Dinner and a Show

'Oh Jesus,' Liam thought anxiously at the sight.

Liam approached one of the chairs beside Twilight, who he gave a nod to despite her wide-eyed look, then pulled it out and beckoned Luna over. Twilight immediately dropped her voice to a whisper, and Liam could hear every word with ease. "Princess, you didn't say Liam would be here," she whispered loudly as Luna approached. Liam ignored the statement and seated the lunar princess. Applejack looked over with a deadpan stare at the failed attempt at subtlety. Twilight's ears drooped and a sheepish grin spread across her muzzle. She dipped her face behind her bangs.

Liam couldn't help but chuckle nervously at the absurdity of it all; obviously this arrangement was intentional. Celestia had not disclosed that the Element of Magic and the Element of Honesty were going to be dining with them. There was a plan here, one he wasn't going to like.

Liam then walked around the end of the table and gently seated himself next to Applejack, the warm oak chair creaking slightly and his posture sinking into the embroidered cushions.

"Hey, how are you?" he asked of the orange mare.

She smiled and held out her hoof, "just fine, thank ya." Liam bumped it, and looked over to Celestia. It was time to develop a strategy for navigating tonight. With the Element of Honesty here, he imagined there was an interrogation angle at play. Twilight's part had yet to be discovered.

"Good evening, Princess Celestia," Liam said neutrally.

"And to you, Liam. How was your day?" The warmth of her voice did not seep into her features.

"Stressful," he said. His eyes went over to the wine glass before him. Servants moved back and forth at the edges of the room, moving cutlery and dishes. "You?" he asked.

"Stressful," she repeated, "but that is no surprise."

"Where is my security detail?" Liam asked, his eyes scanning the room. No guards nor his own ponies in sight.

"They are eating their own meal in the barracks," Celestia said, her mane floating behind her.

"Huh," Liam replied.

Luna watched the exchange intently, then felt a hoof against her foreleg. She looked down to her left and saw Twilight looking up at her.

"Princess Luna, you've gotten taller! What happened?"

Luna smiled awkwardly, "the answer is complicated, my little pony. Perhaps it is a question best answered later, yes?"

Twilight's curiosity was not abated, and while she looked away, Luna could see her lips moving in silent speech. Likely, she was memorizing something or repeating information to herself. Luna looked across to Liam, his eyes still trained on the empty wine glass.

"Dear sister, I believe it is time for wine," she said, looking over to find her sister's eyes trained on Liam intently. Celestia snapped from her look and smiled, again, without any mirth.

"You may be right, Luna," she nodded towards a servant. "Bring us a bottle, please."

The mare trotted over and produced a bottle, pushing it towards the center of the table with her hooves. Luna went to grab the bottle in her magic, but Celestia's horn lit up as well, the bottle caught between their grips. Luna relented and the bottle jerked towards Celestia, who fixed her a restrained glare.

"I have it, Luna, let me," she said softly with a tensed jaw.

Luna resisted the urge to slide down into her seat. Liam's fingers traced the rim of his glass.

"Are we going to have a fight here at the dinner table?"

Celestia's warmth drained and she looked at Liam.

"I do not know what you are speaking of," she said coldly.

Applejack's face scrunched up slightly, both Liam's and Celestia's gazes going towards her. At that point, Liam confirmed that Applejack was a walking lie-detector. That might spell trouble. Try to keep things vague, but truthful. Hopefully that doesn't set her off. Twilight detected the slight animosity in the air.

"The castle is really coming together, Princess," Twilight appealed to her mentor.

Celestia gave her a soft smile and fixed her magenta eyes upon her, "thank you, Twilight." Twilight beamed at the response.

Princess Celestia uncorked the wine bottle and began pouring wine in each of the glasses, then moved them over to the seated guests. Luna immediately took hers into her hooves and took a sip. Its aroma was sweet with a light tinge of tartness. The drink itself was thick, but not too much so, not enough to stain the tongue.

"Is everythin' alright? Is there somethin' Ah don't know 'bout?"

Princess Luna shook her head towards Applejack in warning. Applejack's green eyes looked between Celestia and Liam.

"Everything," Celestia started, "is fine. Is something the matter, Applejack?"

Applejack dipped her hooves beneath the table.

"Well, it just seems awfully tense in here, Princess," she said.

Luna's hoof rubbed the table cloth nervously.

"You see, Liam and are having a disagreement of sorts."

"Princess," he warned.

"Just having conversation," she smiled sweetly, "perhaps our moods will improve with the meal."

At that moment, a multitude of servers poured in from the kitchen, bringing with them dishes off all kinds and sizes. A proper feast before a war. Liam grudgingly brought his wine glass to his lips and took a long sip. He rolled the wine over his tongue and set the glass down firmly. Dishes were placed in the center of the table on great silver platters, then uncovered to reveal all sorts of intricately prepared meals, none of which had any meat. Applejack looked deeply uncomfortable.

Luna looked down to Twilight.

"Twilight Sparkle, how have you been since I last saw you? It feels like so long ago that we last saw each other."

Twilight smiled and bobbed her head forward.

"Well, things have been hectic around Ponyville, a lot of business going through the area. We're all doing our part for the Canterlot reconstruction project, Rainbow Dash even turned down her Wonderbolts admission to stay and help raise funds."

Luna frowned. Liam removed his coat and draped it over the edge of his chair.

"I hope she does plan on pursuing her Wonderbolt aspirations. I have yet to see their shows, but I have heard it is quite a spectacle."

"Me too," Twilight hummed.

Servers jumped to and fro and revealed the final plates, then quickly departed from the room on quick hooves. Liam eyed the dishes before looking over to Celestia.

"No meat, huh?" Liam asked across the table.

Celestia looked at him neutrally.

"No, no meat for tonight. I believe it would not be wise to cater to one omnivore when we are all herbivores."

Liam nodded and leaned over the table, avoiding the dishes he knew wouldn't agree with his physiology. He picked a caesar salad and began scooping some on to his plate. No one else moved nor added to their empty plates. Liam paused while holding a clump of salad aloft, looking around the table. Twilight glared at him, her teeth grinding.

"What, do we have to say grace or something?"

"No," Twilight hissed, "but you're supposed to wait for the host to-"

"Go ahead," Celestia said with a forced smile, "after all, it is dinner; why wait?"

Twilight looked to Celestia and balked. Liam let out a hum in response and finished setting his plate. The other ponies in the room followed suit, Luna sharing Liam's pick. Celestia moved no food to her plate.

The moment Liam's fork went into the lettuce on his plate, Celestia spoke.

"How was your celebratory dinner earlier this evening? I hope you left room."

Liam paused, fork still.

"It went to plan, didn't eat, kinda hungry," Liam said eventually. Twilight happily hoofed some hayfries into her mouth, oblivious to the tension. Applejack angled her head towards Liam, something Celestia noticed. Liam sunk his fork into the salad before him and lifted a bite to his mouth. It was pretty good, so far as salads were concerned.

"Another plan then, hmm? Good this one worked out."

Liam's head rotated towards Celestia slowly, a gnawing sense of dread developing in his gut. He swallowed, his hazel eyes stared into her magenta orbs and he chuckled mirthlessly. He leaned back in his seat and tossed the fork onto the plate with a loud metallic ting. The sound startled everyone seated, and all eyes went to him.

"It can't wait, huh?" he mused.

Celestia's head creaked forwards. She did not blink as she stared at him, movements of thoughts behind her eyes. She swallowed down her angst and took a breath. She opened her mouth to speak when Twilight jumped in.

"Is everything okay?" Twilight asked of her mentor, then sent a suspicious glare over to Liam.

"No," Liam said lowly. Twilight glanced between Liam and Celestia. Liam pushed his chair back from the table. Celestia quirked a brow in agitated interest.

"I know why she's here," he said, pointing to Applejack. Applejack's eyes widened in response. "You? I've got no idea, but I know a trap when I see one."

Celestia's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?" Liam scoffed.

"You know exactly what I mean," he brought his glass to his lips and took a sip.

"I do not... I do not follow," Luna said slowly.

"Instead of talking this out like adults," Liam stared at Celestia, "we have to resort to this, then. Another interrogation."

"Do not accuse me of deceiving you, this is meant only to be a dinner. There will be no interrogation."

There was a heavy pause and Liam leaned forwards. Liam's heartrate quickened and he felt a pressure behind his eyes.

"It wouldn't be the first time you've lied to me, now would it?" As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized he made an error. Despite that, he remained still, watching her reaction. A brief flash of guilt followed by a simmering anger.

Twilight gasped and Applejack intently watched as spectacle unfolded. Luna frowned.

"You can't speak to the Princess like that!" Twilight said angrily.

"Is that right? She's gaslighting me," Liam responded. He yanked down his tie and loosened it, then unbuttoned his top collar.

There was silence again. Liam could feel a headache building, whether from the wine or the stress, he couldn't tell. Celestia shifted in her seat, her eyes trained on Liam. Her wings unfurled and flexed before returning to her sides.

"You are behaving like a foal, Liam," she said finally.

"Am I?"

"Perhaps it is best that we have this dinner some other time," Luna interjected quickly. Liam's eyes went to hers for a moment, his gaze softening. He could feel his mouth drying up. He began to diffuse.

"You are, and it is unbecoming. I invited Applejack because I know she is your new friend, as well as a dear friend of Twilight. I invited Twilight because she is my student, and I enjoy our conversations," Celestia explained. Liam's anxiety flared up and he rested forward on his elbow, perched on the table. Twilight kept her gaze hardened towards Liam, while Applejack felt immensely out-of-place.

"I don't believe you," he replied.

Celestia's eyes narrowed as she stared him down. Liam's eyes kept on hers as the pressure in his head increased. He broke his stare and blinked his eyes, looking around the room. Celestia's mood shifted from anger to intrigue as he scanned the room, his head movements becoming more erratic. His eyes were wide and his mouth dipped open slightly. His heart began to pound in his chest. His breathing quickened.

"What's that sound?"

Luna leaned forwards over the table.

"What sound?" She asked. Liam's eyes jumped on hers in panic.

"You can't hear that?"

Luna tilted her head to the side, a similar feeling of fear building in her chest. Liam turned back to Celestia, eyes wide. Sweat built on his forehead and he looked down to his bracelet. It did not vibrate. He looked back to Celestia with budding anger, mixed with fear.

"Are you doing this?" He accused quietly.

"Liam? Are you alright?" Applejack asked.

"Doing what?" Celestia inquired, somewhat on-edge.

"Don't fuck with me!" Liam snapped and leapt up from his seat, sending the chair flying back onto the polished floor with a wooden crash. His arm came up in a violent motion and jabbed a finger towards Celestia. Her wings exploded outwards in alarm, Twilight and Applejack likewise rising from their seats and facing him.

"Liam!" Luna shouted. She watched as he seemingly lost his mind.

"That... that ringing! What did you do?!" Liam yelled.

"Liam, Ah think ya need ta calm down, alright sugarcube?" Applejack assuaded. She moved her hooves towards him but he swatted them away rigidly. He swallowed uncomfortably. Celestia began to approach but he took a step back, hands raised in front of him.

They all stared at him in shock. The ringing intensified. The pressure built.

"You don't hear it?" He asked lowly.

"Ah don't hear anythin'," she said slowly.

"Liam, there is no sound. Calm thyself," Luna soothed.

"There's no..." Liam stood still for a moment when a muted pop rang out through the dining hall. Liam's head jerked very slightly to the side and he blinked stars from his eyes. The ringing was gone, as was the pressure. Now, he was alone in his mess. He almost fell over, his hand darting to the table to prop himself up. Their eyes widened as they looked at him.

"Liam, your eye!" Twilight gasped.

"Wuh..." he leaned over the table and looked into the reflection of one of the empty platters. His left eye was now red, blood pooled in the sclera. He brought a finger up to pull down on his lower eyelid, revealing more of the same. Adrenaline coursing through his veins and his heart in his ears, Liam looked back up to their shocked and concerned expressions, Celestia's only outdone by Luna's.

"I-... eat without me, I'm sorry. I'm sorry," Liam said quickly, his throat closing up in emotion. He grabbed his coat, departing quickly. Guilt, anger, frustration and doubt clouded his mind as he took away from the table.

"Liam, wait!" Luna shouted after him. She began to gallop away from the table when Celestia teleported in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She flared her wings to shield Liam from view and looked Luna in the eyes.

"Let me speak with him," she said sternly.

"But he's-" Luna began, but Celestia brought a hoof up to interrupt.

"He is clearly unwell. Let me speak to him, I will ensure he is alright."

Tracking Liam was not as difficult a task as Celestia had imagined.

A strange smell began to permeate one of the halls that had yet to be reconstructed, leading out to the gardens that matched a similar state of disarray. He stood stock still, a haze of smoke floating around him, before being whisked away by the night air. His white shirt had been untucked from his pants and loosely clung to him, his jacket draped over his arm.

As she approached through the soft grass and gravel, she could see his body language shift, his posture straightening. The unpleasant smell intensified the nearer she drew. He lifted a hand from the stone railing and removed an object from his mouth, a lumpy paper stick with one end burning, a dull orange glow in the darkness. He turned over his shoulder, his right eye looking at her.

"What is that?" she asked in disgust, her nose crinkling.

"An old habit I quit. Tobacco," he said as he turned back around. Celestia dismissed her distaste for the smell and approached.

"What is the purpose of... doing that?"

He removed the rolled cigarette from his mouth and surveying the landscape for a moment, taking in a deep breath.

"Relieves tension. Gives you a buzz, tobacco has a chemical in it called nicotine."

"That cannot be healthy, to inhale those fumes."

"Oh no, it's not. Not healthy at all, gives you lung cancer the longer you do it, but damn if I didn't miss it."

In that moment, Celestia's brows darted inwards and she took the cigarette in her magic, throwing it down into the river below. Liam stared as it soared downwards, leaning onto the railing. He sighed.

"Nice throw," he said finally.

"How is your eye? Do you require a visit to the physician?"

Liam smirked emptily.

"No, it's a... blood vessel burst in the eye. Nothing you can really do about it."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, I'll be alright."

They stood together in silence for a minute. The horrible smell began to drift away, but remnants of it clung to the man.

"What do you want?" he asked quietly.

"I am sorry for my behavior earlier, Liam."

Liam absorbed the words, but remained completely silent. After a few moment, he spoke, again in muted tones.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm... well... I guess I'm not as put together as I thought I was. It's not your fault."

Celestia frowned.

"No, but my behavior certainly had a part to play, and for that I am sorry."

Liam breathed.

"Whatever."

They resumed their silence once more.

"Why do you treat me with such hostility, Liam?" Celestia pressed.

Liam looked over his shoulder again, his right eye holding some degree of defeat in it.

"It's not hostility, it's... you're all still so naïve. This world is too pure, too friendly. Your enemies have vague ideas about doing you harm, but it's just that; vague. I come to dinner and I assume the worst... because that's what I would do. I'd trap myself there, too. You were right, Celestia... from the beginning. I don't belong here. I shouldn't be here."

Celestia considered her words carefully, then spoke.

"Maybe not, but you are here all the same. We do not have to be enemies, Liam."

Liam let out a quiet snort.

"Don't we?"

Celestia walked towards the railing, looking down at him. In his face, that defeat, a degree of sadness and anger. Celestia used her wing to come close and touch his shoulder.

"No. Am I not your friend?"

Liam shrugged off the gesture and rounded on her with a glare in his eyes. His left eye was a dark red under the moon.

"No, you're not! You don't really care," he raised his voice, then swallowed down some of that vitriol and turned back to the Equestrian landscape. "You weren't when I got here, you aren't now. I'm just a tool to keep Equestria safe."

"That is not true, Liam," Celestia said quickly, a hurt expression in her features.

"Isn't it? You don't trust me and I don't trust you. What do you know about me? What kind of person do you think I am?" Liam asked evenly. He didn't look towards her with his question.

"I think you are conflicted. You are tortured by your past and you let it haunt your present."

Liam smiled to not cry.

"I'm... I'm more than that, right?"

Liam swallowed, his smile faltering.

"Liam, listen to me. You are more than your past. I am sure that you have a good heart, and you care for my... people, like they are your own. "

He shook his head.

"No I don't. I don't have a good heart, Celestia. If you knew what I've done..."

"Then tell me. Nopony... no one is beyond redemption."

Liam chuckled.

"You really wanna know?"

"Yes. What is troubling you?"

Liam took a ragged breath and let it out slowly. He bit the inside of his cheek and turned his head to face her properly.

"It's a long list, but I guess we'll start with tonight. Most of those ponies that were down there building the facility... I betrayed them," he said with an air of finality.

"How so?"

Liam swallowed.

"There wasn't a dinner. It was a setup. Not a word, remember?"

The potential ramifications of that statement were not lost on Celestia. She tried not to assume the worst, nor to let her protectiveness of her subjects show through, but some of that menacing aura made it past her defenses.

"Did you hurt them, Liam? Did you... kill them?"

Liam's eyes widened at the connotation. He opened his palms and shook his hands.

"No! No. I wiped their memory of the project. Right now they're all being shipped out by train back home," he finished with a murmur.

Celestia's anger abated, relief flooding her features, before a fraction of that anger returned. She bore her eyes down into Liam.

"That... I will start by saying that is highly illegal, and for good reason! They will believe they had been foalnapped! And if it were not illegal, it is evil!" she almost shouted.

Liam nodded dejectedly.

"I know. I found a legal loophole about ritual magic, enlisted the help of the zebra in Ponyville. Had her create a magic serum to spike their drinks."

"Why would you need to do that? What were you thinking?!"

"That you were right. That they weren't going to keep quiet about it. They were talking about sharing some of the schematics and using pieces here and there in future projects. On my world, we didn't have all this magic stuff, that I know of anyway. Everything that you'd consider magic was something that we'd lock up. Anyone who saw it was amnesticized to keep the façade going, keep the world from knowing that everything wasn't what it seemed."

Celestia goes quiet.

"The security risk was too high to let ponies know what we're doing, what we have down there."

Liam shook his head and sighed.

"This was standard procedure for your Foundation?" Celestia asked.

"Yeah."

"You are not building the Foundation. Your Anomalous Containment Bureau is meant to be better than that," she said with silent authority.

Liam grimaced and hung his head.

"You understand how precious the mind is? How grievous a crime you have committed?" she said, righteous anger in her voice. Liam turned to look at her, regret plain in his eyes.

"I do. I'm sorry it had to happen, but I'm not sorry that I did it."

They went silent once more, Liam turning his head back to the rolling peaks and valleys below. Celestia wrestled with her thoughts for a moment, eyes shut and breathing slowly. Finally, her magenta eyes focused on him.

"Only the project?"

He looked back to her.

"Yes."

"Can it be undone?"

"Yes, but I can't. I won't undo it."

"Why not?"

"Because it's a secret facility and we're going to end up keeping some of the most dangerous things Equus has ever seen. We've already got shit locked up in there that would wreak all kinds of havoc in the wrong hands... er, hooves."

"I... am exceedingly frustrated with you."

Liam bowed his head.

"And what else?"

His eyes jumped to hers, that resignation replaced with hesitance, fear in the eyes.

"Still? I thought you were going to-"

"I told you to tell me."

Liam swallowed. He took in another shaky breath and looked out towards the horizon. The moon shone brightly tonight, illuminating the world, peeking out behind the frailest of clouds.

"I..."

He remained silent for a long time, Celestia's eyes still trained upon him. It was as if he froze in place, before his body language shifted again. He hunched over the railing, his eyes glazing over as memories began to flood forth. His expression changed, from fearful and hesitant to completely cold. His lips folded inwards and he closed his eyes. His eyes opened again and he spoke.

"Montgomery wasn't going to hold. Wasn't gonna hold... we all knew it, but they wanted to run the data," he said gravely.

"Ran the data. It was over. I knew it, they knew it. They just wanted confirmation. They asked me... and I could've lied. Asked me if there was any to keep the defenses standing for just a while longer."

His head dipped slightly and his eyes closed. He shook his head and took a breath.

"I said no."

He turned to look at Celestia, his eyes lifeless.

"I said no and they dropped liquid fire... all over the city. Anyone that wasn't infected was burned alive, melted. I killed hundreds of people, because I thought they couldn't be saved."

The air felt heavier as he spoke. Celestia's gaze did not relent. He fell silent and his mouth twitched.

"I had a friend... I had a buddy named Pete. I didn't know him long, but he seemed like a good guy. He tried to warn me about something but I didn't listen."

His jaw shifted forwards and his eyes watered.

"He died saving me. And Claire... well, I killed her. She turned into one of them, so I killed her. And she was... she was saying my name... over and over... and I killed her."

Liam fell silent and bit his lip. His face contorted and he shook his head. He sniffled and wiped at his nose with his wrist.

"Who was she?" Celestia asked quietly.

"She was my best friend," his voice wavered.

He swallowed and looked up to the sky. They fell silent once more. Celestia broke the silence after a minute.

"Do you understand why I questioned your leadership of this project?"

A tear streaked down his face and he looked at her, grief heavy on his features.

"Because I'm broken, Celestia. I'm broken and I can't be fixed, I go around breaking things regardless of whether or not I want to. People die because of me," he said unevenly, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

"No. I questioned your leadership because I believe that you, like the humans that were here before you, could stoop to lows I could not imagine."

Liam's lip quivered and he hung his head.

"Perhaps that is what we need."

Liam retreated further into himself.

"A monster to cage monsters, huh?" he mused sadly.

Celestia touched his shoulder with her wing again. He did not shrug her off.

"No. A kind man to be unkind to those that would do us harm. To do what I cannot."

He swiveled his head towards her and watched her face, looking for deception, looking for a lie. Instead, he found her concerned eyes.

"You're not going to lock me up?"

"Despite your... actions, I shall not. Father knows that my instincts have been wrong in the past, and my sister paid for that. You shall change the organization for the better."

"Change the-"

"I will have my sister join your operations. You will remain as Director, but she will act as a guiding hoof, reporting to me. You will not amnesticize any more creatures without her approval. You will speak to somepony who can help you heal, because you must. You will speak to me whenever you need to, do you understand?"

Liam turned to face her, leaning against one arm.

"I won't let the ACB become a tool of the Equestrian government."

Celestia raised her head.

"It will not be. While my sister assists you, she shall forego her status as Princess of Equestria."

Liam's eyes widened in shock. Shock became anger.

"You can't do that to her! Wasn't it enough to throw her on the God damn moon? Now you're stripping her of her royalty? Are you out of your fucking mind?!"

"Liam," Celestia began, but he cut her off.

"Hasn't that poor woman had enough?" Liam asked desperately.

"It was her idea," Celestia said loudly. Liam's brain fumbled for a response, and none came. He turned back to the open air.

"I voiced my concerns, but I know that it is the right thing to do."

Liam shut his eyes.

"Do not deny her this, Liam. She saw what lurks in your memories, and wishes to do her duty to protect Equus against it. When you are ready, return inside that we may discuss it. Okay?"

Liam did not answer immediately, then nodded slightly. She turned around and began to walk inside, but stopped for a moment.

"We must learn to trust each other, Liam. I hope that you can recognize that," she said over her shoulder. Then she was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Unbeknownst to him, the lunar princess spied upon him herself, watching from the balcony above. She stared a while longer, waiting for him to withdraw back into the castle.

Author's Note

Writing and rewriting and more rewriting after that! I am not completely content with the chapter, but it'll have to do! Also, I have an itch to rewrite a lot of the older chapters, but we're just gonna have to leave that for later. Anywho, I hope it was worth the wait, sorry for the delay!

Happy 4th of July to my American readers!