Chapters 1 The Coffee Pot Conundrum
A stream of yellow magic reached out to the teapot, elevating it at the correct angle to allow the perfectly steeped elixir to pour into a delicate gold rimmed bone china cup, which was decorated with the Royal crest of a blazing sun.
Job done, the white pony sat back and let out a contented sigh to watch the rising patterns made by the sweet vapour, as it rose unhurriedly from the teacup.
At the other side of the table, another pony stared at a spherical silver coffee pot, regarding it curiously from slightly dissimilar perspectives, and viewing their midnight blue muzzle at different angles, to see what effect this had on the strangely distorted image.
“Honestly, little Brother, I should have got you one of those sooner if I had known the entertainment value you would derive from it!” joked the white alicorn.
“I was quite happy with the old one” came the despondent reply, “It had served well for years and it had become part of the very ritual of making coffee. What happened to it anyway, dear Brother?”
His enquiry was greeted by a discrete cough as Prince Solaris cast his mind back to the day before.
“It was during the visit by a delegation from Yakyakistan. You dodged a bullet there” he recounted with solemnity, “It was on the table, and for all intents and purposes it looked safe, but then the yaks started their celebratory stomping and it was vibrated off the table …”
“Let me guess” continued Artemis, “Next thing, it rolled under their hooves?”
“To spare you the unpleasant details; yes. I will say no more, other than to report that it is now flatter than it used to be, and takes up a lot less space in the kitchen.”
Artemis rolled his eyes and shook his head in resigned disbelief, pouring out a strong black coffee into his badly stained mug bearing the logo ‘This is what an awesome gamer looks like ’, before turning his attentions back to his brother.
“You know, Solly, I was thinking” he said, caressing his mug absent mindedly, “It has been a long time since those six fillies crossed the divide between our worlds …”
“Go on” encouraged his brother, with the hint of a smile forming on his face.
“Well, I would really like to cross into their world to visit Luna” he admitted, following this quickly with, “I have not seen her in ages, and there is something I would rather like to do ...”
Solaris raised an eyebrow. He said nothing, but his insinuation was clear.
“Oh Solly, that is not what I meant!” he retorted when the penny dropped, flushing red under his deep blue fur, “No, you see there is this new multiplayer game that is all the rage, and I would like to team up with Luna so we can tackle it together.”
“I pity your opponents if she is half as good as you are” Solaris replied with a chuckle, “Yes, why not.”
Artemis nodded his thanks, surprised that he had received approval so easily, and took a deep gulp of coffee.
“Somepony will have to assume your night time duties during your absence” his brother continued, “I could cover, but maybe you have somepony else in mind?”
“Thank you, dear Brother, that would be most kind, but I was also thinking that perhaps Dusk Shine may be interested in gaining a closer familiarity with my responsibilities.”
“A good choice; as my former personal student I cannot recommend him highly enough” agreed Solaris, “I will ask him to stop by for a chat with both of us when he’s next in Canterlot. When is it you plan on travelling?”
“In about a week or two, if that suits everypony” said Artemis, “That would give me time to talk with Dusk Shine and also improve my gaming skills.”
“Very well then. I shall contact Princess Celestia to confirm that she would be happy for such a visit, and I will let you know tonight.”
After this, the conversation had turned to catching up with affairs of State, and once that was over, Artemis downed the last of his coffee to set off for his private suite, where his brother thought he would probably read for a bit, or maybe play an online game before going to bed. As it happened, he was wrong on both counts; Artemis had instead gone to check out coffee pots online.
Solaris meanwhile headed for the inevitable routine tedium that masqueraded as Day Court. He recognised it was important not to be viewed as being aloof from the citizens of Equestria; he and his brother did rule by consent after all, so considered it important that anypony who felt it necessary to meet with him should be given the opportunity. But that didn’t mean he had to enjoy it.
Occasionally, the monotony of proceedings would be broken by something that required familiarising himself with a new technology, such as the introduction of trains, airships and more recently, even helicopters. However, that was not how today had gone; ‘dull’ had been invented specifically for days such as this.
Oddly enough, the lacklustre appeal of proceedings hadn’t mattered to him today, as there was something special he was looking forward to.
With his responsibilities discharged and Day Court finally at an end, Solaris dismissed the guards, and once the large double doors had been pulled closed with a reassuringly solid thump, he let out a soft chuckle and stepped from his seat, allowing his legs an overdue stretch.
He walked over to the full length mirror and checked his appearance, wanting to look at his best for the forthcoming meeting. His fiery flowing mane of reds, oranges and yellows floated in the ethereal breeze, framing his white muzzle which sported a very fashionable goatee beard. He looked disapprovingly at his chunky chain of office, which although polished to within an inch of its life, had caught on something at the back of his neck that made it hang slightly crooked. In an instant, the chain glowed in his yellow aura and turned back to the way he wanted it to be; orderly and regal.
He smiled approvingly at his reflection and then leant forward so his horn touched the surface of the enchanted mirror, tuning in to its frequency. The moment it reached 40.1 kiimeHertz, a series of ripples began to radiate outward in concentric rings until they had covered the entirety of the mirror, at which point he felt a sense of interdimensional connection click into place. He opened his eyes to take in the reflection in front of him, and was confronted with an indistinct image that was no longer of himself, but a much more elegant and decidedly female white alicorn.
"Princess Celestia!" the stallion greeted heartily, "How nice to see you again!"
"Prince Solaris!" she replied, admiring him with a slightly coquettish smile, which made him feel that his last minute grooming had been worthwhile, “I’ve been expecting your call.”
“Ah yes, of course” he acknowledged “Whatever happens on one side of the mirror also happens on the other. You will no doubt be aware of the plans being hatched between our younger siblings?”
“Indeed” Celestia chuckled, “Luna is looking forward to causing chaos across the gaming scene with Artemis.”
“So, you are happy to host their little get together, Celly?”
“Of course. I was also thinking that, provided Equestria survives, then maybe you might want to come over and visit me afterwards?” Celestia offered, turning her head slightly down and raising an eyebrow, a gentle pinkness rising to her cheeks, “It has been rather a long time ...”
The next few days went past in a blur. When Dusk had first been approached to see if he was interested in picking up some of Artemis’ duties, he had at once been thrilled to be given the opportunity to learn such high level magic, but also concurrently plunged headlong into a cycle of self-doubt apparent from his hyperventilating. His friends had all come to recognise this response, and even adopted the term ‘dusking’ amongst themselves, although none had ever dared tell him this to his face.
When the former prized student’s breathing had settled down to more socially acceptable levels, Artemis took the opportunity to pull up a flipchart and draw out a family tree of his responsibilities, ranging from where he collected lavender to fill the wall sconces every evening, through to raising the moon. Once he had introduced each of these individual duties, he shot Dusk a look, gauging his attentiveness, and then watched his expression as he added one additional item to the list, an activity that he had placed even higher than controlling the moon; dream walking.
Dusk looked back at him quizzically, “I thought raising and lowering the moon was the most important job you did?”
“Not at all” Artemis replied, “You may recall that my brother was able to take care of that duty during my extended absence, but even he, with all the magic at his disposal cannot enter the dream realm. In fact, this is the only one of my activities that nopony else has ever demonstrated the ability to master.”
His unwavering teal eyes were met with a degree of apprehension in Dusk’s purple ones. “Would you like me to show you? Perhaps you will have an aptitude for it.”
Silence settled between them, broken only by Solaris turning towards his former prized student and giving an appreciative nod.
“We could make a start tonight” Artemis offered, raising one eyebrow and adding casually, “Unless, perhaps, you may have something more pressing to do?”
Dusk worked his mouth in the same way as a goldfish does, but no sound came out.
“Huzzah! No objections then” Artemis cheered, casting a mischievous grin towards his brother, then turning his attention back to the Prince of Friendship, “Everything we need is prepared and awaiting our pleasure atop my tower, please follow me.”
With this, the midnight blue stallion strode purposefully out onto the Royal balcony followed by his newly appointed student, and stretched his wings, taking delight in feeling the breeze simply play across his feathers. He stood there for a brief moment and sniffed the crispness of the air, clearing his mind, before taking a glance over his shoulder to ensure Dusk had followed. He shot a reassuring look at his stunned companion, then squatted down slightly to tension his haunches, and sprang into the air, large wings pounding to get airborne.
Solaris remained behind on the balcony, watching the two alicorn Princes ascend as silhouettes against the backdrop of purples and ochres that rushed to fill the sky once the last thin strip of gold had hidden its face below the horizon. He chuckled to himself and shook his head gently at the sight, before turning and going back into the castle where he intended to remove his hoof guards, kick back and indulge in a little light reading with a glass of fine port.
Artemis touched down adeptly in the limited space on the balcony outside his study at the top of the tall white tower. Dusk followed suit, knowing that he was one of the very few ponies who had an open invitation to land here; every pegasus knew to whom this platform belonged, and that its owner generally slept during the daytime, so kept a wary distance lest they incur his displeasure.
“So” he declared, in a fine schoolmasterly voice, “Our immediate duty will be to raise the moon. Pay attention please …”
Dusk watched as Artemis summoned his magic and then raised both forelegs into the air waving them in a manner that may have been considered comical, were it not that he was so close to those flailing hooves. The movements seemed so much more extravagant than the calm and composed mannerisms employed by his brother when raising the sun, and he focused intently to pick up on the subtle nuances of the actions.
Once the moon had been introduced to the night sky and greeted them with its soft glow, Artemis returned his hooves softly onto the balcony and allowed the pale blue aura around his horn to fade.
“The moon behaved well tonight” he observed, “Sometimes it can be mischievous and lead us a merry dance before it complies.”
“Talking of dances” Dusk began, “If you don't mind my asking; what were those hoof waving moves for?”
Artemis looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, as if sizing him up before he chose to answer.
“For me, the individual elements of the night sky are the separate performers in an orchestra, poised to deliver an inspiring symphony, provided that they are synchronised and cued in the right way.”
“My role is that of their conductor, and I see it as my responsibility to ensure that all the beautiful pieces are brought together correctly to deliver the most pleasing effect. Once everything is in its place and working as it should, then the moon makes its entrance, as the virtuoso soloist to begin the evening’s performance.
“You see, raising the sun is in itself a single action, which is why my brother can afford to adopt a more laid back style. If the sun is reluctant to rise, then he simply directs more energy towards it. Such an approach could never work with all the subtle elements of the night sky, which is why I have to be much more creative in summoning them.”
“So its not just raising the moon then?” asked Dusk, “There’s a lot more to it than that.”
“Decidedly so, but we choose to refer to it in its simplest form to avoid complicated explanations that most ponies have neither the interest nor the patience to hear.”
“I am not most ponies” checked Dusk.
“Agreed” confirmed Artemis, showing him a paternal smile, “Or I should not be choosing to share all this with you.”
Solaris was in his study, the subdued candle lighting being sufficient to read by, but at the same time not enough to suppress the orange light from the small pile of seasoned logs burning in the fireplace. His hoof guards lay discarded by the door where he had entered and simply shaken them off for the joy of feeling free, the first tangible step in the process of his nightly unwinding and distancing himself from the problems of the day.
He reclined happily, a cut crystal goblet containing a mellow port on one side as he once more read through the scroll that Dusk had written on the occasion of the fillies accidently entering his world. Having a letter from his prized student was a treasure in itself, but it was quite another to reflect that this particular one had been received by hoof personally from none other than Princess Celestia herself.
Having read it through a good half dozen times, he took a sip of the full bodied port and allowed his eyes to close, thinking about Princess Celestia once more; they were, he conceded, overdue for an opportunity to meet up. He carefully retied the scroll and filed it away, picking up a copy of “Exploring the Aether for Fun and Profit” to remind himself of how it had all begun.
He walked back from the bookcase to his reclining chair, rifling through the pages until he found a bookmark at the chapter entitled “Alternate Universes and You”, then settled back for a comfortable read.
Once he had read the chapter, he rose to pour himself another port and a smile crossed his face as he tried to imagine how hard Dusk would be working at this precise moment under his brother’s keen tutelage.
The next morning, a well-rested Solaris rose in the calm of the pre-dawn to meet Artemis and catch up on the previous night’s events, so they could exchange responsibility for safeguarding Equestria. He strolled out confidently onto the Royal balcony to find two ponies already awaiting his pleasure.
Artemis walked forward with a hint of youthful prance in his step, but behind him followed his utterly exhausted protégé, wings drooping almost as badly as his eyelids, struggling to place one hoof in front of the other.
“Ah, good morning Artemis” the white stallion beamed, “A good night for you and your student, I trust?”
“Yes, thank you dear Brother. Young Dusk Shine has quite an aptitude for the magic of the night” he bubbled enthusiastically, “And he may even be in possession of that rare quality which I can mould into making him a dream walker too!”
Solaris chuckled and nodded approvingly, turning his attention to his drained companion.
“And what about you, Dusk?” he enquired, watching out the corner of his eye as Artemis seemed to be almost dancing on the spot, “How was it for you?”
“So … much … to … learn …” came the croaked reply, the student’s big purple eyes barely managing to raise themselves sufficiently to meet the stallion’s.
“I do believe refreshment to be in order” noted Solaris, “The kitchen staff have provided extra coffee on the offchance it may be needed. Now, which of you will be lowering the moon this morning?”
“Has the new coffee pot I ordered been delivered?” asked Artemis, noticeably avoiding the question to eye his brother suspiciously.
“Oh, is that what it is?” came the reply, “We weren’t sure whether it belonged in the dining room or in one of the art galleries …”
Artemis heaved an overly theatrical sigh of exasperation, and tried to fix his brother with an annoyed stare, but the sparkle in his eyes betrayed his good mood, and the corners of his mouth broke into a grin, the intensity of his stare quickly dissolving as they began to laugh and share the moment.
“Yes, of course it’s there” conceded Solaris, giving Artemis a playful pat on the shoulder, “And once again I am sorry for the loss of your previous artefact.”
“’Twas not so much that, dear brother, but moreover that spherical aberration chosen to replace it.”
“I will see if I can find out who ordered it for you” offered Solaris, somehow having trouble maintaining eye contact, “But it may take some time …”
“No need” proclaimed Artemis breezily, “I have located the signed requisition.”
“Oh … you have …” Solaris faltered, seeking desperately to change the subject, “But that can wait for now, can’t it? It looks like our young friend is in rather urgent need of coffee, whatever shaped vessel it comes in.”
“Quite so” Artemis agreed, trying his best to sound earnest as he fought to conceal the victorious smirk spreading across his muzzle, and fell in behind his brother who was walking across the balcony towards the Royal dining room, “Quite so.”
Whilst Dusk was enthralled by all the new magic he was learning, the downside for him as a primarily daytime dwelling pony, notwithstanding the occasional late nights of study, was that this all took place at night, and he had quickly to come to terms with adjusting to a nocturnal lifestyle.
The first casualty of this arrangement was Dusk’s body clock, which he soon found to be wilfully sabotaging his attempts to concentrate. Artemis had been expecting this, and on their first night of study, had given him a gift, beautifully wrapped in midnight blue paper that depicted a crescent moon surrounded by stars.
Dusk had opened it and found inside a mug bearing the words ‘Without the dark, we would never see the stars’ above a familiar six point cutie mark beneath. He had been touched by the kind thought, and tripped over his own words of thanks to such an extent that it made Artemis blush. Still admiring the gift, Dusk watched as his teacher filled his own gamer mug with coffee before christening his student’s mug with the same brew. He had taken a sip and tried hard not to pull a face at the bitterness, promising his tastebuds that he would never subject them to such an assault ever again.
However, it hadn’t been long before tiredness came around to hit him again, only harder this time, and he was forced to the conclusion that he would require some kind of stimulant if he was going to be an attentive student. Artemis had been adamant from the start that they should not use spellcraft to stay awake, lest it react badly with the other magic they were casting. So, reluctantly, Dusk returned to the coffee, and this time found it somehow less unpleasant. He wasn’t sure yet whether he would ever say he actually liked it, but he couldn’t deny it did the job.
Another issue was that Canterlot was a long train ride away from Ponyville, and even then, trains didn’t start running until later in the morning. While Artemis could have called for a chariot for his young protégé, it seemed a little harsh to subject him to over an hour of buffeting in the fresh dawn air following an intensive training session, just to drag him back again the next evening. As a result, he had made accommodation available in the Royal castle; not just a room, but, owing to the lack of Royal visits in the near future, an entire VIP suite for his exclusive use.
Dusk had been too tired to object, but in accepting, had requested that the Prince send a message to Spines to look after the library in his absence. He also took the opportunity to mention that she should involve his close friend Moonlight Flicker, a reformed unicorn stallion who had tried to enslave an entire village by erasing their cutie marks, but who had now become a close friend to both of them.
The early morning and late evening meetings that had been the historical preserve of Solaris and Artemis, as they handed over responsibility for the protection of Equestria between day and night, had now evolved into a three way event. This was not as intrusive as it may have once sounded, because Dusk was known to and beloved by both the Royal brothers, and had quickly found himself accepted as a trusted and valued honorary member to their little quorum.
Artemis had crammed a lot of learning, both theoretical and practical into the last few nights. This had left its mark on Dusk in two ways; firstly, he had come to develop quite a coffee habit, and secondly he had come to realise, that even though he was the Bearer of the Element of Magic, there was so much more about the subject he had not known. In fact, the magic he was learning now belonged to a whole different domain of knowledge that he had up to that point, not even been aware had existed, giving him a much more profound respect for his teacher.
However, progress had been slower than expected. This was partly because Artemis had never had a student of his own, and things that were to him intuitive had to be taught from basics, before the more complex lessons could be begin.
Also, he had to try and re-educate Dusk from a mindset of conventional magic, into an entirely different way of thinking that was counter-intuitive to the traditionally trained mind. Indeed, this was one of the principal reasons why he had always kept his magic to himself, even going as far as withholding it from the most established teachers at Solaris’ School for Gifted Unicorns, because they were all too set in the established methods of daytime magic.
However, Dusk had one advantage over all of the teachers at this illustrious school, notably that he had already been acquainted with this unorthodox magic when Artemis, Solaris and his nephew Clarence had downloaded all their magic during the attempted invasion by the evil Lady Vorek. Although he had held this magic within his body, he had not been able to access it fully, because of the incompatibility with his training up to that point, but the fact that he had been exposed to it at all gave him a unique advantage.
Now, finally being coached how to control this magic for the first time, Dusk was going through a period of personal revelation, as he developed an unparalleled appreciation of what the magic of the night entailed. He felt it was like reading the preface to a book; enough to whet the appetite, yet insufficient to allow the reader to say that there were fully adept at the craft. Yet, he knew that he was in the company of the one pony in the whole of Equestria who could lead him towards a whole new future in the dark realm, if he was prepared to go down that path.
“So, how are the lessons progressing?” asked Solaris as the three of them met up for their regular early morning meeting.
“There’s a lot to take in” replied Dusk stifling a yawn, “But I can see why Arty gets through so much coffee.”
“Arty ?” queried Solaris with a wry grin.
“Yes, dear Brother” replied Artemis, “Dusk is blessed with a short name that is easy to call out in the event that an issue may arise and he needs to attract my attention in haste; mine is much more cumbersome, so we agreed to abbreviate it for convenience.”
“Oh, I see” said Solaris, still wearing a slightly impish smile, “A nickname ...”
“Oh, and I did review the requisition for that coffee pot” Artemis chipped in, changing the subject abruptly, and watching as his brother’s expression switched quickly to one of embarrassment, turning the heat of the conversation back onto its perpetrator.
“Ah … um … yes ” Solaris struggled, “You see somepony had to organise a replacement, and I thought …”
“… I was going to say” Artemis cut in, “That I had been unable to read the smudged signature, but thank you for enlightening me as to your part in this nefarious activity.”
Just when things had seemed to be getting tense, both brothers started to giggle in unison like playful colts, and quickly broke into good natured laughter.
At the sudden lightening of the mood, Dusk untensed and shook his head in gentle disbelief, poured himself another coffee and leaned back to let the two rulers of Equestria get on with it.
The last few nights with Artemis sped past, Dusk taking in study and coffee in equal amounts, until finally the last session was over.
Down below them, Solaris stood on the flagstones of the Royal balcony in the pre-dawn darkness, feeling the chill breeze teasing at his fur and rippling across his feathers.
He turned his head to look up at the crescent moon, then around the canopy of the sky, where the stars were shining brighter than normal now there was less of the moon’s glow to compete with. Not only that, but some stars that usually appeared to be bleached white were tonight showing off richer natural hues, counterpointing the diamanté sparkles that glittered all around them.
Looking up in the direction of the tallest white tower, he noticed two winged forms spill off its balcony, and stood back to ensure there would be sufficient room for his guests. First to land was a midnight blue pony who furled his wings with a shake and nodded his head in respect as he advanced the few steps and extended his horn in greeting. His brother reciprocated and they touched horns, each wishing the other a good morning.
Dusk touched down and stayed back allowing time for the two brothers to bond, after all, the day was young and there was no urgency. Only once Solaris beckoned him did he move forward to share the customary unicorn greeting of touching horns himself.
“And good morning to you” said Solaris warmly to his former personal student, “How have your studies gone?”
“Very well, thank you” he replied, “It always takes time when you’re learning something completely new. It’s challenging, for sure, but I’ve got a good teacher and I’m getting there. However, I haven’t got the hang of dream walking quite yet.”
“In fact we have something of a test this morning” announced Artemis, punctuating a silence that had landed immediately after Dusk had voiced his self-doubt, “If you will permit?”
“Please, go ahead” Solaris concurred standing back respectfully.
Dusk moved to the fore, taking up a position at the front of the balcony, watched intently by two expectant pairs of eyes.
His horn glowed magenta, standing out starkly against the prevailing darkness. Behind him, Solaris threw a quizzical look to his brother, who simply raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement before turning to lend unspoken moral support to his protégé.
A few stray sparks fizzed off the end of Dusk’s horn as his aura reached up to the sky, an air of anticipation hovering over the two ponies who were watching his every move so intently that he could feel their eyes boring into him. It was a test, and all three of them knew exactly what was expected. He had done it before, of course, but that was during the attack by Lady Vorek when he had found himself unexpectedly being the vessel for all the alicorn magic in Equestria, but now he needed to prove he could do it by himself.
He strained, but could feel that the connection was not strong enough and gritted his teeth, starting to sweat with the prospect of failure; letting down not only himself, but Artemis too.
“Remember the orchestra ” came floating into his mind, not through his ears, but on a subliminal wavelength, and he knew his tutor was coming to his aid.
In response, Dusk leaned back against the supreme concentration of his magic, raising his forelegs like he was conducting an orchestra, just as he had seen Artemis do.
After a pause, the moon shuddered imperceptibly then began a smooth downward trajectory, just as it was supposed to.
Solaris glanced towards his brother, whom he could see was in deep concentration, but a quick look at his horn showed that he was not using any magic; Dusk was doing this all by himself.
Once the moon had sunk from sight to begin its day long rest, Solaris reached over the horizon to find the sun and welcome it with practiced ease into the new day.
Dusk was drained, and having completed his task, sagged as he let out a large breath he had been unaware that he had been holding. During the few breaths he needed to refresh his tired body, he felt a reassuring pat on the shoulder and looked up to see Artemis smiling down genially at him.
“Thanks …” Dusk began, but found himself cut off.
“You did well” Artemis confirmed, “We are very proud of you.”
The three alicorns sat at table, two of them apparently in a competition to see who could drain the coffee pot first, whilst the third took his time to gently steep the tea brewing silently in an elegant pot in front of him.
“So, Dusk” said Solaris respectfully, as the lilac pony put down his empty mug for another refill, “That was a most impressive feat just now. Very smooth; I remember the first time I tried, the moon bounced and wobbled all over the place. Fortunately there’s nopony alive who can remember, so I’ll deny it all if the story ever gets out!”
Solaris laughed jovially and the others followed suit.
“But, seriously” he added, tone changing noticeably, “How ready do you feel to cover for the time my brother will be away?”
Dusk looked pensive, then turned to Artemis, “I don’t think I’m the one who should be answering that question.”
“Dusk Shine has shown himself to be remarkably adept in working the magic of the night” confirmed the younger of the two brothers, “While lacking the depth of knowledge that can only come with experience, he has demonstrated more than a basic competence of all the key areas except for one.”
“Dream walking” advanced Solaris knowingly, then adding with a deep chuckle, “I never could manage it myself either.”
“In fact, dear Brother, I do believe he has shown the aptitude to surpass even you in this regard given time.”
“It had to happen sometime” conceded Solaris with a playful sigh, then turning to his former student he beamed, “You really are the brightest pony of your age!”
Dusk blushed deeply at the compliment and reached to top off his coffee, not so much because he wanted it, but moreover because it focused the attention away from his growing embarrassment.
“Tell me Artemis” said Solaris, “How advanced are your plans for travelling through the mirror tonight?”
“I believe we are able to consider ourselves ready, if such sojourn still remains acceptable to you?” he enquired, “Equestria will be safe over the next few nights if Dusk Shine should like to accept the task. Remember that since our two worlds are paralleled, if a problem arises here, it will be mirrored in theirs. In the event of such happenstance, then I shall return immediately so neither Dusk Shine nor Equestria is imperilled.”
“Dusk?” asked Solaris, “There is honestly no pressure, but how do you feel …”
“Do I get access to the whole of your library?” Dusk asked, a spark of good natured opportunism flashing into his eager eyes.
The Prince of the Night put down his coffee and rested his chin on his hooves, fixing the student in a stare that would impress even Butterscotch, Dusk’s animal loving pegasus friend back in Ponyville. Now Dusk was immortal, Artemis knew that such knowledge would not stay secret forever, and the student had shown tremendous promise over the last few nights. However, even though the request had been delivered with warm levity rather than cold ambition, it was, inescapably, an ultimatum.
The fact that he would be prepared to permit privileged access was never in doubt, but he paused as the full impact of the request struck home.
When he spoke, all humour had dropped from his face as he cautioned in utmost seriousness, “Very well, but certain conditions shall apply. Whilst I may be prepared to place my library at your disposal, spells from books and scrolls on my ‘dark’ bookshelves shall not be attempted until we have first discussed them and I am present to assist. Further, this privileged access relates only to books and scrolls; artefacts in cabinets and boxes are not to be touched as most have enchantments; some have magical wards protecting them, whilst others of a more personal nature are charged with my essence, and the mere act of touching them would dissipate their power.”
“OK” Dusk summarised carefully, picking up on the gravitas of the moment, “I can read what I like, but don’t touch anything and don’t try dark spells.”
“Huzzah!” exclaimed Artemis triumphantly, “We have an accord!”
Conversation around the table became an excited chatter until Solaris had to make his excuses to go and prepare for Day Court, leaving Artemis and Dusk alone.
“I really am most impressed by the promise you have shown; you have exceeded my expectations” Artemis declared, then added with a smile, “Just please try to refrain from destroying Equestria in my absence.”
A wave of tiredness swept over Dusk as the adrenaline he had been living off came to an end, and the effort he had put into the night’s activities suddenly caught up to him.
“If I’m going to be fit for the task, I’m going to have to hit the hay” he conceded, doing his best to stifle a yawn, “Thanks for everything Arty; see you this evening?”
“Yes, you are right” Artemis agreed, “There are things that I desire to prepare for myself, and I too should like to be rested.”
Saying their farewells, they set off along different corridors for their respective rooms, each of their minds whirling as they embarked on making long mental to-do lists.
Day Court dragged for Solaris; he treated each of his petitioners with the same dignity and respect for which he was renowned, but pretty much everything he had to listen to had been repeated by ponies of different colours, some with horns, some with wings, over countless centuries beforehand.
The repetitive nature of their requests meant that he needed to have something else going on in the background of his mind or he would go mad, and so it was that fond memories of Princess Celestia kept prodding his consciousness. They both struggled with the same unrelenting pressures and she was his intellectual equal; but not only that, he had to admit that he did find her easy on the eye as well.
Finally the evening arrived and Solaris strode slowly out onto the Royal balcony, heading towards the balustrade that stood as the final barrier between him and nightfall. He took deliberate steps one hoof at a time, drinking in the subtle palate of sunset being painted across the sky. Coming to a stop immediately before the ornate stonework, he marvelled at the dying colours of the day, while the lengthening shadows chiselled their artistry across the distant vista.
He welcomed this opportunity for private reflection, away from the daily clamour of competing voices that vied for his attention. This was his chance to see the splendour that the sunshine created; the subtle drama of evening descending rather than the powerful bleaching of the sun at midday.
A mischievous breeze came out of nowhere to tease his feathers before dissipating as quickly as it had arrived, its playful purpose happily fulfilled. He smiled at the sensation, but did not break eye contact with the waning diorama being played out before him, its most appreciative audience.
The gentle thud of hooves landing on the flagstones of the balcony informed him that he was no longer alone. He knew instinctively that the visitors would be the two ponies closest to his own heart, and tore himself away from the poetry of the landscape to turn and greet them, lest he keep them waiting. Before him, exactly as he expected, stood Artemis; the dying rays of sun shining off his glossy midnight blue coat, while behind him, in his shadow stood Dusk, holding back to give the brothers a little privacy.
“Are you well prepared, little Brother?” Solaris asked.
“We have been blessed with a period of tranquillity over the last few nights, with the alignment of the stars pointing to continued stability for at least another week before we should prepare for change” he replied with dutiful solemnity, “You are aware I should not entertain this visit if it were otherwise?”
“Of course, of course” the elder brother replied dismissively, before returning the conversation toward to his student with eager attentiveness, “And Dusk; how well prepared is he?”
“He has established a sound working knowledge.”
“Of everything?”
“Dream walking remains a challenge, so I cut further tuition in this area to reinforce his knowledge across other disciplines. Although that remains a gap in his capability, I believe I have made the right choice; he is worthy of wearing the crescent moon livery collar.”
“Praise indeed” Solaris nodded appreciatively, raising a solitary eyebrow in respect, “It is reassuring to know that you have found somepony who can finally stand in for you; give you a break every now and then, eh?”
“Dusk Shine” said Artemis turning his head back to summon the young magician, “Come and join us.”
The Element Bearer’s ears pricked up and he trotted over to join the brothers.
“Yes, Arty?” he enquired.
Solaris couldn’t conceal a cringing smirk at the use of that nickname again, but let it pass without further comment.
“How do you feel about taking charge of the night?” asked Artemis.
“I’ve done a little last minute reading up on moonbeam magic today …”
“I thought you were resting?” chastised his tutor gently.
“Yes, but I didn’t handle that particular magic to my satisfaction last night” Dusk justified.
“That was to be expected” Artemis commented with a wry smile, “Tis difficult for even a seasoned practitioner to master that class of magic upon a waning crescent, as there is so much less power in the moonbeams. Do not judge thyself harshly.”
Dusk was about to object, when Solaris cut in with a jovial smile; “I can see you have taken your preparation very seriously; I’m sure we’ll be in good hooves until my brother returns.”
“I concur” interjected Artemis with a confident nod of his head, the starfield in his mane rippling with the motion.
Dusk’s mouth worked a few silent protestations, but his voice had somehow chosen not to engage at the same time, the brothers taking his silence as affirmation. He thought briefly about pushing his reluctant voice into life and making a mild protest, but dismissed the thought with a shake of his head; he was ready and he knew it. Having dismissed his self-doubt, he turned to follow the two brothers as they led the way towards the throne room and the mirror that waited for them. They all knew that in another universe that very closely paralleled their own, a party of three female alicorns was making exactly the same journey.
The guards by the large wooden doors snapped smartly to attention as three of the four alicorns from the ruling quadrature filed in, the rhythmic clicking of their hooves suddenly drowned out by a rousing cheer. Inside, an excitable pink party pony had suddenly been unable to contain himself any longer, supported in cheerful chorus by four more eager looking stallions, three colts and a baby dragoness, all suddenly finding an outlet for their pent up enthusiasm.
Dusk found his friends’ enthusiasm infectious, and despite concerns about who was minding the library now that his Number One Assistant had come to Canterlot, felt a broad smile lift his face, mirroring the eager expressions surrounding him. With his spirits immediately lifted, he cast his head around and noticed that the room no longer radiated austere formality of Day Court, but instead was festooned with balloons and streamers just like it was Hearths Warming Eve. Tables had also been brought in, and a sumptuous looking banquet with the finest treats had been carefully arranged by the serving staff.
Close to Berry Bubble, a pair of piñatas hung suspended, guarding a variety of games set out lovingly around them, including spin the bottle, twister and even Pin the Tail on the Pony!
Dusk noticed that while the Crusaders stayed together in their happy little group, Spines had somehow persuaded Elusive to carry her, and was dreamily losing herself in the moment, hugging him a little more tightly than the situation truly merited.
The two deities climbed up onto the raised dais and quiet descended across the ponies present, all except for the Crusaders who were chattering animatedly about the prospect of meeting their filly selves. Blitz was nearest to the excitable group and shot an apologetic glance towards Solaris before giving Scooteroll a tactful nudge on his flank, causing the colt to look up and see all eyes on him and his friends. Their conversation died mid-sentence, and a tide of crimson embarrassment crept across their faces as they all looked around apologetically before returning to face the white alicorn Prince.
Solaris looked down at them with a fatherly smile, clearly not intending to spoil the evident happiness simmering expectantly within the room. He gave a very short address about all ponies needing to be on their best behaviour and tempting them with the prospect of further meetings if things went well, then turned to touch his horn to the mirror.
All present watched in anticipation as the surface began to ripple, and then there was a flash!
