The Shadow of the Moon

The Shadow of the Moon

Act 2: Meeting the Family

Chapter 15: Liking What You See

“Midnight………Are you awake?”

I feel my sleepy brain’s gear start to turn.

“Midnight?”

Is that Luna? She sounds different.

I reach out blindly with my left hoof and find a face.

“Midnight?”

“My hearing must be out of whack from the explosion.”

“Morning moonshine,” I croak deeply. I pull Luna’s face to mine and give her passionate kiss. I notice a bit of resistance and hesitation in the kiss. I open my eyes confused as to why she wasn’t kissing back as usual. My heart stops for a second. The EKG machine confirms it audibly. Instead of those beautiful cyan eyes that would look at him lovingly, were a pair of wide, and surprised pale magenta eyes. I stop and let go of Celestia. She backs away and wipes her mouth gently with a hoof. I stare at her, my face reddening from embarrassment.

“Sorry,” I apologize, “I thought you were somepony else.”

A coy smile plays along her lips, “I can tell. I can honestly say I’m a little jealous of my sister right now.” She laughs softly, “It’s been a long time since somepony kissed me like that.”

“Sorry,” I say again, “Where did Luna go?”

She laughs some more, “Don’t be. Despite the unexpectedness of it, I found it enjoyable. Luna and I will have much to discuss. As for where she is, she left to go get cleaned up at the castle now that she is confident you will make it through this. She will be back later tonight.”

“Should I be afraid?” I ask.

“Hmmm, maybe some other time,” she smiles.

“So, uh, I don’t imagine that you are here to get kissed by injured suitors of your sister,” I say trying to move away from the awkward moment.

“No, though I might have to add it to my list some time,” she laughs.

“I think she have enjoyed that too much.”

“No, I’m here for this,” she says sternly. Her expression changes to anger and her hoof slaps me across the face.

I recoil from the hit, “Okay, what was that for?”

“Did you read that scroll I left in your locker?” she questions.

“Yes. You said come back alive.”

“Maybe I should have specified that I meant in one piece. Not scraps for my sister to weep over and fret that you might die,” she chastises me, “You may not have died, but you sure as hell gave it your best shot. Don’t do that! Not to her! She’s had enough heartache on her own and doesn’t need your help adding to it!”

“Okay, fine. I get it. You want to protect her and I’m sorry!” I shout back, my temper becoming heated. I would have never dreamed of speaking this way towards a princess months ago, but things in my life had been changing rapidly.

“I’m sorry I got blown up!” I raise my voice and gesture with my remaining hoof at my limbless shoulder. “I’m sorry that I did the job that I was assigned to do! I am sorry that I had the see the things I saw and do the things I did!” I was nearing my breaking point. All the stress that had built up over the months; all the pain I had ever felt; everything I had bottled up was about to come spilling out and I didn’t care.

“Do you think I asked for this!? Do you think I wanted to get blown up! Do you think I want the weight of knowing that I sent those ponies out of the building to take cover behind those same DAMN CRATES! THEY TRUSTED ME AND I FAILED THEM!” My voice cracked from the strain. I cough and clear it. I bring the volume down a notch, “They died because they thought I knew what I was doing and now those ponies are added to the list of those that died because of me! Their names and faces are forever etched in my memory and their blood stains my soul! I didn’t want this! I didn’t ask for this!” My rage was short lived and starting to dissipate. Instead tears sprang from my eyes blurring the look on Celestia’s face beyond recognition.

“I sometimes wish I never asked Zecora to tell me my future. I wish that I could lead a normal life. Free of power-hungry murderers and dead soldiers. I do, Celestia. I wish I could be free of this curse of a prophesy that hangs over me but everything time I do, I see Luna. I could never leave her. I just couldn’t. All the things that I have had to see and do are worth every second I spend with her. As much as I wish I could bring ponies like Buck back to their wives, but to do this would come at the cost of never getting to know Luna, and I am too selfish to give her up. As much as I hate this, I don’t want to change it. She’s the only good thing I have left. She’s the light that guides me through dark.” I cry bitterly, my emotions spent.

Celestia shuffles her feet a little before speaking, “I think I owe you an apology. Even though I was happy for my sister, I was concerned that maybe you didn’t take what you had with her as seriously. That maybe you were on a crusade to be the best and greatest; a hero for the modern times.” She clears her throat, “While we need heroes to inspire and promote the good that can be found in life, I did not want my sister being used as a part of the façade and legacy left behind while you make the ‘ultimate sacrifice.’ After hearing what you just said though, after hearing the pain and anger, I don’t think I have to worry about your motivations. I am sorry. You also said something about a future telling and a prophesy? What do you mean?”

I sniff, “When I was just a young colt, I left Ponyville and entered the Everfree forest to go see a zebra named Zecora. I didn’t know much about my cutie mark and wanted to know more. She created a brew and began to chant. Her voice changed and it sounded like many ponies were speaking at once.”

Celestia swallowed, “Did you tell anypony about this?”

I shake my head.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asks.

“No,” I reply, “It is my burden to carry.”

“It’s a burden that you share with my sister as long as you are with her. You should tell her when you are ready,” Celestia says calmly.

“Can I ask you a question Celestia?”

“That was one, but yes.”

“What kind of pony am I?”

Celestia smiled slightly and walks to the bathroom door with a full length mirror mounted on it. She turns the door so that I can see my reflection in it, “Only you can answer that Midnight. Only you know what it is truly in your heart and know the depths of your mind.”

I sigh.

“No such thing as easy answers.”

“I will tell you two things however,” Celestia says. Her face grows serious as she looks me dead in the eye, “I heard of a pony who once told my sister that ‘life isn’t being unfair, but giving you what you need to grow.’ I think that pony was onto something. Second, I don’t know if you’ve picked up a newspaper lately, but there is a second killer on the loose with the same modus operandi as Amethyst, right down to the rune circles. We aren’t sure it is a copycat or if Amethyst had an apprentice, but I fear it isn’t over yet.” Celestia turns and leaves the room.

I stare at the door she just left through, cold shivers rock my body.

“Not over? No. No. No. NO. NO! IT ISN’T FAIR! IT WAS DONE!”

I dip my head weep bitterly.

“None of it mattered. All those deaths and none of it mattered. This isn’t right. It’s starting all over again, except this time I’m only part the pony I used to be.”

I wipe my eyes with my hoof. I look up and catch my reflection in the corner of my eye. I look in the mirror and study the pony in it. White bandages wrapped around his broad chest. Traces of red blood could be seen trying to seep through his limbless shoulder. Behind him two slightly disproportionate wings lay spread out. The right one was bandaged and splinted and singed dark grey feathers protruded from the wrappings. Up and down his neck were several slight lacerations that would eventually heal into small white scars. Across the lower edge of his jaw line, a small sliver of a scar had already formed shining brightly against his dark grey coat. His black mane was uneven in places where fire and doctors had shaved away at it to do their work. Sticking out above the black mane were his ears. The corner of his right one was missing, leaving a jagged torn edge. Standing out the most was his sharp blue eyes. They were piercing and honest. Reflected in them were moments of pain and times of joy. They seemed to study me as I did the same to them.

“Who are you?” I ask the mirror pony.

Silence prevails in the room except for the old sound of hushed voices talking in the hall and the sounds of staff walking through the hospital.

“Who I am?.......How do I figure that out?”

Faced with these two questions I look back at the mirror.

“These aren’t the right questions are they?” I ask my glassy doppelganger.

“Celestia threw my own words back in my face. ‘Life isn’t being unfair, but giving you what you need to grow.’ Well, I’m finding it difficult to grow back another arm!”

My mirror pony looked at me disapproving.

“I know that isn’t what it means. I came up with it after all. So how do I grow from this mess?

I watch myself blink. “You just have a clue either do you?” The other pony said nothing. I sigh.

“Simpler question. Who do you love?”

“Luna. Wholeheartedly and faithfully,” I say the mirror and watch as the stallion inside smiles and nod his head affirmatively. I felt my heart swell with passion and love for the mare of my dreams.

“At least I’ve established that. I would do whatever it takes to protect and love her.”

My reflection looks at me and I understand the unspoken question.

“Then what do you have to do?”

“I’m going to have to take this copycat killer down. If they are following the same footsteps as Amethyst, then Luna and Celestia could be in danger. This time though, I am going to do it for Luna because I love her. Not because some prophesy said I had to. This is my life,” I tell the stallion in the mirror. He nods.

“Then it is settled. After this copycat is dealt with I will deal with who I am in more detail. For now though this will work.”

“I am in love with Luna,” I whisper to myself, “And that is enough.” I watch my doppelganger smile. I close my eyes and fell back into the dream world as my battered body rested.