"Are you certain you do not wish to join me, sister?"
Celestia shook her head. "No, Luna. I've been over there a few times in the last few centuries and it's not really to my taste anymore. Do enjoy yourself, though."
"A shame." The mirror glowed faintly as the magical device it was attached to switched on. "We had such wonderful times in that world. Even if we sometimes crossed over for the wrong reasons, I cannot help but remember fondly our time together with the humans."
"I treasure those memories as well, Luna," Celestia said, "but I also don't get many opportunities to spend time with Twilight now that she has succeeded us."
Luna nodded. "That is fair." She stared forward at the rippling surface of the portal, now radiating arcane energy as it beckoned her towards a relaxing trip to an old haunt. "I shall see you in a week, then. Farewell, sister mine."
"Have a nice trip!" Celestia said.
With that, Luna stepped through the mirror, allowing its magic to discorporate her and transport her over to the world of the humans. As she materialized, she stumbled forward and barely managed to catch herself, her eyes adjusting to their new forms.
Two women stood waiting for her, both of them looking very familiar despite Luna having seen neither of them before in her long life.
"Hello," the one with the blue hair and darker skin said. "Welcome to our humble world." She paused. "I have to admit, this is a rather odd experience for me. Even after all the marvels we've seen these past few years, I can't say I was ever expecting to meet myself."
Luna smiled. "I have seen many odd things in the realm of Dreams, and faced many versions of myself, though you are the first I've met who is truly a different person of flesh and blood. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance in person." She held out a hand towards her counterpart. "I look forward to learning more about you."
"It is a pleasure for us, as well," the other Luna replied, shaking her hand.
"We are honoured to make your acquaintance and are looking forward to having an Equestrian visit when circumstances are not dire," the other Celestia added.
"Yes, I am very much looking forward to having a vacation here. Though I am retired of my courtly duties in Equestria, ponies still see me as an alicorn princess." Luna shook her head sadly. "I hope to enjoy the peace of anonymity here."
Her counterpart snorted. "Well, I'm not famous in the least, so as long as you stay away from the school, that shouldn't be a problem. Though, having two of us looking identical may be an issue."
"Oh, I can fix that easily." Calling upon old memories from a time long forgotten by history, Luna snapped her fingers, feeling the magic in her soul course through the digits and surround her in a glamour. "Will this do?" she asked, adjusting the spell to allow it to draw from the surrounding consciousnesses in order to determine its exact form, especially with respect to clothing. Her old designs would likely not fit in here, if what the other Celestia and Luna were wearing was any indication.
The humans' eyes widened. "How did you do that?" the other Luna asked. "I thought you needed an artifact to be able to wield magic here. At least, that's what the Twilight from your world said. She didn't have the power to cast spells without her crown in this world."
Luna gave them a coy smirk. "Knowledge and power are two very different things. Twilight possesses both in great measure, but I have knowledge of that which is lost to time."
"I can see this is going to be an interesting vacation for all of us, then," Celestia replied with good humour. "Now then, I think we've stood around here long enough. Why don't we show you around Canterlot for a little bit, and then you can decide what you want to do next?"
"That would be most wonderful." It was time to see how this world had changed since she had last visited it.
Everything was so much.
The lights, the sounds, the motion. When Luna had returned to Equestria, she had already found the new world she inhabited to be more stimulating than the one she'd been banished from. With all the advances made in the interim, ponies had learned to live together in larger numbers, to work and play more efficiently, to transport themselves more conveniently, and to illuminate even the darkest nights so that they could the streets safely.
But this was far beyond anything magic had achieved.
The technological marvels threatened to overload her senses as Luna struggled to take in the surroundings of the mall that her hosts had brought her too. Everything was so bright and colourful and loud and all of it threatened to overwhelm her. Only by drawing on her millennia of experience as Mistress of Dreams could she stay sane, but even then, she rarely had to stay within the more chaotic dreams for more than a few minutes.
They had been here for two hours, and Luna sorely needed to retreat back to a place of peace and quiet. Possibly for some meditation upon the wonders of this new world.
Fortunately, Celestia and the other Luna seemed to sense her disquiet. "Ah, here we are," Celestia said, pointing towards one of the many rooms that seemed to stretch out to infinity. "This mall has a garden in its center that's quite large. Perhaps you'd like to see the flora for this world as well?"
Luna looked at their destination. It was completely encased in glass, allowing her to see what looked to be a domed forest, with trees and shrubberies and flowers of all shapes and colours. Like everything else in this world, it was also very much, but it looked like it was sealed off from the cacophony of the mall, and the hedges provided some modicum of privacy as well for her to rest away from prying eyes.
The other Luna added, "I'll admit I'm not one for the garden here. I think I'll take a look at the clothing store across the hall." She pointed towards yet another bright, colourful stall that looked just like every other bright, colourful stall in this place.
"Ooh, I've been meaning to pick up something too," Celestia added. She turned to the former princess. "Would you like to join us, or would you rather visit the gardens?"
Luna recognized the unspoken offer, and was grateful for it. "I believe I shall see what natural wonders this world still has yet to show me." She gave them a weak smile. "Thank you." There was no need to say for what. In her other self's eyes, she saw an understanding that could only come from one such as herself.
"See you in a bit, then," Celestia said, and then they were off.
Trying very hard not to run for the doors, Luna made her way over towards the gardens, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as the noise faded away, replaced by blessed silence.
The garden was as deliberate and artificial as the rest of this city, but Luna could appreciate the care taken in creating this oasis of calm. She allowed herself to wander aimlessly, losing herself in the green walls that blocked out this world that had changed even more than Equestria had since her last visit.
Part of her had come here hoping to find familiar comforts. Some hunting, perhaps, with a bow and arrow, or a feast in some great hall of marble, with local fruits and bread aplenty and a bard plying their trade in the corner. What a fool she'd been, to think that a world without immortals ruling it wouldn't evolve even faster than one guided by somepony as old as her sister.
Lost as she was in her musings of her past, it took Luna a moment to realize that the music playing around her wasn't simply a product of her imagination. The notes were very real, and very, very familiar.
Luna froze, her heart stopping as she listened to the next few bars, played expertly on some stringed instrument. "Impossible," she whispered to herself. Perhaps she was mistaken? Or maybe the song had lived on after all this time, passed down from generation to generation. Yet, for it to have never changed...
Unbidden, she found herself moving closer towards the source of the song, until she found a small clearing at the center of the garden. There, seated on a bench, was a young woman with orange hair and a purple dress, playing a violin with her eyes closed. She was quite beautiful, and the expression of longing on her face as she played gave her an air that Luna generally only saw in those who had seen many years. Whomever this woman was, she had to have lost much in her short life.
As if sensing her presence, the woman stopped, her pink eyes opening and staring at Luna with a calculating gaze, like a hunter sizing up her prey. "Can I help you?" she asked, sounding less annoyed at the intrusion and more as if she was wondering if she could use this situation to her advantage.
Something about this most talented woman urged Luna to be cautious around her. There was more than met the eye here, and Luna had lived long enough to know that magic did not make her invincible, even if she was one of the few who possessed it in this realm. "My apologies for disturbing you," she said with utmost politeness. "Your song was beautiful, and you played it so masterfully that I could not help but try to seek out its source."
"Thanks," the other woman replied. "Always nice to meet a fan. I would sing the words for it too, but my voice isn't what it used to be." A hint of bitterness in that sentence, a bite that Luna was all too familiar with.
Still, she pressed on. "If I may ask, where did you learn that song?" It had to be some folk song descended from the one from so long ago, and if Luna could discern a clue as to the origins of its current form, perhaps its history could give her something to anchor to in this very different world.
"Learn it?" The musician scoffed. "I wrote it. It's one of my best works." Her chest puffed out a little in pride as she spoke. Luna would have respected it, for it was a fine song, if she hadn't known the truth.
"Odd," Luna said casually. "It sounds very much like an old folk song I once heard."
"Oh?" Bow met instrument as her conversational partner began to play again. "And you're sure it sounded exactly like this?"
Luna considered simply replying in the affirmative, but the emotion in the melody called out to her, and she decided instead to sing along with the original lyrics.
A few lines later, the music stopped, and so did Luna's singing. The other woman's expression had turned entirely into an unreadable mask. "That was very well done," she said. "Though, your accent is kinda obvious."
Luna shrugged. "The language of that song is not my native tongue."
"Considering no one's spoken that language in a thousand years and scholars just call it Linear Something-Or-Other, I'm not surprised." She paused, and Luna had the distinct feeling of a hunter moving in for the kill. "The Equestrian accent caught me off-guard, though."
The silence in the garden was suddenly very, very loud, filling Luna's ears as she froze and took a closer look at this woman. Her clothes were unlike anything she'd seen before, and the orange hair with yellow streaks were done up in a new style, but the face tugged at her memories, the face and the self-assured voice of a woman who wanted nothing more than to be adored and knew she had the ability to bend others to her will.
"Peisinoe?" Luna's entire body tensed as she whispered the name. The realization came with it a torrent of memories and emotions that crashed down on her, and her body shifted into a combat stance on instinct even as her heart ached. Not that it mattered— if she truly was who Luna believed her to be, then their fight would never be a physical one.
The Siren smiled, and oh, how familiar that smile was! "Now that's a name I haven't heard since the good old days. I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, though. Should I flip a coin to try to guess which one you are, or do you want to get rid of that glamour?"
For a moment, Luna considered her options. It was dangerous to give up any advantage against Peisinoe, but she couldn't sense any magic from the woman. And Equestria was a land of peace and friendship, now. Perhaps it wouldn't do much harm to reveal herself.
Luna also recalled a time when they hadn't been enemies.
With a wave of her hand, she dispelled the glamour, and Peisinoe froze, her own body tensing up.
"The Huntress, then," she said. Her voice dropped low as her smile turned sultry. "I should have known from the grace you carry yourself with. Not to mention, your sister's not the type to approach me directly. So, should I start running now or would you prefer to schedule a fair fight sometime later?"
"We live in a new era, Siren," Luna replied dryly. "Battles are no longer fought with sword or bow, but friendship and words."
Peisinoe raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me you need a few hours to get your friends together so that you can blast me with another friendship laser?" She stood up, swaying her hips hypnotically as walked towards Luna. "Or are you proposing another, older form of friendship?" She waggled her eyebrows at Luna, making her intentions perfectly clear.
Luna blushed at that, even as she took a step back. "Do not try to ply your trade with me, Peisonoe," she replied, trying to sound as imperious as she could. "I came here for sport, and though this world has changed much, I would relish the chance to hunt you once more."
Undaunted, the siren simply chuckled. "Good luck trying to do that in a busy mall. Like you said, it's been a while since your last visit. When was that, anyways? I haven't seen you since the Empire fell over a thousand years ago, and while you're a little more subtle than your sister, I'm pretty sure I would've felt it if you'd visited."
"I was otherwise indisposed," Luna said cautiously.
"Uh huh." A smirk formed on Peisinoe's lips. "So how'd the thing with Phobetor go, then? Or, uhh, whatever they were going by. I think it'd be The Nightmare in this tongue now?" When Luna didn't respond, her smirk grew wider. "That bad, huh? Well, considering I haven't heard from either of you, but you're here and still sane, I'm gonna guess you got stasised or something before getting hit with some Raw Harmony magic? Seems like there's a lot of that going around these days."
"Your warnings were correct, Peisinoe," Luna admitted. "I could not control the power of The Nightmare, and I paid dearly for it."
"Please, call me Adagio," Peisinoe — Adagio — said. "We must change with the times, after all. I'm no longer an immortal siren bent on world domination, and you're not looking to the Oneiroi for life coaching."
"I suppose I should thank you, Adagio." It galled her to say it, but Luna had to give credit where it was due. "You tried to save me from the darkness."
Adagio snorted. "Don't read too much into it, Huntress. Sure, you were fun to have around, but I didn't do it out of the goodness of my own heart. I had plans for this world, and I didn't want to have to fight you and the Nightmare for it if its influence made you into a multiversal conqueror. Besides, I failed to dissuade you in the end, didn't I?"
"I do not think anyone could have swayed me from my path." Luna's lips quirked up in a cautious smirk. "Especially one who had a habit of betraying me."
"Hey, it's what I do," Adagio replied, completely unrepentant. "Anyways, it obviously took some other kind of power to save you from its influence. The same kind of Harmony magic that hit me, I assume?"
"The Elements of Harmony," Luna explained, filing away that little morsel of information. It seemed that Adagio must have been another foe that Twilight Sparkle had faced in this world. "They are the fruits of the seeds planted by the Pillars of Harmony."
"So it was Star Swirl who foiled me yet again." Adagio chuckled dryly. "Even from beyond the grave, he still finds a way to be a thorn in my side."
"Actually, he still lives. He sealed himself and the others in Limbo in order to contain a shard of Erebus' power, and we were only able to free him a scant few years ago."
Adagio scoffed. "Excuse me if I don't jump for joy at the return of the one who banished me to this world. It might have been a vacation destination for you, but this is still my prison. At least the humans managed to figure out how to do some useful things with electricity."
Luna nodded. "It's an admirable adaptation to the lack of magic in this world. I can only imagine how the humans have managed to integrate the little bit of arcane might they possess into this land of marvels."
At that, Adagio began to laugh. "Oh, Huntress, you really have been away for too long. Magic has been completely lost in your absence, unfortunately."
"Truly?" It was true that Luna hadn't seen any evidence of it since coming here, and that her counterpart did seem surprised at her abilities, but magic had always awed mortals. For them to have lost it entirely... "Then all of these inventions function without the use of any arcane energy?"
"Turns out, when you have to go centuries without magic, you get pretty creative," Adagio replied. "I'll admit, losing my own magic has given me some perspective as to just how impressive the achievements of these humans are. The gods of our days would tremble at the war machines they've created."
Luna snorted. "I'm sure those who claimed the moniker of Ares would have appreciated it." She shook her head. "I never did understand their minds. To discover the wonders of magic and then choose to devote themselves to killing others with it betrays such a narrow view of the world."
"They were useful and easy to manipulate, at least," Adagio said with a shrug. "But yeah, always liked the Dionysius guys more. They knew how to party."
Luna smiled fondly in remembrance. "Whatever happened to Pan? Without any more mortals claiming the mantle of the God of Revelry, has he simply retreated back into the forests?" This conversation was reminding her that she had so much catching up to do in this world.
"Last I saw him, he was bouncing from frat house to frat house being his usual self," Adagio replied. "Other than that, I have no idea what happened to the other immortals. I think Baldr went back to his home world for good after the whole crucifixion thing, and you'd probably know more about the fates of Chrysalis and Eris."
"Chrysalis is imprisoned in stone," Luna said. "And Eris goes by Discord now, and has been reformed."
"Really? Chaos itself has become leashed? Interesting. I guess it's good that we never set our sights on conquering Equestria." Adagio shuddered. "I definitely wouldn't want to have to fight them again."
The reminder of Adagio's past made Luna tense. It had been so easy to forget that they were often on opposite sides in this world. "I also notice that despite the lack of other immortals, you and your sisters have yet to assert dominion over this world as you once swore to do," she said carefully, seeing if she could goad the siren into revealing her intentions.
But Adagio only gave her another shrug. "We tried, got blasted by the rainbow laser, and now we don't have our magic anymore, so it's the slow death by mortality for us if we're lucky. At least this modern world has plenty of entertainment to distract mortals from their inevitable ends."
Trusting a siren was an easy way to court doom, but Luna didn't sense any magic from her, and it was very extremely difficult to hide from her gaze. "I'm sorry," she said, and she truly meant it. For all that the sirens had done, losing one's magic was a horrific fate.
"Eh, survival of the strongest." Despite Adagio's casual tone, Luna could still hear the bitterness in her voice. "We were too weak to conquer this world, took too long to amass power, and now we're paying the price for it."
"That is not the way of things anymore," Luna said. "As I said, we live in a world of friendship and harmony, and I am sure that you could find those willing to help you easily enough."
"Thanks, but I've still got my pride, whatever that might be worth." Adagio snorted. "And I'm very aware that pride used to be the weakness we loved to exploit." She let out a sigh. "Ah, those were the good old days. Do you ever miss them, Huntress?"
"I do," Luna replied without hesitation. "Things are better now, but to run wild and free in the forests, free from the duties of rulership, was a great boon."
"Not to mention holding power over the humans and being adored by them," Adagio added dryly. "Admit it, even if you were the 'good guys,' you and your sister craved attention as much as the rest of us. I should tell you about some of the stuff the Shepherd got up after you left."
Luna's cheeks warmed. "I have always had my weaknesses, as has my sister."
Adagio took another step closer, and Luna was suddenly very aware of the siren's proximity to her. "You have, haven't you, Huntress?" Her voice dropped low as her eyes smouldered. "You know, you're remembered these days as a Goddess of Virginity." Her laugh with husky, stirring up memories from long ago. "Of course, we're both very aware of how false that is, aren't we?" She reached out one hand, her slender fingers brushing lightly against Luna's arm in a whisper of a caress.
Luna shivered. "That was but one time," she muttered. "An ill-advised dalliance that I dearly regret."
"Do you, now?" Adagio pulled away, her movements sinuous and smooth. "Is it just because I tried to make you my thrall the next morning?"
"That does tend to cool one's passions," Luna said dryly, trying not to let it show how much Adagio's actions were affecting her. In the back of her mind, she had noted that the siren looked as beautiful as she always had, but now that she'd turned on her charms again fully, that fact was pulsing in the forefront of her mind, along with memories of sharing a bed with her, their limbs tangled together as they let their passions play out.
"You're thinking about that night right now, aren't you?" Adagio winked at her. "C'mon, you have to admit that the attempted mind control was worth it."
"What do you want, Peisinoe?" Better to be direct than to keep playing the siren's games.
"You know exactly what I want." Adagio reached out a hand, and Luna held stock still she brushed it against her arm, sending pleasurable chills down her spine. "This isn't the Forum, Huntress. There's no grand plan here. I'm not looking to start a war between empires or salt the lands of one. I have no need to feast on strife anymore.
Her fingers trailed upwards, towards Luna's cheeks. "But I am bored." She leaned in to whisper in Luna's ear. "And you're the only one who remembers what it was like, to revel in your godhood and experience the thrill of the hunt."
"You tread on dangerous ground, Siren." Luna shivered. "If you recall the past so clearly, then you know what darkness you tryst with."
"Do I look like I care what happens to me anymore?" There was a crack in the seductive mask as Adagio nearly snarled the words out, bitterness suffusing her tone. "I'm dying, Luna. More than that, I'm weak." The words were hissed out, and she gripped Luna's arm hard. "I want to remember what it was like to be strong again, to be able to drive emperors mad with music and make them watch as their city burns."
Luna's heart was racing now. Not in fear, no, and only partially with desire. It was hard to always hard to tell how much of Adagio's words and actions were artifice, and how much was sincere, but either way, Luna could feel the primal rush of the hunt beginning to return.
After all, this was why she'd come back, wasn't it?
She'd wanted to return to a world that was familiar to her, and she'd been a fool to think that all she wanted was to hunt some stags in the forests. No, Luna had been and always would be a predator, and right now, all she could see was her prey offering herself up to her.
"You wish to dance with a goddess?" Without warning, Luna's free arm shot out, gripping Adagio by her throat. She was so soft, and her skin so smooth. But more than that, Luna could feel the life flowing through her, how insignificant it was now that she'd been stripped of her power. It was true, Luna could crush her right now, and there was nothing the once-great siren could do about it.
And yet, there was no fear in Adagio's eyes. She simply smiled, a challenge in those eyes that tugged at her soul.
Luna released her, relishing the sight of the red handprint against her neck as Adagio gasped and caught her breath again. "Surely you must remember what became of my suitors. And as I said, I came here looking for sport." The blood was rushing to her head now, sharpening her senses while also allowing her to filter out all distractions. "I would suggest you run, Siren, lest you meet the same fate as Actaeon or the Aloadae twins."
"They were fools who didn't understand you like I did," Adagio replied, undaunted. "I won't make the same mistake by trying to force myself on you. That's not my style, anyways."
Luna scoffed. "I am not so easily deceived as the mortals you led to their deaths."
"That's what makes it fun." Adagio smiled smugly. "Courtship is just deception, and I'm good at deception. Seducing you will be a fun challenge."
"You are not Eros, and I am no Psyche." Power flowed through Luna as she spoke, and she wove a cloak of darkness around herself. "I am the Mistress of Dreams, the scourge of the Oneiroi." Her voice echoed through the gardens as she pointed an imperious finger at her former lover. "My abilities are beyond your comprehension, Siren."
"Then show me, Huntress." Adagio's eyes burned with desire as she stood her ground. "Remind me why you were once worshipped."
The winds whipped up around them, leaves swirling about in a vortex that engulfed their little clearing as Luna drew out more magic from her soul. Tendrils of Night began to snake over towards Adagio, who finally began looking worried. Luna drank in that fear, feeding on it as she rose a few inches into the air. "Is this what you wished for, Siren?" she asked, her voice coming from every corner of the room at once and yet nowhere as well. "To what end did you wish to summon the darkness within me?"
"Well, besides the fact that you look absolutely ravishing like that," Adagio replied with forced casualness. "I wanted to know how much magic you could still wield over here, to see if it would be enough to heal me."
Luna raised an eyebrow. "But you are not injured."
Adagio shook her head. "Not physically, but when Harmony took away my magic, it left a wound in my soul. Specifically, it took away my singing voice." She let out a bitter chuckle as she lifted up her violin. "Hence why I'm stuck with this thing these days."
"It took away your strongest weapons," Luna murmured, horrified. She knew how much her singing ability had mattered to Adagio. Truly, Harmony could be cruel in enacting its justice.
"And in the process, took away my greatest joy." Determination burned in Adagio's eyes as she spoke. "The mortals think that your sister's domain was music, but we know that it was as much Artemis' as it was Apollo's. I've never been much of a physical fighter, but if you give me back the ability to sing, I promise you I can still give you a run for your money in a battle of song. Besides, I don't have the magic to compel people anymore even if I did get it back."
Luna considered Adagio's offer. Even without magic, the Siren was a master at manipulating others, and giving her another tool to entice was dangerous. It would be foolish to heal her.
And yet...
Adagio had managed to play her games of wit to get Luna to this point, and the princess had to admit that she was curious where this would go. Besides, wasn't this supposed to be the era of Friendship?
"Very well," Luna said. "I shall grant your request."
For the first time, Adagio's expression lit up with hope. Luna hadn't noticed it before, but the Siren had been carrying the weight of resignation and defeat on her shoulders for their entire conversation, and for the first time, it looked like that burden might be lifted. Knowing that, she could not back down now.
"So, how does this work?" Once again, Adagio tried to hide her excitement, but it was clear to Luna that the woman was barely holding herself together. It felt good, knowing how much power she held over her now that the Siren had finally shown her hand. "I've seen your healing magic at work before. Do you just put your hand over me and say some words and I'm cured?"
Luna gave her a predatory smile. "Oh, no, Siren. Your wounds run deeper than Aeneas'. Diomedes was but a mortal, and the wound he inflicted on the Father of the Republic and his mother was purely physical. I also had help from my sister. To restore your voice, I will need a more potent vessel to deliver my spell."
Luna passed a finger over her lips, making them glow with arcane power.
Adagio's eyes widened. "Oh." She grinned. "Well, that was easier than I expected. Didn't expect to be able to make you mine so fast."
There was no way Luna would let a statement like that stand. She reached out and grabbed Adagio's arm, her grip firm and unmovable. "Remember your place, Adagio. I am the Huntress." She pulled her close, until their faces were only inches apart, and stared into her eyes, locking them in a battle of wills.
"That you are," Adagio breathed, her voice husky with desire. "But I've fought gods before, and won. You would do well to remember what we did to Demeter after she tried to curse us."
"Such hubris. I will enjoy watching your fall, Muse of Death." And with that, the time for words had passed. The challenge had been presented, and so both women moved together, locking lips in a battle for dominance as passion flared between them.
Luna felt the magic flow out from her and towards Adagio, creating a connection that transcended the physical and allowed them to see into one another's souls. Their predatory instincts were laid bare to one another, and as they continue to devour each other in a raw, animalistic coupling, Luna pushed her healing spell into Adagio's throat, regenerating the pieces carved out by Harmony.
Adagio froze as the spell took effect, and Luna reigned in her primal urges in order to back away and watch as the siren's eyes widened in shock, both of them catching their breaths as the glow of magic surrounded Adagio. "I..." She trailed off, swallowing a few times before she opened her mouth again.
And then she sang.
There were no words to the song, but Luna recognized the melody. She nearly laughed as she recalled the lyrics, but so beautiful was Adagio's voice that all she could do was stare, as captivated as she would have been if there had been magic laced into those notes.
The sound was joyous, and triumphant, and carefree in a way that Luna had never seen the ancient siren before. Once again, she felt herself compelled to sing along, adding the words that she had so long ago.
While you live, shine
Have no grief at all
Life exists only for a short while
And Time demands his due.
As the last notes trailed off, tears welled up in Adagio's eyes, and for the first time, Luna saw her without any subterfuge. "Thank you," she whispered. "Upon my honour, I am in your debt, Huntress."
"Let us not speak of debts," Luna replied kindly. "As you once tried to save my soul, now I shall save yours." Her lips twitched upwards into a wry smile. "Though, I recall you mocking Seikilos for his epitaph at the time."
"Yeah, well, I thought I was going to live forever and rule this world back then," Adagio said, smiling back through her tears. "Looks like I'll actually have to start living my life in the present instead of waiting for that fated day to come, huh?"
"Past and future are but memories," Luna replied. "We have only the present to live in."
"In that case, I know exactly how I want to spend that present." Arms wrapped around Luna as Adagio pulled her in for another passionate kiss, their battle for dominance resuming once more.
Some time later, the principal and vice-principal of CHS found them sitting on the bench, hands held and singing a powerful duet together in a language neither human had ever heard before.
"Does this weird you out too?" Vice-Principal Luna asked as she observed the couple.
Principal Celestia shrugged. "I think it's time for us to embrace the weird. Only way to stay sane these days." She cleared her throat loudly, drawing the couple's attention. "I see you've made a new friend, your majesty."
Luna stood up, not showing even the smallest sign of being embarrassed at being caught. "I've reunited with an old one," she replied.
"Don't worry," Adagio added. "I'm not looking to take over the world anymore. I've got better things to do now." She pressed a quick kiss against Luna's cheek.
"I'm happy to hear that," Celestia replied politely. "There's still more of the mall to experience, but Luna and I can do that ourselves. Isn't that right, sister?"
The vice-principal nodded. "Do you still need a ride back to our place, or...?"
The two ancient souls shared a glance. "I am ever-so-grateful for your hospitality," Luna said. "But I will not impose on you further."
"We're always happy to have you as a guest," Celestia said, "but we also understand that you two probably have a lot of catching up to do."
Adagio chuckled. "Yeah, we've got a thousand years worth of stories to share." She turned to Luna. "Remind me later to tell you about the time your sister pretended to be some peasant girl in some backwater village and led an army during this one war that was like a hundred years long." She smiled fondly, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "We fed well that century. Anyways, she ended up getting canonized as a saint after they tried to burn her at the stake. Celestia just couldn't resist making a spectacle of herself."
"I wasn't aware that my counterpart had such a flair for dramatics," Celestia commented. Her eyes widened. "Wait, does that mean that she was...?"
"My sister and I have visited many times," Luna said. "And we may have been much more... flagrant about our abilities in the past." She gestured at one of the other benches in the clearing. "If you wish, I could share a number of my stories as well."
"You've got me curious now." Vice-Principal Luna took a seat, and her sister did the same a moment later. "So, what events in history have had your hand in them?"
Adagio snickered. "Well, you know that one emperor who made his horse a consul?"
Luna sighed. "Of course you would bring him up."
"You have to admit, it was really funny when the portal malfunctioned and sent you over here in your usual form," Adagio teased.
As they all laughed, Luna settled in beside her former lover, enjoying this moment of peace. When they departed, their battle would begin anew, and Luna could not wait to match wits and passion with this Siren who had held on to her cunning even after all she had been through.
But for now, she could reminisce fondly on the past, and look forward to a future filled with excitement.
