Chapter 24: Resting On A Knife’s Edge

shing!

“Hm?” I hummed, looking up from my reading chair. I scanned the room for the noise that had intruded on my quiet hours before seeing an envelope floating quietly to the floor near the bedroom door. It silently hit the ground, staying still as my eyebrows raised in surprise.

The pen in my right claw dropped as I got up from my seat and rushed over to it. Tearing the envelope flap open, I skimmed through the message and resealed the letter inside.

Another sighting, I thought, placing a few runes down. As the spell activated the runes, a teleportation portal appeared before the door.

After affirming it was clear and safe, I grabbed a satchel nearby and deposited the envelope into it. Then, looking to my right and left, I stepped through and swiftly arrived in the quiet town of Hope Hollow.

Or, what I thought would be a quiet town was full of hustle and bustle, considering the previous actions of one fugitive.

plop!

“Oh, um, E-E-Emperor Nacreous,” Mayor Sunny acknowledged as he bowed his head toward me. “Y-Y-Your presence is quite unexpec-er…I-I mean, completely expected….”

“No need for formalities, Mr. Mayor,” I replied with a firm smile, nodding to him as well. “I have come here on urgent matters regarding a letter from your…now wife, I presume?”

The mayor’s eyes widened before he began to blush. “Y-Yeeaah…ha-happily married too, if I might add,” Mayor Sunny sheepishly commented, rubbing his hoof against his mane. “That isn’t without saying congratulations to you as well, Emperor….”

“The sentiment is appreciated,” I responded before clearing my throat. “Now then. I take it Alexander is within your confines somewhere?” I inquired before raising my eyebrow. The pony looked at me and visibly shrunk.

“W-W-Weellll you see…ummm…we d-d-did see h-him-”

“He got away, didn’t he?” I asked softly.

The mayor’s head hung low as he nodded solemnly. “We were giving a tremendous effort in chasing after him too…he was just too diddly-darn fast for us….”

“That’s because he’s scared,” I commented aloud, allowing some of the ponies nearby to hear. The mayor’s ears perked up, as did the mare approaching rapidly from behind.

“Oh! Emperor Nacreous! So glad you got the letter quickly,” Miss Petunia recognized, bowing slightly before turning her attention to her husband. “Sunny, are you okay? You don’t look so good, dear….”

“That creature was so darn fast, he even bested the two pegasi twins, causing them to ram into each other while evading capture,” Mayor Sunny replied to his wife shakily. “And then, he destroyed one of the railings spanning the old bridge north of the fountain. We’ll have to add medical costs and foundational planning to the budget now….”

“Don’t worry, dear,” Petunia cheerfully replied. “Let’s get you a nice cup of tea to keep you calm.” The mare then looked at me and nodded, to which I gave her a warm smile in return.

Mentally noting the information that was mentioned, I unfurled my large wings and took off into the air toward the bridge. As I glided in for a landing, I saw that it was surrounded by a few earth ponies, assessing the damage caused by Alexander’s movements.

I landed near the entrance of the bridge and assessed it from afar. A part of the hoof railing near the middle of the bridge had been broken off from the top, with the large chunk of wood gone.

Looks like he jumped on top of it and broke it when he put his weight down on it, I realized internally. My claw scratched my chin as I tried to piece the puzzle together. That means he could have fallen into the water or flown up into the air…but there’s nothing to latch his webs onto. Was it unintentional? Or perhaps, Alex purposely did this to distance himself….

Then, with that thought in mind, I looked across the lake and surveyed the lake’s perimeter. The sandy beach surrounding the lake was expansive and losing color as the sun began to set below the horizon. I quickly trotted over to the water’s surface and examined the sand.

Slowly going over to the opposite end, I continuously scanned the sand for signs of the human exiting the water onto the beach. The only way he could have done it…he would have had to exit the water and walk onto the sand, I mused to myself. And so, there must be a shoe imprint somewheeere…aha!

As I had predicted, a significantly large footprint was visible within the coarse sand. I looked up from where I was and noticed I was on the adjacent side of the lake from the town and next to a forest. I continued to observe the surrounding area, finding imprints akin to the human’s physique.

He was…lying on the ground…and crawled this way? I painted the picture within my mind, moving backward. Scratching my head while pondering the options, I began to look up, noting the sun was about to disappear from sight. Then, an object hit my line of sight.

As I stared at it, I moved toward the object buried in the sand and picked it up off the ground. As I examined the front and back of the pendant, my eyes widened, realizing what it was.

It was a pink and gold seashell, its ridges running down the sides of the front. The letters ‘SxA’ were etched onto the opposite side. My mind finished the portrait, clear evidence of Alex’s disappearance yet again.

He was here for sure, I deduced. And now, I have something to work off of. Only two questions I don’t have definitive answers for…where, and WHEN will the end be enough for him?

========================================<>========================================

groan

“Ooooaw…th-that huurrt….” sigh

As I stood up slowly from the grassy patch, I grabbed my right arm and applied pressure to it. A bruise formed across the upper arm portion, aching every time I flexed the muscle.

My eyes shut themselves, hissing from the pain in my arm, as I crucially remembered shutting off the health regenerative ability earlier. It continued to boil inside my mind, the two sides beginning to argue again over the decision.

Damn, that hurt, my left side sighed.

Oh, really? What was your first indication, genius? the right side barked back.

What the hell is wrong with you? We just face-planted into the soil of this world, and your first reaction is to be arrogant? my left side shot back.

Speak for yourself….

“Is this how your brain usually thinks, Alex?”

Not necessarily. Those two up there also have their own little minds, behaving differently from each other. The problem is they depend on each other to operate me as a collective, which is becoming increasingly tedious the longer this journey drags on.

Have a mind of their own, my thoughts sang out. If one were to give up hope, the other would try to preserve it. If one wanted to stand and fight, the other would have no choice but to go along. And if one were to remind us of the horrors we have suffered through…then we would do it together.

Can it, will ya? both of them announced in unison. Alex is hurt, and the focus is on us. Something ain’t right.

“Well, the injury is a major concern. Speaking of which, back to your adventure….”

hiss! “Damn!” I cursed under my breath as I began to wobble forward. The base of the Jackalope Slopes mountain range awaited me as I neared it. Reaching a rock protruding from the ground, I leaned onto it with my left side and took a few deep breaths as the pain radiated tirelessly.

Peeling my left hand off my right arm to take a closer look, I watched as the bruise grew across my biceps, recoloring it into an awful purple color. My head rested against the boulder as I regained my leg strength to prop myself securely.

Then, I noticed the large mountains towering above my head, gritting my teeth as I knew what I needed to do. Forcing my body to begin a climb, I summoned an extensive web line to shoot from my left wrist and started my trek up the mountain’s side. Periodically, I would have to stop and reconsider my movements, understanding that I couldn’t even move my right arm well, let alone flex it.

Shit! I thought in annoyance as I let my right arm cling to my side. The bruise elicited another shockwave of pain throughout my upper system, nearly forcing my left arm to let go of the thick web string. Holding onto it for dear life, I struggled to maintain composure before something hit me and triggered my brain to churn.

It was a soft, cold breeze coming from the bottom portion near my legs. I looked down and spotted a decently-sized hole underneath me, blowing a rush of cold air up my pant leg.

Cold air? I pondered in pain before an idea popped into my head. That’s gotta be a cave…which is precisely what I am looking for….

As I slowly descended toward the inclined ditch in the mountain’s exterior, I planted both of my feet inside the divot and finally was allowed to lean against the rocky tomb’s walls. Then, detaching myself from the string, I grabbed a part of the mountain’s ridgy exterior and held onto it, speaking into the watch as best I could.

“Mikey? Is there a cave within this portion of the wall?” I asked in excruciating pain. The watch immediately buzzed to life and responded.

“Analysis required. Hold still for processing.” I pointed the watch’s screen at the wall as it shone a bright blue light onto it. Sweeping over the area several times, it concluded its analysis and processed the information gained. A couple seconds later, it detailed the report.

“Analysis complete. Cave system found. The approximate distance is thirty yards inward and would require thorough digging. Shall I cue up the digging drill and claw?” the voice inquired.

I shook my head and clicked my tongue. “My right arm is messed up right now, Mikey. Judging by the bruise coating it, it might be a tendon tear, which isn’t something we should aggravate. Just give me the drill in my left hand and activate the steel-toed pushing boots.”

“Affirmative.” The watch slowly buffered as it began to churn out the necessities. A few moments later, a drill materialized across my left hand and over my wrist and the watch. It latched on with a firm click!

Meanwhile, a helmet with a flashlight attached to my head while the specific boots I had requested emerged over my feet.

Finally, I looked at the wall with newfound determination. Pressing the drill bit against the mountain’s exterior, I flipped the switch with my right index finger and pushed forward. A jolt of pain shot through my right arm as the drill came to life.

Dirt and dust began to fly everywhere as I closed my eyes and punctured the wall. Then, as the watch may have realized that bit, a pair of goggles quickly covered my eyes, resounding in a vacuum of air to fill up within the lenses and surprise me.

Opening them up, my vision felt foggy as the drill burrowed through the mountainside, clearing a path forward. As I continued my journey inward, my flashlight sparked to life, illuminating the tunnel, with dirt pushing underneath my body and past my boots.

The boots were required since I needed to push the dirt out and behind me somehow. This is why they were fitted with a unique set of wedges to propel me forward, but not ideal for standing.

It took nearly twenty minutes to dig through that damn mountain wall, occasionally stopping to catch my breath and slow down with the drilling. Cooling it off occasionally was mandatory, as the potential for a fire would not have been ideal in this case.

“Not like you haven’t been through the ‘ring of fire,’ eh?”

We despise your so-called ‘comedy’ sometimes, my thoughts reiterated.

“Sometimes?”

Don’t you have anything better to do, like writing another boo-

bam!

“Woah!” I exclaimed, the drill launching me slightly forward. Unfortunately, I barely had enough reaction time to slam my boots into the tunnel’s holding, suspending my upper body over the hole’s edges.

As the drill died down in power, I peered out into the dimly lit void and gawked. It was much colder than the rush of air had initially let on, and I commanded the watch to remove the drill from my hand.

A few seconds later, the drill had vanished from sight. Moving my head and staring at the hole above me, I gripped the outer section of it and popped out of it. My body fell to the cave’s floor, causing me to extend my left arm first and tuck my right arm in.

plop! crumble!

“Goddammit,” I seethed, clutching my right bicep in excruciating pain. I lay there for what felt like minutes as the noises inside the mountain percolated within my head. Then, flipping onto my back, I brought myself up and sat upright, observing my chosen environment.

The cave, albeit cold and gloomy, was massive. Shards of crystal gemstones adorned its sides and ceiling, giving it a mystical feel. Another rush of air glided across my face, causing my body to silently shiver in place. Finally, I saw it…off to the top right.

sigh “Finally,” I sighed, my breathing getting heavier. “Shelter….”

========================================<>========================================

After slowly getting up from my butt, I crouched above the ground and sifted through the gravel.

It was surprisingly soft, the texture crumbling between my fingertips as I rubbed them back and forth. Then, letting the dust lightly fall from my fingers, it settled back onto the ground’s surface without a sound. Holding my right arm close to my chest, I peered back up at the adjacent side.

Protruding from the wall was an overhanging ledge accompanied by a rock jutting from one side. Again, my instincts kicked in, inferring there was a hidden area atop it, but getting there would be challenging.

I began to limp over to the ledge before realizing something. The hole I had come out of was sealed off with the excess dirt I kicked behind me. It would serve as sound reinforcement and deter young adventurers and cave explorers from coming in, but it had an extreme side effect.

Oxygen would now be limited, so I couldn’t escape through that side either. This would have to be remedied by thoroughly exploring the caves of the Jackalope Slopes, which would most likely take a few days.

But that’s for another day, my mind numbly thought. I’m s-ssooo damn tired…I n-need….

bzit!

“Get going then, Alex!” my watch stirred to life, sending a blast of electricity through my veins. I shook my head to subside the pain and stared at the screen.

“Shock me one more goddamn time, and I’ll shut you off,” I sneered at the screen.

“...”

“...”

“...did i-”

bzit!

“Oow!” I screamed in frustration, my left arm’s nerves buzzing. “Mother…oooow….”

“You can’t afford to turn me off, Alexander,” the watch responded, the energy bar replacing the menu screen. “You’re running low on energy, and we have to get some sleep to fill some of it back up. But, more importantly, YOU need sleep so your mind doesn’t further damage itself. So get up there, and let’s make ourselves at home for now.”

My mind wanted to show that arrogant little watch voice which of us was truly the boss here, but I had to comply. Knowing my body and the significant mental problems that had cropped up as of late, I refused to go further with my threat and acknowledged the situation head-on.

Boosting myself up to the ledge with a jump and flick of the wrist, I grabbed it with my left hand and slowly pulled myself over the edge. My jaw dropped as the sight panned out in front of me.

There wasn’t any space to comfortably spend the night away, seeing as a large wall towered over the area nearly four feet from my position. I hummed silently and quickly scanned the sides for anything to help me rest. Then, I found it.

A small hole in the upper right side, guarded by a few stone boulders and crystals protruding at the entrance. Mustering enough strength, I clambered over the rocky surface and walked to the elevated path. As I took note of the dip within the entryway, I finally got to peek inside the hole and…

“Oh…my…” my mouth whispered. It was a roomy alcove, with the floor nearly smoothed out. The ceiling was jagged and bent, but it was tall in height, and it appeared like I could stand upright within it.

As I hopped through the hole and into the lonely place, the air was remarkably clean and easy to breathe. My eyes began to water as the prospect of sleeping again overcame my brain. I immediately realized it and turned to the wall’s missing section.

Aiming my left wrist at it, I flicked my wrist twice and released a spray of webs toward the sides of the hole. A few seconds later, the webbing had created an unbreachable layer of sticky webs, safeguarding me. I sighed and relaxed my upper body, with only my right arm pulsating, the blood relentlessly pounding my skin.

“That must have hurt, dealing with all that pain.”

I didn’t care. Not at that particular moment in time.

I just wanted to rest.

I needed to rest.

And for once since my escape from Canterlot Castle…I felt free and safe from danger.

========================================<>========================================

Good grief that took a while, the right side of my mind admired. Now we have a place to stay and remain undisturbed.

Yeah, but they will still try and hunt us down eventually, the left side pessimistically replied. Luna can easily grab our location when we sleep.

What if we don’t dre-

Impossible. Alex’s thoughts plague us, and for once, we have a chance to sleep, the left side of my mind admonished. Any memory that comes up during these next however many hours of sleep we get….

It’ll whip up a nightmare.

“Can it really?”

It has done so before for one of our many friends here in Equestria, but that is a story for another time, my mind thought, winking at the end of it.

“Fair enough. Probably should hear that story sooner or later….”

Give it three months, both sides of my mind said in unison.

sigh “Okayyy, we’re getting sidetracked again. Back to this story, please.”

It had felt like hours since I last sat on the cave floor. My shoes were removed, and my clothing had changed to something much more comfortable than a t-shirt and pants. Speaking of which, those would have to be washed at some point, but for now, they’ll remain in the watch’s inventory.

Thinking about it, I peeked at the watch from the corner of my eye. It had been busy as of late, and I couldn’t have been more thankful for its continued service. But the only reason this was all possible was because of it, and it represented the biggest curse of my time in Equestria.

The entirety of my life here in Equestria, this watch journeyed with me. It wrapped around my wrist and stayed there, occasionally being retired until it was necessary for functionality again. But no other piece of technology I had been given and retooled captivated the wackiness and sheer force of what this world was capable of.

The number of times I called upon a power-up, it did so without fail. The dual-bladed axes that defined my battle style, the shield that protected me from other swords…creatures…It helped me survive attacks from everything and everyone.

The webs to travel, summoning lightning with the point of a finger, even the ball of magical energy that started this motherfucking escapade in the first place….

My hands began to tremble. That’s why this whole thing happened, I thought in frustrating anger. That fucking power-up triggered this whole saga…and killed my brother in Christ, whom I thought I knew….

I sat back against the wall, tears trailing down my face. Why did Anon give me no choice but to do it? I continued to think. He didn’t need to continue killing his body. He destroyed himself!..but I’m responsible for ridding him from this world. I have his blood on my hands….

It’s all my fault!...

sniffle

“Alex.”

My eyes shut themselves as Luna’s voice rang in my ears. Finally, the sweet embrace of sleep began to drag me toward the dream realm, but not before I was shaken out from the negative thoughts.

“All looks good. Cave secured,” my watch acknowledged. “The system travels all the way from the Umberfoal entrance to the gates of Tartarus…and that’s where we are headed next, Alex.”

“Heh…heh heh…‘Pony hell?’” I chuckled, my shoulders sagging against the alcove wall.

“Somewhat,” it responded monotonously. “We’ll reassess our goals and priorities tomorrow. But, for now, try to get some sleep. Your body is about to shut itself down, and I don’t blame it one bit.”

“Ten-four, Mikey,” I affirmed before falling to my left side. My shoulder and arm hit the floor lightly, my body staying in that position for a minute before sprawling across the floor’s surface.

“Goodnight, Alex. Hang in there,” the watch concluded, the shutting down sound effect emanating from its speakers. I may have passed out as it occurred, but a voice in the dark called out to me as I dozed off.

“Who was it?”

Mother’s message. I remembered it like it was yesterday, right before I moved to Chicago to start my college career.

“Take care of yourself, Alexander. We’re so proud of you, and we will try to come to your events as much as possible. I’m going to miss you, my little angel….”

sniffle Another tear rolled down my cheek as I whimpered into my sleep.

“You are Kentucky strong!”

========================================<>========================================

[...]

The dream world is a gateway that offers many creatures to explore their fantasies and live in delusion. Unfortunately, reality isn’t ‘real’ in this part of our world.

It’s a figment of our imagination.

My imagination.

After falling asleep for the first time in days, the world surrounding me shaped itself and presented a sort of ‘dream-like’ scenario to this predicament.

Although it wasn’t a scenario, I felt…‘safe.’ Like I was going to be okay….

My mind would not stop thinking of what could go wrong, but the dream continued as usual. My body dozed off as my mind remained awake. It was surreal, and the environment my brain had chosen to conjure up was unmistakable.

It was a beautiful and warm beach, the sand lightly tickling my skin. The continuous roll of the waves hit the shores and washed away all of my cares as I lay there unopposed in the sand. It was truly…surreal.

yawn! “Aaaaoooh….” My body began to rattle itself awake as my bones slowly ached. The sun tirelessly hit my eyes as I held my hand over my forehead, blocking away the stream of light.

crash!

The seawater hit the beach again, the water slowly inching closer to me as I lay down. Stretched across the sandy surface, my hands braced themselves behind me as I sat upright. My legs stayed where they were, spread out before me as I blinked my eyes a few times.

I looked at my wear and smiled slightly. Swim trunks, a slim-fit shirt, some…kind of necklace, and a pair of shades slyly sitting atop my head. My feet were without socks or shoes, allowing the sand to rummage across the surface of my toes.

I looked down at the necklace around my neck and raised an eyebrow. It was a handcrafted necklace, but it had pearls adorning the string they sat upon, with a pink shell at the center. My hand came up to grab it, and a familiar feeling returned as I looked at it more.

It was heartwarming to look upon it. My smile faded as tears brimmed at my eyelids.

Skystar, I thought sadly, the world’s light fading. I-I failed you…I c-can’t…

The sun shined brighter than before, causing my eyes to shut and my lungs to exhale loudly. Then, as my hand came up to cover them, the bad thoughts vanished from my mind, returning to how I felt at the start.

The scene returned to normal, with the waves rolling onto the beach. The dream remained the same, and I returned to my normal, ‘happy’ self.

It was…welcoming.

It wanted me to enjoy my time….

To feel…relaxed.

I brought myself back and relaxed my arms, grinning slightly. The sunglasses fell before my eyes as I rapidly flicked my head forward, a silly smile plastering across my face. I exhaled with relief, nodding my head in silence.

Nothing bothered me anymore. It was my world.

I didn’t want to get up. I never ‘wanted’ to get up….

I wanted to be at peace…alone….

Free.

I looked at the blue sky above and saw the few clouds adorning its atmospheric presence. The sun continued to shine down, accentuating the peaceful world around me. It was warm and inviting, but…felt on purpose.

It wanted me to ‘feel’ welcomed….

It made me feel ‘safe.’

It…slowly made sense to me….

“Trapped?”

sigh She’s here, I sourly thou-

“Alex!”

My head whipped to the right at the sound of a familiar voice. I immediately adjusted the shades before whipping them off in shock and disbelief. My jaw hung open as ‘she’ appeared a distance away.

“HIII!!”

I dropped the shades into the sand and slowly got up. My body began to tremble at the sight of Princess Skystar. The hippogriff continued to run toward me, sand kicking up behind her from her claws and hooves. I was shaking as she rapidly approached me.

I brought my arms out in front of me and spread them wide open. My mouth closed, causing my lips to tremor in silence. Then, taking a heavy breath, my eyes drew out a lone tear, rolling down my cheek and onto the beach’s sandy terrain.

“You’re back!” Skystar excitedly claimed, jumping through the air fluidly. Her arms opened up as well as she collided hard with my frame. I fell backward and hit the sand hard, my lungs gasping from her hit to my chest.

crack!

My eyes widened as she stared at me with a huge smile. Scanning my own body frantically, I believed my ears to have heard something crack, which was a concern as always.

“Everything okay?” the hippogriff princess asked, a concerned expression now donning her face.

I raised my right arm and grimaced in pain. The sunglasses underneath me had been crushed by my own weight, sitting chipped and buried in the sand. I shook my head and began to laugh aloud at the scene unfolding.

chuckle “Hah…hhaah…heh…huhh…I-I’m….” sniffle

“Alex?” Skystar’s voice reverberated. Tears began to pour from my eyes as the past three days came to my mind. They shuffled through endlessly, detailing my journey from captivity and what I was really fighting for.

This moment reminded my brain of our purpose. I continued to lay there in the sand with my special hippogriff atop me, bawling out my eyes in sadness.

It felt…unusual.

A moment in time that should be possible, but felt like it wasn’t supposed to exist i-

“Alex.” I opened my eyes and looked into Skystar’s gleaming blue eyes. They were full of light and happiness as a smile remained on her face. My mouth finally gave in and formed an affectionate smile as I nodded sincerely.

“I’m here,” the mare replied. Skystar’s claw brushed my cheek, wiping away the tracked tears that trailed them. “Always….” Her head slowly buried itself into my chest as her whole body plopped onto mine.

“Ooof..hahah…heh,” I gasped, the weight hitting my stomach and lungs. She snuggled her head against my chest and lay there in silence, basking in the warmth of the surrounding environment.

My left hand reached up and petted her beautiful mane, eliciting a slight hum from the hippogriff princess. Her tail moved back and forth slowly, showing appreciation and contempt for our shared moment.

My head fell back, looking at the sun adorning the blue sky above. It was bright and full of ecstasy as the waves continued to crash upon the beach.

Nothing mattered to me anymore. The adventure…my journey thus far….

It all took a back seat. Of course, it was always going to take a back seat.

Nothing would get in the way of ‘her.’

She was the world for me.

She meant…‘everything,’ to me.

Skystar….

”I’m here…always.”

========================================<>========================================

“...”

sigh At least he is doing alright, now, I thought to myself. The peaceful dream Alex had conjured up for himself remained without flaws as I slowly trotted up the boardwalk. Alex stayed on the beach, basking in the sunlight as I took my place by the railing a distance away.

He was in front of my position, and unless he swung his head around to his left, he wouldn’t notice me. That’s why I placed a heavy layer of invisibility upon myself to minimize my chances of ruining his dreamscape.

As the waves continued to roll onto the beach, I took a mental snapshot of how this Alex appeared. Calm, collected, at ease, and no worries filled the space around him, leaving him at the epicenter of his little world.

Maybe, I mused internally, I can make it a bit better. Casting a spell, my horn sparkled and sent out a shimmering ball of magic to the right side of the beach. As it dispersed, the image of Princess Skystar appeared from the dreamscape’s space. The hippogriff looked around before seeing the dozing human lying in the sand.

“Alex!” the portrayal of Skystar called out. The human woke up and glanced to his right. The scene that played out for the next few minutes was how I envisioned it would go. The two little ‘lovebirds’ enjoying their time together in the sun…and at peace.

Sending out another spell, this one sprawled out across the entire area of the dream bubble, enveloping it and completing it by the time it reached the horizon line. It was an easy spell to cast, as I had done it multiple times before. Usually, it aids the user in resting easily and sleeping for much longer than necessary without the threat of nightmares crawling through the bubble.

It was more of a ‘contingency’ spell used in certain circumstances, and for me, this felt appropriate. Considering our mistreatment of Alex’s situation, I prodded internally, it’s the least we can do for him. Hopefully, he’ll one day forgive m-err, US, for all of this.

I shook my head at the idea of Alexander Walkerson never wanting to be associated with us again. “Surely that wouldn’t happen, right?” I rhetorically asked. I shrugged to nopony in particular before turning away from the railing.

Well, the conclusion spoke in my mind, I might as well return to my duties in Canterlot. A smile dawned upon me as I returned to the end of the boardwalk. As I passed the rows of stores and beach houses littering the sides of the street, the door exiting the dream bubble reappeared to my right.

Turning for it, I opened the door and exited Alex’s dreamscape, entering my realm and leaving the human alone.

========================================<>========================================

“Mmmmhm…ah, I see…I got nothing, Luna.”

sigh “It is clear as the moonlit sky, Shifting! They want Canterlot to relinquish more land,” I pointed out with my hoof to the stallion beside me, “and I refuse to budge. Now they want to accuse ‘me’ of stalling? Preposterous….”

Shifting started to shake his head as a chuckle emitted from his mouth at my pouting. “I don’t think they realize who they are attempting to fleece,” Shifting commented, raising an eyebrow at me. I turned to look at him, a grin coming to my face as I rolled up the map and discarded it.

“And they honestly think ‘we’ are stupid to give it to them for…how did Alex put it?..Oh, ‘pen-nees on the dol-luur.’” I spoke, accentuating the phrase. Shifting covered his mouth with his hoof as he attempted to shush me.

“Ssshshshhh. You might alert the guards, Your Highness.” Bowing his head toward me, I couldn’t contain my laughter as it squeaked out from my mouth.

giggle “A-And you thought I couldn’t hold my own,” I responded back within the fit of laughter attacking my sides. “I-I managed to hold it very well….”

Shifting stopped his laughing as he stared at me. “Hold what?” the stallion asked, my eyes widening at the admittance. “Your flank?” laughter

My face shot flush red as my mouth dropped. Staring at the stallion near me, the Commander lifted his head and continued to laugh out loud. My mouth curved upward, my breathing growing quicker by the second.

“Y-Y-Y-You! How dare you?” I stammered, my emotions short-circuiting. Shifting continued to cry out tears as he stifled his laugh with a hoof.

We sat upon the Canterlot throne, giggling our time away as the Night Guards switched shifts. The guards heading out shook their heads and returned to their usual selves while the newer ones tilted their heads in confusion at our handling of the Night Court.

I can’t ever blame him, I thought. He truly is my ‘special somepony.’ And one I’ll be with to the end of time. As the minutes passed, our giggling and teasing subsided as I checked another piece of parchment delivered to me a few moments ago.

Rolling it up, I exhaled loudly. “Nacreous has a hunch on where Alexander is, but he is deciding to return to Canterlot to get some rest for the night,” I said to the Commander. Shifting turned his head toward me, his ears perking at the news.

“Well, where is the hippogriff Emperor?” the stallion inquired.

“Hope Hollow,” I said with disinterest. “Alex dropped a necklace…one that Skystar for sure gave to him….” My face dropped in gloom as Shifting’s head tilted to the side.

“Luna? What’s bothering you?” Shifting asked, reading my facial expressions perfectly. “Did somethi-”

“I had Alex right where I wanted him,” I replied hastily, my head shaking. “I was going to have this conversation with him in which I told him the truth and would actually listen to him. But…” I stuttered, looking at the stallion, “...he wasn’t taking ou-I mean, MY apology.”

Shifting sat in silence. “Right now, Alex is sleeping…peacefully,” I added quietly. “And I am certain he’ll feel much better when he awakens. I noticed it during my chase with him…Shifting. He was tired and battered. He’s not doing so well in terms of health….”

“Well,” Shifting exhaled, “that’s what has happened, and by him not sleeping so often, he’ll continue to hurt his body and mind. We can’t stop him because of his abilities and what he bel-”

gasp! “Oh dear Faust,” I gasped, holding my hooves to my mouth. “Alex doesn’t realize what he’s doing to himself…does he?”

“For sure, he does know,” Shifting replied before shaking his head. “We should have taken that watch when we had the chance. It’s the only reason why he is alive, other than his will to live.”

As he folded his hooves, his eyes told me he was pondering something. I didn't know where Shifting's train of thought was going, but then his face turned pale as he turned his head fully toward me. Putting his hooves on top of his head, Shifting shuddered quietly.

“Wait,” the Commander hesitated. “Why did I tell hi-he's trying to find out….”

"Shifting, what is it?" I asked worriedly. "What is Alex trying to find out?"

"Who voted him innocent...." Shifting replied, my jaw dropping in shock. "I told him you voted innoce-wait." Shifting shushed himself as he motioned for me to lean in. "Does your sister know?"

I shook my head, a smile dawning on my face. “The less my sister Tia knows, the better it will be for everyone involved,” I said quietly. “But that begs one question: who were the other 5?”

“Easy,” Commander Shifting listed. “Princess Twilight, and erh…hmmmm. Come to think of it, who DID vote him innocent?” We stared at each other before I summoned a parchment with my magic.

“You don’t think….”

“They were the most methodical in processing all the evidence and information presented,” I noted. “It would be wise of them to at least confirm it. From there…I don’t know then….”

Shifting put a hoof on my shoulder as I activated the parchment box, sending the message to the two ambassadors. The stallion leaned in, kissing me on the cheek as I blushed from the act.

“I understand the fact that they may have done so, and I also may have reason to believe it wasn’t just a coincidence they haven’t said anything since the trial,” Shifting replied, easing himself back. “But, I wouldn’t hold it against them not one bit. They are the smartest rulers our land holds….”

“As Alex put it, ‘Bar. Nunn.’” I replied, winking at the Commander. He stared at me in shock and amazement, our sides unable to contain the chuckling that would escape its confines and into the halls of the throne room.

Author's Note

Finally...give my boy some rest from this "Adventures Tale."

Back in the groove! Coming up, the focus shifts to more 'Slice of Life,' since we have a bit of context to develop. That probably will be a few chapters, so sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and relaaax....

Also, with this cave, there are no skeletons or zombies waiting in the darkness...trust.
Sssss!

-Harpy