?" Luna said.

"Meh, it's okay. It's not bad, just different." Aversion responded.

He set his cup down after finishing it... but only a few seconds after he did, his stomach rumbled a bit, causing the stallion to rub his belly in an attempt to ease it.

"Was that your stomach, Avey?" Luna asked. "It sounded pretty loud just now..."

"Oh, I'm sure it's nothing..." Aversion said.

"But anyway, I'll tell you what, Avey..." Luna said. "...you can come to Canterlot Castle to have your meals with us, and I'll do what I can to assist you through my own financial means... so long as nopony finds out. And also... I just so happen to have been looking at some job openings in Ponyville, and I believe I could get some secret connections for you to get a more well-paying, enjoyable job!"

Aversion finally managed to smile. "Thanks, Lulu. You truly are a great marefriend to have!"

"Of course!" Luna said. "If there is anything you need from me, Avey, anything at all... all you need to do is ask!"

Just as he was about to speak, Aversion was interrupted by another loud, violent gurgling sound from his belly. Aversion lowered his head to look at the anterior portion of his gut, gently rubbing it with a hoof, his eyes narrow in confusion. Luna narrowed her own eyes and tilted her head after hearing the unsettling noise.

"Avey... are you feeling okay?" she asked.

"I don't know..." Aversion said. "...I'm not sure why my stomach's going crazy like this... and it feels like... like I'm getting really full..."

At that moment, a batpony guard exited the door to the balcony.

"Your Highness!" he spoke. "I have a report from His Highness, Prince Blueblood: the cleaning mares of your quarters are having an aggressive dispute as we speak!"

Luna sighed, hanging her head. "Oh, again? Goodness, what is it about Thursday that makes those two so bitter...?"

With that, she stood from the table and began making her way toward the door, glancing back at her coltfriend.

"Just sit tight for a moment, Avey. I'll be right back..." Luna said.

"Okay." Aversion responded.

Luna went into the castle, the guard escorting her the way up, leaving Aversion alone on the balcony. The rumbling sound from his stomach was slowly transitioning into a lower, deep bubbling sound. He did not know what was going on, except that he felt really... bloated.

"O-oh..." Aversion said, rubbing his head.

He suddenly felt kind of lightheaded along with the feeling in his gut. However, this strange feeling was not without visible effects...

...He noticed that his abdominal region was beginning to distend, very slowly but noticeably. His eyes went wide as he noticed this, and a gasp escaped his maw.

"Aah...! Wh-what's happening to me...!?" Aversion asked, gently pressing on his expanding belly. "...I-I feel funny...!"

It continued until Aversion looked quite overweight, with his limbs beginning to thicken as well. There was also a bit of expansion going to his neck and cheeks as well, causing them to puff up slightly.

"...A-am I... putting on weight or something...?" Aversion asked no one in particular.

He gently pressed on his belly again... but it did not feel soft. It actually felt firm, as if there was pressure building up inside of him. By this point, Aversion had the appearance of a morbidly-obese stallion, and was still getting bigger. The chair was squeezing his bottom, and he tried to look over the side of his enlarged body to see.

"Huh...?" Aversion uttered over the continued bubbling noise from inside his stomach. "...M-my butt's getting bigger, too?"

Eventually, the chair broke under the stress of Aversion's expanding bum, but rather than landing hard on the ground... he drifted a bit slowly. This was when he realized what was really going on. He wasn't gaining weight; he was filling up with air. His body was inflating like an enormous balloon!

Aversion's skin was becoming reflective and shiny as a result of being stretched beyond its normal range of elasticity. His cheeks were really starting to puff up as well, making it difficult for him to move his jaw. His limbs were also losing mobility as they continued to thicken and were being sucked into his ever-expanding barrel and torso, to the point where he could no longer bend them at their upper joints. The stallion gritted his teeth as a fearful expression filled his eyes.

"Please...! Make it stop...!" Aversion said, straining under the pressure he was literally under. "...I... don't wanna... POP...!"

Slowly, Aversion felt his bottom lift off the masonry floor as he began to ascend into the air. He slowly tilted forward, and he let out a nervous moan.

"Lulu!" he called, his speech slightly impaired due to his puffed cheeks. "LULU, WHERE ARE YOU!? HELP ME!"

He managed to grab hold of a rope holding up a cloth banner on the side of the tower, squeezing it between his hooves to hold him down. Sweating bullet, the stallion was gasping for breath, as the pressure inside him inhibited his breathing a bit. Also, he tried doing it to calm his nerves.

Eventually, the bubbling sound in his belly stopped, as did his inflation. This left the stallion holding on so as not to float off, all the while wondering: What caused this?

At that moment, Blueblood happened to emerge from the door below him, and upon looking up at the inflated Aversion, a wicked grin filled his face.

"Well, well... it seems that the potion brewers got it right! The Inflating Potion did work on you!" he said.

"Wait... what?" Aversion asked.

"See..." Blueblood said. "...I slipped one-hundred cubic-centimeters of the potion into your tea, causing you to fill with a lightweight gas so as to float off into the sky!"

"Why...?" Aversion asked. "...Why did you do this to me...?"

Blueblood glared. "Because, you are nothing but a worthless earth pony! You shall never amount to anything especially useful in your short, pathetic life! As I am of royalty, I am of greater status than you could ever hope to achieve!"

With that, the prince then walked over to the rope... and took a knife from the table that Luna and Aversion were eating at. Aversion's eyes went wide with fear once again as he realized what Blueblood intended to do.

"Please... d-don't do this...!" Aversion begged. "...I'm... s-scared of heights...!"

"Silence!" Blueblood shouted, using his magic to conjure duct tape over Aversion's mouth. "You shall now learn what happens when you so much as breathe the same air that is property of the Royal Family of Canterlot!"

He held the knife at the rope holding Aversion down, and smiled evilly at the inflated stallion.

"Farewell... peasant!" the Unicorn said, immediately before cutting the rope.

With nothing to hold him down, Aversion began to slowly float upward into the sky. He flailed his legs around helplessly, tears appearing in his eyes. His cries for help were muffled out by the tape, and he could not open his mouth wide enough to pull it off.

"Have fun in orbit with the satellites! Hahahahahahaha...!" Blueblood laughed as he ran back inside the castle.

Luna returned to the hall just inside from the balcony.

"Sorry, Avey..." she spoke through to the balcony door. "...those mares were not fighting at all! I really don't see what... wait..."

She noticed that Aversion was missing.

"Avey?" Luna called. "Where'd you go?"

Looking around, she saw something round in the sky, drifting subtly with the wind.

"Hmmm...?" Luna uttered. "Perhaps a child let go of their balloon?"

Using a Perception Charm, she focused very intensely on the object in the distance, and once she zoomed in enough to see that it had limbs and a head, she realized...

"...Oh my Sister!" she shrieked. "IT'S A PONY!"

With that, Luna quickly took to the sky, jetting after the inflated pony. Within ten seconds, she caught up to them, and once she was close enough...

"AVEY!" she said, seeing his color palette and cutie mark (which was fairly enlarged on his expanded plot).

"Hmmm...?" Aversion hummed through the tape on his mouth, looking in the direction of the dark-blue alicorn flying toward him. His eyes widened. "M-mmm...!"

"Don't worry, sweetie! I'll get you back down!" Luna said, encasing Aversion in a levitation spell, and bringing him with her back to the castle.

With that, Luna touched down, and then returned her attention to Aversion. When she saw that there was tape over his mouth... that was when she knew something was seriously up. She took the tape off his mouth so he would be able to speak again.

"Who did this to you...!?" Luna asked.

Aversion tensed his cheeks to try and reducing their puffiness so as to speak clearly.

"...W-well..." he spoke, still partly muffled. "...it was Prince Blueblood... he said he slipped some kind of... 'Inflating Potion' into my tea...!"

"Blueblood!?" Luna asked, her expression becoming one of fury. "That young stallion... he doesn't know when to quit, does he!?"

Luna then brought Aversion inside, stopping for a moment to examine him, gently pressing on his inflated abdomen.

"So... are you experiencing any discomfort, Avey? Does it hurt?" Luna asked.

Aversion shook his head. "No, it doesn't hurt. It just feels... really weird."

"Well, I need to have a little word with Blueblood about doing these kinds of things to others..." Luna said, releasing Aversion from the levitation spell and walking off to the hall exit.

He slowly began to float upward again.

"Wait, Lulu!" Aversion said. "Could you please... deflate me first?"

Luna bit down on the inside of her lips for a moment, thinking.

"...Sorry, Avey. But I can't let Blueblood try to get away from his punishment!" she said. "But I promise that the instant he is confined, I will be back up here to fix you!"

Aversion bumped into the ceiling as Luna walked off again, and rolled slightly. He was now basically stuck.

Luna, in the meantime, went to hunt for Blueblood. She could feel his particular magic, passively emanating from his horn, and soon enough, caught him trying to sneak around to avoid being caught by anypony.

"Blueblood!" Luna called.

Upon hearing this, Blueblood gasped and tried to get away... but Luna was quick to react and levitated him toward her. She then singed him with her red-hot angry glare.

"You best explain yourself with what you just did with that potion, Blueblood!" Luna said, fiercely. "Why do you continue to bully my poor friend!?"

"Oh, come now, Auntie Luna!" Blueblood said. "It was merely a joke! It's funny! He's now as inflated as his own ego!"

Luna was absolutely not amused.

"I find NOTHING funny about what you have done! Avey does NOT have a big ego! If anything, he feels belittled and victimized, especially with what he has had to deal with over the course of his entire life! He has been bullied by peers and abused by his family throughout his childhood! Hasn't he suffered enough!?"

"No!" Blueblood said. "Not by a longshot! A commoner like him is made to suffer! Really, who is it harming?"

"You don't know a bucking thing about him!" Luna rebutted. "Avey is not some egotistical commoner who sees himself above all else! He's a lost, hurt soul seeking love and acceptance."

"Well, I assumed he would've taken a hint from the events at the amusement park!" Blueblood said.

Luna's pupils went small. "Wait... how do you know about that?"

Blueblood gasped, clasping his hooves to his mouth as he realized his mistake. Now... Luna was not just furious, but purely and utterly enraged.

"...You did all those things to Avey at the park when we were trying to have fun, didn't you!?" she said fiercely.

Blueblood could not speak; Luna frightened him when she was angry.

"L-listen, Auntie..." he stammered. "...I-I'm sorry, okay? I apologized! Is th-that what you wanted to h-h-hear...?"

"You really think saying 'sorry' will just magically fix everything!?" Luna thundered. "No, you will be brought before the Canterlot Royal Court, where you will be given a proper punishment for everything you have done to my poor Avey!"

"W-wait, Auntie Luna...!" Blueblood said desperately.

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Luna shouted, conjuring a magical muzzle over Blueblood.

With that, she took him straight to his room, and ensured that he would not be coming out until arrangements were made for a hearing.

Aversion had been absently floating in the hall on his own. He could not get himself down, but his body was starting to adapt to its expanded shape, so he was becoming more accustomed to it.

With nothing else to do, Aversion simply ended up falling asleep while still floating up on the ceiling.

19. I Can Count on You

Aversion awoke to find that he was laying in Luna's bed. Sitting up, he noticed that his body appeared to be back to normal. He felt quite achy, though, since his bone ligaments had been stretched fairly far.

"Oh, Avey! You're up!" Luna said, sitting off to one side of the bed.

"Ah... hi, Lulu." Aversion responded.

The earth pony sat up, standing to stretch his legs.

"So... did you fix me while I was asleep or something?" Aversion asked.

Luna shook her head. "No. By the time I made it back to the hall after scolding Blueblood, informing Celestia of his misconduct, and confining him to his quarters, I saw that your body had already aired itself out. You were asleep on the floor, and I was going to wake you up, but..."

She looked to the floor with a faint smile and dreamy look in her eyes.

"...you just look so cute when you sleep, and I didn't want to disturb you. So, I levitated you into my bed, and left you alone to wake when you were ready."

As Aversion was stretching... he happened to feel something very subtle about the way he could bend his joints. Luna did not notice right away, as she appeared quite deep in thought.

"Blueblood has really proven to be quite the nuisance, for both of us." Luna said. "I believe he just doesn't see potential consequences for his actions."

"Well, yeah, it wasn't really nice of him to trick me into drinking that strange potion... but, it did have its perks!" Aversion said.

"Oh?" Luna asked, tilting her head. "Like what?"

Aversion swung his hind legs back, jolted his abdominal region upward, and latched onto his backward-facing hind legs with his forelegs.

"Look how flexible it made me!" he said.

Luna was astonished by the pose. It looked like something only a highly-experienced gymnast could do. But Aversion didn't stop here; he stood back up, and did a full-on forward-backward split of his hind legs with ease.

"I couldn't even do this before, and now it doesn't even hurt!" Aversion said, ecstatically.

It seemed that, when he was inflated, all of Aversion's soft tissues had been stretched out... well, save for his brain, and other organs in his skull. Now, he possessed far greater flexibility... almost to superpony levels.

"Hahah... I'm double-jointed now!" Aversion said in awe at his new anatomical capabilities.

"Regardless, Blueblood will be punished for his repeated harassment of you. Nopony, not even monarchs, are above the law." Luna said.

"Yeah, I'd say he deserves it." Aversion said. "He really needs to keep his nose out of other ponies' business."

"I honestly don't understand why he has to be so mean to you, Avey..." Luna said.

With that, the alicorn made her way to the door.

"Well, I'm going to go check on how the preliminary drawups of the hearing are proceeding with the Royal Court." Luna said. "Sorry to leave you again, Avey."

"It's okay!" Aversion said. "Just take your time. Do what you need to do."

Luna smiled at him just before she left the room.

A little while later, after Luna managed to get Blueblood's hearing on a set date, she made her way back up to her quarters, where she entered and saw Aversion out on the balcony, leaning against the rail.

"Hmmm?" Luna hummed.

Quietly, she made her way over to the door outside, opening it slightly. She heard her coltfriend let out a sigh.

"...Why does there have to be somepony actively trying to separate me from a mare who has finally made me happy?" Aversion said.

He hung his head down, just before he drew a breath, and began to sing...

Aversion looked up at the night sky, his eyes gleaming by the starlight and moonlight. The backing vocals were manifesting seemingly from nowhere, as was the music itself, but given that ponies tended to break into musical numbers in Equestria... neither Luna nor Aversion were unsettled by it. It was pretty much normal.

Luna's jaw dropped at how remarkable his voice sounded. It was very clear, low, and very harmonious. He may have been the best singer she ever listened to.

Aversion's mane and tail blew in the light breeze that passed the spire of the castle, making the stallion look very majestic in the dim, blue light of the moon, and even more so with his beautiful singing. Tears filled Luna's eyes while she had a very warm smile on her face, listening to Aversion singing his heart out.

Aversion fixed his gaze on the moon, all the while reminded how isolated Luna must have been during her thousand-year exile... something he experienced on a social level throughout his life.

A shooting star streaked across the sky, and Aversion had his eyes fixed on it the entire time it was visible. Luna herself felt like she was in a dream, listening to the soothing voice of Aversion as he continued to sing.

Aversion took a final breath, and turned to head back inside... when he caught sight of Luna sitting at the door.

"Oh!" he uttered. "H-how long were you sitting there?"

Luna opened the door. "...For the entirety of the song."

Aversion shuffled his hooves nervously. "Yeah, I was just... y'know... practicing..."

Luna pulled the young stallion into a deep hug, closing her eyes and rubbing the back of his head with her hoof.

"...You have the voice of an angel, Avey." Luna said.

"Really?" Aversion asked. "C'mon, I'm not that good..."

"That's not true, Avey!" Luna said. "In the thousand-plus years I have lived in Equestria... I daresay you may be the best singer I have ever had the blessing of listening to!"

Aversion yawned. "Well, with everything that has happened today... I just needed to let it all out, and now, to let myself recupe..."

"Indeed," Luna said, "let us get our much-needed sleep, shall we?"

They both climbed into Luna's bed, the Princess holding her friend close as they were both slowly drifting off.

"You've had a rough day, my sweet little prince..." Luna said quietly. "...and you deserve a good night's rest."

Aversion could not help but smile as Luna held him. Before too long, they were both sound asleep.

A few days later, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Aversion, the Mane Six, many high-ranking ponies of the Canterlot Council, and several upper-class civilian ponies were all present for Blueblood's hearing.

A magic-suppression band had been placed around the base of the Blueblood's horn; they were a special type of metal band that, when placed on a Unicorn's horn, effectively stops them from using magic. The wearer cannot remove the band by any means of their own; only the magic of another Unicorn could do so... but only if they know the particular incantation that the band was set with.

These bands were, however, desperately difficult to create, requiring months of precise focus and attention by the crafter, and even the smallest mistake could render it useless. Because of this, less than one-hundred exist, all in possession of the Royal Council of Canterlot... and they were only reserved for use on either highly-dangerous Unicorn criminals, or in Blueblood's case, those who would go all out to resist arrest.

Blueblood had been escorted by the Royal Guard into the Court Chamber, where he sat in the defendant's seat, on the defense's side of the room, opposite to where Aversion and Luna were sitting, on the prosecution's side. Aversion sat in the plaintiff's chair, while Luna volunteered to represent Aversion.

"You will remain seated unless asked to stand." the Guard informed Blueblood.

Luna glared at her nephew. "Proper behavior on your part will prevent this hearing from turning into an actual trial."

Blueblood begrudgingly narrowed his eyes, glancing around everypony in the room. They were all not too happy to see their Prince that day, after hearing the rumors get out that he harassed Aversion repeatedly, harboring a petty grudge against him. Even Twilight Sparkle and the Mane Six were giving him the hairy eyeball.

"All rise for Her Highness, Princess Celestia." a Royal Justice spoke.

Everypony in the Court Chamber stood as Celestia entered, taking the middle chair of the Justices' stands, around the other Justices.

"Be seated." Celestia spoke, and everypony complied.

"The hearing is in session: The Ponies vs. Prince Blueblood." another Justice said.

"Now," Celestia spoke. "you, Prince Blueblood, stand accused of conspiracy to torment a civilian of Equestria whom Princess Luna has taken a special liking to, and that you have attempted to—"

SLLLLLUUUUURRRRRP!

Blueblood was sipping out of his glass of water quite loudly, near his microphone. However, he wasn't drawing a lot of water at a time... it seemed like he was just trying to make noise. In fact, he just wanted to stall the hearing, since he felt like he did not deserve it.

"Need water..." Luna said to him. "...okay."

After a little bit, Blueblood set the glass down.

Celestia continued: "So, as I was saying, Blueblood, you need to answer for your—"

SLLLLLUUUUURRRRRP!

Blueblood had picked up the glass again, and started making the same slurping sound again, remaining still but darting his eyes around. Everyone in the Court Chamber was losing their patience.

"...'Kay, how about ya just chug the water?" Rainbow Dash said.

Blueblood did not listen and kept making the annoying sound. Twilight scowled.

"Seriously, you'd better cut it off!" she said.

Now, it sounded like Blueblood was doing something different than slurping, since he had drawn a full breath...

"Are you blowing bubbles?" Pinkie asked.

"BLUEBLOOD!" Celestia thundered. "If you do not cease and desist this impudence, I will spank you in front of the entire Royal Court!"

Reluctantly and begrudgingly, Blueblood lowered the glass of water back to the table.

"Okay..." Aversion said. "...so, you good?"

Letting out an annoyed exhale through his nose... Blueblood nodded once.

"I swear, this child has been nothing but a hindrance to the Royal Protocol of Equestria, always trying to do whatever he can to get his way!" an older Justice spoke.

Celestia continued. "Now, Blueblood... do you deny any of the charges with which you have been placed under?"

Blueblood rasped. "If anything, I am glad to be the one punishing the lowlife! It's not his place to be in the regal city of Canterlot!"

"Harassing and bullying somepony, regardless of their rank or status, is absolutely unacceptable!" Luna said.

"So, you plead guilty?" Celestia said.

Blueblood scowled. "I plead that the peasant Aversion be guilty of destroying our traditions!"

"Mind your tone, defendant!" a Justice said. "Or you will be held in contempt of Royal Court!"

"Let the record show that the defendant is defiantly continuing to display his distaste for Aversion of Ponyville!" Luna announced.

"The sentence to be handed down..." Celestia said, narrowing her eyes at Blueblood. "...temporary suspension of royal status, and forced community service, exclusively for the plaintiff!"

Blueblood's eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. "WHAT!? Community service!? For a PEASANT!?"

"I would advise you to stop addressing the plaintiff as a 'peasant,' defendant..." one of the Justices warned.

"Auntie..." Blueblood begged. "...you can't DO THIS TO ME!"

"...Watch me." Celestia said sternly. "You will serve Mr. Aversion for the course of one month, doing anything he requests of you. And you will not use magic; that magic-suppression band on your horn is going to be staying there for a while. You will use good old-fashioned hunch-grease to do your tasks!"

"...But I'm not a lowly earth pony!" Blueblood argued.

Celestia narrowed her eyes in fury. "...You keep this up, and your horn will be removed completely, along with the follicle! Then you will be an earth pony!"

Blueblood, for once, went silent, lowering his gaze to the floor, and slouching forward.

"Those in favor of this motion..." a Royal Court official spoke.

A majority of the ponies, including the Mane Six, Starlight Glimmer, Spike, Luna, Celestia, and Aversion raised their hooves (or hand, in Spike's case).

"Those in opposition..." the official said.

Very few ponies in the chamber raised their hooves.

"Very well, the motion carries." Celestia said, hitting her hoof like a gavel against the sound block. "This hearing is now adjourned!"

After the hearing, Aversion decided to go for a walk through Canterlot, trying to process everything that had transpired.

"Well... this has been quite the ride." he said to himself.

As he walked along a path on the outskirts of the city, he looked over the great, big kingdom from the vantage point of Canterlot. It truly was a massive world he lived in... and this only made him wonder what everypony else would think if they knew he was in a romantic relationship with one of the two Princesses of Equestria, if Prince Blueblood did not see him as worthy of it.

Aversion wondered if Blueblood was a unique case, given his upbringing, or if everypony would hate him for it, and see it as nothing more than favoritism.

"I just wish I knew what to do about all of this..." he said.

Walking a little further, Aversion caught sight of a blue unicorn stallion with a gray mane and tail, as well as a paintbrush cutie mark, looking out over the massive landscape of Equestria's open space surrounding Canterlot Mountain. He glanced over at Aversion as he was passing by.

"Hey," the unicorn said. "you alright?"

Aversion stopped. "What?"

"You just look a little... lost." the unicorn said.

I guess you could say that." Aversion said.

"So, what's your story?" the unicorn asked, turning around to face the earth pony.

Aversion narrowed his eyes. "Why should I tell you? I don't even know who you are."

"Hey, I get it." the unicorn said. "I used to believe that keeping everything bottled up would allow it to dissipate over time... but I eventually learned that talking to others and asking for help will yield much better results for overcoming your problems."

Aversion sighed. "Well... I've been caught up in a bit of a... situation."

He was not going to tell the unicorn exactly what it was, since he was worried about how he would react, but regardless, he felt like he needed guidance from another.

"There is somepony who I want to be with... and she makes me really happy, just as I make her happy as well. But... it also makes me feel... scared. I'm worried that everypony will ridicule me think I am some sort of leper. She is of great status, and I am not... I just don't want to be hated, and I also want to stay with her..."

"You know..." the unicorn spoke. "...I actually have been in the same boat as you. When it comes to your needs, you need to do what makes you, happy. When you do things for others that make them happy, but not you, how does that feel?"

Aversion lowered his head slightly. "...Pretty unfair."

"Exactly!" the unicorn said. "So you have to remember that you have to worry about you. You are the most important pony in your life. If you are happy, and it does not harm anypony, I think those around you will support you, especially if you want to be with a mare who cares about you!"

"I never thought of it like that before." Aversion said.

"Yeah. Don't be a doormat; live your life the way you want to." the unicorn said.

"Thanks." Aversion said. "You know, if you've been in my place before... I think we could get along just fine! You ever want to... meet up again, sometime?"

"I'd love to!" the unicorn said. "I tell you, locking yourself up in a big, empty house, doing nothing but work on art projects all day... it really leaves you feeling isolated. Nice to have a little interaction from time to time, right?"

"Yeah, totally." Aversion said. "My name is Aversion, by the way. I'm visiting from Ponyville."

"Ponyville, huh?" the unicorn said. "How neat! Maybe you've met my wife? She lives down there so she can spend time with her friends."

"Maybe I have... who is she?" Aversion asked.

"Her name is Lyra Heartstrings. She's a mint-green unicorn with a lyre cutie mark." the unicorn said.

"Lyra Heartstring..." Aversion said, pondering. "...yeah, I've met her a few times at the cafe I work at. She's definitely one of the nicer customers I've served, and has never been negative toward me."

"Yeah, she's one of the nicest mares you could ever meet!" the unicorn said.

"Also... who are you, by the way?" Aversion asked.

"You can just call me 'Abstraction'." the unicorn said.

"Abstraction... I feel like I've heard that name before." Aversion said, just before his eyes widened. "Wait, there's no way... you're the Abstraction? The famous freelance artist on the Ponynet?"

"That I am!" Abstraction said.

"Oh, wow! It's great to actually meet you!" Aversion said.

"Yep," Abstraction said. "and maybe we'll meet up again another time."

"Yeah! Speaking of which, I should probably get going." Aversion said. "Anyway, thanks for the advice!"

"Anytime!" Abstraction said as the earth pony was walking away.

With that, Aversion began to make his way back to Canterlot Castle. Knowing that all that truly matter to him in the end was pursuing his own happiness really revamped his confidence.

Blueblood paced around in the prison cell. He was truly pissed off. Stripped of his nobility... being forced to do manual labor... and for a commoner of no noble status... and without the ability to use magic...

"This is some supreme horseshit!" the former Prince uttered. "Equestria has become SO corrupt...!"

"Hey! Be silent!" a prison guard said, pounding on the bars.

Blueblood gave up. Usually, he always looked for ways to get out of his situation... but this time, there was no way out. If he tried anything, his situation would get even worse. He laid on the shabby bed, staring up at the ceiling, his anger boiling inside of him.

How will I be able to get out of here? He wondered.

Author's Note

Sorry about the awkward way Aversion's singing scene is written: the rules of FIMFiction prohibit me from displaying the copyrighted lyrics.

20. A Prince's Penalty

Aversion was out for a nice, morning walk through the woods near Ponyville, since he was on suspension from work. However, Luna was helping him with his monetary situation, so his worries were alleviated. Sure enough, like fate always played out... he met up with Scolus on his walk as the changeling was out on one of his "espionage patrols." So, the two started walking together.

"So, I heard that Prince Blueblood was giving you a hard time." Scolus said.

Aversion's ears perked up. "What did you hear?"

"Well, I heard that he tried to drop you off a cliff after knocking you out with a sleeping spell, and that he tried to get you barred from Canterlot Castle, and how he messed with you at an amusement park, and... oh yeah, I heard he slipped you a potion that blew you up like a balloon so you'd float away!"

"Yeah... he's been picking on me to no end." Aversion said.

"Well then," Scolus said. "I guess it was good that his hearing went the way it did, especially now that he gets to be your servant! Ha!"

With a green flash, Scolus took the form of Blueblood. He crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out.

"Durr... I'm Pwinse BwooBwud... durr... I caywh suh mutch ab'ut muh Nuhbiwitty, dat I'm gonna be petty and make muhself look like a pish of twash...!"

He then started ponging his head with his hooves while flipping his derped eyes to and fro. This made both of them laugh again, and Scolus took his default form once more.

"Yep." Aversion said. "Plus, it doesn't even make sense to address him as 'Prince' Blueblood anymore, either! Celestia stripped him of his nobility!"

"Welp, he done bucked up!" Scolus said.

The two friends laughed as they continued to walk along the trail. As they walked, however, they happened to hear something from behind. "Well, good day, earthbound explorer and shapeshifter sidekick!"

"Huh?" Aversion and Scolus uttered simultaneously as they both glanced back.

They saw, approaching them, a fairly long, slim being with the head of an equine, body of mainly a dragon, but a mess of other, random body parts, arranged chimera-style.

"Well, you, Mr. Aversion, have been quite the talk of both Canterlot and Ponyville for the past week now!" the creature said.

"Wait..." Aversion said, realizing he was speaking to a draconequus. "...y-you're Discord, the Master of Chaos!"

"The very same!" Discord said with a bow, one hand to his chest with the other arm outstretched.

"Discord..." Scolus said, a big grin appearing on his face. "...no way! It's really you!"

"So, I hear that Mr. Sassy-Princey-Pants gave you a rough time!" Discord said to Aversion.

Aversion shuffled his hooves a bit. "W-well yes, but... why would you be concerned about me?"

"Well, see," Discord began. "my dear friend Fluttershy felt for you, and requested that I assist in making sure that Little-Blue-Brat stays in line, to which I agreed! Just because I am an embodiment of chaos does not mean I condone the behavior of a spoiled, self-righteous dog like him!"

Aversion was fairly flabbergasted at this point.

"O-oh... well..." he uttered. "...thank you, really... but, I think Celestia's guards are more than enough for--"

"Oh, nonsense!" Discord said. "I so love to serve others what they have coming! Just let me in on the fun!"

"Well... okay then." Aversion said.

"Excellent!" Discord said. "You won't regret this, Mr. A!"

With that, the Master of Chaos zip-zoomed back to Ponyville. All that was left was a very dumbstruck changeling and earth pony.

"Well... that was random." Scolus said.

"Meh, it's in his nature. I guess it's to be expected... or unexpected..." Aversion said.

"Ha, paradox!" Scolus remarked.

Former-Prince Blueblood had been sent to Ponyville to carry out tasks that Aversion ordered of him. The magic-suppression band was still firmly-affixed to his horn, rendering him equivalent to an earth pony... minus the passive magic earth ponies had in connection with nature. Once he had been escorted by the Royal Guard to Aversion's house, that was when the stallion in question stepped outside and approached him in a very smug fashion.

"Learn to pick up your hooves better! You're SO. BUCKING. SLOW!" Aversion said to Blueblood.

Blueblood gritted his teeth. "How DARE you speak to me that way, you insolent little--"

"Nay-nay!" Aversion said. "Want me to tell your younger aunt how you're behaving?"

This made the unicorn bite the inside of his lips. With that, Aversion pulled out a piece of paper from under his mane, handing it to his personal servant.

"Now, here is a list of tasks that I have to do to keep my residence in a livable state." Aversion said. "You, Mister, are going to have to do each and everything on there!"

Blueblood read over the paper, as his eyes went narrow, unamused.

Fix the patio so it is up to code.
Dust and polish all my furniture and decorations.
Mop the hardwood floor.
Clean the dishes and cookware.
Bleach and buff bathtub.
Clean the toilet.
Chop up the dry logs to make firewood for the upcoming winter.
Spray and wipe down all windows in the house, inside and out.
Vacuum the carpets.
Sweep off the stoop and patio.
Repair leaks in the roof so it is back up to code.
Re-stain the exterior boards of the house (Ebony Lake No. 6, varnish will be paid for at your expense)
Rake the dry leaves off the front and back lawn.
Trim the lawn down to five centimeters.
Water the plants in the garden and care for them based on the instructions provided in the handbook (provided by your master)

Blueblood lowered the paper, hanging his head. "You expect me... to do all this!?"

"Damn straight, I do!" Aversion said. "If you've got a problem with that... you can, of course, tell it to your aunts!"

'You're just putting Auntie Luna under your hoof! You're getting her to favor you to an unjustifiable level!" Blueblood said.

"That's right!" Aversion said. "And then, when me and your aunt possibly get married, that means I will be your new uncle!"

Blueblood felt the blood drain from his face... and said blood did indeed go blue, making him partially live up to his name. He let out a long exhale through his nose.

"Now, get on those chores, chop-chop!" Aversion said.

"That's right, Blue-Blue!" came another, random voice.

Both of them looked to see that Discord had arrived.

"Ah, right on time, Discord!" Aversion said.

"What!?" Blueblood shouted. "What did you just call me!?"

Discord folded his hands. "Well, first you have 'Blue'..." he motioned off to one side. "...color of the sky, some berries, the ocean, and of course, you have another 'Blue..." he motioned with his other hand, the other way. "...the color of your mood!"

"Grngh...!" Blueblood growled. "...How dare you! You shall never address me as such! You shall address yours truly as 'Prince Blueblood'!

"As you wish... Blue-Blue!" Discord said.

Blueblood began to shake violently with rage.

"Now, get to work!" Aversion said.

For the next several hours, while Aversion lounged watching television and browsing the PonyNet, Blueblood carried out each of the tasks on the list provided. By the time he completed only two of them, he was fuming, but too tired already to even release his rage. Because of the suppression band on his horn, he could not do his tasks with the convenience of magic, and had to use pure muscle-power.

This is absolutely outrageous! Blueblood thought bitterly. A prince being forced to do manual labor for a common PEASANT!? It ABSOLUTELY must be the other way around! I should NEVER have to lift a hoof for ANYPONY!

As he was mopping the floor, Blueblood shot a venomous glare at the back of Aversion's head.

When this is over... I shall see to it that you serve me for life after my sentence concludes! It shall make for a good punishment for everything you have done to me! Blueblood thought.

The former prince continued to do what Aversion ordered, out of fear of what Luna might do to him for disobeying. He absolutely hated getting punishments, but loved giving them to others. The sun was blazing hot that afternoon, and Blueblood was working up quite a sweat while he was working outside. Aversion, meanwhile, was having himself an iced drink and letting shaded air blow through an open window to stay cool.

If this work must be done... the least he could do is contribute some effort! It's HIS rundown excuse for a residence, not MINE! Such a place like this is FAR too uncouth for me to even LOOK upon!

A little while later, Aversion got up from his bed and shut off his television. He then went out to check on Blueblood, who he left alone to get the work done. He was okay with leaving his servant alone, as a Tracing Spell was present on the magic-suppression band as well, so if Blueblood tried to run away, Celestia and Luna would know exactly where he was in real-time.

"Alright, my slave..." Aversion said. "...now, how far have you come along with your chores?"

Blueblood sighed in heavy irritation. "...I have taken care of every... single... thing on that pathetic list of menial, trivial tasks!"

"Hey!" Aversion shouted. "Watch your manners!"

Blueblood pursed his lips as his eyes fell toward the ground.

"Now, there is one more thing I will need you to do out here..." Aversion said. "...there is a big bag of fertilizer in my shed. It's the big, plastic, white bag. Take it out, and spread it across the grass on the lawn. I'm sick of looking at all the dry patches, and I want them growing green again. Once you finish that, you can come inside to eat."

Aversion then went inside, leaving Blueblood scowling.

"Are you bucking serious!?" the former prince complained. "He expects me... to handle fertilizer!? And without magic!?"

Not wanting to get into more trouble, Blueblood reluctantly walked to the shed, and saw the bag of free-range cow fertilizer Aversion told him about. After a few moments of struggle, he lifted it onto his back, and hauled it out to the yard.

"Okay... now how am I supposed to do this?" he said to himself

He pulled the tab, which broke the seal, and revealed the dark, murky, foul-smelling fertilizer inside. The former monarch wrinkled his nose in recoil.

"Ugh...! HOW is it possible to even USE this filth!?" Blueblood said.

Aversion did not provide Blueblood with any hoof-gloves, since he did not have any, but the latter was still enraged, with or without protective gear, that he had to handle animal manure. But, as always, he imagined what his aunts would do while he was powerless to defend himself.

"Alright... let's just get this nonsense over with..." he said to himself.

He started lobbing the bag gently, letting the fertilizer spew out the opening forward, a little at a time. His back ended up hurting from doing this, but regardless, he begrudgingly kept at it, raking it to evenly spread it across the grassless soil.

The NERVE of this pathetic lowlife... Blueblood thought. ...I had better be served a six-star meal for everything I have done today. NEVER have I had to work so hard in my LIFE! It's only fair that I am compensated equally or greater!

The bag was just about empty, and Blueblood was starting to whip it like an open towel to get the last of it out... but he misjudged the trajectory; a large glob of the revolting substance flew straight up into the air, and before Blueblood had any chance to react...

SPLAT.

Blueblood gasped as the manure landed on his head and back. He stood motionless for a moment, unable to move from shock.

"...Ugh...!" he groaned. "...Th...th-there's... animal bodily waste at-top my l-l-lustrous, heavenly... MANE!"

He frantically began looking around, desperate for a way to wash it off, and happened to spot a nearby stream less than thirty meters from Aversion's property. His face fell in discouragement.

"...I suppose that will have to do for now." Blueblood said, slowly making his way to the creek.

Aversion had been inside at the table, writing in his diary. He remarked how great it was for his enigmatic saboteur to be getting a bit of justice.

"Oh, if only this could've happened sooner!" he said to himself.

As he was finishing up his entry, he heard the door open, and looking up to see Blueblood. The unicorn was, however, soaking-wet, fatigued, and overall looking very sad and pathetic.

Aversion raised a brow. "Well, what happened to you? You get in a fight with the fishes?"

"I am not in the mood!" Blueblood said. "And if you must know... my mane ended up being dirtied, and I needed to have it washed immediately!"

"Whatever..." Aversion said.

Blueblood then made his way into the dining room. "Now, where is my evening meal? I haven't eaten all my meals today!"

"You had breakfast and lunch." Aversion pointed out.

"Yes," Blueblood said, "but what about elevensies? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? What about all of those? Are you trying to starve me? I demand to be fed exquisite cuisine!"

Aversion narrowed his eyes. "Now, let's not be so hasty... and remember one thing: I never said I would be the one preparing dinner!"

"What are you implying...?" Blueblood asked.

"I will be coming back in here at eight o'clock. In the meantime, I have some... personal business to attend to in my bedroom-office. And I expect absolute silence while you are preparing the food." Aversion said.

Blueblood hung his head forward. "Are you trying to be humorous? I have never made dinner before! And it's already seven-thirty--"

"Eight o'clock!" Aversion said, before he left Blueblood alone in the kitchen.

With that, Blueblood let out an exhausted sigh just before he began looking through the cabinets. Eventually he found a few ingredients that he had heard of being affordable to lower-class civilians.

"...I suppose I could mix this stuff together to make a stew." Blueblood said.

With that, he poured a mixture of broth and stock into a large pan, and cut up some vegetables (nicking himself in the hooves at times, to his irritation), and added what little amount of seasonings and spices there were. From there, he let it boil.

A little while later, he ladled the soup into two bowls. He tasted the soup, only to recoil at the flavor.

"Blech...!" Blueblood said. "...bland... tasteless... soggy vegetables... stale broth...!"

He then made his way over to Aversion bedroom.

"Peasant dish for a peasant... because I've lost my appetite!" he whispered.

With that, he barged into Aversion's bedroom, and the stallion sat up from the chair at his desk as he was browsing the PonyNet on his computer. He looked back at Blueblood with narrow eyes.

"Have you ever heard of 'knocking'?" he asked.

Blueblood sighed yet again. "...Dinner is served."

Aversion stood from his desk and went back into the dining room, Blueblood walking behind him the whole time.

"Soup?" Aversion asked. "Hmmm... what an excellent choice!"

"Well, finally you show a sliver of due respect for your Prince!" Blueblood said.

Aversion looked at him in confusion. "Respect? What I meant was it's an excellent choice... for you."

"Me!?" Blueblood said. "You expect me to eat that slop!?"

"Of course! Because I won't be dining here tonight..." Aversion said as he opened his front door...

"Hi, Avey!" Luna said, waving at her coltfriend from her carriage.

Apparently, Luna had been waiting for him outside, and he had contacted her earlier about prior arrangement for dining at Canterlot Castle.

"So, I'm off!" Aversion said, heading out to join his lover for the ride back to Canterlot. "Enjoy your meal! After all, you home-cooked it yourself!"

"And you shall be staying here tonight, Blueblood!" Luna said. "It is time you got a feel for what Avey had to go through!"

Blueblood got a sad look in his eyes as Aversion and Luna sailed through the sunset-lit air, the carriage being pulled by Luna's batpony guards.

"So, were you able to hide your portal door prior to Blueblood's arrival at your place?" Luna asked.

Aversion nodded. "Yep, it's in the crawl space underneath my house, pushed out of sight from the trapdoor. I know he couldn't even bring himself to go down there, and would just think it was a regular door under a tarp or something."

"Good thinking, Avey!" Luna remarked, giving Aversion a quick kiss on his lips.

Blueblood was left alone with the mediocre stew as the only edible thing he had access to, as he could not leave Aversion's property without alerting his aunts, and by extension, the Royal Guard who would apprehend him for attempting to flee. He gagged as he tried to down the budget food. It tasted horrendous to him, as he was accustomed to the fine dining offered at his residence.

"Ugh... it's like some stray cat urinated in a bowl, and somepony served it to me!" Blueblood remarked.

Eventually, though, he managed to get his serving of it down the hatch. He simply left his bowl and spoon on the table however, as he did not want to do anymore chores. It was getting dark, and he had nothing to do. He tried to log into Aversion's computer, but found that it was password-protected. If he destroyed it, or anything else belonging to Aversion... he was fearful of what the consequences would be.

He simply got into Aversion's bed, and laid for a long time, his mind heavy in thought.

"Why did all this have to happen to me...?" he asked nopony in particular. "...I was just doing what I could to preserve the traditions of Canterlot! But look what has become of this society..."

Blueblood tossed and turned well into the night. He could not see any way out of his situation. If his aunts, the rulers of Equestria, wanted him punished, then everypony under their lash would do what they could to see that his sentence was served. To him, it was pure, immense injustice.

Author's Note

For those of you who read my blog post... APRIL FOOLS! Yeah, trust me when I say I would never abandon all you guys who have been with me through thick and thin these past few years. I will continue to provide!

21. In Muck and Scum

As Luna fell asleep yet again to resume her dream duties... she found herself in yet another distorted dreamscape. This time, she appeared to be in a closet with many shelves, and she was very small, probably only five centimeter high. The shelves also extended very high up, much higher than a normal closet.

"Is this... yet another of Avey's mental projections...?" she asked herself.

Yet again, she was unable to gain any lift on her wings by flapping, and she could not use her magic. So she had to resort to traversing up the closet on foot. She climbed a series of crude ramps composed of slanted, fallen shelves, some tipped boxes, and jumping across objects that gradually increased in height, like tin cans.

As she continued to ascend the enlarged closet, Luna began to see a beam of moonlight emerging through the opening at the top... but there was also the outline of a silhouette as well. She had to take a very unorthodox route of launching herself out of a toaster to reach a higher area, and throw some marbles at a vase supporting a shelf to knock it down, allowing her to climb it.

Eventually, Luna made it to the top, and readied herself to make the final jump to escape the closet. But as she passed into the moonlight... she was met with the sight of a jet-black pony emitting particles from its entire body, and ominous, glowing white eyes, sitting right outside the window.

"The shadow pony again..." Luna muttered under her breath, just before inducing her Royal Canterlot voice. "WHO GOES THERE?! BEGONE LEST THOU DESIRE PAIN AND HARM!"

The shadow pony did nothing, sitting and staring... but its eyes narrowed, as if in anger. Taking on a firm expression herself, Luna made the final jump, leaping toward the opening and the shadow pony, and the latter simply faded away as she got too close.

In any case, once Luna leaped through the open window into the night, the contorted dreamscape dissolved and she found herself back in the Dream Void. From here, she carried out her duties like normal... but she definitely had something fixated at the front of her mind as she absently took notes for the Archives of Subconsciousness.

"...I need to bring this up with Avey in the morning. Maybe he'll know what's going on... and what that shadow pony is..." she said to herself as she crossed the Void at a certain point.

In addition to having Blueblood serve him, Aversion had assigned him to do a full eight hours of charity work for one particular day. And it just so happened... he was signed up to be an entertainer for a colt's birthday party.

Reluctantly, the former prince trudged out of Aversion's house, having not gotten enough sleep and still tired. His breakfast was far from pleasant as well, being comprised of stale cornflakes and bland toast. As he begrudgingly made his way over to the address Aversion provided, a familiar draconequus happened to appear out of nowhere, landing right in front of the white unicorn stallion.

"Ah, good day, Blue-Blue! How are we on this fine morning?" Discord asked.

Blueblood bared his teeth. "...For the last, bucking time... MY NAME IS NOT 'BLUE-BLUE'! It's 'BLUEBLOOD'! And that's PRINCE Blueblood to you, you big mixed-breed mutt!"

"Ooooh..." Discord said, feigning awe. "...somepony's in a bad mood!"

"I already have far too much to be upset about without YOU so rudely intervening!" Blueblood claimed.

"Aw, what's wrong, Blue-Blue? You don't care about a bunch of sweet, innocent children? You don't want to let them have some fun?" Discord said.

"Grrr...!" Blueblood growled.

"Now, you best have some good manners for the children!" Discord said. "Aversion himself made it very clear to me that I must keep an eye on you, and ensure you are doing your job properly! And if you offend me and get my dear friend Fluttershy angry at you... oh, dear sweet Celestia, will she be coming for you! Heh heh heh!"

Eventually, the draconequus managed to escort Blueblood to the house where the colt's birthday party was being held. Discord was the one to ring the doorbell, while Blueblood stood, completely uninterested in what was to come, as indicated by his narrow eyes and deep frown.

"Ah, welcome-WELCOME!" Pinkie Pie said as she answered the door.

"And good day to you, Ms. Pie!" Discord responded with a bow.

Pinkie turned to the ever-unenthusiastic Blueblood.

"Now, are you ready to have the awesomest, funnest party you've been to in FOR-EV-ER?" Pinkie asked.

"NO!" Blueblood shouted. "Just get me the buck out of here!"

"Hey, language!" Pinkie scolded. "There's foals here!"

At that moment, Pipsqueak appeared in the doorway, right next to Pinkie. When he caught sight of Blueblood, his eyes went wide.

"Oh, Prince Blueblood...!" he said. "...S-so... he's the entertainer for my p-party...?"

"Don't you worry about a thing, Pip!" Pinkie said. "As long as Discord is here, Mr. Big-Royal-Meanie-Pants won't do anything to you or any of the guests!"

"Seal your yap!" Blueblood shouted. "You shall NEVER address yours truly in such a way!"

"Mind your manners, Blue-Blue!" Discord said.

Blueblood let out a hoarse sigh as he reluctantly made his way into the backyard, Pinkie leading the way. There was quite a good bit of activity happening, with many colts and fillies present, playing games and running around the backyard of the house.

"Your attention, everypony!" Pinkie announced. "The entertainment has arrived!"

"Now, are are you little youngsters ready to play some fun games?" Discord said.

"YEAH!" the party attendees all said in unison.

"Oh, dear..." Blueblood said, unamused.

"Now then..." Discord said, snapping his fingers.

In that instant, a dunk-tank rose up from out of the ground, and Blueblood was sitting on the seat above it. After overcoming his initial shock from the sudden change around him, he gasped as he saw he was directly above water... only it wasn't water. It was actually filled with fruit punch.

"Now, the rules are simple..." Discord said, snapping his fingers again, which conjured a red-and-white stripped button-up shirt, a boater hat with the same texture, and cane all appear on his person. "...all you have to do is throw a ball and hit the bullseye, and poor Blue-Blue here will be forced into the punch tank! So, step right up and try your luck!"

"N-no...!" Blueblood stammered. "...You wouldn't dare!"

Discord turned back toward the former monarch. "And to make sure you don't try anything..."

The draconequus snapped his fingers again, putting Blueblood into a straitjacket. This made the unicorn gasp yet again.

"Hey! This is utterly illegal! What if I were to DROWN?" Blueblood said.

"The tank is only a meter deep." Discord pointed out. "You will be capable of standing for breath should you fall in."

With that, he turned back to Pip and his friends.

"Now then..." Discord said, snapping his fingers and conjuring a tennis ball. "...we shall let the birthday boy get the first throw!"

"Awesome!" Pip said.

With that, he took the ball, and standing on his hind legs, wound up a foreleg to toss it. He did so, but it did not travel very far, hitting the ground short of the the target.

"Aww..." Pip groaned. "...well, guess we get to see who can actually dunk him!"

With that, all of the foals took turns throwing the ball. Some hit the target, others missed, but they still had yet to hit the actual bullseye. The suspense was absolutely killing the former Prince.

"STOP IT, YOU INSOLENT LITTLE DEMONS!" Blueblood thundered.

The filly who was about to throw the ball stopped in her tracks as her eyes went wide. Blueblood glared at her.

"You will place that ball on the ground and leave the premises, or I shall ensure that every waking moment of your worthelss life is dedicated to the most brutal and exerting labor imaginable until your natural death, which nopony shall ever memorialize!" he said.

The filly was tearing up as he said all this to her, and after he got done speaking, she started crying, dropping the ball and running off. All of the other foals looked back at Blueblood in utter shock.

"I thought Princes and Princesses were supposed to be nice to their subjects!"

"Why is he being so mean?"

"I guess this is why he's been sent here by Princess Celestia!"

Discord stepped forward, a rather unamused set of narrow eyes upon his face.

"Now, Blue-Blue... was that really called for?" he asked. "Are you proud of yourself for making a poor little girl cry?"

"I've had enough!" Blueblood shouted. "I demand to be released!"

"I believe you have had more than enough say on your part!" Discord said.

With a snap of his fingers, the draconequus conjured a diaper on Blueblood while he was still bound atop the tank platform. This made Blueblood become entirely dumbfounded for yet another time. Never did he imagine he could be shocked to such a degree so frequently.

"...Why the buck did you put this hideous foal-toilet on me?!" Blueblood shouted.

"Because," Discord explained. "if you're going to act like a baby, then we're going to treat you like a baby. And you best behave yourself, too! Because with a simple snap of my fingers, I can easily make you lose your urine into your lovely new garment!"

This, however, was really driving Blueblood up into the danger zone of his rage meter.

"You are deliberately taking advantage of me!" he shouted. "Wait until Auntie 'Tia learns of the excessive methods you have used against me!"

"Oh, well I just so happened to get in touch with your aunts, and they oh, so, happily agreed to let me punish you as they see fit, so long as you are not harmed in such a way that requires medical treatment." Discord explained.

"WHAT?!" Blueblood exclaimed. "Now you are taking advantage of my aunts, like that pathetic worm, Aversion?!" his eyes went narrow as he barred his teeth. "...Now you have really done it! I will ensure that you are punished under my faction of the Royal Guard!"

"As if! They can't do a single thing to contain me! And they wouldn't care! Your aunts would simply retract your requests to them!" Discord said.

"YOU WILL SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU AND THAT BLOODY PARASITIC EARTH PONY HAVE DONE TO ME!" Blueblood said.

"Don't backsass me!" Discord scolded.

"Deh-neh-neh-neh!" Blueblood taunted, sticking out his tongue and crossing his eyes as he did so.

"What?!" Discord said.

Instead of responding, Blueblood simply blew a raspberry at Discord's face. This made the latter glare in fury at the pathetic former monarch.

"That's it, Mister! You just lost your bladder-control privileges!" Discord said, snapping his fingers.

Blueblood gasped as his face went red as his eyes slowly fell to his crotch region. A small yellow stain appeared on the front of the diaper, slowly growing in size.

"EWWWW...!" the foals cried in both amusement and surprise. "He's whizzing himself!"

"O-oh, dear..." Blueblood uttered. "...I'm wetting this cover upon me..."

He clenched his teeth and tensed his stomach.

"...No...! I-I can't stop it...!" Blueblood said in horror as the pee-stain saturated the entire front of the diaper.

Normally, he had a shy bladder, and couldn't bring himself to pee if others were present in the same washroom as him... but now, he could not hold back his urine, no matter how hard he tried to snap it. It did not matter that there were others right in front of him.

"Now then... let us continue the game... but with some added... substance..." Discord said.

When he snapped his fingers yet again, the punch in the dunk tank was replaced with a murky, brown substance. Blueblood, utterly defeated by being bound in a straitjacket, having urinated himself in front of everyone, and into a diaper, no less, was now very fearful of what was to come.

"Wh-what is this stuff...?" the unicorn asked.

"See," Discord said. "I spoke with Applejack of Sweet Apple Acres about possibly borrowing the top layer of muck from each of the pigpens on their property, to which she delightfully agreed after hearing what I intended to do with it."

"Pigpens...?!" Blueblood asked, looking into the muck pool below him. "...N-no... please... do not allow this to come to fruition...!"

"And just why should I not?" Discord asked.

Blueblood bit his lip again as his eyebrows came down hard. "...Because I will go out of my way to make a big, filthy mutt such as yourself—!"

"AHP-AHP-AHP!" Discord stopped Blueblood. "Behave yourself! Want me to make you spill your bowels into your baby-trousers as well?!"

"Ooooooh...!" the foals all said in unison again.

Blueblood went silent, realizing that all he could do was pray that the bullseye would not be hit by anyone.

The game continued, with the foals trying to hit the bullseye and dunk Blueblood, but none of them were really successful. There were a few close calls, but nothing more. Blueblood was on edge the entire time, both mentally and literally. Eventually, the party attendees all gave up.

"Hmmm... what a shame." Discord said. "Nopony seems to have hit. Well, not to worry, children! I can fix that right away!"

Once he said this, the seat holding up Blueblood gave out from under him, causing him to shriek briefly before he was submerged completely under the pen muck. All of the children immediately began to laugh.

"Oh, wow!" a filly said. "That was awesome! He sunk like a rock into that dirty mud!"

"This has been my best birthday party ever!" Pip said. "I think Blueblood should do this every year!"

Blueblood slowly emerged from the pigpen muck, gasping the tainted air for breath, and suffering paralysis from his shock that he was now covered head-to-hoof in a disgusting substance. It was far worse than the fertilizer incident on his first day of work under Aversion.

It was then that he made desperate eyes at Discord.

"...C-could you... please... turn this muck... into w-water...? With soap...?" he asked.

Discord narrowed his eyes. "You act all rude and righteous... you make a little filly cry... and then you have the gall to beg for something in return?! You can stay in there for all I care!"

"YAAAAAY!" the party members all cheered.

Apparently, all you needed to entertain a child at a party was a rotten stallion being covered in something as putrid as his ego.

As this was all happening... something was happening deep inside Blueblood's mind... there was a small flame that had ignited... rapidly spreading... consuming his psyche...

Blueblood's eyelid twitched, as did the side of his neck, making his head jolt subtly...

Anypony who even bothered to look at him could tell he was losing his mind...

"A shadow pony?" Aversion said, rubbing his chin. "...No, doesn't ring any bells."

"No visions, no nightmares... nothing you can recall about it?" Luna asked.

Aversion shook his head. "And also... what exactly are these 'distorted dreamscapes' you've been mentioning concerning this supposed 'shadow pony'?"

Luna hung her head. "A supermarket... a school... a closet... that is what I have encountered thus far. Do they mean anything to you?"

"Hmmm..." Aversion said, shuffling his hooves a bit. "...well, I've always been... kinda nervous about those places. There were some... things... that happened long ago with them."

"Really?" Luna asked.

"Yeah." Aversion said.

"Well, I won't press you on the matter if you don't feel comfortable, Avey." Luna said. "I'm just trying to understand what has been happening lately. Thank you for telling me what you have, though."

"You're welcome, Lulu." Aversion said.

"And also, Avey..." Luna began. "...is there anypony else aside from your boss who has been giving you a hard time, or going out of their way to make your life miserable?"

"Well... there is one." Aversion said.

"Who would that be?" Luna asked.

Aversion made nervous hoof motions again, hesitating to speak. "...Well... he's an earth pony by the name of 'Brawn Brutus'... and I haven't told anypony about him... because I'm afraid of what he could do to me for snitching..."

"Avey!" Luna said. "When somepony threatens you, you tell an authority figure immediately! You don't have to be worried! They'll take care of it!"

"W-well..." Aversion stammered.

"In fact..." Luna said, standing from her seat. "...what do you say I take care of him for you?"

Aversion's eye went wide. "A-are you sure, Lulu...? What if he..."

"There's no need to worry about me. As I can use magic, he shall be incapable of harming me." Luna said.

Aversion trusted that Luna would be willing to do the right thing, and get Brutus to stop antagonizing him. He wanted it to stop for such a long time... and as always, Luna ended any discussion of his emotional turmoil on a positive note:

"...things will get better, Avey. Trust me." Luna said.

22. Brutus' Backlash

Aversion had spent a bit of time going through his old belongings in an empty bedroom that was full of boxes, and Luna even took a bit of her free time to help him out. He was trying to decide what he could move into the Castle of the Two Sisters.

There were quite a few possessions that brought some strong nostalgia on him, such as his old issues of the original Power Ponies comic book series, pottery and clay sculptures he made in his school art class, and some "screenplays" he wrote for movies he had ideas of.

"Well, Avey..." Luna said upon skimming over the papers. "...you seemed rather ambitious back in your childhood!"

"Really?" Aversion said. "These were just scraps that I didn't ever take seriously."

"Well, I see quite a sense of passion in these scripts!" Luna remarked.

Aversion blushed as he nervously shuffled his hooves.

The two continued looking through Aversion's belongings... and in the closet, stuffed hastily underneath a set of bedsheets was a small, faded, blue blanket. The stallion's eyes lit up upon pulling it out.

"Oh!" Aversion said upon seeing the piece of fabric. "I forgot I even had this!"

Luna walked up behind him as he let it unfurl. It was about four square feet. Too small for use on a bed.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"It's..." Aversion trailed off, blushing a bit. "...it was my... s-special blanket..."

"Special blanket?" Luna asked.

Aversion nodded. "My mother gave it to me when I was little. I really loved it, and... it became something of great sentimental value to me, after... m-my mother..."

"Oh..." Luna said. "...I understand what you mean, Avey. I won't force you to say it."

"Y-yeah," Aversion said, "plus... I was only, like, four when I got it... even though I kept it... years afterward... please don't judge me, Lulu."

Luna placed a hoof on Aversion's hunch. "Avey... you know I would never judge you for something so minor and benign! I kept my first teddy bear for two-hundred years, if that makes you feel any better!"

Aversion smiled weakly, returning his gaze to his prized blanket.

"This piece of fabric holds so many memories..." he said.

(Flashback)

It was another day after Aversion had faced his typical bullying in school. It seemed that all the fillies and colts were only interested in making him miserable, never giving him a fair chance at friendship. However... because his mother spent several months wrapping him up in the blanket when sitting him on her lap, bundling himself in it had become decent therapy for him.

"What they say about me isn't true..." Aversion said to himself, quietly as he laid in bed at night, his special blanket wrapped around his upper half. "...I'm a good pony... I'm a good pony... I'm a good pony..."

Scolus had been visiting Aversion's place a few months after their first encounter in the woods, playing a game of backgammon. He definitely helped the times Aversion was being foalsat be not so boring (the old, sleeping mare was always his foalsitter). Scolus had been left alone in the living room for a few moments while Aversion "went to the bathroom," but suddenly...

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" Aversion cried out.

Scolus' ears perked upon hearing the loud shriek. "Av! Where are you, buddy?!"

The changeling nymph peered into Aversion's bedroom... only to see that it was in complete disarray. Aversion himself was chucking things out of his closet.

"Aah! Where is it?!" Aversion said.

The colt darted past Scolus, not even acknowledging his presence, and starting pulling apart the den closet.

"It's gotta be somewhere in this stupid house!" Aversion said.

The earth pony darted into the kitchen, ripping out drawers, throwing pots and pans everywhere, and shuffling everything around in the refrigerator. Scolus entered the kitchen a single brow raised and lips puckered.

"Av...?" Scolus asked. "What's going on?"

Aversion laid himself facedown on the inside of the fridge, sobbing. Scolus entered the room at that moment.

"WHERE'S MY BLANKET?!" the colt cried.

"Your blanket?" Scolus asked.

"MY SPECIAL BLANKET MY MOM GAVE ME'S GONE!" Aversion said.

"Dude, c'mon!" Scolus said, pushing his friend out of the kitchen toward the front door. "Let's go out and do something to take your mind off it!"

Aversion, however, continued to bawl. "NOOOOOO! I NEED MY BLANKET!"

At that moment, the dryer buzzer went off. Both their ears perked up.

"Oh, was that the laundry?" Scolus asked.

"I-I think so..." Aversion said.

With that, the two went to check, and the first thing that met Aversion's eyes when the dryer was opened was...

"MY BLANKET!" Aversion said after a gasp.

With that, he whipped it out of the machine, hugging it with a big, cheesing smile and his eyes closed. Scolus hung his head down, closed his eyes, and sighed.

"Sometimes you embarrass me..." the nymph said.

A few years after the death of his mother, Aversion, now a preteen, had accidentally dropped a gallon jug of milk at dinner when he slipped on a wet spot of spilled salad dressing. Sledge Hammer was the one who spilled the small amount of dressing when he turned his head away for a brief moment, and did not realize it. However, he never wanted to take the blame for anything...

He shouted at Aversion to clean up the spilled gallon of milk, which the young, trembling colt dared not to disobey. It took about ten minutes, with Sledge Hammer repeatedly egging Aversion on to "DO IT FASTER!" or "DON'T BE SO SLOPPY!" Eventually, the colt, fighting to hold back his tears the entire time, managed to get the place clean... but the older stallion was still not pleased.

"GET YOUR ASS TO YOUR ROOM! NOW!" Sledge Hammer thundered.

Aversion began to slowly make his way to his room... but while his back was turned, Sledge Hammer turned his backside toward him, and kicked him in the plot. Fairly hard, too. The young colt took off to his room in absolute terror, leaving a faint trail of tears in his wake.

"AND YOU WILL NOT COME OUT UNTIL I SAY SO!" the angry stallion said.

Aversion retreated to his room, shutting the door, and seeking refuge under the sheets of his bed. Letting off his crying as silently as he could, he cuddled up in his special blanket, hoping it would make him feel more safe. After all... it was just about the closest thing he had to his mother's embrace.

(End Flashback)

Aversion sighed. "Geez, how things have changed..."

"Well, I think we've done enough scavenging for now," Luna said. "Would you like to head out and do something else? It's a rather nice day today."

"Sure!" Aversion said. "I'll just finish... some things up here, and meet up with you outside in two minutes."

"Of course, Avey!" Luna said, just before she left the room.

Once he was sure she was gone... he grabbed his blanket, briefly cuddling it like a pet.

"Don't worry, Blanket..." he said, "...I haven't forgotten about you."

He quickly threw it into his bedroom, and then went straight outside to meet up with Luna. With that, the two went on their way, more or less small-talking the entire time. Luna's batpony guards were escorting them, but they remained silent and followed her commands.

They continued to walk up until Aversion happened to catch sight of a particular pony making his way through the town streets. It was a red earth pony stallion he was all too familiar with. The stallion was kicking rocks and striking at broken fence boards, breaking them off completely.

"Oh..." Aversion uttered.

"What?" Luna asked. "Who is that?"

Aversion sighed. "...It's Brawn Brutus. My childhood bully that I told you about a little while ago."

Luna's eyes went wide. She returned her gaze to the muscular brute of a pony.

"So that's him?" she said. "Well, I believe there are things to be said by myself regarding his actions. But... unfortunately, he has not done anything in this particular instance to you, Avey."

Aversion rubbed his chin for a moment. "...Just wait here a moment, Lulu. Don't let him notice you just yet; I'm gonna set him up for something!"

With a smug grin, Aversion then made his way over to Brutus while Luna and her guards quickly hid behind a shop building. The larger earth pony caught sight of the smaller one approaching him.

"Well, just look at you, acting all tough and breaking things!" Aversion said.

Brutus narrowed his eyes. "Oh, you lookin' for an ass-bucking?!"

"Hey," Aversion said, "all I did was point out you vandalizing fences!"

"Y'know what...?!" Brutus said, immediately before he hoofed Aversion in the muzzle.

This took Aversion by surprise; it happened a lot sooner than he was expecting.

"...MMMMMRGH...!" Aversion groaned, clasping his hooves over his face.

"Yeah, how'd ya like that?" Brutus asked.

"HEY!" Luna called out as she emerged from her hiding spot. "What was that I just witnessed?!"

"Shut up, you...!" Brutus trailed off as he realized just who he was speaking to.

The Princess approached the rust-red earth pony, her eyes rich with fury. Brutus' pupils went small as his jaw fell agape.

"...P-Princess Luna...!" he uttered.

Immediately, Brutus bowed, small beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. Luna stood between him and Aversion, her piercing glare beaming down on the former all the while.

"HOW DARE YOU HARASS MY DEAR AVEY!" Luna thundered.

"Wh-what...?" Brutus said. "...'Avey'? Y-you don't mean..."

Aversion silently chuckled as he watched Brutus act all helpless before Luna.

"That is correct," Luna said. "Aversion, or Avey, as I like to call him, has become very close with me! And I believe you would do well not to bully my poor coltfriend!"

Brutus' jaw dropped. "Coltfriend?!"

"Yep!" Aversion chimed in. "Lulu has really been the kindest, sweetest pony to ever be part of my life! Never could I ask for a mare better than her!"

Brutus, dumbstruck, darted his eyes back and forth between the two.

"B-but... but..." he stammered.

"Stop your babbling, subject!" Luna said. "You will show your respect by speaking properly!"

"But..." Brutus said. "...he's not a prince! He shouldn't be allowed to be your coltfriend!"

"She can decide who she wants to be with!" Aversion said.

"That is correct!" Luna added.

Brutus glared at Aversion. "...You are a dead stallion walking! You hear me?! I'm not living in a world where Ass-version is a prince!"

"Mind your tone, subject!" Luna said, just before turning to her guards. "Take this one to the Ponyville jail. By my authority, he is under arrest for harassment, assault and battery, and threatening another pony with death."

"Yes, Your Highness!" the batponies said in unison.

Immediately, they pounced Brutus, who immediately struggled, shuffling to get away. But it was no use.

"Hey! Get the buck off me!" Brutus said, wriggling to try and get loose.

"Stop resisting! STOP RESISTING!" one batpony said.

Luna stepped forward, powered up her horn, and aimed it straight at Brutus, who froze in fear, his eyes wide. There was a bright flash of blue light, and Brutus slumped over, unconscious.

"There," Luna said, "he should be knocked out for the next few hours. That will give more than enough time to arrest, book, process, and jail him. And I shall see to it that he is put on trial."

"Sounds like a good plan for him," Aversion said.

He rubbed his muzzle, as it still hurt from when Brutus struck him. Luna noticed this.

"Here, Avey..." Luna said, her horn beginning to glow, "...I'll relieve you of your pain."

The same blue light surrounded Aversion's face, and as it happened, he felt the pain subside, and the shifted tissue settle back to its normal position. He gently touched his maw with his hoof in different spots, and found it to be fully healed.

"Thanks, Lulu," Aversion said.

Luna pulled her coltfriend into a hug, gently nuzzling his head. "I'll always do anything you need of me, Avey."

"Yeah," Aversion said, "and I'm glad you finally managed to have something done about my childhood bully. Nopony ever believed my stories about him."

"And I shall see to it that a restraining order is established to keep him from harassing you," Luna said.

"Oh yeah! That's even better!" Aversion said.

This really got him thinking about how everything would turn out. Ever since Luna came into his life, things have only gotten better and better. There have been some stumbles along the way, but everything has turned out alright so far. It seemed so far fetched that after twenty-six years, his mundane life turned topsy-turvy.

I could only imagine... Aversion thought, ...a world where nopony is mean to me!

He imagined himself happily cantering through a brightly-lit version of Ponyville, all the civilians happily waving to him as he passed by. He had this image in his head on repeat as he continued to walk with Luna, his eyes half-closed and a big smile on his face. Luna was unsure what he was thinking, but found his facial expression amusing, nonetheless.

Little did they know... Blueblood happened to listen in on the whole thing. He was bound to a lamppost by a chain leash, like a dog. Discord had put him there as he stopped to run some errands for Fluttershy, as they were on their way to Blueblood's next day of charity work.

"So... the peasant has a bully?" Blueblood said to nopony in particular.

This got him thinking about how this situation could be favorable. Given that he himself despised Aversion...

"Hmmm..." Blueblood hummed, "...perhaps I could enlist the assistance of this Brawn Brutus character... it would teach that pathetic Aversion a lesson about dabbling royal matters!"

Though he was distasteful of commoners, he decided to make an exception just this once.

"I just need to wait for the right moment in which to be able to visit the Ponyville jail, and meet up with him prior to his trial! Then, I shall make the proposition to him... heheh, not only am I the most good-looking stallion on Equus; I am also the smartest!" Blueblood said.

He chuckled to himself, but only briefly, as Discord came out with some groceries.

"Alright, Blue-Blue!" the draconequus said. "Time for you to help carry the load back to Fluttershy's residence, and then we shall make our way over to Sweet Apple Acres, where you will help the Apple family gather their namesake fruit! And don't forget, tomorrow you will have Rarity give you some tailoring lessons to aid in her garment production!"

Blueblood let out an annoyed sigh, which Discord took as insubordination.

"And you best behave yourself, Blue-Blue!" he said.

"Grrr..." Blueblood growled, "...how many times must I repeat myself?! It's BLUEBLOOD! Would you like it if I misaddress you?!"

"Ah, but you are the one being punished, Blue-Blue. And me calling you that is part of your punishment!" Discord said.

Blueblood was begrudgingly escorted by Discord back to Fluttershy's house, hauling the groceries on a borrowed wagon, which he would have to return to the store when they were done using it. However, the entire time, his mind was fixated on a truce with Brutus, all for the purpose of getting back at the earth pony who had his younger aunt wrapped around his hoof.

Just you wait, peasant... your time shall soon be spent! The former prince thought.

Author's Note

Credit for Luna vector goes to "DashieSparkle."
Credit for background goes to "Dipi11."

23. Ethics and Karma

"Pickup!" Dark Roast said.

"Got it!" a barista mare said, just before serving Roseluck and Golden Harvest. "Here you go! Thank you for your patronage!"

"Thanks, you too!" Roseluck said as the two walked away with their coffee.

The line in the Ponyville cafe was fairly long, as per usual, and the baristas were swamped to keep up with orders.

"I need two medium cappuccinos, a small white-chocolate cocoa, and a double-espresso!" the mare barista said to her coworkers.

"We're on it!" they said.

Star Buck, meanwhile, was in her office, going over the ledgers, and admiring the profit coming in for her business.

"Ah... great income!" she said. "And I hope my husband's made the reservation at the seaside resort, and booked our train tickets. I'll be able to pay no problem once I get off today! And it's quite good that Mr. Aversion is on suspension without pay. Otherwise, we couldn't afford such a nice trip! Oh, it's going to be a lovely vacation..."

At that moment, the pager beeped. Letting out an annoyed sigh, Star Buck pressed the button.

"Yes?" she said.

"O-oh, yes, Star... um..." Dark Roast said.

"What's the matter?" Star Buck asked.

"Th-there's... somepony here who... wants to speak to you..." Dark Roast said.

"Well, could you just tell them I'm busy?" Star Buck said.

There was silence for a moment.

"...They insist on it... and... they are of... h-high noble rank..." Dark Roast said.

Star Buck sighed, standing from her desk, and making her way out of the office.

"Who the buck thinks they're so important that they can just waltz in here, demanding to see me and waste my time?!" she mumbled under her breath.

What she caught sight of next, however, made her stop dead in her tracks, her jaw dropped and eyes wide.

"Y-Your Highness...!" Star Buck said.

Princess Luna was in her coffee shop. She narrowed her eyes and smiled curiously at the general manager.

"Hello," she said. "Mrs. Star Buck, I presume?"

"O-oh, yes, of course...!" Star Buck said, hastily making her way to the counter. "Order anything you wish, and as much as desired, Your Highness! It shall be free of charge!"

"Hmmm..." Luna hummed, "...now, let us be clear in understanding that..." she narrowed her eyes, "...I am not one who condones favoritism..."

Star Buck went rigid as beads of sweat began to appear on her head. "Wh-whatever do you mean, Your Highness?"

"See," Luna began, "I happen to be aware, from a whistleblower, per se, that you seem to be treating a few around here with favoritism."

"Well, I assure you that is not true," Star Buck said. "All employees are treated fairly and ethically and given proper motivation to create a positive atmosphere and give our patrons the best service. Whoever provided you with that information was lying!"

"Really?" Luna asked. "Because, I have come to understand that this particular individual is very... misunderstood. Neglected. Ostracized. The list goes on and on. He is a very trustworthy stallion, as I have come to know firsthoof, after spending a great deal of time with him."

"But..." Star Buck trailed off.

She had no idea what to say. It did not seem like a good idea to get into a heated debate with a Princess.

"And this particular stallion has shown me that you are doing absolutely nothing on the frontlines, assisting your employees! All you do, based on his testimony, is sit in your office, only coming out for a few minutes to praise your favorites and scold your undesirables!" Luna continued.

"Who is this stallion you're talking about?" Star Buck said. "Ponies are coming in and out of here like a spring tide!"

Luna subtly smirked, glancing back to the entrance. "Avey! Why don't you come in and let Mrs. Star Buck know how you're feeling right now?"

As Aversion entered the coffee shop, Star Buck's eyes went wide again.

"Mr. Aversion... what are you doing in my shop?!" she said. "Get out! You're not welcome here!"

"...Hello to you too, Mrs. Buck." Aversion said nonchalantly.

"You see," Luna said, "my dear, sweet coltfriend, Avey," she gently rubbed his head as she referenced him, "has undergone a great deal of emotional and financial turmoil. I don't believe you understand exactly how you have been ruining his life further."

"What...?! COLTFRIEND?!" Star Buck said.

"That's right," Aversion said. "Lulu chose me as hers. And might I say, it's the best thing that has ever happened in my life!"

"B-but Your Highness...!" Star Buck said. "...you say you do not condone favoritism... and yet you have singled out Mr. Aversion, my laziest employee... as your coltfriend?!"

Luna pursed her lips. "It is not for him to receive any direct gain; I simply love him for the pony he is. Have you ever known that he was bullied by his peers and abused by his stepfamily growing up? That added to the fact that he is in the lower end of the working-class, living in a residence that is in dire need of upgrade and repair that he simply cannot afford with the stingy wages you were shelling out!

"Not only that, but thanks to Avey, I managed to get statements from previous employees who held a similar disposition to their jobs as him. And this confirms my thoughts regarding your lack of business proprietor skills that are essential in long-term goals!"

"What?!" Star Buck said. "Who provided you with that information?"

"That's confidential. They requested to remain anonymous," Luna said.

Aversion could not help but chuckle at how helpless his former boss looked. Being a control-freak that she was, it was oh so satisfying to see her get some blowback and well-deserved karma.

"Under my authority as a co-ruler of Equestria, I hereby declare that this cafe is now under my jurisdiction. In accordance with the Kingdom of Equestria Fair Labor Ethics Act, I am shutting this place down on grounds of unlawful suspension without pay, unethical treatment of select employees, causing emotional distress, poor management including forcing floor responsibilities on head barista, and other infractions that shall be elaborated on in the investigation paperwork!" Luna said.

"N-no...! Your Highness, please!" Star Buck begged. "You can't do this! This business is all I have!"

"Well..." Luna began, "...should you wish to continue business operations as normal, you will have to compensate for your wrongdoing to your former employees. We have estimated an average amount of Bits for each individual, and an estimated quantity of ponies based on job reviews on the PonyNet."

With that, the Princess of the Night pulled a rolled piece of parchment from under her mane, handing it to Star Buck, who feverishly took it. She unfurled it and looked it over, her eyes shooting open and jaw falling almost off her face.

"...I-I... I can't afford this...!" Star Buck said.

"Well, the matter here is that you have violated fair labor statutes, and the law says you must compensate any wrongdoing. If you cannot do that, your business will be forced to close down or be dissolved through acquisition by a willing buyer, the latter in compliance with the Equestrian Antitrust Laws," Luna said.

"Yes," Aversion added, "which means, Mrs. Buck... you are going to have to compensate me as well! With real money, rather than your skimpy minimum wage!"

Star Buck's eyes fell to the floor for a moment. "...Could we discuss this one-on-one for a brief moment?"

Annoyed and letting out an exasperated sigh, Aversion followed her to the hallway that led to her office.

"Mr. Aversion, listen..." she said, "...I am not going to sugar-coat this for you. I need you to convince Princess Luna to change her mind about all this!"

Aversion scowled at his former boss. "And just why should I?"

"Because if I lose my place of business, and am forced to surrender the assets as compensation, me and my husband will be ruined! My business will sink! We'll lose everything!" Star Buck said.

Aversion raised his eyebrows slightly, but his eyes remained narrow.

"...You should've thought of that sooner," he said. "Cough up the dough, and start a different business! And y'know, it might work out even better... if you actually treat all of your employees properly!"

Star Buck hung her head, her eyes narrow in rage. "...But how am I supposed to start from the ground up if Princess Luna is going to take everything from me?!"

"That's not my bucking problem!" Aversion stated. "Face it, you spoiled, rotten mule... you brought this on yourself! You didn't care about my situation, so I don't care about yours!"

And then he walked off, leaving the distressed business owner standing in utter shock at how he just spoke to her. She would have chewed him out for such behavior... but knowing that he was now the coltfriend of Princess Luna herself... she dared not mess with him in this state.

Soon enough, Luna and Aversion were both on their way, ready to spend yet another great day with each other.

"Oh, Lulu," Aversion said during the carriage ride, "I can't thank you enough for righting all the wrongs in my life."

"Well, hey," Luna said, "that's what a marefriend is for, right?"

"I don't doubt it!" Aversion said.

The young stallion was definitely glad that the tide has, at long last, turned in his life. Now those who had given him a bunch of unjust treatment were about to get their end of the karma.

First Brutus, and now Star Buck. Plus, Prince Blueblood is my personal servant... but of course, I'm having him do charity work to know what civilian life is like. He thought.

He could only wonder what fate had in store for him next...

Brutus sat in a cell of the Ponyville prison, awaiting his trial. He was completely bored, as well as brimming with rage... but he felt far too lazy to release any of it.

"He's gonna pay...!" he muttered under his breath. "...Ass-version is gonna pay!"

Meanwhile, Blueblood managed to slip away from Discord for a moment after the latter dozed off while laying back and watching him pick up trash off the streets. As long as he did not leave the town limits of Ponyville, or bother any civilians, and returned before Discord would awaken, he would be alright.

"Now then, to get access..." the former Prince said to himself.

He went inside, but found the front desk to be abandoned. However, he saw this as an advantage, especially when he heard some hoofsteps approaching from the cell wing door. He hid behind a large evidence chest before the door opened, and when the guards were too busy to notice, he slipped right past them and through the door before it closed.

From there, it was just a matter of checking the prisoner list and seeing which cell Brawn Brutus was in. Eventually, he found the cell in question, knocking on the bars a few times to catch the attention of the earth pony within. Brutus looked up, and then over at the white unicorn outside the bars.

"Prince Blueblood?!" Brutus said. "Ugh... of all things... now I gotta deal with you?!"

Blueblood scowled. "Firstly... you shall never speak to your Prince that way!"

"Hmph..." Brutus uttered.

Blueblood let his eyebrows recede and his lips stop pursing. "However... I am willing to make an exception for you for the time being. I have a proposition to make."

"Like what?" Brutus asked.

"See..." Blueblood spoke, "...I know a great deal about you, Brawn Brutus... particularly your rivalry with Aversion, a pathetic, lowly stallion whom I have come to utterly loathe."

"Wait... you hate him too?" Brutus asked.

"Indeed," Blueblood said. "He has completely brainwashed my Auntie Luna into getting her to do his bidding, and getting me into trouble for attempting to rectify this dilemma!"

Brutus' eyebrows came down as a wicked smile filled his face. "Yeah... yeah! That scrawny little colt's gotta get what's coming to him! He ain't gonna get away with all of this!"

"How right you are!" Blueblood said. "And here I always assumed commoners had no true sense of justice. Perhaps you and I could get along after all."

"Well, whatever you say," Brutus said. "But... how are we gonna do it? I'm in jail, and you're being monitored by Princess Celestia, from what I heard in the news!"

Blueblood pursed his lips as his eyes fell to the floor. He had not exactly thought this through.

"...Well, we shall think of something," the unicorn said. "Do you, by any chance, have any comrades or affiliates whom I can request assistance from in getting you out, as well as aiding in my cause?"

"Oh yeah!" Brutus said. "You'll find them on Mustang Lane at 5 PM on Friday, which should be tomorrow. They're all big and burly like me. You'll be able to easily spot them."

"Excellent!" Blueblood said. "Everything should transpire... and true justice shall prevail!"

"Awesome! Never thought you'd want to help anypony but yourself!" Brutus said.

Actually, Blueblood did, but he didn't ever mention this to anyone. All he cared about was his lifestyle and self-image.

In any case, Blueblood decided to sneak out as quickly as possible, taking the door he came through, and quietly making his way out of the building when the guards had their backs turned, discussing something regarding paperwork they were hovering over.

Now that he had some good, local connections, Blueblood felt like he was going to make some great progress in sabotaging Aversion...

25. Resolution

The following morning, the earth pony, alicorn, and changeling awoke to find that they still had very much the remnant of their wild night. So, they each took separate washrooms to get cleaned up... and Aversion and Scolus simply could not stop admiring their new, pumped forms.

If Luna didn't really love me before, she sure as buck will now! Aversion thought.

Heh, Scolus thought, looks like it's time 'Scol-runt' gets HIS time in the spotlight with the body of a changeling GOD!

So, with that, they all decided to start their day, with Scolus returning to the hive to receive his designated daily duties... but he knew all too well that it would take a turn for the surprise when his hive-brothers would see him.

The deviant changeling drone returned to his hive and found that the sleep chamber was empty, with all of the other hive members having awoken to get prepared for the daily tasks. He readied himself to walk into the main chamber.

Alright, Scolus thought, just walk right in there, Scol... and let them bask in your anatomical glory!

He then strutted into the main chamber, keeping a long, confident stride. Several of the changelings stopped and stared, dumbstruck, at the muscular drone.

"What in the...?"

"...Scolus? Is that you?"

"How the buck did you pack on all that meat under that chitin...?!"

Scolus did not answer and continued his stride, smirking with his eye partially narrowed. Glancing around the chamber, it really brought an alien, but exhilarating feeling to know that everypony in his hive could now see him for what he was, right then and there.

Yep, he thought, you will all WORSHIP ME! You'll all worship my muscles! I'M the new Alpha, now!

Scolus also happened to notice several of the female changelings were literally drooling as they had their gaze fixed on him, their eyes wide and tongues hanging out of their mouths. Some were even giving a crooked smile and blushing as he looked in their direction... and after a moment, he decided to tease the girls a little more by stopping and turning his backside to face them, peeking from around it at them.

Heh heh... Scolus thought, a smug grin across his face. …oh yeah! Gotta show off that big, bouncy bugbutt!

The female drones and warriors started giggling and timidly brushing their hooves against the hive floor, angling their heads down. This was probably the most fun Scolus had with his hivemates, but unfortunately, it did not last quite as long as he would have liked...

"DRONE SCOLUS!" a praetorian changeling guard announced, entering the chamber.

Scolus immediately stood at attention. "A-ah, yes sir! Awaiting orders!"

"We have just received an anonymous tip from one in your faction..." the high-ranking, large changeling spoke, glancing at Scolus' muscular physique, "...that you have undergone quite a transformation, here. Her Highness, Queen Chrysalis, would like to speak to you regarding this matter."

"O-oh... really?" Scolus asked. "But, I have... duties to attend to! Y'know, we gotta keep a tight schedule and keep our boat afloat?"

The praetorian glared. "...Her Highness wants to see you, NOW!"

"A-alright..." Scolus said, trying his best to calm his nerves. "...I-I'll go speak with the Queen..."

With that, he was escorted by the guards to Chrysalis' personal quarters, and along the way, he desperately tried to think of a way he could explain this sudden change to his queen. He had not thought this far ahead, being totally caught up with the fun last night, as well as hoping to make his hive-brothers jealous after all the times they bullied him. This was probably going to turn out very bad...

"Now then, Skull Egg..." Chrysalis spoke.

"...O-oh, um..." Scolus began. "...it's actually 'Scolus,' Your Highness..."

"Whatever." Chrysalis said. "In any case, it should be obvious why you are here. Simply take one look at your current form. Now, I would like for you to tell me exactly what happened that resulted in such a drastic alteration to your system."

Scolus sweated profusely. He struggled to come up with something in just a few seconds.

"...W-well..." he stammered. "...late growth spurt? Y'know, one can never predict these things, what with recessive traits that show up out of the blue?"

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes. "...I find it incredibly disrespectful that you have the nerve to lie to your Queen! And with such a straight face, no less."

Her horn then lit up a bright green, and Scolus was immobilized as he was levitated into the air. This really put him to the coals, and got his heart rate going sky-high.

"Now..." Chrysalis spoke. "...if you wish for me not to siphon every last wisp of positive emotional pony energy from your being, resulting in your slow, weary demise... you will tell me, right here, right now, how you managed to gain so much muscle mass!"

Scolus panted for a few moments. "...A-alright. Okay, Your Highness... I will tell you..."

"Go on..." Chrysalis said.

"See..." Scolus began thinking quickly. "...I have taken the liberty of... altering my diet. It would allow me to develop more muscle fibers and hypertrophy them in the process."

"Really?" Chrysalis asked. "And what, may I ask, does this diet of yours consist of?"

Scolus had to really rack his brain to come up with an answer quickly. "...It's a healthy, organic salad of... Everfree watercress, along with some live crawdads, and a bit of pine resin for punch. From what I learned about the nutrients they all contain... they would aid immensely in muscle development for changelings!"

"So, let me get this straight." Chrysalis said. "You go against our code, living on a diet that is not at all part of the permitted foods, all for your own self gain?"

Scolus gulped. If there was one thing the hive agreed upon, it was that Chrysalis was not one to show mercy for anyone who violated what she wanted. However... her expression lightened up a bit.

"Well, normally I would have you tossed into the dungeon for violating our custom... but in light of your accelerated growth, I think you may have just given our race a massive advantage! So, I shall see to it that Everfree watercress, live crawdads, and pine resin are all incorporated into our diet! This shall yield a much stronger army that depends not on numbers alone!"

Following the brief meeting, Scolus was eventually let out of the chamber, as Chrysalis completely bought into his improvised lie. However, this got the changeling wondering...

She's gonna know I just made up a bunch of horseshit when she eventually realizes it doesn't work. He thought.

He tried his best to keep a straight face while being escorted out of Chrysalis' spire by the praetorian guards.

...Maybe I should see if I could request asylum in Equestria? Scolus thought. Or beg for it if they refuse? Offer hard labor and intel about the hive in exchange?

Blueblood happened to encounter Brutus' cronies on the previous day, and they had very much the same reaction as Brutus himself upon seeing the former Prince. However, with a bit of persuasion regarding getting back at Aversion, they all opened up to him.

They were able to distract the prison guards in such a coordinated fashion that they managed to break Brutus out of the Ponyville jail. From there, they informed him of what they planned to do once Aversion was to come around, to which he delightfully agreed with a wicked, evil smile.

"That's just like my broskis!" Brutus said. "Always pullin' through for me!"

So, they decided to wait around for Aversion to make his usual strolls through Ponyville. Once they saw him in the distance, as indicated by the color palette they could make out, the gang and Blueblood all huddled for a brief moment.

"Alright, the instant that little jerk passes this way, we'll all pounce him and beat him senseless!" Brutus said.

"Precisely!" Blueblood said. "Then, we shall take him prisoner and lock him away where nopony will ever find him! Then he can rot, knowing what a miserable little parasite he turned out to be!"

So, they waited for a couple of minutes before they heard the hoofsteps of Aversion approaching. They were a bit deeper than what the rest of them remembered, however. Regardless, they all jumped out and let out loud battle-cries as they rushed out.

Aversion jumped as the sudden noise and appearance caught him off guard. But the bullies and Blueblood all stopped upon realized how different Aversion looked.

"...What..."

"...The..."

"...Actual..."

"...Buck...?!"

Aversion got over his initial shock, and, realizing he was much taller than all of them, knew that they could do very little to hurt him now. It would, for once, be a fair fight. He stepped forward, grinning in an evil, delighted manner while staring down Brutus.

"Well, well..." Aversion spoke. "...what do we have here? A bully trying to pick on somepony who's now bigger than he is? And 'bigger' in more ways than one?"

"The hell happened to you?!" Brutus said. "You been takin' steroids, haven't you?"

"Nope!" Aversion said, standing on his hind legs and flexing a bit, as well as stretching. "Just some... ah... good, healthy exercise!"

Brutus scowled. "Y'know what? It doesn't matter! I'm gonna kick your fat ass anyway!"

"Try it, marebucker!" Aversion said.

Wasting no time, Brutus jumped at Aversion and attempted to hoof him in the face, but since Aversion had far superior strength, he was able to block and deflect the blow.

"Wow... sloppy." Aversion remarked.

"SHUT UP!" Brutus said, turning himself around to buck his former victim.

Aversion quickly shot himself upward via launching himself with his forelegs. Right as Brutus was about to kick him, he grabbed his bully by the fetlocks and spun him around like an Olympics hammer throw.

"WOAH-WOAH-WOAH-WOAH...!" Brutus yelled as he was being spun.

Aversion then released his grip on Brutus, sending him flying face-first into a pile of garbage bags that just so happened to be nearby. The red earth pony clumsily scrambled to try and free himself, but was too disoriented to succeed.

Aversion turned to face Brutus' cronies, a firm glare fixed in his eyes. "...Who wants some?!"

With that, the bullies all began to step back, very slowly, and when Aversion came stomping in their direction, only then did they take off. Blueblood was the only one left at the scene.

"HEY!" the former Prince shouted. "Get back here, you cowards!"

"YEAH, RUN!" Aversion called out. "Run like the pathetic, insecure tough-guy-wannabes you are!"

He then directed his attention to Blueblood.

"Well... looks like we've got a volunteer!" Aversion said.

Blueblood scoffed. "Alright! You win this time... but next shall be a fair fight! Return to normal size! Only then do we have an honorable duel!"

Aversion could not help but chuckle at how Blueblood was trying to act all standoffish, yet he could still detect the level of fear he was attempting to mask.

"Blue-Blue!" came Discord's voice.

Both Aversion and Blueblood looked to see the draconequus in question slithering his way through the air toward them.

"There you are!" Discord said. "So, have you any idea how long I have been looking for you? You believe it is wise to run away?"

"Hey!" Blueblood protested. "I haven't gone outside of Ponyville! I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Nothing, you say? Hm?" Discord asked. "Then why is it that I just so happened to see you with those bullies, including a Mr. Brawn Brutus... who is supposed to be in jail right now?"

Blueblood bit his lower lip. "Look... could you please... not tell my Aunties?"

"Hmmm..." Discord hummed. "...mayhaps I will... if you are willing to work double what has been scheduled for you tomorrow!"

"Oh yeah," Aversion said. "And I have some more work that needs to be done at my house, too. So, you get to do that in addition to what you already have."

"What?!" Blueblood shouted.

"Hey, just remember," Aversion said, "this is good for you! It teaches you a lesson about life!"

"Now," Discord said, snapping his fingers and conjuring a leash and collar on Blueblood, "let's head on back now to your home-away-from-home, Blue-Blue!"

With that, the draconequus tugged the unicorn, who begrudgingly followed behind, his head hung low in bitter resentment.

"Hmph," Aversion uttered. "Just goes to show, you don't mess with the best! When life pulls you back, it'll eventually launch you forward like an arrow! And when you push too far forward forcefully... you just fall straight down!"

With that, the muscular earth pony continued on his way, gallantly striding through the town and catching the awed gazes of those who happened to see him.

Luna was doing fairly well overall, except...

There had been an incident during her sleep that has been haunting her throughout the day.

The shadow pony was now in the Dream Void, outside of Aversion's psyche. But this time, it looked angrier than ever. It's piercing, white, glowing eyes were nothing more than just triangles pointing downward at each other. It was also stalking her with its head tipped downward, as if trying to go for a very menacing death-glare. It continued to do this throughout the night.

Upon waking, Luna still had this bizarre occurrence fresh in her mind. She thought perhaps it was a good thing that it was no longer within Aversion's mind... but what if that was not the case? What if the entity could enter the mind of another pony?

This situation was becoming very sketchy at this point, and she knew she had to bring it up with her coltfriend. So later in the day, over lunch, she decided to voice her concern with Aversion.

"That shadow pony you saw came back?" he asked.

Luna nodded. "But this time, it was outside your mind's door."

Aversion lowered his gaze to the table with narrow eyes. "So, what do you make of all this, Lulu?"

"Avey..." Luna began. "...did anything happen in your life that seemed... dark, in nature? Did you happen to participate in any sort of ritual or demonic rite?"

Being an expert on demons and dark magic, Luna knew that things such as this did not happen for no reason. Even though she had never seen a demonic entity like the shadow pony, she knew it was not possible for it to end up with Aversion by accident.

"Well..." Aversion spoke. "...there was one incident back when I was younger... one that I was fearful I would regret later..."

Luna tilted her head. "So, what happened?"

"Maybe it would be best to go back to the very beginning, just to understand why I went through it." Aversion said.

A very pregnant silence hung in the air for some time.

"Alright," Luna said. "But you don't have to tell me the entire story; rather, we can both project ourselves into the past."

"Really?" Aversion asked.

"Yes," Luna said, "but it may have to wait until later tonight, after I sift through all of my paperwork, and get my general royal duties completed."

"Okay." Aversion said.

The two decided not to dwell too much on the matter, and simply went back to their meal, asking an occasional small-talk question, but otherwise saying nothing.

26. Shadows from the Past

In spite of Aversion wanting to explain what happened in his past, Luna insisted that she had a better way of knowing for herself. They went to her old bedroom in the tower of the Castle of the Two Sisters, where they would be alone long enough for it to work, based on what the alicorn intended to do.

"In order for this to work," Luna said, "I would need your full cooperation, Avey."

"Well..." Aversion began, "...alright."

With that, Luna's horn began to glow as she closed her eyes. She angled her head down to the point where her horn touched Aversion on the forehead. The room dissolved into a bright blue vortex, which continued for several seconds until it yielded an actual environment. She tipped her head back up as the glow of her horn went out. Aversion noticed that she had become translucent, with a blue halo surrounding her. Looking at his legs, he saw that the same happened to him as well.

"Uh, Lulu..." Aversion spoke, "…what happened? Where are we?"

They appeared to be on the outskirts of Ponyville, but there seemed to be less infrastructure.

"We are in your hometown, Avey," Luna said. "However, we are projecting our minds to a different point in time."

Aversion then realized the property they were on. "Wait... this is my childhood home!"

He did indeed recognize the old, one-story rancher that he lived in until moving out. It brought back quite a surge of nostalgia for him, including some memories he'd rather forget.

"Let's go investigate," Luna said.

The two went around to the back side of the house, peering in through the sliding glass back door into the living room. There they saw...

"...M-my mother...!" Aversion stammered.

His eyes were wide and jaw agape as he stared at the mare sitting on the couch, holding a blanketed thing to her chest, gently rocking it. When she held it at an angle where they could see, that was when the realization hit him.

"And... that's me!" Aversion said.

The baby pony in the bundle was indeed him as a colt no more than a few months old. He hardly had much of a mane, his muzzle was short, and his eyes were of quite smaller proportion to an adult pony.

"Awww..." Luna uttered, "...oh, Avey! You were so cute as a baby!"

Aversion blushed, his eyes falling to the floor as his mouth went narrow, humming in bemusement.

Evasion held her child down near her pelvic region, and she seemed to be centering his face around it. Luna and Aversion both wondered what exactly she was doing, up until the former caught on after a few seconds.

"Uh, Avey... you might wanna look away," Luna said, covering her coltfriend's eyes with her wing. "Your mother is... nursing you."

It continued for a bit, with Aversion getting a bit impatient about not getting to look at his mother, for the first time in years. Eventually, though, Evasion stopped feeding her baby and held him up to her barrel again, and Luna let Aversion look again. The infant colt hiccuped once after swallowing the last little bit of his mother's milk.

"If only you could've known your father..." Evasion said, "...and if only I wasn't so cruel as to reject him. I just felt... like I wasn't ready."

"Eh-neh-wuh-deh," the infant Aversion spoke incoherently.

Evasion sighed, rubbing her son's head gently. "I submitted a formal request to the court that he not pay for child support. I just don't want to make him suffer any more than I already have. But still, even after that mistake I made with Lorn that one night..."

She trailed off, looking at up the ceiling for a few moments, before returning her attention to her child.

"D'neh," the infant Aversion spoke up, trying to get his mother's attention.

"Oh, my dear little Avey..." Evasion said, hugging the bundled colt. "...you are the most precious thing I have ever been blessed with. I will do everything I can to make sure you live a good life."

"Ub-bub," the infant Aversion babbled.

A warm smile filled Luna's face as she watched this. "Oh, your mother truly cared for you."

Aversion nodded. "...She was one of the few in my life."

"Well, so far, everything seems fine here," Luna said. "Shall we skip forward a few years?"

"Go for it," Aversion said.

Luna then focused her magic to her horn again, and the surroundings dissolved into a glowing blue vortex again, continuing for a few seconds before it came back into view, but it was slightly different this time. There were more buildings in Ponyville, and the house had some minor alterations in appearance, as well as some additional lawn decorations.

"We jumped forward a couple of years," Luna said.

Immediately after she spoke, the pair heard some hoofsteps approaching, and saw a stallion with a dark-gray hide, along with a very messed-up looking, dirty-blonde mane and tail. Aversion nearly lost his balance at the mere sight of this stallion.

"Sledge Hammer!" he uttered. "Oh, I swear, if I wasn't in ethereal form right now... with my new muscles, I'd..."

"Settle down, Avey," Luna said. "You simply cannot change the past."

Aversion sighed. "If only..."

Sledge Hammer trudged inside the house, where he sat at the table, Evasion trying her best not to acknowledge his presence immediately, as she had her back turned while she was preparing dinner.

"Hey!" Sledge spoke up. "Where's my beer?"

"There's some in the fridge," Evasion said.

Sledge narrowed his eyes. "...So it's just supposed to magically float from the fridge into my hoof? Why don't you make yourself useful and be the good wife you're supposed to be?"

Evasion sighed, trudging over to the refrigerator just behind Sledge. The stallion smirked as she walked by.

"Hey, babe," he said, "don't get so down, now. Y'know how I like when my partner's glad to help out her husband."

He playfully slapped Evasion's plot as she walked by, and the mare tried her best to suppress her recoil at his intrusive act. Aversion's eyes went narrow as he bunched his lips together.

"How dare he treat my mother like that..." he muttered, "...no respect for her whatsoever!"

As Evasion got a beer bottle out of the fridge to bring to Sledge, the stallion himself reviewed the mail that came in. Among them, however, he happened to find an envelope from Evasion's employer that had already been opened. Inside was a note, which he pulled out to read. Evasion took note of this, and in a panic, rushed over to try and snatch the note away.

"Sledge, dear..." she said, "...please! That's private!"

"I'll be the judge of that!" Sledge said.

Holding back Evasion with one hoof, Sledge looked over the note, and after a moment, pushing back the struggling mare, his eyes lit up.

"A family assistance grant?" He said. "And you didn't tell me about it?"

"Why should I?" Evasion asked. "I know you would just spend it all on drinking and gambling!"

"You are going to tell me right now..." Sledge said, scrapping his hoof impatiently across the tile, "...what did you do with that check?!"

"It's none of your concern, Sledge!" Evasion said.

In a fit of rage, Sledge Hammer knocked a chair out of his way, forcing Evasion back, and pinning her against the wall. Aversion gasped as he watched this unfold.

"Oh, dear Celestia..." he said, "...this brings back... horrible memories..."

"Tell me right now... where's the check?!" Sledge Hammer growled.

"...I put it in a nontaxable indexed account, will yield substantial return!" Evasion said. "And all of it, I wrote in legal paperwork, will be going to my son when he is of proper age!"

Sledge gritted his teeth. "...You did what?!"

"It's because I love my son!" Evasion said. "And I want him to be able to lead a good life! It's literally no change to our current income, since we won a drawing!"

Sledge shoved his wife to the floor, his nostrils flaring as he heavily exhaled. "...You sneaky bitch... you go behind my back... AND HIDE MY MONEY FROM ME?!"

"It's not your money!" Evasion said. "It belongs to the family!"

"And I'm not family?" Sledge asked harshly.

He trudged over to Evasion, grabbing her by the mane and making her yelp.

"...You just made a big mistake, tramp!" He said.

"...U-uh..." Aversion said as he nudged Luna.

The Princess looked at him to see that he was quite upset.

"...Lulu, l-listen..." he said, "...this is the night... wh-when... my mother..."

Luna suddenly realized what he meant, and her heart sank. "Yes, you're right, Avey. I won't keep us here any longer."

So, she used her magic to jump them forward a few years in Aversion's life. The environment had subtly changed again, but was still familiar enough to identify as the same house in the same location. Yet again, it was nighttime. Immediately after they arrived, Luna and Aversion saw the door open, and out came an adolescent Aversion, who pulled a flier out, skimming over it.

"So..." the teenage Aversion said, "...these ponies say they'll help?"

He looked ahead at the lights of the small community.

"...At this point, it's all or nothing," he said.

The adult Aversion's eyes lit up. "Wait... I remember this!"

"Really?" Luna asked.

Aversion nodded, pursing his lips. "...You'll see soon what happened. And I think... it triggered what you've been seeing in my unconscious mind, Lulu..."

So, the younger Aversion set off into the night, and the two spectral ponies followed after him. After walking along the outskirts of the town for a little while, the adolescent Aversion arrived at what appeared to be a makeshift camp, inhabited by a group of black-cloaked ponies. One approached upon arrival of the teen earth pony.

"Halt!" the cloaked pony said. "Who goes there?"

"...Silence, my Brother," the younger Aversion responded.

The cloaked pony's face lit up. "Hmmm, so you remembered the passphrase? Very good, we shall do our service to you!"

"So..." young Aversion said, "...you're sure this will work? It'll make my life better?"

"Oh, positive!" the cloaked pony said. "This will yield some... unique effects on your livelihood."

"Great!" young Aversion said.

So, he followed the cloaked pony to a group of more ponies in identical black cloaks, sitting in a circle around... a pentagram. Luna's eyes went wide as she saw this. She turned to the spectral, present-day Aversion.

"Avey..." she spoke, "...who exactly did you get involved with that led up to this?"

Aversion shuffled his hooves nervously. "Well... when I was hiding in the woods, crying after being bullied at school all day, coming home to be abused by Sledge Hammer, that was when one of those cloaked ponies approached me. He asked me what was wrong, and I told him. Then, he told me 'All these misfortunes happen in the light of the day, does it not?'

"Of course, when I thought about it, and since I was still fairly naive at the time, I concluded that it was logical. Then he said 'You find most bliss in the dark, which we are experts of. You must completely surrender yourself, mind, body, and soul, to darkness. For it shall yield the most positive influence in your life! It will give you power and control!'

"At first, I was a bit sketched out, but after some coaxing... he convinced me that he was telling the truth. It sounded so promising, and with nowhere else to turn, I wanted things to get better based on what he had to say. And well... there I was at the campsite," Aversion said.

They returned their attention to the past, where the pony escorting Aversion took his seat in the one open spot of the ring of other cloaked ponies, and Aversion, following verbal instruction, stood in the middle of the pentagram. Then, the cloaked ponies started reciting an incantation, over and over, in unison. Young Aversion closed his eyes and tipped his head forward.

This continued for several minutes, and a blood-red glow outlined Aversion's body as he began to hover a few feet above the pentagram. The cloaked ponies all began reciting faster, gradually increasing speed as the red halo surrounding Aversion became more intense. It eventually led up to the young earth pony's tipping his head straight up with his mouth falling open. As this happened, the silhouette of a phantom pony with piercing white eyes manifested above him for a brief moment.

It was this apparition that got Luna's attention. "...The shadow pony! So this is where it came from!"

Immediately, Luna used her magic, and the landscape dissolved completely, fading to white.

Aversion and Luna opened their eyes. They were back in the Castle of the Two Sisters, in the present.

"Woah..." Aversion uttered, "...that was intense!"

"So, now we know," Luna said. "It was that ritual. That's what introduced that entity to your psyche."

Aversion hung his head. "...And to think I thought they were just a bunch of pranksters trying to waste my time."

"Avey..." Luna spoke, "...you should never participate in anything demonic! Nothing good comes of it!"

"Sorry, Lulu," Aversion said. "But I didn't know any better! I didn't think demons existed!"

"Well... it's alright, Avey," Luna said. "I don't blame you for going through with it, especially given your circumstances, and how they manipulated you with your still-developing brain. Besides, now that we know what we are dealing with, I believe I could do some research to know for sure what must be done to get rid of it for good. Since it's free in the Dream Void, I fear the stakes have been raised drastically, possibly to affect all ponykind!"

"...N-ngh..." Aversion said, clasping his forelegs around himself. "...h-have I put everypony in danger...?"

"Avey, it's not your fault," Luna said. "You were lied to by these... cultists. Beating yourself up won't solve the matter. But if you can help me in dealing with this matter, I think you shall be able to overcome this burden you've carried since that fateful day. Not only that, but... I believe you are the only one who can do it."

Aversion pondered this thought for a moment. He unwittingly made the mistake of trusting some questionable ponies... but he definitely had the chance to rectify it, if Luna knew for sure what she was talking about.

"...You're right, Lulu," he responded.

"Now that's the 'New Avey' I know!" Luna said, standing. "Now, I may need to pay a visit to the restricted wing of Canterlot Library. There will definitely be something about a demonic entity such as the shadow pony archived there. They will most certainly not allow you in, Avey."

"Okay," Aversion said. "Do what you need to do. I just want the answers to this big mystery."

27. Enhanced Enemy

Luna had learned quite a bit about the dark entity that previously inhabited Aversion's unconscious mind. Based on what she gathered, it was a parasitic, metaphysical being that induces negative emotions in a host, which it would then feed upon to sustain itself. In all essence, the being was a manifestation of despair itself. There was some history with numerous occult practitioners forcing ponies to willingly undergo ritual to introduce these entities into their psyches, as a means of achieving full cooperation when the victim was unable to explain their nightmares and negative outcomes in life.

However, at the moment, that was about all she could dig up on the matter. There was not much in the Canterlot Archives concerning this type of being. Luna herself spent a great deal of time rifling through books, as she did not believe the bookkeepers would understand anything she was talking about, and have no idea where to look. She only trusted herself, having witnessed it firsthoof.

It was, however, getting late, and Luna knew she had to get her rest to carry out her dream duty, as well as rest up for her waking duty the following day. With that, Luna went to her quarters, and took her door-portal to the Castle of the Two Sisters, where she found that Aversion was already lying in her bed, having just readied himself for a night's rest when she arrived.

"Hey, Avey," she said with a warm smile.

"Ah," Aversion uttered after a yawn. "Hey, Lulu."

"Ready for bed, I take it?" Luna asked.

Aversion nodded. "Yeah. Strangely, it's been a bit boring, having nothing to do. I've more or less been spending my free time taking walks, as well as exploring the castle a bit... but hey, sure beats working at that run-down cafe!"

"Indeed," Luna remarked. "Hopefully, by the time it reopens, the new staff will be more vigilant of the needs of their employees. And in the meantime, there have been a number of job postings all over Canterlot, from what my servants have dug up... including some theater roles, for a start."

"Really?" Aversion asked. "That sounds great! It'll be nice to make a living doing something I want."

Luna closed her eyes while tipping her head off to one side and smiling briefly. "Well, in any case, let us get our rest for the day ahead, shall we?"

"Yeah," Aversion said, nestling himself into the sheets a little better. "I'm always down for a good sleep after a long day of being Aversion the earth pony."

They both laughed. Then, after dimming the magical lamps in the room, Luna climbed into her old bed, pulling herself under the covers, and wrapping her forelegs around her coltfriend in a deep, caring hug, which he, as always, returned to the Princess.

"I love you, Avey," she said.

"I love you more, Lulu," Aversion responded.

As the two held each other, they very gradually drifted off to a peaceful pre-sleep state of mind. The only thoughts running through their heads were of each other, never wanting to let go. Their breathing became silent and steady, their heart rates lowered, every muscle in their bodies went limp, and they both felt the lovely floating sensation of dozing off...

Luna was once again carrying out her dream duties like normal, and there was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary at first. However… at some point during the course of her duty, there were some bizarre apparitions that manifested both within ponies' dreams, and in the Dream Void.

They consisted of things like Nightmare Moon taunting her, the unending, stark landscape of the moon, the ponies of Equestria ridiculing Luna for various reasons, and even of Luna herself, telling the real Luna how absolutely worthless she was to ponykind, and a horrendous monster she was for her mistakes in the past.

These visions were something she believed she had moved past, as she was able to brush them off at first, but as time went on, they became more frequent and intense, and Luna began to feel extremely uneasy.

Given that most of her innate trauma stemmed from these events, it really struck her in the heart when she was forced into flashbacks of a much sadder time in her life. Her sister undermined her… everypony despised her… she never had the chance to show anypony that she truly wanted to do something good for them, all of it leading to her corruption.

Eventually, Luna could no longer take the subconscious abuse, and she broke down. She cried, not just out of sorrow, but fear. She worried that this could be a premonition to history repeating itself, that she would just be subject to the same treatment as before. To be hated by the world… it was a fate that she personally considered worse than being banished to Tartarus.

"N-no…!" Luna stammered, cowering on the ground of the Dream Void. "...I do not wish to be spited by my subjects yet again! I cannot let the kingdom I serve view me as… inferior to a great leader…!"

A dark-violet energy began to flow from the tip of her horn.

"Wh-what the…?!" she uttered.

Luna tried her hardest to block the flow with her hooves, but it seeped between them. She tried to use a random spell of her horn, but it appeared that her use of magic had been suspended. Whatever force was influencing this strange energy manifestation, it had overridden her magic entirely.

Eventually, the ethereal substance took on the form of an equine being… and it was a creature that Luna was all too familiar with…

"...T-Tantabus…!" Luna choked out, her eyes wide.

It was indeed the entity she had beckoned from the trauma within her very soul, for the very purpose of inflicting self-punishment, which she believed she was deserving of after her reign of terror as Nightmare Moon. However, once she had banished it… she never wanted for it to ever return.

Just as the Princess of the Night was about to retaliate against the shadowy entity, however, there was yet another complication. A dark portal opened some distance off to the side of both of her and the Tantabus, drawing both of their attention. Stepping through it was the shadow pony that haunted Aversion up until a short while ago.

"You again?!" Luna asked. "What do you want?! WHO ART THOU?!"

The shadow pony, as always, remained silent. However… it directed its attention to the Tantabus, and narrowed it eyes deviously. Then, it stood on its hind legs, hovered a few inches into the air, and a glowing red light orb hovered in front of its barrel. The orb emitted a conical, spotted beam of light straight at the Tantabus.

The Tantabus began writhing, as if in agony, and tried to escape. But it could not get through the outer perimeter of the light beam. And then, piece by piece, smokelike, glowing-violet shards of the nightmarish entity began to be drawn inward toward the shadow pony, being absorbed into the red light in front of its chest.

Oh no! Luna thought. It's… absorbing the Tantabus?! That cannot be good at all…

Once the Tantabus had been absorbed in its entirety, the shadow pony became encapsulated in a sphere of dark, crimson aura. The sphere dissipated, revealing that the shadow pony now had a sinister, red halo outlining its body, and its eye were now the same color, no longer the slightly-friendlier (but still evil) white.

It gave Luna a very menacing glare for a while, but made no attempt to physically engage her. It hovered in midair, before it turned in a different direction and darted away. It flew for a short distance before passing straight through the door to a pony's mind, like a ghost.

Luna, noting the design of the door from a distance, realized it was…

"...Avey's subconscious!" she said to herself.

She immediately rushed for Aversion's door, but the moment she opened it, the shadow pony, now in a much larger form, blocked her from entering. It lowered its head toward her and emanated an otherworldly, piercing shriek that threw her back with the force of tornado-strength wind.

"GAH!" Luna woke with a jolt.

It was still in the middle of the night. As she gathered her bearings and overcame her disorientation, she saw that she was back in her old bedroom, Aversion still asleep at her side.

She laid awake for a little while, staring up at the ceiling and pondering what had just happened.

So, that shadow pony, being loose in the Dream Void, must have manipulated my fears to feed on them… and it inadvertently made me conjure another Tantabus, which it absorbed! And now… its form has been enhanced to a significant degree, and on top of all of that, it was able to re-enter Avey's psyche…

Now she had absolutely no clue what exactly she was dealing with at this point, and what it could mean for Aversion. She knew she would need to do some more looking into both the entity, as well as her previous notes she made regarding the Tantabus.

Plus, she might also need to bring this up with Celestia, just in case there was any way she could aid in the matter.

Luna had not gotten much sleep for the remainder of the night, but her willingness to save her coltfriend from this new malevolent being kept her wide awake for the following day. She confronted her sister concerning the matter, and explained what happened last night in the dream world.

"So…" Celestia began, "...what do you make of all this?"

"Well, I know that this entity is responsible for a great deal of Avey's depression following his eventual moving out of his stepfather's home. It was the reason he was unable to achieve long-term happiness until I met him," Luna said.

"Oh?" Celestia acknowledged. "And what makes you think that?"

"These dreamscapes he encountered, that I have traveled to... they are childhood nightmares," Luna said. "Getting bullied in school... getting lost in a market... and getting locked in a closet... these are all things that happened to Avey as a young colt! Everything was so big and misshapen because that's how he saw the world when he was so young and small! And that shadow pony... that thing... it's been watching him... following him... haunting him! For years! It appeared in all of these dreamscapes."

Celestia's eyes fell to the floor as she listened to Luna explaining all of this. She did not expect this to be the case with a pony like Aversion at all.

"Whatever that dark entity is... it's a parasite. It is feeding on Avey's negative emotions! Something happened to Avey when he was very young, whether he knew it or not; he was exposed to a powerful curse to have this... demonic creature... tethered to his soul for so long. But he was freed of it briefly for a short while," Luna said.

"When was that, Lulu?" Celestia asked.

Luna knew, based on what happened with the one night she, Aversion, and Scolus had themselves a bit of "fun"… it was exactly what forced the shadow pony out of Aversion's subconscious.

"...Avey recently had quite a… joyful experience," Luna said, trying to suppress potential blushing. "The positive emotions he had were so intense, they drove the entity out of his psyche. It was not able to find a way back in on its own… but…"

The younger Princess took a breath before readying herself to explain.

"...it realized I was involved in sabotaging its goal, and began to torment me to the point where I manifested another Tantabus, which it promptly absorbed, resulting in its power being greatly amplified, as well as taking on new characteristics. From there… it forced its way back into Avey's mind."

"Hmmm…" Celestia hummed, thinking. "...I think you're right, Lulu. This definitely cannot be good. Given how much of a threat the Tantabus posed previously, how do you think this could affect Aversion?"

Luna thought about it for a moment. Given that she was an alicorn, she was immune to the full power that the Tantabus could use. It was a being that fed not only on the negative emotions generated by nightmares, but also the life force of its victim. Because she was immortal, this was not an issue for her, but Aversion…

"...'Tia…" Luna began, "...I fear that Avey's life could be in peril! He is mortal, and if the shadow pony took on characteristics of the Tantabus…"

Though they had no confirmation, it seemed reasonable to believe that the entity could start siphoning Aversion of, not just his positive emotions, but his life energy as well!

"Okay, we will think of a plan to exorcise the demonic entity from Aversion," Celestia said. "I can brief our arcane mage scholars and masters of the situation, and see if they cannot perform some special rituals or provide enchantments that could destroy, or otherwise halt, the shadow pony that has inhabited Aversion's spiritual body."

"And in the meantime, I will see if I can look into the matter myself a little more," Luna said.

"But first…" Celestia said, raising a hoof, "...we both have some royal duties to catch up on."

Luna sighed. "Alright…"

Hopefully, Aversion would be able to hold out for a few days while she investigated the matter, if this was indeed a lethal spirit they were dealing with. When it comes to a spirit draining a pony of their energy, it takes time. So there was nothing to worry about immediately. But still...

Knowing that it had become powerful enough to start siphoning Aversion's life energy for its own use, Luna feared strongly that his soul was in danger.

Aversion and Scolus both decided to spend a day together, since neither of them had any important duties to fulfill. Scolus had taken the form of another random pony, this time under the guise of a custodial cleaner going under the alias "Dust Devil."

They more or less spent their time window-shopping and eating out, as well as hitting up the Ponyville arcade after Scolus managed to snag some more loot from Chrysalis' stash.

"Y'know, 'Dust,' " Aversion began, "I'm actually quite surprised with myself that I never took up your advice sooner."

"I can understand," Scolus responded.

"Yep," Aversion said. "But, given the way things have been going, I feel they will only be getting better from here on out!

The two walked through the market district of Ponyville, when they heard a voice sound from behind them.

"Hey, Aversion!" Came a female's voice.

The two spun around… only to see a mare Aversion had not thought about for even a second after meeting Luna.

"S-Suncrest…?" Aversion trailed off.

"What?" Scolus asked. "Av, who is she?"

"Nopony…" Aversion said.

Suncrest's eyes went wide. "Aversion… why would you just brush me off like that?"

"...Because you did it to me," Aversion responded.

"Aversion," Suncrest began, "is this seriously about the last time we talked? Is that still hanging over you?"

"Partially," Aversion said. "Honestly, I'd forgotten all about it until you came up to us a few seconds ago."

Suncrest narrowed her eyes and darted her gaze about for a second. "…I don't know how to take that."

"Um, Av…" Scolus said, "...maybe we should just leave it here before you do something you might regret?"

"Just give me a moment, 'Dust.' I need to explain something to Suncrest, here," Aversion said.

With that, Scolus backed off after a second, and Aversion returned his attention to his former crush.

"Now," he began, "you do realize exactly why I invited you for a picnic on that one day, right?"

"Of course, but I was already dating somepony else," Suncrest said. "But why should that be a deterrent to maintaining our current friendship?"

You don't understand how the male mind works, do you, Suncrest? Aversion thought. It's all-or-nothing when it comes to the mare of your dreams.

"I mean… we can still just be good friends, right?" Suncrest asked.

Aversion pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. "...I'm sorry, Suncrest. But I'm afraid the friendzone is simply no-pony's land for a mare whom a stallion feels fondly for."

Suncrest frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Aversion said, "that you hurt me that day… badly. That's a pain I will never forget. I want nothing more to do with you."

This hit Suncrest hard. The stallion she was talking to right now… it was not the Aversion she knew from the cafe. He was always so kind and empathetic toward her. To have him behave so coldly toward her was very sobering and harrowing.

"Besides," Aversion continued, "I've met another mare, who has actually reciprocated my feeling for her. Not only that, but she is of great noble status."

Suncrest's eyes went wide. "Wh… WHAT?!"

"He is telling the truth," Scolus said. "I've met her myself! And she's quite a beautiful, kind mare!"

"S-so… just because I turned you down…" Suncrest spoke, timidly, "...th-that gives you the right… t-to just instantly go… for s-somepony else…?"

"Actually, yeah, it does," Aversion responded. "You don't get to decide who I want to be with!"

"B-but, Aversion…!" Suncrest pleaded. "I want to make it up to you… with my friendship! Can't we just do nice things for each other as a way to make up for it?"

Aversion remained firm: "No amount of good deeds can ever outweigh denying somepony, who has their heart set on you, a chance for love! Unless, of course, you were to accept them; quality over quantity, after all. Unfortunately, Suncrest, I'm afraid that ship has sailed. You had a perfectly good opportunity, and you just cast it aside like it was nothing."

"But…" Suncrest trailed off.

Aversion turned away from the earth pony mare. "C'mon, 'Dust.' Let's blow this joint and head home."

"Well, alright…" Scolus responded, nonchalant.

The two then went on their way, leaving nothing but a hurt and confused mare in the market… of course, not counting all the other merchants and shoppers present.

Author's Note

So, it seems at this point that everything is pointing to the shadow pony being the main antagonist of the story... but who, or better yet, what, is it...? And yes, I get that Aversion seems like a bit of an asshole in this chapter, but I feel that someone who is rejected will not be truly satisfied deep inside unless they call out their former crush, and reject them in return. Sort of an eye-for-an-eye mentality.

30. Please Let Me Live

Luna awoke the next morning, instinctively reaching over to where Aversion was to wrap her foreleg around him... however, all she felt were the bedsheets against the mattress. She opened her eyes to see that her coltfriend was indeed absent from the bed.

"Huh?" She uttered, sitting up. "Avey? Where are you?"

Luna stood from her bed, taking a look around to see if there was any sign of his whereabouts. She happened to notice the aura stone on her vanity had grown quite dim. Her eyes went wide, realizing it was the one she attuned to Aversion's life energy. Had it been for this alone, she would be quite concerned, but the fact that he was gone as well...

Scolus slept in his bed, occasionally nestling himself around to get more comfortable, well into the morning... that is, until Luna came bursting through the door.

"SCOLUS!" the princess shouted.

"GAH!" Scolus whooped upon awakening. "Wha...? Princess... what's wrong?"

"It's Avey!" Luna said. "He's missing!"

"So? Scolus said. "He's probably back in Ponyville or something."

"No," Luna said. "The instant I awoke, I forsook my breakfast and traveled to Ponyville to find him immediately, but none of the locals have seen him today!"

The changeling sat upright, now more alert than he had ever been shortly after awakening. "He's gone? Did he even leave a note? Did he tell you where he was going?!"

"N-no..." Luna said, tearing up, "...but Scolus... please... I need you to look for him... y-you must find my dear Avey...! H-he could be...!"

"Not to worry, Your Highness!" Scolus said. "I'll find him for you! My species are extremely skilled with tracking, and I've come to know Av's scent quite well. I'll track him down in no time!"

With that, the drone set off to find his best friend... his only friend. All the while, Luna was left, deep in worry, praying for his safe return.

"Please bring him back, Scolus..." she said to nopony in particular.

Scolus traced Aversion's trail through to the woods surrounding the castle. He followed along a wide trail for a while, hovering at a moderately-fast speed.

"AV!" He called out. "AVERSION!"

He came to a patch of some mud, and found some hoofprints... they had the distinct shape of Aversion's hooves, indicating that his friend veered off the main path right around here. He followed without hesitation, determined to ensure that Aversion was alright.

"AVERSION!" Scolus called again. "WHERE ARE YOU, BUDDY?!"

The trail led him through a thick patch of vegetation, down to a small creek. Wandering down the length of the creek, as Scolus had lost the scent, and could only rely on the faded hoofprints, he eventually came across something that came as quite a shock...

...Aversion was laying on his side next to the creek. However, it was not a pleasant sight, to say the least. The earth pony looked extremely ill, with his colors faded, his breathing hoarse and slow, and hardly moving.

"O-oh no... buddy!" Scolus said, galloping over to his friend's side.

He lifted Aversion's head up, and the earth pony, with a bit of difficulty, opened his eyes and looked at the changeling.

"...Sc... Scolus..." he uttered.

"Av!" Scolus said. "What the buck are you doing out here?!"

Aversion glanced around the area. "...Can't... r-remem... ber..."

Scolus tried to think quickly about what to do. He readied himself to carry Aversion back to the castle, but a deep whirring noise sound from somewhere above. The changeling looked up and saw, through the opening in the trees of the bald spot they were in, that a zeppelin was passing overhead.

"Oh, buck!" Scolus said, quickly taking the form of a random pony.

Then he levitated some loose foliage to place over Aversion, so that nopony who looked at them from the aircraft would suspect the worst. He waited until it passed before continuing with his effort to ensure Aversion would be taken back to the castle. Taking his default form once more, he levitated the barely-conscious earth pony, and both flew all the way back.

Princess Celestia had decided to take a bit of time off to enjoy herself.

"Hopefully, Lulu won't be absent for the majority of today," she said to herself. "I really wish she could learn to socialize a little better."

At that moment, a letter materialized in front of the Princess, on the table she sat at for her morning tea and cake.

"Hm?" She hummed. "What's this?"

She opened the letter, skimming over it. After a moment of doing this, her eyes widened and her jaw fell agape.

"Oh, dear... Lulu!" Celestia said.

Without any delay, she abandoned her post-breakfast snack and ordered her guards to prep her carriage. Once it was hauled to the departure platform, she got in right away.

"Take me to the Castle of the Two Sisters, posthaste!" Celestia said.

"Yes, Your Highness!" The pegasus guards drawing the carriage said in unison.

After a short while, Celestia arrived at the Castle of the Two Sisters, where she had her carriage hover at the balcony to Luna's room. Scolus was waiting at the door.

"Wait..." Celestia said, glaring as her horn began to glow. "...what is your business here, changeling?!"

"No, please! Your Highness!" Scolus pleaded. "I mean no harm! I'm a friend of Aversion!"

Celestia's expression lightened up a bit, but she was still a bit suspicious. "Is that so?"

"Yes!" Scolus said. "And we need your help! My buddy's not doing so hot!"

"Alright then..." Celestia said, following the drone inside the castle.

Inside, she saw Aversion, pale and motionless, aside from breathing, under the covers of Luna's bed, and Luna herself sitting at his side, her eyes watery and lip slightly quivering.

"Lulu?" Celestia asked. "What's going on? What's happened here?"

Her younger sister slowly looked up, the tears beginning to spill from her eyelids.

"Th-the shadow pony..." Luna stammered, "...it's... stealing his life force...!"

Her eyes then shifted to the aura stone sitting on her vanity, where the blue glow was frighteningly dim. Celestia walked over and examined it.

"So... you planned ahead for this, I see," Celestia said.

"Please, Your Highness!" Scolus said. "We gotta save my buddy!"

"Yes!" Luna said. "We need to get this thing out of Avey!"

With that, the younger sister touched her horn to Aversion's forehead as he lay near-unconscious. His mind's landscapes were no longer the bright and beautiful places they once were after he met her; rather, they were replaced by dark, barren badlands against a blood-red sky, darkness slowly creeping across from one horizon. Luna was frantic to try and find any signs of life, in the hope that she could protect it from the shadow pony.

However, the entity in question, after a little bit of searching, manifested itself in front of her. The low roar of the wind was the only thing she could hear once it appeared. But that changed when it lowered its head toward her, staring her down with its piercing, cold, red eyes, and without the need for a mouth, let out two, raspy, shrill words over the sound of the wind:

"...He's... mine..."

Luna flinched and opened her eyes, seeing Celestia and Scolus staring at her in extreme concern.

"...This thing is utterly devouring his psyche!" Luna said. "We don't have any time to waste!"

She then returned her attention to her dying coltfriend.

"Avey, listen to me..." Luna said, "...just hold on! For me! Please! Fight this thing with everything you have in you! My love with strengthen your defense!"

The earth pony's eyelids flickered as he opened them, turning his gaze to the Princess of the Night.

"L-Lulu..." Aversion said, weakly. "...before we m-met... I-I wanted to die... I wanted to... l-leave this world behind..."

Luna listened with tears filling her eyes.

"...but... you've helped me... a lot... and now... I... I wanna live...! Please, Lulu... please let me... l-live...! Don't... let me d-die...! If I die..." Aversion trailed off. "...I won't... get to be with you... a-anymore...!"

He was too weak to keep talking and slumped back into unconsciousness. Luna began to let off a few sobs. Scolus himself also started crying, too. Even Celestia herself watched with a sad look in her eyes. After sitting for a few moments, Luna stood and walked over to meet her sister and the changeling.

"So..." Scolus began, "...what are we gonna do about this?"

Celestia sighed. "At this point... our options are extremely limited. And even then, it's very unlikely to actually work.

Luna thought heavily about what she learned regarding the creature's origin. She figured that there may be a surefire way to prevent Aversion's soul from being consumed.

"W-well..." Luna began, "...I think that... i-if we can lure the creature into Tartarus... with Avey as bait... we could imprison it in a vacant prison...!"

"But," Celestia said, "isn't going into to Tartarus of your own accord... risky?"

Luna nodded. "But I would go to the ends of the world and beyond for Avey!"

Scolus sat up straighter. "So... you'll do it, Luna?"

"Most certainly!" Luna said, her eyes rich with determination despite the tears still present.

Celestia smiled weakly. "...He really does mean a lot to you, Lulu. More than I originally thought. You truly love him, don't you?"

"With all of my heart!" Luna said. "And I always go out to save the ponies I love and care for!"

With that, arrangements were made hastily, with Aversion being hooked up to a vital signs monitor that was brought over, and a series of astral projection wards set up around the bed Aversion was in, and the spot where Luna would be to cast herself into the higher planes of reality.

This was it. She was going to go to Tartarus. And she was going to bring an earth pony with her. There were so many thing that could go wrong. But... at this point, it was now or never.

Like I said, Avey, though not to you in particular... Luna thought, ...I WOULD go to Tartarus and back for you!

Author's Note

Sorry about the long wait, but finals really have been a pain in the ass. However, I've gotten through most of them and have only one to go (and don't worry, I did pretty good). Hope everything went well for those of you still in school as well! But regardless, I hope things are going well for everyone!

Credit for the background vector goes to "AAAStudios."

31. At What Cost?

Aversion, having lost consciousness, found himself in a pitch-black limbo. It was here that he contemplated everything that happened up to this point.

"How did things get this bad?" He asked himself. "I should've never agreed to participate in that cult rite..."

Suspended in nothing, he sulked. He thought worryingly about the thought of what might happen if he were to die. He knew that now was not the time for regrets, but knowing how weak he was in the waking world, he did not think they had enough time to permanently banish the shadow pony from his psyche.

"I could never be able to go on without Luna..." Aversion said to himself, "...whether it's this life, or wherever I would go after death... it would be the worst."

After a bit of sulking... his eyebrows came down, firm with determination.

"No!" He said. "I can't be thinking like that! Lulu means the world to me... and I would go above and beyond anything for her! No matter what happens, I need to grow myself a backbone, and not sit back letting her handle every single problem I have anymore! So... whenever you're ready, Lulu... I'll be ready to help in any way I can!"

Luna prepared the wards that would allow them both to directly access the Dream Void, and from there, would open a portal to Tartarus in the hopes of luring the shadow pony back to whence it came.

"It sure hope you know what you're doing," Celestia said.

Luna sighed. "So do I, sis."

"So," Scolus began, "is everything ready?"

"I believe so," Luna said.

The wards were arranged around the bed Aversion, who was unconscious, laid in, and a small mat where Luna would sit and enter the meditative state she would require to access the Dream Void without actually going to sleep.

"Okay..." Luna began, taking her spot, "...time to save my love."

The Princess of the Night did her best to clear her mind and achieve proper focus. She blocked out all distraction as Celestia and Scolus silently left the room. The world around her faded, and was replaced with an all-too-familiar realm that extended, seemingly to infinity, around her. Doors of various colors and patterns filled this place. She had successfully tranced herself enough to access the Dream Void while still conscious, albeit in a "sleepwalking," meditative state.

"Huh?" Came Aversion's voice.

Luna looked to her left to see that Aversion's consciousness was now present in the Dream Void with her, just as she surmised would happen. He did not appear very weak, as his physical body is what was being robbed of his energy.

"Good," Luna said. "You made it, Avey! Now comes the part we will need to do very quickly and very precisely. We have little room for mistakes, given your condition."

Aversion glanced around. "So... what exactly do we need to do?"

"First," Luna began, "we need to lure out the shadow pony... using you as bait."

"Me?" Aversion asked.

Luna nodded. "We must get it to come after you, since you're what it's attuned to, so that it may follow us to be imprisoned for eternity in... Tartarus."

Aversion's eyes widened. "Tartarus?! Lulu, are you crazy?!"

Luna hung her head down. "I'm afraid it's the only chance we've got of disposing of it for good, in the limited time we have. If we had more time, there could be a number of other possibilities... but right now, we need to do this, and do it quick."

"Alright," Aversion said.

With that, the two set off right for Aversion's door that led to his subconscious, and soon enough, they found it.

"You will have no need to enter, Avey," Luna said. "If you do, you will simply end up back in your own mind, and we would have to start the rite all over again."

"Okay," Aversion said, stepping back.

Luna turned to face the door to Aversion's subconscious. "Alright, here we go..."

She opened the door and saw the shadow pony, in its massive form, blocking her path again. It let out its shrill scream yet again, but Luna stood her ground.

"FOOL!" Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice. "DOTH THOU NOT KNOW OF THY HOST'S ABSENCE? FOR HE BE'TH OUT IN THE VOID WITH ME!"

Then she took of running, levitating Aversion onto her back, and spread her wings, taking to the air. The shadow pony peered through the doorway, and upon seeing that the stallion it was drawing life energy from was outside of his own mind, its eyes went wide... and then it lowered them into a pure, uncontrollable rage. It was not going to allow anything to steal away its host.

With a great deal of strength, it forced its way through the small door of Aversion's psyche, and galloped rapidly, in midair, to pursue the two. Aversion looked back, and his eyes widened as he clenched his teeth.

"Lulu..." he uttered, "...it's coming after us!"

"Excellent!" Luna said. "It did precisely what we needed it to do."

Flapping at her fastest sustainable speed, Luna powered up her horn, closed her eyes, and readied herself to open the portal to Tartarus. She channeled deep into her magic abilities, subtly chanting the incantations necessary and quickly remembered the type of arcane powers that would allow access to the corrupt plane of reality through the dream realm.

In due time, however, the portal opened up a ways in front of them, and Luna opened her eyes. Aversion bit his lower lip upon seeing the evil, red aura surrounding the gateway to what many often called "hell."

"Oh, geez..." he said, "...Tartarus... how did I get here?"

"It's gonna be alright, Avey," Luna said, the shadow pony in hot pursuit behind them.

They passed through the portal to the dark realm, and the shadow pony had no hesitation following through. The first thing that met them were towering pillars of stone that surrounding several holding areas atop bottomless mountains. Luna and Aversion were both in a spectral form, but even then, the cells were impenetrable. If they were not careful, they would be trapped in Tartarus forever.

"Okay, Avey," Luna said. "Here comes the hard part. Hold on tight!"

She did a half-barrel-roll, and flipped herself back upright, so that she was facing the shadow pony. Her horn glowed briefly, before she fired a bolt of light-blue light at the demon. In response, it shot two side-by-side bolts of dark-red energy from both eyes. Soon, it was an absolute dogfight, with the two going back and forth at each other, trying to hit each other, and swiftly dodging offensive blows from the other.

Aversion squeezed Luna so tight, she could hardly breathe, but her adrenaline was more than sufficient to keep her going. Needless to say, it was very intense, but Aversion did his best to cope, as Luna was clearly the only one able to directly confront the malevolent entity. She flew through several empty cells, trying to trap the shadow pony in one with a magic energy field, only for it to react a few milliseconds too late, reopening as there was nothing inside.

"COME AT ME!" Luna shouted. "FOR THOU ART PROLONGING THINE INEVITABLE, ETERNAL PENALTY FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A LIVING CIVILIAN OF EQUESTRIA!"

Aversion, glancing around, trying to figure out what could be going wrong, realized what might be able to aid in Luna's effort to trap the creature.

It's ME it wants... he thought.

Once they were passing a cell parallel with the stairs, Aversion allowed himself to fall off Luna's back and onto the passageway. He hit the stairs and rolled, but because he was in a spectral form, he was not injured. Regardless, Luna looked back, neglecting to try closing the cell.

"AVEY!" She called back. "What are you doing?!"

The shadow pony noticed that Aversion had fallen as well, and hastily stopped, turning back to face its host. Aversion stood, stomping into the cell, and glaring at the parasitic, dark being.

"I'm right here!" He shouted. "You want me?! Come get me!"

The shadow pony glared right back, and began to make its way toward Aversion, but not at a very high speed.

"I'm not afraid of you!" Aversion shouted.

The stallion then back himself inside of a large cage, which happened to be in the cell he was at. Luna stared, utterly shocked at his impulsive actions.

"Avey, stop!" Luna said. "It's enchanted!"

The shadow pony dart at Aversion as he made his way inside the cage, which began to glow a deep purple color, and began to close. Right as it was about to close, the stallion already planned his next move, thanks to a special perk he received a little earlier. As the shadow pony shot its way into the cage to get him, he grabbed the outermost bar of the closing door, and like a gymnast, swung himself around to the other side, just barely missing the door closing right on him. The door latched into place, and the shadow pony was now trapped inside.

Luna, absolutely astonished by what just happened, glided down next to her coltfriend. "Avey... what was that?"

"I knew it was after me," Aversion said. "The only way it would stop is if it were to get me. So, that's why I did what I did. And, I might just have to thank Blueblood about that night he tried to make me float away, since the flexibility affected my spirit, apparently, too!"

Luna smiled. "That was amazing, Avey! I never would've thought to do something like that."

The shadow pony, now more furious than ever, started pounding on the door of the cage, but it was unbreakable, and it could not do anything to escape. Luna and Aversion watched in relief as his subconscious nemesis was now completely helpless, unable to do anything further to him.

"Well, we did it," Aversion said.

"Indeed," Luna said. "T'was an intense fight, but we managed to make it through."

However, Aversion noticed that the environment darkened briefly before brightening again, and it continued to do so for him.

"Uh, Lulu...?" He asked.

Luna looked at him, and saw that he was fading in and out. Her heart sank as she realized what this meant.

"Oh no, Avey!" She said. "You're running low on life energy! Your link to the living world is beginning to break!"

Aversion gasped as his eyes went wide again.

"Come on!" Luna said, levitating him onto her back. "We must get back and revitalize your physical body, before it's too late!"

Flying as fast as she possibly could, Luna flew back out through the portal they came, the shadow pony letting out a final, vengeful scream at the two. It sat and watched as the portal closed after the two went through it, and it cried so loud, its otherworldly voice could be heard all across Tartarus. As this happened... the parallel world grew much darker, more silent as the scream faded, and colder. Just the power of the shadow pony's anger being released was more than enough to alter the very somber mood of the place, and make it even worse.

Tartarus had become stark and barren, even moreso than it originally had been.

In the meanwhile, Luna and Aversion made it back to the Dream Void, setting down right in front of Aversion's door.

"Go in!" Luna said. "Go back into your psyche! I'll see you in just a moment, Avey!"

"Okay!" Aversion said, going through the door-portal to his mind and closing it behind him.

Luna immediately focused a surge of magic to the tip of her horn, and it shot back down into her brain, giving her a hefty jolt.

The Princess awoke from her meditation, and saw that Aversion was still as weak as ever. He stirred a bit, but it was not very promising. She immediately rushed over to his side, and focused all her spare energy into him, in the hopes of restoring his lost energy... but given how much she used for the events that transpired, she feared it would not be enough.

"A-Avey...?" Luna stammered, tears filling her eyes.

Aversion opened his eyes, slowly and subtly. "...A-ah... Lulu..."

He took very slow, shaky breaths.

"...We..." Aversion uttered slowly, "...we... did it..."

"Yes," Luna said, "but... I really don't know, Avey... how... w-we..."

She began to realize that Aversion was beyond any chance of recovery at this point, with how much of it has been siphoned out of him by the shadow pony. Even though it was no longer in him, he was basically running on fumes. His spirit was already in the process of departing from his physical body. As far as anypony, even the best arcane scholars knew, there was no way to reverse this process... and Aversion himself could feel that there was no coming back from this.

"...I-I..." Aversion strained to speak, "...I'm scared... L-Lulu... I don't... wanna... d-die..."

"I know, A-Avey..." Luna said, taking Aversion's hoof in her own.

Aversion swallowed slowly, before speaking again, his voice even more slurry and raspy. "...I just... have... to wonder... Lulu. How do... you... cope... with... living for... forever...? How... do you... have the... will... to... keep going...?"

Luna lowered her gaze momentarily, tears beginning to fall. "...I don't know. Even after all this time, I just don't know. But... right now..." she sniffled, "...I-I'm... losing that will... to p-persevere...!"

She then pulled her weak, dying coltfriend into a gentle hug. He did not even have the strength to lift his forelegs anymore. After a good long while of this, she let go and looked him in the eye again.

"...Lulu..." Aversion spoke, "...I just want... you to know... you... made the last part... of my life... the best it's... ever... been..."

He used the last of his physical strength to place his hoof atop Luna's, which made the latter begin to let off her sobs.

"...G-goodbye... Lu... lu..." Aversion barely uttered, using up his final breath. "...I... l-love you... so... m... much..."

His eyes closed, Aversion's head tipped off to one side, his mouth slightly open. The hoof his placed on Luna's ended up slipping right back off, fully limp.

Celestia was pacing around anxiously... up until she caught sight of the aura stone that was attuned to Aversion. It's minimally-noticeable, dim light, faded completely to darkness as she watched. The breath escaped from her throat.

"No...!" Celestia said. "Oh no... Lulu!"

Luna was completely unable to process what had just transpired. She remained frozen for a good long while. It was not until the door to the room opened when she realized that Scolus entered the room.

"Luna?" He asked. "How is it going? Did it work?"

Luna, slowly and remorsefully, looked at the changeling drone, and upon seeing her tear-filled eyes, and Aversion laying motionless, the realization hit Scolus... hard.

"...N-no..." he uttered, "...no... not my buddy...! No!"

He rushed over to the side of the bed, taking a good, long look. Hyperventilation took over his regular breathing patterns, and tears began to appear in his eyes. Luna, in desperation, nudged Aversion, hoping, praying, that somehow, someway, he could awaken.

"Avey... wake up! Please awaken!" Luna begged.

She charged her horn with powerful magic, and touch the tip of it to Aversion' chest. There was a flash of light... but nothing happened.

"A-Avey..." Luna said, beginning to cry. "...please... d-don't do this to m-me...! Don't go... wh-where I can't follow...! P-please, Avey...! Please... don't g-go to sleep... forever...!"

"AV!" Scolus uttered as he began to cry. "Y-you're my best b-b-buddy! Best buddies... s-stick together! FOREVER!"

Luna, entirely despondent, pressed her ear to Aversion's chest. She did not hear even a single, familiar thump of his heart. Just literal dead silence. This is when the realization truly, and deeply, hit her. A reality she was just not willing to accept...

...Aversion was dead.

Author's Note

I would've gotten to this chapter a lot sooner, but a recently built a new gaming PC (MSI X470 Gaming Carbon Pro + Ryzen 7 3700x + NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Super), so that's been a big distraction for me!

Credit for image goes to "90Sigma," "ackdari," and "tomalesyatole."

32. It's a Miracle!

Celestia arrived shortly following Aversion's death. After being regretfully informed by Luna and Scolus of the tragedy, she made preparations to have him properly buried. Aversion's body was taken to the Canterlot morgue, and a casket was readied, with Luna giving her own expense to ensure he would have a very nice one.

Luna sat next to Aversion, in the casket, as she readied herself to seal him away... for good. The morticians, Celestia, and Scolus cleared the room, as she requested one final moment with him alone. She gazed upon the corpse of her lover, her eyes still rich with tears.

"Avey..." she whispered, "...my dear, kind Avey... never before have I had the feelings I had with you around... you taught me true, genuine love... you've made me go to great lengths for your sake, of my own accord... a-and..." she trailed off for a moment as she began crying again, "...you've... given my life real purpose... j-just as I... gave yours...! And now... it... it's all over...! S-so... goodnight, m-my sweet, little p-p-prince..." she sobbed, hugging Aversion's limp corpse, "...g-goodnight... f-f-for... ever...!"

With that, Luna broke down completely, sobbing relentlessly. Never did she want to let go of Aversion, even though he was no longer there. His body was all she had left. As she reluctantly lowered him back into the casket, she took a moment to collect herself after a good, long cry, and looked at him one final time.

A single tear rolled down her cheek, dripping off, and falling onto Aversion's barrel, right where his heart was. However, she paid no mind to this. She simply pulled the cloth over him, ready to close the casket, and seal him away.

"May you have... s-sweet dreams... for now on... u-until... the end... of t-t-time..." Luna said, tearfully.

Slowly, she closed the casket... and did not notice that a blue light appeared from inside, right where Aversion's barrel was, just at the last moment before it shut. Nevertheless, Luna was utterly despondent. This broke her heart on a level she did not even know was possible.

"King Sol... my father..." she spoke to the sky. "...please... humble a request from your daughter... and watch over... m-my poor Avey..."

Luna met back up with her sister and the grieving changeling in the room outside the morgue.

"Lulu..." Celestia spoke, "...I'm so sorry. Truly, I am. I know how much he meant to you, and it's truly heartbreaking for this to happen."

Luna sat where she was, not bothering to look up from the floor.

" 'Tia... I-I just have to wonder..." she spoke. "...is... is this my ultimate punishment...?"

"Punishment?" Celestia asked.

Luna sniffled. "...Th-the universe... finally offers me... a k-kind, caring lover... and then... it... t-t-takes him away... f-from me...! Is the universe... p-punishing me... for everything I d-d-did... as Nightmare Moon...?"

"That's not a good way to look at it," Celestia said. "This was most certainly not any sort of punishment, in spite of the tragedy it spelled."

"B-but... but my Avey is DEAD!" Luna cried. "H-he'll... never see me again...! He's been r-robbed of life... l-love... happiness... his h-h-heartwarming smile... and... h-his future...! He was still... s-so young...!"

Celestia took a seat next to her little sister, wrapping a wing around her, and pulling her close.

"Lulu... it's never good when an innocent pony has lost their life," Celestia said.

"But Avey didn't have to die!" Luna shouted.

"I know..." Celestia said, "...and like I said... I'm so sorry, Lulu."

Scolus had nothing to say at this point. All he could do was sit, trying to process this cruel twist of fate. Luna, in the thousands of years she lived, and through the many situations she had been in, finally concluded that literally nothing could hurt more than losing the stallion you love.

'I suppose you require more time alone?" Celestia asked.

Slowly, Luna nodded. Celestia stood and made her way to the door.

"Let us give Lulu some peace, Scolus..." Celestia said, quietly.

Scolus, like a zombie or a robot, stood in a static motion, and walked at a steady pace out of the room. Luna, in the meantime, sat where she was. There was absolutely no way she was ever going to recover from this. No way she would ever stop thinking about it. Her train of thought was swayed slightly by a glint of light she saw. She looked up out of curiosity, and saw that something she was not expecting...

...The aura stone attuned to Aversion's life energy, which Luna happened to bring for sentimental value, had a noticeable glow. And it was getting brighter.

Luna's eyes widened, and her jaw hung agape. She hastily stood and trotted over to the stone, looking at it closely as it illuminated.

"Oh, my sister...!" She uttered.

The stone lit back up to its full brightness. Immediately, Luna broke into a gallop back into the morgue, and levitated the casket lid off. She then pulled up the cloth, getting a look at Aversion... and he was stirring. His eyelids flickered for a moment, before he opened them, and looked right at her.

"Lulu?" He said.

Luna gasped as a massive smile filled her face. "AVEY!"

She pulled the young stallion up into the tightest hug she ever gave.

"HNGH...!" Aversion strained. "...Can't... breathe...!"

Luna did not care. She was just so happy right in that moment.

"Oh, stars above!" She exclaimed. "I thought I lost you! How did you come back?"

Once she released him, and he caught his breath, Aversion slowly responded. "I... I don't know, really."

"Well, it doesn't matter!" Luna said, hugging him again, but more gentle. "You've come back, and that's all that matters!"

When she lowered him back down, Luna looked at Aversion's barrel, just as Aversion himself did. Both of them saw that his heart was glowing a light blue, inside his barrel.

"Whoa," Aversion said. "What is this?"

"It appears to be..." Luna trailed off, thinking, "...a very rare form of magic."

After a moment, the glow within Aversion's chest went out. He then pulled himself out of the cloth inside what would have been his coffin.

"Oh, it's truly a miracle!" Luna said, hugging Aversion yet again. "We must inform 'Tia and Scolus, posthaste!"

And they did inform Celestia and Scolus, both of whom where overjoyed to see him alive and breathing again. Scolus, especially, was ecstatic that his childhood friend was not gone too soon.

"You don't know how happy this makes me, buddy!" Scolus said, giving Aversion yet another tight hug.

"Agh..." Aversion strained, trying to pull himself free, "...at this rate... I'm gonna get cardiac tamponade, and die anyway."

"Oh, right," Scolus said, letting his friend go. "Sorry, dude."

Celestia smiled at the revived stallion. "It's truly a wonderful thing, that fate has decided to allow you to live, Aversion. We all believed for sure your time had come."

"Yes, indeed," Luna said. "I thought I would fall into yet another depression... one even worse than any I had before."

"And, like..." Scolus said, "...how did Av come back from the dead?"

"I believe I have the answer," Celestia said. "When Lulu was sobbing over Aversion's corpse, a single tear, containing the purest essence of her love, fell right onto him, where it magically made its way to his heart. From there, its sparked energy sufficient to revitalize him. It was the power from Luna's love that replenished the energy stolen from him by that malevolent, parasitic entity."

Luna's eye widened. "My tears... gave him life..."

Her lover, finally having the courage to initiate it himself, stood on his hind legs, and hugged the Princess of the Night around the neck.

"Thank you, Lulu," Aversion said. "You saved my life."

"Of course, Avey," Luna responded, wrapping one foreleg around him. "I would do anything and everything for you."

"And," Aversion spoke, "it's finally helped me put the final piece into place for a puzzle I've been struggling to comprehend for years, now."

Luna let go of him, making eye contact with a raised brow. "Oh? What's that?"

"My cutie mark... this blue flame on my flank... it's been one of the biggest enigmas in my life. For the longest time, I did not even know what it was... until now!" Aversion said.

Luna stood where she was, ready for his explanation.

Aversion continued: "When I devoted myself to make a legacy to leave here on Equestria... I felt a drive, and a need to go above and beyond where I was at! That's when my cutie mark appeared! As it turns out, when I am in the right mindset, I am able to bring myself to do things that get me that much closer to leaving a lasting legacy on this world... and when my life was ultimately confined by my financial situation, I lost sight of my inner fire!

"You get what I mean, Lulu? The blue flame... it's a symbol of determination and hope! Finding hope, even in the bleakest of situations, has always been my special talent! It's the reason I was able to keep pushing forward! Even in cases when I became suicidal... there was always something that showed me the light! My fire dims over time... but eventually reignites! And as it just so happens, I have been able to do the same for others. That being you, Lulu."

Luna smiled and blushed as her eyebrows pointed upward.

"Well," Scolus began, "since you died and came back, Av... who thinks this calls for a celebration? I think I'll ring up Pinkie Pie from Ponyville! She'd surely be more than willing to throw us a party!"

"Hmm-hmm," Celestia chuckled. "I believe after such a terrible series of events, it would be worthwhile to perk ourselves back up."

Without any further delay, the two sisters and two male friends left the morgue, leaving some very confused morticians to see an empty casket. They made their way to Canterlot Castle, in preparation for a celebration. Needless to say, they all had an excellent time with the party that Pinkie Pie threw. The rest of the Mane Six, as well as Spike and Starlight, attended as well. Aversion had quite the spotlight from all the attendees, what with him being the one pony they knew of who truly cheated death.

As the festivities went on, and he spent an ample amount of time with his Princess lover, Aversion could not help but chuckle as he recalled what his college dorm-mate, Scrub Oak, told him all those years ago.

"Well... it is just me and Luna. Together, forever," he said to himself. "And Tartarus has frozen over! Heheheh..."

A little while later, Celestia was in her room, getting herself cleaned up for dinner, when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come," she called.

Luna entered Celestia's room. When the latter looked at her younger sister, she noticed she seemed very... tense.

"Is something wrong, Lulu?" Celestia asked.

"Well... not really..." Luna began, "...um, 'Tia... y'know how the magic in my tear brought Avey back to life?"

"Yes, why?" Celestia asked.

Luna nervously shuffled her front hooves. "Well, it turns out... it was a lot more powerful than we originally thought."

"Oh?" Celestia said. "How so?"

Luna sighed, turning back to the door she just came in, motioning for somepony to come in. Some hoofsteps approached, and in walked Aversion. However... he had undergone quite a substantial change, from what it seemed. He was taller, and had wings and a horn. Celestia stared, dumbstruck, at the stallion who just walked in, who smiled weakly, his lip quivering, flustered.

"H-hi, Your Highness..." Aversion said.

"Lulu..." Celestia uttered, "...Aversion's... an alicorn?"

33. Spiritual Reunion

Celestia stared at the earth-pony-turned-alicorn before her, dumbstruck.

"H-how..." she uttered, "...how did this happen...?"

"I don't know!" Luna said. "It was the strangest thing; Avey and I were just spending some time together, and then all of a sudden, he started to undergo the transformation out of nowhere..."

(Flashback)

At the Castle of the Two Sisters, Aversion and Luna sat out on the balcony, conversing about how their troubles that had afflicted them for weeks on end were now over, and what the future could entail for them.

"I think I'll go and prep us some more tea," Luna said.

"Okay!" Aversion said.

With that, Luna went off to prepare some herbal tea in a pot, along with two teacups, and a candle warmer stand for the teapot. When she returned, she found Aversion standing, holding the rail on the balcony, and putting his other front hoof to his barrel. His head was tipped forward, his eyes closed and lips pursed.

"Avey?" Luna asked. "What's wrong?"

"Ahh..." Aversion moaned, "...I... feel funny..."

Immediately after he stopped speaking, he looked up again... and Luna noticed his height had increased. Or rather, it was still increasing. He was visibly growing, a few millimeters per second. A sound akin to muffled meat noises emanated from his soft tissues as they changed and grew, and his joints repeatedly popped as his bones realigned themselves.

Luna stared, setting down the tea set.

"Lulu... what's happening to me...?" Aversion asked.

A strange bubbling effect started under the skin on his forehead, and with it, an appendage began to emerge from his skull. It grew slowly and became pointed, like a spear piercing the front of his head. But that was just the start; the same skin-bubbling started happening on the forward part of Aversion's back, right on his scapulae. A pair of appendages slowly began to emerge, growing slowly but visibly.

"Ohhh..." Aversion moaned.

"A-Avey..." Luna uttered.

She had a feeling about what was going on here.

As the swelling, visibly-bubbling appendages continued to develop on Aversion's body, all he could do was lower his head again. Just about any movement produced an overwhelming physical sensation. Whatever was happening to him was not painful in any way, but it was intense, like touching your hoof that had fallen asleep.

However, after due time, everything stopped. Aversion was able to stand straight up again. He looked over at Luna, who was immobile, eyes wide and jaw hanging.

"What?" Aversion asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Luna, looking around, spotted a spare pane of silvered glass that had been sitting against the stone wall. She levitated it right in front of her coltfriend, who went rigid at the stallion who looked back at him in the reflection. On that stallion's forehead was a long unicorn's horn... and on his back were fairly large pegasus wings.

Slowly, Aversion reached up and touched his new horn, unable to believe that it was real. After fondling it briefly, he turned his attention his pair of brand-new wings. His own touch felt so weird on them, an alien sensation. However, his shock turned to excitement as he finally processed what this really meant.

"...I..." he uttered, a massive smile on his face, "...I'm an alicorn!"

Luna, having gotten over her own shock and surprise, managed to smile weakly.

"Well," she said, "at least now, nopony would object to us being together... or at least, fewer numbers would..."

"But... what will we tell Celestia?" Aversion asked.

Luna's smile disappeared. "Well... this will need to be brought to her attention, regardless..."

(End flashback)

"Of course," Luna spoke, "I realized that it was my alicorn magic, cultured within my tear, that spread throughout Aversion's body, and... well, altered it to be a more familiar host."

"So," Aversion chimed in, "here we are."

Celestia walked around Aversion, examining how he changed.

"How curious..." she said.

"So," Aversion began, "guess I'm the first in history, huh?"

"Actually," Celestia said, "you're the first in a handful, Aversion."

"What?" Aversion asked.

Celestia explained: "You see, alicorn mares are quite rare... but alicorn stallions, despite existing, are even more rare. The alicorn gene is a highly-recessive trait, and it manifests more prominently in females than males. There have been alicorn stallions before... but let's just say, there are many biased historians in our world."

"Oh?" Aversion uttered.

"Yes," Luna added. "The alterations and forgeries began a good a century ago, back when social norms were a bit... different."

"Oh, right..." Aversion said, "...the Stallions' Suffrage movement. I remember learning about it in history class back in school."

Luna nodded. "So, as everypony knows, stallions were not given the same privileged status as mares, and were looked down upon by them. Plus, they were viewed as a disposable gender, back when the Equestrian Military Draft Program was still in effect. Only stallions served in the Equestrian military, and most of them were by draft. And of course, due to the heavy bias against the male pony gender... there were protests and riots by stallions' rights activist groups demanding justice.

"One day, an alicorn stallion, one 'Dissident' by name, was born, raised among his peers, and... well, he was bullied quite often, especially by fillies. Upon reaching adulthood, however, the supporters of Stallions' Suffrage sought to use him to their advantage... but it backfired. Many mares accused Dissident of stealing his horn and wings from other ponies, and called him a blasphemer attempting to usurp the throne.

" 'Tia and I believed, wholeheartedly, that oppression of anypony, regardless of gender, was wrong, but unfortunately, the Royal Council, all consistent of mares at the time, disagreed, as did most female civilians. Eventually, it got so bad, that Dissident, and many stallions left Equestria, seeking nations that would welcome them, and let them live happy lives. Apparently, there were a number of mares who did the same, some to stay with their brothers, husbands, and cousins, and others simply out of their outrage toward the social downgrade males were forced to endure."

"Wow..." Aversion said, "...I've never heard of Dissident before."

Luna sighed. "And sadly… that means you have fallen victim to the forgeries that misandric, feminist historians have made to the history of Equestria."

"Yes," Celestia added. "They wanted everypony to believe that there were only female alicorns, as they viewed an alicorn stallion as a great shame that they wanted to be forgotten. Not only that, but Dissident, and those who knew of him, never made contact with Equestria again, presumably because they want no further contact with a kingdom that abused and oppressed them."

"Hm," Aversion hummed. "I don't blame them, to be honest."

"But the point is, Avey…" Luna began, "...even though you've been stripped of your mortality, you've been given the flight capacity of a pegasus, and the magic of a unicorn. Not only that, but you've also retained your passive earth pony magic that connects you with nature, and especially… you're still the same Avey that I know and love."

Aversion nodded. "Yeah, that's true."

"So," Luna began, "how do you feel, Avey?"

"...Taller," Aversion responded, nonchalant.

The three alicorns chuckled.

"Well," Celestia spoke, "I believe I will have to inform the Council, and make a few time adjustments for a special event…"

Aversion stepped forward, raising a brow. "What event?"

Celestia smiled. "I believe it's only proper that you be coronated, Aversion. After all, I believe that, given the happiness you have provided my sister, and the valiance you have shown against a dark entity, you have proven yourself more than worthy."

Aversion could hardly believe it… he was going to be a Prince! A Prince! Never did he imagine his life could ever lead up to him becoming royalty. However, knowing it was best to let the good things come as they have, did not bother to question it.

"Wow!" Scolus said. "Using magic and flying? Well, welcome to the club, buddy!"

It was later that same evening. Aversion and Luna retreated back to the Castle of the Two Sisters, with Scolus tagging along as usual. But, little did the changeling drone know… his best friend had changed dramatically. Needless to say, he was quite surprised, but happy for his friend regardless.

"Yeah," Aversion said, "and it seems I'm going to be officially coronated by Celestia."

"Oh, way to go, Av!" Scolus said. "I get to be the best bud of Equestria's new Prince!"

"Well, no matter what lies ahead…" Luna said, looking out over the night from the balcony they stood at, "...things are going to be better. For all of us."

"Yeah," Aversion said, looking up at the stars.

One star in particular was glowing brightly, and appeared to be moving… in fact, it was growing brighter and moving downward. The three realized it was coming toward them. The star grew close enough to be revealed to be about five feet in diameter, humming a high tone. Luna, Aversion, and Scolus all stared, frozen, as it stopped, hovering a few feet about the balcony.

From there, the star materialized into a smaller shape, and took the form of a pony. As the fine details worked out… they saw that it was an earth pony mare with a long, periwinkle mane and tail, green eyes, light gray hide, and a cutie mark in the shape of a pair of wings. She had a smile on her face, despite her eyebrows pointed upward.

Aversion's eyes grew wide. "Mom…!"

"Hi, sweetheart," Evasion spoke, her voice soft and warm… very motherly.

The male alicorn stepped forward. He could not say anything more. Seeing his mother appear right in front of him, out of nowhere... he was quite surprised, but also happy.

"I know it's been a long time," Evasion said. "But don't think I would ever forget about you, Avey."

"Who is she?" Scolus asked Luna.

"It's his mother…" Luna responded, "...Evasion."

"Yes," Evasion said. "And I must say..." she bowed to Luna, "...it's truly an honor to be in your presence, Your Highness, even if in spirit form."

"Of course," Luna said. "I've wanted to meet you ever since Avey told me about you... even though I thought I would never get the chance."

"And I must offer you my thanks, Your Highness," Evasion said. "You helped my son through a truly dark point in his life, and gave him a new life... in more ways than one."

"For sure!" Scolus added.

Evasion turned her attention to the changeling. "And I wish to thank you as well, Scolus."

"Huh?" Scolus uttered. "How do you know my name?"

"Like I said," Evasion explained, "I've watched over my son following my death. And I know that, despite the stigma against your species, you've learned how to show true compassion, rather than stealing it from others."

The deceased earth pony mare walked toward him.

"And it was your kindness toward Avey that helped him see what life was really worth living for..."

And then she kissed Scolus on the cheek. The changeling actually felt her lips make contact, as though she were actually corporeal. His eyes went wide and his jaw fell agape as his face flushed green. After a moment, though, he managed to smile again.

"Aw, it was nothing," he said. "I just wanted a friend for myself... and that's when fate crossed our paths, I guess. I gotta say... I'm sure you were an even better mother than my Queen, Evasion."

Evasion returned her attention to her son.

"And Avey..." she said, admiring his new horn and wings, "...given the hardships and challenges you faced, all culminating to what you are now... you truly have turned your life around from the horrors inflicted upon you, and now have the ability to make a long-lasting legacy for yourself. I can't even begin to tell you how proud I am of you."

Aversion smiled, despite tears filling his eyes.

"I just want you to know," Evasion said, "even though I died… I was never really gone. I have watched over you, all these years. Neither I, nor my love, was ever truly gone."

Evasion hugged her son, and he did the same, both closing their eyes. The two held each other very deeply. This was when Aversion really began to let off the waterworks.

"Y-you don't know..." he sobbed, "...h-h-how much I've... m-missed you, Mom..."

"I believe I do, sweetheart," Evasion responded. "Even though I saw you from afar... simply not being with you made me miss you as well..."

As the two continued to hug, Luna and Scolus kept off to the side, watching this heartwarming scene. The Princess, at one point, heard the changeling sniffle. She glanced at him.

"Scolus?" She asked. "Are you crying?"

Scolus hastily wiped his face and turned away. "N-no...!"

After the two finally separated, a beam of light surrounded Evasion from the sky. Slowly, she began to float upward, against her will... but she relented to it.

"And now..." she spoke, "...it is time for me to return to what lies beyond."

Aversion held up a hoof in vain toward his mother. "M-mom...! Will... I ever see you... again...?"

As she continued to float up, Evasion nodded. "I promise to return for you, Avey. Until the end of time, I will always be with you, even if it seems like I am not there."

The spot in the sky where the light emitted from began to flare brightly as Evasion approached it. She waved to her son.

"Farewell for now, Avey," she said.

Aversion waved back, tears flowing once more. Evasion then disappeared as the light grew very bright, enveloping her, before fading completely, and she was gone. Aversion lowered his head. Seeing his mother again, after so many years, made his so happy... and sad. It brought all those awful memories of his childhood back, when the tragedy occurred. Luna walked up and placed a hoof on his shoulder. He looked at his marefriend.

"Your mother is right, Avey," she said. "When a mortal pony dies, they do not truly leave the universe completely. Their spirit, their very essence, transcends the fabric of reality, becoming one with nature. That is the nature of the Gift of the Three Races."

"Oh..." Aversion said.

"Of course..." Luna spoke again, "...given that you have been turned into an alicorn, Avey, I'm afraid you have relinquished the Gift as a tradeoff for your immortality, reincarnation, and power. Unless you were to be turned back, you would remain bound here until the end of time, like me."

Aversion thought for a moment, but was quickly able to make up his mind. "So long as I get to be with you, Lulu, I would gladly give up my Gift. Plus, you won't have to go through grief when I would die of old age."

"And what about me?" Scolus asked. "Can't I be immortal, too?"

Luna smiled. "I'm sure we can research a way to lengthen your life... perhaps even reverse your age. Plus, even if you die, Scolus, changelings, as well as all other species, are still bestowed with the Gift. So, we would still have a means of interaction."

Scolus lowered his head and smiled. "Even in the worst case... you guys still manage to see possibilities. I'm so glad to have you two as friends!"

At that moment, the three heard hoofsteps approaching from the balcony door. They turned to see a light-pink, very fluffy pony... one that looked very familiar to the two of them.

"You again?" Aversion asked.

"How did you even get in here?" Luna asked.

"Huh?" Scolus said. "Who are you?"

The fluffy pony said nothing, instead holding up a picture she seemed to have drawn in crayon. It was a very well-detailed sketch of Aversion and Luna. However, in the drawing, Aversion was still an earth pony. She seemed to realize this, though, as her smile vanished, and she turned the picture around to look at. She held it up, looking at the drawn stallion, then lowered it as she looked at the real Aversion. She did this a few times, realizing the stallion now had a horn and wings, before eventually, she gasped.

She started jolting her head off to one side, hunching her front leg on the same side, before a box of crayons, concealed within her fur, fell onto the stone floor. She picked it up in her mouth, ran inside to the nearby writing desk, and began work on revising the picture, taking a crayon in her mouth and drawing. The three who walked inside after her, needless to say, were quite dumbstruck.

"Who is she?" Scolus asked.

"To be honest..." Aversion began, "...Luna and I don't really know."

Luna pursed her lips. "Well, not like she's harming anyone. I guess we'll just leave her to do her thing."

"In any case," Aversion said, "I think we'd better get some shuteye. We've got a coronation to get ready for in the next few days."

Author's Note

I hope this chapter was all to your liking! Disclaimer: I do not own Fluffle Puff, nor am I affiliated with her creator, FluffyMixer, in any way. Sorry about the long waits, but school's been getting hectic with midterms and whatnot.

34. Prince of Perseverance

Preparations had been made for Aversion’s coronation within the next few days, and everypony in Canterlot, and eventually all of Equestria became aware of their new Prince. Blueblood, needless to say, was utterly shocked by this revelation. He was still in just as much shock as the day he laid eyes on the alicorn stallion.

“...Wh-why...?” Blueblood uttered in Canterlot Castle’s great hall before the coronation was to begin. “...Why is that peasant feigning royalty?!”

“Mind your attitude, Blueblood!” Luna scolded.

“But, Auntie...!” Blueblood complained. “...He was not born into our pure bloodline! He is contaminated by commoner heritage! Change him back to his regular, worthless self so I can banish him from the kingdom!”

“Blueblood...” Celestia spoke, coldly, “...this will be the last time you ever speak ill of Aversion! After today, he will be a true Prince, outranking a lesser Prince like you!”

At this point, Blueblood had no clue what he was going to do about the whole situation. Since Aversion was an alicorn, he no doubt had magic abilities that would overpower and counter Blueblood’s. Not knowing what to do with himself, and wanting to avoid getting scolded any further, the white unicorn retreated to a secluded spot at the back of the hall.

There were, however, others who were quite pleased with Aversion’s ascension. Twilight, the rest of the Mane Six, Starlight, and Spike all showed up for the ceremony. All of them were quite ecstatic to see their soon-to-be Prince.

“Wow, this is amazing!” Twilight remarked, looking over Aversion’s new wings and horn, as well as his new height. “First alicorn stallion ever, huh?”

“Actually...” Celestia said, “...there have been a few in history, though in smaller numbers than mares. However, there have been many forgeries in the history books by biased historians wanting Equestria to forget about male alicorns.”

Everypony fell silent and frowned.

“There were alterations to written history... because they found such a thing distasteful?” Rarity asked.

“Well, that’s pretty messed up if ya ask me!” Applejack remarked.

“Yeah,” Twilight said, “and it especially sad for ponies like me, who just love history! All it does is force us to look harder than necessary for credible sources.”

Aversion nervously shuffled his hooves. “I’ll be honest... I don’t feel like I’m ready for this.”

Everyone looked at him.

“Avey,” Luna said, placing a hoof on his hunch, “you’ve come so far! And with the resolve you’ve shown throughout your life, I believe you are more than ready to take up a throne for yourself!”

“Yeah!” Pinkie said. “Don’t get all low and blue! Think about how exciting your life is about to get!”

Starlight nodded. “I used to give in to self-doubt myself... but I learned to overcome it. Trust me, Aversion. Good things will come of this new chapter in your life!”

“You got this, dude!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Totally!” Spike added. “Go for it! Don’t let this big chance go to waste!”

Aversion smiled. “Everyone...”

“How encouraging,” Luna said.

“Well, enough dawdling,” Celestia said. “The ceremony is set to begin soon!”

“You sure you don’t want to turn back now, Avey?” Luna asked.

Aversion pondered for a moment. After taking some time to reflect on his life, and realizing how much Luna has turned it around for the better, as well as the privileges she had, in addition to the wealth...

“...Through thick and thin, Lulu...” Aversion spoke, “...I’ll always stick by your side!”

Luna smiled warmly at her coltfriend.

A little while later, the hall was filled, presumably beyond maximum rated capacity, with Canterlot civilians and travelers from all across Equestria. There were also television cameras setup all about the hall. Aversion tried his best to calm his nerves with slow, deep breaths as he processed that a large portion of the kingdom’s population was watching him as he made his way up the stairs to the stage where Celestia, Luna, the Royal Council, the Mane Six, Spike, Starlight, and Scolus all stood.

Despite his nerves, however, he still felt quite excited by the whole situation, imagining how different his life was going to be going forward. No doubt, things were going to be much better moving forward.

Aversion stepped in front of Celestia, who levitated a custom-made crown off a cushion resting atop a short pedestal between the two alicorns.

“Aversion of Ponyville...” Celestia spoke, “...you have demonstrated the resolve of a true hero, aiding in the defeat of a malevolent entity that posed a threat to the dream world. Had it not been for your efforts, nightmares would become reality... our worst fears would become our daily lives... our world would descend into chaos for all eternity...”

Luna, standing off to Celestia’s side, watched as happy tears filled her eyes.

“So, in adherence with our honor system, and in regard to your new anatomical change...” Celestia said, placing the crown on Aversion’s head, just behind his new horn, “...I hereby crown you, Aversion, as the Prince of Perseverance!”

The crowd erupted into applause, and Aversion turned around, waving happily at all his new subjects. Never, not once in his life, did he ever expect to receive such a standing ovation from the ponies who he believed were actively working against him. Once it died down, he took the microphone Celestia was using to make his speech.

“Thank you, all of you,” Aversion said. “You know... I would like to be the first to say that this is probably the biggest honor I could ever receive in my now-eternal life. As an earth pony... I felt like I had nothing for a future. Everything looked so bleak... but that’s because I was too afraid to ask for help. Once Princess Luna came into my life... that’s when my perspective forever changed. I lost sight of what was right in front of me... but what was once hidden from my view became crystal-clear.”

Many of the audience members, clearly inspired by the words, stared wide-eyed at the new Prince.

“Luna, who just so happens to be my lover... she genuinely changed me,” Aversion continued. “I was never the same after I met her, but not in a bad way. And with the events that transpired over the past few months... I can safely say that I now know I have the capacity to leave a lasting legacy on this world. So, that leaves me with one question, for all of you... what’s your story? I implore you all to figure out how you can change this world for the better. Even if you can’t fulfill your own ambitions, you can be just as good to help somepony else fulfill theirs.”

“STOP!” A mare’s voice called from the back of the chamber, after the doors burst open.

Nearly everypony in the hall looked back to see...

“Star Buck?!” Aversion uttered.

The former café manager was not alone, however. Standing at her side was a familiar large-figured, brick-red stallion.

“Brawn Brutus!” Luna said.

“You...!” Star Buck growled loudly, making her way forward. “...You are going to pay for what you’ve done!”

Confused murmurs started among the crowd as the two uninvited guests made their way to the stage.

“What the hell are you two doing here?!” Aversion questioned.

“Teaching you a lesson!” Brutus said. “You have no idea how difficult it was for us to get here!”

Star Buck gritted her teeth with an angry stare. “Mr. Aversion... you took everything from my ex-husband and I! We’re bankrupt and broke! Our business is ruined! And on top of all that... my husband filed for divorce and left me for some rich model mare! Are you proud of yourself for ruining my life?!”

“And I had to have my buddies scrounge together a lot of funds to pay my bail!” Brutus said. “And I’m not gonna let it go to waste!”

Aversion’s eyebrows came down low over his eyes. “You two have no business screwing up my big day! Get out of here!”

“That ain’t gonna fly, Ass-version!” Brutus shouted. “I don’t give a shit if you’re a Prince! I’m not living in a world where a scrawny, stupid assbag like you is royalty!”

“You ruin our lives, we ruin yours!” Star Buck added.

Luna stepped forward. “I hope you realize you are making yourself look like a pair of spoiled brats across the kingdom! Vengeance is a fool’s game! Besides, Avey no longer works for you!”

“He’s just suspended, not fired!” Star Buck said. “He’s still employed by me, so he’s still my subordinate!”

Aversion narrowed his eyes. “Then how about you read my lips and decipher this message: I QUIT! Consider my coronation an official resignation!”

“Well, you’re not getting out of a well-earned ass-kicking!” Brutus stated.

“Guards!” Luna said. “Arrest them!”

Almost immediately, the two earth pony intruders were pounced by the Royal Guard. They struggled as the guards attempted to bind their hooves in shackles.

“GET THE BUCK OFF ME!” Brutus shouted.

“This is harassment!” Star Buck chimed in. “Get off, or I’ll sue you for violating my civil rights!”

“Interfering with a royal ceremony is a serious crime!” Celestia said.

By this point, the crowd angrily shouted at Star Buck and Brutus for barging in on the coronation without invitations or tickets. Once they were detained and cleared off, the crowd cheered and stomped their hooves in applause once more. Aversion chuckled a bit at the fact that ponies were cheering for his former boss and bully getting taken into custody.

Everything after that minor hiccup proceeded as normal, with the celebration kicking off nicely. The party lasted all day, and continued well into the night. It was truly the happiest time of Aversion’s life, better than his first meeting with Luna, their night at the amusement park, professing their love, or battling a malevolent spirit.

He would never, ever forget that day.

A few weeks passed since the coronation, and Aversion was adapting fairly nicely to royal lifestyle. It was a bit difficult and tedious, but with Luna’s guidance, he was able to get his workload sorted and squared away for a solid schedule. Plus, he found royal work a lot more enjoyable than barista work.

He sold his old property in Ponyville, and made the Castle of the Two Sisters into his permanent residence, alongside Luna. He retrieved his portal door from the small house and simply stowed it along with the other door already at the castle. They already had Luna’s door to connect the two castles, but kept the others in case they needed a spare set for something. Scolus, similarly, abandoned the changeling hive to live in the castle as well, since he was already labeled as a renegade traitor by Chrysalis, who placed a sizable bounty on him.

Even though he had wings and a horn... Aversion had a bit of trouble learning how to use both. His magic was a bit uncontrollable, working at odd moments, and not working when he wanted it to. And his flight patterns were unstable, in particular, he had trouble with pitch, often going into either a nosedive or stall, sometimes crashing (though Luna always healed him when he was injured). Because he was an earth pony, and unaccustomed to either, nopony really expected him to get the hang of it right off the bat. Luna and Scolus, however, were coaching him on the matter, so he could eventually take full advantage of his newfound abilities.

One day, Luna came to Aversion to inform him of a matter she attended to in her personal time.

“There’s something I feel you should know, Avey,” Luna said to her lover.

“Oh?” Aversion asked. “What is it, Lulu?”

Luna sighed. “...I’ve taken some time to rectify some of the wrongdoers of your past.”

Aversion lowered his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I’ve tracked down Sledge Hammer,” Luna began. “I myself reminded him of what he did to you all those years ago, and was accompanied by a Royal Guard escort to his residence in Fillydelphia. He’s been arrested and is currently awaiting trial. He will be convicted in a matter of days with the evidence I will submit.”

“Wait...” Aversion spoke, dumbstruck, “...my abusive stepfather’s finally in jail?”

Luna nodded. “And let’s just say... he was not very happy about it...”

(Flashback)

Luna arrived at the porch of the home owned by Sledge Hammer, her batpony guards escorting her all the while. She gave a menacing, vengeful glare at the door of the place.

“I believe it is high time your past caught up with you, Mr. Hammer,” Luna said.

With that, she walked up on the stoop, ringing the doorbell.

“Sledge Hammer!” She called. “This is Princess Luna! Get out here right now! Open the door!”

After a moment, some very firm hoofsteps approached the door from the other side, and opening up the door was the very same stallion she saw in Aversion’s flashbacks.

“Your Highness?” He asked, annoyed. “May I ask what you’re doing on my porch?”

Luna glared at him. “One, I will not tolerate you speaking to me with such disrespect! Two, we have a warrant for your arrest, provided by my sister after I presented her with some compelling evidence of your crimes!”

“Crimes?” Sledge Hammer asked, his eyes wide and brows pointed downward. “What crimes?”

“Have you forgotten about your stepson, Aversion?” Luna asked.

“That stupid little runt?” Sledge said. “What about him? I haven’t seen the little shit in years!”

“Then it seems you have not been keeping up with the news,” Luna said. “It just so happens... he is my lover, as well as now an alicorn and new Prince recently coronated!”

Sledge’s jaw fell. “What?! Your highness, with all due respect, I think there’s been a mistake here!”

“And I also know that you abused Aversion and contributed to the death of his mother, Evasion, all the while managing to escape justice!” Luna said. “Well, karma ALWAYS punishes those who deserve it! Your past catches up with you eventually!”

Sledge Hammer pursed his lips. “Get the hell off my property! You have no right to be here anymore!”

“You shall come with us!” Luna said. “Sledge Hammer, by my authority as co-ruler of Equestria, I hereby place you under overdue arrest for foal abuse, mareslaughter, domestic violence, and endangering a child in your custody. So you have no choice other than to, what is commonly said nowadays, ‘come quietly.’ ”

“NO!” Sledge Hammer shouted.

“THOU SHALT OBEY OR FACE THINE REPERCUSSIONS!” Luna spoke in her Royal Canterlot voice.

The batpony guards instinctively tackled Sledge Hammer to the ground, restraining his four hooves in shackles so he could walk, but not run. Before too long, he was also muzzled along with being put in the back of Luna’s carriage. The Princess took her seat as the guards took control of the carriage once again, taking off back to Canterlot.

“You, Sledge Hammer, shall learn about the concept of ‘long-term consequences’...” Luna warned.

(End Flashback)

Aversion stared in awe at his marefriend. “Wow... so he’s actually in the box now, huh?”

“Yes,” Luna said.

“So many things I can finally have closure on...” Aversion said.

“Also...” Luna spoke, “...I’ve tracked down another individual... somepony I’m sure you’ve wanted to meet all your life.”

“Who’s that?” Aversion asked.

Luna turned to the door to the room they were in. “Come, Avey...”

Aversion followed Luna out of the room, and made their way to the lower part of the Castle of the Two Sisters, and who was waiting for them in a lounge was a stallion Luna herself was quite familiar with, having worked long and hard to trace him, yet Aversion did not have the slightest clue who he was. He stood upon seeing the two alicorns enter, staring in awe at Aversion.

“Hello,” Aversion spoke.

“Dear Celestia...!” The stallion uttered. “After all these years...!”

Aversion tipped his head off to one side. “I’m sorry, but... who exactly are you?”

“M-my name is... Lorn Longing,” the stallion spoke.

Aversion’s eye widened. “Lorn Longing...? You mean... you’re my birth father?”

“Yes,” Lorn said. “And I just want to be the one to say... I’m sorry, Aversion.”

“Sorry?” Aversion asked.

Lorn sighed. “I’m sorry about forcing you to live in such adverse circumstances. I’m sorry I never did anything on my end to support you. I felt relieved when the courts waived my childcare mandate at Evasion’s request, but, at the same time... I felt guilty about never contributing to your wellbeing.”

Aversion lowered his gaze to the floor momentarily. If anything, he probably felt more sorry for his biological father than the other way around. Just the thought of him having lived with this since before Aversion was even born...

“It’s okay,” Aversion said.

Lorn shook his head. “No, it’s not okay.”

“Sure it is!” Aversion said. “If anything... maybe what happened was all for the best!”

“How?” Lorn asked.

“As it turns out,” Aversion began, “if I didn’t live the life I did... I might never have met Luna and ended up where I am now! So I guess, in a bizarre way... you making the choices you did was actually the best thing for me in the long run!”

Lorn stared off into space, lost in thought. He never considered the possibility that anything good could come out of this. But then again, perhaps it would be irrational to think such a thing could occur, let alone a matter involving the Princess of the Night herself. The odds, needless to say, were astronomical.

However, their thoughts were thrown off by someone else entering the room.

“Hey, you two, thought I’d find you in...” Scolus trailed off when he caught sight of the earth pony stallion in the room, “...oh, who’s this?”

“GAH!” Lorn shrieked, hastily backstepping. “Ch-changeling...!”

“Wait! It’s okay!” Aversion said. “He’s my friend.”

Luna stepped toward the drone, still facing the frightened Lorn Longing. “This is Scolus, and trust us when we say he means no harm.”

“Totally!” Scolus added. “Av and I have been best buds since we were kids! In fact, I’ve decided to leave Queen Chrysalis’s hive entirely. I live here with Av and Luna now.”

“Really?” Lorn asked, lightening up a bit.

“Yeah,” Aversion said. “He’s really been helping this place feel a bit more lively.”

“And as they say, ‘the more, the merrier,’ right?” Luna asked.

“Yes,” Lorn said. “And...?”

“What I would like to offer you, Lorn Longing...” Luna began, “...is the opportunity to live in the castle with us, and have the opportunity to catch up with your son.”

“Me?” Lorn asked. “Live here? I-I don’t know...”

Aversion was actually a bit surprised to see another pony who behaved very similar to him. Now he knew for sure where his timid ponysona came from.

“Hey,” Aversion spoke, “I know how jarring something that sounds too good to be true can be. But trust me, you’ll regret passing it up! Take the chance and it may turn your life around for the better! So...” he extended a hoof toward Lorn. “...what do you say... Dad?”

Lorn looked anxiously at his biological son’s hoof. He was still a bit surprised, after all these years, to see his own son, let alone that he was now an alicorn, and much taller than him.

“Plus, I think we may just be able to hook you up with the real love of your life,” Aversion said.

“W-well...” Lorn spoke, before slowly placing his own hoof on Aversion’s, “...alright. I trust you,” he looked at Luna and Scolus, too. “All of you.”

Aversion smiled. “So glad you agree. And I can’t tell you how fulfilling it is for me to finally have all these pieces falling into place for my life, after twenty-seven long years.”

“And at least this place won’t be nearly as lonely!” Scolus remarked.

“I guess this means you and I are gonna have a lot of overdue father-and-son catching up to do, huh?” Lorn said to Aversion.

The four laughed. If there was anything they could all agree on, it’s that fate has shifted them in a truly extraordinary direction, and given them all a more-than-reasonable tradeoff for the hardships they faced in their lives.

35. A Better Outlook

It could be said that, after the events that transpired following Luna and Aversion’s first meeting, and before the latter’s ascension, Aversion’s life most certainly turned around for the better, and he was, for the first time in years, genuinely able to live a happy life. Not only that, but he had finally, after many years of lost hope, landed many spots in the acting field.

Countless directors wanted to hire him after he expressed interest in the field, and he landed several theater roles, and eventually worked his way up to a movie star. Just about every film he was in was a major blockbuster, which only added to the fame and fortune he already had as an official Prince. He had gone from just about as nopony as one could be, to a world-famous icon.

His transformation into an alicorn granted Aversion near-eternal life. He would not age, but he was still vulnerable to death by other causes, natural or unnatural. Also, he was still not fully used to magic or flight, having been an earth pony his whole life. However, with a few months of coaching from Luna, as well as Scolus, he finally got the hang of it, and both magic and flight eventually became second nature to him.

Aversion ended up selling his old, run-down home in Ponyville, as he no longer had any use for it. Even though he wanted to leave behind the place he despised for so many years... he could not put his hoof on it, but something about the town was very sentimental to him, and he visited often with Luna. Through her, he ended up becoming close friends with the Mane Six, Spike, and Starlight Glimmer.

The new Prince also managed to get back in touch with the famous indie artist, Abstraction, remembering the run-in he had with the public figure following Prince Blueblood’s hearing. Aversion started inviting him, as well as his wife, Lyra Heartstrings, to visit them every so often, and vice versa. Abstraction’s mother, Pan Fry, also prepared them some exquisite dishes whenever she could, being busy as she was with running a restaurant chain.

Lorn Longing also stuck around with them, catching up with his son on all the time they missed together. Aversion and his friends definitely enjoyed having him around. As for Scolus, the changeling decided to become part of his hive once more, as it was now under the leadership of the benevolent King Thorax. That was not to say Scolus would not see them ever again, because he was still able to visit often, but he was just glad to be part of his community once again.

In fact, Thorax was impressed by his courage to befriend ponies at his own risk, that he ended up appointing Scolus as the official diplomat of the changeling hive. And just like all the other changelings, Scolus accepted his good nature, and became a “changed-ling,” almost identical to Thorax, minus the mooselike antlers.

Eventually, Aversion and Luna got married, with nearly all of Canterlot as witness to their wedding, with Scolus serving as Aversion’s best man. The reception lasted well into the night, stemming into the hours of early morning. It truly was the happiest day of Aversion’s life, where he was now truly united with the mare he loved with all his heart.

Needless to say, while life turned out for the better for Prince Aversion, there were some occasional dark moments. Particularly, one that came nearing the end of Celestia and Luna’s reign over Equestria. A band of powerful villains nearly succeeded in conquering the kingdom, but due to the uncanny power Twilight Sparkle harnessed, it gave them an edge in the final battle.

Aversion actively participated in the battle against the final villains of Equestria, fighting alongside Luna the entire time. After the defeat of the remaining villains in Equestria, and the coronation of Twilight Sparkle as the official ruler of Equestria, Aversion ended up retreating with Luna and Celestia to Silver Shoals, a small coastal community, where they would spend a good long while to stretch their legs.

Aversion allowed his mane and tail to grow to a good, long length, and they even began perpetually-rippling, much like Celestia and Luna’s, due to his alicorn magic. His body also changed as he got older, taking on a more masculine physique. His aging had fully completed, and he was now in his true, immortal form.

As for his and Luna’s life at Silver Shoals, the two liked to go back and forth on their down days, as retirement was, as it turned out, fairly boring.

"Of course, retirement for an alicorn doesn't have to be eternal," Luna said. "We have a sort of 'rota,' drawn up, where we agree to take cycles for what kingdoms and nations to rule over. But who knows? Maybe, Avey, you and I could break the millennia cycle, and found a nation of our own! Or at the very least, assume co-leadership of a pre-existing one ourselves?"

"Yeah," Aversion said. "Sounds like something I'd be into, once we're ready to reinstate."

Luna smiled warmly, placing a hoof on her husband’s hunch. “I’m glad you still have your passionate spirit about you, Avey.”

Aversion smiled back at his wife. “I’d go to the edges of all reality for you, Lulu.”

Truthfully, Aversion never fully recovered from the trauma he accumulated throughout his life. He had depression spells that came and went, but Luna was always there to hear him out whenever he was feeling sad or despaired (often accompanied by a deep, caring hug), even when everything was going well for them.

Celestia and Luna did make regular visits to Canterlot, with Aversion tagging along. However, Aversion, more often than not, ended up dragging Luna with him to Ponyville, where he could meet up with Scolus, who had taken up residence there in Aversion's old house (which had now been immensely remodeled and expanded; it was nearly unrecognizable to its previous owner). The changeling made use of the portal door to visit the Castle of the Two Sisters, where Luna still had her door setup, along with the other one she brought to Silver Shoals.

Not only that, but Scolus had a... big thing to reveal to his friends...

“Did I tell you guys...” the changeling spoke, “...that I’m finally dating somepony?”

“Really?” Luna asked.

“Alright!” Aversion cheered. “Nice one, Scol! Who’s the lucky girl?”

“I’ll introduce you...” Scolus walked inside his house, and returned with a mare.

She had a light-yellow hide, soft-pink mane and tail, and three pink butterflies for her cutie mark. Aversion, having officially befriended her shortly following his ascension, knew quite well who she was.

“Fluttershy?” Aversion asked.

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes. Scolus and I have been closer than I have with any of the girls... and eventually, he worked up the courage to ask me out. And I’m so glad he did...” she said, hugging the changeling drone, “...he’s the nicest, sweetest li’l changeling a mare could ever ask for!”

She planted a kiss on Scolus’s cheek, and his face flushed green. “Aw, man... you’re too kind, Flutters!”

“That’s what having a marefriend is all about,” Fluttershy said, turning to Luna. “Right, Your Highness?”

“I concur wholeheartedly!” Luna responded proudly.

Whenever they visited Canterlot, sometimes Aversion went to see the statues of the defeated villains, imprisoned in their stone sleep. He wondered if maybe... just by some sheer chance... they could be reformed, like Discord had been after over a thousand years of imprisonment?

If they lack power, and receive some positive conditioning... MAYBE they could finally integrate into our society... Aversion thought. ...But it's definitely going to be forced to wait, since Princess Twilight probably doesn't think their sentence is over yet.

He would often stand, staring at each statue in its own enchanted holding cell, pondering for a long while. Eventually, however, he would muster the will to leave, but still deep in thought.

Maybe someday...

-Epilogue-

“...H-how...” Suncrest uttered, “...how did he become a Prince?! How did Princess Luna fall for him?! And... HOW can he be so SHALLOW?!”

The mare in question read through the newspaper, seeing all the articles about how Aversion had been coronated, accepted into many movie roles, and generally had a happy life... a lot better than what she was dealing with.

Suncrest’s boyfriend, Winter Solstice, sighed from across the room. “Again, Sunny? Why can’t you just rip your eyes from those articles for Two. Bucking. Minutes?”

“It’s not fair!” She protested. “Why does he get to rub it in my face that he’s living the good life, when all we got is scat?!”

The pair were living in a rented, decrepit, manufactured home in a working-class region of Ponyville. Suncrest lost out on a promising job, and had to go for a blue-collar, entry-level position as all she had access to. Winter, unfortunately, was a lazy deadbeat.

“Hey, babe...” Winter said, standing and walking over smugly, “...ya still got good ol’ me!”

Suncrest gritted her teeth. “You want some affection from me?! Then GET A BUCKING JOB AND CONTRIBUTE TO THIS HOUSEHOLD!”

Winter narrowed his eyes. “You’re just hung up on that new Prince, aren’t you?”

“Because I knew him once! He was an earth pony!” Suncrest said.

“I seriously doubt that,” Winter said. “How does one go from earth pony to alicorn?”

“I don’t know,” Suncrest said. “But he did!”

Winter groaned loudly, standing. “Y’know what? I’m leaving! Since I’m obviously not up to your high standards!”

As he rushed to the bedroom and began stuffing his belongings in a suitcase, Suncrest immediately regretted what she said.

“W-wait...!” She pleaded. “Winter, hold on! I-I didn’t mean...”

Winter glared. “If you didn’t mean it, you wouldn’t have said it in the first place! You’ve got issues, Suncrest, and I’m not sticking around to deal with them!”

The stallion, despite his marefriend’s protests, gathered everything he owned, and made his way to Celestia-knew-where. With that, Suncrest was left alone, in a depressing state of living, and alone... exactly the predicament Aversion found himself in but a few years ago. As the days went by when she struggled to scrounge together funds just to keep her belly filled and her fur dry, she grew to resent, and even outright hate Aversion for not accepting her friendship.

To think, she could have had a chance to be the friend of a Prince, had he not been so selfish in her eyes.

“I can’t believe it...” she said to herself as she laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling, “...why does my life have to turn out like this?”

This was surely a question she was going to be asking for a long while, just as it was a question Aversion had been asking all his life.

The End?

Author's Note

For those who don't know, Abstraction is my OC from my Find Her saga, one such series I plan to continue in the future. In any case, I hope you all enjoyed the story! Even though the show's been over for a while, I've got more to come. So, stay tuned for more!

1. Everyday is the Same

Princess Luna, having woken up only a short time ago, was busy filling out her Dream Reports to submit to the Archives of Subconsciousness. She had been doing for several millennia, and even after her long "forced vacation" from work on the moon... it still took excitement from her life. Being a Princess was no easy task, let alone being the Princess of the Night. She has to keep up with all of the ponies in Equestria on a nightly basis in order to ensure their nightmares do not manifest into malevolent entities.

"It's a shame nothing truly eventful happened tonight... which means more tiresome, useless reports that Celestia wants me to take anyway... even though they will probably never even be read by anypony other than me..." Luna said to herself.

Given how she was semi-nocturnal, and everypony was asleep during the night, she only usually had herself to speak to. Being of royal status, all she had for company were her family, the guards, and the general staff of Canterlot Castle. However... this was not enough to quell what she had been longing for over a long period of time.

"How I wish I could have some real friends..." Luna said. "...I could only imagine how convenient it must be to simply walk out your front door, meet some ponies when you're out and about, and agree to meet up with them later..."

Being a princess, it worked nothing like this for her. Whenever she left the castle, she had to go with a Royal Guard escort, and a major problem was the civilian ponies were very intimidated by the guards, going out of their way to avoid Luna, and even Celestia, whenever they went for a casual stroll through Canterlot. Ambassadors and diplomats were generally very formal and professional, never offering to go beyond mere acquaintance, which left them out of the question.

Luna wanted a friend. Sure, she started off fairly introverted in her early life and preferred to be alone... but now, after many, many years of isolation, with only the same ponies who only act in accordance with royal protocol... she was lonely... she was brooding... she needed someone to have a friendly connection with... anyone at all.

The Princess of the Night sighed, setting down her quill and parchment to take a brief break, glancing out the window at the rising sun.

"One friend..." Luna spoke, hoping the very essence of the cosmos could hear her. "...that's all I ask... I just need one friend who I can really trust... and have a bit of fun with..."

"Mr. Aversion..." Star Buck said in a firm tone to the young stallion sitting across from her desk. "...I have told you time and time again... you need to wake up and realize you have a bucking community to serve!"

Aversion sighed. "My deepest apologies, Mrs. Buck... i-it's just... I--"

"I don't want to hear any explanations!" Star Buck angrily responded. "As the owner of the Ponyville cafe, I have a business to run, and as you are a barista, you have a contract with me to carry out that goal of mine! That means you must treat every customer like you would one of the Princesses!"

Aversion felt a hot feeling welling up in his throat.

"...U-understood." he uttered.

Star Buck narrowed her eyes. "Why are you acting like a hurt foal? Buck up and act like a grown, bucking stallion! I swear, even my slightly-feminine husband is more masculine than you are right now!"

Aversion visibly hardened his expression, hoping it would diffuse the situation.

"Now, get back out on the selling floor, smile, and give the customers what they want with a good, upbeat attitude!" Star Buck said.

"...Yes, Ma'am." Aversion responded, quickly taking himself out of the office.

For the rest of the day, the young earth pony tried his best to sober up. He carried out his duty like instructed... even though this type of persona directly conflicted with his true personality, and he hated being dishonest to others, and especially to himself, about how he felt. It simply was not pony nature to suppress true emotions.

The rest of the day went by fairly slowly, despite how busy it was, and honestly... Aversion did not remember most of it by the end of his shift. Finally, after eight long, tedious hours, he was able to clock out, take off the silly apron and hat he was required to wear, and head home... at least, the low-quality place he was forced to call "home."

Slowly, Aversion trudged back across the town of Ponyville, nopony looking twice at him on his way, until he reached a very isolated region of the community near its perimeter line. From there, he walked up to a small, slightly-disrepaired house that looked somewhat antiqued. He pulled out his keys, unlocked the door, and made his way to the small refrigerator, where he spent not more than ten seconds looking to see what he could choose from the small assortment of food, before pulling out a can of condensed soup.

After pouring it into a pan, diluting it with a canful of water, and letting it boil, Aversion ate his pitiful meal at the small table with one chair. Just one chair. That was all he needed. Because nopony else has wanted to visit him. He sighed sadly at how very "one-pony" style the house was organized, absently ladling some vegetables from the broth into his mouth.

Twenty-six years old... living alone in a cheap, mediocre, one-bedroom, one-bathroom house... working a very un-glamorous and minimum-wage job at the Ponyville cafe and never being able to find employment anywhere else... this was Aversion's life. And he hated every minute of it.

Nothing interesting or exciting happens. Nothing ever changes. He was barely managing to hold on with payments, earning only eight Bits per hour. He could not use any of that money to enjoy himself. He was nearly as poor as it was possible to be in modern Ponyville... without being homeless.

There were some points in time when Aversion wanted to save up to buy some special things for himself, such as replacing his dying CRT television with an LED flatscreen, as well as buying himself a better computer, or a new video game console as well as games to go with it, or a new mattress to replace the cot he started out with living alone... however, this came at a cost.

Aversion would need to sacrifice expenditure on other necessities in order to treat himself in the long run. Because of this, there have been times when, due to the lack of spending money he had for the week (he was not willing to touch his emergency funds... unless it was a financial emergency) where he went hungry by taking a meal or two out of the grand total of three from some consecutive days. He could not even afford to spend money on some nice, hard beverages to sedate himself after work.

It also forced him to be creative about how to make what little he had more green-friendly, such as using candlelight as his house's light source and gradually investing in brand-new LED lightbulbs, filling a two-liter bottle with water to put in the toilet tank so it would flush less water, and investing in mist-spray nozzles for the sinks in the kitchen and bathroom. He did not even believe he had the luxury of taking a nice, long shower, so he always took them as fast as he could to conserve water.

Aversion did not have any real friends, just acquaintances. So, there was nopony willing to be his housemate, even if temporarily. All of his old connections, or lack thereof, had been severed upon his moving out of his parents' house, to a new town. Given how timid he was, he had a hard time introducing himself to others, and was hardly willing to bring himself to meet his neighbors... as in the ponies who lived closest to where he lived.

To give himself some peace of mind, Aversion planted a garden in his backyard. He managed to, on certain hikes, carefully dig up any exotic flora he came across, and carry it back with him on his walk. From there, he would do a bit of research to know what exactly it was, and how to care for it. Overall, though, it was a very enjoyable hobby that helped to distract him from the pain and torment of his life.

Rather than using water from the outdoor tap to water his plants, Aversion used several buckets to hold river water that he would gather, on his days off, from a stream just on the outskirts of Ponyville, covering them to keep the water from evaporating. This was how he saved money on his water bill. The buckets themselves were good ones that he had scavenged from the Ponyville landfill (hey, when you're desperate, you try to get your hands on whatever you can that's free), as well as numerous other items that could be useful from said location.

At some points... Aversion even ended up resorting to thievery just to be able to retain his income without the risk of losing too much money. It started with small things, like a pack of gum, but then he worked it up to dressing in an all-black jumpsuit, going out in the dead of night, picking locks, and gathering as much food as he could, such as milk, eggs, bread, hay, etc., in such a way that it would not raise major suspicion. He had to do so sparingly, however, just to avoid trouble. He disliked being a thief, but it was all for his own good... especially with the way everypony treats him.

In any case, it was getting late, and Aversion simply wanted to get some rest for the night, especially after being on his feet for eight hours straight, his shift starting late in the day, making it late in the night now. He took one of his trademark rapid-showers, dried off, brushed his teeth, and climbed into bed. He blew out his bedside candle and curled up under the covers, hoping always giving the same prayers that he would have a good dream... something that seldom ever happened anymore for him...

15. Wrath of the Moon

Many ponies across Equestria took note of the unusual red color of the moon, especially those in Ponyville, who had the clearest view of it with very little light pollution.

"Oh my...!"

"Wh-what's happening!?"

"Why's the moon all red!?"

"Oh no..." a mare said. "...do you recall... what the legends used to say...?"

"Wh-what do you mean...?" a stallion asked.

"I think... this is the fabled Blood Moon, depicted in the ancient stories!" another stallion said.

"...It is said that, when the Blood Moon rises..." another mare said, her face growing pale. "...Nightmare Moon shall return to..." she gulped. "...u-uncage... her wrath... upon E-Equestria...!"

And of course, right on cue... the Mare in the Moon happened to appear from the North sky, gliding down toward Ponyville. All of the ponies began to scream and run every which way to get away from Nightmare Moon. She landed right in the central square of the small town, right in front of the Town Hall building.

"DENIZENS OF PONYVILLE, GIVETH ME THINE EARS!" Nightmare Moon shouted in her Royal Canterlot voice. "THOU ALL HATH CAUSED THE UNJUST SUFFERING OF OUR FRIEND! AND WE PLANETH TO DELIVER RIGHTEOUS RETRIBUTION UPON ALL OF THOU WHO HATH MISTREATED HIM!"

The wicked alicorn mare charged her horn, and fired a beam of dark-blue light directly into the night sky. Lighting bolts began to rain down on Ponyville, directly out of the clear skies. This caused several ponies in different hiding spots to start running and screaming all over the place, not knowing where a safe spot was.

Aversion happened to be strolling through Ponyville to find something to do that evening when lightning started coming down from the sky.

"Woah!" the young stallion whooped. "What's going on!? Lightning from space, or something!?"

It was not until after a few minutes of rushing around to avoid the lightning when Aversion began to hear maniacal laughter. He rushed in the direction of it out of curiosity, but briskly due to panic. When he made it to the source of the sound... he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight before him.

"...N-Nightmare Moon!?" he uttered. "Oh no... Luna!"

Aversion rushed forward, and this was when Nightmare Moon took notice of him. A great smile spread over her face.

"Ah..." the evil mare uttered. "...yes! 'Tis our friend! Ar't thou pleased at what we hath done?"

"LUNA, STOP!" Aversion pleaded. "Stop doing this! It's just making everything worse!"

"Doth thou not see, Aversion? Justice is being served! We hath done all this for thou!" Nightmare Moon said.

"NO!" Aversion said. "This isn't what I wanted! Nopony needs to get hurt because of what's happened!"

"But it is justice! It is a means to rectify these problems!" Nightmare Moon lectured.

"Lulu..." Aversion spoke. "...did Celestia say something to you about not being allowed to see me?"

Nightmare Moon pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes.

"Thou hath reminded us... to punish thine sister for her atrocious misguidance!" she said.

"Lulu, don't! There's a chance this can still all work out! If you go through with this... you could be imprisoned!" Aversion said.

"Hmph!" Nightmare Moon grunted in frustration. "It seems thou ar't UNGRATEFUL for the great efforts we take for thou! And with that... shall come, from thou lack of consideration... PAIN!"

With that, she fired another beam of light into the sky, and the bombardment of lightning resumed. A stray bolt came straight down overhead... and Aversion looked up, only to have his pupils go small as the bolt struck him directly.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAGH...!" the stallion cried as the massive wave of electricity surged through his body.

After the brief, but jarring moment, Aversion fell to the ground, unconscious. This caused the corrupted Princess to laugh in amusement.

"You see?" Nightmare Moon said. "When one attempts to stop me, they end up facing the byproduct of my wrath! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

Just as the evil Mare of the Night made her way over to the unconscious stallion, dawning over him and preparing to charge her horn... she suddenly realized what had just happened. Her smile vanished and her eyes widened, which, after she blinked a single time, became her "Luna" eyes again. Seeing how helpless he was... the condition he was in... all of it suddenly came back to her. It was shortly before this that the lightning stopped completely, and the moon turned back to its white color.

"...Avey...!" Nightmare Moon uttered in Luna's voice.

She knelt down and carefully tilted his head upward. He was completely limp.

"N-no... my dear Avey..." Nightmare Moon lamented. "...wh... what have I done!?"

She laid him back on the ground, and stood up, staggering backwards in shock. It was after this that her eyes widened as she "clutched" the front of her barrel with a hoof... and jets of black light began to emanate from her body, dissipating into nothing. As this happened, she shrank in size, her color brightened, and after a few seconds, was in her original form... except that her mane and tail were composed of regular hair, lighter than her hide.

She sat her plot down, hanging her head as tears streamed down her face.

"...I..." Luna uttered to herself. "...I can't... believe what I've done...! I-I've... h-h-hurt my... best f-friend...!"

She began to let off full-on crying, her tears falling to the earth below her face.

"...I-I truly am a monster...!" Luna sobbed. "...A-and... I don't... d-deserve Avey's... l-l-love, after... what I d-did...!"

Immediately, she took of running, crying the entire way, out of Ponyville. She did not encounter a single pony who tried to stop her. Once she was gone, the citizens of Ponyville slowly began to come out of their hiding spots.

They all began to carefully and slowly take to the streets again, looking around to see if the lightning caused any major damage to anything. A few ponies happened to find Aversion unconscious on the ground. Parcel Post walked up to him and nudged his hoof on the side of his neck.

"Hey, buddy..." the mail stallion said. "...you alright?"

"...U... ugh..." Aversion groaned as his eyelids flickered.

He felt quite achy throughout his entire body.

"...Ah..." Aversion moaned, stretching as he slowly stood. "...wh-what happened...?"

"Nightmare Moon started terrorizing us!" Roseluck said.

"Are you alright, honey?" Nurse Redheart asked. "Did she injure you?"

"...I..." Aversion rubbed his head. "...I'm... not sure..."

And then, his eyes lit up. He managed to lift his head to try and look around.

"...Where..." he said as loudly as he could. "...where's Luna? Where did she go?"

"Last we saw..." Cloud Kicker said. "...she was running off toward Everfree Forest, crying."

"You think she may have immediately regretted trying to make us all suffer?" Shoeshine asked.

Aversion knew quite well why Luna responded the way she did... but figured it was best nopony else knew.

"Well... I'm gonna go and..." he said, stopping for a moment to think. "...see if my... family members... are alright."

"Hold on..." Doctor Whooves spoke. "...are you certain you are alright? I could swear I watched you get struck by a bolt of lightning!"

"Well... I got a little cooked, but other than that, I feel okay." Aversion said.

Doctor Whooves pressed his lips together as he darted his eyes around. "...If you insist."

Ignoring the pain in his muscles, and the frequent twitching happening all over his body, Aversion set off toward the woods to find Luna.

Luna sat at an isolated region of the empty land outside of Ponyville, bawling her eyes out. She could not get over the fact that she ended up hurting the closest friend she had in a long time... willingly, too.

"...H-how... could he... f-f-forgive me... after... th-this...!?" the Princess sobbed.

She continued this for quite a while, up until she heard hoofsteps approaching. She looked up with tear-saturated eyes to see...

"...A-Avey...!" Luna uttered.

"Luna..." Aversion said.

The Princess, however, turned away from him.

"No... stay away from me, Avey..." she whimpered. "...I... I might... h-hurt you, again..."

"Luna, I'm not badly hurt!" Aversion said. "The shock from the lightning just stunned me, that's all."

"But still... I did it w-willingly... and... as N-Nightmare... Moon..." Luna stammered.

She began crying again. Aversion walked around to her front side again.

"I know it's not directly your fault, Lulu..." Aversion said. "...you were just angry and weren't thinking clearly. I can relate because it's happened to me lots of times!"

"B-but... I didn't want to become... Nightmare M-Moon... ever again...!" Luna responded.

Aversion was not exactly sure how to reassure her at first. However, this got him thinking... with all the times she helped him with his internal battles...

"Lulu..." he said. "...remember how I told you I was struggling with depression before I met you? You've helped me to cope immensely! You sought me out of your own accord! And all you have to do it learn how to do so when seeking help, rather than offering it!"

"...But..." Luna uttered. "…nopony... wants to help me... n-nopony... c-c-cares...!"

Aversion tipped Luna's head up so they could be at eye-level.

"...I care." Aversion said. "I care about you, Lulu. I really do."

With that, Aversion pulled Luna into a deep, caring hug. Sniffling, she returned it to him.

"...I-I'm so sorry, Avey... so, soooo sorry...!" she cried.

"It's okay, Lulu." Aversion forgave her. "Like I said: it's not entirely your fault. Anger can make us do things that otherwise go against our character! It's okay to be angry or frustrated... but when it all becomes too much, all you need to do is get help."

Luna sniffled. "...You... you really think so...?"

Aversion nodded. "But, ponies can only help you if you ask for it, and especially... only if you let them."

The Princess of the Night let her gaze fall to the ground as she thought long and hard about what her male friend just said to her.

"...Stop worrying so much." Aversion said. "After all, that's what you taught me."

Luna let out a long sigh. "...You're right."

Aversion lifted her head up to look at him, and he had a gentle grin spread over his face.

"...Can I see a smile, Lulu?" he asked.

Immediately, she was reminded of their first little heart-to-heart back in her private quarters at Canterlot Castle... and it more than sufficed to help her gain a positive facial expression. That, coupled with Aversion's genuine concern for her... it made her terrible guilt and shame wash away rapidly.

After staring at each other, evoking hope in the other with their uplifting gaze... the Princess let herself take on a more stoic expression.

"Avey..." Luna spoke. "...I hereby make a vow to NEVER hurt you again. And to go to whatever length I need for your sake!"

Aversion's eyebrows raised. "Really? Whatever length? All for somepony like me?"

"A-and... it's b-b-because... I..." Luna said, taking a deep breath. "...I-I... I love you, Avey!"

Everything fell dead silent in that moment. Luna hung her head down for what felt like a life age before lifting it back up to look the stallion in the face.

"Lulu..." Aversion spoke, his eyes wide. "...you really... feel that way about me...?"

Luna nodded firmly. "...I love you, Aversion, more than anything else in the world of Equus! You've helped bring real joy into my life, and I feel like, for the first time in millennia... I finally have something to TRULY live for!"

The stallion's eyebrows pointed upward as a blush and smile appeared on his face. He then pulled Luna into another hug.

"Oh, Lulu..." he said. "...I can't tell you how grateful I am to hear that from you. And, as a matter of fact..."

Both his and Luna's hearts were pounding hard and fast.

"...I love you, too."

Tears filled Luna's eyes again, but they were not of despair or remorse... the happiness that overcame her was overwhelming. She brought Aversion into yet another deep, long hug, which he returned with equal love.

Little were the two aware, they were being watched...

...Celestia just observed what happened between the earth pony and alicorn. It genuinely surprised her.

"Well now..." the elder Princess said to herself. "...I assumed Luna was simply wanting to give a needy pony excessive support, or a title of nobility... but, never did I imagine this... how much he really means to her..."

The white alicorn hung her head down, biting her lip.

"...Perhaps it was a mistake to forbid her from seeing him. Hopefully, she will be willing to talk with me... and I'll be more than willing to let her be with her lover when she needs." Celestia said.

There was also another pony watching them, like Celestia, but unlike her... they did not agree with Aversion and Luna being together.

"Auntie Luna loves this pathetic lowlife!?" Blueblood muttered under his breath. "This is OUTRAGEOUS! This is NOT HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO WORK!"

The young, naive prince was utterly enraged by the spectacle before him.

"That's it... no more 'Mister-Nice-Prince,' because it's time to bring out the heavy artillery! I shall punish him myself, since apparently, NEITHER of my Aunties have any common sense! I'll make that peasant SUFFER!"

He then turned to head back to Canterlot... but given that he did not travel much, had no sense of direction.

"...After I find a way back home, of course..." he said to himself.

24. Mending a Stallion's Broken Heart (WARNING: CONTAINS CLOP)

Aversion met up with Luna one night at the Castle of the Two Sisters, as she had prepared dinner. As they were still visiting the castle in secret, they only had themselves to rely on when it came to "living" there. Still, given that Aversion used the castle as his residence via the portal door Luna gave him, it was the place where he was able to store all the consumables he was able to get with the food stamps Luna provided him. Plus, she also bribed some of her subordinates to transport essentials from Canterlot Castle to the Castle of the Two Sisters without Celestia knowing.

"Wow!" Aversion said as his eyes met the assortment of food across the dining hall table. "Quite a buffet here!"

"Of course!" Luna said. "Anything for a subject who shows his devotion to his Princess!"

There was a large assortment of entrees, soups, salads, stews, bread, cakes, pies, custards, and beverages, all placed along the candlelit table, lined with a fine velvet tablecloth. The golden crystal chandeliers made the place all the more vibrant and atmospheric.

"Oh, Luna," Aversion said, "going all out for me... I just can't thank you enough for all of this."

"But, just know it is not free." Luna said. "All this comes with a price."

Aversion frowned, glancing back at his marefriend. "Wait, what...?"

Luna smiled with her forelegs outstretched. "...Your Princess demands hugs!"

Aversion himself smiled. "And that's a price I can afford any day!"

With that, the two held each other in a deep embrace, rubbing each other's back. After a moment, they began kissing, letting their lips dance with each other. They wanted nothing more than to hold and kiss endlessly...

BANG.

"Hey!" Scolus said, just after opening the balcony door. "How goes it, pones?"

Aversion and Luna both hastily separated upon hearing the drastic opening of the doors, their faces still deep red. They were still partially holding each other when the renegade changeling caught sight of them. Both had completely forgotten that Aversion invited him to join them that evening.

"Oh..." he uttered. "...am I interrupting?"

"N-no!" Aversion said, taking a moment to collect himself. "Not at all, Scolus. We were just waiting for you before eating."

Scolus shrugged. "Well, I'm present and accounted for... so, let's dig in!"

The trio had themselves quite a meal. They all took sizable portions of the entrees and sides, followed by some very liberal servings of the desserts. And they went a little overboard with the wine... but only to a slight buzz and not heavily drunk (though Scolus had to reluctantly cut back on it the most, since changelings became more easily intoxicated than ponies, and he was about half-drunk upon stopping). Soon enough, though, they all decided to pass the time and drink clean water to dilute the alcohol they drank.

They played some medieval board games that had not been reproduced in modern Equestria, but were heavily nostalgic for Luna, and Aversion and Scolus thought they were quite fun (wondering why nopony bothered recreating them). They consisted of warlike strategy games, race-across-the-board games, something that seemed like a mixture of Monopoly and a generic territory conquest, et cetera.

After a while, Luna decided she wanted to head up to her former bedroom for a breather, leaving Aversion and Scolus to chat.

"Av, dude..." Scolus began. "...I really can't tell you how cool this has been! You are so lucky to score Princess Luna as yours!"

"I know," Aversion said, "and after living such a crap life before then, I am still quite astonished by all this. With her righting all the wrongs in my life, I feel like I can never go down another path in my life that does not include her. Plus, since she's putting everypony who wronged me from Ponyville on blast, I feel like pretty soon, we could be turning the whole town upside-down!"

"I know, right?" Scolus acknowledged. "Maybe through Luna, we could turn Ponyville into our own little local government! We could be appointed as the overseers for operations!"

"Ah, heh heh..." Aversion chuckled. "...now, I'd never use Lulu for anything extreme like that."

Scolus' face flushed a deep green. "Oh, uh... yeah, heh heh. I was just pulling your chain, dude."

They sat silent for a moment, making idle motions like swinging their legs while sitting on the sofa, scratching an itch, or glancing around.

"It's taking Luna a while to come back down." Scolus said.

"Yeah," Aversion said. "Maybe we should go check up on her, just to make sure everything's fine?"

"I guess so." Scolus said.

With that, the earth pony and changeling went to find the stairwell that led up to the spire where her former bedroom was.

Little were they aware... she was watching them through her special crystal orb that allowed her to gaze at any point on Equus.

"Hmmm... so, now they have decided to come..." Luna said, smirking. "...just what I've been waiting for..."

She focused her horn's power, and the blue glow appeared around her plot. It began to expand with a gurgling sound. The Princess' face went red as her breath escaped her throat.

"Ohhh..." she moaned. "...I forgot how... heavenly this feels... ooh..."

Very gradually, her glutes became rounder and more feminine, creating a big, sexy gap between her buttcheeks.

She also took the liberty of using... magical contraceptive, for reasons...

Aversion and Scolus found Luna's bedroom. They knocked, but no answer came. So, they opened the door, letting themselves in without processing what was right in front of them due to the dim light.

"Lulu, Scolus and I wondered if you—WHAT THE FUCK?!" Aversion blurted out upon seeing what was before him and his friend.

Two large, shapely thighs, side-by-side... and appearing from behind them, or rather, in front of them, was Luna. Her eyes were narrow, her eyebrows raised, and she had... that grin.

"Hey, boys..." the alicorn said seductively, giving her ass a little wiggle. "...you like what you see?"

Aversion and Scolus were at a completely loss for words. All they could do was stare. They were paralyzed. They could not make their physical bodies respond in the slightest.

Ho-ly. Mother. Of. Celestia. Scolus thought.

How the hell did her ass get so big?! Aversion thought. Well, who cares? I NEED it!

It was only after he came over the initial shock that Aversion could feel his unsheathed cock throbbing. Curious about Scolus, he glanced at his buddy to see that the same could be said for him as well. Changelings were known to have bioluminescent genitalia, and Scolus' shaft was a lively green color.

The two males began to walk like zombies, completely hypnotized by Luna's enlarged plot, toward the mare in question. At this point, their surging hormones were overriding their rational judgment. Luna glanced at their members... and her mouth went flat as her eyelids fell.

Immediately, she levitated them onto her bed, laying faceup.

"But first..." Luna said. "...let's... bulk up your packages a bit..."

She trailed off as her horn began to glow. Aversion and Scolus' crotches glowed the same blue color. Their eyes went wide just before they closed them and tipped their heads backward.

"Ohhh... Lulu..." Aversion said.

"Wh... what are... you doing...?" Scolus asked.

"Giving you boys... a little gift..." Luna teased.

Aversion managed to look at his junk... and saw that his horsecock was lengthening and thickening, each inch-long "segment" from the base up growing, one after another. His balls were also affected by the growth spell, swelling up like a pair of ripe apples. He could feel the growth manifesting in every cubic millimeter of his groin, accompanied by a faint bubbling noise.

The exact same thing was happening with Scolus as well, with his glowing member and jewels becoming more prominent and luminous.

"Ohhh, dear Celestia..." Aversion moaned, his face a deep red.

"...This feels so weird... and yet..." a smile spread over Scolus' face. "...it feels... sooooo good... muuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrr..."

Amidst their privates expanding in size... Aversion and Scolus also felt their plots distending a bit. However, they did not pay much mind to this, as all they could focus on was the bigger picture; the fact that a Princess was seducing them and making them more masculine on a physical level.

This went on for a few seconds, until Luna stopped. She closely examined Aversion's cock, admiring the work she had done to alter it.

"Now that is a horsecock worthy of the royal pussy!" Luna said.

Aversion lightly rubbed his newly-enlarged shaft, and it sent surges of pleasure straight through to his entire body.

"Oh... thank you, Lulu!" he said. "You have no idea how much better my new package makes me feel!"

"Heh..." Scolus said, putting a hoof to his backside. "...kinda felt my butt swelling as well."

"Ah, yes... your plots have become slightly more pronounced. It's merely a side-effect of that particular spell. There's nothing I can do to reverse it, unless I undo the spell... if that's what you want." Luna said.

"No, no!" Aversion said. "I much prefer my new junk!"

With that, Luna climbed up between Aversion and Scolus, and began running her hoof along the inner part of their hind leg hunches. The earth pony and changeling both felt the heat rising in their entire bodies, resulting in quite a bit of red flushing for Aversion, and green for Scolus.

"So..." Luna said. "...what're you feeling right now, Avey?"

"O-ooh...f-fuck..." Aversion uttered. "...I-I feel so... w-w-warm, and... tingly..."

Luna leaned closer, her maw next to his ear.

"Does it feel good?" she whispered.

"...Y-yes..." Aversion answered.

"...Same..." Scolus chimed in.

Luna began to gently graze both their shafts with each hoof, and as expected, they recoiled slightly, moaning. She continued this for several seconds, working up a good throb from both of them, as well as a bit of panting and minor sweating.

Once she warmed them up enough, Luna flipped herself around, her crotch region directly above Aversion and Scolus' faces. What the two males saw next gave them yet another primal surge. Her teats had also been enlarged by the same spell she used on her plot.

Luna gently pressed the teat closest to her coltfriend first, secreting a small amount of warm milk onto Aversion's lips. The stallion licked the nourishing substance... and his eyes became wide at how it tasted. It was very sweet and rich. He wanted more. So, he puckered and put his lips to her nipple, drawing and swallowing the milk.

Scolus, unable to hold himself back, started doing the same, being mindful of his fangs so as not to hurt the Princess.

"Alicorn milk is very nutritious and enriching." Luna said, softly. "One small sip can keep a grown adult pony on their hooves for an entire day."

Aversion and Scolus continued to drink Luna's milk, like a pair of obedient little colts. After a little while, her mammary glands were depleted. The earth pony and changeling laid, smiles on their faces and eye closed, with their enlarged cocks still pulsating, and Scolus' still glowing a bright green. White streams of milk ran down their faces from their lips.

Luna spun herself back around, but only allowed her front half on the bed. She positioned herself above Aversion, lowering her face toward his horsecock, gently beginning to caress it between her hooves.

"...O-ohh...!" the stallion strained not to scream.

Oh, f-fuck... he thought. ...why is it... s-so intense...?!

Luna, with narrow, bedroom eyes, began to run her tongue up his member, feeling each strong clench as his pelvic floor muscles began to contract. As Scolus watched this... just the spectacle alone was enough to start triggering his own reproductive system.

Wow... that subtle, slow tongue of hers... how the hell is it so HOT? Scolus thought.

"...Nyaaah... L-Lulu..." Aversion strained to say over the cascading sexual pulsations through his being. "...why... are you suddenly... c-c-coming on so... fast...?"

Luna brought her mouth away from his cock for a moment.

"...I just want a little taste!" she said innocently.

Ngh... I knew it... Aversion thought. ...she's let herself become a complete slut for me and Scolus! W-were her urges... just really that overbearing...?

Luna continued to tease Aversion orally, all the while with Scolus off to the side, who started some light masturbation as he watched. The Princess, however, shifted her eyes to the changeling, and gradually withdrew from her coltfriend. She gravitated toward the insectoid equine, leaving the stallion bewildered and immensely unfulfilled.

Oh, that's just cruel, Lulu! He thought. Right when I'm really getting into it, too! Thanks for the blue balls, Princess...

Luna began to do the same teasing with Scolus, at first lightly rubbing his glowing shaft with her hooves, followed by it being replaced with her tongue. The changeling drone clenched his teeth and tipped his head back, gasping.

"...H-holy buck...!" he uttered. "...Th-this... is... so awesome...!"

Luna's crotch region had become quite soaked, and a very strong tingling sensation was rising up in her belly. There was no doubt that she was turned on as hell right now. After only a few minutes of oral-play with Scolus, her vagina was burning to have one of their cocks in it... like, now.

"Alright... now that I've got you naughty boys all hot and bothered..." Luna playfully taunted, turning her ass toward them once more. "...what's say you both go for the kill?"

The two took absolutely no hesitation to go for that shapely, hypnotic plot. They both leaped like crickets taking hold of the alicorn, with Aversion on the bottom, and Scolus on top. Aversion, his male appendage still firm like a bone, thrust up into Luna's pussy, making the former let out a loud moan of surprise and euphoria. Her face flushed a bright red that contrasted her dark blue hide.

Her eyes rolled back into her head and her tongue fell from her upward-curling lips as Scolus managed to penetrate her ass. From there, it was nothing but tremors and intense stimulation of her uterus, pulsating through her entire body, as the stallion and changeling humped her repeatedly, both of them panting and moaning all the while.

Luna no longer had the strength to stand due to how much energy this was taking out of her, and she collapsed onto her side. Aversion and Scolus, however, were not phased by it in the slightest and kept at it. She still could not get over the fact that she was being double-penetrated by a commoner she loved and his changeling friend; a scenario she could have never imagined would play out in her life. The feeling was pure bliss for the Princess of the Night.

The threesome became absolutely soaked with a mixture of their sweat, and little were they immediately aware... Aversion and Scolus' bodies were undergoing some bizarre changes. The stallion noticed that he was coming a bit closer to Luna's face, as if he were lengthening, and Scolus' nose happened to start touching the back of Luna's neck as he kept thrusting into her butt.

Both males also took note of how it was actually getting easier to do their pelvic thrusts... and Aversion was beginning to feel a bit claustrophobic in Luna's forelegs, while Luna herself could feel Scolus' legs lengthening... and thickening.

When the three were finally at the brink of their climax, they all let out loud whinnies as they came simultaneously. With that, they rolled away from each other, taking deep gasps of the hot air around them, absolutely soaked in sweat and cum.

"W-woah..." Aversion remarked.

"...Th-that..." Scolus spoke up.

After several more seconds, Luna urged herself to sit up. "...That was truly... amazing. You two are truly the..."

She trailed off as Aversion noticed her eyes go wide as she looked at him. She briefly darted her gaze to Scolus, before returning it to him with her jaw hanging low.

"What is it...?" Aversion asked.

"...A-Avey..." Luna stammered. "...You... you've... changed..."

"Huh...?" the stallion said, looking at himself.

What he saw gave him very much the same expression as Luna. He seemed to have grown in stature, and bulked up quite a bit on muscle mass. He looked very much like a bodybuilder.

"Wha...?!" Aversion said, sitting himself up. "...What happened to my body?"

"Not just your body, dude!" Scolus said.

Aversion looked at his friend to see that an identical effect had been achieved for Scolus as well. His chitin had expanded to accommodate his bizarre muscle growth. In addition to that, both of their privates had grown ever larger. It seemed like their heads were the only part of their bodies left unchanged.

"Oh dear..." Luna said, smirking in an embarrassed fashion, her face flushed. "…it seems you both had a bit of a... reaction, to my passive magic."

"Heheh... looks like you made us go through puberty again... and instantly." Aversion said.

"Yeah..." Scolus said, looking at Aversion's new build. "...damn, dude... you're a beast!"

"Same for you, Scol!" Aversion remarked.

"Yeah..." Scolus said, more clearly on purpose to listen to how he sounded. "…even our voices sound manlier!"

"But, in any case," Aversion began. "that was truly exhilarating, Lulu. I really cannot give you enough thanks for everything you do for me, as well as Scolus. And for you to do something like this for us..."

Luna's gaze fell to the floor, the same dreamy smile still lingering on her face. "Of course, Avey. After all, I told you way back when we first met... I would do anything for you."

"So... will we stay like this for a while?" Scolus asked, sleepily, as he glanced at his body. " 'Cause, my hive-brothers... I want them to see this! I want them to be jealous of my new muscles... and my massive dick! I want them to worship me! Heh heh...!"

"It may last for a couple of days," Luna said, "but should wear off soon enough."

"Aww... it's not for good?" Aversion said.

"Damn, that sucks!" Scolus remarked. "But, might as well enjoy it while you can! Right, Av?"

Aversion chuckled. "Just like to live here and now. Huh, Scol?"

Luna began to nod off a bit. "Oh, stars above! I am extraordinarily tired..."

It was only after she said that when Aversion and Scolus took the moment to realize how tired they were as well.

"I agree," Aversion said, yawning. "I think it's time for bed now."

"Yeah." Scolus said, catching the contagious yawns. "That little threesome was fun... but holy buck, does it take it outta ya!"

"Well... we're in a bed now..." Luna said, on the brink of collapsing.

"Yeah... at least we..." Aversion felt his consciousness fading. "...don't have to... stand..."

"...And... need to... sleep... alone... zzzzzz..." Scolus trailed off as he was forced into sleep.

Almost immediately, the three were deeply asleep, their bodies forcing them to recover from the intense sex they just had...

...And it was throughout that extreme ordeal that Aversion could feel the few remaining detached shards of his heart reforming and merging with the rest, becoming whole once more. It was this that truly healed him on a level that transcended to his very spirit.

28. Dinner with a Broken Spirit

Aversion decided to be the one to do something nice for Luna, all to show his gratitude at being her coltfriend. He took her out to a bald spot in the wood for a picnic he put together.

"This is a rather nice location you've picked, Avey!" Luna said, gazing around the area.

"Yeah," Aversion said. "Always nice to eat outdoors every now and then, right?"

"Indeed," Luna said.

Aversion unpacked the food he prepared. "I made some honey-glazed hay, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches, with organic artesian bread."

"Hmmm," Luna hummed, "sounds simple enough."

Aversion started eating his right away, while Luna took a moment to open up the sandwich and examine it. After a moment, she took a bite and chewed for a few seconds… but then her eyes shot wide open and her smile faded. While Aversion wasn't looking, she stuck her tongue out and looked at the food, which tasted… well… less-than-favorable to her.

"...Bleh…" Luna uttered inaudibly.

Given that she was accustomed to five-star meals that she ate on a daily basis, cheap food did not really leave a good taste in her mouth. Aversion, however, having eaten it for most of his life, was not bothered by it.

While Aversion still had his gaze diverted, Luna levitated the chewed sandwich bite out of her mouth, and lobbed it away in a random direction, out of sight. There was no way she could get the meal down without gagging, which she feared would offend Aversion. Still, given that it was the best Aversion could do, she appreciated it nonetheless. She knew it was the thought that counted.

"Y'know, Lulu..." Aversion said, "...I can't help but still feel... inferior to you."

Luna tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. "Oh? What ever do you mean by that, Avey?"

Aversion sighed. "I mean, just look at what I have done for us right now. Nothing but a basic picnic with budget food that probably doesn't hold a candle to what you eat on the regular. Meanwhile, you've been going out of your way to do practically everything for me, all through the use of your high rank and noble status. I don't know... I just feel like... like there's not a single thing about me that compares to your ballpark, Lulu."

Luna's gaze fell to the ground for a moment as she allowed herself to get deep into thought. "Well... actually, all is not as it seems, Avey. It just so happens, you have access to something that I shall never have for myself. Something that my sister and I would desire above all else."

"How so?" Aversion said.

"Even though alicorns are the most powerful race of ponies... it does not come without a tradeoff," Luna said. "While we have the magic of unicorns, the flight capacity of pegasi, and the connection with nature that earth ponies have... there is one thing that the lesser races will always hold above even my sister and I."

"Really?" Aversion asked. "What's that?"

"Simply..." Luna began. "...death."

"What?" Aversion spoke. "You mean, you don't like being immortal?"

"It's not like that, Avey," Luna said. "Even though alicorns are biologically immortal and never age to death, we are still prone to death by natural causes, such as injury, illness, poison, et cetera. When it comes to alicorns, upon death, our souls transcend to a place called the Mirror Realm. After a period of spiritual rest and self-reflection, we are then reincarnated into bodies identical to our previous forms, without the conscious memories of our previous life."

Aversion's eyes grew wide as he listened to Luna's lecture.

"In all essence, alicorns are eternally bound to Equus until the end of time," Luna said. "However, when it comes to the lesser races of earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi, it's completely different. When they die, their souls go to a separate part of the Mirror Realm, but only for a very short period of time. After being judged by the unseen forces of Equus, they will then leave the universe completely."

"Oh..." Aversion uttered, "...and, where do we go after we die?"

Luna's gaze fell to the ground. "...That is something that not even my sister knows. When lesser ponies die, they depart to a destination, outside our plane of reality, completely unknown to anypony living today. But it is because of this that they have it easier. My sister and I... we have lived thousands of years... we have watched civilizations rise and fall... we have had countless friends and family members die after living what seems a very short time to us, taken by the gift that we have not been bestowed with..."

"Gift?" Aversion asked.

Luna looked back up at her coltfriend. "In ancient texts, there have been many references to a so-called 'Gift of the Three Races,' and based on millennia of research, true death is the 'Gift.' "

"Oh..." Aversion said. "...so... when my time comes, I guess that would really be it, wouldn't it? There's no avoiding it for me, since I would age to death while you would live on."

"I know," Luna said, sadness in her eyes. "And I wish not for it to come prematurely, either. Especially now that the demonic entity that has been haunting you has become powerful enough to start siphoning your life energy."

"What?" Aversion said. "How do you know that?"

Luna pursed her lips. "...I had an encounter. The creature was manipulating my fears after it left your psyche, and made me inadvertently manifest another Tantabus, which it absorbed into itself to enhance its power... which I fear could include it's life-siphoning properties, which are harmless to an immortal alicorn like me. Then, it went back into your psyche, where it is now brute-forcing me to stay out."

Aversion's eyes went wide as he listened.

"I assure you, Avey, I never meant for this to happen!" Luna pleaded.

"I know, Lulu..." Aversion said, "...I know you'd never want to harm me, especially after that sincere, heartfelt promise you made after that night you became Nightmare Moon again. But... is there anything you can do about it? Anything I can do to help?"

"Hmmm..." Luna pondered. "...there is something we could try, as well as a method to know how long we have..."

Back at the Castle of the Two Sisters, Luna made the necessary arrangements by getting some artifacts from her personal mages.

"How exactly is this gonna work, Lulu?" Aversion asked.

"All you need to do..." Luna said, "...is try to stay still, and don't let any bad thoughts get to you. It is vital that you are free of any stress for this process to work."

Aversion took a breath. "Alright, Lulu. I trust you."

With that, Luna closed her eyes as her horn illuminated. Aversion's body was outlined with the same glow, as was a transparent, bluish gemstone perched on a golden mount, and both the stallion and stone levitated closer together. After a moment, Aversion felt a warm sensation in his chest, and a beam of aqua-colored light emanated from his barrel into the stone. This continued for several seconds until the stone was glowing on its own, the exact color of his cutie mark flame.

Aversion descended back to the floor, as did the stone to its mount, and Luna stopped her magic and opened her eyes.

"Alright, good," the Princess said. "This aura stone has been attuned to your life energy, Avey. The intensity of the glow indicates how strong your life force is."

"Really?" Aversion asked, stepping forward to look at the brightly-glowing gemstone. "That's interesting... I can see my own energy with this thing!"

"Yes," Luna said. "you now share a sort of 'energy symbiosis' with the stone. And from the look of it, you are still brimming with life. So, we may just have enough time to stop the malevolent being from wreaking havoc on your soul before any irreparable harm is done."

"Well, that's good," Aversion said.

"However," Luna spoke, "actually destroying the shadow pony is going to be easier said than done. The Tantabus could very well be child's play compared to what this being has evolved into."

Aversion bit his lower lip. "That doesn't sound good, now that you mention it."

"Indeed," Luna said. "In the meantime, I will work to survey this being with magical analysis to know precisely where it could have a weak point. All the while, I will need to carry out my royal duties as per normal. After all, I must ensure the wellbeing of all my subjects."

Aversion nodded. "I got it."

"In any case," Luna said, "we have dinner tonight at Canterlot Castle. And Blueblood, having completed his debt to society, will be present."

"Yikes," Aversion said. "Sounds like this could be ugly..."

"No need to worry, Avey," Luna said. " 'Tia and I will ensure that he will not get a drop on you this time around. And the guards have been ordered to ensure he does not behave out of line, either."

Blueblood had served his sentence under Aversion's instruction, and he was allowed to come back to Canterlot Castle. However, the magic-suppression band on his horn was kept on. When he pleaded for it to be removed, Celestia informed him that they were going to keep an eye on his behavior a little while longer, after receiving some tipoffs from Discord about his sneaky behavior. His privileges and monarch power would both be quite limited a little while longer, and he would have to "earn" the removal of the suppression band.

"In any case," Celestia spoke to her nephew, "Luna and Aversion are both going to be present in the dining hall for the evening meal. You are to be on your best behavior, Blueblood! If not, there shall be further consequences."

Blueblood sighed. "...Yes, Auntie."

"And, bear in mind..." Celestia said, "...I shall let your Auntie Luna decide what your punishment will be should you misbehave!"

"Yes, Auntie," Blueblood repeated.

Right about now, Blueblood was truly broken. After a solid month of hard, physical labor, his spirit was broken. His pride was crippled. His narcissism was almost nonexistent. It seemed like the threat of consequences was finally getting through his thick head. He was far more obedient than he had been prior to his hearing.

"Good," Celestia said. "Now, you head on up to your room and clean yourself up for tonight. Dinner will be served in approximately one hour."

So, the reinstated prince made his way up to his room, where he sat on the edge of his bed, leaning forward and pondering.

"How did I end up in this situation?" Blueblood asked himself. "Auntie 'Tia is useless... I'm useless... the whole world is useless! To put me through the agony of physical labor... the uncomfortable firm mattresses to sleep upon... the low-cost, tasteless culinary of Ponyville... where did I go wrong?"

No doubt, Blueblood's lack of power during his sentence really took a toll on his overconfidence. Now, he was really starting to sink inside his shell. He had been overworked, sleep-deprived, humiliated, and on top of all of that... everyone saw him for who he was on the inside. The part of him he wanted nopony to see.

He more or less just absently sat on the edge of the bed until the dinner bell rang. From there, he took the walk down to the dining hall, where he was dreading anything that could potentially go wrong...

Dinner came later in the evening, and Celestia, Luna, Aversion, and Blueblood were all present at the table. There was very much awkward silence as they all ate, except for the occasional question.

"So..." Celestia said, "...how has everypony been in their offtime?"

"Oh, we've been doing quite well, Your Highness!" Aversion remarked.

"Yes indeed!" Luna remarked.

Blueblood said nothing, fiddling with his fork between two hooves, not used to holding it earth pony- or pegasus-style.

Needless to say, it was very awkward, throwing out a question every so often that had almost universal context. Blueblood held his tongue nearly the entire time. After everyone finished their meals, dessert was served, but even then, the atmosphere did not improve a whole lot. In any case, there was somepony there who wanted to try and make things a little bit better.

"Well, I do believe that mayhaps we should all..." Celestia spoke, trailing off for a moment, "...request Pinkie Pie from Ponyville to throw us a party, just for the fun of it?"

"Hmmm..." Luna hummed just before swallowing what was in her mouth, "...I concur, 'Tia! Been quite a while since we've had much excitement!"

"...Excitement?" Blueblood finally spoke. "What 'excitement' is there to be had?"

"Oh, look! He can speak!" Aversion said.

Blueblood glared at the earth pony. "Hey! Do not get sarcastic on me, wiseguy!"

"Blueblood!" Celestia said. "Mind your manners!"

"But Auntie!" Blueblood argued. "You can't let this commoner speak to me in such a way!"

Aversion stood from his seat. "You know, karma is something that is unseen, silent... and she can be a cold, cruel bitch to those who have it coming!"

"You dare threaten me?!" Blueblood said.

Luna narrowed her eyes at her nephew. Alright, Blueblood... I'm afraid you have forfeited this chance to make amends, and now, you shall be punished further... in such a way that I am sure you are quite familiar with...

Luna discreetly charged her horn, before she cast an invisible spell onto the white unicorn.

"I believe you have had more than your say!" Blueblood continued to vent at Aversion. "I will not continue to be tormented in this fashion! As your prince, I demand you to remove yourself from..."

The unicorn stallion trailed off for a moment as an audible bubbling noise sounded. He looked at his hoof, which he was pointing at Aversion, to see that it had noticeably swollen and become slightly reflective. It now looked much like a rubber ball on the end of his foreleg. He brought his hoof in front of his face and narrowed his eyes.

"What the...?" Blueblood uttered.

And then a deeper, sluggish bubbling noise began as Blueblood's neck and cheeks began to puff up slowly, as did the hunches of his forelegs. Feeling a bizarre pressure building up in his belly, the prince glanced down at his torso and barrel to see that they were also bulging out as well. His eyes went wide upon noticing this, and he gasped.

"You..." Blueblood said, returning his gaze to Aversion.

Aversion raised a brow. "Me?"

"You did this!" Blueblood said through his puffing-up cheeks.

"No," Luna said, "I did it! There was no potion involved for this; I simply used an Inflating Spell on you! Now you shall have, as the expression goes, a taste of your own medicine, Blueblood!"

Celestia just stared, somewhat dumbstruck, at the sight of her nephew blowing up like a balloon, her face growing slightly red.

"Hmm..." Aversion said, smirking... and blushing a bit, "...I think I'm gonna enjoy this..."

For the next few moments, there was nothing but the sound of Blueblood moaning and the low bubbling and gurgling noises happening in his stomach as he continued to fill with gas. He became so large, his own body started pushing him in his chair back, away from the table. His neck became so thick, his chestpiece started to rip, before it came off completely and fell to the floor. Once his body was perfectly round, and his limbs quite wide and hard to move, he began to rise up out of the chair.

"...O-oh... dear..." Blueblood uttered, with difficulty due to the pressure inside him making it a bit hard to breathe, "...Auntie... 'Tia... please... do something...!"

At this point, Celestia had her hooves clasped over her muzzle, her eyes closed, and jolting rapidly. It was pretty clear that she was straining not to laugh.

The two guards present in the dining hall, both exchanged confused glances.

"Do you think we should... do something?" One asked.

The other one looked back at the rising, inflating Blueblood. "But... what is there for us to do?"

"I don't know..." the first guard said, shifting his own attention back to Blueblood, smiling after a moment, "...but I think this is kinda funny!"

"Hm, I agree," the second guard acknowledged.

Blueblood bumped into the ceiling, rolling a bit, until his inflation stopped, as indicated by the slowing and halting of the gurgling in his belly. Luna stood from her seat, walked directly nadir to Blueblood, encased him in a levitation spell, and brought him down almost to ground-level.

"And, in addition to turning you into a living balloon, I have planned a sort of... 'part two' to your punishment, Blueblood," Luna said.

The prince began to sweat. "Wh-whatever do you mean... Auntie...?"

Luna narrowed her eyes as a crooked smile appeared on her face.

A short while later, Blueblood found himself floating in front of the castle, his hind legs tethered, by the fetlocks, to a stake in the ground. His mouth had been taped up, and attached to the ropes holding him down, directly under him, was a sign that read: I AM HOLDING A PETTY GRUDGE AGAINST A COMMONER, BECAUSE I AM NO BENEVOLENT MONARCH.

Luna was positive that this would humiliate him further, should anypony happen to see him, which was plausible, as it was still daylight for now. Blueblood himself hung suspended in midair, his eyes narrow, unamused.

Well, this is just silly... Blueblood thought.

There were a few Canterlot citizens walking by who caught sight of him. A few of them just minded their business, some stared in confusion, some started laughing. But overall, anypony who saw him definitely had something to tell their friends about now!

Even though it was not something he found particularly amusing, Blueblood's main concern was swapped to something else, completely out of left-field.

N-ngh...! My nose itches! Blueblood thought.

He tried to reach for his face, but his limbs had become too thick to bend, and even so, the fact that he was inflated had spread them out quite far, and partially sucked into his abdomen.

Ugh... body too big... Blueblood thought, ...can't reach my face...!

The itch on his nose was getting so bad, it was impossible to ignore. Tears started leaking out from his eyelids.

So... was THIS part of your punishment as well, Auntie Lulu? Blueblood thought. Giving me a bad itch, and rendering me unable to relieve it?

Blueblood had been subject to such bad treatment over the course of the past month, his logic had been pretty much reduced to non-sequitur... not that it was any better prior to his punishment. In any case, the inflated stallion, having absolutely nothing to do, and no hope of getting down on the tethers, ended up drifting off to sleep.

Author's Note

Yeah, I know about the month-long wait, but unfortunately, midterms really eat up a lot of my time. Regardless, I am determined to get this fic completed. And now that the show has ended, what exactly does this mean for any future MLP stories I have? Well, the answer is this: absolutely nothing. I won't stop writing MLP stories I've planned, and I will continue to keep working at it. Also, I'm actually quite interested to see what G5 has to offer! I'd be interested to know what you all think of the upcoming reboot! So, thanks for always continuing to follow me, despite how slow I can be at times (life, am I right? :rainbowlaugh: )

29. Plans Need Changing

Blueblood, after spending the night and following morning suspended in midair, was eventually brought down and deflated by Luna. However, he had been spotted by several ponies, who spread it around the PonyNet, and nearly everypony in Equestria who got sight of photographs got a good laugh at the bratty prince. The thought of this alone only brought Blueblood down further. He was no longer willing to bring himself to misbehave, lest he face even worse consequences.

By this point, Aversion's muscles had shrunken back to their normal size, with Luna's passive magic having worn off gradually over several days. The same happened with Scolus. However, the improvements she made to their... special parts... happened to stick around, being a permanent alteration that could only be undone by another intentional spell. It was a change both were more than happy to keep.

As per usual, the trio were having lunch at the Castle of the Two Sisters, conversing over the usual stuff... but Scolus appeared somewhat uncomfortable.

"Scol?" Aversion asked. "You doing alright, dude?"

"W-well..." Scolus stammered, "...it's complicated."

"What ever is the matter?" Luna asked.

"Listen," Scolus began, "I know this is a bit much to ask, but... could I stay here at the castle?"

"Of course!" Luna said. "You're always welcome here, Scolus. But, if you'll beg my pardon for asking... why do you want to avoid the changeling hive?"

Scolus shuffled his legs nervously. "I get the feeling that Chrysalis is catching onto the fact that I made up an excuse for why my muscles got so pumped for a short time. For one thing, I'm back to normal, and two... she actually tried to integrate what I suggested into our diet, and well... many of my hive-brothers and hive-sisters have gotten sick. I swear, our sick chamber's never been so full before..."

"Oh, jeez... that sounds bad!" Aversion said.

Scolus nodded. "And believe me, I do not want to be on the receiving-end of my queen's wrath. She's scary! She'll send me to Tartarus and back the next time she sees me!"

Luna stood from her chair, walked up to the changeling, and placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"Aw, you poor thing," the Princess said. "I'm sorry about making you stand out in such a way that you'd get in trouble! But as long you're with us, Scolus..." she then hugged the drone, "...you won't need to worry about that nasty Queen Chrysalis."

Scolus, his eyes closed with a warm smile, hugged Luna back. "Gotta say, it's good to have friends who care about me."

"Totally!" Aversion acknowledged. "Especially when they are willing to fend of a threat from inside oneself as well."

"Oh yeah," Scolus said, "you still got that shadow-demon lurking around in your spirit-self, huh Av?"

"Yeah, unfortunately," Aversion said.

"Fortunately, I've been working out a way in which to potentially get rid of this entity for good," Luna said.

"That's good," Scolus said. "At least you've found a way to be on top of it! And if there's anything I can do to help, just say the word!"

"Thanks, Scol," Aversion said.

"In any case," Luna said, "I've been getting fairly restless, what with being indoors constantly and whatnot. Mayhaps we should go for a nice hike?"

Aversion shrugged. "Sure. I always love to get out and do things with you, Lulu!"

"Alright," Scolus said, "you two have fun! In the meantime, I'm gonna go get a room setup for myself."

"Of course!" Luna said. "Since Avey and I are using my old room, you may feel free to use my sister's old room as your own."

"Great!" Scolus said. "In any case, I'm also glad that Blueblood's been dealt with... or should I call him 'Bluebloat'?"

The trio laughed at the pun. Having finished his meal, the changeling stood from the table, fully satiated thanks to it in addition to the moderate love that Luna and Aversion were giving each other throughout lunch.

"Well then," Luna said, "now that we've finished off our meals, shall we be off?"

'Yeah, let's go get some fresh air and exercise!" Aversion said.

So, the alicorn and earth pony both put their dishes into the enchanted, self-washing kitchen basin, and readied themselves to go for a walk through the woods. The two always loved going for good, long walks, as it allowed them to really go deep with conversation topics, which they otherwise would not talk about in a casual setting. What could they say? They really liked to know more about each other deep down.

However, all may not have been as well for the time being as they thought. The aura stone attuned to Aversion's life energy, which was still sitting on its perch in Luna's room, subtly flickered and became noticeably dimmer...

Aversion and Luna went around the woods in the locality of the castle, more or less conversing on more personal matters that they could not bring themselves to talk about with Scolus around.

"There are times when I felt like I had no will to go on," Luna said. "But, in time, I learned that there were a great many ponies who cared about me. And I thought my sister was hogging the spotlight."

"Wow," Aversion said. "I guess I was looking at things from a very one-dimensional standpoint myself. Y'know, Lulu, now you got me thinking that maybe there are ponies out there who care about me."

"Of course there are!" Luna said.

While continuing to give each other short pep-talks, Aversion figured it might be a good chance to see if there was anything else Luna might still be holding back from him.

"Tell me, Lulu," Aversion began, "what's the most personal thing about yourself that you are willing to confess to me?"

Luna pursed her lips. "Well..."

However, she was cut short as her eyes fixed on something else.

"What's the matter?" Aversion asked.

"There's..." Luna spoke, "...somepony else here."

Aversion looked ahead to see exactly what his marefriend was talking about. There was another pony present on the path.

It was a mare covered in a thick, spherical coat of very fluffy, soft-pink fur. She had green eyes with sharp eyelid corners, and some eyelashes on the lower lids. She stared at the two with a very vacant expression... and with her tongue hanging out for some reason.

"Uh... hello?" Aversion said. "Who are you?"

The mare said nothing. But after staring for a brief moment, she leaped a bit closer to Aversion. From there, she ran a hoof through his mane, turned his head back and forth, examining it, opening his mouth to look inside, and just getting an overall look at his physique.

After a moment, she sat, staring briefly, before moving to Luna and doing the same thing. The fluffy mare seems totally mesmerized by the alicorn's rippling mane and tail. After taking a bit of time to physically examine the two, she stepped back, staring into space for a brief moment, before she gasped, a huge grin appearing on her face.

Then she immediately took off running down the path and out of sight. Needless to say, the two who remained were quite flabbergasted by what just happened.

"...What was that all about?" Aversion asked. "Who was she?"

"I'm not sure..." Luna said, her eyes narrow and rubbing her chin.

In spite of the random encounter, the two continued on their way, trying to pretend it didn’t happen. Despite them being surprised by this, there was also something else making them feel a bit uneasy even before they began their walk. But what it was, they could not say…

Later that night, after the trio fell asleep. Luna found herself in the Dream Void once again, but rather than get some actual work done right off the bat, the first thing she did was make her way to Aversion’s subconscious, where she readied herself to confront the demon.

“Okay…” Luna said to herself, “...this shouldn’t be impossible. I’m sure that there’s some way to take this thing out.”

She opened the door, and as per usual, the shadow pony stood there, as if expecting to see her. It glared at her momentarily, before giving its shrill, chilling, mouthless scream that threw her back, the door closing a moment after she flew away. The alicorn stumbled to regain her footing so as to stand back up.

“Ngh…” Luna groaned, “...I don’t see what I am to do from here!”

She stopped to think about what could possibly be done if she could not get through to Aversion’s subconscious.

“Let’s see,” Luna said to herself, “if this creature originated from Tartarus through the invocation… perhaps we may just be able to get it to return by performing another invocation? But…”

She knew that doing such a task would require projection to Tartarus itself, and that place was very dangerous to still-living ponies, as they risk being trapped forever. But if they were able to lure the creature back into Tartarus to trap it…

“I may need to bring this up with Avey to see what he thinks,” Luna said.

In the meantime, she carried out her dream duty as per normal, but the thought of the shadow pony wreaking havoc on Aversion’s subconscious and life force made her ever more impatient. She knew what needed to be done.

I WOULD go to Tartarus for Avey! She thought. Never would I forsake him if it meant saving myself!

Author's Note

Forgive me if this chapter seems like filler, but I've been under a lot of emotional uncertainty and confusion. I hope that by the time the next chapter can be posted, I will have collected myself and be able to think more clearly. No matter what happens, I am still grateful for all of you guys continuing to follow and support me by reading my stories!

Soundtrack Guide

-"Unfulfilled Life" (Atsushi Kitajoh - Trauma Team)
-"Trailer Theme" (Giles Lamb - Dead Island)
-"Save Ilia" (Toru Minegishi, Asuka Ota, Koji Kondo - The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)
-"A Whole New World (instrumental)" (Alan Menken, Tim Rice - Aladdin)
-"Funfair 04 (B)" (Unknown composer - C.R.U.S.H.)
-"Turnabout Sisters' Ballad" (Masakazu Sugimori, Naoto Tanaka - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney)
-"Resolution" (Satoshi Okubo - Last Window: The Secret of Cape West)
-"Home" (Jorge Méndez)
-"Hopeless" (Shoji Meguro - Trauma Center: Second Opinion)
-"Start Mix" (Dance eJay)
-"I Can Count on You" (True Vibe)
-"Theme of Simon Belmont" (Masanori Adachi, Taro Kudo, special string arrangement by Jorge Fuentes - Super Castlevania IV)
-"Pop Star" (Jun Ishikawa - Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards)
-"Mystery" (Serge Tavitian, Herman Martin - Code Lyoko)
-"Omen of the Blood Moon" (Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild)
-"Cold" (Jorge Méndez)
-"Searching for E.T." (John Williams - E.T. the Extra Terrestrial)
-"Tiangong" (Steven Price - Gravity)
-"Won the Lawsuit! ~Another Victory" (Masakazu Sugimori, Naoto Tanaka - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Justice for All)
-"Silver Leaves" (James Newton Howard - Treasure Planet)
-"For a Better Tomorrow" (Shoji Meguro, arranged version by Benlinlin - Trauma Center: Under the Knife)
-"Bright Crystal" (Satoshi Okubo - Hotel Dusk: Room 215)
-"Castle of Glass" (Linkin Park)