A Prelude to Dinner

Liam stood out in the warm night air, eyes searching the stars above for something he couldn't find. His stubbly face wore a frown, in his eyes were regret, no doubt from the events that had transpired just minutes earlier. His fingers probed and rubbed the rim of his father's watch adorned on his left wrist. The faceplate was still cracked, scratches on the metal bands, but the clock still ticked. This gave him some solace from the guilt he was feeling, a small measure of relief to tide him over to his next big problem.

Celestia.

It was only a matter of time before she found out that her informant had been drugged. One Stronghoof's mares, Cobble Polish, a young unicorn mare with bright green eyes. It didn't take him too long to figure that the information Celestia was bringing up during their conferences was fed to her from the inside. Still, to rob these ponies of their memories felt like a crime. It was a crime, in fact.

Memory removal magic was highly illegal across Equus, Equestria being no exception. Rsearch into possible amnestics quickly ran into hurdles of ethical and legal concern. Liam knew that eventually, he was going to have to break some laws, but Zecora's ritual amnestic would avoid that possibility for the time being. As far as they could find, ritual amnestics were a legal loophole that Liam could abuse. He was afraid that these ordeals would soon come to haunt him, even more so than the overt disgust Peridot felt for his actions. In that mess hall, he could feel the stares upon him, the judgement.

He knew it was part of the job. It didn't alleviate the sting, however. The ponies won't accept it, yet. But he knew better than anyone that sometimes the only way forward was to forget, voluntarily or not.

The buzz of the whiskey was still upon him, cheeks lightly tinted red and movements more fluid. He sank to the ground in a squat, brushing off his black slacks as he descended. His black tie hung limply in the air, waving about slightly in the faint breeze. Soon, it would be winter. Negotiating with the changelings would come quickly, then infiltrating Griffonstone. Their expedition to Graymourne had been delayed after the Canterlot Incident; this gave him time to send agents to the territory ahead of them, but those plans had yet to be initiated.

He did not envy Site Director Ino in the slightest, knowing only a fraction of the responsibilities that fell upon his shoulders. Liam sighed. These would now be his responsibilities. Liam stood and approached the cliff edge before him, staring down into the ravine below. Ghastly Gorge. He looked over his shoulder back to the surface elevator, then over the cliff once more. The smell of dew on the grass hung in the air, crickets chirping unseen, frogs and insects calling out into the darkness. Below, the whistling of the wind through the gorge.

They didn't know why he picked the gorge. Dreams are a funny thing, especially ones that give you glimpses at a past that two alicorns deny. Liam looks to the clearing behind him, memories of stone slabs and a path through the grass drawing themselves before him. Liam was going to find out what happened here; maybe it was unrelated, maybe it was a dead-end, but he had a feeling that it could be a key to defend against SCP-2480.

He only hoped that there was some evidence left behind for him to find. He set his eyes back on the gorge and took in a deep breath.

"Director Webb," he heard Sunny call out to him, "are you ready to go?"

Liam turned back to see Sunny waiting for him twenty meters away, a human-tailored black suit jacket draped over his wings. The moonlight faintly outlined two ACB security guards behind him, rounded metal helmets with holes for their horns, covered by gray fabric, tactical vests filled with all sorts of equipment developed by the newly started Research and Development wing.

All experimental, and hopefully, field-ready. Until then, he had a dinner to attend.

"Yeah, head down to my office, I'll meet you there in a sec," Liam called back.

Liam considered all of the possible factors that went into the dinner tonight, every outcome of speaking with Celestia. With Luna there, maybe she could defuse the tension. 'Luna,' he thought to himself. Just the name brought a small smile to his face, one he didn't know he was wearing. He looked back to the stars, then recomposed himself and went back inside.

Luna gingerly slipped on her ornaments in her room, a small smile on her muzzle. Her thoughts were on Liam's appearance tonight; a dinner that was no doubt subtext for an interrogation, but she hoped to capitalize on the event by taking Liam to her gardens. Luna approached the standing mirror and stared into the glass. She dipped her head forward to get a better angle of her makeup, a small touch-up of eyeshadow, slight mascara on her eyelashes.

She hoped she seemed pretty enough to impress Liam tonight. Her thoughts had previously denied her affections she felt for the creature, but her reflection upon his acts many moons ago kept her heart aflutter. In modern day Equestria, the fancy of a stallion was held by a steadfast mare, but she was no modern mare. The stallions of old did not enjoy the luxuries of the new, a simpler and harder life, with many more stallions about than now. Perhaps his culture was the same? She worried at the thought.

Luna had not seen Liam in quite some time, the Anomalous Containment Bureau eating up the majority of his time. She hoped she would have the courage to express to him her own feelings tonight, should the dinner go smoothly.

Ah, but Celestia had no such plans in store. Knowing her sister, Celestia would likely try to ease the potential worries of Liam, then strike when his guard was down. Luna scowled and shook her head. It seemed that every day that passed, Celestia was less and less accommodating. The smiles that she wore for her subjects did not follow her to her quarters. She was surely stressed by the ideas proposed by Liam, finding qualms and quandaries in the minutia and the details.

But, the 'cat was out of the bag' as it were. Luna picked up her brush within her magic and set to her mane. The mane was already well-styled previously, but the motions gave her a sense of calm.

Luna shook away the musings and returned to her activities. Would Liam even reciprocate? They both had their shared demons, so maybe that would be a bridge between them? Perhaps that would serve only as a reminder to the pain they share, rather than a bond. She hated that idea. She thought more about the possible conflicts she may face in asking for his hoof.

'Hand,' she reminds herself. Upon his world, her kind were not intelligent; perhaps it would be a taboo for his culture to engage in cross-species relationships. Luna felt a sense of dread fall into her stomach. She had thought of this before and avoided thinking on the subject too long. 'No', she thought, 'we should hear his thoughts on the subject.'

She blinked, and when her eyelids reopened, her pupil had become a small and narrow vertical slit. The cyan of her eyes became a teal color, and she inspected the irises intently. Nightmare Moon would forever be a part of her, for better or for worse. Their union indeed brought Luna back a great deal of relief she didn't know she needed.

Were the Elements of Harmony to blame? Her sister, nor her student knew of the consequences. She herself did not know, but she felt it on the edges of her mind. No matter. All is well now, and lest the mistakes of the past repeat themselves, somethings are better left forgotten. She took in a deep breath and set her brush aside. She quirked her head to the side and stared for a moment longer, then blinked the phenomenon away, turning away from the mirror.

She made her way to the dining hall, where the table was set with fine linens and crystal glasses. A single plate sat at the center of the table, covered with a white cloth which shimmered under the moonlight. Servants removed the silverware and plates, taking with them the table cloth as well. They paid Luna no mind as she walked past. Fresh spots of paint stood out upon the walls, memories and scars of the Canterlot Incident. She stood there in silence as the distant sounds of work flowed from the kitchens beyond.

Luna set out to Celestia's chambers to await Liam. Soon he would walk through the transmission mirror and join them for dinner. Hopefully, dealing with the Griffonian Ambassador would take some more of her time and give Luna ample space to interact with Liam. Just the thought sent tingles through her stomach.

The transmission mirror within Celestia's quarters was a tall, imposing object. The gold frame had several small silvery inlays with jewels of unknown origin that held magical reserves within them. They sparkled and shone in the dim light, then a glow overcame them. The mirror began vibrating ever so slightly, the reflective surface shimmering and shaking like droplets of water on a still lake.

Then, a single hand burst through the liquid, followed by a human body. Liam stepped forward resolutely, before the transmission inertia took effect. As he made it clear of the mirror, he staggered forward and braced himself against the wall, a lesson learned through repeat use, to steady himself of the nausea that would soon come.

Following Liam through the portal was Sunny, watching Liam in mild concern. As far as Liam could tell, the ponies were unaffected by the strange sensation. It may be the result of humans being unaccustomed to Equestrian magic.

"Liam," Sunny began, moving forward.

"I'm fine, buddy," Liam said, "just give me a few."

Celestia's bedchamber doors swung open slowly, a familiar navy blue muzzle peeking through the doorway. Upon setting her eyes on Liam, the door swung open and she readily trotted towards him, bouncing on her hooves. A smile exploded across her muzzle, and when their eyes met, Liam shared it. He stowed away the uncomfortable sensation and pushed himself from the wall.

"Luna," he managed before she threw herself onto her hindlegs and embraced him in a hug, towering above him. He wrapped his arms around her barrel and let out a grunt at the sudden weight. Despite the struggle, the smiles stayed. After a few moments, she dropped down and nuzzled the side of his head. Liam brought a hand up to the side of her head, scratching her ear.

"You smell like alcohol, have you been drinking again?"

Liam grimaced. "Not regularly, no. Tonight kind of needed a drink."

Luna retreated and adopted an offended look, looking into his hazel eyes.

"I hope it is not necessary to see me under the influence," she warned.

Liam laughed. "Of course not, we had a... celebration back at the facility. Well, that and your sister might throw me into the Sun come morning, depending on how the night goes."

Luna smirked.

Through the portal came two more ponies, Sunny's personal recommendations for the fledgling security regiment. Solar Flare and Hard Sell were not friends of Sunny's, nor even acquaintances, but their records and performance during both the Canterlot Incident and the Changeling Invasion had demonstrated a remarkable coolness under pressure and a competence unseen in most of the other Guards. Luna eyed the newcomers, realizing quickly that they were no longer alone. She looked towards Sunny and a dark blue blush crept into her cheeks.

"Ah, right, Princess Luna, meet my head of security. You might've met before."

Luna approached the pegasus and extended her hoof, which he gracefully moved forward to take.

"Indeed, Sunny Skies, I recall speaking with you regarding the Incident."

"Yes, Princess Luna," Sunny replied, eyes trained on the floor. Sunny felt an immense sense of awe and recognition that she had remembered him. One of the two most powerful ponies in the world had remembered such a simple pegasus.

"Hey, look her in the eye. She's a pony, just like you," Liam advised. Luna felt a deal of gratitude wave over her at the statement.

Sunny brought his eyes up to meet hers, then looked to Liam. Liam nodded and turned to Flare and Sell. Luna likewise glanced over, then whispered down to Sunny.

"Good to see you again, Sunny Skies."

"You too, ma'am," he smiled. He released her hoof and stood straighter.

Liam walked over and placed a hand on Sunny's shoulder. His eyes took to the door, then back to Sunny.

"Can you wait for Luna and I in the dining room? We have some catching up to do."

"Yes, Director," Sunny replied, then gestured to the other two guards to take to the door. They departed, but not before Liam called out.

"Sunny! Let me know when she gets to the table!"

"Yes sir," he replied, then went out into the hall, the door shutting behind him. Liam stared at the door silently.

Whatever thoughts floated about inside his brain were immediately torn from him with another embrace, Luna resting her chin on his left shoulder. He chuckled lightly and brought his arm up to cup her head. He pet her for a moment, then she walked around to face him.

"Liam, We... I, have been quite curious as to your activity. I have not seen you in some time," she said carefully.

Liam's smile softened with a tinge of sadness.

"Yeah, it's been awhile. You look gorgeous tonight. I missed you," Liam said, his eyes exploring her face with a serene look.

Luna resisted the urge to embrace him again, but the hammering of her heart intensified at those words. She almost gasped. He believed he misstepped.

"Sorry, I just..." Liam began, stopping when Luna's eyes bore into his own. Something within her gaze told him that he had nothing to be sorry for. They shared that for a while before Liam finished, "I missed you."

"We missed you, too," she confessed through a blush. They both looked to the floor, silence pouring over them. Liam took the silence as an opportunity to claim one of the various cushioned stools in the room as a seat.

"How have you been?" Liam asked.

Luna sighed heavily and sat upon her haunches.

"Our reconstruction efforts have been progressing, yet there is much more to be done. Many of our ponies come to us for aid at all hours, and we have been doing all that we can to meet their demands. Within reason," Luna added.

"How have you been?" Liam stressed.

"I am worried for my sister. She does not sleep nearly as much as she used to, and quite frequently, I catch her staring off at nothing. She seems wrapped in her own thoughts, and when she is not, she is complaining about your project," Luna finished with a small smirk.

Liam stretched with a groan and set his hands down on his thighs.

"I figured that would be the case. Fuck..."

"Language," Luna meowled. Liam gave her a deadpan look in response. She smiled back.

"What about you?"

Liam shrugged.

"Liam..."

Liam put his hands up defensively.

"I'm okay. I've been better, I've been worse. I'm much better than I was now that I've had the chance to see you, though."

Luna scoffed and threw a hoof in his direction. The bracelet on his wrist began to vibrate, the slight hum reaching Luna's ears. Liam looked down to the bracelet and stood slowly from the stool.

"Celestia's arriving, we best get going," Liam said.

Luna did her best not to pout, but gave in.

"Very well, would you escort me to the dining hall, sir?"

Liam's face broke into an embarrassed smile, then he produced himself unto her with a bow, hand extended towards her. The act was greatly exaggerated, a flourish of a most ridiculous caliber, but it elicited musical laughter from Luna. Exactly what Liam wanted. She placed her hoof into his hand and he gently tugged her up off her haunches. They set off for the dining room, walking through the newly refurbished and restored halls.

Luna looked up to Liam inquisitively.

"What of your project? How comes it?"

Liam took in a sharp breath, but continued his stride.

"Well, it'll never really be good enough. Sort of an on-going thing. Someone's gonna have to run it when I'm dead, so hopefully we can get a potential roster of replacements up and-"

Luna gasped and jabbed his leg.

"Ow, what?" Liam complained.

He was greeted by an intense glare from the Princess, her cerulean eyes trained intently on his own.

"Do not speak like that," she said seriously.

"Luna..."

"Don't."

Liam sighed and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, I wasn't fortunate enough to be born immortal. I'm doing what I can to make sure this thing gets off the ground, then stays off the ground long after I'm gone. Part of that is accepting that I'm going to die some day."

Luna could feel her eyes watering.

"Do not remind me, Liam," she said evenly.

Liam gave her a soft smile, his eyebrows knitting together. He closed his eyes and nodded.

"Then I won't."

They continued their walk.

"Aside from that," Liam continued, "we've made great progress so far. I'm hoping to adopt some businesses nearby to use as legitimate means of income; the sooner I can get out of Celestia's purse, the better."

Luna's ear twitched as she digested the information. It seems that there may be some deal of mistrust on his end, too. Perhaps he was aware of something she wasn't. A frown deepened at the prospect. Liam noticed her frown.

"You okay?"

Luna quickly formulated a lie to cover her thoughts.

"Yes, but I must ask again... why Ghastly Gorge? Surely there were better options."

Liam smiled as they walked together.

"Well, the scenery is a bonus, but we've also got a good distance from prying eyes and access to running water. Putting those pipes down was hell, though, let me tell you," he mused.

They passed an earth pony guard with a black coat and blue eyes. He nodded to the Princess and kept an eye fixed on Liam. Liam did not notice, but Luna returned the gesture.

"I can imagine cutting through the stone was not easy," she added.

"Well, some of it was, but with each layer, rock has more pressure on top. Denser materials."

She nodded with a hum. They rounded the central hub and crossed the grand red carpet of the atrium. They walked in silence for a minute before Luna spoke, standing before the doors to the dining room, her heart a reminder of her nerves.

"We could spend more time together," she blurted out. Liam stopped walking and she did too. "A-after the dinner, of course?"

A deep blush exploded over her features and Liam quirked his brow. He gently poked her on the end of the nose.

"H-hey!" Luna exclaimed.

"I think you meant hark," Liam replied cheekily, a small smirk working it's way over his lips.

"Fool," Luna's wings twitched, "thou art a scoundrel and a fool!"

Liam gently slapped a hand against his chest and bowed his head.

"Oh, how will mine heart ever recover," he muttered gravely, looking up to the chandelier.

Luna's tail swished and adopted a harder look in her eyes.

"Prithee, do not mock us..." she said softly. Liam could tell she was still insecure regarding her speaking patterns and quickly changed his demeanor. He splayed his hands out.

"Hey, hey hey hey, it's not like that."

She didn't budge.

"I love the way you talk, I wish you would speak like that more often," he confessed.

Luna pulled the edge from her eyes and looked at Liam with an open expression.

"Truly?"

Liam nodded with a curved lip.

"Thou wouldst prefer us to speak to thee in this way?"

"In whatever way you feel comfortable, Luna. The way you speak... it's romantic," Liam said in his own embarrassment.

Luna had found an opening, a opportunity to attack, to flip the tables and embarrass him. Should she use it? But that word, it made her hooves shake slightly. Romantic.

"Romantic?" she repeated.

"It's... hard to describe. The way you speak sounds... beautiful, artistic almost... poetic. The times people spoke like that on my world are long gone," Liam explained, though his pink blush only deepened at through his praises. Hers followed suit.

"We should, uh..." Liam trailed off, gesturing to the door.

"Mhm," Luna affirmed, eyes avoiding his.

"But yes, I'd love to spend more time with you," Liam followed. They made eye contact again and held it for a moment. Then, Liam broke his gaze and turned to open the door.

Luna's wings twitched silently when he turned, but she restrained them in time to reveal the dining room. A grand space with a long table, a velvety table cloth drawn over it in a sparkling red, chairs drawn about made from the finest Equestrian wood. The entire room radiated formality and oppressive opulence.

Sitting at the end of the table were three ponies; Twilight Sparkle, who eagerly engaged Celestia in a one-sided conversation, her eyes wide and smile exuberant. Across from her, an earth pony mare with an orange coat and a stetson perched atop her head, her green eyes darting over to the pair.

Then, finally, Princess Celestia, a look of restrained frustration and mild contempt upon her muzzle, her eyes laser focused on Liam. Luna heard Liam take inhale sharply.

Celestia adopted a practiced, diplomatic smile, though it did not reach her eyes.

"Welcome," she announced, "please be seated."

Author's Note

So, this is the first chapter of the second act! Welcome one and all! As you can see, we've switched to a third-person past tense, something I feel helps with descriptions and the flow of events. First-person is fairly limited in that I can only use words that I'd feel they'd use mentally, or metaphors/similes that they'd use. If you all don't like it, I can revert back to the first person perspective.

Anywho, let me know what you all think, leave comments and critiques below! Catch you later!