Rest in Peace

A week had passed since her fight against the Taken Mutae, and things were just barely beginning to normalize. Every day, Luna would go out to the forest before dawn and check on the Glimmer mining drill she'd set up. There was enough in just the forest to make a ship, but with it being scattered in smaller pockets, Luna ended up having to set it up in a new spot each day. This was fine by her, as the closer she remained to her allies in the town, the less likely she was to get mobbed by those who didn't know of her existence. That, and the locals didn't enter the forest for any reason, so as long as she stayed in there, she didn't have to worry about prying eyes or ponies messing with her stuff.

In conjunction with her clandestine mission to build her means back to the stars, Luna redoubled her efforts to learn ~Equestrian~. Even with her lack of sleep over the past week, with each and every dream ending in a nightmare, she found herself speaking in the pony tongue more frequently, and with greater confidence.

But there were more symptoms than just the frequent nightmares. Her skin at first began to itch, and over this week, scales had grown in. Most were easily concealable by the clothing ~Rarity~ had given her, but the most recent to come in were on her hands. As soon as she noticed the sign of those scales growing in, Luna switched back to wearing only her armor. She was lucky that none were growing on her face yet.

Today she would go to ~Canterlot~, as scheduled by ~Twilight~ and the princesses. While she was definitely uncomfortable with the idea of having to leave the safety of ~Ponyville~, the fact remained that she was in no position to demand that royalty come to her. Memories of a particular Queen came to mind upon that line of thought. In preparation for shit going wrong, as it tended to do when she was around, she'd decided to wear her Orpheus Rigs instead of the Bones. Having less time between Shadowshots would be far more useful than an extra jump, she reasoned. In addition, she carried the Ace of Spades in its usual holster.

"~Are you ready?~" ~Twilight~ asked. Upon her own back was ~Spike~, a young dragon she'd been deeply startled upon meeting, but had eventually warmed up to, as well a set of saddlebags, stuffed to the brim with various notes, spare quills, and ink.

Luna nodded, holding up a transmat beacon, "~As ready as possible. Is it just us?~"

"~Fluttershy will be joining us. Everypony else is busy today,~" the lavender pony replied. "~She'll meet us at the train station.~"

With that, she and ~Twilight~ began their walk to the train station, with ~Spike~ riding on her back. They filed through town at a comfortable, unhurried pace. Ponies would wave and say hello, mostly to ~Twilight~, but occasionally to her as well. After the attack of the Taken Mutae, it was understandable that the ponies would be wary of her. Being an alien made her almost feel bad for the Fallen back in her home universe. Almost being the key operative. The Fallen had made far fewer attempts to be friendly.

Upon reaching the train station, Luna saw a small squad of four ponies in golden armor, all of them white and wielding halberds. Though sub-species varied, she found herself wondering why only white ponies would be allowed to be guards. But the thought was put aside as ~Fluttershy~ approached, offering a friendly nuzzle to both ~Twilight~ and herself. The train let out a bellowing whistle, and the party made their way into the train, along with the guards.

She sat down on one of the benches and let her mind wander. It was curious that her Light still worked in a completely different dimension from the Traveler. She'd read transmissions from Ghosts that ventured beyond the heliopause, out into the black between stars, and all of them felt as though their Light was failing from being so far from the Traveler. She couldn't help but wonder why she could still feel it all around her, and how similar the ponies' magic felt to Light. Did the Traveler exist in this universe too? Did it visit these ponies as it had the Eliksni or humanity? Would the Darkness be here too?

A hoof gently nudged her shoulder, rousing her from her thoughts. One of the guards looked up at her curiously. He gently nudged at her Rigs, staring at the three glowing Void Arrows in the built-in quiver. "~What are those?~" he asked tentatively.

"~Void Arrows,~" she answered simply.

This only caused all of the ponies in the car to look at her curiously.

"~I have a bad feeling about today. I have these to be prepared,~" she explained, trying her best to keep her grammar in mind. "~I do not want anyone to be hurt because I was not prepared.~"

"~Are you a—?~" the guard used a word she did not know.

Luna looked to Twilight. The ~alicorn~ offered a synonym she knew, "~Warrior?~"

Luna turned back to the guard and offered her response, "~Yes... and no. Yes, I fight and kill monsters. No, I fight to protect. I am not a warrior. In my tongue, I am a~ Guardian. ~I am a protector.~"

The guards all nodded solemnly. Another guard offered his own question, "~You say arrows, which would mean your weapon is a bow?~"

"~Again, yes and no,~" Luna answered. "~I am the weapon. I cannot explain more with the words I know.~"

The guards looked at her with a special curiosity, as though begging her to try to explain. ~Twilight~ and ~Fluttershy~ simply nodded in understanding.

"~Twilight, can you explain your understand to them?~" Luna asked, fumbling with a word.

Luna took the opportunity to zone out as the pony explained with plenty of words she didn't yet know. With barely over a week of language lessons, there was only so much she could say or understand. That only played into her anxiety about this meeting with the princesses. She didn't know if she'd be able to answer the questions they wanted to ask. And even if she could, there's no way she could guarantee they'd like the answers she could give. From what little she'd seen of this place, the equine kind seemed to be incredibly peaceful, enough to the point that she'd yet to see any firearm that wasn't one of hers. She continued with this train of thought until the actual train she was on pulled into the station. The ponies around her stood up, and she absently followed them off the train.

Once she was out of the station, she took notice of her surroundings. The entire city was truly beautiful, its architecture carved directly from the mountain with nary a seam in sight. Dazzling white marble was everywhere, with flagstone roads providing both color and a contrasting design philosophy. Towers with opulent domes and spires, painted in royal colors and metallic and jeweled tones were visible beyond the rooftops, and the palace loomed large over them all. The ponies here also seemed to be of much higher class, as she could see several actually wearing clothes, though they still kept their ~Cutie Marks~ exposed.

And judging by their reactions to seeing her, they hadn't been informed of her presence. When the first civilian pony saw her, they screamed '~monster~' and bolted down the road, setting off a chain reaction. Those who witnessed that first pony first stared at them, then turned to see what they were screaming about. Since the idea that there was a monster had already been suggested, those who saw Luna immediately slapped that label to her, and began freaking out accordingly, only bringing more of this negative attention her way. Luna sighed, her face deadpan as usual.

"~Remember, do not make a wish,~" she said sternly.

The guards seemed confused, but she wasn't really worried about them. ~Twilight~ and ~Fluttershy~ nodded, confirming that they understood.

With that, they continued on towards the palace. The whole way had been cleared by the panicked cries of that first pony. This only made the atmosphere more tense. The dull hum of the city's inhabitants going about their lives, the merchants in the markets, and ponies in the streets, was dead quiet. Café and restaurant doors were closed, the patios abandoned, with fearful eyes peeking out from behind wooden blinds. Nothing stirred.

Once they reached the castle gates, everything seemed to return to normal. The guards there allowed them entry, and they proceeded through the front door of the castle.

(Recommended Listening)

Inside, the true scope of the palace became apparent. Luxurious red carpet was laid in a direct path forwards to a pair of thrones a hundred meters away at least, upon which the princesses sat, watching as she approached. Immense marble pillars lined the path, adorned with glowing crystals that shone with radiant golden light. Beyond those pillars, high up in the wall, were stained glass windows, each different from the last. Upon closer inspection, they seemed to tell a story, the same way her drawings did.

But before she could truly dig into what she saw, she reached the thrones, and the ponies among her bowed. Off to the sides, several ponies were filed into a seating arrangement much like the juror's box in a court of law. Luna remained standing, immediately earning angry shouts from the seated ponies in the box.

Midnight yelled over the crowd in a voice that was most definitely impossible for a being of her size, much as she had back in ~Ponyville~. Once the crowd was silenced, Dawn bade the ponies stand. With that, the guards turned and took up posts on either side of the carpet.

"~Welcome, Violet,~" Dawn greeted calmly and warmly. "~We hope you are well?~"

"~Better than when you last saw me,~" Luna answered, daring not lie by saying she was 'okay' or even 'well'. Both princesses gave off an aura that she had only ever felt from Shaxx, Zavala, and Cayde. The sheer force of their personalities was on full-blast within these walls, and much like Shaxx and Zavala's, theirs was unsettling to be around.

"~That is most welcome news,~" Midnight said, the look in her eyes betraying her knowledge.

"~We understand that we have not yet been able to introduce ourselves,~" Dawn said as she and Midnight stood from her thrones. "~As princesses of Equestria, we humbly apologize.~"

The princesses bowed, and the ponies in the box gasped in blatant shock.

"~There is no need to apologize,~" Luna said, feeling the glares of the ponies in the box boring holes in her. "~Please, continue.~"

"~I am Princess Celestia,~" Dawn said.

"~And I am Princess Luna,~" Midnight added.

"~I am~ Luna Noctis, ~but you may call me Violet,~" Luna replied in turn. "~It is nice to meet you.~"

"~It is nice to meet you, Violet,~" ~Celestia~ said. "~Has Twilight explained why you're here?~"

"~No,~" Luna answered, "~but I think because you have questions to ask me?~"

"~Yes,~" ~Luna~ nodded. "~We have questions for you.~"

"~My words are limited,~" Luna warned. "~I cannot promise answers to all of your questions. But I will answer those I can.~"

"~That is all we ask,~" ~Celestia said with a smile. "~Let us begin. What are you?~"

"~I am~ Awoken, ~a kind of~ human," Luna replied. "~I am missing some words for this answer.~"

"~That answer is enough,~" ~Luna~ smiled. "~Next, where are you from?~"

"~I am from a planet called~ Venus," Luna said. "~My kind comes from a planet called~ Earth."

"~Your kind comes from two planets?~" ~Celestia~ asked, a most curious expression on her face.

"~Yes. My kind began on~ Earth, ~but learned how to fly to the stars. We settled on many planets and moons in our system,~" Luna answered.

"~How did you get here?~" ~Celestia~ inquired.

"~I am missing words for a complete answer,~" Luna said. "~I passed through a gate, and crashed here. I expected somewhere else.~"

"~Would others of your kind seek you?~" ~Luna~ asked, her face becoming cold and grave.

"~I... am unsure of your meaning?~" Luna said.

"~Would your kind seek to rescue you by force?~" ~Luna~ clarified.

"~No,~" she answered. "~I cannot be found here, and none would seek me.~"

This answer seemed to allow the princesses to release a held breath. From there, the tension in the room tangibly lowered, but was still quite present.

"~What were you to your people?~" ~Celestia~ asked softly.

"~I have been called a warrior, but that is not the whole truth,~" Luna said. "~I am both warrior and protector. I fight and kill to protect others.~"

"~Have you come with weapons?~" ~Celestia asked, even though she knew the answer.

"~Yes. I do not travel without them,~" Luna replied dryly, patting the hand cannon on her hip to show she was armed. "~I will not allow you to take them.~"

Several ponies in the box lost their cool with that reply, shouting out at her with words she didn't yet know, and a few key words she did. Immediately, ~Luna~ out-yelled them all, silencing all of them with the sheer volume her voice.

"~We understand,~" ~Luna~ said calmly. "~We do not want to take your weapons. We feel they are safest with you.~"

"~Thank you,~" Luna replied, bowing slightly in respect.

"~Violet, do you wish to return home?~" ~Celestia~ said.

The moment the word '~wish~' was used, Luna visibly winced, and her two companions from ~Ponyville~ looked up to her with clear worry. "~Please do not use that word... For your safety...~" she warned solemnly.

"~Which word?~" ~Celestia~ asked.

"~Wish,~" Luna said softly, hoping the angry ponies in the box wouldn't hear.

"~Do you want to return home?~" the alabaster princess rephrased.

"~No,~" Luna replied simply.

"~Would you like to stay here, in Equestria?~" ~Luna~ asked.

"~I do not think I should,~" Luna said. "~I fear staying will bring monsters to you, or worse.~"

The princesses nodded in painful understanding, and ~Luna~ seemed to be especially disheartened by that answer. An angry pony from the box opened his mouth to speak, but was pre-emptively silenced with an icy glare from ~Celestia~.

"~I will not answer more questions until these ponies are gone,~" Luna said, gesturing to the box. "~What more I can say, I will only say to those I trust.~"

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Luna guided the group to a private meeting room, where she and Celestia would often come with local officials to discuss policy proposals and other such business and politics. It was a boring room, but it served its boring purpose with all the boring bells and whistles one could expect of it. But the gravity in this one room was far more intense than anything she'd felt. Her heart was hammering away in her chest, and her mouth felt dry. The cold feeling of dread ran through her entire body. Something felt very wrong.

As all of them seated themselves, Violet remained standing. "I am sorry. I did not answer one question fully," she said. "You asked what I am to my kind. I said I am a warrior and protector. That is true. I said I fight and kill to protect. That is also true, but not complete."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, feeling her breath catch in her throat.

"I also die to protect," Violet said. "I have died many times. Please, allow me to show you."

Before anypony knew what was happening, Violet had said a quick word to the Shape, who floated just over the table. With a quick and fluid motion, Violet had pulled her weapon from its place on her hip, twirled it on her finger, and pointed the explosive end directly up and into her chin from below.

A muffled explosion, a splatter of blood on the ceiling, the tumble of a body hitting the floor. Luna screamed in horror as Violet's body collapsed with a hole clean through her head. There was no way she could survive that! There was no way that anything could survive that! Luna's mind clouded with panic, and she scrambled out of her chair to go to Violet, even though she was very definitely dead. She reached out and placed her hoof against Violet's neck, and found no pulse. She strained her ears to listen for even the faintest breath, but could hear nothing.

Fluttershy and Twilight both yelped, but both seemed far more calm about it than anypony should be about someone committing suicide in front of them. Celestia froze still, her wings clamped to her body through sheer terror. Her eyes were wide, and her pupils were mere pinpricks.

The Shape pulsed with Light, and Violet rose again with a sharp gasp. Her head had no hole in it, and only the bloodsplatter remained. Luna looked up at her with a profound mix of fear, anger, and confusion. Celestia fared no better, her jaw nearly hitting the floor as she witnessed the resurrection. Twilight and Fluttershy sighed in relief.

Violet reached out her hands to Celestia and Luna. "You saw that correctly. I did die, and I am now alive. You may touch me and confirm your senses."

Both princesses tentatively reached out with a hoof, allowing themselves a moment to verify that they were experiencing reality. Violet had just died in front of them. The blood on the ceiling and floor was very much real. The being they were touching was alive and well. Luna took Violet's pulse, and found it immediately.

"I apologize for showing you this way," Violet murmured. "This was the best way to make no doubt."

The room remained dead silent.

"I came to this planet by accident. I seek exile, for the safety of my kind, and now yours as well," Violet continued. "I am a monster to my allies, and I have killed them. I must not be allowed to remain here longer than I need."

"We may have a way to help you," Luna said, almost pleadingly. "Will you let us try to help you?"

"I do not think that is good," Violet replied. "To stay is to decay. This planet is making things worse."

Twilight piped up, "What is the problem?"

"It is what you call a curse," Violet said. "A curse and wish of blood and magic. I am because of a wish. Now to wish is to curse. I do not have words to explain more."

All parties fell silent once more after that. Luna's mind, however, only grew busier, buzzing like a beehive with activity. She had clearly prepared for this line of questioning.

"Please... try to explain," Luna murmured, tears forming in her eyes.

Violet looked as though she was about to protest, but simply nodded. "There were creatures, much like your planet's dragons. We call them {Ahamkara}. Wish-dragons. My kind hunted them until none remained, but one escaped. I was told to kill the last {Ahamkara}, and had five allies with me. When we found it, it cursed me, and my allies were killed. Now it grants wishes through me. To wish is to pull on that curse."

"Is it possible to use the curse against itself?" Twilight asked tentatively.

"No... I have tried. The {Ahamkara} grants the wishes, not me," Violet said, shaking her head. "If it were so simple, I would not be here."

The room fell quiet again, only for Violet to yawn. "I need to rest soon," she said. "I have not slept well..."

Luna stood, and opened the door. "Come, I will bring you somewhere to rest."

The princess guided Violet through the palace halls, taking the routes least frequented. The whole time, she kept close to Violet, allowing the biped to lean on her for support. She blushed each time Violet actually did lean on her. Her touch made her feel a pleasant, subtle dizziness.

All too soon, they made it to Luna's chambers, where a particular Captain Sabre stood guard. Without a word, she opened the door, allowing the princess and her company to enter swiftly, and closed the door behind them.

"You may rest here," Luna said. "But I must ask you to remove your armor."

Without hesitation, Violet stripped down to her bare skin, falling onto the bed completely unconscious before she hit the sheets. Luna blushed like absolutely mad, the sight of Violet's naked body short-circuiting her brain and causing her to faint for a brief moment. When she woke back up and assessed her situation, she noticed the scales in Violet's skin. Alarm bells began ringing in her mind.

She dared approach the sleeping being to inspect the scales, only to be grabbed by the unconscious Violet and pulled into a cuddle too tight to escape from, her face being smooshed between Violet's breasts. Luna's brain began to short-circuit and spark once again as blood rushed to her face and her nethers. She tried to cast magic to teleport out of Violet's grip, but a light kiss from Violet directly on her horn instantly made the magic fizzle into nothing and almost made her moan out loud.

With that, she admitted defeat, and allowed herself to be held in this extremely compromising position. After a few moments, she managed to get her brain to cooperate just enough to begin digesting the information she'd learned from Violet today.

"I wish I could help Violet somehow..."