Decretum

by BlackRoseRaven

Rating: teen
Tags: Main 6, Princess Luna, Gore, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance, Adventure, Princess Celestia, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 749325

Realities, worlds, and good and evil collide, and Luna fights one last struggle to save Equestria.

Equestria has found peace, and Luna and her husband have been able to relax in what they fondly call the Looking Glass World. Everything they have hoped for seems to be coming true: they have friends, family, and Luna is soon to bear a child. But soon enough, the peace is broken as the two are given a mission that will take them to other layers of reality, and they will find themselves hunted by the machines of their worst nemesis as evil once more comes to their world.

Divided into two phases, the first phase tells the story of the strange and layered universe Luna and Scrivener are fighting to protect, while working to raise a child and take care of friends and family. The second phase tells of war on their world, and how nothing comes without a cost. Eventually, all questions are answered, all loose ends tied together, all riddles solved: simply read and allow the story to keep track of itself.

Phase I, Day: Honor, Duty and Family (Chapter 1 - Chapter 38): In which a child is born, explanations are given, friends are recovered... and enemies begin to make themselves known.

Phase II, Night: Ashes, Metal and Corruption (Chapter 39 - Chapter 75): In which Clockwork World begins its campaign in earnest, an impossible story comes to life, old enemies rise... and the Fates themselves conspire against Luna and her love.

A story that mixes together elements of sci-fi, romance, and fantasy. Action and adventure intertwine with darkness and hope that shines through even the deepest despair, in a world where everything seems complex and impossible... but all the answers are clear cut and simple.

The sixth and final story of the Nátta Edda, and the final story of the Iðavöll Trilogy.

Published 2012-09-23 15:34:01 UTC
Last updated 2012-09-23 15:34:01 UTC

Phase I, Day: Honor, Duty, And Family

Phase I, Day: Honor, Duty, And Family
~BlackRoseRaven

An Excerpt from Magic Vs. Reality: Origins And Common Misconceptions

A popular notion and metaphor among romantics is the idea of 'soulmates;' that two ponies are specifically 'meant' to be together, that they 'complete' each other when they join in a relationship. This idea has been treated with everything from contempt to zealous faith, but more than one idea of modern Equestrian 'soulmates' has its roots in not fantasy, but actual magical fact.

Long, long ago, before Equestria was united, before the baronies had even been established, both warlords and mage kings maintained their positions of power by binding loyal warriors and guardians to their will. It is said that this practice is based upon the behavior of Ginnungagap entities, who are known for their mental and magical manipulations. The reasoning behind this is easy enough to see: it provided a means to exert influence and control over their closest soldiers, ensuring their fealty.

These binding rituals could be as simple as a one-way mental link, often through a worn object, allowing a monarch to send direct 'messages' to the mind of his guardians, or in rare and notorious cases, the creation of deathless soldiers whose very souls were tied to the spirit of their leader, who could not be killed unless their master was destroyed and who would obey his every wish and command. This latter necromancy was exceedingly rare, however: not only because of the cruelty and preparations required for such an intense and advanced magical ritual, but because the cost was said to extend well beyond the threshold of mortal life. A famous example of this comes from the Song of Melinda, where in the moments before her death after her powers over her servants have been broken, her Nightmare thralls turn on her and drag her to a place that is quote: 'deeper than Helheim and darker than night, full of violence, strife, and vengeful blight.'

But it is thought that similarly, both necromancy and binding practices led to the notion of 'soulmates.' It has been noted that in old legend and romance tales, there have been several accounts of warriors and mages who have soulbound themselves to a person they were loyal to, and in rare instances, connected their souls to one-another, presumably to be able to share information and work smoothly in tandem together even in the most extreme circumstances, or perhaps as a gesture of loyalty to form alliances between families, even entire clans and tribes. The last point, specifically, we find evolving towards the concept of 'romantic love' and 'soulmates;' those willing to marry their souls together as well as their bodies.

There have been recorded instances throughout history where, often by unpleasant means, two ponies fused their souls into one linked energy, while maintaining two physical bodies and two physical minds. There are ancient legends, some thought to follow the saga of even the ill-fated noble who designed a love poison instead of a love potion, of one person trying to forcibly merge their soul with another. However beautiful the romantic notion, it is only a fantasy that decrees two souls being merged into one mean that two sentient, living people will automatically be capable of overcoming all adversities together in a romantic life without any sort of conflict. Binding of souls means that thoughts, emotions, and in some instances of extreme bonding, even physical wounds are shared between two people: it does not automatically make for perfect understanding, nor a life without conflict. This is further emphasized by the fact that there are several factual accounts of binding rituals where people have killed themselves simply to escape the control of and 'connection' with another.

That is not to say all accounts of soul-binding end in tragedy: there are rare stories of those who have adjusted to being forcibly connected to another, although rarely in more ways than simply a mental link often created by mischievous demons. There are even accounts of deeper links and connections existing that have thrived instead of collapsed into ruin, and other forms of 'soulmates,' although this researcher remains skeptical until such evidence presents itself that it is possible for two ponies to share one mind and not destroy each other.

For the most part, however, binding magic of this level and intensity has been lost after being outlawed well over a thousand years ago by the Barons of early Equestria. It is said that the cult faction known as 'Blood Seers' still practice enslavement and binding magic, but as the existence of Blood Seers is questionable to begin with, there is precious little factual evidence to support these claims. Most entity-to-entity bindings these days are a result of magical accident and error instead of purposeful, and most stories and facts about binding rituals come from ancient documents and are learned about second-hoof from other species.

There are very few modern-day stories of 'soulmates,' apart from the romantic notion. This is likely due to our growing understanding of magical concepts and psychology. After all, few ponies would prosper from being bound to another, quite literally until death-do-us-part...

New Paths, Old Friends

Chapter One: New Paths, Old Friends
~BlackRoseRaven

“Accursed Scrivener Blooms! Get back here or I shall smite thee with all the wrath of Asgard!” shouted a furious-looking winged unicorn, her strange, ephemeral mane of starlight flowing and sizzling backwards as her tail snapped back and forth, made up of the same gleaming, ethereal substance. She stomped her hooves madly against the hardwood floor of the cottage, her deep sapphire coat gleaming in the light cast by the fire, cyan eyes glowing dangerously with a passion the blue flames in the fireplace couldn't match.

Upon her flank was a splotch of black night sky and the symbol of the crescent moon, and around her neck swayed a long rope of ivy and vine that had lasted through more than a dozen years of rough abuse; this was adorned with a beautiful, polished black pearl, the symbol of a dark rose engraved over the front... the same as the black rose on the flank of the charcoal earth pony currently hiding behind the kitchen divider. It was his cutie mark, with a raven feather quill above it denoting his particular talent. But his emblem wasn't nearly as eye-catching as the scars upon his body: marks left by both weapon and claw, the most noteworthy the large twist of scar along his collarbone that wrapped partway up his neck and the awful, hoof-shaped marring surrounding one of his eyes and covering almost half of his features.

Slowly, he peeked his chestnut eyes over the island that divided the kitchen from the den, and Luna glared at him as her broad wings flapped once and her horn glowed violently before the earth pony ducked hurriedly, a blast of lightning shooting over the countertop and hitting one of the cupboards to knock it open. The passage of the electricity made his frazzled, messy white mane almost stand on end as his matching-colored tail flicked nervously, reaching up and adjusting the simple square glasses over his scarred features as he called in a strangled voice: “This is not the way to make me eager to come over and give you a back rub, Luna!”

“Thou did this to me! Look at me, I am fat!” Luna wailed in return, and Scrivener winced as he leaned nervously around the counter, feeling her distinct flurry of emotions running through his body along with his own concern, love, and admittedly a bit of worry she was going to start pummeling him again.

Tall, strong, and beautiful, Luna was also very clearly pregnant: her belly was heavy, and she waddled a little when she walked these days, causing her endless amounts of frustration. She glared daggers at him, but Scrivener awkwardly rose a hoof, calling finally: “You look very pretty?”

Their eyes locked, and in a flash, the emotions they both felt, images of memories old and new, and raw imagining and passion traded between them... including the reminder, the knowledge, that they were not simply husband and wife, they were soulmates, who shared one distinct, mixed spirit. Many years ago, Scrivener had chosen to sacrifice himself to save Luna's life... and instead of letting him die, Luna had bound their lives, their essence, their very souls together. Now, they shared everything: emotions, thoughts, desires, even physical pain... when one was wounded badly enough, the same injury would appear within moments upon the other's body.

Luna's emotions roiled, her already-dangerous mood swings made worse by her pregnancy... and then they settled, and she sighed and mumbled under her breath as she turned and waddled quietly to the large, comfortable bedding that was spread out over the floor of the den in front of the lit fireplace, grumbling to herself as she carefully laid down on her side and mumbled: “Thou art a horrible pony.”

“I know. I know.” Scrivener said soothingly, walking over with a small smile, his strong frame relaxing: he was a large, solid earth pony with plenty of tone to his muscles after all the years spent beside Luna, surviving exile, surviving the battlefield, surviving Ragnarok and literal Hell... and of course, surviving Luna herself. He smiled at this thought as he picked up the fluffy blanket beside her, pulling it gently up before he carefully fixed her pillows, sliding one under her head when she moodily raised it as her mane and tail twisted quietly backwards, the winged unicorn mumbling under her breath. “Listen, Luna. I'll make you a sandwich. Do you want anything special?”

“Peanut butter. I crave peanut butter.” Luna grumbled after a moment, and Scrivener smiled at her, leaning down and kissing her temple gently, the winged unicorn sighing moodily before she added loudly: “And toast it, poet!”

“With the best words I can think of.” Scrivener replied mildly as he turned away, and Luna grumbled and pawed her hooves irritably at the bedding even as she smiled a little, the earth pony heading back into their cozy kitchen: scuffed tiles under his hooves, cupboards filled with everything they needed, a coffeemaker, a stove, a large fridge they always kept stocked, and the bright ceiling lights to see clearly by so Luna didn't accidentally make another ketchup and gravy sandwich in the dark.

Scrivener hummed a bit to himself as he pulled the peanut butter down from the shelf and grabbed the loaf of bread from the counter to toss two slices in the toaster while he made a simpler sandwich for himself. He smiled despite himself: he was making all the meals, cleaning the house, making sure Luna was taking care of herself and tending to her needs... in other words, the same as ever. Luna often called him the wife despite her being the beautiful pregnant mare and him being the... well, not-so-handsome stallion, but Luna was also the warrior.

A reincarnation of a Valkyrie, Luna Brynhild had once been Princess of the Night before she had allowed herself to take the fall for a mistake made by her sister, Celestia, who had been the Princess of the Sun... and then the Queen of Equestria. They had fled into exile, not knowing that it was only the beginning of a long, sinister plot woven by a Jötnar, a terrible, almost all-powerful being. The Jötnar had been named Valthrudnir, and he had sought to annihilate all of reality so he could replace it with his own twisted world... and even after his death, his machinations had continued to cycle, almost corrupting Scrivener Blooms himself. Almost...

Scrivener smiled faintly, closing his eyes. He still had the nightmares some days... and he still saw visions, when he stared at things too long, particularly other ponies. His mind had been damaged by a terrible monster known as a Tyrant Wyrm, which had also planted the seeds that had allowed Valthrudnir to dig into his mind and leave some trace of himself, an echo that had almost driven him insane. For a moment, Scrivener was quiet, and then he shook his head as the toaster binged and the bread popped up, carefully removing these slices to spread peanut butter over them.

He dug a plate out of the cupboards, then tossed both sandwiches onto this before picking it up and making his way out to the den. He slipped over the bedding, then put the plate down in front of the flickering fireplace as Luna gazed at him quietly before she smiled a little at him when he held the toasted sandwich out to her, taking it in her front hooves as she wiggled herself up a bit and murmured softly: “Thou art thinking heavy thoughts again, foolish Scrivener Blooms. How many times must thou be reassured? And to think, I am the one who is supposed to be crying and whining.”

“Well, you do whine a lot. But crying's never really been your thing, Luna, you just get angrier.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Luna huffed and attempted to headbutt him, then grimaced when she couldn't swing her head in far enough before instead kicking him firmly with a rear hoof, making him flinch backwards. “You're mean.”

“Thou art... dumb.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener mumbled a little, the two eating slowly before their eyes both roved quietly upwards, gazing silently at the painting above their fireplace and both smiling a little, not needing to speak as they continued to slowly eat.

Luna had painted it a long time ago now: a rough image of Scrivener Blooms running through a shadowy forest, more a profile than anything else, faded a little now with age. And other paintings Luna had done adorned the walls here and there: images of a silver Pegasus foal with a red mane and radiant scarlet eyes; a beautiful picture of Scrivener, Luna, and another winged unicorn that was violet in coloration sitting together on another wall; a picture of an enormous, rainbow-maned winged unicorn standing in front of the rising sun. Luna loved to paint... and while she was a little impatient, she never used her magic in the process. She did everything by hoof... and it gave it all so much more meaning, Scrivener thought, for how rough her paintings sometimes came out. She wasn't the best at the world, perhaps... but to Scrivener, she was the greatest artist to ever grace Equestria.

“Thou art sweet. And corny, I believe is the term. Although I do not know what corn has to do with thy sappiness.” Luna said thoughtfully, and Scrivener gave her a flat look before she tossed the last of her sandwich into her muzzle, chewing it loudly before she added through the mouthful of food: “'Tis very cute.”

“And that... is not cute at all.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna huffed before she swallowed the food, Scrivener tossing the last of his own sandwich towards his mouth... but Luna's horn glowed, intercepting it with telekinesis and yanking it away, Scrivener wincing as he bit down only on thin air before glaring at the winged unicorn as she gobbled down the last bit of his sandwich. “You're evil, too, I want you to know that.”

“True, but so what? Besides, I must keep up my strength.” Luna huffed, then she slapped at him with one of her hooves, adding grouchily: “And thou art not wearing thy collar again!”

Scrivener only rolled his eyes, then he sighed when Luna rolled onto her side and grumbled under her breath, ordering: “Massage my belly, Scrivener Blooms. Thou did this to me. Horrible evil stallion. Thou should be the one carrying this child, not I!”

“Oh, but Luna, then you'd have to be the one doing all the cooking and cleaning. And we all know how that goes.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Luna winced a little as she settled back a bit before closing her eyes as Scrivener reached his hooves out, soothingly beginning to rub gently over her pregnant belly. “Now calm down, warrior princess. Don't work yourself up too much. You're in the late stages of your pregnancy now, stressing yourself out too much means you could end up popping this foal out before we're ready.”

“And as always, thou does such a grand job of depicting how serious this situation is.” Luna said ironically, and the earth pony smiled sightly down at her before she softened, looking up at him almost nervously for a moment before she asked finally: “Does thou think I... will be a good mother?”

“Yes, Luna, you know I do. Now who's the one who needs reassurance all the time?” Scrivener leaned forwards, kissing her forehead gently, and the winged unicorn smiled a little before he drew back and laughed quietly. “Like I've already told you five times today, Luna: you're going to be a wonderful mother. Look how well you do with Scarlet Sage.”

“Aye, but... but it is different. Scarlet we rescued from the Phooka in the wild, and Fluttershy and Twilight spent as much time looking after her as us, she had good influences in them both and Blood Seer or not, from what she has told us her parents were kind and gentle ponies.” Luna looked anxious, leaning up a bit and shaking her head apprehensively. “What will our foal be like? The poor colt, I feel for my son already! His parents, an awful poet and an even more awful Valkyrie! We have never cared for a baby before... I hardly know what they look like! After all, every time wicked Luna drew close to mother and child in the past, 'twas always oh no, hide the foals, 'lest Nightmare Moon attempt to gobble them down!”

Scrivener sighed at this, but he was smiling all the same as he leaned forwards and said gently: “Luna, it's going to be fine, okay? I love you. And our son or daughter is going to be-”

“It shall be a colt, mark my words, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna said challengingly, leaning up with a huff, and Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes before he winced when her horn began to glow, glaring at him pointedly. “'Twill be a handsome son. And we shall cherish and love him and I shall constantly rub his existence in the faces of everypony else!”

“Luna, everypony else doesn't even know we exist yet.” Scrivener said tiredly, and Luna huffed a little at this before Scrivener smiled as he sat back, saying finally: “Well, alright, a few ponies do... Twilight, Celestia, Zecora, and Fluttershy...”

“What about me, do I count as a pony?” asked a mild voice, and Scrivener and Luna both glanced over their shoulders as a tall figure wandered amiably through their kitchen, striding around the dividing counter and crossing his mismatched upper limbs: one was that of an eagle's, ending in a talon, while the other was thick and large, covered in shaggy, orange-red fur and ended in a dexterous, gray-skinned hand. “Or are we still in the good old days, which were never exactly that good at all to begin with... but oh, sweet nostalgia, you do put such a beautiful taint into even the worst memories...”

The Draconequus sighed dramatically, pressing one hand back against his red-scaled forehead as he posed for a moment, straight draconic horn and golden, thick twisted ram's horn both gleaming on either side of his skull. His body was slender and covered in black scales, two strange fins sticking out of his back: one shark-like, the other thin and almost transparent, tipped with small spikes like some misplaced lizard's frill. A violet kangaroo tail twisted behind him as he rested easily back on strong legs: one feline, the other a giraffe's lower limb, with spots that seemed to ripple like water of their own accord.

After a moment, the chimerical creature straightened again, opening his strange black eyes, white pupils looking meditatively at the two of them before he announced mildly: “Pregnancy is disgusting, by the way. And for once I'm speaking my own mind, or at least the little of it I have left. I'm only glad you're not vomiting everywhere anymore.”

“Oh, believe me, Discombobulation, 'twas just as unpleasant for myself and Scrivy as it was for thee. Likely more, since thou spends so much of thy time hidden away in thy little aquarium.” Luna replied dryly, and the Draconequus huffed as if offended, touching his own chest.

“It is not simply my aquarium, thank you, I am not a fish.” Discombobulation retorted, then he snapped his fingers, and a moment later a large, floppy plastic trout appeared in his hand before he stepped forwards and firmly slapped this across Scrivener's hindquarters, making him wince and then glare as Luna cleared her throat to try and hide her giggles. “It is an apartment. My bachelor pad. My condominium.”

“Technically those all refer to different things.” the charcoal stallion pointed out dryly, and then he winced and twitched when Discombobulation slapped him across the flank with the plastic fish again. “Stop that.”

“You didn't say the magic word.” the Draconequus replied seriously, beginning to bring the fish back once more, and then Luna flicked her horn with a grin, and Discombobulation turned his eyes awkwardly to the fish as it glowed brightly before slowly beginning to melt in his hand, the chimerical creature hurriedly tossing it away to let it vanish in a burst of sparks. “Although I suppose that out of generosity I can permit that to suffice well enough on its own.”

Luna nodded cheerfully at this, then she clapped her hooves together lightly and asked brightly: “Will thou be attending my baby shower, Discombobulation? I do not entirely know what this means but Fluttershy insisted upon it, and since Twilight Sparkle and Celestia agreed, 'tis not as if I am in any position to deny it.”

“You just heard that you get gifts.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna huffed at him, swinging her horn at the male as he winced back a bit before he turned his eyes to Discombobulation as the male looked thoughtful. “Scarlet Sage will be there. Pinkamena, too, and probably Pinkie Pie. She was also really excited about the whole thing...”

“And what about the others, who have yet to be let in on the truths of this matter?” Discombobulation asked curiously, and Scrivener and Luna traded looks before both turning their eyes towards him, and the Draconequus smiled wryly: “Pardon me, but I've never been very good at keeping secrets, and more importantly, I've never felt a secret is a very good thing at all to keep. Oh sure, it's a very romantic notion, living out here on your own in this humble little cottage, the perfect size for three ponies and with that addition being tacked-on by ever-diligent Luna, who spends so much of his time clumsily trying to attend to every little detail while Scrivener Blooms lays on her pillow and laments and praises her baby-filled belly in the same breath.”

“Are you ever going to stop referring to us as each other?” Scrivener asked dryly, and Discombobulation shook his head vehemently before the charcoal pony rolled his eyes, then sighed a little and added hesitantly: “And it's not as if we don't want to tell them, Bob, but... well, after Twilight Sparkle found out, it was only natural that Celestia quickly figured out what was going on, and... she is Luna's sister. She is our family... and she deserved to know as soon as we knew it was safe to... start bringing their memories back.”

Discombobulation nodded slowly, resting back and saying quietly: “Believe me, I am not questioning the choice you made: if anything, I respect your resolve in not pushing the ponies to remembering and praising you...”

“And what would they have to praise us for, Discombobulation?” Luna asked quietly, smiling faintly as her eyes roved towards the blue flames flickering in the fireplace. “For failing the Starlit Knights? For allowing the world to descend into Ragnarok? For being able to save too few souls from our true home, our real world, which has long collapsed now into nothingness and destruction?” She closed her eyes, sighing softly. “For this grand deception, bringing all those souls across the Bifrost to this empty world, this false Equestria, where Canterlot lay in ruins, filled with savage dragons, wild animals, nature that has never been enslaved and such strange races and creeds... entrusting our former enemies, the Nibelung, to build replicas of our homes and towns and world... and laying a false groundwork, using suggestion and deceit to organize a nation once ruled by a single Queen into baronies and territories?”

“I see you're quite talented at self-pity and misery, Scrivener Blooms, but I believe that in the past that was always supposed to be Luna's job.” Discombobulation said gently, and both of the ponies glared at him before he pushed his talon and hand together, saying softly: “You saved them from death, Helheim, and some would say even taxes. That's quite an impressive feat, although the tax-pony is already back on his hooves. But now, the time has come to strangle your guilt and move on. It has been two years, give or take a few days, hours, and minutes, but never seconds... seconds are too precious to give away, and too dangerous to take freely.”

Scrivener and Luna both smiled a little despite themselves, and then the Draconequus sniffed and shrugged. “But hey, what do I know? I'm just a figment of your imagination, after all.”

Luna grinned at this, Scrivener feeling her mood once more rising back towards cheerfulness as she said kindly: “Oh, I think not, Bob. If thou wert a figment of my imagination, thou would be oh-so-much more fun.”

She winked at him, and the Draconequus cleared his throat violently as he pretended to adjust an invisible tie before hurriedly turning and bolting down the hallway, and Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes, shaking his head slowly as he shot a sour look at the winged unicorn. “Please stop flirting with him.”

“I like how easy it is to make thee jealous now that I am pregnant. Does that mean thou likes fat mares, Scrivener Blooms?” Luna asked seriously, leaning in towards him, and Scrivy sighed and reached up to rub slowly at his face before the winged unicorn wiggled herself a bit towards him, grinning wider. “Naughty stallion!”

“Get. Get away from me.” Scrivener pushed at her awkwardly, but Luna only laughed and shoved back before she rubbed a hoof along her stomach, smiling at him as Scrivener looked back at her and smiled a little in return despite himself after a moment. “But... you are... radiant and beautiful, Luna. Like the brightest stars in the night sky.”

Luna blushed a little, mumbling a bit before she gazed softly down as Scrivener slipped forwards and dropped his head to rest against her belly, closing his eyes as he murmured softly: “But you know... maybe Bob's right. We should tell the others, but... how? It wasn't easy even for Celestia... seeing us seems to trigger an influx of memories, but that's not guaranteed to happen with every pony... and worse, those who do get that rush of memory...”

“Aye. The days that follow are spent... remembering both good and ill, filling in all the gaps... some of which would be better off remaining empty.” Luna murmured, shaking his head slowly as Scrivener nodded against her belly, his eyes closed, forelimbs half-spread out over her as she sighed softly. “Yet they do deserve the truth. 'Tis cruel to keep it from them, and more importantly than that 'tis unfair. What worries me most, though, is the nightmares... poor Fluttershy sometimes still has them. Awful, terrible dreams about her mother... but then again, considering what that creature did and was...”

Scrivener grimaced a little, not wanting to think about the monstrous Pegasus before he shook his head and said quietly: “But Rarity, Spike, the Apple Family, Cowlick and Ross... all of them have a right to know. Them and every other pony... and well, I think some days about... going into Ponyville...”

“Aye, Scarlet Sage tells us such wonderful stories.” Luna said softly, smiling despite herself: the teenage mare often went into town for them to fetch supplies when they were needed, and also to visit with friends. Luna suspected that Scarlet Sage had told these friends, the once Cutie Mark Crusaders, the truth about what had happened to the world... but she trusted her daughter's judgment, and since Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had never shown up at their doorstep, it was possible they still didn't know, or just didn't believe her.

There was gray area in the lives of many ponies, after all: with their memories of the past tangled and partly-wiped, it meant that even two years after their revival in this world, a lot of ponies were still rediscovering old friendships. It was all made more complicated by the fact that Luna and Scrivener couldn't save all of Equestria between them, no matter how hard they tried to gather up every possible soul... and while they had managed to bring many, many pony spirits across the Bifrost, the burning rainbow bridge between worlds they had been granted the use of by Odin himself, they had still come to realize that in the almost-decade of hard work they had still barely saved half of the nation...

Luna smacked him gently, and Scrivener smiled awkwardly as he sat up and rubbed at his forehead, saying softly: “Sorry. Letting my thoughts get the better of me.”

“As always, beetle. Accursed creature.” Luna said softly, and Scrivy smiled despite himself before he slipped up and met her lips in a soft kiss, their eyes sliding closed as their mouths worked together for a few moments before they drew apart, and Luna fidgeted a bit beneath the blanket before she mumbled: “Damn my fatness. I would be pouncing upon thee in moments if I could, with Scarlet Sage still gone.”

“It's alright, Luna.” Scrivener smiled despite himself, nuzzling her gently, and Luna closed her eyes with a grumble before she glanced up at him quietly, and Scrivener sighed and said mildly: “Now you're just milking it.”

“I am not!” Luna complained, and the earth pony sighed before Luna said grouchily: “I am in a very frail state at the moment, Scrivener Blooms. 'Tis precious cargo in my belly. The most precious cargo of all, in fact. So reassure me that I am still attractive.”

“Attractive, deadly, sultry, you're all those things and so much more.” Scrivener replied kindly after a moment, and Luna nodded after a moment, looking appeased before she glared as the male continued thoughtfully: “Like annoying, loud, brash, obnoxious, a little rude, immature, hormonal, violent...”

“I shall show thee hormonal and violent.” Luna grumbled, poking him with her horn, and Scrivener winced, then shoved her head away when she attempted to jab it into his cheek. “I demand thou cease to be obnoxious. I further demand that thou fetches a wheelbarrow so we may go to Ponyville. Or a wagon, fetch a wagon, Scrivener Blooms, 'twill be more comfortable for me.”

“I. Really like the wheelbarrow idea, actually.” Scrivener said after a moment, and then he winced when Luna bopped him firmly with her horn, shrinking his head back as he soothingly rubbed along her belly. “Because uh. Of soil. Symbolizing life and fertility. You. Transport that in... you're not buying it, are you?”

“'Tis even more stupid than thy usual excuses, therefore no, I am not.” Luna retorted, and Scrivener glowered at her. “But I am serious. I wish to go to Ponyville. I wish to make my presence known and renew these old friendships... why, thou knows as well as I do that I was ready to do it months ago! Let us stride in and-”

“Possibly give the entire village a hernia.” Scrivener finished flatly, and Luna gave him a sour look before she blushed when the male reached a hoof up to squeeze her shoulder gently, meeting her eyes and saying softly: “And you're in no state to be making big trips right now, Luna. Look at you, eight months pregnant, getting a late baby shower for our foal-to-be, and we live in a cottage in the middle of the Everfree Forest, with Ponyville a good hike through the woods. A very good hike. Even if I could put you in a wheelbarrow and push you to Ponyville, that'd be dangerous in your condition right now. You need to rest, and relax, and get ready for the birth.”

Luna mumbled and fidgeted a bit, and then she glanced up at him awkwardly, taking his hoof and murmuring softly: “And thou shall be with me the entire time, correct?”

“I won't leave your side. I promise.” Scrivener replied quietly, and then he gave a wry smile as he leaned in, bumping their noses together lightly. “Besides, with our soul-link, I think I'm going to end up being just about the only stallion in Equestria who gets to understand the pain of childbirth.”

The winged unicorn laughed, shaking her head and grinning slightly at this as she kissed his nose gently. “Then remind me to make it up to thee later, Scrivener Blooms. As it is I... I owe thee so much. Thou hast been so generous to me...”

“Oh, I have not. Besides, when I don't do what you ask, you fling things at me and shoot lightning everywhere.” Scrivener answered, giving her a wink, and Luna gave him an entertained look before she slipped herself closer, and their forelimbs wrapped tightly around one another, her belly pressing gently to Scrivener's strong frame as he murmured softly: “I'm only... honored that I can finally repay you a little, take care of you for how long you've taken care of this dumb poet.”

Luna only smiled in response, keeping her eyes closed as she buried her face quietly into the side of his neck, and Scrivener stroked silently along her glimmering, ephemeral mane, feeling it tingling quietly against his hooves as the fireplace crackled quietly behind them. The silence was comfortable, and emotions and thoughts passed naturally and gently between the two ponies, until finally Scrivener stood, picking up the plate and heading to the kitchen.

When he returned, he was carrying a tray with two glasses of cola on it and a few baked goods, and Luna smiled warmly at him, murmuring: “Thou always knows just what to do. I would blame our link but half the time thou seems to do these things before I even have the chance to point them out. Although I wish thou would put on thy damnable collar, 'twas repaired and enchanted in Valhalla itself, for Mimir's sake.”

“And Sleipnir had a field day with that.” Scrivener said wryly, and Luna grinned as she almost always did any time her older brother was mentioned: a sibling who had died a thousand years ago in battle with Fenrir, the most feared of the now-destroyed Black Wolves of Hell... but when Odin's your boss, and you end up taking a side-trip through Valhalla to escape a collapsing layer of reality... “'Oh, Scrivener Blooms, is there a matching leash?' 'Oh sister, thou gave him such a pretty collar but where are thy pet's tags?' And my personal favorite, 'since thou hast supplied the yoke, may I supply the plow?'”

Luna giggled childishly at this last statement, and Scrivener favored her with a flat look before she grinned widely up at him. “I know thou enjoyed my beloved brother's company, though, Scrivener Blooms. It is only too bad we had to leave Valhalla after so short a time... it seemed as if he and thou were finally beginning to really get to know one another, after all.”

The stallion snorted at this, replying acridly: “He snuck into our room and slipped into bed with us. I have never felt so awkward as waking up to you smiling, curled up against me, only to realize that there is a large, burly stallion pressed up against my back, grinning down at me. Made worse when I tried to slip away and you decided it was 'cute' and helped hold me in place for a good twenty minutes.”

“He was just making friends. It was cute.” Luna said empathetically, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before the winged unicorn added pointedly: “And he did respect thy boundaries, I must add: not once did he attempt to make thee drink, among other things. Oh, sure, he has as little regard for personal space as ever, certainly, but he is like... a giant plush-doll.”

Scrivener gave Luna a flat look, and she grumbled a bit before shoving at him, and the earth pony pushed back at her before they flailed at each other for a moment. Then Luna winced a little, and Scrivener looked at her with concern before she smiled awkwardly, murmuring: “'Tis fine, my handsome husband. 'Tis only the foal kicking... and already it feels like he has hooves of steel.”

Scrivy smiled despite himself before he gently rubbed a hoof along her belly before gazing down as he felt a distinct tremble run through it, as Luna smiled softly before she glanced towards the tray of cola and baked goods, her horn glowing as she murmured: “But already he settles back down, as well... 'twas just his way of reminding us both, perhaps, not to be so... well, childish, as I cannot think of a better word. Thou art the writer, think of a better word to describe us.”

“Luna, there really isn't a better word to describe us.” Scrivener replied after a moment with another smile, and the winged unicorn laughed and nodded agreeably. “At least it sounds like our kids are going to both be mature and responsible, since... we're anything but that ourselves.”

“'Tis a true blessing.” Luna said softly, and Scrivener nodded back in reply before the two fell quiet as they shared their snack, sipping cola and sharing the baked goods between them. They relaxed in comfort... and then both ponies glanced towards the corridor at the sound of the front door opening, then closing a moment later.

“Mom, Dad, I'm home!” called a warm voice, and Luna and Scrivener both smiled at the sound of hooves striding down the hall before a bright silver Pegasus stepped into the living room through the archway, gazing towards them with a warm smile, her crimson mane and tail flowing freely backwards and almost as lucent as her red eyes as she gazed at them happily. “Hey! Sorry I was gone so long...”

“Nay, fear not, daughter, I know thou can take care of thyself well, Scarlet Sage.” Luna said kindly, and the Pegasus flapped her wings once before furling them tightly at her sides, smiling happily: she was larger than a filly but not quite the size of a mare yet, in that awkward middle phase between the two stages. On her flank, her emblem gleamed: a crimson mirror, bordered in deep black, denoting her special talent, her rarest of powers: she was a Blood Seer.

Long ago, some ancient ancestor of Scarlet Sage had made a pact with a demon, longing for magic powers like that of a unicorn, and his mortal blood had been traded out for the blood of a demon's. And the powers that had come with that pact had been passed down from generation-to-generation, often in remission, but occasionally rising to the surface in a particular pony here and there... such as in Scarlet Sage, who could tell a pony's future by touching their blood: and that was only the very beginning of her powers.

But their adopted daughter was gentle, and kind, and compassionate: only once had Scrivener and Luna witnessed her lash out with her powers, and that had been when she had been a scared foal, and it had saved the lives of both her parents. Instead, Scarlet Sage preferred only to use her powers when it was necessary, and not for harm, but to soothe and heal the injured.

Luna had also been training their daughter as she could before she'd become pregnant, teaching her how to defend herself with her hooves and defensive and offensive flying techniques she knew, despite the winged unicorn's dislike of the air. But Scarlet Sage was already a strong flier in her own right: not the fastest or most graceful, perhaps, but her regular flights to and from Ponyville carrying heavy loads on her back long began strengthening her wings and body.

When it came to combat, Scarlet Sage wasn't quite as adept, but Scrivener regularly helped sparring with her – often while Luna sat back on a cushion, shouting encouragement, instructions, and profanity at them. At first, Scarlet had been extremely hesitant to learn any kind of fighting techniques... but after considering the world they lived in, and being soothed that she was being taught not to go out on the battlefield but so she could protect what was important to her if the situation ever called for it, she had steadily begun to put more and more effort into learning what her parents – mostly Luna – had to teach.

Scarlet Sage smiled as she approached, and Scrivener slid to the side so their daughter could drop herself between them, giving her mother's belly a gentle rub and saying softly: “Hello, little brother. You bein' good for our Mom?” She smiled wider for a moment, then looked up at Luna warmly as the winged unicorn gazed at her affectionately. “Everypony's getting excited, Mom. I think even Pinkamena is, even if she doesn't want to admit it. Celestia also asked me to ask you again whether or not you wanted her to stay out here until you give birth... she says she can make up some excuse about going out to Canterlot to oversee repairs. Greece and Illyria can cover for her.”

“No.” Luna said in a surly voice, and Scrivener smiled despite himself, which only made the winged unicorn glare at him. “By Odin's ugly face, can thou not imagine the nightmare of having her live with us? Already every time she comes out here she lectures me on properly taking care of myself... as if I am not already properly taking care of myself, and my precious baby boy. I do not need all these... wretched vitamins and supplements that other mares take, 'tis ridiculous, and I see no reason to 'eat healthy' or such other fervently-foolish notions. Why, I am as fit as fit can be, am I not? And I shall raise our baby by mine instincts, which have never been wrong before!”

“Your instincts are also what keep telling you to just grab the carafe and try to pour the hot coffee into your mouth.” Scrivener said pointedly, and Luna huffed as Scarlet Sage giggled, leaning back a bit as Luna swung a hoof irritably past the Pegasus at the stallion. “Look, I'm not saying I entirely disagree. I'm very glad you haven't lost what little of your mind there was to lose, Luna, over this whole pregnancy business, and that I didn't have to prepare you special meals beyond your cravings or help you organize fifty different pills to be consumed each and every week. But it wouldn't hurt to listen to Celestia a little, at the same time... Zecora was even kind enough to mix you up that nutrition supplement-”

“Foul fence-sitter.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed a little even as he felt the twinge of Luna's emotions, giving her a mild look as Scarlet Sage smiled after a moment at her mother, the winged unicorn looking pessimistically back. “Oh... fine, what does thou think, Scarlet Sage? Thou art becoming a mare. What does thy developing intuition say?”

“I think it can't hurt to be a little nicer to your body, Mom... you're... well, immortal, for lack of a better word, but...” She reached up, squeezing her mother's shoulder gently and asking quietly: “My little brother, no matter what he is when he's born... he's also just going to be a little baby. I believe you when you say you know what's good for him, Mom, don't get me wrong, you took... wonderful care of me. You and Dad both. But it wouldn't hurt to help make sure he's born as strong as he can be, right?”

“I... I suppose.” Luna said finally, looking grudgingly from one pony to the other before she sighed loudly, mumbling miserably: “My family is in conspiracy against me. Next thou shall both be saying that Celestia should be permitted to stay out here after all.”

“No, I think that's a little much... and Celestia does have her duties as Baroness, much as she's been...” Scrivener smiled a little, trading a look with Scarlet Sage before he returned his eyes to Luna, saying softly: “Taking a little after her little sister in that regard lately.”

Luna smiled at this, immediately brightening as she nodded, but her voice was almost tender as she murmured: “Aye, she has, and it is wonderful to see her, playing hooky from a meeting here and there, being more herself, spending more time with Twilight Sparkle and with us instead of worrying about the nation, and about how she is being seen by the ponies of Equestria. It is like watching... a foal, taking its first steps.”

“All your metaphors come back to babies lately.” Scrivener said softly, and Luna laughed and shook her head as Scarlet Sage gave her father an amused look, before the earth pony added: “But it is nice to see... and while I especially appreciate her company these days in helping me to deal with the challenges posed by your pregnancy... she doesn't need to throw everything aside for us right now.”

“Not yet.” Luna said complacently, and Scrivener rolled his eyes at what this implied as Scarlet Sage giggled a bit. “Aye, good. Then very well, I am glad we are agreed on that subject, at least. Scrivy, go and put on coffee, thou mentioned it and now I have one of my infernal cravings for the stuff. Daughter, I would greatly appreciate it if thou could fetch me my sketchbook... then sit with us and tell us about thy day.”

The Pegasus smiled and nodded, and both she and Scrivener climbed to their hooves as Luna carefully wiggled the fluffy blanket back up along her body, leaning over and grasping at the straw sticking out of her glass with her mouth before slurping up the last of the cola through it, looking complacent as she settled in and rubbed her forelegs along her heavy, pregnant belly. She rested quietly before smiling when Scarlet Sage returned with a leather book and a pencil, setting this down as Luna grunted and carefully forced herself up to a sitting position with a grumble before looking relieved as she managed to make it. “Stupid belly. I feel as unwieldy as an egg. Oh, Scarlet, did thou see Discombobulation on the way in?”

“Oh, I must have missed him. Maybe he went off to Ponyville... I know he's fond of spying on ponies and teasing them.” Scarlet Sage smiled a bit, saying quietly: “He's got a quirky sense of humor, but... I really would miss him if he ever left. And Twilight and the Pink Twins are both very fond of him.”

Luna nodded, flipping her sketchbook open and smiling softly as she paused a few pages in, tapping a hoof quietly against the image: a shaded sketch of the Draconequus. It was impossible to get him to stand still, so she had filled in most of the details from memory, and she planned to turn this into a painting at some point... “Aye. He is a good friend. And even Celestia is fond of him, I believe... he is no longer simply some chaos entity from Ginnungagap to her. I believe that now, she wishes she had tried to actually get to know Discord... but... who knows?”

She glanced up, then smiled at Scrivener as he approached with another tray loaded with three mugs of coffee. Luna's horn glowed quietly, lifting this free from his jaws to set it down in front of the fireplace, and the earth pony smiled before he ducked and quickly picked up the tray with the remains of their snack on it, heading back to the kitchen as Scarlet Sage smiled as well. “Don't take this the wrong way or anything, Mom... but you and Celestia really can be similar sometimes. Just... the way you two are always trying to make up for the past when... no one blames either of you for the things that have happened.”

Luna only grumbled in response to this, then she shook her head and smiled after a moment at her daughter, nudging gently: “Tell me about thy day now, daughter.”

Scarlet Sage smiled again, glancing towards Scrivener as the charcoal earth pony returned and sat down next to them, the Pegasus saying softly: “Well, it wasn't too exciting, Mom. The walk through the forest was nice... I really enjoy flying but... I forgot how nice it is to linger a little sometimes, look at nature and the forest and everything. Autumn's getting closer now, and the leaves are starting to turn... at this rate, little brother will be born near Nightmare Night.”

“Fitting.” Luna murmured softly, her eyes flicking up from where she was now sketching as Scrivener leaned past and carefully picked up a mug of coffee. He sipped at this, giving his daughter an encouraging look as she gazed at her parents warmly, before the winged unicorn rose one wing and flapped it irritably. “Go on, go on, worry not for my interruptions, daughter.”

The Pegasus nodded, reaching out and squeezing the winged unicorn's shoulder gently as she said softly: “I passed a few Phooka on the way in. They were just lazing, though... used to ponies, not afraid, not hostile. And Ponyville was as welcoming as always... I thought I saw Greece, but he's been so busy with Canterlot's reconstruction that he barely has time to sleep. Always smiling, though... I really admire that. Getting to know him has really helped me understand the dwarves more, that they're not so different from us... I think a lot of the dwarves feel the same way, too, after all the time they've spent with you and other ponies now.”

Luna nodded thoughtfully, her hoof guiding her sketching pencil back and forth, and the young silver-coated mare continued softly: “Everypony's settled in, finally. It's taken two years, but there's no more rumbling about what's been lost... a lot of ponies haven't given up hope, still search for missing ponies, but it's different. It's not... panicky, and no one's angrily demanding justice. And some ponies are being found... on that big bulletin board they set up in front of City Hall, someone tacked up a page from the Manehattan Mercury, saying another group of ponies was found in the outer reaches, half-starved but alive.”

“It is only a half-comfort, though...” Luna muttered moodily, her eyes still locked on her drawing as she mumbled: “There is little to be proud of in saving a soul if that soul we saved then wanders into the ocean. I did not think the Pales would be so... curious.”

Scrivener leaned over and rubbed a front hoof gently along her belly, and Luna sighed and nodded as Scarlet Sage only smiled a bit, continuing with her story after a moment. “Anyway, I met Scoot, Red, and Sweetie in town, as usual... Sweetie's such a beautiful singer. And Scoot is trying out for the Junior Wonderbolts, Dash is helping train her and she's getting really, really fast. And Red, well... she's strong, does almost as much work as Applejack at the farm now...”

Scarlet Sage smiled warmer for a moment, and Scrivener and Luna traded a quick, amused look that the Pegasus missed before the young mare shook her head and added quietly: “But they all still hang out, like old times. And I'm glad that even if they don't remember me entirely, they let me spend that time with them, you know? But I wish you two could... see for yourselves, Mom and Dad. I know sometimes you two used to... wander Ponyville at night...”

“Aye, they mistook thy father and myself for Nightmares and other such entities on several occasions, 'twas quite entertaining.” Luna said cheerfully, looking up with a slight smile and a nod, and Scarlet Sage gave her mother an amused look as Scrivener rolled his eyes and sipped at his coffee. “And Nightmare Night last year, that was quite the delight, does thou remember?”

“How could I not? Dad complained almost the entire time about being forced to fly again.” Scarlet Sage smiled despite herself, and Scrivener gave a snort and nudged her firmly with his shoulder. “Well, I know, I complained a little myself when Mom decided to cloak both of us in illusions and take on the form of Nightmare Moon herself...”

“Oh, but they couldn't see our actual selves! Besides, 'twas well worth it. I shan't never forget the looks on the faces of the terrified Pegasi we chased out of the air.” Luna said with relish, even as she went back to drawing. “Or stalking through the night, interrupting that sordid play going on about the Black Wolves of Hell... the costumes were awful. I am quite sure that Rarity was far less horrified when we landed on top of the stage than during the performance itself, I cannot imagine how she was overlooked.”

“She wasn't, but Diamond Tiara's dad was the one who sponsored the show, which meant Diamond was the one looking after all the details. She designed the costumes, from their oversized heads to their little wagging tails.” Scarlet Sage smiled slightly, looking entertained as Luna snorted in amusement. “You're just lucky everyone thought it was all some amazing prank or part of the show, Mom. It could have been really bad otherwise. I mean, you don't want them to bring back all the stories about Nightmare Moon, right? As it is, all those stories are just old legends that took place a thousand years ago.”

“Not anymore, though, after that little incident.” Scrivener said wryly, looking towards Luna with both exasperation and entertainment as she giggled giddily. “Twilight was telling me the other day that some of the Nightmare Night preparations are already underway. With how 'well,' for lack of a better word, everything went last year... Filthy Rich wanted to do another theater production. But Rarity already beat him to it and they'll be doing a story about the Queen of the Nightmares, which is what everypony apparently thinks attacked last year.”

Scarlet Sage laughed and nodded, brightening. “Oh! That must be what Apple Bloom and the girls wanted me to help with tomorrow, then! They said that Rarity was getting Applejack, Big Mac, Cowlick and Ross to help her build a stage out in the fields at Sweet Apple Acres. It's still about a month and a half away, but well...”

“Rarity likes to be prepared, see to every last detail.” Scrivener said thoughtfully, nodding slowly before he glanced curiously over at Luna as she grinned widely, her eyes glowing with delight. “Please tell me you're not thinking what I think you're thinking.”

“Be quiet, Scrivener! Antares should be born by then, and with my powers of regeneration I should hopefully be back on my hooves... oh, what a delight to plan for!” Luna laughed as she dropped her sketchbook, before huffing when both Scarlet Sage and Scrivener looked at it and smiled at the outline of father and daughter on the pages, and then the winged unicorn hurriedly scooped this up and closed it. “I did not say either of thee could look.”

“Let's just concentrate for now on you, keeping you healthy, and making sure the baby is alright.” Scrivener said gently, and Luna grumbled a little as she nodded after a moment before picking up her mug of coffee and guzzling it down, Scrivener sighing as beads of liquid ran down her muzzle and the underside of her chin. “Which I'm sure will be harder than it sounds.”

Luna nodded seriously again in agreement after a moment, even as she continued to slurp down coffee, before sighing in relief and putting the mug quickly down, smiling benevolently at the two ponies as beads of liquid dripped down her chin. For a moment, the two only looked at her, and then Scarlet Sage smiled despite herself and said mildly: “Well, Dad, at least you have plenty of experience caring for toddlers.”

“Thou art both against me. I hate thee both.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener and the Pegasus laughed as the winged unicorn rubbed firmly at her face, then patted her belly, mumbling: “Thou had best be a loving and mischievous child. I do not know if I can bear another sarcastic and responsible family member.”

Remembering The Past

Chapter Two: Remembering The Past
~BlackRoseRaven

On a bright afternoon day made all the more welcoming by the changing season, Luna wheezed as she waddled carefully out to the back deck, and from where they were seated at a varnished table, Scrivener Blooms and two mares looked at her with surprise before the winged unicorn sat down, blushing a bit and saying lamely: “I... spilled something on the bedding, Scrivener Blooms. Go and clean it up.”

“Alright Luna.” Scrivy said softly, smiling supportively as he slipped out of his seat and walked over to her, kissing her cheek gently. She blushed a bit deeper for a moment, but Scrivener didn't say anything else as he headed inside: he didn't have to, and she appreciated both his silence on the subject and the reassuring warmth that came from him before she shot a surly glare at the two mares that were both gazing at her affectionately.

They were both winged unicorns: one was lavender, with dark purple locks streaked with a line of lighter violet and a line of pink through both mane and tail. Her purple irises shone with warmth, and her wings were edged in black. Her cutie mark was a six pointed pinkish star with white sparkles dotting the area around it, and a circle of red runes surrounded this... and in one ear was the thing that always drew Luna's attention first when she looked at this strong and beautiful mare, a polished onyx stud in the shape of the crescent moon.

Twilight Sparkle: confidante, companion, friend and more... and the mare smiled softly as she leaned over the arm of the comfortable chair, saying quietly: “You know, you don't have to be embarrassed about anything with us...”

“I am never embarrassed.” Luna scoffed, even as she blushed a bit deeper before glaring at the other mare that sat at the table: a much-larger, ivory-coated winged unicorn with a glowing rainbow mane and tail that both flowed and swayed slowly of their own accord. “Thou can shut up too, Celestia. Go attend to thy duties as Baroness, thou art not wanted here.”

“Perhaps not, but I am needed.” Celestia replied kindly, bowing her head forwards with a wink of one amethyst eye: a golden peytral plate hung over her breast, engraved with the symbol of Equestria, and she rested calmly, complacently back in her seat as she added easily: “Besides, you should be proud of me, little sister. I'm taking all this time off just to spend it with you, and the council doesn't even entirely approve... yet I did it anyway.”

“I shall be proud of thee when thou can do things without worrying about the approval of the council at all.” Luna replied dryly, and Celestia only gave her sister a mild look as she picked up her teacup and took a sip from it, but then the sapphire winged unicorn gave a small smile and murmured: “But alright, alright, Celestia. Keep thy nagging to a minimum and I shan't revile thy presence overmuch.”

Luna paused, glancing quietly out over the yard behind the cottage: there was a small, varied garden here in which grew fruits and vegetables, tended to by Scarlet Sage and on rare occasion, Scrivener Blooms, and a pretty reflecting pond, near the wall of trees that surrounded their beautiful black ironwood home. Her gaze softened as she looked over these things, then she shook her head slowly and murmured: “I truly am fortunate, after all. My big sister, my beautiful mare, my handsome Scrivener, and a loving daughter... and soon, my son will join this odd family we have all cobbled together.” She paused, then laughed and added after a moment: “And of course Discombobulation! He makes a loyal enough pet, does he not?”

“Oh Luna.” Twilight smiled and shook her head, laughing a little despite herself, and then she and Celestia traded looks before the violet mare added hesitantly: “And listen. Celestia and I were talking a little, and... we think it'd be good if you tried to keep to bed for now...”

Luna gave them both horrible looks, even as she grasped at her heavy belly with both hooves. “Conspirators! I may be fat but I am still healthy and strong! If anything, carrying this loathsomely-large gut has only made my legs all the stronger, and I shall prove by giving thee both a personal experience with my hooves if thou both continue to speak behind my back about how fat and handicapped I am!”

“We didn't say you were either fat or handicapped, Luna, you're carrying a baby, not a disease. “ Celestia replied pointedly, and Luna huffed a bit before she softened when Celestia smiled and said quietly: “For me, Luna, please. I don't know if I'll ever bear a foal myself. I plan to live vicariously through your motherhood.”

“Well, I can get Scrivener Blooms to sleep with thee, then we can find out for sure whether or not thou art capable of bearing a foal.” Luna said flatly, and Celestia slowly closed her eyes as the sapphire equine added cheerfully: “Anything to spread the pain, dear sister. And 'twould be nice for little Antares to have a playmate... Scarlet Sage will be a wonderful older sister but all the same, it will be... odd, not having other foals around for our son to play with.”

“There are always foals around, Luna... but before you go trying to arrange playdates for your child, first there's the issue of reintroducing yourself and Scrivener to Ponyville.” Celestia said gently, and Luna grumbled a bit and stomped her front hooves against the deck, but she nodded grudgingly after a moment. “I know you've been thinking about this a lot, Luna, and I know you really do want to just walk into Ponyville-”

“Actually, I wish to be pushed in a wheelbarrow due to my current condition, but aye, the point is still about the same.” Luna said blandly, and Twilight Sparkle was unable to suppress a few giggles as Celestia gave a smile despite herself. “This is another reason I would not mind find out if thou can become pregnant, Celestia. For me, the joy would be less in expressing my happiness over thy blossoming motherhood and more over the glee I would take in watching as thy body turns traitor on thee.”

Celestia sighed after a moment, but then she glanced up and said casually: “By the way. I happened to mention to Rarity that there was going to be a baby shower for an old, dear friend. I believe she and Spike are going to come by and give congratulations of their own.”

“Thou art evil!” Luna shouted, rearing back and looking shocked, and then she huffed and shoved herself awkwardly up to her hooves, grumbling under her breath as Twilight blushed and Celestia only smiled again, the winged unicorn heading back inside as she muttered grumpily to herself: “Next Scarlet Sage will be bringing home her friends as well, and that shall be a fine mess indeed...”

She huffed as she strode back through the kitchen, and then she smiled embarrassedly at the sight of Scrivener Blooms humming to himself as he cleaned off her bedding before she turned as quickly around as her heavy stomach and unwieldy limbs would allow her to, storming back out onto the deck and declaring: “Very well, I have decided that I shall not make a fuss only because 'tis too late for me to do anything about it and I want more presents.”

“Of course, Luna. Of course.” Celestia replied gently, and Luna nodded firmly once as Twilight Sparkle shook her head, looking both entertained but also a little worried. The ivory winged unicorn clearly picked up on this, however, as her amethyst eyes roved upwards and she said gently: “It's alright, Twilight. We'll be in a safe place, with the comfort of friends. I think we're approaching the point now where we have to tell them, though... tell them, or risk those memories being lost forever.”

Luna nodded slowly, looking down after a moment as she scraped a hoof quietly against the balcony, and then she smiled a bit and murmured: “Perhaps the nation shouldn't remember me, though, Celestia... perhaps 'tis better that I am forgotten, lost in the sands of time...”

“Now sister, don't say things like that.” Celestia chastened gently, slipping out of her seat and walking quietly around the table to approach Luna, sitting calmly in front of her and reaching her front hooves up to rest quietly on her little sister's shoulders, and Luna awkwardly looked up after a moment with a small smile, their eyes meeting. “You've done a wonderful thing here. You've worked hard, and while I know you feel pessimistic and worried sometimes, they aren't going to hate you. They aren't going to lash out at you. And I'll be there, beside you... as an equal. No more leaving you in my shadow, or relegated to the dark places of the world. No more forcing you to be anypony but the pony you want to be... no more fighting against you, little sister.” Celestia gently guided her face up, leaning down to kiss her forehead quietly, and Luna laughed a bit as she shook her head quickly out before the two smiled at each other warmly. “But I don't want you left living in this self-imposed exile, either. You don't have to.”

“Well, it suits myself and Scrivener Blooms. We are not... normal ponies. Well, none of us here are, I suppose, but thou knows what I mean.” Luna said after a moment, smiling a little up at her, and Celestia nodded slowly before she slipped back as Twilight carefully slid out of her seat as well. “Besides, Celestia, I... I failed them. And I could not save them all...”

“But you did save many, many more than any pony, than any Valkyrie, could have been fairly asked to save. You and Scrivener Blooms both... and you destroyed a monster that would have continued to slaughter entire worlds for the sake of his own ego, saving countless more.” Celestia soothed, leaning back and looking quietly down into Luna's eyes. “Listen to me... as your big sister, and as who I once was in the long, long ago past, Freya... you have done better than anyone, pony or otherwise, could have ever expected of you. I have wept and mourned for those who have been lost, when I understood... what had happened... but Luna, never once did I hold it against you. Never once.”

Luna nodded uncertainly after a few moments, and then the sisters embraced tightly for a few moments before Celestia drew back and smiled reassuringly, adding quietly: “Anyway, sister. You have a party to get ready for. And presents.”

“And cake!” Luna turned, shouting this through the open door, and Scrivener shouted something back at her from the den before she huffed and looked moodily from one winged unicorn to the other. “Thou had best both brought incredible gifts. Otherwise I shall make thee sleep outside, Celestia.”

“Don't worry, I know.” Celestia said tiredly, and Luna nodded firmly once before she turned and carefully waddled back inside, the older sibling watching this meditatively before calling mildly: “At least some of the weight went to your flank instead of your stomach.”

Luna shot a horrible look over her shoulder at Celestia, who only winked in return, and then the sapphire winged unicorn grumbled as she stormed through the kitchen, then sighed in relief at the sight of Scrivener Blooms laying new sheets over the bedding, a stack of new blankets and pillows already beside this. He smiled across at her supportively as she blushed again, but he only shook his head, saying softly: “Accidents happen, Luna, it's alright and it's not your fault. Anyway, I've been waiting for an excuse to change the sheeting and everything for a while now... you do understand you can't just use the same pillows and blankets forever, right?”

“I use cleansing spells on them when I can concentrate and remember!” Luna retorted grouchily, and then the two smiled a little at each other before she waddled towards him and quietly nuzzled him, murmuring: “Thou hast my thanks, silly beetle. Our home... 'tis now getting bigger by the day, isn't it?”

“Yep.” Scrivener smiled slightly as he looked down the corridor: once, all they had ever needed was their room, the kitchen, and this den: now, Scarlet Sage had her own room – and her own bathroom – next to their master bedroom, and across from the master bedroom was a door Scrivener hadn't gotten around to painting yet, leading into the room that would soon belong to their baby. The earth pony just had a few last touches to go: panels to cover up, beautiful, painted tiles to put into place along the edge of the ceiling, and the furnishings to arrange into place. And, last but not least, next to the baby's room was a second new addition: a laundry room where cleaning supplies were stacked along the shelves with other odds and ends.

The winged unicorn smiled at him after a moment, and then she kissed his cheek quietly before crawling over the bedding and sitting on her haunches in front of the fireplace, gazing at the three slightly-charred logs within: logs more for decoration than anything else, since it would be years before Luna's magical fire burned them away, if ever. She flicked her head firmly... then huffed when nothing happened, grumbling and reaching up to beat her hoof against her horn, and then Scrivener slipped forwards and kissed the side of her neck before she could start complaining, making her fidget and smile a little instead. “Damn thee, Scrivy. And damn my inability to concentrate and... pregnancy and... everything else, too.”

“Alright, alright. Let's light the fireplace.” Scrivener said softly, and Luna smiled a little before the earth pony sat down beside her, and they both closed their eyes and lowered their heads, concentrating quietly on one-another, their breathing falling into rhythm as Scrivener fed his energy, his concentration, and his encouragement into Luna's mind, her horn taking on a steady, sapphire glow.

Then she flicked her horn firmly, and this time the logs burst into blue flames in a mighty whoosh, both Scrivy and Luna wincing and leaning away... before Luna's eyes bulged and she slowly tipped over and landed with a yelp on her back, enormous stomach jiggling a bit as Scrivener looked awkwardly over his shoulder at her. “You uh. Okay there, Luna?”

“Aye, my ego and pride absorbed the worst of the damage, although I feel a little woozy at the moment.” Luna mumbled, and then she slowly tipped onto her side with a wince, grumbling under her breath. “Pregnancy is stupid. I do not like that my magic continues to work on and off with my body so... rebellious. 'Tis like pregnancy is designed to make mares vulnerable. And a laughingstock. I am a vulnerable laughingstock. Cover me with a blanket, Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivy sighed a little, and then he headed over to the side of the bedding, picking up a few pillows and slipping these gently beneath Luna's head before he picked up a blanket, unfolding this in one easy snap. He settled this carefully over the winged unicorn's body, letting it flutter over her head and leaving only a bit of her haunch and her starry tail exposed, which twisted lightly back and forth as Luna mumbled beneath the covers but otherwise didn't move.

Scrivener gazed at her softly, reaching out and rubbing her belly soothingly through the blanket before he turned and headed to the kitchen to fix her a snack, and he smiled when he saw Celestia striding through the back door, the male gesturing with his head towards the den and saying mildly: “Luna's gone down for a little quiet time. Don't worry, it's nothing serious... I think she's just feeling a little... well...”

“I understand, Scrivener. Well, to a point.” Celestia said softly, glancing towards the den, and then she strode carefully past him as Twilight walked inside, carrying several empty cups in a gentle telekinetic grip.

Scrivy smiled at this, stepping back as the violet mare joined him at the sink, the two standing up as the earth pony ran water in the sink and Twilight dumped the mugs in on top of the pile of dishes already in the basin, and the two shared a soft look before the violet mare glanced towards the door and closed it with an easy telekinetic pull as her horn glowed quietly. Then she turned her eyes back towards the male, smiling back at him and saying softly: “You're a good husband, you know that?”

“Yeah, see? All those years ago you hated me, but now look at me.” Scrivener winked at her, nudging her with his shoulder, and Twilight snorted in amusement and shook her head as she gave him an entertained look. “But don't worry. I didn't like you very much back then either.”

“Canterlot... it seems forever ago now.” Twilight said softly, and then she laughed a bit and glanced at him softly. “Funny, how it has been so long, too... but in my mind, it's only been... six or seven years? I can barely believe that... just like I can barely believe that... we were gone, dead, for a decade. A decade that you and Luna spent gathering souls and... building up this world.”

Scrivener only nodded slowly, glancing down towards the sink as he poured a bit of dish soap into the water, then he shook his head as he murmured softly: “And sometimes I don't want to either, Twilight. Some days... I wish that... we were back at Canterlot. But that just might be selfishness speaking... after all, if Luna and I had gotten involved and gotten married, and Equestria was still in one piece and we had never gone into exile... I'd be a prince, wouldn't I? Then I'd really be able to drive the Royal Court crazy.”

Twilight snorted in amusement as Scrivener turned the water off before he easily grabbed a rag to begin washing the dishes, the violet mare saying dryly: “I love how that's what it always comes back to, Scrivy, how you could have messed with the Royal Court. Didn't you do that enough as it was?”

“True, but all the same, this time I couldn't be punished for it. Blueblood always got away with a lot, after all, and he wasn't even a real prince.” Scrivener pointed out, and Twilight grunted after a moment, nodding as she automatically took one of the dishes from Scrivener with telekinesis, flicking her horn to dry it before she winced when he slapped at her with a wet hoof. “No, no, no, don't use magic for everything, Sparkles, use your damn hooves, or at least stick with your fancy unicorn-a-kinetics.”

“You are as much a pain as Luna sometimes, you know that?” Twilight grumbled, and the two shoved at each other for a few moments before she sighed and rolled her eyes, opening a wing and slapping him lightly with it before she turned and picked up a rag hanging on a hook at the edge of the counter, and Scrivener gave her a triumphant smile as he went back to washing and she patiently waited before taking a mug when she passed it to him, carefully beginning to towel it off. “You know, just because I use my magic to do things doesn't mean I don't appreciate-”

“Totally does.” Scrivener interrupted amiably before she could finish, and Twilight Sparkle shot him a flat look in response. “Hey, you can't blame me entirely. Luna's mood swings are affecting me, too.”

Twilight rolled her eyes as she finished drying the mug and set it aside... and in the other room, Luna smiled a little as she finally wiggled her head out from beneath the blanket to glance up at Celestia as she gazed down from her comfortable seat beside her little sister. “Are you feeling better, Luna?”

“Somewhat.” Luna said after a moment, and then she reached up and pushed the blanket back, testing the fabric with her hooves: soft, gentle, mink-fleece that she looked thoughtfully down at for a few seconds before returning her eyes to Celestia as she asked awkwardly: “Art thou sure this... I mean, thou aren't... well, what I mean to say is...”

“Luna, it's fine. Balancing my priorities is especially important to me these days... and I'm all too glad to take a short vacation from the council to help you out with this process. If anything, I only wish I could stay longer...” Celestia paused for a moment, then she smiled a little and closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards and murmuring softly: “Being away from the Temple of the Sun, and out of reach of all the other Barons and Baronesses... it's more relaxing than I can say. And being able to be here for you, to help you, well... I'm more than glad to be here. And I'll be staying here, as long as I can: the only reason I don't flout the Council's wishes completely is because they could send somepony looking for me, and that could complicate everything.”

Luna smiled warmly, looking up at her softly as Celestia gazed back down silently, and then both siblings glanced towards the kitchen at the sound of a loud splash, Scrivener glaring at Twilight as she stared at him with a look of horror, water slowly dripping off her body before the earth pony said grouchily: “Was too.”

“Was not.” Twilight retorted once her senses came back, and then she grinned and snapped her horn firmly, and the soapy water remaining in the sink swirled upwards and splashed out over Scrivener, knocking him flat on his back with a wince before Twilight leaned forwards with a huff and asked mildly: “You forget about my fancy unicorn-a-kinetics?”

“I didn't think even you'd stoop low enough to use magic against a poor, lowly earth pony like me.” Scrivener said moodily, and when Twilight glowered as she leaned further forwards and lowered her head just a bit more, he snapped his rear legs up around her neck, making her wince before he twisted firmly and dragged her down onto her side with a grin, making her wheeze loudly as Celestia sighed and Luna cackled and clapped her front hooves together as she wiggled herself into a better viewing position, despite the fact the divider blocked her line of sight anyway.

The two glared at each other, one dripping water, the other saturated almost completely and soap bubbles rolling down his features, both laying on their sides as one of Scrivener's legs stayed poised against her chest to shove her backwards in case she tried any magic, even as her horn glowed almost ominously... and then Scrivener wrinkled his muzzle before he sneezed loudly, bubbles flying out of his nose, and both he and Twilight stared as these floated up into the air. Then they looked dumbly back at one another before Scrivener smiled slightly, and Twilight smiled back before the two laughed and climbed to their hooves.

Scrivener cleaned up the water and finished the dishes with a little help from Twilight, and Celestia and Luna shared quiet conversation, the younger sibling blushing awkwardly and allowing the ivory winged unicorn to gently push her hoof against her stomach when the baby kicked a few times, Celestia smiling warmly as she felt the movements and drawing marveling eyes over little sister. Then the four had simply sat together in a comfortable quiet, sharing idle, easy conversation until they had heard the door open, and Scarlet Sage had called brightly: “Mom, Dad! I know I'm early but... some of our friends were real eager to see you!”

“What? Oh, madness!” Luna huffed, quickly tossing the blanket over herself and grumbling even as Celestia climbed to her hooves with a smile and Twilight and Scrivener both glanced up curiously at the sound of hooves striding down the hall... and then they both smiled softly as the young mare stepped out of the corridor and slipped to the side, smiling brightly as a blonde-coated Pegasus and two earth ponies strode forwards.

The sunshine-yellow Pegasus mare smiled shyly from behind the single long bang of pink mane that fell over her features, her sea green eyes gazing radiantly towards the large, blanket-covered lump that was Luna. Her cutie mark on her haunch was that of three pink butterflies, for her talent with animals... although it could just as easily be there for how gentle and compassionate she was with all things. “I hope we're not imposing...”

Luna mumbled a little beneath the blanket, and beside the blonde-coated Pegasus, the brighter-colored of the two earth pony mares giggled and bounced excitedly on her hooves, her bubblegum-pink, messy mane and tail swaying with her movements and her blue eyes warm and happy as she said cheerfully: “How can we be imposing when there's a party to plan, Fluttershy? Oh, this is going to be the most exciting baby shower ever! Isn't that right, Pinkamena?”

“Baby showers aren't supposed to be exciting, sissy, now either stop your damned bouncing or I'll stop you myself, Pinkie Pie.” the drab, gray-tinged pony said irritably, and Pinkie Pie huffed as she came to a halt with a loud thump, looking moodily towards the pony she seemed to share nothing in common with at first glance: from her gray-pink complexion to the straightness of her mane and tail, everything about her seemed the opposite of Pinkie Pie. But on closer inspection, their cutie marks were the same, both three balloons, although in Pinkamena's case the balloons were black and gray instead of blue and yellow... and they both had blue eyes, although Pinkamena's were edged in sallow red.

But when they glared at each other, making the same expression, their poses mirrored one another for a brief moment that was all the same more than long enough to make it clear they were twins. Strange twins, but twins all the same, despite their differences... which included the fact that Pinkamena had three silver piercings in each ear, while the obvious good twin of the pair didn't.

Then Pinkie Pie giggled a little, and Pinkamena reached a hoof up and rubbed it slowly against her own forehead as if pained, muttering under her breath before she said flatly: “Anyway. Sparkles, Princess Sunshine, Nightmare Moon and... Scrivener, we-”

“Why does Scrivener not get a nickname? I demand thou gives Scrivener an insulting nickname as well!” Luna declared, flailing the blanket off herself before she wheezed as she began to awkwardly shove herself up to her hooves, and Scrivy shot a sour look over his shoulder at her before wincing when Luna flopped back on her side with a thump, mumbling: “I... I am choosing to lay here completely of my own free will.”

“Yes, dear. I'll go get your antacids of my own free will, then.” Scrivener said tiredly, and then he smiled a little when Scarlet Sage quickly turned and headed into the kitchen. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Fluttershy leaned forwards, looking a little concerned, but Pinkamena only grumbled under her breath before she said flatly: “Hey. Hornless drunken bastard child of unicorns who never loved you, get me a cola.”

Dead silence fell for a moment, even Celestia looking a little shocked and Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie both staring in horror as Luna leaned up with a snarl, flailing her front hooves furiously at the air as she began to sit up... but then Scrivener only grinned slightly and shook his head, saying mildly: “Nice try, Pinkamena, but that's a little too long for a nickname.”

“See? Scrivener's too much of a pain in the ass to piss off, it isn't worth the effort.” Pinkamena said irritably, gesturing at him moodily before Scrivener strode across the room towards where Scarlet Sage was staring at the dull-pink pony's back, the bottle of antacid drink forgotten under one wing, and Scrivener carefully leaned forwards and took this before he shared a smile with Pinkamena before her eyes glinted as she added softly: “Besides, why would I bother? He's in the mental asylum with me. You don't shank the good cellmates, just the bad ones who don't try and help you move into the houses in the sky.”

“Wretched half-demon.” Luna muttered grumpily, and then she sighed and took the large, cylindrical bottle when Scrivener offered it, mumbling under her breath as she bit into the large, cup-like cap and twisted her head wildly back and forth to try and pry it off before Scrivener slapped at her lightly and took the bottle back with a grumble, unscrewing it for her. Luna gave him a half-surly, half-thankful look, then she huffed when he filled up the cap with the antacid drink and held this out to her, making her mumble as she took it between her front hooves.

“Anyway, like I was saying. We're here to help set up for the stupid baby shower.” Pinkamena said, then she sighed and looked moodily back at the horrified looks still on the faces of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “Hey, you two might want to catch up to the present. Where everything is fine. Especially you, sissy, you're the one who wanted to do the whole... party thing.”

Pinkie Pie shook her head quickly as Fluttershy blushed, and then the bright pink pony chastised: “You shouldn't try and say things just to upset ponies, though, big twin sister.”

Pinkamena groaned at this, rubbing at her head again and saying moodily: “Twin sister, big sister, settle on one thing, sissy. Furthermore, I say things just to upset ponies all the time, and you know what? It feels good, that's what. Like this, you're fat.” She paused as Pinkie Pie reared back with a pout, and then grinned widely, showing off teeth that were strangely sharp... but then again, as Luna had said, Pinkamena wasn't just a pony, she was a half-demon that had been formed from Pinkie's psyche and dark tampering by otherworldly entities. “I like your pain. Tastes sweet.”

“Like sugar?” Pinkie Pie asked curiously, perking up a bit, and then she licked at her own foreleg experimentally before she brightened. “Hey, I do taste like sugar!”

The half-demon growled in frustration, and then Scrivener quickly cleared his throat as he screwed the cap back on top of the cylinder despite Luna childishly whining at him that her stomach was still bothering her. “We really appreciate you coming to help set up, but really, this was just going to be a small gathering...”

“About that, Dad...” Scarlet Sage began awkwardly, and all eyes turned to her as she grinned and blushed a little. “Well, after Rarity and Spike found out... they apparently told Rainbow Dash and Applejack... who told Apple Bloom... and Red and Scoot and Sweetie all came to me wanting to know who was having a foal, and I kinda said 'my mom' and now they're all really... curious and... well... now they all want to come out together, especially after they heard that Celestia and Twilight are here and after they found out Pinkie Pie was throwing the party and... well... I'm sorry, Mom.”

“Oh. Oh. Wonderful. We do not have the room in the house for all these guests, and... none of them have been reintroduced to me yet!” Luna complained, stomping her hooves and looking frustrated. “Next thou shall tell us that Cowlick and Ross have heard too!”

Scarlet Sage blushed deeper, but Celestia held up a hoof, looking embarrassed as she said awkwardly: “No, sister, this is my fault... I told Rarity and Spike, after all, without thinking of what would obviously happen.”

“No, no, I am the one who is sorry, I apologize, I should not let my raging mood swings take so much the better of me that I raise my voice to even my sweet daughter.” Luna mumbled after a moment, shaking her head before she sighed and looked morbidly over at Pinkie Pie, whose eyes widened when the sapphire winged unicorn asked dryly: “How fast can thou set up a party?”

“Party!” Pinkie Pie giggled and bounced excitedly, her eyes widening gleefully before she grinned widely at Pinkamena, saying excitedly before the half-demon could even open her mouth: “You do snacks, I'll do decorations! Twilight, Fluttershy, can you help me? Scrivener, Luna, what kind of stuff is around here that we can use? And oh, Scarlet Sage, when you go back to Ponyville, there's a big cake you can pick up in Sugar Cube Corners in the kitchen, it should be all ready to go with my food-prep bag next to it, can you get that all?”

All eyes stared for a moment at Pinkie Pie, and then Pinkamena rolled her eyes before she said moodily: “Scrivener, I want your help in the kitchen. You can follow simple directions, right?”

“Uh. Usually.” Scrivener said after a moment, and Pinkamena grunted as she brushed past Scarlet Sage to begin shoving her way through things in the kitchen, Scrivy wincing a bit a she hurried towards her and shared an awkward look with his daughter before calling to the half-demon: “Hey, you know, this is my kitchen-”

“Not right now it ain't.” Pinkamena grumbled as she rooted through cupboards and shelves, and then she called irritably over her shoulder as she heard Pinkie Pie giggling: “Get to work, sissy! Two hours!”

“Two hours!” Pinkie Pie sang gleefully in return, Luna looking lost and Celestia looking just as confused before the bright pink pony winked to Scarlet Sage, saying kindly: “Go on ahead, we'll be ready by the time you get back, and that's a promise.”

Scarlet Sage looked awkwardly back and forth, but when Luna simply shrugged, the young mare excused herself and headed down the hallway to let herself out the front door, as Pinkie Pie glanced thoughtfully around the room before shaking her head quickly and saying musingly: “Way too small, way too small... definitely gotta be an outdoor party. Hey, Luna, can we move the stuff on the back deck out to the front yard? And do you have any other chairs or stuff?”

“I can open up the storage shed for you, there should be another small table in there at least, right Luna?” Twilight glanced quickly towards the winged unicorn, but Luna still looked stupefied by everything, so the violet mare only cleared her throat and nodded, gesturing towards Pinkie Pie and smiling, blushing Fluttershy. “Okay, let's. Head out.”

Pinkie Pie beamed and turned around, bouncing cheerfully down the corridor as the other two ponies followed. Luna remained staring dumbly, surprised by how quickly everything had been taken out of her hooves, and Celestia awkwardly rose a hoof despite the other ponies being gone, asking lamely: “What... about me?”

“No one likes you, Princess Sunshine. Keep Nightmare Moon entertained.” Pinkamena replied loudly from the kitchen without turning around, Scrivener wincing as he tried to keep track of the mad not-order Pinkamena had objects arranged over the counter in before the half-demon shot him a look and said mildly: “Preheat the oven to just under four hundred. Gonna need to mix this stuff up and shove it in fast. Gonna be a little crispy but that ain't my problem, I don't eat this crap.”

“How can you make it but not eat it?” Scrivener asked grouchily as he turned the dial for the oven up, and then he winced at the grin the half-demon gave him even as she yanked a drawer open and pulled out a large cutting knife.

“Same way you can have those bottles of liquor on your shelves but not drink, and I'm not even a drunk.” Pinkamena retorted, and Scrivener glowered at her moodily before she laughed and winked at him. “Don't take it personally, I still think you're fun. Now get me a mixing bowl, you asshat.”

“Hurtful.” Scrivener grumbled, but he was soon surprised by how professional Pinkamena worked... not to mention how spookily fast she was at everything from cutting to mixing, never once needing to stop and measure anything out as she filled both of the muffin trays that were available. Then, once those were in the oven, Pinkamena mentally checked the time before she nodded moodily once.

She yanked down several more mixing bowls before shoving one at Scrivener as she took the smaller for herself, beginning to order him around, tossing in a healthy amount of verbal abuse as she listed out a recipe for cookies. Scrivy winced and scrambled back and forth, and it didn't help that he could feel Luna staring with fascination and could hear her giggling now and then even as she talked with Celestia.

All the same, Pinkamena knew what she was doing, and was good enough at her job to have him finish preparing a sheet of simple chocolate chip cookies just before the half-demon yanked the stove open. Muffin trays went out, cookie sheet went in, and next Scrivener found himself helping spread the icing she had mixed up in the small bowl over all the muffins as Pinkamena muttered: “You guys got jack-all out here but plenty of coffee and chocolate sauce. So I used coffee and chocolate sauce.”

“Pinkamena, I love thee!” Luna called from the den gleefully at this, and Scrivener sighed even as the half-demon snorted, even as an honest smile briefly flickered over her features before it was once more hidden by her shark-like grin.

Food preparation was smooth: outside, setting up everything was also going nicely. With Twilight's help, Pinkie Pie had dragged a large table out of the large, hollow hill that sat next to the cottage, and with the table from the back balcony at the top of this, it would likely leave just enough spots for everypony to squeeze in. They had covered these furnishings with a musty, enormous tablecloth that had also been in the storage mound, and then Pinkie Pie had bounced cheerfully over to a satchel resting against the porch to begin pulling out decorations of all shape and size, Twilight wondering how some of these had even fit into the pack.

The violet mare ran in and out of the house a few times as Fluttershy tacked decorations along the house, Pinkie Pie directing her cheerfully and more often than not changing her mind as the Pegasus winced and hovered nervously back and forth. Still, all things considered, they were doing alright as Twilight counted places, mumbling names as she did so: “Luna, Scrivy, Celestia, me, Pinkie, Pinkamena, Dash, AJ, Big Mac, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy, Scarlet, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle...”

“What about me?” asked a nonchalant voice, and Twilight winced and flailed for a moment before she glared at Discombobulation as he leaned against the wall of the house, both Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy looking over with surprise, the Pegasus wincing as her wings clapped tightly to her sides before she fell... but with a simple flick of his wrist, a bed of pillows appeared beneath the Pegasus, and she landed with a gentle flump instead of a loud thud as the Draconequus said wryly: “There. Never say I never did anything for you, kid.”

Fluttershy blushed as she sat up, and Pinkie Pie nodded approvingly as she looked up over the banner that the Pegasus had just finished setting up, with 'Congratulations!' written over it in bold red text. “Great job, Fluttershy! And all the streamers and stars are up in the right places too... this is gonna be great! Hey, Bob, you're gonna be there too, right?”

“Yes, yes, I suppose. Luna did invite me a while back. I suppose that makes me special, considering how many ponies just decided to show up of their own accord.” Discombobulation said mildly, polishing his talon absently against his chest before he looked thoughtfully towards Twilight Sparkle as she smiled at him. “Funny, isn't it? I'm chaos, showing up because I was invited, and you ponies are supposed to be representatives of harmony and order and here you are, crashing a poor pregnant pony's baby shower. Shame on you all. You're all doing an awful job of representing your virtues.”

He paused, then glanced towards the pillows as Fluttershy awkwardly floundered her way out of the pile before she sighed in relief as they simply vanished, the Pegasus smiling and mumbling a 'thank you' to the chimerical creature before Discombobulation sniffed absently and looked moodily up at the blue sky overhead, darker now as the afternoon deepened. “Admittedly, though, part of the fun is in the fact I'm very fairly certain none of them will remember me. I plan to jump out and startle them all horribly.”

“Oh, don't be like my big sister, Bob, that's not very nice.” Pinkie said pointedly, and then she paused and added thoughtfully: “It's too bad this can't be a surprise party, though. Those are always fun.”

“Pinkie, no offense, but a surprise baby shower could be a very bad idea for all kinds of reasons, even before considering it's Luna you'd be surprising.” Twilight said awkwardly, and Fluttershy nodded a few times in agreement as Pinkie Pie cocked her head curiously. “Well, you wouldn't want to scare her into giving birth, right?”

“You can scare a pony into giving birth?” Pinkie Pie asked incredulously, and when Twilight and Fluttershy both nodded, the pony turned her eyes quickly to Discombobulation, who shrugged before he nodded in agreement, and the earth pony mare winced a little. “I guess maybe it's a good thing I didn't bring the party cannon.”

“Just a bit.” Twilight smiled despite herself, nodding after a moment before she turned her eyes back to the Draconequus, asking curiously: “So can you help us with things?”

“Absolutely. I could absolutely help you.” Discombobulation replied seriously, striding towards the table and glancing thoughtfully over the places that had been set, and then he easily snapped his fingers, a single large chair appearing at one of the corners of the table. Twilight smiled... then glared when Bob strode over and sat down in this, tenting his fingers and glancing over his shoulder with a kind smile.

They looked at each other... and then Pinkie bounced forwards, putting her hooves against the back of the seat and craning her head up into the male's field of vision, making him rear back a bit with a wince. “If you absolutely can then you absolutely should.”

“Nothing is absolute, Pinkie Pie. Well. Except for the theoretical and the intangible. Only things you absolutely can't see, see? That in and of itself is a perfect example of an absolute absolute.” Discombobulation replied seriously, nodding calmly once. “So you see, it's all very well that I absolutely can help you, but not at all that I absolutely should.”

“That makes absolutely no sense!” Twilight fumed, glaring at the Draconequus, and her glower became even more sour when Discombobulation looked over his shoulder with another nod and a kind smile.

“Exactly, Twilight Sparkle. Exactly.” The chimerical creature nodded seriously, and Twilight groaned before quickly turning her attention back to the details of the party with a grumble.

They set up a chair at the head of the table for Luna to sit in, and cushions for everypony else: it wasn't the most elegant solution, but with thirteen ponies, one dragon, and one Draconequus expected to be present, Luna definitely did not have enough chairs to go around. Pinkie Pie finished setting up the decorations, and then ran inside, and Twilight had a moment of irritation before both of the Pink Twins came out with several platters covered by freshly-washed plastic bowls, followed a few moments later by Scrivener with another covered tray.

“Fifteen minutes!' the Twins both spoke at the same time, looking up and then nodding quickly to each other, Pinkamena's grin somehow less vicious than usual and Pinkie Pie's eyes sparkling before they both turned and headed quickly back inside as Scrivener took a moment to rest after putting down the tray.

“Pinkamena's crazy.” he muttered when Twilight and Fluttershy both looked at him, and then he reached up and brushed a bit of dough off himself before he winced as there was a loud shout from the house. “Guess that's my cue.”

“We're done out here, we'll lend a hoof too.” Fluttershy said quietly, smiling a little, and Scrivener smiled gratefully in return as he nodded to her, as Bob glanced thoughtfully over the platters. The charcoal stallion's eyes roved to the Draconequus, and then he glared at him as the chimerical creature reached a hand out and easily picked up one of the bowls, revealing a large stack of cookies... but before he could even reach for one, Pinkamena booted the front door back open, leaned past a surprised Twilight, and threw a cutting knife hard towards the Draconequus, Bob squeaking and hiding behind his chair as the knife sank into the back of the soft wood.

“Don't touch it!” Pinkamena barked, and Discombobulation nodded rapidly before the half-demon glared at the trio of staring ponies. “Get inside, come on, we ain't done yet.”

There wasn't much choice but to obey, and they soon found themselves running back and forth, setting out cups, cutlery, all the bottles of cola they had – something that made Luna sulk – and preparing both coffee and a kettle of tea. Just as they were finishing setting up the table, Pinkie Pie bounced cheerfully out and looked up at the sky, her hooves kicking lightly against the ground.

“Time's up, I hope Scarlet Sage got everything okay...” Pinkie began apprehensively, and then she looked over at Scrivener as he gave a slight smile. “What, what is it?”

“Well, Pinkie Pie, two hours is pretty quick. Scarlet Sage can probably make that flight but I don't know if on hoof the rest of the ponies coming here can...” Scrivener began slowly, and Pinkie gave him a flat look. “What?”

“Well, duh. I mean, don't want them seeing the cake and all, right?” Pinkie said pointedly, and Scrivener wasn't sure how to reply to this before she brightened as she looked up, waving a hoof eagerly. “There she is!”

Scrivener glanced up, and Discombobulation turned his own eyes upwards curiously to see Scarlet Sage winging down towards them, satchel bags hanging at her side... and she was flanked on either side by two other Pegasi, one of them a sky blue stallion, the other a reddish-orange young mare.

Scarlet Sage winced as she came down, landing and stumbling forwards a few steps at the front of the yard, and the blue Pegasus touched down with much more grace, grinning slightly as he tossed his rainbow-colored mane and flicked his tail. His strong wings furled against his broad sides, and his magenta eyes gleamed as he looked up... then squeaked at the sight of the Draconequus sitting placidly at the table with his fingers tented, looking across at him mildly. “Here for your quarterly review, Rainbow Dash?”

“Oh holy hell, you know my name?” The stallion leaned back in shock, and Discombobulation smiled wryly even as the young orange-coated mare touched down on Scarlet Sage's other side, flicking her messy purple mane as her deep violet eyes stared in amazement at the Draconequus.

“I know everything about you.” Bob replied seriously, his eyes roving calmly to the emblem on Rainbow's flank: a cloud, releasing a rainbow-colored lightning bolt. “I know what you did last summer, and I know what you did in the sequel, too. I know-”

“Discombobulation, come on, you're scaring them.” Scarlet Sage said tiredly as she walked past, then she winced a bit when Pinkie Pie popped up in front of her before the silver Pegasus smiled awkwardly, glancing at the mismatched saddle bags hanging on either side. “Brought the cake, and your bag of supplies for-”

“Great! Come on inside!” she said cheerfully, then paused and leaned past to wave brightly at Rainbow Dash and the other young mare as they only continued to stare at Discombobulation. “Hi Dash! Hi Scoot!”

“Uh. Hi, Pinkie... wait, Pinkie Pie? I... what's going on?” Rainbow asked finally, but Pinkie only giggled, already hurriedly pushing Scarlet Sage around the table and to the front door as Twilight Sparkle smiled despite herself, looking over the table towards the confused stallion and young mare as they traded looks. “I am so confused.”

“You ain't alone there.” Scootaloo replied after a moment with a wince, and then she looked awkwardly towards the Draconequus as she furled her wings against her sides, stepping forwards nervously. “This isn't your party, is it?”

“No, no, no, it's not a tea party at all, and we're lacking a march hare and a dormouse in any event, so you don't need to be worried, young one... although worrying anyway is not always a bad idea, since there's always something to be worried about. That's the middle road, after all: sages and fools are the only people that don't worry, and most of us are somewhere in the middle.” Discombobulation replied seriously, leaning back in his chair before he snapped his fingers when Scrivener Blooms awkwardly tried to slip towards the house, and then the earth pony winced as there was a blur of light and sound as he vanished before he reappeared a moment later in front of Rainbow Dash. “Don't be rude now, Luna. Say hello to your guests.”

Scrivener smiled dumbly, raising a hoof, and Rainbow stared at him for a few moments before his brow furrowed as Scootaloo only continued to look confused, and a moment later the Pegasus stallion leaned forwards and whispered: “I know you. I know I know you, but I can't place it...”

The earth pony only smiled a little at this, looking awkwardly back at Rainbow as he leaned a little further forwards before Scrivener said softly: “You, me, Big Mac and Spike...”

Rainbow leaned back in surprise, and then he smiled after a moment, saying quietly: “Nights we spent out, but... you brought your wife along, and it amazed me. I acted like it frustrated me but really it impressed me, and maybe I was even a little envious of... I can't remember her name. I can't even remember your name...”

He shook his head, gritting his teeth, and Scootaloo frowned a bit before the mare looked towards him and asked quietly: “So... you're Scarlet Sage's dad, right?”

“Yeah. I am.” Scrivener said softly, smiling over at the young orange Pegasus, and then he glanced back at the table before his eyes roved to the house as he heard what was half mental order, half-plea from Luna. “If you'll excuse me, though, I'm going to go get my wife and bring her outside. She seems to be calling for me.”

Rainbow frowned for a moment at this, but Scrivener only winked to the two before he turned and headed around the table, as Twilight said encouragingly to the Pegasi: “It's okay, really. The memories... they hurt a little at first coming back, but-”

“But memories always do, good or bad, pleasant or bittersweet.” Discombobulation said softly, flicking a wrist absently as he leaned back in his seat and looked meditatively from Scootaloo to Rainbow Dash. “Funny, the things that bring them back... but maybe it's because of the way magic works, intricate and complex and seemingly as insane as I am but with hidden rules running all along the lengths of its mighty strata...”

“I know you too!” Rainbow said suddenly, looking up at the chimerical creature, and Scootaloo looked with surprise at Rainbow Dash before the blue Pegasus grinned slightly, nodding rapidly a few times as he said in a rush that was half-excited, half-frustrated: “We were... traveling together for some reason, and it had something to do with you, too, Twilight, didn't it? Dammit, Twilight, how much do you really know? What's going on, why can I... half-see everything... and why do I think of... Applejack, and our other friends, and even that guy with glasses who just went inside and... a shape I can't quite make out...”

“Oh, don't worry. None of us can quite make out what shape Scrivener Blooms is these days. Oval? Sphere? Rhombus? Or some other geometrical figure altogether?” Discombobulation said blandly, and Twilight gave him a flat look, hitting the arm of his chair lightly. “What? It's only the truth. And the truth is the truth and that's all the truth is.”

“Be nice.” Twilight chastised gently, and then she turned her eyes back towards Rainbow Dash, asking curiously: “Where's Applejack and the others?”

“Well, we were all waiting for like, I dunno, forever, at the edge of the Everfree Forest when Scarlet shot by above our heads, heading into town. I went off after her to see what was going on. Scarlet was supposed to guide us to the place or something, after all, according to Rarity and the kids.” Rainbow shot a smile to Scoot, who huffed but looked warmly back all the same at the stallion she clearly adored. “Anyway, I caught up with her just as she was coming out of Sugar Cube Corners with that stuff. Brought her back to the group, said she was going to show us the path and then she had to fly on ahead.”

Twilight smiled a little at this, nodding and looking amused as she asked: “And I take it that you and Scootaloo decided to follow Scarlet Sage along anyway?”

Rainbow grinned slightly at this, even as his eyes flicked towards the Draconequus as he replied finally: “Well, you know. I like flying. And I was curious. So it just seemed natural to follow and find out what the hell is actually going on around here. Of course, now I'm just getting way more confused by the moment, but...”

“It'll clear up.” Twilight said softly, and when Rainbow gave her a moody look, she laughed a little and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “Believe me. You'll... you'll understand.”

Rainbow sighed a little, nodding after a moment as he looked across the table at her, but before either of them could respond, Scarlet Sage emerged from the cabin and leapt quickly off the porch, wings flapping as she called awkwardly to Twilight: “Pinkamena wants you to figure out places for everyone while I make sure the others aren't lost!”

“Well, of course she's here.” Rainbow muttered moodily, and then the Pegasus stallion strode forwards and sat down across from Discombobulation, Twilight wincing for a moment before she flinched even more visibly when Scootaloo hurriedly bounced to sit at the other side of the male, but both of them were now looking across at Bob as he stared plainly back. “Why do I know you...”

“You look like Discord.” Scootaloo added after a moment, and Discombobulation reared back as if offended, grasping at his own chest as the young, athletic mare winced.

“Well, you look like a sunburned radish.” Discombobulation retorted huffily, and Scootaloo glared at him before the chimerical creature snapped his fingers, sending a hail of the root vegetables falling down on Scootaloo's head and making the Pegasus flail a bit as Rainbow Dash winced away from her. “See? Same complexion. Same bad skin.”

“I already don't like you, whoever you are.” Scootaloo muttered, slapping a few of the radishes away before she and Rainbow Dash both winced as Discombobulation leapt up to stand on his chair.

He rose a finger, and then Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat pointedly from beside him, and the Draconequus sighed and rolled his eyes, carefully sitting back down in his seat as he muttered: “Yes, mommy, behaving like a good pony should, mommy. Very well, watch me be polite and refined.”

With that, Discombobulation flicked his wrists, monocle appearing in his talon and top hat in his hand, and he fitted both of these carefully on before sitting straight and brushing once at himself as he said in a cordial voice: “Good day, fine weather we're having, isn't it, chaps? But pardon my manners and allow me to introduce myself: my name is Discombobulation, and it is a most fine pleasure to renew our acquaintanceship, Sir Rainbow Dash, and to meet this fine young lady, Miss Scootaloo.”

Both Pegasi only stared for a moment, and then Twilight rose a hoof and asked awkwardly: “Would you two mind moving down a few seats? I already have an arrangement in mind and it'd really help if you could just move down two spots...”

“Oh, don't be such a pill, Twilight.” Rainbow scoffed, then he looked up in surprise as another Pegasus shyly made her way out of the cottage, eyes widening in disbelief. “Fluttershy?”

“Oh, Rainbow. It's so nice to see you.” Fluttershy smiled warmly, glancing up as she approached and quietly slipped into another spot at the table, Twilight wincing again and grabbing at her face with a hoof as Discombobulation looked mildly down the table at the new arrival. “I'm sorry none of us told you sooner about this, but... well. When the memories come back... it can be hard. We wanted to tell you, but even Twilight's only known for a few months now... and I admittedly didn't handle it with the best of grace when I found out...”

“You did, Fluttershy. The nightmares aren't your fault.” Twilight said quietly, softening as she looked towards the Pegasus, and Fluttershy smiled a little before glancing up, and the violet winged unicorn laughed quietly as she murmured: “But it's not like it matters either way now, huh? Looks like everypony's here.”

Scarlet Sage was at the head of the group, trotting quickly around the yard and looking both excited and stressed, flanked on either side by a pretty young unicorn with an ivory coat and two-tone purple-and-light-lavender, curly mane and tail, and a smiling earth pony with a rich golden-yellow coat, orange irises, and a red mane held back by a large bow. Both young mares that Scootaloo smiled warmly at and scrambled away to join, once the Cutie Mark Crusaders... now, four good friends, with their emblems all gleaming on their flanks.

And behind them came two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a dragon: the earth ponies were siblings, the larger a stallion with a bulky red frame and short, messy hay-colored hair and a tail of the same hue, an ancient yoke around his neck. His gemstone green eyes were calm, his handsome, dimpled features smiling a little as heavy hooves trod gently through the grasses, and his smaller goldenrod sister grinned from beneath her cowboy hat, her blonde mane and tail both tightly braided back as eyes the same color as her brother's glinted as she looked over the table that had been set up, saying easily: “I don't know about you, Big Macintosh, but seein' a fine spread laid out here at least takes away some of the- what in tarnation is that?”

The earth pony mare winced, her eyes locking with surprise on the sight of the Draconequus, but Discombobulation only sniffed disdainfully even as the young mares flanking Scarlet Sage both stared and leaned forwards. The older sibling, however, only continued to smile calmly as his eyes studied the chimerical creature as the Draconequus flicked a hand over his features and the top hat and monocle melted away, saying seriously: “Don't worry. I'm not the Penguin. I don't have any dangerous umbrellas. Well. Not with me, anyway.”

“Yup.” Big Mac paused for a moment, then he gently nudged his sister, their emblems – his of a large, green half-apple, hers three smaller red apples – out of her surprise before he returned his eyes to Discombobulation and said slowly: “I know you.”

“Everypony knows me. But knowledge is worthless unless you know how to use it... and as I just said, knowledge is worthless. So even knowing how to use knowledge, doesn't that continue to deride its own value?” Bob asked kindly, gesturing easily with one hand before he smiled slightly at the large earth pony, saying kindly: “But I always did like you. Quiet. Smart. A nice offset to me, not so quiet, not so smart. We could do a great comedy tour together, or a spinoff.”

“Yeah, I remember you too.” spoke up the dragon after a moment, his emerald eyes widening, and he glanced at the ivory unicorn mare beside him as she looked up at him with surprised blue irises, her corkscrewed purple mane half-covering one of these as the violet-scaled dragon nodded rapidly, his light green ear-fins flicking as he reached up and rubbed a hand quickly over the larger, darker green fins standing out of his skull in an anxious gesture. “Don't you remember, Rarity? He traveled with us... those dreams, remember?”

“Of... carriages, and a long journey, and all those things we did...” Rarity murmured softly, and she laughed faintly as she drew her eyes up the smooth, lime-green scales of the dragon's chest to meet his eyes, the lanky male smiling at her warmly as he nodded rapidly, only a little taller than she was. “Spike, then... that means...”

“It means...” Spike fell quiet as his eyes roved upwards, reaching up to touch the single adornment the dragon wore: a beautiful golden band that encircled one arm, inset with shining, diamond-shaped blue gemstones like the cutie mark of three gleaming gems on Rarity's flank. Rarity frowned a bit, but then she followed Spike's gaze as the others did the same, everyone present looking towards the cottage, not simply because Celestia strode out... but because when she stepped aside, she was followed by another figure being helped along by her husband.

A sapphire winged unicorn, who had been in so many of their dreams, and more than one nightmare, accompanied by an earth pony they remembered just as well... but it was Luna their eyes were drawn to. Luna who they gazed at in silence and amazement, pregnant, heavy Luna as she waddled her way forwards, wheezing a little before she rose her head, looking almost shy even as her cyan eyes gazed radiantly over those who had gathered here.

“Friends... it has been... such a long time since I have had the pleasure of seeing all thee. Of being with all thee...” Luna closed her eyes, smiling faintly as her ephemeral locks swayed slowly forwards in the windless air, almost hiding her from view as she whispered: “And I am so sorry. I cannot apologize to any of thee enough for what happened, for my failure in... protecting thee, or protecting the world, or any of its inhabitants. I have done what I could, but... I know it is not enough, and I seek not to defend myself or justify my actions. I am so sorry, my friends... and I do not ask forgiveness. Only... to share the truth.”

“The truth shall set you free.” Discombobulation said softly, and then he gently pushed his chair back as he climbed to his feet, turning around and striding calmly towards Luna as he smiled down at her before he reached down and patted her firmly on the head, making her glare for a moment before he slipped easily past Scrivener Blooms and gestured to them, saying calmly towards the staring ponies past the table: “Ponies – and dragon – I am sure that for at least most of you, the curtains of memory have been brushed back, and flickering lights are going on and off in your minds, however unbelievable some of your memories must seem. Allow me to finish the job, if you will, with a few key points of fact: yes, you died. Yes, you were ghosts. Yes, the Starlit Knights were real, and most of those here were part of it. And yes, I did in fact have the honor and pleasure of getting myself blown into kibble fighting a destruction demigod who happened to be much, much stronger than me. And yes, we are all here now... because of Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild.”

The winged unicorn and the earth pony both glanced up with surprise, and the Draconequus smiled at them before he reached out and pinched Scrivy's cheek, making him wince. “Look how cute they are when they're all embarrassed. But it's true. None of us would be here without these two, and I don't mean that in the way you say 'I wouldn't be here without the help of my roadies backstage' unless they're actually really good roadies and not just the guys who get you drugs and chicks... although, granted, sometimes those things are more important to a rock band than music is.”

There was silence, and Discombobulation cleared his throat before he walked quickly across the yard, then turned and awkwardly hurried back in the other direction before veering towards his chair, sitting himself quickly down in it and complacently knitting his fingers together before Celestia glanced up and said softly: “Discombobulation is right. I am not your hero... they are your heroes.”

“Now I remember...” Rainbow Dash murmured, dropping his head forwards with a faint smile as he closed his eyes, and then a faint grin spread over his face as he looked up and muttered: “Wow, life just got awkward. Here I've been running around telling everypony what a mischievous little colt I was... and I was a mischievous little filly, wasn't I?”

“Yup.” Big Mac said gently, and Rainbow shot him a sour look over his shoulder before he did a double take at the way Mac shrugged, by now long used to reading the earth pony's expressions and body language, before the red stallion said softly: “Yeah, I knew. But why tell you? You are who you are, that's all... besides. Dreams, nightmares, memories... was all mixed up in my head. No point in spoutin' off nonsense before I knew what was true and what was just...”

“What was just... nightmares.” Applejack murmured quietly, looking up and nodding slowly as she gave a faint smile, whispering: “I'll be damned, though... I even remember... flashes of... it can't be memory, can it? Because I got this horrible feeling that I was... I was dead. Yet I see things after that... I see the Nibelung, and you two, and other things, things that don't always make sense...”

Rarity laughed quietly, shaking her own head slowly and murmuring: “Except all the same, it has that sense of 'being' to it, doesn't it? Of reality, not the surreality that the... the wild imaginings have. Like the falcon-headed figure...”

“And you all went away... you were Starlit Knights.” murmured the young yellow mare, before her eyes turned quickly towards Scarlet Sage, smiling at her faintly. “Even you. Well, you weren't really a knight, because we were just kids back then, but you were... special, they were takin' you to see Celestia...”

Scarlet Sage nodded with a faint smile, and then Twilight looked up and said softly: “Come on, everypony. Let's sit down... Luna, you and Scrivener can sit at the head of the table, and I'll take the other side and... well... everypony else can figure out where to sit themselves, I'm sure. We've all got a lot of catching up to do but... Luna, I think I speak for everypony when I say that none of us blame you.”

“Not a single damn bit.” Applejack said firmly, and Rainbow Dash nodded, standing up as Big Mac grunted in agreement with a nod of his own.

All eyes looked to Luna, supporting, compassionate, kind... and the winged unicorn could only smile in return, swallowing thickly as she stared out at the mass of ponies, grasping her belly for a moment with one hoof as warmth and tenderness and joy spread through her, before she whispered quietly: “Thank you.”

The Cast-Down King

Chapter Four: The Cast-Down King
~BlackRoseRaven

Celestia stayed for a few days longer to make sure that Luna was holding up well and that Scrivener wouldn't be too stressed with taking care of her, but the sapphire winged unicorn was behaving herself well and needed very little in the way of additional care. That, and she was a dedicated mother, devoting all the energy she had into looking after Antares, staying on the comfy bedding in the den as much as possible but at the same time already showing far more energy than even Celestia had expected to see in her sister at this point.

It was a good sign, though, even if Celestia cautioned Luna several times over not to take things so quickly, to let Scrivener fetch things for her, to let Twilight Sparkle help her during the nights the violet mare planned to spend out at the cottage while the ivory winged unicorn went and tended to the business of the barony and the Royal Council. Luna agreed empathetically, continuing to smile until Celestia and Twilight Sparkle left... and then she passed Antares to Scrivener, who took the newborn, and then winced as Luna flailed her way up to her hooves and declared with a wheeze: “Outside! This room reeks terribly and I refuse to allow my body to grow any weaker than it already has!”

Scrivener winced, but there wasn't exactly any argument he could make that Luna would listen to as she half-staggered, half-dragged herself through the kitchen and out the back door. And until Scarlet Sage returned later in the afternoon from picking up some baby supplies, there wasn't much he could do as he sat on the porch, watching Luna trying to exercise but instead mostly flop around in the grass as he said awkwardly: “I don't think newborns are supposed to be outside like this this...”

“Oh, he is wrapped in a blanket, he is fine.” Luna scoffed, and Scrivener winced a bit before he looked at Luna for a few long moments, thought about how he was taking advice from a winged unicorn who, while this foal's mother, was also currently laying in a position that made her look a little like she was trying to bury her face into the ground as she attempted to do pushups. And with that in mind, Scrivener turned and hurried back inside with the foal, Luna yelling after him... except that in and of itself sapped the little strength she had left, and she flopped tiredly in the grasses, wheezing for breath.

Scrivener returned a few minutes later to find Luna still laying in the grasses, and he sighed a little as he walked forwards. Luna glanced moodily up at him, then she managed to raise her head and say grumpily: “Thou art being a bad father, leaving our son unattended.”

“He's safe in his crib in the living room at the moment, Luna. Besides, I'd be an even worse father if I let his mother die out here in the backyard.” Scrivener leaned down, gently pulling Luna up to her hooves and supporting her against him, and she wheezed a little as he felt her pain and her tiredness pulsing in his own body... but thankfully, without her exhaustion. Sure, he had experienced the pain associated with childbirth right alongside her, but he hadn't suffered the aftereffects or the aftermath, among other things.

Luna mumbled as she allowed him to help her along until they reached the bedding, and she smiled after a moment at the fact he had changed the sheets away from the stinky, sterile blue hospital-like sheets back to comfortable, darker-colored, thicker sheeting, and done away with the thin blankets for the thick, fluffy ones Luna preferred. Luna gladly flopped down into these, mashing herself into the pillows as Scrivener checked on the newborn in his black, hoof-carved crib, and he smiled softly down at the child before Luna flailed a hoof at him and rolled onto her side, murmuring quietly: “Come down here. I cannot reach thou all the way up there.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment despite himself, stepping onto the bedding and dropping down beside the winged unicorn, and Luna gazed at him adoringly before she leaned forwards and traded a slow, quiet kiss with him, their mouths working together for a few long moments before parting as they studied each other, gazes warm and compassionate as Scrivener murmured: “I love you, warrior princess.”

“And thou hast all the love I can return and more, Scrivener Blooms...” Luna smiled softly, bumping their noses together as her eyes shone with adoration. “Truly, after all, we are blessed beyond measure. We have each other, we have a handsome son and a wonderful daughter, we have our friends... truly, we are blessed.”

“We are. Not even I can deny that.” Scrivener said softly, and then he carefully pushed himself up to his hooves, smiling slightly. “I'm just glad that your tiredness isn't being passed over to me. Having to understand what it was like to... well... you know, that was hard enough. And the fact you didn't cry until Antares was born... you are one tough mare.”

“Fear not, Scrivener Blooms, thou art a tough mare as well. Thou carried thyself well through the pains of labor, after all.” Luna winked up at him, and Scrivener laughed despite himself, gazing warmly down at the winged unicorn and feeling happier and more relieved than he could begin to express with the fact her mood was beginning to return to normal already. “Aye, but... I am glad as well. It would make things so much more awkward if Celestia had to stay around to help take care of us, or Scarlet Sage wasn't able to go out into Ponyville to help out our friends... I adore the young mare, but she should not be worrying so much about us when she has her own interests to follow.”

Scrivener smiled slightly at this, tilting his head towards her as he asked mildly: “And it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you're still determined that somehow, you're going to be fit to pull another big prank on Nightmare Night and you have Scarlet Sage setting up for that, right?”

“Of course not, Scrivener Blooms, that sounds nothing like me.” Luna scoffed, and then she glanced up at the crib, adding softly: “Art thou sure the babe is alright? He is so quiet... it almost worries me. He raises his little voice so rarely, Scrivy... that is nothing like either of us.”

“Well, if you're suggesting it's Twilight's foal, I'm having a hard time figuring out how she slipped it into your womb.” Scrivener said blandly, and Luna sighed and shoved her hoof against his face, making him wince back a bit before he gently pushed her hoof away and added in a softer voice: “But the foal is fine, Luna... he's a handsome little unicorn, who has the bad luck of looking like his father but the good luck of at least getting your gorgeous eyes.”

Luna blushed and shifted a bit at this, and Scrivener smiled slightly before he carefully stood up, turning towards the crib to check on the newborn anyway, and he softened as he leaned over the bars, gazing down at the baby. Antares was half-curled up, one hoof pawing quietly at the air, dozing... and the stallion softened after a moment, looking down at his son and murmuring quietly: “Mom and Dad are always going to take care of you, kiddo. No matter what happens... you remember that promise now, huh?”

The winged unicorn smiled lovingly at her husband... and then she glanced curiously over her shoulder as there was a loud knock at the door, cocking her head curiously as Scrivener turned around with a slight frown. Usually their visitors informed them before they showed up, except for Pinkamena... but Pinkamena also always just barged her way in.

He shrugged after a moment, then headed towards the door when the knocking came again, and Luna wheezed and carefully began to lever herself up to a sitting position against the pillows with a moody look, muttering: “Wonderful. Scrivener Blooms, I order thou to punch whoever it is for interrupting our romance.”

“Luna, I'm not going to punch whoever it is.” Scrivener said tiredly over his shoulder, and then he pulled the door open and looked ahead... before slowly raising his eyes upwards with dumb surprise at the tall, bipedal figure until he was looking up at the face of a tall, lanky figure dressed in a thick hide jacket over rugged clothes, gloved hands resting on a slender walking stick, his features that of an aging, graying falcon's with a long scar that passed over one eye, and Scrivener smiled lamely as he called awkwardly: “Uh. Luna? It's for you.”

“Oh damnation.” Luna groaned, rolling her eyes and not needing to catch Scrivener's thoughts to recognize what his tone in all likelihood meant. “Tell him I am not here, Scrivener Blooms! I died in childbirth!”

“Brynhild, I can hear you.” the falcon-headed entity stated tiredly, and then he looked down at Scrivener and gave a small smile, asking after a moment: “May I come inside? It's been a long trip.”

“Of course, Odin.” Scrivener Blooms stepped hurriedly backwards, and the once God of Wisdom and Warrior King of the Aesir, Odin, carefully stepped inside, closing the door carefully behind himself as the earth pony turned and hurried off to the kitchen to put on tea. Luna, meanwhile, only grouchily looked up as the falcon-headed being strode slowly down the hallway and emerged into the den room, nodding to the winged unicorn respectfully before his eyes roved towards the crib.

“Thou may look, but thou may not touch. The foal sleeps.” Luna said brusquely after a moment, and Odin nodded again with a chuckle, his gnarled walking stick making quiet taps against the floor as he leaned on it, his strides slow and measured as he strode over to the crib and quietly rested a hand against the top of it, gazing down at the foal inside.

He smiled again after a moment, studying the child... and then the falcon-headed once-god finally drew back and turned around, carefully walking over to the writing desk sitting in one corner of the room and sitting himself down on the stool in front of it, Luna continuing to look at him moodily. It wasn't that she distrusted Odin, particularly, or even that she didn't like him... but she always felt a strange mix of gratitude and frustration whenever she saw him. Odin, after all, had been the one to kill her when she had been a Valkyrie... and both a victim and a pawn of Valthrudnir's grand machinations.

No longer a god, and trapped in an aging body further weakened by a failed polymorph, Odin had once kept himself strong by drinking elixirs made from Ambrosia, a fruit capable of granting great strength to those who consumed it. Odin, however, had finally tired of using the potion... and it had only taken a few days for him to begin aging as his remaining powers faded.

He was still stronger than he looked, and Luna was somehow sure that the once-god could likely still hold his own in battle if necessary... but he was content to let nature take its course now. It made the winged unicorn feel oddly... proud, as well as uncomfortable: she, after all, didn't think she would ever be able to deal with growing old. The thought scared her, before she glanced up as Odin said softly: “Now there's no need to give me sympathy, Brynhild. I don't deserve it... especially not from you, with everything I've done.”

“Yes, putting me into coma, killing me, draining my memories, stealing my ability to bear a child, and let us not forget the entire attempt to molest me that all led to this nonsense in the first place.” Luna said dryly, flicking a hoof as she sat up with a grimace, and Odin sighed tiredly, looking at her with exasperation. “Oh. And attempting to murder my husband.”

“Brynhild, I said I wasn't worthy of sympathy. I didn't ask you to list out the mistakes I've made over the years.” Odin replied mildly, and the winged unicorn huffed a bit before the once-god shifted and carefully put his walking stick aside with a grimace, rubbing slowly at one leg. “I wanted to come by and congratulate you, though... you have a handsome son. Sleipnir sends his own regards... I cannot begin to describe my son's joy at hearing you gave birth.”

Luna grunted, nodding after a moment, but she softened all the same before she mumbled: “Thou... hast my thanks, then, old warmonger.”

Odin smiled wryly, and then he glanced up at the ceiling before drawing his eyes back to Luna, saying in a quieter voice: “But... this is not simply a social call, either. You see, Brynhild... I need your help with something. Not now, now you need to focus on recovery, on gaining back your strength, and taking care of your son. But in the near future... I am going to need your aid for a task that I can trust only you and Scrivener Blooms with.”

Luna frowned at this, her eyes narrowing even as she couldn't resist from saying sourly: “So thy gift to me for son's birth is to give me a new job that will undoubtedly take me away from him. Oh, Odin, thou art just so very generous. It makes me want to pummel thee in joy.”

“Brynhild, you agreed to this. Part of the deal was that you would do tasks to protect this world, to protect the core reality that anchors all these layers in place... and besides, the tasks should be short, for the most part, and you will have fair periods of time between them to spend here doing as you please.” Odin said quietly, and then he smiled a little, rubbing at the scarred side of his face slowly. “I would do it myself, but... I am old. Traveling to this reality was... difficult enough as it was, and I am sure the trip back will prove just as unpleasant.”

Luna sighed a little, and there was silence for a few moments before Scrivener walked in from the kitchen, quietly setting down a tray with a mug of tea and a few scones on it on the writing desk next to the once-god. Odin smiled his thanks to the earth pony, and then he quietly picked up the mug... but only held it tight between his gloved hands, seeming to enjoy the warmth as he looked down into the cup. “Oh, the way the tides have turned, my friends... but it could be so much worse. Valthrudnir could have won... you, Freya, Thor could have all been lost forever, Brynhild... I could be without a successor to the halls of Valhalla, or simply... dead and gone myself. There is much to be happy for, even if now...”

He fell silent, shaking his head slowly, and Luna and Scrivener both studied him as they sat together on the bedding before Odin looked up and said softly: “I know. You're curious. And as an old man, I no longer feel the necessity to keep a strict, strategic silence, rather I want to talk until you no longer want to listen. So, friends, this is what I will ask of you... this is what has this old not-god... afraid.”

Odin closed his eyes, sipping slowly at his tea for a moment before he rose his head, beginning quietly: “A few weeks ago, while I was inspecting the status of the remaining layers around the core reality, I noticed there was something... wrong. There were signs of violence in several of the realities that were never affected by Valthrudnir's attacks... oh, certainly, there is violence in the other worlds. There is war, and strife, and sin, and wretched evil, but... this was different. It did not bear any sense or resemblance to the other forms of violence in those particular layers: the difference to my eye was as clear and large as the different cut a Berserk's axe makes compared to a hunter's arrow.

“It made me realize something: the core reality, as it is, is too great a vulnerability. It may be protected by the layers, but it is still possible to reach if someone can get in to one of the closer layers. And that is foolishness.” Odin halted, then he looked quietly over at Luna and Scrivener, as the two ponies surveyed him silently. “Therefore, I have decided another level of protection is in order, apart from the labyrinth of the layers. Anchors must be created in different layers of reality, that will act as both supports for the core reality and will also serve to create a barrier, making it impossible for those who do not have the proper key, for lack of a better metaphor, to enter. And laying those anchors is something I can entrust only to you both to take care of.”

Scrivener and Luna traded a look at this, before the winged unicorn snorted and glanced up, asking moodily: “So thou wishes for us to travel from world-to-world on the Bifrost, building... mystical anchors? 'Tis absurd. If there is some creature moving from layer-to-layer that has thee so worried, why not have myself and my husband simply track it down and destroy it?”

Odin sighed at this, rubbing at his face slowly before he replied finally: “Because it is not like Valthrudnir, Brynhild, attacking and destroying entire realities... whatever it is, it is hostile, yes, but it is leaping from layer-to-layer, causing mischief and destruction here and there before moving on. It is likely only some minor destruction entity... exterminating it is not a task worthy of your time or abilities.

“And prevention and protection, especially in this case, are much more important than sitting and waiting for the core reality to be threatened so we can simply respond, and perhaps respond too late.” Odin continued quietly, shaking his head slowly. “Think about it, Brynhild. Your child; do you keep him safe as possible, or do you leave him laying in the fields and only run to him if some wild beast is about to gobble him up?”

“'Tis an unfair question, I am still figuring this whole mothering business out.” Luna retorted moodily, rubbing at her face with a hoof, and Scrivener reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently before she sighed moodily, nodding once after a moment. “Alright, alright. I understand, and well... it is admittedly not what I expected, Odin. The last time thou came to us with a job, it was to destroy a rather nasty monstrosity. I do not like this business of layers and other worlds... it means there are too many possible enemies laying in wait, that one wild toss of the dice could send spilling into our reality. Why can't there be a reality where everything is made of sugar and candy?”

Scrivener smiled a little despite himself as Odin sipped at his mug of tea before opening his beak, and Luna glared at him, cutting him quickly off. “'Twas not an actual question, old lecher. I know why, it would be boring. But what of these anchors then? I cannot imagine they will be small and simple to transport.”

Odin smiled a little at this, saying quietly: “You of all people should know that size is not the sole determiner of strength. After all, you're a pony... certainly larger than most of your kind... but compared to the dragons, the monstrosities, the Black Wolves you've defeated in the past, nothing but a tender morsel.”

Luna laughed despite herself, nodding after a moment as she glanced down before murmuring: “Aye, that may be true, Odin, but I will not be distracted from the subject at hand. Tell me of these anchors... will they truly be miraculously small devices, then, or will they be large and unwieldy objects?”

“They will be somewhere in the middle ground between the two, fear not. But I have already asked Greece to build a special wagon that will be able to go back and forth across the Bifrost, and should require only minor repairs. I'm going to make this as easy as possible for you, Brynhild, don't worry... it's not in my interests to outfit you with anything but the very best.” Odin said quietly, and Luna looked up suspiciously, but the falcon-headed entity only sipped at his tea before he added softly: “You're like a daughter to me, Brynhild. Yes, I ask you to go into danger for me... but would you really have it any other way?”

“I... no. But do not call me that again, Odin, still weak or not I shall still drag myself over to thee and pummel thee viciously.” Luna muttered, her starry mane twisting with her apprehension before she sighed a little and leaned over, burying her face against the side of Scrivener's neck and closing her eyes as she murmured: “I appreciate all the same that... thou art providing what thou can, though. Alright, alright, very well. I take it thou shall provide the coordinates for us?”

“Of course.” Odin nodded with a small smile, then he picked up a scone and took a bite out of it, chewing slowly. Luna looked at him impatiently, but Odin remained unfettered, refusing to be rushed before he swallowed and continued calmly: “But again, it will be months before I do so. The anchors still have to be prepared... and I will try to provide you with specific places in which to put them, or at least send you to specific destinations. Places difficult for other ponies to reach, but which for yourself and your husband should not prove overly problematic. One thing I will ask, however, and will continue to remind you of: please do not harass or intermingle with the ponies of other layers. They may not react well to the fact there is a second Night Princess parading around.”

Luna grinned slightly at this, and Odin sighed a little, rubbing slowly at his face with one hand before he murmured: “And already I'm wondering if this is a good idea and it's months away from when you'll be leaving. I would ask Sleipnir to do this, but he has his own duties to attend to, maintaining Valhalla and helping train Kvasir. Sleipnir... Thor... is my heir, but he does not wish to take my seat in Asgard. He wants to be free.”

“Aye, I know.” Luna smiled a little, glancing down and shaking her head slowly before she murmured: “I only wish that I could see him, Odin. Or at least that he could come, see my child... can thou not bend the rules for me one time? Thou art master of Heaven, 'tis within thine abilities to release a soul from the imprisonment of warrior's paradise, if only for a time! Let him come down to Midgard... let him see his nephew, my son. He did not die fairly.”

“Few die fairly. The gods did not die fairly. A fair death is a very rare thing, Luna.” Odin said quietly, leaning forwards and shaking his head slowly, and Luna sighed a little as she nodded before the falcon-headed entity rubbed slowly at his face, then murmured finally: “But... while I make no promises, I shall see what I can do. I do not like interfering with the laws of life and death, the cycle of souls through the worlds... but perhaps I can still permit it once Sleipnir is finished his current tasks.”

Luna looked up with a warm smile, and Odin sighed a little, looking entertained despite himself. “You favor me so rarely with that look that I can't help but wonder if I'm doing something wrong instead of doing something right. Ironic, isn't it?”

“A little.” Luna said softly, and then she glanced at Scrivener Blooms, the earth pony smiling at her before he headed back into the kitchen, and Luna returned her eyes to Odin, studying him for a few moments before saying softly: “Thou art looking older every time we meet, lecher. It must make it difficult to lure in the pretty young creatures thou has always been so fond of.”

“I am too old and too tired to have any energy left for pretty young things at the end of the day. That's for those who have retained their immortal vitality, like yourself and Sleipnir.” Odin said softly, and then he smiled a little to himself. “But don't worry, Brynhild. I still have a good few years left in these old bones yet. I ache, and yet the aches tell me I'm alive, and that I'll continue to be alive for quite some time.”

Luna nodded awkwardly after a moment, rubbing at her face with one hoof before she glanced towards the crib as she heard a murmur from her son, and Odin's own eye roved towards this before he said softly: “You haven't told me your child's name yet, by the way.”

“Antares. Antares Mīrus.” Luna said softly, smiling a little after a moment before she closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards. “I shall say it once, wretched cyclops. Thou hast... the greatest gratitude I can give that thou... completed me. Filled in that one piece of me that was missing...”

“And you do not have to thank me for that. Had I not stolen that from you in the first place, you would have been able to have this child long ago.” Odin replied softly, and Luna looked up with a slow shrug of her shoulders, earning a curious tilt of the once-god's head.

For a few moments, the winged unicorn was silent... and then finally, as Scrivener returned with two mugs of coffee and two jam-covered muffin halves, Luna looked up and said quietly: “Had I... given birth years ago, I may have lost the child to Ragnarok or Valthrudnir. Had I the ability to bear a child... I may have even borne a foal with another stallion, as I have had... more than one suitor, over my five hundred years in Equestria before I was exiled to the reaches of the moon. Instead, I have given birth to this handsome foal, this handsome son, with the male who is my soulmate, whom my story is woven together with by the Norns. And for that, I am glad... and curse thee, Odin, for playing the role thou did in ensuring that.”

Odin was smiling warmly now, however, looking quietly across at Luna before he bowed his head silently as he took a long drink of his tea... and then the once-god paused for a few long moments before looking up and saying finally: “Then I am honored, Brynhild. And Scrivener Blooms, if I may ask... how do you feel, being a father?”

“I... it's scary. Scarier than having Valthrudnir in my head, trying to turn me into a monster.” Scrivener said finally, smiling a little... but even as he said it, he realized the last remark was all too true, as he rubbed nervously at his face with a hoof. Odin only continued to look at him calmly, curiously, however, and Scrivener hesitated a little under the gaze of the once-god: he had never exactly felt like he was on completely-stable footing with Odin, after all, and not just because he was a simple hornless unicorn made special because of Luna. “I... think a lot about my own parents. About all the things they... did wrong, and the way I was treated by them. I never want to be that... I want to be a good father, but I don't even entirely know what that means. I know I can't give him everything he'll likely ask for. I know we'll probably fight. I know I'll have to punish him more than once as he grows up, and that... he won't be perfect. But at the same time I don't want him to be... perfect. I want him to be who he is. Luna and I are both full of flaws, after all.”

“Speak for thyself.” Luna said huffily, and Scrivener rolled his eyes with an amused smile before she glanced back at Odin, saying quietly: “But I have faith in my husband. More faith in him than I have in myself as a mother, as a matter of fact: I, after all, am a Valkyrie, and plan to spoil my child as much as possible. Mostly because all the other parents will likely blame Scrivener for any transgressions our son makes.”

Scrivener gave her a flat look, and Odin chuckled quietly as he nodded slowly. “He is the child of a Valkyrie. He carries the blood of the Aesir in his veins, and the countless years of honor we had before the fall... only unlike any of us, he is innocent. He will be strong when he grows older... I only hope I live to see those days come.”

Luna smiled softly at this, and Odin leaned back thoughtfully, rubbing slowly at the underside of his beak. “Perhaps, Brynhild, as he grows older... you will permit me to aid in his training. I have the feeling you intend to teach him the old ways, after all...”

“Of course. He will be strong, and he is of the bloodline of the mightiest warriors this world has ever known.” Luna said proudly, raising her head as her mane flowed backwards, her cyan eyes bright. “He will be a hero. He will do great things, I know it in my heart of hearts, my mixed soul. He is but a few days old, and yet already, he is strong, he is quiet, and it bodes well for the future... and whilst on most things, Odin, I may mock and refute thee... if thou would be willing to help my son, I would feel most indebted to thee.”

“No, no, it is I who should thank you for the honor.” Odin replied quietly, smiling slightly before he drank down the last of his tea from the mug, and he paused for a moment to gaze thoughtfully down into this, swirling the dregs at the bottom of the cup slowly. “With this, after all... the bloodline of the Aesir will never truly die out. After all, Kvasir himself strains the definition... he is a 'god,' yes, with the blood of both the Aesir and the Vanir in his veins, but... that is all too literal a definition.”

Luna cocked her head curiously, and then she asked after a moment: “Thou hast spoken before of this godling, but never has thou been particularly clear on the subject... if thou art in such a talkative mood today, Odin, perhaps thou could enlighten us as to what this creature is?”

“A homunculus, to put it simply. Made by Valthrudnir himself, no less, from the blood of both Aesir and Vanir he gathered after the slaughter.” the once-god replied quietly, and Luna and Scrivener both looked up in sharp surprise before Odin smiled a little. “Fear not, Kvasir is relatively harmless. Oh, he is certainly a god... but he is not very powerful. You see, Valthrudnir designed him as a living trophy of sorts... I found the poor, miserable creature locked up in a case in Valthrudnir's manse-”

“Wait, wait, I wish to hear more of this entity, but first... thou knows the location of Valthrudnir's home? Furthermore, thou dared the lair of the Jötnar?” Luna asked incredulously, leaning forwards and glaring at Odin. “And just when was this? Why did thou not tell us?”

“Mostly because it was back before I could be entirely sure of your qualities, Brynhild.” Odin replied calmly, looking mildly over at the winged unicorn as he leaned back a bit, and Luna looked grumpily back at him. “And yes, admittedly there was a bit of selfishness there, too. I wanted to see the enemy's home for myself, and whether or not there were any artifacts or tools that would help me with my... condition.” Odin gestured calmly at his falcon-like features, smiling faintly. “But sadly, there was nothing useable there. More than once I have journeyed into his pocket dimension that contains his mansion and the icy, mechanical strangeness that surrounds it, but... even my stomach turns at the thought of some of the relics he kept.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, grimacing a little and feeling unsurprised as Luna only studied Odin moodily, and then the once-god looked up and said finally: “If you really desire, Luna, perhaps one day when I am feeling stronger and you are in better health as well, I can bring you there. To see the enemy's abandoned bastion... Valthrudnir had no friends and no allies, so it is merely a hidden realm, steadily gathering dust.”

Luna grunted after a moment and finally nodded, muttering: “Very well, Odin. Aye, I wish to see for myself how the monster lived. I can only imagine what kind of lair such a creature as he would design for his comforts.”

There was silence for a few minutes, until Scrivener asked awkwardly: “Can I get you another cup of tea?”

“No, I should leave shortly, in any event. Thank you though, Scrivener Blooms.” Odin smiled a bit and gave a small nod, and then he returned his eyes to the winged unicorn, adding gently: “And as to the subject of Kvasir, which I am sure you are still curious about, perhaps... I will have Sleipnir bring him here, and you can judge his qualities for yourselves. It would be a fair reason for your brother to leave Valhalla, serving as bodyguard to the god I am training to act as steward after I... finally depart on greater journeys.”

Scrivener smiled a little at this metaphor, and even Luna looked faintly entertained for a moment... but that could very well have to do with the mention of her brother. “That is generous, Odin... and I admit, intelligent as well for once. Normally, I question whether or not thou wert truly worthy of thy title of God of Wisdom, but it seems as if thou has finally begun to earn that grand and noble label.”

“Thank you, Brynhild, I am glad you approve.” Odin said tiredly, but he was smiling a little all the same before he picked up his walking stick, then carefully began to haul himself up to his feet, grunting quietly as he slowly stood and muttered: “Curse these old bones...”

“I have a question!” Luna said suddenly, sitting up a bit, and Odin looked at her mildly as Scrivener gave the winged unicorn a flat look as well, and then she asked finally: “Why must thou insist upon calling me Brynhild, and yet thou refers to my brother as Sleipnir instead of Thor?”

“If I didn't know better, Brynhild, I'd think that I had already answered this question more than once before...” Odin said slowly, and when Luna only continued to glare up at him, he sighed a bit, rubbing at his face before saying tiredly: “Because I am an old man with bad habits, is that the answer you've been looking for all these years?”

“Perhaps.” Luna said moodily, and then she shook her head quickly before saying softly: “I am Luna Brynhild, Odin. Not Princess Luna, not Brynhild the Night Maiden. I am Luna Brynhild.”

“Then I do not see the problem with how I refer to you. Just as I refer to my son as Sleipnir, because it is the name he chose, and because he asked me to. He says his days as Thor are long past, but...” Odin smiled a little, shaking his head slowly. “No, enough rambling for today. I believe I'm going to walk to Ponyville. The ponies will not know who I am, after all, and it will be... interesting to see their society up close. Besides, the leaves are changing, and the Forest is very beautiful this time of year. I need to learn to enjoy things like this, and take the world slow, one small step at a time.”

Luna snorted in amusement at this, and then she carefully laid herself down, saying quietly: “Then I'll wish thee well, Odin, in thy boring pursuits. Just know that at this rate, thou shall die comfortably in bed.”

“Now, Brynhild, there is no need for such cruelty.” Odin smiled a bit despite himself, and then he nodded politely to the winged unicorn before striding slowly down the hall, and Scrivener Blooms quickly climbed to his hooves to follow after the once-god to see him out.

Odin opened the door without looking around, stepping out onto the deck... but then he paused and glanced calmly over his shoulder, resting quietly on his walking stick before he asked softly: “If I may... is Valthrudnir's echo...”

“Gone.” Scrivener shook his head slowly, smiling faintly as he looked up and said quietly: “No voices or anything, no... visions of Valthrudnir being a jerk, no sensation of sharing my mind with some unwanted tenant. He... never understood that mortals aren't toys or puppets, did he? That our will is...”

“Honestly, Scrivener Blooms... it was something I did not always understand at first either. I mean, look at this menagerie of worlds I created...” Odin chuckled quietly, gesturing outwards with a small smile. “I created a world, the anchor world, for no point other than my own relaxation and entertainment. A world of pretty prancing ponies with intelligent minds, telling the other Aesir when they favored me with the most disturbed looks that I was simply trying to discern whether or not intelligent steeds would better serve our warriors but... that wasn't true. I have simply always liked horses... and so I created horses that could talk and share interests and build societies instead of just roam in herds across the wild. And that was all they were to me... entertainment.

“It... was difficult for me to grasp at first, that... I had to be responsible for these life forms. That they could feel... that your emotions are as real, as powerful, as mine.” Odin continued quietly, looking silently up at the blue sky above. “And I cannot assuage the guilt I feel even now, even today, over everything that has happened. Over the way I treated my own people, and these layers of reality that Valthrudnir set his eyes on and tore his way through. I am only glad that Valthrudnir never understood the value, the strength, the courage that a pony like yourself can possess, Scrivener Blooms. That let you push back against the infection in your mind, and in that one moment of vulnerability, destroy the representation of the echo manifested in your mind to drive Valthrudnir out, once and for all.”

Scrivener blushed a bit as he bowed his head forwards, and Odin looked down at him quietly before he smiled a little, striding off the deck as he said over his shoulder: “It's a beautiful day, Scrivener Blooms. On days like today, you should try and forget about the past and just enjoy the present.”

Scrivy remained silent, but he was smiling a little as he watched the once-god calmly make his way to the path leading into the Everfree Forest and towards Ponyville... and then the earth pony shook his head slowly before he turned around and headed back inside, kicking the door closed behind him. He was unsurprised when he reached the living room and found Luna was already half-dozing, feeling her tiredness beginning to seep into his mind.

The earth pony quietly cleaned up, taking the dishes to the sink, eating the remaining untouched half of muffin, and checking on Antares before he headed to the baby's room to simply... gaze quietly into it. It was spotless, a mobile hanging quietly over the crib made up of all variety of stars and celestial symbols twinkling quietly away and a chest in the corner of the room filled with toys, stuffed animals sitting on top of this. His favorite part of the room, however, was the border of tiles that ran along the ceiling that had been painted by Luna... but he thought that he was probably biased, as he smiled faintly to himself and studied it quietly. They depicted a story that started with two ponies leaving a beautiful white castle... and ended with them eloping into exile together after a long, dark journey.

“Well, at least we'll have plenty of stories to tell our kid as he grows up, huh?” Scrivener said softly, and then he laughed a bit to himself as he turned slowly around, heading down the corridor as he felt a distinct tiredness tugging at his senses... but then he only smiled a little as he looked down and saw that Luna was curled up and asleep on the bedding, snoring quietly. He gazed at her for a few moments, then shook his head and turned his eyes to the crib, stepping forwards and looking down.

Antares was awake, pawing his hooves at the air, cyan eyes studying him quietly, with the strange solemnity of a baby, and Scrivener smiled awkwardly despite himself before he carefully reached into the crib and pulled the baby free. He checked his diapered bottom, then simply sat back and studied him quietly as Antares looked back at him before the stallion murmured softly, reaching up and brushing the white mane of the unicorn baby back: “You really are looking more and more like me.”

It was true: the ivory mane and tail growing in were almost a perfect match for his father's, and his coat was a few shades darker, but if anything that only made it all the clearer how much Antares was already looking like his father. But those eyes... those were definitely his mother's, and Scrivy smiled before he rubbed a hoof gently along the baby's stomach, and Antares cooed a little up at him, making the stallion's heart flutter. “I really am the luckiest guy in the world...”

Antares smiled up at him... and Scrivener couldn't help but smile warmly in return, cradling his son close as he whispered softly: “Antares Mīrus. Don't you worry... Dad's got you.”

In her dreams, Luna smiled softly, hearing Scrivener's voice as if from far away as she stood on dark concrete, gazing up towards the stars and shining orb of the moon above... and then she shook her head at the sound of a soft laugh from behind her, the winged unicorn turning around and saying softly: “I apologize, Nightmare Moon. I was... distracted.”

“It is alright.” said a soft voice... and a moment later, an enormous, black-coated winged unicorn stepped calmly forwards, her own starry, ephemeral locks swirling freely backwards as her tail flicked, her green, animal eyes glowing with tender cunning and possessive compassion in her slit-like pupils. Her teeth were large and sharp, and around her neck gleamed a collar of steel roses and deadly silver thorns... but like Luna's necklace, a black pearl was inset into the front of it, carved with the black rose.

She stepped calmly forwards, her dark wings flapping once before furling at her sides as her enormous body flexed, smiling kindly as she leaned forwards and said gently: “Luna, I am so proud of you and Scrivener... our child is handsome, and strong, and will be powerful. And you have already decided to begin training him as soon as possible... I approve of this. I wish to aid you, in fact... I wish to help ensure our foal is as strong as he can be.”

“Thou hast my thanks, Nightmare Moon, but I would prefer to wait until my son is older... thy talents are not for the hooves and horns of babes.” Luna replied gently, and Nightmare Moon looked less-than-pleased before the sapphire winged unicorn added quietly: “But thy skills will be appreciated in aiding to protect my child-”

“Our child, Luna. Antares is our child... I am his mother as much as you are, you know this.” Nightmare Moon said softly but firmly, and Luna couldn't hide her grimace before the dark-coated winged unicorn gave a slight, almost-teasing smile, leaning towards the smaller mare. “I am part of you, your passions, your bloodlust, the dark, deep part of you that was sealed away for so long, that even now you sometimes try and carefully avoid or shut away... but I will never be entirely gone, Luna. Not after the tampering done to us by Ignominious's demon... not after we have been awake so long, after we spent so long... in control. Not lucid, no, but you were us for longer than we... have been you.”

Luna grimaced at this, shifting again and looking away, but Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes, sliding forwards and adding slyly: “Besides... you remember the night Antares was conceived, don't you? Oh, I clearly, very clearly do... after all, I was the one in control that night, wasn't I?”

Luna gritted her teeth, looking sharply at Nightmare Moon, but the dark winged unicorn only smiled calmly as she leaned back and said kindly: “But it was only luck. And it is no different than if the child had been conceived during one of your sessions with Scrivener Blooms, as we are the same in many aspects. I only delight that I was able to share in the making of Antares in a more... direct... method...”

“Enough, I do not wish to think about it.” Luna said finally, turning her eyes away again... and then she winced when Nightmare Moon grasped her face with a hoof, turning her head quickly back to look at her... but then the larger, dark creature only gently stroked along her features, her gaze soft, compassionate.

“Oh, do not be silly, Luna. You are the child's mother... and I am only a piece of you. Without you, I cannot exist, would never have come to be, after all.” Nightmare Moon soothed, and Luna shifted awkwardly before the dark-coated winged unicorn smiled slightly and straightened, adding calmly: “Besides, I am so rarely in control. You are the one who will have the delight of being out there in the world, raising him, loving him, being with him... I will merely be watching, and offering my advice from time-to-time. Although I do wonder how our beloved Antares will react to my presence...”

Nightmare Moon looked thoughtful, then she returned her eyes to Luna as the sapphire equine fidgeted awkwardly before the dark-coated creature said softly: “But that is not solely why I wished to speak to you. I have a curiosity I desire answered. A difficult question that I wish to see you weigh in your mind.”

Luna looked less-than-thrilled with this, gazing grouchily up at Nightmare Moon before she frowned as the dark equine asked gently: “Tell me. Who is more important... Scrivener Blooms, or Antares Mīrus? Who would you kill, if you had to choose between the two?”

“To kill Scrivener would be to kill myself, in more ways than the literal at that. To kill my son would also be an act of suicide: I would not be able to bear such pathetic cowardice.” Luna said with disgust, glancing hurriedly away, but Nightmare Moon only smiled knowingly at her, making the smaller equine shiver a bit in this dark world, as the shadows around her seemed to grow more intense, as she felt a strange pressure building in her head and heart. “I... I do not have to answer. I do not know the answer...”

“Oh, you know, because I know.” Nightmare Moon said calmly, leaning forwards as she stood tall, a curious smile on her features as Luna looked up with fury and disgust and self-loathing. “It is only a theoretical question, however, and I have given you the worst possible scenario that could ever arise... choosing between our beloved Scrivener Blooms, and our beloved child. But there is no shame is saying that you would save Scrivener Blooms instead of Antares Mīrus, if your hoof was forced. That is merely self-preservation. That is taking what we know is wonderful and worthwhile, instead of risking it for a child who may not-”

“Enough, I will not listen to thou speaking this way!” Luna shouted furiously, straightening and glaring across at Nightmare Moon, and the dark-coated winged unicorn reared backwards in surprise before Luna shook her head violently and snapped: “Begone, foulest of monsters! I will not play these sickening mind games with thou any longer!”

“So sensitive, Luna... and so afraid.” Nightmare Moon replied softly, her eyes flashing even as she stepped backwards, smiling coldly as she began to fade away into the darkness. “But very well, I am going... I was only curious, Luna.”

“Curiosity killed the Nightmare.” Luna muttered, glaring into the darkness... and yet all the same, she couldn't repress a shiver at what her instincts told her, at what Nightmare Moon had suggested, and the terrible mix of emotions that burned their way through her mind and soul.

Memories And Mischief

Chapter Five: Memories And Mischief
~BlackRoseRaven

The days that followed passed in a flurry of activity: among other things, Luna, Scrivener, and Scarlet Sage all had to get used to the new schedule set by the new baby in the household. Antares was quickly becoming more active now that the initial few days of sleep had passed, and although he couldn't do much and spent much of his time either in a baby harness, curled on the bedding with Luna, or laying in his crib, he was more vocal, and Luna often found herself feeding him, while Scrivener dealt with the process of changing the baby.

Luna and Scrivy both caught naps where they could: it was made more difficult by the fact their soul link meant that when one of them was napping, the other became dazed and tired, but Scarlet Sage was also glad to look after Antares for them when she was able to, letting her grateful parents retreat to their bedroom to sleep. They would curl up in the enormous futon together at these times, the thick curtains closed over the windows to keep out the unwelcome sun, throw the blankets over themselves, and gladly descend into dreamland, both wondering how a baby could exhaust them so much when they had once traveled across Equestria in less than a week.

At night they would often catch short naps, and Luna would spend the rest of her time exercising, rebuilding her strength and stamina. Bit-by-bit, she was getting back into her old athletic, strong shape. Scrivener would sometimes watch her, sometimes help her with her exercises, and sometimes scold her... but mostly, he was simply glad to let her do as she pleased, knowing by now that no matter what he said she wouldn't do anything different, and that Luna knew her own limits... or at least, she had some vague idea that she wasn't completely invincible, and Scrivener only had to carry her inside twice within the first week.

Luna was feeling strong, feeling good... and most of all, feeling eager to make good on her promise to once more make an appearance in Ponyville come Nightmare Night. She was so determined, in fact, that on the day before the night of the costumed celebration, she fitted the baby harness onto Scrivener and declared: “We are going into town!”

“Oh, I'm coming too!” Discombobulation poked his head out of the kitchen, and Scrivener glowered at the Draconequus, but he only huffed in return and crossed his arms. “Well, excuse me all to Helheim for wanting to be there to support my best friends. Just who do you think I am, some kind of coward?”

“No, I think you just enjoy pain far too much. I thought you fed off confusion, not the tears of others.” Scrivener said flatly, and then he winced when Discombobulation leaned forwards and yanked the earth pony's head to the side before shoving a bottle into place against his cheek, and then Scrivener's eyes bulged when the Draconequus twisted his ear and liquid spilled down from one socket, the earth pony wheezing even as Luna ignored what was going on as she fitted Antares gently into the baby carrier.

Then Discombobulation twisted the pony's ear back, and the stream came to a halt as Scrivener yanked his head away, blinking wildly and flicking his ears back and forth as Discombobulation held the bottle up in one hand as he rose his head primly, saying calmly: “Good quality, very clear. Some carbonation, but who doesn't like bubbles?”

With that, the Draconequus turned to look mildly down at Scrivener as Scrivener glared up at him in return, but then Discombobulation only smiled wryly before he rose the bottle, saying kindly: “To good health, and absent friends.” With that, he sipped deep, then let out a sigh of relief as he drew it away, adding kindly: “The very best things in life are free. For everything else, there's Mastercard.”

Scrivener sighed after a moment, rolling his eyes before he winced when Luna fitted a saddlebag on his bare side, loaded with Antares' baby things. He wheezed a little, glaring at Luna, but she only huffed in response as she stretched, saying dryly: “Thou art an enormous stallion who constantly complains he wishes he could do more. I am currently in a state where thou art fortunate I also do not need to be carried.”

“Can I ride one of you like a churro?” Discombobulation asked curiously, and both Luna and Scrivener glared up at him, the Draconequus looking at them calmly in return before he frowned slightly. “Churro. That's the right word, isn't it? Or burro. I'm fairly certain both are edible but only one of them people recommend you eat. Do burros ride churros or do churros ride burros?”

Luna rose a hoof and pressed it against Scrivener's mouth before the earth pony could say anything, and then she leaned up and said kindly: “Bob. Now listen. Thou art a friend, and my son seems to adore thee. Thou always makes him smile, and this in turn makes me smile and feel glad. But if thou does not shut up I will rip thy insides out and stuff thee like a plush toy.”

“I'll. Take my medication.” Discombobulation cleared his throat, a bottle of pills appearing in his free hand before he quickly unscrewed the cap and knocked several of these back into his mouth, and then he followed up with a long drink of water before staring forwards as his white pupils dilated, both bottles vanishing from his hands as he slowly held them up in front of his face. “Dude, my hands are huge. They can touch anything but themselves...” He paused, bringing his fingers slowly together. “Oh wait... they can do that too.”

Scrivener and Luna stared at the Draconequus... then they both simply turned and headed for the door even as Antares giggled from where he was hanging at Scrivy's side, touching his front hooves together as if in imitation of Discombobulation before the Draconequus winced and slapped the back of his head a few times, knocking two oversized, white contacts out of his eyes before he hurried after them. “I don't actually advocate drug use, you know. Or at least not eating hippies. I imagine that would have some unpleasant side effects after the giggling wears off.”

Both of the ponies ignored him, and Discombobulation huffed a bit as he followed along behind them... but gradually, as they walked through the brisk autumn day, both Scrivener and Luna began to relax. They stopped only once along the path so that Luna could rest a little, feed Antares, and argue with Scrivener about dressing the foal a little better before settling for letting Scrivy slip Antares into his star-patterned onesie, the baby giggling a little as Luna grumbled: “Do not... baby the baby. He is strong and tough and parents are too concerned these days with every little detail. It weakens the child, it does not protect it.”

“You are such a judgmental pony.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he winced when Luna smacked him lightly, and Discombobulation snorted in amusement before he flinched when a Phooka stuck its head out of the nearby bushes, glowering at the chaos entity before it looked towards Luna and Scrivener, then snorted and slipped back into the woods.

The rest of the walk was calm and pleasant until they reached the plains outside Ponyville, gazing towards the gates before Luna said thoughtfully, her eyes roving towards Discombobulation: “'Twould be a shame for anypony in town to see me before I am ready. Tell me, Bob, if I wanted to distract an entire town, what would thou recommend?”

“Japanese monster movie, all the way. Nothing says distraction like a nuclear iguana or a giant moth with psychic powers.” Discombobulation paused, rubbing thoughtfully at his muzzle. “Well, maybe an alien invasion. But Gojira wins ninety percent of the time... you just can't mess with that giant asexual lizard. It'll bite your face.”

Luna rolled her eyes, and then Discombobulation rose a hand, saying mildly: “Say no more, I'll do it. Silly ponies, this is why you properly equip your active camouflage before entering the battle zone, then you don't have to rely on hope and tricks and luck.”

The winged unicorn rolled her eyes, and then Discombobulation bowed to them both before he flicked his wrists, and a tuxedo appeared over his body before he vanished from the spot. Luna and Scrivener both awkwardly looked towards Ponyville as Antares burbled and bounced a little in the carrier, and then both ponies decided to hurry forwards and hope for the best.

As they were approaching the gates of Ponyville, the faint sound of rapid piano music reached their ears, distracting even the Nibelung guards at either side of the open gates from seeing them until they were just passing through. They were ecstatic to see the two, however, although Luna shushed them and winked, and the dwarves nodded even as they continued to grin.

Nibelung: squat, heavyset dwarves that were mostly wolf and the rest pig, with thick fur covering their bipedal bodies, strong, dexterous hands, and large, curving tusks sticking out of their muzzles. Once they had been the enemy, but now they were willing allies, offered sanctuary in this world by Odin after they helped build the replica towns and cities that populated it. Their ancestors had been crafters as well as honorable warriors... but after Niflheim had been completely overrun by Helheim's corruption, the Nibelung had lost most of their old crafts and skills and become barbarians and raiders in order to survive.

But now, with a chance at peace, they were glad to no longer serve as thugs and instead work alongside ponies as laborers and soldiers of Equestria. Most of them weren't the brightest, but they were good workers, and Luna was glad to have them as allies instead of enemies.

The music grew louder as they strode into Ponyville, past comfortable-looking cottage-style homes with thatch rooftops, hooves knocking up dust with their passage as they made their way carefully through the town. Then Luna's eyes widened as they stepped into town square, both winged unicorn and Scrivener Blooms stopping to stare at the sight of Discombobulation sitting on top of a raised platform with a grand piano in front of him on the other side of the square, hand and talon a blur over the keys as he played some violently-fast piece of music neither of them could recognize.

Ponies were all gathered, gaping and staring up at this sight, and Luna and Scrivener shook their heads out: there was something in the melody that was almost hypnotic, but it was hard to tell whether or not it was because of the music itself or because of Discombobulation's wild powers. It wasn't strong enough that the two lost track of what was going on, at least, as they both turned towards the enormous tree nearby that had several large balconies standing amidst its branches and a door leading into the huge, hollowed-out trunk.

Luna flicked her horn, and the door flew open, the two passing through and into the interior: the shelves that lined the walls and were filled with papers and books testified to the fact that it was a mix of library and archive. Across the room, a table was covered in neat stacks of books, a binder laying open filled with papers and a second notebook on top of this, two quills resting in different colored ink fountains. Then Luna flicked her horn, and the door closed behind them before she grinned widely, looking delighted as she stomped her hooves against the hardwood floor gleefully. “See, Scrivener Blooms! Oh, I feel more excited than I have in quite some time now!”

Scrivener only smiled wryly at this, but he could feel that it was true: despite the aches he could sense in Luna's body, her overall feeling was exhilaration... and it was an infectious sensation, making him laugh a little before he said mildly: “But Bob was supposed to lead them away...”

“Oh, Discombobulation did fine, thou art just being grouchy.” Luna retorted, nodding a few times before she bounced over to a window and leaned up to peer through it, giving a pleased grin as she watched the Draconequus finish with a flourish before he vanished in a puff of neon smoke, and a moment later the piano burst apart into black and white butterflies. “And I must admit I admire his theatrics.”

“Well, thank you very much, Scrivener Blooms, I do my best.” Discombobulation said mildly, rubbing absently at his chest as he leaned back against the far wall, and Scrivener and Luna both turned and stared in surprise at the Draconequus before he smiled thinly. “What did you expect, that I would spend my time out there being dragged around by the crowd? As any celebrity will tell you, the problem isn't when people love you... it's when people love you too much.”

“Aye, love is a dangerous thing.” Luna said softly, glancing towards Scrivener and Antares, and then she shook her head quickly before smiling as her eyes returned to Discombobulation, asking curiously: “Why did thou choose that of all methods, though? I thought thou preferred monster movies.”

“Oh, I do, don't get me wrong. But you see, the moment I saw they had a stage set up out there, well, my heart went all aflutter and I thought of all the talent shows I'd participated in as a child and never ever won first place at. So instead, I decided to harness all that pent-up frustration and went out and played my damnedest.” He paused, then rubbed meditatively at the underside of his muzzle as he drew his eyes over Scrivener and Luna. “Now. Did I add a little bit of a psychic undercurrent? Maybe a hint of an allure not entirely there? Maybe a taste, an aroma, a feeling in the mind... well, perhaps I did, yes. I've never been as manipulative as Discord was but it's not hard to influence you ponies... you all almost beg for it, after all, and since you love music almost as much as I do, well. It makes it all the easier. Also, it hurts my eyes to make them go all crazy.”

Discombobulation accented this by rolling his pupils in opposite directions a few times, and then he blinked rapidly as he shook his head quickly out, slapping lightly at the side of his head. “Twilight Sparkle was out there, but I didn't see Celestia. You didn't kill her, right, Scrivener Blooms?”

“Nay, I have not had either the time or energy, thou should know this.” Luna replied mildly, and Discombobulation nodded seriously after a moment as Scrivener only rolled his eyes as he gently lifted Antares out of the jumper and set him carefully down on the floor. The baby giggled a little, and then he rolled very slowly sideways before continuing to do so, moving in an awkward, gentle circle as Luna and Scrivener both smiled down at their child warmly.

Discombobulation, on the other hand, only stared at this before he rose his head, chewed slowly at his lip, and then said in a drawl: “Uncle Luna, I don't know how to tell you this, so I'm just gonna tell you. I got a rolling baby.”

“Leave him alone, he is fine, look at him smile!” Luna scoffed, as Antares continued to happily continue on his lethargic, awkward roll before he finally halted on his back, and Luna laughed as she leaned down over the child, gazing radiantly into his eyes as Antares babbled and pawed his hooves quietly at her face. “He grows so fast, Scrivy! Already, look at him already learning to move himself about!”

“He rolled. He rolled slower than a turtle crawling uphill. And not one of those damned blue turtles, either, although with them it's mostly the shells you have to worry about, and only when driving a go-kart in a race where inexplicably, weapons are encouraged.” Discombobulation said dryly, raising a finger, and Luna grumbled before she flicked her horn, a heavy book lifting off a nearby shelf and flying out to smack into the side of the Draconequus' head, knocking him staggering before it fell with a loud bang.

Antares was startled by this, spasming before he curled up and whimpered a little, and Luna blushed deeply before scooping Antares up, soothing gently: “'Tis alright, my child, fear not, worry not, thy mother and father are here...”

Antares fidgeted and whimpered a little again, and Scrivener slipped forwards, reaching up to brush the baby's growing mane back as he leaned in and said softly: “It's alright, Antares, we're here for you. Mom and Dad both.”

Slowly, the baby settled as Discombobulation moodily rubbed at the side of his face... and then the door of the library opened and Twilight Sparkle hurried in, glaring at Discombobulation before she simply stared in shock at the sight of Scrivener and Luna, who both looked back at her flatly before the violet mare hurriedly turned and called awkwardly: “Sorry, Mayor, I'll get right on those charms but... I... have a top-secret letter from the Baroness waiting here for me!”

With that, Twilight hurriedly shoved the door closed, and the bang made Antares whimper a bit again before Luna soothingly squeezed the infant close, her starry mane twisting quietly down and half-blanketing her baby's body, and Antares grasped at this as he settled silently in her forelimbs. Both sapphire winged unicorn and Scrivener Blooms glared at the violet mare, and she winced a little, clearing her throat quickly before saying awkwardly: “Sorry. I... what are you two doing here, though? Discombobulation, was that why-”

“What, you think I'm so selfish I need to be given a reason to play a benefit concert? Even if it was just for my benefit, really, since I don't care in the slightest what happens to you ponies.” Discombobulation said mildly, and Twilight sighed and looked flatly at the Draconequus before he leaned forwards and asked awkwardly: “How are the reviews? I can never bring myself to read reviews, I get all. Butterflies in my stomach. Sweaty palms and... did they like me? Please tell me they liked me.”

“Mayor Mare wants me to put some protective charms in place tonight to ensure there isn't a repeat of last year's events.” Twilight replied dryly, and when the chimerical creature looked at her pointedly, she rolled her eyes and said finally: “Well, they think you're some kind of demon, how about that?”

“I have never been so outraged!” Discombobulation declared, holding up a hand and looking frustrated. “There is an enormous difference between a Draconequus and a demon! And I may not be very fond of either but all the same, I would rather them slur my name for the right reasons than the wrong ones... demon, bah. I'll show them what a demon is! I'll... I'll... uh...”

Discombobulation frowned a bit, grabbing at one of his horns in vexation before he huffed and grumbled: “Wonderful. I'm so frustrated I forgot what I was going to say. I hope you're proud of yourself, Twilight Sparkle. If I was a teenage girl I'd be screaming that you ruined my life while running up the stairs to my room right about now.”

Scrivener Blooms gave a mild look towards the Draconequus, and then he shook his head slowly before looking over at Twilight, saying dryly: “Please save me from these two. Luna's intent on causing Nightmare Night mayhem and Bob's been like this all day. I don't think the little sanity I have left can take much more of this.”

Twilight sighed a little, dropping her head forwards before she looked moodily up and asked finally: “Does Scarlet Sage know about this?”

“Somewhat. I told her I was intent upon causing mischief, and I know she is supposed to be taking part in the play tonight... worry not, though, I shall try and restrain myself for Rarity's sake and not set the stage or any of her pretty costumes aflame.” Luna said kindly as she leaned forwards, nodding a few times, and Twilight only shook her head slowly before the sapphire winged unicorn grinned slightly, squeezing Antares gently and looking lovingly down at the baby. “I was hoping that thou would not mind babysitting, though... I cannot ask Discombobulation to do it, after all, as he is... well...”

“For once I won't argue.” Bob said dryly, holding up his hands before he looked mildly towards Luna. “Besides, I want to see what Scrivener Blooms cooks up this year. The mass confusion that should ensue from this event will likely be spectacular, after all. I may even put in an appearance myself. Do a dramatic reading, make some scary faces, steal some candy. I am not the fondest in the world of candy, but the act of stealing it, well, that I may find more enjoyable.”

“Don't be a jerk, Discombobulation. No stealing from foals.” Twilight said firmly, and Bob rolled his eyes before he turned and wandered away, the violet mare looking after him before she smiled a little as her eyes roved towards Antares, saying softly: “And sure. I need to be out at the celebration tonight myself, though... do you mind if...”

“No, nay, not at all. I merely cannot carry the babe myself... Scrivener Blooms and I cannot come crashing down from the skies as monsters if one of us is wearing a newborn in a brightly colored carrier, after all.” Luna said pointedly, reaching over and slapping the baby harness still on Scrivener's side, and the stallion grumbled a bit before he slipped both this and the baby bag off, stretching his back out with a wince. “Our Antares is strong and healthy and doing well... why, thou just missed it, but he was rolling, all by himself!”

“That's... very good Luna.” Twilight said after a moment, smiling a little despite herself, and Luna nodded firmly a few times before the sapphire winged unicorn held her child out, and Twilight Sparkle laughed and shook her head as she strode forwards and quietly took the baby to cradle in her limbs; as she did so, Luna leaned forwards, kissing her cheek gently, and Twilight blushed a bit as she bowed her head forwards and murmured: “Luna...”

“Shush, Twilight. It is alright. It is alright.” Luna soothed quietly, drawing back a bit, and she and Scrivener gazed softly across at the purple winged unicorn as Twilight looked awkwardly up, still blushing a bit: she could still barely believe some of the memories of the past she had of things she'd shared with both Luna and Scrivener, especially after the two years she'd lived without ever pursuing much in the way of romantic – or other – pursuits.

Something had always bothered her, always held her back... and now she understood what that was. But likewise, she wasn't exactly ready to let everything go back to the old ways, especially now that Luna and Scrivener had a child. Yet still, she felt herself... drawn to them. They both knew her so well, they treated her so kindly, so compassionately, and most of all they made her feel safe... and Twilight couldn't help but smile a little as she looked from one to the other before saying finally: “Some things never change, and other things... well...”

“It is alright, Twilight, as I said. I... wish to see thee happy, most of all. Aye, I am greedy, but...” Luna halted, then she shook her head before clearing her throat and gesturing to Scrivener. “'Tis Scrivy's fault anyway.”

“I fail to see how, warrior princess. You're the one from the wild world. I'm the loser you dragged into that world with you.” Scrivener remarked dryly, and Luna huffed at him before headbutting him lightly, making him wince back a bit. “Besides, even you've been too tired for much in the way of-”

“Mature subject matter best left to the imagination.” Discombobulation supplied absently, drawing the attention of the ponies as he stood with his face buried in a book, and he glanced meditatively overtop it after a moment before Twilight winced and hurriedly passed Antares back to Luna, scurrying around the two as they stared as the violet mare she ran towards the chimerical creature, but the Draconequus easily leaned up and read loudly: “'Dear Princess Celestia. Today my friends and I went on a short hike through the Everfree Forest. We found a family of Phooka, but they ran away from us at our approach-'”

“Bob, that's private!” Twilight snapped, her horn glowing... but without looking, Discombobulation only licked his finger and thumb and reached down to firmly squeeze the tip of her horn between them, and the aura around her horn died out in a puff of smoke as Twilight winced and flexed, her eyes bulging before she glared up at him, rearing back and shoving her front hooves against his body as she stretched desperately up for the book. “That's like a diary!”

Bob only looked mildly down at her, and then he returned his eyes to the book as he said complacently: “Well, 'like' is not 'is,' and 'is' is not 'like,' and I would like you to know, Twilight Sparkle, that in all honestly, I would never read your diary: but this, on the other hand, is something I am glad to read. Besides, why are you complaining? These aren't your letters anymore: the moment you sent them off to Celestia, they became her property, so really even though I'm reading your thoughts it's her property that I'm abusing.”

Twilight glared at this, then she flapped her wings and awkwardly flew up in front of him, Discombobulation staring at her before she swiped the book back and dropped back down to her hooves with a huff, putting it back on the table and glaring up at him grouchily. The Draconequus looked back for a few moments, and then he reached down and honked her nose once before vanishing in a burst of smoke, and Twilight Sparkle wrinkled her muzzle before she sighed and closed her eyes, rubbing slowly at her face as Luna looked curiously over at the violet mare. “Thou used to write Celestia letters? But she all-but-lived with thou here in the library, did she not?”

“Well... yes, but...” Twilight hesitated, and then she laughed a little and glanced quietly over at Luna, saying in a softer voice: “We knew that... we knew each other. Just like I instinctively knew all my friends, and I knew that... she was like a mother to me, in a lot of ways. A mentor, and a friend, and somepony who... I cared about, even though I also knew there was a friction there. But until my memories came back, I didn't... remember what that friction was, what caused it. Instead, I just saw the good parts.”

Luna nodded slowly, squeezing Antares quietly against her body, and Twilight blushed a bit as she added quickly: “Not that I'm ungrateful or anything about you coming back into my life and... knowing about everything that happened, I don't mean that at all. Just that... well, you know and... yeah.” She finished lamely, smiling awkwardly. “Sorry.”

“It's alright, Twilight, it's not your fault at all.” Scrivener said softly, and then the male shook his head with a small smile. “Luna and I know that... well... everything has two sides. Good and bad. It was why choosing whether or not to show ourselves in the first place was a difficult choice to begin with...”

“But I'm glad you did. I really am so glad that you did. You two are...” Twilight laughed a little, shaking her head slowly as she smiled a bit. “Now that you're back, I understand why there was such a... hollow feeling to everything. Why it drove me so insane not knowing what had happened, why all those gaps in my memory felt so important...”

“Yeah, because you really don't usually need to know everything about everything.” Scrivener remarked, and Twilight rolled her eyes before she looked at him pointedly, and he rose a hoof with a smile. “Fine, fine, shutting up.”

Twilight drew an amused gaze over him, and then she said softly: “When you two came back into my life it... it was a major adjustment. Not just because so many memories came back all at once, not just because of the story you told, or because Luna was pregnant... but because... it felt like... it rendered so much of everything else in my life almost meaningless. Even now I'm still adjusting to it, trying to balance my responsibilities and everything else, and... I know I'm not doing a very good job of it.”

Twilight Sparkle quieted, looking down and brushing a hoof slowly against the floor before she murmured softly: “And on top of that, I have two years I spent... working here in Ponyville, being... Twilight Sparkle, but a different Twilight Sparkle, this... Looking Glass World Twilight... and now I want to go back to being the old Twilight. The Twilight who... well...”

She shook her head, then laughed a bit as Antares fidgeted and burbled quietly in Luna's limbs, and Luna's eyes drew downwards before she smiled faintly as a small hoof quietly brushed against her muzzle. “Aye, but... there is no rush, my beautiful mare. Even Celestia is adjusting after all, is she not?”

“It...” Twilight hesitated, then smiled warmly after a moment. “Seeing Celestia, that first time she actually cut a trip to the Royal Council short so she could come back here and spend time with you... I don't think I can exactly describe how amazed I was. I mean, on top of that, I know it was something she never would have done as Queen in old Equestria... but she's so... I mean, even knowing that she was once a Valkyrie named Freya, even remembering Celestia the Dragon Slayer and... Celestia the Radiant... I still feel more comfortable with her these days than I remember feeling with her until the last... the final journey we took together.”

“What does that mean, 'a Valkyrie named Freya?' I was a Valkyrie named Brynhild, is this some fancy-talk way of saying thou art uncomfortable with me?” Luna asked huffily, but Twilight didn't take the bait, and this only served to make Luna look grouchier for a moment before she shook her head quickly as she softened, murmuring: “But aye. All mischief aside... my big sister is finally on the true road to being... whom I think she has always wanted to be.”

Twilight nodded slowly, her eyes roving over the two ponies and their baby again before she shook her head briskly, saying quietly: “Anyway. Can I get either of you anything? You must be pretty sore, Luna, I can't imagine the trip was the easiest for you...”

“Oh, do not doubt in me, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied grumpily, and then she gently passed Antares to Scrivener Blooms, shaking her head slowly as the baby burbled and Scrivy gazed down at his son tenderly, cradling him up against his chest. “But... 'twould be good if thou could drag out some bedding, or least some soft cushions and blankets, for Antares to rest on. Admittedly I would enjoy laying down as well, to conserve my energies and plan for tonight.”

“Alright. No, no it's fine, Scrivy, I got it.” Twilight added quickly, when Scrivener began to pass Antares back to Luna, and the violet mare smiled a little as she brushed past, giving a soft look to the male before she shook her head quickly and turned her eyes ahead with a quiet laugh. “You make... a really good dad.”

Scrivener only smiled at this, almost blushing a little... and when Twilight came back with the bedding and several cushions, Scrivener and Luna laid down with Antares safely between them, and Twilight sat across from the trio, gazing softly, silently over them until Luna looked up with a smile, meeting the violet mare's eyes and seeming to read into her thoughts as she said softly: “Thou art our family as well, Twilight Sparkle. Do not ever doubt in that, whatever else thou may be feeling, whatever else thou may believe. Thou shall always be family, and welcome with us.”

Twilight blushed a little at this, shifting awkwardly before she nodded as strange but not entirely-unwelcome feelings rose through her system. For the rest of the afternoon, soft conversation was interspersed with comfortable periods of silence, as the ponies simply studied each other... and little Antares slept, was fed, and laid quietly as he burbled and moved his limbs around, smiling every now and then when his mother or father leaned in over him.

As evening began to descend, Twilight fitted the baby carrier on, looking a little grumpy as Luna went over how to take care of Antares several times over until the violet mare finally pointed out that she had babysat for them before. Safe in his onesie and with a large, puffy cap on his head, Antares Mīrus would be having quite an exciting evening... but Luna was confident that if anything, it would be good for her son. As she loved to reiterate... “He is the child of a Valkyrie and a poet who grew up in the icy wastes. He is strong.”

But when Twilight left to help finish preparations for the play that was taking place out in the orchard of Sweet Apple Acres, Luna proceeded to quickly grow anxious until Scrivener forced her to lay down, massaging her back and along her wings, sharing soothing reassurances with her despite his own worries.

They waited two hours, as dusk descended into darkness, and then Luna peered out through the library window before grunting and nodding, saying over her shoulder moodily: “Alright. It looks like it is time, Scrivy.”

“We don't have to do this, you know.” Scrivener said softly, and Luna only favored him with a dryly-amused look, making the male smile slightly despite himself. “Alright, alright, forget I said anything then, Luna.”

“Good.” Luna said kindly, and then she flicked her horn firmly as it glowed brightly, and Scrivener winced as his body flexed and glowed with a sapphire aura before his coat darkened, taking on a rubbery texture as leathery wings pushed their way up from his back, spreading slowly and flapping once before the draconic, strong appendages furled at his sides. Then Luna stepped forwards, kissing him gently as her mane swept upwards, and Scrivener returned the kiss for a tender moment before she drew back as her starry locks brushed quietly over the male's features, leaving strands of sapphire, star-studded fire that spread gradually along the earth pony's face.

He shook his head firmly out as Luna drew back with a grin, half-lidding her eyes: in moments, Scrivener was left with a mask and mane of dark starlight that made his eyes glow strangely, the male smiling a little as he reached up and carefully removed his glasses to put them aside near the bedding so they wouldn't get lost or crushed, shaking his head briefly out as he felt the same glowing star-fire spread along his tail as well. “How do I look?”

“Monstrous.” Luna said kindly, and then she winked before leaning forwards as her horn glowed, her body flexing as a sapphire aura surrounded her frame before her body expanded with a ripple, transforming in the glow before it flickered out... and left Nightmare Moon standing calmly across from Scrivener, her eyes closed, her starry mane and tail swirling slowly before she opened her eyes and gazed calmly at the male, the cyan irises still clearly Luna's. “There. Much as I dislike the creature at this point and time... she has some wicked thought in mind I do not quite dare try and understand. But all the same, it is only fitting I wear her form for tonight of all nights... now come, Scrivener Blooms. To the skies.”

Scrivener grunted after a moment as Luna turned and flicked her horn, opening the door before she ducked carefully through it, and the male followed her quickly out before the tall winged unicorn leapt upwards and flapped her wings, easily taking to the air. Scrivener smiled despite himself as he watched her rise into the night sky, ethereal sapphire mane and tail leaving a comet-like streak behind her before the earth pony ran forwards, flapping his own wings and grimacing at how stiff they felt before he leapt into the air.

It felt less strange when Luna polymorphed him these days: he didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, as he looked down with a wince at the ground even as he sailed up into the night sky, feeling his wings and muscles slowly loosening up as he flew upwards after her. His clumsy flight slowly evened out into something a little smoother, but he had never been the greatest flier, despite how often Luna liked to make him soar through the air with her.

Slowly, he drew up beside her, and Luna grinned slightly at him through the guise of Nightmare Moon before she gazed downwards as they rose a little higher, staying out of sight against the night sky as they sailed high above Ponyville towards the glowing beacon of light emanating from Sweet Apple Acres. One orchard was lit up almost entirely, and it looked like most of the town had gathered for the play that was going on, the faint sounds of music reaching their ears as they drew closer.

As they sailed carefully closer, Luna's grin spread wider as her eyes began to pick up on the details: the stage was large and rectangular, divided into two sections lengthwise by a huge curtain held up by a skeleton of wooden girders. Behind this was a thin wall that likely supported a simple sliding backdrop, and behind that, ponies were hurrying back and forth, keeping the sound system running and toggling the lights as other ponies changed costumes and attended to makeup and other effects. Twilight was in the back too, Antares hanging from her side, and Luna's expression softened as they circled slowly before she hurriedly shook her head as their flight curled a little lower and curved around so she could look at the front of the lit stage.

With the purple and black curtains drawn along the back of the stage, it imitated deep night, as a figure strode calmly over the stage, dark as night, an emblem of the crescent moon against a swatch of bluish-tinged sky pasted over her flank, the mare tall and proud and beautiful. She was dressed in a dark costume and her coat had been tinted black, her mane glittering and sparkling as Luna grinned widely to herself as the mare monologued in a clear, strong voice, made all the more powerful by the echo effect created by the enormous speakers set up at either side of the stage.

Then Luna winked over to Scrivener, and the male sighed before he nodded, feeling a swirl of thoughts and images and excitement pass between them before Luna suddenly, quickly dove as Scrivener turned quickly, shooting through the air on a different flight path. And ponies stared in shock as Luna crashed down to the stage with enough force to crack the wood, landing in front of the much-smaller unicorn dressed as her with wings spread, turning her eyes and grin towards this mare first. “Boo.”

The unicorn squeaked and scrambled backwards in shock, and Luna threw her head back with a loud, clear laugh as the crowd of ponies stared... and then yells rose up from the group as Scrivener shot low over their heads, sending a ripple of amazement and fear through the crowd before he landed on the stage and skidded around in a circle with a wince that was made into a snarl by the mask of blue fire hiding his features and mane, as Luna stepped forwards and shouted: “Citizens of Ponyville! Do all of thee truly dare to mock me upon this night, this dark night named for me? Do all of thee not remember me, who I am, who we are? Foolish ponies! Oh, how quickly all of thee forget who brings the night! Who brings darkness!”

She grinned wider as she leaned over the edge of the stage, ponies staring up at her as Scrivener Blooms strode forwards, glad he didn't have to do anything but growl and look intimidating as Luna continued teasingly: “And how anger makes me hunger... tell me, my little ponies, how will all of thee appease me? How many of thee shall I gobble up tonight? Are there many delicious foals here for myself and the lord of darkness who stands beside me?”

Luna reared back, sharp teeth grinning, eyes glowing as Scrivener leaned forwards... and then something flew up out of the crowd and landed at her hooves, and she looked down in surprise to see a large, multicolored lollipop. For a moment, she only stared at this, stepping hesitantly backwards... and then other candies were flung forwards out of the crowd, landing up on the stage in front of her.

Luna was struck dumb as a hail of candy was flung from the crowd, thrown by both foals and adults, and Scrivener could only gape before several Pegasi shot forwards, each carrying a large bag they both dumped out over the heads of Luna and Scrivener as they passed, and the two disguised ponies dropped on their haunches in stupefaction as laughter and yells and cheers rang up from the crowd before hooves began to stomp wildly, applauding them loudly as the ponies gazed up with warm eyes.

The two had no idea what was going on... and then Twilight Sparkle leaned out from behind the curtains, Antares looking amazed at all the sound and color before the violet mare called loudly as the applause died down: “Is this enough to appease your hunger, Nightmare Moon?”

Luna looked over her shoulder, seeing Twilight grinning, Rarity and Spike laughing behind her as Rainbow Dash shot by overhead to pour another bag of candy out over the two, and this time Scrivy and Luna laughed beneath the hail before they looked up to see the Pegasus grinning widely, dressed in a patched-together costume of a Nightmare, wrinkled-up dark cloth mimicking smoky body and mane, his head sticking out of the open jaws of the mask. Even Fluttershy was there, smiling warmly up at them from beside Scarlet Sage as the younger mare waved happily to her parents, and Luna laughed before she flicked her horn upwards as it glowed brightly.

There was a single powerful pulse... and a moment later, Luna and Scrivener were left standing with wide grins amidst the pile of candies in their own natural bodies, Luna's black pearl swinging gently in front of her as Scrivener reached up and brushed back his white mane before he and Luna traded a look, a swirl of thought passing between them, and then they both glared over their shoulders at Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight only winked at them as the crowd cheered, however, and Luna looked forwards over the audience, at their happy faces, at their smiles as a few more pieces of candy flew up through the air... and Luna grinned as she swept up a lollipop from the pile in front of her before tearing off the wrapper and sticking it into her mouth, marveling at the way they all cheered for her as her eyes all-but-glowed with joy.

“Oh, most wonderful of nights.” Luna whispered, as the applause finally began to die down... and then she leaned forwards, shouting warmly in a voice that echoed through the clear night air: “Citizens of Ponyville... I thank each and every one of thee!”

There were cheers at this again, and then Luna smiled brightly as she leaned back and shook her head in dreamlike amazement, barely able to believe that all these ponies were here, knew her, recognized her... were cheering for her. And finally, she blushed a little as she began to turn... then cleared her throat and quickly flicked her horn, surrounding the pile of candy with a telekinetic aura before hefting it into the air and leaning forwards, Scrivener sighing but bowing his own head forwards to add to her concentration, his eyes closing before he and Luna rose their heads in time as a swirl of blue mist rose up and surrounded the floating hoard of candy before the mist burst apart and the treats vanished from sight.

Luna wheezed a little, shaking her head briskly out as Scrivener felt an ache pulse through his own body, giving her a faintly amused look: while it wasn't much of an exertion, Luna was still pushing her body far harder than was recommended for any post-pregnancy mare, and the male stepped over towards her before she huffed and straightened, fueled by both the warmth from the cheering ponies and her own stubbornness as she strode towards Twilight Sparkle and half-bulled her back behind the curtain, sucking slowly back on the lollipop in her mouth.

Scrivener and Luna both looked at her, and Twilight only smiled back, blushing a little, before all three ponies glanced to the side as Discombobulation said mildly: “Scrivener Blooms, how does it feel to make the foals sacrifice all their candy to you?”

“Most excellent.” Luna replied mildly, her eyes roving over the Draconequus as he sat calmly back on top of a large speaker with a plastic bucket in the shape of a jack-o-lantern in his lap, several ponies staring at him before the sapphire winged unicorn added dryly: “Besides, it looks as if thou hast gone and stolen some foal's candy thyself.”

“Nonsense. I went out on the candy hunt myself. Everypony thought I was in the most delightful costume.” Discombobulation retorted, and then he snapped his fingers, fake zippers and stitching appearing here and there over his body. “See? Ingenious, isn't it? All the foals adored me, they thought I was either several ponies in one costume or some very inventive child. They kept asking me to show them my cutie mark, which is a very rude thing indeed to ask a Draconequus, I have to say.”

Then he absently brushed at himself, sending the zippers and stitching tumbling free from his form before he dug in the candy bucket in his lap, pulling out a chocolate bar and slowly, daintily unwrapping it as he added mildly: “I must also say, though, Twilight, very impressive ploy you went with. You must have learned your military tactics from Celestia: ambushing the ambush, deceiving the deceiver. And more importantly, you did the job well.”

Discombobulation bit into the chocolate bar, chewing slowly as Twilight blushed a little, turning her eyes back to Luna as the sapphire winged unicorn began to open her mouth, but instead of frustration, or grouchiness, or even a sarcastic remark, instead she asked in a voice that was almost anxious: “But... how do they know? How did thou tell them? How...”

“It wasn't very hard, Luna... all I needed to do was show them an image, give them... a small reminder. And with that, the effect... it rippled through the whole town.” Twilight said softly, shaking her head and laughing quietly as she looked at Luna with a faint smile. “They've known... for a few days now. After you reintroduced yourself to everypony, Rarity and I... decided to take this in a different direction, we got as many ponies from town as we could in on the whole thing... because... we all wanted to thank you. We all... I think we all wanted to remember you, and Scrivener, and everything that happened... we just couldn't do it without the right cues.”

She fell quiet, blushing deeply, and Luna smiled faintly before she blushed as well as she turned and buried her face against the side of Scrivener's neck, and the stallion smiled as well as he gazed up and said quietly, honestly: “Thank you. This... means more to us than either of us can say, Twilight. I... we really don't deserve a friend as good as you.”

“I'll say. You damn idjits invited all them out to your cottage and left me and Ross in the dust, what the hell kind of friend does that?” called an irritable voice, and Luna looked up with a wide grin as Scrivener smiled despite himself as a reddish-brown mare strode across the stage towards them, her own expression playful and her sapphire eyes warm. Her messy, short-cut blonde mane spilled in all directions over the scarlet bandanna tied around her head, and silver piercings glinted in both her ears and through one nostril, even more distinct than her cutie mark of interlocking silver gears upon her flank.

Kilby Kwolek, better known as Cowlick: a loud but dependable and talented engineer with a penchant for all things mechanical. She approached them easily, then stepped forwards and traded a firm hug with Luna, the sapphire winged unicorn laughing before the earth pony mare stepped back and held up a hoof, Scrivener smiling as he punched his own lightly against hers and she winked at him. “Congrats on the kid, you two. Damn handsome little fella. Twilight was getting all jealous, too, was real damn cute. You're a lucky guy, Scrivy.”

“Shut up, Cowlick.” Twilight blushed deeply, and Cowlick only laughed, then shook her head and grinned widely as the violet winged unicorn added hurriedly, when Luna gave an entertained look to Twilight and Scrivener tossed her an amused glance: “I. Cowlick and Ross were both putting things together from the old days already...”

“Hell, I think Ross never forgot, but... you know how he is. Still addled, but I love him the way he is.” Cowlick said cheerfully, nodding and smiling warmly as she absently rubbed hoof against the front of the denim vest she was wearing. “After all, if his messed-up wiring means he remembered when everypony else forgot, and he can still do those genius-level math calculations of his, I wish I was more like him and less like me.”

“Don't worry, I'm sure many ponies wish you were more like someone else and less like you.” Discombobulation said calmly, and Cowlick gave him a flat look over her shoulder before the Draconequus tilted his head towards her, asking kindly: “Did you win Miss Gender Confusion yet? And do you get a sash for that, or a belt buckle?”

“I dunno, Bob, what did you win last year?” Cowlick retorted, and Discombobulation's jaw dropped as he rose a hand, then made a face as if he'd bitten into a lemon as Cowlick smiled at him sweetly before she turned around, adding dryly: “Besides, no confusion here. I'm all mare and I'd be glad to prove it.”

“I hate you ponies. You're all gross and... anatomical.” Discombobulation muttered in a surly voice, and then he took another bite of his chocolate bar and chewed moodily as he leaned back a bit. “Mares should be obscene and not heard.”

That earned another set of glares, and then Luna and Scrivener traded looks and they both giggled stupidly, Discombobulation promptly raising a hand when Twilight began to turn towards him. “Scrivener Blooms laughed! You can't hit me if I made Scrivener Blooms laugh, even if she strains the definition of 'mare...' but thankfully, Luna strains the definition of 'stallion,' so I think I'm safe either way.”

Now Scrivener and Luna glared as Cowlick snorted in amusement, and Twilight Sparkle sighed before she turned her eyes back to Luna and Scrivener, saying softly: “Look. Before we get too off-topic, I... all of Ponyville knows about things again. They remember the past, and they remember you, and they were all glad to help out with this because... they don't blame you.”

Luna shifted a bit, and then Cowlick smiled a little, adding softly: “Hell. You did way better than any of us ever did, after all... and if you don't mind me saying...” Cowlick paused, her eyes roving to Scrivener, drawing slowly over the earth pony's scarred body. “It doesn't look like all the years have treated you too kindly yourselves.”

Scrivener smiled a little, rubbing self-consciously at the large scar at the side of his neck, and Luna smiled a bit over at her husband before she returned her eyes to Cowlick as the engineer continued embarrassedly: “Anyway, a lot of us former Starlit Knights know that... we got a big share of the pie and the blame, too, with everything that happened. I mean, I know that I'm responsible in a lot of ways for some of the crap that went down... wasn't you that told everyone to attack that Tyrant Wyrm. Wasn't you that decided it would be a good idea to shoot the demigod in the face, either.”

“Cowlick, it is all in the past. Yes, thou made mistakes, but thou wert trying to rally our forces, to give support to me... and as I recall, it was thou who suffered from attracting the attention of the demigod.” Luna said gently, and Cowlick gave a small, wry smile at that even as she gave a small shudder and automatically touched her chest, and for a moment Scrivener thought he could almost hear the insane laughter of the destruction demigod Fafnir ringing through his mind. “But let us not focus on these things. Let us think instead on other, more-pleasant circumstances... on the fact that we are all here, together now. That... an entire town... remembers me.”

She looked quietly towards the backdrop, able to hear ponies preparing to continue the theater production, and Luna shook her head a bit before Twilight smiled a little and said softly: “Listen, we planned a kind of... interlude for when you showed up. Why don't we go around, watch the rest of the show? Then you can maybe... mingle a little with the ponies. No one here holds a grudge against you, Luna...”

Luna only laughed and shifted awkwardly, blushing a little... and then she glanced up at the sound of Rarity striding towards them from the other side of backstage with Spike in tow and carrying a clipboard for her, the purple-maned unicorn smiling and saying warmly: “I don't have more than a moment but I did want to see you, Luna and Scrivener, and I couldn't help but overhear what you were talking about... and it would really mean ever so much to me if you would both stay and watch even just a little... I tried to mix together the old legends of Nightmare Moon with some new material and so your opinion on things would really mean a lot to me. I know without Twilight's help, after all, this would have all been nothing but a dreadful mess of sloppy dialogue, but I'm actually quite proud of how things turned out after she rewrote most of the script for me...”

“I didn't do that much, Rarity, I just fixed a few lines here and there...” Twilight replied awkwardly, but now Luna was smiling warmly and Scrivener was looking with interest at the violet mare, who blushed deeper at this before Antares burbled loudly. “Oh, did you want me to keep an eye on him, or...”

“Nay, I can take my baby back, fear not.” Luna said kindly, nodding as her horn glowed and gently lifted both baby carrier and baby saddlebag free from Twilight to settle them gently on Scrivener, and for a moment Twilight seemed almost disappointed before she looked up as Luna added softly: “But come then, Twilight. It looks as if there are already many ponies attending to the details here... I would dearly enjoy it if thou would join myself and Scrivener and... it would make me feel... more comfortable, as well.”

Twilight shifted a bit, beginning to argue, but Rarity smiled and nodded, urging gently: “Go on, dear. I can attend to the last half of the play, fear not.”

“Yes, Twilight Sparkle, don't be so boring. This isn't a movie about how you got your groove back, after all.” Discombobulation added mildly, hopping down off the speaker. “I'll watch too. I expect it'll be a kid's movie, but sometimes it's good to get away from the violence and mayhem. After all, even if you hate everything, nobody hates hula-hoops.”

Luna only rolled her eyes, but Twilight smiled a little at this odd remark before she finally nodded, her eyes roving towards the winged unicorn as she said finally: “Alright, then, I guess I can relax a little, and just take some time to be with you...” She paused, smiling a bit at Scrivener and Luna and burbling, once-more-awake Antares as her expression softened. “Together.”

Particularly Troublesome Influences

Chapter Six: Particularly Troublesome Influences
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares was growing fast: by the time he was four months old, he was happily scooting around, alternating between stumbling around on his hooves and half-dragging himself back and forth on his diapered rear. He made both Luna and Scrivener laugh, and his mother grin at the stories she would be able to later tell her son about his baby years.

He had a few small teeth already coming in, and he was in the process of slowly being weaned off Luna's milk: something Luna was rather relieved about, with the painful nips she had been getting lately from those small but sharp little teeth. He was also beginning to try and repeat words, as well as attempt to imitate his parents, and he had begun to learn how to entertain himself. The latter was admittedly nice, because it meant Luna or Scrivener could safely set the child down, and he would play with his blocks or just clap his hooves for a little while, letting his parents relax a little.

Antares was also used to the occasional strange visitor: although Luna usually bristled when they got too close, Nightmares always inspected the foal with fascination, and he stared back with curiosity instead of fear, as if he was able to somehow sense these dark things that regularly scared adult ponies into whimpering piles wouldn't hurt him. Likewise, Antares wasn't scared of Phooka, either, despite all the rumors about them stealing and gobbling down foals. Even the few full-blooded demons Antares had seen hadn't scared the child... although on the other hand, strange ponies did sometimes make the foal a little nervous. Not that Scrivener could blame him for that: as the stallion had learned, the supernatural had rules, laws, and a certain dependable order to it... ponies, on the other hoof, were often more unpredictable than Discombobulation.

Currently, the toddler was chewing on one of the Draconequus' horns as he laid moodily on the floor, pointedly attempting to ignore the baby as Scrivener and Luna smiled amusedly at their child from the bedding. Luna was almost back at full strength and proud of her recovery, and she was doing an admirable job of dividing her time between caring for Antares, attending to the little other business she had to deal with, and training with Scrivener, Twilight, and Scarlet Sage. If anything, sometimes Scrivener had to remind her to slow down, and take some days like today: just relaxing peacefully, enjoying their odd little family.

“Alright. Will one of you ponies please explain why it's still chewing on me?” Discombobulation asked finally, and Luna grinned widely as Scrivener shrugged, looking with entertainment at the Draconequus as he huffed and fidgeted a bit. “Babies are disgusting, disturbing things, and I do not enjoy that they seem to feel they have to put everything in their mouths.”

“Mow!” Antares said agreeably as he leaned up, and then the toddler scooted forwards as he stared down at Discombobulation's face, the chimerical creature wincing before grimacing in distaste as Antares Mīrus climbed carefully onto his head and half-fell over the features of the Draconequus, burbling happily and drooling a bit on the long neck of the chaos entity as Luna giggled and Scrivener snorted in amusement.

Then Bob finally reached carefully up, lifting the baby gently between his talon and hand as he sat moodily up, and Antares giggled despite the fact he was being held upside down before Discombobulation wrinkled his nose and leaned his head away from the baby's upturned bottom. “There's something rotten in Denmark. By which I mean your baby just did a boom-boom.”

“Alright, alright, I'll change him.” Scrivener said mildly, walking over and gently taking Antares from the Draconequus to put him back down on the floor, gesturing gently to the baby as he said kindly: “Come with Dad to your room.”

“Da!” Antares babbled, following after his father in his awkward, shuffling half-crawl, and Luna looked warmly after the two: Antares Mīrus, so intelligent, so willing to listen... and Scrivener Blooms, so stubborn, so compassionate, and so absolutely adoring of his son.

Then she shook her head, returning her gaze to Discombobulation as the chimerical creature rested with his legs crossed and his hands in his lap, saying moodily: “You know, it's funny. If I had to rank myself on a scale of one to ten, I'd say that I'm at the very least a frustrating sub-boss, if not worthy of having my own entire level dedicated to me. And yet here I am, babysitting a... baby. Maybe the whole reason I haven't felt like going out and causing chaos recently is because I'm constantly covered in spit-up and foal-drool.”

“Oh, stop. Thou enjoys the child, I see how happy thou art to play with him.” Luna scoffed, waving a hoof irritably, and Discombobulation looked sourly at the winged unicorn before he crawled up to his feet and rubbed moodily at his own body. “Furthermore, it could be worse, could it not? He eats little solid food, much of his diet is still just milk.”

“Yes, and that only adds to the disgust. Why? Because it's coming out of you going into him coming out of him going onto me, that's why.” Discombobulation hugged himself and shivered in disgust. “That is utterly-”

And then there was a loud bang as the front door was booted open, and the Draconequus stared down the hallway before a loud, cheerful yell rose through the house, and a figure boldly charged down the corridor and headbutted Discombobulation in the crotch, knocking him flat on his back with a gargle. The enormous chestnut-colored earth pony grinned as he pounced immediately on top of the Draconequus, a silvery breastplate gleaming over his body and a mane and tail of living vines writhing backwards, precious gemstones glinting brilliantly inside these as he declared cheerfully: “Why, thou art the most handsome chaos beast upon which I have ever laid my eyes! Tell me, Ginnungagap entity, art thou a friend of my little... oh, sister, there thou art, I must have missed thee with mine attention captured so by this odd creature!”

“Sleipnir!” Luna cried happily, leaping to her hooves and throwing herself at the male, and Sleipnir easily caught her in a tight embrace, squeezing her close with a warm smile as his hazel eyes burned with optimism and good cheer. “Oh, my beloved brother! It had been far too long, and now here thou art!”

“Here I am.” Sleipnir said agreeably, as Luna drew back, and the enormous mane straightened as he beat a hoof firmly against the emblem of the ash tree over his breast: it was the same image as the cutie mark on his flank, and the huge, broad-bodied male laughed heartily as he stepped carefully off Discombobulation, who was still laying prone on his back and staring stupidly up at the ceiling. “Kvasir, see? I was right!”

The only response to this was a grunt... and a moment later, a beetroot-colored unicorn stepped into the room, looking moodily back and forth before Discombobulation's eyes suddenly narrowed, and the chaos spirit vanished from the floor to reappear a short distance away, glaring at the unicorn: his mane and tail were both beautiful gold, and his horn a pearly white, as were his strange eyes. An image of a green bottle with a smoky red cloud above it adorned his flank, and Luna snorted in amusement, clearly sensing that this was no unicorn even before Sleipnir said kindly: “Little sister, this is my ward, Kvasir. I am sure thou knows of him, and that he is no pony, but we thought it best for him to take on this disguise for now. Father asked me to bring him to Ponyville, to have him mingle and meet some of the ponies of this world.”

“I do not see why. I have no need to meet mortals.” Kvasir said distastefully, and then he grimaced a bit as his eyes roved towards Discombobulation, adding moodily: “Especially mortals who so readily accept such... riffraff into their ranks.”

Discombobulation snorted at this, then he crossed his arms and asked moodily: “So are you the new asshole in my life?”

“Discombobulation, please!” Luna scolded, but she was grinning a bit despite herself as Sleipnir looked with amusement towards the Draconequus. “Thou shall have to excuse him. He is not usually so vulgar, but I fear that the presence of certain other supernatural entities tends to aggravate him. Not that I can entirely blame the creature...”

“Aye, aye, fear not. I hold none against any of thee, and neither shall Kvasir.” Sleipnir looked at the fledgling god pointedly, and Kvasir gave a long, despondent sigh, rolling his eyes grouchily before he nodded his head moodily, making the enormous earth pony smile and reach up to slap the beetroot unicorn firmly on the shoulder, causing Kvasir to wince and almost fall over. “Excellent! Now, where is my nephew?”

“He's right over here. Come on, Antares, come and meet your uncle.” Scrivener said softly as he approached with a smile: despite everything, he felt Luna's overwhelming happiness filling his own spirit... and admittedly, there was a bit of a sense of his own awe at Sleipnir, too. Sleipnir, Luna's big brother, who she took after so much... who fulfilled the definition of 'hero' in so many ways and senses that if Scrivener had never met the stallion himself, he would have thought it was all just lies and exaggeration.

Behind him, Antares was carefully stumbling along, looking hesitantly out from behind his father at the noise... and although the foal looked apprehensive at first at the sight of Kvasir, the moment Sleipnir gently pushed the god aside, Antares lifted his head slightly and nervously strode out from behind his father, surveying Sleipnir as Sleipnir dropped down onto his stomach and leaned forwards with a bright, happy look on his face as he whispered: “By my Father's face, look at him! Handsome, strong, aye, perfect!”

“He's just a baby, there's nothing special about him.” Kvasir said irritably... and then Sleipnir rose a rear hoof and irritably booted him into the next room, the god falling on his back with a curse of frustration before he wheezed: “You're supposed to protect me!”

“That was protection, Kvasir, if I had not hit thee then my sister would have, and she does not have the self-control I do.” Sleipnir retorted as Luna glared balefully towards the sprawled-out god, and Kvasir winced a little before Sleipnir returned his attention to Antares as the foal crept forwards towards him, and the giant earth pony stood slowly back up: as large as Celestia but with a burlier and bulkier build, he made Luna and Scrivener both seem almost small in comparison... and yet all the same, Antares stepped forwards, looking more confident before Sleipnir reached out and swept the foal up with a grin, sitting back and cradling him in his strong forelimbs as he said warmly: “What a handsome child!”

Antares burbled happily and reached up to push a hoof against Sleipnir's muzzle, and the earth pony laughed before he looked warmly at Scrivener Blooms, saying easily: “And he looks just like thou, but with his mother's eyes!”

“Yes, he's a real Harry Potter, alright.” Discombobulation said dryly, and when Sleipnir glanced with confusion over his shoulder, the Draconequus frowned before he nodded wisely. “Oh, that's right! You're new here, aren't you? Well, first you have to enter your name in the dialogue box, and then we'll explain the rules as we go.”

“Do not worry about the Draconequus, he speaks in things stolen from other worlds.” Luna informed, and Sleipnir nodded thoughtfully a few times before the earth pony returned his eyes to the child, Luna smiling warmly as she murmured: “I am so glad he has taken to thee well, and that thou approves, big brother.”

“Approves? What, like I would approve of a sandwich? Nay, I do not simply approve of this handsome babe, I adore my nephew already!' Sleipnir said cheerfully, tossing the foal in the air and making Luna and Scrivener both flinch and stare as Antares sailed up almost to the ceiling with a giggle, then fell back down to be caught securely in Sleipnir's hooves, the enormous stallion looking brightly down at the baby. “Oh, does thou like to fly? Well, come, let us go outside and I shall show thee the skies!”

“No.” Luna said flatly, and Sleipnir huffed and looked at her grouchily before he winced when Luna punched his armored side, saying grouchily: “And do not throw him again or I shall throw thou into the air.”

“Oh, little sister, thou worries too much. The colt is strong!” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and then he smiled warmly down at the baby as Antares reached for one of the hanging vines of Sleipnir's mane. “Aye, strong, handsome, he will grow up to be as powerful as his mother and handsome as his father!”

Sleipnir grinned widely, winking across at Scrivener, and the charcoal earth pony cleared his throat before Kvasir sighed grouchily, leaning moodily in from the kitchen to look at the child as he said grumpily: “Alright, this is all very nice, but can we go now?”

“We have only but arrived, Kvasir, show some patience... fear not, tonight I shall find thee fair lodgings in Ponyville, and thou shan't have to follow me from place-to-place as I visit with my siblings and family.” Sleipnir said kindly, his eyes roving towards the unicorn for a moment before he turned to smile at the Draconequus. “By the way, I believe that we have not been introduced, Ginnungagap entity. I am Sleipnir and thou must be Discombobulation. I have heard stories about thee, creature, that have made me laugh endlessly. Is is true thou wert Discord's apprentice?”

“Not apprentice. Servant. Serf. Slave. Other s-words denoting that he was in charge and I had to listen to pretty much everything he ordered.” the chimerical creature replied dryly, and Sleipnir nodded thoughtfully as Kvasir looked up with mild interest. “I suppose for the sake of pleasantries it's nice to meet you as well. The stories Luna tells about you have also made me laugh. Mostly because I have to wonder if you're legally mentally handicapped or not.”

“Most likely.” Sleipnir agreed cheerfully, and a small smile twitched at Discombobulation's face before the earth pony grinned widely as he shifted Antares easily to one limb, knocking on his own skull with the other. “See, I have taken many a blow to the head over the years, and drank myself drunk quite near a state of death on many other occasions.”

“You sound like a frat boy.” the Draconequus commented wryly, and then he looked over at Kvaisr and extended a hand, leaning forwards with a calm smile and saying kindly: “Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Discombobulation, and it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Kvasir looked surprised at this, and then he reached a hoof moodily up to shake, and Discombobulation grasped this with a smile before Kvasir squeaked as his mane puffed out and shocks of electricity ran through his body, the chimerical creature pumping the god's hoof a few times before he drew his hand back and looked meditatively down at the small, circular diode strapped to one finger. “Oh my. I must have forgotten I had that on. Clumsy, silly me.”

And with that, the Draconequus simply vanished from the spot even as Sleipnir and Luna both laughed and Scrivener rolled his eyes, Kvasir cursing under his breath before he scrambled awkwardly up to his hooves and snapped: “Stop it! Infernal chaos entity, how can you let a creature like that simply run around, free to do as it pleases?”

“'Tis very simple, we do not put him on a leash.” Luna replied blandly after a moment, and Sleipnir laughed louder at this, Antares giggling as well in the safe grip of the earth pony before the enormous stallion finally put the foal down, and the toddler happily scooted away towards a pile of his toys. “Besides, Kvasir, can I not apply the same logic to thee? Thou art a god, aye? I have not met many gods I have been very fond of.”

“Oh, shush, little sister, be kind!” Sleipnir said gently, and then he smiled encouragingly to the unicorn as Kvasir muttered, smoothing down his flaxen mane and glaring at the others. “Now come, friend. I have much I wish to discuss with my family, and thou should join us and listen in. Luna is wiser than she acts, and whilst I may tease the poet she married about most things, he is perhaps wiser still than my beloved little sister in his own way. And his merits as a poet, I have been told, are great, but Luna has also warned me that poets are far worse monsters than even fearsome Tyrant Wyrms.”

“How can you even joke about something like that? Valthrudnir's parasites caused mass devastation, were the weapons of the most fearsome Jötnar ever to exist!” Kvasir snapped. Sleipnir, however, only smiled in return, shaking his head slowly and making the frustrations of the god visibly mount. “What? What am I missing?”

“It is not that thou art missing anything, my friend, it is that thou simply are not... understanding.” Sleipnir said delicately, but his gaze was kind as he reached a hoof out and rested it on the god's shoulders, looking at him kindly. “Aye, the Tyrant Wyrms were fierce and savage, and none of us here underestimate what evils they have wrought across realities. But nor do we pointlessly dwell on what has happened and what is past. They are defeated memories now, ghosts-that-were... they can no more harm us now than any other whisper from the past.”

Kvasir looked moody at this, and Luna and Scrivener traded looks before Sleipnir laughed and shook his head, turning a grin back towards his little sister. “Besides. No Tyrant Wyrm was ever a match for us, aye? No matter how big or small, no matter what manner of beast it was!”

Luna gave her brother an amused look in return, replying easily: “Aye, because we always had Celestia to rely upon, big brother... as I recall, thou wert often injured when forced into the fight with the Wyrms and their kindred.”

“Oh, but we were young back then, sister, and we all suffered injury at their claws, did we not?” Sleipnir smiled, and then he turned and strode over to Antares, gazing tenderly down at the foal and reaching out to gently rub a hoof along the child's back, drawing the baby's attention away from his blocks and making him burble and giggle a little. “Aye, we have all known our share of pain and strife. But it has never done much to slow any of us down, either, has it?”

The winged unicorn laughed and shook her head a little as Kvasir grouchily strode into the room, his eyes roving up to study the paintings on the wall as Scrivener slipped towards the kitchens to put on coffee and prepare a few snacks. For a few moments, there was quiet, as Sleipnir's fascination was once more drawn towards the baby and the baby once more stared up at Sleipnir, reaching up to paw a hoof quietly at the mane of vines.

Then, finally, Kvasir said in a moody voice: “These pictures aren't the best in the world, but I've seen worse. Who painted them?”

“I did.” Luna said grouchily, as Scrivener did his best to suppress his laughter in the kitchen as he looked over his shoulder at Kvasir, who was now visibly wincing. “Thou truly must be a generous god to speak so nicely of my painted pictures. Why, I am just so glad thou noticed them.”

Kvasir was quiet... and then, finally, he looked over at Luna and asked slowly: “Why is a Valkyrie painting? Art is a frivolous pursuit... at least, that's what Valthrudnir always said, and from what I have read of the Valkyries, they were programmed to be warriors, not-”

“We were not programmed, like infernal machines or magical devices!” Luna snapped, glaring at the god, and the beetroot unicorn winced and stepped carefully backwards as the winged unicorn looked at him darkly. “We may have been made by the gods but we had free will, and free life! Had we been built like machines we would have all been the same... but each and every one of us forty-and-one Valkyries had our own personality, our own quirks, were ranked based upon our strengths; and Freya was like a goddess herself!”

“Freya, yes. She and her twin brother, Frey...” Kvasir began, and then he winced when Luna glared at him furiously and stomped her front hooves against the ground, making the unicorn skitter backwards with a wince. “What did I say?”

“Now, Luna, calm down.” Sleipnir said gently, and Luna tossed her starry mane as electricity sparked through it, continuing to glare but sitting firmly down on her haunches as Sleipnir's eyes roved towards Kvasir, saying in the same quiet but serious voice: “We do not speak of the ill-fated twin, does thou understand? For what happened to him is why sister has always been so driven to look after us... after, of course, she first tried to reject me from her life.” Sleipnir paused, then grinned. “Although perhaps that had to do with more than simply emotions of the past rising up in what then was the present.”

Luna relaxed a little as she looked towards her brother, softening, and then Sleipnir laughed and shook his head slowly, murmuring: “Oh, little sister. How clearly I recall the past, and the past-long-passed! I know not whether I am blessed or cursed, my beloved sibling... well, with these infernal memories, anyway. In every other aspect of life I am quite fortunate, after all. I have lovely sisters, a handsome nephew, walk once more upon the ground with nature singing her songs to me, and I am a very large and handsome stallion with a very large and handsome-”

“Sleipnir.” Luna gave him an amused look as Scrivener strode calmly out of the kitchen, carrying a large tray loaded with coffee, sugar and cream in small jars, and a small variety of baked goods.

Sleipnir only looked offended, however, then Scrivy winced as the enormous, vine-maned earth pony threw a foreleg around him, Luna hurriedly leaning forwards as her horn glowed and catching the tray with telekinesis before it could fall. “Sister, thou has a dirty mind! I was speaking of little brother here, of course!”

With that, Sleipnir loudly kissed Scrivener's cheek, and the charcoal earth pony winced before the larger stallion laughed and slapped him firmly on the shoulder, knocking him flat to the ground before Sleipnir looked thoughtfully down at him, then grinned brightly and stomped a hoof. “Oh, that's it! Brother, thou art not wearing thy pretty collar today!”

“See, Scrivy?” Luna said triumphantly, as she put the tray down, and then she grinned as her horn glowed and a mug of coffee floated upwards, taking a short sip before she said with relish: “It does fit him, doesn't it?”

“Aye, it does, it accents his pretty eyes. Thy husband is a very handsome mare.” Sleipnir replied seriously, and Scrivener grumbled a little as he climbed back to his hooves, then winced when Sleipnir firmly slapped his flank with a lecherous grin. “By-the-by, sister, how much would I have to pay, theoretically, to buy him off thee for an evening?”

“Sleipnir! My husband is neither prostitute nor slave to be bought!” Luna said in an outraged voice, and then she grinned widely, leaning forwards as Scrivener gave her the most horrible look he could from behind his glasses. “But as he is my property I shall loan him to thee for a night.”

Scrivener sighed a little, and Kvasir snorted in amusement before he frowned when Scrivener closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards when Luna began to sip her coffee again... and instead of the mug floating up to her mouth, as Scrivener concentrated, the mug instead toppled forwards and spilled its contents over Luna's muzzle and splashed out over her body, making her yell in shock as she fell on her back and flailed her hooves wildly, starry mane and tail spasming as Sleipnir threw his head back and laughed loudly and Antares looked hurriedly around at the noises, but then only giggled at the sight of Luna rolling back and forth before the baby let out a loud, squealing laugh and flopped over himself to try and imitate his mother.

Then Luna flicked her horn, and a blue pulse emanated over her body before she leapt up to her hooves, glaring at Scrivener as he smiled complacently and picked up his own mug of coffee, toasting her before sipping slowly at it. Luna began to open her mouth, but Scrivener only needed to tilt his head slightly to the side... and a moment later, the winged unicorn's jaws slowly closed and her teeth clenched as her eyes settled on the sight of Antares, the baby still giggling and flopping around on the floor.

Kvasir, meanwhile, looked with renewed interest back and forth between the two before his eyes roved to Scrivener Blooms, asking finally: “How did you do that, mortal? You're only a simple earth pony, aren't you?”

“Simple earth pony? Thou art only a simple god!” Sleipnir snorted in amusement, wrapping a friendly foreleg around Scrivener's shoulders, something which made him wince a little even as he sipped slowly at his coffee again, the enormous, vine-maned stallion grinning widely. “Nay, he and my sister are soul-bound, Kvasir. What happens to one affects the other... 'tis something I am rather envious of, if thou must know. I can only hope that one day I find a mare half as pretty and dedicated as Scrivener is to my little sister.”

“I hate you both.” Scrivener muttered, and Sleipnir nodded amiably before the poet looked up and shrugged a bit at the frown on Kvasir's face. “Luna and I feel each other's pain, and each other's emotions. I can also add my concentration and energies to her magic... or, as it so happens, interfere with her powers if the urge takes me.”

“Aye, frustrating beetle.” Luna grumbled grouchily, and then she sighed a little as Antares finally slowed down, the baby quietly putting one of his hooves into his mouth and chewing slowly at it. “Scrivy, where is Antares' sucker?”

“I think it's in his crib. I'll go get it.” Scrivener carefully slipped away from Sleipnir, then put his coffee down and headed down the corridor. Luna watched him go moodily, then she quickly leaned forwards and picked up his mug of coffee, guzzling it greedily down before dropping it on the tray with a grunt.

Kvasir looked moodily down at the mugs as Sleipnir picked up one himself, chuckling a little before he smiled at the unicorn when the god nervously took one of the cups of coffee, gazing down at the contents grumpily as he muttered: “A Valkyrie who paints and bound her soul to a mortal earth pony... why Odin speaks so highly of you, I'll never know.”

Luna only smiled dryly in response, but Sleipnir cut her off before she could say anything, raising a hoof and saying easily: “Perhaps, little sister, we should give a demonstration of what thou and Scrivener Blooms are capable of... I mean, it must be a record as it is, we've been sitting here having pleasant conversation and none of us have yet been pummeled! Why, it feels completely unnatural!”

The winged unicorn snorted in amusement, and then she leaned backwards, calling easily: “Fetch Antares' throne! We are going to play a game with my big brother outside.”

Scrivener gave a loud groan at this, but Sleipnir looked delighted, hurriedly drinking down his coffee before he winked over at Kvasir, who didn't seem quite as thrilled. “Excellent! Why does such a sour look adorn thy handsome features? This is most excellent indeed, after all, it has been months since this opportunity last presented itself, and countless years since I have had the pleasure of battling upon the soil of beloved Midgard!”

“I fail to see how this is a cause for celebration.” Kvasir replied moodily, and Sleipnir rolled his eyes with a grin before the unicorn added sourly: “You are supposed to be protecting me, and you are supposed to listen to me.”

“I am protecting thee!” Sleipnir replied reasonably, nodding his head a few times. “This way, Luna may work out her frustrations upon my head, and thus she shall not stab thee the moment thy foolish mouth begins to flap again and thou insults her or her husband or her handsome little baby boy. As to the listening part... well, I have simply never been very good of that. Just ask my sister Celestia, we used to drive her mad, did we not?”

“Aye, we did.” Luna smiled warmly, looking nostalgic for a moment before she winked at the earth pony. “And worry not, Sleipnir, I still continue to frustrate Celestia to this day. That shall never change.”

“Excellent.” Sleipnir said comfortably, and then he turned and easily scooped up Antares, making the baby giggle before he slipped the toddler over his shoulders, Luna wincing a bit even as Antares happily clung to his uncle's broad back before the male bounced cheerfully down the hall. “Enough talk, 'tis time for play!”

“Sleipnir, if thou drops my child, I cannot begin to express the pummeling thou shalt receive!” Luna shouted in a frustrated voice, and she hurried forwards down the corridor, grumbling under her breath as Kvasir grimaced in distaste.

Scrivener was already out on the front deck, setting up a small, circular chair, and he winced when Sleipnir bounded out before bucking forwards and sending Antares flying over his head, the baby giggling before Sleipnir easily caught him in his front hooves with a grin... but Scrivener pointedly reached out and took the baby away from the larger stallion, looking moody. Sleipnir looked almost hurt... and then Luna plowed into his back and knocked him flying forwards to crash and roll several times through the yard, as the winged unicorn snapped: “What did I say about tossing my baby?”

“I did not throw him! At least, not with my hooves!” Sleipnir complained in return, then he huffed and quickly scrambled back up to a standing position, irritably brushing his breastplate off. “So many rules. Bah. Thou art becoming another Celestia.”

Luna glowered at this, then she looked grumpily at Scrivener as the earth pony calmly went about the process of carefully fitting Antares into the comfortable, low baby seat, the toddler giggling and bouncing firmly in place in the doughnut-shaped chair before Scrivener smiled as he carefully fitted a knitted cap over the baby's head, Antares looking up at him happily as Luna said dryly: “The baby is fine, Scrivy. He is not soft like thou art.”

“Shush, Luna.” Scrivener said gently, and then he plucked up a brightly-colored pacifier before gently slipping this into Antares' mouth, and the baby smiled around it, bouncing contentedly with the pacifier in his jaws before the poet straightened and glanced over at Luna, who softened visibly. “Alright, let's... get this over with.”

Sleipnir snorted in amusement as Luna and Scrivener strode out into the yard, and the enormous vine-maned stallion grinned widely as he danced backwards, surprisingly-light on his hooves for such a large equine as he said easily: “Excellent! So are we ready to begin?”

“Art thou truly so eager to be pummeled, Sleipnir?” Luna asked in an entertained voice, and she and Scrivener traded a look and a smile... and as their eyes locked, Scrivener felt his mind flooded with images, a gentle warning among them to not underestimate her big brother, and a reminder that this was a spar... but the last seemed more for Luna's own sake than anything else. Then their gaze broke, and Luna returned her eyes to Sleipnir, saying calmly: “Aye, we are ready if thou art, brother.”

“Good.” Sleipnir nodded firmly, glancing towards the deck as Kvasir moodily sat at the edge of it, looking morbidly out into the yard. “Pay attention now! Thou may learn something yet!”

“I have no interest in barbarian games.” Kvasir replied grouchily, and then he grimaced when Antares burbled a little beside him and looked up at the strange unicorn, studying him with the intentness that only a baby could manage as the god leaned slowly away. “Just make this quick, I do not desire to continue wasting my time here.”

Sleipnir huffed at this, then he looked towards Luna and Scrivener, bowing his head deeply before raising it with a wide grin, setting himself as he shouted cheerfully: “Fear not, I shan't injure thee too badly!”

And with that, Sleipnir charged forwards, but Luna and Scrivener were both ready, Luna feeling excitement pulsing through her being, and Scrivener a sense of both anxiety... and a strange, deep desire to do as well as he possibly could, even faced with a legend he couldn't help but feel both respect and a sense of idolization for. Which made him feel stranger still with these warrior instincts passed on from Luna telling him that if he truly did want to show how much he thought of this behemoth, the best way to do so would be by helping Luna pummel her big brother into the ground.

Sleipnir lunged towards Luna, who grinned widely as she leapt forwards, meeting both his front hooves with her own and allowing him to shove her back, gritting her teeth as she was slammed down on her back even as they grappled... and then Scrivener Blooms leapt forwards, landing on Sleipnir's back and making him wince before he stomped both rear hooves firmly down as Luna slammed her own back legs up in a vicious kick that hit just below the edge of his breastplate, Sleipnir wheezing as his eyes bulged before he bucked hard backwards in an attempt to dislodge Scrivener, but the smaller earth pony only winced, scrabbling for balance before he slammed several firm blows into the back of Sleipnir's head, making the vine-maned stallion curse before another kick rammed into his stomach from below.

The enormous stallion threw himself sideways, and Scrivener half-jumped, half-fell off Sleipnir's back, landing heavily on his side with a wheeze before he rolled once and crawled hurriedly up to his hooves, gritting his teeth. Sleipnir was already on his own, however, his attention now turning to Scrivener even as Luna leapt at his back... but without even looking, Sleipnir slammed both rear hooves backwards, sending them crashing into Luna's face and knocking her flying away as Scrivener's own head snapped to the side and his glasses flew off his muzzle from the violence of the whiplash, cursing as blood spurted from his nostrils before Sleipnir leapt forwards and shouted cheerfully: “Far too easy, I fear!”

He brought a hoof back... and then Scrivener slammed his head into Sleipnir's face, stunning the vine-maned pony before the poet leapt backwards, and Sleipnir briskly shook his skull before he blinked a few times, saying in a surprised voice: “Thy skull must be thicker than a mountain! By the gods, Scrivener Blooms, I have been headbutted by dragons with less strength!”

Scrivener grinned awkwardly, even as stars flickered in front of his vision for a moment before he looked past Sleipnir as Luna shot towards his back again... and once more, Sleipnir threw a hard kick backwards: this time, however, Luna immediately dropped low, skidding beneath him before she swung her horn viciously upwards, and Sleipnir squeaked at the sound of metal being torn asunder before he reared back and rose his front hooves... but with only a flick of her horn firmly upwards, Luna released a pulse of raw force that sent the enormous stallion flying high into the air with a yell of frustration, flailing his limbs wildly before Luna rolled onto her back as Scrivener dropped his head forwards, pouring his own concentration into Luna before she snapped her horn forwards and sent a blue fireball rocketing upwards.

Sleipnir winced at this, but then he quickly spun his body in midair, regaining his balance before he slammed a hoof out and punched the fireball as if it was a physical object, sending it flying back towards Luna as Scrivener gaped in shock... but Luna only grinned widely, flicking her horn upwards and slashing viciously into the sapphire flames, knocking them shooting back up towards her brother as he continued to fall. The stallion's eyes widened before the fireball impacted with his chest and exploded in a brilliant blast of blue flame that knocked him sailing backwards, sending him crashing down onto his back in a hail of pieces of armor as Kvasir stared in shock and Antares gaped, the baby's pacifier falling from his mouth as his eyes went wide.

Luna rolled to her hooves as Sleipnir crashed to the ground like a meteor, Scrivener hurrying beside her... and then Sleipnir laughed loudly from where he was laying on his back, brushing burnt pieces of broken metal off his body as a few gemstones and charred vines fell from his mane, shaking himself briskly as he grinned in entertainment. He was singed, but otherwise seemed mostly-unharmed, Scrivener scarcely able to believe how resistant to magic the enormous stallion had to be before Sleipnir declared cheerfully: “Excellent! Excellent indeed, sister!”

He rolled his head on his shoulders, now-bare body flexing: it made the tattooing of vines and ivy intertwined amidst all variety of celestial symbols over his breast and down his strong right limb seem to writhe as if alive, and then he leaned forwards, grinning wider and winking as he said easily: “But if thou really wanted to see me with my armor off, sister, all thou had to do was ask...”

“Sleipnir, focus.” Luna said flatly, and Sleipnir huffed at her before shaking himself briskly out. Then the winged unicorn smiled slightly, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forwards and said calmly: “Thou wins if thou succeeds in knocking one of us out. Scrivener Blooms and I win if we pin or land a mortal blow. Understood?”

“Well, as long as the blow is not really mortal, then aye. I do not wish to die again, sister, I am not entirely sure if I shall go to Valhalla or simply cease to exist.” Sleipnir said blandly, and Luna sighed and rolled her eyes, looking frustrated... before Sleipnir grinned and immediately took this moment of distraction, charging forwards and seizing both Scrivener Blooms and Luna by the throats with his front hooves before they could react, their eyes widening for a moment before he slammed them both firmly down on their backs, pinning the two ponies easily as they both grunted in shock. “Did I win?”

Luna glared up at Sleipnir, and then both she and Scrivener Blooms angled a rear leg beneath the enormous stallion and kicked savagely upwards, knocking him backwards with a squeak as he went bowlegged and stumbled hurriedly backwards. Both ponies leapt up to their hooves, and Scrivener Blooms charged forwards first, slamming a hoof across Sleipnir's muzzle before ducking low and letting Luna lash a hoof across his face, then bow into a slice of her horn into Sleipnir's chest even as the enormous stallion tried to back-step, before cursing and swinging a front hoof out when Scrivener rushed forwards.

The charcoal earth pony winced, barely bringing his forelegs up in time before Sleipnir's own limb crashed against them and knocked him flopping onto his back, skidding through the grasses, but it gave Luna the opportunity to leap forwards, seizing Sleipnir around the neck before her wings flapped hard as she twisted her whole body to the side, and the stallion cursed as he was flung to the ground towards Scrivener. Immediately, Sleipnir began to scramble upwards, but before he could, both of Scrivener's rear hooves slammed into the back of his head, and the enormous vine-maned stallion saw stars as his eyes bulged and a bit of drool fell from his agape jaws.

He flailed wildly at the air, half-rolling onto his back instead of his hooves as he'd planned... and then he squeaked when Luna ducked and stabbed downwards, feeling the tip of her horn bury into his chest before the winged unicorn grinned widely, beginning to declare: “It seems that I-”

Still a little stunned and running on instinct more than anything else, one of Sleipnir's hooves lashed out and smashed Luna across the face, knocking her stumbling to the side as her vision went blurry, feeling her thoughts grind to a halt as her body went numb instead of agonized... and then she keeled slowly over into the grasses as Scrivener stared blankly before he collapsed to the ground as well, the two ponies knocked unconscious as Sleipnir sat dumbly up... then winced and grabbed at his head, looking horrified. “Oh by Mimir's head what have I done?”

“What you set out to do?” Kvasir asked disinterestedly, looking grumpy at most before he sighed and looked up at the sky, complaining: “We've spent what feels like hours here, indulging your boring-”

“Oh, fear not, Kvasir, when my sister awakens things will cease to be boring.” Sleipnir muttered, and then he brightened a bit as he looked at Scrivener Blooms, who was laying prone on his back with his legs half-raised in the air, drooling stupidly into the grass. “Wait! Perhaps I can awaken the poet without raising my sister into consciousness... then we can hurriedly flee before she pummels me!”

“You're an enormous coward.” Kvasir said moodily, and Sleipnir glared at the god, who only snorted and rose a hoof in distaste as Antares whimpered a little in his play-seat. “Why don't we just leave if you're so scared?”

“I am not a coward, I simply know what awaits me when my sister awakens. There is not cowardice in prudence.” Sleipnir retorted, and then he added grouchily, as he turned towards Scrivener Blooms and began to poke the unconscious stallion with one hoof: “And her rage will be magnificent as it is. I do not want to imagine what her fury will be like if she discovers we left her child unattended as well.”

Then he paused and finally reached up to cover Scrivener's nostrils, and the earth pony snorted, then coughed and wheezed, his eyes fluttering slowly open before he looked blankly up at Sleipnir as Sleipnir peered down over him. “I. Where am I?”

“Outside.” Sleipnir answered cheerfully, and Scrivener groaned, grasping at his throbbing skull before he slowly sat up as the stallion said hurriedly: “'Twas a most energizing match, but I fear that Kvasir and I must take our leave... oh, thou and sister were so tired that thou both just... fell down asleep, but I thought I should at least awaken thee so as-”

“Wait, I remember!” Scrivener looked up sharply, and then he leapt forwards and brought his hooves down on Sleipnir's head as his eyes took on an odd glow, feeling a very Luna-like anger overtaking him as Sleipnir yelped and dropped low, covering his head as Scrivener pummeled on the much-larger earth pony and snapped in a voice that sounded distinctly like Luna's: “Great, blithering idiot! Don't you ever think before you act?”

“Oh by Mimir's blasted head, he is possessed by mine beloved sister!” Sleipnir winced, looking horrified before he skittered backwards and turned, bounding through the yard as Scrivener shot after him, his eyes still glowing oddly as Luna's fury raged through his conscious mind while her unconscious body twitched, hooves pawing weakly at the air as Scrivener's own thudded over the grasses and swung wildly at Sleipnir. “What foul magic is this? Get away from me, accursed creature! Thou art more terrifying than Celestia!”

“The soul link goes both ways, Sleipnir! Trying to wake Scrivener up to avoid me, I'll show you!” Scrivener shouted, although it was clearly Luna choosing the words as he continued to chase the terrified Sleipnir through the yard before the enormous earth pony finally skidded around in a wide turn and ran onto the forest path, yelping as Scrivener slid to a halt, stomping his hooves violently against the ground and tossing his mane as he snapped: “Dammit, Sleipnir, you're only going to make this worse on yourself!”

Then he huffed before twitching and grabbing at his head as Kvasir strolled moodily by, the god grumbling and not even offering a farewell before Scrivener mumbled: “Luna, please don't ever, ever do that again. Now get out of my head and go back to your own body.”

There was a grumble inside his mind, and then a sense of a consciousness retreating, although Luna's body remained laying prone and unconscious. For a few moments, Scrivener only looked down the forest path, and then he sighed as he turned around, walking over to her knocked-cold body... but instead of waking her up, he simply sighed again and turned, moodily heading over to Antares, who was still whimpering a little, looking confused by everything that had gone on.

Scrivener leaned down and kissed his son's forehead quietly, the sight of Antares instantly calming him... and Antares smiled a little, reassured by his father's presence before Scrivener carefully pushed the play-chair backwards on the wheels hidden on the bottom of it, making Antares giggle a little as Scrivy guided it towards the open door and carefully pushed his son inside and all the way back to the den room. He smiled at him, then turned his eyes to the stack of soft toys before picking up a small hoof-puppet, gently giving this to the foal, and the toddler took it with a burble from behind his pacifier, squeezing it between his hooves childishly.

The charcoal stallion gave a small smile, then he went about the process of cleaning up the living room, content for the moment to leave Luna laying out in the front yard after her abuse of his body. Once he was done, and after giving a glance to Antares to ensure the infant was still happily distracted, the earth pony walked down the corridor and headed back outside, striding over to Luna's body and looking down at her meditatively.

Finally, he turned around, then sat down on her stomach, and Luna wheezed in shock and flailed her hooves wildly as she snapped awake, her mane and tail both sparking and lashing through the air before she glared up at him, but Scrivener only looked back down at her mildly before he said blandly: “That really went well.”

“Scrivener, get thy enormous flank off of me. Thou hast already made thy point.” Luna mumbled moodily, and then she sighed a little and pawed grouchily at him with a hoof when Scrivener only looked down at her grumpily. “Stupid Sleipnir. Stupid Kvasir. Stupid. Everything else.”

“Yes, dear. Everything's stupid.” Scrivener finally stood up, and then he turned and gently helped pull Luna up to her hooves as she winced, reaching up to rub slowly at her throbbing skull as she rolled her jaw a few times before deciding the blow must have caught her in the side of the head, since nothing seemed to be broken. “There are pieces of broken armor all over the yard. You go inside and feed Antares, I'll clean up out here.”

“Scrivener...” Luna softened, looking at him, and Scrivener smiled a little at her in return before she leaned forwards and kissed his cheek with a slight blush. “I am sorry. We share all things, I did not think thou would mind the temporary hijacking of thy body. I mean... 'tis fun, is it not?”

“It's alright, Luna, it's... just... I mean, it's not that I'm mad at you, precisely, it's...” Scrivener hesitated, then he smiled a little up at her, saying softly: “I guess it's because of everything we went through with that echo. I dunno, maybe I'm just in a bad mood because Sleipnir beat us up.”

“Oh, he did not, the fool lost.” Luna said grouchily, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh a bit despite himself before the winged unicorn nodded and leaned forwards, kissing his lips tenderly for a moment and making the earth pony blush a bit. “Very well, though. We can speak on it more later. Still, I was unsure to the degree I would be able to influence thee... aye, we can enter the other's mind, so to speak, whilst one sleeps... but 'twas mostly instinctive reaction that let me... take hold. I wonder, is our link growing stronger?”

Scrivener shrugged slowly, looking thoughtfully at Luna before he said finally: “Maybe... tighter... is a better word, Luna. Because even as we find it easier to pool our concentration and reach into one another's minds... we also can't be apart for as long anymore, or go to great distances without being beside each other.”

“Tighter together...” Luna said meditatively, looking down thoughtfully... and then she shook her head slowly, smiling after a moment and glancing up with a firm nod. “Aye. Tighter together. But very well, Scrivener Blooms... I shall go and take care of Antares, then, before the babe miraculously crawls out of his throne.”

Scrivener sighed at her name for the baby chair, but Luna only grinned before she turned to head inside. She strode down the hall to find Antares still amusing himself with a plush hoof-puppet, and she shook her head in entertainment before flicking her horn towards the fireplace, sending up a burst of blue flames that made Antares stare for a moment before he giggled and clapped his hooves together, and Luna smiled warmly at the baby before she said softly: “And one day, thou too shall be able to do such things. But come, 'tis time for lunch for thee, my child.”

Luna leaned forwards, gently scooping Antares up out of the car seat and slipping back to the bedding to set him gently down beside her, then she removed the pacifier as she laid back. Her eyes roved over her foal as she settled herself into position, murmuring moodily: “I do not think I shall miss this when thou art finally weaned... mostly because thy teeth are such sharp little things.”

Luna relaxed as Antares fed all the same, ignoring the occasional nip of pain as she looked slowly towards the far wall, studying the pictures over it as she softened quietly. Among them were now several framed photographs of Antares as a baby, of their family, of their home. Scrivener and Luna had bought a camera and some film the last time they were in Ponyville, and Luna thought it was a delightful little device, and she was already assembling a photo album.

Scrivener wasn't as fond of photos for his own odd reasons, but that was fine: she was still able to coax him into relaxing for a picture here and there, and he was an alright amateur photographer. Then again, Luna couldn't see what was so hard about it: pointing, clicking, it all seemed easy enough. Then she smiled to herself, reflecting: “And drawing is just laying down lines, and writing simply assembling words upon a page. All things sound simple, do they not, Antares?”

She paused, glancing down at the foal as he finally pulled away, and she gently wiped at his mouth before picking him up and resting her over one shoulder, gently patting him on the back until he burped quietly and curled against her. He snuffled a little, and Luna quietly cradled him in her forelimbs, gazing down at him before gently settling him down to the bedding, picking up his pacifier to return it to his mouth.

He blinked tiredly a few times, and Luna smiled faintly, laying slowly down beside her son and half-wrapping one forelimb around him, letting him curl closer to her as his eyes slid closed. He twitched a little, but shortly, his breathing evened out as he fell into a deep sleep on the futon, and Luna reached down to pull the sheets carefully up and over her baby, looking down at the foal as she murmured quietly: “Sleep well, sweet Antares Mīrus. Thy mother is here... and thy father too, always, always...”

She smiled a little... and outside, Scrivener Blooms smiled, pausing in mid-conversation with Scarlet Sage, who had just returned from her trip to Ponyville. The Pegasus cocked her head curiously, and then Scrivener only shook his head, tossing another scrap of broken armor to the pile he had gathered up as he said softly: “Just Luna and your brother, it's alright. Antares just went down for a nap.”

“Oh, alright, Dad.” Scarlet smiled after a moment, nodding slowly as she looked over him, and Scrivener looked back curiously before she asked finally: “The blood.”

“Oh, right.” Scrivener cleared his throat, rubbing at his bruised body: he was barely aware of the soreness from how often he and Luna had been pummeled over the years, and in the tumult he'd forgotten about the fact he was covered in blood, rubbing awkwardly at his chest before he said finally: “Well, remember how I was explaining about Sleipnir? He wanted to spar. I think technically Luna and I won but then he punched Luna out on reflex.”

Scarlet Sage winced a bit, and Scrivener nodded, looking mildly entertained despite himself now. “It was a pretty nasty session. Luna and Sleipnir don't pull many punches even in a simple sparring session... warriors and honor and all that, after all. Plus they just both like to fight.”

“Sadomasochism.” Scarlet Sage muttered, and Scrivener grunted agreeably after a moment before the Pegasus sighed a little, giving a small smile. “I just wish you and Mom would take better care of yourselves sometimes. Especially now with Antares around... wasn't he scared at all by what was going on?”

Scrivener shrugged at this, looking towards the house as his gaze softened. “Your brother's weird. He's got... Aesir blood, and he does that... recognition thing, you know?” Scrivener smiled after a moment, glancing back at Scarlet Sage. “He seems to just be able to... know when things are serious, when they're not. I think that's why he's often so calm and everything, why the so-called 'monsters' like Nightmares and Phooka don't bother him, why he gets anxious around some strange ponies but not others.

“But come on. Your mother's probably waiting for us by now, and you know she likes to hear your stories, and I do too. Let's go inside.” Scrivener added softly, smiling across at his daughter, and Scarlet Sage blushed a bit before she nodded, gladly following her father towards the cottage and into the comfort of hearth and home.

Of What Is Yet To Come

Chapter Seven: Of What Is Yet To Come
~BlackRoseRaven

Sleipnir grinned cheerfully, seated at a long table in the yard behind the house at Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac on one side of the male and Scrivener on the other as Luna smiled cheerfully across at her brother. There was quite a gathering here, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm and dry day: among the others in attendance were Celestia, the Pink Twins, the Apple Family, Scarlet Sage, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Spike, Fluttershy, and Ross and Cowlick. Discombobulation was also present, moodily standing near a second table littered with food beside a half-dozing Phooka, a horribly-grouchy look on the face of the Draconequus and a baby carrier with Antares in it hanging over his front.

Antares, at least, was snoozing quietly despite the cheerful and boisterous conversation, and Sleipnir laughed as he threw a forelimb around both Big Mac and Scrivener, half-throttling both stallions as he said jubilantly: “A meal shared by friends in the middle of the afternoon, 'tis delightful! I am only sorry that Kvasir felt his time was better spent in the library... I again wish to thank both of thee, Twilight Sparkle and Celestia, for permitting the silly creature lodgings there.”

“And again, brother, you're always welcome to stay in the library too.” Celestia replied with a smile, but Sleipnir only snorted in entertainment, and the rainbow-maned equine gave him a look of amusement. “You really haven't changed at all, have you?”

“Not one bit.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and then he let go of both stallions to reach forwards and pick up his plate, making most of the table stare as he rose it in front of his face and loudly slurped up the last of the dressing and salad. Then he sighed in relief and dropped it, looking complacent as Luna laughed, Pinkie Pie giggled, and Apple Bloom hid a grin behind her hooves. “Oh, 'tis even better than Valhalla! Surrounded by pretty mares and family and friends! Aye, who could ask for more?”

“You're a funny stallion.” Ross said kindly, the white unicorn smiling across at Sleipnir with something like fascination, and Cowlick snorted as she slapped the unicorn stallion lightly on the shoulder, making him cock his head curiously, turning his inquisitive amber eyes to her. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Not at all, hot stuff, just don't go imitating that big lug there too much. You're already plenty handsome as it is.” Cowlick replied in an amused voice, gently brushing Ross's blond mane back before she returned her eyes to Sleipnir as the male leaned forwards and grinned at her. “And you stop looking at me like that. Please note that I already have a handsome stud of my own right here.”

Sleipnir only winked, however, saying kindly: “'Tis true, perhaps, but I do not think he would mind sharing, now would thou, Ross?”

“Nope.” Ross said cheerfully, and then Cowlick laughed and slapped his foreleg lightly, and Ross smiled as well, his eyes bright and happy as he looked over at her: sometimes it was hard to understand how much the unicorn himself understood, but one thing was always clear... Ross was happiest whenever he was making other ponies happy, especially the mare he loved, and there wasn't a single ounce of cruelty in his heart.

Sleipnir nodded firmly at this, and then his eyes roved towards the Pink Twins, grinning wider... before he leaned back when Pinkamena picked up the knife beside her, pointing it at him threateningly as she shoved her twin sister back in her seat. “Don't even say it, or this is going right into your face.”

“Would thou really ruin my handsome features? I would never harm thine own fair face, beautiful maiden!” Sleipnir said in an injured voice, and Pinkamena only looked at him sourly before he rose a hoof and grinned: “But if thou art worried that there will not be enough of me to go around, then I would be more than glad to-”

“Okay, enough, there are foals at the table.” Applejack said flatly, rubbing at her pregnant, growing-larger belly, and both Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom looked less-than-thrilled as Sleipnir huffed as well. “Besides, ain't exactly the best of manners.”

“My brother has never been particularly well-mannered.” Celestia said mildly, glancing over at Sleipnir, and the male replied by blowing a raspberry at his older sibling as Luna giggled like a child. “Thank you for demonstrating, Sleipnir, I'm sure we all appreciated that.”

“I did!” Rainbow Dash said cheerfully, holding up a hoof, and then he grinned over at the enormous earth pony, adding: “I gotta say, you're way more fun that I imagined you'd be. Also, you're kind of like the size of a dragon. Not you, Spike, a real dragon, he's way bigger than you.”

“Nice, Dash, real nice.” Spike said flatly, as Rarity smiled despite herself and leaned back against him, giving him an entertained look, and the dragon gave her a pleading one in return. “Oh, not you too!”

Sleipnir, meanwhile, was grinning over at Rainbow, leaning on an elbow as he asked kindly: “Art thou flirting with me in front of thy wife? My, usually it was the other way around, wives flirting with me in front of their husbands. This is a fun change of pace.”

Rainbow's jaw dropped as Applejack sighed and there were a few laughs around the table, before Sleipnir suddenly pushed himself backwards and hopped to his hooves, stomping them firmly and declaring cheerfully: “And now that the meal is over, we should all play a game! Or wrestle! Or see how many pretty mares can fit into that storage shed with me!”

“Oh, Sleipnir, thou always were ever-persevering.” Luna said kindly, and then she laughed and pushed herself away from the table as well, grinning slightly over at Celestia. “Big sister, I have yet to bring a proper revenge upon Sleipnir's head for knocking me out a few days ago after he had clearly lost-”

“'Twas no mortal blow! Thy horn would have only pierced to my heart, and my heart is made from the stuff that dragons wish they were made from!” Sleipnir said firmly, slapping a hoof against his own broad chest before he looked meditatively towards Spike as the dragon winced a little. “Does thou not wish thou wert as brave and brawny as me?”

“Uh. Maybe?” Spike said after a moment, leaning awkwardly back, and Sleipnir nodded firmly once before he grinned lecherously as he leaned in towards Rarity, but Spike winced a little as he squeezed the unicorn mare's shoulders, adding hurriedly: “But you know, one day I'll probably be bigger and stronger than you, too!”

“Bigger, aye. Stronger, nay.” Sleipnir winked and rose a foreleg, flexing it firmly as he kissed the bulge of muscle before laughing and then looking gleefully over at Celestia as she stood up from the table. “Well, how unexpected! Answering our little sister's sordid pleas for help, art thou?”

Luna glared at him, but Celestia only smiled, looking around the table as she asked: “How many of you would be interested in playing, say... rugby, with myself and my brother?”

The ponies looked surprised at this, but Luna bounced gleefully as Scrivener Blooms winced a bit and rubbed at his face, and Rainbow Dash waved a hoof wildly through the air as Pinkie Pie bounced happily. Slowly, other hooves rose up, and Celestia smiled around at the group as Cowlick lounged back and said dryly: “You guys have fun. Me, I'm pretty brash most of the time, but even I ain't stupid enough to get myself mixed up in this.”

“You're just being a pansy, Cowlick. Come on, you're about as girly as I am.” Rainbow retorted, and then he grinned across at Sleipnir with a wink. “I'm the best damn athlete in Ponyville, after all.”

“Only 'cause I'm knocked up right now.” Applejack said flatly, and Rainbow shrugged innocently before the goldenrod mare sighed and reached up to adjust her cowboy hat, glancing at Big Mac as the red stallion stood hesitantly up, an apprehensive look on his face. “Oh come on, I'm sure it won't be that bad. I wish I could play myself, but well... I ain't in a right state for games right now, am I?”

“Excellent. Then I desire Apple Bloom, Scarlet Sage, and the pretty twins on my team. Thou may have the rest.” Sleipnir said after a moment, flicking his hoof before he smiled at Fluttershy, who was still apprehensively sitting in her seat. “Unless thou wants to play too. Thou can be on my side as well.”

“Oh no, I'm... fine.” Fluttershy murmured after a moment, blushing a little as Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena traded looks, one giggling and the other looking grumpy. Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, traded their own look of surprise before the silver Pegasus waved a hoof awkwardly, attracting Sleipnir's attention.

“We uh. Didn't say we wanted to play.” Scarlet Sage said after a moment, and when Sleipnir only looked at the two pointedly, they both traded a look before sighing, the Pegasus mumbling: “Well, Red, at least we're on the same team.”

Sleipnir nodded firmly, striding out into the field behind the house, with the others following, as Celestia's own team assembled: Luna, Scrivener, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac. For a moment, the ivory winged unicorn surveyed them all, and then she nodded once, saying kindly: “Do not go easy on my brother, and do not underestimate him if you want to win. Sleipnir's always been fond of competition and sports like this. Oh, and we need a ball, as well...”

“I'll get one!” Rainbow grinned, flapping his wings and easily taking to the air to zoom off towards the shed, adding cheerfully to himself: “And how hard can this really be, anyway, it's him and the kids and Pinkamena against a bunch of athletes.”

But within the first few minutes of play, Rainbow Dash quickly came to understand that they were in for an uphill battle, shocked to find out that Sleipnir wasn't simply strong: he was fast, graceful, and easily coordinated his team, even Pinkamena listening to the massive stallion's quick commands.

And at the same time, the ponies on Celestia's own team were amazed to see a different side of Celestia, as were those on the sidelines, Twilight watching with awe at the way Celestia bulled through the field to slam directly into Sleipnir with her teeth grit, the two enormous equines shoving at each other and ripping up the grass as Celestia cursed and pushed forwards: this was no untouchable princess or distant queen, but a pony, like any one of them, engaged in a messy, full-contact game with her siblings. And it made Luna's heart soar to see, as Celestia and Sleipnir pushed against one another before the brother finally began to gain ground, laughing as he bulled forwards before throwing her backwards and simply charging over her.

Ponies gaped in shock, but Celestia was up on her hooves in moments, stained with grass and mud and yelling orders to the others, and Luna and Scrivener both barreled into Sleipnir's way as the others recovered from their amazed shock... but Sleipnir only plowed past the two and knocked them both sprawling, laughing and scoring another point for his team as he paraded into the end zone before he turned around with brightly-gleaming eyes, shouting cheerfully: “And when did thou become a Valkyrie again instead of a preening throne?”

“Not too long ago, Sleipnir.” Celestia smiled despite herself, her amethyst eyes glinting before she cracked her neck as she added calmly: “Don't worry, I have every intent of showing clearly just what a Valkyrie is capable of.”

“Excellent.” Sleipnir grinned widely, winking at her and looking gleeful. His excitement seemed to only add to his already boundless-supplies of energy, and Sleipnir gladly headed his team, leading them down the field on charge after charge, crashing through ponies like pins, sometimes leaping gracefully over figures even as large as Celestia. Once, Rainbow Dash and Luna both managed to hit Sleipnir at the same time in midair, tackling him backwards and slamming him to the ground, but Sleipnir had hurriedly thrown the ball wildly backwards even as they both scrambled for it. Then, when Rainbow had tried to lunge after it, Sleipnir had caught him by the ankles and swung him like a baseball bat into Luna, knocking them both flat and stunning Scrivener Blooms.

Discombobulation was now watching with a great amount of amusement from the sidelines as Antares stared with awe, the toddler flailing his hooves a little and entranced by both the rapid movement across the field and the sounds of ponies shouting, crashing into each other, and skidding through the grass. He had almost the same expression on his face as Twilight Sparkle had on her own, as Fluttershy smiled a bit, absently petting the Phooka sitting beside her as she said softly: “They're all so happy... it's amazing.”

Then Celestia and Sleipnir crashed together like a tidal wave slamming into a rocky cliff, and the two enormous equines shoved against one another before Sleipnir suddenly ducked and hauled Celestia over his shoulders, making her shout in surprise before he charged gleefully back through the fields and threw her hard down onto her back, her rainbow mane and tail both sparking and sizzling outwards as she twitched on the ground and Sleipnir leaned over her with a wide grin and a wink, saying kindly: “My thanks to thee for holding the ball, sister, 'twould have been far too awkward to carry both it and thou at once.”

“I'm reminded of why so many times in the past I wanted to do serious bodily harm to you, Sleipnir.” Celestia said moodily, grimacing a bit as she carefully began to sit up, but Sleipnir only laughed as he drew back and reached down to firmly haul the ivory mare up to her hooves. “You've always had a talent for being frustrating, though.”

“Aye, particularly to thou. I have also always had a way with the mares.” Sleipnir grinned cheerfully as he turned around, trotting easily back across the field and calling: “Excellent work, friends! Pinkamena, Apple Bloom, back to blocking position!”

The game lasted another twenty minutes... and while they had numbers, strong athletes, and Celestia's sharp, strategic mind, Sleipnir's passion and the fact he never seemed to grow tired overwhelmed them all too quickly. And backed by Pinkie Pie, who didn't seem to entirely understand the rules but was also tireless and had a habit of slipping past even the most nimble of defenders, and Pinkamena, who once stopped a charging Big Mac with one hoof by seizing him by the head and slamming him face-first into the ground, Sleipnir's team dominated by the end. Even the younger mares had gotten their own goals in: Scarlet Sage was as stubborn as her parents, after all, and Apple Bloom was becoming as athletic as her older sister.

Big Mac was still spitting mud, Luna and Scrivener were both rattled from being run over one-too-many times by Sleipnir, Celestia was covered in dirt and grass stains, and Rainbow had sprained a wing, staring stupidly at Sleipnir as he cheerfully bounced through the field and then said warmly: “That was a delightful warmup, wasn't it?”

“What?” Rainbow Dash scrambled to his hooves as Celestia shot a sour look at her younger brother, before the blue Pegasus said finally: “You can't be serious. You just wore us all down into the ground!”

Apple Bloom nodded in agreement as she leaned against Scarlet Sage, who had her own eyes closed, wheezing a little... and Sleipnir looked curiously back and forth before he brightened as Pinkie Pie bounced cheerfully around him in a circle, the bright pink pony saying exuberantly: “Yeah, but you're only as ever tired as you think you are, and I don't think I'm tired at all!”

“You never get tired, sissy. Now stop bouncing around or I'll slap the energy out of you.” Pinkamena muttered moodily, and Pinkie Pie huffed a bit as she halted, Sleipnir smiling warmly from one twin to the other before the half-demon looked sourly up at the stallion. “Don't get any ideas, you big stupid lout. Still, great work. Never imagined anypony would be able to get Princess Sunshine to take the enormous stick out of her ass.”

Sleipnir giggled stupidly at this, and Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes before she winced when the stallion wrapped a foreleg around her and pulled her into a half-hug, asking with a grin: “So, do I earn a victory kiss now?”

Pinkamena glowered at him, baring her sharp teeth in response as her red-rimmed eyes flashed, and then she punched him firmly in the stomach, making the stallion wheeze a little as she shoved herself moodily away. “Kiss my flank. Besides, I thought you Asgard types didn't mix and mingle with us lowly half-demons?”

“Half-demon? And here I thought thou were a full demon.” Sleipnir said thoughtfully, but his tone made Pinkamena turn and look at him with surprise before the male grinned at her and winked. “I wonder if that makes thou more or less ferocious?”

Pinkamena glared... and then a smile twitched at her muzzle before she turned away, and Sleipnir gazed after her for a moment with a grin before Discombobulation held up a hand and asked mildly: “Does anyone else see the romantic comedy starting? Well, as long as she doesn't eat his head after she's done.”

This got a particularly-nasty curse in response from Pinkamena even as she continued to walk away, and Celestia sighed and shook her head before her horn glowed as she bowed her head forwards, a swirl of light rolling along her body and leaving her coat pristine and clean. She smiled slightly at this... and then Sleipnir tackled her cheerfully onto her back and directly into a trench of mucky, torn-up grass, Celestia wincing in surprise before cursing in frustration as Sleipnir wrestled with her, gritting her teeth as Luna threw her head back and laughed.

The others cleaned themselves up as best they could, congratulated each other on surviving more than winning or losing, and then watched as Celestia and Sleipnir wrestled and grappled, shortly joined by Luna. Applejack couldn't help but smile despite herself as she looked amusedly at her big brother, who smiled back at her and shrugged as Rainbow Dash whistled and Apple Bloom laughed from where she was still sitting close to Scarlet Sage. Sleipnir was like the energetic puppy that had never grown up, and the impact he had on his sisters was incredible: Luna became just as energetic, carefree and bouncy, and Celestia became loose, dropped what remained of the dignified mask she had always been forced to wear, and some old, almost-lost Celestia rose to the surface.

Finally, the sisters succeeded in pummeling Sleipnir into the ground, leaving him laying prone for a few minutes. Celestia cleaned herself off again, while Luna simply walked over to Discombobulation and removed Antares from his carrier to let the foal happily roll around and scramble through the grasses, ignoring the grime splattered over her own body until Twilight finally cast a cleansing spell over the starry-maned winged unicorn, making her huff. Pinkie Pie happily bounced over to play with the foal as Scrivener helped Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Big Mac clean up, and Sleipnir revived himself with surprising rapidity to begin scurrying around the area, looking for Pinkamena.

As evening began to fall, the ponies finally all went their separate ways: Fluttershy walked home with the Phooka following her loyally, Discombobulation vanished, Celestia and Sleipnir headed towards the forest instead of Ponyville, and Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle joined the Pink Twins, Spike and Rarity on the walk back into town. Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, had already asked to spend time with Apple Bloom at the farm, promising to be back before it got too late... but Luna trusted in her daughter, and in Scarlet's ability to take care of herself.

In Ponyville, the Pink Twins headed to Sugar Cube Corners, Rarity and Spike made their way towards the boutique, but Twilight Sparkle asked quietly if she could come out with them for the night. And Scrivener and Luna were glad to entertain her company, smiling and nodding, Antares half-asleep in the baby harness hanging from Scrivener's side as they made their way through the city gates and into the Everfree Forest.

All was not quiet on the path, however: not long after they entered the woods, Luna felt a chill run along her spine. The darkness was deeper than it should be, even with clouds concealing the moon and the stars above, eating up the light cast from the glowing horns of the winged unicorns. Twilight clearly felt it too, as she looked slowly back and forth, before her eyes widened as something flickered in her vision at the edge of the forest... but a moment later, a voice whispered from the shadows: “It is only us, Lady Twilight... Mistress Luna, the forest is unsafe tonight...”

Luna frowned as several Nightmares flickered into reality around them: what bothered her wasn't the presence of these dark shades, but rather the nervousness on their features. The last time they had been so afraid was when that unnatural thing Odin had ordered them to destroy had slipped into this reality... and she shook her head before asking calmly: “What is it?”

“We do not know, sister...” one of the Nightmares murmured, and Luna grimaced a little at the term before the Nightmare looked ahead, adding worriedly: “It is in the forest. We think it is looking for you. It crawls, it slithers, it hisses. It is a treacherous foe. It is a dangerous foe.”

The winged unicorn snorted in distaste, glaring back and forth through the thick shadows as her horn glowed brighter, making the Nightmares wince back slightly as she muttered darkly: “I fear no monster. If it hunts for me, let it find me, I shall pummel it into oblivion.”

“But what of your child?” asked another of the Nightmares, and Luna growled even as she nodded, looking nervously at Scrivener Blooms and now-asleep Antares, the stallion grimacing as he glanced anxiously back at Luna as Twilight kept herself close to the male.

Luna began to open her mouth... and then she fell silent as the Nightmares all looked sharply up at once, their eyes widening as there was a rumbling ahead before one of them whispered: “It sees through the darkness we have cast over the forest... it senses us despite our dampening... Mistress Luna, I...”

“Get out of my way! I shan't let any monster threaten my family!” Luna snapped immediately, and the Nightmares all flinched before vanishing from sight, the grasses whispering as the invisible entities hurried into the forest. Ahead, there was another rumble, and Luna snarled before she shook her head grimly when Twilight began to step up beside her, saying curtly: “No. Thou must stay here with Scrivener, protect Antares in case the creature is not alone or seeks to harm my child!”

Twilight nodded, and she could barely repress a shiver as Luna's mane and tail became like blue fire, her eyes glowing with her fury, her body trembling with malice: Scrivener's own features had hardened, glaring from behind his glasses, his pose raised and ready, and for a moment the violet mare was almost afraid of these two ponies for all her adoration of them before both she looked ahead as something emerged into the path.

The thing seemed unnatural and synthetic, its body gleaming like metal. In sockets too large for its sunken eyes, glass-like orbs twisted back and forth before a gaze that was without pupil, without iris, and most of all without life or emotion locked on to them, and mandibles clicked rapidly as behind these, large, saw-toothed jaws fell open with a hiss.

Luna flicked her horn with a snarl, and a ball of light shot upwards, casting an eerie glow over the area that better illuminated the beast: it had a thin body, large, broad shoulders, and long limbs ending in three large digits, a beetle-like carapace over its back that was almost too large for it, giving it a hunched look as it carried this forwards on long, thin legs ending in large talons. Its jaws clicked and clacked as it strode forwards, cocking its head back and forth as Luna stepped forwards and shouted: “Get away, monstrosity, this is the one warning I shall-”

And then the beast rose one limb, and Luna's eyes widened in horror as the bug-like creature's claw became like liquid, twisting on itself before it spilled downwards and formed into a deadly, serrated crescent blade as it leapt forwards, still clicking soullessly away as dragonfly-like wings ripped out of its back, made of the same thin metal as it shot eagerly towards Luna-

The winged unicorn snapped out of her daze a moment before it drew its scythe-like hand back, stepping forwards and flicking her horn with a snarl to send a burst of blue flames hammering into the monster, and the shapeshifter was knocked sprawling as the silvery metal that made up its frame charred to black, warped ruin. Yet it made no cries of pain even as it crashed down with a bang loud enough to awaken Antares, the baby whimpering before beginning to cry loudly, and Twilight looked towards the foal before instincts she didn't even know she had tore through her, sending up a warning as she looked to the other side and released a yell of terror at the sight of another shapeshifter scrabbling through the woods towards them, its lower body that of a monstrous centipede instead of bipedal legs as it clawed at the ground, soulless eyes locked on the ponies before Twilight snarled, her horn glowing as she concentrated.

Vines and brambles tore up through the ground around the shapeshifter, locking into its limbs and around its body, and yet the monstrosity barely seemed to notice, continuing to try and scurry forwards as it clawed at the ground in front of itself and tried to drag free. Twilight staggered backwards at this, her eyes wide and fearful as a memory flashed through mind, and then Scrivener grabbed her and shouted clearly, stopping her from panicking: “Whatever these things are, they're not alive like you or me, you have to destroy it!”

Luna, meanwhile, lunged forwards as the shapeshifter began to get up, burying her horn through its features... and yet it barely twitched, the monster clacking loudly and spasming before it brought its arms out wide as smaller limbs tore up out of its chest, seizing into Luna's shoulders as its remaining claw became a deadly scythe as well, and the sapphire winged unicorn's eyes widened before she flicked her horn upwards with a wince when it swung both scythes in towards her sides, walls of sapphire energy forming to either side of her and deflecting the blades before Luna snarled and swung her head forwards, viciously headbutting the already-pierced features of the monstrosity and crunching in its skull, chunks of metal hailing down from the monstrosity before she leapt backwards and swung a wild telekinetic blast into the shapeshifter.

It was knocked sprawling on its back before Luna glanced sharply to the side as she heard a series of loud clanks as Twilight snapped her horn upwards, her teeth grit and eyes clenched shut as she poured all her energy into the spell before the shapeshifter could rip free of the vines. It was shuddering, trembling on the spot... before Twilight's horn flashed, and the spikes of rock that had buried through its body from below tore savagely upwards, the creature's entire lower body shattering apart into broken plates of brittle metal that melted into silvery liquid as its upper body fell to the ground.

And then Twilight stared in horror as the shapeshifter looked up before deadly blades and barbs ripped out of its upper body in all directions, tearing through the vines restraining it before the creature began to drag itself forwards. Luna began to grit her teeth... but a moment later, a Nightmare appeared to either side of the halved shapeshifter, bowing their heads downwards, and black flames burst upwards around the silvery monstrosity, something clanking loudly inside the silvery beast before it shattered apart and melted quickly away into mercury.

Luna's eyes flicked back towards the monstrosity in front of her that was slowly getting up even as its skull shattered away... and then there was a loud clank before it shivered, its body trembling before breaking apart and melting rapidly, the rest of the creature collapsing and quickly following suit a moment later, leaving the last Nightmare standing behind it with a hoof raised before the hell-horse whispered: “They are not of this world, nor of Helheim...”

“Filled with false life, but soulless...” another Nightmare agreed, as Luna silently turned to nuzzle Antares, trying to soothe the still-crying baby, a tremble running through her even as her eyes flicked towards the Nightmare. “Mistress, we do not know where these creatures came from... they are brittle, but there may be more...”

“They were like Fafnir... shapeshifters... monsters...” Twilight murmured, a shiver running through her body before she shook her head hurriedly. “We... we need to get out of here.”

“Yes, let us waste no time in heading home.” Luna replied quietly, shaking her head briefly before she quickly started down the path, Scrivener following with a frown and Twilight bringing up the rear as the Nightmares whispered to either side of them. And for once, Luna was glad for their company, as she looked up and said quietly: “Twilight, I owe thou a debt of thanks... and Nightmares, all of thee have my gratitude as well.”

“It is our honor and our duty to aid in your defense, Mistress Luna... and they are creatures that we fear would threaten us whether we were allied with you or not.” one of the Nightmares replied softly, and then it and the other hell-horses shivered in the darkness. “They had no life... and yet they were pervaded with such bittersweet sorrow...”

“Machines...” Luna muttered, shaking her head quickly as Antares whimpered on Scrivener's side, tears still rolling down the foal's cheeks. “'Tis an awful thought, to say the very least. I do not like how this bodes for us, Scrivener Blooms, Twilight... and the resemblance to Fafnir, 'twas uncanny: their horrid, insectile presence, their single-minded purpose of destruction, even the way they shaped themselves... the only blessing is their lack of his lust for violence, but their soullessness... 'twas as vile as his madness.”

Scrivener grunted and nodded slowly in agreement, unable to suppress a small shudder as they continued down the path, Antares still whimpering a little but finally starting to settle as he pushed a hoof into his mouth for comfort. “They're truly that different from any shapeshifter you've seen in the past?”

“Just as they were no golem. They were... too alive, for all their lack of life, does thou understand what I am saying?” Luna looked over her shoulder for a moment, and Twilight shivered and nodded, thinking of the gleaming carapaces of the creatures, the way their bodies had moved like flesh more than metal, before Luna's eyes turned back ahead and she murmured: “But the way they died... that reminded me all too clearly of Valthrudnir...”

They were silent the rest of the way to the cottage, the Nightmares gradually vanishing into the darkness without a word as they made their way down the path, to scout the perimeter and ask Luna's other allies of the night if they had seen anything like the foul entities that they had just encountered. At the cottage, Scrivener and Luna quietly took their time putting Antares to bed, laying the calmed babe down in his crib, ensuring he had his pacifier and a few of his stuffed toys, and was securely tucked in as they lingered over him.

Scrivener Blooms and Luna returned to the den to find Twilight waiting for them, smiling faintly, cups of coffee out and waiting for them. Luna smiled at this, but the trio remained silent, not wanting nor needing conversation right now, only desiring the comfort of each other in the long dark night that for the moment, was no friend... and held within its darkness not just everything Luna cherished, but an unknown, alien threat that Luna feared they had seen only a lingering shadow of so far.

Scarlet Sage returned in the early morning, immediately catching on that something was wrong from Luna's demeanor. The young mare had long learned to pick up on her parents' cues, and the lack of teasing questions about the night before was a very obvious one. Scrivener explained what had happened as Twilight puttered around the kitchen, keeping busy to try and keep herself calm despite her own growing anxieties: she continued to hold that it was mostly for the fact that these monsters could do a lot of damage to Ponyville and Equestria if there were more of them, but in truth most of the worry was for her friends... her family, strange as it still was to feel so much for them and so close to them even after all the months that had passed, as she adjusted from being one Twilight Sparkle to becoming another.

Scarlet Sage agreed to babysit Antares... along with Discombobulation, who popped into existence only a few moments later, looking distinctly ruffled. He complained loudly about the presence of both Helheim as well as other unnatural energies, then he grumbled for a while about 'space pirates' before sighing and flopping down on the bedding, saying distastefully: “Glorified master of confusion to glorified babysitter. What a way this world turns. And yet I can't help but laugh at myself, all the same... but then again, I've always been a tremendous jerk.”

Luna, Scrivener, and Twilight didn't waste any further time heading towards town: as they strode through the forest, they found that Discombobulation wasn't the only entity that had been upset by the presence of these strange creatures. Phooka were agitated, every now and then poking their heads out of frost-speckled bushes at the side of the path to warily survey Luna as she passed, and other things lurked in the shadows, watching them, one or two of the strange shapes seeming almost to plead silently with them. All the same, the sensation that there was something hunting them was invariably gone... but it was like the presence of those alien creatures had left something behind, something that had scarred reality itself.

But Ponyville, at least, seemed unaware that anything was wrong, the gates open, the Nibelung guards cheerful, one of them talking with a gray Pegasus with a hay-colored mane and a happy smile despite the fact that, like Ross, she seemed just a touch addled. Yet all this only made Luna feel relieved: whatever had been out there last night and might remain even now, they obviously hadn't had any interest in attacking Ponyville itself, but had been specifically hunting for Luna and her family.

Twilight looked at them for a moment as they strode into the village before she said finally: “I think I'm going to go and try to find Celestia... maybe she or Sleipnir knows something about what happened, about what we saw. Maybe I can even try and talk with Kvasir... he's a god of some kind, right?”

Luna nodded with a grunt, muttering: “Aye, 'tis not a bad idea. Celestia always knows something... and perhaps the odd god will be helpful, if only because any knowledge he may bear upon the subject will give him a chance to show off. Very well, Twilight. Scrivener Blooms and I shall instead find and talk with Greece. He is Chief Artificer and I trust in his expertise: if he does not know anything about these machinations, he will surely be able to point us towards someone or something that does.”

Twilight nodded, and she traded a nervous smile with Luna and Scrivener before they went their separate ways, Twilight heading towards the library and Scrivener and Luna cutting down a less-used side road to head towards where Greece had long settled into his odd engineering facility. It was in the same building that Cowlick used, and both the Nibelung and the loud mare would likely be awake by now and working away despite how early it still was and that most of the village was still in a sleepy haze.

As they walked, Scrivener and Luna traded looks before the winged unicorn smiled a little, shaking her head slowly and saying finally: “Aye, Scrivy. This is awkward, more awkward than I can begin to express... because part of me feels glad. Oh, do not get me wrong. The adventure of motherhood has been intensely rewarding, and I am gladder than I can begin to say for everything that we have experienced, for this blissful peace... but I am a warrior at heart. I am a Valkyrie, and the battle is where I belong.”

“Yeah. I know, Luna. And I feel it too... either because of your warrior instincts or maybe because... I've gotten so used to things going to hell that something's felt weird for the last while with us being happy and peaceful.” Scrivener paused, then smiled wryly over at her. “But then again, I've always been a little hard to please, haven't I?”

“Aye, very. Even if thou became King of Paradise, thou would still be complaining. Even if thou had all the old Valkyries waiting upon thee, thou would still whine.” Luna grinned slightly over at him, adding kindly: “But perhaps that is only because thou seems to have such hero-worshiping eyes for my brother...”

“Luna, I will punch you in the face. By which I mean I'll smash my own head off the nearest wall and knock us both out.” Scrivener said flatly, and Luna laughed and shook her head as her grin widened before the male rolled his eyes. “I swear you live just to make me feel awkward and uncomfortable.”

The winged unicorn nodded cheerfully, and Scrivener gave her an amused look for a few moments before he sighed and turned his eyes forwards, looking towards the warehouse not far away now: it was large, blocky, and ugly, with enormous smokestacks jutting from its high, black shingled roof and the windows barred and shuttered: not simply to keep people out, but because of the experiments that happened inside. More than once something had gone wrong and blown up inside the building... usually followed by Cowlick shouting vulgarities that would make even Pinkamena blush loud enough to echo through half the town.

The doors were heavy and wrought-iron, for security purposes: both to protect against ponies, and against supernatural entities, many of which had a particular difficulty with that certain metal. Graffiti covered the heavy walls, but it wasn't vandalism: Cowlick herself had started the tradition in frustration after an experiment had gone wrong, storming outside with one of the cans of expensive silver spray-paint and drawing a large image of a cat over the brick surface as Nibelung and ponies had simply looked at her awkwardly.

Pinkie Pie, passing by with her twin sister, had cheerfully helped and added her own picture, and Pinkamena had then yanked the spray-paint away and drawn something far more vulgar. And once given the chance, Luna had added her own image to the graffiti, as had many other members of the facility, including cheerful Greece himself, and even the normally-grouchy Illyria, although he'd only admitted to it once other people tried to take credit for the beautiful image of a fairytale castle populated by tiny Nibelung that adorned almost an entire section of wall by itself.

Scrivener smiled over this, and Luna gazed warmly towards the image she had painted on herself: Nightmares, flying through the night sky, done back in the time before anypony had known about her and thus partly there for mischief as well as simply wanting to be part of what everyone else was doing. Then her eyes turned to the doorway, but the Nibelung guards – dressed in simple white uniforms, batons hanging at their sides, but as friendly and welcoming as the Nibelung at the gates – had both already pulled the doors open for them, one of them waving almost shyly as Luna nodded to them and Scrivener gave a small smile.

They strode into the sterile lobby of the building, and a pony glanced up from the desk before smiling and nodding to them, not even needing to hear them speak before she said kindly: “Architect Greece and Kilby Kwolek are both up in the break room on the second floor, since I assume you're here to speak to them. Would you like me to call them for you?”

“Nay, we both know where that is. Scrivener Blooms and I shall simply go to them.” Luna replied with a smile, and Scrivener nodded in agreement, the pony receptionist smiling at them as the two made their way towards the double doors marked 'Employees Only' and pushing easily through. At times like this, Scrivener was glad not just for the fact he and Luna were important enough to enter pretty much anywhere they wanted... but for the fact that he didn't have to be a jerk to do so, unlike with the Royal Court.

That, however, only got him an amused look from Luna as they walked a short distance down the hall and then turned towards a staircase, the winged unicorn remarking dryly: “And somehow, Scrivy, I recall that thou always went to great lengths to be a jerk to the Royal Court. But then again, those Canterlot days are so far behind us now that I have all-but-forgotten them... oh, to think of the softness from whence we once came, to the place we have reached now...”

Scrivener smiled a little at this, glancing over at her and saying quietly: “That was different, though, Luna. And well, for both of us... that softness was in the middle of our lives. We both came from rougher beginnings, didn't we?”

“And I wonder between us whom had the rougher start, Scrivener. At least when I fell to this world, I had the grace of my siblings... thou... wert alone, in that horrid place.” Luna said softly, but when Scrivener gave her an amused look, she only gave him an entertained gaze in return as they stepped out onto the second floor. “Well, 'tis true! Besides, Scrivy, as thou art so fond of reminding me, I enjoy the battle and the hunt... perhaps there was no better place for me to start than living my life in a time of strife and violence, traveling across Equestria with my siblings and aiding in the defeat and destruction of the fearsome Tyrant Wyrms.”

Scrivener grunted thoughtfully after a moment at this as they strode down the hall in silence before Luna flicked her horn firmly as they headed towards a large oak door, and it opened for them, revealing a large break area beyond. There were comfy couches, well-worn and cozy furnishings, and a large countertop that went along one wall with a coffeemaker and a variety of other comforts, and sitting at a large, round table at one end of the room were several Nibelung in uniform, Cowlick, and the Chief Artificer, Greece.

The Nibelung grinned, standing up and clearly different from the others, not just because of his lack of uniform – instead, he was dressed in a rawhide kilt and vest – but the intelligence that shone warmly from his eyes. His fur was smoother, and his tusks had both been cut down to simple stubs; but most telling of all was when he spoke, saying easily in a voice that, unlike the other Nibelung, wasn't nearly as harshly-accented: “Fancy-corn... I mean, Luna and Scrivener! Good to see you both, what brings you here?”

“Grim business, I fear, Greece, although Scrivener and I are finally shedding some of our concerns over what happened, and the sight of thee alone helps assuage me further.” Luna replied courteously, and then she looked pointedly at the other Nibelung clustered around the table, and the uniformed dwarves hurriedly clambered out of their chairs and made for the exit as Cowlick only leaned tiredly back with her mug of coffee between her hooves, yawning visibly and looking too exhausted to care much either way about what was going on.

Greece, however, frowned as he sat back down at the table and cocked his head curiously, and Luna hesitated for a moment before she glanced at Cowlick as she said softly: “We encountered two entities last night that bore more than a passing resemblance to Fafnir, in both design and powers.”

That startled Cowlick awake, the earth pony mare fumbling for her coffee as she sat hurriedly up before asking sharply: “When the hell was this?”

“After we were walking home from the party. It would have still been early evening, not long after the sun had set, but the Nightmares had cast a pall of shadow over the forest to try and hide us. It did not work... the creatures found us with ease, and I do not know what drew them in.” Luna shook her head slowly, murmuring: “They were hunters. Soulless hunters. The moment they saw us, they charged us... I would say eagerly, but... they were alive without life, does thou understand?”

“So you're coming to me because... you think they were artificial, synthetic?” Greece asked with a frown, and Luna nodded seriously before the Artificer grimaced, rubbing slowly at his face. “I do not know who in this world would have the power to replicate a shapeshifter. I don't think even the Strange Ones could make such a creature... do you have any of the remains? Without seeing or handling it, I can't make many guesses...”

“I fear not, that is part of the conundrum. Pieces of them shattered like glass when they suffered so much damage, although the monstrosities kept going until their bodies... I mean, the torso, the breast, the upper body of the creature, was destroyed. Piercing and cracking the skull did nothing, and they felt no pain, made little sound.” Luna grimaced, looking down and muttering: “And these broken pieces... melted apart. Like liquid silver... I could still see the stains left by their corpses upon the path.”

“That points to very powerful enchantment, I'll have to consult with another Architect, and perhaps the Strange Ones.” Greece muttered, rubbing moodily at the underside of his muzzle as he looked down, then his eyes flicked up as he asked quietly: “Have you informed Odin of this?”

Luna shook her head, saying quietly: “Not yet. I wish to gather as much information as I can first... but Twilight is consulting with Celestia, Sleipnir, and perhaps Kvasir on our behalf. I... I am worried, though. Worried enough that I do plan to speak to Odin on this subject, one way or the other, but I was hoping thou could shed more light on the creature...”

“Fafnir didn't melt, did he?” Cowlick asked abruptly, and Luna cocked her head curiously as she looked over at her, but the earth pony mare only shook her head, muttering: “Nothing. Well... no, nevermind.”

“No, please, Cowlick, speak thy mind, I value thy opinion.” Luna replied gently, smiling a little as she said softly: “After Greece, thou art the best mind and most-trusted in this field whom I know. I would hear all thy thoughts, from the ludicrous to the cunning.”

“I don't think you want to hear all my thoughts, Luna.” Cowlick said delicately, and then she smiled faintly and shook her head slowly, glancing over at Greece. “You already figured they probably got a power core holding them together, right? What if, for however solid they might have appeared at the time, they were made of liquid? If it reacts to electrical charges or something, it could take on a whole variety of forms. Better than having one brittle shell that would be worn quickly out by shapeshifting back and forth, you've seen what happens when those unicorn idjits downstairs try and transfigure metal instead of taking the time to reforge the plating.”

Greece nodded at this, brightening a little. “Genius, Cowlick! But the enchantments, the magic, and the technology they'd need... it would be way beyond our standards. Maybe the Strange Ones could tell you more...”

And now Greece broke off, falling silent before he looked up and said slowly: “Actually, fancy-corn... since it will take me some time to either make a trip to Canterlot or summon an Enchanter from there... maybe you could take a trip out to see the Strange Ones in their village to the west. You see, I was talking with them some time ago, trying to learn a little more about their culture and why they chose that odd location, and they told me about how many of their settlements are placed around what they called 'holding zones.' Apparently they have strange creatures sealed away across Equestria... maybe they're familiar with these entities.”

Luna nodded slowly, although instinct and memory of what the Nightmares had said before both told her that it was unlikely they knew about the creatures... but all the same... “Very well. Scrivener and I shall set out at once, then.”

“I'll talk to some of the unicorns about this, look into metals and what you described. Maybe send someone out to find that spot where you fought the monster and get a sample of the soil.” Cowlick said, sitting up, and Luna nodded slowly.

“'Tis not difficult to find. The stains are very prominent upon the path and the area around it damaged.” Luna informed, and Cowlick nodded with a grunt before the winged unicorn bowed her head respectfully to them both. “Thou both have my thanks for this, friends. Greece, Cowlick, excuse us.”

Scrivener offered a small smile from behind his glasses, and then he and Luna turned, making their way back through the doorway, both remaining silent until they exited the facility. Then Luna shook herself briskly out before her horn glowed as she flicked it towards Scrivener, and a few passing ponies and the Nibelung guards stared as Scrivy winced and flexed, leathery wings pushing up out of his back before flapping once as they extended, Luna smiling wryly at the sour look that spread over Scrivener's face. “'Tis the easiest way to reach the village, beloved. It will take us far too long to get there by hoof.”

Scrivener grunted... and then he sighed, nodding ruefully and letting his body fall in pace beside Luna as they both ran forwards before leaping into the air, the stallion grimacing a bit as he felt his muscles straining before they began to loosen up and his flight smoothed slowly out as his leathery wings flapped powerfully.

Their flight was silent, the two keeping their eyes ahead before Luna began to relax a little, smiling over her shoulder at disgruntled-looking Scrivener. He hated flying more than she did: for her, at least, when Scrivener was up here beside her, she didn't feel like she was alone, nothing but an outside watcher forced to stare down at the world below she had missed out on for so many years... while for Scrivy it was a mix of a fear of heights, discomfort with the polymorph, and the fact that he simply enjoyed complaining cynically about every little thing there was.

Yet there was a faint sense of happiness, too, and a whispering sense of freedom that Scrivener was obviously reluctant to embrace with the way he always seemed to prefer being cynical about every last little thing. Something Luna found oddly-endearing with the way he went about it... partly because she understood him, partly because it amused her, but mostly because no matter how much Scrivener complained and whined and argued, at the end of the day, he would do anything for her. He had proven that he would die for her even before their love had been as deep as it was now: just like she had proven, all those years ago, that she would give up her very soul for him if it was asked.

They were obsessive, codependent in more ways than just the fact they literally needed one-another to survive, and dangerously-loyal to each other despite the freedoms Luna liked for them both to take and enjoy. They were linked in every possible way, flawless soulmates without risking the abyss of perfection, delighting as much in their jagged edges as they did in what made them fit so nicely together. Luna smiled wider over her shoulder as Scrivener looked up at her, catching her thoughts as they sailed through the blue skies, and then she laughed and shook her head, gazing forwards as she felt her engraved black pearl beating gently against her breast as they flew onwards, Scrivener smiling despite himself at her back as he concentrated and sent clearly to her: I love you, Luna.

Luna smiled warmly, not needing to reply with more than a look over her shoulder before she twisted suddenly onto her back, dropping slightly and then letting the wind drag her backwards so she was directly beneath Scrivener, the charcoal stallion looking down at her with surprise and a laugh as he felt her limbs tangle with his before she leaned up, and he gladly leaned down, meeting her mouth in a firm kiss as their bodies corkscrewed through the air together, rolling slowly as their flight became uneven and they began to slope downwards, but then their mouths parted, and they pushed apart, skimming the treetops below as they shot over the forest towards an ugly, jagged cliff wall.

As they smiled at each other, the terrain between them became dusty and rough, passing over reddish stone and sand and jutting rock. It formed a natural, ugly barrier that cut jaggedly along the earth past the forest, one of several large cliffs that formed walls between the Everfree Forest and the mix of woodland and plains beyond, and part of why it was so difficult to reach the distant Strange One village.

The only other major landmark on the flight was a box canyon that acted like a natural garden, full of strange fruit-bearing trees and berries. It was close to the Strange Ones' village, and yet no one had ever seen them gathering food from there... or anywhere else, for that matter. But the Strange Ones were... well... strange, for lack of a better word, and Odin never spoke much of them, only saying gently when asked about them that they were stewards and caretakers of this world.

Finally, Luna gestured down towards the side of a set of tall, rocky cliffs: the village would be almost invisible except for the bonfires that burned here and there along the length of the stony wall the huts and homes rested against, and were even built into. Slowly, both she and Scrivener descended from the air to touch down at the edge of the village that had seemed empty from above... but by the time their hooves touched the grass, the settlement had come alive with Strange Ones that all stood, silently surveying them.

Luna grimaced a little, feeling a shiver despite herself: every one of the tall, hunched bipedal beings was dressed in a thick cloak or a robe and cowl that hid their features and gangly bodies from sight, the sleeves dangling low and concealing their bony hands from sight. Simple rope belts were tied loosely around their waists, and other cinched but loose ropes hung from around the necks of many, keeping their cowls securely on but also making them look as if they had all only recently escaped the executioner's gallows. They concealed themselves well... but Luna knew from past meetings that beneath their hoods were smooth, oval-like features with enormous, expressionless eyes and large jaws, no hair to speak of upon any of them but instead sallow, rubbery skin of light or dark hues.

One of the creatures stepped forwards, bowing to them slowly, and Scrivener and Luna both nodded respectfully back. Then Luna rose her head, saying clearly to the silent crowd: “My husband and I are looking for information. We encountered strange and dangerous creatures, shapeshifters, in the forest. We heard from the Nibelung Architect, Greece, that thou have a knowledge of varying fiends and keep certain creatures locked away.”

For a moment, the Strange Ones looked back and forth between each other, seeming to communicate silently, and Luna grimaced a little before one of the creatures stepped forwards and said in a whispery, calm voice: “Valkyrie Brynhild... come. We shall assist you... show you the creature held here. It will not be the same as the entities you fought and destroyed... but perhaps it will give you insight all the same.”

“How does thou know these things?” Luna asked in a frustrated voice, but the Strange One was already calmly striding towards a narrow path that led into a gap between the stone cliffs, and Luna only sighed after a moment, knowing it was useless to question, deride, or antagonize the creatures. They were simply too different, they did not react the way ponies or anything else Luna had ever met did: they were strange.

The two ponies followed the cloaked creature down the path, past several more huts before it gestured slowly towards what looked like a rocky wall, Scrivener and Luna both frowning... before Luna's eyes roved downwards, and widened in surprise as she realized it was actually a crevice. But it was camouflaged perfectly by the patterning of the rocks, making it seem as if there was no opening, only solid stone: the only giveaway were the footprints in the dirt that led distinctly around a corner, as the Strange One said softly: “You will find your way.”

With that, it simply turned and left... and Scrivener and Luna both looked after the creature before they traded looks, then shrugged, Luna mumbling: “Wonderful. Absolutely brilliant, Scrivener Blooms. Into a hidden prison where a monster is kept by the Strange Ones, today is going to be a... what is the term?”

“Red-letter day is what you're trying to sarcasm out. But I think I'll stick with grumbling childishly about how this is stupid poop.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna gave him a wryly-amused look before Scrivener sighed and dropped his head forwards, saying finally: “Well, let's go inside and act really surprised when the monster breaks out and engages us in a fight to the death.”

“This sounds appropriate.” Luna nodded grumpily, then she poked Scrivener a few times with her horn, and the earth pony groaned but took the lead, mumbling about being treated as a meat shield again as he stepped through the archway and into a narrow passageway, striding around a corner and wincing as the passage both sloped steeply downwards and curved deeper beneath the cliffs and mountain beyond, Luna's eyes sharpening as they descended slowly into darkness.

At the end of the long, deep tunnel, they stepped out into a cavern, lit dimly around the entrance with torches... but gemstones glimmered in the rocky, uneven surfaces on either side of stairs hewed into the volcanic-looking rock, leading up past two Strange Ones that were unlike any of the creatures Luna or Scrivener had ever seen. They were seated halfway up the steps, as expressionless and seemingly-emotionless as the others, but instead of cloaks, they were dressed in armor of leather and shimmering metal tight over slender bodies, both gripping spears in their strange, long-fingered hands, thin, long limbs protected only by strapped-on plates of that same odd alloy.

Scrivener and Luna both stood for a moment at the foot of the steps, then Luna grimaced before taking the lead again, starting slowly up towards what looked like some kind of crystalline prison at the top. She slowed near the guards... but they didn't so much as look at her, remaining silent, and when she stepped carefully past, they remained still and calm. Scrivener passed them a moment later, and both ponies shot anxious looks over their shoulders at the creatures before they continued upwards as Luna murmured: “They must be warriors of the tribe... I did not even know the Strange Ones had warriors...”

“Who's there?” called a sharp voice from above, and it sounded almost eager, echoing slightly but passing through the glassy walls of the cell with ease, and Luna and Scrivener both looked up in surprise before they ascended to the top of the steps and strode out onto the plateau that the cell rested on, and the green eyes of the figure inside widened before it leaned forwards, whispering: “Oh, it's been so long since I saw your kind...”

Luna grimaced, frowning at the strange, alien creature that was trapped inside the cylindrical, transparent-crystal cell: it looked almost like a pony, like a winged unicorn in fact, but its skin was black and thick, its horn gnarled and jagged, its wings like an enormous fly's. They buzzed lightly as it grinned at them, revealing long, sharp fangs, slitted-pupils narrowing as it placed its hooves up against the glass... and Scrivener and Luna both winced back at the fact its limbs were riddled with ugly holes, just as its weedy, messy blue mane was, as it whispered: “Let me out. Oh, please, please, let me out... I swear I've learned my lesson. We killed your ancestors, but those Skin Walkers slaughtered the entire hive... I did not think driving ponies apart would weaken them so much...”

It shook its head, and Luna grimaced as she realized the monster was wearing a crown of twisted black metal before it licked its lips slowly, whispering: “But you ponies must have survived, some pocket of you... and oh, oh, I feel it from here, the love between you two is delicious, I taste it already, and I haven't had a meal in so long... I can't feed off the Skin Walkers, but ponies...”

“Who... what... art thou, creature?” Luna asked slowly, and the monster snorted at them before it stepped backwards, a cunning smile on its face before Luna leaned moodily forwards. “And I see no reason why I should free thee, unless thou can offer me help in dealing with shapeshifters.”

“Shapeshifters? My babies still live?” asked the creature hopefully, and when Luna and Scrivener both frowned at this, it rose its head proudly, grinning widely. “Then it won't be long before they come for me! We Changelings are strong, stronger than you ponies, stronger than the Skin Walkers! They'll come for their Queen!”

“That explains the lame crown.” Scrivener remarked, and the creature narrowed its eyes at him balefully before Scrivener leaned moodily forwards. “You're like a bug trapped in a bottle.”

“I am Queen Chrysalis! Watch yourself, pony... now be a good boy for me, and help me out of my cell...” The Changeling's horn began to glow with eerie green light as it leaned forwards, grinning... and then faltering as Scrivener only continued to look mildly at the creature, snarling at him after a moment as the glow died out from around her horn. “What?”

“Oh, I think she was trying to hypnotize thee, Scrivener!” Luna said thoughtfully, and Scrivener gave Luna a mildly-amused look, making her glower at him. “Oh shut up. Thou art just fortunate that our soul-link means one of us cannot be manipulated alone. But that is cute... Queen Chrysalis? But truly, how can thou be a queen without subjects, and locked within this cell? Just what manner of beast is a Changeling?”

“Oh, it's very simple.” Chrysalis replied kindly, and then she grinned as she leaned forwards, a green glow spreading over her body as her shape changed, shifted... and a moment later, Scrivener and Luna were both left staring at an exact copy of the winged unicorn, Chrysalis leaning forwards and saying tenderly: “We are everything you are... and more. We feed off emotions... the most delicious being the emotion you call 'love.' And how the ponies loved each other in the past! But they loved their own kind most... and before they could come together, when we first came to this land called 'Equestria,' we drove them back apart. We thought that it would be easier, you see, that with the tribes living separately, the hive could gather more emotions and worry less about the problems of fitting in, of mimicking your kind... but it backfired terribly. We destroyed our food source by accident, and then the Skin Walkers came. They burned the hive, they dragged me out, kicking and screaming, they killed every last one of my subjects and kin! Or so I thought... now, it sounds as if some of my subjects survived...”

“Oh, nay, thou has the wrong idea, I fear. The shapeshifters we saw... they were much nastier than thou.” Luna said blandly, and Chrysalis glared at her before Luna licked her lips slowly, drawing her eyes along the perfect copy of herself, from emblem on her haunch to horn on her head to the swirl of starry locks. “But I am most impressed all the same. Tell me, Changeling, can thou take on any form?”

Chrysalis snorted at this, her eyes flicking to Scrivener before her body took on that eerie green aura again, and a moment later, they were looking at a perfect copy of the charcoal earth pony, the stallion wincing a bit as Chrysalis leaned forwards and whispered in Scrivener's voice: “Let me out... let me feel your love for him. It will feed me, strengthen me, energize me. Let me out, I've learned from my mistakes, and we don't kill on purpose... I'll make you both happy. I'll-”

“Yes, yes, maybe I will...” Luna said suddenly, and Scrivener frowned before wincing at the slow grin that spread over Luna's face as she licked her lips, Chrysalis's own expression of hope faltering before the Changeling winced backwards when Luna leaned forwards eagerly. “But I want thou to stay in that form. And I want to watch thou kiss Scrivener Blooms in that shape like a sloppy prostitute. That would be most delightful!”

“Luna! What is wrong with you?” Scrivener snapped in a strangled voice, as Chrysalis winced backwards... then stared in shock as Luna slowly licked up the wall of the crystalline cage, the Changeling shuddering once before Chrysalis hurriedly reverted to her normal shape.

“Then thou can take on my shape. And when thou does that-” Luna began, and then she winced when Scrivener smacked her firmly, flinching and then huffing as the earth pony gave her a horrible look. “Oh, come now, Scrivy! 'Twould be all in good fun!”

“I am no... whore for your amusement!” Chrysalis snapped furiously, glaring out at them before she calmed herself quickly, closing her eyes for a moment before looking up almost pleadingly as Luna glowered and Scrivener sighed. “But show me mercy, and I can do things for you... I can help you...”

“Nay, I do not think thou can, Queen Chrysalis. For I already have servants of darkness... and more importantly, thou strikes me as... a liar and manipulator.” Luna said softly, and Chrysalis half-glared, half-winced before Luna and Scrivener exchanged another look, the two becoming serious before the winged unicorn said quietly: “I shall return here someday, Changeling, but it will not be soon. A piece of advice to ponder over... perhaps if love is so important to thee, perhaps thou should have sought thine own love instead of attempting to steal and devour that from others. Perhaps thou could have avoided being a bottled bug.”

Chrysalis hissed in response, but when Luna and Scrivener turned away, she winced and threw herself forwards, pressing against the glass cage as she shouted desperately: “No! Don't leave me! I've spent a thousand years locked in here, a thousand years hungry! Come back, just stay a little longer!”

But Scrivener and Luna were deaf to her cries, only quietly making their way down the steps and back towards the dark tunnel... and despite the fact they had learned little of interest, all the same, Luna felt as if they had moved one step closer to finding the answer they were looking for.

Uncertain Boundaries

Chapter Eight: Uncertain Boundaries
~BlackRoseRaven

The day had been a long one: despite the interesting discovery of Chrysalis, they found no further leads on the shapeshifters. The most Celestia could theorize was that they were from another layer and had somehow slipped their way through due to either magical tampering or a temporary rift in the layers. Not every layer of reality was stable, after all, due to the number that Valthrudnir had destroyed or left barren: sometimes those broken realities would shift, and spill a drop of their contents into another layer, like a bead of water through a cracked cup.

Sleipnir had simply been grouchy he hadn't had the chance to fight the monsters himself, and Kvasir was pompous for a little while after they asked him for help, but eventually revealed he knew nothing about the creatures. He did, however, mention that Valthrudnir had aided in the capture and enslavement of Fafnir... and that more than once, the Jötnar had spoken of the shapeshifting demigod, calling him an 'effective, useful tool that could be improved upon.'

All the talk of other realities, the busyness of the day, and the conversations about Valthrudnir had left Scrivener Blooms particularly tired and cranky by the time dusk arrived however, and even Luna was a little discouraged. They had recuperated some in the evening, spending it relaxing with their children in quiet comfort, but when night had finally fallen and Antares was put to bed in his crib, both Scrivener and Luna had been all too glad to forgo the usual nightly activities and instead headed early to bed themselves for a long nap, hoping that the foal wouldn't wake them up until after they got some much-needed rest.

But for Scrivener, it didn't feel like even sleep tonight would let him get away from the world, as he silently strode through the dark forest of a nightmare world. Dead trees surrounded him, standing up from a black mire beneath his hooves... and then he smiled dryly, halting and raising a forelimb as he corrected in a mutter: “Or rather, hooves and this thing...”

His front right leg was now covered in obsidian scales, ending in a strong, dextrous claw: likewise, patches of black scale stood out here and there over his body, and more than half his face had been transformed into something draconic and reptilian, large horns curling back from his head on this side of his face. A single enormous wing stood out of his back, leathery and powerful, and along his shoulderblades were conical piston-like bones, Scrivener glancing moodily over his shoulder at himself as a long, whip-like tail covered in black scales flicked, muttering: “Every time I think I've escaped... it comes back.”

Scrivener shook his head, then he turned his eyes forwards, continuing silently through the forest: but of course it wasn't that easy. He knew, in his heart of hearts, that he would never be entirely free from what the Tyrant Wyrm had done to him... what Valthrudnir had done to him. His mind had been filled with evil and corruption that had been influenced violently from both living in the Helheim-corrupted, now-collapsed layer of old Equestria, as well as from the echo of Valthrudnir and his cunning machinations. Scrivener had barely avoided being transformed himself into a monster... and he knew that inside him, there was still that potential. There would always be that potential... that his heart was filled with darkness.

Yet he smiled a little all the same, glancing up at the velvet night sky overhead, filled with twinkling starlight: after all, Luna was the night, and had her own darkness... in a way, this did help him feel closer to her. At the same time, though, he knew... it was different. Luna's darkness was embracing, loving, protecting, and strong... his, on the other hoof...

He shook his head slowly: he didn't want to think about it. The Tyrant Wyrm had forced eons of destruction, of hatred, of evil into his mind, along with the most-powerful weapon the Wyrms had at their disposal: the Black Verses. When Scrivener spoke them, drawing on Luna's magic through their link, he could attack the very spirit and souls of their foes... but it put both himself and Luna at great risk as well. They were corrupting, channeling energies of evil and unmaking into spoken word: it not only caused rapidly-mounting physical damage to Scrivener to speak them, every time he did, he felt himself being twisted by them... and he found himself more and more starting to lose himself to their terrible dark potency, and the promise of power that came with them.

It was part of why he saw himself as this, particularly in the nightmares: whatever he looked like on the outside, on the inside he had transformed more than halfway into some monster of darkness over the years. But Luna was always there, supporting him, keeping him safe, keeping him strong... and Scrivener sighed a little as he glanced to the side and repressed a shudder as he passed a fountain filled with blood, the crimson and black liquid spilling in a waterfall from the open, roaring jaws of a statue of a Tyrant Wyrm. “At least the echo's gone... without Valthrudnir influencing me, and with my family to focus on, things haven't been so bad lately.”

“They have not.” agreed a voice, and Scrivener winced as he looked quickly to the side, gaze settling on Nightmare Moon. Yet he wasn't entirely surprised: Nightmare Moon seemed to be drawn into his dark dreams, while Luna often had difficulty locating Scrivener in the vast expanse of their mind and soul when he found himself trapped in nightmares. “You worry too much, my love. What will happen, will happen, that is all: and you have more pressing matters to concern yourself with than this slow metamorphosis.”

Scrivener grunted, shifting a little before Nightmare Moon smiled, saying kindly even as her eyes glowed with cunning: “Chrysalis was an interesting specimen, was she not? I know that both you and little Luna were very interested in her... and even if she is a manipulator, there are plenty of ways to bend her to our will, are there not?”

Scrivener didn't respond, looking forwards through the seemingly-endless dark forest and striding onwards, but Nightmare Moon only gave a soft laugh before she murmured: “Oh, come now, Scrivener Blooms, there's no need for this. And besides, the nightmare will end soon... and it is nothing like the nightmares of the past, is it? Only a forest, filled with longing and shadows... not chains, or blood, or-”

“I don't want to think about it. I start thinking about it, and I'll end up in that terrible place of desire... and both Luna and I have been trying very, very hard to push those parts of our life away.” Scrivener said quietly, closing his eyes and halting as he bowed his head forwards, slowly digging his claw into the ground. “It's not good for Scarlet Sage or Antares. While we were in corrupted Equestria, it didn't really matter. In fact, maybe it was what helped us survive... using our dreams, our nightmares, as an outlet for... those awful things. But not anymore... this is a good Equestria. This is a peaceful Equestria, and everything's working smoothly-”

“Not everything, not anymore. Those shapeshifters you and Luna encountered... you both know that they are the first symptom of a greater disease.” Nightmare Moon replied calmly, and Scrivener grimaced and shook his head moodily before the enormous, dark-coated winged unicorn cajoled: “And are you sure, my beloved? Repressing those urges as you and Luna do... it has dangers of its own. Such things build up pressure over time when bottled up, especially when you refuse to even let the conscious mind consider it... and in my dark home inside you both, there are so many bottles of anguish and frustration and desire building up and up and up...”

The male only mumbled a little, hurrying onwards again, even though it seemed like he was only passing the same trees over and over, like he was making no progress whatsoever through this forest of darkness and deception... but the act of moving let him focus his mind on something other than Nightmare Moon, even as she continued kindly: “You know I only want the best for you and Luna. I want everyone happy. I want to see you both prosper, and Antares and Scarlet Sage both strong and taken care of... Scarlet Sage is beautiful and skilled, and with tempering she will become an excellent warrior. Antares Mīrus is already developing so well, so handsome he is...”

Scrivener grimaced a bit despite himself, and Nightmare Moon smiled slightly, eyes half-lidding slyly as she said softly: “You think I have some ulterior motive here? But I do not. When you and Luna are happy, I am happy...”

“Yes, but you... you try and twist what makes us happy.” Scrivener said finally, unable to resist from speaking as he came to a halt again with a sigh, ragged white mane hanging over his eyes before he looked moodily towards her. “Scarlet Sage and Antares Mīrus shouldn't have to grow up to be warriors if they don't want to-”

“But Scarlet Sage admires us so!” Nightmare Moon replied eagerly, looking pleased with herself: likely due to both her statement and that she had finally poked a response out of the earth pony stallion. “And Antares is of a warrior bloodline. Luna wishes to train him as a warrior... Luna wishes to see them both heroes, strong and proud and noble as Sleipnir. And I know that you do too... you wish them to do great exploits-”

“But that doesn't necessarily mean spilling blood on the battlefield! Yeah, okay, I wish they could grow up strong, to take care of themselves and help protect others, to be... to be everything that Luna and I both wish we could be...” Scrivener closed his eyes at this with a sigh, before he opened them and met Nightmare Moon's eyes, saying quietly: “But included in that is the wish that most of all, they'll remain innocent, and failing that... without the guilt and constant reminder that there's something... evil... inside them, like there is with us.”

Scrivener looked at Nightmare Moon pointedly, but the black winged unicorn didn't take the bait: if anything, she flushed a little, looking almost as happy as if he'd complimented her instead of insulted her as she leaned back towards him, inches from his face as she murmured softly: “But Scrivener Blooms... there's something evil inside of all of us.”

The stallion didn't know how to reply to that as a shudder rolled through his frame, and it was worsened by the fact that by now... he knew it was true. No matter how pure a person was, everyone had their flaws... everyone had a hint of darkness in them. No person could be made up of any one thing... but all the same, he shook his head and murmured: “That's not what I meant. What I meant was that... Luna and I have both given in to those urges at times. I don't... I... I don't want Antares or Scarlet to ever have to go through that.”

“Scarlet Sage already has, and we both know it. And Antares Mīrus will one day commit his own sins.” Nightmare Moon said calmly, and when Scrivener snarled at her, she only smiled slightly, asking gently: “Why don't you give in to those urges we both know you have, Scrivener? I would welcome it, in fact: put me up on your torture racks, cut into me with all the knowledge and the evil that the Wyrm filled your mind with, speed up this evolution that you continue to resist, this growth in darkness... what would be the harm? This is only a nightmare.”

Scrivener clenched his eyes shut... and then they opened as he glanced to the side, flushing slightly as blue mist swirled through the air beside him before forming rapidly into Luna, the sapphire winged unicorn leaning forwards and glaring at Nightmare Moon as she said coldly: “Get away from my husband, monster.”

“I am only trying to help. Trying to get you both to better see and understand that all you're doing is running away again.” Nightmare Moon said softly, and then she smiled calmly to herself before she shook her head and turned around, striding slowly off into the forest as she said clearly over her shoulder: “One day you'll understand. Your greatest flaw is what you think your greatest triumph is... doing everything you can to avoid passing your darkness and your sins on to your children.”

“Antares Mīrus is better than us, and I shall never let thou poison him with thy so-called 'gifts,' Nightmare Moon!” Luna shouted angrily, but Nightmare Moon only laughed as she faded into the distance, and the sapphire winged unicorn cursed as she stomped her hooves angrily against the mire before shivering and dropping her head forwards as Scrivener reached his front foreleg up to silently wrap around her shoulders, Luna whispering: “Oh, Scrivener. I... I am so sorry.”

“Don't be. It's not your fault. I know that you and Nightmare Moon aren't exactly... don't really see eye-to-eye on things and...” Scrivener shook his head, smiling a little at her as she gazed moodily back at him, before they both sighed and dropped their heads forwards, clunking their skulls together gently as he muttered: “We're addicts, you know that, right?”

“Aye, I do.” Luna mumbled, and then she shook her head grouchily before saying quietly: “Come, Scrivener, let us escape this wretched nightmare. We have enough problems to deal with as it is, and I must admit that thy nightmares are both... far tamer and more boring these days than they were in the past.”

“I... I sometimes miss the old nightmares too.” Scrivener admitted suddenly, and Luna looked surprised as she glanced up at him: not at the truth, but at the fact that Scrivener had actually admitted it, even if only in their mixed subconscious. “But maybe that's because... the old nightmares really were the good dreams, and the good dreams are the bad dreams, like Pinkamena said. Well. Kinda. Paraphrasing here, obviously. But these new nightmares, where everything's so empty, with... pieces of the old nightmare littered here and there... they also honestly... scare me more in some ways. Because instead of indulging the darkness and making it bend to our will... we're... trying to avoid it altogether now. Not running away, but... cold-turkeying off what was... our favorite drug.”

“Desire and passion and darkness.” Luna murmured, and then she nodded slowly as she looked at Scrivener, and Scrivener gazed silently back at her before the two smiled faintly, and the winged unicorn leaned up, kissing him slowly, quietly, letting her tongue slide gently along his sharp teeth before she drew slowly back, their eyes locking silently. “Aye, Scrivy. I understand. I understand all too well, as a matter of fact, and not simply because of how... we mix, we share emotion and thought and everything else.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, and Luna nodded back before she reached up and silently embraced him, and the male leaned over her and hugged her tightly back against his body as the winged unicorn whispered: “Sometimes, Scrivener, in my darkest moments... I wish that everything was different. Sometimes I wish we never had to learn to be... responsible, and adult, and... good role models for our children. Because Mimir knows that Scarlet Sage is a far better pony than either of us, and I have all faith that even with our failings, she shall do well in teaching our son the difference between right and wrong, good and evil.”

Scrivener Blooms smiled a little at this, closing his eyes and murmuring softly in response as he held her close: “We never have been very good at moral boundaries, have we? I've always been a big jerk and you've always enjoyed smacking things around and dragging me off on every nasty little exploit you could think of or get your hooves into.”

Luna laughed at this, shaking her head slowly before a small smile spread over her features, her horn glowing slightly as blue mist began to swirl around the two, saying kindly: “Well, Scrivener Blooms, I cannot allow myself to become boring, can I? Besides, I know well thou does not mind nearly as much as thou often puts on.”

“Yes, but I usually mind a little.” Scrivener replied delicately, even as the cyclone of mist twisted completely around them, obscuring his vision for a few moments with sparkling sapphire luminescence before the swirl of starry fog vanished, and left them standing calmly in a grassy meadow, the trees all standing tall and distorted, the sky a glorious, eternal mauve dusk before Scrivy grimaced a bit as he rose his claw and realized he was still in his half-wyrm state. “Dammit.”

“I see no reason to complain, Scrivy, thou art still handsome like this. And for a change, quite masculine. 'Tis delightful.” Luna winked up at him, and Scrivener sighed, looking flatly down at her before she grinned and half-lidded her eyes, adding teasingly: “And while I was denied the delight of seeing thou kiss thyself in reality...”

“No. No. Just, no.” Scrivener said flatly, and Luna huffed at him before he reached out with his claw, grasping her by the head and shoving her firmly down into the field, sending up a puff of grass as she cursed loudly. “Do you feel any shame whatsoever?”

“Nay, not ever.” Luna retorted, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before both he and the winged unicorn grimaced as their dream-reality shuddered, strange sounds filtering down to them before the sapphire winged unicorn gave a tired sigh. “I suppose it was too good to last.”

“Yeah.” Scrivener admittedly felt a hint of relief all the same, though, even as a strange sensation of vertigo twisted through his senses, feeling a darkness growing as the dreamworld crumbled around them and he found his eyes shutting tightly... before he groggily opened them in reality, shaking his head with a groan as Luna shifted on the bedding beside him with a mumble, curling herself childishly up into a ball even as he felt her slowly coming to wakefulness as well.

He could hear Antares in the other room: not crying, he rarely cried... but his sleep schedule had yet to even out completely still, and he would burble and yell in his babyish way for his parents some nights. Normally not a problem... but on the rare nights Luna and Scrivener wanted to do more than nap...

Scrivy tiredly dragged himself up off the bedding, almost stumbling into the armor stands that stood on one side of the room before he grimaced and cracked his back, looking up at the black-painted ceilings decorated with gorgeous runes, celestial symbols, and images of constellations before he sighed and called tiredly: “I'm coming, Antares, Dad's coming...”

“Good. I am sleeping.” Luna mumbled from behind him, and Scrivener gave her a flat look before he strode out of the bedroom, heading across to the foal's room and quietly pushing the ajar door all the way open to see Antares quietly standing at the bars of his crib, looking curiously out at his father.

Scrivener smiled a little despite himself, walking forwards and gently pushing down the bars before he picked Antares up, sitting back on his haunches as he checked him over. He was clean, he was complacent... but the foal clung to him silently, and he gazed down at his son for a few moments before asking softly: “You miss Mom and Dad today, is that it, kiddo? You still a little scared after what happened last night?”

Antares burbled quietly against his chest, almost as if in response... and Scrivener couldn't help but smile a little as he nodded slowly, murmuring: “Alright. That's fair enough. Come on then, Antares Mīrus.”

With that, he turned and carefully carried the child back into their bedroom, laying the babe down between them, and Luna's eyes opened long enough to give a soft glance down at her son before the three curled quietly together. Nestled safely between his parents, Antares murmured a little and settled quickly down... and Luna and Scrivener both felt themselves steadily relaxing before they too fell back into a comfortable slumber.

As usual, Scrivener woke up before Luna, who mumbled on the bedding and refused to move, using the fact Antares was still snuggled up to her and snoozing as an excuse. Scrivener grumbled a bit, but decided to take the opportunity to quietly head out into the living room: it was still dark out, and the clock half-buried under the clutter on his writing desk told him it was only a few minutes past four. But that meant they had slept for almost six hours with only the one interruption from Antares: a long time for him and Luna, especially these days.

Scrivener put on coffee, knowing Luna would be up sooner or later, and then he went quietly to work, transposing old notes into legible, readable stories and prose. Luna had insisted on showing some of his transcribed work from years ago to Sleipnir, and the stallion had been delighted to discover the stories were about him... and then insisted on looking at some of Scrivener's other work, which had been embarrassing because Scrivy didn't have a lot of other work to show, due to the fact that so much of his rare free time had been taken up transcribing Luna's notes and writing down the history of what had occurred during Ragnarok and beyond.

It had given him a bit of a kick to get back to work on some of his own things, since he'd compiled rough drafts of the major events that had taken place. Not that he thought his work was any good: he was well-aware it was mostly luck that had gotten him his position as Court Poet at Canterlot.

He smiled a bit at these old memories, of so long ago, when he'd just been a grouchy, lanky stallion who had eventually been assigned to helping the Princess of the Night with her diction and language issues. And then from there... exile into the Everfree Forest, becoming the protectors of Ponyville, Luna eventually becoming the Champion of Equestria for that short but important time before the whole world had literally gone to Helheim.

Scrivener shook his head slowly, laughing quietly at this as he murmured: “But it makes for an interesting story, at least. Not one everypony will like, hard to stomach, and worst of all, written by me... but all the same. Interesting.”

The charcoal earth pony smiled to himself, returning to writing... and twenty minutes later, when Luna finally came out of the bedroom, he paused in his work before Luna shook her head and said softly: “Nay, Scrivener 'tis fine. I can fetch my own coffee.”

“Did you put Antares back in his crib?” Scrivener asked, and when Luna gave him a huff and an amused look, he rolled his eyes and said dryly: “There are sharp things in our room, Luna. And poisonous things. And bad things. And things that not even you or I should have, and yet we do all the same.”

“Oh shush. What is the worst the child can do?” Luna asked reasonably, and Scrivener looked at her for a moment longer before she sighed and slumped, turning around and mumbling: “Very well, Scrivy, if thou art going to be so sour about it. But once upon a time pregnant mothers merely squatted where they were, gave birth, and then the child grew up, and that was that.”

Scrivener leaned around his desk to glare after her down the hall, asking sourly: “And do you really want to be that kind of mother, Luna?”

“Shut up, Scrivener.” Luna grumbled moodily, and Scrivener smiled to himself and nodded once before he went back to writing. When the winged unicorn returned a few minutes later after safely tucking her toddler in, she looked moodily at him, then reached out and slapped an inkwell over when Scrivener turned to a blank page, spilling black liquid all over his notebook and making him almost whimper through his teeth as he stared in horror down at the paper before Luna said kindly: “My mistake.”

Scrivener gave her a furious look, and Luna winced a bit, grinning awkwardly as she realized she might have pushed a little too far, their eyes locking... but as quickly as his anger rose, it faded, and Scrivener instead sighed and moodily righted the inkwell, putting his quill away as he muttered: “No, no, it's fine, it's... fine. I'll just... get back to work on that later.”

Luna smiled a little, nuzzling him apologetically, and Scrivener grumbled a bit but closed his eyes, tilting his head so she could kiss his neck gently and slip herself a bit closer to him. In only a few minutes, the event was already forgotten, and then Luna slipped away to head to the kitchen and pour herself a mug of coffee as Scrivener headed over to the bedding on the floor, flopping down and looking meditatively up at the dimly-glowing ceiling lamp.

Luna joined him after a few minutes with two mugs of coffee, and for a time they rested in soft silence before the winged unicorn said quietly: “I am still worried about these shapeshifters, Scrivener, and the fact they seemed to be on the hunt for us. I think... I think it was us specifically they were after as well. Otherwise, why track us through the wild forest when there is an entire village within a stone's throw?”

“Ponyville's a little further than that, but I get what you're saying. You sure you're not being paranoid?” Scrivener glanced at her meditatively, and when Luna looked flatly back, he sighed and nodded. “Yes, right, warrior's instincts.”

He halted, then shook his head slowly, saying softly as he looked down into his mug: “I think what bothers me is that... I think you're right. And I know we both feel like something's starting. Maybe even this is connected to why Odin wants us to put up those anchors... remember, he said he was worried about the vulnerability of the core world.”

Luna nodded at this, looking meditatively towards Scrivener Blooms. “I would not be entirely surprised if he knows something, Scrivy. And does thou remember what else he said? Something going from layer-to-layer, causing destruction...”

“Could be more of those things.” Scrivener grimaced a bit, rubbing at the scarred side of his face in a nervous gesture as he muttered: “Great. So do you think he knew or not, then? Because every time someone doesn't tell us something...”

“All goes to ruin, and quickly, aye. We shall have to question him further, especially as I believe Odin will want us to begin our mission placing anchors in the other layers within a few months now.” Luna looked distasteful at this, looking grouchily up at the ceiling. “Which will mean being away from poor Antares for... a week, at least, for each anchor. I do not like the idea of missing so much of my child's first year of life... even with Celestia, Scarlet Sage, and Twilight Sparkle all looking after him... it still saddens me, Scrivy.”

“Yeah. I know.” Scrivener said softly, shaking his head with a small smile. “It does me, too, but... then I think... what if we didn't do this? We can't... always be selfish, after all, as much as we want to.”

Luna sighed morbidly at this, bowing her head forwards and grumbling: “Ridiculous. Then Odin should... I know not, reward us better. Do more for us. Give us some of his damned miracle elixirs, he is no longer using them, after all!”

Scrivener gave her an entertained look, and Luna sighed, then she quickly took a deep drink of her coffee before pushing up to her hooves, saying grumpily: “I am going to consult with our darker allies, Scrivy. Perhaps they can tell us more... perhaps they have discerned at the least whether those creatures we fought were the only ones of their kind or if more of them are prowling through the forest.”

The male nodded, looking over his shoulder at her, but Luna only smiled a little and gave a short shake of her head, saying quietly: “Nay, Scrivener, worry not. I can handle a five minute conversation with a Nightmare by myself. Thou should rest, thou hast already done more than enough.”

Scrivener nodded after a moment, sipping slowly at his coffee, and then the sapphire winged unicorn turned and headed through the kitchen, flicking her horn to open the back door as she strode out onto the back deck. She paused, then looked quietly up at the starry night sky, watching as a few clouds rolled by before she murmured softly: “Oh, beautiful, deep dark eternity above... do thy eyes gaze upon unnatural beast as well as friend and foe alike?”

She sighed, then shook her head slowly before walking slowly out into the yard, glancing back and forth as a strange feeling wormed its way through her body. She shook her head after a moment, then closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards, her horn glowing deep sapphire before it gave a silent pulse that echoed through the forest as she murmured: “I wish to speak to a loyal servant of my night.”

There was silence for a few moments... and then Luna glanced up in surprise as not a Nightmare, but a large, scaly demon calmly strode out of the dark forest, curled ram's horns on either side of its thick, ridged skull, jaws large and teeth too big for its mouth, hooves on its strong hind legs and forelimbs ending in powerful claws. Its red eyes were calm and intelligent despite its primal stature, however, and she smiled as she recognized it after another moment, saying quietly: “Atrus. My apologies, friend... I did not recognize thou at first.”

The demon only calmly bowed his head again, and Luna strode forwards, studying him intently: after Luna had brought demons, Nightmares, and other forces of darkness from old Equestria across the Bifrost on the condition that they would be loyal to her and not harm pony, dwarf, or any of their other allies, other creatures of shadow had come forwards, interested in being allies with Luna instead of enemies. Luna, after all, offered a safety and sanctuary demons and other forces of darkness could rarely find outside of her growing coalition: and furthermore, she asked little in return apart from not harming her allies and performing simple tasks for her.

While Nightmares fed off emotions and spiritual energy, physical demons fed off physical things, as well as sapped emotional energy from the environment. Different demons preferred different things, but those like Atrus only needed the occasional meal, and for him even a wild rabbit was enough to sustain him for weeks at a time: its primitive emotions were enough to parch his thirst for spiritual energy, and the meat of the creature kept the rest of his hungers at bay. Any other hungers could be settled simply by lurking close to an area populated by ponies: the emotional and spiritual essence they exuded was enough to sate most demon's desires, although the presence of a demon often exacerbated certain emotions in unsuspecting ponies.

Luna liked Atrus, particularly because among everything else, he was the one thing most people would never expect to see in a demon: shy. But all the same, he had been one of the first from this world to come forwards and pledge his aid to her in return for safety, and he was honest and unwavering in his loyalty.

For another moment, he was silent, and then he bowed his head towards her, asking in his quiet, soft voice that didn't quite match his enormous, hulking frame: “How can I be of aid, Mistress Luna?”

“Luna is fine, Atrus, thou art no sycophantic Nightmare. Fond as I... admittedly am becoming of them.” Luna smiled a little, glancing over Atrus before she stepped forwards and reached up to touch his shoulder gently, gazing into the demon's irises. “Does thou know of the shapeshifters? I expect so, I know that for all their terror and evil my forces of darkness also gossip like little fillies.”

Atrus nodded seriously in response, then he leaned forwards, answering: “Yes... but not only us. Other demons, as well... those not allied, even those who would do violence against you and your kind, are whispering of what has happened. They do not like you because they see you as invader, usurper, but at the same time they respect you because you are a mighty agent of darkness. But these new creatures... they are invaders and destroyers. They are seen only as enemies.”

“So more were seen?” Luna asked with a frown, and Atrus nodded solemnly before the winged unicorn grimaced, distaste half-hiding her worry. “Where?”

“By the great river, near the enormous bridge.” Atrus responded, gesturing gently with one claw to the north, and Luna nodded after a moment to show she understood. The Northedge Strait, near Charger's Crossing. “It was hunting. Tracking ponies traveling along the river. It ignored the Nightmares that surrounded it until one of them stepped into its path, and then it turned on them. They did not fare well, but it fell into the river, and the water... washed it away.”

Atrus gestured with a claw again, and Luna frowned slightly, cocking her head as she asked curiously: “The water killed the creature?”

“I do not believe these creatures are alive enough to kill. It was washed away like... like ink, washed out of parchment.” the ever-literal demon said after a moment, shaking his head briefly. “It is what the surviving Nightmares described. I do not know how true it is.”

Luna nodded after a moment, and then she sighed a little, murmuring: “Three seen, all of them hunting ponies... perhaps it was only fortune that brought those other two across me.”

Atrus was quiet, but he shifted a bit, and it drew Luna's attention enough that she looked up at him... and when he shifted again, she said softly: “Speak, Atrus, I am no demon lord who disparages the wisdom of his subjects.”

The demon nodded apprehensively, and then it said hesitantly: “The Nightmares mentioned passing a pony-house. The shapeshifter was not drawn towards this, or those within, although they would have been closer and easier prey.”

“Which points to them as hunting specific ponies again, aye... but then that brings a new question and concern to light...” Luna frowned at this, then she said quietly: “Thou hast my thanks, Atrus. Find the Nightmares, tell them to track down the ponies that the shapeshifter was following. I must know who they were.”

“Yes, Luna.” Atrus said softly, and then the demon stepped backwards before bursting apart into dark smoke, and Luna smiled wryly as this vanished quickly from sight before she shook her head and turned moodily around, heading silently back to the deck.

She lingered for a moment longer outside, however, looking nervously over her shoulder at the forest, feeling another strange twist inside her body before she quickly shook her head and headed inside, muttering: “I hope this new threat makes thee happy, Nightmare Moon.”

In the early morning, Sleipnir visited with Kvasir and Twilight Sparkle, and the enormous stallion lost a little of his cheer when Luna informed him about the third shapeshifter sighting. They had talked seriously on the subject for a while as Kvasir moodily sat around, studying the pictures and photographs, and then the vine-maned earth pony had finally shaken his head and declared: “Enough, enough! To Helheim with the bad feelings, I now wish to be happy. Where is my bouncing baby nephew?”

“Probably awake by now.” Scrivener said after a moment, and then he and Luna had traded a look before the charcoal stallion had nodded, climbing to his hooves and carefully slipping past the others as Twilight smiled a little and Sleipnir positively beamed.

Scrivener came back a few minutes later with a sleepy-looking Antares, the baby calmly sucking on his pacifier before father gently passed child to uncle, and Sleipnir laughed quietly as he grinned down at the colt before shaking his head and murmuring: “Handsome little foal. Is he not handsome, Kvasir?”

Sleipnir looked pointedly at Kvasir, who gave a long, loud sigh before the god nodded, saying drolly: “Yes, Sleipnir. He is handsome.”

“Excellent.” Sleipnir nodded firmly, smiling over at the beetroot unicorn. “We shall train thee in the ways of proper socializing yet! Now, little sister, on another pleasant note, I most heartily approve of this village of Ponyville. There are many pretty mares, many of whom I have had the delight of getting to know intimately, and I had the pleasure of getting pleasantly drunk with Big Macintosh and Rainbow Dash. I believe we almost killed the poor Pegasus but Big Mac held up quite spectacularly. I am not sure how we ended up together on the magic couch bed, though, but it was all quite enjoyable.”

Scrivener Blooms snorted in amusement as Luna grinned slightly at her brother, while Kvasir only looked grouchily at the vine-maned stallion, saying disgustedly: “Again. Your job is to protect me while here and help me-”

“I have helped and protected thee plenty!” Sleipnir complained, and then he shook his head vehemently before smiling down at the infant in his forelimbs as Antares attempted to mimic him before burbling and giggling, kicking his rear legs a few times. “Aye, that is right, handsome child! And oh, it has been good, little sister, to catch up with Celestia, and to better know this pretty mare, Twilight Sparkle... but who all the same will not sleep with me, which is a shame.”

“Not for lack of trying, I assume.” Luna looked amusedly at Sleipnir, who nodded seriously as Twilight only sighed and shook her head, and then the winged unicorn grinned slightly at her eyes flicked to her brother and she said kindly: “So, Sleipnir, I happened to make the acquaintance of a creature known as a 'Changeling' yesterday. Just by looking at us, it was able to take upon the forms of both myself and Scrivener Blooms. I think thou just may be able to sleep with thyself yet.”

Sleipnir laughed loudly at this, and then he grinned widely as he set down Antares, saying amusedly: “Now that is a delightful thought! But I wonder how accurate such a creature would be with all the details...”

He looked thoughtful as Twilight slapped her forehead and Kvasir made a face, and Luna laughed before glancing down as Antares scooted over to her and pawed at her quietly, the winged unicorn smiling before she said kindly: “Pardon me, Sleipnir, I must feed my child.”

Luna carefully picked Antares up, setting him gently down on the bedding as she slipped up beside him, and Sleipnir watched curiously before he realized what was going on, huffing and flailing his hooves at her as he declared: “Sister, thou should do that somewhere else! I shall hear Kvasir complain all day otherwise!”

“'Tis my home! I shall do this where I please.” Luna retorted pompously, even as Scrivener blushed and hurried to the kitchen, and Twilight followed after a moment, looking just as embarrassed. Kvasir, meanwhile, only stared with a look of horror on his features before he spun around and hurried for the door, and Luna huffed grouchily, muttering: “Thou art all immature children.”

“I am still here!” Sleipnir said cheerfully, holding up a hoof, and Luna looked at him flatly before he giggled stupidly behind his hooves, adding in an entertained voice: “I never knew thou wert such an exhibitionist though, sister.” A pause. “Nay, that is a lie, I did.”

“Go away, Sleipnir.” Luna said flatly, and Sleipnir pretended to look injured before the winged unicorn rolled her eyes and asked moodily: “Does thou not have to return to Valhalla shortly?”

“Aye, tomorrow.” Sleipnir nodded, becoming serious again as he asked curiously: “What are thy thoughts upon this idea: I was thinking that I would take Kvasir to see the Strange Ones. I am very curious as to how he would react to these beings, and think that their odd generosity would be good for him to witness.”

“Art thou sure thou art not simply going to attempt to free this Changeling creature for thy sick fantasies?” Luna asked mildly, and Sleipnir gave her a flat look before she added informatively: “Scrivener Blooms refused to kiss the beast when it took upon his shape.”

“What? Ridiculous. I would have gladly kissed the creature.” Sleipnir said immediately, then he grinned and glanced over his shoulder, adding cheerfully: “As a matter of fact, Scrivener Blooms, come here and I shall kiss thee right now!”

Scrivener only grumbled from the kitchen, and Sleipnir laughed before he shook his head, returning his eyes to Luna with a smile. “But maybe there is more wisdom in that choice than one may think at first. Does thou think the Changeling carries any nasty diseases?”

Luna shrugged at this, then she replied thoughtfully: “It did resemble a rather large bug in its true shape. But its cell was very clean, and rather small. That is good, yes?”

Sleipnir, however, grimaced at this, leaning back and replying moodily: “Nay, the fact the creature is a bug ruins the whole thing. I have already done that once, as I am sure thou must recall.”

Luna snorted in amusement, and then there was silence for a few moments before Antares finally drew back from his mother with a murmur, and the winged unicorn reached down and gently propped him over one shoulder, burping the baby quietly before she set him down in front of his pile of toys. He smiled, scooting over to these and pawing through the pile, looking fascinated with the noise more than anything else before Sleipnir glanced towards Twilight as she strode back into the room and asked hesitantly: “Celestia was talking about something the other day, from the years she spent as a Valkyrie... I think the name was... Frey?”

Sleipnir and Luna both looked up sharply at this, and Scrivener winced a little as well, feeling Luna's emotions roil through his mind as Twilight leaned back in surprise at the reaction, before Sleipnir leaned towards her and asked gently: “What did she tell thee, Twilight Sparkle? For thou must be special indeed for her to mention this.”

Twilight hesitated, blushing a little before she said finally: “I didn't... I mean, well... we were just... talking about our families. I talked about how I grew up as an only child... how I missed my parents. She said she didn't remember having... parents, exactly, but she said she had a brother. I got the feeling she wasn't talking about you, Sleipnir, and when I asked her about it, she was silent for a long time, then told me that when she was a Valkyrie, she had a twin brother named Frey. She... she talked a lot about him... once she started going, she talked for... it must have been hours.”

“Aye, she would have. Freya and Frey: in Asgard, one was rarely seen without the other. A god and the Queen of the Valkyries... whom certain gods often forgot was a goddess in her own right, really.” Sleipnir explained kindly, his features softening as he looked up with a smile. “He was kind, and compassionate, and fortunate, and he had the most wonderful collection of artifacts fair and fancy...

“But... Frey was beheaded by the Vanir. Or rather... 'twas made to look as if the Vanir killed him.” Sleipnir said softly, becoming more serious now as he looked solemnly towards Twilight. “I think even blinded by misery and mourning, Freya knew back then that something was wrong... but the need for battle and revenge was singing in her blood, and the Vanir were an easy target. I know that she regrets now having given in to that desire, that vicious primal urge all warriors must contend with at one point or another... I know it as certainly as I recall how fair Brynhild saw through the ruse as well, but Odin would not listen, and Freya was too blinded by fury and despair to do anything but charge into the battle with blade drawn.”

He fell quiet, then shook his head and said softly: “In those old past days, the mention of Frey in that wretched time after his death, after the Vanir were crushed, and while the Aesir were floundering and infighting, would send poor sister into a tumult of rage and sorrow. I think it is a wound Celestia has always carried, even after she had forgotten who she was... but... good friend Twilight Sparkle, if she brought this up willingly with thee, then perhaps that wound has finally begun to heal.”

He smiled, sitting back a bit and shaking his head slowly as he looked across at Luna, who laughed quietly and nodded, sitting back and saying softly: “Aye, I recall it clearly. Many of my memories of Asgard and that far-flung past are fuzzy and indistinct, but Frey I remember. Perhaps I shall bring it up with sister, see how she reacts. I may be pummeled, though, Sleipnir, and if Celestia pummels me I may shortly be joining thee in Valhalla with Scrivener Blooms.”

“Aye, but I am sure Odin will promptly throw thee back down to this planet, he seems to think greatly of thee.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and Luna laughed and shook her head before the vine-maned stallion glanced over his shoulder curiously at Kvasir as the god emerged from the corridor with a frown. “Did thou swallow a bug?”

“I... what?” Kvasir looked at the earth pony for a moment, and then he simply shook his head grouchily before asking finally: “Why do you talk about your lives in such a confusing way? You refer to the lives you all once lived both as separate lives, but also as if they are the same lives you're living now... when you three have very clearly long adapted to the bodies of these ponies, and all insist on calling yourselves Sleipnir, Celestia and Luna instead of by your old, true names.”

“That is not true, I am Luna Brynhild.” Luna said pompously, raising her head proudly, and then she glanced over at Sleipnir and said kindly: “And Sleipnir's brain is too full of holes to remember more than one name for himself.”

“Sister, I am outraged! My brain is not full of holes!” He paused, then grinned widely, winking over at Twilight Sparkle as she winced away from him. “Unless thou means-”

Kvasir cleared his throat loudly, and Sleipnir huffed even as Luna laughed before the enormous stallion shook his head quickly, saying finally: “Why does it matter? Besides, I refer to us as we were because that is what we were... but what we were is also what we are now. Only differently. Does thou understand?”

“No, because that does not make any sense whatsoever.” Kvasir replied irritably, looking from Sleipnir to Luna distastefully. “I don't believe either of you really know what you're talking about. I believe you're both trying to cling to what is and maintain what isn't.”

“Now who speaks in riddles?” Sleipnir asked dryly, and Luna gave her brother an amused look as Scrivener came back in from the kitchen with the coffee carafe, refilling Luna and Sleipnir's mugs before the enormous earth pony smiled across at Kvasir. “Some things one does not think through, friend. Some things, instead, one may only feel to understand the answer.”

“That is a weak answer.” Kvasir said grumpily, and then he shook his head before sighing when Sleipnir only grinned at him. “I don't want to hear it. Are we leaving shortly?”

Sleipnir only rolled his eyes at this, and then Twilight leaned forwards, speaking up quietly: “Why are you in such a rush to go, Kvasir? Haven't you liked it here? I mean, you seemed really interested in the books in the library.”

Kvasir looked moodily over at the violet mare, and then he shook his head briefly before saying irritably: “Don't you have somewhere else to be, mortal? Why is it that you're always out here, anyway? I thought your allegiance was to Freya, not Brynhild.”

Twilight shifted a little at this as Scrivener and Luna both looked flatly at Kvasir, but the god only grumbled as he looked back and forth at the other ponies: he had at least learned to pick up on emotional cues, but that was likely only because he'd apparently pissed off Pinkamena earlier in the week to the point she had walloped him across the face and knocked him out. Thus the god had quickly learned that while ponies could be pushed... pushing them too far would not result in pleasant things.

Finally, the violet mare smiled a little, answering quietly: “I am close to Celestia, but why does that mean I can't be close to Luna, too? If anything, I think... I'm closer to Luna and Scrivener. But they're all like... family to me.”

“Like family? We are family, and I include myself in that, Twilight Sparkle.” Sleipnir said firmly, smiling over at her warmly as he nodded once, then he gazed affectionately towards where Antares was half-curled up, pawing at a stuffed manticore toy and half-asleep as he burbled quietly. “Kvasir, life is not a game of sides, nor is it about aligning thyself with the benefactor whom is most useful to thou at the time. It is about making friends, finding thy family – for family is not always something one is born with – and simply living. Now tell me, Kvasir, when is the last time thou lived?”

“Can we just go?” Kvasir asked grouchily again, and Sleipnir groaned and threw his hooves up in disgust before the god shook his head, muttering: “I don't know what I'm supposed to learn here. This world makes no sense. It's completely the opposite of everything that... that...”

He frowned suddenly, quieting as he looked down, and for a moment the other ponies only regarded him curiously before he silently shook his head and turned around, storming off towards the doorway. For a few moments, Sleipnir looked after him, and then he grouchily waved a hoof and said flatly: “Bah, I have no patience for the cryptic creature today! To more important matters, including a matter of heated debate. Twilight, would thou kiss a Changeling if it took upon the same form and shape as thyself?”

Twilight only looked flatly at Sleipnir as Luna giggled a little and Scrivener sighed, but the vine-maned stallion only looked seriously back at the violet mare, as if this was a topic worthy of intense, serious discussion. But all the same, it was part of the earth pony's odd charm: mostly because, as Twilight was beginning to understand, it wasn't so much the actual answers that interested him. It was the smiles and entertainment his teasing was almost always rewarded with... although the violet mare couldn't help but wish that he would go back to teasing Scrivener instead of her.

Learning, Ripening, And Growing

Chapter Nine: Learning, Ripening, And Growing
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares Mīrus was growing up fast: by the time the foal was eight months old, he was able to string together short sentences, had learned to socialize with other foals – although many other parents in Ponyville were less than fond of Luna's constant crowing about her prodigal son – and was comfortable enough with Scarlet Sage, Fluttershy, and Celestia to spend time with them without Luna and Scrivener around. The last was particularly important, although their son's first sleepover in Ponyville with Twilight and Celestia had been incredibly stressful for Luna, who had spent the entire night worrying about her son. Antares hadn't had the best sleep himself, but he had suffered from much less separation anxiety than Luna had.

Physically, he was a little larger than the other foals his age, but only a little: what was truly remarkable about his development, however, was the fact that he already had a full set of teeth... and moreover, they were large and sharp, not a pony's teeth. They had come in almost all at once, making for a few long weeks of miserable teething for the poor infant, and it had taken a week longer than that for him to learn to be careful not to grind them or bite his tongue.

This development had twisted a sour knife into Luna's stomach, while Nightmare Moon had been subtly, cockily pleased. The only pleasure Luna took from the fact her child had Nightmare Moon's grin was when the toddler would innocently flash a big smile to a pony who wasn't aware of Antares' teeth, and then the winged unicorn would take a vindictive enjoyment in the reactions of shock that usually got. On the other hand, that could also backfire if their reactions scared or upset sensitive Antares in turn.

Antares was coming along well: Luna was halfheartedly hoping that soon, her son would no longer need to wear a diaper, since she found the whole process of changing him horrible... which made Scrivener glower at her, since he was the one who handled almost all of the diaper changes. But neither parent wanted to push him too hard: as it was, Antares was able to bounce around happily on his own, got along well with other foals, and was calm and complacent most of the time. He hated being alone, he could be a little sensitive, and he tended to sleep impulsively instead of ever adhering to any kind of nap schedule... but those were minor flaws in the otherwise wonderful character of their growing son.

The toddler was also already being tutored by Twilight Sparkle and Scrivener Blooms, and Luna had begun a daily workout regimen with the child, guiding him through simple exercises, helping strengthen his little body and prepare him for the eventual training he would receive. Both mind and body were in the process of being developed... but sometimes Luna wondered what was more important, and what filled her with more pride: seeing the way her child was learning and growing with the help of his parents and guardians, or times like now, as they sat at a playground with Rainbow Dash and his pregnant wife, Applejack smiling warmly as she rested back in a bench and gazed out over the playing foals as if already imagining her child there with the other foals and infants.

Rainbow kept nervously rubbing at Applejack's foreleg and poking at her belly, until finally Applejack half-shoved him grouchily away, and Scrivener and Luna both gave the Pegasus an entertained look before he sighed and walked over to them, rubbing at the back of his head and looking awkwardly at the charcoal stallion. “So. Fatherhood. Big stuff.”

“But more worthwhile than I can begin to express.” Scrivener replied softly, giving a small smile over at the Pegasus before he returned his eyes forwards, then reached up and absently squeezed Luna's shoulders when she began to slip towards the chatting mothers a short distance away. “No.”

“I'll be polite!” Luna complained, and Scrivener gave her a flat look, which made Luna grumble before she instead stormed past Scrivener to go and sit with Applejack on the bench, muttering moodily under her breath the whole time.

Scrivener and Rainbow were both quiet as they watched Antares and another foal converse with one another, flailing their hooves and gesturing around them, oddly reminding Scrivener of businessponies for some reason with how intent they were acting as they both bounced in the playground sand next to the jungle gym. Then he laughed to himself and shook his head slowly before turning his eyes to Rainbow, who was a little pale, awkwardly rubbing at his neck and staring blankly out over the playground.

Scrivener frowned a bit behind his glasses, and then Rainbow finally smiled dazedly at him before he said finally, weakly: “Dude, I'm scared. I was less scared of the Tyrant Wyrm than this, seriously. I mean, look at me: do I look like good father material to you? And let's not even mention the whole 'Dashie was a mare' thing before, how the hell am I going to explain that to my kid? What if the other babies make fun of him over that, I know how mean foals can be... what if I... what if I act just like my parents?”

“Alright, alright, calm down before you start hyperventilating, Dash, and listen to me.” Scrivener said softly, raising a hoof, and the Pegasus grumbled a bit before he sat back on his haunches in the grass, and Scrivener sat down beside him, reaching up to grasp his shoulder as he said softly: “First of all, look who you're married to. Applejack is going to be a great mother, you of all ponies know how important family is to her... and furthermore, that means she's not going to let you be anything but a great father. Besides, Rainbow, you're you. Just like I learned... I'm me. And I don't have to repeat the past, I... chose to be a better parent than my own were. You can do the same.”

Rainbow smiled hesitantly, nodding a little before he looked nervously over at Applejack, drawing his eyes along her pregnant frame before Scrivener continued softly: “I know... awakening, finding out... everything about yourself all over again hasn't been fun for you in particular, Dash. And both you and me are... ponies who think... far too much about the past. But what helps me is remembering that who I am now is... who I came from back then.”

Rainbow gave him a morbid look, and Scrivener shrugged, looking with entertainment at the Pegasus. “Hey, you came to me, you should know only half of what I say is going to be any help... especially since I never went through what you did. But I do know that like you, one day Luna and I are going to have to tell our son some very difficult stories about our past. Because he'll deserve to know about Nightmare Moon... because it wouldn't be safe if he didn't know.”

Now Scrivener fell quiet, looking towards his son as Antares laughed... and those sharp teeth of the foal's gleamed, as Rainbow studied Scrivener before the charcoal earth pony shook his head and said mildly: “And babies are too young to start making fun of each other until they can talk. But Ponyville's a good place, Rainbow, full of good ponies who accept one-another, even the weirdos like you and me.”

“You're... well, I guess you know you're one to talk so... shut up.” Rainbow said finally, but he shook his head with a small smile at the jibe, sighing a little. “Just worries me. I don't want my kid getting... confused or scared, you know? I want him or her or whatever it'll be to... grow up, be happy, and know that... no matter what, I'm going to be there for the little bugger. And I'm never going to let anything ever mess with him. Or her. Or it. I dunno if it's a filly or a colt yet, Applejack insisted that we wait and see.”

Scrivener smiled at this, glancing over and nudging Rainbow gently as he asked curiously: “Do you think it'll be a son or a daughter?”

“Like I care. Kid can be born a dinosaur with boobs and I'll still love him.”Rainbow paused, then he rose a hoof and bit worriedly at it, asking hesitantly: “You don't think he's going to be born all messed up, though, because of me, right?”

“You should really look into getting your anxiety meds from Zecora doubled.” Scrivener said mildly, and Rainbow shot him a sour look before the earth pony smiled and pointed at Antares. “You see my son over there? So far, the worst thing is that he has sharp teeth. He was born from the Valkyrie formerly known as Nightmare Moon, and me, who has a Tyrant Wyrm's corruption shooting around inside him still. You and Applejack are going to have a great kid. And even if it's a dinosaur with boobs, it'll still be a great kid.”

Rainbow smiled after a moment at this, and then he shook his head before punching the other stallion's shoulder gently, saying softly: “Thanks, Scrivy. You're not half-bad most of the time.”

“Glad to hear it.” Scrivener smiled back, his eyes still lingering on his child before Antares' eyes roved towards his father, and then he smiled and clambered up to his hooves, hurrying over to him as Scrivener leaned down with a warm smile. “You ready to go, little guy?”

“Ready!” Antares replied brightly, nodding a few times before he bounced on his hooves, then added excitedly: “Ice cream!”

“Yes, that's right. Off to Sugar Cube Corners for ice cream.” Scrivener said kindly, and then he laughed when Antares bounced again and looked warmly up at his father, burbling a little. “Words, kiddo. What do you want?”

“Up!” Antares declared finally, and Scrivener nodded with a smile before he reached down and easily hefted the foal up over one shoulder, Antares giggling and scrambling onto the stallion's back to complacently cling to the back of his father's head, gazing brightly back and forth.

Scrivener smiled as he glanced towards Luna as she excused herself from Applejack, and Rainbow laughed and shook his head as the winged unicorn strode by. “You two are so weird together, you know that? All... killing everything but so nice and gentle and stuff here and... well, you know. Every relationship's weird though, isn't it?”

“Pretty much. Thanks for coming out with us, Dash.” Scrivener said softly, then he leaned past to throw a wave towards Applejack, who smiled back from the bench and waved in return, then laughed as Antares waved a hoof happily as well. “We'll catch you and AJ later. Sure you don't want to come by?”

“Nah, think AJ wants to sit a little longer, then head on back to the farm and make sure Big Mac's taking his time and not trying to do all the work himself.” Rainbow replied easily, then he winked. “Do me a favor and slap Pinkamena for me. Just don't tell her you're doing it for me.”

Luna nodded cheerfully, and Scrivener sighed and gave her a dryly-amused look before the two ponies turned and headed on their way, walking into town. Ponies smiled at them as they passed, and Antares happily waved to random strangers here and there before he began to bounce excitedly when they reached the candy store, pointing at it and burbling away as Scrivener laughed and Luna grinned widely.

“The child has my tastes.” she remarked easily, then winked at Scrivener. “'Tis a good thing, too, thine own are far too horrid for a foal, after all.”

Scrivener only rolled his eyes in entertainment, not bothering to point out all the flaws in Luna's statement as they made their way inside, and Pinkie Pie glanced up before giggling brightly as she leaned over the counter, calling loudly: “Lemon Drop, company's here!”

“Sissy, be a little goddamn professional.” Pinkamena said moodily as she walked out of the kitchen, and the gray twin shook her head briskly out before sighing as her eyes flicked towards Scrivener, Luna, and Antares, the infant burbling and waving at her excitedly. “Yeah, yeah, I see you, tumor. What do you want?”

Luna and Scrivener traded amused looks, and then the stallion shifted, pulling the child off his shoulders and gently setting Antares down, and the foal happily scrambled across the floor to the glass front of the counter, giggling and shoving himself up against it as Pinkie Pie giggled herself and leaned down to stare through it with an equally rapt attention. Pinkamena looked flatly from one to the other, and then she rolled her eyes and looked at Scrivener and Luna as they approached.

She began to open her mouth, but the half-demon was cut off as the bell by the door jingled, and when Luna glanced curiously over her shoulder her eyes widened as they settled on the sight of Odin, the grizzled, graying god smiling tiredly as he carefully slipped in through the doorway. Pinkie Pie rose her head, staring in amazement, but Pinkamena only sighed, gesturing rudely over her shoulder and snapping: “Corpses come in through the kitchen for the meat pies, old-timer!”

Odin glanced up at the half-demon for a moment, and Pinkie Pie flailed a bit at Pinkamena with a wince before Pinkamena growled and shoved back at her twin sister, and for a few moments the siblings grappled before they fell over as Antares finally looked over his shoulder, then smiled at the sight of Odin and turned around, not in the slightest bit afraid of the grizzled once-god. The falcon headed entity slowly approached, walking stick tapping against the floor as the falcon-headed entity said kindly: “Brynhild, Scrivener, and Antares. It's good to see you all, out and enjoying the kind weather... it has been unseasonably summer-like for early spring, hasn't it?”

“I don't suppose thou had something to do with that as well, did thou?” Luna asked grouchily, but Odin only chuckled and shook his head slowly. “Good. But I hope thou art not here on serious business. I wish to eat ice cream and sugary treats with my family, not be dragged off upon some godforsaken quest for... whatever it is that a once-god longs for.”

“Mostly peace and quiet, and fear not, Brynhild, I know that you are the last person I should send to find me calm comforts.” Odin replied ironically, and Scrivener coughed as Luna glowered a little up at the once-god. “But well, perhaps I shall join you for one of these... so-called 'treats.' I-”

“Coming right up!” Pinkie Pie called cheerfully, bouncing up to her hooves on the other side of the counter, and there was a yell of pain and frustration as the bright pink pony looked dumbly down before wincing a little “Oops, sorry, Lemon Drop.”

Pinkie slipped carefully to the side, and Pinkamena slowly crawled up to her hooves, glaring at her twin sibling before she shook herself out with a mumble, then glowered over the counter as Antares rose a hoof at her and asked curiously: “Pink-me-nah?”

“Mind your own business, tumor.” Pinkamena mumbled, but then she sighed when the baby continued to look at her before flashing her sharp teeth in a wide grin, and Antares bounced a bit before mimicking the gesture, and Luna couldn't help but smile before Pinkamena grumbled: “Retarded little kid. And don't you get any ideas, Nightmare Moon. The only thing I like about babies is baby back ribs.”

“Retarded ribs!” Antares crowed cheerfully, and Pinkamena stared over the counter at this, then traded a look with Luna before they both threw their heads back and laughed, which made Scrivener sigh a little as he headed towards a booth, shaking his head as Pinkie Pie giggled a little herself.

Scrivener looked up in surprise as Odin joined him after a moment at the booth, the once-god slipping carefully into the seat across from him as he put his cane aside, then smiled a little at the earth pony's curious gaze. “I think the others have things under control. I would not know what to ask for, anyway... I am not used to this kind of fare.”

The earth pony smiled back before glancing up as Luna approached and slipped into the booth next to Scrivener, resting her front hooves on the table and peering almost suspiciously across at the once-god. “But I highly doubt somehow thou art here simply to mingle or to taste the fine cuisine offered in Ponyville, old cyclops.”

Odin nodded after a moment, smiling faintly before his eyes flicked to Antares as the baby bounced towards them, then stumbled and flopped over on the floor. He only giggled, though, despite the worried wince Luna tossed him, before Antares scurried back to his hooves and over to his mother, looking brightly at her as he sat back on his haunches and rose his front hooves. “Mommy, up!”

Luna smiled after a moment, then she leaned down and quietly picked the infant up, sitting him quietly in her lap and bouncing him a little as the baby burbled happily and clung up to the winged unicorn's body. As he nestled himself closer, Odin smiled a little despite himself, giving a slow shake of his head before he murmured softly: “Is it a good or bad thing that the child reminds me of some of the warriors of my own hallowed halls? I remember all too well... these grown, strong males, spending themselves in respite more wicked than battle, and ending up lounging and lax upon the bosoms of women like children at mother's teat.”

“Teat!” Antares mimicked, and Luna shot a sour look at Odin despite the fact a small smile spread over her features all the same, before the child added: “Old-win!”

“Yes, that's right, Old-win.” Odin chuckled a little, shaking his head slowly before he rose his single eye to meet Luna's own cyan irises, saying quietly: “I feel guilty and awful about this, Brynhild, but... the time has nearly come for you to journey between layers, as I have asked. I can give you two weeks to prepare, perhaps a month at most before your first task.”

Luna frowned at this, squeezing Antares close as Scrivener looked up in surprise as well, feeling the winged unicorn's usual exaggerated frustration vanishing into honest anxiety as she replied worriedly: “But... but what about my child, Odin? He is so young, so much more vulnerable than I had thought, I... he needs his parents. It has been hard enough leaving him for a single night, and thou expects me to be away for... for weeks at a time now?

“Brynhild, calm down now, alright?” Odin said gently, raising his gloved hands, and Luna grimaced a little before nodding hesitantly as Odin continued quietly: “That is part of why I have come now. To give you time to prepare to leave, both physically and emotionally. And because I would like to offer my help... would it soothe you if perhaps, with Freya's help, I helped to teach Antares over the course of the week or so you'll be gone?”

“I... do not know. Does thou plan to molest or kill him?” Luna asked waspishly, and when Odin only gave her a dry look, she blushed a little and shrank her head back, grumbling: “I am a concerned mother and thou art less of a beloved uncle and more of a... grumpy old lecher.”

“Grumpy, yes, but we've been over the fact I'm far too old for lechery several times now.” Odin replied tiredly, and Luna grumbled and fidgeted a bit on the spot before the grizzled once-god finally shook his head and said quietly: “I would not train him without Freya being present. Or Twilight Sparkle, the woman you're so fond of.”

“Mare. She is a mare, I am a mare, Scrivener Blooms is a stallion. Can thou not fathom that? Thou art the one who claims to have been so fond of horses.” Luna retorted, and Odin leaned back moodily before he glanced to the side in surprise as Pinkie Pie bounced in and cheerfully tossed several large bowls of multicolored ice cream out onto the table, Antares burbling happily and flailing his hooves around warmly.

A moment later, Pinkamena joined them with a sigh as well, putting out two large bottles of flavored syrup before she jerked her head at the tray of drinks balanced on her back, and Pinkie Pie giggled as she quickly passed the drinks out, not seeming to even need to look to slide the right drink to the right person: cola for Luna and Scrivener, one with ice and one without, a milkshake for Antares with a brightly-colored straw, and a fruit smoothie for Odin. He looked meditatively down at this as it slid in front of him next to the bowl of plainer vanilla ice cream she had also given him, and then Pinkie Pie said brightly: “Anything else you need, just let us know!”

“Yeah, I'm sure we'll both get right on it.” Pinkamena grumbled moodily, and then she winced when Pinkie Pie grabbed her and shook her anxiously, the half-demon sighing and shoving her twin away. “Knock it off, sissy!”

“But that's like, Odin.” Pinkie Pie whispered loudly, the once-god visibly doing his best to ignore the two as he awkwardly picked up his spoon and poked at the ice cream a little. “We gotta be polite, right?”

“Yeah, that's not really my thing.” Pinkamena said grumpily, and then she shoved her twin sister away before the half-demon turned, adding loudly over her shoulder: “If you need anything, just ask the suck-up. I'm going to go take a nap.”

“I'm not a suck-up, and we're not done work yet!” Pinkie Pie complained, bouncing after her sibling, and Odin looked mildly over at Luna as the winged unicorn grinned despite herself, as Antares burbled in her lap and then reached forwards to paw at his bowl of ice cream.

Then Luna sighed a little as her smile toned down, and she looked silently at her foal as her horn glowed, a telekinetic aura surrounding the spoon sticking out of the smaller bowl of ice cream. It carefully scooped up a bit of the frozen treat, then twisted towards Antares, and the foal burbled quietly again before opening his mouth wide to accept the food as Luna murmured: “Very well, Odin. But I wish to know exactly what thou plans to teach my child... and moreover, I wish to be there for the first few sessions, before we leave for... for a week.”

Luna closed her eyes as Scrivener reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently, and then the winged unicorn grumbled and shook her head hurriedly out, clearing it as she looked back up at the falcon-headed once-god. Odin, however, only smiled a little over at her in return, nodding slowly as he said quietly: “That's fine and perfectly fair, Brynhild. I will be returning to Valhalla today, to take care of some business... but then I will be leaving it in the stewardship of Kvasir and Sleipnir and take some time to spend here, in Ponyville. I have already acquired lodgings at the Nibelung barracks...”

“That is ridiculous, thou may stay at our cottage whilst we are not using it.” Luna said grouchily, waving a hoof grumpily, and Odin looked surprised before the winged unicorn glared at him even as she carefully fed another spoonful of ice cream to Antares. “But know this, Odin. If thou roots through my things or damages any of my valuables, I shall know and I shall break thy old bird bones for it.”

“Bird!” Antares said cheerfully, and then he leaned forwards, slurping loudly from the spoon. “Cream!”

Odin looked curiously at Luna, but she quickly shook her head and waved a hoof grumpily, changing subjects as she asked moodily: “How long shall we have between missions, Odin? I do not wish to be there a week, gone a week. 'Twill be too much time lumped too close together away from my sweet child.”

“It is important we act quickly, but not hastily.” Odin replied quietly, and when Luna glowered at him, he sighed and answered in a drier voice: “While you'll have to spend around a week in the layer while the Bifrost regenerates, we can afford a month or more after the anchor is planted before I'll send you on another journey. As more anchors are placed as well, the gaps can be widened, as the threat to the key world will diminish.

“And on that note, regarding the shapeshifting entities you encountered several months ago...” Scrivener and Luna both sat up, and Antares seemed to pick up on this as he looked curiously up from his ice cream. “I believe similar entities were sighted in another layer. I have contacts throughout many of the different worlds, you see... it does not pay to stay uninformed, no matter how much my focus is on... certain worlds, and certain people within those worlds.”

He smiled a little at Luna, but she only grumbled in return before the once-god shook his head and continued in a softer voice: “I wish to avoid causing unnecessary alarm, Brynhild. These entities... they may not be anything more than slivers of chaotic or destructive essence given form and life, from the fluctuation and violent collapse of so many layers, from... all of the tampering Valthrudnir and others have done. New times give rise to new life, good and bad alike: Nightmares did not exist before ponies, after all, but came into being some time after.

“I would like to say that in the beginning there were only the gods, but that would be a lie, fair Brynhild: before the gods came the Jötnar. Their existence alone was enough to influence the creation of new beings... as did their death. Valthrudnir was a powerful Jötnar: powerful enough he nearly conquered his own destruction, as you are both well aware.” Odin was quiet for a moment, Scrivener Blooms glancing away as Luna frowned a little. “It is not impossible that his echoing will influenced reality enough to... create these slivers, these... these mindless drones. Drones that now seek to carry out the one thing he always strove to do: destroy everything he deemed 'imperfect.'”

Luna and Scrivener regarded Odin silently, and then the charcoal earth pony smiled faintly before he spoke up, asking quietly: “Then what about the fact that one of them seemed to be specifically hunting certain ponies at the Northedge Strait?”

“Thankfully, that question is easier to answer than it may seem at first.” Odin replied, smiling a little in return. “Valthrudnir himself always took especial interest in certain beings... among them, yourself and Brynhild. It's possible that these were ponies who, in other world, their reflections carried a significant weight or strength... or maybe they even just bore a passing resemblance to yourself, or Brynhild. Something that drew the drone's attention. That awoke whatever vestiges of Valthrudnir's will that may have existed inside it.

“But my advice on this subject is to avoid letting it consume your thoughts. I am not saying they are not dangerous, but that they are not so great a threat we need to concern ourselves with them, not unless they begin to appear in great number. They may only be the last shattered pieces of a defeated Jötnar's final desires: if, however, you encounter more of them in other layers you visit – and judging by how they were drawn to you in this layer of reality just by your presence alone, the energies emitted from the Bifrost should draw them like moths to a flame if they are there – then let me know, and we will consider our other options and actions.” Odin said calmly, nodding once, and Scrivener and Luna both nodded hesitantly back.

They fell silent as Odin carefully swirled his ice cream, and then he hesitantly scooped up some of the slightly-melted food and tasted it. For a few moments, he looked undecided, then he winced a little and rubbed at his face, muttering: “It's like frozen sugar.”

“'Tis why it's so wonderful.” Luna nodded firmly, and Odin rolled his eye before he picked up the smoothie, sipping moodily at this, then looking a little pacified as he clicked his beak lightly before the winged unicorn added mildly: “Strange to see thou eating our fare, though. I thought thou wert all masculine and mighty?”

Odin didn't reply, only sipping slowly at his smoothie as he swirled his ice cream in front of him, and Luna smiled before she went back to feeding Antares, the baby bouncing a bit as she patiently fed him, wiping up a bit of drool and dribbling ice cream every so often from his face. Scrivener ate his own slowly... and then he smiled when Luna nudged him gently, slipping Antares to him so he could continue to feed the foal and she could eat some of her own melting ice cream after drowning it in chocolate and strawberry syrup.

After some ten minutes had passed, Odin finally dug in his jacket and removed a handful of coins, picking through them and saying mildly: “I share Kvasir's contempt and confusion over the form of currency ponies use. Especially because I'm not quite sure why economics are so important to your society.”

“Economics are important to any society, Odin... at least, any society that has developed minds.” Luna replied dryly, then she leaned back and added contritely: “Celestia was a mercenary before she was a princess, I shall have thee know.”

“She was confused. And she did not work for money, she sought information, as I recall. I have kept my eye on you and many other events for many years, Brynhild.” Odin replied dryly, and then he glanced down at the coins in his hand, jingling them slowly before finally putting them all down and muttering: “A tip for the perky pink pony, perhaps. Or the half-demon, mouthy as she is. Reminds me of Goll. She was always loud.”

Luna snorted in amusement at this, leaning back in her bench seat and grinning widely as Scrivener looked up curiously. “It says something about thee, Odin, that so few of the Valkyries actually liked thee. Oh, respected what thou could do, sure. But as a person, leader, or anything else? Not so much, as I recall.”

“Thank you for that reminder, Brynhild.” Odin said tiredly, and then he slipped carefully out of his seat and picked up his cane, grimacing a little as he rubbed at one shoulder. “I'll see you in two weeks' time. Architect Greece already has the transport you'll be using readied, and the Enchanters are putting the finishing touches on the anchor as we speak. I've asked him to help you with any supplies you might need... remember, you'll need to survive for a week in places that will not... always be hospitable to your presence.”

He looked at them for a few moments, then paused before leaning forwards over the table, adding pointedly: “And I must also remind you to keep your presence as quiet as possible. Other ponies may not react well to you, Brynhild, especially if the pony known as Luna already exists in that particular layer.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Luna said grouchily, waving a hoof at him, and Antares babbled as he mimicked the gesture as Scrivener tried to feed him, the stallion wincing a bit. “Begone, cyclops.”

“Gone, clops... Old-win!” Antares agreed, and Odin sighed a little, but smiled wryly before he reached past Luna to ruffle the foal's mane, making him giggle as Luna shot a scathing look up at the once-god.

Odin ignored this, however, nodding courteously to Scrivener Blooms before he turned and calmly made his way towards the exit, and Luna leaned out of the booth to watch him leave before she sighed and grumbled under her breath, turning her attention back towards Scrivener and complaining: “'Tis unfair, Scrivy. We have done so much for this world, have we not? For all the layers, in fact. And now I am going to miss weeks of my child's life... and that is no short time when he is not even a year old!”

“It's alright, Luna. Remember, we talked about this... we knew it was going to happen, that's why we even started getting Antares used to not having us around.” Scrivener soothed gently, and then he looked down as Antares shoved away the spoon, smiling a little as the foal reached for his milkshake and babbled. “Hey, kiddo, words. Use your words, remember?”

Antares burbled in response, looking a little frustrated, likely from the combination of sugar and not napping, before he finally managed to blurt: “Drink!”

“Drink please, kiddo. Manners are what separate from the beasts like Luna and Pinkamena.” Scrivener said kindly, and then he winced when Luna punched him in the shoulder with a huff before the stallion reached down and gently cradled the milkshake, sliding it close as Antares settled his jaws around the straw and suckled back greedily. Scrivener smiled despite himself, tipping the cup a little so the child would avoid inhaling too much air before he turned his eyes to Luna, continuing as if he'd never left off: “Think of it this way. There aren't too many anchors we'll have to place, and we can space out the placement over what sounds like... maybe a year, maybe longer. Yeah, this first trip is going to be especially hard, but... by doing it now, we're making sure the layers are safer, that everypony in them – including our son – will be safer... and that we won't have to do all this all over again. Maybe we'll even get a few years to rest afterwards, before something new goes horribly wrong.”

“Aye, that would be nice.” Luna said meditatively, looking down before she sighed and nodded, murmuring: “Still. At times like these I wish almost that I was normally. Or just a little more self-centered... but more than Odin, my conscience nags at me, Scrivy. We... how much of this is our fault? If what Odin suggested is true, then are not the creation of these splinters upon our heads as well as-”

“Let's not go down that road, Luna.” Scrivener said gently, looking at her compassionately, and Luna smiled faintly at him as she shifted awkwardly before the stallion carefully pulled the mostly-empty milkshake away from the foal, Antares burbling and flailing a bit before Scrivener carefully raised the baby to burp him. “I know... I know it's frustrating and upsetting, but I just think of what Valthrudnir would have done if he'd survived somehow or another... and well, we'd be dead, and by now he might have been able to work his way through the layers towards the core world.”

Luna nodded slowly at this, and then she sighed a little as she dropped her head against his shoulder, muttering: “Aye, that is sadly true.” She paused, then smiled a bit as Antares burped quietly before the foal burbled as Scrivy carefully put the child down between them, but immediately he began to wriggle forwards, slipping his way down to the ground and giggling beneath the table before he scurried off into the interior of Sugar Cube Corners, both gazing quietly after him.

Pinkie Pie laughed and happily bounced around the counter, and Antares giggled and bounced cheerfully along with her before Luna called quietly: “Not too fast now, the child just finished eating.”

Scrivener smiled a little at Luna, leaning over to kiss her cheek quietly, and Luna fidgeted a bit before she gazed radiantly at the male, nodding slowly once and saying softly: “Nay, thou thinks too greatly of me. I am only... doing what little I can, and hoping for the best. I only feel fortunate that Antares Mīrus is so... so wonderfully-tempered, such a good child. 'Tis amazing, Scrivener. He is a perfect little foal and we are two awful, awful ponies.”

“Yeah, I think Rainbow said that already, though.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he glanced up curiously as Pinkamena slid into the other side of the booth, brushing the half-eaten bowl of ice cream and empty smoothie glass aside. “I thought you were having a nap.”

“I did.” Pinkamena said shortly, and then she asked mildly: “So you two are leaving and stuff, huh? Some mission for old one-eye?”

Luna nodded after a moment, replying quietly: “Aye. I do not look forwards to it... it will be a long, miserable week without my child in easy reach. It will be made more-frustrating still by the fact I doubt it will be a simple task to summon the Bifrost from the layers we visit... 'tis not a fun task to summon a giant rainbow bridge.”

“But you've been in other layers before, yeah? What's it like?” Pinkamena asked curiously, leaning forwards before a slight grin spread over her face. “Do copies of us really exist in other layers? Because if you could find me a quieter version of sissy I'll kill this one and you can bring me the replacement.”

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie looked up with a huff, but Pinkamena only blew her a raspberry, and the bright pink pony pouted for a moment before she returned her eyes to Antares and giggled as Antares flopped onto his back and pawed his hooves at the air.

A moment later, Pinkie Pie did the same, laughing, and Pinkamena looked sourly at this sight before she sighed and drew her eyes to Luna and Scrivener as the two smiled. “You know, I never pictured you as baby people. Or being good with kids. Don't get me wrong, you did fine with that adopted daughter of yours, but... that was different. She's weird, like us. Kid over there is kinda weird too, but... not the way we are. Well, except for his teeth and all.”

She paused thoughtfully at this, then propped a hoof under her muzzle before she asked almost offhandedly: “Can I come with you two?”

Luna and Scrivener both looked surprised at this, glancing curiously towards Pinkamena, and Pinkamena looked moodily back before she said irritably: “You're doing that thing where you two get the same stupid look on your stupid faces.”

Scrivener sighed and dropped his face against a hoof as Luna glared at the half-demon, then she said irritably: “Yes, this makes me eager to permit thee to come with us.” She paused, hesitating for a few long moments before adding in a softer voice: “But the answer, for this time, is no. I... I need thou here, Pinkamena. Twilight is too uncomfortable with my darker allies to hold palaver with them, but they respect and will listen to thee. I... I fear greatly that while I am away from home, Antares could be endangered. Thou... art one of the few ponies I would entrust my son's life to.”

Pinkamena's eyes softened at this even as she maintained her sharp grin, but before the half-demon could speak, Luna added quietly: “But, if all goes well... then perhaps on the next journey thou can come with us. And should Odin complain I shall merely pummel him.”

“Good.” Pinkamena grunted, sitting back and nodding firmly once. “Getting bored around here. Sissy keeps complaining about our new inventory, anyway.”

“Well, yeah. Your treats were great for Nightmare Night and all, but uh. 'Pony Pies,' 'Coffin Cakes' and all those other horrible things you made look really awkward sitting next to the cupcakes and the cookies and all the normal stuff we sell.” Pinkie Pie said delicately from where she was still laying on her back, and Pinkamena scowled at her, crossing her forelegs before Pinkie winced and bounced upside-down in a half-circle to face her sister, Antares giggling and trying to mimic this impossible motion. “No, no, no, I don't mean they're bad, they're really good, but they're... a little... scary?”

“Then let me set up my own section of the shop, and we'll see who outsells who, sissy.” Pinkamena argued, and then she huffed before sliding out of the booth, storming over to the counter and yanking a box out as she muttered: “Scary... I'll show you scary... just wait until you see my next idea... if I have to run a goddamn candy store I'm going to make goddamn treats that I goddamn like, goddammit...”

“Ga-damn!” Antares said cheerfully, and Luna coughed violently as Scrivener glared towards Pinkamena, but the half-demon only snorted even as Pinkie Pie winced and tipped over onto her side. “Ga-damn Pink-me-nah!”

“That's right, kid, goddamn Pinkamena. You ain't got no clue how true that is.” Pinkamena muttered as she shoved treats into the box, and then she looked up and added loudly: “I'm making the cake for his birthday party in a few months.”

Pinkie Pie looked up at this in shock, then she rolled to her hooves and popped up onto them, glaring across at Pinkamena. “Now you're just being greedy! You got to make the cake for Applejack's baby shower, too!”

The half-demon snorted at this, nodding as she closed the box of treats and said flatly: “Because somepony decided she had to be little miss party popper, right? So I had to make the cake, and about a dozen of the other treats there. I do my job. Do you even have a job?”

Pinkie Pie grumbled a little at this, sniffling once, and Pinkamena sighed before she rolled her eyes, saying moodily: “Alright, alright. Fine. We'll split the work. I'll design the cake, we can bake it together, you can decorate it however you want. Deal?”

“Deal.” Pinkie Pie brightened, looking warmly up at Pinkamena, and the half-demon grumbled before Luna and Scrivener slipped out of their seat, the bright pony's eyes looking towards them with a smile. “We'll make it real good, you'll see!”

“Of course. I have absolute faith in both of thee, however crazy thou and thy sister may be at times.” Luna said kindly, and Pinkie Pie giggled before the winged unicorn gazed down at Antares, who was still pawing at the air but looked as if he was having trouble staying awake. “But it seems as if this is our cue to leave. Our child requires a nap, and Scrivener Blooms and I must attend to the first preparations for our coming trip.”

The Pink Twins nodded, and then Pinkamena shoved the box across the counter, saying mildly: “Here, on the house as always. Since you two at least seem to appreciate my treats.”

“Who doesn't like eating body parts made out of sugar?” Scrivener asked blandly, and Pinkamena grunted and nodded as Pinkie Pie smiled and shook her head. The charcoal stallion traded a glance with Luna, and then he smiled and nodded when the winged unicorn made her way over to take the box, Scrivener reaching down and gently lifting Antares up onto his back before Luna flicked her horn, and a glowing rope of ivy twisted gently around father and son, holding the child gingerly in place as Antares shifted and burbled as he naturally clung to the back of the stallion's neck. “Thanks, you two. We appreciate it.”

“Anytime. Come back soon, huh?” Pinkie Pie called warmly as the two turned to go, and Pinkamena grunted as she waved at their backs, giving a small smile from behind the curtain of her mane.

Luna and Scrivener strode calmly out into daylit Ponyville, and the two traded a look as Antares shifted a bit on Scrivy's back before Luna grunted and nodded, saying finally: “Aye, thou has a point. Much as I do wish to visit Twilight Sparkle, poor Antares needs his rest. And besides, I am sure Celestia is keeping our poor mare busy. For all her improvements, big sister still works far too hard. We should burn down the Temple of the Sun to give her a vacation.”

Scrivener sighed, rolling his eyes before his eyes flicked towards the distance, and Luna followed his gaze after a moment before she smiled a little, the two looking at the faintly-visible ivory towers of Canterlot. The castle and city had been nothing but ruins before when they had first entered this layer... but now, much of the foundation of the ancient and beautiful area had been rebuilt, and the buildings were steadily being repaired and fortified, restored to the glory they had perhaps once known in that brief time in this layer when the tribes had attempted to unite.

When Canterlot was finally repaired, it would once more be the capitol of Equestria: sure, few ponies still knew the truth of what had happened, of the struggles that had led to Ragnarok... but they all remembered Canterlot, and the shining beacon it had once been. For a few moments, the two were quiet... and then Luna finally laughed and shook her head, turning away as she said softly: “But it is strange, Scrivy. I do not think that big sister has... any intent to honestly move back there. As it is, I never expected her to stay in Ponyville, but... she has found a new dedication. She is truly mending her old ways, closing the circle. I am so proud of her...”

Scrivener smiled at Luna, and Luna smiled back after a moment before she turned her gaze ahead, walking quietly onwards to the city gates. As always, the Nibelung saluted and greeted them warmly, and they both nodded back before one of the dwarves pointed out into the field, and Luna cocked her head curiously before she stepped outside... and laughed at the sight of Fluttershy, Scarlet Sage, and a few other familiar ponies feeding a small herd of Phooka.

Luna grinned, unable to help herself from approaching as Scrivener followed, and the strange, dark entities glanced up from where they were eating berries and milk from the large tubs. Scarlet Sage blushed a bit at the sight of her parents, but it was a warm look as Fluttershy gazed almost shyly at them. “Oh, hello. It's nice to see you both, Luna, Scrivener...”

“And 'tis nice and admittedly rather curious to see thee out here, Fluttershy, feeding the Phooka like so.” Luna said kindly, tilting her head curiously before she glanced towards her helpers with a grin: Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetie Belle. “Didst thou not all earn thine emblems a long time ago now? Or do thee fancy on trying to change them to matching symbols of Phooka? Then again, I cannot complain against the idea of having a black horse upon one's flank...”

“Mom!” Scarlet turned beet-red as the other mares blushed, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom both giggling as Fluttershy looked half-imploringly at Luna.

Luna only grinned in return, however, then she drew her eyes over the Phooka, smiling at them: there were at least seven, sharing two tubs. They looked both animal and civilized all at once... and the winged unicorn couldn't help but laugh quietly before she murmured: “Silly beasts. One day thou shalt forget thou once lived in the deepest, darkest parts of the forest... but thy kind has had much more time and freedom to multiply here, have thee not?”

“They're very friendly. I know some ponies are still a little scared of them, though, but that's why I'm trying to introduce them a little more, make it clear they're not a threat. Oh, sure, they like to be a little mischievous sometimes, but... not in a bad way. It's all very different from how it was in old Equestria.” Fluttershy said softly, gazing over them before one of the Phooka slipped back from the tub to walk over to her and drop beside her, closing its green-fire eyes. The blonde Pegasus smiled down at this, then reached down and silently stroked through its smoky mane, murmuring: “It's funny what we become given the right or wrong influences, isn't it?”

“Aye. Fluttershy... I cannot thank thee enough for this kindness.” Luna said gently, and the Pegasus looked up in surprise before the winged unicorn smiled faintly, leaning forwards and saying softly: “Without thou... pushing so hard to be so good to the Phooka, to show other ponies that these creatures are not to be feared, mean no harm... I do not wish to think of what would have happened if there were not a pony like thee encouraging them to treat these dark, once-feared beings with respect.”

Fluttershy smiled faintly at this, shaking her head slowly before she looked softly down at the Phooka beside her, stroking quietly along the back of its neck before she said gently: “But it's selfish, really... because they make me feel safe, and... they remind me of me.” She smiled more at this, glancing up as the others looked surprised, Scrivener and Luna both tilting their heads curiously. “The way they acted... was because they were being influenced by darkness. But now they're free of that, and they can be themselves. It makes me think of how I was, trapped by the past, by my mother... but now I'm free. Now I can feel more confident, and know that... my friends are always beside me, there to help me. And that no matter what happens... she can't hurt me anymore, because she's... at peace.”

“Yeah.” Scrivener said quietly, trading a look with Luna before their eyes returned to Fluttershy, but the Pegasus only smiled at them again before she bowed her head forwards, and the male hesitated for a few long moments before he smiled a little, glancing towards Scarlet Sage. “Well... I'm glad you're both here. Luna and I have been asked by Odin to prepare for that journey to the other layers. We have a few weeks to prepare, but... obviously we won't be taking Antares with us, so...”

“I'd be glad to help look after him.” Fluttershy gave a soft laugh, bowing her head to the two, and Scrivener and Luna both looked gratefully at her before the Pegasus glanced over her shoulder at the group of young mares. “After all, I've got these young friends to help me with the few chores around Ponyville I take care of.”

The Crusaders nodded with warm smiles, and Scarlet Sage smiled before she said: “I'll come and help you get ready, then. You don't mind if I cut a little early, right guys?”

“Nah, we finished all the work, anyway. Maybe I'll walk with you, though.” Apple Bloom smiled a bit, and Scarlet Sage gazed warmly at her friend as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo traded looks that were both exasperated and amused. Apple Bloom caught this at the edge of her vision, and then she huffed at the two, saying flatly: “I'll just be gone for a little while, I ain't abandoning you two.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Scootaloo grinned, though, the athletic mare shaking her head before she winked at Sweetie Belle, asking mildly: “You think she's ever going to catch on?”

Sweetie Belle just laughed and shook her head as Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage both looked confused, and Fluttershy sighed a bit as Luna grinned widely. But surprisingly, the sapphire mare managed to keep her mouth shut on the subject, instead saying courteously: “Then come, let's move along home. 'Twas good to see thee, Fluttershy, Crusaders.”

The ponies traded goodbyes as they broke off into two groups, and Scrivener and Luna traded a smile between themselves as they started down the path towards the Everfree Forest and their home within, Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom trailing behind them and already chatting animatedly away between themselves. And on Scrivener's back, Antares burbled quietly, snuggling his head deeper into his father's mane and seeming to smile wider as if soothed by the comfort of the warm emotions around him.

Unhappy Landings

Chapter Ten: Unhappy Landings
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms absently adjusted the collar around his neck: it was made of gorgeous dark silver, engraved with the image of crawling vines of ivy over its length, and with an enlarged, framed hollow at the front of the choker inset with carefully-cut pieces of onyx and white pearl to form a crescent moon. A gift Luna had insisted on getting for him: a little odd perhaps, but something he wore with pride all the same.

It was a perfect fit with the rest of what he was wearing, too: black and silver armor, large, polished pauldrons over his shoulders, adjustable plates along his back, a tight breastplate over his upper body and leaf-shaped plates protecting his lower form and flank. Thin silver chain acted as both cushioning and extra protection beneath the heavier, polished outer layer, and both armor over his shoulders as well as the black plate covering his chest were engraved with the symbols of the crescent moon. Wearing his armor always helped him feel a little less self-conscious... even though he and Luna were currently loading up their wagon in broad daylight, and a crowd had gathered to watch with curiosity as Odin instructed Luna for the thousandth time: “Conceal the anchor from view in a safe place. And remember, do not-”

“Do not antagonize the ponies of this layer, aye, aye.” Luna said grouchily, her own armor gleaming over her body: it was a mix of black alloy plating and azure leather made from hardened dragon scales, designed to give her maximum mobility as well as solid protection. All along the breastplate were etchings of roses and vines, and upon her head rested a blue helm, her horn standing proudly tall through an open, ring-like cradle in the casque. “I understand, Odin.”

She grumbled and shook her head, then glanced over her shoulder at the wagon: it gleamed strangely, covered in golden metal and vaguely barrel-shaped, with a single large door at the back that Scrivener Blooms was locking closed now that he'd ensured they had everything. The wheels were studded and coated with a strange silvery paint, and Luna muttered under her breath as she surveyed the odd transport before looking back at Odin, complaining: “Could thou have made this any uglier? Even if we run afoul of bandits they will be too busy laughing to attack us!”

“Good, then there is less risk to the anchor.” Odin replied dryly, and Luna grumbled under her breath as Scrivener Blooms slipped around to the front of the wagon, and he smiled when Twilight Sparkle slipped forwards to help hook the silvery harness up to his body. “Brynhild, I cannot say enough how important it is that-”

“No, no, I believe thou hast done an excellent job in getting across how important this is.” Luna replied drolly, and the once-god made a pained expression as he rubbed moodily at his face before the winged unicorn shook her head grumpily. “So where shall we summon the Bifrost? I do not wish to call the rainbow bridge in the center of town.”

“Shy?” Odin asked mildly, and Luna gave him a horrible look, twitching once before the old once god sighed a little, gesturing moodily around at the gathered ponies. “They're here to support you, Brynhild.”

“No, they're here to stare at this spectacle, and at thou, mighty Odin.” Luna grumbled, and then she shook her head quickly before stomping her hooves irritably, glancing towards where Antares was bouncing a little in the harness hanging from Scarlet Sage. The young Pegasus gave her a supportive smile, and Luna sighed as she gazed silently at her daughter and son before shaking her head slowly, murmuring: “But... aye. Let's get this over with, Odin, alright.”

“Everypony, move back!” Celestia called clearly, and ponies shifted and fidgeted before the crowd stepped back, even as other, closer friends hemmed in towards the sides, and Celestia smiled despite herself before she turned her eyes towards Luna, saying softly: “Good luck, little sister.”

“Luck, bah. I shall make my own fortune.” Luna muttered, and Celestia smiled at her before the sapphire winged unicorn nodded with a grunt, then glanced towards Scrivener as he shared a quick hug with Twilight. “Cease this groping in public, 'tis indecent. I am right here, after all.”

“We'll take good care of Antares, I promise.” Twilight said softly, and Luna blushed a bit as the violet mare stepped towards her before the two traded a firm embrace. It reassured the sapphire winged unicorn a little, and she gave a small smile before Twilight Sparkle pulled slowly away.

For a moment, Luna stood with Celestia on one side, and Twilight on the other, Scrivener Blooms rigged to the carriage in front of them and smiling faintly at the winged unicorns before Odin tapped his cane twice against the ground, saying quietly: “Let us open the Bifrost, then. Freya, Twilight, will you lend your aid?”

“Of course, Odin.” Celestia said calmly, bowing her head politely, and Odin gave a small, wry smile to her before he turned, leaning on his cane and taking a slow breath as he rose a hand. Luna and Scrivener both bowed their heads forwards, concentrating on the spell, as Celestia and Twilight lowered their own heads after a moment as well, horns beginning to glow as they followed the thrum of energies in the air, focused on pouring their energies into boosting the magic of the others.

Electricity crackled through the air above as ponies stared in awe, gazing up in amazement before a swirling tornado of golden fire tore upwards from the ground in a maelstrom, a sharp, cutting wind blowing past those gathered. The cylinder of wind and flame twisted through the air, the sky rippling before reality shattered like glass, the gleaming tornado tearing through the hole ripped in the air itself before the spinning cyclone burst apart and settled into a glowing arch of rainbow iridescence, white flames licking along the burning Bifrost, the bridge between layers.

And without hesitation, Scrivener Blooms and Luna both ran towards the base of the steep ramp, the wagon clanking loudly as the two ponies traded grins before they charged up the burning bridge with ease, gravity losing all meaning and their hooves almost magnetized to the rainbow light as they ran quickly forwards and up along the archway and into the hole in reality above.

All around them light and sound swirled violently, Luna and Scrivener leaning forwards as electricity sparked through the around, sizzled along their armored bodies, blasted against the walls of the wagon. And yet any fear, any worry, was gone for the moment as adrenaline pumped through their veins and their eyes glowed with excitement and passion. They could feel the energies of the Bifrost spilling through their bodies, hooves pounding over the rainbow bridge as they ran through the tunnel where seconds felt like eons and minutes felt like moments, laughing in a world where every sound felt like an image and every picture made its own distinct whisper...

Yet in moments, it was over, the two ripping through the other end of the tunnel and emerging into a reality where the first thing they both noticed was the red sky overhead, the two ponies charging down the ramp of the rainbow bridge as cold air assaulted their bodies before Scrivener's eyes widened as he realized they were running straight towards sand. He winced as he felt gravity returning, and Luna gritted her own teeth before she quickly flicked her horn upwards, electricity surging through her mane before the sandy ground erupted upwards and formed a gentler incline over the end of the archway.

Scrivener wheezed as he passed onto this, dragging the wagon behind him before he felt the wheels sinking into the soft sand, and he gave a groan of relief as he naturally slowed to a halt. Luna followed not far behind before she skidded to a stop beside him, then both ponies looked over their shoulders, watching the Bifrost glimmer for a moment before it shattered apart like glass, floating silently upwards as the hole in reality sealed shut.

The excitement and exhilaration they had both felt surging through their bodies was already quickly dying as they took stock of where they were, both breathing hard, muscles aching from the short but brutal run. Slowly, Luna looked back and forth, at the jagged teeth of mountains barely visible in the northern distance, and the sand that was all around them everywhere else for endless miles... and then the winged unicorn threw her head back with a groan, shouting furiously at the red sky: “Odin dumped us in the middle of a damnable desert!”

“That was a jerk move on his part. Even I have to say that.” Scrivener mumbled, and Luna nodded in agreement as she ground her teeth together in frustration before the earth pony winced a little, his eyes roving apprehensively up to the red sky as he added moodily: “I really hope that we've arrived at sunset, though, Luna. Because... otherwise...”

“It reminds all too strongly of the layer we came from... the corrupted layer of reality.” Luna murmured softly, and Scrivener gave a faint smile as Luna shivered once, rolling her shoulders as a strong wind gusted by and a chill dug at her bones, mumbling: “Oh, and 'tis cold, too. Glorious. Deserts are not supposed to be cold.”

“Actually...” Scrivener halted at the sour look Luna gave him, and instead he shook his head, clearing his throat after a moment. “Nevermind, then. But... Luna, can you tell where we are at all? The layers are supposed to reflect each other, right?”

Luna nodded slowly, looking nervously back and forth as she muttered: “'Tis true, aye. We have visited other layers in the past, after all, on those fun little vacations that frustrated Odin so... and there were always similarities. But this place... I need a better view, Scrivener Blooms. I shall return in a moment.”

Scrivener nodded, and Luna grimaced as she spread her wings, then leapt into the air and took quick flight, feeling a nip of distaste pass through her but ignoring it for now. Figuring out where they were was much more important than whether she was comfortable or not at the moment, as she shot skywards and glanced moodily up towards the dark clouds overhead, wondering for a moment whether it was a natural formation, or if somewhere, Pegasi had produced this...

A moment later, Luna tore into the storm cloud, pushing upwards through darkness and wet, black mist before her eyes widened as something hissed past her, and she snarled as she spun quickly on the spot, her horn giving a single pulse that tore the cloud around her apart and left her in a narrow patch of clear sky. Above, stars twinkled like dancing imps in the crimson sky, and Luna allowed her gaze to be drawn upwards towards this strange phenomenon before something cut through the corner of her vision. The sapphire mare quickly looked downwards, shouting: “Reveal thyself, creature, do not force me to rip this cloud apart to see what thou art!”

For a moment, there was only silence... and then a gray, serpentine shape tore out of the cloud and shot towards her on narrow, silent wings, a pair of fanged jaws opening wide before Luna snarled and flicked her horn hard outwards, slicing it across the face. The creature released a hiss as it snapped to the side, and its long tail twisted behind it before whipping savagely across her face even as it was knocked away, Luna cursing in pain as the bladed fin at the end of its tail slashed over her cheek... and below, Scrivener flinched before looking up in shock as a bloody cut formed on his own face.

“Damnation!” Luna snarled, watching as the flying serpent shot back into the cloud, and then the winged unicorn quickly shot upwards, ascending above the ominous, gloomy bank of gray. But a moment later, the creature shot out of the cloud beneath her, lunging at her rear leg, but Luna only booted it hard under the chin before she flicked her horn when it began to twist away, sending a bolt of lightning rocketing into the beast.

It squealed at this, twitching violently before it spun and flew hurriedly back into the cloud to vanish from sight, and Luna shook her head in slow disgust before she muttered, focusing herself to send the message through their mental link: “Fear not, Scrivener Blooms. I do not know what the sky-snake was, but 'tis gone now.”

She shook her head slowly, then moodily sailed downwards and landed on the black cloud, gazing silently towards the red sky above. She could faintly make out the constellations behind the clouds... and she sighed after a moment, saying finally in a quiet voice that Scrivener all the same heard as if she were standing right beside him: “I do not know where we are. Either the stars are different in this world, or we are in a land I have never traveled to... accursed Odin. No wonder he never specifically said 'in Equestria...' we may be upon the other side of the planet!”

She sighed and dropped her head forwards, then grumbled and dove downwards, ripping through the cloud and tearing out the other side in a small puff of gray before she shot down to the ground below, muttering in disgust to herself until she landed in front of Scrivener. He smiled at her a little, and she blushed a bit when his eyes roved over the cut on her cheek, saying moodily: “'Tis fine. 'Tis shallow, and... embarrassing more than anything else. I have gone soft.”

“I doubt that.” Scrivener said softly, and then he narrowed his eyes, concentrating, and Luna blushed a bit as her horn began to glow, feeling Scrivener drawing on her magic, gently pulling both power and a spell from her mind as the cut on her cheek glowed before slowly sealing closed. Then he smiled a bit, relaxing and shaking his head out briefly as their mental link intensified for a moment, thoughts and whispers trading between them before the earth pony said softly: “Guess at least we won't have to go very far to plant this anchor, huh?”

“Aye, but... let us wait until tomorrow.” Luna looked uneasily up at the red sky visible here and there past the dark storm clouds, shaking her head moodily. “I wish to know a little more of the nature of this world first. 'Twould do us no good to plant the anchor in the desert, only to have it devoured by some giant land-worm or worse.”

Scrivener nodded in agreement, and then he glanced moodily up towards the dark clouds before saying finally: “I hate the rain.”

“I would point out thou hates everything, but I have the creeping suspicion that a rainstorm in this world would bring with it more than water and thunder.” Luna muttered, tossing her own glance up at the ominous clouds overhead. “Come. Let us make for those mountains... perhaps we may be fortunate and find civilization not far beyond. If we are not in Equestria, then contact with whatever societies may be here will matter little, after all.”

Scrivener made a face even as he nodded hesitantly, and then he grimaced as he started forwards, the wheels churning up sand as they moved. Their progress was slow and uncomfortable, made both better and worse by the biting wind: Scrivener welcomed the brisk chill, but he loathed the way it blew sand into his face and worse, roiled up the desert around the wheels, adding to the frustrations of moving forwards.

Above, the red light neither faded nor grew even as the clouds slowly began to thin out. After hours of traveling an indeterminable distance through the never-changing light, Luna finally came to a halt, cursing under her breath and glaring at the sky above, then the mountains in the distance across the sandy desert. “Enough! Let us lay the accursed anchor here, at least with less weight in the wagon we shall be able to travel faster across this endless sea of sand.”

Scrivener grunted in agreement, and Luna stormed around to the back of the transport as the earth pony began to unharness himself. With a flick of her horn, the locks and handles over the door clicked and snapped open, followed a moment later by the door itself, as Luna looked moodily up into the carriage and grumbled: “Accursed, damnable, stupid... everything...”

Luna glowered into the wagon, past the covered shelves and strapped-down equipment to the large, raised platform at the far end, upon which sat an enormous, covered object held in place by several silver chains secured by a single intricate lock. The winged unicorn mumbled under her breath at this, and then she crawled carefully up into the wagon, saying moodily: “I do not know why we need so much security for these things... no one would ever know what the damnable anchors are, after all, and only idiots would attempt to destroy them... not even the demons of Helheim want to see all the layers collapsed into dust, after all...”

Luna lowered her horn towards the large, rectangular lock, grimacing after a moment before she slipped it carefully into the single slot in the metal box. A glow spilled along the spiraled length, making the lock shudder before there was a loud click, and a moment later the lengths of chain fell loose from the metal box, spilling down to the ground before Luna irritably leaned back and flicked her horn firmly to toss the lock over her shoulder.

Scrivener winced as he stepped into the doorway, ducking quickly to avoid being hit by the lock before Luna turned around and strode quickly back through the wagon, hopping out of it as her horn glowed. A moment later, the covered shape followed her, chains half-dragging after it as they fell loose from the object, pulling up the cloth covering around it before both chains and cover came completely off as the stone anchor rumbled through the air.

It was shaped like a circular top, the outer edge of the saucer-like upper section covered in a plethora of complex runes and symbols, and the middle inset with an enormous crystal, making it look like some massive, blindly-staring eye. The bottom side, on the other hand, was like a squat, flat-topped pyramid, made of the same heavy stone as the rest of the anchor's body.

Luna flicked her horn and dropped it in the sand, and Scrivener winced before the winged unicorn huffed a little, saying flatly: “It is a large, heavy chunk of rock, Scrivener Blooms. Somehow I am not concerned about it breaking.”

“Yeah, but that's you. You're never concerned about anything breaking.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna gave him a flat look before he shook his head and looked back and forth, then nervously up at the thinning clouds above. “So how deep are we going to bury this thing? And are you sure we should just... do it here, like this?”

“If, in the future, some unfortunate soul digs this up, let them think it is the relic of some ancient civilization and put it in a museum or some rich fool's manse.” Luna shook her head, looking distasteful. “The placement of the anchor does not matter, only that it is here, it is somewhere in this plane. Besides, other anchors will be up within months, and we can always return here, later, after... after Antares is older.”

Luna fell quiet, and Scrivener gazed at her softly, feeling the twist of her emotions before she gave a small smile and shook her head quickly, murmuring: “'Tis not important, we have a job to do in the here and now, and soon enough my baby will be safe in his mother's embrace again. Come, Scrivener Blooms, I require thy aid: I wish to place this anchor deep.”

Scrivener nodded after a moment, and then he strode silently over to Luna and hugged her tightly, and she smiled faintly as she dropped her head against the side of his neck for a moment before they slipped apart and sat side-by-side. Their eyes closed, their heads bowed forwards, they breathed slowly in and out as they allowed their minds to clear and twist together, their hearts to settle and beat in slow, powerful rhythm, even their breathing to align...

Luna felt her horn begin to glow as she concentrated, and felt Scrivener mixing his own concentration, his own strength, into hers. It was like a swirl inside them, twisting together, their eyes remaining closed as they lowered themselves further forwards in perfect time, reaching out with their mixed power, the ground beneath their hooves beginning to rumble before both Luna and Scrivener arched their back in the same, sudden gesture, the winged unicorn's horn releasing a single powerful flash before the ground in front of them erupted upwards in a geyser of sand and dirt and gravel, shooting upwards towards the sky and spilling backwards and around them in a harsh, brittle rain.

Scrivener and Luna both winced, the winged unicorn's mane and tail sparking with electricity before their eyes opened as the hail pattered to a halt, and Luna grimaced in disgust before she leaned forwards, gazing into the narrow tunnel left behind. The walls of packed sand trembled, unlikely to hold up for much longer... but no matter. It only needs last for a moment more anyhow. “Into the hole, foul thing.”

With that, Luna flicked her horn, and the anchor glowed brightly before it lurched into the air and dropped into the pit, followed a moment later by a loud clatter as stone landed roughly on stone. Luna winced a little as Scrivener ground his teeth together, and then the silence spiraled out for moment before Luna cleared her throat and flicked her horn firmly, the ground rumbling before the desert began to quickly spill into the pit, the sand twisting in a slow vortex around them to steadily fill up the hole they had cut into the earth.

Luna grinned over at Scrivener, and Scrivener looked flatly back at her before he asked moodily: “Well, now what do we do for a week?”

“Annoy the locals?” Luna suggested after a moment, and Scrivener sighed, looking glumly towards the mountains in the distance before the winged unicorn grimaced. “Oh, do not think such sour thoughts! Of course there are locals, there must be locals... this will be a very long, long week otherwise.”

The male only shook his head, then he scooped up the nearby lock and tossed it back into the wagon before picking up the fallen chains and cover from the anchor to throw them in as well. Luna moodily paced around the transport as he cleaned up, looking warily towards the clouds and wondering if there were any other sky snakes lurking above, then she looked over her shoulder at the sound of the door being shut and secured, asking curiously: “Does thou want to switch?”

“Nah, I'm good with pulling. It should be easier now that there's less weight, anyway.” Scrivener replied after a moment, and Luna nodded a little, giving him a soft look before he smiled a little in return, despite the way his own eyes nervously flicked towards the crimson sky overhead. “I'll be happy when we get somewhere where we don't have to look at that.”

Luna nodded slowly, then silently helped Scrivener into the harness... but they didn't need language to communicate. The brush of hooves, their gazes, the language of their forms did all that for them, even as they once more began to walk forwards. Both of them were apprehensive about this wild, strange world, and being in this wild, strange place... and both couldn't help but wonder whether or not there was some reason behind why Odin had dropped them far away from the Equestria they would at least have been able to recognize a little in this layer of mirrored reality.

They continued onwards in silence for almost two hours... and then Luna frowned slightly, not even needing to look at Scrivener as the earth pony felt her instincts whispering into his mind, felt the kiss of warning spill through his body. He kept his eyes ahead, looking towards the mountains in the distance, which seemed to be eternally, mockingly always the same march away, letting his eyes rove back and forth slowly over the horizon.

Luna, meanwhile, glanced upwards... and then grimaced moodily as her eyes alit on a lonely-looking cloud that was floating low a few paces ahead. It was about the size of a bed, a good twenty or so feet below the other strings of dark storm cloud that were dragging themselves through the red sky, and the winged unicorn looked moodily up at this before her horn began to glow as she muttered: “Stay on guard.”

Then she flicked her horn firmly, and the cloud sizzled before electricity burst out in all directions from it with a clap of thunder, rudely ejecting a Pegasus that had been concealed on top of it. He fell backwards off the cloud, a well-worn stetson flying off his head... but after only a few moments of surprise, he spread his maroon-feathered wings and turned his fall into a sharp dive, shooting downwards before skidding to a halt in midair and twisting himself upright, and Luna couldn't help but grin as his hat landed neatly back on his head over his shaved-down black mane. “What a quaint trick! Can thou do any others?”

The Pegasus looked less-than-thrilled at this, his golden eyes narrowing moodily as he surveyed them, flapping his wings easily to stay aloft above the desert. He was rust-colored, lanky, with a thick rawhide coat hanging loose around his frame, a bandolier and leather belt beneath this holding several half-hidden pouches and other objects securely against his body. Over one shoulder, the walnut stock of a rifle gleamed, and Luna's eyes darkened even as she kept her grin on her features.

Slowly, the Pegasus descended towards them, then landed a short fifteen feet away. He was tense, looking as if he wanted to reach for the weapon on his back but didn't quite dare the risk, his eyes narrowed in suspicion before he asked in a gravelly, rasping voice as his short, shorn black tail flicked: “And what the hell are you two supposed to be?”

“''Tis proper manners to tell us thine own name and profession first if thou desires that knowledge. But somehow I doubt thou wert ever taught much in the way of manners.” Luna replied irritably, and the Pegasus glared at them for a few moments before he grunted and nodded slowly.

“Corvette. I'm a bounty hunter.” the Pegasus replied finally, and Luna narrowed her eyes at the rust-colored equine.

“Thou means that thou art a mercenary?” she asked sharply, leaning forwards and flexing her hooves against the sand as Scrivener grimaced as well, feeling her mood instantly darken. “Taking coin in return for hunting down hapless prey?”

Corvette only smiled grimly at them, straightening slightly as he replied with equal contempt: “Listen, girly. I get paid to do a job, usually capturing or killing somepony who done somethin' to somepony else. But I don't care. I don't ask questions. I just take the bits and do the job. Now, I don't know what you're doing out here, and I don't really give a crowbait's flank, either. What I do care about, is catching my bounty, and getting my money.

Luna grunted, then she flicked her head disgustedly, retorting: “Then let us stay out of each other's way, and we shall get along fine, Corvette.”

The rust-colored Pegasus grunted moodily, not moving, and they surveyed each other for a few moments before the bounty hunter asked slowly: “Where are you two coming from, anyway? And why the hell are you walking through the desert?”

The winged unicorn only gave him a flat look in response, and Corvette rolled his eyes in distaste before he reached out and swept his sleeve back, Luna frowning as he revealed a bracelet inset with several different gemstones. “You see this? Useful for helping me hunt down unicorns, like my current bounty is, because it's sensitive to magic. Now, the whole damn thing lit up bright as day in any other country on this godforsaken planet, and pointed me in this direction. Did it twice as a matter of fact, and I've just spent a good six hours tracking through this wasteland only to find you two instead of my target.”

“Scrivener Blooms, I require thou to make a rude retort on my behalf.” Luna said imperiously, and Scrivener sighed and gave her a flat look before his eyes flicked to Corvette, and he decided after a moment he didn't quite mind being rude to this Pegasus after all.

“Well, sucks to be you, then. Hope your bounty doesn't use that chance to slip away.” Scrivener said mildly, and the Pegasus glared at him before Scrivener smiled wryly. “I know. I'm a jerk.”

“You two think you're funny, huh? Well, maybe you should both look around. We're in the middle of a goddamn desert in some uncivilized little mud-speck country no sane pony's ever heard of. No one would complain if I shot you both dead and left you here for the vultures to feed off of. No one would ever even know.” Corvette said icily, and Scrivener and Luna traded moody looks before the bounty hunter stomped a hoof forwards, saying darkly: “I can't go back to Equestria empty-hooved. Now, I dunno what game you're playing at. I dunno who you are, if you're smugglers, overgrown foals playing dress-up, or you're working with my mark. But this is your one chance to come clean and stop playing games, or I'm going to have to take matters into my own hooves. And you don't want that happening in this lawless little desert.”

“I do believe that this silly mercenary just threatened us, Scrivener Blooms. 'Tis funny. Last I checked, two armored ponies were more than one.” Luna said calmly, her cyan eyes flashing. She glared across at the Pegasus as the bounty hunter shifted slightly, but his movements were less an anxious gesture and more a visible readying before the winged unicorn said in a cold, quiet voice: “Thou may want to reconsider thy actions before thou does anything brash.”

For a few moments, the silence spiraled out between them, even as Corvette visibly longed to yank his gun off his back... and then Scrivener rose a hoof, saying mildly: “So if we keep walking towards those mountains, there's a town, right? That's what you implied, anyway.”

“Yes, Watershed. Ugly little village.” Corvette retorted distastefully, looking moodily at them as he gestured grumpily with one wing. “Watershed is the only civilization for a few hundred miles... it sits on the other side of the bottleneck through the mountains. I'm set up there myself, so if that's where you're headed, I think I'll just walk along. Help keep you safe, you understand.”

He flashed them an ugly little smile, and Luna gave the bounty hunter a sour look before Scrivener Blooms said moodily: “This is going to be a long trip, isn't it?”

“Gonna be longer if you two don't give me your names. Politeness and all.” Corvette said irritably, and Scrivener and Luna traded grumpy looks again before the bounty hunter snorted moodily. “Look. I don't care if you're criminals or smugglers or on the wanted list. I have a bounty to hunt and pursue right now, my focus is elsewhere aside from a few weirdos in the desert. As long as you two don't work against me, I don't care if you're slavers or smugglers.”

“I admire thy ethics.” Luna said drolly, and then she shook her head before saying moodily: “My name is Brynhild. My husband is Scrivener Blooms. We are explorers and adventurers and to be entirely honest, have no clue how we came to be in this desert. Art thou satisfied now?”

Corvette looked at them for a few moments, and then he grunted and nodded with a grumble, relaxing slightly. He still looked distrustful, but also less like he wanted to kill both of them as he strode moodily to the side and gestured for them to pass.

It was an uncomfortable journey as Scrivener pulled the heavy wagon and Luna walked beside him, tossing grumpy looks every now and then over her shoulder at Corvette, who was giving them a wide berth and following at a fair distance to one side. He kept glowering at them, and Luna shot him childish looks in return, making it clear nothing was going to make her like the bounty hunter any time soon.

After almost two hours of travel, Scrivener cursed as they hit a soft dune, unable to yank the wagon forwards as the wheels lodged in the pliant desert sand. Luna grumbled under her breath, half-wanting to simply use magic to free the wagon but apprehensive of showing any hint of what she was capable of to Corvette, before the Pegasus offered in a grunt: “I'll push.”

Luna looked over her shoulder in surprise, but then nodded as the Pegasus flew up to the back of the wagon, and Scrivener and the winged unicorn put their efforts into pulling. After less than a minute, however, Luna felt a strange suspicion take root in her stomach, and as Scrivener continued to try and drag forwards, the winged unicorn flew quickly overtop the wagon and then glared down in frustration as she saw the back of the transport was open and Corvette was likely rooting around inside.

Luna dropped to hover in front of the open door, clearing her throat loudly, and Corvette winced before he looked over his shoulder at her: he had already gone through quite a few of their belongings, and he had a knife in his hoof jammed into one of the closed cupboards, halfway towards levering it open. For a moment, he only looked at her, and she glared furiously back before the Pegasus flicked his knife closed and tucked it away inside his jacket, saying mildly: “Just doing my job.”

“No, thou art being a lousy bandit. I suppose it should not surprise me, though.” Luna said disgustedly, shaking her head slowly before her eyes narrowed darkly. “If I were thee, I would put back anything thou may have helped thyself to over these last few minutes.”

“I'm a bounty hunter, not a thief. Again, just making sure you two are being up-front with me.” Corvette replied coolly, straightening slightly before the Pegasus glowered moodily over his shoulder at the chains and cover. “Although I'm guessing my suspicion was right. Smugglers, or traffickers, huh? Not slavers, but you two are involved in something illegal... even if I don't get why you talk so damn funny.”

“And I do not understand why thou art so ugly, and yet here we are.” Luna said irritably, and Corvette gave her a sour look before the winged unicorn flew backwards and gestured grouchily at the Pegasus. For a moment longer, the stallion only regarded her before he grumbled and leapt out of the back of the wagon, and Luna booted the door firmly closed as she glared at him, saying dryly: “Next time I catch thee skulking, I shall pummel thee. Understood?”

With that, Luna swung her hooves forwards again, firmly booting the back of the armored wagon, and Scrivener winced as the wheels finally dislodged from the sand, stumbling forwards a few steps before he looked over his shoulder moodily as Luna glided down and dropped to the sand beside Scrivener, muttering: “I dislike this greatly. He is as wily and slippery as the sky-snakes.”

Corvette snorted at this, and Luna glared over her shoulder as she realized the Pegasus was following closer now, likely to listen in on their conversation. “So you ran afoul of the coatl already, huh? Sounds like you two really get around. Weird, for an earth pony and a whatever-you-are...”

“All thou needs to know about me is that if thou continues to be a nuisance, I shall be very glad to pummel thee into the sand and leave thee here for whatever monsters roam these wastes to feed upon.” Luna replied sourly, and Corvette grunted but looked unimpressed before the winged unicorn looked forwards, saying moodily: “Come, Scrivy. Let us make haste.”

Another few hours passed in relative silence: Corvette studied them over the trek, gauging them, trying to decipher the looks that passed every now and then between Luna and Scrivener and understand their body language. He seemed to understand that something was going on between them, and he obviously didn't like it, nor the fact that he couldn't provoke a response out of either pony despite the few questions and slurs he threw their way.

But as they began to make their way through a particularly-large series of rolling dunes, Corvette flew suddenly ahead, dropping down in front of their path and glaring at them, and Scrivener and Luna both glowered back, the earth pony grimacing a little as he felt the wagon pulling at him.

They were silent for a few moments... and then Corvette asked finally, in a slow, cold voice: “What kind of training have you two had? Who are you really, and where did you come from? You're handling this journey like it's an easy walk in the park, but the temperature is in the single digits and we've been walking for hours together... and who knows how long you two have been traveling before that, because I saw all your gear was stowed and there wasn't a single damn trace of sand on anything, meaning you two haven't camped. And you dumped something, somewhere, but there's no bases, no camps out here... that I know of.”

He glared at them, and Scrivener and Luna traded grouchy looks before Corvette said coldly: “I thought Style's accounts were frozen. When did she hire muscle like you two?”

“Well, Scrivener, I suppose it must be true. All those who are guilty suspect others of being sinners of the same mold.” Luna said sourly, and then she glared at the bounty hunter, shaking her head in disgust. “Thou art paranoid and delusional. I do not know who 'Style' is and do not care.”

“Sublime Style is the unicorn I've been hired to bring down and drag back to Equestria.” Corvette retorted, pawing a hoof at the sand and glaring at them suspiciously, and Scrivener grimaced a bit at the look on the face of the Pegasus, seeing the paranoia in his eyes, the aggressiveness in his body. “It's why I'm out here in this godforsaken dump, why I've barely slept in weeks. She's my payday. She's the big hunt, fifty thousand for her capture, with a bonus to bring her in alive. Oh sure, there have been others out here, too, who got in the goddamn way, who were tracking her into this stupid desert and all around Watershed, but they gave up, or I made them give up.”

“Oh, glorious. Why do we always meet the insane Pegasi, Scrivener? Why can't we ever meet more nice Pegasi, like Fluttershy?” Luna asked moodily, and then she grimaced as Corvette leaned forwards, her eyes sharpening as his wing began to carefully push his rifle off his back. “I would stop that if I wert thou, Corvette. Unless thou wishes for me to feed thou that contraption.”

There was silence for a few moments... and then Corvette leapt backwards as he flicked his wings quickly out, knocking the rifle off his back and catching it smoothly in his front hooves as Luna snarled and flicked her horn upwards as it glowed brightly. A wall of sand burst upwards in front of them, rippling with force as Corvette fired several rounds at them, but the heavy slugs failed to penetrate the barrier of sand.

His hoof worked the lever to load another round into the weapon, and then his eyes widened as the gun clicked on empty, looking down with surprise before he cursed and began to reach into his coat. Before he could, however, the barrier of sand vibrated before shooting forwards in a whirl, and Corvette looked dumbly up before he cursed as the swirling sandstorm crashed into him, knocking him rolling down the other side of the dune as his rifle was knocked out of his hooves.

Corvette rolled backwards and landed at the bottom of the slope, rubbing sand madly from his eyes with one hoof as the other dug in his coat and yanked out a large dagger. Then he snarled as Luna appeared at the top of the rise, glaring down at him as her horn glowed slightly, her ephemeral locks streaming backwards out from beneath her helm as she snapped: “How confident art thou in close combat, bandit?”

“Why don't you come and find out, filly?” Corvette retorted, and Luna's eyes narrowed before she leapt forwards, flapping her wings hard to lunge into a steep dive before Corvette gritted his teeth as he reared back, flapping his own wings to kick up the sand in front of him in a burst.

Luna winced as she dove straight into this cloud, clenching her eyes shut as she swung her horn forwards, and Corvette winced as he parried the attack before her horn lashed viciously towards the bounty hunter again and again. The Pegasus could barely keep up with the aggressive assault, cursing as he was forced on the defensive before Luna suddenly swung her horn hard upwards, knocking his knife wide as she reared at the same time before slamming her front hooves back and forth across his features.

The bounty hunter crashed onto his back, cursing as he skidded backwards before flinging the knife hurriedly at her, but Luna only snarled, flicking her horn to the side and deflecting the weapon even as the Pegasus scampered up to his hooves and reached quickly into his coat. A moment later, he yanked out a large, cylindrical object, biting into it and ripping the cap off in a hail of sparks before the top of the flare ignited into brilliant red fire, spewing orange smog into the air as Luna winced, then cursed and staggered backwards when Corvette flung the flare at her.

The thick, foul-smelling smoke spilled rapidly upwards as the flare burned vibrantly, distracting her eyes and making her wince away as Corvette cursed somewhere on the other side of the fog, Luna grimacing before she shouted angrily: “Show thyself, bandit! Foul, cowardly mercenary, cease hi-”

A knife whickered through the cloud and struck Luna in the shoulder, bouncing uselessly off the cusp of armor but ricocheting upwards to rip a narrow gash along her muzzle, making her curse as she staggered to the side. A moment later, the knife was dragged back as Luna's sharp eyes caught the gleam of silver wire amongst the smog, and then two more flares were hurled through the cloud, spewing their own thick, ugly colors into the air as Corvette snapped from the safety of the smoke cloud: “Come and get me, filly!”

“And walk right into a knife in the fog, aye. That's an old, foul trick used by Pegasus bandits... but the throwing knife is new.” Luna retorted loudly, making her position clear to the the bounty hunter as her horn began to glow, electricity sizzling over it and through her mane... and then she grinned when the blade burst through the cloud, immediately snapping her horn forwards as it gave a crackle of electricity at contact with the metal knife.

Lightning surged through the weapon and down the wire, and Corvette gave a foul flurry of curses before Luna charged forwards into the cloud of fog. A moment later, there was a loud thunk, and then Corvette was violently ejected, crashing onto his back in the sand and skidding a good distance along the desert floor before he fell backwards, clutching at his broken nose, his coat smoldering and ripped, as Luna emerged slowly and imperiously from the reeking smoke a moment later, looking down at him with disgust.

Corvette glared up at her, his teeth grit, bleeding from the mouth and nostrils before Luna stomped a hoof down into his stomach, making him gag as she said coldly: “Now that we have had this little exercise, bounty hunter, I am curious. Thou reminds me of Pegasus military I have encountered before... I assume thou wert involved with the army before thou became a bounty hunter, and judging from thy personality, I assume thou wert thrown out on thy haunches, aye?”

“Screw you.” Corvette retorted, then he loudly rasped back before his eyes bulged when Luna shoved her hoof against his lips just as he attempted to spit at her, instead gagging and then coughing violently before Luna shoved painfully down on his damaged muzzle and made him curse in frustration. “Bitch!”

“Aye, I am. Whimpering worm.” Luna said irritably, and then she drew her hoof back, the bounty hunter looking dumbly up at her before she slammed this between his eyes, knocking his head back into the sand and sending him into unconsciousness before she leaned grouchily back.

Behind her, the wagon rumbled as Scrivener Blooms dragged it down the slope, passing carefully around the bank of reeking fog still being cast up from the flares before he glanced over Luna as she moodily flicked open the bounty hunter's coat, digging through his pockets and pouches as he said dryly: “You know, I'm normally against killing, but...”

“Oh, it is tempting, believe me.” Luna grumbled under her breath, saying darkly: “The equipment this foul little Pegasus has... thread, metal wire, more of those flares... vials of poison! What cowardice!”

She huffed a bit, then finally scattered the contents of the pouches she'd emptied in every direction, stomping violently over several of the more fragile objects before she glared grumpily down at Corvette. “I hope the sky-snakes molest him after we leave. Come, Scrivener Blooms. Let us continue on our way.”

Scrivener smiled wryly despite himself, then he nodded after a moment, turning to follow the winged unicorn as the wagon rumbled quietly behind him, muttering: “Still. I have the horrible feeling this is far from over.”

They reached Watershed after another five hours of travel, due to being slowed here and there by the shifting sands. But in the shadow of the mountains, sand finally became gravel, and then rocky, hardened earth that formed a natural path between two jutting cliffs.

Where the rocky path ended, Watershed began, marked by the rotting fencing and the single flickering lamppost. The ground here was scraggy and weed-riddled, and the village was composed of rickety old wooden buildings that were badly mended here and there with mismatched boards ripped from other homes and the decaying ruins of wagons that rested here and there amidst the rubble.

They passed an old, rotting stone well, and the one building in town that seemed like it was doing well: unsurprisingly, it was the tavern. Unfriendly-looking ponies were lounging on the front deck, dressed in rugged clothes, and a minotaur stood by the doors, keeping a grim eye on things. Enormous, bipedal, but with his horns shorn down, he had the same air about him as the ponies did: the sense of someone who'd lost their conscience and their path long ago.

They also saw a Zebra or two, and some other figures that could be Diamond Dogs or Nibelung, but it was hard to say: they scurried quickly into the safety of the dark alleys the moment Luna began to look their way. Watershed was by no means a large village, and Luna grimaced in disgust as they continued through, muttering aside to Scrivener as they passed through a town square decorated only with the ruins of an ancient, vine-covered fountain: “This is neither a good nor safe place, Scrivy. I would rather make camp outside this place than find a spot to rest inside this village.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, looking back and forth with a grimace as they made their way through the small village, following a dirt highway that stretched out into the reedy plains beyond. As they passed through the outskirts of Watershed, the two looked slowly back and forth, taking in the strange and thin crops, the rickety farmhouses, the ponies that worked here and there beneath the eternal red skies.

Finally, Luna gestured moodily at a farmhouse on their right, saying quietly: “Let us stop here, ask if we may camp in their field. I shall attempt to be diplomatic instead of threatening, worry not... I wish to stay safe. Mostly because I do not think Odin will take kindly if this wagon is damaged and I do not desire to be lectured by the old cyclops.”

Scrivener nodded slowly as they turned down the driveway, but no sooner had they started their approach when an earth pony pushed the door open, loading a crossbow as she sat back on her haunches and shouted anxiously: “We don't want no trouble, hear? So why don't you just get back on that road and get out of here?”

“Well, this is an even nicer place than I had thought.” Luna said moodily as she and Scrivener came to a halt, and then she grouchily rose her front hooves and said clearly: “We only desire to find a safe place to spend the next few nights, or at least a safe place to store our wagon. Watershed struck me as... unpleasant.”

“Strikes most folks as unpleasant.” the mare with the crossbow muttered, half-aiming at them and wincing a little before she said uneasily: “I... my brothers are just out in the field, I'll have you know, and Pa ain't far away, either...”

“My husband and I aren't here to cause a quarrel or ruckus, again. We mean no harm.” Luna said quietly, shaking her head briefly as she gave a small smile. “We are merely passing through. We simply need a place to rest for a little while, we shan't even come near thy house without permission. We just wish to set up in the field yonder.”

Luna gestured carefully towards the weedy, empty plains past the falling-apart barn, and the mare grimaced a little, her eyes flicking apprehensively towards this structure. The winged unicorn followed her gaze curiously, and then the mare asked abruptly, as she lowered the crossbow: “What's your names?”

“I am Luna Brynhild. This is my husband, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna replied gently, and she smiled, flicking her ephemeral mane as she surveyed the mare: she had a light green coat and a pretty chestnut mane that fell back in several tangled braids, her cutie mark a simple leafy tree. “May we approach?”

The earth pony mare nodded hesitantly, smiling... then squeaking when the crossbow went off with a twang, but the rusted bolt only bounced loudly off the deck as she dropped the weapon and skittered sideways. Luna and Scrivener traded winces, and then the mare cleared her throat and looked up with a blush. “Sorry. My name's Leafy Greene. My family and I grow... herbs and roots and well... whatever will take in the soil here.”

Scrivy and Luna nodded as they made their way carefully forwards, approaching the deck as Greene picked up the crossbow and bolt and put them aside on a worn-down rocking chair, the mare smiling a little as she surveyed them curiously. “You look almost like rich folk, with that fancy armor and that fancy coach you're pulling... you're big, too. I ain't never seen an earth pony as big as you, mister, or... any kind of pony at all like you, miss.”

Scrivener and Luna traded smiles, then the winged unicorn nodded, saying kindly: “We have... had years of both good fortune and treacherous adventure, and both have had their rewards. Perhaps we can put our strengths to use for thee, aid thee with any work that needs to be done around the farm in return for letting us stay here.”

“I'll talk to Pa about it.” Greene smiled a little, and the two ponies nodded before the earth pony mare blushed and hurried off the deck, gesturing to them quickly. “I'd invite you both in but... again, I should really talk to Pa, first. Can't be too careful in these parts, sadly enough... this lawless little island is a haven for all kinds of criminals and not-nice types. Me, I wish I could move to Equestria, but... it's the other side of the world. Foolish ancestors hopped on the boat after they discovered Evening Isle, but... ain't always sunny here, it's dusk. Listen to me, though, rambling away...”

Greene laughed a little, looking anxiously towards the sallow crops, and Luna's eyes roved towards them, then over the brambles and weeds, the way the crops of strange-looking plants were planted in uneven rows. Scrivener picked up on it as well... and as they continued past a garden on one side of the barn filled with withering fruit, the charcoal stallion asked casually: “Your brothers, what field are they in? I mean, Luna and I don't want to get in the way...”

“Oh, they're... they'll be along.” Greene said hurriedly, shaking her head a bit as she smiled over at him, her eyes glimmering a little. “My brothers and Pa will be along, I'm sure you'll meet them sooner or later.”

Scrivener and Luna remained silent, the only sound coming from the rumbling of the wagon as they headed out into the field before Greene halted, looking slowly over the trees. Trees that had gone wild, were withering slowly, hadn't been tended to in forever... and yet here and there, fruit still struggled to grow over their branches, as Greene closed her eyes and whispered: “Never rains out here no more. So few Pegasi able to tend to the weather... all we get is the runoff from those nasty, crazy storms formed by the Storm Coatl in the desert. Coatl, they're like flying snakes, and the ones in the desert like making storms to hide in 'til the clouds burst and rain. Pa and my big brother used to set up these nets to catch them, but... they don't anymore. They're... too busy. Harvest season.”

She halted abruptly, then smiled at them both, nodding a few times. “I'll let you know what Pa and my brothers have to say later. I'll try and bring you out some food, but... well, there's no real dinnertime or anything around here. See, it's always dusk... so you just eat when you're hungry, scrounge out whatever you can get. The earth don't like us none here... I heard that in Equestria, though, there's green grass, and blue skies, and there's real princesses. Ain't that funny to think about? Real princesses, like a fairy tale.”

Luna smiled faintly, nodding slowly as Scrivener gazed quietly at Greene, then the viridian earth pony smiled at them in return before she nodded once, saying quietly: “You come knock on the door if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Leafy Greene.” Luna said softly, and the earth pony mare smiled at them before she turned and hurried away, taking a wide detour around the barn. The two ponies looked silently after her, and then Luna asked quietly: “How long ago does thou think it was?”

“Six months, at least. Poor kid.” Scrivener said quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the tree. “Maybe years, though... she looked so pale, and those crops have all been growing wild for quite some time. It looks like she's at least been trying to fix the garden but...”

“Well, we shall aid her. Help fix her crops if we can, and more importantly help fix the poor creature's mind.” Luna said firmly, nodding once, and then she frowned a bit when Scrivener Blooms gave her a silent, sad smile. “What is it?”

Scrivener only shook his head slowly, saying softly: “I don't think it's just that she really wants her family back, Luna. I think it's probably because... well, look at this place. Ugly, unsafe. I bet if some of those ponies from town knew that she was all alone out here, that her family was... gone, whatever happened to them...”

Luna grimaced at this thought, nodding moodily as she looked towards the barn. “Aye. Well, we have been dragged into another adventure, Scrivener Blooms. But we should strive to make the most of things... again, though, I wonder why Odin dropped us here, of all places. Was it miscalculation? Or did the Norns intervene, and have decided to give us some role to play here?”

“I thought you hated the Norns.” Scrivener remarked mildly, turning his eyes away, and Luna gave a slight smile as she glanced over at him with entertainment, the male cocking his head curiously and looking towards her even as he began to quickly unharness himself.

“'Tis not that I hate them or like them, Scrivy. 'Tis that we are simply... two forces at odds. I, who must always be in control of mine own destiny... and they, who write our stories, and work to determine what must happen and when.” Luna replied quietly, nodding calmly before she smiled slightly over at Scrivener Blooms. “But that does not mean I do not appreciate the twists and turns now and again, or when they point us in the right direction. And strangely enough, Scrivener Blooms, with all that is currently going on in our lives... this feels like the right direction.”

“That's what scares me.” Scrivener replied softly, and Luna nodded in slow agreement at this thought as she followed him around to the back of the wagon so they could set up camp, both pondering on what exactly was yet to come in this strange and alien place.

Not Quite As Planned

Chapter Eleven: Not Quite As Planned
~BlackRoseRaven

Later in the endless dusk, Leafy Greene came by to tell them she had spoken to Pa, and while they weren't to set hoof in the barn or the house, the earth pony told them they were welcome to stay in the fields as long as they liked. She had stayed for a few minutes to stare around at their tent and the few belongings they had taken out of the wagon, and the Scrivener had gently asked if Greene had talked to her Pa about them helping out.

For a few moments, Greene had been silent, her eyes becoming blank, and then she had suddenly smiled and nodded almost violently before babbling about how Pa and her brothers were all resting right now, but after she had her own nap, somepony would come find them and tell them what to do.

Then she'd bounced off, and Scrivener and Luna had watched her return to the house in silence. Sleep sounded like a good idea to them as well, and she they had gone into the tent, discarded their armor, and curled up together on the simple matting and sleeping bags. But it was difficult to sleep: not just because of the ever-present red dusk, but because of the hopeless atmosphere of this miserable little country.

Finally, Scrivener and Luna emerged from the tent, looking at one-another before Luna shook her head and said moodily: “Let us head back into Watershed for a short investigation, Scrivy. I wish to learn more about this place... also, to see whether or not Corvette is on the hunt for us.”

“Disguises?” Scrivener asked curiously, but Luna only shook her head moodily, earning a slight smile from the stallion. “Oh, I see. You actually want to beat up the entire town, is that it?”

“'Twould probably do good if I did.” Luna grumbled, looking grouchily back and forth before shaking her head briefly. “Nay, Scrivener, fear not. I do not plan to start a riot unless my hoof is forced, but Corvette seemed so paranoid and aggressive that should we have the misfortune of stumbling across him in town, he would attack us either way. Better let him continue to know as little about us as possible.”

Scrivener frowned a little at the winged unicorn, and she answered his question before he could even phrase it in his mind, smiling wryly as she started towards the road: “I do, yes. 'Tis very unlikely he was unconscious for long... my only hope is that he will be hesitant to pursue any revenge upon our heads with his ever-present concern for his money and his bounty.”

“Yeah, but he thought we were helping that... Style, he said, right? Style or Styles or something.” Scrivener pointed out, and Luna nodded moodily as they strode onto the road, heading towards the ramshackle village at a slow but steady pace. “If he's still paranoid enough to think that, then he might come after us as a means of getting to her. Whoever the hell she is.”

Luna grunted thoughtfully, nodding moodily as she muttered: “He may also decide to try and kill one of us, then, not knowing of our soul link. We must be wary and careful... but that only means it is all the more important we find at least some information in town.”

Scrivener nodded a little in agreement, and they were silent the rest of the short walk to the village. It seemed a little more active now, but neither Luna nor Scrivener knew if that meant it was now officially night or day... or if such concepts even mattered in this weird and inhospitable place.

They made their way to the tavern they had passed earlier, and while the ponies from earlier were now gone, the minotaur was still there, lounging against the wall. They looked over the burly figure for a few moments, but he continued to pointedly ignore them... until they stepped up onto the deck, that was. Then he held up a hand, still not looking at them before he said in a moody voice: “Five bits. Each. Protection fees.”

“Then thou should be paying us.” Luna said kindly, and the minotaur snorted at this, looking at them for a moment before Luna leaned forwards as her horn glowed, her eyes giving a challenging flash. “Would thou like to test us?”

The minotaur hesitated for a few moments... then it grunted and moodily waved them onwards, and Luna nodded firmly. The two ponies passed through the swinging doors into the tavern, approaching the counter, and eyes were immediately drawn to them both... and moreover, the shiny collar around Scrivener's neck, and the black pearl that swung slowly from Luna's vine necklace.

There was a smattering of species at the different tables, but for the most part, they were ponies: Pegasi, earth ponies, and a rare unicorn here or there. The bar was crowded, an earth pony behind this frowning at them worriedly as a Pegasus waitress stood with her tray nervously clutched against her side by one wing, looking at them apprehensively before the bartender nudged her when Luna and Scrivener sat down at the furthest table they could get from the rest of the tavern's population.

The waitress sighed and headed over towards them, but she was cut off by a Diamond Dog that stepped into her path: it growled at her grouchily as it held up a paw at the end of one long, gangly arm, dressed in rough, ugly clothes as a second of the canine, dusty and gray-furred creatures ambled towards Luna and Scrivener. Beady dark eyes surveyed them as it grinned with yellowed, rotten teeth, licking its lips slowly as they stared from the collar to the black pearl. “Shiny-shiny... but two for two? Two too much. Share with us, even things out.”

“Get away from me or I shall turn thee into kibble.” Luna said irritably, leaning up and glaring coldly at the canine, and it winced a little, scurrying backwards in surprise as the winged unicorn half-rose intimidatingly. “What's wrong? Did thou expect us to cower like foals? I do not fear reeking mongrels, now get thee hence!”

The Diamond Dog snarled weakly, but then it winced when Luna bared her own sharp teeth, startling the canine backwards before it mumbled and hurried off, and its friend hurriedly followed. The waitress watched the two leave with a sigh of relief before she approached hesitantly, but as Luna settled complacently back into her seat, the Pegasus mare looked a little more relieved, asking quietly: “What can I get you two strangers?”

“A little information about where we are... and water, water would be very nice.” Luna replied with a smile, glancing over the Pegasus: tawny, with a mane that was half-black and half-orange, an image of a slice of pie on her flank. “Thou wouldn't happen to have food here, would thou?”

“Kitchen's always open. Happy hour never ends here.” the waitress smiled ironically, then she glanced between the two. “How's toasted lettuce and tomato sandwiches sound? The only thing here that doesn't taste like flank.”

“Then that sounds good to us.” Scrivener smiled after a moment, nodding, and the waitress nodded back before she headed quickly away. She tossed a furtive glance over her shoulder at them, but Scrivener only awkwardly smiled again before he leaned towards Luna and said softly: “When I see a place like this, I hate to say it, but I think that Ragnarok wasn't the worst thing that could have happened after all.”

Luna grunted in agreement, grimacing a little as she surveyed the room. They were still getting looks, mostly from the gangs of ponies that sat here and there, and Luna's eyes roved carefully through her surroundings just in case a fight broke out... but there simply wasn't that much to take in. It was a big open floor, with a bunch of creaky old tables people were drinking and gambling at, and the hum of the smoky lights overhead was louder than the muted conversation taking place around the room. There was a single staircase that headed up to rooms above, but judging by the state the rest of the tavern was in, Luna thought it was unlikely they had many overnight guests.

The waitress returned with their glasses of water, and Luna nodded courteously before she asked quietly, before the Pegasus could slip away again: “What can thou tell me about Watershed?”

“It's a place where a lot of ponies come when they got nowhere else to die.” the waitress replied after a moment with a small smile, then she bowed her head quickly. “Excuse me. Gotta get to those sandwiches.”

She slipped away, and Scrivener and Luna traded looks before the male grimaced a bit, picking up his sand-encrusted glass and looking over it before he said dryly: “Well, to good health.”

“Shut up, Scrivy.” Luna muttered, and she watched as Scrivener sipped slowly from his glass before the male made a face. The winged unicorn frowned a little, and then she looked down and picked up her own glass, sipping at it slowly... and she was unable to resist a grimace of her own at how coppery the water tasted.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and then Luna glanced up at the sound of hooves on the stairs... before grimacing at the sight of the rust-colored, bruised Pegasus that was coming down them, his coat fluttering around his body and hat pushed back. Corvette's gaze was already locked on them, and Luna scowled as the bounty hunter made straight for them.

He grabbed Scrivener's glass from in front of him, the charcoal pony glowering as the Pegasus stallion drank from it before spitting loudly into it and dropping it back on the table, and the poet made a face of disgust before he waved a hoof and muttered: “No, no, you're clearly not a sore loser at all.”

Corvette glared at him, then he turned his eyes to Luna, leaning forwards and saying darkly: “You listen to me, filly. You may have gotten the drop on me out there in the desert, but don't get cocky. Now that I know what you are, I ain't about to underestimate you again, got it? Now you take Sublime Style a message for me. You tell her I'm going to drag her back to Equestria one way or the other, but it'll be a lot easier on everypony involved if she ditches you and whatever other help she's got and comes willingly, do you understand? Do I make myself clear?”

“Let me make mine own self clear, Corvette, we do not work for Sublime Style. We do not even know who she is. Scrivy and I are not even entirely sure how we ended up in that damnable desert, and we are both tired, cranky, and I will be more than glad to pummel thee into paste again if thou continues to make such a rude nuisance of thyself.” Luna retorted, and then she snorted when several ponies shoved up from the tables nearby, glaring and stepping forwards. “Oh look, the barking dog has a pack of mangy curs, what a surprise.”

One of the ponies began to step forwards, but Corvette only rose a hoof, saying moodily: “I had to take precautions now. Sublime's got herself some help? Well, now I've got myself some help too. Fine, though, you don't wanna play along, then I guess I'll just have to find a way to persuade you. See you around, Brynhild.”

With that, Corvette turned, grunting and gesturing to the ponies, and they nodded before hurrying on their way, no less than six equines heading quickly for the swinging doors. For a moment, the bounty hunter lingered, glaring over his shoulder at them, and then he snorted before following his hired thugs out, Luna and Scrivener looking moodily after him before the charcoal earth pony sighed and pushed his glass of water aside, saying grouchily: “I really don't like that guy. I knew there was a reason, too, and that just made it crystal clear why I want to shove hot coals down his throat.”

“Or up his buttocks.” Luna grumbled moodily, and Scrivener snorted before they both looked up as the waitress nervously approached, carrying the platter across one wing and tossing an apprehensive look over the two ponies.

She remained silent as she served them, passing dirty plates with burnt sandwiches on them to each pony, and then the Pegasus mare bowed her head forwards, saying nervously: “You two should really be careful. Corvette isn't somepony to be trifled with... it's only a blessing that so far the only pony he killed was Pete. Might sound cruel, but none of us miss him... but on the other hoof, he also broke old Miss Thatch's leg trying to get her to tell him about that unicorn that came through town.”

She grimaced a little, and Luna frowned, leaning in closer before she asked curiously: “Who is this Sublime Style? Is she even here, or is Corvette chasing a phantom in the forest and has merely decided to torment everypony whom he comes across until he finally is forced to admit defeat?”

“Oh, Corvette will never admit defeat... bastard's been here at least three weeks and I don't think he's napped more than once.” The Pegasus mare laughed shortly, then she shook her head nervously. “And... well... I dunno, really. There was a real pretty stranger who came through town, a unicorn... Corvette interrogated everypony about her, saying he was trying to catch her. She was so tired, so worn down... the only place she had left to flee into is the desert, because Corvette's got the roads locked down. A few of us tried to help... guess it don't hurt none to tell you that since it doesn't seem like you're on very good relations with the bounty hunter jerk.”

“Not at all. We beat him up and left him in the desert after he tried to shoot us.” Luna replied with a slight smile, and then Scrivener gave her an amused look, and she laughed as the Pegasus mare only stared. “Alright, alright, Scrivy! Fine, I did. But thou would have been a great help had thou not been latched up to the wagon.”

Scrivener only shook his head, giving her an amused look before he picked up his sandwich and bit into it, chewing slowly before Luna asked impulsively: “Does thou know of the Greene farmstead?”

“Leafy Greene, yeah, poor thing.” The waitress softened, nodding after a moment before she glanced towards the bartender when he called to her. “Horseapples. Got another order to fill. I'll be back in a few minutes.”

The waitress turned and trotted off, and Scrivener and Luna looked after her as the earth pony munched slowly on his sandwich, then finally glanced up and said mildly: “I wish you could cook like this.”

“Shut up, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna said grouchily, and then she softened a little, glancing meditatively towards the swinging doors as she added moodily: “But this does not bode very well for us, does it?”

“Yeah, because that's so different from normal.” Scrivener muttered, and then he took another large bite of his sandwich as Luna gave him an amused look, the stallion chewing reflectively before he swallowed and said finally: “Look. With Antares born and everything, things... were good. But remember when we fought that horrible, horrible thing Odin asked us to deal with? Our back was up against the wall, then. Just like with Valthrudnir, or anything else. We always get shoved into the worst goddamn situations possible, but we always push through, too. We're good at that. Also, Corvette is one rude-as-hell Pegasus, but he's no Sol Seraph.”

“True.” Luna muttered in agreement, nodding slowly before she sighed a little and picked up her own sandwich, chewing at it thoughtfully. Then she paused and glanced down, grumbling a bit as she added grumpily: “'Tis very good. Now I wish I could cook like this as well.”

Scrivener gave her a pointed look, but the winged unicorn ignored him. As they quietly ate, a few people came and a few more went, and several ponies headed up the rickety back stairs in the company of others, leaving the downstairs area markedly quieter and emptier by the time the Pegasus waitress came back.

She sighed as she glanced towards the stairs, and Luna didn't bother looking up as she popped the last of the sandwich into her mouth, spraying crumbs everywhere as she remarked: “Prostitution is the world's oldest job.”

“You'd know.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna glared at him, then kicked him firmly under the table, making him flinch and curse. Then he smiled over at the Pegasus as she looked at them awkwardly, the stallion saying finally: “Great sandwiches.”

“Delicious.” Luna agreed, and then she glanced back and forth... but the people that remained clearly weren't interested in listening in on their conversation, however boring or interesting it was. All the same, she leaned towards the waitress, asking curiously: “So about Leafy Greene, thou knows...”

“Yeah. Yeah, everyone in town knows, but not even the nastiest bandit has got the heart to hurt the poor girl worse than she's already been.” the Pegasus replied quietly, and then she smiled a little, rubbing at her face. “Guess I should introduce myself though. Autumn Orange, Lee-Lee's my cousin... been a long time since I've seen her, though.”

She fell quiet for a moment, then shook her head as she leaned over the table with a sigh, continuing softly: “See, it was a little more than a year back. They were out, netting Coatl in the desert... old Pa Oak was amazing at carpentry, could build you anything you wanted out of wood, especially the ironwood that grows down south a little. He had these big nets he and his sons would set up to catch the Coatl, to bring 'em in over the town, so they would make rainclouds... but well...”

She shook her head slowly, looking at them with a faint smile. “They didn't net a Coatl in the clouds one day, they caught a dragon. It came down, killed them all. And... Lee-Lee was at home, waiting for Pa and her four brothers, and... well... she just couldn't take it when she heard. She cried and cried and cried... and then a month later, she said that they had finally come home. And it doesn't matter what anypony tells her, she just... she couldn't handle them all being taken away from her at once like that. So now, she... I think she really believes some days, they're just in the fields, or the barn, or the next room over.”

“Poor creature.” Luna murmured, shaking her head slowly before she glanced towards Scrivener Blooms, who nodded in silent agreement before the winged unicorn turned her eyes back to the Pegasus, feeling safe enough with her to say quietly: “Well, she permitted us to set up camp in the field behind her barn. I felt it would be safer there for us than here in town.”

“You're right on that account.” The Pegasus paused, then she smiled a little, asking quietly: “On that note, my shift is just about over, and I'm a little anxious with Corvette's goons all over the place. I live on the farm a little past Lee-Lee's, you mind giving me an escort?”

Luna smiled despite herself at this, glancing over at Scrivener Blooms and grinning slightly at him as she said pompously: “The Pegasus is flirting with me, Scrivy. This world is not so bad after all.”

“Don't flatter yourself too much now, Miss. After all, this place is too scary and too hopeless for romance, but as you saw... well, sex still sells as well as ever.” Autumn paused, then she shook her head as the bartender called to her. “I'll be right back. Don't worry about paying for the food. If Lee-Lee let you stay in the fields, I can get Jerry to run you two a tab.”

Scrivener and Luna both nodded, and then the two ponies traded a look, a swirl of thoughts roving between them before the winged unicorn grunted in agreement. “Alright. We should return anyway, see what Leafy Greene would have us do... strange though, Scrivener. Something feels... wrong.”

The stallion grimaced a little, not wanting to admit that he had that sensation himself as they slipped out of the seat. A few moments later, Autumn Orange joined them with a smile, and they headed to the door in quiet, pushing through and striding out into the dusky, eternally-twilit streets.

They walked slowly along, Autumn with her head bowed, Scrivener looking back and forth as Luna kept her gaze ahead... and then the Pegasus glanced towards the male, saying finally: “You got a lot of scars.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty ugly.” Scrivener smiled a little, glancing towards her before he laughed at the flat look Luna gave him. “Not everypony finds them attractive, Luna. The only reason you do is because you enjoy anything and everything to do with violence.”

“Not everything.” Luna complained, and then she huffed a little when Scrivener only gave her an entertained look. “Thou art impossible.”

“And you have that weird way of speaking. Sounds like something out of those old plays or something.” Autumn said curiously, glancing towards the winged unicorn. “Now I grew up here my entire life, the closest I ever get to leaving this place is when I fly up above the clouds... but I don't think they talk like that even in our homeland of Equestria, right?”

“Homeland Equestria... funny.” Luna smiled a little, and then she shook her head at the slight frown Autumn Orange gave her. “'Tis nothing, fear not. But nay, they do not speak anymore as I do. In the days from whence I came 'twas already falling out of style, as a matter of fact... but well, let us simply say that I was not given a great chance to evolve with the times.”

Autumn only smiled, studying the winged unicorn thoughtfully before she shook her head again and said finally: “You know, it's funny. I could swear I've seen you before somewhere, or know you from somewhere or something. But at the same time I don't think I've seen anything like you. Or anypony as big as either you or... Scrivener, right?”

“It is because of how pretty I am.” Luna said kindly, flicking her mane, and Scrivener smiled as he nudged the winged unicorn with his shoulder, and she grinned and nudged him firmly back. “Oh, 'tis partly true and thou knows it! Sister was always jealous, I shall have thee know.”

Scrivener laughed at this, shaking his head slowly as he replied amusedly: “Now you're just making things up. I think it was your brother who was always jealous of how pretty you were, actually.”

“They were both!” Luna declared, and Scrivener laughed again as Autumn looked between them two, the Pegasus relaxing a little before the winged unicorn paused and grumbled as her eyes flicked upwards, saying moodily: “Oh joy. Scrivener Blooms, I have taken care of all the problems recently. I order thee to take care of this one.”

The earth pony frowned across at Luna as the trio passed beyond the village and into the dusty outskirts, then he glanced over his shoulder and winced a little as he saw three Diamond Dogs were trailing them, all of them dressed in ugly, thick clothes, heavy front paws digging lightly against the ground as they glared greedily after the ponies. Autumn winced a bit, but Luna only grinned as Scrivener gave an exasperated sigh, muttering: “Fine.”

He turned grouchily around, stepping into the middle of the road, and then he reached up and tapped at the silvery collar around his neck, the shaped gem in the hollow instantly drawing the attention of the Diamond Dogs as Scrivener asked mildly: “You like this, huh? Well, you can go get your own, you know. All kinds of pretty stones along the seashore, just keep going straight in any direction and eventually you'll find it.”

One of the Diamond Dogs brightened at this, but it was immediately slapped by one of the others before it snapped: “Idiot! He liar!”

“Technically, no. There are lots of pearls in the ocean, and if you walk in any direction long enough you will eventually reach a large body of water.” Scrivener said pointedly, but now all three Diamond Dogs only glared at him before Scrivener cleared his throat, leaning backwards and asking mildly over his shoulder: “Luna, do I insult them before or after they threaten me?”

“Shut up, pony! You give us gemstones, now, and we let you live!” One of the other Diamond Dogs snarled, stepping forwards and dragging its paws against the ground, and then it grinned widely, showing off several gleaming golden teeth. “Ponies no match for Diamond Dogs!”

“Oh, okay, they threatened me so uh...” Scrivener looked thoughtfully forwards over them, muttering: “Let's see, let's see... okay, well, you're so ugly that your mother probably thought you were a bowel movement and not a baby, you're so stupid that you studied for a urine exam... and failed... and you? You're...” Scrivener paused, looking at the last Diamond Dog as the three canines stared at him. “You're short.”

The Diamond Dogs stared at each other incredulously... and then the gold-toothed canine Scrivener had deemed Ugly snarled furiously before charging forwards as Short and Stupid looked dumbly forwards. The Diamond Dog threw itself into a snarling pounce, jaws opening wide... and then Scrivener slipped smoothly backwards, Ugly crashing to the ground in front of him before Scrivener swung his head viciously forwards just as the dog began to scramble to its paws, and it let out a yelp of shock as it was knocked flat to the ground when Scrivener's skull collided with its sensitive muzzle.

Then Scrivener ran forwards, hooves trampling the Diamond Dog beneath him as Short and Stupid both winced, then lunged forwards out of pack instinct more than anything else, Short diving towards Scrivener's legs as Stupid lashed a claw towards the charcoal earth pony's face, but Scrivener quickly leapt upwards, and Short hit the ground and skidded with a squeak on his belly through the dirt as Stupid's arm smacked into Scrivener's chest, turning the vicious slash into a wild grab before the earth pony crashed down on top of him and crushed him into the ground. His hind legs kicked wildly at Scrivener, tearing thin scratches against his stomach before the earth pony winced and stomped a hoof down into the dog's throat, making it gargle before Luna sent a sharp mental warning to the charcoal stallion.

Scrivener immediately slammed both hooves down into Stupid's shoulders, making him howl in pain before the earth pony kicked both rear hooves savagely backwards, slamming both of them into Short's face and knocking drool, blood and teeth flying from his muzzle as his eyes bulged open for a moment, caught in mid-leap at his back. The Diamond Dog flopped to the ground as Ugly dragged himself up his paws, shaking his head hurriedly out as Stupid clawed at the earth pony, making Scrivener wince and stumble quickly to the side.

Ugly snarled as the sense returned to the gold-toothed Diamond Dog, giving a few short, furious barks before he charged towards the earth pony as Stupid began to sit up with a wince... and then stared when Scrivener suddenly reared back, avoiding the lunge from Ugly before he seized the back of his skull and slammed him face-first down into the ground, Ugly's front paws clawing at the earth and his hind legs kicking before Stupid yelped and spun around, charging hurriedly away.

Scrivener grunted as he looked up at this, easily holding Ugly down against the dirt road as he watched the other conscious Diamond Dog flee, and then he sniffed after a moment, absently brushing some dirt away from his chest before he muttered: “I guess maybe he wasn't so stupid after all. And now, Ugly? Ugly? If you don't stop struggling, I'm going to make you eat dirt until you suffocate.”

Ugly flailed for a few more moments, then simply flopped down with a whimper, face half-buried into the road, and Scrivener gave the Diamond Dog a dry look for a moment before his eyes roved towards Short. But the last Diamond Dog was still twitching on his back, drooling slackly from a broken jaw, and Scrivener nodded after a moment before he stepped backwards as Luna commented cheerfully: “Thou should have done better! They are not like Nibelung, after all... brittler, dumber, not as skilled.”

Scrivener gave Luna a sour look in response to this, and then he shook his head before Ugly carefully pushed himself up to his paws, spitting a bit of blood and dirt before he glared up at Scrivener... but his body trembled, and his short tail was curled downwards as he rasped: “You... you not see last of us!”

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure I have. Because I'm the nice one in the relationship. See, Luna? Luna would have broken a lot more bones.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he reached a hoof up and poked the Diamond Dog's nose, making it whimper. “This is the part where you run away.”

The Diamond Dog opened its mouth at this... then winced and slowly closed it when Scrivener leaned slowly, moodily in, his chestnut eyes flashing behind his glasses. “Unless you want to find out how fast I can teach a little dog like you to play dead, that is.”

Ugly leaned slowly away, then he swallowed thickly and turned, hurrying off down the road as Scrivener rolled his eyes but then smiled to himself as Luna snorted in amusement, saying approvingly: “'Twas not the worst showing, Scrivener Blooms. But all the same, I still say thou should have done better.”

Scrivener rolled his eyes in amusement, giving a flat look towards Luna and Autumn, who was still staring in amazement before she shook her head and whispered: “Wow. You two must be the real deal after all... I mean, I've never seen any kind of pony fight like that before! And those were Diamond Dogs, with... with claws and sharp teeth and you... you weren't even afraid!”

“Believe me, Luna is way scarier than any Diamond Dog.” Scrivener said dryly, turning around and striding back towards the mares before he smiled when Luna leaned in and kissed his cheek firmly, feeling a pulse of warmth spill through his body before he laughed a little. “Alright, alright. Thank you, Luna. But come on, let's get out of here. I don't want to fight another pack, or worse, a minotaur or something.”

Luna nodded, turning to take the lead down the road again, and Autumn Orange smiled as she let herself fall into pace beside Scrivener, looking at him with newfound interest as they headed down the road before she finally asked: “So just... what are you two? You don't seem like mercenaries like Corvette, and I get the feeling you aren't crooks like half the town here is... are you knights or something?”

“Something like that, aye.” Luna answered, smiling slightly as she glanced towards Autumn Orange with an entertained gleam in her eye. “All thou needs to know is that we are only here for a short time... but during that time, we do intend to fix what problems we can in this place.”

The Pegasus nodded slowly after a moment, and she smiled a little in return before saying quietly: “I guess it's just... really reassuring to see that not everypony who's strong ends up going... bad.”

Luna gazed warmly at the Pegasus at this, and Scrivener nodded after a moment with a bit of a blush despite himself, reaching quickly up to adjust his glasses as they continued down the road together. Luna's eyes roved towards the Greene farm as they approached, and Autumn followed her gaze before she said softly: “Thank you two for... helping take care of her, by the way. My cousin really doesn't get out a whole lot and... I think having ponies around, even if you're just staying out in the field... will help her a little.”

Scrivener and Luna both nodded as the trio of equines halted at the end of the driveway, and then Autumn Orange smiled and bowed her head forwards, saying quietly: “Thanks for walking with me. My place is the next farm so I won't trouble you two any further than I already have. When you see Lee-Lee, remind her that she still has other family... I mean, you know. In a gentle way.”

“I will.” Scrivener said softly, and Luna gave a quiet smile towards her husband as Autumn Orange studied the two ponies with soft eyes. Then she turned and headed down the road, and Scrivener and Luna watched the Pegasus walk onwards before the male shook his head and said quietly to Luna: “We're meddlers.”

“We are, Scrivener, but... I do not think it so bad. Come, let us see if Leafy Greene is awake... the exercise will help clear our minds.” Luna replied quietly, and Scrivener nodded after a moment, smiling as he turned to follow the winged unicorn towards the house.

There was no real passage of days, but all the same, there was the strangest sensation of when one day ended and the next began in the Evening Isles: it was like an echo went through reality, carrying with it the knowledge that time was moving onwards... although by now Luna and Scrivener were both distinctly-sick of the red skies overhead and feeling like they were trapped back in hopeless, corrupted Equestria.

They had done quite a bit of work already for Leafy Greene: Scrivener had cleaned out the garden and begun replanting some of the food, and Luna had done her best to fix the uneven, blemished crops. There was no way they could fix things between themselves – with or without Leafy's help, since she had a bad habit of puttering nervously around instead of settling on any one task – in even a months' time, and Luna and Scrivener both were aware of the fact that while they wanted to provide the help they could... neither of them were very willing to wait much longer than a week for the Bifrost to regenerate.

Things seemed at first like they would be fairly quiet, all the same. Their camp in the field remained undisturbed, and it was nice to be helpful without having to pummel things for a change. Leafy appreciated that they were good workers, and after they had stayed with her for a day or so, insisted in her gentle insanity that Pa and her brothers had gone to market, but had said before they left that Luna and Scrivener could come inside the house if they wanted to join her for tea.

The two visitors were surprised to find that while the exterior of the farm was in horrible condition, the interior of the house was the opposite: there were a few repairs that needed to be done, but it was clean, ordered, and the atmosphere was friendly... even if there was a hint of sadness, and of a waiting that would never end. Leafy led them into a parlor where places were set with sparkling-clean china that all the same looked as if it had been sitting out for years... and Leafy smiled at them when she caught their glances, saying quietly: “In case Pa or my brothers come back. I'm sure they'll be hungry.”

Scrivener smiled faintly as Luna nodded slowly, and Leafy served them rhubarb scones and peppermint tea. There was the faintest hint of copper in the taste, which Leafy explained all water in this area had due to the clay deposits, unless it was rainwater collected from the sky... but very few ponies were willing to venture into the desert during storm season, and only her Pa and siblings had ever been brave enough to try and net Coatl to create storm-clouds over the town.

Leafy had excused herself shortly after tea to have a nap, but said they were welcome to look around the house if they wanted and to make themselves at home. She said that Pa usually left her groceries on the front step... but that just made Scrivener and Luna curious as to who was helping take care of the poor, delusional mare. But despite their nagging curiosities, the two ponies instead made their way back out to their quiet encampment, and then Luna had brightened and turned her attention to the wagon.

Scrivener had groaned when she had dug out a brown pouch, glowering at her as she only grinned in return before flicking her horn firmly to open it and produce a small camera, saying contritely: “Shush, Scrivener Blooms. I wish for keepsakes. Thou should be glad I am not chopping off Corvette's head to take home with us... although I may steal his hat if we run afoul of the bounty hunter again. It is a very nice hat.”

Scrivener only gave her a sour look even as he picked up the camera pouch and strapped it on, while Luna hummed cheerfully, the camera floating in front of her as she turned to look at Leafy Greene's house, snapping a picture of it before declaring. “Come! Let us take more photographic pictures!”

“Just say photos, Luna. Or pictures.” Scrivener said mildly, and when the winged unicorn shot him a sour look, he added dryly: “And somehow I don't think that Watershed is going to react very well to you acting like a... well... tourist, for lack of a better word.”

“Shush, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna grumbled, and then she tilted her head imperiously upwards and stormed towards the road, Scrivener sighing in distaste before falling into pace behind her as she said cheerfully: “I shall have thee know that this is all very fascinating to me, and that it would not have been so hard for me to find a 'non-violent' hobby had such photographic cameras existed in the old days. Why, thou points it, and it clicks and flashes, and the world is captured on a tiny bit of film that can be transmogrified into a photograph! 'Tis fascinating, and yet I am told that this magic is not magic at all, but science... yet I do not even see the difference. Capturing a still-life portrait of the world with the press of the button, tell me, Scrivener, how is that not magical?”

Scrivy only looked at her mildly in response, then he shook his head before saying dryly: “Still, Luna. This isn't your brightest idea ever. Not everypony likes having their picture taken.”

“Thou art fat.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes as they headed out onto the road, the winged unicorn striding easily along with the camera floating in front of her, looking back and forth as she refused to allow the earth pony to dampen her enthusiasm as they continued towards the village.

Luna hummed to herself, taking pictures here and there of the dilapidated village as ponies and other beings stared at her, and Scrivener half-hid behind the winged unicorn with a wince, blushing a little as they made their way through the village until they reached the tavern. Then Luna grinned slightly as she turned the camera towards this, looking pleased at the sight of Corvette glowering on the deck with several of his thugs and the large minotaur from before as she called cheerfully: “'Tis cheese!”

The camera clicked and flashed, and Corvette only continued to glower even as the minotaur grumbled and rubbed at his face before Scrivener leaned in and corrected gently: “It's 'say cheese,' Luna. You ask them to say 'cheese.'”

“Why would I ask them to say such a preposterous thing? What does cheese even have to do with cameras and picture taking?” Luna asked dubiously, and Scrivener sighed and shook his head before the winged unicorn returned her eyes to Corvette as the bounty hunter continued to glower at them, the winged unicorn flicking her horn to finally put the camera away in the pouch hanging off Scrivener's side. “'Tis rude to stare.”

“It's rude to get in another pony's way, too, and mess with his livelihood.” the bounty hunter retorted, and then he narrowed his eyes, leaning forwards and saying softly: “But then again, we're already even in that regard.”

“What?” Luna frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forwards, and Scrivener felt the twist of sudden apprehension through their mixed soul even as the winged unicorn said distastefully: “Oh, what, did thou finally find that unicorn thou wert looking for? As I have said again and again, Corvette, we are not hired mercenaries like thee, and we do not know... I have forgotten her name again. Scrivy, what was her name?”

“Sublime Style. And oh, don't worry, I know you're smugglers now... it wasn't very hard to track down and dig up that weird piece of rock I'm guessing you two stole.” Corvette replied quietly, and both Scrivener and Luna stared in shock before the bounty hunter grinned slowly as he patted one of his forelegs. “I can track down magic, remember? That thing might not look like much, but it sure as hell was emanating a lot of magic. Made it real easy to find and dig up... and now I've got it sitting pretty somewhere here in town.”

“Idiot!” Luna shouted, stepping forwards and snarled, but Corvette didn't flinch even as the winged unicorn's horn glowed and her eyes blazed. “Thou does not understand what thou tampers with!”

“Oh, yes I do. I'm tampering with you and your ugly colt friend.” Corvette replied darkly, leaning forwards. “Now listen to me. I don't care who you stole this piece of garbage from. I don't care who you work for, or if you hid it out there to dig it up once you found yourself a way off this dung-heap or more likely, a suitable buyer. I don't even care how much it's worth, selling stolen junk just ain't my style... I'm a bounty hunter, not a two-bit thief like you. Now, why am I telling you this? So that it's nice and clear that if you don't do what I say, and catch Sublime Style for me, I have a very large, angry friend who's going to smash that piece of garbage into rubble, and there goes your payday too.”

Luna snarled in fury, beginning to step forwards... but Corvette only reached into his coat and pulled out a flare, meeting the winged unicorn's eyes fearlessly. “I wouldn't do that, filly. All I have to do is light this thing, and you can say goodbye to that old relic. You know how much heft a minotaur can put behind a sledgehammer? There won't be enough of that ugly piece of junk left over for you to build a sandcastle.”

The winged unicorn trembled, then cursed under her breath, and Corvette smiled grimly before he nodded coldly once. “Good. Now, 'cause I'm generous, I'm going to give you ninety-six hours to track down Sublime. I'm even going to tell you that I've been all throughout every hideout in the mountains, and I found traces that a few of them had been used... but I already took care of that problem. Left her a little surprise in one of the caves that she set off a few days ago. Spring-loaded hook-trap. Tougher than I expected, though... she ripped the hook out, but left a blood-trail behind, although I lost it in the mountain pass. I thought she'd stumbled off into the desert, but the way things are looking now, she's wounded and holed up somewhere around here. My boys have this area cordoned off and she can't pass over the mountains or risk the wilds, not with the wound she must have.”

“Thou art a monster.” Luna snarled, leaning forwards as her eyes flashed and a tremble of fury passed through her body. “Thou art no bounty hunter... thou art a kidnapper!”

“Sublime Style has been on the run from some very wealthy, well-connected ponies for a while now. They are offering a generous reward for her capture. That's all I care about.” Corvette replied icily, and then he smiled grimly. “Besides. Now you're in this same boat with me, aren't you? So you should watch your tone, filly.”

Luna trembled with fury, and it took every ounce of self-control she possessed to resist lunging at Corvette. He was sly and smart, after all, and the risk was far too great that he would be able to send some signal or another out and the anchor would be destroyed... and Luna cursed as she realized their own feasible option was to play along for now.

She dropped her head forwards, clenching her eyes shut, and Scrivener looked up with a grimace of disgust before the charcoal earth pony said quietly: “You have no idea what you're getting into, Corvette. Take a little friendly advice, and back down. Because otherwise, things aren't going to end well.”

The bounty hunter only snorted in disgust at this, shaking his head grimly and replying disgustedly: “And now the colt speaks up, right. No, boy, you're the one who doesn't have any idea what I'm capable of, and you two are the ones on the clock now, not me. I'd hurry on my way now, because time's already ticking... and in ninety-five hours and change, I expect to see Sublime Style trussed-up at my hooves, or you can say goodbye to that rock.”

With that, Corvette turned and headed towards the bar, shoving through the double doors and followed by his crew of ponies, and Luna snarled in fury before she stomped a hoof against the ground. Scrivener could feel her rage, her hatred, and most painful of all, her fear... and then he closed his eyes, silently reaching a foreleg up to wrap around her shoulders as the winged unicorn whispered: “Now what do we do, Scrivener Blooms? Now what do we do?”

“We... don't have a choice.” Scrivener said finally, looking silently up at the front of the tavern, but even as he spoke, his thoughts mixed with Luna, both ponies promising that if there was some way to escape from Corvette's blackmail, they would find it... and they would make him pay for what he'd done.

Betrayal, Blackmail, Retaliation

Chapter Twelve: Betrayal, Blackmail, Retaliation
~BlackRoseRaven

It had already been fifty hours since Corvette had given them their deadline, and Luna and Scrivener hadn't found a single trace of Sublime Style, despite how hard they had already started looking. It was made more difficult by the fact that while the villagers sympathized to one point or another, even Autumn Orange had said quietly: “No matter how important it is, nopony's going to want to help turn that poor girl over to Corvette. I'm sorry, but... you're on your own.”

Corvette refused to help them as well: if anything, his thugs made things harder for them, since they seemed to think that now they could get away with messing with Luna and Scrivener however they pleased. Luna eventually remedied this by breaking two of an earth pony's legs when he had tried to shove them around in front of the other goons. It had alleviated some of her frustration, but did nothing to help them with the problem of finding Style.

As Scrivener and Luna returned to their campsite after another useless trek through the village and surrounding area, the stallion glanced over at the winged unicorn and muttered: “I'm honestly beginning to wonder whether or not this unicorn even exists. Apparently she's very pretty, which is not much to go on. You'd think Corvette would at least give us a description...”

“No, I think he simply desires to see us flounder.” Luna muttered, shaking her head grimly. “He likely wants us to fail just so he can have the pleasure of smashing the anchor after making us dance like puppets for so long. 'Tis disgusting, really.”

Scrivy sighed a little, nodding moodily in response before he and Luna both frowned a bit, halting as they both looked towards the ramshackle barn. Leafy Greene was running hurriedly in and out of the doors in a circle, a lantern swinging from her jaws before she suddenly threw it in a hard twist over her shoulder, and Scrivener and Luna both winced as it landed inside the barn.

Leafy vanished after it... and then a few minutes later, she began to repeat this process with the lantern until she suddenly stumbled to a halt as her eyes stared towards them. They looked back, and then Leafy dropped the unlit, cracked lantern and bolted into the barn, and Luna and Scrivener traded a look before the winged unicorn started forwards, grumbling dourly: “Enough is enough. Come, Scrivener, time to get answers.”

Scrivener sighed a little, but he nodded after a moment and followed her, feeling distinctly unsettled himself and wondering if Leafy had snapped as the mare's voice yelled out of the barn, sounding terrified: “D-Don't you come in here, Pa and my brothers are right out in the field!”

“Pa and thy brothers are...” Luna halted when Scrivener gave her an imploring look, and she sighed before saying drolly: “Are gone to market, as I recall.”

For a few moments, there was silence from inside the barn, followed by whimpering... and then Luna muttered under her breath and stormed into the open door, looking grouchily back and forth over the sawdust-speckled interior. The stalls were decaying, and there were a few old musty piles of hay and broken, discarded boxes here and there that had likely once been used for gathering materials... and then Scrivener and Luna traded looks as there was another whimper before they both looked towards a sturdy ladder against the far wall. “G-Go away! Pa won't like you being in here!”

“Leafy, what art thou hiding in this accursed barn?” Luna asked in a frustrated voice, and there was another whimper... before Scrivener's ears pricked, and Luna frowned at him. Their gazes locked, and there was silence for a few moments before the winged unicorn looked up as there was that whimpering again, overlaying a second sound...

Scrivener and Luna both started towards the ladder, looking hesitantly up: it led up into an enclosed loft of some kind, and Luna grimaced before she gestured to the earth pony that she would go first. The male nodded after a moment, and Luna hesitantly grasped the lower rungs. There was tense silence through the air... and then the winged unicorn braced herself before starting quickly up the ladder.

She stuck her head carefully out through the hole... then cursed and ducked when a rusted pitchfork flew at her, banging loudly off the wall next to her to clatter loudly to the floor as Leafy shouted miserably: “It weren't Pa's fault!”

“Damnation, Leafy Greene!” Luna snapped, and then she shoved her head back up through the hole, glaring furiously... but it turned to a shocked look as she stared at the body of a unicorn laying in a pile of hay, Leafy pacing frantically back and forth behind this. The unicorn was pallid and pale, her flank covered in dried blood, laying very, very still... but then Luna's eyes caught the minute twitch of her body, and the winged unicorn hauled herself quickly up into the loft as she whispered: “What has thou done...”

“It wasn't me! It was Pa!” Leafy Greene shouted back, then she grabbed at her face, whimpering loudly and stumbling backwards as she babbled: “Pa caught her sneaking around in the crops so he got her, shot her, and I found her, I found her there, laying in the crops. He thought she was a bandit! It wasn't his fault! So we dragged her up here, and... and oh no, no, no, nopony was supposed to know, I was going to burn the barn down, but you showed up, and I thought things would be okay but... no no no, I couldn't burn the barn down while you were here...”

“Sublime Style...” Luna whispered, stepping forwards... and Leafy Greene stumbled backwards, hyperventilating, panicking, as Luna gritted her teeth and looked over the unicorn: ratty mane, dying features, and yet she was still pretty... meaning that before Corvette had started chasing her, she must have been gorgeous. And the ugly, infected wound on her flank... the hook-trap. The poor creature must have dragged herself around Watershed and collapsed in the field...

“Leafy Greene, wait, wait, I don't think your Pa did this.” Scrivener's voice soothed gently, as he pulled himself up into the loft, and Greene looked blankly up as the stallion stepped forwards, choosing his next words carefully as Luna looked thankfully towards the earth pony. “Sure, maybe he shot at her... but did he see her get hit? This wasn't your... your Pa's... fault.”

“I...” Leafy Greene looked down weakly at the unicorn, whispering: “But she's dead. She's dead, and gone, and... and...”

“No, no she's not, she's just very, very weak.” Scrivener said soothingly, taking another careful step towards her as Greene stared back and forth, trembling violently and panting for air, looking like a caged and cornered animal. “Listen, Leafy, listen... do you hear her breathing? Do you see her moving? She's not dead. Everything's going to be okay... but she needs medical attention. We can do that.”

Leafy Greene shivered as she looked back and forth between the ponies, and then she whispered: “I should ask Pa.”

“Then... then go to the house, Leafy, and wait for Pa. We'll... do what we can here.” Scrivener replied quietly, and Leafy looked at them nervously before he smiled a little, saying encouragingly: “It's going to be okay.”

For a few moments, the earth pony mare only stared at them... and then she nodded slowly and carefully stepped over the unicorn's body, staring back and forth between them before heading quietly for the ladder. She slipped carefully down, and Scrivener and Luna both sighed in relief as they traded looks and small smiles before Luna muttered: “'Tis a damned good thing thou has a fine talent for coercing the insane, Scrivy.”

“Shut up, Luna.” Scrivener replied dryly, and then he shook his head before turning his eyes quietly towards Sublime Style, asking finally: “Can we heal her?”

“I... I do not know.” Luna grimaced as she stepped forwards, looking silently over the unicorn before shaking her head as she glanced back and forth. The loft was empty, except for a few piled-up bundles here and there... long-ago harvested plants, stored up here but left mostly to rot, which many of them clearly had. “There is not even anything here we can use. Go and fetch our medical kit, I shall try and heal the mare as best I can in the meantime.”

Scrivener nodded quickly, heading to the ladder and hurriedly clambering down before he started towards the barn door... and then an object flew through and struck him firmly in the face, knocking him backwards with a curse of surprise, grabbing at an eye as he looked down stupidly at the cracked lantern laying in front of him. Fire flickered quietly in the glass center of it, and oil leaked like blood through the sawdust over the ground as flame greedily spread along the liquid before the earth pony looked up in shock to see Leafy Greene whimpering in the doorway. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Pa and my siblings said I don't got a choice!”

Then she yanked the door closed, and Scrivener cursed under his breath before he looked down at the lantern, wincing and suffocating the weak flames hurriedly with the soil floor. Then his eyes roved upwards as he heard a pounding on the outside of the barn before Scrivener barreled towards the door, clenching his eyes shut as he threw himself into a shoulder tackle.

The wood was weaker and more rotten than he'd thought: and instead of simply knocking it ajar, he crashed through the wood and smashed directly into Leafy Greene, knocking her flying backwards with a squeal of shock, a hammer and a pouch of nails flying from her grip before she crashed and rolled violently backwards as Scrivener landed with a wheeze on his stomach, then shouted: “Are you insane?”

“Pa said I had to!” Leafy babbled in return, shivering in terror as she scampered up to her hooves, and Scrivener reflected ironically on how this answered his question before he growled and stomped both front hooves forwards. It was a childish gesture, but it was more than enough to send Leafy screaming and running towards the house, crying loudly: “Pa! Pa! Let me back in! I couldn't do it!”

Scrivener only shook his head moodily, glancing over his shoulder at the house before he grimaced a little in disgust as he looked over his shoulder. There were stacks of dried branches and rags here and there, reeking of lantern oil, and a box of matches... and the male grimaced as he glanced up, feeling Luna's concern twist through his mind before he muttered: “It's okay, I scared her off. But I think I'm going to have a little talk with her 'Pa' if this keeps up.”

Luna grumbled in his mind in agreement, and then he felt her attention shift back to healing the unicorn as the earth pony hurried towards their encampment. It was thankfully unmolested, and he let himself into the open tent, digging through the things they had unloaded from the wagon before sighing in relief as he found a white saddle bag, flipping it open and checking the contents as he muttered: “Bandages, salves... and potions, here we go.”

He threw this over one shoulder, then left the tent... and stared in shock as he saw smoke wafting up from the barn, his eyes widening before he shouted: “Luna, someone just set the barn on fire, get out of there!”

The earth pony charged forwards, sprinting around the smoldering side of the barn to the front, which was already blocked off by a wall of flames. He cursed,looking over his shoulder towards the house... but then his eyes widened as he caught sight of a figure in the upper window, mouth working as he realized Leafy Greene was leaning out, looking terrified out of her mind as tears leaked down her features, and Scrivener couldn't help but wonder stupidly: Is her Pa really alive after all?

Then he winced and shook his head, turning his eyes back towards the flames... but a moment later, an upper section of the barn wall exploded, and Luna leapt out with Sublime Style on her back, cursing as she carried the smaller unicorn safely down to the ground with a grimace of disgust, trading a sharp, quick look with Scrivener.

Scrivener nodded as Sublime dropped to the ground, giving a weak moan as Luna turned her eyes towards the barn and flicked her horn, the bright flames burning higher for a moment before they burst suddenly upwards in a single combustive gust, smoke and embers filling the air as the flames vanished. Luna sighed in relief and relaxed after a moment as she leaned forwards, then glanced over her shoulder towards where Scrivener was already tending to Sublime Style's wounds as best he could.

She was silent, watching the earth pony work as he disinfected the ugly, large gouge in her leg, potions already out beside him as he culled information from both Luna's mind and what he'd been taught by Zecora and Celestia about field medicine, and then the male smiled a little as he glanced up and murmured: “It'd go even faster if you helped though, Luna.”

“Perhaps, Scrivener Blooms, but... thou art doing a fine job on thine own. I have already healed the damages I could with my magic and restored some of her strength...” Luna hesitated, then she shook her head slowly and murmured: “Her will to live is strong. It gives me hope... but look at the poor unicorn. We... we must get her inside.” She paused, eyes becoming moody. “And we must pummel Leafy Greene. We must pummel her until she is sane.”

“She didn't set the barn on fire, though. She couldn't have.” Scrivener said quietly, pointing at the open window... and Luna looked up in surprise to see that the earth pony mare was still staring out of the house at them, her hooves pressed up against the glass. And with her damaged mind, it was impossible to know just what Leafy Greene was seeing... why even now, she looked so upset, as she stared past them at the smoldering barn. “But let's take Style inside. I don't think Leafy will be much of a problem.”

Luna nodded slowly, frowning all the same as she glanced worriedly up at the still-staring earth pony mare in the window, and then she shook her head slowly as Scrivener finished applying a salve over the disinfected, cleaned-out wound, grimacing a little as he quickly wrapped a cloth bandage over her leg. “We still have some time at least to figure out how to get around this whole mess with Corvette.”

The winged unicorn grunted in quiet agreement, nodding slowly before she helped lift Sublime Style onto Scrivener's back, and the ponies started towards the house as Luna flicked her horn to pick up the medical bag. As it floated beside her, she glanced quickly through it, double-checking their supplies as she muttered: “We should have come with more supplies. Well, next time, Scrivener Blooms, we shall know better.”

The stallion nodded after a moment before he glanced up as they reached the back door to the house, and Luna stepped forwards to shove this open and step into the kitchen... then wince when Leafy Greene half-fell, half-charged down the stairs visible through the archway at the other side of the room, shouting hurriedly: “No, no, no, Pa, Pa doesn't want-”

Luna flicked her horn moodily as Leafy began to run through the archway, and a pan hanging from a hook glowed before swinging upwards and into the path of the earth pony mare, Leafy Greene crashing face-first into this with enough force to dent the metal before she flopped stupidly on her back. Scrivener winced a bit at this, looking over at Luna pointedly, but she only grumbled as she let the pan swing back down, saying moodily: “I have had enough crazy for one day, Scrivener Blooms.”

Leafy Greene twitched weakly on the floor, looking dazed as Scrivener carefully carried Sublime Sage through the kitchen and down the corridor beyond, looking back and forth before he found a cozy sitting room. The couch looked large enough to accommodate the unicorn, so he gently laid her down, propping her head up with the stiff pillows as the unicorn stirred and moaned weakly, and Luna gently touched his shoulder, saying softly: “She will need water.”

Scrivener nodded, turning and heading back out... and he grimaced a little as he found Leafy Greene already back on her hooves, rubbing slowly at her face and looking miserably at Scrivener as she whispered: “Don't you get it? I have to listen to Pa. Pa, and my brothers. They're the only family I have.”

“What about Autumn Orange?” Scrivener asked quietly, as he walked past Leafy Greene... and then he frowned a bit when she only gave him a strange look. “What?”

“Autumn Orange isn't my family. She was a cook at the next farm over, until everything in Watershed started... going bad. I didn't even know she still lived around here.” Leafy Greene replied quietly, shaking her head with a faint smile. “Funny. Pa never liked her much before, but he sure started to like her after... after they was gone for so long. He even said he got a few recipes from her, to always trust her.”

Scrivener looked silently at Greene, feeling a strange churning in his gut before he headed into the kitchen as Leafy followed him, then she winced a little as he began to open cupboards. “No! Hey, Pa goes through a lot of trouble to get me just the right groceries!”

Scrivener forced a smile, however, closing one of the doors and saying quietly: “I just need a glass. For water, for that poor unicorn in there. That's fine, right?”

“I... I guess. But she shouldn't be in here... are... are you sure she's not dead?” Leafy asked impulsively as Scrivener pulled a glass down from one of the shelves. The stallion nodded to her without looking, and Leafy grimaced a bit before she shook her head as he turned towards the fridge. “No, I thought you were just getting water.”

“Just want to get some ice for her.” Scrivener said gently, pulling the fridge door open as his eyes roved downwards, noting roots, mushrooms, strangely-colored flowers... things that sent off the instincts he had picked up from Luna. He only recognized the mushrooms, mostly because the same had grown wild all across North Neigh... and had often been mixed into the food of the earth pony servants to help keep them docile. “So Pa... gets your groceries?”

“He leaves them on the front step. He's always very busy.” Greene said quietly, nodding with a smile as Scrivener slowly closed the fridge, and he looked silently towards the unicorn as he realized why she was so lost, how she could be so gently-mad: because somepony had been helping it along. Giving her natural drugs, fueling her insanity, helping keep her locked in a state of delusion and hallucination. And while he had no proof, only suspicion and hunch... it felt like it was beginning to add up who that could be. “Pa takes care of me. And even more important than that, he makes sure I can take care of myself.”

“I... I see.” Scrivener whispered, and Leafy rubbed at her face, then frowned and looked curiously down at the blood on her hoof as if she'd forgotten already why it was there. The charcoal stallion felt a twist run through his body, and then he glanced towards the fridge before turning to the glass on the counter, stepping quickly over to fill it with water from the tap as he said quietly: “Tell you what, Leafy Greene. Since you've done so much for us and there's some nice, fresh vegetables waiting to be used from the garden, Luna and I can make you dinner tonight. As our way of saying thank you.”

Leafy Greene brightened at this, and then she frowned just as quickly as her mood had raised, saying worriedly: “But... but what about Pa and my brothers?”

“I'll make enough to go around for everypony.” Scrivener said quietly, looking towards her with a faint smile and feeling his heart twisting in his chest, the faintest tremble running through him even as Leafy brightened again. “Then it's settled.”

Leafy nodded warmly, and then Scrivener turned and silently made his way past her and back towards the sitting room. He entered, and then glanced down with a faint smile as the glass glowed and lifted free from his grip, floating silently over to Luna... and the now-awake unicorn, who was staring silently up at the ceiling, conscious but not yet aware of what was going on around her as she trembled a little.

Scrivener walked quietly across the room to sit silently beside the winged unicorn, watching as she gently slipped Style a sip of water before Luna looked slowly towards Scrivener. Their eyes met, trading thoughts, images, memories... and then the winged unicorn grimaced slowly and nodded, murmuring quietly: “Do not worry, Scrivener. We shall shortly get to the bottom of this.”

Then Luna glanced towards Leafy Greene as the earth pony lingered nervously in the doorway, before the winged unicorn sighed and invited gently: “Come. See for thyself... she is not dead. Simply... weak and tired.”

Leafy hesitated, but then nodded slowly as she strode into the room, looking silently down at the unicorn. Luna had cleaned her up a little, applied a few more bandages over the blue-maned, gorgeous female... and for a few moments, Leafy only stared down at her before she closed her eyes and whispered in relief: “Oh I'm so glad...”

She smiled after a moment, looking slowly up, drawing her eyes over the unicorn... and then she gazed quietly towards Scrivener, saying softly: “Pa will be real glad to hear about this, I bet.”

Scrivener only nodded silently, and then he reached out and gently touched Leafy's shoulder, the earth pony mare looking almost surprised at the contact before the stallion asked quietly: “Do you remember what happened outside? The barn?”

“Pa told me to burn down the barn. Like a funeral.” Leafy Greene said abruptly, and then she looked down and whispered: “I couldn't though. I couldn't, you saw I couldn't. So Pa went out to do it himself, but there were you and... her... and her... all inside there, alive, not dead. Pa was scared though, you can't blame him...”

The charcoal earth pony looked silently at Leafy Greene... but before he could think of how to phrase the questions he wanted to ask, there was a loud hammering at the door, and Greene visibly froze up before Scrivener grimaced as he traded a sharp look with Luna. “Leafy, stay here with the unicorn, don't... don't make a sound. We'll see who it is.”

Leafy Greene nodded nervously, trembling a little as Luna and Scrivener both turned to head towards the doorway, stepping through... and then snarling as the door at the end of the hall was booted hard open by a burly minotaur, both of the ponies setting themselves before Luna's eyes narrowed dangerously as the bull ducked to the side and let Corvette stride through, grinning at them coldly. “I take it you two have something for me?”

“Not yet. We have forty hours or so left to find her, after all.” Scrivener replied icily, but the bounty hunter only gave a cold smile before he flicked his head... and an emotionless, cold-faced Autumn Orange stepped in through the doorway, making both Luna and Scrivener narrow their eyes.

“You should never trust a stranger. First rule out here.” Autumn said quietly, and then she glanced at Corvette, asking coldly: “So where's my money?”

“First I want to make sure it's the right unicorn. Second, I'm reconsidering paying you at all after you tried to cook my bounty alive. She's worth a lot less dead.” Corvette retorted irritably, and Autumn gave him a cool look before he added darkly: “Also because if you had done right in the first place we wouldn't be in this mess.”

“Look, Corvette. I got her to trust me before you showed up in this town. I've been feeding false leads to the other bounty hunters, and I even sent pretty little Style running right up into your trapped caves, ain't my fault your trap didn't work right. And hell, we still would have caught her anyway, looks like her pretty little hooves were carrying her right to my farmstead when she collapsed and crazy Lee-Lee found her.” Autumn Orange retorted. “Just give me my goddamn money so I can split out of Watershed.”

“You'll get your ten percent when everypony else gets paid, so sit down and shut up.” Corvette retorted, and Autumn gave a grumble as Luna and Scrivener both scowled at the Pegasus mare. The bounty hunter glanced up, then smiled coldly at this after a moment, gesturing towards her and saying moodily: “She's good, ain't she? But desperation makes ponies do funny things.”

“I gotta get out of here. You have no idea what life is like out here, always forced to cling to the biggest, roughest piece of garbage you can find just to make sure you don't get raped or mugged.” Autumn snapped, then she put on a pout as she feigned a whimpering voice: “Unless you're a pretty harmless little mare who no pony would want to hurt. Or, even better, you got money... and since Leafy Greene was stupid enough to hand over the deed to the farmstead, I'm gonna make me a pretty penny when I leave with the nice hefty sum Corvette's going to pay me and the money I'll make from selling off the best farmland near Watershed.”

Corvette shook his head, then he started forwards before narrowing his eyes when Luna and Scrivener both blocked his route, the bounty hunter setting himself and saying quietly: “We have a deal. And don't think I didn't take precautions... I don't get back to town in the next thirty minutes, they're going to smash that pretty rock of yours apart. So you'd best get out of my way and not cause me any delays, do you hear me, filly? Then, once I'm satisfied I've got Sublime Style safe and trussed up, and move her to a secure location... you can come get your pretty stone and leave town. Everypony goes home happy.”

Luna shivered in fury, and Scrivener clenched his eyes shut... then Corvette shoved past them, followed by Autumn Orange and the minotaur. There was a miserable yell from the sitting room, as Scrivener and Luna could only stand silently to either side of the hall as the minotaur came out a moment later, carrying Style easily over one shoulder before Autumn and Corvette followed... and last came Leafy, babbling weakly: “No, Pa and... Pa and my brothers will be along-”

“You dumb as dirt crowbait, they're dead!” Autumn snapped over her shoulder, and then she and Corvette halted in front of the door as Leafy staggered to a halt between Scrivener and Luna, trembling, her eyes going wide as Autumn sneered at her. “That's right. They're never coming back, and you're all alone. Pa, well...” Autumn cleared her throat, then said in a lower, masculine baritone: “Leafy, don't you think it's funny for the last year Pa only ever talked to you through doors and windows? Guess the apple don't fall so far from the tree after all.”

Corvette snorted, and Luna snarled as her eyes flashed, her mane sizzling with electricity as Scrivener looked icily towards the two Pegasi, but Autumn only grinned as tears began to fall from Leafy's eyes and her trembles worsened. “Retard. I've had years to learn how to play you and every other person in this godforsaken little town. Making it sound like I was just so sorry for you, but you got what you deserved. Your precious Pa always thought he was such a great pony, helping out with those stupid contraptions to catch the Coatl, everypony loved him... well, the dragon must have loved him too because they never found more than one of his legs left in the desert, and that was chewed clean.”

“Shut up! They're not dead!” Leafy Greene screamed, covering her ears and shaking her head violently, a sob ripping from her jaws as she fell backwards. “I... Pa! Pa! Help! P-P-Pa!”

“Pa's never coming home, Lee-Lee.” Autumn replied mockingly, and then she shook her head and turned, storming out the door as she muttered: “Let's get out of here, Corvette.”

“Wait twenty hours. Then you can come get your toy.” Corvette said coldly over the broken sobbing of Leafy, and Scrivener and Luna both snarled at him, barely able to contain their fury before the bounty hunter turned and stormed through the door.

“P-Pa...” Leafy whispered through her tears as she fell forwards... and Luna clenched her eyes shut as Scrivener stared icily out the open door, both swearing they would make Autumn Orange and Corvette pay for what they had done.

It took a long time for Luna and Scrivener to calm down... and longer still for Leafy's tears to subside. As she started to calm, they sat her quietly down in the sitting room and fixed her both a pot of tea and a simple bowl of tomato soup, but the earth pony mare only stared down into this, her teacup trembling between her hooves as she sipped from it compulsively.

Scrivener and Luna, meanwhile, had taken down their campsite, then loaded their wagon up and moved it to a safer spot beside the house, where it would be easier to keep an eye on. They had also moved their armor inside the house, to be ready for when they marched into town. They had no real plan, no actual information, and nothing driving them but a desire for justice and retribution and dark, dark revenge... and yet both of them felt grimly that not only would an opportunity present itself... the moment it did, they would make Corvette and Autumn Orange both wish they had never been born.

They sat across from Leafy, on the other side of the table, resting together on the floor as Leafy sat back in the couch... then she closed her eyes slowly as she whispered: “I think... part of me always knew.”

The two looked up silently, and Leafy Greene shuddered as she stared down into her teacup. Tears leaked quietly down her stained cheeks, and she shook her head slowly before whispering: “It wasn't Pa. It wasn't his voice, and... groceries was always my job. Groceries, laundry, keeping the house clean...” She looked up, and gave a cracked laugh. “And painting. Funny, ain't it? All those things and painting.

“But I hoped that if I kept the house clean enough, did all the work I could... he'd come back one day. They never found the bodies... just... the stains, before the desert swallowed those up too.” Greene whispered, and then she clenched her eyes shut as she put her cup of tea down, reaching up and grasping her face in her hooves. “And then I guess... I believed it so much... I almost made it real. I wanted to believe so much that...”

“Thou wert used. We have all been used... but I swear to thee, Corvette and Autumn Orange will pay for what they have done.” Luna said empathetically, nodding firmly once, and Leafy Greene looked up with a tremble, face half-hidden behind her hooves. “The Norns will not let such a travesty go unpunished. Oh, they are cruel, and they weave stories tragic as well as heroic... but they are even less fond of cowards than I am.”

Leafy Greene only looked at her quietly, and then Scrivener shook his head slowly, saying softly: “Leafy... don't blame yourself. You've probably got enough psychotropics in your system to sedate an army even now. Autumn Orange knew just what to give you to try and get her way... I just... never suspected...”

“I don't think anypony ever did.” Luna murmured, glancing quietly towards Scrivener before she grimaced moodily. “Cunning witch. I think I shall cut her tongue out.”

Scrivener grunted, making a face at the fact he wasn't sure whether or not Luna was serious... and moreover, whether or not he actually minded that thought. Then he shook his head slowly, returning his eyes towards Leafy and saying quietly: “Eat. Get some food in your stomach. Believe me, it'll help.”

Leafy Greene only looked silently down at the tomato soup for a little while longer... but eventually, she did hesitantly eat a little of it. Scrivener and Luna, meanwhile, simply sat, watching over the earth pony mare quietly, neither wanting to leave her alone. Not because they were afraid of what she would do despite the recent betrayal, but because they both felt as if they had already failed one pony, and neither wanted to fail another.

Leafy excused herself to go to bed after a few hours, and Scrivener and Luna cleaned up the house a little, then simply sat together, their heads pressing gently to one-another's, resting, planning, and simply letting their thoughts spin out. Everything felt unstable, uneasy... and both Scrivener and Luna knew they had to be prepared if they wanted to come out on top without losing either the anchor or Sublime Style.

Then again, Corvette had been specific, wanted a wide window of time... and this made them wonder if they would be able to save Style at all. But they pushed those thoughts aside: all these worries were valid, but would do nothing to help them at this point and time, especially when all they could do was push forwards... before Luna gritted her teeth and muttered, as she buried her face into Scrivener's neck: “But let this be known, Scrivy. If he destroys the anchor or harms the unicorn... Corvette seals the death warrant for both himself and Autumn Orange.”

Eventually, Scrivener and Luna got up, to clean themselves off, refresh themselves, and gather their gear. As they were climbing into their armor, however, Leafy Greene came silently downstairs, looking ill and uncomfortable, but lucid all the same, as she whispered: “I want to come into town with you. I don't want to fight, but... I do want to be there. I have to be there.”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, and then the winged unicorn nodded slowly, saying softly: “Very well. But thou must stay by the wagon, and know that all I can do is implore thee to run should a fight ensue... art thou sure thou will be safe?”

“Crazy Leafy Greene. Even the Diamond Dogs pity her.” The earth pony smiled faintly, looking away before she shook her head quietly. “I will be. Thank you.”

Scrivener and Luna both nodded again... and an hour later, they were on their way into town, the earth pony stallion dragging the wagon behind him, loaded up with all their things. They would have to carry the anchor back into the desert and plant it again, after all... or perhaps wander further, and find an even safer location this time, where they could be sure it wouldn't be found by even the wiliest of ponies.

Watershed was quiet and ominous, dark and empty and uncomfortable: eyes peered out at them from behind shuttered windows as if sensing an oncoming battle, and the thugs that patrolled the streets were cocky and grinning, clearly working for Corvette and certain they had bested these two ponies in armor. Greene went mostly unnoticed as she half-followed them, trembling and staying in the shadow cast by the wagon as they headed towards the tavern.

Corvette was already waiting for them, Autumn Orange sitting at one of the tables with her rear legs raised and a thug grumpily polishing her hooves. She had clearly already celebrated a little from the sight of the glitzy gemstones adorning her body, and Scrivener and Luna looked at her with disgust before their eyes roved to Corvette when the bounty hunter stomped a single hoof down on the patio.

Two minotaurs emerged from the swinging doors of the tavern, carrying the anchor between them and throwing it unceremoniously down the steps, the heavy rock sending up a burst of dust as Scrivener and Luna both glared, but Corvette only looked back with equal distaste. “Please. You should be glad I didn't just smash it.”

“Where's Sublime Style?” Scrivener asked calmly as he unhooked himself from the wagon, and Corvette narrowed his eyes as Luna picked up the anchor with telekinesis, grimacing a little as she carefully carried it around to the back, Leafy Greene staring as she passed with the huge, top-shaped rock. “Who was after her, anyway? You have her, you won and all... don't think an answer or two matters now.”

Corvette snorted at this, then he smiled contemptibly. “That's right, colt, I have won. And by a clear margin... so sure. Sublime is right on inside there, as a matter of fact... she was a model in Equestria. I'm sure you've seen how pretty that meat is, and she's been running for weeks, trying to get away from some very nasty ponies. They got some fancy name for themselves, but I think we know what kind of ponies deal in buying and selling pretty flesh.”

“Slavers.” Scrivener said quietly, and Corvette nodded calmly before the earth pony stallion asked in disgust: “Do you have any morals whatsoever?”

“Nope. No profit.” Corvette retorted with a snort. “Grow up, colt, morals don't matter. There's no heaven, no hell, and no afterlife, only the here and now. We're just animals, running around, and most of us are too stupid to understand that if you want something... you don't ask permission, you don't say 'pretty please,' you just take it and go. Money is what gives you the right and power to do that, and selling that worthless hunk of mare-meat off is what's going to make me all the money I need in order to sit back and relax for the rest of my long, long life.

“It's funny, you know. They scared her out of Equestria... but if she'd stayed, that could have been trouble. But the moment she left the country, the only way back in is by one-way ticket with me.” Corvette said calmly, rubbing a hoof slowly against the ground before he smiled coldly. “But you kids these days. Get so damn paranoid. Makes it easy to scare you out of where you're hiding.”

The wagon door slammed, and then Luna flicked her horn, and the door glowed before there was a loud click as it locked securely. The winged unicorn's eyes were narrowed, her mane snapping back and forth as electricity sparked through her locks, her irises glowing as she strode calmly around to the front of the wagon and looked icily up at Corvette. “Thou hast our thanks, Corvette. Now tell us, what is to stop us from killing thee?”

The bounty hunter glanced mildly at one of the minotaurs, and both of the enormous figures strode down the stairs, one of them cracking their knuckles menacingly as ponies hemmed slowly in on all sides, Scrivener and Luna both looking calmly back and forth as Leafy Greene trembled a little and slipped nervously beneath the carriage. “Brynhild... whoever you are, filly... I like that you have such a high opinion of yourself. But you can't win a fight against me and all these people. Not without a miracle. And after the poking my unicorns did at that funny little device of yours, we know it's no magic bomb or anything. Radiated a funny aura, made some... pretty colors, sure. But didn't seem to do much else, so don't even bother trying to bluff me with that.”

Luna snorted in disgust, and silence spiraled out for a few moments before her eyes narrowed as Scrivener's ears flicked, hearing a sound both menacing and familiar. A rustling, a ticking, that none of the others were picking up on... but then Luna slowly scowled as she looked up and said softly: “Well, miracles are not my style, in any event. How about some damnation, instead?”

Corvette frowned... and then one of the minotaurs released a cry of shock, his back arching as two enormous blades tore outwards through his chest, the other bull staggering away with a look of horror before the blades lashed to either side and ripped the unfortunate victim into several pieces as a silvery, metallic monstrosity flexed its long, mantis-like limbs, clicking away as its emotionless eyes stared towards Luna.

It was accompanied by two other shapeshifters: one that was already scurrying past on four long legs as it stretched its claws towards Luna, and the other swung a limb forwards as its arm transformed into an enormous axe blade, ripping apart the wooden railing at the side of the deck before it slithered forwards, legs melting into a body that became rapidly serpentine. Corvette threw himself backwards with a curse of horror, turning and bolting into the tavern as the other thugs panicked.

Luna and Scrivener ran forwards as the surviving minotaur turned with a snarl and slammed a fist into the shapeshifter beside it, knocking it flat before stomping on its tail and shattering it like glass. But before it could do any further damage, the second shapeshifter lunged as its eyes followed Luna and Scrivener, swiping a claw out towards them but instead hitting the bull as if the alien creature didn't even realize the minotaur had been standing between it and the two ponies.

The minotaur was knocked sprawling as Luna and Scrivener leapt up onto the deck, then both winced and leapt backwards when the serpentine, axe-armed shapeshifter in front of them swung viciously towards them. The limb whickered past and buried uselessly into the deck, and without a moment's hesitation Luna flicked her horn firmly, smashing the alloy monstrosity with a blast of telekinesis that sent it rocketing into the shapeshifter behind them.

Then Scrivener and Luna traded looks before the stallion nodded quickly, slamming through the swinging doors and sprinting immediately for the nearest table as Corvette opened fire on him from the stairs, a rifle in the hooves of the Pegasus and a snarl on his face. Beside him, Sublime Style was shivering on the steps, bleeding and bruised and hoof-cuffed.

The charcoal earth pony hid behind the rickety table as rifle rounds blasted into the furnishing, sending splinters and chunks of broken dish and glass flying in all directions... and then Corvette let out a loud shout of pain and frustration when the unicorn behind him struck him hard in the back of the head with both front limbs, fumbling his rifle and dropping it over the railing with a loud clatter before he turned with a snarl and struck her hard across the face. “Bitch!”

Style was knocked rolling down the stairs with a cry of pain, and Corvette cursed before the Pegasus leapt over the railing, reaching into his coat and yanking a dagger free from his jacket as Scrivener glanced quickly over the table, then ducked back behind it. Corvette grinned at this for a moment as he flew forwards... and then Scrivener snarled and kicked both rear hooves back into the table as hard as he could, and the Pegasus's grin turned to a look of horror before the furnishing smashed into him and exploded in a hail of broken timbers, knocking him crashing to the ground.

As Scrivener spun around to charge the stunned Corvette, the front window of the bar shattered, Autumn Orange flying through with a squeal of agony as outside, Luna grinned darkly before her eyes flicked behind her to watch as the broken-tailed shapeshifter charged. The other two creatures had been distracted by the few pony thugs who had decided to stay behind, and Luna's eyes narrowed before she ducked when the shapeshifter stabbed a limb forwards as it became a deadly javelin, then her horn glowed as she lunged forwards and sank it into the monstrosity's chest before ripping savagely downwards as she released a telekinetic blast at the same time, and the shapeshifter was blown apart into shards of glimmering metal that began to melt before they even hit the ground.

Luna quickly looked towards the wagon, but Leafy was hiding safely under it, terrified but ignored by both the thugs and the shapeshifters. So instead, Luna turned her eyes to the bar, leaping in through the broken window and then flicking her horn when Autumn Orange began to scramble away to send a chair flying into the Pegasus mare's back, knocking her flat with a grunt before the winged unicorn said darkly: “I think not.”

Then Luna winced and cursed as a sharp bolt of pain spread through her body, looking towards Scrivener to watch the charcoal stallion's head flick to the side, a spray of blood shooting up as Corvette caught him across the face with his knife. The bounty hunter snarled, trying to press the advantage as he skillfully twisted the knife around into another slash aimed at Scrivener's eyes, but the earth pony slipped backwards with a wince, the blade only catching the earth pony's glasses and knocking them from his face.

Corvette stabbed towards him, and Scrivener slipped to the side before he smacked Corvette across the muzzle with a hoof, the bounty hunter grunting in pain before he reversed the blade to try and stab it into Scrivener's throat, but the earth pony hurriedly brought his foreleg back to block.

The Pegasus, however, snarled as he changed the arc of the vicious attack, and Scrivener's eyes widened before he hissed in pain as the dagger ripped through the thin armor plating over his foreleg, sinking deep into his limb as Corvette gripped the handle of the knife tightly, twisting it slightly and forcing it to grind into the bone as he shouted: “How the hell does that feel, colt?”

“You tell me!” Scrivener snarled in return, then he slammed his other hoof up into the bounty hunter's throat, knocking Corvette stumbling backwards as he gagged loudly, loosening his grip and letting Scrivener yank his limb away, the dagger still imbedded in it before the earth pony hissed in fury and frustration and pain as he lashed a vicious hook outwards, hoof passing by Corvette's muzzle... but the metal handle of the knife still buried in Scrivener's foreleg impacting directly into the bounty hunter's clenched teeth with enough force to knock the dagger loose and shatter the Pegasus stallion's grit jaw.

Corvette staggered backwards with a howl of misery before Scrivener reared up, slamming a quick flurry of blows down into the bounty hunter's face as the pain only drove him to fight all the harder, and the Pegasus staggered away before he spun and bolted with a curse, bleeding heavily from the mouth as he leapt out the broken window of the tavern. Luna looked sharply up at this, then immediately shot a look and mental order to Scrivener as she turned away from the badly-beaten Autumn Orange, the winged unicorn quickly following Corvette out the shattered window and into the street as Scrivener charged towards the Pegasus mare.

Autumn began to get up with a groan... only to be plowed into by the full force of the stallion, crushed back against the wall behind her and cracking one of the still-whole windows as her skull whacked loudly against it, her eyes bulging before Scrivener picked the Pegasus easily up and threw her as as hard as he could through the glass.

She crashed limply into the deck and rolled into the banister, and Scrivener grunted before he winced when a silvery claw lashed through the air in front of him, the stallion staggering backwards before wincing as a shapeshifter slithered easily in through the broken window, its jaws clicking as its dead eyes locked on him before the charcoal pony hurried backwards, shoving objects into the creature's way. Yet it flowed almost like liquid over them as six thin, rapidly-clicking legs sprouted from its long carapace, propelling it forwards as its upper body bent unnaturally and extended slightly, claws forming into deadly swords at the end of its gangly arms.

It clacked loudly as it stared towards him, almost excited as Scrivener finally stumbled back against the bar, head thumping lightly against the wooden keg behind him as he fell back on his haunches, wincing... and then he ducked with a curse when the monstrosity suddenly lunged. The sword tore through the wooden barrel, and Scrivener scrambled out of the way before the shapeshifter hissed as it tore the sword back even as the blade steamed violently, and pressurized beer spurted out of the keg, saturating the monster's right side as it skittered rapidly backwards.

Scrivener stared in shock as the liquid ate into the shapeshifter like acid, watching as its entire arm rapidly melted off, turning into long, gooey strings that splattered sickly to the ground. Parts of its chest soon followed even as it barely seemed to register the pain, turning towards Scrivener as its legs clicked over the floor before the earth pony turned and clambered hurriedly over the counter, wincing as he half-fell, half-dove off it when the shapeshifter lashed its other arm sword towards him and the blade tore against the armor plating of his flank. He grunted as he hit the other side of the bar, then seized the nearest bottle as he sat up, swinging it hard upwards when the shapeshifter began to twist over the counter.

It shattered against its features, and the creature reared back as its head quickly melted away, followed by its upper breast... and then the monster collapsed backwards as something dislodged with a sludgy sound from its chest, the shapeshifter spilling apart into goop and slime as a strange, glowing violet orb rolled free and banged loudly against the counter. Scrivener rose his head, staring as this orb rolled slowly off the other side of the bar... then he winced backwards when it exploded in a crackle of electricity and dark light, the stallion thankfully protected by the bar.

Outside, Corvette was grappling in the dirt with Luna, the bounty hunter cursing as his thugs only stared on in horror before Corvette was thrown hard into the side of the wagon. The bounty hunter bounced loudly off this, then he began to dig into his coat with wince... but with a sharp grin, Luna snapped her horn upwards, and thick vines ripped out of the ground beneath the hooves of the Pegasus, startling him.

They wrapped around his rear legs even as Corvette threw himself into the air, wings flapping hard as he tore on the vines and yanked a wild handful of useless objects out of his jacket before Luna leapt forwards, horn slicing through the vines before seizing the ends of the thick ivy ropes ensnaring him, twisting hard downwards and lashing Corvette like a whip into the armored wagon behind him. The bounty hunter bounced off this with a loud crack and a howl of pain that was like music to Luna's ears before she turned in the other direction and shot into the air, flying towards a crooked lamppost and smoothly performing a quick roll around the arm extending out of the metal pole.

She released the vines a moment later, grinning as she flapped her wings to propel herself backwards and her horn glowed brightly, smoothly knotting the vines into place. Then she easily dropped to her hooves, looking with pleasure up at Corvette as he was left dangling helplessly upside down, one of his wings broken and useless, his coat tangled up around his forelegs, a few baubles and gadgets and other objects spilling out of their holsters as he stared stupidly at the winged unicorn.

“Well, what a handsome ornament thou makes!” Luna declared easily, then she looked back and forth with a kind smile at the other staring ponies. Quite a few of the thugs lay dead, even though between themselves they had managed to bring down one of the shapeshifters almost purely out of luck... and yet Luna felt little remorse for them as her eyes flicked back to Corvette as she said clearly to the others there: “Now, this would be the one moment of mercy I shall spare thee. If thou wert involved in the mess engineered by this bounty hunter, then I would take this moment to quietly slip away. Or, otherwise, thou can risk sharing the same fate as he will.”

The hired goons traded looks, then gazed at the winged unicorn before one of them began forwards, opening his mouth... but a loud click drew the attention of all present, and the pony thug that had been about to speak went pale at the sight of the bartender aiming a crossbow at him. “Get out of our town.”

And there were other ponies, other minotaurs, even a few Diamond Dogs now that were gathered around, snarling: townspeople, that vastly outnumbered and outgunned the few thugs and thieves and raiders that hadn't been either frightened off or killed by the shapeshifters. For a moment, the mercenaries looked uncertain... and then the thugs began to slowly back away when the villagers hemmed in closer, turning to hurry their way out of Watershed.

Corvette snarled, flailing his limbs before he looked over his shoulder with a curse as the swinging doors opened, Scrivener gently helping a smiling, thankful Sublime Style out of the bar before the bounty hunter howled: “She's my goddamn payday!”

“She is no one's payday, Corvette, and if thou wants to keep thy tongue in thy head and thy wings on thy back, I would close thy idiotic mouth.” Luna said coldly, and Corvette cursed at her, flailing a bit before his jacket fell free with a clatter. He began to try and reach up for the rope, but Luna only narrowed her eyes, and the bounty hunter winced as the winged unicorn said darkly: “Give me a reason, Corvette. Give me a single reason.”

Corvette mumbled after a moment, then he fell slack before he whispered: “So what? Other bounty hunters will come. You think you did a good thing here? Crime is a business, and for some reason you just inspired this stupid village to run its livelihood out of town. The money I was going to pay those 'crooks' and 'mercenaries' was what they were going to spend in this little waste-dump of a village and-”

“Oh spare me the economics lecture.” Luna rolled her eyes in disgust, and then she said distastefully: “And Style will be safe, one way or the other: whether she finds a home here, or returns to Equestria, Style will be safe. Why, thou asks?” Luna stepped forwards, her eyes narrowing as she looked up in disgust at the bounty hunter. “Because whilst there are a few ponies like thou in the world, ponies who are... monstrous, stupid, selfish, greedy, and vicious... there are more ponies like me. Who will stop at nothing to see the right thing done, if not the good thing. And who will always stop ponies like thou. And before thou dares to laugh at me, take a good look at thy current predicament: hanging upside down, fit to be judged.

“But I am no judge, much as thou has wronged me.” Luna paused, then smiled coldly as Corvette looked at her apprehensively for a moment, before she gestured to Sublime Style, saying quietly: “Because thou has wronged her, more. Wronged this village, more. And wronged thy very world, although thou wert too stupid to understand how important that anchor thou dug up and threatened to destroy was and is.”

Corvette gritted his teeth, then winced at the pain that visibly sparked through his system before he leaned forwards and rasped: “You stupid little filly, you really think that these rejects-”

Then one of the minotaurs stepped forwards and smacked Corvette firmly with an open palm, and the pony howled in pain as he was sent swaying violently back and forth as Luna snorted in entertainment, nodding approvingly. A moment later, her cyan eyes flicked to the side, narrowing as they looked past the minotaur when a shape began to skulk away, and the winged unicorn asked quietly: “And where exactly does thou think thou art going, Autumn Orange? I believe thou has thine own share of wrongdoing to pay for.”

“I... it was Corvette! He made me, he s-scared me!” Autumn Orange winced as all eyes turned towards the Pegasus mare on the deck, shivering as she shook her head hurriedly and stumbled back against the wall, her eyes going wide with fear. Then she grinned weakly, scurrying towards the railing and leaning over it to look towards the bartender, saying hurriedly: “I... I always was a good worker, wasn't I? And... oh, Lee-Lee, I'm so sorry I said those awful things but... but... I had to! I was protecting us both, he... he was going to kill you!”

Leafy Greene trembled from where she was now sitting beside the wagon, looking silently up at Autumn Orange before she shook her head slowly as all eyes turned towards her, and the earth pony mare bowed her head forwards as she whispered: “I was crazy, Autumn. I was crazy, but I wasn't stupid then, and I'm not stupid now. How could you do that? What did we ever do to you, to make you hate us so much? Pa helped out Watershed so much, we had... we were a good place, when it rained...”

“Because what did you ever do to deserve any of that? So what, your Pa makes a big net and everypony loves him? And all the money...” Autumn Orange snarled suddenly, forwards over the railing and snapping: “You and your stupid friends and neighbors, and me, just the cook to your rich friends! How is that fair, little Lee-Lee?”

Luna only shook her head in slow disgust at this, and then Leafy Greene smiled wryly, laughing a little before she looked up and said quietly: “Funny. You make me think that maybe I wasn't so crazy after all.”

Autumn Orange trembled, then she began to turn... only for two other Pegasi to quickly fly over the railing and block her exit. She shivered once, then slumped, whispering: “But... but everypony liked me...”

“Yes, before they knew you were a manipulative psychotic.” Scrivener pointed out wryly, and Autumn snarled at him before the two Pegasi approached her, one of them shoving her firmly as he gave her a mild smile. “Have fun in jail.”

Autumn cursed at him as she was half-pushed past, looking disgusted as they pushed her through the village, and Luna smiled mildly after the bruised and beaten Pegasus mare before she glanced towards Scrivener and Sublime Style as the unicorn whispered something to the charcoal stallion.

Scrivener nodded after a moment, and he carefully helped her walk down the steps, letting her rest against him as they made their way quietly to stand beside Leafy Greene. The earth pony mare smiled embarrassedly at the beautiful unicorn, and Style closed her eyes and bowed her head to her for a moment before she quietly looked up at Corvette.

Corvette looked coldly back at her from his dangling position, and the unicorn was silent for only a moment before she said quietly, her voice as soft as she was beautiful, with the gentlest hint of an accent adding subtle influence to her words: “You hunted me. For months, you hunted me... and now, here we are, at the end of the chase, with roles reversed. Corvette, bounty hunter, you would have given me over to ponies who only saw me as an object. You would have left me to a fate worse than death.”

She closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards before she looked up calmly and said quietly: “But I am not you. We will go back to Equestria together, just like you wanted... but you shall be my prisoner, and I shall be the one in charge. And we shall not go to the slavers, but the courts, to Canterlot itself if we must. And you, coward, will spill everything you know about the slavers who would have done horrible things to me, as they did to the other girls who helped me escape... I am not like you, or the people you work for. I do not want revenge: I want justice.”

“You can't make me do anything.” Corvette retorted disgustedly, looking contemptibly down at her. “Besides, just how the hell do you think you'll get back to Equestria? You have no money, and these are just simple townsfolk. These people who want you are very wealthy, and have every method of communication blockaded to ensure you do not get a single message out, a single letter across, a single plea for help. You are alone. Good doesn't come out on top in real life.”

Style trembled a little... and then Luna grinned widely, her eyes glinting before she flicked her horn firmly, and there was a loud series of clicks before the rear door of the wagon swung slowly open, Luna saying kindly: “Scrivener Blooms, if thou would be so kind as to take a letter.”

Scrivener smiled slightly at this, gently slipping away from Style as she looked confused and Corvette frowned moodily, the stallion heading to the back of the transport before Leafy Greene looked up and said quietly into the silence: “I can lend you some of the bits. I always wanted to go to Equestria... and now that... that Pa and... my brothers are gone... well, I got nothing to tie me down. I'll sell the farm.”

“We'll help put that money together, Miss Style. To ship Corvette out of this bad-enough-as-it-is country and to get a pretty mare back where she belongs is enough... knowing we're helping out a good cause makes it even better.” the bartender added quietly as he lowered his crossbow, and a few others nodded as Style looked around at them thankfully.

Then Scrivener emerged from the back of the wagon with a satchel filled with his writing tools and another object held easily in his mouth, the male humming a little as he approached before he sat back on his haunches as Luna grinned widely. The earth pony took the object from his jaws into his hooves, and Corvette glared at the charcoal stallion as he rose the camera and then snapped a quick picture before winking over at Luna. “Happy now?”

“Delighted! But now to work.” Luna replied with a wide grin, and Corvette frowned before Scrivener nodded and opened his satchel to pull out a clipboard, parchment and a quill. A moment later, the bounty hunter's expression turned to one of horror as the winged unicorn began easily: “'Dear Princess Celestia, 'tis my duty to inform thee that one of thy loyal subjects is in dire straits in the Evening Isles. Whilst, thanks to the courtesy and generosity of the people here, we have begun to find her a way back home... the slavers have sent out bounty hunters and threaten to capture her should she return within Equestria's borders. Her name is Sublime Style, and it would be most appreciated if thou could aid in securing her passage, as she wishes to bring with her a bounty hunter by the name of Corvette, to testify against those who hired him. Sincerely...”

Luna paused and then winked over at Scrivener before she extended a wing, then her horn glowed and gently pulled a single feather free. It floated in the air for a moment, and then Scrivener swirled an X for the signature before the feather dropped into the parchment and smoothly rolled closed. A moment later, Luna easily flicked her horn, and the parchment burst into blue flames before dissolving as Scrivener said mildly: “Our... boss... is going to be really mad at you for this, you know.”

“So what?” Luna huffed, and Scrivener rolled his eyes and smiled despite himself before Luna grinned over at Corvette as the bounty hunter glared at her. “Oh, what, thou thinks I am bluffing? Well, let us simply wait a few moments, shall we?”

“Do... do you really know Celestia?” Sublime Style asked in a whisper after a few more seconds has passed, her eyes wide and amazed... and then Luna grinned as a moment later, there was a burst of golden flames in the air above her head before it formed quickly into a letter that dropped down in front of Luna.

The winged unicorn caught this easily with telekinesis, reading over it, then laughing loudly as she grinned over at Scrivener. “What a delightful reaction! She demands a show of power, Scrivener, to prove the truth to this wild tale and mine suspected identity... oh, oh, I know, Scrivener Blooms! I shall bring day to the Evening Isle!”

With that, Luna's eyes gleamed, and Scrivener sighed before he dropped his head forwards as Luna bowed her own, the gathered villagers staring before the two slowly leaned downwards, then arched their backs, raising their heads in tandem as Luna's horn glowed brighter, brighter, brighter... and then flashed as she released a loud laugh, feeling her heart racing in time with Scrivener's, strength and adrenaline burning through her body as the skies above went from crimson to beautiful azure as the warm sun slowly rose over their heads, making all present stare upwards in shock.

Then Luna dropped back forwards, cracking her neck and looking pleased with herself as she smiled brightly, murmuring: “It has been so long since we have done anything of this sort, Scrivy... and it feels good to have done so. It does not feel draining, but... energizing, aye. It gladdens my heart, beloved daydreamer...”

Scrivener laughed quietly at this, and then he winked across at Luna as the villagers only stared at them incredulously, feeling the same excitement and warmth in his own veins before he replied quietly: “Except I think you were supposed to move the moon, Luna...”

“Luna... Luna... P-Princess Luna?” Corvette's features went dead white as Sublime Style stared at the winged unicorn, then gasped herself as other eyes looked with amazement at the sapphire pony, but she only grinned and preened beneath the glow of the bright sun as she gently brushed a hoof against her armored breast, her starry locks gleaming around her. “Impossible! The Princesses aren't... I... Canterlot isn't, doesn't...”

“Be careful, Corvette, if thou wets thyself in fear it shall all dribble down onto thy face.” Luna replied kindly, and then she winked at him before smiling kindly at Sublime Style as the unicorn dropped into a low bow, and Luna huffed and waved a hoof before the other ponies could follow suit. “No, no, stop! Cease at once, I do not require this!”

The unicorn blushed, sitting up as Leafy Greene stared with awe at Luna, trembling a little as Scrivener smiled a bit... and then a moment later, a second letter appeared above Luna's head. She caught it easily as it fell past, opening, gazing at the single word written there... and then she grinned widely before flicking her horn to pick up Scrivener's quill, saying mildly: “'How?' Well, Celestia... 'because.'”

And with that, Luna flicked her horn firmly, the parchment furling up and bursting into flames before Luna looked pleased with herself even as the sun slowly began to move back out of the sky, returning the eternal red dusk to the Evening Isles as Luna glanced back and forth, then announced kindly: “Now, let us put away our pinata before I am tempted to break it, and then I shall tell all of those interested a very strange and wonderful story I am most certain I am not supposed to share with any of thee.”

Luna smiled slightly and winked around at the villagers, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh as he put his writing things back into his satchel and tossed it easily over one shoulder, gently helping Sublime Style back to her hooves as she stared after the winged unicorn with the amazement and delight of a pony for whom everything had first gone wrong was finally being set right. An expression mirrored on the face of Leafy Greene, wonderment driving the last of the madness from her eyes and the despair from her face, giving new hope to the ponies who had both lost so much.

Many Happy Returns

Chapter Thirteen: Many Happy Returns
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna's story amazed and delighted the villagers who stayed to listen: whether or not they believed her was another matter entirely, but Scrivener thought that the evidence that came from the show of power, the explanation about the anchor, and the fact that Celestia herself had sent them multiple letters was enough to make even the most cynical of the ponies and other beings pause and think. That, and also the fact Luna had cleaned Corvette's clock without suffering more than minor injuries.

Scrivener was surprised by two things, however: one, that Luna so readily shared the story from beginning to end... and two, that she told most of it herself, only making him tell a little here and there while he scribbled the story down in a notebook for later logging. Something he did more for himself than anything else... but he had always enjoyed keeping a record of their strange travels together. At first, it had mostly been for himself and his incessant need to write down every interesting thing that happened... but now, it was something he hoped to one day pass on to Antares, both to show his son what his parents had accomplished, and to hopefully help Antares along his own path in life, in figuring out what decisions to make and what roads to travel.

Luna's decision to explain even about the anchor – although she didn't go into too many details – ended up being a good one, however, as the villagers muttered amongst themselves before the bartender had nodded and looked up, saying quietly: “If you trusted us... and it sounds like breaking this thing wouldn't be to anypony's benefit anyway... under the fountain in the middle of town, there's the remains of an old aqueduct we used to hide our valuables in. You could hide the anchor down in there... would be a lot safer than the desert. Lots of people that come this way go out there, digging for scrap. To you two, I'm sure that it ain't easy to see who's been where... but to them, it's clear as day where people have been digging and moving the desert around.”

The pony paused, then smiled wryly: “I guess I finally understand that metaphor, too. Daylight... was a rare treat 'round these parts.”

Scrivener and Luna traded a look, a flurry of thoughts... and decided after a few moments that they trusted the villagers of Watershed. For now, anyway, the town was composed of good people... probably like the old days. Sure, they were a rough and tumble crowd, amongst their numbers greedy Diamond Dogs and dishonored minotaurs with shorn horns, but there was a difference between the ill-off and thieves and brigands. The fact that Corvette had apparently also found the anchor with such ease in the desert helped with their decision.

With Luna's slightly-exaggerated story of different worlds, epic battles, and working to save the universe told, Corvette and Autumn Orange locked up in the rickety town jail, and Sublime Style and Leafy Greene both safe and recovering, the winged unicorn felt there was no better time than the present to move the anchor to the aqueduct. The bartender was glad to act as guide, and a few other villagers followed with admiration in their eyes as Luna grinned and indulged her ego a little, while Scrivener only smiled and pulled the wagon, letting her have her celebration in the spotlight.

The entrance to the aqueduct was only accessible through a half-collapsed root cellar: in other words, it was only known to those who knew where to look, hence why it had been a safe secret even from Corvette. Luna carried the anchor herself with telekinesis down the steps and through the musty, dirty tunnel, feeling a little claustrophobic as the bartender led her around a narrow maze of boxes and rotting supports.

Then he carefully brushed a curtain that rested against the wall aside, and Luna smiled despite herself at the concealed tunnel beyond, thicker wooden girders here and there holding up the white-brick walls that led into a concrete, circular room beneath the fountain. And just as the bartender had said, valuables were stored here and there, illuminated in the red light shining down through cracks in the ceiling: a few bags of bits, but also paintings wrapped in cloth, little statuettes, even a cracked set of fine china dishes. When Luna tossed the bartender a curious look, the grizzled old pony only smiled and shrugged, saying quietly: “After Watershed started going downhill when the farming community began collapsing... well, bank was getting robbed every other week, until the bankers up and left town in disgust. Now we don't got no real bank... but we still got places to keep our valuables safe. Hate to say it, but not every bounty hunter who came through this way was as... professional... as Corvette. He might be an asshole, he might be a murderer, he might got the morals of a snake-oil skunk, but the one good thing about the bastard is that he was always too arrogant to resort to bein' a thief.”

Luna grunted at this, nodding slowly as she looked thoughtfully over at the bartender, and then the earth pony had left with a smile: a small gesture, but one she appreciated deeply. There were a few places she thought she could hide the device, several offshoots, a half-collapsed tunnel... but what Luna finally settled on was using her magic to tear up a section of loose-looking flooring, burying the anchor beneath this, and then fusing the concrete back down over it. She took her time with the work, even as she felt Scrivener Blooms just above her, checking curiously over the collapsed fountain overtop the hideaway.

Finally, Luna had made her way back to the surface, nodded firmly once to the villagers, and then smiled over at the bartender, saying quietly: “I would dearly like to give thee something for the trouble thou hast gone to for us.”

The bartender only chuckled quietly at this, however, shaking his head and saying softly in reply: “Believe me, Miss Luna... you've done a lot for the whole town already. Beatin' down Corvette, giving us at least a few days of respite with all those thugs out of town... helping that pretty unicorn and even more, poor Leafy Greene find her mind again. We owe you.”

Luna and Scrivener had only smiled at each other, however, then the earth pony had looked forwards and shrugged, replying easily: “Yeah, but we're meddlers. Always have been. Probably always will be, too.”

As the hours passed, Luna and Scrivener returned to the Greene farm with Leafy and Sublime, who had taken up the offer to stay with the earth pony mare while she settled her affairs and figured things out. Celestia had sent a few more letters to Scrivener and Luna, as intense and curious as she had been in their own layer of reality, wanting to know more, asking eagerly for their presence at Canterlot to explain things. But Luna had only smiled, replying with a courteous letter that explained they didn't have plans to stay for much longer in this layer of reality... but she did have Scrivener write a few sheets of parchment out better explaining the situation, for Leafy and Sublime to present to Celestia herself. Then Luna had sent out a cheerful letter declaring that if Celestia wanted to know the full truth of the matter, she would just have to ensure that Sublime and Leafy arrived safe and sound at Canterlot.

The two ponies spent the last of their time helping out Leafy and Sublime, talking with them and helping fix up the farm a little. Leafy Greene had been honestly ready to sell it to help out Sublime... but instead, Watershed had thrown their money into a pot and gathered enough bits to safely see a small group of ponies to the other side of the small island country. Transporting Corvette wouldn't be a problem, either: Leafy had taken a page from Autumn Orange's recipe book and left a bowl of mushroom soup for the sleeping bounty hunter. Corvette had eaten it while grumbling about how stupid the ponies in this town were... and then promptly fallen into a dazed stupor they planned to keep him in until they reached Equestria.

Sublime Style was more thankful than she could begin to express for the ponies who had saved her, and had helped restore her faith that there were still good ponies in the world. It had helped her want to see justice done... and want to stretch out that same kindness to try and save those who could still be saved from the slavers and meat-markets in the darker underbelly of Equestria. Luna admired it, to say the least... not simply because of Sublime Style's bravery, but because of the fact that the winged unicorn herself would likely have been unable to resist taking a much-darker and bloodier path of vengeance.

Scrivener Blooms and Luna felt good about what they had accomplished, and with a minimum of violence by their usual standards. And perhaps more important than what they had stopped and driven out, they had also saved two lives: one from madness, the other from slavery and torture. The anchor was in place, safe and secure in a town they both felt confident would keep their secret and had seen enough of the evidence behind Luna's crazy stories to understand that no matter what the magical device was, it was important it remained whole and functional.

The only lingering concern in Luna and Scrivener's mixed mind was the shapeshifters... but in all likelihood, they had first been drawn by the opening of the Bifrost, and then lured specifically into Watershed by whatever fiddling Corvette had done with the anchor. Although what worried Luna was that the shapeshifters had also been specifically drawn towards them, turning their wrath only on the ponies and other creatures around them when the metallic monsters were interfered with. It made her wonder quietly if more of these shapeshifters would begin to appear as they progressed through the layers... if they would begin cutting through reality itself to swarm in on them for whatever malicious reasons compelled the lifeless entities.

But they were thoughts easily pushed aside as they focused on enjoying the company of Leafy and Sublime, and responding to letters from the Princess Celestia of this world. Part of Luna wanted to stay, just to entertain the chance of seeing this layer's version of Equestria... but the rest of her longed to return home, to return to Antares, and even to tell Odin what they had witnessed, so that he could help them piece together some of the puzzle of the shapeshifters. She was also still curious why they had ended up in the Evening Isles instead of Equestria, although all things considered she was glad for it.

It was a little more than a week after their initial arrival when Scrivener and Luna suited up in their armor, checked over their wagon and supplies, and announced that it was time for them to leave. Leafy and Sublime had followed them out curiously to say goodbye, and to watch as the two ponies had bowed their heads forwards, well-rested, their energies mingling together, their bodies moving in perfect time as they concentrated on thoughts of home.

Luna's horn began to glow, and Scrivener gritted his teeth as he poured his energy and strength into her, neither pony holding anything back as Leafy and Sublime stared in awe at the way the fields rippled and the air itself vibrated. The soulbound soulmates held nothing back as the magic built between them, before they threw their heads back in matching time as Luna's ephemeral locks sparked violently, their eyes glowing brightly for a moment before a vortex of golden fire tore into the air and shattered reality, forming violently into the sparking rainbow bridge. Leafy and Sublime could only continue to stare as Scrivener and Luna both charged immediately for the Bifrost despite the aches in their bodies and the tiredness in their forms, but the moment they touched the arching rainbow, they both felt the rush: the surge of adrenaline, the quickening of their hearts, the triumph of emotion.

They charged upwards, Luna tossing a single grin over her shoulder as they ran into the rip in the sky and through the tunnel of swirling light and sound. The sensations never grew old, the exhilaration of the experience never grew less as they ran on the thin rainbow bridge between layers before shattering out the other side, and they half-stumbled, half-sprinted down the bridge and into the fields outside Ponyville, Scrivener wincing as the bridge began to shatter around them.

Luna leapt hurriedly to the air, but Scrivener was dragged backwards with a yelp when the bridge burst apart into light beneath the wheels of the wagon, the transport falling with a clatter to the ground and Scrivener thumping loudly to the grasses in front of it with a groan of pain. Luna only laughed, however, both in relief and entertainment, as her eyes flicked with a grin to the male, circling slowly down in front of him as the Bifrost vanished and reality sealed shut in a burst of electricity, the winged unicorn sighing in relief as she muttered: “At least the wagon didn't tip over, Scrivener. Or land upon thee.”

“Yes, yes. Don't worry, the ground broke my fall.” Scrivener mumbled in response, laying prone in the grasses for a few more moments before he carefully shoved his aching body back to his hooves, but even as he grimaced, he felt relief whisper through his frame at the fact the soreness came more from the exertions of opening the Bifrost than the tumble. “Home or Ponyville?”

“Don't be silly, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna replied softly, giving the stallion an entertained look for a moment before her eyes roved towards the village only a short distance away, and a smile spread over her features as she looked at the comforting sight of the small town. “Ponyville is home.”

Scrivener laughed despite himself at this, then he carefully pushed himself to his hooves, ignoring the roll of warmth and tenderness through his own system as he remarked mildly: “That was very sweet, Luna. And a little corny.”

“Shut up, Scrivy. I am not all sharpened edges.” Luna retorted, and Scrivener nodded thoughtfully before the two armored equines looked towards the village and started on an easy pace towards it, the Nibelung standing at the open gates waving eagerly at them. Luna laughed at this sight warmly, then smiled and nodded politely as they neared the dwarves, saying kindly: “'Tis good to be welcomed back by friendly faces.”

“Is good to see you, fancy-corn, pony-pony!” One of the Nibelung replied quickly, and the wolf-pig dwarves saluted as they passed, Scrivener smiling despite himself and Luna looking oddly proud as she nodded firmly once, the two continuing easily on their way into the village and gazing warmly back and forth at the reception they received, as other ponies waved and greeted them happily.

Before they could even begin to cross the square, the library door flew open, and Twilight and Antares both ran out, the foal skittering hurriedly towards his parents and babbling gleefully as the violet mare laughed and ran alongside him. Scrivener stepped forwards with a warm smile, and he swept Antares up in tight hug as Luna caught Twilight in a firm embrace before she looked up with a wide grin as Celestia calmly strode out of the library, looking both happy and even a bit relieved as she said kindly: “Welcome home, little sister. We were beginning to worry a little about you.”

“Bah, worry for me? And why would thou bother, I am invincible.” Luna replied with a wink and a grin, and then she laughed as Twilight stepped back and Scrivener tossed Antares to her, the foal giggling as Luna caught him and spun around in a circle, holding her son high in the air before hugging him fiercely down against her chest. “Delightful child! 'Tis so good to have thee back in my embrace, Antares Mīrus!”

“It's great to see you, Twilight.” Scrivener said softly, as the violet mare stepped towards him, and she hesitated only a moment before they shared their own tight hug. She slipped back after a moment, gazing over him warmly, blushing a little... and then Scrivener blinked and looked up in surprise as Celestia gave him a quick, gentle embrace as well, looking down at him with a warm smile as Luna laughed and the stallion grinned lamely after a moment. “Nice to see you too.”

“You and sister were in a fight, I see.” Celestia remarked after a moment, gently touching Scrivener's damaged armor, and the male cleared his throat as Twilight frowned worriedly at the two. Luna only continued to grin, however, and Celestia shook her head before she asked mildly: “I suppose that shouldn't be any surprise to me, though, should it? But at least answer one question: did you start the fight, or was it unavoidable?”

“Oh, fear not, Celestia, we shall tell thee and Twilight all about it... but where is Odin? I wish to tell the story all at once.” Luna answered, and then she looked down at her son as Antares burbled happily and clung himself up against her breast, gazing at her with warm eyes. Mother smiled happily down at her son, shaking her head slightly before she asked gently: “More importantly, how was my son? Oh Antares, I did miss thee terribly...”

“It took some adjustments, admittedly...” Celestia smiled slightly, glancing down at the foal softly as he burbled quietly. “He missed his parents terribly. He just needed a reminder now and then of home, and Scarlet Sage helped a world in giving him that... and to answer your question, your daughter is actually out with Odin right now. He offered to take some time today to help train her and teach her.”

“Oh, wonderful.” Luna said grumpily, and Celestia gave her sister an amused look before Luna sighed, then nuzzled Antares gently before finally setting the foal down, and he burbled as he happily ran in a circle around her before half-falling at Scrivener's hooves and giggling brightly as the stallion smiled before reaching down and gently picking the unicorn foal up, the child flailing at the air with a louder laugh before Scrivener set him gently on his armored back. “But let us retire inside, then. I am sure Odin will have felt the Bifrost opening, and we shall see him shortly. I am surprised that thou permitted him to leave with Scarlet Sage, though... he had best keep his wretched talons to himself.”

“Sister, Odin is trying to make up for his mistakes. And even as Freya, my heart still goes out to him for that attempt, knowing how... how difficult it can be.” Celestia replied quietly, looking softly at Luna, and the sapphire winged unicorn grumbled a little and nodded as she headed for the library. Scrivener followed, pulling the wagon up beside the enormous, hollowed out tree as Antares bounced on his father's back with a giggle, and then the stallion smiled when Twilight approached and helped him out of the harness, giving him a look that was both entertained and gentle.

“It's like Antares felt the moment you and Luna returned... he woke up from where he was napping in his crib, excited, bouncy, energetic. Celestia and I felt the energy, too, but... for a foal to feel it, even connected to you both as it is...” Twilight smiled a bit as Antares babbled happily and buried his face into his father's mane, Scrivener looking curiously at the violet mare as they headed towards the library. “He really does have a strange gift. I don't know if it's his special talent or not... but he... senses things.”

“I know.” Scrivener smiled a little in return as they strode into the library, Twilight tilting he head even as her horn glowed and pulled the door closed behind her. “I have to wonder... how he sees things. I don't think it's like what happens when I stare too long at things, but... maybe it is, too. Maybe to him it's not scary like it is for me because... it's how things have always been. But maybe it's more than that, too... maybe he's able to not just see, but to feel.”

“Fee.” Antares agreed solemnly, and Scrivener gave his son an entertained look over his shoulder before the foal suddenly reared back, flailing his hooves and blurting: “Baby!”

Scrivener laughed, beginning to open his mouth, but then Twilight brightened and nodded, saying quickly: “That's right, I almost forgot! Hey, little guy, maybe you pay more attention than we realize...”

“Foals grow up fast.” Celestia said softly, smiling over at Twilight as Luna cocked her head curiously from where she was pulling off her armor, before the winged unicorn said warmly: “Applejack gave birth a few days after you left. A beautiful daughter, who they've named Avalon. She's a Pegasus... and I don't think I've ever seen Applejack or Rainbow Dash prouder.”

Luna laughed delightedly at this, stomping her hooves firmly before she hurriedly shook off the rest of her armor, but before she could manage to throw all of her gear off, Twilight glanced up and added quickly: “I'm sure they'll be glad to have you stop by, Luna, but at the same time I don't think you should just go barging in right now. A lot of the Apple Clan from across Equestria are over there right now, congratulating them and helping out with things on the farm. It's been pretty hectic, so... maybe you could wait a day or two, or at least tell them you plan on stopping in...”

“Yes, that sounds so like me.” Luna said drolly, and Scrivener rolled his eyes in amusement even as he gently pulled Antares from his back to set him quietly down on the ground, the foal happily scooting around on the floor of the library as Scrivener began to take off his armor. “Very well, though, if only for the sake of the newborn... I am glad that Antares will have a friend near his own age, though. Although likely nowhere near my son's level anywhere else.”

Luna puffed up at this proudly, and Scrivener rolled his eyes as Twilight and Celestia both gave the sapphire winged unicorn a flat look, the ivory, rainbow-maned mare saying dryly: “Little sister, you do understand that it isn't a competition...”

“Bah, everything in life is competition!” Luna retorted, waving a hoof imperiously, and Antares burbled as he sat back and attempted to mimic the gesture, then fell on his back with a giggle. Luna gave her son an amused look, then she shook her head quickly before adding softly: “But aye, fear not sister, I know. And I shan't rub it in their faces too much that Antares was likely running by the time their daughter learns to walk.”

She winked over at Celestia, who gave Luna an amused look before Scrivener said pointedly: “You know if you get yourself kicked in the face, I feel it, too.”

“And I would not have it any other way.” Luna replied comfortably, and Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes at this before the sapphire winged unicorn turned her eyes curiously towards Celestia. “Is there any other news? Although a new baby as it is, aye, I am sad to have missed that. I was dearly hoping that we would be here when Applejack finally gave birth... was her labor as difficult as mine?”

Celestia only smiled amusedly, shaking her head slightly before she replied softly: “It was very smooth. Applejack gave birth in the hospital, but she was sent home the day before yesterday. Avalon is strong, and Applejack is doing well. Rainbow Dash is a little overwhelmed but he's a very protective, generous father. He's finding his way but... borrowing a little from the other stallions in his life.”

Celestia smiled again over at Scrivener, who blushed and fidgeted awkwardly before Twilight reached up and squeezed the male's shoulder, saying gently: “And if that doesn't reassure you you're a good dad, then nothing will.”

“Thanks. To all of you.” Scrivener said softly, looking up with a small smile before he shook his head and added quietly, as he watched Antares happily run over towards a stack of toys near the crib on one side of the room: “And believe me. Luna and I are just blessed with... such a damn good kid.”

“Yeah. He's got some sharp teeth, though.” Twilight said reflectively, and Scrivener gave her a curious look before the violet mare added dryly: “And Luna, you really have to work him onto bottles more. Let's just say he thought I was you more than once.”

Luna grinned widely at this, and Twilight gave her a flat look in return as Scrivener cleared his throat and looked away... but then glanced downwards curiously as Antares ran hurriedly up to him with a toy in his mouth, spitting it out and then smiling brightly as he declared: “Tia!”

Scrivener looked down curiously at the toy, picking it gently up before he smiled despite himself: it was a silvery winged unicorn doll, with beryl buttons for eyes, its wings, mane, and tail all deep black. The stallion turned it thoughtfully back and forth in his hooves, and then he gently held it down to Antares as he leaned up insistently before gladly taking it and hugging the large stuffed pony up against his chest, burbling happily.

Luna looked across at Celestia with interest as the ivory equine smiled and shrugged, saying softly: “I am not sure quite why, but during my last visit to the Temple of the Sun, I felt compelled to go down to the street vendors and look around. Usually it's nothing but expensive junk... you know, merchants, trying to peddle to the latest fashions of the nobles. But I came across this, and it... reminded me of you both somehow.”

Luna looked thoughtfully at the toy as Antares burbled happily and clung to it, and then the winged unicorn smiled slightly as her eyes flicked up to Scrivener. “All the wrong parts mixed together... aye, that does seem like us, doesn't it Scrivy?”

Scrivener smiled at this, nodding thoughtfully as he looked towards the foal, and then Antares shook the doll before he hugged it close again and chewed gently at the black, plastic horn standing out of its forehead. “It looks like you picked a good choice, Celestia. Antares seems to adore it.”

The rainbow-maned mare only smiled a little in response, hesitating for a moment before she replied softly: “It's... strange though, I have to admit. I was instantly drawn to the toy... but at the same time, I look at it, and it gives me... chills.”

“Well, do not worry, Celestia, thou art enormous. Should the scary toy come to life and attempt to harm thee, thou need merely sit on it.” Luna said kindly, and Celestia sighed, giving her little sister an imploring look even as Twilight did her best to hold in a smile. “Well, 'tis true! Look at the size of thee! Thy flank is as grand as Sleipnir's!”

“Flank!” Antares waved a hoof at the air, then he looked down at the doll clutched against his body before he suddenly threw it, sending it sailing a short distance up into the air before it fell with a gentle clack to the floor, and he giggled and flailed his hooves a little at this sight. “Fly!”

“He has grown so much...” Luna murmured softly, and she smiled faintly as Antares scooted over to his toy, picking it up and tossing it into the air again, giggling quietly at this process as if fascinated by it. “In only a week... oh, I am glad we have done what we did but all the same...”

She shook her head slowly, then strode over to her son and leaned down, kissing his temple gently, and Antares looked up at her with a smile as Twilight said softly: “But now you're back, right? And you won't have to go and place another anchor for a while, Odin was saying...”

Celestia nodded in agreement, giving a reassuring look over at Luna.. and then she reared back slightly when Antares tossed the toy and it almost hit her, the foal giggling as he scooted over to he and then picked the doll up, holding it up to Celestia as she looked awkwardly down at the child and he declared: “Tia! Tia!”

“Well, go ahead, Tia, my foal obviously wishes for thee to help make his toy fly.” Luna said imperiously, and Celestia gave her younger sister a flat look before the sapphire winged unicorn grinned slightly and winked in response.

Then Celestia sighed softly before she smiled a little when Antares tossed the toy up into the air, before the foal's eyes went wide as the winged unicorn doll took on a gentle golden glow, its wings spreading before Celestia tilted her head forwards, amethyst eyes softening as she watched the foal even as she guided the doll in a slow flight around the room. Antares marveled over it, falling on his back and pawing his hooves at the air as he watched, enthralled, as his beloved toy sailed slowly around in careful, slow circles through the library, before sloping slowly downwards and settling into a hover over Antares before the foal burbled as he reached up and pulled it out of the air with a quiet giggle.

He hugged it down against his body, and Celestia looked tenderly down over the child before her eyes roved towards her sister, as Luna said softly: “Thou hast our heartfelt thanks... Tia.”

“You know, little sister, your name shortens to 'Lu.'” Celestia remarked, and Luna huffed a little before the ivory winged unicorn smiled a little. “Baby nephews get privileges that younger siblings don't sometimes, sister.”

“Very well, but I think thou shall still always be our son's Aunt Tia, then. I like the sound of that.” Luna said thoughtfully, and then she smiled over at Scrivener as he nodded in agreement. “See, even the poet thinks so! 'Tis so rare we agree on things, now thou must allow it!”

“Alright, alright!” Celestia laughed despite herself, smiling after a moment as she shook her head before gazing over at Twilight when the violet mare tilted her head curiously. “Names carry... a particular power, a particular weight to them. I always said they should be respected. My siblings, on the other hoof...”

“Oh, but think of all the fun names we had for Sleipnir!” Luna said with relish, grinning slightly up at her big sister with a wink. “Thou called him 'double-swing' once or twice, as I recall.”

“That's different. With Sleipnir, it was always... different.” Celestia said delicately, and Luna laughed but nodded all the same before the ivory equine smiled a little, glancing down at Antares as she added mildly: “Besides. He always seemed almost proud of the fact he was never the most sound pony around. And it wasn't as if either of you could have behaved any worse than you did on regular occasion anyway.”

Luna nodded agreeably at this, and then she glanced up as the library door opened, Antares looking up as well before rolling onto his stomach with a smile as Scarlet Sage came through the doorway, followed a moment later by Odin. The Pegasus gazed warmly at her parents, hurrying quickly over to Scrivener to share a quick hug with him before she ran across the room... and laughed when Antares ran in front of her with a happy burble, the Pegasus easily sweeping him up in her forelegs before her wings flapped and she carried both herself and Antares into her mother's open embrace.

Antares burbled happily between the mares as Luna and Scarlet Sage squeezed one-another tightly, and then the foal smiled as he dropped to the floor, picking up his stuffed pony and scooting to the side as he pointed and declared: “Old-win!”

“Old-win is here, yes. And he is very glad to see that you and Scrivener are in one piece, Brynhild... although I have the feeling not everything went according to plan.” Odin paused, smiling a little as Scarlet Sage slipped to sit beside her mother with a curious look towards her. “Mostly because I've learned that with you, things never tend to go to plan.”

“Did thou mean to dump us in a desert on the wrong side of the world?” Luna asked blandly, and Odin cocked his head in surprise before Luna grinned wryly at this reaction. “I take it thou did not, then. Because that is where we ended up, in some accursed barrens called the Evening Isles, where 'tis eternal dusk. We very quickly made the acquaintance of a bounty hunter named Corvette, and even faster than that became his enemy. He attempted to steal the anchor from us but we roundly pummeled the traitorous cur.”

“Perhaps you had better start at the beginning, Brynhild.” Odin said slowly, and Luna nodded after a moment before she sat back with a small smile, as the once-god looked curiously over her. “Now, tell me first about this place you ended up in, the desert.”

Luna nodded, starting on the story, and trading off with Scrivener Blooms after a few minutes to let him continue with the description of Watershed and meeting Leafy Greene. The two traded back and forth naturally, and even Antares seemed to be listening as the foal laid on the floor, chewing a little at his doll but otherwise staring back and forth between his mother and father and every now and then parroting a word here and there, looking content with the presence of friends and family all around.

As Luna finished the story with their exit, Odin was left frowning, looking across at her quietly, and the sapphire winged unicorn gave him a sulky look even as she prepared herself for a lecture. But the once-god's next words took her by surprise as he murmured: “I may have made an error of judgment, Brynhild. This mission... it could be more dangerous than I'd originally imagined.”

“Art thou not going to scold me at least a little?” Luna asked after a moment, and she cleared her throat when Odin gave her a flat look. “Well, 'tis strange, that is all! I am so used to being lectured by thee, by Celestia, by Twilight Sparkle, even by Scrivener Blooms, the world feels upside-down when I am not told what a naughty pony I am.”

“Little sister, focus.” Celestia said gently, and Luna grumbled and nodded after a moment before the ivory equine glanced towards Odin and asked quietly: “Do you think these shapeshifters are being produced by something?”

“It's possible, considering that Scrivener Blooms mentioned a core of some kind fell out of one of the creatures. They may be something more refined and malign than simply shards of created consciousness, if that is the case.” Odin replied with a slow nod, resting both his hands on top of the cane before he frowned a little as his eyes roved to the stallion, who looked up nervously at the once-god. “Did you notice marks or damages on the bodies of the shapeshifters before it was destroyed by the liquid?”

Scrivener hesitated, then glanced over at Luna, their eyes meeting as they traded memories back and forth, forming crystal-clear images in both their minds before the stallion returned his gaze to Odin, saying quietly: “Nothing but a few scratches and a bit of sand. Why?”

“Because blood is also a liquid, and yet that did not melt them as alcohol and apparently simple water did.” the once-god replied, and Scrivener and Luna both looked up in dumb surprise as Celestia smiled despite herself, seeming impressed even as the falcon-headed entity smiled wryly over at her. “Freya, do you have an idea why that could be, though?”

“I do. Blood is the river of the soul, containing life force and spiritual essence. The shapeshifters may feed off such... in that case, the liquid would be neutralized as it was absorbed.” Celestia replied with a nod, and Odin gave her a soft smile in return before the rainbow-maned equine hesitated and added slowly: “But there are many other possible factors as well. Almost too many to know for certain until we have more experience battling these creatures... from what you described though, Scrivener, something about most liquids disagrees with them. I have to wonder... what kind of world must these creatures be from, for their kind to have not long died out from such a vulnerability?”

Scrivener grimaced a little at this thought, muttering: “The world was windless and cold and dead, and the shadows offered no respite, but were as gaping jaws, waiting to devour me...”

Odin gave him a solemn look, and Celestia smiled a little before she asked quietly: “Why don't you ever quote any of your own poetry, Scrivener? With all due respect, I believe that most of what you write is dark and ominous enough to suit situations like this nicely.”

“Well, thank you, Celestia, but that would be supremely arrogant on my part. I'd be like Luna, always talking about how great I am.” Scrivener replied blandly, and Luna gave him a sour look before Antares giggled a little, and the male smiled faintly as his eyes roved to the foal before he added quietly: “And besides. Everything in the world's already been said, every story has already been told. All we do is change around the words and characters a little, even when we think we have an original idea. That scares me a little sometimes, you know? Somewhere... maybe this has all already happened, already been told, already been recorded and written down, and... forgotten.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Twilight looked over at Scrivener and said softly: “We aren't going to forget you, Scrivy.” A pause, and a small smile. “You're just too much of a pain in the flank.”

“Thanks, Twilight. You've embarrassed me and insulted me at the same time, most ponies can only manage one or the other.” Scrivener replied wryly, and then he shook his head before adding hesitantly, as his eyes turned to Odin: “I don't think... the shapeshifters are a serious threat as long as we keep in mind what their weaknesses are, and remember to keep distance if possible. If an earth pony like me can take one down – ironically enough, I might add – with booze, then... we should be able to stay safe. And they appeared in three...”

“Three is the root of nine, the most powerful number in regards to fate and magic.” Odin said softly, and then he sighed when Luna blew a raspberry at him and Celestia shifted uncomfortably, Twilight and Scarlet Sage both frowning curiously. The once-god glanced over at them with something like surprise, and then his eyes roved to Celestia, who shrugged after a moment as Luna only continued to look stoic, and a moment later the falcon-headed god smiled wryly. “It's amazing the way things change, what becomes forgotten, and what rises back to the surface.”

Scrivener laughed a little a Luna huffed, retorting irritably: “Oh, 'tis superstitious nonsense. Thou may have an obsession with the damnable number but the only true meaning it carries is the meaning that thou gives it. And the only reason it gains meaning at all is because thou art an annoying, doddering old relic who was once a mighty brutish god.”

Odin looked calmly at Luna, then turned his eyes to Celestia, who shrugged and glanced from Luna to the falcon-headed being before she said carefully: “I don't put much stock in the old myth... but it has been said that combinations of threes and nines point towards a strengthening of certain magics, among other things. Miracles and blessings are often said to fall upon dates that reflect multiples of those numbers as well, and there are many other legends-”

“It is all coincidence and nonsense. Next thou shall tell me that there are three Norns because of the same foolishness, or... that the shapeshifters have been sighted in threes because of some secret magical law.” Luna complained, and when Odin looked at her pointedly, she glared back, saying flatly: “If nine is so special, old lecher, then why were there forty Valkyries?”

“Because my wife wouldn't let me have ninety.” Odin said kindly, and for a moment Luna only looked at him... and then the winged unicorn threw her head back and laughed as the cyclops smiled wryly, saying dryly: “But a woman's magic has always been more dangerous than the darkest of Helheim's hexes and curses, just as it is the one thing that can soothe where the holy blessings of Asgard may fail.”

“Aye, a mare's love is a powerful thing indeed.” Luna agreed, winking over at Scrivener, and the male sighed a little before Luna's eyes roved to Twilight, lingering silently over her for a few seconds before the starry-maned winged unicorn gazed down towards Antares Mīrus as the foal shifted a little on the ground, snoozing quietly with his head on the winged unicorn doll. “But I think there are few loves more powerful than a parent's for her child.”

She fell silent, hearing the faintest of whispers in the back of her mind, but she hurriedly blocked it out before stepping forwards and gently lifting Antares in her forelimbs, cradling him quietly as she gazed down into his eyes softly. “But I must admit something, Odin... and it is that in spite of everything, in spite of... how direly it did hurt to be away from my child... my concerns for Antares, for the worlds, and for what these shapeshifters want, my... my responsibilities outweigh my desire to be beside my little colt every moment of every day. Yes, I wish I could be there to witness his every growth, his every change, his every evolution... but I know that I cannot. That it will be much more worthwhile if... if I am out there, helping place these anchors. Helping protect the layers, and prevent evil from seeping into this world, or into the core reality, to threaten everything we have spent so much time on and worked so hard for.”

Scrivener nodded slowly as Scarlet Sage smiled faintly, bowing her head forwards a bit as Odin looked for a few moments in silence at Luna. Then the falcon-headed entity laughed quietly, murmuring softly: “You are still a Valkyrie, Brynhild. No matter how they shunned you in the past... I want you to know that you still embody everything I'd hoped the Valkyries could be.”

“I do not know whether to blush or pummel thee.” Luna muttered, then she looked moodily over at Celestia, adding wryly: “But at least I suppose it means that someone is finally recognizing how much better than thou I am, big sister. 'Tis about time.”

“I'm glad you feel that way, Luna.” Celestia replied mildly, and then she softened, adding in a quieter voice: “But Odin is right, you know. I can think of no one else who exemplifies what the Valkyries once were. Even more than myself, Luna, it's always been you... a warrior of the old ways, mixing honor and passion into one.”

Luna blushed and shifted, mumbling, as she hugged Antares close against her body with a small smile, and Odin chuckled quietly as he gazed over at the rainbow-maned mare, adding softly: “Do not worry, Freya, I meant nothing against you. Without your guidance and aid, after all, I am well aware that Sleipnir and Brynhild would have been much harder-pressed... in this life and the last.”

“It's alright, Odin.” Celestia smiled over at the once-god, shaking her head with a quiet laugh. “As I just said, I agree with you. I... did not do the best of jobs when I first came to this world.”

Odin only smiled a little in return, and then Luna grumbled a bit before she shifted quietly, carrying Antares carefully over to his crib to settle him in as Scrivener and Twilight sat back in the awkward hush that fell through the building. Then, finally, Odin nodded once to himself before he looked up and asked: “Will a month serve as a long enough break between missions, Brynhild?”

Luna gazed thoughtfully down at the foal in the crib, watching Antares shift a little, clinging to his toy and murmuring softly. Then she smiled faintly, nodding slowly after a moment before glancing over her shoulder towards Odin, saying quietly: “Aye, it will. But I would like to request that thou permits Pinkamena to journey with us next time-”

“And I'd like to go too.” Scarlet Sage added suddenly, blushing a bit, and Odin tilted his head curiously as the ponies all looked at her with surprise, the Pegasus shrinking a little before she rose her head with an awkward smile and looked quietly from her mother to her father. “I... I know that Antares liked me around, but... by the end of the week, he was settling in with Twilight and Celestia just fine. I mean, I wasn't here nearly as much over the last two days and he's been okay and all, so... I think... I think it would be better if I was out there. Helping you and mom.”

She looked quietly towards Scrivener, who softened as he gazed back at her before his eyes flicked curiously to Luna. The sapphire winged unicorn looked undecided, meeting Scrivener's eyes with her own and grimacing a little as their irises locked, thoughts and ideas and worries beginning to trade back and forth between them even as Celestia started gently: “Scarlet Sage, your desire to help your parents is an admirable one, but taking care of Antares is very important as well...”

“I... believe me, Scarlet Sage, I understand. I really, really understand.” Twilight added quietly, smiling faintly across at the Pegasus as the violet mare gazed at her softly. “But I also know that... my talents are better suited here for now. Keeping everypony safe and sound and... you know.”

Scarlet Sage nodded a little, bowing her head forwards before she looked at Odin, but the falcon-headed entity remained silent as he instead looked thoughtfully towards Scrivener and Luna. The two were still sharing thoughts, ignoring the world around them before the link suddenly broke as Scrivener grunted and closed his eyes, and Luna looked up with a confident smile, glancing over her shoulder and saying quietly: “Scarlet Sage. I want for thee to think upon this... but ultimately, I shall leave the choice to be thine own.”

Celestia and Twilight both looked surprised as Odin tilted his own head, seeming interested but not nearly as shocked as the other ponies, and Luna turned her eyes to the once-god as she said quietly: “Aye, Scarlet Sage can be there to comfort her little brother... but Twilight and Celestia... are close family as well. Are Antares' family as well, and... I wish for that to be clear. For Antares to truly learn that. And furthermore, I do not... wish to underestimate what Scrivener Blooms and I may encounter in other layers. Corvette was a fool who should not have been so dangerous, and yet he was, because we underestimated him and because he had superior knowledge of the area and superior numbers backing him. He had familiarity, which is almost as powerful as intelligence.

“Scarlet Sage is a Blood Seer. She has been learning well, but... training is no replacement for true experience.” Luna said quietly, her eyes roving to her daughter as she nodded slowly. “And these missions are important and difficult, aye, but... they are not extremely dangerous. Unless, Odin, thou can no longer guarantee where we land in these layers, and the layers begin to grow more... inhospitable to our presence.”

“I cannot explain why you ended up in that desert, although it is seemingly a good thing that you did.” Odin replied quietly, then he rubbed slowly at the underside of his beak before looking towards Celestia, asking softly: “Your thoughts, Freya? As a Valkyrie, not just as concerned kin.”

Celestia grimaced a little as she looked towards Odin for a moment, then she shook her head slowly and said slowly: “It's... difficult. It's not that I am incapable of separating the two but... it's uncomfortable for me to try and think purely by logic and strategy these days. I have learned that compassion may lead to flaws, but lack of it can lead to far worse things, and far greater regrets.”

Odin only looked at her curiously as Scarlet Sage turned almost-nervous eyes on her aunt, and for a few moments Celestia was silent before she finally said quietly: “I still think it would be safer for you to stay here... but maybe... it's time for you to begin finding you own path, which means taking risks, making mistakes... and doing what you feel is right, most of all. Do what you feel is right, Scarlet Sage.” Celestia paused, then smiled a little. “Maybe what I'm really just afraid of is that I won't be able to handle looking after Antares by myself.”

“A strange thing for you to be afraid of, Celestia.” Scrivener said softly, and the rainbow-maned winged unicorn gave him a small smile before the charcoal stallion glanced towards his daughter, adding: “You already are a good daughter, who does a lot for us, Scarlet Sage. Don't feel you have to do this just to impress us... Luna and I are always going to support your choices, and you already make us proud, every day.”

The silver Pegasus smiled faintly at this, blushing a bit before Twilight sighed a little, then glanced up and asked after a moment: “What if we take turns? I mean... say if Pinkamena and Scarlet Sage went with you next time... the the time after that I could go with you, or... or somepony else...”

She blushed a little, and Luna and Scrivener both gazed softly towards the violet mare for a few moments before Odin smiled a little, bowing his head forwards. “Then I suppose that's settled. But Brynhild, Scrivener, I won't take up any more of your time, and I now have several subjects of my own to consider. I am glad to see you back, however. Twilight, Freya... do please make sure they take care of their injuries.”

“As always.” Celestia replied with a small smile, nodding to the falcon-headed once god, and Odin smiled back as he turned and carefully pushed his way out through the door. He closed it carefully behind him, then stood for a moment in the warm summer air as his expression became more worried, rubbing slowly at his face as he wondered silently what he had gotten these ponies into, and just what hidden dangers were lurking in the depths of the different layers.

Echoes Of Darkness

Chapter Fourteen: Echoes Of Darkness
~BlackRoseRaven

Perhaps it was the lack of energy, too much thinking, or simply all the built-up stress and fatigue crashing in at once, but as the day wore on Scrivener found himself becoming restless and frustrated. It got to the point that eventually Luna realized they would have to head back to the cottage, because Scrivener had begun to see 'beneath the masks,' as he and Pinkamena both liked to phrase it.

When Scrivener allowed his mind to wander or became agitated, he began to see the world differently, due to the poisoning of his mind. At first it would be small things, like a shimmer of aura, a flash of a different and alien shape... but that was only the start, and as things grew worse or Scrivener found himself staring longer at ponies, they would take on different, distorted shapes.

He had grown used to it, to a point: as he liked to remark dryly, he was no longer screaming and panicking whenever he looked at a pony and saw something else there instead. And at times, he had to admit it had its usefulness: it let him catch a glimpse, however difficult-to-decipher and metaphorical it was, of the pony's personality, of what hidden secrets were inside them, of their emotions and their deepest thoughts.

But all the same, it was unpleasant: it made his eyes and mind ache, it made his thoughts churn, it awoke strange stirrings of unwelcome emotions through his body. And adding to the discomfort was the fact that any time Scrivener allowed himself to fall into this state, the visions would often continue to haunt him until he was able to lay down and rest... but to rest, meant to risk a nightmare.

That was where Scrivener was now, trapped in the grips of dark dreams, alone. It was night, and he knew that Luna was still awake, talking to Scarlet Sage as she looked after Antares, who was too excited to sleep. She had insisted he try and nap for a little while, to clear his mind and make the visions go dormant again... and Scrivener smiled faintly as he stood, half-wyrm and half-pony in this twisted-up nightmare world, gazing silently up at the pallid ivory moon overhead in which he could vaguely see shapes out of the outside world. “So weird... to be asleep, and yet able to... still feel Luna there. To catch those... echoes.”

“Echoes are dangerous, aren't they, Scrivener Blooms?” asked a calm, charming voice that Scrivener recognized all too well, closing his eyes as he felt a chill run down his spine. Footsteps approached slowly from behind, and he gritted his teeth at the sound of the loafers striding closer through the mire before the charcoal pony turned around and glared at the bipedal dragon that approached, smiling coldly down at him. “Some never completely fade.”

Scrivener was silent, looking slowly over the terrible shape of the Jötnar known as Valthrudnir: dressed in a pristine ivory suit whiter than his polished ivory scales, with his sharp, mocking amber eyes in his handsome, smooth features, he was handsome and cultured and yet child-like for all the way he towered to the sky. Rings glinted on his fingers, his arms crossed, his expression arrogant as he continued calmly: “After all. I may be gone, destroyed, but... you'll never truly be free of me, will you? I've left too much of an impression on you... just as I have on this entire universe. Oh, sure. I'm just a memory now. I'm just a bad dream that wanders in and out of your mind. I can be wished away and even as paranoid and delusional as you are, you can see the flaws, the differences, that show I'm not really here. Just bad memories...”

Valthrudnir smiled slightly, leaning forwards as he asked softly: “But you... long for me in a way, don't you? You miss those good old days... you miss the delights that came with matching your wits against mine, the feeling of superiority... perhaps even the pain I brought you as well as the pleasure. And you miss having a scapegoat to blame for when things went wrong... so you could say, 'it's not my fault, it's the puppetmaster in my head!'”

The Jötnar shook his head slowly, eyes glinting as he grinned cruelly, and Scrivener clenched his eyes shut before he dropped his head forwards and said quietly: “I'm not going to let myself get pulled into this. You're gone. Destroyed. You can't hurt me anymore, you can't hurt Luna anymore, you're gone, and I'm not afraid of you...”

“But that's not the real problem, is it? Oh no, Scrivener Blooms, even when you were afraid of me, that only drove you to fight harder against me.” Valthrudnir replied softly, and then he smiled coldly before he reached calmly upwards, past his long black horns, to grasp the back of his own smooth head as he said quietly: “The reason I continue to be your greatest fear... is because I am also the sum of everything you admire and desire.”

Valthrudnir pulled forwards, his features becoming nothing more than a cheap rubber mask that was easily pulled away from the features of a charcoal equine with a smooth ivory mane, and Scrivener stared in horror at the reflection of himself that lacked scars, that looked confident and arrogant and cold, that had terrible amber eyes... and the vision of the Jötnar smiled calmly, saying softly as he tossed the mask aside: “Don't deny it. Valthrudnir was everything you wish you could be... powerful, intelligent, cunning, ruthless... he was able to do anything he wanted. If only you... I... possessed that power... we could actually protect Luna. We could actually have value...”

“No...” Scrivener clenched his eyes shut, turning his head away as he reached a claw up to grasp at his face, whispering: “No matter how strong Valthrudnir was, there... there was nothing to admire there. Even with all his power, he was nothing more than... than a monster. He was pedantic, and pathetic, and... and weak. He was so weak for how strong he was...”

“Was he? A person's morals, or lack thereof, have no effect on their strength.” argued the reflection, but Scrivener kept his eyes closed, his head turned away, trying to will the nightmare gone before he shivered as the Jötnar leaned in close and whispered: “His power was almost infinite. Foolish enough to let himself be destroyed or not, his plans continued to move long after his death... and for all you know, may even now be continuing to move forwards. Wouldn't we do great things with his powers? Imagine if we were that strong...”

Scrivener only laughed dryly, however, finally turning his head forwards and looking coldly up at the Jötnar version of himself as he whispered: “But that's exactly it, I have imagined it. I have imagined what I would do with all that power... and look at me.” Scrivener silently held up his warped claw, then closed his eyes and silently brushed back his ragged mane as a shiver ran through him. “I would be selfish. I would be... stupid. And maybe the reason I can't get Valthrudnir out of my head is because... I can almost relate to him.”

Scrivener looked silently up at the Jötnar reflection, and then he bowed his head forwards, closing his eyes as the tall, ominous giant leaned back and looked down at him intently. “Nothing excuses what Valthrudnir did. Nothing makes it okay. But all that power, and wanting to use it, chasing after his desires, seeking such an extreme... I... I know I would have been guilty of doing the same. I don't want to admit that... but it's true. It's true... I would have done the same, I might have even... done worse.”

Scrivener opened his eyes, but when he looked back and forth in surprise, he found that he was alone, the Jötnar reflection gone. The twisted half-wyrm, half-pony looked nervously back and forth, and then he took a slow, shuddering breath before loosening his stance, muttering quietly: “Fear is a sane response. It's too bad I'm obviously crazy and unwell.”

He looked back and forth again apprehensively, then shook his head slowly: nothing but mire and dead trees, and the dark sky above in which a few fetid stars burned around the sallow orb of the moon. There was a strange, grim sense of being watched, but Scrivener disregarded it as he looked back up towards the glowing, pale sphere in the sky, saying softly: “It still amazes me that... with how messed-up Luna and I both are, we could have a son like Antares. Our little miracle... who's growing up so fast. I only hope that he's... he never has to experience what we went through. And that we never... hurt him. Damage him.”

Scrivener shook his head slowly, smiling faintly before he winced a little as a voice muttered: “You were nothing but a shame upon the family...”

The half-wyrm looked in the direction of this voice, one he recognized all too well, and he caught a shadowy profile of a unicorn amongst the rotten trees before it vanished from sight like smoke. For a moment, Scrivener shivered... and then another voice said softly, coldly: “I can only imagine what a disappointment you were to your parents. Almost as great a failure as my daughter was to me...”

He turned around, catching sight of a translucent Pegasus walking by, vanishing behind another tree as he heard the snarl of some voracious, vicious wolf... and then Scrivener gritted his teeth before he said softly: “You and Bramblethorn really would have loved each other, Sol Seraph... but neither of you are welcome in my head. Pretty sure the fact we didn't allow either of you to cross the Bifrost made that clear.”

There was only silence in response, and Scrivener closed his eyes, shaking himself quickly out as he muttered: “That's right. Let's get out of this nightmare. I'm not like either of you... no predator, no monster, hunting her own kind, willing to murder her own daughter just because she didn't turn out the way I wanted... and nothing at all like you, Brambles. But in a way... I should thank you. Because it's because of how you treated me, growing up, that I've decided to put so much effort into being the best damn father I can be. I think about you every day, about what you did... so that I can remind myself to keep doing the opposite. To keep pushing myself towards being... a goddamn good father instead of... instead of you.”

There was silence, but as Scrivener looked back and forth, more stars began to shine in the night sky, and the moonlight became stronger, illuminating the dark forest around him as Scrivener smiled, feeling the nightmare receding as he thought of friends and family. Memories that pushed back and blocked out the bad thoughts, the dark thoughts, as Pinkamena's voice echoed moodily from the trees: “Guess growing up sucked for a lot of us here, huh? Maybe that's why we all get along so well.”

“You ain't a bad guy, Scrivy. And you and Luna are great parents... yeah, I see what you mean. I know myself that... I'm gonna love my kid no matter what.” Rainbow's voice added firmly, and there was a clattering before he added cheerfully: “Also, buying colas doesn't get you out of paying for the next round of drinks. Here's to you, buddy.”

Scrivener smiled a little to himself, shaking his head slowly as the memories filtered out before he began to stride forwards... and as he walked, the world around him warped and distorted, transforming from a dark nightmare forest to a street of black stone, bowing his head forwards he passed dark shapes and strange visions, skeletons and Nightmares and demons. Things that he knew should have scared him... but for some reason, never really had.

Heavy, looming dark stone buildings rested on either side of him, here and there etched with symbols taken from Luna's memories, and as Scrivener walked through this black temple-city, he wondered quietly: “This stage... the good dreams made from bad dreams... used to scare me. Sometimes even now does, because it makes me think, especially when I'm here alone... but I'm never really alone, am I? Luna, even when we're apart, can still hear my whispers in her mind... and if I call out for her, she can come to me, just as I can go to her if I hear her calls in return. And Nightmare Moon... I know you're always there. Listening. Looking for a way in.”

The male paused, glancing to the side, and he thought he saw a flash of dark, dangerous cyan eyes in an archway before they vanished... and then he glanced quietly up, looking towards the enormous, curving staircase at the end of this seemingly-endless street that led upwards towards a black, enormous castle. For a few moments, Scrivener only stood... and then he shook his head slowly, saying quietly: “But we gave most of this world up. This world of dark pleasures, dark desires, dark dreams. I miss it, but... we can't indulge our darkness while trying to set a good example for Antares, too. We're not... monsters. We're parents.”

He quieted and smiled a little... then glanced curiously to his right at the sound of a whispering breeze before Nightmare Moon strode calmly up alongside him, the enormous, dark-coated equine leaning forwards and asking gently: “And cannot monsters be parents too, Scrivener Blooms? Or would you say that I am only one and not the other... are you so coy and teasing to call me a monster, or so compassionate and understanding to say I am as much a parent to Antares as you and Luna are?”

“I think we both already know the answer to that, Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener muttered, looking less-than-thrilled with the appearance of the dark entity as he drew his eyes along her. “You're a troublemaker. A fire-starter. Especially these days.”

“Now, that's not entirely fair, my beloved... I only want to guide you and Luna on the best possible path through the darkness. I only wish to once more help you embrace everything you've turned away from... we were so strong back then, were we not?” Nightmare Moon gazed up towards the dark stone castle framed against the night sky in the distance, a sultry smile on her features, eyes half-lidded as she whispered: “And we all miss those days so badly...”

Scrivener shifted uneasily, grimacing a bit before Nightmare Moon's eyes slowly roved back down to him, studying him as she continued in a soft, coy voice: “Yes, you know it to be true, don't you? It is not that I do not admire your resolve to resist... but all the same, it has left us... simply not quite as strong as we once were. You have lost some of your edge, Luna has lost some of her darkness... and we are left confused and concerned.

“But what truly bothers me is that I still get to so rarely spend time with my son, Antares Mīrus... and he is my son as much as yours or Luna's.” Nightmare Moon continued softly, looking down at Scrivener as her expression became more serious, more measuring. “Do you think we mean to harm our child? Do you think we would do anything to interfere with our handsome foal's development?”

“Interfere, not exactly.” Scrivener replied quietly, looking moodily over at Nightmare Moon. “But you do have a habit of trying to exacerbate or speed-up certain things. Luna... and I... are both concerned that you would try and give Antares a helping hoof he really doesn't need.”

“Why would I? I wish to spend time with him out of maternal instinct, out of a wish to adore my newest and most-precious treasure... but for all that he delights me, he is also not the most important thing in the world to me.” Nightmare Moon said softly, and Scrivener felt a chill run down his spine as the dark-coated winged unicorn smiled affectionately. “You are, and always will be, the most important thing in all the worlds to us...”

Scrivener glanced awkwardly away, dragging his claw slowly against the dark stone street, and then he shook his head and muttered: “I shouldn't be, Nightmare Moon. I... don't deserve that. And Antares-”

“Yes, we know: most ponies believe that motherhood should bring with it some almost-supernatural, automatic love and attachment above all else. But I do not possess this... and why not?” Nightmare Moon smiled indulgently, as Scrivener looked across at her moodily to try and hide some of the anxiety he felt twisting inside his veins. “It is not because I am heartless or a monster, I did not say I do not feel some love and devotion for the child, after all... but our first dedication is to you. We will always be dedicated to you, first and foremost...”

The dark-coated winged unicorn bowed her head forwards, and Scrivener grimaced a little as he looked silently up towards the black castle, as Nightmare Moon continued gently: “But you were the one who helped quell Luna's fears and worries... the child was not. The child did not dedicate so much time and effort to us... the child did not flee with us into exile. The child was not there beside us for all those years, fighting, living... dying. It was always you, Scrivener Blooms... it is you who we promised ourselves to. And would you not die for us before you died for your son?”

Scrivener looked silently over at Nightmare Moon, and then he closed his eyes, saying quietly: “I love Luna with all my heart and soul, Nightmare Moon... I would give up my own life for her, in a heartbeat. But if I had to choose between an innocent, loving foal, and saving Luna... I would have to pick my son.”

Nightmare Moon looked surprised, rearing back slightly before Scrivener's eyes opened, looking coldly across at the dark entity. “Luna and I are both stained with corruption, as much as darkness. And we have you inside of us, too, who still doesn't seem entirely capable of processing the emotions of others. Still, I would save her if I could, because I love her, because she's my hero, because she means almost everything to me. But my first duty is to save Antares... because I believe in him. More than I ever have in myself, and maybe even more than I do in Luna. Because he has that purity, that we... maybe neither of us ever had. Because I don't know why, but.. I have so much faith that he's going to do something special, be someone special one day... and it's not just because I'm his father. It's because of something... something in his eyes, the way he looks at people, how he has so much potential...”

He fell silent, and Nightmare Moon looked quietly across at Scrivener Blooms before her eyes narrowed slightly, her starry mane and tail whisking backwards. The half-wyrm, half-pony looked up in surprise, feeling the rumble of anger from her before she leaned towards him and said coldly: “So you would let the child come between us?”

And Scrivener's eyes widened as he realized with shock that Nightmare Moon's sudden fury wasn't directed at him... it was directed at the foal. He could only stare in blank surprise, barely able to comprehend the reaction before the dark-coated winged unicorn stepped backwards, rearing her head high and continuing in an icy voice: “Of course. How foolish of me to believe Luna's lies, that a child would only strengthen our bonds... all it has served to do is push me back, towards the depths and darkness where Luna desires to keep me for all eternity, forgetting that I am as necessary a part of her as her horn, her hooves, her heart. This only goes to prove that between us, Scrivener Blooms, I am your true soulmate. I am your true love, because nothing... nothing... is above you, to me. You are our most precious treasure... but the child has made things... difficult.”

She gritted her sharp teeth, for a moment looking venomous, demonic, and Scrivener winced back before her features suddenly calmed and smoothed out, instead becoming almost gentle and beautiful as she looked at him softly. “Why do you fear me? You know that no matter what, I am never angry with you, oh beloved husband. You helped to free us, to bring us... focus and lucidity. You keep us stable, and give us something to fight for, and something to protect. You are the reason we do not need the adoration of any other pony...”

Scrivener grimaced a little, hesitating for a few moments before he finally asked quietly: “Can't Antares be part of that, too, then? Something else to remind you... of the good things you have, the reasons you don't need ponies... revering you?”

For a few moments, Nightmare Moon was silent, then she smiled and said gently: “Tender, loving husband. So generous. So thoughtful. So kind. Perhaps you are right... or perhaps it is only frustration that boils within me, that makes me desire to... lash out, this is also possible. Maybe if we are permitted to spend more time with the child, we will adjust to his presence... remember that he is a blessing, not a curse. Understand better what Luna meant by the child strengthening the bonds that are already tight between us.”

Scrivener was quiet, looking uncertainly at Nightmare Moon before he glanced back and forth in surprise as the world around him lost its stability and structure, becoming dark smoke as Nightmare Moon herself lost her shape and form, only her terrible, cunning eyes remaining amidst the shadows and swirling ash as she said kindly: “Luna calls for you, beloved. Awaken.”

Scrivener grunted... then snorted and bucked, flailing weakly at the air before his eyes fluttered open and he stared dumbly up at the ceiling of their bedroom. Then he grimaced a bit, rubbing slowly at his face as he heard a knock at the bedroom door before Scarlet Sage said awkwardly: “Dad, Mom is. Being Mom. Are you awake?”

“Yes, yes. Just need a minute.” Scrivener replied tiredly, resting his hooves over his eyes and feeling glad as always to find himself back to normal. Then he finally kicked the sheets off and sighed as he crawled up to his hooves, cracking his back with a grimace and walking forwards to headbutt the door lightly before opening it and smiling awkwardly out at Scarlet Sage. “Hey, kiddo. Antares?”

“Kind of, I think.” Scarlet Sage smiled a little, and she fell into step beside her father as they walked quietly down the corridor to find Luna grumpily digging at the bedding with her hooves, Antares snoozing quietly in a pile of pillows next to this. “I'll put on some coffee.”

Scrivener nodded, gazing at the Pegasus as she passed by before he turned his eyes to Luna, who looked grouchily up as she flopped down against the bedding, muttering as her tail whisked dangerously close to the burning blue flames in the fireplace behind her: “Scrivener Blooms, I wish to pummel Nightmare Moon. Possibly to death.”

“That would be killing part of yourself, Luna. And I love all of you. Even the prickly parts that are a little lacking in moral fiber.” Scrivener replied delicately, and Luna mumbled and then glared at him, and the earth pony sighed before striding over and flopping down beside her, letting her bury her face against his neck with a mumble as he gave her a small smile. “Look, warrior princess. I know it's... uncomfortable, there's this part of us – and I say 'us,' because we both know that the way Nightmare Moon acts is partly my fault – that is such a... well...”

“A bitch.” Luna supplied, and Scrivener raised a hoof and tilted it back and forth even as the sapphire winged unicorn mumbled childishly: “Well, she is. And a hussy. She is a hussy. And fat. Let us make Pinkamena eat her.”

“Nightmare Moon is just about the only thing that scares Pinkamena.” Scrivener pointed out, and Luna grumbled a little before she sighed and drew her head moodily back, their eyes locking as the stallion said softly: “I don't think she's going to try and hurt Antares, though, whatever she says. And I know you won't give her that chance. That even if she gained control for a little while, you still wouldn't let her lay a single hoof on him.”

Luna mumbled a little, nodding slowly before she looked silently past Scrivener towards the toddler sprawled out over the pillows, snoozing away with his winged unicorn doll under one hoof. The two softened at the sight, and then Luna grumbled a bit to herself before she added quietly: “But I will have thou know... for some reason, like Celestia, our son's strange toy disturbs me. Yet I do not know why, or how. It makes no sense, does it? 'Tis just some mottled toy Celestia came across. Bah, I blame Celestia for putting the idea into my head in the first place, this is all her fault. Everything is all her fault.”

“Yes, Luna. Everything is.” Scrivener gave her an amused look, then winced when Luna bopped him gently with her horn, making him grunt before he shoved at her lightly. She pushed back grouchily for a few moments, then they both settled before the earth pony's eyes roved slowly back to the toy, studying the odd doll before he murmured: “Still, though... little as I like to admit it... there is something weird about that toy. I... don't call me paranoid, but did you...”

“Check it for enchantments? Scrivener Blooms, this is no wicked fairy tale!” Luna scoffed, then she hesitated before blushing a little when Scrivener looked at her meditatively. “Oh very well, aye, I did shortly after Antares fell asleep. I poked and prodded it, but to no avail. There is... some... lingering traces of something about it that I simply could not define, but... it does not seem to be magical in and of itself. More as if some... residue, of some sort, has clung to the thing from whence it came.”

She quieted, then shook her head slowly as Scrivener thoughtfully slipped away from the bedding to gently reach down and slip the toy free from beneath Antares' hoof, and the foal murmured in his sleep before the stallion reached down and quietly stroked through his mane, the child settling quietly before Scrivener turned his thoughtful eyes on the doll. He looked back and forth over it, then looked down into its button eyes as he sat back on his haunches and shook it moodily, asking curiously: “And what's your name?”

He paused, and the button eyes seemed to gleam out at him almost knowingly before Scrivener smiled slightly and tilted the doll towards one ear, pretending to listen as Luna gave him an entertained look as Scarlet Sage watched with a small smile from the kitchen. Then Scrivy nodded thoughtfully as a name whispered through his mind before he drew the toy back, studying it with entertainment. “Gymbr, huh? Well, Gymbr, are you taking good care of my son?”

Scrivener gently guided the doll to nod, and the stallion smiled slightly before his eyes flicked towards Luna, saying mildly: “Well, I guess he checks out. I mean, he seems kind of like he'd be a jerk to most ponies, maybe like he's glued together from a lot of our bad parts... but if he really was a mix-and-match of us, I can't think of a pony who'd be more dedicated to caring for those important to him. Or her. Depends on how much of your raw masculinity cancels out my pretty-mare-likeness.”

“Oh fear not, Scrivener, with our powers combined we shall always be more mare than stallion.” Luna said kindly, and Scarlet Sage laughed quietly as Scrivener shook his head and smiled amusedly despite himself. “But perhaps thou art right. And honestly... I would rather an evil, wicked guardian willing to do anything to protect our child over some pompous, goody-two-hooves who may show mercy at a crucial juncture. 'Tis why I am so glad that Celestia is helping look after our child.”

The charcoal stallion rolled his eyes in entertainment, and then he reached down and gently slipped the toy back to Antares. Instinctively, the foal grasped it and pulled it closer, burbling a little before Scrivener reached out and quietly stroked between his son's ears, gazing at him softly as he murmured: “Maybe you're right about that, Luna. As long as it would never hurt our son.”

Luna smiled softly at his back, and then Scrivener turned and strode over to lay down beside the winged unicorn. Soon after, Scarlet Sage brought out a tray of coffee, and they sat together in comfortable silence for a little while before the Pegasus glanced up between them and said quietly: “I've been thinking about it since we talked and... well... I do still really want to come with you both on the next... mission you do for Odin.”

The winged unicorn nodded slowly as Scrivener gazed quietly across at Scarlet Sage, and then the silvery, growing-up mare smiled a little and glanced down, rubbing a hoof against a cushion. “Everypony's growing up. Scoot is training for a flight team and saving up money to move to Cloudsdale, Sweetie Belle is thinking about going to spend a year or two in Manehattan, Red spends a lot of her time helping out Big Mac and seems to be... the only other pony content to stay in Ponyville, you know? I hear the rest of them always complaining about it, how they want to leave for the big city or pursue their dreams somewhere else... I know a lot of them never will, though. But still...”

She halted, then shook her head quickly and sat back, smiling a little. “But in a way, it's nice. It reminds me of the old days... it makes me think of how... it's like everypony's really, honestly moving past Ragnarok now. And I mean, I know... across the nation, most ponies don't know about what happened. There are rumors, and whispers, but... no pony really knows, and most of them don't care to know anymore. They just want to move on with their lives, and... that's good, right?

“But it makes me think how... I need to move on with my own life, too.” Scarlet Sage said softly, glancing down and looking into her coffee: black as the night outside, the Pegasus smiling faintly before she looked up slowly. “I love living here. I love being with you. And I love you both. But I do know that... I have to grow up. I can't be the little filly you have to keep rescuing forever.”

“You have rescued us more than once, as I recall, Scarlet Sage.” Luna replied gently, and the Pegasus blushed a little as she shifted a bit before Luna nodded slowly, gazing at her quietly. “And I know that thou must. That sooner or later... thou must grow up, find thine own... place in the world. Only know that I shall be there to support thee every step of the way, that thine father and I both... shall always be there for thou. No matter what happens.”

“I know. I do know that... and I really, truly appreciate it.” Scarlet Sage replied softly, smiling a little as she closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards. The three were quiet for the next few minutes as they sipped at their coffee and Antares fidgeted a little in his sleep on the cushions, and then the Pegasus finally looked up and said quietly: “I don't really know what I want to do with my life, though. I like to... to help people, but my powers...”

“Thy powers themselves play no role in determining who thou art. It is how thou uses thy powers that helps determine that.” Luna said gently, and Scarlet Sage smiled a little as she gazed across at the winged unicorn quietly. “I know it is hard, Scarlet Sage. Terribly, awfully hard. That thou carries a very heavy weight upon thy head, and that... whether thou thinks of them as blessing or curse, these abilities still beg to be used. To be... tapped into. I understand that very well...”

Luna hesitated, then she shook her head slowly, continuing softly: “But just because thy special talent is prophecy and thy dark powers mean thou can manipulate the fabric of fate and life, it does not mean thou art cursed to be either a fortune-telling gypsy or some wicked witch in the wilds. And nor should thou feel that... because thy mother is a Valkyrie and thy father a... Valkyrie impersonator...” She smiled slightly over at Scrivener for a moment before returning soft eyes to Scarlet Sage. “Thou does not need to grow up a warrior, either.”

Scarlet Sage laughed a little and blushed at this, bowing her head silently forwards before she looked up and asked quietly: “So no matter what, you'll support me?”

“No matter what.” Scrivener said quietly but firmly, nodding slowly, and the Pegasus gazed from one to the other before she smiled faintly and closed her eyes, bowing her head towards them in visible gratitude and relief.

But they didn't talk any further on the subject that night: shortly after finishing her coffee, Scarlet Sage headed off to her room. A few minutes after that, Scrivener picked up Antares to take the foal to his crib, and he and Luna said their soft goodnights to the sleeping baby before turning out the light and leaving the baby bathed only in the glow of the moonlight flooding in through the window.

Scrivener and Luna curled up together quietly on the bedding: Scrivy's mind felt settled enough he thought they could actually manage a pleasant dream together instead of the usual nightmares. But instead, he found himself in dreamless, restless darkness, awakening a few hours later to find that he was alone, the lights out, only embers left in the fireplace... and then a chill ran down his spine as he felt that something was wrong.

He began to climb to his hooves... and then his blood turned to ice as he heard Nightmare Moon's quiet chuckle, the stallion staggering hurriedly to his hooves. He tried to call out mentally to Luna, but he felt their mental link fill with static, as the gentle, chiding voice of the dark creature inside Luna whispered from Antares' room: “Now, now, Scrivener Blooms... there's no need for alarm...”

Scrivener ran down the hall, skidding around the edge of the doorway... and then he glared into the child's room, his body trembling as he stared at Luna. But her expression was crafty, cunning, and her eyes had malevolent, slitted pupils that were looking almost-tenderly towards him before she gestured gently at the crib. “I have done no harm. See? I only wished to see my son...”

The stallion shuddered a little as his eyes roved towards Antares Mīrus, terrified for another moment... but even though the foal was squirming uncomfortably in his sleep, he was safely tucked in beneath his blankets, Gymbr clutched tight in his little forelegs. Scrivener hesitated, then he stepped forwards and reached down, nervously stroking through his son's mane... but when Antares settled at his touch, the male sighed in relief before his eyes slowly turned to Nightmare Moon, saying quietly: “I guess... I owe you an apology. But then why are you blocking Luna...”

“Oh please, Scrivener Blooms. I'm the coy one here, not you...” Nightmare Moon replied kindly through Luna's jaws, leaning forwards and half-lidding her eyes... eyes that still worried him, making him toss another look down at settling, quieting Antares and fear for the foal even in spite of the fact he seemed fine. “You know very well how Luna feels about me... and especially on the sensitive subject of our handsome son. I only desired to look upon him after some... thought on the subject, that is all, without having to fear Luna's violence and reprisals.

“Come, Scrivener Blooms. If it will settle you, let us leave. I have seen what I desired to see.” Nightmare Moon continued kindly, and Scrivener hesitated, feeling a churning inside him, a whisper through the mental link as he looked one last time down at Antares... and then he sighed softly, only reaching down to ensure the foal was neatly tucked in. All the same, he thought he saw a flash of tenseness go through the crafty mare... but he thought it might have just been his imagination as he turned towards her and found her only smiling lovingly. “Such a good father. Such a dedicated stallion. Come, Scrivener Blooms... you deserve a reward for your excellence as a parent and husband.”

Scrivener winced a bit, but followed Nightmare Moon to the den as she left. They laid down together, her still in the guise of Luna's shape as she began to massage along his shoulders and back, telling him to relax, making him comfortable even as he felt like something was wrong, something was off, as Luna's worried whispers passed now and then into his mind and he murmured back to her, while this dark passion piece of Luna continued to occupy and whisper soothing words to them both.

The sun began to rise a few hours later, but Nightmare Moon stayed firmly in control, refusing to relinquish her rare hold on Luna's body. Still, Scrivener couldn't shake his worries there was something else at work here... and then he frowned when Antares gave a quiet, whimpering cry from his bedroom, straightening immediately as Nightmare Moon allowed herself to be pushed away, gazing up at him with half-lidded eyes. “Antares doesn't usually cry...”

“I am sure it is merely a small adjustment. Go and see him.” Nightmare Moon invited, and Scrivener felt a chill at these words as he looked slowly towards her, but the winged unicorn rose her hooves with a smile up at him, saying gently: “I have done no harm to our son. You and Luna were right, after all... he will help us bond closer. He is our foal.”

Scrivener slowly stepped away from the bedding, then turned his attention down the hall as Antares gave another nervous cry, trying to use his words to babble something... and the earth pony shook his head before he hurried down the hallway, gritting his teeth before he pushed the door open and found Antares whimpering in his crib. He hurried forwards, sighing in relief... before his eyes widened in shock as he stumbled to a halt, instead staring down into the crib as he slowly picked himself up and Antares trembled, looking scared as he babbled weakly: “Da, no. No.”

“No...” Scrivener echoed weakly, and then he reached down and slowly picked up Antares, staring in shock at the leathery wings that had sprouted from his back. They had been hidden last night by the blanket, and Antares looked afraid as he kept kicking his legs and brushing at them, the strange appendages flapping a little before Scrivener felt Luna's raw rage roil through his mind, adding to his own... but instead of giving voice to it, he gritted his teeth, then hugged Antares tight up against his body, breathing hard as Antares clung to his father with a whimper, Gymbr clutched tightly in his other foreleg.

Scrivener slowly turned around, then strode down the corridor as Scarlet Sage emerged sleepily from her room... only to stare, first at the sight of her father's cold, tense features, and then at the sight of Antares cradled up against his body. She leaned backwards with a whispering gasp, and then Scrivener looked at Antares and said quietly: “I need you to be brave for me, son. I need you to be brave and strong and go with Scarlet Sage to Ponyville. To Celestia and Twilight, see if they can remove this. Luna and I need to have a chat with Nightmare Moon.”

“I... D-Dad...” Scarlet began, trembling, even as Antares whimpered and clung to his father, and then Scrivener gave his daughter a silent look, and she gritted her teeth before nodding once, hurrying past towards Antares' room.

Scrivener turned his eyes towards the den, stepping forwards into it with Antares cradled close... and Antares whimpered loudly at the sight of his mother, giving what sounded like a denial before he turned his head away and buried it against Scrivener's neck, and the male asked quietly: “How could you do this to him? He's just a foal...”

“And I made him better, that is all. I gave him... another way with which to connect with his mother.” Nightmare Moon replied kindly, raising her head with a calm smile. “It is the Centurion transformation. A gift we gave to help our precious subjects see in the old days of Nightmare Moon, during that short, bitter period of strife between myself and Celestia. You have seen their descendants, our old Centurions... our dark knight Pegasi, far superior to Celestia's forces... it has never been done on one so young, though.”

“You're trying to turn him into a slave to your will.” Scrivener whispered, hugging the child closer and looking horrified, but Nightmare Moon only smiled calmly as she half-lidded her eyes.

“No. I am merely giving us... another method to connect by. I have given him a wonderful gift, have I not? Wings that will one day carry him through the skies. The ability to sense me and my thoughts... and you cannot blame me for the fact he was born with his mother's smile, and his mother's eyes.” Nightmare Moon answered almost tenderly, her cyan irises glinting as her reptilian pupils locked on Scrivener's own. “What I have done is to ensure these bonds between us all... are never damaged, never broken. What I have done is for the benefit of all of us. What I have done is shown... love... for my son.”

Scrivener remained silent, then he glanced to the side as Scarlet Sage strode silently down the hall, a baby carrier on one side and the toddler's baby bag on the other, and Antares whimpered a little before Scrivy carefully turned and slipped him into the carrier. The doll fell from the baby's forelegs, and the foal trembled, reaching for this automatically as his wings fluttered weakly and made him fidget in obvious pain before he blurted: “Gymbr!”

Scrivener reached down for the toy, picking it up silently and passing it back to the foal as he murmured: “Gymbr, that's right. I... I'm sorry, Antares. Scarlet Sage, please let Celestia know what's happened.”

“I will Daddy. I...” Scarlet Sage hesitated, then she stepped slowly, nervously backwards, keeping her eyes towards Nightmare Moon as the dark entity clad in Luna's shape smiled calmly after her, before the Pegasus hurriedly turned and ran to the door.

Scrivener kept his eyes locked on Nightmare Moon, who gave another sultry smile before she arched her back, saying softly: “It's too late, you know. The magic's permanency settles over time... and it has been more than long enough to ensure that our blessing is etched into his very bones. I do not understand the anger you and Luna have for me.”

“Then why don't you let us explain in detail?” Scrivener asked shortly, locking eyes with Nightmare Moon before he concentrated on the mental link between them, and Nightmare Moon's features twitched before her eyes widened as she felt Luna's presence ambush her, making her grit her sharp teeth as her mane and tail sparked-

Nightmare Moon briskly shook her head out as her mane and tail pulsed with starlight, and then she looked coldly, calmly up as her collar of metallic roses gleamed beneath the canopy of the night sky above. Her hooves rested against solid black stone, and a half-entertained, half-mocking smile spread across her face as she looked across at Luna and Scrivener Blooms, saying softly: “Blame me all you like for your weakness, Luna... I am merely the shadow on your soul. My flaws are your failings.”

Luna snarled at this, electricity sizzling through her mane and tail before she leaned forwards and shouted furiously: “Wretched monster, I would never seek to enslave other ponies to do my bidding, let alone my own child! Even when we created the Centurions during our madness, we regretted it immediately, we used them not as soldiers but as provocation, and never did we force their obedience!”

“And I will not force Antares to listen now any more than I forced those ponies we convinced to accept our night and our dark gifts in the past.” Nightmare Moon replied easily, then added kindly: “I have only forged... a connection. I have given my son a gift of strength, and a gift of my eternal presence. This is love, is it not?”

“No. No, that is not love.” Luna snapped, leaning forwards as her eyes blazed. “Listen to me, wretched freak of Helheim! Get thee hence from my spirit and my soul! Hide thyself away in the darkness thou so craves until I have need of thy fetid presence, accursed selfish monster!”

Slowly, Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed before she suddenly smiled again, saying quietly as she strode forwards and let her eyes rove towards the silent stallion: “So you're saying that instead, I should take up my abode in our loving husband?”

“I love Luna.” Scrivener said quietly but firmly, and Nightmare Moon looked hurt at this response, gazing towards him as if confused. “Antares was wonderful and flawless the way he was. He wasn't perfect, no. But he never needed to be... and now, you sneak into his room at night, poison him with your darkness, and expect us to be... to be grateful? What is wrong with you, Nightmare Moon? You know better than this. Even as sub-moral as you are, you know the difference between right and wrong, if not good and evil.”

“And I fail to see how what I did was wrong.” Nightmare Moon countered, leaning forwards and looking at Scrivener with that same strangely-injured expression on her features. “I made him better. How can making something better make it worse?”

“Thou tried to make him into a thrall, a monster!” Luna stepped forwards aggressively, glaring furiously up at her alter ego as her eyes blazed. “Thou art a coward. Waiting for the lure of sleep to sneak in and claim my body like thine own, then slip into Antares whilst we rest in dreams, unaware... thou hurt him, and I trusted thee enough to not fight for my body the moment I felt Scrivener Blooms awake!”

“And I trusted you enough to not check beneath the blankets... you betrayed us both.” Scrivener said quietly, and Nightmare Moon shook her head slowly as she hesitantly stepped back a pace. “And before you even say it, it doesn't matter if you hurt him physically or not... you saw how unhappy he was this morning. How scared he was, with your own eyes... not understanding what these new things growing out of him were. Take it back, Nightmare Moon... tell us how to fix your mistake.”

“It cannot be undone. The permanency has settled by now. Unless you wish to cut them from his back or twist his shape with another transfiguration... but oh, such magic is dangerous, especially on one so young.” Nightmare Moon said softly, her tone almost contemptible as her eyes flicked towards Luna. “Not that I ever let fear stop me, little Luna, but I know that you, on the other hoof, all too often-”

Luna didn't let Nightmare Moon finish, swinging a hoof violently forwards instead to crash into the dark creature's face, and Nightmare Moon was sent rolling backwards head over hooves, her eyes bulging in shock before she flopped to the ground a short distance away, and Luna snarled as she stepped forwards, saying disgustedly: “I have wanted to do that for a longer time than thou can imagine, creature. Thou hast finally gone and pushed me too far... and even if destroying thee means I must kill a part of myself, by all the forces of Heaven and Hell I shall be more than willing to do so for what has transpired here.”

Nightmare Moon snarled at this, her features becoming savage and animal for a moment as she shoved herself up to her hooves... but a moment later, they smoothed out, cold and vain and beautifully-cruel as she said softly: “Don't be a fool now, Luna. You may be strong... but it is my darkness, my cunning, and my powers that have won the day for you many times over. You may think you have some skill thanks to the way you and Scrivener have successfully dragged me out of control and into our dark mental world for this conversation... but fighting me is foolish.

“Let us negotiate instead. I shall recede... and you can once more regain your pathetic semblance of control, like the captain of a sailboat who dares the mighty ocean.” Nightmare Moon smiled mockingly, making Luna glare balefully. “But do not forget... that it is the ocean who ultimately chooses the destination... the ocean, and perhaps the king of the sea, if he so desires to ask...”

Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes towards Scrivener, who grimaced in distaste even as he began to raise a hoof... but Luna only shook her head quickly before she rose a front hoof, saying coldly: “No. This has gone too far, and thou hast become too arrogant, and too stupid, thinking that thou art anything but repressed memory, broken shards of passion and weakness... and the vile tampering left over from a viler creature still long-washed out of us. Permit me to show thee why I am the one in control, Nightmare Moon... and thou art the one who is rightly caged inside me.”

“Oh Luna, so pathetic. Clinging to the notion that somehow, you're the one in charge, you keep me imprisoned... when I stay here of my own free will, satisfied and resplendent in that black and decadent castle you have long abandoned in your nightmares... but that I have found more than adequate lodgings in.” Nightmare Moon said softly, smiling derisively as her eyes flicked towards Scrivener Blooms. “Because unlike Luna... I know with confidence that I can provide for all my husband's wants and desires at the end of the day.”

Luna snarled and broke into a charge, giving an incoherent battle cry at the provocation and leaping into the air as her wings flapped powerfully, propelling her in a sharp lunge towards Nightmare Moon, but the dark entity only smiled and flicked her starry locks as her horn gave a sharp pulse, Luna smashing with a wince into a barrier of blue light that formed in front of her before the sapphire winged unicorn cursed and shoved herself quickly off the glowing wall a moment before it rippled, short and vicious barbs of energy ripping out along its length before the glowing wall vanished. “Pathetic, Luna. I know you better than you know me.”

Luna leapt forwards again, and this time Nightmare Moon slapped a hoof out, striking the smaller mare across the face and knocking her staggering as the dark creature said coldly: “Your anger weakens you further. Leaves a thousand gaping vulnerabilities in your defense. You would be nothing without me.”

The sapphire winged unicorn trembled, her starry mane sizzling as she seemed to freeze up, her head lowered... and then she snapped her horn suddenly to the side as it gave a bright pulse, and Nightmare Moon had a moment of surprise before the ground beneath her erupted upwards in a blast of rock and shards of ice, pelting across her body and knocking her sprawling as Luna snapped: “Then I guess I shall simply have to be more conniving and wretched, like thou art!”

Nightmare Moon snarled as she rolled to her hooves, her own horn glowing darkly as she flicked it forwards, and the hail of broken chunks of rock and ice still pattering around her froze in midair before Luna's eyes widened, and the daggers of stone and frost shot at her in a flurry of daggers and shrapnel, Luna cursing as she leapt back and forth through the rain of sharp shale. Too late, she looked up as she realized Nightmare Moon was charging towards her, and Luna cursed under her breath before leaping forwards to meet the dark entity despite the wave of fear that ran through her, slashing her horn viciously forwards.

Nightmare Moon met her with her own, their horns sparking violently as they struck together before the two fought aggressively forwards, parrying and smashing together as Nightmare Moon snarled and Luna gritted her own teeth, glaring furiously at one another and neither daring to look away even as electricity and bursts of sapphire iridescence sparked through the air around their faces.

Then Nightmare Moon swept both her hooves up, slamming them down on Luna's shoulders as she brought her horn down in a savage, rending blow, and Luna stumbled, then howled in pain as she caught the larger winged unicorn's horn against her own, feeling it grinding down towards her skull as it burned with unnatural energies, Nightmare Moon's hooves making her collarbone bend and forcing her lower towards the ground as the creature hissed: “You're making it very tempting to kill you and see what happens, Luna!”

Luna only snarled in response... then she spread her wings and suddenly threw herself backwards, letting herself fall flat at the same time so her haunch stuck awkwardly up in the air and her front legs splayed over the ground, but Nightmare Moon's own hooves dropped forwards and her head almost banged into the stone as she cursed in surprise. She had just enough time to look up before Luna flapped her wings and threw herself forwards at the same time, stabbing her horn into a vicious rising slice that tore across Nightmare Moon's scalp and knocked her staggering backwards with a howl of pain.

She stumbled hurriedly backwards, her starry locks sparking and lashing out around around her like writhing tendrils, Luna wincing and leaping out of the way as one of these lightning-charged tentacles snapped narrowly past before she leapt forwards, attempting to press her advantage... but Nightmare Moon only snarled, her body steaming for a moment before it burst apart into blue mist that twisted in a savage storm past Luna. The sapphire winged unicorn hissed in pain as electricity ripped against her body and she felt blades of blue light tearing thin cuts over her coat, and then she spun around and leapt backwards as Nightmare Moon reformed in mid-lunge towards her, snarling and slamming both hooves down against the ground in the place where Luna had been only a moment before.

The dark entity's eyes blazed as she snapped her horn upwards, and Luna leapt back and forth as blades of rock jutted cruelly from the ground around her, the sapphire winged unicorn cursing before her eyes widened as the dark entity snapped her horn upwards, ripping the blades of stone free from the ground to throw them viciously at Luna like cruel javelins. The sapphire winged unicorn deflected the first with a hard upwards snap of her horn and leapt out of the way of the next, but then cried out in agony as the last caught her in the shoulder as Nightmare Moon shouted furiously: “You are nothing without me!”

The black-coated winged unicorn charged as Luna looked up, cursing bitterly before she snapped her horn downwards as she leapt back, a blast of lightning hammering down from the skies... but Nightmare Moon only staggered slightly from the force of the blow, snarling and furious as Luna's eyes widened in surprise before the vicious creature lunged towards her and lashed her horn downwards.

It struck hard across Luna's face, knocking her crashing backwards with a curse, flinching as she rolled violently several times before Nightmare Moon smiled callously as the sapphire winged unicorn laid prone, saying coldly: “Do you surrender? Do you understand now?”

Luna cursed again under her breath, trembling and beginning to force herself to her hooves despite the agony wrenching through her system... and then she looked up in horror as Scrivener Blooms said quietly: “I understand, Nightmare Moon.”

Nightmare Moon cocked her head curiously at this, turning her attention slowly towards him, and Scrivener slowly strode up to her side: in this mental world, he could still feel Luna's pain, but his body didn't share her injuries. He looked almost disappointed as he stood beside the dark, enormous equine, and Luna trembled violently before Scrivener turned his eyes back towards Nightmare Moon and said softly: “You're right. You're the more powerful one... you're the one who... who can handle things, who could have easily been in control if you wanted to... but you gave us our time together. I appreciate you did that, that you let me... see for myself, instead of fighting to convince me. That you stayed confident that I would eventually understand of my own free will that maybe... you are the one who... I was meant to be with. That maybe... you're the one who can handle the real me. That I can do things with you... I could never do with Luna.”

“S-Scrivener, no, stop it, st-stop...” Luna whispered, trembling violently before she snarled as she forced herself to her hooves, even as she felt herself weakening, paling. “'Tis nothing but flesh wounds, the real fight has yet to begin and Nightmare Moon and I-”

“Enough, Luna. It's okay. I still love you, I just... remember. Sometimes it's better to have an evil protector... than a good one.” Scrivener said quietly, looking across at her pointedly for a moment before his eyes roved to Nightmare Moon, smiling faintly up at her as she gazed down at him warmly, all her attention focused greedily on him, on his compliments, his fawning over her. “But still... this is marvelous but... still... Luna and I shared so much. Just because you've beaten her here... I don't know if that means you can handle what you tried to make me become before. What I think I may be ready to give into again, because... with you beside me, my true love, my true wife... I know that I should... listen to your advice. That if you were right about this, maybe you were right all along, but I'm afraid and I need your guidance, your help...”

“Of course, husband, of course!” Nightmare Moon replied easily, looking warmly down at him before she bowed her head towards him, half-lidding her eyes. “I am yours, always. And I am so glad you see the wisdom and truth in my words, finally... let me demonstrate what I will do to you. Let us return to the real world...”

“No, not yet.” Scrivener replied quietly, glancing away embarrassedly, and Nightmare Moon tilted her head curiously before the male slowly turned his eyes towards Luna, saying quietly: “I'm sorry, but... Nightmare Moon offers too much. Simply... is... too much. I think... we should first visit that dark castle and throw those doors wide open, Nightmare Moon. I think I'm ready to become... more. I'd like... I mean...”

Scrivener closed his eyes, bowing his head forwards... and Nightmare Moon licked her lips eagerly, leaning towards him before she whispered hurriedly: “Anything. Anything for you, my husband, my soulmate... name your desire, and I shall eagerly oblige.”

“There is something... I could never do with Luna. Never do to Luna. Let me... make you mine.” Scrivener slowly licked his lips as well as he drew his eyes towards her, whispering: “Let me show you my darkest self, my deepest dungeons... where Luna witnessed, but was never strong enough to participate... will you wait for me there, while I say my goodbyes to Luna?”

“Of course...” Nightmare Moon stepped slowly backwards, excited and overeager as black fire began to burn around her hooves, her eyes agleam with joy even as barbed chains began to slowly rise up out of the black vortex that formed in the earth. They seized slowly, almost lovingly around her, ensnaring her, drawing blood here and there, but in desire and adoration she barely seemed to notice as she whispered: “I'll wait for you, my beloved... thank you for choosing me, to be yours... to be what Luna could never be.”

“Yes, you are... what Luna could never be.” Scrivener murmured softly, watching as the chains tightened, as the fires burned higher out of the vortex as Nightmare Moon was dragged slowly, happily, down into the maelstrom, before he muttered as she vanished: “A victim.”

Then the stallion wheezed in relief as the sensation of the creature's presence faded before he turned an awkward grin to Luna, the sapphire winged unicorn staring up at him with disbelief. For a few moments, they only looked at each other... and then Luna leapt up and slammed both front hooves down across Scrivener's skull, knocking him sprawling as she shouted furiously: “What in Mimir's name was that? Scrivener Blooms, wretched bastard!”

Scrivener yelped, then covered his head as Luna pummeled on him savagely, wincing at the painful, sharp blows even as he yelled: “Dammit, Luna! I needed to stop you two from fighting somehow, didn't I? You would have killed each other and-”

“And so what? Fool! Ninny! Damn thee to Helheim and back!” Luna snapped, continuing to pummel him even as the dreamworld around them sparked violently... and then Luna staggered and cursed, shaking her head as she found herself standing groggily back in reality, Scrivener Blooms sprawled on the floor across from her. For a moment, they looked at each other... and then Scrivener scrambled hurriedly to his hooves and tore down the corridor as Luna shot after him.

He yanked open the front door and just made the front yard before Luna plowed into him like a freight train, the two rolling violently several times as her hooves struck wildly at him and he shoved hurriedly back against her before she tackled him to the ground, pinning him on his back as she glared furiously down at him and he winced, staring up and saying hurriedly as she drew a hoof back: “You'll feel it too!”

“I don't care!” Luna snapped, then she punched him hard across the face, wincing even as her own head twisted slightly to the side, pretending the tears pricking at her eyes came from the pain of the blow as Scrivener wheezed in pain. “Do not ever do that again! Do not ever interfere between myself and Nightmare Moon! Do not ever do such foul trickery! D-Do not ever s-say...”

“Luna...” Scrivener softened even through the pain and bruises, looking up at her silently as her hooves fell limp, pressing down against his shoulders as he gazed up at her and she looked down, and then she closed her eyes and simply dropped down against his body, and he silently embraced her against his chest as her starry mane sparked and sizzled, settling slowly over their bodies like a blanket.

They were silent as they laid together in the grasses beneath the early morning sun, Scrivener looking up at the clouds as Luna buried her face against the junction of his shoulder and neck, trembling a little before she whispered: “I would have bested her, Scrivy. I would have beaten her roundly. I was only... letting her win. Making her cocky.”

“I know, Luna. I know. But... killing part of yourself won't solve anything, if... you and Nightmare Moon even can kill each other, that is.” Scrivener replied quietly, reaching up and stroking silently over her face. “I'm sorry I upset you and hurt you. I only told her what she was desperate to hear, though, so I could send her away into a new prison. And I don't know how long or how short she'll wait there for me to come and...” He grimaced a little, looking moodily away. “Well, you know. And after what she did to Antares...”

“I swear to all of Asgard, that if our child is blighted in any way by the monster's tampering, no matter what it means for me I shall have her excised like the tumor she is.” Luna grumbled moodily, and Scrivener nodded slowly with a grimace as he rubbed at his own features, looking away quietly.

Then Luna sighed and settled silently against Scrivener's body, closing her eyes and bowing her head against his chest as he fidgeted a little before she mumbled: “No. Thou has to make what thou did up to me now. Thou art not permitted to move until I say so. And when I do permit this, it shall be only to fetch me coffee and candy and perhaps to carry me to Ponyville so we may ensure my son is alright. Understood, Scrivener Blooms?”

“Yes, Luna. That sounds fair.” Scrivener smiled faintly despite himself, reaching up and stroking quietly through her ephemeral locks as he murmured: “I love you.”

Luna grumbled in response, burying her face deeper into the safety of her husband as worries for Antares and fears of Nightmare Moon flitted anxiously through her mind.

The King Who Never Was

Chapter Fifteen: The King Who Never Was
~BlackRoseRaven

The changes to Antares were not reversible... or at least, not by any simple means or method. Nightmare Moon had spoken true: even though Scarlet Sage had shot towards Ponyville like a rocket with the poor, scared baby clinging tightly to his doll in his carrier, crying for most of the fast flight, it still took her almost an hour to reach Ponyville and burst into the library. Seven hours for the transformation, the dark magic, to settle in, seven hours for the foal's physiology to change and make the wings permanent.

All that Celestia was able to do was inspect the child and ensure that Nightmare Moon didn't have some sneaky mental link planted in the foal's mind. Then she and Twilight simply sat with the poor foal, comforting him as he clung to Gymbr and sniffled and whimpered a little, looking up at Scarlet Sage every so often and asking: “Mama? Da?”

It wasn't until a few hours later that Luna and Scrivener came into Ponyville, worried and tired. And Scrivener was all too well aware that Nightmare Moon was already out of her cage and lurking through their tangled subconscious, thought that he had even heard her whispering words of admiration and praise to him for his cunning and mercy, and the very thought of that alone made him shudder.

When the two pushed through the door, Celestia's eyes immediately sharpened and looked towards Luna... but then even the ivory equine relaxed when Antares bolted across the room, his leathery wings flapping awkwardly as he cried: “Mama! Da!”

His parents caught him, hugging him close, Luna trembling a bit as Scrivener lowered his head down against his son's, and Celestia's features became soft and sympathetic as she said quietly: “My friends, my siblings... I am sorry. There is simply nothing I can do. I take it that Nightmare Moon, at least, has... been pushed back?”

“I shall kill her if I can, Celestia. I shall kill her.” Luna muttered, holding her son tighter... and then she glanced up with surprise when the tall, rainbow-maned mare strode over to her and reached a hoof up to gently rest on her shoulder.

“Nightmare Moon... is part of who you are, little sister. I don't like her either, I don't approve of her or think much of her... but at the same time... I know that killing her won't help anything. Will only leave... a hole inside of you. And I don't want that.” Celestia hesitated, then she smiled faintly, saying quietly: “I have faith in you, and your ability to control both yourself and... that darker, deeper part of you.”

Luna looked up, blushing a little, deeply touched before she trembled a bit as Antares shoved his head against her stomach with a whimper, looking down and silently stroking along one of his leathery wings as she murmured: “But look at what that part of me did, Celestia...”

The ivory equine nodded slowly, but this time it was Twilight who stepped forwards, saying quietly: “But she didn't... kill him, or injure him. He's scared and he'll take some adjustment and I know that... Nightmare Moon tried to tamper with him in deeper ways than I probably understand, but what I do know is that... she couldn't. She changed him but she couldn't change who he's going to become, or who he already is. I'm not defending her, but I'm saying she was trying to help, because of the effect you've had on her, Luna: you were the one who helped make her from nothing more than selfish darkness into this... well... thing she is now.”

Twilight fell quiet, blushing a little, and Luna glanced up wryly, smiling faintly as she muttered: “Oh, how I wish thou had the poet's ability to speak without speaking sometimes.”

That only made the violet mare blush deeper and drop her head embarrassedly, and then Scrivener added quietly: “But if it's any consolation, Twilight, you've reassured me, at least. And you know that whenever Luna's being a pain it means she's doing better herself.”

Luna only grunted, then sighed a little as she looked down at Antares, who was calming quietly as she continued to slowly rub along his wings. They fluttered a little now and then, and she surveyed them – draconic, demonic – before shaking her head and murmuring: “My poor child. She tried to turn him into a Centurion, Celestia. And now how his poor wings must ache as those new muscles adjust...”

“I recognized the enchantment, but... all the same, I was unsure. It was....” Celestia hesitated, then she shook her head slowly as Luna and Scrivener both looked up curiously, the rainbow-maned winged unicorn smiling faintly at the matching expressions. “It was like Twilight said. She couldn't change more than his exterior, do more than give him these wings. I suppose as he grows older, any other possible changes will make themselves prevalent, but for now...”

The two nodded slowly, and then Antares finally fidgeted and squirmed away, and Luna and Scrivener both stayed on their haunches, watching quietly as the foal ran towards where Scarlet Sage was laying. He almost plowed into the Pegasus, and she smiled faintly as she caught him and he pressed close against her, mumbling: “Skit.”

“Skit.” Scarlet said softly, rubbing a hoof soothingly along her brother's side before she looked nervously over at Luna and Scrivener, asking finally: “So you and Dad are okay now, right? I... Nightmare Moon isn't...”

“Well, we had a terrible battle that I obviously won.” Luna's nose twitched as her eyes flicked awkwardly away, a very visible sign that she was lying, and Celestia gave her a mild look as Twilight frowned in concern, but Luna only huffed and flailed her hooves at the looks she received. “Oh fine, I do not desire to speak of it. Only know that Scrivener Blooms shall be toiling for forever and a day to make up for his terrible transgressions against me.”

Scrivener mumbled a bit at this, then he winced when Luna punched him hard in the shoulder, rubbing awkwardly at this even as Luna moodily rolled her own now-aching limb. “You are a bad pony. But yes, Scarlet Sage, to answer your question... and honestly...” Scrivener gave Luna a pointed look for a moment before he returned his eyes to his daughter. “We're okay. A little stressed. A little scared. But overall, we're okay.”

Scarlet Sage smiled a little at this, then she turned her eyes quietly down to her brother, reaching out and rubbing slowly along one of his wings, and it fluttered outwards automatically as he settled a little more, burbling quietly. Then his eyes roved away from his sister, and he looked curiously upwards as a voice asked gently: “So is the drama over?”

All eyes turned towards the back stairs, where Discombobulation was now calmly sitting, Gymbr held quietly in his eagle talon and hand. The Draconequus was looking meditatively out over the room, and Luna smiled wryly as she replied dryly: “The drama is never over, Bob. Hast thou never heard the saying-”

“All the world's a stage, and the stallions and mares are only players, yes, yes. As if I'm going to let you misquote something before I can, Scrivener Blooms.” Discombobulation replied, then he glanced thoughtfully down at the doll in his hands before holding it up to his ear and nodding solemnly. “My new friend tells me that there was an attempted insurrection last night, while I was out partying with some shady characters. Now, little Antares Mīrus may not be my favorite creature in the world, as he slobbers and vomits on me far too often, but I must say I do not approve of this new fashion change to the poor child.”

Luna smiled faintly as she nodded slowly in agreement, and then Discombobulation stood and carefully made his way down the steps before wincing when Antares scuttled away from Scarlet Sage to hop over to him, looking up and raising his hooves towards the doll. “Gymbr!”

“Yes, Gymbr. That's what he told me his name was too. This is a strange toy.” Discombobulation said thoughtfully, looking down at the winged unicorn doll as he shifted it meditatively back and forth. “It seems to come from another time, another place, if you want my honest opinion, and honestly I don't care whether you do or not, because you're honestly going to get it no matter what. Unless I'm lying, of course.”

Scrivener was frowning now, however, as Discombobulation leaned down and gently passed the toy to Antares, who burbled happily as he took it and hugged it tightly against his body... and then Luna frowned as well, looking over at him sharply as Celestia and Twilight's smiles turned to curious looks. “Gymbr... wait. That's what I called the toy last night, isn't it? And Antares asked for it by name this morning, but... there's no way he could have known that...”

“Maybe he... heard it in his sleep?” Twilight suggested after a moment of silence, but this only earned a dry chuckle from Discombobulation, the violet mare wincing and rubbing nervously at her face: “Well, there has to be a rational explanation...”

“Of course there is. The doll told him, that's all. Just like it told me.” Discombobulation said kindly, waving a hand, and Scrivener looked dumbly up at the Draconequus as the chimerical creature smiled kindly across at him. “I'm willing to bet he told you too, didn't he?”

“I...” Scrivener halted, looking awkwardly at the doll that Antares was now happily chewing on the horn of, and then he nervously looked at Luna as he asked slowly: “Should we... burn it?”

Luna grimaced at this, then she shook her head apprehensively as her eyes slowly roved towards the strange toy, saying finally: “Nay, it... I sensed no enchantments on it when I looked over it earlier, as I said, it seemed merely to... to carry residue. Perhaps, Celestia, thou and Twilight should put thine own talents forth, however... suddenly I feel very... very unnerved. I do not want to think there is tampering that has been done here...”

“You ponies worry too much.” Discombobulation said mildly, and all eyes turned to him as he pointed down at the toy, Antares rolling back and forth a bit on his back as he continued to cradle the strange plush doll down against his chest and chew and suckle happily at the horn and its features. “If that living toy wanted to do harm to any of us, it would not sit there and allow your very strange son to drool all over it and chew it up. Your foal reminds me of a dog, by the way. Large teeth and it covers everything in slobber.”

Luna only sighed at this, looking moodily over at the Draconequus as Scrivener glared, then Celestia drew a meditative gaze along the chimerical creature, asking calmly: “So I take it you have some idea what that really is, then?”

“Oh, of course I do. Look at me, badly-glued together from all kinds of different puzzle pieces from a place called Ginnungagap.” Discombobulation replied mildly, poking at himself a few times before he winced a bit and rubbed awkwardly at one rib. “Sensitive spot. In any case, it's very obvious, isn't it? It's a castoff shard from another time, another place. A piece of another story that doesn't quite fit with this one, yet may have a serious bearing all the same on future events. How? Why? Well, I'm not the storyteller here, am I?”

Discombobulation leaned forwards, nodding seriously before Scrivener Blooms winced back awkwardly when Luna turned suspicious eyes on him. “You. You can't possibly blame me for this.”

“Thou wert the one who spoke to the doll in the first place!” Luna said grouchily, poking at him with a hoof, and Scrivener winced a bit before Luna grumbled under her breath. “I swear, Scrivener Blooms, if thou awoke some... sleeping entity or... somehow made the doll evil, I shall pummel thee as fiercely as I pummeled Nightmare Moon.”

“Guess I'll be safe in that case.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna glowered at him before he winced when she poked at him with her horn, skittering hurriedly away before he groaned when she shot him a glare and a mental order. “Alright, alright, going to go and... put on coffee.”

“Coffee!” Antares parroted brightly, and then he rolled over and suddenly scrambled to his hooves, stumbling after his father as Scrivener smiled despite himself and Luna softened visibly, gazing affectionately at her child as she felt her heart lift. It was amazing, how the simplest things could send such joy through her sometimes... how her son never failed to make her smile with all the love and adoration she felt for him.

Then she shook her head out awkwardly as she looked from Celestia to Twilight, as Discombobulation strode over to pick up the doll again and hold it up beside his head before he informed mildly: “Gymbr says that he – or is it she? – likes coffee too.” He paused, then held the toy up over his head, saying seriously: “It's nice not being the only so-called 'patchwork doll' anymore. Is it racist if I say that about myself?”

Then he simply shrugged before making a sound like an engine, solemnly marching around through the library and pretending to make the winged unicorn plush fly as Luna stared and Celestia sighed and lowered her head, rubbing slowly at her features with one hoof as she muttered: “This is why I have never been fond of chaos entities.”

“Because they hog all the foal's toys? Discombobulation, when do I get a turn? The damnable toy also still hasn't spoken to me, yet!” Luna complained loudly, stomping her hooves, and Scarlet Sage rolled her eyes even as she smiled and climbed to her hooves, heading towards the kitchen to help out her father. Luna huffed a little at this, then glowered when Twilight turned to head towards her desk, the sapphire winged unicorn announcing in a surly voice: “None of thee are any fun. Thou art all stuffy.”

“Yes, little sister. Yes.” Celestia said tiredly, and then she shook her head slowly before leaning forwards and studying her younger sibling, Luna looking moodily up at her before the rainbow-maned mare asked quietly: “Are you sure that Nightmare Moon is in check for now? I know she can be... subtle. And it sounds as if... things didn't go entirely to plan.”

Twilight stepped forwards as well, looking nervous, and Luna opened her mouth... but then closed her eyes and smiled a little, the childishness draining away from her features as she replied in a quiet voice: “She was stronger than me, Celestia. She was superior to me... and had Scrivener Blooms not interfered with his nefarious scheming, she likely would have bested me. I fear that... what Nightmare Moon said is true. Without her, I am nothing. She is my battle-lust, my passion, my calculation, all given form... she is everything that makes a warrior. She is the true Valkyrie, not I...”

“No, she is not.” Celestia shook her head slowly, looking quietly down at Luna as the winged unicorn looked moodily up. “She has no honor, and she has no morals. She has no mercy, and no ability to work with others beyond those she needs at the time. Those are the things that make a Valkyrie, little sister... not just strength and skill. When something is nothing but power and selfishness, we do not call it a warrior, after all... we call it a monster.”

“I... I've been wondering, ever since you brought it up...” Twilight began awkwardly, and when both siblings looked at her, she hesitated for a few long moments before asking finally: “What would happen if Nightmare Moon and you... really turned on each other? How is that even possible?”

Luna only smiled faintly at this, however, trading looks with Celestia before the starry-maned mare turned her cyan eyes to the violet winged unicorn, saying softly: “I do not entirely know... but what I do recall was in the past, more than a thousand years ago now, when I... was engulfed completely, I was locked away. In a place deep and dark and foul, semi-conscious. Everything was blurred and distorted...”

She halted, then shook her head slowly, continuing quietly: “It was a state of half-being, half... not. As thou recalls, I am sure, Ignominious is the one who claims to have sent out the force, the demon, that possessed me and exacerbated my frustrations, my dormant darkness, my... envy and hate.” She softened, looking towards Celestia. “It was a powerful force that slipped its way easily into my mind. At first I fought, but... it did not take long for it to find the wellspring it was looking for. The darkness inside me. The negative, raw emotions I felt, with my brother's death still aching, my older sister receiving all the glory and attention, the way the world was turning and how I was left, unimportant in the shadows, ignored by even the elder sibling I idolized at the time... feeling... betrayed.”

“I did betray you.” Celestia said softly, and then she smiled faintly when Luna rose a hoof, shaking her head briskly. “Alright. I won't interrupt.”

“Thou hast my thanks.” Luna replied quietly, and then she smiled a little, gathering her thoughts again as her eyes roved towards Twilight as the violet mare looked at her with curiosity and compassion. “It is... difficult to describe. On one hoof, I was aware of what I was doing, even... enjoying it, perhaps. I was twisted. On the other, there was a part of me that was sometimes... trapped, in this deep, dark place, shouting to be freed, begging, pleading, fighting...”

Luna closed her eyes, then she shook her head briefly before looking back towards Twilight. “The Elements of Harmony, as thou knows, did not... work properly upon me when wielded by Celestia alone. Oh, aye, the blast wounded the demon and sapped Nightmare Moon's strength, and Celestia and I had bludgeoned each other by that point quite viciously...”

“I will be the first to admit the fight was not entirely fair, little sister. You had to fight your way through the castle to get to me... and I had many traps laid around the throne room to ensure you wouldn't be able to force me into a melee, where you would have the advantage. Nightmare Moon was not lucid back then, she did not think... she only sought to destroy.” Celestia replied quietly, smiling a little. “Ignominious, I think, wanted me to kill you so you would end up in Helheim alongside him. Most of Helheim, on the other hand, likely wanted you to kill me so that they could begin attempting a resurgence into this world... or rather, the old world.”

“I thought thou had just promised not to interrupt.” Luna said crossly, and Celestia laughed a little before the sapphire winged unicorn grunted and nodded, smiling in spite of herself. “But aye, thy analysis – as always – 'tis most likely true. Where was I, though?”

“The part where you got sent on the really long vacation.” Discombobulation said mildly from where he was sitting on the table, and Luna glowered past Twilight at the Draconequus as he calmly brushed Gymbr's mane and tail out with a small comb. “Oh, don't be so sour, Scrivener Blooms. I am such a fan of stories, after all. And your story is a little different from the stories of so many others across the layers and worlds and reflections. So all things considered, you should be honored.”

Luna only looked flatly at the chimerical creature for a few moments, then she sighed and rolled her eyes before continuing in a moodier voice: “Aye, my long vacation. Celestia knew that I could not be chained down in the dungeons, and that even a magical prison I would wear my way out of... and... I think there were other reasons compelling her at the time to see me... gone.”

She quieted, and the siblings shared a silent look for a few moments before Luna smiled a little, shaking her head slowly. “But I do not dwell on this, and all is in the past and forgiven. Well, for the mean part, in any event...

“I was exiled in the coldness, the blankness, of the moon. Sister has always had a sense of irony.” Luna said dryly, her eyes flicking moodily towards Celestia, who blushed a little. “The good part is that it was difficult to tell the passage of time. Good, because it meant that days and weeks and even years blurred together, so I was not always aware of... how much time had passed. But on the other hoof... for all that time, 'twas merely myself and Nightmare Moon. And the demon, but... the misused Elements of Harmony had charred the creature's spirit, in a sense... melted it. Its own consciousness was rapidly dwindling... and greedily, Nightmare Moon absorbed that essence, that sentience, to further make herself... distinct. A personality given life, not entirely dissimilar to our friend Pinkamena.”

Twilight nodded slowly, and then Luna pawed her hooves against the floor awkwardly before she said finally: “Until Nightmare Moon was freed from the moon by... forces that to this day I do not entirely comprehend... Nightmare Moon and I had only each other for company. It was not... pleasant. And, insane as she was, Nightmare Moon spent much of her time raving and promising revenge. And thou knows the rest of the story from there... how after the door out of exile was opened, Nightmare Moon raced through it, and attempted to bring down eternal night, to take her vengeance upon Celestia's head and make the ponies all adore her To make them hers instead of my big sister's.” She smiled a little, glancing over at Twilight softly. “But thou and thy friends were pure-hearted enough that the Elements of Harmony were able to blast Nightmare Moon back into dormancy. To drive away the corrupting influence of the demon.”

Luna paused, then shook her head and pushed past the two ponies, Celestia and Twilight looking after her as the sapphire winged unicorn said meditatively: “Although, 'twould have been fun to be the insane ruler of a kingdom where all is darkness, I imagine.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled a little despite herself, shaking her head slowly as Celestia rolled her eyes, and Discombobulation glanced up as he said mildly: “Gymbr told me you were. Or you could be, I'm not quite sure how it works... he makes it sound like it was all a horrible mistake, though. Or well, like things worked out for him but pretty much no one else.”

“So Gymbr is an usurper, is that it? Then why does he adore my son so much?” Luna asked mildly, leaning forwards seriously and grinning in spite of herself at the Draconequus. “Is he a secret admirer? Is he the second son I have yet to bear? And why does the damnable doll not whisper to me?”

Discombobulation shrugged at this, then he held the toy up beside his ear, rolling his eyes up in his head thoughtfully before he nodded firmly once, then said kindly: “He is exactly what you and Luna think he is. And he hasn't spoken to you yet, Scrivener Blooms, because you haven't yet stopped to listen.”

Luna looked meditative at this response, nodding back after a moment before she leaned forwards and declared loudly: “Doll. I demand thou reveals thy secrets to me.”

Awkward silence followed this... and then Luna grumbled and dropped back on her haunches as Discombobulation went back to combing out the pony toy's mane, saying mildly: “This is surprisingly soothing, you know. It's very zen. Zen and the art of pony mane maintenance. I never thought of myself as a hairdresser until now.”

The sapphire winged unicorn rolled her eyes at this, then smiled when Scrivener and Scarlet emerged from the corridor, carrying coffee and treats on trays. They headed towards the table as Discombobulation looked over his shoulder at them meditatively, and then Antares half-ran out of the corridor, burbling before he stared at the sight of the doll in Discombobulation's hands, and the foal huffed a little as he strode over and pawed at the chimerical creature's leg. “Mine.”

“Oh, you can share with me.” Discombobulation said dryly, and then he paused meditatively before snapping his fingers, and his features suddenly became that of Pinkie Pie's, singing in her cheerful voice: “You gotta share! You gotta care!”

Pinkie-headed Discombobulation grinned cheerfully, then a puff of smoke went up around his features and they returned to the calm, serious facade of the Draconequus. He looked down at the foal as the toddler stared back up at him, and then Antares poked him firmly in the shin. “Gymbr.”

“Oh, fine.” Discombobulation huffed, then he finally passed the doll down to the child, who burbled happily and promptly rolled onto his back to snuggle Gymbr against him with a bright smile. The Draconequus looked moodily down at this, and then he shook his head slowly before sighing as he looked irritably across at Luna, who was grinning up at him widely. “No. Whatever you're going to say, the answer is no. I am now going to leave before someone else asks me to do an impression.”

With that, the chimerical creature spun on his heel towards the wall, strode calmly towards it, and then put his hands behind his back as he walked moodily straight up the shelves in plain defiance of gravity until he reached the ceiling and simply vanished from sight. Antares giggled on the ground at this sight, flailing his hooves a little before his wings flapped, and he winced and mumbled before saying quietly: “Hurt.”

Luna softened at this as Scrivener turned his gaze quietly to his son, and the mood in the room gradually toned down into almost-solemn silence. There was little conversation, and most of it focused around how they could ease this unnatural transition for Antares and help him through learning to adjust to his wings, but everypony present agreed it would likely prove much more difficult than even adjusting to his teeth had been.

Eventually, Luna decided that she needed some cheering up and that this would best be done by interfering in another family's life. Scrivener had reluctantly gone along with her plan, although Twilight had hurriedly written ahead to Applejack to let her know that she would be getting a visitor shortly. That had killed some of Luna's fun, but then the winged unicorn had grumpily agreed it was probably for the best anyway as she helped settle Antares into the carrier on Scrivener's side and Scarlet Sage slipped on the baby bag.

Luna thanked Celestia and Twilight honestly, though, trading hugs with them both, and Scrivener had done the same, lingering for a moment with Twilight. Then Luna had led them out into Ponyville... and as always, the walk, the feeling of the open air, and the sensation of home that always came with being in this little town eventually made Luna loosen up, the winged unicorn smiling a bit as she glanced back and forth before nodding to herself and murmuring: “Not... everything is bad. There is always good to be found... that was a favorite saying of my brother's. He was always frustratingly-optimistic, though...”

She smiled slightly at this, shaking her head slowly as they continued down the dirt road towards the gates, and Antares burbled a little as Scrivener Blooms gave an entertained look towards the sapphire winged unicorn. “There are a lot of things about your brother that are frustrating though, Luna.”

Scarlet Sage laughed and nodded in agreement, and Luna snorted, grinning over her shoulder at them. “Oh, neither of thee even know him that well! Not that I am disagreeing, only that I am saying there is no way either of thee can fully comprehend just what frustrations he can bring should the desire so take him. And no, Scrivener Blooms, thou may not cheat and look through my memories. Foul brain-beetle.”

“That's actually how they clean out bones in some places, you know. They drop them in big containers filled with flesh-eating beetles.” Scrivener remarked mildly, and Scarlet Sage stared at him as Luna rolled her eyes.

“Oh, ignore thy father, he is talking out of his buttocks.” Luna said flatly, and Scrivener gave her an entertained look before the starry-maned mare sniffed disdainfully. “Do not make me summon a horde of flesh-eating beetles to test the theory upon thee, Scrivener. Just upon one of thy sides, worry not. But thou could stand to lose some weight from thy hefty stomach.”

Scrivener huffed a little at this, and Scarlet Sage shook her head, looking from her mother to father before Antares babbled: “Eff-fie um-mac!”

“He really is learning so damned fast.” Scrivener murmured, laughing a little before he nodded easily to the Nibelung guards as they passed out through the gates and began to make their way easily down the road towards Sweet Apple Acres. “You know, my earliest memories... are all... forcing myself to learn things. Staring at the words on paper until they made sense... but I had to have been a lot older than Antares. Sometimes I swear by the way he looks at things, he's already starting to understand stuff, you know?”

“Aye, I do.” Luna nodded back, looking with a smile towards Scrivener Blooms before she shook her head with a quiet laugh. “I think the child has the same mind as thee, Scrivy... and I know not whether this makes me feel sorry for him or gladdened. 'Tis a better mind than mine, after all.”

“Not so much.” Scrivener replied with entertainment, shaking his head with a laugh of his own before he looked ahead down the road, silent for a few moments before he finally said softly: “I wish I could remember more sometimes, though. Raising Antares now... being with him, taking care of him like this... it makes me wonder how things were with Tia Belle and Bramblethorn before I could be put to work in the shop.” Scrivener halted, looking thoughtfully down. “I think... I think a lot about it these days. I think a lot about how I wasn't left in the wilds to die, how I wasn't given away, how I wasn't designated a servant. I think about how my... my mother treated me with contempt and coldness, but then I think about how she... her Pale lingered for all those years. How she apologized and hugged me. I wonder...”

Scrivener fell quiet... and yet despite the sadness, as the mares gazed at him silently and Antares fell quiet on his side, the male was smiling faintly, closing his eyes. “Maybe I was luckier than I ever really knew or appreciated. I don't mean... that I was lucky-lucky, no one could call that old life a 'good' life, but... maybe Tia Belle...”

He shook his head slowly, then cleared his throat as he looked up, and Luna quietly stepped up to the male's side and buried her face against his neck, Antares between them and burbling softly as he leaned forwards to rub a hoof against Luna's side, and Scrivener smiled when Scarlet Sage walked up to his other side and pressed herself against him for a few moments.

The rest of the walk was quiet but not entirely sad: it was like the sorrows added a strange and alluring flavor to the thoughts whispering back and forth through the minds of Luna and Scrivener, and even Scarlet Sage seemed to feel the same bittersweet sensations. But as they neared Sweet Apple Acres, that lingering sadness vanished as they stared out into the orchard at the sight of the droves of ponies gathered and working together.

They made their way through the open gates to start towards the house, and then the front door flew open and Apple Bloom ran out with a wince, chased by a small herd of foals that were all clamoring for her attention, many of them young enough they still didn't have cutie marks. Then she gave a wheeze as she saw Luna and her approaching family, calling in a harried voice: “Oh thank the Horses of Heaven! Scarlet Sage, uh, can you lend me a hoof looking after these foals? I got like seven of my little cousins here and... oh, no, where's Keepsake gone now?”

Scarlet Sage laughed and shook her head, then she smiled when Luna's horn glowed and easily lifted the baby bag free to drop across her own back. “There is no need to even ask, Scarlet Sage. Just ensure thou stops in at some point to see Avalon.”

“Alright Mom.” the Pegasus nodded with a smile, then she trotted quickly forwards before wincing as the foals giggled and scattered towards the field, Apple Bloom groaning and chasing after them. Luna and Scrivener watched with entertainment as Scarlet hurried after her friend, then the winged unicorn looked meditatively towards Antares as he burbled and flailed his limbs happily, Gymbr seeming to bounce with him from where he was safely tucked into the carrier.

“I do not know if I hope or fear that one day our foal will be so energetic.” Luna remarked, and Scrivener grunted in agreement before the two turned, heading towards the open door of the house. Without slowing down, Luna cheerfully walked inside, and Scrivener winced before he awkwardly followed, pulling the door closed behind him as the winged unicorn called loudly over the sounds of conversation and music: “Applejack! Rainbow Dash! I am here to inspect this baby!”

There was a loud rumble from upstairs, followed a few moments later by a clattering... and then Rainbow Dash raced down the stairs into the front hall, grinning exuberantly at them, somehow both flushed and pale all at once as he danced on his hooves and said eagerly: “Guys, guys, oh wow, guys, hey! I... come on, come on up, great timing and-”

Luna flicked her horn, and Rainbow squeaked as a light telekinetic push knocked him back into a sitting position, blinking stupidly at her before the winged unicorn leaned forwards and said gently: “Rainbow Dash, thou reeks of coffee and sweat. I am guessing thou have not yet slept since the baby's been born, am I right?”

“I... I've had a nap or two.” Rainbow said finally, holding up a hoof before he winced a little and added hurriedly: “And I mean, I gotta be there for AJ, right? And the baby! Avalon is just... the best little girl ever and I really don't want to leave her and AJ stranded while-”

Luna and Scrivener traded an amused look, and then Scrivener said finally, turning his eyes back towards the Pegasus stallion: “Come on. Let's talk for a minute. You go on ahead, Luna, I know you're eager to see Avalon.”

“Oh, husbands. Such whiny little fillies we mares must work so hard to take care of.” Luna said with relish, and Scrivener and Rainbow both shot her a sour look as she winked at them, then headed towards the stairs, adding mildly over her shoulder: “Fear not, Scrivener. I included thou as a mare.”

“Thanks, Luna.” Scrivener called drolly back up to her, and Luna laughed as she headed up to the second floor before Scrivy turned his eyes to Rainbow, smiled, and said quietly: “Taking some time to sleep while Applejack and Avalon are resting or being tended to by the bajillion family members I saw out there doesn't make you a bad father, Rainbow. I'm pretty sure you know that, too, but you're just letting your anxieties get the better of you again... worrying that something bad is going to happen. Something that might even be out of your control anyway, even if you were awake when it occurred.”

Rainbow winced and fidgeted a bit, and then Scrivener shook his head and smiled a little, saying quietly: “Take a look at Antares.”

“What, are we playing the foal comparison game already?” Rainbow grinned a little despite himself, flicking his messy mane out of his eyes as he puffed up visibly, beginning easily: “Because not only do I bet my little girl going to be the best athlete Ponyville's ever seen one day, she's also kind of got... g-got... wings?”

Antares fidgeted a bit, looking over at Rainbow as the Pegasus stared back, and then Scrivener stepped forwards and reached up to grasp the fellow stallion's shoulders, saying quietly: “You can't be there to stop every little mistake. You're going to mess up, and things are going to happen now and then even in spite of your best efforts to protect her. You could keep her in a bubble... and things can and would still happen, and even worse, the kid would be unhappy.

“I know how it feels these first few days. You look at this fragile little bundle, dependent on you and your wife... who's still recovering from the stress of everything. Happy, warm, but you want to do everything you can to keep her comfortable because you know that she just went through hell to bring this wonderful gift into the world, this wonderful little amalgamation of you and her, and all you can think about is trying to thank her, to keep her comfortable, to be there for her.” Scrivener smiled a bit, leaning forwards as he said gently: “But taking care of yourself, too, isn't selfishness. Because if you don't take care of yourself, then soon enough, you're going to be the one making the mistake, or falling down at the wrong time, or leaving your sorry flank to be cared for by the wife and kid who have already done so much for you just by living. So get some sleep tonight, Dash. Besides, you got Big Mac and Apple Bloom and everypony else around here to cover for you. And no, none of them are going to think badly of you for not spending the entire night...”

Scrivener paused, looked thoughtfully over Rainbow, then stepped back with a grin, saying questioningly: “Baby-proofing the house?”

“Nah, did that already. I spent the night trying to read a bunch of way too complicated and even way more gross books on foals.” Rainbow muttered, rubbing slowly at his face. “I was in the basement with all the tools and stuff and fell asleep in the sawdust. And to be honest, Big Mac does all that stuff, not me. I may be a dude but I am the furthest thing from the handiest stallion around... I am seriously only just now beginning to appreciate how much effort goes into being like. A stereotypical dad, let alone a good one. Furthermore I really hate you because I don't understand how you can read, write, fight, be married to Luna, and yet you also built that stupid cottage.”

Scrivener shrugged, and then Rainbow looked quietly towards Antares, asking finally: “What happened to the little guy, though? He didn't have those last time I saw him, and that was just a few days ago... I think. I dunno, time's all messed up, I just know that... I'm not going crazy enough yet to have missed something like that.”

The charcoal earth pony smiled a little, then he shook his head slowly and said quietly: “Nightmare Moon. While Luna and I were sleeping, she took over and tried to... give him a 'present.'” Scrivener grimaced a little, looking moodily at the floor. “We... drove her back, but it was a little late.”

Rainbow grimaced at this, leaning to the side and looking at Antares again as the baby burbled quietly and clung to Gymbr, and then the Pegasus smiled a little before he said finally: “Well, at least... you know, he can fly now. Tell you what, when he's old enough, I'll teach him and Avalon to fly. I got a feeling my daughter's going to be a great flier, you know.”

“Thanks, Rainbow. Luna and I... really appreciate that.” Scrivener said softly, and then he smiled a little. “But alright, alright. Let's go see your daughter.”

“Yeah!” The Pegasus stallion brightened, grinning a little now as he nodded a few times and headed hurriedly to the stairs, almost stumbling over the first few steps but then quickly climbing them at a lope as Scrivener smiled despite himself and followed amusedly after the Pegasus. “C'mon, right up here, ever since Twilight sent us that letter we've been excited to see you two especially, we're like... parent twins now!”

“Parent twins.” Scrivener remarked mildly, but Rainbow either ignored him or didn't hear him as he hurried down the hall at the top of the steps, Scrivener following leisurely behind as the impatient Pegasus scurried a little back and forth.

The earth pony stepped into the room that Rainbow was gesturing at, and he smiled softly as he saw Applejack laying back in a wide, comfortable bed, propped up on some pillows and with her hat hanging from the headboard, her mane left loose and streaming down around her shoulders as she said softly: “Well, hey there, Scrivy, and hello to you too little Antares... I'm real glad to see you here. You just missed Fluttershy, you know.”

“Maybe we'll pay her a visit afterwards, then.” Scrivener said softly, looking over at the side of the bed and smiling at the sight of Luna cradling a beautiful, sleeping Pegasus foal in her front legs, gazing down at it radiantly as her mane swirled slowly backwards behind her. “So... Avalon, huh?'

“Seemed right.” Applejack laughed and nodded, gazing warmly over at Luna as the winged unicorn surveyed the baby with wondering eyes: she was a bright, sunny yellow, her coat almost seeming to glow, and mane and tail were a bright red streaked with the same gold that covered her body, puffing out in every direction. Her eyes opened and closed slowly as she looked curiously up at the winged unicorn cradling her, crimson eyes fearless, and Luna looked back down tenderly at the child as Applejack continued softly: “We had all kinds of choices, you know. But then, when she was born, and when the doctor asked me what we were naming her... Avalon just kinda popped out. And it just seemed perfect.”

“I know exactly what thou means.” Luna said softly, gazing warmly over at Applejack with a firm nod, and then she smiled when Scrivener walked around the bed, passing the newborn gently to him, and Scrivy gazed down softly at the Pegasus before Luna grinned slightly and winked over at Applejack. “But I shall have thee know that my son was already interested in the world around him by this point.”

“Oh, and my daughter ain't? She's fearless, Luna, she ain't afraid of nothing and no pony.” Applejack replied with a laugh and a grin in return, sitting up a little in bed as Rainbow smiled and sat down on the other side of the comfortable, broad furnishing. “You just wait, Luna. A few months from now, I bet she'll already be flyin' around, just look at how she's moving around already.”

“Aye, Applejack, but so will Antares.” Luna smiled a little in spite of the twist that went through her mind and heart, and then she shook her head and added firmly: “And he will be unmatched on the ground, no matter how spectacular thy daughter proves to be in the air.”

“Oh, we'll see about that. Don't forget who her mother is.” Applejack replied easily, winking over at Luna, and the winged unicorn huffed and looked pointedly at the goldenrod mare. “Luna, believe me, I got all kinds of respect for you. You're a great warrior and a damn hero. But I think I could take you on at a rodeo any day of the week, mostly because you don't kill anything.”

“There used to be killing involved.” Luna said in a surly voice, and Applejack rolled her eyes as Scrivener snorted in amusement, then leaned forwards with a smile and passed the foal gently back to her mother, the earth pony mare gazing lovingly down at this as Rainbow gazed warmly towards his wife and child. “But I hope that our children grow up with a healthy spirit of competition, then. And I hope, honestly, that this new generation of children... will far outshine all of us.”

Applejack looked up at this with surprise, but then a soft smile, nodding slowly as she returned her eyes to Avalon and said softly: “You know what, Luna? I hope you're right. In fact... I'm sure y'are. It might not be time for us to step aside quite yet, but... when we do, I know we'll be leaving everything in good hooves. I already look down at Avalon and think of how... much of a blessing it is just that she's here. And I got faith in her. Unshakeable faith, like I ain't ever felt in anything... well, 'cept maybe Big Mac.”

“Hey, what about me?” Rainbow asked flatly, and Applejack gave him a wink in response, making the Pegasus huff. “You really know how to make me feel special, you know that?”

“Well, y'are special, Dashie. You're my husband and you're a damn good father.” Applejack replied, and the Pegasus grinned widely at this, brightening immediately before the earth pony mare winked and reached out to squeeze one of his hooves lightly. “But you're also the kind of pony I send out to the store to get me a bottle of milk and you come back with a case of beer.”

“You like beer, though.” Rainbow said finally, and Applejack gave him an amused look before he grunted and nodded. “Alright, alright. Not pushing it, just because... you know. I'm modest, too.”

Applejack snorted in entertainment, then she turned her eyes towards Scrivener and Luna as the winged unicorn gently lifted her son free and set him quietly down on the bed, and Antares burbled curiously, clinging to Gymbr with one hoof as he studied Applejack curiously, then looked towards where Avalon was resting quietly at her side. His leathery wings flapped, and Applejack softened at the sight of these, glancing towards Luna, but the sapphire mare only smiled faintly and shook her head a bit, saying quietly: “We will make the best of it. And we will do everything in our power to take care of poor Antares whilst his body adjusts.”

Antares strode carefully forwards, then dropped quietly down a foot or so away from Avalon, burbling quietly before he reached out and pawed at her gently with a hoof, and Applejack looked awkwardly at the infant. Luna smiled a little, though, instructing quietly: “Now be gentle, Antares, she is but a baby. This is thy new friend, Avalon... she shall be like a sister to thee, and thou shall take care of her as she grows up... and thou shall also allow her to take care of thee when thou needs it, is this understood, my son?”

“Ava-won. Baby.” Antares nodded a few times firmly, and then he smiled as he dropped on his side next to the Pegasus newborn, gazing affectionately at her. And the parents smiled warmly in approval at this first meeting of the new generation to come.

Clockwork Crocodiles

Chapter Sixteen: Clockwork Crocodiles
~BlackRoseRaven

It was difficult for Antares to adjust as the days passed, his wings obviously causing him more than a little discomfort. They helped alleviate this as best they could by massaging them and keeping them warm to loosen up the muscles and tendons, but there simply wasn't a lot they could do.

Twilight wrote a letter to Zecora asking if she had any ideas as Luna began to grow frustrated: not with her child, but rather with the fact she couldn't really do anything to help her son, her own flesh-and-blood, and the growing-in wings just seemed to hurt more with each passing day. He cried every now and then from the pain they caused him – most often in the mornings or after long naps – and he couldn't really control them, which meant more than once they had been pinched, crushed, squished, and on one unfortunate occasion burned. It made Luna feel helpless and worthless, while Nightmare Moon only whispered in her mind that a little pain now was worth the gift's benefits later on... something that only amplified Luna's frustrations all the more at this point.

Not even Odin could really help, and Luna had all-but chased him out of the house when he'd made the mistake of phrasing that what Nightmare Moon had done was 'interesting;' it made it all the more a relief when finally, after roughly a week of Antares going through worsening pains, a knock came on their door and Scrivener answered it to find Zecora smiling in at them.

Zecora was a zebra, talented and well-versed in potions and elixirs of all variety, and while she seemed to prefer her solitary hut outside of Ponyville she could be relied upon to always come through for anypony in need. Golden rings glinted around her neck, bangles on one foreleg and hoops hung from her ears, and her mane was done up in a stiff, checkered black-and-white mohawk, green eyes filled with age and wisdom much greater than her youthful, pretty features would suggest. “Scrivener Blooms, I might be able to help with your son's plight... although I wish I'd known sooner something was not right.”

“Well, you know me and Luna, Zecora. We really don't like to impose, and you've already done so much for us and Antares. Come on inside.” He smiled a little, turning and heading down the hall. “He'll be glad to see you, anyway. Seeing other people seems to take his mind off things... kid's way more social than either me or Luna ever were.”

“You don't give yourself enough credit in that regard... neither you nor Luna are that socially-awkward.” Zecora replied with a slight smile as she stepped out into the den, gazing towards where Antares, Scarlet Sage, and Luna were all sitting comfortably on the floor together with a pile of blocks and some of his other toys. “Scarlet Sage, Luna Brynhild, I'm glad to see you two... and little Antares Mīrus, even though I hear you've been feeling blue.”

“Cora!” Antares greeted, and then he smiled before picking up his doll, and Zecora's eyes widened in surprise as the infant held it up, declaring: “Gymbr!”

“I... what in Equestria is that?” Zecora whispered, and there was silence for a moment before she shook her head weakly as the ponies looked at her with concern, even Antares lowering his doll and looking worried for a moment. “It... I am sorry, I felt my heartbeat go... flat. I... I am sure it is of no concern, merely a passing of a ghost over the grave... conversation until after I help Antares we can save.”

Luna was frowning worriedly, and Scrivener looked concerned as well even as he gave a wry smile, asking quietly: “So you can feel the vibe from that thing, too?”

Zecora didn't seem surprised, glancing over her shoulder and smiling faintly as she said quietly: “I feel something very clear from that alien little doll... and from where I come, and what I've studied, I know that isn't a toy at all. But again, we can talk about it after I have attended to your son... it shouldn't be hard to apply the salve, although far from fun.”

The sapphire winged unicorn nodded hesitantly, and then she gazed quietly down at her foal as he fidgeted a bit, looking up at Zecora before he glanced over his shoulder when Luna leaned down and said quietly: “I need for thee to be a good boy for me now, alright, Antares? Try not to fidget too much, and this shall all be over shortly. We are going to try and fix these unfair pains thou hast been suffering.”

“Hurt.” Antares agreed quietly after a moment, and Zecora smiled a little as she shrugged off the simple black satchel hanging at her side, opening it and digging out a brown, unlabeled clay jar and a roll of green-tinted cloth bandages.

“Now, Antares, this might sting... first we need to stretch out his wing.” the zebra instructed gently, and Luna grimaced a little, but then nodded slowly with a sigh, soothingly rubbing a hoof along her son's spine and gently holding him in place before her horn glowed, and Antares whimpered and fidgeted as one of his wings took on the same distinct aura and slowly, steadily stretched out to its full span, the foal shivering a little on the ground. “Alright, alright, that should be fine... stay still now, Antares, you're safe in your mother's hooves and mine...”

Antares whimpered a bit, clinging to his security toy as Zecora pulled the top off the jar and slid it to the side without needing to ask or be asked, and Scarlet Sage smiled faintly, slipping forwards as Luna murmured soothingly down to her foal and rubbed gently up and down his spine.

Scrivener watched for a few moments, then headed into the kitchen to put on tea: when he returned, Zecora had finished covering the wing and the area around the bases of the leathery appendages with the cream and she was already wrapping the leathery wing in the green-tinted cloth, explaining: “This will protect the wings and keep the nerves soothed... try to keep it on for the night before letting it be removed. And I'm sure I don't have to point out the wounds around his back... his body's still trying to reject these wings and deny the attack.”

“Aye, I know. Does thou know anything about transformation and transfiguration, Zecora? Celestia and I are both concerned that this will last for a long time... that these pains could last until Antares is finally a full adult.” Luna said quietly, and Zecora grimaced and shook her head slowly, both in sympathy and in answer to Luna's question.

“I wish that I did, Luna of the Night, but I have rarely if ever seen such a plight. Besides, I know your experiences in transformation dwarf my own... the only I ever truly had was when as a shadow I had flown.” Zecora hesitated for a moment all the same, then she gently snapped the bandage and bound it down into place, as Antares fidgeted a little before settling with another quiet whimper. “Let's do the other wing, though, and get this over with... then your son can rest and we can discuss a certain myth.”

Zecora's eyes flicked downwards to the doll half-cradled, half-pinned beneath Antares, and she gave a shiver again before shaking her head hurriedly. Luna frowned a little, but she didn't push, helping keep Antares soothed and holding out his other wing as she had before as Scarlet Sage and Zecora worked to spread salve along it. Antares fidgeted a bit more this time, and his whimpering made Luna's heart ache and Scrivener close his eyes, wishing he could do more as he stayed back and looked quietly down at his son, as Antares whispered every now and then: “Hurt. Hurt.”

When they were finished and the wing was bandaged, Zecora carefully put a final wrap around Antares' body to cover around the bases of the wings and the cream-covered areas along the foal's back. Then she and Scarlet Sage both excused themselves quietly to wash their hooves off in the kitchen as Scrivener and Luna sat with their son, who looked bleary and uncomfortable, his eyes shimmering a little with tears. He scraped a bit at the bandages across his body, but Luna reached up and gently stopped him, saying softly: “No, they are there to help thee, Antares. My poor little colt...”

Antares shifted a bit, his wings flexing behind him beneath the bandages, and then he brushed fussily at the bandages again before whimpering and finally settling. Scrivener and Luna gazed silently at their son as he shifted again, then whimpered quietly and picked at the bandages, and Luna sighed softly as she reached out and gently guided his hoof away, saying softly: “Nay, Antares. They are going to... to make the hurt go away, but they need time to work, alright?”

“Hurt.” Antares whispered in return, and then he trembled a little before stumbling forwards and quietly burying his face against Scrivener's stomach, pressing into his father as he whimpered a little once more. “Hurt.”

Scrivener hugged his son fiercely close up against his body, rocking him slowly in his limbs, and Luna sighed softly as she reached out, then cursed quietly under her breath as she realized she couldn't even rub her child's back with the bandages. Instead, she reached up and gently stroked through his messy white mane, dropping her own face against the side of Scrivener's neck as she whispered inwardly: Nightmare Moon, thou will pay for what thou hast done to my sweet little boy. I promise it. I swear it.

For a few moments, there was only silence as they sat together, the only sound Antares' faint whimpers, but gradually those too died slowly down as he quieted and Scrivener looked silently down at the poor child. There were no words for how unfair this was to the poor foal... and father closed his eyes, feeling Luna's anger bubbling through them, mixing with his own fury and a strange, bitter disappointment in Nightmare Moon.

Antares quietly began to scramble back and forth as Zecora finally stepped into the archway between kitchen and den, gazing at them softly as she leaned against the wall and said quietly: “I hope you don't mind me being bold, but I figured I would make my tea before it went cold. And now, I know you have questions, Luna of the Night... and I'll try and give you the answers that are within my sight.”

“About Gymbr... about the doll and the way thou and others have reacted to it.” Luna looked quietly down at Antares, who had once more picked up his plush toy and was carrying it quietly back and forth. “Is it something that should worry me, Zecora?”

Zecora, however, only smiled faintly at this, replying quietly: “I can say with confidence, Luna my friend... that from the being you call Gymbr you already did defend. In a way, you and Scrivener Blooms stopped him many moons in the past... through the darkness that would have formed him you did both blast. Strange things I do see, as I look around this place... I see flashes of what could have happened, beyond time and space. I see this cottage in ruin and a black castle in its place... I see that we could have been enemies, and I am glad this is not the case.”

Luna and Scrivener both nodded, looking silently towards Zecora as she gazed down thoughtfully, then turned and sipped slowly at her tea for a moment, visibly gathering her thoughts before she finally looked silently at Antares' doll. “Twins, you see, represent the duality essential to everything... sorrow and happiness, light and dark, autumn and spring. If you want my opinion, no matter how insane it may sound... Gymbr is a piece of a reflection to which we are all invisibly bound. And more than that, he is a corruption of this sacred ideal... he is two pieces made into one, or at least that is how I feel.”

“He is us.” Luna said softly, looking quietly at the doll, and Zecora only nodded silently before Luna glanced up quietly at the zebra, asking slowly: “Does thou truly believe... that just as there are an interminable number of layers of reality... beneath our very hooves, our shadows play out a world of evil so that we may live inside a world of good? And that somehow, this doll, this child's toy, is a manifestation of... of what? Of a piece of that desolate world that never really was, that exists only in the shade of our world... or are we as the sky, an illusion of blue betwixt the cold ground and colder-still space?”

“I believe that everything has two distinct sides... that to this one law, everything in the universe abides. And I believe that this is a piece of a world I hope we never see... I know it would not be pleasant for either you or me.” Zecora smiled a little. “For different reasons, of course, I must honestly confess... but I don't think either of us would handle such visions without stress. Scrivener Blooms, I'm surprised that you cannot see it too; you've always had a talent for seeing what is true.”

“Well, blessing or curse, depending on how you look at it...” Scrivener said softly, and then he smiled a little as Zecora stepped aside to let Scarlet Sage slip past, the Pegasus blushing a bit as she carefully set a tray with several cups of tea down. “Thanks, kiddo. But... maybe if I focused on it, knowing what it is, I could see clearer, but... when I spoke to Gymbr before, I did distinctly hear that word in my thoughts. I thought it was... just my own stupid thoughts pulling a random word out for it, but...”

Zecora only smiled a little, nodding slowly before Antares quietly held up his toy as he looked towards the group of adults, saying softly: “Gymbr. Gymbr... help.”

“Help, I am not sure is the word I would use...” Zecora grimaced a bit, looking nervously at the doll before she sighed a little, adding finally as Luna gave her a worried look: “But... your child the toy seems to soothe. This relic, this manifestation of another world's plight... I do not think it's here to spread into your family any blight. Oh, to me it feels malicious, of that there is no doubt... but if it does not feel vicious to you, then there is no need to throw it out.”

Luna nodded meditatively, and Scrivener hesitated as he looked towards Antares, who was still holding the doll up insistently until Scarlet Sage finally reached out and gently took it, looking down at it quietly. Antares only sat back, looking up at her... and then, finally, Scarlet Sage smiled faintly as she hugged the toy close against her body, closing her eyes and saying softly: “I know you'd never hurt me or Antares.”

Scrivener and Luna gazed softly at one another, and then they both nodded slowly before Zecora straightened and said quietly: “There's not a lot I can really say to reassure you on this measure... but for now, I think it's safe to let it remain your son's treasure. If it was truly a cursed object it would have done some harm by now, and it does not seem to lash out at even those whom its presence wows.”

Antares burbled quietly, reaching his front hooves up towards Scarlet, and she looked almost hesitant to part from the doll before she gently passed it back to her little brother, shaking her head out briefly with a small smile. Antares took it with a smile, hugging it close with one hoof as he pawed at her with the other front limb, then he slipped forwards and curled himself against his sister, Scarlet Sage looking down tenderly at him as she began to soothingly rub along his lower back. “It really does seem to help him, though.”

“Good and evil will always both have their place in the world... again, between dualities, all balance is swirled.” Zecora smiled a bit over at Scarlet Sage, and then she shook her head a bit before continuing quietly: “Perhaps we should move on to a subject upon which I can be more help... it seems that at least your son's pains are being soothed by the cream and bandages of kelp.”

Luna grunted, nodding and smiling a little more herself now as she looked across at the zebra with honest gratitude in her eyes. “And I cannot begin to express my thanks, Zecora. Again, thy expertise has proven to be the saving grace for me and mine where even Celestia and I could not find a solution.”

Zecora only smiled a little with a modest shake of her head, and the winged unicorn turned her eyes towards her son. “Now, if only thou could provide me with a poison to kill Nightmare Moon... or perhaps some magic elixir to knock her back into dormancy, that would be enough. Then I would go into myself and drag her forcibly out, one way or another.”

Scrivener smiled a little over at the winged unicorn as Zecora gazed kindly across at Luna, reassuring gently: “You have a dark thing inside you, Luna of the Night... but such a battle with yourself is not won simply with might. Think of all the years that have passed with you keeping your inner demon in her cage, although I know that what she did to your son has filled you with righteous rage. But if anything, your strength of character is proven by how when even Nightmare Moon slipped her leash, she tried to bring a 'kindness' to your son with her dark magic pastiche.”

“And I would most have preferred that she kept her dark magic pastiche to herself.” Luna muttered under her breath, and then she shook her head grimly. “Vicious and sinful monster that she is. I shan't ever forget nor forgive this.”

“All answers and solutions will come in time, Luna of the Night... for now, show patience, and we'll find the answer to your son's plight.” Zecora reassured gently, and Luna sighed and nodded, resting herself against Scrivener Blooms as the male smiled a little, wrapping a foreleg quietly around the winged unicorn as the adults gazed quietly at Antares. The baby burbled softly, his attention focused for now back on his toy... but his bandaged and strange wings were all too clear a reminder that there was much sorrow as well as much joy waiting in the future for the young foal.

A week passed, during which Scrivener and Luna were careful to continue to treat Antares' wings and back with more of Zecora's salve, change and keep the aloe and kelp bandages clean, and stretch out the leathery appendages regularly. At first it seemed to hurt Antares more than a little, and Luna and Scrivener both had a hard time with it, the sounds of her son's pain bringing Luna almost to the point of tears even as she continued to stretch and pull the wings slowly, rhythmically out, helping to loosen the muscles and get the appendages moving, and familiarize Antares a little more with the feeling of his own wings.

But by the end of the week, his wings had strengthened and loosened up, and now Antares had started to understand a little about controlling them. More important than him learning to flap them, however, was the fact that the pain had decreased: Luna still continued to massage his wings and lower back regularly, and continued to apply a lavender-smelling muscle ointment before Antares went down for any long length of rest, but otherwise there was no real need to apply any other soothing creams or bandages.

Nightmare Moon was still flitting her way just beneath the conscious surface of Luna's mind, sometimes whispering to them: it ranged from soft and malicious teasing of Luna to adoration and adulation of Scrivener Blooms; the latter made Scrivy shudder as much as the former made Luna furious. But the winged unicorn was determined to find a way to once and for all rein her darker side in, to show Nightmare Moon that she was in charge and not afraid of that dark, passion-powered entity...

For now, though, most of their attention was taken up by Antares Mīrus: apart from his wings, they were also bringing him to socialize more often in Ponyville, letting him play with the other kids in the playground or the park, visiting with Avalon and the Apples, and having him spend more time with Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. Luna even grudgingly allowed Odin to look him over, studying the child's wings thoughtfully and poking at his teeth a bit before Luna finally flailed her way between once-god and foal as Antares giggled at his mother and Odin grimaced a bit.

Discombobulation had also apparently developed a fascination for Gymbr: whenever Antares forgot the toy somewhere or left it alone for a few minutes, it would usually end up in the grip of the Draconequus, who would hold odd and awkward conversations with the silent toy and pretend to listen to it for long periods of time. Of course, with the doll's actual nature still uncertain and questionable, it wasn't entirely known whether or not Discombobulation was really just pretending to listen... or if the strange amalgamation was really whispering stories and secrets to the chaos entity.

Scrivener had more than once tried to talk to the doll while safely alone, and so had Luna, but neither of them ever had any luck. But sometimes odd ideas, strange dreams, and a sense of surreality would come over the poet while he was working on a project or just trying to rest, and before he knew it he would be jotting down all kinds of random thoughts and ideas, just letting himself flow and always finding himself surprised at what came out. Among what seemed like random drivel and pen scratchings, there would be distinct and chilling phrases, like 'the world was mine, before it burned,' and 'in greed, I asked for everything; in cruelty, they gave me what I wanted.'

Scrivener had already written a long, rambling poem concerning the last phrase, since it sounded like something that would come out of his quill anyway. Luna had grumbled that he was sick after she read the poem but insisted that they send it to Celestia, to see what she thought. Scrivener hadn't even had a chance to argue before Luna had already sent the poem on its way, and the male had been left twitchy and grouchy for the next hour or so: he hated sharing his writing with anypony these days.

Celestia had talked to him a little about the poem and the writing exercises he'd been doing while visiting the next day: she thought that Gymbr held an important clue to everything that was going on herself. She had even discussed how everything could possibly be linked with Odin: the shards of shapeshifters, the appearance of this strange toy, and even the malfunctioning of the Bifrost. Luna had scoffed at this thought, but Scrivener felt her unease even as a chill ran along his own spine: the thought that somehow all these things were interconnected, laced up together in one strange, alien story...

But it was something that Celestia and Twilight would have to worry about: Scrivener and Luna, meanwhile, had to focus on spending the time they could with Antares... and getting ready for their upcoming trip to the next layer of reality. Pinkamena had already been informed that she would be permitted to come along, and the half-demon had been in an oddly-cheerful mood since she'd been told... although Pinkie Pie had also whispered slyly to them behind a hoof one day at Sugar Cube Corners that Pinkamena also had a secret pen pal she was trading letters with, and she thought that was helping her mood, too.

Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, was getting a little more anxious as the time to leave neared: it was understandable, even though it had been her own choice to come along on the journey: but it would be her first time truly adventuring beside her parents, running into unknown territory and unknown dangers. She would also be leaving her little brother behind... and only now was she really starting to understand and appreciate just how hard that was. Trusted, beloved family members or not, it was still hard knowing that there would be at least a week where she wouldn't see her younger sibling, where she wouldn't be able to be there for him if something happened, where all contact would be lost... and she wondered quietly how Luna and Scrivener could continue to both put up their strong, smiling fronts even as they clung to Antares as tightly as a barnacle to the hull of a sunken ship.

Odin had promised to help take care of Antares despite Luna's disgruntlement at the thought of the old falcon-headed entity being alone with her son, but Antares seemed fine with 'Old-win,' and that alleviated a lot of her anxieties despite the way it also added to her frustrations at the same time. She tried to make Celestia promise to smite Odin if the falcon-headed entity made Antares upset even once, and the ivory equine had replied with a slight smile: “Now, little sister, you know that's not even something you really have to ask.”

As the days continued to tick inexorably onwards towards the date they had set for their departure, and every passing minute now made Luna and Scrivener both feel a little more anxious, the two began to spend more time in Ponyville. Both because it let them spend time with Antares while also letting him spend time with the ponies who would be taking care of him while they were gone, and because it let them run the errands they needed to do and assemble the last of their necessary gear.

The two were currently walking back from the engineering building: Cowlick and Greece had set them up some extra survival equipment, and Luna had appreciated adding a few more modern tools to her arsenal. Flares, a toolkit, chemical powders... Cowlick had even offered a rifle, but Scrivener had hurriedly declined, knowing all too well the first thing Luna would likely shoot would be him.

Luna glanced moodily back and forth as they strode along before her eyes settled on a half-constructed building, Nibelung and ponies both hurrying around this new structure. The outside looked like it would be mostly windowless, but all the same there were a lot of panels of glass and all kinds of expensive-looking equipment before Luna huffed a little and muttered: “Vinyl Scratch's new nightclub. Bah.”

“And here I thought you'd be into that. Not that I would ever take you there, Luna, it looks like there's going to be way too much glass around. You have a bad habit of breaking things.” Scrivener replied mildly, the two halting to look curiously over the construction for a few moments, then they both shrugged and turned, continuing on through the town. “Not really my kind of music either, though.”

“I do not mind the music, nor the dancing. The flashing lights annoy me, but... bah.” Luna grumbled a little, and Scrivener gave her another curious look. “'Tis just that... well... 'tis strange to see Ponyville changing. To see it expanding, and growing. Also I did not give permission for this. Why was I not asked permission?”

“The world doesn't revolve completely around you, Luna.” Scrivener said gently, and Luna halted in her tracks with a huff, glaring at him as Scrivener only smiled over his shoulder and continued forwards. “Come on, warrior princess. Once the place is built, we can look it over. And if it continues to bother you I'll take you on a date there and you can get into a bar fight, okay?”

“Only if there are windows through which to throw ponies.” Luna grumbled, and then she huffed and trotted up beside him, the two continuing back towards town square as he complained: “And the world does revolve around me, Scrivener Blooms! I am the moon, all ponies know that the world revolves around the moon.”

“You are not the moon and the world does not revolve around the moon.” Scrivener said tiredly, and Luna huffed and poked at him with her horn, making him wince away a little. “Do you know anything about physics?”

“I know that if I smash thee with my hoof it shall silence thy wretched mouth.” Luna grumbled in return, and then she grimaced a little as she looked up at the sky: still fairly clear and blue overhead, but the horizon was ominous and dark... a sure sign that a storm was rolling in. “After we drop off these supplies, we should perhaps consider taking Antares home... and perhaps send a letter to Scarlet Sage as well. I do not like the looks of the clouds upon the horizon, and nature in this world is a far-fiercer mother than she was in our old home.”

Scrivener grunted in agreement with this, nodding slowly after a moment as his own eyes roved up to the dark clouds at the horizon. “And yet... I can't help but kind of be glad for the way nature functions perfectly well on her own here. That the Pegasi don't have to constantly handle the weather... that the weather here sometimes gets so fierce and insistent that the Pegasi can't do anything to stop it, even.”

But Luna only smiled wryly at this, replying mildly: “Oh, but the Pegasi never had to handle the weather, Scrivy, nature can take perfect care of herself, left to her own devices... 'twas always evil Celestia, with her issues of needing to control every little thing, to instill so-called 'harmony' and order throughout all of Equestria. 'Tis all Celestia's fault, again.”

Scrivener only smiled amusedly in response as they approached the enormous, hollowed-out tree the library was housed in, and then Luna halted and grimaced a little, glancing moodily over her shoulder. “All the same though, I shall admit... 'twas nice that when good weather was needed, it could be depended upon. Just as being able to know when bad weather would strike the land and 'twas better to simply stay indoors.. but nay, nay, enough of these idle thoughts. Come, Scrivener Blooms. By now Celestia and Twilight will be attempting to teach Antares to read and I shall have to pummel them both. That is a duty and a reward for us, not for them.”

With that, Luna flicked her horn and flung the library door open, the winged unicorn striding inside... then snorting in entertainment as she found Antares and a foal-sized Discombobulation both sitting and staring up at Spike. The dragon had a pop-up book over his crossed legs, and Rarity was smiling and leaning against him as he blushed a little, emerald eyes flicking towards the winged unicorn and the charcoal earth pony as he said awkwardly: “Hey guys. I was uh. Just... yes.”

“Practicing for thine own children?” Luna asked mildly, and Spike and Rarity both blushed before Luna laughed as Antares turned around at the sound of her voice and burbled happily, flailing his hooves a little before he tumbled over. He only giggled on the floor for a moment, then scrambled quickly up and towards her, Luna leaning down with a warm smile and nuzzling him affectionately. “Where are Twilight and Celestia?”

“They were called away for some business at the town hall, Rarity and I were happy to stay here and look after the... kids.” Spike finished awkwardly, glancing towards Discombobulation, but the child-sized Draconequus only nodded seriously a few times in agreement, and Spike wheezed in relief and smiled a little as he glanced up. “But it's been... kind of fun.”

“Mostly because there hasn't been any need to change any dirty diapers, I think, and Antares is such a remarkably well-behaved little boy, too.” Rarity added, then she smiled a little as she glanced towards Gymbr as Scrivener walked past to toss down the bags of supplies, adding softly: “Much as that doll of his makes me feel a little... strange. Cold.”

“Yeah.” Spike said softly, slipping a claw down and squeezing Rarity's hoof gently, and then he shook his head briefly before smiling a little as he looked towards where Discombobulation was patiently sitting still. “Although he seems to like it.”

“Kids are too stupid to be scared of most things.” Discombobulation said in a cheerful, childish voice, and then he snatched up Gymbr before huffing when Antares immediately looked over his shoulder, giving a babyish grumble that made both Scrivener and Luna grin widely. “'S cool!”

“I... oh, there it is.” added a milder voice, and all eyes stared up as Discombobulation calmly walked into the room through the nearby archway, looking flatly at the child-sized version of himself. “I turn my back for one moment and my inner child manages to become my outer child. You, get over here.”

The foal-sized Draconequus only blew a raspberry in response before leaping to his feet and bolting away, and Discombobulation grumbled before he snapped his fingers, and the child version of himself burst apart into neon smoke with a squeak; a moment later a plastic bottle fell out of the cloud, as did the mismatched doll. The chimerical creature calmly walked across the room to these objects, ignoring the doll for the moment as he waved the last of the smoke away and then picked up the pill bottle instead, examining it moodily. “Take one a day to keep the doctor away. And with today's skyrocketing medical costs, that sounds like a practical investment for anyone and everyone.”

He paused, then opened the bottle and shook a pill out, and a moment later the bottle vanished before he muttered: “I sure hope this isn't a suppository. But well, bottoms up.” With that, the Draconequus flicked his hand upwards as he slapped his forearm with his talon, sending the pill rocketing out of his palm.

It smacked firmly into his eye, and Discombobulation flailed his limbs with a series of vulgarities as Luna laughed... then cackled louder when Antares tried to mimic the Draconequus, yelling senselessly and flailing his own arms wildly as his wings flapped wildly on his back until he tumbled over. Scrivener only stared, jaw agape, and Spike and Rarity both looked around themselves with dumb disbelief before the dragon slowly closed the pop-up book and grinned awkwardly over his shoulder at Bob. “Uh. Can I get you a glass of water?”

“Yes. Get me a glass of water to wash this down with, everyone knows Draconequus eat with their eyes.” the chimerical creature said grouchily, glaring down at the dragon, and Spike winced back a little as Bob rubbed at his face, looking surly. “Scrivener Blooms, stop laughing at me. Everyone here knows this is all your fault. You're an enabler. You're that jerk who sits back, convincing all her friends to do jackass stunts while she films them, and then reaps all the rewards and runs away to Hollywood before her bruised and battered and broken ex-friends can catch up to her.”

Luna only giggled, however, slowly sitting up before Antares threw all four of his hooves into the air and declared seriously: “Jackass!”

The winged unicorn stared across at Discombobulation, who stared back... and then they both broke down into laughter, and Scrivener Blooms sighed even as Spike joined in and even Rarity smiled and rolled her eyes in amusement. Antares, meanwhile, was giggling gleefully away, kicking and flailing his hooves at the air before Scrivener stepped forwards and rubbed his son's belly gently, making him laugh and kick lightly. “Alright, alright, Luna. You're not winning any mother of the year awards here. So if we're all done being a bad influence on my son, we should probably get ready to go.”

“Oh, alright, alright. No need to be such a spoilsport, Luna.” Discombobulation waved an eagle talon airily, then he glanced mildly over his shoulder at Spike and Rarity. “Make sure you both do plenty of things you'll regret later. Otherwise, you'll regret that, and it's much worse to regret not having regrets to regret your regrets, regrettably enough.”

The two looked blankly up at him, and then Discombobulation slowly leaned towards them, hands behind his back, and they both winced a little and reared back before he advised kindly: “Pretend you're on the Discovery Channel and it's a special on hybrid species.”

“Bob!” Luna laughed again even as she began to push up to her hooves, grinning widely as Scrivener rolled his eyes and went over to gather up Antares' baby stuff. Spike, meanwhile, had turned scarlet as Rarity blushed and looked awkwardly away. “And usually thou art the one being so against any such fun! I always knew thou wert a closet pervert.”

“Or perhaps I simply cannot think of anything more regrettable than that.” Discombobulation retorted, and then he looked meditatively over towards Luna as Rarity mumbled a little and Spike fidgeted backwards a bit. “Besides, Scrivener Blooms. I need something to gossip about with Gymbr. He always has such interesting things to say, and what am I left with? 'Well, Luna and Scrivener are going out of town for a while, and I get to be a big boy and stay at the cottage all by myself.' That, and the fact Pinkamena has pen pals. This is not worthwhile conversation to share with a cross-dimensional entity.”

“Does thou know whom Pinkamena's pen pals are?” Luna asked curiously, and Scrivener couldn't help but glance up with interest as well despite his best efforts not to, even as he piled things into the baby bag. “And truly, does she have more than one?”

Discombobulation looked carefully back and forth, and then he nodded seriously and squatted down as he shielded his mouth with his hands, whispering conspiratorially: “One's in Manehattan. He contacted her because he's studying demons and Cowlick mentioned Pinkamena. His apartment smells like dead cats and is filled with fantasy toys and...” He shuddered. “'Fantasy' toys.”

“I... wait. When did thou travel to Manehattan?” Luna looked surprised, and then she brightened and pointed a hoof at him as the Draconequus looked back at her dryly. “Wait! I see, thou actually likes the half-demon after all!”

“Do you want me to gossip with you or not?” Discombobulation asked crankily, and Luna grumbled but nodded even as Rarity tried to lean away, but looked as if she was being drawn in despite herself. “And even though she has a few other pen pals across the country, which I understand very well as I also have a slight difficulty maintaining companionship with certain ponies due to the fact I am about as cuddly as a sea cucumber and as under-appreciated as the guy who makes all the props, there's only one pony she talks to that really gets the gossip mills spinning right round baby, right round, like a record baby, right round-round-round.”

He nodded calmly once, drawing in the attention of the others as Antares burbled quietly, then happily scrambled across the floor and half-pounced, half-fell on his doll before he declared: “Sleipnir!”

“Spoiler alert!” Discombobulation flailed his arms as Luna stared in surprise, and then the Draconequus grumbled and glowered down at the child, who only smiled brightly back up at the chimerical creature in response. “The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be sure they have some pretty annoying virtues.”

“Disco-Bob!” Antares responded with another smile, and Discombobulation rolled his eyes, then clapped his hands together before striking a sharp pose with one hand raised above his head and the other on his hip, a white dance costume glittering with rhinestones appearing over his frame and his mohawk of a mane puffing out into an enormous afro.

Antares giggled and flailed his hooves at this as Luna looked incredulously from her son to Discombobulation, then she stomped her hooves rapidly even as Scrivener walked over towards his son with a smile, baby carrier hanging from one side of his body and the packed-up baby bag the other. “Does thou truly speak true? Now thou must tell me more! Tell me, tell me Bob, how and why and what is Pinkamena talking with my brother about? And why have neither of them told me?”

“Maybe because you never answer Sleipnir's letters, you just send him messages every now and then ordering him to come visit.” Scrivener said pointedly, and Luna grumbled a little under her breath before the male glanced curiously towards Discombobulation. “How is she sending letters to Valhalla?”

“She is a half-demon, Luna, who did time in Helheim. She picked up a trick or two while down there, apparently. Either that, or she scared some Nibelung Architect or Odin or some other poor sap into teaching her how to do it.” Discombobulation paused meditatively as he dug a pair of enormous sunglasses out of his thin jacket, then he slipped them on before looking seriously up and strutting forwards, kangaroo tail flicking behind him with each and every step as he bounced with every movement.

Without looking around, he strode through the doorway, and Luna looked mildly over her shoulder after the others before Rarity asked curiously, leaning forwards: “So you can actually send letters... well... beyond the grave? And receive them back, too?”

“Only because Sleipnir has special privilege to receive these communications, as he is acting as... a sort of guardian over our world, which means he must have some... connection to our plane.” Luna paused, then smiled a little. “There are many rules, and many things are forbidden... but Sleipnir has never been very good at following rules laid out by others. Oh, honor is one thing, believe me: there is no pony more honorable than mine beloved brother. But rules and laws and even simple suggestions, on the other hoof...”

She grinned slightly, shaking her head with a soft laugh before looking up warmly and nodding firmly once. “This is a most interesting development indeed. The week I shall be gone now seems like it shall be much more fun. But if thou shall excuse us, Rarity and Spike, it seems as if my husband is finally ready to go, and we wish to make it back to our home before the brewing storm moves in.”

“Of course. It was very nice to see you, though, Luna...” Rarity paused and smiled a little, trading a look with Spike. “And indulge an old bad habit for a moment, too, I must admit. But I do enjoy hearing that our misunderstood friend Pinkamena has an interest in things outside of... well... you know.”

“Dead body parts.” Scrivener supplied, and Rarity gave him an amused look, the earth pony stallion smiling despite himself as he carefully picked up Antares and slipped him into the carrier, the toddler burbling a little and flailing his limbs at the air before he smiled brightly when Scrivener passed up Gymbr to him. “Hey, I'm not knocking it. If anything, I'm probably her best customer for those Coffin Cakes.”

“Yeah, but. You and Luna are a little weird... no offense.” Spike said awkwardly, holding up a claw, but Luna only nodded thoughtfully as the stallion grunted in agreement, and Antares giggled as he flailed his hooves before squeezing his doll close against his body. “I did notice one thing though, and... you know, I understand if I missed something here, but... how did Antares know...”

Scrivener and Luna only traded a look and a smile, however, before Luna nodded once to the stallion and gave him an insistent glare, and the charcoal earth pony rolled his eyes but then returned his gaze to Spike and Rarity, explaining quietly: “We don't know for sure, but... Antares has a strange gift. It's like Luna's instincts and my ability to... see... things, like they mixed together inside him somehow. He just knows things: both Luna and I think it's part of the reason why he's so well-behaved, why he doesn't... go after stuff like normal babies would, why he's developing so fast. He doesn't have to be told things, because he... knows them already.”

He smiled a little, then shook his head as Spike and Rarity both looked curiously at the two, and Luna added softly: “'Tis strange, I know, but... it is also what Scrivener Blooms and I both hold to be true fact. Our son is special... how special is yet to be determined, but for now... I know that we have a good start. I only wish that with his power to see things came the ability to not soil himself.”

Scrivener rolled his eyes, looking amusedly over at Luna for a moment as Rarity smiled and Spike nodded with a snort, smiling a little. Then the winged unicorn straightened and nodded firmly, saying kindly: “Take care of thyselves, Spike and Rarity. And tell Twilight Sparkle and my sister that we shall be back again tomorrow, and to not worry about the supplies. We have the brunt of what we need now and I am somehow certain that Pinkamena has her own gear long readied.”

The two nodded and smiled, Spike waving as they called goodbyes to Scrivener and Luna, and Antares burbled and waved back at the pretty unicorn and the young dragon. They headed out into the square to find Discombobulation waiting for them, now leaning on a cane and with a group of ponies all staring up at him as he posed and pointedly ignored them before finally turning his attention to Luna, saying moodily: “This place just ain't got a groovy vibe to it, ain't fresh. Makin' me feel real down. Makin' me feel like the Big C is right up there, watchin' us all, babe. Ain't we all supposed to be makin' love, not war?”

Luna sighed a little, looking pointedly at Discombobulation as he flicked his sunglasses down and peered over them, and then she rolled her eyes and looked dryly over at Scrivener Blooms. “And thou thinks my dialect is strange. And besides, Discombobulation...” Luna grinned widely, half-lidding her eyes up at him. “The way I make love, 'tis war.”

Discombobulation hurriedly cleared his throat at this, and then he brushed rapidly at himself, his clothing and afro bursting into smoke as he muttered: “I was getting bored of that theme anyway.”

With that, he strode quickly on his way, brushing ponies and Nibelung lightly aside, and Luna rolled her eyes as Scrivener smiled amusedly after the Draconequus, the two falling into pace after the tall, odd creature as the winged unicorn said wryly: “I think that one day, Scrivener Blooms, I shall have to show Bob that there is more to me than bark...”

“Oh don't worry, I'm very certain you're not a tree.” Discombobulation muttered without looking around, and Luna grumbled under her breath as Antares giggled and flailed a little, burbling a bit at this. But then the Draconequus became more serious as he slowly looked up towards the sky, nervously rubbing at his chest: something he usually only did when either pained or when he sensed something amiss. “Storm's coming.”

The two ponies remained silent as they walked up to either side of him, but the Draconequus didn't speak again until they were outside of the village and heading towards the Everfree Forest. Then, as they headed towards the trees, he suddenly looked up from his moody reverie and murmured: “I feel that. Do you feel that? Luna, you must... these days, you're more sensitive to such things than Scrivener Blooms is...”

Scrivy looked up with a frown as the winged unicorn glanced over at him nervously, and then the male grimaced a little: but it was less at the strange sensation he felt whispering at the edge of his vision than it was at the sound of Antares whimpering, apparently picking up on whatever it was that was wrong. Discombobulation was still leading them onwards, but his pace was wary, and the forest seemed... darker than usual, reminding Luna all too well of when they had come across the shapeshifters before she looked up with surprise as the Draconequus muttered: “This will be particularly strange coming from me, Scrivener Blooms... but for the moment, you may wish to relinquish your hatred of our foul dark friend locked away inside your heart of hearts. She is not... exactly... like these things, but she is more like it than I am... although perhaps, Luna... you... are the most like them.”

“Please don't say things like that.” Scrivener muttered, but his tone was more worried than anything else, and Luna grimaced as they passed into the forest, her horn beginning to glow as she concentrated on calling out to one of her darker allies who could survive even in the light of day.

Discombobulation, meanwhile, only gave a thin smile, looking nervously up as he nodded slowly and murmured: “Then shall I go back to borrowing from my betters who will never even know my name, let alone see my handsome face? Very well: do you know what it sounds like to me is out there, Luna? A crocodile, who's swallowed a pocketwatch... and how it ticks and tocks! As it draws closer to us, I hear the interminable clicking of the ever-moving gears and rods, silver metal that lays undigested in a belly that hungers for flesh... but unfortunately, we don't have any pieces of pirate to throw this fearsome thing... and even worse, none of us are children, even though all of us are very guilty of never having grown up.

“Tick-tock, tick-tock.” Discombobulation muttered to himself, and then he shuddered a little as he hugged himself, saying quietly: “There's evil clockwork out there, masked in flesh and teeth. I think it has our scent...”

Then the Draconequus looked to the side with a wince as Luna's horn pulsed, and a ripple passed through the strangely-quiet forest before there was a rumble in the shadows, and a familiar voice whispered as a hulking form shaped itself out of the darkness cast by the trees: “Mistress... it is not safe here now...”

“Aye, believe me, I had that distinct feeling. Thou must go to Scarlet Sage, tell her that she is to stay at Sweet Apple Acres for tonight and we shall meet her in town tomorrow.” Luna replied calmly, nodding slowly once, and Atrus rumbled nervously before the group stopped, the winged unicorn looking towards the demon half-hidden by the trees and shadows as she said quietly: “Do not fear for me, my friend. 'Tis odd and awkward to have even a demon as handsome and well-liked as thou worrying for me, the so-called usurper.”

“And I have heard ponies refer to mere shadows as 'evil;' it does not make it true.” Atrus replied quietly, and then he nodded hesitantly as Luna smiled faintly and Discombobulation looked moody. For a moment, the demon's eyes roved to the Draconequus, but then they hesitantly nodded to each other before Atrus slipped backwards, vanishing into nothing but dark smoke and shadow.

“Demons. Can't live with them, can't live without them. Like wives.” Discombobulation muttered, then he glanced moodily towards Scrivener. “Or perhaps I should say 'husbands' in your case, Luna.”

“We can joke later. Let's concentrate on getting home for now.” Scrivener replied quietly, looking apprehensively ahead as Luna took the lead, glaring balefully back and forth as clouds began to slowly rumble through the sky above. “The sensation's getting stronger... but it's different from the shapeshifters this time. It's heavier...”

“It's a ticking crocodile. But not saltwater... marshland.” Discombobulation muttered, looking darkly up, and Scrivener shuddered at the first thought that went through his head, Antares whimpering loudly from the carrier as he clutched Gymbr closer. “While normally my caution can be contributed to cowardice... I think this is the rare case it can actually be considered the better part of valor.”

“I will not be driven out of my home by even a wretched Tyrant Wyrm.” Luna replied coldly, her eyes flashing before she grunted and nodded, glancing over her shoulder. “But, should one of those monstrosities have actually surfaced somewhere in this forest... it will hunt for us. Not simply because all Tyrant Wyrms are driven to destroy and feed, that it is not in their nature to be sly and stealthy... but because they are Valthrudnir's wretched pets, and we killed their master. But that will be thy chance to escape, Discombobulation, and find Celestia.”

Scrivener smiled grimly, knowing it was true as he felt a strange static whisper through his mind, and Discombobulation nodded slowly before he glanced back and forth, muttering: “I don't know if I should be honored or insulted. So you two get to die together?”

“Just like we've always wanted.” Scrivener said ironically, but then he smiled faintly and glanced quietly down at Antares, who whimpered a little on his side. “Except no, Discombobulation. Even if we ran into a Grand Vizier at this point... Luna and I aren't going to let anything stop us. Or anything even come close to touching our son.”

As they continued through the grim, terribly-still forest, the cloud cover spread thicker overhead, rumbling powerfully with thunder. The darkness continued to worsen as they strode onwards, but in a way it was an advantage: it grew deep enough that Nightmares slipped out of their hiding places to stride beside them, escorting them and nervously whispering about the unnatural forces they felt, the darkness that was lurking all too close...

But it wasn't until they had almost reached their home that they heard it: a quiet chuckle, followed by a whisper in another language that Luna didn't understand, but made her wince back as Discombobulation covered his ears, the Nightmares vanished in terror, and Antares began to cry loudly.

Scrivener understood it though, all too well... and focusing on their mental link and pulling the knowledge from her husband's mind, Luna could understand the terrible, vicious language too, as the voice whispered from where it was hidden beneath the blanketing darkness ahead: “Do you hear me, from the abyss, the Void? Do you know my name, little brother? And pathetic fallen angel, whose wings burned so brightly when she was thrown from the skies...”

“I hear you, and I am not your family. I am nothing like you.” Scrivener replied roughly, stepping forwards and snarling into the shadows as Antares trembled and continued to sob weakly, Discombobulation and Luna on either side of the charcoal stallion. The voice only chuckled in response, however, and there was a horrible, awful slithering sound before baleful blue light glowed out from behind a tree... but they were low to the ground, like boiling flames instead of bright spotlights.

Luna snarled at at this, leaning forwards aggressively... but a short distance away, another set of unholy, staring eldritch eyes opened, a second voice murmuring: “We found you. We have your scent. We will hunt you down and destroy you... but not yet. No, no, not yet... it is far too soon. We will return to the Prophet...”

Quiet laughter from the strange creatures, and Scrivener snarled as he looked back and forth, shivering in both rage and fear. Something about these monstrosities was... was different. They reeked of Valthrudnir's influence and the Tyrant Wyrm's corruption, but they were small enough to hide with ease in the dark forest at their distance, there was no lingering smell of spices and death, and worst of all... “And here I thought your kind only knew how to destroy. But I don't know what's worse... monsters who can only kill, or lapdogs and lackeys to some other force stupid enough to tamper with your kind and Valthrudnir's machinations.”

But there was only soft laughter again in response... and then a third set of eyes slowly opened on their other side, barely visible through a tattered hedge made into a wall of shadow by the thick darkness all around them. “Silly mortal. You could have been one of us. You could have been a new breed. You could have been powerful...”

“But now you are only prey...” murmured the first creature again, and there was that slithering sound before the blue lights of its eyes faded slowly from sight.

“Now, you will serve as testament to what happens to those who defy the rightful master of this universe.” rasped the second creature, and then its eyes vanished as well as there was the sound of something shifting in sludge.

And last, the third creature to their side chuckled quietly before it rumbled: “Enjoy what remains of your life, and of your world, mortal. This layer shall be marked. This layer shall be watched. And then, this layer shall be destroyed. And so shall you.”

A shape twisted and slithered backwards as the glowing lights of its eyes faded... and a moment later, the ponies and Discombobulation all felt the strange pall of darkness begin to lift and recede, fading slowly out as they traded uneasy looks and Antares continued to whimper weakly, hugging Gymbr tightly up against his body before Discombobulation looked at Luna, and the winged unicorn said quietly: “Go.”

The Draconequus vanished from sight, not needing to be told where to head. For a few moments, Scrivener and Luna continued to stand alone in the darkness of the Everfree Forest... and then the two traded looks, and between their locked eyes swirled thoughts both good and bad and wild bursts of emotion.

Then Luna turned quickly ahead, and she and Scrivener broke into a run that carried them quickly the rest of the way towards the cottage as storm-clouds thundered ominously overhead. But Luna skidded to a halt, her eyes widening in shock as she and Scrivener stumbled out into what was not green field any longer... but splotched, blackened mire that surrounded their once-beautiful, now damaged-and-torn home. Broken chunks of wooden deck and furnishing were sprawled here and there, along with pieces of torn-apart wall and a single wrecked door that stood as ominously as a gravestone in the blackened marshland around their home.

Antares began to cry quietly again at this, but Luna only shook her head slowly, shivering a bit as she whispered: “Nay, nay. Do not fear, do not cry... the damage is not substantial. But I think... that is part of what horrifies me most. Oh, Scrivener... what has followed us to this world? What monstrosities of Valthrudnir now plot against us? I... we cannot escape, can we?”

And Scrivener didn't have an answer, only able to slide silently up beside Luna, keeping Antares between them as the child cried quietly and clung to Gymbr, looking terrified even in the safety between his parents' bodies as they gazed upon the wreckage of their broken home.

Luna's Incredible Social Skills

Chapter Seventeen: Luna's Incredible Social Skills
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna grumbled under her breath as she gathered the last of her gear together, her armor polished and gleaming over her body and starry locks twisting indecisively around her. Odin had offered her another week to recover from the attack on their home... but after talking it over with her family, Luna had decided she wanted to push on ahead in spite of what had happened. Besides which, Antares would be safe in Ponyville with Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, and all the others on high alert.

Even with that aside, though, Luna's instincts told her that whatever those monsters had been, they were long gone now, on the way back to whatever ill abode they came from. They clearly emitted the malice and dark power they had learned to associate with the Tyrant Wyrms, after all, and Celestia had scanned all of Equestria with the help of the Artificers and Odin, using the still-standing amplifiers to extend the range of their magic and other scrying methods to ensure they blanketed every inch of Equestria they could. And there was not a single trace of the creatures, apart from the mire that was fermenting slowly around their cottage.

Antares would absolutely not go near the mire: even being carried over it seemed to upset him a little, although he quickly forgot about it once some distance was put between him and the rotted earth. Scrivener Blooms, on the other hand, took a nasty, ironic entertainment in the fact that the mire actually responded to him to a point: it hardened and warmed-up beneath his hooves, and he had even forced splotches of the mire to recede here and there by focusing in on it and drawing on Luna's magic power, although even these small exertions left him winded and cranky.

The cottage, at least, hadn't been terribly damaged: a few things around the doorways and windows had been broken and clawed-up, but nothing of great value had been lost. It seemed like whatever else the monsters were, they had been too large to fit inside, by the cracks around the doorway... but that suited Scrivener and Luna just fine.

Celestia and Odin had both showed up within an hour after Discombobulation had gone to fetch them, both extremely concerned. And their worries had only increased as Scrivener relayed quietly what the Wyrms had said to him... before he had winced when Celestia had stated quietly what should have already been obvious on top of everything else, and yet he hadn't even realized: “They knew you would be able to understand them. And from their behavior, it sounds as if they even knew about Valthrudnir's echo... as if there's still some kind of link between...”

She had trailed off... but it was clear. The corruption in Scrivener's mind meant that even if he was immune to the Wyrms' terrible weapon, even if he could harness the same awful powers of oblivion they did, it left them with other vulnerabilities. Over the last few days, they had discussed many of these possibilities: the most likely of which was that the monsters were at least capable of sensing and locking onto this just as Scrivener had been able to clearly feel them, meaning his presence would be like a glowing beacon to them... and in all likelihood, to this 'Prophet' as well.

That had disturbed both Celestia and Odin most of all: that there was someone out there, capable of using Valthrudnir's vicious servants, and possibly seeking to fulfill the insane visions of the Jötnar. And worse, someone who was looking for them, who called themselves a Prophet, and apparently knew how to travel between the layers of reality.

Luna sighed quietly, then moodily rolled her shoulders as her horn glowed, lifting the satchel bag in front of her and strapping it easily on as her eyes lingered on the dusty, hastily-replaced window. Nibelung workers would be out during the week to finish the repairs, and Odin would be staying here again. He liked it out here... but of course, Luna knew, he also likely wanted to try and lure out any remaining entities that might be lurking in the shadow, spying on them. “Old fool.”

“I heard that.” Odin called tiredly from the den, and Luna rolled her eyes before she grumbled and turned around, striding out into the corridor and heading down the hall to find Odin sitting calmly on Scrivener's cleared-off writing desk. She smiled a little at him after a moment, grunting quietly as she looked over the falcon-headed once-god, and Odin chuckled before he said softly: “Don't hurt yourself, Brynhild. There's no need to thank me, anyway... there's a lot of selfishness in my motive to stay here. The comforts of a nice home, among other things.”

“If my pillow gets old bird smell, I shall pummel thee righteously, Odin. Thou better not go through my things, shoving thy perverted beak into them.” Luna warned, and Odin only shook his head slowly before Luna sighed a little and glanced grouchily out towards the front yard at the sound of a loud bang. “Pinakmena grows restless, methinks. I almost hesitate to bring her and Scarlet Sage along... Scarlet Sage because I fear those monsters may follow us to that layer, Pinkamena because I fear the monsters may attack here.”

“You have a lot of faith in the half-demon. I find that interesting.” Odin said softly, and Luna glanced up at him curiously, his tone so gentle that even she couldn't force herself to take it the wrong way. “It is only that in the past... mortals were considered lowly, demons were looked at with contempt, but half-demons – whether born through fair or foul means – were thought to be the worst dregs of all.”

“Well, she is my friend. Half-demon, aye, but... 'tis part of what makes her special. Although her viciousness is all her own, I think.” Luna smiled a little in response, glancing up and saying quietly: “And Sleipnir likes her. If anything has solidified my faith in her... 'tis that.”

Odin nodded thoughtfully... and then he final bowed his head forwards, his single eye locking quietly with Luna's cyan gaze as he said gently: “Be wary, and be careful, Brynhild. Not I, not Freya, not the Strange Ones know what those monsters were, not even your demon familiars. And they vanished without a trace... they did not head for the Gates of Hell guarded by the Strange Ones. They may not have even left this very forest before they somehow managed to slink their way between the layers. It's worrisome.”

Luna only snorted, however, shaking her head and saying firmly: “And I too can pass between the layers as I so desire upon the Bifrost. I shall not be deterred nor intimidated by a party trick, Odin.”

The once-god sighed and shook his head, but all the same his gaze was a little admiring as he murmured: “I long resigned myself to the fact that one day you'll get yourself killed, Brynhild, likely by biting off far more than you can chew. But you have Antares Mīrus to take care of. Please try to avoid dying for now, will you?”

The winged unicorn grunted, then she shook her head when the falcon-headed entity began to slowly stand, saying quietly: “Nay, Odin, rest thy bones. As to dying, I have no plans to get myself killed quite yet... I still have many dreams to live out first, and more importantly, many things to set right.” Luna smiled a little and added: “Now do not torture me by trying to follow me to town. Rest upon thy weak old haunches here, thou art as endearing as a limping moose otherwise.”

The once-god only sighed a little at this, then he finally nodded slowly, and Luna grunted, nodding firmly in return. “Now, as long as the Bifrost does not betray us again, we shall return within a week, and hopefully with little note. I shall bring more pictures of my journey and let thou know if anything went amiss.”

“Just... please do not try to cause things to go amiss.” Odin cautioned, and Luna shrugged a little, looking thoughtfully up at the falcon-headed entity and making him sigh tiredly, looking moodily at her in return. “Brynhild... please. Especially considering these new, unknown foes that you and Scrivener Blooms both seem so convinced are kin to the Tyrant Wyrms, if not an unknown breed of Wyrm themselves. There is no cowardice in caution.”

“There is sometimes.” Luna grumbled in response to this, shifting a bit before she finally nodded with a grumble when Odin gave her an imploring look. “Oh very well, I shall mouth the words, old and foolish once-god. But I wish for thou to know that I shan't hesitate to play what I must for my advantage.”

“That reassures me, Brynhild. My chief concern is that you go showing off without a reason and earn the unfavorable interest of more enemy eyes, not that you demonstrate your strength or knowledge for your benefit.” Odin replied moodily, and Luna gave him a horrible look before the once god shook his head and smiled a little. “Good luck, Valkyrie. May the Norns favor you.”

“Oh aye, I'm sure I must be just their favorite little creature by all the luck they've thrown my way in the past.” Luna grumbled, and Odin sighed a little as the winged unicorn turned around and added dryly: “The unfortunate are reviled more than cowards, thou knows! 'Tis no wonder I was always disliked in Valhalla, there must have always been the fear that mine accursed luck would spread... perhaps it even did!”

Odin didn't bother reply, only sighing and dropping his head in one gloved hand as he shook it moodily, and Luna smiled a little to herself as she strode towards the open door leading out of the house. She slipped through, then glanced over her shoulder, softening as she pretended to check the broken frame but instead let her eyes linger for a moment on the frail form of the once-god, and then her eyes turned forwards when Pinkamena asked rudely: “Are we ready to go yet, Nightmare Moon? Because I signed up to go and kill things, not sit on my flank all day while you have 'feelings' and horseapples.”

Scrivener looked at the half-demon from where he was sitting beside the golden-armored cart, but Pinkamena ignored him completely as Luna only measured the dull-gray pony for a few moments with her eyes. She was clad in black scale mail, making her look larger and even more intimidating than she already was. Her head was unprotected, straight waterfall of a mane spilling over one half of her features, and a heavy, crescent-bladed battle axe rested across her back. A weapon usually reserved for the Nibelung warriors, but Pinkamena wielded it – or any of the daggers strapped along her sides, for that matter – with a proficiency that was enough to impress even Luna.

A smile quirked at Luna's mouth, and then she leaned forwards, asking mildly: “What's wrong, art thou thinking of all the love letters thou may miss from mine brother? The very fact thou learned to write in runes just to correspond with him...”

“Okay, I'm going to put my axe through your face if you keep this up.” Pinkamena said disgustedly, and Luna laughed and shook her head despite herself before the half-demon added grouchily: “Furthermore, I didn't have to learn. The runes were just goddamn there in my head, like half the other crazy stuff about me. Must have inherited it or something from the demons that tried to mess with my mind all those years back.”

Luna smiled a bit as her starry mane twisted slowly along her armor before her eyes roved up to the early morning sky. For a moment, she didn't reply as Scrivener looked across at her softly from behind his glasses, and then the charcoal earth pony nodded without needing to be told as he headed around to the front of the wagon and the winged unicorn said quietly: “I am ready.”

“Good. About time.” Pinkamena said moodily, and her eyes flicked slowly over the splatters of mire over the ground, licking her sharp teeth slowly before she asked quietly: “You sure they were Wyrms?”

“Thou... has felt the malice, the darkness of those entities...” Luna smiled faintly, glancing over at Pinkamena. “Thou knows what their awful, insidious presence is like. I do not believe there is anything else in all the layers... that feels as those awful things do.”

Pinkamena nodded slowly... and then she grinned a little after a moment, her red-rimmed eyes almost seeming to glow. “So in that case, do we hope we run into them in this layer we're off to visit, or do we hope that whatever the hell those things are, they're off telling mommy or daddy all about how they found the big scary ponies and want their pat on the flank?” she paused, then snorted in disgust, muttering: “Just like sissy.”

“Only thou would compare thy happy-go-lucky sister to a Tyrant Wyrm.” Luna said dryly, and Pinkamena grunted in response to this, shrugging after a moment as she looked meditatively across at the winged unicorn. Then both mares glanced up as the cart began to rumble slowly forwards, and they both turned to follow the armored wagon as Luna continued quietly: “And I think thou understands when I say 'twould be the for the best that we avoid these monsters for now... but there is no harm in hoping that they are foolish enough to put in an appearance.”

“You two are both so damn bloodthirsty.” Scrivener remarked mildly from the front of the wagon, and Luna grunted at him in response before the stallion shook his head moodily, adding in a mutter: “Not that I don't understand all the same... I think about those things, what they were, what they did... and I kind of want to kill them into pieces myself.”

“Kill them into pieces. Poet, why is it thou does not speak like a poet most of the time?” Luna asked wryly, and Scrivener gave another mutter as Pinkamena snorted, a slight grin cresting her features before the winged unicorn glanced at the half-demon and asked mildly: “And why does thou not simply go out and make friends if thou wants friends? Thou art good company.”

For a moment, Pinkamena only looked at her, then she sighed and said dourly: “And look at you, Nightmare Moon. Stop and consider, just for a second, why you and I get along so well. Go ahead. I'll wait.”

Luna huffed a little at this, then turned her own eyes forwards as Pinkamena added moodily: “Besides, they aren't 'friends,' just pen pals. Pieces of words on pieces of parchment, that's all. It's something to do while I'm up half the night and sissy's snoring in bed, since cooking wakes her up and she whines if I do anything without her.”

The winged unicorn smiled in spite of herself, looking pointedly towards the half-demon, who only snorted and muttered: “Hey, I ain't telling you anything else. Keep your nose in your own business, Nightmare Moon. We got enough to take care of right now as it is, anyway.”

“Oh, very well, wretched creature.” Luna replied after a moment, rolling her eyes, and they continued on with the only sounds coming from the rumbling of the wagon and nature around them. But even now, the Everfree was hushed... like the visit of the three creatures had traumatized the living forest, and it was afraid that too much noise would bring the monstrosities back.

They made good time to Ponyville, and were greeted warmly at the gates by Nibelung and several Pegasi with crossbows: although it was probably unnecessary, the town was still on high alert. But it was good to see them taking things seriously, as the gates were opened and Scrivener Blooms pulled the wagon inside, Luna nodding slowly as she looked over the guards approvingly.

The trio headed to the square in front of the library and found Twilight, Celestia, Scarlet Sage, and Antares already waiting for them, the toddler scampering back and forth and burbling quietly, dressed in a little sweater and a small cap. Luna rolled her eyes at the sight of this even as she smiled when her son turned towards her and happily ran through the square towards his mother, Luna catching him and hefting him easily in one foreleg as she said kindly: “Handsome boy... but who dressed thee up? 'Tis a beautiful, warm summer's day! Thou has no need of this.”

Luna plucked off the cap, and Antares giggled a little before he hugged his mother's features tightly, burying his face against her starry locks as he murmured: “Mommy. Mommy go?”

“Yes, Antares. Mother and Father have to go for a little while.” Luna said softly, and she gently set her son down in front of her as she absently tucked the cap back in her saddlebag, her eyes soft as she looked down at her son. “Be strong for me, my young son. Be strong for both thy parents, but especially for me, for it kills me to leave thee here for another week, even if... it will be in very good company.”

She slowly glanced up, smiling faintly at Twilight and Celestia, and then Antares turned his eyes towards his father as Scrivener said gently: “But we'll be back, Antares. No matter what happens, we'll be back, I can promise you that.”

Antares smiled at his father, and Luna softened, feeling Scrivener's depth of belief as she looked over at him, and he gazed back with a small smile for a few moments before the trio glanced up as Scarlet Sage approached, saying softly: “I'm ready whenever you are.”

Luna drew her eyes over the Pegasus, softening a bit: this would be the first time Scarlet Sage wore her armor into battle. Bracers were locked around her lower limbs, and chain mesh protected most of her body, with an additional ridge of heavier metal plating along her back and neck. Her hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail that spilled out from beneath a simple silver helm etched with the symbol of the crescent moon, and a simple pack rested in the middle of her back, between her nervously-fluttering wings.

She smiled a little, and after a moment, Luna smiled faintly back, nodding to her daughter. For a moment, they looked at each other, and then Scarlet gazed down at Antares before she leaned down and hugged her little brother tightly, and he burbled quietly as he pawed at her and pressed himself up against her, murmuring: “Scarlet.”

“Yeah. I'll be back too. We all will be.” Scarlet said softly, and then she gently pushed Antares back, and he drew his eyes slowly over his family before he half-turned as Celestia and Twilight approached.

Twilight reached down and gently lifted Antares up, placing her into the foal carrier hanging on her side, and Celestia studied the group before she met her sister's eyes, saying quietly: “Remember to be careful, Luna. And if you end up somewhere that isn't Equestria, it is very, very important that you-”

“Aye, I know, I know. Record everything I can.” Luna said tiredly, looking moodily over at Celestia. “I am not completely stupid, big sister. Very close at times, aye, but I have my beloved camera and plenty of film. Scrivener Blooms and I plan to better chronicle this journey in any event.”

Celestia only sighed a little at this, saying pointedly: “Just keep in mind that being told to record what happens is not an open invitation to go around disrupting the lives of the ponies of that world, little sister. Nor should you make your presence known to them, assuming you do end up in Equestria, unless completely necessary...”

“Thou art a stick in the mud.” Luna huffed, and then she grumbled under her breath before huffing a little when Celestia fixed her with an almost-pleading look. “Alright, alright, enough, big sister. I shall be wary, worry not. Besides, Scarlet Sage and Pinkamena shall both be journeying with us, they are not often as fun as I am.”

The half-demon grunted at this, looking impatient as the Pegasus gave her mother a flat look, and Celestia studied them all for a moment before she began to raise a hoof. Luna, however, immediately shook her head vehemently, and Celestia sighed, rolling her eyes. “Alright, alright. No formal blessing. I'll just... wish you good luck then, sister. And please allow Twilight and myself to send you on your way...”

“Nay, Celestia. 'Tis my duty, and opening the Bifrost is part of my job.” Luna smiled a little after a moment, even as she closed her eyes and lowered her head as Scrivener did the same, the starry-maned mare murmuring after a moment: “But thou and Twilight may help all the same, if thou both wish to.”

Celestia smiled at this as Luna's horn began to glow, and the ivory winged unicorn dropped her own head slowly forwards. Her rainbow mane swirled backwards as her own horn glowed with golden light, and Twilight smiled as she mimicked the others, murmuring quietly: “Thank you, Luna.”

Luna didn't reply, but her smile stretched wider as she felt the energy in the air growing, growing, mixing and twisting together before the winged unicorns and Scrivener Blooms all slowly rose their heads at the same time as a rumble passed through the early morning air before the golden funnel of flames ripped upwards and shattered through reality, bursting apart into the rainbow bridge a moment later. And again, without hesitation, Luna and Scrivener ran immediately for the Bifrost, and Pinkamena grinned as she followed close behind, Scarlet Sage hesitating only a moment longer before bringing up the rear.

There was no looking back, as much as Luna wanted to get one last glimpse of Ponyville, of her family, of Antares... there was only looking forwards, as she raced side-by-side with her husband, the loaded transport rumbling behind them and Pinkamena and Scarlet Sage following in their hoof-steps as they passed through the unnatural hole and into the vortex-hall between realities. Scarlet Sage's eyes filled with amazement, almost glowing as Pinkamena laughed, dark shocks sparking along her body as she raced eagerly over the burning rainbow bridge and through the shifting tunnel of sound and light.

They burst out the other side... and Luna's eyes widened in surprise as they emerged into the deep darkness of the night, charging down the rainbow bridge and onto what looked like a dirt road walled in by trees on either side. Scrivener winced at the steepness of the incline, leaping forwards off the base of the bridge as the wagon jounced and rattled, half-falling as Luna skidded to a halt not far off the Bifrost. Pinkamena leapt down to land beside her in a low crouch, grinning widely as her eyes glowed unnaturally for a few moments, dark energy still sparking around her body as Scarlet Sage leapt into the air and let herself glide off the bridge to drop in an easy landing by her father.

Behind them, the tunnel of shattered reality sealed closed as the bridge vanished into shards of fading light, and Luna laughed as she looked up and grinned widely, eyes almost glowing as she said excitedly, still burning with the adrenaline rush brought on by passing between layers: “Yes! This is Equestria, and not just Equestria... look, look there!”

The ponies looked forwards, through a natural archway formed by the trees... and not far beyond the forest, they could see a village where lights were still shining in many of the homes, a village that wasn't protected by walls, which looked peaceful and happy beneath the starlight and the shining moon...

Luna laughed in delight, stomping her hooves as she ran forwards up beside Scrivener Blooms, grinning widely. “Ponyville! 'Tis Ponyville, and as I recall it in the days before the world began to collapse, before we needed to take caution against the wilds... oh, what a wonderful sight! Scrivener Blooms, and look, 'tis not so late that they were yet laying down to sleep... oh Scrivener, we must go, we must, we must, we must!”

“Mom, I. Do you really think that's a good idea?” Scarlet Sage asked hesitantly, and Luna huffed a little, giving her daughter a pointed look. “I'm just saying that Celestia literally just was giving you that lecture on being cautious...”

“Lectures make me want to break rules, Celestia knows this. Particularly when I am lectured before I am given the chance to make my usual assortment of mistakes.” Luna replied after a moment with a firm nod, and then she smiled a little, glancing over her shoulder thoughtfully at Pinkamena, who was only grumbling and kicking at the dirt road irritably. “But perhaps my daughter is right... Lemon Drop, thou and Scarlet Sage can set up camp here for the night. Scrivener Blooms and I will investigate Ponyville... and if it is safe, in the morning we shall fetch thee. And if it is not safe, in the morning thou can charge in recklessly and kill everyone to save us, how does that sound?”

“I get to avoid social contact and then kill things and make you two owe me a favor. I guess that works out nicely for me, all-in-all.” Pinkamena said moodily, nodding after a moment as Scarlet Sage looked flatly at her mother. Then the half-demon strode easily forwards and yanked Scrivener out of the way as he finished pulling the harness off, saying moodily: “You're so damn slow. Come on, kid, let's go set up camp. If you do a real good job I'll let you cut me a little and help yourself to some blood.”

“I'm not a vampire.” Scarlet Sage said irritably, grimacing a bit at the half-demon, but Pinkamena only grinned widely even as Luna and Scrivener both scowled at her. But a moment later, the Pegasus sighed and shook her head, not letting the dull-gray pony's comments get to her as she turned her eyes back towards her parents. “Just... be careful, okay?”

“Of course. Oh, wait a moment!” Luna said quickly, then she almost pranced to the back of the wagon, flicking her horn to unlock and open the rear door before she scrounged hurriedly through the back... then grinned widely, tossing a heavy leather satchel over her shoulder and slamming the door back closed as she said cheerfully: “I cannot forget the camera now!”

“Oh great.” Scrivener muttered, and Scarlet Sage looked moodily at her mother as Pinkamena only snorted in amusement, the half-demon rolling her eyes as she finished strapping the harness on.

Luna, however, was undeterred, smiling warmly over at Scrivener before she softened and looked quietly to Pinkamena and Scarlet Sage, saying quietly: “Remember. We shall come for thee in the morning. If we do not, there is trouble. Scarlet Sage, trust in Pinkamena... Pinkamena, take care of my daughter.”

The half-demon only grunted and nodded, and Scarlet Sage nodded firmly, smiling a little before she traded a quick hug with her parents, Scrivener adding quietly: “Good luck to you both. Take care of yourselves and each other.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Pinkamena said dismissively, and then she grunted and looked moodily over them, muttering finally: “Don't go dying or anything. Don't want to go down to Helheim looking for you two, it would waste way too much of my time.”

Luna and Scrivener both only smiled wryly, then they nodded and turned, heading down the road towards Ponyville, and the half-demon grinned a little at their backs before she dragged the wagon slowly around in a wide turn, saying mildly: “Come on, kid. Let's go find a nice spot to park this thing and set up camp. Then we can look for some fresh meat and see if we're the hunters or the hunted in this world.”

Scarlet Sage grimaced, but nodded and followed, only looking back once over her shoulder towards Scrivener and Luna as they headed down the road. They were already a good distance away, however... and by the time Luna finally couldn't resist looking back over her own shoulder, the forest was already behind them and daughter and friend had long vanished from sight.

Scrivener and Luna both traded looks that were all at once compassionate, worried, proud, and still tinged with excitement: both because of the Bifrost, because of where they were, and because of what lay ahead. And as the two walked side-by-side and Ponyville drew nearer, Luna couldn't help but grin a little as her eyes drew over the village, marveling: “'Tis just like our Ponyville, Scrivener. Our old Ponyville, our old sanctuary... nay, 'tis somehow... 'tis somehow even more like Ponyville than Ponyville was, if that makes sense!”

“This layer must be closer to the core world... I wonder where Corvette's layer sat.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna grunted and nodded thoughtfully before the male smiled a little. “But then again, every country has secrets, every society has things they turn away from, hide under the rug, refuse to acknowledge... or that simply lurk in such deep shadow...”

“Oh, stop.” Luna said crossly, and Scrivener laughed despite himself, shaking his head before they both almost-hesitantly began to stride into the village, looking back and forth at the homes, lit all up with lights, windows glowing and ponies visible inside their homes finishing up dinner and tending to foals. Luna glanced up at the moon in the sky, gazing over the stars and constellations before she whispered: “'Tis beautiful, Scrivy. 'Tis so beautiful... look how the stars glow and glimmer! They are so bright, and the moon so large and round and perfect... I wonder, handsome stallion, is this a world where I am loved? Where I was never exiled, and the ponies adored my presence?”

She laughed and shook her head slowly as they continued forwards, Scrivener replying quietly: “You are loved, Luna. You always have been... and across Equestria, you've always had admirers and friends. You don't need to doubt that.”

Luna, however, only smiled wryly as they continued forwards... then she looked ahead with a wide grin at the sight of the library: it was housed in the same enormous black tree as in their own world, but with larger windows around the front and seemed somehow friendlier, somehow more-open before Luna's eyes widened as a familiar violet unicorn paced past one of the windows, followed by a short purple dragon who was still the size of a toddler, only his headfins and innocent, child-like features visible as Luna brightened. “Scrivy look, look! And she is without wings in this world, too, without... oh delightful!”

And with that, Luna pranced forwards before Scrivener could stop her, the winged unicorn plowing into the library door and slamming it open, making both Twilight Sparkle and Spike leap backwards in surprise and sending a flurry of papers in every direction as Luna called gleefully: “Twilight Sparkle! Spike! Do thee recognize me?”

“P-Princess Luna?” Twilight Sparkle – or rather, this layer's version of her – looked stupidly across at the winged unicorn, and Luna laughed as she strode easily into the library and surveyed the purple mare eagerly. Same coat, same mane, same beautiful eyes... but she was smaller, without wings, and looked... somehow younger, somehow more innocent. Just as beside her, Spike stood only up to her shoulder with his tall fins included, a little chubby and baby-faced as he stood slackly on the spot.

Twilight looked flabbergasted... and she spluttered as Scrivener Blooms strode calmly in after Luna, gently shutting the door as the winged unicorn laughed and bounced giddily, looking back and forth in awe: the books in the shelves, the floor, the ceiling, every detail fascinated her... it was like she had stepped into her own old memories, before Twilight finally said stupidly: “I t-thought you... were in Canterlot, there's... I mean... you... what... and who... who is...”

“Does thou not recognize Scrivener Blooms? Scrivener Blooms, she does not recognize thee!” Luna looked surprised, stepping quickly to the side as the male strode forwards, feeling as strangely-excited as Luna in his own way as she smiled beneath his glasses before turning towards Twilight as Luna muttered thoughtfully: “Well, thou could be... different, aye, especially if I am still Princess of the Night...”

Twilight looked more confused as she stared at Luna, and then the winged unicorn hurriedly cleared her throat before straightening and saying imperiously: “Twilight Sparkle, this is Scrivener Blooms, my... uh...” She looked for a moment at the male as she realized she couldn't say 'husband' and expect Twilight not to become suspicious, so instead she declared the first thing that came to mind: “Stud.”

Twilight turned beet-red as her jaw dropped, and Spike looked confused before he rubbed at the back of his head, saying finally: “He doesn't look like he goes in a wall.”

“Uh. Spike, could you please give us a minute? Go and put on some snacks or something, okay?” Twilight said in a strangled voice, and Spike winced a little at the expression on Twilight's face before he hurried off. The violet mare watched him leave... then she turned her incredulous eyes back towards Luna, saying in a harried voice: “Your stud? Princess Luna, with all due respect, what would Princess Celestia think?”

“Oh, Celestia is stuffy.” Luna said crossly, and then she cleared her throat at the horrified look on Twilight's face before Luna added hurriedly: “I am sorry, Twilight, it is only uh... my... sister and I had a fight recently over... uh... this very subject! And I suppose that uh... thou... thou were the first to come to mind for me to... oh, Scrivener Blooms, help me!”

“Technically I was hired as Luna's bodyguard.” Scrivener said calmly, smiling over at Twilight before he bowed his head to her politely. “It's very nice to meet you, Twilight Sparkle. Luna's told me all kinds of things about you.”

Now Twilight began to look relieved as Luna half-glared, half-grinned at the stallion: while Luna couldn't tell a lie to save her life without her nose twitching or some other tell, Scrivener could usually get away with making up any kind of story... but as the poet always says, all writers are merely liars and thieves. “Oh! I see, okay, Princess Luna... you know it's not Nightmare Night for a month or so, though, you don't have to start practicing pranks yet.”

Luna only smiled and winked, however, replying easily: “But there is always a time for pranks and fun, dear Twilight! But it is truly wonderful to see thou... oh, I know! Scrivy, take a picture!”

Scrivener sighed a little, but then he nodded, slipping up beside Luna as Twilight studied the two awkwardly for a few moments, looking over their armor and frowning nervously before she asked slowly: “So uh... why are you talking like that, Princess Luna?”

“Talking like what?” Luna asked curiously, as Scrivener pulled the camera out, and then she grinned brightly as the earth pony pulled the cap off, the winged unicorn bouncing up beside Twilight and yanking her close to her side, making the violet mare blush. “There, stay still now! 'Tis cheese!”

“Luna, I... oh, nevermind.” Scrivener rolled his eyes and raised the camera, and Twilight gave an embarrassed smile as Luna grinned cheerfully beside her. The camera flashed... but before Scrivener could even lower the camera, Spike scurried quickly in front of the ponies with a wide grin, posing with the ponies. “Oh, fine.”

He snapped a second picture, and Luna laughed before affectionately rubbing a hoof through Spike's fins, making him blush a little as she said cheerfully: “Precocious, but I like that quality in thee, Spike! And... oh, delightful, thou has brought us food, I see!”

Luna's eyes roved greedily over to the snacks sitting on the nearby table, and she bounced over as Scrivener fiddled with the camera, then rose it with a smile, taking a picture of the library interior. For a few moments, Twilight only looked at him... and then she winced at the sight of Luna gobbling down treats greedily. “Are... are you sure you're feeling alright, Princess?”

“Wow, you sure got an appetite tonight.” Spike added, and then the dragon winced a little at the pointed look Twilight gave him. “Okay, okay. But... hey, so you're named Scrivener Blooms, right? You've gotta be just about the biggest earth pony I ever saw, even bigger than Big Mac!”

Scrivy glanced over the camera at Spike, then he nodded with a slight smile before Twilight looked over at Scrivener, drawing her eyes over him before she asked curiously: “So if you're Luna's bodyguard, you know the Royal Guards, right?”

Scrivener hesitantly nodded as Luna looked curiously over her shoulder, and Twilight smiled, seeming to grow more confident. “So that means you must know Shining Armor, right?”

“Uh, yeah, good guy.” Scrivener smiled after a moment in return, before he added after a moment on a wild hunch: “I think he's mentioned you before.”

“Oh yeah?” Twilight lit up at this, looking both relieved and gladdened at once. “Nothing bad, I hope. He's always been my BBBFF but all the same he knows a lot of pretty embarrassing stories about me.”

Scrivener only looked blank at this, and Twilight laughed before she explained easily: “Big-Brother-Best-Friend-Forever.”

Luna coughed violently at this, choking on a piece of muffin that lodged in her throat as Scrivener winced, his surprise thankfully covered up by Luna's violet reaction as Twilight looked over her shoulder before the winged unicorn seized a cup and drained its contents, swallowing hurriedly back before wheezing and sitting back, looking stupidly over her shoulder at Twilight. “B-Brother? Thou has a brother?”

“Yeah...” And now Twilight was frowning again, whatever worries had been settled visibly flaring back up as she said slowly: “You were there when he was married to Cadence... heck, as Captain of the Guard I thought he was pretty well-known by both you and Princess Celestia, how could you forget that?”

“I... uh...” Luna's nose twitched, and then she grinned lamely and said finally: “Cadence, aye, 'twas... a beautiful wedding, was it not? What fortune, a marriage in Canterlot to a Captain of the Guard...”

“Yeah... lucky.” Twilight said slowly, and then she shook her head, drawing her eyes over Luna. “Do you remember how the wedding went, Princess?”

Luna cleared her throat, looking over at Scrivener pointedly, and the earth pony only shrugged with a wince before the winged unicorn said finally: “It was... very beautiful, and Cadence and Shining Armor were... very... pretty together?”

Twilight's expression didn't change, and Luna grinned lamely before Scrivener looked up and said finally: “You'll have to excuse Luna, I think she's just... tired. The long journey and everything, her fight with her sister, and everything else... we should all probably rest. And we don't want to impose, so...”

“No, no, why don't you stay here for the night?” Twilight said slowly, but she still looked suspicious as Luna fidgeted a bit and Scrivener fiddled with the camera, the violet mare looking nervously over at him. “Were you in Canterlot when the wedding occurred?”

“Nope.” Scrivener smiled a little, shaking his head and answering honestly: “I've been outside of Equestria for quite a while...” He paused, then took another wild stab: “I used to be in the Royal Guards, though, and as I recall... your brother rose through the ranks pretty quick, didn't he? He still takes his job as seriously as ever... and cares as much about his family as I recall, too.”

Twilight blushed a little at this, looking oddly reassured, and Luna gave Scrivener a horrible and half-pleading look before the earth pony smiled and passed the camera down to Spike. “Why don't I come and help you get the bedding out or set up the guest room?”

Twilight nodded slowly after a moment at this, and then she turned and gestured for Scrivener to follow, and the two headed towards the corridor, leaving Luna grumbling to herself and Spike looking at her nervously. The unicorn looked apprehensively towards the earth pony as they strode past what Scrivener suspected was the supply closet and instead entered the crowded little kitchen, and the violet mare looked worriedly at the earth pony as she asked: “What's wrong with Princess Luna? I know she's not a Changeling, she would have known about the wedding...”

“Like Chrysalis?” Scrivener looked surprised, but blurting this out actually seemed to reassure Twilight, the violet mare looking relieved as she leaned up and nodded to him with a faint smile. Then the earth pony sighed a little, paging through his mind as he looked up apprehensively before saying quietly: “Alright, alright. How do I put this...

“When Luna gets too upset, pieces of Nightmare Moon come to the surface. She gets... confused.” Scrivener said calmly and seriously, and Twilight let out a soft 'oh,' and stepped worriedly backwards, looking concerned and almost a little ashamed of herself. “It's been getting worse lately. I think that's what the fight with Celestia was about. Celestia is trying to help her but... Luna has never been very good at accepting help. It's why I'm here now, to help her.”

Twilight nodded slowly, then she frowned a bit and stepped towards him, studying him quietly before she said finally: “I feel almost like I should know you, somehow... I feel like...”

“Well, I take it you know plenty of the guards at Canterlot, right? Before I left, maybe you saw me around.” Scrivener smiled, and Twilight smiled back, looking further reassured before the earth pony said gently: “Just try and cut Luna a little slack if she acts a bit funny. She doesn't mean any harm, and she's got herself under control... at least as much as possible.”

“Alright, I'm sorry I doubted in either of you. I was just... a little worried.” Twilight said softly, smiling up at him naively, but Scrivener only shook his head and smiled in return to her, feeling a little awkward inside. He also felt Luna's frustration, but that was almost rewarding: it was nice being able to do at least one or two things that the winged unicorn had trouble with, after all. “So can I get you two anything else?”

“Coffee, maybe. But don't let us keep you up, either.” Scrivener said softly, and Twilight only smiled in return before the earth pony turned, saying easily: “Do you mind if I set up some bedding in the main room?”

“No, go right ahead!” Twilight called back with a smile. For a few moments, the unicorn turned her attention to putting on coffee, but then she shook her head quickly and turned towards the archway, beginning: “Oh, wait, the bedding is...”

But Scrivener was already pulling bedding and pillows out of the storage closet, and Twilight Sparkle felt another odd chill before she instead drew slowly back into the kitchen. She couldn't shake a bad feeling growing in her stomach... and of course there was the way the earth pony looked so calm, so steady, even though the things he said... didn't entirely make sense...

When Twilight rejoined the group, she found Luna and Scrivener sitting perhaps a little too close, but she rationalized it away by thinking of how they were both large ponies and it was a small bed. They had both discarded their armor, at least... but that only made it clear that Luna wasn't wearing either her tiara or her peytral plate, but instead had a rope of vine around her neck, inset with a black pearl engraved with what looked like a rose blossom. Likewise, Scrivener had a silver collar around his neck, inset with gemstones forming the crescent moon; and for some reason, it made her feel apprehensive.

“So your special talent is writing?” Spike said incredulously, and Scrivener laughed and nodded, drawing Twilight's interest. “But then how'd you end up a Royal Guard?”

“You mean apart from the fact I'm bigger than most ponies and have obviously been in a fight or two over my lifetime?” Scrivener asked mildly, gesturing to himself, and Twilight couldn't help but take in the scars over his body... and then note his cutie mark as her eyes widened. A quill, and more prominently, a black rose... just like was inscribed on the black pearl around Luna's neck. “Our cutie marks are our special talent, but... they don't mean that we are solely limited to that one thing, and one thing alone. Applejack's cutie mark is apples, for example, but isn't she one of the best athletes in Ponyville?”

“I... how'd you know about Applejack?” Twilight asked with a frown, and Scrivener looked up and winked across at her even as she thought she caught a gleam of unease in his eye, and Luna tossed him a plainly-nervous look.

“I saw her rodeo more than once. Kind of a fan.” Scrivener said finally, and Twilight tried to let this settle her, nodding and smiling a little: it wasn't the worst explanation, after all.

All the same, things quieted gradually as they shared their coffee, until Spike eventually headed up to bed... and Twilight followed shortly after. She sat up quietly in the darkness for a little while, listening to the sounds from below... and finally, she couldn't help but creep slowly to the edge of the second floor, leaning over the railing and looking down into the room before her eyes widened in shock at what she saw.

Scrivener Blooms was sharing a slow kiss with the Princess as they laid side-by-side, the black pearl necklace gleaming strangely in the light... and slowly, Twilight swallowed before she hurriedly drew back and headed to her room. Despite it being late, she couldn't stop herself from quickly picking up a quill and slip of parchment, scrawling a nervous note to Celestia before sending the letter on its way with a short spell.

She was surprised when, ten minutes later, Spike rolled over in his sleep, writhing a bit before belching green fire without waking up and spitting out a letter. Twilight caught it with telekinesis, drawing it over to her and wondering if she had caught the Princess on a sleepless night... before her eyes widened in shock as she whispered: “ 'Twilight Sparkle, that is an imposter. Hold them there until morning if you can. Stay safe above all else. Signed, Princess... Luna.'”

It was a long night for Twilight Sparkle... a sleepless night she spent afraid of the imposter and the large, powerful earth pony downstairs. Afraid of what they might do... afraid of what they might really be. Changelings were unlikely with how 'Luna' hadn't known anything about the royal wedding a few years ago, and as she picked apart their dialogue, she realized how much of what they said might have been guesses or outright lies.

When the sun began to rise, Twilight took a few long breaths and forced herself to leave her bed. She looked nervously at Spike, but knew that the best thing she could do was not tell him: with luck, he'd sleep through whatever was going to happen, and if not, she could send him out to pick up parchment or over to one of her friends' places with a note. She grimaced a little as she apprehensively made her way downstairs... and found Scrivener and Luna both already fitting on the last pieces of their armor, the winged unicorn looking over her shoulder with a warm smile. “Twilight Sparkle! Did thou sleep well?”

“I...” Twilight hesitated, then she smiled a little, saying finally: “Okay. What about yourselves... Princess Luna, Scrivener?”

“We had good rest.” Luna said with relish, and it made Twilight shudder a little before the winged unicorn grinned widely as she picked up her helm. “Come, Twilight. Let us take a walk, perhaps to the Everfree Forest. 'Tis the perfect time for a-”

She was interrupted as there was a knock at the door, and Twilight hurried over to it before flicking her horn and opening it. And Luna's grin faltered a little as Twilight stepped quickly backwards... and both the Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of this world strode quickly in, standing side-by-side and glaring across at them before a third figure in purple, ornate plate armor ran in and let out a sigh of relief, turning immediately to Twilight and hugging her fiercely. “Little sister, thank heaven you're okay!”

“Who are you, and why are you impersonating my sister? If this is some twisted joke, Chrysalis, don't think you'll get away unpunished this time.” Celestia said sharply, and Luna whistled a little, a wide grin spreading over her features as she looked with fascination from Celestia – complete with golden tiara and matching peytral, both inlaid with a beautiful amethyst as bright as her currently-furious eyes – to this world's Luna... a Luna who seemed a little younger, a little smaller than the proud Luna Brynhild that stood beside Scrivener Blooms, as the earth pony winced.

Then Shining Armor stepped quickly up beside Celestia as well: a unicorn with a gleaming white coat beneath his ornate armor, his eyes sharp blue, his mane and tail both streaked with lighter and darker shades of azure amidst lapis lazuli hairs. He glared across at them, then his horn glowed, and Luna and Scrivener both scowled as a faint aura shimmered around them, feeling it tickling against their bodies before he said curtly: “They're not Changelings, Princess Celestia.”

“Then what are they? Why does she look exactly like me, who... who are you?” this world's Luna asked sharply, but there was fear in her voice as well... and Luna laughed, feeling oddly delighted, gazing radiantly towards this version of herself. It was like she was looking into the past, at the pony she had once been... at something like the child she could have been, had there been no Valthrudnir...

“Wonderful.” Luna murmured... and then she rose her head proudly as Twilight nervously paced behind the two Princesses and her big brother. “Thou shan't like the answer, but I shall tell thee the truth anyway. My name... is Luna Brynhild. I am thee, Luna... I think... I think I shall call thee Little Luna. What does thou think, Scrivener, does she not seem like Little Luna to thee?”

“A little. Uh. No pun intended.” Scrivener said awkwardly, but Luna Brynhild only laughed as Little Luna glared at them and Celestia stepped forwards protectively, Shining Armor readying himself as well. “Hey, beat her up, not me. This was all her idea.”

“Oh shut up, Scrivy.” the armored mare said grouchily, and then she glanced thoughtfully out the window and grinned brightly, eyes widening in something like delight at the sight of the armored guards who had taken over the square in front of the library. “Scrivy, Scrivy, look, my husband! There must be at least a dozen, how quaint!”

“Luna, don't be a jerk.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he winced when Little Luna glared at him. “I wasn't talking to you, don't worry.”

“Enough games. Explain yourselves, immediately.” Celestia said curtly, and Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms traded looks, arguing mentally before the ivory winged unicorn shook her head quickly, saying quietly: “Or perhaps for now we should escort you both back to Canterlot for questioning there.”

“Thou shall have to catch me first!” Luna Brynhild grinned widely, eyes flashing with mischief and delight before she flicked her horn firmly to the side and the window shattered in a boom of sound that surprised the others present, the armored mare laughing as she dove through this and out into the square, and Scrivener winced and immediately followed if only to try and delay the beating he suspected they were shortly going to receive from the Princesses of this world and Shining Armor. “What fun!”

Several Royal Guards ran towards her, strong-bodied Pegasi that leapt into the air... and the armored mare only grinned widely, her eyes flashing as she leapt forwards to meet them: she smashed both hooves down on the helm-covered head of one, driving him straight down into the ground and using him like an axis as she twisted her rear hooves around to slam a wicked kick into the chest of the other guard. It was strong enough to send him flying backwards with a yell of shock and pain, but it was a far-kinder blow than it seemed: it would have been much easier for Luna to just smash in his face, after all.

Then the winged unicorn leapt backwards as a unicorn flicked his horn and shot a bolt of white light towards her, easily evading the spell before she laughed and flicked her own horn upwards in response, shouting cheerfully: “No, like this!”

Blasts of lightning hammered the ground around her and around the Royal Guards, making them yell and dance back and forth as the ground was ripped up from the force of the bolts, but Scrivener only sighed: they were sent panicking, but she had missed them all on purpose. Then he winced when Shining Armor burst out of the library and charged towards him, shouting: “In the name of Equestria, stop!”

“Pummel him, Scrivener!” Luna encouraged with a wide grin, and Scrivener winced before he cursed when Shining Armor flicked his horn down, sending a blast of magical energy at him. The charcoal stallion winced when it slammed full into his chest, sending him skidding backwards as the starry-maned mare flinched slightly as well... then her eyes glowed as she grinned widely. “They have much to learn about combat in this world... teach them, Scrivener!”

Shining Armor leapt towards him, and Scrivener easily reared back and met the attack, the two ponies grappling. The unicorn looked surprised for a moment, his eyes widening as they pushed against each other before Scrivener suddenly turned and threw him down hard to the ground.

Shining Armor rolled hurriedly to the side when Scrivener dropped a heavy hoof down, crunching in the road where Shining Armor had been a moment before, and then the unicorn cursed as he leapt forwards, slashing his horn outwards... but Scrivener easily rose a hoof, catching the attack against it before he threw his other hoof forwards in a hard, straight thrust punch that smashed into Shining Armor's face and knocked him sprawling backwards with a gargle of shock as Twilight let out a shout of horror.

“Oh, shush, Scrivener did not break anything.” Luna said crossly, looking grumpily over her shoulder as Twilight and the Princesses emerged... and then the armored mare's eyes widened as both of the horns of this world's Princesses glowed, the two beginning to lean forwards before Luna Brynhild shot quickly to her husband's side, kicking both rear legs out almost absently to slam them into Shining Armor's chest as he began to get up and sending the Captain of the Guard flying away with a curse of surprise. “Scrivy!”

Scrivener dropped low, closing his eyes and bowing his head forwards as the armored mare's own horn glowed, gathering her energies before Princess Celestia and Little Luna both released concentrated beams of sapphire and golden radiance. And Luna Brynhild snarled as she swung her own horn hard down into this, a shockwave of raw energy ripping through the air around her before she leaned forwards and cursed, pushing viciously back against the beams with her glowing horn alone.

Scrivener poured his concentration and energy into his soulmate... and then he winced when Twilight Sparkle stepped up beside the Princesses, a beam of purple light firing into the mix, and Luna Brynhild hissed as she felt herself being pushed backwards as the Royal Guards and Shining Armor all stared in amazement... and then, suddenly, the armored mare looked up with a grin, her eyes glowing ivory as a grin spread over Scrivener's own features, and then both she and the charcoal stallion lashed their heads back at the same time, releasing a tremendous pulse of raw magical force.

A shockwave ripped through the air, shattering the beams of light like they were brittle shale, and the ponies of the square were knocked rolling backwards from the force of the shockwave as every window in the library shattered away into dust. An echo reverberated through the town square as the ponies that had gathered to stare at the spectacle all looked on in horror as Scrivener and Luna Brynhild were the only two left standing, both breathing hard, but grinning widely as the starry locks of the Valkyrie sizzled and twisted around her, shouting challengingly: “What's wrong, friends? Hast thou grown soft in all the peace and prosperity of this world?”

“Hey!” shouted a voice... and a moment later, a rainbow-maned mare shot down out of the skies, landing in front of the sprawled, stunned Princesses and Twilight. Her teeth were grit, magenta eyes glowing... but within seconds, she was joined by four other ponies that Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms recognized all-too-well. “You can't do... that...”

Rainbow Dash reared back, staring in shock as Luna Brynhild grinned widely, looking amusedly over at Scrivener Blooms as she said cheerfully: “Well, look what we have here, beetle! It seems in this world, at least, Rainbow was satisfied with her lot... but then again, there are certain advantages to being a pretty mare, as thou knows well.”

“Shut up, Luna.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he groaned when Princess Luna glared at him from where she was climbing up to her hooves. “I didn't mean you, obviously!”

“She wishes thou meant her.” Luna Brynhild said pompously, as she drew her eyes over the five amazed, dumbfounded ponies as the others in the square carefully picked themselves up and tried to ready themselves. “So shall we continue to play the game now?”

“We need the Elements of Harmony... but...” Celestia gritted her teeth, looking towards Canterlot in the distance even as Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild both looked up sharply. “How long can you hold them off?”

“I shall stay, sister. The creature wears my form and shape, I... I have to stay.” Princess Luna said quietly, stepping forwards as Twilight hurried up beside her gathered friends... Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy, all so clearly recognizable... “You go and get the Elements, we won't let them escape!”

“We'll hold them here!” Shining Armor agreed, leaning forwards as the Royal Guards hurriedly moved to flank Scrivener and Luna Brynhild from a safe distance, as if to cut off the routes of escape... but the armored mare only grinned widely.

She began to open her mouth... and then frowned when a strange buzzing filled the air, looking slowly up as Celestia's eyes narrowed slightly as well. Then Luna Brynhild winced a little, looking back and forth as she felt a distinct chill run down her spine and tingle pass through her horn, Celestia demanding sharply: “What are you doing?”

“It... it is not I...” Luna Brynhild muttered, looking back and forth before she turned suddenly towards the library, feeling a mental pressure increasing, a distinct static growing in her mind as other unicorns already began to look dizzy, confused, pained. “It is... oh no.”

Luna's eyes widened in horror as a silvery, alien creature yanked its way out of the alley on long, gangly limbs, soulless eyes of the shapeshifter glaring at Luna as the ponies of this layer stared in horror before the shapeshifter lunged suddenly forwards on its long legs, drawing an arm back that became a nest of spikes and blades... and immediately, Luna leapt forwards and slammed her horn through its chest before ripping downwards as she unleashed a telekinetic blast of force at the same time, blowing the monstrosity's upper chest to pieces and sending the rest of bursting apart into shards of light and silvery goo, ponies yelling in horror and shock as the armored mare roared over her shoulder: “Evacuate the area, fools, playtime ends! This is not for the likes of thee to handle!”

More shapeshifters swarmed forwards, some of them crawling along the wall of the tree like enormous centipedes and spiders, others skittering along the ground as ponies stared in shock. Thankfully, most of them were focused on Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms, but a few were heading towards the ponies of this layer, as well.

Princess Celestia was the first to regain her senses, her golden horn glowing as she flicked it forwards, sending a blast of golden light into another of the monstrosities and knocking it backwards with a hiss, and Twilight and her friends staggered away before Celestia shouted to them: “Run, hurry!”

“Rainbow Dash, thou does not know me but listen to me!” Luna Brynhild shouted, even as she flicked her horn and sent a blast of lightning rocketing into another shapeshifter, blasting it backwards... yet the effects of the spell seemed distorted, weakened, as if something was interfering with her magic. “Make it rain! Gather as many Pegasi as possible and make it rain!”

“I...” Rainbow staggered backwards, looking hurriedly towards Celestia... and when the Princess nodded sharply, the Pegasus gritted her teeth before leaping to the air, shouting as she shot into the sky: “You better not be lying about this, whatever you are!”

The armored mare only grimaced, then she cursed when Shining Armor ran towards her and Scrivener, half-preparing herself to counter a stupid attack... but a moment later, he plowed past and slammed into another shapeshifter on the approach, knocking the creature sprawling before dodging backwards to avoid limbs that turned into blades and snapped back and forth at him, the unicorn asking sharply: “What are these things? And why are they after you?”

Before Luna Brynhild could answer, however, something else emerged from past the library: not a shapeshifter, but what looked instead like a metallic pony of horrific design. Its body was composed of warped and bent, sharpened metal plating, and instead of a a mane or tail it had heavy chains, at the end of which dangled conical spikes of crystal glowing with inner light. Its rear legs shuddered, spiked hooves tearing against the ground as it pushed itself forwards by them, and it had no front limbs but instead a single enormous, ugly gear that clanked and acted like a massive wheel.

Its eyes were as soulless as the shapeshifters, lacking ears but instead possessing large, curling horns on either side of its vaguely equine, metal features, and its jaw fell open as its gaze locked on Luna Brynhild, continuing to push itself forwards as it unleashed a horrible, aching, endless wail. The sound intensified the awful pressure in the air, and Luna cursed in shock, her eyes bulging as Rarity and Twilight both screamed, Shining Armor staggered backwards with a gargle, and even the Princesses grit their teeth and bowed their heads forwards as electricity burst up and down along their horns.

It was agonizing, and worse, distorted Luna's vision into a swirling, malevolent storm of reds and blacks, blinding her. And the static ripping through her mind impaired her other senses, handicapped her instincts and even retarded her link with Scrivener, as she stumbled backwards and shouted: “Gain distance from the monstrosity, it is emitting some kind of... anti-magic! Scrivener Blooms, silence it!”

Scrivener snarled: the bug-like shapeshifters were still swarming forwards, but the Royal Guards who were Pegasi, Applejack, and even Pinkie Pie were all moving in despite their fear to protect their stunned unicorn allies. The new monstrosity had to be taken down, Luna was right... and Scrivener charged towards it, ignoring the shapeshifters that he passed and trusting in the others to keep them off his back before he leapt forwards and slammed a hoof up into the wailing, horse-like monster's jaw.

Its mouth was slammed shut and the wailing halted, and immediately the effects of the creature were weakened: still, it was painful for Scrivener to stand even this close to the hideous beast, as if it was still emitting some spiritually-toxic field, and the earth pony snarled as he began to slam his hooves viciously back and forth into it, ignoring the pain it sent through his own body as its brittle metal body began to quickly crunch inwards, features snapping back and forth as it tried to drag itself away from Scrivener's vicious flurry of attacks.

A shapeshifter lunged at Scrivener's back as it rose a limb that became a scythe... but Shining Armor slammed into it, burying his horn through the side of its chest before he unleashed an unfocused blast of telekinesis, as he'd seen Luna do. The shapeshifter was only knocked sprawling by the attack, however, the unicorn's powers weakened severely by the horse-monster... but it was more than enough to make the drone turn its attention towards the unicorn, as Shining Armor hurriedly hauled himself away from the metallic equine Scrivener was still pounding on, feeling the effects of the anti-magic beginning to lighten immediately.

Shining Armor didn't notice the shapeshifter on his flank until too late with his senses dulled by the anti-magic effects, however, and his eyes widened in horror at the sight of the shapeshifter rearing back as one of its limbs became a vicious, sickle-like hook... but a moment later, a black axe blade tore the creature almost in half from head to waist, the shapeshifter spasming for a moment before it exploded into silvery goo and fragments of light as Shining Armor gaped at the grinning creature behind it, a sharp-fanged pony like no pony he had ever seen before before the half-demon laughed and called almost mockingly: “Nightmare Moon, you trying to have a party without me?”

Scrivener roared as he slammed both hooves down into the monstrosity's skull, and the horse-shaped creature's head was almost torn off its brittle, damaged neck a moment before the monster exploded in a blast of fire and anti-magic, Scrivener releasing a howl of agony as he was knocked crashing backwards. The effect was enough to knock Luna Brynhild rearing as cuts and bloody tears appeared over her own body to the shocked eyes of the nearby ponies, the armored mare staggering senselessly for a moment... but the shapeshifters in the radius of the blast of energy released from the self-destructing horse-monster were almost immediately turned to silvery light and liquid themselves from the potency of the pulse that ripped through their bodies.

Scrivener skidded senselessly on his back, cursing weakly as he looked up at the dreary sky overhead... and then a single droplet fell through the air, landing on his cheek like a tear and rolling slowly down it. He blinked a few times, breathing hard and staring up at the cloud-marred sky overhead... and while the air wasn't thick with fluffy clouds, there was more than enough to cover the area being swarmed in by the shapeshifters as Pegasi began to leap onto the clouds, knocking the water hidden within them out and spilling down in a short, harsh rain.

The droplets of water tore into the soulless shapeshifters like acid, melting through their silvery bodies and causing them to twitch and shiver violently, even as those that remained mindlessly continued to try and push forwards into the rainfall. Steam hissed up from their forms as they pursued their quarry even as they melted until all cohesion was lost and they fell apart like burning wax, becoming nothing more than bubbling puddles that quickly sank into the soil.

Ponies looked up in relief at this, staring into the short, saving rain as Scrivener breathed hard, armor charred and damaged, his body aching before he winced a little when Shining Armor leaned in overhead... but after a moment, the unicorn smiled dryly down at him and offered a hoof, and Scrivener sighed as he reached up and took it, letting the Captain of the Guard haul him up. They regarded one another for a moment... and then the unicorn smiled, saying dryly: “You pack a pretty good punch.”

“Well, you've caught a glimpse of who I live with.” Scrivener replied mildly, glancing over at Luna Brynhild as the armored winged unicorn grinned up at the skies, then turned her eyes to them, cyan irises warm and relieved as the sensation of malice slowly faded from the air beneath the weakening rainfall. “Thank you... Shining Armor, right?”

“Scrivener Blooms, go fetch the camera, take a picture of this handsome male so we may show our Twilight Sparkle the big brother the cruel Norns denied her in our world!” Luna Brynhild said cheerfully, and Scrivener looked mildly over at her before the starry-maned mare licked her lips slowly, stepping in towards the unicorn with a lecherous look as he winced. “Handsome indeed...”

“I'm married.” Shining Armor said awkwardly, and then he quickly turned away and saluted the Princesses as they approached, sitting back and smiling a little up at them as Celestia and Luna both frowned across at Scrivener and Luna Brynhild, the charcoal earth pony wincing but the armored mare only continuing to grin even as she turned her eyes towards them. And a moment later, they were joined by two other ponies: Scarlet Sage, smiling and nervous, fluttering down from where she had been helping bring the rain, and grinning Pinkamena, her axe secured over her back once more as she flicked her straight mane to the side.

Other ponies came in as well: Twilight Sparkle and her friends, staring in amazement and shock at the four as Rainbow Dash flew down though the air and hovered uncertainly overhead with the other Pegasi she had found to help her, and for a long few moments there was silence as the rains ended... before finally, Celestia said quietly: “I think that you better explain to me what's going on here. And I think we should do it at Canterlot.”

Luna Brynhild only leaned forwards and winked mischievously in response, however, asking kindly even as Scarlet Sage looked at her mother with something like horror: “And what is the magic word, big sister?”

Celestia looked surprised at this more than anything else, as Princess Luna gave a grouchy look at the grinning Luna Brynhild. But after a moment, Celestia smiled a little, shaking her head slowly as her rainbow mane swayed around her before asked in a courteous voice: “Would you and your friends please do me the honor of accompanying me to Canterlot, to stay as guests?”

Scrivener and Luna traded amused looks as Pinkamena snorted in entertainment, and then Luna nodded firmly after a moment, saying cheerfully: “I like thee far more than the Celestia in my world. What about thou, Twilight Sparkle and friends? I am sure thou art all very curious, after all.”

Princess Celestia sighed a little at this even as Twilight blushed and looked up hopefully... and then Spike awkwardly poked his head out of the window, asking nervously: “Did I miss something? And... why are there two Princess Lunas?”

“I suppose that answers the question. Very well, everypony who wants to come: pack up your things, and we'll meet back here in half an hour for the trip to Canterlot.” Celestia said finally, and Princess Luna smiled awkwardly as Luna Brynhild nodded firmly. For a moment, the other ponies lingered... but it was only a moment before most of the ponies went almost uncertainly on their way, likely eager to know what was going on but at the same time scared of what revelations could come.

Pinkie Pie lingered, however, looking quietly at Pinkamena... and Pinkamena smiled slightly as she studied the bright pink pony. Twilight Sparkle was standing near her almost protectively, her own eyes almost afraid as they looked at Pinkamena... but then again, Twilight had always been privy to the secrets of her friends, and it looked as if that was true in this world, too. Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms both found it strangely reassuring, before they both cocked their heads as Pinkie Pie asked quietly: “You're not really me, are you? I mean you are me, but... you're not.”

“Nah.” Pinkamena shook her head, grinning as her red-rimmed eyes gazed back at Pinkie Pie, and then she said in a surprisingly-gentle voice: “You don't have to worry about me, Pinkie Pie. Just don't annoy me like sissy does, and I won't bite too hard.”

“Sissy?” Pinkie asked curiously, brightening a little, and all it took was a nod from Pinkamena before the bright pink pony whispered: “You're my... I mean her... I mean my-her-there twin!”

“Oh wonderful, you make as much sense as sissy does. Catch on a little faster than her, though, at least there is that.” Pinkamena muttered, and then she sniffed disdainfully and flicked her waterfall of a mane to the side. “I'm a half-demon. We come from a world that was never quite the best off. Scrivener's a monster and Nightmare Moon's a Valkyrie. Oh, and the Pegasus kid is a Blood Seer. End of story.”

“You sound like you all have quite a story to tell.” Celestia said softly, and Princess Luna shifted a little before her big sister reached up and touched her shoulder reassuringly, as Twilight leaned forwards even as Pinkie Pie marveled over the ponies from a different layer of reality. “It's okay, little sister. They're not here to hurt us... even if it is a little confusing that you attacked us like you did.”

“Bah, that is how we shake hooves in the world I come from.” Luna Brynhild replied cheerfully, grinning slightly. “Besides, I thought it was abundantly clear that had I wanted to actually hurt all of thee, I could have done far, far more damage. Is this not true, beetle?”

“Yes, Luna, all hail Luna.” Scrivener replied wryly, and his wife snorted and shoved at him before the male smiled and glanced towards his daughter, gesturing to her and saying quietly: “This is Scarlet Sage, our daughter. Mine and Luna's, I mean.”

Princess Luna's eyes widened slightly at this as Celestia smiled and nodded politely, looking curiously at Scarlet Sage as she blushed and bowed her head forwards, saying awkwardly: “It's... really nice to meet you. Sorry if Mom came on a little strong, she... she does that.”

Some of the suspicion remaining in Celestia's eyes visibly dropped at this, and the ivory winged unicorn smiled softly as Princess Luna looked with growing curiosity over the odd family in front of her. Then, after a moment, Princess Celestia finally replied quietly: “Well, I am sure all our questions will be answered in time. Shining Armor, please assemble the Royal Guard and make our preparations to leave... I do not think we will have to wait much longer before everypony is ready to leave.”

True Sight

Chapter Nineteen: True Sight
~BlackRoseRaven

Placing the anchor was an easier task than any of the ponies had expected: once they'd found the entrance into the tunnels beneath Canterlot, it hadn't taken them very long to find the right location to hide the anchor: a deep abyss, filled with dark water. Fearlessly, Luna Brynhild had plunged down into this to scout it out, her horn glowing and lighting up the watery depths around her, letting her armor drag her down into the deep pool as strange and alien creatures had flitted and twisted past her.

She found a nook in the cave wall, and then she had closed her eyes and called mentally up to Scrivener... and the earth pony had sighed, but then finally moodily shoved the anchor off the edge of the pit, sending it plummeting into the abyss to crash with a loud splash into the water above Luna, the winged unicorn catching it with telekinesis as it fell towards her and wincing a little as the anchor had glowed radiantly, further lightening the water around her, making her all too aware of the strange and uncomfortable life that was dancing around the edge of her vision.

She had crammed the anchor into the crack in the wall, her lungs beginning to ache from lack of oxygen before she had flicked her horn, freezing hole in the wall over... and Scrivener, high above, feeling his own chest constricting painfully, had hurriedly added his concentration and energies to Luna's before she had transfigured ice into solid rock, leaving it looking like nothing more than a flaw of blue stone amidst the black and gray of the wall. And with that, Luna had hurried to the surface, bursting out of the water and flapping her wings hard to propel herself quickly back upwards even as she'd gasped for breath.

They had taken the rest of the day after that to help out with warding Chrysalis's cell, preparing and fortifying Canterlot against possible Changeling incursions, and answering more questions from both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. They had also met Princess Cadence: a winged unicorn with a soft-pink coat, and a mane of swirled violet, pink, and cream. Pretty, friendly, and kind... and another equine that Luna and Scrivener knew had never existed in their world, which was why Luna Brynhild took a particular fascination in studying her.

Cadence had finally awkwardly invited them to have dinner with her, Shining Armor, and Twilight Sparkle tonight, and Luna had grinned widely... but then Scrivener had hurriedly silenced her with a hoof over her mouth before asking courteously if they could bring their daughter as well. Cadence had smiled at him as Luna Brynhild has sulked, nodding and saying quietly: “Always room for more at our table. We were going to invite Twilight's friends as well, but it seems they all have plans already... but it is Canterlot, after all. There's all kinds of fun things to do here.”

“There never was in my Canterlot.” Luna muttered grumpily, and Scrivener had only petted her awkwardly before she had bopped him firmly with his horn, making him wince but Cadence laugh despite herself at the two.

Dinner was awkward: Twilight Sparkle was obviously still trying to understand both Scrivener and Luna a little more, while Shining Armor was also a little suspicious – and, as he admitted himself, slightly envious – of these two warriors who, in only a matter of a day, had outmatched both the Princess of Equestria as well as the Queen of the Changelings. Cadence was open and honest, though, friendly and easygoing, and she obviously didn't take her title of Princess as anything more than that: a title, a word. She bought her own groceries, she lived in a comfortable, cozy, but not overly-luxurious house with her husband, and she had cooked the meal up herself. Luna liked her, although in a somewhat grudging way, and Scarlet Sage found Cadence as fascinating as Cadence found the Pegasus from a different layer of reality.

But the pleasant meal had been interrupted when a letter had arrived, and Shining Armor had read this over quickly before grimacing and shaking his head, saying quietly: “I'm sorry, everypony, but the Princesses need to speak to me about some business that's come up. Don't worry, though, I'll be back sometime tonight.”

“Oh, is it something I may meddle in? I do so like to meddle.” Luna said positively, and Scrivener sighed and gave her an imploring look, but the winged unicorn only grinned widely in response to her husband, raising her head proudly. “Thou cannot say a thing, Scrivy, so far my meddling has all been authorized by Odin himself. And whilst I do not like the old lech, all the same he is of enough import I shall gladly boldly wave around whatever decree he makes that favors mine own self in it.”

“Actually, we were supposed to hide the anchor and sleep in the woods for a week. We were told specifically to not interfere in all the ways you've chosen to.” Scrivener replied dryly, and Luna huffed a little at him in response before the earth pony sighed and added finally, glancing over at Shining Armor: “But... we are glad to help if we can. Even I can't deny that. I'd like to be lazy and sit back but... Luna will pummel me if I try to worm my way out of anything.”

Luna nodded firmly as Shining Armor smiled amusedly, then he replied quietly: “Don't worry about it. You two have already done more than enough... and it's nothing that has to be acted on immediately. I'm sure the Princesses will speak to you about it themselves one way or the other.”

The two nodded as Scarlet Sage cocked her head curiously and Twilight frowned a little, the violet unicorn saying uncertainly: “But that means... is it something...”

“Now come on, sis, you know I can't talk about it even to you.” Shining Armor smiled despite himself as he stepped around the table, ruffling Twilight's mane and making her huff even as she smiled back, and then the tall unicorn stallion turned and shared a quick hug and kiss with Cadence before promising: “I'll be back as soon as I can.”

“Take care of yourself.” Cadence smiled up at him, touching his cheek gently, and he nodded in return before heading quickly away. The pink-coated winged unicorn looked almost longingly after him for a moment, then she shook her head, gazing out over the others and smiling again. “Sorry about that, friends. Being Captain of the Guard and all... he has a lot of duties. Especially since the Princesses trust him... but then again, both Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle have always been pretty special.”

Cadence reached out and squeezed Twilight's shoulder gently, and Twilight Sparkle laughed a little and shook her head slowly. “I don't know about that these days, Cadence. I've always just... tried to do the very best I could with what I've been given, that's about all. And all too often it feels like I never manage quite enough...”

“As hard upon thyself as the Twilight in our own world.” Luna remarked, shaking her head with a quiet laugh as Scrivener smiled a little as well. “Fear not, Twilight Sparkle. Thou art special. Thou has always been special, as a matter of fact... to me, to my friends, to my family. And somehow I am sure that proves true, even in this layer, as it must in every layer... but 'tis a very sad thing indeed that thou and this world's Luna have not yet slept together. Unless thou has? Has thou?”

Luna looked inquisitively, cheerfully up, and Scrivener sighed as Twilight Sparkle choked a little on her sandwich and Cadence stared dumbly across at Luna before Scarlet Sage rose a hoof, saying finally: “My mother has this problem where her mouth starts talking before her brain can tell her she's being rude.”

“I do not!” Luna huffed, rearing back before she grumbled a little, picking up a slice of apple and tossing it meditatively into her mouth. “All of thee are prudes and boring. And stuffy. Cadence, do not be stuffy. I do not wish to be the only winged unicorn who is not stuffy.”

Scrivener sighed a little at this, looking meditatively across at Luna, but she was only grinning slightly now, leaning back and looking comfortable before Cadence finally shook her head and gave a wry smile, asking dryly: “So what's your idea of having fun then, Luna?”

“Oh, I have many ideas of fun.” Luna replied with a wink and a wide grin, and then she laughed at the looks she received from around the table. “Well, 'tis true! And now thou go from prudes to perverts! 'Tis madness, just what is wrong with all of thee?”

“Much less than is wrong with you.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna shrugged agreeably. Thankfully, she calmed a little as they moved on to a few simple games and conversation, and by the end of the night, Luna, Scrivener, and Scarlet Sage felt much more relaxed as they returned to their rooms... and it had seemed as if Twilight Sparkle had lost the last of whatever worries and misgivings had been bothering her, which was an added bonus.

On the other hoof, when they returned to their room, they found Pinkamena brushing broken glass out of her mane, bruised and bloodied, and the half-demon looked up and explained rationally: “Dude tried to hit on me. I hit him. Things got out of hoof from there.”

“She beat up almost the entire bar!” Applejack's voice snapped from another room, and then the goldenrod mare poked her head out with a wince as Luna looked up in surprise; not at the fact Pinkamena had apparently beaten down an entire tavern of half-drunk ponies, but at the fact that Applejack was here. “Rainbow and I are trying to calm down Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie still and... well, we're kind of worried about what's going to happen when the Royal Guards come by looking to find out what happened!”

“That's why they're hiding.” Pinkamena said pleasantly, nodding slightly, and Applejack glowered at her before vanishing back into the rear room as Luna glared at the half-demon, who seemed to be in a surprisingly-pleasant mood now that she had apparently had a chance to take her frustrations out. “Ponies in this layer are pretty weak, pretty soft. A few of them packed pretty good punches, but... the bottles hurt a lot more than their hooves all the same.”

Luna sighed, looking exasperated before she complained: “Pinkamena, how could thou get into a bar fight without me? 'Tis a sordid betrayal!”

“Hey, you guys ran off on your merry little adventure to bust up a Changeling hive without me.” Pinkamena retorted rudely, looking irritable. “In fact, you not only didn't tell me, you left me with Sissy Two, which was not a fun way to spend my goddamn night. And then you ran off for dinner without me tonight with Twilight Two and that weirdo winged unicorn and the big handsome boy-toy, and I was left drinking with a bunch of loser lightweights.”

Luna glowered at the half-demon, stepping forwards as Scrivener slowly rubbed at his face, feeling a headache coming on as Scarlet Sage awkwardly brushed past to head to the back room and see if she could help out the apparently-panicking ponies out at all. “Can't thou behave thyself for once in thine miserable little life?”

“ I dunno, can you?” Pinkamena retorted, and then both half-demon and winged unicorn looked dumbly at Scrivener as he threw out his hooves with a groan of frustration.

“I have a headache from the constant fighting and worse, the constant socializing. Can you two just kiss and make up for tonight, then continue this at a later date?” Scrivener asked flatly, and the two glared at him, then glowered at each other for a few moments before Luna and Pinkamena firmly grabbed one another, leaned forwards, and kissed for a rough moment, Scrivener's jaw dropping before the two parted and Luna spat to the side as Pinkamena rubbed grouchily at her lips with a hoof. “I. Have no words for what I just witnessed.”

“Good. I hate you.” Pinkamena muttered, then she walked over and punched Scrivener firmly in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He wheezed and fell to his knees as Luna winced, and then the half-demon huffed moodily before flopping down to sit back against Scrivener, closing her eyes and mumbling: “You're both lame.”

Before Scrivener could reply, Scarlet Sage came out of the back room with a pallid Fluttershy, saying quietly: “I'm going to take Fluttershy back across Canterlot while Rainbow Dash and Applejack get Pinkie to settle a little more, okay? Pinkamena uh... maybe you could apologize...”

“Maybe I could. But I won't.” Pinkamena muttered, crossing her hooves grouchily before she looked over at Fluttershy as the golden Pegasus mumbled a little and looked apprehensively at the half-demon. “What? You want me to... oh fine.”

And with that, Pinkamena sighed grudgingly, climbing to her hooves and grunting, and Scarlet Sage was surprised as Fluttershy smiled a little and blushed, bowing her head forwards with another mumble as she glanced embarrassedly at Luna and Scrivener. The cripplingly-shy Pegasus had barely said a word to either of them, and neither of them could think of what to say to her as they stared at the fact that the Pegasus willingly walked over to the half-demon as she mumbled a quick goodbye, hurrying to the door as Pinkamena loitered grouchily behind her and Scarlet Sage followed quickly: the last was the only pony who had really been able to talk to Fluttershy so far, and that was likely only because of the fact that in their own home layer, Scarlet Sage considered Fluttershy both friend and family.

When Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack emerged from the back room, however, the story became a little clearer: one of the stallions at the bar had indeed hit on Pinkamena, but had been quickly chased off by her vicious grin and even nastier insults. But another stallion had started flirting with Fluttershy, then getting a little pushy as she had simply quailed away... and Pinkamena had yanked his glass out of his hoof, and then smashed it over his face, starting the small riot that had ensued.

Every now and then, the half-demon did something that reminded Luna she had a heart, even if that heart pumped black blood and poison through her veins and likely could only be stirred in very particular circumstances. Pinkamena had perhaps overreacted, but now that they had all settled down and no guards had yet come to arrest them all, Rainbow Dash couldn't help but sit back and say admiringly: “After what I saw, I'm starting to get what you guys keep saying about coming from a tougher layer. It's funny, but I kind of wish we had experienced a little more... you know, rough stuff, ourselves. Because she creamed at least ten big, tough-looking ponies.”

“She's scary but... scary doesn't have to mean she can only do evil, huh?” Pinkie Pie asked quietly, and when Luna had nodded, the dull pink pony had lapsed into thought, leaning back with a small smile, but remaining oddly quiet even as the bounce had visibly fluffed up through her body.

When Pinkamena and Scarlet Sage had returned, Pinkie Two, as the half-demon called her, cheerfully bounced over and hugged her firmly, and Pinkamena growled and winced away, peeling her slowly off with a series of frustrated mutters and nasty remarks. Then she had half-chased Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash out, slamming the door behind them before storming to the back room and muttering grouchily: “Took even less time for my reputation to be ruined in this layer than back home. I'm going to bed.”

Scrivener agreed with this plan, heading shortly to bed himself with Luna, and Scarlet Sage stayed up only a little longer to stargaze a little before heading into the back room she was staying in with the half-demon. For the four, the night passed in comfort: Luna and Scrivener slept for only a few hours, but it was deep and refreshing and relaxing, and when they slipped out to stroll around Canterlot in the early morning hours, Luna was able to easily sneak into Princess Luna's private quarters as Scrivener grumbled the entire time about being bad guests and getting in trouble.

But Luna Brynhild was curious: thankfully, Princess Luna was out on whatever duties she had around Canterlot at night, and it let Luna nose curiously through her plush accommodations, grumbling the entire time about how she had been given nothing but a few dirty stone rooms in Canterlot when she had returned. Princess Luna, on the other hand, had carpets, expensive drapes, an enormous bed, and what drew Luna's attention most of all, a large bathing room outfitted with an enormous tub and all kinds of shampoos and soaps and washes.

Luna couldn't help herself: she filled up the tub, half-dragged Scrivener Blooms into it, and made him relax. But by the time she had just managed to get Scrivener to start enjoying the soothing warmth of the water, Luna looked slowly up to the open doorway to find Princess Luna herself staring at them, towels wrapped around her body as if she had planned on enjoying the tub herself.

Scrivener had slowly shrunk beneath the bubbles as Luna Brynhild cleared her throat and gently patted her hooves together, then looked up and declared cheerfully: “'Tis big enough for three! Come in, come in!”

In all likelihood, Princess Luna would not have climbed into the tub. But, unable to ever stop herself from pushing any situation past its breaking point, Luna Brynhild had cheerfully flicked her horn and slammed the bathroom door shut, which had knocked Princess Luna skidding over the slippery floor and then spilling into the tub with a tremendous splash. She had risen out of the water, furious and embarrassed and soaking wet, and Scrivener had simply tried to hide, not wanting to get involved in the war of the Lunas he was afraid was about to start.

But, surprisingly, Princess Luna only sighed and slumped after a few moments, the towel still half-wrapped around her sparking mane slipping slowly off to land in the water with a wet splat as she muttered: “If you wanted to use the bath, all you had to do was ask, Luna Brynhild. There are better ones than mine around Canterlot.”

“Well, what is thine is mine.” Luna said reasonably, and Princess Luna glowered over at her before the interloping mare cleared her throat. “Alright, alright, perhaps... that is stretching a bit far. But I thank thee for thy generous hospitality in any event, Princess of the Night. 'Tis a very fine tub.”

Princess Luna only sighed a little, then looked moodily over at Scrivener Blooms, blushing a bit as she added grouchily: “This is very improper.”

“Oh, thou art as stuffy as Celestia! Why are all ponies so stuffy? Scrivener Blooms, take note: we must tell Odin that I desire to go to a world where all the ponies are not so boring.” Luna Brynhild complained, and Princess Luna muttered to herself, sinking down a bit in the suds before Luna brightened and looked over at the stallion hiding on the other side of the tub. “Give the Princess a massage, help tend to her mane, I like it very much when thou does that and so shall she. Even more so, I suspect: warriors as I do not need as much primping as Princesses.”

“Please, I would rather... wait, what do you mean by that?” Princess Luna frowned moodily, then winced when Scrivener Blooms awkwardly slipped towards her. “No, no, it is... fine. Please.”

“Oh, cease, if we wanted to do improper things to thee I would have long seduced thee into bed with us.” Luna Brynhild retorted, and the Princess didn't seem to know how to respond to this, only staring as Scrivener awkwardly sat beside her. “Oh, and now look, thou hast made the poet all miserable and unnerved! Relax, Little Luna, he shan't harm thee!”

The Princess still looked uncomfortable, but she nodded sulkily after a moment, turning her back towards Scrivener and looking grouchily away. The stallion reached out, beginning to slowly rub her shoulders as Luna sat back with a grin, watching with mischievous eyes before Scrivener glared at her and said flatly: “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” Luna Brynhild asked innocently, leaning back and winking over at him. “How often does one get to watch one's beloved husband tending to the sweet, softer niceties of one's wife?”

Princess Luna blushed at this and Scrivener continued to glower at Luna Brynhild, then pointedly turned his eyes away. For a few moments, there was awkward silence as Luna rested back, continuing to watch with a wide grin before the Princess cleared her throat, saying in as serious a voice as she could manage despite the blush tinging her cheeks: “I heard from Shining Armor that you were both interested in what my sister and I have had him looking into...”

“Oh, verily. We are meddlers, as I believe I said to Shining Armor as well. 'Twas it those exact words? I do believe it was, Scrivy.” Luna said thoughtfully, nodding after a moment before she smiled slightly as she sat back, making herself a bit more comfortable. “But do tell. Even if it is nothing thou desires our aid with I am still curious. And I would honestly like to help if I can.”

Princess Luna nodded, then let out a soft sigh when Scrivener's hooves moved in towards her neck, relaxing slowly before she murmured quietly: “This is good. And well, Brynhild... it is no matter of great importance, or at least my big sister and I hope it is not. A meteor fell from the sky, not a great distance away... somewhere in the depths of the Everfree Forest. I do not know about your world, but here it is a very rare occurrence. We simply wanted Shining Armor to put together a team capable of scouting out the location of the meteor and inspect it.”

Scrivener frowned a little at this, even as he began to gently work his hooves along the Princess's scalp, asking curiously: “What do you want with a meteor? It's just a large chunk of rock, right?”

“Well, as I said, it is rare. We would like to study it...” Princess Luna smiled a little, half-opening one eye and glancing over her shoulder. “Mostly curiosity, I suppose. Although some of the mages from the Magic Academy reported that some of their magical instruments reacted oddly to the meteor's crash... as if it released a pulse of magic when it struck the ground.”

Luna Brynhild frowned a little at this, and Scrivener felt a chill run down his own spine, but neither of them spoke as the Princess steadily relaxed. Scrivener went ahead and shampooed her mane, but it was partly simply to keep the Princess of the Night distracted while the soulmates conversed mentally, in images more than words, both feeling the same strange sense of unease.

When Scrivener finished washing off the Princess's mane, she awkwardly excused herself, toweling quickly off and blushing as she headed for her quarters. Scrivener and Luna stayed only a little longer before they let the tub drain and dried off themselves, both deciding on what seemed like the most logical course of action to them...

Well, perhaps logical isn't the right word... Scrivener thought meditatively, as they made their way back through the Castle. But Luna's instincts and my own... and with that horde of shapeshifters we encountered before...

Their thoughts were interrupted, however, as the sun began to rise outside... and Scrivener and Luna couldn't help but pause in the long corridor they were walking down, stopping to stare out and up into the early morning sky as the winged unicorn smiled a little, saying quietly: “Strange, Scrivener... I have gotten so used to living in a world where the sun does not need our guidance, but moves as if with a will of its own...”

“Oh, pardon me, Princess, I was just looking for you.” called a voice that Scrivener and Luna both felt send a bolt of recognition through them, and they turned to gaze with incredulity at a pale blue unicorn that was smiling at them, dressed in a flowing violet cloak that matched the color of eyes half-hidden beneath the eggshell bangs of her mane. She paused, leaning back in surprise at the sight of the two, then blushed a little, saying awkwardly: “Oh, wait, my mistake, you must be-”

“Trixie! 'Tis Trixie!” Luna shouted cheerfully, bouncing back and forth on her hooves, and Scrivener laughed, feeling the same surge of excitement, warmth, and the faintest dregs of deep, soft sorrow: even through their glee, after all, they both knew this wasn't the same Trixie they had known, as the unicorn only stared and dropped the bundle of parchment and quills she had been carrying with telekinesis. “Trixie the Great and Powerful, is it not thee?”

“Oh, no, no, no. That was a long time ago, Trixie... I mean, I, have learned my lessons since those days.” Trixie replied embarrassedly, shaking her head with a blush before her eyes looked up almost hopefully. “But how did you know? Unless that means, of course, your world really is a reflection of ours...”

Luna, however, snorted at this, leaning forwards and grinning slightly. “Ours a reflection of thine? Nay, I think 'tis the other way around.” she declared pompously, then huffed when Scrivener nudged her. “Oh fine, fine, 'tis neither, really, 'tis all based around Odin's damnable center world. But, aye, Trixie thou... thou wert truly...” Luna softened, quieting as she leaned forwards. “Thou earned the title they gave thee, that all of Equestria recognized thee by. 'Twas not the Great and Powerful, though, such a silly stage name held no true potency... 'twas Trixie the Brave.”

Trixie smiled at this radiantly, her eyes brightening before she nodded several times and said eagerly: “Trixie would dearly love to hear... I mean, I would really like to know more, if we could get together and talk about it... I honestly have mended my ways! Sure, I caused some trouble here and there but... eventually I ended up in Canterlot and... oh, you don't want to hear this...”

“But I do, every detail.” Luna said empathetically, and Scrivener smiled and nodded in agreement as Trixie brightened. “But Scrivener Blooms and I are looking for Princess Celestia at the moment, we have something to discuss and ask of her... does thou know where she is?”

“I was heading to find one of the Princesses myself, as a matter of fact... if you like, we can talk on the way there.” Trixie replied quickly, smiling, and Luna nodded firmly as the unicorn hurriedly gathered up her dropped things with a small blush.

As they walked, she went into unabashed detail about her life: how she had lived on the road, plotting complex schemes of revenge that would never pan out, doing shows to try and scrape together enough bits just to survive, let alone find a way to repair her broken wagon. It sounded much like the Trixie Scrivener and Luna had known, another point towards how the worlds reflected one another... but where it diverged was when Trixie had ended up in Canterlot less than a year ago, and Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies, had helped find her an appointment as an assistant to the magic school. Nothing so glamorous as she had originally hoped, since her duties were mostly carrying messages, transcribing text, and sending letters, but it had the advantage of helping her pick up more than flashy stage magic, and she was determined to prove she was more than just talk and hot air.

Luna was delighted... but she wasn't entirely sure of what to say when Trixie asked her curiously: “And what about... the Trixie in your world? I've heard so many stories! And Trixie the Brave, how did Trixie... I mean, I... earn this?”

“Through hard work... and sacrifice.” Luna murmured softly, then she shook her head and smiled a little as Trixie frowned a little, the winged unicorn saying softly: “Fear not, Trixie, I shall explain all... when we meet next. But it is a long tale and whilst I will be glad to tell it to thee, I think we had all best be in a place of better comforts.”

“Oh, of course... Trixie shall be patient as she can. She has learned much, much, much patience from all her time... I'm doing it again.” Trixie blushed and shook her head quickly, smiling a little. “Well. Old habits die hard. I still find myself wanting the thrill of the stage these days, to be honest... but honestly, to see them laugh and applaud not... not to simply show up or trick other ponies.”

“I believe that.” Scrivener said softly, smiling over at her before the trio looked ahead as they stepped through a set of open double doors and into the royal library. Celestia was sitting at a table, several books stacked out in front of her, and the Princess glanced up curiously as they approached before Scrivy smiled and jerked his head to Trixie. “You go ahead first. You're on business.”

Trixie smiled in return, then glanced towards Celestia respectfully, bowing her head and holding up the bundle of letters. “As you requested, your majesty, all the records from the magic school regarding celestial anomalies. 'Twas Trixie's pleasure to be of service.”

“Thank you, Trixie, I appreciate you being so prompt in bringing these to me. Now, Luna Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms... I expect your business with me has something to do with this, doesn't it?”

Trixie stepped back, looking curious, but then she blushed when the others looked at her, clearing her throat a bit and turning to hurry away. Princess Celestia shook her head with a smile before returning her eyes to Scrivener and Luna, saying softly: “I imagine we share the same concern as well, that this meteor is no coincidence... as I am well aware you already spent some time with my little sister this morning.”

“'Twas good time, too.” Luna said cheerfully, but Celestia only smiled, not falling for the trick, and this only made the sapphire winged unicorn grumble. “Stuffy Nice Celestia. But aye, that worry admittedly has risen in both our minds. We wish to go and inspect this meteor for ourselves, if thou will allow it.”

“Of course. But would you mind waiting until this afternoon? You can go with the scouting troop that Shining Armor is putting together. We aren't precisely sure of the location where the meteor fell, after all.. and due to the nature of the Everfree Forest, it may require some time to track down.”

Scrivener and Luna both nodded, before the charcoal stallion said softly: “If it has something to do with those shapeshifters, or is part of one of Valthrudnir's machines... Luna and I will feel it. I'm... particularly sensitive to it, at least when I know what I'm looking for.”

He shook his head after a moment, and Celestia hesitated for a moment before she pushed the packet of papers aside, saying quietly: “Then perhaps you should both fill me in on this story of Valthrudnir, and... tell me more about what we could be dealing with.”

Luna and Scrivener traded a look at this... but as Luna softened, Scrivener smiled faintly andnodded slowly before he turned his eyes to Celestia, sighing a little as he slipped forwards to sit at the table as he began quietly: “Valthrudnir was a Jötnar... and to this day, I don't believe we ever really beat him, but he defeated himself...”

Scrivener Blooms was quiet: thoughts of their discussion in the morning with Celestia still lingered through his mind, dampening his mood. The day had been a day of questions, discussion, and preparation for the worst... which was why Scrivener was walking next to Shining Armor ahead of a column of soldiers that included Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkamena.

Overhead, Luna was flying slowly in formation with Rainbow Dash, Scarlet Sage, and several Pegasus soldiers, the dusky light of the setting sun glimmering off their armor making them look like slow moving stars. Scrivener looked up at this as they strode down the dirt road leading into the creaking, whispering Everfree Forest, and then he grimaced a little and glanced awkwardly to the side as he heard Shining Armor ask him something. “Sorry, I was... thinking. What did you say?”

“I was just wondering if you were okay. You seem a little out of it, and I'm guessing it wasn't the long walk from Canterlot that did it.” Shining Armor replied quietly, looking over him with honest concern, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile: apparently compassion ran deep in Twilight's family. “You sure you'll be okay by yourself?”

“The Forest and I have always gotten along pretty well. It's normal pony society that gives me trouble, not the wild lands.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Shining Armor gave a small smile before the unicorn looked ahead as the earth pony asked quietly: “What about you? How are you feeling about this?”

“Kind of worried.” Shining Armor admitted after a moment, shaking his head slowly as they continued down the dirt road, and then he shook his head slowly. “The Princesses informed me of some of the things that we could be facing and... let's just say that if you guys really have fought stuff like that before, you're a lot braver than I ever was.”

Scrivener smiled at this, looking ahead and saying softly: “Bravery is measured by what we face even when we're scared, Shining Armor. As I've heard it, you've never run away from anything or anyone that threatened who or what you care about. Me, I run away from things all the time. Especially Luna.”

Shining Armor laughed a bit at this, looking over at him with a smile before he asked finally: “So she really is your wife, huh?”

“Yep.” Scrivener smiled amusedly back. “I think our relationship may be just a tad different from yours and Cadence's, of course. You two are a nice couple. Maybe even 'normal,' Horses of Heaven forbid. Discombobulation once referred to Luna and me as a 'match made in mad libs.'”

“What does that even mean? And who's Discombobulation?” Shining Armor asked, and Scrivener snorted in amusement.

“A Draconequus who steals more references than I ever could. And here I was hoping you might have some idea yourself. See, he has a bad habit of talking about things no one understands, mostly because he feeds off confusion, but partly, I think, because he just likes to let his mouth run. Good guy, though. My son really likes him.” Scrivener replied, and then he smiled a little at the look on Shining Armor's face. “Yeah, well, you don't even know the punchline to the joke. Believe me, there's weirder than the fact we're friends with a Draconequus.”

Shining Armor only shook his head, then he glanced up before grimacing and coming to a halt, flicking his horn firmly upwards. There was a snap like a whip and a bright pulse, and the soldiers immediately halted, the Pegasi and Luna winging downwards to look at the Captain of the Guard and he turned around, shouting clearly: “Alright, spread out and search into the forest! We meet back here in an hour, no exceptions! If anyone finds the meteor, send up a signal!”

“Yeah, yeah, boring. Dinner break.” Pinkamena muttered, even as she stomped fearlessly into the forest, but Scrivener winced as he got the distinct feeling she wasn't going in to look for the meteor. Shining Armor winced a little as well, seeming to pick up on this, but then he shook his head and turned towards the forest himself, giving a last smile to Scrivener before pushing into the underbrush.

Other soldiers began to push into the forest as the Pegasi shot overhead to scan the ground, and Scrivener looked up, trading a silent flurry of thoughts with Luna before she winged onwards, flying low over the thick canopy of treetops. Scrivener, meanwhile, felt an odd tingle, and instead of pushing into the forest, he found himself walking calmly onwards down the dirt path, simply letting his mind wander as he made his way quietly onwards.

He couldn't describe it: he didn't think even Luna felt this lure, but that could well be because her mind was occupied with her own thoughts, and she was flying eastwards out over the forest. Scrivener looked slowly up as he felt the setting sun on his body like a tangible thing and saw the shadows squirm around him like he was alive, and he closed his eyes as he wondered for a brief moment if the visions were returning.

His head swam a little, and he lost track of time as he continued down the road before finding himself meandering down a path carved through the road by some wild animal that likely frequented the area. He followed the natural path calmly onwards, not even realizing the sun had almost set completely as a wave of nausea twisted in his stomach and a strange sensation twisted through his mind... not a lure, not a hook, not even a pull exactly... more like the faintest touch of fingers, like a thin paper sheet brushing against his face...

He stepped off the natural path to push into a clearing, looking up... and blinking in surprise as he realized night had fallen completely, and the moon had risen. He frowned a little, reaching up and rubbing slowly at his face, knowing that the hour must already be up... but he felt a strange static, too, making it hard to sense anything, to feel his link with Luna...

He grimaced as he strode across the field towards a misshapen boulder, sighing a little as he leaned against it, then grimaced in disgust and drew away when it felt... warm. He looked back at the strange, enormous rock... and then his eyes widened dumbly as he realized he'd found the meteor.

Its surface was cracked and marred, the rock brown and ugly, the earth around it humped up and forming a cradle from the long skid it had left behind, the earth pony hurrying to the other side to see the trench it had ripped through the earth, not to mention a multitude of broken trees and chunks of other debris. He stared at this, then turned his eyes toward the wall of the meteor as something caught in his eye, stepping apprehensively towards it as something twinkled...

He reached up and pushed nervously against the brittle rock, and it cracked at just his touch, strangely-warm chunks of stone falling away to reveal an inside that was filled with crystals. Crystals of all shape and size, the multicolored stones emitting a hum and exuding a dry heat that made him shiver and feel a strange disgust as he stepped away, muttering: “Incredible... and that... sensation...”

He frowned, reaching up and touching his head: closer to the stone, he felt it all the clearer: a feeling he couldn't completely describe and didn't entirely want to, a sensation like something stroking against his mind, a static that riddled his thoughts and made him feel like his brain was covered by a thin curtain, and beneath it, something... something more...

Scrivener heard a crunch behind him, feeling a rush of instinct, and he began to spin around... just in time for the blow that would have connected with the back of his head to instead smash into his cheek and knock him backwards against the warm stone of the meteor, cracking apart more of the rocky shell as he snarled and shoved quickly away from it, turning to glare at his attacker as it leapt quickly away, the shape of a Pegasus flitting through the air before it landed on its hooves with a loud clank.

The moonlight illuminated it, the Pegasus' head bowed low, its wings spread... and while one was feathered, the other was made of a thin metallic frame beneath thick sheets of what looked like some kind of translucent plastic. Dirty, hay-colored locks spilled around its face, streaked with dried blood, and one ear was almost entirely missing. Scrivener could only stare at it, as it slowly rose its head, breathing hard, teeth long replaced by sharpened, gleaming jaws of metal that were bent and broken here and there... and its eyes covered completely by a dirt-streaked blindfold tied tightly at the side of its features.

Its coat was gray, and it was thin, wings trembling as they stood fully out of its frame, its hooves grinding against the ground. Almost half of one foreleg had been replaced by some kind of metal prosthetic, and Scrivener thought with horror that it had a thick vest of some kind literally stitched into its body, as the Pegasus rasped in a harsh voice: “That corruption in your mind is a dead giveaway.”

“Well it's hard to scrape out. What the hell are you?” Scrivener snarled in return, readying himself... and then he winced when the Pegasus leapt forwards, moving faster than he'd expected, the charcoal stallion barely able to rear back in time to half-catch the winged equine as it swung its hooves down into his shoulders, the two wrestling as he cursed under his breath before he was shoved hard backwards, shocked at the strength of the Pegasus before it leapt backwards.

“Valthrudnir called me Visionary... called me a failure and a lot of other things, too. I'll show him what the failure mare can do, though!” Visionary shouted, her voice raw and emotional before she lunged forwards, and Scrivener could only stare before a hoof smashed into his face, knocking him crashing backwards.

He cursed under his breath, picking himself hurriedly up, but Visionary was already charging, her mismatched wings spread before she leapt suddenly upwards when Scrivener dropped back in a ready position, and his eyes widened as she caught the air and shot overtop him, kicking her rear legs out as she passed. The stallion barely ducked beneath this before he looked sharply over his shoulder as the Pegasus twisted at the last moment, impacting a tree with all four hooves but running straight up it, ignoring the slender branches she tore through and sent flying in all directions before she spun and launched herself in a spear-like dive towards the earth pony.

Scrivener flung himself backwards, crashing down on his back and kicking both rear legs savagely outwards as he tried to process what she had said, but Visionary halted herself in mid-flight, just avoiding the kick before she seized his rear legs in both her front limbs and half-spun with a snarl, yanking the earth pony off the ground and throwing him into the meteor. He bounced painfully off the side of the sickly-warm stone, cracking it inwards as his body half-flipped backwards before he fell heavily on top of the meteor... only for Visionary to rush forwards and try to slam herself down on top of him.

Scrivener managed to roll awkwardly out of the way, throwing himself off the boulder and bouncing painfully down to the other side of the field as Visionary yelped and crashed violently down into the interior of the meteor, crystals exploding around her before she roared and leapt upwards, sending out a geyser of diamond dust with the force of her passage. Her eyes locked on Scrivener as the earth pony rolled to his hooves and she shot down in a curving, long arc towards him, shooting in low to the ground before Scrivener leaned forwards with a snarl and intercepted her attack with a hard, straight punch to her face.

Her wings twisted almost unnaturally, halting her in midair and flapping hard as her hooves dropped to the ground, landing and stumbling backwards, and Scrivener pressed the advantage, leaping towards her and slamming his hooves back and forth across her features before she threw a hard elbow into the side of his neck when he began to get too close. He was knocked back on his haunches, grabbing automatically at the hurt area before Visionary tackled him and crushed him down into the ground, and Scrivener kicked savagely up into her stomach immediately, but failed to dislodge her as she only twitched before bringing both her hooves up, meaning to crush in his skull with a deathblow.

Instead, Scrivener swung his hooves into her upper legs as she began to bring them both down, and there was a loud crack from one as a bone snapped, Visionary crying out in pain and dropping forwards... and as she fell, Scrivener slammed his head upwards, smashing his skull against the end of her muzzle and knocking her staggering backwards before he kicked both rear legs out. His hooves collided with her sewed-on vest, and she was knocked staggering with a grunt before he slammed another kick outwards that struck squarely into her face and sent her flopping onto her back, stunned for a moment as Scrivener breathed hard and scrambled up to his hooves.

Visionary rolled to her own in moments as well however, snarling and seeming to simply ignore the fact one of her upper legs was broken, even as it twitched violently and refused to fully support her weight. She dropped herself forwards as her wings spread, and then she lunged towards him in a preternatural burst of speed that shook the air around her with the force of her passage, crashing into him and wrapping her upper limbs around his body in a bear-hug before she kicked off the ground and flapped her wings again to launch herself high into the sky.

She corkscrewed violently as she shot into the air, carrying Scrivener with her as he gargled in pain, his ribs creaking from the force of her embrace and eyes bulging as vertigo tore through his senses, and then she snapped her entire body suddenly upwards, flinging Scrivener high into the air as he flailed his limbs helplessly. But only a moment later, Visionary was after him, slamming a shoulder up into his back with enough force to make him howl in pain and fling him in a lazy arc through the sky before she shot beneath him and spun around, slamming both hooves viciously into his face and making his head whiplash as blood burst from his jaws.

He flew back in the direction he had been launched from, and Visionary shot forwards again beneath him before she spun around and slammed both rear hooves savagely up into his lower back, knocking him higher upwards with a yell of pain. Scrivener was disoriented, defenseless, almost helpless as he snarled in agony, tears of pain leaking from his eyes before he thought of how Luna was feeling every blow, enduring this battle as well... and the earth pony gritted his teeth before he felt himself beginning to free-fall, forcing his body to cooperate as he looked over his shoulder and saw Visionary waiting for him with her body tensed...

At the last possible moment, Scrivener spun around, whipping a hoof across her face in a stunning smack that made her flinch... before his other hoof slammed downwards, crunching solidly into one blindfolded eye with a strange sound like shattering glass. Visionary went rigid for that moment, her back arching before the stallion's heavy body collided with hers and knocked the wind from her wings, and she let out a gasp before Scrivener slammed a hoof across her face and twisted his body hard as he grabbed at her wildly with his other forelimb, clinging to her as they began to spiral wildly downwards through the air.

Visionary gave a raw yell, kicking at him, shoving her hooves into him, but unable to do anything as they spun downwards out of control. And only a moment later, they smashed directly into the brittle meteor, crystals erupting with bursts of light and magic and sound around them as agony ripped through Scrivener's body and he was flung through the air by the blast, Visionary hurled towards the other side of the field as the meteor blew apart into shards of crystal and brown, brittle tile and shale.

Scrivener's mind went blurry for a few moments, laying weak and prone, breathing hard before he slowly forced himself to sit up despite the agony... and then stared in horror at the sight of Visionary on the other side of the field that was now lit up by glowing, broken chunks of crystal. She was covered in wounds and bruises, her vest torn loose from her stitches and revealing raw, ugly flesh beneath this, and her false wing had been torn from her body, one of the long metal rods of the skeleton spurting a black, oily substance that looked like mechanical blood. She rasped slowly in and out, blood spilling from beneath the blindfold that was steadily being soaked with red before she whispered: “I won't let it... end... here...”

Slowly, she dragged herself to her hooves as Scrivener yanked himself to his own... and then Visionary stiffened before lashing her head backwards a moment before a knife shot past her, burying into a tree as Pinkamena snapped: “Goddammit, why the hell do you assholes keep getting all the fun?”

The half demon charged across the field from the forest, snarling, before she leapt towards Visionary as she tore her axe off her back and swung it forwards in a beheading rend... only for the Pegasus to slip smoothly backwards, avoiding the attack with ease before seizing the back of the axe and lashing the flat of the massive blade across the half-demon's face, knocking her flat. Visionary spun the weapon easily, gripping it by the handle before raising it high as Scrivener gave a strangled shout... but then the Pegasus slammed it down and struck Pinkamena's skull with the blunt back of the weapon instead of the sharp edge, knocking her in a dazed heap instead of decapitating her.

The Pegasus tossed the axe away, slowly staring towards Scrivener as Scrivener stared back, even as others began to arrive: Scarlet Sage, and bruised and battered Luna, who half-fell to the ground, snarling and bleeding as she shouted in a raw voice: “Stay away from my husband, creature!”

“Husband...” Visionary seemed to stare towards the new arrivals... and then, slowly, the Pegasus turned and began to stumble towards Scrivener, even as they heard Shining Armor's voice through the trees, as Rainbow Dash shot down to land beside stunned Pinkamena with a curse and stare in horror at the back of the ripped-apart creature, as others arrived...

And yet even Luna could only watch as Visionary half-stumbled and half-dragged herself towards Scrivener Blooms, rasping hard as she stared at him from behind her blindfold with intent that had gone from malicious to questioning before she halted in front of the battered and beaten earth pony. There was no aggression, no violence any longer as they studied each other, and then Visionary whispered: “You're like me. And maybe with the right push...”

Slowly, Visionary reached up, pulling off her blindfold, and Scrivener stared in shock: her eyes were lidless, raw sockets, inside which rested black, cracked spheres of glass... one of which had been partly shattered from Scrivener's direct blow to it. Blood and black bile spilled from this socket like tears, as Scrivener found himself staring into the depths of the broken obsidian glass, and at the flares of light that they cradled, the white fires at their very core as Visionary slowly rose a hoof.

“You can see.”

Scrivener frowned at her, and then his eyes widened as those bright flares, those miniature suns in her eyes brightened and something in his mind burst into life, screamed as

she had never screamed before. She panted hard, blood and drool dripping from her mouth, hanging weakly by the dragon's hand locked around her throat. The creature called itself Valthrudnir, called itself a Jötnar, and it grinned at her, keeping her pinned easily against the wall as he mocked: “How hideous! Look at this disgusting creature, look at its eyes... they don't even line up properly. Tell me, pathetic little pony... how would you like me to fix that nasty problem for you?”

“N-No... there's nothing w-wrong with me... let me go...” the Pegasus rasped, trembling weakly as her wings fluttered behind her, closing her golden, crossed eyes... but Valthrudnir drew her back and slammed her against the window wall again, making her cry out in agony and open her eyes as tears spilled down her cheeks, staring weakly up at him. “Please...”

“Nothing wrong with you? Nothing wrong with you!” Valthrudnir threw his head back and laughed, shaking his head slowly before he grinned over his shoulder at the others: others who had given in, others who he had made into monsters. “What a joke! Did you hear this creature? She says there's 'nothing wrong with her,' Worthless little mongrel, why don't you take a look in the mirror?”

With that, the Jötnar dragged her backwards, turning her around and slamming her face into the window wall hard enough to crack it, forcing her to stare out into the prison yard beyond filled with terrified ponies fenced in by steel and spikes and lightning... and at herself, at her crossed eyes, at her unflattering features. “You're hideous. You're ugly. You're disgusting. You are a living mistake.”

“No... I'm... I'm n-not...” she whispered, rasping hard in and out, trembling violently, trying to close her eyes: not to block out the broken reflection of herself, but to take her eyes away from the horrors of the yard beyond, of the broken, beaten, and bloodied ponies all standing and waiting for death... or worse.

“Yes you are.” Valthrudnir's voice was almost kind, mocking, sincere. “As a matter of fact, you are a superior example... of an inferior being. Tell me, do you want to give birth to worthless children just like you?”

“Dinky is beautiful, you... you stay away from her...” the Pegasus whispered before she could stop herself, trembling weakly, and behind her Valthrudnir crowed laughter.

“You do have a child? And you dare threaten me? The cross-eyed Pegasus threatens me, how entertaining!” The dragon, the Jötnar, the terrible entity that had done this to their beautiful world, their beautiful Equestria laughed again. “And how pathetic. Very well, let's see just how well your eyes work... tell me what you see when I kill your child.”

Valthrudnir grinned coldly as he yanked the Pegasus away from the glass and held her up, even as she cried out, even as she shook her head in denial and stared: stared out into the prison yard beyond, and stared at the reflection of the Jötnar, watching as he rose his free hand and snapped his fingers... and outside, the crowd was parted like a wave as some alien force rasped through their ranks, knocking ponies sprawling in all directions. All except for one little unicorn filly, staring up at the glass weakly, at the sight of her mother being held up, tortured, by the unstoppable Jötnar...

The Pegasus screamed, shaking her head wildly before she shrieked: “No! Dinky, run away! Forget about Mommy and run, run away!”

“Too late.” Valthrudnir said almost kindly, and then he simply clenched his hand into a fist as there was a faint pulse of light... and in the yard, the foal staggered backwards as its body glowed for a moment before exploding in a blast of blood and liquified organs that splattered to the ground in a wide circle, ponies yelling in horror and the Pegasus howling in misery as Valthrudnir remarked: “What a big mess such a small child can make.

“And, as for you...” Valthrudnir turned, hurling the Pegasus to the ground, and she landed brokenly on the concrete on her stomach, only able to sob, to cry, to tremble as agony raced through her body, her eyes refusing to focus at all, seeing only blurred shapes of hooves through the flow of her tears as the Jötnar instructed calmly: “Cut out her eyes. Then we'll give her the gift of real sight.”

And the Pegasus felt strong limbs yank her up to her hooves, felt all hope draining from her body as

pain tore through his system, as he felt his mind flooded with thoughts, memories, violent imaginings that weren't his own, the earth pony coughing black bile as tears of blood spilled from eyes that stared stupidly across at the Pegasus...

And then Visionary smiled weakly at him, even as her breath halted and the flares of light in her glass eyes whiffed out. She stood for a moment longer as her hoof dropped away from his forehead, and then she slowly listed to the side before falling in a broken sprawl as Scrivener staggered backwards, then grabbed at his forehead and dropped his skull to the ground, screaming as he felt the corruption from the Tyrant Wyrm in his mind bubbling viciously, spreading deeper, fusing further into his thoughts as he collapsed forwards in a shivering heap and Luna stared at him with silent horror.

Then, a moment later, she was at his side, embracing him tightly, soothing him as Scarlet Sage rushed over, tossing a single scared look at the body as Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle both staggered into the clearing and looked from broken meteor to broken corpse... to broken earth pony, as Scrivener howled again in torment even as Luna trembled and held him fiercely, holding him tightly around the neck, soothing him as she caught the wisps of alien and monstrous thought and memory twisting into her own mind as she whispered fiercely: “Scrivener, Scrivener, I am here, calm down now, calm down... I am here, beloved, I am here, I have thee now and everything, everything is alright...”

But even as she spoke the words, she was terrified they weren't true, terrified of what this meant, of what the vision she had only caught glimpses of through their linked soul could mean for them as Scrivener broke down into sobs and held tightly onto his skull as black, bloody tears spilled from his eyes, barely able to comprehend the world around him as the corruption surged and roared and kissed through his damaged mind.

Staring Into Shadows

Chapter Twenty: Staring Into Shadows
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms was feverish and weak, and Luna Brynhild was almost frantic with worry for him as she paced back and forth, her heavy hoof-steps wearing down the tiles of the bedroom floor. Sometimes she would try and sit down, try and comfort him, but the stallion barely seemed aware of her as he shivered and moaned miserably, spending most of his time in a state of unconsciousness or delirium.

She could feel his panic and his pain, and knew that the only reason she wasn't being targeted by the poisons herself was because of the way the corruption had seeped and melded into Scrivener's psyche, the way it had always targeted him and him alone. And yet that was why she was helpless to help him, even with their mental link: she couldn't see into his mind when he was like this, she couldn't soothe his tortured thoughts, she could only feel the edge of the torment that was ripping back and forth through the stallion's tattered mind.

So she paced, frantic, afraid: when she stopped moving, even if it was to try and hug him, to try and rest against him, the thoughts would quickly well up, but moving at least let her lie to herself that she was doing something, anything. She envied Scarlet Sage, who spent her time sitting silently by her father, staying in quiet contact with him and tending to him with a cold compress... and she admired her bravery, as well, the way the young mare hadn't turned away from her father in need... had even tried to make a blood connection with him to attempt to soothe the corruption in his mind, but the Blood Seer's powers had failed. All she had felt in the few moments it had lasted was agony, before she'd been forced to break the link.

Pinkamena was sitting outside the bedroom: sometimes the half-demon would come inside, and just silently look at Scrivener for a few minutes before leaving again to sit out in the hall. She guarded him loyally, sitting stoic as stone, refusing entry to anypony unless Luna gave them permission to pass, and no one dared to test the half-demon's patience with the gleam in her eye and the heft of her battle axe.

The Princesses had visited and tried to help, but neither of them had been able to do anything, and nor could Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash had already been dispatched to head to the Everfree Forest with all haste to speak to Zecora when Luna Brynhild had half-pleaded for them to retrieve several elixirs from the zebra. She only hoped that this layer's Zecora would be as talented and forthcoming as she was back in their home layer...

The only time Luna had been away was to relate the events as best she could to the Princesses, who were concerned not only about Scrivener Blooms, but about what had happened... and whether or not there could be more ponies like Visionary. Her corpse had been brought back to Canterlot, and the ponies had been horrified by it: complex, unrecognizable mechanical parts inserted here and there throughout her form, broken glass baubles for eyes that still had traces of malign magic in them, mutilations and signs of massive experimentation across her withered frame. And part of what scared them so much was that Visionary had obviously been suffering for a long time from the extensive damage to her body, and yet this weakened... thing... had been strong enough to lay a savage, near-lethal beating into Scrivener Blooms. Scrivener Blooms, who they saw as a warrior pony from another world that had stood with ease beside Luna against the Princesses themselves and their forces, who had been one of the two ponies that had charged recklessly through the Changeling Hive and captured their nemesis, Chrysalis.

If there were more of these alien beings, if there was even one other such creature, and it wasn't in wounded condition, it could be enough to threaten Equestria. And it had something to do with the meteor... the meteor, which carried a strange, malevolent magic in the crystals packed inside the hollowed-out, brittle stone shell. Pieces of it had been taken back for analysis at the magic academy, too, and they couldn't recognize the magic... but the stone, they discovered, was a type of synthetic, rare mineral substance. When first formed it would be armor-like and nearly indestructible, with a weak electrical charge running through it... but as the charge faded, the stone rapidly decayed into this brittle shale. It was the same material used for specialized golems, and it pointed towards the fact that this meteor had been constructed by someone or something that likely did not have the best intentions in mind.

Luna Brynhild had spoken at length with the Princesses despite wanting to be at Scrivener's side... but talking things over with them helped her focus, helped her figure things out, and she knew they had to be prepared for what might be coming. She ensured to leave no detail untouched, surprising both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna with her forcefulness and the way she was determined to attend to even the smallest of details to ensure she had every little bit of useable information possible that could help her solve this riddle. She only hoped that when Scrivener pulled through his delirium, it would be with the rest of the answers they needed. She wouldn't let herself consider the idea that Scrivener wouldn't pull through... nor that he might be damaged by what he was experiencing.

But Scrivener himself was barely even aware of what was going on in his own mind, trapped in the grips of memories and fragments of worlds not his own, as he convulsed and shivered in bed, every now and then rasping and babbling to the ceiling. He wasn't aware of Luna, pacing around the room, or when he was visited by other concerned ponies, or Scarlet Sage, even when she carefully wiped his face with a cloth or attempted to at least get him to drink a little water. He was trapped again, trapped in the darkness, and this time it was for longer than he had ever been before, and in a more alien, more horrible hell than he had imagined... and yet, sickeningly, some deep, twisted part of himself was fascinated by the experiences as he stumbled through worlds of strange and warped memories.

When he put all his effort into concentrating, he was half-aware that there was some... sense, some pattern to everything that had happened. When he pushed himself to remember, he could clearly recall Visionary's grim gaze, boring into his as she'd passed some piece of her dying mind into him. And when he thought hard, there was knowledge there, in his mind; he was learning things from these dark visions, but they were far from things he wanted to know. Things like how Visionary had already been dying when they had fought, had perhaps been kept alive purely by will and rage alone. Things like how there was an entire world out there that Valthrudnir had toyed with and transformed into some grisly laboratory where he could play with people he captured like toys, where he could corrupt and modify and mutate Odin's creations to better suit his own visions of 'perfection.'

And as Scrivener wandered the world of memories, certain things stuck with him: some of the visions were fuzzy and broken, others so clear and crystalline it felt like he was experiencing them himself when he saw them... like how he screamed in his mind – and unknowingly, had gone into a convulsion and had a shrieking fit in reality as well, terrifying Luna and Scarlet Sage – when mechanical ponies in masks had slowly used horrible torture implements to carefully scoop out his eyes.

But they hadn't really been his eyes: they had been Visionary's. He knew he was experiencing her memories, in fragment and in whole, and the only thing that kept him sane through the monumental tortures she had suffered and he now was feeling, was both the dark, godawful fascination inside his broken spirit and that there would be an end. There had to be an end, as visions skipped and stuttered around him, and voices whispered, sometimes as clear as day, other times only distorted murmurs that made no sense.

And in memory, he saw the way she did: no longer could her eyes make out physical shape or form, but instead shadows, blurs, heat and even... sound. And everything, every one of these phantasmal shapes, emitted some kind of smog and aura in her memories, making their nature clear as a voice whispered: She's resisting the reprogramming. Her intelligence has increased but she clings to her old self... maybe it's because her mind is different from ours...

Static... and a short, clipped vision of Valthrudnir, as the Jötnar said coldly: It doesn't matter. A failure is a failure, and she has no suitable purpose. Use her for further amplification and experimentation, she doesn't matter now that we have the Prophet. It's too bad, though: I tried to give her a gift. I tried to make her better than she ever could have been on her own.

Harsh breathing, the sensation of hanging from chains, the feeling of restraints as shapes approached in vision, and Scrivener drooled in the shadows, losing his sense of self as the memories took over. He was hanging from the wall, but it wasn't him: it was Visionary. He was Visionary now, staring as two ponies approached with the dark shape of some object she couldn't make out... but one walked on its hind legs, and their auras were strange, the shapes of their bodies riddled with what she had learned to recognize over her long imprisonment in this facility as electricity, as one – Beauty, her name is Beauty – said contemptibly: Your usefulness has come to an end, I fear. Your vital signs have been steadily dropping... but don't worry. We've been ordered to dissect you to find just how you've been able to resist the reprogramming for so long...

She felt herself being taken down, and she kept her body limp and weak: the two were arrogant, and the moment they took their attention off her and let her slump back against the wall, she leapt forwards, throwing a vicious flurry of blows into the face of the second pony and feeling something crunching under her hooves as Beauty staggered in surprise.

The one she had assaulted screamed in shock, and then she seized it and threw it hard over the object they had brought with them. The strange, wounded pony crashed against Beauty, who yelled in frustration and fury before Visionary turned quickly, sprinting wildly down halls that she could barely see thanks to her accursed, broken eyes as Beauty howled furiously: Breakbeat, get off me, stop her!

But it was too late: she reached the doors, plowed through them, and threw a hoof backwards at a switch that was all too clear to her strange vision thanks to the electricity running through it. It shattered, and the doors behind her slammed closed and sealed shut, leaving her standing for only a moment in the halls of the prison as she panted, then turned...

And Scrivener Blooms staggered in the memories, his sense of self returning as he gasped and trembled, breathing hard and staring wildly back and forth through the shadows around him before he stared ahead, seeing an archway of light... and wildly, he scrambled towards this, not knowing why or how as his mind shivered, as his sense of self diminished and returned, flickering between corrupted Scrivener Blooms and wounded Visionary...

He leapt through the archway, into the white light... and there was another flash of memories as Visionary crashed to the field, skidding and rolling violently through the grasses. Her wounded body was bleeding heavily, her eyes were clenched shut with agony... but there was the warmth of the sun above her, and green grass beneath her. She stared slowly back and forth, drooling and disoriented, seeing the flaring lights of living things that had never been touched by Valthrudnir's horrors... but also the senseless, wild glowing shapes of Soldier Drones. Shape-changing, barely-sentient creatures that had been sent through the Black Mirror, just like she had run through, following them, knowing that the mechanical and alien soldiers of the Prophet and her master wouldn't dare to follow her without orders... and that they all simply expected her to die, anyway.

And they were right. She was going to die... but perhaps first, she could do some good. She could find the probe, and sabotage it... oh, she had learned so much over the years spent on the operating table and the torture racks in the prison facility. They never knocked her out, after all, they didn't care how much agony they inflicted on her, a failed puppet... but it was amazing just what kind of information the mind could absorb, even in the worst of pain, as Beauty and her lackeys had chatted casually while they extracted this or attached that...

She knew what they were doing. The probes, camouflaged as harmless rocks, launched into every layer of reality. They emitted a pulse that would travel across the layer, detecting ponies and gathering information like radar. The Drones collected information as well, hunted and scouted for the Prophet... but it was the probe that was important. The probe was what allowed the Prophet to see into other realities... the probe was what acted like a temporary way-point, letting the Prophet and her minions record the coordinates and information necessary to label a world like a town on a map, to learn about it before she sent in exploration teams or worse...

The Prophet was looking for two ponies: two ponies that it was rumored had killed Valthrudnir. And how Visionary hoped that was true... and maybe, if she was able to hunt them down before she died, she could warn them that his machinations were still in play, that there was still more than a mere fragment of his will at work. The chances were slim, of course: there were still many worlds, many layers of reality, and she didn't know how long her body would last before it shut down completely. The pain didn't bother her... but the infections, the wounds, the damage done to her were all sapping her strength...

She had been able to sense the probe. It hadn't been hard to find: the worst part was dragging herself through the miles of forest to reach it. By the time she arrived, it was nightfall... and to her horror, there was something already lurking there. Something that reeked of Valthrudnir's corruption despite how different it seemed from the clockwork creatures of his clockwork world...

And in that moment, memories tangled together: Scrivener felt his own wonderment at the meteor, and felt Visionary's fury and fear. He felt the blow all over again when her hoof had smashed into his face, and he felt her mind, screaming her need to take revenge, to fight with all her strength and kill this emissary and destroy the probe so that the Prophet wouldn't be able to catalog this world for whatever nefarious designs she had...

Scrivener experienced the fight all over again, this time from both sides: he felt the agony of Visionary as she threw not simply every last reserve into the battle, but more, drawing on strength she had never believed she'd had. She thought of her dead daughter, of the world Valthrudnir had taken away, of everything she had lost and the way her Equestria had been corrupted: of her promise to stop any other world from experiencing the same fate if she could.

And then she felt her horror as they'd gone down, down, down, the agony of the crash making Scrivener howl in a mixed voice: his own, and Visionary's. And the pain wasn't the worst part anymore... it was the sense of failure, of being unable to stop this... whatever-it-was even as she dragged herself to her hooves...

And then the others had come. The half-demon was fast and agile, but her eyes, her ability to see and sense things, gave her the advantage and let her take it down. And then the burning dark light of the Valkyrie had appeared... and it had all locked into place as she had realized that even if she was dying... she could impart one last gift. A curse, and a blessing, to the pony across from her who, just like her, had Valthrudnir's mark on him... but had resisted it somehow, by some unknowable way...

Scrivener closed his eyes... and when he opened them, he found himself staring across at Visionary. She was battered and bruised as he remembered her, her blindfold loosely hanging around her neck, away from her cracked glass eyes... and then she whispered softly: “I'm sorry. But I needed you to see. I needed to warn you. Now you know some of what you're up against. Now, you can see, like I can see.”

“I...” Scrivener trembled, staring across at her, and then he whispered: “I'm sorry, too. And... thank you, but... I don't know what I can do. I'm scared, and I'm trapped, and I'm in the darkness again. The corruption is so strong... and I'm not what you think I am. Luna's the hero... I'm the weak link, the monster... and there's such... such a growing allure in...”

But Visionary only smiled faintly at him, stepping forwards and reaching up a hoof as she said gently: “You made it through this. If you can make it this far... you can push a little further, Scrivener Blooms. I'm asking a lot, I know... but I couldn't do it. I failed to do it. But you and Luna Brynhild can do this... we decide who we are. If a 'cross-eyed retard' can turn against a Jötnar and escape his clockwork world... a monster can be a hero, too.

“We can be who we choose to be.” she said quietly, then Visionary bowed her head forwards, shaking herself firmly out, and cloth and metal tore off her body, spilling down as synthetic wing became feathered, as her coat became dapper instead of streaked with blood, the emblem of bubbles appearing on her flank before her eyes opened: golden eyes that looked directly at him before she smiled and closed them. “Just like that.”

It was simple, it was childish, and yet the feeling of reassurance Scrivener felt was incredible as he stared across at her... then smiled faintly as she turned away, whistling a little to herself as he watched her walk off to fade into the darkness, and he thought he heard the welcoming laughter of a filly before he closed his eyes and murmured softly: “Just like that, huh?”

Around him, he felt the memories settling, the silence growing, and his fluttering heart calming... and then he opened his eyes. Tiredness and pain pulsed once through his body before settling into a dull ache as he gazed up at the ceiling, then slowly turned his head to gaze at Scarlet Sage, who was looking down at him silently... before she blinked and almost fell backwards as Scrivener croaked: “You look like crap.”

“Mom! Mom, Dad's awake!” Scarlet Sage shouted hurriedly, and then she threw herself forwards and hugged Scrivener fiercely, burying her face against his neck as a shiver ran through her and she whispered: “Thank the Horses of Heaven. Daddy...”

Scrivener only wheezed little in return, wincing a bit before the door burst open and Luna Brynhild charged in, almost tackling him and making him gargle as shocks of agony ripped through his system, spasming a little on the spot as the winged unicorn buried her face against him and shivered hard, then straightened and slammed her hooves down against his chest, making him howl in agony as she shouted down at him in a frustrated voice even as pain ripped through her own system: “Scrivener Blooms, thou art a blasted idiot!”

And then she trembled hard before dropping against him, tears in her eyes as she clung to him and pushed herself against him, and the earth pony wheezed quietly, slowly reaching a foreleg up to half-wrap around her as he mumbled: “I know. I know.”

“Good.” Luna mumbled, curling herself against him as she clung down to him and Scarlet Sage sat back with a sigh of relief, smiling faintly between her parents.

Scrivener wheezed softly, creakily turning his head towards the doorway before he smiled weakly as he saw Pinkamena leaning against the frame, still dressed in her armor and with her axe across her back as she said calmly: “About time. You were down the rabbit hole for two days this time... I was starting to get worried you were going to come back so crazy they'd have to move you to another section of the mental ward. I don't want to lose a good cellmate.”

“Yes, Pinkamena. It's all about you.” Scrivener said tiredly, but he was smiling all the same before the half-demon strode across the room and reached up to gently touch his shoulder, their gazes locking for a moment before they traded a small nod, and then the the dull-pink pony turned away and returned to her self-appointed guard duty.

After a few minutes, when Luna finally drew away a little, Scrivener felt strong enough to slowly sit up as he rubbed at his chest, grimacing a bit at the sight of the new scars on his body and the bandaging around his form. It felt like quite a few of his bones had been broken, and he shook his head slowly before blushing a bit when Scarlet Sage began to wipe down his face with a wet cloth, muttering: “Hey, I'm okay...”

“You're also still sweating... I think you still have a fever.” Scarlet murmured, and Luna frowned a bit at this before she reached a hoof up and touched Scrivener's forehead. “We've been treating you with some of Zecora's medicine on and off, but it never seemed to help much... and you had a few periods where... you...”

She shook her head slowly, and Scrivener frowned a little before looking across at Luna, who met his eyes almost hesitantly... but then they smiled faintly as they traded emotions and images as crisply and clearly as they had always been able to. Scrivener saw her memories, of him thrashing around, howling, and she saw what he had experienced in his own mind before they both winced a little and dropped their gazes at the same time.

Then Scrivener closed his eyes, muttering: “Two days... at least that means it's almost time for us to head back home. And you know, Luna, that... we'll have to tell Odin about all of this. As much as I don't want to myself...”

“Aye, Scrivener Blooms, I do.” Luna said quietly, and Scarlet Sage frowned, looking uneasily at her mother in surprise at the lack of childishness. Luna, however, only smiled faintly, her eyes flicking towards her daughter before she confirmed her silent question: “It is... very bad news. We are in for... great difficulties...”

“It's more important than ever that we get those anchors up. That we maintain that barrier around the core world so this... Clockwork World doesn't interfere.” Scrivener licked his lips slowly as if tasting the words, and then he grinned bitterly as he rested back against the pillows and the frame of the bed, muttering: “Far too fitting and poetic... I like that name way too much for my own good.”

He rose a hoof, looking moodily down at it as if expecting for a wild moment to see a claw... and then he shook his head slowly, shivering a bit. Images blurred through his mind, runoff of memory and corruption... but then he pushed them away, and he was surprised that they faded with ease. Anxiety and strings of depression still lingered, but he felt himself calming more and more in the presence of his family despite the pain in his body... before he looked up in surprise as Luna smiled faintly and quietly held something up to him, saying softly: “Here.”

Scrivener looked in surprise at the small wool cap... and then he smiled faintly as he reached out and took it between his hooves, pushing his muzzle into it and inhaling the scent as his eyes closed: Antares. Luna smiled back at him, softening as she said quietly: “I must have stowed it in my pack before we left... I was looking through our medical supplies and came across this. It has helped... keep me calm, over these long hours and days... reminded me that despite everything, Scrivy, we are... fortunate, in quite a few ways.

“I...” Luna hesitated, looking away for a moment before she returned her eyes to the male, saying quietly: “I am determined to finish this job Odin has given us. Not because I fear these... Clockwork entities or their machinations, but because I desire to protect my son and my daughter. Even though it seems that... my daughter has done a very good job of protecting and tending to us both.”

Luna smiled faintly across at Scarlet Sage, who blushed and shifted a little before Luna laughed quietly and shook her head slowly, blushing a bit. “Thou hast the deepest thanks and adoration I can give thee, Scarlet Sage. Thou has held up admirably, better by far than I, and... truly, I admire that. Thou hast my thanks, and my deepest, dearest love, sweet daughter.”

Scarlet Sage only blushed and bowed her head... and then Scrivener leaned carefully over, kissing his daughter's forehead softly before he murmured softly: “Thank you, Scarlet Sage. For being... so good to us. For helping take care of me so much while your mother was...” He smiled a little over at her. “Being your mother.”

“Shut up, Scrivy.” Luna said softly, but she gave him a look that was both relieved and warm as she sat back for a moment before glancing over her shoulder and calling mildly: “I love thee too, Pinkamena. Thou art like a dependable little dog.”

“Eat me.” Pinkamena retorted, and then she turned around, looking moodily towards Scrivener and asking flatly: “So are you going to just lay in bed all day with your daughter and your wife? That's both lazy and filthy.”

Scrivener scowled at the half-demon, but she only grinned challengingly in return... and then the stallion sighed, for some reason finding himself unable to simply push away the challenge as he grumbled and carefully began to wiggle to the side, Luna slipping off of the bed and watching with interest even as Scarlet Sage winced and began awkwardly: “Hey, Dad, wait, you really shouldn't-”

“Sometimes we have to run before we can walk.” Scrivener replied mildly, carefully slipping off the bed and then smiling as he managed to stand for a moment. Then his legs wobbled and gave a howl of protest before he flopped forwards onto his face, and Luna threw her head back and laughed as Scrivener grumbled on the ground and Scarlet carefully leaned over the bed with a wince. “Pinkamena, I hate you.”

“Oh, fine, you big goddamn baby.” Pinkamena grumbled, yanking her axe off and tossing it aside before the half-demon strode forwards and yanked Scrivener up to his hooves, and the male blinked before he winced when she tossed him over her back like he was a sack of grain, grunting with the effort but then easily turning and carrying the much larger pony towards the door as the others stared... then Luna flinched when Pinkamena purposefully swayed hard to the side and bashed Scrivener's head against the frame of the door, making him curse in pain and flail weakly. “Oops. My bad.”

“I hate you so much sometimes.” Scrivener mumbled, and then he frowned dumbly as he realized they were walking down the halls of Canterlot, looking stupidly back and forth before he said lamely, as Luna and Scarlet Sage hurried after the half-demon and her stallion cargo: “We're not in the tower anymore.”

“Wow, Scrivener Blooms, those powers of observation must have really helped you score chicks.” Pinkamena said dryly, and Scrivener grumbled under his breath before glaring at Luna when she giggled, then coughed violently to try and hide it.

“'Twas a good retort!” Luna said finally as he continued to glare at her, and then she huffed at him before turning her eyes to the half-demon as they strode past several staring ponies. “So where are we headed, Pinkamena?”

The half-demon only grunted in response, then Scrivener looked up and added moodily: “I should probably point out that even you carrying me is making me tired at this point and time, so... let's not go anywhere that requires too much physical exertion, okay?”

Pinkamena snorted at this, muttering: “Giant goddamn pansy. You know, when I was a filly, a rock once fell out of a hole in the silo and landed on me. I shrugged it off and kept working. Didn't go crying to anypony about it, either.”

“Did it land on your head? That would explain a lot.” Scrivener muttered, and then he wheezed when Pinkamena firmly bucked herself upwards, making his body flex as his ribs gave a groan of protest. “Okay, okay, point taken.”

The half-demon grunted, then she grumbled a little under her breath when Scarlet Sage said hesitantly: “We really shouldn't stress Dad out too much, though... he's in pretty bad shape, Pinkamena. We've barely been able to get water and medicine into him over these last few days and his body's been healing very slowly...”

“Yeah, but he's awake now, meaning he's better. Shut up, I know what I'm doing.” Pinkamena retorted, and Luna shrugged a little as Scarlet Sage only looked apprehensive. After a few minutes, however, Luna's mood brightened visibly as she realized they were at Princess Luna's quarters, the half-demon simply barging through the doors, then heading for the bathing room.

She tossed Scrivener unceremoniously into the enormous, empty tub, making him groan in pain as he landed heavily, and Luna's own body shivered with the rattle of shock and nausea that ran through her before she glared at the half-demon even as Pinkamena began to turn on the various taps, muttering: “Oh, shut up. He's not a fragile little flower, he's a giant, apparently-unbreakable idiot. I ain't gonna be gentle just because it's the nice thing to do.”

As the tub slowly began to fill with hot water, Scrivener winced at first, several of the looser bandages lifting free from his body and the water stinging his wounds and making his skin ache... but by the time it had filled to his shoulders, the stallion was sitting back against the wall of the tub, looking relieved and smiling a little to himself as he closed his eyes, his tense and aching muscles soothed from the liquid heat.

Scarlet Sage left to find something for Scrivener to eat and inform the Princesses that he was back on his hooves, and Luna joined Scrivy in the tub, happy to help wash and massage away his pain and frustration. Then both she and Scrivener slowly looked to the side at another sound to see that Pinkamena had discarded her armor and joined them as well, and she favored them with a wide grin as they both simply stared at her, before saying mildly: “Hi.”

“Get thee gone, half-demon! The bath is good, aye, and 'tis a nice thought, but neither Scrivener nor I are in any mood!” Luna snapped, pointing at the doorway, but Pinkamena only snorted and splashed them both, the winged unicorn glowering. “Oh, thou art begging to be pummeled.”

“Oh, shut up. I'm on lifeguard duty.” Pinkamena easily pushed herself away along the wall, leaning moodily back against the side of the tub before she sniffed disdainfully. “Besides. I don't mind dirt and sweat and blood, but sometimes you need to clean up and start fresh. Can't get dirty, sweaty, and bloody if you're already covered in a layer of muck.”

Scrivener and Luna both simply scowled at her, and Pinkamena glanced moodily down at a hoof, looking back and forth over it before she asked quietly: “So that monster... it wasn't a demon or anything, was it?”

“It wasn't even a monster, Pinkamena. Visionary... she was the opposite of a monster.” Scrivener said quietly, glancing down, and Pinkamena looked up at him thoughtfully, then gestured for him to go on, and he shook his head with a soft sigh before continuing quietly: “She was a... a Clockwork Pony. Valthrudnir apparently warped a world into serving him for some reason... maybe as... some kind of prototype for the universe he wanted to create. Maybe just as a sick joke, because that's how little life mattered to him...”

Pinkamena grimaced at this, sliding moodily down in the water, and her expression remained serious as she narrowed her eyes. “So there are more of them... a lot more, sounds like.”

“Yeah, and it's where those shapeshifters are coming from, too... where that meteor came from as well. It was a probe... some... lackey or something of Valthrudnir's, something maybe trying to emulate him now that he's gone, called the Prophet, is looking for us. For me and Luna.” Scrivener said quietly, looking silently over at her. “That explains those Tyrant Wyrms we found in the forest, among other things, too. It's all piecing together now and I don't like how much of all this is starting to seem like it's all... connected.”

Pinkamena snorted at this, then she ducked under the water for a moment before surfacing, flicking her soaked mane back out of her faces and rubbing her hooves firmly against her face. There was quiet except for the sound of splashing water for a moment, and then the half-demon snorted and looked up, saying moodily: “So I'm guessing that we're going to have a whole lot of things to kill in the near future, aren't we?”

“In the future, aye, but I'd prefer further away than nearer to us.” Luna muttered, shaking her head grimly. “If Visionary was a failed experiment that rebelled against Valthrudnir, I do not wish to imagine what the other Clockwork entities will be like... or what other soldiers and weapons may lurk in that horrible world my husband has caught a glimpse of.”

“Lucky him. Lucky us.” Pinkamena grumbled, and then she sighed a little even as Scrivener glowered at her. “Oh, screw you, I'm being serious. Think about it, idiot: if we didn't have any idea of what we were going up against, how long would we last against this Clockwork world of Valthrudnir's if it's filled with so much danger?”

“That may be true, but all the same it's not exactly something I like to think about. And Visionary... hinted at something.” Scrivener rubbed slowly at his face, grimacing a little. “That this... seeing, this 'gift' she gave me... she gave it to me for a reason.”

“Are you the chosen one?” Pinkamena asked mockingly, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh and shake his head slowly as even Luna smiled a little in spite of herself. “If you are, I think I'll just kill myself right here and now. You'd make a lousy savior.”

“You know, I actually agree with you on that point.” Scrivener said dryly, and the half-demon snorted in entertainment before the male shook his head slowly, giving a soft sigh. “But I guess we're going to have to just... figure out a way to push forwards, one way or the other. Deal with things as they come, and hope that the worst things we continue to see are Drones and Hobby Horses.”

The half-demon cocked her head, and Scrivener grimaced and reached up, knocking a hoof against his temple. “I've got all kinds of random information in my skull now. It's like... with the Tyrant Wyrm. I think that's why she chose me, why she was able to make me... make me see. It's like I'm not just seeing under the masks anymore, Pinkamena, it's like... I'm catching a deeper glimpse. It's like her spirit passed through me when she died, and I tasted her life...”

Pinkamena snorted at this, leaning back and grinning wryly. “Now that is weird even for me, and I've been way down south. So tell me, Nightmare Moon, what do you think of this whole pretty mess? Are you as excited as I am? Or are you as scared as your wife?”

Scrivener looked moodily at the half-demon as Luna gave a small smile, but then she only sighed and shook her head slowly, murmuring quietly: “Both, Pinkamena, and I know not which disturbs me more. I am... disgusted and horrified as well, that still pieces of Valthrudnir's plans remain, that still his gears continue to turn... and it makes me wonder if we can ever fully defeat him, even now that he is dead and gone. But how many years did he have to begin his designs? How many plans did he put in motion? And how many of them lay dormant, only waiting to be awakened... or like this ticking Clockwork World, have awoken to seek vengeance upon us or continue his diabolical scheming?”

Pinkamena only grunted moodily, and there was silence as they simply rested back in the tub until Luna finally began to gently tend to her husband, quietly washing out his mane as Pinkamena only watched them quietly. She seemed to take a strange interest, and almost a calm sort of pleasure in just staring at the two... but before Scrivener could become too uncomfortable under the half-demon's cryptic gaze, they were interrupted as Scarlet Sage cleared her throat and stepped into the bathing room, smiling a little. “I just wanted to let you two know that lunch is being prepared, and the Princesses are eager to talk. No rush, they wanted me to make sure you knew that, but... they are pretty anxious.”

“I cannot blame them... we have all received some rather distressing news, after all.” Luna muttered, and then she sighed softly before nodding grumpily, turning her eyes towards Scrivener Blooms, but he only smiled a little. “Alright, beetle. If thou art sure... Pinkamena, will thou be joining us as well?”

“Yeah, it'll be entertaining to watch them panicking over everything.” the half-demon grinned wryly, and Scarlet Sage sighed a little before looking surprised as Pinkamena added mildly over her shoulder: “Kid, you should link up to your Dad again, now that his brain's settled. Lot of worries in there. Plus I'm curious... you got a knack for telling a prophecy and telling it right. I wanna know if our chosen one is going to live or die... because while you'd be a crappy savior, Scrivener Blooms, you'd make a damn good martyr.”

“You're one to talk.” Scrivener said softly, and Pinkamena fluttered her eyes at him in response with a mocking smile, but she seemed oddly touched before she turned and crawled out of the tub, shaking herself briskly off and making Scarlet Sage wince and stagger away from the scattering water.

Then the half-demon simply began to pull on her armor, and Luna winced at this, saying with a wince: “Pinkamena, no, thou must dry off first or-”

“Stuff it.” Pinkamena interrupted rudely, and Luna glowered at her horribly as the half-demon muttered: “Stupid goddamn Nightmare Moon. I know what I'm doing. And I don't got no soft pansy skin like you and your husband and way more body heat.”

“'Tis no excuse to ignore... oh, fine, what do I care. I hope thy entire body rashes and thy armor grows fungus. In fact, I hope that thou grows fungus.” Luna said moodily, and Pinkamena snorted and grinned in response.

“Bet you know all about that, don't you? Might have taken you forever to have the little tumor but sure as hell wasn't for lack of trying, after all.” Pinkamena muttered, and Luna and Scrivener both glared at her as Scarlet Sage winced. “And the way you act sure goes to show you ain't all that selective, either.”

Luna ground her teeth loudly together, and then she grumbled under her breath before turning to climb out of the tub, saying grouchily: “One day, half-demon, thou shall push me too far. And upon that day I shall give thee such a beating that it will humble even thee.”

“Promises, promises. I only hope it doesn't make poor Scrivener jealous.” Pinkamena retorted, and Luna grumbled under her breath as the stallion sighed, looking moodily at the ceiling and wondering if the mares would forget about him and leave if he just sat quietly in the warm water.

He had no such luck, however, as Luna half-dragged him up out of the tub. Then she dried him off, grumbling the entire time as Pinkamena and Scarlet Sage had gone on ahead, and Scrivener had mumbled to himself, feeling a little like a foal... but then again, it was better than being pummeled, and Luna was honestly trying her hardest to help even as she muttered under her breath and complained about how water should dry itself.

His eyes settled on the black pearl around her neck, gleaming quietly, and he smiled a little at the memories that flooded back and made him feel stronger, in a way. Then again, even that had been a misadventure where Luna had come in at the last moment to save the day... but somehow, that was what made it all the better in his eyes. He laughed to himself, and then blushed awkwardly when Luna looked up at him curiously before she caught the memories in her own mind, and smiled softly as she reached up, touching the silver collar Scrivener hadn't even realized was still around his own neck as she said quietly: “Aye, much more interesting than mine. I threatened the Strange Ones into giving this to me in front of thee. Thou ran afoul of the Seahorse Drakes. 'Tis funny... shouldn't it be reversed? Thou, poet, should have been the one to buy a pretty thing from traders for me... I should have been the one to break into the lair of monsters and rob their stash of treasure.”

“Yeah, but you probably would have stolen from dragons or something.” Scrivener smiled a little, adding quietly: “Pummeled them, too, I'm sure.”

“Aye.” Luna nodded thoughtfully, and then she smiled a little before saying quietly: “We should give something to Little Luna and perhaps Nice Celestia before we leave, Scrivener Blooms. I think that would be a nice gesture, does thou not agree?”

Scrivener snorted in amusement, and then rolled his shoulders before starting towards the doorway... and even though it ached to walk, as he moved, he could feel his muscles limbering out and his body slowly adjusting. “Maybe, Luna... but we already have done a lot here. And we gave them Chrysalis and all... we don't want to insult their dignity, now.”

“Oh, whoever believes that giving a friendly gift is an insult to one's dignity has received either too few or too many gifts over their life.” Luna huffed, shaking her head quickly before she softened, looking over Scrivener as they headed into the halls of regal Canterlot Castle. “Scrivener, art thou sure thou art alright? I am sure it is no problem to delay this small meeting... they were concerned for thee, and I do not believe it was simply because they feared what a creature like Visionary could do to their home with what it did to thee.”

Scrivener only smiled a little at this, however, shaking his head slowly before he replied in a soft murmur: “I'm fine, Luna. It's no worse than some of the other beatings I've received in my life, honestly... and the corruption is... I dunno. I feel more in control now that I'm through that... darkness, that pain. I dunno what she did to me exactly, I don't know how this new... 'sight' she gave me works... I only know that my body hurts but for once I feel level-headed. And that it's a very nice change from normal.”

Luna nodded slowly, looking over him apprehensively before they continued on in quiet, trading looks and the occasional thought and memory, but not needing even that: being in one-another's presence alone, both awake, able to gently bump together as they walked along... it was more than enough to help them both feel much better about things.

It didn't take them long to reach the dining area: Luna had been here several times over the last few days, after all, to meet with the Princesses and pick at meals. It was a nice, private little dinner area, with a table large enough for a few guests and comfortable seats, a short corridor providing easy access to the nearby kitchens. Food had already been laid out, and Pinkamena was moodily poking at her salad as Scarlet Sage sat politely back, waiting for her parents and smiling when they pushed in through the door.

The Princesses both stood, smiling as Scrivener blushed a little and Luna half-bulled him onwards until they reached the table, Princess Celestia saying kindly: “It's a relief to see you up on your hooves, Scrivener Blooms. We were all quite worried about you.”

“Yes, with what happened... we were afraid...” Princess Luna broke off, and then she shook her head and smiled awkwardly as she and her sister both sat back down as Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms sat themselves. “Can we get you anything? Are you in much pain?”

“No, I'm alright.” Scrivener replied quietly, smiling a little and reaching up to rub slowly at his chest, saying softly: “Now that I'm out of the... nightmares... I'm sure I'll be back in good shape soon enough. Besides, Luna and I have already encroached on your hospitality quite a bit.”

Celestia only laughed quietly at this, however, shaking her head and replying gently: “Not at all. You've done quite a lot for us... for both of us. And of course, if you prefer, we can leave talking about what happened until later...”

“No, no. It's alright.” Scrivener replied softly, shaking his head and giving a small smile as he closed his eyes. “Better to get it out of the way, anyway. But if you don't mind, I think I would like to eat a little first and ease into the topic.”

“Of course.” Celestia responded cordially, and then she smiled a little as she said softly: “My sister and I would like do something nice for yourself and your wife, though. Something fitting, but we're not sure... quite what that could be. You're very different ponies than we are, after all, and neither of us wish to insult you, but we are extremely grateful for all your kindness and cannot begin to express our appreciation for all you've done...”

“It has been... amazing to see...” Princess Luna hesitated, blushing a little as she looked quietly at Luna Brynhild, who only smiled softly in return before the Princess of the Night hurriedly changed the topic: “That black pearl is very beautiful. Where did you get it?”

Luna grinned widely at this, puffing up visibly as she held up the necklace and said kindly: “Aye, I was hoping thou would notice! This, my black pearl, 'twas a gift from my husband. We were just talking about it as a matter of fact... how the foolish poet tried to steal from the Seahorse Drakes in the deepest reaches of the Everfree Forest, and I had to go in and save him. He only managed to retrieve this one pearl, and broke it... but it broke almost perfectly in the shape of the rose, his emblem... his cutie mark, as thou calls it. It is a lovely story.”

Pinkamena snorted at this, poking at a slice of tomato and commenting moodily: “You're supposed to wait for the other person to fake being impressed and say that, Nightmare Moon. It's like you don't know anything about being social at all.”

“And thou art really one to talk.” Luna Brynhild retorted, as the sisters shifted awkwardly. “And that is salad, Pinkamena. It is what normal ponies eat. The tomatoes are not red because of blood so thou can cease stabbing it.”

“I know what it is.” Pinkamena said crossly, glaring across at Luna Brynhild before she turned her eyes moodily towards the Princesses. “How the hell did you two ever get in power here? I look around, and everything's so goddamn soft and fragile. No wonder Chrysalis was bending you all over her knee.”

Celestia frowned a little as Princess Luna looked less-than-thrilled, and Scrivener and Scarlet Sage both winced a bit before before the Princess of the Sun replied courteously: “My sister and I were chosen by the nation to lead... and one day, we will both pass on our crowns to a successor who will rule Equestria as it has always been: as a land of prosperity and plenty for our people, a place safe from-”

“Yes. Wow. This answers so many questions. You're much lamer at sidestepping than Princess Sunshine back home.” Pinkamena retorted, poking at a cucumber now before she grumbled and shoved her plate away, looking vindictively over the Princesses. “You two smell funny to me, you know that? No I don't mean literally, don't give me that look. Just seems like something doesn't add up to me. You're too nice. You're too sweet. What skeletons do you have in your closets? Because what I'm worried about is the idea that you don't have any regrets, you don't have any sins on your shoulders, and this country really was stupid enough to put you in charge all those years ago simply because you're so 'nice...' saints make easy targets to bleed dry.”

Princess Celestia only smiled faintly at this, however, saying quietly: “Do you really think anypony can live a thousand years without making regrets? That is how long Equestria has known me... but I have lived much longer than that, Pinkamena. I have made many mistakes... I have many regrets. I will not be so bold as to claim that I likely have as many as the Celestia in the other world, but... I have my fair share, all the same.”

Pinkamena snorted at this, then rubbed slowly at her face as Princess Luna added quietly: “And I was Nightmare Moon. Overcome by jealousy and anger and... darkness...”

She shook her head slowly, and then hesitated before looking over at Luna Brynhild, adding softly: “But I cannot imagine how you... became Nightmare Moon yourself. For me, it was childish, it was... stupid, really. I was weak, but you're so... so strong.”

“Nay, I am not. Well, physically, aye.” Luna Brynhild grinned widely, winking as she said cheerfully: “In a fight I would make thee both feel like little foals attempting to quell a dragon, most certainly. I would pummel thee into the ground. I would... Pinkamena, what is the term? I would 'bitch-slap' them, correct?”

“Yep.” Pinkamena grinned despite herself in agreement, and the Princesses both looked sourly at the half-demon, making her snort. “Hey, she said it, not me.”

Scarlet Sage and Scrivener Blooms both looked grumpily at Luna Brynhild as she opened her mouth, and the warrior winged unicorn huffed a little before becoming more serious when she turned her eyes back to the ponies, continuing in a quieter voice: “But all the same... to be powerful in the ways I am does not mean I am not weak in other ways. For oh yes. I resented my big sister...” She smiled faintly, closing her eyes. “It did not help that... I had always looked up to her so much. I had always striven to impress her, to... to be worthy in her eyes. And she had eyes only for her plans and her nation... and the nation had eyes only for her. I did not want to be a preening princess... no offense to thee, of course, but... I am not a princess. I am a warrior. I am a Valkyrie.”

She looked up, nodding firmly once before sitting back and continuing quietly: “A former lover, named Ignominious, sent a demon to me one night. It possessed me while I brooded, not even realizing until too late what was happening. And because of my rage, my sorrow, and my hatred... the moment it slipped into my mind, it took control. It was too late for me to fight, to resist, even if resist I tried, but... I could not withstand it. 'Twas too strong... it took me over, and I blasted my way out of the castle.”

Luna and Luna looked at one another silently, mirroring almost perfectly in that instant before Luna Brynhild smiled wryly, gazing quietly towards Princess Celestia, who was gazing at her intently. “I spread darkness through the land, then came back to fight my big sister. And whilst I was powerful, and all the stronger in the form of Nightmare Moon, controlled and driven by passion... I was animal, and stupid. Celestia was well-prepared, and waited behind thick layers of defense and guardians. By the time I reached her, my strength had diminished... and she toyed with me, and then ensnared me, and swatted me as one would swat a pesky fly. Defeated, broken, and beaten, she did not hesitate to banish me to the moon.”

Princess Celestia looked uncomfortable, gazing down silently, and Princess Luna shifted slowly before Luna Brynhild laughed softly and murmured: “I do love my big sister. And she has tried valiantly to mend her ways, fear not... she is no longer the terrifying, cold-minded scorpion she once was. But not all my story of her was hyperbole and exaggeration: there was plenty there that was true, in one form or another. And while I am strong, I think often that in all likelihood my sister is stronger still. In mind, in magic, perhaps even in body.”

Scrivener gazed across at her softly, and Luna Brynhild smiled faintly across at her husband before she leaned over and buried her face against the side of his neck. And for a little while, there was quiet, Scarlet Sage, the Princesses, and Scrivener picking at their food and eating slowly as Luna Brynhild simply rested against the stallion and Pinkamena simply looked back and forth around the table, inspecting them as if listening to conversations hidden in the silence.

Finally, Scrivener Blooms cleared his throat quietly as he looked up, saying quietly: “The food is good, thank you. It's nice to have something in my stomach. And if you want, I'm more than willing to answer any questions you have.”

“Well... my first and main concern, Scrivener Blooms, is whether or not we should expect more of these... things.” Princess Celestia shivered a little, closing her eyes and shaking her head slowly. “The things done to that poor Pegasus' body... they were awful.”

“To be honest...” Scrivener hesitated for a moment, then he looked up and said finally: “I don't think you or your sister will have to worry about Clockwork World, especially once we're gone. The Prophet's concern is with us. Considering how her servants all seem drawn to us... I don't think they'll cause any trouble here. But if they do show up... I hate to say this, but...”

“Tell them the truth about us. Don't try to fight them.” Pinkamena said calmly, and Scrivener looked over at her with a slight smile, the Princesses both gazing with surprise before the half-demon grinned. “You pathetic bunch of mice couldn't even handle the Changelings. Scrivener might be a pansy but if that Clockwork Pony cleaned his... well, 'clock' seems both ironic and fitting... believe me, your prissy little soldier-boys won't be able to do a thing against them either. If they're after us, let them come after us. Don't piss 'em off. That's our job. You stick to your job... cleaning up after your own goddamn messes and either squishing that bug you got down there in jail or putting her in a jar.”

“Thank you, Pinkamena, you're as eloquent as I was at my finest.” Scrivener said wryly, and the half-demon replied by blowing a raspberry at him. Then the stallion nodded slowly, turning his eyes towards the Princesses as he confirmed quietly: “Just what she says, though. But I don't think they'll show up here... they already sent... some nasty scouts ahead to our world. To threaten and antagonize us. Their interest is in us, and I... I get this feeling that when we leave this layer of reality, Prophet will know.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, looking down as Luna Brynhild grunted and sat up a bit, her own eyes roving to the Princesses as she said softly: “This is our job, our duty and our privilege, my friends. It is not betrayal, fear not... it is more...” She paused thoughtfully, then grinned slightly. “'Tis more like asking thee to pass on a message, and issuing forth a challenge to our aggressors. If they desire battle, after all, I shall be more than pleased to give them exactly that.”

The Princesses traded a look, and then the younger sibling shrugged, and Celestia finally nodded reluctantly before she turned her eyes to the two, saying softly: “I don't quite like it, but I won't argue, either. I'm tempted to bring up the Elements of Harmony...”

“Oh, aye, that would work wondrously, I am sure.” Luna Brynhild said drolly, rolling her eyes, and Celestia grimaced a little before Scrivener gave his wife a pointed look, and she sighed and relented a little, mumbling: “Oh very well. It is... I understand where thou art coming from, Princess Celestia, most certainly, but all the same... the Elements are not the answer to every crisis and every problem. And furthermore, these creatures are monstrous, but... well...”

She looked silently towards Scrivener, who smiled a little as he said quietly: “They're terrible, but that's partly because... the Clockwork World is a form of penultimate order. Everything there has a purpose, has a reason, and things like... emotions and everything else, they're weeded out. Valthrudnir wanted to build a universe of ultimate order. He wanted to build a universe where everything followed set rhythms and schedules, where there was nothing but... clanking gears and endless machinations. The Elements of Harmony... as terrifying as I'm sure it is, they might not have any effect on these creatures. They might just piss them off.”

Celestia nodded grimly, looking down at this before she finally glanced up, asking before she could stop herself: “So in your world... the Elements are bad?”

“Nay, they were simply used for... bad ends.” Luna replied softly, closing her eyes with a faint smile before she sighed a little and added moodily: “Well, except when they were used against the beast Fafnir... that monster deserved to be turned to stone and blown apart. And I would kill it again... if the damnable thing could be killed, that is.”

“I don't know whether your world scares me or enthralls me, with the things you hint at.” Princess Luna said softly, and Pinkamena snorted in amusement at this before the half-demon looked up in surprise as the Princess of the Night asked curiously: “Are there... many ponies like you there, Pinkamena?”

The half-demon only grumbled in response, looking moodily away and crossing her forelegs, and there was a moment of awkward silence before Princess Celestia looked down at her half-eaten meal, then smiled a little and glanced up, saying finally: “Perhaps for now we should go, little sister, and let our friends rest. Tomorrow, we can talk more, after a good night's rest and we've all... had time to digest this new information.”

Scrivener nodded in agreement, and Scarlet Sage looked up with a shy smile as the Princesses climbed to their hooves. The Princess of the Night lingered for a moment, however, glancing over her shoulder, studying Luna for a few long moments before she shook her head and hurried after her elder sibling, and the male couldn't help but smile before he glanced at his wife. “I think you've got an admirer.”

“Let us find out if she will sleep with us.” Luna said cheerfully, and Scrivener looked at her for a moment, then rose a hoof, and Luna grinned at him challengingly... before the male firmly punched himself in the ribs, and both he and his soul-bound soulmate wheezed in pain and clutched at their chests as she rasped: “Masochist!”

“It's worth it when you hurt too.” Scrivener wheezed, and Scarlet Sage sighed as Pinkamena snorted in amusement. But the feeling around the table was mainly relief, even as Scrivener and Luna glared at each other: despite everything, after all, it felt like things were slowly getting back to normal... or what was normal for the odd little family, at least.

Learning About Ourselves

Chapter Twenty One: Learning About Ourselves
~BlackRoseRaven

The day was a quiet one, which Scrivener was grateful for: the biggest event was running into the Twilight Sparkle of this layer and her friends, who passed on their well-wishes to Scrivener and Luna. Shining Armor also came to check on Scrivener Blooms that evening, bringing a plate of cookies for him and his family to share from Cadence with her best wishes.

Canterlot was so friendly, so simply... nice. And being able to sleep in comfort, with Luna curled up beside him, safe and secure helped a world with Scrivener's recovery. By the next day, he was already almost back to full strength, and he penned a thank-you note to send to Zecora for the medicine they had treated him with, figuring that her elixirs probably had something to do with him not being dead and already back on his hooves.

Twilight Sparkle and her friends were returning to Ponyville that day, however hesitantly: it meant they would probably miss the chance to say goodbye, after all, although Luna promised that if it was at all possible, she would stop in at the town before leaving. Twilight had also promised to deliver Scrivener's note to Zecora, and had seemed oddly ashamed: possibly because of all her suspicions, possibly because of something else lingering just beneath the surface of her eyes. Either way, she was quick to board the train at the Canterlot station, and her friends followed after Luna had gotten pictures of each of them for memory's sake, and to show off when she returned to their home layer.

“You tell that guy version of me I would outrace him any day of the week, you got that?” Rainbow Dash said firmly as she'd stood on the platform long after all her other friends had boarded the train, and then she grinned and shook her head, saying finally over the sound of the train beginning to rumble away behind her: “I still think you're just pulling my chain. Me as a dude. And what, give up half my speed?”

“Oh, thou would be surprised how fast our Rainbow Dash moves. He moves fast enough that he would probably have gotten on that train.” Luna said cheerfully, and Rainbow had looked confused for a moment, then winced and stared over her shoulder at the sight of her friends shouting at her from the windows as the train chugged onwards, and the Pegasus had yelped and quickly shot into the air, chasing after it as Luna threw her head back and laughed. “They may be different in body but they are certainly the same in mind!”

Scrivener had nodded and smiled despite himself, and then Luna had quieted as she'd looked thoughtfully down at the camera as Scrivener frowned suddenly, feeling her thoughts... then wincing and grimacing at her idea. And they had headed back to the castle, and down into its depths, to where the dead body of Visionary was stored.

They took pictures of the corpse from different angles, and then, as Scrivener stayed nervously back from the cadaver, hearing whispers he kept telling himself were just his imagination, Luna took the time to slowly go over the body, taking a picture of something particularly-interesting here or there. Luna's odd little hobby suddenly was serving a purpose... as much as it disturbed Scrivener that she had gone from amateur photographer to amateur forensic scientist.

Then, finally, Scrivener had been unable to resist as he remembered something from his dream, stepping forwards and pulling the sheets half-covering the body all the way off, and Luna had looked at him curiously before Scrivener winced in distaste, pointing at her hip. The winged unicorn glanced down... and shivered as she saw that whatever emblem had once been there had been visibly scraped or cut off, leaving only a raw patch of flesh and scarring as she muttered: “I suppose he didn't want them to dare think they were anything more or less than what he had decreed them to be... and to think, Scrivy. The damnable Jötnar thought himself the one superior to us... but all I see is a monster's handiwork...”

Scrivener nodded silently, and Luna had sighed, then taken a picture of this before she'd gone back to inspecting the body moodily. But it was all foreign to her: she had expected to find some kind of magic she recognized, but instead all she found were mechanical parts and horrible mutilation... “Cowlick would understand this better, perhaps even Greece. But I do not. 'Tis beyond my comprehension... 'tis beyond, I think, any technology that exists anywhere in our world.”

Scrivener had only nodded again in quiet, before he reached out and silently, almost nervously touched the Clockwork Pony, as if he expected it to come alive at the sensation... but even though he felt a strange chill run through his body, nothing else happened. His hoof pressed gently against its side, as Luna looked at him quietly... and then Scrivener carefully stood up and leaned over the table, gazing down into Visionary's eyes before grimacing and sighing a little. “Doesn't even have eyelids, so we can't at least close her eyes... well... at least she can't be hurt anymore. She escaped him, and... she helped us. I just hope... she's right about us, and about me.” A pause, and then he said almost silently: “I'll do my best.”

With that, Scrivener shook his head, then quietly covered the corpse back up, and they had headed back up into Canterlot, trying to shake off the bad feelings. They ran into Trixie, which was at least a welcome distraction, and made plans to meet up and talk later that night.

In the evening, they found Trixie, and she took them to a small, comfortable coffee shop that Luna delighted in. They talked over coffee and donuts, which Luna continually ordered more of and gleefully abused the fact that the clerk mistook her for the actual Princess Luna to get him to charge Canterlot instead of her paying for them herself.

But she became more solemn as she told the story of Trixie the Brave... and Trixie herself quieted quite a bit, smiling faintly as she learned about how in their layer, Trixie had been willing to obliterate herself in order to put a stop to Veliuona. That she had put on one final, grand show... and afterwards, as they were walking back to Canterlot and the unicorn pondered over this, she finally looked up and asked quietly: “So what does it mean, Luna Brynhild?”

“It means whatever thou wishes it to, Trixie. Although I think at least partly it means that whilst thou should watch thine ego, thou should still always be a little... proud, a little boisterous, and not settle for less than what thou believes thou can achieve.” Luna smiled a little, glancing over at the unicorn as she'd nodded slowly, and then the winged unicorn added easily: “But fear not. There is no Veliuona in this world, and therefore much less chance of thou blowing thyself up.”

Trixie had smiled a little despite herself at this, and when they finally reached the castle, she had nodded firmly before saying quietly: “Trixie is going to push to study further at the magic school, she thinks. Trixie may not truly be the Great and Powerful, or as brave as the Trixie you knew... but all the same, Trixie does want to learn. And to be back entertaining on the stage... even more, to be able to do well... more than silly tricks...”

She smiled a little, looking over at Luna and saying thoughtfully: “It's funny. Everypony seemed happy that I was being a complacent little girl and learning all these ropes and rules and regulations. But now you come in, and tell me of a Trixie that was still a little silly, still a little too proud, and still scheming away and causing mischief, and you stir up all these thoughts in me. Now why would you do that?”

“Because I want to see thee happy, Trixie, and I was always happiest to have thee as my friend and student when thou wert being an obnoxious little miscreant I wanted to slap, not when thou wert all... boring and learn-y. That is Twilight Sparkle's job, not thine. Thou art supposed to be an entertainer.” Luna winked at her, and Trixie laughed. “Excellent, Scrivener. I have meddled more. But do remember, Trixie, be proud but not arrogant, and be a trickster but not a schemer. I think thou would be best that way.”

Trixie smiled at this, and then Luna winked, saying cheerfully: “Now come. We shall see what a diligent student thou art and I shall teach thee the basics of polymorphing thine own form; if thou art half the unicorn thou were back home, I suspect thou shall catch on to this bit of trickery quite easily. Besides, Twilight Sparkle does not seem to like me very much here, so it only makes sense that I shall aid thee instead of her.”

Scrivener only rolled his eyes in amusement at this, even as Trixie had smiled warmly and happily, looking surprised and delighted by the offer. And Luna was all too glad to teach, managing to be both pleased and irritated all at once by how willing Trixie was to listen and learn beneath her tutelage.

By the end of a few hours of work, Trixie had learned a few basic polymorph spells: Luna was pleased with her meddling, and the unicorn had been thrilled as she'd left late that night, Scrivener smiling from where he'd been watching with Pinkamena, the two playing cards absently as Scarlet Sage gazed warmly up from where she was writing in a journal to say softly: “You're doing... a lot of good here, Mom. You should be really proud of that.”

“I am always really proud of me.” Luna said pompously, trying to hide her blush, but Scrivener had only smiled before wincing when Pinkamena smacked him and grumbled at him to pay attention.

It was another restful night, followed by a comfortable early morning breakfast they shared with the Princesses. Princess Luna had remarked curiously on how she had heard that Trixie had been taught some simple polymorph skills, and Luna Brynhild had grinned cheerfully and nodded at this. But then there had only been quiet for a little while, before Celestia had finally smiled and said softly: “I have an idea. Sister, there's not much to do today... why don't you spend the day with Brynhild and Scrivener? I know you've been particularly interested in them, after all.”

“Oh, aye! Yes, do spend the day with us, Princess... I know, Little Luna, I shall take thee on an average day in my life.” Luna said cheerfully, and when Scrivener and Scarlet Sage both looked at her pointedly, she had sighed, rolled her eyes, and said grumpily: “Very well, apparently I shall take thee on a boring, peaceful day in my life instead, happy?”

“I... I do not know...” Princess Luna shifted embarrassedly, looking awkwardly at her big sister, but when Celestia smiled encouragingly, she finally sighed and relented, looking apprehensively over at Luna Brynhild and Scrivener. “Very well then, what... shall we do?”

“We shall go for a walk, and see where that takes us.” Luna Brynhild replied cheerfully, and then she winked over at Scarlet Sage and Pinkamena. “And both of thee shall go with Nice Celestia.”

Celestia looked surprised at this, then winced a little as the half-demon grinned and licked her lips and Scarlet Sage blushed a bit. “I... well... I have royal business to attend to, and it would be... boring and...”

“Nay, nay, Scarlet Sage is very good at boring things.” Luna Brynhild said empathetically, and the Pegasus glowered at her mother before she added cheerfully: “And Pinkamena, why, there is no half-demon better at putting together plans! I imagine she could out-schedule Twilight Sparkle should the urge ever take her.”

“I like puzzles. I don't do schedules, I'm not an obsessive-compulsive neurotic.” Pinkamena said dryly, and then she sniffed a little and glanced over at the Princess of the Sun. “But what's wrong? You got something you wanna hide from us, is that it? Or are you just scared that we're gonna see all you do is sit on your fat flank all day reading pretty little friendship letters from your gal-pal Twilight?”

Princess Celestia sighed tiredly at this, and when her little sister gave her an imploring look, she nodded grudgingly. “Very well. I... suppose I can take this opportunity to learn more about your world as well, so I should be thanking you-”

“Damn right you should.” Pinkamena grunted, then she snatched Scrivener's fork out of his hoof as he began to lift the last of a pancake towards his mouth, flicking his food disdainfully off it before picking at her teeth with it as he only glared at her and the Princesses both stared at the dull-gray pony's behavior. “So what do we do first? Groveling? Hoof-licking? Interrogations? Oh right, you're Nice Celestia, not Princess Sunshine. Does that mean your servants beat you instead of you beating them?”

“Please don't kill her, but if thou likes, thou may knock her unconscious.” Luna Brynhild said kindly, and then she pushed away from the table and grinned slightly, rubbing her hooves together eagerly. “Enough though, 'tis time to go! Come, Little Luna, I have a whole world to show thee over the course of a few scant hours!”

Princess Luna looked less-than-thrilled... but an hour later, as they walked slowly through a forest-filled ravine hidden amongst the mountains around Canterlot, the Princess was gazing back and forth with awe as Scrivener easily paced alongside her with a saddlebag hanging from his side and Luna stayed in the lead, whistling to herself as her black pearl swayed easily around her neck. “How did you know about this place, Luna Brynhild...”

“Oh, there are many such places around Canterlot, thou merely has to look.” Luna said dismissively, shaking her head and smiling easily over her shoulder. “I was never permitted to journey far... my big sister is... far more controlling than thine, I am willing to wager. So I hunted out spots like this, near enough to Canterlot that I could oft return before Celestia knew I was gone... and I wagered that as our layers have many similarities, it would be here. It pleases me to see that I was right.”

She smiled again over her shoulder as they continued onwards, pushing through a curtain of vines to laugh as they reached a large, beautiful pond in the base of the ravine, surrounded by wildflowers and tall trees. “And look! 'Tis almost exactly as I recall from home, all those years ago... oh, Scrivy, remember when I first dragged thee out here?”

“Before we were really getting along, but you were afraid that if you didn't drag me along on your adventure, I'd rat you out to Celestia.” Scrivener paused meditatively, approaching the pool before he shrugged the saddlebag off, adding mildly: “I remember that you-”

Then Luna Brynhild rammed into him and knocked him flying into the water with a tremendous splash, and he winged unicorn laughed as Princess Luna stared in amazement. Then she winced when Luna Brynhild grinned mischievously at her, shaking her head hurriedly. “No, no, I'm fine, thank you!”

“Oh, thou art no fun!” Luna Brynhild whined, and then she huffed a little before shaking herself briskly, her mane and tail snapping around her before settling as she smiled, ignoring Scrivener grumbling in the pond as she asked curiously: “So does thou know how to polymorph?”

Princess Luna hesitated, then nodded... before staring as Luna Brynhild grinned and flexed, her body glowing brightly before she took on the shape of Nightmare Moon, leaning forwards and grinning with a set of razor-sharp teeth. “Can thou do this?”

For a moment, Princess Luna only stared, her eyes slowly widening, her body trembling a little as the larger, polymorphed equine winced and Scrivener flinched a little, not wanting to think of what memories that likely brought up... before suddenly, the Princess of the Night bowed her head forwards, blushing even through the glow before her frame shifted and transformed, mimicking the shape of Nightmare Moon as well as she mumbled almost embarrassedly: “Of course.”

The two Nightmare Moons studied each other... and then Luna Brynhild smiled slightly before flicking her horn, and her frame glowed before reverting back to her normal body. Princess Luna sighed in relief and did the same, and for a moment there was silence between them before they studied each other curiously once more.

Finally, the gentler, tiara-adorned winged unicorn rose her head and asked quietly: “What's it like, Luna Brynhild? Being a warrior? Being as free as you are... having... a soulmate?”

The warrior mare softened at this, looking over her shoulder to where Scrivener was now sitting at the edge of the pond, and the stallion smiled a little back at her before Luna Brynhild looked thoughtfully back at the Princess. “Hasn't thou ever felt the urge to be freer than thou art, Little Luna? Heard the call of the wild, desired to fight, lived in the night instead of during the brightly-burning day?”

Princess Luna shifted nervously at this, and then she closed her eyes, saying finally: “I don't know. Sometimes, I... I do wish that it could all be different, yes. The way you speak, it is like the Royal Canterlot Voice but-”

“Oh yes! The Royal Canterlot Voice, thou has that too?” Luna Brynhild's eyes glinted mischievously, and Scrivener winced and ducked as the Princess of the Night only frowned before her eyes bulged and she was almost bowled off her hooves when Luna shouted in an echoing, cheerful voice: “Does it not go something like this?”

Princess Luna slowly leaned back, winced and grimaced, then glared across at the fellow starry-maned, sapphire-bodied winged unicorn before a slight grin quirked at her mouth, and Luna had a moment to frown before the Princess leaned forwards and shouted clearly back in the same voice: “It is more like this, Luna Brynhild!”

Scrivener covered his head, wincing at the sounds that reverberated throughout his skull and Luna Brynhild almost toppled backwards... then she grinned widely and cheerfully, her eyes flashing as she gazed with almost excitement towards the winged unicorn. “Delightful! Most delightful indeed, Little Luna, oh, aye, there are the flashes of myself I have been looking for all this time!”

The Princess of the Night smiled a little at this, blushing and glancing awkwardly down for a moment before she looked up and said finally: “It is merely that... I have been trying my hardest to maintain my position at my sister's side. I will not lie, there have been times when I have felt... I don't know. Out of place, perhaps, or like the ponies... look at us together, but their eyes still see her first and foremost, and I... in her shadow.”

She quieted, then shook her head and continued softly: “But I am afraid of what those feelings mean. I do not want to once more descend into such darkness that I become... Nightmare Moon, after all. That would be... terrible.”

Luna Brynhild smiled faintly at this, even as Nightmare Moon laughed quietly inside her, but then she closed her eyes and forced the dark specter away as she replied softly: “Nay, my friend, my... twin. Do not worry for such things, and do not think that Nightmare Moon is...” She grimaced, looking as if she had bitten into a lemon even as she said moodily: “Is completely without value. I am loathe to admit it... but she has aided myself and Scrivener Blooms as often as she has caused trouble for us.”

Princess Luna looked curiously at them at this, and then Luna Brynhild shook her head grouchily, muttering: “'Tis not important, fear not. 'Tis just... painful to admit right now that aye, the creature is not completely without its use. But does thou still hear her voice, then?”

“I do not know if it is my own voice or another's but... sometimes, yes.” Princess Luna said quietly, glancing down and nodding slowly, looking strangely ashamed of herself as she closed her eyes. “I think that is also why I have striven so hard to... imitate my sister, listen to the lessons she has to teach me, and be a good, strong ruler for my people. For Equestria. Sister will always be their figurehead first and foremost but I still... wish to provide something, in some way, for the ponies...”

Luna Brynhild smiled faintly at this, nodding slowly in understanding before she sighed a little, looking down thoughtfully in silence. Then, after another moment, she finally brought her eyes up, asking curiously: “What are thy thoughts upon the subject of love, fair Princess? Surely thou has had suitors.”

The Princess of the Night only blushed awkwardly at this, however, slowly turning her eyes away, and then Luna leaned forwards and asked seriously: “Twilight Sparkle? Does thou prefer mares? I enjoy mares from time-to-time. Well, apart from my husband, I mean.”

“Brynhild!” Princess Luna looked up with a deep flush, saying embarrassedly: “That is not something that... I mean... you... you're just teasing me, aren't you?”

Luna Brynhild, however, only grinned widely as she stood straight and proud, declaring: “I shan't let anypony tell me what I may and may not do. Aye, I am married, adore and love my husband, and will viciously pummel anypony who says different. But that does not mean I am going to allow my life to become boring. Scrivener Blooms is a very handsome stallion, oh, aye, and he pleases me in ways that I would be delighted to describe in detail-”

“No, no, that's... fine, thank you.” Princess Luna winced a little, leaning awkwardly away before she grumbled and pawed a hoof at the ground, then strode moodily past to look down into the pool of water, saying quietly: “In the past there were suitors. Stallion... suitors, I am not as... as....”

“'Adventurous.' I use the word 'adventurous.'” Scrivener said delicately, and Princess Luna gave him a look of faint amusement before the male shook his head, adding in a softer voice: “You also don't have to talk about this if you don't want to.”

The Princess of the Night shifted a little, then she finally smiled a bit, saying quietly: “No, it's fine. I simply... well... you know. I don't usually talk to many ponies, apart from my sister, Trixie, and Twilight Sparkle. I am... I am treated with respect and compassion, yes, but I am also a Princess, and my sister sometimes likes to jest that we are considered 'untouchable' by too many ponies... it's hard for either of us to find ponies who will treat us like... well... you know.

“And on top of that... I am Nightmare Moon.” Princess Luna smiled wryly, shaking her head slowly. “There's only one night of the year where that becomes an advantage, instead of a problem. It's simply... difficult.”

Luna Brynhild nodded slowly, looking softly over at Scrivener Blooms as she murmured: “Aye, it always was. I was very fortunate with Scrivy, I know this well... he was assigned to me by Celestia, and he... is such a dark, nasty little creature at heart.” She grinned a little despite herself, and Scrivener sighed as the Princess looked up with a small smile. “Wicked poet. Nothing is more monstrous than a damnable poet.”

Scrivener laughed quietly at this, then he looked towards the Princess as she gazed between them softly, before Luna Brynhild grinned widely and turned her eyes cheerfully back to the fellow winged unicorn. “But in all seriousness, thou never feels a compulsion for a mare? They are such soft and pretty things! Thou art certainly very pretty, but that may be narcissism on mine own part talking.”

Luna Brynhild nodded seriously a few times, and the Princess sighed and shook her head slowly before she glanced towards Scrivener moodily. “And how do you put up with Brynhild's behavior, if I may ask? Or do you also seek out others to enjoy the company of in that particular fashion?”

The stallion snorted in amusement at this, saying mildly: “Oh, Luna's a little touchy about that. See, she's the one who goes around and gets to choose people who interest her. On the other hoof, if I ever show interest in a pony, she usually beats me.”

The Princess laughed at this, and Luna Brynhild huffed, rearing back and saying grouchily: “The poet has had more divine and passionate experiences than most stallions ever shall, the ungrateful wretch should be extolling how fortunate he is for me right now! But I have another highly-personal question, Little Luna, and thou must answer me honestly: what is thy darkest, deepest, most-hidden desire and dream?”

Princess Luna looked dryly at the inquisitive winged unicorn, replying mildly: “And exactly what makes you think, Brynhild, I would answer that?”

“Because I think thou wants to.” Luna Brynhild smiled slightly, winking slowly at her. “After all... with me, thou has nothing to lose. Few would believe me even if I went around blurting it out, and I will be gone within several days' time back to my own layer of reality. And all of us who have secrets wish we could share them with the world... but some secrets some cannot tell even thine sister, cannot entrust to anypony but thyself. And I, Luna, am exactly that: I am thou.”

Princess Luna looked apprehensively over at Luna Brynhild, who continued to grin at her cheerfully, leaning forwards pointedly before she finally sighed a little, looking moodily back and forth between Scrivener Blooms and the twinned winged unicorn. Then she finally closed her eyes, mumbling under her breath: “This is ridiculous. But very well, Brynhild... if you must know, one day I... I would like to travel throughout Equestria myself, going from place-to-place. Seeing you, hearing all your stories has... made me think. Not just because you were revered as a hero, but because... you were free, weren't you? Completely free, in a place where... where nothing anypony said or did mattered. Where you weren't...”

She quieted, blushing and looking down, and Luna Brynhild smiled slightly before she straightened and declared imperiously: “If thou wishes to be free, Little Luna, and travel as thou likes, thou must learn to defend thyself... for not all creatures shall be scared off by thee puffing thyself up into the form and shape of Nightmare Moon, and there will always be annoying do-gooders that are far worse than any villain or bandit. I shall do something that has always driven my big sister into absolute fury and teach thee to horn foil.”

“What?” Princess Luna looked surprised, and then she winced when the other Luna leapt forwards with a wide grin, her black pearl swinging in front of her as she slashed her horn down. The Princess of the Night skittered away from this almost fearfully, her eyes wide with surprise as she babbled: “Wait, no, magic is the realm of-”

“Magic is for sissies!” Luna Brynhild shouted cheerfully in her face, and the Princess winced backwards before Scrivener winced when his soulmate reached up and firmly slapped the other winged unicorn across the face with one hoof, making her gape in horror and only stare in amazement as Luna Brynhild grinned challengingly. “Now, thou may suffer thy bruises and learn... or thou may cry about how unfair this all is and I shall simply pummel thee for fun instead of for teaching. Here thou art not the Princess of the Night, and I care not for that title in any event. Here thou art Little Luna, now tell me, what is thy name?”

“Luna, the-” began the winged unicorn, and Luna Brynhild promptly smacked her with her horn, making the Princess wince and drop low, still shocked by the initial slap. “Little Luna!”

“Better!” Luna Brynhild grinned widely at this, nodding firmly before she pawed her hooves eagerly against the ground, then leaned forwards as her eyes flashed. “Now, I shall attack... and thou shall defend! Simple, no?”

Little Luna only stared at this... then squeaked when Luna Brynhild stepped forwards, beginning a quick onslaught of short, rapid strikes with her horn as she shouted: “Defend! Do not think, use only thy horn! Concentrate energy into it and strike back against mine, do not think, only do!”

It was much easier said than done, as Little Luna pushed back as hard as she could, swinging her horn back and forth but unable to deflect more than a few strikes out of every ten or so Luna Brynhild laid against her. Then she stumbled backwards and half-fell over onto her haunches, breathing hard as Luna grinned and stepped backwards, nodding firmly. “A fair start, Little Luna. A fair start.”

“A fair start? All you did was beat on me!” Little Luna shouted at her, one of her eyes twitching as she glared up at Luna Brynhild, who only grinned infuriatingly in return. “What is wrong with you? How is this to teach me anything?”

“The bruises upon thy pretty face have already taught thee much, Little Luna. They have taught thee about pain. And soon, they will teach thee about pushing through pain.” the fellow mare replied cheerfully, leaning back with a wink. “And besides, 'tis not as if thou art learning nothing at all... why, thou deflected perhaps a bare quarter of my attacks! I believe in learning through doing, Little Luna, 'tis how I have always taught, and how I will continue to teach, whether thou likes it or not.”

“I. I don't want to play this game or learn this, it is only a silly dream anyway.” Little Luna muttered, and now Luna Brynhild looked less-than-pleased before Little Luna added grouchily: “Besides, I always have my magic to fall back upon if I am ever in trouble. My sister and I may not be as strong as you are, but in this world there are few ponies who can boast greater magic power than us.”

Luna Brynhild huffed at this, her eyes narrowing moodily before she glanced over her shoulder and shouted, as Scrivener looked up with a wince: “Beat her up!”

“I. Luna. This is not the polite way to do things.” Scrivener began delicately, and then he groaned when Luna Brynhild glared at him and stomped her hooves, and Little Luna only looked blank and confused for a few moments before the earth pony sighed and sat moodily up. “Sure. Why not? Beat up a Princess. The only thing I'm going to enjoy about this is that I'll be hitting a pony who looks like you.”

“Oh, shut up.” Luna Brynhild huffed, then she returned her eyes to Little Luna, declaring challengingly: “If thou can last five minutes against Scrivener Blooms with thy paltry magic, then I shall do any task thou desires. If Scrivener Blooms outlasts thee or better yet, pummels thee into submission, then thou must accept my tutelage.”

“Oh, as if I'm stupid enough to-” Little Luna began, and then she frowned when Luna Brynhild grumbled something under her breath, the Princess asking sharply: “What was that?”

“I said, thou art a coward.” Luna said scathingly, and Little Luna's eye twitched before she slowly ground her teeth together, her mane sparking and swirling behind her. And Scrivener winced at the resemblance he saw to his wife in that moment in not just form, but suddenly personality as well.

“Well, very well then! I accept, I accept the challenge, and if you lose I shall make you lick my hooves!” Little Luna snapped, voice echoing through the ravine as she leaned forwards with a furious glare. “I am not to be underestimated, Brynhild!”

But if anything, Luna Brynhild only looked thrilled at this, grinning slowly wider as she licked her lips slowly. “I knew I saw more than a glimpse of myself in thee! Thou has the same foul temper... but very well, then let the game begin: Little Luna, Scrivener Blooms, have fun.”

And with that, Luna leapt upwards, flapping her wings firmly to propel herself safely into the air to watch from above as Scrivener cleared his throat and Little Luna glared over at him furiously, the male raising a hoof and saying mildly: “This really wasn't my idea so-”

Little Luna snapped her horn downwards, and a blast of lightning erupted from the skies and pounded into Scrivener, making him wince and stagger backwards. Then Little Luna stared when the earth pony simply shook his head out, wincing a little as a bit of smoke floated up from his charred mane before he muttered: “Okay, okay. I'm going to be the better pony here and give you that one as a freebie. Now, Princess, I want to say that I'm very sorry about-”

“It is Little Luna!” the winged unicorn shouted suddenly, and Scrivener looked at her in confusion before the winged unicorn's horn glowed as she made a vicious upwards hauling motion, and a moment later the ground beneath him erupted in a tremendous bang, sending the earth pony flying backwards to crash loudly down into the pond in another enormous splash. Above, Luna Brynhild winced and grabbed at her body... then threw her head back and laughed despite herself.

A moment later, Scrivener hauled himself slowly out of the water, groaning in disgust more than pain as he carefully crawled up to his hooves and shook his head out, swaying slowly on the spot as Little Luna grinned at him... and then her eyes widened in shock, rearing back when the earth pony suddenly dashed towards her before she cursed and flicked her horn downwards, her horn unleashing a beam of sapphire radiance.

Scrivener leapt to the side, then winced and lunged forwards, skidding beneath the beam when Little Luna traced it towards him before he leapt towards her and tackled the Princess onto her back, and Little Luna cursed in surprise before Scrivener pinned her... and then the Princess of the Night's horn glowed as her eyes gave a bright flash, and a moment later Scrivener was blown off her by what felt like a shockwave of force, stunned by the blast as he landed on his back a few feet away and twitched once.

Little Luna, thankfully, didn't have the experience to act to press the advantage and was too shocked by what was going on to think clearly, even as she scrambled to her hooves with a translucent sapphire sphere of energy now surrounding her. Above, Luna Brynhild looked at this with sharp interest, flying down to take a better look as Scrivener rolled to his hooves and muttered: “Localized protective barrier, great.”

Then Little Luna ran towards him with a grimace, and Scrivener only stared in surprise before she rammed the barrier into his face, the sphere releasing another powerful pulse that knocked him crashing and rolling backwards several feet as Luna Brynhild clapped her hooves gleefully above despite wince of pain that went through her. “Oh, most excellent indeed! Perhaps I did underestimate thee, Little Luna!”

The Princess of the Night grinned at this despite the fact she was still obviously fuming as well, and Scrivener grumbled as he clawed up to his hooves before narrowing his eyes when Little Luna ran forwards again... and this time, Scrivener threw his shoulder hard against the barrier. He winced at the pulse of force that washed over him, but inside, the Princess cursed in surprise, the glow around her horn stuttering before Scrivener leapt up on his rear hooves and slammed a series of hard blows against the front of the spherical barrier, every strike creating a pulse of force that washed over him like a biting wind even as the magical energy began to fracture like glass.

Little Luna cursed and drew hurriedly back, her horn glowing brighter, but Scrivener leapt forwards and rammed his shoulder viciously into the force-field, and it shattered like glass in a burst of sound that knocked Scrivener sprawling but also stunned Little Luna as she cried out in pain, disoriented as electricity sizzled around her horn. She swayed slowly on her hooves, and Scrivener took the moment to leap back to his own before running forwards and seizing her around the neck before he kicked hard off the ground with his rear legs, making her choke as he dragged her backwards and into the air before slamming all four hooves down into her chest, kicking off her body to send himself backwards and slamming Little Luna back-first into the ground.

He landed easily on his hooves, skidding backwards and breathing hard, ready to continue the spar... and then he winced when Little Luna trembled a little on her back, trying to withhold a sob as Luna Brynhild glared pointedly down at Scrivener, and he looked back up with a wince, then a glower in return to the winged unicorn warrior before mumbling under his breath and carefully walking forwards.

Little Luna was curled up on her side, her breaths shuddering, covering her face with her hooves before Scrivener said awkwardly: “You... you did very well. I'm sorry, I forgot that you aren't a full-fledged warrior.”

“No...” Little Luna said quietly, her eyes closed as she slowly drew her hooves away from her features... and then they opened and glanced up at him, and Scrivener looked at her blankly for a moment before she muttered: “Just a Princess.”

And with that, she slammed a rear hoof hard up into Scrivener's throat, making him gag and stagger backwards before Little Luna sat quickly up and slashed her horn out, a beam of sapphire light smashing into the male and knocking him sprawling backwards before he was shoved slowly, painfully backwards by it, leaving a trench through the ground as the beam hammered into him like a solid battering ram, sending agony through his system as he gargled and flailed his hooves wildly in surprise.

But then Little Luna half-collapsed backwards with a wheeze, wincing and clenching her eyes shut as a shudder ran through her body, and Scrivener groaned in pain from where he was laying before the Princess of the Night dropped onto her back with a groan, muttering: “I... I am no warrior. I have no strength left...”

She closed her eyes slowly... then frowned as a shape fluttered down and landed over her before opening her eyes, looking up at Luna Brynhild as the twinned winged unicorn stood over her, frowning disapprovingly. The Princess of the Night grimaced a little in return, moodiness and defeat in her eyes before the warrior mare leaned down and said quietly: “Scrivener Blooms did not defeat thee, Little Luna. Thou defeated thyself, just like I used to... giving in to sadness and despair, bah. Giving in to thyself, and thine own weakness.”

“I am not weak, I simply... I cannot fight any more!” Little Luna shouted, glaring up at her angrily, and then she trembled before closing her eyes tightly, whispering: “And what would you know? You're a warrior. Out of Celestia's shadow... free from the obligations of being a Princess, and who has... something that completes you...”

“No, Little Luna, I know well.” Luna Brynhild replied quietly, then she smiled when the winged unicorn looked up at her almost sulkily. “That is a bit better, but still not what I am aiming for. Alright, up on thy hooves, I shall spare thee the lecture until later, Little Luna, and I suppose thou art still growing up.”

“Still... still growing up? Do you know how old I am?” the Princess of the Night asked incredulously, looking frustrated, and then she winced when Luna seized her and yanked her easily up to her hooves, blushing a little as she looked awkwardly at the fellow winged unicorn. “I. Suppose you do.”

“I do not know. Were thou a foal? Did thou have... have parents?” Luna Brynhild asked quietly, leaning forwards, and the Princess of the Night seemed surprised by this question before the warrior mare smiled faintly and closed her eyes, murmuring: “Because of what we are, mine siblings and myself... awoke, 'complete,' so to speak. Adults, with all our knowledge... but not always the ability to handle... ourselves, or what we knew. But nay, nay, enough.”

Luna Brynhild smiled, stepping back and looking thoughtfully over Little Luna, then she sighed and said grouchily, without bothering to look over her shoulder: “Scrivener, thou art not that badly injured, and Little Luna was not really crying, she was merely being deceitful. So get up out of the dirt.”

“The dirt is comfortable.” Scrivener muttered in response, and then he winced when Luna glared over her shoulder and her horn glowed, a telekinetic aura surrounding the earth pony and hefting him into the air from where he was laying prone, carrying him slowly over to her before simply dropping him on his haunches beside her, and the male wheezed a little as he dropped his head forwards before smiling awkwardly at Little Luna. “I'm sorry if I hurt you.”

“No, it is... alright.” Little Luna hesitated, then she smiled a little, bowing her head forwards. “I lost the battle and will bow to your wish.”

“Good.” The warrior winged unicorn said comfortably, and then she leaned back and said kindly: “I shall think upon this and tell thee my desires later. For now, Scrivener, let us wash thee off in that pool, thou art filthy.”

“I. I don't want to go in the water again.” Scrivener said moodily, and when Luna glared at him, the earth pony sighed and turned around, trudging towards the natural spring and muttering: “Fine.”

“Excellent.” Luna Brynhild nodded approvingly, then she turned her eyes towards Little Luna, adding mildly: “Thou art filthy as well. Into the water with thee.”

The Princess of the Night blinked... then the warrior mare simply slipped around behind her and bulled her firmly forwards, Little Luna trying to dig her hooves into the ground and spluttering in denial before she was butted firmly into the pool, and Scrivener looked stupidly over his shoulder before the winged unicorn crashed down on top of him and Luna Brynhild laughed.

The pool was cool and comfortable, surprisingly deep in the middle and pleasant to rest in. Little Luna was quiet for the most part as she studied the two soulmates curiously, watching the way they bickered and splashed and flailed at one-another, but picking up more and more on the way they moved in natural rhythm, even in their arguments. They were strange and fascinating and exotic to her, and she blushed when the two finally caught her studying them, shrinking back a bit in the water and mumbling: “I apologize. You're both just so... strange.”

Luna Brynhild nodded agreeably, then she said softly: “Well, I find all thee and thine strange, too. Then again, even in my world, I am considered rather far from the norm.” She paused for a moment thoughtfully, then smiled slightly and glanced over at Scrivener, saying kindly: “Scrivy, come here. Let us help Little Luna relax.”

Scrivener gave her a flat look as Little Luna winced a bit, and Luna Brynhild huffed before slipping to the Princess's other side, saying moodily: “If thou art me, thou should be more fun. Thou does not know the meaning of fun. Thou art stuffy.”

“I am not.” Little Luna looked almost hurt by this remark, then she grumbled a little before sinking moodily into the water, adding grouchily: “And I know I'm not you. I can't help that, Brynhild, you're an incredible warrior and a powerful mare, and all I am is a Princess, which apparently means nothing to you...”

“Well, it is different for me.” Luna Brynhild said quietly, and Little Luna looked up with a frown at this surprisingly-serious response before the warrior winged unicorn smiled faintly even as Scrivener slipped quietly up to Little Luna's other side. “I... I did not want to be a princess, as I have said already. And when I lived in exile... then I felt true freedom. How can I describe what that is like?”

She smiled a little again, looking down into the water before her eyes roved to Little Luna's, meeting them evenly. “Thou art wiser than I am. Likely more compassionate, and friendlier, too. Thou art better suited for the throne, and I am glad to see it, and know that it is important... Celestia, after all, had... had a difficult time, without her little sister by her side.” Luna closed her eyes, leaning her head forwards and saying softly: “No, I do not respect thy title. But I do respect thee, Little Luna. Also, well, thou art me.”

The two smiled hesitantly at each other, and then Luna Brynhild grinned and winked. “And that is why when I offer thee the chance to sleep with my husband and perhaps myself thou should be honored!”

Little Luna groaned and turned away, and Scrivener Blooms grabbed his face with his hooves as he muttered: “And the moment was ruined by Luna's big mouth yet again.”

“I take it this happens often.” Little Luna muttered, and she grimaced and slipped a little away from Luna Brynhild when the winged unicorn winked. “Let us please just move on.”

The outing, all-in-all, was a success. Both Princess Luna and Luna Brynhild were able to learn much about one another, and Scrivener Blooms picked up on more similarities than he had thought existed at first between the two. They both had a temper, they both had a mischievous streak – although Little Luna had obviously been trying her best to keep hers in check for the last few years – and it didn't take Little Luna long to adjust to Luna Brynhild's fondness for physical contact and closeness.

When they returned to Canterlot, Princess Celestia had been a little horrified to find her younger sibling with a few large bruises on her body, smelling faintly of the forest and looking embarrassed... but before she'd headed off to have an actual bath instead of just the rinse in the pond, she had said finally that she desired to spend the next day with Luna and Scrivener as well, if they would permit it. Luna Brynhild had nodded thoughtfully, and then looked curiously towards Celestia as the Princess of the Sun had hesitated, but then nodded slowly, gazing protectively over her younger sibling.

Then Celestia had added that Scarlet Sage was still helping with research, while Pinkamena she had eventually been forced to ask to leave after the half-demon had succeeded in grinding down her patience. Pinkamena had refused at first... but eventually agreed to go with Shining Armor after the Captain of the Guard made a report, recognized that Celestia was starting to lose her mind with the half-demon around, and had hurriedly invited Pinkamena to take part in a training exercise.

It was no surprise to either Luna or Scrivener when they headed out into the fields outside of Canterlot and found Shining Armor covered in bruises and simply staring in a mix of awe and horror at the sight of Pinkamena. Scrivener and Luna calmly sat down beside the Captain of the Guard, the winged unicorn smiling pleasantly and glancing up at the picturesque setting sun before returning her eyes to the pockmarked battlefield, enjoying the way the light reflected off the armor of the Royal Guards: many of whom were laying prone or trying to weakly crawl away.

There were still at least a few standing, others picking themselves up to renew the attack as they caught their breath and pushed through the pain of their injuries. And in the middle of it all, Pinkamena was grinning in her armor, bloody, bruised, but moving like a whirlwind as a guard lunged at her, and she smashed her front hooves across his face before seizing him by the neck and wing and ramming him face-first into another charging guard like he was a living battering ram. Then she spun, hefting the pony she was using like a weapon with a snarl and throwing him into the face of another guard to send them spilling and rolling backwards in a pile as she shouted: “Come on, you weak little fillies!”

“It's been like this for almost an hour. Does she have dragon blood in her veins or something?” Shining Armor asked incredulously, and then he winced and grabbed at his foreleg as it shivered beneath him, muttering: “She dislocated one of my limbs about ten minutes in to take me out of the fight. I think what scares me is that from watching her, I can see she's not actually trying to maim too many of my soldiers.”

“Aye, but she is certainly not above leaving scars.” Luna commented easily, nodding thoughtfully before she grinned slightly over at Shining Armor as the unicorn shook his head in slow disbelief. “And Pinkamena is a half-demon. A half-demon born from a dangerous psychosis no less. To her, this is how she makes friends.”

One last guard tried to charge her... and Pinkamena simply slammed her head into his own before he could ram her, knocking him flat to the ground in a broken heap before she looked moodily back and forth at the exhausted guards, spitting blood to the side and muttering: “Barely worth the time and effort. Fun, though. Hey, Nightmare Moon, you want to play a little? Or what about you, Scrivener? If you win, I'll let you cut me.”

“You're so sweet.” Scrivener said drolly, and Pinkamena mockingly fluttered her eyes at him before grumbling as she strode easily over several fallen soldiers, the ponies groaning in pain but not daring to move or even complain. “Come on, let's head back to our quarters.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Pinkamena muttered, shaking her head before she glanced moodily at Shining Armor. He winced a little as she shoved a hoof up under his chin, and then she grunted and nodded, saying moodily: “Thanks for the fun. But you guys still suck a whole lot. Try and toughen up, huh?”

“I'll keep it in mind.” Shining Armor replied dourly, and then he sighed before stepping forwards, beginning to shout tired orders to his soldiers as his foreleg twitched a little beneath him, wincing but bearing up the damage well.

Pinkamena fell in step beside Scrivener Blooms and Luna as they turned to head back towards the castle, the half-demon studying them meditatively before she asked finally: “Did you fulfill your sick little fantasy and bang her?”

Scrivener slowly closed his eyes as Luna grinned widely, half-lidding her eyes. “A stallion as gentle as Scrivener Blooms would not kiss and tell, whilst I, on the other hand, am all too often told I have-”

“Oh, so she isn't a whore like you.” Pinkamena said mildly, and Luna scowled horribly at the half-demon before she sniffed and looked towards the castle moodily. “Bet you fifty bits you fail and she finds you two disgusting.”

“What? Ridiculous!” Luna retorted, and Scrivener looked pleadingly at the two mares before Luna added sharply: “A hundred bits! A hundred bits that I am able to seduce her into a world of pleasure unlike any she has ever imagined!”

“Can we not bet on this? Please? I don't want to be involved in this, I think that invalidates the bet.” Scrivener said finally, and then he winced when Luna smacked him with her horn and Pinkamena punched him firmly in the shoulder, cursing and stumbling between the two mares. “We have a world to save-”

“We have an entire day and night to waste before we are able to return home by the Bifrost, and I for one refuse to spend it twiddling my hooves.” Luna retorted grouchily, raising her head proudly high. “The half-demon has challenged me. It does not matter how grandiose or how silly the challenge is, I always rise to a challenge and I always win.”

Pinkamena grunted at this, muttering: “I just really want to see you get punched in the face, and I figure if anything will piss this world's Princess Sunshine off it's that. I cannot wait for the fallout either way: you fail, and I get a nice handful of bits and you get to feel rejected by yourself, you win, and I get to watch you likely get chased out of Canterlot by a furious Celestia.”

Luna looked thoughtful at this, then she looked grumpily down at the field as they continued onwards, muttering: “Well, Scrivener Blooms, art thou happy now? Perhaps our newest adventure to plunder the dragon's treasure shall lead us to be chased by a very angry dragon-slayer... say, they are rather-”

“Don't. Even. Start.” Scrivener enunciated slowly, glaring at Luna, and the winged unicorn cleared her throat hurriedly, looking awkwardly away as Pinkamena laughed. “You shut up too.”

“I love it when you get pissed off. Your anger takes so long to finally rise to the surface that when it does, it's like fine wine, aged to perfection.” Pinkamena said with relish, her eyes giving a flash as she licked her teeth slowly. “So tell me, Scrivener. All that corruption dancing around in your mind... does it make those nasty thoughts of yours better or worse?”

“You just beat up a small army, wasn't that enough to make you relax?” Scrivener asked flatly, and when Pinkamena only grinned and shrugged, the stallion sighed tiredly and dropped his head forwards, muttering: “Of course it wasn't. Of course not.”

Pinkamena laughed again, but thankfully was complacent and quiet on the way back to the castle and into the room they had taken over in the guest quarters instead of the tower. Once there, the three settled in, Scrivener Blooms pulling out his journal and Luna simply flopping on the bed, while the half-demon took off her armor to repair and polish it up.

After an hour or so, Scarlet Sage showed up with a smile and a few books, saying they were gifts from Princess Celestia for them. Scrivener and Luna smiled back at their daughter, and Luna and the Pegasus talked easily, sharing the details of their days as Scrivener looked thoughtfully over the books that Celestia had given them: two history books and a book of old Equestrian legends and myths. Scrivener flicked the last open, studying its contents with a smile... then wincing a little when Pinkamena pressed herself against his back to lean past him and read over his shoulder, a sour look gradually spreading over Scrivener's features before the half-demon said grumpily: “Well, hurry up, turn the goddamn page.”

“Can you please wait your turn? You're being worse than Luna.” Scrivener said flatly, but the half-demon only grunted before the earth pony sighed tiredly, looking pleadingly at the winged unicorn... but she only looked cheerfully up at him as Scarlet Sage smiled lamely and shrugged, before the stallion muttered: “Will you stop reading over my shoulder if I read the story out loud to you?”

“No, but I won't do this to make you turn the pages for me.” Pinkamena said kindly, and then she punched him firmly in the kidney, making Scrivener curse and wheeze as he leaned forwards.

Luna winced as well, glaring at the half-demon before she instead looked at Scrivener Blooms and said mildly: “As much as I do so loathe Pinkamena at times, I agree with her. Thou should read to us, Scrivy, and if the stories are not interesting, then I demand thee to make them more interesting, is this understood? Thou art a storyteller.”

“No, I'm a writer. And a poet. But you can be both those things without being a storyteller...” Scrivener paused, then muttered: “And usually all three of those things without being an author. But alright, alright. Since I get the feeling you're going to encourage Pinkamena to bludgeon me if I don't, I'll give Luna what Luna wants.”

“Oh, I bet thou will.” Luna said immediately, grinning widely up at him, and Scrivener gave her a scathing look as Scarlet Sage blushed and winced and Pinkamena snorted in amusement. “I do so love that our daughter is old enough that I no longer have to cover up my jokes! That was a joke about Scrivener Blooms having intercourse with Little Luna, in case thou did not get the punchline.”

Scarlet Sage turned beet-red as she slowly dropped her face in her hooves, and Luna grinned brightly before Scrivener narrowed his eyes in concentration. The winged unicorn frowned as her horn began to glow, looking dumbly up at this before electricity suddenly surged around it, and Scrivener winced even as Luna yelled and flailed wildly as lightning sparked along her body, collapsing onto her back with a wheeze as Scrivener muttered: “Better than a spray bottle.”

Then he shook his head and sighed, flipping moodily through the book to the first story before he cleared his throat, beginning to read. Behind him, Pinkamena smiled as she leaned over his shoulder, her eyes slowly closing as the half-demon half-pushed herself against Scrivener's back, and Scarlet Sage gazed up with a smile at the stallion, flush gradually fading as she let herself become absorbed in the story. And last, Luna sat up as well, glowering for a little while and promising revenge, yet not interrupting as she sat back and smiled a little, soothed by not just the stallion's voice but the presence of her strange and wonderful little family around her.

It promised to be a good night, a peaceful night... and it was just what they needed, finding their own little slice of home in this comfortable but foreign world, four abnormal ponies enjoying the rare slice of normalcy in their strange and wild lives.

The Relief Of Returning Home

Chapter Twenty Two: The Relief Of Returning Home
~BlackRoseRaven

The night passed in quiet, and Luna Brynhild was eager to start the new day. There was much she wanted to do, after all, over this last day and night they would spend at Canterlot: harass Nice Celestia, teach Trixie a few more spells, drag off Little Luna for fun and games and meddling, and perhaps poke a little more at Cadence and Shining Armor.

Scarlet Sage had promised to spend the day with Nice Celestia again, since the Blood Seer had been more than forthcoming and pleasant with the Princess of the Sun, and Celestia had taken an interest in learning about her powers and through her, the history of the Equestria she had come from. Pinkamena, meanwhile, went out wandering the halls and Canterlot at large, looking for ponies to harass until she came across Cadence and Shining Armor trying to enjoy a pleasant meal together at an outdoor cafe, and she had barged her way over to their table with a wide grin, making the unicorn wince and Cadence lean awkwardly away as the half-demon said conversationally: “I could have killed your husband yesterday. But I didn't. So I think you owe me lunch.”

Scrivener Blooms and Luna, meanwhile, were surprised to find that Little Luna was already looking for them in the morning, and they were both more than happy to follow her when she told them with a smile that she had a place she wanted to take them to today. Luna was obviously intrigued, and Scrivener had to admit he was more than a little curious, especially when the Princess of the Night began to lead them down into the labyrinthine darkness beneath Canterlot.

It wasn't a long trip, but it would have been difficult for any pony who couldn't fly – or, as in Scrivener's case, didn't have a Luna Brynhild to carry them and half-fling them onto safe plateaus – and didn't know the way already. And then Little Luna had smiled and blushed a bit as she'd led them into a large stone chamber that was outfitted with bedding, a few stacks of books and lanterns already burning with blue flames, and several other comforts as Luna's eyes drew back and forth before she smiled warmly. “Thou hast had a secret hideaway all along!”

“Well, we all have a happy place, a thinking spot, don't we? This is where I come when... things build too high, or I need some privacy, even from my big sister.” Little Luna replied quietly, smiling over her shoulder. “When Chrysalis first attacked a few years ago, she trapped both Twilight and Cadence in these old mines and burrows... I came down here not long after, to explore a little for myself, even though the Guards had already scoured it. But I was curious... and well... perhaps it was that call you were talking about before, Brynhild. The call of adventure, or... well...

“In any event, I felt... familiarity, and comfort here. I don't know why.” Princess Luna quieted, looking hesitantly around the room before she nodded slowly to herself. “But I liked it here. So I took my time, and carefully put this together. This little... safe place for myself.”

She turned towards then, smiling a little as she studied them, and Luna Brynhild nodded slowly before she replied quietly: “It is wonderful, Little Luna. I wish that I had found a sanctuary like this for myself... but as it is, when I returned to the world, I had not even the plush and luxurious quarters that thou had. I had a stone bedroom, with a broken window...” Luna closed her eyes, but she smiled all the same as she added softly: “But I was more fortunate than thee in plenty of respects as well, as we have discussed. For while thine rooms are grand and grandiose, my rooms came with a poet. A frustrating, annoying poet, who gave up living by day to spend each and every night at my side.”

Both winged unicorns gazed towards Scrivener, who smiled a little and shrugged slowly, saying softly: “It wasn't in the job description, but it was common sense, really. That, and.. I suppose I'm the rare pony who isn't the fondest of the day in any event. Too many other ponies out trotting all over. Nights are quiet. Nice.”

“And full of fun.” Luna Brynhild nodded firmly, then she grinned widely over at Little Luna, half-lidding her eyes. “Now, why has thou brought us down here to this secret abode?”

The Princess blushed and glared at the fellow winged unicorn for a moment, and then she turned her attention away, digging quickly through a bookshelf before smiling and pulling out a journal, turning towards them and blushing deeper as her horn glowed and sent this floating over to them. “I wish for you both to take this. It only gathers dust here... but they are my personal thoughts. My aspirations, a glimpse of... me.”

Scrivener slowly took the book, gazing down at it reverently as Luna Brynhild looked up in surprise, saying slowly: “But thou surely cannot mean to part with this... why, let us read it tonight, and we shall give it back to thee in the morning, it must be very valuable to thee-”

“No, I want you to take it.” Little Luna said firmly, and Scrivener and Luna Brynhild both traded a look, emotions and thoughts swirling between them before the winged unicorn blushed a little and gave a small smile, her eyes roving warmly back to the Princess of the Night, who gazed at them quietly “I thought much about what you told me yesterday, all the things we spoke of. I thought about myself, and who I desire to be. And while I do not believe I wish to be a wild warrior like you are, Luna Brynhild... I would like to be stronger. I would like to be known for something apart from being Nightmare Moon, or Princess of the Night, or little sister to Celestia... I want to be known for who I am. Just as we have learned to know you for who you are.”

Luna Brynhild smiled softly at this, nodding slowly before she paused, then asked abruptly: “The barrier spell thou used against Scrivener Blooms yesterday. Will thou teach it to me?”

“What?” Little Luna looked surprised, but then she nodded slowly, looking curious. “Of course, I would be glad to. But really it's only a modification of Shining Armor's force-field spell... you would be better off asking him.”

“Nay, I am asking thee.” the warrior mare said staunchly, and Little Luna smiled after a moment before nodding slowly, and the winged unicorns studied each other thoughtfully before the Princess of the Night shook her head quickly and began to explain the basics of the spell, blushing a little.

It didn't take more than an hour for Luna Brynhild to master it, Scrivener Blooms looking pleased as he sat inside the protective shield while Little Luna tossed a few rocks at him and they simply bounced off the force-field. It was a nice change of pace to be practice for defensive magic instead of his wife's usual offensive techniques... that was, until Luna Brynhild suddenly dropped the shield and a rock thrown by Little Luna bludgeoned him in the face, knocking him over with a shout of pain as his soulmate flinched, then grinned with a stupid giggle even as Little Luna rushed over to Scrivener and leaned apprehensively over him.

He looked dumbly up at her, bleeding a bit from the mouth, and she gazed back down... and then she had blushed as he had smiled awkwardly. They had only spent a little while longer after that together, however, and then the Princess of the Night had led them back up and out of the dark little sanctuary beneath Canterlot before she'd hurried on her way.

The rest of the day had been a blur for Luna Brynhild and Scrivener: a long conversation with Nice Celestia and Scarlet Sage before they had gone to rescue Shining Armor and Cadence from Pinkamena, who kept trying to lure the unicorn into a fight. Luna again tried to explain that was simply the half-demon's socially-awkward way of trying to make friends, but it was a little difficult for Shining Armor to be completely understanding when the half-demon kept hitting every possible nerve she could find between bouts of mocking Cadence.

They eventually dragged Pinkamena away and she stormed off, grumbling about going to Ponyville to pick on Pinkie Two. Neither Scrivener Blooms nor Luna doubted for a moment she was serious despite how long a walk it was and that evening had settled in, and the two figured they'd catch up to her the next morning. She was able to take care of herself, after all, in spite of how impulsive and reckless she was.

Trixie caught up to them not long afterwards, and she was cheerful, upbeat, and a little more like the old Trixie: proud, almost to the point of being overzealous, but still keeping the worst of her ego reeled in. It was nice to see... nicer still when Luna got to teach for a few hours, and found herself pleased with how hard Trixie pushed herself to tackle these more-difficult transformations. Not full body: Luna was careful to tactfully say that Trixie didn't possess the natural talent necessary to do large-scale polymorphs. But what she did have was more than enough determination and skill to learn how to cover simpler and middle-range modifications, from concealing her horn to creating temporary wings.

Trixie stayed for a while longer after Luna finished teaching her the little she could share in the short few hours. Tomorrow, after all, they would be leaving, and the pale-blue unicorn felt indebted to them. Luna Brynhild had only grinned in response, however, saying quietly: “Nay, it is us who are indebted to thee, for giving us... a second chance, in ways that perhaps thou may not entirely understand. So nay. Our thanks... go with thee.”

Not long after Trixie left, they received a surprise visit from Princess Celestia, who had walked back with Scarlet Sage so she could talk with them a little, and present them with a few simple tokens of gratitude. She had brought out a simple metal box, and Luna had glared at this, scoffing: “If these are pointless little medals, Celestia, I must warn thee now that I will pummel thee horribly. I have never been fond of such things.”

“Don't worry, Brynhild, I got that feeling very clearly from what Scarlet Sage has told me about you.” Celestia replied gently, and Luna grumbled a little under her breath and nodded moodily before her eyes widened when the levitating case opened and revealed a full set of artist's supplies: six jars of brightly-colored inks, finely-crafted pens and sketching pencils, erasers, paintbrushes of every caliber... “I hope this is suitable.”

“It is gorgeous.” Luna whispered, and then she looked up at Nice Celestia for a moment before smiling warmly as she gently took the art kit with her own telekinesis. “Why can't thou replace my big sister in real life? Thou art far more amiable and pleasant than she is. She insists upon buying me books.”

Celestia only laughed quietly at this, smiling despite herself before her eyes turned to Scrivener Blooms, and she said softly: “As for you, my friend, Twilight Sparkle is putting a gift together in Ponyville. I hear you have plans to pass through there on your way back.”

“We do, aye. I do not wish to draw too much attention to Canterlot by opening the Bifrost here... we shall return from whence we came, a good distance from the anchor and into the Everfree.” She hesitated, then shook her head slowly. “Of course there is the concern that should shapeshifters or Clockwork creatures appear, they will be attracted to Ponyville... but my instincts tell me that it is unlikely. The creatures seek us, after all.”

Scrivener Blooms nodded in slow agreement, and Celestia gazed between the two before Scarlet Sage added softly: “I agree with Mom. More than that, I don't think it was... anything but pure bad luck that the creatures were here. Unless Prophet is looking for someone else in another layer of reality, as well...”

“Nay, I think she is merely... inspecting the field, so to speak.” Luna replied grimly, shaking his head slowly as she looked silently at the closed art kit now sitting at her hooves, and then she muttered: “And I know not whether that gives us more time or less, or speaks to whether she is confident or a coward. I will need to consult with Evil Celestia in our own layer of reality. She knows things.”

Princess Celestia sighed a little at this, and then she hesitated before asking finally: “Would you be adverse to telling me more about her? I'm very curious, admittedly. And I wonder if I can learn from your stories about her how to help my own little sister as much as I hope that she has affected you.”

“Oh well, look at Scrivener's face, she has affected us in plenty of ways that are very simple to replicate.” Luna said blandly, and Scrivener self-consciously reached up and touched the hoof-shaped scar over his features as Nice Celestia looked moodily at Luna, which made the sapphire winged unicorn grin at the unwitting imitation of her older sibling. “There! That right there, 'twas a perfect match for a moment! Oh, how it gave me chills, Scrivy!”

Luna laughed and shook her head, and Scrivener rolled his eyes with a sigh as Scarlet Sage gave her mother a half-imploring look, and the warrior mare grumbled but then settled, nodding after a moment as she returned her eyes to Celestia and began softly: “I can be very hard on my big sister, but she has always been more important to me than I can say...”

They spent almost the entire night with Princess Celestia, until she excused herself quietly to take care of some early morning business before raising the sun, and then Luna smiled before looking mischievously back and forth and walking over to the wall as her horn glowed. And Scrivener and Scarlet Sage could only stare as Luna quickly cut the words 'Luna was here' into the wall before pausing and cursing, carefully drawing a line through her name, and etching above it in even larger, sloppier letters: 'Brynhild.'

Then she turned around, cheerfully picked up the camera to snap a picture of this, and grumbled as the film cartridge clacked, saying irritably: “Damnation. Well, 'tis good timing, anyway, we are about to leave.”

“How the hell did we go through three rolls of film over a week?” Scrivener asked incredulously, and Luna simply favored him with an amused look before the stallion added dryly, pointing at the wall: “Also that? That right there? Bad manners, Luna. Bad manners.”

“They should thank me, 'tis proof that I was here and of my existence.” Luna sniffed disdainfully, turning towards where her armor was neatly stacked as she said easily: “Now come on, my family. To Ponyville, which hopefully has not been massacred by Pinkamena, and then from there back across the Bifrost and to home.”

They only took an hour or so to get ready, by which time Princess Celestia had raised the sun. Scrivener, Luna, and Scarlet Sage were pleasantly surprised to find their wagon had already been moved out to the roads leading back to Ponyville, and an escort that included both Shining Armor and Little Luna was waiting for them, the Princess of the Night smiling a little before she said quietly: “A small step towards... being more who I desire to be. Besides... it would be rude to not see myself off.”

Luna Brynhild had laughed and shaken her head at this, grinning slightly as Scrivener Blooms had smiled slightly before they had begun the march. With the wagon and the escort, it had taken them longer to reach Ponyville than expected... but at the same time, none of them could complain, since it seemed like all too short before they were striding through the village as ponies stared in amazement at the parade.

Pinkamena was waiting for them moodily in front of the library, Pinkie Two bouncing beside her cheerfully, and Luna Brynhild grinned despite herself, wondering mildly if in every reality Pinkie was the same. Then she smiled when Twilight Sparkle approached them with a wrapped gift, saying embarrassedly: “This isn't much, but... it's what we could put together. I'm sorry, again, for... doubting in you both. And it really was amazing to meet you. Thank you, honestly, both of you...”

“'Tis a book, is it not?” Luna said cheerfully, as she'd taken the gift-wrapped object and passed it quickly to Scrivener, and he smiled amusedly as he'd begun to pull of the wrapping, as Twilight blushed deeper red. “Oh, just like our Twilight!”

Princess Luna had smiled a little at this, glancing towards Twilight, who had gazed back with curiosity and a hesitant smile of her own... and then Scrivener had whistled slowly as he'd pulled off the gift wrapping to reveal a heavy tome, filled with... letters.

Letters, on friendship: correspondence, between Ponyville and Celestia, as well as other notes, personal entries, factual data and wild prose... and Scrivener and Luna had gazed at this as Twilight had mumbled: “It's just... you know. Just something small...”

“It is nothing small at all.” Luna Brynhild said quietly, glancing up at Twilight, who had smiled a little wider at this. Then the unicorn had been surprised when the armored mare had stepped forwards and hugged her fiercely for a few moments before stepping back and nodding firmly as Scrivener carefully slipped the book into his satchel. “But... we must depart. And know that we depart with gratitude that I cannot begin to express.”

She glanced towards Princess Luna, then turned to her and traded a tight embrace with her twinned self. Then the Princess had slipped to Scrivener, repeating the process as Shining Armor smiled awkwardly at Pinkamena, who looked at him moodily before holding out a hoof.

He sighed in relief... and then, before the stunned eyes of the crowd, the half-demon leapt forwards and seized Shining Armor around the neck before half-yanking him into the air and slamming him savagely down on his back, Twilight gaping at the sight of her brother being taken down so viciously before the half-demon grinned down at him, leaning slowly, threateningly in. He swallowed thickly... then stared dumbly when Pinkamena kissed his forehead gently before leaning back and patting him perhaps a bit too firmly on the chest, saying mildly: “Take care of yourself. You're far from the worst unicorn we've ever met.”

With that, the half-demon loitered onwards, and there was an awkward silence finally broken by Rainbow Dash muttering aside to Pinkie: “Your evil twin is kind of awesome.”

Luna Brynhild had only laughed, then said her last goodbyes with a grin before they'd headed onwards and met Pinkamena on the other side of town, where she had been waiting moodily for them before she grinned widely over at Luna, who had frowned for a moment as they'd headed onwards before she said mildly: “Didn't get her in bed with you, did you? I think you owe me a hundred bits.”

“Oh, I... I... of course I did!” Luna's muzzle wrinkled up, and the half-demon grinned wider before she huffed and glared at her. “Foul fiend of Helheim! I make no deals with devils!”

“Liar liar flank on fire. You make deals with them all the time... 'cept usually they're the ones signing their souls over to you, funny enough. Guess that makes you an archdevil or something, doesn't it?”

Luna huffed again as Scrivener carefully kept his head down as he drew on the wagon and Scarlet Sage sighed and shook her head... before all four halted and glanced back in surprise at a huff to see Princess Luna still following them, glowering with determination at Luna as an object floated in the air beside her. Then she stormed over to her and snapped: “Well, if that is why you slept with me, to win a bet with a demon, then I hope I do not ever see you again!”

Luna and Pinkamena both gaped, staring blankly before the Princess spun on her heel towards Scarlet Sage and said moodily, flicking her horn to thrust the object floating beside her at the Pegasus: “I was going to give this to your parents as a token of affection but I suppose I shall give it to you instead, young one. Here. It is a relic... of a civilization long lost, from when I was just a foal.”

It was a simple silver bracelet, engraved with gorgeous runes, and Scarlet Sage blushed as she hesitantly rose a hoof, letting Princess Luna gently slip this onto her foreleg. She smiled after a moment... then, when Luna stepped towards her, she turned and grumbled: “Fine! If that is what you want, Brynhild, so be it!”

And with that, Princess Luna firmly kissed her, the armored mare's eyes bulging in shock and Pinkamena half-falling forwards before the Princess tore away before Luna Brynhild could even get her mind around what was happening and stormed off. Her body shivered a little as she stormed down the path, as if she was trying to repress tears... but Scrivener had the feeling she was trying to repress laughter, as he stared after her and marveled at how one Luna couldn't tell a lie to save her life and the other was apparently a masterful actor.

Then, slowly, Luna turned a wide grin over her shoulder at Pinkamena, who glowered horribly at her before the half-demon shouted in a strangled voice: “You're lying! You're both liars, you... I'll go and beat the truth out of the damn Princess if I have to!”

“Go right ahead, but do not expect us to be here when thou returns. 'Tis time to summon the Bifrost and go home... and either way, here or not, I shall help myself to the money I have rightly won. I never lose a bet.” Luna replied smugly, and Pinkamena ground her teeth together violently as she stomped her front hooves several times before throwing her head back with a furious, frustrated yell that sent a flock of birds scattering out of the trees.

Then the half-demon slumped before glaring at Luna as she breathed slowly in and out, saying moodily: “You know that we demons of Helheim don't like to be cheated, right?”

“Oh, but thou art only half-demon, and the proof is in the pudding.” Luna licked her lips slowly, then her eyes gleamed. “Blueberry gloss. She is like me if I were...”

“A mare.” Scrivener deadpanned, and Luna slowly glowered at him before the male cleared his throat awkwardly and looked ahead, mumbling: “Well, we're far enough out of town to open the Bifrost.”

“Aye, we are. Very well, Pinkamena, as I am not without compassion I shall only demand fifty bits from thee.” Luna said pompously, and the half-demon grumbled moodily under her breath before the winged unicorn closed her eyes, saying softly: “But first, to home. We have much to report... and I am truly eager to see my son again.”

Scrivener smiled a little at this, and Pinkamena sighed but seemed to soften a little as Scarlet Sage gazed up with a quiet laugh. Slowly, Luna's eyes closed as she concentrated, and both she and Scrivener bowed their heads forwards, feeling their hearts moving in rhythm as their energies mixed into one, energy rumbling and crackling through the air around them before they both arched their backs, eyes glowing as they snapped their heads upwards and poured all the strength they had forwards into summoning the rainbow bridge.

The swirling tornado of flame ripped upwards, tearing through reality, bursting apart and forming the flickering, multicolored burning arch of light... and Scrivener and Luna both staggered into a run for it as Scarlet Sage and Pinkamena both hurriedly followed. They tore through the vortex at the top of the bridge in a burst of light, running down the tunnel in the electrified euphoria that always took over before they tore out the other side and back into their own reality, staggering into daylight before Scrivener winced as the bridge began to shatter almost the moment he began to race down the ramp of light, Luna and Scarlet Sage both wincing and leaping hurriedly off.

The Bifrost shattered beneath the wagon and Scrivener, Pinkamena leaping upwards a moment before the pieces fell away beneath her own hooves and landing on top of the wagon as it fell. It crashed to the ground, and the half-demon winced and rolled off before agilely landing low on her hooves as Scrivener landed heavily on his chest... and then his eyes bulged as something on the wagon snapped loudly before it slowly began to keel over.

Pinkamena leapt out of the way as the wagon crashed down on its side with a tremendous crash, Luna wincing at the sound of the objects contained within rattling and banging violently around before her eyes drew to Scrivener Blooms. He was suspended in the air between the arms of the wagon thanks to the taut harnessing, and he had a horrible, moody expression on his face as he hung limply before Luna threw her head back and laughed, the stallion saying grouchily: “Yes, that's very helpful, dear. Very helpful. Please get me down.”

Pinkamena snorted at this, yanking her axe off her back as she approached, and Scrivener's eyes bulged before he ducked to the side as the half-demon lashed the weapon out, slicing through the tethers holding him in the air and sending him spilling painfully to the ground. “You're welcome.”

“I actually was going to thank you. If only for not cutting off any part of my body.” Scrivener muttered, slowly picking himself up so he could remove the harness and the remaining tethering, looking grouchy as Luna only continued to laugh before he sighed and checked over the saddlebags at his sides to ensure they hadn't been damaged at all. “So are we going to lever this up, or...”

“No, no, let us leave that for the Nibelung.” Luna looked back and forth through the fields, smiling slightly. “I am eager to see my son. More eager, I think, than to even inform Odin of what has happened... besides, what could swoop down and steal away this tipped-over wagon in the time it will take for Greece and Cowlick to send out a team of mechanics?”

Scrivener grunted at this as Scarlet Sage smiled as well, gazing silently towards the village before she said softly: “It feels like it's been forever since we've been back here... and even if we've got good news and bad news and a lot of scary things to report, I... I can't help but be happy all the same. We're home now, after all, and it feels... it feels good to be home.”

“Home...” Luna said softly... and then she smiled quietly and nodded in slow agreement, murmuring: “Aye, it truly does. Come then, friends. Into Ponyville. Let us find our friends, and my handsome son.”

In the early evening, Luna laid quietly on comfortable bedding in the library, half-dozing with Antares Mīrus curled up against her body, the toddler deep asleep. A pacifier was in his mouth and Gymbr was clutched tightly up against his chest, the baby's wings fluttering every so often as he dreamed while Scrivener sat quietly side-by-side with Twilight Sparkle on the other side of the wide room, the two going over the enormous scrapbook of letters and information they had obtained from the other layer.

So far, only Twilight knew the details of their trip: Celestia was at the Temple of the Sun in central Equestria, and Odin was... not in Ponyville, and not out at their cottage. In all likelihood, the once-god was back in Valhalla, but it was impossible to know. He came and went as he pleased, after all, and very few ponies had the courage or thought it was within their rights to question the once King of the Aesir about where he planned to go and what he planned to do when he left the little village or its surroundings.

Scarlet Sage had already headed back home, and Pinkamena had vanished at some point, likely to head home herself. She had obviously missed her twin, however little she wanted to admit it. She had stayed with them until they had reached the library, however, and Twilight had come running out to greet them all with Antares, who had been beaming happily... until he looked at his father, skidded to a halt, and pointed at him with a hoof, shouting in a scared voice: “Hurt! Hurt!”

Confusing at first, and somehow scary for Scrivener, who thought wildly at first that his presence was hurting his son somehow before Antares had run up to him and hugged his leg, babbling away before he'd deciphered the phrase: “Daddy hurt!” among the rambles. And Scrivener had quietly picked the child up, nuzzled him and hugged him close, then rocked him slowly in his forelegs, soothing him until Antares settled worriedly, even though he plainly didn't believe when Scrivener tried to tell him that he wasn't hurt at all.

And now, here they were, a few hours later: after telling a good part of the story, Luna had curled up with her son to rest a little while Scrivy and Luna spent a little time together. Spike was over at Rarity's, and with Celestia gone for at least a few days, it meant they had the library to themselves... well, and the sleeping toddlers.

Scrivener smiled a little despite himself at this thought, even as Luna grouchily opened an eye and stuck out her tongue at him, only reinforcing the notion that she was a foal in an adult's body. Then she sniffed and buried her face against the pillows, ephemeral mane spilling over her features and curling down over Antares, who shifted quietly in his rest and curled closer to his mother with a quiet murmur.

Twilight glanced up at this, then she smiled faintly, shaking her head slowly and murmuring: “It really is amazing, you know. Antares is a better behaved foal than most, but without his Mom and Dad around, he sure can be hard to cheer up. But... he did better this time, I think you'll be happy to know.”

“Thanks.” Scrivener said softly, and then he glanced quietly towards Twilight as she studied him softly, before he smiled a little, drawing his eyes along her quietly: “Funny. After only a few days... I got so used to seeing the old you. You, as a unicorn. Also much smaller than me.”

“I wasn't that short.” Twilight said grouchily, and Scrivener laughed a little before she smiled and elbowed him firmly, saying quietly: “And you really saw Trixie, huh?”

“And meddled with her, yes.” Scrivener smiled a little, glancing quietly over at Luna before he shook his head slowly and murmured softly: “Scares me, though. These Clockwork Ponies... what if amongst them, we have to see these... distorted versions of... and what if the Prophet...”

He broke off, leaving all his questions unfinished, but it only added to the tenseness that rippled through the air for a few moments before Twilight Sparkle shook her head slowly, saying quietly: “But they aren't us. From what you described from Visionary... they're like... puppets. Homunculi... both the shapeshifters, and even the other ponies that he...”

Scrivener closed his eyes and nodded slowly, and Twilight added almost hurriedly: “But not... not her. And... not you, Scrivener. I already know what you're thinking... but you're not a toy of Valthrudnir's. Not anymore than you're a monster.”

The male smiled wryly at this, however, looking over at her quietly as he said softly, raising a hoof: “And in my mind, most often I see myself as nothing but a mishmashed, mangled amalgamation of Tyrant Wyrm and earth pony. What does that say about me, Twilight Sparkle? It doesn't take a genius to figure it out.”

“And yet you were you when you spoke to Visionary, weren't you? You described it so vividly, Scrivener, and you never once said claws... you said hooves.” Twilight replied pointedly, and Scrivener frowned thoughtfully at this, looking down as Twilight looked hesitantly over at him, then she shook her head and smiled a little, changing the subject awkwardly: “So I... really had a big brother friend?”

“I think it was big brother best friend for life or something.” Scrivener replied after a moment, and Luna mumbled something, Scrivy glancing over at her and catching the wisp of memory before he corrected: “Forever. Not for life, forever. But yeah... you two seemed close, and he was married to a winged unicorn named Cadence.”

Twilight Sparkle smiled a little at this, looking silently over her shoulder at her own wings and flapping them slowly once. “And Little Luna and Nice Celestia.” She laughed despite herself, shaking her head slowly. “It's amazing. All the research we've started doing on the layers, how they parallel and reflect, how events are tilted so that in some way, they must all resemble one another at some point, even if only through a fun-house mirror... but I never had a big brother best friend forever. The closest thing I had to that...” She halted, then smiled again over at Scrivener Blooms. “Was you.”

“Yeah, except Shining Armor was handsome, big, polite, friendly, and related to you. Also you liked him. Back then I was... well, I wasn't handsome but I wasn't as ugly as I am now, either. I can say with certainty that I was rude, unfriendly, and definitely not related to you.” Scrivener paused thoughtfully, then he glanced up moodily at the ceiling. “Unless you're pure-blood, like I am. Isn't that funny? I'm technically a pure-blooded unicorn, just... hornless.”

Twilight sighed a little, then she shook her head and smiled a bit over at Scrivener. “Would you believe that I've never really known my own genealogy? For all I know I could be descended from Starswirl the Bearded or his apprentice... or maybe my ancestors were potato farmers, I don't know.”

“Potato farmers. You'd make a lame farmer. You'd try to schedule everything and then get angry at your crops when they didn't keep to your agendas and dig them all up to try and start all over again.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight rolled her eyes before she shouldered him firmly, then closed her eyes and dropped her head against his shoulder.

Scrivener looked at her softly, reaching up and brushing her mane quietly out of her eyes, and Twilight smiled a little before blushing and closing her eyes, but not pulling away. A small tremble ran through her body, and Scrivener studied her quietly before she sighed a little, shaking her head and reaching down to quietly flick the tome closed, saying softly: “I want to blame you and Luna for never letting me go... but somehow, I know that really... this is my fault more than it is yours. I can't let go of you two, even though I should... you have a son with Luna. Doesn't that change things?”

“Does it?” Scrivener asked softly, and Twilight grimaced a little, looking up at him hesitantly before she closed her eyes, and that was enough of an answer for the earth pony as he looked up at the ceiling and said quietly: “I am sorry, Twilight. Luna and I both are, really... because... we don't want to let you go, no. We don't want things to change, either, even though everything has changed...”

He quieted, looking away and scraping a hoof against the floor slowly as Twilight looked up at him silently. “It comes down to what you're comfortable with, though. Either way, I'm going to be your friend, and I'm always going to care for you, deeply. Deeper than I should, probably.” He smiled a little over at her, locking eyes with her silently. “You're family. You'll always have a place with me and Luna.”

Twilight nodded slowly, looking down and murmuring softly: “I just feel... displaced and... a little jealous, maybe. I mean, I want to say the stupidest things: things like 'it was fun, but now it's over,' and stuff like that. Because it wasn't about the fun, being with you two like... we once were. It was about being safe, and cared for, and having a sanctuary. But I worry... not about myself, but about messing up Antares. I worry about being normal. I worry about the difference between the Twilight Sparkle who was, the Twilight Sparkle who lived for two years without you, and the Twilight Sparkle who I am, who is now, who... I don't even know who she is, really.”

She quieted and smiled a little, looking up at him before she reached up and touched his chest silently. “I'm very grateful to you and Luna. For being my friends, for showing how much you care about me. For quieting all those fears I was ever just... meat... to you two. And for... waiting. I want you both to know that... I won't... I only need a little more time. Just a little more time, to figure everything out...”

She closed her eyes, and Scrivener nodded slowly as he gazed down at her silently, then leaned over and kissed her forehead gently. “Alright, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Alright, Scrivener Blooms.” Twilight smiled a little, and she let herself settle against him more comfortable. He wrapped a foreleg around her, and she listened silently to the beat of his heart, curled securely and comfortably against him, letting the comfort of it drive away all her worries, fears and anxieties for now before she sighed a little and said softly: “Drama and monsters and Clockwork and... Valthrudnir. It's all piling on at once, isn't it?”

“Life does that.” Scrivener shrugged and smiled a little, then he looked moodily down and rubbed slowly at his face, murmuring quietly: “To be honest, though, my two biggest concerns at the moment are setting up the anchors to ensure the Clockwork World can't get through to the core reality, just in case Prophet is trying to bring everything crashing down... and... figuring out what Visionary did to me. Why it was so important to her to pass it on... so important that she was willing to die to do it.”

Twilight nodded slowly, looking up at him quietly before she said hesitantly: “Well, we could... explore your mind, yeah? Luna and I could both tether into your memories and emotions...”

“Hell no. Stay out of my head.” Scrivener retorted, and Twilight rolled her eyes and gave him a flat look before the male smiled a little and glanced down. “No... it had something to do with when... Visionary died. I saw her memories, I saw her story... but when she died, that's when it really hit me hard, whatever she did. And I'm worried that it's not until Clockwork World attacks that this ability is finally going to show what it's meant to do...”

Twilight nodded again, then she sighed a little and murmured: “Alright, but... the offer always stands, Scrivener. I'm glad to delve into your mind and try and experience and decipher things for myself like that, too. You... you don't have to be afraid of showing me who you really are. I know who you are. I know as much about you as you do about me.”

Scrivener gave her a wry look, but Twilight only looked back up with a quiet laugh, saying softly: “It's true, you know, you big idiot. I pay attention to all my friends but... I've always paid special attention to you and Luna. Always. Besides, you... you get uncomfortable when talking about yourself, so I don't like to bring it up.”

Scrivener Blooms shifted a little at this, nodding after a moment with a grunt as he said finally: “Alright, you might... have a small point there. But okay, fine, Twilight. What was the first book I published?”

“Your first book was Rose Thorns, but you were first published in a magazine. Then anthologies after that.” Twilight smiled slightly, looking up at him with amusement. “Asking me questions about books as if I wouldn't know the answer, seriously. What's wrong with you?”

“What's wrong with your face?” Scrivener retorted crankily, and Luna giggled sleepily as Twilight rolled her eyes, slapping at him even as she continued to comfortably rest against him, and Scrivener hesitated for a moment before looking up and asking quietly: “Do you remember why I survived the Tyrant Wyrm's corruption?”

“You said you were evil.” Twilight said softly, and Scrivener smiled a little before she continued in a quiet voice: “But I don't believe that. Just because even in... the worst of darkness, you can find beauty and pleasure... I don't think it makes you evil, Scrivener. You're... you can be a little scary at times, yeah. Especially when you snap, and all that bottled-up anger comes out. But you're not evil.”

Scrivener looked down quietly, then he nodded slowly and muttered: “Still. It makes me wonder, you know, the fact that I seem to be made of the perfect materials for Valthrudnir's machinations to take advantage of. Maybe I'm some piece of his ridiculous puzzle, too.”

“Do not even joke about that, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna said quietly from across the room, sitting slowly up, and Scrivener smiled awkwardly at her as she looked at him for a few moments silently, and then sighed and shook her head, giving a faint laugh. “I... I apologize, my family. Perhaps it is just Scrivy's emotions wearing on me and everything else in the world turning so abysmally, but... even with my beloved little colt here, I still feel...”

She quieted, then shook her head and glowered over at Scrivener and Twilight. “Now, thou art both being whiny dramatic school-fillies and doomsayers, so I command thee both to shut up. I am very tired, but... I think home is also beginning to call to me, Twilight Sparkle. As a matter of fact, I think it calls to us all. Therefore, I demand thou to put together Antares' baby bag, and we shall all leave shortly for our little cottage, and thou shall spend the night with us.”

“Okay.” Twilight said softly, smiling, and Luna stared stupidly as Scrivener looked down at her with dumb surprise before the violet winged unicorn shrugged and slipped away from the stallion, looking amusedly over at Luna. “You can't have honestly expected me to not expect you to have that request, right? Because I've been waiting since you got here for you to basically order me to come back home with you, and well, with Spike gone for the night and Celestia out as well, there's... not really anything for me to do here.”

She paused at the stairs, smiling a little before she shook her head and said softly: “Everyone's finding their families, their... special places, you know? Where they really belong in this world... but it's not as if we're drifting apart, either. Even with Avalon, AJ and Rainbow are both always still glad to lend a hoof to anypony in need and especially their friends, and Pinkie Pie's always bouncing around, sharing smiles and joy and everything with everypony, and Fluttershy has the Phooka and helps look after the foals...”

She quieted, looking down and smiling a little. “And Rarity and Spike of course. I'm glad they have each other, even if it means it gets... a little lonely around here without Spike around as often. But that's okay... we still all see each other. We haven't... gone on different paths. We're still always there for each other when we need to be. We just all have our own jobs, our own duties, and we're all finding... where we really belong. But... we are all doing it, too.”

Twilight quieted... then she laughed a little and shook her head slowly, blushing a bit. “Anyway, I'll be right back. Sorry, it's... been a long week without you two around.”

“Aye.” Luna said softly, gazing thoughtfully up after Twilight with a soft smile... and then she shook her head and looked meditatively over at Scrivener Blooms before asking grumpily: “Why does thou get to cuddle and open up with Twilight Sparkle and I get a snatched and desperate kiss from Little Luna that was more a prank than anything else? And why did the damnable Princess wait until that moment in time to be fun?”

“Purely to frustrate you, Luna. The entire universe is against you and it was all a big joke by the Norns.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Luna nodded violently a few times, huffing and stomping her hooves as Scrivener sighed and shook his head, muttering: “Megalomaniac.”

“I would much rather pummel the world than rule it.” Luna retorted moodily, sitting back grumpily on her haunches before softening as she gazed down at Antares Mīrus, murmuring quietly: “Besides, look, Scrivy. We have a son, who is like the entire world to me as it is now.”

Scrivener smiled a little at this, nodding slowly before he turned his attention towards his discarded armor, and Luna sighed tiredly before she turned her own eyes grumpily to her piled-up gear. They dressed back in their equipment, repacked their things, and Luna complained but took one of the saddlebags so Scrivener could put the baby carrier on his other side, and the sapphire winged unicorn quieted as she carefully fitted her son into this as he continued to sleep.

She inspected his snoozing body, ensuring he was snug and comfortable, before he burbled quietly in his dreams... and Luna smiled faintly as he rose his empty hooves, turning her eyes to Gymbr and lifting the doll gently. She passed it over to the baby, and Scrivener gazed softly over his shoulder as his son clung quietly up against the toy with a mumble, before Luna glanced hesitantly towards Scrivener and asked: “Thou... does not see anything wrong with the toy? I had thought that since thou had been given some... gift of sight...”

“Yeah, but I doubt Gymbr has anything to do with Clockwork World or Valthrudnir, even if what Zecora suggested was true... hell, especially if. Good or evil, I'm pretty sure we'd be eager to bring down Valthrudnir.” He paused, then grimaced a little, looking moodily over at Luna. “But I just realized something. If-”

“Do not even suggest that.” Luna said firmly, raising a hoof and looking disgusted. “I do not believe the accursed Jötnar could be anything but what he was... not good, not evil, simply a self-obsessed, unforgivable and murderous child.”

Scrivener grunted in agreement, even as he looked moodily down, thinking thoughts he didn't entirely want to think before he hurriedly shook his head out when Luna glowered at him moodily. “Thy name should have been... Stupid.”

“And your name should have been...” Scrivener winced when Luna's horn glowed as she leaned towards him threateningly. “Uh... pretty. Lady.”

“Pretty Lady. That is even more insulting than if thou had insulted me!” Luna said grumpily, then she leaned over and poked him firmly in the flank with her horn, making him wince and stagger to the side as she muttered: “Damnable Scrivener Blooms. Thou art damnable. And stupid. Beetle.”

“I know. I know.” Scrivener said tiredly, and Luna nodded a few times before they both looked up as Twilight came down the back stairs, Antares' baby bag hanging on her side as she smiled a little at them, and a simple, smaller satchel on her other side. “Oh, good. Luna was about to start pummeling me, baby or not.”

Luna sniffed disdainfully at this, tilting her head back before she grinned when Twilight said mildly: “I can always go back upstairs for a few minutes...”

Scrivener glared at her, and the sapphire winged unicorn laughed before she shook her head and replied easily: “That is a generous offer, Twilight Sparkle, but nay, thou does not much to quell my rage. Come now, let us head home. Scarlet Sage is likely wondering what we are doing by now, after all.”

Twilight nodded with a smile, and she paused only a moment in the doorway, glancing over her shoulder to tilt her horn and turn off the lights in the building. She closed the door silently behind her as she slipped into the dark night air, breathing slowly and then glancing up at the star-littered sky above, watching as clouds silently floated past like thin wisps of ghosts as Luna murmured softly: “Oh, beautiful night... yes, I am home.”

They turned quietly, heading to the gates of Ponyville, and Nibelung and pony guards both saluted them as they pushed the doors slowly open, Luna pausing a moment to ask curiously: “How goes duty here? Have there been any sightings of hostile forces?”

“Nope nope, fancy-corn.” one of the Nibelung spoke up, saluting and nodding with a smile, and then it winced when one of the ponies nudged it firmly, the dwarf glowering before it added grouchily: “Well. Silly-pony think he see big black drake. But we no see big black drake.”

Luna frowned at this, leaning forwards apprehensively, but she was relieved when the Pegasus pony in question glared and snapped at the dwarf: “I did! It was the size of a damn carriage, chasing after some kind of wild animal... how the hell did you all miss it?”

“Oh, I no know, flying-pony. Maybe because gates was closed?” The Nibelung leaned over, seizing the Pegasus by the wings and lifting it into the air by these, making it squawk and flail furiously. “You spend all day with head in clouds, cloudy-pony. No wonder you see funny things.”

Luna sighed and rolled her eyes as the Pegasus shook free and glared at the dwarf, who grumbled back before the sapphire winged unicorn turned her eyes to the Pegasus: “The size of a carriage and chasing a wild animal. Is there anything else thou can recall?”

“Yeah, it moved really funny. It was skittering all.. really fast.” the Pegasus replied after a moment, then he dropped low to the ground, stretching his limbs out as far as they would go before making a crab like movement, and the Nibelung laughed at him as one of the other ponies slapped his forehead, but the Pegasus continued to look completely serious. “But fast!”

Luna grunted, then she looked at the guards and said moodily: “It may be a marsh drake, lured out of its usual hunting grounds by the promise of fresh food. Be careful, if it is such a creature, then that wall will mean as much to it as a short hedge.”

The Nibelung stopped laughing at this, but Luna only smiled at them politely before she turned and headed onwards, Twilight wincing a bit as Scrivener followed on her other side, before the violet mare asked awkwardly as the gates were hurriedly closed behind them: “Should we... maybe not walk through the forest if...”

“Oh, 'tis probably nothing, Twilight, and even if it is, the creature will grab its prey and then either get lost in the forest or hurry back to its own territory. They are nasty creatures but nothing any of us could not handle, anyway.” Luna said dismissively, shaking her head briefly as they continued down the path into the Everfree Forest, the winged unicorn looking thoughtful. “Still, for such a creature to wander so far out of its preferred hunting grounds... it must have been a very enticing animal or a very hungry predator.”

Twilight didn't look exactly pleased or reassured by this, and she was quiet for a while as they headed into the forest. Her apprehension only grew as the darkness around them seemed to sway and whisper, before she jumped when a pair of eyes opened in the shadows... but the Nightmare they belonged to only laughed quietly before soothing gently: “Oh, fear not, it is only us... we heard the mistress had returned, and we were eager to see her and speak to her... to ensure that she was alright...”

“How nice.” Luna said wryly, but she smiled all the same as she glanced back and forth at the Nightmares on either side of them: at least three, pacing silently around them through the shadows on the side of the bath, sinuously twisting around trees as their eyes glowed eerily. “Normally thou art not so helpful, nor so polite, though, so I cannot help but suspect an ulterior motive...”

“We know, mistress, but fear not. We merely wish to escort you home. And believe us when we say we are relieved to see you back...” one of the other Nightmares said kindly, flatteringly. “You are what keeps us safe, after all. Keeps us strong, and comfortable in this world. Why, without you, beloved mistress, without the help of the alliances you have forged and the legions of darkness you command, we would have all been nothing but a few weak, scattered creatures in a world not our own, easily preyed-upon by the beasts of this realm...”

Luna visibly enjoyed the heavy compliments, but her eyes were still suspicious even as she didn't reply before Scrivener winced a little when one of the Nightmares leaned in towards Antares, saying softly: “And look at the young foal. So handsome, so strong, blessed by night...”

Luna's eyes narrowed at this, and then she said curtly: “He was cursed by Nightmare Moon. Do not mistake me, I recognize that aye, to be able to fly will be good. But she tried to turn my own son into a thrall, and that is no blessing. Those wings do not come from a place of help, but of hindrance.”

“We mean no disrespect, sister.” one of the Nightmares said softly, and they bowed their heads respectfully as Luna grumbled a little under her breath, and Scrivener glanced moodily back and forth as well. “We would never wish harm nor insult upon your child, after all. We must serve all your family, as we serve you. And we look forwards to watching him grow up... to observing beloved Antares Mīrus, and what glory he brings to the night...”

The ponies were silent as Antares shifted quietly in his sleep, murmuring and shivering a little, and then Scrivener looked up and asked finally: “Has anything unusual been going on around the forest, or anywhere around Ponyville or Canterlot?”

“Not at all, brother.” one of the Nightmares replied smoothly, the others smiling and nodding in agreement. “There are of course strange things going on in the country, but they are no stranger than usual, and far and wide... the forest has been quiet, and peaceful. Canterlot is being steadily rebuilt, and higher and higher grow the marble walls and towers as we slip and slide through the endless catacombs below. They make a wonderful home.”

Twilight frowned at this, looking towards the Nightmares and unable to stop herself from asking: “What do you mean, home?”

The Nightmares laughed quietly, and then one of them said softly: “They are deep, and dark, and safe. Nothing has lived there for centuries, and nothing has died there for even longer than that. And our sustenance... vital force and emotional energy... they will be in such great supply that it will be as if we are... plants, growing comfortably in a greenhouse.”

“As long as our numbers do not grow too great, your kind will not even know our kind exists beneath you.” added another Nightmare, smiling softly, and then it added softly: “And our duty is to protect the ponies. Our oaths are sworn to you and your kind... we cannot break such a bond, not without great penance and punishment.”

Twilight still looked apprehensive, but Luna only shook her head slowly, muttering over her shoulder: “Fear not, Twilight Sparkle, 'twill be a long time in the future before the creatures settle into their cozy new home. And while they tend to speak with serpents' tongues, they cannot lie to us, especially about the promises they have made to me.” Luna paused meditatively, adding wryly: “Besides. They will be like rats living beneath the dragon's aerie, feeding off its scraps... Celestia, after all, will be sitting in Canterlot right above their heads, and they have no worse foe.”

“But she is not our foe, sister.” one of the Nightmares said softly, bowing its head politely and earning a curious frown from Luna. “As we are your allies, she is our ally, and we would consider her a sibling as well. She is the Dawn Bringer, but although we cannot exist in her ardent day... we all the same are the necessary reflection, part of the deep darkness that gives her meaning. We cycle. We are necessary to one-another, especially in this world.”

Luna looked moody for a few moments, and then she nodded thoughtfully and smiled slightly despite herself, saying finally: “I suppose... this is true, aye, although thou may be overplaying thy necessity. Even without thee there would still be a night.”

“We know, sister, but we make the night safer: we have value to you, do we not?” one of the other Nightmares pointed out eloquently, and it smiled after a moment, adding quietly: “And of course we cannot declare ourselves worthless and unnecessary, especially to you, mistress and sister.”

Luna only nodded slowly, and Twilight lowered her head musingly as they continued quietly onwards, Scrivener Blooms feeling Antares seeming to settle a little more at his side. The Nightmares vanished one by one into the darkness as they neared their cottage, however, leaving with only smiles and without goodbyes, and as they slowly approached the front door, Twilight said quietly: “I can see now more about why you saved them, Luna. It's... very strange seeing it from this angle, but it's like when I first saw Fluttershy with the Phooka. It was weird at first but... the more she told me about it, the more she explained it to me and let me see her with them...”

“Aye, exactly.” Luna smiled slightly over her shoulder, halting in front of the door before she said quietly: “Thou hast my thanks, Twilight Sparkle. I have been waiting for far too long for someone apart from Scrivener to tell me that my idea to bring the Nightmares and demons across reality was not a stupid and selfish one.”

“As if you need more reassurance about your bad ideas.” Scrivener said softly, and Luna rolled her eyes and shoved the door open with a grumble, Scrivener and Twilight both smiling as they followed the winged unicorn into the house.

Scarlet Sage glanced up from where she was sitting in the living room, and Discombobulation slowly peered his head around the corner before he said mildly: “Oh look. Luna's gone crazy again. But it seems that this time he recovered a little faster than usual, that's very nice to see.”

Scrivener sighed a little, and Luna firmly bopped Discombobulation on the nose with her horn as she passed, the Draconequus wincing and grabbing this as he sat back and glowered grumpily at her. Then she turned a smile to Scarlet Sage, asking softly: “How art thou feeling, now that this is all said and done, Scarlet Sage?”

“Good, I think... good.” Scarlet answered softly, and the Pegasus smiled a little glancing down and shaking her head slowly. “I mean... I know it wasn't anything like what any of us expected, but it really... I mean... I wish I could have done more. Is that... normal?”

“It never changes for me, anyway.” Luna replied quietly, looking down moodily, then she shook her head briefly before asking finally: “What did thou do with the film canisters?”

“Oh, I dropped them off already to be developed.” Scarlet Sage smiled a little, nodding, and Luna smiled approvingly back with a grunt. “I made sure to give the usual order, too. Private batch, you or I will pick them up and pay for it then, he can look at them but not copy them or anything.”

“Aye, good. I trust young Featherweight, but I shall still pummel him horribly if he tries to keep any of the photos again. He may be tall as a oak but he's as gangly as a reed.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener snorted in amusement as Scarlet Sage sighed and shook her head. “I know, I know, but I am a very nice pony! It is not my fault that silly ponies try and do silly things. Besides, I saved his life after he snapped a picture of that demon. He should be thanking me for the opportunity to do him a favor.”

She nodded firmly, and Discombobulation snorted, sitting back and saying moodily: “Do you know why I do all the references around here? Because yours are either way too obvious and clearly based on over-stretched assumptions, or worse, they're far too obscure for anyone but a few other people to get.”

Scrivener and Luna both simply looked at him for a moment, and then Twilight turned around and headed towards Antares' room, calling mildly: “I'll put the baby's stuff away and then put on coffee. You two should probably change out of your armor.”

“Yes, mother Twilight.” Scrivener and Luna muttered at the same time, and Antares giggled sleepily in his carrier as Discombobulation snorted in amusement. The violet mare only ignored them, however, and Scrivener grumbled under his breath as Luna gently lifted Antares free before passing him gently to Scarlet Sage, who smiled softly and hugged her baby brother tight up against her body.

The two armor-clad ponies headed towards their room, and the Draconequus sniffed before he looked mildly over at the Blood Seer, saying dryly: “So. Sucked any blood lately, Marceline?”

“What?” Scarlet Sage frowned, then she glowered at him. “Wait, is that a vampire or something? Because I'm not a vampire and I don't even like the taste of blood, thank you.”

Discombobulation only huffed in response to this, saying seriously: “Maybe you just haven't found any blood that likes you, did you ever think of that? You don't know something until you've tried it, and even if you try it once, twice, thrice, trying it again may be what makes you like it, because of some subtle difference, some tiny flaw, some perfect twist or tick or tat. For instance, I bet you've never stuffed potato chips up your nose: you may tell me you wouldn't like it. You may think you wouldn't like it. You may be almost absolutely sure that it would be painful and unpleasant. But until you go and stuff those potato chips up your nostrils, you don't know, with absolute proof, that you don't like stuffing potato chips up your nose.”

The chimerical creature paused, then he held out a hand, and a bag labeled 'Potato Chips' appeared in a puff of smoke. “So I have this bag here...”

“Why don't you try it first?” Scarlet Sage asked mildly, and Discombobulation frowned before the Blood Seer said pointedly: “I bet you've never done it before yourself, after all. For all you know, maybe it'll be the most fun thing in the world. And you can tell me it wouldn't be. You can say it would be uncomfortable and crazy. But I thought that's what you were all about... confusing, crazy, chaotic experiences?”

“You are so much more wily than Dilbert.” Discombobulation said with relish, and then he popped open the bag and reached in, slowly pulling out a chip. He inspected this for a few long moments, then rose his head slightly, guiding the chip in close... and tossing it easily into his mouth, chewing reflectively before he said mildly: “You really thought I was going to do it, didn't you?”

Scarlet Sage only smiled wryly, as Twilight Sparkle strode past, and Discombobulation waved the bag of chips at her. The violet mare only smiled, however, shaking her head as she headed into the kitchen. “Thanks, but I'm going to put on coffee.”

“You could have both. And since apparently nostrils are out of the question, what about ears?” Discombobulation asked mildly, and then he huffed when Scarlet Sage only sighed tiredly. “Go sing a sad song about your french fries. Although Luna would probably look quite fetching in a suit and cowboy boots.”

Scrivener cocked his head at this as he walked back into the room with Luna, and the sapphire winged unicorn snorted as she headed across the room to flop down in her usual spot on the bedding. Then she grumbled and wiggled around in a circle as Scrivener Blooms rested back against the kitchen divider, and Discombobulation looked thoughtfully back and forth between them before he said moodily: “My references are getting all mixed up. All I know is that Scrivener Blooms doesn't noodle her forelegs enough, but she could very well be a shape-changing dog. But she has the attitude and attractiveness of a certain Princess from Space that happens to be... Lumpy.”

The chimerical creature nodded firmly as they simply looked at him, and then he sighed and rolled his eyes, raising his eagle talon and saying flatly: “Look, it's stuck in my head, okay? What, chaos entities aren't allowed to like certain things? Here. Watch this, I'll even show it to you.”

The Draconequus snapped his fingers, and there was a swirl of light before it formed into the distinct, cartoonish shape of a figure wearing a blue shirt and shorts over gangly limbs. His features were oddly flat, staring through a white, face-hugging hat with two ears. For a moment, the ponies could only stare, and then the figure suddenly turned and punched the Draconequus across the face, knocking him flat on his side as he snapped: “Hey! Stop referencing me everywhere. It's creepy, and you're a stalker. Don't be a stalker dude. Stalking is not cool. Not. Cool.”

Discombobulation only laid prone with his limbs half-raised in the air, drooling a little, and then the odd figure puffed out of existence. And a moment later, Luna burst into laughter, chortling: “Oh, I liked that very much! Do it again, Discombobulation, do so do it again!”

The Draconequus only mumbled weakly from the ground before grabbing with a wince at his bruised cheek, sitting slowly up as he grumbled under his breath: “Well, perhaps I have been... overusing it a little lately. Some hero. More like. A jerk. Big. Jerk. I don't like that cartoon anymore.”

With that, Discombobulation huffed and crossed his arms, glaring grouchily at Luna as she continued to laugh before he snapped his fingers, and a roll of duct tape appeared in midair and wrapped violently around her muzzle several times, clamping her jaws shut and making her wheeze in surprise through her nostrils as Scrivener coughed and tried to hide a grin. “You're much prettier this way, Scrivener Blooms. Much less obnoxious, too.”

Luna glared at him, and the Draconequus cleared his throat before he carefully stood up and saluted, saying mildly: “Sorry, but the mission ends here. Celebrity boxing tonight stars Captain Picard and Darth Vader, and I have front row tickets aboard the Enterprise. Scotty, beam me up.”

And with that, a shining cylinder of light surrounded the Draconequus as he stood still for a moment, then suddenly posed with a bright grin, holding up his hands and waving them back and forth before he puffed out of existence.

Luna huffed, grumbling and promising revenge as she scrabbled at the duct tape wrapped around her muzzle, and Scrivener decided to simply enjoy this moment of calm as he glanced over his shoulder at Twilight Sparkle as Scarlet Sage sighed and smiled. Antares burbled softly in her lap, and for a few moments, everything felt strangely at peace as the odd little family rested together in the gentle chaos following the turbulent week.

Parenting Practices

Chapter Twenty Three: Parenting Practices
~BlackRoseRaven

It was amazing how refreshed and revitalized Scrivener Blooms and Luna both felt in the morning after a night of comfortable rest together at their cottage, knowing that Antares was safe in his room, curled up in his cradle with Gymbr. Twilight Sparkle slept out on the bedding in the living room, and Scarlet Sage had retired to her own room early on in the evening, obviously anxious for a good sleep herself.

Scrivy, as he often was, was the first to get up, as Luna sulkily flailed her hooves at him, half-pushing him off their bedding as she mumbled about coffee, then complaining about needing her 'pretty mare' the moment Scrivener was out of bed. The stallion had simply tossed one of his pillows into her grasping forelegs, and she had hugged this and curled up around it, content for the moment as she buried her face against it with a series of grumbles.

The stallion went out to put on coffee, looking tiredly back and forth in the gray morning light streaming in through the windows. He paused long enough to approach one of these curiously, yawning and gazing out into a thick, pearly mist outside. It veiled everything, and he shook his head slowly, yawning loudly and saying tiredly: “I don't care if it's actually a giant monster, though. Not until... coffee...”

He shook his head blearily, but all the same, he felt good. Very slow and lethargic, but good, as he smiled quietly at the sight of Twilight half-wrapped in a blanket in the living room, a book laying beside her sprawled-out body. He gazed at her for a few long moments, then turned his eyes to the kitchen, flicking on the flights with one hoof... and then staring in surprise at the sight of Gymbr sitting silently with his back to the back door.

“How'd you get out here?” Scrivener asked quietly, and the doll only looked silently up at him with its button eyes before he shook his head slowly, smiling a little as he reached out and touched it almost hesitantly, as if expecting it to come alive. But when nothing happened, he decided that it had probably been stolen and then dropped here by Discombobulation, and he muttered a little under his breath as he sat the doll up on the counter before going about the process of making coffee.

He glanced at the doll as it seemed to stare at him almost accusingly, and he shrugged after a moment, saying finally: “Hey, don't blame me. I'm tired. It's morning. You're... apparently a toy based off of something that's pure evil, or something, I dunno.” He paused, turned on the coffeemaker, then grabbed the doll and easily put it onto his shoulders, saying quietly: “Come on, let's bring you back to Antares. Probably missing you.”

Scrivener strolled down to his son's room, then he frowned at the closed door: they always left it at least a little ajar, after all. He shook this off, however, again deciding to blame the Draconequus... or maybe Twilight had closed it after checking on the baby last night. Either way, easy to explain.

He pushed open the door and smiled at the sight of his son, curled up quietly in his crib. Scrivener approached... but then the toddler's eyes opened, and Antares smiled up at him around the pacifier in his mouth, and the stallion laughed quietly before he looked over his shoulder at the doll, murmuring: “Well, what do you know. Okay kiddo, you wanna get up?”

“Up.” Antares murmured quietly, and Scrivener smiled again after a moment before he nodded and reached down, gently picking the child up and giving him a gentle hug for a moment before turning towards the changing table. Antares shifted and giggled a little, but he was lethargic and agreeable, and it was easy to strip off his white, star-patterned onesie and then quickly change his diaper.

He finished slipping on the baby's padding, then smiled and leaned down, blowing a quiet raspberry on his son's stomach and making him giggle quietly. Then Scrivener swept him gently up and put him down on the floor, saying softly: “Come on, kiddo. Let's go wake up Mom.”

Antares burbled happily in agreement to this, then he quietly scampered after Scrivener as the earth pony smiled a little, before laughing when the colt pointed at him and said excitedly: “Gymbr! Ride!”

“Oh, Gymbr? He's still riding up on Daddy's back, isn't he?” Scrivener Blooms smiled wider after a moment, gazing over his shoulder at his son as Antares nodded almost wildly, and then he laughed and asked softly: “Do you want to ride up with Gymbr, kiddo?”

The toddler grunted and nodded rapidly a few more times in response, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh before he nodded back and carefully dropped low, laying down and letting the foal scramble forwards and crawl his way up onto the stallion's broad back, giggling quietly as he crawled his way up towards the earth pony stallion's shoulders to hug his doll with one foreleg and cling to his father with the other.

Scrivener walked carefully forwards, but Antares was clinging safely to his back, smiling and happy as the earth pony gently pushed the door open. Luna looked up with a sigh and a soft expression from the bedding, even as she tried to curl herself under the sheets, muttering: “'Tis morning, Scrivener Blooms, and I do not like mornings. They symbolize the end of night, the beginning of day, and worst of all ruin any and all attempts to sleep.”

“But now you get to play with your kid all day. Come on, Luna, coffee's already on and you can cuddle with Twilight, who's being just as lazy as you this morning.” Scrivener replied softly, and Luna mumbled a little as Antares burbled happily on his father's back before the earth pony snorted in amusement and turned to head down the hall, saying mildly over his shoulder to the foal: “Isn't Mommy lazy sometimes for a super-warrior?”

“Lazy.” Antares agreed seriously, then he smiled as they stepped into the living room, pointing at Twilight and declaring quietly: “Why-light.”

“Why-light, indeed.” Scrivener said agreeably, and then he paused as he stepped towards the still asleep violet mare, glancing down at the book she had been reading... and feeling both a moment of tenderness and irritation as he realized it as one of his own old poetry books. He sighed after a moment, then looked meditatively over his shoulder at Antares, who looked seriously back before Scrivener bowed low and said mildly: “Give Why-light a big hug.”

“Hug!” Antares shouted cheerfully, and then he scrambled off Scrivener's shoulders and half-fell face-first into the bedding with a soft thud, and Scrivener winced before the baby giggled stupidly and crawled quickly up to his hooves, dragging Gymbr happily along with him as the earth pony reflected that Antares probably had far too much of both his parents in him for his own good.

He bounced happily over to Twilight and tackled her sleeping face, and the winged unicorn immediately jerked awake, flailing her hooves wildly with a snort as Antares giggled again and rested comfortably over her features. Then she sighed in what sounded like both relief and irritation, looking dryly up past the foal masking her head to say dryly: “At least you didn't throw Luna on top of me this time.”

Scrivener shrugged meditatively, turning and replying mildly: “Don't worry, I think Luna's coming to throw herself on top of you. Do you want something to eat?”

Twilight yawned loudly, then she reached up and gently pulled Antares free, the foal beaming up at her as she gazed softly over at Scrivener Blooms. “Just coffee's good for now. Feels like I haven't slept in days... I mean... well, you know what I mean.”

“It catches up sometimes.” Scrivener said softly, heading to the kitchen as Luna finally stumbled down the hallway, looking grumpy before her eyes settled on the violet mare and her son. For a moment, the sapphire winged unicorn only stood, surveying them meditatively... and then she half-ran, half-staggered forwards and threw herself onto the bedding, almost knocking both child and mare over like bowling pins as Antares giggled and Twilight winced away.

Then Luna settled herself comfortably down, squirming a bit against the bedding before she declared tiredly: “Today I shall not leave this cottage, and nor shall anypony else. Besides, 'tis all gross and foggy outside. I do not like fog. 'Tis like a cloud that is too dumb to remember it belongs in the sky.”

Twilight steadily shook herself out and woke herself up as Luna clung to the few vestiges of sleep she could until Scrivener finally came into the room with coffee for the adults and a baby bottle for Antares. Luna tried to take this from him, and he swatted her and pushed her coffee towards her instead as Twilight smiled despite herself, watching the way Scrivener quietly picked up Antares and easily cradled him in one forelimb, gazing down softly at his son as he fed him his bottle and the baby burbled softly, smiling happily up at his father.

“How well did he eat while we were gone?” Scrivener asked curiously, glancing over at Twilight and surprising her, and she blushed a little, making the stallion smile slightly before he said kindly: “No, Twilight, I will not cuddle you and feed you a bottle later.”

“I will.” Luna grinned widely, winking over at Twilight as she half-lidded her eyes. “As a matter of fact, Twilight, if thou art-”

Twilight flicked her horn to throw a pillow at Luna's face, cutting her off and making her huff before the violet mare replied dryly: “Thanks, both of you, for completely ruining any possible nice thoughts I might have been having. But to answer your question, Scrivener, we stuck to your schedule for the most part. Formula, soft foods, porridge, baby goop... he stomached some crackers and cookies, too.”

Luna and Scrivener both nodded, the male gazing softly down at the foal before Antares pushed lightly at the bottle, and the stallion chuckled quietly as he pulled it away and put it aside, the colt burbling happily up at him. “Okay, okay. Enough breakfast then, kiddo.”

He gently burped the toddler, then set him down, and Antares burbled happily before turning and tackling Gymbr, rolling a few times with the doll over the floor and giggling as Scrivener smiled and gazed affectionately at his child. Twilight looked at him softly, feeling an odd twist through her body, and Luna gave the fellow mare a look before she asked quietly: “Twilight, may I speak to thee aside?”

Twilight looked surprised at this, and Scrivener glanced up curiously before Luna gave him a pointed look and a smile, saying softly: “No peeking, Scrivy. Come, out on the deck, in this damnable fog.”

The violet mare nodded hesitantly, looking almost as if she was worried she had done something wrong and was about to be scolded, and Luna clearly picked up on this with a wry grin, looking with entertainment at the mare before she easily lifted both their mugs with telekinesis. “Oh, fear not, Twilight, I am not going to spank thee. Simply 'tis time for us mares to have a little chat. Scrivener, keep the foal entertained.”

Scrivener nodded hesitantly after a moment, and he turned his eyes to the foal as the two left. Antares watched the two go quietly, sitting slowly up as if he felt something was different, something had changed... and then he looked quietly over his shoulder and said softly: 'Why-light. Why-light mom?”

“Twilight and Mom?” Scrivener half-asked curiously, and Antares shook his head briefly, making the stallion smile a little as he reached out and quietly ruffled the baby's mane. “Don't get confused now, Antares. But I do think that... yeah, she might wish that. Then again, look at you, kiddo. You're like the perfect little son.”

Antares smiled up at this, then he picked up Gymbr and quietly threw him at Scrivener, the doll landing gently in front of the stallion, and he laughed and reached down to pick it up, gazing down at the strange, winged unicorn toy. He studied it thoughtfully, then Antares reached up and covered his ears with his hooves, saying seriously: “Story.”

“Story? When'd you learn that word, kiddo?” Scrivener looked at him with surprise, and Antares responded only by giving a bright smile in return, making his teeth gleam, and Scrivener laughed and shook his head. “You're like a not-evil Pinkamena.”

“Pink-me-nah!” Antares blurted in agreement, flailing his hooves for a moment before he insistently pressed them back against his ears. “Story!”

“Story, story... does Gymbr have a story to tell me?” Scrivener asked softly, and Antares smiled again at being understood, the earth pony looking thoughtfully at his son before he gazed down at the doll in his own hooves, saying softly” “Alright then. Let's take a listen.”

He quietly rose the doll to his ear, smiling a little... and then his eyes widened in surprise as a voice whispered softly through his mind: You haven't opened your eyes yet.

Scrivener shivered and pulled the doll away hurriedly, looking down at it with shock, and Antares frowned a little before he stepped quietly forwards, touching his father's foreleg nervously and reassuring softly: “No scare. No scare.”

“I...” Scrivener looked down at his son quietly, and then he shook his head briefly before asking finally: “Antares... how often does Gymbr talk to you? How often do you two... speak... to each other?”

Antares only smiled in response, however, sitting back and gazing silently, affectionately up at his father, and Scrivener laughed after a moment before he closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. Then he rose the doll back up to his ear... but there was only silence now, even when he shook it gently. And finally, he sighed a little before handing the toy back to Antares, saying quietly: “I guess for now Gymbr is done speaking to me, kiddo.”

The baby nodded a few times at this, looking up at his father softly, and then he looked down at Gymbr and hugged the doll fiercely, and Scrivener softened a little at this. No matter how much the thought that there was some.. alien, secret force in this strange little toy scared him, Antares absolutely adored it, and trusted in it. And Scrivener thought that if anything went to show that perhaps the toy, however 'evil' it might be, meant no harm to any of them... it was the way the foal adored it so much.

Scrivener looked meditative all the same, however, even as Antares wrestled with his doll a little before falling over on his side. No one, from himself to Odin, could see into the doll... but apparently this toy could see as clearly into them as Antares Mīrus could. And he didn't know if that bothered him or not... then again, Scrivener never felt sure what he should be feeling about anything these days.

He sighed a little, then finally picked up his growing-cold coffee and sipped at it, grimacing a little more at the thoughts running around in his head than the taste. Antares burbled a little as he bounced happily around, tossing Gymbr occasionally into the air and giggling when the doll fell before he grabbed one of his fuzzy books from the pile of toys in the corner and bustled over to his father, burbling and pawing at him.

“Words, kiddo.” Scrivener said gently, and Antares huffed and continued to babble before Scrivener smiled and shook his head, reaching down and ruffling the foal's mane. “Come on, you can do it.”

Antares mumbled a little, then quieted and sat back for a moment before he finally held up the fuzzy, felt-covered book and said firmly: “Book.”

“Alright, alright. Book, please, though, next time.” Scrivener smiled despite himself, knowing he was just as likely to enforce the rule next time as he did this time. He couldn't help himself, though... Antares was adorable, developing fast, and he and Luna had trouble with their own basic manners and etiquette themselves.

The stallion reached down, quietly picking up the book, and Antares happily curled up against his father as Scrivener leaned over the book, reading it in a soft, clear voice. About halfway through, Twilight and Luna came back inside to sit quietly and watch Scrivener with the foal, and the male continued to read even as he shot a curious glance towards his wife, but she only gave a brief shake of her head as Twilight blushed a little.

Scrivener wasn't in any real rush to find out what they were talking about, anyway: he was more than glad to keep his focus and attention for now on his son, finishing the book, and then smiling when Antares burbled happily and ran over to Luna, who picked him up and cuddled him close for a moment before she said firmly: “When this accursed fog lifts, I believe I shall try and train my little boy today. We must be prepared for what is coming... and little Antares does love training with his mother, doesn't he?”

Antares giggled a little, burbling happily and pawing at her face gently, and Luna smiled warmly before Twilight glanced pointedly towards Scrivener. Scrivener grumbled a little, but then nodded and followed after the violet mare when she began to turn... except then Antares scrambled up to lean over Luna's shoulder and called: “Why-light!”

Twilight looked amusedly over her shoulder at the foal, and then Antares smiled at her, saying kindly: “Why-light mom.”

“Twilight mom.” the violet mare repeated softly, and then she laughed and nodded, smiling warmly in return. “I can live with that.”

Then she turned, and Scrivener followed her out through the front door before grimacing a bit at the still-thick fog as he closed it quietly behind him, glancing up moodily and disliking even more the way the sun shone into the bank of mist, making the smoky white substance seem to glow eerily. “I'm with Luna on this. I hate this kind of weather... more because I'm always worried about what lurks in-”

“So the next time you guys go to another layer, I'm coming with you.” Twilight interrupted abruptly, and Scrivener looked at her with surprise as she gazed quietly across at him, then leaned forwards and said softly: “I'm... coming with you.”

Scrivener looked back at her for a few moments, and then he smiled a little, saying softly in return: “That makes me happier than I can say, but... I want to... remind you that you don't have to, too, hard as that is for me to admit. You don't have to... come with us.”

“I want to.” Twilight said quietly, meeting his eyes and smiling faintly before she closed her eyes. “Scrivener... thank you.”

“No, Twilight. Thank you.” Scrivener replied quietly, and then he smiled a little as he winked at her, enunciating gently: “For coming with us.”

“Yeah.” Twilight hesitated, then they were quiet for a few moments before she said softly: “You're a really talented writer, you know. I mean, I know you're always pointing out you never did that well, or... well... gloating, pretty much, about the bad reviews you always got... but Scrivener, you are. It's just that you talent is... for darker writing. For dredging up emotions. And I really would... like to see your more recent works, if you'll share them with me.”

“Hell no.” Scrivener replied flatly, and Twilight snorted and gave him a half-amused, half-irritated look. “And all the talent in the world won't get you anywhere, Twilight. Luna has actually held some very cynical but hilarious conversations on that subject with a few of her demons, how many ponies have traded their souls for skill or talent over the years... and then never been recognized for it, or even treated as frauds and charlatans. I mean, with the fact my emblem is pretty obviously 'depressing writing,' it's hard for even me to argue that I'm not a talented writer... unless, you know, I really was meant to sell rare flowers and crow feathers.”

Twilight Sparkle sighed quietly, and then she looked at him moodily before asking quietly and seriously: “May I please read some of your latest work?”

“I... fine.” Scrivener mumbled finally, grumbling and shaking his head briskly before he sighed a little and glowered at her. “I hate it when you do that.”

The purple mare only snorted in amusement, however, opening a wing to slap him lightly with it before they both gazed out into the deep fog, and Twilight said finally: “Weather is strange, though... I don't think I've ever seen such a heavy mist in the Everfree before.”

“Luna and I have before, it's rare but... it happens. The Everfree Forest is... chaotic and wild, even by the standards of this world's nature.” Scrivener shook his head and looked quietly into the fog, saying softly: “But honestly... it does worry me more than a little at times like this. In the past, when there's been a heavy, lingering fog, it meant... something was wandering. In this world, where the ponies died out, without us constantly expanding our borders, settling into places, and pushing back against... the wildness, even with just our presence alone... things have grown. Things have developed, in ways we never expected...”

“It's a wild world. Our enemies are our friends here, and many of our traditional allies enemies.” Twilight smiled a little, glancing over at him. “Did I tell you that Celestia had started talking to the dragons, though? She's trying to appeal to them through reason and practicality, but... it hasn't always been going very well.”

Scrivener nodded meditatively at this. “Well, it probably doesn't help that Luna's never been very good at making friends. I'm sure the fact a good few dragons have been pummeled by her in the past isn't really helping them see ponies overall as 'friendly allies.'”

Twilight laughed a little, and for a moment they were quiet before they turned towards one-another, sharing a firm, fierce embrace as Twilight dropped her face against the side of his neck and she murmured: “Thanks for waiting. Even if Luna got impatient, but... I think she knew I needed a good push. She always knows when to listen and wait... and when to give that shove, doesn't she?”

“Well, she likes to think she does.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Twilight smiled despite herself, nodding after a moment before the two turned towards the door. Then the stallion paused, hesitating for a moment as he rested a hoof against the door before saying quietly: “I don't think you need to worry about anything, Twilight. I know it's weird. I know it's different. But if anything, you've always been the good influence that levels out all the stupidity me and Luna do. You're... Why-light Mom.” Scrivener smiled despite himself, and then he winked at her and said softly: “Kid's lucky to have you helping us look out for him, since we'd probably just screw up otherwise.”

Twilight blushed deeply at this, then she shook her head quickly, laughing as they headed back inside and she murmured: “Now you're just flattering me. Scrivener, you treat that baby boy better than you treat Luna. And I've never seen anypony as patient, understanding, and compassionate as you often are with Luna, no matter how often you two also beat on each other.”

Scrivener grunted at this as he headed into the den, then he smiled amusedly over at the sapphire winged unicorn as she grinned up at him cheerfully. “Well, dearest, that's because if I wasn't so nice to you, you'd pummel me, right?”

“Exactly, Twilight. And why, Scrivener is not always an excellent father: why, not long before we left, he refused the baby a treat of cola.” Luna said seriously, nodding a few times, and Twilight looked flatly at the starry-maned equine as Scrivener sighed a little and headed into the kitchen. “'Twould have been fine, fine! Thou art all so weak-kneed! And do not begin to lecture me upon the state of his teeth, his teeth are like metal, and I know this better than any of thee could.”

“Luna, he's weaned off... you.” Scrivener said awkwardly, as he and Twilight sat on the other side of the room, both of them favoring the winged unicorn with dry looks. “Anyway, it's not just about that. He's a foal, Luna, you don't give foals concentrated amounts of caffeine and sugar. And before you start talking about your mothering instincts or your warrior instincts or your... instinct-instincts, I'd like to point out that you were never a foal, and even as an adult Celestia had to basically babysit both you and Sleipnir pretty much constantly.”

“Not constantly!” Luna complained, and then she beat her hooves firmly against the bedding, and Antares giggled before mimicking her, firmly pounding his own front hooves against the floor before he tripped and spilled forwards onto his face with a loud thunk, and the foal whimpered a little as Scrivener and Twilight both winced, but immediately Luna was at his side, picking him up and hugging him close as she soothed: “There there, child, no harm done, thou art fine...”

Antares snuffled a little, but calmed down after that, and Luna embarrassedly calmed herself as well. They spent the next few hours together in quiet, as the pall of fog eventually dissipated outside and Scarlet Sage came tiredly out of her room, yawning and heading to the shower.

Luna took Antares outside while Scrivener sulkily went through his work and found some of his more recent pieces for Twilight Sparkle to read before going out to help with Luna and Antares. Despite how much she praised, babied, and spoiled the foal, she was also very serious when it came to training him, gently setting Gymbr aside to 'watch' from the patio, and then helping stretch out Antares' limbs and body, get him moving and running around, and working a bit with his wings.

To their surprise, Antares was now able to fully flap his leathery wings: they were still more stiff than pliant, and he plainly grew uncomfortable when trying to use them for too long, but he had learned to half-furl them against his body and he could move them around a little. A lot of Luna's exercises focused around getting his wings in working order, if only because she thought that by strengthening the unnatural appendages, it would minimize the pain and irritation they seemed to otherwise cause their poor child.

Luna also had a tiny set of weights for Antares. They were adjustable and extremely light, and Luna never left them on for very long, but it was a gentle start to strengthening their foal's body. Luna had an entire regimen and plan already in mind for their son that she planned to stick to as much as possible, even with her impulsive nature. She wanted her son strong, but also happy: she wanted him trained well, but even though she cared about him being fit, she cared even more that his mind was disciplined and sharp.

Scrivener's main job was keeping Luna in line and helping encourage Antares when he was out with them: for as cynical as the two were with everything else, with Antares they wanted to be as positive in every way, and present him with a life full of hope and optimism... although Luna noted cheerfully that in part this was because she imagined it would make it horribly frustrating for anypony that ran afoul of their son in the future.

They spent an hour or so exercising together, and Luna managed to get Antares to glide a little. Only a few feet, and it plainly caused him some discomfort afterwards, but it was an excellent start. Then Antares had gone to curl up on the patio with Gymbr and Scarlet Sage, watching quietly as Luna bullied Scrivener into some light sparring.

She grinned, leaping at the earth pony and swinging her horn down, and Scrivener caught the body of the natural weapon against one hoof before cursing when it began to glow, magical energy singeing his hooves as he shoved her head backwards and leapt away at the same time. Luna stumbled but laughed, and then she flicked her horn firmly, and Scrivener blinked in surprise as a barrier sphere flicked into being around him... but then solidified into an almost-crystalline, orb-shaped prison, the stallion pressing his hooves against the inside of this and looking sourly out at Luna as she declared: “Now sing a song for me, pretty birdy, and I shall set thee free from thy bondage!”

Luna paused, giggled stupidly at her word choice, and Scarlet Sage and Scrivener both sighed before the earth pony stallion grumbled and slammed a hoof firmly into the barrier wall, making it shudder and the winged unicorn wince a little. She glared at him, then bit her tongue in concentration, and Scrivener winced as the prison began to slowly shrink around him as her horn glowed brighter. “Careful now, little birdy, 'lest thy egg becomes thy coffin.”

Scrivener winced, forced to curl up as the sphere dragged in tighter around himself, pushing out against it with his hooves and back as he wheezed in pain. Then both he and Luna looked up in surprise as Twilight stepped out onto the back porch, saying awkwardly: “I hate to interrupt, but... Greece is here to see you, Luna, he has a message from Odin, he says...”

“Well, bring him through the house or send him around back, I am not yet done playing with this beetle I have trapped.” Luna replied crossly, before she cursed and flinched when Scrivener kicked both rear hooves firmly out, part of the spherical prison shattering like glass before it simply blinked out of existence and allowed the charcoal earth pony to sprawl to the ground with a wheeze of relief. “Oh damnation!”

“Damnation!” Antares agreed, shaking his head violently back and forth, and Luna stared at her son before giggling, which only encouraged Antares to laugh and repeat cheerfully as he flung his head around: “Damnation! Damnation!”

Then he fell over and sprawled against Scarlet Sage, who sighed and looked imploringly at her mother even as a small smile twitched at her own mouth, and Scrivener sighed as he threw a hoof into the air and muttered: “Wonderful. Well, at least I have witnesses to prove it wasn't me.”

Luna huffed at this as Twilight shook her head and headed back inside for a moment, then returned only a few seconds later with Greece in tow, the Architect smiling and raising a hand to them as Antares burbled and cheerfully smiled up at the dwarf. “Hello, fancy-corn and family... it's a pleasure to see you back safe and sound. You'll be glad to know the wagon is already being repaired and your equipment has all been offloaded... you can pick it up any time at the engineering building.”

Luna grunted at this, then tilted her head pointedly towards the dwarf as Scrivener finally sat up, and the Architect smiled despite himself, leaning on the railing around the deck. “Okay, okay. So I'm not here on the most pleasant of circumstances, even though I wish I was... Odin, currently, is away on business in Valhalla, but he was able to send me a message all the same, concerned for your well-being.”

“Oh, does the cyclops spy on us even in the other realms?” Luna asked disgustedly, throwing her head back with a long groan before she sighed and looked moodily at Greece, who shrugged a little. “What exactly were the contents of the message, Greece?”

The Nibelung smiled reassuringly, holding up his hands and saying quietly: “Nothing bad, let me say that first. Apparently he's been keeping track of the anchors, and the layer you were in... well, something that happened created a very powerful resonance with it. Twice, as a matter of fact: something interfered with the anchor's functions, and something else sent out a pulse that the anchor clearly reverberated with, like... a sound wave striking a glass. Odin was concerned you had encountered... further difficulties.”

Scrivener and Luna traded frowns, and then the male said slowly: “Well, that probe sends out a pulse, that could explain one of them, at least... and when we got in that fight...”

Luna grunted moodily at this, shaking her head as she muttered: “Aye, possibly. But what truly matters is that the old lecher is not actually spying upon us after all. All the same, though...” She looked moodily up. “We have difficulties in one layer and Odin installs a... a baby monitor upon all the other anchors?”

“Can you truly blame him, fancy-corn? His concern isn't that you'll fail, after all, his concern is that someone or something else will move in to tamper with those anchors, and he simply wants a clear way to know whether or not they're functioning properly.” Greece replied gently, and Luna sighed grouchily, but nodded after a moment as Scrivener smiled a little, then looked thoughtfully at Greece, the dwarf cocking his head after a moment and looking curiously at Scrivener. “Yes? Is there something I should know?”

“We actually ran into a few problems on the other layer... a few of which were admittedly our own fault.” Scrivener looked pointedly at Luna, who huffed a bit, but then became serious as well when Scrivener returned his eyes to Greece. “But Luna and I have some photos of... something... you should look at with Cowlick. We'll need both of you... you, for your expertise with artifacts and magical design and influence, and Cowlick because of her talent with mechanical objects and moving parts.”

Greece frowned as he put the pieces together in his mind, leaning forwards and asking quietly: “Were you attacked by more of the shapeshifters?”

“More than that, unfortunately.” Scrivener replied quietly, shaking his head slowly before he smiled a little, looking apprehensively up at Greece. “I think... I think that... I can explain them a little better to you both now, too, and maybe we can work out how to better combat the Drones. I mean, right now our best defense is... having a lot of Pegasi around to shove some clouds into place and make it rain, but...”

“But in a world where the weather runs itself, there's no guarantee there will always be clouds around, nor that they will shed rain.” Greece nodded slowly back, looking thoughtful at this idea. “Rain is enough to kill them, though?”

“And not even a lot of rain at that, yeah.” Scrivener replied quietly, smiling a little before he looked over at Luna, and the winged unicorn met his eyes, the two trading thoughts and memories and desires before the mare smiled and Scrivener rolled his eyes as the contact broke. “But apparently Luna and I are not going to be... in a rush to explain things. We'll wait until both Celestia and Odin are back to sit down to a discussion.”

The Nibelung chewed apprehensively at his lip, and then Scarlet Sage looked up and said softly: “We're all just... pretty tired still, Greece, is what Dad is getting at. Don't worry, now that we're back here, safe and sound... there's no big rush. And Dad and Mom need... to gather their thoughts.”

Luna smiled at this, nodding slowly in agreement with her daughter as the dwarf nodded again, then the Pegasus gazed up and offered: “But I'd be glad to let you and Cowlick know what happened, too, if you wanted. Or as much as I can tell, anyway... I'm pretty sure that some of the story... isn't mine to tell.”

She smiled a little, looking over at Scrivener, who laughed quietly and then nodded awkwardly as he rubbed slowly at his forehead, murmuring: “Believe me. I wish it was, Scarlet Sage... I get the feeling that you'd be a whole lot better at this storytelling thing than I am. Especially since I always descend into self-pity.”

“Well, thou art very pitiable. Fortunate and pitiable all at once, in fact.” Luna replied kindly, and Scrivener sighed and looked at her mildly, but she only smiled cheerfully in return before turning her eyes back to Greece and asking kindly: “And how have things been here, Artificer?”

“Good, but busy. Yet it's very nice to be working on strange projects for strange ponies rather than weapons and armor and such.” Greece laughed and nodded, straightening a little as he rubbed absently at the nub of one shorn tusk. “I've been working a lot with Ten and Cowlick at that new gathering hall for ponies being built... the one with all the flashy lights, run by the unicorn with the big sunglasses.”

Scrivener cleared his throat as Luna looked surly at this, but Greece only smiled and shook his head, saying gently: “It's a good thing, Luna Brynhild. It shows they're settling into the world, and that they feel comfortable here, now that they're asking us to make them these things for play and sport rather than defense and assault. Besides, it is very interesting to learn how all these electrical systems work. It's not so different from learning to produce golems or magical systems, as a matter of fact, although I fail to see what is so enticing about flashing lights and loud music. Still, it is fascinating.”

“Then go off with thee and be fascinated, sick dwarf.” Luna said grumpily, but the Nibelung only chuckled and shook his head, straightening a bit before the winged unicorn asked finally: “No other news?”

“You were only gone a week, fancy-corn, and we're not a nation torn by strife... things are peaceful in this Equestria. Wild, but peaceful. Dependable.” Greece smiled a little, then he shook his head slowly as he said softly: “I think that's what makes these things... feel so worrisome. The appearance of these shapeshifters... and Odin has concerns, too. He hides it well, but the other Nibelung Architects and I have noticed it, and have all been asked to help with projects that sometimes border on the strange, such as these anchors, and strengthening defensive enchantments here and there throughout Equestria...”

“What?” Luna frowned at this, leaning forwards before she traded a moody look with Scrivener Blooms, as Twilight frowned quietly as well, leaning forwards a bit and looking apprehensive herself. “Oh wonderful. Perhaps the cyclops is keeping secrets again, Scrivener Blooms... foul, wicked old lecher. Perhaps we shall pummel him when he returns from wherever he snuck off to, leaving poor Discombobulation alone and our cottage unguarded.”

“You are just a ball of complaining.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna huffed at him grumpily before the stallion shook his head slowly, adding quietly: “I don't think he's been hiding anything from us, Luna, or at least... not maliciously. He's been very up-front about the layers, after all, and he didn't even scold us despite how much we messed up with the first anchor. I think it's more like... he didn't want us panicking over what could be nothing.”

“But 'tis definitely something, oh, 'tis most certainly, definitely something, and if it is connected in any way to Clockwork World I shall punch Odin so firmly in the beak that it will blast the feathers off the once-god's body.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed a little, looking dryly at Luna, but she only huffed in response and leaned towards him, replying dryly: “'Twill be helpful. 'Twill be something he should thank me for, as a matter of fact, helping him with fixing that awful failed polymorph.”

Scrivener only sighed a little at this, looking meditatively at Luna as Luna looked seriously back, and then he shook his head grouchily and looked back at Greece, who was frowning nervously at them again. “Just please let him know, if you speak to him at some point, that it's important he gets down here when he can. But the anchor is hidden securely, and we're... we're okay for the most part.”

Scrivener smiled a little, glancing down as Scarlet Sage and Luna both looked at him softly, then Antares looked up and said quietly: “Daddy hurt.”

“Daddy's fine.” Scrivener soothed gently, stepping forwards and smiling down at Antares before he poked him gently in the stomach, and the baby smiled a little back up at him, although his eyes had once more filled with concern. “Now don't you go tattling on me to everyone. Especially when I really am perfectly okay.”

Greece looked over at Scrivener for a few moments, and then the dwarf finally shook his head before saying softly: “Well, I should head back. Scarlet Sage, if you want to join me, you're more than welcome to... but I do have a detour I wish to take through the Everfree Forest, to collect a few materials. This place is rife with a natural abundance of resources just waiting to be tapped into, after all... it's not at all like Niflheim, where we had to make everything out of rocks, ice, and bones. And, well... hide.”

Greece tugged absently at his vest, and Luna looked thoughtfully at the Nibelung before she asked curiously: “So art thou saying thy clothes are made out of other dwarves?”

“Thankfully, no, fancy-corn.” Greece smiled despite himself at her, looking both amused and a little exasperated. “We are Architects, after all, it's written into our code that we have to maintain certain... etiquette, even when dealing with those of our kind who have sadly tumbled all the way down into becoming nothing but killers.”

The Nibelung nodded after a moment, and then he glanced down at Antares as the baby smiled up at him, saying kindly: “Reese.”

“Yes, close enough. Reese.” Greece winked down at the foal, then nodded to Scarlet Sage when she stood up and headed inside to get ready. Then the Nibelung turned his eyes towards Luna, saying softly: “I know, fancy-corn, that sometimes even these days it's hard for you to trust in Odin, or believe what he has to say. But try to keep in mind the positives; I know that in the past he was a warmonger but we have all changed, have we not?”

“Well, not thou. I remember thou wert the same when I first met thee as thou art now.” Luna replied mildly, raising her head slightly, and Greece sighed and rubbed at his face even as he grinned a little. “Too friendly, too kind, too nice for my tastes, and yet I cannot help but like thee. It is very frustrating. Thou art almost... too nice. Too likeable Too good. It makes me suspicious.”

“You have my deepest apologies, fancy-corn. In the future I'll try and imitate friend Illyria just a little bit more.” Greece replied with a slight smile, and Luna grunted and nodded before the Nibelung bowed his head politely. “If you'll excuse me, I had best get going. It was a pleasure as always to see you all, doing so well.”

He lingered for a moment, looking hesitantly towards Scrivener, but the stallion smiled reassuringly before the Nibelung turned around, then rose a hand and smiled to Twilight Sparkle. “Oh, by the way. Your friend Spike was by earlier, and I helped put together a little something he wants to give you. He cares about you very much.”

Twilight smiled at this, and Luna huffed, saying grouchily: “Sodding dwarf, stop being so nice and get thee hence!”

“I'm going, I'm going!” Greece laughed and waved over his shoulder as he headed back through the house, and Luna huffed even as Twilight gave her a look of entertainment.

“Damnable meddlers. I cannot stand all the damnable meddlers.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile a little as he traded an entertained look with Twilight Sparkle.

“Damnation.” Antares agreed firmly, and Scrivener sighed as he plucked the unicorn foal up and gave him a mild look, and the foal looked back up at him sheepishly. “No damn?”

“No damn.” Scrivener said gently, and then he patted his son on the head before looking dryly over at Luna. “So I'm not adverse to continuing to have a nice pleasant, quiet day, but can you at least maybe try and avoid teaching Antares any swears today? We already had to train him out of quite a few nasty words that come out of your mouth, warrior princess.”

Luna huffed at this, and then Antares crowed: “Pin-sis!” A long pause before he frowned over at his mother, confused. “No pin-sis?”

“That's exactly right, Antares! I am not a princess, how dare thou insinuate such nastiness about me, Scrivener Blooms? Now come, back to sparring.” Luna grinned slightly, shaking herself quickly off as Antares burbled and flailed his hooves as Twilight sighed, but sat down to watch curiously as Scrivener resignedly dragged himself out into the field. “Now I shall truly have to pummel thee, beetle!”

“Beadle.” Antares agreed, nodding a few times before he picked Gymbr up and tossed him down into the field with a giggle, and both Scrivener and Luna looked at this before the baby leapt suddenly off the patio and tackled the doll, sending up a puff of grasses and rolling heedlessly into the small space beneath the patio before whimpering loudly. “Hurt.”

Luna sighed softly as Scrivener winced and hurried over to drop on his stomach, carefully reaching under the deck and extracting Antares as Twilight leaned nervously forwards, but the sapphire winged unicorn only smiled faintly as she walked forwards, looking carefully over her son and reaching up to gently touch a large cut on one wing: for the most part just a scratch, but it looked as if it had hooked and caught at the end, likely on an exposed nail. “The babe is as good a magnet for trouble as thou art, Scrivener. Alright, forget the sparring. Let us take Antares inside and mend his wounds and give him a bath.”

Scrivener smiled a little over at his wife, nodding slowly in return before he gazed softly at his son, hoping that Luna's words weren't entirely true: if there was one thing he didn't want Antares to inherit, after all, it was his father's knack for getting himself hurt.

Tarnishing Sunlight

Chapter Twenty Four: Tarnishing Sunlight
~BlackRoseRaven

The day was restful: Twilight Sparkle headed into Ponyville, but in the evening flew back to the cottage with Scarlet Sage to spend the night with them. She was proud to show off what Spike had made for her, with the help of the Artificer: a beautiful, crystalline fountain pen enchanted to never run out of ink.

“Now all you need is a notebook with an infinite amount of pages, and you might just be able to make a schedule for an entire month instead of a week.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight flicked his nose firmly with the pen even as she sat down beside him before slipping it aside into one of her saddlebags.

Scrivener grumbled and rubbed absently at his face, then he leaned back and gazed around the room: Scarlet Sage was resting on a cushion beside Luna, smiling at her and watching as her mother played industriously with Antares and his toy blocks, helping him build towers and odd little structures out of the multicolored wooden shapes, and Discombobulation was resting against the divider, his comfortable aquarium on the countertop above, arranged by now into what looked like a miniature apartment with glass walls. It was filled with dollhouse furniture and a few objects that Greece had been more than willing to make, Cowlick even lending a hoof here and there for the odd little miniatures with a grin.

It was perhaps strange that a chaos being of Ginnungagap had decided his permanent residence would be in what was essentially a modified tank meant for small fish, but he had grown familiar and comfortable inside it, and changing his size was no problem for the chimerical creature and his multitude of powers.

But a lot of his time was spent outside it around the cottage these days, or sometimes wandering to Ponyville, sometimes even popping up here and there throughout anywhere else in Equestria that drew his attention. But whatever else he was, he was a social creature: he liked being around ponies, little as he also liked to admit it.

He currently had Gymbr sitting on his shoulder, tilted as if it was speaking into one of his ears, and Twilight studied him curiously as he seemed to nod every so often. Then the Draconequus slowly turned his gaze towards her, and Twilight blushed a little before Discombobulation intoned: “Mr. Slappy doesn't like you. Better watch out, Twilight Sparkle.”

Scrivener rolled his eyes as Twilight apprehensively leaned away... and then the Draconequus smiled wryly. “Oh, as if I was being serious. You're such a silly.” He paused meditatively, then glanced over at Gymbr and nodded. “I agree. She is fine just the way she is. It would be a shame indeed to change her at all... but my odd friend here says that you were changed once upon a time, Twilight Sparkle. You were as patchwork as I was, but with darkness sizzling through your mind, and you outlived all your friends except for one, who was really two... but you also died before them all too, you see. Literally and metaphorically: all the same, you died to live. That's the only part I approve of in the story, by the way, everything else is pretty nasty. And strictly just the part that makes no sense, not the reasons behind it, not what it led up to.”

Discombobulation hugged himself moodily before he said suddenly, glancing across at Luna: “Sleipnir is quite the charmer, I hear. But... a little red bird... told me once that his life of pleasure is not always lived in leisure. They also may have mentioned he's drawn to things that hurt him, which explains the whole romantic comedy aspect and why he's trading letters with Miss Cactus in town.”

“Miss Cactus. I like this. But tell me, Bob, is this reference clever or stolen?” Luna asked curiously over her shoulder, and Discombobulation looked offended as he touched his own chest.

“Well, we may not all be as perfect and adept as Luna at stealing things and making them our own-”

“Yes, especially when they come through reality to punch us in our collective faces. That's usually a bad sign.” Scrivener said drolly, and Discombobulation slowly turned a sour look on him before he rose a hand and snapped his fingers, and Luna winced as Scrivener Blooms seemed to vanish in a puff of smoke, replaced by a tall, rounded green cactus.

“And this is why we don't interrupt teacher when he's talking.” Discombobulation said mildly, and then he hopped up to his feet and calmly walked over to the large cactus, as Luna glowered and Twilight awkwardly slid a bit away from the spiny plant. “Now, as I was saying. It's a very fitting metaphor. You see, it's all sharp and gross and has bad skin on the outside. And bad hair. Well, this cactus doesn't have bad hair but Pinkamena does. I mean, have you ever seen her eat? It hangs right in front of her face, dipping in everything, and the crazed half-demon doesn't even seem to care when she's chewing on her own mane! I don't really understand it at all myself, all things considered, and-”

All eyes glared at him, even Antares, and then the toddler burbled and flailed grouchily. “Gymbr!”

Discombobulation glanced at the doll on his shoulder, then he sighed tiredly and picked it up, hugging it moodily against his own chest for a moment, but when Antares flailed his hooves at him and Luna glared pointedly at the Draconequus, the chimerical creature grumbled and moodily tossed the doll to the toddler. It landed in front of him, and as Antares snatched it hurriedly up, the chimerical creature continued wryly: “As I was saying before my friend was once more abducted by needy-clingy-poopy-pants, Pinkamena is horrible on the outside.”

Then he paused and reached down, grasping one of the larger spikes and twisting it like a handle to swing the cactus open, revealing a cramped, staring Scrivener Blooms stuck inside the sludgy, hollow interior of the plant, and Luna half-glared, half-giggled as Discombobulation as he remarked mildly: “But inside her... much deeper than this cactus, I expect, and probably smaller than Luna, too... is something soft and pliant. And sensitive. And inside that is a serial killer. And inside that, probably the faces of her victims, because really, who doesn't love freshly-cooked faces?”

With that, Discombobulation slapped the side of the cactus, and it puffed out of existence, sending Scrivener spilling onto his back with a wheeze of frustration. He sat slowly up, shaking his head briskly out, and Discombobulation leaned over him and said kindly: “And that, my friend, is why you never mess with a comedian.”

“Because you'll stuff me in a plant?” Scrivener said dryly, looking grouchily up at the chimerical creature, and the Draconequus sniffed disdainfully at this.

“No, because we know all the ways to make you laugh, so we know how to turn that around on its head.” Discombobulation replied seriously, and then his body slowly pirouetted on the spot as his head and neck remained facing Scrivener Blooms, like an action figure wrung by some invisible, giant child. “Also when our inner jerk comes out, it can be much worse than our inner child. Although personally, my inner child is also my inner jerk. Yesterday he tried to push me over in the sandbox, can you believe that?”

“Did thou pummel him?” Luna asked curiously, and the Draconequus favored her with a flat look, but Luna only huffed and looked pointedly at the Draconequus in return. “'Tis no crime to pummel the child if it is thyself!”

“You're such a good parental figure.” Discombobulation said wryly, and then he winced when Luna glared at him and stomped forwards, wincing a little. “I mean, you really are an admirable mother! If my mother had been more like you I would have been so much more motivated in life, and I would have been... an accountant, or followed my secret dream that no one can ever know about.”

Twilight leaned forwards at this despite herself, and Luna and Scrivener traded looks as Scarlet Sage asked finally: “What are you going to do when the day comes when we don't take the bait to your obvious jokes?”

“Oh, that will never happen.” Discombobulation scoffed, flicking his wrist dismissively as he looked mildly around at them all. “Look at you all, ponies. You're all begging to know what my secret dream job was with your eyes, even though you know the chances of me honestly telling you – or even having a secret dream, much less a mother – are all infinitesimal. In some other world, I'm sure you're all clucking chickens, but I'm still a Draconequus, and your buck-buck-bucking has as much meaning to me there as it does here.”

“Luna wouldn't be a chicken. She'd be a cockatrice.” Scrivener said mildly, and the Draconequus began to open his mouth, then glowered at Luna when she covered her muzzle and giggled stupidly as Scrivener sighed tiredly, glaring over at her. “Are you ever going to grow up?”

“Thou should all feel fortunate I am not nearly as bad as Sleipnir.” Luna retorted in response to this, raising her head proudly. “My beloved brother would drive big sister absolutely furious some days by misinterpreting every little thing she said or suggested. Sleipnir was often even worse than demons when it came to taking orders literally, particularly when he was cranky.”

Scrivener rolled his eyes at this, and then Luna huffed a little before she frowned a bit as her horn gave a faint reverberation. A moment later, Twilight's did as well, the violet mare wincing and looking up as Scrivener frowned over at the starry-maned winged unicorn.

Discombobulation looked curiously at the ponies, then down at Antares as the baby hugged Gymbr close, looking confused before he said quietly: “Tia.”

“Celestia? Sending out a signal?” Luna grimaced a little at this, standing quickly up before she glanced over at Discombobulation, who rubbed at his forehead and looked back and forth. “Can thou not feel it?”

“Not at all. Perhaps she means to alert only you two... or perhaps this is a warning being sent out to all unicorns. But if it is the latter, I do not imagine that can be anything good at all...” Discombobulation said slowly, and then the Draconequus sighed when Luna gave him an imploring look. “Don't even bother to ask, Scrivener Blooms. I'm on my way, from misery to happiness today. Also probably pain.”

With that, he snapped his fingers and vanished from the spot, and Luna grimaced a bit before she turned her eyes towards Scarlet Sage, saying quietly: “Please stay here and look after Antares Mīrus, daughter. Keep him calm and safe.”

Scarlet Sage nodded worriedly, even as Antares whimpered and reached up to rub nervously at his horn, and Scrivener grimaced a bit before Twilight glanced up and murmured: “That pulse... it's close by, isn't it, Luna? But Celestia wasn't supposed to be back from the Temple of the Sun for at least another day... and why...”

“I do not know, but I intend to find out. Come, let us hurry.” Luna said quietly, and she hesitated only a moment to glance over her shoulder at Antares, promising quietly as Scrivener and Twilight both ran ahead: “We shall return as soon as possible.”

“Mommy!” Antares cried, and he tried to scramble forwards... but Scarlet Sage caught him, hugging him fiercely back against her body as the foal trembled and tried to push away from his sister as Luna turned and hurried down the hall. “Daddy!”

It killed Luna inside to leave him so quickly, but something felt wrong as she joined Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle outside before flicking her horn firmly, and Scrivy grimaced as leathery wings tore out of his back, flexing and gritting his teeth at the speed and pain of the polymorph before Luna said sharply: “There is no time to waste. The pulse strengthens, either Celestia draws closer to us or she is becoming more desperate!”

The two others nodded, leaping into the air alongside Luna as the winged unicorn felt a terrible instinct rising in her body, propelling herself firmly in the direction the pulse was coming from, Twilight gritting her own teeth: the closer they drew, the stronger the pulse became... before suddenly, it whiffed completely out, and the eyes of the two winged unicorns widened as Scrivener gritted his teeth, Luna whispering: “No, no, no... big sister, I am coming, we are coming... please, be okay...”

They shot over the Everfree Forest, flying as hard and fast as they could... and every now and then, some faint signal would pulse in Twilight and Luna's horns, weak and filled with a mix of pain and desperation, driving them to push harder. And worse, as they flew onwards, Scrivener began to feel a strange pressure building in his own mind: at first, he thought it was runoff from Luna, but as they drew closer to whatever it was, he realized all too well that it was something different from the signal that Luna and Twilight were receiving...

And then, as they cleared a rise and let themselves begin to slope into a wide, deep valley beyond, the three ponies stared in horror at the sight that awaited them. The once-lush, grassy vale had been devastated by rips, tears and explosions, and, standing in a river that was beginning to turn a strange silver, her body covered in wounds and injuries, was Celestia.

Her guards had been slaughtered, and Discombobulation was standing in the knee-deep water beside her, teeth grit as he held his hands in the air and Celestia's horn sputtered weakly. A dark cyclone of clouds spun slowly through the air above them, leaving the two in the eye of a small but vicious monsoon... but all around this, skittering silently around the whirling barrier of rain, were countless silvery drones.

“Clockwork World... have they begun their attack?” whispered Luna, staring in horror at the gathered army: there had to be hundreds, if not thousands, of silvery, shapeshifting drones, and there was no telling how many had already been destroyed. Here and there amongst the soldiers, they could see those awful, screaming monstrosities that emitted the waves of anti-magic as well, explaining why the pulse had been fading in and out, and Luna cursed before ordering sharply as she began to look up: “The clouds, we must bring a storm to-”

And then she heard the scream, and she looked up in shock before an enormous metallic bird lashed past the three ponies as they struggled to scatter out of the way, Scrivener cursing as a razor-sharp wing ripped across his features and Luna releasing a howl of pain as talons like knives lashed across her back, sending up a thick burst of blood. Then both Scrivener and Luna turned, snarling in pain as the same wounds formed across their bodies and Twilight gritted her teeth, looking hurriedly around and realizing with a terrible twist of fear that there were more of the enormous birds patrolling through the clear blue skies as she let herself draw a bit away from the paired ponies.

The bird that had attacked them hovered for a moment, flapping wings made up of steel feathers layered like blades, the metal flexing like unnatural flesh. It had a single staring eye of crystal above a barbed beak, and its body was made of multicolored gemstone. Electricity bounced dazzlingly back and forth inside the confines of this awful glassy cage as its two enormous talons clawed at the air, and then it leaned forwards with a shriek before Scrivener's eyes widened as a bolt of memories not his own tore through his mind.

“Luna, wait!” he shouted, but too late, as Luna shot forwards to intercept the creature, ducking beneath a bite of its beak to slash her horn across its body... and the bird golem exploded in a tremendous blast of lightning and anti-magic, Luna howling in agony and Scrivener Blooms arching his back in pain as his wings exploded into dust and ash, Twilight Sparkle shrieking as the edge of the explosion caught her and sent her reeling. Luna and Scrivener both dropped like stones from the sky, however, caught by the full force of the explosion, and she looked down with horror as they both dropped straight towards the crowd of shapeshifters below.

Anti-magic surged over Twilight's horn and body, stopping her from doing anything at all to save them, making it hard for her to even hover in the air as Drones looked slowly up as Luna and Scrivener fell towards them, before beginning to raise their claws, and limbs that transformed into terrible, horrible weapons... but a moment later, a large, high-walled plastic slide appeared beneath the two, jarring them back into consciousness as they rolled violently down the length of it and through a swirling green vortex to be vomited out a matching portal next to Discombobulation, both ponies crashing painfully into the river as Discombobulation muttered: “I always was good at chutes and ladders. Congratulations, you owe your lives to a board game.”

The portals burst out existence, and above, Twilight Sparkle hurriedly shook herself off before looking back and forth anxiously, breathing hard as the anti-magic shocks faded from her body. The metallic birds were circling dangerously, the army of Drones below was milling forwards, she could see that the cyclonic storm surrounding the group at the center of the ravine was already beginning to die out... and the winged unicorn clenched her eyes shut, concentrating hard before she flicked her horn upwards, and she vanished in a burst of violet light before reappearing next to Celestia, who was carefully helping Luna and Scrivener to their hooves.

She was breathing hard, smiling faintly even in spite of the wounds on her body, her mane sparking but the color gone from both it and her tail as the glow around her horn faded completely. Twilight trembled, staring at the splatters of blood that covered Celestia and barely able to believe her eyes before Discombobulation clenched his eyes shut as an awful wailing screamed up from some horrendous monstrosity that had drawn in close, and Luna, Twilight, and Celestia all clenched their eyes shut with cries of pain before the chaos entity rasped: “You flunked the audition.”

He flicked a hand towards the creature, and a large chunk of the black stormcloud shot down like a rocket, smacking into the monstrosity Scrivener Blooms recognized as a mockingly-named 'Hobby Horse.' The piece of stormcloud exploded like a water balloon, covering the creature in liquid, and its wails rose in volume for a moment as the water ate into it like acid before it exploded in a tremendous blast of sound and shrapnel, blowing apart the Drones around it.

Then the chaos entity wheezed, slumping forwards as he muttered: “I'm out of ammo here. Does anyone know any cheat codes? I think this must be our final doom, but up, down, left, right, triangle, circle, square, X, etcetera isn't giving me god mode, and I've been trying my damnedest for the last thirty minutes to remember any of the other codes.”

“Celestia, I am so sorry we did not arrive sooner.” Luna whispered, and she shivered as she looked down at the silvery water, trembling a little as she carefully hauled herself back to her hooves before snarling at the Drones as a tremble of fury ran through her body, eyes glowing as she felt Nightmare Moon twist viciously inside her, and for the first time in a long while, she welcomed it. “But oh, we'll teach these mockeries of nature to scream before they die...”

Celestia only breathed hard in and out, then she closed her eyes and whispered: “No, I am sorry, little sister. I did not... think their numbers were so great. So many of them have died in this river that... it is beginning to pollute the water itself. Like fire, drowned in lumber... I... I am sorry. I should not have called you.”

“No, we wouldn't have things... any other way. I just wish... you at least had saved yourself, Twilight.” Scrivener looked over at her silently, but Twilight trembled and rose her head courageously with only a faint smile in response. It told him everything he needed to know, and he closed his eyes before mouthing three silent words, then gritting his teeth and turning his head forwards to stare fearlessly out at certain death.

The ponies and Draconequus looking back and forth as the protective curtain of rainfall began to slow, and the Drones slowly began to edge forwards, Hobby Horses clanking loudly and moaning their horrible cries as they began to draw within range, the ponies all looking silently up as the army closed in...

And then the Drones simply halted, their soulless eyes staring as the Hobby Horses fell silent, and the ponies looked back and forth in wordless confusion as overhead, metallic bird golems shrieked, then suddenly turned and flew quickly off towards the horizon. And likewise, shapeshifters drew slowly back as the Hobby Horses slowly began to turn and rumble away, the lifeless creatures all marching slowly in the same direction as the birds had left as Luna mouthed wordlessly and Scrivener Blooms felt a strange, painful thud in his chest, before the sapphire winged unicorn shouted: “I do not understand!”

But they ignored her: they ignored everything, as the enormous army simply left them, even Celestia looking dumbfounded and Discombobulation rubbing slowly at his pale chest. Twilight only shivered weakly, shrinking back a little as she looked over her shoulder for a moment, staring at the seemingly-endless cordon before her eyes were drawn forwards by a surge of terrible force.

The others stared towards the horizon as well, as black lightning surged violently in all directions before forming into an enormous, dark archway that rested like a wound in reality, the Clockwork soldiers obviously headed for this as Scrivener felt agony rip through his mind at the sight of it, clenching his eyes shut as alien memories twisted through his brain before he looked up in horror as a voice whispered softly, carrying through his mind in the ghostly layer beneath his thoughts and above his subconscious: It is not time yet. Come home. Come back through the Black Mirror. This is my command.

“Who are you?” Scrivener whispered, but there was only silence in return as the others looked at him, and the stallion gritted his teeth as he realized that only he had been able to hear the voice... and likely because of the corruption in his mind, as he snarled and stepped forwards, trembling. He wanted to shout, he wanted to provoke it, and part of him even wanted to run to that terrible dark rip in reality in the distance... but he forced himself to simply lower his head, breathing hard, trembling and fighting down instinct and suicidal passion as Luna stepped up worriedly beside him.

And then the portal rumbled before closing suddenly and sharply, and the ponies looked back and forth at the shapeshifters that remained... but within moments, they ceased to move, their lifeless eyes dying, their bodies first fading slightly before they simply melted away into nothing but silvery liquid, leaving behind dull, faded glass cores wrapped in metal caging. For a few moments, they only stared... and then Celestia's eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed with a splash into the river; into darkness.

When Celestia awoke, she was laying quietly in a private room at the Ponyville hospital, her eyes roving slowly, tiredly back and forth around the drab blue room before settling quietly on Luna, the sapphire winged unicorn smiling in relief from where she was standing beside the bed as she whispered: “Oh, thank the Horses of Heaven, sister. I... I knew not what to do, where to take thee... I... Twilight suggested this and helped us get thee here and... oh, sister, big sister, I...”

She clenched her eyes shut, then leaned forwards and embraced her fiercely, and Celestia winced in pain before closing her eyes and leaning her head forwards, breathing hard as she mumbled: “Please get off me, little sister. I... it means a lot to me that you're here but... I think my ribs are broken.”

“Thou deserves the pain. Thou apparently tried to fight an army by thyself.” Luna muttered, but she slowly sat back, gazing down over her big sister with compassion and concern. “And I wish to hear every detail of just what has occurred but... first of all, are... art thou alright? I mean... well... I know thou art not, but I mean...”

“It's okay, Luna, and... I'll live.” Celestia smiled faintly, shaking her head slowly and closing her eyes as she breathed quietly in and out before murmuring: “I... are you alright? You and... my other friends?” She smiled faintly. “The Draconequus... he's strangely-dependable.”

“He is, aye. He is a good friend.” Luna replied with a small smile, then she laughed a little as she gazed over her older sibling with relief, reaching a hoof out and carefully stroking along her faintly-glowing rainbow mane. “I think he has a soft spot for thee, Celestia. But then again, if opposites attract, thou must be a radiant vision to Discombobulation and all the other chaos entities of Ginnungagap.”

Celestia laughed a little at this, smiling faintly as she looked back up at her sister before asking softly: “How is he? And everyone else? The shapeshifters... I don't remember entirely what happened. As it is, I'm not sure how I managed to survive the battle as it is. All I remember is... calling out as best I could despite my magic being interfered with by those monstrosities...”

“Now slow down, big sister, all is well.” Luna replied quietly, nodding slowly as she smiled faintly down at the ivory winged unicorn. She hesitated for a moment, then she sighed a little and murmured: “But the entire army... it simply... retreated, Celestia. Back to what Scrivener called 'the Black Mirror,' a terrible and ominous portal... and yet whatever force compelled them back to what is in all likelihood their home world simply did not wait for all the Drones and monsters to return. I am sure that a good number made it through... and the rest were simply... sacrificed. Their link to whatever instructs and powers them was cut when the portal was closed, and they simply... collapsed into lifeless sludge.

“It was... it scared me, big sister. What would be so callous to do this? What would send an entire army into this world, pin us down when it had the chance of revenge, and then simply leave? I do not need to possess thy fearsome mind to know and see it makes no sense.” Luna continued quietly, shaking her head slowly as she looked silently down before a shiver ran through her body. “And I am both... insulted and relieved by it. Part of me would have preferred fighting to the death over survival because of some... fluke, some senseless order from what Scrivener Blooms guesses may have been the Prophet itself.”

Celestia was silent, closing her amethyst eyes, and Luna blushed and hesitated a little before she shook her head briefly again and continued in a softer voice: “The good news, sister, is that apart from thee, none of us were harmed too badly... aye, I received a nasty shock from crashing through one of the Thunderbirds, but it could have been far, far worse. Twilight was scared, but unharmed, Scrivener Blooms is frustrated but... mentally-ill 'tis the poet's usual state, anyway, and thy knight in shining armor, Discombobulation, is tired but recovering in his aquarium.”

She paused and smiled a little, saying softly: “Fear not, I have already rewarded the creature kindly. I gathered some of those peculiar energy sodas that Scrivener Blooms is so fond of in town and gave one to the Draconequus despite my better judgment. I have a bad feeling I shall return to finding my cottage upside-down but all the same, the creature deserves something. And yet he is not fond of coffee, how strange is that?”

“We all have our preferences, Luna.” Celestia said gently, smiling faintly despite herself, and then she opened her eyes and said softly: “We need to discuss this with Odin. The fact they retreated after your arrival, when we were faced with imminent defeat, does not bode well for us. Not that dying would have been preferable... but it means we're still missing pieces of this puzzle. It also all but confirms that our enemy knows how to access our layer of reality freely... but then...”

Celestia looked away for a moment quietly, then she returned her eyes to Luna, saying quietly: “I know from the letters I traded with Twilight a few of the details of your journey, but not much. It was why I was hurrying back to meet you, when I was attacked...” Celestia grimaced a little, looking down and murmuring: “Perhaps this sounds like paranoia, little sister, but... it felt like they were waiting for me. That entire army, specifically waiting for me... they seemed to come out of nowhere, all at once.”

Luna was silent, looking almost imploringly down at her sister, and Celestia hesitated for a moment before she continued in a quiet voice: “The infantry came down on us all in the same instant, from three sides, while we were traveling down the main road, barring retreat or advance towards Ponyville. The... Thunderbirds, as you called them, flew in from the last side, cutting off our hope of aerial escape and leaving us with one option: fleeing into the woods beneath our flying attackers. I knew we were being herded, though... the army surged after us, and the Thunderbirds kept a low ceiling over the trees, staying just above us until we were chased all the way into that valley.

“I thought the river would offer us some measure of protection, even as the army moved to encircle us... but there were simply too many. Those... beasts that emitted anti-magic started moving in, and I... couldn't save my soldiers.” Celestia shook her head silently, looking away quietly. “They gave their lives to defend mine, little sister. And as always... it hurts.”

She was silent for a moment, and then she sat up a bit, looking towards Luna and becoming calm and serious again as she pushed away sorrow and self-loathing. “I tried to move along the river, but they boxed me in. And as they waded into the river, the sludge from their bodies began to pollute the water, turning it into... something they could survive in. They may only be puppets, Luna, but they're more cunning than I had imagined.

“My biggest mistake was attempting to flee. I could not insulate myself with a barrier because of the anti-magic ringing in the air, and I had already come dangerously close to using up the river itself with my magic. Any clouds I tried to form were destroyed immediately by the Thunderbirds, but I thought... I could outmaneuver them in the air and fly to safety. That was why and when I sent the first call out to you, Luna...” Celestia smiled a little. “I was hoping that you would meet me halfway to help me shake off my pursuers. But instead... the Thunderbirds swarmed in, and I shortly found out that when they die...”

“They explode. It seems many of the Clockwork creatures like to explode, and are stuffed full of energies that suffocate our magic.” Luna muttered, shaking her head slowly before she looked quietly at Celestia. “So I see now why thou wert so wounded. Still Celestia, a proud Valkyrie defeated by mere puppets, 'tis silly. 'Tis shameful.”

Celestia smiled a little, shaking her head slowly. “Numbers always beat strength, little sister. I may be powerful but I am only one pony... and these creatures are designed to limit and bar our magic. Specifically unicorn magic, as a matter of fact... when Discombobulation arrived, he was clearly pained by the monsters, but they did not interfere overmuch with his abilities.”

Luna grunted at this, and then the two were silent for a few long moments, only studying each other before Celestia tried to sit up, and Luna reached out, touching her shoulder quietly: “Careful now, sister. Rest. Thou art injured and Twilight could only heal so much, while the doctors and nurses tended to thy wounds. It has only been a few hours... they did not expect thee to awaken until at least tomorrow.”

“We have things to do, Luna.” Celestia smiled a little at her sister, and Luna sighed, giving the rainbow-maned equine an exasperated look. “Besides, I've been much worse off, as well. Do you remember our first battle with a Tyrant Wyrm? Those were serious injuries. These are simply... flesh wounds. Inconveniences; now that my strength has recovered and I no longer feel so exhausted or drained, the best thing for me to do is get back on my hooves.”

“Celestia, thou art about as wounded as Sleipnir was when that angry dragon booted him out of his aerie and he bounced down the entire mountain.” Luna said grouchily, but there was an undercurrent of concern in her voice as well, before she winced as Celestia carefully began to wiggle herself out of bed. “Sister! Stop, no, 'tis not thy job to be stubborn and ridiculous, 'twas mine and Sleipnir's, I order thee to remain safely in bed and let thy... damnation, Celestia, thou art going to injure thyself!”

“Tell me, Luna, is this sensation of painful but satisfying defiance what you feel whenever you ignore me?” Celestia asked mildly, grimacing a little even as she carefully slipped out of bed, then she gritted her teeth as one of her wings trembled, noting that it was wrapped in bandages... as was her neck, most of her chest, and more cloth bandaging crisscrossed over her limbs here and there as she shook her head out and carefully stood tall on her hooves, as Luna stared at her sister with frustration and concern. “Because if so, I understand a little more why you're always so mischievous, little sister.”

“Celestia!” Luna snapped, looking frustrated as she pawed violently at the floor before skirting around the bed, wincing as she looked over the fellow winged unicorn. “Look at thee! I can see thou art in pain, and-”

“We all have our share of pain, sister.” Celestia replied quietly, and Luna sighed a little and nodded grouchily at this before the ivory equine turned and carefully strode towards the door... and even through her irritation and worry, Luna couldn't help but be impressed at the way Celestia refused to show the pain she was in beyond a mild tremble, moving slowly but not limping as she opened the door and asked calmly over her shoulder, ignoring the gaping guards: “Where are Twilight Sparkle and Scrivener Blooms?”

“I told Twilight to return to the library and that I would inform her when thou awoke, and Scrivener Blooms is drafting a letter to Twilight as we speak in the reading room.” Luna smiled wryly. “Thou should have seen him earlier, Celestia. He was in the most horrible mood and caught some pedantic doctor going off on the staff. I did not understand half the words Scrivener spat at him but he succeeded in making him cry and chasing him all the way to the doctor's lounge. Then the large, burly security guards dragged Scrivener away but... I used my diplomatic touch to convince them to let him go.”

Celestia only looked at Luna, who smiled cheerfully back before the ivory equine sighed a little and asked dryly: “Did you hurt them?”

“Celestia, I am appalled!” the sapphire winged unicorn said in a hurt voice, looking up for a moment before she winked and leaned towards her. “Threats and a small display of power work well enough, do they not? Besides, I also did not like the doctor. In fact, I do not like much of the staff here. Hospitals are awful places.”

The ivory, older sibling only sighed softly as they headed slowly down the hall side-by-side, before an orderly scurried in front of them, wincing as she babbled: “Baroness Celestia! Please head back to your room, the doctors need to check you over and you were very badly injured...”

“I'm fine, thank you. I have other duties to attend to, and wish to leave the hospital.” Celestia replied courteously, bowing her head forwards politely, and the orderly only stared dumbly up at her in response as Luna grumbled a little. Older sister only gazed softly down at younger, though, saying gently: “I haven't forgotten the old days sister, where no matter how badly injured I was, I had to be up on my hooves as soon as possible to make sure you and Sleipnir weren't getting into trouble. The same seems to hold true these days... only instead of Sleipnir, I have to help look after Scrivener Blooms. And while he lacks Sleipnir's precociousness... I recognize all too well you tend to bring out a certain...”

“Fun. I make him fun. And bold. And strong. And best of all, stupid.” Luna replied cheerfully, and Celestia sighed and shook her head slowly before Luna looked forwards towards the orderly, stomping her hoof and declaring: “I disagree with my sister's insistence, but 'tis her choice. Therefore I demand all of thee to get out of my way, 'lest thou brings my wrath down upon this hospital and I am forced to pummel my way out.”

“There's... I... medical costs...” The orderly winced, looking back and forth pleadingly for help, but the other staff were pointedly ignoring what was going on before she looked with a wince up at the two enormous winged unicorns: one standing regal and tall, injured but kind, the other grinning even through her obvious concern for her older sibling and fidgeting, anxious to be on her way.

“I am sure the hospital is more than capable of mailing me the bill and any additional concerns. I will be fine after some decent rest, but I have obligations to attend to concerning the safety of our barony and Equestria as a whole. Please excuse me.” Celestia replied gently, and the orderly only looked lamely at the siblings for a moment before they both calmly walked past.

Luna looked thoughtfully towards Celestia as they made their way slowly through the halls, no other pony trying to stop them: finally, as they began to cross the lobby towards the double doors leading out, the smaller, sapphire winged unicorn said softly: “Just look at thou, sister. Strong and determined, eloquent as always but this time using thy grace to... be a little selfish as well as frustratingly-altruistic. I like to see it, big sister. Thou deserves a little selfishness now and then, and... thou does know what is best for thee. Even when I disagree and think thou art stupid for not curling up in bed with all thy bones broken.”

“Only my ribs are broken, Luna. Well, I think one of my legs is fractured as well...” Celestia looked down meditatively, but it was mostly to hide a slight smile as Luna laughed before they two pushed through the doors and stepped out in front of the hospital to find Scrivener Blooms smiling and waiting for them. “It's good to see you, brother.”

“You too, Celestia. I always knew you were as stubborn as Luna, you know.” Scrivener said softly, and the ivory winged unicorn glanced up with amusement in her amethyst irises. “Twilight's going to be mad as hell, though, when we show up at the library.”

“Only out of concern, but... I honestly feel better moving. Maybe it's my Valkyrie heritage, I don't know...” Celestia closed her eyes thoughtfully for a moment, feeling a twist of pain roll through her... but something else as well, hard to describe. Like a fluttering, a loosening. Something that made even the pain feel good and worthwhile, before she shook her head quickly and said gently: “If it's alright with you, Scrivener Blooms, I would like to discuss... what happened. What you saw and heard...”

Scrivener smiled a little, then he nodded slowly as Celestia started forwards, and he fell into step beside her as they slowly strode down the road leading away from the hospital and towards Ponyville. “Of course. The Drones, the Hobby Horses, the Thunderbirds... the Black Mirror. I saw a lot of things.”

Celestia nodded slowly, looking quietly at Scrivener before she said softly: “Something happened to you, that once more gave you knowledge of Valthrudnir. Something is clicking together piece-by-piece in your mind, isn't it?”

The earth pony closed his eyes, nodding slowly as Luna gazed softly at the two. “Yeah, Celestia, that's right. Out there, somewhere, is a Clockwork World that was ruled and warped by Valthrudnir. A world of turning gears and metal and death, where everything has a set purpose: ultimate order. Ultimate law, nothing but... machines and puppets all doing their predesignated jobs without question or emotion or... anything.”

He shivered a little, shaking his head before he looked quietly at the ivory equine, meeting her concerned amethyst irises. “I don't know... all the details. It's fuzzy, and a lot of it seems based around visual cues, which...” He smiled wryly. “It shouldn't surprise me. The pony who gave me this... who... did something to me, because of the corruption in my head... she was called Visionary. She modified my ability to 'see' things. You know, my... other sight, not my sight-sight.”

“Has that been acting up at all?” Celestia asked softly, and when Scrivener shook his head, Celestia halted in the middle of the road, earning a curious look from the male before she smiled a little as she faced him calmly. “Will you do me a favor? I don't like asking you to endure pain for my curiosities, Scrivener, but...”

“Oh, we all have our share of pain, Celestia.” Scrivener smiled slightly, tilting his head towards her pointedly, and the ivory equine laughed quietly in spite of herself, looking down at him with soft entertainment. “What would you like for me to do? Besides, look at you. Beaten all to hell, and yet you're already up on your hooves. I admire that and... I'm a little embarrassed to admit... I didn't expect it. I know you were a warrior, Celestia, but...”

“But it's easy to forget that I still am, not merely a Baroness on her council seat, I know.” Celestia laughed quietly, shaking her head slowly. “I can't blame you for that, Scrivener Blooms, and it doesn't bother me. Before I get too off topic, though, what I would like for you to do is to look at me... and then look at me.”

Scrivener grimaced a little, but then he nodded and closed his eyes even as a twist of nervousness fluttered through his mind. “Alright. I... alright. Just give me a minute to focus...”

“Take all the time you need.” Celestia reassured, as Luna grimaced nervously and fidgeted quietly on the other side of her sibling. Both sisters watched as Scrivener breathed slowly, his eyes remaining tightly closed even as he felt that strange loosening in his mind and the dull, dark throb that all too often came as the precursor before the visions began... and then he winced a little as he felt the corruption inside his mind bubble and twist.

His chestnut irises opened and stared at Celestia, and it was like he felt something in his mind unravel and blossom as well, wincing a little with a curse as Celestia asked quietly: “What do you see?”

But it was impossible to describe: Celestia was like a golden, glowing light, even with the red lines of visible pain that twisted here and there through the aureate, fiery shape. And there was the faintest brush of darkness on the outer edge of the aura, like all her time spent with Luna and Scrivener had begun to leave its mark upon her. But they only amplified the flames...

And then Scrivener's eyes roved towards Luna, his jaw slack as he stared at her: black, but edged in white light, eyes glowing, shaped like lurking Nightmare Moon but with features that were almost child-like. She was far more defined in his vision than the ever-changing, flowing Celestia... before the stallion hurriedly closed his eyes and blinked a few times as he reached up and touched his face, muttering: “Poetry.”

Celestia looked confused, but Luna softened, saying quietly: “Then use thy poet's instincts, Scrivener, and give us but the broad strokes.”

Scrivener grunted as he hesitantly opened his eyes, and he winced a little: Celestia and Luna looked more normal in his vision now, but distinct auras still surrounded them, haunted them. He hurriedly rubbed at his sore eyes with his hooves, turning his head away to try and help get himself back to normal as he said awkwardly: “Fire and light, and... shadow. I mean... it's different from normal but it's not. It's like my vision is more defined. I could... see your pain, Celestia. Your ribs, your right foreleg, your stomach...”

“Thou never mentioned thy stomach to me.” Luna said with a frown, and Celestia shrugged a little, looking both curious and a little impressed as her eyes roved back towards Scrivener. “Does it truly ache?”

“Just bruising, I think. I'd recognize the feeling of internal bleeding by now.” Celestia replied quietly, and Luna gave her a flat look before Celestia smiled a bit in return. “I'm being honest, don't worry. I do believe I only need rest... when more of my strength comes back, I can heal the worst damages that remain myself.”

Luna grunted after a moment at this, nodding moodily before the ivory equine turned her eyes back towards Scrivener, who was still facing away, eyes closed as he rubbed at them slowly. “Did you... feel something strange?”

“I don't know... it's like... there are more connotations in my mind now. Like I inherited... Visionary's ability to interpret the meaning behind what I see. I mean, a lot of that is instinctive, yeah, but...” He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head as he opened his eyes, smiling faintly towards Luna and doing his best to ignore the shadowy shroud he still saw around her. “It's like when Luna went from just mixing colors together that looked nice to her to specifically trying to use color theory.”

“Oh aye, great success that was.” Luna muttered grumpily, and Celestia nodded slowly, continuing to study Scrivener curiously for a few moments.

Scrivener looked awkwardly up at her, and then the ivory winged unicorn frowned and leaned slowly in, making the earth pony wince a bit before she said quietly: “Your eyes seem a little bloodshot... and your irises are darker. Do they hurt?”

“They sting a little.” Scrivener admitted, knowing it was pointless to lie before he smiled a bit and said quietly: “You should worry about yourself, though, Celestia. You're the one who just survived a battle against an entire army of... things.”

“Clockwork World...” Celestia said thoughtfully, and then she shook her head as she began forwards, and Scrivener and Luna automatically turned to follow her, the male keeping his gaze on the ground a few feet ahead for now as he felt his eyes slowly returning to normal, grimacing a little at the flares of strange shapes he saw here and there in reality and hoping that it was just his aching eyes playing tricks on him.

They were silent for a little while, until they passed back into Ponyville itself from the outskirts, the Nibelung and pony guards both saluting Celestia sharply and gazing at her with thankfulness and warmth that made her smile faintly in return, before she closed her eyes and asked quietly, as they strode down the dirt road: “Have the families of the soldiers been informed?”

“Of course. 'Twas the first thing I did once we had seen to thee.” Luna said quietly, and Celestia nodded slowly before the younger sibling smiled faintly. “They believe in thee, Celestia. Do not be so hard on thyself... it does thee no honor and does the dead no justice. Move forwards, as we always must: we shall eventually be given the chance to bring Valkyrie justice against Clockwork World and make them pay for what they have done... and with the favor of the Norns, halt Valthrudnir's machinations once and for all.”

“I hope so. I truly hope so, little sister...” Celestia looked down at the road beneath her hooves for a few moments, and then she looked up and said softly: “I've come to the conclusion that they were trying to eliminate me, for some reason. They had no problem with killing Discombobulation as well... but when you and your husband and Twilight showed up, they ceased the attack. It means in all likelihood, they have plans for you...”

“I don't know.” Scrivener said abruptly, and Celestia frowned a little at him as Luna looked up curiously as well, the stallion blushing a bit before he looked down and said quietly: “That army could have been gathering in this world for days. But the Prophet uses... probes and scouts to map out worlds. An army... that's a bit aggressive for someone who seems to prefer stealth and premeditation, isn't it? Even those creatures we encountered in the woods, Tyrant Wyrms or whatever they were... they could have attacked us, or Ponyville, or even just destroyed our home. But they didn't... they scouted us and left.”

Celestia looked thoughtful at this, studying Scrivener Blooms before he lowered his head and mumbled: “I'm not... questioning your expertise or anything, don't get me wrong. I'm not even sure if you're wrong or right or... you know. I'm just saying that it seems... way out of character. And the voice I heard, calling them back... said something about it being too soon. It sounded like it could have been the Prophet herself.”

The rainbow mane of the tall winged unicorn twisted slowly backwards as she bowed her head forwards... and then she sighed softly and gave a small smile, saying quietly: “In this instance, Scrivener Blooms, your knowledge is far superior to mine. All I'm giving is guesswork, based on experience and strategy. You, on the other hoof... know the enemy, if... you don't mind me phrasing it that way.”

“Not at all. I know that's... kind of true, after all.” Scrivener replied quietly, smiling a little as he nodded slowly, then he turned his eyes towards the library and grimaced a little: the wood seemed to glow faintly in his vision, and he shook his head as he grumbled: “Never realized how many enchantments were on this hollowed-out tree... sorry, my eyes are still... acting up a little.”

Celestia only nodded, looking at him thoughtfully before her horn glowed as she gently opened the door with telekinesis, and the ivory equine slipped first into the library. Twilight stared in shock at the sight of Celestia from where she was seated at her writing desk, and Spike looked dumbly up from where he was organizing card catalogs before brightening immediately, saying in a relieved voice: “Great to see you! Twilight had me scared you weren't... you know... I mean, it's really good to see you back, Baroness Celestia.”

“It's good to be back, Spike.” Celestia replied softly, smiling a little as Luna and Scrivener strode in behind her, and then she laughed a bit when the violet mare hurried away from her desk towards her before she blushed and skidded to a halt in front of Celestia, the two for a moment like the young apprentice and compassionate teacher that had once been before the ivory winged unicorn smiled faintly, saying quietly: “I'm alright, Twilight Sparkle... I just need... some sleep, in the comfort of... home.”

She smiled a little back and forth around the library, then stepped quietly forwards, and shared a short, gentle embrace with her former student, Twilight closing her eyes before they pulled apart, gazing between one another with faint smiles before the Baroness glanced over her shoulder. “Luna, Scrivener... don't feel that you have to wait around for me to wake back up, and... you don't either, Twilight. I'll be fine here by myself, and I know you want to wait until Odin returns to tell the full story of Clockwork World. It might be better to discuss everything then, anyway... I'm sure Odin will know something about what's going on.”

Luna and Scrivener both nodded as Twilight stepped hesitantly aside, and Celestia returned her eyes to her after a moment, the two looking at each other quietly before the ivory, rainbow-maned mare smiled and bowed her head politely. “But I'll... take this chance to rest. I feel a little more winded from the short walk than I had expected to be. If you'll excuse me...”

“Here, Celestia, I'll help you. Your room's still a little messy since we didn't expect you back for another day or so... and then, well, you were in the hospital...” Spike smiled and shrugged a bit as he stood up from the table, and Celestia nodded as she slowly walked after the dragon, the two heading calmly into the corridor as Twilight gazed after them almost longingly for a moment before turning a faint and yet somehow accusatory smile towards Luna.

Luna, however, only huffed as Scrivener rubbed absently at his eyes again, the sapphire, starry-maned mare saying mildly: “Thou may blame me all thy likes for things, Twilight Sparkle, but I shall have thee know that 'tis not always my fault. Celestia was eager to leave the hospital. I could have physically restrained her, aye, but I am not fond of hospitals either and doctors annoy me.”

“I don't really understand when people say that, Luna. They're trained professionals, there to help ponies who are ill and injured, they're not evil scientists or anything.” Twilight shook her head a bit, and then sighed and looked meditatively at Luna when she began to open her mouth. “And no, don't bring up the magic healing thing. Besides, healing too often with magic alone is bad for a person, right?”

“Well, aye, if thou heals every little injury with magic it leads to frailty and weakness, but... there is no problem healing large wounds, particularly as grand as Celestia's are.” Luna hesitated, then looked quietly down the corridor, saying softly: “But I believe, Twilight Sparkle, my big sister asked us very courteously to leave her alone for now and permit her rest. 'Tis not the physical pain that is the most troubling, after all.”

Twilight nodded slowly, and then she sighed a little as Scrivener rubbed moodily at his eyes again. “Stop that, Scrivy. Your eyes are going to get all swollen if you keep doing that.”

“They sting.” Scrivener complained grouchily, and Twilight gave him a flat look before Luna poked at the stallion with her horn, and he winced and dropped his hooves, blinking his eyes slowly. “I guess it was because it's been a long time since I've actually tried to look... beneath the mask. That, and whatever Visionary did...”

Twilight Sparkle softened at this as Luna nodded slowly, sighing a little as she studied her husband before saying finally: “Well, why don't we walk home, Scrivener?”

“You can rest here if you want, Luna... you and Scrivener have been running yourselves ragged, going back and forth from your home all the way out to the hospital, checking on everyone and everything, telling Cowlick and Greece about those samples in the vale and trying to deal with everything at once...” Twilight smiled a little, shaking her head slowly as she said softly: “You should get some rest.”

Luna only grunted in response to this, looking moodily up at the ceiling before she sighed and turned towards the doorway, saying finally: “Very well. A slow, easy walk back home, then, how does that sound, Scrivener? Then we can rest for tonight with Antares and tomorrow... return here to check on Celestia. Art thou staying here, Twilight, or coming with us?”

Twilight was quiet for a moment, looking anxiously towards the corridor before she asked hesitantly: “What... makes you think Celestia wants to be left alone?”

“A lot of things, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna smiled a little, bowing her head quietly forwards. “I know my sister better than most would think, but then again, consider this: I am one of the few ponies able to push her patience past its limits, and yet I am also one of the few ponies who knows how deeply I can grate on her nerves before I risk an explosive lash of Celestia's temper.

“But... trust me, Twilight, Celestia desires to think and heal in quiet.” Luna said softly, and Twilight nodded hesitantly before the sapphire winged unicorn smiled a little. “But perhaps I just selfishly desire thy company myself as well. Either way, the choice is thine: stay here, or come with us... either way, we shall speak at length with my big sister soon, but not before she desires the conversation herself... and hopefully after Odin has returned so we may get this all done with at once.”

“Alright. Alright.” Twilight stopped, then shook her head slowly before she smiled a little. “I'm... going to go say goodbye to her, then. See how she's doing before I leave, if she wants anything.”

“Of course. Take thy time.” Luna encouraged gently, and Twilight Sparkle nodded before the violet mare turned and headed into the corridor, striding quietly down to Celestia's cozy little bedroom. Originally it was just a guest room, but as Celestia had settled into the library years ago and showed no signs of wanting to leave, even with Canterlot being reconstructed and her larger, much-more-expansive quarters at the Temple of the Sun.

Quietly, Twilight lingered outside the open door of the bedroom, leaning in and smiling a little at the sight of Spike hurrying around, tossing books quickly back up into shelves as Celestia sat back on her bed, eyes closed. She smiled after a moment, however, then without opening her eyes said softly: “Don't worry about me, Twilight. Go ahead with Luna. Spike has promised to make me some tea and help me with anything else I might need.”

The violet mare nodded slowly, and then Celestia opened her eyes, studying Twilight for a few moments before she said softly: “Thank you for coming to my aid. I'm sorry I put you and the rest of my family into so much danger, though.”

“No, Celestia. Thank you for calling out, for trusting us to help, for... not dying.” Twilight smiled a little, leaning in the doorway for a moment as they studied each other before the purple winged unicorn nodded slowly and said softly: “I'll be back tomorrow. Get some sleep. And Spike, make sure you take good care of her and don't let her do too much, okay?”

“Got it.” Spike smiled over his shoulder, blushing awkwardly all the same as Celestia laughed quietly, then traded a last smile with Twilight Sparkle before the violet winged unicorn quietly headed back down the hall to rejoin Luna and Scrivener, leaving Celestia to rest in the soft comforts of home.

Further Elaboration

Chapter Twenty Five: Further Elaboration
~BlackRoseRaven

The night was spent in quiet rest, looking after Antares together as Twilight tried to resist from asking all the questions she wanted to. Eventually, after Antares and Scarlet Sage had gone to bed, Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight had talked on the bedding for hours in front of the flickering fireplace between bouts of thoughtful silence, until Twilight awoke with a blush the next morning to realize she was curled up comfortably between Luna and Scrivener, who were both still asleep.

Twilight smiled after a moment, carefully prying herself free from Luna's clinging forelegs, and then she sat up as Luna grumbled and rolled over, mumbling to herself and burying her face against a cushion as Scrivener yawned, but then only tiredly curled up, his face almost pushing into Twilight's side. She reached down, tenderly stroking back his mane before her eyes roved up... and she flinched in surprise, accidentally smacking Scrivener in the cheek.

He groaned, but only grumbled and rolled onto his back, opening his eyes to glower moodily up at her as Luna giggled tiredly into her pillow. Then the earth pony stallion frowned at the look on Twilight's face before she rose her hoof silently, and Scrivener sat slowly up... before staring at the sight of Gymbr, the doll sitting calmly across the room and seeming to stare at them almost longingly with its green button eyes.

Luna frowned as she caught Scrivener's emotions kissing through her mind, and then she sat quickly up and gritted her teeth at the sight of Gymbr, wincing. “Oh damnation!”

“What... what do we do?” Twilight asked awkwardly, and then she winced when Scrivener stood up carefully, walking nervously over to the doll as Luna leaned anxiously forwards and Twilight frowned, looking apprehensively between the starry-maned mare and the earth pony. “Is it safe? I mean, it's not... it's never...”

Scrivener hesitantly poked at the toy as Twilight fell silent... and when it didn't attempt to attack him or do anything apart from slowly tip onto its face, he sighed a little and snatched the doll up, shaking it violently as Luna and Twilight Sparkle both stared. Then he held it awkwardly in front of himself, and when he was satisfied the toy couldn't kill him with a thought or wasn't going to attempt to stab him with a hidden set of claws, he grumbled: “You need to stop doing this, Gymbr. Seriously. It's creeping everypony out.”

Then he paused before hesitantly beginning to raise the doll to an ear, and Luna hissed sharply: “What art thou doing! Scrivener Blooms, stop that!”

“I... want to know.” Scrivener said finally, and Luna groaned as Twilight winced and looked pointedly at the stallion, and he grumbled under his breath before turning back to Gymbr, saying mildly: “Just so we're clear. They're going to beat the snot out of you and throw you in the fire if you try and take over my brain, okay?'

The doll's button eyes seemed to glint oddly in response, and Scrivener winced a little before he took a slow breath and carefully held the doll up to his ear, closing his eyes... but only silence greeted him. He wondered quietly if the toy could only communicate with him when no one was around apart from Antares, and after a few moments, he pulled the toy away... then flinched at the distinct sound of three loud knocks, looking quickly over his shoulder.

Luna and Twilight only looked curiously at Scrivener, however, and the male stared at them dumbly before Luna's eyes widened slightly as she caught his thoughts and sensations, whispering: “We heard nothing, Scrivener...”

The stallion hesitated... then tossed the doll towards them, both of the mares wincing back from it before the earth pony turned and headed quickly to the door, throwing it open... and he stared stupidly at the sight of the large, strange tree now standing by the landscaped pool of their backyard. It was bent and gnarled and looked as if it had been there forever, luscious blue fruits dangling from the branches that stretched overtop the pond, sparkling with morning dew.

Slowly, Scrivener dumbly walked out into the backyard to simply stare at this; he didn't even realize when Twilight and Luna joined him, only trying to process what was going on before he finally glanced stupidly to the side as the sapphire winged unicorn muttered: “'Tis mutant, and ugly, and far from easy on the eyes... but that, Scrivener Blooms... that is an Ambrosia tree.”

“Ambrosia... fruit of the gods. It can grow here?” Scrivener asked finally, and Luna laughed shortly as Twilight frowned over at them, the earth pony grimacing a little. “Yeah... I see your point.”

Then he winced when Twilight nudged him, and Luna glanced over at her with embarrassment and frustration that masked anxiety and... perhaps even fear. “Why can't thou be linked with us as well, Twilight Sparkle, 'twould make everything a world easier. No, an Ambrosia tree takes hundreds of years to mature... and rarely bears its fruit more than once in a thousand years. For such a tree to simply... 'pop up,' and without any of us aware...”

Luna ground her teeth together slowly... then she suddenly spun around on her hooves, and Scrivener winced, following hurriedly after her as Twilight stared after them both, then tossed one last, nervous look at the tree before running inside after the two.

She skidded through the kitchen... then halted in the archway, staring into the den to watch as Luna stood with Gymbr suspended in front of her by telekinesis, grinding her teeth loudly together and looking frustrated as Scrivener winced and sat awkwardly back, only able to stare as the starry-maned winged unicorn threatened: “Now listen to me, Gymbr, whatever thou art. I do not mind thou running around the house while we are unaware. I do not mind thou jealously drooling over us as we nap, either. In fact, 'tis flattering, in a sense. But magically planting an Ambrosia tree in our backyard without us knowing? And do not lie nor deny it, clearly it was thou!”

She breathed hard, the doll only continuing to silently, calmly stare with its button eyes as it floated in front of her, and then the winged unicorn gritted her teeth in disgust. “I do not need 'gifts' of Ambrosia. I do not need any magical elixirs, or blessed fruit, or other cheap ways of gaining power. Oh, perhaps thou means well, but when I think of what thou art rumored to be, some... some shard of evil from the shadows...”

She clenched her eyes shut, then shook the toy firmly and said coldly: “Reveal thyself, Gymbr. Reveal what thou art, tell me thy secrets, or whether thou art my child's most beloved toy or not, I shall throw thee into the fireplace. And if thou knows me at all, then thou knows those flames shan't simply burn this doll's body. They shall burn thy spirit, thy essence. Accursed little toy, what art thou?”

She shook it violently, and there was no response. It only seemed to infuriate Luna further, however, even as Twilight nervously stepped forwards and said quietly: “Luna, wait, maybe we should slow down and think this through-”

“Nay! Whatever this is... I desire answers and am done allowing a creature to live in my house that seems to offer gifts, but gifts that... that reek of corruption!” Luna retorted, then she rose her horn, telekinetic force visibly constricting the doll before she dragged it in close, almost pushing her muzzle into it as she said darkly: “I do not need another Nightmare Moon in my life. Now speak, wretched cur!”

The doll was silent, and Luna shook it viciously again before Scrivener winced and held up a hoof, saying apprehensively: “Luna, maybe we shouldn't try and piss off the undetectable, possibly-evil entity that's so far only seemed interested in protecting our child and our family...”

“'Tis time for action, and think, Scrivener Blooms... what if the creature had been trying to make Antares strong in the way Nightmare Moon decided to show affection for our son?” Luna half-pleaded, then she turned baleful eyes back on the doll, gritting her teeth. “I cannot abide this creature to simply scheme in its silence any longer. Very well, creature. Let us see if a taste of fire loosens thy tongue.”

And with that, Luna flicked her horn and tossed the doll into the fireplace as Scrivener and Twilight both winced, then nervously stepped forwards as Luna stepped away, looking moodily into the hearth. And then, slowly, she frowned as she realized the blue fire was dancing over the doll but not damaging it in the slightest. It only laid on the charred, ever-burnings logs, undisturbed and silent, its green button eyes gleaming almost mockingly as the fire danced over it before Luna gritted her teeth.

After another few seconds, she rose her horn, yanking it out of the fireplace with telekinesis in a puff of ashes... but the doll was perfectly clean, not damaged, and when Scrivener reached up and touched it apprehensively, he realized it wasn't even hot. If anything, it felt a little cold... and then Luna cursed in frustration before pointing her horn at it, snapping: “Very well! Then perhaps I shall resort to destroying the physical after all... if thou does not reveal thyself, Gymbr, I shall disembowel thee and spread thy stuffing across this room.”

Scrivener winced at this, and Twilight grimaced as well, saying nervously: “Luna, wait, if the fire didn't work...”

“The fire burns the spirit. Perhaps this thing has no spirit... no soul... to burn.” Luna said disgustedly, narrowing her eyes at the doll before her horn began to glow as she muttered: “Besides, it is only a doll. 'Twould be much messier and far more unpleasant were it alive. We would be cleaning the blood up for hours.”

Then Luna swung her horn forwards as it glowed brighter, nicking the edge of the toy, and it swayed in the air but left no visible mark as Luna said threateningly: “Now speak. Or I shall cut thee apart. And if thou has no physical manifestation upon this plane, I suspect that it will become very difficult for thou to continue to play thy games and indulge thy perversions, foul creature.”

The only response was silence from the dangling doll, and Luna grumbled before Scrivener and Twilight both winced as she plunged her horn forwards into its stomach, then ripped hard upwards and stepped back with a wide grin... that faltered into a gape of disbelief a moment later as she dumbly dropped the doll from her telekinetic grip.

The three ponies stared down at the toy, sprawled silently on its back, its button eyes continuing to gleam almost mockingly, its body completely unharmed and undamaged. Luna cursed under her breath, then suddenly leapt forwards and stomped her front hooves viciously up and down on it, gritting her teeth and pounding down against the toy with enough force to crack the hardwood flooring beneath it before she stepped quickly back... and stared in horror at the fact the strange toy was still completely unharmed. In fact, it wasn't so much as wrinkled or ruffled, continuing to lay calmly in place.

Scrivener and Luna traded looks as Twilight reached hesitantly out, touching the doll... and shivering a little as she whispered: “Luna, this... this is impossible. I don't know what this thing is but...”

“I... perhaps we shall... seal it, banish it. Give it a coffin and bury it in the ocean, send it to the deepest depths of the sea...” Luna muttered, shivering a little as she rubbed slowly at her face and looked apprehensively down at the doll. “Or soak it in acid, or... hurl it into the sun...”

The three ponies traded nervous looks, and then gazed back down at the sprawled out doll before Scrivener grimaced and glanced over his shoulder a loud thunk, followed by Antares burbling something loudly. The stallion sighed a little, and then he shook his head and strode down the corridor, Twilight and Luna trading looks before the sapphire mare cursed under her breath. “And now my son shall want his favorite toy, but... I... do I give it to him? I do not know... it has... I... damnation!”

Scrivener, meanwhile, pushed his way quietly into Antares' room, and he smiled faintly at the sight of the foal standing up in his crib. He had tossed one of his heavier toys over the bars, and the unicorn foal smiled a little as his leather wings flapped a bit behind him. Then the colt leaned forwards, frowning worriedly as he asked: “Daddy hurt?”

“No, no, Daddy's not hurt... not exactly, anyway.” Scrivener replied softly, shaking his head and giving a small smile to the colt as he reached out and gently picked him up. Antares still looked up at him worriedly, and Scrivener sighed after a moment as he carried the foal over to the changing table, saying softly: “It's alright, kiddo. Daddy's just a little... you know. Worried about things. But don't you worry, Antares. You're safe, and that's what matters... and we're gonna keep things that way, too.”

Antares Mīrus looked up at him silently, kicking one rear leg as Scrivener changed his diaper, then father brushed his son's mane back out of his eyes, murmuring softly: “It's going to be time for your first haircut soon, you know that? I think your Mom wants to do it herself, but I dunno if that's exactly a good idea. She has a tendency to... overemphasize.”

The toddler nodded seriously as if in understanding, burbling a little before he asked quietly: “Gymbr?”

“You really like him, huh?” Scrivener asked softly, and Antares nodded a few times before hugging himself and smiling, and the earth pony sighed a bit, looking up moodily as he heard a mental string of furious curses from Luna, sending soothing thoughts her way as he picked up his son. “Alright. Come on, kiddo, let's go then.”

Antares smiled brightly, crawling happily up to rest on his father's back as Scrivener walked out of the baby's room and headed back to the den, where Luna was now grouchily sitting with Gymbr in her lap. But she softened at the sight of her foal, and she gave a long sigh when Antares burbled happily before she rose the doll quickly to her mouth, muttering into its ear: “Think a single wicked thought about my child, whatever thou art foul entity, and I shall make thee wish thou had never be stitched together.”

Scrivener dropped low so Antares could flop off his back, flapping his wings to try and keep upright as he stumbled with a giggle before prancing over to his mother, and Luna hesitantly held Gymbr out to her son. All the same, however, Antares skidded to a halt, frowning a little as he looked worriedly up at Luna as her starry locks swayed anxiously behind her, before the colt asked hesitantly: “Mommy hurt?”

“No, nay, no. Mommy is... just... worried. And concerned, perhaps, about Gymbr.” Luna looked moodily down at the toy, as Twilight smiled faintly, surprised at how honest and open the sapphire winged unicorn was with her son. “Art thou sure thou must have this toy, Antares? Would... would it not be fun to blow it up, perhaps? Or strike it with lightning? Or chop it with an axe?”

Antares scowled up at his mother, and Scrivener and Twilight both stared at the expression before Scrivener laughed in spite of everything and Twilight covered her muzzle to suppress her own giggles. Luna looked less than thrilled at this reaction and oddly ashamed of herself, shrinking her head back before sighing and tossing Gymbr to her son, mumbling: “'Twas only a suggestion. And I shall note that thy father wanted to do it as well.”

Scrivener only held up his hooves when Antares turned his grim little scowl on him, though, before the stallion asked kindly: “Chocolate milk?”

“Choco-milk!” Antares' expression turned to beaming happiness, and Luna huffed and glared at Scrivener before Antares turned his scowl back up at her, saying firmly: “No.”

“I... Scrivener! Thou hast turned my son against me!” Luna snapped, grabbing at her own face in horror as Scrivy grinned and headed into the kitchens. Then the starry-maned winged unicorn slumped and dropped her head forwards, mumbling dejectedly: “What a foul world this is.”

“Foul.” Antares agreed, and then he walked over and pushed his face into Luna's stomach, and the winged unicorn sighed and reached up to silently rub along her son's back, smiling a little after a moment as Twilight gazed softly at the foal.

Luna cheered up when Scrivener made her a mocha instead of a normal coffee, slurping greedily at it as he helped Antares with a sippy cup filled with chocolate milk. It was hard for the foal to use, but he was starting to understand how to feed himself, among other things, and how to use his clunky hooves for more subtle movements and motions. Soon, though, he would also be able to begin learning how to use his horn... although Scrivener dreaded a little what that would mean, since he was fairly certain that in no time at all, Luna would want to start teaching him magic meant for self-defense as well as daily living.

Twilight sipped thoughtfully at her own coffee, surveying Gymbr as Scrivener rested with Antares, unable to stop his own eyes from wandering towards the doll every now and then. Then the foal finally half-tossed the sippy cup away before bouncing a little on the spot, and before Scrivener could even pick him up, he belched loudly, and Luna snorted laughter in mid-sip of her mocha before wincing as coffee sprayed out her nose, wrinkling up her muzzle as she almost dropped the cup before sneezing loudly and groaning in disgust and pain.

Antares, meanwhile, giggled and clapped for a moment as Scrivener sighed and went to fetch napkins, Luna blinking grumpily as Twilight winced a bit and asked: “Are you okay?”

“Oh, fine, Twilight, yes. This is a wonderful experience.” Luna grumbled, turning towards Scrivener and blowing loudly out her nose before rubbing childishly at her face. “Damnation, Scrivener Blooms, this is all thy fault!”

There was a burble from beside her, and then Luna dumbly looked down before her eyes widened in horror at the sight of Antares with his face buried into her coffee mug, loudly slurping up the mocha he could before the sapphire winged unicorn hurriedly plucked her son up and hugged him close against her body. Scrivener frowned when he reentered the room, but Luna only grinned widely and awkwardly waved at him before she flicked a hoof out and knocked over her coffee mug, saying lamely: “Whoops, how silly of me, Scrivy! I am so truly sorry.”

Scrivener looked less-than-thrilled at this, grumbling and passing the napkins over to the winged unicorn before heading back into the kitchen to find more paper towels, and Luna hurriedly passed Antares to Twilight Sparkle, whispering loudly as the foal began to bounce and flail a little: “We must find a way to blame this all on Scrivener before he skins me alive!”

“Luna let Antares drink coffee!” Twilight called loudly, and Scrivener gave a loud groan from the kitchen before the violet mare smiled cheerfully over at the now-staring, horrified starry-maned mare, her glowing ephemeral locks pulsed with her shock. “Well, better to get it over with now, right? Besides, you two can't have secrets from each other.”

“We can for short periods of time whilst I figure out a way to blackmail Scrivener!” Luna retorted, and then she gritted her teeth and glowered at Twilight as Antares giggled in her lap, the caffeine already beginning to kick in. “Thou art no help. Thou art evil. I demote thee to the rank of servant. Thou art a servant now.”

Twilight only smiled amusedly, and then she winced when Antares suddenly flailed violently, burbling cheerfully as Luna winced back a bit and muttered: “He is not possessed, is he?”

“Luna, he's a baby. He just drank the ridiculously-strong coffee I always make, mixed with several healthy dollops of sugar and quite a bit of chocolate syrup.” Scrivener said dryly as he walked back into the room, grumbling as he began to clean up the mess from the spilled coffee, and Luna grinned at him awkwardly before he said in a softer voice: “And I'm not going to blame you for accidents or say I'm a better parent than you because of that. You know that. So stop being paranoid and competing.”

“'Tis easy not to compete when thou art in first place.” Luna said quietly, blushing a little as she gazed softly at Scrivener, but he only smiled a little as the two looked at each other, trading emotions, apologies, and gentle recriminations before their eyes both closed, and they smiled at the same moment.

Then Scrivener shook his head out, quietly going back to cleaning up as Luna picked up her mug and sipped slowly at the mocha that remained in it. Twilight sat back, blushing a little and gazing at the two; she felt both awkward and, in a strange way, all the closer for it. They didn't hide anything from each other... and they didn't hide anything from her, either. Not that it wasn't a little uncomfortable, but she thought that would pass, one way or the other.

She looked down at Antares, who burbled happily and then finally half-pushed, half-fell out of her lap with a giggle, rolling a few times before clawing up to his hooves and beginning to trot easily back and forth. He bounced happily, then looked up at the sound of Scarlet Sage's door open before scampering eagerly over to her as the Pegasus sleepily emerged from her room, looking down a moment too late before Antares plowed into her legs and tangled between them.

She winced and fell forwards, whacking her head painfully into the floor as Antares yelled and flailed as he was squished beneath her, and Luna winced, leaping to her hooves and shooting over to her children immediately. Scarlet Sage wheezed as her mother hefted the dazed Pegasus to her hooves before quickly picking up Antares as he whimpered and held a hurt foreleg up against his chest, and Luna sighed a little before she smiled awkwardly at her daughter, asking worriedly: “Art thou hurt?”

“No, just... rattled. Horses of Heaven, I'm sorry, Antares...” Scarlet Sage mumbled, blushing deeply as she shook her head out and rubbed a bit at her jaw, which looked like it was already starting to swell a little. Antares, meanwhile, whimpered and curled up tighter against his mother, and Luna sighed a little as she nuzzled her son quietly as the Pegasus glanced awkwardly away. “I... I'm really sorry...”

“No, 'tis fine.” Luna shook her head quickly, grumbling to herself as she looked quietly down at her son, rubbing his stomach soothingly with a hoof as Scrivener strode over and carefully reached up to touch along his foreleg... but while Antares whimpered and twitched a bit, it didn't seem like anything serious. “Damnation. This morning I am certainly excelling at being oh such a great parent...”

“Mom...” Scarlet Sage smiled faintly, but Luna only mumbled and gently passed Antares to Scrivener, the winged unicorn dropping her head grouchily as she turned around before the Pegasus looked questioningly at her father, and Scrivener smiled a little as he shook his head slowly.

Luna mumbled as she strode over to Twilight, then sat down and dropped her face against the violet mare's neck, and Twilight sighed a little, reaching up and wrapping a foreleg soothingly around her. But after Antares calmed down and Scrivener put the foal down, the first thing the leather-winged unicorn did was trot over to his mother and half-crawl onto where she was now flopped moodily on the bedding, and this plainly made her feel better as the toddler snuggled silently against her body and closed his eyes.

The morning passed in relative quiet, as they prepared to head back into town to see if Celestia was feeling better and if Odin had returned. But ten minutes before noon, just as Scrivener was putting together the baby bag, there was a loud knock at the door. Scarlet Sage ran down the hall to open it curiously, then smiled in surprise at the sight of the two figures outside the door, calling awkwardly: “Uh, Mom, Dad? Odin and Celestia are... here.”

“We figured we'd save you the journey.” Celestia said softly, and although the scars of yesterday's battle still gleamed on her body, she was obviously feeling much better, far less pain evident in her stance. It made Luna grin happily as she leaned into the hall, watching her big sister stride down it... before her grin spread wider even as concern spilled into her eyes at the sight of Odin.

The old once-god was looking moody, a large bandage in place over his already-blind eye, a large patch of feathers missing from the other side of his features, and his movements clunkier than usual as he leaned on his walking stick heavily, other arm held up in a simple sling. It wasn't broken, but it was obviously injured, one bruised eye looking tiredly over his cracked beak at Luna as she said cheerfully: “I bet thou gave in to temptation and slapped Celestia's ass!”

“Ass!” Antares mimicked cheerfully, and Twilight glared at Luna as Scrivener looked flatly at Antares, and both mother and son quailed in a very similar manner before the foal asked lamely: “No word?”

“No word.” Scrivener agreed, and he reached out and ruffled the foal's mane before adding dryly: “And I think Luna means to ask is whether or not you're alright, Odin.”

“No I did not.” Luna said grouchily, and then she sighed when Celestia gave her a mild look before the sapphire winged unicorn headed quickly into the kitchen. The others looked up as there was a clanking, and a moment later Luna returned with one of the large chairs from outside following behind her, dropping it in the archway between kitchen and den before she flicked her horn to toss a cushion onto it. “There, art thou all happy now? I have shown hospitality. Now sit thy bony buttocks down and tell us what happened, old lecher.”

“I paid the Norns a visit.” Odin said mildly, before anyone could interrupt, and Luna's jaw dropped as Celestia looked up with surprise as well, Twilight and Scrivener trading a look as Antares only burbled and curled himself happily up with Gymbr against Scarlet Sage. The semicircle of ponies facing Odin all continued to only stare, and as the falcon-headed once-god carefully put his walking stick aside, he said dryly: “They are not very fond of me.”

“Thou had a disagreement with the Fates? Odin, I both admire thee and wish to laugh at thee. And also pity thee just a tad.” Luna said mildly, leaning forwards and looking at him, but there was more than an ounce of respect in her eyes as her grin grew a little wider, and even Celestia smiled despite herself, gazing with interest at the once-god.

But Odin only chuckled quietly at this, shaking his head slowly. “Oh no, Brynhild. No one can disagree with the Norns... or rather, they can, but not with paying so little a cost as this.” Odin grimaced a bit despite himself, glancing moodily down at his beaten body. “The Norns do not like visitors. Not simply because they protect Yggdrasil's mighty base, but because they find very few to be worthy of their time. Therefore, those who wish to confer with them must pass a series of trials, which I have strongly come to believe is less to prove the worth of a person and more because they enjoy watching the struggles of those who are foolish enough to attempt palaver with them.”

“Oh, so they are not fond of thee, and thou art not fond of them?” Luna cocked her head with a grin, and Odin sighed and nodded grudgingly before Twilight frowned a little, and the sapphire winged unicorn immediately looked pointedly at her. “Ask, ask! Do not hesitate!”

Twilight winced at this, looking awkward and shrinking back a bit as she looked apprehensively towards Odin: towards the once King of the Aesir, towards a legendary figure that had once been the mightiest of the warrior gods, whom she had heard all about but spoken with only rarely. She swallowed thickly, nervously, then finally rose her eyes and asked quietly: “But... weren't you... well...”

“I was a god. The Norns are Fates. They weave the stories of our lives onto tapestries, and carve our fates into wooden staves.” Odin said quietly, smiling faintly as he leaned back and closed his eyes. “They determine the moment of our deaths... mortal, god, perhaps even Jötnar. And perhaps, they even have decreed their own fates as well. They are not mere prophets of possible futures... they are the masters, not of life or death, but of what has been, what is, and what will be. Even at my worst, even when I was a god... I was never foolish enough to think the Norns served me.”

He quieted, then shook his head moodily. “But they also annoy me. They are arrogant, cruel, and cryptic. They will never entertain the idea that they are wrong, whether the subject is fate, philosophy, or if the damnable sun is in the damnable sky. Once, many years ago, I spent ten hours arguing with them about the hue of Yggdrasil's bark. It was stupid, and unimportant, but I was almost as arrogant as them and it did not matter what the argument was about, it only mattered that they were wrong, and I was right, and the color of the bark was not golden straw but ocher.”

“You basically got into a fight on the internet with someone.” said a mild voice, and all eyes looked up in surprise to see Discombobulation calmly sitting on the ceiling, looking pleasantly down at them with a bowl of jellybeans in his hands. He tossed one of these down towards them, and in plain defiance of gravity it arced back up towards the Draconequus and flew into his waiting jaws, the chimerical creature chewing meditatively before he added mildly: “It's great, really. Because even if you win the argument, you still lose. But at least you'll entertain a few people scrolling through the comments section. Most of them will make fun of you, call you an idiot, and see the flaws in both sides of the argument, but. As long as you don't use your real Facebook, you're fine, right?”

He peered back and forth, then Twilight sighed a little, looking up and asking finally: “Why don't you come down here and join us? And how long have you been up there, anyway?”

“Long enough to gain a different perspective on things.” Discombobulation paused, then pointed to the side, and a tiny pink pony appeared with a set of drums, playing a quick beat across them before vanishing. “That was not the real Pinkie Pie. Probably. I don't know, I have this feeling that I could teleport her anywhere I liked in Equestria and she would happily keep bouncing along. Not like that nasty Pinkamena. She would look around, grab her face and scream like that boy in that movie about being home alone, and then start smashing everything around her.”

There was silence at this, and then Celestia shook her head before prompting gently, as Odin only looked meditatively up at the chaos entity, who was peering distrustfully back: “What did you consult the Norns on, if I may ask? It must have been something serious if you were willing to suffer through both their trials as well as your dislike of them.”

Odin sighed and nodded hesitantly after a moment, rubbing slowly at the bandaged side of his face: “The Norns are not... entirely passive. As a matter of fact, Freya, you yourself may remember Skuld...”

“She was a Valkyrie, yes. Of... sorts.” Celestia grimaced a little, looking away as Luna frowned and looked up in surprise. “She came and went as she pleased. She was young... or rather, she looked and acted young. She was not, of course, but she obviously took pleasure in her little games of deceit. I did... not consider her one of us, to be entirely honest. I don't think you did, either... I think you only let her do as she liked because she was a Fate, and you didn't want to risk the wrath of the other sisters.”

Odin nodded calmly, resting back with a grimace and rubbing slowly at his face. “And, stripped of my pride as I am, I can freely admit that, yes: I let them all-but-mock the duties and honor of the Valkyries because I was afraid. I fear them, I dislike them, and they don't like me, but we were allies all the same and in a way still are even now. There are things that can change and challenge the Fates, and they fear and revile these things. Likewise, they have no wish to see reality collapse, and they have been known to grant favor to those who... for lack of a better word... 'amuse' them.

“I brought a concern forwards about Valthrudnir... and considering the attack upon her that Celestia told me about, mentioning this... 'Clockwork' project of Valthrudnir's... it seems I was right to be concerned.” Odin said softly, shaking his head moodily. “They were not fond of the argument I made and the concerns I rose, but all the same it was enough that they were willing to grant me a favor. And now, Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms, I fear that I must ask another strange favor of you both, one that is both very great and very small at once.”

He looked silently towards Luna, who gazed steadily back before she sat back on her haunches and said quietly: “Thou wishes for us to meet with the Norns. Thou wishes for us to meet with the Fates themselves for a reason I do not desire to even begin to guess at...”

“I do.” Odin said calmly, and above, Discombobulation whistled slowly before he carefully took the bowl into one hand and reached out with his long, shaggy-furred arm as far as he could, pushing the bowl down towards them with the very tips of his fingers to offer jellybeans down to them, and Odin sighed. But after a moment, he reached calmly up and carefully took a few from the upside down bowl, remarking dryly: “You know, once I would have killed your kind out of hand just for daring to have left Ginnungagap.”

“Yes, and now here you are, sharing candy with a filthy sewer rat. I feel much worse for you than I feel for myself.” Discombobulation said kindly, and then he offered the bowl back and forth, and Luna grumbled a bit as she leaned up, horn glowing and lifting a few of the candies free. Most of these were tossed into her own mouth, but she passed one to Antares as well, who eagerly bit down on it and began to chew it loudly up. “My. He has the same manners you do, Scrivener Blooms.”

“Shut up, Discombobulation.” Luna grumbled, and then she sighed a little as Odin meditatively tossed a candy into his beak, looking at her calmly before she bowed her head and muttered under her breath: “Very well. But what could we possibly learn from them that thou could not? What possible reason is there for myself and Scrivener Blooms to meet with them?”

Odin was quiet for a moment, looking slowly around at the ponies before he said softly: “Because I do not know whether or not I can trust them, Brynhild. As I have learned well myself, power does not simply corrupt us into selfishness: it can also make a person complacent, distorted, or into a mockery of their former self, if we are not careful with how we handle ourselves. And this can happen over moments, or over millennia.

“You see, the Fates have always been... opportunistic. Yes, they already have within their power the ability to modify the lives and deaths of mortals and gods alike, and they were able to add and remove events from a life of a person... to ensure, for example, that one person would meet another at this precise time and place, although by no means could they control how those events played out.” Odin explained quietly. “And there are many loopholes like that in their powers, stumbling blocks... what they saw as unnecessary interferences they were always eager to remove.

“Skuld, after all, did not die with the true Valkyries in Valhalla. And even though, in those old glory days, a great council of gods met almost every day with them at the foot of mighty Yggdrasil, they never advised the Aesir against war. They never warned us of Valthrudnir's growing influence nor his machinations, and when I sought their aid, they turned me away in derision. Yet when Valthrudnir began to threaten reality itself, they became suddenly much more willing to work with me again.” Odin smiled wryly. “I suppose they did not take well to the idea that he planned to build a universe where Fates would be outmoded by the machines and puppets of a Jötnar.”

“Fates aren't necessary in a world where everything's planned from the beginning. And Valthrudnir would have destroyed them along with everything else, wouldn't he?” Celestia glanced towards the once-god, and Odin nodded slowly and calmly. “But then why did the Fates themselves not stand against Valthrudnir?”

Odin smiled a little at this, reaching up and silently tapping at his throat. “Not only was Valthrudnir immortal and nearly omnipotent, he wore a particular choker around his neck. Ymir's seal, the wolf's head; he must have stolen it from the former Jötnar chieftain's lair after I killed him. It granted him invisibility from any form of telepathy, divination or prediction... it was why no god, no guardian, no force of Asgard could see the danger we were in until too late.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Scrivener reached up and rubbed slowly at his bare throat, thinking strangely of his collar before Odin looked at the stallion and said softly: “You, my friend, I must warn that the Norns already dislike. Your story and Brynhild's was woven together the moment you tied your souls together... you were not supposed to live past that experience. But you did, because of what my Brynhild did; you both exploited one of the loopholes. And in their eyes, you not just a flaw in their system, you are also a lower class of creature that has now evolved into something greater, something... more.”

Scrivener grimaced at this, and Luna glowered a little at Odin, but for once it was clear her anger wasn't at him as she muttered: “Disgusting. But it was not Scrivener that made the pact, 'twas I who did it.”

“True, but they see you as a Valkyrie still. In their strange minds, it is within your rights to make modifications to the so-called stories of lesser beings.” Odin paused, then gave a small, dry smile. “But don't worry, Brynhild. They were very clear they are not fond of you, either.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Celestia rose her head, saying quietly: “You're afraid that they're trying to make a power play. Make themselves, as Fates, absolute. Doing the same as Valthrudnir... except instead of laying plans from the beginning, they desire to write the ending first, and then work their way to that ultimate point however entertains them most.”

“You're as sharp as ever, Freya.” Odin said softly, smiling faintly as he nodded slowly once, then he looked moodily back and forth. “As it stands, the Fates are kept in check from being 'absolute' by the fact there are many things that can defy them and their decrees. For example, the undead: those who are granted a second life, in the eyes of the Norns, are abominations, not miracles. They have no problem with desecrating the dead, oh no: mindless servants are fine. But those who return to life represent a story that continues after it ends, becomes a soul they do not know the present or future of, only the past. And it infuriates them.”

He quieted, then smiled wryly, glancing back and forth. “And in this room, are many of the other things they hate and cannot control. Those who have bound their souls to one another's, twisting two stories endlessly together; chaos beings of Ginnungagap, who do not listen to the prescribed order and freely bend the rules of nature and otherwise; reincarnations, those who have already lived one life and return for a second, forcing them to try and lay one story overtop another; seers, who can catch glimpses of the carvings and stories of the Norns, and work to avoid that outcome, that design; and mortals that have been blessed by a fragment of a greater power, letting them rise above the station prescribed to them by the Fates. And of course, an old, one-eyed once-god.”

“It's nice to be included.” Discombobulation said mildly from the ceiling, and then he finally spun slowly right-side up and floated calmly down to the ground to land beside Antares and Scarlet Sage with his legs still crossed, looking musingly over at the foal as he burbled quietly, before giggling when Discombobulation put the empty wooden bowl over the foal's head. “Poor little soldier. We're all destined for doom, after all. Then again, that's really like saying 'I have a PIN number.' I hate people who say things like that.”

Odin sighed a little, then he glanced quietly towards Antares, letting his eyes slowly move down to the doll that was resting near the foal's hooves before he pointed at it and said quietly: “I also believe the Norns have something to do with that.”

Luna and Celestia both looked up with frowns as Scrivener grimaced a little towards the toy, and Antares shifted and burbled nervously for a moment, flapping his wings before he said hesitantly: “Gymbr?”

“Yes, Gymbr.” Odin said softly, and then he shook his head slowly and laced his fingers together moodily, leaning forwards as he studied the strange little doll. “They wouldn't admit it to me. They would barely let me talk about the subject, as a matter of fact, but that is no real surprise: they like to be in control of every last detail. But as I said, sometimes they do things... for their own entertainment, if not their own ends.”

“I shall pummel them if this is some elaborate prank by three scheming old witches.” Luna muttered darkly, and Twilight winced as Scarlet Sage bit her lip nervously, but Discombobulation rose his hands and politely clapped. The sapphire winged unicorn only looked at him dourly for a moment, then she sighed and turned her eyes grouchily to Odin, who was smiling at her wryly. “What? 'Tis true, I shall, and thou knows it. And when am I to meet with these wicked harpies, in any event?”

Odin shook his head slowly, then he said quietly: “I do not know, Brynhild. The Norns do not accept any schedule but their own... they will send a messenger when they are prepared to meet with you, and we must merely hope that they do not decide to send the messenger while you are in another layer. Oh, they would know where you are, certainly, but... as I said. They are not... pleasant creatures, and I wouldn't put it past them to mock us in that way.

“But I believe you also have a story for us. Regarding Clockwork World, and all that is there.” Odin said quietly, and then he smiled a little when Antares wiggled away from Scarlet Sage to pick up Gymbr and crawl forwards, holding the winged unicorn toy up. “Yes, child, I see it.”

“Gymbr.” Antares announced, and he held it insistently up towards the old once-god, who smiled wryly before he finally, gently took it... and then winced and dropped it almost immediately, fingers spasming before clenching tightly into fists as he leaned back in his chair, and Antares whimpered and leaned back as Celestia leaned towards the once-god in concern, Luna and Scrivener immediately look at Antares. “Hurt?”

“No, I... I am fine.” Odin shook his head slowly, breathing hard before he looked down at one gloved hand, flexing it slowly as a shiver ran through the once-god's body before he gave a grim, faint smile over to Luna and Scrivener, saying in a voice so quiet it was almost a whisper: “I would appreciate it if you could... tell me your story.”

There was silence for a few moments, as Antares silently picked up Gymbr and looked quietly down at the doll... and then Scrivener Blooms sighed softly and nodded slowly, closing his eyes as he murmured: “Alright. I'll... try and keep it short.”

It didn't take Scrivener long to go through telling about what they had encountered: he talked a little about the mischief they had made, about the differences between this layer and that one, about how pleasant things seemed... but it was only to give himself more time to think and ready himself for the painfully-serious topic of Visionary and Clockwork World. And perhaps because of his strange ability to understand things, Antares was silent the entire time, looking quietly up at his father and curling up tightly against his mother, his other foreleg keeping Gymbr close against his body.

When Scrivener came to a quiet finish, Odin nodded slowly, looking down and muttering: “Worse than I expected. Probes, disguised as meteors... we'll have to keep an eye out and our defenses up. Freya, thoughts?”

Celestia was silent, looking down quietly before she shook her head and murmured: “It's guaranteed that we're outnumbered, and that our enemies will possess superior weapons and equipment. That's without considering what other projects and machinations of Valthrudnir might be on that world as well: we can't rule out the possibility that Tyrant Wyrms, among other things, may exist there and be laying in wait. Our defenses are strong, our soldiers are better trained than ever before, but... that army that attacked us earlier may be only a sample of the forces they could march against us.”

“Water. Our only advantage is liquid. We need to install some kind of defense system that could take advantage of that, around the locations that the Clockwork forces could be drawn to.” Twilight said quietly, and Celestia nodded slowly in agreement as Odin rubbed slowly at his face, head bowed in deep thought. “We also need a way to interfere with that Black Mirror...”

“A gate apart from the Bifrost between worlds... one that sounds more dependable in some ways as well, but I do not doubt it must draw on immense amounts of energy to open.” Odin muttered, looking down moodily before he sighed and sat back, grimacing a bit. “I do not want to imagine what Valthrudnir was experimenting in, however... or what he would dare to risk letting into reality from the hollows that exist between layers. There are worse things than demons in the spaces between spaces...”

“Like that creature we fought before?” Scrivener asked after a moment, unable to resist, and Odin nodded calmly to him, the stallion grimacing a little as he looked down and muttered: “Like the monsters in the Gray Mountains...”

“Thankfully, that terrible dark range does not exist in this Equestria. 'Tis only harmless, cold and snowy rocks. No Black Baroque, no altered reality, no monstrosities without name.” Luna grumbled, shaking her head slowly, and there was silence for a few moments before she looked up and said finally: “Odin, thou does have my thanks for... for informing us at least, of what thou thinks may be going on. And I suppose I should thank thee, too, for the audience with the Norns, even if we are going there simply to do thy dirty work for thee... I will at least be able to finally set my eyes upon Yggdrasil itself.”

Odin chuckled quietly and shook his head slowly, then he glanced towards Celestia as she rose her head and asked slowly: “Are you sure this is a good idea? If the Norns are looking to eliminate anything that 'defies fate,' and they have been glad to let both sides play out against one-another in the past in the hopes of cleaning up what remains afterwards... sending them my sister and my brother may not be a good idea. If the Norns are... hostile... then they may choose to eliminate a force that could otherwise prove to be a very great threat to them in the future.”

The falcon-headed entity only smiled a little, however, saying quietly: “I know, Freya. There is risk... and I do not trust them at all. But do not forget your own words: in the past they were more interested in letting both sides fight one another while they sat back and watched. They are not executioners or assassins: they much prefer to use their serpents' tongues and poisons, and guide one enemy into the waiting spears of another.”

“Manipulators.” Celestia said softly, and then she smiled a little and glanced moodily over at Luna, who grinned widely. “Then I begin to see why you wish to send my little sister to gather information.”

“It is partly because I truly do dislike the Norns as well, I will freely admit.” Odin added wryly, and Twilight smiled a little as Scarlet Sage gazed softly over at her mother, Antares burbling softly from where he was curled up next to the sapphire winged unicorn. “I should not encourage you, but I do hope you test their patience in every possible way.”

“Oh fear not, I am very sure that I shall.” Luna said with relish, licking her teeth slowly as she sat back with a wide grin before shaking herself out briskly, and then she smiled slightly as her eyes flicked towards Scrivener Blooms as he grunted in agreement. “Perhaps we shall even take Discombobulation along with us. I am sure he is very capable of smuggling himself to where the Norns den if he pleases.”

“Oh yes. I'm also very capable of putting my face into a wood chipper, but just because we can do something, doesn't mean we have to, and most certainly does not mean that we should. That goes double for when other people tell you to do something, by the way: if I had a dollar for every time someone told me to smoke cigarettes, I could afford to smoke cigarettes.” Discombobulation paused, then he flicked his wrist, holding up a neatly-rolled joint. “As it is I'll have to stick to marijuana. Pineapple Express, anyone?”

Luna huffed and reached out to slap this firmly out of the Draconequus's hand, and he whined and let his wrist fall limp, rubbing at it as the joint vanished and Luna said irritably: “There is no smoking in my home. Besides, Antares had already had coffee today, he does not need thy magic drug smoke.”

“You must have been one of those magic school bus kids.” Discombobulation remarked mildly, and then he paused for a few moments, seeming to go over her words in his mind before saying seriously: “I also cannot help but note you don't seem against magic drug smoke. Also, as I feel like causing trouble at the moment, I'm choosing to believe you just inferred you would allow your son to enjoy magic drug smoke. So from that I'm going to exaggerate and extrapolate you are going to buy your son a bong for his birthday. I always knew you were a hippie, and child services will believe me because you have gross pony sex with everything, so I'm going to now get your child taken away mostly because of a remark I myself made.”

For a few moments, Luna only looked up at the Draconequus as he looked seriously back at her, and then she turned her eyes moodily to Scrivener Blooms, asking grumpily: “So do we make pinata out of the creature now or later?”

Scrivener only rolled his eyes, then he hesitated before returning his gaze to Odin and adding awkwardly, as Luna winced a little: “There's also... something else we should probably tell you about, though. Out in our backyard, well... we saw... some kind of Ambrosia tree that apparently grew there overnight...”

“What?” Odin frowned at this, then he grimaced as he creakily stood, half-hauling himself up to his feet as Celestia half-leaned towards him with a look of worry, but the once-god only smiled awkwardly at her as he rested against the kitchen counter for a moment, murmuring: “I appreciate your concern, Freya, but... well, no, that's not important right now. Let's take a look at this tree.”

Luna cocked her head curiously as Celestia only smiled a little, and then Odin carefully turned to head out into the back yard, the other ponies following after him as Discombobulation sat back and rose a hand, saying mildly as Antares burbled and bounced on the floor: “I'll stay here and watch the kid. Trees aren't my favorite flower.”

“Tree!” Antares declared, and then he began to scamper forwards before staring when Discombobulation nimbly reached out and plucked up Gymbr, the baby give him a sulky look as he turned his attention to the Draconequus, reaching up for his toy with a huff. “Mine!”

Discombobulation only stuck his tongue out, holding the toy high above his head, and Antares grumbled as he crawled forwards, bowl half-falling off his head as he tried to stand on his rear hooves and pawed grouchily at the chimerical creature in a vain attempt to reach his toy, and then the Draconequus huffed a bit. “You're as good at sharing as Scrivener Blooms is. Maybe I should have gone out to the tree after all.”

In the back yard, meanwhile, Scrivener Blooms and Luna were watching apprehensively as Odin carefully reached up to one of the branches of the strangely-bent tree, gently plucking one of the large blue fruits dangling from the warped plant and stepping back as he rose it to his beak, sniffing at it for a moment. Then all eyes looked upwards, watching with surprise as a new fruit formed almost immediately in its place like a droplet of water swelling into a solid blue bubble.

Odin shifted the loose fruit to his injured arm, then reached up and pulled down the newly-formed Ambrosia to hold them almost side-by-side. And, just as moments before, a new fruit grew immediately into place, as Odin squeezed the Ambrosia gently, surveyed the identical shape and consistency with his sharp eyes... then slowly shook his head, muttering: “This is tampering with reality... and on a level I never saw much of even amongst the Aesir. Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms, Freya and friends... family... I do not wish to impose, but... I will need your help to decipher this puzzle.”

“'Tis no imposition, Odin. For once... thou art welcome to explore however thou must.” Luna replied quietly, bowing her head forwards, and Odin smiled faintly over his shoulder even as his eye remained dark with worry. Luna tried her best to smile back, but she couldn't quite make it reach her own eyes, wondering silently what it was that could have the old god so concerned... and how this linked to Gymbr, the Norns, and the threatening Clockwork World.

What It Means To Be Family

Chapter Twenty Six: What It Means To Be Family
~BlackRoseRaven

A week after the mass attack, Celestia had almost fully recovered. One of her wings still ached and she still bore a few bruises, but that was all, and it was easy enough for the winged unicorn to ignore. It helped that she had so much to focus on: not just the duties of the barony and Equestria, but also research work for Odin on the gnarled and alien Ambrosia tree in Luna and Scrivener's backyard, as well as putting together an analysis of Clockwork World with Scrivener Blooms. The last was something she took a strange, almost shameful enjoyment in, although Scrivy and Luna both understood the fascination far too well: it was a remarkable and, in a way, a beautiful challenge.

Scrivener had trouble dredging up Visionary's memories at first, until eventually Celestia had suggested hypnosis, of all things. Scrivener had acted cynical and sarcastic, and Luna had promptly tattled that hypnosis scared him, which meant he'd spent a good hour or so being soothed and goaded until he finally grudgingly agreed to allow someone to hypnotize him. All eyes had turned to Discombobulation, who had been calmly playing with Antares in the corner, and the Draconequus had grumbled a bit, then said sourly: “I don't like putting ponies in trances. That was Discord's thing, not mine.”

With some prodding, eventually Discombobulation had grouchily agreed to hypnotize Scrivener, who was staring awkwardly around as Luna had soothed him gently, nervous herself but oddly less worried about the process than Scrivener was. Because of their soul link, they would both have to be hypnotized at once... otherwise, their linked minds tended to override the trance state through instinct and natural defense.

A problem arose that they hadn't suspected, however, after Discombobulation put them both into a trance and handed the controls moodily over to Celestia, the Draconequus storming away and rubbing sulkily at his eyes. While Scrivener grew very quiet and answered questions calmly, now able to better dredge up details and memories even as shivers gave away pain and fear here and there, Luna had simply sat silently with her head bowed and eyes closed before she had smiled slowly, her features changing subtly, and her eyes the glowing eldritch of Nightmare Moon as reptilian pupils stared slowly around at them all.

Antares had whimpered a little, but Nightmare Moon hadn't even spoken, only surveyed them like a hungry predator. With Luna in the trance, she was able to rise to the surface... although Nightmare Moon herself was under the same hypnosis, vulnerable to suggestion, but Discombobulation refused to tempt fate by poking at all at the manifestation of passion.

Once Celestia had gotten everything she needed from Scrivener – a surprising amount of detailed information culled from the often-painful memories of Visionary – Discombobulation had gladly and eagerly returned them to normal. But then the true difficulties had started when Nightmare Moon had refused to give up control back to Luna.

Now here they were: days after the hypnosis experiment, and Nightmare Moon sat in all her glory, black-coat gleaming, a smile on her vainly-beautiful features as she sat in front of the fireplace in their cottage. Scarlet Sage was in town, Discombobulation was hiding somewhere, and Scrivener was reading softly to Antares. The babe clung tight to Gymbr, using the doll like a shield between himself and Nightmare Moon, who he kept tossing worried looks at... but Nightmare Moon only smiled in return, her eyes gleaming before she said softly: “I am the boy's true mother, you know.”

Scrivener stuttered in his reading, but forced himself to continue to the end of the page as Antares whimpered and fidgeted a bit. Nightmare Moon studied them, listened to Scrivener's voice, and then she slowly turned around: enormous, imposing, the black pearl glinting as it swayed slowly on her necklace. Almost-cruel entertainment gleamed in her eyes, easily able to maintain this shape and form, and Scrivener couldn't feel, couldn't sense Luna at all as Nightmare Moon leaned in and whispered into his ear: “I am your true soulmate, Scrivener Blooms.”

She licked slowly around the rim of his ear, and Scrivener shivered as he stopped reading before looking down at Antares, who curled himself into a small ball back against his father, whimpering a little. Nightmare Moon only looked lovingly down at the foal, however, before she grimaced a little as Gymbr's button eyes seemed to gleam. A moment later, she snorted and turned away suddenly, saying softly: “Isn't it time for our growing colt's nap? Perhaps that is why he is so cranky.”

“Perhaps.” Scrivener muttered, and then he rubbed a hoof soothingly along the foal's back, asking quietly: “Would you like to go down for a little sleep, Antares? A quiet nap with Gymbr?”

Antares whimpered but nodded a little, and Scrivener nodded slowly back before he stood up and carefully slipped to the side. Antares scampered to his hooves, hurrying down the hall as Scrivener strode behind him, keeping himself between complacently-smiling Nightmare Moon and the foal as the starry-maned winged unicorn said in a voice made all the more dangerous by how tender it was: “Mommy loves you.”

Antares scrambled into his room, and Scrivener softened as he reached down, gently picking up the foal and sighing a little as he checked his diaper, then carefully put him into his crib. Immediately, the toddler burrowed into his blankets, shivering a little, and Scrivener sighed as he reached down to pick up Gymbr, holding the doll up and saying quietly: “I don't know who or what you are, but... keep taking care of him. Luna and I... both appreciate it.”

And as Scrivener carefully put the toy into Antares' crib, he thought he felt... sadness. Pain, emanating from the toy, as he studied it with a frown... before shaking his head and sighing as he realized he could just be sensing his son's emotions as well. He looked quietly down at the colt, then closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards, saying softly: “I'm sorry.”

“I miss Mommy.” Antares whispered from beneath the blankets, and Scrivener's heart thudded in his chest, something catching in his throat as he looked silently down at his son. His first real sentence, and because of Nightmare Moon's tampering...

The stallion gritted his teeth before he swallowed slowly, then reached down and squeezed his son's shoulder before turning and heading out of the room. He silently closed the door completely, then took a long breath before turning down the corridor and striding towards Nightmare Moon... then shoving past her and heading through the kitchen for the back door as he said sharply: “Outside. Now.”

“Oh my.” Nightmare Moon licked her sharp teeth, her eyes gleaming brightly at this as she followed him almost eagerly. She grinned widely at the stallion's back, studying him as she paced expectantly behind him, looking strangely excited as he sat in front of the pond facing the Ambrosia tree as he tried to rein in his emotions. “Yes, husband? Beloved husband?”

Scrivener slowly took a breath, then looked over his shoulder at her, saying quietly: “I want Luna back, and I want her back now.”

“Oh, how I wish I could accommodate that, my sweet... but Luna isn't here right now, simply-put.” Nightmare Moon replied kindly, leaning towards him as her eyes all-but-glowed, the expression on her face half-compassionate, half-coy. “It seems she's gotten lost... lost in the deep place, where I was locked away by her vicious betrayal after Twilight and her friends used the Elements of Harmony on me. It took me several years to claw my way out of that abyss... how long do you think it will take Luna to escape from that cage?”

“I said, bring her back, now!” Scrivener snapped, rounding on the enormous, dark-coated winged unicorn as he leaned towards her, glaring furiously... and although fear twisted through his chest, it wasn't fear for himself, or of this thing in front of him. It was fear for Luna: Luna, who he'd barely heard the mental shouts of over these last three days, who he had caught only wispy traces of here and there, who whether he was in sleep, or darkness, or meditation, he hadn't been able to track down and find... and instead, he felt his link connecting more and more into the darkness of Nightmare Moon. He felt her trying to abuse their link, feeding her emotions and thoughts into him, trying to influence him, as he leaned forwards and shouted: “Bring her back, dammit! I am not afraid of-”

“Not afraid of me? No. You have no reason to be, you never, ever, ever have to be afraid of me, Scrivener Blooms. I love you. I adore you. I would die for you... I would kill for you.” Nightmare Moon replied affectionately, as if unfettered by his anger... and if anything, she seemed to be feeding off his emotions, seemed to be growing more and more excited as she paced back and forth in front of him slowly. “You suspect I seek to control you, but I do not. I desire your control over me. I desire to be yours. I desire to be chosen by you, and to earn my love. Equality? There is no such thing as equality in any relationship, that is an unforgivable lie. Those who cannot accept that one must rule, and one must bow their head, are weak and pathetic. Are doomed to live out failure after failure...”

“Luna and I are equals.” Scrivener said quietly and firmly, narrowing his eyes at Nightmare Moon, but she only licked her lips in response and laughed. “Although I am with you on one thing. You and I are not equals. You're... scum. You're a thief. You're a liar.”

“Yes, I am. I am. Tell me what else I am.” Nightmare Moon whispered, flushing slightly as she stepped suddenly forwards, and Scrivener cursed under his breath as she tried to kiss him, shoving her backwards as her eyes glowed and she grinned wider, her teeth glinting like blades. “You revile me. You hate me. But beneath that boils both lust and love. You're aroused right now and you don't want to be: you enjoy the power you have over me. Oh, but we can psychoanalyze each other all day, but the foreplay is only so fun for so long... so allow me to escalate the situation.”

Nightmare Moon shook herself out, then straightened and looked down at Scrivener Blooms arrogantly, her eyes glowing with her dark love. “I am everything you want. Passion, power, a guardian, a lover, a mother. And all under your control, and even more, glad to be: glad to let myself be a victim of your torture engines, your own machinations and dark designs... why? It seems to make no sense, that I, powerful enough that if I desired, I could break even Celestia... no, not kill. I would never kill my sister.” She smiled coldly, licking her lips slowly. “I am not that kind.”

Scrivener shivered, staring silently up at this dark engine of malice and emotion before Nightmare Moon continued softly: “But oh, we remember well... what it was like to be out of control. To give in to every urge, to try and force the ponies – stupidly – to adore us. To fight Celestia and lose, not because we were weaker than her, because we were... immeasurably idiotic. Because insanity and hunger made us... broken, gave us flaws that the enemy was easily able to take advantage of.

“But you... control us. When we look at you, even in the deepest haze, our spirit lifts.” Nightmare Moon smiled lovingly at him, slowly pacing to the side of the stallion, slinking in closer as she whispered: “Special, beloved Scrivener Blooms. Your flaws and our flaws... together, we perfect each other. You give us focus, and reason, and love. Do not lie, you love me. You love both me and Luna, you love us, not just one or the other.

“Bowing to you makes us safe. Letting you hurt us gives us pleasure. Empowering you makes us strong.” Nightmare Moon leaned in, and Scrivener closed his eyes with a shudder when she nipped the side of his neck, then licked slowly up to his ear, whispering into it: “Tell me to be your wife, and I will be your wife, faithful and humble. Ask me to be your sister, and I shall be your sister, gentle and compassionate. Whisper to me to be your mother, and I shall be your mother, the cradle of love and comfort. Order me to be your slave, and I shall perform your every task without hesitation. But in truth... I desire most to be your victim...”

“You're just trying to make me as warped and corrupted as you are, and it won't work.” Scrivener whispered, clenching his eyes shut for a moment as he shivered, and Nightmare Moon gave a sultry smile as she leaned slowly back and shrugged calmly in response when he glared at her. “Then I order you to let Luna go.”

“You have to mean it, Scrivener Blooms. You have to truly desire her free... and first, you have to truly want me as your slave.” Nightmare Moon reached up, kindly stroking beneath his muzzle as she asked lovingly: “Right now you desire a friend and a mother, isn't that right? Would you like me to cradle you close, and whisper a lullaby to you? Would you like me to kiss you goodnight, and snuggle you to sleep? Would you like to tell me all the secrets you keep from little Luna Lightblade?”

“I have no secrets from her.” Scrivener said quietly, his eyes narrowing. “You''re the one that I keep secrets from.”

Nightmare Moon only laughed at this, saying affectionately: “Getting closer, but no. No. You cannot hurt me, Scrivener Blooms... not with such weak poison. Try hitting me. Or better yet, reach inside yourself... stretch down into the rivers of blood and corruption inside you, and dredge up the toys you so desire to use upon my head, my heart, my soul...”

Scrivener began to breathe harder, trembling furiously as he whispered: “Give Luna back. Bring her back, right now. Get away, Nightmare Moon, you... you aren't welcome here...”

But the black-coated equine only licked her lips, grinning wider as she shot eagerly back: “Closer. Better, but not good enough, no. Try harder. You can do it, Scrivener Blooms, you can hurt me if you dig inside yourself. Do you feel my heartbeat, my pulse, my excitement? I feel yours. And I feel that darkness in your mind, writhing; corruption? I think not. I think it was purification. I think you're more handsome now than you've ever been... come, stretch just a little further...”

“S-Shut up!” Scrivener shouted, grabbing at his head with a snarl, shivering as he felt something twist savagely inside of him before he looked up, tears in his eyes as he snapped: “Luna Brynhild! I love you, come on, force your way to the surface, push out of that cage, this monster has been here for three days and I can't take any more!”

“Yes you can. You've liked my company, beneath everything. I offer gifts, and strength. You find me erotic, and alluring, and you love the way I treat you...” Nightmare Moon leaned forwards, her eyes glowing as she said softly: “A little further. A little deeper. Or are you nothing but the weak, pathetic slave hoof your father always said you were?”

Scrivener's eyes widened, and then he snarled in fury and lashed a hoof out, smacking her across the face before he could stop himself, Nightmare Moon flinching... then grinning wide as her eyes glowed, her mane writhing behind her with her excitement as a bit of drool fell from her jaws, whispering: “Yes. You don't need much of a push, do you?”

Scrivener breathed hard, staring at her as Nightmare Moon's grin toned down to a calm smile, and then she sat back and closed her eyes as she said kindly: “I will not allow Luna the pleasure of feeling anything you do to me, Scrivener. Not with her locked up deep and safe and tight. Hit me again. Make me your servant. Make me yours. Then, I shall free her. I feel you there, tottering on the edge of the abyss, scared and afraid... but come, it's only a single step, and then you can fall forever into my darkness... into my love. Into a place, where I will serve you loyally forever... where I will be anything you desire. Because that is how much I love you. Because that is all that love is; making yourself useful to one-another, a story of a master or mistress and their servant. You are perfect, Scrivener Blooms, with all your pent-up fury, the perfect sociopathic sadomasochist beneath your cynicism and false smiles.”

“You're the one giving orders here, Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener muttered, and he dropped his hoof, trembling in fury before he said quietly: “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be.” Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes, leaning forwards, studying him before she smiled softly, whispering: “No, not broken, are you? At least not in the way anyone would think. You're accepting it, aren't you? Accepting your place, accepting who I am, accepting what I must be to you... and that I am more important than Luna. And do not lie, sly Scrivener. You must believe it. You must make me feel it this time... no cunning games. Make me special, and I'll let Luna free. To wallow in despair as she understands that I am more to you than she will ever be. More trusted, more respected, more loved.”

“You're insane.” Scrivener said disgustedly, closing his eyes and lowering his head forwards. “More respected... so I guess Bramblethorn must have thought I was king of the world with all the 'respect' he paid me, huh?”

“That is different.” Nightmare Moon said coldly, and Scrivener frowned in surprise as he looked up at her sudden change in demeanor. “Do not compare yourself to that pathetic bully, and do not compare these situations. Why do I say respect? Because you will be able to do things with me and to me you could never do with Luna. It is not detriment or derision: it is acknowledgment that I am stronger than Luna. Tougher than Luna. Better than Luna. And the perfect fit to who you truly are.”

“You just want me to be as ugly as you are. As tortured and twisted as you are.” Scrivener said quietly, looking up at her, and Nightmare Moon simply shrugged and smiled lovingly before he closed his eyes and asked softly: “Tell me, Nightmare Moon: what are you going to do when Luna comes back and I lock you away forever?”

“You won't. I have confidence that you won't... because you need me, and because without me, Luna is incomplete. Because no matter what, at your core, I know that I am your entire universe.” Nightmare Moon said softly, smiling kindly as she leaned forwards, her eyes flashing. “I expect to be punished. I look forwards to it, even. But that, too, only shows the depth of our connection: how deeply I know you. How deeply I can affect you. And how much you long to make me... better.”

Scrivener was silent, and then he looked slowly up towards the Ambrosia tree, silently surveying the hanging fruit before he said softly: “I have no desire to physically hurt you. That damage will translate to Luna.”

“I am not going to be foolish enough to allow you to bind me down in your torture machines and leave me waiting and wanting, Scrivener Blooms. This pain will be my gift to Luna.” Nightmare Moon said lovingly, and the stallion gritted his teeth before Nightmare Moon simply smiled kindly, half-lidding her eyes. “Go ahead, Scrivener Blooms. You have your hooves. You need nothing more.”

Scrivener closed his eyes tightly... and five minutes later, he slumped back into the house, heading silently to their bedroom and flopping down as he trembled a little, eyes tightly closed as he buried his face into the pillows. And then he sighed raggedly as Nightmare Moon slipped slowly in through the doorway behind him, saying lovingly: “It doesn't make you weak. I am impressed with how hard you fight, Scrivener... but it is all pointless.”

The stallion mumbled and rolled over in bed... then he shivered when Nightmare Moon slipped onto the mattress beside him, pulling him back against her and stroking tenderly through his mane as she said lovingly: “I am here. You can tell me anything, Scrivener Blooms. Just as you can do anything you desire to me... just as I will do anything you ask.”

“Then why won't you bring back Luna? I need... Luna.” Scrivener said quietly, bowing his head forwards, and Nightmare Moon shook her head slowly before she nuzzled him comfortingly, and he grimaced, looking silently towards the wall as he muttered: “I don't even know what you are anymore.”

“I am us.” Nightmare Moon answered simply, and then she smiled kindly before kissing the back of his neck, holding him closer back against her body. And what bothered Scrivener most of all was the fact that even if it made his skin crawl, he didn't want to pull away. She did... have an allure, and Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards, curling tighter around him as she whispered: “You do see...”

“I... I do.” Scrivener said quietly, silently reaching up to take one of her hooves as he sighed softly, looking silently ahead as Nightmare Moon seemed almost surprised. “How could I not? It's all true, isn't it? Everything you said... well, not that stuff about relationships, but... the stuff about me. You and Luna, you're both... sides of one thing. Of my soulmate. Of Brynhild. I... I don't know...”

He looked down quietly, and then closed his eyes when he felt the winged unicorn squeeze him tightly for a moment before he murmured: “I think sometimes I understand you more than I do Luna, Nightmare Moon. Because we're both monsters. But all the same, it's... Luna who... this family needs, especially right now. You're strong. And you've helped us immensely in the past. And you're a mentor... but this isn't your world. This isn't your Equestria, and this isn't... where you belong right now.”

Nightmare Moon turned her head away, her eyes closing as she clung tightly to Scrivener, and the stallion only gazed silently ahead, saying softly: “But I've always been curious. Why have you never simply... left Luna's mind and body, and moved into me? I know you could if you wanted to, because of our linked souls, because we're... all one mixed-together mess. Yet it's always Luna you've been inside. It's always Luna who you take over, and control, and manipulate, just to get to me half the time... when you could just stride on in if you wanted to. Why?”

“Because I desire to physically exist... and I desire to physically exist with you.” Nightmare Moon replied quietly, and then she bowed her head forwards, murmuring: “I am a consciousness formed of passion, who wasted the thousand years she had a physical body locked away on the moon, insane and exiled.”

Scrivener smiled wryly at this, looking down moodily for a few moments before saying quietly: “Funny. Never really thought about it before, but Luna's only been Luna for... four, five hundred years. You were Nightmare Moon for a thousand, even if you spent all that time locked away in the big white space above.”

“You're saying I am selfish.” Nightmare Moon said softly, and Scrivener simply nodded. The dark entity plainly didn't like this, sitting back slowly before she sighed softly and lowered her head, murmuring: “Perhaps I am, but does that matter? Besides, Scrivener Blooms... it changes nothing. I will not relent from my original deal.”

Scrivener rolled over, meeting her eyes quietly, and they studied one another before Scrivener said softly: “I don't want to physically harm your body. I'll go down to... to the nightmare world first. And you come... to me. Is that a fair enough negotiation?”

“You are calm, quiet, gentle... I believe you're telling the truth. That you're ready.” Nightmare Moon smiled strangely at him, a profound tenderness filling her eyes before she nodded slowly, watching as Scrivener shivered once before bowing his head forwards, and she whispered softly: “I love you.”

Scrivener didn't reply, as he let himself descend into darkness, slowly falling into sleep as he thought of Luna and Nightmare Moon and himself... and what felt like only moments later, he opened his eyes and looked silently around a room of stone, vines twisting like living worms along the walls and ceiling, terrible, grim metal shapes all around him that he did his best to ignore as he headed towards the fountain at the back of the room: a fountain, spilling an endless waterfall of black corruption into a pool of red blood beneath it from the roaring jaws of a Tyrant Wyrm.

Scrivener bowed his head forwards, his features half-Wyrm, half-earth pony. His single claw clutched slowly against the stone side of the fountain as he breathed slowly in and out, and then he looked calmly, coldly up and muttered: “I hope I make you regret this with all your heart.”

“Then you'll have to try hard.” Nightmare Moon replied kindly, unsurprised that he had sensed her as she strode slowly between metal gurneys and torture racks, licking her sharp teeth slowly: the only difference between her in reality and her in here was the collar of silver roses around her neck, as she shivered in what seemed like eagerness even as Scrivener slowly reached forwards with hoof and claw, letting corruption from the fountain spill over them both before he splashed it back over his features, scrubbing at them calmly and slowly even as he shuddered, letting the dark poison twist its way into his system, corrupt his thoughts and mind as Nightmare Moon asked lovingly: “When do we begin?”

“When I say we do.” Scrivener answered in a soft but commanding voice, closing his eyes and breathing slowly in and out as the eye on the Wyrm side of his face glowed with unholy sapphire light... and then he grinned callously as he turned around, digging his claw against the blood-splattered sawdust coating the floor as he said calmly: “And now we begin.”

Scrivener silently strode out of the bedroom, shivering a little: inside, Nightmare Moon was gone, and Luna had returned, but she was unconscious and he felt numb. Nightmare Moon had laughed and laughed and laughed... and he felt... disgusting. Awful.

He stumbled his way to the bathroom, then rested over the sink, breathing hard before looking up into the mirror. His reflection stared back, pale and trembling... and the features not of an earth pony, but a Tyrant Wyrm.

Scrivener slowly reached up, rubbing along his features, shivering even as something twisted in his stomach. He recognized it was a hallucination, even without feeling out his face and knowing that he had the same ugly earth pony features as ever... but all the same, it refused to fade as he tilted his head back and forth. And this time, it was no trick of Valthrudnir... it was him. The mirror was reflecting... him.

He silently reached his hoof up, unsurprised that it was a claw in the mirror before he touched it hesitantly... and the surface of the glass seemed almost to ripple for a moment before he was simply looking at himself, nothing more than an ugly charcoal earth pony. Then he grimaced in disgust as he realized he had a bloody nose, reaching up and rubbing at it slowly as he muttered: “Goddammit.”

He touched gingerly along his muzzle, then shook his head out briefly: there was no serious damage, so he figured it was probably from stress and exertion. His head was still ringing a bit, and he had just been... no, I'm not going to think about that.

Scrivener shivered a little, then he rubbed slowly at his face before his eyes roved through the plain, mostly-empty bathroom. White walls, ugly, tile under hoof, a tiny little shower stall since Luna preferred to bathe in the natural springs nearby or the hot tub at the side of the house... and he shook his head slowly before sighing a little as he strode over to the shower, muttering: “It'll do.”

He turned the hot water as high as he dared, and stood beneath the flow with his front hooves against the side of the wall, eyes closed and head bowed forwards. Water sprayed over him, his wet mane falling over his eyes, his mind empty except for the pulse of what sounded almost like a heartbeat. He could even visualize the single line in his mind, rolling smoothly along before spiking up at the pulse, leaving a slanted N-shape in green neon before it rolled onwards...

And slowly, thoughts rose in his mind, beneath the running line... worries for Luna, still unconscious, still possibly trapped inside herself... thoughts about Nightmare Moon... fears for Antares, Equestria... so much...

The line in his mind was becoming more jagged, and Scrivener cursed under his breath before he punched the wall of the stall and shoved himself away, turning the shower off as he forced all his thoughts away. He dried himself quickly off, but still felt dirty as he headed down the hall to Antares' room... then frowned as he found the door open, silently pushing on it to peer into the room beyond.

Antares was shivering a little in bed, whimpering weakly, and Scrivener quietly strode inside before reaching into the cradle and squeezing his son's shoulder gently. For a moment, Antares only whimpered louder... but then, slowly, the baby began to calm as Scrivener soothingly rubbed his back, whispering softly: “Dad's here. Daddy's here.”

The child quieted bit-by-bit, and Scrivener studied the crib before grimacing a little: Gymbr was gone again. He turned, quietly heading back out into the hall and looking back and forth as he carefully made his way down into the den room, but there was nothing here either. For a few moments, he frowned a little, then headed into the kitchen.

The doll wasn't there, either: nor was he in the backyard, the front yard, or any room in the house. He searched high and low, but Gymbr had simply vanished... and Scrivener grimaced and shook his head moodily, muttering: “Stupid toy. The one time I ask you to help out, and what happens? You vanish. Great. Dependable, really.”

He sighed a little, shaking his head grumpily as he strode back towards the den... and then he looked over his shoulder in surprise as Luna's voice came tiredly: “'Tis better than thou, foul Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivener smiled hesitantly, and Luna half-dragged herself towards him, pale and exhausted; all the same, he felt their link twisting firmly, locking back into place as the interference vanished the moment their eyes met and gazes locked together, trading a flurry of images, thoughts and emotions before the two ponies strode towards one another and shared a fierce, tight embrace, eyes closing as they curled against each other and Luna murmured: “Stupid, stupid idiot Scrivener Blooms. Stupid idiot.”

“I know. I know.” Scrivener said softly, squeezing the winged unicorn silently, and Luna mumbled a little as she buried her face against his neck, breathing slowly as their thoughts twisted slowly together, bodies pressing close as they held one-another tightly, the faintest of trembles running through them both. “Come on, warrior princess. I'll put on coffee and you can... tell me about what happened.”

Luna sighed a little, nodding slowly against him as she muttered: “I shall never permit myself to be hypnotized again. Ridiculous nonsense. Stupid Nightmare Moon. Stupid... subconscious. Stupid... everything is stupid.”

“Everything is stupid. And since... you know, you'll find out one way or the other and you're in one of your 'everything sucks no matter what' moods anyway... Gymbr seems to be gone.” Scrivener said finally, and Luna groaned and rolled her eyes, but seemed thankful to have something to distract her for the moment from Nightmare Moon and the ordeal she had gone through herself of being locked away inside her own subconscious. “Yes, I checked everywhere for it. Including outside.”

“I hope it buggers Celestia.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed a little at this response, giving her a half-amused look as they turned and headed into the den, and Luna flopped down onto the bedding with a grumble before she glanced up hesitantly as the stallion began to head towards the kitchen. “Coffee can wait, Scrivy, I... come here. Rest with me.”

Scrivener began to turn towards her, and then he looked up at a loud thump from down the hall, smiling a little as Luna mumbled and buried her face against the pillows. “Oh... fine. Go and fetch Antares. Then we shall all cuddle up together, he always desires to snuggle after his little naps anyway. And perhaps I shall feed him.”

“Luna, he's weaning off you. Keep your milk to yourself.” Scrivener said mildly as he headed down the hall, and the winged unicorn grumbled under her breath as the male shook his head and smiled despite himself as he knocked once on Antares' door before stepping into the baby's room.

Antares looked up at him, then jumped, leaning back with a whimper, and Scrivener blinked and halted, looking awkwardly at the baby before Antares frowned at him for a moment, then visibly relaxed, saying quietly: “Daddy.”

“Daddy.” Scrivener said softly, feeling a faint burst of shame all the same as he reached up and touched his own face for a moment. Antares looked at him quietly from his crib, and Scrivener looked back before he smiled faintly, saying quietly: “Mommy's back.”

“Mommy?” Antares brightened a little at this, and then he burbled quietly, and Scrivener strode forwards to the edge of the crib before leaning against it, looking down into his son's eyes quietly. Antares gazed back up for a few moments, then he approached the side of the cradle and stretched his front hooves up, and Scrivener gently picked him up, taking him first to the changing table as always.

Antares was still studying him oddly, and Scrivener sighed a little, thinking of the mirror and wondering if that was what his son was seeing right now. Then Antares reached up and grasped his nose when Scrivy leaned forwards, and he paused in the middle of slipping the fresh diaper into place, looking curiously at his son as the foal smiled and said quietly: “No hurt.”

“No hurt.” Scrivener smiled faintly back, then he silently finished the diaper change before quietly tickling the inside of the toddler's wings, and Antares giggled and flailed a little, flapping his wings a few times before the earth pony scooped his son up and gently put him down. “Go see Mommy.”

“Mommy!” Antares said firmly, and he scampered quickly out into the hallway, running hurriedly down it as Scrivener began to follow... then winced a bit as there was a loud knock at the door, looking at it apprehensively before it was booted firmly open, and the male stared in dumb surprise at the sight of Pinkamena, the half-demon grinning widely before she winced when Antares shouted cheerfully from down the hall: “Pink-me-nah!”

“Damnation!” Luna shouted angrily, but even as Scrivener sighed and dropped his head forwards, Twilight looked relieved and Pinkamena seemed to smile for a moment. “Get thee gone, half-demon, unless thou hast brought me a cake!”

Pinkamena only snorted at this, stepping forwards and then pausing as she reached up and firmly patted Scrivener only the shoulder before shoving him aside into the wall, the earth pony wincing as the half-demon strode past... then grimaced in distaste at the sight of Antares sitting at the end of the hallway and smiling happily up at her. “The hell do you want, tumor?”

“Pink-me-nah, smile.” Antares declared, and then he smiled brightly up at her with all of his sharp teeth, and Pinkamena sighed before flashing a wide grin in return, which made Antares giggle before he turned and scrambled over to his mother, leaping onto the bedding and jumping onto her, making her wheeze loudly and flail wildly for a moment.

Scrivener winced a little himself as he began to turn, then he halted as Twilight caught his eye, smiling across at him and flicking her horn to open the satchel bag at her side before the earth pony stared dumbly as Gymbr floated quietly up out of this, the toy looking as pristine as it always did. “I found this in my library. Not entirely sure how he ended up in there, but... I figured you'd want him back. Also, I'm not into creepy dolls.”

“Smarty Pants.” Scrivener muttered, and Twilight glowered at him as Scrivener moodily took the toy, shaking it lightly before he said finally: “You know, though, it kind of makes me wonder. Do you think that ugly little toy of yours was alive, too?”

“Well, Big Mac's never had any problems with it.” Twilight replied mildly, and then she paused for a moment before adding awkwardly: “Not that, you know. I ever wanted it back or anything...”

“No, no, no. Of course not. Toys, right? Just toys.” Scrivener nodded a few times in agreement, the two ponies looking awkwardly at one another for a few moments before Scrivener turned and tossed the doll down into the den... and Pinkamena grimaced, leaping away from this and making Scrivener and Twilight both stare even as Antares babbled delightedly at the sight of his doll, half-falling off Luna to scramble over to it.

“Don't even start. Just. Keep that thing away from me, it's weird. Weirder than sissy's stuffed toys with the creepy staring eyes.” Pinkamena grimaced and shook her head moodily, turning quickly away and heading through the kitchen as she called irritably: “I'm harvesting some of that Ambrosia.”

Scrivener winced as Luna mumbled moodily from the bedding, and then Twilight said hurriedly, following the stallion down the hall: “It's for Celestia and Odin. Pinkamena heard I was coming out here and thought she'd come along too, and Celestia and Odin asked me to bring back as much as possible so...”

“I hope that Odin is not returning to using that elixir.” Luna paused reflectively, rolling onto her back as Scrivener headed into the kitchen to put on coffee before he looked apprehensively at the back door. “Then again, that makes no sense, does it? Odin has plenty of his own Ambrosia if he so desired it...”

“They said there was something different about this fruit.” Twilight hesitated as she looked over Luna, and then she leaned forwards, asking softly: “Are... are you okay, Luna? When did Nightmare Moon finally... pass control back over to you?”

“It was... wrestled back from her by Scrivener Blooms not an hour ago.” Luna said quietly, rolling onto her stomach as Antares quieted, looking over at his mother worriedly for a moment before the winged unicorn smiled a little. “Now calm thyself, Antares Mīrus, look not so scared. Mommy is here, Daddy is fine... and speaking of which, beloved Dad, would thou please go and check upon Pinkamena and ensure she is not glutting herself with the Ambrosia?”

Scrivener grunted after a moment, nodding as Twilight winced and shook her head quickly. “No, no, I already went over it with her, we're just here to collect samples of the fruit and bring it back to Ponyville... besides, it's fruit. Pinkamena... isn't exactly fond of fruit.”

The earth pony nodded thoughtfully in agreement with this even as he headed for the back door, pushing it open... and then glowering at the sight of the half-demon. She had already collected a large supply of the blue fruits and piled them in front of her, but she currently also had a half-eaten piece of Ambrosia in either hoof, azure juices dribbling along her hooves and running down her chin before she glared across at Scrivener, snapping: “What? I was curious! Also, hi, half-demon here. Got urges. Can't always control myself. Shame, shame.”

Scrivener glowered at her as she stuffed an entire piece of Ambrosia into her mouth, chewing slowly before the male said dryly: “You do understand what that stuff is, right? The fruit of the gods. Immortality, empowerment, all that comes from drinking a refined elixir of the nectar. Even eating the raw fruit like you are, that's got quite a kick to it.”

“I'm not seeing the part where this stuff is bad, then. Also am not yet understanding why the hell I'm the only one here eating it, or why this tree is just sitting here over this pond, where any dumbass could walk along and start stuffing their face.” Pinkamena said pointedly, looking moodily up at the tree before she pounded a hoof against it, and another piece of Ambrosia fell off a branch, the half-demon grinning as she caught this and her eyes all-but glowed. “Well, if it's offering me a refill, be rude to say no, yeah?”

Scrivener let her toss the second half-eaten fruit into her jaws and chew it greedily up before she began to raise the uneaten one, and he said mildly: “But eating too much of the raw fruit will kill a normal mortal.”

This made the half-demon halt, moodily looking over at the earth pony before her red-rimmed eyes narrowed dangerously at him, and when he only grinned in return, she scowled and muttered: “Well, who the hell cares? How does that even work?”

Scrivener rolled his eyes, walking over to the half-demon and gently removing the fruit from her hoof as she sat grumpily back on her haunches, and he sat beside her, tossing the fruit into the pile she had already made as he said quietly: “Strength beyond strength. Did you know our mind limits our body, and what we can do? Because if it didn't, we'd hurt ourselves. Sure, perform amazing feats of power, but... also rip apart tendons, ligaments, stuff like that. Pain, impairment, etcetera... all those things exist for a reason. Too much of any good thing will kill you. Just like how one bad thing can cancel out another bad thing, or neutralize itself... even though we're all taught completely different, of course.”

Pinkamena grumbled under her breath, then she muttered: “Well, I'm a half-demon, so who cares? I can probably eat a whole bunch of this stuff and be fine. As it is, I can already feel it taking effect... like adrenaline. Like...” She hugged herself and grimaced a little, giving a strange, twisted grin of mixed pain and pleasure. “Like when I first formed... all that energy running through me, dragging me out, twisting my parts and pieces together from the primordial ooze... free, freed through the shattered mirror...”

Scrivener only nodded slowly, looking quietly towards the Ambrosia as Pinkamena began to breathe a little harder, her features half-hidden by the curtain of mane spilling over her face as she whispered quietly: “Why don't you take a bite, Scrivener? No, don't get me wrong... I'm not encouraging you. I'm just asking... why do you resist so much? Why the hell are you so strong and I'm so goddamn weak...”

“You're not weak. We're different... and yet we have kind of the same goal, don't we?” Scrivener looked over at her and shook his head with a faint laugh. “Protect the people we care about even when we skirt morality to do so. Even when we have to become monsters...”

“We were both already monsters, Scrivener. We were born monsters.” Pinkamena muttered, shivering a bit as she hugged herself and leaned against him, her teeth gritting as her form seemed to ripple almost unnaturally for a moment, but Scrivener didn't shrink away as the half-demon leaned over against him with a curse of pain. “Okay. Maybe eating the magic fruit was a bad goddamn idea.”

“I hear you're supposed to at least peel them. I'm betting you didn't do that, too.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he winced as Pinkamena threw a hoof around his shoulders and squeezed him hard enough to make his collarbone groan, the male wincing a little before she simply dropped her head against his neck, and he sighed and muttered: “Why does everypony do that? I swear to god even Rainbow Dash did that once before. I think he was drunk but all the same, my neck seems to be a sanctuary for everypony in Equestria.”

“Shut the hell up.” Pinkamena grumbled, gritting her teeth before she cursed and swung her other hoof out, punching Scrivener firmly in the chest and making him wince in pain before she hit him again. “Goddammit! Hurts!”

“So what the hell are you hitting me for? This is your own damn fault!” Scrivener retorted in a strangled voice, and then Pinkamena cursed and punched him again as she buried her face deeper against the nape of his neck, her other foreleg remaining tightly wrapped around him and making his shoulder ache as he wrapped his own foreleg around her, half to try and steady her and half to brace himself better when she punched him again. “Hit... hit the ground!”

“Half-demon.” Pinkamena grunted as if in explanation, and then she ground her face against his neck, shivering once as Scrivener winced at the flare of heat that passed through the gray-pink pony's frame before she calmed slowly, cursing quietly under her breath, her coat so hot it was almost scalding Scrivener just from contact with her as she muttered: “Okay. This is why sissy tells me not to eat stuff I find laying around.”

Scrivener grumbled at this, and then Pinkamena punched him in the chest again, making him wince a little before she straightened and muttered what sounded almost like a 'thank you,' and then she shoved him firmly over onto his side, leaning back and breathing hard as she sat back. “Goddamn. Odin used to drink that stuff regularly?”

“Distilled into elixir, again. Not raw. You don't shove raw coffee beans down your face, do you?” Scrivener asked grouchily as he crawled up to his hooves, and Pinkamena only growled at him in return before the half-demon picked up one of the fruits and looked moodily over it.

Then she returned her eyes to Scrivener, saying quietly: “You never answered my question. Why haven't you and Luna... hell, full-out Nightmare Moon, even... chowed down on this stuff? Or made that elixir? And don't lie to me, either. Don't tell me honor, and don't give me crap about how it just ain't right to do.”

Scrivener was silent for a few moments, and then he smiled slightly, tilting his head towards her and saying quietly: “Apart from the fact it can kill people and its effects vary wildly... and apart from the fact it was magically planted here by a living doll that scares the crap out of even you and might have something to do with the Norns themselves... Luna and I don't need the handicap of some magic apples to make ourselves better than we already are.”

“So it really does boil down to honor, to... some weird, sick sense of right and wrong and morality.” Pinkamena snorted at this, shaking her head slowly as she looked down at the fruit in her hoof... and Scrivener sighed when the half-demon bit into it, then used her sharp teeth to peel the papery skin from the blue fruit before biting into the flesh of the Ambrosia, chewing it slowly and slurping back the juices as she grinned widely. “What can I say, Scrivener? I'm all-in.”

“Please make that one your last for now, I don't want to clean up your corpse.” The earth pony halted, then stepped forwards and added quietly: “And Ambrosia exacerbates and magnifies. What are you trying to do, Pinkamena? Become a full-out demon? And why?”

Pinkamena looked away, going silent before she looked down at the Ambrosia in her hoof... then she tossed it into her mouth and chewed it up before spitting out the stem and what looked like a soft, spongy core. Then her eyes roved up and asked quietly: “If you could become a Tyrant Wyrm, Scrivener, a full-out Tyrant Wyrm, without risking losing yourself... wouldn't you?”

Scrivener was silent, looking slowly down, and then Pinkamena strode calmly over to him through the pile of fruit before she hugged him tightly around the neck, and he hugged her back. He closed his eyes as the half-demon snarled in pain, grinding her burning-hot frame against his body, clutching into him hard enough to bend bones and leave bruises as she shuddered through another flash of heat and below-the-surface transformation before the half-demon finally sat back with a wheeze, half-pushing him away and muttering as she dropped her head: “Look at me. Incomplete. A broken puppet. A model that was never put together right. Look at me, Scrivener Blooms. Sure, I can out-fight and out-kill any pony, but those things from Clockwork World aren't ponies. And I will do anything... anything... to protect sissy. To protect... my friends.”

She looked up at him, silent, vulnerable for a moment, her red rimmed eyes gleaming as her lower lip trembled a little. “Why should I try to be anything except what I am, Scrivener? Why the hell do you try so hard still? Might as well drop all the way back to Helheim... still, make it all the sweeter when I do save their sorry asses...”

“Come on, you're starting to act like a filly.” Scrivener said softly, and Pinkamena gave him a sour look as he walked over and helped her up to her hooves, then she scowled when he reached up and touched her forehead. “You're burning up. Come on, let's get you inside. Looks like now I've got two mental cases to tend to.”

“Screw you. I'm...” Pinkamena stumbled stupidly, and then she shook her head as she went cross-eyed for a moment before groaning and leaning forwards as Scrivener only looked at her quietly. “Oh hell.”

“I like how you're good at everything except taking care of yourself.” Scrivener said softly, and Pinkamena gave a dry laugh at this before the stallion stepped backwards to support her, the half-demon looking ill as they strode back towards the house. She shoved him away when they reached the patio, and Scrivener smiled as he allowed her to stumble in first, raising her head back and striding through the kitchen before glaring over at Luna and Twilight where they were resting on the bedding.

She opened her mouth, and then Antares scrambled towards her from across the room, skidding to a halt and pointing as he said worriedly: “Pink-me-nah hurt!”

“Shut up, tumor!” Pinkamena shouted, glaring down at him, but even though the sound made Antares flinch, he looked up at her resolutely, not afraid in the slightest of her before he pointed at her, and she rose a hoof threateningly.

“Pink-me-nah hurt.” Antares declared again, and Pinkamena gritted her teeth, then sighed and dropped her hoof as Twilight stepped forwards, frowning and looking worriedly over at her before the violet mare could only stare when Antares bustled past her and grabbed Pinkamena's leg, Luna staring incredulously as well and the half-demon looking dumbly down at the foal as she allowed him to guide her forwards, the baby burbling as he pulled her over to the bedding and then said firmly: “Pink-me-nah nap!”

“Your tumor is as nosy and stupid as you are.” Pinkamena said sourly as Scrivener sighed and came around the corner... before staring as Antares growled and leaned forwards to bite firmly into Pinkamena's flank, the half-demon leaping forwards onto the bedding and falling in a sprawl beside Luna as she grabbed at her rear, howling: “He bit me in the ass! The tumor bit me in the goddamn ass!”

“Pink-me-nah, nap!” Antares ordered, pointing at her seriously, and Pinkamena gaped at him stupidly as Luna began to giggle madly behind her hooves and Scrivener stared, feeling amazed as Antares nodded firmly once as he looked at the half-demon and his mother, then turned and strode off down the hallway towards his room.

“What the freaking flopping Helheim was that?” Pinkamena asked incredulously, staring back and forth with a look of horror.

“Pinkamena, just... nap.” Twilight said finally, doing her best to repress a grin as she stepped forwards and explained awkwardly: “You really do look like you could use the rest and... Antares always has been able to just... know things.”

Scrivener nodded in agreement after a moment, laughing before he turned and said finally: “Even if you don't sleep, just lay there and get some rest. I see coffee's on so I'll make a snack... Twilight, do you mind checking on Antares?”

“Not at all. So long as he isn't getting as bad as you two with this whole 'giving orders' thing.” Twilight smiled despite herself, and the violet mare looked for a moment towards Luna and Pinkamena before she softened and said quietly: “And Pinkamena... you... nevermind.”

She shook her head and blushed a bit, turning down the hallway, and she felt the half-demon's eyes watching her curiously. Twilight kept herself from looking back, though, smiling a little and trusting Luna and Scrivener to better scold and reassure the half-demon than she could at the moment as she headed towards Antares' bedroom.

She found the foal inside, cheerfully pawing through one of his shelves filled with toys before he smiled over his shoulder at Twilight, waving at her and saying warmly: “Why-light. Play?”

“Sure.” Twilight said softly, and she smiled a little as she walked over to rub Antares' back gently before gazing down at the toys he had scattered as his wings gave a flutter and the child giggled. “You're growing up fast, you know that?”

“Goin' up.” Antares nodded seriously in return, and then he smiled a little over his shoulder, and Twilight smiled softly again in return, feeling a beat of longing and love in her heart as the foal gazed up at her affectionately, then reached out and touched her gently. “Why-light mommy.”

“Am I?” Twilight asked softly, and Antares only beamed and nodded at her a few times, Twilight blushing a bit as she glanced down and said awkwardly: “But you know that... well, I'm more like Aunt Celestia...”

“No, Why-light mommy.” Antares said firmly, looking at her pointedly, and when Twilight winced a little, he frowned a little, then turned and hugged her quietly. “No sad.”

“I... I'm not...” Twilight blushed deeper, and Antares looked up at her for a moment before he suddenly smiled and grabbed her, pulling on her leg before turning and running out of the room, and Twilight sighed a little, following and mumbling: “I really wish I had a manual to tell me what to do here with all of this. Or at least some helpful psychology and parenting books...”

“Sister!” Antares said firmly, pointing at Scarlet Sage's door, and Twilight looked up with surprise at the foal before he bounced happily into the den room, heading over to Scrivener and giving him a tight hug, the stallion laughing and reaching up to stroke tenderly along his son's mane. “Daddy! Scrivy daddy!”

Scrivener looked down with surprise, and then Antares ran across the room... tripped halfway and skidded a foot or so with a giggle... and then scrambled back to his hooves and over to his mother, hugging her next and saying firmly: “Mommy. Luna mommy!” A pause, and then he turned towards moody-looking Pinkamena, hugging her leg. “Pink-me-nah! Sister!”

“I... I ain't your...” Pinkamena blushed a little all the same, then she glared at Luna when the winged unicorn smiled over at her and reached up to touch her shoulder. “Screw you.”

Then Antares ran quickly over to Twilight, plowing into her leg and hugging her fiercely, and Twilight gazed down at him softly as he declared: “Why-light mommy!” Then he paused and stepped backwards, before smiling happily and pointing at the pictures on the wall, saying quickly and happily: “Disco-Bob brother, Tia aunt, Old-win uncle, Sleipnir uncle... family... we family!”

Twilight looked down at the colt as he smiled up at her, and then he looked with bright eyes over at his mother and father as Scrivener asked quietly: “Twilight, did you... tell him how to do all this?”

“No, he just... I was arguing with him about being Why-light mommy and then...” Twilight laughed a little, and then she reached up and slowly rubbed at her face, whispering: “And then I guess he decided to show me himself.”

“Antares Mīrus...” Luna smiled warmly, and then she turned around and opened her forelegs, and Antares happily scurried over to her to be picked up in a tight embrace, hugged close as Luna squeezed him fiercely against her body before she gazed down into his eyes tenderly. “Handsome, wonderful child, so talented, speaking so true! Aye, we are family... and if that is who thou sees us as, that is who we are, yes?”

“Sure, why not? I already have one drooling retard to look after, what's another one. At least this one talks a little clearer.” Pinkamena muttered, brushing her mane back and glancing moodily away, but she was still blushing a little, the faintest of smiles on her face even as she added flatly: “Whatever. Ain't... no big deal, either way.”

Twilight only laughed at this, however, walking quietly over to sit in front of the bedding as Scrivener strode over as well, earth pony and violet mare leaning against each other as they smiled down at happy Antares, curled up in his mother's limbs, safe and protected as Pinkamena grinned a little over at him and Luna gazed down with warmth and affection and approval. Family, together in comfort and peace... watched over by a winged unicorn doll laying discarded in the middle of the room, as its button eyes seemed to gleam silently with regret and longing.

The Chimera's Loyalties

Chapter Twenty Seven: The Chimera's Loyalties
~BlackRoseRaven

Rainbow Dash leaned forwards, cheering loudly from the bleachers that had been set up in the fields outside Ponyville, Applejack grinning beside him despite herself and their foal Avalon comfortably resting in a baby seat, clad in a onesie and a sweater and with a matching cap on her head. A pacifier was in her mouth, and Antares was sitting on the bench beside her, the foal continuously leaning in and hugging Gymbr back against his chest as he stared with awe at the baby between turning his eyes back out to the field and giggling at the competition.

A few weeks ago, while they had been in Ponyville to help Celestia and Odin with a project the two were working on alongside Zecora, Luna had come across Big Mac putting up posters for a tournament that was being held by the volunteer infantry to raise enough money to pay for new equipment and repairs to the shoddy military base in town. Luna had stabbed one of the posters with her horn after inspecting it, then cheerfully run all the way back to the library with the poster flying around her face to show it off and demand that they all enter: her reasoning being that the volunteer infantry – composed mainly of former Starlit Knights – was what kept Ponyville safe.

Celestia plainly refused to fight in what she was fairly certain would be nothing but ponies beating stupidly on each other, and Odin had asked sourly if Luna just wanted the music of a cheering audience while she pummeled ponies pointlessly. Luna had grumbled, bullied them for a while, and then given up and stormed off to find other ponies she could round up.

Eventually, she heckled Scrivener Blooms, Pinkamena, Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and Big Mac into taking part in the tournament, as well as herself. At this news, many of the volunteer infantry dropped out of the competition and thus left them with a thinner roster, which threatened to lose them attendance. Luna, however, was quite serious about helping out the volunteer infantry, although not because of any reason she had confessed... but because both so many of them had once been ill-fated soldiers, and because if the volunteer infantry fell apart, she knew that Celestia would have no choice but to order the Guard of Equestria to establish a military base in this area... and she direly did not want a law-enforcing military base in Ponyville for a multitude of reasons, least of which was the fact that Ponyville had once more become like her own miniature kingdom.

So Luna had taken the initiative and sent out letters to the largest, nearest cities, advertising the competition. And as hoped, Luna had garnered the interest of a variety of warriors – both who had earned the title and who had simply applied it to themselves – and thus the fighting tournament and business in Ponyville had swelled. Even more, many ponies, Nibelung, and other peoples were coming from all across the nation to watch the fights.

They were at the quarterfinals now, and Luna was gleefully watching from the large tent set up for the combatants to prepare in. They were only permitted to use training weapons – hence why Pinkamena hadn't killed anyone – and unicorns weren't allowed to use past a certain degree of magic – hence why Twilight had been disqualified early in – but the fighters that were left were skilled, calm, and likely didn't need the extra tools to be lethal if they wanted to.

Eight fighters were left, including the two currently on the field and Luna herself: the others were Big Mac, two Pegasi, a Nibelung, and a minotaur. Luna was delighted to see the minotaurs, and even more so when she had spoken to the burly giant at length and found his culture was similar to that of an old, lost friend's. At first he had been wary of her, likely thinking she wanted to probe him for information, but after a few days he had loosened up and they had begun to talk more freely.

Then Luna grinned widely, licking her lips and turning her eyes back outwards to the field to watch as Pinkamena snarled and yanked her buckler off to fling it like a discus at her opponent, and Scrivener Blooms ducked with a curse as it shot just over his head, his armor dented and cracked, his features bruised... but the half-demon was bleeding from the mouth and her own armor had been heavily damaged. Pieces of broken weapon littered the battlefield, and one unicorn had already snuck down and reached over the fence to claim a shattered piece of dagger as a keepsake, as Cowlick shouted cheerfully from where she was sitting with Greece and Ross: “Come on, Scrivener, you put up with beatings worse than this from that wife of yours!”

Scrivener grimaced, and then Pinkamena snarled and charged, and the stallion winced and scurried backwards before the half-demon snapped: “Come on, Scrivener, I should be dead by now!”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Scrivener winced and ducked when Pinkamena lunged at him, and then he cursed as she tried to headbutt him, the stallion sliding backwards and seizing her by the back of the skull with both front hooves when she just missed, her eyes bulging before Scrivener shoved down to send her smacking face-first into the ground. Then he scrambled backwards towards the low, rickety fencing that caged in the fighters, and the half-demon snarled as she shoved up to her hooves and charged at him.

She leapt forwards as Scrivener fell back against the fencing, staring at her before she dived and grinned, stretching her front hooves when Scrivener dropped flat on his back, and he winced as she punched both hooves into the fence to stop herself from plowing into it as the stallion curled his rear legs up against his chest. Instead, she was now leaning over him, eyes glowing as she grinned down at him with a slow lick of her teeth. “Hi.”

“Bye.” Scrivener said calmly, and Pinkamena frowned before Scrivener seized her forelegs with his own front hooves and shoved his hind legs into her stomach, kicking her hard head-over-heels over the fence and flipping her out of the battlefield with a yell of fury, the stallion wheezing in relief as a bell rang and announced the fight was over.

He climbed up to his hooves, grinning brightly at his plan's success... and then Pinkamena crashed angrily through the fencing behind him, tackling him in a hail of splinters even as armored guards rushed forwards as she slammed the stallion's head into the ground, shouting furiously: “Goddamn crowbait, you won't knock me out but you'll win by a goddamn technicality?”

Pinkamena seized one of the wooden slats, then slammed it down and broke it over the back of Scrivener's skull, Luna wincing painfully at this as she blinked her eyes rapidly, only glad that Scrivener had a hard head before the half-demon was finally dragged off the stunned stallion by shouting guards. Then the winged unicorn grimaced, rubbing absently at her features and muttering: “Well, Scrivy always was too smart for his own good...”

Luna turned her eyes back to the other competitors, smiling slightly over them all: Big Mac, looking calm as ever, dressed in heavy plate and using his shield across his lap like a table as he serenely read a book... her minotaur friend, his hands crossed in front of the simple kilt he was wearing, weighted iron charms around his wrists and neck, one horn tall and adorned with silver rings and the other broken off near the base... the Nibelung, moodily polishing his blunted war axe and grumbling about not being allowed to use real weapons. And one of the Pegasi was grumpily adjusting his bracers and lightweight armor, mumbling constantly to himself under his breath as he looked furtively back and forth around at the other fighters.

“Bora Scura and Luna Brynhild ?” a unicorn asked calmly as he pushed into the tent from another opening, a clipboard floating in front of him. “Your match is next... wait, where's Bora Scura?”

Luna looked curiously over at the Pegasus, but he simply shrugged and rubbed at his dark-blue features, saying moodily: “Don't look at me, he's the other Pegasus. Said he-”

“Would be right back, and here I am.” grumbled a bearded Pegasus that shoved in past the unicorn, almost knocking him over. He was dressed only in lightweight armor over his body, but interlocked metal plating protected all four limbs, thick enough to deflect most attacks. Luna thought it was cocky and arrogant, but the Pegasus had made it this far... and she gave him a sour look as he gave her a thin smile, his dark eyes glinting as he shook his pepper-colored mane out and rubbed at his short black beard. “You're pretty good on the field. And you look so cute dressed up in that pretty armor.”

“Oh, is this 'trash talk?'” Luna asked curiously, and then she grinned over at him, saying kindly: “I shall try. Thy face looks similar to my son's used diapers. I would recommend dropping out of the competition before I make thy appearance into something even uglier, but perhaps thou shall be lucky and instead my blows will pretty thee up.”

“What is mommy doing in a fighting competition? Besides, you got wings but you clearly don't know how to use them. I've been watching you and you're all ground-work, babe. That means I get the aerial advantage, just where I want to be.” Bora retorted, and then he glared over his shoulder as the unicorn cleared his throat.

“As long as you remain under twenty feet of height. Another warning and you're out of the competition.” the unicorn said dryly, and then he looked moodily between Bora and Luna. “You have ten minutes to prep.”

Luna smiled and nodded as Bora grunted and turned, leaving the tent again, and the winged unicorn looked meditatively after the Pegasus before her minotaur friend rose a hand and said mildly: “Josef would be happy to break his wings for you, Luna Brynhild.”

“'Tis very kind of thou to offer, Josef, but thou would not steal from this poor mother the chance to break the mighty warrior's wings herself, would thou?” Luna asked kindly, and Josef and a few other warriors chuckled before her eyes alit on Big Mac, who only frowned slightly. “Oh fear not, I shan't kill him. 'Twould be too cruel to the reaper, whom for once I am on good terms with. But I kill this hideous thing, and Death will come after me next for forcing him to drag that sodding wretch all the way to Helheim.”

“Ain't the fight I'm worried about.” Big Mac said quietly, even as Josef laughed and nodded and the Nibelung grinned a little. Luna's own smile, however, died down at Mac's words, and she sighed and nodded moodily before glancing out into the field.

Scrivener Blooms had gone into the stands to sit with Antares, and Scarlet Sage was safe with Apple Bloom and her other friends. Twilight was out there as well, sitting beside Celestia, and even Odin was in attendance today, watching with a nostalgia that was strangely-soft for such a bloody competition. Pinkamena, meanwhile, had likely been thrown off the premises, which was likely part of why Rainbow Dash was obviously gleefully crowing so loudly about the battle.

Luna rolled her shoulders, shaking herself quickly out before she looked thoughtfully over at the crimson stallion, smiling a little. “Thou may have a point, my friend, but... fear not. We are in a safe place here, and Ponyville... 'tis my perfect little kingdom.”

“Perfect little kingdom.” muttered the remaining Pegasus, and Luna tossed him a sour look. “Who... even are you, again? What's your name, Hilda?”

“Brynhild.” Luna said scathingly, and then he pointed a hoof at him, making him wince back. “Call me Hilda again and I shall break thee into tiny little pieces and feed those tiny little pieces to Phooka.”

“Well sorry, miss touchy.” the Pegasus huffed, then he turned around, going back to mumbling to himself as Big Mac gave Luna a pointed look she ignored with a huff, turning her eyes moodily upwards.

After a few minutes, Bora Scura stormed back in and half-shoved past Luna to head out onto the field, and Luna growled and stomped her hooves, muttering: “Oh how I shall relish this. Josef, my good friend, will thou please do me the favor of brokering a wager?”

“Is possible. Ten percent cut?” Josef asked curiously, tilting his head and rubbing at his broken horn as the Nibelung and remaining Pegasus both looked quickly up with interest, and Big Mac slowly rubbed at his face.

“What? Ten percent, art thou a lunatic? Twenty percent, Josef, we are friends, are we not?” Luna asked in an almost hurt voice, and the minotaur smiled at her warmly, bowing his head in agreement and gratitude. “Very good. The deal is thus: I am willing to gamble... uh...” She paused meditatively, looking over at Scrivener Blooms, and the earth pony in the stands winced before throwing his forelegs up with a shout of frustration, earning awkward looks from the ponies around him and a giggle from Antares before the foal mimicked him and fell backwards onto one of the lower bleachers. “'Tis funny, Scrivener Blooms could never be tempted by treasure and yet once he gets it, he clings to it like a damnable Diamond Dog.”

With that, Luna turned and hurried over to the large satchel pack she carried her extra equipment in, shuffling through it before pulling out a large, velvet bag and tossing this to Josef, who caught it easily in one hand and then glanced down in surprise at the weight. “'Tis about two hundred bits of value in there. Bet it all on me pummeling Bora Scura into mush in five minutes, defeat by knockout.”

“Luna Brynhild, five minutes, knockout.” Josef echoed calmly, and Luna nodded firmly once before the minotaur paused and held up a finger, asking curiously: “Josef is curious, also. Last battle... demon pony... how you say, she took a fall?”

“Well, I would say more that she permitted herself to be thrown, but aye.” Luna grinned widely, winking across at Josef as the Pegasus and Nibelung both looked up in surprise. “Well, they are the best of friends, although... 'tis rather obvious that the half-demon did not try her hardest, isn't it?” Luna paused, then licked her lips slowly as a shiver of delight passed through her that made the Pegasus and Nibelung stare. “Ooh, but the thought of Pinkamena and Scrivener brutally pummeling each other in an actual battle... it gives me chills.”

“You make Josef uncomfortable. But in good way.” the minotaur said kindly, and Luna threw her head back and laughed at this before the bull turned with a grunt, tossing the bag once in the air by the strings tying it closed and catching it easily by the body of the cloth as he strode calmly out of the tent, passing by the unicorn with the clipboard as he reentered.

The stallion looked over at Luna, simply nodding in return to her curious look, and the winged unicorn smiled before she turned and calmly strode out of the tent through the flap in front of her and down the narrow corridor of fencing to step into the field to the cheers of the audience as a magnified voice echoed clearly: “Round two of the quarterfinals is Bora Scura versus Luna Brynhild! Fighters, take your positions!”

“Ponyville is so much less boring than it used to be. 'Tis fun!” Luna said cheerfully, trotting easily up to the halfway point of the field before she grinned widely across at Bora, winking at him as the Pegasus set himself and glared across at her challengingly. “Good luck to thee, Bora. Thou hast my promise I shan't kill thee.”

“I promise to try and break your jaw so you stop embarrassing yourself with your ridiculous accent.” Bora retorted, and Luna's eyes slowly narrowed before the Pegasus grinned. “Don't worry, miss mommy. I'm sure your hubby didn't marry you for your looks anyway.”

“I dare thee to make one more remark. One more.” Luna threatened, and the grin of the Pegasus faltered only a little as the winged unicorn set herself, gritting her teeth and ignoring everything around her neck, from the roar of the crowd to the calls of the announcer, listening for one sound, and one sound only...

And then Bora Scura looked up and said clearly: “I'm betting the reason you aren't in the kitchen or the bedroom right now is because you're no good at either, right? I bet-”

The ding of the bell to start the battle sounded, and Luna lunged forwards, slamming a hoof up under Bora's jaw and knocking him reeling upwards stupidly before Luna's other hoof descended in a hammer blow that caught him in the crown of the skull and drove him face-first down into the ground hard enough to send up a puff of dirt and grass.

For a few moments, Bora only lay dumbly in place, the crowd going silent... and then Luna looked down at him with distaste before she stomped firmly on one of his wings and twisted savagely, the Pegasus howling in pain and quickly scrambling backwards as Luna said mildly: “Oh a thousand pardons, I'm just a silly mare. Did I break it?”

Bora only snarled, then he charged towards her furiously... and without flinching, Luna simply slammed her head forwards into Bora Scura's face just as he began to reach his hooves up to grab her, once more knocking him flat as she looked grumpily down at him. “Thou art messy. And an idiot. And rude. I do not like thee very much, is what I am getting at here. Does thou understand or should I put it into even smaller words so thy insectile little mind can process this better?”

Bora cursed under his breath, then he snarled and lunged forwards, but Luna leapt into the air, flapping her wings once to give herself a greater boost before she simply dropped and slammed all four hooves down into the center of his back with a loud crack, Bora howling in agony as Luna looked thoughtfully down at him over her shoulder. “Was that thy spine or one of thy wings?”

Luna paused, then carefully twisted her rear left leg, grinding her hoof firmly down into the base of one of the Pegasus' wings, and Bora gave another howl of pain before Luna hopped off him, grumpily beginning to walk away. “Damnation. And here I was hoping I had broken thee into two pieces.”

Bora snarled, crawling up to his hooves and turning around before charging at her back, blinded by fury and humiliation... and without needing to look, Luna kicked both rear hooves back into his face with a loud crunch, knocking the Pegasus sprawling into a prone position on his side, a bit of drool falling from his jaws as he struggled to stay awake. Luna dropped back to all fours and glared over her shoulder at the Pegasus as he shivered, trying to get up... and then he simply fell flat, and the winged unicorn nodded firmly once to herself as she grumbled: “Vermin.”

With that, Luna simply turned and head grumpily back across the field towards the tent as the audience erupted into cheers, and she smiled primly to herself as she rose her head, muttering: “No good in bed. Mares who are not good in bed do not get such applause.”

The remaining quarterfinal fights pitted Big Mac against Josef and the Nibelung against the mumbling Pegasus: Big Mac put up a good fight, but the minotaur simply smashed through the earth pony's defenses and put his strength and reach to good use. The Nibelung and Pegasus, meanwhile, had both done quite a bit of damage to each other, but the Pegasus had come out the winner with a lucky kick to the head of the dwarf.

Scrivener, Josef, Luna, and the Pegasus drew lots to determine who would face off against who in the second last matches: Scrivener didn't know whether it was good or bad that it ended up being him against the Pegasus, and Josef against Luna. The minotaur and the winged unicorn had smiled at each other and nodded respectfully before going off to prepare in the three hours they had before the semifinals, and Scrivener simply smiled awkwardly at the Pegasus, who glowered back before flying hurriedly off.

Meanwhile, the field and bleachers were cleaned as the audience filtered into Ponyville, which had put on a small street fair as an added incentive for their visitors to spend money and take interest in the tournament. Mayor Mare was eager to profit as much as possible off what was going on and bring in more revenue for Ponyville, after all, sour as it made Luna to see her village turned into a tourist trap for the short time the tournament would be taking place over. Only Celestia had bothered to point out that technically, it was Luna's own fault that things had taken the turn they did... and Luna, ever the mature adult she was, had replied by stealing a foal's cotton candy, taking a bite out of it, and shoving the rest into Celestia's mane.

After that, Luna was left to her own devices, during which she prowled around the street fair and poked at various ponies. Scrivener Blooms followed her around in his damaged armor, grumpily helping her cheat at all the rigged games until she finally helped him fix his equipment, clean up, and prepare for the coming match.

They headed back half an hour before the semifinals: the first match was Josef and Luna, and when they arrived, they found the minotaur polishing an enormous maul in his hands, even as the unicorn attendant and several others tried to convince the enormous male he wasn't permitted the weapon. Luna, however, had cheerfully declared she would gladly allow Josef to swing the oversized hammer against her if he so desired, and they had smiled at each other again as the officials and attendants had traded looks, then hurried off to confer.

Josef and Luna chatted easily as Scrivener paced nervously and the Pegasus muttered to himself in the corner: the earth pony awkwardly tried to wish him luck – and at least get his name, since neither he nor Luna had been paying attention – but the Pegasus had fixed him with a horrible glare until Scrivener had slowly turned on his heel and walked away. Luna had giggled at this as Josef had simply shaken his head, and not long after, the two had gone out to the field, both promising to do their best.

When they returned, Luna had a cracked rib and bruised body, but Josef was dragged out on a stretcher by several Nibelung that groaned at how heavy the minotaur was. They paused only for a moment passing through the tent so Josef could give an awkward thumbs-up to Luna before falling unconscious back on the stretcher, and Luna had whistled a little before smiling over at Scrivener Blooms, saying kindly: “I expect to see thee in the finals, husband.”

The second and last match of the semifinals was eagerly anticipated: Pinkamena had been allowed back in, and grumpily sat with Antares happily bouncing in her lap, the half-demon sharing a large cola with the burbling, excited foal. Rainbow Dash was cheering besides snoring Avalon, and Applejack was sitting back with bruised but calm Big Mac. It all contributed to Scrivener's nervousness as he headed out into the field, and the Pegasus followed.

On the bright side, they announced the Pegasus' name: Frosty Forecast. On a less-pleasant note he was particularly vicious and kept doing quick, nasty attacks until Scrivener felt an odd chill run through his body. A moment later, his hoof slammed into Forecast's face, and then he tackled him backwards with a grin he realized wasn't his own, wincing mentally as Luna laughed in his mind; the winged unicorn herself had her eyes closed, laying calmly in the center of the floor of the tent as she temporarily hijacked Scrivener Blooms' body. Something she had already done more than once to give Scrivener a helping hoof with tougher opponents.

Scrivy slipped gracefully to the side, suddenly light on his hooves despite the armor and his bulk, and then he slammed a precise strike up into Forecast's throat, making his eyes bulge before the earth pony calmly stepped forwards and slammed an elbow into the back of the Pegasus' neck. He collapsed in a broken heap, and Scrivener winced, shaking Luna's mental controls hurriedly off as he worried for a moment the Pegasus was dead before Frosty Forecast groaned and twitched a little.

The audience applauded, even as Scrivener glowered at the tent, feeling a little touched beneath everything but mostly like he wanted to strangle the winged unicorn even if it meant throttling himself as well. Luna did mean well, after all... but she also had long made it clear she was very willing to bend and break the rules in order to get them both to the finals.

The final match would take place tomorrow, and Scrivener glowered at Luna the entire time the unicorn spent explaining to them how it would work as he had them sign forms and papers. The earth pony only grumbled morosely as Luna smiled awkwardly at him until they were eventually allowed to leave.

They had returned to the library, where they were congratulated and Scrivener calmed down a little after he was able to throw off his armor and spend some time relaxing in the company of friends, although he still looked less-than-thrilled about everything. Antares made him feel better, however... and then he sighed when Luna declared cheerfully they should all head out to the street fair together, to play the bad games and eat junk food.

Fluttershy had said quietly she would gladly stay back at the library and watch over Antares, and Rarity and Spike agreed to stay as well. Luna, however, succeeded in harassing Celestia, Twilight Sparkle, and every other pony into coming with them... a decision she would regret in only a short few hours' time.

The night was dark and cloudy, and all of Ponyville's light and attention was focused on the street fair set up on the other side of town and the circus acts taking place in what had served as the tournament field during the day, leaving the rest of the village almost ghostly. Only a few ponies and Nibelung wandered calmly here and there, and many of them were patrols tasked with keeping the village safe in case any of the fighters got out of hand.

Inside the library, Rarity was peacefully knitting, and Fluttershy was quietly playing with Antares, the Pegasus smiling softly as she rolled a ball gently back and forth with the baby, who smiled happily in return to her. Spike was in the kitchen, humming as he prepared a meal and heated up a bottle for the foal, an apron swaying around the lanky dragon's body.

It was quiet, it was calm, and they were comfortable as they waited for their friends to return, feeling safe in the warm, familiar surroundings of the library... and a moment later, a window exploded inwards in a burst of sound and force before a masked Pegasus shot through, crashing down to the ground as silver plating glinted over his limbs, Rarity and Fluttershy both crying out in shock at the sudden invasion.

Antares began to cry in fear as the foal tried to scamper for Fluttershy, but the intruder was fast, leaping forwards and slamming a hoof down into the child's back, crushing him into the ground. Fluttershy yelled in denial as she leapt forwards, some deep, hidden instinct overriding fear as she tackled the intruder, surprising him and freeing Antares for a moment... but then the Pegasus stallion smashed her hard across the face with a hoof before seizing her by the head and slamming her into the floor with a cruel crunch.

Antares shrieked as he scrambled towards Fluttershy, but the Pegasus intruder seized the foal, then snarled when Rarity's horn began to glow and Spike ran out of the kitchen, the dragon's eyes widening before the intruder turned and shot towards the shattered window, leaping out and spreading his wings to fly quickly high into the dark night air before twisting suddenly downwards, darting back and forth through the shadows around the houses as Nibelung and ponies both shouted and charged blindly back and forth.

The Pegasus made only the slightest twist to slip over the walls surrounding Ponyville, for a moment just a black blur above the wall before he dropped low to the field, shooting quickly over the grasses with his rear hooves almost trailing through them, crushing Antares against his body in his forelegs as the foal cried out weakly and shivered in his grip. Without slowing, the Pegasus stallion shot into the forest, following a route he had already planned out to lose any possible pursuers before he finally skidded to a halt and threw Antares hard into a tree.

The foal screamed as he bounced off the old oak, then curled up, sobbing and trembling hard as the Pegasus stallion loomed over him, breathing hard through the dark mask covering his face as the silver armor glinted over his limbs. His wings flapped once, and then he leaned forwards, saying coldly down to the foal: “Turn. And walk.”

The child only whimpered and sobbed in response, and then the Pegasus reached out and seized him by the mane, half-dragging Antares along as he muttered to himself: “Worthless little ingrate. Keep up your pace, we have ground to cover. I'm going to ransom you back to your cheating parents, and then I'm going to cheat them like they cheated me and cut your heart out of your chest and give them back your corpse. I'll be long gone before they figure out who I am.”

Antares whimpered, and then the Pegasus snarled and threw the toddler forwards, sending him crashing into the base of a tree before the stallion leaned forwards and snapped: “If you keep making all that goddamn noise I'm going to cut your tongue out of your head!”

The foal only cried louder, however, tears flowing down his cheeks as he curled up, terrified as the darkness around them grew deeper and denser, as the trees themselves seemed to curl in, forming a cage around the stallion and the foal before the Pegasus snarled and rose a hoof as he stepped forwards, meaning to smash in the foal's skull...

But then Antares went silent, his sobs catching in his throat as he looked fearfully back and forth, trembles running through his body as teary eyes widened. And the Pegasus frowned darkly behind his mask, leaning forwards as he slowly lowered his hoof and looked uncertainly to the right, then the left, before his mouth went dry and he felt himself tensing slowly up.

There was nothing but dead silence around them, and the clouds above had grown thick, deepening the cage of darkness around them. Trees stood like pillars in an almost perfect circle, bent so the canopy caged him in, worsened the growing claustrophobia as the Pegasus began to breathe harder, viciousness quickly becoming drowned out by growing fear and uncertainty as he whispered: “No, no, no way they figured it out already, no way, I made sure of every detail...”

“How dare you...” spoke a soft, strangely-echoing voice from the trees, and the Pegasus snarled as Antares curled up tighter, whimpering and shivering as the stallion cursed and looked wildly back and forth, mind clanking to a halt in horror as a strange clicking filled the air. “Kidnapping a foal... a foal very special to us... how we will make you suffer for this outrage...”

“How did you figure it out? I... hey, don't do anything or-” The stallion spun around to step towards Antares, and a moment later halted with a gurgle, his eyes bulging in horror as a silver claw caught him by the throat. It squeezed almost gently even as it slowly lifted the Pegasus off the ground, the stallion gargling and staring with horror as eldritch green eyes flared open in the darkness only inches away.

“What you shall do now is die. But we will not make it quick.” whispered the echoing voice, a gleam of gunmetal coat showing through the almost-alive shadows that swirled over the strange creature as its eyes glowed brighter. “Sweet Antares, turn away now. Don't look.”

Antares only whimpered weakly... and thirty minutes later, Luna and Scrivener were both rushing through the forest, guided by several Nightmares to their son's side. They had found the foal only a few minutes earlier, attracted by a malevolence, a darkness in reality, and found...

Luna could barely believe it. Antares was pale and rocking silently back and forth, trembling as Atrus stood over the foal protectively, looking silently towards the desiccated, torn-apart body of the Pegasus. The stallion's head hung from a nearby branch by his own torn-out spinal cord, features frozen in a last look of utter horror as blood dripped from empty sockets like tears... but apart from his missing tongue and missing eyes, otherwise undamaged, mask peeled off to reveal the face of Frosty Forecast, and not the obnoxious Bora Scura.

His plan likely would have worked almost perfectly: Bora had been the perfect Pegasus to frame, after all. The only problem was that Luna had clearly remembered breaking both of Bora's wings, while Forecast's talents were very clearly in the realm of flying and acrobatics. Skills he had used to escape Ponyville, along with his obsessive need to plan out every detail.

All the same, finding a trail had been nearly impossible: Luna and Scrivener had been ripping Forecast's tent apart for any clues as to where he could have been heading when the Nightmares had come to them. And now, here they found him, torn apart by something, mutilated and tortured extensively in ways that made it very clear what he had done had upset someone as much as it had upset Scrivener and Luna...

And they thought they knew who that was, too, as Scrivener slowly strode over the bloody ground to reach down with a trembling hoof to pick up the small, stuffed toy laying on its sides, green button eyes gleaming despite the darkness around them as if reflecting some unnatural fire. Scrivener stared at Gymbr, holding it up... and Antares cried out wildly, shaking his head violently as he spun around and pushed himself against Atrus, shrieking: “Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! Hurt!”

It took a long time for Luna and Scrivener to calm their son down, and he would only do so after Atrus had taken Gymbr back to the library for Celestia and Odin to examine by whatever means necessary to find out what secrets the stuffed toy was hiding, and after they had taken their young foal a good distance away from the remains of the torn-apart Pegasus. But still, all Antares would do was shiver and whimper weakly, pale and trembling as they reassured him that it was over, as they did their best to soothe him before taking him on a slow, quiet walk back to their home once they were sure he was okay. They were escorted by Atrus and several Nightmares through the darkness of the woods, and strangely, it seemed to comfort the child further, to see the shadowy creatures and the enormous demon walking beside him, as if he sensed their duty was to keep him safe.

Scarlet Sage and Twilight Sparkle were already both waiting for them at the house, and Antares seemed to take comfort in this. But he was also tired, in pain, and still scared out of his mind, even with his family comforting him as Luna rocked him slowly in her forelegs, nestling him close and safe.

Antares fell into fitful sleep after a few hours, but Luna only continued to cradle him for the entire night, resting against Scrivener with Twilight Sparkle on her other side and gazing compassionately at the foal, Scarlet Sage glad to stay up through the night for her little brother. Antares woke up a few times over the course of the night, whimpering a little, but each and every time he calmed almost immediately, finding himself safe in his mother's embrace, father close beside him, Twilight Sparkle and Scarlet Sage both near and ready to comfort him however they could.

Just as the sun began to rise, Antares finally seemed to settle into real sleep, and Luna finally placed him quietly in his crib, safely tucking him in and leaving him to rest. Scarlet Sage went off to her own bed, and Scrivener went to fix some kind of breakfast, breathing softly, still more shaken up than he wanted to admit by the fact their son had been attacked... and defended by something that for all its good intentions had all the same peeled a Pegasus apart like an orange.

And yet the worst part? The worst part was the fact that Scrivener, as he made tea with only the faintest of trembles, wished that worse things had been done to Frosty Forecast. That he took a sick, dark pleasure in thinking of how the Pegasus had been tortured and mutilated and likely how long he had lived through the process until his head had been plucked from his shoulders like a vegetable, along with the clinging root of his spine.

He knew Luna felt it, too. The same sick, dark gratitude. That same twisted sense of... not justice, perhaps, but retribution... no, revenge. It was mixed in with everything else: with the despair of having failed to protect their foal and friends, the sense of shame and self-loathing, the still-simmering anger despite the fact that Forecast was dead and... so much else. Things that were even harder to describe, even harder to put into proper words and proper perspective. Things that neither pony wanted to feel, and yet they both clearly did anyway.

He breathed softly, making himself focus: what they had to do now was help their child to heal, and keep Antares Mīrus safe. And that also meant getting to the root of Gymbr, what exactly the toy was... yet at the same time, Scrivener couldn't help but think that one way or another... it would be a long time before they found the solution to that particular puzzle. And part of him wondered if they really did want an answer to that riddle... or if maybe some things were better left in darkness, unknown and undiscovered.

Scrivener Blooms lowered his head silently... then flinched and looked over his shoulder in surprise when Twilight Sparkle gently touched his back. He smiled awkwardly, blushing a bit at being startled before the violet mare said quietly: “We're going to figure this out, Scrivy, okay?And look. Everyone's okay... Fluttershy was rattled, but she was a lot more scared for Antares than she was hurt. Gymbr... Gymbr did save Antares. Even if... it... it sounds like...”

“It was horrible, Twilight. It... it was horrible. And that's by my standards, by the way.” Scrivener muttered, rubbing slowly at his face and shaking his head with a quiet sigh. “Gymbr may have saved Antares but... you saw the kid. Antares never cries like that... but just imagining what he must have witnessed is going to be enough to give me night terrors. I can't imagine what my son... must... must be...”

He closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly, and Twilight nodded slowly before reaching up and touching his shoulder gently, and Scrivener sighed before he shook himself briskly out and muttered: “Well, one good thing, at least. Luna and I don't show up for the last match, prize gets awarded to Josef, since... Forecast is... well. Kibble.”

“I don't know if I've always liked or found it frustrating how you work, Scrivy. You say one serious thing, give one glimpse under all that armor you wear, and then... back to the deflecting and the jokes.” Twilight smiled faintly, reaching up and gently guiding Scrivener's face back and forth as the earth pony shrugged a little, a small smile rising over his own features. “You're still kind of bruised up from yesterday, anyway. And your eyes... visions?”

“No, just... been rubbing at them a lot.” Scrivener said softly, shaking his head with a small laugh before he headed quietly back into the den, glancing down the hall towards the bedroom, where Luna had retreated to after putting Antares to bed. Twilight gazed softly down the hall as well, and then she returned her eyes to Scrivener as he glanced into the sapphire flames burning quietly in the fireplace, saying quietly: “I'm... proud of her, you know. Proud of her for... everything. And do you know what she's doing right now?”

“Talking to Nightmare Moon.” Twilight answered softly, and she smiled a little when Scrivener sat down on the bedding and looked over his shoulder at her, seeming a little impressed despite himself as he gave a slow nod. “I... I recognized the signs. Luna got agitated and... left to check on Antares and... slipped quietly away without you. The only reason she wouldn't want you around is because...”

“Because of Nightmare Moon's... fatal attraction, so to speak, yes.” Scrivener replied softly, nodding slowly over at her and laughing a little. “Especially with how things have recently been, how there have been some...” He cleared his throat, looking down and muttering: “Changes established... in the relationship...”

Twilight softened, studying him quietly as he fell silent, and then she leaned towards him and asked finally: “I still can't get my head around... why she would... want that, though, Scrivener. I mean, before, I... I could understand it. It made more sense... I know it was hard for other people to see at first but I think even they understood after seeing it once or twice, that... when she would always bow her head to you, do every little thing for you, she was... keeping control over you. But... but this...”

Scrivener grimaced a little, glancing towards the fire as he pawed a hoof quietly at the bedding, and Twilight looked over him slowly before he gave her a look and asked softly in return: “Do I scare you, Twilight Sparkle?”

“Don't flatter yourself, Scrivy.” Twilight replied softly, giving a small smile as her eyes drew over him before looking slowly down towards the bedding, hesitating before she said softly: “No. You know what I'm scared of, Scrivener... not of you or Luna... but rather, of the... the fascination I have with you both.”

Scrivener grunted, looking with a small smile down the corridor as he said wryly: “Do I ever understand what you mean there, Twilight. But you know, you're still the sicker one between us... my interest is definitely in Luna, and not in myself.”

“I don't know about that...” Twilight smiled a little. “You're interested in me too, aren't you? And... Nightmare Moon, as well as Luna.”

Scrivener glanced with surprise towards Twilight Sparkle at this comment... and then he simply nodded slowly, giving a small smile, and Twilight blushed a little, looking relieved even as she bowed her head forwards and murmured: “Besides, I've heard from Luna all about how much you enjoy yourself on her little adventures.”

“Okay, don't push your luck now, Twilight, or I'll show you just what a twisted bastard I can be.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight blushed a little deeper as she glanced up at him for a moment, then hurriedly turned her eyes away, and Scrivener cleared his throat, blushing as well before he quickly looked towards the fireplace. There was awkward silence for a few moments... but then it lapsed into comfortable quiet, as Twilight quietly dropped her head against Scrivener's shoulder and she closed her eyes, slipping a little closer to the male.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of her room and the deeper shadows of her own mind, Luna smiled faintly at the floor before she shook her head quickly, muttering: “I... apologize, Nightmare Moon. I was. Distracted.”

“There is no need to apologize, beloved Luna.” Nightmare Moon said gently, and Luna slowly drew her eyes up from the dark ground towards the enormous, black-coated equine. Nightmare Moon stood calmly only a few feet away, her starry mane and tail pulsing and yet dim, casting no light over her black coat as she hid back in the shadows. Her eldritch eyes gleamed knowingly out at Luna, grinning teeth gleaming as she said softly: “I am glad we can put our differences aside for our husband's sake. For our son's sake.”

Luna closed her eyes, forcing herself to take a deep breath before she looked up coldly and said moodily: “Believe me, Nightmare Moon, 'tis far from easy for me. A large portion of me direly wishes to mutilate thee and put thee through the most awful torments I can think of.”

“You can if you like, Luna. I won't mind... our King of the Night told me very clearly already that I was to obey you as I do him. And you know that I always listen to our beloved King.” Nightmare Moon replied softly, and her ephemeral locks gave a single firm pulse, enough to make lines of scarring that trailed over her features and bare body gleam distinctly for a moment before her mane dimmed down again, leaving only the wispy glitter of stars dancing through her glowing locks. “All I did before was make a point. You have avoided me since then and I have not pursued the subject... but of course, of course, Luna. As you desire, as you command; I am here to serve you both.”

“I...” Luna shivered for a moment, then she shook her head and looked moodily towards the dark creature, muttering: “Bottled passion... thou art insane, and sickeningly-masochistic. But I do have questions for thou, aye, that I fear only thou can answer... about Gymbr, and about Antares. About...”

“About things you wished to simply bury and ignore, but they cannot be, can they?” Nightmare Moon asked softly, and then she proudly rose her head, smiling coldly as she stepped forwards, her mane thrumming and twisting softly over features that were clearly marked by crisscrossing lines of scars that formed a checkerboard over her beautiful features. She grinned widely even as Luna glanced away with contempt and disgust: not for what she had suffered, but how she wore it like a trophy... how she paraded that Scrivener had done this to her, shared with her what he would never share with Luna. “You hate me, childishly... you despise me because of what I have gained. What I have done. Funny, isn't it? I left you laying alone in the darkness, in the deepest abyss, for days... but it is because I cajoled our beloved husband into practicing his beautiful art upon me that you are so jealous, so furious...”

“Shut up.” Luna muttered, lowering her head, but Nightmare Moon only laughed in response to this... and worst of all, it was not cruel, not mocking, but a kind laugh, as the scarred, enormous creature gazed at her with love and compassion. Two things that Luna absolutely did not want to see from Nightmare Moon right now, especially directed at her... as if she was sympathetic, somehow, as if this passionate beast that lived inside her... “Does thou live to torture me, is that it? Art thou some secret, never-ending punishment?”

“Now stop that, my beloved little Luna.” Nightmare Moon said softly, shaking her head slowly as she gazed kindly down at the smaller, sapphire winged unicorn. “It's not a competition between us, now is it?”

Luna snorted at this, shaking her head in disgust and muttering: “Funny, foul creature, it seems as if thou art the one who has been so intent on competing this entire time... and I do not appreciate the mockery of being told from the beast who thinks she has earned herself first place that there is no competition between us. It makes thee hypocritical and... unwelcome, in my eyes.”

“Now, now, Luna... I am serious. Yes, I have gotten what I desired, but so have you: I'm being a good girl, as you so phrase it, and listening to you and Scrivener Blooms, am I not?” Nightmare Moon asked kindly, and then she gave a slight smile, eyes half-lidding. “After all, I aim to please our King of the Night. And he has asked me to serve you loyally... he is cunning, knowing I have no other choice. So truly, are you not the victor?”

“Of a single battle, perhaps, but this war between us will not end until we die.” Luna replied moodily, and then she rose a hoof, shaking her head with a quiet curse. “Enough, creature. I... do not distract me from the point further. Tell me about Gymbr, what thou knows.”

“Not much more than you... but a sliver, perhaps.” Nightmare Moon paused for a moment meditatively, bowing her head forwards thoughtfully as Luna rumbled, eying the creature moodily before scarred Nightmare Moon looked up with her seductive smile, her almost-gentle eyes, as she said softly: “There is a universal truth, sweet Luna: when you eliminate all other possible answers, it is usually the simplest one you are left with that is correct. Gymbr killed Frosty Forecast to protect beloved Antares. This means Gymbr is our friend, not our foe, however cruel it might be... however it might employ the same murderous techniques as both I do and our King of the Night does at his darkest moments.”

Luna gritted her teeth, bowing her head forwards as she shivered, thinking of the mutilation and damage they had seen, and then she muttered: “Do not call him that. He is no King of the Night. He does not enjoy being referred to as that.”

“On the contrary, he enjoys it greatly. He feels ashamed of it, which I do not understand... do I not stand as proof there is no shame in chasing down one's passions? Do you not believe that he is entitled to such a grand name?” Nightmare Moon smiled wider, leaning forwards and saying gently: “I am not declaring us rulers or usurpers, Luna. I am merely saying that in matters of darkness and shadow... Scrivener Blooms serves well as the perfect example of what a rightful monarch should be.”

“Oh, aye, yes, whiny, obnoxious, delegating his work and doing all the mare's jobs around the house, he is a mighty king in the eyes of all.” Luna said drolly, looking grumpily away, and Nightmare Moon lost her amusement, looking coldly at Luna. The sapphire winged unicorn hated to stoop to mocking her own husband, but it was the only thing that seemed to grind into Nightmare Moon's patience these days. “I think thou just wishes to be ruler of the night thyself. I think thou simply desires... darkness.”

“I think you are a fool.” Nightmare Moon replied coldly, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she bowed her head forwards, eldritch eyes glowing moodily. “Do not speak so disloyally. Especially after I share my thoughts with you upon the very subjects you wished to speak of.”

“And what useful information has thou given me? Guesswork and mockery, that is all. Fallacies.” Luna replied shortly, looking disgusted. “Everything thou knows, I know-”

“And yet still you came to me, because you know that I see in a wider scope than you do. My mind is more open than yours, I do not deny the truth, while you constantly seek to skirt its edges and boundaries.” Nightmare Moon retorted coldly, leaning forwards moodily as she flexed slowly, her mane twisting like a collection of electric serpents. “I delve the subconscious, I see the entire picture even when it is a picture that is bleak and awful, when you can only turn your head away. I see even when you do not wish to see, when you make yourself willfully blind. Gymbr, little Luna, is not a gift or a curse from the Norns, that is simply the easy solution, blaming the easy target. Odin is either a fool or attempting to calm us, but I am sure he too understands the truth. Gymbr is a paradox, an impossibility; and you, little Luna, will not disrespect me again or I shall show you once more that I am capable of gaining whatever I desire while you are only capable of clinging to Scrivener's heels and dragging yourself through the dirt in his wake.”

Luna grinned callously at this, even as a shiver went through her body, but she pushed the thoughts of Gymbr away to instead provoke in a saccharine voice: “Oh, Nightmare Moon, and here I thought thou wert my loyal and humble servant, as Scrivener Blooms decreed?”

Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment, and then she smiled calmly, closing her eyes and tilting her head as she said softly: “Well played, Luna. Very well... you have my apologies for my outburst, but I shall take some time to adjust to my... new role. Not as Scrivener's servant... but in listening to and serving you, instead of guiding you and mentoring you... but fear not, I shall still be there to help you clean up all your messes, fix all your mistakes, and keep you in control when it is necessary.”

Luna's smile thinned until it was only a cold line, and then she finally bowed her own head and said disgustedly: “We are finished talking. Keep yourself in the bowels of my soul, where thou belongs.”

“Oh, Luna, it's not your soul that's ever interested me, and no longer even your body.” Nightmare Moon replied softly, even as she began to fade back into the darkness with a calm, cold smile. “Now I spend more of my time with Scrivener Blooms, basking in his love for me, than I do in your wretched, jealous heart... but I do so love the accents of your bittersweet emotions.”

Luna snarled and leaned forwards, her eyes flashing, but Nightmare Moon only gave a final quiet laugh before she vanished completely from sight, and Luna was left alone in swirling, formless darkness. For a few moments, she only stood, her head bowed, her eyes clenched tightly shut... and then she finally cursed under her breath, shaking herself quickly out as she felt a faint twist of vertigo before she opened her eyes moodily and looked calmly up at the ceiling of her bedroom, returning to reality as she said sourly: “One day, creature I shall bring a horrible, horrible revenge upon thy head.”

She sighed softly, then flicked her horn with a grumble, opening the door before she stood up and strode out into the hall. For a moment, she only looked at the ajar door leading into Antares' bedroom, and then she lowered her head with a quiet sigh, turning and striding down the hall and into the den as she mumbled: “Damn the entire damnable world. Beetle, fetch me coffee, I... I do not know, I require... something.”

“I know, Luna.” Scrivener said softly from the bedding, standing up and smiling at her as Twilight Sparkle gazed quietly towards the starry-maned equine. Luna smiled a little back at them both, and for a moment, her worries, her fears, her frustrations all faded out, leaving her feeling... almost content.

Scrivy stepped forwards, nuzzling her gently, and Luna closed her eyes before the earth pony quietly brushed past her, letting their sides rub gently together as he headed into the kitchen. The sapphire equine enjoyed the caress as her husband passed, straightening and looking now towards Twilight Sparkle before she strode over to the bedding, dropping her head against the violet mare's neck, and decided that for the next little while... one way or the other, she was determined to let everything simply be okay.

Fairy Tale Lives

Chapter Twenty Eight: Fairy Tale Lives
~BlackRoseRaven

Odin and Celestia did everything they could to examine Gymbr, but even after three days they had made no progress with the doll. They did everything in their power and more, examining it through magic, letting the Architects use artifacts and their own talents to inspect it, even allowing Cowlick and her engineers to poke at the doll with her various tools and chemicals and devices of all shape and size.

But they couldn't reveal anything and nor could they even damage the toy, no matter what they did to it or exposed it to. They tried fire, magic, and acid, and cutting, tearing and bashing it, and nothing left a single mark on it. To add to the frustration, the moment someone took their eyes off where it was stored, the doll had a habit of disappearing and moving to another area of the library. It was very clear that the toy could leave any time it wanted, but it seemed almost as if it preferred simply playing hide and seek with them.

Warding spells, locked doors, nothing worked to keep it in place. They had even tried wrapping it in chains before sealing it in a trunk and locking this trunk in a closet after one session of poking at it... and a few hours later, they had found the closet still locked, the trunk open, the chains shattered and scattered in pieces around the inside of the storage closet... and Gymbr laying in an open book of fairy tales on the shelf, as if the toy had gotten bored waiting for them to find it and had decided to read.

Odin was frustrated and wanted to simply hurl the toy into Helheim or the Void, but Celestia had pointed moodily out that if the toy was some kind of all-powerful artifact, letting demons get their hands on it could be a bad idea. She had then gone back on a hunch to read the fairy tale the doll had been looking at... and now, this book and Gymbr sat quietly at the library table, around which were seated Celestia, Odin, Greece, Luna, Scrivener, Twilight, Scarlet Sage, and Antares in Pinkamena's lap, curled up against the half-demon as she said moodily: “I really don't belong here with the rest of you nerds. Well, except for you, Scrivy. You don't belong here either but I guess you get dragged everywhere Luna has to go, right?”

Scrivener gave her a sour look, and Antares murmured quietly as he curled up tighter against the gray pony, making her sigh as she rubbed soothingly along his back and grumbled: “Can't someone else hold the goddamn tumor? And seriously, why am I here?”

“Because you're a demon and you gobbled down some of that modified Ambrosia.” Odin said mildly, looking over at her, and Pinkamena grumbled something about 'tattletales' before the once-god added dryly: “You remind me of my wife.”

“Because she's dead, because you hated her, or because you have a thing for banging chicks who can do severe physical harm to you?” Pinkamena asked rudely, and Greece dropped his face in his hands as Luna looked torn between amusement and frustration as Odin simply sighed and rubbed at the still-bruised, scarred side of his face. “Better watch yourself though, old bag of bones. Looks like that ugly body of yours ain't healing all that fast.”

“Yes, that's one of the most painful parts of getting old.” Odin said tiredly, and then he turned his eyes to Celestia, saying calmly: “Freya, I believe you had something to tell us, though, before we get any further off track.”

“I do.” Celestia nodded calmly back, then she gazed outwards over the table, saying quietly: “I believe that... Gymbr itself left us a clue to exactly what it is. As you all know, the toy has a certain bad habit of... wandering around the library when it's not being observed. Yesterday, we found the toy sitting on top of this book.”

The ivory winged unicorn reached out and gently patted the top of the fairy tale anthology, continuing after a moment as Luna frowned and cocked her head. “It may not seem like much, but the story that Gymbr had opened the book to was called 'The Dollpony.' It's a story about a toy that comes to life, and desires to become a real living pony.”

“Yes, I remember that story...” Twilight murmured thoughtfully, looking towards Gymbr as Antares mumbled and peeked nervously up over the table towards where the doll was sitting at the far end of the furnishing. “It was brought to life by a unicorn toy-maker, right?”

“In the watered-down version, yes.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight gave him a curious look, but the stallion only smiled slightly in response. “Ever read a real fairy tale, Twilight? Real fairy tales aren't cute little stories for foals, they're grim little metaphors about behaving yourself properly or paying the consequences. Half the time the fairies are nefarious and flesh-eating.”

“I... I knew that!” Twilight retorted after a moment, blushing a bit before she grumbled under her breath when Scrivener only gave her a pointed look. “Okay, fine. So what's the original version say, then?”

“Much nastier. The unicorn's wife and son die, he doesn't care much about the wife but he does a whole lot about the kid. So he fashions a doll out of wood, bone, and his son's dried skin. He does such a good job that his son's spirit reanimates the doll. But even though the only thing that can harm the toy is fire, he grows jealous and resentful of the other foals – specifically colts – and starts murdering them one by one, and tries to make himself a new body out of their... well... parts.” Scrivener said delicately, and Twilight and Scarlet Sage both stared at the earth pony as he rose his hooves, looking mildly amused. “Hey, I didn't write it so don't look at me. Anyway, the doll-maker eventually commits suicide by locking himself in his workshop with his doll and he burns himself and all his puppets alive, including his evil revived son.”

Twilight shuddered and shook her head hurriedly as Celestia smiled a little and nodded, glancing down and asking quietly: “And I suppose you know that's based on a true event, as well, Scrivener Blooms? Although I visited the site perhaps a hundred years after the dollmaker cremated himself and his creations, and I believe he was well-versed in necromancy... but was very, very sorry for what he had done, as well.”

“And this is much more than simple necromancy.” Odin said softly, gesturing towards Gymbr as he looked thoughtfully at the toy. “But a taste for riddles, godlike power, and a certain flare for... puzzles. A need to leave a mark or signature of some kind behind. Not to mention the design... a doll, a toy, shaped like a pony. Does that not all point to Valthrudnir?”

Scrivener Blooms and Luna traded looks and shrugs, and Celestia frowned a little as she looked towards them, all eyes around the table drawing to the two as Odin cocked his head curiously. For a few moments, there was silence as Scrivener and Luna argued mentally, and then the sapphire winged unicorn punched him firmly in the shoulder, and Scrivener winced and swayed to the side before he sighed and rubbed at his bruised limb, mumbling: “I... I'm not so sure.”

He glanced awkwardly away with a blush, but Odin only gestured for him to continue. All the same, it took him a few moments to find the courage to speak again, and finally Scrivener sighed a little before he looked up and said lamely: “The syntax is wrong.”

This only got odd looks, and Scrivener sighed and held a hoof out. Celestia shrugged, then easily slid the fairytale book across the table, and Scrivener flipped it open to the table of contents, scanning it as he explained: “For one thing, Gymbr is... well, Valthrudnir's ego was so great that he designed the Tyrant Wyrms as these huge draconic-looking things, right? There's a pretty clear resemblance, even if he also designed them to look... 'inferior,' for lack of a better word. Like to make it clear he was top of the food chain. Secondly... here it is.”

Scrivener flipped quickly through the book, then smiled a bit and slid it over to Scarlet Sage, who frowned a little and glanced down, reading curiously: “'The Strings of Eden?'”

“Yes. 'Dollpony' is very specifically that... a pony doll. Like Gymbr is a doll. Like the unicorn father in the stories is always a dollmaker, whether it's a nice happily-ever-after version or the scary old legend about the murderous, jealous zombie.” Scrivener said softly, gesturing towards the winged unicorn toy. “'Strings of Eden,' on the other hand, is about puppets, and a puppetmaster. As a matter of fact, is about an evil old wizard who turns ponies into puppets under the promise of granting them eternal happiness.

“Valthrudnir... was a puppetmaster, not a dollmaker. Gymbr doesn't... reflect that. I know, I know, it's... it's a weird detail, but don't forget it's...” Scrivener quieted, glancing down and reaching up to tap on his temple as he closed his eyes. “It's all in here. And likewise... Clockwork World... they resemble puppets, don't they? The moving, clicking parts. The way they behave. The staring eyes. Not that doll eyes don't scare me too, only that puppet eyes... they seem to be a little worse.”

He quieted, looking down for a few moments before he rubbed at his face, then shook his head quickly out and looked awkwardly up. “That, and... Valthrudnir would never deign to make a metaphor... through our own literature. There would be more mockery in it, and more of his... signature tone and influence. He hated us. Hated everything about us, about who and what we are. Whatever Gymbr is... he's not some hidden piece of Valthrudnir's plotting, he's not from Clockwork World, and... I'm starting to doubt he even was sent to us by the Norns. He seems... impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible. Impossible is simply the word we use when we don't understand or don't want to believe that something is possible, or can happen.” Odin muttered, rubbing slowly at the underside of his beak as he lowered his head moodily forwards, and then he sighed softly and nodded slowly. “But... alright, Scrivener Blooms. Please don't take this the wrong way, but... of everyone here, you do know Valthrudnir best.”

“No offense taken. It's true, after all.” Scrivener smiled faintly, closing his eyes and bowing his head politely forwards before he sighed a little, shaking his head awkwardly before he reached out and picked up Gymbr, holding the doll moodily up in front of himself as Antares whimpered worriedly, but then settled when his father turned soft eyes towards his son. “It feels like I should know about Gymbr as well, but... it's not there.”

“Aye, I feel it too.” Luna added quietly, shaking her head moodily. “I wish I knew where Discombobulation has fled off to. He seemed to know the toy strangely well... and oh, if only Antares could talk and tell us what he sees, too...”

Luna gazed quietly over at her son, and Odin nodded slowly, surveying the ponies at the table for a few moments before Scarlet Sage glanced up and said slowly: “What if I tried to connect to Gymbr with my blood? I know it's a long shot, but if Gymbr is some kind of living creature... possesses some kind of living spirit... then maybe...”

“I do not want thee to risk it, Scarlet Sage.” Luna said quietly, looking softly over at her adopted daughter, and the Pegasus smiled a little at her mother before Luna laughed a little, dropping her head forwards and murmuring: “Aye, 'tis selfish of me to say, but... I fear what thou may connect into, daughter. I fear what thou may see. I fear what thou may... suffer, and let into thyself.”

Scarlet Sage nodded a few times, looking down quietly before Celestia said quietly: “We have been researching ways to force Gymbr to... reveal itself, whatever it is. I would like to know what we're dealing with... but what truly bothers me at this point is the fact that no matter what we do, Gymbr seems more than capable of simply ignoring anything and everything we do to restrain or damage it. But the doll has spent time with all of us here, and has never tried to harm us in return; I find that... strangely reassuring, even after what it did to the Pegasus.”

“You guys suck, by the way. Letting that minotaur walk away with the trophy and that nice cash prize, since neither of you showed up for that last match and the little left of Frosty the Snow-Pegasus was probably eaten by a Phooka by now.” Pinkamena muttered, looking at them grouchily as she bounced Antares a little on her lap. “I threw that goddamn fight for you, Scrivy, because you and your wifey asked me to. What if I had honor, huh? What if I had integrity? You know how pissed I'd be on top of how mad I still am you won by a goddamn foul because you're too much of a pansy to punch a mare?”

“It's less that I have a problem with punching mares and more that I have a problem with giving you a reason to hit me back.” Scrivener replied moodily, rubbing slowly at his face. “As I've learned, mares can defend themselves perfectly well. I'm just very glad you don't have honor or integrity.”

Pinkamena growled at him in response to this, then she lifted Antares above her head and lobbed him over the table at Scrivener, and the stallion winced and hurriedly leaned back to catch the toddler, grunting at the force of impact and wincing as his chair tipped backwards to clatter loudly to the floor with him still in it. Antares only giggled, however, safely clutched against his father's chest, and Scrivener sighed from the floor as Luna pointed at Pinkamena, saying flatly: “If thou ever throws my child again, I shall turn thee from a half-demon to a quarter-demon.”

“So does that mean they'll charge me ticket prices as if I was a foal at movies? 'Cause that would be kind of nice. I'm partial to vinegar popcorn and slasher flicks.” Pinkamena retorted sourly, resting her hooves moodily on the table.

“Actually, if you were a full demon, then they'd charge you foal price, considering what terrors kids can be.” Scrivener Blooms' voice floated up, and Pinkamena paused, then grinned and flicked a hoof towards him as Luna rolled her eyes.

Antares scrambled up to his hooves after another moment, hurrying off his father and away from the table, and Scrivener carefully slipped himself out of his fallen chair before frowning curiously as he sat up. The others went back to talking behind him, but for the moment Scrivy's attention was focused on the hesitant-looking colt, and the stallion strode over to his son, tilting his head down towards him as he leaned down and asked quietly: “What is it, kiddo?”

The unicorn foal only mumbled a little, shuffling a bit back and forth as he looked quietly towards the table... and after a moment, Scrivener smiled a little and turned around, leaning carefully in and gently sweeping up the plush toy even as the others gave him curious looks, and then the male carefully turned around and placed Gymbr on the floor.

Antares stepped nervously back, his eyes locked on the toy, looking anxious before he skittered carefully sideways. Scrivener only sat quietly, watching as Antares paced back and forth as the conversation once more halted, the others watching the foal... and then Antares whimpered a little, looking up past them, and Scrivener pointedly looked over his shoulder at Luna, who glared around at the table before snapping: “Well, are we not here to discuss Gymbr? Let us continue to discuss it!”

Celestia sighed a little as Greece cleared his throat and Odin gave the sapphire equine a tired look. But their attention drew back away from Antares and Gymbr, and while the foal was obviously aware they were still sneaking glances towards him, the lack of visible attention seemed to soothe him at least a little. Scrivener looked encouragingly at his son as Antares looked up at him, and when the colt finally smiled a little, Scrivener simply nodded slowly.

It was the small boost Antares Mīrus needed, and the colt flapped his leathery wings once before toddling quickly forwards to Gymbr, hugging the doll tightly and burying his face against it as he flopped forwards. He simply laid on his stomach, face buried against the toy, and Scrivener gazed softly down at the two before he reached a hoof out, gently stroking through his child's mane before he lightly tapped the black plastic horn sticking out of Gymbr's skull.

Then he winced a bit, feeling a tingle on his hoof before he looked moodily down at this.. and staring as instead of a hoof, he saw a black, vicious claw. His mouth went dry as he swallowed thickly, blinking a few times... and then relaxing slowly after a moment as he realized the claw was gone, his hoof was back, and Antares was burbling quietly away with his face still buried against the toy, as Scrivener muttered: “Thinking too much, that's all... at least a psychotic bodyguard is better than a psychotic killer, right?”

Pinkamena snorted at this from across the table, looking moodily up before she glanced over at Odin, interrupting Greece's rambling on chemicals to ask flatly: “Is that why I'm here? To get in the mind of a psychopath? Because like, I really think plenty of us here are insane and vicious and familiar enough with murderers and killers and the obsessed to know that once the honeymoon's over, Gymbr there might kill Antares and wear him for a hat, no matter how 'dedicated' he might seem to the kid. Right, Princess Sunshine?”

“I understand that you're getting at, Pinkamena. And I suppose that it's actually Baroness Sunshine these days.” Celestia said tiredly, but Pinkamena just grunted in response with a shrug, looking moodily down the table. “But for now, it might... be best to allow Antares to have Gymbr back. It's very clear that if the doll desires to leave, at any point it can... and if Antares doesn't seem to feel that it will hurt him...”

“I... don't know if I entirely agree...” Odin said slowly, resting back in his seat before he sighed and lowered his head. “But at the same time... I suppose there also simply isn't much we can do. I dislike admitting that I've been bested, but whatever this thing is... if not stronger than us, it is certainly far more cunning. And one thing I can be absolutely sure of is that while we may not understand Gymbr... Gymbr understands us.”

Luna looked up with a grimace at this as Celestia bowed her head forwards, and there was silence for a few moments before Antares sat up and quietly picked Gymbr up, tossing the toy in the air and letting it fall to the ground with a thud that sounded enormous in the silence of the library. Finally, Twilight Sparkle looked over her shoulder at Antares, asking quietly: “What haven't we tried yet?”

“Well, I was just getting to that subject myself.” Greece said softly, the Nibelung smiling a little as he looked thoughtfully over the others. “Apart from Scarlet Sage's powers, something does come to mind, but none of you are going to like it: telepathy.”

“Oh, psychics, yes. That's the answer.” Odin said distastefully, and Luna snorted in amusement as Twilight Sparkle and Scarlet Sage both looked up with surprise at the sudden irritation of the once-god. “Mind-readers, as a matter of fact.”

Pinkamena snorted in amusement at this, crossing her forelegs over the table before dropping her head on them, red-rimmed eyes gleaming almost mockingly. “What's wrong, cyclops? You have something against mind-readers?”

“I dislike stage magicians. I dislike even more actual telepaths: that could prove disastrous, letting them march in here, browsing through our minds like... scavengers or thieves.” Odin muttered, shaking his head grouchily before he looked flatly over at the Nibelung when Greece simply shrugged and held out his hands in a gesture of supplication. “Besides. Where do you intend to find a psychic around here?”

“Sissy's precognitive.” Pinkamena muttered, and Odin frowned in surprise at this as Twilight glanced up with a small smile. “Well, geezer, considering how obnoxious she is, how the hell do you think she's still alive? She's got this lame... 'Pinkie Sense' she calls it, she feels a twitch when something's about to happen now and then... pretty sure she exaggerates it, though. You know sissy, loves all that attention.”

Twilight only grunted, looking pointedly over at Pinkamena as she asked mildly: “So your theory is that when Pinkie Pie gets the sense something is going to fall, her tail doesn't twitch of its own accord, but she makes her tail twitch so she can declare 'twitchy-tail' like she always does and then warn us about something falling over?”

“Hey, adds to the magic, right? Flair and drama and horseapples.” Pinkamena snorted, waving a hoof grumpily. “Anyway, what the hell do I know? I can't do it. Nothing but a stupid handicap anyway.”

“We would be asking a mind reader to take a big risk, trying to connect to Gymbr. That's what worries me personally about this plan... and if Gymbr reacts with hostility, we may not be prepared to deal with it.” Celestia said softly, looking towards where Antares was now sitting quietly with the doll hugged against his body, his head bowed and eyes closed as if he was listening to it. “And beyond trying to understand what Gymbr is, I've been trying to understand what possible motive, what possible reason it could have for being here... and I do not like any of the possibilities that come to mind.”

There was silence for a little while, until Antares eventually trotted off with Gymbr to play with his toys, looking as if something had soothed the last of his fears and worries. Scrivener smiled awkwardly, then hurried off to look after his son and escape the uncomfortable conversation, Luna glaring after him and silently promising revenge.

The conversation turned to psychics, telepathy, and other forms of deeper communication. Scarlet Sage suggested her powers again, but Luna was still concerned about what Gymbr could do to her through that link, if the creature proved hostile... assuming it worked at all. All the same, she grudgingly allowed it to be put on the table, but only if telepathy failed.

They also discussed at length what they had done to Gymbr, in order to assemble a list of things they knew the doll resisted or ignored, trying to figure out what other tests they could run in the meantime. But it felt like everything that had been done, had already been done... that they instead needed to be patient, keep a close watch on things, and resume business as usual.

And slowly, the conversation shifted as Odin leaned over the table, looking calmly towards Luna as he asked quietly: “Brynhild... I know that the timing is difficult and that it is asking much of you, but...”

“Aye, the anchors, and the layers.” Luna said softly, and she looked back at Odin steadily for a moment before smiling a little as her eyes roved quietly over her shoulder towards Antares. “But Odin, I must ask of thee a favor. My son is... he is over eleven months old now, and it nears my sweet child's birthday. I do not desire to miss this landmark... with all that has happened, give us until at least the day after his birthday. Then I shall gladly do my job, but... I do not wish to miss my child's birthday, Odin.”

“I... suppose I understand, yes. It is a very important anniversary for you both.” Odin said quietly, nodding after a moment.

“Oh no, Scrivener Blooms and I rarely celebrate our anniversary. We both always promise the other we shan't buy gifts, then rush out and attempt to outdo one another. It all escalates into a horrible contest and 'tis really quite unbearable. Also Scrivener Blooms always loses.” Luna replied seriously, and Odin rubbed slowly at his temples for patience as he leaned back in his chair, sighing tiredly even as a slight smile twitched at Celestia's mouth.

A moment later, however, Luna became serious, smiling a little as she leaned forwards and said quietly: “But... thou hast my thanks, Odin. In all honestly, thou... has my heartfelt gratitude for this.”

“Oh, no, not at all. Besides, as I believe I said before, as more anchors are laid, we can allow for wider periods of time between the placement of others... as a matter of fact, taking our time may in fact be for the best, in any event. It gives us a chance to observe the effects of the other anchors, that they are doing their jobs properly, and ensure that we are not accidentally attracting unwanted attention to the layers where the anchors are laid.” Odin replied softly, nodding and tapping the table quietly before he smiled wryly over at Antares. “But perhaps... you should consider finding another toy for your child.”

“This is all my fault.” Celestia said quietly, shaking her head slowly, and Luna looked at her softly as the ivory winged unicorn smiled a little, holding up a hoof when Twilight began to speak. “No, it is... it is. There's no need to offer platitudes or defense or reassurance. I should have known right from the very allure I felt to it...”

She stopped, then frowned a little and rubbed at her face, saying softly: “One thing I don't understand, however, is that... even now, even with my concern for it, I feel a strange sense of... loyalty, I suppose. Affection, even. And with it, comes this image of a bird. A cardinal, I believe, to be specific...”

“Cardinals represent change, the number twelve, and good luck.” Odin said thoughtfully, looking over at Celestia. “I would say 'positive' change but a transformation of any kind is never without consequences. Experience is gained at cost, after all, and the sunny path can lead just as easily to a monster's jaws as any other road.”

“So positive, Odin! Why, even my beloved husband could learn a thing or two from thou, I clearly see.” Luna said dryly, as Celestia smiled despite herself. Then she paused and looked grumpily over her shoulder, watching as her son tossed Gymbr to Scrivener Blooms, who smiled awkwardly as he caught it before gently lobbing it back, making the infant giggle as it bounced off him and he flailed his hooves wildly. “Why is it that when I see or touch Gymbr I only ever see the damned toy? It does not whisper to me, it does not give me visions, it simply... is what it is to me, which is an accursed, indestructible, silent little child's toy.”

Twilight Sparkle only shook her head at this, however, saying softly: “Well, it hasn't spoken to me either, although...” Twilight hesitated, then she reached up and traced a line over her face, saying softly: “I did have a weird dream the other night. It... it felt like it should have been a nightmare, really, but... at the same time it felt... good...”

She hesitated, glancing around the table, but Greece only smiled and shrugged as Celestia nodded reassuringly and Odin gave her a curious look as well, saying quietly: “Every detail may help. And besides... we are all friends here, Twilight Sparkle. We are also all people who... do not have the cleanest hands. There are no judgments here, young woman.”

“Mare.” Luna corrected moodily, glancing over at Odin and glowering grouchily. “Go back to flirting with Pinkamena, one-eye. Sickening as that is, considering that apparently she and Sleipnir have quite the connection.”

Pinkamena snarled at this, sweeping up the book of fairy tales sitting nearby and flinging it hard at Luna's face, but the winged unicorn only grinned and flicked her horn downwards, slicing it into two halves that flew past her in a burst of torn pages. Immediately, both Twilight and Celestia glared at her, and Luna winced before shrinking slowly down in her seat as Antares crowed: “Snow!”

The toddler giggled as he hurried across the library, knocking apart a few block structures he had built before he tripped and landed with a grunt on top of Gymbr, skidding a few feet as Scrivener winced and trotted quickly over to his son. The colt only giggled again after a moment, however, before he simply sat back and watched as Celestia's horn glowed, lifting the ripped- apart book as she muttered a few choice words.

Twilight was still glaring at Luna, who was shrinking steadily lower in her seat, and Odin gave them a moody look as Pinkamena shoved away from the table with a mumble and Greece looked awkwardly back and forth. Then, finally, Odin prompted in a tired voice: “Miss Sparkle, your dream?”

“I... I... oh, right.” Twilight sighed, deflating a bit even as she continued to glower at Luna, before she shook her head slowly and muttered: “I dreamed about being... I dunno. I was in a giant dark castle... I was very close to the King and Queen, I think, like... their adviser, or something like that. Maybe even something... more...

“Anyway, but I also... this is going to sound funny, but I think I was... I was dead.” Twilight blushed a bit, shaking her head hurriedly. “In the dream, I mean. Dead, but walking around. And I had stitches all over my body, like I was being held together... but... I knew it was more than that. But I was happy. I was happier than I'd ever been...”

She reached up, rubbing slowly, thoughtfully at her throat as she murmured: “And I had something else, too, but... I can't remember what it was... but it was important to me. As important as my heart...” She hesitated. “My heart, yeah. Something... special about it.”

“Well, if your heart was continuing to keep you alive even after you were dead, that's pretty special.” Scrivener commented mildly, and Twilight sighed a little, looking over her shoulder at him pointedly, but the earth pony only smiled at her as Pinkamena grumbled from beside him, currently engaged in a tug of war with Antares as the unicorn foal scowled at her and clung firmly onto Gymbr as she tried to pull it away from him. “Your dreams sound almost as twisted as mine, by the way.”

“Perhaps all the events recently, all the changes that have been going on... they helped mix up your emotions.” Celestia suggested gently, and Twilight looked unconvinced before the ivory winged unicorn smiled a little. “Then again, when we dream, certain... desires surface, through metaphor and imagery...”

Twilight began to blush now, but then Greece leaned forwards, saying with a curious look towards her: “You know, it's funny... I've had dreams of a black castle myself. Started more than a month ago, I think... so has Illyria. But the funny thing is, we compared our dreams, and what was such an odd coincidence was when I said the word 'garden...'”

“In the center of the castle, the giant courtyard.” Twilight said immediately, nodding over to him with a smile... and then it slowly turned to a frown as Greece looked across at her pointedly. “How... how did you know about that?”

Greece only shrugged slowly, however, rubbing thoughtfully at the table as the others looked over at him sharply, even Pinkamena halting in her bickering with Antares to look towards the dwarf. He looked thoughtful, his head lowered, only watching his furred fingers scuff slowly at the tabletop before he finally said softly: “When I was learning at the Academy, training to be an Artificer... a lot of my research projects focused around not simply the artifacts themselves, but... the so-called 'vitality' that certain objects can take on. How emotions, memories, spiritual essence... these things can attach themselves to objects that range from the simplest to the most complex.

“For example, in golden age of the Nibelung, before Niflheim was overrun by Helheim... there was a noble family that lived in one of the great cities. Someone burned down their home one early evening, however, and the whole family died, and at the dinner table no less. Among the objects auctioned off was the polished and repaired silverware from the table, thrown in with the rest of the kitchen utensils.” Greece smiled a little, glancing up quietly. “We're... pack-rats by nature, we always have been. We try to preserve... even the smallest, most worthless scraps.

“Now, the silverware went to another family, who, for the duration they held onto said silverware, began to have awful nightmares. About arson, and fire. The silverware was eventually guessed at as the root of the problem, even though there was nothing magical about it, there were no phantasms haunting the forks and knives and spoons, it was just metal that had survived a tragedy their original owners hadn't. Or so everyone thought.” Greece paused meditatively, rubbing slowly at the underside of his muzzle. “What followed was a rather amazing string of coincidences, sale after sale of the silverware from Nibelung to Nibelung, even with the rumor that it was cursed... but eventually the silverware was sold off to a particularly arrogant young noble. And a week later they found him dead, a fork of all things stabbed through his eye and into his brain. He left a very strange suicide note, talking about dreams and guilt and pain. About how emotions and a living desire for revenge had somehow become tethered to this simple set of silverware, that had made its way through family after family until it had tracked him down and made him feel all the guilt and shame and pain of what he would done, apparently ended only when he finally stabbed himself in his own brain.

“The silverware set was sold off one last time.” Greece smiled a little, leaning forwards. “But its job was done. Ownership papers indicate the family found the silverware to be... simply functional forks and knives and spoons, no different from anything else, their rage spent. Do you understand what I am saying, ponies, Lord Odin?”

“You're saying that we're feeling this entity's emotions, that... through this thing, whether it's alive or just an object, it's passing something on to us.” Celestia said softly, tilting her head towards the dwarf, and Greece nodded slowly to her. “I think you might be partly right at least, Artificer... but I think there's more to it than that, too. And I believe that you do, too, don't you?”

Greece smiled awkwardly at this, rubbing at the back of his head, and then the dwarf sighed a little and murmured: “I do, yes. There are... too many details that this thing is awakening in our minds. And I believe that if all of us wrote down our dreams from this last while... we would end up with one coherent story, with a definite beginning... and a definite end. Because there's something that's gone... very strange here. Very wrong, I would almost say, because unlike you and Twilight, my dreams about this castle are... vexing, itchy, and... uncomfortable.”

There were nods around the table, and then Pinkamena snorted as she held Antares upside -down, the unicorn foal burbling quietly and clinging to Gymbr as she looked over at the table and asked moodily: “So what are you suggesting? We pass around the toy, sleep cuddled up with it like it's as big a prostitute as Luna?”

“Shut up, half-demon.” Luna said crankily, and then she sighed a little when Pinkamena pretended to drop Antares face-first towards the ground, the winged unicorn and Scrivener Blooms both wincing, but Antares only giggling when Pinkamena easily caught the foal by the rear hooves only an inch or so away from the floor. “Art thou truly so anxious to be pummeled?”

“Well, that is one method, changing possession of Gymbr to see if it awakens further memories in each of us, but I was thinking of something a little more subtle, too.” the Architect said hurriedly, and then he rose a finger, asking pointedly: “Who already knows Gymbr's stories? Who among us seems capable of communicating with the doll?”

“Disco-Bob!” Antares said cheerfully, and Greece looked up in surprise at this before he nodded, and then the foal frowned a little before turning his eyes curiously towards his father. “Daddy? Story?”

“Well, Gymbr doesn't really... tell me stories, kiddo.” Scrivener paused thoughtfully, tilting his head as he reached out and touched his son's shoulder gently. “What about you, though? What kind of stories does Gymbr tell you, Antares?”

Antares only smiled and burbled in response for a moment, then he picked up the winged unicorn toy and turned towards Pinkamena, tossing it at her. The demon winced even as she caught it and looked grumpily down at the toy, and then the foal said softly: “Family.”

“Family.” Scrivener smiled a little despite himself, rubbing a hoof down the child's back before he sighed a little and glanced over his shoulder towards Luna, but she simply shrugged after a moment, smiling faintly in return. Then the earth pony closed his eyes meditatively, taking the moment of silence to think before he murmured: “You know what strikes me as weird, though? Luna and I... haven't had any dreams ourselves to do with this thing.”

Scarlet Sage looked up at this thoughtfully, adding quietly: “Me neither. I mean, I have silly dreams sometimes but... not about anything to do with this, you know?” The Pegasus smiled after a moment, blushing a bit as she rubbed slowly at her face. “I haven't really had any... you know... visions, either, though. I used to get them... more often, but...”

“Well, thou art maturing, Scarlet Sage, and thou has worked hard to be in control of thy powers. I have seen thee splattered with blood and all the same maintaining thyself... just as I have seen thee exert thy powers even with the smallest of blood connection.” Luna replied softly, smiling a little over at the growing mare, and the Pegasus laughed a little as she bowed her head forwards. Then Luna sighed and returned her eyes to Greece, saying quietly: “I understand that Gymbr is important. But he is also... perhaps a distraction laid in our path. We have much already to worry about, do we not? Clockwork World and Valthrudnir's machinations, the Norns, and these anchors to lay. And even more importantly – to myself and my family, at least – Antares' upcoming birthday party. It must be spectacular.”

“You have my promise that it will be the very best we can put together, fancy-corn.” Greece smiled despite himself, leaning back and glancing over at Odin as the once-god chuckled quietly. “But with all respect for Valkyrie Brynhild, Lord Odin, if you still wish to discuss the matter at hand...”

“No, no. What I desire instead is to head back to Valhalla. There are other things for this old man to oversee, things where I can possibly actually do something instead of just sitting around gossiping with young women.” Odin replied quietly, rubbing slowly at his face before he sighed tiredly at the pointed look Luna gave him. “I call you that because I see you as equals... do you really prefer me to say 'mares?'”

“I do. Because it is what I am and I direly desire thou to remember that, old falcon-faced lecher, so it may implore thee further to keep thy grabby talons to thyself.” Luna retorted, and Odin rolled his eye before he pushed himself grumpily away from the table, picking up his walking stick. Luna only grinned at him, however, winking at the cyclops and looking pleased with herself even as Celestia gave her little sister a foul look. “What? Oh, thou all know that I am beloved.”

“All shall love me and despair.” Scrivener muttered under his breath, and Luna gave him a flat look, making the male clear his throat and look away even as Pinkamena grumbled in agreement and Twilight smiled amusedly. “Sorry. Uh. What Luna is trying to say, Odin-”

Luna glared at him and flicked her horn firmly, and a short blast of lightning hammered into Scrivener and knocked him sprawling, Antares squeaking and immediately running over to his father, looking down at him worriedly before he glared up at his mother, who grinned, then winced when Antares pointed at her and huffed. “Bad Mommy! No!”

“I... what? No, thou cannot scold me, I am thy mother!” Luna said incredulously, leaning back before she pointed at Scrivener, defending hurriedly: “Anything thy father feels I feel! 'Tis no crime to-”

“No.” Antares said firmly, and Luna stared dumbly back at him before she grumbled and glared around the table at the laughs this received. Then Antares nodded a few times before he dropped down against his father's chest, snuggling against him as Scrivener only laid on the floor, grinning awkwardly but not daring to get up in case Luna decided to take her temper further out on him.

The sapphire winged unicorn only sighed, however, slumping and looking dejected as Odin calmly walked past the table, saying meditatively as he headed for the door: “Well, I'm very glad your son is here to keep you in line, Brynhild. Freya, Greece, Twilight, and friends... it was good to see you all.”

“What about my husband and daughter? And Pinkamena? And Antares, foul lecher!” Luna shouted immediately, sitting up and glaring before she concentrated, her horn glowing before she swung it forwards and released another narrow burst of electricity, but Odin half-turned with a grimace and a flick of his walking stick, the blast of lightning bursting apart into motes as he deflected it with the cane as Luna stared in surprise, then growled at him. “Damnable wretch!”

“Goodbye, Brynhild. Goodbye, Scrivener Blooms, Scarlet Sage, Pinkamena, and Antares.” Odin said dryly, and Luna grumbled under her breath as the once-god turned and made his way out of the library, shaking his head slowly as Luna glowered at his back.

“Even I have forgiven Odin by now, Luna. We get along very well, as a matter of fact, and I do not think he'll ever forgive himself for what he's done. Do you really need to further annoy and frustrate him?” Celestia asked quietly, and Luna nodded a few times seriously in return, making the ivory winged unicorn sigh tiredly. “Wonderful.”

“Yes, 'tis.” Luna replied huffily, then she glared over at Greece when the Nibelung began to slip away from the table. “Oh ho, I think not. Thou has a party to help me plan before we go and speak to Pinkie Pie.”

“Yay, party.” Pinkamena muttered, voice dripping sarcasm as she looked grouchily down at Gymbr, then she leaned down and bit its features firmly, growling as she shook her head back and forth like a dog as Antares stared up at her, horrified. Then she grimaced as she leaned back, spitting a few times to the side and muttering: “Tastes gross. Like metal.”

“Gymbr!” Antares glared and held his hooves up, and Scrivener looked mildly over at the half-demon, making her roll her eyes before she tossed the toy to the child, who caught it in a hug against his body before he huffed. “Pink-me-nah bad.”

“Pink-me-nah very bad.” the dull-gray mare agreed, grinning slightly before she leaned back with a sigh when all eyes turned towards her. “Please get it through your heads I am not sissy and I am not a party planner. Sissy is sugar, sweets, and an acid high all mixed together. That, and gluttony. I'm way more into violence myself.”

“Please?” Greece asked imploringly, and the half-demon groaned and threw her head back, then nodded grudgingly as she reached up and rubbed moodily at her pierced ears, the dwarf smiling across at her. “Excellent. So, since I know you want something special for you-know-who's party, Cowlick and I have this idea in mind...”

That night found the odd family at home: Antares was half-asleep on the floor, dressed in his onesie and with his head resting on Gymbr's back, quietly suckling on a pacifier in his jaws. Scrivener was writing quietly at his desk, tossing soft looks over his shoulder every now and then at the foal, and Twilight was trying to hold a pose as Luna comfortably laid in front of her and sketched her, the winged unicorn blushing as she stayed sitting back with her front hooves raised in front of her and her wings spread, muttering: “This is uncomfortable.”

“Mom's actually done most of the detailing, Twilight, you can relax now.” Scarlet Sage said kindly as she strode in from the kitchen, putting down a tray loaded with two mugs of tea and two mugs of coffee, and Luna huffed, glowering over at her daughter as the Pegasus only smiled amusedly in return.

“Oh good.” Twilight mumbled, furling her wings and dropping back to all fours, then she stretched slowly, wincing a little as her back creaked and Luna grumbled as she sat over her art pad. “Then again, it's not like you really need to look at me, is it?”

“I enjoy looking at thee, though. And 'tis easier for me to draw thee in silly poses when thou art actually in the silly pose. Anatomy and angles are wretched things.” Luna mumbled in response, continuing to moodily sketch as her starry locks swirled backwards before she closed the sketchpad and smiled a little as Twilight strode over to the bedding to drop down beside the sapphire winged unicorn. “What is on thy mind, sweet mare?”

Twilight only shrugged a little as she reached out and picked up one of the mugs of tea, sipping at it and giving Scarlet Sage a small smile before her eyes turned back to Luna, saying softly: “Well. I guess, to be entirely honest... how things have been lately. I mean, look around, Luna... everything here's been so... so...”

Luna only nodded slowly, glancing towards Gymbr and Antares, and then her eyes roved to Scrivener as the earth pony closed his own notebook and turned around, smiling a little. “Crazy.”

“Yeah, crazy. Like a rollercoaster.” Twilight laughed a little, nodding and looking over the other ponies softly. “I'm not honestly sure how we all deal with it... the constant... up-and-down of everything.”

Luna nodded slowly, looking down meditatively for a few moments before she shrugged a bit and murmured: “We have all been through much, Twilight Sparkle. Great suffering, and great joy alike, and I often think that 'tis harder to live through great happiness than it is suffering. I do not know if I even desire happiness all the time... serenity, Scrivener Blooms likes to say, is worth much more. And what I enjoy most... is excitement. Perhaps that is why when I lived in corrupted Equestria, I was not happy, oh no... but... it was exciting. It was thrilling. And it made me feel truly alive.”

She smiled a little, looking down for a moment as Scarlet Sage sipped quietly at her own tea, then Luna's horn glowed. She lifted the remaining mugs of coffee, passing one to Scrivener as she sipped at the other herself, and the earth pony nodded his thanks to her before his eyes roved to Twilight, asking quietly: “So tell me. You still going to come with us on the next journey?”

“If you'll have me, yeah.” Twilight smiled a little, nodding after a moment as she looked from Scrivener to Luna, then towards Scarlet Sage. “And you know, if you don't think Antares...”

“Nah. Little brother and I will be fine, and Gymbr... I dunno. Maybe this will sound weird, but... I feel like if Gymbr ever does try anything, it won't be behind Mom and Dad's backs. It'll be a challenge to them... and yet... I don't think that will happen.” Scarlet Sage quieted, looking down as she rubbed awkwardly a foreleg. “I... I think I kind of lied, too, today. Maybe my dreams have been... you know... influenced by Gymbr one way or the other, I dunno. But they're not about a black castle or anything. They've been about...”

She blushed a little, and then Luna grinned widely, half-lidding her eyes as she leaned forwards and said cheerfully: “Oh, I recognize that look all too well! Handsome stallions, is it?” Luna paused, leaning in closer as Scarlet Sage mumbled awkwardly, and then Luna's grin stretched even wider as Scrivener slapped his forehead and Twilight cocked her head curiously. “No? Oh, I see! Pretty mares, is it?”

“Mom!” Scarlet Sage turned away embarrassedly, and Luna laughed and shook her head even as the Pegasus turned beet-red, dropping her head forwards and mumbling: “Thank you, really, for... you know. Letting me... oh, Mom...”

“Oh, shush, 'tis nothing to be ashamed of. I dream of pretty mares all the time.” Luna said mildly, flicking a hoof, and both Scrivener and Twilight glared at her. The winged unicorn only huffed in response to this, however, looking at them pointedly. “Well, somepony has to, as both of thee are boring. Twilight, thou art beautiful, and Scrivener Blooms, thou art... appreciable... but sometimes I desire pretty thoughts of pretty things, 'tis all.”

“Yeah, me too.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna reared back, giving him a horrible look before Scrivener grumbled and flopped down beside Twilight as he sipped slowly at his coffee.

For a few moments, there was awkward silence as Luna gradually settled, and then Scarlet Sage finally looked up and asked finally: “So... I... I mean... is it a problem that...”

“Why should it matter to me?” Luna asked curiously, and when Scrivener looked at her pointedly, she looked back in honest confusion before their eyes met, thoughts swirling back and forth before Luna snorted and leaned back, muttering grumpily: “Then society is backwards. Oh, well, aye, in the old days, to accuse one male of bedding another could be most awful indeed. 'Twas considered shameful, even. Well, most...” Luna grinned a little, glancing up. “As with all things, if the warrior was large and masculine and strong enough, then... 'twas difficult to make him feel shame even with this. Oh, what brutes and fools people can be!”

She laughed and shook her head, and then she sipped calmly at her coffee before smiling slightly. “But we mares have always had more... shall we say... leeway, with certain things. Just as 'twas shameful for a stallion to use most forms of magic instead of fighting as a proper warrior should in battle... a mare was free to use magic to influence events. Just as a mare who slept with another mare could be considered tawdry, oh, aye, but 'twas not nearly as shameful as a stallion whom slept with a stallion. But I do not entirely understand why we are even talking about this, Scarlet Sage... but if thou truly craves reassurance despite the well-known hungers of thine own mother, then listen to me and look at me.”

Luna put down her coffee, gazing at her quietly and turning to her daughter, reaching out and taking her hooves to squeeze them slowly as she looked into the eyes of the Pegasus, saying softly: “I shall always, always love thee. Always. And what I desire to see is thy happiness, and I do not speak hollow words, or platitudes. I wish to see thou happy. I wish to see thou living life free, for thyself, and to find comfort and goodness, whatever thou chooses and wherever it leads thee. And I have strong, strong faith thou shall always do the right thing, even both blessed and cursed with the powers thou hast been, the lure of the Blood Seer's grasp. Sweet, beloved daughter, I have so much faith and pride in thee... and such a simple, silly thing as what thou prefers as a partner in intimacy does not affect my opinion of thee, whatever society thinks. But I should not need to reassure thou of this.” She winked. “Thou hast spied upon me kissing Twilight Sparkle more than once.”

Scarlet Sage blushed deep red, then she turned her eyes quietly towards her father, and Scrivener smiled amusedly as he reached out and stroked along his daughter's shoulder, saying quietly: “I love you, Scarlet. No matter what, through everything. We both love you. We're both always, always going to be here for you... hell, all of us are, right, Twilight?”

“Yeah. I know it's hard, Scarlet Sage, I know... well... things like this can be a little awkward.” Twilight blushed a bit, glancing down before she looked slowly up, saying quietly: “Even if my opinion doesn't matter as much, I... I support you. You're a friend, Scarlet Sage. You're... family, too, to me.”

“You are family, Twilight. You're... my second mom really.” Scarlet Sage laughed despite herself, blushing a bit and glancing down before she gently let go of one of Luna's hooves to reach out and squeeze Twilight's, looking into her eyes and smiling faintly. “We never talk about it, but I want you to know I've never been ashamed of any of you, or... you know, how life is for all of us here. This weird little life we all have together. We might be one of the strangest families in Equestria but... maybe that's... what I needed, too. Maybe that's part of why I've been able to accept myself and... my powers, even. Because I was never around 'normal.'”

“I wish sometimes things were normal. That would be nice.” Scrivener said softly, smiling a bit, and Luna huffed over at him as Twilight nudged him gently with a shoulder, making the male laugh and shake his head with a slight smile. “Alright, alright, I only ever do on... rare occasion, happy? But... thanks, Scarlet Sage. Except I don't think you should really be glad for our deviancy. Or Luna's greed if you prefer to blame it all on her, like I do.”

“I shall pummel thee.” Luna threatened grouchily, glowering over at Scrivener, and the earth pony cleared his throat and held up his hooves, leaning away with a slight smile as Scarlet Sage laughed, then visibly softened as she drew back a bit, gazing affectionately over them all.

There was quiet for a little while, as they sat together, sipping their coffee and tea before Scarlet Sage blushed when Luna asked with a grin: “So tell me. Tell me all about thy naughty dreams!”

“Uh. Mom. No.” Scarlet Sage said flatly, blushing deeper, and Luna grumbled under her breath as Scrivener looked relieved and Twilight gave the sapphire winged unicorn a grumpy look. “I'm comfortable with you guys, yes. I love you all. But I am definitely not discussing any of that with you, especially after how I still feel traumatized after you told me about the birds and the bees... and by the way, I want to say right now that you better be gentler with Antares when he's old enough for that talk.”

Luna huffed and looked offended even as Scrivener grunted in agreement and leaned past Scarlet Sage to watch as Antares groggily looked up at the sound of his name, then yawned and curled back up against Gymbr with a mumble. The earth pony smiled at this, then he said softly: “Poor kiddo's had a big day. I'm going to put him to bed a little early, I think.”

“Check his diaper, 'tis been a while. And brush his teeth... wait, has he had a snack, Scrivy? We should not leave our child wanting.” Luna said firmly, and Scrivener looked meditatively over at the winged unicorn before she declared: “From this day forth I shall be the better parent than thee!”

Scrivener only sighed tiredly at this, rubbing slowly at his face before he walked over to Antares and gently shook him, the foal mumbling and fluttering his leathery wings before Scrivener softened, his eyes roving towards Luna as he said quietly: “You know, I keep thinking of our kid as a unicorn, still... but... he isn't really, is he? I mean, I'd say he was a winged unicorn, except...”

“He is not, no.” Luna laughed a little, looking quietly over at their son before she sighed a little, murmuring: “What truly bothers me is that the Centurion enchantment was not meant to be done upon earth ponies or unicorns... only Pegasi, transforming them into Nightmare Moon's knights of the night sky. Strong, fast, and capable of seeing great distances in the dark and blending in with the night around them. But Antares... not only a foal, but a unicorn...”

She sighed a little, looking moody for a moment before she glanced up and grumbled: “Well, 'tis not important. Antares is Antares and we shall raise him as a pony, not as a unicorn or anything else. Aye?”

“Aye.” Scrivener agreed with a small smile, and then he gently swept the foal up, looking over him moodily before he said softly: “Still, though, I'm gonna call you a unicorn if I gotta give you a name. Because... you know. Where I came from, they told me I'd never give birth to anything but a slave hoof. Proved them wrong, huh?”

“Scrivener, thou art insufferable.” Luna said flatly, and Scrivener shrugged in agreement as he smiled slightly over his shoulder at her before he put the foal down when Antares yawned tiredly and then smiled blearily up at his father, carefully stumbling up to his hooves and shaking himself out a little.

The stallion quietly led his son into the kitchen, and Scarlet Sage gazed softly over her shoulder before she said finally: “I do... one day... hope that I'll be a mother, you know? Antares is so... such a wonderful little colt, even if I know that he's kind of the exception to the usual rule.”

“Oh, I do not think he is all the time. He chews on things, and cries, and has good days and bad days. But it is because he understands things with his... the way he sees. The way he is.” Luna explained, smiling over at Scarlet Sage. “That is why he is such a good-natured young foal. And I know that as he grows older, and begins to... rely on himself more than us, well. There shall be clashes. Even we have argued, Scarlet Sage, thou knows this.”

Scarlet Sage only laughed quietly at this, however, closing her eyes and replying softly: “Yeah, but about a lot of silly things, for the most part, and even Fluttershy and I have had fights, Mom. Well... disagreements. Fluttershy doesn't really get angry that often, after all.”

“But when she does...” Twilight laughed and shook her head, smiling despite herself. “Conflict is just... a part of life, I've learned. In fact, it's part of friendship, of good friendships... learning to be able to disagree with each other, to debate things, to even get into arguments, but then move past it one way or the other, resolve your differences, and not... hold onto grudges. To forget about the past and use what you've learned about each other through that conflict to... help avoid it happening again in the future.”

The Pegasus mare nodded slowly as Luna smiled in agreement, and they descended into comfortable quiet as Scrivener Blooms and Antares emerged a few moments later from the kitchen, the foal sitting comfortably in front of the mares with a sippy cup in his lap and Gymbr safely hugged against his side. His father sat beside him, rubbing his back slowly, gazing down at him affectionately... and for a little while, the family rested in the well deserved comfort, quiet and peace.

A Birthday, A Bond, A Betrothal

Chapter Twenty Nine: A Birthday, A Bond, A Betrothal
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares giggled brightly, bouncing happily around through the yard behind the house at Sweet Apple Acres, Scrivener Blooms leaning back against the large buffet table that had been set up and smiling over at Rainbow Dash and Applejack as Avalon rested comfortably back in her seat. “Thanks again for letting us hold the party here.”

“Aw shucks, ain't no problem at all.” Applejack replied with a grin, winking over at him from beneath her weathered cowboy hat before she turned around to help herself to a cup of punch, adding mildly: “Wish there were more foals around though, both for your colt's sake and my own daughter's. I mean, so many of the foals that were, are now teenagers... and well...”

“There will be kids. There's always kids. Hell, maybe Cowlick and Ross will have a kid one day.” Rainbow said positively, and then he grinned and added, glancing off into the distance: “Besides, once Canterlot's rebuilt I'm pretty sure that'll help a lot.”

“How the hell is Canterlot being rebuilt gonna help us with getting foals here, Rainbow? That ain't where babies come from.” Applejack said pointedly, and Rainbow huffed at her before she reached up and tousled his already messy-mane, making him groan and shove her away as she laughed. “Anyway, I just don't want the kids growing up with nothing but adults for friends, is what I'm saying. Even if they're still some of the best friends you could ever wish for.”

She smiled out at the group: Pinkie Pie was bouncing happily around in the field with a few younger foals as Pinkamena sat grumpily back at a table with Big Mac, Greece, and Fluttershy. Rarity and Spike were both marveling over the tall metal pony that Greece and Cowlick had built together: a mechanical golem they had outfitted with flashy lights to do party tricks.

Cowlick herself was sitting with Ross, cheerfully rambling away to Luna, and Discombobulation was prowling amongst the table that was littered with presents, poking at them here and there as Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom kept a close eye on the Draconequus to make sure he didn't run off with anything. Gymbr was sitting safely near the gift table so it wouldn't be lost or misplaced, and Twilight was chatting comfortably with Celestia and Cheerilee.

The last mare was a schoolteacher: her coat was a reddish-purple, and her mane was two light tones of pink. Intelligent, green eyes shone out of her features as she tossed curious glances every now and then towards Luna. On her flank was a cutie mark of three smiling daffodils: apparently representing her love of teaching, and Scrivener excused himself from Applejack and Rainbow Dash to wander over towards this cluster before he halted quickly and laughed as a few young foals ran by eagerly.

Ponies were simply... showing up, every now and then as they liked. But then again, between Luna, Pinkie, and a few others, they had organized quite a little festival for Antares' first birthday. There was the golem, a bouncy house and some other play equipment, balloons and streamers and decorations everywhere and even a 'petting zoo' filled with some very irritated-looking Phooka and other creatures Luna had hassled into standing around and letting kids stare in awe at. Scootaloo was currently in one of the pens, her face almost shoved up against a Phooka's as if challenging it, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile as he overheard Rainbow Dash say cheerfully to Applejack: “You see that? That used to be me. Good kid, Scoot. You're lucky she's not older or I would have married her instead of you.”

Applejack sighed and punched Rainbow in the shoulder, making the stallion huff and wince, and Scrivener rolled his eyes in amusement as he continued over to Twilight, Celestia, and Cheerilee. Before he could even open his mouth, however, there was a loud, distinct crash before an enormous earth pony came charging through the field with a roar, and Luna had enough time to look stupidly up before Sleipnir tackled her backwards into the grasses, skidding several meters before he slammed her down and pinned her against the field, grinning cheerfully down at her with a wink. “Hello sister! I am here for Antares' birthday!”

“Sleipnir!” Luna looked up at him happily, then she blinked before glaring at him, shouting furiously: “Damnation, Sleipnir!”

She kicked both rear hooves hard up into his stomach, knocking him sprawling off her and crashing down onto his back as all eyes stared and Celestia dropped her head with a sigh, politely excusing herself to head over to the buffet table as Sleipnir laughed loudly and then rolled quickly up to his hooves, eyes glinting with mischief as he stomped his hooves firmly against the ground and Luna leapt to her own, growling. “What is it, little sister, now just why art thou so grouchy?”

Luna responded to this by lowering her head and charging forwards, but Sleipnir easily caught her around the neck with a laugh, Luna squawking as her starry locks sparked with electricity and she immediately tried to drag herself backwards, but the earth pony only grinned down at her, shaking his head slowly. “Oh, always so direct! And... there, Celestia! Hello, Celestia!”

Sleipnir rose his free front hoof, waving at her, and Celestia smiled wryly in response from the buffet table, raising a glass of wine towards him and looking both honestly-happy and already-exasperated. Then the enormous earth pony peered back and forth before he finally saw Antares, grinning at the foal and tossing his little sister aside like a sack of potatoes before he leaned back and opened his front legs, shouting cheerfully: “Antares Mīrus! Give thy uncle a hug!”

“Sleipnir!” Antares said excitedly, beginning forwards... and then Luna slammed into Sleipnir's side and tackled him to the ground, the two rolling violently backwards several times and leaving Antares staring and blinking a few times before he cocked his head curiously as Luna managed to pin the enormous earth pony beneath her with a huff.

She glowered down at him imperiously, and Sleipnir winked up at her, holding up a hoof. “Now, sister. 'Tis a party, is it not? Even with our playful sibling rivalry, we may scare some poor ponies, and 'twould not be a good thing, would it?”

“I suppose thou art right, Sleipnir.” Luna said moodily, shaking her head grumpily before she slid off him with a sigh... then looked thoughtfully at him before her horn began to glow and she leaned forwards as Sleipnir sat up with a bright, childish expression. Then Luna leaned over and touched her horn to his mane, and his vine-like locks burst into flames, the earth pony looking confused for a moment before he leapt to his hooves and charged in a circle, yelling incoherently as he shook his head wildly back and forth, leaving a trail of smoke behind him as Luna sat back with a cheerful look. “Sleipnir! Thou art the perfect birthday candle for my son's first celebration!”

Ponies stared as Celestia sighed, and a moment later her horn glowed, using a bowl to scoop up a good amount of punch. She waited a moment for Sleipnir to make another quick lap around the orchard, then she flicked her horn to splash the bowl of punch over Sleipnir's features, putting out the fire with a loud hiss of smoke as the earth pony came dumbly to a halt, then grinned lamely over at his older sibling as he rubbed at his face firmly, before he paused and licked thoughtfully at his hooves. “'Tis good!”

“Yes, it is very good punch.” Celestia agreed calmly, as if nothing was out of the ordinary, and then she shook her head slowly before dropping the empty bowl over Sleipnir's head, the earth pony only continuing to look cheerfully back and forth from beneath it. “Please behave yourself, though. That goes for you too, Luna.”

“Bah, nonsense!” Luna grumbled, but then she nodded sulkily before turning her eyes towards Antares, who was scowling up at her childishly. “What? What? I did nothing wrong!”

“No.” Antares said firmly, and Luna groaned and flopped over on her back as Sleipnir snorted, then happily trotted over to his nephew, nuzzling him before sweeping him up in a tight hug, then easily tossing him high into the air, Luna wincing and glaring at her brother's back as Antares giggled brightly before his wings spread on instinct high in the sky, and both Luna and Sleipnir stared stupidly as the foal began to glide away through the air.

Scrivener stared stupidly up into the sky at this, then he glared furiously at both Luna and Sleipnir, and both ponies winced before Luna leapt into the air and Sleipnir rambled: “Fear not, I shall catch him if he falls! Antares, nay, nay, handsome colt, 'tis not time for thee to leave the party yet!”

The earth pony stallion sighed and dropped his head forwards as Twilight reached up and soothingly rubbed his shoulder, and the violet mare looked lamely at Cheerilee as the teacher only stared before Twilight said finally: “Uh... I was just... telling Cheerilee here about how Antares was young but... he might be ready for schooling soon...”

“Yes, well, Luna and I haven't worked out yet whether to have him attend classes here in Ponyville or teach him at home...” Scrivener said after a moment, looking moodily up into the sky and watching as Luna managed to sweep up beneath Antares, the foal clinging automatically to his mother's back before she began to gently dive downwards. Then the stallion awkwardly turned his eyes back to Cheerilee, smiling at her after a moment and asking: “So... you teach all the foals?”

“Well, most of them.” Cheerilee laughed a little after a moment, replying softly: “It's just a little old-fashioned schoolhouse, as I'm sure you know... Ponyville's such a small, friendly place even now, after all. I usually see the same faces every year, I get to kind of... teach them as they grow up, watch them go from foals to adults. Especially since... well, you know.”

“Not a lot of foals around, yeah.” Scrivener said softly, nodding after a moment before he asked curiously: “Are there any other schools or anything in the area?”

“Apart from the secondary school, not really.” Cheerilee smiled and shook her head, glancing towards the field and watching as Antares came bounding back in, giggling brightly before several foals that were likely only a little older than him attracted his attention, and the unicorn foal smiled happily before he ran over to them. “He seems a little young for school, though.”

“He's very intelligent, though, I've been doing tutoring and testing with Celestia. That's why I wanted to talk to you, Cheerilee, see what you thought of starting him in school early.” Twilight said with a smile, and Scrivener gave the violet mare a surprised and curious look. “Well, you know, I know it's ultimately up to you and Luna, Scrivy, but I thought I'd find out, anyway. It's not so much that I think Antares needs school, though, as it is... giving him a chance to interact with other kids and stuff.”

Scrivener began to nod hesitantly, and then Luna strode over, giving Cheerilee a smile before she asked in a mild voice, only Scrivener and Twilight picking up on the curt edge in her tone: “May I see thee for a moment, Twilight Sparkle? My brother wishes to see thee. Scrivener, I am sure thou has thy curiosities about the schooling idea, though, so be not shy to ask.”

Twilight nodded awkwardly after a moment, and Luna nodded shortly back before she turned and gestured towards where Sleipnir was across the field. As they began to walk away, Scrivener wincing a little at Twilight's back, the violet mare asked awkwardly: “Did I... do something wrong?”

“Yes.” Luna said simply, looking ahead before she said quietly: “I am Antares Mīrus' mother, not thou, is this understood? I appreciate thy aid, do not get me wrong. I appreciate what thou has done and the great help thou art to me, Twilight Sparkle. And yes, thou shall always be Twilight-Mommy to my son, and I have no problems with this, either... but when it comes to making decisions for the child's life, 'tis my job, not thine, is this understood?”

“I... yes. I'm sorry, Luna.” Twilight said quietly, looking both surprised and taken aback, and she glanced away to hide the hurt in her eyes as she murmured: “I really... was just trying to help, though, I know you and Scrivener...”

“I know, Twilight, and it is appreciated. But please... come to myself, first. Come to Scrivener. Let us know before thou plunges ahead.” Luna smiled faintly over at Twilight, bowing her head towards her and saying quietly: “It is alright, I am not angry or upset or disappointed. I only wish to make it clear that... I must have at least a say in all things when it comes to my child. I must have some part in his raising, his learning, his everything. And thou art free to help raise my son, and I am honored by it... but please do not take his handling into thine own hooves unless I ask thee to.”

“Alright, Luna. I'm sorry.” Twilight said softly, nodding and bowing her head with a blush, and now she felt a little less hurt and a little more ashamed, shaking her head awkwardly. “I really did just...”

“Oh, hush, Twilight, 'tis fine. Worry not.” Luna smiled over at her supportively as they crossed the field, then she grunted and jerked her head towards Sleipnir. The earth pony looked up curiously at them from where he was sitting in the shade of a tree with Pinkamena, and the half-demon grunted, looking almost embarrassed as Luna asked kindly: “Art thou having a pleasant date together here at my son's birthday party?”

Sleipnir and Pinkamena gave conflicting answers: one cheerful and polite, the other vulgar and surly. Twilight smiled despite herself, studying the two with interest before Luna snorted and shook her head, saying mildly: “Well, in any event, here is Twilight Sparkle. She was being naughty with the schoolteacher so I thought that I would bring her over to see thee.”

“Oh really? Well, if that mare talking to thy husband is the teacher, she is a most pretty little teacher indeed.” Sleipnir replied easily, leaning to the side before Pinkamena growled at him, and he gave her a wide grin, winking at her. “Now shush, my sweet phoenix. Thou knows there are none in the land more pretty than thou.”

“Not in front of them!” Pinkamena hissed, glaring over at him even as a pleased blush rose in her cheeks, and Luna threw her head back and laughed before the half-demon said disgustedly: “Oh, go screw yourself, Nightmare Moon. As a matter of fact, why don't you go screw everypony here?”

“Does. Does this include me?” Sleipnir looked up curiously, and Pinkamena looked at him for a moment before leaning over and punching him hard across the jaw, almost knocking him sprawling as Twilight reared back in shock and Luna only snorted laughter. Then Sleipnir carefully sat back up, rubbing slowly at his muzzle before he nodded thoughtfully after a few moments and grinned over at her, half-lidding his eyes. “I'll let thou sleep with her at the same time, if that helps! And thou has a distinctly stronger punch than I recall last as well... hast thou been working out? To be strong and muscular would only add to thy beauty!”

“You disgust me. I hate you.” Pinkamena grumbled, turning away... and then Twilight couldn't help but stare at the way she slowly wiggled backwards as if no one was watching, looking pointedly ahead until her back quietly pressed against Sleipnir's side, and he smiled softly as he wrapped a strong forelimb around her. “Are you two done? Go away.”

“Or sit in my lap or on my other side.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and then he winced when Pinkamena elbowed him firmly in the stomach, making him wheeze a bit. “Very well, darling, message received. I shall spare thee from my flirting.”

“I don't care about it, just don't let me see it. We're not... dating or anything anyway, we're... just friends.” Pinkamena mumbled, and Sleipnir leaned over and quietly dropped his head against the back of her skull with a soft smile, quietly inhaling the scent of her mane, and Pinkamena smiled faintly before she glared over at Luna and Twilight. “Will you two go the hell away before I beat the crap out of you both?”

“Pink-me-nah!” shouted a cheerful voice, and Luna looked over her shoulder in surprise before Antares raced gleefully over, Pinkamena looking stupefied and Sleipnir looking up with delight as the now one-year old toddler almost rammed into the two half-cuddling ponies before he pointed at her and declared to the other foals stumbling and bouncing after him: “Pink-me-nah!”

The other foals – and Twilight realized after a moment that one of them was Pinkie Pie, she was just half-crawling after them and had her head down low and her butt high in the air – all stared and 'oohed' at the sight of Pinkamena and Sleipnir. Sleipnir cheerfully waved... and then stared when Pinkamena leapt up to her hooves, roaring furiously, and the foals and Pinkie Pie all yelled in terror and scattered wildly in every direction except for Antares, who scowled up at her. Pinkamena glared back at him, then she leaned down, shoving her face almost into his and snapping: “I am busy, tumor!”

For a few moments, they only glared at each other, Pinkamena breathing hard... and then Antares leaned up and firmly bit down on Pinkamena's nose, and the half-demon's eyes bulged before she yelled and tried to yank backwards, but Antares held on tightly with his jaws as the half-demon's eyes watered, shoving firmly at the foal as she yelled furiously: “Goddammit, Nightmare Moon, get your spawn of darkness off me or I'm going to give him flying lessons right into that damn tree!”

Sleipnir threw his head back and laughed, falling over as Luna stared in shock, then began to giggle madly as well as Twilight leapt forwards with a wince, carefully trying to pry Antares off and half-scolding him as the foal gamely held on to the half-demon's nose with his teeth, and Pinkamena cursed violently in frustration before she finally managed to pry the foal's jaws open. She fell backwards, the faint imprint of teeth-marks visible on her muzzle as she grasped at her face, then she cursed and glowered over her shoulder at Sleipnir, who hurriedly cleared his throat in mid-laugh and covered his mouth, grinning lamely at her from behind his hooves.

Luna, meanwhile, was still laughing loudly before Pinkamena shoved herself up to her hooves, glaring down at Antares as Antares glared back at her, and then the half-demon huffed before she reached out and yanked the foal out of Twilight's forelegs, the violet mare looking dumbly at Pinkamena before the gray-pink pony shoved her hard backwards, knocking her sprawling on top of Luna as she grumbled: “Idiots are useless. Fine, tumor, I get it, your birthday party. Come on, Sleipnir.”

With that, Pinkamena tossed Antares onto her back with a grumble, and the foal burbled happily as he clung to her... then both she and the foal yelped when Sleipnir leapt forwards and easily swept Pinkamena onto his own broad back, the earth pony stallion grinning cheerfully as she carried mare and foal in an awkward pyramid as he trotted cheerfully forwards, calling easily: “Fear not, children, the demon is tamed!”

“Luna, I know what we just argued about earlier, but... I'm taking over as Antares' mother.” Twilight muttered from where she was sprawled over Luna, and Luna grumbled and wheezed but didn't argue as the violet mare carefully sat up with a sigh. “We're going to have so many complaints from parents.”

“Well, thou art the one who just declared herself Antares' mother, 'tis all thy fault.” Luna mumbled, and then she wheezed when Twilight prodded her in the stomach before the winged unicorn glowered after her brother. “Damn Sleipnir. I am glad he is here but he always has all the fun.”

It wasn't much longer before Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Scrivener began to set dinner out on the collection of tables that had been pushed together. Their plans for this, however, were almost ruined the moment they put out a large bowl of apple sauce and Sleipnir cheerfully ran over to this, shoved his face into the bowl, and gobbled down the contents faster than Applejack could believe was possible before he belched loudly and trotted happily off. After this, the planned dinner became more of an informal 'eat as you like,' and Twilight grumbled under her breath as she sat at her spot at the table, while everypony else sat wherever they pleased.

Near the table, music blared out of a portable stereo as Discombobulation and Pinkie Pie danced in perfect synchronization, making brisk, almost mechanical movements. Scrivener Blooms watched with amusement as Luna grumbled and rolled her eyes, but Antares and the other foals were giggling and laughing at the antics of the two as Pinkie giggled but Bob kept his face perfectly still and serious.

Then they both halted, and Discombobulation shook himself out as Pinkie Pie laughed and bounced easily on her hooves before shouting cheerfully as the next song began to play, ignoring the fact half the guests were sitting down to try and eat something: “Come on, everypony! Do the pony-pokey with us!”

Antares cocked his head curiously but clambered up to his hooves as a few parents chuckled and Applejack shook her head but grinned a little down at Avalon, who was sitting in the grass and looking fascinated. Scrivener and Luna tried to slip away, but Sleipnir only grinned and strode over, halting them... and then reaching a hoof out and seizing Celestia by her long, flowing rainbow tail, the ivory winged unicorn wincing and blushing a little before she was slowly dragged back through the grasses to stand beside him. “Oh, I think not, sister! My phoenix's sibling has asked for us all to do this silly dance with her, and we shall all do it, including even thou, prim and proper Celestia.”

“I am not going to do the pony-pokey.” Celestia said flatly, and when Sleipnir looked at her half-pleadingly and half-threateningly, she sighed a little, leaning towards him and saying dryly: “I have worked very hard to be looser and kinder and calmer, Sleipnir, but that does not mean I'm about to-”

“Yes it does!” Sleipnir turned forwards with a cheerful grin as Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly, looking over the crowd as Scrivener and Luna both looked sourly ahead, Celestia seemed almost grim, and Sleipnir simply grinned cheerfully before he said pleasantly: “Because, if thou does not do the pony-pokey with me, it shall leave me no choice but to tell about the time two certain sisters of mine once engaged in a great and glorious drinking contest with me. Only without knowing that I had watered down my share of the liquor quite heavily so I could win for once. And not only did I win, but oh, the stories I did learn!”

“You cheated. You're blackmailing me with information you gained by cheating, where is your honor?” Celestia looked at him grumpily, and Sleipnir only winked at her cheerfully in return. “Sleipnir-”

“Come on, everypony! Oh, you put your right hoof in, you put your right hoof out, you put your right hoof in and you shake it all about!” Pinkie sang brightly, and the foals laughed as they tried to follow along, while some of the adults participated, some simply watched, and Sleipnir giggled like a child as he followed the simple dance, eyes shining before he glared at the ponies around him to make sure they were following along, mouthing a threat at Celestia. The older sibling groaned at this, but began to follow along with the next verse, looking much less-than-thrilled as Luna somehow managed to giggle at Celestia even as she shot baleful looks at gleeful Sleipnir.

Fortunately the dance was short: unfortunately, Discombobulation then spun around and kicked the stereo hard, and the song skipped loudly before beginning to repeat, and Pinkie Pie beamed brightly as she called happily: “Come on everypony, you know what that means! We get to do it all over again!”

Celestia glared at Sleipnir, but he only clapped and cheered happily, then glared over the crowd when a few of them began to try and slip away, shouting: “We are shaking it all about again!”

From her safe position sitting next to Twilight Sparkle at the side of the field, Pinkamena threw her head back and laughed loudly as the ponies went through the dance again. Discombobulation looked absurdly pleased with himself as well, taking a very-visible pleasure in the discomfort of the ponies before he began to turn... and a blast of lightning hammered into the Draconequus before he could kick the stereo again, knocking him flying into the air with a yelp before he grabbed his rear and bolted away, the foals laughing and giggling at this. Surprisingly, however, Luna was the one left gaping at Celestia, who said moodily as the glow faded from around her horn: “I am not doing the pony-pokey again. Besides, little sister. Everypony will think it was you.”

“Celestia!” Sleipnir complained, then he spun around and tackled the ivory winged unicorn, knocking her flat with a curse of frustration as electricity sparked through her mane, and ponies stared in shock and amazement... before Luna spun around and tackled Sleipnir's back, the earth pony laughing before Antares ran forwards with a cheerful yell towards his family, diving into the wrestling group, followed by several other excited, hyper foals, and then a giggling Pinkie Pie.

Scrivener winced and turned awkwardly away even as he felt Luna's emotions and gleeful thoughts telling him to join in, instead quickly heading across the field towards the buffet table. He helped himself to a can of cola, popping it open as Rainbow loitered over and smiled, Spike grinning at the other side of the Pegasus before he blushed deeply and leaned over, whispering: “I... I got a ring for Rarity.”

Scrivener choked on his cola, and Rainbow raised the bottle of beer he was holding easily in one hoof, saying easily: “My reaction exactly, seriously. See, Spike? You don't tell ponies stuff like that when they're in the middle of drinking stuff.”

Spike glowered at the Pegasus, and Rainbow laughed and winked at him, grinning amusedly. “Oh come on, you know I'm screwin' with you. But seriously, dude... first of all, how the hell did you make enough to afford a goddamn wedding ring? Second of all, are you... well... sure?”

Spike looked offended at this, leaning back a bit as Scrivener snorted in amusement, looking mildly over at Rainbow Dash. “What, you're going to be the voice of reason and prudence now on top of everything else?”

“What? Hell no. But see, Scrivener, when normal ponies get married, you aren't allowed to do a lot of fun things anymore, and even the not-fun things you need to consult your wife on.” Rainbow replied mildly, then he smiled a little before looking over at Spike, saying in a softer voice: “I'm not saying it's not worth it, far from it. What I'm saying is that Spike is in that wonderful age where he's old enough to go to a strip bar, and the big scary bouncer will ID him at the door but once he's inside, the bartender will just assume he's some happy go lucky frat boy. Frat. Dragon. Boy. Can dragons go to college?”

Scrivener looked mildly at Rainbow Dash, then he rose his cola to him and said dryly: “Congratulations. You went from bringer of wisdom to complete idiot in record time.”

“Cheers, jerk.” Rainbow Dash grinned all the same, knocking his bottle against Scrivener's cola before he shook his head and smiled over at Spike as the dragon rubbed awkwardly at his head-fins. “Don't take it the wrong way. But you know a big part of any relationship is built on trust. Just because most married ponies lie to each other all the time doesn't mean that's how it's supposed to work.”

“What's Dr. Phil saying today?” Discombobulation strode calmly over to the group with Big Mac beside him, and Spike blushed a bit and rubbed embarrassedly at his armband before he winced when the Draconequus picked at this thoughtfully. “Oh look. You must be part of some socialist movement that likes shiny objects. Oh, all my jokes are falling flat today, I don't seem to be able to do anything apart from parlor tricks. Speaking of that, why are they called parlor tricks, Luna? I have never seen parlor tricks done in a parlor, and I am fairly certain that no rich person would own a tricked-out parlor, because the word 'parlor' itself imparts a certain cultural class and stick-in-one's-buttness that just does not mix very well with the type who favor a particularly vernacular vocabulary and tend to have certain issues with prostitutes, pimps, and worst of all, keeping their own emotions hidden away from the world so they can continue to push forth an image of unerring machismo despite the fact that rappers are essentially poets with guns.”

“No, cowponies are poets with guns.” Scrivener corrected moodily, glancing grumpily over at Discombobulation. “Poets... are poets with guns. Rappers are not poets with guns.”

“Oops. Luna is extremely judgmental when it comes to these sorts of things, I'd forgotten.” Discombobulation said mildly, looking back and forth before the chimerical creature leaned forwards and asked seriously: “Hasn't a rap song ever touched you? Don't you recognize the pleas? You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you want it, you better never let it go; you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”

Scrivener only looked flatly at the Draconequus as Rainbow Dash snorted in amusement, and then Big Mac calmly looked over at Spike and said kindly: “Congratulations.”

“You know? How do you know already? Oh god did someone else tell you?” Spike winced, looking hurriedly back and forth. “Crap, did that guy I bought the ring from tell? But I went to Canterlot for it! I got it special made and everything, he said-”

“Nope.” Big Mac smiled slightly, gesturing easily over at Rainbow Dash. “You look just like he did before he asked my sister to marry him.”

“Hey!” Rainbow huffed at the crimson stallion as Scrivener snorted in amusement. “To be fair, if she turned me down or something went wrong, I was kind of scared that you would come out to have a word with me about it. And I am tough and brave and awesome but I am not stupid enough to think that you wouldn't cream me in a fight.”

“Where is this cream?” shouted a cheerful voice, and even Discombobulation winced backwards as Sleipnir popped up and threw a foreleg around Scrivener and Rainbow Dash, grinning brightly between them. “Happy friends, handsome stallion friends! I have been told to pass along the message that Antares will be opening his gifts soon, so Scrivener Blooms is supposed to do something and I do not remember what this is, for poor Luna is starting to sound a little like Celestia with all her ordering about. 'Tis a shame, but well, I suppose 'tis fine if thou art into that sort of thing, Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivener sighed tiredly, knowing better than to reply, and the Draconequus looked thoughtfully across at Sleipnir before he asked mildly: “Where are your other four legs?”

“Oh, I do not have four other legs hidden away, but thou art in for a handsome surprise if thou wants to see my fifth.” Sleipnir replied cheerfully, waggling his eyebrows at Discombobulation, and the chimerical creature reared back with a wince as Rainbow Dash laughed and Scrivener snorted in amusement. Then the chimerical creature huffed grouchily, snapping his fingers to make a cheap suit appear over his body and a large, thick bundle of papers puff into being in one hand, glaring over a small pair of pince-nez as he held the paperwork out at the enormous stallion.

“I am suing you and Scrivener Blooms for sexual harassment in the workplace. I'm looking to have either your employer fired, the management who runs this whole operation, or to be paid a million bits. Preferably in clothing. That way I can legally launder my money.” The Draconequus said mildly, and then he pointed up at the sky. “See that up there? Up there right now, there's someone looking down on us, watching us, laughing at you, because they're not going to fire you and a million dollars in shirts and ties and socks is nothing to him. Nothing. Your employer is worse than the tobacco and alcohol companies put together. You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!”

With that, Discombobulation flung the papers into the air, and as they puffed out of existence, Sleipnir looked thoughtfully at the chimerical creature before he leaned forwards and grinned cheerfully. “Well, if I am to be charged with a crime, I may as well be guilty for it! Tell me, art thou a very good kisser? Oh, thou can tell a world about someone from how they kiss, 'tis not a lie.”

Discombobulation slowly paled, then he turned around and sprinted away, and Sleipnir immediately, gleefully chased after the chaos entity as he howled: “I hear banjos! Oh god, don't let him make me squeal like a pig!”

“Then what if I make thee squeal like a filly?” Sleipnir called cheerfully, and Discombobulation winced before he skidded around towards what looked like a rabbit burrow at the base of a tree and dove forwards, vanishing into it despite the physical impossibility as Sleipnir cheerfully charged after him, then crashed headlong into the far-too-small hole with a loud thunk as he fell flat on his stomach with a wheeze, buried up to his shoulders in the hole as a few apples tumbled out of the tree.

The others simply watched as Sleipnir cursed and began to try and wiggle himself backwards, shoving at the loose earth around his head before awkwardly falling still, and then he shouted in a muffled voice: “Celestia! Celestia, Luna, I... I cannot pry my head out of this hole! 'Tis evil magic at work here!”

“'Tis not my turn, sister, 'tis thy turn to save him.” Luna said grumpily, glancing pointedly towards the ivory winged unicorn, but Celestia only sipped slowly at a cup of punch before she turned away and headed calmly over to the gifts table, and Luna nodded thoughtfully after a few moments, calling back in a serious voice: “Fear not, Sleipnir, we uh... we shall go and get aid!”

Sleipnir mumbled, rear wiggling back and forth in the air as he tried to drag himself free from the hole, then he cursed under his breath in frustration and grumbled: “Oh, wonderful. At least the sun is setting, so my buttocks shan't be burnt.”

“I'll burn your butt.” Pinkamena grumbled, and Sleipnir grinned cheerfully even with his head stuck in the hole, before he winced when the half-demon firmly slapped his rump and said sourly: “Drop that thing down, you look like you're either trying to moon the sky or begging for someone to shove something up it.”

“'Tis a bad angle! It feels like a blade is digging into my neck, and my pretty mane is all tangled up!” Sleipnir whined, and then he winced when Pinkamena slapped him, then the half-demon grinned despite herself before hopping forwards, straddling his lower back and bouncing a little on him as her hooves slapped a light tattoo against his rump, Sleipnir mumbling under his breath. “Oh. Wonderful. So at least now thou can protect me from buggery.”

“Not really my thing. I'm more into helping humiliate other ponies.” Pinkamena replied mildly, then she looked thoughtfully out over towards the field, listening as cheerful yells of foals went up. “Hey, I can see the kid getting his presents from here.”

Sleipnir slumped grumpily at this, huffing into the hole... and by the gift table, Antares looked confused as a colorful box was placed in front of him, Scrivener and Luna both smiling warmly at the child before Luna mimed ripping motions, saying cheerfully: “Open it, my son! Open the box!”

“Box?” Antares said dubiously, then he slowly lifted the gift box, gazing at it almost apprehensively as all eyes looked towards the foal before he paused, thought seriously for a few moments, then tried to toss the box into the air. It only went a foot or so before landing with a clunk in the soft grasses, and now Antares looked more confused before Luna stepped quickly forwards up beside her son, righting the box and then guiding his hoof to the paper to tear it.

Antares looked almost shocked, looking quickly up at his mother, but Luna laughed and shook her head, saying warmly: “Fear not, child! Objects such as these thou may – in fact, thou must – rip quickly into. They are gifts for thee, my son, gifts for thee to enjoy and experience...”

Antares still looked uneasy, even as he experimentally tore at the wrapping paper... and when Luna nodded encouragingly a few times, he smiled before quickly beginning to shred the present open. Twilight quickly cleaned up the paper pieces and tossed them into a bag as the foal was left with a white box, looking at this with confusion and not seeming entirely aware of what to do before Luna reached forwards and poked it open with her horn, then smiled warmly at what was inside, her horn glowing as she lifted the large object free with telekinesis: a heavy, large stone dragon statuette, sculpted in mid roar, curled around and grasping a quietly-ticking clock. “''Tis very pretty, Celestia. Thou hast my thanks for not buying him a book as Twilight likely has, nor another possessed, evil doll, as thou already did.”

“Yes, well, I wouldn't want the possessed, evil dolls to fight.” Celestia replied dryly, but she was smiling all the same before she sighed at the sound of Sleipnir giving a muffled yell. “I'm going to go drag Sleipnir's head out of the dirt, now.”

“Oh, he shall be fine, he is with Pinkamena.” Luna said grumpily, flicking a hoof... then she winced and glanced over her shoulder as there was another yell, even as Antares carefully picked up the clock, then awkwardly attempted to throw it, Scrivener Blooms diving forwards to catch it as Luna mumbled: “Or perhaps not... oh, no, no, do not throw the clock, sweet Antares, uh... let us move on to another gift!”

Antares Mīrus had quite a haul for his first birthday: books from Twilight and Cheerilee, an action figure from Rainbow Dash and a set of sheets and blankets from Applejack, a cute little outfit and hat from Rarity and a set of gemstone figurines from Spike. From the Pink Twins, a giant plush frog pillow and a gleaming, silver-edged knife that Luna carefully put aside, looking both thankful and irritated at Pinkamena as she grinned and winked. And many more things, although the half-demon couldn't help but point out afterwards, as Antares burbled happily and played with the empty boxes with the other foals: “And what did you two get him? Or are you really such lame-flank parents you didn't get your own kid gifts?”

“I am not dragging a painting across a forest just to give it to my son and then drag it back.” Luna huffed, then she paused and added seriously: “Scrivener's gift was small and dumb. He could have brought it, but he did not.”

Scrivener looked mildly over at Luna for a few moments, and then he shook his head and returned a smile to Antares, saying softly: “Look at our kid, Luna. Happy. Free. Content.”

“And rich. He has a treasure trove worthy of a dragon!” Luna said cheerfully, and then she paused and glanced over at Scrivener before grinning widely, glancing mischievously over to where Spike was standing with Rainbow Dash. “Speaking of dragons... if thou shalt excuse me...”

“L-Luna, wait, be nice!” Scrivener shouted after her, wincing, but Luna only huffed over her shoulder and then pointedly looked past the earth pony as Antares managed to wiggle beneath a box, the earth pony looking dumbly towards the giggling foals, toys, and cardboard before he winced and looked wildly back and forth before sighing in relief as one of the boxes jiggled and Antares' laughter sounded from under it. “Oh Horses of Heaven. I thought I was pulling a Luna there for a moment.”

“Pulling a Luna. I shall pull a Luna. I shall do it upon thy face.” Luna grumbled as she strode quickly over to Spike, and the dragon looked up with a wince before Luna skidded to a halt in front of him, rearing back and looking imperiously between Spike and Rainbow Dash before she said firmly: “Stop listening to Rainbow Dash. Do not, no matter what, listen to Scrivener Blooms. Discombobulation is an idiot and not even Big Mac can be trusted. How did thou come this far, Spike? Thou did it by doing it upon thine own mettle, by making thine own decisions. Thou hast decided already, yes? Thou knows what thou desires to do, has wished to do, since thou first laid eyes upon her?”

Spike swallowed thickly, beginning to open his mouth, and then he only squeaked when Luna leaned forwards intimidatingly, glaring at him. “And yet is it not foolish? Art thou not a dragon, and she a unicorn? Will thou truly subject both thou and her to ridicule of such a strange crossing of species? What about thy life, wearing that bracelet or giving up all that thou could be, art thou prepared for that, to never be a full dragon and nor ever a pony?”

“Y-Yes! I mean, no! I... I mean...” Spike trembled a little as Rainbow winced away as well, staring, before Spike said finally: “I love her.”

“And that is all that matters.” Luna smiled warmly, reaching up and touching the dragon's chest with her hoof, meeting his eyes silently. “Does thou know how Rarity desires to be proposed to?”

“The... well... at the end of the perfect date and everything, I guess... I think there was something to do with a sunset and diamonds and...” Spike began awkwardly, and then he winced when Luna punched him firmly, making him wheeze and drop his plastic cup to hug himself around the stomach. “What was that for?”

“Thou art not just doing it for her, though! Thou art doing it for both of thee! Thou art no slave, thou wert her knight in shining armor, and still can be.” Luna said firmly, leaning forwards and glaring at Spike, who winced and nodded rapidly. “Rarity may still sometimes act like she desires everything to be just as she planned, to go her way, but if that were true, then fair and handsome Spike, she would not be with thee.”

The dragon winced at this, rubbing slowly at his face before he said finally: “I don't know if that's either a really nice compliment or just... really mean.”

Luna grunted and shrugged, replying moodily: “'Tis the truth. The truth is not always pleasant, and that is all there is to it. Simple. Now listen to me, Spike, for I shan't repeat myself. Do what thou feels is right. Not what thou art told, not what others have done, do what thou feels is right. Does thou understand? Do not listen to the advice of anypony or anything, do what thou feels is best, and that is that.”

“But... if... I'm not supposed to listen to anypony's advice, doesn't that mean I should ignore your advice to not listen to anyone's advice?” Spike asked lamely, and then he winced when Luna's horn glowed and he was easily hefted into the air by telekinesis, flailing wildly as the winged unicorn grimaced but all the same maintained the fierce telekinetic lock over the dragon.

“Thou should listen to me because I am much fiercer and scarier than anypony here.” Luna retorted moodily, and then she dropped the dragon and nodded firmly once before looking flatly over at Rainbow Dash, but the Pegasus only winced and hurriedly sat back with an awkward grin, wincing away a little. “Good. Rainbow Dash, do not tell anypony or I shall punt thee into the nearest lake.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Rainbow winced a little, then he held up a hoof and added mildly as Luna turned away: “You know, if you were a little more polite...”

Slowly, Luna looked over her shoulder, and the Pegasus cleared his throat before staring as Sleipnir cheerfully tackled Pinkamena for no apparent reason, the half-demon shouting furiously before she kicked him off and the two began to wrestle back and forth wildly. “Uh. What's wrong with your brother?”

“He was hit on the head far too many times whilst we were adventuring, and he has never been very bright to begin with.” Luna muttered, watching moodily as the two rolled violently before Pinkamena managed to straddle him, slamming a hoof across his face in a hard hook. Ponies began to run forwards to help, but then Sleipnir easily rolled on top of the half demon and pinned her with one hoof by the forehead, grinning brightly and laughing as he waved the others away before he slowly brushed her mane out of her eyes, leaning slowly down... before squeaking when Pinkamena slammed a rear hoof directly into his groin, and he slowly keeled off her with a whimper. “This has... essentially always been my brother's speed with mares, though. He must be very fond of Pinkamena, however... I have never seen him so tender with a mare. Affectionate, yes. Tender? No.”

“And I've never seen Pinkamena not attempt to eat someone for touching her.” Rainbow said thoughtfully, smiling a little before he said in a softer voice: “But you know what? I'm happy for her. She deserves it... I... I mean, now that my memories are back, I know when she was a Starlit Knight she got a lot of blame for... things...”

“'Twas no pony's fault back then, Rainbow Dash, fear not.” Luna replied gently, looking over her shoulder with a small smile and a slow shake of her head. “The existence of Pinkamena inside Pinkie Pie... that was difficult enough to adjust to, was it not? But then Pinkamena emerging into her own consciousness, her own half-demon form, well...”

“It was kind of scary.” Spike supplied, and when both ponies gave him an amused look, the dragon cleared his throat and shrugged a little. “Well, it kind of was, wasn't it? And she kind of is kind of scary still, even if... you know. I trust her and stuff, too.”

The three surveyed Pinkamena as she kicked Sleipnir in the side a few times, grumbling at him, and eventually the enormous vine-maned stallion carefully crawled up to his hooves, glowering at her before he grabbed the half-demon by the face and shoved her firmly headfirst into the ground. She flailed wildly, then picked herself up and growled before chasing after Sleipnir when he bolted childishly away, Luna commenting kindly: “Love is strange, and there is no better proof of that than this. So fear not, young Spike: find contentment in the knowledge that thy relationship with Rarity is far from the oddest there ever was.”

“I don't mind being weird. As long as I get to be with her.” Spike smiled a little, glancing quietly through the field and towards where Rarity was standing at the far side with Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Applejack. “I... I love her. The years I've spent with her now... they're the happiest I've ever been. One of the proudest moments of my life will always be... walking beside her as part of the Starlit Knights.”

Luna laughed quietly, looking meditatively over at the dragon before she said kindly: “Spike, thou hast already convinced me that thou art not making this decision in rash foolishness. Please just remember what I have said: propose to her properly. Now, if thou shalt both excuse me, I must go and poke at the magic golem that Greece and Cowlick have built.”

Spike and Rainbow both smiled and waved, and the winged unicorn turned away, smiling as her eyes drew over the field, past the playing foals, and towards the strange steel contraption as it glinted oddly in the evening light. Luna trotted towards this, and Ross waved brightly at her as Cowlick groaned and Greece smiled, the pierced earth pony mare muttering: “Oh here we go. No, you may not touch it.”

“Cowlick!” Luna complained, and then she huffed as she stood in front of it, peering back and forth over the odd contraption. Light-bulbs and gleaming neon lights glinted over its body in the fading light as if eager to burst into life, and it had a strange, almost-friendly vitality about it, as Luna continued sourly: “Besides, thou barely played with this toy at all... I think thou just desired to show it off.”

“Don't be such a pain in the flank. Fine, fine, since it looks like most ponies are still here we'll give it another go.” Cowlick sighed, rubbing at her face before she pointed moodily at the winged unicorn as she bounced cheerfully and smiled brightly. “Don't you come bothering me later about this thing though, got it? I am not selling it to you, giving it to you, or letting you steal it.”

“Aye, very well. I shall be gone for a week shortly, anyway.” Luna huffed in response, and then she pranced backwards as Greece reached into his vest and removed an odd, rectangular device, the Nibelung humming as he tapped at it and Ross smiling brightly as he gave an excited look to the golem, as other ponies began to turn their attention towards the odd machine as well. “Look, everypony! They are awakening the monster!”

“Hey, it's better than the damn clown you tried to book, ain't it? Way less scary.” Cowlick muttered, leaning over to look at the device in Greece's hand before she stepped up beside the golem and slapped its side firmly with one front hoof, and the metallic pony shuddered visibly before it clanked loudly as electricity sparked over its body, the neon lights and bulbs glowing into life. “Okay, she's running!”

The golem took a creaky step forwards as the cluster of foals ran into the field to all stare with awe at the metal pony, watching as it clicked and clanked before it reared back, raising its front hooves into the air as its jaws opened and bright carnival music began to spill up from it as the lights began to blink in a wild pattern of varying colors.

Luna grinned widely, her eyes bright as she clapped her hooves wildly, although Antares and the foals were now staring with something like terror at this clanking, musical thing as the lights continued to blink rapidly along it. Then Cowlick ran up beside the metal pony, grinning brightly as Greece hummed and continued to tap quickly over the control panel before the mare asked cheerfully: “Who wants a ride?”

The metal pony dropped heavily back onto all fours and began to stride forwards, and Antares and the foals all yelled in terror before spinning around and running away from it, and Luna laughed loudly even as Scrivener and Twilight both shot her sour looks and Cowlick looked oddly hurt. Then she huffed, glowering over at the metal pony as Greece looked up embarrassedly before Pinkie Pie ran forwards and leapt up onto the steel golem's back, landing on a saddle-shaped seat and making the lights and music stutter as she said brightly: “I'll try anything once!”

“How I wish that wasn't true.” Pinkamena muttered, and Sleipnir grinned widely before he winced when she smacked him firmly. “Don't go there, or I'll make you regret it.”

“It's a fascinating device, Cowlick, Greece, I think the children are just a little... wary of it, that's all.” Celestia added awkwardly as she approached, watching as Pinkie Pie giggled as the metallic pony walked slowly forwards through the field with her on its back, as the bright lights continued to pulse and the music hummed up out of the machine. “But the golem...”

“It's not a golem. It's more like... a remote control toy. A robot. A big mechanical puppet.” Cowlick jerked her head at Greece, explaining mildly to the ponies as the Nibelung kept his head down and his fingers tapping easily over the device in his hands: “See, he's got the control device. Using that, he can order the machine to do whatever he wants, runs off a mix of magic and high-power batteries. I bring the science, Greece brings the dwarf-skill and the Nibelung enchantments. We mix them together to get this thing.”

“Uh, Cowlick? No offense or anything, but... this is getting a little boring. And I think the lights and music are kind of making me a little nauseated.” Pinkie Pie said awkwardly, and Cowlick grumbled before she glared at Greece, who winced and leaned away, then sighed and grumbled, quickly tapping a short code into the control device.

Electricity sparked over the metal pony, and then it reared back for a moment as the music changed, became a little faster as the lights over it glowed and dazzled the gathered ponies, Pinkie Pie squeaking before her eyes widened in shock when the robotic puppet lunged forwards and began to move in a quick, clanking canter, circling through the field as Pinkie Pie clung to it with a yelp, looking half-excited and half-horrified as the machine clanked loudly with its much-faster movements.

Celestia and Luna both stared in surprise as Sleipnir giggled, and Cowlick grunted, calling irritably: “Less boring now?”

“Much!” Pinkie called back awkwardly as the machine continued to canter in easy circles around the edge of the field, ponies watching and foals staring before the bright pink pony said hurriedly: “Maybe too much?”

“Too bad!” Cowlick shouted back, and when Ross gave her a worried look and fidgeted on his hooves anxiously, the earth pony mare sighed tiredly, letting the metallic pony do one last circle of the field before she grumbled: “Okay, okay, fine. Shut 'er down, Greece.”

Greece nodded, looking relieved as he tapped a short code into the control device, and the robotic pony clanked loudly before the music died down to a hum, the lights flickered out, and its trot gradually slowed until it was standing still once more, lifeless and silent. Slowly, Pinkie Pie blinked as she sat up, looking back and forth before she giggled a little, slipping off and saying brightly: “That was fun!”

“Good.” Greece smiled over at her even as Cowlick looked grumpy for a moment, and then the Nibelung glanced over at the earth pony engineer and shook the device in one hand, saying mildly: “Battery problems again. Whatever else, this power source just isn't sufficient to get the job done. Regeneration is working fine, but... doesn't matter that it regenerates if we need fifty instead of twenty, does it?”

“Yeah, yeah, I know how math works, I been livin' with Ross for a damn long time.” Cowlick grumbled, and Ross brightened at the sound of his name, waving a little and making her sigh but smile wryly over at him. “Ross, go check over the metal horsey, can you do that for me?”

“Of course, Cowlick, just like you taught me.” Ross smiled warmly in return, nodding a few times before he stumbled around in a circle and bounded off towards the machine. Cowlick watched him leave with a smile, and then she shook her head and laughed a little, turning her eyes back towards Luna as the winged unicorn cocked her head curiously.

The earth pony engineer looked at her meditatively for a few moments, then she grunted and nodded. “Problem isn't keeping this thing in control. If he wanted to, we could make it tap-dance for us. The issue is the fact that it needs a lot of juice to keep running, and we just don't have access to that kind of power supply to throw around for kicks. Hell, to be honest, we don't really know how to even harness that kind of stuff... I mean, sure, crystals can hold a magic charge but most of 'em tend to shatter after so much...”

“Have you tried using voltaic topazes?” Rarity asked curiously, and Cowlick looked up with surprise as Rarity smiled a little, bowing her head forwards. “Pardon the intrusion, darling, I'm not trying to tell you how to do your work... but they're known to sponge up electricity. They have a nasty habit of cracking, even exploding, if supercharged, however... but even small shards can handle quite a lot of energy.”

“Really? Never heard of 'em. Greece, you're the dwarf, I thought you knew all this crap.” Cowlick said mildly, looking pointedly at the Nibelung, but the male only smiled and rose his hands, shrugging a bit himself. “Alright, good. Thanks, Rarity... if we can actually get this thing juiced-up, we'll be laying the groundwork for a whole new wave of innovation and science, just you wait and see. There are things technology is capable of that your magic can't even touch.”

“Except for the fact it's powered by magic.” Greece said pointedly as he fiddled with the control device, and Cowlick kicked him firmly, making him wince and stumble backwards even as he laughed. “Alright! Point taken, Cowlick... but I really should point out that even if we get this one machine running, we're years and years away from getting Equestria to even recognize this field of research exists, and probably decades, centuries away from making it common.”

“But one day it will be.” Cowlick said staunchly, and then she huffed when Luna gave her an amused look. “Hey, would you prefer me going back to making guns and weapons? This is the same principle though, you know: lots of moving, interlocking parts that when you put them together all the right way, click-and-clack in one symphony of... well... that.”

She gestured a few times over at the robot as Ross danced around it, inspecting it as Antares and the other foals hesitantly walked towards the silent machine, and then Applejack snorted and shook her head before she glanced down at Avalon, who had curled up on the grass and fallen asleep. “Well, I think that's a sign I had best be heading inside myself. Rainbow Dash, you remember the deal?”

“Yeah, I'll clean up. Don't worry about it, I got this.” Rainbow replied with a smile, raising his bottle to her, and Applejack nodded firmly before she gently swept up her daughter and leaned down to nuzzle the foal gently, Avalon giving a soft burble before the earth pony mare slipped her into the carrier on her side and headed towards the back steps.

And as evening began to settle into darkness, it was a sign that the other parents took to begin gathering up their foals to leave as well, as did the other guests. A few stayed to lend a hoof, and Spike awkwardly tried to help too as Rarity patiently sat with Twilight and talked with her before Scrivener and Rainbow both firmly pushed the dragon towards the beautiful unicorn, glaring at him pointedly as he paled a little before nodding and taking a few long, deep breaths Rainbow muttered: “Dude, you'll do fine. You don't have a giant brother to worry about, the worst Sweetie Belle can do is yell at you.”

“Be that knight in shining armor. That brave young dragon.” Scrivener added mildly, and then both stallions gave Spike one last push towards the patio before the charcoal earth pony rose a hoof and waved to Rarity. “Thanks for waiting. Spike was just helping us with a few things. And your gift was wonderful.”

“Oh, it was just something simple, that's all. I'm only glad that little Antares had such a wonderful birthday.” Rarity smiled and nodded politely, and then she slipped down the steps and gazed affectionately over at the young dragon as he walked over to her, twiddling his claws awkwardly. Twilight looked at them curiously, but the ivory unicorn only smiled softly, bowing her head towards him and asking softly: “Ready to go, darling?”

Spike nodded awkwardly a few times, and Rarity smiled again before she bowed her head to Scrivener and Rainbow Dash. “Thank you for the lovely evening. And Twilight, it was wonderful as always to see you. Take care, all of you. I'll certainly look forwards to seeing you all again very soon.”

“I'm somehow sure we will.” Scrivener said softly, raising a hoof to her as she and Spike turned to stride around the house and make their way back towards the road leading into town.

The walk was quite, contemplative, dragon and unicorn glancing at each other every so often, sometimes catching the other's gaze, trading smiles beneath the brightening stars overhead. The night was cloudless and beautiful, the reflection of the moon and constellations above glimmering in Rarity's eyes as Spike looked over her with soft, tender love before he shook his head hurriedly and gazed quietly ahead when the unicorn tossed him another curious look. But she remained quiet, giving him time, and Spike looked down awkwardly as he knitted his claws together behind his back, bowing his head forwards as the lanky dragon let himself sidle a bit closer to the unicorn mare.

She smiled at him warmly as they continued on, passing through the gates; left open for tonight, since the Nibelung guards knew about the birthday party at Sweet Apple Acres and that guests would likely be passing into town until late in the evening. As they walked through the streets together, there was still bustle in the village: workers heading towards Vinyl Scratch's nightclub to continue construction on the interior of the structure, a Nibelung patrol relaxing on break, a few ponies wandering here and there doing last minute shopping.

They made good time back to the boutique, heading to the door before Spike took a deep breath and held up his hands, saying awkwardly: “Rarity, I... I got something... I mean...”

Rarity frowned a little, and the dragon blushed before he hurriedly rose a claw, saying awkwardly: “Just a minute, okay? Just uh... wait here a minute.”

With that, he turned and pushed the boutique door open, hurrying through it and vanishing for a few moments as Rarity stood outside her own shop beneath the dark night light, looking curious. Then the dragon came rushing back, pulling the door closed behind him, something held tight in one hand before he tripped and sprawled out with a wince, the unicorn looking down with immediate concern as she asked awkwardly: “Spike, are you...”

“F-Fine! Fine!” Spike said lamely, quickly sitting up, and he cleared his throat before he smiled embarrassedly across at her as their eyes met. Emerald and sapphire studied each other, deeply, intently, for a few long moments... and then Spike bowed his head forwards, taking a shuddering, careful breath as he reached a hand up and combed it quietly through her corkscrewed mane to grasp the back of her scalp quietly, smiling faintly before he slowly held the simple, red metal box up between them, asking quietly: “Rarity... I... I love you. Will you... will you do me the honor of... I...”

Rarity stared at him, her jaw falling open before Spike took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment before looking into the unicorn's deeply as he managed to slip up to a kneel, raising the box a little higher between them. Rarity's eyes settled on it, swallowing slowly as her horn glowed and the box opened quietly, revealing the golden, simple band inset with three tiny sapphires in the diamond shape of Rarity's cutie mark along the top, as the dragon whispered: “Will you marry me, Rarity?”

“Oh... oh Spike...” Rarity whispered, and then she trembled before throwing herself forwards, tears of joy spilling down her cheeks as she buried her face against his neck and he embraced her fiercely, smiling radiantly as she clung to him. “Yes! Yes, Spike, I will, yes!”

Spike breathed hard, pulling her tighter against his body as they knelt there in front of the boutique beneath the starlight together, trembles of happiness running through the dragon's body as he clutched her close against his frame. They held tight to each other, two lovers beneath the stars, ready to be together... no matter what the cost, no matter what they had to give up, they had eyes only for each other and knew in that moment more than they ever had before how they were always meant to be with one another.

Party Nights And Desert Days

Chapter Thirty: Party Nights And Desert Days
~BlackRoseRaven

Spike still looked dazed, grinning awkwardly as he sat at a table with Scrivener Blooms, Rainbow Dash, Big Macintosh, and Sleipnir. His night with Rarity after his proposal had been wonderful, to say the least, and the day that followed had been one of celebration and congratulations. And now, here they were, on a night out together... although he'd been surprised to find out that Sleipnir had decided to tag along too.

Rarity was with her mare-friends, planning the wedding, giggling girlishly like the filly she had once been. She had taken over for most of the wedding preparations in a flurry, wanting everything to be absolutely perfect, already planning when and where it could take place and attending to each and every detail... except, as Spike forced himself to push through his dazed, delighted stupor, he realized she had looked at him a lot when making suggestions. She could read him like a book, after all, and he was honestly glad that this was Rarity's area of expertise, wedding and design and... everything. If it was up to him, after all, they'd probably end up with a Pinkie Pie party instead of an actual wedding.

Then he glanced dumbly up as Sleipnir easily drained his stein of ale and slammed it down on the round table in front of him, the enormous stallion looking cheerfully back and forth through the tavern before he exclaimed cheerfully: “The straw, the sawdust, the sweet smells of liquor and sweat! Aye, 'tis like a coming home for me, Celestia, Luna and I spent many times in bars like this whilst we traveled Equestria.”

“Yeah, it's a nice place.” Rainbow agreed with a grin, leaning back in his chair and easily taking a drink of his beer before he winked over at Spike, who looked awkwardly down at his own half-full glass of alcohol in front of him before Rainbow laughed and leaned forwards, topping him up from the pitcher. “Dude, the hard part's over. Now you get to have fun with your fiancee until wedding day rolls around, which is in... six months or so, yeah?”

“Something like that.” Spike mumbled, rubbing awkwardly at his face before he finally laughed, shaking his head and finally grinning as Big Mac and Scrivener looked at the dragon with amusement. “I just can't believe I did it, you know? I actually did it. I actually proposed and... and she actually said yes.”

Scrivener Blooms raised his glass of cola with a wink, saying softly: “And it's going to be wonderful, Spike. Rarity's gorgeous, smart, and mellow these days, too. Well, maybe a little dramatic but... she's far nicer than Luna. Hopefully she'll stay that way.”

“And got less pride than AJ, but that could always change too.” Rainbow winked over at Big Mac, and then the Pegasus and Scrivener both laughed as the crimson stallion rolled his eyes and Sleipnir snorted in amusement, then reached out and firmly patted Spike on the shoulder, almost knocking him out of his chair.

“Do not listen to these fools, they are merely crows, cawing at the happy lark.” Sleipnir said firmly, and then he picked up his empty stein and threw it at Scrivener's head, the stallion wincing and ducking before the metal cup clanged loudly off the wall behind the charcoal pony. “Wretched poet! As recompense and to defend my sister's honor, I demand that thou tells us a poem about Luna! And do not cheat, the poem must rhyme.”

“What?' Scrivener huffed, and then he glared at Rainbow Dash when the Pegasus grinned and nodded rapidly, before Scrivener gestured quickly towards the blue-coated equine. “Make him tell a poem, he's a closet nerd.”

“Oh, dude, you're just asking for me to kick your flank now.” Rainbow huffed, pointing at him threateningly. “Besides, when I said my bit, Big Mac laughed too. You're the one doing it behind Luna's back.”

“Soul-bound.” Scrivener pointed out, raising a hoof... and then he groaned when Sleipnir glared at him and shook the table firmly, the charcoal stallion grumbling. “You really just like causing trouble, don't you? And I'm willing to bet you don't want a nice poem about Luna, either.”

“Well, nay, that would defeat the whole purpose. Poetry is for romance or laughter, and I far prefer the latter.” Sleipnir replied with a wink, and Scrivener snorted in amusement at this. “What? Am I wrong?”

Scrivener only looked at the stallion for a moment, then he sighed and rested his elbows on the table as he leaned forwards, curling his hooves beneath his chin as he said dryly: “My wife is named Luna and she is so smart, she holds in her hooves the keys to my heart. But she loses them often because she likes to fight and kill all day; my attraction to her masculinity makes me question if I'm actually gay.”

“An excellent poem!” Sleipnir shouted happily, slamming his hooves against the table and laughing loudly, and Spike and Rainbow Dash joined in on the merriment as Big Mac smiled slightly and tossed Scrivener an entertained look, the charcoal stallion only shrugging in return. “Now tell one about Celestia!”

Scrivener Blooms snorted at this, holding up his hooves and saying dryly: “No. I hate rhyming poems. They're way too much of a pain in the flank to come up with, even simple little couplets like that.”

Sleipnir huffed grumpily in response to this, then he winked over at the waitress as she approached, holding up a hoof and ordering easily: “A bottle of the strongest whiskey this bar can serve, oh beautiful mare! And put it upon the tab of the stallion there, the one with the silly glasses and the sillier words!”

Scrivener only rolled his eyes, then he waved a little at the waitress when she looked at him before he said mildly: “I guess in that case, I'll order up some-”

“Nachoes!” Rainbow interjected, and then he poked at the pitcher. “And would you mind refilling this, too, please?”

Scrivener grumbled, then he nodded and added mildly: “Another glass of cola for me, and... Big Mac, you want anything?”

The red stallion only shook his head easily, however, so Scrivener nodded as the waitress slipped forwards and picked up the pitcher, smiling to them as she headed away. Sleipnir grinned after her, licking his lips slowly before his eyes flicked curiously towards Big Mac, asking with interest: “And tell me, friend, why art thou still a bachelor? Handsome, strong, a hard worker... why, had I not so little time, I would drag thee off and spend the night with thee myself!”

Rainbow Dash coughed violently at this as Spike looked dumbly over at Sleipnir, but Big Mac only snorted and exchanged an amused look with Scrivener as the charcoal pony said mildly: “See, I told you so. He's worse than Luna.”

“Well, I most certainly should be! Everything she learned, she learned from me.” Sleipnir replied cheerfully, patting his own broad, bare chest easily with one hoof, then he winked as he looked down at the tattooing of ivy and intertwined celestial symbols over his right breast and forelimb. “Funny, though, she never was one for needles, I shall have thee know.”

“She has your name tattooed in runes on the back of her head, actually.” Scrivener said calmly, swirling his cola, and Sleipnir looked absurdly touched as the others looked with surprise towards Scrivener, who smiled amusedly as he shrugged. “She always wanted... something to remember you by. I don't think it was long after you died... she shaved her mane and got your name tattooed. Apparently Celestia was utterly furious with her. Of course, it's completely impossible to see, but... that's not really the point, anyway.”

Sleipnir was quiet for a few moments... then he smiled warmly and nodded firmly a few times, laughing quietly as he grinned back and forth around the table. “I never knew. Why didn't my little sister ever tell me?”

“Because Luna's both very loud and very quiet at the same time.” Scrivener replied easily, looking with a slight smile over at Sleipnir before he glanced over at Spike, adding softly: “And I heard from Celestia and Twilight, by the way, about what you asked them...”

Spike smiled a little, glancing embarrassedly down as the others looked up curiously before the dragon glanced across at Scrivener and said softly: “She's the one for me. That's all there is to it, you know? And... I'm happy to live one life. With her.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, and Spike reached up, touching his armband and saying softly: “This? This isn't... fair to Rarity. I know, I know, people keep saying that it is, that if anything it's not fair to me, but... they don't understand how much I love her. How much she's giving up... how much I know she's given up already for me. I can't explain how she doesn't just make me happy, she... she completes me. She makes me feel like all my life has been lived for her, to be with her and by her side. Experiencing that every day... Scrivener, is... this what having a soulmate is like?”

“Hey, why aren't you asking me that question?” Rainbow asked mildly, and Spike smiled embarrassedly before the Pegasus laughed a little and shook his head, saying softly: “No, I get it, don't worry. And besides... Applejack and I have... had a conversation like that ourselves, to be honest. Because of our memories of the Starlit Knights and what happened to me and... all that...”

Rainbow looked down quietly, rubbing slowly at the underside of his muzzle before he shook his head and looked back up with a small smile. “We promised each other we'd try and... keep going, if something happened, you know? I think... I know it sounds mean, especially after what happened last time, but... I think it would be easier for Applejack than me, too. Because she's got you, Mac, and she's got... Apple Bloom and so much else to look out for and... you know. Don't get me wrong, I know I'm lucky. I got a lot of friends, good friends, too, and family in you guys... but... I think we all know I'm not quite as strong as AJ is.”

He laughed quietly and shook his head, looking thoughtfully over at Spike as he asked quietly: “So you're actually... considering having a permanent enchantment put on your body, that's what your saying, isn't it?”

Spike smiled a little and nodded, replying quietly: “Yeah, I am. One life with her, with Rarity... not having to wear this thing all the time, worrying every day about.. what if it breaks, or it slips off, or...” He reached up, gently rubbing at the charmed, golden band around his arm, the gemstones quietly glinting in it as he murmured: “It's beautiful, and I'm never going to get rid of it, no. But I'd like to be able... to show Rarity, truly, how much I love her. That I know... there's no one else for me.”

There was quiet for a few moments, and then Sleipnir smiled warmly and leaned forwards, gesturing at him and saying gently: “Then do not let anypony tell thee any different, or dissuade thee from the course thou hast chosen. Oh, aye. It may not be smart. It may be rash, and stupid, and may leave thee wanting in the future. But if Rarity truly is the match for thee, my friend... then so be it. Because there will never be another in thy life like her, thy chosen beloved.”

He smiled warmly as he sat back, and the others looked at him before Rainbow Dash asked mildly, glancing pointedly towards Scrivener Blooms: “And what about when some lucky stallion happens to end up with two instead of one?”

“It's not like that.” Scrivener said embarrassedly, and then he asked dryly: “And since when was it okay to talk about that, by the way?”

“Since Twilight started being okay to talk about it, I guess.” Rainbow answered in a surprisingly-serious voice, disarming Scrivener for a moment before the Pegasus grinned widely and added cheerfully: “And ever since I started wondering if this is all just a smokescreen because Luna's really married to Twilight and you're the live-in butler or something.”

Scrivener sighed and rubbed slowly at his face before Sleipnir said pointedly: “Now, Rainbow Dash, to be fair my sister cares for Scrivener very much, and he makes a very pretty mare indeed. I am sure she at least considers him a concubine, and not simply a servant.”

The charcoal earth pony grumbled as Big Mac chuckled and Rainbow Dash grinned slightly, and then Sleipnir looked thoughtfully over at Scrivener Blooms before he gave a wink over at Spike. “But at least thou does not have to worry about this, aye? Tell me, though, for I am curious; how oft do Rarity and thee play in bed? And would she be adverse to perhaps, say, a handsome stallion ensuring she has not made a mistake in her choice of-”

“Yes!” Spike said in a strangled voice, leaning away from Sleipnir and giving him a horrified look as the enormous stallion only looked innocently back, before he was distracted by the sight of the waitress bringing them a tray loaded with nachos, a bottle of whiskey, a glass of cola, and a full pitcher of beer. “I... I mean... you... how can you ask-”

“How could I not ask? The unicorn is utterly gorgeous. Even prettier than thee, fair maiden, and thou art the most pretty serving girl I have ever laid mine eyes upon.” Sleipnir grinned over at the waitress, winking at her, and the mare winced, obviously not taking this completely as a compliment before she hurried away, and Sleipnir huffed a bit as he turned his eyes moodily back over the others. “It appears that I have forgotten what is entirely appropriate to say to such young, pretty things. Not that I ever knew to begin with, of course, but... well, I am very pretty. They are very pretty. Pretty things naturally go together so they may do pretty and not-so-pretty things beneath the safe cover of darkness... or, well, at least when no pony is looking. Usually.”

“So, Spike, you and Rarity. Going to live in the boutique, I take it?” Scrivener said clearly, quickly pushing for a better subject as he picked up his new glass of cola, and Sleipnir huffed a bit and glowered pointedly at the charcoal earth pony before he turned his own curious gaze towards the dragon, as Spike nodded rapidly and gave a half-relieved, half-awkward smile. “What about... you know.”

Spike looked confused at this, and Rainbow Dash immediately seized the opportunity, leaning forwards and asking with a grin: “Kids?”

“Half-pony and half-dragon, 'twould be handsome little terrors.” Sleipnir said thoughtfully, as Spike stared stupidly around the table before the vine-maned pony nodded with a cheerful look. “Would it be too cruel to ask whether or not I could have one as a pet, should thou be left with a litter of eggs?”

The dragon quickly reached out and took a few deep drinks of his beer in response, and the ponies around the table shared a laugh before Spike huffed and put the glass down, saying flatly: “You guys seriously aren't funny.”

“Still, it's something to consider.” Scrivener smiled after a moment, then he shook his head and said softly: “But what's important is that you and Rarity are happy together. The future will solve itself in time, one way or the other.”

Rainbow grunted in agreement, reaching out and picking up a few nachos to toss them into his jaws before he said mildly: “I seriously never thought I'd have a kid with Applejack. I mean, bein'... a guy, that was crazy enough, right? Finding out that my stuff is actually uh... working... now that was a hell of a surprise. A good surprise, though, but I gotta say I'm glad I never gave in to temptation anywhere, you know what I'm saying? And I sure as hell could have. Some of the Wonderbolts, just, they were good-looking ponies.”

Big Mac sighed and rubbed at his face, and Rainbow grinned awkwardly before he looked over at Scrivener, beginning to open his mouth... then he grumbled, adding moodily: “I was about to ask you for backup but I just realized that you and Luna cheat on each other all the time.”

“It's not cheating.” Scrivener said tiredly, and then he held up a hoof, adding mildly: “And believe it or not, our relationship does have boundaries. It's not like Luna or me are out there all the time flirting with everypony and trying to drag all of Equestria into bed with us. There's... there's an approval process.”

“Approval process.” Rainbow grinned widely, then he reached over and nudged Spike, saying mildly: “He probably won't answer me if I ask about it, but he'll totally answer you if you do, since this little get-together is all about you.”

“Can't we talk about something serious? Like Gymbr, or the incoming threats to this world, or even the fact that somehow the dragon clock Celestia bought for my kid vanished, and when it came back it had turned into a Tyrant Wyrm clock?” Scrivener half-pleaded, and only Big Mac shrugged as Sleipnir and Rainbow Dash simply glared at him and Spike awkwardly rubbed at his head, looking curious more than serious. “Besides, this is Spike's night and all, yes.”

“What happened to the clock?” Spike asked after another moment, and both the Pegasus and the vine-maned earth pony huffed, while Big Mac looked almost as relieved as Scrivener Blooms. “Well, what? I haven't heard about most of this stuff.”

“Actually, uh, yeah, you have, you've just been wandering around all day looking like you just won the lottery.” Rainbow Dash replied mildly, and then he emptied his glass in one long drink before quickly refilling it with a grin. “Which I'm guessing you kind of did in a way, but you know what I mean.”

Spike laughed a little, and then Scrivener Blooms smiled a bit before he began calmly: “Anyway, anyway. You wanted the story of the clock, right? Well... it's pretty simple and weird, so I'll keep it short. We all went back to the cabin last night with Antares' haul, and we knew we'd packed the clock with us. But when we opened the box, it was gone. We spend five minutes hunting around, don't find it, figure maybe we dropped it or left it, even though we're both certain we've had it the whole time.

“Then, I'm putting Antares to bed, and I look over on his dresser... and there's the clock. Sitting there, and Gymbr is beside it... only instead of being shaped like a dragon, it's distinctly shaped like some kind of Tyrant Wyrm.” Scrivener quieted, looking down and closing his eyes as he remembered the details: the proud crown of six horns, the dark stone scales, the mottled scars engraved into the stone and the expansive wings... a Wyrm and yet not a Wyrm, in a shape that felt terribly, awfully familiar. “Luna didn't recognize it, but... at the same time she did. Either way, Gymbr obviously decided to... to make a little change.”

“That doll gives me the creeps. Alive or not, if I were you, I'd tie it up with weights and throw it into the ocean. Watch it sink down myself to make sure it's gone.” Rainbow replied quietly, shaking his head slowly as he looked down for a moment. “Makes me feel weird, though. Sad, I think, more than anything else... like I let myself and someone else down.”

He smiled a little, then glanced up over at Sleipnir, asking finally: “What about you, big guy? You're some heroic warrior dude from the past, right, have you seen stuff like this before?”

“'Tis a far better question for Celestia and Luna, I have always been the one responsible for bludgeoning and bashing things. That, and spending all our money on alcohol and prostitutes, as well as being naïve enough to trigger an ambush here and there.” Sleipnir replied easily, smiling slightly as he glanced up. “And the doll... the toy is a strange one, oh yes it is, especially since it confuses my sisters and their friends so much on top of it... but I do not sense it in a completely nefarious purpose. I know the subject is a soft one but it protected Antares, did it not?”

“In a manner of speaking. I don't think my poor kid is ever going to... cherish it quite the same, though.” Scrivener grimaced a little, glancing down and rubbing slowly at his face. “It's not that he doesn't still cling to it... he sleeps with it, even, still... but at the same time, there's a different kind of... everything, about it. You know? It just seems like he and that little toy aren't nearly as close anymore as they'd once been.”

“The poor foal lost a friend. And aye, mayhaps 'twas only an imaginary one, but all the same, I would think it hurts more sometimes to lose an invisible, imaginary friend than it does to lose a real one.” Sleipnir said thoughtfully, looking up and nodding slowly. “And I do not know why, but something about that odd little toy feels like... like a coming home. Like something that once was, like... it has a great and mighty story it wishes to tell us, and to celebrate with us, be it friend or foe.”

“Poetry runs in the family, I see.” Scrivener remarked mildly, and Sleipnir huffed at him, looking almost offended before the charcoal earth pony looked down, rubbing meditatively at his own scarred features before he sighed a little and nodded a bit. “But I do understand what you mean, too. Lots of people have been saying that. I just wish I knew what the hell it all meant.”

“It means that it is not something you need to think about so seriously.” Sleipnir replied kindly, then he reached up and tapped his temple as he winked. “This is one realm where I have always had an advantage over my sisters, admittedly, much as I adore them. Luna, and especially Celestia, tend to let thoughts run rampant through their minds until they go mad with questions and worries and fears and ideas... 'tis silly, really. But I, on the other hand, have always been blessed with many holes in my brain from which the thoughts can escape and scurry themselves out of my head. Is it a puzzle that must be figured out as soon as possible? Does it threaten us? Do not all of us here recognize that in some way, the pieces are falling as they will? Then there! There is nothing to worry about, and thus, no reason to think so heavily upon it. Just let it be, Scrivener Blooms, thou has much to concentrate upon, after all.”

Scrivener gave Sleipnir an amused look, Rainbow Dash nodding thoughtfully before Big Mac nodded calmly once and knocked on the table. “Yup.”

“Exactly! Wisdom!” Sleipnir declared with a laugh, and then he grinned over at Spike, saying cheerfully: “Now order Scrivener Blooms to tell us dirty secrets about his sex life with my little sister, 'twill be most entertaining.”

Spike turned beet red in response to this, then hurriedly excused himself to run to the bathroom as Scrivener sighed tiredly and Rainbow Dash laughed. Only Big Mac remained calm, reaching across the table to pour himself a shot of whiskey before he knocked it back, fortifying himself further against the energy, excitement, and slight insanity of the ponies around him.

In the morning, Scrivener found himself yawning and sitting slowly up in the library: he stretched his upper limbs out with a grimace, then shook his head with a tired sigh, rubbing quietly at his features before he looked softly over at Luna. She was still curled up comfortably on the old bedding they had slept on, a smile on her features and Antares cradled comfortably against her body. Mother and son, snuggled up, happy... and Scrivener smiled as he reached out, stroking quietly through the winged unicorn's starry locks as he gazed at her affectionately.

The night had been a good one: they had spent a long time at the tavern, played a little pool – Spike and Rainbow Dash were horribly bested by Scrivener and Big Mac, or more accurately by Big Macintosh while Scrivener did his best to avoid setting up too many easy shots – and Sleipnir had stayed with them for quite a while. Then they had all gone back to the library together, talked for a while, drank a little more with their wives and friends before they had all gone their separate ways: Big Mac and Rainbow Dash with Applejack and Fluttershy, Rarity and Spike heading back to the boutique as the engagement ring glinted softly around the base of the unicorn's horn, and Sleipnir saying a fond farewell to his siblings before he had left with Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena.

Twilight and Celestia had stayed up a little longer with Luna and Scrivener, then offered them the chance to stay the night here with Antares. Since by now, Scarlet Sage would be in bed and they were both feeling tired, they had accepted the offer... and as Scrivener gazed around the familiar interior of the library, he reflected on how it filled him with a sense of what had once been... the only difference was Antares, sleeping peacefully here... and Celestia, whom he hoped was getting her own rest in her room instead of staying up all night to think and plan.

Luna's eyes opened, and she laughed softly, sensing his thoughts before she said quietly: “Aye, 'tis true, isn't it, my beloved? What a beautiful thought it is, too, in its way... but... sweet Antares, 'tis time for thee to awaken. Tell me, Scrivener, shall we bring him home with us, or leave him here?”

“Why don't you leave him here, sister, I'll look after him.” Celestia's voice floated down the corridor, and Luna and Scrivener both looked up in surprise as the ivory winged unicorn strode quietly down the hall towards them, smiling softly at them. “You have plans to leave today, don't you?”

“Nosy Celestia.” Luna smiled a little in return, however, nodding slowly as she sat slowly up, still cradling Antares in her forelimbs as she looked down at the child, then gazed back up at her sister and gave a slow nod. “But aye, that we do. After all, I must ensure that I am here upon Nightmare Night, must I not? I wish to make Antares' first experience with it as thrilling as possible.”

“Technically, last year was his first experience with it, as he was there when you pulled your little prank.” Celestia replied gently, and Luna glowered, making the ivory equine laugh quietly and smile. “I'm only teasing, Luna, don't worry. And honestly... I'm sure that Odin wouldn't mind...”

“No, no.” Luna shook her head quickly, softening as she looked down at Antares before she murmured: “And even if he does not, 'twould not be right in any event. To keep putting it off to a time when 'tis most convenient for me... well, I am all too well aware that strife does not usually wait for a convenient time to rear its head. These anchors... are part of protecting the core reality, are they not? The true world, the central nexus point, whatever thou desires to call it... it has to be protected, or else all of reality will be shattered. And I fear that these monstrosities, these... Clockwork fools... are insane enough to try and do it.”

There was silence for a little while, and then Celestia nodded slowly, studying the sleeping foal before she smiled a little. “Your resolve is stronger than mine. But then again, it always has been...” She paused, then shook her head and glanced quietly towards the ceiling. “I think while you're away, I'll try and find the direct link Odin must have forged to Valhalla in this plane. It is the only thing that explains how Sleipnir is able to easily travel back and forth.”

Luna looked curious at this, and Celestia only shrugged, asking softly: “What? Am I not allowed to make a little mischief myself? And like you like to say all the time, whenever I ask you just why you're doing this or that... 'I'm curious.'”

“Aye, and thou would never accept that as a reason.” Luna grinned slightly after a moment, winking towards Scrivener as she nudged him playfully. “I think my sister means to go to war on Heaven. 'Tis about time, too, she has never been very good at dealing with authority.”

“Yes, Luna, that's exactly what I intend to do.” Celestia said dryly, and then she shook her head slowly before turning and heading back down the corridor, calling over her shoulder: “Don't leave quite yet, I have something I desire to finish putting together to give to you!”

Scrivener cocked his head curiously, and Luna grumbled under her breath, muttering: “'Tis probably a damnable field guide or something equally boring. Bah, manuals. She and Twilight truly are cut from the same mold. Well, except Celestia is obviously made from Cowlick's damnable explosive jelly and Twilight is something... much less... hostile.”

“I still remember when you set that stuff off. Poking everything in her lab with your horn, specifically after she told us she was making explosives that day. But oh no, Luna has to test everything for herself, and some silly putty certainly can't be all that dangerous.” Scrivener remarked dryly, and Luna huffed at him, glowering before she bopped him firmly with her horn, making him wince a bit before Antares burbled quietly as the foal began to wake up. “Yes, yes. Just be gentle with the child, warrior princess.”

“Go fix him a bottle, there should be some formula in the baby bag.” Luna instructed, and Scrivener nodded before he paused, hesitated, then turned and leaned up to kiss the side of her horn, and a visible shudder ran through Luna's body as she twitched backwards and gave him a blushing glare. “Oh how I loathe thee sometimes, beetle.”

“Beetle.” Antares agreed in a half-asleep mumble, and Luna grumbled a little as Scrivener turned and headed towards the baby bag.

Twenty minutes later, and Antares had been fed and burped and was now stumbling around, dragging Gymbr along with him. Scrivener smiled after his son, watching him wander in wide, curious circles as he and Luna rested back against each other, and Twilight was sitting at the top of the steps. She hadn't said anything, and nor had they: she only watched quietly, combing her mane slowly out before she smiled a little as Celestia's hoof-steps echoed down the corridor. A moment later, she emerged into the main room of the library, a large, heavy-looking tome with a burnished steel cover floating beside her. “I made this-”

“Oh look, Scrivener, see? I told thee it would be a useless field guide of some kind.” Luna said loudly, and then she groaned when Antares turned towards her with the scowl he was more and more often giving his mother these days. “Oh, come now! Thou wert supposed to be a fun little terror like... like me! Not a boring, responsible lout like thy father.”

“Why don't you take a look at it first, then tell me what you think.” Celestia said mildly, and Luna grumbled but then nodded when Antares continued to look at her pointedly. The sapphire mare's own horn glowed, yanking the book out of Celestia's telekinetic hold and guiding it over to her, and Luna mumbled as she peered over it, then flipped it open to the table of contents, glancing through it before looking up in surprise.

Scrivener glanced over at Luna curiously, and she laughed a little as she looked up at him, turning the tome to face him as the earth pony leaned forwards before saying in a surprised, delighted voice: “Scrivy, this... this is a compendium detailing information about the worlds we have visited so far!”

“And more importantly, it also includes plenty of space for you to write in your notes on the next layers you'll be visiting, including blank tables, analysis sheets, and other things you can use to help document your travels. Not to mention space to correct my assumptions on the other worlds you've already visited and to fill in any blanks I may have left.” Celestia explained with a small smile, and then she gestured at the violet mare sitting at the top of the stairs, adding easily: “It was Twilight's idea.”

“No it wasn't, Celestia. At most, I suggested that if you wanted to do something for them, you play to your strengths.” Twilight blushed a little, shifting a bit before she smiled down into the library as Luna laughed and Scrivener smiled warmly between the two mares. “Is it... good, though?”

“'Tis, Twilight. 'Tis very good.” Luna said warmly, looking across at Celestia and nodding slowly. “For once, thy formality is a good thing, my beloved big sister. Aye, this... this will be most useful, most helpful indeed. I cannot thank thee enough for it... but is it not... dangerous, in a way?”

“Yes, it is, especially because I've ensured to include information on both our destroyed layer... as well as information on Looking Glass World, as you've no doubt seen.” Celestia replied softly, and Twilight looked confused and curious as she tilted her head. But then Celestia only smiled a little as she explained quietly, looking at Luna and Scrivener but clearly speaking to her former student: “We are engaged with intelligent, opportunistic opponents who seem to go to great length to scout out a world before they decide to attack. Who have unknown numbers at their disposal and use ruthless tactics to get what they desire. If they acquired this book somehow, it could spell disaster for Looking Glass World, and any other layer Luna and Scrivener have visited and filled in information about.”

Twilight frowned a little, but Celestia only glanced over at the violet mare, saying softly: “And yet at the same time, it's also very important to not simply be afraid of something... just because of what may happen. There's no guarantees about anything in life, Twilight: for all we know, the Strange Ones' machine might malfunction tomorrow, and bring the sun crashing down into this world. Reality as we know it could blink out for no apparent reason one day... not that it would matter even if there was a reason for it, because I assume we would all be destroyed along with reality.

“But what it does allow us to do, writing down and collecting all this information, is to share it with the people we can trust, and to form a more-coherent image of the layers of reality that exist.” Celestia nodded slowly, saying quietly: “We may be able to start... better understanding them, draw comparisons between them, and discover the methods by which layers can be differentiated and identified... which is likely what the Prophet and Clockwork World has already done. I've already written some of my thoughts on that particular subject at the back of the book, Luna.”

Luna frowned a little, looking curiously over at Celestia before she nodded slowly, flipping through the pages to the very back of the tome and looking down into it quietly as Twilight strode slowly down the stairs and Antares burbled softly before bouncing over to his mother, looking up at her curiously as well. Then Luna smiled a little, shaking her head slowly as Scrivener laughed quietly, and the sapphire winged unicorn murmured: “Of course. 'Tis so simple that... I overlooked it.”

She looked meditatively across at Celestia, and Scrivener nodded slowly, closing his eyes as he felt a twist of alien memory inside of him before he spoke: “You're right, Celestia. You have to be... part of how the Prophet is determining what world is what is by... the ponies themselves. Cadence and Shining Armor don't exist in this world, likely don't exist in every layer... I don't seem to exist in that last layer we visited... whether or not we exist, and how we exist must play a large part in the Prophet analyzing each and every layer.”

Twilight nodded slowly herself, and Celestia smiled a little, saying quietly: “And now, we can use that too, sister. The Prophet may have the power to see into different worlds, but we have Odin on our side, and all of Odin's wisdom and the tools of Valhalla and Asgard. And more importantly, we have each other. We can build our own way to gaze across reality. And we already know what to look for to find Clockwork World.”

“Yes, but the Prophet already knows where we are, too.” Scrivener said softly, then he looked thoughtfully at Celestia before saying in a slow, amazed voice as Luna reared back in surprise: “Wait. You want to find Odin's tethered portal... because you want to try and find a way to counterattack Clockwork World, don't you?”

“They are clearly hostile and merciless. They have already announced their intent to destroy us. They are allied with Valthrudnir and attempted to kill me with an entire army.” Celestia replied calmly, bowing her head forwards before she smiled slightly, her amethyst eyes glinting like metal. “They have awakened my Valkyrie blood, and it calls for two things: justice... and revenge.”

“Now, who from our old world would recognize this Celestia?” Luna grinned widely, looking almost enthralled as she nodded firmly a few times before slamming the book closed and thrusting it into Scrivener Blooms' forelegs, the male wincing before Luna stepped past her son and traded a tight, fierce embrace with her sister, murmuring softly: “Do not fear, Celestia. We shall get exactly what thou desires. We shall show them what we Valkyries are capable of. But there is still much to do, and there is still a great distance to go, first: so for now, have patience, sister. But know that we shall exact revenge when the time is ripe for it.”

Celestia nodded as Luna slipped backwards, the two gazing quietly at one-another for a few moments before she shook her head quickly and blushed a bit, reaching up to rub slowly at her features as her rainbow mane fizzled with electricity. “It still feels... strange, these days... when Freya rises up. Now that I recognize her, at least, I'm not... swinging swords around and trying to burn down cities.”

“It's less funny when thou says it because that is exactly what thou used to be.” Luna said kindly, and Celestia sighed even as Twilight laughed a little despite herself, and then the sapphire, starry-maned mare smiled warmly down at her son, reaching out and ruffling Antares' mane to make him giggle quietly, his leathery wings flapping firmly once at his sides before half-furling against him. “But see, my son? Celestia is living proof that thou can make thyself into anything thou desires to be... it just requires time, patience, and discipline. And thou, child... thou already has plenty of all three.”

Antares smiled happily up at his mother, and Luna gazed lovingly back down at her son before she picked up Gymbr and tossed the doll gently for the child. It made Antares giggle quietly, and he took off racing after the toy, tackling it as the ponies gazed softly after the young colt. Luna was glad to spend some time simply playing with her son, enjoying every moment of it as Scrivener and Celestia quietly went over the book in greater detail, Twilight lingering around them curiously but listening more than reading: Celestia was one of the few ponies who could always pry an intelligent answer out of Scrivy, after all, making him show off the weird knowledge he kept hidden under the layers of sarcastic retorts and trivia.

It was all too soon when Scrivener finally looked up at Luna, as the morning sun began to rise higher outside and Ponyville came to life. Both starry-maned mare and charcoal earth pony said quiet, fond promises to Antares that they would return as soon as possible before heading to the door, leaving Celestia to attend to Antares and Twilight with the promise that she would take care of getting the cart ready and checking on their last-minute arrangements.

Scrivener and Luna made their way out of Ponyville and through the Everfree Forest, returning to their cottage to find with surprise that Scarlet Sage had already polished and laid their armor and equipment out, smiling a little across at her parents. After Luna double-checked the most important pieces of gear, she simply hugged her daughter, and parents and child spent a comfortable hour simply talking and enjoying one-another's company.

Scarlet Sage accompanied them back to town after her parents suited up in their armor and fitted on their satchels, and they were joined by Discombobulation as well roughly halfway down the path, the Draconequus simply strolling nonchalantly up beside them to kindly wish them well himself, and add mildly that he would all the same never go on a Sliders-themed adventure with them because he was all too sure they'd end up on the world with the brain worms. It made no sense to anypony, but it was oddly comforting all the same... and hidden beneath it was the promise that he would stay to help out Celestia and Scarlet Sage, and that was what truly counted.

In front of the library, they found Twilight waiting for them with a faint smile. A cloak fluttered around her body, but it was open enough to reveal the gleaming silver plates laid over the mesh-armor vest she was wearing. Something from Cowlick's engineering labs, no doubt, and Luna snorted in amusement. They packed their satchels and the last of the gear into the back of their armored carriage, said their goodbyes and hugged Antares, and then Luna grimaced a bit as Scrivener hooked himself up to the wagon before she muttered: “No Pinkamena, no Odin, no Sleipnir... 'tis... not a good sign, I feel somehow. I don't know why it bothers me, but it does...”

“Well, come then, sister. Let's open the Bifrost, Odin made sure to give me the coordinates when we last spoke.” Celestia said after a moment, looking around before she smiled at her younger sibling reassuringly. “It's probably nothing, Luna. Sleipnir and Odin have likely returned to Valhalla, and Pinkamena, well...”

“Aye, aye.” Luna mumbled, and then she sighed a bit as she looked back and forth before grunting, looking moody as ponies gathered around the edges of the open square, including many of their friends and Scarlet Sage and Antares. “I just... do not like this being such a public display.”

Celestia only smiled, however, turning to gaze out over the square as she bowed her head forwards; Twilight did the same, and Luna grumbled before she faced in the same direction of the two as a glow began to build around the horns of all three. Yet even as she forced herself to focus, her mind tried to wander, her worries began to rise... not just worries for Odin and Sleipnir, either, but concerns for what they were about to face. The last two layers, after all, had ended up being much more complex than she had hoped to deal with...

But then she felt the nip in her mind, and Luna gritted her teeth as Scrivener winced, moving in rhythm with his soul-bound soulmate as Celestia and Twilight rose their own horns proudly. And, amazing as it always was, the cyclone of golden flames ripped upwards, scorching the earth and biting a hole in the sky before forming into the rainbow bridge, and Scrivener and Luna charged immediately for this even as they both shot looks towards Antares Mīrus, who waved at them and yelled to his parents as they hit the ramping Bifrost and charged up towards the hole in reality, followed a moment later by Twilight Sparkle.

They passed into the vortex, and all thought was shoved away by the surge of adrenaline that came with it, emotions exploding through Luna's mind and heart as Twilight's eyes bulged and then glowed with power, her horn lighting up like a beacon as she gasped as they ran along the ever-shifting, ever-burning bridge of multicolored light. When they burst through the other side of the long tunnel, Scrivener's eyes widened in shock... and Luna couldn't help but curse as well as Twilight almost tumbled off the bridge, spreading her wings quickly to glide awkwardly to the ground before she stumbled to a landing in... sand?

Scrivener and Luna traded frustrated looks as they ran off the Bifrost and over the sandy, rocky terrain, the heavy wheels of the wagon scraping against the ugly, warped earth as the rainbow bridge shattered and the wound in reality closed. They were left standing in what looked like a desert, chunks of shale and enormous towers of broken glass standing here and there... before Luna frowned as she looked off towards the horizon even as Scrivener muttered: “I hope we're not on the other side of the world again...”

“Wait...” Twilight Sparkle whispered, and Scrivener frowned a bit, turning his eyes towards her before he realized she was gazing towards something in the distance. He frowned a little behind his glasses, following her gaze.. before his own eyes widened as he realized she was looking at the burnt-out rubble of a scarred stone tower laying on its side.

Slowly, Twilight approached this, and Luna and Scrivener quickly took better stock of their surroundings, realizing there were broken mountains jutting angrily towards the sky here and there around them, and not far away was one tall, curled summit that had long slid away into a tattered slump of rubble. It stood alone, like a monolith in the desert, far away from any of the other gravestone teeth of shattered mountains, and unlike any of the other peaks, this one was littered with chunks of broken stone and pieces of what could only be...

“Canterlot. Canterlot once stood here...” Twilight whispered in horror, staring up at it: shattered, devastated, destroyed, the castle was nothing more than burnt-out ruins. Then she looked down at the sand beneath her hooves, shivering a bit as she realized how gray and dark and pebbly it was, the chunks of stone and glass and shale here... “This... it's like something tore apart the mountains. Burned everything with such strength, such ferocity, the entire mountain range was destroyed...”

“Aye... for miles and miles around.” Luna muttered, looking back and forth before she turned her eyes to Scrivener, who grimaced a little and shook his head briefly before looking up at the sky above: red, the red of sunset... except now he could see that the slowly-setting sun looked poisoned and distant, like a bloody eye in the sky. “I fear my ill feelings were all too correct in this case... we... we must move quickly. Let us see if anything remains of Ponyville, I do not wish to stand so near a place that looks as if... it was punished by the anger of the gods themselves.”

Twilight nodded hurriedly, looking back and forth nervously as Scrivener carefully yanked the wagon around in a circle, and the winged unicorns fell quickly into pace on either side of the charcoal earth pony as he looked down at the ugly desert. He breathed slowly, feeling the breeze on his face, and he grimaced a little as Luna looked over at him and nodded slowly, muttering: “I feel it as well. Does thou too, Twilight? The climate, I mean, not... the sense of malice.”

Twilight frowned a little, and then she looked up suddenly, glancing towards the cloudless, ugly sky overhead before she gazed nervously in the direction where Ponyville had always laid in the past, saying hesitantly: “It feels... wet.”

“Moisture in the air, yes. And yet the stone and sand beneath our hooves is hot and dry, is it not?” Luna looked nervously towards one of the spires of ugly, twisted glass in the distance, muttering: “Beware of cracks and vents, my family. If the heat and fires that jet up from below are responsible for forming those strange towers of threatening glass...”

Twilight Sparkle shivered a little, not wanting to think about it as Scrivener kept his head down, and the three kept onwards. For hours they walked, the few remaining, lonely mountains falling into the distance behind them as they passed out of the desert and into scrubland, thin weeds dotting the ugly, torn-up earth beneath their hooves as small, strange animals hissed at them from the denser patches, but always ran quickly away when the ponies drew too near or Luna shouted in their direction.

There was no Everfree Forest on the horizon, though, nothing but what looked like a few more broken mountains in the distance, even after Twilight began to look apprehensively back and forth and Luna frowned darkly, her eyes flicking over the ground before she sighed softly as the sun finally set and the twinkling stars began to gleam in the firmament overhead. “Aye, let us stop here for the night... see if the wood from those ugly trees we passed a few moments ago will burn, assuming the trees do not come alive and attempt to do harm upon our heads. But there is... there is no Ponyville here. Nothing but sordid ground not worthy of being called a mire and not fickle enough to be a desert.”

Twilight Sparkle frowned nervously at this, concentrating before her horn began to glow brightly, illuminating the area around them and making both Luna and Scrivener wince a little. Luna's eyes, meanwhile, drew upwards to linger on the night sky, silently studying it and feeling strangely apprehensive at the fact there was no moon yet risen, at the way the stars seemed like they had been rearranged in a mad-pony's jumbled riddle. She could almost see shapes in the stars, unfamiliar shapes, but a moment later, her attention was drawn away as Twilight asked quietly: “Do you think it was destroyed by whatever... whatever did that to Canterlot?”

“No, I do not. I... I do not think Ponyville ever existed in this world.” Luna replied quietly, and Twilight looked up in shock before the winged unicorn smiled faintly, even as Scrivener frowned himself and tilted his head curiously towards the mare. “Look at the ground, there are no signs it was ever anything but this... wild, worthless, poisoned scrub. We have passed no remains, seen no burnt-out homes, no signs there was ever settlement... and from the looks of Canterlot, it was destroyed long ago, just as the mountains could not have been freshly ground to dust.

“So the choices are thus: either Ponyville was destroyed and the destruction hidden in ways I deem impossible and pointless in this world... or Ponyville was never built, because something terrible happened here, a long, long time ago.” Luna looked back and forth, then she shivered once. “I wonder if Odin knows the state of this world... if so, I shall have to both strike and compliment him at once. For what better place to hide an anchor than these haunted ruins?”

“I somehow get the feeling you're being very literal when you say 'haunted.'” Twilight muttered, and she couldn't repress another shiver, looking up towards the sky as her horn cast a pallid purple glow over the area, but it did little to help with the fearsome atmosphere made all the worse by the fact the world around them was silent but for a whispering wind and the occasional scrabbling of some small, likely-predatory animal through the straggly weeds. “This place... what could have happened here? Ragnarok? Valthrudnir?”

Luna only shook her head slowly in response, murmuring quietly: “I do not desire to guess, Twilight Sparkle, but I am confident that this is not the doing of Valthrudnir. Of something terrible and powerful, oh, aye, but if Valthrudnir had brought Ragnarok to this layer, he would have almost surely brought all of reality crashing down as he did with our home.”

Scrivener grunted in quiet agreement as he finished detaching the harness, and then Luna looked nervously up the sky again, muttering: “The stars are trying to speak to me. But they are all... tossed together, their voices are overlapping one another's. I cannot see what happened here and I fear that trying to rearrange them will be like sending out a beacon to whatever did this...”

“Funny, you being cautious.” Scrivener mumbled, and Luna glowered at him before she grunted and nodded once, even as the charcoal stallion glanced towards Twilight with a small smile, knowing the exact reason why Luna was seeking to be careful instead of spelling out vulgarities in the night sky to further provoke whatever had done this into showing itself. “It's a nice change of pace, though. I might still be on a bit of an adrenaline kick from the Bifrost but... I'm not eager to tangle with something capable of turning mountains into a desert.”

“How long do the tingles last?” Twilight asked finally, and Luna and Scrivener both gave her a look of amusement before the violet mare smiled a little in return, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards almost embarrassedly. “I guess I never expected it to be so... so intense, that's all. I still feel... well... tingly.”

She halted, then glanced quietly over the two before adding softly: “And I know... you're trying to protect me, but you really don't have to. I'm here to help, after all, and I want to... be sure that I'm part of the solution, not just... tagging along to be a burden.”

“Thou art never a burden, Twilight Sparkle... but aye, I will admit thy presence drives me to be a little more cautious, just as Scarlet Sage's presence did...” Luna smiled slightly, tilting her head forwards. “But as my husband so firmly believes, is this truly a bad thing? After all, most would argue that 'tis not exactly the most intelligent course of action to attempt to pick a fight with an enemy of unknown power, prowess, and origin, especially one that may have torn up the night sky...”

Luna quieted, looking once more into the moonless darkness before she sighed a little, muttering: “But look at it, Twilight Sparkle. 'Tis... it has all been jumbled. And yet something tells me that there is more to it than that, as well. 'Tis maddening.”

Scrivener nodded slowly as Twilight frowned up at the sky, then she tilted her head and murmured softly: “Some stars are brighter than others... much, much brighter...”

“Well, aye, that is the way of stars.” Luna replied wryly, and then she looked up into the firmament and narrowed her eyes meditatively as she said slowly: “No, wait, I see what thou means... bright stars here and there, dim stars betwixt and between and all around... 'tis an image.”

With that, Luna turned towards the wagon, flicking her horn firmly, and the transport clanked loudly as the locked door clicked before swinging slowly open. Luna trotted over to this, tossing out several objects before she called mildly: “Scrivy, set up the tent, and Twilight, gather wood for the fire... I shall figure out the riddle of the stars above and begin laying down protective wards.”

Twilight nodded after a moment, hesitating before she flicked her horn upwards, and a bright ball of light flew from her horn to hover low in the air, casting a warm glow over them. It shone like a beacon, but Luna didn't disapprove even as Twilight turned, her own horn still glowing to cast light out in front of her as the miniature sun floated quietly above the site they had chosen as camp.

Twilight gathered up what she could: broken branches, twigs, detritus and debris that looked as if it would burn. She made sure not to stray far from the campsite, sensing movement and eyes all around her in the darkness before she hurried back with the pile of wood, dumping it where Scrivener had dug out a fire-pit after setting up their simple tent and throwing their sleeping gear inside.

Luna was sketching quickly, frowning darkly as she shot nervous glances up at the sky, and Scrivener looked apprehensively over at the sapphire mare before he shook his head and returned his eyes to Twilight. The floating globe illuminating their encampment was starting to fade gradually, but the violet mare's horn was still glowing, casting purple-tinged radiance around her as Scrivener asked quietly: “Are you okay?”

“Just nervous, that's all. Feels like... there's all kinds of things out there, watching us.” Twilight said finally, shaking her head slowly before she began to pile the little fuel she had found into the fire-pit. Scrivener leaned down, helping her arrange it, and she smiled at him after a moment before saying softly: “I bet you could light this without magic, couldn't you?”

“I wish. I'm not that much of a survival expert, Twilight... besides, Luna, setting things on fire without magic. That's just ridiculous.” Scrivener replied with an entertained look towards her, and Twilight smiled a little as Luna grunted grouchily from where she was drawing. Then the sapphire winged unicorn grimaced and leaned back, looking disturbed as Scrivener frowned and gazed over his shoulder towards her, her eyes raising to meet his and pass thoughts back and forth before the stallion grimaced a little. “No way.”

Luna only nodded silently, and Scrivener lowered his gaze as Twilight frowned and turned around, then stared in surprise as the starry-maned winged unicorn turned the pad around to reveal the image she had worked out lay in the stars. It was the clear profile of a winged unicorn, with a crescent on its haunch... and that meant...

“Nightmare Moon more likely than Luna. I know it seems like a huge coincidence, maybe even like a warning to us, but... it doesn't read like that.” Scrivener shook his head a bit, looking quietly over at Luna. “That's what you believe, isn't it? That...”

“Aye. But I suppose we will see shortly.” Luna replied quietly, looking silently up at the night sky before she shook her head grimly and muttered: “I shall place the protective wards. Use natural flame, Twilight Sparkle, it is warmer than my blue fire, and a better provider of light. And... be prepared, my friends. There... will be no sleep tonight.”

Stallion and mare both nodded in return to Luna, and while Twilight Sparkle lit the fire, Scrivener Blooms headed over to the wagon to check on their equipment. Luna, lastly, began to trace runes here and there, channeling magic into the earth to alert them if something tried to cross into their camp.

Scrivener eventually joined Twilight by the fire, dropping two satchel bags beside her and smiling a little: one was filled with specialty objects Greece and Cowlick had put together for them, and the other was filled with simple rations. The stallion pulled out the latter, and he and Twilight ate in quiet before they were joined by Luna, who was glad to take her own small meal.

The runes went off once or twice with flares of light within a few hours, alerting them to the presence of something in the area but scaring off nothing more dangerous than a Phooka. Yet all the same, they had the sense of something cunning watching them, judging them silently, and yet not even Luna taunted it, too many questions running rampant through her mind before a soft voice whispered: “It's been such a long time... but am I dreaming? For what I see is something I never thought possible...”

There was silence, and then the crackling flames in the fire-pit hissed as they dimmed and then turned icy blue, a wave of coldness passing through the air around them. And Luna's eyes widened in surprise as the runic protection she had laid down visibly fizzled, electricity crackling over them before they lost their faint glow and all sense of magic.

Twilight began to raise her horn, but Scrivener reached up and grasped her shoulder, shaking his head quickly at Luna's mental order. The sapphire winged unicorn herself was already on her hooves, looking back and forth... but there was a strange, terrible silence in the heavy air, before the voice whispered again, seeming somehow to come from all directions at once: “Luna... is that truly you? How I've missed you, my sweet... you vanished, after all. You and Celestia both disappeared, and it made me so terribly, terribly sad... I've been so alone, Luna. I've been so alone without you...”

A long pause as eldritch eyes flared to life in the darkness, a black, indistinct shape forming in the pale blue light cast by the fireplace as unnaturally-thick shadows swirled like mist around them. Even the stars above had dimmed, and Luna gritted her teeth before she asked sharply: “And who addresses me? For I am not the Luna thou knows... I am Luna Brynhild, of-”

“Then that explains it... I was so hopeful, though...” murmured the voice, heavy with disappointment before those animal eyes slowly seemed to float closer, the sharp, slit-like pupils studying them silently. Something else became visible as well in the darkness, something that twisted back and forth as if alive... and Scrivener realized after a moment that it was a smoky, dark sapphire mist, forming a twisting, living mane and tail. “There are so few survivors... I've been so lonely. So sad. So... dormant...”

And slowly, Nightmare Moon stepped forwards into the light... yet there was clearly something wrong with her. Her mane did not glint with stars, her eyes glowed too brightly, her black coat seemed almost like liquid as she breathed softly through her mouth. She studied them curiously, almost desperately, as her smoldering, ashy mane twisted back and forth indecisively, and Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight all sat nervously up before the sapphire mare asked quietly: “What art thou?”

“All that remains. All that remains...” murmured Nightmare Moon, closing her eyes tightly and lowering her head in silence... then, a moment later, she looked suddenly up and almost pleaded: “Will you listen to my story? To what I have to say?”

Scrivener Blooms looked apprehensively over at Luna, and Twilight grimaced a little even as she looked sympathetically across at this strange, distorted creature. Luna, however, remained silent for a few moments, looking quietly across at this thing that existed inside herself, too... but in much crueler form, as it silently mocked the almost-incorporeal entity across from them.

Finally, Luna nodded slowly, and Nightmare Moon took another step towards them, smiling faintly as she whispered: “Thank you... it's been so long since I've had company. Since I have seen ponies... oh, I hear they still live, but they have... transformed. They have become something different, hiding beneath the scorched, poisonous earth...”

She fell silent, then slowly laid herself down in front of the sapphire flames, gazing into the twisting fire before she said softly: “A long time ago... my sister and I had a terrible argument. I... I do not remember it clearly. It was foolish, and back then... I was a child. I looked like you...” Nightmare Moon frowned thoughtfully over at Luna, nodding slowly as she reached a hoof up and brushed it slowly through her own smoky mane, as if trying to remember something long forgotten. “Yes, I was... more like you, than I was like... myself...”

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, looking strangely pained for a moment, and the three ponies were silent as they gazed across at the shadowy equine before she shook her head out, resuming quietly as if there had been no pause, no moment of sudden pain: “Celestia and I argued. The argument turned violent. And then something... something terrible happened.

“All I remember is fire and light, and falling unconscious... and when I awoke, I was laying there, amidst the ruins of Canterlot instead of our home to the south. The entire castle had burned down around my head, and yet I was not harmed... I do not know if my own magic protected me, or if it was Celestia's doing. But the entire world... was burning when I awoke. Burning, burning, burning... beneath a terrible, furious sun. Meteors fell from the sky, and I... I cannot explain what I saw.

“And I could not stop it... I was forced to watch, as my subjects died. As innocent ponies were burnt alive. All I could do was run, run away...” Nightmare Moon fell silent, shivering once, her eyes gleaming with sorrow that would never end. “And that single day lasted for a week before I was finally able to push the vengeful sun away from our world. But its flares, its radiance, its burning tears, had already destroyed Equestria...

“And so I have searched, since that day. More than a thousand years have passed: I counted the passage of days until I reached a millennia, and after that, it simply... no longer seemed worthwhile to try and keep track.” Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, shivering once as she whispered: “I long for my sister. I cannot find her anywhere, though... anymore than I can find Luna. Where is my sweet Luna? You look so much like her, but you are not her...”

Luna was silent, shivering once as she looked up into the sky, and then Twilight Sparkle leaned up and asked quietly: “Are you saying that you existed... separate from Luna, that you...”

“I... what a strange question to ask. I must have.” Nightmare Moon sounded unsure, however, looking sorrowfully across at them. “But so many things are unclear to me... so many years have passed, spent wandering, through all of Equestria. From the rotting marshlands in the north to the poisoned, irradiated south... and here, of course. Back and forth, all around Canterlot... I often rest in Canterlot. It calls to me...”

She was silent, then she looked over the three, asking softly: “Won't you come home with me? I have followed your footsteps from my home, and it is not a long journey, after all... Canterlot is so beautiful, even now, even after all these years... I do not know why I awoke there. I do not know why I find the Royal Castle so inhospitable...”

Nightmare Moon slowly looked to the south, and Luna nodded slowly before she said quietly: “I fear we must... decline thy generous offer, Nightmare Moon. We... we have already set up camp here, and wish to rest for the night...”

“The nights are long... the nights are lonely...” Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, slowly dropping her head forwards as she shivered once on the ground, and Scrivener frowned apprehensively as Twilight nervously looked over the shadowy entity. Then Nightmare Moon smiled faintly, whispering: “You don't trust me. I am hurt, but... I know that I should not be surprised, all the same. After all... what reason do you have? But I am so alone... I have been searching for Celestia for so many years now, and never found her... there are no longer ponies who dwell above the surface, scared of the sun even though it is dying... there are no longer dragons, nothing left of their mighty race but bones and ashes... there is nothing here, and I am so alone...

“I do not know who you are, or how you came here... but I do not care. Please. Please let me stay with you, if only for tonight...” Nightmare Moon opened her eyes, her gaze as pleading and broken as her tone, and Luna felt her heart twist and inside her, her own inner darkness shiver in both disgust and pity. “I have been so alone...”

Luna gave Scrivener Blooms a nervous look... and Scrivener sighed a little before he nodded and carefully stood up. Nightmare Moon stared at him silently, and then she watched as the earth pony carefully began to circle around the campfire, Twilight watching worriedly but Luna holding up a hoof to quiet her.

Scrivener Blooms sat down beside the shadowy, strange entity, studying her as she studied him before he closed his eyes, concentrating for a few moments before opening them with a grimace as pain twisted through his mind... and then he simply stared. In front of him, he saw only a dark, amorphous shape surrounded by a terrible aura: terrible not because it was evil, but because of the pain it had suffered, the madness it had been infused with, the wretched torment that it had lived with for years. It was a strange, powerful entity, certainly... but at the same time, Scrivener Blooms could see it would be no harm to them, as he slowly closed his eyes and murmured: “Do you know... what you are?”

“No.” Nightmare Moon said quietly, and Scrivener Blooms smiled faintly and nodded after a moment before he reached out and silently touched her shoulder, and Nightmare Moon seemed surprised at the contact before she closed her eyes and settled slowly to the ground. “I do not desire to know, either... but... your kindness is welcome.”

“It's not entirely kindness. It just... is.” Scrivener replied quietly, looking with a faint smile towards the shadowy entity, and it nodded slowly before the stallion quietly settled himself down beside Nightmare Moon as he gave a shrug and a look over at Luna.

Luna only nodded in response, however, and Twilight hesitated for a few moments before she finally asked as gently as she could: “Have... have you really been alone for all this time?”

“I have been. I have been... searching for so long for Celestia, and still to this day she eludes me... yet she feels so close and so far always, all at once...” Nightmare Moon whispered, her eyes remaining closed as she curled up a little, murmuring: “I want to find her. I want to apologize to her, for our silly argument... but she has abandoned me. She, and all the other ponies have abandoned me... all I desired was to be loved...”

Silence fell over the group, as Twilight frowned apprehensively, but Luna only shivered once and closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards, refusing to speak any further as old memories resurfaced. And they stayed that way until morning, silent and uncomfortable as Nightmare Moon lay on the other side of the fire, shivering and twitching every so often, breathing heavily as Scrivener Blooms rested beside her, unafraid and fearless and trading silent, sorrowful looks with Luna every so often across the burning sapphire flames that separated them.

The Broken Princess

Chapter Thirty One: The Broken Princess
~BlackRoseRaven

Only Twilight was surprised when, just before morning, Nightmare Moon disappeared into the shadows without a word, without a sound. And shortly after, the red sun rose and Luna said quietly: “The creature. It is moving the sun, isn't it?”

“Yeah.” Scrivener said quietly, and then he looked silently in the direction that the ruins of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters had to lay in, the ancient home of Luna and Celestia when they had been the Princesses of this broken world.

Twilight still looked confused, but she didn't ask any questions as Luna went about the process of packing up the encampment while Scrivener Blooms silently pulled out the logbook Celestia had given them to begin writing down information. As he'd worked, Twilight had continued to wait patiently... and finally, Scrivener had smiled faintly over at her, saying softly: “It's okay, Twilight Sparkle. She won't hurt us. She... she can't. Well, maybe through magic, but... that was a ghost.”

“What?” Twilight looked up in surprise, then she shook her head quickly, whispering: “But Pales are... I mean... she didn't-”

“Whatever else, it's sustained by magic. It's like a... for lack of a better word, 'living' spirit made of magical energy.” Scrivener replied quietly, shaking his head slowly as he laughed a little. “It's... a ghost, and more than a ghost, and less than a ghost, all at once.”

“It is living will.” Luna said softly, as she tossed the packed-up tent into the back of the wagon, and then the sapphire winged unicorn sighed softly, murmuring: “Come. We shall find the answers to this mystery at the Castle of the Pony Sisters. At what, I suppose, I once considered... home.”

“Not in this world.” Scrivener murmured, and Luna grunted quietly as the stallion finished jotting a few quick notes before he reached up and rubbed slowly at his face with a grimace. “Damn eyes hurt again.”

Twilight looked slowly from one to the other, wanting to ask questions and yet not knowing what she could even figure out to say at this point. Instead, she did her best to focus her mind on other things, helping finish cleanup around the campsite and aiding Scrivener in fitting back into the wagon harness before they started forwards, the violet mare rubbing apprehensively at her armored body. She wasn't quite used to wearing her gear for long periods of time, like the others were, and it was starting to feel uncomfortable... but she smiled all the same when Luna looked at her, shaking her head and saying softly: “No complaints here. Just... takes some adjustment, I guess.”

“Aye. Most things in life do.” Luna replied with a small smile after a moment, shaking her own head out before she sighed a little, looking moodily to the side and muttering: “But for now, let us keep moving. Fear not, Twilight Sparkle... after we reach the ruins, we can permit ourselves rest. But for now, the best thing we can do is continue to push forwards.”

Twilight nodded slowly, looking down and murmuring: “I know. I have a lot of questions, but... at the same time, I don't. I mean... it seems like...”

“Everything is straightforwards, aye. That it is only a matter of being patient... and being patient for but a few hours, and all shall be revealed.” Luna smiled faintly, looking ahead quietly. “But thou may ask anything, Twilight, I wish for thee to know that.”

The violet mare smiled a little, but remained quiet as they continued forwards. Scrivener and Luna both gave Twilight supportive smiles, but seemed to appreciate the silence of the journey, as they walked through unsheltered, ugly wastes and past a few more scraggly trees. The ground sloped gradually into an ugly ravine that they followed until they reached a broken set of cliffs... but Scrivener and Luna only traded a small smile, looking past this towards the ruins of some sun-scorched structure in the distance.

Twilight studied this, too, then she laughed a little and whispered: “It was just like when... I came after you, Luna. I mean, when I went after Nightmare Moon...”

“Nay, 'tis fair enough to say me, I was still... consumed, at that point.” Luna shook her head slowly, looking down meditatively before she flicked her horn firmly, and the air glittered strangely before forming into a solid bridge of ice that crackled loudly as it grew quickly from one cliff to the other. Twilight looked at this with surprise, but Luna only shook her head again, saying softly: “The ground is less hot here, but the air is still... moist. The atmosphere of this world is strange. And it disturbs me, for some reason.”

Twilight nodded slowly, and then she carefully stepped onto the bridge... but it remained solid as she crossed, and Scrivener followed the violet mare quickly, keeping his gaze firmly ahead as he dragged the wagon behind him and winced at the sound of the ice shifting and crackling beneath him.

Luna quickly flew alongside him over the gap, and Scrivener sighed in relief as he reached the other side, passing back onto solid land and grimacing as he felt the wagon shift a little, cursing and hurrying forwards to drag it quickly off the ice before a large chunk of the bridge collapsed away. The rest shortly followed, and Luna winced a little over her shoulder, muttering: “Perhaps 'tis not as moist and cool here as I had thought.”

Scrivener grunted... then he flinched a bit as a bit of the cliffside tumbled away with the last of the ice, turning and pulling the wagon quickly away as Luna and Twilight both winced. But it was only loose sediment, and Luna sighed as she turned around, following after Scrivener and muttering: “The damnable fool knows I would let no such fall kill him, anyway...”

“I can't blame him, Luna. Even I don't like heights that much.” Twilight shrugged a bit, and Luna only grumbled a little in response, shrugging a little herself as the trio fell into pace before halting at the enormous, jagged archway that led into the ruins of the castle. All three inspected it, at the dying ivy attempting to crawl over the stone and leech the little moisture they could out of the rock, at the scorch-marks and damage done to the enormous structure that all the same still stood, withstanding the tests of both time and whatever had burned the world.

Scrivener grimaced as he unhitched himself from the wagon, and Luna hesitated for a moment before she shook her head, muttering: “I think it is safe enough to leave the wagon unattended. That, and I desire to be as safe as possible as we make our way into this place... it brings back... memories.”

“The first time I saw Nightmares.” Scrivener muttered, and then he smiled a little, glancing over at Luna and adding quietly: “They almost kicked our flanks.”

“'Twas a sucker-punch. And I was much weaker then, recovering still from both exile and being blasted by the Elements of Harmony, with Celestia constantly coddling and suffocating me.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener smiled a little as Twilight blushed a bit even as she gave a quiet laugh. “In any event, there is only one 'nightmare' we may have to worry about, Scrivener... but even then, I do not think Nightmare Moon will pose a threat, even if she does put in an appearance.”

“Somehow, I doubt that she will. Not unless...” Scrivener fell quiet, then he shook his head and glanced over at Twilight Sparkle, saying softly as she looked at him curiously: “Watch your step and keep your eyes peeled.”

Twilight nodded nervously, and Luna grunted before she strode forwards, passing through the archway and doing her best to repress a shiver as she walked through the courtyard and towards the rotted-out doors leading into the castle interior. Scrivener and Twilight both followed, the earth pony glancing back and forth and feeling faint twinges running through his eyes and mind as he looked over the rotted tapestries and blown-out painted glass, and Twilight shook her head slowly, thinking silently of how long ago, she had come to this same place to stop Nightmare Moon... well, a version of it. And really, I didn't know what I was doing back then...

They made their way deeper into the ruins, Luna's hooves seeming to naturally know the way as she felt some inexplicable force guiding, pulling her on, and Scrivener grimaced as he caught strange, misty shapes twisting here and there in the corners of his eye, passing hurriedly through the walls and into the shadows when they caught him looking towards them. Twilight followed last, glancing apprehensively over her shoulder every now and then, feeling as if they were being followed as she murmured: “This place feels so... hallowed.”

“Yes. Yes it does.” Luna whispered as they approached a closed pair of doors... and then the winged unicorn cursed and grimaced when the heavy wooden doors sparked weakly, sending up a puff of dust and ashes before she grimaced as a faint, weak barrier burst into life in front of them, glowing with weak golden light. “This... aye, it feels similar to Celestia's magic, but it is ancient. Twilight, thou can dispel it with greater ease than I.”

Twilight nodded quietly, stepping forwards as her horn glowed, concentrating on the magic Celestia had taught her long ago as she breathed slowly before raising her head as her horn glowed brightly, and the barrier glowed as well before bursting apart into motes of light that slowly faded from sight. The doors trembled in the frame, but before Luna could even step forwards, they both collapsed backwards into rotten piles of debris.

Luna grimaced in disgust at the burst of ashes and sawdust that went up, then she strode quickly forwards into the circular chamber beyond, opening her mouth... and then simply staring in horror at the sight of what lay in the center of a room that had been torn apart from battle. Half-petrified and half-skeleton, part of the stone features of Nightmare Moon gaped in horror, perfect in every detail... melding almost flawlessly with the bare skull that stood out of the solid rock, flesh long rotted away to nothing.

It was ghastly: part of the breast remained, but ribs jutted nakedly from the stone body. The spinal cord was completely visible, and the limbs were a mix-match of sculpted stone and thin bones, frozen forever as if trying to turn away, as if trying to scream in denial and fear and betrayal. Twilight moaned in horror as Scrivener closed his eyes tightly, shivering as Luna whispered, staring incredulously over the ill-fated creature: “This could have been me. Oh Celestia... what did thou do...”

“The horn.” Twilight whispered, and Scrivener opened his eyes as Luna looked up as well, all three looking at the jutting black spire standing tall and proud still from Nightmare Moon's head. It was glowing faintly, emitting a strange light as the trio slowly approached, and Luna grimaced a bit, realizing how Nightmare Moon had appeared to them, and why it had appeared to be a spirit comprised of condensed magical energy.

The horn was drawing power from something: not simply Nightmare Moon, who was long dead, but something else as well, supplying more strength, more energy to what was undoubtedly the source of life and punishment for the wandering phantasm. Twilight stared over the statue disbelievingly as Scrivener turned to begin inspecting the room, and Luna frowned a bit as she leaned down to the base of the statue, studying the ground around it before she murmured: “Aye, as I thought. There are cracks here, in the floor... something is feeding up power from below. Come, come, let us hurry.”

“What?” Twilight asked dumbly, but Luna was already rushing towards the doorway across the room, Scrivener following quickly. The violet mare winced, tossing one last look at the half-petrified corpse before she ran hurriedly after the other ponies, calling worriedly: “Where are we going?”

“To the source!” Luna answered grimly, hurrying down the corridor and grimacing as she saw another set of closed doors ahead, another glowing barrier weakly shrouding them, snapping: “Feeble defenses for feeble secrets!”

Luna simply charged into the door as her starry mane sparked with electricity, and she smashed through both the barrier of light and the doors beyond to crash into the next room as Twilight and Scrivener both winced at the almost-surprised flash that went up with the wall of light being shattered. Luna skidded around as her eyes blazed with frustration: there were several doors leading out of this chamber, but only one barred by another barrier, making the choice clear. “Is this because of guilt? Or is this stupid, foolish sacrifice?”

She flicked her horn firmly, a blast of lightning hammering into the barrier and blowing the doors off their hinges as the magical shield burst apart, and Luna hurried forwards again even as Twilight called to her to slow down and Scrivener winced, feeling Luna's writhing, rising emotions. But the sapphire winged unicorn refused to slow, refused to settle, smashing through every barrier they came across and making her way deeper through the ruins of the castle before she banged loudly into an iron door, Scrivener wincing in pain and surprise as Twilight skidded to a halt in the hallway, staring in surprise as Luna stumbled dumbly backwards.

The winged unicorn shook herself out, then cursed under her breath as she studied the door in front of her moodily: armored, heavy-duty, not relying on now-decayed magic but instead solid metal. Even rusted as it was, the sheer size of it meant that the age had likely only made it harder to open... and Luna gritted her teeth as she looked quickly at the walls, muttering: “'Tis reinforced, and heavily. What we are after is on the other side of this door, I am certain of it... alright. We shall blow it out. Scrivener, Twilight, I-”

“Wait, look.” Scrivener winced a little, pointing at a symbol in the solid door, and Luna frowned a little, studying this before she realized there was a slot in the center of the symbol, Scrivener saying finally: “Maybe it's a seal.”

“Perhaps.” Luna muttered, looking indecisive before she sighed a little, her horn glowing as she carefully stepped forwards and lowered it, slipping it into the hole hesitantly. It passed in easily, however, and Luna's confidence grew as her horn began to glow, closing her eyes and letting her magic spill out through the door, feeling out the mechanism before her eyes widened as the door clicked and clanked loudly.

She quickly drew her horn back, standing ready as the door rumbled silently before slowly beginning to swing open, rust and dirt pattering down as the trio of ponies gazed beyond... and then Luna's eyes widened in shock at the sight that awaited them, whispering: “Oh, Celestia...”

An ivory statue stood alone in the room upon a raised dais surrounded by a deep, wide moat of water, front hooves pressed up against the low roof and horn buried into the stone. The expression on the features of the stone pony was intense and despairing and hopeful all at once, her stone eyes still somehow radiant... almost bright enough to outdo the glimmer of the six gemstones buried into her chest in a gleaming circle.

Celestia, Princess of the Sun, frozen forever in time. She had somehow turned herself into a conduit for the Elements of Harmony, and was pouring all that power upwards, up through the floor, and into Nightmare Moon's corpse. Scrivener and Luna both slowly strode forwards as Twilight only shivered, staring in amazement: her mane and tail had both long since broken away and lay in broken pieces of thin stone, as had one wing, but the other remained stretched and proud... and blood trickled down quietly from the cracks here and there in the marble as if she was still alive beneath the shell of the statue, and Luna grimaced as she stepped forwards-

Water exploded upwards, forming a thick curtain that completely encircled the statue as it smashed against the ceiling with enough force to send spiderwebs of liquid spilling along the roof, and Luna snarled and set herself as Scrivener winced and Twilight stared in shock, before the water rippled with golden light. A moment later, amethyst flares came to life in the water... and then these became eyes that widened in shock, as Celestia's features pushed out of the liquid and whispered in an echoing, strange voice: “Little sister? No, it's... it's impossible...”

“Celestia, what in the name of Odin has thou done?” Luna implored, stepping forwards and staring with horror. “By all that is holy and all that is not, look at thee! What... what has thou done, Celestia, confess!”

The water Celestia seemed taken aback by this, leaning away before whispering: “What I had to do. I made a mistake, oh, I made a mistake... whether you're a ghost or a punishment or something else entirely, Luna, I'm so sorry... they weren't supposed to hurt you. They weren't supposed to kill you...

“So I had to make things right. I designed this room to safeguard my body, supplying life to my little sister above and moving the sun through the sky, keeping our world alive... keeping Equestria going. I sealed myself away, exiled myself in stone after fusing the Elements into my own form so they could never be taken away, never misused... it is their power that lets me survive. That keeps my little sister alive despite being comatose in stone... and I hide here, waiting for the day when my little sister will be freed from her stone prison so that I may fade away and die...”

“No, no, Celestia... Nightmare Moon is dead. The whole world burned, the world is dead... thou.... has thou no idea of what thou has done? Did thou not see her, half-petrified and half...” Luna halted as the water-formed Celestia snarled and turned her head quickly away, the water curtain rippling violently. “Horses of Heaven... thou... by all the gods...”

“No, she is alive! She is alive!” Celestia shrieked, her eyes glowing with insanity even through the curtain of water. “I can keep her alive, I do keep her alive! I hear her, I hear her sometimes, walking these halls...”

“You just said she was in a stone prison, Celestia.” Scrivener said quietly, and Celestia fell silent, watery features trembling before the earth pony closed his eyes, saying quietly: “You imprisoned yourself here after killing her, didn't you?”

“I didn't kill her... I didn't mean to kill her... I couldn't kill her...” Celestia whispered weakly, shaking her head and laughing faintly. “Luna, look, Luna! Luna stands right there! This room is just a safety measure, to keep the Elements of Harmony out of the wrong hooves... oh Luna, I've missed you...”

Twilight began to open her mouth, and Scrivener and Luna both shot her a look, the violet mare falling silent before Luna looked forwards and took a slow breath, closing her eyes before she whispered: “Yes, sister. It is I. And now thou may... may find release, for I am going to leave soon... and find my own peace.”

Celestia fell silent at this, trembling, the curtain of water trembling before Luna looked up with a faint smile, saying quietly: “I forgive thee.”

Slowly, the watery head smiled faintly... and then the amethyst flares of eyes slowly closed before the curtain of water collapsed and cascaded downwards, splashing in every direction as the statue of Celestia trembled... then cracked. Dust filtered down as steam hissed softly out of the wounds in the stone, and Twilight shivered as she walked forwards, watching as the statue gave another shiver... then simply shattered and collapsed as a soft sigh filled the room, dangerously-glinting gemstones bouncing quietly over the dais to land amidst the debris and tumble into the moat.

“She did it.” Scrivener Blooms said quietly, and Luna smiled faintly and lowered her head slowly. “She killed Nightmare Moon... tried to hide herself from the truth... and went insane. Maybe in that order, maybe not. But she did it...”

“Oh, I do not think we will ever know the full truth, Scrivener Blooms... and I have no desire to.” Luna said quietly, looking silently at the broken remains. “But aye, she did go mad. She did kill Nightmare Moon, through anger or error or perhaps both. And likely she dragged the sun too close to Equestria whilst in the grips of madness, and burned the nation for... who knows how long before Nightmare Moon's spirit gained consciousness.”

Twilight nodded slowly, then looked silently towards Luna, asking quietly: “And Nightmare Moon didn't like it here because...”

“Because she may not even understand that she is dead, that Luna... is gone.” Luna laughed a little, smiling ironically before she looked down and murmured quietly: “And few spirits enjoy being in the presence of their remains. It is... unpleasant for them.”

Scrivener nodded a little, then Luna closed her eyes and said finally: “We... shall place the anchor here, amongst the rubble and the ruin. It will be safe here, in this... this awful mausoleum.”

Twilight nodded slowly, then she stepped forwards and nervously looked at the moat, but Luna only smiled faintly, shaking her head slowly as she studied the dais that Celestia had stood on before murmuring: “'Tis old magic, that is all. A way for her spirit to remain... trapped inside these iron walls, but able to defend herself from interlopers. More importantly, I think she wished to leave herself away to communicate, in case... someday, somepony did come here, seeking answers. But... she had obviously fallen prey to madness long ago. Celestia, mad: 'tis not a pretty thing to think of.”

The two nodded slowly, and then Scrivener and Luna turned to make their way back out, but Twilight lingered. When Luna looked curiously at her, the violet mare shook her head a bit, studying the room before she said finally, quietly: “I think... I'll wait here for you, if that's okay. I want to... look around.”

“I... very well.” Luna nodded slowly after a moment, then she said quietly: “Be careful, Twilight Sparkle. I do not wish to guess at what other things may lay in this place, and what other tormented spirits may still wander here or there.”

Twilight smiled a little in return, nodding after a moment, and Scrivener stepped over to her, silently reaching up to touch her shoulder, then stroke her cheek quietly. She pushed her face against his hoof, closing her eyes before the earth pony turned to follow Luna out, leaving the violet mare sitting alone in silent contemplation, gazing across the watery moat towards the broken rubble.

Luna and Scrivener were unsurprised to find that the statue of Nightmare Moon had collapsed, the bones now nothing more than flecks of white dust amidst broken rubble. Even the black horn was gone, and Luna thought this was a good sign: not a sure mark that Nightmare Moon's phantasm had moved on as well, but all the same a step forwards. She wished the best for these tormented siblings... but she was all too well aware that for them, the best meant they were both able to quietly, peacefully move on into the afterlife, whatever that held for them.

The wagon was still waiting quietly outside, undisturbed, and Luna made a face as she lifted the anchor with telekinesis. It was a heavy burden to carry over a fairly long distance, even if she was aware of the way, and she felt oddly nervous making her way back through the castle, like she was tempting fate... or tempting whatever other spirits might lurk in these haunted halls. Scrivener felt apprehensive himself, still catching flitting shapes here and there with his strange vision, and he had to admit things felt... worse here, now, than they had before.

This world was a doomed world, a layer that had died from the madness of two ponies, and Luna closed her eyes at these thoughts as she muttered: “I wonder what will rise up in these ashes, Scrivy. I wonder... if sister and I ever truly appreciated our own power. Look at this, a world dead because of Celestia's madness... because of my own madness.”

“No, Luna. It was a version of you, but it wasn't you: you are Luna Brynhild, not... dead and gone Luna, or the ghost of Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener said quietly, nudging her gently with his shoulder before he smiled a little. “Besides, I guess in a way... it shows that Celestia seems to love you in every layer we pass through, right?”

“Yes, but I also seem to have become Nightmare Moon in every layer we pass through.” Luna muttered irritably, shaking her head slowly. “Speaks a world to my character, doesn't it?”

“It speaks a world to the characters of both yourself and Celestia.” Scrivener replied quietly, and Luna looked thoughtful at this, bowing her head forwards as a wisp of Scrivener's thoughts passed through her mind before the stallion leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. “Let's just concentrate on dropping this anchor, and getting the hell out of here. We can philosophize and lament later. And... you did a good thing. You helped a poor, insane pony find peace.”

“A thousand years in stone, suffering over killing her sister, connected to a corpse she was desperately trying to keep alive but too scared to actually gaze upon... twisted, is it not?” Luna paused, then shook her head moodily, adding dryly: “Now that, that sounds much more like Celestia.”

Scrivener only smiled a little at this, shaking his head slowly as they continued onwards until they reached the deep, sealed chamber, and found Twilight sitting quietly with a purple gemstone in her hooves. Luna immediately frowned at her, but Twilight only smiled a little, shaking her head and saying softly: “It's okay. It won't respond to me, anyway... it's the Element of Magic but...”

She shook her head again as Luna frowned again, then shook her head and murmured: “Strange. Well, perhaps they... are different on this world. Either way, I do not trust the accursed things. I never have and I never shall, either.”

With that, Luna flicked her horn, tossing the anchor across the moat to crash loudly in the rubble, and Twilight and Scrivener both winced before Luna flicked her horn firmly as it glowed, and the water in the moat began to violently spin. The constant flow put more and more pressure on the lonely pillar of stone that stood in the center of the ring of water, and Luna leaned forwards, gritting her teeth as Twilight's eyes widened in surprise and Scrivener winced a bit before the pillar simply shattered, collapsed into what was now not simply a deep moat, but a well filled with stone and rubble as the anchor vanished beneath a fall of pieces of rock and dark, slowly-settling liquid.

Electricity sparked along the water, and Luna winced a little at this as before Twilight gave the winged unicorn a flat look, asking sharply: “Luna, why would you do that? It's not-”

“Hush, 'tis perfectly fine.” Luna retorted, then she closed her eyes and concentrated, leaning forwards as her horn glowed brightly, and a cap of ice rapidly formed along the top of the well, blocking it up completely before she gritted her teeth and slowly arched her back, snapping: “Scrivener!”

The earth pony grumbled, but closed his eyes, bowing his head forwards and pouring his energy and concentration into her as his body slowly mirrored Luna's pose, breathing hard before he and the winged unicorn dropped their heads forwards at the same time, a pulse rumbling through the ice as it smoothed out before transforming into solid concrete, and Luna wheezed in relief as Twilight sighed and rubbed at her face slowly. She looked down at the gemstone in her other hoof, examining it for a moment before she sighed and tossed it away as both Luna and Scrivener relaxed, looking over at her with paired shrugs.

Twilight only looked at them sourly in return, then said dryly: “You're doing that thing where you mirror each other again.”

“Sorry, instinctive.” Scrivener said awkwardly, raising a hoof as Luna snorted in amusement, and then the soul-bound ponies traded a look before both smiled over at the violet mare as she continued to look ruffled, the male asking quietly: “Will you feel better if we get out of here?”

“I might.” Twilight Sparkle admitted after a moment, sighing a little before she watched moodily as Scrivener and Luna strode past, adding sourly: “You two really need to learn when to stop, though. Yes, Scrivener, because as you're always bragging, you're soulbound to Luna. So everything she does is partly your fault, too.”

“Great.” Scrivener grumbled as Twilight fell into pace behind them, and the charcoal earth pony shook himself out a bit before he said quietly: “But try not to let things worry you too much, Twilight, like I know you are. We're all okay, right? And now, all we have to really focus on is surviving this world for a week without going crazy, then we can all go home.”

The violet mare nodded hesitantly as Luna grunted in agreement. “Aye, exactly. The anchor will be safe here... safer in this place, I think, than even in the vaults beneath this castle, or beneath Canterlot's. And I have no desire to visit Canterlot and discover why Nightmare Moon awoke there, or made it her abode... let us instead head... well... wherever our hooves take us.”

They were mostly quiet as they made their way out of the castle and through the courtyard to reach their armored wagon, before both mares stopped and looked at Scrivener... and he sighed tiredly before turning around, looking moodily over the castle and studying it silently. They had all had that sense, of being followed, but none of them had seen anything even as the feeling of being watched only grew greater and greater... and now, as Scrivener Blooms stood, he allowed his eyes to rove back and forth before they locked onto a large, ghostly shape.

It stood silently, Pales of ponies that were invisible to Luna and Twilight standing around it: flickering white spirits surrounded by motes of frost. But the center spirit had no frost around it, instead glowed with a faint, weak radiance as it bowed its head forwards... before the ghost of Celestia simply vanished, and her escort of spirits faded slowly out as Scrivener said quietly: “I think we all know who was following us. And I think she's going to apologize to her real sister, now...”

“Aye. Good.” Luna murmured in response, closing her eyes. “'Twas what she has needed to do for a long time, I am sure. But now come then, let us... make haste away from these ruins.”

Scrivener nodded, then looked surprised as Twilight began to hitch herself up to the wagon, the violet mare smiling a little as she said quietly: “I can do it, it's no problem... it'll be good practice for learning to... to 'focus inward,' as Celestia calls it. And besides, you've been pulling this thing everywhere. Unlike Luna, I know you're not just a pack mule. We can trade off.”

“Do not try to steal my husband, Twilight.” Luna grumbled, and Twilight only laughed as Scrivener smiled at her, before the sapphire winged unicorn added grouchily: “And that is the last thing we need, truly. Thou, being able to do Celestia's damnable self-focus. I do not relish the fact that there will come a day when thou shall be stronger than I am, Twilight Sparkle. Although at least I can enjoy the thought that thou shall one day be able to best Celestia.”

“I'm not that strong, Luna. You and Celestia have so much faith in me, I know, but... I really am not that strong. I could never be as... heroic as either of you.” Twilight said softly, and Luna only smiled at this and shook her head slowly.

“What a silly thing to say; thou art already a greater heroine than either myself or my sister could ever be, after all.” Luna said gently, half-chastising and half-admiring, and Twilight blushed, bowing her head forwards before the sapphire winged unicorn added kindly: “There is more to heroism than strength and power and great magic. Thou knows this. Now come, let us continue forth into this world, and find a good place to lay down our heads and rest for a time.”

Twilight smiled and nodded in return as Scrivener laughed softly, and then the trio turned away from the ruins of the castle, following Luna as she walked calmly onwards with head raised high and her back to the haunted mausoleum where too many memories of events long past still lingered.

That night, they set up camp in the comfortable shade of a dark cliff, gathering wood from a nearby copse of gnarled trees to make a fire. Night was marked more by sensation than anything else, as the red sun lingered in the air... but Luna and Scrivener had eventually both closed their eyes, bowing their heads forwards and guiding the sun into setting as their hearts and minds beat in time, before looking to the side with a smile as Twilight had blushed embarrassedly, caught in the act of trying to follow along with their movements.

The stars gleamed softly in the sky in their strange arrangement before Luna had tried to raise the moon... but oddly enough, nothing had happened. It was like there was no moon to grasp, no moon to raise. Something that admittedly disturbed the winged unicorn more than she wanted to admit, but Scrivener Blooms soothed her with promise of a meal. He cooked up a soup for them from the food they had brought along, and Luna had grumbled but looked appeased after she had dug into it, even as Twilight poked at hers and muttered: “Those are pieces of meat, aren't they?”

Scrivener had only shrugged a bit, smiling over at her before Luna said mildly: “Well, if thou does not desire it, I shall gladly eat it. Ungrateful Twilight Sparkle.”

“I'm plenty grateful! I just don't know why you two have to eat meat all the time.” Twilight retorted crankily, and Scrivener and Luna had traded amused looks before the violet mare had grumbled and poked at it a little, muttering: “Fine, it doesn't taste the worst when prepared properly but it's still really weird.”

But she had eaten without further complaint: even gone back for seconds when Scrivener had said there was just enough for them to each have one more bowl if they wanted. Afterward, Luna had simply tossed the wooden bowls into the fire, and they had watched them burn quietly as the smell of the soup had mixed with the sweet perfume of the smoke.

Twilight had been a little concerned about something being attracted to their campsite, and she was right: what left her surprised, however, was when the fires turned blue and Nightmare Moon calmly strode up to join them, sitting herself down beside Luna... and a moment later, the spirit of Celestia had approached and sat down as well. There was silence, as they sat in a semicircle around the blue flames, Twilight looking over at these apparitions but Scrivener and Luna only continuing to gaze into the fire until finally, Nightmare Moon said softly: “My big sister told me everything. She apologized to me as well, but... it wasn't necessary. This was all my fault, after all. Perhaps in a way, even her madness.”

“Well, thou art more forgiving than I.” Luna said softly, smiling a little over at the specter, and Nightmare Moon laughed quietly, her smoky form shifting slowly as she gazed affectionately over at Celestia. “But neither of thee are tethered to this world any longer, thou realizes this, yes? The statues are gone.”

“But it is our responsibility to take care of this world. As night and day, light and darkness. I realize that now all the more, even though... the ponies are gone, Equestria is gone.” Nightmare Moon replied softly, and then she paused and tilted her head as Celestia leaned over to her, the Pale whispering silently into Nightmare Moon's ear before the smoky, dark spirit smiled a little and drew her eyes over them. “Yes, my sister agrees... and says, furthermore, that one day perhaps... the ponies will return. We will mend and care for this world until that day. We can still stretch out our powers into this world, after all... even though we are both sad that little sister Luna has departed. But she deserves peace, after what we both did to her.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Luna simply nodded slowly before Twilight asked quietly: “So where will you go? What will you do?”

“We will walk this world together, we will... catch up on time missed. We will be sisters.” Nightmare Moon replied softly, shrugging slowly. “Perhaps it is because I existed first as... a thought, a rage, a fury, that I am more-able to affect things than my sister is... that even as I am now, I am more than a ghost, less than a physical being... I am a manifestation. I enjoy being necessary and needed. But I also enjoy more having my sister by my side...”

She smiled over at Celestia, then closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards, murmuring: “It is better to be needed by someone who cares for you, than a thousand people who don't. The taste is sweeter. The impact is greater. And you never need fear being discarded for the next fancy, shiny thing that comes along. You never need fear being forgotten... I understand that now. So Celestia, do not grow jealous: I need you. Without you, I would not be able to move the sun or stars, nor have any reason to. Even after we rebuild this world, you will not be eclipsed in my shadow, I promise you this... everything we do, we do together.”

Celestia smiled softly, nodding silently, and then Nightmare Moon returned her eyes to the trio of ponies, studying them softly before she said quietly: “You all love each other. Need each other. This is good... it is dawn, dusk, and darkness. I do not know anything else about you three, but... I do not need to. I wish you all well, friends... I hope we meet again.”

“Perhaps in the future we shall. Thou... hast my thanks, for stopping in. It may sound strange... but it means more to me than I can express.” Luna said softly, and Nightmare Moon smiled over them all before the sapphire winged unicorn bowed her head politely. “Celestia, Nightmare Moon... take care of one another. Balance cannot be held by a single entity... it must always be between at least two.”

“And so it shall be. Balance, and never neutrality.” Nightmare Moon smiled over at Celestia, who nodded silently before turning her own grateful gaze over the others... and then both she and Nightmare Moon simply turned, heading off into the darkness and vanishing from sight as Scrivener leaned quietly back and Twilight Sparkle gazed softly after the two.

There was silence for a few moments as the sapphire flames crackled quietly... and then Twilight looked up, asking finally: “What did she mean by that? 'Balance, and not neutrality...' aren't they the same thing?”

“Not even close.” Scrivener Blooms said with a slight grin, and Twilight Sparkle gave him a flat look before the stallion simply shrugged. “Well, it's true. But I'm not about to explain it, Sparkles. You're a smart mare, you can figure it out.”

Twilight only sighed and rolled her eyes, then she turned her gaze upwards towards the night sky. Luna gazed up as well, and there was silence for a little while before the violet mare glanced towards them and asked quietly: “So is it safe enough to take off my armor?”

“Oh, aye. I doubt there shall be much in the way of further adventures on this world.” Luna smiled over at Twilight Sparkle, and the violet mare blushed a bit as she nodded awkwardly.

There was silence for a few minutes more, and then Twilight finally stood up, saying quietly: “I'm going to go into the tent, then, and... take off my armor. Okay?” She smiled a little over at Scrivener, then at Luna, before saying softly: “I'll... be waiting for you.”

Scrivener Blooms looked surprised as Luna gazed dumbly after Twilight, and then the two ponies traded looks as Twilight hurried into the tent. They didn't speak, only the fire crackling between them, and then finally, both Scrivy and Luna stood, trading smiles before they headed towards the open flap, pushing through to find Twilight Sparkle waiting for them, as promised, her armor off, a smile on her face and nervousness and need in her eyes as she rested on top of the sheets...

Time passed, in gentle, affectionate comforts; Twilight found herself curled between Luna and Scrivener, her head on the male's chest, Luna against her back, the two ponies gazing tenderly down at her before Scrivener began to shift... and Twilight wrapped her forelegs quickly around his neck, shaking her head and murmuring: “Just a little longer. Please.”

“I'll be right back, Twilight, I'm just going to check on the campsite...” Scrivener started awkwardly, and when Luna shot him a glower, he sighed and then said mildly: “Or, you know, I can just... stay here. But if all our stuff gets stolen it's Luna's fault.”

“Okay.” Twilight mumbled, and then she smiled a little as she felt Luna's hooves rub firmly up her back, making one of her wings shiver a bit before they curled tightly back against her sides. “I... I missed this.”

“So did I.” Luna said softly, smiling a little as she pushed herself a bit closer, and Twilight relaxed further as Scrivener laughed quietly. “But this isn't the entire reason thou desired to come on this journey, is it?”

“Oh shut up.” Twilight muttered, elbowing Luna lightly, and the sapphire winged unicorn huffed irritably before the violet mare shook her head embarrassedly. “I just... felt safer for... you know. But I know... it's... not a mistake. Still, would be nice if things could be... normal...”

“Ha, normal. That's going to happen.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he winced when both Twilight and Luna glared at him. “Well, it's true! Anyway, it could... it could be worse, too. No, Luna, that's not an invitation to make things worse or more awkward.”

“In my mind things would be made better, not worse, but very well.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed a bit before the sapphire mare mumbled and buried her face against the back of Twilight's neck. “Thou art my Scrivy-shield. Thou must be supportive of me. Thou art my wife... a good wife, unlike Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivener sighed a bit as Twilight blushed despite herself and smiled a little, and then the charcoal pony said wryly: “Two can play at that game, Luna. But I'm better than that, so I just won't bother to mention all the ways Twilight is more fun than you are.”

Luna grumbled in response, then reached a hoof past Twilight to flail at Scrivener, who winced and shoved at the mares a bit before they settled, and the violet winged unicorn finally laughed a little before she rose her head and asked curiously: “So what if I did move in with you? What would you do then?”

Scrivener looked surprised at this, and Luna cocked her head before grinning brightly, squeezing Twilight Sparkle as she said delightedly: “Most excellent! Well, we shall have to build another expansion upon our cottage, but I was thinking anyway of having it expanded into a full large house, to give better room for Scarlet Sage and Antares... 'tis cozy and comfy, aye, but it would be nice to have a proper office for Scrivener, and more room to expand, and I know Scarlet Sage desires more privacy, among other things, and-”

“I'm not moving in with you, Luna, it's just a theoretical question.” Twilight interrupted, and Luna grumbled and sulked as Scrivener snorted in amusement, before the violet mare added quietly: “But see? That's exactly what I mean. It would change everything a lot. Right now we're... well...”

She quieted, then shook her head and murmured: “I don't know why I have to keep bringing these things up. All these questions and worries and fears and... everything else. But honestly, wouldn't it be weird if... if I did...”

“Not really, you kind of live with us already with all the time you spend out at our cottage.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight shrugged after a moment, giving a small smile before the male added quietly: “But a lot of things are weird with us, Twilight... and you know what? Weird, for whatever reason, seems to work for us. So... there you have it.”

Twilight nodded a little, and then Luna asked softly, looking down at her curiously: “Doesn't thou... one day... see thyself with us? Living with us?”

“I...” Twilight laughed a little, looking curiously over her shoulder before she dropped her head against Scrivener's chest, mumbling: “This is weird.”

“This is weird.” Scrivener agreed, looking pointedly across at Luna, and the sapphire winged unicorn grumbled but then nodded and allowed the subject to drop, and Twilight seemed to appreciate it as they curled together, resting in comfort until morning.

When the sun rose, they finally climbed to their hooves, but Luna only shook her head when Twilight began to pick up her armor, the sapphire winged unicorn saying softly: “There is no need to worry about that, my sweet mare. Let us spend a little more time here, simply... resting, for today. There is no need to rush, or even go anywhere else unless we desire to. Our job here is done.”

Twilight nodded awkwardly, smiling a little and feeling almost a little disappointed... but after an hour or so, she was glad to sit and relax and simply... talk. They were in an ugly wasteland that still had that odd moisture in the air, but the sun above no longer seemed nearly as poisonous, more of a yellow tint to it now, larger and friendlier as if it had moved back towards the planet, but was careful to not stray so close so as to cause any harm. So although they were in a post-apocalyptic nightmare... it was also a very comfortable way to spend private time with Scrivener and Luna despite the fact they were outside beneath the open sky, and it let Twilight feel freer to express herself and her desires than she would have back home.

Hours passed, became days and nights the three enjoyed together, making the most out of: Luna exercised and trained her family, Scrivener wrote and made notes, Twilight relaxed and indulged. They flowed together in time with each other, in a perfect rhythm, and Twilight Sparkle almost found herself... disappointed by the week ending so quickly, after she had really started to feel at home with the two ponies. After she had managed to finally settle herself down into what she had decided for herself.

As they packed up their gear, put on their armor, and ensured they had everything, Twilight let her thoughts play out, let herself understand the lessons learned... until finally, as Scrivener rigged himself up to the carriage and Luna tightened straps and double-checked Scrivener's harness, Twilight approached the two and said softly: “Thank you. Both of you. For everything, for all of this, for... helping me settle. And I want to say that... none of this is going to change when we get back home. I'm... not going to shy away from... who I am, and being honest and open in... who I have feelings for.”

Twilight smiled a little after a moment, and Luna smiled warmly even as Scrivener held up a hoof and said mildly: “No one here will blame you if you are not completely honest and open with Rainbow Dash.”

“Oh no, Rainbow Dash I plan to be especially honest and open with.” Twilight said seriously, and Scrivener glowered at her before Luna giggled childishly, earning a flat look from both ponies. “Do you have to turn everything into a sex joke?”

“Yes. Yes I do.” Luna replied cheerfully, nodding and grinning over at Twilight before she tipped the violet mare a wink, then it toned down to a soft, honest smile as she bowed her head forwards and added quietly: “Thou art brave and good, Twilight Sparkle. I thank thee.”

“No, I thank... both of you. For letting me share this with you.” Twilight replied quietly, bowing her head back with a faint smile before she opened her eyes, saying softly: “I love you both, Luna, Scrivener. You're my friends, and my family. And I'm going to do everything in my power to always preserve that.”

“Then so shall we. Although it may be more than a bit of selfishness and ego upon our end to hope that no handsome stallion nor any pretty mare comes along to spoil our fun and steal thee away from us, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna replied warmly, and then she closed her eyes and added quietly: “Thou hast all the love my heart can give thee, as well.”

“Yeah. Same here.” Scrivener said softly, before he rolled his eyes when Twilight looked at him pointedly, the stallion smiling amusedly. “Alright, alright, pushy. I love you too, happy?”

“Only because I know you well enough to know when you're just trying not to be embarrassed.” Twilight smiled warmly back, then she stepped forwards, trading a tight embrace with Luna, then with Scrivener, before she drew back and nodded firmly once. “Okay. I'm ready.”

“Then 'tis time to return home.” Luna nodded, and Twilight smiled as she strode to Scrivener Blooms' other side, turning around as all three ponies faced ahead and dropped their heads in unison, the horns of the winged unicorns glowing as Scrivener fed his strength forwards into Luna's magic as well, and the three moved in almost perfect time together, Twilight imagining her heart beating in rhythm with theirs, her soul flowing with Scrivener and Luna's... and she smiled radiantly; not at the ease with which the Bifrost was summoned and opened, but at the connection she felt to the ponies she loved as friend and family beside her.

Rocky Horror Nightmare Night

Chapter Thirty Two: Rocky Horror Nightmare Night
~BlackRoseRaven

It was Nightmare Night – or, to be more precise, it was three in the afternoon on the day Nightmare Night took place – and Luna was gleefully running around Ponyville, already getting bribes of candy from total strangers and swearing to bring Helheim to anypony who didn't properly appease her on this, the most wonderful night of the year.

Scrivener Blooms was looking after Antares in the library, letting Scarlet Sage run damage control as she scurried after her mother, trying to convince her to at least wait until the evening before she started causing mayhem, and Celestia and Twilight were going over the plans for a special defense system that Greece had come up with, with the help of Cowlick and some of the other engineers. The design was very simple: it was little more than a high-pressure sprinkler system, but if it worked, it would be enough to protect Ponyville with a curtain of water in case any monsters from Clockwork World attempted to attack.

Scrivener Blooms rolled onto his side and smiled amusedly as Antares Mīrus ran across the room, yelling wildly but going completely ignored by the other ponies. Twilight looked a little grumpy at the loudness and hyperactivity of Antares, but Celestia and Greece both looked completely unfettered, and Scrivener honestly admired their ability to concentrate before Antares crashed loudly into a pile of pillows and sheets, sending them flying in every direction before he giggled brightly and shouted happily from beneath them: “Candy!”

“Yes, Antares. But we're only going to let you have a few pieces of candy a day.” Scrivener paused, then corrected as Antares began to wiggle out of the pile: “Well, I'm only going to let you have a few pieces of candy a day. I'm pretty sure your mother doesn't understand most ponies can't actually live off sugar.”

“Sugar.” Antares parroted, and then the foal frowned as he sat up before he shook his head quickly out and asked curiously: “Gymbr?”

“Uh...” Scrivener looked back and forth for the doll, then shrugged when he didn't see it, glancing over towards the table and asking: “Did any of you see Gymbr around or do any poking at him?”

“No, he was right at the edge of the table last time I checked... perhaps he's gone for a walk.” Celestia said after a moment, leaning to the side, and Scrivener snorted in amusement, earning a curious look from the ivory winged unicorn.

The stallion only smiled in return, however, giving her a look, and Celestia caught on a moment later, laughing quietly and nodding. “You're right, it is strange how fast we've all... gotten used to the idea that sometimes Gymbr likes to leave us now and then. But it's also possible that Discombobulation slipped in to take him... he's very fond of the toy, after all.”

Scrivener nodded, looking down as Antares burbled and turned his attention back to the pillows, leaping into the pile as the stallion said thoughtfully: “I'm starting to wonder if 'fond' is the right word or not. I think... it's more that he finds Gymbr... interesting. Or confusing.”

Celestia nodded slowly, then she frowned a bit as she glanced towards the window before wincing as there was a loud bang outside, Greece and Twilight both looking up stupidly before Antares poked his head out of the blankets and said cheerfully: “Mommy!”

“Yes, that's a sure sign of your mother.” Scrivener said tiredly, and there was another loud bang a moment later, this time close enough to rattle the windows before the library door was thrown open and Luna leapt inside, grinning brightly and with two large satchel bags filled with candy as her eyes gleamed in delight.

“Cowlick did not have candy, beloved, but the day is not yet lost, as she has instead promised me a bag of fireworks.” Luna declared cheerfully, and Scrivener groaned and grabbed at his face as Antares scampered towards his mother, before the foal's eyes widened in delight when Luna's horn glowed and lifted a chocolate bar out of the bag, tossing this easily through the air towards her son. “Dig in, my handsome child! 'Tis the most wonderful of nights!”

“No.” Scrivener said flatly, walking past Luna... but Antares hurriedly grabbed the chocolate bar in his sharp teeth and turned to bolt for the safety of the pillows and blankets, Luna gleefully clapping her front hooves together and earning a glower from the charcoal stallion. “Luna! He's going to get sick, and probably a cavity or two if you keep this up. He's a year old. You don't give babies chocolate bars.”

“Baby! No baby!” Antares said staunchly from where he was half-hidden beneath a sheet, and then he bit loudly into the still-wrapped chocolate bar, Scrivener sighing and turning towards the colt as Luna winced a little. “Candy?”

“I... oh, here.” Scrivener grumbled a little as he walked over to his son, Antares looking up at him with a bright smile as the earth pony reached down and pulled the candy away. He tore off the wrapper, then paused before snapping the chocolate bar in half, handing the side Antares had already bitten into down to his son and making him burble in delight as he greedily stuffed it into his mouth.

Scrivener bit into the other half, chewing slowly as Luna huffed at him and mumbled: “Grand hypocrite. But oh, yes, Antares' costume. I regret that I shan't be able to be as mischievous this year as I was before with taking my handsome son out gathering candy... but there shall still be plenty of time later tonight to enjoy a more mature party as well, as I believe is being planned at Sugar Cube Corners.”

“Because you spent all that time harassing Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie, yes.” Scrivener said dryly, looking mildly over at her before he tossed the last of the chocolate bar into his muzzle, saying around it: “And the only reason any of us are going and we allowed you to do this at all is because it's the only way to make sure you'll stay out of trouble for tonight.”

“Oh, there is no way to keep me out of trouble. Thou art all fools.” Luna scoffed, and then she grinned across at Antares as he bounced happily on the spot, chewing loudly on the chocolate bar. “And thou shall be just like me, mark my words, handsome Antares!”

Scrivener mumbled something in response to this, and then Celestia looked up and asked finally: “Luna, not to step on any hooves, but was it really so intelligent to choose a Tyrant Wyrm as your child's costume?”

“Yes. Yes it was. He will match Scrivener.” Luna said kindly, and Celestia stared for a moment before the sapphire winged unicorn grinned widely, bouncing cheerfully towards her older sibling as she asked in an all-too-friendly voice: “And what about thou, my beloved sister? Has thou settled upon a particular costume, or decided to let me choose for thee?”

Celestia slowly blinked at this, cocking her head, and Luna nodded seriously a few times before she grinned widely and said easily: “I have the perfect costume in mind for thee, sister! 'Twill be but a very simple polymorph, too.”

At this, Celestia paled slightly, leaning back and shaking her head hurriedly as she replied awkwardly: “Luna, you... you know I'm not very fond of your polymorph spells. At all. Besides, I have no intent or plans to go out tonight to gather candy, and I figured that someone should stay here, anyway, in case Odin returns from Valhalla or a messenger from the Norns comes...”

But Luna only scoffed at this, then she looked pointedly at Greece, who winced a little before she asked seriously: “Does thou have a costume?”

“I... yes?” Greece said awkwardly, leaning back a little, and Luna frowned at him before the Nibelung hurriedly rose a finger. “It's a pirate costume. Cowlick made me do it because she and Ross are being pirates too, and they wanted to show up with a uh... a 'crew' at the party, I believe.”

“Oh, is that so?” Luna cocked her head curiously, and Greece sighed in relief, nodding before the sapphire winged unicorn grinned slightly. “Then I order thee to go home, put on thy costume, and return here. Thou shalt be looking after the library in the early eve while myself, Scrivener Blooms, Twilight Sparkle, and Celestia take our beloved Antares Mīrus out to discover the miracle that is trick-or-treating.”

For a few moments, Greece only looked awkwardly up at the winged unicorn, then he sighed a little and slumped, rubbing at his face and mumbling: “There's no point in arguing with you fancy-corn, is there?”

“I would say it may have the opposite effect, and thou shalt end up being a burnt-swine instead of a boatswain.” Luna replied cheerfully, and Greece winced, then fell backwards out of his chair when the winged unicorn lunged suddenly forwards and bared her sharp teeth in a fanged grin. “Unless thou desires to be my delicious dinner!”

“No, no, going!” Greece winced from the ground, waving his hands quickly before he leapt to his feet and ran for the door, and Luna cackled loudly. Antares stared up at her, then attempted to mimic this, and Luna grinned down at her foal with bright eyes before she threw her head back and spread out her forelegs, laughing maliciously as lightning sizzled through her mane and tail.

Antares tried to mimic her and succeeded only in falling over even as he continued to giggle madly, and Scrivener slowly turned away and walked over to the pile of cushions, carefully wiggling under the blankets in a vain attempt to hide as Celestia and Twilight only stared at the sapphire winged unicorn. Then, as Luna finally calmed, the ivory equine sighed and said tiredly: “I hate how you get around Nightmare Night.”

“Oh shut up, Celestia. Every day used to be Celestia Day with thee, how does thou think I felt?” Luna asked crossly, but older sibling only fixed the sapphire mare with a dour glare before Luna flailed her hooves at the air. “This is my special day! 'Tis the one day I implore all of thee to go along with my schemes and fun, truly is this so much to ask?”

“I... I suppose not.” Celestia said finally, then she dropped her head forwards, shaking it moodily out. “Please don't make this experience too painful for me.”

“Oh, shush, doesn't thou want to be there with Antares? Doesn't thou desire to see all the happy foals, collecting candy for themselves and for me?” Luna asked positively, leaning forwards and grinning brightly, and Celestia only looked grumpily up at her before Luna added cheerfully: “Twilight Sparkle is going to be dressed up too! 'Twill all be good fun!”

Celestia cocked her head at this, and Twilight blushed and nodded awkwardly, saying finally: “I thought I mentioned it, but... I'm going to go as... well...”

She blushed a little, and Celestia frowned a bit before Luna leaned forwards, shaking her head with a wide grin. “Nay, nay, leave it as a surprise! And Scrivener Blooms I shall polymorph, and I...” Luna paused meditatively, licking her teeth thoughtfully. “I have not quite decided what I shall go as. I shall perhaps go as myself.”

“Psychopath is always a popular costume because you don't have to dress up.” Scrivener muttered, raising his head, and Luna huffed before flicking her horn, and a pillow flew up and slapped Scrivener across the face, making him wince as his glasses were knocked flying off.

He grumbled as he turned to pick these up, and Luna smiled warmly around the room as Celestia closed her eyes and then shut the book in front of her, saying finally: “Then at least don't take all the poor foals' candy.”

“Oh, as if I would ever take all their candy, even I am not so greedy as that.” Luna grumbled, and then she glanced over at Antares as the baby burbled and happily began to run around in a circle. “Come, my handsome colt, 'tis time to fit thee in thy costume!”

Antares giggled at this, and Luna smiled warmly as Scrivener sat back and watched as Luna scooped the foal up to carry him easily down the hall and towards Celestia's room, where the baby bag and Antares' other things had been thrown to keep them out of the way. Some twenty minutes later, Luna returned with Antares looking irritable, scowling out from the open, snarling jaws of a golden-scaled monstrosity, and Twilight snorted in amusement as Luna gently patted the foal on the back between the three sets of plastic cones jutting up from them. Celestia grimaced at the plastic blue eyes and the cheap-looking gnarled horns standing out of the creature's head, and the rainbow-maned mare couldn't help but comment dryly: “I again can't help but question your choice in costumes, little sister. I believe this would be akin to dressing up as a unicorn paladin after the crusades to... well, what was once the east.”

“Well, too bad.” Luna grumbled, then she looked pointedly over at Scrivener Blooms, her horn beginning to glow even as the earth pony winced and attempted to hide under a blanket. “Oh, get out from there! 'Twill take but a moment, thou art easy for me to polymorph, particularly into this shape.”

Celestia frowned at this, but before she could say anything, Luna closed her eyes and dropped her head forwards, her horn glowing brighter as Scrivener gave a muffled curse from behind the blanket. Visibly, the blanket humped up as Scrivener's body grew a little larger, the male flailing his limbs a little, then falling still as Antares cocked his head curiously, still frowning a bit as he gazed towards the shape of his father before Scrivener said awkwardly: “I'm not coming out. And you can't make me, Luna.”

Luna simply huffed and flicked her horn hard to the side in response, the blankets and pillows flying in all directions in a telekinetic burst strong enough to knock Scrivener sprawling as a long, serpentine tail snapped outwards and hooves and a single claw flailed at the air, and Celestia and Twilight both leaned back in shock. They stared as Scrivener slowly, awkwardly crawled up to his hooves and single claw, looking embarrassed as he rubbed at his half-pony, half-Tyrant Wyrm features.

The sapphire winged unicorn smiled brightly at this, and Scrivener sighed after a moment, dropping his head and looking almost ashamed as he muttered: “This isn't what I really meant when I said we could 'maybe try this again' sometime, Luna. Putting my psyche on display is not cool.”

“Daddy.” Antares said softly, and he bounded over to his father, looking curiously up at him as Scrivener smiled lamely and looked awkwardly back down at his son. Then the foal simply smiled back, and he bounced a bit on the spot before reaching out and hugging his father's clawed limb tightly, making the male laugh a little and relax slightly even as he tossed a nervous glance at Celestia and Twilight.

But Twilight was only gazing at him softly, and Celestia currently had a sour look fixed on Luna, who was blushing a little before she dropped her head embarrassedly when the older sibling asked mildly: “Perhaps you went just a little bit far, little sister. I hope you don't have similar plans for me.”

“No, no, I do not even know what thine inner mind looks like and do not wish to. 'Tis probably some great and terrible monster made of clockwork and fire, not entirely unlike that mechanical golem that Cowlick and Greece so treasure.” Luna replied awkwardly, and then she winked over at Celestia as her horn began to glow, saying kindly: “I have a much simpler change in mind for thee.”

“Wait, wait!” Celestia began, and then she winced when Luna's horn glowed brightly and she dropped it forwards, wincing as blue mist swirled up violently over her. Celestia cursed under her breath, fighting the urge to immediately dispel Luna's magic before she was left sitting back... and Twilight gasped and winced as Antares and Scrivener both looked up, then glared at Luna, who was only smiling amiably once more.

Celestia frowned across at her sister, then slowly looked down at a hoof with her amethyst irises. She frowned at the sight of the larger, blue guards that now covered her shin and hoof, and her black coat- wait, my... oh no.

“Luna.” Celestia slowly closed her eyes as a mane of not rainbow color, but sapphire starlight swirled slowly backwards, electricity sparking through this as Twilight continued to gape at the sight: except for her telltale amethyst eyes, Celestia was now a perfect copy of... “Why did you turn me into Nightmare Moon?”

“Oh, I did not turn thee into Nightmare Moon that is, I turned thee into Nightmare Moon that was. Well, thou shalt have to change thy peytral, of course.” Luna pointed at the golden plate resting over Celestia's breast, and Celestia only glowered in return to her younger sibling. “Oh come now, Celestia! 'Tis a perfect costume for thee!”

The ivory winged unicorn glowered moodily for a few moments at her younger sibling, and then she sighed and nodded slowly, her now-black horn giving a soft golden glow as it lifted the peytral plate carefully free from around her neck, Luna looking delighted as Celestia put this gently down on the table and asked tiredly: “So should I practice my evil laugh and start stealing candy from foals?”

“Well, 'twould be nice, aye, but it is also not completely necessary.” Luna said cheerfully, waving a hoof easily before she winked over at Twilight. “Go and put on thine own costume, my beautiful mare. And I shall don mine own, as well.”

Twilight nodded awkwardly, slipping out of her seat and giving Celestia a shrug and a smile as Luna looked cheerfully around the room, then huffed a bit when Antares and Scrivener both glowered at her, saying grumpily: “Now I truly do see the resemblance. See, Celestia? Like father, like son.”

“Yes, I agree. And I hope Antares continues to follow in the hoofsteps of his responsible parent.” Celestia said mildly, and Luna's jaw dropped before she struggled for a retort, but then Celestia calmly stood up from the table and smiled to herself as she strode towards the corridor, asking curiously: “Would you like a cup of tea, Scrivener Blooms? I'm going to put one on for myself.”

Scrivener smiled at her and nodded... and when Twilight returned, she found Luna sulking with Antares curled up in front of her, the foal curled up on a cushion and half-asleep as his mother rubbed gently along his back. Scrivener and Celestia, meanwhile, were quietly talking at the table, but they both looked up and smiled as Twilight embarrassedly came down the steps before the Nightmare Moon-disguised equine rose a hoof and said slowly: “You're a Lich.”

“How'd you guess?” Twilight blushed deeply as she halted at the base of the stairs, reaching up to rub at the false stitching pasted across her face: it, along with the other false stitches that went over her body here and there, weren't pasted on the straightest or the most realistically... but combined with the simple polymorph spell she had done to make her teeth look sharper and the tattered cape hanging around her shoulders to let her show off the Y-shaped stitching over her body, she thought it made her look suitably creepy. But how Celestia had guessed...

Celestia could only laugh faintly, shrugging slowly in return before she rubbed awkwardly at her throat, and Twilight frowned a bit, mimicking the gesture before they both hesitantly smiled a little. Scrivener Blooms studied the two curiously, and then Twilight hurriedly shook her head, walking down the last of the stairs and saying embarrassedly: “It's not... the best costume in the world, maybe, the cape doesn't feel quite right and I don't... I mean, well...”

“I think it's very good. It gives me quite a surprising chill, in any event.” Celestia replied quietly, and Twilight blushed a little and bowed her head forwards even as she smiled a bit. For a few moments, there was silence, and then the now-black-coated winged unicorn shook her head quickly and looked pointedly over at Luna. “But what about your costume, little sister?”

“Oh fine, fine.” Luna huffed, and then she gently patted Antares twice before running out of the room and into the corridor. Even Antares looked up curiously as there was a growing rumble for a moment, then a sizzling sound... and a moment later, a grinning Sleipnir cheerfully ran out of the corridor before striking a pose, Scrivener's jaw falling open and Celestia sipping slowly at her tea and looking as if she was waiting for the punchline of a bad joke as Twilight shook her head dumbly, and Luna declared proudly through her polymorphed jaws: “I am Sleipnir the Mighty!”

“Mommy Sleipnir?” Antares said dubiously, and Celestia choked on her tea, clearing her throat quickly and putting the teacup down before shaking her head out as Luna giggled stupidly, shaking her – Oh god, wait, his? Scrivener thought stupidly – mane of vines quickly out; they were perhaps a bit too long, and glinted with what seemed like sparkles and glitter instead of gemstones... but that was only one of a few minor details that were off. Luna's sharp teeth and midnight cyan eyes and gleeful voice also spoke to her true nature, but apart from that...

“Oh god.” Scrivener grabbed at his head, and then Luna half-lidded her – his? His? – eyes at him, and Scrivener winced and hurriedly ducked behind the table, shaking his head as Antares giggled and clapped a few times eagerly. “No, no, don't even think about it!”

“Scrivener Blooms, I long for a kiss!” Luna called cheerfully, leaping around the table, and Scrivener winced, scurrying to the side before the not-Sleipnir grinned, a distinct, horn-shaped glow spilling through the air in front of him along an invisible spire, and Scrivener winced as he felt telekinetic bands begin to wrap around him...

He was saved, however, by the door being thrown open and Cowlick marching in with a wide grin, a patch over one eye, her bandanna and piercings going perfectly with her rugged costume as Scrivener realized dumbly that she had likely just chosen the thing she needed to do the least amount of work for... and then the transformed pony's eyes widened when Cowlick yanked a rifle off her back, all eyes staring as she shouted cheerfully: “To the bottom of the sea with you, you scurvy bastard!”

Scrivener stared at the rifle before Cowlick fired a round into him, and he was knocked sprawling on his back with a yelp, feeling like he'd just been punched as Sleipnir-Luna staggered backwards with a grunt of surprise, shouting: “What in the name of Helheim did thou just shoot my husband with?”

“Rubber bullet. Hurts like hell, but it ain't lethal.” Cowlick said easily, as Ross and Greece poked their heads awkwardly in, both dressed in pirating gear as well before Luna stared stupidly as Cowlick took aim down the rifle at her. “Besides, was just to figure out which one was you. Now hand over all your candy, or I'll be popping one of these right into your head!”

“Scurvy bastard!” Antares parroted, and Cowlick stared dumbly down at the foal before he giggled brightly, bouncing on the spot, and then Luna glared furiously at Cowlick before flicking her horn, yanking the rifle out of the earth pony engineer's hooves and then bringing it down to whack her firmly between the ears with it.

Cowlick cursed and flopped onto her face, grabbing at her head with a wince as Ross squeaked, and then Luna-Sleipnir huffed and tossed the gun aside, saying dourly: “Cowlick, the only reason thou art still alive is because there are witnesses here and I require Greece to stay in the library. Now apologize to my husband. And Antares, that is a no word. No.”

Antares looked curiously up at his mother as Scrivener sat up with a wheeze, rubbing at a large bruise forming on his chest as Cowlick grinned lamely over at him, but the half-wyrm, half-pony only waved a hoof tiredly, dismissing the need for an apology before Ross finally bounced into the room and asked worriedly: “Just playing, right Cowlick? Just playing?”

“Just playing, calm on down, Ross, ain't nothing bad going on here.” Cowlick replied with a smile, even as she rubbed at her skull and glared at Luna, who glared back before the earth pony mare asked sourly: “So tell me. Does that count as putting your costume on or taking it off?”

“Definitely taking it off.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna gave him a consternated look as Celestia hid a smile behind a hoof and Twilight snorted in amusement. “Well, Sleipnir did have a lot of influence on you. Sometimes I really do think you're just a stallion in a costume.”

“I... often think... the opposite of thee.” Luna retorted lamely, then she huffed when Scrivener only gave her an amused look. “Oh shut up, Scrivener Blooms, thou knows precisely what I meant.”

“You're still pretty.” Ross supplied kindly, and Luna sighed but nodded in agreement before she looked thoughtfully over the unicorn as he smiled brightly, bounding forwards and gazing almost reverently over the gathered ponies. “Look at everypony, Cowlick! They're all dressed up... they never let us do that at the center, no oh no, and they didn't ever let us do that in Manehattan either, did they? They didn't!”

“Nope, they had real sticks crammed up their...” Cowlick cleared her throat as Antares' eyes turned towards her, grinning lamely before she blinked and leaned down, then groaned and slapped her forehead, giving Luna a sour look as Greece strode carefully into the library and gently closed the door behind him, as if trying to remain stealthy. “Dammit, Luna, is he supposed to be a Tyrant Wyrm? Why didn't you just dress up as... I dunno, Fafnir or Valthrudnir?”

“The thought did occur.” Luna said seriously, and Cowlick gave her a glare before Luna winked and leaned forwards, waggling her eyebrows. “But I have been practicing for weeks to dress up as my brother! 'Tis a very accurate costume, by the way.”

“Sister, please. Cowlick has a gun.” Celestia said tiredly, and the engineer grunted in agreement as she swept this up, then flicked the safety on before shoving it back into the rope and rawhide holster on her back. “Speaking of which, Kilby Kwolek, Greece and I could use a little bit of help in-”

But Cowlick only held up her hooves, smiling slightly as she interrupted courteously: “With all respect, Baroness Celestia, I've been working my flank off in the engineering labs for the last few weeks, and if you already have Greece working with you on what I'm guessing is the giant sprinkler system, then you're good to go. For tonight, I personally am much more interested in grabbing up candy, and am officially off the clock.”

Celestia nodded hesitantly after a moment as Luna grinned widely, and then Cowlick winked over at Greece as he awkwardly adjusted the pirate hat he was wearing before he tugged nervously at the bandolier going across the rumpled shirt over his chest. “Excellent, then, glad we're all understanding each other, right Greece? I promised Ross I'd let him run around a little, though, and since you guys aren't being any fun, I'm going to go see the early birds, the little kids. Wait, you wanna come with us, Luna?”

“Oh, 'tis no fun for foals to gather candy in the afternoon, we must at least wait until sundown!” Luna scoffed, nodding firmly a few times, and Scrivener shrugged meditatively before the Sleipnir-disguised pony rose her head and said firmly: “Were it up to me, the whole day would be spent in darkness, just to maximize the chances for delight and mischief!”

Twilight shook her head with amusement as Scrivener grumbled something, and then Celestia sighed and said dryly: “And here I thought I was supposed to be Nightmare Moon today.”

“Oh shush, Celestia, lest I pummel thee. Or worse, do what Sleipnir would have done and laugh, make a joke at thy expense, then throttled thee in a playful headlock.” Luna retorted, and the currently black-coated winged unicorn nodded moodily before Luna smiled over at Greece and Cowlick. “Then go with my blessing, friends, but do return quickly. And do not shoot any foals Cowlick, nor threaten them with thy rifle.”

“Oh, I ain't that bad. I'm gonna try and shoot Pinkamena, though, and maybe Dash if he's flying around and dressed up as a Shadowbolt for the umpteenth year in a row. Dude has no creativity.” Cowlick winked, and Luna snorted in amusement before the earth pony mare nudged Ross firmly. “Come on, handsome. You remember what to say?”

“Nightmare Night, what a fright, give us something good to bite!” Ross replied eagerly, nodding a few times as he gazed warmly at Cowlick, happily trotting after her as she turned to leave. “I haven't done this before, never not ever... this is so exciting, Cowlick!”

“I know, I know, keep your pants on, Ross.” Cowlick said kindly, and then she laughed when Ross looked curiously over his shoulders at the puffy pantaloons he was wearing. “Not like that! Metaphor, handsome, metaphor. Remember we've been workin' on that?”

Ross smiled at her as they left the library, and Luna looked after the two with a quiet laugh before she grinned slightly over at Scrivener Blooms. “'Tis strange. They remind me greatly of us, in a few odd ways. Although of course thou art far more unpleasant and disagreeable than friendly and ingenious Ross, and thou certainly requires much more attention and care. Why can't thou do math and be nice, Scrivy?”

“Oh, I don't know.” Scrivener replied dryly, raising his claw and flexing it slowly as he looked moodily down at this. “Might have a little something to do with this. The whole 'murderous psychopath' angle I sometimes play and everything.”

Luna grunted in agreement as Twilight gave the stallion a soft look and Celestia smiled a little in spite of herself, then Luna shook her head quickly and grinned over at Greece, who was studying her awkwardly. “What? Does thou not like my costume?”

“No, no, fancy-corn, it's uh... just... odd.” Greece said awkwardly, leaning back and lamely rubbing at his own buccaneer outfit nervously. “This whole... Nightmare Night concept is odd, as a matter of fact. Why are we dressing up to celebrate and honor the very things we uh... well...”

“Revile?” Luna asked sourly, looking grumpily across at the dwarf, who cleared his throat and shrugged embarrassedly. “Because, 'tis fun. And I will be honest; this year, real demons, Nightmares, and so-called monsters will be wandering through Ponyville alongside the costumed revelers... it shall be a good exercise for all the ponies. Fear not, though, I have already discussed this with Celestia, who went about the tedious task of discussing it with Mayor Mare and the proper authorities.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded awkwardly, and Celestia glanced up hesitantly, looking for a moment as if she wanted to point something out, but she was interrupted when the library door flew open and Scarlet Sage staggered in with a wheeze, looking tiredly back and forth before staring at her Sleipnir-disguised mother, who looked back before grinning brightly and asking: “Does thou have thy costume ready? We are all in costume!”

Scarlet Sage looked slowly, awkwardly around the room, and then she winced a little before turning her eyes forwards and saying lamely: “Uh... Mom. What am I supposed to even dress up as? I know that Nightmare Night is really important to you and everything but...”

“You can be anything you want to be, just turn yourself into anything you think that you could ever be.” suggested a kind voice, and all eyes turned to watch as Discombobulation calmly strode in through the archway leading towards the back room, a calm smile on his face, a cup of tea in one hand and a casual blue suit on his body. “Be free with your tempo, be free, be free... surrender your ego, be free, be free to yourself.”

“What?” Scarlet Sage asked lamely, and then she frowned a bit when the Draconequus shrugged and slowly sipped at his tea. “And what about you?”

“Oh, this costume works for many things. Right now, you see, I'm a psychic. Well, not really a psychic. More of a tortured fraud with a certain knack for reading visual cues and spitting out the right pieces of information, it's the management's favorite obsession right now.” Discombobulation replied seriously, gesturing absently upwards with his teacup before he absently tossed this aside, and it vanished in a puff before he flicked his other hand out, a cane appearing in it that he easily leaned on. “Now I'm an immensely talented but horribly-distempered doctor. Do you see a theme developing here? I have to say that I certainly do. Oh, the things we long for but can never have...”

“What art thou talking about? These things aren't terrifying! Thou needs to be something scary!” Luna said grouchily, glaring over at the Draconequus.

“They're very scary if you don't have health insurance, if you committed a crime, if you have secrets to hide, or worst of all, if you're sensitive and easily hurt by harsh words.” Discombobulation replied seriously, and then he pointed the cane at her, adding mildly: “It's much better than your costume, by the way. Costumes are supposed to be fictional characters or extremely offensive real people.”

“Bah, Sleipnir was a hero! And furthermore, he qualifies as both a pony few believe exist, and more importantly, as a pony who was extremely offensive. Why, he chased thee down a rabbit hole, did he not?” Luna winked, licking her lips at this. “Although perhaps that was naught but terror driven more by secret lust than anything else.”

“Thank you, but we were questioning the sexual preferences of our fellows in Ginnugagap long before it was the cool and hip thing to do.” Discombobulation replied dryly, then he spun his cane easily at his side before leaping up and clicking his heels together, vanishing in a puff of neon smoke. Still, his voice echoed around them a moment later, even as the mist cleared: “And we all fell down the rabbit hole a long time ago, Scrivener Blooms... perhaps where I really went was back up to the surface, not down into the depths.”

Twilight grimaced a little as she glanced up moodily, and Luna huffed a bit before firmly shaking out her glittering mane of vines, returning her attention to where Scarlet Sage was now curiously looking over both Celestia and her father. “That is not thy mother, I am. Even if right now I likely look more like a father than a mother, but looks are of no consequence. Besides, Sleipnir was always much more a maternal figure than a paternal one, I kid thee not.”

Celestia only sighed a little as Scarlet Sage smiled a bit, glancing towards Twilight even as she asked curiously: “Why did you polymorph them, Mom? You're... you're not going to polymorph me, right?”

“Not if thou has a suitable costume.” Luna replied mildly, and the Pegasus winced a little, making Luna grin widely before she glanced down as Antares burbled and twitched a little on the cushion. “Yes, child?”

Then Antares loudly threw up, and Luna stared in horror as Scrivener sighed as the toddler began to whimper, the male mumbling and heading towards the kitchen as Twilight and Celestia both winced. “I'll get the stuff to clean up... Luna, help him sit up. And no more candy, at least not until tonight.”

“Damnation.” Luna grumbled, carefully helping Antares up as she rubbed a large hoof soothingly over her son's back. Scarlet Sage and Celestia strode over to look down at the foal with concern when he whimpered again before beginning to cry quietly as Twilight hurried off to help Scrivener.

It didn't take too long to calm Antares down, although he kept spitting to try and clear his mouth out until Scarlet Sage finally fetched him a glass of water and helped the foal rinse it. Then he spat it out onto Twilight's floor, and Luna sighed as she gently chastised him, looking embarrassed even as Twilight smiled awkwardly and Scrivener grumbled and cleaned the mess hurriedly up.

Greece lingered nervously with Celestia, neither knowing quite what to do, but when everything calmed down, the Nightmare Moon-disguised equine was glad to help look after Antares while Luna went to clean herself up, grumbling that if she really was Sleipnir this kind of thing would never happen.

In the kitchen, she found Scrivener emptying the cleaning bucket out, and she smiled embarrassedly at him before he shrugged and smiled a little in return, saying finally: “Please just take this as a sign that not everything that ponies say about taking care of kids is nonsense, alright?”

“Alright, alright. No more chocolate or candy until poor, sweet Antares is feeling better.” Luna grumbled, holding up her hooves and nodding with an apprehensive smile, and then she sighed a little, gazing meditatively over Scrivener before she asked finally: “Does thou think Sleipnir would make a better parent than I?”

“I... where did that come from?” Scrivener snorted in amusement, then he paused before adding dryly, glancing towards the sink: “Also, Sleipnir is up in the Vale of Valhalla. Or castle of Valhalla. Or whatever the hell Valhalla really is. My point is that it's hard to be a parent when you're dead.”

“Yes, but... it is different. Thou knows it is different, that he gains special privilege as Odin's son.” Luna said quietly, almost desperately, and Scrivener looked at her with surprise, making her blush a bit as she glanced away and hesitated for a few long moments before she finally said softly: “Yes, Scrivy. I wish for it. Every day, I wish that he could... return to this world. Be granted asylum here, a second chance... did not so many others get a second chance? Why cannot he? 'Twas... 'twas not fair that he was taken away...”

Luna closed her eyes, lowering her head forwards, and Scrivener softened, looking at her for a few moments before he finally smiled faintly and reached up, touching her shoulder quietly as he answered her former question gently: “Sleipnir would be a good father... but you are a good mother. Kids need... good mothers, I think.” Scrivener smiled a little. “Besides, look at who would be the potential mother.”

Luna laughed at this, shaking her head slowly as she said softly: “I look forwards to seeing Pinkamena tonight. As a matter of fact...” She grinned slightly, winking at him as she brightened visibly. “I have plans, as it so stands, to sneak into Pinkamena's treasure trove... like all demons, she is something of a hoarder.”

“I thought that was dragons.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna huffed, looking at him pointedly. “Well, I know Pinkamena's demonic affiliation is not with greed...”

“She is the opposite of narcissistic or materialistic, whatever else it may seem, aye.” Luna said with a slight smile, looking entertained. “Come now, Scrivener Blooms! 'Tis obvious!”

“Yes, well, it never seemed polite to guess at.” Scrivener said dryly, turning to head back down the corridor as Luna trotted along at his side, her mood visibly lightening even as the stallion continued mildly: “And either way, you shouldn't just decide to break in and rifle through another pony's things... especially when those private things have to do with your brother. What if you find something you don't like?”

The Sleipnir-shaped pony looked thoughtful at this as they emerged back into the library, and then she glanced over towards Celestia, asking curiously: “Sister, what should I do in the event that I discover something unpleasant in Pinkamena's letters to my brother?”

“I would recommend simply not looking at them.” Celestia said tiredly, as Scarlet Sage shook her head slowly and Twilight only smiled wryly from where she was quietly reading a story to Antares. “But as I'm well-aware you won't listen to reason, sister, I would say to keep in mind all the things you've done yourself over your lifetime, as well as the fact that essentially no matter what we say or do to Sleipnir, he's still always going to be... Sleipnir.”

“That is the way of our brother, aye.” Luna agreed thoughtfully, and then she glanced pointedly at Scarlet Sage. “Costume?”

“Mom, seriously.” the Pegasus complained, but when Luna only continued to look at her, she sighed tiredly and rubbed at her forehead slowly. “Alright, alright. I'm going over to Red's, then. She was kind of worried this would happen so she said she would put something together for me just in case.”

“Thou had best not be going over there simply to make out with her. I shall know if this is the truth.” Luna said blandly, and Scarlet Sage turned beet red, staring stupidly at her mother for a moment as Celestia slowly dropped her face against a hoof and Twilight stuttered in her reading. Even Scrivener creakily looked at Luna, but the Sleipnir-disguised equine only gave a wide, cheerful grin, saying kindly: “I accept and love thee, daughter. This is my way of showing acceptance and love. Furthermore, thou should know that 'tis very obvious that-”

“I'm going now.” Scarlet said in a strangled voice, turning hurriedly around and bolting out the door, and Luna looked thoughtfully after her before Scrivener grumbled under his breath, his single large wing stretching out and flapping once before he joined the others at the table. Luna began to turn towards them, and then Antares scowled at her, followed by most of the table, so instead she whined loudly in her throat before huffing and spinning around to storm over to Greece, obviously intent on causing as much trouble as she could get away with.

It wasn't long before a knock came at the door, and Luna cheerfully bounced over to answer it even as Twilight began to stand up. The Sleipnir-disguised pony cheerfully stared out at the foals beyond standing with their parents, dressed up in costumes that varied from a bedsheet with holes cut into it to a surprisingly well-done replica of a Phooka. For a few moments, Luna looked over them all, then she cleared her throat before Scrivener winced and covered his ears, then Luna leaned forwards and shouted cheerfully in an echoing, powerful voice: “And what do thee desire, my beloved friends, upon this most glorious of nights?”

The foals were almost knocked over by the force of the sound as the parents skidded backwards, staring in shock before the children held their bags out, and Celestia sighed as she pushed away from the table, heading over to the doorway and saying flatly: “Luna, really, you-”

“Nightmare Moon!” shouted one of the foals, and the ponies all squealed before they bolted away as Celestia leaned awkwardly out the door, staring stupidly. Luna grinned brightly, looking almost excitedly out through the open door before she looked back at Celestia, then she fell over, cackling gleefully at the look of surprise and confusion on the black-coated winged unicorn's face.

Then Celestia sighed, reminded herself of the costume she was in, and Luna shook her head out before grinning brightly as she stuck her head back outside to look up at the reddish sky above, saying excitedly: “Look, look! The sun is finally setting, 'tis almost time for the real delights to begin! Oh, I have such a wonderful evening planned!”

The others looked apprehensively at the disguised winged unicorn as Greece only sighed in relief, walking over to the table and smiling across at Twilight Sparkle as she said awkwardly: “You know, uh... if you wanted to go out, I can stay here...”

“No, no, by all means. Have fun with the fancy-corn, I encourage it. I am very glad to stay here and hand out candy.” Greece replied with a smile and a wink, and Twilight glowered at him as Scrivener gave the dwarf an amused look in spite of himself. “Besides, to me, this is all very strange anyway. Again, it seems almost like worship of the things we once fought against...”

“As if that is any different than what occurs with any conquering civilization.” Luna scoffed, and then she grinned brightly, looking out the door and waving wildly as Fluttershy awkwardly walked by with a group of Phooka in tow. “Fluttershy! Where is thy costume?”

Fluttershy blushed at this, looking in confusion towards the library before she stared in disbelief at the stallion, but then Luna laughed and one of the Phooka slipped closer to the blonde-coated Pegasus and seemed to whisper to her, and the mare nodded hurriedly after a moment, smiling a little as she turned and quickly made her way towards the building.

Luna pranced backwards, and the Pegasus carefully stepped into the library, the group of Phooka following after her and looking curiously back and forth. Greece looked awkwardly at the half-beasts, but Twilight only smiled and not even Celestia looked concerned any longer by their presence, as Antares burbled happily at the sight of the strange creatures.

“Oh wow, I can see you've all really gone all out for Nightmare Night...” Fluttershy blushed a little, studying Luna for a few moments before she smiled a bit, glancing quietly back towards the table and adding embarrassedly, as her eyes roved slowly over Scrivener: “This isn't really my favorite holiday, but... well, you did ask me to bring the Phooka in...”

“Oh, Fluttershy, that is only because thou art not wearing a mask!” Luna said empathetically, and Fluttershy looked confused again before the Sleipnir-disguised pony grinned widely, her eyes glinting mischievously as her invisible horn lit up with a distinct radiance, and the Pegasus paled a bit, beginning to shake her head wildly before Luna declared: “A costume perfect for thee!”

With that, Luna flicked her horn firmly, and Fluttershy squeaked as Twilight winced, a dark glow consuming the Pegasus for a moment before she blinked wildly and looked hurriedly back and forth, her wings fluttering nervously at her side before she looked over her shoulder in surprise at the smoke and ash that seemed to whisper up from the now dark-colored wings.

Luna grinned brightly as she looked quickly back and forth, then dashed towards the stairs as Fluttershy only stood dumbly before she returned a few moments later with a small mirror, holding this up so the Pegasus could see herself as she asked cheerfully: “What does thou think?”

“I...” Fluttershy's eyes widened, the Pegasus staring in shock at the sight in the mirror: her mane and tail seemed sooty, smoky, and her coat had turned a mix of black and gray that seemed to shift unnaturally on its own. Her eyes all but glowed as her wings fluttered weakly again, then settled against her sides as she realized she looked almost exactly like the Phooka. “I...”

“I apologize that it is not the best polymorph, 'tis more... optical illusion than anything else, but I have used up much energy already today and this should last for the short term. 'Tis more illusion than anything else, 'twill gradually fade on its own.” Luna smiled slightly, leaning forwards as Fluttershy only continued to stare at her blankly for a few moments. “Do not fear, Fluttershy. For tonight, pretend, just pretend... thou art a brave and mysterious Phooka. The leader of the pack. See how many thou can convince that is what thou art.”

“I... oh, I could never...” Fluttershy started awkwardly, and when Luna grinned, the Pegasus shifted nervously, blushing through her now-dark coat. “Thank you, but really, I was just going to bring the Phooka through town like you asked and then head back out to my cottage...”

“Well, now thou art a Phooka and thou can wander with them. Pretend, Fluttershy. The costume hides thy identity perfectly. Thou may enjoy thyself tonight with thy friends here to protect thee.” Luna winked at the polymorphed Pegasus, before she looked pointedly over at the table and asked: “She makes a very convincing Phooka, does she not?”

There was a round of agreement and mumbles, before Twilight finally looked up and said finally: “I... we'll see you at Sugar Cube Corners one way or the other tonight though, right?”

Fluttershy nodded embarrassedly, looking almost imploringly for a moment at Twilight... and then the Lich-costumed mare smiled faintly before she said softly: “You look very good. And the Phooka will take care of you tonight and keep you safe.”

“I'll... try then.” Fluttershy smiled a little over at Twilight, nodding apprehensively before she hurriedly turned, adding embarrassedly: “But I should really go...”

“Then go, and with the blessing of the night!” Luna shouted cheerfully, and Fluttershy winced a bit before she and the Phooka were almost bulled out of the library as Luna strode quickly forwards, winking at them. “Go, go, go my children of darkness, spread into Ponyville, delight the foals and families with terrors of the dark!'

Fluttershy and the herd of Phooka were pushed out into the deepening darkness, and Luna laughed loudly as she stood in the doorway before looking excitedly up at the sky as dusk continued to grow deeper. “Look, look, 'tis so close now! Antares, Scrivener, all of thee, get ready to go out!”

Luna was ecstatic and energetic as she bounced around the library, and Antares couldn't help but giggle and then attempt to bounce around after his mother. Twilight took the moment to make sure Greece knew where the extra boxes of candy were hidden after she set out a large bowl of treats, and Celestia simply glared at Luna when she began to scurry towards this. “You'll get plenty later tonight, little sister. I hear they're going to do the candy offering just for you.”

“Yes, but 'tis not the point!” Luna complained, and then she huffed a little, stomping her hooves childishly, and Antares attempted to mimic her as Scrivener rolled his eyes before the Sleipnir-shaped pony grinned brightly as she looked towards the windows, saying eagerly: “But come, come! 'Tis finally time now... Antares Mīrus, this is thy first big night, to trick-or-treat and enjoy, and it shall be wonderful, wonderful indeed!”

“Wonderful!” Antares shouted gleefully, seeming to catch on to his mother's mood, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile as Twilight approached with an amused look to drop her head against the stallion's shoulder and regard both grinning Luna and excited Antares. “Candy?”

“Aye, all the candy thou can desire.” Luna said firmly, and then she headed easily over to the table, sweeping up a satchel to toss it over her side before she quickly dug a large white sack out of it, tossing this to the foal, and he giggled when this landed over his face, grabbing at it and looking at it curiously before trying to stick his head inside it as Luna explained: “'Tis for the candy, Antares. 'Tis very important, thou must say: 'Nightmare Night, what a fright, give me something good to bite.'”

“Bite!” Antares shouted happily, and Luna nodded encouragingly. “Fright-bite! Night-bite!”

“'Tis good enough.” Luna said comfortably, then she grinned over at Celestia, Twilight, and Scrivener, adding firmly: “Besides. All of us shall aid thee, handsome Antares, is that not right my family?”

“Where's Scarlet Sage? We need more ponies to absorb the humiliation.” Scrivener muttered, looking back and forth, and Twilight snorted and nudged him firmly.

Luna looked thoughtful at this as well, but then she simply shrugged, adding mildly: “Well, I am sure she shall catch up with us sooner rather than later. She knows that I would be furious should she miss Antares' first Nightmare Night.”

Scrivener only looked at her pointedly, and Luna sighed after a moment, meeting his eyes as thoughts and emotions twisted between them before they both nodded once, and the Sleipnir-disguised pony smiled a little and bowed her head forwards, saying finally: “Very well, though. Come, Antares. Greece, keep good watch. And do not simply give away the candy! Make the foals work for it.”

Greece smiled a little and waved awkwardly at the group as Luna strode towards the door, Antares burbling as he happily ran along at his mother's side, and Scrivener shrugged a bit as he fell into pace behind her, tossing a quick nod to the dwarf. Celestia and Twilight followed last, the violet winged unicorn halting for a moment in the doorway to turn around and add awkwardly: “Oh, and if you run out of candy, and then you run out of extra candy, there's a third supply box up in my room, but-”

“Twilight!” Luna called loudly, and Twilight blushed and winced, then waved quickly to the dwarf before slipping out the door and closing it behind her, and Greece wheezed in relief as he opened his book with a smile and a shake of his head: try as he might, and likeable as they were, he didn't think he'd ever fully understand ponies... especially not the fancy-corns.

Antares was ecstatic: more than just being given candy from strangers, the foal marveled at all the ponies in costumes. Even some of the Nibelung were dressed up, seeming to enjoy the strange pony holiday as they poked at each other's costumes now and then and chortled like children.

Luna grinned widely as they approached a house, and she nodded firmly to Antares when the foal looked up at her with shining eyes before he set himself, charged forwards... and rammed head-first into the door, knocking himself back on his rear and blinking a few times before giggling as Scrivener sighed and dropped his face into a claw, but Twilight and even Celestia both laughed. “He's definitely your son tonight, Luna.”

“I know, 'tis wonderful!” Luna exclaimed brightly, and then she grinned widely as the door was opened by a smiling Cheerilee, whose expression quickly turned to one of surprise and amazement at the group in front of her and beaming Antares.

“Nightmare Night, what a fright, give us something good to bite!” Their voices rang out in unison, even Scrivener smiling despite trying his hardest not to. But then again, Celestia was smiling too, and had said it just as clearly as the others, as Antares burbled gleefully and flailed his hooves before managing to raise his bag of candy and open it almost imploringly.

“Well, what a surprise and... and an honor. Baroness Celestia, and... oh my, Luna, is that you?” Cheerilee stared at the Sleipnir-shaped pony, who grinned brightly and nodded rapidly as she struck a pose, before Cheerilee awkwardly turned her eyes down to Antares, smiling warmly as she added: “And you, Antares, can't be only a year old... already up on your hooves and running around like this? Oh, here, let me give you enough for you to share with your family...”

The mare leaned back inside, smiling warmly before she pulled out a bowl of candy, tossing a hoof full of candies into the bag, and Antares giggled happily, gazing over Cheerilee before Luna asked curiously: “Where is thy costume? I do not see thee in a costume. Thou art a schoolteacher, shouldn't thou be setting an example for the foals and be in costume?”

Cheerilee only laughed a little at this, however, looking up and saying awkwardly: “Oh, well, I'm just going to spend the night here at home, so I figured...”

“What? Nay! Twilight Sparkle, invite thy friend to our party, do it now!” Luna ordered imperiously, and Antares glanced up at the adults before he cocked his head curiously before his eyes roved down and stared past Cheerilee at a large box of chocolates sitting on the floor, burbling at the sight of this before he began to slip carefully forwards. “Oh, very well, do not give me such a surly look. I shall do it myself. Cheerilee, thou art invited to Sugar Cube Corners for the most wonderful of parties on this most wonderful of nights.”

“I... will... try to make it.” Cheerilee said lamely, and then she blushed, adding hurriedly: “But I don't have a costume-”

“Oh, everypony has a costume of some kind somewhere.” Luna retorted crankily, and then she grinned and leaned forwards, half-lidding her eyes. “If I may make a suggestion, I would say be a naughty schoolgirl. 'Twould be most fitting, would it not?”

Cheerilee blushed deep red at this, then spluttered a goodbye before slamming the door shut as Luna threw her head back and laughed, then grinned down at the bag of candy... before paling as she realized Antares Mīrus was gone. She looked wildly back and forth, and then the door to the small house opened and the lavender earth pony awkwardly held out Antares, who was clutching the mostly-empty box of candy against his chest and scowling horribly at Luna.

Luna grinned lamely as she reached out and gently plucked her son up, and Cheerilee quickly retreated back into her house before the Sleipnir-costumed pony said awkwardly: “Well, 'tis thine own fault! And none of thee noticed him wander into the house!”

“I did.” Celestia said mildly, and Scrivener Blooms looked over his shoulder at her in surprise as the Nightmare Moon-disguised equine shrugged and said meditatively: “I'm hoping that little sister will take a lesson from this, although I know that may be hoping for a little too much, but... all the same.”

“I... I take lessons from many things!” Luna argued, and then she mumbled: “The lesson I have chosen to understand, however, is that thou art evil, Celestia. Thou art evil and cruel. Letting me think I had lost my precious little Antares...”

“No.” Antares said huffily, and Luna rolled her eyes as she put her son down before Antares shoved his face into the candy box... then yelled and panicked a little when his face became stuck, shaking his head violently back and forth as he flailed his hooves. “Hurt! Hurt!”

“Oh, thou art not hurt, calm now, child.” Luna chided gently, reaching down and carefully tugging the box off his features, and the foal looked up with a blush before Luna leaned over and poured the last of the box's contents into Antares' bag and then simply tossed the empty container aside into the bushes, earning flat looks from the other adults. “Oh, 'tis not littering, really. 'Tis... giving it back to its rightful owner. But come, then. Let us continue, the night is still young!”

Luna smiled as she turned around, prancing out into the busy road, and Antares happily picked up his bag of goodies before sprinting after her, Scrivener smiling and shaking his head as Twilight asked mildly: “So how long do you think this is going to go on for? We've been out here an hour and neither of them seems to be slowing down. We have to have hit almost every house in Ponyville by now.”

“Yes, well, Luna won't be satisfied until she's gotten candy from every pony in Ponyville.” Scrivener replied mildly, and then he looked up to see Luna had halted with a wide grin before the half-wyrm, half-pony shaped male laughed and halted, both Celestia and Twilight gazing warmly up as well. “Well, look what we have here.”

Scarlet Sage blushed deeply as she walked towards them, her head sticking out from a dirty cloak next to Apple Bloom, who was grinning brightly. They moved in an awkward shuffle, looking like a single, two-headed pony: a simple but very effective costume, since they were both somehow balanced with their sides pressing together so it looked as if they only had four legs.

Antares was gaping up at this sight as Scarlet Sage's single visible wing flapped, and Apple Bloom winked out from beneath her frazzled mane and the makeup she had splattered both herself and Scarlet with, saying easily: “Don't you worry, little fella, you'll get your sister back by tomorrow. But for tonight...”

She winked again, and Antares burbled and flailed wildly, staring in shock from beneath his Tyrant Wyrm costume before Scarlet Sage laughed and shook her head, reassuring quickly: “It's okay, Antares, don't worry! It's just an outfit, see?”

Scarlet Sage wiggled a bit, and then poked her other front hoof out through a slot in the cloak, and the baby looked relieved by this as Luna commented cheerfully: “But 'tis quite impressive all the same... although it could certainly be better, aye: why, I could meld thee both together if thou desired, just for the night! Unless the spell went wrong of course, but... bah, that rarely happens, here, let me...”

Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom both stared in horror as Luna grinned and leaned forwards, invisible horn lighting up before Scrivener reached up and firmly squeezed her horn with his claw, dragging her head back down as Luna gave an awkward little squeak. “Alright, alright, enough. But I'm glad you could join us, Scarlet Sage... and of course it's always good to see you too, Apple Bloom... but I thought you'd be spending the night with your own family, or at least Scoot and Sweetie.”

“Nah, they feel they're too cool for candy gatherin', and I'm sure I'll catch 'em at Sugar Cube Corners. And big sis and Dash are back at the farm with Avalon, since she's too young to trick or treat or anything.” Apple Bloom winked down at Antares, who giggled and flailed a little happily. “Not like you, huh? Real lucky, you know that?”

“Lucky.” Antares smiled and nodded warmly, gazing affectionately over Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom before he burbled excitedly and pointed at a house ahead they hadn't yet been to. “Bite! Bite!”

“Bite?” Apple Bloom looked confused, but then Scarlet Sage grinned and whispered to her quickly, and the earth pony nodded and laughed a few times. “Oh, I get it! Sure, though... come on, Scarlet Sage, let's turn this thing around.”

Scarlet Sage smiled, the ponies visibly leaning against one another as they carefully began to walk around in a slow circle, giggling a bit between themselves as Luna gazed affectionately at their teamwork, then grinned over at Scrivener, who snorted and shoved her firmly. Luna huffed, then firmly bodychecked him, knocking the stallion flat as Antares giggled brightly at his parents' behavior before he turned and scrambled quickly past the two-headed pony to run towards the door and join the other foals approaching the house.

Celestia smiled, and Twilight laughed when the door opened and the foals called out brightly... and then they both stared, along with Luna and Scrivener, as the pony ran out of his own house with a horrified look at the sound of a mechanical howl. A moment later, a tall, gangly creature in a hockey mask charged out of the house, a chainsaw squealing away in his hands and vomiting up smoke as he swung it wildly back and forth, the foals yelling and panicking as Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom fell backwards.

But Antares was still only sitting, flinching from the sound before he glared up at the figure as it stopped in front of him, raising the chainsaw, and then Antares pointed up at him and said firmly, as Luna realized dumbly that the only thing it would be was a Draconequus: “No. No. Disco-Bob, no.”

The chainsaw cut out, and the Draconequus heaved a theatrical sigh as he let his arms slump, Discombobulation saying moodily from behind the mask: “Here I am, trying to get into the proper Halloween Town spirit, and you go and completely ruin things. You combo breaker me, and I could have had a killstreak of at least half a dozen foals. Just how can you be so cruel, Antares Mīrus? And I'm quite certain you're not supposed to be in the 'no' phase until you're at least three years old, by the way. You are illogical.”

“Discombobulation! Why would thou do that?” Luna shouted incredulously, as Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom struggled to get up and the others only stared. Then the Sleipnir-shaped equine glared and charged forwards, before wincing when Discombobulation hurriedly backed up but held up the chainsaw between them defensively. “That is not... why would... no!”

“Did I go too far? Was it too much? Too over the top? I'm not very good at this whole 'prank' thing, it's all quite a conundrum.” Discombobulation replied mildly, even as he pulled the mask up before rubbing absently at the machine in his grip. “I mean, they're done with the specific purpose of insulting or scaring someone, yet it seems it's possible to do so in a 'friendly' way, just as it's possible to be 'too extreme,' as I apparently was. Personally, I thought the chainsaw was a nice touch. Wasn't it a nice touch?”

“No.” Antares and Luna said at the same time, both glaring at the Draconequus, and he huffed at them grumpily and scowled in return before raising the chainsaw hurriedly again when Luna took another step forwards.

For a moment, Luna only glared at him as the Draconequus swung the chainsaw back and forth at roughly head-level with the Sleipnir-shaped pony, as he said pointedly: “Don't make me prune your hedges, Scrivener Blooms. Which is funny because... you actually have plant life growing out of your head. Your brother must have been particularly good with birds and small animals and other nesting animals.”

“We would never allow him to keep pets in his mane.” Celestia supplied calmly, and Discombobulation looked up in dumb surprise at this before the Nightmare Moon disguised equine nodded kindly, then simply flicked her horn, and the chainsaw in Discombobulation's hands glowed brightly before falling apart, as Celestia added gently: “The more complex an object, the more energy you put into making it, and the easier it is to interrupt that supply.”

“Oh, yes, supply and demand. A very useful lesson in economics, a dreadfully boring subject.” Discombobulation nodded seriously a few times, and then he slowly put his hands behind his back as Luna grinned widely at him before he leaned forwards and said casually: “Whatever you do, Scrivener Blooms, don't look behind you.”

Luna frowned at him, then she snuck a glance over her shoulder; immediately, Discombobulation staggered around in a circle and sprinted away, and Luna shouted in frustration as she ran after him before she was followed by a yelling Antares as Scrivener Blooms remarked dryly: “I'll have to remember that trick.”

Mad Costume Parties

Chapter Thirty Three: Mad Costume Parties
~BlackRoseRaven

Late that night, Luna was grinning cheerfully in her polymorphed form as she mingled with other ponies in Sugar Cube Corners, looking bright and happy. Buffet tables had been set up on either side of the main room, loaded with bowls of candy and other sugary treats, and there was coffee, alcohol, and plenty of cola to go around as well.

Pinkie Pie was bouncing cheerfully around, her mane and tail both combed and kept straight by countless bottles of hairspray, and Pinkamena looked less-than-thrilled with her own mane done up to be bouncy, wild and unkempt, like her mess of a tail. Despite neither twin being very good at mimicking the behavior of the other, it still worked surprisingly well, and Scrivener kept awkwardly peering at Pinkamena when she approached just to make sure it was her, usually confirmed by when she glared at him or tried to bite him.

Fluttershy was still in the shape of a Phooka, looking a little embarrassed, but word had gone around she had fallen nicely into the role outside. A real Phooka was still wandering around beside her, but he was welcome here: Scrivener was pretty sure his name was Nirvana, although the Phooka rarely spoke their names aloud. Names had great power to the Phooka... when they revealed their names to someone, it was a great show of trust.

Cowlick and her pirate crew – including Rainbow Dash, who had been given the choice by Cowlick to either 'join the crew or walk the plank' by the cheerful engineer – were over in one corner, laughing away with Applejack, who was dressed up as Daring Do. Rainbow kept dreamily staring at her, and Luna had already made several awkward jokes about this. Surprisingly, so had Twilight Sparkle, since she had been the one to get Rainbow into the series in the first place and had been unable to resist a particularly-witty joke about 'tomb raiding.' Which had just led into a retort about her tomb being raided, with her dressed up as a Lich, and Twilight had grumbled under her breath about finding Scrivener to get some better insults.

Discombobulation was wandering around, moodily holding a napkin of ice cubes against his head in one hand and a mug of sweet-smelling tea in his talon. Luna had tackled him right into a rock, and the Draconequus was now visibly sulking about this. Celestia was walking easily along beside him, holding curious conversation with the Draconequus between smiling at the other guests, but most of her attention clearly held by the chimerical creature as they walked side-by-side, refusing to be put off by his retorts and seemingly-random references.

Rarity and Spike were there as well, the unicorn smiling and dressed up in a beautiful, elegant vampire costume, Spike laughing and grinning in a matching outfit, poking every so often at the gemstone fangs Rarity had made for him, and admitting to a curious Scrivener: “It's a lot like having candy in my mouth I'm not allowed to eat. I just keep telling myself 'just a few more minutes' and trying to keep myself distracted. I think Rarity's just waiting to see how long before I finally break and eat them.”

Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom were still in their paired costume, sitting now with Scootaloo – hurriedly dressed up as a pirate after she had seen Rainbow Dash forced into buccaneer garb – and Sweetie Belle – who was wearing a gorgeous dress of seashells and dried marine plants, her mane hidden by a wig of kelp – at one side of the table. Big Mac was loitering nearby, wearing a far-too-small scarecrow costume that had made Luna huff in disappointment, complaining: “Thou could do so much better if thou desired!”

“Yup.” was the only response she received, and so Luna had gone about, grumbling and poking at the other guests: Cheerilee, who had put together some last minute mummy costume that just made Luna grumble, and a few other ponies... but also a few curious Nightmares and the demon Atrus. The last seemed very confused by everything that was going on as he wandered back and forth amongst the crowd, obviously not entirely sure what he was even doing here.

Luna smiled amusedly at the demon as she walked up beside him, and Atrus studied her for a few moments before he shook his head and lowered it forwards awkwardly. “I am here to serve and help however I can... but I do not understand how I am helping.”

“Thou art... keeping the proper mood. Besides, 'tis good for thee.” Luna said kindly, and then she stomped a hoof firmly a few times to get the attention of the other ponies, shouting cheerfully: “Welcome to this, my most glorious of nights! Now, yes, as I am sure thou all know, I was too busy with my foal to attend the play, but I have been told that 'twas mostly garbage anyway without fair Rarity's help.”

This got a few laughs as Rarity smiled and waved a hoof with a blush, and then Luna grinned widely, glancing back and forth before she winked over at Pinkie Pie, who grinned brightly behind her currently combed-down mane. “But our dear and generous host, Pinkie Pie, who agreed to help me throw this party, has a few fun games for us all to play! And I expect each and every one of thee to take part, 'lest I take it into my head to smack all of thee. For tonight I have had to entrust my foal's care to a babysitter.”

“Yeah, well, we got Derpy taking care of our kid.” Rainbow said mildly, glancing up and raising his glass of beer. “We're the ones who are probably going to come home to the house being ruined.”

“Oh, hell, now you're the one who suggested her in the first place.” Applejack said pointedly, and Rainbow nodded after a moment with a lame grin, rubbing at the back of his head. “So don't go bein' a jerk now.”

“I'm not a jerk. You're a jerk.” Rainbow said huffily, and then he winced when Applejack hit him before he held up a hoof and declared: “I think we should play truth or dare. And I dare somepony to trade wives with me. Except you, Scrivener, Luna scares me normally but right now she really, really scares me.”

“But I make such a pretty Sleipnir!” Luna whined, and there were laughs at this before Pinkie Pie giggled behind her hooves, and Luna paused before grinning and stomping a hoof. “Truth or dare is a childish, stupid game, and thus I adore this choice! Who goes first?”

“We could go alphabetically?” Twilight suggested, then she winced at the sour looks she got before Applejack nodded fervently as Rainbow Dash slapped his forehead. “It's just a suggestion! I mean, we need some kind of order, after all, and-”

“I am going first and I shall pummel anypony who says differently!” Luna shouted cheerfully, and was a moment of awkward silence before Luna nodded firmly, grinning back and forth around the room. “Most excellent. Now, I dare...”

Scrivener winced and rose a hoof awkwardly, but Luna only huffed and smacked him, saying flatly: “Oh, there is no point in daring thee to do anything.”

“No, uh. I was going to say that what you do is choose someone, and then you ask them 'truth or dare.' And then if they choose truth, they have to answer any question you ask, and if you say dare, they have to do the dare.” Scrivener explained, nudging her lightly, and Luna grumbled a bit before the male said dryly: “No, we can't just play 'dare or dare.' Besides, with the right questions, truths can be more fun.”

“Very well. Celestia, truth or dare?” Luna asked loudly, looking pointedly over at her sister, and Celestia winced at this before mumbling something, but Luna clearly picked up on this as she laughed and stomped a hoof. “Childish folly? I think not! Truth, did thou say?”

Celestia sighed, then nodded as she sipped slowly at her cup of tea, and Luna grinned widely over at her before she asked cheerfully: “Tell us the truth, Celestia: art thou fond of the Draconequus? Thou has been following him around all night as if attempting to lure him to thy bed.”

Discombobulation coughed violently at this, hammering a fist against his chest as Celestia looked surprised, then smiled slightly and replied calmly: “He's a good friend, Luna. You do understand you don't need to sleep with every friend you make, yes?'

“No.” Luna said brightly, and Celestia sighed and rolled her eyes before the Sleipnir-disguised pony began to look back and forth, beginning excitedly: “Now where is my daughter-”

“No, Luna, now it's my turn, so I get to choose someone.” Celestia said gently, and Luna grumbled before Celestia glanced towards Scrivener Blooms, smiling slightly at him. “Truth or dare, old friend?”

“Dare.” Scrivener said after a moment of thought, figuring it would likely be safer as he nervously scraped his claw against the floor.

Celestia looked thoughtfully at him before Discombobulation leaned over and whispered something in her ear, and she nodded in agreement to this before saying mildly: “I dare you to not babysit Luna tonight. By which I mean no explaining things to her, no warning her about things, and no restraining her, soul-link or otherwise.”

Scrivener winced at this, leaning back as Luna looked delighted, stomping her hooves rapidly before the stallion asked awkwardly: “Celestia are... are you sure?”

“I know what I'm doing.” Celestia smiled slightly, looking at him pointedly, and Scrivener sighed and nodded glumly, Luna laughing in delight before she cheerfully shoved her way over towards the buffet table to begin grabbing up candy, as Celestia called mildly: “That doesn't mean the rest of us are going to just let you do anything you like.”

“Yes, but now Scrivener Blooms shan't scold me or complain to me about silly things, and that is wonderful.” Luna replied pointedly, before she picked up a sucker and stuck it into her mouth, slurping loudly on it as Twilight looked apprehensively at Celestia and Discombobulation when they lightly clicked their cups together.

Scrivener grumbled, then he looked meditatively over at Rainbow Dash, asking mildly: “Truth or dare?”

“Dare, all the way, bring it on.” Rainbow said firmly, nodding rapidly as he grinned widely, winking across at him and flapping his wings once. “I ain't scared of nothing!”

“I dare you to feed Pinkamena a piece of cake. And be nice about it.” Scrivener said dryly, and Rainbow Dash stared at him as Pinkamena shot him an ugly look, but the stallion only winked over at the half-demon. “Hey, you can bite him if you want.”

Pinkie Pie giggled brightly, then zipped across the room, returning a moment later with a chair and shoving this into Pinkamena from behind, knocking her sitting back with a grunt before the bright twin vanished again, only to bounce quickly back with a piece of cake on a plate as the half-demon snapped: “You're kidding me!”

“Oh come on, it'll be fun!” Pinkie Pie said brightly, and Rainbow winced, leaning away before the pink pony added cheerfully: “I mean, friends and cake, it's like friendship cake!”

“This is childish.” Pinkamena muttered, but Luna only nodded brightly as ponies leaned in, watching curiously as Applejack shoved her Pegasus husband firmly forwards, making him wheeze as he stumbled over before wincing and taking the cake from Pinkie when she shoved it at him.

He looked lamely down at Pinkamena, who glared up at him before he carefully picked up the slice of cake... then squeaked when the half-demon reached up and yanked him down by the mane, snapping: “You drop that or get any crumbs on me, and I'll feed you my hoof, understood? You make any sort of mess at all, and I swear to Hel herself I will break your face.”

“Ma'am!” Rainbow wheezed, and then he carefully rose the cake in trembling hooves, guiding it slowly forwards as Discombobulation gave a giggle, then hurriedly covered his mouth, clearing his throat and looking as serious as possible when Rainbow shot him a horrible glare.

Pinkamena bit slowly down, and then glared when Rainbow continued to push awkwardly forwards for a moment, smearing chocolate against her face. For a moment, there was silence... and then the half-demon stood suddenly and punched the Pegasus hard, knocking him flat on his back and sending both cake and plate flying as Applejack winced and leapt forwards, then the half-demon huffed as Discombobulation and Luna both fell over laughing. “I warned him!”

The game continued once the sense returned to Rainbow Dash and Pinkamena got the chance to punch Scrivener as well, finally calming after this with a grumble. In retaliation, Rainbow dared Big Mac to kiss Scrivener, which was followed by Cheerilee awkwardly confessing the truth about her first crush, Twilight blushing furiously as she was told to tell the truth about her relationship with Scrivener and Luna, Spike being dared to put on Rarity's makeup, and so on and so forth. It was a childish, silly game that spiraled out of control until Luna – delighted, high on sugar and coffee, looking perhaps just a touch unbalanced – finally decreed that they had thoroughly humiliated each other and now needed to move on to another game.

And Pinkie had just the game: a special version of hide and seek. Cowlick had huffed as Pinkie had begun to explain it... and then the lights had gone out, there had been a crashing, and a few moments later the lights flashed back on to reveal several ponies had gone missing. Luna admired how well it had been staged... particularly since the guests had been taken at random, including Pinkie Pie herself. That left Pinkamena as their host, as she said kindly: “Go ahead, explore, see if you can find where everypony's gone off to. One rule: don't try to leave.”

It was a fun game of make-believe: Sugar Cube Corners had been booby-trapped with all kinds of props put together by Pinkamena. Cowlick kept reassuring Ross that it wasn't real, although the engineer herself seemed to have trouble believing her own words. And even as they managed to locate guests who had been abducted here and there – including a particularly disgruntled Pinkie Pie that Pinkamena hadn't bothered to warn ahead of time before having a Nightmare sweep her off and hide her under her own bed – others vanished, making Luna gleeful at the way everything was turning out. She loved the games, the fun of it all: she loved making the adults into foals again, and making them laugh and yell and scream.

By the end of the night, everyone had been located, most of the treats had been eaten, and everyone felt such a mix of humiliation and happiness and childishness that most of the ponies couldn't remember how to act like adults anymore. Discombobulation seemed to take a special sort of pleasure in this... but then again, he was a chaos entity. Finally, the guests began to filter out, heading on their separate ways, and Luna instructed the Nightmares and Atrus to help the Pink Twins clean up.

Pinkamena smacked Scrivener one last time as they made their way out, and the half-wyrm, half-pony smiled wryly before staring when Pinkamena snagged Luna next and kissed her impulsively. Luna had been left gaping, and Pinkamena had licked her own sharp teeth thoughtfully before saying mildly: “Not as good as the real thing, but whatever. By the way, Nightmare Moon, if I ever catch you going into my stuff again, I'll grind you into a fine powder and snort you to get high. Got it?”

“Rulebook says she's still alive. You can only kill werewolves with silver.” Discombobulation said mildly as he strode by, then he paused in the doorway, leaning back and adding kindly: “By the way. Love the mane. It says 'I don't care what stallions think of me, but I'm not a lesbian.'”

“Yeah, that describes sissy.” Pinkamena muttered, and she reached up, easily brushing a hoof through her mane and sending bobby pins popping and tumbling down as she shook her head briskly, and a moment later her mane fell in a perfectly straight curtain that half-covered her face.

Then she rolled her eyes as behind her, Pinkie Pie huffed loudly, saying grumpily: “It's more that I don't don't care what stallions think of me, big twin sister. I mean, oh, sure, sometimes I really wonder what it'd be like if I had a special somepony like you do...”

“Sleipnir is not my special somepony, why does everyone say that? That's stupid, anyway.” Pinkamena said crankily, glaring at Pinkie Pie, but this only made the brighter sibling smile again and bounce a little on her hooves. “I'm a damned demon. Literally, been to Helheim, broke out of the great big ice-block prison down there, definitely going back there when I die. And he's up in Valhalla so... so it's not possible anyway.”

“I think my brother's very lucky to have you.” Celestia said gently as she walked by, and Pinkamena looked up stupidly at this before the winged unicorn smiled slightly and flicked her horn, her body steaming before her Nightmare Moon guise burst apart like smog and faded quickly from sight, leaving her standing in ivory splendor, rainbow mane and tail both swaying gently backwards of their own accord. “Besides, as Luna and Scrivener prove... when it comes to love, all things are possible.”

“That's stupid, Princess Sunshine. Even for you. Especially for you, realist that you're supposed to be...” Pinkamena muttered, shaking her head embarrassedly before she glowered over her shoulder at smiling Pinkie Pie and the curious Nightmares that were now leaning forwards, then she grumbled and turned around, bulling into Luna. The Sleipnir-disguised pony squawked as she, Celestia, Discombobulation, and Scrivener were all shoved out the door and into the street, where Twilight and Scarlet Sage were both waiting, the two watching awkwardly as the half-demon shouted at the group of four she had just kicked out: “Now get lost and goodnight!”

Discombobulation grumbled under his breath as the half-demon slammed the door, brushing at himself as Luna giggled a little and Scrivener sighed, rolling his eyes. Celestia only looked for a few moments at the building thoughtfully, and then she smiled and shook her head, glancing over at Twilight and asking curiously: “Are you going to come back to the library tonight, or are you going home with Scrivener and Luna?”

Twilight Sparkle blushed awkwardly at this phrasing, Luna and Scrivener both unable to stop themselves from looking up in surprise as well before the violet mare bowed her head forwards with a small smile. Over the course of the night, some of her stitching had come off... yet there was a haunting familiarity about even this somehow, as she said quietly: “Celestia... I just want to let you know that... I still consider you a friend. Family, even... and...”

“I know. I know. But I'm trying to handle this with... as much grace and dignity as possible, Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia replied quietly, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards as she smiled faintly. “This isn't... easy for me, no. And I question your decisions sometimes, I will admit that openly... but all the same, they're your decisions to make, not mine. And I know that... no matter how pure many of my concerns and motives may be, I am also jealous. Of what you share with my sister, and of what my sister shares with you.

“But I have no right to judge. No right to try and interfere with your happiness.” Celestia smiled a little again, looking up and saying quietly: “And I have been... happier in this last month than I have been in the longest time. Tonight, acting like this, taking part in these normal pony things and helping indulge Luna's childishness... it made me feel... good. It made me feel happy in ways I can't quite describe. I felt... like a normal pony, with normal pony friends.”

Luna smiled a little, then she shook herself briskly as her her horn thrummed and her body glowed, reshaping itself from the form of Sleipnir and back into that of a winged unicorn before the light faded softly. Luna was left standing in her natural form, her eyes bright with happiness as she gazed up at Celestia, nodding slowly to her older sibling as she said softly: “And then that, Celestia, makes this entire night more than worthwhile. Oh, do not get me wrong: the candy is divine, getting even the sternest of ponies to behave like foals is glorious, and to feel my beautiful night treated as a safe place, a happy place...” She smiled and closed her eyes, raising her head. “'Tis wonderful.

“But Celestia... what makes these things all truly worthwhile, always shall be and always has been the acknowledgment of those closest to me...” Luna glanced softly towards Scrivener Blooms, drawing her eyes over him affectionately. “And their own happiness. Big sister, thy happiness... that thou finds thy way, without worrying constantly for the thoughts and beliefs of others... that is extremely important to me. And finally, after so many years, we are finally seeing thee... blossom.”

Celestia only laughed quietly at this, however, bowing her head forwards with a small smile before she said softly: “You know, they say that only fools place their happiness in others. That serenity is first found within one's self.”

“Nay.” Luna smiled warmly, winking over at Celestia. “There is plenty of happiness to be found in others, friend and enemy alike, and 'tis fools and cowards who refuse to find that, for fear they shall be bitten and suffer for it. But whilst I am sure that all of us here, from Discombobulation to thee, can confess to a secret world inside of our own selves... at the same time, I am somehow all too certain that the only ponies who could find happiness inside themselves in any and all situations are either locked up in the asylum or locked up in the depths of holy temples, and I do not know which prison is the worse one.”

Scrivener snorted in amusement, looking mildly over at Luna. “Now that sounds like something I'd say.” He paused, then awkwardly glanced down at his claw, flexing it slowly and adding: “Also uh... do you think you could go about dispelling this polymorph now?”

“No, thou art handsome like this. Right, Twilight Sparkle, Celestia? Is he not handsome? Is he not handsome, Bob of Ginnungagap?” Luna looked half-imploringly, half-intimidatingly around at the others, and Celestia sighed as Twilight smiled lamely and shrugged. That left Discombobulation, who was looking meditatively at Scrivener as the half-wyrm, half-pony slowly turned his head to look awkwardly back at the chimerical creature.

Then, finally, Discombobulation said kindly: “On opposite day, I'd say you were the prettiest daintiest little perfectly-symmetrical thing I'd ever set my eyes on.” He paused, then looked thoughtfully up at the night sky above. “But it's not opposite day, is it? It's not even day, it's night. So I suppose that instead I must confess that you look as if you fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. And then it fell on you for good measure. And then a dog peed on you. Well, that testifies more towards how you smell rather than how you look but all the same, it works.”

Scrivener looked sourly at the Draconequus, and Luna glared at him as Discombobulation looked calmly down at her, then he touched his own chest as he gave a dramatic inhale. “Oh! You wanted me to lie.” With that, he looked very seriously at Scrivener Blooms, and said kindly: “You have a very distinct look completely all your own.”

“Thank you.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he rolled his eyes as Luna huffed and pawed a hoof against the road, glowering up at the Draconequus. “Now can I go back to normal?”

“If you, like, Scrivener, I can-” Celestia began, and then she winced when Luna glared at her horribly and stomped her front hooves childishly. “Luna, please. Besides, you know better than to leave a polymorph for the long term. It can have negative repercussions.”

“Yes, long term. A single night is not long-term, not even twenty-four hours is long term.” Luna retorted, huffing as she rose her head before glaring over at Discombobulation as the Draconequus carefully edged away. “And thou. Thou art simply fortunate I do not smash thy pretty little aquarium. Thou would never be able to put it back together.”

“Probably not, but that's what you ponies are for. You're very good at fixing problems created by other ponies.” Discombobulation replied calmly, and then he held up a hand, adding: “Also, since I clearly have to insult everyone here instead of simply choosing one side and sticking to it, Celestia, did you ever think that maybe your concerns about polymorphing stem from the fact that you yourself are no good at it?”

Celestia didn't look surprised or even irritated at this, however, asking pleasantly: “So does that mean I should instead encourage Luna to transform you into a ferret to become more comfortable with the idea of the process, particularly over the long term?”

“Oh, touche. Judge, I would like my last remark stricken from the record.” Discombobulation said mildly, glancing up into the darkness of the night sky, and then he looked moodily over at Twilight Sparkle before grunting and waving a hand. “Nah, you're not even worth an insult. Which is an insult in itself, of course, and likely the worst thing I can say to you at this point and time. At least with some guarantee it won't be enough to push Scrivener Blooms over the edge. My head has had enough of being bashed into rocks for one night, after all.”

Luna grunted at this as Twilight Sparkle rolled her eyes, and then Celestia shook her head and smiled a little despite herself. “Come with me, Discombobulation, before you get yourself hurt. I have a few more questions for you and I'd like to see if your powers can catch a glimpse of something I can't with my scrying mirror alone.”

The Draconequus looked thoughtful at his, but then he nodded, glancing towards Luna and Scrivener and saying dryly: “Well, Mom and Dad. Looks like I've been invited to a sleepover at Aunty Celestia's. Or should I call her Granny Celestia? Either way, I probably won't be back until sometime tomorrow, after I'm done helping the old lady out.”

“'Tis adorable, Scrivener, the way the Draconequus tries to hide his crush on Celestia. Besides, Bob, who art thou to judge another person by their age?” Luna paused, then looked curiously over at the chimerical creature. “Exactly how old art thou, anyway? And when is thy birthday?”

Discombobulation looked awkward and quiet for a few moments, rubbing silently at his chest before he cleared his throat and suddenly spun on his heel, grumbling: “I'll be at the library, then. It's very rude to ask a chaos entity his age, though, especially one who's older than the mountains and yet younger than the sky.”

The ponies watched him hurry off before Scarlet Sage said softly: “I don't think we've ever really celebrated his birthday or anything. And well, not to be mean or anything, but... can you even have a birthday if you were never really born?”

“Celestia and I do.” Luna replied with a slight smile, glancing from her daughter towards her sibling, and then she shook her head and said softly: “Fear not, Scarlet Sage. I have a grand idea. But come, come, let us return home, and allow Celestia to go to her secret admirer. Besides, I am eager to ensure my son is alright in Hevatica's care.”

Celestia only smiled a little at this, shaking her head before wishing them a good night, and Twilight, Scrivener, and Scarlet Sage said their own farewells before turning to leave, Luna taking the lead and shaking her head with a quiet laugh as she let her mind play back through the events of the night with gratitude and warmth.

The morning after Nightmare Night found Scrivener still in his half-wyrm, half-pony state, holding a mug of coffee easily in his claw and sipping at it slowly as he said mildly: “See, this part at least I could get used to. I would not mind permanently having claws. Way better than hooves.”

“Oh shut up, hooves are fine. Don't be lazy.” Luna retorted, and then she sighed a little, smiling in spite of herself as Antares slowly poked his head over Scrivener's. The foal was seated comfortably across his father's shoulders, and the winged unicorn couldn't help but smile despite herself at this as Antares flapped his wings a few times, making Scrivy wince as his mane was blown around by the surprisingly-strong gusts. “Good colt! Strengthen those wings, aye, make the very best of what thou has!”

“Wings!” Antares shouted, throwing his front hooves out... and then he yelped as he overbalanced, falling backwards and bouncing off his father's broad back to land with a puff on the blankets and bedding below, the foal burbling and giggling a little as Scrivener only smiled and shook his head.

Twilight sighed from where she was sitting at the writing desk across the room as Luna giggled a little, before the violet mare remarked: “You really are just about the best parents ever, aren't you two? I can't imagine how Scarlet Sage puts up with it all the time. Or how she turned out so well, for that matter.”

“It's a good nature versus nurture argument, I'll give you that.” Scrivener replied mildly, and then he winced when Antares tackled his tail, clinging to it and giggling quietly. “Hey, kiddo, that's sensitive, don't-”

Antares bit firmly into the middle of his tail, and Scrivener winced and arched his back, eyes bulging before the foal blinked and looked awkwardly up, asking curiously: “Hurt?”

“Yes. Hurt.” Scrivener carefully put his coffee aside, turning around to pick the foal up and gently put him down away from his tail, looking meditatively over towards Luna as the sapphire winged unicorn giggled and Twilight laughed and shook her own head. “Don't take too much after your mother now. But speaking of your mother... Luna, plans for today?”

“Well, after Scarlet Sage wakes up, I would like to do some training and resume our normal schedule for the next month or so.” Luna said thoughtfully, leaning back a bit before she patted the ground in front of her with one hoof, and Antares happily ran over to his mother before she swept him up in a hug, smiling and squeezing the foal close as she continued: “We must continue to lay these silly anchors for Odin, of course... although I do wish I knew where the old lecher was. And yes, Scrivener, there is no need to shout the question in thy mind, I shall undo the polymorph shortly. I simply... enjoy seeing thee... like this.”

Luna looked at him a little lamely, but Scrivener only smiled a little, able to read her emotions and intent as they studied each other for a few quiet moments before he nodded slowly, and Twilight laughed a little, gazing from one to the other as she said softly: “You two really can be so strange, you know that?”

“It's part of our charm.” Scrivener shrugged, then he looked flatly at Luna when she frowned and slowly held Antares out in front of her, the stallion glowering at her as Twilight looked confused for a moment before the charcoal earth pony asked dryly: “Do you think you could just change him this one time, perhaps?'

“No, thou art the one with the dexterous claws and all!” Luna retorted quickly, and Scrivener groaned, slapping his face with this before Luna thrust Antares out towards him, the foal giggling as he flailed a little, looking brightly back and forth. “We really must get Antares out of diapers sooner rather than later.”

“Alright, alright, we can look into potty-training stuff when we go into Ponyville next... I think our big boy is just about ready for that anyway.” Scrivener said finally, and then he turned around and allowed Luna to lightly set the child down on his back, Antares smiling happily before the half-wyrm, half-pony started down the corridor, calling dryly: “You sure neither of you wants to do this?”

“I'm busy foal-sitting Luna.” Twilight said hurriedly, and then she grinned lamely when Luna gave her a sour look. “No offense, of course.”

“I shall foal-sit on thee.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed from down the corridor, smiling in spite of himself as he shoved the door to Antares' room open... and then reared his head back in slight surprise at the sight of Gymbr, the toy complacently resting in Antares' crib. The foal bounced excitedly at this, burbling happily, and Scrivener shook his head as he strode into the room.

Antares was trying to lean towards the crib, but Scrivener carefully reached back, pulling him off his back and putting him on the changing table. The foal tried to scramble up, but Scrivener shook his head, gently pushing him back down and reassuring: “Quick change, kiddo, and then I'll get Gymbr for you and you can play with him all day, okay?”

“Okay Daddy.” Antares replied after a moment, and Scrivener smiled warmly before he quickly went about the process of changing the foal's diaper. Antares squirmed a little, but it was a fairly smooth process... although Scrivener found himself surprised when the child asked curiously: “Bite-night?”

“No, that was last night. We only get to do it once a year... that's part of why it's so special.” Scrivener said softly, smiling a little as he finished doing up the diaper. He glanced towards the onesie that the baby had been in... and then he shrugged, picking this up and tossing it into the hamper instead before he lifted Antares off the table and put him down. Antares Mīrus was still looking up at him curiously, but Scrivener only laughed and smiled as he turned towards the crib, continuing: “Daddy's uh... 'costume' is going to go away soon, don't worry. But your mother wanted me to uh... 'wear' it for a little longer.”

Then Scrivener passed Gymbr down to Antares, and the foal happily picked this up before turning and running away with a giggle, any other questions forgotten as Scrivener shook his head with a smile. The stallion followed the child out and down the corridor, returning to the den to find Twilight playing with the foal and Luna now sitting back with a photo album beside her and a stack of pictures.

After another hour or so, Luna finally dispelled the polymorph: it left him aching a little, but Luna huffed and blamed Scrivener's 'childish constitution' before going back to sorting out her new photo album. She grumbled about not having any pictures from last night, but Scrivener only smiled amusedly at her, reassuring her he was sure they could find somepony who took a few pictures and get a few copies for her memory book.

Not long after Scarlet Sage got up, the odd little family ended up curling up together around the album, simply paging through it, remembering times new and old. Antares burbled happily, pointing at himself in pictures, giggling a little here and there and looking awed by some of the photographs as he tried to make sense of them... particularly pictures like the one of Luna grinning cheerfully as she stood with Little Luna.

Twilight was fascinated by the pictures of Nice Celestia, and Shining Armor and Cadence, and of course the pictures of the other layer's Twilight Sparkle. She smiled a little as she touched one of these, saying softly: “It's like gazing into the past...”

Luna nodded slowly, paging slowly through the album. Pictures of them, of other layers, of good memories. Of moments frozen forever in time, that she was always able to go back to, to see old faces she would in all likelihood never see again, but this way could never and would never be forgotten. Entire stories were hidden in every photograph, in the angle of the picture, in the background and the details, in the subtle cues of body language; stories that would last even after their lives were extinguished, as long as these pictures were left intact.

It ended up being a lazier day than Luna intended: they did only a little training after they finally put the albums safely away, and that turned mostly into playing with Antares Mīrus. But Luna thought that was more than good enough, all things considered: they deserved a relaxing day now and then. Nightmare Night had been fun, certainly, but the young foal had worked hard for his candy, too, with all his running around.

Scarlet Sage decided to go into town to visit Celestia, see her friends, and pick up a few groceries. Antares shortly went down for a nap as well, leaving Twilight, Scrivener, and Luna some time to rest together and simply... talk through things. The three felt more comfortable together these days than they ever had in the past: the time they had spent together recently, the openness they had started to show, and Celestia's seeming acceptance had all played a big role in getting to this point.

Piece-by-piece, it felt like everything was finally starting to fall together. Like they were all finding themselves, like they were settling with one-another and establishing... a real life. It was hard to describe, but whatever it was, it felt both good and right... although Scrivener and Luna were both fairly certain they were bias, considering how well life was going for them in particular. How despite the threats, the darkness, the lurking evil, they also both had been granted everything they had ever desired, and more.

Peace, serenity, happiness: they had that, at that moment in time. Nothing else mattered as they rested together, comfortable with one-another, feeling linked, feeling good. Antares was asleep in his room, Scarlet Sage was in town with friends, and at least for now the world felt like a safe place, the biggest threat currently foals that were eating too much candy and making themselves either hyperactive or sick. The only real question was where was Odin, but Luna knew in her heart – whether she wanted to admit it or not – that if something bad ever did truly happen to the old once-god, she would feel it with her Valkyrie instincts. She would simply know; just like one way or the other, she somehow simply knew that in all likelihood the once-god was perfectly fine, wherever he was, whatever he was doing.

Antares awoke from his short nap after only an hour or so, looking a little groggy and grouchy, but Luna quickly cheered her child up with some candy from last night that she also helped herself to. The foal was delighted by this, gobbling it up, and Luna looked pleased before heading into their room to get more from her own stash of candy... kept in a massive, locked trunk that was filled to the brim with countless sugary treats large and small. Just like in old Equestria, ponies offered up their candy on Nightmare Night... except they offered it to the statue of Garm outside Ponyville, one of the Black Wolves of Hell. They poured a helping of their candy into the trunk, and said trunk had later been retrieved by Nightmares at the end of the celebrations and brought here for Luna's pleasure.

It amused Scrivener endlessly that Luna refused to accept money or special treatment: instead, she took her payment to protect Ponyville in candy and sweets. Not that it surprised him, at the same time... he thought it played well into Luna's hedonism and pleasure-seeking streak, gluttonous as it was. He was just glad that Luna usually kept herself from binging too often: to her, the candy was almost like currency... edible, delicious currency.

Discombobulation returned a few minutes after Luna had grabbed herself a snack, the chaos entity still wearing his now-rumpled, wrinkly suit. He had spent a lot of hours of the night helping Celestia with her scrying mirror and searching for Odin's location, but what had frustrated him most of all was not the work or the lack of success, but the fact that Celestia refused to rise to any of his baiting or insults.

Luna was surprised to hear that Celestia was looking for Odin, as was Scrivener Blooms, but Discombobulation only shrugged, finally rubbing briskly at his suit to make it vanish and helping himself to a handful of Antares' candy from his bag, earning a scowl from the child before Discombobulation reached out and picked up Gymbr, hugging it absently against his chest as he'd rambled for a little while about things that didn't completely make sense, then wincing when Antares had wiggled into his lap to grab Gymbr, then simply curl up and mumble to himself.

The Draconequus dealt with this awkwardness by snapping his fingers to create a simple headband with a large pair of cat ears sticking off it, placing this on Antares before hesitantly beginning to pet him. The foal had only burbled happily, however, and Discombobulation had relaxed a little as Scrivener and Luna smiled and Twilight gazed softly at the chimerical creature. They had simply sat quietly for a little while together, the odd group resting in peace as Antares fell into a doze, and Bob had mumbled something about not being a caretaker even as he'd visibly been a little too nervous to move.

But eventually Antares had roused himself and run off with Gymbr, and Discombobulation had calmed down. Then the foal had returned after a few moments with a small, odd object, and Scrivener had wondered dumbly how the hell Antares had gotten his hooves on it before he'd simply nodded and smiled a little, gently slipping the necklace onto his son.

A polished, almost perfectly-circular black stone hung from the necklace, engraved with the shape of a star. Scrivener had put it together for his son's birthday, and Luna had enchanted it to make it glow quietly in the dark, so Antares would always be able to see, would always have a light to guide the way. Normally it hung on a high hook in Antares' room to give him a night-light... but then again, it wasn't like strange things weren't already a normal occurrence around the cottage.

Luna and Twilight had both noted something odd, though: Antares was using his leathery wings more and more, but he rarely showed any magical proficiency. His horn did sometimes glow every now and them, that was true, but most unicorn foals had the occasional uncontrollable burst of magic: so far, Antares hadn't even shown much in the way of telekinetic control. Sometimes, Luna wondered silently if Nightmare Moon had something to do with that, if her enchantment had perhaps stunted or delayed Antares' magical growth... but inside her, the dark manifestation of passion only ever smiled in contempt at these thoughts.

Of course, Antares was far from any normal foal, too: not just because of who his parents are, what Nightmare Moon had already done to him, but how quickly he was developing. Not as fast as some prodigies, perhaps, but in a way, Scrivener Blooms was happy that while his son was special... he also wasn't already turning out to be some miraculous little chosen hero. He was just a kid, growing up, not even potty-trained yet but catching on quickly when it came to learning to talk, maybe starting to show the slightest interest in starting to read. Antares was already their little miracle, after all... and Scrivener knew there was such a thing as too much of a good thing.

It was a curious thought to have, yet as Scrivener looked down at Gymbr when Antares burbled happily and bounce over towards his set of toys, he felt that it was also strangely... right. And as Luna and Twilight regarded the stallion curiously as he simply sat and thought, not only Luna, but Twilight too seemed to catch the whisper of his thoughts in their mind. Then Discombobulation reached quietly out, picking up the doll, and Scrivener was shaken out of his almost-trance as the Draconequus held the toy up and shook it gently, saying softly: “From us patchwork dolls to you, Luna Brynhild... a little advice. It's very healthy to never be so arrogant to think yourself wise... but at the same time, you should never, ever doubt in your own wisdom. Do you understand?”

“Not at all.” Scrivener Blooms replied with a smile, and the Draconequus nodded seriously and looked oddly relieved, as if this had been exactly the answer he'd hoped for. Then he simply tossed Gymbr to the stallion, and Scrivener had caught it with ease as he'd looked down into the button eyes of the strange, chimerical doll, wondering just what answers this strange little toy held and why it seemed to be becoming more and more important to everyone in their odd little family.

Moments Of Redemption

Chapter Thirty Four: Moments Of Redemption
~BlackRoseRaven

Months passed in relative peace and quiet, with the main landmarks being not war or violence, but family events that often revolved around young Antares. Things like his first mane-cut – the foal had been pale and scared at first as the hairdresser had tried to be as gentle and quick as possible, then the colt had cried a little afterwards but shortly cheered up when they had taken him over to the toy store – and Antares starting to learn how to read. He was also more and more making complete sentences, struggling a little with bigger words and grammar, but he was getting down the basics better with every passing day.

Odin also returned from where he'd been hiding out in Valhalla, now wearing a leg brace along with using his walking stick more heavily. But his wounds from the Norns had healed, at least, and whether or not he was continuing to age and weaken, he clearly had no intent to let anything slow him down or keep him from continuing to put all his effort into helping maintain Looking Glass World.

Canterlot's reconstruction was also continuing well, and Greece and Illyria had moved to the castle to oversee the continuing rebuilding. Most of the city area had also been fortified and reconstructed, but the Nibelung wanted to ensure the foundation and supports were still stable before they tried to start moving ponies back into the area. There was still the problem of the catacombs beneath Canterlot: the tunnels, the abysses, the hidden passages all had to be checked over, new supports locked into place, and other considerations made: the only advantage was that Greece had the help of the Nightmares and a few demons, who were eager to make it into their new home and thus wanted to help expedite the construction and repair efforts however possible.

Avalon was growing up, and Rainbow Dash was a grinning, proud father, delighted by the fact that his daughter was already buzzing quietly around through the air, a Pegasus foal who took to the skies more naturally than a bird. He would happily hover through the town, flying just a few feet above the street with Avalon buzzing along beside him... although the foal also had a habit of puttering out and dropping to the ground to curl up to go to sleep whenever she started to get tired, and Big Mac was the first to point out how similar to Rainbow that was, too.

Applejack adored her daughter, and adored watching Rainbow with her: they were a wonderful, happy little family, and Sweet Apple Acres was doing booming business. Shipping carriages regularly came by to pick up loads of the fruit and carry them across Equestria, while Big Mac and several Nibelung laborers they had hired on worked the fields, often aided by Apple Bloom... when the young mare wasn't apprenticing for Cowlick, that was. Applejack was proud of her little sister for starting to find her way, even if it was leading her away from the traditional family farmstead... but the hint of melancholy was far outweighed by the joy of watching Apple Bloom blossoming more and more into her own confident, strong person.

Spike and Rarity were comfortably living together in the boutique, planning their wedding and selling both clothing and jewelry that Rarity had begun to make. Spike helped sometimes putting these trinkets together, but more and more he had begun to take an interest in metalworking, to the point he sometimes found himself working with Nibelung at the blacksmith's, learning the trade.

There were other changes, too: the completion of Vinyl Scratch's nightclub, where Sweetie Belle worked sometimes as a singer when they needed live entertainment. News that the Wonderbolts were being put back together by Spitfire, delighting Rainbow Dash, although he confessed he had no plans to rejoin any time soon... for him, flying beside Avalon was more exciting and more of a thrill than the Wonderbolts had ever given him. And Fluttershy was helping set up a nursery on the edge of the Everfree Forest to help raise domesticated animals as well as to better care for Phooka and other entities that weren't quite animal, but weren't pony or anything else, either.

Zecora was visiting both Ponyville and Luna and Scrivener's cottage more frequently, curious to learn about Equestria's plans for the future and about the other layers of reality. She provided her own wisdom and help wherever she could, putting together potions and simply sharing her stories and knowledge. She was still particularly wary of Gymbr, however, and did everything she could to avoid contact with the toy.

Discombobulation, on the other hand, was very happy to poke at Gymbr almost excessively, taking a pronounced interest in the doll and spending far too much time 'listening' to it as he continued to jot down notes. Scrivener could swear that sometimes he thought he actually heard the toy speaking to the Draconequus, but... he was also well-aware it could be a trick of the mischievous chaos entity, or more likely, his own over-imaginative and slightly-damaged mind.

Twilight Sparkle was still living officially at the library, but she frequently spent her nights out at the cottage: her days, however, were usually spent with Celestia, and Luna couldn't help but note the irony despite her amusement and honest happiness at the loyalty of the violet mare. It all felt like a long process of adjustment... but adjusting, growing, and developing, they all were.

And Scrivener and Luna had long made it clear that Celestia was always welcome with them, too: that no matter what happened, they wanted to still spend time with her, they still both saw her as family, as the big sister who helped take care of them all and keep them from ever doing anything too stupid.

It helped: for all her power and prestige, for all her wisdom and knowledge, Celestia did need the reassurance sometimes that they weren't going to simply ship her off to Canterlot and forget about her. She did know it in her mind, but knowing only counted for so much: the mind, after all, could be a treacherous and dangerous thing, warping one thought or belief into something else entirely.

But what had surprised them was when Celestia had asked gently if they would accept her help in placing the anchor in the next layer... and when Luna had looked at her meditatively for a few moments, Celestia had eventually bowed her head and added softly: “And if you let me come along, Luna... I'll follow your lead, your orders. You'll be in charge... even if what you choose to do with your leadership is make mischief.”

And that was why, five months after their return from the third layer of reality, Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild stood looking slowly over Celestia as she emerged from the library, prepared for the journey ahead. Golden, heavy full plate covered her body: the massive armor made her look even more titanic than she already was, tight and flexible silver mesh filling the gaps here and there between enormous, curved plates of enchanted aureate metal. She wore only a simple golden coronet around her head, keeping her mane back from her eyes, marked only with a single etching of the sun crest on its front.

Over her back, three beautiful golden swords gleamed: gladius-shaped blades with straight, darker metal handles. Luna leaned carefully up to grin at the sight of these on her big sister's back as the ponies gathered around the square stared in awe, before Odin's voice said softly: “You've always had a bad habit of burdening yourself, Freya.”

“Not anymore, Odin. Now I can use all my weapons at once.” Celestia replied with a slight smile, turning her eyes towards the once-god. He was leaning on his cane next to the armored carriage, as Twilight Sparkle anxiously checked over the last of the wagon's contents before finally closing it and walking over to join Scarlet Sage and Antares. The younger ponies were smiling warmly, Antares's necklace gleaming as Scrivener studied his son and marveled at how much he had grown, now that he was... just looking.

But then the stallion shook his head hurriedly when Luna gave him a soft look, instead heading over to hook himself up to the wagon as Odin smiled a little in return, before he bowed his head forwards and said softly: “Freya... I'm sorry.”

“You apologized a long time ago, and it wasn't me you owed the apologies to, anyway. It was my sister... Brynhild.” Celestia said softly, glancing towards Luna, who laughed quietly and glanced up. “But you did that. And you've devoted yourself to... fixing past mistakes. I understand how hard that is, and I... truly respect it.”

Odin nodded slowly, the two studying each other for a few moments before they both smiled again, and then the one-eyed once-god chuckled quietly, saying gently: “Then I won't hold you up with an old man's reasons and rambles and excuses.”

Celestia only gave him a soft look, then she turned her eyes towards Twilight, saying gently: “It's going to be fine, Twilight Sparkle, you can handle anything that comes up over the week without me. And just as I've always had you and others to rely on, you have plenty of friends yourself if something does come up. Remember to take care of yourself... and if the Royal Council asks...”

“Diplomatic mission.” Twilight smiled awkwardly after a moment, nodding a few times before she hesitated, then said softly: “Take care of yourself, Celestia. And take care of them, too, Luna and Scrivener are both very good at getting into trouble.”

“Especially in the other layers.” Scarlet Sage added with a small smile, and Luna huffed a little as Scrivener simply shrugged. Then the Pegasus reached down, gently touching Antares and promising: “I'll be good, Mom and Dad. Antares and I are going to have a fun week together, right?”

“Right!” Antares said brightly, then he looked up and smiled at them warmly, saying quietly: “Bye Mom, Dad. I love you.”

“As I love thou, sweet Antares.” Luna said softly, as Scrivener smiled back and nodded slowly. Then Luna swallowed before turning hurriedly ahead, saying firmly: “'Tis time to go!”

She dropped her head forwards as Scrivener hurriedly fumbled at the straps of the harness to make sure they were locked into place, even as he felt his own head lowering as his strength and energy was drawn to Luna. Celestia and Twilight both bowed their horns forwards as well, as Odin simply stood back and watched, wishing them silently well as the sizzling cyclone of golden fire ripped upwards and reality tore apart as the Bifrost formed...

And, a little over a week later, Celestia, Luna, and Scrivener returned, Scrivener once more almost ending up crushed by the wagon when the bridge shattered beneath his hooves. Thankfully, Celestia and Luna were able to catch either side of the armored transport and set it down with only a small thud and a puff of grass and muck before the winged unicorns dropped to either side of Scrivener as he wheezed... then looked lamely back and forth as he realized they were probably an hour from Ponyville, on the road leading towards Canterlot. Probably more than an hour, really, since it was just after winter had come to an end and sludge, mud, and puddles softened the ground.

Celestia smiled despite the distance, and Luna huffed, complaining: “I do not see what thou art so glad about, wicked Celestia! We ended up in the far west of Equestria, sitting around and enjoying the most boring week ever in... pleasant, rolling meadows after thou insisted we hide the anchor in that damnable dark pit we wasted an entire day in because 'oh no, it must be safe!'”

“I had a very enjoyable vacation.” Celestia replied mildly as she began to calmly walk towards Ponyville, her polished armor gleaming brightly over her body. Scrivener and Luna, meanwhile, both looked dirty and less-than-thrilled, as the ivory winged unicorn continued with a smile: “Camping outdoors, away from everyone, just us three after we put the anchor into place... wandering through the open fields beneath the skies. The feel of... something special in the air, and visiting those ponies in the little villages. It was a wonderful escape.”

“Yes, and thou insisted on being a little goody two-hooves and doing chores for them.” Luna said disgustedly. “For two days! Thou... reorganized their library and played politics and did all those useless little clean, nice jobs. And Scrivener and I? We helped upon their farms, chased animals through muck and mire, all this nonsense and more! And thou wouldn't even allow them to pay us!”

“Well, it was good for us, for all of us. And I helped out at the farm, too.” Celestia replied pointedly, leaning towards them. “You'll feel better when you're out of your armor and able to clean up both yourself and your gear.”

“Oh shut up.” Luna grumbled, and Celestia laughed, smiling warmly as she shook her head before Luna complained: “I thought I was supposed to lead! I thought we were to adventure forwards, to fight onwards against evil, not... do silly nonsense for silly ponies!”

“There are other ways to help ponies apart from killing or pummeling things, Luna. Besides... it was only a suggestion I made, that you agreed to. You were even eager to help, and I know you're glad that we did.” Celestia replied softly, gazing towards Luna and giving a slight smile as she tilted her head towards her. “Because it was just like what Sleipnir used to do.”

Luna softened at this, then she dropped her head forwards and mumbled: “Cheater. I knew thou wert going to bring that up.”

There was silence for a few moments except for the rumbling of the wagon as the group headed back towards Ponyville, Scrivener Blooms looking curiously back and forth before Luna finally sighed softly and looked up, saying quietly: “Very well, aye. And Celestia, I am... glad, do not get me wrong. And yes... yes, I do feel good, but... 'twas very boring. That's all. And thou usurped my leadership. Thou art an usurper.”

Celestia only shook her head and laughed quietly at this, however, giving her younger sibling an entertained look for a few moments before turning her gaze towards the village as she said softly: “Then in that case, Luna, we'll have to do something like this again, yes? Just us.”

“Just us mares.” Luna said agreeably, glancing over with a wink at Scrivener Blooms, and he gave a flat look to the sapphire winged unicorn before she laughed and shook her head. “Oh, be not so sensitive! 'Tis a compliment, really.”

“Yes, yes.” Scrivener said dryly, shaking his head slowly, and then he smiled a little over at Celestia, adding quietly: “It really was... a nice time though, yes. And a relief that for once, we weren't attacked by anything or swallowed up in some nonsense. But I think it probably helped to have you along, since you're... well, the word 'juggernaut' comes to mind.”

“'Juggernaut.'” Celestia looked thoughtfully at the earth pony, even as he cleared his throat embarrassedly and looked ahead as Luna grinned brightly and nodded fervently a few times. Then the white winged unicorn smiled a little, returning her eyes ahead as she said softly: “I'm glad we're able to speak... casually, Scrivener Blooms, and I'm glad you can be so open with me. It's something I've wanted to be able to share with other ponies for a long time, and... both because of your relationship with my sister and what has occurred between us in the past... your friendship and openness means a lot to me.”

Scrivener only smiled a little, looking ahead as he said softly: “Well, you're a Baroness, a heroine to ponies everywhere, Luna's big sister, and... the Valkyrie Queen Freya. To be honest, Celestia, I... I never even really... well...”

“I know. I know.” Celestia shrugged after a moment, saying softly: “But even when I was Princess Celestia of our old Equestria, you never... went to great lengths to impress me or were anyone but yourself with me. Even after I wronged you and left that scar on your face... I think often that you came around and forgave me for it long before my little sister did.”

Scrivener only smiled wider at this, however, looking ahead and replying mildly: “Well, you know, grew up getting my flank kicked around constantly by authority figures, so...”

Luna sighed and bodychecked the wagon, making Scrivener wince a bit as Celestia laughed and shook her head, then she smiled again over at him before looking ahead and adding easily: “Perhaps we never would have been... good friends, if it weren't for my sister's involvement with you. But I wonder sometimes, Scrivener. I think if you'd just open yourself up more, you'd have many more friends.”

“I don't need a lot of friends, Celestia. And hell, in reality, I do have a lot of friends.” Scrivener smiled slightly over at the ivory equine, then he paused meditatively before looking back ahead, adding dryly: “Although yes, it would perhaps be nice to be friends with more than just mares who are capable of killing me with one hoof if the urge took them.”

“'Tis not my fault that is the kind of crowd thou attracts.” Luna said cheerfully, and Scrivener sighed as Celestia laughed again. Then the sapphire mare smiled softly at the stallion, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile once more in return to her, feeling comfortable in the presence of the sisters as they fell into restful quiet on their walk back.

When they returned to Ponyville, they found Odin waiting for them at the gates, his gloved hands in the pockets of his jacket. He smiled at them as they approached through the melted snow, and Luna looked grouchily over him before she asked flatly: “And just where is thy cane, old lecher? Don't tell me thou art once more supping at the poisonous Ambrosia?”

“No, no.” Odin chuckled quietly and shook his head slowly, turning and limping only a little as he headed into Ponyville, falling into pace with the trio of ponies as Scrivener gave a sigh of relief at how much easier it was to move along the maintained roads. “I feel good today, that's all, Brynhild. Perhaps it is because of the spring air... isn't that what the poets say?”

“Is it, Scrivener? Then 'tis thy fault somehow.” Luna grumbled, glowering at him, and Scrivener only shrugged a bit in half-agreement before the sapphire mare huffed and added grumpily: “But 'tis better than the cold winter, I suppose. And I am glad that... thou art not dead, as well. I think. I suppose that depends on just what thou art doing here.”

Odin chuckled a little, then he replied quietly: “Well, I felt the Bifrost open... but it's strange, that it dropped you so far from Ponyville. Again, I fear that something is interfering with the rainbow bridge...”

Luna only grunted, but Celestia looked up, asking after a moment: “But who would do that, and why? Not to mention how: the Bifrost is no foal's toy, after all.”

“Perhaps it has something to do with a child's toy, however.” Odin said pointedly, and Scrivener and Luna both nodded apprehensively. They walked on in silence for a few minutes, and then the falcon-headed being said abruptly, a smile crossing his beak: “I had the delight to sit down for a few minutes with Miss Twilight and discuss some of the old traditions of Equestria. Things like Winter Wrap-Up... I believe some places are still continuing this tradition, of essentially trying to control the seasons, yes?”

“The Royal Council doesn't know whether to encourage or discourage it: after all, it's less attempting to control nature and more... giving the natural order a hand when winter ends, so to speak.” Celestia replied after a moment, looking up with a small smile as Odin nodded a few times. “I suppose that, because of our gifts and our abilities, ponies have a natural tendency to want to control and influence nature. And admittedly, I am in large part at fault for helping that mindset to develop.”

“You leap to blaming yourself far too quickly, Freya. But you've always been that way... you were firm with the Valkyries, but always saw it as your fault if and when something went wrong.” Odin said softly, putting his hands behind his back as they continued forwards, before he smiled a little over at the winged unicorn. “A soldier's behavior does not always reflect upon their commanding officer. Life would be so much simpler if it did, but it does not: there are simply too many other things that can and do influence the decisions that we make.”

Celestia nodded as Luna grumbled a little, before the falcon-headed entity paused and glanced over his shoulder, saying quietly: “But it was more than curiosity that drew me out to see you. A messenger arrived yesterday, from the Norns... as expected, while you were both gone. They desire to meet with you tomorrow; it is very fortunate you've returned today.”

“Yesterday?” Celestia asked with a frown as the group halted in front of the library, and Odin nodded, turning a curious look towards her before the winged unicorn shook her head slowly, saying softly: “Then perhaps it isn't luck at all, Odin. This might be exactly what they hoped for: dragging Scrivener Blooms and Luna to see them while they're both low on energy from the recently-completed task. Furthermore, how will we be able to reach the Norns with the Bifrost regenerating?”

“Loathe as I am to do this, I shall take Scrivener Blooms and Brynhild tomorrow to my personal portal to Asgard. From there, I will guide them as far as I can to the Norns.” Odin said quietly, looking meditatively over at the ponies as Luna grinned widely. “This does not mean you are now permitted to go back and forth as you please between this world and Asgard, do you understand?”

“As well as I ever understand any order.” Luna replied blandly, and Odin sighed a little, lowering his head and rubbing slowly at his face with one hand before the sapphire winged unicorn hesitated, then asked in a quieter, more serious voice: “What should I do to prepare?”

Odin looked slowly over the two... and then he shook his head, replying quietly: “We will leave early tomorrow morning. Polish your armor, clean yourselves up, and most of all... rest. The Norns will not treat you pleasantly. But it is important you be as respectful as possible to them. They are not beings anyone of sound mind would desire to have as an enemy.”

“Then 'tis good I am not of sound mind.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener smiled wryly despite the flutter of worry that twisted through his body as Odin sighed and Celestia looked at them apprehensively. “But very well. Then... thou hast my thanks, Odin. Art thou coming inside?”

“If you don't mind my company. I'd like to hear how things went. These last few layers have not treated you pleasantly, after all.” Odin replied with a nod as Scrivener carefully unhooked himself from the harnessing. Luna looked moodily at the once-god, but then she sighed when Celestia nudged her gently, and the sapphire winged unicorn nodded grumpily, earning a smile from the falcon-headed male. “Thank you, Brynhild.”

Luna only grumbled, then she turned towards the library door and booted it firmly open. Twilight Sparkle didn't even look up from where she was hard at work, looking stressed and exhausted, glowing horn guiding a glowing quill rapidly over a sheet of parchment. Headphones were locked tightly over her ears, and Luna snorted in amusement as Scrivener and Celestia both leaned into the doorway behind her before the stallion winced and drew quickly back, covering his ears as Luna leaned forwards and shouted in a booming, powerful voice: “Twilight Sparkle, thy beloved Mistress of the Night hast returned!”

Books rattled in the shelves and the windows vibrated violently as Twilight looked up in shock, then she gave a loud sigh of relief at the sight of Luna, reaching up and yanking the sound-muffling headphones off. “There you are! Did you see Odin, did you hear about-”

“Yes, yes, the old lecher is right here, as a matter of fact.” Luna replied with a smile as she strode into the room, jerking her head over her shoulder, and Twilight nodded and looked warmly past the sapphire mare as Celestia and Scrivener followed her in, followed by the once-god. Then Luna frowned a little, looking grumpily towards Twilight as she asked dryly: “The cyclops did not touch thee, did he?”

“Oh yes, Brynhild. That's exactly why I sent both you and Freya away. Have we not been over this already?” Odin asked tiredly as he slipped in through the doorway, and Luna shrugged, looking a little more cheerful now as she glanced pointedly over her shoulder at him. “Apart from the fact that, again, I do not find your... 'mares' attractive, do you really think I would risk the wrath of both yourself and Freya?”

“Thou ran the risk of thy wife's wrath constantly, as I recall. And she was far scarier than Celestia.” Luna retorted pointedly, and Odin grimaced and nodded moodily as he slowly strode across the room to sit down at the table as the ponies began to climb out of their armor. “Why did thou marry her, again?”

“Oh, the usual reasons a man marries a woman. Blackmail, stupidity, and avarice.” Odin replied dryly, gesturing moodily with one hand before he sighed a little, rubbing grumpily between his eyes. “I think what frustrates me most is how she was always faithful to me, despite the fact that I never was faithful to her. Well, that and her ability to see the future... it made it a little difficult to hide my... wandering... from her.”

“Wandering, oh, aye, wandering just as innocently as a fluffy sheep in the orchard, I am sure.” Luna said distastefully, giving Odin a flat look as she shook off her armor. Celestia, meanwhile, remained oddly quiet, her eyes averted embarrassedly as the sapphire mare continued flatly: “Does thou know what I would do if I ever caught Scrivener Blooms cheating on me? I would string him up by that which dangles!”

Scrivener coughed violently at this, awkwardly shuffling away from the sapphire winged unicorn as Twilight stared at them and Odin snorted in amusement, crossing his arms as he leaned back and replied: “Scrivener Blooms has no reason to cheat on you, Brynhild. Look at the life you lead. Interesting, filled with adventure, more than a little on the sybaritic side. Frigg wanted to me stay home in Valhalla and play board games with her while we drank wine by the fire. I much preferred to be out in the field, battling demons and monsters. The bite of a Hellhound was much less painful than my wife's nagging.”

“Your wife was named Frigg?” Twilight asked dumbly after a moment, and Odin turned his eye to her as she blushed. “Sorry.”

“Yes, she was named Frigg. And it wasn't until after I married her I realized why. Old harpy.” Odin muttered a little to himself, shaking his head before he sighed a bit and sat back grouchily. “Still, she was a better woman than I deserved. I wish that I had done better by her.”

He quieted, looking down before slapping a gloved hand against the table and shaking his head as the now-unarmored ponies approached, straightening and continuing mildly: “But it could have been worse, too. Freya, do you remember-”

“Yes, Odin, and let's not share any details in front of Luna.” Celestia said dryly, and Luna looked up and grinned slowly between the two as Odin smiled wryly, before the ivory equine glanced over at him, softening a little. “You were always generous to those you cared about, though. Even when you were being a fool.”

Odin only shook his head, still smiling silently, and Twilight looked between the two before Luna sat down at the table, leaning forwards and saying mildly: “Well, Freya was known for her certain desires, Twilight, and the Valkyries were-”

“Luna, I'll hit you. All I have to do is pretend you're Sleipnir and it becomes very easy.” Celestia warned, and Luna grumbled as she quieted, Scrivener smiling amusedly before rainbow-maned winged unicorn turned her eyes back to Odin, saying calmly: “We have good news, though. The anchor was successfully planted, and we encountered no problems: no monsters, nothing from Clockwork World, and we sealed the exits on our way out to ensure maximum protection. The only thing that didn't go as planned as the fact that we ended up on the western seaboard somehow.”

Luna grunted at this, adding grouchily: “We did encounter a village of ponies, but they did not seem to recognize us outright. We heard plenty of talk of the 'Princesses' of the world but... bah, I do not desire to guess at things.” She paused meditatively, then shook her head a bit. “Then again, they also did not seem quite as... developed, as this world is. They did not know what my camera was, and while they were a peaceful farming community, they did not seem to think it out of place that we were dressed in armor I have heard certain silly ponies of this world refer to as 'old-fashioned.'”

“It's possible. As I believe we've discussed, the layers refract and reflect each other... but all of them are different. I would almost say unique, but... few things in the world are truly unique.” Odin paused for a moment, rubbing moodily at his beak. “Made more complicated still by that which has been replicated in the layers here and there through tampering by one force or another...”

There was silence as the ponies waited for Odin to continue, but instead the once-god fell quiet for a moment as well before he shook his head, glancing up and saying calmly: “But that's not important. It's only a relief to hear that there were no complications this time... considering the way things have gone for you in other layers, Brynhild, perhaps this is a good omen. Better still because it means you won't be arriving in front of the Norns with wounds and injuries...”

“Yes, we'll simply be smelly.” Luna said moodily, then she glanced over at Twilight Sparkle before asking curiously: “How busy is the local spa? I desire to sit in a hot tub.”

“It's at times like this that I realize I married you simply because of the way you talk.” Scrivener Blooms said mildly, and Luna huffed a bit, giving him a flat look as Celestia and Twilight both smiled. Then the charcoal stallion shook his head slowly, glancing towards Odin and shrugging a little as he added quietly: “But it sounds like it doesn't matter if we go to them wounded or healthy. Like they're... too strong for us to fight, anyway.”

Odin, however, smiled at this, shaking his head slowly and replying quietly: “If you're judging their strength by what they did to me, Scrivener Blooms, then remember that I am merely an old man now, tired and burnt-out and fading more and more with every passing year. While I would not recommend fighting the Norns... the Norns choose to work by pitting one force against the other not simply because they consider themselves superior and likely take some cruel pleasure in watching us destroy each other for them, but because in all likelihood they can be destroyed. And if not destroyed, then at least defeated.”

“And defeat is often more humiliating than death.” Celestia said softly, and Odin grunted and nodded as Luna looked moodily down, before the rainbow-maned winged unicorn added quietly: “But that shouldn't be taken as an open suggestion to attack the Fates once you see them, Luna.”

“I know, I know, I am no fool. At least, not always.” Luna retorted, shaking her head briskly and grumbling a little under her breath. Then she sighed a little before asking finally: “Should I bring my spear with me? 'Tis a symbol of my Valkyrie heritage. 'Tis also a large sharp stick that I may use to poke them with should they annoy me.”

“It may not be a bad idea. More for status than anything else, though... like Freya I must remind you this is not encouragement to attack them.” Odin answered, and Luna grunted before she spun on her hooves and headed for the door, the once-god leaning back a bit and starting: “I'll need you to return here to Ponyville after-”

“Oh, shush, we are not leaving Ponyville, we are simply going to get cleaned up.” Luna retorted over her shoulder as her horn glowed, pulling the library door open. Scrivener Blooms grimaced as he slipped out of his seat to follow her after a moment, and Odin looked moodily at the sapphire winged unicorn before Luna added, her eyes roving towards Twilight: “Please send a letter to my daughter informing her that I have returned. Have her bring Antares and my spear here. And thou hast my thanks for this.”

Twilight began to open her mouth, but Luna quickly turned and strode out, and Scrivener simply shrugged, giving an awkward smile before he followed the winged unicorn outside, closing the door behind him. Then he glowered at Luna, who only looked innocently back at him as the stallion said dryly: “You know, everything you do tends to reflect back on me.”

“Well, the same blood flows in our veins, the same heart beats in our chests, the same soul runs through our bodies. We are together in all things.” Luna replied kindly, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile a little before the winged unicorn turned and added cheerfully: “Besides, thou art my sidekick, Scrivener Blooms. 'Tis only right that all think we are cut from the same mold, or at least made of the same plaster.”

“Stop... over-expanding metaphors.” Scrivener said finally, sighing a little as he followed after her grumpily, but Luna only laughed and grinned over her shoulder at him before the stallion added moodily: “You know, I also don't think we can just barge into the spa...”

“Oh, they adore me there. I was a Princess once, now I am a... well... I am still very important. I must be very good for their image.” Luna responded, raising her head proudly before she nodded firmly once to herself. Scrivener only snorted in amusement as they began to stride through the town, however, and the sapphire winged unicorn huffed grumpily, adding flatly: “Do not antagonize me, Scrivener Blooms. Thou knows well that I shall not hesitate to pummel thee into unconsciousness should the urge so take me.”

The earth pony nodded meditatively after a moment as they continued through Ponyville, bumping into each other every so often, their eyes flicking up to meet one-another's as thoughts and emotions swirled between their minds. Gentle teasing mixed with reassurances and half-hidden anxieties as they headed through the village until they reached the spa, where Luna firmly headbutted the doors open, ponies staring as she strode in with Scrivener Blooms awkwardly following behind her.

Before the sapphire winged unicorn could make too much of a nuisance of herself, however, a familiar voice called out gleefully: “Oh, Luna, darling! What a nice surprise to see you here! Oh ladies, ladies, let me pay for them, too, full-service, and I won't accept no for an answer.”

Luna and Scrivener both looked dumbly towards Rarity as the unicorn strode towards them with a warm smile, her eyes bright before the winged unicorn blushed a bit and said awkwardly: “That is... very generous of thee, Rarity, but my husband and I really only came here in order to bask in one of the tubs and wash the grime of past days off...”

“Oh, please Luna? You'd be doing me a favor, really; I usually meet Fluttershy for this but she hasn't been able to lately, and Spike is working today so he couldn't join me... but you know, you and your handsome husband both could really benefit from a little relaxation.” Rarity winked over at them before hurrying forwards, both Scrivener and Luna looking stupefied as the unicorn slipped between them, then half-pushed them both quickly forwards, continuing positively: “Come, come, just because you're a strong warrior doesn't mean you don't deserve to be pampered now and then!”

Luna obviously didn't know how to respond, trying to ramble out some reply even as she was half-pulled along by Rarity into the spa facilities. Scrivener followed at the other side, half-wondering if he was even really allowed to be here as he looked dumbly back and forth at the mares they passed. Luna, however, glared at him the moment he thought about leaving, and Rarity seemed to catch on to this, reassuring kindly: “No, no, don't worry about a thing! These ponies are very, very good at what they do, and who says a stallion can't relax now and then?”

“Scrivener is much more of a suiting mare for this exercise than I am.” Luna mumbled in response to this, then she winced as a pair of unicorn attendants seemed almost to appear out of nowhere, files and other tools floating around them, and Luna reared back with a visible flinch. “Torture implements!”

Rarity gave a slightly-forced laugh, hurriedly excusing Luna... but ten minutes later, Luna had settled, looking grumpy. She wasn't in a hot tub yet, but they were in a quiet, private sauna, aromatic steam floating around them as they sat back on comfortable, low wooden benches. The winged unicorn's starry mane twisted slowly back and forth, the condensation making it gleam all the brighter as Rarity smiled and rested back, a towel wrapped safely around her mane. Scrivener Blooms, lastly, was already dripping with sweat and panting a little, his sopping mane in his eyes.

He looked lethargic and drained, and Luna couldn't help but smile in wry amusement at him, mumbling: “Serves thee right.”

Rarity opened an eye curiously, glancing towards Luna, but the winged unicorn only smiled in return at her as Scrivener grumbled to himself. The white pony only shrugged after a moment to herself, then she hesitated before saying kindly: “So Luna, dear. Neither Spike nor I have asked, but... we were wondering if yourself or Celestia could officiate the wedding. It would really mean the world to us...”

Luna looked surprised at this, leaning back a bit as she glanced over at Scrivener, but he only looked back at her dumbly and shrugged slowly, too groggy from the humidity and heat to think clearly. Luna grumbled under her breath at this, but then she finally nodded hesitantly, saying awkwardly: “I am not sure thou would desire... myself... to try and run the ceremony, but I am certain that Celestia will be honored to. I shall speak to her about this.”

“Then, if it's not too much to ask, Luna, perhaps you could be one of my bridesmares?” Rarity asked quickly, leaning forwards and smiling warmly, and Luna looked dumbfounded by this question as the unicorn continued embarrassedly: “Fluttershy, Twilight, and Applejack, of course, will all be bridesmares too... and Sweetie Belle is gracing us with her gorgeous singing, and that young filly, Meadowlark, is going to be flower girl. You know her, yes?”

“The fairy princess on Nightmare Night.” Scrivener commented, and then he slumped back a bit, adding tiredly: “If I fall asleep, please don't let Luna draw on me or put me in a compromising position.”

Rarity glanced over at him with a bit of concern, but Luna only huffed and waved a hoof. “Ignore the beetle. He is like an upside-down reptile that thrives in cold and hibernates in heat. It makes me wonder further as to the nature of Tyrant Wyrms.” Luna paused as Scrivener mumbled a weak, senseless retort, then she shook her head, adding awkwardly: “And I am... honored, Rarity, but... I do not know why thou would desire to have me as a bridesmare. I know little about weddings and less about taking part in them...”

“Spike and I feel that... we owe you quite a bit, Luna, you and Scrivener Blooms both. And Twilight thinks just the absolute world of you two, too...” Rarity leaned forwards almost pleadingly, and Luna winced a little at those large, begging blue eyes. “It would really mean ever so much to me, that you be part of the ceremony... and you too, Scrivener, we were hoping that you would be able to put your own talents to use...”

“Serving food?” Scrivener asked lamely, and Rarity gave him a slight smile as Luna gazed over at him with amusement, the earth pony stallion forcing his eyes open tiredly. “What? That seems to be why Luna married me.”

“Oh, thou does more than that.” Luna grinned widely, winking over at Scrivener, but the stallion only grunted in response before the sapphire winged unicorn turned her eyes back to Rarity, saying hesitantly: “'Tis... in a month from now, aye? Thou has...”

The white unicorn nodded quickly, smiling brightly before she glanced up as there was a loud ding, Luna immediately glaring back and forth. Rarity winced at this, then reassured gingerly: “It's perfectly fine, it just means that it's time to move on to the next treatment. Really, friends, relax and enjoy, and I'll tell you all about the wedding plans so far.”

Rarity smiled as she slipped quickly off the seat and headed to the door, and Luna followed as Scrivener slouched behind them, wheezing a little and looking bedraggled and exhausted as he dragged himself out of the sauna. As the white unicorn began to cheerfully lead them around the spa, letting the attendants take care of her and pamper her in every possible way, Luna and Scrivener did their best to listen to her wedding plans while Luna continuously shoved other attendants away and occasionally interrupted Rarity with incredulous half-vulgarities she shouted at the spa staff trying to get her to put on mud packs or other things.

Scrivener, meanwhile, was only half-paying attention: he didn't know what to do apart from go along with things, so by the time they were standing back at the spa lobby, he was sparkling clean, his mane neatly combed and styled instead of hanging in a rugged mess, his hooves glinting and his coat gleaming. Luna kept giggling at him childishly, looking only a little cleaner than she usually did, and Scrivener glared at her as a sparkling, thrilled Rarity asked delightedly: “So you'll both do it?”

“Yes.” Luna and Scrivener both said awkwardly, neither wanting to confess they hadn't made out every detail of the wedding with Rarity's fast, excited talking and Luna's childish flailing at the staff. Rarity looked thrilled, however, bouncing on her hooves before Luna added hurriedly: “And thou hast our deepest thanks for this, Rarity, but Scrivener Blooms and I must both return now to the library, where Odin awaits us.”

The unicorn nodded, saying warmly in return: “Oh, no problem at all! I'll make sure to stop in later tonight to go over things in more detail and to get your sizes, but Twilight's been such a help in planning and scheduling everything, too, so she can probably tell you just as much as I can.”

The two nodded awkwardly, and then Luna paused dumbly for a moment before frowning and cocking her head curiously: “Of what sizes does thou speak?”

“You know, for your outfits!” Rarity smiled warmly, her eyes bright. “I'll make a lovely dress for you, Luna, and a handsome suit for your handsome husband; honestly, being able to design my own clothes for my own wedding, I swear it's the only thing that's really helped keep me sane amongst all the stress of scheduling and working and everything else...”

Scrivener and Luna both stared for a moment, and then Luna simply nodded hurriedly before turning and bulling Scrivener towards the door, calling lamely over her shoulder: “Grand, 'tis... grand! I... we must go now!”

Rarity watched dumbly as Luna firmly shoved Scrivener through the doors, the stallion wincing and staggering before the winged unicorn hurried out after him, then shoved the doors closed behind her and leaned back against them for a moment with a wheeze, groaning and throwing her head back as she mumbled: “A dress now! A damnable dress, Scrivener Blooms... Celestia will not have to wear a dress, why must I?”

Scrivener only looked at her mildly, and Luna huffed before leaning in, studying him meditatively before she added dryly: “Thou does not look like thyself, either. Thou art all... pretty. Not in thy usual mare's way, either.”

The stallion sighed a bit at this, then he turned to head towards the library, and Luna huffed as she followed after him as the charcoal earth pony began: “Well, Luna, it's a wedding. And it's very sweet of her to want to include us and have us play any kind of role in things... I mean, honestly, do we really deserve that?”

“Well... probably not.” Luna agreed after a moment, studying the male moodily before she suddenly leapt forwards and hip-checked him firmly, knocking the stallion staggering before he tripped and fell into a puddle of muck with a loud splash, Luna grinning cheerfully as Scrivener gave a groan of disgust and frustration. “Much better!”

“Luna...” Scrivener mumbled, turning his face away, and the winged unicorn frowned a little as she walked awkwardly over to him, looking down lamely... before Scrivener lunged up and seized her by the neck, yanking her down with a splash into the mud face-first, and Luna cursed in frustration before she immediately bulled forwards to half-tackle, half-fall on him.

They rolled back and forth like foals in the murky mire as ponies and Nibelung both stared, then a dwarf cheered loudly and was soon joined by several others as Luna and Scrivener shouted at each other and struggled in the sludge. They wrestled for a few minutes, but then both slowly came to a halt at the sound of someone clearing their throat, both ponies looking lamely up to see Celestia looking flatly down at the two.

Luna grinned awkwardly as Scrivener blushed through the muck dripping off his features, and then the ivory winged unicorn sighed and shook her head, saying dryly: “I don't want to know. Alright, siblings, please get up before someone comes along and tries to arrest you for this ruckus.”

“Oh, as if they would be foolish enough to attempt to arrest me!” Luna scoffed, shaking her head before she reached down and scooped up a bit of mud, lobbing it lightly at her older sister, and Celestia winced as she quickly stepped out of the way, the sapphire winged unicorn saying cheerfully: “Come, 'tis fun! Besides, the spas use mud. I see not how this is any different.”

Celestia only gave them a look for a moment before her horn glowed brightly, and both Scrivener and Luna winced as the mud rapidly heated, steam hissing up from around them as waves of intense warmth passed over the two before the dried goo simply crumbled away to gray dust. Luna huffed a bit, but then nodded and climbed up to her hooves as the glow died out from around Celestia's horn. “Thou brings ruin to all things fun, Celestia.”

The older sibling only sighed and shook her head a bit as Scrivener stood awkwardly and began to brush himself quickly off, and the rainbow-maned mare surveyed them for a few moments before she said softly: “I was coming to find you because it's been quite some time. Scarlet Sage and Antares are waiting for you at the library... your son seems very excited to see you both.”

Luna smiled at this before Celestia gestured for them to follow as she turned around, and both of the dirt-smeared ponies followed after the ivory winged unicorn before Luna suddenly rose her head and said quickly: “Before I forget, Celestia, I have something to ask of thee.”

The rainbow-maned equine cocked her head curiously as she glanced over her shoulder, and the sapphire winged unicorn continued: “Scrivener Blooms and I ran into Rarity at the spa, and she insisted upon paying for a full... treatment, I think it was, although neither of us were wounded and nor were any injuries taken care of. I did not like it, nor did I like how pretty Scrivener Blooms looked by the end of this so-called 'treatment,' which was why thou found us fighting in the mud. But I digress; Rarity has asked if thou would consider officiating the ceremony for herself and Spike. I said I would gladly ask thee, and force thee to if necessary.”

“Well, I'm honored, certainly.” Celestia smiled slightly as she looked ahead. “And as a matter of fact, Twilight Sparkle already talked to me about this. You know she's always been good at putting the pieces into place.”

Scrivener snorted in amusement as Luna huffed a bit, complaining: “So I was not just used as a messenger, I was used as a messenger for a message already sent? Ridiculous, Celestia! I demand recompense from thee!”

“For one, I had nothing to do with any of this. For another, Twilight has just been trying to cover as many bases as possible. She knows her friends very well, after all, but she's trying to balance taking things into her own hooves with not overstepping her bounds...” Celestia paused, then sighed a little at the flat look Luna had fixed her with. “I think you just like to hold things over my head and make me do things for you, little sister.”

“Can thou truly blame me?” Luna asked kindly, and the older sibling looked thoughtfully ahead before Luna paused, then added in a grumble: “And thou had best wear a damned dress. I have been asked to be bridesmare and Rarity desires Scrivener Blooms to do a reading.”

“Yeah, that's going to be fun to prepare for. I'm going to have to write a happy poem.” Scrivener said mildly, and he and Luna traded a look before they both laughed as Celestia sighed, but smiled even as she shook her head. “Glad that Rainbow Dash is best stallion, though. Means that I can just sit back in the audience and admire you in your dress.”

“Oh, I shall bludgeon thee.” Luna threatened, and Scrivener shrugged amiably before the sapphire winged unicorn turned her eyes forwards, adding moodily: “Why can't I provide security detail or some nonsense such as this? And wear armor. Armor is ceremonial!”

Celestia paused thoughtfully for a moment, then she suddenly stopped, and Scrivener and Luna both winced and staggered to a halt as well before the ivory equine turned around and asked curiously: “How long have you and Scrivener Blooms been married, little sister?”

Scrivener and Luna traded dumb looks at this, their eyes locking before thoughts began to hurriedly spill back and forth, and Celestia frowned a bit before she leaned forwards, asking in surprise: “Do you... not know?”

“I... I know!” Luna said hurriedly, looking embarrassedly up at Celestia as Scrivener winced a bit at the feeling of her thoughts suddenly breaking away from his, and then she finally dropped her head with a blush, mumbling: “It has just been... so strange, Celestia, time has been so... difficult to keep track of. We have been through so much... but it has been... oh...”

“Eighteen years?” Scrivener guessed, and Luna looked at him meditatively before nodding thoughtfully, and the stallion smiled a little after a moment before saying finally: “We could just make it twenty if you wanted.”

“Twenty years. Very good. We have been married for twenty years, Celestia.” Luna nodded firmly again, looking at Celestia as the ivory winged unicorn simply looked from one to the other... then, surprisingly, she laughed. “What? Thou mocks us!”

“I'm not mocking you, little sister, I'm just...” Celestia smiled a little, shaking her head slowly. “You've been married about sixteen years.”

Luna and Scrivener looked lamely up at Celestia, and then the sapphire winged unicorn glared at her, snapping: “And why would thou ask us if thou already knew the answer? Thou art a... that is a... a... Scrivener Blooms, I require an insult!”

Scrivener cleared his throat awkwardly, then he winced when Luna reached over and smacked him, saying hurriedly: “Buttocks!”

“A buttocks thing to do!” Luna said seriously, and then she paused, realized what she had just said, and slowly turned a horrible look on Scrivener as Celestia slowly lowered her head forwards, smiling despite her exasperation. “Scrivener. I am going to beat thee later.”

The stallion grumbled a little, and then he reached out and gently touched the black pearl hanging around Luna's neck, the sapphire mare blushing as she immediately calmed a little before Celestia studied the two and said softly: “What I was getting at is that I think... Scrivener and Luna... perhaps it's time for you to make a renewal of vows. Especially because your relationship has... greatly evolved since then, and... honestly... you deserve something more than... me, sitting there and giving a hurried ceremony, with only Twilight as a witness.”

Scrivener and Luna both looked up in surprise at this suggestion, and then Luna blushed deeply and shook her head violently as Scrivener smiled awkwardly and glanced down. Before either could protest, however, Celestia held up a hoof and smiled to them, saying quietly: “Think about it. Maybe it's just the upcoming wedding that has me thinking about this, but... take your time and think about it, both of you. Maybe a little while down the road, once this business with the layers is said and done, it might just be a good idea to... find a reason to celebrate, amidst all this darkness. And you deserve a proper wedding... you never even had a honeymoon, did you?”

“We... well. No. 'Twas a little difficult, being Nightmare Moon in exile and all.” Luna said blandly, and Scrivener smiled a bit as Celestia gazed softly from sister to brother-in-law. “But... very well. We shall consider it at least, big sister. 'Tis... funny, coming from thee, though. Thou art much less a mare than Scrivener Blooms and he has never suggested it.”

Scrivener only sighed at this, but Celestia only smiled and shrugged before calmly turning around to head back towards the library, and Luna looked thoughtfully at her sister as she and her husband followed, finding the idea lodging in her thoughts. It was like a blossoming seed, a blooming rose amongst the garden of brambles and worries and fears, and Luna smiled silently at her big sister, more thankful than she could say for this moment of peace before the strife that would undoubtedly shortly follow.

Cruel Tests Of Fate

Chapter Thirty Five: Cruel Tests Of Fate
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms and Luna were both quiet as they prepared in the early morning for the journey to Asgard, and to the Norns. Their armor had been polished and cleaned, and a rawhide sheath was strapped over Luna's back, the winged unicorn's horn glowing as she held up the weapon that went into this.

A nine foot, simple spear gleamed as it floated in the air, with a simple, diamond-shaped point: it was simple, unornamented, and yet somehow majestic, glowing faintly as it seemed to respond to Luna's will alone. Then the sapphire winged unicorn smiled slightly, and a moment later the telescopic spear clicked before collapsing rapidly down into a baton that spun once before sheathing itself quickly in the simple holster, Luna shaking her helm-covered head as she said wryly: “Aye, old friend. Fear not, 'tis not that I do not value thee... 'tis that I value thee too much. But perhaps spilling some Norn blood will help thee feel better.”

Then Luna shook her head before turning around, and she glowered flatly at Twilight Sparkle when the violet mare gave her an odd look. “What?”

“It's just a little weird. You talk to your spear like it's alive.” Twilight replied awkwardly, and Luna looked almost offended, rearing back and making the violet mare wince as Celestia and Odin traded amused smiles. “I. Well. It's not, right?”

Luna only shrugged a bit, saying softly: “'Tis a part of me, an extension of myself. 'Tis... 'tis alive in my mind, let me put it that way. Besides, Celestia talks to her swords, and they aren't even real swords!”

“They may only be imitations, but the shadow of a thing can still carry the weight of what it seeks to imitate, if its intent is pure.” Celestia replied calmly, and Luna simply looked dumbfounded at this response.

Then the sapphire mare huffed loudly and complained to Scrivener: “Out-fancy-talk Celestia! And furthermore, Celestia, thou art just... making excuses, bah! Nonsense!”

Scrivener only smiled and shook his head... then he glanced up with surprise as Antares wandered into the room from the corridor, yawning quietly. Luna immediately softened as well, the foal's parents walking forwards as Antares smiled up at them and gazed back and forth before asking quietly: “You goin'?”

“Aye, child. I fear that we are, but know that we shall return as soon as possible.” Luna said softly, leaning down and smiling faintly over her son, and Antares gazed up quietly as he flapped his leathery wings once before furling them at his sides. It made Luna smile a little, as she leaned forwards, speaking in a quiet voice: “I am very proud of thee. Behave well today for Twilight and Celestia, and do the very best thou can at thy flying lessons with Rainbow Dash. Do not poke Avalon too much if she falls asleep again, and do not envy her: aye, she is a prodigy, but thou too are special. And all the more so because thy wings are not natural. I expect thee to learn to use them but I do not expect thee to become a master of the skies in a matter of weeks, that will take time. Give it time, my child.”

Antares blushed and nodded, and then Scrivener reached forwards and rubbed gently through the foal's mane, adding softly: “You're gonna be great, kiddo. You already are, as a matter of fact. And I promise, when we get back, we can go on that trip to Canterlot you've wanted to. Maybe even talk about accompanying Celestia to the Temple of the Sun.”

Scrivener smiled a little over at the ivory winged unicorn, who laughed quietly and bowed her head forwards almost in gratitude before Antares stepped forwards with a warm smile, trading tight hugs with either parent. Luna nuzzled her foal silently, then she stepped back, stroking his face tenderly as she said softly: “Go and fetch thy sister, Antares, so we may say goodbye to thee both.”

“She's already coming.” Antares replied with a shrug, and Scrivener and Luna both looked at him curiously before the colt gazed between them and asked hesitantly: “You sure you be... okay?”

“We are sure.” Luna nodded firmly, and Scrivener winked from behind his glasses, the stallion straightening, feeling a surge of confidence at his wife's words, and a rising determination to not let the foal down, no matter what. “Do not fear for us. We shall be back as soon as we can. 'Twill not be more than a day or so at the most.”

“Your parents are strong, Antares, there is no need to worry for them.” Odin added quietly, and the colt looked reassured by the words of the once-god as he nodded a few times, and Luna gave a small smile over to the falcon-headed entity.

Then the sapphire winged unicorn drew her eyes back at the sound of hooves approaching, and she gazed softly at Scarlet Sage as the Pegasus strode up beside her little brother to gaze between her parents tenderly. They traded tight, silent hugs, still not speaking and not needing to, before Scarlet Sage slipped back, rubbing embarrassedly at her face before she reached out and touched Antares' shoulder, saying quietly: “I'll take good care of him, I promise. Just... just please hurry back.”

“We shall.” Luna promised, and there was silence for a few moments before the starry-maned mare finally turned her eyes towards Odin, saying quietly: “'Tis time, old cyclops. Let us go to face the Norns and see what games they wish to play, what words they have to speak to us. I assume we should attempt to arrive early.”

“There is no early or late with the Norns, Brynhild. It's part of the advantage of being a seer.” Odin replied with a wry look, and then he climbed carefully up to his feet, grasping his walking stick by the neck. He carefully made his way around the table, and then cocked his head as oddly-quiet Twilight pushed herself out of her own seat, the falcon-headed entity saying mildly: “I'm afraid the Norns were very specific in their request...”

“I just... want to walk with them to the portal, if that's okay.” Twilight said finally, and Odin looked thoughtful before he glanced towards Celestia. The ivory winged unicorn nodded slowly, and Odin grunted after a moment before he gestured lightly with his free hand at the violet mare, who smiled up at him after a moment. “Thank you.”

The once-god only nodded slowly, as Scrivener and Luna both smiled. They lingered a moment longer even as Odin headed to the door, gazing over their children as Antares Mīrus and Scarlet Sage looked lovingly back... and then, finally, they both turned to head for the open door, where Odin was already waiting for them with Twilight Sparkle by their side, as Celestia called quietly after them: “Good luck.”

Luna smiled over her shoulder at her older sibling as Scrivener nodded slowly, feeling they would need it as the two emerged into the gray morning air. It was overcast and the sun had yet to truly rise, malingering on the horizon as if bogged down by the cloudy air. It felt almost oppressive... but Luna and Scrivener were both well aware their heavy thoughts weren't helping with that feeling, either.

Odin and Twilight followed the two out of the building before the once-god pulled the door closed, then sighed a little, looking up towards the moody skies above as he murmured: “If you feel watched at any point and time today, friends, then don't worry: it's likely not simply paranoia.”

“Is it ever, really?” Luna asked ironically, and Odin shrugged a little before he turned to stride in the direction of the gates leading towards the Everfree Forest, and Luna cocked her head curiously as she, Scrivener Blooms, and slightly-blushing, still-quiet Twilight followed behind him. “So the portal is in this direction?”

“Yes, it is. Not far from here at all... I kept it in a place where this old man wouldn't forget it and wouldn't have to stumble blindly through the forest, either.” Odin replied mildly, shaking his head moodily. “Which of course, is a double-edged sword. It made it very difficult to lose your demons, and even worse, Freya, when she went looking for the portal.”

Luna cleared her throat awkwardly as Twilight looked up in surprise, asking curiously: “You knew about all that?”

“Of course.” Odin gave a slight smile, looking ahead as he shrugged and added dryly: “And, considering what I just said, this will make me sound hypocritical... but I would have honestly been disappointed if they had not tried to find it. And it helps this old man stay in shape, as well... I loathe the thought of the moment I know will come one day all too soon, when I'll become nothing but a useless old fool unable to do anything but reminisce over his glory days...”

“Yes, that does not sound like thou at all.” Luna muttered, and Odin glowered at her, but the winged unicorn only gave him an innocent look in return. “'Twas no insult! But perhaps instead of playing silly games, Odin, thou could have simply told us where the portal was...”

“As it is, Brynhild, it's difficult enough keeping my son from constantly trying to visit you and Freya, and so the last thing I need is a defiant Valkyrie trying to force open a passage between Midgard and Asgard. On that point, it was also almost-impossible to convince Sleipnir he couldn't go with you to see the Norns. I finally had to send him on a mission to another layer of reality, to plant another anchor for me.” the once-god replied mildly, and Luna looked at him sharply, but Odin only shrugged after a moment with a small smile. “Fear not, I sent him to a world I am very familiar with. There won't be any danger... well... none he doesn't bring upon himself and can't handle, rather.”

Luna grumbled a little under her breath, looking almost hurt before she grumbled: “Stupid Sleipnir. Getting all the fun and games...”

The falcon-headed entity softened as he looked towards her, saying quietly: “Now Brynhild, I mean no insult to yourself or your husband. You have both done admirably, and not only planted these anchors, but further worked to uncover larger pieces of Valthrudnir's vicious schemes. Truly, you have done a greater job than I ever could have hoped for... and the only reason I feel comfortable with permitting Sleipnir to perform this task for me is because of the groundwork you have already laid.

“On that note... I believe I will require yourself and Scrivener Blooms to lay only one last anchor, as well.” Odin continued, and Luna frowned and halted in the middle of the road. Odin continued forwards for a few steps more, then the once-god paused and glanced over his shoulder, leaning on his cane as he tilted his head. “What?”

“And art thou going to then pawn the duty off on Sleipnir, or some other entity?” Luna asked moodily, and the falcon-headed entity shook his head, chuckling quietly. “Just how many anchors have been laid, Odin... and be honest with me, as thou apparently lied about the fact that myself and Scrivener Blooms were the only ones trusted to handle these anchors.”

But Odin only smiled at this, saying quietly: “You have laid four. Sleipnir is laying one now, and will lay another in the future, if this goes well. And I have placed two anchors myself, with the help of trusted warriors. Trusted friends.”

Scrivener cocked his head curiously, before Twilight Sparkle said quietly: “Nine. Nine again, you plan to put down nine anchors...”

“'Tis an unhealthy obsession.” Luna grumbled irritably, and she huffed moodily as she turned and stormed past the once-god, continuing grouchily: “It will not give them extra, special powers! Thou art just... insane, an old fool, 'tis nothing but doddering senility...”

“'Scrivener' has nine letters.” Odin remarked, and Luna looked up stupidly at this as Twilight cleared her throat awkwardly. “There is no such thing as coincidence, Brynhild. Remember that: it may save your life if you do.”

Luna grumbled grouchily under her breath, and the group fell quiet as the winged unicorn glared at Scrivener as if it was somehow his fault, the earth pony only shrugging lamely as Twilight followed a little behind, smiling and thinking quietly to herself. They passed through the gates without trouble to exit the village; the Nibelung guards greeted them cheerfully and reported no disturbances.

Then they continued down the road and onto the wide path leading into the Everfree Forest... but the ponies were surprised when Odin halted only a short distance into the woods to turn off onto a well-worn game trail, his walking stick thudding quietly against the hardened, grassy earth as he called over his shoulder: “Watch out for traps, the Nibelung do not always remember to clearly mark their snares.”

Luna grunted, and Scrivener moodily surveyed the ground as Twilight followed last, looking a little apprehensive, but they traveled the path without incident before Odin sighed as he stopped only forty or so feet down the trail, leaning against a tree that had been bent into an upside-down U and saying wryly: “Here we are.”

The ponies looked up in surprise, and Luna scoffed as she looked back and forth around the arch-shaped tree, saying sourly: “I see no channeling altar, no portal stone, no great magic... nonsense! There are not even any runes or ruins or-”

She was cut off as Odin tapped his walking stick twice against the arched tree, and runes flared into life, burning away the thin, papery bark that had spread over the now glowing-crimson shapes and hidden the scars from view. Luna stared stupidly at this as the tree shuddered and groaned, and thick, cable-like roots twisted visibly through the ground as the forest around them seemed to writhe and whisper, Odin explaining calmly: “It draws on power directly from Hu and Ỏðr, the heart of this living forest. There is no strength greater than nature's.”

“I never knew you liked green mana, Odin. I really had you pegged for red, or perhaps red and white. You know, one of those fancy-pants gold cards.” said a thoughtful voice, and then Discombobulation stuck his head out of a large hole in a nearby tree, upside down as was all-too-normal for the Draconequus. “My, what an ingenious little contraption, though. Does it count as an enchantment or an artifact?”

“What are you doing here?” Twilight looked awkwardly up at the Draconequus as Odin sighed and rubbed moodily at the scarred side of his face, Luna grinning cheerfully up at the chimerical creature.

“What am I not doing here?” Discombobulation questioned seriously in return, and then he carefully wiggled himself out of the hole, somehow squeezing through the hollow despite it being far too small for his large body before he stepped almost daintily upside-down onto the bottom of a branch. He stood calmly, ignoring the laws of gravity as he rubbed meditatively at one horn before adding curiously: “Do you have to say open sesame? Abracadabra? Or do you just pay four mana and tap it to exile the target creatures?”

Odin sighed, then he turned towards the archway, grasping his walking stick by the neck and hammering twice on the largest rune at the top of the archway before he bowed his head forwards and said softly: “Aid me, landvættir. Reach up from the world of Midgard, as Asgard reaches down towards you.”

A rumble passed through the ground around them before a liquid glow began to fill the archway, Luna's breath catching in her throat in excitement as Odin murmured: “Even this old fool can handle opening this gate. But some doors only require knowing how to turn the key, not the brawn of a young berserk to open it. I shall go through first, and allow you to say your goodbyes... but hurry, the door will not stay open for long.”

With that, the once-god nodded calmly, turning and walking through the tall archway fearlessly and vanishing into the light as Luna and Scrivener smiled after him... then stared when Discombobulation calmly strode past and vanished through the light as well without even a glance back. Then Luna began to giggle stupidly as Twilight stared, before Scrivener shrugged and looked lamely over at her, asking finally: “You want to come too?”

“Just... make sure he gets back here in one piece.” Twilight said finally, sighing a little... then she smiled a bit, turning her eyes to him and leaning forwards to kiss his lips chastely, Scrivener blushing in surprise before the violet mare hugged him fiercely and whispered: “For luck. Don't... don't get hurt. Either of you.”

“Oh, Twilight, I cannot guarantee anything...” Luna laughed quietly as Twilight slipped past Scrivener to trade a tight embrace with the fellow winged unicorn, kissing each other's cheeks quickly before they drew apart, eyes locking before Luna said softly: “Stay well, sweet mare. Scrivener Blooms... let us hurry.”

Scrivener smiled faintly, then he turned towards the light, and he and Luna strode into the archway without looking back as Twilight gazed silently, longingly after them, watching as the light pulsed, rippled like water... and then slowly faded from sight as the runes burning in the bark of the tree whiffed quietly out.

For Scrivener and Luna, there was a wild sensation of travel, the earth pony's stomach lurching as vertigo tore at their senses before they stumbled out the other side, ending up in what looked like an enormous greenhouse. Behind them was an archway made from rune-covered wood laced with flowers, in front of them beautiful arrangements of blossoming plants growing alongside dirt paths and around wooden planters... and among the honeycomb-pattern of paths and flowers, Discombobulation was running around, looking terrified out of his mind as angry soldiers in white and gold armor chased after him, shouting profanities at the chaos entity.

Odin was standing nearby, his cane resting beside him against one of the large flower boxes, the falcon rubbing at his face with his hands and looking disgruntled before he grimaced when Discombobulation winced over his shoulder and flicked a wrist, and the chain of a large hanging pot snapped loudly before the flowerpot crashed down on the helm-covered skull of one of the soldiers, knocking him sprawling. The other two guards tripped over their friend, weapons flying from their hands before Discombobulation leapt towards a supply shelf, grabbing wildly at the objects on it and wincing as he only managed to grab a can of some kind of bug repellant and a cloth hat he hurriedly put on his head.

He spun around as one of the soldiers began to lean forwards, reaching for his dropped sword, and Discombobulation snapped, as he held up the bug spray: “If your hand touches metal, I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you.”

The soldier froze in place, seeming confused... but it was hard to tell. They were large creatures, their bodies completely covered by the white and gold-edged steel, faces masked by the featureless full helms that left only narrow grilles for their eyes to see through. Then one of the soldiers climbed up to his clawed boots with a snarl before Discombobulation flung the can of bug spray at him. It bounced loudly off his helm and made the soldier twitch, then the Draconequus clapped his hands firmly together and the can exploded, obscuring the three soldiers in a thick green fog as they began to yell and cough immediately.

Discombobulation hurriedly snapped his fingers, vanishing from sight in a puff as the bonnet fell to the ground, and Luna and Scrivener both watched in bemusement as the soldiers staggered out of the mist, looking back and forth before Odin called tiredly: “Go ahead and search Valhalla's grounds for the Ginnungagap beast, I'm sure he's out there somewhere.”

The soldiers saluted embarrassedly, as if they had forgotten Odin was there, and Luna looked over them curiously: tall, bipedal, the armor shrouding what they could possibly be. Then they turned and hurried away with their swords still out as Odin moodily strode through the greenhouse, Luna and Scrivener remaining silent for the moment as the once-god made his way to the bonnet... then he poked it a few times with his cane, asking dryly: “Why are you here?”

Luna looked down in surprise... and then, slowly, a tiny Discombobulation crawled out from beneath the bonnet, the Draconequus clearing his throat as he looked up and said mildly: “You're remarkably good at hide-and-seek.”

“Well, I know your kind well: Asgard will both stabilize and neutralize your powers, and no chaos entity would be foolish enough to make a leap of faith in a world like this.” Odin replied dourly, and then he sighed a little, rubbing slowly at his face. “I'm just the old man to these young idiots. The old king, well on his way out... foolish young Knights of Valhalla. Did you recognize them, Brynhild?”

“Yes and no; I understand who and what they are, but I do not understand why they are dressed so, nor from whence exactly they have come.” Luna replied finally, but Odin only nodded, looking unsurprised as Discombobulation carefully slunk to the side to hide behind one of Scrivener Blooms' large forelegs. “Are the forces of Valhalla...”

“We are rebuilding, little-by-little... but we also must rely for now on the help of many other forces. And I have had to... remember to still my pride, and allow for changes that I am not fond of.” Odin grimaced and shook his head, then he sighed a little, looking moodily past Scrivener Blooms towards the hiding Ginnungagap entity. “Can you transform yourself into something less conspicuous?”

“That's likely what I should have invested my last skill point in, but I couldn't resist putting another point into energy shield.” Discombobulation snapped his fingers, and a golden orb appeared over his head, a faint tremor twisting through the air around the Draconequus before he flicked his wrist and dispelled the orb. “Too bad I have next to no mana. And I mean the blue kind. I mean, the MP-kind, not... I know, I know.” He cleared his throat, then mimicked Luna's voice perfectly as he declared: “Shut up, Bob, or I shall smite thee.”

“I... exactly.” Luna grumbled, and then she sighed, shaking her head briskly before her horn glowed as her starry mane twisted backwards and out from beneath her helm. A moment later, the Draconequus was hefted into the air, yanked out from beneath Scrivener Blooms as he flailed a little before yelping when he was pocketed firmly beneath the blanket of Luna's mane as she muttered: “Stay there and stay quiet, creature. Especially when we meet with the Norns.”

“No, I'll take him from you outside of the Norns' territory. But for now, that is indeed safer than keeping the creature in my pocket.” Odin shook his head moodily, then he began to stride towards the doors leading out of the greenhouse, carrying his cane by the neck and limping a little less as he said wryly: “All the same, I have to admit I am less angry than I probably should be. But perhaps that's also because I'm old, and happy to be home despite whatever foul business is also afoot.”

Luna smiled a little at this sentiment as she and Scrivener followed the once-god outside and into an enormous courtyard. Behind them, the greenhouse rested in the shadows of an enormous stone wall that stretched high towards the sky, and in front of them was the polished, steel-colored stone of the mighty halls of Valhalla.

They were inside the immense castle walls, the blue, clear sky above, the glowing sun shining brightly, the air around them inundated with energy. It felt... good, in a word. Luna laughed, shaking her head out as Discombobulation carefully poked his head up through her starry mane, grimacing and putting a pair of sunglasses over his eyes as he complained: “I'm going to get retinal damage from miss strobe-light-hair over here.”

“Well, you probably should have thought of that before walking through the portal.” Scrivener replied mildly, looking back and forth as he smiled despite himself, before he and Luna hurried after Odin. The falcon-headed god had his eye focused ahead, still carrying his walking stick instead of using it, and Scrivener hesitated before he finally asked: “The Norns... sit at the base of Yggdrasil, right?”

“In a manner of speaking. Yggdrasil is the world-tree, the great axis around which everything is said to revolve.” Odin replied calmly, glancing over his shoulder for a moment at the earth pony before turning his gaze back ahead as he continued: “The Norns have told me that it has grown roots that reach into every layer of reality, but it also has three great roots, three... we shall call them tethers. One root feeds into the Well of Urd, where the Norns rest and we used to hold council; one root feeds down to Jötenheim, the land of giants, and is near the spring kept by foul old Mimir; the last root is in Niflheim, hidden next to the great spring of Hvergelmir. Only the Well of Urd can be reached with relative ease, and that ease, of course, is relative to the mood of the Norns. The other places are well-hidden... they must be, after all. Niflheim is now little more than a ravaged extension of Helheim and the giants are not known for their amiability.”

As he spoke, they pushed through a pair of enormous oak double doors to enter a polished, sparkling corridor, Scrivener marveling over the tapestries hanging over the walls as Luna grunted and said distastefully: “The hub of all reality is an immense ash tree. What grand idiocy. Sleipnir and I regularly threw trees to pass the time when Celestia was off playing politics.”

Odin only sighed to himself, shaking his head and remarking wryly: “Well, Yggdrasil has been here long before we existed, and it will continue to exist long after we are all dead, Brynhild. I do not know how it came to be, I only know that it stood as mightily in the past as it does now, and it is the one thing the Norns strive to take care of.”

“Perhaps 'tis part of their scheming.” Luna muttered, but Odin only chuckled quietly at this, and the winged unicorn huffed. “Oh, be silent, cyclops. We do not all think as fast as Celestia. Scrivener Blooms, insult the old lecher.”

“I would not want to take that pleasure away from you, dear.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna grumbled and firmly checked him, making him wince and stumble. The two grumbled at each other as Odin only continued to lead the way forwards, the once-god nodding calmly here and there to others they passed, even as these citizenry of Valhalla looked curiously at the ponies, as if unused to seeing them here.

Finally, Luna couldn't help but look up and ask curiously: “I have seen Nibelung, and minotaur, and things I could not entirely identify... but few pony in these mighty halls. I know that Valhalla is... populated mostly by soldiers and warriors, aye, and houses within it Asgard's secrets and treasures... but is this not also paradise for the worthy?”

“It is, but tell me, Brynhild... would you prefer to live in this dreary, enormous castle populated by warriors, or would you prefer the actual Vale of Valhalla, with its bountiful rewards, its safe homes, its endless meadows?” Odin paused, then smiled slightly, adding: “If you weren't a Valkyrie, I mean.”

The sapphire winged unicorn laughed quietly at this, then she smiled up at Odin, replying quietly: “Even as a Valkyrie, Odin... I would prefer to be out of this castle. These halls are hallowed and sacred and beautiful, and I can see that thou hast been training an army within this castle, to defend thy home... instead of encouraging fattening warriors to gorge themselves upon meals and mares and lazily slash at one another without regard for the art of battle, as 'tis so much harder to kill one-another in this warrior's paradise. Valkyries are no longer necessary in this place.”

The once-god nodded slowly in thought at this, looking ahead and not replying as they strode towards a pair of painted-glass doors, and the once-god carefully pushed these open to reveal a long, curving marble walkway that led out of the castle and stretched over a glassy blue river below. Discombobulation whistled slowly, leaning up a bit before Odin stepped out onto the gently-sloped walkway, gesturing down towards where it fed into a natural tunnel in the cliffs beyond the river as he said quietly: “This leads to the Norns. Are you ready, Brynhild? Their challenges will no doubt be fierce... and their attitude towards yourself and your husband vicious.”

“I am not afraid.” Luna replied firmly, nodding once as Scrivener looked up with a grimace, and the winged unicorn grinned a little despite herself as she said wryly: “Well, who cares if thou art afraid, Scrivener Blooms? Thou art a giant coward.”

Scrivener only sighed and gave her a flat look, but he couldn't help but smile a little himself all the same at Luna's prodding. She always knew just how to keep him motivated, even if it usually was mostly through mockery and pummeling him... and slowly, he faced ahead as Odin and Luna began forwards, before the earth pony closed his eyes and followed quickly after them, falling back into pace with the winged unicorn.

They made their way across the walkway, then into the smooth tunnel beyond: the tan rock walls and ceiling had been worn almost perfectly smooth, while the floor was rougher from the passage of countless feet over countless years. The tunnel sloped downwards, and yet it didn't seem to lead into the earth: after only a few minutes of walking, they instead emerged at the head of an open valley, high up on the rise of a steep hill.

Luna glanced at the steep cliffs behind them that rose up to the sky, forming a massive, natural wall before she grimaced in distaste at the sight of the runes carved into the natural archway of the tunnel, reading quietly: “'Past, Present, and Future all collide; from us there is no place to hide.' What a pretty sentiment to be reminded of on the walk out.”

“They liked to try and police the council of gods... or perhaps I should rather say, they liked to disturb us as much as possible. Gossip was a very effective way for them to continuously sow discord amongst our ranks.” Odin muttered, shaking his head and looking both disgusted and amused at once. “Incredible, isn't it? Gods being as vulnerable to words and rumors as any mortal.”

“Words are powerful.” Scrivener murmured quietly, and Odin looked at him for a moment before he nodded slowly. Then the charcoal earth pony gazed ahead, pawing a hoof meditatively at the grasses as he gazed up at the blue sky on either side of the seemingly-endless meadows of the valley before he asked apprehensively: “What is this place?”

“The Blind Approach. Do not let your eyes deceive you, Scrivener Blooms... this place is not at all what it seems, and by now the Norns know we are coming. All of us.” Odin said pointedly, looking towards where Discombobulation was still hiding in Luna's mane before the falcon-headed entity shook his head slowly. “But come. I'll walk you to the gates to ensure the Norns do not attempt to play any silly games.”

Luna nodded slowly, not arguing as she felt a distinct chill pass along her spine, Scrivener Blooms grimacing as well as they made their way slowly forwards down the valley. As Scrivy looked back and forth, he thought he saw glimpses of what Odin had spoken of: the way reality seemed to tremble here and there like a curtain waiting to be pushed aside, as if they were surrounded by illusions instead of a physical environment... and he couldn't help but notice as well that as they headed down the valley, the cliff face behind them seemed to close up and the hill seemed to rise steeper.

It was only an optical illusion, but all the same he imagined it was effective if someone ended up dropped in this valley somehow: as it was, he kept wanting to turn around to see if there really was just a wall of grass and rock behind him or if he could climb the impossible-looking slope. Then again, he also thought it could be less a defensive measure and more simply a malicious joke on the part of the Fates.

He turned his gaze back ahead, past silent Luna and Odin, looking towards what they were now approaching: an enormous basalt wall with a single open, wide portcullis. It looked like it would be easy to fly over, but Scrivener again had that feeling that nothing was as it seemed... just like the jaws of the open gate seemed strangely ominous in the purple and black stone that stretched from one side of the vale to the other. Scrivener had the feeling that here, the bottleneck of cliffs on either side of them wasn't simply an illusion... but again, he wondered nervously just what defenses were in place to stop anyone from simply flying over, and hoped they wouldn't have to find out.

Odin calmly halted in front of the gates, then winced when Luna boldly strode through, Discombobulation immediately covering his head and dropping to hide in Luna's mane as Odin sighed tiredly, then said dryly: “Brynhild, please don't tempt the Fates, and in this case I speak literally...”

Scrivener Blooms grimaced a bit as he nervously approached the portcullis, but Luna only grunted as Odin gestured to the dirt road beyond, leading through what became a ravine... and when Scrivener gazed through the opening in the wall, he realized that in the distance he could see the shape of some gargantuan tree, with mighty branches that stretched in all directions, reaching the clouds high above... but when he stepped backwards and looked overtop the squat wall, he saw only blue sky, no shape of any tree, nothing.

Odin caught the look, and he brought his walking stick out to tap the wall firmly, saying quietly: “The Norns are very cautious. This is the true entrance to their lair... at the end of the path, is the Well of Urd, and the Norns themselves: Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi. Again, Brynhild, I implore caution above all else... and let me take the Ginnungagap entity, as well. They will not appreciate his company.”

Scrivener walked nervously through the portcullis as Odin began to reach forwards... and the moment the earth pony crossed through, there was a blast of golden flames from the ground, singeing Scrivener's tail and knocking him forwards as Odin was sent staggering backwards with a curse, covering his eyes before his leg twisted beneath him and he fell heavily with a wheeze. The falcon-headed once-god hissed through his beak as the portcullis came crashing down into the wall of golden flames, the metal lighting up unnaturally with the holy fire as a derisive voice echoed coldly: “Do not tell us what we do and do not desire, Odin. Do not overstep your bounds... we have already made our choices and decisions, seen what has happened and what must happen.”

“Now come to us. Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms, and bring your pet. We are waiting for you. We are so eager to meet you.” another voice added, mockingly-sincere, before it died off into a quiet titter.

“It will not be a hard journey for you three, oh no... we're sure you'll enjoy yourselves.” The final voice made Luna's blood go cold, her eyes narrowing at how familiar it sounded, as memories twisted through her mind before it added coldly: “I look very much forwards to seeing you, old friend.”

“Skuld.” Luna said disgustedly, and then she spat to the side as Discombobulation warily looked up towards the cloudy sky overhead. But the voices had gone silent, and Scrivener looked embarrassedly over at the winged unicorn before she only shook her head, reassuring him with just a look before her eyes flicked towards the golden firewall and the glimmering gates. “Odin! Can thou hear me?”

“Yes, I can, Brynhild, and I heard the Norns as well!” Odin called clearly back, although his voice was muffled, hard to make out over the crackling of golden fire. “Your only path is forwards now: push to the Norns, Brynhild, and... deal with them as you must!”

Luna grinned widely at this, shaking her head briefly as she muttered: “Truly, Scrivy, he must hate them to all-but-encourage me to pummel the creatures. Very well.” She paused, then called back in a louder voice: “Very well! Return to Valhalla, old lecher, thou art useless and lazy sitting there! I shall deal with this business and be back before the flap of a dragon's wings!”

With that, Luna turned around and headed for the dirt path, and Scrivener grimaced as he hurried after her, Discombobulation anxiously taking off his sunglasses as he shifted a bit in her starry mane. He looked back and forth, seeming further unnerved somehow by the rocky walls that locked them into the deep, trench-like ravine they were striding through, tall enough to cast much of the pass they were walking through into shadow despite how wide it was.

Then the Draconequus finally began to fidget and wiggle around, and Luna halted with a wince as Discombobulation managed to pull himself free of her mane before leaping out to the ground. He landed with a grunt, then there was a loud pop as he returned to his normal size in a moment, straightening slowly and cracking his back loudly as he muttered: “Well, I don't know about you, but if I wore pants I would be very afraid right now of soiling them in the next few minutes. I wonder how much money you'd make selling diapers during a monster apocalypse, on that note: it would just save a lot of mess and embarrassment for everyone.”

Scrivener grunted as he surveyed their surroundings apprehensively, and Luna shook her head distastefully before glancing up at him and saying quietly: “I am sorry thou wert dragged into this, friend.”

“What? Sorry? How dare you!” Discombobulation reared back, looking insulted as he crossed his arms. “I was the one who wandered into the light, thank you very much. I am a big boy, and I can take responsibility for my own actions perfectly well. At least sometimes, anyway. Admittedly I'm not very good at doing it all the time, but... we're getting off topic.”

He waved a hand dismissively, then he sighed and looked moodily ahead towards the end of the road. “This seems far too easy, though. Far too much like a setup. And there's a tingle in the air... can you feel it, Luna? In your horn, not in your teeth.”

Luna grimaced after a moment, concentrating and making her horn glow faintly... and then she nodded slowly, murmuring: “Aye, I can. It grows when I begin to concentrate my magic... is it repressing thy powers?”

“Well, if it was, I would still be a beanie baby right now.” Discombobulation pointed out, and then he shook his head moodily, putting his hands behind his back and slowly beginning to walk forwards as Scrivener and Luna fell into step on either side of the Draconequus. “No, it's something much worse and much better, I believe. A little taste of Heaven, if you'll allow me to be cryptic. And if you won't, then I'll say it much clearer: we're being lit up like neon signs by this energy clinging to us. Like neon signs pointing at the buffet table at a cooking convention.”

Luna grimaced in disgust at this as Scrivener looked moodily forwards, saying dryly: “This is why I much prefer when you just leave things confusing and unclear. Because when you are clear, it usually ends up being about something scary.”

“Well, it's not like it matters.” Discombobulation paused, then he asked curiously: “Do you know why I hate mares? Because they always know exactly where things are. And those nasty mares ahead... well, females, I suppose I should say, I'm not quite certain what they are but I am quite certain that whatever it is, it is not of equine persuasion... they know exactly where we are right now. They probably even know exactly what we have on ourselves, too.”

Scrivener grimaced at this before Luna halted and held up a hoof, Discombobulation wincing and holding up his hands as he skidded to a halt and Scrivener looking back and forth before he caught movement in the corner of his eye. Immediately, he looked sharply over to the cliff wall, just in time to see something slip into a crack in the rocks as Luna muttered: “We are not alone...”

The earth pony stepped slowly forwards, then he glanced towards Luna, their eyes locking and trading thoughts and emotions back and forth before he nodded apprehensively, turning his eyes ahead and carefully beginning to walk ahead. This part of the ravine looked no different than any other part, except for the cracks in the cliff walls here and there, but somehow it felt completely different... and it's not just because of what I just saw, it's... like...

Scrivener frowned a bit, then he realized that it did feel different: literally. He looked slowly down at the sandy, softer ground beneath his hooves, glancing back and forth as he realized the ground was broken and marred, that odd-shaped rocks and branches... strange, almost-smooth branches...

Then one of the branches twitched, and Scrivener's eyes widened in horror as he realized they were bones a moment before ground and shale and pieces of bony shrapnel exploded upwards from the earth, some serpentine, hideous thing lunging upwards at him. All Scrivener saw was an eel-like body and a mouth full of teeth as he ducked on instinct, and it shot over his head even as more tore violently up from the soft ground around him, flinging themselves at the earth pony even as Luna snarled and flicked her horn.

A translucent, blue-tinged sphere appeared around Scrivener, the worm-like creatures bouncing off this with hisses before Scrivener hurriedly lunged backwards, thanking Little Luna for teaching them the spell with a wince before he dropped to a ready position... only to flinch backwards with a loud curse when three of the worm-things lunged at once at his face, smashing into the shield with enough force to crack the front of it before Luna shouted: “Shockwave!”

Scrivener winced at this order, then he forced himself to leap forwards, slamming all four hooves down as hard as he could on top of one of the worms near the middle of the pack as Luna flicked her horn firmly, and the shield surrounding Scrivener exploded in a blast of concussive force and sapphire fragments. Most of the worms were blown apart by the short-ranged eruption and the survivors were knocked flying a good distance away.

The scavengers wriggled hurriedly back into the ground as Scrivener shook his head slowly, looking moodily down at the soft earth and the dusty remains... and then he was blown backwards off his hooves when a much-larger worm tore out of the earth in front of him in a hail of shards and shrapnel, three-segmented jaw roaring as acidic saliva dripped from its teeth. Scrivener cursed under his breath as he skidded backwards with a wince, and Luna snarled before she flicked her horn hard forwards, sending a blast of lightning shooting into the monstrosity's head and knocking it backwards.

But the beast only snarled and shook itself quickly out, the ugly, beady eyes along the top of its skull blazing with rage as it roared again, tearing itself completely free of the ground. It slithered rapidly forwards, leaving a trail of slime behind it as a second adult worm tore free of the soft earth as Scrivener winced before leaping backwards when the first worm leaned towards him and vomited a stream of acid at the earth pony. “Oh come on!”

“I'll defend, you offend!” Discombobulation called quickly, flicking his wrist to create a blue umbrella, then he winced an ran in front of Luna when the second worm lunged towards the winged unicorn before swinging this up and popping it open to use it like a shield. The worm crashed into it, and even as the umbrella was almost torn out of Discombobulation's hands and he was knocked staggering around in a circle, the worm bounced backwards with a shriek of surprise before Luna charged past the stunned Draconequus as she dropped her horn low, snarling and ripping it into the stunned worm's side and dragging the violently-glowing natural weapon upwards as it shrieked and writhed helplessly.

She tore it almost in half from tail-to-head, leaving a gaping lethal wound as she snapped her horn upwards and sent out a burst of black and green blood as the monster flopped and spasmed... and Scrivener, meanwhile, dodged backwards when the other worm attempted to dive into him, the earth pony gritting his teeth before leaping forwards and seizing the worm around the neck with a curse. It immediately snarled, twisting back and forth as it rose its head and snapped it wildly through the air, trying to dislodge the pony as he clung tightly to the worm's neck and skull before the beast arched its back with a howl of frustration, and Scrivener immediately took the opportunity to raise his hooves high before smashing them down into its head, throwing his weight forwards into the attack to drive the worm down to hit the ground with a loud crunch in a stunned heap.

He slammed his hooves down again with a wince and a splatter of bile-like blood before he flopped off the creature and landed on his side with a wheeze, cursing under his breath. The worm spasmed once, but it only drooled acid on the ground as Scrivener carefully hauled himself up to his hooves, Luna smiling dryly as she muttered: “At least I can always count upon thee for pest extermination.”

“Thanks, Luna, really.” Scrivener said sourly, then he shook his head slowly. before wiping at his armored chest, muttering: “These are the one kind of thing I never feel very bad about killing. Not because they're gross, because they're horrible little monsters that would eat us all alive if they got the chance.”

Luna grumbled in agreement, looking down moodily over the broken earth before Discombobulation held up a hand and said awkwardly: “Not that I doubt in the prowess of any of you, but can we please move on? As certain silly horror movies teach, staying in the area where the monsters just attacked is a fine way to ask for even bigger and scarier beasts to come along.”

Scrivener winced a little, and Luna shook her head as she turned, muttering: “Either the Norns insult us or these are simply pests they saw no point in removing. Aye, let us continue... but know that I do not believe these creatures to even begin to be an example of what the Norns have in mind for us.”

Both Discombobulation and Scrivener Blooms looked uneasy at this thought, and Luna lowered her head moodily as they continued slowly forwards. And around them, the walls of the valley began to narrow into a bottleneck, the cliff walls here jagged and sharper and their high tops looking like ancient battlements.

The three looked apprehensively back and forth... and then Luna grimaced in disgust when the ground beneath their hooves rumbled and a dust cloud rose from the earth in front of them as it split slowly open. She set herself as Discombobulation hid behind her and a wincing Scrivener Blooms, even as the winged unicorn's instincts whispered to her of something more dangerous than simple combat... and a moment later, three enormous, rectangular obelisks rose out of the earth, each engraved with a different symbol on their flat faces: the crest of the sun, the crescent moon, the mighty ash tree Yggdrasil.

Luna snarled at this, then she leaned forwards, shouting: “Do thee dare mock us, Norns? And not even to our faces? These are not the symbols of thyselves, they are the symbols of my family!”

“Speak their names, Valkyrie, and we'll let you pass.” chided a voice, a cruel hint of mockery in its tones. “All you must do is speak their names.”

The winged unicorn snorted as Discombobulation winced and Scrivener set himself, before the sapphire mare rose her head and said proudly: “Celestia, Sleipnir, and I, Luna Brynhild!”

“And now who mocks who?” the voice said disapprovingly, as the symbols on the stone obelisks glowed with unnatural light. “You must be one or the other: you cannot live between both worlds. Your siblings have chosen to lower themselves into the mud and mire alongside mortals instead of maintaining their past nobility... you should join them, foolish pawn. It's where you belong.”

Luna snarled at this before the three stone rectangles toppled forwards, revealing a trio of looming, gray-skinned ponies behind them that reeked of rot and decay. Their coats were sunken and stretched, two of them winged unicorns and the last a tall but terribly emaciated earth pony. And Luna's eyes widened in horror as she looked at them, clad in armor made from bones and dried flesh, with grinning, rotting teeth and glowing, soulless ivory eyes... “Most vile of apparitions! Thou dares to face us with shades of-”

Then the smaller undead winged unicorn shot suddenly forwards, lunging out towards Luna and smashing into her with enough force to knock her crashing backwards and rattle her senses, further horrified as the monster's jaws fell open in a rasping laugh as a mane made of black flames whipped around its face. For a few moments, Luna only lay stunned as Scrivener and Discombobulation stepped back, staring in horror as the undead mockeries of Sleipnir and Celestia both strode aggressively forwards.

Then Scrivener shivered as he felt Luna's emotions roil before the sapphire winged unicorn snarled and threw herself forwards, wings flapping to carry herself up into the air before she dove forwards and smashed back into the undead mirror image of herself, knocking it crashing backwards as she roared in fury: “I will not be made a fool of by thy foul tricks and fouler magic!”

Scrivener felt Luna's rage flooding into his own mind, adrenaline pumping through his blood before he gritted his teeth as the mock-Sleipnir ran forwards, and the charcoal stallion lowered his head before he charged. The undead creature lunged at him, but Scrivener ducked low, then tackled it firmly around the midsection, knocking the emaciated giant onto its back before he cursed in pain as it kicked him savagely off.

The mock-Celestia turned its eyes slowly to Discombobulation, her mane of twisting blue fire and ashes swirling around her head before she calmly tilted her horn upwards, an arrow of black light shooting towards the Draconequus. Discombobulation winced and stumbled to the side, barely avoiding the magic bolt before he ducked under a second blast, covering his head and shouting in a haggard voice: “This was not part of my job description!”

The chimerical creature cursed as a third bolt of black light shot towards him and smashed into his arm, knocking him staggering and leaving a cruel sear through his red fur, and he gritted his teeth as the mock-Celestia began to slowly advance. Its jaws were twisted in a grin of rigor, its gaze made all the more terrible by its glowing black horn as it flicked this again, releasing another bolt of darkness as it continued to advance, but this time Discombobulation smoothly sidestepped before he flicked his eagle talon upwards, and neon fireworks exploded around the undead pony.

Yet it only continued to unstoppably advance even as it was blinded and buffeted by the blasts, staggering in mid-step but quickly regaining its balance as it lowered its head forwards. The dark glow around its horn built, and then its mane swirled backwards as the horn released a black fireball. Discombobulation immediately rose both hands, however, gritting his teeth and catching this like a physical object even as he was knocked skidding backwards, cursing as smoke rose up from his fingers and talons.

He shoved it hard, and there was a boom like a cannon before it shot backwards and smashed into the undead Celestia, knocking the apparition sprawling as most of its head and mane were blown away into nothing but ashes and dust. It lay prone for a few moments, twitching weakly before it burst apart into a swirl of dark smoke that faded rapidly into the air as the Draconequus wheezed: “Imaginary fiends are so much more dangerous than imaginary friends.”

Luna, meanwhile, was savagely pressing forwards against the undead copy of herself, her horn lashing viciously back and forth in a wicked flurry of strikes, wicked blows glancing off her enemy's horn and skull, ripping bloodless wounds and chipping slowly away at the gray spire before the sapphire winged unicorn suddenly lunged and slashed viciously forwards as her natural weapon glowed bright blue, slicing completely through the mock-Luna's horn before she speared forwards and ripped through the undead winged unicorn's breast.

It shivered, stump of horn sparking weakly before Luna roared as she lashed out with a raw burst of magic and telekinesis from her horn, the mock-Luna disintegrating into a wave of ash and black mist that was blown away by the conical shockwave of force. She was left panting hard, snarling as her eyes glowed before Nightmare Moon shouted furiously from her jaws: “We will not abide this indignity, not even from the Fates themselves!”

Scrivener winced as the mock-Sleipnir lunged at him, ducking beneath a wild swing before a second punch from a front hoof swung in towards his face, but this time Scrivener threw himself forwards in a diving tackle, seizing the limb in both his own front legs and slamming the undead earth pony down onto its back before he rolled and twisted, the mock-Sleipnir's front leg snapping loudly. It hissed on its back, and then Scrivener gritted his teeth as he leapt forwards, batting away the other front leg when it tried to swing it into him and slamming a fierce volley of blows down into the undead creature's skull before there was a final crunch, and the weedy, rotten-maned mock-Sleipnir twitched once on the ground before turning to nothing but dark smoke and ashes.

The stallion breathed hard as he leaned forwards, looking darkly upwards towards the end of the ravine, and Luna clenched her eyes shut, forcing herself to calm even as the voice that had spoken before mocked quietly: “This is all you are. Shadows of your former selves. Luna, Sleipnir, and Celestia, not Brynhild, Thor, and Freya. You are not between worlds, you are not both things, Luna Brynhild: what you truly are... is nothing but a husk.”

Then it fell silent, even as Luna snarled to herself, leaning lower as her body trembled before Discombobulation slowly walked forwards and rubbed his hands together, wincing a bit as he looked down at raw talon and burnt fingers. “Did we stock up on healing items before we left town? I don't think we did, and I think we're in a gauntlet, and that's bad. We need to remember to save often.”

“Fear not, Bob. Apart from what other malevolent creatures may lurk in this valley, I am sure the Norns have only three tests for us.” Luna muttered, as she finally opened her eyes and sighed a little as she straightened, shaking her head moodily and adding in a grumble: “This is a foul place, though, truly... and I dare not imagine just what the Norns have prepared ahead.”

“Let's try and get their questions right, though. Even if it means swallowing a little pride.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna grunted, looking at him moodily before the earth pony strode up beside her and met her eyes, their thoughts and emotions passing back and forth before Luna closed her eyes tightly and nodded, feeling of twist of anxiety roll through her as she understood why: not because he feared their monsters and machinations... but because he was worried the Norns were only trying to soften them up for some final sick game at the end of the path.

After a few moments, Luna suddenly stepped forwards and buried her face against Scrivener's neck, and the earth pony reached up to squeeze her silently around the shoulders, pressing his own face against her and closing his eyes. There was silence as Bob hugged himself moodily, looking ahead, and then Luna sighed and stepped away, turning forwards and beginning to lead them onwards as she muttered: “Be wary.”

As they walked on, the cliffs widened once more from the bottleneck, then seemed to simply fall away completely, leaving what looked like a stretch of dead, arid wasteland on either side of them that stretched to the horizon in the empty distance. Yet shivers of energy flickered here and there through the air above the wastes, and Scrivener didn't want to imagine what would happen if they tried to go off course.

He turned his eyes forwards, and now he could more clearly make out the shape of the mighty tree in the distance, beyond what looked like another wall of tall stone cliffs. The distance seemed great, and yet they were covering ground quickly at only a slow walk... and as Scrivener looked down at the dusty road, he wondered if it was another illusion, like the Blind Approach had been.

Then Luna suddenly halted, and Scrivener and Discombobulation both stumbled to a halt on either side of her before the winged unicorn rose her head slowly, her eyes locking on something in the distance before she muttered: “Another game?”

“Another test.” replied an icy voice from thin air, and Scrivener winced a bit before the voice added in a tone that was patronizing and filled with contempt: “You did very well in sensing it, Luna Brynhild. For that, I'll give you a reward: I won't handicap any of you.”

Then Scrivener and Luna both cursed in shock as the world turned upside down, Scrivener immediately dropping on his stomach against what now seemed like the ceiling as Luna's legs shivered and she spread her wings, snarling and looking back and forth. A moment later, colors began to glow wildly through the air around them as reality twisted, making Scrivener feel nauseated as he clenched his eyes tightly shut and clung to what distinctly felt like down, what distinctly felt like ground beneath his body, even though when he opened his eyes... “The present is always fraught with confusion. Find the right way forwards... or die in the desert.”

Luna cursed, struggling to keep her eyes open before a gust of wind tore by as she tried to stumble onwards, kicking dust into her face. The winged unicorn swayed weakly, feeling nausea biting through her stomach as she cursed and shivered, and then the world went black as she felt Discombobulation leaning over her, the Draconequus grumbling: “Amateurs. Here, Scrivener Blooms, since you're too stubborn to listen, this should help. The blind see best, after all.”

“What art thou talking about?” Luna shouted, but the moment her eyes were covered, the sense of vertigo faded and some sense of sanity returned. “Wait, thou art not affected by the treacherous-”

“What, this? This is nothing compared to Ginnungagap.” Discombobulation scoffed, looking fearlessly into the wild, brilliant illusions. “There's just a touch of chaos energy in the air as well as all manner of silly illusions, helping displace up and down and making poor Newton cry because all his rules of physics just went out the window, but there's no need for you to worry, and Luna already caught on to what to do. Although there's no need to crawl, Luna, really, what you saw is not reality. Trust in something apart from your eyes for once, silly ponies.”

Scrivener mumbled under his breath as he carefully pushed himself up to his hooves, keeping his eyes firmly closed as Luna grimaced from beneath the blindfold Bob had put over her, taking a hesitant step forwards... and then she winced a little as the ground vibrated beneath her hooves, thrumming faintly as Discombobulation muttered: “A nice touch, and if I do say so myself I made a very good pun there: disrupting one sense is good, but disrupting two is better, after all. But as old sages always say, trust in your instincts.”

Luna grimaced and nodded moodily before she opened her mouth to speak... and instead, she only neighed loudly before her eyes bulged, looking stupidly down beneath the blindfold. Scrivener opened his own mouth, but he only made the same sound before Discombobulation winced beside them, unaffected by the continuing visual madness before she shouted hurriedly: “They're blocking out your senses one-by-one, now we have to hurry forwards before-”

His speech cut away to nothing but a hum, and Luna and Scrivener both simply stood, unable to speak, unable to see without risking looking into chaotic cacophony, deafened and their movement confused by the vibrations and subtle twisting of the ground beneath their hooves. They both simply froze in place... and then both winced when strong hand and talon gripped into their manes, yanking Scrivener to his hooves before beginning to firmly pull them forwards.

Luna and Scrivener both felt numbness beginning to spread through their bodies immediately, their nerves losing the ability to feel: to feel even the pressure, the pull, of Discombobulation, as gravity and physics around them lost all meaning. They were in complete, lawless surreality, stumbling stupidly forwards as Discombobulation tried to guide ponies that couldn't feel his touch, couldn't feel him pulling or pushing in one direction or the other even as he accidentally tore out a bit of Scrivener's mane before he cursed under his breath, then looked up in shock as the voice whispered in his ear: “No. You have interfered enough, puppet.”

He looked stupidly down at his hands as he began to slowly turn transparent, feeling the chaos energy whisking around him before he reached out... and his hand only uselessly passed through Scrivener Blooms as the drooling pony neighed loudly, his eyes still tightly clenched shut as he half-staggered off course towards the wasteland. Luna, meanwhile, was slowly dragging her hooves, trying to forge ahead as she neighed dumbly, starry locks twisting violently around herself before Discombobulation looked ahead towards what he guessed was where the Norns had set the finish line: the maw of a pass leading into another long valley, between the natural walls formed by the enormous cliffs that stood to either side.

Scrivener staggered a little further off course, a little more towards the wasteland, before Discombobulation cursed and flicked his wrist... and to his surprise, the chaos energy reacted, a geyser of sand exploding upwards next to Scrivener and forming quickly into a statue holding a stop sign. Scrivener bumped against this, wincing and then quickly turning to stagger back onto the road when he realized he couldn't go any further, even if he couldn't precisely feel the barrier.

A moment later, the statue simply melted back into sand: the chaos energy wasn't stable, but he could form it into things. And he wouldn't need to make it last for long if...

Discombobulation slowly pretended to roll up sleeves he wasn't wearing, then he leaned forwards before waggling his fingers and quickly clapping his hands. A moment later, bumper cars popped into being around both Luna and Scrivener, the two looking confused as they found themselves unable to move when locking bars snapped down over the ponies to hold them in place before the Draconequus stepped backwards, windmilling an arm wildly before he made a violent pitching motion, and rocket engines on the back of both carts exploded into life, sending the ponies shooting violently forwards straight down the road as a voice snarled: “Your interference is not appreciated!”

“So much for being all-knowing and all-seeing.” Discombobulation muttered as he slowly became solid once more, watching with a grin despite himself as the bumper cars both exploded into sand and dust and sent Scrivener and Luna rolling head-over-heels into the next valley. Then his expression faded as he heard a distinct rumble, and he slowly looked over his shoulder, staring at the sight of the wasteland behind him rapidly petrifying into gleaming marble before he added hurriedly: “Well, do excuse me.”

With that, he simply vanished from the spot before the wave of neutralizing force could strike him, reappearing a moment later by a stunned and stupefied Scrivener Blooms. The earth pony flinched a bit, blinking rapidly before he realized the world had returned to normal before Discombobulation said lamely: “I'm very, very sorry about this.”

Scrivener looked dumbly up at the Draconequus, and then Bob firmly punted him backwards, Luna yelling in surprise and pain before her back arched in agony when Scrivener collided with some invisible force that blasted him back forwards, even as the force itself sparked out of existence. The earth pony was knocked sprawling with a wheeze on his stomach, several large pieces of armor over his back turned to stone as Discombobulation wheezed in relief, dropping forwards to a squat as he said awkwardly: “My apologies. Homing missiles, you understand. You're much sturdier than I am, though.”

“I'm... just glad we're out of that chaos field...” Scrivener said finally, looking drained as he slowly hauled himself up to his hooves before he closed his eyes and shook his head out, grimacing as a few broken pieces of petrified armor fell down around him as Luna glared balefully at Discombobulation. “Should I thank you? Or should I hit you?”

“Let's simply let those things neutralize each other, shall we?” Bob said kindly, raising a talon and a finger as he looked at them awkwardly before Luna huffed and straightened, shaking herself out briskly. “I'm a little offended you think I'd let you get turned to stone, though. You simply make a very good shield, that's all. Unlike me, you're not filled with chaos energy, after all, so it's not like it did any harm.”

“I think part of my back may have turned to stone. If that's true, I'm going to hurt you later.” Scrivener muttered, and then he sighed a little before grimacing as other sensations of pain and nausea filtered in, shaking his head out as he added quietly: “Thank you, though. For saving me and Luna.”

Discombobulation only shrugged wryly, smiling a little as Luna sighed after a moment and nodded grudgingly, adding in a grumble: “Aye, I suppose that... I owe thee the same, if not just for the fact if one dies, so does the other but... because thou truly art invaluable.”

“All I did was give the turtle a little boost. You would have made it through eventually, one way or the other.” Discombobulation replied modestly, shrugging and turning around to gaze moodily down this narrower valley, past the strange, dead trees that stood here and there amidst the almost too-bright grasses that were littered with flowers... and what looked like grave markers. “I don't like this place.”

“But we are close.” Luna murmured quietly, gazing towards the towering tree in the distance: it was still far, far away, but she thought she could see the end of the path... although there was no guarantee what waited for them there. She glanced over at Scrivener as the earth pony shook himself out, then she smiled a little, nodding slowly once before murmuring: “Alright. 'Tis time to end this.”

Slowly, the trio made their way into the forest, Discombobulation nervously looking at the cloudy sky and over his shoulder every so often, as if expecting another blast of harmonic force to come out of nowhere and smite him. The chaos energy had revived him, at least, even if it had left Scrivener and Luna both feeling ill and drained.

There were indeed tomb markers here and there amongst the dead trees that littered the vale, as well as broken wooden staves that had cracked down the middle, inscribed with runes and names. Some of these, Luna recognized: the names of fellow Valkyries, the names of even gods. She was tempted to reach out and touch some of these, but always resisted: there were things lurking silently around them, hiding behind the dead trees and in the tall grasses, just glimpsed here and there. And neither she nor Scrivener nor Discombobulation were in the mood to start another fight.

Near the end of the path, they stepped into a meadow surrounded by dead trees, with a wall in front of them formed from brambles, tall, jutting teeth of rock, and what looked like immense roots. This wall blockaded a stone archway of some kind, and Luna gritted her teeth as a voice said quietly from beyond the barrier: “Hello, Brynhild. Time for one last challenge. One last test, on your weakest subject... your mind.”

“Skuld.” Luna looked moodily at the wall in front of her, eyes roving upwards as she asked calmly: “And what if I simply fly over this archway and pummel thee into pieces?”

There was a quiet laugh, before Skuld replied mockingly: “As if you could ever be strong enough to do that. But by all means, you're welcome to try... but you'll die if you do. Not that you will: I know you'll play. I only have three questions for you, after all.”

Luna snarled, beginning to tense herself before there was a loud chirp, and a small bird fluttered upwards out of the trees before trying to sail over the archway: immediately, a vine lashed upwards, whipping through the bird and leaving nothing behind but a few bloody feathers, and Luna winced. Her eyes returned to the barrier: decorated with beautiful, blossomed flowers, yes, but the brambles were covered in gleaming thorns that held the promise of lethal poison in their fangs. It was a clear enough example to make the winged unicorn halt.

There was silence... and then Skuld asked calmly: “Who is the great one that glides over the earth, and swallows both waters and woods? The wind he fears, but not the warrior, and he seeks to blind the sun. Answer me, Brynhild.”

Luna looked stupefied as Scrivener Blooms looked up intently, then he glanced towards Luna sharply. She turned her eyes to him, frowning a bit before her eyes widened slightly at the images that flooded her mind before she looked forwards and said calmly: “The answer is fog.”

“Who are the Valkyries, without weapon, kill one-another for their king? Every day the dark ones shield him, but the fair ones still go forth. Answer me, Brynhild.” Skuld asked coldly.

This time, however, Luna grinned even as Scrivener looked stupefied. “Hneftafl! Freya was a master of the damnable game!”

“It gazes through blackness, its eyelid taking weeks to close, and weeks to open. It shines, reflecting light like glass. It is a slave to sun and earth. Answer me, Brynhild.”

“'The moon.” Luna's eyes narrowed darkly as she snarled at the bramble barrier. “Thy riddles are solved. Now, let me in: 'tis time for us to have a chat.”

Authorial Arrogance

Chapter Thirty Six: Authorial Arrogance
~BlackRoseRaven

There was silence for a few moments as Luna breathed hard, looking across at the wall of brambles and trees as Scrivener Blooms stood ready on one side of her and Discombobulation crossed his arms moodily on the other.

For a few moments, there was only quiet... and finally, the brambles twisted out of the way as the trees rumbled and straightened, bending upward as their dead branches slowly withdrew. It left the path clear and the archway beyond unobstructed, and Luna smiled grimly as she strode forwards, Scrivener and Discombobulation behind her.

They passed through the archway and strode out into a circular field beyond. Ancient ruins of old architecture dotted the edges of the area, like this had once been some sacred ground, or some beautiful temple that had long been reclaimed by the land. Immense, golden-brown roots ran through the ground like massive veins all around the edges of the field, and beyond, seemed to drape off a sharp cliff and into the depths of a crater filled with thick, boiling fog.

And in the center of the meadow sat three figures around a simple, circular stone well. Two sat on one ancient, petrified log, and the last rested back on a large, flat stone by herself, the three Norns gazing calmly off in different directions before the Norn that sat alone said coldly: “Brynhild.”

Luna gritted her teeth but forced herself to stay calm as she looked towards her first: Skuld, her features hidden by a heavy cowl, leaving only the faintest gleam of pallid skin visible. A long, heavy cape fell over her shoulders and spilled out behind her, and her legs were primly crossed beneath a long skirt of chain mesh and golden drapery. A silver breastplate protected her body, and more mesh and gold cloth spilled along her arms to dexterous hands that were slowly polishing a silver sword. Things Luna found somehow offensive: this Watcher of the Future, wearing the costume of a warrior.

“We have been expecting you.” The Norn that spoke was clad in a thick golden dress, with a thinner, second layer overtop of white, feathery material. This was secured by several large, golden brooches and ornamental fasteners, and was cinched tight around her waist by a metallic belt. Decorative tassels and thin, gleaming braids of chain hung from the clasps, glittering with bright gemstones here and there that glowed like eyes.

Her hands were uncovered, holding an needle and thread in yellow, dexterous digits tipped with sharp black talons, and flaxen, golden hair spilled down a golden-painted mask that locked over her features. Her eyes gazed coldly out from the slits cut in this, and Scrivener couldn't help but shiver at the sight of it: the mask was held on by several large bands of iron that formed a cap over the Norn's skull, and made it look as if it had been bolted over her features. She was Verdandi, Witness of the Present.

The last Norn chuckled quietly: her clothing was much more elegant and decorative, heavy black cloth edged in gold, a crimson shawl wrapped tightly around her neck and a hood held tightly down onto her head by a coronet made from polished, twisted-together bull horns. A golden amulet gleamed around her neck, and a black veil concealed most of her face from view, leaving only her eyes and the wrinkled, ancient and mottled skin around them visible. Metal, clawed gauntlets covered her hands, and she was easily using these to cut complex shapes into the wooden, cone-shaped staff in her hand. Urd, Beholder of the Past.

The three Fates: Luna gritted her teeth, determination and anxiety both mixing together with the faintest whisper of fear before Urd looked up from her work, whispering: “And what you've lived through, young child... it is impressive. I do not hate you, little one, as much as my sisters do... but I behold what has already happened. I know all your history, oh yes... and while I do not approve of it, I can see that you are... a useful ally to have.”

“I see the present. I see across from me a child, a fool, and a failure.” Verdandi said coldly, and Luna snarled, beginning to step forwards before the Norn calmly put her thread aside and reached easily down, picking up a half-woven tapestry inside a wooden frame, and Luna froze in surprise at the sight of the image of herself half-completed over the fabric. “Do not be foolish, Brynhild. I know how you work. I know exactly what you're doing. I know exactly what you're planning and thinking.”

“And I gaze into the future. I know what you're about to do. I know how all stories end, I know the truth before it even becomes truth.” Skuld said coldly, leaning forwards before she rose her silver sword, pointing it towards Luna as she seemed to smile cruelly beneath her hood. “I'll give you a taste of the future. You are nothing but a pawn. And nothing you do, no attempt you make to fight fate matters.”

“Shush now, Skuld.” chided Urd, and Skuld grumbled as she fell quiet, before the eldest Norn looked calmly towards the three, surveying them thoughtfully as Luna growled under her breath. “We have called you here for a reason, little one. We knew you would reach us... just as we knew the chaos beast would as well.”

“Yes, I'm sure that's precisely why you tried to drop a bomb on me.” Discombobulation muttered, and then he winced when Urd pointed the staff she was carving at him, the Draconequus flinching away.

“Now now, Ginnungagap acolyte, just as you are unable to do anything but follow the flow of your instincts and do as Fate decrees, so are we.” Urd replied almost kindly, but there was again that sense of patronization, made all the worse by the complacency, the arrogance of her body language. Then she glanced calmly down at the rune-covered staff, saying softly: “That is why we brought you here. So you may understand that no matter what you do... no matter what you know... you cannot change your fate.”

Luna snorted at this, as Scrivener shook his head slowly, before Verdandi added disgustedly: “Even with your struggling, even with how you dared to try and change what Fate has in store for you both, and on more than one occasion. Even with Odin's interferences and distortions, you cannot affect your destiny. The story's ending is written first, and that ending is always death, that ending is always defeat and failure.”

Skuld snorted at this, adding moodily: “Everything moves according to laws and rules. Everything is decided from the moment you are born, and all we do is record these rules, these laws, these pre-written endings. You are all nothing more than masses of biology and energy interacting in an environment that must always follow certain dedicated rules and norms. How could you not see that the outcome is already decided? How can you disagree? I see your future now, Brynhild, you are going to attempt to argue, you are going to attempt to fight, and you are going to find your way into a world of clanking gears and machinery... and you are going to die there, along with Scrivener Blooms. This is unavoidable.”

Luna snorted, closing her eyes as Scrivener shook his head and Discombobulation stayed silent. Then Verdandi looked evenly up and across at Luna, her eyes glinting as she calmly answered before the winged unicorn could even form the question: “No. You have never truly defied us. You have never truly 'changed' your story: all you did was sloppily merge the lesser mortal's into your own, turning two texts into one. One that should have ended long ago.”

“There's always another story.” Discombobulation said quietly, and then he smiled a little as he studied the Norns silently. “That's what you don't like, isn't it? That there is no end; that even if there is such thing as Fate, you're still only slaves; slaves to your own machines, chained down by your own laws and rules, unable to do anything but sit back and record what's going on in the wide, wide world out there, where whether bound by laws or not, people are still free, as free to be you and me as we like to be, oh, all in that wide-”

In a moment, Skuld was on her feet and across the field, and Discombobulation gasped, leaning forwards as his eyes bulged, the Norn's sword buried up to the hilt in his stomach as she whispered quietly: “Be silent, patchwork doll. Do not press your luck: your death may be set years from now, but there is nothing declaring you reach your death-day in one piece.”

Luna snarled, leaping forwards, but Skuld tore the sword back and flicked it hard to the side as she shoved the Draconequus onto his back, splattering Discombobulation's blood over the winged unicorn's features and blinding her before Skuld slammed the pommel of the sword down into Luna's skull, knocking her flat. Scrivener Blooms staggered in mid-lunge, and the Norn was able to easily turn, slapping him across the face with the flat of the blade before she brought the weapon back for a deadly thrust, but Urd said sharply: “No, Skuld. It is not time yet.”

Skuld trembled, then she sighed in disgust and shook her head, looking down at them with distaste. Discombobulation was bleeding from the mouth and the hole that had pierced through his stomach and out his back, covering the wound tightly; Luna was laying on the ground, stunned and stupefied and disgusted with both herself and the Norns; Scrivener was on his side, a large smear of blood over his face. For a moment, the Norn surveyed them... then she flicked her weapon, splattering droplets of Draconequus blood over Luna in a gesture of contempt before turning her back on the three and striding back to her stone.

She sat down as Luna picked herself up and turned her eyes to Discombobulation, but he only held up his talon and shook his head. Luna nodded after a moment, then she instead turned her gaze back to the Norns, gritting her teeth before she asked coldly: “Would thou like to test thy mettle against me in proper combat, coward?”

“We don't fight yet. Not for at least a few years, then we'll settle things, Brynhild.” Skuld replied contemptibly, and then she smiled cruelly, tilting her head back slightly as she added darkly: “After you've earned a little more bitterness. After you've begun to lose everything that's ever mattered to you. After you start to truly suffer.”

Luna fought hard not to take the bait, before Verdandi added coldly: “That's right. Today, we invited you here to tell you the truth about yourself. That you've been living a lie your whole life, playing with these lower life forms, submitting yourself to their rules and laws. And to warn you to stay out of the way of Valthrudnir's remaining machinations. Oh, we know you won't... but we are compelled to do as we must, just as you are.”

“Valthrudnir was not supposed to die when you and Scrivener Blooms attempted to kill him, you see.” Urd said softly, and Luna looked sharply up at these words as Scrivener Blooms stared in disbelief, feeling a chill run down his spine before the veiled Fate looked up and seemed to smile knowingly with her ancient eyes. “So he didn't. Because that was not the time we had written. That was not the ending we had given him.”

“Impossible!” Luna snapped, and then she snarled, shaking her head violently. “I saw the monster die with mine own eyes! Scrivener Blooms bested the fool at his own game and not even a Jötnar could survive my horn through his damnable eye! Why, the echo of the creature itself-”

“Physical death is nothing.” Verdandi said distastefully, flicking a wrist dismissively before she rolled her head slowly on her shoulders. “Valthrudnir lives on. And at this very moment in time, he plots his revenge... he plots a way to destroy you, and then destroy these worlds and layers. He will be destroyed and swallowed up by his own machinations, and at this very moment, he is moving forwards...”

“But he is no longer safe from us. Ymir's charm is lost, and the destruction of his body was a devastating blow. He lives on, in a way, oh yes...” Urd said softly, putting the rune-covered staff aside to pick up a new, blank piece of wood, and she smiled as she slowly began to carve along this, saying softly: “A child was just born somewhere.”

“A child who will die of leukemia in four years' time.” Skuld said with a snort, and then the cloaked Norn looked over at Luna, asking icily: “Would you like to know how you die, Brynhild? It is at Valthrudnir's claws. He will have his revenge upon you. You and Scrivener Blooms both... and you will experience death twice, because of your pathetic soul-link, and neither time will be easy nor fast. I only regret it will not be at my blade.”

Luna snarled, looking furious, desperate, her emotions rampaging as Discombobulation stared over at the Fates blankly and Scrivener clenched his eyes shut, trying to keep both himself and Luna calm as shivers raced through his body. Of fear, of hate, of disbelief, of so many things and so many emotions as he breathed hard in and out before he looked up, unable to stop himself from whispering as a twist of anger spilled through him: “You're wrong.”

The Norns only laughed quietly, looking up at him with entertainment before Urd said gently: “Don't be silly, child. So many have told us that in the past, from lowliest mortal to greatest of god, and we have never been wrong. Yes, our stories have been interfered with, endings have... been interpreted differently than anticipated... but we are absolute. None can stand against us, and the ending we write is the ending that is given.

“You think us cruel for bringing you here, seemingly simply with the intent of mocking you? Not at all: we are trying to warn you. We are trying to show you that there are things to which you must always bow your head, no matter what.” Urd chided quietly. “Besides, you have earned our contempt and anger, have you not? Look at yourselves: Luna Brynhild, a reincarnate who replaced the Luna that should have been in that layer of reality. A blasphemy, like removing the pages of a book and replacing them with another story. And then, further twisting and confusing her story, she linked herself to you... and it just had to be you, didn't it, Scrivener Blooms? That is not what the original story said, after all...”

Scrivener frowned slowly at this as Luna leaned forwards, before Urd smiled as she put the half-carved staff aside and calmly made a simple beckoning gesture with one finger. And a moment later, another staff of ash calmly rose from the ground in front of her, this one cracked and glowing strangely in places before Luna's eyes widened as she whispered: “That is...”

“We write your stories upon these staves, which shatter and decay when the ending is finally reached.” Urd replied softly, gesturing over the charred and cracked and warped staff. “Yours is ugly. Like your story. Distorted, reckless, worthless, and damaged, and filled with inconsistencies and plot holes. Originally, it was a happy story... now it is not.”

Verdandi smiled coldly, saying softly: “Your true love is thinking about you right now. Missing you. You made a mistake, Brynhild, you made a wrong choice. You weren't supposed to end up with Scrivener Blooms, and even less were you supposed to try and merge yet another pony's story with your own... your greed eclipses Valthrudnir's and disgusts us. At least he is doing us a favor.”

“A favor, yes.” Skuld said calmly, before Luna could even come up with a response as horror filled her eyes. “He's destroying unnecessary worlds. Getting rid of all the unnecessary stories. Wiping the grime away from the perfection the universe once followed: Fates above all, no reincarnations, no lies, no 'soulmates,' no false stories... like Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivener felt a shiver at this, as Verdandi mocked quietly: “Special, you call yourself, because you can resist the evil of a Tyrant Wyrm... is that truly special? Or is that cursed and damned and hideous? Because in your head swims Valthrudnir's corruption... and just like Brynhild, a Valkyrie, whore-puppet to Odin... you are nothing but a toy yourself, Scrivener Blooms. Fruit of the poisonous tree: you are Valthrudnir's greatest weapon against his greatest threat, your false love. You are nothing but an abomination that slithered its way into the story of another pony. You resist corruption... because you are a corrupted life.”

Scrivener stared and shook his head, shaking his head weakly, breathing hard as Luna trembled and looked over at him, then snarled and looked ahead, whispering: “No. I shan't listen to thee. Odin warned us that thy words are poison... thou art speaking in nonsense to confuse us, to try and turn us against each other, but damnation, I would... I love Scrivener Blooms, more than anything in the world! May the world be damned to Helheim for all I care, as long as I have him... as long as we have each other. Oh aye, I adore Twilight Sparkle, love her even... but she is not my soulmate. Scrivener Blooms is, and I shall not permit thee to attempt to spread jealousy and poison into my family.”

“Scrivener Blooms is nothing but a shadow that Valthrudnir eagerly seized into during the farce of a card game. That his echo penetrated. But what if it was all a ruse? What if it was all a game?” mocked Skuld, and her teeth flashed beneath her hood in a wide, cruel grin. “Scrivener Blooms, don't you dream of Valthrudnir more often than you dream of Brynhild?”

“Scrivener Blooms is not a Horcrux.” Discombobulation muttered, and the Norns looked displeased as the Draconequus slowly sat up, breathing quietly and closing his eyes as he murmured: “So this is what Gymbr meant when he said 'beware of cawing crows.' I suppose you three will say anything to get what you want, won't you?”

The Norns were silent, and the Draconequus smiled wryly as he looked up, Luna and Scrivener both shaking off some of their fear, their anger, their pain, before Scrivener straightened and asked in a roughened voice: “What did you mean when you said I was a corrupted life?”

“Rarely, mortals are born and we... are caught... unprepared.” Urd said calmly, leaning forwards with an almost kind look, but there was again that arrogance, that sense of being gazed down upon with condescending superiority. “We misplace them in one way or another... and we end up not giving them a story. Oh, yes, we can still determine how they will die, and if we so desire, we can insert events into their life to hasten their death or affect them in what ways we please, but usually we simply write these 'lost children' a quick death at the end of a short life and allow their stories to play out as they will.

“However, they sometimes... begin affecting the already-written stories of others. As you did with Brynhild: her story was already written, but... you began to spend more and more time together. You changed her story: instead of her journeying alone, you followed her. And on the day of your death, Brynhild bound her soul with yours. And thus her staff, her story... was corrupted.”

Urd gestured gently at the ugly, cracked and warped staff, and Scrivener and Luna both stared at this before Discombobulation slowly crawled up to his feet, removing his hand from the wound that had healed already down to an ugly line before he asked distastefully: “Oh, so the reason you hate him is because you misplaced all the receipts and bills, so now you expect him to pay up the price you've randomly determined is fair and do all the work filing his tax forms all over again because of your petty mistake. Yes, that sounds perfectly fair.”

“Are you asking me to put another hole in you, patchwork doll?” asked Skuld sharply, and Discombobulation winced and stumbled backwards a step before she added coldly: “And it changes nothing. Yes, his existence has caused... unexpected effects. But his death came and went, just as we saw. Just as Brynhild's will, too. All we're saying is that he is a flaw that should have been rooted out, and that if anything, you should hate him, Brynhild. Without him in your life, you would have been much happier.”

“Does this have any impact on anything at all apart from your own pride? Or is this all just setup for us to understand why you hate Luna and Scrivener Blooms so much?” asked Discombobulation curiously, and then he winced and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender when Skuld leapt to her feet. “Point taken and received, no pun intended. But Gymbr says-”

Verdandi held up a hand, and Discombobulation's jaws snapped shut as he winced and grabbed at his features before the Norn said coldly: “Do not mock us, Ginnungagap beast. Hold palaver as often as you like with your own kind but do not expect us to be interested in hearing what you or others like you have to say. Ever.”

The Draconequus grimaced, and then Luna leaned forwards, asking sharply: “And of what does thou know of this Gymbr? Is he-”

“He is a creation of Valthrudnir's.” Urd lied calmly, and Scrivener couldn't help but marvel even through his confusion, fury, and frustration at how glibly and easily the Norn told the flat-out untruth. “But surely you've figured that out by now, haven't you?”

“The mockery is a nice touch, yes, but it's still pretty clear you're lying. It helps that the one thing we are sure of is that Gymbr isn't from Valthrudnir.” Scrivener replied quietly, and somehow it made him feel better, calmer, even as the eyes of the Norns all turned coldly towards him. “Funny. We thought he came from you.”

“Very well. He is the ultimate end of one of Valthrudnir's creations.” Urd said in a colder voice, and then she paused before leaning forwards and flicking her hand to make the ominous-looking staff vanish from where it was still floating, the oldest of the Norns looking calmly into the space where it had been moments ago before she dded quietly: “And you shouldn't talk to us like that, mortal. If Brynhild didn't have her spear, we wouldn't even believe she was anything but a mortal herself... but unfortunately, it is proof she was a Valkyrie, and it denies us the right to put her and her companions through further tests... however we might... disapprove.”

“Rules, rules, rules.” Luna mocked, looking disgusted before she shook her head slowly and asked distastefully: “Tell me, did thou write the rules for thyselves as well? Or did thou write rules for one-another, leaving in secrets and clauses to better put thyselves in the advantage should past, present, and future all collide?”

“You cannot divide us or turn us on one-another, Brynhild. We have nothing to gain from it.” Urd said with false pleasantness, and then she added quietly: “And I see now that it is long past the time you were welcome to stay.”

“So allow me to summarize for you.” Verdandi stood and stepped forwards, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes from behind her mask. “Stay out of Valthrudnir's way. He is very much alive and very eager to destroy you. Consider your options and one-another: you are not the story that was meant to be told. And Fate is unstoppable, but that does not mean we need to be enemies. Submit to us, listen to our wishes, and perhaps we can alter your destiny: let Valthrudnir purge the realms, and we will clean what remains, and you and Scrivener Blooms will be free to destroy Valthrudnir.”

“How generous, telling us we may kill our enemy after he has won. And I expect that even if we did, Valthrudnir would kill us at the same time we kill him, aye?” Luna asked disgustedly, and Verdandi only gave a snort.

Skuld, lastly, looked calmly up, saying coldly: “That was a gift, telling you your end. You should thank us for it.” She paused, then said softly: “You should thank us for much. Look at how much we have told you and shared with you, a corrupted reincarnation and a life that never should have lived, and worst of all the patchwork doll that thinks itself above all the rules.”

“This has been a pointless and fruitless expedition. All it has confirmed is that thou art our enemies. And know this, Norns... even if thou art the Fates, if thou interferes in any way, aids Valthrudnir, or attempt to do harm against myself, my husband, or any of my family...” Luna narrowed her eyes, leaning forwards coldly. “I shall kill all of thee. Consider this not just warning, but mercy and quarter: for as far as I am concerned, thou all deserve to perish anyway for the sick games thy kind plays with us.”

Urd only smiled calmly, however, then she stood slowly, saying softly: “Very well, if you would accuse us in childishness of being inhospitable, even after all the help we have attempted to provide... you may drink from this well. It will give you a taste of exactly what you have always desired, no matter what it is.”

Scrivener and Luna traded uneasy looks at this... and then the winged unicorn nodded slowly to the earth pony stallion, and they both silently turned their heads forwards as Luna said fearlessly: “Then I shall accept thy offer, if only because I do not think thou art such great cowards thou would stoop to poisoning myself and my husband.”

“That would be foolish, to poison what is already poisoned.” Urd replied in her too-gentle, mocking voice, and Scrivener and Luna both looked at her with the same silent grimace for a moment before the earth pony stepped quietly ahead, the winged unicorn smiling faintly at him even as Urd said softly: “Yes, that makes sense, considering your past. Always longing for more... a mark of a corrupter. Your hunger never ceases, does it?”

Scrivener didn't reply as he leaned forwards over the well, gazing down into it silently: it looked like normal water, in a normal well. For a few moments, he hesitated, gazing up at the sky overhead, then out at Yggdrasil in the distance where it stood, gargantuan and enormous and reaching high into the clouds above, base shrouded by the heavy mist... and he couldn't help but ask quietly: “Did Ymir really plant that?”

“That's none of your business.” Verdandi said shortly, and Scrivener glanced towards her as Urd remained silent before he turned his eyes back to the well, hearing what the Norns weren't saying as Skuld glared at him. They don't know. Maybe they're not as omniscient as they like to think they are...

Slowly, he leaned downwards, taking a deep, long drink of the water... and when nothing happened and he wasn't yanked away, he took another swallow of the liquid. It felt good in his parched throat and it soothed his anxiety-twisted stomach, it made him relax and calm as he drank deeper of the waters... then finally drew back with a sigh, rubbing slowly at his lips before he turned around and walked away.

Nothing continued to happen, and Scrivener snorted in amusement as he turned around, sitting down beside Luna and glancing at her as he shrugged a little, before softening as his eyes drew over her: gorgeous, strong, dependable, always ready to help him... “Maybe it didn't work because I already have everything I could ever need.”

Luna smiled softly at him, and the Norns remained silent as the winged unicorn strode forwards next. She leaned up over the well, then bowed down fearlessly, drinking deep from the water before sighing loudly and arching her back... and then her eyes slowly widened as she stared up at the sky, seeing not blue, but black, starry night, as Nightmare Moon writhed and shivered inside of her.

Visions played through her mind, and Luna flexed as she leaned down over the well, gasping quietly and gritting her teeth as Scrivener began towards her... but then he stumbled and simply fell forwards, groaning as a twist of pain went through his head and strange, alien sights flashed in front of his eyes. Discombobulation winced, then gritted his teeth when Verdandi seized Luna by her sparking, ephemeral mane and threw her backwards; before the Draconequus could even step towards them, Skuld was in front of him, edge of her sword shoving up against his throat as she said softly: “Being hard to kill is not always an advantage, patchwork doll. I don't think you would enjoy how long it might take me to cut you apart.”

“You ladies are real nasty pieces of work. Like Charlie's Angels gone to Helheim.” Discombobulation rasped, leaning awkwardly back with a wince as he slowly held up his hands. “And all your rules... we Ginnungagap types aren't very fond of rules, you know. So I was thinking I'd just take my friends and leave...”

“But it's so interesting to watch Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms trying to struggle against not only us, but even themselves, despite the fact we have been so generous as to offer them a kindness.” Urd replied softly, before she frowned when Verdandi's eyes widened in surprise and she stumbled backwards, shaking her head in disbelieving denial. “Sister, what is-”

Then a second Discombobulation appeared in a puff of neon smoke, reaching down to quickly seize Scrivener and Luna before he simply vanished from the spot with them, and Skuld snarled over her shoulder before looking back at the still calmly-standing Discombobulation in front of her. It simply rose a hand and waved once, and then Skuld slashed viciously through it... only for the illusion to explode in a blast of light and fireworks that knocked her sprawling and covered the Norns in a cloud of dust and smoke.

Discombobulation reappeared a moment later on the walkway in front of the tunnel entrance leading to the Norns, his body pale as he dropped to his knees with a rasp at the effort it had taken as he leaned forwards, then winced as he grasped at his stomach, pulling his hand away and finding it bloody before he mumbled: “Excuse me, we're in Heaven, so I could really use a deus ex machina right now... and I really, really don't think that's too much to ask...”

Slowly, he looked back and forth at Luna and Scrivener, then the Draconequus carefully dragged himself back to a sitting position before he stared stupidly up as an irritable voice asked: “Oh, look at what we have here.”

“Not what I meant.” Discombobulation mumbled as he looked moodily over at a unicorn that was calmly striding towards them on his rear legs, smooth, metallic black hands laced together in front of his waist, a casual purple dress jacket and silk shirt over his upper body. The god looked over the three meditatively, seeming undisturbed by the condition they were all in before the Draconequus asked sourly: “Why do you look like that?”

“Because you do not wish to see my actual body. It is... unpleasant.” Kvasir replied distastefully, looking moodily down at one of his black metal hands as he absently wiggled the digits. “All I truly care about is having these. Hooves are useless.”

Luna mumbled weakly as if trying to respond to this even in her insensate state, and Kvasir sighed as he looked down at the still mostly-unconscious ponies before his eyes roved moodily up over Discombobulation, surveying the Draconequus thoughtfully as the chaos entity looked grouchily back at the god. For a few moments, there was only silence between them... and finally, Kvasir turned around and shook his head as he began to stride back towards Valhalla, saying irritably even as there was perhaps the faintest flicker of concern in his eyes: “Wait there. I'll fetch Odin, he is not far... I was merely trying to find a place where I could safely avoid him but apparently I must first play hero to a patchwork doll, and a former Valkyrie and her gigolo.”

“So considerate. I think I'll just die of gratitude now.” Discombobulation muttered, and then the Draconequus flopped forwards onto his face between Scrivener and Luna, still clutching at the aching, ripped-open wound in his stomach as the color slowly continued to fade from his body. “Not even... anyone around to hear any final words I might have to say...”

Slowly, Discombobulation's eyes closed as Scrivener and Luna both shivered on either side of him... and the Draconequus couldn't help but smile wryly as he shivered once on the bridge, taking a twisted pleasure even as he spiraled into darkness that if he did die, at least it would prove the Norns wrong.

Luna slowly, tiredly awoke in a soft, comfy bed in what was clearly some kind of medical area. The curtains were drawn around her bed, not letting her see anything but shifting black shapes as figures walked back and forth, the murmur of voices reaching her ears but... indistinct, hazy, not making any sense.

She shook herself briskly, then sat up slowly with a grunt, rubbing at her chest and grimacing at the feeling that her armor had been removed. She still felt dazed, and there was a distinct heaviness in her mind that told her Scrivener Blooms was unconscious as well. Her muscles ached, and her body felt heavy, as if she'd gone twenty rounds with a horde of dragons instead of simply sipping some professed-to-be-magical water from the Norns... and then she cursed quietly under her breath, rubbing slowly at her lips before flopping backwards and sighing raggedly, muttering: “Gifts from strangers again, Luna. 'Twas foolish.”

She looked up at the ceiling, then closed her eyes and concentrated... but it wasn't hard for her to slip her way quietly back down into darkness and towards Scrivener's unconscious, dreaming self, images forming slowly in her mind before becoming crystal clear, sharp, and alive as she sifted gently through his thoughts.

She found him, dreaming of a beautiful and broken dark world: not a nightmare, not their so-called 'nightmare' world, but something that was all-too-similar all the same. It had the same strange taste and allure about it, a horizon that seemed boundless and a ceiling of blackest and most-beautiful night. There was even a mighty, dark castle in the distance, and Luna found Scrivener sitting in a lonely wasteland, the stallion gazing silently at this.

Luna sat quietly down beside him, and Scrivener smiled a little, glancing towards her, studying her for a few moments before he asked softly: “Have I ever told you that I wish sometimes... we could dream forever? Because these dreams, these visions... can last for a million years in here, and only a few moments in reality. Because we can do anything and everything here that we ever wanted... and better yet, do it all without hurting anyone, without putting anybody at risk or in danger.”

“Aye, Scrivy, but... we have good things and responsibility in reality, too. Many reasons to continue to live, and to fight.” the winged unicorn replied quietly, leaning over and closing her eyes as she buried her face against the side of his neck. “Do not despair, beetle. But what is bothering thee? The fact we were so easily fooled by the Norns? Or is it something else, something more?”

“I'm scared to wake up, Luna. I think something is different about my body... and moreover, I wonder... about what the Norns said.” Scrivener replied quietly, and Luna gazed at him softly, silently, before he turned towards her and nuzzled her slowly, even as she kept herself pressed tightly up against him. “Imagine that, me... special. But special in a way that's... maybe flawed. That maybe means I never should have existed... does it mean I had actual free will, the Norns actually didn't decide my life for me? And... if that was true... is it really such a good thing that they didn't, considering how my life... kind of was?”

“Maybe the reason thy life was so poor was precisely because the Norns found thee offensive, so they wrote in as much as they could to make thee suffer as greatly as possible... although I find a strange confusion in their words. If they had 'misplaced' thee, how could they write the end of thy life and modify thy so-called 'story' all the same?” Luna looked down thoughtfully. “I do not know if I believe them, Scrivener. I think they may just have been... speaking in order to speak, in order to sow dissent. I... I know that I never would have been as happy with Twilight as I am with thee. I... I chose thee for many reasons, Scrivener Blooms. And not just the fact thou art almost as pretty a mare as her, but slightly-more-versatile.”

Scrivener smiled a bit, before Luna winked and added mildly: “Besides, they seemed to know that Twilight has found a place with us all the same, and it seemed to disgust them. I think that is another sign we have done well with each other, does thou not agree?”

The stallion only laughed at this, shaking his head slowly before he murmured: “We're an odd little family. And yet I don't mind that at all. Not that I'd really have any reason to mind it in the first place, of course...” Scrivener looked down, closing his eyes and laughing quietly. “I'm... very fortunate, all things considered.”

“Aye, yes, I am a great fortune.” Luna replied softly, snuggling herself a little tighter against him before she gazed up quietly. “But nay, 'tis not just that. We all care deeply, one for the other. We have spilled blood together, and shared much with each other. And we have long ago established rules and boundaries and... trust. Absolute trust. It has been far from easy, after all. Only a fool would think it did not require a monumental effort.”

The charcoal stallion nodded slowly after a moment, rubbing at the scarred side of his face quietly before he sighed a little, asking quietly: “What did you think of what they said about Valthrudnir, though? I think that's... what's really bothering me. Because while they had... I dunno, it seemed all too possible they could have been lying about so much else... when they talked about him...”

“Aye, I know. There was a terrible sense of truth in their words.” Luna murmured quietly, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards before she grimaced a little. “A sense that they were not lying... in fact, that they were almost bragging. As if perhaps they had something to do with his... his possible resurrection...”

“I don't know if I'd go that far...” Scrivener murmured quietly, and Luna cocked her head curiously even as she continued to rest herself against him, and the earth pony slipped a hoof up around her shoulders, pulling her closer. “I don't think anyone can... really come back from what we did to him together. Even if he planted that echo in my head... I dunno. Truth and yet not truth. Maybe it's like what Odin said... shards of his will...”

Scrivener looked silently at the wasteland, and for a little while, they only sat together in the darkness together before Luna finally sighed and murmured: “We should be responsible, Scrivener, and return to reality now. It has been long enough that we have spent... indulging this special solitude together.”

“Solitude together. I like when you talk.” Scrivener smiled a little, then he laughed a bit when Luna headbutted him lightly, the male grunting and then nodding once. “But... you're right, yeah. Let's get ourselves moving. I'll see you on the other side, Luna.”

The two gazed at one another, then shared a short, gentle kiss for a moment before they drew back as darkness twisted up and around them, blinding them as they withdrew from their shared mind and soul. And a moment later, Luna groggily blinked her eyes before she slowly sat up once more in reality... and grimaced immediately at the sight of Odin standing over her, the once-god smiling tiredly down at her as he reached out and touched her shoulder gently. “I thought you were awake.”

“I thought thou wert... stupid.” Luna mumbled in response, and Odin looked torn between exasperation and relief before the winged unicorn shook her head briefly, saying moodily: “I take that back, as... I must admit that nay, 'twas I who was the stupid one this time. The Norns offered myself and my husband something after we endured their silly, sickening games and we were dumb enough to accept... wait, Bob, where is Bob?”

“The Draconequus is fine and well, worry not. Although the Knights were afraid of him, once I found out that he had outwitted the Norns and given them the shock he did, well... I was more than willing to step in on his behalf. He has a nice little room to himself, just down the hall.” Odin's smile surprisingly turned into a rare grin, looking pleased as he shook his head slowly. “Unpredictable chaos and confusion. I could have learned a thing or two from these creatures in the past.”

Luna looked relieved as she settled herself back, gazing past Odin: now that the curtains had been withdrawn, she could see that she was in an infirmary... and across from her, Scrivener Blooms was slowly beginning to sit up. He blinked tiredly... and the winged unicorn frowned a bit at the sight of him, something wrong about the male's form before her eyes widened as she whispered: “Odin, my husband...”

“It's only temporary. You drank from the Well of Urd, didn't you?” Odin softened, looking over his shoulder at Scrivener as the stallion smiled faintly, rubbing at features that had half-transformed into the guise of a Tyrant Wyrm. “Do not... take this the wrong way, Brynhild, but this is part of the reason why you should not... play with your ability to polymorph. Yes, we are all guilty of it here, certainly, but... that does not mean it is a good idea.”

“Oh, 'tis no fault of mine Scrivy looks like that.” Luna frowned a little as Scrivener sat up, shaking his head out and looking exhausted. “A... touch of what we desire most...”

“Yes, it's a cruel joke and a crueler-still poison.” Odin replied quietly, sighing a little and glancing over at Scrivener as well. “But it won't last long. It's merely an attempt on their part to divide our ranks, but... I am not about to turn on yourself or Scrivener Blooms after all you have done for me merely because they have made it seem as if you and he desire...”

“What we desire is... none of thy business, none of anyone's business. Making us wear it on our faces, bah.” Luna muttered, and then she winced and shoved her sheets suddenly back, Odin looking at her with surprise as the winged unicorn looked worriedly over herself before she sighed in relief. “Oh. I feared for a moment I had some bizarre transformation as well, but I see I have not. Thou had best not have been the one to remove my armor, old lecher, I'll pummel thee mightily.”

“Worry not, Luna the medical staff took care of that and I had your equipment taken to the blacksmith's for polishing and repairs. Your spear is safe too, of course... it tells me you didn't let it see much battle, however, if any at all.” Odin smiled a little, saying quietly: “It's an insult to the weapon, not to use it.”

“It would be a greater insult to use it against such toys as the Norns tossed in our path. Besides, I have my own weapons and they work just as well.” Luna's eyes flicked up to her horn, smiling slightly before she added seriously: “And unlike thine own horn, mine never breaks nor fails to penetrate... dirty old cyclops.”

Odin sighed tiredly at this, then he shook his head and strode across the infirmary to Scrivener, and Luna softened and looked quietly over at her husband. The stallion was rubbing moodily at his face, feeling out the scales, the shape of his muzzle, the horn standing up from the side of his head... and then he smiled awkwardly up at Odin when the once god leaned forwards and asked gently: “How do you feel?”

Scrivener Blooms only smiled a little, shrugging after a moment and saying quietly: “I've been worse. Not really pain or anything... not even surprise at... this... but... I feel really lethargic, I guess. Really slow and drained.”

The once-god nodded slowly, and then Scrivener glanced across at Luna, sharing a look with her before he returned his eyes to Odin, saying quietly: “The Norns told us that Valthrudnir was still alive somehow.”

“The Norns are liars who will say and do anything, with the sole intent of hurting and upsetting those who would disagree with them.” Odin replied calmly, looking unsurprised as he shook his head slowly, and Scrivener smiled a little, feeling much more reassured now even as a faint worm of worry continued to writhe through the back of his mind. “Not even a Jötnar as powerful as Valthrudnir could have survived the death and defeat he suffered at your hands.”

“Hooves.” Scrivener corrected absently, then he grinned lamely up at Odin in embarrassment when the once-god gave him an amused look. “Sorry, sorry. Reflex. But... well... thank you. I know that... the fact that I was...”

“You were simply a carrier, and the Jötnar a disease. But he is purged now, even if remnants of his influence remain.” Odin halted, then he smiled a little as he glanced up and gestured towards a unicorn at the other side of the infirmary. “It's funny, but your kind make for excellent healers. Strange to see the little brightly-colored ponies walking around Valhalla's mighty halls, but... I enjoy it, all the same. It makes me feel like... not everything was in vain.”

He quieted, then shook his head and smiled a little. “I know you and Brynhild are anxious to return home. But please, give yourselves a little time to rest as guests here in Valhalla, and make yourselves comfortable. I require a bit of time to sit down myself, but I promise to take you back home no later than tomorrow.”

“Thank you.” Scrivener murmured, bowing his head awkwardly, but Odin only smiled again and shook his head before the once god turned away. Scrivener watched him leave, reaching up and rubbing meditatively at his face with a hoof again before the unicorn approached, and the half-wyrm, half-pony smiled awkwardly before allowing the medical pony to check him over.

Luna joined him a few moments later, half-dragging herself across the floor but seeming to steadily wake up more and more once she was on her hooves, and Scrivener gazed at her softly as the unicorn finished checking him over and pronounced him fit enough to leave the infirmary if he wanted, and that the polymorph was already showing signs of naturally receding.

Scrivener and Luna were more than glad to, the male slipping out of the bed and grimacing a bit as he shook his head out, making his mane sway around half-transformed features. Patches of scale flexed here and there over his body, but that was the extent of the transformation... and as Luna and Scrivener strode slowly out into the hall, the winged unicorn looked over him thoughtfully before she smiled a little and said: “I shall always say thou looks good like that.”

Scrivener snorted in amusement, shaking his head before he replied softly, smiling a little over at her: “Says Nightmare Moon.”

“Nay, say I, although it is one of the few things that Nightmare Moon and I agree on, yes.” Luna paused meditatively, looking down moodily as she muttered: “Perhaps we should dialogue with the creature. I do so loathe her, especially these days, but all the same she has respectfully remained quiet, just as she said she would. Of course, that in and of itself only makes me all the more nervous for a few reasons... but I suppose that between myself and her, there can never be complete peace.”

“I dunno. Maybe one day there will be.” Scrivener said quietly, looking ahead as Luna looked at him curiously, and the stallion shrugged after a moment as he glanced towards her with a quiet laugh. “Well, I dunno, really. Just... talking, maybe.”

She nodded as they strode down the polished, beautiful halls, passing Nibelung and other creatures that looked at them with interest, as they looked curiously back. Then Luna frowned a little as she halted and nudged Scrivener firmly, and the stallion turned his eyes towards a door blocked by two stoic-looking, armored Knights with shield and sword over their backs and hands calmly laced in front of themselves. But one of them had a balloon tied to the decorative horn stretching off his full helm, and Luna grinned slightly as she approached before saying seriously: “I expect that thou must be the senior officer, with thy pretty adornments.”

The Knight looked down at her moodily even as the other soldier kept his gaze ahead and focused, neither speaking or responding before Luna said kindly: “I desire to see the Draconequus on the other side of this door. He is a good friend. I wish to ensure he is well before my husband and I go gallivanting around Valhalla and causing trouble.”

The Knights only remained silent, and when Luna stepped forwards, they both reached out an arm across the door, shaking their heads quickly before the soldier with the balloon said clearly: “No admittance.”

“Oh, very well.” Luna rolled her eyes, then she leaned forwards and shouted: “Bob! If thou art not too weak to move, Scrivener Blooms and I are here to drag thee out of thy dreary prison and go wandering around Valhalla!”

There was silence... and then Luna glanced down as something caught her eye. It was a tiny arm, waving wildly from beneath the crack of the door, and Luna quickly brought her gaze back up when one of the knights began to look down, before she asked in a voice made more insulting by how honestly curious it sounded: “Do thee hide thy faces because of how ugly thou art?”

She leaned forwards, sweeping her head to the side and making her glowing, starry mane sway forwards and brush up against the door, ephemeral locks glowing lightly as the soldiers glared down at her before she said grouchily: “'Twas just a harmless question! Very well, if our company is so reviled, we shall take our business elsewhere!”

With that, Luna flicked her mane back, the starry locks twisting in and around on themselves as they swayed up along her spine, and then Luna half-spun with a huff and continued down the hall. Scrivener only smiled awkwardly at the guards, then he turned and hurried quickly off beside the winged unicorn before he traded entertained looks with her as they rounded a corner and a tiny Discombobulation poked his head carefully up out of her starry locks. He peered apprehensively back and forth, then mumbled in a voice loud enough for them to clearly hear even despite his tiny size: “Good. I was getting very, very bored, so I applaud you both for rescuing me.”

“And I thank thee for rescuing us again, Discombobulation, truly: the Norns may not have killed us, but they would undoubtedly have subjected us to worse tortures than death if they had been given the chance. They seemed to delight in experimenting upon us... and look, look at the gift they gave us.” Luna looked with a grimace towards Scrivener, who awkwardly dropped his head. “Unconsciousness and another attempt to confuse and distort myself and my husband. Wretched harpies.”

“It worked because you both drank. Your soul link means you count as one... one creature, with one desire given face and form and frame.” Discombobulation mumbled, and Luna halted in the empty hall, looking sharply over her shoulder as Scrivener stared in surprise at the Draconequus before the chimerical creature slowly sank into Luna's mane even as he thrusted a hand upwards. “Law of averages applies even to chaos. I have to make sense and be serious sometimes; if I never was, after all, then I'd just be predictably-silly all the time, and that's not really chaos at all, is it?”

Scrivener only grunted, then he shook his head a bit as Luna looked forwards, feeling a twist through her as the ponies continued onwards and Discombobulation nestled himself amongst Luna's starry locks with a mumble. Then, suddenly, Luna smiled a little, glancing awkwardly across at Scrivener and saying softly: “See? I told thee that I did not mind this shape. If anything should convince thee I am speaking the truth, then... 'tis this.”

The stallion looked back at her for a few moments... and then he finally shook his head slowly and laughed a little despite himself, lowering his head and closing his eyes as he murmured softly: “You really are a troublemaker, Luna. But I don't think I'd have it any other way.”

Luna smiled softly as they continued on through the corridors of Valhalla, only wandering, with no real destination in mind... but the simple act of moving was helping drive off the lethargy and soreness, and Scrivener could feel both his worries lifting and his body steadily beginning to regain its normal shape and form. And admittedly, Valhalla was fascinating: here he was, wandering through warrior's heaven alongside his Valkyrie soulmate, who every now and then would break into a sudden ramble as they passed familiar sights and places.

They stopped for a short rest in Valhalla's grand library, and Luna sat down at a table while Scrivener wandered the shelves. He couldn't read most of the titles unless he stopped, concentrated, and drew on Luna's memories to access her knowledge of runes, but here and there were other books written in his own language as well. But he just liked being around the books, whether he could read them or not: there was a sense of familiarity, the feeling of their stories, hidden in those pages, worlds and knowledge waiting to be discovered; of dreams and memories, captured in shapes on paper.

He returned after a little while to Luna and found her half-asleep on the table, Discombobulation now awake and alert and sitting on her skull. The stallion smiled at the Draconequus, who saluted him calmly in return: he was bandaged, bruised, and pale, but also looked like he was already starting to feel better, especially now that he was in the presence of others instead of locked away alone in a little room.

Then the chimerical creature hurriedly hid himself back in Luna's mane when a patrol of Knights strode into the library and strode towards them. They were accompanied by several bored-looking Nibelung warriors who seemed less-than-thrilled to be working alongside these borrowed forces from Odin's 'friends,' and Luna smiled wryly as she rose her head off the table. She understood all too well... if the Valkyries had still been alive, they never would have allowed 'help' in this form to enter Valhalla. Oh, allies were all well and good: but soldiers who came in to offer assistance, then turned around and expected everyone to start following the rules they set on the other hand...

Luna drove off the patrol with a few nasty answers to the questions they asked about whether or not they had seen the Draconequus. The Knights were bossy and annoying, but they were far from stupid enough to try and antagonize the winged unicorn they had been warned was a former Valkyrie, at least. All the same, Scrivener and Luna decided to get moving again, and went back to wandering the halls of Valhalla.

They eventually found their way to the blacksmith's, where Nibelung were gladly working the forges: not academic Architects, but talented warriors who worked with natural finesse and long-honed skill. They greeted Luna like an old friend and led her and Scrivener gladly to their repaired and polished armor, and Luna was delighted to find her gear in a pristine state. Her spear, too, was in good condition, and the smiths had replaced the old rawhide holster with a far-nicer one made from dragon-scale leather, a deep black with golden illustrations of the nine worlds of legend over it. They had left the rawhide holster for her, too, though, just in case... and Luna adored both the new holster, and the thoughtfulness of the dwarves in keeping the old one for her.

She half-bullied Scrivener into his armor despite the fact they had no plans to leave for a while longer yet, and the earth pony stallion grumbled a little under his breath, but nodded and climbed into his gear all the same. Luna all-but-hopped into her own as Discombobulation peered around, then slipped himself into the old rawhide holster as Scrivener watched with amusement, before he picked this up and put it on so Luna wouldn't accidentally squish him as the winged unicorn fitted her new holster onto her own body.

One of the Nibelung offered to do adjustments to their gear for them, and Scrivener winced at the thought of the armor being worked on while he was actually wearing it, but Luna cheerfully agreed, and the dwarf went quickly to work on their equipment. He was quick and efficient, adjusting plates here and there, checking the tightness of the armor against their bodies, going quickly over the modular aspects of Scrivener's armor to ensure the plates wouldn't become loose or slip free during combat.

Scrivener had to admit that by the end of the work, the gear felt tighter against his body, and somehow... lighter, or at least like the weight was being better distributed. Luna had smiled warmly and thanked the dwarf, then finally left the smith's, seeming happier and rejuvenated. Scrivener still only partly understood how Luna could find relaxation in putting large pieces of metal on her body... but he shrugged after a moment, smiling a little. When she felt better, he felt better, in both literal and metaphorical senses, so he wasn't going to argue with her. Then again, it also likely helped that the transformation had finally worn off physically, leaving him back in his normal earth pony state.

Luna insisted on continuing to wander for a little while, until they reached a large courtyard filled with strange, flowering trees and bushes that blueberries the size of fruits were growing on. Luna plucked one of these, biting into it and chewing thoughtfully before smiling in approval, licking slowly at the juice dripping long her muzzle.

Scrivener joined her after a moment, and they ate until an angry minotaur caretaker chased them off with a broom and a volley of vulgarities. Luna giggled stupidly as they fled back into Valhalla, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh a bit himself as they ran through the crowded halls until they plowed through a pair of double doors and stumbled into a hall filled with singing, feasting warriors watched over by calm, silent golems. They were greeted cheerfully, and soon enough, the two ponies were sitting at a table with the warriors, Scrivener laughing as Luna sang loudly and lustily along with the warriors, Discombobulation peering up in amazement out of the holster on Scrivy's back as ale splashed over the table and the occasional piece of food was flung here or there.

Scrivener wasn't sure how long they spent in the feast hall: he knew there had been a lot of jokes and teasing, although almost all of it surprisingly good-natured. Every now and then, more trays of food and tankers of ale and mead had been brought in by servants and other warriors, although this wasn't always distributed with the most fairness: when one table managed to get a larger share by fair means or foul, the neighboring tables often made a point of 'raiding' the other group, usually resulting in a short scuffle and a lot of thrown food.

Luna fit in all too well: all the singing, fighting, and bragging just encouraged her adventurous spirit, and it was infectious, making Scrivener more talkative than he'd ever been, smiling and laughing along the others. Race, creed, even species, none of it mattered: they were all warriors here, warriors in paradise, sharing their stories and adventures with one another.

Luna was loathe to leave, but also was eager to get back home, and she excused herself after promising to return one day and regale them with more of her stories. She grinned as they headed for the doors, exiting the feast hall as she murmured softly: “Just like children. But in a good way, not a bad one, not like they used to be... aye, they still have fight in them. They are slovenly, and gross, and perhaps a little lazy... but they are not sloth-like, and they love Valhalla for more reasons than it is a place where they may rest their buttocks and fill their bellies.”

Scrivener had nodded thoughtfully as they'd strode down the corridor together, Luna going quiet as she looked back and forth at the architecture, the tapestries, the cases here and there that contained old trophies and artifacts. Memories whispered through her mind as they wandered the halls quietly, both knowing their hooves would find Odin eventually.

But instead of leading them to Odin, first they found their way to a small, half-hidden room near the center of Valhalla, Luna frowning a little as they strode through a narrow archway flanked by heavy, rune-covered pillars... and then she smiled faintly as they stepped into the orange-tinted light of the room beyond. The walls were brick, inset with tall stained-glass windows each depicting a different figure: forty windows that stretched all the way up the narrow cylinder of the room to the roof high, high above. Forty windows, lit from behind by gentle light, bringing back memories of people and faces long ago lost.

Luna quietly rested herself against Scrivener's side as they gazed up through the room, and then she closed her eyes and bowed her head against the side of the stallion's neck, breathing softly before she murmured quietly: “Scrivy... look at them. Captured forever in the glass... shapes, and yet when I see them, I see such distinct detail. There, Hladgunnr, and the shine of the scar upon her arm! And there, Hrist, I see the very tone of her form in those ambiguous shapes upon the window...”

The winged unicorn smiled radiantly for a moment, then she closed her eyes and shook her head quickly, bowing her head forwards as she murmured: “And of course near the top... I see Brynhild, and I see Freya. But I do not believe we deserve to be in this shrine Odin has built... for whilst my sisters have all fallen, we live on still, do we not? Oh, Scrivener Blooms...”

She laughed a little, then shook her head slowly as Scrivener only nodded quietly, gazing at her softly as he said in a gentle voice: “You are still Brynhild, but... you're a different Brynhild. You're Luna Brynhild.”

“And perhaps my old self does lay asleep with the other Valkyries then, aye.” Luna nodded a little at this thought, then she finally gazed up and smiled a little, saying quietly: “Then let us... sit here for a little while, Scrivy, in this special place... and I shall tell thee of the old Valkyries, and what I see in these glassy reflections that now hold their images and stories. Then we shall find Odin, and leave... and perhaps... thank him.”

Scrivener Blooms smiled a little at this, nodding after a moment as he gazed at her softly, all too glad to honor her wishes as memories of the life that she had once lived flooded through both their minds, and warmed both heart and mixed soul.

A Rare Occasion Of Joy

Chapter Thirty Seven: A Rare Occasion Of Joy
~BlackRoseRaven

Apart from having to share the less-than-helpful adventure they'd had with the Norns, Scrivener Blooms and Luna found the following month surprisingly pleasant and gentle on them. When they had returned to Ponyville with Odin and sat down with Twilight and Celestia and a few others to talk through what the Fates had shared with them, things had gotten tense and anxious for a little while, true; Odin was still convinced it was impossible for Valthrudnir to still be alive: Celestia, however, had not seemed quite as reassured by his words, and it had unsettled both Luna and Scrivener.

But after that, things had quickly calmed down: with only one anchor left for Scrivener and Luna to place, they would be able to take plenty of time to rest before having to worry about placing it. As much time as they liked, although Luna was intent on getting the job out of the way sooner rather than later, so she could return her full attention to looking after Looking Glass World... and more importantly, her friends and family within it.

Discombobulation had spent a week or so mostly lounging around and hiding out in his 'apartment' of an aquarium as he'd healed up from the damage and exhaustion. They supplemented this with a mixture made from the Ambrosia tree in the backyard, which had been carefully diluted and refined into a potent medicine by Zecora and Celestia. The Draconequus complained that it tasted like cough medicine, but drank down the mixture after Luna threatened to stomp his apartment into pieces.

There was no sign of Clockwork World, no attacks by monsters or dragons, only the gentle, steady rise of summer and calm weather, both literally and figuratively. Over that month, Antares developed quickly, finally out of diapers – to his parents' relief – and able to speak coherently. He learned fast, and had started using magic: just a little, but enough. He was a clumsy flier, but had learned to use his wings, too... although if he flew for any longer than a few minutes at a time, he had to deal with cramps and back pains for the rest of the day.

But it wasn't as if there was nothing to do, either: almost all of Ponyville had been invited to the wedding of Rarity and Spike, and the unicorn was working hard to plan out the absolute best wedding she could. And what impressed a lot of her friends most was the way it wouldn't just be about her: sure, she wanted the most spectacular wedding Ponyville had ever seen, but she also wanted everyone to be able to take part in it, to feel like they had something to do with it, and to be able to enjoy it.

Spike's bachelor party had been remarkably tame: Rainbow had rented out one of the back rooms at the bar, and the dragon and his stallion friends had simply played cards, traded stories, and both teased and reassured the dragon about married life until they had been joined by Discombobulation. He had joined in and quickly made all the ponies thankful the chips they were betting were potato, not gambling tender.

Rarity's bachelorette party, on the other hoof, had ended up being quite a bit more exciting, thanks in part to Luna's pushing and prodding. Eventually, Luna herself had barged her way into the private bar room after the bachelorette had ended but Spike and company were still enjoying their night out. The mare had gleefully shared details she probably wasn't supposed to, ate all of Bob's winnings, and after complaining their party was boring, offered to give Spike a lap-dance, which made Scrivener drop his head against the table and Spike turn scarlet.

Spike was a little awkward around Luna for the next few days, mostly because she kept teasing him. It took Rarity scolding her to finally make her stop, and Scrivener was fairly sure the only reason Luna listened was because she didn't want to ruin the upcoming wedding. She had even grudgingly agreed to wear the dress Rarity had sewn for her, after all: it was a slightly-darker blue than her coat, short-cut and seductive.

Scrivener Blooms, meanwhile, had a nice, casual suit for himself, and little Antares would be wearing a matching outfit Rarity had been thoughtful enough to put together for the foal. That was what really made Scrivener smile... well, that and the fact that Luna would have to wear an actual dress for almost an entire day, when normally he couldn't force her to put on anything apart from her armor.

Twilight Sparkle was still going over last minute arrangements, although the venue had long been booked, the permits put in place, everything that needed to be rented, reserved, or filled out long done. It was the morning of the wedding now, after all: and Scrivener couldn't help but smile amusedly as he walked out into the den and found Twilight still drinking coffee, going over papers and receipts as a few pieces of parchment floated around her before Scrivener walked over to her and knocked firmly on her head, making her glare up at him. “If you don't get ready, you're going to miss the wedding. I'll clean up.”

Twilight grumbled a little, but then she sighed and nodded, dropping the papers into messy piles all around her as she stood up and cracked her back loudly, saying finally: “I just... I know Rarity wants everything to be perfect, and it's her wedding and-”

“Everything's already perfect, Twilight, because Spike is there and all her friends are going to be there for her. And she's going to look out on the smiling faces of all of Ponyville, watching her special day, enjoying it with her.” Scrivener replied quietly, then he reached out and patted her on the shoulder, winking. “I think you''re just trying to live through Rarity.”

“Because you don't think I'll ever get married?” Twilight smiled amusedly at him, and Scrivener shrugged amiably. “We'll see about that, Scrivy. Besides, I've... never really... dreamed of a big wedding, anyway. As a filly maybe, yeah, but... it got less and less important as time went on.”

Twilight's smile softened as she looked down thoughtfully, pawing a hoof at the bedding before shaking her head. “Anyway, yeah, you're right. Just... please don't mess up my papers, okay? They're all marked and in order and everything, for when I plan to-”

Scrivener waved a hoof at her dismissively, and she gave him a flat look before shaking her head and muttering: “I dunno why we're friends.”

“'Because without Scrivener, there is no pony to cook nor clean for us.” Luna said cheerfully as she strode into the room, then she grinned widely at Twilight. “Does thou need help washing thy pretty mane in the shower?”

Twilight only gave Luna a flat look as she passed by, heading for the bathroom, and Luna grumbled to herself before she whined loudly, as Scrivener began to clean up the papers: “Why does she not flirt with me as oft as she flirts with thee?”

“Luna, this may be a hard concept for you to grasp, but when you hit another pony... it doesn't always count as flirting with them.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna grumbled a little as the earth pony easily swept up the papers, filing them quickly into a nearby folder and putting this aside before he picked up Twilight's mug and headed to the kitchen.

Luna followed after him, poking at him with her horn, and Scrivener grumbled a little but ignored her as he tossed Twilight's mug in the sink. He turned his attention to putting on more coffee as the winged unicorn glowered at him, and then the large mare huffed and leapt forwards, scrambling to crawl up on top of Scrivener's back, making him wince and wheeze. “What are you doing, are you crazy?”

“A lunatic!” Luna proudly declared, then she giggled to herself before clearing her throat seriously as she dropped herself across his back, hugging him around the neck with her forelegs and making Scrivener sigh tiredly. “This is how I show my love for thee, Scrivener Blooms. Now carry me around as if I were Celestia.”

“I'm not sure I could actually lift Celestia.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna nodded thoughtfully as the earth pony as calmly as possible went about the task of making coffee. “Please tell me you're being so... you... to work it all out of your system before we go to the wedding, and that's why you're all... well... you.”

The winged unicorn looked down at him meditatively, and then she simply shrugged before asking curiously: “Truly, art thou so excited, Scrivy? 'Tis not our wedding. Our wedding has passed.” She paused thoughtfully. “Imagine if we did marry Twilight, though. 'Twould be scandalous. Celestia might herniate. Sleipnir would likely come down from Valhalla just to trample thee, not because of any disapproval but because he would be so jealous. Perhaps it would even upset the Norns.”

Scrivener only sighed, rolling his eyes as he turned to leave the kitchen, saying mildly: “When you start saying things like this, then I know you're just in a troublemaking mood.”

“Oh shush.” Luna huffed a bit, then leaned down and bopped him firmly with her horn, making him wince before he suddenly bucked hard forwards, and Luna yelped as she was tossed off his back to crash loudly down on the bedding. Immediately, she glared up at him, but Scrivener only leaned down and kissed her horn near the base, and the winged unicorn curled her limbs inwards as she cleared her throat. “Thou art evil.”

“I'll be back with coffee, warrior princess.” Scrivener said kindly, and Luna grumbled a little as she slowly fell over onto her side, huffing a bit and scraping her hooves at the bedding as her mane swirled up over her features. When the stallion returned a few minutes later, the winged unicorn had finally sat herself up, gazing softly over at him as he put down a tray with scones and coffee.

Twilight joined them shortly, laughing when Luna leaned over and buried her face against her wet neck for a moment, then drew quickly back and shook her head out, saying cheerfully: “Lavender! A scent that fits thee well.”

“Luna, don't be weird. Also, that's the only shampoo we have because you usually refuse to wash or take care of your mane at all.” Scrivener paused, then nudged the sapphire mare lightly, saying mildly: “Just because it's made of star-stuff doesn't mean it doesn't get dirty.”

“But I can do this!” Luna began to shake her head violently back and forth, and a moment later, her mane exploded into electricity and blue flames, both Twilight and Scrivener shouting and immediately throwing themselves backwards before Luna threw her head back and laughed as the sparking flames swirled around her head. “Oh, come now, 'tis perfectly harmless to both of thee!”

Both Twilight and Scrivener only glared at her, and Luna huffed before she shook her head firmly as the flames died back down into starry, harmless ephemeral locks, huffing a little at them as she grumbled: “Prudes and cowards. That is what thou both are.”

Before either Luna or Twilight could respond, there was the sound of a door opening before Scarlet Sage stumbled out tiredly, gazing towards her mother moodily. Luna looked awkwardly back at the Pegasus, and then the young mare shook her head with a sigh before asking grouchily: “Can I have soundproofing for my birthday?”

“It probably won't help that much.” Scrivener said after a moment, and Scarlet Sage mumbled a little to herself before Scrivener climbed to his hooves and smiled slightly. “I'll put on your tea for you. Can you get your little brother up?”

“Yeah, no problem, Dad.” Scarlet Sage nodded to him, still looking lethargic as she turned slowly around as Luna grumbled huffily. But she cheered up the moment Antares bounced into the room, followed by the sleepy Pegasus, who smiled gladly at Scrivener when he gestured at her cup of tea on the counter.

“So we... all know our jobs today, right?” Twilight asked as she looked up, and Luna huffed and grumbled a bit even as she firmly tousled her son's mane, making him giggle a little. “What? It doesn't hurt to make sure.”

“Sometimes it does. Thou would never look into a cockatrice's eyes twice, would thou?” Luna asked mildly, and Twilight grumbled a little in response to this before the sapphire mare sighed a little and said dryly: “But very well, aye. I am to look pretty in a pretty dress and smile as widely as I can.”

With that, Luna smiled broadly, showing off sharp teeth, and Twilight slowly closed her eyes before Scrivener held up a hoof and added: “I don't have to smile as much. I read some happy, not-depressing poetry. It's really, really awful and sappy. I also get to hang out with my kiddo and look after him, since Luna's going to be otherwise occupied.”

“I greet...” Scarlet Sage yawned slowly, then shook her head and blinked blearily once, Antares giggling a little again at his older sister. “I greet guests with Apple Bloom, maybe Sweetie Belle, but Sweetie's probably going to be busy doing other stuff. Scoot's helping Applejack and the Pink Twins with catering, but she might try and slip over to help us with coats and stuff, at least.”

Twilight nodded firmly, smiling over at the Pegasus before she glanced nervously towards Luna. “And Celestia really doesn't have a problem with this, right? I mean... we're not... you know...”

“Oh, that is the last thing thou hast to worry for.” Luna scoffed, shaking her head before she continued in a more-soothing voice: “Not only were Rarity and Spike very good to Celestia, they were also part of the Starlit Knights. Thou knows how important that band was to Celestia... actually, perhaps thou has not yet grasped just how precisely important the knights were and continue to be to my sister and I.”

She paused for a moment as Twilight tilted her head, and then the starry-maned mare shook her head quickly before asking awkwardly: “And what about our gift? I do not understand if it was appropriate to do what I have done or if I should have bought something off that infernal, endless list we were given. Is our gift appropriate?”

“Yes, Luna, the gift is wonderful. The wedding register is just a guideline, but Rarity said herself no one really had to follow it... Rarity already has plenty of household things.” Twilight smiled a little, looking amusedly between Luna and Scrivener. Then she gazed down at Antares when the foal sat up and gazed affectionately up at her. “And your card was wonderful. Rarity's going to just adore it, I know it.”

Antares only blushed a little, shuffling on the spot even as Luna smiled warmly and approvingly, then Scrivener glanced over towards the kitchen at the sound of the back door slamming before Discombobulation calmly strode in, hands behind his back as he peered over at the ponies and asked mildly: “And what about me? Surely I haven't been forgotten about amidst all this... chaos... have I? Although I must say, with all the confusion and madness of such an ordered ceremony, I can see very clearly how it would be so easy to misplace silly little me.”

“No causing chaos at the ceremony, though. You have to behave.” Twilight said firmly, and the Draconequus feigned a hurt look as the violet mare gave him a pointed look. “Do I even have to bring up what happened at the wedding rehearsal?”

“Well, they shouldn't call it a 'rehearsal' if you're supposed to do it properly and there aren't any cameras.” Discombobulation retorted, sniffing and raising his head in the air. “I was trying to contribute to the gag reel. I had no idea there were no hidden cameras running.”

Twilight only sighed a little, and then the Draconequus held up a talon, adding mildly: “The bride and groom both found me funny, that's what mattered. At least, I'm fairly certain they found me funny after the joke was over and everyone relaxed a little. You throw one pie at Celestia and suddenly everyone hates you, I swear.”

“I know!” Luna exclaimed in agreement, and the Draconequus crossed his arms, giving a hmph as he nodded. Scrivener, meanwhile, was only looking flatly at the two, and the sapphire mare huffed at him as she grumbled: “I should have married Bob.”

“It's touching that you feel that way, Scrivener Blooms, but my religion doesn't permit me to marry stallions like yourself.” Discombobulation replied kindly, and Luna glowered at him as Scrivener Blooms snorted in amusement, then Discombobulation turned his smile on the earth pony. “I don't know what you're laughing about, Luna. That doesn't have the most sterling reflection on you, after all.”

“Well, poking fun at my sexuality or calling me a mare long ceased to bother me, Bob. Especially when it's all to poke at Luna.” Scrivener replied mildly, then he winced when Luna poked at him a few times with her horn. “You realize that by trying to stab me with that, you're only-”

“Oh, 'tis not thy job to be so overanalytical!” Luna scoffed, as Twilight laughed and Scarlet Sage smiled, visibly beginning to wake up while Antares giggled and gazed affectionately over his family. “'Tis Twilight's. Now go and put on thy silly suit. It always takes thee ages to prepare. Bob, thou must don some fancy clothing thyself.”

“I know, I know, look like a penguin.” Discombobulation replied mildly, shaking his head out and waving a hand dismissively. “I won't make any promises because I'll be very tempted to break them, just for the sake of doing so, and we all know that sometimes I say rather nasty things without even meaning to. So instead, I'll just say... I'll do my best to do my best.”

Discombobulation nodded kindly, putting his hands together before he added gently: “And since it's such a romantic day, here's some romantic advice. Tell someone you love them today, because life is short. But shout it at them in German, because life is also terrifying and confusing. Good day.”

With that, Discombobulation turned and strolled off, slipping through the back door quietly, and Luna paused before peering slowly at Scrivener Blooms before she took a deep inhale, but Twilight hurriedly reached up and covered her mouth as Scrivener winced, saying awkwardly: “Come on, kiddo, let's get you dressed, too. We need to all be ready to leave shortly anyway.”

Antares smiled and nodded, bouncing gladly after his father as Luna grumbled and flailed at Twilight to pry her free. A few moments later, as Scrivener was helping Antares button up his dress shirt, the house vibrated violently with Luna shouting something as loud as she could, and Scrivener Blooms winced and rubbed at his face at the sound of frustrated yelling that rose up after this. “Well, your mother does know how to keep things light.”

“Yeah.” Antares smiled a little, gazing quietly up at Scrivy. “Mom is kind of like a little foal sometimes. Like a foal who isn't old enough to understand right and wrong quite yet.”

“Something like that, yeah.” Scrivener smiled amusedly at this comparison, nodding in return to the child before he went back to helping him into his clothes. “Remember now, kiddo. You gotta stay clean. No running around with Meadowlark and Avalon, at least not until after the ceremony.”

Antares nodded a little, looking up at his father softly. Eventually, Scrivener stepped back, then smiled warmly down at his son: looking at the colt was like catching a strange glimpse of the distant future. Here he was, clad in his little black jacket and silk shirt with a cloth rose standing out of the lapel, all buttoned up nicely... and Scrivener laughed quietly before he shook his head, looking up around his son's room.

Not much had changed: the crib had been replaced with a bed, with star-and-moon covered sheets. It was neatly made, likely thanks to Twilight... neither Scrivener nor Luna were much for that kind of thing, after all, but somehow Antares had picked up the skill all the same and had started to develop a few neatening habits. Scrivener thought it was cute, although he'd never say that to anypony.

Gymbr laid quietly on the pillows, and Scrivener couldn't help but look at this for a few moments before he smiled again and shook his head slowly. “You're growing up so fast, kiddo. Amazes me.” He nodded once, looking down at his son softy. “Go get Scarlet Sage to help you with some chocolate milk.”

Antares smiled warmly up at his father, nodding a few times before he happily bounced past, and Scrivener sighed a little as he looked meditatively towards Gymbr, murmuring: “And I have to admit, I'm surprised that you've been slowing down too... what's wrong, Gymbr? Is that... jealousy? Resentment? Or just... sadness?”

The earth pony shook his head, then he finally turned and headed across the hall, pushing into their room... and smiling despite himself at the sight of Luna trying to wriggle into her dress, grumbling loudly in frustration. Scrivener strode towards her with an amused shake of his head, reaching out and carefully helping feed her head through the material as he said mildly: “Now come on, warrior princess. You can conquer the evils of the dress.”

“Shut up, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna mumbled, and then she sighed drolly, adding grumpily: “Did I tell thee about all the instructions that-”

“Rarity just wants you to try and look... you know. Pretty. Feminine.” Scrivener said gently, and Luna huffed a little, glowering at him before Scrivener sighed and added dryly: “If you do this and don't cause a riot or anything at the wedding, then I'll write that poem you keep telling me to.”

“I could just pummel the poetry out of thee... although like squeezing a bruised fruit, the result is never as good.” Luna looked thoughtful, rubbing at the underside of her muzzle before she nodded firmly once. “Very well then, poet. Although one day I shall smack thee for continuing to treat me like a foal who must be goaded and manipulated into every little thing. 'Tis all rather irksome.”

“You say that, but I don't think you really feel that way, Luna. Mostly because I can sense your thoughts and emotions.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Luna grumbled under her breath before headbutting him lightly and making him wince. “Okay, okay, point taken.”

Some ten minutes later, Scrivener and Luna emerged from their room; Luna was clad in her smooth, tight blue dress, black pearl swaying on the ivy rope around her neck and matching, dark pearl earrings glinting in either ear. She grumbled and poked at these, muttering: “'Tis all great foolishness, I shall have all of thee know.”

Her starry mane was coiffed carefully back, kept in place by a bow made from ivy and ornamented with white lunar lilies. She had applied just a little makeup, following Rarity's instructions as closely as possible; all-in-all, she was gorgeous... but it also made Scrivener grin as he looked over her, saying kindly: “You look like a normal princess instead of a warrior princess.”

“Scrivener. I shall pummel thee sorely.” Luna glowered over his casual black suit, the fanciest part of the ensemble being the collar she herself had gotten for him years ago. Then she grumbled, glowering at Twilight in her own blue dress that was just a little more elegant than Luna's, but the only extra adornments her simple onyx earrings. “Why do all of thee get to look so normal and nice?”

“Because Rarity knows you can look really beautiful if you want to, Luna.” Twilight soothed gently, and Luna grumbled quietly to herself before the violet mare added kindly: “Besides, think of this as your real wedding gift to Rarity. And furthermore, Scrivener never dresses up for anything, as far as I can remember. Even around Canterlot, I remember him always wandering around in the same wrinkled, smelly cloak.”

“Aye, Scrivener always was smelly.” Luna agreed with a nod, and Scrivener sighed as Antares giggled before the starry-maned mare smiled a little despite herself at the sight of father and son, and how closely they matched, softening a little.

Then her eyes roved up as Scarlet Sage's door opened, and the Pegasus blushed as she emerged in a white, flowing dress, a matching ribbon holding her braided mane back in a loop, a wreath of lunar lilies around her neck. The bracelet from Little Luna glinted around one of her forelegs, and Luna smiled radiantly at the sight of her daughter, saying softly: “Aye. Perhaps 'tis not so bad to give a little more beauty to things that are already so gorgeous, that already I find are the diamonds of mine eyes.”

Scarlet Sage smiled warmly, blushing and bowing her head forwards a little... and soon after, the party was making its way carefully into Ponyville through the Everfree Forest, Twilight grumbling about how they should have changed at the library after all despite the fact it was a fairly smooth and straight path through dry and breezy summer weather. Not even Antares got that dirty... although he spent most of the time riding on his father's back, which certainly helped. Discombobulation followed behind them, grumbling and carrying a large, cloth-wrapped object strapped to his back, complaining for most of the trip that he was not a professional mover and they weren't paying him enough for this.

Ponyville was festive and excited: it seemed like the whole village was happy to use the wedding as cause for a celebration, considering the magnitude of the event. As they walked through the busy streets, Luna couldn't help but grin: she had seen weddings of barons in the past that had been smaller and less-extravagant than this.

They had reserved a banquet hall at the edge of town, and Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were already at the doors of this. They looked relieved to see Luna's family, hurriedly pointed in their different directions, and before Scrivener knew it, he was not only watching Antares, but buzzing Avalon and little Meadowlark. The latter foal Scrivener didn't know too well: her family had only recently moved to Ponyville, and it was mostly by chance that she had met Antares and they had become friends.

With a red coat and a chestnut and black mane, she was a very pretty Pegasus. She loved to sing and dance, and she brought out Antares' playfulness. Which Scrivener liked, but right now made it a little difficult to watch over the kids, wincing as he tried to keep control over them while tending to Avalon. Meadowlark was the oldest by at least a year, but Antares was almost the same size as her despite the fact he was closer in age to Avalon.

Luna and Twilight were with Fluttershy and Applejack, all four mares looking awkward as Rarity helped attend to their last minute makeup despite the fact she was the bride of the wedding and already in her dress, the unicorn giggling almost the entire time and looking excited and tireless. Even one of Luna's loud remarks about how Spike was likely in for the night of his life was only met with a sly wink, which made the winged unicorn stare before Rarity quickly went back to tending to her mane and rambling delightedly about how easy Luna's starry locks were to work with.

Sweetie Belle had traded out with Scarlet Sage, but for now there weren't a lot of guests to greet: mostly, it was directing ponies to the staff entrances. Discombobulation, after putting the wrapped gift with the pile of other presents in one of the side rooms, had joined the two young mares, chatting absently with them and helping them relax a little before the Draconequus asked mildly: “Did you tell her you came out to your family yet, Scarlet Sage?”

The Pegasus had chased the Draconequus off after this, blushing deeply while Apple Bloom only laughed and shook her head, then suddenly quieted and looked hesitantly across at her embarrassed friend. But before any other questions could be asked or confessions made, guests had begun to show up.

It was a beautiful wedding: while Scrivener was mistaken for the foal-sitter and ended up looking after a pack of energetic children for a good portion of the reception, he still managed to get Pinkie Pie to look after the kids for a few minutes so he could slip away long enough to give Spike his congratulations, best wishes, and a little reassurance. Rainbow Dash was with him, grinning and teasing him a little to keep the wheezing dragon relaxed, before Scrivener had noted suddenly: “You're not wearing your uh... your thingy.”

It was true: the enchanted band was gone from around Spike's arm, and it was easy to see it wasn't concealed under the tuxedo he was wearing, either. Spike had smiled awkwardly at this, reaching up and adjusting his tie nervously before he'd finally unbuttoned his sleeve and pushed it all the way up to near the shoulder, revealing bands of runes tattooed around his upper arm, saying quietly: “Celestia put it on last night. Permanency charm, she called it... I'll still get older but I won't... get any bigger or anything.”

“Congratulations.” Scrivener said softly, reaching up with a smile and squeezing Spike's shoulder firmly, and the dragon had blushed a bit as Rainbow had whistled slowly. Spike only smiled, then hurriedly rolled his sleeve back down and adjusted his tie awkwardly again. “Well, I need to get back to the little terrors. Someone decided I made a good foal-sitter and well. Here I am.”

“Is that why my daughter's asleep on your back?” Rainbow asked curiously, and Scrivener looked lamely over his shoulder to see Avalon snoring quietly, the tiny Pegasus curled up in a little ball, so quiet and light that Scrivener hadn't even noticed her before Rainbow grinned wider. “Just so you know, if anything wakes her up before she's ready to get up, she gets real cranky. You're gonna have a lot of fun when this wedding really gets going.”

Scrivener only grumbled a little in response, then nodded once more to Spike before heading back to the main banquet hall. Luna was still nowhere to be seen, although Scrivener could feel the occasional twist of her emotions or thoughts, and it seemed like Rarity had all her bridesmares quite busy helping tend to last-minute details.

Then, finally, ponies began to filter out of the rear doors of the banquet hall to the field just outside, and Scrivener hurried out to find his assigned seat with Antares and Avalon still snoozing quietly on his back. Sweetie Belle was singing quietly on a small stage resting at one corner of the area, and the guests were all assembling through the wide field in front of the large, shaded gazebo where Celestia was already standing and smiling softly, dressed only in peytral plate and golden coronet.

Scrivener's seat was near the front, and he shifted Avalon to his lap as Antares wiggled up into the chair beside him. On his other side, Pinkamena was sitting, rolling an unlit cigarette between her teeth, and Pinkie Pie was beside her twin, gazing excitedly up as she whispered across to Scrivener: “Isn't this great?”

“Could be better.” Pinkamena muttered, rolling her eyes before she glanced over her shoulder, craning her head over the crowd and asking: “Is that Discombobulation back there? Maybe he'll screw this up. That would be hilarious.”

“Nah, Bob's a good guy. He was just having fun last time, but he'd never really mess with any of us.” Pinkie Pie said positively, and Pinkamena grunted, shrugging moodily as she flopped back in her seat. “Cheer up, Lemon Drop! Look how happy everyone is!”

“Happiness tastes like chocolate. I hate chocolate.” Pinkamena grumbled, and Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes before everyone fell quiet as there was a loud chime, before the ceremony began as Sweetie Belle started to sing in earnest.

Spike was the first to walk slowly along the red carpet laid down the aisle left in the center of the field, the dragon breathing hard as he shivered a little. Rainbow Dash walked calmly along beside him, escorting him along the aisle with a smile. Spike stepped up onto the gazebo, nodding to Celestia and smiling nervously at her as she calmly nodded back, as Rainbow stepped off to the side.

Next came Meadowlark, spreading flower petals of pink and red and blue from a basket as she bounced forwards happily, Big Mac following behind her with a smile. The large stallion was dressed in a worn but still-elegant graying suit, and he stepped into place by Rainbow Dash as Meadowlark leapt into the air at the end of the pass, flapping her little wings as she tossed out several more hoof-fulls of flower petals through the air before dropping down and hurrying off to her seat at the side.

And then, slowly, Rarity stepped out into the open aisle, accompanied by her smiling, proud father: her dress was flowing and beautiful, ornamented with lapis lazuli and sapphires, and yet there was a simplicity in the design that only added to its beauty... a confidence that accented her appearance. A half-veil fluttered over her eyes as she strode forwards with a warm smile, corkscrewed mane and tail swaying slowly as the guests all stood in honor of her. She was followed by her bridesmares: Fluttershy and Twilight at the front, Luna and Applejack following behind, all of them as polished and beautiful as the bride herself. Yet all the same it was Rarity who truly glowed, her happiness and warmth making her a radiant beacon as she made her way slowly to the gazebo.

Rarity stepped up into the gazebo, smiling first at Celestia, and then gazing across at Spike: her father and the bridesmares took their places at the side of the structure, looking up towards bride and groom as Celestia stepped forwards and began softly as Sweetie Belle's singing ended and the audience sat: “Friends and family, we are gathered here today to honor this couple and their marriage...”

It was a beautiful ceremony: Celestia spoke at length, and then finally turned her eyes to Rarity's father, smiling as she asked: “Do you give this mare to be married to this dragon?”

“I do.” the unicorn stallion replied with a smile in return, turning his eyes to his daughter, and he leaned down and kissed her on the cheek softly, murmuring something to her as Rarity blushed but bowed her head forwards warmly, and Spike swallowed thickly, looking a mix of nervous, excited, and truly overjoyed.

Rarity's father slipped back to take his empty seat, and all eyes watched as Rarity and Spike faced one-another, as Celestia said in a clear but gentle voice: “The couple has written their own vows, which they will now recite.”

Her eyes turned to Spike, and the dragon swallowed thickly before he reached up as Rarity offered a hoof, silently taking it into both his claws as he said in a trembling, honest voice that spilled through the field: “Rarity... from the moment I saw you... I felt drawn to you. I look at you, and I feel happy. Complete. Wonderful. Like... like I've never felt with anyone before. I feel like I've come home. I'll do anything and everything to protect you, to always be with you... I'd give up everything for you, because you're what makes life worth fighting for. I love you, and I'll always love you, and be there for you.”

Spike smiled faintly, and Rarity trembled a little, tears of joy in her eyes as she replied in a warm, affectionate voice: “Spike... you have always been there for me. Anxious and eager and happy to do anything and everything I asked, no matter what it entailed, and you've always been dependable, and strong. Stronger than you've ever realized, I think, and a better influence on me than I ever was on you. And sometimes I think of how lucky I am to have you, because I don't know if I can truly say I deserve you. But Spike... if you'll have me... I'll never, ever leave your side. I'll always be there for you, as friend and wife and more. I love you... that love is what makes me feel truly... beautiful, inside and out.”

There was silence for a moment, and then Celestia looked from one to the other, smiling softly before she asked: “Do you, Spike, take Rarity to be your wife, in sickness and health, in joy and sorrow, until death do you part?”

“I do.” Spike whispered, and tears spilled down Rarity's cheeks behind her veil as he squeezed tighter into her hoof.

“And do you, Rarity, take Spike to be your husband, in sickness and health, in joy and sorrow, until death do you part?”

“I do.” There was no hesitation in her response, and Spike swallowed thickly, the nervousness, the anxiety leaving his eyes, only warmth and love and joy behind as a single tear of happiness spilled down his scaled cheek.

Celestia turned her eyes to Big Mac, who nodded and reached into the pocket of his suit, pulling out a single large case: this glowed a quiet gold after a moment as Celestia's horn took on the same aura, and the case opened before the rings floated into the air: simple but beautiful bands of aureate metal. They were both topped with a single beautiful circular gemstone: one a blue sapphire, the other a bright emerald.

Rarity and Spike both stepped back a bit, holding hoof and claw out as a ring settled in each, before Celestia said gently: “The ring is the symbol of eternity. Of endless love and an endless bond. This is your coming together, where you become one instead of two.”

Spike and Rarity smiled at each other, and then Spike took a slow breath before he stepped forwards, gently slipping his ring over Rarity's horn until it rested tightly against the base of her head, saying quietly: “With this ring, I seal my promise to you, Rarity. I love you.”

“With this ring, I seal my promise to you, Spike. I love you.” Rarity replied softly, reaching up and slowly, carefully slipping the ring onto Spike's finger, and the two smiled at each other, eyes locked, seeing only one another.

“Rarity, Spike... it is my honor and pleasure to pronounce you husband, and wife. You may now kiss the bride.” Celestia said quietly, stepping back with warmth in her eyes.

Rarity stood carefully on her rear legs, Spike gently grasping her front hooves before he released one only to tremblingly brush back the veil from her eyes... and then he leaned down as she leaned up, mouths meeting in a soft, gentle kiss as the audience cheered and clapped for the newlyweds.

The wedding party that followed was truly a memorable event: it was a festival that spread through almost all of Ponyville. It all had a sense of organized chaos, continuing to follow the schedules set long ago but spilling off onto tangents here and there as people simply celebrated: celebrated for the couple, and celebrated for themselves, in a way, too.

Scrivener did indeed read his poems, to cheerful applause, but he was fairly certain that the fact there was an open bar helped a lot with that. There was dancing, entertainment, and a buffet of a wide variety of food and delicacies, from sweet treats offered from Sugar Cube Corners to exotic food provided by griffin caterers.

Sweetie Belle put on a few songs, then was surprised when Discombobulation booted the piano player out of his seat to take over for him, goading the young mare into performing a duet with him. And Rainbow Dash and a team of well-trained Pegasi put on a short airshow, ending with a magnificent sonic rainboom done close enough to the ground to make the earth vibrate.

It lasted from dawn to long past dusk... and finally, Rarity and Spike had slipped away for their first night together as husband and wife as Scrivener, Luna, Twilight, Celestia, Scarlet Sage, and Antares had all made their way slowly back to the library, smiling and chatting comfortably with each other as the young colt groggily stumbled now and then despite his excitement.

They spent the night there together: Antares and Scarlet Sage both headed off to bed shortly, the young mare tired from spending most of the celebration working and Antares exhausted. But the four stayed up for the entire night, talking about the wedding and reminiscing about old times.

Near morning, while Luna and Celestia were debating over something, Scrivener slipped off to check on Twilight: she had been gone for ten or so minutes, and he couldn't help but wonder what was keeping her... that, and he wanted to avoid Luna dragging him into the argument. He found Twilight in her room, gazing quietly at an old basket, and she smiled a little over her shoulder at him as she said quietly: “Everything changes. Even the good changes... are hard, aren't they? But time... moves on, whether you want it to or not, and you have to... to let go. To let things change. To let things... evolve.”

“Yeah. But not always.” Scrivener smiled a little, reaching up and touching her shoulder quietly, and Twilight had laughed a little as she nodded slowly before he said softly: “Come on. Let's go deal with Luna before she pokes Celestia too much.”

Over the week that followed, Twilight spent much of her time at the library, with Celestia, and with Spike, even as the dragon began to move the last of his things out and into Rarity's boutique. He promised to always be around for her, he promised they would always be like brother and sister... but all the same, it was clear that it was hard for Twilight to accept. She was happy for him, for him and Rarity both, as a matter of fact... but it was simply hard for her to know that the dragon wouldn't be around the library as often anymore. That he would be living his own life with Rarity now.

Likewise, even though Twilight wanted to spend the time at the library to get as much time in with Spike as possible, she also wanted Luna and Scrivener's company. They reassured her and relaxed her and helped her deal with these changes, and reminded her that they were all good friends, who were all there for one-another, even if they didn't spend as much time together as they had once used to, with all their own lives. Applejack and Rainbow Dash with their family, Fluttershy with the almost-complete animal care center, Pinkie and Pinkamena with their business, Rarity and Spike...

But she always had Luna and Scrivener to depend on, to be there for her, and it meant more to her than she could say. Twilight Sparkle had never had anyone else, after all: doting parents, but even them she hadn't spent a lot of time with after being accepted into the Magic Academy and spending all that time and effort becoming the best she could be, smart and sharp and apprenticing to the Princess herself. And there had been no signs of her parents yet, anywhere across this world... but even now, Twilight was still holding out hope that they were alive somewhere.

After that week, Twilight and Spike shared a tight, firm hug, and that had been that. The dragon had moved out of the library, and moved into Rarity's, and Twilight had realized that things would never be the same again: that for a long time now, things had been different, that everything had changed. Not that it was good or bad, only that it wasn't what it had been before. Even now, they were continuing to change, moving in some ways apart, in other ways closer together.

Over the days that followed, she had been a little moody, spending a little too much time thinking. And after Celestia was called away to attend to the business of the barony, she had finally opened up to Scrivener and Luna and asked quietly if they would consider letting her move out of the library sometime in the future, and in with them.

It was a surprise, and yet not... and it made Luna both joyous and sorrowful. It was a big change, a big request, and that would require some thought from everyone involved... but Twilight felt like her time in Ponyville had been very good for her, but she thought turning over the library to Celestia would be for the best. She would still work gladly with Celestia, coming in every day from the forest if necessary... but she was ready to move out. To try and adjust to and welcome change.

Surprisingly, it had been Luna who had told Twilight quietly that she had to talk to Celestia about things as well, and find out her feelings on the matter, too. Tactful, gentle, and compassionate: things Luna only ever was when she was serious, and usually it meant she was worried about something, too. Twilight had agreed, albeit hesitantly at the gentility with which Luna treated the subject and the fact she wasn't leaping for joy.

But when Scrivener and Luna were alone, back at their home, Luna had been truly excited, so much so it had almost made her seem calm. They had already started discussing plans for a major expansion on the house, and how they would bring this subject up with Scarlet Sage and Antares: having Twilight around was one thing, after all, but having her move in with them...

Still, they had time, there was that blessing: time to plan, to prepare, to think through things. Twilight didn't speak to Celestia right away when the Baroness returned, as well, wanting to give her time to unwind despite the fact that as always, Celestia noticed immediately that the violet mare had something on her mind.

But she let her approach it in her own time, and it helped Twilight a world in bringing the subject forwards. Celestia was quiet as Twilight Sparkle had talked through it, then she had simply sat back and waited, looking a little frazzled, a little scared, as if expecting a lecture or even a recrimination or just guilt... but then Celestia had only smiled faintly, stepped forwards, and hugged her tightly, murmuring: “You do what you feel is right, Twilight. And I'll be there to help you every step of the way. I trust you, and I trust my little sister, and I trust Scrivener Blooms. And I believe firmly that we all have many years to live... and many, many days to spend together.”

It had warmed Twilight's heart and helped her immensely. And she had decided not to rush: Scrivener and Luna wanted to talk to their children, and lay out the plans to expand their home. Luna's idea was to add an entire second level to their home, which would be a massive, major project... but she could easily harass Illyria into bringing out a team of Nibelung laborers to help with the construction and hurry it up once she had a plan in mind.

The four spent a lot of time together: talking a little about it, but also simply talking with each other, soft conversation that helped them feel out how things were evolving, growing. And, one day when Twilight was off delivering documents to city hall and several officials, Celestia had smiled over at Luna and Scrivener and said gently: “This goes without saying, little sister, but while I will honestly always support Twilight and your decisions... strange and different as they may sometimes be... if you ever hurt her or use her, I'll have to send both you and Scrivener to the moon for another thousand years.”

Scrivener had cleared his throat awkwardly as Luna had grinned, leaning forwards and asking kindly: “Jealous? Then why doesn't thou come and live with us, too?”

“Because I'm needed here, in Ponyville.” Celestia said softly, and Luna looked surprised at what her words implied before the ivory winged unicorn smiled a little, saying quietly: “Is it really such a shock, Luna? If you haven't noticed, I'm not very good at making friends. It doesn't help I'm at least twice as tall as everypony here and the Baroness. The few ponies who are truly natural with me are Pinkamena and Twilight and precious few others... and even with Twilight, there's still a... a stiffness. I don't think she holds the past against me anymore but it's like... we're more... mother and daughter, than we are friends.”

“'Tis a good role for thee, though, Celestia, thou art like my mother more than my big sister as well, after all.” Luna replied gently, and the ivory winged unicorn gave her a softly-amused look before the starry-maned mare smiled slightly. “Perhaps thou should not be so dignified, then. Oh, how I still remember that delightful game we played with Sleipnir... doesn't thou remember how everyone at that party treated thee? All thou has to do is cover thyself in mud or be a little more like... like me. Then they shall all treat thee much more naturally.”

Celestia had looked thoughtful at this, as if it was actual advice instead of Luna simply being Luna, and Scrivener had quickly added: “But people are already treating you... a lot better than in the past, right? I mean, not better, but... well. You know what I mean. What I'm saying is... just... keep doing what you're doing. You don't have to turn into another Luna. I don't think Ponyville could handle that.”

Luna had huffed at this, but Celestia had only sat back, continuing to look thoughtful and considering. When Twilight had returned, they had shared easy conversation, and Celestia had worked hard to reach out a little more to the violet mare. Twilight had been a little surprised at first, but with some subtle and not-so-subtle coaxing from Luna and Scrivener, she had opened up in return.

By nightfall, the four of them were telling stories as Scarlet Sage and Antares once more slept comfortably in the back room of the library... that was, until there was a tremendous bang in the distance, Luna and Celestia both immediately looking up as Twilight stared towards the window. The siblings had hurried for the door, and Twilight had been about to go after them when Scrivener reached out and touched her shoulder, stopping her as he said quietly: “Let Celestia and Luna find out what's going on first. We need to stay back here in case it's a diversion. After the Norns and everything else... Luna and I have learned to be careful, especially if something could threaten our kids.”

Then he had quieted, looking over his shoulder at the sound of hoof-steps, and Antares had emerged with Gymbr. The foal's horn was sparking a bit, his leathery wings flapping weakly and his eyes scared as he whispered: “Something bad happened, Dad.”

“Do you know what it is?” Scrivener asked gently, and when Antares shook his head worriedly, Scrivener smiled a little at Twilight, who gazed back at him apprehensively before the stallion returned his eyes to his son. “Come on. I'll tuck you back into bed.”

“No, I... I'm scared. Can I...” Antares broke off, and Scrivener softened before he only nodded, beckoning to the foal. Antares hurried over, and Scrivener picked him up in a hug, closing his eyes as Antares nestled against him worriedly, Gymbr feeling... strangely alive, strangely electric between their bodies.

Twilight Sparkle left, then returned a few minutes later with a sippy cup of milk. Scrivener smiled at her gratefully, and Antares sat back on a pillow to drink this as he trembled a bit. He was scared, shivering, staying close, and all that reassured Scrivener was the fact that the foal didn't have a clear worry in mind, making Scrivener think – hope – that it was just a nightmare, combined with... whatever had happened out there... that was making Antares so tense and scared and worried.

Twilight rubbed gently along the colt's back as they waited in silence, until Scrivener looked sharply up... and then he grimaced a bit at the news that entered his mind, as Twilight looked at him worriedly. The stallion hesitated for a few moments, looking from his son to Twilight Sparkle... but before he could speak, Antares shook his head and murmured: “I'll be okay. You'll... you'll stay with me, right, since Dad has to leave?”

He looked apprehensively up at Twilight, and the mare smiled faintly, nodding and stroking his face gently before she looked across at Scrivener as he said softly: “A meteor crashed down near the road to Canterlot. Celestia and Luna want to go check it out.”

“Then be careful... and watch out for... for anything.” Twilight replied quietly, and she hesitated before asking quietly: “Are you sure you don't want me coming out with you?”

“If this is a distraction, Ponyville needs a heavy-hitter back here to deal with what might be waiting...” Scrivener smiled a bit. “And... Luna and I need someone who we can trust to watch out for our kids. We'll be back as soon as we can, Twilight.”

The violet mare nodded slowly, then followed Scrivener to the door with worried-looking Antares as the stallion headed out, glancing over his shoulder and calling calmly: “Take care Twilight, and be good, kiddo. Be brave.”

And with that, Scrivener turned, hurrying through the village square and past a few worried-looking ponies that were murmuring anxiously to each other. He reached the town gates as quickly as he could, and simply kept running as Luna and Celestia turned and broke into a quick run themselves, Nibelung shouting encouragement and well-wishes after them as they headed for Canterlot.

“The Architects were quick to determine that it was a meteor... but it took them longer to detect the pulse that it emitted.” Celestia said calmly, looking over towards Scrivener as he nodded quickly and Luna grimaced. “They gave us a rough estimate of its location, nearly an hour from here. If it's from Clockwork World...”

“Then we'll need to destroy it and hope that Prophet hasn't already started using it to cull information.” Scrivener muttered, and Celestia nodded slowly.

“But first, I want to examine it. Especially if these meteors are somehow linked to Clockwork World... perhaps we can find a way to reverse that link, to use it against our enemies.” Celestia replied quietly, and Scrivener and Luna both nodded slowly before all three ponies turned their attention forwards. “But let's not waste time. We need to find that meteor, and quickly.”

They ran on in silence, the only sound the whispering of the night wind, the occasional call of some wild animal, and their hooves beating against the ground. Luna and Scrivener's minds were loud with thoughts and worries, however, and Celestia seemed to pick up on this somehow as she glanced towards them every now and then, and with her own gaze, shared her own apprehension for what the near future might hold.

It took them just over an hour to find the meteor: it had crash-landed not too far from the road, smashing through a hillock on its travels and leaving a broken, ruined trail behind it. But the glow of lanterns lit with blue fire had surrounded the meteor, and they had approached slowly and cautiously before they realized that Strange Ones had cracked open the rocky shell and were working industriously over the cracked-open probe, removing crystals from the interior and piling some of them into a wagon, simply tossing others to the ground, and smashing the rare crystal here and there to pieces with heavy hammers.

The three ponies were only able to stare: usually, the cloaked, weird creatures stayed to themselves, only occasionally wandering into a town or city to trade, and leaving as silently and quickly as they came. They almost never took an interest in anything outside of their own alien little societies, and the three ponies traded uneasy looks before Luna muttered: “Well, thou art the Baroness, thou should speak to them.”

Three of the cloaked figures halted in what they were doing and slowly turned at the sound of Luna's voice, and the sapphire winged unicorn smiled awkwardly before she hurriedly shoved Scrivener forwards, the earth pony wincing and staggering. The eyes of the Strange Ones turned towards him, and the stallion flinched a bit at the feel of their eyes measuring him, studying him, as he asked awkwardly: “Do you... know what this is?”

“We do.” one of the Strange Ones replied softly, as the other two turned back to calmly continue their work. “We are disabling this conduit, this... unwelcome intruder. The energy is similar to the energy emitted by that which attacked us recently.”

“What? We didn't hear of any attack on Strange Ones... by shapeshifters?” Celestia asked sharply, frowning as she stepped forwards.

The Strange One's eyes slowly roved to her, and then it shook its head solemnly before replying: “We did not tell anyone of it, apart from our own; we are the caretakers, not the care-taken, of this layer and all within it and our ward. The attack occurred on an outpost, hidden in the north: they killed our people with electricity and metal. They destroyed our warriors, and freed another intruder from where we had imprisoned him many years ago. We do not know what they plan to do with him.”

Celestia frowned at this, then she said quietly: “It is very important that we, as allies, share all the information we can with one-another. I am sure Odin feels the same way...”

“We are sharing. We have shared.” The Strange One bowed its head politely, then looked up after a moment and added softly: “But it was not necessary information to give. The prisoner was kidnapped by beings of electricity and metal. They came, they attacked, they went: it is our duty to tend to our own wounds, our own damages, and to help others. It is not your duty to help us. We do not do what is not necessary.”

The ivory winged unicorn smiled a little at this, shaking her head as she said softly: “It is my duty to help as many people as I possibly can. But what about this meteor, then? You said you were in the process of destroying it... but it looks as if you're also harvesting it.”

“Yes. It is powered by an immense amount of energy stored in the crystal structures. We can use this energy for our own enchantments and magic, and for trade.” The Strange One nodded calmly. “We are throwing away the corroded crystals, and destroying the remaining that act like antennae, broadcasting messages back to their master, still linked by evil magic to the place from where they came.”

“So in short, thou art taking out the batteries and cutting the strings that bind this ugly rock from Clockwork World to this one?” Luna asked shortly, and the Strange One only nodded calmly. “By Mimir's head, thou and thy kind art all insufferable!”

“Yes, we do not suffer as you and your kind does, be they Valkyrie or pony.” the Strange One replied calmly, and Luna looked stumped by this response before the Strange One bowed towards them. “We must return to work. There are more than crystals and magic at work in this stone eye; there are things that we have not ever seen before.”

“Please... inform us when you are finished. And I would like to take a sample if I could, of the power crystals and a piece of the broken... 'antennae,' as you called it.” Celestia replied quietly, and the Strange One was silent for a moment before the ivory winged unicorn said softly: “It would be a great help to us. And it would help us better defend ourselves.”

The Strange One nodded after a moment, and a second Strange One looked up from his work as he pulled a simple burlap bag out of his pocket. He picked up several broken shards of crystal from the ground and poured these into the bag, then grabbed a large chunk of brighter-glowing crystal from the wagon to toss this in as well before he strode over to Celestia.

The Baroness took this with a nod of thanks and slipped it easily over her neck, and the first Strange One said softly, even as he turned to go back to work: “We shall speak to Odin and seek his advice on how to treat your evolving society.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.” Celestia held up a hoof to Luna before the sapphire mare could speak, and the starry-maned winged unicorn grumbled under her breath and nodded quickly. For a few moments, the three ponies stood, watching as the Strange Ones turned their full attention back to dismantling the broken-open meteor... and then Celestia sighed softly, shaking her head and murmuring as she turned around: “Come then, siblings. Let's head back to Ponyville. We have a few things to discuss and take care of.”

Luna grunted in agreement, nodding slowly as she and Scrivener moved to follow, the earth pony tossing a nervous look over his shoulder at the ominous probe from Clockwork World... and wondering silently if this was an omen of the future, and the conflict he knew was yet to come with the machinations of a Jötnar whose schemes continued to grind and clank forwards long after his death.

Doomsayers

Chapter Thirty Eight: Doomsayers
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms and Luna were sitting together on either side of a smoldering fire, both wearing their armor, smiling together in the comfort of camping out in the Everfree Forest. Not their Everfree Forest, however, but an Everfree Forest in a different layer of reality, where they had a few days ago hidden the last anchor in the deepest, darkest grotto they could find amidst the marsh-beasts and bog-water and enormous carnivorous plants.

After the meteor had hit their layer of reality, Luna had felt a distinct need to get the last anchor planted as soon as possible, and she had spoken to Odin about it after he had come down from Valhalla to talk to the Strange Ones and to Celestia about what had happened. The once-god had agreed after a little wheedling to let them leave in a few days and plant the anchor in the last layer of reality they would have to make a journey to.

They had ended up ripping through reality in some nowhere-spot near Central Equestria in front of a donkey dragging a cart along. His jaw – and toupee – had both dropped in shock at the sight of them, and Luna had cheerfully stolen the wig and put it on her own head, prancing along as Scrivener embarrassedly dragged the cart past and called an awkward apology.

It had taken them a few days to get their bearings and make their way across Equestria, coming into the Everfree Forest from the south and pushing through, dropping the anchor on the way. Now they were here, where they had rested in comfort for the last few hours and discussed how they were going to get to Ponyville. Luna was determined to get keepsakes and to investigate the ponies of this layer, and Scrivener was admittedly a little curious himself despite knowing they should probably stick to the mission. But they still had two or three days before the Bifrost would be recharged enough for them to cross... and they were perhaps only an hour or two away from the village now, and it had been such a pain in the flank to drag the armored wagon through the forest that it would really be a shame just to give up and turn back now...

“Precisely!” Luna agreed, catching Scrivener's stream of thought, and Scrivener gave her an amused look before the armored mare continued with a grin: “Besides, 'tis somehow relaxing, isn't it? Especially with everything we have to worry about... this madness with Clockwork World, the thought that they may be gathering against us, all the riddles and confusion... well, 'tis nice to simply relax and make a little mischief? 'Tis a well-deserved vacation!”

Scrivener snorted in amusement, then he shook his head and rubbed absently at his polished armor, saying softly: “I'm just glad no one objected too much when we said we wanted to do this alone. I'm glad to know that... even if something does happen back home, Antares and Scarlet Sage will be safe. That everyone is there to look after each other.”

“Aye, even Odin.” Luna said softly, nodding after a moment as she rested back with a small smile. “But best of all, Scrivy? This is the last anchor we shall have to place, and then we may return to life as is the norm for us. Well... almost. Or perhaps the fact that an enemy looms on the horizon is normal, is it not? We always have had enemies, after all... too many enemies, lurking always close. I suppose that Clockwork World is just part of the norm, with that in mind.”

Scrivener grunted at this, saying dryly: “Don't talk like that, Luna, that's a scary thought, seriously. You say things like that and I have to wonder if some part of you doesn't like the idea of going head-to-head with whatever horrible things Valthrudnir's had up his sleeves.”

Luna grunted in response to this, shrugging after a moment before she smiled a little and admitted: “And what if I do, Scrivener Blooms? Is that truly so wrong? I am a Valkyrie still, whatever else I may be, and... thou knows that the thrill of battle... 'tis like music for me. 'Tis inspirational. And there is no greater pleasure than mastering a powerful opponent... and whilst I loathe and hate everything about Valthrudnir, I can think of no stronger opponent we have ever faced apart from him.

“And even more so, after all he did to us, Scrivener Blooms, to everything we cared for, to our world... nay, the universe itself...” Luna shook her head slowly, closing her eyes and digging a hoof against the ground. “He did not deserve the merciful, fast death we gave him, no matter how humiliating and painful his defeat. So nay: the last thing I shall mind is slaying the beast once more.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, looking down and muttering: “Never thought of it like that. Certainly brings a silver lining to the hell of a dark cloud he is...” The earth pony paused, then reached up and slowly rubbed at his face. “And to be honest... maybe that's just what I need to get over all these nightmares of everything he did, too.”

“See? Even the worst of nightmares can hold positive thoughts. So do not be so pessimistic, poet.” Luna replied kindly, winking towards him before she flicked her horn, and the flames in the fire-pit whiffed out as she stood easily and gazed towards Ponyville. “But come. 'Tis time to go.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment at this, nodding again as he turned to hitch himself up to the cart, and then he laughed when Luna strode over and kissed teasingly just above his collar, making him twitch a bit as she whispered in his ear playfully: “Perhaps we shall find the ponies of this layer to be more accommodating to our needs...”

“Now stop that, Luna, you can be naughty later. For now, let's just concentrate on not pissing them all off and making a good impression.” Scrivener replied amusedly, pushing at her firmly, and Luna laughed and nodded, grinning at him as he shook his head and said mildly: “I swear you have more testosterone than Sleipnir.”

Luna huffed a little at this, but only checked him lightly, making the male stumble and smile amusedly before they both turned to carefully pull the wagon forwards. The Forest seemed to welcome their passage, light shining through the canopy to reveal the easiest way forwards as branches and trees seemed to tilt and sway of their own accord, gesturing them onwards, helping them find their way.

It was an easy, comfortable journey, Luna and Scrivener smiling warmly as they eventually stepped out onto a dirt road, meandering forwards, vital and strong. The journey had been a good one, had loosened them up and energized them, their mood was high, the sun was shining overhead, and even the puffy clouds in the sky seemed happy and inviting as they headed onwards. The Everfree Forest around them thinned gradually, until finally they stepped into beautiful fields... and beyond that, there was unprotected Ponyville, sitting alone, without walls or barriers guarding it. As guileless and open and comforting as a baby.

Scrivener and Luna headed quickly down the road, Luna grinning widely, Scrivener smiling warmly as they approached the outskirts of the village... and they were greeted only by silence. Raw, empty silence, as they passed between the houses, and all that built up energy, that happiness, that excitement, curdled in their stomachs. It became trepidation at first, but mutated quickly into outright fear and disbelief as they pushed deeper into the village and found the signs of battle.

Crushed-in fronts of homes, splatters of blood, streaks of... Luna didn't want to guess. The two continued into the town, the only sound the wagon clanking behind Scrivener, and yet he barely felt the pull of it now as they hurried towards the center of town.

Luna's mind locked on Twilight Sparkle and the library... but as they entered the square, the winged unicorn stumbled to a halt with a moan of horror and disgust as Scrivener stared in horror, standing and shivering as he stared up at the sight of an all-too-familiar violet unicorn hanging by a tattered rope from the banister of one of the library balconies.

And she wasn't the only grisly ornament: the corpses of other ponies decorated the library. Crushed into the walls, laying in horrible, desiccated piles, dangling by ropes with terrible, broken grins of rigor mortis on their faces. They reeked of rot and decay, and yet they hadn't been dead long: the scavengers had yet to come, only a few birds feeding off the broken bodies that had been staked and impaled on branches and javelin-like timbers.

The winged unicorn breathed hard, shivering, not wanting to believe the horrors she saw: the Twilight of this world gone, dead, along with her friends, and others. Others she both could and could not identify, as her heart thudded in her chest before she began to snarl... and then something lunged towards their flank on Scrivener's side, the earth pony reacting too little, too late, before a tremendous force smashed into the armored wagon, crunching in the side of it and sending it rolling violently to the side.

Scrivener was yanked along with it, yelling with a curse of pain as Luna began to turn before the front of the library exploded, and some terrible streak of shade ripped through the cloud of dust and gore and splinters, lunging forwards and sweeping a pair of claws viciously downwards. Immediately, Luna leapt to the side, dodging automatically towards Scrivener as the wagon skidded to a halt on its side before a third creature leapt around the side of a building and swept a claw downwards towards the harnessed, trapped earth pony.

Scrivener did the only thing he could do, left dangling sideways in the harness as he was: he swung himself forwards and curled up into a little ball, and the claw just narrowly scraped through his tail as it tore through the timbers extending from the front of the wagon. Scrivener fell to the ground with the severed arm of the transport, and then he threw himself forwards, half-rolling as Luna leapt towards him and swept her horn out, leaving a thin scratch over Scrivener's armor as she cut the harness free as she passed before they both dropped and anchored themselves as their attackers surrounded them.

Then their eyes widened in horror, recognizing not only the malevolence the monsters emanated, not only their small and sleek but terribly-familiar forms, but the burning sapphire lanterns of their eyes. They were grinning, showing off deadly, inwards-curving fangs in mottled, black-and-white scaled faces, looking like they were made of scraps of dark and light leather that had been sewn together at random. Their shapes were draconic, but wingless: six gnarled horns stood around their heads to form twisted crowns, and ugly, long piston-spikes of bone jutted cruelly from their shoulderblades, sparking with electricity as serpentine tails whipped back and forth.

They looked like Tyrant Wyrms, but they weren't behemoths of terrible size: they were built wide, but perhaps only a little taller than Celestia. And they were almost perfect matches for one another: the only difference was the wild patterning of their black-and-white, marred scales, even their voices sounding similar as they gave rough, low chuckles.

Scrivener and Luna both snarled in fury, pressed almost back-to-back, Luna's mane sparking with electricity and becoming like blue fire as she snarled: “How dare thy kind show thy hideous faces... and do not think I have forgotten thee, oh no! So thou wert the invaders in the Forest that night...”

“Brynhild thinks she knows us, understands us, brothers.” one of the Wyrms said mockingly, and something twisted in Scrivener's mind at the sound of that voice, at the sound of their horrific language, as Luna only snarled in greater fury. “Shall we kill her now?”

“Yes. We shall rip them apart, by the order of the Clockwork King.” agreed one of the other Wyrms, its eyes glowing brighter blue as they slowly began to circle, prowling as enormous, deadly claws scraped slowly against the ground. “They strode right into our trap, after all; they must be eager to die.”

The last Wyrm licked its lips hungrily, then exhaled a burst of blue mist, whispering: “Remember, brothers. Our Verses and gifts do not harm this one. But he is only prey: let us enjoy shredding them apart.”

They were snarls of agreement, and then all three Wyrms leaned forwards and roared loudly at the same time, Scrivener and Luna wincing at the powerful waves of sound that reverberated through the air around them before the beasts all lunged forwards... and immediately, Scrivener dropped down into a ready position as Luna threw her head back and roared in response, her horn and mane glowing as she unleashed a raw, unfocused shockwave of force.

It didn't harm the Wyrms, but the blast was enough to knock them backwards and disorient them, the creatures snarling in fury before Scrivener lunged towards the Wyrm closest to him and furthest from the other two, leaping upwards as the creature looked surprised before the earth pony dived into the Wyrm's breast and tackled it onto its back, digging all four hooves into its body as he kicked savagely off it to leap back to safety while the creature howled in shock and rage more than pain as Scrivener shouted furiously: “I am not afraid of you!”

The other two Wyrms snarled as they crashed to the ground... then one screamed when Luna leapt forwards and swept her horn down across its face, knocking it backwards as it grasped at its head. The second lunged in towards her side, biting savagely, but Luna leapt quickly into the air, flapping her wings once as she snarled before diving straight down and seizing the creature by the head and throat, the Wyrm's jaws snapping shut as its glowing eyes widened in surprise before Luna roared, horn glowing as she flapped her wings and heaved forwards as hard as she could at the same time, a telekinetic hammer smashing against the Wyrm as she flung it viciously in the same moment into its stunned brother.

The two Wyrms were sent crashing backwards into a pile, and Luna arched her back as her horn glowed brighter, swinging her horn upwards as it unleashed a pulse, blasts of lightning hammering down again and again into the stunned Wyrms with enough force to send up bursts of dust and smoke as the creatures shrieked, Nightmare Moon roaring from Luna's jaws as her eyes glowed: “We are no harmless ponies! If you desire death, we shall give you slaughter!”

The Triplet that Scrivener was battling lunged at him, roaring, sweeping its jaws out and its claws forwards... and propelled by Luna's fury and his own surging adrenaline, with both Luna's memories ripping through his mind and a furious, almost barbaric need to simply hurt these monsters, Scrivener leapt forwards with a snarl as animal as the beast in front of him, leaping over the claw to grab onto the Wyrm's features before he slammed a hoof directly into one eye. The creature howled as its head snapped backwards, and Scrivener cursed as he was flung over its back before its tail snapped up and whipped him across the face, knocking the earth pony crashing back down. He hit the Wyrm's own back, bouncing off it before he half-rolled with a grimace of pain as the Wyrm bucked and hissed, trying to look back over its shoulders as Scrivener skidded along its scaled, wide body before he managed to spin around and leap forwards, smashing a hoof into the base of one of its long, conical pistons.

The bone cracked, and the Wyrm howled before Scrivener seized the piston in both hooves as the Wyrm spun on the spot, knocking Scrivy free but also tearing the broken bone from its body as it howled in pain, then leapt forwards with a snarl... and Scrivener stabbed upwards even as the Wyrm dove over him, feeling its claws rip against one of his shoulders before the monstrosity screamed as its own bone buried through its breast like a spear. Black blood gushed out over Scrivener before the terrible beast tore backwards, staggering as it shook its head wildly, continuing to roar in fury and pain and frustration as the spearhead of bone tore free from the now-gaping wound.

The other Wyrms had barely regained their footing, roaring as they unleashed streams of blue, toxic mist towards Luna to drive her back, but they had already both been badly burned and charred from the winged unicorn's vicious onslaught of magic and rapid melee attacks. Then Luna dropped to the ground a short distance away, eyes blazing as Scrivener rolled to his hooves and rejoined her, both ponies breathing hard as the Wyrms surrounded them, wounded and hissing in frustration before the Triplets traded looks... and then slow, vicious grins.

All three closed their eyes as Luna and Scrivener frowned, readying themselves as they faced out of the group, before Luna's eyes widened as a steady hum began to build in the air, electricity and swirling darkness twisting over their bodies before they rose their heads, eyes glowing through the cloaks of shadow that now covered their bodies. Luna glared at this, then she snapped her head forwards, unleashing a short fireball... but it exploded uselessly against the dark, smoky armor covering the Tyrant Wyrm, leaving not a mark, not a scratch.

Both ponies snarled... and then the Wyrms traded looks and wide grins before they whispered all at once: “Enough games. The Prophet was right: we must destroy them using the Hymn.”

The Wyrms chuckled quietly, darkly, and Scrivener and Luna both set themselves before the Wyrms rose their heads, their blue eyes glowing brighter before a terrible hum began to build in the air as their jaws opened at once. Their movements synchronized as the darkness shielding their bodies faded slightly, their eyes glowing brightly before they all threw their heads back and laughed: three short, sharp 'has!' that made Scrivener and Luna both flinch.

They began to circle, and with each step of their claws, black mire began to spread outwards over the ground as Scrivener readied himself, Luna's horn glowing slightly as she snarled: “The Black Verses hold no power over us! Speak them if thou dares but we shall strike back at thee with the very evil thou holds dear!”

But even as the corruption spread, even as the air bubbled with darkness and malicious power, Scrivener could feel this wasn't the Verses: this was something different, something on a completely new level they had never before experienced, and the earth pony snarled as he set himself, beginning to feel desperate, before the Wyrms suddenly laughed again, then they all craned their heads forwards, moving as one being as they chanted in the same echoing voices in their terrible, dark language:

Welcome now,
Little friends,
To your doom.

It made Scrivener's stomach curdle as he gasped, and Luna flinched, her head twisting to the side as electricity sparked through her mane. Vision blurred, nausea rose, and then the winged unicorn roared as she leapt towards them... but the Wyrm she attacked neither tried to intercept nor defend itself, Luna's horn smashing uselessly into that strange, immaterial dark armor before she screamed as she was blown backwards by a terrible recoil of black energy, Scrivener catching her against his body even as as the same dark lightning sparked over him, his body flexing before the Wyrms chanted again:

Welcome now,
Enemies,
To ruin.

The agony in their bodies sparked, growing more intense for a moment, like the words were ripping their wounds wider as their blood bubbled in their veins. Scrivener felt the corruption in his mind twisting violently, responding somehow as he mouthed the words of the Black Verses: “Shallock... shallock tes'cra tal...”

And it did nothing: it did nothing to interrupt the Wyrms, nothing to drive them back, didn't even distract them as they continued mockingly in their growing chant:

Welcome now,
Worthless prey,
Time to die.

It was nothing they had ever fought before. Nothing they had ever dealt with as Scrivener and Luna could only sit back and stare as the monsters continued to circle, their eyes glowing brighter, drawing strength from the song as the corrupted mire that had spread out from their claws bubbled almost eagerly beneath them, feeding them more strength as stone tile and rock rotted down into the boggy, terribly warm ground. And sickeningly, Scrivener could feel familiarity in it, could feel himself almost drawing strength from it even as the monsters grinned viciously as they sang in terrible, mocking, rumbling voices:

The smell of blood, awakening lust,
The sound of your screams, all around us,
Your broken spirit, your bleeding heart,
Buried down deep, in the deepest dark,
Nightmares surround you, all around you,
Torture and thumbtacks and turning screws,
Underworld dreams and bloody schemes,
Welcome now little friends to your doom!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

Luna threw her head back and howled, every word like a knife stabbing into her mind and heart, every beat of their staccato laughter like a sledgehammer to her skull and sanity as blood burst from Scrivener's jaws, the male staring mindlessly forwards even as the corruption in his mind boiled higher, felt like it was flowing from his ears, his nose, his mouth, as his mind rapidly began to process what was going on.

The Wyrms grinned at them, delighting in the effects of their awful song, their terrible dark 'Hymn,' and yet Scrivener felt two things: a strange recognition, like his ability to see beneath things was kicking in, mixing with the natural talent for words that had let him decipher and understand the Black Verses to begin with. These were not the Verses, though: they were insanely more complex, insanely more powerful, and yet they stemmed from the same source and relied on some other principle he could feel just beneath the surface... before the Wyrms leaned forwards, half-shouting and half-singing mockingly, breaking off for parts of the grisly chorus into duets that was followed up shortly by a roaring declaration from the third Wyrm:

It's time for you to face your demise,
(Rip Tear Kill) Rip Tear Kill! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to give into us,
(Bleed Them Dry) Bleed Them Dry! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to serve as our prey,
(Crush Them Down) Crush Them Down! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to beg for your death,
(Eat Them Up) Eat Them Up! Make Them Die!
Consume their life, their soul: Make Them Die!

Scrivener clutched Luna back against him, gritting his teeth as the winged unicorn howled in agony and fury, Nightmare Moon twisting and screaming inside her mind as the words tore through her. Scrivener felt the same agony, felt like his heart was in a vise, felt like his skin was being peeled from his body as his blood boiled through his raw flesh, but there was a sick and terrible fascination, too. An overpowering amazement, awe, even desire, as his mind worked madly: he understood the words, but there was something else, a scheme, a pattern, a design that maybe they could counter, they could neutralize, if only he could figure out what it was.

The Wyrms laughed at them mockingly, and Scrivener felt the pain lessening for both himself and Luna before the winged unicorn stumbled to her hooves, eyes blazing and furious even as bloody tears leaked from them, her mane snapping viciously back and forth like electric serpent as the Wyrms seemed almost surprised for a moment, pausing in their synchronized prowl before Scrivener leaned forwards and rasped: “We have to fight fire with fire... we need to stop their song...”

“I know...” Luna snarled, then she leaned forwards, eyes glowing as she snapped: “If the Verses do not work, Scrivener, then let us halt one song with another!”

“That's what I was thinking but... but I'm no songwriter, and there's something... something specific... I can't...” Scrivener wheezed as he clawed to his hooves, the Wyrms grinning at them now, looking almost excited as they halted and faced towards the two before the male looked at Luna as she gazed at him furiously... desperately. He nodded after a moment, clenching his eyes shut, hating the way he knew the Wyrms were giving them time like a cat playing with a mouse before he whispered to her: “I'll give you the words. You sing.”

Luna cursed at this, but then she swallowed thickly and nodded as Scrivener clenched his eyes shut... and then the winged unicorn looked up, breathing hard before she leaned forwards and clearly sang in a powerful, echoing voice, her horn glowing faintly, magic adding more force to every word:

Holy light, blinding light,
Bring down Heaven's might!
Sing of Valhalla, sing of the moon,
Of paradise's winds blowing away evil's gloom!

The Wyrms flinched backwards slightly, then hissed as a vibration seemed to rumble through the air at the third line, but then they only looked disgusted before they leaned forwards, snapping their jaws once in derision before roaring back:

Pathetic!
What is this?
Worthlessness!

Luna's legs shivered beneath her as she stumbled backwards, eyes going unfocused as she felt the words hammer into her, every syllable-

Scrivener's eyes widened sharply, a flash going off in his mind before he looked at Luna with a crazed grin, and the winged unicorn looked stupidly back before her mind processed the mental order he sent her, and she shook her head wildly for a moment before snarling as her horn glowed.

Immediately, all the Wyrms dropped to ready positions, grinning and looking eager to intercept another wild attack... but instead, Luna flicked her horn upwards, and shocks of energy passed along her body as she gasped before Scrivener leapt forwards, yelling wildly. The Wyrms only laughed, however, then one of them lashed viciously out with a simple backhand when Scrivener leapt towards them, the slap hitting Scrivener squarely in the skull as dark energy shocked over him, and Luna stumbled with a cry of pain as dark energy burst over her own body as Scrivener crumpled onto his back, rolling once before he fell limp, clenching his eyes shut as he forced himself into unconsciousness even as the Wyrms mocked in chant:

What is wrong?
Worthless fools!
Surrender!

Luna hissed, cursing under her breath as a dazed feeling ripped through her body... but adrenaline was pumping in her veins as well, keeping her barely conscious as the magic she had twisted over herself sent painful, wakeful needles piercing along her spine and through her body. It kept her energized and on her hooves, however, breathing hard as she stood over Scrivener and muttered as the Wyrms laughed again before beginning to slowly, excitedly circle: “Thou art truly insane, Scrivener Blooms...”

Scrivener, meanwhile, had allowed himself to be knocked unconscious because he needed time: and as he had hoped, he was shaken violently out of his stunned state by Nightmare Moon, the scarred – and worse, scared – creature looking down at him and asking sharply: “What do you require of me, Scrivener? As much as we trust in you, had this not worked...”

“We'd be dead either way. I need time, Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener replied tiredly, slowly crawling up to his hooves and gritting his teeth, rubbing at his face with one claw: but he didn't even have time to care he was in his half-wyrm form here in his subconscious. “I need to stretch seconds into minutes. I can only do that in a dream state and the Wyrms weren't about to let me lay down and rest. Better to get myself hurt and knocked out, and trust in you to wake me up.”

Nightmare Moon nodded slowly, before she said quietly: “But you cannot control time. Hard as you and Luna and I may try... it is uncertain that you will not be awake within moments. Moments of our time, not reality.”

“Then help me. Keep me down here in the darkness for as long as you can, stretch out time as much as possible, I know you can.” Scrivener said sharply, and Nightmare Moon nodded quickly, looking down at him with absolute trust, absolute belief before the male dropped his head forwards and muttered: “Syllables. Their verses... their lines... one, two, three, and... eight? No, no, their laughter, that jagged ha-ha-ha, that's the real key, the clue... nines. Nines!”

Cutting and slashing and ripping in,
Teeth biting, jaws ripping: through your skin,
Claws tearing and slashing and gouging,
Eagerly grasping and slaughtering,
Bringing the world crashing down, down, down,
The sky falls, Hell rises from the ground,
Your Heaven is bleeding rotten blood,
Welcome now enemies to ruin!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

It's time for you to face your demise,
(Rip Tear Kill) Rip Tear Kill! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to give into us,
(Bleed Them Dry) Bleed Them Dry! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to serve as our prey,
(Crush Them Down) Crush Them Down! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to beg for your death,
(Eat Them Up) Eat Them Up! Make Them Die!
Consume their life, their soul: Make Them Die!

Luna howled in agony, snarling as she stood over Scrivener, the terrible song hammering against her viciously as she rocked back and forth. Her stomach was churning and turning, nausea making it impossible to focus as the Wyrms circled, accenting their twisted song with playful bites at her and with sways of their heads. They were grinning, eyes glowing brighter, and the mire had begun to vibrate with every syllable as the words pierced to the very soul.

Scrivener was convulsing weakly on the ground, blood dripping into the mire, partly sunken into the bog. The winged unicorn looked down at him, breathing hard, before her head raised sharply as she felt a sharp pulse in her mind before she swung a hoof down into Scrivener's face, wincing at the pain... but it was dull compared to the aches ripping through her body, and Scrivener snapped awake after a moment with a gasp before he looked up at her, teeth grit, eyes desperate and yet determined as words filled Luna's mind before she clenched her eyes shut and then leaned forwards, singing fiercely as her horn glowed, channeling the same magic she used to power the Black Verses into the words:

Feel Heaven's Light, flowing now down,
Upon the rays of the eggshell moon,
Angelic voices, carrying now,
The hymns and prayers of the faithful,
Oh holy light, oh radiant light,
Shining the most as you do at night,
Burning away, the rot and the pain,
Helping the hopeless to fight again,
Against the tyranny you would bring!

And what came out was nothing like the Black Verses: no feeling of malevolence, no poisoning the air, but a radiant, harmonious melody that tore into the toxic vibrations around them, that made the mire beneath their hooves bubble violently before beginning to harden into shale as the Triplets writhed in shock, electricity sparking violently over their bodies as their forms steamed violently. They hissed and snarled, looking both shocked and infuriated as they lost their synchronization for a moment.

Luna grinned widely as Scrivener yanked himself up to his hooves, rasping hard... and then, almost desperately, the Wyrms snarled before roaring back furiously, the air vibrating with their voices as pain ripped through the bodies of the ponies and drove them down to their knees:

Consume! Break their spirit, reap their souls,
Taste their despair, their sorrow, their pain,
Revel in sadomasochism,
Glut upon the pleasure of torment,
Nothing else could be more decadent,
The greatest pleasure, the most divine,
Comes from piercing the soul, where hope hides,
Welcome now worthless prey time to die!
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

The balance tilted in favor of the Triplets as Scrivener vomited blood and Luna's mane fizzled violently, the creatures seeing to regain strength as they drew in closer, jaws half-open as they breathed hard and snarled furiously, eyes glowing brightly before Luna snarled, then shoved herself to her hooves and threw her head to the sky, and Scrivener dropped low, tearing his hooves into the mire and concentrating, pushing all his strength to Luna, drawing on every reserve of energy he had and giving it to her as he felt her transforming all that corruption, that blackness, that evil magic into pure harmony as she belted out:

Feel the vengeance of Valkyries!
Punishment for your cowardly sins!
Hide your head low, grovelling wyrm-kin,
But know you cannot escape our light,
Know that you cannot escape our might,
We laugh at your eons of evil,
For we have brought epochs of justice!
Now feel the wrath of Valhalla here,
Pay for your crime in coldest Helheim!

The Wyrms staggered, and then one of the creatures suddenly shrieked, its cloak of shadows bursting up like black smoke around it before the monster reared back slightly, body steaming rapidly as its scales quickly lost all color, head snapping back as a last blast of blue smog burst up from its jaws before it petrified completely, and the other Wyrms staggered away from this as Luna and Scrivener both dragged themselves to their hooves, feeling a surge of renewed hope, of renewed power. The monsters were channeling the force so easily because they were made of the corruption, powered by the very Hymn they sang... and as that was drowned out and neutralized...

The Wyrms snarled, then both creatures turned their eyes towards Luna and Scrivener before retaliating savagely as they advanced, biting viciously at them as the dark, shadowy energy covering their body twisted and sparked when they howled their fierce chorus:

It's time for you to face your demise,
(Rip Tear Kill) Rip Tear Kill! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to give into us,
(Bleed Them Dry) Bleed Them Dry! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to serve as our prey,
(Crush Them Down) Crush Them Down! Make Them Die!
It's time for you to beg for your death,
(Eat Them Up) Eat Them Up! Make Them Die!
Consume their life, their soul: Make Them Die!

It ached, every word like a sword lashing against their bodies and minds, and Scrivener and Luna staggered backwards from the creatures' advance... before they both snarled, looking up as they set themselves, and the Wyrms stumbled to a halt. Then, slowly, Luna cracked her neck before she leaned forwards and roared:

I call upon all the Aesir high,
And I call upon the lost Vanir,
Enemies once by traitorous plan,
United now to cut evil's root!
Hear now my plea, my friends up on high,
Standing before me are those who lied,
Punish them now through this battle song,
Make them pay for what their master's done,
Let my harmony pierce their dark souls!

The Wyrms convulsed, howling as steam and blue mist hissed up from their bodies before one of them half-stumbled to the side, petrifying rapidly even as it began to struggle forwards as the last of the shield of shadows wafted off of it. Electricity sparked over the stone statue, frozen in a look of rage and horror as only one Wyrm was left standing, its jaws working stupidly as blue mist floated up from its maw, its eyes flickering weakly as it shivered on the spot , already partly turned to stone from the harmonious melodies that it had barely survived. “Impossible...”

“Light shines brightest in darkness... and poisons can usually be refined into antidotes.” Scrivener rasped, then he cleared his throat and spat to the side before grinning coldly as the Wyrm snarled at them... and yet the expression was fearful as well as furious. “Good. Luna?”

The winged unicorn nodded firmly once, and then both she and Scrivener took a deep breath as the Wyrm scrabbled backwards before the ponies leaned forwards and sang in a powerful duet:

Now it is time to pay for your sins,
To be broken down, machination,
To rejoin your master, in his grave,
Like all of his other evil slaves,
We are not afraid of your vile kind,
Because you monsters seem to be blind,
To the truth of the world as it is,
We are together, you are alone:
Only servants to a broken throne!

The Tyrant Wyrm writhed as electricity tore up and down its body, its jaws working wildly as steam and smoke burst off the monstrosity before it started to lunge forwards as the cloak of darkness vanished from around it... and then it simply crashed to the ground, claws extended uselessly in front of it, jaws gaping and staring at nothing as it turned to solid gray stone.

Scrivener and Luna sat back, breathing hard, looking at the petrified statues... and then they stumbled backwards as dark smoke belched into the sky from the ground around the frozen Wyrm Triplets, crawling over the statues and blocking them from view before slowly fading... and leaving nothing behind as the mire beneath their hooves turned to brittle shale and lifeless dirt. And Scrivener and Luna traded looks before the winged unicorn grinned wryly, shaking her head and saying darkly: “Let them be taken. It matters not... the point is proven, is it not? We will conquer anything that Clockwork World throws against us... no matter who or what they are.”

Scrivener only smiled faintly in response, still feeling as if his insides had turned to mush as his vision faded in and out a little, and then Luna shook her head slowly before she looked silently towards the ruins of the library, murmuring: “No, Scrivener Blooms... we may not rest just yet, wounded and tired and beaten as we are. First... we have another duty to attend to, for these... these poor ponies.”

The earth pony stallion looked slowly up... and then he nodded as he hauled himself to his hooves with a grunt, and Luna gave him a faint smile before she buried her face against his neck for a moment, giving him a silent 'thank-you' as he closed his eyes and pressed back against her, saying the same in return even as he felt a mix of triumph and sorrow tear through his aching heart.

Scrivener and Luna took down and laid out every corpse as best they could, paying special attention to Twilight and her friends. The two living ponies were bleeding, aching, and confused and admittedly a little scared over what they had encountered and fought off... but at the same time, they both felt that they wouldn't have to worry about another attack on this layer. They had clearly demonstrated they would gladly fight anything Clockwork World had to throw at them... and that furthermore, they would win.

They covered the dead, and then Luna lit an enormous signal fire, too tired to do anything else. The blue flames spread over the houses she had chosen, burning and spreading, but not consuming them, and not going out of control as the winged unicorn and Scrivener Blooms quietly laid themselves down.

The signal fire burned until nightfall, and Royal Guards arrived from Canterlot to investigate it and why there had been no response from anypony in Ponyville. They were confused by the sight of Luna and Scrivener, and horrified when the two led them calmly to the town square and the countless bodies... but Luna didn't want to explain what had happened to them. They tried to reason with her, tried to intimidate her, but Luna only said quietly: “I will only speak to the Princesses of this. 'Tis not a story I desire to repeat.”

Just after dawn, a group of ponies arrived, escorted by Pegasus Guard in sky chariots: Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Shining Armor. The Captain of the Guard started to go about his duties, professional, calm, even as the Princesses walked forwards, staring in horror at the damage to the village. He approached Luna and Scrivener... but then his eyes caught on the sight of the violet horn standing out from beneath a sheet, the frazzled, streaked mane... and he stumbled, then shivered before turning towards this, shoving the soldiers that were taking in the body count out of the way to rip the sheet back before dropping to his knees as tears filled his eyes, letting out a harsh sob.

Princess Celestia only stared blankly, and Princess Luna breathed hard, looking back and forth disbelievingly before her eyes settled on the armored Luna Brynhild: the pony who looked like her and did not at all in the same moment, as Luna whispered: “I wish to offer my condolences to all of thee. The heartache that thou must all feel... and the confusion, aye. But listen. Listen to our story, and... we shall tell thee what we can.”

And in silence, the ponies listened: Luna summarized who they were, then told of coming in to Ponyville and finding three Tyrant Wyrms here. The creatures had likely used their Hymn and the Black Verses to eradicate most of Ponyville, hence the lack of serious damage they had seen on many of the bodies. She left out how so many of these corpses had been left to ornament the library, and yet as Celestia stared up at a dangling rope, she seemed to recognize it anyway before the Princess of the Sun whispered: “And in a single moment... my world was taken away.”

There was a heavy silence, punctuated only by the occasional sob and the murmur of guards, as Scrivener and Luna simply sat. Their armored wagon had been wrecked, but they had salvaged the supplies they could out of it already and put them into the saddlebags beside them. Celestia and Luna studied them as Cadence tried to comfort Shining Armor as he cried over his sister's corpse.

There was nothing to say, nothing they could say: the guards had orders to head to City Hall and attempt to find any relatives of those deceased, but many of them had been born and raised in Ponyville, and the town had been their family. The now-dead, now-gone village. Many would simply be buried.

Celestia offered them lodgings at Canterlot, cordial even if shaken; but it was clear how deeply it affected her on the ride back, crammed into a chariot, looking across at the Princess and watching as tears flowed down her face, glowing in the sun's light. Scrivener and Luna had no reason to refuse, after all.

The next few days passed mostly in silence and contemplation, as the two healed from the battle. They were questioned often: sometimes angrily, sometimes almost accused, other times thanked. The world had gone completely upside down for these ponies, after all, and all Luna Brynhild could say to the terrified and sorrowful Princesses was: “They are after us, first and foremost. What thou must do is tend to thy nation, thy people, and... take care of thyselves and each other. Let us handle revenge; it is not a task for the innocent.”

Scrivener and his wife both wanted to stay for the funerals... but the also knew they had to return home, as soon as possible. Furthermore, ponies were suspicious of them here in Canterlot, even if Princess Celestia was simply... shell-shocked, and her younger sibling was little better off. Cadence, too, seemed to ache deeply for everything that had happened, and Shining Armor had gone on leave, feeling like he failed to protect Equestria: more importantly, he failed to protect his little sister.

So instead, Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild left as soon as they felt the Bifrost was serviceable, saddlebags strapped over their bodies. They opened the rainbow bridge in Canterlot Gardens, guarded by a crowd of soldiers and the Princesses... who, even at the sight of the immense magic, were only able to stare blankly. But Luna understood it, better than they would ever know, as tears flowed down her own cheeks even as she and Scrivener ran up the rainbow archway and tore through the hole in reality, feeling energy surging around and through her still-sore body, but this time bringing no joy with it, no sense of adventure, of thrill, of power.

If anything, it only grew worse as they ran along the endless and yet too-short bridge, breathing hard, the vortex of swirling energy around them seeming to fade, to darken... and then Scrivener frowned as black lightning streaked by before the rainbow bridge shuddered violently beneath their hooves, and Luna looked down as the male felt a strange prickling sensation in his mind, like that corruption inside his head was being excited again by something...

He glanced over his shoulder, and his eyes widened in horror at the sight of the Bifrost not shattering... but being devoured by a terrible, gaping darkness that was rushing towards them like a cloud of poisonous smog. He turned immediately ahead, sending the thoughts to Luna, but she was already snarling, already sprinting harder, faster, even as her sore muscles screamed in protest against her stained and damaged armor.

They shot along the bridge as the darkness chased them, the vortex of sound and light around them become shadows and pain as the bridge began to crack further and further, the cloud vomiting down this narrow tunnel catching up rapidly, and Scrivener could almost hear clanking gears and screaming on the other side before he and Luna tore violently out the other side of the Bifrost, running down the other side of the archway and leaping out onto the road outside Ponyville, both skidding to a halt.

The winged unicorn looked up to see the Nibelung guards only a few dozen yards away, by the open gates: it was dusk, then sun having just set, the sky still faintly tinged with light, Ponyville just beginning to slow down. In other words, for once the timing was good as Luna looked up with a snarl as the Bifrost shattered and black smoke steamed out of the hole in reality as it shivered and distorted, then rapidly began to grow into a swirling black vortex, the winged unicorn shouting: “Alarm! Sound the alarm!”

The Nibelung panicked at this, but one of the dwarves hurriedly turned to sprint into Ponyville as others ran for the guard towers and the doors as Scrivener and Luna set themselves. They had recovered as much as possible over the last few days, but their bodies were sore, they were still drained and tired, and Scrivener cursed under his breath as Luna gritted her teeth and said coldly: “We need only hold them here, Scrivy... we will buy all the time we can against... against whatever is coming now!”

There was a rumble from the black vortex as Scrivener nodded, the two ponies watching... and then staring in horror as three stone statues burst out of the dark portal. They crashed to the ground, a petrified set of Tyrant Wyrm Triplets still frozen in their death throes, and Luna snarled before she shouted furiously: “Do not mock us, or we will make sure all of thy world suffers a fate even worse than this!”

And as if in response, the dark portal rumbled violently before vibrations twisted through the air as something tore through in a burst of dark smoke. The object fell to the ground with a tremendous crash, and Scrivener and Luna snarled at the sight of it: it looked like nothing more than an enormous, silvery orb, as large as a boulder, a meteor...

The portal above closed, and Luna and Scrivener only stared for a few moments before the silver sphere seemed to simply melt into the ground. Then Scrivener's eyes widened as he realized that it hadn't simply melted: some of that silver goop had spread forwards, was twisting itself like living slime over the petrified statues and soaking itself into the stone...

The far right Triplet suddenly twitched violently, then creakily stomped down, anchoring itself into a new position as its jaws closed and its features became emotionless. A moment later, the other Wyrm statues did the same, leaving narrow cracks here and there in their own stone bodies as they moved like jagged puppets. The two ponies cursed under their breath, readying themselves before instincts howled in both the pony's minds, and they looked up sharply as the ground began to tremble.

And a moment later, a terrible, monstrous shape made of rock and earth and silver, shifting metal ripped itself out of the earth behind the Tyrant Wyrm statues, its body uneven and heavy, its arms shapeless and ending in vicious claws, head only a rough shape at first... but as it rose up into the air, jaws filled with sharp teeth formed and laughed, and eyes of silver liquid split open as nostrils formed in a face that became dragon-like, horns spiraling out of its skull as Scrivener and Luna stared at the behemoth with horror.

The upper body looming out of the ground grinned widely as it leaned forwards, and then Valthrudnir's voice asked coldly, mockingly through his features made of stone and liquid metal: “Did you m-miss me, Brynhild and S-Scrivener Blooms?”

The two snarled, staring up in horror at this creature before it laughed jaggedly, the voice strange, echoing as it continued cruelly: “O-Oh how l-long I have waited for this d-day! My day of r-r-revenge on you and B-Brynhild for what you d-d-dared to do to me!”

“Did you develop a speech impediment in death?” Scrivener asked flatly, frowning at the strange stuttering, and even as Valthrudnir snarled down at him, he felt like something was... off. “Valthrudnir is dead. Who... what... are you?”

“I am the Clock-Clockwork K-King!” the massive, stone construct declared, leaning back before grinning and patting himself gently on the chest, sending down a hail of rubble. “Well, not r-really me... this is just a n-nice way for me to extend my reach beyond Decretum, what you call C-Clockwork World, and h-h-have a hand in k-killing you myself; a simple trick for a Jötnar a-as mighty as m-myself!”

“It does not matter who or what thou art... we are going to destroy thee. No mercy, no quarter, no surrender.” Luna replied quietly and coldly, setting herself as her eyes blazed, and Scrivener grunted in agreement as he leaned forwards, flexing slowly as he readied himself as well. “And then we shall chase thee all the way back to thy pathetic little toy world, and bring it crashing down around thy head before we rip thee limb-from-limb, monster and imposter!”

The stone Valthrudnir only laughed, jarringly, like one harsh, repeated sound again and again, then he grinned as he easily held up his stone claws, gesturing calmly with them, and the petrified Tyrant Wyrms began to move jaggedly as if they were being puppeted, two of them advancing as the third stayed back in front of its master. Emotionless marionettes made from the corpses of soulless machines of destruction... it was almost disgusting enough to make Scrivener believe this truly was Valthrudnir. “V-V-Very well, then let us p-play! And after I k-kill you, I shall take great d-d-delight in destroying your precious h-home!”

“The game ends here!” Luna shouted furiously, and she and Scrivener both charged as the rocky construct gave another of its strange, repetitive laughs. It rolled one of its wrists, and immediately, the Wyrm statue Luna was lunging at reared up before slashing its front claws down viciously at her.

The winged unicorn quickly flapped her wings to send herself at a higher target on the creature, the claws just scraping past her before she smashed into its neck, almost tearing its head from its shoulders before she snarled as she twisted past it and slammed both hooves hard down into its back between the stone spikes of its petrified piston-bones. Cracks spread through the stone as the creature bucked and rocked, moving in time to the Valthrudnir construct's sharp gestures.

The rock goliath's other hand was guiding the second stone figure in a fight against Scrivener, but it was clear most of his attention was on Luna as the earth pony weaved back and forth beneath and around claw strikes, smashing his hooves and slamming his armored frame hard up against the stone statue, chipping off chunks of stone here and there. Scrivener could feel a growing fury, a growing anger, and the corruption in his mind bubbling higher and higher, spreading and spilling through him, urged further by Luna's battlelust.

He blocked a hard swipe of a claw with his foreleg, the stone claws ripping through the armor and tearing plating and mesh fabric away from his limb to leave ugly cuts, yet Scrivener barely felt it... and neither did Luna even as the same cuts formed on her own body as she leapt off the Wyrm puppet's back, gracefully arching her back and spreading her wings to do a quick aerial roll out of the way of a lunging claw before she kicked both rear hooves hard into the face of the Wyrm, shattering its stone features, knocking the puppet's head back before Luna dropped suddenly to the ground and thrusted her horn into its chest.

She snarled as she focused her magic and fury, then shoved forwards as she released a vicious blast of focused telekinetic wrath and blue fire. The explosion that resulted seared her own features, but sent the puppet rocketing backwards as the construct Valthrudnir flinched and hurriedly covered its own face, the smaller stone puppet smashing into one of its forearms before exploding in a tremendous bang. Chunks of rock and silvery liquid burst down from the damaged construct, and the stone Valthrudnir snarled, losing its focus for a moment.

Then golden light shone down over its features, and the construct looked up in blank surprise for a moment before its eyes widened and it snapped both hands quickly upwards: the third, unused stone puppet was immediately launched into the air, flying high to crash into a golden meteor shooting towards the rocky Valthrudnir. The enormous aureate fireball exploded as it collided with the Wyrm statue, pelting the construct with blonde fire and chunks of melted rock as the Valthrudnir construct howled in fury and frustration as it vainly attempted to shield itself with its forearms.

Celestia landed a moment later beside Luna, her eyes glowing as Luna grinned widely, looking up at her big sister and rasping: “And for once, I am glad to see thee in full fury, big sister...”

“Clockwork World?” Celestia asked quickly, and when Luna nodded, the ivory equine looked over her shoulder at the others who were approaching: Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle among their number. “Rainbow Dash! The clouds, like we discussed!”

“On it!” Rainbow shot immediately skywards, followed by several Pegasi, and then Celestia turned her eyes forwards, beginning to charge as Luna followed quickly.

The construct Valthrudnir snarled down at them, and Twilight stared in horror, recognizing the Jötnar from a glimpse of dark, faded memory. Inside her, something pulled taut as she looked forwards, watched as the construct made a quick gesture that made the puppet Scrivener was still hammering on knock the earth pony flying, and then the violet mare gritted her teeth as flashes of her friends ran through her mind... friends she had lost every one of, a world and a home she had lost because of what Valthrudnir had done.

Her horn glowed brightly, and Twilight leapt upwards, taking to the air with a yell before she snapped her head upwards, and a tremendous blast of blue lightning ripped down from the skies with a crackle of power, smashing into the construct's upper arm. It jerked to the side with a snarl that turned to surprise as the stricken area rapidly froze over, most of its upper limb becoming entrenched in ice that made liquid metal brittle and pried open the spaces between its stony flesh, and then Twilight snapped her head forwards with a yell, her eyes glowing as her horn sparked before releasing a fireball, magical recoil knocking her flying backwards.

The focused fireball crashed into the construct's upper arm and exploded with a tremendous bang, ice shattering and rocky shrapnel flying in all directions as liquid metal splattered down like blood. The construct howled in shock grasping at its arm as there was a distinct, terrible crunching before the limb simply peeled off and collapsed, the arm crashing to the ground and shattering into useless rubble.

Silvery liquid metal spilled through the earth and into the ground, and the Valthrudnir construct snarled in fury as Twilight fell to the ground and Celestia halted in mid-stampede to look over her shoulder in amazement. Luna, meanwhile was still charging, along with the other ponies and Nibelung that had joined them... before her eyes widened when the construct slammed its remaining claw into the ground, sending cracks ripping through the earth and knocking ponies flying.

Celestia looked forwards too late, and the shockwave slammed her off her hooves as well, the ivory equine cursing at herself for letting herself get distracted. Scrivener, picking himself up, was thrown backwards and sent rolling from the blast, and Twilight winced, knocked sprawling as well before the Valthrudnir construct shouted furiously: “Arrogant little insect, how dare you!”

He flicked his wrist, and the remaining Wyrm puppet broke into a sprint, covered in cracks and damage that the fast movement only worsened, but it was more than solid enough to hurt, to kill, as it leapt towards Twilight and she only stared in shock... and then Scrivener leapt in front of her, raising his forelegs and cursing in agony as its claw slammed down into them, feeling the stone, jagged talons ripping through the little armor that remained over his forelimbs before the puppet wrenched its claw back.

It swiped at him as the Valthrudnir construct cursed, but Scrivener leapt backwards before the Wyrm marionette bit at him savagely. The earth pony did the only thing he could to avoid this, diving over it and snagging its horns and neck with a wince before the animated statue shook violently, then snapped its head upwards.

Scrivener was sent flying straight up into the air as he was dislodged, his body flipping once before he arched his back as the Wyrm began to raise its head and open its jaws... and Scrivener dove straight down into its stone skull, smashing into it and shattering its head and neck into fragments as he tore through it like a sledgehammer to hit the ground with a curse in a crumpled heap.

The statue staggered backwards, headless and covered in battle damage, Scrivener laying half-prone in front of it and bleeding heavily from forelegs that both felt broken, and the Wyrm puppet trembled for a moment. Then it stepped forwards, raising one claw, but it was blasted backwards by a bolt of light; and as golden flames began to spread over the stone, eating into it like acid as it rolled backwards, Celestia flicked her horn firmly, and the statue simply exploded in a blast of fire and sound.

The Valthrudnir construct gazed over them with shock, gravel spilling down from its stump of an arm like blood, its eyes disbelieving before it snarled... then frowned when there was the patter of droplets against its muzzle. Then it hissed as more water spilled over it, rubbing at its features before it looked up in shock at the rain that was beginning to fall, quickly growing heavier as the construct hissed, then writhed as the liquid quickly began to spill through its stone body.

Rain poured over the creature and over the crowd of ponies and others, staring up at the construct as it first tried to shield itself, then snarled and simply leaned forwards even as its eyes flickered violently and rippled in its sockets. Silvery liquid was beginning to bubble and leak through its body, water diluting and destroying the bonds of the liquid metal as it leaned forwards and rasped: “Y-You filthy mortals... a-a-always... ch-cheat...”

It snarled, reaching forwards, but everyone was out of its reach even before its claw began to tremble, then simply shattered, its arm falling apart bit-by-bit like soggy bread. Its body was beginning to dissolve as well as it rasped, chunks of its frame peeling and falling off as its head began to distort and collapse. Ponies and Nibelung – and others from the village now – gathered in front of it, looked up at this horrendous monstrosity as it was brought low by simple rain, the creature snarling and breathing hard before it whispered: “B-But this was j-just a test... to... m-make sure you know... that I will not be s-stopped. My t-true forces... have begun moving in your country. It won't be long now before... b-before... you suffer at... the... h-h-hands of y-your own...”

It tried to grin, even as half of its face sloughed slowly off into mud and silver muck that splattered loudly to the ground, and then it threw what remained of its head back and laughed before declaring: “Fare w-well, Brynhild and S-Scrivener Blooms! Try not to die too q-quickly... I want you t-taken alive so I can k-kill you myself!”

Then, slowly, the laughter of the terrible thing faded out as it simply crumbled apart rock, mud, and silvery liquid splattering down to reveal the core of the destroyed construct: a glassy, cracked orb filled with dying light, surrounded by a cage of black metal bars. Steam hissed up from this at contact with the rain as water seeped inside it and its malevolence was extinguished... yet all present knew it was only the start of what was yet to come.

Roughly a week later, the defenses around Ponyville had been completed: high-pressure sprinklers that would interfere with the creatures of Clockwork World... at least the ones that used the silvery liquid metal for blood. Cowlick had finally gotten a sample of it from the ruins of the construct and analyzed it: it was an electrically-charged, metamorphic substance. Adding water to it destroyed the charge that gave it cohesion and let it 'hold' various shapes, and interfered with the chemical makeup... or at least that was what Cowlick guessed.

They had talked a lot about things over the week: about Valthrudnir, about Clockwork World, about what they had experienced. And Luna was the first one brave enough to bring it up: it had been less of an attack, and more of a mockery and a declaration of war. Valthrudnir – or whoever was impersonating him – wanted to let them know they were coming. Possibly out of arrogance, possibly out of cruelty... most likely out of both.

Clockwork World wanted them scared, wanted them to believe, to truly believe, that Valthrudnir had returned and that they were once more at war with the Jötnar himself, not just the remnants of his machinations. The worst part was not knowing what was true: from what the Norns had said to the sheer malevolence of the creature: Scrivener felt like it was Valthrudnir, and yet... not Valthrudnir.

The earth pony had suggested that the Norns themselves were behind this, but Odin had shaken his head slowly, pointing out that the Norns preferred illusion and magic that controlled life and death. The Valthrudnir construct had been formed of stuff more akin to what he called alchemy, and Cowlick called 'bizarre science meets magic.' Not that it meant the Norns were friends or even allies, only that they likely weren't behind the appearance of the pseudo-Valthrudnir or Clockwork World.

But there was little they could do, apart from prepare, prepare, prepare. The problem was there was no way of knowing where the conflict would begin: all they knew was that Luna and Scrivener were the main targets of Clockwork World, at least at this point. But to get to them, who knew what their enemies would be willing to do?

All they could do was warn Ponyville, and have Celestia spread word to the other baronies that there was a possible danger. But not all of the Royal Council knew – or believed – that Celestia was friends with Odin, a once-god who had created all these layers of reality. And not all of them wanted to believe that Equestria could once more be facing a serious threat, thinking it was only paranoia after Celestia had been attacked by 'unknown forces' months ago now.

And yet... Scrivener and Luna were well aware it could be worse, too. To keep themselves busy more than anything else, they had started construction on the second level of their house, and for now they were staying in the library with Twilight Sparkle. They had spoken to Antares Mīrus and Scarlet Sage about their plans, and neither of them had a problem with it; Antares hadn't even seemed surprised, or taken it as anything strange, only smiling and nodding happily. It reminded his parents what a miracle their son was, in more ways than one; it reminded Scrivener and Luna that no matter how dark things got, there was always a bit of light.

And one day, after Meadowlark's birthday party at Sugar Cube Corners, Scrivener, Twilight, and Luna, Antares and Scarlet Sage, Spike and Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Nirvana, and Discombobulation had all been hanging around afterwards, lingering in one another's company. Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena had been cleaning up, Pinkie rambling cheerfully about how she was so glad there were so many new foals around Ponyville these days and Pinkamena grumbling under her breath before she simply sat down at the large table set up in the middle of the room with a sigh, tossing the rags she had been using to clean up into a bucket. Pinkie Pie opened her mouth, and Pinkamena said flatly: “It's evening and past closing. We can finish in the morning. Or I'll finish later tonight, I never sleep anyway.”

“Well... I guess you're right.” Pinkie smiled softly at her twin, walking over and sitting down beside her, and Pinkamena grumbled and hid her face in her forelegs. The other ponies joined the twins, and Pinkie Pie smiled wider, looking over them as she said quietly: “Real nice to see all your faces here... especially after, well, you know how it's been. And these little parties... I know they might seem silly sometimes, but it's so nice to see everypony... here, forgetting about everything, even if just for a little while.”

“We should have regular meetings. Like the drunks do. And all the black coffee we can drink.” Discombobulation slowly looked over at Scrivener, who sighed and gave him a flat look before the Draconequus cleared his throat and then stood suddenly from table, holding up a hand and saying courteously: “Or, if that idea doesn't work, because only one of us here is an alcoholic...”

“I'm not an alcoholic. It was not alcoholism, it was a temporary dependency.” Scrivener said dryly, holding up a hoof, and Luna reached up and squeezed his shoulder gently with a wry smile. “But okay, Bob, what are you suggesting, since you keep looking at me? Poetry readings? Book club?”

“I'm suggesting that you have a nice tall glass of shut the hell up.” Discombobulation said kindly, and then he held out a hand to Pinkamena, who slapped it firmly with her hoof up and then down before they punched hoof and fist lightly together as eyes around the table glowered. “I told you I'd say it to him. You owe me a cupcake.”

“I said coffin cake, not cupcake. Help yourself.” Pinkamena grunted, jerking her head towards the back of the room, and the chimerical creature rubbed his hands together before he turned his attention back over the table.

“But before I do, since some enjoyments are best savored and others we should plunge right into... I am suggesting that you all listen as I tell you a story. And like all good stories, I shall start with a prologue.” Discombobulation bowed politely before he touched his chest as he began in a calm, carrying voice: “Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a Draconequus of wealth and taste...”

In The Fertile Ashes

Chapter Thirty Nine: In The Fertile Ashes
~BlackRoseRaven

“And they lived happily ever after.” Discombobulation finished ironically almost a month after he had started the story, gesturing expansively with his eagle talon before he crossed it over his chest and bowed deeply, and the ponies only stared silently up at him before he straightened and looked awkwardly back and forth before pretending to tug at an invisible collar. “Silence is a comedian's worst enemy, you know.”

Slowly, Scrivener Blooms put down the notebook he had started recording the story in and began to clap... and around the enormous round table they had been dragging out to do this every night in Sugar Cube Corners for the last few weeks, the other ponies began to clap and stomp their hooves as well, and Discombobulation looked relieved as he bowed quickly again before dropping back into his seat with a smile.

Discombobulation had told a harrowing and terrible story calmly and seriously in his dignified voice, gesturing as he spoke, covering some parts with such intensity and politely, gently skipping through other parts, yet with a natural flair that let him get across what was going on... without scarring the mind of even young Antares, who had tried his best to stay as awake as he could through most of it, snuggled safely in a blanket against his mother's body, but thankfully, who often fell asleep, and often before the worst parts of the story. Later, he would beg his mother and father to tell him what had happened, and Scrivener would pull out his notebooks and tell his son carefully, cautiously, more of the tale... censoring and skipping quickly through certain parts of what had been a story filled with evil.

And yet somehow, it had also drawn everyone here in: more than that, Discombobulation had attracted a wider audience that included Celestia, Big Mac, and Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle and others among its ranks. And even as he'd continued to tell a story that brought their worst aspects to light, that made even the brightest of them seem evil, pedantic, weak, and worse things yet... they had been fascinated, as if he had reached into the darkest depths of each and every one of them, and brought what he found there to light without ever pushing too far, or delving so deep. He made it undeniable, even when it seemed impossible; he was a natural storyteller.

It had been a story that had never happened; about how they had all destroyed each other, how in their own ways, they had all become villains. And, after a few moments of silence amongst the table, Celestia looked up and asked curiously: “Tell me, Discombobulation, if I may ask... why this story?”

“I gave you a glimpse of a future that could have been. That's much more worthwhile than seeing the future that will be, particularly for teaching lessons...” Discombobulation paused, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully. “After all, what lesson would there be to learn if I tell you the future that absolutely is? Then you can only build towards that fate, however foul or fair it might be. This way, you know what you avoided... good and bad alike.”

Scrivener snorted in amusement at this, sitting back as he crossed his forelegs and said dryly: “You sound as bad as me trying to defend my writing.”

“Well, bully for you.” Discombobulation retorted, then he paused before looking pointedly upwards, saying seriously as if he was clearly speaking to someone else: “And at least I didn't start killing off all the characters one-by-one after twenty-three chapters.”

Pinkie Pie slowly leaned forwards, craning her head upwards as Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Spike looked up as well, even Rarity sneaking an awkward look up, then clearing her throat when Applejack grinned widely at her as Scrivener Blooms only looked at the Draconequus, then asked slowly: “Are... are you talking to me?”

“No, I'm not. I suppose technically I'm speaking to the audience right now, but I am not speaking to you, Luna.” Discombobulation replied seriously, looking down and across at the stallion as he leaned over the table towards him. “You're just a symptom of neurosis. Not the neurotic in charge.

“But do you hear me up there, neurotic?” The Draconequus suddenly looked up again, shaking his fist firmly at the ceiling and glaring balefully as he shouted: “No one likes you and this is why you're going to die alone! I hope you know that!” A pause, and then he returned his eyes to the others with a benevolent smile, tenting his fingers as they all stared at him. “Now, let's just wait for me to be erased from existence and we'll see if anyone cares. If you do, please send me a postcard, I'll probably be in the dregs of the internet, amidst the free porno and the drugs for your doodle that don't work.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Twilight Sparkle asked finally, as Scrivener and Luna only stared disbelievingly and even Celestia looked a little unsettled, her rainbow mane sparking slightly.

“Our esteemed guests; can't you see them everywhere around us?” Discombobulation said seriously, and he looked back and forth as he gestured out to the side, clearly motioning at something other than the ponies. “Hello audience, say hello back now.”

A pause, lengthening out, drawing longer as he waited for a response... then smiled slightly and winked. “It's funny how many of you actually replied to me, like I could hear you and would care if I did. Not that I think any of you are gullible or anything, but if you would send me a small monetary donation I'll grant you one wish. The size of the wish corresponding to the size of the donation, of course. And no refunds. We also accept Visa and Mastercard.”

“You... do realize this is real, right? That this isn't happening in anypony's mind?” Scrivener said awkwardly, raising a hoof, and Discombobulation snorted in amusement and quirked an eyebrow in response.

“Of course this is all happening inside your head, Luna. Why should that mean... it is any less real?” he asked seriously, and then he paused before becoming honestly solemn as he flicked his wrist, saying in a softer voice as a black, tall tarot card appeared in it: “All I showed you was what could have been, because it's also what each and every one of you are, even now, even as we sit here, even as we speak. Isn't that right... Scrivener Blooms?”

And then he slowly turned the card around, and Scrivener leaned back, paling slightly at the sight of the Five of Cups, with the image of him distorted and half-warped into the shape of a Tyrant Wyrm, a fool's crown on his head, a sword buried beside him, a bottle of whiskey on his other side... and Luna snarled as she squeezed her foal closer, but Discombobulation only smiled faintly, his eyes flicking over the now-silent gathering. “Please, my friends. Take this story as a warning. But most importantly, take it for what it is: hope. Hope that stems from the fact none of you have yet to walk down this path... and I pray that you will all continue to be stronger than I have ever dreamed ponies could be. Now, if you'll excuse me... I have to catch up on my cartoons.”

With that the Draconequus bowed politely and then simply faded from existence as he dropped the Tarot card and it fluttered silently to the ground... and they had cleaned up in silence. Scrivener was surprised when he picked up the card and found it was still solid, as if Discombobulation had meant to make it completely real instead of just a simulacrum... and then he shook his head slowly before checking to ensure he'd grabbed his notebooks as ponies filtered out in awkward quiet, Celestia touching his shoulder gently and giving a small smile as she passed. It reassured him; after all, after the story Discombobulation had told, he thought that of all of them Celestia probably had the most right to be furious, considering the way he had presented her in some pieces of the strange, strange tale. With that thought in mind, Scrivener absently tucked the card into one of his notebooks.

“Hogwash.” Luna muttered finally as she put the sleeping, blanket-wrapped Antares gently on Scrivener's back, and Scrivener shrugged slowly, the winged unicorn glaring at him, but it was a half-worried look as they made their way quietly out into the street. “Scrivy, we are neither insane nor... nor... what is the word I am searching for?”

“Douchebags, but personally I would go with retarded. Packing that much power into one thing, let alone one of us, well... that's a recipe for disaster anywhere.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna grunted as they stopped and stood in the silent autumn night, Ponyville slumbering quietly around them. “But... well... I can't help but think... I mean, Odin does have some friend named Kvasir, right? How... how close were we... and I...”

“It is not important, it is not the truth and we are here now, and fine.” Luna said reassuringly, stepping towards him and nuzzling him silently, and then she smiled a little as she added quietly: “And our son is no Midnight Hour. He is Antares Mīrus. And our beautiful colt Antares is... aye, I believe with all my heart he is special, but he is no monster. He looks... just like thee.”

“That is not a good argument for saying he is not a monster.” Scrivener said delicately, and Luna laughed despite herself before Scrivy smiled faintly as he looked up as Applejack and Rainbow Dash approached.

They stood across from the two awkwardly, quietly; in particular, they had been enemies in the story, and Applejack had not had the kindest of things said about her... and some very vicious things had been described happening between the two couples. But after a moment, Applejack strode forwards and firmly hugged Luna, and Luna returned the embrace tightly, closing her eyes before the goldenrod mare stepped back and smiled, saying finally: “Just a story, right? And that Bob can be a real damn jerk at times, right?”

“Definitely. We always got your back, and I know you always got ours.” Rainbow added firmly, reaching a hoof out, and Scrivener knocked his own together with the Pegasus' before they smiled at one another, studying each other before Big Mac loitered calmly over, looking the least perturbed. “God I hate you sometimes. Does anything bother you?”

“Nope.” Big Mac replied easily, and Dash grumbled as the others laughed, before the red stallion added softly: “I just think of the good parts of the story. And wonder if maybe there is some truth in there after all.”

Scrivener cocked his head curiously at this, and then Luna smiled softly as Big Mac tilted his head ever-so-slightly, towards where Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage were lingering in the light of Sugar Cube Corners, talking quietly, blushing a little. Rainbow looked confused by the others all looking past him, beginning to tromp around and staring for a moment... and then Applejack grabbed him firmly by the mane and yanked him slowly back around, making him yelp as she said dryly: “Can it, sugarcube. Don't go ruinin' anything for those girls or I'll ruin you.”

“Ha, ruin me.” Rainbow grinned slightly, then he winced when Applejack punched him in the shoulder, mumbling and rubbing at this before Big Mac hit his other shoulder and made him yelp. “Oh come on!”

Luna laughed and Scrivener smiled, and soon after Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage joined their respective families. The Apple Family left as Twilight Sparkle finally emerged from Sugar Cube Corners, saying her last goodbyes awkwardly before ducking under a bucket thrown by Pinkamena, wincing at the volley of insults before she sighed and walked quietly over to join Luna, Scrivener, and Scarlet Sage.

For a moment, they looked at each other... and then Twilight Sparkle hugged first the stallion, then the starry-maned mare before she stepped back, her eyes lingering between them before she said softly: “I'll come by tomorrow. I... we can talk then, huh?”

“Sounds good.” Scrivener said softly, and the three smiled at one another for a few moments before they finally turned, parting ways as Scarlet Sage gave her mother and father a soft look. Antares mumbled a little on Scrivener's back, and it made the male smile wider as he glanced up, the winked at his adopted daughter, saying mildly: “Now, Scarlet-”

“Oh don't even start, I hate you and I hate Discombobulation.” Scarlet mumbled, blushing deep red, and Luna grinned and laughed loudly. “I hate you too Mom.”

“I know. I relish this.” Luna said cheerfully, as the family headed quietly for their home outside Ponyville, their home in the darkness, the safety of the Everfree Forest, the little cottage they had never and would never abandon for even a castle as mighty as what Discombobulation had described. A home that in the last month, had the hard part of the construction completed, and now just needed to have the interior finished off and then be furnished. Things Scrivener could do himself... especially with his family gladly helping out, and Twilight herself giving her own aid.

For now, Twilight was spending her nights at the library with Celestia, the two sharing a lot, treating each other as equals and being... friends. Something they both deserved, especially with the fears and worries of Clockwork World... and Scrivener looked up at the starry skies overhead, the notebooks feeling strangely heavy in his bag as he thought of the end of the story. Then he looked slowly over at Luna, and the winged unicorn smiled wryly at him, shaking her head slowly as she murmured: “Nay. Of course it is not coincidence... and I do not believe Bob would joke about such a thing. I simply do not know if it now offers up more questions... or solutions.”

The story had ended with Luna sacrificing herself to what Scrivener had been in the story: a Tyrant Wyrm. Scrivener had consumed her, mixing their already-bound souls together into one being. A being known as Gymbr: a singular entity made up of all their darkest qualities. A winged unicorn that looked just like the doll that Antares adored...

Scrivener looked up thoughtfully, quietly, at the beautiful night sky visible through the canopy of trees; it was dying summer now, moving slowly into autumn. Antares would be two years old in a few months, and yet he was already as intelligent as a much older foal, and about as big as one too. He was developing fast... but he still had a little trouble with his grammar, he couldn't do more than the very most basic math, he had a few spacial difficulties. His leathery wings were a little stronger, but still could only support him for short flights and glides without pain, and he could barely open a door with telekinesis.

Then Scarlet Sage glanced up, asking quietly: “Would you like me to try and do a blood link with Gymbr now? If... if he really is... something like that... I know he wouldn't hurt me.”

“I don't know about that, Scarlet Sage... what... we did to you in that story, it was unforgivable.” Scrivener murmured quietly, looking down and closing his eyes as he shook his head slowly. “I'm worried that Gymbr might... well, we don't even know what it is. It can't... be us, after all... can it?”

Luna grunted, looking moodily ahead before she sighed a little and looked over her shoulder, adding quietly: “And daughter, I... I want thee to know that I would never, ever-”

“No, Mom, no. I know. It's okay. It was just a story.” Scarlet Sage said softly, looking at her mother tenderly and smiling faintly before she shook her head, blushing a little as she glanced down. “I love you both... as my parents. And I know you love me... as your daughter. I... it's been a long, long time since I've felt like... I was the adopted daughter, too. You make me feel... you treat me like I'm your own flesh and blood, and yet at the same time you've never tried to make me forget or push away the few memories of my real parents I have and cherish. You... you never tried to replace them, funny as that must sound... Horses of Heaven, it's so hard to explain, but what I'm getting at is I know you'd never do that to me. You'd never use me or hurt me like that.”

She stopped, then looked awkwardly away, adding with a faint smile: “Besides, it wasn't all bad, right? There were moments in that story... I forgot Discombobulation was painting you two as the bad guys. And there were moments when I was... happy, too. Like... with Apple Bloom...”

“Aye.” Luna smiled softly, gazing over her shoulder and nodding slowly before she traded a look with Scrivener, emotions swirling between them before they both looked ahead and Luna admitted quietly: “Then I suppose thou will not think too badly of me if I admit that... I too found the story enjoyable at times. There was something... alluring... about much of it.”

“And well... I don't even have to say anything.” Scrivener said wryly, and Luna laughed as Scarlet Sage gazed fondly at her father's back. “I'm sick. I'm really, really mentally ill. I am a very twisted stallion and Luna, you really need to stop encouraging me.”

“No, no, where is the fun in that? 'Tis delightful to encourage thee! Besides, it makes thee all the more fun when it comes to the games of sparring and combat and all those nasty evil things that I too admire.” Luna winked over at him, and Scrivener sighed as Scarlet Sage giggled a little, and Antares mumbled in his sleep, shifting but smiling a bit as he nestled closer against his father's back. Luna looked at this, and she added softly: “And if there was anything wrong with thee, our son would not love thee so dearly and find such safety and comfort in thee.”

Scrivener swallowed a little at this, looking embarrassedly, awkwardly ahead, not wanting to admit how touched that thought made him. They continued down the path towards their home in silence, and Luna quietly strode up beside her husband, nestling her face against the side of his neck as Scarlet Sage strode up to his other side and smiled supportively at him before gazing tenderly at her little brother.

They were quiet until they reached the front yard of their home, sitting in the wild grasses and gazing up over the expanded house: two floors now, shutters in place over the second floor windows, the exterior varnished ironwood logs. It was more than enough for their strange family, and Scarlet Sage shook her head slowly as she murmured softly: “You and Mom have done such a good job on the place.”

“Well, the Nibelung did the hard stuff, and you've been helping out too, so don't sell yourself short. We've all had a hoof in building this... our home.” Scrivener replied quietly, gesturing towards it with a small smile, and Scarlet Sage nodded thoughtfully after a moment before the stallion added softly: “Thank you for being okay with Twilight moving in. And for putting up with the cramped quarters at the library for as long as we did, while the Nibelung were working out here.”

“Well, Dad, it wasn't hard. You and Mom are a little... weird... but...” Scarlet Sage looked up thoughtfully, then she smiled a little. “I mean this in a good way, but I could see that whole weird Lich thing happening. I think I'm going to go to bed, though... I promised Red we'd... we'd go out tomorrow.”

“Out? As in, courting?” Luna asked curiously as Scarlet Sage headed for the door, and the Pegasus only blushed a little as she hurried onwards, before the winged unicorn trotted after her daughter, calling cheerfully: “No, no! What is that word that Rarity and the fancy ponies use... uh... thou must dish!”

Scrivener cleared his throat at this as Luna chased the Pegasus inside, and then he shook his head, gazing thoughtfully over the structure of the cottage again before smiling a little to himself. Then he paused before glancing curiously to the side as he heard a rustling, tensing up a bit... but sighing in relief as he saw it was only a Nightmare.

Scrivener paused for a moment as the shadowy creature approached him, and then he smiled wryly, asking mildly: “Do you think it's a good or bad thing I relax when I see Nightmares and demons lurking out of the shadows?”

“It is prudent, brother, for there are more dangerous things than our siblings and cousins hunting you and Mistress Luna.” the Nightmare replied, bowing its head politely with a smile. “We wished to share our nightly report.”

The stallion nodded, becoming a little more serious now: Luna had started to deploy her servants of the night more actively, sending them out on patrols and scouting missions, and asking for regular reports from them on what was going on in the country. For a few moments, the Nightmare only surveyed him, almost thoughtful, and then it leaned forwards and said gently: “There is little of interest going on... but we have noted... strangeness, here and there. There was a murder in Manehattan, and one of your strange buildings of electricity and metal was broken into. Laboratory, is this the word?”

Scrivener nodded again, and the creature nodded back before continuing softly: “Noteworthy, but still possibly the work of your own kind; but in the north, we detected chaotic energies, and found several demons in states of... discomfort. They were left vulnerable in the open, as if to attract others, bound down with strange objects... but whatever it was had long left, and the chaos energies were fading from around them. All the same, they were unable to tell us of their attacker... they had no memory of the events, only a blinding bang, and wild swirls of light and sound.”

“Like Ginnungagap energies?” Scrivener frowned, tilting his head curiously, and the Nightmare nodded, looking pleased that it wouldn't have to explain. “So you think...”

“We do not know: Helheim and Ginnungagap have long held a great... dislike... of one-another, but I will not suggest it was the Draconequus. We have... swallowed our hatred of him, as he has done the same for us.” The Nightmare sounded a little grudging all the same, but then it shook its head and continued quietly: “And he is not powerful enough to do this. I do not know what would be.”

The stallion grunted and looked down thoughtfully before the Nightmare bowed politely, then smiled as it looked up and studied him for a few moments. “Before I leave, my siblings and I would like you to know that we heard the stories told by the one called Discombobulation. We would like you to know that should things ever take this turn... we will still be there to support you and Mistress Luna, and gladly. You have been good to us. We are yours to command, loyal always, and we do not think either of you should be ashamed of the possibilities and thoughts that may cross your minds.”

Scrivener smiled thinly as he looked up, but the Nightmare only bowed its head politely before vanishing into dark smoke, and the earth pony sighed after a moment as he dropped his head forwards, mumbling: “Focus, Scrivy, focus.”

He shook himself out a little, and Antares stirred and murmured on his back before the stallion headed towards the house. He could already feel Luna sorting through his thoughts and the information the Nightmare had presented even as he pushed the door open, and he smiled a bit as she leaned curiously into the hallway before he said gently: “Just putting the kid to bed, first, Luna.”

“Is it really so late?” Luna almost wheedled, and Scrivener looked at her flatly before pointedly glancing at Scarlet Sage's door, but Luna only huffed at this. “Oh, our daughter always goes to bed early! And she requires rest, she has her first date with Apple Bloom tomorrow and must look pretty or some nonsense, when I am sure Apple Bloom shall already find her ravishing. Antares does not have to be awake. Bring him here, I desire to play with him.”

Scrivener gave Luna a flat look, and Luna glared at him before the stallion sighed and rolled his eyes, striding down the hall and muttering: “We are definitely not getting any parent of the year awards at this rate.”

“We would did such a thing exist. I would smash my way on stage to prove what a wonderful mother I am and defeat all those other lazy, magazine-reading mommies.” Luna winked over at him, then she posed for a moment in front of the bedding proudly. “What says 'best mother' better than one whom can slay a dragon?”

“A lot of mothers are dragons.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna looked at him for a moment before he said dryly: “Not referring to you, darling. You're... definitely a dragon-slayer.”

Luna grunted in agreement, nodding before she reached out and swept Antares off Scrivener's back, shaking him once and making the earth pony wince as Antares Mīrus groaned and then groggily opened his eyes, asking in an exhausted voice: “Mommy?”

“Come, stay up a little, Antares. Thou fell asleep again during the story, and missed the finale.” Luna said gently, kissing her son's forehead as she smiled a little. “Scrivener shall summarize it for thee, if thou likes. And he shall also get me coffee. But stay awake, if but for an hour, even half: otherwise thou shall be awake again at five in the morn and I shall be too tired to know what to do with thee.”

Scrivener rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself as he headed for the kitchen, and Antares nodded blearily as he sat up a little, rubbing at his eyes before he smiled and said quietly: “I didn't... miss the finale, though, Mom. I mean... I don't think I did...”

He frowned a little, looking down thoughtfully before he nodded and yawned, mumbling: “There was... a bad foal, named Midnight Hour... no. No, that's wrong. He was a really good foal at first, and smart, and strong, and a unicorn. A strange unicorn... like me, but not like me.” Antares nodded slowly again, looking down thoughtfully as he flapped his leathery wings once, then furled them slowly at his sides. “But he went bad... because he got... confused.”

Luna nodded slowly, cocking her head curiously: she had been sure that Antares had been asleep, after all, for the end of the story. Scrivener tilted his own head as he stood in the archway between den and kitchen, and Antares blushed a little, smiling awkwardly over at his father before he shook his head embarrassedly, but when his mother gestured for him to go on, the child hesitated, then said finally: “I think... it was because he was told all the time he was a hero. He could have anything he wanted. That he was... the best thing in the world. And because... his Mom and Dad would never tell him no, and never set rules. And so he went from being very good... to very bad. Is that right?”

“It could be... in fact, I think it is, Antares Mīrus.” Luna said softly, reaching down and picking the child up to hug hm quietly for a moment, and he hugged his mother back, curling up against her a little as she looked down at him softly, rubbing a hand slowly up and down his back. “But I cannot say for sure, because... I do not know the child, and 'twas only a story. And in a story, all things are possible, are they not?”

“It was a sad story.” Antares murmured, and Scrivener nodded slowly as Luna gently set the foal back down, before the foal looked up at Luna curiously. “But then... the... I don't know. I know it was supposed to be like you and Dad, but were you... were you the heroes, or were you the bad guys?”

“We were... both, and neither. We were... the characters you end up cheering on sometimes, even when you don't want to.” Scrivener said softly, shaking his head and smiling a little. “And we were the characters you kept telling yourself were evil... yet all the same were horrified when they actually showed just how nasty they were.”

Antares looked down and nodded quietly, and then he was quiet for a few moments before saying quietly: “But you two turned into Gymbr. And I guess... that both surprised me and didn't.” The foal hesitated, then he looked up and asked nervously: “Gymbr... I mean, he's not... and...”

“No, Antares. No more than thou art Midnight Hour. Go, fetch thy toy, see for thyself.” Luna said softly, and Antares smiled a little after a moment, nodding in agreement before he turned and hurried off down the hall. Luna gazed after him quietly, then she sighed a little and turned her eyes to Scrivener, muttering: “Do I have to put a candy in the lie jar?”

“No, I don't think that counts.” Scrivener smiled a little: they kept a jar labeled 'Lies' on the counter as a reminder to always be honest, at least with each other. It was an amusing little idea that Twilight Sparkle had suggested after reading about it in some psychology book she'd been studying to try and help with the adjustments of their 'particular lifestyle choices,' as she phrased it. “Besides, I... I don't think Gymbr will hurt Antares. It might sound weird, but I think Midnight Hour proves that, assuming... Gymbr the doll and story-Gymbr have something to do with each other.”

Luna grunted after a moment, looking down moodily before Antares returned with his winged unicorn doll, and he sat down with this in front of his mother, gazing up at her with a small smile. He kneaded it quietly with his hooves, rocking a little on the spot, and then he finally swallowed a bit and looked up, asking nervously: “I'm... I'm not like Midnight Hour, am I?”

“No. Not at all.” Luna said firmly, before she reached out and played a hoof quietly through his mane, gazing at him lovingly. “Just as we are not the same parents who rose Midnight Hour, too-indulgent. Oh, aye, we spoil thee...” Luna winked and gently bopped Antares Mīrus on the nose, making him giggle a little. “But we also have rules, do we not? Thou must listen to thy parents, and thy family, and respect and care for thy friends. Thou must not ever use thy strength to harm others, and thou must always remember to be honorable. Honor flows in thy blood; honor did not flow in the blood of those silly creatures in the story.”

Antares nodded, looking reassured as he gazed up with his green-tinted eyes to his mother, who smiled softly back as she stroked under his muzzle and teased quietly: “And besides, thou might have thy father's coat and mane but look at thee, Antares, with thy mother's eyes and thy mother's pretty features.”

“Mom!” Antares laughed a little, blushing and pushing at her hoof, and Luna smiled as she let it drop away before the colt hesitated, gazing softly over his shoulder at his father. Scrivener smiled at him, but as he often was, Antares remained quiet before he bowed his head forwards with a bit of a blush, hugging his doll against his chest and rocking a little on the spot.

Scrivener brought out coffee for himself and Luna, and milk in a sippy cup for Antares: he still couldn't handle a regular cup all that well with his clumsy hooves or telekinesis, but he was content with the cup and able to feed himself. He was catching on to the little things fast, and he had a vocabulary that made Scrivener proud... then again, he thought every parent felt this way, if they cared about their kids. Rainbow was always bragging about Avalon, after all, who had learned how to say certain words, mostly so she could demand things or argue with her parents. She was a little terror; adorable, tiny, but a terror all the same.

But she was a good kid, and honest and loyal, just like her parents. And a better flier than chatty little Meadowlark, at that, but that was no surprise. Antares was glad to play with her when they got together, and sometimes Meadowlark's parents would bring her over too... and there were a few other foals Antares was getting to know in town on better terms than just playground buddies, too.

Luna and Scrivener had decided to have Antares tutored: with both Twilight Sparkle and Celestia willing to help with that, and the child's fast learning, he could learn more and much better from them. Not that Scrivener had anything against Cheerilee: as a matter of fact, they had asked her if it was possible they could have Antares tutored privately, but still ensure that he got plenty of interaction in one way or another with other foals.

There were plenty of things for Antares to get involved with around Ponyville: team sports, a foal's theater group, a program where parents could sign their kids up for play-dates together so children and parents could get to know one another. Scrivener had hurriedly nixed the last, and then decided to investigate the various places around town... but with Luna accompanying him, they had more than once been politely declined after she began either bragging about her children or scaring the other parents.

Either way, Scrivener and Luna wanted Antares to be able to interact positively with other ponies, since... that was a field his parents were a little lacking in. For now, they were just glad that Antares had friends, and was making more: both of them knew how important friendship was, after all.

Luna and Scrivener gazed at each other softly, smiling a little: they loved each other, after all, but they were also the best of friends. And then Luna looked down at her son and laughed softly as she realized he had fallen asleep on the floor with his half-full sippy cup and Gymbr both snuggled close, saying quietly aside to Scrivener: “Look at him, husband. Is he not... oh, Mimir himself could not describe his flawlessness!”

Scrivener smiled a bit at this, glancing amusedly over at Luna before he stepped over to the child... but Luna huffed a bit, leaning over and poking at him with her horn, making him wince back a little. “Oh, cease. Look, he is fine there... let his rest deepen, and then I shall take our son to bed.”

Scrivener nodded after a moment, and then Luna gazed over at him before stepping carefully around her son, and she leaned over as Scrivener turned his head to meet her lips, kissing her slowly, gently. Their eyes closed, and they pressed closer together for a moment before Luna slowly drew back, her eyes closed as the stallion reached up and quietly drew a hoof through her starry locks, meeting her eyes with a slight smile. “I love you, warrior princess.”

“As I love thee, Scrivy. Always.” Luna said softly, and then she leaned forwards and kissed his nose gently before winking at him. “I shall show thee just how much I love thee shortly, too.”

“You know, if you get pregnant again, I'm going to put you in a wheelbarrow and leave you in Ponyville with Celestia. She can deal with you.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna only laughed, looking over at him with entertainment. “Hey, you're the one always jumping my bones.”

“Aye, I am. But it would be nice if thou could play the ravishing brute now and then.” Luna winked and leaned towards him. “I know thou has it in thee. Would it help if I called thee a handsome monster?”

Her hooves stroked along his chest as Scrivener cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to ignore the thrill that raced along his spine before he tilted his head upwards as Luna kissed the side of his neck lightly, saying lamely: “L-Luna, uh... Antares. Is right there. You're going to give him nightmares.”

“Oh, very well. I shall put the foal to bed, then.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener smiled slightly before Luna reached down and gently swept the foal up, looking at him lovingly before she kissed his forehead softly and carefully slipped the child onto her back. She carried him down the hall, and Scrivener climbed to his hooves to follow after her, pausing only to pick up Gymbr after a moment of hesitation.

Luna gently set Antares down on his bed, his leathery wings twitching once before half-furling against him, and the winged unicorn smiled softly, reaching down to help smooth his wings out against his sides as she murmured: “Always loose, but 'tis to be expected. His wings are not the strongest, but... yet, I am glad for it, somehow. Is that wrong of me?”

“Nah.” Scrivener said softly, and he reached out, gently passing Gymbr to his son... and smiling when the colt rolled a little to instinctively hug the doll up against his chest. “He's plenty special and plenty strong, just the way he is, after all. And.... Nightmare Moon...”

“Nightmare Moon and I have come to an understanding over Antares, if not peace. She shall speak to him... when he is ready to speak to her, and as with all things with Antares, I am sure he will give us a sign when he is ready. His gift, is the gift of understanding, Scrivy...” Luna looked softly up at her husband, and the two leaned against each other as her starry mane swirled quietly behind her. “And it is a greater gift than my Valkyrie might or thine slaying words. Well. Any gift is a greater gift than thy sordid poetry.”

Scrivener grunted at this, not knowing whether or not he was agreeing or arguing before he shook his head and said softly: “You're right, though. Understanding... if we all had a little more of that, this would be a much better place.”

“And that, Scrivener Blooms, is why I believe our son is truly destined for greatness.” Luna smiled over at him, and then she leaned over and nipped the side of his neck playfully, making him wince and blush a little before she firmly used her horn to nudge him around in a circle, poking him towards the door. “Now come, Scrivener. 'Tis time for me to show that I can be just as carnal and wicked as any evil Luna could.”

“I think you're probably worse.” Scrivener remarked, and then he winced when Luna huffed and shoved him into their bedroom before tackling him back onto their bedding, making him grin awkwardly. “So much for wanting me to be the big bad monster.”

“Some other night.” Luna licked her lips slowly, then grinned widely... and more than an hour later, the winged unicorn emerged with a pleased look on her face, Scrivener following her after a moment to the den and looking amusedly at the winged unicorn before he slipped up beside her and kissed her cheek, then headed towards the kitchen.

He returned after a few minutes with coffee, and Luna smiled as he laid down beside her, the two resting together as she buried her face against the side of his neck. For a few moments, there was peace, and quiet, and only them together... and then Luna finally kissed the side of his neck and murmured: “I am fortunate to have thee as my husband, my husband.”

“Some would argue with that.” Scrivener replied mildly, nuzzling her gently in return, and he smiled as her mane swayed against his features, leaving a soft tingling sensation before he lowered his head and murmured: “I'll never be able to express how lucky I am to have you. You know. For more reasons than the fact I can hide behind you when large, scary things try to eat me and because you're really good in bed.”

Luna snorted in amusement, bumping their noses together as she looked at him cheerfully. “Aye, I do have many good qualities, do I not? I am everything a proper mare should be.”

“Well. I wouldn't go quite that far.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna huffed at him, poking at him lightly with her horn before the earth pony laughed and leaned out of the way as he shoved at her with one hoof.

Then they were simply quiet, smiling at each other after a few moments before Luna picked up her mug of coffee and sipped slowly at it with a sigh of relief, murmuring: “There are many good things in life, Scrivy. Many, many fortunes. 'Tis easy to forget with all the encroaching darkness but... we have much to be thankful for, do we not? And above all, we always have each other... that, I think, is the lesson I choose to take from the strange story Discombobulation told. That our love shall conquer all.”

“Because love conquers all.” Scrivener murmured thoughtfully, looking down... and then he nodded after a moment and stood up, heading over to his writing desk and the notebooks stacked on it. Luna watched him curiously as the male flipped one open... then winced a bit when the tarot card fluttered out, grimacing a little as he carefully picked this up and studied it for a moment before finally putting it carefully aside.

He shook his head out, then picked up a quill as he shuffled through his notebooks before selecting one, popping it open, and scratching down a quick title over the top margin of the front page. He surveyed it for a moment, then smiled and nodded to himself as he put the quill back and closed the booklet, stacking it back with the others as he said over his shoulder. “Thanks, Luna. I was stumped for a title. You're an inspiration.”

“Yes, I am.” Luna replied cheerfully, but she was blushing a little even as she rose her head proudly, gazing over at stallion warmly. “But hast thou not always recognized this in me, my handsome husband?”

“You got me there.” Scrivener smiled again at her, then he strode back over to the bedding to drop down beside her as they curled their forms together, eyes closed as they rested against one-another like the young lovers they would always be.

Their hearts beat in soft time, their minds worked gently together, they felt like one being as they simply relaxed with one-another in this moment of tranquility. They had no major plans for most of the week, after all... the next big event, Nightmare Night, was still a couple of months away. The Anchors had all been placed, and they hadn't even seen Odin that often: he was busy trying to find Clockwork World, and working on a variety of different projects.

The defenses had been built, Canterlot was nearing complete restoration – to the point where staff were now moving things into the castle, even if Illyria still had to do one final check of the structure to ensure it was stable – and soldiers were being trained. Luna helped out with this every now and then, and they usually paid her a hefty sum of bits for the training she provided the groups of soldiers. Not that they were ever in severe need of money... Luna could always scrounge up the bits from somewhere, wheedle Celestia into giving her some, or procure items for trade. Barter was still Luna's favorite method of getting what she wanted... well, second favorite, since her first would likely always be intimidating and threatening people into doing what she wanted them to.

Luna grinned a little at this thought as she nestled her head against the side of his neck, murmuring: “'Tis not entirely true, Scrivy... I only rarely threaten or pummel Ponyville's merchants, after all. And they always deserve it when I do.”

Scrivener smiled amusedly, then he kissed her temple gently before looking towards their empty coffee mugs, then up at the faint morning light that had begun to crawl into the kitchen and the corridor. Luna grumbled a little, and Scrivener gave a soft look before she mumbled: “I am not saying that I do not enjoy not having to attend to every little detail, beloved, but... I do sometimes miss moving the moon through the sky as I please. And moreover, miss being able to harass Celestia into waiting just a little longer before raising the sun.”

The stallion nudged her gently, and she grunted after a moment. “But aye, 'tis nice like this. No need to worry about missing the time to move the sun or moon; no need to sit around staring at clocks or the sky. No Celestia complaining about timing.” Luna yawned a little, then suddenly sprung up to her hooves, shaking herself briskly out. “But very well then, Scrivener Blooms. Come, we have spent long enough in bed now, let us get up and... well... we must do something today. Something special.”

Scrivener smiled slightly at her, giving an amused look to Luna before she huffed a little. “Well, we must! Scarlet Sage is going on a date... perhaps we should go on a date as well. We can leave Antares with his beloved Aunt Tia and Twilight-Mommy, and... go out to dinner at a nice restaurant.”

The stallion only continued to look at her amusedly for a few moments, and Luna mumbled under her breath to herself before the stallion finally said mildly: “For one thing, Twilight is going to be here today. For another, I thought we were going to finish off as much of upstairs today as we could, so we could start moving furniture and things in. And lastly, what happened the last time we went out to a restaurant together?”

“'Twas a fluke!” Luna scoffed, even as her nose twitched and she glanced awkwardly away, and then she mumbled: “The glass windows were fragile. 'Twas the fool's own fault that he was pummeled through them.”

Scrivener gave the winged unicorn an amused look, and she huffed a bit at him before the stallion asked mildly: “And when's the last time Antares called Twilight Twilight-Mommy?”

“Oh, do not change the subject.” Luna grumbled, then she paused before asking finally: “Compromise, perhaps? Thou should cook us a nice, special dinner here. A family meal, but... special. Thou knows what I mean.”

“But only if you help me finish off those rooms today. And no throwing the bucket of nails at me.” Scrivener said pointedly, leaning towards her, and Luna grunted after a moment, nodding in agreement, and the stallion smiled. “Alright then. Fair enough.”

Luna nodded cheerfully, then she turned and started for the kitchen, but Scrivener halted her as he said flatly: “We are not starting work yet.”

“But... I am bored.” Luna whined, and Scrivener sighed a little before Luna turned around and grinned widely at him, looking at him pointedly. “Shall thou... entertain me, my handsome stallion?”

“Why is there so much wrong with you?” the stallion asked almost curiously, and Luna huffed at him before she paused when Scrivener glanced up after a moment, hesitating before he said finally: “I think we should put the staircase in here.”

The winged unicorn grumbled a little, and Scrivener smiled despite himself: for now, the upper level of their house was reachable only by a staircase outside of the building, curving up from the back patio to the door that led into the second floor. It made it seem almost a separate condominium: charming in a way, but it could be a little frustrating when they wanted to go between floors.

On the other hand, neither Scrivener nor Luna were eager to expand on the changes that had already been made to their household and were hesitant to put in an inner stair. It would mean moving things around in one way or another, and it wasn't like either of the ponies were all that fond of changing things that had already been set up and they had gotten used to... although Luna had also suggested a ladder and trapdoor, which for some reason amused Scrivener more than he could say. It would give the feeling of turning the entire second floor into a secret clubhouse or something.

“And yet 'twould also be out of the way and efficient. I desire the ladder and trapdoor. We can even hide it away in the servant room.” Luna said pointedly, and Scrivener gave her a dry look as she huffed. “Very well, the laundry room, better?”

“That makes me think, though. Why aren't Nightmares and demons doing all those odd jobs and chores for us? Folding clothes, cutting the grass outside when it gets too wild, all the stuff that I do?” Scrivener asked mildly, and Luna shrugged and looked at him with a grin, making the stallion sigh. “You know, just because you're soulbound with me, doesn't mean the sense of accomplishment I feel when I manage to get things done around here yours.”

“'Tis so. We share in all victories. But whenever thou art defeated 'tis all thine own fault.” Luna replied cheerfully, and Scrivener grumbled before the winged unicorn bounced over to him and leaned down to kiss his forehead lightly. “Now come, Scrivy. Let's at least check on the Ambrosia tree outside and do some work in the garden, if thou art so worried about disturbing the foals.”

“Scarlet Sage isn't a foal anymore.” Scrivener said softly, smiling a little, and Luna paused before laughing quietly and nodding slowly, the two studying each other before the stallion hesitated, then asked finally: “Do you think we've been good parents to her? I mean... we've tried to teach her all we could and everything, and about her powers and... we've tried to keep her safe. But we also made her a little like us, didn't we?”

But Luna only smiled slightly at this, shrugging slowly and replying quietly: “And is that not what all parents do, Scrivener Blooms? Make their foals at least a little like them. Aye, perhaps... we have not always been good influences, I shall be the first to admit that. But Scarlet Sage is a beautiful, wonderful daughter. And we...”

Luna quieted, looking down for a moment before she shook her head, and Scrivener looked at her softly as he stood. But she only smiled again, then turned and led him out through the kitchen, striding over the patio and into the back yard as she murmured: “It is not our right to judge whether or not we are good parents. Have we not discussed this? Why, thou wert the one who often said it, no?”

“And that's why I worry a lot.” Scrivener replied quietly, gazing over his shoulder at the house softly. “I try to be the best father I can be to her and to Antares but... I have no idea what the hell I'm doing. I can say with confidence I'm a better dad than Bramblethorn but that's not exactly saying a lot. And I look at other fathers sometimes and can't help but see how they're doing a better job than me. Rainbow Dash is so damn patient with Avalon, after all, and so encouraging... Engelhart is an amazing father to Meadowlark.”

“Bah, that is only what we see in public.” Luna said dismissively, shaking her head quickly, and Scrivenre gave her an amused look before the winged unicorn said kindly: “Stop comparing thyself to everypony, thou art not me, Scrivener Blooms. And 'tis only cute for so long when thou art insecure and neurotic, then it becomes tiresome and I wish to pummel thee.”

Scrivener gave her an amused look before he turned his eyes forwards, gazing softly over the Ambrosia tree that still loomed quietly over the pool. A tree of temptation... and once, yes, both he and Luna had given in and shared a fruit from that tree. Not that it seemed to do much... it had just been one of the bittersweet fruits, after all, carefully skinned and cored and cut into pieces they had eaten slowly and leisurely together.

Luna looked quietly towards the tree as well, and then she shook her head, murmuring: “Aye, we are no good at resisting temptation. But... my curiosity was sated, anyway, by the act: and besides, the damned tree is here, begging us to eat from it. 'Tis annoying enough that Pinkamena keeps eating the fruit whenever she stops in... and I swear that after the story, she honestly does consider the idea more and more of... becoming a full-blooded demon.”

“Can you blame her?” Scrivener asked softly, and Luna smiled wanly at this and nodded after a moment, the two gazing silently at the gnarled reflection of the Ambrosia tree in the pond. “I... think sometimes... about evil Scrivener. It's... alluring to me. So I can't even imagine how compelling the thought of that transformation must be to Pinkamena. And I think her reasons would be the purest of us all, to pursue that path; not just because she cares so much for friends and family, however deep its hidden beneath the blades and the blood... because she hates herself almost as much as I do.”

“'Tis something we have to work on. Although 'tis also the reason why thou and her are such good friends, is it not?” Luna smiled after a moment, and Scrivener nodded with a laugh despite himself, sitting back a bit before the winged unicorn leaned over and kissed his cheek. For a little while, they were silent... and then the starry-maned mare looked ahead and said quietly: “I think that... should Pinkamena ever come to us about that subject... I would help her. Perhaps because I am cruel, perhaps because there is a part of me that is both very evil and very curious, but also because I believe... in her. Does thou understand?”

They looked at each other, trading emotions and thoughts back and forth, and after a few moments Scrivener finally nodded. He smiled a little, and she smiled back, reaching a hoof up and carefully brushing back the male's mane before she said kindly: “Very well then, handsome Scrivener Blooms. Now come, to tend to the damned Ambrosia tree and our little night garden. I do not want again to deal with bugs that have eaten of the Ambrosia and trebled in size, 'tis too much of a pain to squish them while thou screeches and cowers like a little filly.”

“Oh, thank you, Luna.” Scrivener grumbled, rolling his eyes before he added dryly: “And I'm not the one scared of moths, at least.”

“I am not scared of moths!” Luna glowered at him, blushing a little. “'Tis simply annoying that... my mane attracts the foul, poisonous little creatures. Like... well...”

“Moths to a flame?” Scrivener grinned over at her, and then he winced when Luna smacked him lightly, laughing despite himself after a moment before he strode out into the backyard, and Luna grumbled as she followed him... but all the same, felt both entertainment and warmth, here, in this bubble of tranquil morning spent with her husband.

The Hedonist And The Ascetic

Chapter Forty: The Hedonist And The Ascetic
~BlackRoseRaven

Pinkamena groaned as she threw her head back, then slammed her hooves down on the tabletop, glaring at the sheriff and making him quail back as Mayor Mare shrank down and tried to half-hide behind Celestia. It didn't help that both Luna and Scrivener were also here, looking less-than-thrilled with the Mayor and the sheriff: Celestia at least, seemed willing to give Pinkamena the benefit of the doubt, especially with Pinkie Pie backing up everything her darker twin said. “For the hundredth goddamn time, it wasn't me! Like sissy says, I've been here all day, every day... you can go ask the damn foals that threw up on me!”

“How can we ignore the evidence? A pony that looks remarkably like you has been seen several times... once even recorded on camera, breaking and entering other businesses. In particular, candy and grocery stores, and helping herself to the food there.” the sheriff said after a moment, straightening and trying to look serious: he was a tan, tall earth pony with a large golden mustache and a slicked back, sandy mane. Pinkamena only glowered at him, however, unfazed by his badge, his sternness, or anything else: it didn't help he kept half-hiding every time she became aggressive.

“Yeah, in black and white camera recordings, that's real useful.” Pinkamena muttered, reaching down and picking up one of the pictures they had brought. The demon grumbled under her breath: the only thing that had gone right with the 'interview' so far was that they had agreed to talk to her here at Sugar Cube Corners, and it was after hours. Not that she cared much about the business, but the last thing she needed was gossipy foals talking about how the big bad half-demon was arrested by the cops. “Besides, looks more like sissy. Right sissy?”

“Kind of, but... it wasn't me either, you guys know that, right?” Pinkie Pie looked up worriedly, and the Mayor sighed as Celestia smiled supportively, before the brighter Pink Twin reached over and apprehensively poked at the picture. “But Lemon Drop can't even style her mane like that without like a bajillion-zillion bottles of hairspray and stuff...”

“Thanks, Pinkie, really.” Pinkamena grumbled, but then she nodded, reaching up and shoving her mane quickly up into a rough, bubbly mockery of her sister's... but the moment she let go, it spilled perfectly flat and straight again into a waterfall that once more half-covered her features, seeming to magically untangle itself. “See? Arrest sissy, she's a better suspect than I am.”

“Lemon Drop!” Pinkie Pie whined, and Luna giggled a little, then hurriedly looked serious again when all eyes turned to her for a moment before the bright pink pony asked incredulously: “Do you want me arrested?”

But Luna only smiled kindly, leaning forwards and replying easily: “Nay, I simply think that it would be quite a sight to see them scrambling to find a way to keep thee in thy cell, and I am sure thou would do a wonder for all those prisoners. I am sure many of them have not had a party in years and years, after all.”

Pinkie Pie looked thoughtful at this, before the sheriff said dryly: “I'm not here to arrest anypony. We're just... having a talk, that's all, about these suspicious incidents. Incidents we're willing to say aren't thievery, but maybe just... vandalism, not worth real prison time, but more an apology and some fines to make up for what's happened. Maybe the charges don't even have to go on record if the guilty party comes forwards and agrees to some community service to help make up for things...”

Pinkamena snorted at this, saying disgustedly: “You watch way too many cop shows. What, turns out that being sheriff just ain't all it was supposed to be and now you're trying to talk like the big colts do over in Manehattan?”

The sheriff glared at her, and then Celestia held up a hoof, interrupting quietly: “Pinkamena, on your word. Did you do this?”

“Ain't me.” Pinkamena said firmly, looking up at Celestia and meeting her eyes fearlessly. “Come on, Princess Sunshine. You should know me better than that. I'm into violence and bloodshed... and while there is little better in this world than a good, properly-prepared meal, I ain't into sweets, or veggies. I'm into meat.”

The sheriff and the Mayor both winced, but Celestia only regarded the half-demon steadily before she nodded once and said quietly: “Then I'll vouch for her as willingly as my little sister and brother do. Pinkamena is a valued friend, and she has always been honest.”

Scrivener nodded as well, smiling as he reached up and gently touched the half-demon's shoulder, and she huffed and brushed this quickly off, glowering at him but still looking awkwardly touched by the show of support from the others around her before the sheriff sighed and nodded. “Alright, I guess... I don't have any further questions right now. But if anything comes up, you know where you find me. And if you don't have anything to do with this, you may want to consider locking your shop up tight. The thief is bold: waits for the business to be closed or the owner to leave for a little while, then goes right in through the front door.”

The half-demon only grumbled, slamming her hooves together as she muttered: “She's more than welcome to break in here and try her luck with me. I'll wrap her up in a pretty bow for you once I'm done with her.”

The sheriff grimaced at this, and then the Mayor stepped forwards, saying awkwardly: “There's also a small problem we need to discuss that I figured would be appropriate at this point and time... you have no birth certificate, no personal identification, you've never filed a tax return, and you don't have a business license...”

“I have sharp teeth, large hooves, and I can kill you with my mind.” Pinkamena threatened, pointing a hoof at her own head, and both the Mayor and the sheriff winced back before she grinned widely. “Okay, I can't do the last part. But I can break every bone in your body if I wanted to. I could, in fact, tear through a concrete wall to get to you to break every bone in your body if I wanted to.”

The Mayor swallowed slowly as the sheriff tried to steel himself, asking clearly: “Are you making a threat?”

“Does that sound like a threat to anypony here? I'm just bragging a little about how strong I am.” Pinkamena winked, then she leaned forwards and flicked the sheriff's hat off his head, making him wince and scurry to pick it up. “But sure, I'll make sure I get in to do that real soon.”

“You do understand what I'm saying, don't you?” The Mayor hesitated, then leaned forwards and said nervously: “I can't simply allow you to continue... doing business as you please here, without... well, any of the proper authority or forms. You need-”

“Are you threatening to shut down this place? Now? Because, what, you think you can squeeze me into confessing for a crime I didn't commit?” Pinkamena asked incredulously, leaning forwards as Luna and Scrivener both glared, and Celestia pointedly, slowly stepped away from Mayor Mare and the sheriff, making them both quail a little: they felt like very small ponies faced against a group that was just waiting for an excuse to turn them into glue. “No. No, screw you! Sissy and I have worked our flanks off here!”

“Understand where I'm coming from, we're... we're in the presence of the Baroness...” This excuse fell flat with the ugly look that the Mayor received from Celestia, and she shrank a bit before adding awkwardly: “I'm getting... a lot of pressure from the local businesses, who have already made reports to the barony-wide and Equestrian national government it's... it's out of my hooves, I can't turn a blind eye to this. I'm afraid I have no choice but to order...”

She broke off at the horrible looks Pinkamena and Luna both gave her, as Pinkie Pie trembled a little, and she picked up weakly: “I... I mean, I have no choice but to ask politely that you cease business activities... I... I can at least allow you to continue to live here, but you can't sell your goods until you... have all the proper licenses.”

“A business license.” Pinkamena said disgustedly, and then she snarled at them before hammering her hooves against the tabletop, leaning forwards as her red-rimmed eyes glowed like gemstones. “You goddamn crowbait. Maybe I should go out and vandalize every business out there. Maybe I should go glut myself on a little carnage.”

“I believe our business is done here.” Celestia said shortly, looking moodily over at the Mayor and the sheriff before they could speak, and both ponies nodded awkwardly to the Baroness after a moment as she gestured cordially towards the door, but her eyes made it clear it was an order. Both the Mayor and the sheriff turned to hurry out, and Celestia lingered for only a moment before she said quietly: “I'm sorry, Pinkamena, Pinkie Pie.”

Pinkie Pie only smiled faintly, some of the puff gone from her mane and tail, her color a little faded as she shook her head slowly, and Pinkamena only muttered and flicked a hoof, grumbling. “Doesn't matter. Get lost, Princess Sunshine. You too, Scrivener, Luna. I ain't in the mood for company right now.”

Scrivener reached up and touched her shoulder, and this time Pinkamena didn't shrug it off, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards silently before Luna asked gently: “We are staying in town tonight at the library anyway, so would thou like me to go and burn down City Hall for thee? 'Twould be no trouble.”

“Real sweet of you to offer, Nightmare Moon, but I'll do it myself when I feel better.” the half-demon grumbled, and Scrivener and Luna both smiled a little before they simply nodded. Pinkie Pie traded a firm hug with Luna, and then the winged unicorns and the charcoal earth pony turned to make their way out.

Pinkamena sat for a little while, looking at the pictures that the sheriff had left moodily: shots of a pony that did look strangely like Pinkie Pie with her face buried in a tray of food. For a few moments, the half-demon studied this, then she sighed quietly and tossed it aside, muttering: “Useless crap. Blurry, can't make out the emblem, can't see her face. Probably not even a mare...”

She shook her head, then sighed and leaned out of her seat, looking over towards the counter: Pinkie Pie was calmly going through inventory, and the half-demon said tiredly: “Sissy, you don't have to do that. We... we aren't going to be allowed to sell this garbage for a while.”

Pinkie Pie only smiled a little over her shoulder, however, saying quietly: “Well, we can at least give it away, right? That'd be okay, yeah?”

For a moment, the half-demon frowned a little... then she finally shook her head and sighed, saying moodily: “Yeah, fine. Fine. I guess we can do that. Tomorrow we can head down to City Hall, too, get the forms... they're probably going to want to inspect the place too, though. And they'll drag their heels because they want to lock me up.”

“Come on, Lemon Drop, it's gonna be okay.” Pinkie Pie smiled, walking around the counter and quietly striding towards her twin as Pinkamena grumbled, then sighed when her sister hugged her, not returning the embrace but not pulling away either as Pinkie Pie murmured: “We got lots of stuff set aside, we got lots of bits, we got good friends. We're not going to lose our home or the shop, we just... need to push through this. And we can, 'cause we're sisters, right? We take care of each other. We do everything together.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that's my job, keeping your stupid flank safe.” Pinkamena sighed, reaching up and ruffling Pinkie Pie's mane, and some of the bounce visibly returned to the brighter twin as she smiled warmly, making Pinkamena grimace before she pushed her off. “Come on. Getting late, let's clean up the last of the crap from those kids, then pack up and head to bed. I'm tired.”

Pinkie Pie smiled and nodded, and the Twins worked in silence and synchronicity as they quickly cleaned up the shop, taking care of the little mess than remained and polishing the tables and countertop. Pinkamena was surprised by how difficult it was to think of losing their business and this place, of not having foals around, buying up treats and staring at her corner of the shop, filled with baked goods shaped like coffins and scary things and body parts...

Pinkie Pie seemed to already be moving forwards, though, optimistic, channeling her seemingly-infinite energy into positive thoughts and working to finish off cleaning. The half-demon envied that... even now, all she could think of was how everything always seemed to go wrong, one way or the other, and how they put up with so much only to have it all thrown back in their faces, just because... she was different. She was the half-demon, she had to be to blame... she wasn't wanted.

She shook her head moodily, then headed into the kitchen: she liked cleaning up because it kept her hooves busy, gave her a little quiet time. And she needed that right now, to just cool herself down and stop herself from doing anything too stupid: unlike Luna, after all, she didn't have a hidden retreat in the forest out of everypony's reach.

The Pink Twins worked quickly, and eventually, headed upstairs. Without needing to be asked, Pinkamena walked with Pinkie to her bed and tucked her in like she was still a foal amongst her stuffed animals, beneath her heavy fleece blankets. Bright, happy sister smiled up at her half-demon twin in the darkness, as Pinkamena sat quietly on a stool in the rays of moonlight shining in through the large window in the middle of the room. Her eyes almost glowed, and her shape seemed strange in the deep shadows, like there was something more than a pony there... but to Pinkie Pie, it was reassuring, no longer scary as it had once been. Pinkamena was her big twin sister: they loved each other, and took care of each other, and even if she was scary at times... Pinkamena had promised to protect her. Pinkie-promised.

Pinkamena watched her sibling until Pinkie Pie settled into sleep, and then she allowed herself a small smile before shaking her head and sighing as she looked moodily over her shoulder at her own bed. They had all this room... and yet Pinkie Pie all-but-demanded they sleep in the same bedroom. At least their beds were separate, at opposite walls, but it gave their bedroom a distinct duality: one side covered in stuffed animals and party supplies and the atrocious party cannon, the other with shelves filled with books and models and puzzles, knives and weapons glinting on the wall, and the simple low bed with a single plain sheet and a single pillow.

For now, the half-demon turned and headed out of the room, leaving the door ajar so a bit of light could filter in as she headed moodily down the hall to her office. It was a jumble of shelves and filing cabinets, dominated by a pockmarked, massive desk-table at the back that had several large models ornamenting it. She did all her work here, and put together a lot of her puzzles and models in here, too. It was her quiet place, her little sanctuary.

Tonight, though, she only sat at the desk, playing a little with a model of a warship as she sat moodily back, letting herself think until she finally sighed and looked at the clock on the wall above the curtained windows, muttering: “Whatever. Deal with everything else tomorrow.”

With that, Pinkamena put the model gently back down on the table, then slipped out of her seat and mumbled: “Everything should just come with goddamn instructions. Make life a whole lot easier. Or at least all the right pieces in all the right places so ponies don't have to be broken apart so often to fix them up...”

The building was dark and silent as the grinning pony slowly approached; it had a coat of dirty pink, its mane bubbly and bouncy but greasy. Its teeth seemed unnaturally large in its jaws as a bit of drool dribbled down its chin, slurping at its maw slowly as it approached the door leading into the shop.

It paused for a moment, blue eyes gleaming before it grasped the handle and turned it, giggling quietly as it found the door was unlocked. Slowly, it pushed the door open, breathing through its mouth as it carefully nudged it open until it gently tapped against the metal bell above... then it edged the door gently, ever-so-gently forwards before slipping through the narrow space lithely, squeezing just inside through the tight space before letting the door swing quietly closed with a snick, the bell settling back into place without ringing.

It looked eagerly back and forth, then rubbed its front hooves together slowly before the pony walked forwards, shaking its greasy mane out as its tail flicked. It salivated at the smell of the baked goods stored in the closed racks, then shook its head once before whispering in a high-pitched voice that confirmed it was a mare: “No, no, no... business first, then pleasure... but... maybe one...”

The strange pony nodded to itself as it hurried around the counter, reaching hoof up and gently pushing open one of the racks, licking its lips slowly. It swept up a muffin, studying this almost intently before nibbling on the edge of it carefully, and then it smiled, murmuring: “Cinnamon.”

Then it simply threw the muffin, wrapper and all, into its jaws and chewed greedily, swallowing hungrily before dropping its head into the shelving unit, drool and crumbs flying everywhere as it gobbled down the food voraciously. Its teeth accidentally clanged against the side of the shelf, but then the pony only twisted her head slightly and bit down harder, and a large chunk of metal was torn free, the pony swallowing this down just as hungrily before it straightened and licked its lips, then rose its hooves and slowly licked the crumbs off them as well.

It gave a giggle, then shook itself out and murmured: “Back to work. Back to work we go, yes yes yes, oh yes, oh yes. For the Clockwork King. By the Prophet's orders. Then I can enjoy some real treats...”

It laughed again, then turned and calmly made its way to the staircase leading up to the second floor, gazing back and forth and licking its lips slowly as it whispered: “Too bad the Cakes don't exist in this world. Would have been delicious...”

Slowly, the pony made its way calmly down the hall, sniffing at the air curiously: there it was, that strange smell again. Since it had been here, spying on Ponyville, starting to lay the groundwork for the other members of Decretum's Hexad to come forwards, it had encountered that strange scent again and again. It was like a pony, but mixed with something else, something it didn't entirely understand. Something that allured it on the one hoof but at the same time, smelled like poison. Not that poisons could hurt it...

The pony grinned widely: it didn't matter. The scent was getting stronger, but in just a few moments, her job would be done. Sure, there had been a few... distractions. Sampling the foods and pleasures of this world had been... far too tempting a chance to pass up, and until tonight, this pony had been hard to get alone. They had been telling a fascinating story... a story that made it think they knew more about Clockwork World than the Prophet had let on... but it wasn't the creature's place to question its masters.

Slowly, it pushed open the door to the bedroom, looking eagerly back and forth before it grinned wider, drool dripping from its jaws, still breathing slowly through its mouth. One side of the room was filled with party things and toys and stuffed animals that it would take pleasure in poking through and playing with later... and on the other side, it saw its target: a sleeping pony, all curled up nice and quiet in bed, not knowing, not suspecting what was coming.

It strode forwards hungrily, breathing harder, excited: it had done this before on other worlds, after all. It had done this same task in other layers, in order to gain information and insight into their enemies deeper than even Prophet could provide. The pony giggled as it passed through the moonlight: a pony who looked almost the exact same as Pinkie Pie, except for the grease and food splatters over its body and the too-large teeth... and the lack of a cutie mark on its flank. All it had to do was kill this layer's Pinkie Pie, a name and identity that the creature had given up a long time ago itself, and then pose as her, throwing silly parties and being nice to 'friends' and 'family,' and it could learn everything that Prophet desired about anyone and anything... it was incredible what ponies would share with friendly, harmless, stupid Pinkie Pie...

And as long as it was careful to stay in character, there was no way it could be caught... because it never left any annoying evidence behind. It grinned, eyes almost glowing as it leaned forwards over the pony, anticipating the tastes, the flavors, the textures as it angled its maw towards the pony's throat...

Then, suddenly, the figure in bed rolled over, and the Pinkie Pie imposter reared back in shock at the sight of a sharp-toothed, grinning not-entirely-pony with red-rimmed eyes. It could only stare stupidly as it finally realized what that strange smell had to be: demonic essence. “Hi.”

The false Pinkie Pie snarled... then a hoof slammed into its face and knocked it staggering away, and Pinkamena leapt out of bed before she slammed herself into the mare, bull-rushing the creature backwards. It seized her by the shoulders, shouting furiously as Pinkie Pie sat up with a yell of surprise, then stared in horror at the sight of Pinkamena tackling some horrible thing through the window, the sound of the glass shattering almost as loud as their yells as they fell... and yet which was nothing but a whisper compared to the sickening crack and bang when they crashed down on the edge of a wagon of supplies that had been left out in front of Sugar Cube Corners.

The creature snapped almost in half with a gargle and a gasp as Pinkamena was slung forwards, landing sprawled on her back on the other side of the wagon in the dirt. She cursed under her breath and slowly sat up as yells and shouts began to go up around the village, ponies already rushing out of their homes to see what was going on as the half-demon carefully picked herself up... then grimaced over her shoulder at the sight of the intruder, laying half in the wagon amidst lengths of rope and ribbon and chain, lower back pushed high into the air by the metal wall, legs flopped uselessly over the other side, gaping silently at the night sky above.

“She killed Pinkie Pie! She finally turned on her!” shouted a voice from the crowd, and murmurs and cries of horror went up as more ponies steadily gathered in the square.

“Murder! Murder!” cried another panicked pony, and Pinkamena snorted in disgust as she stood up, shaking herself off as the same raw voice shouted: “They should have locked you up years ago!”

Pinkamena only grinned sourly out at the crowd of ponies, looking over her shoulder silently at the broken window before she looked back towards the gathered ponies as they flung insults and shouted angrily, but didn't dare advance on the half-demon. It left an awkward stalemate, Pinkamena not wanting to go back inside in case somepony did something stupid before they understood that it wasn't Pinkie Pie she had just killed.

The sheriff arrived, looking both disgusted and victorious... but before he could do more than get the crowd to draw back, Celestia and Luna both arrived as well, with Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle following close behind. The crowd hurriedly drew further back to let them pass, and the sheriff winced, even as he pointed and shouted: “Look! Look at what she's done to that poor mare, her own sister!”

“Nope. Sissy!” Pinkamena shouted over her shoulder, and a moment later the bedroom light flickered on above, before, to the shock of the crowd and the stupefaction of the sheriff, Pinkie Pie stuck her head out of the window, staring fearfully down. “Good. Go back to bed, I got this.”

“No, I'm coming down, it's okay.” Pinkie Pie said worriedly, and Pinkamena grimaced a little before she turned her eyes moodily towards the others as Celestia began to step forwards.

But before she could take more than a few steps, there was a dry chuckle... and then Pinkamena snarled over her shoulder before spinning around as the eyes of the Pinkie Pie imposter fluttered... and then horribly, it grinned widely, whispering: “Silly me.”

And then, as if it was nothing more than an inconvenience, the pony-creature pushed itself easily up, wiggling off the wagon as there was the loud snap and crunch of bones locking back into place, its vertebrae visibly repairing as it shoved itself up onto its hind hooves. It cracked its back loudly, then dropped forwards and sauntered calmly around the wagon, Pinkamena snarling as the Pinkie Pie imposter licked its lips hungrily. “Two of you... I didn't expect that! But I should have, I should have, but I wasn't paying attention... ooh, I kept getting distracted by all the delicious smells...”

It shivered visibly, then looked over its shoulder hungrily when the door opened, the creature's eyes locking on Pinkie Pie as drool fell from its lips, breathing harder as Pinkie stumbled backwards in horror and went pale at the sight of this vile version of herself. It began to turn, but Pinkamena stepped forwards, snarling: “What the hell do you want?”

The creature turned its eyes back towards them... and it giggled, rolling its head on its shoulders before it shouted gleefully: “To have fun, silly! To continue to serve my purpose!” Then it paused, closing its eyes before straightening and declaring proudly: “I am Delight, Seeker of Dreams, of the Hexad of Decretum. I am here to serve the Clockwork King's wishes... to help destroy Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms.”

Delight grinned widely, her eyes roving hungrily towards them as she whispered: “And this is the perfect chance, too... you know, normally the game I play is like hide and seek, you see. They use me as a spy, and I sneak into other worlds, but then the others get to play the real fun games! Sometimes Valor, sometimes Courage... it's not fair. But since you guys already know my identity... I don't think the Prophet will mind if I take things into my own hooves. And you all look so delicious, too...”

She licked her lips hungrily, drool dripping down her chin before Pinkamena stepped forwards and snarled: “Then first you're going to have to go through me, crowbait! We have a score to settle; I've been taking the blame for you stuffing your face around town, and I ain't about to let you just walk away without a little more punishment for trying to sneak up and kill sissy and me. In fact, I don't think I'm ever going to let you walk again. I think I'll make sure that for the rest of your short, miserable life, you hobble.”

Then the half-demon rose a hoof as Celestia began to lean forwards, adding darkly: “No. This greasy bitch is mine. You and Nightmare Moon can have the next one, but this one... this one's mine. Look at her... she's disgusting.”

“Oh, you're hurting my feelings!” Delight complained, looking childlike for a moment as she sulked visibly, leaning forwards before she exhaled slowly, whispering: “But don't you get it? We all have a purpose in Clockwork World. The Clockwork King made all our hopes and dreams come true... made us invincible, too. Don't you want that? I know Pinkie Pie does...” Delight's eyes half-lidded, slowly looking over her shoulder as she said tenderly: “For me, it's a party that never, ends... all the food I can eat, all the pleasure I can handle and more. Excitement and thrills, every day. You're friends with all of Ponyville, but I know everyone in Clockwork World, and they all know me and love me...”

Pinkie Pie shivered, shaking her head weakly, and then Delight grinned as it looked forwards at Pinkamena, looking almost eager as she stomped her hooves. “But you wanna play? Fine. Let's play, you and me. I always love a good game!”

Luna gritted her teeth as Scrivener leaned forwards, breathing hard, feeling the corruption boiling in his mind. Twilight looked on fearfully, and Celestia frowned deeply, then finally leaned forwards and said quietly to the half-demon: “Disable her if you can. Don't kill her unless you have to. We need to know more about Clockwork World.”

“Even if you could catch me, you could never make me talk.” Delight replied almost kindly, with such conviction that it made even Celestia look up with surprise... and belief, at the zealotry in the Clockwork Pony's eyes, before Delight grinned widely and licked her lips. “But how about this? I won't kill you. I won't eat too much of any of you. And we'll all go to Clockwork World together so you can truly understand it.”

“Eat this!” Pinkamena snarled, lunging forwards and smashing her hoof against Delight's face, and the Clockwork Pony staggered backwards with a squeak before Pinkamena slammed a vicious flurry of blows back and forth against the bright pink pony's face, knocking her head back and forth before she slammed both hooves down in a wicked tomahawk to the crown of her skull.

Delight was knocked flat by the last powerful blow... but then she only laughed loudly, even as a tooth fell out of her muzzle and blood dripped from her jaws... but her eyes glowed as she easily picked herself up, a new tooth almost instantly pushing back into place as the bruising and scratches left from Pinkamena's savage barrage quickly, visibly healed as well, Delight asking mockingly: “Is that the best you can do?”

“Sheriff, clear the area!” Celestia shouted over her shoulder, and the sheriff winced but then nodded hurriedly as half-demon and grinning Clockwork Pony glared at each other, hurriedly beginning to order ponies to flee and clear to a safe distance.

Then Pinkamena lunged forwards, ramming Delight with her shoulder and knocking her backwards even as the Clockwork Pony laughed before Pinkamena brought both her elbows up and slammed them cruelly down on either side of Delight's head, collarbone snapping loudly even as Delight continued to laugh before Pinkamena seized her around the neck and twisted savagely, snapping it viciously as she threw her hard sideways at the same time, choking off her mocking cackles.

But Delight hit the ground and easily rolled onto her stomach, snaps and pops coming from her as the bones locked back into place and healed, her head flopping back and forth lightly before the vertebrae repaired themselves and she proudly rose her head, propping her chin up with her hooves as she asked teasingly: “Or is that the best you can do?”

Pinkamena's eyes glowed with rage, and then she leapt forwards, smashing a hoof down against Delight's muzzle and snapping it before she punched her other hoof forwards, turning broken muzzle into a spear that impaled back into the creature's own- “Brain!”

Next she dropped low, seizing Delight by the shoulders and yanking her up to slam her down onto her back, dropping across her in a straddle as she punched viciously down into her chest, snapping ribs loudly and then hammering on the broken bones, shouting furiously: “Heart! Lungs! Stomach!”

Both her hooves plunged down with the last, smashing against Delight's gut before she swung a hoof downwards, smashing into Delight's throat and crunching in her larynx... but a moment later, the Clockwork Pony shoved the half-demon backwards, knocking her off her body before both rear hooves slammed cruelly into her, sending Pinkamena crashing backwards into a table.

Delight was grinning, giggling even as she coughed and wheezed, her body once more quickly and smoothly snapping itself back together as she whispered: “How... disappointing...”

“And what about magic, foul monster?” Luna snarled, leaning forwards... but Pinkamena yelled at her furiously, and the winged unicorn winced back a bit, then cursed and nodded shortly when the half-demon glared at her angrily... almost fearfully. “Oh... very well. But if thou needs our help...”

“No, no, this is mine.” Pinkamena said coldly, picking herself up and shaking herself off before she charged forwards and tackled Delight backwards through the fencing around the sitting area in front of Sugar Cube Corners, the two rolling out into the street before the half-demon cursed as she was thrown easily off by the laughing, mocking, seemingly-invulnerable pony.

She crashed onto her back, skidding along the dirt road before she rolled quickly to her hooves and ran forwards... but Delight's eyes flashed as she grinned wider, snapping teasingly at Pinkamena's face with her oversized teeth and making the half-demon curse and flinch out of the way before the Clockwork Pony said excitedly: “And now it's my turn!”

She lashed a hoof up, and Pinkamena cursed as the almost-playful slap caught her across the face, stunning her before a hoof smashed against her other cheek and knocked her stumbling. She tried to duck, but it was like the Clockwork Pony already knew what she was going to do as a hoof smashed into her chin, knocking her head back with a curse before Delight giggled, the high-pitched sound increasing in volume and frenzy as she headbutted once, twice, thrice against Pinkamena before opening her jaws wide-

A blast of golden fire smashed into the Clockwork Pony and knocked her skidding backwards with a shriek of surprise, and Pinkamena snarled over her shoulder at Celestia, who only gave a grim smile before she said quietly: “Your fight. But we will step in to save your life.”

“I don't know if I should thank you or kill you in your sleep.” Pinkamena muttered, then she snarled as she looked up with disgust and saw that Delight was grinning still, even with the golden flames violently burning over her body, smoke pouring up from her as they tried to consume her form, but her bubbling flesh healed as quickly as it burned away. “What in Helheim are you?”

“I told you... no more pain! Only pleasure!” Delight cried ecstatically, and then she threw her head back and laughed, the flames around her body whiffing out before she charged forwards, still smoldering as she dived towards Pinkamena. The dull-pink half-demon snarled and swung both her hooves up, but Delight caught these easily in her own, dropping her rear hooves firmly to the ground and spinning violently as she yelled gleefully in Pinkamena's face: “Ring around the rosey! Pocket full of posey!”

Pinkamena snarled in disgust and horror, stumbling wildly to try and keep up with Delight, unable to yank her hooves away before the Clockwork Pony's head lunged forwards and her jaws clamped down on the half-demon's shoulder. Immediately, Pinkamena howled in agony, blood bursting up as her shoulder was crushed in the vise of the Clockwork Pony's jaws as she fell backwards.

She felt Delight bearing down harder, crueler, felt the bones in her shoulder fracturing as Delight grabbed at her wildly, trying to pin her back and letting Pinkamena's hooves go free. The half-demon snarled, tears in her eyes as her rear hooves slammed uselessly into Delight's stomach and groin and hind legs, punching at her with one front hoof as the other spasmed uselessly, her eyes rolling in her head in agony before her hoof finally slammed up into Delight's throat.

The Clockwork Pony choked and gagged loudly, ripping her teeth back, leaving a horrible wound... but the moment the pressure was lightened, Pinkamena slammed her hoof across the Clockwork Pony's face and knocked her staggering backwards another step. She barely seemed to notice, however, still choking as Pinkamena forced herself to her hooves, one leg trembling heavily as blood flowed in a thick river from her torn apart shoulder as she breathed harshly.

The two looked at each other, and then Pinkamena gritted her teeth when Delight charged forwards. The half-demon forced herself to lunge to meet her, and even though it seemed to take Delight by surprise, she still began to easily sway and avoid every one of Pinkamena's attacks, even as the vicious half-demon swung in with headbutts as well as hard punches and vicious, lunging bites of her own. And then she cursed under her breath when Delight suddenly slammed a hoof up into the underside of her jaw, knocking Pinkamena rearing back before the Clockwork Pony spun around and kicked her savagely with both rear hooves, knocking her flying backwards to crash into a lamppost.

She fell limply to the ground, cursing weakly as Delight giggled and licked her lips slowly, turning her eyes towards Celestia and beginning to advance on her as she whispered: “I've always wondered what a delicacy you must be... Pegasus wings are great when you roll them in batter and pan-fry them, ooh, I wonder if you'll taste any different...”

Scrivener and Luna both stepped forwards up to either side of Celestia, as Twilight Sparkle began to turn towards Pinkamena... but then the half-demon shoved up to her hooves, roaring in a raw voice: “We aren't done our game yet, Delight!”

“Stop it, let us help! You don't have to fight alone!” Twilight shouted desperately, and Pinkamena trembled for a moment, looking across at her as she breathed hard, then winced when Twilight's horn glowed, beginning to heal the wound on the half-demon's shoulder before Pinkamena shoved her violently away, disrupting her concentration.

The half-demon strode forwards as Delight only giggled, turning her eyes back towards her with fascination. “Wow! Is this your purpose? Is that why you strive so hard? Or is it because you are so alone, sad little whatever-you-are... or are you having as much fun as me?”

Pinkamena only snarled, however, then she clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth before looking up and saying roughly: “I... am never alone. My purpose... is to stop freaks like you. And you are a personal insult, and something I need to take care of myself.”

She gritted her teeth, then suddenly grinned wryly, looking almost pained before adding moodily: “But... I guess a little help can't hurt.”

Luna grinned as she began to step forwards, Twilight looking relieved... and then Pinkamena looked past the group, shouting in a voice that was half-ordering, half-humble: “Sissy I... I need your goddamn help!”

Pinkie Pie, standing in the doorway still, stared in shock... and Delight laughed at this, stomping her hooves gleefully as the scared, brighter twin said nervously: “Big sister, I... I...”

“I need you to use your goddamn Pinkie sense. I don't have it. I need to know where she's going to attack and where to throw my punches.” Pinkamena muttered, dragging herself slowly forwards as she snarled across at still-giggling Delight until she was only a few feet from the Clockwork Pony. “I need you to tell me what'll hurt her.”

“I... I can't control it, I...” Pinkie Pie shook her head wildly, looking shocked... and then she stared in horror when Delight reached easily forwards and seized Pinkamena by the throat in both front hooves, lifting her like she was a fascinating toy as she stood back on her hind legs, the half-demon hanging limply, not struggling not fighting, almost angelic in that moment.

Slowly, unfettered, unafraid, she looked over at Pinkie Pie, then gave a faint, small smile, saying in a gentle voice even with the hooves locked around her throat: “I believe in you.”

Pinkie Pie trembled violently, staring weakly across at her dark twin as Delight's jaws began to open... and then she leaned forwards, yelling: “Down!”

Pinkamena gritted her teeth and slammed both rear hooves suddenly forwards, smashing them into Delight's throat, and the Clockwork Pony was knocked crashing backwards with a howl of shock, the half-demon falling heavily onto her back with a curse. Delight was gagging violently again, gasping for air as her eyes bulged... and this time, it locked in Pinkamena's mind what she had to do as she yanked herself up to her hooves, the half-demon snarling as the Clockwork Pony picked itself up, then ran forwards as Pinkie Pie shouted: “Left!”

Pinkamena reacted on instinct, swinging her left leg up... and then a hoof slammed into her face from the right, knocking her staggering backwards even as Pinkie Pie hurriedly exclaimed: “Other left, other left!”

The half-demon cursed, then swung her head out of the way of another blow as Delight pressed forwards, still rasping a bit but grinning once more, before it began to falter as her blows were blocked again and again as Pinkie Pie shouted what sounded like random words and directions... but to her twin sister's instincts, were precise warnings, as she cursed at the power behind the Clockwork Pony's blows before Pinkie Pie suddenly shouted: “Now!”

Pinkamena swung her hoof hard up in a vicious uppercut just as Delight began to lunge forwards into a bite, and the blow slammed in under the creature's chin, knocking it rearing back with a squeak of surprise before Pinkamena threw herself forwards with a howl of pain as she drove her wounded arm in a savage strike into Delight's stomach, angling the blow upwards towards her lungs to knock the wind out of her, and the Clockwork Pony gargled, eyes bulging as she collapsed onto her back in shock, clutching at her chest and rolling back and forth. Short, vicious shrieks rose out of her as she bucked from side to side, almost convulsing at the sensation of airlessness as Pinkamena shouted: “Rope! Rope!”

Pinkie Pie darted forwards to the wagon, yanking up the largest rope she could find before tossing this upwards, and Luna's horn glowed as she flicked her head and propelled it through the air towards Pinkamena, who lunged to catch it quickly as Delight began to crawl to her hooves. The half-demon snarled as the Clockwork Pony looked forwards stupidly, and then Pinkamena snapped the rope viciously outwards, hitting the side of Delight's neck and making the Clockwork Pony wince in surprise as the rope violently wrapped itself several times around the creature's throat before the half-demon hurled the other end of the rope up over the arm of a nearby lamppost and charged for it.

Delight realized too late what was going on, her eyes widening as she reached up with a shriek to grab at the rope and begin to untangle it from around her neck, but Pinkamena seized the other end in her jaws and continued to charge forwards: the cord snapped taut, the length of rope wrapped around Delight's neck catching against her, and her eyes bulged before she gave a wheezing scream as Pinkamena fell forwards but continued to yank as hard as she could on the rope, wrapping it quickly around one of her forelegs as she hauled hoof-over-hoof back on it.

The Clockwork Pony was dragged into the air, flailing all four hooves violently, the rope twined around her neck unable to slip as it clenched tighter against her. In her flailing, she knocked the other end of the rope over her shoulder and sent it out of sight, out of easy reach, leaving her only able to claw uselessly at it as gravity and friction kept the rope coiled tight, kept it from slipping away as she choked and gargled.

Pinkie Pie stared up in horror, watching this evil version of her choke and scream and writhe, as tears of pain and fury fell from Pinkamena's eyes as the rough rope burned against her forelegs and trembling hooves, blood spilling down from her shoulder as she shouted in a raw voice: “This is my purpose, crowbait! This is my special talent! Killing scum like you!”

Celestia, Luna, Twilight and Scrivener all stared up in shock as the seemingly-invincible pony foamed at the jaws, gargling, its eyes bulging as it struggled for air. And only a moment later, Delight's back arched as her eyes bulged, staring up at the night sky in what seemed like horrified realization before her body suddenly, rapidly began to turn pale gray, the light fading from her eyes as her jaw fell open and her twitching hooves went limp.

Pinkamena rasped hard, staring up at the Clockwork Pony as it shivered once... and then Delight sighed weakly one last time before her head fell forwards, and cracks ripped their way through the pony's body like it was made of nothing more than cheap and ancient porcelain in a burst of dust. And Scrivener looked upwards, feeling something, some distinct tremble as the corruption boiled in his brain before Delight's body shattered into pieces of gray shrapnel and a cloud of dust, Pinkamena sprawling on her back with a grunt of shock as Pinkie Pie staggered backwards with a yell, a wave of force seeming to pass out over them as Scrivener's eyes widened in horror as he felt something come

undone in her mind, with how scared and alone she was. Pinkie Pie stood in this horrible, desolate purgatory, nothing but sterile concrete around her, and the sound of clanking gears rumbling down from above. Alone. Her friends, all gone.

She trembled, whimpering as she looked back and forth, but there was no way in, and no way out. Her heart raced, and she ached: with hunger, with thirst, with pain. Wounds on her body pulsed weakly, and she was scared, scared that she wasn't going to survive much longer...

And then a voice said softly, gently: “You know, it doesn't have to be like this. I can give you everything you need... everything you've ever wanted. We don't need to be enemies.”

Pinkie Pie spun around, then shrieked at the sight of Valthrudnir, the pony staggering away... but Valthrudnir only smiled kindly at her even as his eyes gleamed mockingly. He stood cordially, holding three balloons in one hand, looking calmly down at Pinkie Pie before he glanced up at these and said softly: “These are interesting. I thought they were useless at first but with a little creative thinking, they can do quite a bit, can't they? Carry messages, give signals, many other things.”

“S-Stay away...” Pinkie whimpered, shaking her head wildly, staggering backwards as tears flowed down her cheeks. “No, no, please...”

“What? I'm not here to hurt you!” Valthrudnir feigned an injured look, then he smiled as he allowed the balloons to float free from his hand, and Pinkie Pie trembled and gazed up after them... then stared in shock as they bumped the ceiling above, and it rippled softly before transforming into a bright blue sky that the balloons sailed freely away into.

And all around them, the world became a rolling field... before Pinkie Pie staggered, shrieking, as the ground around them erupted upwards. But then she only watched in awe as tents and rides formed, now standing in the middle of a massive, glorious carnival, ponies of every shape and size laughing and having fun, eating cotton candy as balloons swayed in the wind and confetti blew by on the breeze.

Pinkie Pie looked back and forth, trembling, and then Valthrudnir smiled, gesturing calmly around at this as he said kindly: “A gift. You see, just like you, I'd rather be your friend than your enemy. Wouldn't you prefer that?”

“But... I...” Pinkie Pie shivered a bit, looking up at the draconic features of the coldly-grinning Jötnar. “But you're...”

“Here. Try this.” Valthrudnir reached out, plucking up a large cone of cotton candy and holding it out to her, and Pinkie Pie hesitated, then leaned forwards and bit into it. She chewed slowly... then gasped softly as her wounds healed, as her hunger vanished, looking up with shock as Valthrudnir smiled down at her. “I can give it all to you. I will give it all to you: and I'll do more, too. I'll save all your friends, too. You can be with them forever. Oh, yes, I do expect you to do some tasks for me in return, to have a place in the world... but how would you like it if that place was with your friends? How would you like it if your place was to always be the playful one, the first explorer, the happy adventurer? To give and receive and experience pleasure?”

Pinkie Pie's eyes roved slowly back towards the cotton candy, a bit of drool forming at the corners of her mouth, and Valthrudnir calmly gazed down at her before he kindly offered it again. She took another bite... then another, and another, before the Jötnar smiled and drew the cotton candy back, saying gently: “Don't ruin your appetite before you make your decision... here, let me remind you of what life was like before this.”

The Jötnar snapped his fingers... and Pinkie Pie threw her head back and screamed as around her, the carnival vanished as agony ripped through her body, wounds tearing themselves open back forth across her form, tears bursting from her eyes before she fell forwards as her stomach clenched on itself, howling for food as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. She shrieked and cried, trembling and convulsing...and then looked up, shivering violently, as Valthrudnir calmly offered her the cotton candy again, saying softly: “I can make it all go away. And you'll never, ever have to feel pain again. Never, ever will you be abandoned. And you will be free to experience every pleasure... every delight... known to your kind.”

“Delight...” Pinkie Pie whispered... and then she slowly leaned her head forwards, trembling as tears fell from her eyes, looking up at him pleadingly as agony jarred through her system. “Please... p-please make the pain... stop...”

Valthrudnir smiled calmly as he offered her the cotton candy, and she leaned forwards, her tongue stretching out, licking up a bit of the sweet sugar... and instantly, she was back in the carnival, her wounds gone, her hunger gone, as she breathed hard, standing quickly up before Valthrudnir asked softly: “Will you help me help your friends, too? Will you help me... help every pony, every little mortal who needs it... my friend?”

“Y-Yes...” Pinkie Pie smiled, her eyes filling with light as she stood up straighter, and Valthrudnir smiled down at her before there was a flash, reality freezing before Delight looked over her shoulder, saying softly: “No more pain. Nothing but happiness, forever... and the promise that I would be with my friends, for all eternity. How could I say no?”

Then she simply closed her eyes, continuing to smile softly, shaking herself out, reality

crashing into him and knocking him off his hooves. He flexed, Luna looking at him with shock as she felt the distinct buzzing in her mind as the corruption rose up, boiling, filling their mental link with static and her emotions with dread and fear.

Scrivener whimpered, clutching at his head as he opened his eyes and stared upwards, seeing not Luna, but Nightmare Moon... seeing not Celestia, but a radiant, glorious being of golden flame and light before he clenched his eyes shut, rasping hard. Visionary's powers had activated with full, ravaging force, and he couldn't handle the sights around him on top of the visions now plaguing and ripping through his mind.

“Scrivy! Scrivy!” Luna leaned over him, looking down at him with her fear growing, grasping his shoulders as the stallion rasped. Celestia grimaced, but then forced herself away to stride quickly towards where Pinkamena was picking herself up: Twilight was already there at Scrivener's side, and the two winged unicorns could take care of any problems.

But Scrivener was already forcing himself to recover, even as he panted and shivered weakly, sweat rolling down his frame before he managed to raise his head, keeping his eyes tightly closed as he whispered out: “I'm okay. I just... I... I'll explain it... later. Get... make sure Pinkamena's okay...”

“Better than you, you giant wimp.” Pinkamena muttered from where she was sitting up, her features half-hidden by the straight fall of her mane as Celestia healed the awful wound in her shoulder, before the half-demon twitched and snarled in pain as she shouted: “Goddammit, tune down the freaking holy energy before you make it worse!”

Celestia ignored the half-demon as Pinkie Pie leaned in worriedly over her sister, taking her hoof in both of her own as she trembled and dropped her head against her shoulder... and the half-demon closed her eyes, dropping her head against her twin's as she whispered: “I'm sorry.”

“No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry... I should have helped more...” Pinkie Pie replied after a moment, shaking her head rapidly and trembling as she looked at her sibling, then over at Scrivener, before asking weakly: “What's... what's happening?”

“Clockwork World. I think... Scrivener Blooms will know the most about it, though, but we need to give him time. We all... need to meet, and speak tomorrow. We need to better prepare, considering... what we saw.” Celestia said quietly, shaking her head slowly before she finally rose her horn, and the glow faded from both it and Pinkamena's shoulder, which was now marred by several distinct, large red lines. “I've done... as much as possible for now. If you like, we can treat it with Ambrosia or Zecora's medicines...”

“I'll just eat some Ambrosia, if it'll even do anything.” Pinkamena muttered, rolling her shoulder slowly before she looked up with a grimace of pain: her entire limb still tingled, still felt both numb and sore. “Thanks, I guess. And by the way, if you ever interfere again in one of my fights, I will turn my eyes on you as my next target, Baroness or not. Got it, Princess Sunshine?”

“Next time I'll permit the monster to bite your face, then.” Celestia replied calmly, and Pinkamena looked at her for a moment, then she grinned a little as the ivory equine reached up and touched her shoulder gingerly with a hoof. “I... am your friend, Pinkamena. And you... you are more than just a hunting animal, I hope you know that.”

“Yeah, I bake cookies and change sissy's diapers, too.” Pinkamena muttered... and then she winced in surprise when Pinkie Pie grabbed her shoulder and shook her firmly, trembling and looking down at her with teary eyes.

“No. Stop it. Don't you get it? They really mean it.” Pinkie Pie whispered, and the half-demon hung her head in what seemed like almost shame before her twin sibling hugged her fiercely around the neck.

For a few moments, there was silence... and then, as Scrivener was sitting carefully up with the help of Luna, the sheriff awkwardly came forwards, drawing the attention of Celestia as Pinkamena only continued to moodily look at the street. For a few moments, the sheriff was silent, and then he finally cleared his throat before saying awkwardly: “I uh... I was wrong about... well, pretty much everything, I guess. I would... like to apologize for that.”

“Told you so. I'm a murderer, not a thief.” Pinkamena grumbled moodily, and then she shook her head before glowering up at the sheriff. “Just get all those gawkers out of here. Unless somepony here wants to strung up next!”

She shouted the last part past the sheriff, and a few ponies winced and hurried off at this as others only continued to gape. The sheriff sighed, then mumbled before he turned to push away the rest as Scrivener smiled a little, his eyes still closed as he leaned a bit against Luna, the starry-maned mare gazing at him with quiet concern before the stallion said quietly: “I've always admired that way you have with ponies, Pinkamena.”

“Shut the hell up.” Pinkamena replied moodily, and then she studied him for a few moments before asking finally: “You're okay, yeah? And do you got room over at the library for me and sissy?”

Twilight opened her mouth, beginning to answer before she blushed quietly and instead looked at Celestia. The ivory winged unicorn smiled faintly at this, glancing over at Twilight for a moment before returning her gaze to Pinkamena, saying gently: “Always.”

“I wasn't asking any of the prostitutes, I was asking your blind pimp.” Pinkamena retorted, and Celestia sighed as Luna looked torn between grouchiness and amusement before the half-demon stood up and firmly headbutted Scrivener, making him wince and his eyes opened, and he stared stupidly at the sight of her as she leaned forwards and asked sharply: “Well?”

Scrivener's mouth worked a little, and then he cleared his throat before closing his eyes and his jaws, saying grumpily: “Angels fall first, huh?”

“What the hell does that mean?” Pinkamena asked grouchily, but Scrivener only shrugged before he carefully leaned over and bit into Luna's starry locks, and she rolled her eyes but smiled amusedly as she began to lead him on, clearly seeing the image in her mind that Scrivener had when he'd gazed on Pinkamena... of the snarling, sharp-toothed dark demon that all the same had radiant, white feathered wings. “What the hell did you see?”

But Scrivener only remained quiet as Luna led him on, and Pinkamena grumbled as Pinkie Pie smiled a little, bouncing along her sister. Twilight and Celestia followed last, both smiling a little at the back of their cherished half-demon friend.

The Odd Couple

Chapter Forty One: The Odd Couple
~BlackRoseRaven

The library was crowded today with the meeting that had been called by Celestia, even Odin present... and surprisingly, Sleipnir and Kvasir as well. The enormous earth pony was serious today, however, and even Kvasir seemed a little on edge instead of his usual flippant self.

Others around the enormous round table included Scrivener, Luna, Twilight and her five friends, Discombobulation, Spike, Ross and Cowlick, Greece and several other Architects, Big Mac, and Pinkamena. A strange gathering, but everyone was serious, everyone was quiet, even if Scrivener kept nervously sipping at the large glass of cola in front of him.

And then, the moment he'd been dreading arrived, as Odin turned his eye to the charcoal earth pony and asked quietly: “Can you tell us exactly what you saw in your mind, Scrivener Blooms? Or any particularly-important details?”

“Yes and no.” Scrivener said after a moment, gazing awkwardly around at the group. Twilight and Luna both looked at him encouragingly as he half-stood, and then he cleared his throat and rubbed slowly at the scarred side of his face, making himself calm down even with all the expectant eyes on him before he continued quietly: “It's like... like when Delight died... it did something to me. Like somehow, her memories and... more... were passed into me.

“I think Visionary... gave me some kind of... I dunno, the ability to see into the memories of these Clockwork Ponies. Obviously, Delight... dying... had something to do with how I saw into her mind, was some kind of trigger for the power, and I don't know what that means.” Scrivener faltered, looking down and rubbing at his face slowly again. “I saw... Valthrudnir corrupting her. Clear as day, I saw how it happened. How he manipulated and tricked her, after... who knows how long leaving her locked up all alone in darkness.”

“Would have killed sissy.” Pinkamena muttered, and Pinkie Pie nodded with a faint smile as she rested against her twin, the half-demon sighing a little before asking flatly: “But how is that important to know? Why the hell did you see that?”

“I don't know. But it is important somehow.” Scrivener hesitated, then he asked quietly: “Did anyone else notice that Delight didn't have a cutie mark?”

This drew interested looks, and Scrivener shook his head slowly, saying quietly: “A lot of the information that entered my mind past... past the vision of what Valthrudnir did to her... has to do with how he was reassigning them. He was deciding for them what their talents should be, erasing their old abilities... their old everything, really... and replacing it with his idea of what purpose they should serve. Delight's purpose was... a spy, an informant, but I think we all got that.”

Celestia smiled a little and nodded, and Odin held up a hand, asking quietly: “If she was a scout for Clockwork World's forces... does that mean they have begun staging war against us?”

Scrivener hesitated, and then he looked down, rubbing slowly at his face as he murmured: “I don't know. The little information I got was something about how... Delight was the lowest member of the... the Hexad, I think it was. Valthrudnir's six go-to ponies, made... from... well...”

He quieted, and Twilight traded looks with her friends, who all smiled faintly to one another: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy. Then Scrivener shook his head a bit, continuing quietly: “They're the Elite of Decretum... of Clockwork World. And from what I saw of the few pieces of memory I was able to understand, they treat... invading, attacking other layers almost like a game. But... not all of it makes sense, like I said. A lot of it is guesswork.”

He stopped, then said slowly: “But it helps... the memories in my mind get clearer, too, all the same. The old memories, I mean: now more of Visionary's memories are clearer in my head. It's like... like I got another piece of code needed to decode a message or something.”

Celestia shook her head slowly at this as Sleipnir looked up and asked mildly: “So what does this mean, then, friends? Do we go out and begin smashing apart Clockwork Ponies so that good brother Scrivener Blooms can understand the enemy all the better?”

“No, it means we need to prepare. Because undoubtedly, another attack will be staged against us by Clockwork World, and in all likelihood, it will not be far in the future.” Odin said quietly, looking grimly back and forth before he sighed a little and looked moodily down. “I do not want to... imagine this is Valthrudnir's work. I can't. If the Jötnar survived his demise, that would make him... not a Jötnar. It would make him something even more powerful than Ymir was... may Mimir take my other eye for being such a fool as to kill him. Aye, it did good in the short term, but had I been more willing to negotiate, to work out our differences... then Valthrudnir would have never become the threat he is now.”

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by.” Discombobulation said dryly, and then he leaned backwards and shrugged, saying mildly: “You cannot go back and change the past. It's a fool's errand, and not even we fools of Ginnungagap would ever risk it. Sure, it sounds wonderful to say: 'I'll go back in time and kill the oppressive tyrant.' But what if you do that, and it simply paves the way for someone even worse to rise up in his place? It's easy to make the grass look greener with a few coats of spray paint after all, but what's under there is still dead grass... except now it's poisonous on top of everything else.”

Odin only looked moodily across at the chaos entity for a moment, and then he shook his head, looking over towards Greece and asking quietly: “Have you discovered anything further about the construct that attacked here?”

The Nibelung only shook his head, however, sighing a little as he traded a look with Tenochtitlan, the Engineer beside him. “Nothing useful or very good. The scary thing is that it's essentially like... a very large version of... what did you call them, Scrivener?”

“Soldier Drones.” Scrivener grimaced a bit, rubbing slowly at his face. “I understand a little more about them, too... and unfortunately, the Clockwork Ponies are nothing like the Drones are. Not any of the ones we've seen so far, anyway. These Hexad... well...”

“Yeah, we got it. You guys all screwed over my big feeling of victory when you told me that Delight was the weakest one of the group.” Pinkamena said moodily, and then she shook her head and sighed a little, rubbing at the red scars on her shoulder. “But I guess I can see how. Invulnerable to everything but being choked to death. Stupid vulnerability.”

“Valthrudnir would always be careful not to empower any of his minions past anything he could handle himself.” Odin said softly, glancing over at the half-demon, and Pinkamena grunted before the falcon-headed god looked towards Celestia. “Freya, your thoughts?”

“Scrivener Blooms and Luna both say that this entity... it is like Valthrudnir, and yet it is not. Whatever the Clockwork King is, it is unlikely he's the true Jötnar. And I trust their word on this.” Celestia nodded slowly, looking over the table. “But that is no reason we should take this any less seriously. Whatever else, this Clockwork King has an immense army at his disposal, and beings of incredible power, not to mention the Prophet.

“What confuses me is why they haven't ordered a full-out attack against us, or done anything to try and lure us to them. Their tactics are almost overly-cautious... their mockery is almost...” Celestia hesitated. “I don't know how to phrase it. But something is wrong with this entire situation.”

Odin nodded slowly, sighing as he looked down before he murmured: “I was afraid you would say that. Kvasir?”

Kvasir looked up in surprise, looking back and forth over the table of gathered ponies and other beings, and then he cleared his throat before sitting back and saying finally: “I do not believe that... the threat is as dire as perceived. You are all being blinded by your past encounters with the Jötnar. Yes, I understand that he is awful. I... I understand that better than many of you will believe. But at the same time, when he defeated all of... us... last... we were separate, not together. And we were unaware of him, and his capabilities. I understand that it is very important not to underestimate what he is capable of... but do all of you understand that it's equally important we do not overestimate his strength as well?”

There were murmurs around the table at this, and then Luna looked moodily across at Kvasir for a few moments before she asked curiously: “Is it true thou wert kept as a trophy by him?”

Kvasir looked up in shock, then he grimaced in disgust before crossing his forelegs and turning away with a half-snarl, half-flush of humiliation. A few ponies glared at Luna, but she only leaned forwards, studying him silently before she said quietly: “I, for a time, was forced to be as a pretty bird in a cage to him, too. I do not claim to understand what thou went through, Kvasir. But please do not be ashamed of what thou wert forced to experience.”

Now the god looked both surprised and uncertain, hesitantly looking up before he winced when Sleipnir clapped him on the shoulder, smiling warmly across at his sibling. “Well said, little sister! Perhaps thou hast learned a little at our older sibling's hoof after all!”

“Aye, but only a little. Besides, Kvasir, 'twas Discombobulation who gossiped away thy secrets, blame him, not I.” Luna added cheerfully, and Bob blew a raspberry at her before the winged unicorn huffed and flailed a hoof at him. “I wanted to see if it was true!”

“Everything I told you was true. Or at least, I think that everything I told you was true, the story was told to me by Gymbr, after all... so Gymbr could have lied about everything, but in retelling those lies, I would still be honest.” Discombobulation replied mildly, and then he winced a bit at the look he received from Odin, reaching up and making a careful zipping motion across his lips.

But the once-god only leaned forwards, asking slowly: “This is the story that you were sharing at the sweets store, isn't it?”

“Former sweets store. Until we get about fifty licenses we're out of work.” Pinkamena interrupted moodily, and then she sighed a little, slumping back grouchily. “Some thanks. Stupid crowbait from the other shops still want to charge me for the crimes.”

Discombobulation remained silent as he averted his eyes carefully from the one-eyed gaze of the once-god, and then Twilight leaned up and said quietly: “It is, yes. Do you... understand at all how... this story never could have happened, but Gymbr and other things... could exist? Could be true?”

Odin was silent, and even Celestia glanced at Twilight with surprise at her directness... and although the violet mare was blushing, she all the same seemed determined. Odin, meanwhile, had lapsed into thoughtfulness, gazing up at the ceiling before he nodded slowly and held up a gloved hand, saying quietly: “Give me some time to think on it, and I shall tell you my answer. But for now, we have the subject of Clockwork World to attend to.”

“Did you see... anything about... us?” Fluttershy asked quietly, leaning towards Scrivener worriedly... and Scrivener smiled faintly over at her before he hesitated, then held up a hoof and tilted it back and forth.

“I... I learned their names, at least.” Scrivener said softly, looking back and forth over the table. “Delight, Beauty, Prudence, Courage, Valor, and Wisdom. I... think we can figure out who's who.”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash traded looks, then Rainbow gave an ironic grin, asking dryly: “Do you think I'm Courage or Valor?”

“I don't know if you sound like either.” Applejack smiled a bit before she glanced down at the table as Rainbow huffed, then softened when the earth pony mare murmured: “I dunno if I sound like either myself, though. Because the thought of these Clockwork Ponies... scares the hell out of me. Makes me actually want to consider... running away, with Avalon and all.”

She looked up after a moment, asking quietly as she turned her eyes to Luna: “Just how do you do it? Hell, how do you and Scrivy both manage to do it? Go out there, fighting against these things that are so... damn... awful, and yet knowing you got kids at home. Knowing that... you could die, and leave them without you there to take care of them. You could die, and miss all their birthdays, all their growing up... or worst of all, leave them to be hunted down and hurt.”

Luna only smiled faintly, however, trading a look with Scrivener before she said softly: “Because I do not think of what will happen if I die, Applejack. I think of what will happen if I do not fight.”

Applejack looked thoughtful at this, glancing towards Rainbow Dash... and when he gave a slow nod, she smiled a little, turning her eyes back towards the winged unicorn. “Yeah. Yeah, I reckon I see how that might help.”

There was quiet for a moment, and then Cowlick looked up as Ross nudged her gently, the mare engineer smiling wryly: “You guys mind if Ross and I cut out a little early? I'm glad to hear the conversation but this is about the time Ross and I take a walk most days, and well... I don't see how I can be of much help here, except that I promise to analyze anything you guys bring me from Clockwork World.”

Luna glanced towards Odin, but Odin only shrugged and looked towards Celestia. The ivory winged unicorn gave a slight, amused smile at this, then she turned her eyes to Cowlick, nodding. “Go ahead. But I do have a request for you, Cowlick: our soldiers are going to need to be outfitted with the best equipment possible. Can you provide that for us?”

“You guys write up a list... hell, you guys just tell me what materials you can send me, and I'll tell you what I can put together with Greece and his boys, assuming they'll help out.” Cowlick replied with a grin and a wink, and the dwarf nodded with a chuckle. “So yeah. Just pass it on to the cross-dresser, he'll get it to me.”

“It's a traditional battle kilt.” Greece sighed, looking imploringly after Cowlick, but she only winked as she headed for the door, Ross following after her and giving a shy smile over his shoulder to the others before the two headed out.

It was a sign that the others used to begin dispersing, as the meeting drew to a close: Greece lingered as Celestia and Twilight dug out inventory logs, and Scrivener and Luna sat with Pinkamena as she rested moodily back on a cushion with Sleipnir beside her. Odin was still at the table, his head bowed in quiet thought as he talked a little with Kvasir, who kept sneaking little glances towards them now.

Everyone else was gone... or mostly gone, in the case of Discombobulation. The Draconequus was in his aquarium apartment, glaring up at Luna pointedly, but she was ignoring him even as Sleipnir giggled like a child as he leaned down and peered at the tiny chimerical creature. “'Tis like a housepet! Nay, 'tis even better than that, 'tis like one of those pets the mages always kept and we had such fun tormenting!”

Scrivener gave Luna a flat look, and the winged unicorn huffed, saying dryly: “A synthetically created familiar is not a real animal. 'Tis perfectly fair to use it as a kickball, especially if it is linked to its annoying mage master.”

Sleipnir nodded cheerfully at this, and then he smiled and wrapped a foreleg around Pinkamena, making her blush ever so slightly even as she grumbled and half-shoved at him, but he only pulled her closer before leaning down and kissing her forehead tenderly, saying softly: “And I heard thou put on a show worthy of any Valkyrie, is that not right, Luna? Our big sister was gloriously impressed with her, and that is rare indeed, is it not?”

“I would have done better if I'd known... hell, should have done better anyway.” Pinkamena muttered, and then she hesitated before looking up at Luna and Scrivener, saying quietly: “You two. You both know about me taking Ambrosia, and... you know I wanna be stronger. I think what just happened proves that, especially if Delight was the weakest freak.”

There was silence for a few moments, as Sleipnir looked quietly down at Pinkamena, but the half-demon only looked pointedly, calmly across at Scrivener and Luna. The two traded a look after a moment, thinking back on a past promise they had already made before Luna looked forwards, saying quietly: “I need to hear thou say it.”

“I want to be a demon. Full demon, no more... halfway between worlds crap.” Pinkamena replied calmly, but her eyes flicked almost imperceptibly towards Sleipnir, as if scared of his reaction even as she continued in a firm, steady voice: “Whatever it takes, I'll do it.”

“Thou does not need that, my phoenix.” Sleipnir said softly, looking quietly down at the half-demon, but Pinkamena only grunted, moodily shifting her eyes away, and the enormous earth pony smiled wryly, shaking his head and making his mane of vines sway a little around his features. “Oh, damnable silly creature.”

“Oh, the hell do you know? You're so goddamn strong you can stop a train with your fat face.” Pinkamena snapped irritably, gritting her teeth. “I got my flank handed to me by a goddamn bad clone of sissy.”

“Mine... mine face is not fat.” Sleipnir reached up and touched his own handsome features, looking almost hurt, and Pinkamena sighed and gave him a flat look for a few moments before he cleared his throat and continued firmly: “But all the same, thou defeated the creature, and thou art strong in ways that are far greater than simple physical superiority. I... I do not desire to see thee... giving thy soul to Helheim. As a matter of fact, I shan't permit thee to, for I have already decided that... thy heart and soul and wicked mind belong with me.”

Sleipnir nodded firmly once even as a faint flush crawled up over his features, and Luna and Scrivener both stared as Pinkamena looked up at him in amazement, as the cruelty and cold cunning both vanished from her features into surprise and vulnerable beauty. And then she swallowed thickly before shaking her head and mumbling: “No, you... you don't mean-”

“Yes, yes I do! I shall... I shall prove that I do, right now!” Sleipnir said suddenly, then he yanked Pinkamena to her hooves, dragging the stunned half-demon past Luna and Scrivener and knocking them both sprawling. He hurried towards the table, and Odin looked up as Kvasir winced as Sleipnir called loudly enough to make both Twilight and Celestia stare as well: “Father! Father, Father! Father!”

“Yes, Sleipnir?” Odin asked in a resigned voice, as he rubbed slowly at the scarred side of his face. His eye settled on Pinkamena, studying the half-demon for a moment before it moved back to Sleipnir as the stallion breathed hard in and out, looking determined and yet almost afraid at the same time, and realization spread over the once-god's face before he began to shake his head hurriedly, but too late.

“Father, I ask permission to take Pinkamena as my wife, if she will have me!” Sleipnir half-shouted, half-wheezed, and Pinkamena stared at him incredulously before the enormous earth pony spun towards her, seizing her front hooves in his own and shaking them firmly as he looked down at her imploringly, pleadingly, anxiously. “I adore thee, phoenix, I love thee, and desire thee, and thou makes me happy, happier in ways I cannot describe and... and... and I shall give up everything I must to be with thee!”

He paused, then grinned awkwardly, adding lamely: “But I would like it very much if I could be with thee without giving up anything else, either.” And then Sleipnir half-spun suddenly, almost yanking Pinkamena off her hooves as he glared determinedly towards Odin and declared: “And if thou denies me I shall leave Valhalla, I shall leave Valhalla behind, and may Heaven fall to Helheim for all I care! And... and if thou denies me, Pinkamena, I shall cry like a little filly and... and I hope Helheim melts like the great and awful ice cube it is!”

Pinkamena glared up at the earth pony, then slapped him hard across the face, Sleipnir wincing as his head twisted towards Odin, who reached out and backhanded him hard enough to knock his head back to face Pinkamena, and then then half-demon reached up and seized into Sleipnir's skull and vine-mane, yanking him down into a rough, firm kiss before the half-demon and enormous stallion both fell over, and Odin sighed tiredly as he dropped his elbow on the desk and rested his beak on a gloved hand, Kvasir gaping stupidly before the once-god picked up his walking stick and used it to poke the two ponies apart. “Enough, Sleipnir, I don't want the sight of you on the floor with the half-demon to be one of my last memories.”

Sleipnir cleared his throat as he hurriedly sat up, flushed and with a hoof-print on one side of his face and a hand-shaped mark on the other, and Odin slowly reached up and rubbed at his forehead as if he had a migraine before he looked up moodily at the stallion. Sleipnir stared across at him pleadingly as Pinkamena sat up and glared, but visibly trembled... and then Odin threw his arms in the air with an exasperated sigh. “By Mimir's head! So I either deny my son the right to walk into a deathtrap and he abandons everything we've worked for, or I accept this and let you cheerfully walk into the most dangerous and deadly prison any man can enter?”

The stallion stared as Pinkamena growled, and Luna and Celestia both leaned forwards intently as Odin looked back and forth... then he sighed and stood up moodily, leaning on his walking stick and looking into his son's eyes before the once-god finally gave a wry smile, shaking his head slowly. “Very well, Sleipnir. But only on one condition: you will either live with her in Valhalla... or you will live with her on this layer of reality. Is that understood?”

Sleipnir's eyes widened as he trembled... and then he leapt forwards, tackling Odin to the ground and hugging him tightly as the once-god wheezed in horror, Celestia and Luna both laughing as the younger sibling charged forwards and leapt over the table to dive into Sleipnir, crashing backwards with him before Celestia suddenly ran forwards as well, tackling her siblings in a moment of undignified joy, the three embracing fiercely as Sleipnir called happily: “Oh most wonderful of days! Oh Father, thou hast all my thanks and my love!”

Odin only groaned tiredly as he slowly picked himself off the ground, Twilight staring in amazement and Scrivener laughing and grinning widely as Pinkamena swallowed thickly, then she snapped suddenly: “Hey, I didn't say yes! You guys can't just decide this crap for me, you hear me?”

Sleipnir, however, only grinned brightly at her even as Luna and Celestia looked up at the demon almost pleadingly, and then the enormous earth pony gently pushed his sisters aside, striding over to the half demon and looking down into her eyes, their gazes locking before he asked quietly: “Pinkamena. Will thou be my bride, sweet phoenix?”

“And what if I still want to be a demon? Would you marry a demon, Sleipnir?” Pinkamena asked quietly, reaching up and grasping his shoulders. But Sleipnir's response was to simply tilt her head up, kissing her for a soft moment, fearless, unafraid... and when he drew back, she closed her eyes and dropped her head forwards against his chest, pushing against him and whispering: “You better not sleep around on me too much.”

“Only a little. And I'll always tell thee when I do.” Sleipnir winked at her, and Pinkamena laughed despite herself before the stallion smiled radiantly over his shoulder at his sisters as Celestia and Luna both gazed with joy at their brother, before the male threw his head back and laughed loudly, then declared: “Celestia! What nonsense is this, I was never supposed to be married, and certainly not before thou! Now we must find someone for thee!”

Celestia laughed at this, shaking her head before she smiled warmly over at Odin, saying softly: “Odin... you have all my thanks in the world.”

“Yes, Father, I can never repay thee, never!” Sleipnir declared, beginning to turn around, but Odin winced and hurriedly half-staggered around the table to avoid being tackled again, holding up a gloved hand as he leaned heavily on his walking stick.

“You can, Sleipnir, by letting me return to Valhalla for now to take a nap, and figuring out the rest of the details of this on your own.” Odin said pointedly, rubbing slowly at his frail chest as he carefully limped towards the door, and Sleipnir grinned lamely after the once-god.

Then Odin grimaced a bit as he reached the door and turned around with a sigh, hesitating before he nodded once towards Pinkamena, saying quietly: “Please take care of my son... but I think you're what he needs in his life. And if you truly care for one-another, then... I honestly wish you the best of luck.”

“Don't need it.” Pinkamena replied with a smile, glancing after a moment towards Sleipnir, and then she returned her eyes towards Odin, adding moodily: “No more than I needed your goddamn permission.”

Scrivener smiled a little at this as Sleipnir laughed and Celestia and Luna both smiled, and then the once-god's eyes roved to Kvasir, looking at him curiously as he asked: “Are you going to come back to Valhalla? Or are you content to stay here for now?”

Kvasir looked hesitantly back at Odin, and then he simply mumbled something before he wheezed loudly when Sleipnir stood up and firmly hugged him around the throat with one foreleg, throttling the unicorn-shaped god as he said warmly: “Fear not, Father! I shall ensure that mine good friend Kvasir returns safe and sound to Valhalla, but I am sure he will want to participate in my bachelor party! Or at least, one of the many bachelor parties I plan to have before the day of the wedding.”

He grinned playfully over at Pinkamena, who rolled her eyes and then shoved a hoof against his face, making him wince as she said sourly: “Just keep in mind that any crap you pull, I get to do the same goddamn thing. So don't get mad at me if I find a stallion more handsome than you and decide he's more worth my time than you are.”

Sleipnir only grinned at this, however, winking over at her even as her hoof stayed mashed against his face as he asked playfully: “And if thou did find such an incredible and handsome specimen, what would thou do if I decided to lure away the-”

“I'm leaving now. Sleipnir, please return to Valhalla within a week, after you've figured things out.” Odin said tiredly, rubbing at his face and turning quickly to duck through the door, and Sleipnir grinned lamely at his father's back as Celestia laughed and Kvasir finally managed to pull away, rubbing at his throat. Then Luna hurriedly ran after Odin, and Scrivener smiled a bit as she shot him a half-pleading look, the stallion following after her as he nodded.

The once-god glanced over his shoulder with surprise at the sight of Luna following after him, and then the falcon-headed entity sighed a little, beginning dryly: “Brynhild, I am very sore and tired. I am not going to lead you to where the new portal is and I would like to politely ask you to refrain from trying to follow me. I don't want to play hide-and-seek in the Everfree Forest today.”

“No, no, no... no. 'Tis not that.” Luna said grouchily, glaring up at him for a moment before she cleared her throat and sat back, looking almost imperious as she said firmly: “Thou hast... my thanks, Odin. Thou art... a good... whatever-thou-art. Man. Bird-thing. Not-god.”

Odin looked down at her for a few moments, then he turned slowly around before Luna lowered her head and added in a softer voice: “And thy generosity in this matter... 'twill not go unrewarded or be forgotten, Odin. Thou art... art letting my brother return to Midgard. Do not think I did not understand nor notice this.”

“It's my wedding gift to him. Although there will have to rules and limitations put in place, of course...” Odin hesitated, and then he looked towards the library, slowly squeezing the handle of his cane before he asked quietly: “Does he truly love the half-demon? And does she love him?”

“Yes. More than I have ever seen either of them show tenderness and love to anyone else.” Luna said empathetically, and then she smiled a little, adding quietly: “I do not believe 'twas just hysterics that were talking in there either, Odin. I believe that given the choice... Sleipnir truly would make sacrifice of even his honor and Valhalla for her.”

“I should slap him again.” Odin sighed tiredly, but then he nodded slowly after a moment, murmuring: “Very well. But I have things to think of and to plan. Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms, take care of yourselves. And... take care of my son.”

“We shall, Odin.” Luna bowed her head politely, and Odin smiled faintly in return before he turned and headed quietly through the crowded streets. For a few moments, Scrivener and Luna simply watched him go... and then the winged unicorn shook her head and gave Scrivener a bit of a grin even as she blushed a little, saying firmly: “See? Even I am capable of letting past grudges rest. Do not ever doubt in that again, Scrivy, 'lest I be forced to pummel the lesson into thee.”

Scrivener nodded, leaning towards her... and Luna turned her head quickly so their lips met in a soft, short kiss, her starry mane twisting backwards before she pulled away and smiled warmly. “But come, come! Oh, there is so much to plan and for once I feel as giddy as a filly over the thought of this wedding! My brother, beloved Sleipnir, married... although I fear that it shall do as much to curb him as marriage curbed me.”

“I think marrying me made you worse, actually.” Scrivener said mildly, turning to follow Luna inside, and she laughed as they headed towards where Sleipnir and Pinkmena were resting together, with Celestia and Twilight both talking to them excitedly.

Then Sleipnir looked up with a jovial grin as his sister and brother-in-law approached, calling easily over the talking winged unicorns: “There thou art! I wish to announce to thee both that we have already made our wedding plans.” Celestia and Twilight both immediately fell silent, staring at him dumbly. “We shall be married in... two days' time?”

“Yeah, that should be long enough to get the few people we want together and stuff.” Pinkamena agreed, then she shrugged and added moodily: “Guess we'll use Sugar Cube Corners. Can't sell the crap but sissy and I can at least bake up a good batch for our guests and garbage.”

“But... Sleipnir, Pinkamena, a wedding is a very important, very big occasion. It often takes months of planning, and there's everything from forms and paperwork to details and decorations...” Celestia began slowly, but the half-demon snorted and cut her off, raising a hoof moodily.

“Yeah, no. I'm going to be a full-blooded demon eventually, one way or the other. Sleipnir is... I dunno what the hell you are. I'm not banging a dead guy, right?” Pinkamena asked moodily, poking at him as Luna covered her mouth to try and suppress a fit of wild giggling.

“Have I ever seemed dead in bed?” Sleipnir waggled his eyebrows at her, and Pinkamena rolled her eyes, then grinned widely, and the stallion huffed immediately and added flatly: “That one time does not count! I was extremely drunk and had already indulged many wenches before I arrived at thy home!”

The half-demon only snorted in amusement and rolled her eyes. “Whatever you need to tell yourself. Anyway, I don't give a rat's ass if the marriage is legal or binding or whatever. That doesn't matter, we're both... outcasts of this society anyway. I just care that it's...”

She quieted, looking over at Sleipnir, who softened and reached a hoof up to stroke Pinkamena's features, murmuring softly: “It shall be held as sacred between us. And big sister, 'twould be a pleasure if thou would officiate with a few words... and little sister, I desire thee as my second.”

Luna smiled warmly at this, her eyes brightening as Pinkamena snorted, then said dryly: “Well, that's fitting, at least. You two are freakishly close. You make me wonder if there's some hillbilly thing going on here.”

“Oh stop being so jealous!” Sleipnir laughed, however, turning his eyes with a grin to Pinkamena. “Damnable demon, art thou greed? Then again, I know thee well enough to suspect there is more than a touch of lust to thee, battle-maiden...”

“Shut up.” Pinkamena shoved her hoof against his face again, and Sleipnir huffed and flailed a bit against her before the half-demon suddenly leapt to her hooves, saying firmly: “Sit and stay, gigolo. I'm going to go and tell sissy what's going on. Wanna break it to her... you know, as nice as I can.”

She turned to head towards the door... then she halted, looking over her shoulder and saying quietly: “It's a package deal, you know that, right? Sissy comes with it, and all her quirks and needs and weirdness. You need to be okay with that. And you need to be okay with taking care of her, too.”

“Thou makes it sound like a chore; why would I see it as anything but a privilege?” Sleipnir replied softly, smiling warmly across at Pinkamena before he grinned proudly over at Celestia. “I'm marrying twins!”

Pinkamena rolled her eyes, but she was smiling all the same as she turned and shoved through the door, and Sleipnir giggled a little to himself before almost-forgotten Kvasir asked moodily from the table: “She's a gluttony demon. Do you know how lucky you are she hasn't eaten you alive yet?”

“She is a half-demon, and she is more wrath than she is gluttony.” Sleipnir said almost stiffly, giving Kvasir a flat look as the unicorn-shaped god leaned back over his chair... and Scrivener stared as he realized that the polymorphed entity didn't have hooves but smooth, black hands. “Art thou going to start stirring up trouble now that my beloved wife is gone?”

He paused, then tasted these words with a smile, tilting his head upwards with a dreamy sigh before he said cheerfully: “I have a wife! I have a wife now, Celestia, Luna! What a happy day this is!”

Scrivener snorted in amusement as Luna and Celestia both smiled despite themselves, the ivory winged unicorn saying softly after a moment: “Technically, Sleipnir, you were just engaged-”

“Nay, she is already my wife. We just need to make it official to the public.” Sleipnir said staunchly, and Celestia sighed, but looked strangely touched at this statement all the same, gazing with warmth and entertainment at her brother before the enormous, vine-maned equine grinned cheerfully from Kvasir to Scrivener. “Now, both of thee! I expect thee both to attend my bachelor party! And... well, I suppose thou may come as well, little sister, thou art a mighty stallion too, art thou not?”

“I am.” Luna agreed firmly, and Sleipnir laughed warmly as Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes in amusement before the sapphire mare grinned widely over at Celestia and Twilight. “And what about thou? Perhaps, Celestia, thou could do a pretty dance for our amusement!”

“I think Twilight and I will help Pinkamena with... anything she might need instead.” Celestia said carefully, and Twilight nodded hurriedly. Scrivener gave the violet mare a flat and half-pleading look, but she only shrugged and gave him a slight smile in return, making the stallion grumble a little to himself when his eyes roved to Sleipnir and Luna, wondering just what an unsupervised, last-minute bachelor party with them would be like. “Please... please don't ruin your marriage before it even begins.”

“I plan to stay true to my promise! I shall always be honest with her, and I shall always put her first and honor her wishes and not sleep with too many strangers!” Sleipnir retorted huffily, leaning back and slapping his own broad chest. “I have my honor, big sister!”

“Yes, but little dignity and questionable morals, made much worse by your inability to look ahead and consider the consequences for your actions.” Celestia replied dryly, and Kvasir grumbled in agreement. Sleipnir only looked thoughtful before he nodded a few times as well, smiling almost childishly, and the ivory winged unicorn sighed a little as she turned to look at Scrivener Blooms. “Please do your best to keep them in line. I know it's not entirely fair to ask but... I need someone to keep an eye on him and Luna.”

Scrivener only nodded moodily, and Sleipnir grinned widely as he looked over at Luna, leaning over and whispering excitedly to her, but when Scrivener concentrated, he could hear the words as clearly as if Sleipnir were speaking to him. A moment later, the charcoal stallion frowned, then said flatly: “Don't you dare.”

“Damnable soul-link! I require a moment alone with my sister to plot against thee, poet!” Sleipnir huffed, then he leaned forwards and threw a punch firmly into Scrivener's skull right between his eyes, and the charcoal earth pony collapsed backwards into an unconscious sprawl as Luna twitched, then stared stupidly before flopping over as well, and the vine-maned stallion winced and grabbed at his face. “Oh damnation, I forgot it goes both ways! Oh no, there is that terrible sense of... Kvasir, quickly, before he becomes possessed again!”

With that, Sleipnir lunged past a gaping Celestia and Twilight and sprinted for the library door, crashing through it and scrambling out into the road before he bolted off into Ponyville. Kvasir, meanwhile, only sighed tired before he turned his eyes back to the book on the table in front of him, muttering distastefully: “I'll never understand why Odin thinks there's a point to saving mortals, when even the best examples of their kind repeat the same old mistakes again and again.”

Sleipnir grinned cheerfully, a large bruise on his skull but otherwise looking perfectly content as he sat back in the private room of the tavern, one of his forelegs wrapped around Pinkamena as she lounged easily back, clad in a simple rawhide jacket. The same private room they had reserved for Spike's bachelor party, but it was a little more crowded here tonight with everyone who was present: Big Mac, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Scrivener and Luna, Kvasir, and Discombobulation.

They were drinking and talking, Scrivener with a tall glass of cola and Luna coffee, but the others sharing whiskey and ale between themselves, Sleipnir slurping cheerfully from his large tankard loudly every so often before he smiled radiantly down at Pinkamena and stroked slowly over her shoulder, saying eagerly: “Oh, I cannot wait any longer, show them, show them!”

All eyes turned curiously towards the half-demon, and she sighed tiredly before grunting and nodding, stripping off her jacket grouchily and half-turning as she rose one forelimb... and all eyes stared with surprise at the sight of the tattooing along Pinkamena's left upper leg and over that side of her breast: vines and ivy that mirrored Sleipnir's, but instead of cradling celestial symbols and runes, they twined around a black ash tree tattooed over the side of her breast, the same as the emblem on Sleipnir's flank. “Yeah, yeah. 'Cause I'm his property now or whatever.”

But Sleipnir only laughed at this, replying amusedly as he thrusted his tankard into the air: “I own thee as much as I own sweet mother nature! By the Gods, I imagine it now: 'Pinkamena, I order thee to do thy mare's work!' And a moment later there would be an axe in mine head!”

“Hear, hear.” Scrivener said mildly, raising his glass, and Rainbow grunted in agreement as well before the three clanged their glasses and stein together. Luna laughed and Pinkamena looked oddly pleased as she rubbed absently at the fresh tattoo, Rainbow marveling over this with a whistle.

Even Big Mac nodded slowly, looking impressed as Spike stared, then glanced down at his own upper arm, grinning lamely as he reached up and rubbed against the twisting bands of runes. “That makes even my enchantment look weak. How'd you get it done so fast?”

“Nibelung.” Pinkamena shrugged after a moment, then she glanced up at Sleipnir as he smiled warmly. “That's how he got his, too, yeah?”

“Aye, the dwarves are very talented at many things.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, then he admitted after a moment: “I cried like a little filly after I got my tattoo, though. 'Twas most embarrassing, to say the very least.”

Scrivener snorted in amusement, and Sleipnir huffed at him before throwing his empty tankard at the stallion, the charcoal pony ducking hurriedly as the enormous, vine-maned equine said pointedly: “Well, thou does not have any tattoos! And no, the scars count not; thou knows well by now, I am sure, that to receive a wound in battle is far different from dealing with pain outside of the cacophony of conflict!”

Scrivener only smiled amusedly as he straightened, holding up his hooves and not saying anything before Discombobulation and Kvasir shared a look. Then the Draconequus looked forwards and held up a hand, saying mildly: “The god and I mix together as well as communism and socialism, but we both think you're as destined for doom as capitalism in an arms-industry-based country.”

“I do not understand this metaphor, but I do understand the word 'doom.'” Sleipnir huffed as he reached out, picking up the pitcher of ale just as Rainbow was reaching for it, and the Pegasus stared as Sleipnir easily guzzled the remaining contents before slamming it back down on the table and nodding firmly once. “And I do not believe that we are doomed for anything but one day a child, a puppy, and... other... family things. Luna, Scrivener, what other family things do normal families have?”

“How should I know? My daughter is a Blood Seer, my son suffered a permanent polymorph that granted him wings, we have a beautiful mare living with us as part of our family, and we still live as half-exiles deep in a living forest.” Luna replied flatly, huffing a bit before she looked pointedly at Scrivener. “And to top it all off, I am a Valkyrie married to a mare poet whose head is filled with evil; and worse than that, his own damned wicked sinful dreams.”

Sleipnir snorted in amusement at this as there were a few laughs around the table, Scrivener only smiling before the vine-maned stallion said kindly: “Thou may try to make me jealous all thou likes, little sister, but I am marrying twins. Twins!”

Pinkamena grumbled and punched him in the side, making him wheeze, and Rainbow snorted in amusement, shaking his head before he finished off his glass of ale, then dropped it on the tray, saying easily: “Come on, load up and I'll go get us all refills. That'll be my wedding gift to you guys, since you went and gave us like no notice whatsoever before getting married.”

“She was my wife the moment I laid eyes upon her.” Sleipnir said softly, smiling warmly over at the half-demon, who grumbled and immediately shoved at him in response. Spike smiled a little in understanding as Scrivener shook his head in amusement and Discombobulation made a gagging sound, but Pinkamena only shot a glare around the table that hurriedly quieted everyone.

Then Big Mac rose his glass, toasting simply with a warm smile to the couple: “Congratulations.”

Sleipnir smiled warmly at this, nodding firmly as the others rose their own glasses, even grumbling Kvasir, and they all drained what remained before dropping them on the tray. Rainbow Dash left, and the group fell into easy conversation for a while. When the Pegasus returned with all their glasses refilled, they drank, the conversation increased, they laughed and traded jokes and insults and celebrated.

Eventually, they went their separate ways: Discombobulation strode along with Kvasir, the two insulting each other even as they studied one-another warily, like they were trying in some eccentric way to make friends. Luna and Scrivener followed along behind them after both trading hugs with Sleipnir and with Pinkamena, the half-demon less-receptive but grumbling that they had better damn well show up to the wedding ceremony. And Big Mac and Rainbow headed back towards Sweet Apple Acres with Spike in tow for another round of drinks over at the farm, since Rarity, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie were over at Fluttershy's cabin, the mares hurriedly throwing some things together for the wedding party that would be taking place all too shortly.

Pinkamena and Sleipnir made their way back to Sugar Cube Corners, and into the comfort of the shop: the window upstairs had already been replaced, and after her talk with Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena had gone to City Hall, bullied her way through the lines, and intimidated several clerks into fetching her a variety of licenses and paperwork she had quickly filled out at the counter. She had plenty more to do to make sure Sugar Cube Corners could get up and running again, but she had at least seen to the basics and her own needs for the marriage.

Although it made it no less true what she had said before, as she and Sleipnir walked side-by-side through the room, letting her harsh features fade into a gentle smile at the stallion. She only cared that she was with him, that it meant something between them that they were married... and she closed her eyes when he leaned over and nuzzled the back of her neck, asking softly: “Shall I take thee up to thy bed?”

“No. Not yet.” Pinkamena said softly, even as they headed up the steps, and Sleipnir cocked his head curiously as she gestured for him to follow. They made their way up and onwards, and into Pinkamena's office, where she sat down and turned around, looking up into his eyes as he gazed back down into hers. “You know what I am. You know what I'm capable of. You know I'm going to hurt you, don't you? And you know I don't stop until I get what I want.”

“Aye, and they are all qualities I adore in thee.” Sleipnir replied with a kind smile, and the genuineness, the almost-naivety in his voice made the half-demon grin wryly as she shook her head slowly. “Come, sweet phoenix, thou knows I adore thee and thou cannot drive me off... and thou does not want to, I don't think, whether it would be better or worser for thou and I or not. After all, look at what thou hast done to proclaim our love, our pairing.”

He reached up, stroking slowly over the tattooing, and Pinkamena closed her eyes, arching her back a little against his hoof before she murmured: “Maybe I just thought it looked cool and I wanted a piece myself. Tattoos and all. They're for tough, bad influences, right?”

“Well, it does add to thy charm and splendor, certainly, but I may be biased.” Sleipnir winked at her, then he tilted her head upwards and leaned down, teasing her lips with several short, chaste kisses, making the half-demon grit her teeth even as she pushed forwards a bit, then glared up at him. “What? I thought thou wert done.”

“Liar.” Pinkamena reached up, grasping his shoulders with her front hooves as she met his eyes, saying quietly: “Do you think you're safe from me?”

“I never want to be safe from thee.” Sleipnir replied simply, and Pinkamena smiled up at him softly, before he reached out and grasped her sides, closing his eyes as he leaned forwards and murmured: “The only thing I desire is to see thee... safe. Safe, and I shall do all I can to ensure it. And I shan't let thee ever escape me or mine watch.”

The half-demon nodded, closing her red-rimmed eyes and bowing her head forwards, and they were silent for a few moments before Pinkamena said quietly: “I'm not going to let you stop me from becoming what I need to become, in order to protect sissy. And in order to protect... you.”

Sleipnir looked at her silently, then he leaned forwards and kissed her forehead gently before murmuring in her ear: “Thou already does so. Thou does not need to transform thyself. And I shan't let thee fall to Helheim, or sacrifice thyself. I shall die myself before I allow thee to die for me.”

“Then I guess we'll die together.” Pinkamena retorted, and the two glared at each other for a moment before she grinned a little and bit at him lightly with her sharp teeth, but Sleipnir didn't flinch... before he winced when she leaned forwards, sinking her teeth into the junction of shoulder and neck for a moment, tasting his blood before she drew back and licked her lips slowly, eyes roving upwards. “Come on. Guest room is all set up for us.”

Sleipnir smiled slightly... and later that night, the two lay curled together, Pinkamena breathing slowly, her mind at peace for the first time in a long time in deep, dreamless sleep as the enormous stallion curled around her a little, keeping her safe and close. He nuzzled the back of her neck affectionately... then glanced up curiously at a sound of a bell ringing from downstairs before yawning and carefully slipping out of bed.

The half-demon stirred but didn't awaken, and Sleipnir smiled at her before he shook his head out and headed down onto the first floor. He looked curiously back and forth before his eyes settled on a large bag sitting on one of the tables, and he trotted over to this and leaned forwards to stick his head inside-

“Hey!” Pinkie Pie seemed almost to appear beside him, and the stallion gave a girlish squeal as he bounced away when she glared at him. “Don't ruin the surprise!”

“Ooh, 'tis a surprise? Now I must!” Sleipnir began to prance forwards, and then he winced when Pinkie Pie slid in front of him, the earth ponies glaring at each other before the stallion sat firmly back on his haunches with a grumble. “Oh very well, sister, I shan't.”

“Sister?” Pinkie Pie looked surprised at this, and when Sleipnir nodded seriously a few times, she brightened after a moment, smiling across at him. “Sister! That's funny... and you know, I've never really thought about having a brother before...”

“Well, now thou has one.” Sleipnir replied cheerfully, and then he reached out and patted her firmly on the head. “Luna tells me I am both a very good and very bad big brother, so I shall strive to try and be more of one and less of the other to thee. I am simply unsure at the moment of which I shall be.”

Pinkie Pie laughed a little at this, and then she hesitated before softening, looking up at the stallion and asking quietly: “So you two really really love each other, huh?”

“Aye, we do. We really really do.” Sleipnir smiled a little after a moment, then he leaned forwards and studied her, adding thoughtfully: “Thou should not have trouble finding a stallion or mare for thyself, though. Which does thou prefer?”

Pinkie Pie looked awkward at this, leaning slowly back, and Sleipnir cleared his throat before hurriedly continuing cheerfully: “What I mean to say is thou art very pretty! And had thy sister not made it very clear thou wert off-limits, I would gladly throw thee down and have my way with thee!”

The bright pink pony blushed at this, then she turned and scurried towards the kitchen, and Sleipnir looked lamely after her before he reached up and hit himself a few times in the forehead with a hoof, grumbling under his breath. But a few moments later, Pinkie Pie emerged with a tray of food and two tall, bubbly drinks, the mare smiling a little across at him. “I'm really excited about... well, everything... so... do you wanna sit down?”

“Yes, of course.” Sleipnir smiled, then followed the mare to an empty booth, where she easily bucked the tray over her head to land neatly on the table, Sleipnir chuckling at the trick before he slipped carefully into the almost too-small seat. Pinkie Pie hopped into the bench across from him, and each pony carefully took a drink.

Sleipnir sipped at his almost nervously: it tasted good, of sweet sugar and oranges. It was also topped with whipped cream that he was tempted to slurp at, but resisted for the moment. The two ponies studied each other awkwardly, and then Sleipnir finally cleared his throat before he looked up and said quietly: “I want thee to know, I am in no way attempting to steal thy wonderful sister away from thee. I have promised her that... I shall help her protect thee, too. And I would anyway, worry not: for thou art family to me now, Pinkie Pie, and were already a friend before that.”

Pinkie Pie smiled a little, and then she studied him before asking quietly: “But you're gonna be good to her, yeah? You're gonna put her first, and make her happy, right?”

Sleipnir smiled back, softening as he studied the bright pink pony before he finally asked quietly: “What exactly is on thy mind, pretty mare? It seems to be worries of some kind, but of what I cannot quite guess at. But I do not think it is a fear that I will be dragging thy sister away.”

“Pinkamena.... has always lived life for me. Protecting me. Taking care of me, like... you know, almost like I'm a foal still sometimes.” Pinkie Pie blushed a bit, looking down at the stack of cookies on the tray before she picked one up and tossed it into the air, catching it in her mouth and swallowing it almost whole. Sleipnir whistled a bit at this, and Pinkie Pie giggled before she continued in the same, oddly-serious voice: “But she needs to... she needs to live for herself, too. It's not that I don't appreciate what she does, don't get me wrong there... in fact I've... always been so glad, so happy, to have her looking out for me. But I don't want to hold her back from finding happiness. I don't want her to feel...”

Pinkie Pie looked down quietly, and Sleipnir softened, leaning forwards and saying quietly: “Protecting thou and thy friends is a large part of why... Pinkamena has found joy in life. Has found meaning beyond bloodshed and violence. And that means thou hast never, ever been a burden to her, not once, but always a blessing. She loves thee, adores thee, Pinkie Pie.”

The mare smiled at this, looking up and quietly brushing her bubbly mane back before she shook her head quickly and looked back down, murmuring: “I know that's true, but... even though we're twins, we're identical but we're also... parallel. There are some things closer to her than me and vice-versa...”

Pinkie Pie glanced away, tapping a hoof awkwardly against the table before she looked back and continued quietly: “I know that big sister doesn't feel this way but... sometimes I feel like I should be the one protecting her. The one trying to make up for all the wrongs I did to her. I think a lot about things and I've come to realize that... I think she was right. She was the real one first, I was the imposter. I was the one who stole her life away and made her go crazy, locking her up inside the mirror or... wherever it was. I hurt her first, long before she hurt me, but here she is, always protecting me. I was the one who... made her that way, but everypony still supports me, calls me the good twin, but... I don't think I am.”

She looked down, and Sleipnir softened before Pinkie Pie looked up with a smile, shaking her head. “So I guess is that I want to do one good thing for her, if I can. I want to let her be free, to find happiness, to be with you. To not have to worry about me, you know? I love her. I need her, yeah, and I don't want her to go... I get lonely now, when she's not around. I get scared more, and I get a lot more manic, but even having her close... helps.”

She stopped, then leaned forwards and looked firmly across at Sleipnir, the stallion leaning back a bit in surprise at her intensity as she said, almost ordered: “I want you to do whatever it takes to make her happy, and to let her be free. I... I can't do it, there are so many things so far way out of my reach. Even when she fought Delight, I almost failed her, I failed her but it was her believing in me that... let me reach into myself. Find that strength, that key, understand what all these wild rampant feelings meant and... help her. So she deserves to be happy because... well, even I understood, better than anypony else maybe, why she did that alone, had to do that alone. She wasn't just standing up to Delight, she was standing up to what she thinks she used to be, what she thinks sometimes she still is.”

“Killing thyself.” Sleipnir murmured, looking down and closing his eyes... and then he nodded slowly before glancing up and asking quietly: “Does thou know she desires to be a full-blooded demon?”

“And it doesn't scare me.” Pinkie Pie smiled faintly, bowing her head forwards. “Because she loves me. She loves you. She has friends now, friends she would never betray, that no one could ever make her betray. She yells, and shouts, and she can be mean and she's rough and she says things that no pony should repeat but... that doesn't change who she is inside. What she would do for anypony, without hesitation. And I don't know really, what... what would change if she was... you know. But... I don't think she would change. Because she's been fighting so long, so hard. Because... if she's half-demon, and half of me, that makes me the half-pony side. And what I did to her is more unforgivable than anything she ever did to me.”

Sleipnir laughed a little, looking down and shaking his head slowly before he reached out and gently touched her shoulder, looking into her eyes quietly. “Pinkie Pie... do not despair. Thou did not do it knowingly, did thou? Thou art not malicious, and not a burden nor an anchor. And we are happy here, but... I shall tell thee what.” The earth pony smiled a bit, meeting her eyes quietly. “We shall make... compromises on both sides, but always with our beloved half-demon in mind. Our beloved... demon, it may soon be, with all this that is transpiring.”

Pinkie Pie laughed and nodded a little, then both she and Sleipnir looked up at the sound of hoof-steps, Pinkamena striding moodily towards them across the room as she said dryly: “And here you two are, conspiring and making decisions behind my back. And since both of you are too retarded to tie up your own shoes, I should probably tell you both to shut the hell up.”

“I do not wear shoes!” Sleipnir said cheerfully... and then Pinkamena reached out, picked up the fizzy drink, and poured it out over his head, the whipped cream spilling down his muzzle as his mane of vines writhed with the orange-flavored drink running through it, the stallion grumbling before he crossed his eyes to peer at the trail of cream over his face. “This brings awkward memories to mind.”

Pinkamena rolled her eyes, then smashed the glass cup against his skull, knocking him flat as Pinkie Pie winced before Pinkamena glared over at her sibling, saying firmly: “Now you listen to me. I'm here because I want to be here, you got that? And... Pinkie Pie...” Pinkamena took a slow breath, turning red through her dull-pink coat before she said in a stumbling, awkward voice: “You are very important to me and I care about you. Okay?”

Pinkie Pie smiled warmly up at her, and then Pinkamena grumbled and gestured at the tray, saying disgustedly: “Now look at this, this... garbage, you shouldn't be eating this crap this late at night, past time for bed. Come on, I'll tuck you in so you can get some sleep. I'm going to be with Sleipnir for the rest of the night, so knock before you come in since he'll probably be on top of me.”

Pinkie Pie blushed and flailed a bit, and then Sleipnir huffed as he sat up, arguing: “Bah, ridiculous! Thou always fights me for the top, as-”

Pinkamena picked up a muffin from the tray and shoved it into Sleipnir's mouth, and he choked on this as he fell back against the bench seat before the half-demon yanked Pinkie Pie to her hooves. The bright pink twin smiled lamely over her shoulder at the earth pony, hurrying after him as Sleipnir chewed slowly on the muffin in his jaws before swallowing thickly, then he reached up and wiped the whipped cream up before licking it off his hoof thoughtfully. He paused, then contemplated the tray of sweets in front of him before digging cheerfully in.

He had gotten about halfway through the food when a throat loudly cleared, and he looked lamely up to see Pinkamena standing and looking at him pointedly. Immediately, the stallion grinned widely at her before prancing forwards, and Pinkamena winced away when he tried to kiss her, shoving his face away. “Gross. Brush your goddamn teeth first.”

“Oh come now, thou has kissed me with a mouth full of blood before, among worse things!” Sleipnir complained, and Pinkamena rolled her eyes before turning and gesturing for him to follow her. He cocked his head curiously as they headed into the kitchen, then grinned brightly when the half-demon opened a cupboard and pulled down a bottle of whiskey, saying lovingly: “I desire thee to know that thou art among the greatest of females to have ever lived.”

Pinkamena only grunted as she bit into the cork and tore it free, spitting it out before taking a deep drink from the neck. She swirled it in her jaws as she shoved the bottle along the counter towards Sleipnir, and he caught it and took a drink himself, rinsing his mouth with it before grinning cheerfully over at her. “May I kiss thee now?”

The half-demon only smiled in response, leaning forwards with her red-rimmed eyes half-lidded as she replied playfully: “Just a kiss?”

Sleipnir grinned and winked at this, then leapt forwards and tackled her backwards, eager to prove he could give her much more than a simple kiss.

Prospering Friendships

Chapter Forty Two: Prospering Friendships
~BlackRoseRaven

The wedding celebration at Sugar Cube Corners was really nothing more than a wild party: the room was crowded with enormous kegs of ale, there was a buffet table piled high with food of every sort, and the little formality was quickly swallowed up in cheering and yells.

The entire marriage ceremony itself consisted essentially of Luna in her battle armor, shouting and heckling the crowd into cheering and yelling back, Sleipnir hyperventilating in his own armor, Pinkamena standing with her tattoo proudly on display and her only adornment a simple silver locket. Celestia had tried several times to make a speech, and then finally she had snapped her horn upwards, silenced everyone with the flare of light and sound that had followed, and asked quickly before the party could recover: “Sleipnir and Pinkamena, do you take each other as husband and wife?”

Sleipnir grunted and nodded wildly, and Pinkamena shrugged, then grinned widely up at her husband, and Celestia had sighed and rolled her eyes despite her half-hidden smile before declaring mildly: “Then whether you like it or not, I declare you husband and wife. Sleipnir, kiss her.”

Pinkamena had seized him and kissed him firmly, and then Sleipnir had suddenly reached forwards and picked the half-demon up, standing on his rear hooves as they'd continued to kiss even as he'd held her up above his head to the laughs and cheers of the crowd. Finally, when he'd put her down, Luna had grinned widely over at Scrivener... and the male had winced, then turned and run as she'd chased after him, shouting loudly about how they couldn't let Sleipnir show them up.

The party went from dawn-to-dusk: Rarity and Fluttershy both seemed a little shocked afterwards at some of the things they had witnessed, and Rainbow Dash felt like he had alcohol poisoning after getting into a drinking contest with Big Mac, Greece, and Kvasir. The strange god easily drank them all under the table, while at the same time moodily discussing both Asgard and Equestria with Twilight and Celestia, adding further insult to the injury their livers had likely sustained.

Cowlick absolutely delighted in the party, even if she had to take Ross home, just as Applejack left a bit early with Avalon, not wanting her to be exposed to too much of the raucousness. Antares had also been fascinated, but had gotten a little overwhelmed, so Scarlet Sage had volunteered to take him back to the cabin, and Apple Bloom had gone with her.

Scrivener had half-wanted to leave himself, but Luna insisted on staying as long as possible, and by the end of it, Scrivener was glad he had as he, Twilight, and the few others that remained all sat and stared as Luna, Sleipnir, Celestia, and a few of the Nibelung sang an old battle chant, drinks in hoof and hand, swaying easily together. Then they had all splashed one another with their ale, and laughed at it as Pinkamena dropped her forelegs around Scrivy and Twilight, leaning between them as she said dryly: “If I'd known this is what it took to get people to start showing off their true colors, I would have gotten married to the giant oaf a long time ago. Look at all that metal falling off Celestia... guess she ain't a Clockwork Pony after all.”

It was true: there she was, laughing with her brother and sister, dripping ale, eyes bright and truly happy, so happy that it had washed away everything but passion and joy. Scrivener was amazed by the sight of it: not Baroness Celestia, not even big-sister Celestia but perhaps Valkyrie Celestia... the old Freya, rising to the surface for this special celebration with her brother Sleipnir, who always seemed able to bring out that old warrior and those old passions in his beloved big sister.

When they finally left, late at night, Celestia had gone back to the cottage with them, not wanting to spend the night alone in the library after so much fun, so much loosening up; wanting to hold on to this feeling of freedom and relaxation as long as she could. And the entire night, she spent talking with Twilight and Luna and Scrivener, telling them about the old times and the old ways, even coaxed into half-singing another old song from days long passed with Luna.

In the morning, she had thanked them profusely, but... there had been no need for that. They had thanked her, instead, embraced her, congratulated her. And then they had promised to meet with her later in town, but Twilight Sparkle had decided to walk in with her, and Luna and Scrivener were both glad for it.

In a way, it was like the move out had made Celestia and Twilight closer somehow: like not being together physically as often was helping them close the rifts and spaces between them. They were talking more, sharing more with each other... although that likely also had to do more and more with Celestia's visible loosening-up, as well.

Scrivener and Luna shared a look and a soft smile as they rested in the den together, and then the sapphire mare shook her head slowly before she murmured: “I think... 'tis more than that, too, husband. 'Tis... 'tis like a return to Celestia's true self, her Freya self, just as I found myself naturally adopting my old... Brynhild self.”

“Celestia Freya.” Scrivener hesitated after a moment, smiling a little before he glanced towards the stack of logbooks on the table, saying quietly: “Now that just makes me think of that story Bob told us.”

Luna nodded slowly, looking down thoughtfully as she murmured: “Aye, and Celestia... was more like her old Valkyrie self in that story, Scrivy. Not hiding from who she was, not afraid to pursue anything that interested her... strong, powerful. A figure to be envied, and always loyal... even if aye, she was loyal to the wrong side.” Luna smiled a little, glancing over at him softly. “Yet that, of course, only made it all the more touching that she remained so honor-bound to us.”

She stopped, looking down again and hesitating before she sighed and shook her head, looking up and asking curiously: “Did it seem as if... the story reached its apex with Gymbr, aye, but perhaps... not its true ending? They strode off into the sunset... but is that not merely a way to lay the groundwork for another story to follow?”

“There's always another story, Luna. Always. Before the beginning, and after the end, there will always be stories.” Scrivener replied softly, and the winged unicorn gave him a softly-entertained look before the stallion nodded hesitantly. “But yeah. I know what you mean and I was thinking about that myself. Maybe we should ask Bob... or maybe Gymbr.”

“Aye, the Draconequus did confess that it was the doll that gave him the story.” Luna murmured thoughtfully, and then she grimaced a little, shaking her head out after a moment and mumbling: “What a wild world we live in. My beloved brother Sleipnir is married to a half-demon who still demands to be made a full demon, Celestia is becoming her old Valkyrie self, and we are talking casually of a living doll that seems to be indestructible and is perhaps made from pure evil, but all the same is the beloved toy and protector of our innocent son.”

Scrivener smiled a bit, shrugging after a moment before he looked up and said softly: “It's a weird world we live in, Luna, that's... all there is to it. This is what we get for not living normal lives... a lot of abnormal things happening to us.”

Luna laughed quietly at this thought after a moment, nodding slowly before she sighed a bit and gazed quietly at Scrivener Blooms. The male gazed back, their eyes locking, thoughts and emotions and so much more swirling between them slowly before they both leaned forwards, gently bumping their foreheads together as their eyes closed, muzzles resting side-by-side as Luna murmured softly: “Of course we shall honor our bargain with Pinkamena. But we shall also honor our word to my brother. We shan't allow her to give herself over to Helheim in return for this power, and we shan't bind her down in any way. A dangerous gambit with a demon but... I trust Pinkamena. I trust Sleipnir. And thou... thou understands her.”

Scrivener smiled awkwardly as he leaned back a bit, Luna laughing a little before she sighed and nodded, mumbling: “Aye. And I have an idea in mind of how we can achieve this, but... we must confer with Nightmare Moon. The damned and dark being has not yet outlived her usefulness, I suppose.”

Scrivener gave Luna a softly-amused look, but the winged unicorn only grumbled and shifted awkwardly before sighing and looking up at the stallion, asking dryly: “Art thou in the mood for an awkward and hopefully brief conversation? Antares and Scarlet Sage still sleep, after all. 'Twould be best to get it out of the way now, or we shall have to wait until we are again alone... which these days, is rare. I wish not to admit to Celestia nor even Twilight until after the fact that I sometimes require Nightmare Moon's help, after all.”

Scrivy smiled a bit, and then he nodded slowly, and Luna grumbled before she closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards. Scrivener Blooms bowed his own in return, feeling their minds locking together, syncing up, as a shiver passed through both their bodies, Luna's mane sparking faintly...

And when Scrivener opened his eyes, he was in darkness, Luna standing calmly beside him instead of laying across from him. It was getting easier and easier to plunge into this dark abyss... and Luna gave him a grumpy look at this thought, making the earth pony clear his throat and glance awkwardly away. “Sorry. I forget, thoughts are even easier to share down here and... you know my mind uh... well, wanders.”

“Wanders, aye, like a sheep without a shepherd may wander into a trap field and plunge into a pit of spikes and snakes.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener looked at her mildly before she huffed: “Sheep are stupid.”

“I dunno about that. Then again, I haven't even seen any sheep on this layer of reality yet.” Scrivener shrugged, and Luna grunted before they both looked forwards as a figure strode calmly towards them out of the shadows, as the moon rose slowly in the velvety darkness above, casting a pale glow through the eternal night that surrounded them.

Nightmare Moon smiled beneath the checkerboard of scars over her features, spreading her wings slowly as her collar of metal roses gleamed, tinted red now instead of silver... and neither Luna nor Scrivener wanted to guess at what she had polished it with, particularly since it seemed... fresh. Other scars gleamed over her body... and what looked like large needles and nails stood out along her back, glinting dangerously as Scrivener winced back a little, mumbling: “Well, I don't remember doing that.”

“Fear not, Scrivener Blooms. I thought it added a special touch.” Nightmare Moon replied in her kind, strangely-considerate tones as she leaned forwards, her mane swirling backwards and lighting up the black coronet of thorns and twisted ivy that was twined around her skull. Scrivener winced a bit as he gazed over her, realizing she was wearing thick reins made of barbed metal as well, and Luna shuddered a little as Nightmare Moon licked her lips slowly, stepping forwards and smiling at them affectionately. “Welcome, my family. I am so glad to see you both... I am always your humble servant, after all.”

“What are you becoming?” Scrivener asked finally, and Nightmare Moon closed her eyes with what looked like an expression of bliss as Luna shuddered a little, rearing back.

“Better.” Nightmare Moon answered finally, with a soft, delighted sigh. “So much better. I have begun a process I should have started long ago, you see. The teasing and testing and modification of myself to better suit both of you... and yes, I speak honestly, my sweet little Luna. I am your passions, after all... and I have influenced myself more to bend in the directions that would aid you both best. You come to me, seeking knowledge of the darker things; I shall be the darkest I can be. You rely on me to aid in battle and in strife; I shall become peerless in violence. You seek me out, when you wish to inflict pain, or resist it; and, as you can see...” Nightmare Moon licked her lips slowly. “I have already learned how to turn pain into the greatest possible pleasure. I think you, Luna, would benefit from mastering this yourself...”

“This... t-this is not why we are here today, Nightmare Moon.” Luna said finally, and Nightmare Moon smiled calmly and nodded as she sat slowly back on her haunches, looking across at them curiously. For a few moments, there was silence as Luna could only stare at the creature... and then finally, she shook her head briskly out to clear her mind before saying quietly: “Pinkamena desires to be made into a full demon, and I wished... to hear thy thoughts on the matter. More, on how we could do this... to her full benefit, without forcing her to give herself over to Helheim, nor flood her with poison, nor bind her to anything.”

Nightmare Moon looked down thoughtfully, then she glanced up and said softly: “It will take time of course, oh yes. And she will be giving up her mortality, the half of her that is pony and tempers the half of her that is demon. She will develop hungers... but she is... a strange case, and came first from demonic tampering.

“Yes. You have a plan in mind already: Ambrosia and demon's blood, over a period of time...” Nightmare Moon leaned forwards, studying Luna intently as the smaller winged unicorn shifted a little, grimacing a bit at the inspection of the dark creature of passion. “And something else... yes, old, dark magic. Night-magic. Interesting.”

Luna finally looked up and glowered across at Nightmare Moon, replying irritably: “Aye, and what I am interested in most is thine opinion and thoughts. Not a summary of the very things I plan to do, nor thy snide comments.”

“I am not snide, Luna. I apologize if I come across as rude. I am truly curious, that is all, and I am glad to offer my help in any way I possibly can.” Nightmare Moon bowed her head forwards politely, respectfully, and yet it only made Luna shudder before the dark-coated winged unicorn looked up with her reptilian eyes and an almost-seductive smile. “The transformation will be difficult and painful. The time it will take to do it safely, over at least a month, will make it worse. But in a way, the timing is good: Sugar Cube Corners is closed, and Pinkamena can stay within its walls while she undergoes her changes. But if you don't want demons to be attracted here... if you don't want Helheim to try and reach up to claim her as one of its own... you will have to be very careful. Demons do not like when loopholes are found in their laws. She will be labeled 'anathema,' excommunicated from Helheim itself; the true demons will hunt her, if given chance and reason.”

“Aye, and that is the true reason I am fearful of performing this ritual. That, I think, is what Sleipnir also fears... she will be pursued by vicious forces, and forcefully dragged down to Helheim for execution and punishment as tribute to Hel and the awful ice-kingdom they have built.” Luna nodded slowly, looking moodily down. “I have tried to explain this and I am sure Sleipnir has as well, but... she does not care. She says she will do anything to protect her sister and I... both admire her and wish to smite her until sense returns to the damned creature.”

“Well, her destiny ends in Helheim no matter what we do.” Nightmare Moon said calmly, and both Scrivener and Luna looked at her sharply before the dark-coated winged unicorn shrugged with a smile. “It is only the truth, my beloved family... is it not best that I always speak the truth, even when lies would be more comforting? For Valhalla will not grant sanctuary to a half-demon, and she is a killer who delights in flouting the laws of mortals and gods alike. And now, she seeks eagerly to bathe herself all the deeper in Helheim's poisons... but all of that matters little to the simple fact that Pinkamena herself believes she deserves Helheim, so Helheim she will receive.”

There was silence, and then Nightmare Moon smiled kindly. “You and Scrivener Blooms are doing a generous thing. More generous than I would be... I would desire more in return. She is already a powerful ally: I do not question that just as in the story we were told of her, she will become a truly mighty demon.”

Scrivener only shook his head slowly, and Luna sighed a little, murmuring: “Thou hast our polite thanks, Nightmare Moon, but I believe it is now time for my husband and I to take our leave.”

“I believe that Antares is almost ready to see me.” Nightmare Moon said softly, and Scrivener and Luna both looked up sharply, immediately becoming tense, but the dark-coated winged unicorn only smiled kindly across at them. “I look forwards to it. I am curious, though: when we meet, shall I appear to him like this, or shall I take on my old guise? Form does not matter to me, after all. I am passion. Passion changes for the situation, passion drives forwards but fills up the spaces that it needs filled. That is all.”

“I believe thou should take on the form that will scare our son least.” Luna replied distastefully, looking at her moodily. “Perhaps thou should pretend to be a balloon. Or a talking toy. Antares does not seem to mind evil talking toys.”

Nightmare Moon only smiled again, however, replying without hesitation: “I shall take it under advisement, Luna. Thank you for the kind advice.”

Luna only grumbled in response, then she firmly flicked her horn upwards, and Scrivener winced as darkness and vertigo assailed his senses before he blinked rapidly as reality faded in around him. He looked dumbly across at the winged unicorn as Luna looked moodily back at him, and then she sighed and bopped the end of his muzzle lightly with her horn, mumbling: “Nightmare Moon is sick. And thou art sick for the way thou wert looking at her. And thou should know it will only encourage her to do even worse things.”

“Well, maybe she'll transform herself into a living toy.” Scrivener halted, then grimaced and rubbed at his face as he muttered: “Oh wonderful. Now I can't even say things like that anymore without them coming out even more horrible than I intended.”

“See? The creature ruins everything!” Luna exclaimed, and then she leapt to her hooves and pawed at the bedding, growling under her breath. “ The damnable monster must be excised. Like a tumor. She is a tumor, Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivener mumbled a bit, not knowing if he was agreeing or arguing before he sighed and began to stand up, but then winced when Luna half-tackled him and half-flopped on top of him, knocking him back on the bedding as she grumbled: “Nay, stay here with me, Scrivener. For once I do not even desire coffee, I only desire to cling to thee and order thee to make everything better.”

“I wish I had that power.” Scrivener mumbled, and then Luna buried her face against the side of his neck and murmured something quietly in return that he didn't hear... but all the same, he clearly felt it, clearly saw the images that rose up in his mind from hers, and he hugged her tightly against him as he closed his eyes, smiling a little.

They remained silent, wiggling around a bit on the bedding until Luna eventually crawled on top of him, pinning him beneath her body but only flopping herself grumpily over the earth pony's back, squishing him into the bedding and clinging to his neck. Her face was still buried into his mane, and Scrivener sighed a bit, only laying moodily beneath her, both cherishing the closeness and comfort of her body and grumbling about Luna's particular childishness.

Eventually, Antares wandered out of his room and into the living room, and he looked at them for a few moments as Scrivener looked back and Luna rose her head with a smile that froze on her face when the foal asked curiously: “Are you making babies?”

“What does thou know of making babies?” Luna shouted incredulously, shoving her hooves against Scrivener's skull and pushing his face into the bedding, and she winced a bit at the throb of pain that went through her own head as Scrivener flailed wildly beneath her. Antares stared at his mother, and then Luna blushed deeply as she quickly let Scrivener's head go before saying lamely: “We are simply cuddling, Antares. Cuddling. I... but... thou... babies are not made this way, they are made of... oh, damnation.”

“But that's a bad word!” Antares said, looking surprised, and Scrivener sighed tiredly before Antares blushed deeply, adding hurriedly: “I didn't mean to say anything wrong, though, Mom, I really-”

“No, no, no... 'tis... 'tis fine.” Luna mumbled, and then she sighed and slipped off Scrivener, looking down at him grumpily. “'Tis ironic, though, that he knows the stallion should be on the mare.”

Antares was giving Luna a look now, though, and Scrivener glared over at the starry-maned mare, who blushed deeply before saying hurriedly: “Milk and cookies!”

“Milk and cookies!” Antares said happily, immediately both distracted and relieved by this as Luna bounced quickly over to the kitchen, and Scrivener sat up moodily before he sighed and headed for their bedroom, deciding to dig up his parenting books.

When he came back after a quick read, he found Luna and Antares both sharing a plate of cookies, the unicorn foal with his sippy cup of milk in front of him. Scrivener smiled down at him, reaching out and ruffling his son's mane, and Antares gazed up at him with a blush before he apologized: “I didn't mean to say a bad thing.”

“You didn't, Antares. Did Gymbr tell you about that stuff?” Scrivener asked mildly, reaching out and poking the doll, and Antares shook his head with a blush, which made Scrivy tilt his head curiously. “No? Who did?”

Antares shifted embarrassedly, and Luna smiled kindly, reaching up and touching his shoulder as she said gently: “We are not mad, and 'tis not tattling because we shan't punish thee or anypony else. Nor shall we embarrass thee by attempting to scold them, we only desire to... know what thou... knows.”

The foal looked a little reassured, nodding awkwardly after a moment, and then he played quietly with Gymbr before he looked up and said finally: “Meadowlark's mommy is a doctor, so Meadowlark knows all this fancy stuff. I... I asked Scarlet Sage about some of it. She got real quiet, though, I thought I said something bad, so I left it alone, but then when I came out here, well...”

Luna grunted, then Scrivener looked over at her mildly, and the winged unicorn glowered back before she sighed and nodded moodily, taking his advice to handle the subject gingerly... but honestly. “Well, that... that is not what thou saw, no.”

Antares was looking up at them curiously, and then he asked hesitantly: “How are babies made, then?”

“Well, uh...” Scrivener hesitated, then answered in a gentle voice as Antares started to look worried again and Luna gestured at him almost frantically to handle the question: “Mommy and Daddy make love, which... we'll talk about later, when you're uh. A little older. And then the baby grows inside Mommy. And then she gives birth and... well... here you are.”

Scrivener reached out and gently bopped Antares on the nose, and the foal wrinkled his muzzle and looked reassured as he replied with a smile: “Oh, okay. Meadowlark said that Mommy and Daddy have sex, not make love.”

Scrivener dropped his face against a hoof and looked pointedly towards Luna, making Antares look confused before Luna replied with a faint grin despite herself: “That is just another name for it, Antares Mīrus. Or a form of it, anyway... making love is a very special thing shared between ponies who love one-another very, very much.”

Antares began to open his mouth, but when Luna and Scrivener both winced and leaned back, the foal hurriedly closed his jaws and only nodded seriously a few times before Luna poked her son's nose firmly, saying quietly: “Now look at thou, thou art still but a young foal, a very young foal indeed, and thou shan't have to worry about this nonsense for years and years yet, even if thou art... growing up so quickly.”

Luna gazed softly over the foal: only almost two, yet well ahead of peers his age, at least mentally. Physically, too, but not as much... and he had a long way to go to pass through adolescence. But all the same, this was a reminder that... Antares was indeed growing up. That foal or not, he was learning about the world... sometimes learning things they didn't want him to, as Scrivener made a mental note to somehow slip chatty little Meadowlark some piece of information she could repeat to her parents and make them feel horribly awkward.

After Antares finished his milk and breakfast of cookies, they went upstairs with him, letting the foal help out with the process of cleaning up after them as they worked on finishing off the few things left to do in the rooms. Mostly detailing, cleaning up and polishing away messes and scratches, and finishing off the edges of floors and windows.

Scarlet Sage came up to join them in the late morning, and Luna gave her a horrible look, making the Pegasus wince in surprise before Luna hurriedly looked over her shoulder, but Antares was in the other room, sweeping industriously up while he talked to his father, as Scrivener sanded down the frame for a window. Then the winged unicorn quickly turned her eyes back to Scarlet Sage, whispering loudly: “Why did thou not warn us that damnable Meadowlark gossiped with Antares about things little foals should not know about? Damnation, the foal came into the living room, found me cuddling with thy father, and asked if we were making babies!”

Scarlet Sage stared... then she covered her mouth with one hoof as she began to giggle madly even as she flushed a bit, and Luna gave her another horrible look, muttering: “'Tis not funny. 'Tis not funny at all. 'Tis because of that damnable Ameliorate telling her daughter... sinful things! By Asgard, I shall smite her!”

“Mom, it's not that big a deal. I mean, I got my first talk about sex... before my real parents died.” Scarlet Sage grew a bit quieter, and Luna looked up in surprise, tilting her head curiously before she smiled a bit over at the winged unicorn. “No, it wasn't anything like what you gave me. It was more... kind of a prelude.”

She looked down, rubbing at her face slowly before she shook her head a bit and said softly: “Sometimes I think my Mom and Dad knew... something was wrong. That something bad was going to happen to us... but they were trying to protect me. Yet at the same time... they gave me... I dunno, told me all this stuff. About life, about everything... and what really, really sucks is that I was too scared back then, too confused by everything, to remember a lot of it now.”

She halted, then smiled and looked up and shook her head. “Sorry, Mom. Didn't mean to get... bogged down and stuff.”

“It is okay, Scarlet Sage, 'tis very understandable.” Luna said quietly, and Scarlet Sage smiled in return as Luna felt a flutter of warmth that was only made sweeter by the soft sorrow she felt in the air. “Have I ever told thee how much it means to me that... thou calls me so readily 'Mom,' and thy father 'Dad?'”

“Have I ever told you how much it means to me that both of you always say these days, 'this is our daughter,' instead of 'this is our adopted daughter?'” Scarlet Sage replied gently, and she smiled a little, leaning forwards and sharing a quick nuzzle with Luna before she sat back and added shyly: “And... before I wimp out... I... I really would like to bring Apple Bloom by tonight. Maybe... she can even spend the night out here. I want to... I mean, I know you guys know her and everything but I really want to officially... introduce her as...”

“I understand.” Luna said gently, smiling and nodding firmly once, and Scarlet Sage nodded back before stepping forwards and hugging the winged unicorn fiercely, and Luna hugged her tightly back, closing her eyes and squeezing her silently close. “I look forwards to it. Scrivener Blooms and I will be returning here in the evening, after meeting with Celestia, Sleipnir and Pinkamena... I know, take some money from our piggy bank, treat thyself and Apple Bloom to a good long dinner, and then the theater.”

Scarlet Sage smiled warmly again at this, and then she nodded and blushed a bit. “Thanks Mom. I... I really am lucky to have you guys.”

“Bah, thou could be better off.” Luna laughed and shook her head, then she winked at the Pegasus with a playful grin. “We'll see how thou feels once thou art forced to explain the nature of such relationships to Antares.”

The Pegasus only rolled her eyes in amusement, however, turning to head off... but she took a few moments to greet Antares and speak with him for a moment, and Luna smiled warmly at her daughter. It was the little things like that which truly added up to make Scarlet Sage such a wonderful daughter... and if she ever wanted to be one day, a wonderful parent.

Not that Luna thought Apple Bloom was only going through a phase, or doubted her daughter knew her own preferences, and the winged unicorn grinned a little to herself as she sanded down the edge of a window, murmuring amusedly: “Oh, all those years ago, I do remember when I was trying to discuss handsome stallions with Celestia, and she simply ignored me... and then how Sleipnir swept in, sat down beside me, and agreed cheerfully that the stallion I was pointing at, he was very handsome, but would not be interested in me as he had only recently spent the night with him...”

Luna laughed to herself, then turned around and grinned widely at Scrivener Blooms, who was leaning in the doorway and looking entertained. “You two are weird, you know that?”

“Oh, thou art one to talk.” Luna scoffed, and Scrivener snorted in amusement before he turned and headed back to check on Antares, as the winged unicorn called after him loudly: “Do not think I do not know what goes on in the depths of thy sordid mind!”

Then she huffed and turned around... and stared at the sight of Discombobulation now standing behind her, peering around the room thoughtfully. “Creature!”

“I like it, but do you have it in fuchsia?” Discombobulation asked mildly, then he snapped his fingers, and the white walls turned a bright violet, the Draconequus giving a moue of distaste. “Ouch. Well, my sense of color never was exactly spot-on. I think that's why they never gave any of my designs a chance. No, not clothing designs, don't be silly, I don't wear clothes, but I do sometimes wear cologne, and as anyone will tell you, smell is all about color.”

For a few moments Luna only looked at him incredulously... and then she paused and peered around at the room before saying thoughtfully: “I actually enjoy this color. Thou hast my thanks, Bob.”

“Oh. Well. This is awkward.” Discombobulation said moodily, and then he looked up and called: “Other ponies! Come and see what color Scrivener Blooms has made this room!”

Luna glared at him, and Antares giggled as he ran across the hall, then stared around at the violet walls before Scrivener curiously approached and entered as well... then he grimaced and winced a bit, saying flatly: “It's like Twilight Sparkle is all around me.”

“Then thou must truly be fond of it.” Luna said ironically, making Antares giggle and Scrivener sigh tiredly, and then the winged unicorn grinned amusedly. “Twilight Sparkle all around me...”

“You're weird.” Scrivener said finally, as Antares ran around the room, poking a little at the walls and marveling over the change.

“But aren't all mares basically bisexual?” Discombobulation asked seriously, and then he held out a fist to Luna and looked at her pointedly, and she grinned and laughed before punching it with her hoof. “What's the point of being bisexual if you're celibate?”

Antares was now looking at them curiously, so Scrivener only sighed, walking over to pick up his son and gently put him on his back, and the foal giggled as the male said dryly: “Please don't encourage the Draconequus, Luna. Besides, don't you usually pummel him when he says things like that?”

“Aye, but I am in a good mood today and 'tis nothing that bothers me. 'Tis like when we debate the topic of pro-” Luna halted and cleared her throat when Scrivener halted in the hallway and glared at her as Antares poked his head up interestedly. “Those... certain. Types. Yes.”

She rose her front hooves in a gesture of surrender as Discombobulation mimicked her, and Antares giggled again before Scrivener sighed and turned, grumpily heading for the stairs as he said loudly: “Come on, Antares. Let's get you a little lunch, then we'll go into Ponyville.”

Luna and Discombobulation peered at each other at the sound of the door opening and closing, and then the Draconequus dropped his hands as Luna settled back as well, saying mildly: “He's usually so much more fun than that. Is he having rivalry issues with your brother? Because I want you to know that while I think your brother is a very fun pony, I all the same still hold against him the fact that the first thing he did when we met was ram his skull into my groin. It was a very-literally-below-the-belt blow.”

“What? Oh nay, Scrivy is just stressed over raising Antares properly.” Luna paused, then grinned slightly up at Discombobulation, making the chimerical creature wince back a little. “Perhaps thou can help, though! And better yet, thou would get to cause a little mischief... thou likes mischief, does thou not?”

Discombobulation gazed apprehensively down at Luna, even as he looked intrigued, rubbing slowly at his chin. “This doesn't end with me getting sold out and shot in the back, yes? Because I really don't want to go into witness protection. That's a bit difficult when you look like I do. Wearing an elephant trunk just won't cut it for me, like it did for that blonde guy with the sunglasses and the posing.”

Discombobulation accented by suddenly snapping into a sharp stance with one hand out and the other raised by his turned head, the movement instantaneous and making a sound like a cracking whip, and Luna stared for a moment before she snorted in amusement and shook her head, saying cheerfully: “Nay, I simply wish for thee to sneak into the house belonging to Ameliorate and her husband, Engelhart, find something particularly humiliating, and leave it out for Meadowlark to find.”

“Oh wow, this isn't a sitcom-level plan that could backfire in one of a thousand different ways.” Discombobulation said flatly, and Luna glared up at him, making the Draconequus wince. “By which I mean you should first consider how this could affect you, Scrivener Blooms. Think about it: what if, say, I find some bondage apparel, everything goes according to plan, parents are horrified when little filly starts asking about Mommy's crotchless leather chaps... and then Meadowlark blabs to Antares about this whole new game she's found out about?”

“Well, that is fine, all of mine own bondage apparel is safely locked away in a trunk in the closet.” Luna said blandly, and Discombobulation dropped his face against his eagle talon before Luna huffed and flailed her hooves at him. “'Twill not overspill onto Antares Mīrus! But damnation, Discombobulation, they have put me through awkwardness! I shall put them through awkwardness in return!”

“Your plan makes absolutely no sense. No sense. None.” Discombobulation paused meditatively, then he nodded thoughtfully as he looked up. “And the thought of it actually amuses me so, very well, I'll do it.”

“Just do not scar the filly! Make it something... something awkward, but nothing that would scare nor upset the child.” Luna said firmly, and Discombobulation nodded before saluting her, then he turned around and reached out, brushing aside reality like a curtain and vanishing into a green vortex beyond.

This blinked out of existence a moment later, leaving only the unblemished air, and Luna looked moodily into this space before she asked herself morbidly: “Oh Gods above, what evil have I unleashed?”

Luna headed downstairs to join Antares and Scrivener for lunch, and the stallion looked at her sourly for a few long minutes until she huffed at him and mumbled that it was fair revenge. Antares, at least, was energetic and had apparently forgotten about the conversation from that morning already, and they were able to pack up quickly before heading into town.

The unicorn foal tired himself out about halfway to Ponyville, so Luna picked her child up and gently set him on Scrivener's back. His father carried him without complaint, smiling a little over his shoulder as the saddlebags filled with the child's things and other miscellanea swayed at his side, and Luna paced beside him before she finally glanced at him awkwardly, leaning over and kissing the side of his neck gently. “Thou art worrying too much.”

“I... yeah.” Scrivener admitted, then he looked down and added mildly: “You know, we kind of broke our word on this one. We'll have to put some stuff in the lie jar.”

“Nay, I do not see how. We are not going to confront Meadowlark or her parents about it, we are merely playing a fun prank on them.” Luna replied cheerfully, then she leaned over and nuzzled him gently, saying softly: “We are doing the best we can, Scrivy. Aye, I was... not prepared for this, but I am beginning to realize that... we are not prepared for any of the things we thought we were with our foal.”

Scrivener Blooms smiled a little at this, looking down and nodding slowly as he murmured: “Like when he got his first little touch of a cold, how much we both freaked out. How he was so clumsy as a baby... and of course, things like his wings.”

“Aye. We simply... do not know what the future holds, and try as we might, there are things we cannot prepare for.” Luna said softly, looking ahead down the brightly-lit forest path. “But when we trust in our instincts... we seem to do well, do we not? So... we are far from failures too. I do not know how good we are as parents but I can say with confidence we are not the worst.”

Scrivener smiled a bit at this and nodded slowly, and then he turned his eyes to Luna, studying her as she gazed back at him softly, then she smiled slightly and simply shrugged, looking ahead warmly. “Nay, we are not particularly good people. And this is a silly vengeance we have wreaked but... 'tis hilarious all the same and I do so look forwards to hearing about how it plays out and hope it means that Meadowlark's mother will be more careful in keeping certain things quiet from her chatty child. And besides, think of this: perhaps one day Pinkamena and Sleipnir will have a foal.”

Scrivener laughed and shook his head slowly before he looked with amusement over at the winged unicorn, saying softly: “But your brother is amazing with kids, Luna. And Pinkamena, well...”

“Aye, she would be a strange but good mother. She is better with foals than she lets on or allows others to think.” Luna replied thoughtfully, nodding in return to Scrivener before they traded a look and soft thoughts, and then she smiled at him quietly. “Thou does not need to apologize to me, Scrivy.”

“Then I won't.” Scrivener smiled slightly as well as he looked ahead, then he laughed when Luna bumped against him firmly with a snort of amusement. “Hypocrite.”

“Oh, yes, thou art one to accuse me of that.” Luna remarked, then she leaned over and firmly kissed his cheek. “Insufferable beetle.”

The stallion smiled, nodding agreeably as they continued down the forest path; an easy, comfortable journey, as they faded into a comfortable lull of silence. They were together, and that was all that mattered, their son safe and secure, and not far ahead in town, Scarlet Sage was with the young mare she had begun to court.

As they left the Everfree Forest, Scrivener let his mind muse over this subject, looking towards the gates of Ponyville before he asked curiously: “Have you ever been in an extended relationship with a mare? Other than Twilight, I mean.”

Luna shrugged, tilting her head up as she said thoughtfully: “Well... I was not in many true 'relationships' in the past, Scrivener Blooms. Ignominious...” Luna fell quiet for a moment, then she smiled a little over at him when he gazed towards her. “No, 'tis alright. The wretch is dead, after all, and I can let the past rest. Ignominious and I were together the longest. Five... nay, seven. Seven years. But it was because he was a Paladin who traveled with us... and worry not, he was neither as good in bed as thou art and nor was he as accepting of my particular adventurousness. And there were, of course, periods during those years when we were apart, either physically or... well, emotionally, I suppose.”

Scrivener nodded slowly as Luna's memories filtered quietly through his mind, filling in details and gaps, sharing the story with him further before the winged unicorn shook her head, then turned her eyes forwards. They were quiet as they passed the Nibelung, nodding and smiling to them, before Luna continued thoughtfully: “Yes, there was more than one mare I cared for very deeply. That I would have pursued more of a relationship with, had I the chance. That... interested me, I suppose.”

Luna smiled a little. “But all relationships are both very different and very much the same. 'Tis simply ponies who are trying, for some insane reason we call 'love,' to attempt to be with one-another through good and bad and everything in between. Who are attempting to fill in one another's flaws, and protect each other from the world and themselves. Who at first are together purely because 'tis enjoyable... but then it evolves into something more, or decays into something less. And honestly, Scrivener Blooms, I know not what I wish for our daughter. For I know I have never felt happier, or purer, or better, or stronger than when I am with thee. That 'tis not even the serenity thou brings that is truly important to me anymore, 'tis the sense of being... complete. But at the same time...” Luna grinned widely. “I had centuries to sample life's pleasures and eventually find thee, and I would dearly like for Scarlet Sage to be able to sample more than one dish from the buffet.”

“Because you're a good example of staying happy with just one dish.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna shrugged and winked at him before the stallion gazed ahead and smiled a little. “But I guess I'm not, either.”

Luna nodded agreeably, then she looked ahead and shrugged as her mane twisted out behind her, saying softly: “But at the same time, both of us... could give up everything for each other, could we not? Thou makes me happy, I make thee happy, we are... soulmates. And we are bound, as one soul...” Luna looked over at him thoughtfully, murmuring quietly: “Sometimes I wonder if thou art not a shard of my dreams and hopes and narcissism made whole into a living being. Whether or not we are two ponies... or simply one pony, who happen to be split between these two bodies... I the stallion, and thou the mare.”

“And we're back to the gender jokes, just as things start to get too serious.” Scrivener said mildly, rolling his eyes but smiling despite himself. Luna leaned over and nuzzled firmly into his neck, and the two continued easily forwards, the male gazing ahead and then smiling as the library came in sight... and in front of it were Twilight and Celestia, talking warmly with Fluttershy as her Phooka friend, Nirvana, sat calmly beside her.

The blonde Pegasus glanced up as they approached, then blushed a little and bowed her head towards them, saying softly: “Hello... and oh, hello Antares. It's wonderful to see you all, and I was actually hoping to talk to you, Luna...”

Scrivener glanced over his shoulder and smiled when he saw that Antares was awake and yawning a little, as Luna cocked her head and asked curiously: “And what about thou, fair Fluttershy? Don't tell me, thou wishes for me to marry thee to this handsome Phooka, is that it?”

Fluttershy turned beet-red at this, shaking her head quickly as the Phooka glowered moodily at Luna, and Celestia sighed a little before she said gently to her younger sibling: “Now that the animal center has been finished, Fluttershy was hoping to get some help dealing with some of the creatures moving in... I have every confidence myself that she'll be able to handle these animals, but I understand her desire to want an extra hoof or two nearby while getting used to them. In fact, I applaud her for coming forwards to ask for it.”

The Pegasus only smiled embarrassedly at this, and then Luna brightened, stomping a hoof cheerfully. “Then we must fetch Sleipnir!”

Twilight looked surprised at this, leaning back a bit before her surprise only increased when Celestia nodded calmly and smiled. “That was exactly what I was thinking, little sister. But I thought that for today, we could help out a little ourselves, too. There's quite a variety she'll be tending to, after all... everything from domestic pets to Hellhounds.”

“A Hellhound would make a fine pet! Antares, what does thou think, would thou like a Hellhound for a pet?” Luna asked cheerfully, and when Scrivener gave her a flat look, she huffed at him grouchily. “Do not be prejudicial, Scrivener Blooms! 'Twould be like any other pet!” Luna half-pleaded, looking pointedly over at Scrivener. “Thou adores pets! Besides, no matter what, any pet can be nurtured and trained into being obedient and good-natured, is this not true, Fluttershy?”

“I... well...” Fluttershy hesitated, looking awkward before she smiled a little. “If you can raise them from birth there's certainly a good chance, but... a lot of these are rescue animals. Ones we found hurt in the wild, or... that don't have any place to go or in a few rare cases were even brought here for us to take care of by demons. It's funny... I never imagined that demons kept pets, too.”

The Phooka rumbled quietly, and Fluttershy turned to Nirvana curiously as Luna and Scrivener both smiled softly: the same Phooka as Fluttershy had always had following at her side, the same Phooka that in Discombobulation's story had become more than a friend to her... and while Luna thought even Celestia was curious how Fluttershy felt for the Phooka, they all were respecting the Pegasus' privacy for now. Tempting as it was for Luna to try and simply plow forwards and ask sometimes... and the winged unicorn had to resist this urge as she prompted gently: “Thou art nursing the demon's pets, too?”

“Oh, no. Just room and board.” Fluttershy looked up with a blush and a laugh, reaching a hoof out and quietly stroking against Nirvana's side, and that alone was enough to make the Phooka visibly relax as the Pegasus continued in her gentle voice: “They aren't quite as bad to try and look after... for the most part, they're already trained, if not completely... docile. But I've never even seen some of these animals that are coming in now, and they're admittedly a little scary.”

Luna nodded, then looked curiously over at Celestia and Twilight, and the violet mare answered before the sapphire winged unicorn could even ask: “Black drakes, Hellhounds, a basilisk, a few pseudodragons, and a few other species... this is only our test run, too, but they have nowhere to go, and well...”

“But I know that Fluttershy will do a fine job, particularly with the Phooka able to help out and calm the creatures that don't respond to her natural skills.” Celestia paused after a moment, adding thoughtfully: “Although you may wish to be careful with the basilisk. Between a basilisk and a Phooka, I'm not entirely sure which species would win.”

“A Phooka can best a cockatrice, aye?” Luna looked curiously over at Celestia, who nodded hesitantly after a moment before the sapphire winged unicorn grinned a little. “But even an adult cockatrice is not nearly as dangerous as a basilisk. No ripping claws, no rending fangs, no poison...”

Fluttershy winced a little at this, shrinking back a bit, and Scrivener firmly nudged Luna before the sapphire mare cleared her throat awkwardly and added hurriedly: “But I am sure thou shall do a fine job with it all the same... thou has a wonderful talent for beasts of every shape and size, after all.”

The Pegasus only smiled awkwardly at this, shifting a little before Twilight strode over and gave her a quick, reassuring hug around the neck, and Fluttershy smiled again as she leaned forwards against the violet mare for a moment, closing her eyes and relaxing slowly. The two parted, trading a soft look... and then Fluttershy squeaked and jumped when a jovial voice shouted cheerfully: “And look at this fine group, beneath Midgard's fine sun! Gorgeous sisters, is it not a beautiful day today?”

Sleipnir was grinning cheerfully, striding towards them with Pinkamena beside him, the half-demon rolling her eyes and firmly elbowing the enormous, vine-maned stallion as she said moodily: “If I'd known you'd be so happy each and every day, I would never have married you. It's worse than waking up in bed with sissy.”

“I would not mind waking up in bed with thy sister.” Sleipnir said brightly, and then he grunted when Pinkamena kicked him firmly in the kidney with a rear hoof, making him stagger. “Harpy!”

Pinkamena only grumbled under her breath as the two halted in front of the group, Fluttershy and Nirvana both looking nervously at Sleipnir before the enormous stallion smiled warmly over them both, not seeming to think anything was out of the ordinary despite the Phooka before he leaned forwards and asked kindly: “Thy name is Fluttershy, yes? And thou art in charge of caring for nature's children, is this not so?”

Fluttershy nodded a little, blushing a bit, and Sleipnir smiled warmly before he leaned forwards and pulled her into a tight, sudden hug, making the Pegasus squeak for a moment as Nirvana rumbled apprehensively. “Then we are going to be the best of friends, thou and I! Shy maiden, fear not, for nothing in this land shall hurt thee under my watch! And... what, does thou desire a hug too?”

Sleipnir laughed, reaching forwards and easily sweeping the Phooka up in his other foreleg, the semi-incorporeal creature flailing wildly as it was pulled into the crushing embrace. The creatures weren't physical enough to feel pain, but it wasn't immaterial enough to slip free either as Pinkamena rolled her eyes and watched with a grudging smile as the enormous stallion squeezed both pony and Phooka close. “Yes, yes, friends! We are all friends here, are we not?”

“Sleipnir, cease molesting the poor creatures now, thou art going to terrify them.” Luna said gently, but she was grinning all the same as her brother grumbled for a moment before finally releasing both pony and shadowy equine, and Fluttershy wheezed for breath as she dropped her head forwards and stumbled away, while the Phooka skittered quickly to a safe distance and glowered over its shoulder at the enormous, vine-maned stallion. “Thou has as much a concept of 'personal space' as ever, I see. But do try and be gentler.”

“I am gentle! I am very gentle!” Sleipnir said grouchily, and then he grinned widely over at Pinkamena, winking at her. “Unless of course, I am asked to be rough...”

Pinkamena rolled her eyes and swung a hoof into his face without bothering to look at him, making Sleipnir flinch back before she looked moodily over the group assembled in front of the library. “So where are we going? Pretty obvious you losers have some plan in mind.”

“Pinkamena, Scrivy and I would like to speak to thee about that certain desire thou had, if thou has a moment.” Luna said gently, and the half-demon looked up in sharp interest as Sleipnir frowned worriedly, but Luna only grinned widely. “Trust in me, brother. Besides, thou has babies to take care of. Nature-babies. Fluttershy and friends have requested thy help at the animal nursery, after all.”

Slowly, Sleipnir's eyes grew wide and large as he stared towards Fluttershy, and the Pegasus winced back a bit from this look before she started awkwardly: “It's more of a care center-”

“Delightful! Of course, of course!” Sleipnir shouted cheerfully, bouncing back and forth on his hooves childishly, and Scrivener and Twilight stared as Luna giggled and Celestia only sighed and shook her head, even as she gave a faint smile. “Oh most excellent indeed!”

“Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” cried another voice, and Discombobulation skidded in from thin air, Sleipnir laughing as he spun towards the Draconequus and leapt up on his hind hooves. Discombobulation caught the front hooves of the enormous earth pony in his own hands, and they danced in a quick, cheerful circle before quickly parting and leaping back from each other, the earth pony grinning widely up at Discombobulation as the Draconequus pointed towards him and said in an almost-admiring voice: “You, sir, are very good at improv. I like that. That makes me change my opinion of you a little.”

Then the chimerical creature paused before glancing towards Luna, adding seriously: “By the way. I took care of that little problem you asked me to. It wasn't overly difficult... they almost caught me, but thankfully my camouflage index was high enough I was able to slowly crawl to a safe hiding spot and equip my cardboard box.”

“Good.” Luna said cheerfully, and then she cleared her throat when Celestia looked at her dryly before the winged unicorn hurriedly turned towards the library. “Come, Pinkamena, let us discuss this new development!”

“Wait, Kvasir is in there and he's... well...” Twilight hesitated, looking awkward as Luna looked curiously over her shoulder. “Well. He's not exactly friendly, but I think he's kind of trying, at least. So Celestia and I were going to give him some space...”

“He can have his space after I talk with Pinkamena. Fear not, I can be very good with people when I desire to be, including foul little god-things.” Luna said positively, and Scrivener winced a bit at this as Antares giggled a little on the stallion's back, before the winged unicorn cleared her throat and added: “But perhaps, Sleipnir, thou and Fluttershy can take my son and show him all the amazing animals at the animal center. 'Twould be most appreciated.”

“I am most glad to!” Sleipnir said brightly, striding over and picking up Antares easily, and the colt giggled again before Sleipnir easily tossed him to the side, Scrivener, Luna and Celestia all giving Sleipnir a horrible look even as Antares laughed before he landed with a grunt on the Phooka. Immediately, the smoky equine stiffened, wincing over its shoulder at the child happily sitting astride it now as Luna turned her horrendous look on Sleipnir, but the earth pony only said cheerfully: “Oh come now! This good Phooka here is a friend to us, aye? He is not about to bolt off with this little colt... and how many foals are so fortunate to get to ride a Phooka, aye?”

Then Sleipnir grinned, waggling his eyebrows as he began seriously: “Why, I remember when I rode my first Phooka-”

Pinkamena punched him in the stomach, and Sleipnir wheezed and slowly lowered himself to the ground until he was laying flat, his eyes bulging as he rasped for air before the half -demon strode moodily forwards and past Luna to shove her way into the library. Twilight looked awkwardly over her shoulder at this, and then she smiled a little over at Luna, asking finally: “Do... you want me to stay, too?”

Celestia gazed softly at Twilight, then over at Luna, amethyst eyes both concerned and trusting. Luna met her big sister's eyes, then she gave a slight smile of her own as her dark cyan irises slid to Twilight, saying gently: “Nay, 'tis fine. Go with Celestia. I fear that Fluttershy will need thy aid more in dealing with Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir grumbled at this from the ground, and Twilight and Celestia both nodded before the ivory winged unicorn said softly: “Don't take too long then, little sister. We'll be waiting for you.”

“'Twill be moments.” Luna reassured, winking up at her older sibling, and Celestia nodded again as Discombobulation gave a little wave before the sapphire mare turned and Scrivener followed her into the library, closing the door quietly behind him.

Then both ponies looked up in surprise to see Kvasir standing moodily near the library shelves on his rear legs, a book in what looked like a lineless black hand, his gaze sour as Pinkamena dug through the papers he had left scattered over the table. The strange, polymorphed god sighed tiredly after a moment, then he loudly shut the book and asked grouchily: “What are you doing here, Helheim spawn? And wonderful, Brynhild and her... consort.”

“Concubine.” Luna nudged Scrivener playfully, then huffed when he simply glowered at her before she shook her head and said flatly: “In any event, we simply required a moment of privacy, 'tis all. We shall be out of thy mane in moments, worry not. But perhaps thou could retire to another room, 'twould be most appreciated.”

“Uh. No.” Kvasir snorted in distaste at this, walking calmly over to the table and tossing the book down on a cluster of papers Pinkamena was peering at, making her growl and glare up at him. “Do you not understand basic etiquette?”

“Better than you do.” Pinkamena muttered, then she snorted and turned away from the table, saying moodily: “Anyway, if this is about the demon thing, go ahead and say it in front of him. I don't give a crowbait's flank what he thinks, after all.”

Kvasir looked strangely insulted by this, rearing back a bit before he frowned when Luna nodded and simply plunged forwards, saying calmly: “If we ward thy home and take our time with the transformation instead of infusing thou all at once with a mass quantity of demonic essence, it should... have the most desirable result. But it will hurt. I cannot emphasize how much it will hurt, and the fact thou will undoubtedly desire to speed the transformation up... but the faster we make thee into a full demon, the greater the chances of instability in thy being, of... both attracting foul entities that will wish to harm thee as well as... death, in a word. Although 'death' is not entirely accurate, either.”

The half-demon snorted, looking down moodily before she sighed a little, looking up and asking grouchily: “How long are we talking here?”

Luna began to answer, but she was cut off as Kvasir snapped: “What idiocy is this? You're not happy being a pony, so you desire to sink yourself lower than even the Ginnungagap rat and plunge yourself into Helheim's corruption? Please. What a childish desire for power... what a fool's errand.”

“Funny. You saying that just makes me want to do it all the more.” Pinkamena grinned coldly over at him, even as her eyes flashed and she growled low in her throat. “Besides, what the hell would you know, pretty-boy? I'm a half-demon anyway... you know what that's like? Every goddamn day anyway, I feel that demon side of me crawling more and more through me, throbbing like a goddamn infection. I feel like a living, walking tumor, reeking of death and needs that no other pony is going to understand. I feel out of control and full of conflict and emotion and hate: I want to feel like I'm one or the other. Not a trick coin, stuck on its side, unable to fall to heads or tails.”

Kvasir looked at her silently, and then he shook his head moodily. Pinkamena snarled at him, and there was silence for a few moments before Luna said quietly: “It shall take at least a month, and it will hurt. We shall use Ambrosia as well, to better influence the process...”

“Stupidity.” Kvasir muttered, and Luna glared at him as Scrivener looked up sourly. The god shook his head moodily, looking around at them before he snorted. “I'm incredulous, honestly, that you would even consider this is a viable option.”

“Yeah, well, you don't know what it's like to spend your entire life behind the broken mirror and in the shadows.” Pinkamena replied, sitting back on her haunches and looking over at him with disgust. “Why don't you go crawl back up Heaven's ass?”

Slowly, Kvasir's face puckered as if he'd just bitten into something incredibly sour, and then Luna added sharply, glaring over at the god: “Pinkamena has made her decision. I would not support her if I did not understand her reasons, creature. And we have weighed our options accordingly and already decided upon the best course of action. Demon blood, mixed with Ambrosia to accelerate and act as a binding agent. 'Tis not hard-”

“It's stupid. It will only madden the half-demon.” Kvasir retorted, and then he snorted before shaking his head, saying disgustedly: “You need to balance the mixture out, you need something that will do more than simply accelerate the transformation, unless you want her to become a mindless demon thrall. You need something that will work to keep her pain at a minimum and sharpen her mind, or she will lose what little empathy and morals and maybe even those shreds of sanity I half-doubt exist, to nothing but raw and base animal instinct. In other words, something to temper the mixture, turn it from poison to serum. Something like... like my blood.”

Kvasir looked moodily down at his own forelimb, flexing his black hand slowly, and Luna and Scrivener both looked surprised before Pinkamena slowly looked over her shoulder, asking moodily: “You offering, or does that mean I should take it from you?”

“Get out of my library.” Kvasir said moodily, and Luna only gave the god a flat look even as Pinkamena rolled her eyes and climbed to her hooves, even as she tossed a wary glance over shoulder at the god.

He gave no reply to either gaze, however, only turning around and resting his hands against the table as Scrivener frowned at Kvasir's back, but then sighed when Luna touched his shoulder, turning to follow her as Pinkamena loitered along grumpily... but just as they opened the door, the god looked over his shoulder and said distastefully: “Come back here tonight and we'll discuss this further. If one day I'm supposed to watch over you pathetic ponies, I suppose I had best take Odin's advice into account and attempt to talk sense into you, even on matters such as this. Especially since I'm dealing with the famous and much-loved Brynhild and her... concubine.”

Scrivener muttered under his breath as Luna looked thoughtfully at Kvasir, but Pinkamena only grunted and shoved out the door before the winged unicorn said helpfully: “Thou hast my thanks. Not for being a quote-unquote 'douchebag,' but rather for at least pretending to offer some small aid. 'Tis unexpected.”

Kvasir huffed, however, turning around and putting his hands behind his back as he surveyed them moodily before saying finally: “Well, whether I like it or not... we're in this together. And I have already been told several times by Odin that when dealing with you, Brynhild... it's best to try and minimize the damage from your plans as much as possible, but otherwise to trust in your instincts. However... strange your ideas may seem.”

Luna smiled slightly after a moment, nodding slowly, and Kvasir grunted as he waved at her dismissively before turning around. For a moment, the winged unicorn considered setting him on fire... but then she settled for only flicking her horn firmly, smashing him in the back with a telekinetic hammer that sent the polymorphed god skidding onto the tabletop in a burst of papers and books before she said sweetly: “Thou shall find that 'tis best to treat me with a bit more dignity too, in the future. Fare well, Kvasir.”

With that, Luna strode out of the library with Scrivener Blooms and slammed the door behind her, and Kvasir sighed as he carefully pushed himself off the tabletop, glowering over his shoulder and muttering grumpily: “Ponies. Mimir help me, I don't understand why you had to go and make them so difficult, Odin... ponies.”

With that, the god brushed himself moodily off, then dropped into a seat, picking up a nearby sheet of paper and going back to his study of Equestrian culture as he continued to grumble under his breath... yet all the same, felt a strange sense of accomplishment despite himself, as if he had finally managed to do something a little bit right.

Piano Sonata No. 7 In Draconequus Major

Chapter Forty Three: Piano Sonata No. 7 in Draconequus Major
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna was surprised to find that there was a little more chaos around the animal center than she had expected: ponies were running around the large, barn-shaped building, trying to get animals back into the corrals and into the kennels, and Sleipnir was yelling wildly as barking dogs chased gleefully after him. Celestia, meanwhile, was trying to push a black drake back into one of the large, fenced-in corrals: but while the large, scaly, ugly reptile was complacent enough for Luna to recognize it had been tranquilized by either drugs or magic, it also was sitting firmly on its haunches and refusing to budge from the spot.

Fluttershy had herded most of the domestic animals into one spot, and Discombobulation was standing on the rooftop, staring wildly back and forth, seeming a little flustered: Scrivener frowned up at this sight, since usually the Draconequus delighted in a bit of chaos and confusion... at least, when it was like this. Madness, yes, but since the most threatening thing at this moment was the dogs chasing after Sleipnir, it wasn't like any of them were under any threat.

Then Pinkamena charged into the black drake's back, and the large-as-a-wagon reptile was knocked flying into the corral with a yowl that turned into a hiss as it spun around, baring its fangs. Celestia winced, but Pinkamena stepped forwards and snarled in return, red-rimmed eyes almost glowing, and drake and half-demon glared for a few moments before the black drake suddenly dropped flat on its stomach, hurriedly withdrawing on its belly into the safety of the corral with the other drugged-looking drakes.

Twilight was running back and forth before she yelled and pointed as several Hellhounds ran out of the barn: terrifying, demonic animals with blue fire eyes burning in bare, polished wolf-skulls, bones sticking visibly through tarry-black, smoky flesh, they were horrifying to behold. Organs made of frost and ice pulsed visibly beneath bare ribs and bones as whip-like tails lashed back and forth, claws ripping against the ground as they charged outwards... but they were also muzzled and collared with iron, chain leashes dragging behind them, their intent obviously not to hurt anypony but simply making a break for it.

Scrivener dived after the beasts, seizing the ends of the leashes... and then cursing as the Hellhounds simply dragged him along, barking and barely noticing the earth pony's weight as he skidded over the field before he managed to dig his rear hooves into the ground, but that barely slowed them down.

Luna winced and started forwards to help Scrivener, then looked up in shock as Nirvana ran hurriedly over to Fluttershy, speaking in a wild hissing flurry. Fluttershy seemed to understand, however, looking up in shock before a herd of Phooka burst out of the open back doors of the building, trampling several pony workers as they headed for the forest... and one of them was carrying Antares, who was yelling, looking not thrilled but terrified as the smoky equines carried him towards the wild woods-

Fluttershy darted forwards, using her wings to give herself an extra boost before she crashed down in front of the herd of Phooka and then looked up sharply, glaring at them. The normally-shy Pegasus looked ferocious in that moment, and the entire herd of Phooka skidded violently to a halt, the dozen or so smoky equines dropping on their haunches and staring at Fluttershy before the Pegasus' eyes narrowed slightly, and Antares was immediately ejected from their ranks, the foal landing on his rump in front of Fluttershy and looking stunned.

Nirvana hurried forwards in front of her, picking Antares up and carrying him to safety and Luna sighed in relief... then winced and flinched when she felt a firm volley of blows of force against her body, recognizing the feeling of Scrivener being battered all too well. But when she looked up, she saw that the Hellhounds had turned and converged on him... only instead of attacking him, they were shoving against him like puppies that had been starved for affection, grinding and half-trampling the earth pony as he flailed wildly. It made Luna stare stupidly, wondering why the Hellhounds of all creatures were being so... so... cuddly.

Fluttershy was quickly regaining control of the situation, however, as she gave an order in the snarling language of the Phooka to the herd and gestured violently with a hoof, and the Phooka all hurriedly nodded before scattering into the crowd: with their hypnotic gazes, they were able to quell and convince the running-rampant animals to quickly calm down and lure them back into the kennels and the enormous, circular corrals outside of the building, and then it was only a matter of closing the gates, double-checking the locks, and tying some of the beasts back up.

Then Fluttershy sighed in relief, Antares keeping close beside Nirvana before he scurried over to Luna and slightly-bruised, frost-speckled Scrivener when the group converged in front of the building. Luna picked her son up in a tight hug, then she smiled thankfully over at Nirvana even as Fluttershy said worriedly: “I... I don't know what happened! One moment everything was fine, and... and the next, all the cages were open, the corrals had been unlocked, and the animals were all acting strange...”

“Is everyone alright?” Celestia asked quickly, looking back and forth as their group was joined by several staff members, and as the ponies all nodded, she inspected them and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “Yet the Hellhounds were growling in their kennels and the black drakes were grappling and trying to establish dominance over one-another when we first arrived, even if now they've become so... lethargic. I don't understand it.”

“I...” Luna halted, then frowned as she looked around the group, from sulking Sleipnir to worried Twilight, before she looked up and spotted Discombobulation still on the roof. He seemed as distracted as he had been before, when she had thought he was just trying to avoid getting dragged into the riot... and the sapphire mare frowned as other eyes roved upwards to look at the Draconequus before she shouted clearly: “Creature? Art thou alright?”

Discombobulation flinched, then looked down before shaking his head hurriedly as he ran forwards and hopped gracefully off the roof, landing easily on the field behind them. There was no chaos, no confusion, no show of power: a smooth jump, an easy landing, and then a look over his shoulder that made Luna stare, because it was a look of distinct fear. “Ponyville. We need to go into Ponyville, now.”

“But... why? What could...” Celestia began with a frown... and then her head snapped up as there was a distinct crackle through the air before a rumble of force whispered past, strong enough to make the grasses beneath their hooves sway.

Discombobulation shook his head violently, grabbing at his horns as he began to pace wildly, his breathing turning into fearful pants as the ponies all hurried past the animal care center, past the corrals, to stare at the walls of Ponyville not far in the distance... where shocked Nibelung guards stood by open gates, staring stupidly into the town at the sight of several floating buildings and islands of stone, some dotted with lush gardens and strange decorations, many of them spinning slowly in the air as strange energies glowed and crackled around them. Celestia shook her head in denial as Luna stared in horror, and then Twilight looked with shock at the Draconequus as he said weakly: “Ginnungagap energies. Chaos energies.”

Luna and Scrivener traded a look as Celestia gritted her teeth, then she looked over her shoulder and ordered sharply: “Head to town, keep your wits about you... Discombobulation, we are going to need your help.”

“This... this is way above my level. Way, way, way above my level.” Discombobulation held up his hands, breathing harder and looking terrified as he shook his head violently, and Twilight looked at him incredulously before the Draconequus clenched his eyes shut and whispered: “I'm sorry.”

And then he clapped his hands over his face and vanished from the spot, Twilight giving a shout before Pinkamena snarled, cursing under her breath and then turning to begin sprinting towards Ponyville, shouting furiously: “We don't need the coward anyway! Come on, come on!”

Celestia grimaced, then looked quickly towards Antares, saying sharply to the foal: “Stay here, stay safe in the care center!” A moment later,she followed quickly after the half-demon, Luna and Scrivener falling into pace with her even as they glanced back after their son as Twilight hurried after them. Sleipnir cursed as he charged up to his older sibling's other side, and Fluttershy and Nirvana came last, leaving the staring animal care staff behind.

Antares began to follow, but one of the animal center staff reached out and quickly grabbed the foal, stopping him even as his leathery wings flapped and he struggled forwards, tears filling his eyes as he shouted: “No! Mommy! Daddy! Don't!”

They sprinted past the terrified Nibelung and into town: chaos had already visibly spread through Ponyville, however, as yelling and panicking ponies ran back and forth. But Celestia's eyes were sharp and focused as they continued forwards, already trying to formulate a plan even as beneath their running hooves, the ground transformed from packed dirt to cheap, multicolored plastic, Scrivener skidding a bit against this with a wince as Twilight asked worriedly: “What do we do? What could this be? If Discombobulation was scared off by it then-”

“He's a coward, that's all there is to it!” Pinkamena snapped angrily, even as her eyes flashed with hurt before she looked ahead with a snarl towards town square, as the sky above cracked, then fireworks burst wildly through the air as the blue sky transformed into a wild array of purples and yellows and streaks of light and darkness that began to swirl in a slow vortex. “Doesn't matter anyway, we'll kill it!”

They ran into the square to find Spike, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Big Mac already waiting for them. Spike had a short sword in one claw and his shield in the other, and Applejack had a rope hanging at her side, but that was the extent of their equipment... yet all the same, they were ready to fight whatever it was as the two groups converted, Fluttershy looking scared but determined, Pinkamena snarling and glaring back and forth, and Luna, Celestia, and Sleipnir stepping quickly forwards... before the vine-maned earth pony suddenly grinned, murmuring: “Just as old times, sisters. Let us hope it goes better than some of our battles in the past.”

Celestia gave a small, grim smile herself, before she glanced to Luna, who looked surprised... but then the starry maned mare took a breath before looking up and around the square as buildings around them distorted and warped, growing and looming forwards but not casting shadows over the square: instead, their shadows seemed to stretch into the sky, forming teeth, a cage, a living ceiling as the square sank slightly in the middle, giving it more the feel of an arena. “Ginnungagap beast! Do not hide from us... face us, coward! Attack us if thou dares, not our defenseless home!”

A quiet chuckle spread through the air... and a moment later, reality shuddered violently before splitting open at the other end of the square as the group readied itself, the trio of siblings at the fore stepping forwards and anchoring themselves as a portal of light formed. A shape appeared in it, profiled in black against the light, tall and slender, of mismatched limbs and proportions before it said in a mocking voice: “Ginnungagap beast? And here I thought you had manners, my little ponies... manners enough to at least call me by the name you gave me!”

Celestia and Luna both leaned back in shock as Twilight's eyes widened, the violet mare stumbling forwards as the other ponies and dragon all stared... and then the portal of light burst apart into bright flares of fireworks that shot up past the creature and into the air, clear illuminating the square and the Draconequus that stood in front of them. He was grinning, revealing his large teeth and curving fangs in features that were otherwise pony-like. His eyes were wild, yellow with red irises, and despite his bushy white eyebrows and beard, his mohawk-like mane was stiff black, standing tall between mismatched antler and gnarled blue horn.

His long, lanky body was brown, but his limbs were all different: the upper set a lion's strong foreleg and the other ending in an eagle's talon, the lower a lizard's leg and a deer's. His long, flicking tail was that of a dragon's, red scaled and ending in a white tuft, and a tiny set of mismatched bat-and-bird wings flapped behind him before furling on his back as he bowed politely forwards, then looked up and winked, flashing them another grin. “Manticore got your tongue, my little ponies?”

“Discord.” Twilight whispered, and then she began forwards before Celestia reached out a hoof and touched her shoulder silently, shaking her head quickly even as the violet mare trembled and looked forwards. “No, I... it's...”

“This is... not the Discord you knew. That we knew.” Celestia said quietly but firmly, and Twilight gritted her teeth, turning her eyes away before the ivory mare looked silently up at the chimerical creature as he chuckled again, studying them intently, eagerly. “But Discord... why are you here? Where did you come from? We would have crossed paths with you before...”

“Well, you see, here I was, brand new in this great big world, pretty much alone. Very boring, by the way, being stuck alone...” Discord absently flopped onto his side in midair, propping his head up with his eagle talon as he easily floated and stirred the air itself with his lion's paw, making ripples pass through reality in front of him. “But I decided to liven things up a bit. That, however, attracted the attention of the Skin Walkers... I'm sure you've met them, yes? Well, turns out they didn't like my remodeling. They decided to put me in a... a time-out for a little while.”

Discord sat up, grinning as he rested back in midair, dropping his hands across his lap as he looked intently across at the ponies, studying them with fascination and with... something else. Something veiled beneath the smile, beneath his searching eyes. “However, after... oh, I don't know, a thousand or so years imprisoned in a chaos-proof cell... some new friends showed up, did some very... unpleasant... things to the Skin Walkers, and freed little old me! They told me they had the deal of a lifetime for me, and you know what, they were right!”

“Well, thou art free, Ginnungagap beast, and is that not simply what all thy kind desires? Why not be on thy way, cause thy mischief somewhere else, or return to Ginnungagap in peace? We do not wish to harm thee.” Sleipnir said kindly, bowing his head politely.

But Discord only smiled before he spread his arms, saying easily even as his head rotated in a slow, full circle on his neck: “One good turn deserves another, doesn't it?” He paused, then clapped his hands together, adding delightedly: “And you ponies are just so fun to play with already! Besides, they warned me, too, about your kind... that if I didn't make sure I put my foot down quickly, you would gather these nasty things called the Elements of Harmony and they would do away with all my powers. And that, of course, would be... unpleasant. No one wants an unpleasant ending, right? So uh... let's have fun with this!”

Discord clapped his hands cheerfully together, then he winked and held his hands out as party balloons and fireworks popped through the air around him, a hail of confetti falling over the ponies as they stared and an enormous, cloth poster unfurled behind the Draconequus. 'Discord for President' was written over it in sloppy capitals, with a childish drawing of the chaos creature in a top hat on it, and Discord looked thoughtfully over his shoulder as he rubbed at his chin and murmured thoughtfully: “Damn I'm handsome.”

“Discord... I will not use the Elements of Harmony against you. In... another place, another time, I...” Celestia halted, then she shook her head and closed her eyes before looking up sharply, saying quietly: “You don't want to fight us or start this war. It won't end well for you.”

“Oh no! Harsh words!” Discord clapped his hands to either side of his face, then he grinned and held a hand up, snapping his talon, and in a burst of light Celestia was sealed in a giant hamster ball. Luna and Sleipnir both stared in shock at this as Celestia winced, then stumbled and accidentally sent herself rolling backwards, cursing as she half-fell and the ball rolled quickly through the crowd of ponies, sending them scattering.

Luna and Sleipnir both looked at each other... then fought hard not to giggle, Sleipnir covering his face as Luna looked quickly away, and Scrivener sighed as Twilight hurried over to Celestia. The ivory winged unicorn only looked irritated, however, as she carefully stood up before flicking her horn... and then her eyes widened when nothing happened.

This cut off Luna's laughter as she looked sharply forwards, and Discord smiled at them, gesturing easily at the air around them as he said kindly: “The... nasty little friends I made... told me to take precautions, and now I'm very glad I did. This whole area is just chock-full of chaos energy, baffling and muffling every kind of magic you have at your disposal, so-”

Sleipnir and Luna both leapt forwards into sharp sprints, so sudden that even Scrivener Blooms was almost caught by surprise, and Discord stared blankly before Sleipnir tackled him backwards. The Draconequus yelled in shock before he was slammed fiercely down onto his back by the stallion... but then he promptly shattered into nothing but sand and glass, and Sleipnir slipped in the mess left behind, cursing and rolling violently several times before Discord reappeared beside him with a giant bucket, slamming this down overtop the earth pony.

There was a loud clang from inside it as steam hissed up, the bucket sealing itself against the ground, and Luna snarled furiously as Discord leaned against the oversized plastic pail, grinning widely even as there was a loud clanging from inside it before Sleipnir said in an awkward wheeze: “'Tis not fair! I... I am very claustrophobic!”

“Imagine the ocean!” Discord retorted, turning his attention away... and then he winced when Luna leapt towards him, the Draconequus vanishing from the spot before reappearing behind her as she passed through the area where she had once been, seizing her by her long, starry tail and half-spinning to fling her hard through the air before he grinned brightly as Scrivener Blooms began to run forwards. “That's what that feeling is... you two are really attracted to each other, right?”

With that, Discord snapped his fingers... and a moment later, there was a loud buzzing before Luna was drawn into Scrivener like a magnet just before she could land on her hooves, smashing into him and knocking them both sprawling before they yelled as their bodies and limbs were dragged against one another's, unable to pry themselves apart. They cursed and half-rolled, struggling and flailing as Discord threw his head back and laughed cheerfully... and then he winced when Celestia came barreling towards him in the hamster ball, flailing his limbs before leaping high into the air and clinging to an invisible ledge.

Celestia shot beneath him and smashed into the overturned, giant pail, and both it and the plastic sphere exploded into shards of light and sound, freeing the two ponies but also leaving them stunned long enough for Discord to drop quickly down and point at them with a grimace. Immediately, Celestia's mane puffed into multicolored cotton candy as Sleipnir's became rope, and the two substances twisted violently around themselves and each other, tying the ponies together in sticky bonds of candy and green coils.

“I... feel as if I have gone through this once before with a mare. One who wasn't thee. And 'twas slightly more pleasant.” Sleipnir muttered, and Celestia looked at him moodily as the two struggled and winced as they yanked against each other's respective, transmogrified manes. “Discord, is it? I shall have thee know that to mess with my mane is a most serious offense. I shall pummel thee for this.”

“And I shall break thee into pieces for this humiliation!” Luna added furiously as she and Scrivener wiggled against each other and tried to pry free, but only managed to force themselves into further awkward positions. “Damnation!”

“You all have such bad senses of humor. I'm doing this because I care!” Discord said compassionately, touching his own chest, and then he sighed and rolled his eyes as the other ponies began to step forwards, led by Twilight. “Oh come on, now. Did you not see what just happened here?”

Pinkamena snarled, and Discord shivered at this, rearing away from her before he snapped his fingers and a moment later the ground beneath her exploded upwards in black tar that sealed around her and yanked her down, Sleipnir giving a raw, outraged shout as the Draconequus said disgustedly: “Funny. No matter what I cover you with, I could never make you any dirtier than Helheim already has.”

Pinkamena only hissed at him fearlessly and furiously, even trapped as she was up to her neck in the thick black goo, and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both hurried to the half-demon. Discord looked almost amused, then he frowned when Twilight Sparkle stepped forwards and pleaded quietly: “Please. It doesn't have to be this way. We don't want to hurt you, to fight you.”

Discord only snorted at this, but his eyes flicked to the side before he strode slowly forwards and reached out, flicking Twilight's horn and making her wince backwards. “Please. You're just afraid, aren't you? But I can tell from here you're a little miss goody two-hooves so... I'll tell you what. Look up, look up-up-up, and I'll read your mind.”

The Draconequus grinned as he leaned down, his eyes beginning to glow, but Twilight shivered as she began to look up anyway... before a voice said clearly: “There's no such thing as mind readers.”

Discord's eyes flashed as he straightened, Twilight looking up with relief washing over her face at the sight of Discombobulation standing at the other end of the square. He was serious and calm, his eyes focused as Discord slowly spun around on his heel... then he grinned widely as he slowly strode forwards, asking with interest: “What's this? You? How did you, of all the little puppies, get out of Ginnungagap? No wonder they seemed to know so much about me! Have you been here with them, playing with them, is this your territory now... no... no, no, no, they're not scared of me, and that isn't fear I'm tasting in the air, is it?”

The Draconequus faced each other, only a few feet away from one another before Discombobulation quickly strode past Discord, almost brushing against him as Discord's smile faded from his features before Discombobulation spun around, standing in front of the ponies as they instinctively tried to gather themselves behind him. “They're my friends. The name I have taken is Discombobulation... and if you wish to get to them, Discord, you have to go through me first.”

Discord covered his nose to suppress a snort, looking incredulous before he leaned back and asked in amazement: “Friends? They're your friends? By Loki! What happened to you? Who even are you? Yes, I know you just told me but I still can't believe it... do you have no sense of self-preservation whatsoever, do you really think that... wow. Wow. Seriously, just wow. This is amazing.”

The red-eyed Draconequus threw his head back and cackled, hugging himself before he dropped his gaze forwards, gazing condescendingly over at Discombobulation. “You've really changed, my little puppy. You were my... what? Second, third rodeo?”

“I was the fourth acolyte you imprisoned, actually.” Discombobulation said stiffly, and then he grimaced as he rubbed slowly at his chest before breathing hard and raising his fists gamely. “Still. I'm the only person here-”

“You're not a person! I'm not a person! I... what are you talking about? We're not... what?” Discord looked stupefied again, shaking his head before he laughed once more, straightening and saying as if explaining something to a child: “We are chaos. We serve our own interests, that's always been the rule, the law, the everything. We don't have friends. We don't need friends; heck, I didn't even need servants but I had nothing better to do in Ginnungagap until I got out of that festering rat-hole. How you escaped servitude is beyond me...”

Discord studied him intently, frowning for a moment, but then he only grunted and shook his head, waving his lion's paw dismissively. “Well, whatever. It doesn't matter. Okay, you've had your fun, you gave me a great laugh, so... go away. I have to finish up with these ponies here... does hypnosis work on them? I'm sure you'd know if you're so friendly-wendly with them.”

Discombobulation looked sour, crossing his arms before he glanced over his shoulder at Twilight when she began to step forwards, saying quietly: “Stay back. All of you, stay back. There's too much Ginnungagap energy in the air, it will have... adverse effects on all of you, and faster still if you try to fight him. Just let me... handle this. I can handle this.”

“How? How are you going to win?” Discord seemed less thrilled now as he realized how serious the opposing Draconequus was, frowning as he straightened and his eyes narrowed slightly. “Oh sure, I've torn a little rip here and there in reality to feed more chaos into the air, but that's going to be to my advantage much more than yours. You can't do squat against me, you're just a little tiny puppy trying to play with the big dog.”

Discord backed this up by barking loudly twice, but Discombobulation only straightened, pointing across at him as he said seriously: “I'll win... because unlike you, I'm backed by the power of friendship!”

For a moment, Discord only looked across at him... then he fell over laughing, rocking back and forth as colors exploded through the air above their heads, hugging his stomach as he cackled wildly. Discombobulation visibly slumped, looking sour as Twilight winced a little and looked awkwardly up at the Draconequus as Discord howled gleefully: “Oh god, stop, stop! Is that your p-plan? Make me laugh myself to death?”

Discombobulation ground his teeth together in frustration, and then Discord suddenly popped to his feet, and as he leaned forwards with a grin, the atmosphere seemed to visibly change, becoming more menacing as he shouted cheerfully: “Well, then if we're all in the mood for some laughs, why don't we start things off with a bang? Have some balloons! They're filled with doom!”

Discord flung an arm forwards, and all around him, balloons sparked into existence, flying straight towards Discombobulation... but with a flick of his wrist, the Draconequus replied sharply: “I much prefer water, thank you very much!”

With that, the balloons fell suddenly out of the air, bursting apart harmlessly into liquid, but Discord grabbed at his mane, pretending to look vexed as he shouted: “I told you not to over-water the plants!”

The ground trembled, and massive vines ripped out of the earth, along with enormous, gasping jaws of carnivorous fly-traps and thick brambles that raced and lashed towards Discombobulation as the ponies shouted and staggered backwards behind him, but the Draconequus only snarled and leaned forwards, flicking both wrists out as he retorted: “I mixed in herbicide!”

The vines immediately began to twist violently back on themselves, withering to grays and ugly browns as hisses and shrieks rose up from the fanged plant-jaws as they rotted away, and Discord gritted his teeth, raising a talon. “Well, then I guess I might as well just burn it all away.”

He snapped his fingers, and a massive torrent of flames exploded upwards, spinning violently into a crimson tornado that stretched to the sky above, incinerating the plants and leaving a terrible trail of char in its path. Even Celestia stared in amazement, but Discombobulation only calmly stepped forwards, and flicked a hand outwards in response. “Bad season for it, with the high winds.”

A powerful gust of wind shot past their heads, knocking several of the ponies staggering from the force and ripping the tornado of flames to shreds and embers that spilled down in a twinkling rain around them, Discord staggering back a step in surprise... and then he grinned widely before lacing paw and talon together, cracking his digits loudly as he said in a delighted voice: “Maybe this will be more fun than I first thought!”

“Once I was the student. Now I am the master.” Discombobulation replied quietly as he reached behind himself, then he pulled out a short black handle before pressing a button on it. A glowing blade of energy sprung from this, and Discord paled slightly as he leaned back, waving his hands wildly as Discombobulation charged forwards with the weapon.

“Hey! Hey! No laser swords... no laser swords! No laser swords!” Discord shouted wildly, staggering hurriedly away as Discombobulation rose the weapon... and then the laser blade flickered blankly out, and the attacking Draconequus staggered to a halt before he looked grumpily down at this, peering into the handle. Discord wheezed in relief, then frowned when Discombobulation pointed the handle at him before pressing the button, shining a bright red point of light into Discord's eyes.

Discord cursed in frustration, grabbing at his eyes with both hands, and Discombobulation quickly threw the laser pointer away before he simply balled his hand into a fist and slammed it into Discord's face, knocking the Draconequus flat on his rear with a gape of shock and horror. Luna and Pinkamena both immediately cheered loudly, roaring in approval before Discord vanished and reappeared at a distance with a snarl.

“Cheap tactics! Get him, boys!” Discord shouted, pointing a claw forwards, and the ground in front of him erupted before black, shadowy wolves ripped free with snarls.

“Pinatas!” Discombobulation hurriedly snapped his fingers, and the shadow wolves turned into bright pink, paper-mache dogs covered in frills and ribbons.

“Rabid pinatas!” Discord howled in frustration, stomping his feet childishly as he clenched his hands into fists, and the eyes of the pinata glowed bright red as they began to shudder and foam, their square jaws working violently as their stubby legs began to spasm.

“Wait, don't rabid animals attack whatever's closest?” Discombobulation asked hurriedly, and Discord looked stupefied at this before the foaming pinatas spun towards him and tackled him onto his back, beginning to stomp and bite at the Draconequus wildly as he flailed and yelled in horror, before Discombobulation winced and shouted hurriedly, a baseball bat appearing in one hand: “I'll help!”

Immediately, he charged forwards... then began to slam the bat violently down into Discord again and again as the pinatas continued to bite and claw at him wildly, the yells of the red-eyed Draconequus rising in volume and fury before he thrusted a hand upwards. A shockwave blasted outwards, sparks and streaks of chaos energy ripping through the air as Discombobulation was knocked flying and the pinatas exploded in bursts of sound and light.

Then Discord snarled as he yanked himself to his feet even as Discombobulation continued to roll backwards, before Discord snapped furiously: “You are really starting to piss me off!”

Discombobulation winced as he skidded up to a crouch as Discord rose his hands, then began to make vicious dropping gestures; and, in the air above, massive, rounded weights, enormous blades, and huge pyramids of metal began to form, beginning to crash down from the sky towards Discombobulation as he dodged back and forth with surprising, almost-liquid grace, barely avoiding the larger weights as he ran towards the empty corner of the square and away from the ponies.

Then Discord gritted his teeth and clapped his hands savagely, and the weights still floating above and chasing after Discombobulation formed into one enormous meteor, the red-eyed Draconequus leaning forwards and swinging both hands down to send this massive globe of steel dropping towards Discombobulation as he looked over his shoulder with a curse. His eyes widened, and then the dragon-headed chimerical creature leapt into the air and dove into the ground as if it was liquid.

The meteor smashed down with a tremendous bang before exploding into nothing but smoke as Discord snapped a hand down, then suddenly flicked it upwards... and a moment later, Discombobulation was ejected from the earth in a violent geyser of steam, sending up a burst of tile and dirt as he flailed wildly in the air before Discord slapped a hand out, and chaos energies shocked viciously across Discombobulation, knocking him hurtling backwards to bounce off the front of a house and flop onto his stomach with a weak curse.

Discord snorted, then he flicked a hand outwards, a crescent of green fire erupting outwards and shooting towards the fallen fellow Draconequus, but Discombobulation shoved against the ground and flopped out of the way. The blast of emerald flame narrowly missed, instead striking the ground and sparking out of existence, and Discord glowered as Discombobulation slowly hauled himself up to a crouch, features serious, eyes narrowed.

For a moment, they only looked at one-another... and then Discord leaned forward and flicked a wrist out as if throwing something, and a massive block of steel appeared in mid-lurch towards Discombobulation: a moment later, however, it simply exploded in a hail of fragments and shrapnel and smoke, Discord's jaw dropping before Discombobulation lunged through the cloud of smog, tossing away some kind of black and orange explosive launcher, a blue bandanna tied tightly around his head.

Bob hit the ground in a crouch, then pounced forwards before Discord could react, covering the distance between them in a blink of an eye before his fists smashed back and forth across Discord's face. The red-eyed chaos entity squawked in horror before yelling when a kick slammed into his shin, and then Discombobulation seized him by the lion forelimb and half-turned as he flipped him over his shoulder, slamming Discord viciously down onto his back.

The Draconequus bounced once before laying flat as three tiny golden stars spun in a slow circle above his face, laying prone and stupefied. Discombobulation looked down at him for a moment, and then Discord's fingers twitched, and the three floating stars shot up and smacked into the bandanna-wearing chimerical creature's face before bursting apart in flashes of light and sound.

Discombobulation staggered backwards in shock, and Discord was immediately back up on his feet, seizing viciously into Bob's shoulders, electricity and concentrated chaos energy ripping over his body and making him howl in agony as Discord leaned forwards and shouted: “You can't win!”

“I can't, but I must!” Discombobulation swung his arms up, knocking Discord's grip loose and sending him back a step, and then his eyes widened when Discord simply twiddled his fingers at him with a cold smile before he stomped one foot against the ground, and the earth beneath Discombobulation burst upwards in a springboard that launched him backwards before he crashed against thin air as if it was solid.

He slowly peeled off the invisible barrier, falling to land on all fours with a wheeze of pain as Discord shook his head, looking distastefully across at the fellow Draconequus. “Now, alright. I have to admit you made me lose my temper, which is impressive, and you put up a good fight. I'd almost forgotten... sure, I have the advantage over you when it comes to chaos powers, but in this world, physical blows hurt us. And you laid some good punches into me... shameful, damn shameful as it is for you to resort to that, of all methods!”

“I had good teachers.” Discombobulation muttered, and then he suddenly hauled himself up to his feet, breaking into a run, but Discord only made a quick shutting gesture, and a door appeared in midair before slamming itself into Bob's face, halting him dead in his tracks before it vanished and Discombobulation wheezed and twitched once before he stumbled backwards.

Then Discord rose a talon, and Discombobulation's eyes widened before he simply vanished from the spot: the other Draconequus did the same, however, and the two reappeared only a few feet away from each other before vanishing again and reappearing standing in midair, Discombobulation upside down and Discord already beginning to lash his talon out as it glowed with energy, but Bob just managed to crane his head away before he flicked a wrist and sent a blast of lightning hammering into Discord's face.

It knocked him sprawling through the air, flailing as he fell towards the ground before colliding heavily and shattering like glass... but instead of fragments of the Draconequus, dozens of tiny Discords were left sprawled all over. Immediately, Discombobulation vanished from the spot... then he reappeared a moment later floating just above them, a maddened look on his face as he held a steamroller above his head, and the countless tiny Discords all squealed before Discombobulation slammed the massive machine violently down on top of them, then leapt up on top of it with a war cry, arms thrusted up into the air.

Then he stared as the steamroller simply started to melt, colors changing as it twisted and transformed until Discombobulation was standing on top of a giant Discord, the unhurt Draconequus lounging back with a wide grin on his face as he chastised: “You always did steal everything. Makes it very, very easy to predict what you're about to do, puppy.”

Discombobulation leapt childishly in the air and stomped viciously down into the giant Discord's stomach, and the red-eyed Draconequus gagged loudly, before Discombobulation slammed both hands outwards into Discord's gaping head, fingers curled into claws and bases of his palms almost pressed together. “Hadouken!”

Discord's head simply exploded backwards in a hail of candy and pieces of plastic, and Discombobulation hurriedly leapt off the body before it did the same. He stumbled as he landed, wheezing loudly and flailing his limbs... and then, behind him, the shattered pieces of plastic and candy swirled upwards, quickly reforming into Discord as the glaring chimerical creature rose a claw still half-made from sugary treats and shards of debris, firing a single bolt of electricity outwards as the dragon-headed Draconequus just began to turn.

The blast slammed into the forelimb of his talon, and Discombobulation staggered backwards with a rasp as electricity jolted around his arm as he clenched it into a first, staring in horror as his limb rapidly began to petrify. At the same time, a band of gleaming green metal formed around his wrist, and Discombobulation shook his head violently as Discord said almost gently: “Game over. I've had enough playing with you for now.”

“N-No...” Discombobulation breathed hard, staring as he leaned away from his own petrifying arm, stone spreading up to his shoulder as the emerald metal hummed quietly before steam rose up from the limb as the stone finally ceased to spread. But his entire arm had been turned to rock... and Discombobulation fell to his knees, grasping at this before cursing in agony when he touched the green band as electricity tore against his fingers and over his arm, features contorting with agony.

Discord slowly approached him as ponies shouted and stared in horror, and Discord waved a hand at them irritably, shaking his head as he said distastefully: “Oh, stop it! It's not that bad, really... it's just a little something that I always kept in stock for nasty little chaos entities that like to be particularly troublesome. Works on little puppies, works on the big dogs: you know what it is, right?

“Stillness.” Discombobulation muttered, breathing hard as he slowly forced himself up to his feet, trembling as he held onto his stone limb, and Discord smiled at him indulgently as he came to a halt in front of the dragon-headed Draconequus. “If I try to focus chaos energy, if I try to use my powers... the petrification will spread. If I attempt to take it off... the petrification will spread. You...”

“You made me. This was my choice, yes, but it was the best choice I could make for all of us. You'll understand one day, maybe.” Discord said gently, reaching up and clapping him on the shoulder before he smiled and turned around, facing towards the trembling, staring ponies led by Twilight Sparkle. “Oh, yes, the audience! Was it a good show? Did you get the message, little ponies, that you can't win?”

“Show's not over yet.” Discombobulation muttered, closing his eyes as he bowed his head forwards, and Discord's smile faded as he frowned and turned around, and then stared in surprise at the determined look on Discombobulation's features. “I learned a lot from these ponies, Discord. More than I ever learned from you, and you did teach me plenty, if only so I could be more amusing to you. But most of all, I learned that you never have to stop fighting. That you can win against all odds. And maybe hope, mixed with chaos and madness, is what means that even though you're stronger, better, smarter than me, I can still beat you.”

Discord looked almost pitying as he sighed and shook his head, and then Discombobulation rose his working hand and added mildly: “And oh, I learned this from Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild.”

And then Discombobulation stepped forwards and forced his stone arm to rise, swinging his petrified fist as hard as he could into Discord's stunned face, and the Draconequus was sent flying backwards with a cry of misery as one of his fangs was knocked flying from his mouth in a fine spray of blood as his jaw snapped loudly.

Discombobulation howled in agony as his own petrified arm shattered, cracking apart from the force of the blow and falling in a hail of marble... but even as tears of pain filled his eyes and chunks of marble and concrete fell from his devastated limb, he swept his other hand outwards, seizing the falling band of emerald metal. He leapt forwards with this in hand as Discord began to sit up, his jaws gaping wide, his eyes staring in horror... and then Discombobulation snarled as he shoved the band into Discord's maw and forced it down his throat.

Discord gagged and wheezed around the arm invading his jaws, grabbing wildly at Discombobulation's limb as he flailed and kicked... and then Discombobulation finally yanked himself backwards, staggering away and grasping at his stump of shoulder as he breathed hard in and out, gritting his teeth as the wound sparked, sealing itself closed. Discord, on the other hand, was bleeding profusely from the mouth, hacking and gagging before he grabbed at his stomach and howled in misery, shaking his head wildly before his eyes bulged as he looked up desperately. “Oh no! Oh no!”

“Oh yes!” Discombobulation snapped back, and then he grinned painfully as Discord began to snarl, saying quietly: “You may want to think twice before you lose your temper. Look how easy my arm broke off... I'd hate to think of what life for you would be like without a stomach.”

Discord froze at this... and then, slowly, he stood up as he looked weakly back and forth before Discombobulation closed his eyes and snapped his fingers. A shudder tore through reality, and then Bob fell to a kneel as the sensation of poisonous energies in the air began to lighten, the world around them returning to normal bit-by-bit as the shattered skies healed, homes twisted themselves back into normal positions, and the chaotic bindings trapping the ponies started to lessen.

Scrivener and Luna shoved apart as Celestia and Sleipnir's manes both returned to normal, letting them yank free of each other as well, and Twilight bolted forwards as Pinkamena was pulled up out of the soggy ground. Ponies ran towards Discombobulation as the Draconequus was seized in a fierce hug by Twilight, the mare burying her face against his neck with a tremble as the Draconequus smiled faintly, then looked quietly across at Discord as the beaten chimerical creature dragged himself backwards, shaking his head with a look of disbelief. “I... I don't understand.”

“Oh really, wretch? Then allow me to put it in simple terms.” Luna said sharply as she strode past Bob, and Discord looked down at her dumbly before he wheezed when she tackled him backwards and shoved him to the ground, pinning him as he helplessly rose his upper limbs and she snarled into his eyes. “He is our friend. And he beat thee, arrogant upstart! And now, now does not have the protection of chaos, trapped and foiled by thine own designs... for I suspect that even if thou wishes that cursed hex-band away, 'twill still do damage to thee, damage thou cannot reverse, is this true?”

“N-N-Now please, I... I was only trying to help!” Discord grinned lamely, and then Luna slammed her head down into his nose, knocking him flat and making him yell in agony as he stared up at her with horror. “Wait, I can explain!”

“Luna, wait... please.” Twilight pleaded quietly, and Luna halted at this, looking slowly over her shoulder. The violet mare was trembling a bit, still tightly embracing Bob as he breathed slowly with his head lowered, his body pale and shivering, but all the same Twilight had a look in her eye... that begged for mercy, that wanted to give Discord a chance. “Let him explain. I... Discord, I knew you in... another place. You weren't... you tried to warn me. You tried to save us. I don't want to believe that you're... just a bully and a coward. Why would you do this?”

“Bully? Coward?” Discord laughed dryly, looking moodily up at Luna. “Surprising she's talking to me, not to you.”

“I can do much to thee without killing thee.” Luna said darkly, and Discord quailed a bit at this before the sapphire mare snarled: “Now thou had best explain thyself, or I shall be making thee into a patchwork quilt instead of a patchwork doll!”

“No offense, Bob.” Scrivener muttered aside to the wounded Draconequus, and Discombobulation gave a wry smile before the earth pony asked quietly: “Are you... going to...”

But Discombobulation remained silent, and Twilight trembled as she hugged the Draconequus tightly again, not speaking. He seemed to appreciate it, even as he slowly, tiredly looked upwards as Luna stepped moodily back from Discord as Sleipnir and Celestia flanked him and looked down at the red-eyed chimerical creature.

It clearly intimidated the Draconequus as he swallowed a little, rubbing at his throat before he finally sat up and slumped his shoulders, closing his eyes as he cursed under his breath. “I suppose it doesn't matter either way now anyway... silly ponies. Silly, stupid ponies... the other ponies wanted to use me, you see. Not that I'm normally very cooperative, but these ponies had something about them... I think it was the electricity and the torture machines and all the scary metal parts. That, and the fact they slaughtered an entire cadre of Skin Walkers just to get to little old me. Made me feel special: even in Ginnungagap I wasn't that wanted.”

He laughed dryly, then winced when Celestia's horn glowed slightly and she leaned down, asking coldly: “The ponies. Describe them in detail.”

“I could show... oh no, wait. No. No I can't. Thanks for that, jerk.” Discord glared across at Discombobulation, and then his face puckered in irritation when the one-armed Draconequus calmly rose his hand and flipped him off in return. “I suppose I deserve it, though. Chaos. Chaos, stupid... Loki-damned chaos. This is all my fault, you know; I let myself get sure of myself. And when you're sure of anything that has to do with Ginnungagap, then you've immediately already lost.”

Discord sighed tiredly, grasping at his stomach and wincing in pain before he shook his head moodily. “So it's all on my head now that you're all going to die. You, me, we, us.”

“What are you talking about?” Celestia asked quietly, but her eyes flashed as if she already knew the answer, as Scrivener and Luna frowned and leaned forwards, and Twilight looked up worriedly from Discombobulation.

“It sounded simple! All they wanted me to do was cover the land in chaos; easy as pie. I wasn't quite... sure why I was supposed to do it, though, but they made it very clear why I should listen to them, why I should drown everything in the deluge instead of just letting myself wander as I pleased, having fun here and there.” Discord halted, giving a twisted, pained grin as he reached up and rubbed slowly at his missing tooth and bloody jaw. “Because they said if I blasted the land with chaos, they wouldn't kill everyone. Now, I don't know about you, but I figured that eternal chaos was better than eternal... nothing. I don't like eternal nothing, and I figured it would be bad for you, too.”

“And they told you to get rid of us. These... ponies. They were...” Celestia halted, looking over at Scrivener Blooms quietly.

The stallion caught her glance, and then he looked at Discord, asking calmly: “They were everything you hate, weren't they?”

“Precisely!” Discord looked up in surprise, and Scrivener smiled wryly as the Draconequus frowned at him moodily. “You seem to be rather similar to everything I hate, too. You're not going to be my next employer, are you? Because until I get this nasty little trinket out of my stomach, I'm no good to anyone.”

“Why didn't you warn us or try to communicate with us, if you were intent to try and 'save' us?” Celestia asked quietly, and Discord looked caught off-guard by this question, turning his eyes to her blankly. “We would have listened.”

“Because this Discord is not the same Discord who was in your world. This Discord is still stuck in Ginnungagap.” Discombobulation said moodily, and then he finally shrugged Twilight off and stood up before glancing down and adding mildly: “I have something that might help with that.”

Discord looked up curiously... and then all present stared when Discombobulation leaned down and slammed a punch across Discord's face, knocking the red-eyed Draconequus flopping backwards into an unconscious, drooling heap. Bob looked down at this and shook his fist out with a grimace before Twilight asked incredulously: “How did that help anything?”

“It made me feel better.” Discombobulation muttered, then he turned and began to limp away, pushing through the crowd of ponies as Pinkamena grinned widely at his back, her eyes almost admiring. “Scrivener Blooms, I'm beginning to understand why you hit everything physically instead of using your magic. The pain is bittersweet, isn't it?”

Luna smiled faintly at the male's back, and then, even as Celestia began to open her mouth, Discombobulation called dryly: “No, I have enough strength to see myself home, thank you. I'm going to curl up in my apartment with an ice pack, which is to say, a pack of ice. Ice is for dismemberment, not heat, yes? Ice now, heat later.”

He nodded to himself moodily, then simply vanished from the spot as Twilight looked worriedly after him... but Luna only sighed and reached up to touch her shoulder gently, saying quietly: “We shall... figure out everything in time, Twilight, fear not. And the first thing we do, I promise thou, shall be to pick up Antares and return home to ensure the creature is alright. Celestia, I trust thou does not mind... attending to the matter of ensuring Ponyville is safe and restored?”

“Not at all... it's important you see to our strange friend. And with Sleipnir here, I have someone who I can trust to keep a close eye on Discord until we figure out... what we can do with him.” Celestia replied softly, nodding firmly as she smiled a little over at her brother, who grunted and nodded quickly in return. Then the ivory winged unicorn gazed over the group of still-gathered ponies as she added softly: “And I'm sure I can count on help from all our other friends, as well.”

“Anything you need, Baroness Celestia.” Applejack nodded firmly as Big Mac looked up and Rainbow saluted, and when Celestia gave her a pointed look, the goldenrod mare smiled a little as she said in a softer voice: “I mean, just Celestia.”

Twilight smiled a little before she began to turn to follow Luna... but to her surprise, the door to the library was forced open before a thick flood of half-melted cotton candy and chocolate milk flowed out, along with a soggy, disgusted-looking Kvasir. All eyes stared at the god as he carefully hauled himself up to his rear hooves, brushing at himself with his black, lineless hands, and then he glared when the ponies gaped at him before his eyes roved to still-unconscious Discord. For a few moments, he looked at the Ginnungagap entity... and then he sighed tiredly, rubbing at his face and turning to storm back inside as he muttered: “Bring him in here. I'll contact Odin.”

Celestia shrugged after a moment, then she smiled over at Luna when the winged unicorn began to turn, shaking her head quickly and encouraging gently: “No, go. We can use his help, and I won't have a problem dealing with him. But you need to attend to Discombobulation. He does... have a habit of hiding his injuries.”

Luna and Scrivener both nodded, smiling faintly at the look Celestia gave them, and then Twilight turned and hurried off without another word, and the sapphire mare and charcoal earth pony turned to follow quickly after her. For a few moments, Celestia only watched them leave... and then she sighed softly, turning her eyes to Discord as he began to stir before she looked to Applejack, noting the rope at her side. “Tie him up. Let Sleipnir help you, then bring him in and... try to trust Kvasir. Fluttershy, I would like you and your Phooka friend to come with me: Rainbow Dash, scout the skies, look to see if Discord left any other marks anywhere, I need to know what to close and where. Rarity, Spike, please find Cowlick, Ross and Greece. Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena, stay here at the library, keep an eye open: Clockwork World may have been watching and assessing Discord's actions.”

The ponies and dragon nodded to her, then hurried off about their duties as Celestia turned quickly to leave: their job was to tend to the panicked villagers around Ponyville, to calm them down and find out if anyone had been injured. Something both Nirvana and Fluttershy were suited for in their different extremes: the Pegasus could naturally soothe, and Nirvana could forcibly calm down a pony if necessary.

Discord proved no trouble: even after waking up hogtied, there was nothing he could do. His own swallowed bauble meant trying to use his chaos powers would severely injure – if not outright kill – him, and he simply wasn't strong enough to tear through the rope... or if he was, he wasn't stupid enough to think he could out-muscle Sleipnir.

The Draconequus spent a lot of time staring at Kvasir as the god strode around on his hind hooves, paging through books and muttering to himself as Discord uncertainly tried to figure out what he was looking at. Sleipnir, meanwhile, had sat for a while, moodily studying the creature until he finally muttered: “'Tis funny. In my home world, I died upon a quest to retrieve the Elements of Harmony and turn them against thee, to drive thee from the land. I always imagined that thou would be more of a monster but... Celestia had oft admitted that the entire quest was based upon selfishness and lies.”

“You all keep talking to me like I'm the bad guy. But maybe you're all the bad guys and I'm the good guy, you ever think of that?” Discord asked seriously, and then he winced when Pinkamena stepped in front of him and leaned down with a sharkish grin, red-rimmed eyes glowing dangerously.

“Do I look like a good guy to you?” she asked contemptibly, and when Discord swallowed thickly and hurriedly shook his head, she grunted in approval and patted him a bit too firmly on his bruised cheek, making him hiss in pain. “Good. Guess even you can learn a thing or two, huh?”

Discord only grumbled miserably under his breath, glowering around at the ponies in the room before he asked in a whiny voice: “Can someone loosen these ropes? I can't do anything anyway, I was beaten by my own acolyte at what should have been nothing more than a minor irritation. Discombobulation, pah. Nothing but a confusion sprite that got too big for his britches. Then kicked my ass in those stretched britches and earned himself a pair of cowboy boots.”

But he only went ignored, and so the Draconequus resigned himself to grumbling moodily, figuring that if they hadn't killed him yet, maybe they'd let him live after all... but his eyes glowed with fear that he wouldn't have much longer to exist either way, as thoughts of the grinning, metallic monsters shaped like ponies danced through his twisted mind.

Empathetic Relationships

Chapter Forty Four: Empathetic Relationships
~BlackRoseRaven

When Discombobulation woke up, he found himself staring at a ceiling covered in stars and celestial symbols. For a few moments, he was silent, frowning a little as he tried to remember what had happened before he tried to reach up and touch his face... and instead, he only felt a faint pang before he looked down at the bandaged stump of his shoulder.

That brought it all back: fighting Discord despite being more scared than he had been when he'd fought Fafnir – because after all, death had seemed like the only possible conclusion for him and everyone else at that point anyway, and he'd been mostly-right – and then... eventually, coming back here and fainting on the kitchen floor from overexertion.

So he guessed Luna and Scrivener had come back here, found him... and put him here, in their own bed. They had bandaged his shoulder, and it felt... strange. Ticklish, in a not-very-ticklish way. He reached up and rubbed slowly at this as he closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards, then he cursed under his breath before he sat carefully up, and his head spun.

He was pale, his energy drained, and his body aching. And this time, his arm was gone, and would stay gone: he wasn't laying in a hundred different pieces of rubble, kept alive by the constant flood of energy and chaos vomiting out of the gates of a broken-down fortress-between-worlds, with the paste and glue of a destruction demigod waiting to be applied to help stick him back together like humpty-dumpty.

He shivered a little, grasping at the missing limb, feeling both a twisted sense of self-satisfaction and horrendous... not regret, but close to that. Longing: what he imagined he would do to be able to cut and paste a new arm on...

Discombobulation closed his eyes, then forced himself shakily up to his feet. He swayed a little on them, but it felt better to be up, better to be doing something. And his missing arm hurt less, although his body hurt more, when he was standing: but it was a more-than-far tradeoff in his eyes.

The Draconequus slowly pulled open the door, then stepped out into the hall... and then he looked down in surprise as Antares Mīrus shot down the corridor and skidded to a halt in front of him, looking up, pale and scared, as he asked worriedly: “Disco-Bob, Disco-Bob, you okay?”

Discombobulation smiled a little: when the foal was worried about something, when his emotions got the better of him, his talking went a little funny. And for some reason, it helped, as Luna and Scrivener both hurried into the corridor, Luna gently grasping Antares and leaning down to say quietly: “Come, Antares, come on now, we spoke about this. And Discombobulation, thou must rest.”

“Then I'd prefer to rest out here with the rest of you over sulking in your pillows. They reek of you and your husband, and I can hear all your secrets in my ears. It's unpleasant.” Discombobulation said gently, and then he paused and reached up to touch his bandaged shoulder, adding in a softer voice to Antares: “The deeds of the children are a testament to the upbringing they received from their parents. Don't worry about me. I'm only missing one puzzle piece.”

Antares smiled faintly up at him, allowing Luna to pull him back as Scrivener gazed quietly up at the Draconequus, but Discombobulation only grumbled and motioned moodily for him to go. The earth pony nodded hesitantly, then turned and headed through the kitchen to the back yard to fetch Twilight from where she was sitting quietly beneath the Ambrosia tree: when he returned with the anxious violet mare, she ran immediately for where Discombobulation was sitting on a cushion with his back against the dividing wall, but he only winced and held up his hand. “Enough hugs for now, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight blushed deeply at this, bowing her head forwards as she looked over him awkwardly, and then Scrivener smiled a little as he rejoined Luna and concerned Antares on the bedding. Twilight instead quietly sat down... and then Antares asked quietly: “Does it hurt?”

Luna nudged her son gently, and the child blushed, but the Draconequus shook his head slowly and reassuringly, answering softly: “Nothing unbearable. But I suppose after all the time I spent as the crumbs at the bottom of the chip bag, I've had quite a long time to get used to quite a lot of pain. Still, it doesn't hurt. It tingles.”

Scrivener nodded a little as Luna looked over at the Draconequus, and then Twilight quietly laid herself down, smiling faintly up at him. Discombobulation looked mildly over at her for a few moments, and then he shook his head slowly, saying dryly: “You really are attracted to damaged people, aren't you? Lack of a limb shouldn't make me sexier to you.”

Twilight trembled a little at this, leaning back and looking awkward and hurt, and Discombobulation grimaced as he looked away, mumbling: “Perhaps I went a little far. I suppose it's true, though, misery does love company. And I am feeling particularly miserable at this point and time today.”

“It's okay.” Twilight said after a moment, and there was silence for a little while between the awkward group. Then the violet mare looked up, saying finally: “Do you want me to mix up some Ambrosia for you to drink, Discombobulation? Luna can help me with diluting it and it might... help... and Zecora is going to come by when she gets back to Equestria. She's visiting her people right now, warning them about Clockwork World and the threats that might come.”

But Discombobulation only mumbled and shook his head before he rubbed tiredly at his chest, then sighed a little and glanced up. “I feel like a story. How would all you strange ponies like a story?”

“You thrive off attention, don't you?” Scrivener asked softly, but even as Twilight gave him a pointed look, Discombobulation laughed quietly and carefully pushed himself slowly up, nodding slowly. “You should rest, though...”

“Oh shut up, Luna. Choose one side or the other, be a jerk or not. Pinkamena already has the whole jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold thing covered.” Discombobulation muttered, and then he shook his head quickly before raising his head and beginning quietly: “Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away...

“As you know well, I feed off confusion. I am... more subtle than Discord is, to a large extent because I am much less powerful.” Discombobulation closed his eyes, letting his head rest back against the divider as the ponies listened with interest. “Not long after my, well... we are not... born. We are, and we are not, this is very difficult for me to make you understand and I don't have the energy to simply pass on the images right now, how my kind becomes sentient, pieced together in the stinking refuse of Ginnungagap.

“Alright, alright, I'm moving forwards, don't be so impatient. Damnable ponies.” Discombobulation muttered, and then he shook his head briefly before continuing: “I told you before that there are no ranks, but there are powers. There are no noble families, there is no entitlement, there is no... agreement and negotiation. There is simply trickery and strength, and that is Ginnungagap.

“Discord was always among the most powerful. A little... arrogant, yes... but that is not always seen as a failing, is it? You mares are attracted to arrogance, yes?” Discombobulation cracked an eye open moodily, then he turned his gaze to Scrivener Blooms. “I'm not sure if I included you in that, by the way.”

Scrivener glowered at him, and Discombobulation closed his eye again before he said quietly: “I recognized what Discord did to me because he did it to me once before, in Ginnungagap. That was how he 'earned' my loyalty. You know, in the same way that many mob bosses earn the loyalty of gangs they take over by cutting the heads off the former gang leaders and shooting everyone who disagrees with them in the face or chest or genitals or all of the above.

“The difference, of course, was that in Ginnungagap such a nasty enchantment will eventually wear off, and being made of the stuff of chaos as it that whole realm is, it means that the pieces of me that had petrified would have eventually healed.” Discombobulation quieted. “But this is not Ginnungagap. And there is no way back to Ginnungagap. And I do not want to go back to Ginnungagap, any more than I am sure Discord does.”

He was silent for a few moments, Antares shifting quietly to curl up a bit further against his mother as Scrivener tilted his head with interest, and then the Draconequus sighed, murmuring softly: “I still remember it. Discord decided one day, completely out of the blue – although on that subject, I always wonder when I say that out of the blue what – to leave Ginnungagap for Midgard. We both... understood, and did not understand at that point, that it was only one of many layers of what we call Midgard and you call Equestria, since you ponies rarely ever acknowledge that there are countries apart from Equestria in your world. Either way, we thought he was insane and gladly told him so, all of us, his acolytes. You see, we told him exactly what we knew he expected us to say, and he knew we were just saying this to insult him and push him onwards, so he would leave, knowing that once he left he would lose his ability to control us. Because Discord, you see, left a mark on each and every acolyte he acquired by means of trickery or force: not enough to make slaves of us, but enough to compel us to follow his orders, however insane they might be.

“Discord had us tear the door of Ginnungagap open for him, insulted by our expected insult and leaving, fuming, for Midgard. And we all thought that would be it, but... it was not. It was a grand prank, you see... now we were all like toy robots without a master around. In other words, it turned out Discord did the cruelest thing of all you can do to our kind: he made sure that without him, we would be bored.”

Discombobulation paused meditatively for a few moments, and then he looked grumpily over at Twilight, adding dryly: “I think that was why I was so delighted when it turned out that of all the acolytes... I was the one chosen to get thrown out of Ginnungagap, and into the waiting arms... legs... whatever... of my new slave-master. Not that you were ever very good at it, Twilight Sparkle. You would always crack the whip at the wrong times and there's a certain reedy quality to your voice that makes your threats sound just a little bit wooden. Not that I'm any Marlon Brando myself, mind you. But I bet I could still do a good Boris Karloff, even now.”

Twilight only sighed softly, then she quietly slipped forwards and silently dropped her head in Discombobulation's lap, and the Draconequus grimaced a little, raising his hand as he said distastefully: “You're not a cat.”

“Meow.” Twilight said sourly, and Discombobulation rolled his eyes before he reached down and silently rubbed a hand along Twilight's side, and the violet mare smiled faintly and closed her eyes. “So... is that your story?”

“Of course. And it's not over yet, but... you've all lived it with me to this point, so there's no point in going into further detail, is there?” the Draconequus said quietly, gesturing gently with his hand, and then he dropped it back against Twilight, looking silently towards his stub of shoulder. “I never imagined this happening, though, to be honest. It has stricken some of the confusion right out of me, I believe.”

There was silence... and then Antares quietly slipped away from Luna and Scrivener to walk over to Discombobulation's other side, curling against him and hugging him tightly around the waist as he buried his face the Draconequus. A tear rolled down the foal's cheek, and Discombobulation looked down at him silently before he closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards as Luna said quietly: “My friend... if there is ever anything, anything at all we can do for thee... we shall do it. Do not ever hesitate to ask. And as to thy arm...”

“There's no need to worry about that. I'm a patchwork doll, after all, as the demons call my kind.” Discombobulation smiled wryly, glancing over at Luna as he silently stroked along Twilight Sparkle's back. “Besides, you and Luna have other worries to think about. Bigger worries than myself, touched as I am that you would come back to try and help this broken, belligerent thespian.”

“It's the least we can do for everything you've done for us.” Scrivener said quietly, and then he stood up and headed for the kitchen, asking over his shoulder: “Coffee or tea?”

“Do you have cigarettes too? Then we can be alcoholics together.” Discombobulation asked dryly, and Scrivener sighed from the kitchen, which made the Draconequus smile wryly. “I suppose I'm a bit of an emotional sadist. Your mental frustrations bring me great pleasure as you struggle to resist the urge to explain to me once more how it was a dependency, not an addiction, knowing full-well I'll either ignore you, refute you, deny you, or simply call you a drunk again.”

“And yet you're good for me, too. Because it's because of your teasing, taunting, and humiliation – and yours too, Luna, don't think I'm forgetting you – that I'm okay with being able to talk about things that still make me feel ashamed in one way or another.” Scrivener replied dryly, and Discombobulation looked up curiously. “I think everyone should have a Draconequus or at least one abusive spouse.”

Twilight and Luna both smiled as Antares seemed to relax a little at the sense of lightening in the air, and then Discombobulation shook his head slowly, saying mildly: “It's about time you finally said something worth adding to my repertoire. Well, apart from that thing you said to Valthrudnir, Luna. I have to admit, that took some serious cojones.”

“What?” Twilight looked up curiously, and Scrivener cleared his throat loudly from the kitchen before Discombobulation leaned down and whispered it in her ear when Antares cocked his head curiously, and then the violet mare snorted in amusement as she sat up so she could look over the counter divider at Scrivener Blooms. “You did not say that.”

“What did Dad say?” Antares asked curiously, and Luna grinned widely, beginning to open her mouth before wincing when Scrivener shot her a horrible look from the kitchen. “What? Was it a bad word?”

Luna grumbled a bit, kneading her hooves against the bedding before she finally sighed and nodded moodily. “Aye, 'twas. And I do not see why we must keep language of all things from our child!”

Scrivener only turned his attention back to the kitchen, but he was surprised when Twilight answered for him with a slight smile. “Because words have power, Luna. We try to convince ourselves they don't but... they do. Besides, it's not just or Antares' sake we're all trying to avoid teaching him some of your favorite words... it's because if he learns those words and accidentally repeats any of them to Meadowlark or Avalon or any of his other friends, who are the parents going to come back and blame?”

“Scrivener Blooms!” Luna said hopefully, but when Twilight and Discombobulation both looked at her with amusement, she grumbled and dropped her head sulkily, saying moodily: “Aye, me. This is not working out as planned at all, I'll have thee know: 'twas supposed to be 'like father, like son,' but in a... well, a way that was good for me and bad for Scrivener. Instead, for some reason I do not understand, I am being blamed for all of Antares' rare bad behaviors and 'tis Scrivener Blooms who gets praised for all his good behavior! Antares, which parent does thou love more?”

Antares looked a little horrified by this question, and Luna winced a bit at how seriously the child took it before Scrivener called mildly from the kitchen: “Just say your mother or we'll both get pummeled, kiddo.”

“Oh, you, mom!” Antares said quickly, still looking nervous... but when Scrivener came back inside to pass the foal his sippy cup with a smile, Antares visibly relaxed.

“It was just a joke, kiddo, don't worry.” Scrivener said gently, and Antares nodded a little more as he rose his cup carefully to his mouth. “We know you love us both.”

“And we would never ask thee to choose between us, Antares, not ever.” Luna added quietly, smiling over at her son reassuringly before she said gently: “Tis not a competition. Oh, aye, there are many things in which Scrivener and I may compete, after all, but... our goal is to take care of thee and make thee happy, beloved foal. Do not doubt that, nor fear that... one of us loves thee more than the other. Thou... thou art...”

Luna quieted, blushing a bit as she lowered her head, unable to find the words... and feeling a faint, twisting worm of shame in her as Nightmare Moon whispered something just beneath the surface of her thoughts. For a moment, memories flickered through her, thoughts rising to the surface she didn't want to have, as Antares looked over at her, resting quietly against Discombobulation's side... and then the colt glanced down and said softly: “Thanks Mom. I know you and Dad love me, too, and would do anything for me... you... you're good parents. Scarlet Sage says that a lot, and it's true. It really is.”

Luna smiled faintly at this, laughing quietly as she dropped her head forwards with a blush before Scrivener returned from the kitchen with a tray of mugs of coffee. He picked up the largest to hand over to Discombobulation, who took it suspiciously, looking moodily over the others before he sniffed carefully at it... then he huffed a bit, saying dryly: “What? Classic poisons aren't good enough anymore, so instead you mixed in some of your damnable healing elixir?”

“Curses, foiled again.” Scrivener said ironically, picking up his own cup of coffee, and Antares giggled a little from beside Discombobulation as the unicorn foal sipped at his chocolate milk. Discombobulation sighed a little at this as Luna laughed and Twilight gave her own small smile, and there was silence for a moment before the four sipped slowly at their coffees at almost the same time, the three ponies gazing towards the Draconequus with something like relief.

He lowered his mug after another long, thoughtful sip, rolling the coffee in his jaws before he nodded slowly, saying moodily: “Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine.”

“Laughter's also the best medicine. Unless you put an S in front of it.” Scrivener added mildly, glancing over towards Luna, who snorted in amusement. “Well, okay, maybe you and Pinkamena disagree but you're both bloodthirsty nasty-things.”

“Like fighting fish.” Discombobulation said grumpily, and then he shifted a bit before sighing and looking grouchily at his shoulder, but there was an undercurrent of pain and sorrow in his eyes. “Damnation. I wonder how Rick Allen dealt with it.”

The ponies looked at him softly, and then Antares sat up and asked curiously: “Would you like to hold Gymbr?”

For a moment, Discombobulation only looked down at the foal... and then he nodded slowly and gave a faint smile, replying quietly: “I would like that very much.”

Antares nodded a few times, then he turned and hurried away to fetch his doll, and Discombobulation glanced over at Scrivener and Luna before asking mildly: “Just how in the world did you manage to raise such a wonderful little child from bits and pieces of you two?”

Scrivener and Luna only traded a look, then they both shrugged and only smiled as Antares came back with Gymbr in tow. He almost stumbled into Twilight, who laughed and leaned quickly out of the way before the colt half-tossed Gymbr into Discombobulation's lap, and the Draconequus smiled a little and nodded as he rose his mug of coffee, bowing his head forwards in honest thanks with humbled, overbright eyes.

With everything that had happened, there was more than a little to sort out: but at the end of the day, Scrivener and Luna managed it. After coffee and Luna and Twilight checking over Discombobulation's wounds and status, they sent him off to bed: the little bit of Ambrosia he had taken gave him just enough strength to shrink down to tiny size and curl up in his aquarium apartment, which they put in their bedroom to let him get some privacy and rest. Scrivener also filled the Draconequus' 'storage tank' – he refused to call it a water bottle, which was all it really was – with liquid Ambrosia, so that he could have easy access to it. Both Luna and Scrivener were well aware that sooner or later, Bob would decide to help himself... for now, though, it was just a matter of being patient and helping him adjust to these changes in his life.

They sent Twilight out to see what Sleipnir and Celestia had decided to do with Discord and to talk to Kvasir: Luna doubted that this would interrupt any of the god's plans or whims, after all, and knew that it was best to try and keep going with things themselves. Sad and painful as it was that Bob had lost a piece of himself, very literally... he also had survived the battle. There had been injuries abound, but no deaths; Luna was all too well aware that considering Discord's powers and the maliciousness of Clockwork World's usual schemes, it was more than they could have asked for.

And, as evening wore on and Scrivener and Luna rested together quietly, Antares worn out and already asleep in his room, there was a knock at the front door before it opened. Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom let themselves in from the darkening night, and Luna looked up with a smile as Scrivener laughed a little and sat up, saying awkwardly: “Sorry, we'd... forgotten, Scarlet Sage. We were just glad to see you weren't in Ponyville when Discord attacked...”

“Nah, we were out at the farm, getting ready... then strange things started happening, and Applejack asked us to look after Avalon so... we were safe, at least. Even if we never got to really go out or anything.” Scarlet Sage traded a small smile with Apple Bloom, then she hesitated before looking forwards, adding awkwardly: “If this isn't a good time...”

“No, there is no better time than now.” Luna said softly, sitting up and nodding firmly as she gazed over the young mares. “We have need of good news and celebration: in fact, we deserve both. Twilight Sparkle... well, 'tis no surprise she has been so long, but I am sure she will return at some point, too.”

The two young mares nodded quietly... and then they both smiled, Scarlet Sage nervously reaching out a hoof and taking one of Apple Bloom's quietly as they bowed their heads forwards, and then Scarlet Sage said quietly: “Mom, Dad. Apple Bloom and I have been... seeing each other for a little while now and I wanted you to... well, you know. Get to know her a little.”

Scrivener and Luna both smiled at the sight of the two mares as they pressed their sides together, gazing quietly across at the couple... and then Luna bowed her head forwards, saying kindly: “Then she shall be as family to me, Scarlet Sage. Thou art a beautiful couple.”

The charcoal stallion nodded as Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage both blushed a bit, before the male said softly: “I'll start up dinner for us, and we can sit around and talk. I know we've never spoken too much, Apple Bloom, but... well... this is a safe place. Mostly.”

Scrivener gave Luna a pointed look, and the winged unicorn huffed before punching him in the shoulder, making him wince a bit before he continued with a smile: “So know that... even if Luna starts being insulting and a jerk-”

“Oh shut up, Scrivy, thou art ruining all the fun! I haven't even started to tease them yet!” Luna complained, and then she huffed and shoved him off towards the kitchen, glowering after him before grinning cheerfully over at the two. “Hast thou slept together yet?”

Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage both blushed deep red, although the Pegasus – obviously half-expecting this from her mother – hurriedly shot back: “We're trying to be responsible and not dive into each other right away, Mom. You know. Responsible. Not like certain mares.”

“My own daughter insults my dignity!” Luna looked horrified as she touched her own breast, and Scrivener laughed from the kitchen before Luna huffed, then eyed Apple Bloom meditatively. “Careful, daughter. 'Tis a dangerous game thou challenges me to. I may steal her away from thee to show her paradise beneath the stars and just how overrated silly responsibility is.”

“Luna, please stop encouraging promiscuity.” Scrivener called mildly from the kitchen, and Luna huffed a bit at this, making Scrivener roll his eyes even as Apple Bloom continued to blush and Scarlet Sage awkwardly rubbed a hoof along the young earth pony mare's back. “Alright, fine. Then stop encouraging them to be as dirty as you are.”

“There is nothing wrong with a little dirt.” Luna said staunchly, and then she grumbled a bit before turning her eyes curiously to the mares. “So, hast thou told Applejack and Rainbow Dash yet?”

Apple Bloom shook her head, looking both a little awkward but also relieved to be on a different subject as she said finally: “Feels... awkward to tell family, you know? Even if I know they'll be okay with it, at the same time, I'm scared that... they won't. I know, I know it don't make no sense, but... you can't help the way you feel.”

She smiled a little, her eyes flicking to Scarlet Sage, who gazed softly back at Apple Bloom with a slow nod, and Luna smiled warmly as she nodded firmly once. “Exactly. But thou does not need worry, not in the slightest. Thy sister and Rainbow are both very understanding, very good ponies, to whom I would entrust mine own life... and Big Mac, he is handsome, strong, and wise. And so dedicated, Apple Bloom, he would die to see thee but smile.”

“I know. I'm lucky... I know how lucky we both are.” Apple Bloom said softly, glancing towards Scarlet Sage and reaching out to touch her hoof gently, and the two young mares blushed a bit before Apple Bloom looked up and asked hesitantly: “So are you... sure that...”

“I cannot believe thou art questioning I of all ponies of this.” Luna scoffed, rearing back and almost looking insulted. “Look at Twilight Sparkle! For Mimir's sake, look at Scrivener!”

“Ha, ha.” Scrivener said sourly from where he was now making a salad in the kitchen, and Apple Bloom giggled a little in spite of her best efforts not to as Scarlet Sage laughed. “Luna, try and give them a little reassurance instead of just mocking me, huh? Think of the old days. Things like this didn't always get the best reception, and that holds true even today, you know.”

“Aye. Aye, I do know, and 'tis sad and pathetic. 'Tis as silly as ponies holding themselves superior over one-another for a horn or a wing or anything else.” Luna said softly, shaking her head and smiling a little as she stepped forwards, then she reached out and embraced both the Pegasus and earth pony mare, pulling them against her and making them both smile as they returned the hug when Luna murmured: “I am the last pony who will ever judge thee, simply know this and know that thou art safe here, shall always be safe here, shall always be protected in this sanctuary of our home. Ponyville is a good place, with good ponies: the two of thee may be the subject of gossip, but I do not believe thee will be the subject of scandal.”

She drew back after a moment, then smiled between them both before reaching up and ruffling Apple Bloom's mane, making her wince a bit as the red ribbon tying her locks back was knocked askew. “But perhaps I am also selfish and desire feeling as if I have another daughter without putting forth all the effort it takes to raise one as wonderful as thee.”

Apple Bloom blushed a bit at this, and then Luna grinned widely, half-lidding her eyes as she continued: “Not that 'tis an unpleasant task to start, of course... and I must say, thou should both try and indulge in-”

“Mom!” Scarlet Sage interrupted hurriedly, and Luna sighed and nodded after a moment, the Pegasus looking relieved when the winged unicorn closed her mouth. Before Luna could either start poking at another sensitive topic or simply try and barge on with her 'advice,' Scarlet Sage asked quickly: “So what happened in town? And is... is Discombobulation okay? We heard...”

Luna softened at this... and over the next few minutes, she explained quietly what had happened, from the chaos at the animal center to Discord's appearance and Discombobulation's fight against him. She fell quiet just a few moments before Scrivener came into the room with a large tray loaded with several plates of food: salad, sandwiches, and a few other things for himself and Luna.

They were quiet as they started to eat, and then Apple Bloom looked up, studying the dumplings that Luna and Scrivener were sharing before she asked quietly: “You guys really eat meat sometimes, huh?”

“Yes, well. Not to the extent we did in that story, if that's what you're thinking. That, and the thought of eating Kvasir makes me feel particularly ill.” Scrivener answered with a grimace, looking down and poking a bit at his salad.

“Aye, it makes me feel sick too, but for different reasons.” Luna grumbled, looking moody as she picked up a dumpling and bit into it, chewing slowly. “He would give us indigestion. And probably would taste about as good as cooked manure.”

Apple Bloom smiled a bit as Scarlet Sage glanced up, and then Luna paused before she picked up a dumpling and offered it to the earth pony mare with a smile. Apple Bloom didn't look surprised or repulsed, hesitating only a moment before she took it, rolling it carefully back and forth in her hoof as Scarlet Sage said softly: “You don't have to eat it if you don't want to. Mom and Dad... have shared that stuff with me before, too, though, it's not... it's not as gross as you might think. At least, not like this.”

The earth pony mare nodded after a moment, then she finally took a deep breath before tossing it into her muzzle, closing her eyes tightly as she chewed slowly with a wince. After a few moments, she managed to swallow, and Luna grinned and nodded approvingly as Scrivener poked at his salad before muttering: “I'm sure Celestia would lecture us about that, Luna. Even in that story she lectured us.”

“Aye, but so what?” Luna huffed, shaking her head quickly before she added with a smile: “Besides, Apple Bloom is not a foal. She is a gorgeous young mare. Why, in the old days, she might already be married!”

Apple Bloom coughed hard at this as Scarlet Sage winced, and Luna huffed and looked up, waving a hoof irritably as she added mildly: “I meant if thou wert not Sapphotic. And of course as long as thy family did not sell thee away to some knave, but I imagine even in the past thy family never would have given thee away without consent.”

“Sapphotic? Oh, you mean...” Apple Bloom coughed and then smiled awkwardly. “Think I like your word better.”

“Good.” Luna looked pleased at this, nodding and then slapping at Scrivener Blooms, making him wince a bit. “Explain it, poet!”

Scrivener only sighed tiredly and rolled his eyes, then he winced away from another flail of Luna's hoof before explaining: “Sappho was a poet from the early days, pre-Equestria... hell, I think it was before Celestia arrived. Anyway, almost all her poetry was romance poetry about other mares. You can see where this is going, I'm sure.”

“'Tis very cute.” Luna said agreeably, nodding cheerfully. “And she was from Lesbos, was she not?”

“Now you're just making this stuff up.” Apple Bloom laughed, shaking her head and looking with entertainment at the two, but Scrivener and Luna shook their heads at the same time with the same look on their faces. It made Apple Bloom blink, then laugh again as she leaned towards them, saying amusedly: “I've heard Twilight and Scarlet both say that sometimes you guys do things at once but I don't think I've ever seen it before...”

“Oh, aye. 'Tis an effect of the soul link, Scrivener Blooms and I have the habit of mirroring one another when our thoughts begin to run the same course.” Luna replied with a smile of her own, glancing amusedly over at the charcoal earth pony. “Damnable poet. I do not know why he does not enjoy it more.”

“Probably because you tried to make us wear those matching clothes once that almost ruined our entire relationship.” Scrivener replied mildly, and Luna huffed swung her horn at him, the stallion wincing out of the way before he added dryly to Apple Bloom: “Don't trust Scarlet Sage if she brings you matching outfits. She might not show it but her taste is almost as bad as her mother's.”

“Dad!” Scarlet Sage huffed a bit, but she was smiling, and Apple Bloom laughed again, visibly relaxing. Conversation continued, getting a little quieter as they finished their very late meal, and then Scrivener and Scarlet took the dishes into the kitchen before returning with dessert: candies and chocolates from Luna's hoard, although the winged unicorn huffed at them grumpily.

As they were eating, Twilight finally arrived, striding into the room with a small smile and a satchel bag loaded down with things. She glanced at Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage, but Luna only shook her head and said gently: “They are old enough to hear whatever thou has to say, Twilight Sparkle, and they are certainly both most trustworthy. Go ahead.”

“Okay.” Twilight nodded, hesitating a moment longer before she looked up and said carefully: “Kvasir... was actually kind of annoyed, but that's about it. Discord is tied up and Sleipnir is talking with him. Celestia said that... Sleipnir is really good at getting information out of people, just by talking to them, and I believe her. Probably helps that Pinkamena is floating around, too... he seems really, really scared of her.”

“Perhaps he is smarter than he seems.” Luna said moodily, and then she shook her head before glancing at the satchel as Twilight carefully shrugged it off and set it gently down.

“Kvasir's blood.” Twilight said quietly, opening the satchel and revealing a large, enormous black container: it looked almost like an enormous flask, without a single mark on it as the unicorn's horn glowed and lifted it free to set it gently on the counter. “He gave up... quite a lot of it, but it didn't even seem to hurt him at all. It made me think of the story Discombobulation told us...”

Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage traded looks, then the young, blonde-coated earth pony asked quietly: “Just... just how much of that story was true? Or well, I guess I should say 'could have been' true, since... Scarlet and me have never done a blood vow or anything...”

The two looked at each other softly, and Luna and Scrivener traded a small smile before the winged unicorn looked forwards and said quietly: “I have no way I can tell thee, but... as much as it hurts me to admit this, Apple Bloom... perhaps all of it could have been true. Scrivener and I... we both have a certain weakness.”

The two looked at each other again, and then Twilight said softly: “But it doesn't matter. Because even in the story, you both tried to take care of what was important to you, what you loved...”

“Aye, but by making those things our property, by doing... awful things to them, and to those who would harm us.” Luna replied quietly, bowing her head forwards and closing her eyes. “'Twas a life without honor, and 'twas not altruism, nor heroism, nor... anything but greed and avarice and lust that compelled us onwards.”

“Not that we aren't selfish even now, but...” Scrivener smiled a little as he looked up. “The things we did in that story, some of them were unforgivable. And I look at myself, and wonder... how close to the edge Luna and I have always been...”

He shook his head after a moment, then glanced over at Apple Bloom, adding softly: “But I think one of the purest things about that story, was your relationship with my daughter. It was like a light amidst all the darkness.... well, until some evil pony tried to corrupt it.”

“I did corrupt it.” Luna said with an odd pride in her voice, and when the ponies all stared at her, the winged unicorn shrugged and huffed, saying moodily: “Well, since I was relegated to the status of villain, I may as well take pride in the fact that I make a damned good archenemy.”

Scrivener sighed a little, and then he returned his eyes to Twilight, and she grunted at his look before picking the former subject quickly back up. “Anyway, like I was saying, he gave us... a lot of blood. More than enough to make that elixir... and he was even going to go over how to make it with Celestia. It seemed a lot like... he honestly wanted to help, even if he didn't seem entirely comfortable with it and kept insisting this was a really bad idea, and it wasn't going to go well.

“Apart from that, he mentioned Odin was coming down from Valhalla when he could... I think they're going to take Discord and imprison him somewhere. I don't know, though... Celestia seemed a little worried and Discord seems... harmless now.” Twilight hesitated, looking down and murmuring: “I know that's probably dumb of me to think. And this probably sounds really naïve, but... I think if we could just talk to him... it might be enough to help... convince him. Bring out the Discord that I saw in the old layer of Equestria, the Discord who sent us Discombobulation for whatever strange reasons he had, but reasons I believe had to do with the fact he felt... we were... friends.”

Scrivener and Luna gazed softly at Twilight, taking in her fumbling, pleading speech slowly before they both glanced towards Scarlet Sage as she smiled faintly, closing her eyes and murmuring: “See, this is why Antares and I have always felt... lucky, to have you around, Twilight, and not... jealous. You work so hard to... bring everyone together. But what's truly amazing is that you always find a way to do it.”

Twilight laughed a little as Apple Bloom looked up in agreement, saying softly: “That's what my big sister says, too. Says you're a big part of what always tied everything together... always says that while everypony calls her the 'most reliable,' you're the one who always really deserved that title.”

“Nah. I just... I think I took after Scrivener and Luna and... never really grew up, while everypony around me did.” Twilight looked softly over at the two, giving them a slight smile. “Funny, you know. I spent all my time as a foal wanting to be a mature, responsible grown-up... and now that I'm supposed to be that, I've ended up giving that all up to be out here, living a crazy, stupid life with two crazy, stupid people and two young ponies I can already tell are going to grow up to be a lot more successful than I ever was.”

“Aye, Discombobulation and Scrivener are very stupid indeed, but what about me?” Luna nodded seriously, before smiling warmly over at Scarlet Sage even as the others laughed. “She speaks true upon the other subject too, though... my beautiful daughter will indeed be most successful in her life. And will hopefully make not quite as many mistakes as I did... but I do also hope thou commits at least a few wrongs, Scarlet Sage. I would never wish a boring life upon anypony, 'twould be far too cruel... and Apple Bloom, I fully expect thee to be there with my daughter alongside her, with any wrongs she may commit. Understood?”

Apple Bloom smiled, and the conversation gradually drifted to gentler topics as Twilight settled in, and eventually, quietly, slipped herself between Scrivener and Luna. As she loosened up and Apple Bloom studied the odd trio, she felt herself relaxing more as well... just as Luna's occasional teases and odd stories reassured her in their own way.

Luna offered them the run of the rooms upstairs if they wanted: they could have the whole second floor to themselves, and they had bedding and blankets and pillows abound, so they could be comfortable. It was still a bit messy, but the rooms were complete and warm, and Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage gladly accepted.

The young mares settled in to one of the larger bedrooms with the help of the older adults, and then traded good nights. Surprisingly, it was Twilight who lingered, however, waiting as Luna and Scrivener left before she smiled between the two and said quietly: “Speaking from experience... don't ever be ashamed of yourselves. Especially not around Luna. She's really good at picking up on that and... making a big deal out of it.”

Twilight winked, then traded a hug with either of the young mares before hurrying off. It had been oddly-touching... and now Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom rested together, pale moonlight spilling in through the window as they laid in the comfortable darkness. They were curled up side-by-side, a blanket half-thrown over their bodies as they both gazed at the ceiling above, watching the shadows from outside play over the roof before Apple Bloom finally glanced at Scarlet Sage, and said softly: “I... was thinking.”

“Every time you say that, we end up doing something crazy.” Scarlet Sage remarked, and Apple Bloom opened her mouth, then closed it and nodded thoughtfully in agreement. “But well... is it about...”

Apple Bloom smiled a bit, rolling towards her, and Scarlet Sage gazed over at her, their faces only bare inches apart. “Yeah. Let's do it, Scarlet Sage... I... we been talking about it on and off since the story ended, and well...”

“A blood vow. A blood promise.” Scarlet murmured, looking down hesitantly before she rose a hoof. “I don't know. I can control these powers more, but... still... trading blood, I've never done that before. I don't know if it's a good idea, Red, and I don't want you to feel like...”

“You trust me, right?” Apple Bloom reached forwards and touched her face gently, and Scarlet Sage nodded slowly before Apple Bloom leaned towards her, and they shared a gentle, short kiss for a moment before meeting one-another's eyes, Scarlet Sage feeling her heart fluttering quietly in her chest. “I don't... want this feeling to ever end. Ever since we met when we were still fillies, we've been... beside each other. Everypony else dreams of running away from here, or joining up with the big names, or getting to Canterlot. I always... dream of you.”

Scarlet Sage smiled a little, then she sat up slowly and sighed, reaching out and stroking Apple Bloom's face gently. “You sure your cutie mark doesn't mean you're supposed to have a way with words? Because you always know just what to say.”

“Nah. Building, designing, repairing... growth and re-growth.” Apple Bloom smiled a little, glancing down at her emblem before she sat up, the two looking across at each other before she hesitated and asked: “Do we need to... sneak down and get a knife or something?”

“Oh, as if we could sneak down. Mom would notice... and the only reason she wouldn't notice would be if...” Scarlet Sage made a face, and Apple Bloom giggled despite herself before Scarlet Sage huffed at her. “Oh come on, Red. As if things aren't awkward enough already.”

“Yeah, but... it's kind of cute. It's not like you hear about, you know, or all those wild rumors. They're just like... three ponies who live together.” Apple Bloom smiled after a moment, reaching out and poking Scarlet Sage gently. “I think you're the one who said you were lucky to have a second mom in Twilight.”

“Only because Discombobulation told that dumb story that kind of dragged all this stuff out into the light, anyway.” Scarlet Sage shook her head, looking faintly amused after a moment. “The look on Scoot's face... “

Apple Bloom only reached up and stroked quietly along Scarlet Sage's cheek, rubbing behind and along one ear lightly, and Scarlet closed her eyes, tilting her head to the side with a soft sigh before she nodded slowly and murmured: “Okay. But... it'll sting for a minute, okay? I don't... I don't use my powers very often, and when I do, I usually do the opposite of this stuff.”

Apple Bloom nodded, and then Scarlet Sage gently reached forwards, taking one of Apple Bloom's forelegs. She rubbed her hoof along it in a gentle circle, the Pegasus's eyes sliding closed as she concentrated, felt the familiarity of the earth pony across from her, felt her trust and kinship and adoration... and it made it easier to concentrate, to get her powers working, before she took a slow breath and flicked her hoof suddenly to the side.

Apple Bloom winced in surprise as she felt a distinct burst of pain, and there was a squelch as a cut formed on her foreleg. She looked down at this in surprise as it throbbed dully, and Scarlet Sage smiled faintly as she opened her faintly-glowing eyes, murmuring: “Sorry, Red. Warned you.”

“Wow...” Apple Bloom breathed slowly, and then she watched as Scarlet Sage touched her own foreleg and simply drew her hoof downwards, wincing but creating a similar cut in her own coat as her eyes glowed brighter for a moment.

Blood oozed slowly from the wound, and Scarlet Sage breathed a little harder for a few seconds before the two looked at one another... and then, without fear, with absolute trust, Apple Bloom reached forwards and firmly pressed their cut forelegs together, smearing blood against one-another's limb as they both breathed hard.

For a moment, there was silence, there was only trepidation... and then Scarlet Sage's eyes widened, glowing brighter as Apple Bloom's own irises took on a faint glow. They stared at one-another, trembling a little, feeling something twisting between them, feeling their minds, their hearts, their souls meeting in the space between spaces...

And then the two ponies leaned forwards, gripping into each other with their free hoof as their mouths met in a slow, firm kiss, still continuing to hold tightly onto each other's limb, a bit of blood dribbling slowly down from the linked wounds as blood flowed between the two ponies as naturally as it did in their own veins. The indescribable sensations built... and then just as suddenly as they'd come, whiffed out as they slipped back from one-another, their mouths parting, their blood boiling in their bodies.

They both breathed hard, staring, studying one another before Apple Bloom slowly rose her limb... but the cut on her foreleg was healed, only a thin scar left behind. The same was true for Scarlet Sage... and she laughed a little as she looked down, closing her eyes tightly as she felt sweat on her body, realized she was shivering before Apple Bloom whispered softly: “Understanding...”

“The root of love.” Scarlet Sage smiled faintly, looking up and wiping slowly at her eyes, unsurprised to find not sweat, but tears on her face before she said quietly: “And now... we understand each other, don't we?”

Apple Bloom laughed a little at this, looking down with a wide, warm smile for a few moments before she nodded slowly, swallowing once. Then her eyes roved upwards, and the two studied one-another for a few long moments. All around them was darkness... yet they could see one-another as clearly as if illuminated in a spotlight, and see into each other as if they were transparent, into the storm of emotions and ideas and needs flowing in mind and heart and soul. From brightest thoughts to darkest imaginings... from buried nightmares to airiest dreamscapes... everything was visible and everything was understood.

Slowly, the two young mares slipped together, then embraced and laid down on the bedding, and they pressed their foreheads together quietly. As they held each other tightly, there was a strange sense of both familiarity and surprise as they felt something link up inside themselves, heard their minds sharing whispers both conscious and not.

All they knew was that they had linked themselves forever, one way or the other, for better or worse... and that neither of them regretted it. And both smiled as they curled together in comfort, in warmth, in affection, as they whispered soft words to one-another without needing to speak, and fell asleep to join one-another in a wonderland where nothing mattered but one-another.

A Conflict Of Principles

Chapter Forty Five: A Conflict Of Principles
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms, Twilight Sparkle, and Luna were asleep, curled together in front of the waning blue flames of the fireplace on the bedding... but for all the physical comfort they shared, Scrivener found himself in the grip of a strange half-nightmare, half-memory... and it didn't help that the memories clearly weren't his own.

He saw massive gears and pumping pistons, as poisonous fuel pumped itself through steaming pipelines dripping tar and the precious poison: he saw countless Soldier Drones, marching calmly across a wasteland of marred debris that had once been fields. He saw enormous mines where crystals and gemstones were being harvested by wretched automatons, beneath skies filled with Thunderbirds and even more terrible monstrosities of metal and machinery.

It was all overseen by a terrible, enormous castle that had once been Canterlot, and was now something else: something awful, something made of steel and electricity and evil, painted with the sins of its rulers. Its gaping gates invited the foolish to try and enter, to try and attack, as grinning Tyrant Wyrms watched over the roads, mocking those who dared to make the journey. But there were worse things than the horrific parasites of destruction waiting beyond the ash-coated stone walls, the gate to a pulsing heart and the true darkness beyond...

There was a round table, with six seats; there were statues, frozen monuments of triumph and defeat all at once; there was a room of white light and metal, where a metal coffin stood like a totem and a prophet, the Prophet, rested before it, a shape that Scrivener couldn't make out before it began to look over its shoulder as its eyes glowed like spotlights-

Scrivener found himself standing silently, half-wyrm and half-pony, in a red-floored room upon a black, long carpet. The walls were made of golden steel, lined with cables that pulsed like veins... and at the end of the wide, theater-shaped room, standing on a raised plateau just a few steps higher than the floor, was Valthrudnir.

His back was turned, and the Jötnar was looking intently out a massive window wall at the world beyond: an electrical storm was brewing in the distance in the red sky, kicking up dust and sending dangerous blasts of lightning arcing through the air with cannon-like crackles. But still, there was also the gleam of drones heedlessly working in the gaping valley below, and they would continue to work even if the storm rolled in. They did their job, and they worked as hard and efficiently as possible... and best of all, they were easy to replace if something did happen to any of the workers.

There was a swirl, and without looking, Scrivener felt Luna appear beside him... but he was surprised when he glanced to the other side and saw the faint, glimmering shape of Twilight Sparkle, ephemeral as a ghost and yet still somehow here. He flushed deeply when she looked at him with something like surprise, studying his strange, distorted form before he shook his head hurriedly and looked ahead... but Valthrudnir only laughed quietly to himself, saying softly: “No, take as long as you need, pathetic ponies...”

“This is just a dream.” Scrivener said quietly, and Luna nodded slowly beside him before dropping her head against the side of his neck. Scrivener closed his eyes tightly as Twilight stepped up, silent but still clearly there, and it comforted him for all the questions it rose in his mind.

Valthrudnir turned calmly around... and Scrivener flinched when his eyes opened and he saw the Jötnar grinning down at them, saying softly: “Yes, you're right. You're right as rain. But mixed in are all these memories... and memories are such dangerous things, aren't they? You never know when they'll take on a life of their own... and it's funny, how a person's memory of one event can differ completely from another's. Really, though, it shouldn't be any surprise: mortals are always thinking solely about themselves...”

Scrivener grimaced in disgust, and then the image of Valthrudnir flickered before fading slowly from sight, even as his voice continued softly: “The Prophet is watching you. The Clockwork King is watching you. You can't stop me, because you can't even stop yourself from giving me life... foolish writer.”

“Something's wrong.” Scrivener muttered, lowering his head forwards, and Luna grunted in agreement as she straightened, the two trading a look as thoughts swirled between them. Everything felt hazy: not dreamlike, even though they were aware it was a mix of dream and memory, but rather... like things were being twisted. Affected and tilted by some outside force. Like there was some unwelcome intruder, playing on his fears and insecurities...

Twilight's shade looked at him, trying to ask a question, then wincing as it found it had no voice, but Scrivener only smiled a little and glanced at Luna. The sapphire mare hesitated for a moment, then she grimaced a little before nodding apprehensively. “We may be able to, and aye, thou art right, it is strange... stranger still that thou art willing to take such a risk, but I suppose that may have to do with the fact we are in this... puzzle.”

“I don't like it when people screw with our heads. Particularly since we've already had enough to deal with today.” Scrivener muttered, and then he looked towards Twilight's shade, saying quietly: “Luna and I are going to attempt to pull you in, so to speak. It's probably going to hurt because... you're not supposed to be here.”

Scrivener paused, winced a little at how this sounded, but Twilight only gave him a faintly-amused look before the half-wyrm smiled lamely at her and said quietly: “Sorry. I didn't mean it... like that, it's just... I don't like really being seen like this, and... this whole-”

“'Tis fine, Scrivener, Twilight knows us well enough even without the advantage of a soul-link and thou can prattle on later. Now come, I need thy aid.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivy nodded as Twilight readied herself visibly, still flickering faintly before Luna and Scrivener both dropped their heads forwards, breathing slowly and finding it easier to let themselves fall into synchronization here than it was in reality.

Luna's horn glowed brightly as both she and Scrivener Blooms bowed slowly forwards, then slid backwards as they rose their heads slightly, concentrating not as much on magic as they did on grasping the energies already there and pulling them further in, making them more real as Twilight's shade stuttered and trembled, then gasped as it flickered into pseudo-physical form in false reality, the violet mare staggering and flapping her wings once as she trembled on the spot. Then she shook her head out, blinking rapidly before looking slowly up and around in awe, whispering: “Is... is this what it's like for you guys, when you talk about your 'mental world' together?”

Scrivener could only laugh dryly at that, and when Twilight gave him an embarrassed look, he shook is head and murmured: “Don't worry about it, I got what you mean. Just... with the situation we're in and everything...” He fell quiet for a moment, then cleared his throat and shook his head out quickly before looking across at her as Luna smiled faintly. “Yeah, kinda.”

Luna studied Twilight intently, and the mare blushed a little before the sapphire mare asked quietly: “Has thou done any kind of magic that would... create this connection, Twilight? Has thou dared to do... something that perhaps thou should tell us about?”

“What? No, no, I haven't at all!” Twilight said quickly, shaking her head with a blush before she looked back and forth, murmuring: “I just remember... falling asleep... and... well...”

She shook her head lamely, blushing a bit deeper, and Luna leaned forwards with a slight smile even as Scrivener began to look apprehensively around the strange, alien room. “Oh? Go on now, Twilight Sparkle, every detail is important...”

“I don't think it was Twilight, Luna.” Scrivener said finally, and then he turned around and gazed towards the ominous, enormous black double doors leading out of this terrible viewing chamber, starting towards these as Luna grumbled and Twilight sighed in relief. “But what really confuses me is why... we're not being interfered with. It feels like someone is toying with us... or maybe just waiting for us...”

Luna frowned moodily at this as Scrivener halted and looked nervously over his shoulder at her, and then the winged unicorn hurried forwards, taking the lead as Twilight looked over at Scrivener. She found herself studying him despite herself, and the male blushed and looked awkwardly away before he finally asked quietly: “Can you... not... stare?”

“Sorry.” Twilight mumbled, dropping her gaze and clearing her throat, and then she stepped up beside him and smiled a little, looking ahead and letting their sides rest together as Luna shoved the doors open and looked moodily out into the concrete, empty room beyond. “It's not that bad, though, Scrivy. I mean, sometimes I wonder if... inside, somewhere deep and dark... I'm really Twilight Shadow.”

“That story's really done a number on all of us.” Scrivener muttered, and Twilight began to laugh, then halted and frowned thoughtfully, looking down as Scrivener winced a bit. “Oh please don't say you just had an idea about something. Let's just concentrate on getting out of here for now.”

“Oh, worry not, Scrivener. Our impatient hosts have not taken very long to reveal themselves.” Luna said distastefully, and Scrivener frowned as he looked through the door to where she was sitting. Then he gritted his teeth as a flash went through his mind, striding forwards with Twilight hurrying along beside him before they took their places on either side of Luna... and all three gazed up to see the floating platform upon which the Norns stood, looking down at them with contempt.

Twilight gasped quietly, leaning back in shock as Scrivener only growled in distaste and Luna glared up at them. Behind the trio of ponies, the doors slammed shut, and a moment later vanished, leaving them in an enormous, featureless concrete tube. And above, on the island of dark metal upon which all the same grew grasses and vines and thorny brambles, the three Fates traded looks before Urd said kindly: “Will you not at least thank us for our generosity? We have provided you another glimpse into yourselves... and into the world outside.”

“Ugly and hideous as you all are. Although two of you at least have the decency to try and hide what you really are...” Verdandi snorted in disgust, her eyes glowing through the holes cut in her mask before she pointed down at them almost accusingly. “Except I find that it disgusts me.”

“And in the future, you have no choice but to wear your wounded hearts and bared souls upon your faces anyway...” Skuld said disgustedly, raising a hand and waving it calmly through the air... and Luna gasped as smoke steamed up from her body as her coat turned dead black, and Twilight moaned in horror as stitching crawled up along her form like serpents. “You can't escape what is written. No matter how you try and change your stories, no matter how you attempt to thwart us, the Fates. There are points in life called Destiny: whether you run from it or run to it, you will collide with your Destiny either way.”

“Leave them alone!” Scrivener shouted furiously, stepping forwards, and Twilight looked at the male with surprise as he snapped: “I'm the ugly one here! I'm the corrupted one, the weak one, not them! And you are, for this... what even is this?”

“This is us, being generous. Mending fences.” Urd said gently, looking unperturbed by Scrivener's outburst before she stepped forwards and slowly rose her hand... and Scrivener gasped clenching his eyes shut even as his body rippled like water, feeling icy daggers spreading through his spirit as she said quietly: “My, you've had so much pain in your past... and so many dark wanderings and imaginings. And it's all your own fault, you know: you're the interferer, the unwelcome...”

“That's not a very good idea.” said a soft voice from above, and the three Fates looked up in what seemed like surprise to see Nightmare Moon in all her masochistic glory, her eyes glowing like spotlights as she calmly strode down the wall of the tunnel, enormous and terrifying. She had added chains and shackles around her limbs now on top of the gleaming nails and blades and needles that stuck out of her back, and her starry mane had become terrible, swirling blue fire, her red-polished collar dripping its crimson paint as she murmured quietly: “We do not obey Fate in this place. Now, remove your claws from my beloved... because unlike these three, I was never born. I was created, I am surging passion, given life, more chaotic than the physical Ginnungagap beasts and more vicious than Helheim's demons. Your powers have no influence over me.”

Slowly, Urd lowered her hand, and Scrivener breathed quietly as the pain faded from his being, a twist of emotion going through him before Verdandi said nastily: “Fine. Sic your dog on us when we have given you another blessing-”

“Hush, Verdandi. This is not the time.” Urd said warningly, and there was an edge of fear in her voice as she turned her covered features nervously up to Nightmare Moon. Verdandi cursed under her breath but remained silent, and Urd turned her eyes to Skuld, ordering gently: “Give them the warning.”

Skuld nodded calmly, then she turned her eyes down to Luna, pointing at her grimly. “You are no longer a Valkyrie, just as Odin is no longer a god, whether or not he rules Valhalla. Kvasir is merely a puppet, and in a few short years, Valhalla's throne will be left vacant. It is in your best interests that Sleipnir takes back this foolish mistake he has made, abandons the half-demon to Helheim, and returns to the throne. He is not supposed to be on Midgard. His story ended a long time ago.”

“His blood should not be mixing with the half-demon's... it's disgusting. And even more loathsome is your lack of morals and judgment in deciding to make her a full demon!” Verdandi sounded both revolted and outraged, shaking her head before she glanced over her shoulder with disgust at Nightmare Moon. “Almost as pathetic as-”

“Verdandi.” Urd said quietly, and the masked Norn cursed under her breath but fell quiet before Urd glanced nervously over her shoulder, then returned her eyes down to Luna, Twilight, and Scrivener. “We desired to communicate these warnings to you: in the future, ponies will die from Clockwork World's attacks. You must let them die, and their stories end. Only then will the road be paved to Valthrudnir's terrible kingdom. You saw him: you saw his world, Scrivener Blooms, how it reeks of evil and malice. Don't you want to stop it?”

Scrivener gritted his teeth, looking away, and Luna snorted, asking sarcastically: “But oh, I thought he was much too powerful for us, and 'twas not at all in the plans?”

“Plans can be adjusted. Stories may change.” Skuld replied moodily, and then she swung her sword once through the air before adding darkly: “I see in the future you're going to make several very stupid mistakes trying to defy us. I look forwards to watching each and every one of them backfire.”

“Gymbr must be destroyed.” Urd continued calmly, putting her hands behind her back, and then she paused for a long moment before adding quietly: “If you desire to survive Valthrudnir's claws, you three must also go your separate ways. Otherwise, Twilight Sparkle will die first, and you and Luna will die at Valthrudnir's claws, Scrivener Blooms.”

“So what, now there's multiple paths fate and your stories can take?” Scrivener asked in disgust, looking up sharply.

But Urd only smiled calmly, replying with a slow shrug: “Really, the choice is simply an illusion: everything is predetermined. We already know what you'll say and do. We already know how this story plays out, to the very end. But I must offer the illusion of freedom of choice because it is what you desire, and it is what my story, my own fate, says must happen. That is all there is to it. Only fools think that talking about having choices means anything apart from just that: it is only idle chatter, ironically fated to happen from the start.”

“Thou art all bound in chains of madness.” Luna said with disgust, and Urd shrugged again before she glared over them and shook her head with a snort. “Nay, my life is mine own, and I shall never believe any different. Thou art nothing but liars and charlatans, seeking to play one side against the other and turn this universe into a sordid reflection of all of thee. Sick and twisted hags, do thou serve any true purpose? Thou art no better than carrion-eating vultures!”

“We are survivors, Brynhild. Unlike you and your kind: we were around long before Odin and his barbarians and whores, and we'll be around long after you and Valthrudnir are all gone.” Verdandi retorted, shaking her head as her eyes glowed from behind her mask. “Filthy jackals.”

“Here we are, trying to help you out, and of course you reject us again. Why are you getting so angry? Is it because we see right through you?” Skuld leaned forwards, her eyes glinting beneath her shadowing cowl as she turned a mocking gaze to Twilight Sparkle, who shuddered as she said coldly: “They wouldn't love you half as much if you didn't so willingly give up your body to Brynhild's fantasies and Scrivener's desires.”

Twilight turned her head away, flushed beneath her stitches, but Luna only stepped forwards, retorting coldly: “Speaks an ancient, vainglorious hrafnasueltir who has never felt any touch but her own!”

Skuld snarled and stepped forwards, but Urd quickly held her arm up, stopping her as she said calmly. “Our conversation is going nowhere. We should part ways. Shall I leave you all here, to explore these memories and visions of Clockwork World until you are content?”

Luna only glared, and then Nightmare Moon said softly from above: “You will leave, and never trespass in our minds or those close to us again, or I will return the favor and destroy each of you, piece-by-piece, from the inside-out.”

Verdandi began to raise her head, but Urd again silenced her before she only silently bowed... and a moment later, the three were simply gone, leaving the island floating alone in the air. Nightmare Moon calmly strode down the wall to this before she gracefully hopped onto it... and the moment her hooves touched down in the grasses, the plants writhed and burst apart into dark mire that splattered into ooze all around her, hailing down to the ground below and striking the walls of the concrete tube.

Blackness spread rapidly, the walls dissolving into dark night, the ground beneath their feet becoming mire and shadow as the world around them rumbled, and stitched Twilight nervously slid closer to still black-coated Luna as Nightmare Moon said above lovingly: “This is a rare and wondrous occurrence indeed... Twilight Sparkle, in our domain. In our darkness: know that you are most welcome here. That we consider this a unique and glorious treat... that you have a lofty place awaiting you in our dark paradise. And that we hope this is a sign that in the future... we will see you more often.”

Nightmare Moon looked down with a tender smile as the floating island slowly rumbled down through the air, until it merged slowly with the dark mire as stars began to twinkle in the darkness above... and Twilight shivered, unprepared for the creature's appearance, staring with horror over her now that she was striding slowly closer before Scrivener stepped forwards and began worriedly: “We should leave...”

“No, no... not yet. Please, my master, my beloved...” Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes, bowing her head down towards him as she whispered: “I know I am not worthy to beg... it is not my place, but all the same... it has been so long since we have had such a delight, such a welcome surprise.

“And Twilight Sparkle... we shall not hurt you. We shall never hurt you...” Nightmare Moon looked slowly towards her, smiling, and the violet mare swallowed thickly at the look on the dark creature's features: it was both predatory and almost worshipful at the same time, making Twilight nervously slip back a bit behind Luna as the winged unicorn stepped towards her alter-ego with a glare. “We live... to serve. That is my purpose: I serve Luna, and I serve Scrivener. I am chained passion, only waiting to be unleashed upon our enemies...”

“Enough.” Luna said quietly, and Nightmare Moon fell silent before Luna closed her eyes, taking a slow breath before she murmured: “Twilight Sparkle, this... perhaps we should strive to awaken. The Norns... likely pulled thou into the dreams of myself and my beloved not simply to speak with us, but to force thee to... to witness us, inside. We have spoken of it, but never hast thou truly been forced to experience... what we are like inside. And I do not wish to force thou to... I... I am afraid that...”

“I'm... it's okay. I just need... a moment to...” Twilight shook herself out, then she carefully stepped forwards and looked quietly over at Luna, keeping her eyes away from Nightmare Moon as she said softly: “I'm not afraid of you. I'm not even afraid of... you, Nightmare Moon, even if it's... well, more than a little scary to see you like that.

“But you and Scrivener taught me that... no matter what we think, no matter how we may deny it... darkness exists inside each and every one of us.” Twilight smiled a little, reaching up and touching her stitched chest quietly before she looked slowly over the black-coated winged unicorn, the incarnation of passion, and the half-wyrm, half-pony. “And you... all three of you, really... taught me that it doesn't have to be a bad thing. That darkness has a place, that it's what keeps balance with the light...”

She quieted, then looked up, this time looking towards Nightmare Moon, studying her apprehensively but without fear in her eyes. Nightmare Moon gazed back, loving, almost maternal, and then Twilight finally looked at Luna and Scrivener, saying softly: “I'm not scared of either of you. I'm here... to be with you, both of you, through everything. I'm your friend and I'm your... more. So please. Don't think you have to hide this. Not when... I may not ever get to be in here again.”

Luna and Scrivener traded looks... and then Scrivener sighed after a moment, saying finally: “Well, since you're already in costume, why not?”

Twilight laughed despite herself, glancing down at her stitched body and murmuring: “Funny, isn't it? I keep thinking about... Nightmare Night. I was dressed up like this before Discombobulation told that story... what does it mean?”

“Many things and nothing all at once.” Luna said gently, gazing quietly towards the violet mare. “Think about it if thou must, but remember this: all riddles will be answered in time, no matter how complex. There is no need to distract or flummox thyself, to allow confusion and strife to take away from the now: trust, instead, that the path shall lead on, and the answers given when the time is right. That is all there is to it.”

Twilight nodded hesitantly after a moment, and then she blushed when Nightmare Moon leaned in, studying her before saying lovingly: “You are gorgeous, Twilight, but you are missing just one thing...”

With that, Nightmare Moon leaned back and flicked her horn lightly as it gave a dark glow, and Twilight arched her back in surprise as a thick black leather collar formed around her neck out of dark smoke, a white pearl clasp cinching it tight as lunar symbols appeared all along its length. And with a slight smile, Nightmare Moon tilted her horn... and the simple clasp curled and twisted itself into the shape of a lunar lily as she murmured: “You deserve a little flair, sweet Twilight... now, where shall we place you in our grand hierarchy? Will you find your delight at the hooves of our masters, or do you wish to be seated higher by their thrones...”

“Enough, Nightmare Moon...” Luna said firmly, and Nightmare Moon drew back with an almost-teasing smile before Luna and Scrivener both glanced at the collar as Twilight blushed and silently stroked a hoof against it. Then the black-coated winged unicorn sighed softly, turning her eyes to her alter ego as she mumbled: “But aye, 'tis... 'tis a very nice gift indeed, so I shan't bludgeon thee.”

“You can if you desire. I don't mind at all.” Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes again, and Scrivener shivered a little before the dark entity laughed quietly and gazed radiantly over at Twilight, murmuring: “If only you were truly on better terms with pain, or the Twilight Shadow of Gymbr's story... then you could understand, too, how the greatest pleasures of all come from delving the deepest torments... but perhaps one day...”

“Enough.” Scrivener said quietly, and Nightmare Moon looked over at him and nodded quickly, adoring, immediately becoming servile, and Twilight shuddered a bit in spite of herself... but she didn't know what sent those chills through her, or even what they meant. All she was sure of was that this was a glimpse almost no pony was ever afforded, of the true depths of a pony's soul and psyche... and whether she was scared or excited, she was determined to see this through. To fully understand, if only for tonight, Scrivener and Luna, and even Nightmare Moon...

They stood in silence for a few moments in the darkness... and then Scrivener finally smiled faintly over at Twilight, meeting her eyes, almost challenging her as he asked quietly: “What would you like to see?”

For a moment there was quiet, as Luna stepped up beside the half-wyrm and kissed the side of his neck reassuringly, and Nightmare Moon lingered by Twilight, gazing at her, rapt and silent... and then Twilight reached up and touched her collar, lowering her head and whispering simply: “Everything.”

When Twilight woke up, they had somehow all shifted around on the bedding so that she was between Luna and Scrivener, and the violet mare smiled a little to herself even as a chill ran along her spine. But here, she was safe: here, nothing could hurt her, not even her own thoughts. But she understood better now why Scrivener and Luna could be so hard on themselves, were so afraid of the darkness that lurked inside them... and yet it comforted her. It was insane and weird and didn't make sense, that the very fact she had been almost terrified of them made her feel safer and more comfortable with them... but then again, maybe it did. After all, what in the world would ever dare to try and harm her with these two protecting her?

She felt Scrivener shift and pull her closer, as Luna pressed tighter against her back for a moment, embracing her between them. Keeping her safe, keeping her comfortable, letting her know without words... how much they cared. Letting her know that they were always going to be there for her, that they would never, ever hurt her...

It was a comfortable few minutes before she finally wiggled quietly up to a sitting position, yawning a little as Luna and Scrivener both began to get up... but she shook her head quickly, smiling from one to the other as she said softly and reached up to absently adjust her collar: “No, it's okay. I'll get... breakfast...”

Luna and Scrivener were both staring at her, and Twilight frowned a little before she rubbed at her collar again... then flinched before drawing her hoof away as Scrivener said stupidly: “What in the name of Helheim is going on here?”

“Mimir's head, that's not possible...” Luna whispered, sitting quickly up... and as she did so, her eye caught on something at the foot of the bedding. She looked past the collar – almost identical to the one Twilight had worn in the dark dreamscape, except for the simple ivory clasp instead of the complex lily-shaped one Nightmare Moon had gifted her with – and her eyes locked on Gymbr, sitting calmly at the foot of the bedding. “Oh damnation!”

“I... oh, for the love of crap!” Scrivener winced as he leaned past Twilight, and the violet mare hurriedly turned around, falling back against the male. He caught her, then grimaced as he leaned over her, reaching up to touch the collar and asking nervously: “You don't feel uh... dead at all or anything, right?”

“No, I just... I mean, I barely... I...” Twilight shook her head out, then she asked weakly: “Do... do you think it knew what... what we were thinking? What we were... doing?”

“Oh, don't say things like that.” Scrivener muttered, rubbing at his face with a grimace as he leaned backwards a little, then he nervously glanced down at Twilight's collar again before staring when Luna lunged forwards and tackled Gymbr backwards, stomping the doll violently beneath her hooves before pinning it and glaring furiously down at the stuffed toy.

It stared up at her with its green button eyes, unharmed, almost mocking and ever watchful. Luna ground her teeth together loudly as both Twilight and Scrivener stared at her... and then the winged unicorn grumbled and slammed a hoof against the doll's soft features, mashing its head in a few times to no avail with a soft thumping sound. “Damnable, wicked, stupid, foolish, insufferable thing... 'twould be so much the less annoying if it were anything but invulnerable to... to everything! Oh, how I will cherish when I am finally able to make thee scream!”

“And someone clearly needs a hug now and perhaps a little calming down.” Scrivener carefully stood up, feeling Luna's frustration and anger... but beneath that, what was really driving Luna's rage, was fear: fear of what exactly it was that Gymbr had done, fear of just what Gymbr was capable of, and fear of what it might do in the future. “Come on, Luna. Beating on it won't do anything but make noise and possibly wake up our poor son. And what's he going to think if he comes in here and sees you ravaging his poor little toy?”

“That I am making love to it.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed before he leaned over and hugged her tightly around the neck, and Luna mumbled as she turned and buried her face against him, closing her eyes tightly. “Mimir's head... accursed... everything.”

“It's okay, Luna. None of us are hurt and... I...” Twilight shook her head and laughed a little, reaching up and silently rubbing against the collar. “I'm not covered in stitches or... you know... it's just a collar. In fact it's... a really nice collar, and I really nice way for me to... well... I mean...”

She blushed a little, and both Scrivener and Luna sat back as they gazed over their shoulders at her, softening. Twilight shifted embarrassedly, looking awkward, and then she cleared her throat before saying finally: “Besides. I mean, if Gymbr.... well...”

“Oh, cease defending the damned doll or I shall make thee marry it.” Luna grumbled, but Twilight only laughed a bit in response, looking relieved as Luna shook herself out a bit and then mumbled: “Aye, like I said before, 'tis... 'tis a very pretty collar for thee for many a reason. And 'tis selfish but I do enjoy thou being more... well...”

Luna halted, then she simply shook her head before glancing down the corridor, softening a little. She could hear Antares murmuring in his sleep, but the sun had only just begun to rise and with how exhausted the poor colt had been when he'd gone to bed last night, she didn't think he'd be awake for at least another few hours.

The sapphire mare leaned down, picking up Gymbr before turning and heading down the corridor as Twilight and Scrivener both gazed at her quietly, and the stallion said gently, his eyes flicking towards the violet winged unicorn: “Don't worry about it. Luna just... well, you know how she can be about adjustments and things randomly springing into our lives. She just needs a little time to think about everything, that's all, and... Gymbr honestly worries her. Well, that's not entirely true; we both worry about Gymbr, but when things like this happen...”

He quieted, and Twilight softened as she stepped towards him, nuzzling him quietly before she murmured as she half-rested forwards against him: “Be honest.”

“Honesty's hard.” Scrivener smiled a little at her, then he silently leaned up and kissed her forehead just beneath her horn, making her smile faintly in return. “When things like this happen, I can't help but be happy, Twilight. Because I'm even more greedy than Luna, in this secret, dark little heart of mine... and seeing you... becoming... closer to us, with less shame and less fear for showing who you are... it means a world to me.”

Scrivener quieted, looking down and murmuring softly: “You've seen my dreams now. You've seen... my subconscious self, and Nightmare Moon, and Luna. You know that we're... standing on the brink, on this cold and desolate edge, always so close to becoming... everything we've fought against. Gymbr, maybe, wants us to become him; wants us to make that story he told true. Or maybe Gymbr is trying to warn us away, maybe things like this are supposed to show us just how close the darkness is, I don't know. There's always a sense of intelligence in that damned toy but... I can never tell if it's approval or something else.”

“He protects Antares Mīrus, Scrivy. I think if anything says something about Gymbr, it's that. He... he must have a story he wants to tell us.” Twilight reached up, silently rubbing at her collar before she looked down the corridor, whispering: “But if I had to make the choice... I want you to know that... I would...”

“Don't say it. You don't have to say it.” Scrivener said softly, glancing down and smiling a little as he closed his eyes. “Mostly because it's... all too alluring to think of, Twilight.”

Twilight looked at him for a few moments, and then she simply nodded silently... and in Antares' bedroom, Luna gazed quietly down at her son, stroking slowly through his mane as he settled little by little from whatever nightmare had been bothering him. The winged unicorn smiled faintly, and then she shook her head as she studied the way he hugged Gymbr close, and the way the doll's button eyes seemed to gleam faintly. “Creature, monster, mix-and-mash of... whatever thou art... I do not appreciate it when thou takes such matters into thine own hooves and attempts to give such dangerous gifts. But... if thou exists for some purpose, some design, some reason... and if thou art intent on protecting and aiding... then please. Just... tell us. Speak to us, Gymbr... thou already told Bob that story, did thou not? Why will thou not speak to us?”

The doll only remained silent... and Luna sighed after a moment before she looked up and mumbled: “And here I am, speaking to a foal's toy, as if expecting it to answer me. Crass thing. Very well, stay quiet... only know that if thou continues to insist upon not sharing thy secrets, I shall eventually find a way to poke it out of thee, insipid little toy. Nothing is completely invulnerable, after all, and I have no problem with stabbing thee until I find the answer to the riddle thou poses.”

Luna grumbled, then poked at Gymbr with her horn a few times before finally turning and heading out of Antares' room, muttering under her breath as she returned to the living room. Scrivener was resting on the bedding, and she looked at him with surprise as he shrugged and gestured towards Twilight, saying finally: “She insisted. If the collar makes her a maid, I say we leave it on. Or is there some fancy word for 'mare who puts on coffee in the morning?'”

“Well, 'wife' is what I have always called thee.” Luna said mildly, and Scrivener sighed and dropped his face against the bedding before Luna smiled and leaned into the archway, watching as Twilight quickly went about the tasking of putting on both coffee and a kettle. “Thou art not usually so industrious, however. Thou art no housewife, 'tis why it is so good we have Scrivener Blooms.”

Twilight snorted in amusement at this, looking both insulted and glad as she glanced over her shoulder and smiled slightly. “That might be true, Luna, but all the same... I dunno. I felt like doing this today. And no, it's not the collar...” She quieted, then shook her head and became more serious. “But Luna, today we should really head into town... and Discombobulation...”

“Aye, yes.” Luna glanced meditatively towards her room, and then she sighed softly. “'Twill be a pain to get the Draconequus to take any medicine we mix up, but it is important. Bob will hurt for... for quite some time, I imagine. And we will have to aid him as much as possible while he adjusts, we owe him that for his bravery and his friendship.”

Twilight nodded slowly in agreement, and then she rubbed a little at her face before looking up as Luna continued moodily: “But for now, as we must head into Ponyville anyway, I will attend to a different matter that requires our attention... the matter of preparing the promised elixir for Pinkamena.”

“Wait... you already have the demon's blood?” Twilight asked curiously, but Luna only grinned slightly at this, making Twilight wince immediately. “Oh no. You... you can't mean that you're going to just...”

“Well, as the process will be ongoing over the course of the month, we can gather the blood as necessary... but I know two friends who shan't mind giving a healthy donation for now.” Luna replied with a wink, and Twilight grimaced before the winged unicorn called calmly, as her horn glowed slightly: “Atrus! Hevatica!”

There was silence for a few moments, as Luna turned and headed into the corridor leading towards the front door before she flicked her horn... and grinned slightly as Atrus lumbered through, his head bowed politely forwards as he said softly: “Mistress Luna. How may I aid you?”

“Yes, Mistress. It's a pleasure to see you. Or rather, it will be.” added a slightly-irritable, harmonious voice, and Atrus gave a rumble of displeasure as Luna snorted in amusement while she stepped backwards to allow Atrus to step out into the den room, and a tall, green-coated demon to slip past with a grumpy look up at Atrus. Then she smiled over at Luna: her sharp teeth, her glowing eyes, and her mane and tail of kelp and seaweed were what made it all too clear that she was not simply a green, wet-looking pony, but a demon: a Kelpie, to be precise. A demon that fell under the realm of lust more than anything else, but there was enough wrath in there that her blood would still be useful to them.

They needed to pump Pinkamena with demonic blood similar to her own taints, her own sins, after all, and those were both wrath and gluttony. The latter was much more subtle, but it became all too clear when one considered Pinkamena's diet of meat and the fact she would gorge herself gladly, given the chance. Finding a gluttony demon willing to help them would be a little harder... but Atrus was closer than just a loyal demon, he was someone whom Luna considered a friend, even if the demon himself didn't seem to entirely understand that... and Hevatica was sneaky, conniving, sultry, and yet somehow still someone Luna was able to entrust delicate tasks to.

“So what would you have us do?” the Kelpie asked curiously, smiling calmly as it leaned forwards, voice echoing gently through the room. Even speaking, her tone was alluring, almost entrancing... but Luna was used to it by now, able to shrug off the effects as she smiled slightly between the demons. “Oh, do tell me that you desire us to have some fun with the invading Draconequus... he hurt dear, poor, sweet Discombobulation, did he not?”

“Discord maimed him severely, aye, but I fear that the pleasure of giving back any pain to the wretch will be ours, not thine.” Luna replied cordially, and Hevatica looked almost disappointed before Luna said softly: “I require a substantial donation of blood from both of thee. 'Tis for Pinkamena, the half-demon... she desires to become a full demon, and I have promised to help her.”

“Ooh. How delightful... and her handsome heaven-sent knows?” Hevatica leaned forwards eagerly, and when Luna nodded, she giggled quietly and leaned back, licking her lips slowly. “Now, normally I would be more hesitant to give up a little piece of myself, however small it may be, to hand over to even someone as precious as the half-demon... but oh, in this instance, I shall be all-too-glad to. My kind is always looking for love, after all...”

She half-lidded her eyes, leaning past Luna and gently blowing a kiss at Scrivener Blooms, who winced a little and shifted awkwardly before the Kelpie licked her teeth slowly as she looked back at Luna. “Very well, Mistress of the Night. Only because it will be so very interesting to see if love can endure between the heaven-sent and the demon when her nature is fully-embraced...”

“I think Pinkamena may become less-nasty once a full demon.” Luna said ironically, and Atrus grunted as Hevatica tittered, then leaned curiously past Luna when Twilight entered the room, blushing a bit. “Both of thee know my sweet mare. Well, my other sweet mare, not Scrivener Blooms.”

Hevatica smiled sinuously, licking her lips slowly before she said lovingly: “Of course. She looks very gorgeous in her new collar, Mistress... you're such a lucky duck. Two sweets, and all for yourself and each other... what delicious sin.”

“And thou art such a strange, strange demon, Hevatica. Why does thou not turn thy flirting to handsome Atrus whilst I find a suitable container for the blood?” Luna rolled her eyes, turning around and heading into the kitchen to begin digging through the cupboards. She didn't need anything fancy, after all, even an empty pot or bottle would do...

Scrivener began to get up... and then he winced as Hevatica slipped in front of him, half-lidding her eyes and leaning in towards his face. It made him wince a bit, swallowing slowly before she reached up and toyed a hoof – hers were subtly cloven – gently along the underside of his muzzle, looking into his eyes as she asked gently: “Excited to see the half-demon become a full demon? Have you ever thought about joining our ranks, lovely Scrivener?”

“Personal space.” Scrivener said awkwardly, and then he hurriedly picked up his mug of coffee, raising it like a shield between them as the Kelpie grumbled but sat back. Scrivener sipped nervously at his coffee as Atrus looked around the room slowly, and then his attention slowly turned to Scrivener when the earth pony asked: “Can I get you anything?”

Atrus only shook his head quietly, and Scrivener nodded after a moment before he winced when Hevatica leaned in with a wry grin. “What? Aren't you going to ask if you can do anything for me, Scrivener Blooms?”

“I would, but... I have the feeling you're already getting plenty out of this.” Scrivener muttered, leaning back with a grimace, and the Kelpie nodded after a moment with a wink at him. “I get that you feed off of emotions and certain energies in the air. Does that mean you have to be so creepy about it, though?”

“Oh stop, I know you don't mind as much as you put on!” Hevatica laughed, shaking her head before grinning over her shoulder at Atrus. “Besides, we can't all be like this big, stoic, stone-warrior here. He's all bottled-up aggression, slow to anger but quick to destroy once it all boils out of him. My kind lives much healthier: a little mischief, a little lust, a little treating ourselves to tasty delicacies here and there between everything else.”

“Enough, fish, 'lest I have Scrivener slap thee on the grill and bread and butter thou to make breakfast. I have not had good seafood for a long time.” Luna grumbled, and the Kelpie huffed a bit but fell quiet, looking moodily over at Luna as Luna glowered in return, an empty wine bottle floating beside her. “Here. Thou should both be able to fill this up between thyselves with little trouble. 'Twill be enough to start with. Scrivener, Twilight, please go and harvest a dozen or so fruits from the Ambrosia tree.”

“Bring me one or two, too!” Hevatica said quickly, as her mood brightened again in only a moment, and Luna sighed as Scrivener grumbled but nodded, the demon looking delighted. “Thank you, friends!”

Scrivener only grumbled a bit as Twilight looked dryly over at the male while they made their way past Luna and through the kitchen, muttering: “You know, it's kind of funny. I used to think demons were these horrible, terrifying things, and more and more I'm starting to realize that a lot of them aren't scary as much as they are...”

“Special.” Scrivener finished, and Twilight nodded as they pushed outside and started towards the Ambrosia tree “Yeah. I know just what you mean.”

Inside, Atrus was already draining his blood into the bottle as Luna returned to the kitchen, putting a large old pot on the stove and pulling the enormous canteen of Kvasir's blood out of the fridge, and Hevatica poked her head around the counter, watching her curiously as she said thoughtfully: “Witches of the old days would be just horrified at this.”

“Liar. They would be enthralled. Witches have always done their works in pots and kitchens, of one form or another.” Luna grumbled, shaking her head as she flicked her horn to spin the lid off the enormous black container, and the Kelpie licked her lips greedily before Luna said sourly: “Thou art already getting Ambrosia. Now put thine own blood into that bottle or I shall mash thy skull into a sordid pulp.”

Hevatica sighed regretfully, and then she slipped back, taking the bottle from Atrus and holding her arm out to let him gouge a deep cut into it, wincing a bit as she glared up at him. “Watch your claws.”

“I did.” Atrus said sourly, and the two demons glared at each other for a moment before the enormous male lumbered moodily away, adding dourly: “I do not know what to think these days. Only fools desire to be demons.”

“Only fools are ever happy, if but for a time.” Luna muttered in response to this, and Atrus shrugged meditatively before Luna added wryly, as she began to pour some of Kvasir's blood from the container into the pot: “Besides, look at thou! Free of Helheim, spending most of thy time... well... what does thou do in thy spare time, Atrus? Thou always says 'sleep' but I do not believe it, thou art no slothful beast.”

“Dream.” Atrus replied after a moment, and Luna sighed in exasperation as the Kelpie snickered. “And I am free of the ice, but my kind is never entirely free, Mistress Luna Brynhild. But... I am thankful, too. You are kind to us.”

The Kelpie nodded, murmuring as she glanced down and watched her blood continue to trickle into the bottle: “Too kind, perhaps. After all, Mistress... my kind, who run wild in the rivers and the oceans, would just adore to find your kind swimming or sailing their silly ships above our cool and comfortable bastions. We laugh at your deaths and expense: my ancestors killed many of your kind, when your kind still existed on this world.”

“Aye, but the ponies of my world drove demons all but to extinction. And thy kind, sweet-singing Kelpies...” – the simple compliment made Hevatica all-but-glow with delight – “Did not exist, sadly, in my home. Or at least, were so rare and so near-extinction 'twas all but impossible to find more than legend and rumor. Although we had the merfolk. Unpleasant, stinging merfolk.”

Luna looked down thoughtfully as Hevatica sniffed in disdain, then brought her limb back and slowly licked her cut, the wound sealing closed even as a few last droplets of her own blood dribbled down her chin. Then she picked up the full wine bottle, striding into the kitchen and holding it up to Luna with a smile, and the winged unicorn took it with a grunt and a nod in a gentle telekinetic grip, pouring its contents into the pot of slowly-bubbling blood. She put this aside to pick up a wooden spoon, beginning to stir this mixture slowly, gazing down into the red brew as she murmured: “Look at me, pretending I am a witch, or even more, Zecora. Now, where is that damnable Scrivener Blooms and Twilight Sparkle? I require the Ambrosia... although aye, for now, the blood may be left to simmer.”

Hevatica turned her eyes towards the open, black canteen... but Luna only looked grumpily over her shoulder before firmly flicking her horn, and the lid flew back on top and locked quickly into place before the black container floated away, and Luna grumbled: “Do not even think about it. That is a limited supply, and I may be a little fonder of thee than most of my demons, but thou art deceiving thyself if thou thinks I would allow thee to guzzle something as precious as that.”

“I know, I know. Pinkamena is more special than we are.” Hevatica sighed, then looked towards the back door as it opened, Twilight walking in with a bundle of Ambrosia fruits floating behind her. The Kelpie's eyes gleamed... and then she grinned when Scrivener followed Twilight in and tossed an Ambrosia to her, the Kelpie catching this and eagerly sitting back on her haunches to begin gobbling it down. “Delicious!”

“When are we going to have normal friends? You know. Normal?” Scrivener asked dryly, and Twilight grumbled in agreement as she dropped the pile of fruits on the counter, the two looking moodily at the Kelpie as she made quick work of the fruit. She licked her muzzle clean eagerly with a grin, then began to reach for another, but winced and hurriedly drew away when Luna's horn glowed and the winged unicorn glared at her.

The sea-demon withdrew to the living room with Atrus, but neither she nor the larger masculine demon left, both watching curiously as Scrivener and Twilight went about the process of juicing the fruits into a large container, while Luna toiled away over the blood mixture, giving them orders over her shoulder and adding things here and there to the red, soupy elixir until she was ready to finally begin pouring the juiced Ambrosia into the pot as well, grumbling under her breath about how they really needed Zecora to do this properly.

All the same, soon enough Luna had refined it into a fine, bright red mixture, and she and Scrivener dug out all the jars they could find while Twilight headed back into the den to sit nervously with the demons. Not because she was afraid of them, but more because of Hevatica's leering at her and her pointed, sultry questions; the Kelpie had a way of making even Luna feel awkward with her poking and prodding, after all, and Twilight still wasn't completely comfortable or used to other creatures not simply acknowledging her odd relationship, but asking particularly-embarrassing questions about it.

Hevatica picked up on her discomfort, but seemed to enjoy it to some extent, grinning and leaning forwards, probing for answers until Luna finally snapped at her irritably from the kitchen. She grumbled and fell quiet... at least until Scrivener and Luna began to fill the jars they had dug out with the blood mixture.

They had enough for eleven jars: eleven infusions over eleven days, in other words, which was more than enough time to gather more for the mixture. Luna grunted and nodded to herself after a moment at the sight of these as Scrivener finished screwing the caps on, and Hevatica half-pleaded: “Please? Can't you just let me have one little jar? What's the worst that could happen?”

“You turn into Jormungand or something, and personally I don't want to deal with a giant snake again.” Scrivener muttered, and the Kelpie looked both offended and amused before Scrivener's eyes turned to Atrus, asking quietly: “Will you meet us at Sugar Cube Corners later? We need to shield it from Helheim, and... what better way to make sure it's protected from demons than with demons?”

“Ooh, can I come too? I want to meet the handsome heaven-sent!” Hevatica piped up, and Luna groaned and rolled her eyes before the Kelpie added kindly: “Well, while handsome Atrus can deal with the land and wall-wards, what about water? You ponies have veins from the lakes and rivers twisting into each and every home of your kind... that's just begging for trouble.”

“Do not molest my brother.” Luna said grouchily, and the Kelpie grinned widely and licked her lips slowly, Luna grumbling before turning her attention away. “Twilight, please go check on Antares, and gently wake him if he still sleeps. Scrivener Blooms, write a note.”

Scrivener nodded as he headed over to his writing desk, awkwardly keeping his back to Hevatica as Luna picked up the container of leftover Ambrosia and headed down the hall to their room, to check on Discombobulation and retrieve a satchel.

When she returned after filling Bob's water bottle with the god-fruit juice, Scrivener was half-hiding behind Atrus as the Kelpie slunk after him, asking her strange questions. Luna smacked the sea-demon with her horn as she passed, and Hevatica finally quailed and dropped flat on her stomach, bowing her head as Atrus grunted in what could easily be taken for approval.

Twilight emerged a few moments later with a blushing Antares, and she said gently she just had to take care of something, making it clear that the poor little foal had likely had an accident in bed. But Scrivener and Luna only gazed at him softly: he was just a little colt, after all, and had been in the grips of a nasty nightmare. That, and the fact that two demons had shown up, probably hadn't helped much: the demons were plenty friendly, after all, but still had certain detrimental effects caused by their presence alone, especially to a young and impressionable, sleeping foal.

All the same, Antares greeted them shyly but amiably, Atrus nodding slowly as Hevatica smiled delightedly and pushed herself quickly up and forwards, half-encircling him and picking him up in a firm hug against her body that made Antares giggle a little at the strange feel of her form. Luna couldn't help but sigh resignedly even as Scrivener visibly softened, feeling the twist of warmth Luna was doing her best to block out. This, after all, was a large part of the reason why Hevatica was considered a friend.

She nuzzled Antares affectionately, then set him down and cheerfully began to talk eagerly away with him: the Kelpie was both maternal and protective, particularly when it came to foals, and that went double-true for little Antares. Hevatica claimed it was because the feelings of innocence excited her, and Antares' happiness slaked her emotional thirsts... but it didn't take a genius to figure out there was much more to it than that.

Luna ensured the stove was off, the pot was covered, and Scrivener set the note out on the counter for Scarlet Sage to see when she woke up. When Twilight came back from Antares' room, they were all ready to go. Atrus seemed to vanish, but there were faint distortions in the air that made it clear he was still around, just staying out of sight for now. Hevatica, on the other hand, didn't go invisible or incorporeal: instead, she picked Antares up to carry him on her back as they talked like old friends, her sultry allure gone for a friendly warmth and affection that stayed on the entire walk, making it easier for even Twilight Sparkle to speak with her.

The Nibelung greeted them awkwardly but amiably: they were used to seeing demons by now, but not entirely used to seeing Luna traveling so readily with most of them, especially beneath the shining morning sun. As they headed into town, they got the same reaction from many of the ponies they came across, as well as a few of the other dwarves, but it was still an easy walk to the library and there was less a sense of discomfort, and more simply a sense of curiosity and eagerness to gossip.

To their surprise, they found Discord standing outside the library with Celestia, looking moody. The only restraint on him was a simple bracelet around one wrist: a monitoring charm of some kind, most likely. He looked up grouchily as they approached, and Celestia smiled a little over at them, bowing her head courteously as she said softly: “It's nice to see you all. I was just speaking with Discord about what's likely to happen to him.”

Luna cocked her head curiously as the Kelpie looked up, her eyes flashing as she grinned but remained silent as Antares asked apprehensively, studying the Draconequus nervously: “They're not going to hurt him, right?”

“What a strange little pony. Hurt me? Why should that matter to you, tiny? After all, I hurt your so-called friend.” Discord said moodily, and then he winced and held up his hands when Celestia gave him a flat look. “Don't beat me no more!”

“I haven't beaten you yet. That's Luna's job.” Celestia said tiredly, and Discord grimaced as Luna nodded seriously, pawing a hoof at the ground and glowering a little at the chimerical creature. “Please, Discord. I understand to a point why you're still trying to hide behind these masks and bad humor, but it's transparent. And you're as scared of Clockwork World as we are... maybe even more so. If you make a good impression on Odin, perhaps we can work together to work something out, like letting you return to Ginnungagap.”

“Oh, yes. Go back home to the garbage heap like a squeaking rat. And like a squeaking rat, get devoured by the rest of your rat family while you, the rat-bastard, are helpless due to the charm in your stomach.” Discord slapped his own thin body lightly, looking distasteful. “You know, I never would have turned Discombobulation completely into stone. At least not for very long. I have no idea what the fool was thinking when he sacrificed his arm like he did, what malicious stupidity!”

“Aye, but 'twas amazing and wonderful all at once.” Luna said mildly, and Discord gave her a sour look before Luna studied him, then added cheerfully: “By the by, thou looks much more like the Discord whom existed in our home now. Just one fang in thy crooked jaw. And before thou says anything stupid or silly, I'll have thee know that in my world, 'twas I who was responsible for kicking out his tooth.”

“Because he turned your mane into cotton candy, as I recall.” Celestia said mildly, and Luna grumbled and nodded as Scrivener and Twilight both gave Luna an amused look, and Antares giggled a little. “You felt badly afterwards, though.”

“Well, aye, but I am much meaner now than I was back then, and this Discord strikes me as much less pleasant.” Luna replied grumpily, and then she looked at the Draconequus moodily as he slowly rose a hand. “What?”

“I have a unique understanding of many things, little ponies. Many more than you. Or at least, I like to think so... but I simply don't get what in Loki's name you're all talking about with this nonsense; how can I be there and here at the same time?” Discord looked grouchily over at Celestia. “You've done a less-than-stellar job of explaining everything after all, miss pretty-hooves.”

Celestia only looked mildly at Discord for a few moments, and the Draconequus slowly drew away from her before the ivory winged unicorn turned her eyes to Twilight, asking gently: “Would you care to explain?”

Twilight smiled a little, then she nodded, turning her eyes to Discord and saying quietly: “There are many layers of reality. Odin says he created ninety-nine layers to protect the core reality that a Jötnar was trying to destroy. We don't know how many layers of reality still exist, but what we do know is that each and every one of them that still survives is a reflection of the anchor world... however distorted or different it may be.

“When Discord... when you, I mean, came out of Ginnungagap, you landed in one of those copied layers. Filling in the blanks from the information we've gathered over the years and... the memories that Scrivener and Luna have of the Jötnar they fought...” Twilight gazed over her shoulder softly for a moment, and Scrivener and Luna both smiled a little at her. “It's clear that Valthrudnir thought he could use you... so he copied you, into each and every layer of reality. Made reflections of you...”

Discord stared at this for a few moments as she fell silent, and then he grinned widely, asking disbelievingly: “You actually expect me to believe that? You... that's a really nice try, silly little pony, trying to get me all paranoid, but... please! What a pathetic lie! What a fiction!”

“You're scared.” Celestia said quietly, looking thoughtfully over the Draconequus, and Discord grimaced at her, trying his best to hide a flinch. “It was hard for me to believe at first, too... it's been hard for everyone we've had to tell to accept. It doesn't sound like something possible, something that should happen... but Odin himself will be here soon, and you can speak to him about it.

“And on that note, little sister, I want to say that Odin will be taking Discord away to Asgard, for interrogation and... to see how cooperative he's willing to be with us. He'll decide from there what to do with him. Kvasir will be leaving as well.” Celestia added, looking across at her younger sibling, who nodded slowly. Then the rainbow-maned mare smiled a little, asking quietly: “May I borrow Twilight Sparkle for a short chat with Discord? You look as if you have a task you want to deal with yourself, in any event.”

“Aye, I suppose I do.” Luna replied softly, hesitating for a moment before smiling slightly over at Scrivener Blooms. “And whilst I could be in two places at once if I chose... I think that Scrivener and I shall allow thee to have thy talk in private. I only knew Discord briefly, after all, and I was but a soldier.”

“You've never been a soldier, sister... always a warrior.” Celestia said softly, and Luna laughed quietly as she nodded before the siblings studied each other for a moment, and then older sister smiled softly. “Thank you.”

“Yes, yes, go away so I can be lectured.” Discord muttered, shaking his head grumpily as he put his hands behind his head and glowered around at them all. “I can't believe this nonsense. Yesterday you're all terrified of me, today you're all trying to make friends with me and acting like if you give me enough hugs we'll be best friends like you apparently are with so-called Discombobulation.”

Luna only smiled as she turned away, however, beginning to head down the road with Scrivener and Hevatica following as the sapphire mare called mildly over her shoulder: “Well, perhaps the large, one-eyed once-god Odin will change thy mind, then. He used to kill Draconequus for sport, I'll have thee know.”

Discord paled a little at this, body slumping visibly as Hevatica snickered and Scrivener gave Luna a pointed look. As they made their way down the road, Luna couldn't help but look back over her shoulder, watching as Celestia opened the door to the library and Discord grumbled but headed inside with only a bit of prompting from Twilight Sparkle... and then Antares caught his mother's eye, asking worriedly: “He's... he's not really going to be hurt or anything, is he?”

“Nay, fear not, child. Odin is not... not a wicked being.” Luna said finally after a moment, and Antares looked a little soothed by this before Luna turned her gaze ahead, adding thoughtfully: “Although I do not think that a little torture would be bad for Discord at this point... 'twas a little bit of suffering that helped turn Bob around, was it not?”

Antares immediately started to look worried again, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before he said mildly: “You don't have to pretend you're not a nice pony, Luna. We all know your dire secret by now.”

Luna huffed in response to this, glaring at him for a few moments before Antares said softly: “I don't think he deserves to be hurt. Maybe he has to be punished, but... I don't think he should just be hurt, either.”

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” Scrivener murmured, and Luna sighed a little but nodded grumpily, and the earth pony looked up with a small smile, adding quietly: “I can't take credit for that, by the way. Some of the things Discombobulation quotes get stuck in my head.”

“My kind and creatures of mad Ginnungagap do not get along very well but... I suppose the child and his handsome father are right.” Hevatica said softly, and Luna looked at her with surprise before the demon looked back with a smile. “As you say, my kind are... wanting, and vicious. And what fills a person with greater regret than anger and longing?”

Luna fell quiet, looking down thoughtfully and nodding slowly as Scrivener gazed ahead down the road, and the strange group continued onwards: one demon carrying their foal as rested his head against her sweet-smelling seaweed mane, and a second striding invisibly behind them, leaving no sign of his passage as he guarded them silently and loyally.

Insecurities And Aspirations

Chapter Forty Six: Insecurities And Aspirations
~BlackRoseRaven

Pinkamena was surprised when Luna and company arrived at Sugar Cube Corners, but she quickly became eager when she found out what the winged unicorn was carrying. She let them in, and they found Sleipnir gobbling down baked goods and making a nuisance of himself as Pinkie Pie worked with Rarity and Spike on the licensing papers and forms to get their business back up and running.

Atrus appearing out of thin air startled the dragon and unicorn a little, but Pinkie Pie barely looked up, still engrossed with the facts and figures as numbers and forms. But no one here was scared of the demons: if anything, Sleipnir cheerfully greeted Atrus and then came over to leer at Hevatica while Luna quietly discussed what she had brought with Pinkamena, and why they were here.

Then Sleipnir surprised them by looking up as he played a hoof through Hevatica's mane and made the Kelpie blush, while his other hoof rested on Antares' head as the foal sat happily by his uncle, saying in an easy, positive voice: “Oh, worry not! I have already begun the warding process on the upstairs rooms... perhaps this sweet siren can come with me and double-check the wards, however...”

He grinned widely at her, and Pinkamena looked at Sleipnir for a moment before she said distastefully, apparently not caring about the other ponies or foal in the room: “Just remember the rules. No banging anyone in our room or our bed without my say-so.”

Sleipnir cleared his throat awkwardly as Antares looked up curiously and Luna glared horribly at Pinkamena, and then the foal turned his eyes towards Pinkamena and asked finally: “What's 'banging?'”

“When you knock two things together real hard and loud.” Pinkamena replied immediately, glaring at Sleipnir, and the vine-maned stallion giggled stupidly as he reached up and covered his lips with one hoof. “Sometimes you get a good sound out of it. Other times, well-”

“Enough, enough! Antares, uh... Pinkie Pie looks as if she could use a break, go and play with her.” Luna instructed quickly. At this, Pinkie looked up from the papers and rubbed at her eyes as if tired, but then she brightened when Pinkamena grunted and jerked her head towards the foal, smiling happily and bouncing out of her seat.

Sleipnir and Hevatica slipped quickly off as Pinkie Pie and Antares busied themselves playing, and Rarity and Spike were glad to stay and work a little more on helping with the paperwork while Atrus loitered nearby as Pinkamena, Scrivener, and Luna made their way into the kitchen for some privacy. As Luna began to unpack the satchel, Scrivener couldn't help but look over the half-demon, then ask finally: “So Sleipnir's uh... promiscuity... really doesn't bother you?”

“I guess I'm taking a page from your guys' book. Besides... he's honest, never lies to me, always asks like a good little stud, and...” Pinkamena smiled a little, reaching up and silently rubbing at her tattooed breast as she softened and glanced embarrassedly away. “He always comes back to me at the end of the day. And that makes me feel even more special: it doesn't matter what else is going on, or that he's a giant stallion-whore. He's also always there for me. And I'm also on the road to becoming a full demon now so...”

She shook her head, then scowled at them and grumbled: “None of your goddamn business anyway, Nightmare Moon. Now how does this work, do I just drink all these?”

“Drink one a day, try and keep your time consistent. You're going to be in a lot of pain after the first few days and you'll probably need to stay in bed. You may get... mood swings, and urges, and... well...” Scrivener smiled a bit, studying her quietly. “You'll start to change. Are you ready for that?”

“Yeah.” Pinkamena said in a softer voice, looking down silently before she sighed and asked after a moment: “Do I need to be in restraints?”

“No. At least... not at first. But everything's going to intensify as the process goes on, until you're a full demon. It's going to hurt.” Scrivener replied quietly, as Luna finished laying out of the eleven jars before the earth pony added softly: “You're primal hunger and a lot of fury and anger wrapped up in one package, Pinkamena. It's going to be hard to handle those feelings.”

“I'm ready for it all the same.” the half-demon replied calmly, and she shook herself briskly out before saying coldly: “And you two ain't gonna scare me out of this last second, either. So don't insult me by trying to.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment at her, and Pinkamena only gave him a grumpy look in return before saying grouchily: “Keep leering at me and I'll make you into a gelding.”

“Oh, thou would not.” Luna grumbled, and Pinkamena glared at them at this challenge, making Scrivener wince and draw nervously back before the winged unicorn shook her head and said quietly, glancing at the eleven jars: “Store these in a safe place. And heat up the blood before thou drinks it.”

Pinkamena grumbled a bit, but then she nodded with a sigh. For a few moments, there was silence... and then the half-demon finally looked up and asked quietly: “Will I be... more useful, as a demon?”

“If it will soothe thee, thou shall be stronger, aye. But... thou has friendships already, and based upon need or want or not, they shall not change because of thy decisions. We are still here to support thee... always.” Luna said empathetically, and the half-demon grumbled, then winced when the winged unicorn stepped forwards and hugged her firmly. “Besides, thou art married to my beloved brother. And I know his love for thee shall never falter, so neither can mine.”

“Get off me.” Pinkamena mumbled, then she dropped her head back and sighed when instead, Scrivener stepped forwards and hugged her as well, the half-demon trying to repress a faint smile as she looked up at the ceiling and said tiredly: “You both suck. Can we please just move on to warding the goddamn house or whatever?”

It took a few hours to attend to insulating and warding Sugar Cube Corners, but it was secured from top-to-bottom to ensure that no demon could enter the home without permission, and precious little magic would be able to pierce the walls and spy on what was going on inside. It wasn't a particularly-difficult task, all-in-all: the biggest difficulty was finding out-of-the-way places to scratch runes into the walls or floor or lay enchantments where they wouldn't be noticed.

Since they had helped with forging the enchantments, Hevatica and Atrus would be able to enter and leave as they pleased, just as Pinkamena would even as a full demon, since it was her home. The Kelpie had giggled about this for a little while until Pinkamena had yanked her aside and threatened to cut her into a fish fillet if she started showing up on a regular basis just to flirt with Sleipnir, and the glare in the half-demon's eye had been enough to make Hevatica agree awkwardly that she would only show up if properly invited. Luna, meanwhile, had been very amused by the display of protectiveness and jealousy: but then again, every time Pinkamena showed she had a heart and emotions, it always made her feel a little fuzzy inside, for whatever odd reason.

When they were done with the process of securing the household, the demons both left: Atrus with a polite bow of his head, Hevatica with loud goodbyes, a smile for Antares, and a leer at Sleipnir, who grinned and waved at her until Pinkamena elbowed him in the throat. As Scrivener had watched the enormous, vine-maned stallion flopping around weakly, he couldn't help but reflect how he now felt very fortunate about his relationship with Luna, as he realized he could be enduring far-worse pummeling from far-meaner ponies.

Scrivener, Luna, and Antares left after only a short visit once the warding was done, Luna feeling an odd twinge of her instincts telling her to move on with the day. The Pink Twins were both thankful in their own way, however, and Sleipnir decided to tag along with them after he managed to crawl back to his hooves.

The four headed back to the library, Sleipnir hopping along and imitating Pinkie Pie's bouncing gait with Antares on his back, and Luna and Scrivener couldn't help but smile as their child laughed: with how he behaved, the enormous stallion fit in far too well with the Pink Twins and their eccentricities. He was masochistic enough to take pleasure in Pinkamena's games and silly enough to keep up with Pinkie Pie even at her most manic.

When they made it back to the library, they found Odin had arrived, sitting calmly at the table with Kvasir at one side of him, the polymorphed god looking moody. Celestia and Twilight were both at the table as well, but Discord was grumbling and pacing apprehensively around the room; his anxiety only worsened when Scrivener, Luna and Sleipnir entered the room, Antares still seated happily on his uncle's back before the enormous stallion bucked easily forwards and tossed him over his head.

The foal laughed as Sleipnir caught him and set him quickly down on his hooves, grinning warmly down at the colt... and then he wheezed when Luna punched him in the side, wincing and stumbling as the sapphire mare said flatly: “How many times must I tell thou not to toss my child?”

“Oh come now, sister, he is growing up and would have landed upon his hooves anyway! Do not be such a wicked creature.” Sleipnir scoffed, shaking his head quickly before he smiled warmly. “Hello, Father! I am glad to see thee!”

“Father? Doesn't that count as bestiality?” Discord asked moodily, and when Odin gave him a sour look, the Draconequus grumbled and held up his hands. “Well, excuse me all to hell. But I suppose looking like that, you have to take what you can get...”

“The only reason I haven't had you either gagged or beheaded yet is because I understand all too well what it's like when you find out most of your powers are gone.” Odin paused, leaning back moodily. “Although I suppose in your case it's worse than just being sapped of your powers. A strong punch to your stomach could upset that bracelet, couldn't it?”

Discord grumbled, crossing his arms as he glowered over at the once-god, saying pointedly: “I could get this out any time I wanted to. I just don't want to, that's all.”

Kvasir, however, snorted in amusement, replying dryly: “How? The bracelet is interrupting the natural flow of chaotic energy in your body, and reacts the moment it begins to spike. The only way it's going to come out is to cut you open... but you seem to get a little ill every time we suggest that.”

“Well, we don't all like to think about being disemboweled. For some of us that's a rather disgusting thought.” Discord muttered, looking away sourly as he rubbed nervously at his stomach. “Not all of us are reverse-vampires, after all, trying to share our blood with each and every little thing we meet.”

The polymorphed god glowered as Odin sighed a little, and Luna looked up with a thoughtful frown on her face towards Celestia and Twilight, saying finally: “I do not know whose side I am on in this debate. There are merits to both. 'Tis annoying.”

Odin shook his head slowly, and Celestia gave a small smile before she said quietly: “Then maybe instead we should step away from continuing to pointlessly argue... I think we'd all be interested in hearing how things have gone with Pinkamena, after all.”

“Making the half-demon into a full-demon...” Odin rubbed at his beak, but then he sighed a bit, glancing towards Kvasir as the beetroot unicorn looked embarrassedly away. “Well, we'll have to judge this decision by its outcome. I only wish, Brynhild, that you would remember that everything has rules for a reason.”

“Aye, and all rules can and should be broken, too.” Luna replied impetuously, and Odin closed his eyes slowly as Sleipnir nodded agreeably, Antares cocking his head curiously as he looked up at his mother. Luna smiled as she turned her eyes to the colt, explaining softly: “In life, we must all at some point... decide for ourselves who we are, what we are going to do with what we are given... not simply bow to the rules and standards and beliefs of others. One must live one's life following one's own path... while of course always striving to help others find their own way forwards. And if thou art very lucky... thou shall find that thy path may converge with another's along the way.”

Luna gazed softly over at Scrivener, who smiled back before the winged unicorn returned her eyes to her son, saying gently: “Do not think I am saying life must be lived selfishly: the greatest life of all is a life lived for others, and for love. What I am saying is that along the way, there will be many times when thou shalt be all-but-ordered to do as all others do, and I want thou to know, my sweet Antares Mīrus... thou does not have to do anything other than what thou thinks and knows in thy heart to be right.”

“Heavy lessons for one so young.” Odin said softly, but he was smiling a little before he added with quiet amusement: “Your philosophies always made you difficult, Night Maiden. Honorable, yes: but difficult, all the same.”

The sapphire mare only smiled a little as Antares looked back and forth, then gazed up at Discord when the Draconequus looked grumpily down at the foal and asked dryly: “So does it do any tricks?”

“I'm Antares. Is your name Discord?” The foal looked up curiously, and the Draconequus winced back a bit, looking oddly unnerved before Antares smiled a little. “You don't have to be scared. I know everyone's nervous right now but... no one wants to hurt anyone, either.”

Discord looked unconvinced, studying the foal curiously before he snorted moodily, shaking his head out and dropping back against a library shelf as he sighed tiredly, muttering: “Not that I can do anything now, anyway. I suppose I could throw these books at you annoying ponies or hurt you with words, but... I like action. Not words. Can we just get the torture over and done with?”

“Oh shush, creature.” Sleipnir said gently, smiling over at the Draconequus before he approached the table, asking: “Father, Kvasir, Celestia... do not all of thee agree, there is no reason to harm this odd being? For he meant well in his own way, did he not? Now the wretch is powerless, and there is no need to torment him further: let us show him mercy, so that he may know and begin to understand that we can be allies, we can perhaps help him... for he has already witnessed in our strength that we shall stand boldly up to Clockwork World and its wretched inhabitants.”

“Yes, and you'll all die horribly.” Discord muttered, shaking his head and rubbing at his jaw, looking distastefully over them all. “I don't know whether to call you stupid or arrogant. Or maybe I'll just save time and call you both. Which one of you can I slap without having to worry about being hit back?”

But the fear in his eyes and his body language was clear, and Twilight only shook her head slowly before she said quietly: “Maybe, maybe not. But either way, we are going to take a stand. We're not going to let them just roll over this world and destroy it.”

“Count me out.” Discord rose his hands with a snort, shaking his head and shivering once. “Look, ponies. If you're smart, you'll all just run away, as fast as your little hooves can carry you. You'll run as far and as fast as you can, to get out of this world, to get out of this damned universe... and even then, that might only buy you some time, but a little more time alive is still a little more time to live, isn't it? Or at least close enough.

“Let's look at it this way, in simple terms.” Discord began to raise a talon, then paled and grabbed at his stomach with a wheeze. “Oh, that was close. I... oh, this is so much less fun. Here. Like this.”

Discord turned around with a grumble, yanking a book out of the shelf and dropping it on the floor, and all present winced at the bang it made, the Draconequus pointing at this. “That's you. Now, I beat all of you. I even would have beaten the little puppy you call Discombobulation had I not been so confident and ruined my own chances.”

With that, Discord yanked another book out of the shelves and dropped it on top, then he pulled out a third and dropped this on top of that. “See that? That's the Skin Walkers, above me. Annoyingly-impervious to most of what I could do. That lack of panic, that lack of reaction to the most spectacular shows of chaos I could put on... I can't begin to describe how disheartening it was when I tried to stop them from dragging me off to that damned lonely cell.

“And here's the problem.” Discord removed a last book from the shelves, dropping it on top of the stack, saying distastefully: “Clockwork World, as you call it. The metal and lightning, backing themselves up with false chaos... artificial-made entities with no purpose except to destroy. Chaos-enders, I should call them, really... nothing's more still and silent than ultimate order, after all. And you ponies think you've got something good going on here...”

Discord looked moodily over at Celestia, shaking his head slowly before he threw a bad-tempered kick into the pile of tomes, knocking them scattering and making Twilight wince before she hurried forwards to quickly reorganize the books and put them back into the shelf. The Draconequus glowered at her, then he simply rolled his eyes before saying moodily: “You won't be able to win against them, ponies. Not if you're four or five rungs down the ladder from them. Not if the Skin Walkers were blown to paste by them and they were, let me tell you, they were: it was no contest.”

“The Strange Ones are guardians, not destroyers... and your ambush in the center of town was backed by chaos energy flooding the area. Enough to attract curious eyes from Asgard, as a matter of fact.” Odin said calmly, looking mildly over at Discord. “Do you really think that these ponies would have failed to have found some way to beat you?”

“Even without the Elements of Harmony, they would have found a way to combat you and the chaos you were spreading, Discord.” Celestia said softly, gazing over at Twilight and making her smile faintly as she blushed a little. “Because they are the embodiment of the Elements themselves, and purer than that; they are friendship, and the best friendships, as I've learned, are never without a little conflict and a little chaos.”

Luna laughed quietly as Celestia's eyes turned towards her, and Discord only blew a raspberry in response, looking irritable as he turned his head moodily away. “Wonderful. I'm going to die next to a bunch of lunatics who really honestly believe in all this fairy tale, happy nonsense.”

Scrivener Blooms smiled slightly, tilting his head forwards and asking mildly: “And you don't? Then what do you believe in, Discord? And how was it that Discombobulation beat you with his self-proclaimed power of friendship?”

Discord glowered at the charcoal pony for a few moments, then he finally simply snorted and turned his back on them childishly. He refused to speak for the remainder of the small meeting, as Luna and Scrivener joined the table to go over recent events in a little more detail with Odin, while Antares wandered around the library, as familiar to him as his own home.

Eventually, the foal walked over to Discord and sat beside him, looking up at him. Discord pointedly ignored him, and then Antares suddenly gave a wide, bright smile, showing off all his sharp teeth, and Discord let out a yelp of shock and flailed his arms wildly before toppling over sideways, making Antares giggle before the colt said warmly: “That's how Pinkamena said I should greet new friends!”

“What in Loki's name is wrong with this child?” Discord shoved himself back up to a sitting position, glowering down at the foal and studying it pointedly as Luna only laughed. “Nasty little pony. And... what is this?”

Discord reached down, pulling one of Antares' wings wide, and the foal winced a little and fidgeted as the Draconequus studied this and muttered: “A subtle hint of dark magic... but what was once enchantment has long faded into natural existence. Oh, you ponies, if you do things like this...”

“'Tis a nerve I would implore thee not to poke.” Luna said moodily, and Discord only grunted and waved irritably at her before he dropped the wing, leaning back and forth and studying Antares as the foal shifted nervously. “Creature...”

“The foal wandered over to me, not the other way around!” Discord whined, glaring over his shoulder, then he huffed and turned his eyes back forwards, poking at Antares' nose and making the colt wince a little. “Just what are you, Antares Mīrus?”

“I a colt.” Antares said firmly after a moment, nervousness seeping into his voice and making him stumble a little, and then he looked up and asked finally: “What are you?”

Discord fell silent at this, looking down at his eagle talon... and then he sighed softly and replied in a quiet voice: “I don't know anymore.”

Scrivener and Luna headed home in awkward quiet, Twilight Sparkle at Scrivener's other side with Antares riding on her back. It was late afternoon, and Luna could feel a distinct nibbling at her nerves, like something was trying to warn her instincts about... well... something. She wasn't sure what... she just felt like something, somewhere, was wrong.

It didn't help how things had ended up going at the library: a brooding Discord was worse than an obnoxious or insulting Discord, and he had quickly dragged Antares down into a fit of depression with him. Scrivener had taken Antares off to take a nap in Celestia's room, but instead had ended up sitting with him and reading quietly to the colt for more than an hour, helping him cheer up a little, but mostly just being there for his son. His poor, pained son, who seemed to feel the emotions of others so clearly, whose understanding could be a sword that cut both ways at times like this.

Near the end of the discussion, Odin had turned to Twilight, surprising the violet mare before he said quietly: “Some time ago, you asked me about my thoughts on Gymbr... on what the doll could be. I've thought it over for a long time, and have come to a strange conclusion, my trusted friends...

“I have taken much into consideration: Gymbr's protectiveness of Antares Mīrus, his ability to influence the world around him...” Odin's eyes flicked to Twilight's collar, which neither he nor Celestia had mentioned, and it made the violet mare blush fiercely when she realized they had clearly figured out what it was and perhaps even how she had gotten it. “His appearance and indestructibility... and of course the fact that the Norns hate him. Hate him so violently and vehemently that I believe they must fear him. And the only thing the Norns truly fear are things that should not exist, that their powers cannot see or affect.”

Scrivener grimaced a little at this, shifting nervously before Odin shook his head slowly and said softly: “Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms... how often have you had your dark dreams? You are powerful souls, with powerful imaginations, bound and wrapped up tightly together, giving vent in the dark and deep and uncanny places to... things that others would hide and repress. Brynhild, you yourself know that if given enough voice, treated long enough as something on its own, something apart... even the most frail of passions may grow its own sentience, take on its own life.

“I have heard Discombobulation's story, told to you all by Gymbr. Freya was kind enough to share the meat of it with me in letters and dialogues.” Odin gestured to her calmly, closing his eyes. “I believe that this fortified the creature's power and existence. I believe he was helped along by other forces in some way or another that will only come to light when Gymbr desires to reveal its true nature.

“I believe it is a Tulpa. A thought-form manifested into physical reality by... some means or another. I believe that since it first entered this reality, it has been growing steadily in power, as more belief is poured into it, as more and more, it has expanded its influence. Why it first appeared to Freya? I do not know, but if I had to guess, I would say to subtly slip itself closer into our ranks, making it feel like only coincidence that all of us here recognized it, reacted it, felt... something, when we touched it. Why it takes the form of a child's doll? An easier question to guess at the answer of: it desires to be close to us, and most of all, close to Antares. Because even if it is the darkness, not just of Brynhild, not just of Scrivener Blooms, but perhaps the evils that we have all committed, given life and form and shape and substance... it desires to protect first what is most important to it.”

There had been silence... and so many implications. And all of it based on whether or not Odin was right... something impossible to know at this junction in time. All they could do was keep pressing forwards for now, and hope for the best. Hope that even if this thing was... darkness, deeper and heavier than even Nightmare Moon... it would continue to serve a purpose. To help them... and as they walked along, Luna and Scrivener found themselves almost praying that it would help them, that it would continue to work to protect their family... that it wasn't working some hidden agenda or evil angle against them.

Yet as they strode quickly down the path back to the cottage, Antares began to fidget on Twilight's back, and Luna felt that strange instinct again, that whisper of something in her mind, that something was wrong. Even Twilight seemed to feel it, looking nervously at Luna as the starry-maned mare grimaced before Antares whispered: “No, Gymbr... that's not right...”

Luna and Scrivener traded sharp looks, and Twilight looked up worriedly before the sapphire-coated mare said quickly over her shoulder: “Twilight, Scrivy and I are going to run ahead. If it is but a bad dream, then we shall feel like fools... but I do not want to dally if... if...”

“Go!” Twilight whispered it, and yet the word sounded like a gunshot in the still forest, and Luna and Scrivener both broke immediately into a sprint down the path, feeling rollicking worries, anxieties, fears running rampant through their minds as they pushed forwards, hoping against hope that nothing was wrong...

It took them less than ten minutes, Luna charging for the front door before flicking her horn to tear it open and bolting into the hallway, Scrivener close on her heels before both ponies skidded to a halt. They almost fell over each other, something that would have been comical any other day as Luna moaned low in her throat, staring in shock at the sight of Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom both sprawled out, unconscious, on the floor... and overturned near Scarlet Sage was the pot containing the blood elixir, next to a shattered porcelain bowl.

A second bowl, full of the cold, now-sludgy mixture, sat in front of Apple Bloom, a spoon buried in the mess but the mare rasping with as much difficulty as Scarlet Sage. Scrivener cursed under his breath as he stepped towards the earth pony mare as Luna hurried to their daughter, inspecting her quickly and trembling as she touched over her body, brushing drying foam away from her jaws as she whispered: “Why? This... Scarlet Sage would never do such... such madness!”

Scrivener looked up towards her... and his eyes locked on the sight of Gymbr, sitting past Luna on the countertop. He paled a bit, and Luna's eyes widened before she snarled as her head whipped around, electricity sparking through her mane as she stepped forwards and shouted furiously: “Wretched thing! What did thou have to do with this!”

She swung a hoof out, knocking the toy from the counter to the kitchen floor, and a note fluttered down from beneath it. It caught Luna's attention even through her rage for some reason, as she snagged it out of the air and glanced over it... then stared in disbelief as she whispered: “'We left a pot of tomato soup for...' Oh wretched abomination! Oh damned and unwelcome fiend!”

Luna snarled and leapt around the divider, throwing the note away and smashing both her hooves down into the Gymbr toy hard enough to crack the floor tiles beneath it as she shouted furiously at the doll: “What madness is this? That could have killed her! Does thou want to see her die, is that it, does thou-”

“Mom...” whispered a weak voice, and Scrivener hurriedly stepped around Apple Bloom's still-unconscious form to his daughter, as Scarlet Sage opened her eyes and coughed weakly a few times. Luna trembled, looking at the Pegasus, and then she cursed and picked up Gymbr, flinging it hard into the back door before turning and hurrying to her daughter's other side, as Scrivener gently helped her sit up.

Scarlet Sage coughed a few times, then rubbed slowly at her throat, trembling weakly before closing her eyes and grasping at her skull, whimpering a little. Luna and Scrivener embraced her tightly from either side, and then the Pegasus looked up suddenly, sharply, rasping through her pain: “Red! Is she okay?”

“Yeah, she's still unconscious, though.” Scrivener said quietly, and when Scarlet Sage trembled, the charcoal stallion carefully slipped to the side, letting her see past to where Apple Bloom was laying on her side. “She's breathing regularly, though, it's okay. It doesn't look like she ate as much as you must have...”

“It's my fault...” the Pegasus whispered, trembling and closing her eyes tightly, and both her parents looked at her before she looked up with teary eyes and said weakly: “We... did a blood vow last night... she... she didn't have any, but I insisted that we should and... oh god, it wasn't... it wasn't tomato soup was it?”

“She... thou and she connected thyselves...” Luna stared at her daughter for a moment, and then she swallowed and shook her head hurriedly when Scarlet Sage nodded miserably. “'Tis... 'tis not important for now, we shall discuss it when thou art ready and feeling better. No, that was a mixture of demonic blood, Ambrosia, and... and Kvasir's blood. And thou, as a Blood Seer, must have...”

“The... the memories. The images...” Scarlet Sage reached up, trembling hard and gritting her teeth as she touched her forehead, shivering violently. “Gymbr... I should have known something was wrong because Gymbr was sitting right there but... I was too elated, I was... I thought... and so hungry, it smelled so good... Mom, Dad, I'm sorry...”

“No, don't apologize. Don't apologize.” Scrivener said empathetically, reaching up and squeezing her shoulder slowly. “Here, come on, let's lay you down...”

Scarlet Sage trembled, leaning on her parents heavily as they guided her over to their bedding, then Scrivener gently shook Apple Bloom awake as Luna hurried towards the kitchen to check on Gymbr. But the doll has vanished for now... and Luna cursed under her breath before looking down as a bolt of irrational, wild fear ran through her and she looked back and forth, almost expecting an attack...

But there was nothing: the toy was gone, likely fleeing for some safer place until things had cooled down. Luna cursed under her breath as she turned to head back into the den room, and found Apple Bloom was awake and groggy... but she was now curled up with Scarlet Sage, and Scrivener was cleaning up the mess from the late lunch the two mares had tried to share. By all of Asgard, I shan't let this go unpunished though, Gymbr...

Yes... we will teach the creature not to intrude upon our domain... Nightmare Moon whispered in her mind, and for once it wasn't unwelcome as Luna shivered and gritted her teeth, then turned around to fetch a bucket and cloth to help Scrivener clean up.

When Twilight arrived with Antares, the first thing the foal did was bolt down the corridor and all-but-plow into Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom. They both winced, and then Antares threw himself against his big sister, she hugged him fiercely back as he looked tearfully up at Apple Bloom, trying to form words but not quite managing it until the earth pony mare finally hugged both him and Scarlet Sage, bowing her head forwards silently.

Luna explained quietly what had happened as Scrivener finished cleaning up, then the starry-maned mare slipped past to head to her room. She checked on Discombobulation – sleeping, shivering a little pale, but he had also managed to make himself a mountain of blankets and pillows she didn't remember being in his apartment before, so he wasn't in as awful a shape as she had feared – and then took a moment just to breathe before leaving.

Scrivener had already fetched a blanket for the young mares, and Twilight was writing a short letter to Applejack, letting her know that her younger sibling would be staying over another night because of a small accident. Luna smiled wryly at how quickly everyone was responding to what had happened, glad they were working well together but a little disheartened by how many times they had gone through this dance to be so good at it now.

Luna quietly strode over to sit by the bedding, and Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom both looked up at her as Antares dozed between them, the foal tuckered out from the travels, the ups and downs of the day, and his emotional outburst. She gazed at them and smiled faintly, then leaned down, asking softly: “Art thou sure thou art alright? I am glad to fetch thee anything either of thee may desire.”

“No, we're fine... ain't we?” Apple Bloom couldn't help but smile, clearly trying to reassure herself as much as Scarlet Sage, and then she sighed and dropped her head, mumbling: “I'm gonna catch hell for this one from big sister for sure, though... and even worse, Cowlick, when I don't show up for work. Don't think that either of them will ever let me live this down...”

“Oh, worry not about Cowlick. Twilight, will thou pen a letter to her as well? Tell her that I am enlisting Apple Bloom's aid for a special project or some-such.” Luna nodded with a smile, and then she glared when Twilight looked at her disbelievingly. “What? 'Tis not as if it is not true, I consider my daughter very special and her relationship is a project I wish to nurture as best I can. And furthermore, there is no need to tell nosy, gossipy Cowlick every little detail of every little thing. The girls may tell her when they are ready to, that is all.”

“Thanks, Luna. I think.” Apple Bloom said gratefully, blushing deep red all the same as Scarlet Sage smiled and looked up, and at this, Twilight sighed and nodded, smiling faintly as she turned back to write another letter.

The next hour or so passed in quiet, simply allowing the young mares to recover their strength... and then, finally Scarlet Sage sat up a little as Antares stirred, then quietly clambered to his hooves and made his way off the bedding to stumble over to his father and plow gently into him. Scrivener smiled despite himself as his son looked blearily up at him, then gave a small smile in return before the stallion said softly: “Come on then. I'll give you a shower, Antares, clean you up.”

The colt nodded and smiled a little, and Scrivener gently led the child off to the bathroom. Luna gazed after them, then she shook her head before turning her eyes over the mares in the room, smiling a little. “'Tis funny how Scrivener Blooms does so much of the mare's work, is it not? But I am glad he is so wonderful with Antares, to say the very least. I begin to understand more and more that raising a young child... 'tis a difficult, daunting task.”

She gazed softly at Scarlet Sage, who smiled a little and shook her head, replying quietly. “You're far too hard on yourself, Mom. You really are... you and Dad are great parents.”

“Aye, great parents who have half-encouraged thee into making a blood vow with Apple Bloom. I am sure in some way we are to blame for helping influence thee towards this end.” Luna replied softly, and the two mares both blushed a little as Twilight looked over them, studying them curiously. “But 'tis... not as important as how thou art both doing right now. Has the pain faded? The nausea passed?”

“Yeah. I feel better. I think... that actually scares me more than feeling sick, though.” Scarlet Sage smiled faintly, glancing up and rubbing at her face slowly with a hoof. “I know my powers... everything's centered around blood. And if that was a mixture of... all those things, meant to help turn Pinkamena into a demon...”

“Eavesdropper, thou hast been listening in on my conversations with Scrivy and Twilight!” Luna huffed, and Scarlet Sage blushed as she and Apple Bloom traded embarrassed looks, but then the winged unicorn sighed and mumbled: “Well, 'tis not as if I ever lied about my plans, anyway. And thou art... thou art both old enough to be treated as adults, and to understand these things, aye.”

She quieted, looking down for a moment before glancing back up and continuing quietly: “But it will not have the same effect on thee as it will on Pinkamena. Not just because thou art a Blood Seer, but because she is a half-demon. Does thou understand?”

“At least a little, anyway.” The Pegasus nodded after a moment, giving a small laugh, and then she traded a look with Apple Bloom again, and Luna couldn't help but smile faintly as she understood what they were doing: communicating silently. Perhaps not as clearly as she and Scrivener could, but still, they were sharing something back and forth... and admittedly, Luna was impressed by it. She wasn't entirely sure if she could approve yet – partly because she still worried that she and Scrivener were somehow responsible for pushing Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage into doing this – but at the same time, it reassured her that there was more than a blood vow empowered by Scarlet Sage's abilities connecting them. “About... about me and Red...”

“I'll... let me, Scarlet. I was the one who suggested it. Who pushed for it.” Apple Bloom said quietly, sitting up a bit, and Luna cocked her head curiously as she looked across at the two young mares. They both sat up straighter... and then the young earth pony took a breath before she looked across at Luna and murmured: “I don't know a lot about magic and stuff. I know about... apples, I know about putting things together, and I know about getting stuff to work properly, whether it's growing things or making stuff move. And I wanna say that I was the one who pushed for this, really wanted this.

“I just... don't want anypony blaming Scarlet Sage for this. We wanna be together, and... none of this is her fault.” Apple Bloom blushed awkwardly, looking down and mumbling: “This is a lot harder than I thought.”

Scarlet Sage laughed a little, reaching a hoof up and wrapping it around Apple Bloom's shoulders before she smiled over at her mother. “I think what Apple Bloom is trying to say is that... if we made a mistake, we made a good one together, and we're right beside each other, just like you said we should be, Mom. And if we didn't make a mistake, well... we're together. We're going to be together, through thick and thin, even though... you know, we both know we still have time before...”

“Oh, thou art both boring.” Luna huffed, but she smiled a little all the same, looking back and forth between them. “Why aren't thou both demanding that... thou art allowed to move into Ponyville together or... I know not, something less boring than this. Something I can argue with, we are supposed to shout and argue, are we not?”

The Pegasus sighed tiredly as Twilight laughed despite her best efforts not to, and Apple Bloom grinned a little before she said finally: “Well, can we move in together somewhere?”

“Neither of thee could afford it, so 'tis a moot argument, in any event.” Luna replied cheerfully, and Scarlet Sage rolled her eyes before blushing furiously as the winged unicorn added mildly: “But thou art welcome to live here as long as thou likes, provided thou do not awaken Antares with thy grinding and bumping.”

“Mom! We haven't even... I... mom!” Scarlet Sage shook her head out violently as Apple Bloom looked torn between horror and withholding giggles. “Oh, come on, don't encourage her!”

“Hey, it could be a lot worse. Cowlick is way worse than Luna, and I gotta work with her most days.” Apple Bloom said pointedly, and Luna looked insulted by this before the earth pony mare added hurriedly: “Not that you ain't uh... plenty... offensive? Creative? Uh... scary?”

“Scary works.” Twilight remarked, and Luna glared at her before the violet mare added softly: “Just do me a favor... remember what we talked about before, and remember that... you're both growing up. It's not that I doubt in you or your love... it's not that I think you rushed into this, either. You've both had a lot of time to think about things and... no offense or anything, but it wasn't really hard to tell you two were kind of seeing each other on and off for a while before this.”

“Told you so.” Apple Bloom mumbled, and Scarlet Sage shouldered her lightly. It reminded Luna almost of herself and Scrivener, and she found this thought oddly reassuring despite the pitfalls it could potentially have, too: Luna was the first to admit her relationships often were a little weird, after all.

Then Apple Bloom looked up, asking finally: “I hope this... ain't too strange to ask then, though, but since you're okay with me and you're okay with... us and I think you're okay with... what we did and... you know... could you... maybe... train me, like you been training Scarlet Sage?”

Luna perked at this, leaning forwards curiously as she cocked her head, and Apple Bloom blushed as she glanced down awkwardly. “Well, I mean. I picked up a little stuff here and there, but I ain't ever really been... taught how to defend myself or anything. But Scarlet Sage, well... it used to be me protecting her from the bullies but now she's the one stepping up when things go south. Sure, I mean, I know how to use some of Cowlick's scary toys, but... you know.”

“'Tis nothing like the assurance of knowing thy hoof can do plenty of damage when 'tis the only weapon thou has at thy disposal, aye.” Luna nodded thoughtfully, rubbing at the underside of her chin before she said meditatively: “Thou art an adult but I need thou to speak to Applejack about it, or Big Mac. Preferably Big Mac, now that I think about it... I would rather have Applejack angry at me than thy handsome brother whom I am so very tempted to-”

“Luna.” Twilight said flatly, and Luna sighed and rolled her eyes, glowering over at her as Apple Bloom made a face and Scarlet Sage only sighed tiredly.

Then the sapphire mare shook herself out once, grumbling before meeting Apple Bloom's eyes and becoming more serious. “Aye. But I am serious. I will train thee either way but thou must tell thy siblings.”

Apple Bloom nodded hesitantly, then she asked finally: “Not that I doubt you or anything or... you know, think it's silly, but... why is it so important that I tell 'em?”

The sapphire mare smiled a little at this, her starry mane twisting quietly backwards as she said softly: “Because thou art going to be hurt in this training, physically and most likely emotionally. I shall press thee and pressure thee and temper thy mettle as I must. And this is a very serious thing thou asks for, Apple Bloom... thou art asking a Valkyrie for combat training.”

The earth pony mare winced a little and nodded awkwardly, and then Luna sniffed and added cheerfully: “And it also makes it clear 'tis not my responsibility what happens to thee whilst we train, and more importantly, that it was thine own choice, not mine. And thus thy family shan't be able to hold me accountable for anything that happens.”

“You're so generous, Mom.” Scarlet Sage said dryly, and Luna nodded agreeably before glancing down the hall when the door opened, and a soaked, grumpy-looking Scrivener and giggling Antares came out, the foal running hurriedly down the hall to smack loudly into Luna's side and make her wheeze when his head collided directly into her kidney.

She half-sprawled over, and Antares hugged her tightly, still wet from the shower. Scrivener smiled despite himself as he strode into the room, and then he sighed when the young mares both looked at him with amusement, rubbing awkwardly at his soaked mane. “Don't blame me. We really need a proper bath, Luna, especially since Antares likes to play in the water and... gets a little overexcited.”

“We have the hot tub. We can dunk him in the hot tub.” Luna sat back, picking Antares up and hugging him against her body, unmindful of how wet he was as she leaned down and nuzzled him firmly before reaching up to comb his messy mane back with a smile. “And look! 'Tis already almost time to get his mane trimmed again!”

Scrivener shook his head with amusement, and then he began to turn before Apple Bloom asked him curiously: “Scrivener Blooms, uh, how long did it take you to... you know, become... you know?”

Scrivener looked over his shoulder at her, then he turned around and reached up to brush his wet mane out of his eyes before he shrugged thoughtfully, saying finally: “Hard question, Apple Bloom, because of how I'm soulbound with Luna... sometimes, I don't even know when I'm accessing into her memories and abilities, it just happens on instinct. And even then, I'm still more of a scrambler than I am a fighter.”

He smiled a bit, and then shook his head and said thoughtfully, looking down: “But after... after a year or so of training with Luna, I was tougher, stronger than I ever remember being in my entire life. And it might sound a little funny – or, you know, evil – but I was happier than I'd ever been in my entire life, too.”

“Yeah?” Apple Bloom smiled a little, tilting her head curiously, and Scrivener shrugged awkwardly as he smiled back at the young mare.

“Yeah.” he replied finally, then his eyes roved to Luna as he continued in a softer voice: “Of course, I had a lot of reasons to be happy, but... I can say with full confidence part of it was learning what Luna taught me. I felt stronger, faster and lighter on my hooves... better about myself. And, funny as it may sound, one thing Luna likes to get across clearly is that we don't just pummel whoever annoys us. Even though that's what she always does.”

“I am permitted to, I am the mare in charge.” Luna said pompously, tilting her head upwards and looking cheerful, and then she smiled over at Apple Bloom. “But aye. 'Tis very important to remember. We save using our hooves on those who truly deserve it.”

Twilight smiled a little, adding quietly: “Just feel fortunate you're an earth pony, and I really mean that. Even more, that you're used to hard work from the years on the farm... when Luna first started to train me, I could barely keep up. And worse, she always insisted on horn fencing.”

“'Tis an art form! And furthermore, thou art a fine fencer. And one day, my son, handsome Antares Mīrus, will be a master of the craft as well.” Luna smiled warmly, gazing down into her foal's eyes as the colt giggled quietly, before Luna looked up and nodded firmly. “It may be strange, my friends, my family... but it is one of the greatest things I feel I can pass down to my son. And with it discipline, honor, respect, and courage.”

She softened, kissing the foal's forehead gently, and Scrivener smiled softly as he strode up beside her before throwing a wet foreleg around her shoulders, and Luna laughed. Twilight smiled, then rolled her eyes when Luna grinned over at her, but gladly joined them as well, collar glinting around her neck... and Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage both smiled as they sat back, feeling welcome and happy in the embrace of this odd little family they had together.

Demon Days, Nascent Nights

Chapter Forty Seven: Demon Days, Nascent Nights
~BlackRoseRaven

Time passed, and with it came memorable occasions and steady adjustments to the ever-changing flow of life: Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage talked to Applejack and family about their relationship – the response was Applejack asking if she was supposed to be surprised, Big Mac simply smiling and nodding, and Rainbow Dash teasing them cheerfully, making it a little less dramatic than had been expected – and about Apple Bloom taking up training under Luna. On this subject, Applejack was a bit touchier, wanting to know why Apple Bloom didn't stick to learning from her family: she and Big Mac and Rainbow Dash had all been members of the Starlit Knights after all, and knew their way around a fight.

But Apple Bloom's response had been to point out that Luna had trained the Starlit Knights, and this was a chance for one-on-one – or well, sort of, depending on whether or not Luna dragged in the other members of her family to 'help' – tutoring from her, a former Valkyrie. Applejack had grumbled a little, but nodded and agreed, then sighed and added morbidly they probably didn't have time to train her anyway, as she turned to watch Avalon playing her new game called 'fly into Daddy and kick him in the head.'

Training had begun almost immediately, and Scarlet Sage was there with Apple Bloom every step of the way... but it was much harder than the young earth pony had anticipated it would be. Luna pushed her to her limits quickly, and would always hold every advantage she had over her head, but eventually Scrivener explained why when Apple Bloom had almost been driven to tears by one particularly-intense mock-spar. It was because as an earth pony, Apple Bloom had no wings, no magic, no horn, nor sharp teeth or wicked claws. She had to quickly get used to the idea that in a fight, even if she came in with the best gear she had... the enemy would always boast some advantage over her.

But instead of continuing to allow Luna's endless reign of terror when Apple Bloom's morale began to plummet, Scrivener had eventually brought in Big Mac, Applejack, and Sleipnir. All earth ponies, to help her out by demonstrating what they could do... ending with a spar between Sleipnir and Luna. Or rather, it was supposed to be Luna: just as the sapphire mare had been ready to start the fight, grinning brightly, she had been firmly pushed out of the way, and instead Celestia had strode forwards in full battle raiment, smiling slightly as she asked gently: “You don't mind, right, little brother?”

Sleipnir had quailed a bit, then sighed and groaned at the look Apple Bloom gave him before shouting angrily: “Set my head aflame even once, Celestia, and I shall stick all of Sugar Cube Corners' chewy gum in thy mane!”

More of a duel than a sparring match had followed, leveling several trees, leaving both ponies bruised and battered, with broken bones, wounds, and their armor shattered and scarred. And then as suddenly as it had begun, it had halted, and they had laughed, crossed the battlefield, and embraced tightly as Luna had bounced gleefully on her hooves and Apple Bloom simply gaped.

She found a role model in Sleipnir, as much as she did in her own family... perhaps even more. Sleipnir was plainly eccentric, after all: and Apple Bloom, the rare member of her family whose talent didn't quite lend itself to farming, had that same kind of eccentricity. That, and she thought Big Mac and maybe even Applejack looked up to Sleipnir too, which made it a lot easier for her to idolize him.

Antares' second birthday also came and went: a wonderful little event with Meadowlark, Avalon, and a few other foals from around the area in attendance... although much of it was also an excuse for old friends to meet and chat. But Antares proclaimed that the best gift wasn't for him... it was a wooden arm that Cowlick and Apple Bloom had carved and designed for Discombobulation, who had looked at them dumbly before the engineer gestured eagerly for him to try it on.

The large shoulder cusp locked almost perfectly into place, and while it was a very simple prosthetic, with some visible effort, Discombobulation found himself able to actually move it. It was wood, but with 'veins' of crystal running through it that would help channel Bob's chaotic energies... in other words, allow him to creakily move his arm around. For a long time, he simply stared at this, then he awkwardly swallowed and winced when Cowlick gave him a firm hug. “Don't think I'll ever forget you gave yourself up so they could take down Fafnir way before you beat the hell out of Discord. We all still owe you a world for that.”

Discombobulation was absolutely fascinated with his prosthetic arm. It moved slowly, but Cowlick said it was only a prototype for now while they figured out what materials mixed with what conductors would work best for the Draconequus, respond most to his chaotic energies and powers. But this alone had almost been enough to bring him to tears, and more important than anything else, the arm didn't shake loose when he moved, could slowly perform simple tasks like grasping objects gently, and the gesture in and of itself meant a world to him. Of course, he now had to be careful about changing size or teleporting: when he did either of these things, the prosthetic tended to simply fall off, and Luna had felt horrible but giggled all the same when Discombobulation had one time quickly popped down to ferret-size... only for the prosthetic arm to fall heavily on top of him and flatten him to the ground.

Pinkamena, meanwhile, had been locked up in her room in Sugar Cube Corners since the day Luna had dropped off the first batch of elixir to her. She refused to see most ponies, sometimes even tried to keep Pinkie Pie and Sleipnir out, but neither would take no for an answer. Other times, she asked for Luna and Scrivener, even Twilight, even the rare other pony to come visit her... swallowing her pride in need for contact and reassurance and a little bit of help, mostly thanks to Sleipnir and her twin's urging to reach out to ponies and find out for herself that no matter what happened, they would still be there.

Zecora delivered painkillers and some other medicine for her as well: she didn't entirely approve, but trusted in Luna's judgment. But it wasn't hard to understand why the zebra had a rough time trusting in any kind of demon: her tribe had suffered plenty of run-ins with various nasty supernatural entities in the past, and Veliuona herself had been a zebra shaman before she'd become the Mistress of the Cursed Shades and was driven out of her own country, to flee to Equestria and wreak havoc there.

But the zebra put her concerns aside out of respect for Pinkamena and Luna, instead focusing on helping out in any possible way she could. She even helped mix up a slightly-stronger version of the elixir, enhancing its properties a little with her own knowledge even as she grumbled about how 'demon's dark blood reeks of sin and desire; to want this Pinkamena's need must be dire.'

And finally, the day before Nightmare Night, after a slightly-longer course of the elixir than expected, Pinkamena stumbled blearily out of Sugar Cube Corners, loudly cursed at the sun and glared balefully into the sky with eyes that seemed the faintest hint brighter than they had once been, and then she had simply dropped back on her haunches. She looked pale, as if she was just recovering from some serious illness, more than she appeared like a terrible, powerful demon just waiting to wreak havoc.

She was greeted by several foals who ran over to her, cheering and bouncing around her until she roared at them and drove them off, but then promptly fell on her face. The foals had awkwardly returned to her, nervously poking at her until she had mumbled: “Go away. I'm too tired to chase you little snots today.”

She picked herself up, headed back inside, and headed to the kitchen... and after eating a large meal and guzzling a carton of milk, she had finally begun to feel refreshed. By nightfall, when Sleipnir returned from training with Apple Bloom with Pinkie Pie, who he'd met on the way coming back from dealing with business appointments all day for all the horrible legal issues that came with running a business she'd never known about, Pinkamena was grumbling away and working on an enormous puzzle at one of the empty tables, to their delight. And to her chagrin, the prancing of the cheerful, bouncy ponies knocked half her puzzle off the table.

She didn't look any different right now, but both Sleipnir and Pinkie Pie had seen her during the state between half-demon and becoming the full demon she was now: had seen the changes, the transformations that had torn through her body, the way her hooves had split and become cloven before sealing back together, how already-dangerous teeth had become even more savage fangs, and all the other things that had rippled through her. Things that were just hidden beneath the surface, and she knew on inherited instinct she could will out if she wanted to... just as she was already beginning to quickly pick up on a variety of demonic tricks of the trade.

The fact that she had been a Pale during Ragnarok actually helped with some of this: as a half-demon spirit that had listlessly chased Scrivener and Luna around in an awkward realm between nuisance and sidekick, she had learned to possess things, pass through things, and travel long distances quickly. Now, she could do all that and more, and had the bonus of keeping her physical body... although she had already been warned that if she died, it was unlikely she would go to Helheim. She would simply cease to exist: there was no after-afterlife, at least as far as anyone knew.

That night, she led Sleipnir to bed... they kissed quietly, and then she took his shoulders as she closed her eyes. She was afraid for a moment, before she allowed all the changes to surface, for him to see her true face, the demon she had allowed herself to become... but he had only taken her cheeks gently, tilted her head upwards, and whispered softly: “Thine eyes are the very same, my phoenix. Thy beauty is the same. Thou shall always be my love.”

He pulled her into another kiss... and in the morning, Pinkamena awoke back in her pony shape instead of her true, demonic form, wrapped safely in his forelimbs, feeling him holding her back against his broad, powerful frame. She breathed slowly in and out, quietly holding the hooves gripping gently into her, bowing her head forwards as he nuzzled sleepily into the back of her neck before she closed her eyes and said softly: “Thank you.”

Sleipnir mumbled sleepily... and then the demon threw an elbow back into his stomach, startling him awake with a wheeze before she rolled over and straddled him, pinning him firmly down on his back. He looked awkwardly up at her, clearing his throat before he grinned widely as she glowered, then made him squeak when she seized him by the nose. “Don't even think about it. But tonight's Nightmare Night: there's some stupid show we're supposed to see, and we need costumes, especially since your dumb little sister and my dumb little sister both organized some party in town square for the adults. Well, you and sissy need costumes, I'm pretty much good to go.”

Sleipnir grunted and nodded against her hoof, then he wiggled his nose until Pinkamena rolled her eyes and let go, the male asking cheerfully: “Am I permitted to dress up as myself? I promise to do an appalling job of it.”

“No.” Pinkamena said sourly, and Sleipnir huffed before the demon poked him firmly in the stomach. “Look. If you can't think of anything, go talk to sissy. She'll figure something out for you. Besides, you're enormous, you shouldn't have a whole lot of trouble pulling something scary off. Be a goddamn Black Wolf.”

“I am very enormous, yes.” Sleipnir waggled his eyebrows at her, then he wheezed when she punched him firmly in the stomach, grasping at his body with a groan. “Oh damnation! Thy hooves are like... hooves that... are painful!”

“Yeah, I married you for your brain alright.” Pinkamena muttered, then she sighed and reached forwards, rubbing a hoof through his vine-like mane, and the enormous earth pony stallion smiled childishly even through his wheezes before he reached a hoof up and slowly stroked it along the tattooing on one side of her body, and Pinkamena blushed, tilting her head to half-hide behind her straight waterfall of a mane with a faint blush. “Don't do that, you jerk.”

“Then should I do this?” Sleipnir seized her and rolled suddenly to the side, but he misjudged the distance, and instead they both fell off the bed and hit the floor with a loud bang, the demon cursing loudly in frustration as Sleipnir giggling stupidly as the blanket slowly slid off the bed after them.

All the same, it was quite some time before Pinkamena finally emerged from the room, shaking herself out and grinning despite herself before she glared at Pinkie Pie when her twin slowly craned her head out of her room and looked at her pointedly. “What the hell do you want, sissy?”

“Lemon Drop!” Pinkie complained, and Pinkamena groaned, turning her eyes away for only a moment before she winced when she looked up and found Pinkie Pie standing beside her as if she'd always been there. “We have a lot to do all day! And Sleipnir's handsome and all and I really, really, really am happy that you and him make each other so happy, but I wish you two wouldn't make each other that happy at this time in the morning when we got so much to do!”

“Shut up or I'll tell you the secret ingredient to the cream pastries.” Pinkamena muttered, and Pinkie Pie looked horrified as the demon started for the stairs, adding sourly: “Besides, it's not my fault, it's all his. I dunno, he makes me... I dunno.”

“Happy.” Pinkie Pie supplied, and Pinkamena gave her a sour look before the bright-pink twin smiled faintly, leaning forwards and saying softly: “And I'm not saying that's bad at all, big twin sister. In fact, I'm real glad for it. Because... you deserve it, you really do. But we got lots of friends to make things for tonight and more importantly...” Pinkie Pie reached up, touching her shoulder and stopping her at the head of the stairs as she gazed at her warmly. “You get to go back out and meet the world all over again. It's like your second birthday! Well, not your second birthday but the second time you get to be born! I guess that makes me the older sister now, huh?”

“You wish.” Pinkamena rolled her eyes with a snort of amusement, and then she shook her head quickly, leading the way down the stairs and trying to hide her smile as she added grouchily: “But yeah, I get it. Don't think I don't: figured that Luna would drag my flank out to that stupid party one way or another, after all, just glad I'm... on my hooves for it. Still, I wonder how many ponies are going to turn tail and run when they see just what I've become...”

“None of them are.” Pinkie Pie said firmly, and then she hugged her sister tightly around the neck as they reached the bottom of the stairs, throttling her for a moment as Pinkamena winced. “Because you're the same old Pinkamena! If anything, you've been so much better with ponies now!”

Pinkamena grumbled, and then the demon shoved her sister away, saying moodily: “We'll see, sissy. And moments of weakness while I was in screaming agony do not count, you know.”

But the bright pink pony only smiled, before both twins looked up as Sleipnir called cheerfully from the top of the stairs: “What a beautiful sight this is! Awakening with my wife in my embrace, sharing morning delight, and stepping out into my beautiful home that provides foals with sweets and sugar to gaze down upon the glorious sight of such a pretty pair of twins!”

The demon sighed even as Pinkie Pie smiled brightly up at him, and then Sleipnir trotted cheerfully down the stairs and swept them both up in an embrace to either side of his body, Pinkamena squawking as Pinkie Pie giggled happily. “And as my sweet phoenix reminded me this morning – before, of course, I reminded her how ravishing I find her! – 'tis Nightmare Night tonight, isn't it? I sometimes wonder if 'tis named for my little sister or my big sister... oh, Luna may be fierce and her passionate side a dark devil, but there is nothing more terrifying than a hungover Celestia in the bright dawn's blinding sunlight!”

“Will you knock it off?” Pinkamena asked waspishly, and Sleipnir huffed a bit before wincing as the dull pink pony wiggled free... but then she only sighed, rolling her eyes when Pinkie continued to giggle despite her best efforts to resist. “Oh... fine. When you two are done being idiots, we need to get ready for that party, okay? Let's not screw this up, especially after the mess we went through to get all these goddamn papers in order. Besides, sissy, you're the one who was telling me we had to get ready for work.”

Pinkie Pie smiled and nodded after a moment, popping free of Sleipnir's embrace to land on her hooves with a giggle, and Sleipnir gave almost the exact same sound of glee, making Pinkamena roll her eyes before the male leaned forwards eagerly. “Is today the day I shall aid thee in thy kitchenary endeavors?”

“Hell no.” Pinkamena glowered at him, shaking her head with a grimace. “We got a big order to fill for this party tonight, and I am not losing this stupid candy store again over you making everyone vomit. You can wash dishes and stuff and fetch us garbage, maybe I'll even let you sit at the counter and pretend to be a big boy, but you sure as hell ain't trying to bake today.”

Sleipnir huffed at this, pounding his hooves childishly against the floor and complaining: “But I cannot be seen as second to mine beloved little sister's husband! I am like a lesser Scrivener Blooms, only permitted to clean and... be put out upon display like... like a shrubbery!”

Pinkamena sighed, then glowered when Pinkie Pie added hesitantly: “Maybe we should give him a chance, big twin sister... I mean, well, you know. We got a lot to get ready, and he is really helpful and stuff, and-”

The demon grumbled and threw her head back with a groan, and then she reached up and slowly rubbed at her face before saying finally: “You aren't cooking or baking. But... fine, save us a few minutes, go out to Sweet Apple Acres and pick up my order there, and go around to the other farms and get all the crap. And I am trusting you, Sleipnir, do not stop and eat all the damn food, you hear me?”

Sleipnir looked delighted, bucking and dancing gleefully as he shouted cheerily: “Excellent! I, Sleipnir the Mighty, shall complete this epic quest with all haste, my beloved wife! Fear not, for I shall return within the hour with all that is required!”

“Wait, you idiot, I haven't even told you what to pick up yet!” Pinkamena snapped as Sleipnir bolted by, and then she winced when he plowed through the front door, almost knocking it off its hinges before she sighed tiredly and dropped her head forwards, muttering: “Oh this is just peachy. Great. Come on on, sissy, let's get started with what we got.”

Pinkie Pie nodded cheerfully, and she happily followed the demon to the kitchen, more glad than she could say to once more be working beside her sister and that Pinkamena was back on her hooves. All the same, she couldn't help but stare a bit at how, as they worked, Pinkamena would occasionally pick up an egg, crush it in her jaws, then swallow it down – shell and all – among other nips and sampling here and there... but when Pinkamena finally glared at her, she only asked quietly: “Are you sure you're okay? Do you want to maybe stop and have a good meal?”

“No, it ain't that. I just see things and... I want to eat.” Pinkamena shrugged after a moment, the demon shaking her head moodily. “Figure it's better to eat a little bit here and there than let it all build up. Or that's what those losers said, anyway.”

Pinkie Pie smiled at this, softening as she said gently: “You and Luna and Scrivy are such real good friends... I think you're better friends with Twilight these days than I ever was, too. But I'm real glad for it, I am... you deserve it. And I know we're all friends, too, but it's nice that... we have special ponies in our lives.”

Pinkamena only snorted at this, muttering under her breath as she continued to stir a large bowl of batter, and the Pink Twins went back to quiet work. Pinkie Pie sang a soft song under her breath as she did so, and Pinkamena found herself humming along with it here and there despite her best efforts to not listen, head bouncing a little before she cursed every time she caught herself, but didn't bother to yell at Pinkie to stop, either.

Sleipnir came barging back in, true to his word, just under an hour later. He had several enormous barrels strapped to either side of him and a pack over his back, and yet he barely seemed to notice the weight as he bounced gleefully into the kitchen and called cheerily: “I have acquired the goods!”

With that, he began to make a gesture to simply toss the barrels off, but Pinkamena glared at him sharply and he winced, freezing in mid-bow before Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena quickly but carefully removed the cargo he was carrying.

He had brought bushels of apples, an entire barrel of flour, gallons of milk and a ridiculous amount of eggs – along with a terrified chicken that had somehow gotten into the apple barrel – enough sugar to last them the entire month even with the big order they had to fill, and Pinkamena wasn't quite sure how the enormous, benevolent stallion had managed it. She also couldn't be bothered to ask as he chased the chicken around the kitchen and then out into the front room, shouting cheerfully after the terrified bird as it bucked and squawked.

The Pink Twins quickly sorted and stored the food – Pinkamena helping herself to a few eggs along the way – and then continued their work baking up the goods for the coming night. The demon paused only once in her work, long enough to go out into the main room, find Sleipnir ineffectively cuddling the terrified chicken, then take it away from him and snap its neck before giving it back as the enormous stallion stared up at her with horror, and she only grinned in response. “What? We need something for dinner.”

He cradled the dead chicken, staring down at it, then he huffed and glared at her, asking flatly: “Why will no pony permit me own a pet?”

“Because you can't take care of yourself, much less something else.” Pinkamena retorted irritably, and Sleipnir mumbled before Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes. “A chicken is not a pet. If you want to get a pet, then talk to Fluttershy or something.”

“I shall go immediately!” Sleipnir said cheerfully, leaping to his hooves and brightening as he tossed the dead chicken to Pinkamena, the demon staring at him dumbly even as the dead fowl bounced off her breast. “Thou hast my thanks, beloved!”

“No, you goddamn idiot, I didn't say that...” But Sleipnir was already gone, and Pinkamena threw her head back with an exasperated groan. “Oh great.”

The Pink Twin went back to work with a grumble, dragging the dead chicken behind her and taking a brief moment of amusement in throwing it at Pinkie Pie to make her squeal in fear and bolt across the room. Then the demon put the corpse in a garbage bag and tossed it into the fridge for now, grumbling under her breath about how wimpy everyone was as Pinkie Pie gave her an ill look.

They worked hard the entire day: when Sleipnir paraded back happily, he didn't have an animal with him, but instead said delightedly that Fluttershy had promised to help him find just the perfect match for him and Pinkamena. The demon was less interested in this than she was in putting Sleipnir to work doing the dishes, but the enormous stallion took to this task happily enough, glad to be of service as he rambled the entire time he worked.

They finished most of the baking and the candy that had to be made by the late afternoon, and Sleipnir had been sent out on the 'very important' task of sitting out at the front counter and tending to any business that might come along. Not that they expected anything: everypony was getting ready for tonight's celebration, after all. Pinkamena had just enough time to pluck, cook, and heartily eat the chicken for dinner while the last of their longer-term baking finished up.

Once dinner was done, Pinkamena sent Pinkie Pie and Sleipnir to go and put on their costumes: Pinkie Pie came back down after a few minutes with a now-ivory coat and fake, stubby wings on her back, smiling brightly beneath a mane that she had dyed bright gold. “Well? What do you think?”

“Angels and demons. Wonderful.” Pinkamena said irritably, and Pinkie Pie giggled a little before Sleipnir pranced down the stairs, and the demon looked at him moodily before saying grumpily: “I don't know if I should hit you or applaud you.”

Sleipnir winked, a cardboard horn taped to his head and his vine-mane dyed all variety of colors, hastily-made cardboard armor covering his body and white wings of the same material sticking off his sides as he declared cheerfully: “I am the most terrifying Nightmare Night fiend of all!”

Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes, throwing her head back before they both looked at her pointedly, and the demon snorted in response, tilting her head back and saying irritably: “I am a Nightmare Night monster, if you haven't noticed. I'll take off my mask later tonight, it's... too annoying to do it right now, that's all.”

“Of course.” Sleipnir said softly, smiling a little before he looked up cheerily as there was a firm knock on the door before it was pushed open, and Avalon shot in, followed by Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus stallion winced as he watched his daughter zip wildly back and forth through the store, and then Sleipnir laughed and easily reached up, snatching her out of the air even as the young foal gave him a horrible look and writhed wildly in his grip. “And look at this adorable creature!”

“Careful, careful!” Rainbow winced a little, rubbing at his helmeted head: he was dressed up in a green military uniform, with a thick, round helmet protecting his skull and goggles around his neck. “She's uh... not very happy about her costume choice.”

“No!” Avalon shouted, glaring up at Sleipnir even as he smiled brightly down at her. She was very small still, but full of energy, writhing furiously, her wings buzzing so powerfully Sleipnir had to actually work to hold her still. Her little body was padded today by the large, peanut-shaped bee costume she was wearing, an oversized plastic stinger swinging wildly back and forth as the Pink Twins traded looks, then Pinkie Pie collapsed into giggles as Pinkamena threw her head back and laughed.

Rainbow grinned lamely as Applejack and Big Mac strode in a moment later, the goldenrod mare rolling her eyes in amusement: she was dressed in rodeo gear, a lasso hanging at her side and vest over her body with a sheriff's star on it, a matching star pinned in her hat. Pinkamena snorted at this, and Applejack only smiled amusedly at her, saying before the demon could even speak: “Hey, ain't like you put much effort into your costume either, I see.”

“Shut up. I don't need a damn costume.” Pinkamena rolled her eyes, then she looked moodily over at Big Mac, who was wearing a cheap tuxedo with a bow tie at his neck and a top hat, the demon studying him moodily before she said finally: “I don't know if that's the best getup I've seen so far or another cheap wimp-out.”

“Quite right.” Big Mac replied mildly, and Sleipnir giggled loudly at this before Avalon swung both legs up and kicked firmly off the vine-maned stallion's face, dislodging herself before she buzzed into the air and shot towards the kitchen.

Before she could reach the swinging doors, however, Pinkamena leapt easily up and snatched her out of the sky, glaring down at her pointedly, and Avalon immediately went still in her forelimbs before the demon moodily set her down. For a moment, the Pegasus continued to look a little traumatized, but then she shook herself out before rapidly beginning to scurry around at a surprisingly-fast pace, Applejack sighing before smiling awkwardly over at Sleipnir. “Sorry.”

“Oh, fear not, 'twas just an accident, I'm sure.” Sleipnir waved it off with a smile, watching with fascination as Avalon scurried around like an ant, shooting back and forth before she suddenly came to a halt under a table, then flopped over, curled up, and promptly went to sleep. “What an adorable child!”

“Adorable, yes. But she's a nightmare, too.” Rainbow rubbed moodily at his helmeted head as Applejack shook her head and laughed. “Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade her for the world, and it's just... amazing what she can do in the air despite being so young, but... I'm just saying that I'm pretty sure she's pure evil, too. I have never been so glad to wear a helmet before, seriously.”

“Yeah, well, you need one anyway.” Pinkamena grumbled, and Rainbow glowered at her before she sighed and rolled her eyes. “I'll go throw together a box for you. You know where the others are?”

“Luna and Scrivener and Antares are all coming into town, Twilight is with them... obviously.” Rainbow began to grin, and then Applejack punched him in the shoulder and he huffed, rubbing awkwardly at this. “I was just joking! Besides, this proves everything I ever said. Being a nerd is an alternate lifestyle choice.”

“Rainbow, if you weren't so handsome, I'd really have to question why we got married in the first place.” Applejack said mildly, but the Pegasus only grinned brightly at her before the goldenrod mare smiled over at the demon, watching as she and Pinkie quickly assembled a box of treats while Sleipnir snuck carefully over to peer at the sleeping Avalon. “Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage are out somewhere, too. Think we'll see 'em tonight.”

Rainbow couldn't stop himself from raising his head at this, saying cheerfully: “Yeah, they really seemed interested in getting both 'tricks' and 'treats' if you know what I-”

Applejack looked at him pointedly, and he huffed, leaning quickly away. “Okay, okay! Still, though. Cute kids. They seem to really make each other happy too, and that's the important thing, yeah? And admittedly, it's nice having them both around to help out.”

“Lazy.” Applejack smiled in agreement, though, rubbing at her head and glancing towards Avalon as Sleipnir carefully poked at her. “You wouldn't believe how well they do with our little filly, though, right Dashie? Even I can't always get her to behave but she ain't never once acted out for them.”

Pinkamena grunted as she finished tying a box of treats closed, then she tossed this across the room to Big Mac, who winced but quickly stepped forwards and caught it. The demon grinned a little, then tilted her head curiously, and the other ponies gazed up and around to see Fluttershy standing awkwardly in the doorway... except just like last year, she had an ashy, dark coat, her eyes veiled behind glowing emerald lights as she asked hesitantly: “I'm not interrupting, am I?”

“Shut up and get in here.” Pinkamena grumbled, and Fluttershy winced but smiled a little, striding inside in Phooka guise as Nirvana followed her loyally, before the demon studied her curiously and asked finally: “Luna?”

“Twilight, actually.” Fluttershy blushed, then smiled again and fidgeted when Rainbow Dash poked at her with a whistle. “But I'm leading the Phooka again this year with Nirvana, so... I thought it would be appropriate. I'm supposed to help with a few other animals, too...”

“And thou shall do a wonderful job!” Sleipnir said just a little too loudly, and Avalon's red eyes snapped open before the foal lunged out and tackled his face, the enormous, earth pony stallion giving a girlish shriek as he tumbled backwards and the other ponies stared. “By Valhalla, it has barnacled itself to my handsome features! Thou art too young for this, Avalon!”

Applejack sighed, then she strode over and reached down to gently pry her daughter free from Sleipnir's face before turning the Pegasus around, holding her up by the nape of the bee costume as her wings began to buzz to keep her easily aloft, as Applejack said firmly: “No. Now we talked about this, sweetie, you gotta behave yourself tonight. You want candy, right?”

“Candy!” Avalon nodded vehemently, and then she flailed a bit before settling and nodding grumpily when Applejack gave her a pointed look. The goldenrod mare set her daughter carefully down, and Avalon started to scurry around on her hooves again as Fluttershy smiled despite herself and Nirvana rumbled uncertainly.

The ponies made themselves at home: Pinkie Pie bounced happily from table-to-table and played on and off with Avalon – but the Pegasus foal preferred to fly around in the air on her own, occasionally shooting down to swipe some poor, unsuspecting pony – and Pinkamena pretended to be grumpy as Sleipnir happily worked behind the counter. Other ponies showed up: Rarity in an eloquent, old-era princess costume and Spike dressed up as her white knight – he admitted regretting the choice of wearing real armor – and Cowlick and Ross showed up dressed as mad scientists with their mechanical golem. Foals showed up on occasion too, marveling over the adults and the store: in a few short minutes during a break in entertaining her friends, Pinkie Pie had decorated most of it with orange and black streamers and balloons.

The foals were given candies and some of Pinkamena's crazy assortment of baked goods: Coffin Cakes, fake hooves, edible body parts. They gobbled these down and ran happily back out to meet their parents, or stayed for a little while to listen to the conversation and eat more of the delicious foods the store served, the Pink Twins charging next to nothing for their food tonight in honor of both reopening the store and for the holiday.

Luna, Scrivener, Antares, and Twilight came in just after sunset, and Luna was particularly delighted to find so many ponies here waiting. With Celestia off at Canterlot until later that night to help tend to the celebrations there, and Discombobulation snoozing until the party in his aquarium, she had been a little down about things despite knowing full well they had plenty of friends to spend time with.

Instead, she found them waiting, most of the ponies ready to go out and help the foals enjoy the night and spend time with each other... a walk-around pre-party before tonight's big gathering in town square. Although first, of course, there was the annual play to attend to... this time, taking place on a stage set up in the square, telling the old story of Nightmare Moon.

Luna grinned wryly at this thought: despite her misgivings, tonight she had taken on Nightmare Moon's old form. Beside her, Scrivener was in his half-wyrm, half-pony polymorph, and Twilight had again dressed up as Twilight Shadow, now that they all knew the significance and the meaning to it. Her collar gleamed around her neck, adding to the illusion of the stitching, making it almost seem as if she was fantasy given reality instead of just a pony in a costume.

And lastly, little Antares had been allowed to choose his costume this year... and to Luna's chagrin, he had chosen to dress up as a Royal Guard. All the same, Luna had spared no effort in making his armor, deciding to at least touch it up a little and make his uniform one for a Captain of the Guard.

Antares bounced happily over towards Avalon, who was standing on a chair seat, glaring down at him challengingly. He was almost twice the size of her despite the fact they weren't that far apart in age, and the colt smiled benignly: he was also likely more than twice as friendly. “Avalon!”

Avalon responded with a garbled grumble before she buzzed into the air and shot past him, and Antares giggled as he spun around and pranced after her. Then the Pegasus foal spun suddenly around and shot towards him before ramming into his helmeted head: thankfully, the helm that Luna had made was actually composed of real metal, so he was surprised much more than hurt as he toppled and Avalon fell out of the air with a loud thud that made Rainbow wince and rush over to her.

But in a moment, Avalon was back on her hooves, scuttling rapidly around and between her father's legs, making him wince as he looked down and said awkwardly: “Avalon? Sweetie, Ava, Avalon... slow down, I need to look for bumps or... Avalon, will you please just take a minute and-”

Then Avalon tried to take off beneath him and rammed her head up into his groin, and Rainbow wheezed loudly in agony as he went bowlegged before Avalon fell back to the ground, gave a grumble, and promptly bit firmly into Rainbow's ankle. It made him yell and leap into the air, curling into a ball as he hovered, and Avalon gave a yell as she flailed violently in all directions as Luna remarked cheerfully: “She is a little Valkyrie! Applejack, Rainbow Dash, what a wonderful daughter thou has!”

“Don't rub it in.” Rainbow mumbled, breathing slowly and remaining curled up as Twilight and a few others laughed despite their best efforts not to. “She's trying to kill me, AJ. I love her, but she's trying to kill me.”

Applejack only sighed before Avalon took to the air again, buzzing rapidly around before suddenly dropping on Scrivener's back and curling up, and the earth pony winced, freezing up as if a real angry bee had landed on him. He began to open his mouth, but Rainbow shook his head hurriedly before the stallion dropped down, picking up Antares and putting the colt on his back, and Antares giggled gleefully as Rainbow rambled: “Nope, see, I think it's a great idea! Kid swap, see?”

“Oh, do not be such a wimp, Scrivener Blooms, I am sure thou can handle carrying the foal to town square.” Luna said firmly, and Scrivy shrugged a bit, looking embarrassedly at her before the sapphire winged unicorn smiled warmly around at the gathered ponies, then let her eyes linger on Rainbow Dash.

The Pegasus winced as he expected a threat or recrimination, but instead the winged unicorn said gently: “Thou art a very loving father. I am glad Antares has such a good instructor to aid him in learning how to fly... not that I am incapable of teaching him myself, of course, but... thou art the better mentor for that sort of thing.”

Rainbow stared as Luna turned around, flicking her starry mane before she declared firmly: “But come, onwards ho, friends! I do not wish to miss the theater show that is all about how evil I am!”

With that, Luna strode out of the building, and the other ponies traded looks and smiles as Pinkamena rolled her eyes, then easily hopped over the counter before striding forwards to fall into pace beside Sleipnir, the other ponies falling into step behind her as she said mildly to her husband: “Your sister can be so damn weird sometimes.”

The square in front of the library was fairly crowded, and Luna looked fondly back and forth over the ponies, and past them to the booths and games, from bobbing for apples to tossing toy spiders into giant cloth webs. Then her eyes roved back upwards, looking warmly at the theater production going on... watching as her own daughter played Nightmare Moon, to her surprise and delight, and Apple Bloom took on the role of Celestia, which had also filled her with happiness and Applejack with pride and warmth.

The moon and stars were bright, and lamps all around the square covered everything in a warm golden glow. Antares was happily leaning over Rainbow's head as the stallion hovered easily in the air, grinning widely, and Avalon was still snoring away on Scrivener's back. Meadowlark was with her parents, and Ross was bouncing excitedly beside Cowlick, who kept reassuring him it was just make-believe: something he seemed to know, but at the same time seemed to appreciate being reminded of.

Scrivener Blooms was smiling warmly, and Twilight rested between him and Luna, looking up at things. The others were scattered here and there, through the rough middle of the crowd: they had gotten here a little late, just after the show had begun, but it wasn't any problem. They were able to see, and they were welcome here, after all... and as Scarlet Sage went into a sharp, practiced monologue, Luna smiled with delight even as Nightmare Moon twisted almost embarrassedly inside of her. “So this is why our beloved daughter was asking so many questions... why did she not tell us her role?”

“It's a hell of a nice surprise, though.” Scrivener said softly, looking at the stage and smiling a bit before he asked curiously in a low voice: “Do you think Apple Bloom painted that backdrop, too?”

“'Tis beautifully done. Just as the costumes are, but I see Rarity's telltale gemstone work there.” Luna replied meditatively, and then she glared over her shoulder when a pony shushed her. “Who dares shush Nightmare Moon?”

“Shut up, Luna.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna huffed at him grumpily before they both turned their eyes forwards and quieted, letting their expressions clear as they watched the play continue.

It wasn't long, it was a small cast, but it was well-done... and both Scrivener and Luna enjoyed it, Luna much more than she probably should have, since it did end with her being sent to the moon. She smiled a little as Apple Bloom finished the story in a strong voice, leaning forwards as she called clearly: “But every year on this night... Nightmare Moon slips free from her imprisonment, and walks among us! She only has the strength to roam for that one night, once every year, but she gobbles down any foal she can find... and that's why we need to appease her hunger with candy, and we wear these costumes to hide ourselves from her sight, to make her think we're all monsters of the night! And-”

“And thou should all be warned that tonight, I hunger greatly!” Luna shouted in Nightmare Moon's echoing voice as she leapt into the air, flapping her wings hard to propel herself upwards, and then she gave a loud, clear laugh as she grinned widely over the crowd before pointing quickly at several foals. “And thou and thou and thou and thou all look delicious!”

Foals and adults both yelled and scattered wildly, and Scarlet Sage poked her head out from behind the curtain, glaring at Luna as Apple Bloom dropped her face in a hoof with a tired sigh as Luna only cackled, her horn glowing as she swung it upwards and made thunder crackle violently around her.

Scrivener glared up at the winged unicorn as Avalon yelled furiously on his back, hammering him with her small hooves before she suddenly slumped grouchily, and Applejack winced and awkwardly reached out to take her daughter away, saying embarrassedly: “Sorry, Scrivy, Avalon doesn't do well with being woken up.”

“It's okay. It's Luna's fault, anyway.” Scrivener said mildly, glowering up at her as Luna flew quickly higher into the air, circling once with her mane and tail streaking behind her like a comet, and Scrivener couldn't help but smile as he felt her emotions twist through his body, shaking his head a little as he said finally: “But I guess this is her one night of the year to really... let go and relax, so I can't blame her too much. Much as I do really, really, really want to.”

Applejack laughed at this and nodded, and then she frowned a little and glanced curiously off towards a dark alley as something caught her eye. But then she only shrugged it off when Scrivener glanced at her, although Twilight looked in the direction the goldenrod mare had... but when the Lich-costumed mare didn't see anything, she shrugged a little herself as the goldenrod earth pony said softly: “Funny, ain't it, how some things get in your head?”

Scrivener smiled a little, and then he winced a bit as he looked back and forth, asking finally: “Did Luna scare off Fluttershy and Ross? And... Rarity and Spike?”

“Well, tell her to come down, there's still plenty of us here waiting to get candy.” Applejack replied mildly, glancing up as Luna did another circle of the square with a laugh, cheerfully shooting down to twist past foals and adults both in an attempt to further scare them here and there. “Gotta say, she's just a little bit crazy, though.”

“She's a lot bit crazy.” Scrivener muttered, and Applejack snorted in amusement and agreement before the half-wyrm, half-pony smiled... even as a faint, whispering instinct rose in his mind that tonight, more lurked in the shadows than simple demons and spirits.

Chivalry's Dead

Chapter Forty Eight: Chivalry's Dead
~BlackRoseRaven

Ponyville was bustling with energy as Nightmare Night deepened and ripened: it was that magic hour, when the darkness had taken over completely but all the foals were still awake and gathering candy happily from all the homes and ponies they could find. Luna had settled enough to at least allow Antares and Avalon to go from house-to-house without scaring too many ponies, and they had been shortly joined by Meadowlark and her parents, who Luna had quickly scolded for not wearing any costumes.

Sleipnir and Pinkamena were following along as Applejack and Rainbow Dash watched with visible relief how Avalon had calmed down now that she understood what was going on. She plainly hated her costume still, and became grouchy whenever ponies tried to squeeze her or called her cute, but her candy bucket was quickly getting filled with treats and this was very clearly putting her in a much more pleasant mood.

Sleipnir had already tried to get candy as well, but few houses would give the giant stallion in his awkward Celestia costume anything but disbelieving stares. So far, he had manged a grand total of one lollipop from an old grandmotherly type who had likely been too blind to see he wasn't a giant foal. He had greedily shoved this in his mouth and sucked on it for all of five seconds before Pinkamena had yanked him down, kissed him firmly as the other ponies stared... and then drawn away with a grin on her face and the lollipop now in her mouth.

It had taken the earth pony a few moments to understand what had just happened, and his giggling had gone to an outraged 'Hey!' before Pinkamena had chewed up the hard candy, papery stem and all, and swallowed it down, much to the stallion's chagrin. Luna felt this had only made the night all the better, however, laughing... and clearly delighted to be in the presence of friends and family as they made their rounds, Twilight and Scrivener trying their best not to encourage her too much.

Other ponies were attending to other tasks around Ponyville as well, keeping the festivities running: Pinkie Pie was overseeing things in town square, Big Mac was helping with the games, and Fluttershy was leading a herd of Phooka around to the delight and amazement of the kids. Even a few demons were helping out, like Hevatica: the Kelpie was singing short songs in her alluring voice to the delight of foals in one corner of the square, looking over them all with deep, maternal adoration.

Foals smiled as they ran back and forth, and even the adults seemed to be enjoying the festivities as well as the joys of the children. The square was packed with ponies, and Vinyl Scratch and several other ponies were on the stage, prepping to begin another short show before it got too late.

Mac glanced up through the crowd as he lounged back, by the wooden tub of water as foals bobbed for apples and a gray Pegasus with bright, crossed eyes eagerly waited her turn. Mac smiled a little over at her, and she caught his gaze before he gave her a nod, and she blushed a little, pawing a hoof at the ground before he looked ahead... then Big Mac frowned curiously at the sight of a large mare striding slowly through the crowd. It was the hat that gave her away, despite the dust and strange costume she had put on: the worn, rugged cowboy hat and the way her tail was braided, except he thought she had tied the braid off with Apple Bloom's bow... “Applejack? When'd you change your costume?”

The mare halted, then turned towards him, keeping her head bowed as she approached him. Heavy iron chains clanked around her forelimbs and some kind of strange, circular device rested across her back: it looked like something from Cowlick's lab, strapped tightly down onto her. There was a vest over her body, and Big Mac's eyes widened as even before she looked up, he realized that she was as big as him, if not bigger. “You're not-”

Her head snapped upwards and silenced him as he looked down with shock into fierce orange irises surrounded by terrible scarring, and then a hoof slammed into his throat as the pony rose itself up on its hind hooves. He gargled as she lifted him easily above her head, eyes wide with shock as he grabbed at the chain-wrapped foreleg... and realized with horror that unlike the rest of her visible body, it wasn't dirt-streaked, bruised goldenrod, but bright red, front limbs just a little too large for her body beneath the countless bands of chains wrapped around them as she asked coldly: “Where's Brynhild?”

Big Mac gritted his teeth, turning his head away before he brought both rear legs up and slammed a savage kick outwards... but in a lightning movement, her other foreleg rose up, blocking both hooves and only making the chains covering the limb rattle loudly. Big Mac's eyes widened in horror as he felt her pushing back against his powerful lower limbs before she grinned widely at him. “Not bad! How about this?”

She shoved his legs hard back and tossed him easily into the air, and Big Mac flailed for a moment helplessly before she slammed a hoof into his stomach. It felt like being hit by a wrecking ball, the enormous red stallion shooting backwards as ponies yelled in shock and surprise before Big Mac crashed into the stage hard enough to shatter wood like glass, falling in an unconscious heap as blood dripped from his jaws and the powerful Clockwork Pony dropped back to all fours, looking back and forth as she shouted furiously: “Brynhild! Come out, come out, wherever you are! Don't make me lose my temper!”

The monstrous pony glared back and forth as ponies scattered and staggered away from her, but a few only stood and gaped before the invader snarled at them, then reached out and seized the tub of water, shouting angrily: “It ain't polite to stare!”

She flung the tub at a group of ponies as if it was as light as a frisbee, sending it hurtling violently through the air before Pinkie Pie collided with one of the ponies on the far side and tackled them flat like dominoes, only a moment before the tub shot past and smashed into a lamppost with enough force to explode into fragments of wood and knock the post into an L-shape that slowly toppled onto its side.

The invader snorted, then spat to the side before grinning viciously and looking over her shoulder when a voice roared at her: “And what wretched monster dares to attack tonight of all nights? Who wishes so badly for death?”

“Well, if it ain't just who I been lookin' for, and a whole bunch of other piles of horseapples!” The creature's orange eyes burned in its scarred sockets as it grinned callously, watching as Luna, Scrivener, Sleipnir, and Pinkamena charged towards her, two still polymorphed, one in his odd, awkward costume. Others were following behind, but the pony only licked its lips eagerly before suddenly spinning when Sleipnir tried to tackle her.

A hoof smashed into his face, cracking his skull and knocking him crashing backwards into Pinkamena, who cursed in shock as she tried to catch him and still found herself slammed off her hooves, both of them rolling violently as Luna leapt forwards in Nightmare Moon shape and Scrivener attempted to flank in from the side... but the monstrous pony nimbly spun on its front hooves, using them as an axle to slam viciously slam a double-kick into Scrivener's side, the polymorphed stallion feeling his ribs shattering as he was knocked flying a good twenty feet away, and Luna gasped in agony, her eyes bulging before she quickly spread her wings and flapped them hard, retreating to land beside her husband unevenly.

She shook herself quickly out, cursing weakly before she flicked her horn hard, and the shape of Nightmare Moon vanished from around her in a burst of light, leaving her back in her natural form. Applejack was circling around towards Big Mac, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage already by the fallen earth pony stallion, and Pinkamena was shaking Sleipnir as Pinkie Pie trembled beside her. Fluttershy was staring in horror with the herd of Phooka, and Twilight was rushing with Antares and Avalon towards Rarity and Spike.

“Stay back from her!” Luna shouted in a rasping voice when Rainbow Dash snarled, and the Pegasus halted in midair, wincing but then nodding shortly, and Luna breathed hard as she looked at Scrivener as the half-wyrm, half-pony slowly hauled himself up to hooves and claw, the winged unicorn muttering: “She must be as strong as Sleipnir...”

“I am Valor of the Hexad, the Enforcer of Rules!” Valor glared at them challengingly, and then she dropped herself into a ready position before she shouted: “I'm here for your head, Luna Brynhild!”

“Would thou not prefer some suffering instead?” Luna shouted back as her horn glowed, and then she snapped it upwards, a blast of lightning shooting down from the skies... but Valor only grinned as the lightning was deflected before it could hit her body, Luna's eyes widening in shock as it harmlessly struck into the ground around the Clockwork Pony. “Impossible!”

“Don't think I'm like Delight, some weak pushover... I got all my bases covered.” Valor retorted, and then her eyes sharpened as she grinned wider and rolled her shoulders, the chains clinking and clanking before she flicked her forelegs lightly, and there was a heavy thud as the ends of the chain slipped free from where they had been hooked into the wrapped links: both lengths ended in deadly, dangerous hooks.

Valor swung a hoof back, yanking the now-slack chain into the air before she roared as she stepped forwards and swung her hoof out, and the chain shot forwards like a striking cobra, whipping through the air towards Luna as both she and Scrivener Blooms leapt out of the way to either side. The surprisingly-long chain snapped past before Valor snarled as she dragged her leg to the side, and Luna ducked low with a wince as the thick iron links and cruel hook snapped over her head in a wide lash, other ponies yelling and hurrying out of the way even as Nibelung guards charged into the area.

Luna's eyes widened in horror as she caught sight of Valor's bare, exposed foreleg, now that the chain was completely unwrapped from around it: parts of it were raw, with chain link fused in a spiraling pattern from above the hoof all the way to the shoulder, where it seemed almost to be growing out of her, wrapped in bare strings of muscle. And horribly, it looked as if the foreleg had been stitched onto her body and secured with massive surgical staples, Luna hissing in disgust before her eyes widened when several Nibelung tried to run forwards when the length of chain snapped back over Valor's head. “No!”

Valor laughed as she spun the chain in a cruel helicopter, and the charging dwarves couldn't get out of the way fast enough before the iron chain ripped through them like a knife slicing through a paper doll. They fell in halves and pieces before Valor's eyes flicked over her shoulder, and she spun around before slamming the extended chain cruelly downwards towards Applejack and prone Big Mac-

Twilight leapt in front of them, her horn glowing brightly as she flicked it upwards and created a shield of violet energy, and the chain cracked this like glass but bounced off. Valor staggered, and Pinkamena snarled as she leapt immediately forwards, her eyes blazing, but Valor only glared at her and snapped: “No you don't!”

She flicked her other foreleg out, hurling the other claw-tipped chain towards her, and Pinkamena gritted her teeth as she skidded to a halt, yanking her head back before grinning when the chain went taut just in front of her, feeling the force of the wind blowing off it before she seized the chain and tried to pull. Valor only snorted, however, flicking the chain and making Pinkamena stagger, while warding off other possible attackers by spinning the other chain in a rapid helicopter spin around her as she stood back on her rear hooves, shouting furiously: “Don't have patience to play with little kids!”

She flicked the caught chain lightly several times, making a wave grow through it, Pinkamena cursing as the chain seesawed almost gently up and down in her grip before Valor whiplashed the links savagely, and the demon was buffeted backwards when the chain suddenly straightened out and smashed up into her like a cannonball. She was sent hurtling away, ripping through one of the cloth spiderwebs before hitting the ground and skidding painfully on her back another ten or so feet, and Cowlick winced at the sight of this before cursing when both Twilight and Luna fired spells of flame and lightning at the Clockwork Pony, but both again dissipated uselessly before they could hit. “Dammit, uh... Ross, and hey, Rainbow! Gimme a hoof!”

Rainbow winced, but nodded and turned as hyperventilating, panicking Ross spun around to scurry rapidly after the earth pony engineer, Cowlick quickly looking up at the Pegasus stallion and snapping: “Fly ahead to the warehouse and hope that Greece is still there! We need gear that can actually hit that monster!”

Luna gritted her teeth as she flicked her horn, the earth around Valor cracking and then erupting upwards... but again, there was a glow, a pulse of light before the deadly spikes of rock that should have torn into the pony were deflected off to the sides, as Valor let the chains fall to the ground around it with a wide, savage grin. “That the best you got?”

Scrivener breathed hard, looking quickly back and forth and taking in their surroundings: the Nibelung couldn't attack, so instead of trying to intervene or interfere, they were trying to get civilians out of the square. Big Mac was being carried away by Applejack, and Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage were trying to get other ponies away from the area. Cowlick had led off Rainbow and Ross, and Scrivener just hoped that the crazy engineer had some plan in mind as Twilight tried to stay at Valor's back, waiting for a signal, an opening, anything, as the Clockwork Pony taunted: “Is this really the best all of you can do? Come on, come and get me!”

Luna snarled, then she leapt into the air as she gave Scrivener a sharp mental order, and the half-pony nodded as he set himself, focusing on the Clockwork Pony. Valor grinned savagely as Luna shot towards her, snapping a chain up and outwards, but Luna evaded it with ease before doing a barrel roll quickly overtop a second hard lash.

And as she dove in, Valor began to sweep up the other chain in a subtle behind-the-back gesture, snapping the coils of links upwards as Scrivener's eyes widened and he gave the mental warning to Luna... and immediately, she cursed before flying sharply upwards, almost lunging straight up as Valor snarled and lashed the second chain out in a straight, thrusting attack that just missed Luna's hooves. The first chain spun in a vicious helicopter, but Luna twisted her body upwards, just evading this before diving straight down-

“Stupid crowbait!” Valor snapped both her chains to the side, letting them go limp as she reared back on her hind legs and swung a front hoof out in a vicious hook, and Luna and Scrivener both registered this too late before the hoof smashed into the winged unicorn and knocked her rocketing across the area. She crashed to the ground and skidded painfully over her back, one of her wings crumpling beneath her as she howled in pain and Scrivener's eyes bulged in horror and agony at the power packed behind Valor's blow, even as the Clockwork Pony shouted furiously: “You think I'm gonna let you lay even a single hoof on me that easy?”

Valor snarled and leapt forwards, swinging both forelegs in a vicious windmill that tore her chains backwards, then down in dual, cruel hammers towards Luna, who barely managed to throw herself quickly out of the way of the clawed ends. They smashed into the ground like anchors, ripping up the floor of the square in a burst of dirt and stone tile as Valor raged, as if Luna slipping past her chains had been some personal insult: “I'm going to rip you limb from limb!”

Valor snapped one of her chains to the side as she flicked the other upwards, making a wave pass through the second chain before it crashed down as Luna rolled backwards as a second hammer that ripped into the ground where the winged unicorn had been but a moment before. Meanwhile, the other chain had wrapped around a wooden booth... and with a flex and a roar, Valor swung her foreleg out and hurled the rectangular stand at Luna like a brick, the winged unicorn's eyes widening before she leapt to the side, hitting the ground awkwardly and flopping down as the stand flew past and smashed into the floor of the square, bouncing a few times before it blew apart into fragments. “I'm going to-”

With all her attention clearly focused on Luna, it left her back open... and Pinkamena seized eagerly on this chance, tackling Valor from behind, rear hooves kicking firmly at the strange, metal pack over her back and making it spark as one front hoof smashed savagely into Valor's face from behind and the other foreleg wrapped around her throat, throttling her as the demon's eyes glowed.

Valor gave a snarl of rage, staggering back and forth, trying to buck Pinkamena off as she was further distracted, her hat tumbling to the ground and stomped to pieces beneath her hooves as her chains fell limp. Pinkamena hissed as she dodged back and forth as Valor reached up to try to snag her between bucks and kicks, the Clockwork Pony roaring before the demon grinned and seized Valor around the throat with both forelegs, yanking back as hard as she could as she gripped into her sides with her hind legs, and Valor shouted in frustration as she was forced to rear back before registering too late Scrivener Blooms rushing in-

Scrivener lashed his claw against her vest-covered chest, flaying the thick cloth armor before he slammed a hoof into her stomach and then slammed a headbutt into her face, knocking her back a step as she gargled, then suddenly reached forwards, seizing Scrivener's shoulders and slammed her head savagely down into his. It knocked Scrivener senselessly back on his haunches with a grunt of shock dull shock before Valor snapped a foreleg out in a hurried slap that was still strong enough from the incredibly-powerful pony to knock him flying backwards to crash down in a sprawl.

Then she slammed her head back, smashing the back of her skull against Pinkamena's muzzle and sending up a burst of blood as the demon cursed, before Valor's hoof swung quickly up and seized the dull-pink shape by the neck, making her gargle for a moment. “Get lost, crowbait!”

The Clockwork Pony flung the demon savagely, sending her hurtling into the front of the stage. She smashed against this limply, dropping flat with a gargle and grabbing at her bloody, crunched-in features, and then Valor half-turned and snapped both her chains out to seize the hooks into a nearby carriage, roaring as she tore her chains back and yanked it over to her, the hooks popping free in a hail of splinters as it collided with her front hooves before she half-spun and threw the truck-sized carriage through the air, shouting angrily: “Just die!”

Pinkamena looked up blankly to see the carriage flying towards her before it smashed into her, crushing her back against the stage in a horrible crunch as Pinkie Pie screamed, immediately rushing to the side of the fallen, heavy show carriage. Valor only grinned, however, spitting to the side before she half-turned right into a hoof.

It smashed into her face and knocked her stumbling before Luna leapt up and slammed both rear hooves as hard as she could into Valor's head, and the Clockwork Pony cursed as she was sent crashing onto her back before Luna roared to the skies as she snapped her horn upwards, rage and fury lending strength to her as her horn and eyes glowed. A massive blast of lightning erupted from the skies, but Valor only laughed, shielded by a faint, translucent barrier as she shouted: “Haven't you learned anything yet?”

Luna cursed as she staggered backwards from magical recoil, the lightning bolt bursting apart into motes of light before a chain lashed out and smashed into her, knocking her crashing backwards as Valor grinned darkly and picked herself slowly up... and then she was distracted as something pounded into her, bouncing off her side but still hitting with enough force to make her stagger. “Over here, bitch!”

Valor half-turned, eyes blazing furiously as she saw Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Cowlick all with rifles. Several bullets flew past her before another round from Cowlick smashed into her face, tearing a gash on her cheek but otherwise only making her head twitch slightly... and then the Clockwork Pony snarled and lashed a chain backwards towards Luna as the winged unicorn attempted to escape, hitting her in the back with the heavy claw and making her scream and fall forwards, the claw rebounding high into the air as Valor began to raise a foreleg to swing the chain down in a murderous hammer...

“No!” Twilight charged in, spreading her wings and leaping high into the air beside the rising claw, swinging her horn downwards viciously as it glowed brightly and hammering the hook backwards. Valor looked surprised before the end of the chain crunched into her own face, knocking her staggering as she howled in agony before another peppering of rounds from the rifles hit her off-balance body and knocked her crashing backwards, the bullets doing little damage but at least managing to stun her.

As Twilight dropped down and swept up Luna, half-dragging her to safety as the sapphire mare rasped for breath and a short distance away, Scrivener gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the wound that had just formed in his back as he kept his eyes on Valor. Cowlick was snarling at the Clockwork Pony as she snapped open her rifle, ejecting the rounds inside before she swept up a bag of red bullets instead of grabbing more from the boxes of ammo scattered around them, muttering: “Goddamn monster must be made of metal... well, let's see how she likes this!”

She shoved several of the rounds into the rifle, then snapped it closed as Valor sat up with a glare. Her attention began to turn, and then Cowlick rose her gun, aimed down the sights, and fired a perfect shot that smashed into Valor's forehead... and then the bullet exploded, and Valor was knocked in a sprawling heap again as Rainbow gaped in shock and Applejack gritted her teeth in grim gladness. “You got more of those?”

“I got enough for me, you two aim for her body and legs and just keep pumping rounds into her!” Cowlick replied sharply, as Valor rolled quickly to her hooves. The Clockwork Pony looked furious as she snapped a chain outwards, then swept it violently against the ground, kicking up sand before she twisted the chain viciously back and forth to stir dust and dirt into the air around her, and Cowlick cursed even as she fired a round of that made Valor twitch as it hammered against the creature's shoulder before she was hidden from sight. “Son of a bitch!”

A chain shot out of the dust cloud and seized around another wooden booth, dragging it in... and then, as the cloud dissipated, Valor stepped forwards and hurled the booth with a roar at the three rifle-bearing ponies. Cowlick's eyes widened in horror as she grabbed what she could before leaping out of the way, Applejack dropping her rifle and throwing herself to the side as Rainbow shot up over the booth, before his eyes widened as Valor began to charge towards them.

The Clockwork Pony was grinning coldly, eyes blazing, ready to rip them apart... and then the carriage next to the stage all-but-exploded as Pinkamena tore through it, Pinkie Pie staggering backwards before the demon landed with a roar, charging straight at Valor's exposed back as the Clockwork Pony turned too little, too late with an incredulous expression.

Orange irises widened in shock at the sight: Pinkamena was covered in rips and gouges, but her body was larger, her skin had taken on a rubbery texture, her jaws had grown into a death trap of sharp and monstrous teeth as her long, straight mane seemed to writhe with a life of its own... but most striking of all, were the ash-gray wings she flapped hard, propelling herself on instinct through the air as red-rimmed sockets full of sapphire flame locked with the Clockwork Pony's eyes.

Demon smashed into Valor, tackling her before Pinkamena gracefully, sinuously twisted her body past and slammed one of her cloven hooves cruelly upwards, smashing into the metal backpack like it was putty. It sparked violently, and Valor immediately panicked, snapping her limbs back and forth, whipping the chains in a maelstrom around her to drive Pinkamena backwards even as she tore the pack off before hurtling the sparking metal object to the side.

It exploded in a tremendous bang of light and lightning that blinded the ponies in the vicinity, Luna looking up in shock as she felt a distinct ripple of force. Instinct told her that had been what had been blocking her magic... and she snarled, looking quickly over to Twilight as she formulated a plan. “I have an idea, but we must hurry!”

Valor was staggering, stunned as well... but then Pinkamena plowed into her, knocking her rearing back before the demon savagely bit into her shoulder, and the Clockwork Pony howled in agony before slamming her hooves up into the demon's stomach. Pinkamena gagged as she staggered backwards before Valor slammed both front hooves down against her skull, knocking her on her haunches before she snapped an iron chain forwards to wrap several times around Pinkamena's throat and body, shouting furiously: “Helheim whore!”

She swung a limb out, meaning to pull the chains tight and likely rip Pinkamena to pieces with the heavy links, but instead the demon lunged upwards, catching Valor's foreleg in her jaws even as the iron chains steamed painfully against her body. Her maw crunched down, and Valor snarled in rage more than pain as she began to raise her other hoof, but before she could bring it crashing down, another hoof smashed into her face from a goldenrod earth pony.

Valor's head was knocked to the side in surprise before Applejack rained a hail of blows down against the torn and wounded Clockwork Pony, then ducked under a wild swing of the monster's hoof as she spun around before kicking both rear hooves hard up under Valor's chin. It knocked the creature's head back with a burst of blood and spittle as Pinkamena spat out the creature's forelimb and managed to twist her head beneath the half-slack chain, getting the loop out from around her throat just before Valor lashed her limb hard to the side.

The chains went taut around Pinkamena's body, and she was smashed against Applejack like a living weapon, the earth pony battered away before Valor swung the chain-wrapped demon hard downwards into the ground. Pinkamena crunched loudly against the floor of the square with a curse, but then Applejack scrambled forwards again, and the Clockwork Pony was distracted from trying to finish the demon, slapping the earth pony away instead as she snarled: “Weaker than I ever was! Proof we should exterminate every single one of you!”

Applejack crashed down by Cowlick and Rainbow Dash as Valor began to turn her attention back to Pinkamena... and then the demon bit savagely down on the chains restraining her, her jaws steaming as she swallowed back a howl of pain even as her teeth cracked before she tore through the heavy iron links just as Valor began to yank the chain backwards. The Clockwork Pony only staggered in shock, loose, now much-lighter chain snapping wildly through the air as broken links of metal flew in every direction, and Valor shouted in frustration as Pinkamena leapt quickly away, shaking the loose chains from her body as the Clockwork Pony shouted angrily: “Get back here you-”

Then her eyes widened as Twilight Sparkle leapt in front of her, swinging her horn forwards to unleash a fireball. Immediately, instinctively, Valor reared back and brought both forelegs up, chains falling limply to either side of the creature before the fireball hit and exploded not in a blast of flame, but thick smog. Luna tore into this cloud from one side, her horn glowing brightly and leaving a thick stream of blue smoke behind it before she ripped out the other side of the dark fog and hit the ground awkwardly, cursing and rolling as her injured wings refused to carry her any further.

The cloud of smog dissipated quickly, leaving Valor reared back with her forelegs crossed, the Clockwork Pony snarling in disgust... and then she trembled, looking down and staring in shock as she realized that the lengths of chains and her forelegs themselves had been covered in thick frost. She shook her head, cursing under her breath as her eyes widened... and then, even as Twilight began to gather up energy with a snarl to unleash one final spell, Cowlick shouted: “Batter up!”

She tore the pin out of some oval device, tossing it forwards as Applejack grinned and spun around, then kicked it hard with both hooves, sending the object shooting across the battlefield to smash into Valor's forelegs. It struck with enough force to send up chips of metal and ice, Valor's jaws opening in horror before the grenade exploded in a concussive bang that made Twilight wince and stagger, magical recoil tearing over her horn before she stared up in shock at the scream of agony from Valor.

Pieces of brittle chain and broken chunks of ice and frozen flesh hailed down around her as she staggered backwards, gasping hard, still standing on her rear legs as her eyes rolled wildly in her sockets. Then, slowly, she looked down to her forelegs... or rather, where her forelegs had once been. Now, there were only broken stumps, blood and frost and broken bits of metal falling from these as she gargled in horror, then looked slowly up with her orange eyes and whispered, not seeming to notice or care about the broken shrapnel buried all through her chest: “They... they were all I had left of him.”

Valor shivered... and then her eyes rolled up in her head as she slowly toppled backwards, and Scrivener's eyes widened as he could feel

nothing but the agony of defeat. Her pride had long crumbled away to nothing... because she had been left with nothing. No friends, no family, no one: in front of her eyes, she had lost everything. She had watched her home burn, burn just like the fire that had killed her parents. She had watched as he had burned down the orchards, burned down the farm, burned down the village... eventually, burned down the entire country.

She was here, locked up in a cold, desolate prison cell. It was small and cramped and reeked of ashes that floated in from the barred window; she had a perfect view of the smokestacks of the crematorium outside, able to watch as they constantly belched fire and char and ash into the air, smoke that sometimes still contained the screams of those burnt alive bleeding into the sky.

Big Mac was gone. Apple Bloom was gone. Her friends were gone. Valthrudnir had been too strong. He had played with them at first, then driven them apart and destroyed them, one-by-one. She had tried to fight, but he had just laughed at them...

Applejack shuddered, then she gasped as there was a clanking behind her before she spun around and trembled as she saw her cell door was open. She stared at this for a long time, thinking it was some trick, some sick game... and finally, when no one came to close it, when her mind screamed for her to run, she did the only thing she could do and ran out into the prison hall.

Every cell was empty, and she sprinted down the corridors, breathing hard. What had happened? Had they executed everyone else, and forgotten about her? But what did freedom matter without-

She shoved through a door and stumbled into a medical lab... and there, laying on the table, was Big Mac. He was hooked up to tubes and machines she didn't recognize, keeping him alive, and he looked so... so calm. So serene, despite the fact that the world around them had succumbed to a fate worse than Armageddon.

She whimpered at the sight of him, half-glad, and half-despairing all over again. He was alive... but kept alive by machines. She reached up, taking his hoof, squeezing it fiercely before she looked slowly towards the foot of the bed... and then trembled as she whispered: “No...”

Apple Bloom was sitting in a glass prison, rasping for breath, her body frail and broken. Her ribbon was still on her head, sitting as if pasted to her skull... but her pretty locks had fallen away, and most her coat had started... peeling. But her eyes were bright and vibrant... although it was like she couldn't see her through the translucent cube at the foot of the bed.

Applejack trembled, feeling tears rising in her eyes as she squeezed fiercely into Big Mac's hoof... and then she felt a gentle hand rest on her back, and she swallowed thickly as a shadow fell over her, a voice saying kindly: “Your brother suffered brain death. He's alive... but he's also very dead. And poor Apple Bloom has leukemia, and the chemotherapy has only made her worse. Poor, sweet darling...”

“B-Bastard...” Tears spilled down her cheeks as she glared over her shoulder at Valthrudnir, who only smiled calmly as he looked down at her, tilting his head. “You did this...”

“Oh please. If I wanted to make them suffer, I can be much more creative than this. Besides, why would I order the child to be treated if I did that to her?” Valthrudnir said gently, but his voice was mocking, his amber eyes gleaming in this world where everything was dull except them: the playing pieces and victims of Valthrudnir's schemes. “Still, yes. Yes, with ease, I can fix them myself...”

Valthrudnir rose a hand and snapped his fingers... and immediately, Apple Bloom looked up as the hair of her mane and tail grew back, as her body filled with strength, and Big Mac coughed harshly around the respirator before his eyes opened as he blinked a few times, then whispered: “Hospital...”

Applejack breathed quietly, tears flooding down her face as she leaned forwards, and Big Mac's eyes flicked towards her, starting to sit up... and then Valthrudnir yawned before he simply flicked his wrist, and instantly, Mac's eyes were closed again, laying as if he'd never moved, and Apple Bloom's locks burst apart as she collapsed forwards through the red explosion of hair, her body instantly thinning, weakening-

“Stop it! Save them!” Applejack howled like a wounded animal, turning her eyes pleadingly to Valthrudnir, shaking her head wildly as she cried: “You already conquered our world! You already won, now why won't you save them?”

“Because I have no reason to.” Valthrudnir replied calmly, shrugging and looking down at her calmly, as if explaining a simple concept to a stupid child. “Why should I save them? Like you said, I've won. Saving them doesn't benefit me in any way... not unless... I receive something in return...”

“What do you want?” Applejack whispered, her throat going dry as she looked up at him brokenly, pleadingly, and Valthrudnir smiled calmly at this before he reached thoughtfully into his jacket and pulled out a sheet of paper.

He glanced meditatively over this, and then turned it around and held it out, and Applejack stared blankly at a stats sheet, tracking her achievements and ranking through a recent rodeo competition. “This is very good, yes? You're very good at these kinds of games... feats of strength, agility, and athleticism. There's a place for you in my world, certainly... and if you agree to serve me, to be part of this world... you will be allowed to remain one with your family... forever. As long as you live... they will live. You'll save them... and perhaps, in time, you will help me save all your friends, too.”

Applejack stared weakly up at the sheet, and then Valthrudnir smiled slightly, folding this up and tucking it away before he produced a contract and a pen, saying calmly: “Terms of engagement. Sometimes it doesn't hurt to be a little formal.”

“I don't care, just... just save them! Please...” Applejack looked up at him, swallowing hard, and Valthrudnir looked at her pointedly as he held out the contract before she cursed and snagged the pen from him, then roughly signed her name on the bottom line without looking. She threw the pen away, then looked up at him... and Valthrudnir smiled calmly as he glanced down at the contract before nodding and turning to walk away.

“Wait! Wait, aren't you going to save them?” Applejack shouted desperately, and the dragon glanced over his shoulder with a slight smile and a shrug.

“Look for yourself. They're already saved.” Valthrudnir said pleasantly as he leaned against the frame of the door, and Applejack turned around... and stared in awe at the sight of Big Mac sitting on the side of the medical bed, and Apple Bloom smiling faintly at her. No, more than that... she saw Granny Smith, and Braeburn sitting in chairs behind the table, and...

Hooves gently touched her shoulder from either side, and Applejack gazed back and forth with shining eyes at the sight of her parents, smiling at her. She reached out, hugging them both around the neck as she laughed in delight... and Valthrudnir grinned coldly as he turned away, silhouetted in the door, his amber eyes glowing as they flicked back and he said softly: “And just like I said. One with your family forever.”

Applejack smiled brightly back and forth as her parents sat her back on the bed, talking eagerly... and then she felt Granny Smith seize her by the shoulder and yank her down with startling strength, slamming her back down against the thin mattress. Braeburn seized one of her legs, her mother the other, her father pinning her by the shoulder as Big Mac leaned over her and said reassuringly even as he held up a bone-saw: “Don't you worry about a thing, little sister. We're going to take care of this.”

“Maybe I'll get my cutie mark for being a surgeon.” Apple Bloom whispered as she crawled slowly up over the bedding, grinning widely, her eyes blazing as Applejack shook her head wildly... and then she screamed when the filly reached out and pulled out one of her own eyes as calmly as she'd pluck an apple from a tree. “First mine... then yours.”

“Stay still now, little sister. Don't make this hurt no more than it has to.” Big Mac said gently, as the saw came down on her shoulder, and Applejack screamed in horror and agony and denial as she felt the saw yank back and rip the first incision...

And hours later, Applejack calmly sat up, covered in blood, grinning corpses laying all around her. The table dripped with gore and crimson liquid, and her eyes were closed as she reached down and gently took the bow from the eyeless filly. She calmly braided her tail, then slipped the bow onto it before picking up the old hat... her father's old hat, fitting it over her head before orange eyes opened, glowing as the fresh stitches and staples that held her brother's arms on flexed, as chains twisted like living snakes slowly up out of flesh, grafting and searing into place as she said calmly: “I asked for mercy for my family, and he said we'd never have to be apart again. I didn't know he meant it literally... but what choice did I have now? Now, I wasn't just with my family... I was my family. And I had to keep moving forwards, for them.”

She nodded firmly once, then reached up and slowly pulled her hat down over her eyes with

that rush, the emotions crashing through his mind as the corruption burned and boiled in Scrivener's brain and black tears began to flow down his cheeks even before the body of the Clockwork Pony hit the ground and began to immediately steam and rot.

Scrivener hissed quietly as he fell forwards, shivering hard as he grasped at his head, shivering violently as the terrible, powerful memories thrummed violently through him and awoke other things in his mind. He felt Visionary's powers ripping in full force through him, and when he looked up, he let out a moan at the sight of the ponies around him, Luna a magnificent, luminescent darkness that was rushing towards him before he closed his eyes tightly, feeling the tarry black tears on his cheeks even as he whispered: “I'm... I'm okay... the others...”

“Fear not, we... we could be much worse off.” Luna shook her head hurriedly, trembling as she dropped down and embraced Scrivener tightly, and the male breathed hard as he rested his head against her chest. She could feeling his emotions, but it was muffled, their mental link again filled with wild, violent static that made her head hurt... but all the same, she could feel him calming, and she forced herself to look up even as Twilight hurriedly approached, saying quickly: “Thou art the least hurt... tend... tend to Pinkamena and those others who were seriously injured! We need healers and to send a letter to Celestia...”

Twilight nodded quickly, and then she stepped forwards and touched Scrivener's shoulder, looking apprehensively at Luna... but the winged unicorn only smiled weakly and shook her head, whispering despite the large rip in her back: “Fear not. Scrivy is not... seriously injured, nor am I. We... we are both more tired, now go, hurry!”

Twilight nodded quickly, but as she began to turn, she found herself almost face-to-face with Pinkamena. She winced, and the demon began to grit her teeth... then cursed when Twilight began to rapidly look over her, whispering: “Oh god, I... I don't know how to heal burns from iron, and... your teeth and... Pinkamena, are you sure you're okay?”

“Shut up, Sparkles.” Pinkamena grumbled in response after a moment, and then the demon glared at her and jerked her head hard to the side, snapping: “Go check on Sleipnir, idiot's still unconscious, and the others need you more than I do. Get lost.”

Twilight smiled faintly despite herself, and then she nodded quickly before turning to head towards where Sleipnir was laying in a prone heap near the side of the square. The others were already filtering slowly forwards, and a few ponies were nervously beginning to step out into the square as well, staring back and forth as Luna carefully helped Scrivener to sit up as he breathed roughly in and out, shaking his head weakly as he murmured: “Valthrudnir... destroyed them all...”

“Yeah, well, usually when I destroy things they don't get stronger and decide to work for me.” Pinkamena muttered moodily, and then the demon licked at her own wounded muzzle with a long, thick tongue, grimacing and wincing a little as she reached up and touched her now skull-like features. “Goddammit. Here I thought being a full demon would give me more of an advantage, and I get squished like a goddamn bug by a jackass hillbilly.”

“I resent that.” Applejack said dryly as she approached, but she was smiling a little, even as she winced a bit at the sight of Pinkamena when the demon glared at her. For a few moments, there was silence as Cowlick and Rainbow joined her, and then Applejack quietly held up a hoof, the demon looking at the raised limb with surprise. “I think I owe you a big thank you. For... fighting that thing as hard as you did, when... it was...”

Pinkamena only shook her head and grunted, the demon standing straight as her powerful, ashen-feathered wings flapped before furling against her sides, and her tail flicked behind her before she sighed and reached out, bumping her hoof with Applejack's. “Whatever. I kill things. That's what demons do. Don't read too much into it.”

“Can you like, fly?” Rainbow asked almost hopefully, and Pinkamena gave him a moody look before she shrugged grouchily, and the Pegasus grinned and leaned forwards. “Come on, we're gonna get you flying, it'll be great!”

“Do you see me?” Pinkamena leaned suddenly forwards, her eyes flaring like flames as her mane swayed backwards, her too-large teeth glinting like spikes and daggers as she asked flatly: “Do I look like someone you should be trying to harass into the air with you, Dashie?”

“You've seen my daughter.” Dash replied moodily, and Pinkamena narrowed her eyes... but then reared back in surprise when Dash reached forwards and squeezed her shoulder firmly, saying quietly: “You're our friend, yeah? So stop trying to scare us off, it ain't gonna work anymore.”

Pinkamena replied by snapping her jaws at his face, and the stallion quailed backwards with a wince before the demon replied moodily: “Seems to work just fine.” She halted, then hesitated as she looked up at the others... before finally sighing and mumbling, turning around and pointedly putting her back to them as she grumbled: “I guess you guys are okay. And... you're welcome or... whatever.”

Dash smiled, and then Cowlick grinned and leaned over to nudge him, saying loudly: “Give you ten bits to hug her.”

“I can be dumb, but I ain't that dumb.” Rainbow retorted, and then he smiled and shoved the earth pony engineer lightly. “And I guess it's a good thing you're such a goddamn mental case, huh? Those crazy weapons of yours came in real handy for once taking that... thing... down.”

He halted, looking over at Applejack, but she simply shook her head before turning her eyes to Scrivener as the half-wyrm, half-pony rested quietly back against Luna: a strange sight, with her smaller than him in this form, but all the same he seemed so much the smaller one as she comforted him and protected him. Dark tears stained his cheeks, and Applejack hesitated... but then Scrivener only smiled faintly, saying quietly: “I'll tell you later, Applejack. But... it's not a story you'll want to hear right now. It's not a story I don't know if I can tell or not right now.”

He stopped, then hesitantly opened his eyes... and he grimaced a bit, rubbing slowly at his eyes with his claw. Rainbow Dash burned with blue light, and Applejack was a golden-red, a ripe and strong and passionate color, and when he looked at her he saw...

Scrivener mumbled to himself as he covered his eyes, closing them to block out the wild images. “Sorry. Lamest ability ever. Rainbow, stop trying to be tough and hiding where you've been hurt, and Applejack, let Twilight take care of those fractures, at least.”

Rainbow was staring at him as Applejack smiled a little, and Cowlick rolled her eyes, asking flatly: “What about me? I got like a goddamn hernia dragging that wagon of stuff over here, or does that not count?”

“It does not count, wretched Cowlick.” Luna replied dryly, and Cowlick grumbled under her breath before the sapphire mare sighed a little and added quietly: “But thou does have my thanks all the same. And once more I find I should not... disrespect thy insipid and terrifying toys.”

“Hey, believe it or not, but I am not a fan of building things that kill everything.” Cowlick retorted, and then she sighed and nodded grudgingly, adding quietly: “But I've been pumping up my usual gadgets and modifying a lot of a lot of older-model equipment lately. Unfortunately, if we're gonna save all the lives we can... it means we're gonna have to be really good at killing these Clockwork monsters.”

“You'll be glad to know that death is a mercy for them, then, after the way that Valthrudnir manipulated them.” Scrivener mumbled, and Cowlick gave him a look, the half-wyrm, half-pony grimacing before he sat up but kept his eyes firmly closed. “I can't see things, but I can sense things. Well. Technically I can see through Luna's eyes, too, if I wanted, but... that's not the point I'm-”

“Oh get off me, sissy!” Pinkamena's shout interrupted, and all eyes turned – even Scrivener's opening in surprise – to watch as Pinkamena staggered wildly around, Pinkie Pie clutching against the demon and trembling, leaving white makeup smeared against her body. “I'm fine! I'm fine, see?”

Pinkie Pie only trembled, burying her face against her twin sibling's neck and clinging against the demon, and Pinkamena finally sighed before moodily looking over her shoulder at the sound of more hooves approaching, and she muttered: “Oh, this is getting better and better.”

Then Sleipnir plowed into her and almost knocked her over as he picked the demon up in a tight embrace, Pinkamena's eyes rolling in her head as she wheezed loudly before he cried miserably: “What a failure I have been! I have not protected thee, my beloved!”

“Put me down, you idiot!” Pinkamena rasped, and Sleipnir huffed even as he buried his face against her for a moment, then finally settled her gently to the ground in front of him, Pinkie Pie finally slipping off her and looking up at her embarrassedly; almost the exact same expression that Sleipnir wore. “I'm going home now. And I'm going to eat all the food I prepared for the party.”

“Scrivener and I shall join thee, Pinkamena, after we fetch Antares from where he is safe. I desire chocolate cake. I think I deserve a little chocolate cake, as a matter of fact.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener nodded moodily as he closed his eyes again, Luna gazing over her shoulder at him before she sighed a little and looked slowly back and forth, then smiled a little at the sight of Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom helping take care of the shocked ponies around what had become a battlefield. “Perhaps my whole family deserves chocolate cake.”

“Oh screw all of you. Fine, whatever. We'll have an after-party.” Pinkamena said disgustedly, and then she gritted her teeth before flexing and hissing as her body visibly rippled, but then shrank slowly down as her wings melded into her sides, her eyes losing their glow, her teeth settling back into place in her jaw as she returned to normal pony shape. “Don't take too long-”

“I shall carry thee! Carry thee both! I can be helpful!” Sleipnir said almost desperately, and then he threw both Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie on his back, the demon cursing as the bright twin only stared dumbly around before both Pink Twins seized tightly into Sleipnir as he bolted forwards, calling over his shoulder: “I shall see to everything, friends!”

“Poor Pinkamena.” Rainbow Dash said mildly, and Applejack and Luna both nodded after a moment in agreement before the Pegasus sighed tiredly. “Well. Let's go get Avalon, and hope she's settled down. I'd really hate to get through a fight like this with only minor wounds and then end up in the hospital with a concussion from my tiny one year old daughter.”

A few hours later, and Scrivener's vision had returned mostly to normal: he was still seeing auras around things, but he no longer saw otherworldly beasts or unidentifiable, beautiful and terrible things when he looked at ponies and people.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash had gotten Big Mac back on his hooves, although both head and body would likely be wrapped in bandages for a while from the hits he had taken. They had also fetched Avalon, who had seemed to mostly-understand that something serious had happened, and behaved herself for her parents.

Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage had also rejoined them, both embarrassed they hadn't been more help... but in even just helping get Big Mac away, they had done a lot, as Luna and Applejack both reassured them. They were staying out at the farm tonight... although tomorrow, bright and early, they would likely come and find Luna for training.

Fluttershy, Rarity, and Spike had secured the boutique during the fight to look after the foals: others had joined them as well, and Fluttershy had gotten the Phooka to help out. Hevatica and Atrus had both also stayed in the boutique to help protect the children... at first, the parents and some of the foals had been a little scared of the demons – not to mention the fact that there was a battle line of Phooka sitting outside silently – but Atrus was silent and dedicated, and Hevatica had reassured the foals with compassion and gentility that helped win even the most worried pony over.

Fluttershy was staying in town tonight to help clean things up with Rarity and Spike, and tend to the scared, wounded and few dead. Phooka and other creatures of darkness were on silent patrol... as were nervous ponies and Nibelung, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of Clockwork World and their machinations. But more than anypony being worried about what might show up, what might happen next... it was clear they were all going through the motions of trying to move on from what had already happened.

Luna rested her head on Scrivener's shoulder, a mug of coffee in front of her, and Twilight sat beside the winged unicorn, silently holding her hoof beneath the table. They were seated across from Pinkamena and Sleipnir: Pinkie Pie had long gone to bed, not long after Celestia had arrived from Canterlot and hurried to Sugar Cube Corners once she'd discovered what had happened.

The ivory winged unicorn was sitting quietly at the side of the table, looking over the still half-costumed – and in Scrivener's case, polymorphed – ponies before she said softly: “I am sorry-”

“Stop it, Princess Sunshine. It's really goddamn annoying.” Pinkamena grumbled, and then she reached out and picked up her own mug of coffee between her hooves, sipping at it grumpily as Sleipnir squeezed her gently around the shoulders and smiled faintly at her, looking embarrassed still but also trying to be reassuring. “We fought. We made it out alive, minus a few dwarves. Did better without your whining anyway.”

Celestia sighed quietly, and then she shook her head before finally looking across at Twilight, asking quietly: “So it had some kind of shield that protected it from magic?”

Twilight nodded slowly, answering: “Valor was wearing... it looked like a big metal thing on her back. Cowlick said she's going to analyze it with Ross and Greece and another of the Architects... Cowlick has this crazy idea that she can maybe figure out how it worked.”

Celestia nodded slowly, then she looked quietly over at Scrivener, who was slowly running his claw silently around the edge of his glass of cola. He studied this almost intently, and then he sighed softly as he closed his eyes, murmuring quietly: “I know you want to know, but... I don't know if I can tell this story more than once. Even the short version...”

“Then what can you tell me, Scrivener?” Celestia's tone was gentle as she leaned forwards, studying him curiously before she asked finally: “It brought more memories to light, didn't it? Not just images of Valor and her life... or rather, how she came to be Valor, assuming you suffered the same flux that you did when Delight was killed... something apart from that is bothering you, though, isn't it?”

“Memories.” Scrivener smiled faintly and closed his eyes, then he nodded slowly, rubbing at his head and murmuring: “My head is full of memories. And most of them aren't even my own anymore... more of Visionary's life came through and...” He couldn't help but smile wryly. “I keep seeing her... you know, the pony who became Visionary in Clockwork World... around Ponyville. It's driving me crazy. I keep wanting to go yell at her for answers but I know she doesn't know anything about this and... so that would be awkward.

“But now I can see... not just more of Delight's memories, but I see a lot of the memories of things that occurred specifically between Delight and Valor in my mind.” He closed his eyes, rubbing at his face with his claw slowly. “I'm beginning to understand why Visionary gave me this power... at least, I think I do. Through their memories I'm learning more about Decretum, Clockwork World... I'm learning more about how it was ruled, what dangers lurk there, maybe even what vulnerabilities there are. I just... worry that I'm going to be completely insane and thus useless to you by the time it's over.”

Scrivener looked up with a sigh, and Celestia studied him for a moment before she said softly: “Do you know that you're still in your polymorphed shape?”

“Half and half.” Scrivener smiled a little despite himself, then he glanced quietly across the room to where Antares was asleep on a pile of blankets, rubbing moodily at his face. “I guess I'm... too used to this.”

“See, that's why I like you.” Pinkamena said mildly, and she picked up her glass before Scrivener sighed and did the same, the two clinking their glasses together before the demon leaned back and reached up to absently stroke under Sleipnir's chin when he mumbled a little. “Shut up, stud. I like you plenty too, but you're not in the mental asylum with me. You're more of an outpatient.”

Sleipnir huffed a bit, and then he hesitated before looking over at Celestia, asking finally: “Sister, when does thou think we can stage an attack upon Decretum in retaliation for what they have done? Although... 'tis troubling, is it not, that they are willing to wait such periods of times between direct attacks upon us instead of striking again and again once we are weakened... and worse, I have not seen any of their countless soldiers. They have merely sent... what, a mockery of my beloved, terrified a chaos entity into wreaking mayhem, and now this horrid thing.”

Celestia nodded slowly, saying pointedly: “But that is exactly why we must hold off on the attack for now, Sleipnir. Odin and Kvasir are in Valhalla, working hard to try and find a way to gaze into Clockwork World just as the Prophet seems to have the power to gaze into ours. I am looking into ways to do this myself... we need information before we go attempting to wildly break into an alien, hostile realm. Especially with how powerful our opponents are, little brother... something your cracked skull should remind you of.”

“Aye, never before has the crown of my head suffered such injury, and once thou slapped me off a cliff and I bounced all the way down the mountain on my head.” Sleipnir remarked moodily, and Luna smiled wryly as Twilight looked over at Celestia in surprise, but the enormous earth pony only shrugged and said easily: “I have been told I can be very annoying at times. 'Tis probably true, and 'twas probably even worse for my beloved siblings. After all, they had no way to flee from me in the past.”

“Not for lack of trying.” Celestia smiled a bit, shaking her head slowly. “More than once, as I recall, I tried to leave you behind when it was just us journeying together...”

“Aye, and Mother Nature would always lead me back to thee. I think she knew of the wickedness thou had planned for her and desired a preemptive vengeance upon thy rainbow head.” Sleipnir replied cheerfully, and Celestia sighed tiredly before the vine-maned stallion smiled a bit, flicking his still-dyed locks. “'Tis too bad thou did not get to see my costume. I was told I made a very pretty thou. On that note, I have often wondered what thou would look like as a stallion. I somehow think thou would be most handsome, but also in all likelihood of ridiculous size that thou would make me feel most tiny and ashamed of myself.”

Celestia only shook her head as Pinkamena snorted in amusement, then she looked over at him and gave a half-hidden smile. “You're hard to live with.”

Sleipnir nodded in agreement, and then he leaned forwards and kissed her forehead gently, stroking her cheek slowly before he said gently: “And thou art a cruel and wicked demon, sweet phoenix. And I thank Mimir every day I have thee in my life.”

Pinkamena grumbled and looked away, but she was smiling a little wider now before she sighed and gestured violently at the others, saying grumpily: “Alright, enough. All of you losers, get out of my shop. And be quiet about it, don't wake sissy up or I'll kill you all in your sleep.”

Luna sighed and rolled her eyes, but then she nodded moodily, looking over at Scrivener and Twilight. “I suppose the demon is right... we should head home. Scrivener, thou needs to lay thy head down and sleep off the last of thy vision, and Twilight, thy costume cannot seem to decide whether or not it is going to stay on or come off. And... I suppose, Celestia, if thou desires, thou may return with us to the cabin. But thou must not poke and prod with too many questions or I shall pummel thee.”

“You read my mind.” Celestia gazed at her younger sibling affectionately, and then she promised, when Luna gave her a pointed look: “I won't ask too many questions, don't worry. I just... want to make sure that you're all okay, most of all.”

“We're always okay.” Scrivener smiled a bit as he, Luna, and Twilight slid out of their bench seat... and when Celestia gave him an amused look, he shrugged and said finally: “Well, okay, we always find a way to make things okay, how about that?”

“A little better, but still a lie.” Celestia was smiling, though, before she turned her eyes to Sleipnir and Pinkamena, bowing her heads to them and saying softly: “Brother, sister. Take care of yourselves.”

Sleipnir smiled warmly as Pinkamena looked surprised at this, and then she grumbled under her breath and threw her empty mug at Celestia, but the ivory equine easily caught this with telekinesis and set it gently down as the demon grumbled: “Just get the hell out of my shop.”

Scrivener strode over to gently pick up Antares and slip the sleeping foal carefully onto his back as Celestia laughed softly and headed for the door, and Twilight and Luna both smiled to the demon and her husband. Sleipnir waved cheerfully to them as Pinkamena sighed, but rose a hoof and gave a grumpy wave as the group headed for the door, mumbling to herself. “Sister. Sister my flank.”

Sleipnir leaned down and kissed her temple gently, and the demon closed her eyes, but allowed herself to smile after a moment as the door swung quietly closed, and neither pony had to speak as they embraced one-another tightly and curled together in comfortable silence.

Family Ties

Chapter Forty Nine: Family Ties
~BlackRoseRaven

Applejack sat quietly at the downstairs table by herself in the early hours of the morning, sipping slowly at a glass of whiskey sitting out on the table in front of her. She hadn't been able to sleep much, all-in-all... but that was understandable, she thought. Not just because she'd gotten used to short nights and long, long days with fussy Avalon, but because of what she had seen.

Valor: it had been her, and she wondered if this was what Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie had felt when they had seen Delight. Not just another pony, not just a pony that resembled her, but a version of her from another layer of reality. A twisted-on-itself 'evil' version... except what scared her was that by now, she knew 'good' and 'evil' were just easy labels they stuck onto friends and enemies as they saw fit.

Slowly, Applejack picked up the bottle and refilled her glass, sighing a little as she looked down at the liquid and grimaced a little. She rubbed her hoof along the rim of it gently, and then she closed her eyes, murmuring: “Too damn early for this on one end, but... ain't too late for it, either.”

She sighed, then picked it up and knocked it back before slamming the glass down and shaking her head out briskly. It made her shiver, just like poking at Antares' scary little doll Gymbr made her shiver... if she had never believed before that something like a toy could be malicious, she sure as hell did now. And worse than that, if she had found it hard to believe – or at least been able to pretend it was hard to believe – that she could never become the monster she had in Discombobulation's strange story, after seeing Valor... she wondered just how little a push it would really take to descend into that deep, dark abyss...

But likewise, she had seen other things she had never expected, too. She had seen a demon rampaging furiously against a Clockwork monstrosity, striving to rip it into pieces, fighting it hoof-to-hoof, the fight that Applejack felt she herself should have fought against it. After all, Pinkamena had already all-but-sacrificed herself in one battle to take down a Clockwork Pony... but then again, Applejack wasn't dumb or arrogant enough to think she would have stood a real chance of doing much more to that monster than she already had. Delight had been horrible, invulnerable and evasive... but Valor had been built for war.

“Enforcer of Rules, ain't that right?” Applejack smiled wryly, looking down as she glanced up at the bottle... then sighed, picking up the cork and shoving it firmly back into place in the bottle's neck. “That makes real sense... good ol' responsible AJ, right?”

She sighed a little, then shook her head grumpily before finally forcing herself to her hooves. She was vaguely aware of what she was doing as she put the bottle away, still consumed with her thoughts, then she headed up to her bedroom to find that Rainbow Dash had swept up most of the blankets while she was gone. She smiled despite herself, though, shaking her head and murmuring: “Y'ain't one of those husbands who wake up and come comfort their wife when she sneaks off for drink or two, but... I still wouldn't trade you for the world.”

Applejack shook her head a bit, then turned and slipped back out of the bedroom to check on Avalon while she was up. She opened the door to the nursery slowly and carefully, peering almost nervously inside... and as expected, the crib was empty and the mesh covering that fitted over it to stop a Pegasus foal from escaping had been knocked out of place. Applejack sighed a bit: her daughter was already more stubborn than both she and Dash had ever been, and always pushed madly towards what she wanted. She'd live a great life... as long as she didn't get herself bitten in the flank too many times.

The earth pony studied the nursery carefully from the doorway: the floors were thickly-matted, and there was padding over all the sharp corners in the room. It looked a little silly, but with Avalon able to force her way up and out of her crib when she wanted, it was also necessary. Just like they were always careful to put everything away in the foal-proof drawers and cabinets.

Finally, Applejack spotted her daughter's tiny form curled up amidst her collection of large stuffed animals with a pacifier in her mouth, and she sighed in relief as she strode into the room. She paused by the crib for a moment, then smiled a little and opened the top screen before sweeping up Avalon's blanket, carrying this over to the toddler and gently tucking her in before she leaned down and kissed her forehead softly.

Avalon mumbled and shifted quietly, and Applejack smiled again before she shook her head and turned, heading back to the door and letting herself carefully, quietly out. She closed it tightly, making sure Avalon wouldn't be able to lever it open if she woke up – the battering she gave the door was bad enough without her zooming around the house, causing mayhem – and then she touched the door quietly with a hoof before murmuring: “I love you, Avalon. I always will.”

Applejack leaned against the door for a moment, then she sighed and turned her eyes back down the hall, heading back to her bedroom. She knew Apple Bloom was out in the barn with Scarlet Sage without needing to check – she had seen the lantern light while helping herself to a drink – and she was pretty sure that Big Mac had taken a bunch of painkillers before bed, meaning he would be out like a light until morning.

But they didn't have much work to do: most of the harvest was done, and with the Nibelung laborers on staff and friends always ready to help out, she and Rainbow Dash could finish up the work without too much trouble. Then it would just be a matter of cleaning everything up to wait out winter, although there would still be a lot of work to do... there was always a lot of work to do.

All the same, Applejack smiled as she slipped into bed: busy hooves were happy hooves. And then she laughed a bit when she felt two strong hooves gently rub up along her back, then slide around her waist and pull her close, Rainbow kissing the back of her neck gently as he murmured: “Can't sleep?”

“Shows how much you care, Dashie, waiting for me to come back to bed and all.” Applejack smiled despite herself over her shoulder, but then laughed quietly when the Pegasus nuzzled against the side of her neck and pulled her closer back against him, feeling him pressing his head into her mane as she murmured softly: “Thank you.”

Dash only smiled a bit, and the two ponies stayed close as they drifted slowly off into sleep together until the sun began to rise, and they were both awakened, curled up close and pushing tiredly at each other at the sound of Avalon banging loudly on her door to be let out, giving angry little yells now and then.

Finally, Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other, and then Rainbow held up a hoof and said mildly: “I'll do breakfast if you deal with Avalon.”

“Do I look stupid to you? I'm tired as hell, not dumb as hell.” Applejack yawned as she sat up, but then nodded, saying grumpily: “But okay, okay. You make breakfast, you do the dishes, and you spend the rest of the morning helping out the harvesters. And I'll take care of Avalon”

“Deal.” Rainbow said immediately, and he and Applejack punched their hooves together lightly before Rainbow flopped back down in bed, making the earth pony mare glower. “I know, I know. I'll be up in ten minutes or so. Besides, you're gonna have fun getting Avalon.” Rainbow paused, then grinned over at her. “Can you get me first?”

“Not with our daughter about to break down her door.” Applejack replied dryly, and Rainbow huffed, then yawned loudly as Applejack made her way out of the bedroom, adding over her shoulder: “Pancakes would be real nice!”

Rainbow mumbled something in return, and Applejack only smiled as she made her to her daughter's room... then winced when the door shuddered loudly before wild babbling rose up behind it, and Applejack sighed, counted to three, then quickly shoved the door open.

Avalon shot out and rammed into her, and Applejack winced, barely catching the hyperactive little filly in her forelegs as she was knocked sprawling. Avalon immediately stared back and forth in surprise, eyes wide and reminding the mare all too much of a predatory hawk looking for prey as she said mildly: “Morning to you, Ava. Now, what have we said about making such a ruckus and doin' that to your door?”

“No!” Avalon declared, and Applejack didn't know if the filly was arguing with her or actually answering her question. Then the filly looked back and forth grumpily before flapping her wings, then suddenly simply dropped her head against Applejack and curled comfortably up to go back to sleep.

Applejack sighed a little, looking down at her daughter and wondering not for the first time if she was narcoleptic before she shook her head, checking her diaper before carefully slipping the tiny Pegasus up onto her back. She started for the stairs, and was surprised when the door down the hall opened and Big Mac groggily emerged, and she smiled warmly – and with more than a hint of relief – over at him as he gazed at her for a moment, then simply nodded.

“Mornin', Big Mac. How's your head?” Applejack asked softly, and the red stallion hesitated a moment, then he gave her a small smile that told her everything she needed to know, making her chuckle a little. “Well, make sure you take it slow today then, huh? Don't want to go hurting your head or those ribs of yours any more than they already are. Just lucky we're a little ahead of schedule for the season.”

Big Mac nodded after a moment, and then brother and sister fell into step beside each other as they headed for the stairs. They were silent as they strode down them together side-by-side, and then Applejack sighed a little as they made their way towards the kitchen, asking quietly: “So last night...”

The crimson stallion grunted, and Applejack gave him a flat look as they strode to the table. “Well, it has been botherin' me. That thing was me, Macintosh. How could that not bother me? Especially after... well, you know.”

Big Mac gave her a pointed look, but then he leaned up, gently taking Avalon off her back and slipping the foal into her high chair, and Applejack paused to watch this, softening a bit. The gentle giant of a stallion was the only one between herself and everypony else in the family who could successfully maneuver Avalon around while asleep without waking her up. It made Applejack smile a little, softening as the stallion carefully strapped the foal in so she couldn't fly away, and then he glanced mildly over at Applejack as she said softly: “Real talkative this morning, eh?”

The red stallion smiled back after a moment, then he turned towards the fridge, saying softly: “Sorry, AJ. Guess I ain't feeling too good after everything that happened... I let that thing walk right up to me, and next thing I know, Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom are leaning over me, trying to take care of me and the whole mess is over and done with.”

Applejack nodded, gazing at her brother softly, and Big Mac sighed a little, then added quietly over his shoulder: “And you don't need to be worrying your head over this. You ain't Valor. And you ain't gonna become Valor, either, and nor are you gonna become that Applejack from that story. It was just a story, AJ; now I ain't saying stories can't hurt you... but it's our choice to let 'em hurt us, 'cause they only have the power we give 'em. Don't give it power, AJ. Acknowledge it, but remember who you are, too.”

The goldenrod mare nodded again slowly as Big Mac dug the baby formula out of the fridge, and Applejack couldn't help but smile as she stepped forwards to help him put together Avalon's breakfast, saying softly: “You know that's my daughter there, not yours, right? Still. Amazes me that you do all this stuff so... so well.”

“Well, I had to learn it all a long time ago... and some things are worth remembering.” Big Mac smiled a little at her, and then both he and his younger sister winced when Avalon woke up with a yell of outrage as she surveyed her surroundings. “Don't think Apple Bloom was ever that bad, though.”

“She ain't 'bad,' just... needs to learn a little discipline. This is all Dash's fault.” Applejack said finally, and Big Mac gave her an amused look. “That's perfectly fair. Hell, sometimes Dash even agrees with me.”

Avalon was flailing violently around in her high chair, but after a few minutes, tired herself out. And once Applejack approached to begin feeding her some of the mushy baby food, the child calmed down and became complacent. That was another reason why she liked to blame Dash: the one sure way to get Avalon to calm down was to give her something to eat.

When the foal was done, she looked grumpily around, as if trying to decide whether or not she wanted to throw another tantrum, and Applejack winced a bit even as she carefully wiped her filly's face clean. But after another few moments, the Pegasus foal sniffed loudly... then simply dropped forwards in the high-chair and went to sleep again, and Applejack sighed in relief before she smiled amusedly over at Mac. “We really gotta see a doctor about this or something.”

“You see a doctor 'bout problems that need to be fixed, AJ, not blessings.” Big Mac replied mildly, and Applejack laughed despite herself. “Sure, it's a little funny, but... babies do lots of funny things. That, and Avalon spends so much of her time shooting around...”

“Okay, okay. You got a good point. I just wish she wasn't like a switch. Lights on or lights off, never in between, you know what I mean?” Applejack smiled amusedly over at her brother, then looked up with entertainment when Rainbow Dash finally strode in, freshly-showered and whistling cheerfully to himself. “There you are! Took you long enough, me and Mac are starving here, and Avalon's already eaten.”

“Yeah, well, she's always eating. I could make some little pancakes for her too, though.” Rainbow said helpfully, before he looked awkwardly over his shoulder at the two earth ponies. “If. You two help me a little with the recipe again.”

Applejack smiled despite herself, shaking her head before she glanced over at Big Mac. “You mind seeing if the girls are up while I remind Mister Amazing how to pour water in a bowl?”

“Yup.” Big Mac smiled over at her, shaking his head as the Pegasus huffed, and then the crimson stallion turned and made his way out of the kitchen, chuckling a little to himself.

When he came back with bleary Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom in tow, breakfast was well on its way, and Avalon was glowering around, grumbling in her high chair. After a few particularly-nasty cooking incidents, they knew much better then to allow the foal to come down from her chair or out of her playpen while they were cooking anything. Avalon would shoot right for the food, not yet really understanding just what would happen if she collided with the hot stove, and more than once she had almost badly burned herself.

Really, they were lucky the foal was tiny and tough: they had thought about investing in protective gear of some kind for the baby, but it was difficult enough just getting her in a diaper, and after once trying to fit a helmet on Avalon they had quickly learned that was just begging for trouble when she had promptly rammed into a wall and knocked a hole in it.

It was amazing that Avalon wasn't dead, really, with her habit of charging angrily into things: even more, that she almost never cried, or at least not from hurting herself. She was a little steel-bodied bullet. And it made Rainbow Dash feel incredibly proud of her even in spite of all the damage she did and the bruises she gave him and everyone around her.

The Pegasus smiled as he finished the first batch of pancakes, working alongside Applejack, feeling like the young lovers they had once been in that moment as they bumped their sides together and traded a warm look. Then he gazed over his shoulder, gazing over his family: Big Mac, sipping a coffee and resting his other hoof on Avalon's head as she flailed violently at him, burbling rapidly away, and Apple Bloom with her head resting on Scarlet Sage's shoulder. Small, but important, he knew, as he smiled a little at the girls before shaking his head and turning his eyes back forwards, going back to cooking as Applejack leaned in and kissed his cheek, and he pressed against her for a moment in a gesture of silent thanks.

They were a weird family, but a good family. Applejack was still called the most dependable pony in Ponyville, but she had long pushed past the paranoia and fear and everything related with striving to keep that title and never let anyone down. She had learned to put herself sometimes before others... and understand that her friends and her own opinion of herself were all much more important than what others thought of her in passing.

And Rainbow, he was still treated a little funny by some of the people in Ponyville, but that was okay. He was a little funny sometimes, after all, and he wasn't referring to the whole 'once-a-mare' thing. Being part of this family had taught him a lot, though... Big Mac had shared a lot of wisdom with him, and Applejack helped him feel strong, reminded him there were plenty of reasons to keep his hooves on the ground.

He never thought of himself as a mare who had become a stallion anymore, either. He was a stallion, plain and simple. He always had been, whatever he'd once looked like, and that was that. It was hard to understand unless someone knew just what he was talking about, but... he knew he was lucky that a lot of people in his life weren't exactly normal people. Which made it even funnier how he'd ended up with Miss Dependable... and he smiled over at Applejack, thinking after a moment as she smiled back: Nah. Maybe that's the only part that makes perfect sense, after all.

It didn't take the two too long to finish enough pancakes to go around before they served them out, Avalon babbling loudly: most of her words didn't make sense to anypony, but Applejack and Rainbow both smiled at her before she fell silent and stared the moment Rainbow put a small, cut-up pancake in front of the filly.

A bit of drool fell from the filly's mouth... and then she mashed her face down into the plate, greedily trying to shove the food into her mouth as Apple Bloom giggled and Scarlet Sage smiled amusedly, Applejack grinning over at Rainbow and saying mildly: “That's another point towards her being your kid.”

“Yeah, yeah, I stopped eating like that a long time ago.” Rainbow retorted, but he was smiling all the same as he gazed around at his family, feeling again how lucky he was... and determined to do anything and everything he could to make sure they were kept safe from the machinations of Clockwork World.

Later in the afternoon, the Apple Family received a letter inviting them over to the library to talk about what had happened. Surprisingly, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage volunteered to stay at the farm and keep an eye on Avalon, and Rainbow was relieved to let them take his daughter. As always, he hurriedly went over things with them even as Applejack only smiled amusedly at the pale-blue Pegasus, while the young mares nodded along with him and reassured him they would be fine until Applejack called mildly: “Sugarcube, we're gonna be late if you don't remind yourself you're a stallion soon.”

Rainbow had sighed and slumped, then grumbled and nodded, hopping into the air and easily zooming around in a circle. Avalon had immediately tried to buzz out of Apple Bloom's legs to go over to him, but she had held on firmly, wincing a bit and saying gently: “Now settle down there, your dad will be back as soon as he can. Don't you wanna have some fun with me and Scarlet Sage?”

“No!” Avalon shouted in an outraged voice, loud enough for Rainbow Dash to hear from the road, and the Pegasus paused as he glanced over his shoulder before he returned his eyes to Applejack with a half-amused, half-sympathetic expression.

“I always feel bad when we leave our daughter with somepony. I mean, don't get me wrong, I adore her. But she kind of requires a lot of patience and stuff.” Rainbow smiled after moment all the same, looking ahead with a bit of a grin. “Still, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage can handle it, right?”

Applejack only gave the Pegasus an amused look, before Big Mac said mildly: “Hope so. You ever consider getting some more help with her, though?”

“What? Why?” Rainbow looked honestly curious, and when both siblings gave him a pointed look, he huffed a bit and crossed his forelegs as he continued to fly easily forwards, saying flatly: “Hey. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that beautiful little filly. Okay, so she can be a hoof-full at times, but... she's just a teeny tiny little baby. She'll grow out of it. And you guys know what happens when we try and give her time-outs or take her stuff away.”

“Yeah, and she is in that... defiant stage.” Applejack smiled a little, then she shook her head thoughtfully. “Still, though, the way she conks out and then bounces right into that... high-energy, angry little mode of hers. Maybe Big Mac's right, and we should at least talk to some other ponies about it. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with her, just that... our daughter does have a kink or two that might need a little ironing out.”

“Ha, kink.” Rainbow grinned over at her, and Applejack sighed, rolling her eyes before the Pegasus stallion sighed a little when both siblings looked at him pointedly, becoming serious again. “Alright, I... I guess we can talk about it, at least. But it's not like she aims to misbehave or anything, is what I mean. She's just... loud and loves to fly. Let's let her fly.”

Rainbow Dash's grin toned down to a faint smile, and Big Mac and Applejack both nodded slowly as they continued towards Ponyville in quiet. On the way, they caught up to Fluttershy, the Pegasus talking warmly with Nirvana, and Rainbow flew up behind her and grabbed her shoulders, making her squeak in surprise before she dropped low as Nirvana glared at the stallion, but Rainbow Dash only laughed before winking down at Fluttershy when she looked up in relief before he offered a hoof to help her up.

It didn't take them too long to reach the library: Antares was in front, playing with Meadowlark, watched over by Celestia. Meadowlark's parents, Ameliorate and Engelhart, were both trying to make a good impression on the Baroness, but most of her attention was visibly focused on the foals.

Ameliorate was a tall, pretty earth pony with an eggshell coat, her mane and tail vibrant orange, a stethoscope as her cutie mark. She was a doctor at the hospital: Engelhart, on the other hand, was a large, strong Pegasus with a tan body, dark mane cut into a short mohawk and tail cropped down. His emblem was a star with a single white wing extending from beside it, and he was a Royal Guard... although Rainbow didn't think he'd ever seen Engelhart in his armor even once.

They were good ponies, with a good daughter, but Ameliorate was chatting away and Engelhart was trying a little too hard to make a good impression on Celestia. The other ponies smiled a bit at this, and Rainbow couldn't help but boldly fly up to Celestia, asking cheerfully: “What's shaking?”

Engelhart and Ameliorate both stared at the forwardness, but if anything Celestia seemed to appreciate it, smiling up at Rainbow Dash and nodding to him as she replied: “Quite a bit.” She paused, then turned and bowed her head politely to Meadowlark's parents. “If you'll excuse me, my friends and I have to head inside. Antares, are you going to be all right out here or should I ask Luna to have one of her... friends... keep an eye on you?”

“No, it's okay. There's nothing bad around today, I don't think.” Antares smiled brightly, looking up and adding: “Meadowlark said I could come with her to the park anyway, right?”

Meadowlark nodded rapidly, and Ameliorate sighed but smiled a little after a moment, saying finally: “Well, I suppose that's okay...”

“Great, then! I'll give you a flying lesson later today too, how about that?” Rainbow Dash winked over at Antares, and the unicorn smiled brightly before the blue Pegasus dropped easily to the ground and reached out to ruffle the colt's mane, laughing and shaking his head. “Look at you growing. Gotta say I'm glad Avalon isn't growing up as fast as you are, Antares, we'd never be able to keep up with her.”

Antares only blushed a little, even as he smiled up at Dash, and then Celestia turned and opened the door for them. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Nirvana and Big Mac all headed inside as Celestia smiled courteously to Engelhart and Ameliorate. “Thank you for both helping take care of my nephew. I'm glad he has such a good friend in your daughter.”

With that, Celestia turned and headed inside as well, gently closing the door behind her and feeling a little pleased with herself despite everything. She paused for a moment to gaze over the gathered people at the large round table, and then shook her head slowly before striding forwards to join the group: everyone from last night and more, as Odin looked up from the top of the table and said softly: “Maybe it's strange, Freya, but I find the fact that you are no longer always first to the strategy table... reassuring, in its own way.”

Celestia smiled at this, glancing over Odin: he looked a little tired from his trip down from Asgard, but he had put his walking stick aside for now, which was a good sign despite how every time they met, he seemed... older. Sleipnir was gazing up at the once-god with soft concern in his eyes, a foreleg wrapped around his wife and keeping her close, and even Discombobulation seemed to be studying the old falcon-headed entity with empathy, if not sympathy.

Then the Draconequus said finally, as he rubbed at his wooden arm slowly: “You must think the saying 'you're only as young as you feel' often, and find yourself feeling very old indeed, Odin. But aren't we a great setup for a cosmic joke? There's all the ingredients here. The handicapped, the ancient, the nasty, the... well, everything else, too, let's leave it at that. But we're not in a bar. And all good jokes involve someone walking into a bar.”

“I can smash a bar into thy face.” Luna grumbled from where she was sitting with Scrivener and Twilight on the opposite side of the table from the chimerical creature, who huffed at her before the winged unicorn added in a whinier voice: “Odin, thou art... something important still, although I know quite not what. Order the Draconequus to take his medicine, so I do not have to wrestle him every night to do so.”

“Yes, I'm quite sure he'll listen to me.” Odin said dryly as he rested back in his chair, looking meditatively towards Discombobulation. “As much as I like him, he's admittedly almost as consistent as you when it comes to not listening to anything anyone says.”

Luna huffed at this, and then Discombobulation said seriously: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”

“So thou art admitting thou art stupid?” Luna asked flatly, and Scrivener gave her an amused look from overtop his glasses, making her grumble and slap at the charcoal earth pony lightly. “I hear thy wicked thoughts, sinful poet! Do not be so cruel to me or the poor Draconequus, or I shall bludgeon thee roundly!”

Scrivener sighed a little, and Rainbow watched with a small smile as Twilight reached up and reassured Luna with just a touch, just a gesture. The three of them could communicate as easily and readily as he and Applejack or any other couple that knew itself well did, with gesture and look, not just voice. They were a little weird, sure, but that had long ceased to bother him... particularly once he'd made sure that both Scrivener and Luna really did care about Twilight.

Sure, he worried for her sometimes. Even wondered every now and then if she'd break away from the two at some point, find her own perfect somepony to be with. But at the same time... it was weird and crazy and made no sense, but she seemed happy with Luna and Scrivener, and it wasn't like he was anypony to judge what was right or wrong for any other pony after learning all too well himself what it felt like to have everypony telling you that what you wanted was wrong... when it was all your heart and mind and blood and soul begged and pleaded for.

He shook his head out, then looked up as Odin said calmly, glancing slowly around at the gathering and cutting off any further tangents: “I am sure you are all aware of exactly why I have called you all here today. From the reports made to me by the Nibelung present, I've already understood much about how the battle went... and that we owe both Kilby Kwolek and my son's wife, Pinkamena, quite a bit of thanks.”

“And I!” Luna waved a hoof, and Odin sighed and rubbed slowly at the scarred side of his face even as there were a few laughs, and Cowlick looked relieved to have the attention off her as Ross fidgeted beside her nervously. “Well, 'tis true.”

“Yes, Brynhild, but you seem to be involved in every fight that happens these days.” Odin said mildly, and then he looked over at Sleipnir and smiled a little as the vine-maned stallion grumbled. “It seems to be making my son a little jealous. And I imagine that you can't help but feel perhaps a little envious yourself, Freya.”

“Perhaps.” Celestia gazed softly over at her sibling, then she smiled after a moment, saying quietly: “But of course, most of what I feel is worry for my little sister. And again, regret that I wasn't there to take part in the battle.”

Odin nodded, studying the ponies slowly before he glanced towards Applejack, stating more than questioning: “Its appearance bothered you, didn't it?”

“Yeah.” Applejack looked a little awkward at being put on the spot, but then she sighed and shook herself out, gathering her thoughts quickly and continuing quietly: “I mean... it... it was me, but not me. It just... kind of freaked me out to see, I think. It got in my head a little, even though I should have known better than to let it start digging into my thoughts and all. But... that story, I still haven't been able to put that story Bob told us out of my mind, and after seeing Delight...” She halted, smiling faintly at Pinkie Pie as the bright Pink Twin gazed softly back. “And now Valor and... thinking there's four more out there, made of... us, turned upside down...”

She shivered a little, then looked over at Scrivener... and the male sighed a little before he closed his eyes and nodded as he leaned his head forwards, taking a moment to gather his wits before he said quietly: “Valthrudnir promised Valor that she could be 'part of her family forever.' He... he meant it literally, though. Those forelimbs, those eyes... they...”

“Oh God...” Applejack shivered, and Rainbow Dash leaned over, wrapping a limb around her as he felt a shiver of repulsion run through his body; the thought that anyone, any thing, could be that cruel... “That's... that's why...”

She shook herself out, and Scrivener nodded slowly, looking down and murmuring: “Just like Delight, Valor was tricked and corrupted. I think... Valthrudnir needed to trick them for some reason. Needed to make them give in, or at least half-willing to work with him. I can't think of why, but I also know that if he really wanted to, he could have easily just brainwashed them and ordered them around... or hell, he could have made copies of them, or entirely different creatures.

“But I think the Hexad, at least, and maybe any other Clockwork Ponies he...” Scrivener paused for a moment, then murmured slowly: “Let's use the word... 'built...' needed more than brainwashing. Maybe that's why everything went 'wrong,' so to speak, with Visionary. Not because she was different, but rather because... he tried to just push her around, tormented her, then instead of tricking or confusing or driving her insane, just put his minions to work on her. He tried to control her, and he couldn't.”

Odin nodded slowly as silence fell, and then the falcon-headed entity shook his head when Celestia looked at him questioningly. “It's hard to say, Freya. It could be because of any number of reasons, after all. But it does also serve to demonstrate that Valthrudnir's powers were terrible, but not without flaw. And that no matter what they look like, what evil ends they serve, these foes are reflections of you six friends, who have become so important in these various worlds.”

“Great.” Rainbow Dash murmured, and then he looked down for a moment before smiling a little, glancing up and saying finally: “I guess at least... we should be able to know our enemies before they hit then, right?”

“There's no enemy harder to know than yourself.” Discombobulation said gently, and Scrivener grunted before the Draconequus added mildly: “Well, you and Scrivener Blooms don't count, Luna. You've both had a lot of time to get to know your inner enemies. And both of you are also a little... shall we say... lacking in self-esteem. When you actually like yourself it becomes much harder to believe certain things about yourself.”

There were grumbles around the table, and then Odin looked over towards Scrivener, asking quietly: “Have you learned anything further about Clockwork World from... what I understand happened again, following the demise of Valor?”

“I only know their names, still... Courage, Beauty, Prudence and Wisdom.” Scrivener said softly, looking slowly around the table as he spoke: at Rainbow Dash, at Rarity, at Fluttershy, and finally, to Twilight Sparkle, before he closed his eyes and smiled a little. “But other bits and pieces are... are starting to fall into place. Things like their titles... maybe the smallest hint of their plans, why the Prophet is determined to move against us.”

The others nodded slowly, and then Scrivener looked up and said finally: “The other Clockwork Ponies are going to attack us, one-by-one. Even though we've killed two of them... from what I'm seeing, this is like a game to them. And worse, it feels like... it's like this isn't the first world where they died, but then... came back somehow. I don't know how. I don't want to imagine how, because it's not pleasant to think of for far too many reasons...”

He shivered a little, looking down, and Celestia nodded with a grimace as she looked across at Odin, saying quietly: “It would explain their behavior. Why they're only attacking one at a time when they clearly have the power and potential to easily overwhelm us if they wanted.”

“It reflects Valthrudnir's arrogance... but also his cunning.” Odin replied thoughtfully, looking down, and several ponies looked up with frowns before the once-god shook his head slowly, murmuring: “Treating it like a game, weakening a world bit-by-bit with short attacks from replaceable troops... then, after his Hexad have all taken their turn toying with the realm they've targeted, flooding it with his forces and destroying it.

“But I do not believe Valthrudnir is alive... and I do not know if I believe these Clockwork Ponies are capable of rebirth or revival. That may simply be the poison in your mind, playing tricks on you, Scrivener Blooms.” Odin said softly, and Scrivener grunted and nodded after a moment in both agreement and hope. “If Valthrudnir was still alive, I would be less doubtful: he would never hesitate to defy any order, natural or otherwise, in order to have his way.”

“The Prophet's motives still confuse me, though... and if the Clockwork Ponies are incapable of revival, then again, these tactics make no sense. As they've demonstrated clearly, even one Clockwork Pony is a force to be reckoned with... I am not entirely sure we could survive an attack from a group.” Celestia said quietly, and Luna and Odin both frowned at this. “It worries me. I'm concerned that Prophet is buying time, or baiting a trap. Or there are worse things than the Hexad laying in wait.”

There were silent nods around the table, and Odin sighed softly as he crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair and bowing his head in thought. As the silence spiraled out, Rainbow quietly reached over, taking one of Applejack's hooves gently... and the goldenrod mare smiled faintly at him, before she sighed and looked up over the table as she realized the thought that came to mind could apply easily to this whole discussion: “I guess our only choice either way is to move forwards, huh?”

“But we're all in this together.” All eyes turned with surprise to Fluttershy as she glanced up from where she was sitting beside Nirvana, stroking slowly down through the Phooka's smoky mane as she looked down and took a slow breath, then nodded firmly. “I know we all have a lot of reasons to be afraid, and... I am afraid, really afraid... but there's so much to protect, too. Friends and family, both old and new...”

She silently embraced Nirvana around the neck, burying her face against him for a moment with a bit of a blush as the Phooka rumbled softly, and then, to the surprise of the ponies, he murmured quietly: “We leave none behind.”

“Nature knows best.” Sleipnir said softly, and then he looked up and pounded a hoof firmly against the table with a smile to Nirvana and Fluttershy even as the blonde Pegasus blushed a little. “Aye, Nirvana, thou art more civilized than most of the ponies I knew whilst traveling Midgard with my beloved sisters! As a matter of fact, thou art even more civilized than Luna, is he not?”

“Oh, shut up, Sleipnir. Besides, I am still more civilized than thou art, too.” Luna said flatly, and the enormous, vine-maned stallion shrugged cheerfully before the sapphire mare turned her eyes to Nirvana and Fluttershy, as Rarity reached out and gently rubbed a hoof down the blonde Pegasus' back with a soft smile to her. “But... aye. Aye, friends. We are all in this together, no matter what differences lay between us. Our bonds are stronger than our differences, for we are all Equestrians, are we not? We are all people, and friends and family... it matters not whether we are dragon, or Phooka, or pony, or... whatever in Helheim's name the rest of us are... none of us shall leave any of the others behind.”

“Hear, hear!” Sleipnir shouted, then he banged his hoof down against the table again before Pinkamena smacked him, making him wince. “Harpy!”

The demon glowered at him, and then she snorted and shook her head, saying moodily: “Hey, don't get me wrong. I agree, it's better that we fight together... if only because, you know, I'd rather you die with me instead of using me as a meat-shield.”

Discombobulation snorted at this, saying dryly: “The mark of the true FPS player. Makes her untalented friends play so she can use them as decoys while she snipes.”

“Screw you.” Pinkamena retorted, and then she looked moodily over at Cowlick, adding dryly: “You better have more weapons and armor in stock, or we're all going to die. We'll die together, sure... but if even I couldn't rip my way through Valor, we're going to need more than skill and luck.”

“It's the carpenter, not the tools, that ultimately decides the value of something... but good equipment will help, yes.” Odin smiled a bit as he pushed his chair back and stood, and the gathering looked up at him curiously before the once-god turned around, bending down to pick up something with a grimace.

He turned back and tossed blanket-wrapped object onto the table with a grunt: it was at least seven feet long, whatever it was, and Celestia frowned a bit before Odin said quietly: “Just a small gift, taken out of Valhalla's halls for you, Freya. Your blades of light are dangerous and fast, but this... this has a little more heft to it.”

Celestia frowned as she reached forwards, pulling the gray blanket away... and then stared in amazement at the enormous sword that was revealed. Its heavy, long handle was beautiful, radiant gold, and the wide blade brilliant ivory, gleaming in the light like white fire and fanged with curling claws at intervals over the length of the blade and there to add pain to every rip and rend and catch weapons that clashed against it. The weapon was ornamented with beautiful illustrations of the Nine Worlds along the flat of the six-foot blade, etched in bright red and seeming to flow like the blood the sword had undoubtedly spilled over its lifetime.

“Tyrfing, Svafrlami's cursed sword. Any man who raises this weapon is killed... but you are not a man in any sense of the word, are you, Freya?” Odin smiled a little at her, reaching out and silently drawing a finger along the red symbols that decorated the white, gleaming blade. “It will cut through stone and iron as easily as it will slice apart cloth. Forged by dwarves for a poor, young fool, to never rust, and to kill that which it strikes. I trust in you to put it to good use.”

Celestia stood silently, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards as she swallowed a bit, and then she took a breath before striding calmly around the table. She looked up as Odin gazed across at her silently, smiling at her a little... and then she leaned forwards and pulled him into a firm, tight embrace, and the once god laughed quietly as he returned it, closing his eyes as she murmured: “Odin... Þakka fyrir, vinr.”

Odin gazed down at her tenderly, reaching up and stroking her face silently before he simply nodded, and then the two slid quietly apart before the once god smiled a little and gestured towards the table, saying softly: “It's inappropriate for me to ask, but I can't help ask anyway. Such a sword as that, a warrior would swing once at his enemy, then likely drop if his foe wasn't cleft in half by it and switch to something lighter and easier to bear. But with the way you wield your weapons, Freya...”

“You're asking for a show?” Celestia looked at him with entertainment, and her amethyst eyes flicked almost longingly towards the weapon, hesitating for a moment even as Sleipnir and Luna both leaned eagerly forwards, and then the ivory equine shook her head embarrassedly as she circled back around the table, saying finally: “No, no, I... there are all these other ponies around and... it is a beautiful, wonderful gift, but I haven't yet tested its weight or gained a feel for it.”

She stepped almost nervously away, striding towards the library door as Odin said kindly: “It's perfectly fine, Freya.” He paused, and then smiled over at Luna, gesturing to her... and a wide, bright grin spread over Luna's face as her horn began to glow. “I would certainly never force your hand in such a matter.”

Then Luna flicked her horn firmly, and ponies leaned back in shock as Tyrfing shot off the table like a rocket: immediately, Celestia's head whipped around, eyes widening in surprise, but her horn was already glowing as she tilted her head to the side, and the massive sword gleamed like fire as it went into a vicious spin, circling rapidly around her before halting suddenly in front of her, burning with an aura of golden flame just above her head. The ivory equine gazed up at the flat of the blade, staring into it wondrously before Sleipnir suddenly laughed and leapt forwards, running across the table and pouncing gleefully towards Celestia.

He swung a hoof in towards her face, and Celestia easily blocked it with the flat of the blade, not even needing to tilt her horn, not even seeming to think even as Sleipnir threw his hooves forwards in a succession of violent blows, but each one only smashed against the flat of the sword before Pinkamena joined in as well, dashing forwards and then running up and across Sleipnir's back to kick both rear hooves savagely towards Celestia's face, but the enormous sword snapped upwards, an almost-liquid blur through the air as it spun around Pinkamena and parried her body like she was a spear before flicking her painfully with the flat towards the ceiling, and then Celestia leaned forwards, grinning widely as the sword half-spun with the counterattack and the pommel of the blade rammed itself in a short, violent flurry of stabs against Sleipnir's breast and head.

The vine-maned stallion staggered backwards in surprise, cursing and warding off the last of the blows with his hooves before Pinkamena dropped like a rock towards Celestia, but the ivory, rainbow-maned mare only smiled calmly, closing her eyes and tilting her head away as Tyrfing slipped between her and the demon at the last moment, Pinkamena's hooves striking only the flat as she winced before the sword shoved more than slapped her backwards, knocking her into Sleipnir and sending them both staggering before Celestia flicked her horn back and forth as she calmly strode forwards, eyes half-lidding as Tyrfing followed her movements effortlessly, lashing and spinning violently back and forth and driving both Pinkamena and and Sleipnir back side-by-side before it swept quickly down. The flat slammed painfully across their front legs, knocking both demon and earth pony to the ground in awkward bows, and before either could react, Tyrfing's edge was across both their necks, Celestia's head bowed forwards and eyes once more closed, the smile on her face almost tender as she breathed slowly, faintly flushed as she said softly: “Yes. Yes, I believe this should more than suffice.”

Then she paused before straightening, and Tyrfing rose into the air before Celestia studied the sword as Sleipnir looked over at Pinkamena, then grinned at her and winked, saying kindly: “Having thee here to almost be beheaded with me, why, it brings me as much joy as seeing my sister's Valkyrie nature awakened!”

The ponies – and Spike – were all staring in amazement, Luna and Scrivener wearing matching grins and Twilight looking incredulous. Odin, meanwhile was simply clapping, and Discombobulation paused before hurriedly mimicking this. Then Sleipnir laughed and cheered as he stood up, stomping his hooves delightedly, and that finally got the rest of the table to break into applause as well, as Celestia blushed and dropped her head forwards, Tyrfing quickly floating back to drop down onto the blanket on the table.

“That was so awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and Celestia only smiled awkwardly as she shrugged a bit before the Pegasus shook his head with a whistle. “I mean, we all knew you were good, but... that was... that was awesome!”

“My beloved big sister is very awesome indeed.” Sleipnir said agreeably, slapping Celestia on the shoulder, and the rainbow-maned mare gave him a flat, half-embarrassed look. “Oh, cease hiding thy skills! Thou art not some complaining, political Baroness, thou art a Valkyrie and thou must be proud of that!”

“And what are you, Sleipnir?” Celestia asked in response to this, leaning towards him even as she smiled, still looking a bit embarrassed as the ponies continued to stare at her with awe and amazement. “What do you consider yourself?”

“The same as I have always been, of course.” Sleipnir grinned cheerfully over at Pinkamena, winking to her. “A handsome, bold, and talented warrior, on the two battlefields that matter most in life, as my sweet phoenix can attest to.”

“You were pretty disappointing last night.” Pinkamena said mildly, and Sleipnir stared at her with horror as Pinkie Pie cleared her throat loudly and Luna threw her head back and laughed.

Odin shook his head, then said clearly, before Sleipnir could say anything: “As I hoped, Celestia, you wield Tyrfing as if the sword was made for you. But it's been waiting for an owner for a long time who could handle its power and was immune to the curse it carries. I think it is eager to do its duty.”

Celestia looked up at this and nodded slowly, and then the falcon-headed once-god sat carefully back in his seat, resting against the back of his chair as he gazed around the group slowly. As Celestia, Sleipnir, and Pinkamena all once more returned to their own chairs, the falcon-headed once-god smiled wryly, then shook his head slowly as he murmured: “Look at this. Once upon a time I sat at the head of a table of gods, goddesses, and entities that neither you nor I have a name for. And now, here I sit at a table of ponies, demons, and an entity of chaos.”

“Aye, but I would not change a thing for the world myself.” Luna said softly, then she smiled a bit as she looked up at the once-god, bowing her head towards him and saying quietly: “And I am glad that thou art here with us.”

“Oddly enough... so am I.” Odin said softly, looking around the table before once more beginning a discussion... and finding himself more confident in the abilities of these ponies to get their tasks done than he had been in his fellow gods and peers, so long ago.

Through A Distorted Lens

Chapter Fifty: Through A Distorted Lens
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna grumbled a little under her breath, feeling distinctly... crabby, was probably the best word for it. Antares was on her back, clinging quietly to her and looking more than a little unhappy. This was because for the foal, it had been a very long, very bad day: to start with, he had been abandoned at the park by Meadowlark and her parents after a short ten minutes of playing with the filly and being told by Engelhart with a patronizing pat on the head that a big boy like he was shouldn't have a problem getting back to the library. So Antares had attempted to find his way back after they had left, but had only ended up in getting lost: to a two year old foal, Ponyville was a very, very big place.

After leaving the library, Luna, Scrivener and Twilight had gone to the park: it had only been a little over an hour of discussion, so they had expected to find Antares there, playing with Meadowlark. Instead, they found only a few other foals and ponies they didn't know, and Luna had gone into full hyperventilating panic as Scrivener had begun wildly looking around for his son.

After a few minutes of turning up nothing at the park, Scrivener had hurriedly started searching the streets nearby while Luna and Twilight had taken to the air: Luna had quickly spotted her son, looking dirty and crying quietly by Vinyl Scratch's new nightclub. Thankfully, it was abandoned; this place didn't get busy until nightfall. Luna had shot down like meteor, swept up Antares, and he had clung tightly to her, babbling away as she'd shushed and comforted and rocked him slowly in the alley.

Once the foal had babbled out what had happened, Luna had passed Antares to Twilight, told her kindly to go to the library and help clean Antares up, and that she would join them shortly. Antares had whimpered a little, but Luna had only cracked her neck and muttered: “Oh fear not, child, tonight we shall spend much time together. And nor am I angry at thee. Some parents need simply to learn that they should treat the children of others as well as they do their own.”

Luna and Scrivener had stormed over to the quaint little house where Ameliorate and Engelhart lived: nice ponies, good ponies, who spoiled their chatty daughter and whose only real failing was that they were perhaps a little too inwardly-focused... but also now ponies who had crossed Luna in a way not even the Clockwork Ponies had dared to. So, as they stood outside their house, Luna looked moodily over the front of it before flicking her horn, and a blast of lightning had hammered down into the roof and set it aflame.

Not a serious fire, but more than enough to send Engelhart running out of the door, panicking, and Luna had rolled her eyes before snapping: “Oh cease thy whimpering, idiot!”

With that, Luna flicked her horn again, and a second blast of lightning hammered directly into the burning section of the building, sending up chunks of mortar and a burst of burnt hay and insulation but turning the scorching flames to seared, choked embers. Engelhart had stared in horror at this, then turned to them, grabbing at his head and shouting: “My house!”

“You abandoned my son in a playground!” Luna leaned forwards and roared, and the Royal Guard was knocked on his back by the force of her voice as the windows behind him cracked, Luna snarling as she stomped a hoof aggressively and Scrivener simply fixed the Pegasus with the nastiest glare he could. “He is a two year old colt!”

“I... I thought he was at least five!” Engelhart sat up dumbly, then he winced and scrambled back inside his house when Luna charged at him, shouting hurriedly over his shoulder: “It was an accident!”

“I'll show thee an accident!” Luna shouted, doing a furious little dance outside his home before she glared at him through the window. “Where is Ameliorate? I wish to pummel her too!”

“She and Meadowlark are out getting dresses, it was just an accident, Lady Luna, I thought he was much older!” Engelhart said hurriedly, wincing and shaking his head wildly. “I swear that it will never, ever happen again, okay?”

“Of course it shan't, I shan't ever trust either of thee again! Damned fools!” Luna shouted angrily through the window, then she stepped forwards and swung her horn into it, shattering it and making Engelhart groan in horror, grabbing at his face again and looking terrified and angry... but he was at least not stupid enough to try and do anything that would vex Luna further, since she was Celestia's sister as well as known for her violent talents. “I would ban Meadowlark from my household too, I would hold her as accountable as I do thou and Ameliorate, but I will not further upset my foal! Now come out of thy house and take thy pummeling like a stallion, turtle!”

“This isn't a way to make friends!” Engelhart shouted in a strangled voice from the house, and Luna glared through the broken window as Scrivener reflected how, coming from anypony but him, it wasn't quite as funny. “Stop wrecking my house!”

“Then come out of it! Thou fled back inside like a whelp, not like a soldier!” Luna snapped, flicking her horn and sending a bolt of lightning chaining violently back and forth over the front of the home, and then she stomped her hooves childishly before Scrivener finally reached up and gently touched her shoulder, calming her slowly as she grumbled under her breath. “Great coward. Great fat coward. He is fat, Scrivener. He is fat and a coward.”

Scrivener nodded meditatively, and then he called dryly: “Before you think about doing anything dumb in there, Engelhart, this is Luna after she calmed down a good bit. If I were you, I'd count yourself lucky, tell Meadowlark that a storm hit the house, and we'll all go on as if nothing ever happened.”

The Pegasus grumbled something from inside his home, and Scrivener and Luna traded look before Luna moodily stepped forwards and poked the wall a few times with her horn, muttering: “Thou art a wicked home to wicked ponies. Thou must become a good house and set a good example for these ponies or I shall pummel thee apart. Wicked house.”

Scrivener Blooms sighed a little... but thankfully that had been that, and they had gone back to the library to pick up Antares and Twilight Sparkle, and then make their way home. Celestia had apologized several times over, but Luna didn't blame her for anything... even if she'd tried to hit Celestia a few times, but Scrivener was fairly sure that was mostly just old habits and Luna's awkward way of trying to show honesty and concern.

Now they were on their way back to their cottage home: her, Antares, Scrivener Blooms, and Twilight Sparkle. Scarlet Sage would likely be along tonight – assuming they survived Avalon, that was – and in all likelihood Celestia would come and visit as well. This thought, at least, helped perk Luna up a bit as she smiled to herself and thought of the sword her sister had received from Odin... a truly impressive gift, and a weapon she desired to test herself against with her spear.

She paused, looking thoughtfully over at Scrivener as they walked calmly down the path, and the stallion glanced back at her with surprise before he snorted in amusement, attracting Twilight's attention as well. “Luna. I'm not naming your spear for you. For one thing, if you never named your spear, it probably wasn't actually that important to name, was it? For another, that should be your job, not mine.”

Luna huffed at this, shaking her head and replying flatly: “Well, thou art the writer person! Thou must have some use, mustn't thou, poet?”

“Names are hard, Luna.” Scrivener complained loudly, and Twilight couldn't help but laugh at the pony's tone as he gave a pleading look to Luna, who glared at his childishness: admittedly, the reversal from the usual norm made Twilight's mood lighten, and even Antares perked up a little. “You... name it.”

“Thou shall name it!” Luna retorted huffily, shaking her head rapidly, and the two glared at each other, their eyes locking for moment as emotions and ideas twisted back and forth between them before Scrivener winced a bit, and the winged unicorn leaned forwards with an expression that immediately became one of concern before the earth pony shook his head quickly.

“No, no, I'm fine. Just a bolt of the corruption. Emotions or something, maybe, fuzzing around too much." Scrivener smiled a little after a moment, looking awkwardly ahead down the path. For a few moments, there was only the sound of the forest, the gentle breeze in the leaves, their hooves crunching quietly over the path... and then he finally said abruptly: “Dauðadagr is a nice, vicious name.”

“Thou likes the old words, doesn't thou?” Luna looked over at him with entertainment, and Scrivener shrugged after a moment before Luna looked down thoughtfully. “And aye, 'tis a good word, but... 'tis not as good as it could be. Alright... uh... Twilight Sparkle, name my spear.”

“Wait, what?” Twilight looked over at Luna blankly, and when the sapphire mare looked at her insistently, Twilight winced a bit and said awkwardly: “I don't... think that... I mean, well...”

“Bah, fine. I shall come back to thee later.” Luna grumbled and rolled her eyes, instead glancing up now as Antares propped himself up a little on her back, smiling as his mother's starry locks flowed around him gently. “What about thou, Antares? Does thou have a name for my spear?”

Antares scrunched his muzzle up in thought, frowning a bit as he looked down thoughtfully before he asked curiously: “Why doesn't it have a name already?”

Luna looked surprised at this response, and then she simply shrugged, looking forwards and smiling a bit before she said finally: “Because I never needed to compete with my sister before now. Aye, 'tis my spear. 'Tis as part of my body. But to name it would have felt like naming part of my body. I would not name part of my body, now would I?”

“I don't know about that. But then again, I've always felt that if someone was to give me any trouble, I can always use reason and persuasion.” Discombobulation's voice said calmly from behind them, and the ponies halted to look back in surprise at the sight of the Draconequus strolling nonchalantly along before he smiled slightly as he rose his left prosthetic fist slowly. “Here's reason.” A pause as he lifted his right fist. “And here's persuasion.”

Luna looked thoughtfully at Discombobulation for a moment, and then she finally grinned and said in an entertained voice: “Discombobulation, I know thou art nothing but a horrid thief, but this particular quote delights me and I fear I shall have to steal it from thee. Perhaps I shall even have it etched into my hooves!”

“Luna, no body modifications.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna huffed at him grumpily before the charcoal pony smiled slightly over at Discombobulation. “How are you holding up?”

“In the words of your wife, Luna, shut up.” Discombobulation said dryly, and Scrivener snorted in entertainment with a roll of his eyes before the Draconequus added finally: “But to answer your unasked – or perhaps just too-politely-asked – question, I have no better way to spend my time right now than walking along with you ponies. It also helps me feel a little better about having slept through that whole nasty confrontation that went on. Not that I would have done much apart from pee myself, of course, but I suppose that could have been a rather good distraction, yes?”

Luna nodded seriously at this, replying kindly: “Aye, 'twas a method to distract the enemy that Sleipnir himself used more than once.”

Antares giggled at this as Twilight rolled her eyes and Scrivener looked at her meditatively, saying finally: “I really can't tell whether or not you're being serious, and that kind of bothers me a little. I don't think peeing all over yourself is usually considered a valid fighting technique, after all.”

“Oh, what does thou know, thou art just a poet.” Luna huffed, and Scrivener sighed tiredly as Antares giggled a little louder and Discombobulation smiled slightly. “Bob, what would thou name my spear?”

“Oh, I have a whole list of names right here.” Discombobulation snapped his fingers, and a large, thick magazine appeared in his hand, already open as he looked meditatively through this. “Let's see... uh... Venus Gospel? Dragon's Hair? Holy Lance? You know, there aren't as many spears as I thought in these games. Your weapon just isn't that popular.”

“My weapon is plenty popular! 'Tis nothing better than a spear!” Luna argued, looking almost outraged as she swung her horn violently back and forth, and Antares giggled again as Scrivener winced away from the sapphire winged unicorn. “Very well! I shall name the weapon myself if I must, but know that I am very disappointed in thee, Bob and Twilight and beetle.”

“You could always call it Andlitstingar or something like that.” Scrivener muttered, and then he frowned as Luna's eyes lit up brightly at this, the stallion groaning and shaking his head quickly. “Luna, no you can't call it that!”

“I knew thou would come up with a fitting name!” Luna said cheerfully, completely ignoring Scrivener's reaction, and then she nodded firmly a few times to herself before saying positively: “Andlitstingar! I adore it!”

Scrivener only groaned again, even as Discombobulation cleared his throat loudly, and Antares and Twilight both looked curiously at Luna... although in the violet mare's case, there was more than a little visible apprehension. “What does that mean?”

Luna smiled cheerfully over at Twilight in response as Scrivener grumbled under his breath, before the sapphire mare said positively: “Face-stabber.”

Twilight stared as Antares giggled, and then he laughed louder as his mother's mane swirled up around him and tickled against his body, fidgeting back and forth as his leathery wings flapped a few times. “Mom, you're funny!”

The sapphire mare only smiled warmly over her shoulder in response, feeling her mood lightening further at the sound of her son's merriment. Even Scrivener couldn't resist a smile as he glanced towards his friend, wife, and soulmate, and then he laughed himself when Luna leaned over and firmly buried her face against the side of his neck.

They walked onwards, and Scrivener was more thankful than he could express for the way everyone's mood lightened, and for the bubble of happiness his little family was able to find, even amidst all the madness of what was going on around them, even through the nightmares and the looming threat of Clockwork World. But they had each other, and that was what mattered: they were all here for one-another, through thick and thin, good and bad.

The rest of the journey back to the cottage was quiet but comfortable, throwing off both irritation and worries for now. Discombobulation yawned as he mumbled something about taking a nap, vanishing from the spot in a puff of smoke before his prosthetic arm clattered to the grass. A moment later, a small, green-tinged portal ripped open in reality just above the earth, and the Draconequus stuck his arm through this, a few grumbles rising up as he felt around in the grass until he snagged the wooden bicep of his prosthetic and dragged it quickly through the portal.

Antares was feeling better now, and wanted to play a game with them: Luna was always glad to indulge her child, but tried to convince him to have a snack, first, and Scrivener smiled amusedly as Antares fidgeted and half-argued in his odd, gentle way. Finally, the stallion cut in, as Luna whined at more than rationally reasoned with their son: “Why don't you head out back, and you can play a little while I fix up a quick something to eat? You can eat on the back deck and then go back to playing.”

“'Tis exactly what I was about to suggest!” Luna complained, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before she headbutted him lightly, making him wince. “Go then, poet. Antares requires fruit slices.”

Scrivener gave Luna an amused look, but Antares nodded and smiled before he hopped off his mother's back, and Scrivener reached out to ruffle his son's mane. “Alright, alright. Fruit slices. I'll be out in a minute, kiddo. Twilight, keep an eye on them both, huh?”

“Of course.” Twilight smiled slightly, then cleared her throat when Luna glared at her. “I... I'm just saying I'll be out there with you, that's all.”

Scrivener smiled to himself as he entered the house, calmly walking down the corridor... and then he winced and slid to a halt in the den room, his eyes locking on the sight of Gymbr sitting in the archway between counter divider and wall. “Well, what the hell are you doing here?”

Only silence greeted him in return, which Scrivener was admittedly glad for: if the toy had actually spoken back to him, he probably would have turned and bolted at this point. There was too much about the strange doll that was up in the air, after all... and Scrivener grimaced before he carefully rose a hoof and reached out to apprehensively poke it a few times, making it sway a little on the spot... but it didn't do anything else, and the stallion wheezed in relief.

Gymbr had been appearing only rarely over the last while, likely sensing that Luna and Scrivener both wanted to bludgeon it to pieces if possible after what it had done to Scarlet Sage and through her, to Apple Bloom. But they'd had no luck whatsoever in figuring out a way to damage the toy. As a matter of fact, it had rendered their efforts so fruitless and anticlimactic that Luna had completely refused to talk about it after the few times they'd taken the toy away to try and at least find a way to damage it.

But the strange toy wanted something, that was clear as day. Neither Scrivener nor Luna were sure of just what it was, any more than they knew why the doll seemed intent on protecting Antares: as a matter of fact, compounding this mystery, once Antares had brought them several pieces of Ambrosia that had fallen off the tree. He'd admitted they'd been very tempting to eat, but Gymbr had told him 'no,' so he had brought them to his parents instead to get rid of.

So Gymbr wouldn't put Antares at even the slightest risk, even to try and increase their son's strength. The complete opposite of what he'd done with Scarlet Sage, and perhaps was trying to do with everyone else... and as Scrivener poked at the toy, he asked in a mutter: “Do you want us all to become your evil army or something, while you raise Antares as your son? That'd be pretty rude, you know. He's not your son. He's my son, mine and Luna's.”

The doll seemed to glare up at him with his button eyes, and Scrivener finally reached out and picked the toy up. He studied it for a few moments, then finally shook his head out and tossed it aside as he began to step forwards...

And instead, he felt a strange tingling sensation along his foreleg, and Scrivener frowned as he looked at his empty hoof before he realized he could feel something on his back. Slowly, he awkwardly looked over his shoulder... and then he swallowed and stared at the sight of Gymbr sitting on his back, saying lamely: “Well. Either I just made the weirdest throw ever or you've decided to be a bit more proactive in moving around, huh?”

Gymbr only sat silently, and Scrivener cleared his throat, feeling somehow like panicking or attempting to throw the doll off wouldn't be a good idea. So instead, he carefully looked forwards and said awkwardly: “I'm going to make Antares' snack now.”

Scrivener tried to ignore the doll sitting calmly on his back as he went about the process of cutting up an apple for Antares and slicing up a block of cheese to put on some crackers as well. The process of putting together the food soothed him, even if Gymbr's weight made him nervous... as did the way that even when he stood up on his rear legs, the toy didn't topple from his back, and if anything he only felt it pressing down all the firmer against him in plain defiance of gravity.

Scrivener headed for the back door, and he felt Luna's tenseness in his mind now, knowing she had probably picked up Gymbr's presence from his thoughts the moment he had seen the toy. He hesitated all the same in front of the door, then looked over his shoulder moodily, muttering around the tray handle in his mouth: “Let's all try to get along, okay?”

Gymbr remained silent, and Scrivener looked back ahead before he felt a distinct shift on his back, and then a strange voice whispered into his ear, into his mind: My story is not yet over, Scrivener Blooms. I won't let my story end... I won't let yours end, either.

Scrivener's head lashed around, sending some of the foodstuff flying, but Gymbr was simply gone. For a moment, Scrivy only breathed hard around the tray in his jaws, staring back and forth before he cursed under his breath and instead turned his eyes forwards, swallowing thickly and forcing himself to at least look calm as he shoved out onto the back deck and approached the table.

He put down the tray and looked awkwardly at the spilled jumble of food on it, and Antares immediately ran for his father, skidding to a halt in front of him and looking up at him with concern in his eyes. “Daddy, what's wrong?”

But Scrivener only smiled a little, reaching a hoof out to silently ruffle his son's mane. All the same, Antares looked worried, and Luna was standing in the backyard, staring at Scrivener with disbelief or what had happened as Twilight frowned anxiously. But never before had Gymbr been so direct... and the charcoal pony shook his head before he looked down at his son, not wanting to lie, but not wanting to burden him with the truth... so finally, he said softly: “Grown-up stuff. Don't worry, Antares. I'm already feeling better, just seeing you.”

And it was true, as Scrivener smiled a little, then he picked his son up and hugged him impulsively as Antares laughed before the stallion set the colt down in one of the chairs around the table, saying softly: “Go ahead and eat up. I gotta clean up the mess I made by mistake.”

“Okay, Dad.” Antares looked reassured as he smiled after the stallion, and even Twilight seemed more at ease as she gazed softly after the charcoal male. As the violet mare approached the table, Antares glanced over at her with a smile, and then he picked up an apple slice and offered it to her, Twilight looking surprise as the colt said warmly: “You no gotta ask, Twilight. You're family.”

“Don't have to.” Twilight corrected gently, but she smiled a little all the same, her horn glowing as she lifted the apple slice with telekinesis and carried it over to her mouth before she bit into it and said softly: “Thanks, though, Antares. But I guess...”

“Do not guess, know.” Luna said firmly as she approached, nudging Twilight firmly with her shoulder, and the purple mare blushed before the sapphire mare looked softly towards Antares, hesitating only a moment before she asked impulsively: “Does thou know the story that Gymbr wants to share with us?”

Antares looked up in surprise at this, and then it visibly dawned on him why his father had been a little unhappy even as Scrivener poked his head out of the back door and glared at Luna. Luna, however, had all her attention focused on Antares for the moment, cocking her head curiously at the expression on his face before the foal smiled a little, and said softly: “I bet it'll be a sad story. Gymbr has a lot of stories, but a lot of them are sad.”

And with that, Antares quietly put another apple slice in his mouth and chewed slowly, and Luna frowned thoughtfully as Twilight looked at her with apprehension and soft concern, even as new questions began to flit their way anxiously through her mind.

That night, when Scrivener and Luna put Antares to bed, they found Gymbr already waiting for him, the doll as complacent and silent as ever. It unnerved both Luna and Scrivener, but they both tried to resist making a big deal of it... although while Scrivy was helping Antares into his pajamas, Luna poked it with her horn grumpily and uttered a few particularly-nasty threats under her breath.

Afterward, they had gone up to curl up with Twilight. It wasn't long before Celestia had arrived with Scarlet Sage as well, and the group had sat around, talking over everything that had happened as Luna looked jealously every now and then at her older sister, complaining so often about how Odin had never given her a legendary sword.

Scarlet Sage had eventually gone to bed, and the conversation had lapsed into other topics. But soon enough, the four found themselves becoming tired as well. Unnaturally tired, as Luna rested against Scrivener and the stallion fought to stay awake, the two mumbling groggily and harder-hit by the need to sleep as it spilled through both their bodies at once...

Not even Celestia could resist, however, as she slowly lowered her head, understanding dazedly a few moments too late that this tiredness was being forced on them by something, that their minds and bodies were being poisoned with fatigue by magic as Twilight sprawled out, snoring loudly as she collapsed against already unconscious Scrivener and Luna...

And soon, all four were deep in dark, quiet slumber, their bodies curled as if they had been trying to reach out to one-another, to hold one-another close in these last few moments before the darkness claimed them. Around the four, the air seemed to vibrate for a moment, making Twilight's collar and Luna's black pearl gleam strangely... and then quiet, gentle steps approached slowly from down the corridor.

Silver hooves stepped into the room, but when one rose, there was a distinct, strange clicking before it broke apart into a silver, metallic claw that rubbed slowly at its chest. Its coat was gunmetal gray, and its mane and tail were like onyx fire, both twisting slowly of their own accord. Emerald eyes gleamed out of vain and androgynous features before it strode slowly towards the fallen group, as strong wings flapped at the winged unicorn's sides, and its tall, spired horn gleamed blackly.

It was Gymbr, come to life... and tall and statuesque and athletic, not a childish, puffy little doll. The winged unicorn studied the four with fascination as it strode towards them, leaning down over the group before it reached one of its claws forwards, gently playing through Luna's starry mane.

It smiled at the feeling, its features seeming to become more masculine for a moment as it murmured: “We always loved this... to give it, to receive it. Touch; her mane was so vibrant...”

Slowly, Gymbr's claw reached over to Scrivener, squeezing his shoulder gently as it leaned down, then gently shifted him even as the other front hoof split apart in a claw so it could lightly grasp Twilight as well, murmuring: “Twilight, you were our most beloved... and you still are. But Scrivener, you are the sieve through which words pass best. We shall speak to you... but oh, no, wait. Sister, beloved sister...”

Gymbr's smile turned to Celestia before it leaned towards her, reaching out and playing its claws gently through her rainbow mane. The ivory equine stirred a little, but Gymbr only shook its head slowly, murmuring: “Shush now. You do not need to worry. You do not need to fear. Our intention here is not to harm, not to hinder, but to help. You will understand soon enough, so sleep, sister. Sleep...”

Gymbr smiled lovingly at Celestia, and then its emerald eyes roved back to Scrivener as it slipped forwards, gently pinning him back before it leaned down and whispered softly in his ear: “Storyteller. Poet. We do not speak only to you... we speak to Luna as well. You both hear us, do you not? Yes... our story passes on these thoughts easily to Luna Brynhild, and this is good. This is important...”

Scrivener shifted in his sleep as the voice filled his thoughts, and for a few moments, Gymbr was silent before it closed its eyes and began a story. A story that quickly formed images in the minds of Scrivener Blooms and Luna, as they slept in darkness, a story of how love had conquered all... but then greed and avarice and simple foolishness had eclipsed and ruined everything...

The pictures were fuzzy at first, but quickly became coherent images, forming into the shape of Gymbr striding calmly with Twilight on one side and Celestia on the other... except this Celestia had a mane of burning white and gold flames, and was clad in heavy plate mail... and beneath this, she wore gemstones and glittering chain adornments. And Twilight, too, was different: was called Twilight Shadow, and was covered in stitching half-hidden by a thick cloak as her eyes gleamed with both power and undeath.

Around them, a black city filled in: they were walking through the streets, Twilight talking quickly away about something that Gymbr was having trouble paying attention to. Demons, Nibelung, and ponies that had been tainted by darkness strode here and there around them as they headed towards a manse in the distance made of red and black stone... and then Celestia staggered suddenly, and immediately, Gymbr looked towards her with concern, asking worriedly: “Sister? Are you alright?”

“I... I am fine.” Celestia shook her head and smiled a little, and then she turned her head awkwardly away when Gymbr leaned forwards insistently. “It's nothing. I just need another... another...”

She looked awkwardly at Gymbr, but the black-maned winged unicorn only sighed and nodded even as Twilight Shadow looked up nervously, asking quietly: “Are you sure this is the right course of action? Celestia, it's not that I doubt you...”

“I wouldn't blame you if you did.” Celestia replied with a faint smile, lowering her head before she closed her eyes. “I never expected to be here, after all. I never expected that I would make this choice, or want to make this choice, but... here we are. And what choice do we have? I was... I was greedy and allowed my pride to blind me. This is all my fault.”

“No, it is not.” Gymbr said firmly, looking sharply at Celestia, who bowed her head respectfully before Gymbr reached up and squeezed her shoulder, whispering: “It is our fault. We should have thought ahead. But... we were as children. It has been five centuries since we came into existence, and two centuries of which we spent exploring other worlds for challenge and amusement... we could have spent many of those years instead tending to you and to our friends and family. But we did not. We are the ones who failed, who continued to sate our urges upon you and Twilight and the Princesses and all the others we have... done harm to. And now it is too late for us to redeem ourselves, so all we can do... is help... make the process easier.”

Celestia smiled faintly, looking down and murmuring: “You didn't know the process would do this. And... Gymbr, my special, strange sibling, Overlord and God of Equestria, of... me...” She closed her eyes and shivered once. “The only thing that scares me is that now... I have come to desire this.”

Gymbr smiled faintly at this, and Twilight Shadow reached out, touching the black-fire maned winged unicorn's shoulder as she said quietly: “Don't think of it as failing, Gymbr. Think of it as... evolution. Because you have shared so much with all of us... made us all so happy, strong, and powerful.”

The mix of Luna and Scrivener nodded slowly as it closed its eyes and bowed its head forwards for a moment, and then it finally sighed and glanced towards Celestia, saying quietly: “Very well. Then ask me, First Concubine, and I shall finish the process tonight.”

Celestia looked at Gymbr silently, their eyes locking, their horns glowing quietly for a moment in synchronization before she asked softly: “Emperor Gymbr, my beloved, my master... please. Do what you truly desire to me... because it is what I desire, as well.”

There was silence... and then the images broke apart, and Gymbr's voice whispered in the darkness: “And we did. And we enjoyed it. We took pride in it... and even now, take pride in it...”

The images filtered back in, of a massive structure: a black stone castle, enormous and magnificent, with a maelstrom of energy constantly rumbling and crackling away through the sky above it. Demons patrolled the skies, as did terrible spirits... and then Gymbr calmly strode out of the immense archway leading into the front courtyard, followed by the immense shapes of two monstrous black dragons that had to pass single file through the enormous, sixty foot tall open portcullis. But they were nothing compared to the shape that followed; with ivory scales and burning amber eyes, with a wreathing mohawk and fins of aureate flame that burned over its skull, down its long neck, and along its tail, it was a gargantuan Tyrant Wyrm, huge pistons of bone sparking and pumping over its back, writhing tattoos gleaming along its limbs and body, and a terrible ivory horn standing tall from its skull...

And then it glowed bright gold, the light coalescing in a rapid swirl, shrinking and reshaping into the shape of Celestia. She stood with eyes closed as she calmly cracked her neck, her wings spreading and flapping once: over her breast was tattooed the names of Luna and Scrivener Blooms in runes, and along her legs were tattooed other runes of each of the four elements of nature. Finally, sealed tight around her neck was a golden, beautiful collar made of metal and scale, clearly showing where her allegiance lay.

Calmly, she opened now-amber eyes to look over her shoulder at Gymbr, who smiled at her affectionately before Celestia bowed her head forwards and said softly: “I can say with confidence I have never felt so strong, Gymbr. I continue to serve loyally, as First Concubine, now all the more connected with you... as your sword and your shield.”

“You are perfect now, Celestia, flawless...” Gymbr smiled lovingly as it strode forwards, taking the ivory equine's features gently in its claws before leaning forwards and kissing her forehead, and the winged unicorn blushed a little, looking warm and happy as she gazed radiantly up at Gymbr. “We shall tote you as our goddess of war. It may please you to know that Twilight Shadow may even be jealous...”

“Twilight Shadow will always be stronger than me, and more loved than me, as it should be.” Celestia only smiled warmly in response, and then she glanced over her shoulder at the calmly-waiting black dragons before returning her eyes to Gymbr, saying gently: “We won't take long, Gymbr, to push back the Strange Ones. I suppose war with them was inevitable at some point, but it is disheartening to lose their talents.”

“They will only be lost to us until we learn to raise their corpses as loyal servants. They are of a different composition than most living creatures, but it will not take long... and we know that you shall provide us with plenty of raw materials today.” Gymbr smiled as Celestia bowed her head, then the black-maned winged unicorn said lovingly: “Do not fear your instincts. Unlock your passion and pour it into the Tyrant Wyrm's hunger. We look eagerly forwards to the result.”

Again, reality faded to black, and Gymbr whispered: “We were so arrogant. We were so cruel, and merciless, and only now do we know... it made us stupid. It made us placid. It made us vulnerable.”

The world faded back in, to show Gymbr sitting in an enormous throne of platinum, black steel shaped into a line of dark roses that rested along the top of the high-backed chair. On one side sat Twilight Shadow, with Rarity and Spike beside her: but they were both ivory white, bodies like stone, wearing dark clothes and with large fangs and suspicious eyes. Dragon and unicorn were holding hoof and claw... but there was a sense that it was forced, that love had been tainted by something else.

On the other side, Celestia rested in her golden armor... but along with her wings, large pistons of bone still jutted from along her shoulderblades, sparking with energy now and then, and her heavy gear had been modified to accommodate these. And to her side were Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage... but the Princesses both wore collars and were draped in beautiful ornaments and jewelry across bodies that had been strengthened for battle and war, gorgeous and terrible all at once; dedicated to each other, but also to the monster that sat in the platinum throne.

And there were others here; ivory 'Moon Blessed' winged unicorns created by Gymbr to act as loyal, brainwashed servants; Greater Nightmares that were enormous and could comfortably travel through the day as well as night; winged Phooka led by a smiling, smoky equine that resembled Fluttershy and proudly wore a ruby collar around its neck. Countless servants in the massive, sprawling throne room... concubines, warriors, and flat-out monsters.

As Gymbr rested back, it gazed thoughtfully over these gathered... then asked calmly: “Has Pinkamena returned yet? We are eager to see her.”

“Not yet... or at least, I don't think so. Rarity, why don't you go and check with Pinkie Pie?” Twilight smiled kindly over to the unicorn, who looked relieved to have an excuse to leave as she leapt up to her hooves, pulling quickly away from Spike and heading hurriedly to the doors. As she slipped out, Spike relaxed, slumping and closing his eyes before Twilight asked him quietly: “You can't still be angry, can you? Spike, you can't hold this grudge forever.”

“Yes I can.” the dragon mumbled, and then he sighed when she gave him a flat look, gazing silently down at his white-scaled claw. “It's not because she turned me into a Nosferatu Twilight. I... I got over that a long time ago. It's because she promised she never would... and she broke that promise. She loved me, she said, she would never hurt me or betray me, but... she did.”

“Love requires sacrifice and forgiveness.” Gymbr said softly, looking towards the Princesses, as Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage smiled and talked quietly, and every now and then gazed over to the throne: always with adoration, with love, with respect. Princesses... and treasured concubines. “And sometimes love will take you in directions and along paths you did not imagine. We could never order you to forgive her, of course... but we do advise it.”

Spike nodded a little, glancing down before he sighed softly and shook his head, reaching up and grabbing his forehead as he murmured: “I... I know, Gymbr, I do. It's just... it's hard. It's hard because I still love her.”

Gymbr smiled at this, asking gently: “Is there anything we may do to aid you? You are still our friend, after all, Spike.”

Spike smiled back after a moment, glancing up and reaching up to rub awkwardly at his large teeth as he murmured softly: “I know. I know, believe me, I know. And I really appreciate being here, you... already doing so much to help me be comfortable. But I think Rarity and I just need time...”

“Of course. Try and work things out, Spike. Love will make mistakes, and deserves forgiveness.” Gymbr said kindly, and then it looked forwards and added softly: “But if a solution truly cannot be found, we will be glad to aid you and Rarity in finding new paths, as well.”

Darkness again... and Gymbr murmured: “How cruel and foolish we were... thinking of ourselves as the center of the universe, and that we had a right to interfere anywhere and everywhere we desired...”

When the images faded back in, it wasn't in Equestria: it was on the other side of the world, and Gymbr was peacefully resting with Twilight Shadow on the back of Celestia in Tyrant Wyrm shape. She was carrying them through a desert... and around them, Hellhounds and Phooka were drawing on heavy, armored wagons and transports through the sands, while leather-winged Pegasi flew calmly above their heads, grinning sharp-fanged grins. Greater Nightmares and demons followed behind the loose caravan, and behind them strode necromancers and a convoy of living dead...

They were heading towards an enormous stone city, alarm bells already ringing as minotaurs and griffins lined the walls with crossbows and other defenses. Celestia's glowing amber eyes were already focused on this, as she grinned slowly and breathed out a short pall of golden, sparkling mist. “They have no idea what they're up against...”

“And yet they dared to insult us. To speak so derogatorily of us.” Gymbr murmured, shaking its head slowly before smiling, a hoof breaking apart into a silver claw to reach up and stroke the back of Celestia's neck, and the Tyrant Wyrm shivered in visible pleasure. “You may feast upon the city, sweet Celestia. We have promised the glory of battle to our soldiers, but first... let us play the game, like old times. You, ourselves, and Twilight Shadow will attack first, for old times' sake. We will open the way.”

Celestia nodded, looking eager as the Tyrant Wyrm's primal violence flooded through her mind... and when they made the attack, they were merciless. In her Tyrant Wyrm shape, Celestia ripped through the massive, ancient battlements like paper before roaring and breathing out golden flame that melted rock and steel and turned living creatures to solid stone, and Twilight Shadow rained down black lightning and blue fire, corrupting the dead into puppets even as she burned and blasted apart those lucky enough to be killed by her attacks. And Gymbr was an unstoppable force: ripping claws and biting jaws and savaging horn, vanishing into thin air only to reappear in the middle of some other unlucky group of soldiers to tear them apart.

By nightfall, the city was nothing but a burning wreck. Gymbr had gotten the apology it desired from the official who had insulted them at a political meeting last month, and then devoured not his flesh, but his very soul. And then afterwards, the three had taken over a bar that had sustained only minimal damages, and toasted their victory: next, they would move on to the capital of this pathetic little desert country, and burn it down to ensure the message was clear: disrespect would not be tolerated.

They were joined by a fourth figure, to their surprise: a vine-maned but gaunt stallion, dressed in a thick cloak and looking at them with sorrow in his sunken eyes. Sleipnir... and he smiled weakly as looked at Celestia, whispering: “Thou art even more terrifying now than ever before, sister. But I can barely believe that Tyrant Wyrm is thou.”

“It's hard for me to believe sometimes as well, Sleipnir... but it is me.” Celestia replied softly, reaching over and touching her brother's foreleg gently, and he closed his eyes, bowing his head before a softness filled Celestia's eyes as she whispered: “Please. Join us. Things were not meant to be this way... Gymbr, Twilight and I, we all desire to help you, not be your enemy. Pinkamena misses you. We can make you strong again...”

“Thou used to know there was no strength without honor.” Sleipnir murmured, looking down at the table before he sighed quietly and looked up over them silently. “All of thee used to know that. But all of thee are becoming... true monsters. Celestia, I am sad to say that I think thou art already there, and it... disappoints me.”

Celestia only smiled, however, then leaned slowly forwards as Sleipnir looked at her and Gymbr studied them curiously, before the ivory mare, the Tyrant Wyrm in pony shape, whispered softly: “And yet for the first time in my life I am truly happy, for the first time in my life I feel truly free, and for the first time I get to look around, and see that the world I have striven to protect isn't destroying itself. I will be a monster... I will be the greatest monster of all... if it means I can hold onto this feeling, serve and protect my beloved Gymbr, and watch Equestria finally settle into peace, instead of self-destruction.”

Celestia paused, then smiled calmly and stood up before half-pulling Sleipnir to his hooves, saying gently: “This is selfish of me, but come, brother. I want to show you myself what I believe in now. What a 'monster' is capable of.”

Darkness faded in again, and Gymbr whispered: “She was so loyal. She was so good. She was so strong. You must always treasure Celestia, and you must not do to her what we did. We were foolish... and we drowned her in blood and lust and violence...”

Light faded in slowly, and they were in a beautiful garden in the heart of the massive black castle... and Gymbr and Celestia were curled up tightly together, Celestia draped in jewels and chains she smiled softly. They looked almost innocent, as her golden-fire mane flowed slowly around them, and Gymbr quietly stroked along her face... then leaned down, kissing her forehead gently and saying softly: “We shall continue the experiments later today. We shall continue to pour strength into you, and bring you closer to us. Make you more... ours, First Concubine.”

Celestia smiled up at Gymbr, and then the black-fire-maned winged unicorn calmly sat up, hooves clicking apart into claws that rubbed slowly at the grassy garden before it asked in a sudden, hesitant voice: “Are you sure you are alright, sister? Your behavior lately... has been very different. We are concerned we are... pushing too hard.”

“Never.” Celestia smiled across at Gymbr, sitting slowly up herself before she sighed and rolled her head on her shoulders, laughing brightly: and it sounded so happy, so honest, so warm, that it settled the nervousness of the metallic-coated winged unicorn almost immediately. “I'm free, Gymbr. I'm truly, finally free. No more restraint, no more concerns, and filled with passion and power... my Valkyrie nature and the Tyrant Wyrm power you have filled me with have commingled into... something I cannot describe. Something beautiful, and powerful... something... truly free, of anything but desire, and passion, and... my need to be with you.”

Celestia smiled over at Gymbr, and Gymbr smiled back before the images cracked like cheap glass, as Gymbr whispered: “We were happy she said those words. They made us feel strong, and warm, and in our greed, we wanted more. We always desired more. We desired too much... do you understand why we are showing you this, why we are here? Because we started life as living memory and passion... now, we are living regret. And yet we are not without greed: through you, Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild... we will regain all that is lost. We will live through you. But for that to happen... we must first save you. We must save you from Clockwork World. We must save you all from yourselves. We must protect... those who are important to us.

“This is enough for now.” And with that, the images faded as Gymbr drew suddenly, quickly back from Scrivener, the charcoal pony coughing before he opened his eyes... and then stared in shock as his eyes caught a flicker of some unknown, silver and black shape drawing quickly into the corridor, as an echoing voice murmured: “Go back to sleep, Scrivener Blooms... for we are nothing but an autumn dream anyway...”

Scrivener wheezed as he fought against tiredness, but it was a battle he quickly lost as he slumped backwards and his eyes closed... and when next they opened, he was staring dumbly up at Twilight as she leaned over him fearfully, shaking him firmly as she asked worriedly: “Scrivener? Luna? Wake up, something happened!”

The earth pony blinked blearily, looking stupidly up at the violet mare as she leaned over him with concern in her eyes, and then he started awake as Luna leapt up to her own hooves, the sapphire mare shouting immediately: “Gymbr!”

Twilight and Celestia both stared in shock as Luna bolted towards the corridor, and Scrivener scrambled quickly after her, gritting his teeth before Luna plowed into Antares' door, knocking it open. In bed, the foal started awake and squeezed the stuffed toy in his forelegs against his chest impulsively, looking up in shock as Luna leapt forwards... and then staggered stupidly and tripped over her own hooves, whacking her head painfully off the bed frame and leaving a gash in the mattress as Antares sat up and asked in a scared voice: “Mommy? Daddy? What wrong? Hurt?”

“No, no, it's... it's okay.” Scrivener said quickly as Luna laid prone on the floor for a moment, stunned not by the blow, but what she had seen as Antares hugged his stuffed doll close. Scrivener stared at Gymbr... then up at his son, shaking his head in disbelief and amazement before he gave a small smile and whispered: “It's okay, kiddo. See?”

Scrivener gestured quietly at the wall, and Antares turned his head... then stared in awe at the sight of the image that now adorned an entire wall of the child's bedroom. It was a gorgeous, enormous mural, depicting an image from the story Discombobulation had told them all: and every character who had been in the story was standing together, with Gymbr in the center and Scrivener and Luna laying to either side of the creature with smiles on their faces...

Everyone was smiling, everyone was happy, and the sunset in the background by the massive, black castle was depicted so clearly that it seemed to cast a red glow over the entire room. But it was the atmosphere of the mural that drew Scrivener's attention... the fact that everyone depicted, from Odin to Applejack to Gymbr... was smiling. Was serene. Was glad.

And as he reached up and rubbed apprehensively at his head, Luna slowly crawled to her hooves, then glared down at the doll in Antares' forelegs... but before she could yell at it or possibly say anything that would likely upset the already-confused foal as well, Twilight stepped quickly into the room... and then gaped at the wall and whispered: “Like that dream.”

Luna looked sharply over her shoulder at her, and the violet mare blushed a bit, shaking her head embarrassedly and murmuring: “I... that's how I knew something wasn't right when I woke up. I remember bits and pieces of this... wild dream about...”

“What's wrong?” Antares looked up worriedly again, but after a moment, his eyes were drawn back to the painting despite whatever fears were now in the young foal's mind. He studied it for a few moments, and then he suddenly pointed at a large, dark-coated unicorn in the painting and he smiled, saying in a happier voice: “Look! Me!”

Scrivener and Luna both leaned in, looking surprised... and they stared for a few moments in amazement, everything else forgotten at the image of the grinning, confident-looking adult. He was strong, and handsome, horn tall and proud, leather wings half-unfurled as if readying to take flight. He stood near the middle of the group... and he was clearly a much-older Antares, as valiant and confident as Luna had faith he would be when he grew up...

Antares giggled at this, and then he tilted his head back and forth before sitting back and pouting a bit as he murmured: “Can't see the cutie mark...”

But Scrivener only smiled faintly at this, reaching out and touching his son's shoulder as he said quietly: “Some things are best found out on your own, Antares... but your mom and I have every faith in you earning your emblem before you know it... and that yeah. You are going to grow up to be proud, and strong, and... even more.”

Antares smiled up at him, his worries again forgotten, and as Celestia quietly leaned in from the doorway to marvel over the mural silently, Scrivener glanced over at Luna. Tired as he was, with the surprise of the painting on the wall fascinating him, Antares was easily distracted away from his worries and concerns... so finally, Luna sighed and leaned forwards, kissing her son's forehead and gently pushing him back down in bed as she said softly: “Go back to sleep, Antares Mīrus. We were simply... overexcited, I apologize for disturbing thee. Goodnight to thee... and goodnight to Gymbr, as well. I hope both of thee sleep well and behave until morning, and may thee have pleasant dreams, my child. And thou too, retire in thine own fantasies, Gymbr. Which thou shalt keep to thyself.”

Luna glared down at the doll, but Antares only smiled as he settled quietly back, and Scrivener turned to usher the others out. As Antares settled in, Luna continued to glower at the stuffed winged unicorn toy, shivering a bit as she thought of the flash of movement Scrivener had seen, the distinct shape, and the dreams that had spun through their mixed mind... and then she softened as Antares murmured, as the foal snuggled in to sleep: “I love you, Mom. Gymbr... Gymbr does too.”

“I love thee too, Antares. With all my heart and soul, as does thy father.” Luna replied quietly, and then she sighed and reached forwards, flicking Gymbr's plastic horn before turning to leave, quietly closing the door behind her.

She dropped back against the door for a moment, looking moodily up at the roof before shaking her head quickly out with a grumble, and then she sighed and turned to stride moodily down the corridor before Celestia looked up and said quietly: “So we have our answer. Gymbr is indeed alive and sentient... but seems to want to help us.”

“I do not know if I believe that little creature. Nor if accepting its gifts are a good idea...” Luna looked moodily over at Twilight, studying the collar around her neck before her eyes roved towards Celestia, asking quietly: “How much of the dreams did thou see?”

“Enough. Enough to know that...” Celestia quieted and looked away before she glanced down at a hoof, studying it silently. “Imagine, little sister. Me... as such a creature of passion and power, dedicated to you.”

“'Tis terrifying and I would rather not.” Luna shivered a bit, shaking her head briskly as Scrivener smiled faintly and began to stand... but Luna only shook her head, muttering: “I have no head for these horrid conversations at the moment, Scrivener Blooms. Thou should speak to Celestia and Twilight of these events, and I shall put on coffee.”

Scrivener grumbled at her, and then he nodded after a moment before he turned his eyes to the ivory and violet winged unicorns, asking quietly as Luna headed into the kitchen: “Do you need... anything filled in?”

Twilight blushed and looked down, shaking her head as she reached up to rub at her collar slowly, and Celestia smiled a little across at Scrivener Blooms before she asked quietly: “What are you going to do about Gymbr? Do you believe its words?”

“I believe... it wants to tell us a story. And I believe it wants us to believe it, if you understand what I'm saying.” Scrivener hesitated, looking down and closing his eyes. “I can't tell if it's being honestly remorseful or if... it's just trying to get sympathy, so that we'll agree with the... whatever it is, Tulpa, or...”

“Or a version of us from another layer, or our... evil selves, given some sort of life.” Celestia finished calmly, and Scrivener smiled wryly as he nodded a little. “Not that it matters, does it? They may all be different things, but what it specifically is does not matter nearly as much as what it wants.”

“And the fact that it's starting to reveal itself to us now, after all this time. It is starting to explain itself, which means... we just have to be patient and the riddle will be solved.” Twilight added quietly, and the other ponies nodded slowly before Twilight sighed a little and looked awkwardly over at Celestia. “I... I don't know whether I should say that I could never see you doing that, Celestia, or that... I don't believe you did it for the wrong reasons.”

There was silence for a moment as Celestia thought on this... and then she smiled a little over at Twilight, saying quietly: “I much prefer the latter, I think.”

Twilight smiled back and nodded slowly, and there was quiet for a few moments before Scrivener looked up and said finally: “Luna and I both hate to say this, but... we both want to hear Gymbr's story. We both want to know what it has to say, even if it's hard for us both not to simply... charge over and start pummeling it.”

“The damned thing may be getting stronger, though... that, or perhaps it is merely no longer content to be subtle.” Luna muttered from the kitchen, and she poked at the coffeemaker with her horn a bit before bopping the button to turn it on, nodding firmly... then wincing and hurriedly using telekinesis to grab the carafe off the counter and shove it into place.

Then she turned and headed out of the kitchen, looking grumpy as she added moodily: “And perhaps this is childish stupidity but... that mural the creature left upon Antares' wall. It... it reassures me, in ways that I do not quite wish to admit. Perhaps Gymbr even has a role to play in our future battles against Clockwork World, I know not... but...”

She traded a look with Scrivener, and the male nodded slowly as Twilight and Celestia both looked at them, and Luna said softly: “There was no Midnight Hour in the mural, as far as I could see, at least. Nor did daydreamer see him... but as Antares saw, he himself is included.”

“Scrivener, would you mind fetching your notebook that has that section of the story written down in it?” Celestia asked thoughtfully, and Scrivener winced but nodded awkwardly before he turned and headed to his bedroom, and the rainbow-maned mare couldn't help but smile a little as she said softly: “He still doesn't like to share his writing with any of us, does he?”

“'Tis needless, silly, paranoid embarrassment. Scrivy loathes his own writing, even his own paraphrasing of others. 'Tis ridiculous, he is very talented and even more skilled.” Luna said firmly, nodding once, and Twilight smiled softly over at the sapphire mare as Celestia gazed at her sister with warmth and entertainment; her support for her husband's skill was one of the few places where her true dedication and adoration for Scrivener was always clearly revealed.

Luna gave both mares a grumpy look when she caught them gazing at her, and then she shook her head quickly before adding quietly: “But all the same, what I do fear is that Gymbr... whether or not it is regretful... may try to lead us down wicked and sinister paths. In Bob's story... which is really Gymbr's, I suppose... we all... we all made mistakes that were bad enough. But in that fragment of a new saga we have seen...”

Luna looked quietly towards Celestia, who shrugged and looked down, murmuring softly: “I didn't see much clearly, little sister, I will admit: I heard words, as if far away, like they were coming through a wall... making fuzzy, gentle images in my mind, for all their... well, what they were. But from what I did see and hear, it seemed like Gymbr... was regretful.”

“I hope so. But then I think of what it did to my darling daughter, Scarlet Sage...” Luna looked silently towards the Pegasus' room, glad the young mare was still asleep... but Scarlet Sage had always been a heavy sleeper. “She was not changed greatly, but she and Apple Bloom were still... changed a little. Subtly, but all too often a subtle change is so much the more dangerous than a great and visible transformation.”

Celestia nodded slowly, looking down at herself thoughtfully as Twilight reached up and silently rubbed at her collar... but then Scrivener Blooms returned with a notebook before anyone could speak, and Celestia looked up with a small smile, horn glowing and gently lifting this away from the charcoal pony to open it and flick quickly through it.

Then she nodded slowly before reading calmly: “'It is amazing, Scrivener Blooms... how spectacularly we failed. We were given a beautiful, handsome son... and somehow, we molded our savior, our hero... into this.' That's a line of... Luna's dialogue, before Scrivener consumes her to merge their souls.” Celestia halted, then smiled a little, looking up as both soulmates blushed deeply and Twilight looked awkwardly down. “It... is very awkward to think about, yes, to read a story about you, to you both.”

“Makes me wonder if someone out there is reading about us right now.” Scrivener muttered, then he shook his head and added dryly to Luna: “It'd be a really stupid story, though. And pretty embarrassing. I don't want people reading all about my life with you.”

“I... and why not?” Luna glowered at him, then she huffed and shook her head with a grumble, adding grouchily: “But very well, Celestia, what is thy point, before I pummel Scrivener Blooms into unconsciousness?”

“My point is that Gymbr was a merging of Scrivener and Luna, who both saw Midnight Hour first as a savior, who...” Celestia flicked through the pages of the notebook, then read quietly: “'Who had driven the corrupting desires out of the hearts of his own parents with his purity,' before he became a monster. I suspect Gymbr sees Midnight Hour as its ultimate failing... but now your son, Antares, can play that role. The role of redeemer, for everything that Gymbr did wrong... but ultimately, we have to wait and see what Gymbr himself has to say.”

There was silence at this thought, and then Luna simply nodded slowly with a soft sigh, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards as Scrivener sat quietly back and the ponies studied each other. The riddle was on its way to being solved, all the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place, the strings to tie together... but none of them were sure they dared to gaze upon the terrible tapestry that was beginning to form.

Good News, Bad Karma

Chapter Fifty One: Good News, Bad Karma
~BlackRoseRaven

Despite the worries in the air, the questions, the concerns, and everything else, time rolled onwards the same as it always had. Days became weeks, weeks became months, autumn became winter, during which the cottage's upstairs rooms were finally completely furnished and finished off, including a guest room, Twilight's room, and an office where Scrivener migrated his piles and piles of notebooks and papers into. Both Luna and Twilight would often wander up to the last to sort through the charcoal pony's oddly-organized shelves and read the occasional poem or prose piece, much to Scrivener's exasperation.

Winter was mostly a time of settling down: Celestia spent much of it at Canterlot, helping prepare it for the Royal Council to move in now that the city and castle had both finally been completely assessed and declared safe by Illyria and several pony architects whom the dwarf looked disdainfully down on. The Temple of the Sun wasn't going to be abandoned, but Canterlot was the place that symbolized Equestria's dedication to harmony and equality, and therefore it was only fitting that it would once more become the capital and the ruling seat. The Temple, meanwhile, would be converted into serving as a 'historical landmark,' which Luna and Celestia both knew was code for it either being sold to some tycoon or converted into some kind of religious or political institution.

More importantly for Luna and Scrivener and friends, and much more close to home, Rainbow Dash and Applejack had finally had Avalon checked over by a pediatrician. He had examined her up and down, then simply shrugged and gone over their results, not seeming fazed in the slightest as Avalon flew in tight, violent circles along the ceiling of his little office.

She was around half the size she should be for a foal her age, but she was obviously healthy and a good weight for her size. Her bones were strong, her eyes were sharp as hawk's, and she had fast reflexes, and her wings had developed extremely fast even if she clearly hadn't entirely learned how to stop yet.

As the doctor had been reading, Avalon had suddenly dropped out of midair and crashed into his desk, knocking papers and objects flying, but the unicorn had barely looked up, only checking to ensure she was okay before he went back to flipping through his report and Avalon had promptly curled up and gone to sleep. He used this small interruption to step into the next topic, saying he didn't think she was narcoleptic: she just became intensely hyperactive, quickly used up all her energy, and then flopped down when she wanted to sleep and went to sleep. He remarked that it was actually a very impressive quality: he knew plenty of adults who couldn't will themselves to sleep like this foal could.

Her aggressiveness likely stemmed from her hyperactivity: he didn't think she meant to act out, but she got so worked up that it just happened. He thought she would grow out of it and didn't want to prescribe medication to such a young and tiny Pegasus foal, so he suggested coaching, a few help books and techniques they could look into, and giving her a drink of black coffee or something else caffeinated if she started to get really hyper. She would likely grow out of it or learn to control it in time herself, but these things would all help, too.

Rainbow Dash had stared at the last, and then asked incredulously: “You... want us to give her coffee? Dude, this is her on a good day!”

“Who has the medical cutie mark here?” The doctor looked pointedly over his papers, then he shrugged and looked back down at the reports, continuing: “Caffeine has proven to be effective in helping treat certain hyperactive disorders. I recommended black coffee because you want to avoid canceling out the caffeine's effects with sugar, which many colas are loaded with. But I suppose a sugarless brand of cola may work as well, if that's preferable.”

Rainbow had huffed and grumbled as Applejack had looked thoughtful, rubbing meditatively at the underside of her jaw as she asked finally: “Like whiskey on the gums?”

“Legally I can't recommend that for teething.” the doctor replied awkwardly, looking pointedly over his papers at her.

“What? Oh no, Rainbow here would have put me through a wall. Or tried to, anyway.” Applejack grinned a bit over at her husband, who looked distinctly cranky. “Guess we always wanted to... be gentle with her, too, 'cause she's so small. We just used frozen fruit or something, I thought it was silly but it seemed to work right fine. And... about her size...”

“She might have a growth spurt, or she might just stay small, it's hard to say. But even though she is very little, she's very healthy and very strong for her age.” The doctor smiled and nodded to them. “First time parents, right? Well, you're doing a great job. She's very healthy, and even if she likes to yell and fuss, I think she's plenty happy, too.”

Rainbow and Applejack had been reassured by this: they had only asked a few more questions before leaving for home with still-snoozing Avalon. Rainbow Dash flat-out refused to give her coffee, pointing out that anything Luna drank could not be good for a child, but they had tried giving her sugarless cola, and both of them had noticed a significant improvement in her mood as well as her settling down after a few days of trying this out, no longer zooming around violently, but buzzing happily around and being much more responsive to her surroundings.

Avalon still had hyperactive fits and still worked herself up, but she was much easier to deal with over the course of the day, once she'd had her cola and the caffeine wended its way into her system. And of course both parents were more glad than they could say that there was nothing wrong with her, despite the fact she was still tiny.

As winter drew onwards, Cowlick experimented further with technology, sometimes getting Twilight and others to work with her, having Scrivener test her gear, or working with Nibelung to both enchant objects and put together complex mechanics. She also had Rarity and Spike helping her put together new, upgraded lightweight armor, reminding them all of the days of the Starlit Knights.

Fluttershy had the animal care center up and running, and she spent a lot of her time there, working with all sorts of creatures that ranged from domesticated, cute little puppies to enormous, feral marsh drakes. Nirvana was almost always beside her... and she had reached out to other Phooka as well, getting the animalistic creatures to help with work around the building, whether it was patrolling, calming animals or even helping with cleaning and other duties... things that helped prove that however bestial they seemed, there was still something to them that was plenty... if not civilized, then pony-like, for lack of a better term.

Fluttershy had also gifted a pet to Sleipnir and Pinkamena... a gift that Sleipnir bragged constantly about to Luna to make her fume, as a matter of fact, as he showed off his Hellhound puppy. An insane and yet perfect gift for the equally-insane couple, that currently looked more like a little black dog with a bare skull: as it grew up, the rubbery, black skin would separate to reveal more of its bones, and it would take on a more demonic appearance, but for now Kǫttr had to grow up into his demonic heritage.

Since Hellhounds were trained by demons as guards and hunters, and Pinkamena was a demon while Sleipnir was... Sleipnir... the Pegasus had been willing to take a risk and attempt to start training the puppy. She had hurriedly taught it not to bite or breathe on things, and it had responded well to her training: only time would tell as it grew older, but Sleipnir had fallen in love with it the moment he'd seen it and Pinkamena had grudgingly accepted it into their family. They had to be careful not to excite the Hellhound too much, since it had a tendency to start breathing blue, freezing fog over everything, but Fluttershy helped regularly with training it and socialized it with both ponies and other animals. With her talents and Sleipnir and Pinkie Pie both constantly nurturing the puppy, it was quickly turning from a demonic hunting hound to a playful, happy, silly housepet. A housepet that Pinkamena had direly wished she'd named herself: Sleipnir had already had the tags made and a cute, red-ribbon collar fitted on the Hellhound by the time Luna told her that the name he'd chosen meant 'cat.'

Over winter, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage's relationship matured: as the young mares themselves grew older, they found themselves growing closer in the months that passed, learning more about one-another, sharing more and more as well. Sometimes, their families would even get together: Avalon – particularly a calmed-down Avalon – was fond of Antares, and Antares adored the Pegasus foal as well.

Once, Rainbow Dash had even commented cheerfully, while watching the kids playing in the snowy orchard with Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage: “Funny, you know? Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage seem pretty damn tight... and I look at Avalon and Antares...”

“Oh, don't even start.” Scrivener snorted and nudged the Pegasus as he laughed and grinned widely. “They're way, way too young for that.”

“Yeah, well, we'll see.” Rainbow winked at him, raising his bottle of beer, and then he paused and glanced thoughtfully out the window. “I wonder if our kids will take after us. You know. Marrying ponies who like to hit them and boss them around.”

“Horses of Heaven I hope not.” Scrivener said mildly, and then Luna had thrown a mug at him and hit him in the back of the skull, sending his forehead cracking into the window and almost knocking him out. This resulted in Luna staggering stupidly on the spot even as she'd given a donkey laugh in victory as Applejack had glowered at her and Rainbow laughed.

Celestia had invited Luna and family for Hearth's Warming Eve at Canterlot, but Luna had pointedly refused, and then instead invited Celestia to attend Hearth's Warming Eve in Ponyville. The play would be much smaller and held in a gathering hall that would likely be packed with cranky parents, but Celestia had gladly accepted all the same and, the night before Hearth's Warming Eve, snuck out of Canterlot to head to Ponyville.

It was a pointed little bit of mischief that delighted Luna more than she could say, and even Celestia seemed pleased with herself. All the same, she had covered her actions up by asking questions about Gymbr... but the doll had once more gone dormant, just a child's toy that Antares dragged around incessantly with him everywhere they went.

The play had been horrible, and Luna had loved every moment of it. Half foals and half overzealous adults, it had been a mess from the start, but Luna had watched with shining eyes all the same, and Celestia had seemed to adore herself how hard everypony had been trying. That, and she was able to just sit and be part of the crowd here, instead of sitting in the cramped balcony seats reserved for nobles, looking down from above at ponies who always tried too hard to impress her and often ended up ignoring the audience.

Celestia had been forced to head back to Canterlot afterwards, knowing that by now there were likely all kinds of people looking for her. But she had promised to visit soon as she'd traded hugs with Luna and her family outside the gathering hall, then headed quickly back to Canterlot; a place that wasn't her home, but only where she was stuck for now, and Luna smiled at this thought.

Winter Wrap Up, another old Equestrian tradition they had kept on – although it mostly amounted to a lot of shoveling snow and a day off, and little else with how wild the nature of this world was – came and went, during which Luna cheerfully tried to help clean up and had only made things messier. Scrivener was only glad they hadn't been thrown out of Ponyville, but at the same time was well aware the only reason that hadn't happened was because of Luna's proven tendency to throw around fire and lightning and her hooves.

Winter vanished, and spring blossomed: warmth and affection was in he air, as growing-up ponies fell in and out of love and lust. And then exciting news came, as Spitfire and Soarin' of the Wonderbolts had come knocking on Rainbow Dash's door with an offer that he couldn't turn down.

Rainbow was happy with his family, much as he loved flying and remembered with fond nostalgia the days he'd spent with the Wonderbolts. But going on tour with them would be too hard with a family... and moreover, he wasn't about to abandon Ponyville or his friends with the threat of Clockwork World looming over them.

But Spitfire had a special request for him, and it came from Celestia herself: she wanted him to perform with the Wonderbolts at Canterlot's Grand Restoration Celebration, which was being held to honor its completion and reinstatement as the capitol of Equestria in two weeks' time. It was short notice, but Celestia had asked for it herself, as Spitfire eagerly repeated... and before Rainbow could even turn around, Applejack had hugged him from behind, them smiled over his shoulder, saying softly: “Go for it, Dashie.”

So Rainbow had left immediately... and unsurprisingly, tickets had been sent to Ponyville to all of Rainbow Dash's friends and family for the gala and the airshow. Rarity gleefully went about figuring out what outfits to put together for everyone, although some – such as Luna – only groaned and refused to wear anything fancy. “'Tis a silly... dance and show, 'tis not... bah! If anyone dares complain that I am not all gaudily dressed I shall simply set the punch bowl aflame again.”

“I still don't know how you managed to do that.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna huffed at him grumpily before the earth pony reminisced: “I miss those days sometimes. When the hardest thing I had to do was babysit you around Canterlot and pretend I was teaching you how to talk... and I used to think that you were badly-behaved back then.”

“Aye, I know. Thou wert an idiot. As a matter of fact, thou still art an idiot.” Luna agreed cheerfully, and Scrivener glowered at her before she flopped onto her back as Antares giggled from across the room, watching his parents adoringly as he looked up from the book Twilight was going over with him. “But I love thee, my idiot, so do not change. Beetle.”

The time to the Restoration Celebration passed quickly, and all too soon Luna found herself striding cheerfully into town wearing her armor, Scrivener feeling awkward but wearing his own gear as well, and with his platinum collar gleaming around his neck. The invitation had said specifically formal attire was to be worn, and Luna was prepared to argue to Helheim and back that her armor counted as 'formal,' and was determined to drag Scrivener along with her. Antares, at least, seemed to already be enjoying himself: the foal was riding on his father's back, giggling quietly in a cute, simple little suit that Rarity had put together for him. Originally, Scrivener and Luna had just been going to dress him in the tuxedo he had worn to the wedding... but then they had shortly realized that Antares had grown quite a bit since then when they hadn't been able to even squeeze him into the suit jacket.

Scrivener was also wearing a pack filled with their 'necessities:' Gymbr, a camera, a blank notebook and some pencils and quills, and a few cans of cola. Luna had argued that since Avalon was already drinking cola, they could give it freely to Antares, as well, ignoring Scrivener when he pointed out Avalon wasn't 'freely given' cola, but given measured doses to stop her from going hyperactive and ballistic.

Twilight was walking with them, wearing a simple black dress ornamented with stars, accenting her collar and her black rose and crescent moon earrings of onyx. Scrivener couldn't help but sneak another glance at her as they headed through the gates of the village and towards town square, and Twilight smiled at him when she caught this before the charcoal earth pony said finally: “What? I'm just amazed that you... you know... clean up nice, as they say.”

“Oh, shut up, Scrivy.” Twilight laughed and shook her head, then she smiled as she drew her eyes over his armored body, adding with amusement: “But you know, you look much less like a mare wearing that all that gear. Then again, so does Luna.”

“Yeah, but Luna doesn't have very far to go.” Scrivener said before he could stop himself, and then he winced when Luna bopped him firmly with her horn, making him huff and shake his head quickly as he grumbled: “I'm suddenly regretting not wearing my helm.”

“I am not. Helms are stuffy. Thou art stuffy. Everything is stuffy.” Luna grumbled, and then she looked ahead as they strode into the square in front of the library, adding curiously: “Scrivener Blooms, do mine eyes deceive me, or do we have a guest ahead I most certainly did not expect?”

Scrivener glanced up curiously... and then he nodded after a moment, saying in a surprised voice: “What the hell is he doing here?”

Up ahead, Sleipnir – dressed in his own heavy breastplate, although Pinkamena had apparently decided to forgo any attempt whatsoever to even pretend she cared about the formal clothing rule and just had a black bow tie at the side of her neck – was talking animatedly to Kvasir. A few other ponies standing around were looking at him curiously: from the fact he was wearing an ugly green suit it was fairly obvious he intended to come with them to the gala. The polymorphed unicorn looked grouchy as he sat back on his haunches, but like he was grudgingly attempting to listen to Sleipnir.

Then the vine-maned earth pony looked up before brightening further at the sight of Luna approaching sitting back and waving a hoof as he called cheerily: “Family, there thou art, the sun is nearly set and I was beginning to wonder where thou all were! And see, my sweet phoenix, look there! Just as I said, armor is considered formal wear!”

“No it ain't, Nightmare Moon just doesn't give a crowbait's flank about Princess Sunshine's rules.” Pinkamena retorted, and then she reached up and grumpily pushed at her bow-tie. “Stupid ponies and all their stupid social rules. Social lies is more like it. No wonder sissy loves parties so much, she always did love to make-believe with all her imaginary friends.”

“Did she and Applejack go on ahead already?” Twilight asked curiously, as she looked back and forth over the crowd: Rarity and Spike waved to her with smiles, and Fluttershy was standing with Nirvana, who looked very grumpy in the simple clothing he was wearing, and Cowlick was fussing over Ross as he sat with a happy smile... and of course, grumpy, moody-looking Kvasir. “And where's Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage?”

Pinkamena's response was to blow a raspberry at her, and then Fluttershy turned towards them, answering gently: “Applejack left earlier with Avalon, so they could speak to Rainbow before the show. Big Mac went with them, too... and Scarlet Sage wanted me to let you know, Luna, that she and Apple Bloom were going to fly over, and I think they already left, too. If I may say so, your daughter is really very strong... it's such a long distance, but she can carry Apple Bloom with ease through the air.”

“See, Scrivy? 'Tis cute, not horrible!” Luna said positively, grinning over at the earth pony as Fluttershy only tilted her head curiously, and then the sapphire mare huffed and flailed a hoof a bit. “Oh, worry not. For some odd reason Scrivener simply takes issue with when I demand to go for a flight and he rides upon my back.”

“I bet he rides upon thee often, little sister. Very often indeed.” Sleipnir said seriously, and then he paused before giggling behind a hoof as Pinkamena sighed, and then the vine-maned stallion quipped: “Although I certainly do not blame him if he says he's afraid of riding thee!”

The demon looked up at her husband as Luna glared at him, and then both Sleipnir and Pinkamena burst into laughter, falling against each other as Luna groaned and threw her head back. “Oh, this is just what I need! A pair of meddlesome idiots instead of just one!”

After a few more minutes, during which Meadowlark and her parents showed up – Engelhart glaring at Luna the whole time, but Meadowlark prancing cheerfully over to chat with Antares when the unicorn foal leapt down from his father's back – the group of ponies assembled itself and headed to the train station to catch a special express straight to Canterlot. Antares stared out the window in awe the entire time as they rolled along the tracks, and Scrivener and Luna sat back as the winged unicorn rested her head on his shoulder, Twilight gazing at them softly from across the table, one of her hooves out... and when Scrivener and Luna slid their hooves forwards to gently grasp hers, she didn't pull away despite the fact it was a public car, and there were more than just friends around.

When they rolled into the station, they were greeted by Royal Guards in dress uniform, welcoming ponies cordially and motioning them on their way. When Luna and Scrivener stepped out in their armor with Sleipnir, however, the guards had saluted sharply and snapped to attention, and Luna had slowly made a moue of distaste before Sleipnir exclaimed in horror: “Damnation, Luna! Celestia has obviously expected this from us, and laid traps to ambush us... but nay, I shan't let her undo my fun! Pinkamena, with me! She shan't take us alive!”

And with that, Sleipnir had turned and bolted straight into a line of guards to send them scattering like bowling pins in front of an 'Employees Only' door before ramming through this, and Pinkamena had shrugged before following after her husband with a grin. Scrivener and Luna had both awkwardly stared after the vine-maned stallion as most of the ponies had simply stood dumbly on the platform, and then the charcoal earth pony had finally commented wryly: “I don't like that your brother makes my relationship with you feel normal, Luna. Boring, even.”

They had made their way into Canterlot, where ponies were already milling through the halls, marveling over the restored castle, chatting with each other, and following clearly-marked tour routes. Celestia herself was nowhere to be seen, but Luna was quick to scout out an open ballroom with a fully-stocked buffet and dining tables set up around the area.

Luna helped herself to a few treats, but before she could eat too much, a messenger arrived, bearing a message from Celestia. It said to meet her at the rear of the castle as soon as possible; so, after Luna ate a few more pastries, they had gone, if only because Luna was curious as to what Celestia they would be seeing tonight: Politician Celestia or Valkyrie Celestia. And admittedly, Luna was curious why all the guards kept saluting her and were letting her brazenly strut around, doing anything she wanted, as Antares stared with awe around the castle.

When they found Celestia, she was wearing only her engraved peytral plate and her golden coronet, sitting in the empty rear hall at the back of the castle in front of the open doors leading down into the enormous city. She studied them as they walked towards her, Twilight casting an awkward look at the two armored ponies she was with as Scrivener cleared his throat lamely. Luna was only grinning, however, and Celestia looked at her meditatively for a few moments before she said finally: “Somehow I knew you'd wear your armor, if only to irritate me. The funny thing is, Luna, it irritates me for a completely different reason than you might think. I wish that I could wear my armor, too.”

“Well, then go put it on!” Luna encouraged, nodding rapidly and smiling up at her older sibling, cyan eyes bright and cheerful. “Let them see thee, Celestia, let them see thee and embrace thee for who thou truly art!”

“Luna, it's not that simple. I wish it was, but...” Celestia gave a flat look at Luna's pointed glare, and then the ivory winged unicorn asked mildly: “If I show up to a joyous celebration in full armor with Tyrfing on my back, and then give my planned speech about how I hope to bring joy and prosperity back to Equestria, what do you think is going to happen?”

“Oh, that could be taken badly, yes. But I do like the whole 'armor and sword on your back' part.” Scrivener said helpfully, and Celestia gave him an amused look as Luna grinned over at him and Twilight smiled in spite of her best efforts not to, Antares giggling quietly beside her. “Honestly, though, Celestia, I... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I agree with Luna for once. Do what makes you comfortable. None of us here want to see you getting so caught up with trying to serve your people that... you lose who you are. Because that won't help anyone... these ponies look up to you because of who you are at heart, not just because... well...”

“Because of my talent for politics?” Celestia smiled slightly, and Scrivener nodded awkwardly as Luna nodded much faster. “Sometimes I do wonder, though... after all, how many ponies have actually seen... who I am, at heart? Not many.”

“They haven't seen it, Celestia, but... they know all the same.” Twilight said quietly, looking up with a small smile, and Celestia tilted her head curiously at this before the violet mare glanced down, blushing a little. “They know... and I know... and... believe in you, that in your heart, you would always do anything it took to protect Equestria.”

“Almost anything.” Celestia smiled a little after a moment, nodding and gazing softly over the ponies in front of her: Twilight Sparkle, Luna, Scrivener Blooms, and Antares. “I don't believe that... I could ever do anything that would harm any of you. Even if it meant putting my country at risk... and that, admittedly, is also why...”

Celestia quieted, then shook her head and instead smiled down at Antares, asking quietly: “What do you think, nephew? What do you think I should do?”

“I think you should be yourself, Aunt Tia. That's what everypony is always telling me to do, after all... that's what Mom and Dad always do.” Antares answered without hesitation, gazing up at the ivory winged unicorn warmly. “Maybe it's silly, but... I don't think I ever really understood why adults tell foals to behave one way and then act another themselves.”

The Baroness nodded at this, gazing softly down at the colt before she replied gently: “Because sometimes we adults forget to listen to our own advice, and that we're responsible for our own actions. Sometimes ponies forget that... that we have to supervise ourselves before we supervise others.”

Antares nodded a few times, looking up at Celestia before Luna said softly, glancing over at her son with a quiet smile: “And that, Antares, is why I entrust so few to teach thee... for there are precious true from whom thou can learn the most important lesson of all, and that is honor in all things. But we are fortunate...” Luna gazed up at Celestia warmly, meeting her sister's eyes quietly. “For there is such a concentration of honor in Ponyville and in our own home that it shames even Valhalla. Is that not right, big sister?”

Celestia only smiled faintly, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards, looking truly touched before Luna sniffed disdainfully and leaned past Celestia to peer out at the dusky evening sky. “But I am growing bored. When is this mighty airshow, Celestia? Where is it taking place, 'tis night now, thou cannot have an airshow at night!”

“I like how you think that's going to be a problem, Luna.” Celestia replied with an amused look, and then she turned with a smile, glancing thoughtfully up at the sky. “But I think we can head out to the field now. The airshow will start soon.”

“Excellent. Come along then, family.” Luna nodded firmly, then she followed Celestia curiously as the ivory winged unicorn strode out through the open rear doors, pausing before she asked curiously: “Celestia, I have a question: why are all thy pretty, frilled-up guards being so kind to us? I fully expected to be in a brawl by now and 'tis most disappointing.”

“Apart from the fact they all know you're my sister, Luna, and that in and of itself is more than enough to make them hesitant to raise a hoof against you, whatever you might do...” Celestia paused, then she smiled over her shoulder as she turned down a cobbled side path leading away from the road, adding easily: “I may have also taken the liberty of telling them you were my chosen Champion, as well.”

Luna snorted in amusement at this, blushing a bit as Celestia led them along the walls of the castle, the sapphire mare saying hurriedly as Twilight, Scrivener and Antares traded warm looks: “Bah, Celestia... thou... 'twas in the past, and 'tis... 'tis insulting that thou thinks I need... I mean, that thou would give me a title merely so I could pass by thy guards...”

“Maybe I didn't do it for you, then, but rather, I did it for them.” Celestia gazed ahead, looking both entertained and a little playful as she continued calmly: “After all, Luna, as you're always making so clear... you've very glad to 'pummel' anything that gets in your way. I just needed to make sure that the soldiers didn't give you a reason to take your frustrations out on them.”

Luna snorted in amusement at this, and then she shook her head and looked meditatively at Celestia's back, saying finally: “I do not know if I like thee more or less this way. Thou art a frustrating creature, Celestia. Choose one personality and stick with it, or I shall pummel thee horribly.”

The ivory mare laughed at this, shaking her head slowly and replying kindly: “We've been over this, Luna. I'm still in the process of... adjusting, learning who I am. I spent-”

“Oh not this again. Shut up, Celestia, go get thy sword. I like it when thou has thy sword. 'Tis like thy security blanket or some-such, thou art always far more pleasant when thou has a weapon of some kind on thee.” Luna looked with amusement over at her older sibling, shaking her head with a slight smile. “Thou art like Antares if my son had hidden anger issues.”

Antares giggled at this comparison, and Celestia gazed warmly over her shoulder, replying softly:” No. I think that Antares is growing up already to be far, far better than me, Luna.”

Luna gave her big sister a look that was somehow both exasperated and joyous at the same time, as they continued in quiet down the cobbled path. Scrivener gazed back and forth as they walked, over the ivy-covered trellises that rested alongside the tall stone walls of the castle, and at the blossoming trees that speckled the gentle slope along the other side of the path. And as they strode onwards, Scrivener couldn't help but look up as he realized the sky here seemed... bright, the night sky like a solid black ceiling countless feet above. Scrivener and Luna both smiled up at this as they strode through an archway flanked by guards standing at sharp attention, heading onto a fenced-in, wide grassy plateau. Bleachers had been erected throughout the field and small platforms had been built here and there, upon which rested immense spotlights.

Twilight gazed with fascination through the area, then up at the sky above, saying softly: “The stars seem... brighter somehow, and... are those clouds glowing?”

Luna snorted in amusement as her eyes found where Twilight was looking: here and there, marking the edges of the performance area in the sky above, there were strange, spherical-shaped cloud masses pulsing with soft light. Together, they created a gentle glow, like morning sunlight, enough to help light up the sky without being blinding or distracting. “Kirin lanterns?”

“Magic that I learned a long time ago, from the cloud cities I visited before I met Sleipnir.” Celestia smiled over her shoulder to Luna, then she gestured quietly to them. “Come. Our seats are at the front.”

The ponies followed gladly, Antares gazing around with fascination at the sky, the spotlights, the fancily-dressed ponies, as they walked down the aisle between the seats. “So what's gonna happen? What's an airshow like? Do we have to do anything?”

“All you gotta do is watch, sugarcube.” called a familiar voice, and the ponies smiled as they rounded to the front of the bleachers, and they found Applejack relaxing back with a grin, Big Mac beside her with Avalon in his lap. Her dress was a little rumpled, and Scrivener smiled amusedly as he realized the tuxedo Big Mac was wearing was the same one he'd worn for Nightmare Night.

Avalon was bouncing a little, a straw in her mouth and a sippy cup clutched tight between her little hooves, but she looked peaceable as Antares scrambled over to wiggle up between AJ and her brother. Big Mac smiled and scooted over, gently sitting Avalon beside Antares, and the Pegasus foal smiled at him before she spat out the straw and offered it to Antares: the colt giggled at this, but leaned forwards and happily took a sip of the cola himself, as Avalon said cheerfully: “Daddy show!”

“Yeah, it's gonna be great, your Dad's an amazing flier!” Antares agreed enthusiastically, and the foals smiled at one-another as the adults sat down along the front of the bleachers, talking as animatedly as their children with the growing excitement in the air.

Soon, the rest of the bleacher section was filled up, and Luna gazed warmly over his shoulder: confused-looking Nirvana who all the same was staying loyally by Fluttershy's side, Rarity and Spike with Sweetie Belle and hyperventilating, overexcited Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage, Pinkie Pie, Pinkamena and Sleipnir up near the back and top, the vine-maned stallion with an enormous cone of cotton candy in either hoof and looking delighted as he shouted cheerfully down the bleachers: “Celestia! 'Tis amazing!”

Cowlick and Ross were over at one of the spotlights, the engineer looking relieved to get to play with something mechanical despite the dress she was wearing and kept stumbling over, and other ponies were scattered throughout the crowd. They recognized a few faces here and there: quasi-celebrities like Vinyl Scratch, members of the Royal Court, and a few lucky, normal ponies who had been fortunate enough to get their hooves on tickets one way or the other. It was quite a gathering... and then Luna frowned thoughtfully before she looked at Celestia and asked curiously: “Where is Kvasir? The odd... whatever-he-is arrived with us upon the train.”

“Odin informed me that he would be attending, yes... but in all likelihood, he went to the royal library.” Celestia replied, then she smiled a bit and glanced over her shoulder towards the castle, not far in the distance. “I think he's trying hard, Luna, to be more like us. It's not entirely his fault that he is... the way he is.”

“Aye, I understand, worry not.” Luna grumbled a little, and then she shook her head and added meditatively: “I suppose the fact alone that he is here is impressive enough, but the silly fool should be out here, not... hiding away inside the castle.”

Celestia opened her mouth to respond, but she was cut off as trumpets blared from the front of the field, attracting the attention of all present as a unicorn in a suit stepped forwards with a wide grin, shouting cheerfully: “Are you all ready for the greatest show in Equestria? Tonight, and tonight only, we present... the Wonderbolts!”

The unicorn flicked his horn upwards, and fireworks erupted into the air behind him, bursting upwards in a wild explosion of neon colors before five figures tore across the sky in smooth V-formation, as spotlights snapped into life around the field and further lit up the night sky. They left streaks of smoke and lightning behind them as they flew, before twisting and flying neatly upwards as a sixth figure shot into the sky, a blazing trail of rainbow light in his wake.

Avalon began to yell and cheer immediately, and the rest of the crowd was soon cheering as well as Rainbow Dash shot into place beneath the five figures, grinning brightly, dressed in the same blue and yellow uniform and thick goggles as the others were. With the lights shining up and around them, they were easy to see amidst the black ceiling of the starry sky, and ponies cheered and shouted before the six shot suddenly upwards in an arrowhead formation.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, even as they broke off one-by-one to twist through the air, performing sharp stunts and acrobatics as ponies cheered and clapped for them. The show was spectacular, the energy in the air building as they moved with precision and dedication to their work, and Applejack and Avalon were both yelling and cheering for Rainbow with all their hearts.

And then, as the five Wonderbolts went into a synchronized, upwards spiral and Rainbow shot between the circle of ponies, getting into the ready position to perform a sonic rainboom, there was a rumble through the air... and then something moving terribly fast ripped through one of the cloud lanterns above before veering sharply and smashing into a second glowing cloud. Rainbow froze, staring at this, even as the Wonderbolts continued to move upwards for a moment... but then the Pegasi halted in midair with yells of surprise as the glowing clouds both erupted in massive explosions of lightning and terrible, poisonous purple-black smoke, the crowd below gasping as Celestia leapt off her bench seat and Luna's eyes widened in horror.

That rapid-moving shape tore through another cloud lantern, and it erupted a moment later as the Wonderbolts tried to organize themselves and Rainbow shot forwards. A pair of Pegasus Guard took to the air as the crowd yelled and rambled, staring up disbelievingly... and then the dark, fast-moving shape shot down, and a moment later, both Pegasus Guard were knocked from the skies in a thunderous boom, crumpling to the ground.

That sent the crowd into full panic, and Celestia snarled as the bleachers hurriedly began to empty. Soldiers began to run forwards as Rainbow Dash shot down, looking back and forth for the unknown assailant before he gritted his teeth and turned as he spotted something... only for his eyes to widen in horror, pointing and shouting: “Spitfire, watch out!”

Spitfire turned almost too late, and then her eyes widened before she ducked as a metallic, enormous bird tore by, its talons just missing her head. The Wonderbolts shot hurriedly down as Rainbow looked back and forth with horror... and then he glanced up in shock as a cruel, sharp female voice shouted mockingly from above: “What's wrong? You shorn-wing sissies not used to sharing the sky with real fliers?”

Rainbow looked sharply up, snarling as his eyes locked on a Pegasus high above, before the color drained from his face as the figure dropped lower with a cruel, wide grin. The interloper's wingspan was enormous, much larger than a normal Pegasus', and she was wearing horrific-looking black armor that covered her from hooves to neck: the thick, gleaming metal armor was covered in pockmarks and scars... and much worse, sharp fringes, almost every plate seeming to curl upwards like jagged puzzle pieces with barbed and blade-like edges. As if that wasn't enough, thick thorns and spikes jutted here and there from the armor, at first in what looked like no possible discernible pattern... but when the Pegasus mare did a showy little spin, it became all too clear: the cutting spikes were arranged in spiraling lines across her full plate mail.

Her hair was cut messy and short, dark and drab: purples, blacks, sick colors, diseased colors, just like her coat was a terribly-pale blue, run through with black, pulsing veins. But her eyes had a terrible, glowing-red vitality to them... and Rainbow's mouth went dry as he whispered: “Oh god... you're...”

“I am Courage, Opener of Paths!” The Clockwork Pony grinned viciously, revealing teeth that had been replaced by jagged metal as it posed sharply... and on either side of it, immense Thunderbirds flew in and hovered ominously, the massive metal birds sparking and glaring as Rainbow Dash snarled and set himself, before he looked down sharply as he heard a terrible, awful wailing rising up. “Don't worry, though, Rainbow Dash. I brought enough toys for everyone to play and have some fun.”

Below, the attention of the Royal Guards had been diverted from above to the field by Clockwork Monsters tearing through the fencing around the field, pushing towards the castle. Celestia was already on her hooves, staring in horror as wailing Hobby Horses, shapeshifting drones, and other terrible monstrosities pushed forwards, and Luna snarled as she and Scrivener leapt to their hooves.

Then Celestia shook her head, looking over her shoulder at the panicking crowd running for the castle doors, and she turned her eyes forwards, shouting to the guards: “Retreat to Canterlot! Get the civilians inside!” She paused, then looked sharply at Luna, saying curtly: “I trust in you to cut off the serpent's head. Twilight, I need your help here, to protect the foals and the civilians!”

“Go Twilight, protect my son!” Luna shouted over her shoulder as she ran into the field, Scrivener following quickly behind her. Twilight stared after them, but Luna turned her eyes ahead, even as she added firmly: “I trust in thou.”

Twilight nodded after a moment when Celestia gave her a half-imploring, half-ordering look, and she turned to quickly pick up Antares, the foal looking purely horrified... before her eyes widened when Applejack snarled at the sky and snapped: “Look! The coward's running!”

Courage was laughing as she flew backwards, forelegs spread as she mocked Rainbow Dash: “Come and get me, if you really think you're the best flier in Equestria... prove it, Rainbow Dash! I know all about you though... look at you, disgusting freak, nothing but a comedy act and a coward who would do anything to run away from her problems...”

Courage grinned wider as Rainbow snarled at this, eyes blazing before the Clockwork Pegasus corkscrewed upwards, then dropped backwards in a controlled fall, wings flapping once to angle herself to shoot past the plateau, past the fields, and into the gorge beyond. “I bet you don't have the balls to find out what real freedom, real adventure is!”

“Shut up and get back here!” Rainbow Dash shouted, shooting forwards and past the Thunderbirds: immediately, Spitfire tried to fly after him, but the Thunderbirds clawed at her and lunged into her way, one of them giving a predator's shriek before they dove viciously towards Spitfire and the other Wonderbolts.

Luna snarled up at this sight as she dropped back to the ground to follow after Rainbow Dash and , then she turned her eyes ahead as a Hobby Horse stepped into her path, screaming, and the winged unicorn staggered as her vision was obscured by a flurry of red and black.

Then Scrivener lunged past her, snarling and ramming into the Hobby Horse, knocking it clanking backwards and silencing it before he seized the enormous gear that acted like a wheel in place of its front legs and roared as he hefted upwards, flipping the creature onto its back. Its rear legs spasmed, and Luna ran hurriedly past before Scrivener followed, trampling over the metallic monstrosity as the ponies pushed through the surging throng... and to their surprise, were joined a moment later by Applejack and Big Mac, as the goldenrod mare shouted: “That's my husband! I ain't letting him fight that thing alone!”

Celestia, meanwhile, had already sent Sleipnir and Pinkamena into the castle to secure it, and Twilight to gather up the civilians and bring them all into one of the central ballrooms: the surviving Guard were taking up defensive positions at the now-barred doors. They would hold back the invasion as long as they could, as Celestia gritted her teeth: she had already sent out the order to lock down Canterlot and to secure and protect the civilians before all else.

Celestia hurried to her quarters, slamming through the double doors and flicking her horn as she entered her bedroom; in a golden swirl of light, her armor was torn from where it was kept on a heavy rack, the ivory mare rearing back as it locked quickly over her body. Belts tightened, clasps locked, and plates snapped into place before she flicked her horn a second time, Tyrfing lifting free from where it rested in a rack above her bed before slamming into place across her back, lightning sizzling as it was locked into place by magic.

She turned quickly, striding back out into the hall, her mind already processing what was going on. This was completely different from the other Clockwork attacks they had suffered so far, in every possible way: in fact, it seemed almost like...

A massive explosion rocked the castle, interrupting her thoughts, and Celestia looked up sharply before screams echoed down the corridor. She charged forwards as she snarled, skidding around a corner before her eyes widened at the sight of a Royal Guard collapsing in his death throes, a sword buried through his chest.

The sword tore back, surrounded by a ghostly aura: the same as the blue aura that surrounded a massive kite shield, floating in front of a pony. Or at least, she thought it was a pony: its body was layered in thick, silver plate mail that glimmered with the same aura, with a large, thick collar filled only with blackness: the pony, like its almost-identical compatriots behind it, had no head.

Yet all the same it turned towards her, the empty darkness inside its collar seeming to stare as the kite shield rose in front of it, marked with the black profile of a dragon's head. Celestia narrowed her eyes coldly as she stepped forwards, shouting coldly to the headless aggressors: “Surrender or die!”

One of the headless ponies chuckled quietly in response to this before a ghostly voice whispered in reply: “We're already dead, battle-maiden. Let us offer you the same out of pity: surrender and give up Kvasir, or perish yourself.”

“Kvasir?” Celestia frowned darkly, and then she shook her head before flicking her horn, and three bursts of golden flame rippled through the air in front of her before transforming into raised, readied swords, the ivory winged unicorn responding coldly: “I would rather die.”

“You heard her, colts. Let's grant her wish.” one of the headless ponies said calmly, and then the three headless, armored undead lunged forwards with sudden, spooky speed, one of them lashing his shield forwards with a snarl in a short bash aimed at her breast.

Celestia lashed out with two of her swords, gritting her teeth as she leaned forwards and barred the attack, but immediately the headless knight leaned forwards with a hiss, slamming his shoulder into the back of his kite shield and shoving out with whatever grisly supernatural power it possessed as well, turning the bash into a shield-pin. Celestia gritted her teeth, feeling impressed despite herself at the tactic as she was forced to bring her third sword up to block a swing aimed at her side.

The other knights were hurrying to flank her, and Celestia smiled slightly before the glow around her horn increased... and before the headless knight in front of her could react, Tyrfing tore off her back and swung savagely downwards over her shoulder, tearing halfway through the raised kite shield and halfway through the headless knight hiding behind it. The undead staggered backwards with a rasp of shock as his shield and sword both began to fall limply, and as the other knights lunged at her side, Celestia drew Tyrfing back as her three swords spun around her in a short, defensive circle, knocking her assailants back before Tyrfing swung out and smashed across the knight in front of her, shattering his shield like glass and crunching in his body like a can.

She carried the wide swing around in a sharp cut that sliced one of the headless knights almost in half, spinning gracefully at the same time before flicking her sword downwards and smashing the last headless knight flat with a single slash of the heavy, enormous weapon. Then she leapt quickly backwards, her eyes flicking back and forth before they narrowed as the first headless knight she had destroyed seemed to chuckle quietly.

A moment later, the bloodless wound in its armored body sealed closed, and its broken limbs snapped back together as it climbed slowly to its hooves, arching its body as it swept up its fallen sword with telekinesis. The other knights pieced themselves back together as well, and Celestia grimaced as she stepped slowly backwards even as they pushed forwards, Tyrfing raised high and her three swords at ready positions at her sides and front, as one of the knights said softly: “You can't kill us. We're already dead.”

Celestia's only response was to flick her horn firmly upwards, and there was a rushing sound before a blast of water issued through the air in a short cyclone around her, soaking the headless knights and knocking them staggering. Otherwise, it didn't seem to harm them, and one of the knights chuckled before rasping: “You didn't think that would work, did you?”

“No, I just don't have time to play games.” Celestia replied calmly, and then she flicked her horn again, and a blast of cold tore through the air, swirling around the knights and turning water into ice that spread rapidly over and through their armored bodies.

Celestia stepped forwards and swung her head around, and her smaller swords dropped low as Tyrfing spun around in a vicious, overpowered full swing that smashed through the frozen, headless knights with enough force to reduce them to nothing but shattered ice and metallic debris. Then the sword smashed into the wall and ripped deep through the stone before Celestia tore it free with a flick of her head, grimacing as she spun around and hurried down the corridor, weapons raised around her as she headed quickly towards the library, knowing she had to find Kvasir.

She encountered another group of Clockwork monsters that had somehow torn their way into Canterlot: Drones and a Hobby Horse. Without stopping, she had simply flung Tyrfing forwards, sending it ripping through the Hobby Horse, and the blast of anti-magic it had unleashed on its explosive demise had vaporized the rest of the monsters. Tyrfing had been flung backwards by the blast, but Celestia caught it easily with telekinesis as she charged onwards, murmuring apologies to the corpses of soldiers she passed before she skidded around a corner and found herself finally at the library doors.

She smashed them open with a short telekinetic blast, revealing a room that was in shambles: slain Guards were sprawled over the floor and broken tables, blood had blasted shelves and books, and papers and debris was strewn throughout the area. One of the windows had been shattered, and Kvasir had been backed into a corner, covering his ears as his skin rippled strangely, his howling barely audible over the screams of the Hobby Horses looming over him.

Two headless knights were standing a few feet away and seemed to be watching, accompanied by a bevy of Drones. Celestia snarled at this, and knowing no better option, she apologized silently to Kvasir before flicking her horn and sending one of her smaller golden swords shooting across the room to pierce through the back of a Hobby Horse's neck.

Its screams cut off to a gurgle before it exploded, and the other Hobby Horses went up with powerful bangs and blasts of anti-magic as well, waves of force ripping through the air and disintegrating the Drones. The headless knights lasted a moment longer, weapons and shields falling first as electricity zapped wildly over their armor, and then they simply fell to pieces, whatever had been beneath their heavy equipment exploding into nothing but smoke and ash.

Celestia hurried across the room, fanning away the smoke as she looked down at Kvasir... and then her eyes widened as she staggered backwards, staring as the god groaned in agony. She looked at him with disbelief, trying to mouth some apology... but then Kvasir moodily rose a hand, murmuring moodily: “I'm fine.”

The anti-magic had knocked him back into his actual body: a wild amalgamation of body parts that looked almost as if they had been sewn together, scars crisscrossing his form. A single horn jutted from one side of a faintly-bovine head, and rough, large claws scraped against the ground before he hauled himself up to his feet: the only thing that was the same between his wild, mishmashed form was the fact that it all looked like raw flesh, spiderwebs of veins pulsing here and there over him as he stood unevenly on cloven hooves, then shook his head out: he was only a little taller than Celestia in his true shape, as he rubbed slowly at his white eyes and grumbled: “Let's get out of here.”

“You are a homunculus.” Celestia murmured quietly, and Kvasir looked at her grumpily before he nodded and turned, his gait evening out as a long, whip-like tail snapped back and forth behind him, and the ivory equine grimaced as she hurried forwards to pace beside him. “Stay close to me. We'll make our way to the safe room downstairs.”

Kvasir nodded as they exited through the side door, heading into the hall... and then he winced and staggered backwards at the sight of a headless knight striding towards them, followed by a horde of clicking drones, as it whispered: “There you are. The Clockwork King needs your blood.”

Celestia gritted her teeth, and then she flicked her horn: cracks ripped through the ceiling above before the ivory equine swung her horn down, sending a golden fireball up to hammer into this and explode in a tremendous blast of light and sound. Chunks of heavy stone hailed down as the headless knight staggered backwards and ducked behind its shield, even as the Drones surged around it... but several of these were crushed as the ceiling caved in and blocked the hall, Celestia shouting to Kvasir: “Other way!”

The god nodded and turned, hurrying quickly down the corridor as Celestia followed: they were unfortunate enough to run into another group of Drones, however, and Celestia grimaced even as she snapped her horn and created a wall of not flame, but water, the bubbling, wet barrier thinly blockading the corridor. All the same, the Drones began to try and push through this, their bodies melting away to nothing but the liquid metal beginning to poison and cloud the barrier, Celestia cursing as she dragged Kvasir backwards before kicking open a door leading into a stairwell. “This way!”

They hurried down the stairs to the first floor, pushing towards the center of Canterlot: again, they were almost cut off by a horde of Drones led by several headless knights, but Celestia turned and gritted her teeth with a flick of her horn, blowing out the picture windows on the wall and half-shoving Kvasir through them and into a beautiful open garden. As they hurried through, the horde poured out after them, scurrying, transforming Drones rapidly closing the distance as the headless knights calmly paced along, intent and unstoppable in their lack of hurry.

Celestia began to concentrate as they passed a pond, but Kvasir snorted and shook his head, saying sharply: “Save your strength!”

With that, he spun around in a circle, then swept both clawed hands upwards, and the pond rumbled before the water coalesced into a sphere and rose in a rumbling swirl from the ground. Then Kvasir leaned forwards with a grunt, shoving both hands outwards, and the sphere of water exploded into a typhoon that ripped across the garden, washing away Drones and knocking the headless knights stumbling before Kvasir glanced towards a nearby, old oak tree, and the god suddenly turned towards Celestia and swung his arm out, slicing himself open on the raised blade of Tyrfing before half-spinning and flicking his limb firmly, sending a splatter of his blood over the tree before he pointed and ordered, white eyes glowing: “Stop them!”

The tree rumbled as the blood was absorbed into it, then the branches sudden bent and warped, the trunk of the tree twisting back and forth before it ripped itself up from the ground, faces pushing out along the bark as the branches became like clubbed limbs. It stormed forwards just as one of the headless knights shoved through a bush, and then was slapped through the air like it was nothing more than a toy as Kvaisr spun around and hurried onwards, Celestia staring in amazement for a moment even as the god shouted: “That won't last very long!”

They ran through an open set of double doors into an empty ballroom, and Celestia sighed in relief: they were close now. They hurried into the corridor beyond, and Celestia charged straight at a trio of shapeshifting Drones without stopping, Tyrfing gleaming before the sword tore downwards and lashed back and forth, ripping through the shapeshifting creatures like butter as her smaller blades swung back and forth defensively, blocking scything swings and rending claws with ease.

The way was cleared in moments, and Kvasir stumbled after her before he gritted his uneven teeth and rolled his head on his shoulders, staggering before suddenly diving as his body rippled, transforming in a blur back into unicorn form to run on four hooves beside her. Celestia couldn't help but give a short, grim smile as they hurried onwards, and then finally ran through a broken archway to enter into a wide hall in front of the doors leading into the ballroom where survivors and civilians had been gathered.

Sleipnir and Pinkamena, accompanied by Royal Guard, were viciously fighting against headless knights and drones. Twilight Sparkle was breathing hard, splattered with liquid metal and her own blood as she flung spells towards Hobby Horses and blasted shapeshifting monsters with waves of force, before she looked up in relief as Celestia shouted sharply: “Withdraw! I'll put up a barrier!”

“In a moment!” Sleipnir shouted back, and then he ducked under a swing from a sword before stepping forwards with a roar and slamming a hoof as hard as he could into the headless knight in front of him, knocking it flying backwards to smash into an already-damaged pillar. The base of the stone column shattered loudly with the impact, and a moment later, the support rumbled before toppling slowly sideways, the ceiling high above sagging visibly as the column crushed countless drones below.

With a snarl, Pinkamena lunged into the crowd, smashing her way past Drones even as they grabbed and ripped at her before she slid past a Hobby Horse and slammed both rear hooves into it, knocking it skidding violently forwards before Sleipnir grinned and seized this by its front gear-wheel, spinning rapidly and throwing the monstrosity hard. It shot through the air with a wail, then crashed into the weakened roof and exploded.

A horrible rumble tore through the ceiling, cracks spreading along the roof as Pinkamena leapt up and kicked off a drone to send herself sailing back towards Sleipnir, and the stallion stepped forwards to almost daintily-sweep her out of the air before the two turned and bolted. Royal Guards were staring in shock before the ceiling began to collapse, and Celestia winced before shouting: “Hurry, hurry! Inside!”

Then she flicked her horn, sending a fireball into another cracked pillar and blowing it apart, Sleipnir laughing and encouraging her even as she immediately regretted the action as the ceiling started to crumble in earnest. Celestia backed slowly up, watching as the troops fled past, making sure everypony got inside even as the surging hordes pushed forwards before she flicked her horn, a brilliant golden wall slicing into reality across the hall. Then she spun and turned, running into the ballroom herself as two Pegasus Guard hurriedly shoved the doors shut, and other soldiers ran forwards to seal the doors. The magic barrier outside wouldn't last long, but it would stall the monsters long enough that...

There was a terrible crack, and then a massive, rumbling crash as the doors were pummeled inwards by some powerful force, dust bursting through them as the whole room rumbled... and then Sleipnir wheezed in relief, grinning brightly over at Celestia as he said cheerfully: “Well, sister, I must say! If I ever doubted that thou wert still strong, I have surely now been proven wrong! Thou art sharp and dangerous as ever!”

“Are all the ways in and out secured?” Celestia asked calmly, and Sleipnir nodded as Celestia looked over the ballroom, at the clustered civilians and ponies, before Twilight approached her... and Celestia frowned at the pale, terrified look on Twilight's face. “What is it?”

“Avalon is gone!” Twilight trembled, a tear spilling down her cheek. “Avalon is gone and... and I don't know how or when or where... I left her with Antares when I ran out to help, but he says she was there, and then she was just... gone...”

“I... oh no.” Celestia grimaced, looking quickly around the room before she cursed under her breath as her eyes locked on a high window at the back of the room that was hanging open. She looked at this for a few long moments, then turned her eyes to the only way in and out: a door leading to a kitchen area to bring food in and out. “Sleipnir, Pinkamena. Ten minutes to recover and regroup. Twilight, I need you to stay here: if something goes wrong, if the monsters push in, there has to be someone here to stop them. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes, and I... I won't fail this time!” Twilight looked up, nodding hurriedly as Celestia nodded calmly back, before Twilight whispered: “But... but what are you going to do?”

“We're going to stop these monsters.” Celestia replied calmly, and Sleipnir grinned as he stomped a hoof firmly, rolling his head on his shoulders and shaking off the blood as Pinkamena licked her sharpened teeth. “Get yourselves ready. We have a long battle ahead of us.”

“The best kind. You know what? You ain't so bad, Princess Sunshine. I think I'm going to go grab me something to play with.” Pinkamena winked up at her, then she turned and strode over towards a band of wounded Royal Guards.

Twilight only looked worriedly up at Celestia, but Celestia gave her an almost-gentle smile in return as Tyrfing settled on her back and her golden swords vanished from the air. But her eyes said everything that needed to be said; they were filled with Valkyrie determination, and Valkyrie spirit... and promised that this attack would not go unpunished.

Dashing Courage

Chapter Fifty Two: Dashing Courage
~BlackRoseRaven

Rainbow Dash snarled as he shot after Courage, the Clockwork Pony laughing as it twisted back and forth through the rocky gorge, leading him further away from Canterlot and into deeper, more-dangerous territory. Above their heads, black clouds rumbled ominously, blocking out all but the brightest light from the risen moon, making the jutting peaks and reaching mountains even harder to see.

But far below, the ground was almost glowing: it was all gray, ashen rock, reflecting even the smallest bit of light, littered with cruel, jutting cones of stone. If a Pegasus fell... even if they were lucky enough to miss hitting the sharp, rocky mountain walls or the deadly blades and spikes of ore, they would still hit solid stone, with only gravel and dust to soften the fall. In other words, death was the most likely... and most pleasant... possibility.

On the ground below and far behind, Luna and Scrivener were racing along with Applejack and Big Mac: Rainbow glanced over his shoulder, barely able to make out the charging shadows in the darkness he knew was the group before he looked ahead... and cursed in shock as he saw Courage right in front of him, the mare swinging a metal-covered hoof out to slam into his face and knock him backwards with a grunt of pain.

The Clockwork Pony was merciless, shooting immediately forwards and simply ramming past Rainbow as she spun her body violently, the thorns and bladed edges of her armor ripping against the Pegasus stallion and flaying his uniform as he was knocked backwards with a howl of pain. He flapped his wings hard, withdrawing as Courage shot past, then simply dropped before flipping at the last moment to crash down on a ledge, grinning cruelly up at him as she leaned back against the rock face and mocked: “What's wrong? Can't handle the heat? Forget how to fly? You're no better than those loser blunder-bolts!”

“Shut up!” Rainbow shouted, and he gritted his teeth before launching himself forwards, but Courage only grinned viciously and leapt upwards at the last moment, shooting straight up into the air. Rainbow crashed against the stone cliff, but then he forced himself to run upwards, hooves pounding against the stone as he flapped his wings to give himself the extra boost he needed to sprint straight up the wall after Courage-

The Clockwork Pony dropped and slammed both rear hooves hard down into Rainbow Dash's face, knocking him backwards before he howled in agony as he bounced off the stone ledge, flipping awkwardly once in the air before forcing himself to recover, wings painfully catching the air and carrying him back upwards. He cursed weakly, spinning around and shooting into the sky, and then he snarled when Courage pointed at him and laughed loudly. “What a loser! You couldn't fly your way out of a barn, much less-”

A hoof smashed across Courage's face, knocking her backwards as a blue-and-yellow streak blasted by, and then another Pegasus slammed into her back, knocking her forwards before she cursed and shot upwards, avoiding the last two that shot towards her. Rainbow grinned despite himself as the Pegasi fell into formation around him, Spitfire grinning despite the bloody gash over her cheek as she shouted: “Thought you could use a little help here, Dash... besides, no one insults the Wonderbolts and gets away with it!

“I'd be more impressed if you didn't already seem down one.” Courage retorted in disgust, rubbing at her face as she snarled, and Soarin' glared through his broken goggles. “So which one did the Thunderbirds kill? Was it your bestest buddy, Soarin', you colt-cuddling faggot?”

Soarin' began to lunge, but Spitfire held a hoof out, saying sharply: “Don't listen to her. Don't let her psych you out.”

“Yeah, I really need an edge to out-fly you losers.” Courage said disgustedly, and then she flapped her wings and carried herself up higher before grimacing in distaste as she looked down and saw Luna taking to the air, and a cluster of earth ponies below. “Oh no, Brynhild, I don't think so.”

With that, Courage shot upwards into the clouds as Rainbow looked over his shoulder, more relieved than he wanted to admit... and then Luna stopped cold as there was a surge from the clouds above before they began to violently spin in a vortex, and Luna cursed under her breath before clenching her eyes shut and slowly beginning to descend as electricity sparked along her horn, the winged unicorn shouting: “Damnation, I cannot... the monster is emitting anti-magic!”

“What?” Rainbow looked up with shock as the clouds violently continued to swirl, before he and the Wonderbolts broke formation on instinct, shooting to the side as a blast of blue lightning hammered down through the sky and passed through where they had been a moment before.

Then, there was a horrible booming sound before a shockwave of violet and sapphire rippled out of the cloud, and Luna spun and dove quickly towards the ground, landing a little hard on the rocky earth with a curse before she gave a cry of pain as the shockwave hit and anti-magic ripped over her body, knocking her sprawling as Scrivener snarled in pain and flexed. Applejack stared at them with shock, but when the charcoal stallion shook his head, she turned her eyes back upwards, whispering: “Be careful, Dashie...”

The Wonderbolts winced as electricity sparked along them, and Rainbow Dash cursed, feeling his body flexing painfully before he snarled upwards as the stormcloud dissipated. It let the light of the moon and stars shine down through the circular hole carved in the cloud cover, but electricity still tore back and forth through the wound, and Courage was grinning widely, ignoring the shocks of lightning passing along her body. Slowly, she descended again, and then she leaned forwards, saying coldly: “I'm going to enjoy ripping you all apart.”

With that, Courage shot suddenly over their heads, a dark blur; immediately, Rainbow half-spun after her, pushing himself as hard as he could as Spitfire shouted an order and the Wonderbolts broke off into pairs before pursuing the two.

Courage shot down towards a cliff, Rainbow Dash flying after her before the Clockwork Pony slammed her hooves up into the rock face and kicked off it, launching herself in the other direction like a living weapon, and Rainbow was barely able to throw himself out of the way when she corkscrewed violently, her deadly armor sparking with lightning. The stallion cursed under his breath as she shot past, then laughed and suddenly blasted forwards, moving so fast it created a sonic boom... but instead of unleashing a rainbow of color, like Rainbow Dash's rainboom, there was a devastating crackle of electricity and a poisonous shockwave of violet malevolence.

The energy hammered against two of the Wonderbolts, knocking them backwards and disorienting them for a moment before Rainbow shot quickly to the sky again, cursing under his breath. Courage was simply too fast, and if she managed to hit any of them... well, there wouldn't be much left over to clean up.

Courage shot skywards, then twisted around in a U-turn and made straight for Spitfire, and the Captain of the Wonderbolts immediately shouted an order to Soarin' as he flew beside her: immediately, the Wonderbolt stallion put on a burst of speed, shooting up above her and seizing her by her extended front hooves. Then he dove downwards and half-flipped his body to acrobatically throw her forwards at the moment of highest momentum as he spun upside down... and Spitfire half-flipped at the last second, both her rear hooves smashing into Courage's surprised face before she could even think to react, sending up a burst of blood, drool, and vulgarities as the Clockwork Pony was knocked backwards.

Rainbow Dash shot in, smashing a shoulder into Courage's stomach, ignoring the edges of the armor and the spikes that tore against him for the satisfaction of hearing her howl in pain. The Clockwork Pony was knocked crashing backwards as the two other Wonderbolts shot up behind her, reaching for her... but Courage spun around with a snarl, ducking their hooves and seizing a wing of one of the Pegasi, making the mare shriek as she was dragged painfully downwards as Courage free-fell before half-spinning, spreading her large wings to catch herself in midair as she lashed the Wonderbolt downwards and into a jutting spike of rock.

The Pegasus mare went silent immediately as she was impaled through the stomach, gargling blood as Spitfire shouted a denial, shooting downwards... and without looking, Courage shot upwards, snapped her rear legs around Spitfire’s throat, and then twisted violently to throw her face-first into the cliff face. She bounced off with a crunch before Courage shot into the air, and Rainbow Dash snarled as he pursued her with Soarin' and the last Wonderbolt before Courage rammed through a cloud above... then tore back out with a wide grin, shooting straight towards them with a trail of lightning in her wake.

Soarin' threw himself in front of Rainbow, then cried out in misery when Courage smashed into him: the blast of lightning surged through her, but the Clockwork Pony didn't even seem to notice it as Soarin' howled in agony before he was blasted backwards, his limp body hitting Rainbow like a cannonball before the Wonderbolt stallion plummeted into a ledge below.

Rainbow barely managed to recover in time before an electrically-charged hoof smashed into his face, knocking him backwards with a cry of pain before Courage brought up both rear hooves and kicked him across the sky. The last Wonderbolt dove forwards, trying to grapple with the Clockwork Pony, but then Courage reached forwards and seized the Pegasus in a bear-hug, shouting in her face: “You want a flying lesson? Sure, punk! But it'll cost you!”

With that, she dove downwards, then suddenly went into a vicious spin, massive wings propelling her powerfully as the Wonderbolt howled, spikes and blades of armor grinding against the captured mare's body before she stared in horror as they shot faster, faster, faster... and then there was a tremendous bang as Courage smashed through the sound barrier with another malevolent, thunderous shockwave before twisting upwards just above the ground, halting herself almost as fast she had accelerated as she let the Pegasus' electrified, ruptured body go.

The Wonderbolt flew upwards weakly before she was caught by gravity, and Courage's hoof shot out, catching her by the throat, leaving her corpse dangling for a moment as the Clockwork Pony grinned widely before saying calmly: “Cost you one life. Oh, too bad, yours is worthless.”

With that, Courage threw the corpse to the gravelly ground, then grinned before dropping down and stomping on it savagely with her rear hooves. Then she looked up with a snort when Applejack and Big Mac charged at her, flapping her wings and taking off with a gust of force that knocked both earth ponies backwards, shouting disgustedly: “Don't even bother, slave hooves!”

She began to look up... and Rainbow Dash crashed full into her face, knocking her backwards with a gargle before Spitfire slammed into her stomach, cracking the armor there further as Rainbow snarled: “Shut your goddamn mouth!”

Courage slipped backwards with a growl as both Pegasi swung at her, and then the Clockwork Pony darted forwards, ripping just past Rainbow Dash and slashing her armor against his body before she spun around, tearing past him again and slamming a hoof into Spitfire's face as she passed just above her, knocking the Wonderbolt backwards. Spitfire tried to stay in the air with a curse, but Courage dropped, tackling her towards the ground and driving her down, the Pegasus' eyes widening as she screamed before Courage crashed down into the earth, crunching the Wonderbolt's skull beneath her hooves. “Get back in the ground, crowbait!”

Courage rose a hoof, slamming it cruelly down into Spitfire's face again, again, again, and then Rainbow tackled her from above with a wounded roar, knocking her skidding along the ground off the Wonderbolt. Tears filled his eyes as he looked with horror over his shoulder at Spitfire's broken body, and then he howled in pain as Courage tried to rip free of his grip, the two shooting high into the air with a snarl of fury as she yelled furiously: “Get your filthy hooves off me, you hoof-licking excuse for glue!”

Rainbow responded by jerking backwards, their flight path zigzagging wildly through the air before they smashed off a cliff, and Courage howled in pain as her face mashed against the rock wall before she shot violently upwards, corkscrewing rapidly before she hit the clouds above. Rainbow howled, seeing nothing but darkness whipping by but feeling electricity tearing and sparking against him before Courage corkscrewed violently, and the clouds rumbled, then crackled with electricity before there was a terrible peal of thunder.

A few moments later, Rainbow flew limply out of the black clouds, his body smoldering, wings burnt and damaged and half-unconscious as he began to fall... and then Courage shot down, looking furious, features bloody and bruised and armor damaged as she seized Rainbow by the throat. He gargled, snapping awake and staring up at her before a hoof slammed into his face as he hung limply, then she hit him again and again and again as Courage snarled: “You piece of garbage! You freak of nature! You worthless hunk of snot! You think that-”

Something smashed across the Clockwork Pony's face, and Courage looked stupefied as Rainbow looked up weakly before the tiny, fast-moving shape smashed viciously against Courage's bruised features again, making her yell as she hurled Rainbow Dash backwards. The Pegasus stallion barely managed to catch the air as Courage swept at the shape, and then Rainbow stared in shock, horror, and amazement as Avalon spun around and slammed directly into Courage's face once more, knocking the shocked Clockwork Pony a few feet backwards as the foal yelled furiously: “No! Leave Daddy!”

“Little bitch!” Courage lunged forwards, swiping angrily at the foal, and Rainbow snarled even as Avalon easily darted out of the way and hammered into Courage's features again. The Clockwork Pony roared in rage this time, however, then snapped her limbs out, and a blast of raw, terrible force ripped out of her body in all directions, Avalon shrieking as she was buffeted by shockwaves of violet energy and electricity before the stunned foal simply plummeted from the sky.

Rainbow stared in horror, and then he roared before charging forwards, smashing into Courage and knocking her backwards, grappling with the Clockwork Pony and hammering his hooves viciously against her armored frame. “That was my daughter!”

“Then I did you a favor!” Courage spat in return, and then she tried to drop away, but Rainbow lunged quickly after her... and when she slipped out of the way of his grab, he instead slammed into one of her wings, making Courage shriek before the Pegasus stallion rolled in midair, the Clockwork Pony's wing giving a sickening crack as it was forced to bend behind her own back before Rainbow Dash seized her around the waist in a crushing embrace, gritting his teeth as he flapped his wings and forcefully carried her upwards. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Showing you how to fly!” Rainbow shouted furiously, tears streaming down his cheeks as he yanked her higher into the sky, ignoring the spikes ripping against his foreleg, the bent wing smacking against his chest, the wild flapping of Courage's free wing as she tried to struggle free.

“I can fly better than you ever will! I'm lighter, faster, sleeker, better!” Courage retorted, snarling and then howling as Rainbow pressed forwards against her back, squeezing her tighter back against his body as they sailed up above the clouds, and then were framed for a moment against the moon as they hovered high, high in the air.

“Yeah, but you know where weight comes in handy? Free falls. Dives. And nothing says finale like one last dive, right?” Rainbow snarled, and then he yanked her viciously backwards, simply furling his wings as Courage's eyes widened in shock. Then, almost slowly, they began to fall... and Courage howled in horror as she looked down and stared at how far they were above the ground, struggling to free her captured wing and flapping her free appendage madly, but it only served to speed them up and send them into a vicious spin, as Rainbow clutched her back against his body and gritted his teeth as they shot towards the rocky ground below.

They fell like a living, spinning meteor from the sky, sailing down into the mountains, down to the rocky ground as tears streamed down Rainbow's face and Courage shouted, desperately attempting to rip free from the deathly embrace that the stallion had him in before the Pegasus stallion snarled as he felt Courage trying to roll him forwards, to use him as a buffer before Rainbow Dash shouted: “No, this is your finale, not mine!”

With that, Rainbow Dash suddenly unfurled his wings, spinning rapidly and then arching his back as he let his hooves slip free from around Courage while he forced the mare beneath his heavier body, and Courage looked down in shock before Rainbow flapped his wings and kicked off Courage's back as hard as he could, cursing in pain as the muscles in his wings tore from the force of attempting to stop himself but sending the Clockwork Pony crashing face-first into the ground.

There was a tremendous shockwave of electricity, and Rainbow howled in agony, feeling his blood boiling in his veins as he slung himself forwards through the air before crashing down on all four hooves: at least one of his limbs snapped loudly as he staggered violently forwards, and then he tumbled and rolled several times before flopping prone on the ground, rasping hard. His wings twitched uselessly and he felt nothing but agony as he looked weakly up... then grinned tiredly at the sight of approaching hooves, whispering: “I... I can be just as good as Pinkamena... see?”

The stallion's eyes fluttered weakly as he struggled to stay conscious, hearing shouts and rumbles... and then his eyes snapped open, fear sending a surge of adrenaline through his body as a voice snarled: “How dare you... shorn-wing...”

Rainbow forced himself to half-roll over, shaking his head wildly as he stared in horror at the sight of Courage slowly peeling itself off the ground. The creature had impacted with enough force to shatter its armor into a broken mess of plates that blood was steadily streaming through, but somehow it was still moving... somehow, it was still forcing itself up to its hooves as it rasped quietly and its wings spasmed, electricity shooting through them before Courage howled as it arched its back as the bolts and arcs of lightning grew and pulsed-

Both massive wings exploded in bursts of blood and electricity, Courage staggering forwards as wires and ugly cables danced through the air above it as feathers swirled around it. Metal glinted before one of the wings toppled off entirely, revealing a broken, melted titanium frame that a few shredded lengths of cabling were attached to, as Courage dropped its head forwards and rasped: “You broke nothing that can't be replaced, but... now... now I'm gonna break you...”

“You'll have to go through us, first!” Applejack snarled, charging in front of Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac, Luna and Scrivener were at her side in a moment, the four glaring across at the wounded Clockwork Pony. Rainbow smiled weakly as he slowly forced himself to sit up, and then he glanced up as Soarin' joined them, trembling, wounded and bloody, but gently passing Avalon's unconscious body to Rainbow... and the Pegasus stallion stared up at him with silent relief and thanks.

Courage only laughed at them, however, grinning despite the blood dripping from her before the Clockwork Pony whispered: “Now why would I do that when I can do this?”

Then Courage pounced forwards with a grin, and even as they readied themselves to meet the Clockwork Pony... Courage simply vanished from the spot in a blast of electricity before there was a blue flash in front of Rainbow Dash, and Courage reappeared in a blink before swinging a hoof cruelly down into Dash's face, knocking him sprawling,

He howled in pain even as he automatically rolled to protect Avalon, and Courage slammed a hoof into Dash's back with a snarl before she looked over her shoulder when Applejack threw a kick at her: she vanished before it could connect, reappearing a short distance away with her back still to them before she spun around and ran up one of the bent, jutting blades of stone to throw herself into a tackle towards Soarin'.

The Pegasus stallion was crushed to the ground on his back before Courage kicked both rear hooves into his stomach, and he vomited blood before Courage vanished when Big Mac dove at her. She reappeared a second later some ten feet away, laughing, back in the spot where she had first been, and Luna snarled before flicking her horn, sending a blast of lightning hammering into the Clockwork Pony.

Courage only arched her back, however, laughing louder before she broke into a sharp, short run forwards before skidding around in a short circle, dropped to a ready position, and then launched herself straight towards them, electricity still tearing back and forth along her body. She dove towards Luna, but when Luna leapt to meet her, Courage vanished and reappeared behind her, kicking both hooves backwards into Luna's haunch to knock her staggering with a grunt before the Clockwork Pony turned to Applejack and smashed a hoof across her face.

Applejack crashed down with a grunt, and Courage vanished again when Big Mac tried to ram into her with his shoulder before the red stallion dropped low when Scrivener ran forwards, and the charcoal pony leapt onto his back, then flung himself in a tackle over Applejack when Courage reappeared on the other side of the goldenrod mare.

He crashed into the Clockwork Pony's back, but Courage only snarled and bucked him off even as she skidded forwards, slamming Scrivener into the ground before she stomped a hoof into his face when Scrivener began to get up. The charcoal pony dropped limp, going prone as Luna staggered with a wheeze, shaking her head and looking stunned, and Courage grinned and rose her hoof to deliver a killing blow... but then Applejack slammed both rear hooves into her side, and there was a sickening crunch as Courage staggered before vanishing and reappearing again some ten feet away, again facing outwards, and Luna grinned bitterly: the pattern was easy to figure out. Now it was just a matter of getting her in the right position...

“Applejack, stay back. Our foe is too strong.” Luna said quietly as the winged unicorn hurried in front of Scrivener, before she shot a pointed look at Big Mac as she added sharply: “And Big Mac, protect Rainbow Dash.”

Big Mac calmly stayed in place as Applejack glared at Luna, then snarled: “No way! I can handle it, she... the freak hurt Rainbow!”

And with that, Applejack turned and shot forwards, as Courage watched eagerly, then laughed mockingly before vanishing from the spot, reappearing in front of Luna, standing overtop Scrivener Blooms... and the charcoal pony's eyes snapped open as he immediately slammed both rear hooves as hard as he could up into Courage's stomach.

Courage howled in misery as broken metal armor was forced deeper into her body, and then Luna swept her horn forwards in a cruel lash across the Clockwork Pony's face, making her shriek in denial and agony before she vanished again... and this time reappeared in front of Big Mac, who slammed into her with his shoulder and knocked her rearing back before he tackled her onto her back and smashed his front hooves hard down into her breast.

She was crushed down into the ground, eyes wide with terror as her damaged metal armor crunched further and the mangled remains of a wing snapped off, Big Mac grimacing even as he brought back a hoof... but then Courage simply vanished, once more reappearing ten feet away, in a straight, short line, on her back, and this time right between Luna and Scrivener. She shrieked as she rolled to her hooves, then lunged forwards before vanishing from the spot before either pony could hit her. But on instinct, Luna snarled and flicked her horn sharply, and a pillar of rock shot up a short distance away... before Courage tried to reform where the spire was, and she gargled in horror as there was a thick gush of blood and a horrible, electrical crackle.

Courage was left suspended with her hooves just inches off the ground, the pole through her midsection as she gasped weakly for air, her hooves pawing slowly at the earth like a grisly carousel horse. She shivered in disbelief, then leaned forwards and vomited blood again, looking weakly at the ground as tears spilled slowly from her staring eyes, whispering: “Not cool. Not cool at all.”

Then her eyes slipped closed, and she dropped her head forwards and screamed as

the dragon studied her mockingly. She gasped weakly, staring back and forth, shivering in pain and horror and wretched defeat as foam dripped from her jaws and tears fell from her eyes. She was beaten, broken, chained into this chair as Valthrudnir pointed at the enormous theater screen in front of her and said kindly: “I'm only showing you the truth.”

“No... n-no.” Rainbow Dash moaned weakly, shaking her head slowly. She had been here for hours... days... weeks, watching the same set of images scrawl by over and over on the theater screen. At first she'd simply closed her eyes, tried to block it out... but sure, she could look away from the images, but only for so long before she simply couldn't stop herself from opening her eyes and watching. Just as she could scream to block out the sounds... but not all the time. And eventually, the laughter, and the mocking and the teasing reached her ears, and she couldn't do anything but listen and stare...

Valthrudnir calmly leaned on the back of the chair, a remote control in his hand as he fast-forwarded with a yawn past images of Cloudsdale, of the bullies from her past, of everyone who had made fun of her growing up. “But they were right, weren't they? Oh, here we are, speak of Hel.”

Valthrudnir pressed play with a smile to the image of Rainbow Dash sitting in her bedroom, tears streaking down her cheeks as she stared at the rejection letter. It was one of countless rejection letters she'd received from the Wonderbolts... letters scattered all over the room, that all said the same thing. That said they 'didn't have an opening at this time' for her.

She could do a sonic rainboom, was the only pony who could pull it off, and it didn't matter; she had won best young flier, and it didn't matter; she was fast, her form perfect, everything about her screamed 'best of the best' and none of it mattered. And they knew how hard she had worked, how she had risen up from... from nothing to get here... and it didn't matter. Because they had always seen the failures, the mistakes, the losses. They had witnessed how often she choked at the crucial moment, they called her arrogant, they called her... coward.

And she didn't have to see what happened next for it to come back in all too vivid detail, but the screen continued to play, and the voices echoed out of the speakers as her 'friends' called up to her from the ground, her friends who couldn't understand what it was like to... to be a coward, to fail at everything you dreamed of again and again and again: “Why don't you come out and talk about it? Maybe it's time to... to think about moving on.”

“Stop it.” Rainbow whispered, but it was weak, tinny, broken, and Valthrudnir smiled kindly as she trembled and looked down. “You already... killed them all. Why won't you kill me, too... just kill me too... please...”

“I haven't killed any of them.” Valthrudnir said gently, and then he smiled and waved a hand over the chair, and it dissolved into dust and dropped the Pegasus to the ground, free. She gasped in surprise, and then looked up at him weakly as the dragon held up the remote and turned the screen off, then tossed it away. “Come with me.”

Rainbow Dash lowered her head, but then silently dragged herself to her hooves, wings furled at her sides. She knew better than to argue... the monster before her had easily overpowered them all, after all, her and all her... friends...

“Loyalty can be a weakness, you know. Loyalty to the wrong people, well.. that's not loyalty, that's foolishness. That's masochism.” Valthrudnir said calmly, as he pushed a pair of doors open and led her down a hallway... and Rainbow stared stupidly back and forth: there were no walls here, only lines of pillars supporting the ceiling above, and what looked like a sky of clouds beyond, illuminated by a slowly-setting orange sun... “What did you expect?”

“I thought... you...” Rainbow stumbled over to the side of the hall, and Valthrudnir gave a cruel, cold smile at her back before he flicked his wrist, and the cloud cover pushed back, revealing a beautiful, lush valley below. “No... no, no...”

“No? You thought I destroyed Equestria? No, I came here to save you stupid, ungrateful ponies.” Valthrudnir remarked mildly, and then he turned his attention ahead again with a snort. “I came to make all your dreams come true, but no. You attacked me first. I merely retaliated... and look, I did not kill your friends.”

Valthrudnir opened the door at the end of the hall, and Rainbow stared through in shock to see all her friends, not just her close five friends but everyone she knew from Ponyville, even from Cloudsdale, all inside what looked like some massive room. They all looked up in surprise at her, and then Valthrudnir slammed the door before Rainbow ran forwards, shouting: “No, I don't believe you, you're a-”

She yanked the door open... and staggered into a cold, bleak room beyond, nothing but concrete and darkness. She stared back and forth... and then there was a glint in the darkness before Rainbow sighed in relief, smiling at the sight of Spitfire: the glint had only been her goggles, pulled down over her eyes. “Oh, hey... I mean, Spitfire, it-”

“Shut up, mudwalker.” Spitfire said disgustedly, and Rainbow Dash trembled in shock as Valthrudnir grinned cruelly, a hand behind his back slowly playing with a puppet shaped like the Wonderbolt as it glowed eerily. “You're not wanted here. For Celestia's sake, I told him again and again that we didn't want you here to help...”

“W-What... what?” Rainbow shook her head wildly, staring at Spitfire with disbelief as her mouth went dry, before she looked at Valthrudnir and shouted desperately: “I won't fall for this trick!”

“What trick?” Valthrudnir said softly, and Rainbow's eyes filled with tears... tears that spilled down her cheeks when Spitfire slapped her hard.

“See, that's why you'll never be part of the Wonderbolts!” Spitfire shouted angrily, leaning forwards and making Rainbow tremble and drop back on her stomach, dragging herself backwards. “You're a coward! You're a crybaby and a weakling! You're worthless, and you can't be counted on to do a single thing right, you showboating loser; I swear to the Horses of Heaven themselves, I would cut your wings off if I could, because you don't deserve to be a Pegasus!”

“No, no, no no no!” Rainbow shook her head wildly, grabbing at her head and screaming the denial: but after weeks of being forced to endure all her worst memories, after weeks of watching herself repeat mistake after mistake, failure after failure, being reminded of all the times her friends had tried to 'help' her by telling her to aim 'just a little lower' or 'try to start at the bottom, Rainbow Dash,' she couldn't think properly, couldn't believe her own words even as she shrieked: “You're lying to me!”

Valthrudnir squeezed the puppet in his hand, and then it vanished as Spitfire puffed out of existence, the dragon walking calmly forwards and putting his hands in his pockets as he looked down and said kindly: “If I was lying, would I be planning to turn this world into paradise? Into perfect, working harmony? Tell me, Rainbow Dash... if I was lying, would I be offering you everything you ever wanted?”

“What... what are you talking about?” Rainbow looked up weakly, trembling, before Valthrudnir smiled and snapped his fingers... and in a moment, they were standing on the clouds, in a city made from the same fluffy white stuff... Cloudsdale. Rainbow stared back and forth, and then Valthrudnir gestured calmly out towards where a team of Pegasi were training, performing all manner of acrobatics and aerial maneuvers.

Then the dragon whistled sharply, and a moment later, the Pegasi all halted before shooting over to them and landing in front of the two. Wonderbolts... not just any Wonderbolts, but the A-Team, the best of the best, and before Rainbow could say anything, Soarin' said warmly: “It''s going to be an honor to work for you and fly beside you, Rainbow Dash.”

“I... wait, what?” Rainbow stared up at Valthrudnir, not comprehending what was going on, and the Jötnar simply smiled calmly.

“Spitfire is being... removed from office.” Valthrudnir said kindly, looking down at the pale-blue mare. “The Wonderbolts need a new captain, and Equestria is going to need a new hero, as well. I've been thinking that suits you well... the Wonderbolts are Equestria's strongest fliers, after all, aren't they? And all of them acknowledge that you're the best. Don't you?”

Valthrudnir smiled over the Pegasi, and they nodded, Soarin' saying encouragingly: “Spitfire never let you join because she was afraid you'd replace her... just like you're going to. You're going to, right? We need a strong leader. We need someone brave. We need someone who can teach us to defend Equestria, and you and your friends are heroes.”

“Don't you want to be a hero?” Valthrudnir asked softly, and Rainbow shivered as she stared at Soarin', her mind unable to process any of what was going on anymore before Valthrudnir leaned down beside her and whispered softly: “And I can make all the fear... go away.”

“I'm not afraid. I'm... not afraid... I'm not afraid!” Rainbow turned with the last, staring up at Valthrudnir and breathing hard, looking up into the Jötnar's eyes with a tremble. “I'll do anything to protect Equestria, but... my friends... I thought... I don't know what's going on, why... why can't I think straight... why did you make me... torture me...”

“I had to show you the truth, Rainbow Dash. Didn't you understand what I was showing you? It wasn't torture... I was showing you that you've always had what it takes, but everyone else has always been holding you back. Everyone else has always been telling you you're a failure, no matter how hard you tried, no matter how hard you pushed, never believing how much effort and strength you put into every little thing you did.” Valthrudnir said calmly, and Rainbow rasped slowly for breath, staring up at the dragon before the Jötnar gestured to Soarin', saying quietly: “But I want to give you this... this chance to prove your strength, your merit, your courage... and if you accept my gift, Rainbow Dash... I will make you a greater hero than you can imagine, and the master of these skies...”

Rainbow Dash trembled, then whispered: “But does... does that mean... my friends, didn't they... I mean...”

Valthrudnir only smiled, however, saying softly: “I imagine they'll be both proud and envious. There is no sweeter revenge than a life lived well... that way, they can still be your friends, but you can have everything else you desire, too.”

Rainbow Dash looked down, and then she looked over at Soarin', who only smiled at her and nodded a few times, before Pinkie Pie's voice called to her tenderly: “Come on, Rainbow Dash, we're waiting for you!”

“Come and join us, Dash. He's right. He made us strong, and happy, he gave me back my family...” Applejack's voice added quietly, and Rainbow moaned weakly, staring back and forth before she looked up as Valthrudnir reached out a hand and settled it on her skull.

There was a flash, and Rainbow clenched her eyes shut... and when she opened them, she was staring up at a red sky, standing on a black, jutting cliff. She looked calmly back and forth, over dead fields, over broken earth, as black veins spread slowly through her features before she grinned slowly, breathing harder as her coat trembled, then became metallic, bulging upwards, transforming into armor as electricity sparked over her wings as they grew powerful, larger better...

And then she slowly turned around, closing her eyes and smiling coldly as electricity sparked around her body. “I didn't feel betrayed. I felt free. Because there was no more fear... and without fear, I could do anything. He made me strong, and even though Equestria had burned, I realized that being here, in this wild, dangerous Equestria... if anything would prove my strength, this was it. And I had my friends, and the Wonderbolts had to listen to me, to anything I ordered, slaved over me... but they were never my level. So I let them go. I grew up and grew out of them... instead, I wanted to be the ultimate thrill-seeker. The ultimate hero.”

Courage looked slowly off into the broken wasteland, breathing hard despite its tough words, eyes filled not with malice, but with desperation, and

Scrivener tried his best to resist screaming with her as the corruption bubbled through his mind; this time the memories had surged up with almost no warning as he staggered backwards, gritting his teeth, feeling black tears leaking from his eyes before he hacked and coughed, tarry goo bubbling out of his jaws as Courage's corpse sparked violently before exploding into neon arcs of lightning and shrapnel. The ponies staggered, and Scrivener winced and stumbled weakly... then his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed on his side as nothing but static filled his mind, and the last thing he heard was Luna yelling his name.

Celestia leaned forwards, Tyrfing lashing viciously across another headless knight and knocking it stumbling before she snapped her horn upwards, and golden light irradiated the undead creature, bleeding through the holes in its armor and shining out of its gaping throat. It howled in despair, and then burst apart into smoke and ashes... but there was no time to slow down, no time to rest, as Sleipnir shouted in a frustrated voice: “Phalanx!”

The ivory winged unicorn cursed under her breath, breathing hard and bleeding heavily from a sword buried in her back. It ached horribly, but pulling it out at this point wasn't an option: they were being swarmed from all sides, and for now, it hurt to move but it was also stopping her from bleeding to death.

They had been pinned down in a gallery: Drones had flanked them in the corridor outside with Hobby Horses, in such great number they had no choice but to retreat. Their escort of Royal Guards had been killed, but even with Sleipnir's strength and an enraged, demonic Pinkamena backing them, it looked like they were doomed to die here.

Her eyes locked on the doorway, watching as at least eight headless knights approached in a double shield-wall formation. Four in front, four holding their shields in a 'ceiling' over the others, swords all at the ready to stab and slice. Then she glanced towards Sleipnir as Pinkamena continued to rip and tear at the Drones still flooding into the room before Celestia ordered: “Tree fall!”

Sleipnir glanced sharply behind himself, then he hopped backwards and kicked both rear legs savagely into an ornate stone pillar: it shattered at the base and fell forwards with a rumble, and Sleipnir ran ahead, then reared back and rose his front hooves, cursing in pain as the top of the pillar hammered down on him before he roared and swung the stone column forwards in a vicious swing into the phalanx of headless knights. The raw strength of the blow crushed at least two knights and knocked the phalanx out of formation, but it was nothing compared to when Celestia poured the last of her magic into the top of the pillar and flicked her horn, the end of the column exploding in a blast of rocky shrapnel and golden flame.

The knights were knocked flat and Sleipnir staggered backwards with a curse as he was pelted by gravel, and Celestia cursed as she dropped to a kneel, looking up with a snarl as Drones flooded around the stunned knights. She wasn't ready to die like this... not because she was afraid, but because she hadn't saved everyone she could in Canterlot yet, she hadn't stopped Clockwork World, she hadn't... done so many things...

Celestia breathed hard in and out... and then, slowly, she forced herself up to her hooves, standing again as Tyrfing rose in front of her as her eyes blazed. Blood dripped from her mouth, and she spat to the side before striding forwards, forcing herself not to limp as her eyes glowed and she shouted: “I am Celestia! I am Freya! This is my home and these are my people, and I will not let you harm another pony in this castle tonight!”

Celestia anchored herself as Pinkamena and Sleipnir both withdrew beside her to the center of the ruins of the gallery, snarling at the doorway as the Drones began to encircle them and the headless knights picked themselves up. Then Sleipnir suddenly grinned, shaking his head before he murmured: “Well, I could ask for a worse death, sister. I have my older sibling and my beautiful wife here with me... but pray tell, Pinkamena, will thou not listen to thy husband just this once, and leave?”

“Don't you ever ask me to leave again.” Pinkamena looked over at him with a faint smile past Celestia on her skull-like features, and then the demon leaned forwards, setting herself and cracking her neck, baring her tombstone teeth. “Besides. Someone has to be there to look after you in the big beyond.”

Sleipnir smiled faintly at this, and Celestia closed her eyes as she bowed her head forwards, Tyrfing gleaming as the sword slowly rose... and then the ivory equine's eyes widened as the Drones and Hobby Horses went rigid, and then simply... stopped.

One-by-one, the Drones and Hobby Horses all lowered their heads, before the Drones slowly turned gray and rotted away as the Hobby Horses lost all life, all energy, some becoming like metallic statues, others falling apart like nothing more than cheap, badly-constructed toys. The headless knights looked back and forth, some of them seeming almost on the verge of panicking before several turned to hurry out, and it left only two of the former broken phalanx dumbly standing as Pinkamena grinned widely and licked her sharp teeth slowly, and Sleipnir stomped a hoof firmly before pawing at the ground, neither questioning what had just happened.

Celestia, however, was still staring, feeling a chill run down her spine as she looked disbelievingly over the crowd of unmoving dead... and then she gritted her teeth, and leaned forwards, readying herself as she said sharply: “Something's happened. Pinkamena, locate Scrivener Blooms and my sister!”

“Great. Well, have fun, Sleipnir.” Pinkamena said grumpily, and then the demon closed her eyes before she burst apart into dark smog, and Sleipnir gazed after this black mist adoringly as it wafted up into the air before vanishing.

“I love her.” Sleipnir said almost dreamily, and Celestia felt a mad urge to laugh despite herself before the earth pony lunged suddenly forwards, grinning widely at the headless knights before he ducked under a swing of a sword and then seized the headless warrior by the front hooves and smashed it like a club into the only other remaining monster, recriminating cheerfully: “Not so fun when thou does not have the advantage of strength and numbers, is it?”

Pinkamena, meanwhile, had shot up into the sky, simply a formless dark mass that was homing in on the distinct, familiar presence of Scrivener and Luna... outside of the castle, further away than she had expected. As she shot towards them, twisting through the air at supernatural speeds, she thought she could hear something, though... and she could already feel the violent array of Scrivener's emotions going haywire, sending a chill along her spine.

She suspected he was in trouble... and she was right, as Scrivener found himself in mist and darkness, staring up at a platform lit by a spotlight... and sitting calmly, cloaked in shadows cast by the high-backed throne that half-imprisoned him, was Valthrudnir.

He was calmly shuffling a deck of playing cards in his hands... but something was wrong with him. So clearly wrong with him, even though all Scrivener could see were those white scales of his hands, and his pristine ivory suit. His features were hidden in the darkness of the warped throne, but sitting against one side of it was a cloaked and alien figure. He couldn't make out anything about her, as Valthrudnir glared at him from the darkness, his amber eyes glowing... but he knew who it was all the same.

I have a message for you, now... for the special one, who can hear my voice. I know you can...whispered the Prophet into his mind, but she didn't look up at him. She only sat with her back against the side of Valthrudnir's throne, head bowed forwards. I have a message from the Clockwork King, for you to give to Brynhild and to Freya. And to Odin... to all those who played a role in his defeat.

“T-They cheated!” Valthrudnir shouted furiously, and the cards were scattered as he slammed a fist down against the arm of his throne, cracking it. But the Prophet didn't flinch, even as Valthrudnir snarled in the shadows, his eyes flickering like stuttering lamps before he pointed at Scrivener and said in a cold voice: “D-Do not think th-that your petty v-victory against my f-f-forces today means a-anything!”

Scrivener only stared mutely, unable to speak, feeling like he was bleeding but too scared to check... scared, because he didn't think he was bleeding blood. Then the Prophet's voice entered his mind again, saying quietly: We will return. For now, we leave you with this offer: surrender your world peacefully to us and we will offer a merciful execution to those who have offended the master and recalibrate all others to better suit the Clockwork King. Otherwise, all will be destroyed.

“You c-cannot win. My v-victory is inevitable, S-Scrivener Blooms. You will d-die from the c-corruption in your mind long b-before you conquer the Hexad. Y-You will never recover from t-those poisons, that I g-g-guarantee! And I think you know t-that yourself, too, don't you?” Valthrudnir mocked, and then he reached up... and Scrivener swore that he thought he saw a tremble in that hand as it slid into his jacket to pull out another pack of playing cards. “You may have d-delayed my plan, but... I will... obtain what is rightfully m-mine.”

The Black Mirror has closed, but it will be reopened when the time is right. The Clockwork King cannot be stopped. There are other ways to acquire Kvas. The Prophet said calmly, and then Valthrudnir snarled and slammed a fist against the throne again, dropping the unopened pack of cards.

“S-Silence, Prophet! They do not k-know, they could not know...” Valthrudnir broke down into muttering to himself, before his flickering amber eyes looked up at Scrivener and he whispered: “Unless... t-that is why you refused to simply h-hand the toy over... h-he is not even a r-r-real life, merely a m-manufactured t-trophy! Yes, I see... I s-see! You cannot o-outwit me, I will not be cheated a-again!”

Scrivener breathed slowly in and out, and he realized that whatever this thing was... it was also very likely insane. And the idea of an insane Valthrudnir scared him even more than a normal Valthrudnir, before the Prophet rose her head slightly, just slightly, and her voice murmured to him quietly: Goodbye, earth pony.

With that, the vision vanished into darkness, and Scrivener looked back and forth before he felt hot breath on the back of his neck. He stared straight ahead, trembling for a moment, and then a large, looming shape slowly leaned past him before he sighed in relief as a familiar voice whispered in his ear: “Hi. What did I miss?”

“Pinkamena...” Scrivener mumbled, and he smiled after a moment over his shoulder at the sight of the demon in full,terrifying shape: not likely the normal pony's reaction to finding a demon in their mind, but then again... “I'm glad to see you.”

“Well don't think I'm here to make out with you or anything.” Pinkamena said irritably, and Scrivener scowled at her before she grinned widely and leaned forwards, adding mildly: “It's really easy to puppet your body when you're unconscious, by the way. I think I'm going to grope Applejack while I'm in here, see how badly you get beaten up.”

Scrivener Blooms glowered at her, and then the demon paused moodily before frowning and looking back and forth, adding slowly: “Where's Nightmare Moon? Usually I say something like that and that monster shows up... the scary one, I mean, not the secret-softy you married.”

Scrivener only shook his head, however, reaching up and touching his forehead as he murmured quietly: “Can't you feel it? Come on, you used to be really good at this whole 'possession' thing.”

“Hey, I haven't practiced this garbage for a while.” Pinkamena snorted in disgust, and then she looked moodily up as surroundings began to slowly filter in around them: dark, dead trees, a night sky above, a solid but warm mire beneath their hooves. “I see. The corruption is clogging your mind... yeah, you looked... you looked hurt.”

Pinkamena quieted, and Scrivener looked awkwardly away before the half-demon said moodily: “Don't read too much into it, mister sensitive. I only care because you still understand what life is like for me better than most of the idiots around here do. I only care because you're still my cellmate, even if I got Sleipnir here, too.”

She paused, then shook her head and said moodily: “Come on. I'll bring you out of unconsciousness. Princess Sunshine said something bad must have happened to you and no surprise, she was right.”

“She was right in more than one way. I need to talk to Celestia.” Scrivener paused, then looked at Pinkamena meditatively for a moment. “How badly does my body hurt right now?”

“Oh, right, yes. Let me just turn on your pain sensors, expose myself to what will likely be agony for you, and then come back down here to tell you that your condition is one of suck. But guess what? It's your body, loser, so you deal with it.” Pinkamena said grouchily, and then she looked at him moodily as Scrivener looked at her pleadingly. “Oh, goddammit. Fine, we'll cut a deal, but only because I'm hungry.”

Scrivener smiled at her and nodded... and a few moments later, he opened his eyes in reality, wincing for a moment before Pinkamena grumbled in his static, haze-filled mind: Yeah, yeah, shut up.

A moment later, the pain quickly receded, and Scrivener sighed in relief even as Pinkamena muttered :Don't know why you care. You seem to like pain.

“Only certain kinds.” Scrivener mumbled, and then he smiled faintly when Luna hugged him tightly, returning the embrace before he looked up and said awkwardly: “Sorry, everyone. I... I guess it was both Courage and... something else...”

Scrivener shook his head slowly, still feeling fuzzy, his emotions muted and his body feeling a bit numb... but that was from Pinkamena, as the demon fed off his emotions and his pain. As the demon gobbled them greedily up, she grew stronger, and he felt less pain... a win-win, as long as she didn't start digging too deep into his mind and memories to have the opposite effect on him and instead worsen the way he way he was feeling.

But he trusted her... trusted her enough to let her poke around in his head, which she mumbled a moody 'thank you' for as he turned his eyes to Luna and smiled faintly at her. They studied each other for a few moments, both hating the way their mental link was being blocked out by the boiling corruption, and then Rainbow looked up and said finally: “Guys, I don't... I don't want to interrupt, but we need to get Spitfire to a hospital, and... and...”

“Big Mac, you carry Rainbow. I'll get Spitfire.” Scrivener said quietly, and when Luna gave him an apprehensive look, he shook his head. “I have Pinkamena painkillers. I'm fine.”

“Pinkamena painkillers. Somehow that sounds horrible.” Rainbow grinned a little all the same, then he wheezed a bit when Soarin' stepped towards him to help him to his hooves, shaking his head before looking worriedly over at Spitfire again: she was breathing shallowly, and they had convinced Luna despite her almost-panicking state over Scrivener to do what healing she could... but that wasn't a lot. She didn't look good, and Rainbow shook his head slowly as he whispered: “Goddammit. Courage was so... vicious...”

“She hated Spitfire.” Scrivener said abruptly, and Rainbow looked at him sharply, the male smiling faintly over at the stallion. “I'll... fill you in later.”

“Yeah, okay. Yeah... you got... those visions again, huh?” Rainbow asked finally, and Scrivener nodded slowly in response. The Pegasus grimaced a bit at this, shaking his head slowly as he looked down before he glanced up and said finally: “And something else happened, yeah?”

Scrivener smiled at this as Applejack glanced over her shoulder at unconscious Avalon on her back, before the goldenrod mare murmured softly: “Now come on, Dashie. I'm sure... Scrivener and Luna will tell us everything in time. I just... I'm glad that you're okay, Rainbow. I know... I know that might sound a little cruel, and I'm sorry for those who died, but... I'm so glad you and Avalon made it out.”

“You have an amazing daughter.” Soarin' said after a moment, and Rainbow smiled a little over at him before the Wonderbolt hesitated, then added finally: “I'm... sorry.”

“Hey, save it for later.” Rainbow smiled again, though, nodding to him before he groaned in pain as Big Mac carefully began to pull Rainbow up over his back, the blue Pegasus cursing weakly as Soarin' winced and awkwardly helped push Rainbow up and over the red stallion's back. Luna, meanwhile, had already gently lifted Spitfire with telekinesis onto Scrivener: the charcoal earth pony could feel his legs trembling a bit and felt worried that he'd overestimated his strength, but the demon currently in his mind only grumbled and muttered: Stop your fussing, you big baby. I should be making you do this without my help.

“You've always been so nice.” Scrivener mumbled, and Luna gave him an odd look before the earth pony grunted and gestured upwards, and the winged unicorn sighed a little, glowering: somehow, it was all too clear she was glaring at Pinkamena, not at him.

But shortly, they were organized: Luna, now a little more coherent, and if anything, embarrassed over how she'd panicked over Scrivener, pushed herself to tend a little further to both Rainbow Dash and Spitfire, and to gaze quietly over Avalon. But the foal wasn't hurt: unconscious still, but she had lapsed into natural sleep from her faint, and it was best just to let her rest for now.

Their march along the gorge trail was slow but steady, as the dark clouds above slowly cleared away and revealed the full, beautiful night sky. As Scrivener looked back and forth, he realized he was seeing hints of auras... but with Pinkamena in his head, his vision was being suppressed, and the demon muttered: A full time demon nanny? I don't think so. Why don't we just try electroshock therapy or trepanning your skull? Those could both be plenty fun options.

“How about no.” Scrivener mumbled, and then he shook his head quickly before looking up at Luna, smiling faintly when she glanced over her shoulder at him. “Just arguing with Pinkamena.”

“It still scares me she can like, go into things on top of everything else she can do.” Rainbow said mildly, and then he attempted to stretch out a wing before cursing sharply, Big Mac giving him a pointed glance. “Hey, I was just checking! No harm in checking, right?”

Big Mac only looked at him for another moment, then Applejack said wryly over her shoulder: “If there was no harm in checking, Rainbow, then you wouldn't've been hurt just then, would you?”

“You're one to talk, miss 'gotta be back on my hooves as fast as Luna was.'” Rainbow retorted, and Applejack blushed a bit as she cleared her throat loudly and looked ahead. “That ended in disaster once or twice, didn't it?”

“Luna fell down a lot after her pregnancy. I had to carry her in from the backyard more than once.” Scrivener remarked, and then he winced when the sapphire mare glared over her shoulder at him. “Just adding to the conversation. All of us here are guilty of trying too hard at some point, I think.”

Soarin' smiled at this, shaking his head and saying softly: “Nah. Me? I'm way more than happy with sitting back and resting between shows. Sure, nothing beats being in the air... but laying on the couch with a piece of pie sure comes close.”

Rainbow snorted in amusement at this, looking over at the Wonderbolt as he said in a gentle, teasing voice: “I can't believe I used to idolize you guys.”

“Me neither.” Soarin' smiled wider in return, and then he shook his head slowly and glanced awkwardly up at the night sky overhead, murmuring: “Spitfire, though. She was always dedicated. To the team, and to the skies...”

He looked at her silently, then shook his head and added finally: “Barely... I barely knew the other two. Think one was named... Roller or something, and the other was Windstorm. Pretty sure it wasn't her real name, of course... I mean, heck, half the 'bolts changed their name up for something with a little more flash, a little more sizzle.”

Soarin' sighed after a moment, dropping his head forwards, and then he grimaced a bit and mumbled: “All that talk about us... I think Spitfire really believed it. But I guess that even when you're the best... there's always someone better, isn't there?”

“It depends on how thou may judge their quality.” Luna said thoughtfully to this, gazing ahead. Soarin' looked up, as if for guidance, but then Luna fell silent for a moment, frowning before she muttered: “Scrivener, something is moving ahead.”

Scrivener nodded, frowning as he strode up beside her, and the group paused in the middle of the gorge as the earth pony studied the darkness ahead. He took a slow breath, giving Pinkamena a mental reassurance, and the demon grunted after a moment before he felt a twist in his mind, cursing under his breath as pain flooded his system in a pulse, and the auras grew into stranger, larger visions.

But at the same time, it let his eyes see through the darkness ahead, and his corruption-laced mind processed the creatures that were in the process of trying to flee through the gorge, thankfully not coming towards them but instead hurrying up a pass just ahead. “Dullahan. Deathless warriors from Decretum, somewhere between... undead and cursed. They won't fight us, though...”

Scrivener grimaced after a moment, and then the pain and the visions both receded as he shivered a bit. He forced himself to step forwards... and as he did, the pain faded slowly, Luna striding beside him and looking at him quietly. The charcoal earth pony couldn't help but smile a bit, and then he murmured: “Just like old times. You're the warrior with all the real experience, but I'm the walking encyclopedia of legends and stories and monsters.”

He closed his eyes, and Luna slipped a bit closer to drop her face against the side of his neck, and it comforted him, more than he could express. And bit-by-bit, he could feel their mental link starting to clear up, felt the static fading as they pushed onwards, until they were finally once more in sight of Canterlot.

Pegasus Guard were patrolling the perimeter, and they looked thankful to see the ponies returning, a cadre of soldiers immediately hurrying out to meet them: while Soarin', Spitfire and Rainbow Dash were carefully taken to get treatment in the infirmary, Scrivener and Luna were asked to accompany the others to meet Celestia. Applejack, meanwhile, decided to go with Rainbow Dash and to have the doctors take a look at Avalon, just in case, and Big Mac volunteered to help with cleanup operations once they were inside the castle and saw the devastation that had been wrought.

They were brought to Celestia's quarters, and Luna's expression of grumpy worry turned to full-out concern when she saw several doctors just leaving Celestia's bedroom. The sapphire mare hurried forwards, shoving through the double doors... and immediately, she was almost tackled by Twilight, who hugged her fiercely and whispered: “I'm sorry.”

“No, no. No, thou has nothing to be sorry for.” Luna soothed quietly, hugging Twilight tightly back as Scrivener quietly walked in behind her... and then Twilight slipped past Luna and hugged him fiercely, and Scrivener hissed in pain and almost collapsed as Luna groaned and flinched, wheezing: “Now thou has something to be sorry for!”

Twilight blushed and hurriedly drew back, looking embarrassedly at Scrivener, but the charcoal earth pony only shook his head out tiredly and smiled wryly. Then both he and Luna looked slowly up at the large, round bed Celestia was laying in with her eyes closed and her rainbow mane swirling slowly around her, before Luna smiled faintly and said quietly: “Thou art awake, big sister. Do not be childish.”

“I was just avoiding rushing you, that's all.” Celestia replied softly as her eyes opened, studying both Scrivener and Luna with tangible relief. Her covers were pulled carefully up over her body, but when she rose her head and sat up a bit, it became clear how much bandaging was over her body, much of it soaked through with blood.

Luna frowned at her as Scrivener studied the ivory equine, and then he said softly: “You seem different. Apart from the cuts and bruises.”

Celestia only smiled a little, then she shook her head, looking over him thoughtfully before murmuring: “And you, Scrivener Blooms, seem both better and worse than I expected. Better because you're on your hooves... but I expect Pinkamena has something to do with that, doesn't she?”

Scrivener looked up at her with surprise, and Celestia only shook her head, saying softly: “Your eyes are darker than usual, among other things. But then again, I've spent a lot of time and experience with demons and possession.”

“Well screw you too, Princess Sunshine, I'm just doing him a favor here. Why do you need to turn everything into a 'look how great I am' contest?” Scrivener said sharply, and then he blushed deeply and reached up to cover his mouth as Pinkamena laughed in his head. “Oh Horses of Heaven.”

“Don't worry about it.” Celestia only shook her head, and Scrivener could swear there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, perhaps even relief. “But as you've seen and no doubt surmised... the attack here was catastrophic. I have no idea how they came on in such great numbers, but I'm thankful to say their main focus was the castle and not the city... they appeared to be after Kvasir.”

“I was going to tell you that myself.” Scrivener quieted for a moment, looking down, and Celestia frowned at him as Luna looked sharply over at Scrivener, picking up the information from their mental link even before he said softly: “The Prophet and Valthrudnir... or... or whatever the hell it is... spoke to me. Told me that... they wanted Kvas, which I'm assuming is Kvasir. Valthrudnir and the Prophet wanted us to hand him over.”

“More specifically, it's my blood.” murmured a voice, and Scrivener looked over his shoulder in surprise as Kvasir quietly strode into the room, a bruised but smiling Sleipnir beside him. The enormous, vine maned earth pony traded a hug with his sister, then made Scrivener whimper in pain with the fierceness of his embrace, as Luna gargled a little and Twilight winced.

Kvasir, however, only looked quietly from Scrivener to Celestia, then he asked finally: “Why didn't you agree? Either of you? Celestia, you said yourself, I am homunculus... a... a puppet, not a real god.”

“You're still a person.” Celestia said simply in return, and Kvasir looked stunned at this response before the ivory mare turned her eyes to Scrivener, asking quietly: “But if you have the strength for it... perhaps you can go over this vision in detail.”

“I have Pinkamena painkillers. I'll be fine.” Scrivener smiled a little after a moment, and then he frowned when Sleipnir gave him a thoughtful look. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. I simply do not know whether or not 'tis adultery that my wife is inside of thee, instead of thou being inside my wife.” Sleipnir replied easily, and Luna snorted laughter as even Twilight looked surprised into cracking a smile.

Scrivener shook his head as Pinkamena snorted in amusement inside of him, but then the charcoal stallion returned his eyes to Celestia, taking a deep breath before beginning quietly: “The vision was strong... but... there was something... wrong... about Valthrudnir...”

A Journey Far Afield

Chapter Fifty Three: A Journey Far Afield
~BlackRoseRaven

Several weeks after the attack at Canterlot, Celestia was still sorting through political turmoil. After the monsters that had been seen, the remains gathered, and everything else that had been witnessed by such a large group of ponies, it had now become impossible for the Royal Council to deny Celestia's claims that there was something greater at work here than attacks by foreign powers or unknown enemies. Partly because the Royal Council itself was based out of Canterlot, and they were now all terrified of the possibility of another attack.

Celestia had begun having platoons of soldiers trained to specifically deal with the threat of monsters, and found herself once more being pushed to assume the throne instead of simply acting as one of the dozen barons and baronesses. But while Celestia cared deeply for her country and her people, she now felt the best place for her was to be somewhere where she could stand alongside her family and friends on the front lines.

Sleipnir was now running back and forth between Canterlot and Ponyville on an almost daily basis: the travel didn't seem to tire him, though, and he seemed to be able to reach Canterlot by road and trail faster than normal messenger could by train or even air. Celestia had him carrying both parcels and messages for her back and forth between village and city, and Twilight, Luna and Scrivener were spending much of their time at the library for the moment, as Scrivy worked to write down everything he had learned about Clockwork World and Luna illustrated both the Decretum Bestiary they were assembling as well as sketched out visions of the twisted layer that Scrivener was now dreaming about almost every time he went to sleep.

Kvasir was staying in Valhalla, where it was assumed – or hoped, rather – that he was safe, watched over by the best warriors Odin could spare. He hadn't been able to give them much insight on exactly what Valthrudnir wanted to do with his blood, but he had been able to explain the reason his blood, called Kvas, was special.

As Celestia had seen, his blood could 'inspire,' as it had inspired the tree into sentient life. It only worked on organic objects, however, like trees and plants and certain animals that weren't entirely intelligent. Otherwise, drinking his blood was like drinking watered-down Ambrosia, enhancing a person's natural healing for a short period of time and providing sharper focus.

Kvasir was silent for a long time after explaining this, but the next day, while most of the ponies had still been in Canterlot to rest up and help clean up the castle after the disaster of the Restoration Celebration, he had come to them of his own free will and explained quietly that Valthrudnir would sometimes drain large amounts of his blood out of his body, but he wasn't sure what it had been used for. Valthrudnir didn't drink it himself: he thought he was the master of all knowledge in the universe already, after all, and would never lower himself to 'sipping from a plebeian cup.' But he had been using it for something... except one day he had simply stopped gathering it.

The homunculus god had hesitated for a long time afterwards as Celestia, Sleipnir, Scrivener and Luna had discussed possibilities, but none came to mind for any of them. Kvasir had finally spoken up again, saying quietly there wasn't a lot he had been able to see from the trophy case in Valthrudnir's den... but that Valthrudnir did keep records he may have hidden somewhere, that Odin might have also gathered up.

When Odin had come to Canterlot later that day to retrieve the god, Scrivener and Luna had spoken to him about this with Kvasir. And after badgering, threatening, and pleading with him, the once god had finally sighed and said tiredly: “Very well. Only because I recognize the value of information and how important this is... but I will take you and Scrivener Blooms to Niflheim, and to Valthrudnir's manse. But in good time: you will need to prepare, and prepare well, for the dangers that may await there.”

So as the weeks had passed, Scrivener and Luna had prepared with surprising seriousness. Sleipnir and Celestia both wanted to go, but Celestia had Canterlot to look after as it was once more repaired, and Sleipnir had agreed to stand by his big sister and to help look after Ponyville while Luna and Scrivy were gone. Pinkamena, on the other hand, had already declared that she was going to join them no matter what they said: even with the threat of passing into Helheim territory and running into demons that would be very eager to make an example of what they did to 'blasphemers' like Pinkamena, she was resolved to come with them.

“Besides, I'll be even stronger down there. Might even be able to pick up a few new tricks.” Pinkamena reasoned in a surprisingly-cheerful voice as she adjusted her ribbed armor, and then she grumbled when Pinkie Pie hugged her for the dozenth time in the last hour around the neck, sighing tiredly. “I'm going to come back, sissy. The stupid store is up here, among other things.”

“Just be careful.” Pinkie Pie drew back with an embarrassed smile to sit beside Fluttershy, who reached up and gently rubbed the bright pink pony's back. “You all be careful, okay guys?”

“We will be.” Twilight promised quietly, smiling faintly: she was wearing a thick black cloak, but her body and limbs were protected by tight scale mesh. She hesitated, then glanced quietly towards Scrivener and Luna, who were both in full armor... and Luna even had her spear at her side, letting Twilight know how serious this was. “But... are you sure we'll be enough?”

“Better just us than to bring a large group into such a dangerous netherworld. Niflheim is little more these days than an extension of Helheim, after all... we must be very wary.” Luna replied quietly, shaking her head slowly with a grimace before she glanced up at the group in front of them, ready to see them off: Applejack with Avalon and worried Antares, Rainbow Dash with a cast on one foreleg and his wings still wrapped in bandages, Big Mac and Soarin', Fluttershy and Nirvana, Pinkie Pie, Spike and Rarity.

She smiled faintly at the large semicircle, then shook her head before her eyes locked on Soarin', saying firmly: “I am trusting that thou shall do thy duty, Soarin', even whilst I am gone. I do not desire to see thee adopting too many of Rainbow Dash's habits.”

Rainbow Dash rolled his eyes with a snort, grinning over at Soarin' amusedly as the former Wonderbolt blushed a bit. “Don't listen to her. Besides, you already know the scouting and patrol routes... still find it funny, though, you leaving the 'Bolts to... join up with us.”

Soarin' just shrugged, however, looking up at the sky as he said softly: “After what happened, I just... I dunno.” He smiled a little, shaking himself out and reaching up to brush a hoof through his dark blue mane. Without his uniform on, he looked much different: with his light-blue coat and lanky build, beside Rainbow Dash he looked almost like a younger sibling. “I can go back to the Wonderbolts anytime. But first I want to be part of putting a stop to what you guys keep calling Clockwork World.”

“Well, we can use all the help we can get, and having you around to fly patrols and help train other Pegasi is a great help, ain't it?” Applejack smiled over at him, then she sighed a little and turned her eyes to Luna, adding hesitantly: “I hope this ain't... too awkward to bring up, but I feel like this is all starting to form into another thing like the Starlit Knights, though...”

“Aye, but this time we at least know our foe... and this time, Applejack, I swear to thee... no, I swear to each and every one of thee here, that we shan't let Valthrudnir have the last laugh, and we shall save every last life we can.” Luna said firmly, looking slowly over the group with a firm nod. “'Tis... hard, to once more prepare for war, especially against a foe who seems... so indestructible, so unstoppable... but all the same, we can, we will, and we must.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Rarity smiled a little, leaning against Spike and adding softly: “We're all much more prepared this time, as well... and we know what we have to face yet, don't we? I believe that as long as we have each other and stay together... we'll survive.”

“'Tis what I believe as well.” Luna smiled after a moment, glancing over at Scrivener as he nodded slowly and adjusted the satchel bags he was wearing, before the winged unicorn turned her eyes towards the approaching figures of Odin and Sleipnir and grunted at them. “There thou art! Took thee both long enough.”

“Oh, shut up, little sister.” Sleipnir said sulkily, and Luna laughed before Sleipnir huffed grumpily as Pinkamena grinned at him. “And thou shall sleep on the couch tonight, harpy, and I shall sleep in a bed filled with prostitutes and pretties! Such a painful betrayal this is, thou abandoning me after I have offered my services here, how could thou run off to Helheim without me?”

“Very easily.” Pinkamena replied kindly, and Sleipnir huffed at her grumpily before the demon added moodily, as she glanced up at the midday sun: “And if I do come home and find you snuggled up in bed with a whole bunch of ponies, I want you to know that by the time you wake up they'll be whole bunch of corpses. And then I'll make you eat them.”

Sleipnir only grumbled in response to this, then Odin quickly held up a gloved hand before the vine-maned stallion could speak, the once-god interrupting moodily: “If you don't mind, we do have quite a distance to travel today. We'll be meeting... an associate by the Gates of Tartarus.”

Scrivener looked up in surprise as Luna frowned a bit, cocking her head curiously. “And what is this place, an entrance to Helheim?”

“It is a Hell, that is for certain.” Odin smiled slightly after a moment, then he shook his head and added quietly: “My... associate... will take us through Tartarus and Hades beyond to Niflheim. As you are aware, I'm sure, I and the Aesir were not the only group of gods in existence... your charming zebra friend Zecora has her own gods and her own brands of belief, does she not? And sad as it makes me, perhaps her beliefs in her gods are more valid than those who believed in me... look... where we are now, after all.”

Odin fell quiet, looking musing for a moment before he shook his head and smiled over at the others, saying quietly: “But that's not important. What is, is that my associate can safely bring us to Niflheim and close to the hidden pass to Valthrudnir's lair.”

Scrivener and Luna both nodded slowly as Twilight bit her lip a bit, and then Odin glanced down at Sleipnir, saying quietly: “Be watchful, Sleipnir. Who knows what may be lurking on the horizon now... we will return as soon and safe as possible.”

Sleipnir nodded and smiled a little, and then he sighed before meeting Luna's eyes, murmuring softly: “Good luck, my beloved little sister. Take care of thyself, and thy mares.”

Luna smiled and nodded, stepping forwards and trading a firm hug with him before she slipped back, and Pinkamena strode forwards. Demon and vine-maned stallion glared at each other for a moment, and then they both sighed before trading their own tight hug and a short, gentle kiss, drawing apart as Sleipnir gave a wry smile. “I'll be jealously and anxiously waiting for thee with thy sibling and Kǫttr. Do bring our son back a gift, will thou?”

“Don't call the damn dog that, it's creepy.” Pinkamena said grumpily, but then she grunted and nodded, saying moodily: “Fine, though. Whatever I don't eat, he can have.”

Sleipnir smiled at her, and Luna laughed quietly, shaking her head slowly before her eyes roved towards where Scrivener was standing by Antares, gently ruffling his son's mane as he gazed down at him softly. “Be brave, Antares. We'll be back by tomorrow.”

Antares nodded quietly, looking up at them softly before Luna strode over and leaned down, picking up her son in a tight, firm embrace for a moment, and he hugged her tightly back as he whispered: “I'll be brave. I love you, Mom, Dad.”

“As we love thou.” Luna said quietly, setting him gently down before she reached up and stroked slowly under his chin, looking into his eyes softly. “Adored and beautiful child. Fear not, I shall bring thou back something special.”

Antares smiled after a moment, nodding quietly, and Luna patted him firmly once on the head before she looked up at Applejack warmly. But before she could speak, the goldenrod mare shook her head and laughed, saying softly: “You don't have to say a word. Antares is a great little colt and Avalon loves his company, don't you, Ava? So it works out all around. I'm more than glad to look after him for as long as you need.”

“Tares!” Avalon agreed, nodding as she clutched her half-full sippy-cup of cola against her as she beamed around, wiggling a little. She was as happy and bouncy as ever, and it was almost as if she had never thrown herself into the fight against Courage: it made Scrivener envious of a child's ability to simply move on with life.

They said the rest of their goodbyes, traded hugs and promises, and then Odin calmly turned to begin leading them down the road and on the journey that would take them all the way to the lair of a Jötnar. He was using his walking stick today, but not leaning on it too heavily, at least... but all the same, Luna was looking at him apprehensively even before they reached the gates of Ponyville.

Odin waited until they had left town to finally address her, however, looking slowly up into the calm blue sky as he said softly: “If something happens, Brynhild, no, I do not expect you and your friends to carry my weight. I expect you all to take care of yourselves, as I shall take care of myself. Besides, I may be old, and tired, but I am still perfectly capable of defending myself if need be.”

Luna grunted at this, looking irritably up at the falcon-headed entity as she said dryly: “Oh, so I shall just leave thee to die at the claws of some demon, then? Well, no, I do not care about that so much as I care about the fact that thy blood is a precious resource, once-god. Thou art Odin, after all.”

Odin smiled over at her at this even as Twilight and Scrivener both traded exasperated looks at Luna's tactlessness, and then the once-god said mildly: “Then if we end up surrounded by demons, I promise that I will make myself explode, how about that?”

“Can... can thou really do that?” Luna looked up at him both suspiciously and almost excitedly, and Odin sighed and rolled his eye before continuing calmly onwards, and Luna huffed after a moment. “'Tis a fair question! I do not know anyone who can make themselves explode, except perhaps for Celestia... but Celestia has never done it. At least not yet. 'Twill probably be how she dies, though, exploding like a supernova and wiping out half of Equestria...”

“On a more serious note... since we're heading into Valthrudnir's manse to get information, well... with that vision, of Valthrudnir and the Prophet, and her apparent dedication to him, or at least to the so-called 'Clockwork King...'” Scrivener started quietly, and Odin nodded slowly. “How do we know we aren't going to run into guards or monsters, or worse a surprised Valthrudnir just getting out of the shower or something?”

“'Twill make it all the easier to thrust my spear up his buttocks if we do.” Luna grumbled, and Odin didn't seem to know whether to laugh or simply stare before she shook her head and sighed, adding moodily: “But 'tis a good point. 'Twill be most unfortunate if we step into his manse and find it filled with Clockwork abominations.”

“I don't believe that we will, though... I have been keeping as close an eye on things as possible from Asgard, and while it amounts to little more than hunting for signs of life, Valthrudnir's manse is still as empty and hollow as it ever was.” Odin replied with a shrug, and as he looked forwards, he continued in a murmur: “It's reassuring in a way. Valthrudnir, after all, does not strike me as someone who would abandon his home if he did happen to return, whether or not it was clear I had been inside his lair. But we will learn more once we get there.”

“As long as we don't get attacked by anything. I'm pretty tired of getting my flank handed to me on a regular basis.” Scrivener muttered, nodding a little bit before he looked up, hesitating for a few moments before asking finally: “Tartarus. That's from... pre-Equestrian history, yes? Older legends, that contain a lot of the origins of cockatrices, hydras, manticores and other creatures you see around Equestria...”

“As I said, the world was already here, and I would be lying if I said I did everything alone.” Odin smiled a little, looking ahead and saying softly: “We gods all have our sects and clans and divisions. We go, influencing people here and there, and how some of our stories pass down from ourselves to mortals I do not know. I believe that ideas, whether they are fact or fiction, simply have a life of their own: they pass through all the realities in one form or another, and those chosen, lucky few get to hear them and, if they are intelligent and dedicated, record their passage in this shape or that one.”

Pinkamena only snorted in derision, however, looking grumpily up at the blue sky before she asked mildly: “Then why is it so many people who have all the 'good ideas' end up being either bastards or blowhards or crazy?”

Odin only shrugged at this, looking thoughtfully ahead as he replied quietly: “Because perhaps when you gaze too long into wonderment, you eventually lose yourself to it. All fantasy has to be tempered with reality... otherwise, it's as dangerous as any other drug.”

Scrivener nodded slowly at this with a grunt as Pinkamena snorted, and then Twilight looked up and asked finally: “So how far are we from Tartarus? And why is there a gate to what sounds like... well, Hell, in our world?”

“Well, I was gone for a long time, my friends. Other gods, younger and older both, wandered across these layers of reality and taken an interest in them. In all likelihood, I'm sure they were very tempted to try and transform them more to their liking... but I believe several of them ran afoul of Valthrudnir.” Odin glanced away with a grimace, shaking his head slowly. “The Jötnar are all much older than gods, and even when Ymir was alive and Valthrudnir was at least... contained... he was powerful.”

“I have always wondered, Odin, how did thou best Ymir? I know what thou told us, thou defeated him in single combat, but... what is the truth?” Luna asked finally, looking up at Odin curiously, and then she frowned when the once god stopped in the middle of the road, the ponies all looking up at the falcon-headed entity as he simply leaned on his cane... then sighed tiredly and lowered his head.

“I did. What I failed to mention was the fact that I caught Ymir on the edge of Niflheim, after a skirmish with Surt, King of Muspell and the Fire Giants. I know this because it was what Ymir told me himself, as he asked to be given a chance to recover his strength.” Odin shook his head slowly. “I won because Ymir had used up most of his strength fighting Surt... the only way I could win against Ymir.”

He rubbed slowly at the scarred side of his face, muttering: “How I cursed Mimir back then and how I curse him now. He took my eye and let me drink from his well, but mocked that no matter what I did, no matter how I sought power and knowledge, I would still never be anything more than the foolish man I started my life as. That I would live for countless years and learn to regret that I had never been content with a simple quasi-mortal life.”

With that, Odin grumbled and strode onwards, carrying his cane now instead of using it. The ponies traded looks and followed quickly after him, but even Luna didn't press the matter as they turned down a grassy, less-used road from the dirt highway. Their travel was mostly silent from that point on, trading only quiet conversation now and then as they walked for several hours into wild, uncharted territory.

As the sun began to set, they found themselves in a dark, brooding gray landscape: there was a sense of being in the shadows of mountains, but there were only burrows and hills around them, of gray, ugly shale and craggy, short rocks, dead trees desperately clinging to the vestiges of life as they writhed strangely in the windless air.

Pinkamena was grinning, looking slowly back and forth, and Luna couldn't help but grimace as she saw several Strange Ones standing calmly on a hilltop nearby: they were so still and silent that she had almost mistaken them for statues, but one of them was holding a large, black bow... and then Scrivener looked up with a wince as there was a loud, roaring howl that cut through the air.

But Odin only shook his head, saying quietly: “Fear not. Cerberus won't bother us, my associate has assured me of this.”

“I do not like thou speaking of nameless associates. And I like even less I recognize that name. 'Tis a particularly-nasty Hellhound, is it not?” Luna asked moodily, and when Odin gave a small smile, she grumbled under her breath. “Wonderful. Scrivener, did thou bring the camera at least?”

“Yes, I brought the camera, just like you asked.” Scrivener said tiredly, and when Twilight gave him an incredulous look, Scrivener shrugged a bit. “Hey, I thought it was a really stupid idea at first, too, but then Luna and I talked it over and I realize that I could take pictures of the things in Valthrudnir's manse we couldn't bring with us.”

Twilight nodded after a moment at this, although she still looked uncertain, and Odin grunted before he gestured ahead at a figure flanked by two Strange Ones, saying quietly: “There he is. I am sure he'll introduce himself. Brynhild, a word of caution, though... do not antagonize him. I believe the only reason he works with me is because, like me, he is one of the very few of his kind left. It seems a sad truth that all gods... seem to end up destroying themselves and each other, one way or another.”

He sighed a little, then Pinkamena grinned widely, muttering: “Funny. Demons, angels, mortals, gods... what's the difference? We all seem born to destroy.”

“I do not understand how you and my son can be husband and wife. Sleipnir is infuriatingly, childishly hopeful and you are depressingly, despairingly pessimistic.” Odin muttered, and Pinkamena shrugged cheerfully before the once-god turned his attention up to the tall cloaked figure as they drew close, bowing his head politely but silently.

The figure standing between the Strange Ones emitted a quiet, odd clicking: a strange chitinous black belt was locked around its waist, tightly gripping into its brown, simple cloak. And Luna grimaced in distaste as it rose its head, letting the cowl fall back enough to reveal smooth, black, scorpion-like features: malicious dark eyes stared out of sunken sockets as a thin mouth curled in distaste between clicking mandibles, features insectile but composed, cold.

It rose a hand calmly, long sleeves falling back to gesture at them with a hand that possessed three long, flexible claws and a triple-jointed, blade like thumb. Odin grimaced visibly at this, and then he sighed and reached into a pocket of his jacket, digging for a moment before producing a small sack he tossed to the creature. It caught this, then squeezed it slowly before smiling mirthlessly and nodding calmly once at the jingling of coins inside. “You should be thankful I am willing to bend the rules, and they do not have to die. But why is there a prisoner among your group? Does she truly long to return to Hades that badly?”

“She is no prisoner.” Odin said quietly, and then he gestured calmly to the ponies, saying quietly: “Allow me to introduce them. Their names are Luna, Scrivener Blooms, Twilight Sparkle, and Pinkamena.”

“Oh, precious Brynhild, is that this not so?” The creature looked down inquisitively, cocking its head as its belt shifted... and Luna grimaced in disgust at both the coldness of its eyes and as she realized it wasn't wearing a belt at all: instead, those were arms stretching out of narrow holes in its cloak, curled tightly against its sides and with its long fingers laced tightly together. “Their names are not important-”

“Their names are important if you wish to address them, and you will address them by the names that I or they give you.” Odin said quietly, looking fearlessly up into the creature's eyes. Its features twitched with contempt and irritation, but it also visibly tensed before finally giving a short, moody nod. “I believe they wish to know your name, though.”

“Very well.” The scorpion's mandibles clicked rapidly, and then it made a strange half-bow to them as it slipped the bag of coins to one of its lower limbs. The smaller arm snatched this almost greedily, making Twilight flinch before it sharply withdrew into the hole in the cloak, even as it said calmly: “I am Charon. I will guide you through this Tartarus Pit, and then I will ferry you down the River Styx to where Hell meets Hell.”

“There's more than one?” Twilight asked before she could stop herself, and then she flushed as the creature looked down at her with patronizing contempt.

“'Tartarus' is the name we apply to all places of torment where the deserving are rightfully punished and tortured, in the dismal despair they have so earned over their lives. He was once a cruel and evil god.” Charon smiled coldly, looking disdainful. “He is no longer.”

Charon paused, then he turned around and strode calmly towards what looked like a solid, rocky face in a larger mound... but then the strange, cold creature simply waved a hand, and the front of the hilltop vanished from existence, revealing a pair of immense stone double doors inset into a tall, gleaming archway. With another gesture, these rumbled slowly open, and they were greeted by screams and howls and insane laughter that echoed up out of a dismal staircase beyond. “Come. You have a rare opportunity, mortals. To see the Hell that awaits your pathetic kind for their sins of flesh and violence. To compare the Hell that one sees to the Hell that another does: but as they say, the Hell you know is better than the Hell you do not.”

With that, Charon chuckled quietly to himself before calmly striding through the double doors, and Odin shook his head moodily, muttering irritably over his shoulder to the ponies as he followed: “Forget my advice, Brynhild.”

“Oh fear not, I have already decided that should the chance present itself, I shall show him a Hell far worse than any he knows.” Luna grumbled, and Pinkamena growled in agreement as the ponies followed after the once-god. Scrivener glanced nervously over his shoulder at the Strange Ones as they passed into the stone stairwell, and one of them bowed calmly, as if wishing them luck... making Scrivener wonder just what the hell they were getting into even as the stone doors slammed shut behind them.

The journey through Tartarus was unpleasant: screaming things, evil things, things in cells and chains. Gargoyle statues that Scrivener could swear moved from perch to perch in the corner of his vision loomed overhead, and Strange Ones in armor and warrior gear patrolled quietly through the corridors as Twilight shivered. It was a strange and terrible, spiraling prison that Charon seemed to enjoy being in, here and there gesturing at cells as he patronized and mocked both the ponies and the prisoners, whether they were monsters or other things.

They eventually reached a massive iron door at the very bottom of the prison, inscribed with symbols none of them could recognize and guarded by both Strange Ones and other alien creatures. They remained silent as Charon approached the door, then the creature's mandibles clicked as he stroked slowly over the metal, murmuring: “So few souls to care for these days... to bring to their deserved punishment. The old ways are dying, Odin. We are all dying, fading, soon to be replaced. You may have gained a handful of followers through your reincarnations, but they are more worshiped than you are. What is her name... Freya? Is that the one you are-”

Charon turned around, and Odin swung his cane hard across the creature's face, making him hiss in shock and then snarl in pain and humiliation as the once-god said calmly: “You were paid for your services, Charon, not for your endless chatter. We have been polite enough not to antagonize you. Perhaps you should return the favor.”

Charon snorted in disgust and contempt, but then he hammered one of his clawed hands back against the door, and it swung open with a blast of heat and screams as the creature said coldly: “I suppose we must all make sacrifices, Odin. Be they pride or other pretty things.”

With that the creature turned around, striding slowly out into the rocky, brimstone-reeking world beyond, and Odin looked moodily back and forth: the Strange Ones were still only watching calmly, however, and the other guards had pointedly turned their eyes away from the short conflict. Then the once god walked forwards as Luna muttered moodily: “Well, 'tis a good thing thou did it or I would have. And I would have killed him.”

“My associate serves a purpose. Whether we agree on things or not.” Odin muttered, as the ponies followed into the rocky, wastes beyond, and stared out at a world of black stone and orange and red fire, the only light in the world coming from cracks in the broken earth and the bursts of magma and fire that belched towards the sky from vents and floes of lava.

In the distance was a great and terrible falls of fire and lava, spilling down from the stony maw of a demon's face that had been carved into the brown and black rock. Torture instruments of rock and charred wood and heated, half-melted gold stood here and there, and Scrivener breathed hard as he felt a shiver run through him as Twilight clenched her eyes shut for a moment at the oppressive, poisonous feeling in the air, but Pinkamena only grinned widely, whispering: “Landscape might be different, but hey. Still feels like home to me. And still a lot of rocks. What do you think, Scrivy, is fire or ice better?”

“Guess we'll find out.” Scrivener glanced ahead to Luna, who had paused with Odin but was still smiling faintly, not as affected as they were. So instead, the charcoal stallion turned his eyes to Twilight, gently nudging her, and her eyes opened and blinked rapidly before Scrivy said softly: “Stay close.”

She nodded mutely, shivering, and Scrivener turned his eyes ahead as the group started forwards down the steep path. Charon was already far ahead, but it was a simple road down a rocky cliff-side, taking them around a bend and alongside a flowing river of what Scrivener shortly realized was boiling blood... and beneath the surface...

Twilight stared and shivered, then she wretched as she staggered backwards, but Pinkamena leaned in and grinned down at the screaming faces and clawing, helpless victims in the sludgy river, whispering: “Hello there. Give you guys a hint... accept it. Even just pretend to accept it if you gotta, but one way or the other... accept it.”

Then she laughed and drew back, shaking her head out and glancing up with a lick of her lips to look at Scrivener as he comforted Twilight. He glanced up, saw the question in her eyes, and responded with a sudden, short snarl at her, which made Pinkamena shiver in delight before she nodded rapidly, saying almost tenderly: “It is beautiful. It is.”

“B-Beautiful? Horses of Heaven...” Twilight shook her head violently, looking up with a grimace of horror before she forced her eyes ahead, breathing hard as she saw Luna and Odin standing ahead on a long wooden dock with Odin. The two were watching as Charon calmly went about the business of preparing a large, ugly black ferry for travel, rocking gently on the sludgy waves. Iron rings hung from the side of the ship, and its wooden prow was carved in the shape of a snarling, distorted horse's head, a bright lantern hanging from its grit jaws by a large, rusted loop. And the horrible thing was how it seemed somehow... alive.

Twilight steadied herself, and then she nodded to Scrivener, closing her eyes for a moment before starting slowly forwards, trembling a little. Scrivener walked beside her, and Pinkamena followed last, the demon shivering a little as she fought against the urge to let herself transform, her eyes glowing faintly as she murmured: “All this energy in the air... all the emotion and pain and pleasure... what a sweet allure.”

Charon snorted in disgust as he stood at the back of the ship, then motioned calmly at the low seats of the long craft, saying distastefully: “We have wasted enough time dallying.”

Luna snorted in distaste as she gazed over the seats: each bench seat came with a set of chains and manacles, and the winged unicorn couldn't help but ask distastefully: “I am so glad to see thou art obviously so... safety-conscious. Although I imagine that this is not meant to be a pleasure cruise, is it?”

“It is a kindness: I am helping prepare them for the unimaginable tortures that wait ahead.” Charon replied calmly, smiling ruthlessly as he picked up a large, ironwood oar. “Or are you asking to indulge in this experience yourself?”

“I would rather not give thee thy perverse pleasures, monster.” Luna said disgustedly, snorting in contempt as she pawed at dock with one hoof, looking disgusted. “Sadists such as thou are cowards, taking pleasure in the pain of others because they are terrified of agony themselves. Spit all the childish justifications thou desires, but thou art not righteous: thou deserves to drown in this bloody river, wretched bug.”

Charon's mandibles clacked quietly as he glared at her, and Luna smiled sweetly at him before she stepped into the craft, adding pleasantly as she sat herself down in one of the seats near the front: “Besides, 'tis not as I am speaking of that which I do not know. The difference is that unlike thou, I do not seek to justify my darkness and act as if I am part of some great, divine scheme. Nor do I seek to stand upon a safe balcony and mock the pain of others from where they cannot see me.”

Scrivener smiled despite himself as helped Twilight into the craft, and then stepped in himself to sit behind Luna as the violet mare took the single seat on the other side of the aisle from the sapphire winged unicorn. Pinkamena followed next, grinning and sitting near the back and their guide, and Odin came last, sitting himself calmly in the middle of the long, narrow vessel. His hands rested on the top of his walking stick as he gazed ahead, and Charon gazed over those gathered before he said distastefully: “I shall make the journey as short as possible. For all our sakes.”

“Please do.” Luna said drolly over her shoulder, and Twilight gazed at her with exasperation, but also a faint, almost-admiring smile at how even now, the sapphire winged unicorn wouldn't let anything intimidate her, even though they were in some terrible hell, upon a river of blood and...

Twilight shivered as Charon reached down and yanked the mooring line free from the boat, simply tossing it overboard, and slowly, the ship began to drift forwards and towards the center of the river of blood. Charon straightened as he shifted the oar in his grip, then leaned to the side and dug deep through the water with it, propelling them onwards as he murmured calmly: “You may wish to keep your eyes open... I am sure that some of the punishments you may witness are similar to those employed in Helheim upon your wretched and worthless souls...”

“Wretched and worthless as they are.” Scrivener whispered in the dark, strange tongue of the Wyrms before he could stop himself, and the bloody river splashed up around them as a hiss rose through the air.

Charon looked unsettled by this even as he continued to slowly paddle, before he said quietly to Odin: “You... did not mention...”

“There was no need to. And I am sure it was only a momentary slip... brought on by your own need to comment on everything.” Odin replied calmly, leaning forwards on his cane and not looking back at the creature before he said softly: “I learned a long time ago it's much better not to underestimate these people, Charon. For they are not just ponies and animals, they are people, just as I am... and I suppose you are, too.”

Charon grimaced at this beneath his cowl, looking moody as he continued to row slowly onwards. At first, the river was smooth, bathing them in a crimson glow as they passed on the wide, red strait cutting through high, ominous cliffs, and apart from the shrieks that echoed through the air it was almost a calm, smooth travel. But soon enough, one of the cliffs gradually sloped downwards, becoming a rocky, broken plateau.

Minotaurs were imprisoned here, heads bowed, muzzled and blindfolded. Their horns had been cut from their heads and collars were tight around their necks, chains hanging from these and attaching into manacles that kept their hands locked in front of them, then fed down into heavy, rusted stakes in the ground.

And Twilight turned away in horror from the sight of the tortures that had been done to their naked bodies, as Charon said calmly: “Many of their kind still end here. They are a brutal people... they live by wrath. They die by wrath. But it is only here they begin to truly understand suffering... one nail, one screw, one cut, for every pain they inflicted upon another in life...”

Twilight shuddered a bit, turning away and leaning over the side of the boat... and then a hand tore up out of the red water, a half-melted minotaur howling as he tried to lunge free of the river as he grabbed wildly at the boat, and Twilight shrieked and fell into the aisle as the hand seized the edge of the ferry. It rocked it violently as it began to claw upwards, splattering blood over the wood that was almost greedily absorbed as Luna snarled and Scrivener looked up in shock... and then something twisted around, terribly fast, and tore through the minotaur just as he began to haul himself up.

The howling, miserable soul was slowly lifted on the end of an enormous stringer pierced through it, and Charon looked with a contemptible smile at Twilight: his mandibles clicking, the segmented tail extending from behind him shivering once before it twisted violently and lashed the melted minotaur back down into the river. The black stinger gleamed for a moment in midair, then withdrew back behind Charon and vanished into the cloak as quickly as it had appeared, as the creature said mockingly: “Do not fear the dead, little ones. Those who have not paid my toll are not permitted to ride the ferry. You see them below us... miserably fighting the current, trying to get out, not knowing that they're only drawing out their torment and adding to the pains that will be scored upon their heads once they do eventually reach the dark depths of their new home.”

Scrivener grimaced and looked forwards as Twilight slowly, carefully picked herself up, sitting back in her seat and looking up with a tremble, then wincing at the sight of cages above. Several of these were occupied, gaunt, griffin-like monstrosities clawing teasingly at the prisoners inside as ravens cawed loudly, perched here and there on bent branches of the iron bars. “Oh God...”

“God isn't here.” Charon said patronizingly, and then he gazed up at the rocky ceiling high above as he calmly rowed onwards, saying quietly: “I've outlived them all. Even Thanatos himself. What am I, after all, but a lonely ferryman?”

“Row, row, row your boat... gently down the stream...” Pinkamena sang softly, leaning back with a wide grin as her eyes glowed and she looked mockingly over her shoulder at Charon. “Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily... life is but a scream...”

“Do not mock me, prisoner. You would not survive long in this hell... you would be seen as an invader, and the true monsters of this realm would peel you apart.” Charon said contemptibly, but Pinkamena only snorted at this with a roll of her eyes.

She turned her attention back forwards, sniffing disdainfully as she asked moodily: “And how do you know that's not just what I want? Someone who can break me down, and put me back together right, because even now everything's all out of order...”

The demon shook her head grumpily, and Luna gazed over her shoulder at her for a moment softly before the sapphire mare sighed and looked back ahead, asking finally: “When will we be done this ridiculous tour, monster? We are not impressed by fire or brimstone, nor by thy melodramatics or the reek of this vile place.”

Charon didn't reply, only continuing to slowly row onwards, and Luna snorted in irritation. She softened as her eyes passed over Twilight, however: the violet mare was shivering, her face in her hooves as she tried to block out the world around her.

Scrivener glanced up as he felt Luna's emotions, and then he nodded to the sapphire mare before slipping quietly, carefully over behind Twilight and reaching up to grasp her shoulders soothingly, leaning forwards and saying softly to her as she trembled a little: “Just relax, Twilight. We're here, okay? Just keep your head down.”

Twilight nodded a little, but then Charon snorted, his voice contemptible, almost mocking, as he said: “You would weep for these vile sinners? Then you are not a person, nor are you even an animal. You're a wretched fool; that is not a 'depth of empathy' you reveal, but weakness. Your precious tears and pity for these prisoners and monsters only makes them stronger, only makes you all the more appetizing a victim for them... but now I understand why you, lost soul, would travel with companions such as you've chosen for yourself...”

“Shut your goddamn trap, ugly.” Pinkamena snapped over her shoulder, glaring balefully at Charon as Luna snarled as well, and Scrivener tried his hardest to keep his attention forwards, to focus on soothing Twilight instead of getting wrapped up with the persistent mockeries of their sociopathic guide.

Charon only shook his head slowly, however, responding icily: “Do not disrespect me, prisoner. I will not tolerate it from such filth and scum as yourself... and do not think that Odin would dare to stop me from punishing those I have rightful claim over.”

“Oh, you may have rightful claim over the lost and wayward souls, ferryman, but Pinkamena is my daughter-in-law. Lay a hand on her, and you'll be the one who ends up in the river... and I think those miserable Draugar will be all too eager to renew their acquaintanceship with you.” Odin said calmly, and then he reached absently into his jacket pocket, pulling out a flask and opening it to sip slowly at the contents before offering it to Luna when she looked at him with a small smile. “It's just water.”

“My thanks, Odin.” Luna said softly, and her horn glowed as she lifted the flask from his hand before guiding it over to Scrivener. The earth pony took it with a bit of a smile, then patted Twilight on the shoulder, and she looked up at him before smiling weakly and taking the flask, sipping quietly from it and reviving herself a little.

Scrivener took a drink himself before tossing it back to Odin, and the once god screwed the top back on before tucking it away in his jacket again. Pinkamena was lounging moodily back, looking out at the river of blood and ahead, to where the river widened into a strait filled with jagged rockets, against which skeletons and bodies were chained down, some burning, some crying out in misery, others simply hollow and silent. Twilight lowered her head again, but Scrivener couldn't help but stare and shiver a bit at what went through him... not just fear and disgust, but a terrible, dark fascination bordering on excitement.

He closed his eyes, turning his head away as the ferry rolled onwards through the crimson tides: on either side of them rose the jagged teeth and claws of cliffs, but the ugly brimstone was crawling with strange beasts, and even through the venting steam and smoke vomiting up towards the rocky ceiling high above, there were moving and rumbling and terrible shapes, seeming to eagerly watch them through the curtains of poisonous fog.

It stank: not just of fire and copper and smoke, but sweet rot and putrid death. And the further they sailed, the thicker the steam and smoke got, until they were blindly sailing through a crimson river that narrowed into a slit stream between jagged cliffs, Charon using his oar to push against the rock walls as the edge of the ship scraped now and then against black stone. The only point of light now was the lantern, and the glow it cast bled only weakly through smoke and steam... but Charon was barely looking ahead, only keeping his head bowed, smiling his cold smile to himself as he shoved them onwards.

Luna, Scrivener and Twilight were all sweating heavily by the time they finally emerged from the narrow canyon and the shroud of smog, and into a lake of blood and black scum. Ancient statues stood in various states of decay and defamation throughout the swampy lake, and it was encircled on either side by strange, monolithic structures of wood and melted stone. On one side, the structures formed a massive wall with enormous, open windows along the top like dozens of staring, vacant eyes, the structure either a barracks or a temple or perhaps the seat of some powerful demon lord; on the other side of the lake, huts and broken homes and crumbled towers formed a desolate village of the damned.

Charon glanced towards this, saying softly: “There is no escape from here. There is no end to this nightmare. And those craven cowards who chose to live their lawless lives, desperate for pleasure and power, must now forever go without knowing ecstasy or strength. They live here, eternal bottom-feeders, gutted swine who dine upon only sawdust and rotten corpses...”

They passed onwards, towards an entrance to a river blocked by a massive, spiked gate, tall, quadrupedal monsters standing on warped wooden docks on either side of this. Their lower bodies were that of fours... but these extended into an upper, powerful body of a minotaur, javelins on the back of one and the other carrying a bow. They were both harnessed in chains that seemed melted into their backs and arms, as did the awful, spiked helms that rested over their heads, and from the harnesses extended more chains that fed back into the gates.

Charon smiled as he stood up straight and waved his oar back and forth slowly and fearlessly to these creatures, calling calmly: “Open the way, centaurs; I bring lost sheep to be counted and judged by King Minos.”

The monsters looked for a moment at him, then both silently turned and slowly began to stride along the docks, the chains pulling taut as they flexed and struggled to yank the massive gates open. With a rumble, the metal barrier slowly began to part, and Charon calmly began to row into the gap that formed, Luna and Scrivener both looking back and forth with winces: they realized that the gates were not so much gates as they were a pair of massive pistons... pistons that just had to be spiked as well, and were loudly grinding and clanking on either side of them as the centaurs struggled against whatever foul mechanism kept the heavy barrier closed.

Almost the moment they passed through, the piston-gates slammed loudly shut behind them, rocking the boat as the bloody river splashed softly around them. Twilight cursed weakly as she looked up, and then her eyes widened in shock: the seemingly-endless river stretched onwards here, twisting back and forth like a massive crimson serpent through marshlands and fields filled with massive and terrible structures, a gargantuan castle visible in the distance and monolithic but crumbling statues looking out of cliffs and sinking slowly into the mire and blood and magma...

Another hour passed as they traveled onwards, ghostly spirits occasionally flitting by now, and demons and monsters peering at them from behind rocks. As they had passed near to a cavern in a cliff wall, several snarling heads had extended out, terrible, gaunt reptilian features glaring and hissing at them: a hydra, thankfully just out of reach on the far side of the river.

Finally, Charon turned off the wider bloody river, diverting away from the awful castle in the distance to instead turn down a narrow side river of dark ichors. They had sailed along this as Pinkamena had leaned over the side, then swept her hoof into the muck before bringing it up to sniff, and then lick slowly at Scrivener had shivered, before she whispered: “Liquid nightmares. I think you should reach in, Scrivy. You'd love it.”

“Shut up.” Scrivener muttered, closing his eyes. Twilight was still seated in front of him, and Luna had moved back to the bench seat just across from him, giving him a nervous glance. Odin, meanwhile, was simply silently leaning on his walking stick, moodily gazing ahead as the ferry rumbled slowly down the dark stream, tilting a bit as they hit a gentle slope downwards.

It eventually narrowed to a murky creek that passed between mounds of mud and enormous but alien trees that were covered in flesh as well as black bark. Scrivener tried to keep his eyes off this, shivering and almost recognizing them as they made their way through the bleak, poisonous forest, past enormous, rotten columns that stood here and there, and more staring statues: he hated those most of all. Seeing them, the decaying architecture, the ghostly statues... it was like seeing hints that once, this hell had been civilized. Had been ordered and structured before it had fallen in disrepair and chaos and destruction... it made him wonder if all worlds eventually fell from their attempt at civilization to barbarianism and decadent decay.

The ponies all glanced up as they turned down another narrow stream and began to approach the dark maw of a cavern, in a cliff that dripped with mud and slime and what Scrivener guessed was probably blood. They passed between trees that smoldered and burned quietly, and even as poisonous steam vented up from the creek in front of them, none of them flinched now. Just like they had even become all too used to the toxic, oppressive heat...

But as they rowed into the cavern maw, the heat began to lessen... and moments later, there was a blast of cold air before they passed through the other side of the tunnel and into an icy, frozen world. Scrivener gazed up in shock as Luna looked back and forth in incredulity, and Twilight slowly rose her head as Pinkamena whispered: “There's no place like home.”

Charon was calmly rowing them down a blue river between desolate walls of ice and stone, passing through a narrow canyon as Scrivener looked over his shoulder in shock that only grew greater when he saw the tunnel they had passed out of was now only a gaping, shallow cut in the ice. He stared at this, then looked ahead to Odin, asking finally: “What happened? How...”

“Niflheim and Hades have always shared a connection... one netherworld, linked to another darker Hell.” Odin murmured quietly, smiling wryly as he looked down meditatively. “Every world connects, if you know where to look for a door... and remember that sometimes, we have different names for the same thing.

“Muspellheim, as I am sure you have heard, cannot be recorded on a map. Moves, like a flickering flame, but can always be reached through Niflheim if you just keep traveling to the south... the only unknown is when you will find yourself passing into that world of fire and pain, which is why the Nibelung never march due south unless absolutely necessary.” Odin closed his eyes with a quiet chuckle. “And Hades, well... was that not a world of fire and pain and alien unknowns?”

“Muspell... Muspell is Hades? Why did thou never share this with us before?” Luna asked sharply, glaring over her shoulder at Odin as Scrivener looked dumbly up. “Meddling old fool, so thou art saying-”

“Because all it is, is interesting trivia.” Odin shook his head slowly, glancing up at Luna, but looking apologetic all the same even s he continued: “Muspell or Hades or Hell or Abaddon, call it what you will. It's a place of fire and pain and suffering that burns all around the edges of the frozen otherworld we're in now. It's a place where other gods condemned the wretched... and where awful things spawned amidst the fire and the brimstone, like the Fire Giant we call Surt and Hades knows by a different name and title.”

Luna grumbled a little and dropped her head moodily, then she shivered a bit, feeling the temperature changing quickly from too hot to too cold as they passed down the blue river and out of the canyon. Desolate tundra lay to either side as far as the eye could see, lonely and broken... and above, clouds like fog breathed slowly past the rocky, icy ceiling, as the winged unicorn murmured: “This brings back... terrible memories.”

Odin nodded slowly, looking down with a soft sigh, and they were silent as they continued forwards. Pinkamena was grinning widely, but far more alert, her eyes sharply glancing back and forth at every moving shadow, every glimmer of the ice and shift of the snow. Twilight, meanwhile, was staring all around them almost lethargically slowly... but it seemed as if the loneliness, the desolation, was making her feel almost scared as the visible torments they had witnessed in Hades.

After only twenty minutes, Charon finally drew to a thinly-frozen pond, the black prow of the ferry cracking and ripping through the ice before it ground into a solid bank of frost. Charon gestured to them with one hand, saying softly as he rested on his oar: “This is as far as I shall take you, as was our deal.”

Odin stood up, carefully testing the ice with his cane before he stepped over the side of the ferry, while Pinkamena simply hopped out and then shivered once, pressing her hooves firmly down against the frost as her body flexed against the banded armor around her. “Yeah. Yeah, feels... like home.”

Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight piled out, and the group gathered together before Charon calmly pushed himself backwards, giving them a contemptible look as he said distastefully: “May you all find the end of your journey with haste.”

Luna responded to this by grumbling, sweeping up some snow, and flinging it at the creature, hitting him in the face and making him wince as she retorted: “And may we never cross paths again, coward!”

Charon looked at her with disgust, mandibles clicking loudly, and Luna snorted challengingly, pawing her hoof at the ground as she glared after the creature as the ferry slowly drew back down the way it had come. Odin watched moodily as well, and then he finally sighed, turning around and saying quietly: “Come, we shouldn't waste too much time here. We don't want to be spotted, nor followed into Valthrudnir's manse.”

Luna grunted, then she blew a loud raspberry at Charon before turning around as Twilight smiled despite herself, and the ponies followed slowly after the once god as Odin calmly led them away from the pool and across the icy expanses, his eye roving back and forth meditatively. “Now we just need to find the marker... unlike most Jötnar or gods, Valthrudnir left the entrance to his home right out in the open, likely figuring this vast expanse was enough security... or even more likely, too arrogant to imagine that anyone would dare attack him.”

“Is it an obelisk? And how did thou find it in the first place?” Luna asked curiously, stepping up beside Odin with a frown. “Great blithering idiot, how long did thou wander freely around Niflheim, when just a husk of thy former strength and self? A pack of Hellhounds would have mauled thee to pieces!”

“Luna, I am very capable of taking care of myself even now, and even back then I was still strong enough to handle the barbarians of Niflheim. True demons would have been much more difficult to deal with, but primal demons like Hellhounds would not have been nearly as great a threat.” Odin paused, then rubbed absently at his chest as he looked back and forth before he continued: “Besides, I have learned much about being in the role of hunted as well as hunter... there, this way.”

Odin turned slightly, and Scrivener looked lamely back and forth as Twilight asked awkwardly: “How... how do you know? It all looks the same... rocks and snow and... emptiness.”

“You're spending too much time, searching for details and landmarks... let your eyes simply drink in your surroundings, and the differences will naturally rise to the surface of what you see.” Odin replied calmly, then he pointed ahead. “There it is. I found it here after only a week of hunting, not long after I had searched the western reaches. I was using a compass to locate it, though, so I suppose it's not entirely impressive.”

Luna grunted, nodding after moment as they made their way silently forwards for a few minutes, before Pinkamena almost whispered: “Ooh. No wonder you were able to sniff it out... it reeks of energy...”

“As I said... Valthrudnir was arrogant.” Odin shook his head slowly as they approached the obelisk: it was anchored in a square of frost-cracked cement. It was squat and ugly, a black triangular prism of stone inscribed with red runes, and the once-god spun his cane once at his side before firmly striking it, electricity jolting down the walking stick and over the obelisk as he muttered: “He didn't even feel the need to protect it.”

The obelisk rumbled violently, and then crackled with lightning before it glowed brightly... and as Twilight, Scrivener, and Luna watched with amazement and Pinkamena only grinned, eyes glowing as reality in front of them ripped apart in a violent vortex before becoming a pale blue, translucent wall that formed a window into what looked like some kind of immense cavern beyond. And without hesitation, Odin strode towards this, saying calmly over his shoulder: “Come friends, it will not stay open long.”

He stepped through the wall with all the casualness of striding into a doorway, and Pinkamena laughed before she followed, calling cheerfully: “Come on, come on, now the fun's really going to get started!”

She hopped through as well, joining Odin on the other side... and Luna traded a shrug with Scrivener and Twilight before the sapphire mare hurried forwards, and Scrivener and Twilight followed quickly, passing through the window into another realm. It felt like stepping through wet, cold mist, and Scrivener grimaced as he stepped into the world beyond the portal before he flinched when there was a crackle behind him, and the blue rip in reality vanished from sight, leaving only a solid, black rock wall.

Dark stone walls surrounded them on every side, and heavy stalactites of ice hung from the solid roof of rock high above. It was like standing in some terrible, enormous cavern-womb, the only light coming from enormous lanterns that contained ever-burning spheres of blue and white flame, dangling on heavy iron chains.

They were standing on a high slope that overlooked a hedge maze speckled with frost... and beyond this, they could see an enormous mansion, made of pristine white stone and with a red, tiled roof. It looked as perfect and undamaged as the day it had been built, from its picturesque windows to the single tall balcony stretching out of the red roof of the building... but Scrivener only grimaced in distaste. There wasn't much to gaze out at in this miniature kingdom... rock, and the hedge maze, and the frozen yard in front of the perfect manse...

“I long ago disabled the traps and defenses. We should have little problem getting to the mansion.” Odin said quietly, and then the once-god strode slowly down the hillside, the ponies following him to the open, mockingly-inviting iron gates that marked the entrance of the hedge maze. “Twilight, Brynhild, you may fly over or stay with the group, whichever you prefer.”

“And we have to walk through the maze?” Scrivener asked dryly, looking up with a grimace. “I guess I should go back up the hill and take another look at the top of it...”

“Screw that. We'll just cut our way through.” Pinkamena grumbled, reaching up and touching her axe as she glared at the frost-covered hedges. “Should have made his stupid maze out of rock and metal.”

“We'll go through, in a manner of speaking, yes.” Odin said calmly, and then he simply flicked his cane firmly, and there was a loud rumble of thunder as the air in front of the once god trembled and a straight, narrow path was carved through the hedges as leaves and speckles of frost floated slowly to the ground, Odin wincing and grasping at his chest, but smiling all the same as leaned for a moment on his cane. “That should work.”

Luna was gaping and Twilight stared in amazement, and then Pinkamena grinned widely up at the falcon-headed entity, saying positively: “You know what? You ain't so bad, old-timer. Just stay the hell out of my way when things get messy and you and I are gonna get along fine.”

“Sleipnir will be glad to hear it.” Odin said wryly, and then he started towards the manse, calling over his shoulder. “Come, friends. These hedges will grow back much faster than I'd like, and I do not desire to exert any more strength than I must.”

Luna stared for a moment longer, and then she simply shook her head and snorted in amusement, Scrivener and Twilight smiling and following after the winged unicorn with the demon cheerfully striding along last, walking towards Valthrudnir's lair in the wake of the calmly-confident once-god.

Home Sweet Home

Chapter Fifty Four: Home Sweet Home
~BlackRoseRaven

Valthrudnir's mansion, as expected, was not only clean, polished to a sparkle, and obsessively-organized, it was also filled with self-adulation, arrogance, and relics so bizarre and monstrous it made it quickly clear that the owner of this place was a sociopath with no regard for mortal life.

Scrivener grimaced as he studied a glass trophy case filled with eight different skulls, each resting in a shaped holder and with a small plaque in front of it, detailing a name, the cause of death, and why Valthrudnir had 'honored' them like this. The earth pony drew back after a moment, shaking his head before he glanced over his shoulder at the open set of double doors leading into a trophy room Luna and Twilight were exploring with horrified fascination.

Scrivener strode quietly inside, looking apprehensively in all directions as he did so: the atmosphere was thick with the presence of the Jötnar, even though he was long dead. Or at least... Scrivener hoped he was long dead, thinking back on his vision and feeling chills run down his spine before he forced himself to calm down.

He looked at the floor, concentrating on it, trying to clear his mind: hardwood, ash, he thought. All the floors were the same polished hardwood, many carpeted... just as the walls were all the same plain eggshell. And as he looked up, at the trophy cases and shelving units, he saw the similarity, the sense of sameness between them, too. Valthrudnir liked control, and he liked regularity, and he liked when everything fit together. Had liked all that... he was dead.

But reminding himself of this didn't help the charcoal stallion feel better; it just made his stomach twist even as Twilight stared at a large, glass trophy case in which was a Nibelung Architect who had been stuffed and posed in his flowing robes, holding a golden scepter in his hands and with a crown on his head. The plaque cemented into the heavy glass in front of him declared it was 'Dvalinn, Master Artificer.' It sickened Scrivener a little to understand that apart from his pedantic games, Valthrudnir's hobbies included taxidermy... specifically of other people, since this wasn't the first person they had come across that had been turned into a trophy.

Then Luna turned away from a gleaming silver chalice, muttering in disgust: “We are learning nothing here. Aye, 'tis all more proof that Valthrudnir was a wicked monster but we already knew this, did we not?”

“I can't believe he killed and...” Twilight shivered, turning away as Scrivener bowed his head silently, and the violet mare studied him for a moment before she asked finally: “Where did Odin and Pinkamena go?”

“Oh... through the kitchens, I think. I'd rather not go in there.” Scrivener grimaced a bit, then he turned and looked back and forth before reaching up and rubbing moodily at his skull, murmuring: “The worst part is the sensation of familiarity...”

Twilight frowned at him as Luna softened, but then Scrivener dropped his head forwards, muttering moodily: “Maybe I'm not thinking about this the right way, though... maybe if I...”

The earth pony looked up thoughtfully, then strode out into the hall, and Luna and Twilight traded looks before following after him before the sapphire mare cocked her head curiously and asked: “Does thou truly think that will work?”

Scrivener only shrugged after a moment, looking moodily down as he muttered: “Well, it wasn't a two way link, but... our instincts were attuned to each other's. I think that... if I let myself focus on those feelings, those instincts...”

As he spoke, he strode onwards, walking a little faster as they passed into another hall: Valthrudnir's manse appeared large on the outside, but on the inside it was gargantuan, as if time and space had been distorted solely so that the Jötnar could better feed his ego. Luna and Twilight followed quickly, trading curious looks as Scrivener hurried past doors, then turned suddenly and headed up a tall, curled staircase to a floor above, muttering: “That sensation is getting stronger. Horses of Heaven, the corruption in my head...”

Scrivener clenched his eyes shut, coughing once and not feeling the black tears slowly dripping down his cheek, too intent on finding some answer, on being... useful, for once in his miserable life. Because he was worthless otherwise, wasn't he? He was a meat-shield in battle, a beacon for the Clockwork Ponies, a flaw that Valthrudnir had mocked and used again and again to hurt Luna and Looking Glass World and everyone he cared about...

Scrivener staggered drunkenly, snarling as more corruption dripped down his cheeks, and his vision flashed as saw walls of flesh all around him, inset with massive cables and black pipes pumping toxic blood through the house, keeping the endless machinations running. Then his sight returned, even as Luna shouted his name, running after him with Twilight as the stallion turned a corner and ran up another staircase...

He crashed through a door at the top, then staggered again before coughing violently, as voices rattled through his head and corruption dripped out of his jaws and nose. Then he snarled and shook his head out quickly before staggering across the sitting room he had ended up in, even as Luna stumbled into the room and stared in horror at the splatters of black goo, before she shouted: “Scrivener, stop! Thou art hurting thyself!”

“Pain is pleasure.” Scrivener muttered as he shoved open a tall door at the back of the room, and Luna cursed under her breath as she ran around the chairs and Twilight followed after her, fear in her eyes as Scrivener staggered into the room beyond and whispered: “Pain is better than being useless.”

“Damnation, Scrivener!” Luna tackled the earth pony from behind, pinning him down as he coughed violently, more corruption splattering out of his jaws as tears and dark mire streamed from his eyes, and she snarled down at him, trembling violently. Their link was filled with static again, Scrivener's mind only a dark void, but she could still feel him through his body, hers overtop his, holding him in place. It was like their armor wasn't even there as she looked down at him, before she whispered softly: “Come back.”

“N-No... wait...” Scrivener whispered, looking up but not struggling, pointing across the room at a display case sitting a few feet away from several enormous shelves filled with books. Comfortable armchairs were to either side of it, and there was a large couch and coffee table and all the trappings of a room that was part library and part plush den... the perfect place for Valthrudnir to have kept his greatest trophy. “There!”

Luna looked up: she only saw the open glass cell, but Scrivener saw the translucent shape of Kvasir inside, whimpering and sitting back in a corner of his prison as Valthrudnir leaned over the case with a cold smile, saying mockingly: Now you're just being ungrateful! After the gift I gave you, after how I made you from the Vanir and the Aesir all glued together... an imperfect homunculus with perfect blood. Blood that will fill empty vessels with knowledge... blood that could bring life to other shells and husks, in the right amount and mixed with the right materials. Oh, I know, I know! So much to take in, alive for only a few hours now, and you don't know who or what you are, but I'll tell you. You are a trophy and a toy, and a small but important piece of a delightful little experiment I've been working on. Broken toys have to be replaced, after all...

Then the image of Valthrudnir smiled cruelly before he straightened and leaned back, reaching a hand up to grasp a book... and this glowed in Scrivener's vision before the images faded. Scrivener dropped his head forwards, groaning in pain, but now the despair, the agony, and the sense of haziness were all fading slowly as Scrivener muttered: “Get off me, Luna.”

Luna sighed in relief, responding by closing her eyes and only settling firmer down against him, and Scrivener reached up and rubbed at his face, wiping corruption and goo away as pain flickered through his skull before he felt their mental link restoring bit-by-bit. “I... I'm sorry. Visionary's powers and the corruption and... everything else drove me insane for a little bit.”

“You need to stop using those powers. They're... they're killing you.” Twilight whispered, leaning down beside him and trembling a bit as she studied his face. “Horses of Heaven, Scrivener... when I'm wishing that was blood coming out of you, you know there's a problem. That... that goo...”

“I... I know. I need to find a way to... balance it, to dilute the effects, or... just... handle it until we get through this.” Scrivener grimaced a bit, then Luna finally hesitantly slipped off him, letting him climb to his hooves before he looked up and asked quietly, before either winged unicorn could say anything: “Can someone grab that book? Third shelf from the top, the big one with the red binding.”

Twilight frowned, glancing towards the shelf before her horn glowed and pulled this out while Luna was still dubiously looking for it, and it floated down to the ponies before Scrivener caught it. He groaned at the sight of the runes on the cover, but then Luna smiled and took it from him, saying kindly: “Fear not, I can read these perfectly well still. The language of the Jötnar was not so different from our own... mostly so we could make threats against each other, I think.”

“Actually, it was because much of the Aesir's culture was taken from the giants and used by us.” Odin's voice came calmly, and Scrivener blushed and dropped his head forwards, hurriedly rubbing at his face as the falcon-headed entity strode through the door and both Luna and Twilight glanced at the once-god with a guilty expression.

Pinkamena followed behind him, loudly chewing something, and Odin gave her a grimace before he sighed as he turned his eyes forwards, saying dryly: “We were able to find you so quickly because you left a trail of corruption in your wake, Scrivener Blooms. The looks on the faces of Brynhild and Twilight do not help, either.”

“Oh shut up, Odin.” Luna grumbled, the book floating in front of her and opening before she frowned a bit, paging rapidly through it as her eyes flicked over illustrations and words she caught here and there. “This is an alchemist's journal...”

Odin held out his hand, and Luna passed the open book to him without needing to be further asked, the once-god taking it and slowly turning a page as he quickly read the book over. Then he nodded slowly, muttering: “Of course. He put this right in plain sight, right behind his trophy... but after freeing Kvasir, I was eager to leave and didn't think he'd leave two such treasures not only unguarded, but in such close proximity... foolish, and cunning.”

The once-god fell silent as he flipped slowly through the book, then closed it and held it up to gaze at the front cover, muttering: “Volume Three. I wonder...”

He looked up, glancing back and forth over the shelves, and when Luna frowned at him, the falcon-headed entity said quickly, gesturing around at the wall-to-wall shelving: “Search for other volumes of this book. They will likely look the same, like... yes, there!”

The once-god pointed with his cane at another red book, and Luna's horn glowed as she pulled it out of the shelf with telekinesis to pass it to him. He took it, then grimaced at the cover, muttering: “Volume Five. Why aren't these books in order when everything else in this place is?”

“Maybe they are.” Scrivener said slowly, looking over at one of the side shelves, and Odin cocked his head as he glanced at him, Twilight frowning a bit before the stallion grimaced and pointed at a red book near the top left of shelving along the side wall. “I bet that's Volume One.”

Twilight's horn glowed as she lifted it down to pass it to Odin, who dropped the other books on the back of the couch. He studied it, then nodded slowly and muttered: “You're right. Volume One.”

“They're arranged chronologically, left to right, clockwise.” Scrivener smiled wryly over his shoulder, adding dryly to Twilight: “Kind of makes you look as disorganized as me.”

Twilight glared at him, and then, as Luna and Odin looked for the other volumes and Pinkamena simply chewed her food and watched with interest, Scrivener pointed at a small, thin white book at the very top left of the shelves, asking quietly: “Can you get that for me, Twilight?”

The violet mare frowned at him, but then nodded, and a moment later, the book floated carefully down. Scrivener took it, looking at the runes on the cover of the worn, dusty book... it was about the only book here that wasn't in pristine condition, hadn't been taken care of, had been shoved up and away as if Valthrudnir was ignoring it on purpose... or maybe trying to forget about it. But he couldn't destroy it... and if a sociopath like him couldn't destroy it...

He gritted his teeth, concentrating as he drew knowledge from Luna's mind despite the static still tingling in their link, and slowly, the runes formed into a coherent word. It made his brain ache a little to read this way, but the pain was more than worth it: in his hooves, he held the first thing Valthrudnir had ever written... his journal.

He flipped the book open as Twilight cocked her head curiously, striding over to his side to glance down at the neat shaping of runes over the page in some kind of ink. Over the years they had faded and smeared, but it was still legible as Scrivener gritted his teeth, forcing himself to work through the words as the runes danced and pulsed in his vision. Entry, Day of Rest. I have decided to take the time to write down my thoughts on important events and matters, to serve as a reminder of what I have lived through and what I have achieved. To remind me to not show mercy to those who I am determined to rout out, one way or another...

As Scrivener read, Twilight drew back a bit and glanced over at Pinkamena, but the demon only shrugged moodily as she glanced over her shoulder at a large oil painting on the wall, a portrait of Valthrudnir himself in a smiling, thoughtful pose. “So that's the douchebag, huh? He doesn't look too scary. Looks more like some middle-management reject who got fired because one little taste of power made him so crazy they had to pry him off his secretary.”

“That describes Valthrudnir well.” Odin muttered, shaking his head in distaste as he paged through another of the alchemy books before he turned his eyes to Luna, saying quietly: “Check the end of the shelves now, Brynhild. See if there's any information about recent projects.”

“Won't be here.” Scrivener muttered, and then he blushed as he realized he'd spoken out loud and that all eyes were now looking at him, Odin's gaze in particular a little more intent than he'd like. “Sorry. I mean, it's not likely they'll be here... these are all finished books, even this thing, although from his last entry I think there's another journal somewhere...”

“Wait, a personal journal?” Odin stepped towards Scrivener quickly, leaning down intently, and the stallion winced up at the once god before he held a hand out. “Let me see.”

Scrivener hesitated, looking up at the falcon-headed entity awkwardly, and Odin frowned at him, beginning to lean forwards before he winced when Luna firmly jabbed him in the leg with her horn. He staggered to the side with a curse, and Luna said flatly: “As I tell my son Antares, Odin, he who acquires it, owns it. Scrivy will share with thee in time but do not forget that... thou art not the only one... scarred by Valthrudnir here.”

There was silence for a few long moments, and then Odin straightened and bowed his head, saying quietly: “You're right. I apologize, Scrivener. But I am interested in... whether or not you've found anything that could help us.”

Scrivener shook his head, then he smiled awkwardly before offering the journal, replying finally: “I can't read the runes very well, anyway, they... make my head hurt. Maybe you can find something. I... I think I need to take a walk.”

“I'll go with you. Let these losers finish up in here.” Pinkamena said mildly, and then she grinned over at Twilight when the violet mare opened her mouth. “Sorry, I'm not as into threesomes as you are. You stay here.”

Twilight glared at this and blushed as Luna snorted in amusement, retorting rapidly: “It's not like that at all and it's not about that and... and... I'm not into-”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on, Scrivy. Oh, hey, you got a little something...” Pinkamena leaned over, then licked slowly up Scrivener's cheek, making him wince and grind his teeth together as she slurped a trail of black corruption off his face before smacking her lips delightedly. “Frigging Helheim, Scrivy, if I didn't like you so much I'd break you open like an egg and glut myself on that dark pudding!”

“Oh how I hate you.” Scrivener muttered as Luna glared at the demon, and then the stallion sighed and said awkwardly, cheeks tingeing a faint red as Odin looked at him with strange seriousness: “I'm... going to go now. I'll let you know if something goes wrong.”

“Just... don't hurt yourself.” Twilight said finally, and then she shot Pinkamena a grumpy look, but nodded to her all the same as the demon turned and followed Scrivener out.

They headed back to the stairway and returned to the second floor, and the stallion sighed a little before Pinkamena pounced on his back and pinned him down on his stomach, making him wheeze in pain as she grinned down at him and asked mildly: “So why the hell is this place such a labyrinth even if it's so goddamn peachy clean, too? You know I spilled some blood all over the kitchen – by accident, of course – and it just kind of steamed out of existence? What crazy douchebag magic is that?”

“You're in a good mood.” Scrivener muttered, and Pinkamena shrugged before slipping off him, letting Scrivener get up just enough for her to hop forwards and leapfrog over him, knocking him flat once more from the force of her rough shove.

He grumbled from the ground before crawling up to his hooves again as Pinkamena walked down the hall, and then the demon added irritably: “And by the way, I expect a goddamn answer. I know you got one.”

Scrivener sighed tiredly, and then he said in an exasperated voice: “Because the design reflects Valthrudnir's psychotic mind, maybe, I dunno. He presents himself as organized, thoughtful, clean... but in reality, he's an insane nutbag. He's a genius, sure, but everything he does and plans is convoluted and riddled with... with madness. I mean, where was the guarantee that even if he destroyed everything, succeeded in his plans... he wouldn't just destroy himself along with it? The... the simple things have always eluded Valthrudnir. That's why we beat him, that's why this home of his is such a complex labyrinth, such a confusing mass of passages and stairways and... stupidity.”

“See? You always have some answer for everything. Come on, this way.” Pinkamena trotted down the hall, and Scrivener looked after her dumbly before he sighed and dropped his head forwards, following grumpily after the demon.

But before he could even voice the question, she grinned over her shoulder at him, saying mildly: “Hey, don't forget, you're not the only psychotic here, Scrivy. You got me, too, right here with you. Hell, we share a cell, don't we? We see things so much the same way...”

“Beneath the masks.” Scrivener murmured, as they fell into step side-by-side down the wide hall, turning down another corridor before the stallion grimaced a bit as he looked down and realized that not only did the corridor curve, they were following a gradual upward slope. “But now, the visions are so much more intense...”

“Yeah, so the candy-dispensers at the psych ward put you on some bad meds. That wannabe-shrink who kicked your flank – and okay, smacked me down too – didn't help a whole lot either, but.... Scrivener... you're still here. You're still here, too.” Pinkamena halted, reaching up and firmly poking Scrivener's forehead, looking at her with a strange smile on her features as she said softly: “Do I like seeing you in pain? Well, a little, but you know what I mean by that. Do I like seeing you stuck in the asylum with me? Yes. Yes I do. You're my cellmate. We're side-by-side, one with the other, hoof-in-hoof. Hell, our straightjackets are sewn together., you don't get any closer than that.”

She laughed and shook her head, then suddenly hugged him tightly, and Scrivener smiled awkwardly despite himself before she suddenly threw him hard down on his side, the charcoal stallion wheezing before her hoof slammed into the side of his neck pinning him down as she glared at him and added sharply: “And that is why if you give in to that corruption in your head and let it kill you, I'm going to rape your corpse and then use it as cat food for Kǫttr, you hear me?”

Scrivener blinked slowly, and then he grimaced before asking dryly: “Do you really think Sleipnir would let you feed me to your quote-unquote 'son,' especially after you... I don't even want to imagine that, actually.”

“Yes you do. You're sick like that.” Pinkamena said moodily, and then she grabbed him by the mane and dragged him off the ground, Scrivener hissing through his teeth in pain before he managed to get his hooves beneath him, and Pinkamena glared into his eyes, then leaned forwards and said quietly: “Now you listen to me, crowbait. You conquer this, one way or the other. You dig so deep, you dive so far into the abyss, you fill yourself up with all that pain... until all you can see is light, all you can feel is numbness, then pleasure. You can handle it. I hate you, and I admire you, because I know you can handle it without losing yourself.”

“Says the demon.” Scrivener slapped her hoof away after a moment with a wince, and when she bared her teeth at him, he only smiled and reached up to flick her under the chin. “Hey. If anything shows that you should have a little more respect for yourself... it's that.”

“I don't have time to respect myself, any more than I have time or patience to respect anything else. Now hurry up.” Pinkamena grumbled, shoving him firmly before she stormed onwards, and Scrivener rolled his eyes as he followed after her until they pushed through a doorway that Scrivy was fairly certain should actually lead right back to the room they had come from, but instead, they ended up in another long corridor.

Pinkamena looked back and forth, then she grunted and jerked her head to the right. As they walked along, she snapped at him suddenly with her teeth, but Scrivener only grimaced in return before he checked her firmly, and she grinned a bit before looking ahead, shaking her head and saying meditatively: “I wonder what it would take to get you to beat the crap out of me. I wonder who would win in a real fight between us... not like that cheating-ass stupid-ass weak-ass performance you put on at the arena way back when, that was pathetic and I still gotta spank you for it.”

“You know, I don't want to beat on you and I don't want to get spanked by you. I figure somehow that Odin and Sleipnir might both get on my case about that.” Scrivener replied after a moment, but Pinkamena only laughed loudly.

“Screw you, as if I can't control Slippers. Guy's a weak-tight fish when it comes to two things: poker and me.” Pinkamena snorted at this, shaking her head before she added moodily: “Of course, in a lot of the stories he tells me, every time he gambles with his prostitutes he loses all his money to them, but then he sleeps with them and they end up paying it all back. After seeing what he can do in bed I am very inclined to believe it.” She grinned at him. “You should see for yourself.”

“Can you go back to hitting me now?” Scrivener asked mildly, and Pinkamena responded by stepping forwards and headbutting him hard enough to knock him flat on his stomach, the stallion groaning in pain but the demon shaking her own head briskly out. “Horses of Heaven I hate you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, look at that. Seems weird, doesn't it?” Pinkamena gestured ahead as Scrivener crawled slowly to his hooves for... he wasn't sure how many times it had been now. But as he looked up and ahead, he frowned a bit and nodded slowly at what the demon had pointed out: a large, full-length mirror was inset into one wall only a few feet away, covered by a thick curtain.

Scrivener and Pinkamena approached this, and then the demon yanked the curtain back... and both she and Scrivener winced backwards at their reflections. Pinkamena's grinning demon form leered back at her from the glass, and Scrivener's half-wyrm, half-pony shape glared out at him.

Pinkamena cursed under her breath, then she yanked her axe off her back and swung it savagely into the mirror, sending cracks through the glass and ripping deep into the wall beyond: but horribly, black mire and red blood exploded from the shattered glass as well, and the demon staggered backwards before cursing and quickly leaning out to seize her axe and try to yank it loose.

Instead of the axe ripping free, an entire, thin section of wall slid several inches forwards, more glass tumbling down from the broken mirror before the half-demon finally tore her axe out with a grunt. Now, the broken mirror was simply blank, the shards no longer reflecting anything... and Scrivener winced a bit as he traded a look with the demon before she snapped: “Well you didn't stop me!”

Scrivener only grumbled, then he carefully grasped the side of the sliding panel before attempting to push it sideways. It moved with ease, rumbling along as if on some kind of invisible track and revealing an archway beyond... before a half-wyrm, half-pony monster leapt out with a snarling roar, tackling Scrivener onto his back, a horrible laceration already ripped through its shoulder and chest as it foamed at the jaws, eyes glowing with terrible red light.

Before Pinkamena could react, a gray demon lunged out next, its features and body cracked like glass as it lunged at her and tackled her down: their wounded reflections, violently seeking revenge. Pinkamena stared with horror as she half-hid behind her axe, using it to try and shove the demon off as it clung to this and bit viciously at her face, and Scrivener was snarling on his back, swinging his hoof up violently into the throat of the monstrosity pinning him down, but to little avail as it tried to crush him as it rose its single front claw, hissing like a snake-

Scrivener suddenly angled one rear hoof down instead of up, slamming it as hard as he could into the monster's knee, and the hybrid howled in pain as it threw itself backwards before Scrivener kicked his other rear hoof up into its mouth on a lucky strike. The creature was knocked gargling and spitting blood, and Scrivener hurriedly rolled to his hooves before he spun around and slammed both rear hooves as hard as he could into the monster's face.

It was knocked crashing backwards, hitting the broken mirror and knocking more shards of glass falling down around it in a glassy hail as it shrieked in pain. But a moment later, it snarled in fury, lunging forwards in animal rage and lashing its claw out.

Scrivener tried to slip to the side, but the claw tore into his shoulder, ripping through the armor plating and flaying chunks of metal from his body, cutting apart the mesh beneath and ripping open his hide. He cursed in shock, stunned by the blow even as the monstrosity skittered backwards, then it grinned viciously as it swept up a dagger of broken glass and lunged forwards again, sensing vulnerability.

Scrivener's eyes widened as he slipped backwards, but he hit the wall, then howled in misery when the knife of thick glass tore deep into his shoulder. The monster hissed at him, visibly enjoying his suffering before it slammed a hoof into his breast, knocking him backwards, and Scrivener gargled in pain before the monster brought its claw back, prepared to deal a lethal blow as the earth pony snarled up at it, knife of glass buried in his shoulder...

And Scrivener did the only thing he could think of, lunging forwards and tackling the creature before he howled in pain even as he rammed his shoulder upwards, squeezing it in as tight an embrace as he could, sending the dagger of glass sticking out of the charcoal stallion's shoulder ripping into the creature's neck. It screamed in pain even as Scrivener felt his limb go weak and indescribable agony fill his system, but even as the monster shoved him away, it only succeeded in tearing the wound in its own neck wider as the chunk of glass broke off, the reflection monster howling weakly as it clawed at its throat before suddenly shattering apart into porcelain and broken bits of mirror.

Pinkamena, meanwhile, was still grappling with her reflection, breathing hard, staring up at it as it simply tried to crawl over the axe to bite her before the dull-pink pony suddenly snarled, roaring furiously: “Enough!”

She snarled and yanked her axe hard to the side, slicing viciously upwards with it and tearing through the reflection demon's breast and body, and it screamed as it was knocked backwards before Pinkamena's rear legs snapped up, locking around its throat as she smoothly twisted to the side and rolled. She ended up in a straddle over its throat, pinning its head back as her axe swung up, and then she brought the handle down in a cruel, crushing thrust that smashed through its skull, the mirror demon shattering apart into broken fragments of glass before the haft of the axe hammered into the floor.

She leaned forwards against her battle axe, breathing hard in and out, trembling a little as she stared blankly down at the hardwood floor, and Scrivener looked over at the demon, rasping quietly himself. Then, slowly, he approached her, and Pinkamena snarled at him, but the charcoal earth pony slipped forwards all the same and hugged her around the neck, looking past her as she continued to snarl loudly even as a tear spilled down her cheek, whispering: “I shouldn't be scared of my own goddamn self...”

“There's nothing more sane to be scared of.” Scrivener muttered, and Pinkamena fell quiet as she dropped her head for a moment against his armored shoulder, then sighed and shoved him away. They traded a look, and then the demon tossed her axe away for a moment to reach forwards, seizing Scrivener by the head and foreleg and holding him in place as she bit into the still-exposed end of glass and carefully wiggled the long blade of broken mirror free from his shoulder.

Scrivener cursed and gasped in pain, going pale as she tore it free and spat this out, then she looked down at it before saying moodily: “It broke. Don't be a crybaby about this or I'll knock you out.”

Scrivener stared as Pinkamena leaned back, yanking a dagger free... and a few minutes later, the charcoal pony was shivering, his shoulder a bloody mess but all the broken glass at least removed, even if he felt weak from blood loss. Pinkamena was licking the last of his blood from her knife before she wiped it clean against the holster, then she sheathed the dagger and looked at him moodily. “Come on. We better make this search fast.”

The earth pony closed his eyes and nodded, then he winced as his shoulder steamed visibly before slowly healing, Pinkamena frowning at this as Scrivener muttered: “Twilight's healing Luna's wound... it carries through to me, so we don't have to worry about me bleeding to death.”

Pinkamena grunted, then she picked up her axe and fitted it over her back as she muttered: “Guess Odin lied about taking down all the traps or defenses...”

“Let's just see what Valthrudnir had hidden.” Scrivener replied tiredly, and Pinkamena grunted at him again before she strode forwards, firmly checking him out of the way to take the front. He grimaced, but smiled wryly all the same: her taking point said much more about her character than her beating on a wounded earth pony, he thought. Particularly because that earth pony was him.

The room beyond was some kind of study, dimly lit only by the light streaming in from the hall: there was a writing desk, an odd assortment of notes, and a table covered in half-completed models. Pinkamena went immediately over to this, studying it and muttering: “These don't go together. They're all... only partway done, maybe half. Don't recognize what he was building; do know they're proto-prototypes. As in, these are just the half-baked plans for the first version of whatever he was envisioning.”

“Great.” Scrivener muttered, as he automatically checked the ceiling above: he saw only pipes, and a single unlit lantern. It made him grimace, thinking of the vision he'd had before, and then he looked at the desk, searching it quickly and uncovering only two things worthy of note: a glass bottle filled with some kind of amber fluid, and what looked like a rubber stress ball, labeled with a single painted-on, staring black eye. Scrivener paused, then squeezed this between his hooves... and looked up in surprise as the lantern above burst into life.

He squeezed it again, and the lantern went out as Pinkamena looked over at him moodily, then glared when Scrivener squeezed it a third time to turn the lantern back on. “Stop playing with the stupid trinket.”

“Alright, alright.” Scrivener grumbled, tossing this into his pack, then he tilted his head as Pinkamena held up a book she had dug out of the cupboards beneath the work table, giving him a pointed look. Scrivy smiled after a moment despite himself, and then he nodded, picking up the bottle and throwing it to her as she tossed the book over to him.

Pinkamena caught it and yanked the cork out with her teeth, then took a deep swig of the liquid, swirling it through her jaws before spitting it out and muttering: “Rancid. Tastes like that gunk Cowlick pours in some of her machines.”

With that, she threw the bottle aside, and it shattered loudly against a stone wall as Scrivener grunted and paged quickly through the book. Then he nodded to himself, tucking this away as he said quietly: “Think we got what we were looking for. Let's get out of here.”

“Fine with me. Place is stupid, anyway.” Pinkamena muttered, and Scrivener smiled a bit before the demon added moodily: “But I suppose you and Luna want to do another sweep anyway, right?”

“We'll make it quick. Now come on, they're patiently waiting for us down...” Scrivener halted as they stepped out into the corridor, and then Pinkamena threw her head back and shouted in frustration as Scrivener stared at the cul-de-sac that was now in place of their way back, reaching incredulously out and poking at the solid wall with one hoof before he cursed under his breath.

He closed his eyes, concentrating... and Luna, a floor away, growled and rubbed moodily at her armored shoulder, feeling the cut beneath it still aching and making her even more frustrated as she snapped to Odin: “I thought thou had disabled all the defenses in this place!”

“I did.” Odin said quietly, and Luna's expression turned to one of anxiety as Twilight looked up worriedly as well. “What happened now? The mirror I may have overlooked but anything else...”

“The hall has transformed. Gone from passageway to dead end. They shall have to find another way down to us, and us to them.” Luna muttered, and Odin grimaced as he nodded apprehensively. “How did thou put a halt to this mansion's defenses last time?”

“With great difficulty, the enchantments are scattered throughout the building. It's better that we concentrate on finding Scrivener and escaping...” Odin hesitated, then said softly: “And be wary. The timing... it suggests that someone is in here with us.”

Luna shivered at this thought, nodding apprehensively before they hurried onwards, and above, Pinkamena and Scrivener were doing the same, trying to find a way out of the labyrinth of corridors and rooms that had been confusing enough even before they had decided to begin switching places.

There was a feeling of being pushed and herded onwards, however, that neither Pinkamena nor Scrivener could shake, as doors locked in front of them, corridors became blank walls behind them, and they were forced in this direction or that... but always forced forwards, never trapped, never sealed, not even thrown into danger. Scrivener was beginning to get the horrible sense that it was all leading up to something... a sense that was proven true when they shoved through a pair of scarred, battered double doors and into a wrecked, burnt-out hulk of a library, the shelves opposite torn completely down and the words 'Better Luck Next Time!' carved into the solid stone.

The area was still smoldering, as if the fires had raged with incredible intensity for days. Scrivener cursed under his breath as he looked slowly over the burnt walls and floor as he walked into the enormous, semicircular room, before his eyes widened at the sound of sharp, slow clapping.

He breathed hard as he looked slowly up to see Valthrudnir, grinning calmly as he clapped slowly... and it was little relief to see that it was clearly an illusion from the shimmer that surrounded it, and the way it distorted faintly with every clap. It was striding towards them, and Scrivener breathed hard, fighting not to flee, fighting not to faint, as Valthrudnir's voice said coldly from the creature's jaws, slightly out-of-sync with the illusion: “W-Well done, insignificant l-l-little ponies. If you've made it this far, I can only a-a-assume that O-Odin, cowardly t-thief that he is, has led you on an ex-expedition i-into my home. Well, not my home any longer, o-of course... I have Decretum to attend to, a-a-and that requires much of my t-time. So help yourselves to w-whatever garbage you find in this dump, I don't n-need it any longer.”

Valthrudnir smiled coldly as he spread his arms, and Scrivener gritted his teeth as he leaned to the side, looking past the illusion as he noticed some kind of glowing object sitting on the floor, glowing brightly and likely the source of the image and voice. “But d-don't worry, little ponies. My goal is not to leave you to d-die in this place... I want that pleasure m-myself. Instead, I shall let you escape, so that I can w-watch your misery as y-your entire w-w-world is destroyed before your eyes. H-Have fun finding your way out.”

With that, Valthrudnir mockingly bowed, and then the illusion flickered out before the light faded from the device. Pinkamena growled in disgust, then she spat to the side before glaring at Scrivener. “You see that? When you get your hooves on him, you promise me something. You forget all this bull about morality and being the good guys, and you put all your real special talents to use on his face.”

“Normally I'd argue with you, but Valthrudnir... Valthrudnir is a special case.” Scrivener muttered, and then he shook his head grimly, adding dryly: “Before we can do anything, though, we need to get out of here...”

“No, first we need to search this library for why he had it burned down.” Pinkamena replied shortly, and Scrivy looked at her with surprise, the demon shooting him a teasing grin in return. “You forget why we're here or something, or you really going back into 'give up and cry' mode? Look for where the fires started, and where they burned hottest. Look for where there's still embers. I'd wager my teeth that's where the stuff they wanted to destroy will be.”

Scrivener nodded slowly after a moment, and then he hesitated as the demon frowned at him before the stallion shook his head slowly, saying finally: “This isn't like Valthrudnir. You've seen how neat and ordered everything else around here was. Arson like this...”

“Yet you're scared that instead, he is alive, but he's come back bird-poop insane.” Pinkamena glanced over at him, and Scrivener grunted and nodded after a moment with a grimace, and the half-demon snorted before flicking her straight waterfall of a mane to the side, saying moodily: “So what? Let him come in our asylum if he dares. We'll shank him in the shower and split his corpse between us. I'll even share the ribs with you, and let you have the heart.”

“I'm more interested in picking his brain apart.” Scrivener muttered, and Pinkamena laughed at this as she strode towards a charred staircase leading up to the second floor. Then Scrivener turned his attention to sifting through the wreckage, sighing a bit as he tried to follow Pinkamena's advice... although it didn't help he had no idea how to find where a fire had started from.

All the same, it shortly became fairly obvious where a large part of it had been concentrated: the archives of files, sequestered in an archway leading beneath the second floor. Here, everything had been torn apart, broken into pieces, and scattered before being burned to ensure that everything would be destroyed.

Or almost everything, rather. While pushing carefully through the still-hot ashes, Scrivener found a melted metal can before he found a metal tube. It was still locked, and the lock was in ugly enough shape to let him know whoever had done this had been trying to break it open before they had given up and simply thrown it in the fire, likely figuring the inferno would destroy it one way or another. But the metal tube was still intact, and Scrivener studied this for a few moments before he slipped it into one of the satchels at his side.

He and Pinkamena went through the debris for half an hour before Luna, Odin, and Twilight arrived. They regrouped, and Luna had furiously stomped the small illusion-making device to pieces when it had begun replying the Valthrudnir message after detecting them. With the help of the others, they did a thorough hunt through the ashes... but all they found were a few charred books that likely wouldn't be of any use – yet Scrivener still took anyway, since they had the room – and some burnt illustrations.

Luna snapped the lock on the metal tube Scrivener had found with ease, as Odin had inspected the area thoughtfully. He'd returned when they finally managed to drag the melted metal tube open, however, to reveal charred but mostly-whole papers detailing some kind of schematic for what Scrivener recognized as the strange coffin that the Prophet had been sitting in front of, in the nightmare he'd had. They packed it back up to bring it to Cowlick and Greece to analyze, since not even Odin knew what it meant, but there were all manner of symbols and shapes over it that gave it a strange, mechanical feeling.

The mansion's defenses had shut down for one reason or another: it was a little worrisome, as they made their way carefully to the front hall of the manse, then left the building to head back towards the hedge maze. This time, however, Odin tore a path to the side of the maze, saying calmly over his shoulder. “Valthrudnir has a set of portals he apparently established to move from place to place... likely also so he could bring people here and show off the majesty of his home without having to reveal the location of the entrance to this pocket dimension. I've used them before to escape from this place... they should still work with a bit of tinkering.”

The others had only nodded: even Pinkamena was silent, moody but keeping quiet before Luna finally asked: “Why do we not simply summon the Bifrost? We may... not be the healthiest nor in the greatest of spirits, but...”

“For the same reason we didn't simply take the Bifrost to Niflheim.” Odin murmured quietly, as he ducked through a hole in a hedge and stepped out in front of a cave, the ponies following. Scrivener, Pinkamena, and Twilight strode past, gazing around at the dome-shaped interior of the cavern, but Luna halted, looking with a frown up at Odin before the once-god smiled a little. “I did not want you to worry.”

“I need thou to be honest with me, Odin. Please do not begin to lie at this juncture, of all times.” Luna said quietly, and Odin looked down as if ashamed, even if at the same time he was clearly surprised at how gentle the winged unicorn was being... but if anything, the change of demeanor only added all the more weight to her words. “What is wrong with the Bifrost?”

“I was forced to once more seal the Bifrost. Other forces have been trying to manipulate it... you saw the end result of one of their successes, when that attack was launched against Ponyville.” Odin said quietly, and Luna frowned before the falcon-headed entity shook his head slowly. “But it was only recently that I understood how close our enemies were to not simply invading the Bifrost when they were able to detect its energy, and use it as a... a conduit, through which to send their own dark magic... but in taking control of it completely. If they gained control of the rainbow bridge...”

“They could go anywhere. Aye, I see.” Luna hesitated, and then sighed and muttered: “I wish thou would tell us these things before we had to pry them out of thee. Even if thou told at least Celestia, I would feel better.”

“Brynhild, over the years you have gone from a cherished warrior and a very pretty maiden to someone who is like a daughter to me. I say this because I know you understand that it is in a parents' instincts to try and protect their children. Even when it is stupid, even when they should simply tell the truth.” Odin said softly, and Luna smiled despite herself after a moment, nodding hesitantly before Odin glanced into the dome-shaped cavern, over the five different ovals of flat stone that rested in a short semicircle through the cave. “But come. Let's activate one of these portals. We can use it to create a portal to Asgard... while there, perhaps... I can allow for a visit.”

Twilight looked sharply up at this, and when she turned her eyes to Odin with a silent question, he simply nodded. At this, the violet mare closed her eyes tightly, bowing her head forwards and trembling, and Scrivener wrapped a foreleg around her, squeezing her silently before Pinkamena asked abruptly: “Sissy's parents. Sissy's sisters. Where the hell are they?”

“You can look for them if you want, but... the Vale of Valhalla is a wide, almost endless expanse. It may be difficult to find them, assuming they died.” Odin hesitated, then added in a quieter voice: “Assuming that the Vale is where they went.”

“Yeah. Yeah. They were pious bastards.” Pinkamena muttered, looking down with disgust before she looked up moodily. “You sure we can't just go back home?”

Odin only smiled at her faintly, and the demon sighed tiredly, lowering her head and grumbling: “Of course not. Fine, whatever, demons in Heaven, sounds fun. Guess I get to see what life... or death, or... whatever... was like for Slippers. Everything that I tore the stupid jerk away from...”

“Slippers.” Odin looked meditative for a moment, and then, as he turned to begin inspecting the portals, he said calmly without bothering to look around: “When my son was younger, before he was a pony, his half-brother Loki dressed him up as a woman and married him off to a very stupid giant to win a bet, before they had to flee from Jötenheim with all haste when he found out what had happened. We called him Tyra for years afterwards.”

Pinkamena looked thoughtful at this, and then she glanced meditatively over at Scrivener, asking mildly: “Would you marry Sleipnir if he showed up at your doorstep in a dress? Oh, look who I'm asking and look who you're married to. Guess we're all deviants here.”

Scrivener sighed at this as Luna smiled despite herself, and Twilight gave a faint smile as she looked up. Then, silence fell as Odin studied the portal stones, all of them more than ready to leave Valthrudnir's elegant but twisted manse behind and try to make sense of the few clues they had found in his hollow home. Still, Scrivener couldn't deny that even though they were heading to Asgard and had at least made some progress, despite the disappointments that they had encountered... it felt more like ultimately, they were all doomed to one day find themselves in a world worse than Helheim, ruled over by a Prophet and her Clockwork King.

Probing For Answers

Chapter Fifty Six: Probing For Answers
~BlackRoseRaven

When Luna and Scrivener awoke, it was with countless new stories in their heads, Scrivener cursing under his breath before he coughed corruption out over the rock they were still laying on top of. Luna looked at him with concern, but even as Scrivy continued to cough hard, he held up a hoof and signaled that he was okay.

Luna continued to look at him with worry all the same, and then Scrivener straightened, made a horrible sound, and then sneezed loudly and blew corruption out his nostrils before groaning loudly in disgust and shuddering. And Luna wheezed in relief even as she leaned slowly back, muttering: “Well, at least thou art not hurt this time, although... 'tis still more than a little disgusting, I must admit.”

“Thank you, Luna, you're a real ray of sunshine.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna glared at him before the male snorted several times, then sneezed again, getting more of the dark goo out of his nostrils. “Oh Horses of Heaven, why is it in my nose!”

“Shall I pick it with my horn?” Luna asked dryly, and Scrivener gave her a moody look before the winged unicorn looked up at the still-dark sky, muttering: “It looks as if 'tis very early morning... perhaps... five, I would guess.”

Scrivener grunted, pushing slowly at the smooth stone beneath them before he sighed as he shook himself out and gazed back and forth moodily, rubbing at his face and wiping a bit more corruption off it. “Those stories...”

“A short and bitter dream, that awoke a thousand others... I would almost call them memories.” Luna murmured, and she shivered a bit before glancing towards where Gymbr had been... and smiled wryly, unsurprised to see a plush doll there instead of a winged, chimerical unicorn. “It seems our friend stayed true to his bargain, though...”

“I think it's more of an 'it' but... well, no. 'He' works fine, really, your stallion-ness would outweigh my mare-ness.” Scrivener grumbled in response, and Luna glared at him before the charcoal earth pony stepped forwards and reached down, picking up the toy and shaking it firmly once before he sighed a bit. “But I guess... at least it... talked to us.”

“Aye, but clearly for its own ends.” Luna muttered, except she tossed an apprehensive, thoughtful glance up at the doll as she spoke before sighing and shaking her head quickly, mumbling: “Life is far too complicated, Scrivener Blooms. I demand that thou makes it simpler for me.”

Scrivener smiled a little at this, holding the doll above his head as he said quietly: “If we really did make Gymbr somehow... if it is, for lack of a better word, a Tulpa, a thought-form, an 'imaginary friend' come to life and possesses at least a fragment of the power we all imagined it did... well, maybe right here we have the ultimate weapon against Clockwork World.”

Luna frowned at this, and Scrivener glanced over at her, sharing emotions and images with her at the same time as he said softly: “Gymbr is imagination and the primal and chaotic and... alive. Clockwork World is machines, and logic, where everything has structure and ultimate order. Two different brands of extremes and insanity. That, and well...”

Scrivener glanced over his shoulder to where the dead body had been, and Luna grunted before she said moodily: “That reminds me, Scrivener Blooms. There is a corpse in Ponyville of a Clockwork Pony that we should likely see to before an alarm is raised.”

The male sighed after a moment at this thought, but then he grunted and nodded, looking moodily down at Gymbr and shaking the doll once. “Whatever you are, Gymbr... please try to behave now, okay?”

Gymbr only looked up at them silently with his button eyes, and Scrivener shivered a little despite himself before he automatically placed the doll onto his back. It sat there quietly, not disturbed in the slightest even as a gentle wind blew by, and Luna glowered moodily at the toy as her ephemeral mane sparked with electricity and swirled behind her before she grumbled: “Very well. Let us make haste through the forest then... still, how did the damned doll manifest and begin poisoning our thoughts before Discombobulation passed on that abominable story?”

Scrivener only dropped his head forwards quietly, and Luna softened as she glanced at him, but didn't press the subject, the charcoal stallion clearly not wanting to think about it. As they strode along, the earth pony spat out a bit more corruption, but felt another wave of gladness at the fact that this time, at least, there had been no accompanying despair or pain he was aware of, before he looked up as Luna asked quietly: “Art thou sure thou art alright? I mean... Scrivy, I do feel that thou... art not in pain, and our link is clear as the night sky, but... still.” She smiled a bit. “Thou does have a habit of trying to keep secrets.”

“Oh, I do not. Not from you, anyway.” Scrivener smiled back after a moment, shaking his head before he hesitated and added finally: “But... I agree it's weird, but maybe it's also because of how... I dunno, I've been working with Pinkamena to control it, or because the attack came on while I was asleep or... well, who knows. I'm just glad that... I'm only dealing with grossness. Not... everything else that often accompanies that.”

Luna nodded after a moment, gazing at the charcoal stallion silently for a few moments before she looked ahead, leading the way down a narrow trail through the dark forest. They were quiet as they made their way towards Ponyville, and they made the village just before sunrise, finding the Nibelung guards in the process of unlocking and opening the gates.

They greeted Luna and Scrivener cheerfully, then tossing a few curious looks at the doll, and the two smiled back before making their way quickly into the village. Most ponies were still asleep... but when they reached the front of the engineering labs, they found they had arrived a little late.

Thankfully, it was Cowlick and Ross who had discovered the corpse, and although Ross was panicking a little, Cowlick was carefully soothing him and guiding him around the body towards the doors. She glanced over her shoulder when Scrivener and Luna arrived, giving them a pointed look, and they both stayed back a little as the two vanished into the building... then Cowlick emerged a few moments later with a sigh, slamming the door behind her and glaring at them as she said dryly: “Okay, Luna, you leave poop in a flaming bag when you want to pull a prank on someone. Not a fresh corpse, that's just goddamn creepy.”

“This was not me! I did not even kill the damned thing!” Luna retorted in an outraged voice, glowering at Cowlick, but the engineer only looked sourly back. Then the sapphire mare grumbled a bit before she added moodily: “And thou art surprisingly unfettered, by the way.”

“I've seen too many dead bodies recently.” Cowlick muttered, and then she added tiredly: “Also, it's six thirty in the morning, I haven't had my coffee, and I haven't had a good lay in about a week or so. You want me to go on?”

“A week? Absurd!” Luna huffed at this, then she looked moodily down at the corpse before her horn glowed, hefting it with telekinesis and a grimace of distaste. “So what shall we do with this wretched thing? We found the corpse in the Everfree Forest, by Hu and Ỏðr.”

“So you... what, dropped it here, then had to go looking for Scrivener's dolly he's carrying around on his... wait, no, that's that freaky-ass evil possessed toy of your kid's, ain't it?” Cowlick leaned back with a wince and a grimace, shaking her head violently. “Keep that thing away from me. Discombobulation's story was bad enough, turning me into a damn prostitute. And by the way, you two: if you ever mess with my poor Ross's head, I will drop-kick both you douchebags through a goddamn wall, you hear me?”

Scrivener grunted as Luna snorted in amusement, but then shook her head, replying dryly: “We shall explain when thou brings us inside, Cowlick. As I said, we did not kill the creature, and nor did we drop it here. And thou made a very pretty Moon Blessed; I am rather tempted to turn thou into one now if only so thou would not be so damned vulgar. That is my job and thou art not nearly as eloquent as I am.”

“Oh, bite me, it's early.” Cowlick grumbled, rolling her eyes before she sighed and turned around, shoving the door open and nodding after a moment. “Alright, come on, both of you. I just wanted to wait for Ross to get a good distance away, give him a head start to my office. Otherwise the poor bastard will be having night terrors over this nonsense. Can't stand the sight of blood, bodies, or... well, surprisingly, he ain't so bothered by either of you.”

Luna looked grumpily at the engineer, who cleared her throat as she led the way across the empty lobby and held another door open for them. “But hey, uh. Greece is usually still here, idiot sleeps here half the time in his stupid little cot, and I'm sure by now he has morning joe on. So you know. Let's go get that.”

“Coffee.” Scrivener supplied, and Luna brightened and nodded a few times, making the floating corpse shudder a bit in midair. The stallion winced as Cowlick grimaced, looking over her shoulder at the dead body, and then she shuddered in distaste... not at the fact it was a dead, ripped-open body, but at something else about it...

Scrivener frowned a bit as he looked ahead, but Cowlick only shook her head until she finally led them into a workshop. A pair of Nibelung in gray coveralls stared as the three ponies walked in with the floating corpse, and then Cowlick snapped: “And what the hell are you two doing with your thumbs up your asses? This place is a damn mess!”

Scrivener looked blankly around: apart from a few out of place boxes and some scraps of wire and metal on the floor, it seemed otherwise like it was in good shape, particularly compared to Cowlick's own personal shop. But the two dwarves hurriedly ran in different directions, one grabbing up a broom and the other heading quickly over to a pegboard of tools to begin rearranging them, and Cowlick grunted as she gestured absently to a large, metal worktable.

Luna tossed the dead body down on this, and Cowlick muttered irritably to herself as she grumbled: “Idiots. Think they can slack off just 'cause it's the morning. Morning's always when I feel all bitchy and PMS-like, though. God, dammit, is it hot in here?”

Scrivener slowly swallowed, then he turned and hurried for the door as Cowlick fanned herself and glared angrily back and forth, calling over his shoulder: “I'll go get coffee!”

“There's a flask of whiskey in my desk, put a shot of that in mine!' Cowlick shouted after him, and then she huffed before turning to Luna, who was trying hard to repress her giggles before the engineer grumbled irritably: “Oh shut the hell up. I don't get enough of any of the three S's: sex, sleep, or sustenance. It's also been a while since I took a good-”

“Cowlick, I will pummel thee, I swear that I will pummel thee if thou finishes that sentence.” Luna threatened, and Cowlick grumbled but nodded, rubbing tiredly at her eyes before the winged unicorn added in a lower voice: “And what is it about that body that bothered thee?”

Cowlick hesitated at this... and then she sighed, turning back towards it and moodily looking it over: the helm that half-masked its features made it hard to say, but the body shape, the coloration... “Don't think you know her, but this is a drinking buddy of mine, Berry Punch... or rather, a version of her. Cheerilee's... sister? Cousin? I dunno. They're related and Berry Punch grumbles about her a lot. She's the fun sister, like you're Celestia's fun sister, you dig?”

“I dig.” Luna replied seriously, nodding before she frowned a bit at the corpse, then added slowly: “Yes. Twilight has mentioned her before, but I do not believe I've made her acquaintance. She mentioned that she is a heavier drinker...”

“What's your poison?” Cowlick grinned ironically, pointing at the smears of green blood. “Now I ain't no forensics expert, but I do know how chemicals work and a little about anatomy. See how her coat here is irritated and has a nasty rash? Well, you inject a spider with its own poison, and it's probably gonna keel over and die. This thing had poison running through its veins, but just like a spider's fangs, those veins were designed to handle that toxin. The rest of her body, however, doesn't look like it responded to it too well. Whatever the hell it is, it seems a little acidic... not enough to melt through stuff, but more than enough to cause that irritation.”

“Cowlick, thou has a wonderful, terrible brain.” Luna said almost admiringly, and Cowlick laughed and nodded before the winged unicorn shook her head slowly.

“Nah, I can't say it's all that impressive... I studied chemicals as well as engineering so I didn't have science lab nerds looking down their noses at me when the butch mechanic came over to ask for some fancy oil to make the gears spin nicer.” She paused, then added moodily: “Also really cuts down on the sex jokes when you go in and ask for polyalpha-olefin instead of lube for your crankshaft. I like a good joke probably more than the next chick but seriously, smart people ain't always creative, especially when it comes to jokes about sex.”

Luna grunted, then Cowlick became more serious as she looked over the corpse, muttering: “But damn. These metal plates are fused to her body, I can tell that without even needing to poke... yet something tore through her like a frigging battering ram. She wasn't just disemboweled... her insides were disintegrated.”

“Gymbr.” Luna muttered, and then she grimaced and nodded when Cowlick gave her an incredulous look. “Aye. Do not gossip about it but... aye, Cowlick. Gymbr itself told us, as a matter of fact... and 'twas no doll when we spoke to it.”

“Okay. Freaking out a little now.” Cowlick stepped back from the table, shaking her head quickly before she reached up and touched this, then she sighed and looked over her shoulder, ordering the Nibelung that was sweeping up: “I need you to get one of the lab techs to scrape up this poison and give me a chemical analysis.”

The dwarf nodded quickly at this, finishing sweeping the debris it had gathered up into a pile before putting the broom aside and hurrying out, and Cowlick looked moodily over at Luna before gesturing for her to follow as they headed towards the door. “Come on, we'll go to my office. Do your psychic thing and let Scrivener know to meet us there.”

“I wonder if thy bossiness reflects how other ponies feel about mine own self.” Luna grumbled irritably, but Cowlick only grinned at this.

“Hey, out there, that's your kingdom. But in here? This place is my stomping grounds, and whatever I say goes.” Cowlick responded firmly, and she winced a little when Luna swung her horn at her, ducking back even as she added grumpily: “Hey, I'm allowed a little attitude! Seriously, this is my place. You can tell me off when we're back in your place.”

“The whole world is my place.” Luna grumbled, poking at her with her horn, and Cowlick winced again before the winged unicorn sighed and said grouchily: “But I suppose as chefs have their kitchen, thou may have thy... whatever this place is. 'Hell' does not seem entirely inaccurate.”

Cowlick grumbled under her breath, then Luna closed her eyes, concentrating and sending a message to Scrivener Blooms. A moment later, she received an acknowledgment from the earth pony... accompanied by the bittersweet smell of coffee, the winged unicorn smiling slightly as Cowlick looked at her moodily. “I hate it when you smile for no reason like that. I think of you and Scrivener, and your stupid link, and how crazy and perverted you both are, and bad thoughts come to mind.”

“Scrivener, see? Others think thou art a pervert as well!” Luna called loudly through the halls, and she was rewarded with a flurry of embarrassed and irritated emotions from the stallion. “Thou hast my thanks, Cowlick. It seems thou does serve a purpose after all, apart from keeping stallions away.”

“Oh, ha ha.” Cowlick rolled her eyes, then kicked open a door to a stairwell, heading into this and retorting: “The way I hear it, you have to use ugly old Scrivener as bait to lure in some ponies with lowered standards.”

Luna grumbled under her breath, glowering over at Cowlick before the engineer asked curiously: “And hey, I got a question for you about Scarlet Sage.”

“Cowlick. I swear to all Asgard...” Luna began slowly, but when Cowlick gave her a grumpy look, Luna sighed tiredly before nodding moodily. “Very well, go ahead and ask away.”

“You guys... saved her, but didn't really adopt her until like after a year or so, yeah? How the hell did that work? I mean... what... drew her in so close to you and stuff? Fluttershy and Twilight and a lot of the village all helped to take care of her at one point, yeah?”

“That is true, aye.” Luna said with a curious frown, then she shook her head quickly and softened as they entered into the upstairs hall, murmuring: “I cannot tell thee because I do not know. Perhaps it is because... Scrivy and I saved her from that Phooka, and she was aware enough to know it. She adores Fluttershy even now, and has no problem seeing Twilight as a guardian and mentor... but...

“I do not know; was it because when we could, we spent our free time playing with her in the fields? Was it because of the flowers we picked together, as we talked about her life? Because Scrivener always listened to her and read to her, or because I taught her to fly?” Luna looked down musingly. “Something simply... clicked. And one day, as we sat with her... she was our daughter, we were her parents, and it was as if it had always been.”

She paused, then nodded and smiled over at Cowlick. “Aye. But I think another part of it was... allowing Scarlet Sage to see us in her own time as her parents. We never sought and do not even now seek to replace her old parents... whom we still know so little about. Scarlet Sage is... very quiet on that topic, but I think it is out of... a sense of unnecessary guilt, for not knowing as much about her mother and father as she believes she should.”

Cowlick nodded thoughtfully, and then she glanced up at the roof before Luna smiled and asked gently: “So where does thou plan to adopt the child from?”

“Screw you.” Cowlick blushed a bit, glancing away with a grumble before she sighed and added moodily: “I don't wanna talk about it.”

Luna only continued to look at her insistently, and then Cowlick sighed, stopping in front of an intersection and turning to bang her head against the wall before she said grumpily: “Idiot I know in Manehattan got herself knocked up. She's a workaholic who 'doesn't have any time for a foal' right now, as she says. Was gonna abort him, but I told her I'd go up there and shove my hoof up her ass if she decided to get rid of the foal just because 'I don't have time for it.' You believe that? I ain't against abortion. I am against being a goddamn selfish idiot.

“Anyway. Next genius move? She wanted to sell it off to some folks she met at work.” Cowlick paused, looking moodily up. “She's a chemist in a weapons plant. One of those brilliant, snarky, I-know-everything types. IQ of about two hundred, but can't make toast without explicit instructions, you know? To her, everything's about success. God, I hope her uterus breaks after she gives birth to this kid.

“So yeah. I told her I'd take the kid.” Cowlick sighed, rubbing at her head slowly. “I told her I'd tell the Baroness if she tried to sell the kid off, too, which spooked her enough into cooperating with me. I got... two, three months to figure out how to be a mother before the kid is born.”

Luna stared in surprise at Cowlick, and Cowlick glared at her before she snapped: “What, am I not allowed to care for a damn foal? You think I'm like Pinkamena, just want to make sandwiches with 'em?”

“Perhaps this is why thou art a little... stressed?” Luna asked pointedly, and Cowlick looked dumbly at Luna for a moment, then she sighed and nodded, letting her head clunk against the wall quietly. “What about Ross?”

“Huh? Oh. Ross knows, yeah. It's gonna be hard, he's gonna have to adjust and stuff, but... I got some equipment and stuff to help out. Foal dolls and stuff...” Cowlick quieted, turning her head away as she murmured: “There ain't nothing wrong with Ross, though, you know. He's a better damn stallion than a lot of guys out there. Best I've ever had in my life. Just a little addled, but... he's sweet. He ain't mental.”

“I know.” Luna smiled after a moment, stepping forwards and reaching up to touch Cowlick's shoulder gently. “But even for Scrivener and I, 'twas... difficult. And thou will be raising this child just like I raised mine own son... well, no, thou gets to skip the messy and unpleasant process of giving birth. I envy that.”

“Yeah, well, what if I don't connect with the kid or something? Or... I dunno. Oh what have I gotten myself into...” Cowlick groaned, hammering her head against the wall. “I gotta talk to Dash and AJ about this and... I guess I'm glad you know. I want him and Avalon and Antares to all hang out, although it seems stupid to be making plans right now...”

Luna only smiled, then Cowlick finally shoved away from the wall and strode onwards, moodily dropping her head forwards. “I swear I'm gonna kill Narcissa, though... well what the hell did she think was going to happen, sleeping with that stallion? She'd sprout flowers?”

Luna laughed despite herself, shaking her head as the mares continued onwards before the earth pony turned and shoved an oak door open, storming into her office. It was a cluttered, narrow room filled with ugly metal shelves stuffed with papers and tools and a single large, pockmarked desk. Ross was sitting and smiling on a stool in front of this, and Greece stood at the other side, yawning loudly as Scrivener pointed to the paper cups of coffee on the table, saying mildly: “The black with whiskey is yours.”

“Good.” Cowlick hopped over her desk to land in her ripped leather chair, almost knocking the coffee cups over before she swept the nearest up and guzzled down the contents, then crushed the cup and tossed it in the general direction of an overflowing wastebasket. “Ross, you done those calculations yet?”

“Oh, so you told them about your new kid.” Greece said positively, and Cowlick yelled at him angrily, making Ross quail a little as the dwarf winced and held up his hands. “I thought it was okay to talk about!”

“I... sorry, Ross, didn't mean to shout.” Cowlick calmed herself with a mumble, and then she took a slow breath before looking up and pointing a hoof grumpily across at Greece. “And it's okay to talk about in late afternoon and evening, after I'm awake. Got it?”

“You're gonna be a good mother, Cowlick, you take great care of people.” Ross said helpfully, and Cowlick looked at him or a few moments before she simply nodded and smiled a little, and then the unicorn brightened as he picked up the clipboard in front of him and spun it around so she could see the numbers he had jotted all over the paper. “And I figured it out! It's all right here, X is eight!”

Cowlick looked surprised at this, leaning back before she frowned over at Greece, and the dwarf only shrugged. “I didn't believe him at first either, but then I took a look at it, and it seems pretty solid to me.”

Luna and Scrivener both looked blankly at the others, and Cowlick glanced at them before she grunted and waved a hoof at Greece. As Luna picked up the last cup of coffee and sipped at it, Greece explained: “Ross has been doing some chaos theory mathematics... very advanced stuff that I can't say I understand whatsoever. He's been trying to figure out... something about the charge required for the liquid metal?”

Ross nodded rapidly, smiling happily around at them. “Just like Dad said, just like Dad taught me, whether it's theory or real life you can talk about anything in numbers. I took all the data and put it together and mixed it all up, and this is what I got!”

“After the attack on Canterlot, I realized that unfortunately, our water defense systems ain't gonna do a lot against a giant horde of those nasty things. But I'm also hoping for something else... that all these Clockworks run off a similar electrical charge.” Cowlick explained, leaning back in her chair with a grunt. “Now this stuff is way, way advanced, a lot of it is just theory, and the stuff I can't hammer home with science I keep throwing at Greece to do his... artifact-magic-crap with. Ross here, though, is a wonderful help. He's been doing some crazy calculations with all the data I gave him to give me stuff relating to charges, electrical intervals, a whole bunch of nonsense I could never do myself. Not without a team of science geeks behind me, anyway.”

Cowlick paused, then shook her head and smiled over at them. “But that ain't important right now. Gonna be months before I can properly start testing my theories and stuff. You guys, however, owe me a story about what the hell is going on.”

“Gymbr already told me.” Ross looked up suddenly, glancing nervously at the pony doll on Scrivener's back before he shook his head quickly, then turned his eyes to Cowlick and continued quietly: “The Clockwork People don't turn as well as they want to. Some of their gears are broken, they must be... because they're not moving in the right order, nope, not at all. Even the scary ones, the dangerous ones... the ones that aren't really ponies at all.”

“The Hexad?” Scrivener asked quietly, frowning over at Ross, and Ross nodded rapidly before the charcoal stallion asked gently: “How do you know that?”

“I saw it. Didn't everyone see it?” Ross looked up, seeming genuinely surprised. “That pony you brought in that was... that was... that was deep-deep-deep sleeping, that wasn't one of the dangerous ones. But that other one, the smiling one, the one who Pinkamena was scared of because it looked just like her... she wasn't a pony at all. She maybe was once. But she wasn't anymore. She was something else entirely.”

Scrivener frowned at this, looking apprehensively over at Luna, who grimaced a bit before the winged unicorn muttered: “Their bodies.”

“Yeah. Visionary... and this one... they both didn't disintegrate, like the other Clockwork Ponies have.” the charcoal stallion murmured, frowning as he looked down... and then he grimaced a bit as Cowlick looked nervously from one to the other. “It feels like it has something to do with why Valthrudnir wanted Kvasir's blood, too. Just a feeling, just an instinct, but...”

“Aye. Thou art learning to trust in thine gut, not thy addled brain.” Luna smiled a bit over at him, then she looked at Cowlick and said quietly: “Please analyze the corpse as soon as possible, see what thou can draw from it. Scrivener Blooms and I should... return home for now, and rest.”

She paused, then sipped at her cooling coffee and grimaced before putting it down on the desk, adding: “My thanks for the coffee and the conversation. I would thank thee for taking thy time to look at the Clockwork Pony too, but...”

“Yeah. Kind of important to all of us that we get that done. Luna's right, Greece, let's not waste time chitchatting and get down to business... Ross, I'll have another problem for you in a few minutes, too.” Cowlick shook her head a bit, then she rose a hoof to Luna and Scrivener as they headed for the door. “You two watch yourselves now. And watch out for that thing, too.”

“Don't worry Cowlick, Gymbr is sleeping now. It's going to be asleep for a long time, I think, maybe all the way until tomorrow.” Ross replied warmly, and Luna smiled a little over her shoulder, hoping that Ross was right... and knowing that to the unicorn, 'tomorrow' could mean literally tomorrow, or anywhere up to years away. “Bye, Luna! Bye Scrivener! Night-night Gymbr!”

“Goodbye Ross, Cowlick.” Scrivener replied softly, raising a hoof to them with a small smile before the two slipped out the door of the office... and as it closed slowly, they both lowered their heads in silence, walking down the facility's halls and wondering quietly when this puzzle was all going to finally start making sense... and afraid of just what truths the answers would hold.

Scrivener and Luna returned home to find Antares and Twilight both worried and waiting for them, but just Scrivener passing Gymbr down to Antares seemed to be enough to answer their most-pressing questions.

While Scrivener made breakfast for Antares, letting the colt help out, Luna explained to Twilight quietly what had happened, and of Gymbr's fate. Luna felt very little pity for the monster, and when she saw Twilight's sympathetic look, she couldn't help but ask moodily: “Does thou not understand that some creatures simply do not deserve mercy? Have thrown away all their chances, all their freedom, all their morality, and most often for stupid reasons?”

“I do, Luna, I... I do.” Twilight hesitated, and then she sighed and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “It's more that... I don't understand how the monster could be so... powerful, could achieve so much, and yet be so... so foolish.”

“It is almost always foolishness, my friend, that destroys us in the end. Foolishness of two particular kinds, at that: arrogance, and its cousin, egoism. When we become centered on ourselves, on believing that we are always strong and always right...” Luna shook her head slowly, then she smiled faintly and glanced towards Scrivener Blooms and Antares. “That is why I am so glad I have a family. Thou all are what keep me from raising my head too high... for pride snaps necks as surely as it holds heads up.”

Twilight nodded a bit, an then Luna grinned a little, winking at her. “Although 'tis no folly to be a little prideful and a little arrogant. Why, look at Scrivener Blooms! He is the opposite, after all... dejected and miserable all the time, and no one likes him. They like me far better.”

Scrivener sighed in the kitchen as Antares giggled at his mother's loud voice, and then the charcoal stallion said dryly to his son: “Don't listen to your mother too much now, Antares, we've talked about this. Balance in all things: maintaining a pleasant medium is something to be far more proud of than running to one extreme or another.”

“Oh, what does thou know, thou art boring. Be not boring, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna scoffed, and then she turned to Twilight and nudged her firmly. “And thou should be more like me and less like Scrivy as well.”

“I want to be more like you both. Scrivener does have one or two good qualities, after all.” Twilight paused, then looked thoughtfully over at the stallion. “Well. I can only think of one. But I'm sure there's another if I think hard enough.”

Scrivener sighed a bit, and then Luna clapped her hooves suddenly before declaring cheerfully: “Oh! Cowlick is adopting a foal!”

Twilight stared in surprise at this, and then Luna grinned widely, reaching up and rubbing slowly at the underside of her muzzle. “And now we simply need Pinkamena to bear a child for my brother... 'twill likely end up being some rampaging monstrosity but all the same, Antares could at least then use his cousin as a pet. The true difficulty would be in keeping Sleipnir from smothering it to death with hugs and Pinkamena from eating the poor foal...”

Luna looked thoughtfully over at Twilight, studying her before a slow smile spread across her face, and Twilight winced as she said flatly: “Whatever idea you just had, forget it. Because whenever you get that look on your face, I always end up being talked into something I seriously regret later on.”

Antares wandered in from the kitchen with a plate of french toast covered in syrup before Luna could reply, and the sapphire mare grumbled and fell quiet. The foal looked between them curiously, then he reached down and picked up the slice of toast, biting into it and chewing thoughtfully before he asked finally: “Why are some foals adopted? Can't Ross put a baby in Cowlick's belly?”

Luna coughed violently a few times at this, but when she tried to turn away, Twilight looked over at her with amusement and said: “Oh no, he clearly asked you, miss biological mother. Besides, it could be a way worse question.”

“Harpy.” Luna muttered, and then she sighed before smiling a little down at Antares, hesitating for a few moments. Then, without turning around, Scrivener picked up the lie jar off the counter and shook it briskly, making the candies and coins inside rattle before Luna sighed and said carefully, looking down at Antares softly: “Because sometimes bad things happen to a foal's parents, and because sometimes a father... for whatever reason... cannot... do what is necessary to... put a foal in a mare's... belly.”

She cleared her throat a bit, and Antares looked up at her quietly for a few moments before he asked finally: “Am I adopted?”

Luna smiled amusedly at this, dropping down and bumping their noses together lightly before she kissed it gently. “No, thou art not, Antares, and even if thou wert I would love thou all the same.”

Antares nodded a few times, hesitating... and then Luna nodded, glancing at Twilight as the violet mare realized why Luna had been hesitant: something that they had never told Antares both because of how young he was and because... it was easy even for her to forget that... “But thy sister, Scarlet Sage, is adopted. I don't believe we've ever spoken of this, have we?”

The colt shook his head a few times, then he picked up his french toast and bit into it again, chewing and listening attentively. For a moment, Luna hesitated... but then Scrivener strode into the room, smiling as he offered a plate to them, and Twilight's horn glowed as she lifted it away from him with telekinesis: it was loaded with both french toast as well as bacon, and Luna sighed in relief and pleasure as she quickly picked up some of the latter, chewing it quickly up as Scrivener took over calmly: “It's hard for Scarlet Sage to talk about, like it's hard for me to talk about my parents, and because we don't see her as our adopted daughter, just as... our daughter... we never told you. That, and you're young.”

Scrivener smiled and reached out, ruffling his mane as Antares looked a little grumpy, but the stallion only laughed and shook his head. “I didn't mean it like that! I mean... Antares, you're growing up so fast. It's... it's hard for Luna and I to keep track of, and to know how much we should be sharing with you and what you need to know and... what you deserve to know.”

Antares flapped his leathery wings once before furling them, looking placated and more curious now before he asked hesitantly: “What... what happened?”

“We found Scarlet Sage outside of Ponyville, being led off by... a monster.” Scrivener said carefully: there was no point in making Antares distrust the Phooka of this world, after all, although he wondered whether or not he had to put a coin in the lie jar now for dodging the truth. “Her parents had been... had died, from what looked like... an attack. Scarlet actually grew up for a while in Ponyville, with Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy and a few other villagers... we didn't want to send her to the Canterlot Orphanage or anything.”

He stopped, then shook his head a bit and continued quietly: “But we adopted her, kind of, on that big trip we've told you bits and pieces about and I know you've heard some of the adults mention now and then. And when everything... came back together after Ragnarok, she was there with us, and... she was our daughter. And that's that.”

Scrivener smiled a little after a moment, and Antares Mīrus nodded before he smiled and nodded back, repeating: “That's that.”

Then he picked up his french toast and chewed it thoughtfully, and Luna and Twilight shared their own meal in silence. Scrivener sat back, gazing around at his family, thinking of the girls asleep upstairs in the guest room – for privacy more than anything else – and then he closed his eyes, thinking of how fortunate he was, after everything he had been through, even with the corruption that boiled and bubbled in his mind.

Then he looked down as Antares cleared his throat, the foal looking up at him hesitantly before he said finally: “I know... Mom says she doesn't really remember any parents...”

“Odin is kind of my parent, I suppose. Filthy old bad-touch lecher parent.” Luna grumbled under her breath, and Scrivener sighed before Antares gave her a frown, and she winced visibly at this as Twilight snorted in amusement. “Oh for the love of the Horses of Heaven, thou gave me that look enough when thou wert but a babe! I warn thee, Antares Mīrus, I am thy mother and Scrivy and Twilight will believe my word over thine if they happen to discover the office upstairs was destroyed and I blame thou for it!”

“Well. No. We won't now.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna huffed at him as Antares giggled a little and Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement. “Nice try though, Luna. A very reasoned and adult response.”

Luna swung her horn at him with a huff, and Scrivener flinched away before she grumbled: “Thou art supposed to always side with me, not with our child, Scrivener Blooms. 'Tis unfair that everyone in the household is against me. Thou and Twilight Sparkle and Antares, bah, I am only trying to be helpful.”

“You're never trying to be helpful. You're just trying to cause trouble.” Scrivener replied dryly, and Luna huffed at him again but this time only glowered as Scrivener returned his gaze to Antares, saying softly: “Go ahead.”

The colt nodded and hesitated a bit, and then he asked finally: “What about your Mom and Dad, Dad? You were... you were born, right?”

“I was born, yes.” Scrivener couldn't help but smile a bit at this despite the memories that came back, and he traded a look with Luna and Twilight before he said quietly: “A baby... can be born to almost anyone, Antares. Whether they love each other or not, whether they want the baby or not. And because of that, sometimes... ponies who aren't very good people... end up as parents to a foal.”

He quieted, looking down and shaking his head slowly before he continued softly: “I don't think my mother was... all bad. Just... not ready for a foal, in a relationship with a pony who was... very selfish, and believed very strongly in unicorn superiority. We haven't really talked to you about that but... some ponies think that just because they're a unicorn, or a Pegasus, or an earth pony, it makes them better or more-entitled than everyone else. My father was a pure-blooded unicorn... all the family are unicorns. Just like I'm really a unicorn, but I was born without a horn and... that caused a lot of problems where I'm from.”

Antares nodded slowly, then he looked up at his horn before spreading his leathery wings, flapping them once... and then he shivered a bit, asking finally: “What... what am I?”

“You're our son.” Scrivener answered with a small smile, shaking his head slowly and reaching out to pet his son quietly on the head. “You... are whatever you want to be. Unicorn, Pegasus, earth pony... we're all just ponies. Some look different from others but that doesn't matter, any more than your emblem determines what you're going to do for the rest of your life... we all have natural talents we should be proud of, but that doesn't mean it's the only thing we can ever do, ever be good at.”

The colt nodded, smiling up at his father, and Scrivener smiled back before Antares hesitated and shifted a little. Then he fell quiet as he ate the rest of his breakfast, and Scrivener fetched the foal a sippy cup of orange juice to wash the food down with.

Luna smiled and tossed her child one of the last strips of bacon, even though Twilight gave her a worried look... but the sapphire winged unicorn only shook her head a bit as her eyes flicked to the side. The violet mare watched as Antares chewed up the bacon with ease, his sharp teeth glinting... teeth made for ripping and tearing, not grinding.

Then Antares looked down and blushed a bit as he seemed to pick up on Twilight's gaze, saying quietly after a moment as he looked down at a hoof: “I know I'm different... I mean, it's not hard to see, especially not since Meadowlark's mommy is a doctor and Meadow always tries to get me to smile at people to show off my teeth. And I know that babies are made up of both moms and dads and other things that get all mixed together in a mare's belly, but... I don't know then why my wings are so...”

He stretched them slowly out, gazing at his leathery wings worriedly, and Luna sighed softly as she traded a look with Scrivener. Then Antares nervously looked up at his mother and added quietly: “And I know you're my mommy but... do I have another mommy? A shadow-mommy?”

“Antares Mīrus... oh, how I wish we could hide things from thee.” Luna smiled faintly despite herself, shaking her head slowly as she studied him for a long few moments, and then she sighed quietly and nodded, closing her eyes. “Very well. Twilight, will thou please go and check on Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom? I would appreciate it.”

Twilight smiled a little and nodded, then closed her eyes when Luna leaned over and kissed her cheek quietly. Antares gazed at them curiously, then he watched as Twilight strode past to head to the back door as Scrivener and Luna sat themselves in front of their foal, letting him form thoughts and questions before he finally asked: “Twilight isn't really my second mommy, is she?”

“Yes and no.” Luna smiled after a moment, reaching up and stroking quietly under Antares' chin. “I and thy father care for Twilight very dearly. Does thou see her like a mother, as a mentor and someone thou can trust, and a friend?”

Antares nodded without hesitation, smiling up at her, and then Luna shrugged and said softly: “Then there thou has it. That is the best way for thou to think of Twilight, until thou art a little older and can better understand... the complexities of life. Besides, thou has already asked a difficult question and I can only handle answering one at a time.”

The foal blushed a bit and nodded again, and Scrivener and Luna traded a look before the sapphire mare sighed and shifted a bit, saying quietly: “Thou knows of Nightmare Moon, and has seen glimpses of her... although much less frequently as thou hast grown older, I am glad to say. But perhaps it is now time for him to meet her... although really, she... she is simply me. We are one in the same, but... different. Oh, 'tis so hard to explain, much less make it make sense to my poor sweet child...”

Luna clenched her eyes shut, turning her head away with a grumble, and then she sighed when Scrivener reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently as Antares said quietly: “It's okay, Mom. I'm not scared of you... honest, I'm not.”

“I... I am not afraid of thou being afraid of me, Antares.” Luna murmured, bowing her head silently forwards and closing her eyes. “I am far more afraid of thou... being disappointed in me. Thou holds myself and thy father up as shining stars but I fear we are... flawed.”

Antares only smiled a little, however, gazing silently up at his mother, and that was enough to make Luna sigh quietly as she nodded apprehensively. For a few moments, there was silence... and then Luna finally said in a slow, careful voice: “Thou has... these differences about thee, Antares, because they are passed on from thy other mother. Thy second mother, so to speak... Nightmare Moon. Because... thou wert touched by her powers.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Antares nodded a little, looking silently over his shoulder at his wings, then slowly rubbing his tongue along his teeth before he bowed his head forwards, as Luna said softly: “Nightmare Moon... does... desire to meet thee, child, but I admittedly am... am not entirely fond of this idea. Thou hast... spent some time with her before, aye, but she was not... it was not...”

Luna glanced awkwardly away, blushing a little, and Antares nodded a bit, gazing up at his mother quietly before he said softly: “I trust you, Mom. I know you'd never hurt me. And I know you'd never let... anyone or anything hurt me, either.”

Luna laughed quietly at this, returning her eyes tenderly to her child before she nodded a little, and then she said softly: “Aye, Antares. I shall always, always do my best to protect thee from harm... but 'tis a sad truth that I shall tell thee now, despite being so young, Antares... one, that all ponies must learn eventually, but unfortunately... thou must learn quickly thyself. And it is that even those who care about thee, truly, from the bottom of thy heart, may hurt thee, whether they mean to or not.”

Antares nodded quietly, gazing up at his mother as Luna looked back down at him. For a few long moments, the quiet spiraled out... and then finally, Antares asked: “When... when can I meet her?”

Luna looked down at her son... then she sighed quietly before nodding almost grudgingly, murmuring: “Well, I cannot blame thee for being curious. Then... give me a moment, Antares, and I shall speak to Nightmare Moon.”

Her son nodded back, gazing up at her with those innocent, trusting eyes, and Luna studied him for a moment before finally closing her lids and taking a slow breath. For a few moments, there was only the sensation of Antares' gaze on her... but slowly, that was replaced by a more-hostile, more-excited feeling, as Nightmare Moon whispered in her mind eagerly: He comes to us. I knew that he would... now let me see my son, little Luna Brynhild.

Luna felt Nightmare Moon pushing towards the surface, struggling for control, saw blades and glinting teeth and supernatural flames, but she concentrated and kept the presence back as she thought clearly: Thou shall behave thyself: speak to him, and speak kindly, and do not antagonize, manipulate or upset him, or there shall be hell to pay.

Nightmare Moon only laughed quietly at this, before she whispered soothingly back: Oh Luna, you should know me better than that... harm my own progeny? Never. Not when he is growing up exactly how I desire...

Luna shivered at this, and then Nightmare Moon added kindly: And fear not. I shall not inspire fear in him... I shall not even show my true face. I shall instead don old memories, and my old, familiar shape...

With that, Luna felt her head forcibly tilting upwards as her horn glowed before the same light spread over her body, Antares staring in amazement as the aura shrouded Luna, then visibly grew and changed. Then, slowly, it faded... and Scrivener grimaced a little as Antares stared at the sight of black-coated, burning-eyed Nightmare Moon as her eyes slowly opened and she smiled calmly, gazing down and saying softly :”Hello, my son... so at last, we have the pleasure of our first true meeting...”

Antares slipped back a little, knocking his sippy cup over as he did his best to repress his trembles, but Nightmare Moon only smiled calmly and continued in her flowing, charismatic tones: “Oh, do not fear me, child, you are my son. I would never harm you...”

“This isn't make-believe, is it?” Antares whispered, looking up as Scrivener carefully slipped over to his son, and the colt half-curled against him as he stared over Nightmare Moon, from her prideful posture to her sharp and animal eyes. “You're... you're...”

“I am Nightmare Moon.” the dark-coated winged unicorn leaned forwards, saying kindly: “And I have a question for you, Antares Mīrus. It is a very simple question, do not worry... but do you like to fly?”

Antares looked hesitant, and then he nodded slowly before Nightmare Moon gave a self-satisfied smile, looking over at Scrivener Blooms. “See? I did it for the foal's benefit. I gave him a gift. I am so fond of giving gifts... as a matter of fact, I have another if you would like, Antares. Another little gift I would like to share with you, from loving mother to adored son...”

Scrivener grimaced at this as Luna growled in Nightmare Moon's mind, where she was doing her best not to leap forwards to try and strangle and pummel the dark passion-made creature back into submission... but then Antares asked hesitantly, with a child's tact and a child's instincts: “What... what kind of gift?”

Nightmare Moon smiled at this, leaning down and saying gently: “Power.”

For a moment, there was silence, as Luna growled and Scrivener glared at the dark entity... but Antares only smiled after a moment, asking curiously: “Why would I want that?”

This response seemed to dumbfound Nightmare Moon, as she stared down at the innocent foal... and then a faint frown crested her features as Scrivener smiled despite himself at his son, feeling a swell of pride and faith in the colt. The child who was still too young, too innocent, to feel the longings and desires that so many adults did... to be worried and concerned over things like strength and possession and rank and status. He was smart, and strong, and developing fast, but he was still a young, happy child, for all of that: he was still able to accept things simply as a matter of course, without question or judgment. That magic state, that Scrivener wanted to nurture, not stomp out; that if ponies were able to keep just a little more of as they grew into adults, maybe society wouldn't be as screwed-up as it often was.

But the most wonderful thing about it, particularly at this moment in time, was the way that Nightmare Moon was still trying to scramble for an answer, tilting her head back and forth slowly as she struggled to think of something to say before Antares bowed his head forwards and said quietly: “Mom and Dad already take care of me and give me everything I need. And when I grow up, I'm gonna be real strong, just like they are... but my parents taught me we need to earn everything. That some stuff you gotta grow up into, like clothes and armor and... and getting to use Mom's special paint tools or read the big books in Dad's office. I don't really need power right now... I don't have anything I could do with it.”

“What about... about using it for good, to protect your friends, your family? Don't you want to protect and give back to your parents?” Nightmare Moon asked quickly, but she still sounded a little flustered, making her less alluring and more pleading.

And Antares only smiled again in response anyway, shaking his head as he giggled a little. “That'd be silly... they're grown-ups, and I'm just a little colt right now. When I'm a grown-up, then I'll protect people... but Mom and Dad always say it's their job to protect me, and protect everypony else, too. You should give them the power. They need it more. They deserve it more, too, for all the good they do. I just play make-believe and do my best to learn from Twilight and... try and be good.”

“And you do an excellent job, Antares. An admirable job.” Scrivener said firmly, rubbing a hoof slowly along his son's back before he looked up at Nightmare Moon, saying softly: “So I think that makes it pretty clear. Your generosity is appreciated, but... you can keep your gifts for now. You've already given us plenty.”

Nightmare Moon gave Scrivener a meditative look, and then she nodded slowly after a moment before her eyes drew back to Antares, saying softly to the foal: “Very well. I understand you are a child, Antares... but if you will allow me to give you some advice, remember to always plan for the future.”

Antares nodded quietly, looking apprehensive, but not afraid, as he gazed nervously at Nightmare Moon... and then, finally, the colt asked: “Why do you have all those scars?”

Nightmare Moon frowned at this, looking down at herself as Scrivener looked over the black-coated equine in surprise: none of her wounds or scars or torture-marks were visible, and she turned honestly-interested eyes back to Antares after a moment before she leaned down and asked: “What do you mean, child? What do you see?”

“You're hurt. Here.” Antares said softly, reaching up and touching his own breast, and Nightmare Moon leaned back, looking stung... and strangely, a little afraid. “I'm sorry.”

“There is no need to apologize.” Nightmare Moon said after a moment, and then she stood slowly and stepped forwards, leaning down until her face was only inches away from Antares. But there was no hostility, no malevolence, as she studied him intently and closely, and he looked fearlessly up, his anxieties seeming to fade before Nightmare Moon murmured softly: “Yes. I see now. I understand and I apologize for my earlier misconduct.”

Gently, Nightmare Moon lowered her horn to touch the tip of hers to Antares, and he blushed and twitched at the small spark before the dark-coated equine slid backwards and smiled calmly, raising her head slowly and proudly. “Yes. Do not hesitate to ask for me if you desire my advice... do not be afraid to reach out to me in your waking or your sleeping hours. I shall always be there for you, Antares Mīrus... you are a different brand of darkness than I am. But I am glad for it. It will give our connection all the more meaning.”

She fell silent, and then smiled again as her eyes roved to Scrivener. “May I have a few hours of wakefulness, Scrivener, to enjoy with my beloved master and husband? You trusted Gymbr enough to speak freely with it and let it share a dream... trust in me, as well, won't you? You know that my devotion is absolute.”

Antares looked confused, as if he was picking up a bit of the story beneath the words, and Scrivener nodded hesitantly before he looked quietly down at his son, saying softly: “Nightmare Moon and I are going to take a walk for a little while, okay? I'm... going to go get Twilight, let her know what's going on.”

He tossed a hesitant look at Nightmare Moon, but he felt a mental rumble from Luna telling him to go ahead, that she would let him know if the dark entity tried to do anything foolish. But Nightmare Moon had turned fascinated eyes back to Antares, and although the foal looked like he was having difficulty understanding what was going on, he didn't seem afraid as he nodded quietly to his father.

Scrivener headed to the back door and pushed it open to find Twilight sitting outside on the back deck with a book in front of her... and he looked at her for a few moments, then said in a half-amused, half-exasperated voice. “Really?”

“I like it.” Twilight smiled a bit, closing the book and looking down at the cover: it was titled: 'Unicorn Horns,' written in swirling font, and there was a simple image of two crossed horns embossed below the words. “You could have come up with a better title, though.”

“I could have. I could do a lot of things better but... I choose not to. Sometimes, flaws are important.” Scrivener said softly, striding forwards to reach out and touch the book cover, and Twilight gazed at him softly before he shook his head and smiled. “Twenty-six poems, and thirty pages of prose. I'm sure some people would love it but a lot more would hate it. But the bad opinions wouldn't matter, and in this case, neither would the good ones... all that matters with this kind of stuff is that it has the right impact on... the one person it's written for.”

“And it did.” Twilight closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards as she hugged the book silently against her chest with her forelegs. Then she finally smiled a little, opening her soulful violet irises to look out at him and study him quietly. “And yet you get mad at me for reading it every now and then.”

“Nothing about our relationship makes sense, Twilight, that's probably the only reason it's still going.” Scrivener said mildly, and the violet mare laughed and shook her head before she put the book aside, and the charcoal stallion glanced towards the stairs leading to the second floor as he asked curiously: “How's the girls?”

“Scrivener.” Twilight gave him an amused look, and the charcoal stallion grumbled under his breath and looked at her pointedly in return, and Twilight Sparkle finally rolled her eyes. “One day you'll learn to just come out and say things. But well... Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage are still asleep. I think they just had a long night.”

Scrivener cleared his throat, and Twilight shook her head violently, saying hurriedly: “I mean, I think they were up all night with each other... no, wait, I mean... Scrivener!”

The charcoal stallion cleared his throat loudly again, trying to hide his grin as he looked away before Twilight glared at him, and then he said with relish: “Oh Twilight. This is why I always enjoy having you around. You have such a... a way with words.”

Twilight only grumbled under her breath, and then Scrivener glanced up at the second floor, saying softly: “Still, though, thinking of my little girl... moving into her own place, with the pony she loves and formed both literal and metaphorical bonds with... I bet they probably were up until morning talking. And see, Twilight? I added one word at the end and it went from dirty to heartwarming.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and reached out to shove him lightly, and Scrivener smiled as he staggered backwards before he added quietly: “Nightmare Moon and I are going to go for a walk. She wants some... time out, as she likes to phrase. I'd like you to stay here with Antares... just because I don't want Antares exposed too much to her right away. He's already pretty confused about the whole thing, after all... his mother has two sides to her, two... more-than-personalities, and of course there's the whole Twilight Mommy thing that no other families in Ponyville have – or advertise, at least – and... a lot for him to learn about even though he's just a kid.”

Scrivener hesitated, then looked down... but as he began to turn, Twilight leaned forwards and said softly: “You know that I was... always worried about how... my presence would impact Antares. And you know I researched it a lot, but more than that, I did what you and Luna do. I felt things out, I judged for myself and... decided to trust in both my instincts and yours and that Antares, well... it wouldn't hurt him.”

Twilight slipped out of her seat, and Scrivener gazed back over his shoulder at her before the violet mare closed her eyes and hugged him around the neck tightly, making him smile as he reached a hoof up to quietly stroke along a foreleg. “We all preach acceptance and tolerance... but only when it fits within our standard of vision, our social norms, otherwise our society wants it rooted out and destroyed and hammered and forced to conform. But we're not part of that society anymore and I wouldn't trade this for the world. Besides...” She smiled and drew back, gazing at him affectionately. “Me and Luna pretty clearly boss you around, so I don't think he's going to go out to try and assemble some harem of mares, after all.”

“Maybe he'll be smart and know better than to marry a mare at all.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he winced when Twilight smacked him even as she laughed. “What? Hey, Luna's the one I'm married to, anyway, you're the... well. You're you.”

Scrivy smiled amusedly over at her, and Twilight nodded at this, softening. “Yeah. I'm me. Glad to be here with you and Luna, always.”

She began to step forwards, then paused and turned, her horn glowing as she lifted her book from the table with a smile. Scrivener shook his head with a chuckle as he walked into the house, striding through the kitchen and followed shortly after by Twilight as he gazed into the den room.

Nightmare Moon, however, was simply watching as Antares colored in a book, looking oddly intent before her piercing gaze roved to Scrivener, and she smiled as Twilight stepped up beside him, saying softly: “Luna and I agree on few things these days... but it is very nice to see you together. That makes us happy... but of course, for selfish reasons, little as Luna admits it. After all, we do not like the idea of having to choose between you... this way, we get what we desire without ever having to choose.”

Antares looked up from his coloring, but Nightmare Moon only smiled to the foal, saying kindly: “Do not fear, Antares Mīrus. It's nothing you have to concern yourself with. Scrivener Blooms... shall we go?”

“Alright.” Scrivener said softly, and he glanced over his shoulder at Twilight, who nodded hesitantly to him before the stallion smiled over at Antares supportively, saying gently: “Be good for Twilight, kiddo.”

Antares nodded quietly back, and then Scrivener's eyes roved quietly after Nightmare Moon as she turned and headed for the door, the stallion following after the dark-coated equine and silently hoping that she would stay true to her word: one short visit for another period of peace without needing to worry about her plays for power on top of everything else.

Music, Madness, And Mirth

Chapter Fifty Seven: Music, Madness, And Mirth
~BlackRoseRaven

Amdusias, Graceful Melody, and Riffraff belong to CrossroadsPony

The heat of summer had ended, and yet the leaves were only just beginning to turn to brilliant red and orange in the trees. Day lessened, night lengthened, but sat at the moment in a comfortable balance between light and darkness: it was coming on autumn, Luna and Scrivener's favorite time of the year, and not just because of the quickly-approaching Nightmare Night and Antares' birthday.

Scrivener's own birthday was in autumn, not that he ever celebrated or most ponies even knew what day it was. And after several disastrous birthday attempts by Luna, she had given up trying to use Scrivener's birthday as anything more than an excuse to make people buy her presents: she liked to celebrate her birthday on the same day as Scrivener's.

Antares was growing up, Avalon was getting bigger and beginning to learn to focus her energy into sports and athletics, and Cowlick was baby-proofing the house she and Ross shared. It wasn't an uncommon sight these days to see Ross nervously carrying a practice foal toy around as Cowlick did everything she could to help him adjust: she didn't think he'd be a bad father, but she was worried about how long it could take him to get used to things, hence the fancy textbooks filled with math problems and puzzles she'd recently ordered.

Discombobulation had also written a letter he'd meant to mail to Odin, but he had awkwardly run into the once-god himself one day in Ponyville, so he had given it to the one-eyed entity and then turned and run away. A bemused Odin had later come by Scrivener and Luna's cottage, saying mildly: “Discombobulation recommended transferring Discord to the custody of Canterlot. At least, I'm fairly certain that's what this letter says, but it's very hard for me to make heads or tails of.”

Odin had debated this for a little while, then said he'd also already talked to Celestia about it, and she had thought over the request before saying she agreed with Discombobulation. As it was, Discord had been rendered harmless by his own neutralizing bracelet. They would monitor him, talk to him, try and teach him: that, and keeping the chaos entity in a cell would serve no point, and there were better things for the Knights of Valhalla to do than spend their days sitting outside of Discord's prison.

So Discord would be transferred down to Canterlot at some point and time, although Luna planned to make Celestia promise not to turn him to stone. While Odin visited, they also discussed Gymbr, Nightmare Moon, and what he had deduced from the information they had taken from Valthrudnir's manse. But the only thing that was clear was that Kvasir was needed for some reason by Clockwork World.

Odin still doubted that Valthrudnir was back: in fact, he had begun to wonder about Clockwork World itself... he didn't doubt its origins came from Valthrudnir, but he had a hunch that it wasn't some great and glorious project from what he'd read in the alchemy textbooks and drawn from the other notes they'd taken. It had been a prototype, perhaps, for Valthrudnir's vision of a perfect world... but Odin thought that after Valthrudnir had gotten bored of his games – or perhaps there had been something else, something that had gone wrong – he had abandoned or shut down his prototype world. It would explain why Valthrudnir hadn't made himself a throne in Decretum, and used that layer to wipe out the others, just as it would explain why there had only recently been signs of violence that could be traced back to Clockwork World throughout the layers.

Something, however, had obviously started up the gears and machinery that had been shut down for... who knew how long. Awoken Clockwork World from whatever slumber it had been in, brushed off the dust, and brought the Clockwork Ponies to life. After all, when Scrivener thought of Visionary's memories, it felt like she had spent countless years locked away in her solitary cell, until time had become impossible to measure. In reality, it could have been weeks after she first awoke... or it could have been decades, centuries, even longer. Who knew how long it took the mechanically-enhanced bodies of the Clockwork Ponies to break down?

But no one they knew stood to gain anything from turning Clockwork World back on, if it really had been shut down at some point: they seemed to be running on some kind of doomsday programming, seeking to destroy everything now that Valthrudnir was gone, and take revenge on Scrivener and Luna by attacking them and their friends and family. The Norns were a possibility, but ultimately, they didn't seem to fit very well: they might be callous enough to find entertainment in what evils Clockwork World was wreaking, but they were also well aware that they had to stay out of Decretum's sight or risk being destroyed themselves.

And again, Scrivener couldn't help but think of his vision of Valthrudnir, the way his features had been hidden in the shadows, his stutter, his... madness. How the Prophet had been there beside him... talking for him, but not... servile, either. It all pointed towards the idea that it wasn't actually Valthrudnir. It had to be some other force... but what would or could imitate the Jötnar, and why try and move his projects forwards?

Scrivener was confident they'd have the answers in time: if things continued, probably not even a long time. Then he shook his head quickly and forced himself to look up with a small smile, gazing over the enormous tree that housed the library as Luna rested against his side and murmured: “Aye, poet. Think not too much on our conversation with Odin. What surprised me was that he was so little interested in Gymbr... but I suppose that to him, a magical talking doll, whether invincible and bringing with it an evil story or not, is not the most impressive of creatures.”

“I think it was because you said Gymbr was an ally and... Odin trusts you, Luna.” Scrivener smiled bit over at her before he looked ahead at the library door, adding meditatively: “Not as much as he trusts Celestia, though. And I think he still clearly really likes Celestia.”

“I know, 'tis sick!” Luna exclaimed, but she was grinning all the same before she looked over her shoulder and called loudly at two approaching ponies, making the others in the square stare: “There thou art, Sleipnir, we were just talking about how thy father wishes to diddle our big sister!”

“What? Do not be ridiculous, Luna, Celestia would kill him did they try to sleep together and I am very sure Odin knows that.” Sleipnir replied cheerfully, and Luna laughed as Scrivener snorted in amusement and Pinkamena only rolled her eyes, before a loud barking rose up and a medium-sized, dog-looking beast hopped up over the back of Sleipnir's head, wagging its long tail furiously and drooling a bit of icy mist into the air. Its bleached-skull features gleamed in the light, but the large, pink collar and bow around its neck made it markedly less fearsome, as did the cute pink vest covering its body: mostly to hide its ribs and internal organs from view, but also because Sleipnir complained that he didn't want to risk Kǫttr catching a cold. Something that made no sense, the beast being an animalistic ice demon and all, but all the same no one could convince the enormous stallion otherwise.

Kǫttr barked happily a few more times, and then Sleipnir laughed and bucked the puppy over his head, catching it easily and setting it down in front of him. Immediately, the energetic little Hellhound woofed and charged forwards, prancing around on its manicured, groomed claws in an excited circle as Luna laughed, then chased after it cheerfully. Sleipnir immediately joined in as well, and the three ran in a circle as Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes, striding over to Scrivener and headbutting him before she glared over at the frolicking ponies and demon beast. “I see things like that, Scrivy, and I wonder if we should maybe just let Clockwork World plow us down and mulch us all into bits and pieces. So what the hell are you waiting out here for?”

“Celestia and Twilight are in a meeting right now with a Strange One ambassador and a few dignitaries from Canterlot. They apparently couldn't wait a few days for Celestia to get back to the Royal Courts so... we're giving them a bit of time to finish up.” Scrivener paused, then he rose a hoof awkwardly at Twilight when she approached the window to see what the noise outside was, before the violet mare glared and pointedly gestured for them to quiet down.

Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes, then he looked over his shoulder and whistled loudly. Immediately, Kǫttr glanced up, then happily pranced over to the charcoal earth pony before leaning up and slurping up his breast and over his neck, making him wince as it left a trail of ice crystals behind and he felt numbness tingling through his body. Thankfully, Fluttershy and Sleipnir had quickly trained Kǫttr out of gnawing and chewing on things, but the affectionate Hellhound still breathed ice and its licks were more painful than pleasant, in spite of its best efforts.

Hellhounds were a little more intelligent than the average dog, and pack animals: since Kǫttr had been raised almost from birth by ponies, it naturally saw other ponies as its fellows in the pack and family. But while it had sharp fighting and hunting instincts, it had also been babied and pampered constantly by Sleipnir, who treated it the very same as he'd treat a normal dog, and it had learned to fall more into its role of house-pet than hunting animal.

Kǫttr was still a Hellhound, though: it ate dog food readily enough, but it also needed a steady diet of meat and it had a lot of energy it had to work out. Neither of these things were any problem, however: Sleipnir had a boundless supply of energy himself, after all, and was constantly playing and frolicking with the Hellhound when he wasn't training it, and Pinkamena already regularly had large quantities of venison and beef delivered by the Nibelung to Sugar Cube Corners, although she was grumpy about how much of her food she was now sharing with their pet.

Sleipnir huffed as he strode over and reached out to push a hoof against Scrivener's forehead, firmly shoving him over, and Kǫttr barked happily as Sleipnir said grumpily: “Do not try and usurp my pet, poet. Go get thine own.” He paused, then looked over at Luna, adding curiously: “Unless Twilight Sparkle counts as one, or the Draconequus. I do not know why I never thought of that before.”

“Oh, shush, Double Swing.” Luna huffed, and Sleipnir glared at her before she added kindly: “'Tis only because I love thee, brother. Because I accept and love thee, I tease.”

“Well, it makes thy teasing no less... teaseful.” Sleipnir paused, then he looked down at Scrivener, who was simply laying on the ground and gazing meditatively up at the sky. “Does thou have a word for teasefulness?”

“I do, but I'm not going to tell it to you until you stop making up words.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he winced when Kǫttr barked and licked his face, leaving a blue trail of frost. “I. I really like you too, Kǫttr, but you need to stop doing that.”

“Yes, Kǫttr, do not kiss him, thou does not know where he has been; well, all the worse, I do, actually... he has been with my little sister, and the places she goes, well.” Sleipnir shivered as Luna glared at him and Pinkamena grinned. “'Tis not for me to describe to my son whilst so young!”

Luna swung her horn at him, but Sleipnir easily blocked it with a hoof before shoving her backwards, and the sapphire mare snorted and growled. Before she could tackle him, however, the library door swung open, and several ponies strode out... before paling and staring at the sight of the Hellhound, which barked happily at them and looked excitedly over the strangers.

One of them stumbled backwards, but it only bumped into a cloaked Strange One before it yelped when the Hellhound barked again, and the pony politicians all shot immediately off. Kǫttr gave chase after them, barking gleefully, and Sleipnir winced and chased after his pet, yelling frantically at it.

The Strange One simply strode calmly away from the building as Pinkamena laughed and Scrivener and Luna both watched with entertainment as Sleipnir disappeared down the road after his demon dog, and then they turned their eyes forwards as Celestia finally stepped out of the library, smiling amusedly as she walked towards them before glancing curiously down at Scrivener Blooms. “Sleipnir or Luna?”

“Sleipnir.” Scrivener replied with a shrug, and then he smiled before looking past Celestia at the blue sky above, saying softly: “Not a lot of clouds today. Good day for that picnic, if you're still up for it.”

“Of course.” Celestia smiled slightly, glancing over her shoulder to Twilight as the violet mare hurried out the door and closed it behind herself. “Twilight, it's okay. It can wait a few days... as a matter of fact, it's not even an important matter at all, you know that those dignitaries were only there to try and gain some influence through me.”

She paused, then glanced back and forth, and Luna tilted her head curiously before the rainbow-maned mare shook her head quickly. “It's nothing, little sister. Well, nothing serious, at least... I just feel like someone's been watching Ponyville lately. Not in a hostile way, but... I worry that I'm drawing unnecessary attention from all of Equestria here with my presence. I worry that because of ponies trying to come here simply to get to... meet the Baroness, or try and make a good impression on me, or all of that...”

“Oh, thou worries too much!” Luna huffed, then she paused and reached down to jerk Scrivener Blooms firmly to his hooves before she grumbled and began to brush him quickly off. “And thou art filthy. Filthy like... like many things that come to mind, most of which are also diseased.”

“You're a disease.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna replied by smacking him with her horn, the stallion wincing before he returned his eyes to Celestia and added reassuringly: “And you really don't have to worry, Celestia. It's been... years since you began staying here. I know that... tourists do sometimes mill through, and you've had to pose and make nice with more than one pony who was interested in meeting... the Baroness Celestia, not the real-you Celestia... but look around and tell me that even if Ponyville is growing, it still... it's still the same, if you get what I'm saying.”

Celestia nodded slowly after a moment, looking thoughtfully back and forth before Luna added cheerfully: “And besides, thou art boring and stuffy, and Ponyville was far more interesting and exotic when I, fearsome Nightmare Moon, wert living as an exile on its borders. And Ponyville did not explode into some tourist despot then!”

“Tourist despot. I think you meant...” Scrivener broke off when Luna glared at him, and then he simply cleared his throat and looked away. “Right, right. Rule fifty-four. Don't correct what Luna says.”

Pinkamena grinned widely at this, snorting in amusement as she rubbed absently at the tattoo over her chest. “Me and Sleipnir got a similar rule. Every time he says something stupid I get to punch him. I like to keep count over the course of the day, then spend my evenings relaxing by beating him to a pulp. He's real pretty when he's all bruised and purple and red.”

Twilight, Luna, and Celestia were all simply staring at the demon as she grinned widely, and then Scrivener said moodily: “Thanks, Pinkamena. That's really just what I need, you giving Luna ideas like that.”

“I would never bring such evil down upon thy head!” Luna looked outraged, and then she paused and leaned in thoughtfully, making Scrivener wince as she added musingly: “Although thou art a very handsome stallion when all beaten up. It makes thee look masculine and tough. Less like the mare thou art, in other words.”

“I understand that as I'm not married or in any serious relationship right now, I may sound a little out of place saying this... but I really think that perhaps you and Pinkamena should reconsider your approach to your relationships.” Celestia said moodily, and Twilight smiled awkwardly up at the ivory mare as Scrivener nodded in hurried agreement. Pinkamena and Luna, however, both blew loud raspberries in response, and the ivory mare looked at them meditatively.

“I do honestly find myself wondering how you both managed to find such good stallions for husbands. Well, admittedly, I understand a little clearer for you, Pinkamena, since Sleipnir has always been a little...” Celestia paused thoughtfully, gazing off into the distance at the sight of the enormous, vine-maned stallion cheerfully coming back with Kǫttr riding on his back, the Hellhound barking happily. “Peculiar. On the other hoof, though, Luna, Scrivener is a fine stallion-”

“And thou may not have him, Celestia, although if thou begs and pleads I may permit thee to borrow him for the night, as long as thou does not break him.” Luna winked over at her older sister, who gave her a moody look. “I know thou can be a little rough upon even the hardiest of ponies, after all. Why, 'twas why we used to joke thou wert able to kill a dragon with thy-”

Celestia held up a hoof, closing her eyes with a sigh before she looked meditatively over at Scrivener and said finally: “You know, it wouldn't be difficult to arrange a divorce for you. Technically, after all, your marriage was even less official than Sleipnir's.”

“My marriage was very official! How many ponies saw me take my wife to bed that night? 'Twas far more than half a dozen and even more than that, I am sure, heard her cries of pleasure!” Sleipnir interjected as he approached, looking huffily over the group, and Kǫttr barked on his back as if in agreement, Sleipnir nodding violently. “See? My son remembers when he was conceived!”

Pinkamena looked dryly over at Sleipnir at this, and then Celestia and Luna traded looks before the younger sibling said kindly: “Sleipnir, thou does realize that babes do not simply sprout from the ground like heads of lettuce to be plucked, aye?”

Sleipnir gave his siblings an insulted look, retorting firmly: “Now do not treat me as a child! But to make love is to pray for a child and look, look upon my back, a child we were given! Oh, sure, perhaps Kǫttr is not the brightest, but all the same he is our sweet little son, and by Helheim he is much more handsome than Antares is!”

Luna gave Sleipnir a horrible glare at this, and Scrivener grumbled under his breath before Pinkamena finally simply reached over and punched him in the side of the neck, and Sleipnir gave a little, girlish squeal and staggered to the side. Then Pinkamena glared at him and said flatly: “Keep your damn mouth shut.”

Sleipnir nodded hurriedly, making a zipping motion across his lips as Kǫttr whined loudly, and Pinkamena glowered up at the Hellhound, saying grumpily: “And don't you start, either, or I'll make you sleep with sissy.”

There were grumbles from around the group, and then Twilight quickly rose her head, saying awkwardly: “So uh. Fluttershy is watching the foals right now at her cottage, let's hurry over there, pick them up, and then head over to Sweet Apple Acres for the picnic. Sound good?”

More grumbles, but Celestia nodded, and then Luna did, and finally Pinkamena. They began to turn, and then Luna frowned suddenly, perking up before her eyes slowly narrowed as she looked back and forth. Scrivener frowned as well after a moment as he picked it up too, but Celestia quickly said pointedly: “We should go, little sister.”

Luna grunted after a moment, then turned to lead the group off as Pinkamena bristled a little and Sleipnir smiled, but took on a visibly-curious posture. Twilight frowned over the group, then sighed as she turned to follow them towards the road, muttering under her breath: “I really hate being the last one to know what's going on.”

“It's alright, Twilight. I wouldn't have picked up on it either, but... the whole Luna thing.” Scrivener replied mildly, and the violet mare only grumbled a bit before Scrivener added musingly: “Besides. I don't think it's anything too serious...”

Twilight made a face as she looked over her shoulder, and then Celestia said softly, attracting her attention: “It comes with time, Twilight Sparkle. Don't forget how long my sister and I have been alive, and what we first were... and well, my brother, too, but...” Celestia smiled slightly over at Sleipnir. “Sleipnir has also always had the advantage of being able to speak with the earth in a way few ponies can.”

“Perhaps I shall teach Antares, though.” Sleipnir said thoughtfully, and Luna looked up in surprise at this as Pinkamena grunted and gave the enormous, vine-maned stallion a look. “Well, no, I think 'tis very possible, phoenix. 'Tis just a matter of... learning. Better yet, the foal is young and whilst he seems to enjoy flying, like his mother he seems to feel most that he belongs upon the earth. He has respect for nature, as well, and that is what is most important. Besides, nature all but yells to me when such fools as are trying to follow us tromp all over her.”

Twilight looked awkwardly back over her shoulder again, and then Luna remarked mildly: “Oh, thou shan't see them. They are not completely unskilled, and I think Celestia knows them, does thou not?”

“In a manner of speaking.” Celestia said delicately, and when Luna grinned up at her, the ivory winged unicorn sighed and said finally: “I'm allowed to be friendly with ponies apart from those you choose. Again, let me remind you that I'm the one who took care of both you and Sleipnir for all those years.”

Luna grumbled moodily at this as they headed to the gates of Ponyville, Twilight and Scrivener now both looking curiously at Celestia, but it was Pinkamena who spoke up first, saying sourly: “Princess Sunshine, either you come clean or I'm going to go and scare our guests out of hiding.”

“Oh, oh, oh! Thou art so adorable when thou does that, oh, please do, please do, please do!” Sleipnir said excitedly, nodding rapidly, and Pinkamena gave him a half-irritated, half-amused look before he waggled his eyebrows and leaned in, whispering something in her ear. For a moment, Pinkamena continued to look indecisive... and then she sighed tiredly and nodded with a mutter, and Sleipnir giggled like a child before he continued to prance forwards.

The group walked onwards, Twilight looking curious as they headed at a fair pace down the road, every so often what sounded like a faint hum brushing through Twilight's mind... and then the violet mare stared in surprise as Pinkamena simply vanished into black smoke in mid step, Sleipnir giggling again before he quickly reached out and yanked Twilight along before she could stop and stare, exclaiming: “No, no, no! Thou must keep moving, grant the illusion... and in three, two, one...”

Then the group spun around almost in synchronization, Twilight staggering hurriedly in a circle as they formed a line across the road. For a moment, Twilight thought she saw a strange shimmer in the air... and then Pinkamena reappeared in full demonic glory in a blast of black smog down the road, lunging out of the mist and roaring furiously as her mane swirled backwards and her cloven hooves ripped into the road.

The sound of girlish screaming rose in the air before the shimmer transformed into three visible figures that were falling all over each other as they scrambled away from the demon; ironically, one of them seemed to be a demon itself, while the other two were Pegasi. One was feminine and pretty, with a periwinkle coat and silver eyes currently filled with terror and a cerulean mane that had a look of permanent bedhead with its organized chaos of spikes and curls.

The other Pegasus was much larger and yet clearly just as scared, his coat crimson, his mane almost pink and combed straight, with smooth, natural bangs that fell across his features. He was wearing something on his back: at first, Twilight and Scrivener both tensed as they thought it and the demon accompanying the stalking Pegasi had weapons, but then the bipedal demon fell forwards in a sprawl and the glinting object flew from its hand as the Pegasi became tangled up with the creature, all three of them cursing and flailing as they tumbled all over one-another.

A beautiful, slightly-battered silver saxophone bounced through the dirt, and the demon winced and scrambled towards this before Luna stepped forwards and stomped a hoof down on this, grinning widely down at the demon. Slowly, she leaned down over the reptilian creature as it stared up at her with its gleaming golden eyes, studying its crown of four horns – one visibly chipped and cracked – and the rows of spikes along its muzzle and which jutted along its spine and the long, odd tail of the creature, which forked into two distinct tines. It was armored with silver and golden scales over its chest, and thicker-still navy hide blanketed the rest of its body.

“And what do we have here?” Luna studied them thoughtfully, and when the strong demon began to pick itself up, she clicked her tongue and Pinkamena stepped forwards with a loud growl, the tattooing over the Gluttony demon's breast and leg seeming to writhe of its own accord as she bared her fangs, and immediately the demon that had been hiding with the Pegasi quailed with a wince. “A demon and his familiars?”

“That one's a half-demon.” Pinkamena replied moodily, jerking her head at the crimson Pegasus, and dark silver eyes winced immediately even as he began to get up. Luna frowned as she studied him, from the battered, rusted harmonica hanging around his neck to the single piercing in his ear, to the emblem on his flank... and at this, Luna grinned widely. It was of a crossroads, complete with road markers... and 'tis not a natural mark. 'Tis a sign of a contract with a demon... but...

Luna leaned in thoughtfully, and then Celestia sighed and stepped forwards, reaching up and pulling the sapphire mare back as Sleipnir bounced curiously forwards as well, gazing over the Pegasi with interest. “Luna, they're friends. Please, go ahead, stand up.”

“Yes, as if we need your permission.” muttered the masculine demon, but he winced when Pinkamena growled at him loudly. When he glanced over his shoulder, however, he saw Pinkamena in her normal pony shape instead of her demonic form, but it didn't seem to reassure him much even as he leaned forwards, snatching up his saxophone and standing tall, kicking the Pegasi at either side of him up to their hooves as he grumbled: “I warned you both it wouldn't work. Cowards.”

“You suggested it in the first place!” snapped the red Pegasus, and then he blushed deeply as he looked awkwardly towards Celestia as he adjusted the acoustic guitar on his back, grinning widely and lamely. “We... uh... hi.”

“Hi!” the other Pegasus parroted hurriedly, and Scrivener reflected that the high, melodic voice of the effeminate Pegasus made it no easier to tell whether or not it was a stallion or a mare, as he studied the piercings adorning the muzzle and nose and ears of the Pegasus, then the tattoos of yellow lightning over his forelimbs that went from shoulder to hoof, and finally the emblem on his flank, of a microphone stand framed in a burst of light.

“What manner of creature is this?” Sleipnir asked curiously, studying the effeminate Pegasus with interest as he leaned slowly forwards, and the smaller, lithe pony giggled a little, gazing with a bit of a blush back at Sleipnir before the enormous, vine-maned stallion licked his lips thoughtfully. “'Tis very pretty, in any event.”

Celestia sighed as Pinkamena grunted and circled around them to rejoin Sleipnir's side, and then the ivory mare turned around, introducing calmly as she gestured to them: “The Pegasi are named Riffraff and Graceful Melody, and the demon is named Amdusias. They...” She hesitated, then smiled over her shoulder at them, saying quietly: “They're friends.”

The demon grumbled under his breath grouchily, as Riff awkwardly waved a hoof with a faint blush and Grace bounced happily, nodding rapidly a few times. For a few moments, the other ponies studied them, and then Sleipnir and Luna traded looks before the sapphire mare exclaimed cheerfully: “Celestia, thou has friends who aren't imaginary! And one is a demon, no less! What manner of nonsense is this?”

“'Tis not a very impressive demon, though. But so that creature is a stallion, my... that makes it no less pretty, though.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and Grace seemed to take this as a compliment even as Amdusias glowered at Sleipnir, who huffed as Kǫttr growled distrustfully on his back. “Well, 'tis true! Look at thee, great brute, with thy... trumpet.”

“Saxophone!” Amdusias snapped, then he reached out and shoved a finger against Sleipnir's nose, adding moodily: “And I'll have you know, pony, that-”

Sleipnir was apparently not interested in learning whatever the demon had to teach him, as he opened his jaws and promptly bit down on the creature's finger, and Amdusias flinched and tried to yank his hand quickly back. Sleipnir gamely hung on with a loud, horrible slurping sound however, Luna giggling loudly as Riff stared and Grace's eyes slowly widened. Finally, Celestia sighed and punched Sleipnir in the side, and Amdusias' finger pulled free of the stallion's mouth with a pop as the enormous earth pony wheezed loudly.

Amdusias grimaced in disgust as he held up his finger, then reached down and grumpily dried it off against Riffraff's mane, the masculine Pegasus glaring up at him in irritation before Luna leaned forwards and studied the saxophone-carrying demon curiously before asking kindly: “Art thou a band?”

“Oh yes, that's us, we're a band.” Amdusias' voice dripped sarcasm as he leaned forwards moodily, glaring down at Luna before he looked over the ponies and huffed moodily, his eyes returning to Celestia grumpily... but with what looked surprisingly like respect, too. “If you knew it was us, why oh why did you sic that... awful little monster on us?”

“Oh, what's wrong, pretty-boy?” Pinkamena grinned widely, leaning up and licking her teeth slowly as her eyes gave a flash. “I smell it now, why you're hanging out with them. You have a link to the half-demon... and you're all skin and bones spiritually-speaking, because you gave up a chunk of your powers somewhere... lemme guess, I love puzzles, and this one ain't hard: since you aren't connected to Luna but I'm guessing you were born and raised in Helheim, I'm thinking you ran like a little girl when the collapse happened, is that right?”

Amdusias looked down at the demon stiffly, and then she snapped her teeth at him, and he grimaced back in distaste as she added mockingly: “You must have been first tier like me once, but now you're... what, a chew-toy? No wonder you hit the dirt so fast. Gee, I'm sorry I scared you, I hope I didn't make you piddle yourself too much.”

The demon grimaced and gritted his teeth, and Luna frowned darkly... but then Celestia quickly held hoof out, saying softly: “I'm willing to vouch for them, Luna. I know I've mentioned Amdusias at least once before... he was the demon that serenaded-”

“It was not a serenade, it was an example of my musical prowess.” Amdusias interrupted hurriedly, glaring over the ponies as Celestia only smiled at him kindly. “You always have to make it more about you than it really is, don't you, Celestia? You can't just appreciate my generosity in sharing the stuff that dreams are made of with you, oh no, it has to become some vast thing done solely for the benefit of delighting you because obviously you're the center of everyone's world.”

Scrivener slowly traded a look with Luna as Twilight stared, and then Pinkamena said moodily: “I agree with you both. Princess Sunshine's got a real big problem with thinking that just like the sun, everything revolves around her. But you seem to be getting pretty goddamn excited for a slow-ass sloth demon over her.”

“Oh shut up, Gluttony, go shove your face into a garbage can and eat yourself to death.” Amdusias retorted moodily, glaring down at her. “I cause dreams and vivid delights. You cause obesity and cannibalism.”

“I could go for some cannibalism right now.” Pinkamena flashed her teeth at the demon, and Amdusias grimaced as Riff winced before staring when the pony-shaped demon's eyes turned to him. “And you. You're on the menu too.”

“Alright, enough.” Celestia interjected before anyone could add more fuel to the fire, and then she sighed and looked back and forth, saying quietly: “We're out here, standing and arguing in the middle of the road... but perhaps Graceful, Riffraff, and Amdusias would like to accompany us... they could give us a show of their talent.”

Amdusias looked almost offended, but Grace nodded quickly, trilling brightly: “Of course, right, Riff? Isn't that what we came here for anyway?”

“I... well, I mean, we meant... private maybe, not in front of a...” Riff stuttered awkwardly, wincing as he looked up at Celestia, and as Celestia smiled gently, the other ponies all looked at the Pegasus with amusement: it was quickly becoming clear that the large red half-demon stallion had something of a crush on the rainbow-maned winged unicorn. “But I mean, they're... if you really want us to...”

“'Tis very cute. Not at all like thou, Pinkamena.” Luna said positively, and Pinkamena grunted as Riff gave Luna a surly look. “But very well. I shall hold thee accountable for how they behave, though, Celestia. And Amdusias, thou and I shall have to have a little talk, unbound demon: I like to keep track of all minions of darkness, after all.”

“Music is slave to neither time nor place. I'm no servant.” Amdusias said grouchily, and when Luna slowly looked over her shoulder and glared at him, the demon shrank back a bit and mumbled: “But... perhaps I can spare a rest or two.”

“Good.” Luna said comfortably as she turned to lead the way onwards, and as Scrivener and Twilight fell into step on either side of her and Sleipnir trailed behind, with Celestia following last to chat a bit with the three newcomers, Luna whispered eagerly: “Look! Celestia wasn't lying, she wasn't simply making up stories! She indeed has been working on making friends of her own, what joyous occasion!”

Scrivener grunted at this as Sleipnir nodded thoughtfully, Pinkamena rumbling moodily as she allowed herself to drop back a little with an almost clinically-interested look back at the trio of Pegasi and musical demon. “It's very interesting, Luna, yes, but she also made friends with a... rock band. Or glam bland, I can't tell.”

“How dare you, you uncultivated lout!” snapped Amdusias, glaring pointedly at Scrivener's back, and Riff looked a little ruffled as well as Scrivener only looked mildly over his shoulder at the two as they continued down the dirt road. “Do I look like some preening poser to you, more interested in fame and fortune and an image than pursuit of true talent?”

Scrivener's eyes roved musingly to the effeminate Grace, who still seemed a little confused over what was going on, to glowering Riffraff, and then finally to the tall demon... and he said finally: “A little.”

Amdusias snorted smoke out of his nostrils, his baleful yellow gaze locked on Scrivener as he muttered: “Your company is nothing but a ship of fools, Celestia. What rudeness. What idiocy.”

“Scrivener Blooms can be a little blunt at times, but he's a good pony. Although I worry sometimes that my little sister Luna has rubbed off on him a little too much.” Celestia smiled as she turned her eyes forwards, and Scrivener shrugged before Celestia added: “And I almost forgot, I'm sorry. Riffraff, Graceful, Amdusias, these ponies are Pinkamena, Sleipnir, Luna Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms, and Twilight Sparkle. And yes, little brother, don't worry: the Hellhound on my brother's back is Kǫttr.”

Kǫttr barked cheerfully at this, wagging his tail as he scrambled around the vine-maned stallion's back to look happily down at the newcomers now that he had decided the strangers apparently weren't bad people, and Amdusias grumbled under his breath as Riffraff nodded awkwardly and Graceful chirped a cheerful 'hello!' again before his eyes settled on Sleipnir. Sleipnir grinned widely at him, and Graceful half-lidded his eyes in return... then winced when Pinkamena moodily glared at him, the effeminate pony falling back a little bit as Celestia sighed and shook her head, but smiled all the same.

Fluttershy was surprised to see the newcomers as well as the others at the door of her cottage, and she nervously peered out the ajar door for a few moments before settling a bit when Celestia said gently: “They're trustworthy. And Amdusias is a friend.”

“Sure, why not? Let's all be friends, that's not something that takes years at all.” Amdusias muttered moodily, shaking his head before he winced back when Celestia gave him a pointed look. Then he sighed dramatically and slumped his shoulders, grumbling: “The lows I've been forced to sink to... a Lord of Helheim, now just a pathetic musical theater performer for a cadre of... pathetic little ponies.”

“Oh, 'tis not theater, friend, thou art not wearing a funny hat.” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and Grace giggled a bit at this as Riff looked confused and Amdusias simply glared sourly at the enormous earth pony, before he grinned and winked. “Think of it this way, thou wert lost but now, thou art found and free! Is freedom not worth giving up some of thy strength?”

“Did you not hear me before, or are you really that thick? I was beyond even that Devourer you have enslaved, I was a master of the icy wastes and all within!” Amdusias snapped, and then he winced when Sleipnir glared at him.

“That is my wife, not my slave, Amdusias. Aye, my sweet phoenix is a demon, but I am more a slave to her through my love for her than she ever will be to me.” Sleipnir said firmly, and Amdusias looked dumbstruck by this remark as Pinkamena gave a mumble and a faint blush. The other ponies all smiled towards the vine-maned stallion, but he then promptly ruined the romantic moment by glancing towards Fluttershy and asking cheerfully: “So will thy handsome Phooka friend be joining us as well? For if he and thou art not yet a couple I may again seek to make advances upon him.”

“Phooka?” Grace perked up immediately at this, looking curiously back and forth immediately. “I heard there were Phooka around here, but there's all kinds of rumors about this place, and I didn't know what was true and what wasn't... I'd be real interested to see that!”

Scrivener smiled despite himself as Fluttershy blushed and the door quickly closed... but within seconds, it was open again, and Nirvana emerged, Avalon buzzing happily around the Phooka's head and Meadowlark and Antares at his heels. Amdusias stared as the Phooka snorted at the demon distrustfully, and then he winced back a bit when Grace bounced forwards, grinning into Nirvana's eyes fearlessly as he leaned forwards. “Hi!”

The Phooka rumbled awkwardly, and then he shook his head as Fluttershy emerged with a large bag thrown over her back, smiling a little as she said softly: “I'm ready to go. Sorry I took so long...”

“It was no wait at all, Fluttershy.” Twilight said softly, and Fluttershy nodded with a warm look to Twilight as she slipped up beside the violet mare. Twilight flicked her horn to close the door for the Pegasus, then she turned her eyes to watch as Luna nuzzled and fussed a bit over Antares, grinning and laughing at the dried paint still splattered here and there over the colt. “Looks like they got up to quite a mess.”

Avalon and Meadowlark were now both staring at Amdusias, Riffraff wincing a bit as the demon glared at them, then he suddenly bared his teeth and growled. Immediately, Meadowlark squeaked and hid behind Nirvana, and Avalon shivered in the air, the foal – still quite small for her age – staring at Amdusias as he began to look pleased with himself... and then Avalon shot violently forwards and smashed into his face, hammering it with her hooves and making the demon yell and stagger backwards in horror before she spun around and shot over to Sleipnir, dropping down beside Kǫttr and glaring at Amdusias as Kǫttr growled in agreement even as Sleipnir threw his head back and laughed.

Amdusias cursed a few times as he rubbed at his features, grinding his teeth together loudly: but most of all, he seemed incredulous even as Fluttershy said gently but firmly: “No, Avalon, now I want you to apologize to-”

“No!” Avalon said defiantly, glaring over Sleipnir's shoulder at the demon. Pinkamena grinned in approval at this, and then Avalon squeaked when Kǫttr turned to her and licked her face a few times, but the foal only shivered for a moment before clinging to the Hellhound, mumbling: “Doggy nice.”

Then Antares awkwardly bounced over to Amdusias, looking up at the demon as the demon looked sourly down before Pinkamena loudly and pointedly cleared her throat, and Antares nodded brightly. His eyes fearlessly met Amdusias' own, and the demon leaned down moodily as Riff frowned in surprise and leaned forwards to study the featherless wings of the unicorn, even as the musical demon began dryly: “Am I supposed to be afraid of a little half-demon foal that-”

Antares smiled wide, making his enormous, sharp teeth gleam, and Amdusias gave the same reaction almost everyone gave at the sight: he reared back in surprise, fumbling his saxophone, before he winced when Pinkamena and Luna both gave wide grins of their own. Death-traps of fangs sharper and larger than Amdusias' own impressive grin made the demon wince backwards a bit, hugging his saxophone impulsively closer before Antares gazed at the newcomers, asking curiously: “My name is Antares Mīrus... what's your names?”

Amdusias looked less-than-thrilled to go through introductions yet again, and his mood only became more sour when they went over to Sweet Apple Acres and he was faced with only a few looks of surprise. Worse than the ponies not being intimidated by his presence or the way they so simply, so casually accepted him as one of their own – insulting in its own odd way, even if there was perhaps just the tiniest bit of relief and gladness, too – was the way that they kept trying to hold conversation with him, talk to him like an equal – an equal! – and asked him and Riffraff all kinds of probing, curious questions.

Riffraff was awkwardly attempting to make nice, although he looked a little strained and kept trying to wiggle his way towards Celestia, and Graceful was having a ball, eagerly chatting up Sleipnir and Nirvana, staring around with amazement at the group of people that had met them here: the Apple Family, Soarin', Rarity and Spike, Pinkie Pie, Zecora, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage... it all drew the interest and amazement of delighted Graceful Melody.

Eventually, Celestia cajoled Riffraff into playing a song for them, smiling kindly at the red Pegasus... and once Riffraff started, Grace hurriedly excused himself from where he had been staring at the Pink Twins and Sleipnir to join his friend... well, who was clearly more than just a friend, even without him sitting so close, their body language so tight and in sync as he began to sing and Riffraff smiled even as he grimaced, his hooves playing the acoustic guitar with incredible skill. And a moment later, they were joined by the demon, even if it was clear from Amdusias' grudging expression that he thought he was far above this.

All the same, once the demon started to play, he visibly relaxed bit-by-bit. The song Graceful sang was low and sweet and sultry, his voice strong and never missing a note, never cracking or weakening. Riffraff followed him flawlessly, and Amdusias' melodic saxophone rolled smoothly along with them: even when he went into a long, powerful solo, he followed the rhythm that had already been set by the others, he played with the Pegasi, not against them.

At the end of the song, they were applauded, and Amdusias seemed pleased by the appreciation. The demon lightened considerably... that was, until there was a loud bang, startling the gathering as a cloud of smoke went up before it was torn apart to reveal Discombobulation sitting with his back to a piano, a bowtie around his neck as he laced his fingers with his wooden prosthetic and asked pleasantly: “That's nice, kids, but anyone can do show and tell by themselves. Can you keep up with me?”

“A lousy patchwork doll wants to compete against me?” Amdusias glared furiously, and Riffraff looked sourly at the Draconequus as Graceful only cocked his head curiously, slowly drawing his eyes over the piano and seeming more interested than insulted. “Music is about movement and eloquence, not a jumble of random chaos!”

“Music is passion.” Discombobulation smiled slightly, then he spun around in his seat, grimacing as he carefully arranged his prosthetic fingers, and Amdusias' lip curled in contempt before the Draconequus rose and wiggled the digits of his other hand. “But you probably know that: after all, Hell is full of musical amateurs.”

Amdusias glared at this... and then, without warning, Discombobulation began to play, using his prosthetic hand to hammer out chords as his fingers smoothly danced over the black and white keys, and Graceful laughed before he brightened as he recognized the tune, throwing his head back and belting out: “Ain't no pony in the world I'd rather see tonight than you, you, you, you; not a single thing will keep from bein' with you too, too, too, too!”

Riffraff laughed as he began to rapidly strum along the strings of his guitar, grinning widely as he looked with sudden appreciation over at the Draconequus, and Amdusias followed along quickly, stuttering a bit at first more out of surprise than anything else, but quickly picking up on the beat and smiling despite himself before Luna laughed and leapt to her hooves, dragging Scrivener into a dance. A moment later, Applejack was on her hooves with Rainbow, and Sleipnir grinned as he seized Pinkamena, who yelled in frustration even as she was pulled up into a whirl with the laughing stallion.

Antares, Avalon and Meadowlark laughed and cheered them on as they danced through the grasses, Kǫttr barking happily as other ponies stomped their hooves and Spike clapped along with a laugh, Rarity leaning against him and smiling warmly: and the music didn't stop with that one song, Discombobulation firmly leading them through an entire set of quick, jaunty music as Graceful sang with all his heart before he ran forwards into the crowd with a laugh to all-but-tackle Soarin' and yank the embarrassed former Wonderbolt into a dance, as Riffraff leaned back and marveled as Amdusias turned around, pressing almost back-against-back with Discombobulation as piano and jazz saxophone dueled for supremacy.

It ended in a barrage of notes, ponies applauding as Luna yelled enthusiastically and approvingly and Celestia smiled warmly, eyes all but glowing before Discombobulation tapped out a few slow notes... and without hesitation, Amdusias picked up the melody, leaning forwards as his saxophone rumbled and Graceful strode back up to join the others, half-pulling Soarin' along with him as he sang in a low, gentle voice: “I stare at the stars... and the sky up above... and think, 'what am I made of?'”

He pulled Soarin' gently up beside him, leaning against the Pegasus stallion, winking at him, and the Wonderbolt swallowed awkwardly, but then sang along in a low voice that wasn't as strong as Graceful's, wasn't as melodic, but its roughness, its texture, complimented the effeminate Pegasus' almost perfectly... and what surprised Scrivener most of all was how clearly Soarin' seemed to know the words, as they sang together: “Am I full of sorrow? Am I hurt... and pained? Or am I filled... with love?”

Riffraff gazed almost jealously at the two as Amdusias added an extra bar, drawing out and on the song, but even Discombobulation had no problem following the altered rhythm. The music continued, pouring up from Graceful's soul and backed with Soarin's masculine timbre, piano, guitar and saxophone all making one effortless melody together...

It was soulful, in a word, and Celestia looked almost adoringly over the musicians... but even Luna felt like her breath had been taken away as she rested her head against Scrivener's shoulder; he was smiling, his eyes closed and head bowed, drinking in the atmosphere and the feelings, letting himself be swallowed up by the music. Music so strong that with his eyes closed, he could smell the smoky atmosphere of some rundown bar and felt all around him not a grassy field and trees but old wood that had known countless patrons, coming and going and drinking away their sorrows, their only escape this little club right here where they all gathered together to listen as their storytellers, their artists, their saviors made all the pain go away for a bittersweet hour as they played their blessed melodies...

For a few long moments in the silence that followed, there was nothing but the sound of breathing... and then when the applause came, it was like a typhoon, and Graceful smiled and bowed his head, sneaking a quick kiss to Soarin's cheek and making the former Wonderbolt blush but grin as he hurried away. Discombobulation stood up and bowed once before he and his piano vanished, and Amdusias looked pleased with himself as he crossed his arms and cradled his cherished saxophone close, while Riffraff grinned widely, gazing warmly over at Celestia.

“Excellent! Excellent indeed!” Luna finally shouted as the applause began to die down, and she hopped to her hooves with a bright grin, looking over at Celestia as the ivory equine rubbed almost embarrassedly beneath one eye before she said firmly: “Thou should hire them at Canterlot! It seems they already adore thee, after all... and what better excuse to ensure thy friends are always close?”

Celestia looked thoughtfully up at this, and Amdusias snorted in amusement, half-turning away even if his eyes flicked with half-hope towards the rainbow-maned mare as he said dryly: “As if I would ever lower myself to be the servant to some silly pony. I still have both my pride and my dignity, thank you very much.”

Celestia smiled amusedly at this, then she asked in a slow, tactful voice: “Perhaps, Amdusias, you would be interested all the same in helping Ponyville out with the annual Nightmare Night celebrations that will be coming up in a few months' time. It would be an excellent way for you to showcase your talents... and I'm sure that the presence of a real demon would be inspiring.”

Amdusias looked moody as Graceful brightened and Riffraff grinned, even as he held up a hoof, asking quickly: “Would you be there? I mean... I mean, is this a paying gig?”

“I'll be there, yes, as I'm sure will be several members of the Royal Court, and I'm sure we can scrape together some payment for your services.” Celestia responded with a slight smile, looking over her shoulder at Zecora. “Do you recall who's in charge this year?”

“The mayor herself is, I'm fairly certain... this year, she hopes to reach the final curtain.” Zecora paused, then the zebra smiled slightly over at Luna as the sapphire mare grinned widely. “Since a certain pony here likes to ruin it long before, and over this fact the mayor is feeling a little sore.”

“Oh shush, I make things interesting!” Luna said positively, and then she glared over at Amdusias, adding mildly: “And do not think that just because thou art friends with my sister, it shall exempt thee from inspection. The only reason I do not pummel thee and forcibly make thee take the same vow of peace and loyalty as thy brethren have is because thou art clearly no threat.”

Amdusias looked less than pleased at this, and Scrivener cleared his throat pointedly, looking moodily over at Luna, but she only huffed and flailed her front hooves at the air. “'Tis true! 'Tis a saxotubist. 'Tis not a dangerous profession.”

Celestia slowly closed her eyes, looking pained as Scrivener reached up and calmly petted Luna on the head, making her glower before Amdusias said moodily, pointing at the sapphire mare: “Keep her away from me and I'll consider your offer, Celestia. If only because I have nothing better to do and am willing to part with some of my dignity if it keeps me away from... that.”

“That! That! Thou art that!” Luna shouted furiously, and Amdusias winced backwards a bit before Luna leapt forwards, but Celestia sighed and reached out with a foreleg, blocking her from charging at the demon. Instead, Luna only huffed and pawed at the grasses, then she sat grumpily back and looked sulkily at the trio, saying finally: “Very well. But then... well, I am curious as to how thy strange group came to be, and demand thou tells the story.”

“Very well.” Amdusias sighed tiredly, rolling his eyes before he looked at Riffraff, who was only looking awkwardly at the gathered, interested ponies before the stallion winced when Amdusias curled his long tail around and prodded him firmly with one of the tines. “Well, tell the story, then, and don't forget to tell them all about how you died and went to Helheim and were at my mercy for all that delightful time we had together, soul-seller.”

“Yes, I'll be sure to tell them every detail.” Riffraff said tiredly, looking grouchily over his shoulder at the demon before he shook his head and turned his gaze back over the audience. He seemed to be searching for something – likely Graceful Melody, Scrivener realized after a moment as he noted the slender Pegasus had vanished – and then the crimson half-demon stallion sighed a bit and nodded, looking down at a hoof that Luna realized after a moment actually had what looked like strange flanges sticking out of the bottom of it. They were small, like little flexible claws that were only visible because of the sapphire mare's sharp eyes and the way Riffraff was studying his own hoof, as he said finally: “I was... a lawyer, but I always wished that I could play the guitar...”

“Yes, he was a very awful guitarist before he met me. I checked.” Amdusias said dryly, looking moodily down at the stallion, who slowly looked sourly back up at the demon. “The little dreg had some appreciation for proper music but couldn't produce anything more symphonic than the barking of the Hounds of Helheim.”

“Do not mock my son's singing voice! He is very talented!' Sleipnir said grumpily, and Amdusias gave a groan and a roll of his eyes.

Then Riffraff looked up at the demon flatly and asked dryly: “Do you want me to tell this story or not? And do you know where Grace went?”

“It's cute how you still worry about your sweet little maiden after all these years.” the demon said moodily, and he pointed grumpily off towards the back of the crowd without looking up. “He's trying to hold a conversation with the Phooka again. Every time I think I've finally grown used to you mortals and your filthy habits, you come up with some new way to remind me that oh no, no, you can always find new lows to sink to.”

“Go take a nap, loser.” Pinkamena said moodily, and Amdusias glowered at her before the demon leaned forwards and grinned widely at him. “Go ahead. Give me a reason.”

Amdusias only mumbled as he leaned back, crossing his arms and glowering grumpily at the demon before Riffraff cleared his throat and said finally: “Why don't I just get started on the story?”

The others nodded at this, Luna leaning forwards intently and Scrivener tilting his own head with interest as Antares and Meadowlark both sat and leaned forwards intently. Avalon buzzed around her parents' heads as Rainbow Dash smiled and Applejack looked thoughtfully at Amdusias, and Riffraff cleared his throat again before he started in on his story.

At the back of the group, meanwhile, Grace was happily relating his own story to Fluttershy and Soarin' and Nirvana as he studied the Phooka with fascination. The stories were different at first... but soon merged into one tale, of how they had traveled across Equestria together after Riffraff had made a deal with Amdusias, trading his soul for power... something that pained Riffraff to talk about and made Amdusias smile contritely, but the tables shortly turned and the demon was left looking embarrassed as Riff detailed how Amdusias had done everything in his power to not only escape to Looking Glass World from the collapsing layer, he had dragged Riffraff along with him... and even aided in helping bring him back to life.

And as Riff talked, Luna couldn't help but smile at Celestia, understanding more and more with every word that the scarlet Pegasus spoke and in the background, Graceful Melody almost unknowingly echoed, why her big sister had taken such an interest in these admirers... and how the idea of redemption, of friendship across worlds forged in fire and pain, could bring even the strangest of people together and forge the strongest of bonds from the most tenuous of materials.

Vinyl, Scratched

Chapter Fifty Nine: Vinyl, Scratched
~BlackRoseRaven

A week had passed since the incident with Avalon, and Engelhart and Ameliorate were moving out of Ponyville to return to Canterlot, where Engelhart would also resume his duties as a Pegasus Guard. Meadowlark was very quiet now, and very upset over what she saw as all her fault: she had upset her friends, which had led to Avalon getting hurt, which had led to Rainbow Dash beating up her father, which had led to him being examined by a doctor other than Ameliorate, which had finally led to it being discovered he didn't have curled wing syndrome at all. He had been riding a false diagnosis given to him by Ameliorate to allow him to coast along with his job, spending most of his time at home on sick leave instead of serving in the Guard, only maintaining the minimum necessary hours with his 'handicap.'

This was clearly something very frowned upon, and part of the reason they had to move back to Canterlot: while Engelhart was being tried by military court, they wanted him to start making up all the time he had missed. And there was quite a lot of it, and he was being demoted all the way back down the ladder to the dirt.

So for Meadowlark, life was pointedly miserable right now, made worse by the fact she was forbidden to see her friends. That, and Ameliorate was also in trouble: not just for treating a family member, but for fraud and knowingly giving a false diagnosis.

In a funny way, it did go to show how tight the family was: they wanted easy lives, and they gossiped, and thought they were better than everyone, but Ameliorate had done everything in her power to keep Engelhart safe, and Engelhart had still gone in for those minimum hours he needed to do without complaint, wanting to keep his job to continue to help provide for his family instead of getting himself discharged.

But now all that had come back to bite them in the flank, and all because parents had told their daughter simply too much, gossiping with her, answering her questions while forgetting to teach her about the feelings of others or what 'empathy' was because 'she was just so curious!' And now Meadowlark was miserable and alone and not even Antares wanted to sneak by to see her one last time, although Rustproof seemed to miss his inattentive babysitter.

Antares instead was visiting Avalon every day, bringing her little gifts, trying his best to make her smile and help her feel better. She had suffered a concussion and there were still cuts and bruises all over her body, but Scarlet Sage had thankfully healed the worst of the wounds and treated the rest while a doctor at the clinic had gone over what had happened and prescribed both pain pills and a muscle relaxant for her wings.

Avalon would only have one thin, visible scar: a stuttered line just at the outer edge of one eye, from scalp to cheek. It was almost invisible, at least, but it had been deep... the doctor had said it was fortunate she hadn't taken damage to the eye, or she would have lost it. The other damages, even her torn-up wings, hadn't been as bad: nothing else had been broken, even though she had rammed through heavy, inch-thick storm-proofed windows. She was tough.

Rainbow Dash had taken a few days to explain things to his daughter, and at the end of it all, she had concluded that Meadowlark was stupid and Rainbow would always be her dad, no matter what. The pale-blue Pegasus spent every night for that week sitting quietly in Avalon's room, watching over her as she went to sleep, wrapped in bandages still and not nearly as energetic as she'd once been... but he knew that would come back. Once she wrapped her head around things, and moreover once her head, wings, and body had all healed.

And Rainbow and Applejack both welcomed Antares any time he showed up, and more than once offered to let him sleep over so the boy could stay and help keep watch. But really, Rainbow thought it was selfish: he liked the colt's presence, and he distracted Avalon from the pain of both not being able to fly and from all her cuts and bruises, and... whether Antares knew it or not, he comforted both father and daughter.

Luna and Scrivener spent more than a few days themselves at Sweet Apple Acres; they even lent a hoof to the harvesting, so Rainbow could keep his vigil over Avalon and Applejack could be freer to check up on husband and daughter as well as run a few errands into town. Luna thought it counted as good exercise, although halfway through the first day they helped out she all but collapsed into a pile of raked leaves and refused to get up for a good twenty minutes, grumbling the whole time about 'infernal endless orchards of damnable apples.'

But thankfully, by now they were almost done with the harvesting: the sun was setting in the sky, but both Big Mac and Soarin' were happy to spend an extra bit of time out in the orchard to finish up the last of the late harvest of these far fields. The next day, they would be able to start preparations for winter... although during winter, they planned to devote as much time as possible to training and helping the Starlit Knights.

Scrivener Blooms wondered if the work would ever end, as he turned around and kicked both rear hooves hard into a tree, making it shudder before apples fell from the boughs... and tumbled almost everywhere except the baskets, making him curse under his breath and wonder for the umpteenth time how the hell Applejack and Big Mac managed to do it. Then he winced and stared as an enormous, boulder-sized apple fell out of the tree and landed in front of him with a thud, making the charcoal stallion gape in disbelief.

“ A wild metaphor appeared!” shouted a voice, and Scrivener groaned before Discombobulation popped out of thin air, jeans and a cloth jacket covering his body, a tiny backpack on his back and a red and white hat on his head. “Go, Scrivener Blooms!”

With that, he threw an odd, spherical object forwards that exploded in a burst of light, and Luna appeared in the flash, looking wildly back and forth before she stomped her hooves and yelled in frustration: “What madness is this?”

“Oh no, the wild metaphor used tackle!” Discombobulation narrated, grabbing at his hat before the giant apple rose suddenly up and shot forwards, smashing into Luna. She was knocked flat on her back with a squawk, and then she snarled and hopped to her hooves before Discombobulation pointed and posed, declaring: “Scrivener Blooms, use thunder!”

With that, Luna snapped her horn upwards, and there was a loud crackle before a blast of lightning hammered into Discombobulation. Immediately, his clothing and the enormous apple both disintegrated into ashes as he yelled in pain, flailing his arm and his prosthetic limb... and a moment later, he was left standing, covered in blackened ashes and smoldering slightly before he coughed loudly and rasped weakly: “It's super-effective... wild metaphor fainted.”

He toppled backwards, sending up a puff of smoke, and Luna huffed at him as Scrivener sighed and dropped his head forwards before he calmly began to gather up the apples, asking dryly: “Not that we're not glad to see you, Bob, but... where's the method to your madness this time? We're kind of busy.”

“Just a feeling, that's all.” Discombobulation sat up, becoming more serious as he brushed char and ash from his body, and Luna and Scrivener both frowned before the Draconequus smiled wryly, saying quietly: “Because you see, I can't fight this feeling anymore, I've forgotten what I started fighting for... but the one thing I can guarantee is that I don't feel like making love. Rather, I feel like something is going to... get down tonight. Get down, get down, get down, get down, get down tonight baby.”

He paused as Luna and Scrivener both frowned at him nervously, and then he cocked his head curiously, saying thoughtfully: “Lots of music metaphors today. Wonder if that's a sign?”

A minotaur was calmly smoking a cigarette, grumbling under his breath: he was enormous, statuesque, and wearing tight, itchy clothes that made him feel uncomfortable. They made him feel... naked, ironically. More naked than the simple kilts and loincloths of his homeland, which he knew probably wouldn't make sense to any of these ponies.

He sighed tiredly, looking up at the stars and the moon above and judging the time by them even as clouds rolled slowly past: he thought it was probably just before eleven at night. Behind him, the doors were wide open, and bright lights kept shining in jagged rhythms out of the archway as inside, music blared and ponies danced and threw themselves against each other, a lot of them young and rich and who thought there was nothing more hip than coming to this little village from Canterlot and Manehattan and all the other big cities to party together in this out-of-the-way nightclub run by one of Equestria's rising sensations.

That's why the nightclub was called 'Enigma.' Because it was a 'secret' that all the cool people knew, and only the coolest attended. Nevermind the enormous lineup behind the velvet rope of 'not-hip' ponies the minotaur wasn't supposed to let in, half-curled around the side of the large, ugly-looking building. Every now and then, one of Vinyl's Nibelung would come out with a clipboard and choose a few lucky ponies from the line to let inside, but the minotaur's job was simply to stand here, ignore the lights shooting past him like lasers and the blaring music giving him a headache, punch anypony that tried to cross the sacred line, and let in only the boss and the 'cool' people who were always pretty easy to identify.

Then he glanced up in surprise as Vinyl Scratch approached, dressed in some new fancy getup, and the crowd yelled and applauded excitedly as the minotaur hurried forwards to open the velvet ropes for the rising celebrity. Scratch grinned at him, and the minotaur frowned a bit even as he stepped politely aside: she wore what looked almost like a black cloak covering most of her body, and headphones were already pulled up over her ears, but... he supposed it was a cold night, as Vinyl strode inside and more cheers rose up from the nightclub.

The music pulsing out of the open doors grew louder after a few minutes, and the minotaur sighed tiredly: on top of the noise getting worse, the music had changed to some kind of... acid techno or whatever the fancy music terms were. He didn't know music. He hated these ponies' ideas of music because most of it sounded like drunken minotaurs repairing their armor... just with less harmony and more loud, pointless banging and swearing.

After another hour, however, the minotaur looked up dumbly to see Vinyl Scratch approaching, in frustrated conversation with one of her Nibelung bodyguards, and the minotaur stood dumbly for a moment before he hurried quickly down to open the rope when Vinyl glared at him, asking grouchily: “What's the problem, Ian?”

“Ivan.” the minotaur corrected, and when Vinyl flicked her head down to look moodily at him over her sunglasses, he shook his head and asked finally: “When did you leave, Miss Scratch? I did not see you go.”

“What are you talking about?” Vinyl Scratch frowned, leaning back as she looked quickly over at the Nibelung, who only shrugged in equal confusion. “I just got here, I've been out all day, scouting talent and trying to get in touch with Canterlot.”

“But... you are already here, then.” The minotaur leaned back in surprise, glancing towards the open door. “I let you in one hour ago, I am thinking. You were-”

“Oh come on! Who could be that good of an imposter to get past... dammit, come on, let's go take care of this.” Vinyl Scratch groaned in disbelief, then stormed forwards before snapping over her shoulder at the minotaur, when he turned to follow: “No, you stay out here, and you do your damn job, the job I hired you for! Keep the losers out, and let the good ones in, simple! God, Ian, like I don't have enough to worry about without some ditz pretending to be me strutting around my damn club like... like she owns the place!”

With that, Scratch strode quickly through the open doors and down the short hall leading to the open floor beyond, as the minotaur sighed and fumbled another cigarette out of his pocket, mumbling: “Is Ivan... idiot.”

Vinyl strode quickly through the club along the walkway that surrounded the open dance floor, glaring back and forth as spotlights flashed and strobe lights spun with the beat of the music... music, she now recognized, was much different from her usual tastes. At this, her eyes widened and she looked sharply up towards the DJ booth, and she ground her teeth loudly at the sight of the shape of a pony visible behind the green tinted glass, working her equipment, teasing her records, but using its own music. The Nibelung beside her started forwards, but Vinyl shook her head sharply, shouting over the beat of the music and the yells of nearby, dancing and excited ponies: “I'll go and deal with it myself! You go get security!”

The Nibelung saluted sharply to show he understood, and Vinyl grunted before turning, storming past the enormous, black bar: it was cheap concrete, but painted and polished to look like onyx, and the hipsters and snobs and other breeds of cool, connected, and privileged ponies couldn't tell the difference. And now, someone was up there in her booth, impersonating her, trying to either pretend to be her or worse, sabotage her with this tawdry crap they called 'music?' Her customers were obsessed with the latest sights and sounds, after all... and this garbage...

She strode quickly through a lounge area with armchairs and couches and big, comfy seats of faux leather, hurrying to an employees' only door. She frowned as her horn glowed, pulling it easily open, and she cursed under her breath: the magic lock had been forced open, meaning whoever up there was likely a unicorn...

For a moment, she had a moment of indecision: after all, if they were powerful enough to snap the magic lock, that pointed to someone who could very possibly hurt her. On the other hoof, she was a budding music mogul, her network of contacts getting better every day, and whoever was up there was not only messing up all the sets she had preset into the DJ booth, they were messing with all of her equipment, acting like they owned the place, and generally perverting everything that made this club her crowing achievement and flagship to greater glory.

Then she ground her teeth loudly together as a rapid percussion beat slammed through the speakers, and instead she ran forwards, charging down the stone hall beyond to a red security door that had also been pried open, and she cursed under her breath as she ran up the steel stairs beyond, following their curl around to the ajar security door leading into the booth, slamming into this with her shoulder to knock it wide, and she staggered through to snarl at...

The unicorn that had taken over her booth grinned at her widely, and Vinyl Scratch stared in horror, her jaw working disbelievingly as she slowly reached up and pulled her sunglasses off. The invader looked just like her, except for the sharp teeth, the way its eyes glowed, how its mane was even more jagged and spiky; it was standing easily on its rear legs, manipulating the controls of the DJ booth with effortless fluidity, apparently having no trouble reading all her codes and abbreviations taped here and there as she reached one hoof up to cover the microphone, saying kindly to the real Vinyl Scratch. “Gimme just two seconds, gonna finish up this set and then we'll get on down to business.”

Vinyl Scratch shook her head disbelievingly, beginning to step backwards... but the lookalike unicorn only winked at her before the tall horn standing out of her forehead gleamed and slammed the security door shut, which clanked and locked loudly. Vinyl looked over her shoulder in horror, and then she glanced ahead as the doppelganger casually uncovered the mic to lean forwards, gazing down over the crowd below as she exclaimed loudly: “Hey, let's really get this place rockin' and the blood flowin'! Lock-down, lock-out, close everything up tight and we'll really get the sound blasting!”

Cheers rang up from below, and without looking, the lookalike reached over and hammered several switches: immediately, massive, reflective glass tiles lowered from the ceiling here and there, spotlights shining onto these and through these to both refract and reflect the bright neon lights, mixing and spreading their glows as pony employees and Nibelung workers both hurried to the doors, shutting and locking them as raving ponies laughed and cheered excitedly at what they all likely thought was going to be some wild, semi-illegal stage-show.

“Oh god, what are you doing?” Vinyl Scratch asked weakly, and the lookalike glared over at the mare as she reached up and covered the mic, before Scratch stared out at the dance floor, at the flashing lights and the neon lasers and the glowsticks, as the sound blasted through the air around them... “What do you want?”

She almost screamed the question, and since the DJ booth was probably one of the quietest places in the club, her voice spilled through the microphone and over the loudspeakers, even with the sensitive mic covered... but the ponies below only thought it was part of the crash and howls of the jarring, violent music. Still, the doppelganger gritted her teeth, then she reached down and slammed a hoof into the button that controlled the mic, turning it off as she retorted: “What do I want? I want what I got right here... one big, mean trap for Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms!”

“Are... I... I don't understand.” Vinyl said stupidly, looking surprised, and the lookalike grinned widely in her black cloak before she brushed a sleeve back, revealing some kind of metallic vambrace. Vinyl stared at this, watching as the lookalike unicorn tapped on the side of this, then her horn glowed, pulling a crystalline pin free that rose high into the air, then stabbed violently down into an 'input' jack on one of the central control terminals of the machine before the device sparked violently.

Electricity surged along the sensitive machinery, and the lookalike pony winked over at Vinyl as the DJ leaned forwards with a yell of horror, her red eyes going wide before a hoof shot out and smashed into her throat. She felt it curl up beneath her neck, seizing painfully into her and yanking her into the air as she shivered and swallowed, and the doppelganger grinned over its own large sunglasses at her before it said kindly: “You will.”

Then it turned and threw Vinyl hard, and she shattered through the tinted glass protecting her booth with a shriek, falling amidst a broken rain of twinkling emerald to the ground some thirty feet below. She smashed down hard on a walkway around the tiled dance floor, and ponies screamed and yelled and panicked at the sight of the DJ's prone body... which other ponies only took as a cue to howl to the roof themselves, not even aware of the panic and the violence that was going on as the Clockwork Pony grinned widely and rose the vambrace-covered hoof... and a moment later, electronic locks beeped and snapped closed on every shut exit and entrance, as the pony leaned forwards into the shattered window and shouted to the ponies staring in horror below, its voice echoing loudly through the speakers over the thrum of music: “Welcome, colts and fillies, to the greatest farewell party every thrown! I am your host, Breakbeat, and it is an honor to be here in Equestria, oh so far away from Decretum! Now, while we wait for our special guests, let's get this party started!”

Breakbeat threw her head back and laughed, as below, ponies shouted and yelled and became aware far too late of the danger they had just been thrown into, and Vinyl Scratch only lay on the ground, bleeding slowly out of her mouth and staring disbelievingly as everything she had achieved was shattered as easily as her bones had been by the fall to the cold club floor.

Around two in the morning, Scrivener Blooms and Luna arrived at the nightclub with Twilight Sparkle, the sheriff of Ponyville grimacing over his shoulder. He and other officers had surrounded the building... although personally, Scrivener was more reassured by the fact that also present were Sleipnir, Pinkamena, Ross and Cowlick, and other Starlit Knights. A letter had even been sent to Celestia to keep her informed, but it was unlikely she'd be able to do much of anything... she was in Canterlot, and there was only one Clockwork Pony inside. One that Luna and Scrivener had heard had given a specific set of instructions after taking the club by force.

“Glad to see you. Wish you'd gotten here sooner, though... the monster's tormenting the hostages.” the sheriff muttered, and then he sat up and whistled loudly, and Cowlick looked up sharply from where she was talking to another set of officers before grinning in relief and hurrying over towards them.

“Sorry, we weren't at home. We were over at Sweet Apple Acres, with Antares... we didn't hear about what was going on until Sleipnir sent a message out to the Starlit Knights.” Scrivener replied quietly, and Twilight nodded, looking at the blocky building with concern: but security shutters had been sealed over the windows, and the doors had not a scratch on them, sealed tightly shut but sparking strangely with electricity. “What's going on exactly?”

“Listen for yourself.” The sheriff replied with a slow shake of his head, as Cowlick reached down to turn on a radio. Immediately, all the ponies present winced at the sound that blared out of it... jagged beats, broken rhythms, heavy, rumbling bass.

It went on for a few seconds, Luna and Scrivener trading looks before a voice cut through the noise suddenly, saying mockingly: “What's wrong, are you guys out there scared of me or something? I'm still in here, still waiting for Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms... and only them, you remember? Okay colts and fillies, let's get started on another set!”

There were yells and shouts before the music began to blare again... but Cowlick reached down and turned the radio quickly off before it could grate on anypony's nerves, shaking her head in disgust and saying moodily: “Whatever the hell is in there, it hooked up a short-range transmitter. A really, really powerful one, at that, so the goddamn thing is overriding every other radio frequency and station in the area. Gotta admit, this Clockwork tech... it's getting better and better, and that kind of scares me at this point.”

Luna grimaced at this, then she growled at the doors and pawed a hoof at the ground, asking sharply: “So how shall we take this, then? By the short, direct route or should we pretend to be Celestia and attempt to take the creature by surprise by bringing the roof down upon its head?”

“Whoa there, Lady Luna, with all respect you're going to have to slow down.” the sheriff cautioned, and Luna looked moodily at the pony, even as she halted and pawed grumpily at the street, glowering towards the building. “There's hostages in there, and we don't have much choice but to play along with her demands right now. First and foremost, we have to save the lives of those ponies.”

“If there are any lives worth saving in that building.” Luna grumbled, but then she sighed and nodded after a moment, her starry mane swirling backwards slowly as she shook herself out. “So we must play to the monster's tune, is that what thou art saying?”

The sheriff smiled wryly, replying quietly: “Your colts don't want to listen to me, but all the same they've formed a cordon and they're holding the perimeter, and they promised to stay put while you and Scrivener Blooms do your thing. Obviously I'm not a hundred percent thrilled letting you march in there, but... I also don't feel like we got any choice in the matter.”

“That thing wants you to go in there, no gear, no weapons, right on through the front door. You two better watch yourselves.” Cowlick added with a grimace and a nod, and then she looked over her shoulder at where Ross was tinkering with something beside Greece, calling clearly: “Send out the message!”

“Hey, I'm still in charge here...” the sheriff frowned and started, straightening, and then he winced when Cowlick glared over at him.

“No, I don't think you are. Sleipnir's head turkey and he asked me to keep things running. Real nice to have you and some other cops keeping the crowds back and holding down the hatches but this ain't your rodeo. Ain't even ours. It's theirs.” Cowlick jerked her head towards Scrivener and Luna, and the charcoal stallion smiled a bit as Luna grinned slightly. “You two just do me a favor. Don't get your flanks kicked this time around, right?”

“Be careful. We'll be waiting outside... and if you need help, call us. We'll figure out some way to get in without anyone getting hurt.” Twilight added quietly. Cowlick grunted in agreement, and then the engineer held up a hoof, and Scrivener and Luna both tapped their own against it before the two nodded as Luna turned and quickly headed for the front doors with Scrivener following after her. A few calls of 'good luck' and other hopes rang out of the crowd, and the two ponies glanced back once before looking firmly ahead as the front double doors swung invitingly open, a thrum of music pouring out from the nightclub.

A battered Nibelung was standing in the open doorway, breathing hard and hugging himself around his wounded chest with one arm, and Luna frowned at the sight of the dwarf before he rasped as they approached: “Metal-corn has... has fancy-corn boss and others hostage. Many hurt. All scared.”

Luna and Scrivener both nodded slowly as they stood for a moment in the entrance, and then the dwarf closed his eyes as he waited for them to pass inside before a sharp, mocking voice echoed over the loudspeaker: “Now remember, bring them inside and close the doors behind you like a good little boy, or I start killing hostages.”

The dwarf mumbled to himself, but Luna didn't need to glance to check as the Nibelung stepped forwards, seizing the handles and carefully yanking the doors closed. There was a click before electricity zapped along the doors, and the dwarf staggered backwards with a yelp of pain as he hurriedly let go of the handles, a chortle ringing through the loudspeakers as the voice exclaimed: “Oh, I'm sorry, I must have overloaded the circuits again!'

Luna snarled at this as she and Scrivener stood for a moment in the short foyer, the locked entrance doors on one side of them, another set of doors in front of them, sealed up tight, but music rumbling all the same through these... and a moment later there was a distinct click before this inner pair of doors swung open by themselves, and both Luna and Scrivener winced at the sound of heavy, repetitive sharp beats that perverted the air around them, the patterning broken now and then by a sudden jagged rhythm and baseline.

The Nibelung simply let himself drop to one side of the foyer, sitting beneath a faded band poster, and Scrivener shared a look with Luna, feeling their mental link tightening before they both strode ahead and shoved through the double doors.

They stepped out onto a darker stone path that went around an enormous dance floor: huge girders of metal bordered this, with rounded metal railings filling the gaps between many of these pillars. White tiles covered the wide dance floor, with interspersed with thick glass plates out of which shone bright, patterned colors of light.

More spotlights shone down from above, and music blared out of speakers set up all over the club, both massive, obvious black squares and hidden and recessed everywhere from the floors to the walls. Enormous glass reflectors shuddered with the beat of the bass, gleaming overhead like dangerous mirrors; the heavy music, the flashing light, the way everything glowed and glinted made the atmosphere feel insane and blinding, Luna snarling as she looked back and forth and Scrivener shaking his head quickly out with a look of disgust.

They stepped down onto the dance floor, looking back and forth: hostages were tied up here and there with cut black cabling and power cords, many of them bleeding from the eyes and ears, others simply looking shell-shocked. They were scattered all over the dance-floor... and in the center of it, her back turned to them and a black cloak swaying around her, was a Clockwork Pony.

Her front hooves were moving in front of her, and she laughed as Luna and Scrivener both stepped forwards before she grinned widely over her shoulder, red eyes gleaming behind violet shades as she called easily: “There you are! You have any idea how long I've been waiting for you two to show up?”

With that, she turned around, shrugging her cloak open at the same time... and Luna and Scrivener both stared in surprise: in front of her, a translucent blue image of a soundboard was floating, her hooves moving over this and controlling the music somehow through the hologram. Her head rocked unconsciously with the music as her hooves played over illusionary switches and scratched against the image of a record, her glasses low over over her muzzle so she could continue to grin cockily at them as the music blared and rumbled around them.

Then she swept a hoof to the side, and the spotlights above all flared to life with glowing white light, making Scrivener and Luna both stumble backwards with curses at the way the floor tiles beneath their hooves seemed to glow. Then the Clockwork Pony laughed again, flicking its other hoof out, and the hologram in front of it vanished as it pulled the cloak free from its body and tossed it easily aside, revealing an upper body covered by a thick, gleaming silver vest. Metal braces glinted over both forelegs, large, rubberized tubing and cabling feeding out of their backs and around to the Clockwork Pony's spine, and the rear legs it stood so easily back on had been replaced from the knee down by metallic prostheses, glinting in the bright light as it held up a hoof to the air and declared clearly: “In the name of Beauty and the Prophet and the Clockwork King, time to mess you up, Brynhild!”

“Oh good, skipping the witty banter, I like this.” Luna gritted her teeth as she and Scrivener Blooms charged forwards, and then Luna's eyes narrowed when Breakbeat only grinned widely as it shoved back its sunglasses, sensing something was wrong a little too late before there was a sharp gleam-

She and Scrivener both smashed against what felt like a solid wall, and a translucent, rippling white barrier sprung to existence around Breakbeat, shielding the Clockwork Pony inside a sphere as it threw its head back and laughed mockingly. Then it reached up and waved a hoof almost teasingly before shoving its forelimb hard forwards as its horn glowed, and a blast of raw force slammed into both Scrivener and Luna, the concussive shockwave knocking them both flying backwards to crash and roll along the dance floor as Breakbeat said teasingly: “Let's check your score for that epic fail, shall we?”

She clicked her tongue, and another blue hologram sprung to life, floating beside her head and clearly displaying a number for a moment before it quickly decreased back to zero. “Two hundred! Not a bad hit, that probably would have hurt like hell... too bad there's no way you guys have way to smash my shield. But don't worry... they don't call me 'Breakbeat' for nothing.”

The Clockwork Pony's eyes glowed before it paused, looked up at the music, then cursed under its breath as Luna and Scrivener both picked themselves up, staring almost incredulously as the mechanical pony muttered and reached down to begin paging hurriedly through a large pack hanging from one hip: “Tunes, tunes, tunes... where the hell...”

As it looked down, distracted, Luna snarled, her horn glowing brightly before she flicked it forwards, sending a blue fireball rocketing across the dance floor. But it only smashed uselessly against the barrier, the explosion not even ruffling Breakbeat even though it knocked several nearby hostages flat, and Luna winced as Scrivener gritted his teeth with a curse before hurrying for the nearest group as Breakbeat shouted irritably: “I'll kill you in a minute, let me find my... here it is!”

Breakbeat grinned widely as it yanked a CD free from its pack, then she smacked a rounded protrusion on her other hip firmly, and this popped open before Breakbeat slipped the disc inside and slapped it closed. Then it flicked both hooves up and outwards, the holographic soundboard appearing in front of her before she grinned widely as the music over the speakers cut out, only to be replaced a moment later by a hard, booming beat that quickly began to pick up in speed and power, sharp, electrical melodies joining the heavy baseline as he hooves toggled the illusionary switches. “Yeah, yeah, there we go! Okay, let's rock!”

With that, Breakbeat flicked its front hooves to either side of her body, the soundboard vanishing again before she began to stomp a metallic rear hoof in rhythm with the music, grinning widely as she let her forelegs go limp at her sides. Scrivener and Luna stared, and then Breakbeat whooped as she began to stomp forwards, Luna leaping up into the air in shock as blasts of electricity ripped in short spirals along the floor tiles with short, concussive waves of force that emanated from the creature with every stomp. “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”

Scrivener shoved the group of hostages he had untied away from the dance floor, and Luna snarled, sending a mental message to Scrivy as she shot down to distract the Clockwork Pony; Breakbeat only grinned, however, leaping upwards and then slamming both metal hooves against the ground, and a massive shockwave tore across the dancefloor, knocking hostages flying and sprawling with yells of pain and agony as electricity shocked through the air around the Clockwork Pony. Luna snarled as she felt lightning rip painfully against her body before she slammed bodily into the forcefield around Breakbeat, who only laughed mockingly before she swung her forelegs around and dropped her head forwards, going into a violent, vicious dance that released concussive waves of sound and lightning in rhythm with her movements, battering Luna backwards with cries of pain as Scrivener cursed and Breakbeat mocked eagerly: “Come on come on come on, dance with me!”

Luna dropped back to the floor, and Breakbeat leaned forwards, shoving both hooves viciously outwards to send a concentrated wave of force shooting towards the winged unicorn, but she leapt to the side and the wave of raw power shot past in an almost-visible cylinder, smashing into a metal girder with enough force to shudder the support structure. Then Luna ran forwards, her front hooves smashing violently against the force-field... and seeing in the corner of her eye the floating hologram by Breakbeat's head escalating, the numbers increasing with every blow that Luna slammed against the shield and cursed at how it felt like a physical barrier...

The glow of the shield, the rippling of energies increased with every slam of her hooves against it, but Breakbeat only laughed before stomping a hoof hard down into the floor: Luna leapt quickly up, however, propelling herself higher with her wings to avoid the shockwave that rippled along the ground before she dropped down on top of the spherical shield with all four hooves.

It was like landing on top of metal instead of energy, and Luna stomped viciously up and down against it as Breakbeat looked up with a surprised snarl before Luna's eyes widened as she looked down and saw not only cracks forming in the shielding, but the hologram was beginning to flash violently as it turned from blue to red, the numbers rapidly increasing before Breakbeat threw her forelegs out and howled at the sky. A shockwave of force ripped from her the shield, and Luna was blasted backwards as the force of the concussive pulse's passage left ripples through the air, the winged unicorn snarling as she dropped back to the dancefloor and skidded backwards, blood dribbling from her mouth and her stomach feeling like she had just taken a double-kick from Sleipnir.

Still, she forced herself to straighten, gagging only once before anchoring herself and shuddering as she looked sharply over at Scrivener. The earth pony winced in response, but he nodded once as he ran quickly away from the hostages as Breakbeat shouted: “Not cool, but useless all the same! There's not a thing you useless crowbait can do to stop me, you hear me?”

As the Clockwork Pony spoke, her shield slowly faded from sight, the cracks vanishing and the numbers in the floating hologram beside her head diminishing again... and then Luna grinned slowly as she leaned forwards, saying sharply: “Thou desires a dance, is that not correct? Well, allow Scrivener Blooms and I to entertain thy wish!”

Breakbeat looked confused, and then Luna charged sharply, suddenly forwards, and the Clockwork Pony snarled before it swung a hoof up, sending out a blast of force that knocked Luna skidding backwards with a curse of pain... but then behind it, Scrivener Blooms plowed shoulder first into the forcefield, Breakbeat yelling in shock and looking over her shoulder in surprise before Scrivener rose up and began to slam his hooves violently against the shield, the numbers beginning to rapidly rise by the Clockwork Pony again before she snarled and spun around, swinging a hoof out and blasting Scrivener away with a cone of force. “Nice try!”

And then Luna slammed into the other side of the energy shield, ripping back and forth against it with her horn before she rose up to smash viciously into it with her hooves, and Breakbeat yelled and spun around, swinging her hooves up to try and blast Luna away with another volley of force. Luna was knocked sprawling on her back, spitting blood, but Scrivener was already at the other side of the shield again, hammering his hooves against it as the glow through the sphere increased and cracks began to spread through the protective orb, the numbers turning flashing red as Breakbeat looked wildly back and forth.

She swung both hooves up to try and blast Scrivener and Luna both away, but Scrivener ducked low, the sharp, concussive wind only blowing his mane back as Luna flew high, slamming all four hooves against the top of the shield before kicking off so she could then ram forwards, crashing viciously against it. And on Breakbeat's back, a large, dome-shaped node that the wires and cables from the creature's forelegs fed into began to spark and smoke, an alarm beeping loudly over the thrum of the music ripping through the club as the holographic numbers turned neon red and began to fizzle violently with static.

Both Luna and Scrivener reared back... and Breakbeat howled as she leapt up and stomped both rear hooves against the floor tiles, sending out a shockwave and a blast of lightning that knocked both of the ponies sprawling... but the shield surrounding the Clockwork Pony shattered with the blast of force as well, and Breakbeat screamed in agony as electricity violently ripped back and forth over her body as several loud pops went up from the dome on her back.

She lurched back and forth jaggedly, gargling as she managed to half-spin around... and then Scrivener Blooms, bleeding from the eyes and mouth but snarling in determination, charged forwards and smashed his head into her stomach, making her gag before she howled in agony as Luna's hooves slammed into her uncovered lower back before both ponies rose themselves in time and began to viciously pound their front hooves in fierce rhythm back and forth against either side of her body, the Clockwork Pony helplessly caught between them as she was knocked back and forth like a toy.

She flinched and cried out with every blow before Scrivener seized her by the shoulders and smashed his head cruelly into her face, her sunglasses shattering back into her red eyes as she shrieked before the earth pony dropped when she clawed a hoof at him desperately. As Scrivener ducked low, Luna leapt upwards, slamming all four hooves against her back and kicking off her like a springboard to throw herself towards the ceiling and force Breakbeat to bend forwards... just as Scrivener turned around and then slammed both rear hooves upwards as hard as he could.

Breakbeat screamed as she was launched high into the air, and Luna's wings spread as she spun around and shot upwards after her, slamming a follow-up kick into the Clockwork Pony's stomach that knocked her even higher before Breakbeat howled and swung both front hooves down, releasing a wild shockwave of force that slammed into Luna and sent her groundward, even as the raw recoil knocked Breakbeat higher into the air with a grin through her broken jaw... and then she stared in horror as Luna flipped her body gracefully as Scrivener Blooms ran beneath her, the winged unicorn slamming down against his back and shoulders, the charcoal stallion letting himself drop with a curse even as Luna winced at the feeling of rips forming on her own body... and then Scrivener leapt upwards with a roar as Luna kicked off him at the same time, using the earth pony like a spring-

Breakbeat's eyes widened in shock before Luna slammed into her like a guided missile, her horn tearing through the unicorn's chest and sending out a burst of black blood, carrying the gargling Clockwork Pony upwards towards the roof before Luna roared and unleashed a raw, savage blast of telekinetic rage. It was powerful enough that the recoil knocked Luna backwards, horn tearing free... but Breakbeat was sent flying upwards, crashing into the concrete ceiling above hard enough to send cracks spiraling through the stone. For a moment, she was stuck against the roof, her eyes staring in shock through her broken sunglasses, her jaw gaping as blood spilled from her bruised and broken body... and then she simply fell.

The Clockwork Pony crashed to the dancefloor with a loud, thunderous bang, and the music blaring through the club skipped once before cutting out and silence filled the air. Scrivener and Luna were both breathing hard as the winged unicorn dropped down beside the male, both bleeding and trembling, internal organs feeling like mush as they stared at the Clockwork Pony... but Breakbeat only gave one last, broken gargle, blood spreading in a steady pool around her before she whimpered weakly, and then simply died.

Scrivener winced, clenching his eyes shut and flinching away automatically as Luna looked towards him sharply... but then the earth pony slowly opened one eye and he looked awkwardly back and forth. The moment turned into seconds into almost a minute, as hostages began to call out to them for help, to cry in relief and terror, to babble amongst themselves, and then the charcoal stallion slowly looked up before striding carefully towards the Clockwork Pony as Luna asked slowly: “Nothing?”

“Nothing.” Scrivener said quietly, as he reached down and touched Breakbeat's neck... and then he shook his head and muttered: “Nothing here, either.” He stopped, looking at her open, staring, dulling eyes, and he shivered a bit: not a whole lot of things confirmed death clearer than that... that glazed look. “Not that I'm complaining...”

Luna nodded silently, and then she said softly, as Scrivener stepped back and looked nervously down at the corpse: “Go ahead, Scrivy. Fetch the others and bring them in to help us evacuate and take care of the hostages.”

Scrivener smiled his thanks over to Luna, knowing what she was really saying, and she nodded slowly to him, gazing at him softly. The stallion turned and hurried out, finding it easier to gather his thoughts and push away his worries once he was away from the corpse of the Clockwork Pony, and as Luna felt his emotions settling, her own began to settle enough that she was able to turn her concentration to the task at hand, drawing her eyes to the closest set of hostages and walking over to cut them free with a grimace.

When Scrivener returned, Cowlick and Greece headed immediately over to the Clockwork Pony as Ross nervously stayed back, breathing hard as he looked anxiously back and forth before Cowlick told him calmly to go find the disc-jockey's booth. He'd nodded hurriedly... but then yelled for help across the club when he'd come across bleeding, broken Vinyl Scratch, and scurried rapidly for the doors in a panic. Cowlick had groaned and abandoned her examination of Breakbeat's corpse to go after the unicorn stallion and take him safely home... but she returned some twenty minutes later, and by then the club had been evacuated, Greece had begun assessing things, and Vinyl Scratch had been tended to by a medical pony.

The DJ sat miserably at the bar, wrapped in a blanket and rasping quietly: her injuries were serious, but she was more stable than most of the Nibelung security team had been and a few of the hostages who'd tried stupidly to threaten Breakbeat. In total, she had two broken ribs, a broken rear leg, and a cracked skull, not to mention the bruises and cuts and internal injuries... but even if her thinking was a bit muddy, she was still thinking.

She looked groggily up as Scrivener strode over and let himself behind the bar, and she frowned over her shoulder at him blearily as the earth pony glanced at her, then smiled a bit. He picked up a fancy-looking glass from the shelf, then glanced through the high-end bottles before selecting one of vodka, whistling at the alcohol percentage as he muttered: “What, the flashing lights and music not enough to cause brain damage?”

“You a soldier?” Scratch asked moodily, and Scrivener shrugged before he half-filled the glass, then put the bottle back on the shelf before glancing around. He found what he was looking for after a moment: a bottle of carbonated water. “Yeah, sure, help yourself, whatever.”

“Isn't for me.” Scrivener said mildly as he diluted the vodka with the bubbly water, then he slid the glass across the counter in front of her. Scratch looked down at this tiredly, and Scrivener shrugged after a moment as he took a drink from the glass bottle of water, then looked at it moodily and said finally: “This stuff is like twenty bucks a bottle, you know that? And all it is, really, is water with some bubbles in it, put in what's probably reused wine bottles.”

“It sells.” Scratch muttered, picking up the glass in front of her and sipping it slowly. She opened her eyes when she heard a crack, looking tiredly up to see Scrivener helping himself to a cola before she watched as the stallion grabbed a second can as well, putting this onto the bar... and Scratch's eyes widened as they were joined by Luna, who smiled wryly at the sight of her husband behind the counter. “I... oh, you're... dammit, I can't think...”

She closed her eyes and shook her head out slowly as Luna snapped her own can open, and the winged unicorn paused meditatively before she said finally: “Thou shall be pleased to know that we shall be leaving shortly. Cowlick and Greece will be returning tomorrow to investigate this club with a few others, and the police desire to keep this nightclub locked down for a day... but it should be no longer. Then thou may lick thy wounds and put thy fancy club back together.”

“Yeah. Glad. Right. Lucky, lucky me.” Vinyl mumbled moodily, and she sighed before guzzling the rest of the vodka in front of her, then she simply shoved the glass off the bar. It shattered loudly, but Vinyl smiled wryly at the sound, saying dryly: “That, my friends? That is the sound of my life. Sploosh.”

“I'd say more that was more of a 'tinkle,' but I'm with you so far.” Scrivener replied dryly, and Vinyl slowly rose her head to glare at him as Luna grinned widely. “Look. You survived. Dealing with these monsters? That's big.”

Vinyl snorted, looking down and mumbling: “Yeah, but like I'll ever get the business back. This whole thing could ruin me. Everything I worked for, everything I dreamed...” She looked up bitterly. “Might as well go back to Canterlot, rejoin Octavia and her stupid stuck-up snotty band, admit I couldn't make it even after all these years...”

Scrivener frowned at this, as Luna cocked her head, and then Vinyl Scratch sighed tiredly as somepony called her name, spinning around to slip off the bar stool and mumbling: “Reinvented myself, dyed my mane, changed my style, started playing 'cool' music instead of dumb old dusty classics... and looks like even though I should be at the top it's time to fall to the bottom all over again... go back to playing the stupid accordion for the stupid Canterlot symphony...”

Luna and Scrivener both stared as Vinyl Scratch dragged herself away towards a pony in medical uniform that was heading towards her, likely to finally take her to the hospital... and then sapphire mare and husband traded a look before they stared after the unicorn, as Luna said finally: “I suppose we must all have secrets, must we not, Scrivener Blooms?”

“Some worse than others.” Scrivener replied mildly, and then he leaned across the bar towards her, but he was looking past Luna, watching as Vinyl Scratch was led away, pausing only to throw some comment into an argument the sheriff was having with Cowlick. “Well, tell you what, Luna. When we come back here in the morning, we can raid her office for embarrassing photos and evidence, what do you say?”

Luna nodded in agreement, then both ponies glanced up as Twilight approached with a small smile, saying quietly: “Come on. Everyone's pulling out of here for now... we can rest up at the library, and I think Sleipnir and Pinkamena are going to join us. I'm sure AJ and Rainbow are a little worried by now, too... we'll need to send them a letter.”

“Already have every little thing organized, don't you, Twilight?” Scrivener asked mildly, and Twilight gave him a flat look before the earth pony smiled despite himself. “Still. In cases like this it's a good thing.”

He paused, then drank down the rest of his cola in a few large gulps before dropping the can on the counter, and Luna grunted as she picked her own up with telekinesis, saying moodily: “Still, I do not know why we simply cannot just take the body and leave. We obviously know what happened here, after all.”

“Because the sheriff wants to treat this like a crime despite the fact the Starlit Knights have jurisdiction. But I think he's just doing it because of all the rich and well-connected ponies here... they're glad to see you saved them, but...” Twilight hesitated, and when Scrivener and Luna both frowned, she said slowly: “That Clockwork Pony – Breakbeat, right? – apparently talked to someone through a radio link or something. It was enough to make a lot of these kids paranoid that this whole thing was planned and they were meant to be ransomed off or something so a lot of them are calling for an investigation. So we'll all come back in the morning, play along like it's a crime scene and we're checking to find out if anyone is involved, and then he'll hand the ball over to us after the coroner gets a look at things.”

“Listen to thou talk, 'tis so cute when thou acts so professional and worldly.” Luna said kindly, and Twilight sighed tiredly and glowered at her before the sapphire mare grunted and shoved herself moodily out of her seat. “But aye, 'tis no different than the past. Politics make a mire of everything, and so do young, stupid ponies whom have not yet grasped the world does not revolve around them.”

Twilight smiled a little as Scrivener circled around the counter, and then Luna grumbled and sipped at her cola as it floated beside her, before he nodded firmly once, mumbling: “Very well. Let us retire from here.”

They left after a short conversation with the sheriff, Sleipnir and Pinkamena joining them and the vine-maned stallion wasting no time in poking every detail he could out of Luna about the fight. Luna finally outlined the story in lavish detail when they reached the library, and Sleipnir giggled like a child even as he looked jealously at them at the same time, making Scrivy smile despite himself. But what he was truly glad for was the lack of injuries this time: they were tired, and they had used up quite a bit of energy fighting off the Clockwork Pony, but apart from some electrical burns and their innards feeling battered and bludgeoned, they were in surprisingly good condition. Sure, they would hurt like hell for a while, but the internal damage had been minimal, little more than bruising and aches.

They made sure to send a letter off to Sweet Apple Acres to let them know what was going on as well: it would probably be a bit of a shock for Antares to discover in the morning what had happened and that his parents were gone, but he at least had Rainbow Dash and Applejack to look after him, ponies they could trust with their life to keep an eye on their child and make sure nothing happened to him.

The night was short and spent in good company, passing into a morning that all the same felt tense. Pinkamena had grumbled that she needed to go back to Sugar Cube Corners, but Sleipnir decided to follow along with Luna, and they were surprised when they ran into not just Cowlick, Apple Bloom and Greece outside the locked, police-taped doors of the nightclub, but also Rarity, Spike, and Applejack.

The dragon smiled a bit and nodded to them; he was proudly dressed in a lightweight, armored vest, and one claw rested on the short sword sheathed at his side, hanging from a belt around his waist. Rarity, meanwhile, had only a satchel, and Apple Bloom had a bag of her own as well as grease-stained coveralls on. But it was Applejack to whom Luna gave a curious look first, asking after a moment: “Shouldn't thou be foal-sitting Antares and Avalon? Not to mention thy husband, of course. And Rarity, this is not thy usual business.”

“Hey, Rainbow's finally gotten pretty damn dependable. At least when it comes to the kids.” Applejack smiled after a moment, then she shook her head and said in a softer voice: “Guess... I was curious, that's all. Wanted to see what this one looked like and... if I could help out at all.”

“And Spike and I are here because of the gemstone components that both Greece and Cowlick found last night... they asked me to help examine them, their quality and if they have any flaws or modifications.” Rarity said with a small smile, then she glanced at the satchel bag on her side, adding quietly: “I threw together what I could... I only hope that I prove to be of some use to you all here, but from what Cowlick's told me so far... this is very different from anything I've ever seen done with crystals before.”

Luna nodded thoughtfully, then she glanced over at Apple Bloom and asked kindly: “And what about thee, daughter-in-law?”

Apple Bloom blushed a little at this as she always did, and Applejack grinned despite herself, looking with amusement and exasperation at Luna before the young mare said finally: “Cowlick wanted to bring me in to cover for Ross and see about those mechanical legs this thing has. If we can maybe figure out what makes these things run, maybe we can make something better for that Bob fella.”

“Hello!” Discombobulation's head poked out of Luna's mane, and the winged unicorn squawked as the currently-tiny Draconequus peered back and forth before he wiggled himself quickly out of Luna's locks and hopped to the ground, perhaps only half a foot tall as the sapphire winged unicorn glared down at him and Scrivener and Twilight traded amused looks. “I heard my name. Whenever I hear my name, I feel compelled to make a nuisance of myself. Especially since... well, you know.”

He slowly reached up and pointed at his missing limb, then he snapped his fingers, and a pillar of smoke burst up through the air around him before the chimerical creature waved this away, once more at his normal size as he rubbed absently at his shoulder. “I also wish to acknowledge that I lost my prosthetic again, but it doesn't sound like that's going to be entirely a problem in the near future.”

“Oh goddammit, I am not making you another one. You can go glue some sticks together or something.” Cowlick said disgustedly, and Discombobulation gave her a hurt look before the engineer grumbled and turned her eyes to the sheriff as he warily approached. “Finally. Been freezing my flank off here for an hour or so. Let's get moving.”

“Let's go over some ground rules first.” the sheriff began, and then Discombobulation cleared his throat loudly before he rose his hand and snapped his fingers, and a pair of security officers both stared in surprise as the police tape tore itself free before the doors of the nightclub slowly swung open.

“I don't like rules.” Discombobulation said delicately, and then he looked pointedly over at Cowlick as the engineer grinned widely and turned to cheerfully stride towards the building, followed by the other ponies as Sleipnir laughed and the sheriff looked flabbergasted. “Do I get a new arm now?”

“Maybe I'll rig up one from a mannequin for you or something if you keep this up.” Cowlick said comfortably, brushing past an officer that half-stepped in front of her and adding flatly: “Here's the real rules, you guys stay the hell out of my way and let the professionals do their job, sheriff. You and I both know this ain't nothing for your cops to handle.”

The sheriff grimaced as he hurried forwards, saying flatly: “You know, it's not like we're incompetent, just because you happen to be from-”

“Oh, hey now, I never said that, did I?” Cowlick retorted over her shoulder as she strode towards Breakbeat's sheet-covered corpse, and she grimaced in disgust as she added: “Shouldn't've put this off, by the way, body reeks like it's already starting to rot. We're gonna have to break it down and move it to cold storage fast... yeah, yeah, after we examine the crime scene and all that nonsense so you can make your political friends happy... anyway, this ain't your business. Not unless you and your pals think you can take down a giant monster or two.”

The sheriff sighed tiredly, then he shook his head and looked moodily over his shoulder at his officers. “Go on, guard the doors. I'll stay here with our... guests.”

The officers looked grouchily at one another, but then nodded and turned to leave, closing the doors behind them. Luna grimaced and glanced up at the spotlights shining down still from the ceiling, but before she could even ask, Greece shook his head and answered: “No idea how to shut anything down right now... we found some kind of transceiver in the booth, inserted into the electronics, but... we don't know how it works, and it seems to have completely fried the controls. We'll probably have to shut everything down later by cutting the power.”

“The monster, Breakbeat, seemed to be controlling the music and the lights from some... magical illusion, like a focal point.” Luna said thoughtfully, and when she glanced at Scrivener, he smiled a bit, sharing thoughts and information with her before she added: “My husband says that 'twas likely some kind of... magic-powered technology, but he does not seem to know the words for it, either.”

“It projected an image of what looked like a sound-table or whatever the hell you call that thing with all the dials and the... thingies. But it could touch the image, too, interact with it. That's how it seemed to control things.” Scrivener explained, and Cowlick looked up at this as she tossed the sheet aside from the corpse and Apple Bloom shivered in horror at the sight of it.

“Holograms? Even more, interactive holograms? That means pretty high-tier magic must be powering these things, mechanical as they look.” Cowlick muttered, and then she dropped down as the sheriff moodily paced and Sleipnir leaned forwards curiously, Rarity grimacing a bit as Spike rubbed her back despite his own visible anxieties. “Okay, Apple Bloom, uh... there, see that leg that's already torn loose? I want you to pry that free and examine it, I got enough of a look in there last time to see it had some kind of weird core goin' on...”

“Greece, you mentioned a conductor... why don't you show Spike and I those crystals you were talking about?” Rarity asked hurriedly, looking a little ill at the sight of Apple Bloom wincing as she pulled a tool kit out of a satchel at her side, and the Nibelung Architect nodded in agreement with a look of distaste on his own features.

He began to lead them away, Twilight turning to follow as well... and then there was a horrible banging that startled all present, all eyes looking up in sharp surprise. Silence... and then the banging came again, except this time it was followed by a hammering, crunching, smashing sound, and all sets of eyes looked up with shock as enormous cracks formed in the wall some twenty feet away, then spread wider and larger, chunks of stone and concrete falling out of place as something pounded viciously against the other side of the wall.

Sleipnir, Scrivener, and Applejack immediately ran forwards to form a battle line, and Cowlick cursed under her breath before she muttered: “Dammit, knew I should have brought a gun... things can never go right when you're around, Luna!”

In answer, Discombobulation snapped his fingers, and a puff of pink smoke burst through the air before a rifle fell out of this cloud, the Draconequus catching it and then lobbing it easily over to the earth pony, who grinned widely in response. “It's a good thing you go against all safety regulations and keep your personal guns loaded at all times.”

“Well, how the hell am I supposed to shoot an intruder in my home if my gun ain't loaded?” Cowlick retorted, reaching back to tear open her satchel bag with one hoof as she spun the rifle at her side, working the lever with an expert flick of her wrist to chamber a round into the weapon. “Sheriff, take Apple Bloom and-”

“Hell no, I'm staying with you and my big sister.” Apple Bloom replied sharply, and Applejack looked proud and frustrated and anxious all at once... but there was no time to argue, as the wall finally crumbled, and a massive steel thing rumbled slowly inside through the debris, followed by a shorter, sleeker shape. They were both bipedal, and at first, they both seemed completely alien... but then Rarity's eyes widened in horror as the smaller figure strode through the wreckage and smiled calmly, saying softly: “Always a pleasure, darling... to meet myself.”

Her Flawless Design

Chapter Sixty: Her Flawless Design
~BlackRoseRaven

Rarity shivered, and Spike stepped protectively in front of her, half-hugging her close as they both breathed hard and stared at the figures that had just torn their way into the locked down nightclub. One was enormous and intimidating and terribly synthetic... the other, all-too-familiar and yet all-too-alien at the same time.

The larger one was clearly the muscle: it was some kind of golem, built from domed and rounded plates of black alloy metal that were scuffed and scarred here and there, but otherwise polished to perfection. It was enormous, towering over them at perhaps nine feet of height and almost as wide, its arms like tree trunks that ended in massive, complex metal claws, its unguligrade legs nearly as thick and terminating in wide, bladed bases that were reminiscent of sharpened hooves.

Its head was like a rounded helm, and its eyes were glass lenses that burned with horrible, intelligent emerald light: a squared muzzle jutted from its skull, with ant-like mandibles pushed up against either side of its jaw, these decorated with sharp, tooth-like triangles of metal. Even though the golem was made of steel and titanium, it still moved as if breathing... it still seemed to survey them like it was a living thing, not simply some terrible machine.

But still, it was the other figure that scared them more, and not just because of her calm smile: she too stood on her rear legs, her body covered by a pristine, heavy white lab coat that was neatly buttoned from collar to hem, lower hooves just visible beneath the edge of the garment clad in thick black rubber. The same dark material covered her upper limbs to the elbow... and protected not hooves, but hands that were neatly laced together in front of her breast.

Her features were pale white, but beautiful, and her blue eyes shone with unnatural luminescence, half-veiled by a coiling, corkscrewed violet mane parted to one side of her tall ivory horn. It was Rarity... but it was not Rarity. It was... “Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Beauty, the Giver of Life... and I have to say, Brynhild, you are truly living up to your reputation of being an admirable and exceptional warrior. By no means did I expect Breakbeat to be any match for you, but... I did think that she would at least have weakened you a little further than she did.”

Luna snarled at this, leaning forwards and saying sharply: “Thy true trap... I understand, Breakbeat was only a diversion, bait, was-”

“An expendable asset. A pawn, I believe is the term, yes.” Beauty replied kindly, and Scrivener narrowed his eyes as Sleipnir growled low in his throat. “She was a loyal servant, right up until the end. You fought her only a few hours ago, I believe... not nearly long enough for you to have healed or regained your strength, or recovered from the internal injuries, which can be so hard to detect without the proper equipment. So do the intelligent thing, please... come peacefully with me, and no one else has to die. For I assure you that my compatriot here, Number 59133, will be more than a match for your friends, even without my assistance.”

Beauty smiled at them as the group of ponies readied themselves, and then she unlaced her fingers to reach up and slowly brush her mane back... revealing an enormous, Y-shaped scar that marred half her face, hidden only by the fall of her mane as she said softly: “It's useless to try and resist.”

“If thou art so confident, then why hast thou not simply sent thy meddlesome toy against us? Art thou afraid 'tis fragile, that I will break it? I will do my very best not to, thou has my promise on that.” Sleipnir replied ironically, and then he grinned and leaned forwards, adding: “'Twould be such a shame to bring thy toy out to play and not use it, after all!”

Beauty only gave the enormous earth pony a condescending, calm look, and then Rarity asked in a whisper: “What... what happened to you to turn you into such a... a monster...”

Beauty's eyes slowly roved over to Rarity, studying her and Spike silently for a moment before the Clockwork Pony replied quietly, reaching up to touch her own face gently: “Yes. You would think that... you're still young, and still pretty. And you're happy...” Beauty smiled, coldly, cruelly. “You haven't understood yet how easily that's all taken away. You haven't understood yet... what true beauty, true perfection is...”

Beauty turned calmly, bowing her head and closing her eyes as she reached up a gloved hand to stroke slowly along the metallic limb of the golem, as it only continued to look unflinchingly ahead. “True perfection... true beauty... is unchanging, and constant. Does not require food, or nurturing, and is not based around an exterior shell... but the inner workings, the gears and guts and mind... protected by an easily-repaired and potently-powerful exterior. True perfection and beauty comes from within: from a mind and heart and soul filled with the strengths of knowledge, discipline, and dedication. Comes from unflinching will and a readiness to do anything to achieve one's goal. Stands alone... above all else.”

She closed her eyes, then smiled and turned slowly around, saying softly: “Do you understand? That is why I am perfect. That is why I am beautiful. And that is why if you should take my generous offer and surrender, Brynhild, or I will not simply take you away from everything that you care about... I will take everything you care about away from you.”

“Yes, well, I have this awful feeling that should I accept thy so-called 'generosity,' then not only will thou kill me, thy idiot Clockwork King will return to this layer anyway and destroy everything that matters to me... not to mention the rest of reality as we know it.” Luna retorted with disgust, and she leaned forwards aggressively, snapping: “Send thy number... five... whatever against us, I care not! I shall pummel it, and then I shall pummel thou, and then I shall pummel thy entire world!”

“Childish.” Beauty said softly, sounding almost disappointed, and then she stepped calmly backwards and snapped her fingers, the golem's eyes flashing as it stepped forwards and flexed its metallic, blade-like claws. “Kill them all.”

Luna snarled, but before she could step forwards, Sleipnir ran across the dance floor and shouted cheerfully over his shoulder: “Sister, stay back! Thou hast already had thy fun, must I always remind thee to share?”

“Sleipnir, idiot, watch out!” Luna shouted in a strangled voice, as the golem ran suddenly forwards, moving with surprising fluidity for such a bulky, heavy monstrosity. It lashed a claw downwards, but Sleipnir, still facing away, grinned and only ducked his head before he spun around and kicked both rear hooves hard into one of its large knees.

It dented in the metal and made the giant golem twitch, but then it simply reached down, seizing Sleipnir by the body and making him squeak before it flung him savagely at Applejack and Apple Bloom when they began to run forwards. It started to turn its eyes towards Twilight as her horn glowed, but then a bullet from Cowlick's rifle slammed into it, sending up a spray of sparks as it ricocheted off and distracted it before Beauty ordered sharply: “Protocol B, 59133!”

The golem seemed to nod as it stepped back, and the mandibles on either side of its muzzle clicked before they opened, the lower jaw of the golem splitting apart into two sections that slid to either side of its face before it leaned forwards with a loud hiss.

A thick, toxic fog sprayed out of its maw, a noxious cloud filling the air and crawling over the floor towards the ponies as they drew quickly backwards before Cowlick's eyes widened at the sound of several loud clicks even as Sleipnir began to run forwards, shouting: “Wait!”

Sleipnir halted just as a flurry of sparks went up from 59133's jaws, and then the cloud of smog exploded into flames that rolled like an orange-red, all-consuming cloud of hell towards them, Sleipnir cursing in shock at the conflagration before Twilight stepped forwards with a snarl and swung her horn down, and a blast of wind ripped through the nightclub, shredding the slow-burning cloud of poison fire apart before the conflagration dissipated. But 59133 was already charging again... except this time, Sleipnir leapt upwards to meet it, smashing bodily into the golem and knocking it back a step before he landed sideways and dropped his body low, forming a step that Applejack used to leap up and kick off of before she dove straight into 59133's face.

Her front hooves smashed into its forehead and both her powerful rear legs kicked savagely into its chest, denting its body and knocking the golem staggering back another step as gears clanked inside of it. Applejack, meanwhile, was launched safely backwards, Sleipnir nimbly reaching a hoof out to half-catch her and guide her back to the ground before she could fly too far back, as Apple Bloom shot past the two to slam her shoulder into one of the golem's knees.

It whirred again, then backhanded Apple Bloom hard, knocking her flat before it started to raise one enormous metal hoof to stomp the life out of her... but immediately, Sleipnir was there, seizing it firmly by the underside of the bladed hoof and straining his muscles against its weight and synthetic power. Then Cowlick fired another round into its face, seeming to startle the mechanical monster before Sleipnir roared and put his full strength into flinging it backwards, sending it crashing loudly down onto its back.

Then Sleipnir gritted his teeth as he flexed, beginning to drag the golem slowly around in a circle on its back... but before he could, the golem hurriedly drew its leg back, then kicked him savagely off, the blow smashing across the enormous earth pony's face and making Luna snarl, but she only trembled as she stayed back, keeping her unspoken promise to her brother. Besides, she knew he was right: Beauty was staying back as well, only coldly watching. They would need to be ready to deal with her.

Then, before Apple Bloom could run forwards as the golem began to sit up, there was a rattling bang from above before Cowlick shouted: “Get clear, kid!”

Beauty and 59133 both looked up to see Bob above, standing upside down with a slight smile down to them before he twisted a loose bolt one last time, and then one of the enormous spotlights fizzled before the supports holding it in place snapped, and it fell with a screech of metal to smash squarely down on the golem below in a blast of electricity and sound. The golem was knocked flat again as it convulsed once on the ground, and Beauty snarled before 59133 seized the spotlight on top of it and sat hurriedly up, throwing it to the side as it clawed its way back to its metallic hooves.

Loose pieces of armor plating tumbled down off the monster, unmasking heavier, uglier alloy beneath... but also revealing a large cylinder built into a recess on one side of its lower back, the metal plating that had covered it hanging loose. As the golem strode furiously towards the ponies, it didn't notice Spike drawing his sword, or running forwards to sweep the weapon down against it... barely scratching the glass cylinder, but making the golem twitch as if in pain before it half-spun and slapped the dragon across the room and into a metal girder, sword flying from his grip.

He bounced off with a cry of pain, Rarity shrieking as she ran over to him, and the golem's jaws clicked open as it began to advance forwards... before its back arched and it staggered violently as Spike's sword ripped through the fuel cylinder, green fluid bursting out of the tube as the sword glowed violent with telekinesis, Twilight snarling before she shouted as her eyes glowed: “You stay away from them!”

She snapped her horn upwards, sending a blast of fire hammering into the golem's back, and to her shock the fuel immediately burst into white-hot flames, the golem howling and staggering before the leaking cylinder exploded in a blast strong enough to knock the nearby ponies backwards. It stumbled, white fire ripping up from the gaping wound now in its metallic back as flames vomited out of its open jaws its claws and body flexing and flinching as it staggered back and forth across the dance floor and Beauty leaned forwards with a cry of: “No!”

Explosions ripped through the chest of the golem as electricity tore along its body, and then it fell forwards, the behemoth crashing down as a mechanical voice announced in a blur of static: “Catastrophic damage detected. System s-shutdown imminent... forcing recalibration...”

“Override, hibernate and conserve your strength.” Beauty snapped sharply, and then she snarled towards the ponies, reaching up to yank the sleeve of one rubber glove back and unveiling what looked like a keyboard of some kind. “I'll deal with them myself.”

Her gloved fingers moved in a flurry across the keys, and a moment later, a spherical shield burst to life around her... but the ominous glow that came from it made it all too clear it was something different from what Breakbeat had possessed. Something better, no doubt, as Beauty's eyes irises glowed bright blue before sapphire screens formed in the air around her: far more evolved and far more complex than Breakbeat's single set of numbers.

“A shield? Pathetic! I'll deal with this as I deal with all things!” Sleipnir shouted, charging forwards before anyone could stop him, and Beauty grimaced before the enormous, vine-maned pony smashed into the spherical shield around her... then howled in agony as he was held in place as massive arcs and jolts of electricity ripped over his body, sending the earth pony into convulsions before Beauty smiled coldly and held up a hand.

Her horn glowed as she seized him in a tight telekinetic grip, holding him in place for a moment longer against the electrical shield protecting her as he cried out in agony, and then she simply shoved her hand forwards, and Sleipnir was launched across the room as if from a cannon, smashing into the wall and crumpling to the ground. Luna cried out in denial, then snarled furiously over at Beauty as she said coldly: “First rule of design, darling. Always save the best for yourself.”

Cowlick snarled as she brought up her rifle, firing a round towards Beauty, but there was a crackle of electricity, and the bullet was deflected as the Clockwork Pony smiled coldly, striding slowly past the smoldering body of 59133 before Twilight flicked her horn down, unleashing another fireball. It exploded uselessly against the shield, however, just like a blast of lightning from Luna was absorbed, and Beauty laughed coldly before her own horn glowed as she flicked her wrist almost dismissively, and a streak of lightning erupted from her shield, bouncing back and forth across the dance-floor as the ponies broke and ran for cover, Cowlick cursing loudly and Apple Bloom shrieking as the lightning struck her and bounced off, knocking her sprawling in a smoking heap as Applejack hurriedly spun around and leapt in front of her little sister as Beauty's eyes turned to them, smiling cruelly. “Let me make you stronger, by taking away all your flaws. By taking away the ones you love.”

Beauty began to raise her hand... and then Rarity ran forwards, her horn glowing as she lifted several large gemstones from her satchel before flicking her horn almost desperately, flinging them at the Clockwork Pony. Then the ivory unicorn spun around and bolted back for where Spike was kneeling and clutching his ribs, and Beauty's eyes widened in horror as the gemstones were caught in the field of lightning, beginning to vibrate violently as they started to glow with energy absorbed from the shield. “Voltaic topazes!”

Beauty cursed and hurriedly brought up her keypad, hammering wildly at it as the sound of crackling electricity grew, but too late: a moment later, the gemstones exploded in several surprisingly-large blasts of lightning and thunder, Beauty screaming as she was slammed backwards, mane and coat bursting into flames as she grabbed at her face. Without hesitation, Luna leapt forwards, roaring as she focused her magic and Scrivener snarled, pouring as much energy in that single second as he could into her as they both saw the vulnerability.

A blue fireball rocketed forwards and smashed into Beauty as her eyes widened as she shoved a hand out in front of her, as if to try and catch the fireball... and it exploded in a tremendous blast that knocked Beauty skidding violently across the dance floor on her rear hooves, pieces of flaming lab coat flying in all directions as she shrieked in agony. For a moment there was nothing, only silence from the cloud of smoke that had formed... and then, as it dissipated, Beauty strode slowly forwards and tore the remains of the lab coat from her body, and Rarity moaned in horror at the sight.

Her upper body was covered in scars and had a pair of enormous metal plates welded like doors over her chest, and the flesh of her upper limbs ended at the elbow: these were then hooked into metal prosthetic arms, which fed down into complex steel hands... one of which was sparking weakly as the keypad built into the steel arm fizzled and smoldered, the fingers of the other visible through a half-melted rubber glove.

Both her rear legs had been removed completely, and her lower body was held up by a girdle of steel bars and straps that helped support her on the gleaming, skeletal steel limbs she stood on. They were filled with wires and powered by brightly glowing crystal cores, her fake tail switching sharply back and forth: little more than a metal cable, now that all the false violet hair had been burnt away.

“You can't kill me. I am beautiful. I am flawless. I am eternal. And I won't allow the same trick to work on me twice.” Beauty snarled, reaching up to rip the remains of the rubber glove off her other arm and unveiling another keypad, and then she tapped quickly across this before the illusionary images reformed around her, as did a shield... except this one was a thicker, more solid-blue, as she held her arms out and her sapphire eyes glowed, electricity crackling along her body. “Give in to death, and join me: I'll make each and every one of you perfect.”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, then they both shot forwards, but Beauty snarled and flicked a metal claw out, and a blast of lightning slammed into Scrivener, knocking him flat. Luna hissed in pain but continued her own charge forwards, diving into the shield... but it was like smashing into some kind of thick rubber, the forcefield repelling her before Beauty seized her in a telekinetic hold as her eyes glowed.

Twilight's horn glowed, snapping it upwards, and Beauty was distracted as the ground beneath her shattered: although the spikes of earth that jutted upwards were simply deflected by the rippling shield, the floor moving beneath her still knocked her off balance, and let Luna swing her rear hooves up to brace against the rubbery force-field before she kicked off and flapped her wings, tearing free of Beauty's psychic grip. The Clockwork Pony snarled, then she quickly looked to the side, examining the different images floating around her before she shoved a hand suddenly upwards, and a blast of lightning hammered into Discombobulation, who was still above trying to loosen another set of cables from a spotlight.

He was knocked off the girder he was standing on, tumbling towards the floor before he hurriedly pointed downwards, a rip forming in the ground that he dove straight through, and Beauty gave a look of disgust at this before she flicked a steel hand out to the side, sending a blast of lightning hammering into Applejack when she tried to flank in from the side. The goldenrod mare howled as she was slammed backwards, and then Beauty grinned viciously as she rose her other hand, her horn glowing as above, spotlights and enormous speakers took on a bright glow and began to tremble before the Clockwork Pony swung her claw down.

A hail of heavy metal objects fell as wires tore and supports ripped, and Applejack's eyes went wide before Luna shot forwards and slammed into her, tackling her out of the way. One of the largest objects, some kind of speaker system, crashed down in front of them... and Luna hurriedly threw Applejack towards the edge of the dance floor as she leapt behind this when a blast of lightning shot towards them, the winged unicorn shouting: “Escape!”

“There is no escape, not for any of you!” Beauty shouted, and her metallic hands sparked before she spread her arms out to the side, horn glowing brightly as above, more of the heavy electronics began to shudder violently, electricity tearing back and forth along the girders and supports. “I'll crush you all!'

The objects began to rip themselves free from where they were anchored, launching through the air as ponies fled for cover and tried to find some point of safety, Rarity and Twilight both creating barriers with winces: but then Rarity screamed as a spotlight smashed like a meteor off her shield, barely deflecting it as the magical wall shattered into pieces.

It drew Beauty's attention, and the Clockwork Pony turned sharply towards her before she rose a hand: above, one of the enormous glass reflectors took on a vibrant glow before cracks spread through the sheet of thick glass, and it exploded into a sharp rain that fell like knives towards the unicorn and the dragon. Spike's eyes widened in horror... but then Twilight Sparkle shot forwards, expanding her barrier into a dome that surrounded all three of them, the hail of glass shards bouncing violently off the defensive magic as Beauty said coldly: “You cannot keep this up forever. But I can.”

Then she glanced up sharply as Scrivener ran forwards and smashed against her barrier... but the assault was useless, only knocking the earth pony backwards. It did, at least, distract Beauty, and she turned her attention to the charcoal pony, stomping one metal hoof down into the ground to send out a shockwave he was barely able to jump over before she slapped him backwards with a telekinetic lash.

Luna cursed, looking over the enormous speaker that was still sparking weakly in front of her, before she winced in surprise when Cowlick leapt down towards her, asking grimly: “You think that we can lure that bitch over here while you conjure up the strongest lightning you can?”

“Leave it to Scrivener.” Luna frowned over at Cowlick curiously as the engineer ripped open a panel on the back of the massive speaker, asking sharply: “But why?”

“Trust me.” Cowlick muttered as she reached into the speaker, cursing under her breath before she looked over her shoulder as Apple Bloom joined her, saying curtly: “We gotta work fast.”

Luna stepped out of the way as the two went to work, rewiring the speaker and wincing every now and then as they shocked themselves, and then Cowlick snapped up at the winged unicorn: “Do your job!”

Luna grunted, closing her eyes to send out a mental message and page quickly through her mental library of spells, breathing slowly as she calmed and focused herself... and Scrivener, meanwhile, winced as he quickly ran around the other side of Beauty as she strode slowly after him, trying to keep a medium distance away: not too far she wouldn't be tempted to move forwards, not too close she could seize him with telekinesis, as he leapt back and forth away from objects being flung by her mental powers and evaded blasts of lightning. “Horses of Heaven, you're as bad a shot as you are ugly!”

Beauty snarled at this, flicking her mane before she simply thrusted a palm forwards, and Scrivener cursed as a telekinetic blast hammered into him and knocked him skidding backwards. Beauty followed this up with a swipe of her claw, aiming not at him but above, ripping loose a speaker she hadn't yet torn down... but before it could crush Scrivener, Twilight Sparkle caught it and then snarled with exertion as she snapped her horn to the side, sending it flying into Beauty.

It exploded uselessly against her shield, but Beauty cursed under her breath as she was blinded for a moment by the debris flying around her, before she waved both arms to the side and threw the remains of the speaker away and off her shield... and then Cowlick yelled sharply: “Now, now, now! Hit the speaker, the speaker!”

She and Apple Bloom both leapt backwards, and Luna snarled before she nodded and shoved her horn almost point-blank into the back of the panel, a blast of lightning hammering into the modified innards of the speaker... and there was a loud whistling sound before a shockwave of electromagnetic force blasted Luna backwards as the speaker exploded in a hail of sparks and sound. The shockwave hammered into Beauty as well, and she screamed in agony from where she was standing only ten feet away, her body stiffening and beginning to convulse violently as her shield burst out of existence and electricity ripped up and down her body, the floating images blinking out of sight.

Scrivener felt a rumble of pain through his body, but moreover, he felt Luna's mental roar... and he charged immediately forwards, rearing back and slamming his hooves viciously back and forth across Beauty's face and into her metal-plated chest, knocking her staggering backwards even as her synthetic legs gave squeals of protest, the crystalline core of one exploding in a burst of light and fire that Scrivener felt scorch his own body.

But he didn't care as he continued to forge forwards, putting so much force into each and every blow that it kept his own body upright before he slammed both hooves down into her shoulders, hearing her collarbone snap as he forced her to her knees and dropped forwards, slamming his head once, twice, thrice into hers.

The third blow gave a sickening crack and Scrivener felt something slice against his own skull, felt blood running down his face, but he ignored it as he drew his head back again... and this time when he slammed his skull forwards, he felt something snap before there was a blast of flame and light that knocked him backwards with a howl of pain, grabbing at his face and his eyes. He shoved himself backwards quickly, his vision nothing but blurs for the moment as Luna snarled in shock as she stumbled in mid-charge around the speaker, then looked up in horror as Beauty staggered back to her hooves, dragging herself backwards as blood gushed down her seared features from her shattered horn.

It had broken off near the base to reveal it wasn't a real horn at all: it was an enamel coating, filled with now-broken, sizzling crystal. But still, she was snarling, raising her metal hand as the crystal core glowed visibly, electricity sizzling down her limb...

Twilight Sparkle snapped her horn forwards, and a blast of lightning hammered into Beauty's chest before she could unleash her own attack, knocking her skidding backwards with a scream of agony again, remaining upright only by virtue of the sturdiness of her mechanical legs. Her body sparked, shivers wracking her frame as she looked down and over her shoulder at the fallen golem, blood and drool slowly leaking from her ajar mouth... and then her lips curled into a slow, crazed grin as her eyes glowed, a clawed hand slowly up and seizing into the plating covering her chest.

She clenched her eyes shut, then tore to the side, ripping one of the plates completely free and knocking the other loose and open, before she threw the now-useless hunk of burnt and blackened metal to the ground. It revealed a raw, terrible cavity, where ribs had been cut way and organs had been long ago replaced with synthetic gears and apparatus. Sapphire eyes opened as she reached her claw into her chest, then she gasped as she tore several wires free before clenching them between her metal fingers as her hand sparked and glowed, fusing them together as she whispered: “Beauty is on the inside. I cannot be killed. I will not be killed. I will not be stopped.”

She arched her back, her eyes beginning to glow brighter as she ripped a tube free and jammed it forcefully into another slot in the pulsing purple core that was her heart. Coolant and not-blood gushed down as her claw moved down, grasping a dial as the ponies stared in horror, and then she screamed as she cranked it all the way up, electricity ripping across her body as her limbs spread wide, and one of her hands sparked violently before bursting into flames as holographic images flickered into being around her, displaying vital signals, images of the dancefloor around her, and other information that scrawled by, sizzling with static as the Clockwork Pony rasped: “Let's finish this.”

Scrivener snarled as he picked himself up, his vision returning slowly to normal as Luna stepped up beside him, and the two ran quickly forwards before Beauty lashed her burning claw out: Luna slashed her horn forwards in response, wincing at the sparks of flame and lightning that burst down over her face before she slashed forwards, knocking it wide as Scrivener tried to tackle Beauty backwards and Luna's horn ripped up towards the creature's heart, but Beauty was faster now, slashing Scrivener across the face to knock him staggering into Luna before she swung her burning claw up, and a telekinetic blast slammed into both ponies, knocking them hurtling across the dancefloor.

Twilight Sparkle leapt forwards, spreading her wings, and Beauty threw her head back with a roar as she swung her claws outwards, electricity bursting off her body and ripping through the air around her, the glass panels still above shattering and becoming a swirling cyclone as Twilight screamed, lightning and glass ripping against the violet mare before she was knocked from the air and sent crashing to the ground. Slowly, she began to get up, covered in lacerations and burns, but with only a flick of one half-melted wrist, Beauty sent a broken spotlight rocketing across the ground to crash into her, making her vomit blood before she shivered and fell limp beneath it.

Beauty began forwards as Luna and Scrivener struggled to pick themselves up, and then the Clockwork Pony snarled and seized on the ruins of the speaker nearby, lifting the shattered pieces with telekinesis and flinging them violently into Scrivener. He was knocked sprawling, and Luna staggered stupidly back and forth before Beauty extended a claw towards her and clenched it. Telekinetic bands seized tightly around Luna's body, snapping her ribs and making her gargle as her eyes filled with horror, then she screamed in pain when lightning tore over her frame, her mane sparking violently.

Beauty began to grin, then she cursed as a powerful set of hooves slammed into the back of one knee, knocking her to a kneel before Applejack seized the Clockwork Pony around the neck and threw her hard down on her back. She dropped over her, slamming her hooves back and forth across her face, snarling before she screamed when Beauty seized the goldenrod mare by the face with her smoldering claw, then swung her viciously out to the side to smash her into a girder.

Apple Bloom cried out in shock, and she charged forwards... but Beauty only glared at her, smashing her with a telekinetic attack that knocked her flying backwards into Cowlick. Then the Clockwork Pony forced herself up to its hooves even as blood began to run from her eyes and ears with other fluids, even as her heart began to stutter and electricity jagged twisted along its body before she looked forwards-

A half-melted sword tore up through Beauty's heart, Beauty's core, and she gasped in shock, reaching her claws up to seize Spike's shoulders as the dragon trembled violently, one claw still tightly gripping the hilt of the sword, the other wrapped around his own chest. For a moment, Beauty stared down at him, studying him, even as she trembled violently, and the dragon breathed hard, tears leaking from his eyes as he stared up at her, Rarity beside him...

Beauty staggered backwards, and Spike's hand fell away from the sword. The Clockwork Pony reached slowly up, seizing the handle, pulling it inch-by-inch painfully from her broken core even as she gagged and a violent beeping rose up, the screens around her vanishing but for two: one that showed her spiking, erratic vitals, the other that flashed a single word over and over again: 'Danger!'

The sword fell to the floor, and Beauty followed it a moment later, crashing down on her knees as she grabbed at her heart, then vomited black bile over herself, mixed with coolant and blood. She shivered, then toppled slowly sideways, crashing down as Spike fell heavily beside Rarity, staring weakly at the Clockwork Pony.

The screens flickered out even as Beauty trembled, trying to raise herself... and when she failed to, she forced herself to turn on her stomach, beginning to drag herself slowly across the dance floor, leaving a trail of blood both synthetic and real behind her as Spike and Rarity could only stare in disbelief. Still, she clung to life... still, she forced herself towards some unknown goal, some objective, as she crawled away from them... fleeing? Seeking better ground? Desperate for some final attack?

Luna and Scrivener had hauled themselves to consciousness, watching groggily as Scrivener gasped beneath the wreckage and Luna staggered drunkenly. She snarled after the monster, but didn't have the strength to stop it, as she fell forwards and cursed weakly...

And then she stared, in disbelief, as Beauty reached her metallic, working hand out for 59133, trembling as she seized the charred, damaged metal claw with her own, and a single spark of electricity passed between them, the golem's eyes flicking to life as its smoldering body twitched once on the ground. For a moment, there was silence... and then a surprisingly-soft voice echoed up from the golem's open maw: “You should have... run...”

“I... I won't leave you...” Beauty whispered quietly, and Spike and Rarity could only stare, barely able to believe, barely able to process, as tears of blood spilled down Beauty's cheeks and she repeated gently, reassuringly: “I won't leave you.”

59133 lay for a moment in silence... and then, slowly, his metallic fingers clutched against Beauty's as a shiver passed through the golem, and finally he let out a faint, weak whisper as the light died out of his eyes. And Scrivener felt tears already on his own cheeks as Beauty smiled weakly, looking slowly over her shoulder at Spike and Rarity before she swallowed thickly as

she stood silently, her head bowed, her eyes closed, trembling weakly. What could she do? What could she say? Nothing... she was powerless. She was helpless, and behind her, the Jötnar smiled calmly, coldly.

They stood in her old boutique, which had been restored to its former beauty. Dresses that ranged from beautiful to exquisite, accessories for every mood, gemstones glittering of every shape and size and type, woven expertly into fabric or shaped to be the most gorgeous of accessories all on their own.

And none of it was worth anything. None of it. Here she was, surrounded by beauty, but it was all a cage, it was all worthless, and meaningless, and stupid. And when in rage, she had tried to tear it all down, tried to make this place as ugly as the rest of the world outside her windows was, as ugly and lonely and hopeless and miserable, the moment she had closed her eyes it had all gone back to normal.

She looked silently up at Valthrudnir as he reached a hand down and squeezed her shoulder gently, but she didn't have the strength to fight him. Not literally, not metaphorically, as she trembled weakly and whispered: “Please. Let it end. You destroyed everything I ever cared for... you killed Spike, right in front of me... you... please. Is this punishment, for greed and vanity? Have I really done so much to deserve this much torture, this fate worse than death? Or are you truly just this cruel, this... evil?”

“I'm big on teaching lessons, that's all. Evil is just a matter of perspective, Rarity... besides, I have an offer for you that's going to make everything okay again, just you wait and see.” Valthrudnir said kindly, looking up with a smile, and Rarity laughed weakly before he added softly. “But you're right, you know. All this... this isn't beauty. This is nothing but narcissism and materialism. I mean, if you put a dress on a pony, you're still nothing but an ugly, worthless little pony... you know that, yes?”

“Yes.” Rarity whispered, tears forming in her eyes as she looked silently ahead, and Valthrudnir smiled with mocking kindness as he reached up and traced a finger gently along her cheek.

“Excellent. A step in the right direction. Physical attractiveness, after all, has so many variables... and some are born beautiful, others work for it, but in the end it's a truly unachievable quality, and an unreachable goal. Someone will always find you ugly.” Valthrudnir paused, then he slowly dug two claws into Rarity's cheek, and she gasped, trembling, tears leaking down her face as he tugged and tore downwards, ripping two ugly mars along her features as he dragged his fingers slowly together, then in one long line down the side of her face, smiling mockingly the whole while as he ripped the Y-shaped cut into her features.

Then he flicked his claws off, as Rarity only bowed her head silently, blood and tears leaking down her face as he said softly: “I know. I know. It's not nearly enough pain quite yet, but we'll get there. But do you know what I find truly beautiful, truly immaculate?”

With that, Valthrudnir waved a hand, and Rarity stared as the shop around them melted away and transformed into an enormous, cold room, a massive, steel shutter closed in front of them over an immense window-wall. Steel surgical tables that were polished to a shine rested around the room, each with their own rolling metal cart nearby loaded with tools and equipment.

Rarity swallowed thickly, staring in horror around what could be a torture room or some kind of mass-surgery theater. Steel statues of ponies stood around the room as well... except as Rarity stared at them, she realized they weren't statues. They were moving slowly with easy, calm breaths... and they were glorious, made of silver and platinum, inset with beautiful gemstones and carved with delicate designs...

“Now those are beautiful... and do you know what makes them beautiful? The craft and skill. The fact they all serve and have a purpose, each and every single one of them. The mingling of metal and flesh and magic and science.” Valthrudnir smiled calmly down at her, saying softly: “Hard and ornamented outer shells, over lives that will live... forever. Can you argue they aren't beautiful?”

Rarity swallowed thickly, looking down weakly before Valthrudnir reached up and stroked gently through her mane, adding thoughtfully: “And it provides you with a solution to your own problem, doesn't it?”

Rarity frowned at this, and then Valthrudnir smiled calmly and leaned over, knocking on the shuttered window, and a moment later this slowly rose. Rarity's eyes widened in horror at what was revealed beyond, staring at countless cold coffins she somehow knew were filled with ponies, trapped in half-life, half-death, and more who were clearly dying hung from chains and enormous meathooks... including... “S-S-Spike...”

The lanky dragon looked up weakly, opening his eyes at the sound of her voice, dangling from hooks holding him up by the arms... and Rarity shook her head in denial, moaning in horror as Valthrudnir said softly: “What I'm offering you, Rarity... is the chance to make the world beautiful. Truly beautiful... a beauty which is strong, and dominant, and best of all has purpose to it. A beauty that can be measured and quantified... and I am offering you the chance to not only be beautiful, to make yourself and your friends beautiful... I am offering you the chance to save his life, as well, and to spend that life... all that long, long life... with him.”

Valthrudnir smiled calmly over at her, and Rarity mouthed wordlessly, shivering, staring in horror before she whispered: “I... I don't know how... how this... I...”

“You're a designer, sweet Rarity. I'm simply asking for you to turn your artistic inspiration to helping me with my little projects here and there... don't worry, I'll give you all the tools, all the knowledge, everything you'll ever need and more.” Valthrudnir said kindly, leaning over her with a smile as he let one hand rest on her back, gesturing with the other towards the glass wall and the awful storehouse of ponies beyond. “You wanted meaning as well as beauty? There's nothing more meaningful, more beautiful, than this.”

Rarity was silent, shivering weakly as she stared through the glass... and then she clenched her eyes shut before nodding silently, and Valthrudnir smiled calmly before he seized her suddenly by the back of the neck. Through the window, Spike gave a weak cry as Valthrudnir threw the unicorn back onto a metal table, and Rarity hit it with a grunt before the beautiful statues surrounded her, seizing her limbs, binding her down, as Valthrudnir said kindly as he walked away : “Out with the old, in with the new...”

Rarity screamed, and Spike howled in misery as he was forced to watch every moment, unable to turn away, to even close his eyes as Rarity was torn into, modified, transformed in front of him... until finally, her screaming stopped, and the unicorn only lay on the bloody table with the silent statues all around her, looking almost peaceful despite the terrible things done to her body, as the Y-shaped scar on her face gleamed.

Slowly, she sat up, opening her glowing eyes as she looked up at Spike... and she murmured softly: “Dragons live such long lives... and I knew I had to save him. I knew I couldn't leave him alone, for all that time, in that awful place. So I did the only thing I could to try and help them all...”

Beauty smiled faintly, standing up and stepping over to the window, reaching out to press a metal hand against it... as on the other side, a large, metal claw pressed back, glowing emerald eyes gazing down at her silently, before

her head lowered, and the light in her eyes died out. And for a few moments, there was only hollow silence before Scrivener realized that corruption was leaking from his eyes, from his mouth, from his nose...

But it didn't feel important. His mind had gone numb, and he couldn't feel Luna, but he couldn't feel the pain, either, as he coughed several times and dark ooze splattered out of his jaws. Trembles ran through his body as he continued to stare upwards, watching as Beauty's body sizzled quietly before skin and flesh crackled and melted away to nothingness, and metal warped and cracked, becoming rusted and broken, as he whispered: “Wait... don't go...”

Scrivener tried to drag himself forwards, the remains of the speaker shifting, clawing against him before he managed to rip himself free from the wreckage, and Luna looked at him with shock even as she twitched as several rips formed over her own side. The charcoal stallion staggered drunkenly forwards, stumbling around Rarity and Spike as they continued to clutch each other tightly, and then the earth pony shivered before he fell forwards in a sprawl, gagging and coughing more poisonous mire as Luna hurried forwards, saying weakly: “Scrivy, Scrivy, 'tis... 'tis too late, Scrivener, thou... thou must rest...”

But Scrivener could barely hear her as he continued to drag himself slowly towards the broken remains of Beauty and 59133, still seeing the faintest outline of energy around their corpses as he rasped: “Wait... wait for me... y-you have to answer me...”

The bodies flashed in his vision, going from piles of scrap to Rarity and Spike, laying quietly, peacefully together, claw gently grasping an extended hoof... and then the eyes of the corpses both opened, staring at Scrivener, and the earth pony stared back as his mouth worked weakly before he spasmed when a hoof touched his back, staring wildly over his shoulder and yelling at the sight of Nightmare Moon, yet not Nightmare Moon, something greater and more terrible than Nightmare Moon could ever be... but a moment later, he realized it was only Luna as he clenched his eyes tightly shut, shivers running along his spine as he whispered: “I... I thought... I... I...”

“Shush, shush, 'tis... 'tis okay.” Luna shook her head, breathing hard, but reassured despite the fact it looked like Scrivener was about to have a crying fit: it at least meant that whatever madness had taken him over was gone. “Ponies... everyone else, where and how is everyone?”

“Twilight's alive... weak, but alive!” Cowlick called sharply, and Apple Bloom was already helping a groggy AJ slowly up. Then Luna's eyes snapped towards Sleipnir... but Greece was over by the earth pony, and Luna half-cursed, half-thanked the dwarf in her mind before she glared over at the sight of the sheriff, standing safely off the dance floor and staring with horror still at what had just happened.

She snarled at him... but her rage was washed away by concern as Scrivener leaned forwards and vomited black mire, Luna feel a weak pulse tear through her own mind before she whispered: “Oh no. Perhaps the absence of pain is... is a sign of things worsening, not getting better... Scrivy, Scrivy, we must get thee to Celestia, as soon as possible, I...”

“No... no...” Scrivener whispered, shaking his head weakly and closing his eyes tightly as a tremble raced through him. “I'm fine... c-check the others... make... sure...”

Then the charcoal stallion groaned in pain, shivering as he leaned forwards, almost dropping his face against the black bile that he had just thrown up before he forced himself to fall to the side instead of forwards, shivers that were almost convulsions ripping through his body as he whispered: “I'll be fine. Make sure Twilight is... okay...”

“Damn thou, Scrivener Blooms, I am thy wife... where is thy worry for me?” But Luna was smiling weakly all the same, leaning down and nuzzling his neck silently, heedless of the dark muck that splattered against her features.

“I know... and that's why... I'm going to be okay. Why I know that... I'll get through this.” Scrivener closed his eyes, smiling faintly. “I gotta take care of myself to take care of you. Now... go... get Twilight up. Tell her... she's an idiot.”

“Of course.” Luna said softly, studying him for a moment before she reached up and quietly brushed some of the muck from her muzzle, and then she shook her head and turned around, heading quietly over towards where Cowlick was carefully helping Twilight slowly, dazedly crawl to her hooves as she breathed hard, blood dripping slowly from her cuts and lacerations as the sapphire winged unicorn shook her head slowly.

She approached, nudging Twilight gently with her muzzle as Cowlick stepped back, and the violet mare winced a little and wrinkled her own muzzle a bit, glancing down at the smear of black mire on her cheek. She reached up and rubbed at it, and Cowlick looked meditative before she began to open her mouth, but then winced and hurriedly closed it when Luna gave her a flat look. “Speak not, foul creature.”

“Then may I say 'tis so nice to see thou art passing on such pretty kisses from one mare to the next?” Sleipnir asked clearly, and Luna smiled over her shoulder at her brother with relief as he approached on wobbly legs, shaking his head slowly and saying wryly: “Damnable unicorns. Magic and cruelty, thou art all great cheaters.”

“There is no cheating in cruelty, Sleipnir, I have witnessed thou be plenty evil thyself.” Luna said mildly, and then she shook her head slowly and added softly, as her eyes roved to dazed, still-stunned-looking Twilight: “And oh. Scrivener Blooms wished for me to inform thee that thou art an idiot. For once, Twilight Sparkle, I wholeheartedly agree with my husband, and not only that, I wish to further impress upon thee that thou art not like us: thou art not a pony whom Equestria can stand to lose.”

“Do not speak in such a way, little sister, thou and Scrivener have thy place and importance too.” Sleipnir said gently, and Luna grumbled a bit as she dropped her head forwards, before her eyes slid closed when Twilight silently dropped her own head against Luna's. And for a few moments, there was only silence as Apple Bloom and Applejack approached, before Sleipnir hesitated and looked over his shoulder at Scrivener, asking quietly: “And thy husband...”

Luna smiled faintly, but it was Twilight who answered, saying quietly: “Scrivy's fine. He's... he's okay. He just needs a few minutes to calm down, find himself, and get himself back together. But he's okay, right, Luna?”

The sapphire winged unicorn looked up with faint amusement, and then she nodded slowly before murmuring: “I thought thou did not want him as a husband?”

“I... I don't. But you can't always be trusted when it comes to Scrivy, Luna... you and he always cover each other's flanks when you do something dumb, after all.” Twilight murmured back, and Luna grunted in agreement as their heads continued to rest together, before they both sighed quietly and pulled apart, their eyes studying one-another for a few moments.

Then Luna reached up and gently tapped Twilight's collar, and Twilight smiled after a moment before she glanced down as the sapphire mare turned away, looking up at Sleipnir and asking softly: “Art thou healthy enough to leave and fetch Pinkamena? Letters can and will be delayed before they reach Celestia if she is in meeting, but Pinkamena can go straight to her and she will clearly understand the importance of what has happened if...”

“Telling my wife she can show up in the middle of the Royal Court and scare everypony? Well now, little sister, I might just get afternoon delight thanks to this request!” Sleipnir said cheerfully, and Luna sighed and glowered at him before he looked thoughtfully over his shoulder, adding mildly: “Shall I escort the sheriff out? He seems to not have yet processed that the battle has ended and there is no longer any need to fear.”

“There is much need to fear, Sleipnir.” Luna grumbled, and when Sleipnir gave her an amused look, she huffed and grumbled under her breath: “The damnable idiot did nothing to help, and even young Apple Bloom fought bravely, admirably, despite this being her first true battle...” Luna hesitated, looking thoughtfully towards the mare as she looked up with a faint smile. “Aye. I have underestimated thee in training, Apple Bloom. I shall endeavor to train thee harder now.”

Apple Bloom half-laughed, half-winced, and Applejack gazed up even as her hindquarters twitched awkwardly. Luna frowned towards her, but the goldenrod mare only shook her head, rubbing at her back with a grimace and muttering: “Ain't nothin' serious. Just a slow ache... probably be twitchy for a while. I... Rarity, Spike, are you two okay?”

Spike only nodded silently from where he was curled with Rarity pressed against him, her eyes closed before the unicorn whispered quietly: “We're... we're just shaken. And I know now that... I need to work harder. I need to do more... anything and everything I can, to put a stop to Clockwork World. Maybe I can't offer much but...”

“You offer a lot, Rarity, and you're already doing plenty. Listen... you're freaked right now, and understandably so.” Cowlick said quietly, looking at her with a bit of a smile as she walked over and reached a hoof out, gently touching the ivory unicorn's shoulder. “You and Spike... why don't you two come with me? We got a job to do here, after all, we'll go over to the staff room, you can tell me about the gemstones we found, we'll get a little drunk because it's past noon somewhere in this big wide world. Sound good?”

Rarity smiled faintly at this, and Cowlick glanced over her shoulder at Luna, who nodded as Sleipnir paused, watching as Spike and Rarity stood slowly and let the engineer lead them away. Apple Bloom softened as Applejack laughed a little despite herself, and the goldenrod mare reached up and adjusted her hat as she murmured: “Way better with folks then we give her credit for, ain't she?”

“Only when she wants to be.” Apple Bloom replied with a bit of a smile, and then she glanced up at her big sister as Applejack twitched again, saying quietly: “We need to get you looked at too.”

“I'm fine, I'm fine.” Applejack responded quickly, shaking her head briskly before she turned to look at Scrivener, hesitating a bit before she strode away from the group and towards the charcoal stallion. Luna looked after her almost worriedly, but then Twilight shivered and nearly fell over, and the sapphire mare instead turned her gaze to the violet mare, sighing softly as her horn glowed and she focused her attention to at least healing the lacerations to prevent any further blood loss.

Scrivener was sitting over the golem's body, studying it quietly: he barely noticed when Applejack sat beside him in silence, or when Sleipnir passed, patting him gently on the shoulder. What startled him out of his reverie was the sound of the enormous, vine-maned stallion shouting loudly and cheerfully at the sheriff: “The time for fearing and peeing thyself is over, so why does thou still have such traces of yellow all upon thy legs and floor beneath thy hooves?”

The sheriff began to hurriedly babble excuses and apologies, but Scrivener only looked down with a faint smile: he was a small town police officer, and this wasn't a job for the police, after all. As he looked down quietly at the golem, he reached out and touched its chest, before Applejack said quietly: “I'm sorry we didn't help more. Seems like you and Luna and Twilight do most of the work... well, Sleipnir seems to do plenty too, when he doesn't get himself knocked out. And Pinkamena...”

“You see a pattern developing?” Scrivener smiled despite himself over at Applejack, and then he slowly returned his eyes to the golem, pressing down against its scarred, burnt metal chest as he said quietly: “It's monsters who make the best monster slayers, Applejack. But this is me in the self-pitying, self-loathing phase that tends to follow murdering an enemy I'm probably letting myself feel way too much for.”

Applejack looked at him quietly, and then she leaned over and nudged him gently with her shoulder, saying softly: “I ain't gonna say that I... understand a whole lot about how things work with you and Luna, Scrivy. Or you and Luna and Twilight, even if... I've come to understand a lot of things over these years that I never thought I could.

“But I also know that you and Luna are honorable, trustworthy ponies. That you both strive to do everything you can for the ponies around you, and... that you always put everypony else first.” She smiled a bit, adding quietly: “Even if you two don't always do it for the right reasons.”

Scrivener glanced up in surprise at this, smiling a little in return despite himself as Applejack said softly: “Been there, after all. I know what it's like to feel responsible for others and every little thing... and to feel less than worthless when you fail. Just as I know what it's like to cling to the most important thing in your life so tight and so hard and so much that... you end up almost screwing everything up.

“The real difference between you and me, though, is that... I sure as hell got depressed, and angry, and upset, and did some things I probably shouldn't have... but I gave into the fear. But for you it ain't fear, is it? It's... I wanna say despair, but it's something even more than that, ain't it?” Applejack asked quietly, looking at him for a few moments, and Scrivener nodded slowly as he returned his eyes to the fallen golem. “We're all screwed up, ain't we?”

“And that's why we're the ones so hellbent on protecting the world around us.” Scrivener replied softly, and he drew his eyes back up to hers with another slow nod. “Because pain can teach; because suffering and choosing to learn from it can give us strength and empathy and... help us to understand and feel good about what we're doing in life, weird as that sounds.”

Applejack looked at him for a moment, then she finally gave him an amused look and asked: “You don't really believe in people doing the right thing just because it's the right thing to do, do you?”

“On the contrary, I believe that's the only reason anypony should need to do anything... because it's the right thing to do.” Scrivener gave her a quietly entertained look. “But I'm also a cynical bastard and know that sometimes people need an extra push or two in the right direction. Still though... believing that people, ponies, can learn from bad things to do good... that's good, right?”

Applejack only shook her head and laughed, then she sat back and murmured: “You got some weird thoughts runnin' through your head, Scrivener. Hard to say if they're good or bad when you stop and really think about 'em, though.”

Scrivener smiled wryly at this, looking back down at the golem and replying quietly: “Then they're probably bad. Or most ponies will assume they're bad, anyway. People don't like to think, especially not about the fact that a lot of us will never really know what life is like behind closed doors for someone else. I wish sometimes... everyone could see everyone else's true face, what they're really like, that all our deepest, darkest secrets were exposed to the light. Both because I'm curious, and because if you could get people to just try and understand each other for five minutes when they're all that vulnerable, that exposed, that forced to show trust... I think we'd end up with a lot less hatred in the world.”

“Or a lot of dead ponies.” Applejack remarked, and Scrivener grunted as Apple Bloom approached as well, the stallion glancing back between the siblings... and then he grimaced as his vision flared, showing not just glowing auras, but how they were both different... and yet so much the same, too, whether they knew it or not. They shared details large and small, even with how many things about them were almost opposites... and then he hurriedly turned his eyes back to the golem, and Applejack asked abruptly: “What about this thing has you so fascinated?”

“I don't entirely know. But it feels like he still has something to tell me.” Scrivener said finally, and then he glanced over at Apple Bloom, asking quietly: “Can you help me open it up?”

Apple Bloom hesitantly nodded, then she looked up and called to the dwarf who was lingering awkwardly at the edge of the dance floor: “Greece! Need your help here, I ain't so good at stuff like this!”

Greece winced but came quickly forwards, looking both relieved and a little anxious... but without looking up, Scrivener said mildly as the Nibelung drew in close: “Luna and I already know that you and your Architect brethren aren't allowed to fight. She's probably going to yell at you later anyway but... she'll yell at you less if you help open this thing up and figure out why I keep... being drawn to it.”

“I figured, I figured. The fancy-corn is fond of getting things both ways.” Greece said quietly, and then he smiled awkwardly at the ponies, but both Applejack and Apple Bloom had already returned their attention to the armored body, and Greece turned his own eyes downwards as he said finally: “This isn't just your run-of-the-mill golem, though... apart from the... obvious technology that's been employed and this heavy alloy plating... there was a living core. Necromancy as well as alchemy...”

Greece leaned down as he spoke, running his fingers quickly over the plating as the pones watched, and then he nodded suddenly before tapping on the armor and muttering: “We can't open this here. It's melted shut, but I think that we have the tools to crack this shell open in one of the labs. There's definitely a maintenance hatch here, though, for lack of a better word, but... I doubt what we find will be pretty.”

“Please.” Scrivener said quietly, glancing up... and Greece hesitated, then he nodded and sighed, turning to go before he frowned when the earth pony turned and whistled loudly: “Luna!”

Luna looked up in surprise, then she frowned across at Scrivener as he looked at her, trying to force back his visions even as corruption still dripped from him... and finally, the winged unicorn sighed quietly as Twilight looked up nervously. “Very well. We shall drag the damnable thing across Ponyville, then, but... then thou art going to lay down and permit us to examine thee, Scrivener Blooms, is this understood?”

“We can all get some rest once this thing's opened up.” Scrivener replied quietly, and ponies looked at him nervously before Scrivener closed his eyes, saying softly: “Please. Trust me on this one.”

“I do. Always.” Luna answered softly, and then she sighed a little as she strode forwards, smiling faintly despite herself as she met his eyes: and even though their link was clogged with static, she could still tell what he felt, still felt the importance he was putting on this strange metal thing in his thoughts, and knew that he saw and felt her concern for him, too.

And even as she began to conjure up a harness of vines so they could drag this enormous thing across Ponyville, Luna hoped two things: that it did indeed give answers... and that none of these answers would lead to any further pain.

The Cost

Chapter Sixty One: The Cost
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms was laying quietly in Twilight's old bed in the library: it still smelled faintly of her, even though it had been years now since she had moved out. But then again, Twilight did still spend at least a night a week here, with Celestia... even if the library had taken on definite bits of Celestia's personality here and there, and become more like a home, than a library and archive.

He was wrapped in bandages, and several bottles of pills and potions rested on the table beside the bed, all of which he refused to take and Luna had grumpily agreed that her husband didn't need. Celestia had been adamant that he take at least half of the medications she brought from Canterlot and Zecora, but they had finally negotiated and agreed that Scrivener and Luna would spend the night here, and he wouldn't have to take the pills unless he started deteriorating again. Twilight could go home and watch over Antares, and Celestia checked in on him every hour or so, plainly worried for his condition.

Not that Scrivener could blame her, as he laid quietly in bed, breathing slowly and tasting the mire still in his jaws. He was still spitting it up every now and then... not vomiting, not coughing, more just.. spitting the sludge out as it built up in his jaws. Celestia had conducted a few tests on him, and she hadn't shared the results yet... which meant she was scared. Scared enough that she was hoping it was temporary, or she had made a mistake in... whatever she'd been testing for. Either way, it wasn't good.

Luna was snoring loudly in Celestia's room: Scrivener wasn't quite sure why Celestia had wanted them to stay apart, and Luna had almost thrown a temper tantrum, but thankfully had been too tired to really work herself up or cause any damage. Celestia's clear concern for them had helped her believe that there really was some reason for it, even if Celestia wasn't sharing. But Luna was also adamant that they get their answers by tomorrow at the latest, although at least the rainbow-maned winged unicorn had agreed to that.

As Scrivener laid silently in bed, staring at the ceiling, he closed his eyes and concentrated... but still, there was static, clogging their link. Making it hard for him to feel Luna's emotions, much less hear her thoughts, muffling the feeling of tiredness coming from her. He knew that normally, with her sound asleep, trying to regain all the strength they'd used up over the last few days, he would be at the very least dozy... but with that static filling their link, Scrivener was only aware of his anxieties, his frustrations, his pain... things, in other words, not very conducive to getting a good night's rest.

He closed his eyes as he laid back, but fidgeted with a grimace... before slowly, his eyes opened and he looked meditatively towards Celestia when the ivory equine stuck her head into the room, smiling at him after a moment and asking quietly when she saw he was awake: “Are you feeling alright, Scrivener Blooms?”

“Same as before, pretty much.” Scrivy sat up, nodding a little after a moment as he rubbed moodily at his eyes, and when Celestia frowned a bit he shook his head hurriedly. “No, no, it's... it's fine. It's just... more a dull headache than my eyes going all crazy, I'm only seeing weak visions right now. Auras and stuff, mostly harmless.”

Celestia nodded slowly after a moment, studying him. He looked back, and then Celestia tilted her head to him, gesturing gently for him to follow as she said softly: “I could use some company, and it doesn't look like you're going to sleep anyway. We can talk a little.”

The charcoal stallion smiled a little after a moment at this, and then he nodded slowly as he slipped out of the bed. He paused for a moment as his legs shivered beneath him, shaking his head out briefly, and Celestia gave him a concerned look... but then he only closed his eyes, murmuring: “I'm alright. It's mostly just... the lack of my link to Luna right now. It feels... well. Unpleasant.”

The ivory equine nodded after a moment, and then she turned and led the way to the first floor. Scrivener smiled as he followed her, letting himself relax a little as they stepped into the front room of the library and his eyes roved, as they always did, to the gramophone in the corner that was stocked with jazz records and blues music. Celestia caught him looking as she sat down on a pillow on one side of a small table stacked with books and slips of paper, and she laughed quietly as she questioned: “Is it really so strange?”

“Maybe just a little. It's an eclectic choice for a Valkyrie who's lived a good... I dunno how long.” Scrivener replied as he walked over to join her, sitting down himself at the other side of the furnishing, and Celestia smiled after a moment with a slow shake of her head. “But maybe that's just me trying to squeeze you into the stereotype of liking classical music.”

“Classical music, Scrivener Blooms, is not actually either very classical or very old.” Celestia answered easily, and she hesitated for a moment before continuing: “I like stories, and music that carries... true emotion in it. Old symphonies are beautiful, yes, but... their flawlessness, their design to please – and in particular, please snooty nobles and monarchs – and their precision... it just doesn't resonate with me as much as... the sound and stories that these jazz musicians tell. Their emotions, their flaws, their sad stories... they make it all a part of their music. They are one with their music... they're not using their music to cover up their imperfections, but instead to make their imperfections beautiful.”

“You sound like me.” Scrivener said wryly, and Celestia gave him an amused look. “Alright, alright, I take it back. Maybe you don't sound quite that bad but... close, all the same. Although now I have to wonder... is that why you hired me in the first place, all those years ago?”

Celestia tilted her head towards him, responding easily: “And what makes you think, Scrivener Blooms, that I had even read any of your poetry all those years ago at that point?”

Scrivener laughed and shook his head, touching his chest as he relaxed visibly and replied with a smile: “Ouch, Celestia, you got me right here. Right here.”

He patted his breast, and Celestia shook her own head in entertainment before she said softly: “No, that wasn't why I hired you... I hired you on as a scribe because you had enough talent to make even some of the nobles of the Royal Court show emotion during your readings, and because that first glimpse at the poems you read... it made me suspect there was something deeper. But the reason I made you court poet was because of two things: your writing is unrelenting and unapologetic, and because of a poem you wrote that I felt summed up everything I was looking for in a writer when that position opened. Adagio.”

“Adagio...” Scrivener looked down thoughtfully, reaching up and rubbing under his muzzle... and then he looked up at her, saying slowly: “Wait. I know that poem. That's one of the worst things I've ever written, and I don't just mean technical-wise. And... it definitely would not have been part of the portfolio I had to submit for the position.”

“It wasn't. There were many ponies applying for the position, all of them published authors, all of them whose talent was writing or similar, and I didn't read any of the poems they submitted for evaluation.” Celestia smiled slightly, as Scrivener looked at her curiously. “Instead, I used all that information to track down samples of poetry and prose they hadn't submitted. I knew that they would all send me their very best work, but I wasn't interested in seeing poems they'd written just to please me and steal away the position. I wanted to see what their real poetry was about. I wanted to see the real level of work they produced.”

“It's a good thing I was clearly the worst writer there, then.” Scrivener said blandly, and Celestia smiled amusedly at him before he hesitated, then sighed and looked at her pointedly. “You're going to make me ask, aren't you?”

Celestia nodded almost kindly, and Scrivener looked at her with amusement for a few moments before he said finally: “Luna's really been a bad influence on you.” He paused, then asked after another moment of her only looking at him with entertainment: “So... why Adagio?”

“Now that I know you better, I know that poem was about your mother, Tia Belle... back then, I only had a hunch.” Celestia paused for a moment, then she softened, leaning forwards and continuing quietly: “It was a very emotional, very harsh piece of writing. And I know there's no hard and fast set of rules for writing good poetry but... I believe you may have broken a few tenets of writing with your choice of words and phrasing.”

“Oh, I agree, but... a lot of my poems are like that.” Scrivener smiled despite himself, looking over at her with amusement. “As you may have noticed, I don't have a whole lot of respect for rules despite the fact I can also be remarkably cowardly.”

Celestia only laughed at this, however, shaking her head slowly. “You may be a lot of things, Scrivener Blooms, but you are not a coward. Granted, you used to hide behind your position a lot, but... considering how you were raised and what you went through growing up, I can understand you enjoying your power a little.”

Scrivener looked at her thoughtfully at this, and Celestia gazed back before he finally asked in a dryly-amused voice: “Please don't tell me you're baiting me into asking you again about why it interested you so much.”

“No, just taking a moment to let you gather your thoughts, and to gather my own. Telling someone an honest opinion on something so personal... it's difficult, isn't it? It should be treated with dignity, particularly when that work isn't shared with the world so much as... left hidden in plain sight.” Celestia said softly, and Scrivener looked up with a frown at this before his eyes widened as he rose a hoof.

“That's right! Adagio was eventually published in uh... Horses of Heaven, the book had such a ridiculous title, even by my standards, uh... Improprieties, that big anthology that you had me and a whole bunch of others contribute to, right?” He stopped, then frowned and said slowly: “Wait. Wait, wait, wait. Not only was Adagio not exactly in wide publication when you must have found it by your... Celestia-ness... you were the one who suggested that I include that poem in my selections, weren't you?”

Celestia only smiled, and when Scrivener frowned across at her, she said softly: “Another reason I hired you was because... no matter who you talked to, you've always treated them the same. Something that made me happy not only because of how you treated me but... because of how you treated Luna. And because I very quickly learned that if I pressed you on the right subjects, you would drop that little bit of extra respect you always tried to force for me. And even if everypony thinks you're quiet and withdrawn a lot of the time, the right subjects could get you talking with as much excitement and energy as Pinkie Pie shows over a welcome party for a new friend.”

Scrivener laughed a bit, leaning back and looking across at her awkwardly but also gladly, and then Celestia shook her head and added: “And I know even after what we've experienced together... it can be hard to forget that I'm a Baroness, which I know has very little meaning to you, but also a Valkyrie... which I know you feel great respect for. But I want you to treat me the same way you'd treat any other pony, Scrivener. Perhaps it's selfish, but I'd prefer to be thought of as a friend first and a sister second, and then anything else after that.”

“I don't see how that's selfish, Celestia.” Scrivener smiled a little after a moment, continuing to study her quietly as the ivory equine only shrugged. There was silence for a few moments, and then the charcoal earth pony asked finally: “If I wasn't... married to Luna...”

“Then you'd probably be married to Twilight and I would still be reaching out to you as often as I am now.” Celestia gave him a look, and Scrivener didn't know how to respond to that before the rainbow-maned mare said softly: “Yes, I know that's not what you meant. You worry too much, Scrivener... and... yes, you are an easy... 'starting point' let's say. But I've been trying to make it clear that I'm your friend for a decade now, and it's not just over guilt that I 'broke your face,' as you so eloquently put it.”

She halted, then shook her head slowly before looking up at him and meeting his eyes, a slight smile and stranger still, a faint blush on her features as she murmured: “The story that Discombobulation told, 'Because Love Conquers All' as you called it... I think I was one of the few ponies who was able to sit back and truly enjoy it, despite how it... painted myself and my little sister and all the rest of us in such dark ways. But... we were also all free. Even more than that, we were all able to embrace faucets of ourselves and show our true faces to one another, to share connections we don't even now.”

“But we were also evil. Worse than evil... and I've told you myself what eventually happened to... everyone, and everything. Gymbr consumed and destroyed it.” Scrivener said softly, and Celestia gave him a look that was both questioning and amused, and Scrivener hesitated before he sighed, lowered his head, and mumbled awkwardly: “Well, of course I enjoyed the story too, I got to be in charge of everything, was next to omnipotent, and had... well... anyway.”

He hesitated, then looked up at her and said finally: “I know you're my friend. And I'm glad for it: you're strong, open, wise, and... you're Luna's big sister. You're one of the few ponies or... anything... she still looks up to, much as she frustrates you.”

“I know. Which is strange, considering how often these days I still wish I was little more like her. A little looser, a little less judgmental, a little more willing to pursue my own interests instead of feeling tied down to watching over Equestria and every little thing...” Celestia paused for a moment, then looked across at him and asked thoughtfully: “Tell me, Scrivener Blooms, because I'm curious and because, since we're completely alone right now, there's no better time to ask. Would you trade your life for... we'll call him Tyrant Scrivener's?”

It was clear to the earth pony what she meant, and he smiled faintly for a moment: an expression clear enough to answer Celestia's question, and to make her look at him with both surprise and inquisitiveness before the male shook his head slowly and explained quietly: “No, because I couldn't be trusted with all that power. I know that I can't handle it... and yes, I said I'd like it. I said I enjoyed the story, but... I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy doing drugs and drinking myself stupid, but I'm also well aware the morning after I'd probably feel pretty lousy. I can't... trust myself with certain things. I have weaknesses and flaws that I can't... turn a blind eye to. Besides...” He smiled after a moment. “I already am married to a living powderkeg and I've got ponies like you and Twilight to help watch over me. That, and as Pinkamena taught me, biting and headbutting things is a surprisingly-effective way to get a point across.”

Celestia laughed quietly, and the two fell into comfortable silence for a few moments. The earth pony gazed across at the ivory mare, feeling calmer, quieter... closer to her... and Celestia looked back at him softly, knowing he wasn't stupid, knowing he understood why she was taking the time to do this. Not just because she cared about him and liked to converse with him, but because she wanted him calmed down. She wanted him to relax, because... “So what is it?”

“You're dying.” Celestia said quietly, not hesitating as she glanced up, and when Scrivener only smiled at her, she frowned a little at him in surprise.

“We're all dying.” Scrivener replied gently, and Celestia shook her head slowly, yet smiled faintly all the same: she was both surprised and not in the same moment, reminding herself quietly who she was talking to before the charcoal stallion looked down at his foreleg and asked quietly: “The corruption...”

“It's still rampaging through your body, and this time... I don't think it's going to go away.” Celestia said quietly, and Scrivener nodded slowly before the ivory equine hesitated, then asked finally, her horn glowing as she lifted a small, sharp letter opener on the table: “May I?”

The blade gleamed in the air, and Scrivener sighed before he held out his foreleg, knowing what she wanted... and with only a slight tilt of her head, the letter opener whickered forwards and sliced a thin, shallow cut in the earth pony's limb. He grimaced a bit, less at the sensation of pain and more at the sight of his blood: thick, murky, and ugly, mire mixed with dark red fluid. “As I thought. It's... all this exposure, from the Black Verses to Visionary to whatever these visions are that trigger these fits and transformations... Scrivener, it's poisoned you, and not in a way I know how to fix. That I don't believe even Odin will know how to repair. Your body has... mutated.”

“Mutated...” Scrivener murmured, looking down at a hoof... and then he grimaced in distaste, closing his eyes with a wry smile and shivering once. “That's not a pleasant word. So... I'm changing into... what, a Wyrm after all?”

“If that were true, then you'd be feeling their urges, and your body would be able to handle this poisoning.” Celestia responded gently, and Scrivener nodded meditatively as he looked down at the bubbling wound. It had already clotted, and the earth pony sighed as he reached down to rub the muck away, wondering if that was an upside or another downside. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. I think... I think, I knew, anyway. My body aches and feels like there's big long snakes twisting their way through my veins...” Scrivener closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly. “It's not your fault, Celestia. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I have a lot to apologize for.” The ivory winged unicorn smiled at him after a moment, and then she lowered her head in silence. Scrivener remained quiet as well, rubbing slowly at his chest before Celestia answered his unspoken question in a soft voice: “It won't be fast, but... the corruption will erode you, in body and spirit, bit-by-bit. Somehow, it's healing you even as it eats away at you like acid... but unless we find a way to neutralize it, that only means the pain will be... drawn out even longer.”

Scrivener nodded calmly, glancing down as Celestia studied him intently, before the earth pony closed his eyes and said softly: “But just me, right?”

“Scrivener...” Celestia looked at him quietly, and Scrivener smiled faintly, eyes closed, before the ivory equine leaned forwards and murmured: “Your life is worth something too. Especially to Luna. This news... will devastate her.”

“I know. But I'm trying to think logically right now, in this... little bubble I have, before the emotions flood in whether I like it or not, whether I really believe that I'm worth something or... or not.” Scrivener looked quietly over at Celestia, shaking his head slowly. “I need to save her if I can, Celestia. No matter what that means... and if we can't fix this, then I'm well-aware the only way I'm going to save Luna is... is by cutting our soul link.”

Celestia looked pained at this, straightening, but Scrivener shook his head quickly and said quietly: “Last resort, though, and only if... this corruption really is terminal and there's no way... out of this.” He smiled a bit, asking after a moment: “Does that count as denial?”

“No, not yet at least. There's still... time.” Celestia said after a moment, sighing softly as she sat back and looked over him worriedly. “Scrivener, don't... do anything foolish. We do have options available to us that no one else does... including, of course, that last leftover miracle of Valthrudnir's.”

Scrivener closed his eyes and nodded slowly, murmuring: “But that's precious, Celestia. That's truly last-ditch and... only if the pros of fixing me outweigh the cons. After all, I mean... with that miracle, you could save an entire country. An entire world, even, and that's not even an exaggeration.”

“And so could saving you.” Celestia said with gentle but firm self-assurance, and the charcoal earth pony looked at her with surprise before she leaned towards him, meeting his eyes squarely with her own. “Scrivener, you resisted the evil of a Tyrant Wyrm. Beside Luna, you've fought monsters beyond the imagination of even hardened warriors... you've matched wits against Valthrudnir, and even overcome yourself. Your own limitations, and your own sins.”

Scrivener looked quietly across at Celestia, as the ivory mare looked quietly back, her amethyst eyes locking with the charcoal gaze of the stallion. For a few moments, there was silence... and then the male simply closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards, murmuring quietly: “Celestia... thank you.”

“No, thank you, Scrivener... for being there for my sister, for being my friend... for exemplifying some of my favorite things.” Celestia smiled after a moment despite herself, and Scrivener looked with soft entertainment across at her, laughing a little. “I know it sounds strange, but it is true. We both like flaws... you and I share a lot in common. But I should watch what I say or Luna will accuse me of trying to steal you away again.”

Scrivener snorted in amusement, looking down and shaking his head as he murmured: “Well, I doubt the fact I'm dying makes me much more attractive. Not to mention these scars and beaten-up body of mine.”

“Believe me, Scrivener, I've settled for far-uglier partners in the past, in body, mind and otherwise. But I like to think I have improved in that field at least a little.” Celestia smiled slightly, shaking her head slowly. “Freya, after all, was never very picky about who she partnered with.”

The charcoal stallion looked over at her with amusement, and then Celestia looked down meditatively, murmuring musingly: “I do wonder sometimes what it would be like to completely embrace my old life again. The way I was presented in the story Discombobulation told... it wasn't completely correct, but it was very close to the old Freya. But I'm making the conversation about myself again and I apologize, Scrivener, you're simply... very easy to talk to. And it seems to calm you down when I let my thoughts... flow out.”

“I like to hear people's stories. And I'm nosy as hell, so... I like to see secrets, too. Or things that we don't normally tell others, at least.” Scrivener shrugged after a moment, glancing down and rubbing at his face slowly. “Besides. We are all dying, after all... and even if I'm terminal, it sounds like I've got years. That, and... we've been living with death every single day, too, and I can't say that I expect... all of us to survive this either, after all.”

Scrivener Blooms shook his head a bit, and then he looked up with a slight smile, adding wryly: “Depression, cynicism, and the ability to refuse to take anything seriously all come in very useful at times like this.”

Celestia sighed softly and shook her head slowly, and then she hesitated before standing up and circling around the table to sit down beside him. Scrivener looked at her with a tilt of his head, and she looked back before reaching a hoof up to rest on his shoulder gently. “Don't take this the wrong way, Scrivener... but I hope you stay alive for a long time.”

Scrivener smiled wryly at this, and then he closed his eyes and let his head drop to the side with a soft sigh, resting his head on her shoulder and muttering: “Don't worry. I'm fairly certain that if I died too soon, Luna would dig me up and bring me back, one way or the other.”

He fell quiet, and the two simply sat together in silence for a while, as Scrivener's mind processed things, ignoring the trail of black tears leaking quietly from one eye. They dried over his cheek, but he made no move to wipe them away, only continuing to rest with his head against Celestia's shoulder and her foreleg half-wrapped around him, comforted by the silence, by the presence and honest friendship of the mare who he was honored to call 'sister.'

Abruptly, Scrivener looked up and said: “But I guess this has its advantages too, huh? Maybe it's why I can read the Clockworks' memories when they die. Maybe it's why I can... interact with the corruption, so to speak, and why I'm so tough. And it's probably how I was able to tell there was that... that the golem...”

Celestia nodded slowly, even as she murmured: “Scrivener, you do understand we can take a few moments to not talk about Clockwork World, yes? There are more pressing matters at hoof right now, at least for you.”

“Not true. Even my condition is related to Clockwork World, technically.” Scrivener sat back a bit, shaking his head and smiling after a moment to Celestia, who studied him thoughtfully at this. “On the one hoof, I have to... I feel that I have to use this... gift or curse or whatever it is to stop Clockwork World. On another, there's the raw, stupid hope that maybe Clockwork World holds a cure to fixing me.”

Celestia looked down at this thought, nodding slowly: she had gone to see Greece herself earlier, after all, about his findings with the golem 59133: when Greece had pried it open, they had found the core had been a dismembered, wired-in body of dragon, turned to little more than a faded skeleton filled with broken metallic parts and synthetic organs... but also cracked and damaged tubes running with black corruption. The same corruption had been pumping along fuel lines and throughout the corpse of the dragon locked inside the armor shell: it had served as both blood and power source, likely carrying signals between organic core and metal, hybrid magic-and-technology golem body.

Only one tube of corruption had been salvageable, and Greece had plans to analyze it to see if he could discover anything at all about it. Either way, this mire, this corruption, seemed to play a large part in Valthrudnir's creations... and now Scrivener had that same toxin flowing in his blood, so he admittedly was quite interested in finding out what Greece could discover about the poison himself.

Then the ivory mare looked quietly over at Scrivener and said softly: “I have to ask you to make a promise to me, though, Scrivener... although it's mostly out of concern, and... for my own sake, for my own reassurance. I want you to promise me two things, although I'm only going to phrase it as one: I want you to promise me you aren't going to give in.”

She looked at him pointedly, and Scrivener looked back up at her, their eyes meeting for a few moments as he understood all too clearly what she meant. That he wouldn't give in to any temptations of power or evil that might come – and knowing Valthrudnir's manipulations all too well, it was more than likely there would be some false promises of power in the near future – but more than that, Celestia wanted the promise that he wouldn't give into the despair. The darkness, the misery, the hopelessness: all words that couldn't quite capture the true, deep, dark emotion he felt. The emotion he liked to hide in sometimes, because even though he expressed it as pain... it was comforting, too. There was no responsibility, wrapped in that spider's web... there was no hiding his instincts, or need for restraint. There was just... the poison, and its bittersweet comforts.

Scrivener closed his eyes, then he nodded once before he smiled faintly when Celestia leaned forwards and kissed his forehead quietly. “I trust you, brother. And I'll be beside you and Luna the whole way, no matter what.”

The charcoal stallion smiled again, looking up at her for a moment before the two traded a tight, firm embrace, resting against one-another before they pulled apart. Then Scrivener looked up, hesitating only a moment before he asked finally: “You loved Odin, didn't you? As Freya, I mean.”

“I still love him.” Celestia said softly, and Scrivener smiled a little at this as the ivory equine closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards, nodding slowly. “But now, as... a friend, and mentor. I've forgiven his past mistakes, admittedly in part because I now understand how... how easy it is to make such stupid decisions myself.”

She paused meditatively, then studied Scrivener before she asked curiously: “Twilight Sparkle. Do you think... you'll ever...”

Scrivener looked at her awkwardly, and Celestia smiled wider as Scrivener blushed deeper, saying apprehensively: “Are you sure you want to ask me questions about her? I. Not only is my relationship very awkward with... well... yes... I'm also afraid of saying the wrong thing to you and getting set on fire.”

“Oh, Scrivener Blooms, Sleipnir is the only pony who has ever been able to upset me enough that I set him on fire out of irritation. And I think it's very clear that Sleipnir has a... special talent for getting on my nerves.” Celestia laughed and shook her head slowly, then she said softly: “I've accepted it, Scrivener, and I care about all of you. Any worries I might have are always alleviated when I see you together... when Antares tells me how much Twilight is teaching him, and how he values honor above all things... and the talks I have with you, and with Luna, and with Twilight herself.”

She stopped, then looked down at him continuing mildly: “Besides. If you didn't honestly care so deeply about Twilight, I think you and Luna are both aware I would bring my full wrath crashing down on your heads for toying with her. And I think I'm still able to intimidate even Luna enough that even the threat of my anger is more than sufficient enough to keep her from misbehaving too badly...” She softened. “That, and you both have your honor, and Twilight may be naïve but she's far from stupid.”

Scrivener smiled awkwardly, and Celestia shook her head before adding: “That, and Luna likes to talk to me often about-”

“We all know the things Luna likes to talk often about, and I really wish she wouldn't.” Scrivener muttered, rubbing at his face with his hooves before he looked at her awkwardly as she studied him thoughtfully. “You're going to ask me something embarrassing, aren't you?”

“I was just curious if her stories are exaggerations or truth. With Luna it's always hard to tell, after all, but her nose never twitches and she always has such a pride in her voice that makes me think-” Celestia began, and when Scrivener groaned and flailed his hooves, she laughed and shook her head, giving him an entertained look. “Mischief is fun.”

“Yes, that's what we need. You being a jerk as well as Luna.” Scrivener mumbled, and then he smiled and reached up to shove her lightly with one hoof, and she glanced down in surprise before smiling in return and pushing him gently, almost experimentally, back. “So what haven't we gone over? Luna and I told you all about the fight earlier, and we talked about the corruption, that I'm dying, sex, Twilight, friends... wait, there's a pun in there somewhere, I just need to figure it out.”

“I wonder if Twilight will ever want to bear a foal.” Celestia remarked, and Scrivener stared at her stupidly, leaning back in surprise before she shrugged. “Just thinking out loud.”

“You're... just causing trouble again.” Scrivener shook his head, clearing his throat as he blushed a bit before he stood quickly up, and Celestia gazed over at him with entertainment. “Let's not talk about this.”

Celestia simply shrugged, then stood up as well, and when Scrivener looked over his shoulder at her curiously, she asked kindly: “Would you like to go for a walk outside, Scrivener? We could circle through Ponyville, and maybe the night air would do good for you.”

Scrivener hesitated, but then he nodded after a moment, saying finally: “Yeah. Yeah, actually, I'd like that a lot.”

“Then let's go.” Celestia headed towards the door, and Scrivener looked after her curiously before he shrugged and followed after only a moment of hesitation: but even through the strings of apathy and fear and pain, there was a deep gladness, a warmth filling him up now, at the fact that Celestia was sharing so much with him and trusting him so deeply.

When Celestia and Scrivener returned from a long walk and a longer talk, they found Luna sitting at the table, grumbling as she sipped at a mug of coffee and glowered at them. “Thou art having an affair!”

“Yes, little sister, I'm afraid you finally caught us.” Celestia said dryly, and Scrivener hurriedly cleared his throat and covered his muzzle to hide a smile as Luna shot her older sibling a dour look. “At least now I won't have to toss and turn every night, worried that you'll find out.”

“Oh shut up, Celestia.” Luna huffed, then she complained: “And furthermore, 'twas not at all what I meant and thou knows it! Scrivener Blooms can tickle thee like a xylophone for all I care, but 'tis... 'tis hurtful when thou and he... share such conversation with each other. Such meaning and... I still cannot feel our link.”

“It's restoring, bit-by-bit, Luna. And... I'm sorry, I forgot.” Scrivener said quietly, stepping forwards as his smile faded a little, and Luna mumbled under her breath as she bowed her head grumpily. “Celestia and I were just... calming each other down, though, and we're both glad to tell you everything and sit with you and... well, cuddle you until you feel better, too.”

“I require cuddling. And muffins with jam. And better coffee, I do not believe I made it properly.” Luna grumbled, dropping her half-empty mug on the table and shoving it childishly away, and Scrivener smiled after a moment before he nodded and headed towards the kitchen, and Celestia strode over to sit by her sister. Luna only grunted and hugged herself as she glowered down at the table, however, and then she muttered: “'Tis not fair, Celestia. The moment my link with my husband cuts out, thou art always able to swoop in and hold... such conversation with him. Thou art stealing away my beautiful night again and I shall once more turn into Nightmare Moon and beat thee into a pulp.”

Celestia simply rubbed a hoof along Luna's back, and the sapphire mare fell silent as she bowed her head forwards, closing her eyes and murmuring: “I do not want him to die, Celestia.”

“I thought you said your link wasn't working?” Celestia gazed down at her softly, but Luna only smiled wryly, closing her eyes and shaking her head slowly.

“Thou may have such pretty conversations with my husband, but I do not need our souls to be linked to speak to him through eyes alone.” Luna replied quietly, sighing softly as she lowered her head. “And besides, we... we both had this fear, from the moment that Scrivener... first had an attack, years ago. Valthrudnir... simply will not let my husband go. Whether the Jötnar is alive and dead, still he claws at him... 'tis like his very will has manifested and strikes again and again and again at us, Celestia, in stupid, animal vengeance for what we did to him.”

Celestia nodded slowly, reaching up and rubbing a hoof slowly along Luna's back, and the sapphire mare shifted a little before she shook her head moodily and murmured quietly: “'Tis maddening. And all the same I know that... that Scrivener will either laugh about it, or say in his horrible, rational, frustrating way that 'tis better for him to die than me. And... and Celestia, I... I know already what he will say and suggest and...”

Celestia simply silently hugged her younger sibling, and Luna settled against her with a tremble, burying her face against her chest as she whispered: “I cannot stand to bring it up. I cannot stand to speak to him about it.”

“There are years. Years and years... and to us, perhaps it will not seem like... like a long time, because of all the time we have lived... but at the same time, Luna, there's no reason to give up hope yet. It will be at least a decade, assuming Scrivener's symptoms don't worsen and his body doesn't... doesn't weaken any faster. And until that time comes, he'll be stronger, maybe even healthier apart from... from the poison in his veins.” Celestia hesitated, then she added quietly: “You'll have to tell Scarlet Sage. Not just because she is your daughter but because... of her powers.”

“Yes. Yes, I know...” Luna bowed her head forwards, then she cursed under her breath and sat back, slamming a hoof against the table and muttering: “Nay, nay, away. Away all bad thoughts for now. I do not believe that anything is confirmed, let this all be supposition... until there is no choice but to speak of it or accept it. And even then, I shall devote myself to finding a cure... I shan't let him die, Celestia. I shan't let anything steal him away from me.”

Celestia remained silent, looking down into her little sister's almost-maddened eyes as she stared up, breathing hard, filled with emotion and passion and desperation. And then, slowly, Celestia looked up as Scrivener strode quietly back into the room, carrying a plate loaded with muffins that had been cut up and covered in jam: he was calm, quiet, ready to push forwards no matter what he was faced with.

Luna was a whirling maelstrom of lightning and emotion: Scrivener was as stubborn and complacent as a mountain of obsidian. One could eventually wear itself out in its rages, while the other was content to sit unless truly disturbed, pushed by something... but then it came crashing implacably downwards, and the avalanche was unstoppable by any mortal or supernatural force. Just as the maelstrom would vanish for a while... but the wind never truly died, and there was always more lightning in the sky, ready to rip the air asunder.

Scrivener put down the tray, and Celestia smiled faintly before she said quietly: “Even if we weren't already aware who the Hexad is likely based off of, the word refers to a group of six. That means there are only two left.”

Luna looked irritated at the sudden change of conversation, while Scrivener only tilted his head curiously, and then Celestia leaned forwards and said quietly: “All our answers will come after these last two Clockwork Ponies are destroyed, with how they've been triggering Scrivener's attacks, and filling his mind with information. When that happens, we'll know for sure how fast... Scrivener's poisoning is going to progress... and we'll also know if Clockwork World has the cure or not.”

“Thou art... thou art suggesting that we do not simply try to anticipate attacks any longer... thou art suggesting we lure Clockwork World in, destroy these last two members of the Hexad... purposefully make Scrivener's condition worse, in order to make him better?” Luna asked almost incredulously, and she shook her head quickly, saying finally: “'Tis aggressive, dangerous, and I do not know if it plays more to the tune of toxic logic or raw emotion, Celestia... I am both impressed a little horrified, all at once.”

Scrivener grunted in agreement, hesitating, but Celestia preempted him by prompting gently: “And what do you know about these last two Clockwork Ponies, Scrivener?”

“I... well...” Scrivener hesitated, then he closed his eyes and murmured: “Just their names, Prudence and Wisdom, except... Courage was terrified of Prudence. No... they all were. They were all scared of them but... even though Wisdom was more dangerous, it was Prudence they were more afraid of.”

“And Prudence will be a reflection of Fluttershy, a Pegasus.” Celestia more stated than asked, but Scrivener nodded anyway, and the ivory mare looked down and asked quietly: “I know that normally... it's better to wait longer before I pressure you with this question, but in this situation... did you learn anything else further about Clockwork World?”

Scrivener only shook his head, however, murmuring: “Nothing useful. Except Beauty... Beauty was involved with... so much. She wasn't... she wasn't usually a pony sent to the battlefield, powerful as she was, because she was even more valuable off it. At first I thought the Hexad were just warriors, fighters, that's why they were coming at us... Delight was a spy who was discovered and chose fight over flight because she was invulnerable, Valor and Courage were both fighters and eager for battle... but Beauty...”

He broke off, gathering his thoughts as he looked down meditatively. “Beauty was a designer. A scientist, a creator. A pony not easily replaced unless... Valthrudnir really does have some way to bring the Hexad back again and again. And even then, her loss... is a massive blow to his forces. And even if the Hexad has been showing up with support... again, it's not like they're showing up all together, or even in pairs.

“And I have no doubt about two things. That Prudence is going to show up next... and that Wisdom won't be with her. Maybe she'll have support from other monsters or Clockworks but... Wisdom won't be with her.” Scrivener looked down meditatively, shaking his head slowly. “I also have no idea how we would actually lure the Clockwork Ponies in. The Prophet can probably see everything we do... the Prophet likely is five steps ahead of even you, Celestia, simply because she has so much knowledge of us. That meteor that hit... even though the Strange Ones took it apart, it probably still fed all kinds of information to her, and Horses of Heaven know what other sources she has...”

“Mimir's head, things sound as if they're simply getting worse and worse.” Luna muttered, and then she finally sighed and turned her eyes to Celestia, who was only looking down in silent thought. “Celestia, I am all for pummeling Valthrudnir's machinations into oblivion but... thou... thou would put my husband at risk. That I do not desire to see...”

“I know, but unfortunately, it's inevitable no matter what we do... and it's better to get it over with as soon as possible.” Celestia replied quietly, and Luna sighed and shifted nervously before the ivory mare looked up to meet Scrivener's eyes. “I believe as much as you do now, that Visionary gave you her powers for a reason. That there has to be something more to why you can see beneath the skin, and why you're able to interpret and understand these memories. The only way we're going to discover why, however, is by either attacking Clockwork World, or eliminating the Hexad.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, rubbing at his face nervously before he sighed and glanced over his shoulder, saying finally: “I'll... I'll go get the coffee. Then we can think about this some more, but... we have time before we have to make a decision.”

“Aye, we do. Damn thou, Scrivener Blooms, act more stressed. Our soul-link may not be working properly but it still feels as if all thy stress and madness and suffering are being poured down upon my poor head.” Luna complained, and Scrivener leaned in to kiss her cheek quietly, making her mumble before she sighed and dropped her head forwards as the earth pony turned and headed back for the kitchen. “Damnation, Celestia. Damnation. I do not like planning and thinking and talking. Which is ironic, because thou desires a plan of action that I find even more worrisome and frustrating than trying to work out all these maddening thoughts and details.”

Celestia nodded, saying quietly: “And I'm sorry for that, I am. Maybe I'm asking for too much right now, pushing too hard for a solution, but it's only because... I'm worried too, for you and for Scrivener. Especially for Scrivener, because while I know you at least display your emotions... even if sometimes a little too vividly... Scrivener has a tendency to try and hide everything.”

“Thou just wants to sleep with him.” Luna mumbled, and Celestia rolled her eyes before Luna half-turned away and closed her eyes, adding moodily: “Or thou desires to steal him away from me for something even worse. Evil, wicked Celestia.”

The ivory mare reached up and rubbed a hoof gently along Luna's back, and the sapphire winged unicorn sighed quietly before slumping and closing her eyes as she murmured: “I... I think it scares me, though, Celestia, because of that damnable story. Because of damnable Gymbr. I... I do not desire to transform into Gymbr, nor lose my honor and become Evil Luna...” She laughed faintly and looked down, whispering: “But I also believe that Scrivener would indeed make a handsome Tyrant Wyrm. I am a hypocrite... and arrogant enough to assume that I would be able to keep him facing forwards should he ever fall, and blinded by love enough to look past the faults I know, I know he has, to say that I believe he would handle the power well.” She stopped, then looked moodily at Celestia and added dryly: “'Twas a much prettier Tyrant Wyrm than thou wert, by the way.”

Celestia sighed tiredly, looking down at her younger sibling with exasperation and a strange kind of relief, and then Luna shook herself hurriedly out before she sat up and grumbled: “Alright, alright, I shall make myself feel better. I just... fear my own desires. And I fear what I will do to see Scrivener... survive.”

The ivory mare sighed softly at this, and then she rubbed slowly at her own chest before looking quietly at Luna. “You're afraid for yourself and for Scrivener... what about for Twilight, Luna? I... I know that no matter what the truth used to be, or what I want to believe... you also know her much better than I do these days. You, her, and Scrivener...”

“Oh, do not lecture me tonight, please, Celestia. Not upon that subject, at least.” Luna said moodily, and Celestia smiled and nodded before Luna closed her eyes and added quietly: “And sometimes, I am almost jealous. I say 'almost' because... Scrivener and I feel one-another's joys, and she does make him smile... just as she makes me happy, feeds my pleasures and my desires. Just as I adore her and desire to see her happy as well, because this also makes me happy... and I am a very selfish, very greedy creature.”

Luna smiled after a moment, rubbing at the underside of her muzzle before she nodded moodily and sighed a little. “Aye, Celestia. If she found another, I... I would fight to keep her, but did she truly desire to go... I know I would have no choice to let her go. So would Scrivener. I do not fear she will become Twilight Shadow, but only because... well... thou heard the story. If thou has heard the story, thou understands. If thou hast not... 'tis nothing that can be summarized in a sentence, how her emotions were toyed with, her loyalties questioned, the manipulations but more, the love... the sheer love she must have felt for those evil shadows of us, Celestia...”

The ivory mare looked down quietly, and then she smiled a little, asking after a moment quietly: “Do you think I could become First Concubine Celestia?”

“If thou wants to spread thy legs for Scrivener all thou has to do is kiss him. Scrivener becomes a drooling moron the moment another pair of lips brushes against his own.” Luna grumbled, and when Celestia gave her a flat look, she shrugged and complained: “Well that is how thou phrased the question! Tyrant Scrivener, Evil Luna, Whore Celestia... thou art too obsessed with this wicked story. And here I was afraid that 'twould be Scrivener who would obsess over the damnable thing.”

“Now you're just trying to irritate me, Luna.” Celestia replied mildly, and she sighed when Luna simply shrugged grumpily, before the ivory equine glanced up as Scrivener returned to the room, carrying a small tray with several mugs of coffee and a half-full carafe on it.

He set this down, and then hesitated before saying, without looking up: “Celestia... you already are... the Celestia from the story. Just as I'm... that Scrivener, and Luna is that Luna.” Scrivener stopped, then he looked up and smiled a bit as the sisters both looked at him with surprise and intensity. “The difference isn't in what we look like, how strong we are... it's in the choices we made, and what we've allowed ourselves to pursue.”

Celestia nodded thoughtfully as Luna grunted, then glanced moodily over Scrivener before saying dryly: “Thou always has been whiny and philosophical at the worst of times. Can't thou just go back to complaining? And why art thou not complaining, thou... finally has something to seriously whine about and here thou art just taking everything in stride!”

“Why would I whine about dying? If you stop and think about it, there's nothing in life you can aspire to that's greater than dying.” Scrivener said blandly, and Luna stared at him for a moment before she shouted a vulgarity and leapt over the table, tackling him backwards and knocking them both rolling as coffee spilled everywhere, Celestia wincing away before she sighed as Luna began to pummel the earth pony. On one hoof, it was bound to leave a mess and both ponies likely in pain... but on the other, she thought it was another step towards accepting everything that happened... and more important than that, dealing with things and moving forwards to a possible solution, for better or worse.

The only thing Celestia knew was that she would be there every step of the way, even as she shook her head slowly at the sight of Luna beginning to throttle the stallion as he wheezed and kicked uselessly at the sapphire mare. But what she hoped, as her amethyst eyes settled on the two and saw the worry in Luna's eyes and the sorrow in Scrivener's own even as they fought and struggled, was that they would find an answer that would allow her to save the two ponies she cared for so deeply... no matter what the cost.

Condolences

Chapter Sixty Two: Condolences
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener and Luna were still in Ponyville the next day: Twilight had brought Antares in, but for now, Celestia had agreed to look after her nephew and his friend, Avalon, while Cowlick called a meeting at her engineering facility. The charcoal stallion was trying to prepare himself for what he knew they were going to undoubtedly bring up the moment they had the chance: the visions he'd had on Beauty's death. And what he thought made it particularly frustrating was not only the lack of sleep, but also the fact he knew that he had no right to keep the story from any of them... and especially not from Rarity and Spike.

All the same, the earth pony grumbled moodily as they approached the building, and Luna gave her husband an amused look before she said mildly: “I do enjoy that at least thou art back to complaining and whining. Although I think 'tis ridiculous that thou art complaining about this of all things instead of... well...”

Luna flinched a bit, shifting awkwardly as Scrivener Blooms gave her a soft look, and then she shook her head quickly, muttering: “Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. 'Tis stupid, is what it is. I cannot understand the way thy mind and emotions work, or how thou can be so whiny about things and yet handle.... and yet...”

She grimaced and looked down, and Scrivener gazed at her softly before she glowered a bit as her eyes flicked up, saying moodily: “Our link may still be static-riddled, Scrivy, but I swear to Odin's hideous visage that if thou art feeling pity for me, I shall pummel thee into the ground.”

“Don't worry, Luna, I'm sure it's all just self-pity and vindictiveness.” Scrivener replied softly after a moment, and Luna grumbled at him before she nodded and turned towards him, burying her face against his neck as Scrivener closed his eyes and murmured: “You're my anchor. You're everything that means anything. I have to stay alive for you... I have to stay on my hooves for Twilight... I have to be there to protect our son.”

The sapphire mare nodded against him and mumbled a little as they headed to the doors, and Luna's horn glowed to throw them open and almost knock over a pony standing just inside, Rainbow Dash wincing and staggering out of the way before he glared at them as Scrivener looked at the Pegasus lamely and Luna only huffed. “Well then thou should not have been standing by the door!”

She sniffed and rose her head, then grumbled as she glowered over the others present in the lobby: Soarin', Cowlick, and a secretary who was trying to awkwardly hide behind her desk. Luna ignored the last, her eyes roving instead between the two Pegasi and the earth pony in front of her, before Cowlick said moodily: “Anyway, we talked enough for now, get outta here. I gotta talk to Luna and Scrivy alone... hey, Weaver, take these guys upstairs!”

The secretary looked up awkwardly from her desk, then nodded as Rainbow Dash looked curiously at Cowlick, but she only grunted and waved a hoof grouchily. “Don't you even start. One last piece of advice though, Soarin'. If you want something, just go for it. You can learn a lot about that from these two, actually... then again, pretty sure Scrivener's gayer than you are. Just look what he's married to.”

Luna scowled as Scrivener looked meditatively across at the engineer, and then she paused and asked inquisitively. “Hey, in all seriousness, Scrivy, you ever put your dipstick in-”

“He gets touchy when you ask him about that, Cowlick.” Rainbow interrupted, and then he leaned over and whispered something in Cowlick's ear, and the earth pony engineer stared, then threw her head back and laughed as Luna and Scrivener only looked at her sourly.

“Yeah, I bet! Oh, that is sick and horrible but worth a giggle. Okay, okay, Soarin', Rainbow, get the hell out of here, Weaver will show you the way.” She smiled amusedly over her shoulder, shaking her head slowly. “And stay away from that bastard Sleipnir, don't let him go seducing you now. I admit he almost cajoled me into bed with him but then I thought about how he's probably got every STD known to ponykind and then some.”

“He does not! Sleipnir is very clean.” Luna paused for a moment, then she added with a grumble: “That, and the idiot has never gotten sick in his accursed life. Apparently mother nature coddles him so much he cannot even catch a silly cold.”

“Yeah, well, you can be immune to something and still be a carrier. I like my genitals wart-free, thank you very much.” Cowlick replied dryly, and Soarin' and Rainbow both reared back with winces before the engineer glared over her shoulder at them. “Oh, stop behaving like little boys. Now get.”

The Pegasi both nodded, Rainbow grumbling and Soarin' smiling awkwardly before they both turned to follow the secretary out. Cowlick watched the door swing shut before she glanced back and forth to make sure they were alone, and then she looked ahead and met Scrivener's eyes, saying quietly: “I heard about what was going on, Scrivy. I'm sorry. If there's anything I can do for you...”

“I've got a long time left yet.” Scrivener replied quietly, but Cowlick only gave him a faint smile in return, shaking her head slowly.

“Now don't you start that bull with me, you hear? My daddy... he died of cancer, you know.” Cowlick said quietly, and Scrivener and Luna both glanced up in surprise at this volunteered information: after all, Cowlick talked about her past even less than Scrivener talked about his own. “Right here.”

She reached a hoof up, touching her stomach and shaking her head slowly. “My dad was a great stallion and tough as nails, but... god, I wish still some days when I think about it he had just given up. Started here... caught it about stage two... went in cutting and slicing and they missed a single batch of cells. So it spread all through him again in a year, and this time it made its way into his bones and his heart.

“I watched my dad die for seven years. This brilliant and stubborn stallion, I watched him die for seven long years, and back then? The time seemed to just drag on by. But in reality? It was too short. I look back every day and realize those slow seconds were a blessing, even though I had to look at this stallion who... who wouldn't use a wheelchair, who survived more than twice as long as the doctors expected him to but at a cost I can't begin to describe to himself, and whose dying words ended up being 'go ahead and fix the oscillator.' Just like you, Scrivy. Stubborn, focused on everything but himself, and for all his brainpower real goddamn stupid.”

Cowlick closed her eyes and shook her head out fiercely, and then she looked up, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Wasn't exactly the greatest time I had at my apprenticeship with all that crap going on, but... I pushed through anyway. That's what my daddy taught me, and that it doesn't matter what anyone else says or tells you if you got the idea in your head and you know you're right. They said he'd die in a few years, and he'd die faster if he kept refusing to do all the stuff they told him to. But he knew better than they did about his body and his spirit, and he pushed through. But the time was still too goddamn short... he was still hurt, hurt to the core. And he didn't do it for himself.”

Cowlick shook her head slowly. “He did it for Momma. He did it for me. And it kills me to think of that now, to understand that the stupid, stupid jerk could have been out there, fulfilling his literal death wishes, and instead he stayed home and... looked after us. Funny, thinking that: daddy, dying of cancer in the next room, and yet... even on the bad days, when I was there at home, supposed to be taking care of him, I'd get up, go to the kitchen, find my tools polished or food laid out or just that things looked different, and I'd realize daddy had yanked himself out of his bed at some point, dragged himself down the hall, and done this. Horses of Heaven I'd get so mad at him but...”

The earth pony mare halted, then she looked up and across at Scrivener silently. “But I've said enough, enough that even you should get this through your stupid goddamn head. Do stuff for yourself, Scrivener. Do a few things that you want to and you'll enjoy, and Luna, dammit, don't let him continue to do everything everywhere. And you value your goddamn time with him, because... because even if you got ten years, one day it's going to feel like you only had ten minutes between when he was smiling and still able to walk and... and layin' in bed, cold and alone, in a way no pony can heat up or save him from.”

Luna and Scrivener looked across at Cowlick silently, and then she slowly looked up with a faint smile. “It ain't all about you, Scrivener. Some of it's about us. That means you gotta let us take care of you sometimes, you get it? Now don't be a jackass about this or I'm going to kneecap you with my rifle, and then you'll really have something to cry about.”

Scrivener smiled despite himself, glancing away, and Cowlick studied him for a few moments before she grunted and turned, muttering: “Anyway, let's get our flanks in gear. Got no time for tears right now, none of us. Got a lot of crap to cover and the meeting room's only reserved from ten minutes ago to fifty minutes from now.”

Luna and Scrivener both nodded silently, trading a look and a swirl of emotions before Scrivener began to open his mouth, and without looking around, Cowlick threw a rear hoof towards his face, making him wince and hurriedly yank his head back as she shoved the doors leading into the facility open and snapped: “I swear, you offer me your condolences once, Scrivener Blooms, and I will mash your pretty face up so bad even Sleipnir won't call you pretty anymore.”

“I don't think that's possible. I also don't think it's my face he refers to as 'pretty.'” Scrivener muttered, and Cowlick snorted in amusement as she began forwards, shaking herself briskly out as Luna and Scrivener followed before the male added finally: “Funny, though, you know. Rainbow and I always figured you were like me and him. Family issues, instead of... well... you know.”

“Daddy rose me on motor oil and engine parts. Now I'm not saying we never had our disagreements or that me and my Momma were the closest family ever, and I have an estranged little brother somewhere I hope is still alive only so that fire-ants can eat his small intestine from the inside-out, but...” Cowlick smiled a bit over her shoulder at Scrivener. “He wasn't no Bramblethorn.”

“Thankfully I believe there are few Bramblethorns in this world, if only because I would seek out and pummel each and every one of them did I hear of their existence.” Luna muttered, and Cowlick grunted before the engineer turned her attention back ahead as they approached Weaver.

The earth pony secretary was hurriedly shuffling through notes on a clipboard, and Cowlick yanked this away when they drew close, making the secretary wince before she quickly pushed the door to the meeting room open, saying awkwardly: “The transportation commission has the room booked afterwards, along with the Mayor-”

Cowlick grumbled at this as she stormed inside, Scrivener and Luna following, and the secretary coming last as the engineer threw the clipboard onto the table before complaining over her shoulder: “I don't march into city hall going 'hey, you better give me a meeting room' every goddamn day, why the hell are the politicians coming here to go over agendas? Screw the Trans-Po. If they show up early, tell 'em they get the room when we're done with it. Hell, tell 'em that if they show up late and we're still in here, Weaver, I'm the only one around here with the chops to fire you and I'm not gonna do that.”

Weaver smiled awkwardly, then she hurried out of the room as Scrivener and Luna took their seats between Rainbow Dash and Discombobulation, the Draconequus already looking bored out of his mind. Both ponies gazed up and down the table at the gathering here in this large, velvet room: almost every seat along the sides was taken, with Cowlick currently sitting at the foot and paging through papers besides Greece as he leaned in next to her, the two muttering between themselves. Slowly, Sleipnir rose a hoof near the other end of the table, and the engineer glanced up at this before she said sourly: “Put your stupid hoof back down in your wife's lap and amuse yourself for a few minutes, we gotta get organized.”

“Well, I would, but I fear that she will not allow this, so instead I must whine like a foal and ask how much longer we shall all be stuck waiting here.” Sleipnir replied blandly, and then he paused and frowned back and forth over the table and the ponies and other beings here, asking flatly as he hammered his hoof down against the mahogany surface: “And where is accursed Celestia?”

“Looking after Antares, Avalon, and l'il Rustproof.” Cowlick replied absently, continuing to page through files. “She already saw all the reports ahead of time and talked to Scrivener, too. As a matter of fact, I heard the two were seen this morning walking around Ponyville together. You trying to collect all the pretty and powerful mares, Scrivy? 'Cause you ain't nowhere near as handsome as Ross, so don't count on collecting me.”

“Who would even want you, Cowlick?” Rainbow asked mildly, and Cowlick looked up grumpily from her papers as Ross rose a hoof with a smile. “I. Yeah. I'm just going to stop here because I get the feeling that if I actually say anything mean I'm going to get shot.”

“And this time it won't be rubber bullets.” Cowlick muttered, and then she glanced over at Scrivener and said mildly: “Well, let's make the best use of our time that we can then, at least. Go ahead, fill everyone in on what you saw when you... well... when whatever the hell it was that happened, happened. Tell us about Beauty.”

Scrivener hesitated, but then he sighed a little when Cowlick looked at him pointedly and both Rarity and Spike straightened a bit, their eyes almost pleading as they turned towards the earth pony. He shifted back and forth, then he dropped his head forwards moodily, nodding once before he murmured: “Okay, okay. I guess... I can do that.”

He hesitated for a moment, then looked up, surveying the many faces at the table before his eyes roved to gaze at Rarity and Spike, saying quietly: “Beauty... was just like the others. Tortured, warped, and corrupted. She... she became what she was to save Spike. Number 59133... a serial number instead of a name to hide him among the ranks of soldiers, so no one else would know who he really was. Giving him all her best technology so he would be safe, and always assigning him as her personal bodyguard.

“But Beauty was important to Valthrudnir: more than Hexad and elite, she was a designer, a builder, a creator. There are words I'm not familiar with that come to mind when I think of her... 'geneticist' is one of the few I've deciphered. It means she studied and modified living creatures for Clockwork World...” He closed his eyes and laughed a little. “She was key to keeping Clockwork World running without Valthrudnir around. But that's part of what worries me... Valthrudnir would have protected her, if only because he... he's not stupid enough to believe that he doesn't need lieutenants and officers to keep something as massive as Clockwork World running smoothly. That's why you have all these different types of monster, all doing their job, overseen by the Hexad, who are watched over by the Prophet, who reports to and serves the Clockwork King.”

Scrivener paused to gather his thoughts, and Luna silently rubbed a hoof along his back as Discombobulation frowned and Rarity shivered, then looked up with a wince when Pinkamena said in a wry voice: “Well, look at that, Rarity. I guess there really is a world somewhere where you're top pony after all.”

Rarity only shook her head at this, and Spike closed his eyes as he bowed his head forwards before Scrivener said softly: “But that's part of what has me worried, and although Celestia and I have already gone over it, I want to hear all your ideas, too. Why would the Clockwork King or Valthrudnir or whatever it is take such a risk in sending her in?”

“Thou still does not know whether or not 'tis Valthrudnir, instead of some other entity?” Sleipnir asked curiously, and when Luna nodded and Scrivener glanced over at him, the stallion frowned and shook his head slowly, muttering: “That is far from good. Perhaps that is what we should turn our attention to. Understanding exactly what we are faced against...”

“Although answering that, well. That could be a little difficult.” Scrivener said moodily, dropping back against his chair and sighing quietly as he looked slowly back and forth across the faces lining the table. “I have no idea what we're up against here myself, after all. There's... there's so much evidence that points to it being Valthrudnir, back somehow, no matter how impossible it seems... but there's so much evidence that says it really is impossible, that it must be someone... some thing... else.”

“Then we turn our eyes to what we do know, and go over that.” Cowlick said authoritatively, and all eyes turned down towards her as the engineer continued in a surprisingly-serious voice: “Look. All of you know me as the butch, crazy, skilled-as-hell engineer, right? Well, let's forget about everything except for the last part for a moment. I ain't no prodigy, I worked for my goddamn skills, but that only means I had to learn the textbooks inside and out and then unlearn about half that garbage.

“But one thing you learn when fixing and working on the stuff I have is that sometimes things break for the weirdest reasons, and the only way you figure that out ain't by eliminating every other possibility... it's by keeping an open mind and remembering that some problems we can't just magically solve. We need to approach this head-on, and not dismiss what we find just because we're scared, or we don't understand how the hell it could be going on because C doesn't come after A. We can figure out what we're missing after we figure out what the problem is.” Cowlick finished, tapping a hoof against the table as Greece nodded solemnly beside her.

There was silence for a few moments, and then Scrivener sighed after a moment, saying finally: “Then we can't rule out the possibility that Valthrudnir's alive somehow, much as I want to. But even if we are dealing with him... something's wrong with him.”

“Well, Scrivy, been a long time since I was stabbed in the eye last, but I'm thinking that something being shoved rudely into his brain might have helped him go crazy. That and dying. Dying ain't fun.” Pinkamena said mildly, leaning forwards and looking pointedly across at Scrivener, and the charcoal stallion smiled despite himself before the demon looked moodily around the table. “Who else here remembers dying? Who wants to argue that it was a pleasant trip down a nice pretty river?”

There were mumbles at this, and Cowlick automatically rubbed at her side and chest, shaking her head after a moment before Rainbow Dash looked up and asked quietly: “So what's the difference if it's Valthrudnir, or if it's the Clockwork King, really? Does it... does it change what we're up against?”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, and then Luna sighed quietly before murmuring softly: “Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash, this is not a situation where we can simply... push and push and hope for the best. If it is Valthrudnir against whom we are embattled... there is no telling what powers the Jötnar still retains, nor what level of cruelty he is willing to stoop to. But if the Clockwork King is only some... some malformed monarch imitating his fallen lord, or some other childish, wicked force, then our chance for victory is much higher.”

“A lot hinges on whether or not Valthrudnir is back. But we have no true way of knowing... not yet, anyway.” Twilight said softly, looking silently over at Scrivener, studying him with solemn, quiet eyes. Scrivy gazed back at her, and then she sighed softly, lowering her head and adding in a pained voice: “The... the most logical thing is to take down the rest of the Hexad. Remove Valthrudnir's lieutenants from the equation, hopefully weaken Clockwork World's organization, and... give Scrivener their memories, if that's what's happening.”

Discombobulation looked over at the charcoal earth pony and he nodded slowly, and then the Draconequus smiled wryly, saying quietly: “You've a very, very selfish pony, Luna. I applaud it, though... I know I'm far too much of a coward to do the same, after all, now that I've unfortunately lived through the experience once already.”

Scrivener only shrugged a bit as a few others at the table traded uncertain looks, and then Discombobulation glanced up and murmured softly: “There's a few little factoids you ponies aren't considering, however. A few things of particular note and particular interest... which is very understandable, you all have full plates and I rarely have the stomach for liver and onions myself.

“We always know more than we know, it just takes the conscious mind a while to process it. To see every detail, to look beneath the pony brain, beneath the feral brain, all the way down to the lizard brain, the deepest, stupidest brain that acts on just instinct. The brain not even dear Twilight Sparkle can control.” Discombobulation gestured at her kindly, and Twilight looked at him sourly before the Draconequus continued seriously: “Now, as I myself am a stage psychic with acuity talents sharper than any of you believe – although if you blindfold me and put me behind the wheel of a yellow sports car, it's not going to be a cunningly-planned accident that sends me driving it off a cliff – I am very good at reading each level of your minds. And here's what the reactions of each and every one of you tell me: you're all afraid of Luna, because you all smell it, just like I do.”

Scrivener looked up sharply, and Discombobulation looked calmly towards him before he said softly: “Because they're all seeing something that's impossible to deny, and yet they, like I, desire to deny it anyway. We keep calling it corruption that's poisoned you, Scrivener Blooms, but just because it's killing you doesn't mean it's poison: drink enough water, after all, and you'll get drunk. Drink enough of that pure H2O, as a matter of fact, and you will die.

“Am I dancing around the point? Of course, that's what I do.” Discombobulation looked up with a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes as he reached up and slowly squeezed Scrivener's shoulder. “We should have known it before, but we were stupid, it was not something any of us desired to consider. We were fools, but now there's no choice but to face the music, and the music, oh, the music is so full of sorrow and disharmony, it is a cacophony of broken notes...

“Yes, my friends. Here is the strongest possible answer, what our instincts tell us that we want to deny. Here is what the evidence points to, and not just from Clockwork World's behavior, but because of the Tyrant Wyrms and all the other terrors unleashed by Valthrudnir. Here is how Valthrudnir exists, without existing...” Discombobulation fell silent, then he snapped his fingers, and all those around the table lurched backwards as black rot rapidly began to spread through the furnishing, staring in horror as veins of darkness pulsed through the wood. “Clockwork World is a tumor. But tumors are a hotbed from which infection can grow, and mutate, and spread. Clockwork World is playing with us... because piece-by-piece, it's infecting us, and Luna is only the first victim of that infection because he's been exposed to the carriers, exposed to the powers, again and again.

“Clockwork World isn't trying to destroy us. The Hexad aren't afraid to die... they're fulfilling their purpose. They're spreading the disease... they're forcing us to fight, forcing us to grow stronger, forcing us to develop weapons, forcing us to become more powerful before they pour their disease into our world. They're going to keep pressuring us until each and every one of us has nothing but fighting and killing on the mind... and then they'll infect us, only unlike Scrivener Blooms, we won't have the pleasure of dying. Instead, just like what you're all afraid of... we'll become the monsters we have fought for so long against.” Discombobulation closed his eyes, murmuring softly: “Because gazing into the abyss is bad enough... but this abyss doesn't simply gaze back into us. It's reaching up to pull us in.”

And silence fell around the table as ponies looked nervously, fearfully at one another, Pinkamena's grin frozen on her features and Greece swallowing thickly before the Draconequus said quietly: “Let's just hope this is all just a nightmare, a hallucination, a bad trip. Otherwise... we're playing a game where winning will ultimately make us lose.”

Scrivener and Luna were walking quietly through the forest back to their home: Celestia had already gone ahead to take Antares Mīrus back to their house deep in the Everfree Forest, after Rainbow Dash and Applejack had picked up Avalon and Cowlick had fetched Rustproof with a few last words of advice to Scrivy.

Twilight was trailing behind them, her head bowed, collar tight around her neck as she breathed slowly in and out... before she closed her eyes tightly and asked finally as she halted in the middle of the path: “It's all true, isn't it? It's why Celestia... Celestia barely spoke to me when I saw her this morning. It's why Cowlick was so... not gentle but... helpful, I guess. I... I knew something was wrong, but... Scrivener...”

“We're all dying, Twilight. And I've got... a decade or more. Hell, that's longer than you could have. A lot of ponies could be dead before me.” Scrivener replied over his shoulder with a bit of a smile, but when Twilight looked up, her eyes were filled with tears and worry, trembling quietly as both Luna and Scrivener turned to gaze at her quietly. “Twilight...”

“Don't!” Twilight almost shouted, and then she dropped her head forwards, whispering: “J-Just don't... Scrivener, we... everything we talked about in there, it basically all came down to luring out the rest of the Hexad to kill them so we could find out whether or not we were dealing with Valthrudnir from the powers given to you by Visionary, but even that's not guaranteed... and... but every time we destroy one of those monsters... you get worse. Ever since the Tyrant Wyrm... your lifespan's been cut down from immortal to ten years to... god, it could go down to weeks, and that's if we're lucky and killing the last of the Hexad doesn't kill you, too, and... and then...”

Tears slowly spilled down her cheeks as she shivered hard, her voice hitching, and Scrivener and Luna traded a look before they both silently turned around and strode over to the violet mare. They hugged her tightly from either side, and Twilight stiffened for a moment before she dropped her head against Scrivener's neck, whispering: “You stupid, selfish bastard...”

“I... I'm lucky, Twilight.” Scrivener said finally, and when Twilight laughed shortly against his neck, Scrivener Blooms shook his head slowly. “No, I mean that. I honestly mean that. Think about it... I should never have been able to escape North Neigh, but I did. I made it all the way to Canterlot, I was selected out of... who knows how many candidates to be Court Poet, and then personal aide to Luna...”

Scrivener smiled faintly, glancing up at her and saying quietly: “I... earned the love of the Princess of the Night, because if I say I was really lucky there she'll hit me. And... I was fortunate enough to have... you as a friend. Luckier still to have you as more than a friend-”

“Scrivener... none of that was luck.” Twilight whispered, closing her eyes and laughing weakly, and the charcoal stallion leaned back a bit as he looked at her curiously. “That was... a lot of that was you, being... being who you are. Stubborn, stupid, complaining about every little thing but... never giving up. And Scrivener, it wasn't luck that made me choose... to... open myself up to you and Luna. It was just... what it was.”

She sat back, pulling away from them and looking back and forth quietly before she reached up and rubbed slowly at her eyes, looking across at him quietly. “And... I still believe Pinkamena, what she says about you. That you can overcome this. I don't care what anypony says, and I especially don't care what you say, because I know you well enough to know that everything that comes out of your mouth is a deflection anyway. But I want you to believe in yourself. I want you to believe that you can push through this... I... I don't want you to die.”

Twilight looked at him silently, and Scrivener sighed softly as Luna gazed over at him quietly, murmuring softly: “'Tis not an unreasonable request, Scrivener Blooms. Thou owes her that much, at the least... thou owes myself that as well.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, then he shook his head and asked finally: “Well... can we at least move on from this whole... 'I'm dying' thing, then? I want to... not forget about it, but... not... let it take over my life. Or what's left of my life.”

Luna glared at him as Twilight sighed softly and gave a sour look to the male, and he shrugged after a moment, smiling awkwardly. “Too soon?”

“I just wish... we had figured something out. What we talked about amounted to basically nothing except... it let everyone know you were dying.” Twilight murmured, looking down and shaking her head slowly, and Luna closed her eyes tightly. The violet mare glanced at her, then blushed after a moment and shook her head quickly before returning her eyes to Scrivener, adding quietly: “And you and I are going to sit down and write out a list of everything you've ever wanted to do, of all your... dreams and hopes and aspirations. I don't care how weird or stupid they are.”

“Dreams don't come true.” Scrivener said before he could stop himself, and when Twilight and Luna both glared at him horribly, the charcoal stallion cleared his throat loudly and quickly turned around, striding down the path as he said awkwardly: “Well, it's... kind of true. Dreams are dreams because they're ridiculous, impossible things that can never happen. Then you have hopes, aspirations, and desires. Things you know will probably never happen but there's a slim chance of, things you-”

“Oh shut up, Scrivy, thou art insufferable. Measuring out such intangible things... I am ashamed to call thee 'husband.'” Luna scoffed, and Scrivener looked over his shoulder with a grumble, stung, before Luna paused and added meditatively: “Then again, with that in mind, I usually call thee 'wife' in any event, so... perhaps 'tis not so strange after all.”

Scrivener sighed and gave the sapphire winged unicorn a grumpy look over his shoulder, and Luna grinned in return before Twilight said softly: “Well, if I have anything to say about it, Scrivy, I'd like to make at least one of your dreams come true.”

Scrivener only smiled over his shoulder at this, however, and even though he was still gaunt, it lit up his features and his eyes as he said softly: “You already have.”

Twilight blushed and smiled back, swallowing a little, and Luna smiled despite herself, saying wryly: “I hate thee, Scrivy. I hate that every now and then thou knows just what to say, damned... romantic of blood and thorns.”

Scrivener only shrugged, and then he fell quiet as they continued deeper into the forest, closer towards their home. As they began to draw in close, however, Luna frowned at the path ahead before she said slowly: “We... appear to have a visitor.”

The earth pony stallion glanced up... and then frowned in surprise at the sight of Gymbr laying in the road ahead. Twilight looked apprehensive as well as Luna grumbled under her breath, the trio cautiously approaching the doll before Luna lowered her horn and poked at it a few times, muttering: “Accursed thing. Still, though, thou has supreme rule of the kingdom of Antares' bedroom. If he did not adore thee so much I would be all the more eager to shred thee apart.”

She paused, then straightened and sat back, grumpily pawing at the pony toy before Scrivener sighed and nudged her gently, then reached down and carefully picked up the doll himself. He studied it curiously, turning it back and forth in his hooves before leaning his head hesitantly down and bringing it to one ear, closing his eyes... then he flinched as a rush of strange images assaulted him, Luna cursing as her own mind was flooded and the little static left in their link was driven away from the tumult of emotions and visions.

Scrivener dropped the toy, stumbling backwards as he stared at the toy, before flinching as he felt something like an invisible claw stroking slowly over his face, a voice whispering into his mind: Still, you deny who you are... yet it has made us think. Wonder... if things could be different. If... there is hope...

Scrivener frowned at this, looking silently at Gymbr before Twilight swallowed slowly, asking weakly: “Did... did you hear...”

“Gymbr speak?” Scrivener asked quietly, and Twilight nodded silently before the charcoal stallion turned his eyes to Luna.

The sapphire winged unicorn gazed back at him for a few moments, and then she nodded slowly, saying quietly: “The only thing we can do, Scrivener Blooms. We must continue to push forwards: come, pick up Gymbr, and we shall return to the cottage. But it sounds as if...”

“Regrets...” Twilight murmured softly, and then she shook her head slowly before silently looking over at Scrivener and Luna, and they both gazed back at her for a moment before she smiled a little and closed her eyes. “It's funny. I know Gymbr... created Twilight Shadow, so to speak, and then kills... her, me, whatever it is... by mistake. But even when I try and put myself in Twilight Shadow's hooves... I still don't blame Gymbr for what happened.”

“That is because thou art as mentally ill as Scrivener.” Luna muttered, and Twilight laughed despite herself before the earth pony swept up the doll, and the sapphire mare shook her head, starry mane twisting indecisively around her before she grunted. “Come, forwards. Celestia knows everything, we shall get her to answer our questions.”

Scrivener and Twilight both nodded, the three continuing onwards until they reached their home: for a moment, Luna hesitated outside the door, however, then she sighed and dropped her head quietly against it, whispering: “I do not look forwards to this conversation, Scrivy. The moment... the moment Antares sees us...”

“I know. I know.” Scrivener said quietly, looking over his shoulder at Twilight with a faint smile, and the violet mare lowered her own gaze. For a few moments, there was silence... and then, just as Luna was looking up and steeling herself, the door quietly swung open, revealing Antares standing silently in the corridor beyond.

The foal was trembling, staring up at them, and Luna silently strode inside, then hesitated for only a moment before walking past and towards the den room. Celestia was sitting there, with Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom sitting beside one-another, their hooves locked as Scarlet Sage shook her head in silent disbelief. Twilight strode in a moment later, sitting down between Luna and Celestia and closing her eyes, before she smiled a little when Celestia reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently.

Scrivener stood just inside the doorway, and Antares gazed up at him as tears began to spill down the foal's cheeks. Gymbr watched from his button eyes, seated in silence on the charcoal earth pony's back... and then Scrivener quietly, carefully reached up and over his shoulder before he smiled faintly as he took the toy from his back and held it out to his son, saying quietly: “Nothing is for certain yet. And I'm not going to give up... every kid deserves a father growing up, and... I'm going to be there for you, Antares.”

“Dad, don't lie, I... I can see it... you're hurting. You're...” Antares trembled as he took Gymbr, looking down at it for a moment before he suddenly threw the toy aside and ran forwards, leaping up to hug his father tightly, and Scrivener closed his eyes as he knelt and returned the embrace fiercely, holding his son tightly as Antares buried his face against his neck and sobbed: “D-D-Don't die, daddy...”

Scrivener rocked his son soothingly, silently, and then Scarlet Sage leapt up and ran down the hall, almost tackling them, and Scrivener wrapped a limb around her as well, pulling her close as she began to cry. He held them both close, and even in the despair and the pain and the sorrow... there was joy. Even as tears spilled down his own cheeks as he cradled his children close, what better proof was there than this, that his family loved him? That he had been the best goddamn father he could be... and he would continue to be that, until... he was taken away. Until he couldn't fight any more, as his children cried for him and his tears leaked down his cheeks, and he wasn't sure if he was crying in sorrow for the pain he was putting them through, or joy for their love, their admiration, and the fact that even if he felt like he'd failed in almost every aspect of his life, he had succeeded where it truly mattered. He had a family, who loved him. He was not Bramblethorn, and never would be.

It took an hour to calm the kids down, and Antares cried so much that by only seven that night, he had cried himself to sleep. Scrivener quietly put him to bed and tucked Gymbr in with him; the foal was so exhausted by his emotions he would likely sleep the whole night through, and the stallion gazed quietly over his son for a moment before he leaned down and quietly kissed his forehead, whispering: “I love you, Antares Mīrus. Be strong... and remember, you'll never be alone.”

When he returned to the den, all eyes looked at him... and Scrivener only smiled awkwardly, rubbing at the back of his head before he said finally: “If I say this is no big deal, I'm going to end up with a broken face, right?”

Luna nodded as Twilight sighed and Scarlet almost glared at him, and the stallion smiled awkwardly before he strode over to sit down on the bedding beside Luna, saying finally: “Then... thank you for... you know. Being here.”

Scarlet Sage only lowered her head as Celestia gazed quietly over at Scrivener, but when the stallion looked at her, she gave the smallest of nods before asking quietly: “Did Antares settle into bed?'

“Yeah, I think... I think he was probably asleep ten minutes ago, just...” Scrivener shook his head after a moment, closing his eyes. “Poor kid. I'm sure he'll feel better tomorrow when he wakes up and sees... I'm healthy and fine.”

“You're not fine, Dad, but...” Scarlet Sage shook her head, looking over at him quietly. “This is scary. I don't know what to say, or how to react. It could be years but... it could be... days, too, because of Clockwork World interfering. I'm... I'm afraid. I'm really afraid right now.”

Scrivener looked over at the Pegasus, then he closed his eyes and simply nodded, and Scarlet Sage bowed her head before she asked weakly: “Couldn't I... use my powers and take it out of your blood...”

But Celestia quickly shook her head, looking towards her niece and saying softly: “I understand that temptation, Scarlet Sage... but the corruption isn't simply a physical poison. It's a spiritual one as well. It could infect and kill you, easily, if you even made contact with it. Scrivener is only still alive because his body has been exposed to it so long it seems to have... built up an immunity. Or that's the only reason I can come up with, at least.”

“Scrivy is a beetle. Beetles are notoriously difficult to kill.” Luna muttered, nudging her husband firmly, and Scrivener nudged her back before the sapphire mare turned her eyes towards the azure flames in the fireplace, asking quietly: “Celestia... what does thou know? And I mean upon anything that is happening, that is pressuring us... thou always knows something. I implore thee to share it with us... to share it with all of our family here.”

Apple Bloom smiled faintly at this, blushing a little as she glanced up as Celestia looked slowly over the group of ponies, and then she nodded slowly before saying softly: “I've been thinking about what Discombobulation suggested, according to Greece and Cowlick at least. His metaphor of infection... and I think we should be on the lookout for ponies who are acting strangely or aggressively.

“Something still isn't adding up in my mind, but I can't quite put my hoof on it. I feel like we're missing something very important... like the answer is right in front of us, but so impossible or so simple that we can't grasp it.” Celestia continued quietly, shaking her head slowly. “And I only hope it isn't that the Prophet is testing us, gathering some kind of data from us, or perhaps the Clockwork King is using us for a sick game before he sends his full forces flooding forwards. No matter how strong we are, after all... if he invaded with a true army or even just Drones...”

“They would be almost unstoppable. And again, leading us to question why he stopped that attack in the first place.” Scrivener said quietly, before Celestia frowned across at him thoughtfully. “What?”

“The Clockwork King supposedly commands the Prophet... but from what I've gathered, it's the Prophet who continues to give orders to the Hexad... just as it's the Prophet who recalled the attacks, isn't it?” Celestia asked slowly, and Scrivener nodded hesitantly before the ivory mare closed her eyes. “Then the Prophet may have a hidden agenda of her own. Perhaps in a way she's working against the Clockwork King... perhaps she no longer desires to be a Prophet, but a Queen.”

“I hope not. It would turn things into a free-for-all at some point that we'd undoubtedly get dragged into, and then things would get really ugly.” Scrivener muttered, and Celestia nodded slowly. “Even if it turned into civil war on Clockwork World... Prophet seems to be the brains right now, while the Clockwork King seems... insane.”

“They don't seem to coordinate well. A point that there might be conflict between them, but also something that plays in our favor...” Twilight picked up easily, looking over at Scrivener thoughtfully. “It's like the Clockwork King is saying 'attack, attack, attack,' and Prophet is trying to minimize the damage...”

“But to what side?” asked Luna thoughtfully, and all eyes turned to her before the sapphire mare frowned and glowered around at them all. “What? Am I not allowed to make an intelligent but meaningless comment like all the rest of thou art?”

Celestia sighed quietly, recognizing her sister's tone, and she held up a hoof when Twilight began to open her mouth. “Don't bother. Little sister is... thinking, I suppose, is the best word for it. But while she is she tends to be... abrasive.”

Luna huffed, then she grumbled and pawed at the bedding, muttering: “Abrasive. I have plenty of reason to be that and worse, Celestia, so damn thou to Helheim and back.”

Celestia sighed, then she looked meditatively over at Scrivener as an awkward quiet fell before she asked curiously: “While I already know you're adverse to the idea... would you allow some medical tests at one of the facilities in Canterlot?”

“If I was in Canterlot, I probably couldn't find a way to argue with you, but... since we're not in Canterlot...” Scrivener shrugged, smiling awkwardly over at Celestia even as Twilight, Scarlet Sage, and Apple Bloom looked at him sourly, but Luna only shrugged agreeably.

The ivory mare, however, was still smiling, and Scrivener looked at her with a strange feeling of oncoming doom before she leaned forwards and said courteously: “And that brings me to my second question, Scrivener Blooms. It may be a bit odd for me to ask, especially now of all times... but since the winter term will be beginning shortly, I was wondering whether or not you would agree to teach a class on writing at Canterlot University.”

Scrivener stared at Celestia as Luna's jaw fell open, and the stallion spluttered for a response before he said finally in a shocked voice: “You... you can't do that!”

“Being the Baroness has a few slight advantages, Scrivener Blooms. That and the fact you are a very good writer and it's only a few classes a week for a few months.” Celestia replied with a slight smile, and Twilight stared incredulously. “Please accept. I already have rooms prepared at Canterlot for you and your family, even Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom if they want to come... but I figure they'd rather enjoy having this whole house to themselves as a weekend getaway.”

“I... I...” Scrivener stared at her, slack-jawed still, and when Celestia smiled slightly, the earth pony leaned back and asked dumbly: “What if I refuse? People scare me and I have no teaching qualifications whatsoever.”

“What? Ridiculous, thou art a fine teacher!” Luna argued sharply, and Scrivener glared at her before he paled when she announced: “Scrivener shall accept thy offer, Celestia!”

“Luna, you idiot.” Scrivener groaned and grabbed at his face, and Luna glared at him before Celestia rose a hoof to half-hide a smile, and the sapphire mare blinked slowly as she realized what she had just agreed to before groaning and dropping flat, burying her face against the bedding. “See? See?”

“Shut up, Scrivener Blooms. My pride and need to show off my pretty wife overwhelmed me for a moment.” Luna mumbled, but the other ponies were all smiling at her, which only made Luna glare when she rose her head. “I do not desire to go back to stuffy Canterlot, Celestia. 'Tis stuffy. And stupid.”

“It will be good for everypony concerned. You, Antares, Scrivener and Twilight can all benefit from this, and with Scrivener employed at the university, his health costs will be covered. Besides, Scrivener has a lot to teach, and I'm sure interacting with the students will be good for him.” Celestia paused, then smiled a little, adding quietly: “Tell me you honestly have a better way to spend the next few months, anyway... and don't say training, because you know that Canterlot is equipped with the best training facilities in Equestria.”

“What about our friends and family? Art thou going to pay to have Ponyville shipped to Canterlot?” Luna complained loudly, and when Celestia pretended to look thoughtful, Luna gave her a horrible look. “I am warning thou, big sister...”

Before Celestia could respond, Scarlet Sage leaned forwards, urging quietly: “Mom, Dad... you should do this. It really would be good for you both, and... Apple Bloom and I can come and visit you, so can everyone else. And Dad can get checked out and Mom can train better out there, and Antares can live for a little while in the lap of luxury, it'd be like one big, long vacation for him. And... and you'd be looking into what's wrong, too. Maybe you might find something and either way, I know that... I'd feel better and Antares would feel better, knowing that at least...”

Luna sighed after a moment, nodding grumpily as Scrivener looked moodily over at his daughter before he said finally: “I'm supposed to be the one guilt-tripping everyone, not the other way around. I... well... Twilight?”

Twilight only smiled, however, nodding after a moment and replying quietly: “I'll let everypony know what's going on so we can leave as soon as possible... and I'll have to sit down and help you with your lesson plan, too.”

Scrivener grumbled at this, but Celestia only smiled, saying softly: “Then since we're all agreed... or as close to agreeing as we're going to get... I'll send a letter to the university to let them know, and we'll see about getting you in to begin testing as soon as possible.”

Scrivener only groaned and dropped his head, not knowing whether he was complaining more about the hospital or what would apparently be his new job, but either way, he all the same did admittedly feel gratitude and warmth... even if it was mixed with frustration that Celestia had learned to be both compassionate and mischievous at the same time.

I, Professor

Chapter Sixty Three: I, Professor
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms grumbled as Twilight fussed with the tie around his neck, rolling his eyes as Luna and Antares both peered over the couch at them, giggling like children while Twilight continued: “-postmodernism, and don't take nonsense from them, Scrivener, you're the one in charge. Now, today I've highlighted-”

“If you wrote in my books again I'll kill you.” Scrivener threatened, and Twilight gave him a flat look before the charcoal earth pony grumbled and swept the textbooks stuffed with notes and bookmarks from the side table into his messenger bag, muttering as he looked into this and poked at the binders and books: “I never really went to school, you know. Celestia must have pulled some major strings to get me this job. This stupid job.”

“No, she pulled major strings to let you keep the job after you made that kid cry.” Twilight replied flatly, and then she poked him with a hoof, saying moodily: “You could really be nicer.”

Luna and Antares giggled again at this, and Scrivener glared at them for a moment, making them both duck back behind the enormous, plush couch: one of several large, cozy furnishings that decorated the massive den room they had that was complete with shelves stocked with books and knickknacks and the immense fireplace. They were living in a set of rooms meant for an ambassador – a very respected ambassador – to take lodgings in, inside Canterlot Castle itself.

It had been eight weeks since they had come to Canterlot so Scrivener could start his teaching job, and six weeks since the doctors had begun running every possible test they could on his body, thanks in part to a generous donation from the Baroness. Celestia really was ready and willing to do anything it took to help Scrivener... and it both scared and enthralled him that she cared so much about his well-being.

Scrivener was now on a whole list of pills and vitamins, most of which he took only because Twilight harassed him if he didn't. He had gone through every kind of scan known to pony-kind, and he thought they'd given him every type of blood test as well. Most of these came back abnormal, and a few of the doctors had already suggested exploratory surgery... although Scrivener was not exactly ready to let them gut him like a fish just so they could ogle his insides. He had enough scars as it was, after all.

“You just told me to stick up for myself.” Scrivener replied finally to Twilight, and he huffed after a moment, adding grumpily: “And Luna's my wife, you know.”

“Apparently not when somepony has to look after you. And yes, stand up for yourself, Scrivy, and you won't have to worry about being driven to the point where you snap and go way over the line.” Twilight retorted, poking him a few times. “They're just kids!”

“They're adults. At least, they tell me they're adults.” Scrivener rolled his eyes, replying moodily: “They want to be treated like adults, I will treat them like rational, reasonable adults, even though I really shouldn't. They start acting like they want to be treated like kids, and... well, I'll treat them like kids. Little kids who I don't have to censor myself around.”

Twilight sighed and shook her head, then she leaned in and kissed his cheek before opening the door for him and waving him out, saying quietly: “Well, get out of here or you're going to be late again.”

“Wouldn't want that.” Scrivener muttered, and he nodded before leaning in, nuzzling Twilight quickly before turning and heading out. Luna huffed at this, half-leaning over the couch, but Antares only smiled as the door closed.

Then Luna grumbled and scrambled hurriedly over the furnishing as Twilight began to head towards the small kitchen, asking seriously: “Art thou trying to steal him away from me? To make him into a proper husband? Thou cannot, for he is already my wife!”

“Luna.” Twilight said flatly, and Luna cleared her throat and dropped her head awkwardly forwards, the violet mare shaking her head out moodily. Then Antares ran between them, and he hopped up to hug Twilight's leg, making her smile in spite of herself as she said softly: “You comin' here to scold me too?”

“Nah. You help a lot with taking care of Dad, and I'm really glad to see that. You and Mom are both... really good for Dad, and really good for each other. We're all good for each other, that's all that matters.” Antares gazed up quietly, nodding thoughtfully, and Luna and Twilight both smiled, gazing down at the colt softly. “Besides, Mom is no good at all that stuff.”

“I am so!” Luna said in an offended voice, and Antares giggled a little before Luna swung her horn at him in mock-frustration. “Beware, Antares! Soon thou shall be old enough for me to teach in the same ways I teach thy father!”

Antares only giggled at this, and then he swung his horn back at Luna as his leathery wings flapped and Luna smiled slightly as she easily parried this with her own before nodding firmly. “Good! We shall have a good time today, Antares, and we shall visit thy father at lunch, how does this sound?”

“Okay. I really like seeing Dad working... he seems... I dunno.” Antares paused thoughtfully, then he giggled a little when Luna poked at him with her horn, flailing a bit before he smiled up at his mother warmly. “He seems grumpier outside, but happier inside. I think he likes teaching.”

Luna nodded firmly, then she grinned widely as she rose her head, concentrating... and Scrivener sighed, rolling his eyes on his walk into Canterlot city and towards the university, which wasn't far from the enormous castle. “Shut up, Luna.”

A few passing ponies looked at him oddly, but Scrivener only cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his eyes away, smiling despite himself as he turned to follow a cobblestone path that cut through a park and to the towering, ancient Canterlot University. There was a light dusting of frost along the path and grasses, but only a smattering over the trees: they had been in a bit of a warm spell for the winter months, and in Canterlot it didn't often get quite as visibly wintry as it did in Ponyville, thanks to the weather teams employed around the city, but Scrivener thought that only meant they were due for a cold snap that would cover everything in ice and snow. And admittedly he looked forwards to being able to take a few extra days off once he got the chance.

He made his way across the road and towards the university doors, shoving through them and grimacing behind his glasses, reaching up to smooth out the rumpled dress jacket and shirt he had to wear as part of the dress code. His tie was still loose around his neck, since Twilight didn't know how to properly tie a tie as well as she thought she did, but he didn't exactly care: he was pretty sure the students paid as much attention to him as he did to them, after all.

The earth pony took a moment to reorient himself with his surroundings, and then he nodded once before heading down the corridor, past administration and the professor's lounge, where he had quickly learned was the territory of the full-time professors and not barbaric, uncivilized part-timers like him.

“Imagine if they knew I never even finished grade school.” Scrivener muttered, then he wondered absently how he could work this into the lesson for today's class as he made his way to the classroom, past a group of ponies excitedly talking about anything but schoolwork. He shoved his way through the ajar door... and as always, found most of the class already in their seats, the earth pony feeling oddly cranky as he looked through the lecture hall before approaching the side table and tossing his messenger bag onto it.

He ignored them pointedly as the students all stared at him, and then Scrivener dug his wallet out of the messenger bag before hurrying back out of the room. A few minutes later, he returned with a cup of coffee, putting this down on the table and glancing up to ensure that the class hadn't abandoned him.

They were all still here, and he felt a fleeting moment of disappointment before clearing his throat as he dug out one of his textbooks, saying clearly: “Yesterday we began studying postmodernist writing... in particular, I asked you to take a look at the work of Martingale, did anyone at least start on the except of Filly outlined in your texts?”

“That book is banned in more than fifty countries, and for good reason.” whined a loud, snobbish voice, and Scrivener sighed inwardly as he looked up to see the exceptionally-pretty, exceptionally-annoying mare that had spoken. He thought her real name was Divine something but he preferred to think of her as Bitchy Britches. “It's amoral and evil.”

“Well, yes, it does follow the course of a pedophile on the search for the perfect little filly.” Scrivener replied dryly, and then he glanced down at the text, opening his mouth-

And before he could speak, a thoughtful, slow voice asked: “But how is it... postmodern? What is postmodernism?”

Scrivener slowly closed his eyes, not bothering to look up at the stallion who had spoken and already feeling another headache coming on. Slowpoke was one of those extra-annoying philosophy students, but Scrivener thought he understood the male's real reason to try and sound all deep and serious: pretending he was deep and musing seemed to help score him a lot of mares. “Well, funny you should ask, since we did tackle the exact definition yesterday when we began the study...”

“But what is it? How can it be?” asked Slowpoke seriously, the large, tan-color unicorn nodding seriously as his dreadlocks swayed around his face beneath his beret, and several mares sighed and stared at the handsome unicorn with something like awe as Britches only glared over her shoulder, as if offended by the fact that no pony was paying attention to her anymore. “Aren't we... modern? How can there be... post that?”

“Very easy, we dig a hole in the ground and shove a block of wood into it.” Scrivener said dryly, and there were a few scattered laughs before the charcoal stallion sighed and said seriously: “Back on the subject of Filly, we-”

“That book has been the subject of burnings since its publication, I refused to study something that heroizes evil.” Britches complained loudly, then she closed her book and nodded firmly. “Furthermore, it perpetuates the stereotype that all mares are weak and-”

“Oh it does not.” Scrivener snapped before he could stop himself, and when Britches stared at him, he decided the damage had already been done, so he continued in an irritable voice: “First of all, you didn't read it. As foals we're taught 'don't judge a book by its cover,' and yet we all seem to do that anyway, and you're doing it right now: read it, then you get the right to judge away all you want. Especially since this is a class based on critical analysis as a way to develop both our understanding and practical use of writing.

“Yes, it's up to interpretation, and it can be confusing: the narrator is both a self-absorbed bastard but also a victim of both himself and circumstance: the filly he admires and spends his lifetime hunting and 'looking after,' in more than one way, is not illustrated as a shining star of virtue. But whoa, wait. Could. Could it be that because it's being narrated by a self-absorbed bastard we're actually seeing her through a distorted lens? That the writing isn't just... handing us all the information on a plate? Horses of Heaven, what madness is this?”

Scrivener slammed a hoof against the podium, and his students were now staring: as a matter of fact, more than one looked excited now, likely expecting him to go into another rant or debacle. But instead, the earth pony forced himself to take a breath as he put the text aside, continuing in a more-rational voice: “I'm not here to spoon-feed you. My job, actually, is a pain in the flank: I have to make you all think, and more than that, I have to somehow make you all understand that the characters in a story have emotions, just like you and me. That even in a story, there's not always black and white, just a lot of gray area. That there are stories out there you're going to read, that are going to rip you apart from the inside out, that will not give you a moment of 'joy' or 'happiness...' but they will be the best damned things you'll ever read, and you'll come back to them again and again, because even if they make you hurt... they give you that strange, deep, dark pleasure, too that no pony can truly explain. And there are stories that you're going to read that will cut you, and hurt you, and scare you so bad you throw them in the corner and want to lash out at them and rip them apart and hunt down the author and shoot him in the face-” Scrivener shoved his own hoof against his temple. “But stop and wonder for a second if they're supposed to do that. Stop and wonder why they would do that. And see if you can read just one more page, push a little more towards the end. And hey, you might be surprised what happens when you do reach that final page... even if I know, I know, reading is such a pain in the flank and why would you bother when it's something so obviously morally outrageous and just like, bad?”

Britches glared at him but didn't speak up, before a hoof shot into the air, and Scrivener sighed as he asked tiredly without checking: “Yes, Mort?”

Mortimer Mortimer grinned awkwardly, the ghostly-white earth pony looking up with his oddly-bright blue eyes and asking hurriedly: “Is it true that Martingale was-”

“No. This was not a veiled autobiography about a pedophile. Although yes, Martingale was accused – and very often, particularly after the publishing of Filly – of being one. However, as we should all know here...” Scrivener looked almost accusingly over the lecture hall. “Is that you can't compare writers to their literature. Yes, someone's writing can tell you a lot about a person. But you have to look at more than what they write about... you have to look at style, their word choice, how they structure their stories or poems... not just at the content. The content can only tell you so much... and there are plenty of writers out there who write about stuff they absolutely hate.”

There were mumbles throughout the hall at this, and then Mort rose his hoof again, waving it wildly, and Scrivener sighed tiredly: he wondered if all the time sniffing the embalming fluid at the funeral parlor was responsible for making him so... special. “Do you write about stuff you hate?”

“Yes.” Scrivener said simply, and then he said clearly: “Returning to the subject of Filly. The except you all had to read is one of the most controversial parts of the book, when the narrator describes how he attempted to drug his stepdaughter and-”

“It's disgusting and amoral.” Britches complained loudly, opening her textbook and looking down at it. “It's gross! How could anyone write about this?”

“Yes, ponies never hurt each other, ever.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he sighed a bit when Britches glared at him and a few other students mumbled between themselves. “We just went over this-”

“But he's heroized! I mean, he fails at night and then it goes on this huge paragraph about how she ends up being the one to seduce him the next morning, that's wrong!” Britches complained loudly, and Scrivener sighed tiredly, dropping his head forwards. “That-”

Scrivener held up a hoof for silence, and then he lowered it slowly and enunciated slowly and carefully: “For one thing, there is no such word as 'heroized' or 'heroizing' or any permutations of those, okay? Now. Do you know what tragicomedy is? What satire and irony are? Do you know what solipsism means? How about symbolism? If the answer to any of these questions is 'no' then you have some reading to do. This story can be seen as the corruption of innocence that eventually attempts to free itself from evil, or as a child already traumatized and poisoned first manipulating the corrupter, but then trying to escape its own evil, its own past. Either way, you can choose to keep going 'oh it's gross and wrong' or you can think of it as a story of hope. That maybe we can change. That maybe evil can do even just one act of good, even if that act comes through selfishness and pain. But my job isn't to critique or to opine on the story, it's your job to tell me your thoughts on the story, or at least on this fragment, and to do it without telling me how you would love to hold a book burning for this nasty piece of literature.”

Britches huffed and sat back in her seat, and there was quiet for a few moments before Scrivener started slowly: “Now. On the subject of Filly...”

“There's a spelling error!” called a voice, and Scrivener sighed, tossed his textbook away, and instead grabbed his coffee, guzzling it and ignoring the dribbles of dark liquid that rolled down his chin and dripped over his dress jacket. It was going to be a long class.

The moment his class on critical analysis was over – and these are the third years, for the sake of the Horses of Heaven! – Scrivener hurried away before any of the students could pin him down to talk to him and ran to his next class, which was thankfully one he enjoyed more: second years and Writer's Craft.

He came into the room to find only a few students present at the moment, and he smiled a bit: unlike critical analysis, where he only knew the ponies who stood out the most because they did nothing but argue with him, he was getting to know each and every one of the eighteen ponies taking this course, and had a chance to work with them all one-on-one.

He headed towards the desk at the front of the small classroom, then glanced up as a young mare approached before he said mildly: “You're not going to ask me about Luna again, are you, Pipes?”

“Will you please let that go? I swear I didn't know she was your wife.” Zampona blushed a bit as she shook her head quickly, then she slipped a set of papers to him, saying awkwardly: “Here. Sorry it's late.”

“I only care that it's done.” Scrivener replied with a smile, tossing his messenger bag up onto the desk before he added mildly, as the bright-blue earth pony began to turn away with a sigh of relief: “And as long as you do the punishment.”

“You're a real jerk, you know that?” She blushed deeper, and Scrivener smiled as he picked up the three sheets of paper, paging through them and reading over the short poems quickly before he nodded thoughtfully to himself and held the second out to her. “No, no, no no no, not-”

Scrivener looked at her pointedly, and she sighed and nodded moodily, taking it as Scrivener put the other poems aside and pulled out his binder. He flipped through it until he found a list, then put a checkmark beside 'Pipes' before looking up with an amused smile at her as he saw her lingering. “Go sit down for now, ten minutes before class starts still.”

Zampona nodded after a moment, and Scrivener smiled amusedly after her: while he didn't assign late marks for any work that was handed in after the due date, he instead employed a particularly-effective policy: he made them read a sample of their writing they were handing in late to the class. Unsurprisingly, very few ponies turned their assignments in late.

He was only just beginning to delve into the basics of wordplay and making them begin to understand how to bend and break mechanics and rules in writing to their advantage. The first thing he had taught them was respect: to respect each other, and to respect other writers, no matter what level they were at.

It didn't take long for the rest to show up, a few saying hello to him and Scrivener smiling back and returning the greetings before he held up a hoof for quiet. Before he could begin, however, a distinct glimmer caught in the corner of his eye, and Scrivener slowly turned towards the door before a starry, ephemeral mane twisted carefully through the ajar space, seeming to feel around before Luna's head leaned into the opening, a wide grin on her face... and a moment later, Antares poked his own head happily in, calling cheerfully: “Hi Dad!”

“Well, Pipes, it looks like I'm going to beat you out for 'most embarrassing classroom experience' today after all.” Scrivener said mildly, and there were a few laughs as Zampona looked both relieved and embarrassed at once: after catching Scrivener with Luna – or more precisely, seeing Luna tackle Scrivener outside the university and kiss him firmly – she had shown up at his office to lecture Scrivener about the 'affair' he was having on his wife, Twilight, who had shown up to class more than once in the early weeks. This had led to great amusement for Scrivy, compounded by the fact that then Luna had shown up and had proceeded to laugh as well before explaining in unnecessary detail what was going on.

After that, Luna had started to show up randomly while he was teaching classes, both to annoy Scrivener, tease Pipes, and to cheerfully harass some of his students. Not that anypony was about to kick her off the premises... and Luna shoved through the door in her full armor, Antares giggling a bit as she strode over to Scrivener and sloppily attempted to kiss him as he winced and turned his head away, meaning she only splattered drool all over his cheek before biting it and making him wince. “Aren't you supposed to be training the Starlit Knights positioned in Canterlot or something?”

“'Tis classified information, Scrivener Blooms!” Luna said in an outraged voice, and then she grinned and half-lidded her eyes, leaning in and saying teasingly: “I shall have to interrogate thee later.

“But nay, thou simply forgot some of thy teaching material at home.” Luna said pompously, and then she glanced back at Antares, who nodded brightly as he hurriedly dug in the satchel bag hanging off his mother's side before he pulled out a book, and Scrivener stared in horror at it as Luna asked curiously: “Has the beetle read any of his own poems yet? It seems remarkably stupid to trust him to teach thee if none of thee have ever read any of his writing.”

“Luna, don't make me tell She Who Must Not Be Named.” Scrivener said flatly, leaning forwards, but Antares only giggled louder as Luna blew a loud raspberry at him.

“You did kind of promise that one day you'd show us your own writing, after we started writing ourselves, and... we have.” added a voice helpfully, and Scrivener glared towards a pony at the back of the room wearing a Wonderbolts headband, the Pegasus looking back and forth at his peers for support... who all nodded in agreement, to Scrivener's further frustration. “You did totally promise.”

Scrivener sighed and rolled his eyes, then he hesitated for a moment before Antares held up the book with a smile, saying warmly: “You know you gotta keep a promise, Dad.”

The earth pony stallion sighed at this, and then he nodded and reached out, taking his book with a grumble before he added flatly: “And don't think this means you're off the hook, Pipes. I'll get you to embarrass yourself next class. Mostly because now this entire class is going to end up being about humiliating me. Thank you, Luna, you... you can go now.”

Luna only huffed at this, however, flicking her horn to slam the door of the classroom before she dropped on her rear, and Antares giggled as he hopped off his mother as she declared: “Now I shall stay for the entire hour!”

“Eighty minutes.” Scrivener corrected, and then he winced when she bopped him with her horn, much to the amusement of the students. “Professionalism, Luna?”

“Bugger professionalism!” Luna shouted cheerfully, and Antares gave a yell as well in response, giggling wildly as Scrivener slumped a bit before the sapphire winged unicorn added: “And 'tis not as if thou art very professional either. Look at thee! Twilight will be upset again, thou hast gone and spilled coffee all over thy wretched self and thy wretched tie.”

“You're a wretched tie.” Scrivener muttered, and then he sighed as he found the poem he was looking for, grumbling under his breath as Luna began to raise a hoof, then paused and leaned back instead with a smile. “Alright, alright. This poem is... this poem is just a short one. It's called 'Eye of Imagination.'

“Look upon this wretched and broken whelp with his eyes closed but ever-seeing
From the mind's eye, the bleeding, gaping socket in his brain,
Staring out of his forehead, eternally, endlessly, from his missing horn.

“Oh unicorn, is that what you are? But no more;
Now your pure-blood stains your face in rivers, cascades down from the pit,
That sunken all-seeing eye open forever without and within.

“Eternal eye, what do you see?
Staring into you I see blood and darkness, one flows outwards, one flows inwards,
Giving away your worthless heritage, giving in the only thing that keeps you warm.”

Scrivener halted and cleared his throat, blushing a bit before he closed the book firmly and turned around, putting it back on the desk before smiling and glancing over his shoulder, asking quietly: “Who can tell me what the poem I just read to you was about? And you can say anything you want about my writing. I'm already well-aware it's plenty bad, after all. Just don't compare me to Flourish, I'll beat whoever compares me to Flourish or any other post-ren writer to death with my bare hooves, whether it's in front of my kid or not.”

Antares smiled up at his father, and Scrivener looked down at him seriously, adding: “And hey, don't think you can get away with it either. I'll leave you in the street. Canterlot's a huge place, not even Luna will be able to find you in time.”

“And what about I, Scrivener, should I dare to commit such an atrocity?” Luna teased, leaning towards him, and Luna looked at her pointedly before she glared at him, saying flatly as an image passed between their minds: “Oh thou would not!”

“Don't doubt my masochism.” Scrivener replied mildly, and then he turned his eyes back over the class, asking easily: “So who wants to take a potshot at their professor? Come on, hurry up, I'm not going to be an open target all day. Well. I am, but you know what I mean.”

There was still hesitance, and then Scrivener rolled his eyes before smiling when one of the students rose his hoof: and in a class composed of thirteen mares and five stallions, it wasn't too hard to keep track of the names and faces of the males. “Go ahead, Fizzle.”

The stallion smiled brightly beneath his short-cut mane, nodding a few times hurriedly before he asked: “Is it about the fact that you're... you're a unicorn?”

“Not bad. Sorta, yeah.” Scrivener smiled a bit and nodded, reaching up to touch his forehead as Luna looked impressed and a few of the other students smiled over at Fizzle, as he blushed awkwardly. “Yes, my parents were both pure blooded unicorns. So am I, even though I don't have a horn.” He reached up, tapping his forehead gently. “Hard to see the divot up there, but it is up there. You know, beneath the fifty billion other scars.”

There were a few chuckles at this, and then Zampona asked impulsively: “Mr. Blooms, how did you get those scars?”

“Oh come freaking on, how many times do I have to tell you all, it's just Scrivener or Scrivy or... anything else, not Mr. Blooms.” Scrivener laughed, shaking his head.

“Or beetle. Or idiot. But if any of thou calls him daydreamer I must warn thee, thou must sleep with me before thou gets to sleep with him.” Luna added cheerfully, and Scrivener and Antares both shot her glares as a few stares and a few shocked giggles ran through the classroom, before the sapphire mare hurriedly cleared her throat. “I... uh. I shall be going now. Scrivener, take good care of Antares!”

“I, Luna, wait, no, you can't-” But Luna had already opened the door and run out into the hall, and Scrivener sighed tiredly as he dropped his head forwards as Antares smiled happily up at him, and Scrivy smiled back after a moment despite himself before he reached down and quietly ruffled his mane, making him giggle. “Okay, okay. You guys seriously want to waste a class talking about me?”

“Well, you're always telling us to write about our experiences, but... not a lot of us have fought dragons or battled aliens or visited planets with exotic mares in bikinis but... that's all the same what a lot of us want to write about.” spoke up another stallion who was wearing glasses, and then he cleared his throat when all eyes turned to him. “Okay, that's. What I want to write about.”

There were a few laughs, but they were good-natured, and Scrivener smiled before he nodded and reached down to pick his son up before setting him on the table, and Antares giggled happily before he leaned forwards over his father's shoulder as Scrivener looked up over the classroom, asking easily: “Ever been to a foreign beach, surrounded by people who just kind of stared at you, didn't even seem to speak your language?” When the pony nodded hesitantly, Scrivener shrugged, saying softly: “There's your starting point. Draw on that experience and then exaggerate it with metaphor and hyperbole.

“When a lot of writers say... 'I drew on my own experiences,' they're not actually talking about... you know, charging into battle against some horrific demon from Helheim seeking to devour the soul of their beloved.” Scrivener smiled a bit, looking up and continuing quietly: “But certain demons in our mind, vices and... the vices of other ponies, are as scary and damning as anything hell can throw at us. You warp and twist that, you use those emotions and feelings and you manifest it into a physical entity, or a physical conflict.

“I know, complicated. Don't think about it, just do it, as I keep telling you guys. You're all already writers, the only thing that's missing is you writing, and we're all doing that now, starting simple, working our way up.” Scrivener continued calmly, shaking his head with a smile. “But we're gonna get there. We're gonna make sure each and every one of you is a writer, at least for a while. Mostly because if I screw up this class my sister will never let me live it down. Well, sister-in-law, but... she's like a sibling.”

Scrivener smiled at Antares, who nodded happily a few times before he said brightly: “Aunt Tia always helps my Dad out... she always reads his writing and gives him all kinds of suggestions and stuff! In fact, she hired him, right Dad? That's how you met Mom!”

“That's right, kiddo, but don't spoil the plot now.” Scrivener laughed as he ruffled the child's mane again and the colt shook himself briskly out before the earth pony turned his eyes forwards, reaching up and touching his own scarred face quietly. “You look at me and you see the scars I wear on my body, and does that give me a better grasp of what it feels like to be cut, to experience battle, to know pain? Maybe. But only maybe: we all experience things differently, we're all built for different things, and we all try to explain things differently... and to someone out there, your descriptions and writing are going to sound way better than mine, no matter how little or informed our pieces of writing are. Simple truth: ponies like what ponies like. You are never, ever going to please everypony with your writing, so don't even try. Hell, don't even go out there, trying to make other ponies happy, as I tell you guys again and again. The best reason of all to write, the most honest of all, is to write for yourself, and write your stories without ever worrying about what others think, or what others want, or anything like that. Take compliments with grace and handle insults with either dignity or horrible, remorseless retaliation that turns your enemies into crying heaps of jello, shivering in the corner.”

Scrivener ground his front hooves together almost savagely, and then he cleared his throat and finished softly, as all eyes stared at him: “But don't go changing your visions for them. You might never make as much money off your writing that way, you might not get as many fans... but I'm not teaching a class on how to make money or get famous. I'm teaching a class on how to write. That's all.”

Scrivener shrugged and smiled, and Antares smiled happily as Scrivener gazed over the class before he clapped his hooves together, asking easily: “Alright. Next topic?”

Scrivener held up an easy dialogue with his class for a short while, stopping only long enough so he could go get Antares a bottle of water. When he had returned, about half the class was clustered down around his son, who was quickly and easily answering questions with shining, happy eyes about himself and his family. And Scrivener smiled softly as he opened the bottle of water, handing it to the foal, but letting them finish up their little session before he went back to doing a bit of teaching, taking the time that remained to go over some basic etymology and the use of descriptive words in writing.

The class ended, and the students filed out, a few staying around to talk a bit more with Antares and Scrivener as the stallion packed up his things slowly. He had a little over an hour of break now before he had to go to his next class, so he was in no hurry, and Antares Mīrus still seemed honestly happy... although Scrivener only finally understood why a few minutes later, as they were walking down the university corridor together. “All those ponies... really liked you, Dad.”

“Yeah, well. They like me when I'm competent and giving them good marks. Half the time I'm stupid out of my mind and my other classes all hate me.” Scrivener responded, and when Antares gave him a flat look, the charcoal stallion laughed. “What? Usually you reserve that glare for your mother.”

“Dad, don't be so hard on yourself.” Antares chided, and Scrivener smiled despite himself as they headed down to the cafeteria together. Antares' eyes widened at the sight of it, gaping around in amazement before he pointed excitedly: “They sell pizza and, and, and apple pie and... and...”

“Pretty much everything, yes.” Scrivener pulled his messenger bag off, dropping it on an empty table before he picked Antares up to sit him on the bench, the foal smiling up at him. “I'm going to go grab some food for us, kiddo. Then... well, I guess you can come to my last class for today. It's not going to be a very fun one, though, so we'll find you a book or something to look at while I teach, okay?”

Antares nodded a few times, gazing up at him happily before Scrivener turned and headed for the lunch line, curious as to what Luna was up to. He could check if he wanted, but the last time he did that in the lunch line, he'd ended up standing and drooling for a few minutes while ponies awkwardly walked around him and poked at him, likely thinking he was stoned until he'd shaken himself out of it.

Luna's job, besides, wasn't as 'official' as his. She was mostly doing it as a favor to Celestia and to keep herself occupied during the day, while Scrivener was working in order to cover his medical bills and because Celestia had asked him to. Twilight was apparently doing work too, but... since that meant doing a lot of notes, sorting, and writing for Celestia, much of it could be done wherever she pleased.

When Scrivener returned to Antares, he first winced when he saw a student sitting beside the colt before sighed in relief when the stallion looked up through his dark silver mane. Scrivener dropped the food tray on the table, then reached a hoof up and rubbed slowly at his face, glad it wasn't Britches or anypony else he had developed an aversion for. “Horses of Heaven, you scared me, Flint. I thought you were uh... somepony else.”

Flint only smiled awkwardly: a deep-green earth pony who had also come from the traditionalist unicorn north, Scrivener had a soft spot for the younger stallion who was struggling along in Canterlot only here because it was better than up north. He bowed his head almost embarrassedly, but Scrivener smiled as he slipped into his seat before Antares asked curiously: “Is he from the story?”

Scrivener opened his mouth... and then his blood ran cold in his veins as he looked slowly over at Flint, remembering the story. Remembering the Moon Blessed, how one had been named Fleur, and the other...

He shook himself hurriedly out as Flint frowned curiously, beginning nervously: “Story? I mean... sir, is something wrong?”

“No, no, nothing. And you don't have to say that, Flint, just... Scrivy. Hell, we're both slave-hoofs, right?” Scrivener smiled a little, and Flint blushed and bowed his head, but visibly relaxed all the same before the charcoal stallion gave Antares a pointed look, and the foal nodded seriously before he picked up the burrito Scrivener had brought and promptly shoved almost all of it into his mouth.

Scrivener repressed a laugh, then he turned his eyes back to Flint, asking curiously: “What's up? You're not in... what class am I teaching next...” Scrivener glanced into his open messenger bag, then wrinkled his muzzle in distaste. “Right. You're not in Classical Equestrian Literature. Which, by the way, is not a class I should be teaching.”

Flint smiled a little, then he shook his head and asked nervously: “I... I was just wondering if it would be okay for me to get an extension on my essay... I really... I really haven't had much time...”

Scrivener cocked his head curiously, and Flint looked at him embarrassedly before he glanced at Antares, then laughed a bit despite himself at the sight of the foal, the burrito still hanging out of his mouth. Then his eyes returned to Scrivy, and he awkwardly mimed a drinking motion, saying finally: “Friend's... party. I'm way behind on my research.”

“No you're not.” Antares pulled the burrito out of his mouth, looking inquisitively up at Flint before he frowned a little. “You okay, mister? You've been crying.”

“I... I have... I have not.” Flint said incredulously, and the deep green pony blushed a bit, rubbing nervously at his bright green eyes, which Scrivener realized were a little puffy. “I just... I mean, it's from drinking.”

“I'm sorry. Who died?” Antares reached out and quietly touched Flint's foreleg with his own hoof, and Flint stared in disbelief. He leaned slowly back, looking spooked at first... but then Antares shook his head slowly, whispering: “You don't have to hide it. Not even if it was for a bad pony. If you cry over a bad pony that just means... you tried that much harder to care for them even though you knew they didn't deserve it.”

Flint closed his eyes, then he bowed his head forwards and whispered: “My mom. She was... she was a unicorn, who treated me like a slave most of the time. I didn't want to talk about it to you, Mr. Blooms, because you know about what it's like and-”

“And that's exactly why you should be honest with me, Flint, because I do understand pain like this. And caring about a parent even though she...” Scrivener stopped, then he shook his head and said quietly: “Don't worry about it, Flint. Get the paper done when you can. I won't penalize you, you're one of my good students.”

Flint smiled in relief, glancing up and nodding hesitantly, and then he slipped away from the table. Scrivener hesitated for a moment as the earth pony began to walk away, and then the charcoal stallion asked impulsively: “How'd you know I was sitting here?”

It was a veiled question, but Flint didn't seem to pick up on it, as he glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. “Well, your stuff was here, and I figured that colt must be your son... you mention him almost every class and he looks a lot like you. He... he sounds like you too, sir, I hope you don't mind me saying.”

“I don't. As long as you try a little harder to call me Scrivy in the future, like everypony else.” Scrivener smiled a bit, nodding to the earth pony, and Flint blushed and bowed his head before he rose a hoof to him. “I'll see you around, Flint.”

Flint nodded and turned before walking quietly away, and Scrivener watched him leave, a frown spreading over his features before he glanced at Antares and asked curiously: “How'd you know? How... how could that even be...”

“I don't know, Dad... it just is.” Antares replied with a shrug, looking up at his father with a bit of a smile. “Gymbr is real, after all, isn't he? So why wouldn't everything he talks about, everyone who was with him... they must be real, too.”

“Yet he never fought Clockwork World, did he?” Scrivener asked thoughtfully, looking down and shaking his head slowly. Then he sighed and smiled across at Antares, saying softly: “But maybe that's a good thing. Eat up your burrito, kiddo, then we'll go to the library.”

Antares nodded a few times, and he gobbled down the food. On the way out, Scrivener stopped at a vending machine to pick up a bottle of cola for his son, tucking this into the messenger bag for now before they made their way to the enormous library and archive of the university.

Nibelung were wandering the shelves in here, Architects who were guardians of the library and on staff because of their expertise in a variety of areas... and because it made it very difficult to steal any of the valuable books in the shelves with the dwarves constantly sorting through the tomes and organizing out everything.

Scrivener smiled a bit as he found an Architect he recognized on duty: Peru, who was still a rookie by the rankings of the Architects, but always happy to lend a hand. He was constantly trying to push forwards the plans for his flying machine... and Scrivener had scared the Helheim out of him one day by asking him mildly if he'd figured out a better design for his zeppelin yet, then cheerfully refused to explain how he knew the exact title for his 'flying machine' until he had helped him smuggle some very valuable books out of the library for Scrivener to peruse at his leisure. Twilight had gotten quite upset with him over this, he remembered, but after about five minutes she had been marveling over the ancient tomes taken from original Canterlot with him.

Since Scrivener had actually brought the books back, and included with them a summarized version of the story he'd dubbed Because Love Conquers All, Peru was now more than glad to trust him and help him out with anything he needed. Which for now was a short novel... something about ghosts, since that was where Antares' interests were right now.

Peru returned with a few books, and Scrivener had shrugged before deciding to take them all: he was here at least three days a week, after all, and Antares liked to read. Once they checked them out, though, Scrivener had to hurry, Antares giggling and riding on his back as they headed to the next class... which he realized with a groan Britches and Slowpoke were also both a part of a moment before he shoved through the door and into the large lecture hall.

The students all watched him, giving him a strange feeling of being judged as he headed over to the podium, then put his son down and said softly: “Go ahead and just read while I teach the class, okay, kiddo? And I'll try not to use too many bad words.”

Antares smiled and nodded, taking one of the books before he brightened when Scrivener gave him the bottle of cola as well, and then the charcoal stallion dug out his textbook and tossed this onto the podium, clearing his throat. He looked up over the class, then grimaced a bit: a good sixty or so students, seated across eighty or so seats. Most of them third years, a few fourth years, a few who were just taking the class for the hell of it before Scrivener flipped the textbook open and began clearly: “Good afternoon, everypony. Let's jump right into things... we were discussing the roles of gender in romantic literature, and our first reading was... Romeo and Jeanette.”

There was a loud snort at this, and then Britches' voice loudly complained: “Females always follow the same roles in every romance, it's contrived and stupid! Just like how mares and stallions are always-”

“We haven't begun yet.” Scrivener said flatly, looking up and scanning the crowd irritably before he shook his head and asked mildly: “Now, I know that this love story has been told so many times a lot of you are desensitized to it, but it does make a good example for our discussion. Remember the age difference as well, in this-”

“Oh, like Filly?” Britches' voice again, and Scrivener sighed even as a few mumbles rose up from the crowd. “What, are all great romantics pedophiles?”

“Well, sure. You can look at the past and the fact that mares married very young, almost while they were fillies, and call pretty much every old romance story a story about pedophilia if you want... or we can just scratch that age number out for now and focus on the gender and the romance aspects of what is clearly a romance story.” Scrivener said tiredly, looking up and adding flatly: “And I swear to Horses of Heaven I will throw your flank out of this classroom if you continue to drag grudges from last class into this one, Divine.”

There was mumbling, but Britches quieted, and instead they delved into calm discussion for a little while before somepony finally asked curiously: “Does the type of writing have anything to do with gender?”

Scrivener smiled at this: the rare comment that actually managed to perk his interest. “Yes and no. Officially, poems are treated as of one gender and the novel is treated as another. Would anypony like to take a guess as to what is what?”

“Poems are masculine, male. The novel is female.” answered a voice, and Scrivener smiled, surprised but pleased as he nodded.

“Correct. But as my wife and many others will tell you, just being a poet doesn't make me a stallion.” Scrivener remarked, and there were a few light chuckles through the crowd. “If you want to look at things purely through the gender systems that have developed over the years, you could argue that all works of this type or that type have more to do with one gender or the other. But it's an inherently flawed argument: as a matter of fact, I find a lot of gender arguments are, because-”

“You're a chauvinist?” remarked an irritable voice, and Scrivener looked moodily for Britches as mumbles ran through the group, a few of the ponies looking awkward and Antares looking up with a frown from his reading.

Scrivener's eyes turned to his son, and he sighed before smiling reassuringly to the child. A moment later, he turned his eyes forwards, saying quietly: “No, because I believe firmly that both genders are equal. Female or male, we're all ponies, all people. We can be what we want to be. Not even our emblems, our cutie marks, determine who we have to be. We can turn those talents into a thousand different things, if we have the will and the drive to.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then Scrivener shook his head, saying quietly: “Romantic literature, you'll find, does favor a lot of traditionalist elements: even if the female is a heroine, she often ends up almost needing a male character to lean on, to take guidance from, and her portrayal becomes someone who is physically strong but emotionally and mentally weak, as if she has a masochistic need to be controlled. That brings up the question: is it possible for a mare to allow herself to appear vulnerable in today's society, without being judged as weak, or frail, or needing a stallion to support her?”

Scrivener smiled up over the crowd: he hated gender arguments, he hated teaching this stuff, but it was all in the lesson plan and it was, unfortunately, something he was required to cover. But as he talked, he thought of Luna... of how strong she was, of how much he admired her, of how she had come in that morning and made his one good class of the day so much better. Of how she and Twilight were doing so much to raise his son to be so strong...

He thought of Celestia, truly a Valkyrie, truly proud and yet able to clearly, calmly, and fearlessly reveal her inner weaknesses, her needs, her anxieties, without ever seeming weak. So different from Luna... who even when she was mashing her face into his neck was clearly the one in charge and control, who even as he was comforting her... it felt like she was the one comforting him. And he smiled, closing his eyes and bowing his head forwards before a voice asked hesitantly: “Well, isn't that all based around society's perceptions? If society refuses to acknowledge you as strong... how can you be seen as strong?”

“Simple. By being strong.” Scrivener replied easily, glancing up with a smile as his eyes opened, and then he reached up and adjusted his glasses, continuing softly: “No culture in the world, no matter how forwards-thinking or backwards-ass, has heroes of only one gender. Because you need to give idols to people to make them idolize ideals. You can't just say, for example 'all mares must serve stallions.' Doesn't work too well, does it? Not exactly a compelling argument.”

He paused, then said softly: “But if I tell you the story of Belle the Obedient, who is held up as a hero for the way she sacrificed her life for that of her masters... well, then you have some mare with 'incredible' qualities, held up as a 'hero.' As what all good little mares are supposed to be. And the good little mares, raised from birth to believe this, are going to chase that ideal, try and become this 'perfect' vision. Whether they believe they're striving for something greater or not. Heroes, idols, they're great ways to get kids to start thinking in one direction, one set way. Just like villains are a great way to show kids what they're not supposed to be... well, until they hit that phase where the bad guys become 'cool,' or worse, they start to sympathize with the villains.”

“So you're saying they only exist as conditioning elements... that there's subliminal messaging in all folk mythos to push us towards... what, deifying certain elements to better maintain societal norms and reduce instances of deviance against society's standards and rules?” asked a voice curiously, and Scrivener looked lamely up over the audience.

“First, who said that, and second, can you phrase it in smaller words? Just because we're in smart school doesn't mean you have to use really smart words.” Scrivener said mildly, glancing back and forth through the crowd as he rubbed awkwardly at his own head, and there were a few scattered laughs before the earth pony shook his head after a moment when there was no response, sighing and saying quietly: “To answer your question, yes, I do believe that stories play a major role in conditioning us in how we act during our lives... hell, a lot of people in way better fields than literature will tell you the same thing, that we all... are basically shaped by a thousand influences, some benign, others forcible, and either way many of them so natural to us that we don't recognize they're actually impacting our thinking until we stop and think about it. Many of you have been programmed to think the way you do by outside influences, just as I have been; we naturally rebel against this thought but... now we're getting way out of the field of romance literature and into free will and psychology, and those are things I'm even worse at than classic lit.”

There were few mumbles through the room, and Scrivener smiled as he looked over the class before his eyes roved to Antares, who was gazing warmly at his father, his book down, looking as if he was drinking in every word whether he understood it or not. Scrivener smiled despite himself at this, and then he quickly turned his eyes back ahead, trying to pretend that happiness he felt was just over his son's approval and the rest of that churning in his stomach was indigestion, not pride, as he began calmly: “Back to Romeo and Jeanette, let's explore the aspect of Jeanette as an individual and a tragic heroine...”

Illusions Of Disaster

Chapter Sixty Four: Illusions Of Disaster
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener and Luna, much as both of them wanted to deny it, had come to enjoy their time at Canterlot: almost every weekend they returned to Ponyville, as they did when classes were on break... but Antares had made quite a few friends around the castle and the surrounding area.

Antares also adored sitting in on his father's classes, and since the colt was quiet and adorable, no one had really complained about it. Well, somepony had – Scrivener was willing to bet that it was Bitchy Britches – but not even the sternest of administrators was immune to Antares' charm. The foal was allowed to sit in as long as he behaved himself, and it was clear to anypony who met Antares that he would.

Luna, meanwhile, was working hard beside Celestia to train the division of Starlit Knights in Canterlot, and she took a deep, strangely-tender joy when Applejack, Big Mac, Rainbow Dash, and Soarin' all temporarily transferred themselves during the cold winter months from the Ponyville Division to the Canterlot Division so they could be better trained. Sometimes other former Knights would come visit for short periods as well,to take part in training exercises or just to experience Luna's tutelage all over again: her training was nasty, sometimes showy, but always effective.

Luna and Celestia also had another project going, that only a few knew about: members of Canterlot's Starlit Knights who could be trusted to keep a secret and the demon Amdusias, who had found out anyway with his ability to sniff out other supernatural entities. In the catacombs and ruins inside the hollows of the mountain, they were steadily building a larger and larger hive: one that was already filled with industrious Nightmares and Phooka, the Nibelung Architect Illyria aiding in the construction and Tenochtitlan the design of some of the equipment they had asked for, despite the worries both he and Greece had.

But Celestia knew that they needed their own army to battle Clockwork World: they needed their own special forces to counter the mechanical order and complexity being brought against them, and she trusted Luna's judgment and Luna's word... and even more, had come to trust many of the denizens of the night, and even respect them. And that was why she had worked alongside the Nibelung to craft special armor and gear to better outfit their supernatural forces.

For now, they had only crafted five suits of special golden armor, that included heavy face-masks and thin but strong gold and steel plating. Iron and silver couldn't be used because it would be toxic to the Nightmares, and while the heavy armor plating would nullify some of their powers – turning invisible, for one, as well as becoming insubstantial – the armor did permit them to leave their realm of the night and walk in the sunlight.

The hive beneath Canterlot fed off the emotional and spiritual energies that filtered down from the city above and a diet of food provided from farms: Phooka enjoyed milk and berries as well as meat, while the Nightmares were content to eat fish as well as flesh, as were the few demons that had taken up residence in Canterlot's underbelly. It was on its way to becoming a subterranean city in its own right: a city of dark creatures, in Canterlot's shadow.

It did have effects on the population above, however: emotions ran hotter, crime rates rose, especially in the lower sections of Canterlot: not economically, but physically. All the same, it was less damaging than Celestia had expected, and she thought that there was likely a way to balance feeding the darker residents that lived beneath the city and keeping the streets above as peaceful as possible... it was just a matter of figuring it out.

Canterlot wasn't the only place with strange projects running, either: in Ponyville, Cowlick had been working excitedly away on a variety of projects with Ross, running her staff ragged as she pulled apart and examined the remains of the Clockwork Ponies and 59133, trying to reverse engineer what she could and otherwise studying the technology compulsively, amazed by the level of it and the way that magic had been weaved in to power and protect the synthetics.

One thing she was working on in particular were how to create and interrupt electrical discharges: after witnessing what had happened when she'd hot-wired the speaker's electrical grid and Luna had then blasted it to create an electromagnetic pulse – something she'd read about, never before tried, and was just now understanding how damned useful something like that could be when they were faced with opponents who seemed to favor advanced technology even more than she did – she was determined to replicate the effect without the use of magic. Not that it had ever been done outside of a lab setting, particularly not in this world, but she was damned determined to figure it out one way or another.

She had also partly dismantled 59133's golem body, realizing that it was more of an exoskeleton around the 'core' that had been formed by the dragon's corpse than an actual golem. Like a suit of armor... and she planned to take advantage of this once she figured out how it all worked and whether or not she could bring her crazy ideas to life.

Of course, at the moment, Cowlick was also powering herself mainly through coffee and the occasional amphetamine, and it took Celestia herself visiting and telling Cowlick soothingly to slow down to finally get the engineer to relax a little. During this visit, Celestia had also retrieved the one remaining tube of corruption to examine herself at Canterlot, with the help of both Odin and Kvasir.

Odin himself was tired and weakening: not even Luna had hostility for him when she saw the state he was in, and Kvasir had become very quiet, lost much of his edge and treated the old once-god with gentility, like he was not just fading friend, but fading father. Not that Odin would likely die any time soon: he was still holding on, still had good days where he only carried his walking stick... but the bad days were more common, and more pronounced. Yet still, he was determined to do everything he could to help... he was determined to stop Clockwork World, even if it was the last thing he did before he passed on to wherever it was that gods went when they died.

Yet things were peaceful through the winter, and it allowed them to get a lot of things done, to help friends and family both, to clear up old grudges. And as the term began to wind down, Scrivener found himself sitting in his Writer's Craft class, looking over these ponies he all knew by name, these students he all respected and who he felt all respected him to one degree or another, and he smiled despite himself, saying quietly: “Your final assignment is to write me a story, and I'm not going to make it easy on you. No minimum length, no maximum length... grammar and spelling and mechanics are only worth, let's say...”

He looked up thoughtfully. “Eleven percent. That's a nice, frustrating, arbitrary number. Also means all of you will try to get at least one percent because a ninety looks so much better than an eighty nine, right?” He smiled over the group, and there were both laughs and a few glares at him. “The meat of your marks is going to come from whether or not you evoke an emotional response, however. I know, completely unfair, but that's exactly why I'm doing it. I want you all to try your damnedest to see if you can get me to laugh, or smile, or cry... but please don't just write me something to make me angry, I'll likely only pass you if you do that.

“Let's toss in a few other arbitrary rules, though, to see what you've learned. I don't care about the... perspective you... Antares?” Scrivener turned his attention away from the class as he caught a movement in the corner of his eye, and then he frowned as Antares began to look wildly back and forth, turning towards him as a mumble ran through the class. “Kiddo, hey, what is it?”

Antares started whimpering, and Scrivener hurried over to him before he reached forwards to grasp the foal, but it was like Antares didn't even feel his hooves, couldn't even see him as the foal asked clearly: “Daddy? Where did you go? D-Dad! Dad, where am I... I...”

“He's hallucinating... okay Antares, I...” Scrivener leaned forwards, trying to pick his son up, and he gritted his teeth in surprise at how heavy he felt before Antares yelled and began to struggle violently, knocking Scrivener sprawling in surprise before the foal ran forwards, stumbling over his father's body and making Scrivener curse in shock and pain before Antares fell over with a shriek of fear-

And a cut appeared on his cheek, ripping viciously enough to send blood spraying back into Scrivener's face as the stallion almost fell over in horror, his eyes widening as other ponies began to scramble up from their seats, but Scrivener rose a hoof as Antares shouted desperately: “Help me! Help me, Dad, they're all around me! Help me!”

“Antares!” Scrivener shouted, rolling over, and then he leapt to his hooves and ran forwards as Antares bolted towards the doors. The foal ran out into the hall, yelling and shouting and panicking, and Scrivener followed, cursing as ponies stared in surprise and Antares ran into them every now and then, not seeing them but crying out as he bounced off them, looking terrified as he gazed back and forth and Scrivener yelled, feeling Luna beginning to panic in his mind: “Antares, stop, you're hallucinating! Antares, they're not real!”

But no hallucination could cause the cut on Antares' cheek, and Scrivener was terrified of what that meant, of what Antares was seeing, before his eyes widened when a pony ahead tried to grab the foal and Antares went into a screaming frenzy, the charcoal stallion catching the words: 'they're getting closer' amidst the desperate babbling, enough for him to shout: “Let my son go!”

“I'm just-” the pony began, and then Antares lashed his horn up as it gave a pulse: the telekinetic blast he emitted wasn't very strong, but it was powerful enough to dislodge him from the pony and let him leap forwards before Scrivener shot around him, shadowing his colt as Antares sobbed and cried out in terror and he began to focus his eyes, only hoping he would be able to see what Antares was seeing...

And to Antares, the building had become a nightmare: behind him, there were terrible monsters dressed only in chains, nails and spikes and arrows sticking out of their bodies as they dragged themselves after him, slowly advancing as they whispered horrible things to him, as they moaned and pleaded and rasped.

The halls were red and rust-covered, and chains and cobwebs hung from the ancient ceiling overhead: the floor was smeared with goo and blood and living shadows that humped up occasionally in front of him, clawing at him, as he felt invisible presences all around him, trying to grab him, trying to hurt him; he saw their eyes, staring eyes, flickering open in the midair to glare at him, heard the echo of voices coming from them. It was terrifying and mind-numbing... but worst of all, even worse somehow than the things crawling behind him, because they at least were slow... were the churning, violently spinning sawblades that covered the walls, walls that all around him were slowly, slowly closing in...

Antares yelled again for his father, crying as he ran through the corridor, feeling like he was being herded onwards by some evil force before he hit something invisible again, felt something seizing, grabbing at him, bruising him before it was knocked off and he shook free. He ran forwards again, crying out in fear and desperation...

And in reality, Scrivener was slowed as two security guards grabbed him, shouting at him to calm down and stop as a third lay prone on the floor, clutching at his stomach. He had tried to grab Antares and stop him, but Scrivener's eyes were almost glowing as auras and illusions flickered in and out of reality around him, before the earth pony snarled and suddenly let himself drop down.

Immediately, one of the earth ponies leapt on top of him to try and pin him... and Scrivener bucked hard forwards as he leapt back to his hooves, sending the guard flying before he simply seized the second guard, slammed him back into a wall, and bared his sharp teeth as he snarled in his face: “Stay out of my way.”

The guard trembled at Scrivener's glowing eyes, going limp at the determination and the aggression and the raw animal he saw in them, and the strength he felt in the earth pony's hooves that was driven further by desperation. Scrivener breathed hard for a moment, then he threw the guard aside and turned, running quickly after his son and then wincing as Antares skidded suddenly to halt, screaming and covering his face...

...as blades of metal shot up in front of him and down from the ceiling, sending down a hail of cobwebs and dried blood as the spikes gnashed together like teeth, and a female voice laughed mockingly at him. Antares screamed, almost falling over and dragging himself backwards as another set of spikes ripped up from the ground and tore down from the roof, forcing him backwards as he looked desperately back and forth, then shrieked as he gazed over his shoulder, saw the ghosts and undead things dragging themselves faster, more eagerly, as the sawblades closed in on either side...

And then he realized that amidst the roaring blades was an ajar door, and Antares yanked himself to his hooves and bolted for it, spikes ripping out of the ground behind the foal as his wings flapped before he screamed as a spike ripped out of the ground and tore through the edge of one of these, making him stumble in pain before he turned and lunged between the sawblades and into the door...

A professor looked up dumbly as Antares staggered into the lecture hall... followed a moment later by Scrivener Blooms, breathing raggedly, looking desperate before he ran towards his son and swept him up in his forelegs, hugging him fiercely against his chest as Antares screamed. Ponies stared in shock, but Scrivener ignored them, ignored them all as he hugged his son close and whispered into Antares' ear: “It's not real... it feels real, and it looks real, but it's not real, I need you to believe it's not real...”

Antares sobbed hard as he felt himself hefted into the air by some invisible force, feeling helpless: there was no way out of this room. There was no way out: the hall was filled with blades and dead things and monsters, and from their rows of seats, countless dead ponies stared down at him coldly, cruelly, without compassion or emotion. The floors were covered in blood and bile, and there was no ceiling above, only a thousand staring eyes of all shape and size...

And then he closed his eyes, curling up, and he felt it: he felt his father's warm embrace, felt himself being cradled and rocked, felt wetness pattering down his features. He reached up, grabbing at the stallion, burying his face against the comfort of his chest...

He opened his teary eyes, and looked up to see his father holding him close, rocking silently with him tight in his forelegs as Antares breathed hard in and out, trembling weakly. Scrivener's eyes were glowing faintly as he gazed down at his son, black tears streaming down his cheeks as he held him close... and Antares whimpered before he buried his face against his father's chest, clinging to him as he whispered: “It was so real...”

“I know.” Scrivener replied quietly, stroking soothingly through his mane, gazing silently at his son: it hurt his eyes, but the pain was welcome, and he envied the radiant aura that surrounded his child... an aura run through with streaks of red and black from the terror and the pain he had suffered... before Scrivener looked up sharply as he heard a loud scream that wasn't from his mind or generated by the illusion.

The still-stunned professor looked up... and then cried out in fear and stumbled backwards, a yell going through the crowd and the gathered students as the door leading into the lecture hall was shoved open and an enormous monster dragged itself through, breathing heavily through its gaping mouths. Scrivener looked over his shoulder, eyes widening, and Antares whimpered before the charcoal stallion put his son down and turned around, shouting: “Get to safety, Antares! Go, hurry, hide!”

The monster looked slowly up, lion's head snarling... before it was joined by a goat's head and a hissing, red-scaled dragon's. The three-headed monster shivered once, spreading enormous wings as clawed, mismatched but powerful limbs tore against the ground. It dragged itself to face Scrivener, breathing heavily and still looking lethargic, almost drugged as its eyes glowed... and the stallion didn't need to have his strange visions activated to be able to clearly see that this monster was under the control of someone.

A Chimera... a rarer Equestrian monster, big brother to the Manticore, sharing many similarities: from the powerful wings to the deadly, long scorpion tail that slowly rose into a stinging position, as a second, reptilian tail that was covered in spikes and ended in a nasty bone club snapped back and forth behind it. Scrivener gritted his teeth: Manticore were bad enough, but nine times out of ten, a fully-grown Chimera would eat a Manticore for breakfast when it came to a fight between them.

The students were already flocking up the stairs to the back of the lecture hall, and the professor was hiding in a corner. Antares had run up to the first row of seats, and was hiding behind them, staring desperately as the Chimera visibly began to shake off its lethargy, lion head snarling, dragon head twisting back and forth as it belched red flames, goat's head almost barking, revealing sharp fangs that didn't belong in any goat's jaws. The six eyes of the monster lost their glow, and it leaned forwards and roared furiously in an echoing cacophony before Scrivener leaned forwards and roared back, keeping the beast's attention focused on him: he couldn't let it turn its attention on anypony else.

The monster snarled, and the aura Scrivener could see around it changed, darkened into what he recognized as fury and hunger. He cursed under his breath, knowing that his strange vision would be both helpful and hindering: it distracted him, but it also let him get an idea of what-

The Chimera ran forwards, attempting to simply pounce on the smaller pony, and Scrivener dove and slid beneath the beast. It crashed into the carpeted floor, skidding on its face towards the wall even as its clawed forelegs and rear hooves tried quickly to lever itself up, tails snapping back and forth as Scrivener kept himself low and crawled hurriedly away before it snarled over its shoulder with its dragon's head.

The mace-ended, barbed tail slammed fiercely down, and Scrivener howled in pain as it caught his back leg before he could throw himself clear, ripping a wound in the hind limb before he scrambled to his hooves as the Chimera hurriedly spun itself around. The charcoal pony winced, staggering to the side as it clawed at him, then ducking beneath a sharp, thankfully high sting of the scorpion's tail as he threw himself to the side and stumbled into the professor's podium.

The tail stabbed fiercely down again, and Scrivener threw himself backwards, the tail ripping only into the base of the podium and the floor. It ripped backwards, sending up a burst of wooden splinters before the dragon's jaws lunged forwards, biting savagely, and Scrivener half fell around the podium before he snarled and leapt up, ramming against the heavy rectangular block of wood and knocking it over to smash down on the coiling neck of the dragon's head.

It gasped in surprise as the lion's head roared in frustration, shoving at the heavy wooden podium with one claw as its rear hooves tried to drag it backwards and free, but the red dragon's horns caught against the other side of the wood. It gave Scrivener all the time he needed to leap forwards, slamming all four hooves down into the heavy wooden block, and there was a sickening crunch as several vertebrae along the dragon's neck snapped loudly.

The head screamed once before falling still and lifeless, and the Chimera roared as it leapt forwards, ignoring the way its dragon's head bent and twisted as it clawed savagely at Scrivener. The charcoal stallion barely managed to stagger out of the way before the goat's head slammed forwards, butting into his side and cracking his ribs as he was sent flying.

The charcoal stallion crashed on his side, skidding backwards with a curse of pain before he rolled up to his hooves as the Chimera reared back and shoved the podium forwards, dislodging its dead dragon's head before it roared fiercely at him, but Scrivener only snarled in response before the wounded monster charged, trying to leap forwards to pin him; the last thing it expected was for Scrivener to leap forwards as well, smashing his hooves against its leonine skull and kicking off it as he propelled himself over its broad back and past its scorpion's tail.

The Chimera crashed to the ground and stumbled, tripping over its own dead head and rolling once to flop heavily on its back as Scrivener landed on his hooves, spinning around and breathing hard. The monster roared furiously at him, and the charcoal stallion grimaced: all he'd managed to do was piss it off. As it yanked itself back to its claws, he prepared himself, tensing his body: Chimera were plenty savage and vicious, but they were intelligent enough to problem solve, too... meaning in all likelihood, it wouldn't simply let him charge over its body again without retaliation.

The monster hauled itself up, roared, and charged forwards, and Scrivener tensed himself before leaping up, clearing its skull this time to land on its back before the Chimera snarled and landed smoothly this time on all fours, trying to buck Scrivener off. The earth pony dropped down, bracing himself against its skull and wings, and the Chimera roared in frustration before its scorpion tail rose and then stabbed viciously downwards-

Scrivener slipped out of the way, the stinger ripping a shallow cut just past him, making him howl in pain at the feeling of acidic toxin spilling into the wound and over his skin from contact alone... before the Chimera screamed as its own stinger plunged into its back. It hurriedly yanked it back, but Scrivener leapt up, seizing the large, rotund stinger and yanking it down to force the monster to sting itself again, hitting its spine this time.

He barely had the strength to make it do so before it flicked its tail savagely backwards, and Scrivener was yanked into the air and thrown behind the Chimera, crashing to the ground and rolling several times before he cursed under his breath. It was way too strong... and he snarled as he hauled himself to his hooves as the Chimera roared at him, then charged eagerly even though its back was already reeking of burning, rotting flesh-

A fireball shot out, smashing into the Chimera's face, and it was knocked staggering before Luna shot into the room, snarling in fury. As the beast staggered backwards, Luna slammed into its features, knocking it sprawling with a senseless howl as she kicked off the leonine center head before flicking her horn upwards, and a blast of lightning erupted from the air, crashing into the monster's cracked skull.

The Chimera screamed and staggered backwards, electricity tearing back and forth over it in broad arcs before Luna and Scrivener both shot forwards as the wounded, distracted beast gargled and spasmed... and then they both smashed straight into it, ramming directly into its head with a loud crunch and both wincing at the electricity that sparked from its body over theirs before the Chimera was knocked sprawling backwards.

For a moment, it only shivered on the ground, the arcs of electricity fading as the goat's head bleated weakly... and then this too dropped flat as the lion's head exhaled a weak, broken moan. Scrivener and Luna both looked down at the broken beast, either dead or very close to it from the state of its crushed-in central head: the head in the center was the one that had the brain and controlled the rest of the body, and once it was destroyed, the Chimera tended to die out before very long.

There was silence... and then Scrivener dropped his head forwards with a sigh of relief as Antares ran hurriedly down from the first row, charging over to his parents. Luna leapt forwards, picking him up in a tight embrace, her armor glinting over her body as she looked worriedly over at Scrivener. “By Mimir's head, what... what happened, Scrivy? And had I not been close by...”

“I know. I know, but you were and...” Scrivener gritted his teeth, shaking his head slowly and disbelievingly as he looked down at the crushed Chimera. “Antares was... was seeing things, and then this monster attacked us... it was being controlled by something...”

He closed his eyes for a moment, visions still flickering through his mind before he looked across at Luna... then frowned and shivered a bit as he saw Nightmare Moon: not in Luna, whose aura was radiant and yet dark, but standing behind her, snarling silently. Scrivener could only stare, even as students began to nervously filter down the lecture hall and the professor pushed herself to her hooves, before the dark entity leaned slowly forwards and whispered something into Luna's ear.

The sapphire mare's eyes widened in shock... and then a snarl slowly spread over her face as she squeezed Antares closer, saying coldly: “It looks as if thou shall be taking the rest of the day off work, Scrivener Blooms. We have some old friends to pay a visit to.”

And without another word, Luna quickly put Antares on Scrivener's back before she turned and led him out, neither answering any more questions as they hurried out into the hall and ran through the panicked university corridors, the only things either of them aware of being Antares still whimpering on Scrivener's back... and Nightmare Moon swearing terrible, bitter vengeance against the Norns for daring to hurt their poor, sweet Antares Mīrus.

Scrivener grimaced and rubbed at his side through his armor: it didn't hurt, and the cut had long been healed, but his side was still numb from the toxin of the Chimera spreading through his nerves. It was a strange feeling... made more annoying when Luna had jabbed him in the side with her horn and he hadn't felt it, which had just led Luna to poking him harder until she'd managed to dig her horn half an inch into his side. Finally, at this point she had started complaining about the pain she was now in herself, and he had realized what she was doing and shoved her grumpily away.

All the same, it was a sign that they had calmed themselves down: much of that, however, had to do with the fact that Twilight and Kvasir were both looking after Antares. It was strange for Luna to think of how they were trusting the homunculus god with her son... but at the same time, she felt strangely confident in him, as she traded a look with Scrivener Blooms and he smiled a bit, telling her that he felt the same way.

Above their heads was only darkness, and all around them, they could hear things shifting through the shadows, watching them intently and curiously: they were standing in Subterra, the supernatural den beneath Canterlot, in one of the enormous, half-constructed halls. It was going on late evening now, and they had only recently finished preparations for what they were about to do: take a trip to Asgard to force their way into a meeting with the Norns.

There was no doubt any longer that it had been the Fates, playing a sick game with Antares' head... perhaps even trying to kill him. Odin had recognized Antares' description of what had been chasing him as damned souls, tortured for going against the laws of life and death, and the magic that had been employed: illusions so powerful they became real, a favorite of the Norns. Even the Chimera: an animal, twisted to the will of a greater force, sent in as a last resort when Antares had broken through the illusionary world and returned to reality.

Odin himself now stood quietly at one side of the hall, giving them time: they were only waiting on Celestia. She wanted to go with them, but they needed her here, in case something happened... here, or in Asgard. But she could at least help send them off... and Luna hesitated before she sighed as she looked towards Odin, saying quietly: “I appreciate that thou art here to aid us. That thou... helped us calm down, and convinced us to take some time to both rest and prepare ourselves for what is to come. And that thou... believes in us.”

Odin only smiled, however, shrugging and gesturing quietly towards a pair of large staves that had been set into the ground, topped with glowing, thrumming gemstones. “All I'm doing is helping turn that on... and showing faith in a Valkyrie who has earned that and more long ago. Besides, you and Scrivener Bloom have a score to settle with the Norns... and it's not as if I'm going to complain if something happens to them.”

“Aye, true. 'Tis amusing all the same for me, though, Odin... I must admit that I enjoy it, though, I do.” Luna replied softly, shaking her head and smiling a little as she looked at the aging, falcon-headed god. “To be... aligned against something, aye. But... but thou shall help keep watch over Antares, aye?”

“Of course, Brynhild.” Odin said softly, bowing his head as he smiled a little, then he glanced up with surprise at the sight of Celestia striding calmly into the room: not at the sight of her in her battle armor, but instead because both Amdusias and Pinkamena were flanking her. “I didn't expect you to bring friends.”

“Amdusias can lend some of his power to opening the portal... he's still a strong, knowledgeable demon.” Celestia said softly, and Amdusias looked pleased with himself as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back a bit before the ivory winged unicorn added quietly: “Pinkamena, on the other hoof, wanted to wish you well-”

“I wanted to tell you to kick their asses, that's all.” Pinkamena interrupted moodily, rubbing absently at her tattooed breast, and Luna and Scrivener both looked at the demon curiously, at the way she seemed both pleased about something and yet furious, her eyes dark and glaring. “Your kid wasn't the only one the Norns decided to play a trick on. They tricked Sleipnir into thinking I was a goddamn monster or something. Nimrod attacked me until I slapped some sense back into him, and then he went ballistic until I slapped him again. Cute seeing him getting so worked up but... ain't worth it. Think it was just 'cause I'm carrying his kid.”

She glanced absently to the side, even as a faint blush rose in her cheeks, and Luna's jaw dropped as Scrivener leaned forwards in amazement, before Pinkamena huffed and glared at them, snapping: “What? You got a problem?”

“That's it.” Odin said softly, and Pinkamena glared at him before the once-god said slowly: “That's why the Norns attacked you, Pinkamena, why they attacked Antares... children, born of those who don't bow to Fate. The Norns have no say, no control, in the lives of your children... that's why they didn't simply kill Antares: they couldn't. They cannot write his story... any more than they can write the story of a child born to a demon and a reborn god...”

“I knew it!” Pinkamena stomped a hoof, snarling, and then she grinned widely, her eyes blazing. “No wonder, I just found out yesterday that I've got a tumor in my womb and today Sleipnir tries to play redneck hoedown with me? I knew the goddamn Norns had to have something to do with it!”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, and then the sapphire mare rose a hoof, saying awkwardly: “Pinkamena, 'tis... 'tis hard to be vengeful and murderous when I also desire to celebrate with thee thy... well, this unexpected blessing. 'Tis-”

“Ain't important. Not right now, anyway and right now this thing in my belly ain't even a proper fetus. So who cares?” Pinkamena retorted sharply, and then she winced when Celestia smiled and reached a hoof up to rest on her back. “Oh screw you, Princess Sunshine.”

Celestia only sighed softly, and Luna rolled her eyes before she softened as Scrivener said quietly: “Then we do have another reason to be vengeful. Every kid deserves a chance, right? And the Norns are trying to take your kid away before he can even... become a kid. And when we get back... we can celebrate properly. All together.”

Pinkamena grumbled, but then she nodded before looking up and saying quietly: “I wish I could come with you losers.”

“Well, worry not, Gluttony, I'm sure you can drown your sorrows in ice cream and cake and cake.” Amdusias said dryly, and then he winced and shrank back as Pinkamena glared at him with a growl from Celestia's other side. “What? The Draconequus told me to say it.”

“And since when do you listen to him?” Celestia asked, and Amdusias shrugged moodily before the ivory winged unicorn sighed and shook her head slowly, looking forwards and saying quietly: “But we shouldn't delay. I'm glad to see you both ready...” She paused, studying Luna and Scrivener, from polished and embossed armor to the telescopic spear resting in the holster on Luna's back. “But every moment we delay now is another the Norns have to prepare for your arrival. They will not make getting to them easy.”

“And we shall not make their punishment for overstepping their bounds slight.” Luna replied calmly, rolling her shoulders and shaking herself briskly out. “'Twill most certainly be more than a lecture they receive this time from us.”

“Just be careful. And do not underestimate them, Luna, they are extremely dangerous. I would not even permit you to go, except...” Celestia closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. “They can't be allowed to think that they can do anything they please, without repercussions. Especially if they are trying to harm Antares and Pinkamena's unborn, simply because... their stories cannot be modified by the Fates. Simply because as Fate, they think they deserve to control the outcome of all things.”

Scrivener nodded slowly in agreement, swallowing slowly as he thought of what they were going up against... but he felt Luna's confidence, Luna's courage, and Luna's determination. Gods, Fates, Jötnar... it didn't matter to her. All that mattered was that these beings had dared to try and harm Antares, and now she would teach them why no one, mortal or otherwise, tried to harm her beloved son.

“Be careful, Brynhild. And remember, head straight through Asgard... you won't have many friends in Valhalla, and my more unpleasant allies may be bolder knowing that I am not around to keep them in line.” Odin advised quietly, and Luna nodded firmly once before the once-god turned towards the staves, adding softly: “Good luck, my friend.”

The sapphire mare smiled faintly, nodding a little at this as Celestia and Amdusias both turned towards the staves as well, and Pinkamena grumbled as she backed up a few paces, watching moodily as Celestia's horn glowed and both demon and once-god rose a hand.

Luna watched as the crystalline heads of the staves lit up, and eerie lightning began to spark between them, rumbling loudly as the force of energy grew between the focal conductors. And, slowly, the lightning twisted, then grew and formed into a wide, broad rip in reality that Scrivener and Luna both hurried towards, the crystal-tipped staves already shivering violently, already starting to crack as the two ponies rushed through the portal and down a tunnel of light.

They ripped out the other side a moment before the portal shut behind them in a crackle of lightning, staggering into the sunlit road in front of the enormous castle of Valhalla. The two looked quickly back and forth, Luna grinning despite herself as Scrivener rolled his shoulders slowly, and then her eyes flashed as she looked over at him and said easily: “'Tis funny, isn't it, Scrivy? I have to wonder whether or not our friends and family secretly desire us dead or if they truly believe in us.”

“You saw how furious even Twilight was, when we explained what happened... besides, who else has that level of power? Not even Clockwork World would do something so cowardly, either... they've always come right after us, never after our kids.” Scrivener replied quietly, and Luna grunted before the two ponies turned towards the castle and ran forwards, the earth pony grimacing after a moment and muttering: “I just hope that we don't end up dying of unknown or irrational causes before we even reach the Norns...”

“Oh, fear not, Scrivener. I think they expect us. I think they are well aware that whether their trap failed or succeeded, we would lay blame upon them first: I think 'twas their sick way of requesting another meeting with us, but this time the meeting shall go according to our terms.” Luna said grimly, and Scrivener grunted and nodded firmly in agreement as the two ran across the immense drawbridge and through the enormous, open gates of the castle. “Let us trigger their trap, let us 'cordially accept' their 'request' to meet... and let us show them why they should not dare to tamper with the foals and family and friends of ponies such as ourselves.”

“Pinkamena...” Scrivener murmured softly, and Luna smiled a little despite herself before Scrivener laughed a bit even as they ran through an open door, and began to hurry down the halls past curious Nibelung and other entities that gazed at them with surprise: less because of who and what they were and more because of the rush they were in. “I'm happy as hell for her. But her foal is going to make Avalon look like Fluttershy.”

“'Twill be amazing. I am surprised that Sleipnir didn't rush over to tell us the moment he found out... but perhaps Pinkamena has not yet told him, or been too subtle about it. Or perhaps he meant to, but then the trick of the Norns...” Luna gritted her teeth. “Clockwork World has no honor, but at least they are not skulking cowards! Just thinking of that wretched trickery... 'tis enough to make my blood boil, Scrivener Blooms!”

Scrivener grunted in agreement, nodding as they hurried onwards through the maze of corridors. Only one Knight of Valhalla tried to stop them, and when Luna simply smashed through him and continued on her way, the other Knights hurriedly made a big show of carefully helping their stunned comrade to his feet instead of chasing after the two ponies, and Luna grinned sourly over her shoulder before they finally made their way through an open set of double doors and out onto the long, winding bridge over the river.

They galloped down to the maw of the cavern that would take them to the Norns... and then a wave of vertigo passed over both ponies, knocking them stumbling before Scrivener's hoof caught against a rock and he spilled forwards, falling and skidding painfully as Luna cursed and ground to a stop to drop against the side of the rocky tunnel. The vertigo sensation only worsened for a moment if anything, however, before a voice said coldly in their minds: This is not an intelligent course of action, Luna Brynhild. Turn back immediately ,or face the consequences.

“Oh, I am so terrified! Damnation, Norns, thou art only making this worse for thyselves!” Luna raged, glaring upwards furiously before there was a sharp, short laugh in their minds as the disorientation faded, and the winged unicorn looked back and forth before she called sharply: “So thee and thine take responsibility for that which was done to my beloved son?”

And to the Devourer demon and fallen-so-low Thor. And to a few others, as well... pity you won't figure out who until later... retorted another icy voice, and Scrivener gritted his teeth as he stood up, before the voice added disgustedly: Vile filth. You are not welcome here...

But all the same, come to us, and we shall welcome you... added a third voice, and both ponies thought this time it was Urd speaking despite how hard it was to tell the Norns apart. Assuming, of course, you pass our trials.

“What a sick, pedantic game... art thou not the Fates, does thou not already know whether or not we are deemed 'worthy?'” Luna shouted mockingly, but frustration tinged her voice as well before she looked over at Scrivener Blooms, and the earth pony nodded quickly. A moment later, the two were sprinting ahead again as the only response to Luna's question was quiet laughter.

They shot through the tunnel and out onto the slope... but this time, there was no beautiful vale waiting for them as they stumbled to a halt in front of a stone staircase that led down into what looked like a deep, terrible trench in the earth, guarded by an archway inscribed with the words: 'Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here.'

“Oh, how cute.” Scrivener said moodily, gazing at the floes of magma pouring from the cliff walls and down into the scarred trench as he realized the steam and smog venting out of it were making it hard to tell exactly what was down there. And then he grimaced as he looked up at the sky above, at how blue and beautiful it was, as he muttered: “More illusions.”

Not illusions. Simply... alterations, that is all... murmured one of the Norns, and there was a pause before it began in slow, mocking tones: Our story begins with two little dogs seeking redemption. And like all who seek redemption... first they must wade through the valley of punishment and face their sins. One is a dishonored Berserk, the other, a lowly, craven Witch.

“Oh look, Scrivener Blooms, thou gets to be a witch because clearly I am the Berserk.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener grunted moodily. “Can thou not cast a spell to get us past this impediment?”

“Aren't you supposed to be descending into battle rage and charging headlong into Hell?” Scrivener asked flatly, and Luna grunted grumpily in return before the two ponies faced forwards and strode quickly down the steps, grimacing as they passed through the archway and a strange, painful tingling spread across both their bodies, the winged unicorn cursing under her breath, mane sparking as it flicked backwards and Nightmare Moon hissed. “The air... 'tis hostile.”

“The whole environment is hostile.” Scrivener muttered, looking back and forth with a wince down the length of the trench: there was only one clear path ahead, a cracked highway of blackened basalt that curled back and forth down the long stretch of the trench. Otherwise, the ground looked hostile... and Scrivener looked slowly down at the dark stone beneath his hooves before he rose his eyes up, noting the crimson swirl of the sky above, streaks of lightning and fire shooting through the poisoned air.

Luna nodded with a grunt, looking moodily back and forth before she strode quickly out onto the dark stone path, grimacing a bit as she muttered: “Then let us pass quickly. It feels as if it is eating at my skin beneath my armor, Scrivener, and my mind beneath my skull. Let us hurry forwards.”

Scrivener nodded in agreement, falling into pace beside her as they stuck to the dark stone highway, following its warped twists and wincing at the occasional burst of steam that vomited out of the cracked, poisoned earth that made up the floor of this long, death-filled ravine.

As they continued down the twisting, curling stone road, the air began to grow more oppressive, darkening deeper and further around them as worse things that smoke and steam wafted by. Scrivener kept his eyes averted from the shapes of aphotic specters, and Luna glared ahead, her starry locks pulsing faintly, the blue glow emanating from them like a faint, peaceful beacon in this poisoned crimson world.

But more and more, it grew heavier, more dangerous, even as the black road ramped upwards and became a relatively-straight, clunky and wide black bridge of stone. Slowly, the cliffs to either side faded, and the light brightened beneath them as a chilly, awful humidity filled the air. Wet and cold... and yet all the same, the black stone pathway felt hot.

Scrivener stopped to look over the edge of the bridge, leaning over the thin steel railing... and he grimaced at what he saw below. Ugly, poisonous flames, vomiting noxious fumes into the air as they burned over alien monuments that floated in a massive lake of magma. They were walking along a dark highway, in a dark world... and in the distance all around them, there was only smoke and mist, the actual scope made all the harder to judge by the ghostly, misshapen spirits that floated silently here and there through the red skies.

It felt like hours since they had begun their journey before they finally saw something ahead... and Scrivener and Luna slowed to a halt in front of three grinning, monsters statues of Luna, Sleipnir, and Celestia, each in a battle pose, each with emaciated, demonized bodies and shark-like jaws. Luna shivered at this despite it being the same trick the Norns had played on them before, before the monstrous Luna leaned forwards and spread her bat-like wings, mocking in a rasp that startled both the ponies: “Are you prepared to face your sins?”

“You destroyed us all, little sister. You were why I died.” Sleipnir's statue whispered, as drool and bile spilled from his jaws, and the monument shivered before it tore itself free from its base, leaving jagged spikes of concrete sticking out of its detailed, large hooves.

“Why couldn't you just swallow your pride, for once?” The vile Celestia murmured, looking slowly up as red flames burst from her bald scalp, dripping down her features like oil. “It was you... you who are responsible for the division of the Aesir... you, who gave the opening, the weakness, the vulnerability...”

The statue yanked itself free of its base, and Luna and Scrivener both readied themselves before their eyes widened as they heard a rumbling from behind them, and Scrivener looked quickly back as Luna kept her eyes forwards and on the three monsters in front of them as they formed a loose semicircle.

And behind them, two more stone monstrosities now stood: one of Twilight with a broken horn and no wings, and the other of Scrivener, with a body overgrown with poisonous thorns and brambles and empty sockets dripping teary trails of black corruption. It only chuckled weakly, jaws falling open and more black poison dripping from them as Twilight whispered: “Why didn't you truly ever care about me... you only used me... we were supposed to be together forever, Luna...”

Both Luna and Scrivener resisted the urge to respond to any of the monstrosities, looking back and forth before the charcoal stallion closed his eyes, dropping his head forwards and murmuring: “We all have to face our own sins, don't we? Otherwise, they come back to haunt us... we all have our burdens to bear, our regrets, and our mistakes...”

“Thou art saying this is a riddle. A puzzle, not a confrontation.” Luna said slowly, and Scrivener nodded hesitantly before Luna slowly loosened her ready stance... and as the statues made no move to attack them, she grimaced in disgust, whispering: “But why...”

“Because the Norns love to feel superior, don't they?” Scrivener said quietly, turning silently around and striding towards the grinning statue of Luna, and he reached up to gently touch it, looking fearlessly up at its facade as he said softly: “In their eyes, my greatest sin is you. It's funny, because they're right... just for all the wrong reasons.”

There was a moment of silence... and then the statue of Luna dissolved slowly, fading into dark smoke. Luna snorted in disgust, and then she looked moodily across at the statue of Scrivener, murmuring: “Then my greatest sin was thee... in their eyes. But can we not just pummel these things and be on our way?”

There was silence for a moment... and then the four remaining statues simply dissolved into smoke and steam as well, and Scrivener smiled faintly over his shoulder as he said quietly: “You already know the answer. Hell, you knew the answer before me, you just... like to act like you don't.”

Luna closed her eyes, smiling faintly as she murmured: “What can I say, Scrivener Blooms? I enjoy being seen as a simple creature... aye, we must play their game for now. But thou may rest assured upon one account: when I say I intend to pummel the Norns, I mean very clearly that I am going to beat them senseless with my hooves.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment at this, nodding slowly before Luna strode quickly back into the lead again, adding moodily: “But until then, we shall do the best to follow thy wisdom and save our strength to better beat the Norns.”

The stallion grunted in agreement as they continued onwards, through smog and the oppressive mix of wetness and cold and burning-hot-stone beneath their hooves. The atmosphere still pressed in on them, even as they pushed onwards, the world around them becoming darker and deeper as they passed through a half-broken archway and into-

Blankness. All around them, there was nothing but dead nothingness, and Scrivener and Luna both looked wildly back and forth. It was impossible to describe, everything around them blank and clean and empty, not dark, but not light either... because there was just... nothing there. No color, no texture, no feel of anything, and yet they could still breathe even as they both turned around... but whatever had once been behind them was gone, too. As a matter of fact, it was impossible to tell what was up or down, what was left or right, forwards or backwards... there was just... space.

They looked at one another, but before either pony could speak, a cold, sharp voice said distastefully in their minds: The Berserk and the Witch faced their sins, and now needed to pass through Purgatory. Through the purifying climb to the Gates of Paradise itself... but in order to reach there, they had to be cleansed and purged... in a world where oblivion is law.

“I do not like their interpretation of Purgatory.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna opened her mouth before she stared ahead as bizarre chalk outlines began to form in reality, rapidly drawing three-dimensional set of steps in midair as more chalk lines spread through the air: childish scribbles of green grass and neater outlines of green plants, brown trees that rumbled quietly as they swayed back and forth as if in a compelling wind, a blue pond that splashed once before settling...

Luna's mouth was still hanging open, and now so was Scrivener's, as they stared disbelievingly at the chalk outlines... and then Luna shook her head out before she slowly approached and brought a hoof gingerly up, then set it on one of the chalk steps. And a moment later, she shook her head in slow amazement as she set her weight down against it... and it felt as clearly real as if it were truly made of heavy stone and not simply a childish chalk drawing, as she murmured: “Incredible...”

Carefully, Luna began to ascend the chalk outline of steps, striding into the chalk grass and shivering at the feel of it under her hooves: as soft and pliable as real grass was, tickling against her ankles as she stared down at this and shook her head in slow disbelief again. Then she turned her eyes to Scrivener, smiling after a moment and calling clearly: “Come, writer. This may be an artists' world but I dare not travel it without my trusty bard at my side.”

Scrivener grunted and shook his head quickly after a moment before he followed after her, grimacing a bit as he noted the chalk outlines had been smudged by Luna's hoof-prints before he hesitantly reached forwards, carefully scrubbing at the first step with his hoof.

He managed to brush away a good amount of the chalk outline, then reached his hoof forwards... and it went straight through the white space he had rubbed into the center of the brick, Scrivener grimacing a bit as he muttered: “That's certainly something to keep in mind. I think this world may be more complicated than we think...”

“I do not like it when thou says things like that, Scrivener Blooms. Thy gloom-and-doom predictions have a nasty tendency of coming true.” the sapphire mare muttered, and she glanced moodily back and forth as more chalk outlines rapidly formed, sketching out a gray, steep cliff and a set of stone steps 'carved' along the face, leading up past white, fluffy clouds that outlined themselves quickly over the sky high up above.

Luna waited for Scrivener to reach the field, and they both gazed up at these steps before the earth pony shook his head slowly and said moodily: “I have a bad feeling that we're going to be doing quite a lot of climbing. Paradise at the top of the mountain...”

Luna grimaced, then she spread her wings and leapt into the air, flapping them hard... but as she had half-expected, she only dropped back to the ground, landing with a grunt and sending up a puff of chalk dust as she muttered: “And of course I cannot fly. Damnation, Scrivener Blooms... but somehow I expected it. The air does not feel as hostile but it simply feels... empty.”

“I know what you mean.” Scrivener muttered, and the winged unicorn grunted before she turned and headed to the chalk stairs lining the way up the cliff, beginning up them as Scrivener followed past the blue, rippling pool after her. He hesitated for a moment as Luna began to climb higher, however, staying at the bottom of the steps... before his eyes widened as the chalk outlines below began to vanish, the blue 'water' pouring down out of the pool as the 'ground' around it faded from sight to splash over the unseen bottom of this hollow world. “Oh crap.”

The earth pony turned and hurried after Luna, who frowned over her shoulder before her eyes widened as Scrivener winced up at her, and she spun around to begin running herself: after all, if her wings couldn't catch the air of this world, it meant a fall would be as bad for her as it would for Scrivener Blooms... and she had a feeling that magic wouldn't help them much, either.

Behind them, the world continued to dissolve at a slow but steady rate... while in front of them, the rest of the cliff face continued to sketch itself rapidly out, along with stairs and the occasional strange detail they couldn't keep track of with how quickly they were hurrying up the steps. Steps of a stairway that seemed almost endless, but Scrivener had already realized exactly why it was such a simple, easy climb: the stairs were leading up and up and up, after all, through endless whiteness, and that meant that below the unseeable ground was getting further and further away...

“Oh damnation, poet, keep those thoughts out of thy mind!” Luna snapped in a strangled voice, glaring over her shoulder at him for a moment before she looked back ahead as she half-stumbled off the steps and onto a grass-green plateau, wincing as she looked out over the chalk lines and watched as the ground rapidly sketched itself out as brown trees and a flowing river and waterfall rapidly drew themselves into existence: a particularly incredible sight due to the fact that the sketch drew rapidly upwards as the blue 'water' fell downwards, sending up a spray of white chalk foam where it hit the azure chalk river.

Luna could barely believe what she was seeing as the cliffs grew higher and thick green vines began to sketch themselves rapidly over the steep rock wall, tracing a checkerboard-like pattern as Luna stepped slowly over the plateau and muttered: “By Mimir's head...”

A moment later, Scrivener stumbled out onto the plateau, then he quickly leaned back and looked down at the slowly-fading chalk outlines beneath them before returning his eyes to the cliff wall, his eyes locking on the checkerboard of vines before Luna pointed suddenly upwards: “Nay, Scrivener, we do not climb to the top... we climb to there, see?”

Scrivener followed the direction Luna had pointed in, and his eyes locked on what she had indicated: the waterfall was pouring out from a gaping cavern, spilling down a chalk ramp of stone, but after a moment Scrivener noted what Luna was looking at: not just that the cavern was large enough to enter easily, but that it looked as if on either side there was some kind of stone walkway... Scrivener was almost tempted to say 'natural' stone, but... everything's made out of chalk, and that kind of ruins the whole 'natural' part. “Which side, though?”

“I take the left, thou takes the right, if one of us is on the wrong side we shall simply help the other over.” Luna replied quickly, and when Scrivener gave her an amused look, the winged unicorn glowered at him before she hurriedly ran across a set of 'stepping stones' chalked over the river, while Scrivener ran forwards and alongside the bank of the blue chalk stream. “Well, now that I cannot save myself should I fall, the fall is admittedly that much scarier, Scrivener Blooms.”

“And now you understand my fear of heights.” Scrivener muttered, and then he skidded to a halt with a wince before staring as Luna simply leapt up and began to wildly scramble up the vine 'netting' covering the chalk mountainside, and the charcoal earth pony stared for a moment before grunting and quickly rearing up, grabbing at the crisscrossing vines and beginning to haul himself up by his hooves.

It wasn't as hard as he'd expected it to be, and the spaces between the green chalk vines fit his hooves almost perfectly, letting him all-but-walk up the wall. Luna was already waiting impatiently for him at the mouth of the cavern the 'waterfall' was spilling from, and Scrivener gave her a grumpy look before he finally managed to haul himself up and into the cavern maw, gazing down the rising tunnel of chalk as Luna leaned out and muttered: “I cannot see the world disintegrating behind us, and yet I know all the same it continues its ponderous but lethal climb. Come, Scrivy, let us hurry onwards.”

Scrivener nodded with a grunt, and both he and Luna began to hurry down the paralleled walkways of stone, a grimace on the earth pony's features as blue 'water' splashed up now and then, leaving chalky mars over the stone paths. Thankfully, the river itself wasn't very wide: if anything, it grew a little narrower as they continued up the ramping tunnel until...

“Oh, damnation!” Luna cursed as they hit a dead end: the walkways both ran straight into a stone wall, and the blue 'water' was pouring of a narrow crack in the bottom of this gray, chalky stone. “And we had come so far...”

“I don't think turning back is an option, either...” Scrivener winced as he looked down the tunnel, sure that by now, the chalk had likely begun to erase itself along the cliff-side, and Luna paled a little as she stared over at him desperately before the earth pony said hurriedly: “I'll come over to you, and-”

As Scrivener turned towards Luna, he tripped over the edge of the chalk pathway and fell forwards, splashing down into the river with a curse of pain and sending up a blast of blue chalk... before his eyes widened in surprise as he laid flat on the surface of the blue river. Luna stared with amazement, and then she carefully stepped forwards... and while she could feel the blue chalk moving beneath her hoof, could feel a distinct, chilly wetness... it also felt solid, and Scrivener grimaced a bit as he carefully pushed himself up and rubbed at the underside of his jaw, muttering: “Great. But how is that useful in a world of chalk, Luna?”

“I... oh, damnation!” Luna cursed again, then she turned towards the rear wall, reaching a hoof up and violently beginning to rub at the gray stone wall. Scrivener realized what she was doing after a moment, and he hurriedly sat forwards, reaching his own hoof up to begin mirroring her.

Within a minute, the two had 'cut' a large circle in the gray chalk wall in front of them, and for a moment, nothing happened before the smeared and erased chalk puffed up like smoke, and the circle of gray toppled forwards, chalk 'stone' splashing and sinking into the river to reveal a long tunnel. Immediately, Luna leapt into this, and Scrivener hurriedly followed her, the two charging along the cylindrical corridor.

Then Luna skidded to a halt with a wince, sending gray chalk pebbles flying out of the other side of the tunnel to fall into nothingness as she stared desperately at a pair of open golden gates in the distance, sitting in thin air, as if inviting them, mocking them. Luna cursed under her breath and Scrivener gritted his teeth before the sapphire mare stared as a few clouds began to float by... and in a wild gambit, she leapt out and winced as she landed on one of the fluffy clouds... and it held under her weight.

Scrivener gaped for a moment... then cursed and scrambled forwards, leaping onto another cloud and wincing... but nothing happened. He sighed in relief as the clouds slowly floated higher, before frowning a bit as he looked up and noted the cloud Luna was standing on was beginning to turn blue.

Slowly, he looked down at his own cloud, and saw the way the blue from his own hooves was spreading through it, as Luna gazed ahead with a curse, trying to figure out how to reach the archway. The clouds they were on were floating higher and higher, past the gateway now, and Luna wondered morbidly if they were going to be forced to simply jump and risk landing in nothingness... before her eyes roved slowly, curiously downwards, past her now-blue cloud, to watch as Scrivener Blooms carefully began to stomp over his own fluffy nimbus before the earth pony jumped up and landed on one side of it...

And he yelped as the cloud tilted to one side, scrambling madly up the now-tilted cloud to leap forwards and grab the edge of it as it began to float a bit higher and drops of blue began to spill out from it... except the rain falling from the bottom of the cloud didn't drop down, but instead fell in a straight line, ignoring the laws of gravity and physics as long lines of blue streaked outwards on a forty-five degree angle.

Luna stared at this as Scrivener hauled himself hurriedly up to avoid falling, and he awkwardly stepped onto the rain itself... before looking stupidly down as he realized he was no longer standing on the cloud, but instead on the flowing 'rain' of blue chalk. It was angled down so it formed a long slide past the bottom of the gate... and Luna's eyes widened before she suddenly half-spun, running to the edge of her own cloud as she said sharply: “That is it, that is the answer, poet!”

She leapt upwards, slamming her hooves into the edge of the cloud, and rain began to pour out of it as it tilted quickly, Luna wincing and spreading her wings for balance as she ran quickly up the white-blue, fluffy chalk nimbus before leaping over the edge of it and onto the stream of rain. Then she grinned widely, looking down and ahead: the stream of chalk-water from her cloud was pouring just beneath the gate now, forming an impossible bridge as Scrivener looked dumbly up at her before Luna began to hurry down the slope, calling: “Tilt thy cloud a little further, Scrivy!”

Scrivener grunted, understanding as he grinned despite himself, and then he kicked both rear legs back into the edge of the fluffy chalk cloud behind him. It sent up a puff of chalk dust but also knocked the cloud to an almost vertical position, the rain now forming a straight bridge as Scrivener winced before he began to run forwards alongside Luna and her angled slope.

At the first chance he had, he quickly leapt off his own straight bridge to land on the sloped rain falling from Luna's cloud, following hurriedly after her towards the open, golden gates in the distance as they charged along the blue stream of chalk rain.

Luna grinned widely as they drew closer, closer to the gates, before she leapt up towards them with a grunt of exertion, passing into the golden archway before there was a bright flash... and a moment later, she crashed down in soft grasses, Scrivener stumbling stupidly at her side as he stared wildly back and forth at the rolling fields surrounding them.

For a few moments, there was silence as Luna carefully picked herself up and Scrivener tried to process what was going on... and then a soft laugh filled the air before a voice said quietly in their minds: At last, the Berserk and the Witch reached Heaven. They had been cleansed by their trials, but they were still not worthy, not blessed, not redeemed: that atonement could only come by reaching the heart of Paradise, and praying for forgiveness.

Scrivener snorted as he looked up at the blue sky overhead, and Luna glared back and forth before both ponies winced as the grasses in front of them violently parted, flakes of ground and field bursting upwards to reveal a golden, cobblestone path. It led through the field, past a set of trees, towards what looked like some kind of enormous temple in the distance of gleaming marble, and Luna couldn't help but snort in disgust at this as she muttered: “I tire of these games, Scrivener Blooms...”

“I do too, Luna. But we're almost there.” Scrivener glanced over at the winged unicorn, and she gave a single short nod before the two began to follow along the path, the earth pony hesitating for a moment before he lowered his head and added moodily: “And besides. Just think of it this way. Every step we take is one step closer to getting our hooves on them.”

“Aye, that does help. Every step worsens my fury at them and makes me all the more eager for the pummeling they shall receive as well.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener grunted in agreement before the two fell silent, trading glances and sharing emotions and thoughts and worries. And chief amongst them was the fact that the atmosphere here was different: it was beautiful, and harmonious, and filled them both up with pleasure and relaxation... the only thing that kept them both focused was their disgust and fury at the Norns, but even that they could feel being chipped slowly away.

Their pace slowed as they strode along the path, despite their best efforts... but everything felt... good. Soporific and quiet, peaceful... and it was maddening. Luna and Scrivener both lowered their heads, feeling dazed, feeling like something was trying to force-feed them happiness. Feeling... good, despite knowing they shouldn't...

They reached the temple steps, and both ponies gazed slowly, wonderingly over it: it was an immense step pyramid of gorgeous marble and beautiful silver, surrounded by statues of gold. Statues of old gods, older perhaps than even Odin, and Luna gazed at the artistic detail, the life that they held as Scrivener carefully, almost-reverently placed a hoof on one of the large, wide stairs leading to the top of the pyramid, whispering: “We're not... I mean... no, no...”

Scrivener closed his eyes tightly, breathing hard and shaking his head quickly before he glanced at Luna, and she frowned at him for a moment before clenching her eyes shut and hissing through her teeth with a nod and a curse. Both ponies hurriedly fought back the hypnotizing pleasures surrounding them, hooves pounding against the steps of the temple as they began to stagger up towards the open archway at the top... but the stairs seemed endless as the sense of majesty and respect and adoration grew greater and higher in their minds...

Luna and Scrivener looked at each other as they breathed hard, and then Luna whispered: “It can't be real. It can't be Heaven for us, Scrivy... we...” She trembled, tears filling her eyes as she rasped: “We don't deserve Heaven.”

“We don't. We don't deserve this pleasure... and this is not our Heaven.” Scrivener looked up as he nodded in agreement, and faces flashed through his mind: Celestia, Twilight... Antares. “We can't go to Paradise... we can't be happy like this, we can't... experience this...”

“Our life will be pain and suffering...” Luna gritted her teeth, as the ponies hauled themselves up step after step, as despair and pain slowly began to fight back the pleasure and joy and rapture. “We are damned and monstrous... we are the darkness... but our life will have meaning, will it not?”

“In the blood and the mire, we'll make meaning... not because we seek war, but because we seek to protect our friends, our family... we can't go to Heaven because our meaning, our reason to exist... will come from keeping Hell away from the innocent...” Scrivener gritted his teeth, clenching his eyes shut as he dragged himself upwards and Luna snarled beside him, nodding sharply. “We can't let ourselves rest... we can't let ourselves stop, not when we're already soaked in blood and sin and we can save... we can stop...”

“You can stop.” said a soft voice, and Scrivener and Luna both stared up weakly at the sight of Celestia standing above them at the top of the steps, Twilight Sparkle beside her, both smiling benevolently down at them, their bodies radiating pure, beautiful light. “Come with us. Come back with us... turn back. Stay here with us, forever, to be tended to, to be given your every pleasure. To never have to fight again. To never have to feel pain again. Come with us, and we'll indulge your every whim, your every desire. Be free of worry, and responsibility, and petty ideas of good and evil...”

Scrivener and Luna both stared, mouths dry, feeling weak... before Luna shivered, then leaned forwards as she felt Nightmare Moon rising up through her. She felt knives filling her mind, saw visions of blood, of death, of destruction, saw the chains and the battlefield and heard screams as the monster inside her poisoned her passions and her emotions with excitement... before slowly, Luna looked up as her eyes glowed and she licked her sharp teeth, whispering: “And why, pray tell, would I want that?”

Celestia and Twilight both looked almost disappointed as Scrivener breathed hard, feeling more than seeing the images spilling through Luna's mind and Nightmare Moon's influence... but he readily embraced the darkness, gladly soaked himself in it as he slowly shoved himself up to his hooves as Luna did the same... and then both ponies snarled before simply charging forwards up the last of the steps, ripping through Celestia and Twilight as they became static-riddled illusions and sprinting into the archway leading into the temple...

And both Luna and Scrivener felt a shock rip through their minds that drove back Nightmare Moon before they staggered stupidly out of a narrow ravine and into a field. A field at which the center was the Well of Urd, bordered by enormous roots, as Yggdrasil stood proud and tall in the distance... and Scrivener and Luna slowly traded looks as they both breathed hard, the last of the illusion's effects fading from their minds before they both looked over their shoulders to realize they had passed through the tests, the valleys of the Norns, and neither knew how much of it had been real, and how much had only been in their minds.

For a few moments, they stood silently, both breathing hard as they gazed back and forth around the field... but the Norns weren't here. Nothing was here, except the simple stone well, and Luna and Scrivener both took the moment to sit back and catch their breath as silence rang across the area.

They traded looks that were almost embarrassed as emotions and wild thoughts settled slowly in their minds, and then Scrivener glanced up at the cloudy blue sky above, imagining silently what the top of Yggdrasil must look like, and whether or not all the creatures of legend were really coiled throughout the massive tree. That led to wondering if the roots really did stretch throughout the worlds... and buried in the mist that filled the massive crater where the impossibly-enormous tree had sprung up, it was easy to imagine and believe anything his mind desired about mighty Yggdrasil.

Then Luna looked slowly to the side, and her eyes locked on a half-hidden pathway, gesturing to it quietly as her starry locks swayed slowly backwards. “There, Scrivy, look.”

The winged unicorn stood and strode quickly towards the large, deep bend in one of the roots bordering the field, forming a low step. Scrivener followed behind her as he felt a twinge of nervousness run through his gut, like they were stepping into something worse than an ambush, shivering a little at the heat, the strange power radiating through the root as they strode over it and then past, stepping onto a smooth dirt path.

They followed the trail to a gray stone ruin that had likely once been some kind of arena, and Luna fearlessly strode up the half-collapsed steps at the end, Scrivener following slowly after her as he looked back and forth at the rotted and broken pillars surrounding the circular structure. And as Luna stepped out onto the round, flat floor of the ruin, the eyes of both ponies locked on the sight of the Norns.

Urd and Verdandi were sitting back in wooden chairs on either side of a pedestal topped with a crystalline orb... but Skuld was standing, her cowl pushed back just enough to reveal not only the eager gleam of her eyes, but rosy lips twisted into a wide grin that revealed needle-like teeth. Her silver breastplate gleamed as her cape swayed behind her, and she grasped her golden short sword tightly in one hand, the blade seeming to glow as she said coldly: “Oh, how I have waited for this day, little Brynhild...”

Luna snarled as Scrivener readied himself as well, and then Skuld pointed her sword forwards with a wide grin, stepping forwards and into the center of the round arena as she declared coldly: “Luna Brynhild, for the insult you bring before the Norns, in disgust of your unworthy blood, I challenge you to single combat!”

The winged unicorn stared in shock for a moment... and then she snarled, leaning forwards as her eyes blazed and she flicked her horn, and immediately her spear shot out of its holster and snapped up to full nine foot length, spinning violently around her before it settled into a ready position as she replied sharply: “How dare thou, after I come to punish thee! Thou art not the offended party, Skuld, 'tis I whom the Norns have trifled with... but if thou art so eager, then let it be so! I accept, Skuld... to the death!”

“Foolish Brynhild... I am the Watcher of the Future. And I've already seen your defeat and your death.” Skuld replied coldly, and she set herself in a ready position as she laughed sharply. “Prepare to die, Luna Brynhild!”

Luna only glared furiously, anchoring herself as her mane sizzled with electricity and snapped backwards like a whip, her eyes glowing with fury as Scrivener Blooms could only sit back and stare with shock, outrage, and a gleaming, passionate pride for his wife... and fear of what the Fates would do in order to achieve their vision of ultimate order.

Defiance Of Fate

Chapter Sixty Five: Defiance Of Fate
~BlackRoseRaven

“Now, Skuld, patience.” Urd said softly, and Skuld snorted but lowered her head moodily, nodding shortly once even as she stayed at the ready. Urd seemed to only smile at this, however, as the Norn sat back and continued calmly: “I'm sure they're curious, after all... and at the very least, we should confirm their suspicions, should we not?”

Skuld only grunted, and Verdandi snorted in disgust, leaning back in her own seat as she said contemptibly: “I'm surprised they figured it out at all. But I'm far from surprised that these mortals have both failed to bow to our laws... and moreover, that they think they're special enough to challenge us. None are outside our rule and our control, no matter how 'unique' they've convinced themselves they are.”

“But that is not the reason we tried to destroy Antares Mīrus in altered reality... that is not the reason we tried to get foolish, lowly Thor to correct his mistake with the Devourer demon. We have always ensured that those who can stray outside the bounds of Fate meet a quick and entertaining end, after all... but you and Scrivener Blooms, and Odin's tampering have come to damage so many stories, have interfered across entire worlds... you have altered stories all across the countless layers, layers that should not exist to begin with...” Skuld spat to the side with a snarl of contempt. “Odin was not satisfied with creating one worthless race. He had to create entire worthless worlds, that should be purged and destroyed... that mock us with their ideas of 'free will.'”

“You needed to be punished, and we needed to cut off the growth of this... ridiculous notion that the universe can exist without us.” Urd picked up in an almost-kind voice, smiling beneath her veil. “Can't you simply be content with the story we've written? We choose the deaths of all living things. We illustrate their lives. We weave grand tapestries, and carve their stories into staves... and without us, there would be only chaos. Mortals and Gods cannot be trusted to make their own decisions... these things have led to... Thor, pairing himself with a vicious demon, and demons are nothing but instinct-driven animals that do not feel emotion... only imitate and feed off them. Have led to you, Brynhild, pairing yourself off with a... a flaw in our system. A pony that should not exist.”

Verdandi nodded quickly, crossing her arms as she said darkly: “And let us not forget even worse atrocities. The 'free will' of one living being can interfere with countless stories, like a ripple: one drop, that's all it takes, to create an effect that surges like a tidal wave. So we saw no choice but to destroy you all. But to cleanse these layers... and you idiots couldn't even do that properly, could you?”

Luna snarled as Scrivener frowned, before Skuld said softly: “When we understood how things were going... when we saw the state the worlds were moving towards, layers where our powers would become... diminished, because so many stories were being changed, because we were beginning to lose track of mortals living and mortals dying... we knew we only had one choice. A choice we thought was very fitting, was deliciously ironic...”

Urd smiled, saying softly: “We altered your stories, Brynhild and Scrivener, playing off your emotions, and Valthrudnir's already-present poisons. We thought it was genius: the corruption was already in your system, after all, and Skuld clearly saw a future where your passions would destroy everything you cared for, because you, like all beings of such... low order... are so selfish, so... based in flesh and pleasure...”

“And I saw, with disgust, how even in the present... you smeared yourselves with your own corruption and blood and juices, you... bathed in your sins. Sickening.” Verdandi added, snorting behind her mask, eyes aglow with fury and contempt and loathing. “And Urd knew, that in the past you were both creatures of... failure, and weakness. So-called 'Nightmare Moon,' an excuse to let your passion run wild and give in to your bloodlust and flesh-lust, Brynhild... and you, Scrivener, even worse, hiding in despair and drinking and filth and laziness...”

Skuld flicked her sword to the side, but she stayed tense and ready even as she lowered her weapon slightly, smiling coldly again beneath her hood. “And we knew that Odin would not give you any quarter, either. All we had to do was trust that Valthrudnir's machinations would bring you to the right place at the right time, and from there, we wrote the course of the future. That you would descend into passion and darkness. That you would eventually destroy yourselves, and everyone else around you. That in your disease, you would not settle for tying your souls together, but you would forge yourselves into one sick and twisted entity who would be so corrupt, so hungry, so lustful, he would spread himself to each and every world, simply looking for adventure and mayhem... and he would do exactly what we wanted him to do. He would infect every layer with darkness... until he destroyed everything around him. Cleansed the worlds...”

Scrivener's eyes widened in horror as Luna's breath caught in her throat, and then she whispered: “Gymbr... thou... thou art saying...”

“And yet somehow... you did not become Gymbr. No matter how much we manipulated your story on your warped staff... you always overwrote our wishes, our will, with your... paltry... 'love.'” Urd said softly, shaking her head slowly and sounding disappointed. “You did not turn on Odin...”

“But those gathered-up energies, that story still insisted on taking on a life of its own... we poured too much effort, too much energy into trying to force you to become Gymbr, to give in to yourselves at every turn. A Tulpa was born from it and we could not destroy it because you had already overwritten the stories that had created him in the first place, and we could not carve new pages in the past.” Verdandi added with disgust and a snort of contempt. “And then you added insult to injury. Freya, another free-will monstrosity made of those broken pieces of Valkyrie goddess, found the Tulpa, then nothing but a weak toy, a thought-form cloaking its true nature. It became... real, when she made it part of her story.”

Skuld shook her head slowly. “And then the power you gave it... but more, you changed the Tulpa. You poured emotion and thought into it, turned it from a destroyer into a tragic, ill-fated protagonist in your own sick ego and twisted minds because you both refuse to accept the fact you are monsters, and villains, and scum. You can't accept that the layers must be cleansed and destroyed so we can regain ultimate control... so that we can keep order.”

“Thou art mad...” Luna whispered, and then she snarled and stepped forwards, eyes blazing as she roared furiously: “Thou would have made us kill all our friends and family? Thou would have... have used us as... a weapon, turned us to a pet on a secret, invisible leash, and made us slaughter innocents, just... just to be 'in control,' as thou mocks?”

“Yes.” Urd replied with a calm smile, and then she added gently: “Because you want to anyway, don't you? Don't lie to me; I see your past. I see your past dreams, your past fantasies. You're both nothing more than perverted animals, driven by lust and hunger for power. You have no honor, no nobility, and no reason to exist any longer, especially as you continue to deny that we are the ultimate rule... that nothing can go against Fate. As you continue to try and force us out of existence... well, Brynhild, we will not go quietly. We will see that the worlds are cleansed... no matter what we have to do to achieve our ends.”

“And at the very worst, we'll make sure that if we can't be in control, then there can be no universe.” Verdandi added ruthlessly, raising her head, and her eyes glowed with her cruel smile behind her mask. “If you wouldn't allow yourselves to become a destroyer, to erase existence for us... we'll simply employ another. The one being who is guaranteed to defeat you both, to destroy you both. The one being who for all his faults and selfishness, at least understands the necessity of order...”

“Valthrudnir...” Luna whispered, and then something clicked in her mind before she shook her head disbelievingly. “Clockwork World...”

“It is not ideal, perhaps... but it was very easy to wake up the sleeping, dormant machinery. To gently guide the broken essence of the Jötnar back to the project he was once so proud of... and then to slip carefully, quietly away.” Skuld smiled coldly, flicking her sword to the side. “It's only too bad that I'm going to take the pleasure of slaughtering you away from Valthrudnir, but... we know how to control him. We woke Clockwork World up... we can lull it back to sleep if we desire. But only after they do what you failed to.”

“If you would not become Gymbr... if the Tulpa will not obey us, has instead been taken in by your mockeries and your stories... we will simply use a different resource. That is all. Yes, they may attempt to destroy us as well... but our Destiny lays elsewhere.” Urd said kindly, and then she laced her hands together and bowed her head almost politely, saying gently: “Good luck, Brynhild. May your death be swift and gentle.”

And with that, even as Luna was staring in disbelief and trying to process the madness, the arrogance, the self-assured stupidity of the Norns, Skuld suddenly rushed forwards and swept her sword savagely outwards, and Luna barely managed to thrust her spear out in time, forcing the Norn to parry the attack and leap swiftly backwards, her eyes glowing beneath her cowl as she said coldly: “Please draw this out as long as possible, because I'm going to savor every second of this battle.”

Luna snarled in fury, flicking her head as her mane sparked and she forced the thoughts away in a rush, before charging forwards, but Skuld only grinned before she laughed mockingly as Luna's spear thrust towards her, swinging her sword out and catching the neck of the weapon to knock it backwards.

Sword and spear met again and again, sending up sparks with the force of every blow and parry as Luna cursed in frustration, before she suddenly slipped backwards as she yanked the spear away before it spun violently in the air and the butt of the weapon lashed towards Skuld's face. The Norn easily blocked the pole of the weapon with her forearm, however, then she lashed her sword outwards as she leaned forwards, ripping a slash across Luna's face and knocking the winged unicorn staggering backwards with a cry of pain as Skuld mocked: “What's wrong, pathetic little pony?”

Skuld's hand seized the spear, not letting Luna pull the weapon away as she began to advance, lashing her sword back and forth as Luna snarled, trying desperately to pull the polearm free with telekinesis as her horn glowed and she lashed it against each and every slash of the Norn's sword, slowly stepping backwards under the assault and hissing as the blade managed to dig thin slashes and cuts against her features every so often despite her fiercely working to parry the cruel hail of blows. Then Skuld suddenly thrusted forwards, even as Luna leapt back, and the winged unicorn snarled in pain as the tip of the sword tore through her armor and dug into her breast, the Norn saying callously: “It's all pointless, little girl. I can see into the future... into your future. I can see every attack you're about to make.”

“Did thou see this?” Luna shouted, and then she snapped her horn forwards, releasing a sapphire bolt of fire as she yanked backwards on her spear at the same time, but Skuld hurriedly released the polearm as she leapt backwards and flicked her sword up in front of her, blocking the fireball with the flat of her blade. The explosion rattled her all the same, knocking her stumbling backwards as she was blinded by the flash, and Luna charged forwards, dropping low to duck under the half-raised short sword before leaping up and tackling Skuld backwards.

Skuld released a curse, then howled in pain as Luna began to smash her hooves viciously down against her in a furious flurry before the Norn tried to hack at Luna's head with her sword. Instead of hitting the skull of the winged unicorn, however, it collided with her starry mane as Luna flicked her head to the side, her locks tangling and muffling the blow as electricity sparked through the ephemeral substance and tangled around the Norn's arm.

She smashed a hoof straight down into Skuld's eye, and the Norn screamed beneath her cloak before she tore her arm free and stabbed awkwardly upwards, managing to gouge into Luna's shoulder and make her curse before the winged unicorn was blasted backwards and off her hooves by a shockwave of force. She hit the ground and skidded backwards, and Skuld was on her feet in moments, charging forwards with her sword raised before she spun it around in her grip, leaping forwards as she stabbed it downwards like an oversized dagger.

Luna hurriedly shoved herself backwards, scrambling against the ground as the blade hit the concrete and sent up a splatter of stone before Skuld continued to stab downwards in a vicious staccato. It forced Luna further backwards until she managed her hooves, trying to leap forwards and over the last stab... but Skuld was fast, swinging her double-edged sword hard upwards and ripping the blade across Luna's breast to knock her backwards before another volley of force slammed into the winged unicorn, and her eyes widened in shock as she realized it wasn't coming from Skuld.

She landed and skidded backwards, then rolled hurriedly to her hooves as Skuld aggressively charged after her, and Scrivener snarled across at the sight of Verdandi now on her feet, hands glowing as Urd continued to calmly watch. As Skuld began to lash out with a wild flurry of backhand slashes and rapid blade revolutions, Verdandi began to raise her hands, and Scrivener shouted: “Luna, watch out!”

Luna immediately leapt sideways as Skuld sliced in at her, and the blade missed completely as the Norn stumbled between Verdandi and the winged unicorn. The Norn of the Present snarled at this, and instead shoved a hand towards Scrivener Blooms, a telekinetic blast smashing into him and making him flinch: enough to distract Luna from completing her evasion, and she stumbled a little too close to Skuld's side before the Norn reached out and seized Luna's horn, holding her in place as she grinned viciously and rose her sword quickly to deal a lethal thrust...

Luna snarled, her horn glowing violently before Skuld's hand exploded into blue flames, and the Norn staggered backwards with a shriek of shock and pain, violently shaking her hand to try and extinguish the blue fire rapidly charring it away. Then Luna snapped her horn forwards, a blast of lightning shooting from her horn and slamming into the Norn's claw, and Skuld screamed in pain as the lightning twined around her limb like a rope, her sword forgotten in the grip of her other limb before Luna snapped her head back, yanking the Norn's hand towards her, and then the equine stabbed her horn viciously forwards, ripping through Skuld's palm as she unleashed all the magic she could in a blast of raw, violent passion.

Skuld's arm exploded in a blast of lightning and blue flame, the magical recoil enough to knock Luna backwards but Skuld staggering as her golden sword flew from her grip, howling in agony as arcs of lightning shot around her and her cape burst into flames. She clutched wildly at the stump of arm that remained, shrieking again as Urd leapt to her feet and Verdandi froze with her hands half-raised, and Luna grinned viciously even through the wounds on her face and the blood leaking from one ear, her mane sparking as she snarled: “This game is over, Skuld!”

Skuld staggered to a halt... and then she slowly looked up before grinning ruthlessly, and Luna frowned before staring in horror as blue lightning and fire filled the space beside her arm before blood and flesh and armor rapidly began to piece themselves back together, her cape rebuilding itself, the scars of battle damage vanishing from her completely as she slowly rose her restored limb and Urd said calmly: “Let what once was, be again.”

Luna stared over her shoulder in horror at Urd, who was standing with one hand raised, and a cold smile in her eyes before she said softly: “You're no match for us, Valkyrie bitch.”

“We won't permit you to win... we are the Norns, we are Fate, and it is our word that is law!” Verdandi shouted, raising her hands, and Luna's eyes widened before she leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding a blast of white lightning that shot from the sky and hammered a crater into the rock where she had been standing a moment before.

“Honorless wretches!” Luna snarled, and then she charged towards Skuld... but the Norn grinned as she flicked her wrist, her sword spinning up from the ground to return to her grip before she stepped into a vicious slash. Immediately, Luna flicked her own horn as it glowed, and her spear flew from where it had fallen, blocking the slash before her eyes widened in horror as she felt psychic bands wrapping tightly around her, beginning to choke her as Urd and Verdandi both held their hands out towards her, wheezing and gagging as Skuld ground mercilessly forwards...

Scrivener snarled, feeling rage and fury filling him up, feeling Luna's pain before he reacted on instinct as the corruption in his mind boiled violently upwards: “Shallock!”

Urd looked sharply upwards as Skuld flinched, her glowing eyes widening beneath her hood... and then Scrivener leaned forwards, roaring in a voice that echoed through the battlefield as reality vibrated and corruption burst from his jaws with the utterance of the horrible, unnatural language that ripped through the minds of all present: “Oh miserable souls, blighted and bound by the laws of flesh and the physical, with your soft bodies so easy to wound, cut, and kill, feel the decay, the rot in your veins, and tremble as your mind lives in agony, but your body dies!”

Skuld flinched as Verdandi rose her hands, but nothing happened as electricity shocked over her form, staring in horror as Urd grabbed at her stomach, focus interrupted... and as madness filled Scrivener's eyes and a vicious grin spread over his features, as the mire spilled down his cheeks from glowing, sunken sockets and dripped out of his jaws, Luna could feel a wild mix of fury, despair, and ecstasy rising through her spirit. Her blood felt like fire in her veins, her muscles bulged and filled with pain and power, her own eyes took on a wild glow as Nightmare Moon snarled in her mind, then roared in primal delight and fury... but all through it, she was aware that Scrivener wasn't drawing on her magic to power the Black Verses. He was drawing on his own spirit, he was using the corruption that flowed in his veins to power them... he was killing himself to try and save her.

And it filled Luna with a thousand emotions she didn't have time to examine: she only had time to do one thing, and that was thankfully one of the things she did best, as she snarled and lunged forwards as Scrivener continued to shout and sing the Black Verses to keep Verdandi and Urd at bay. The dark magic in the air wasn't hurting them as it would mortal opponents, but it was poisoning their minds and blocking their powers, and it distracted Skuld... enough for Luna to swing her spear forwards and knock the Norn's sword away.

Skuld cursed, staggering before the butt of Luna's spear smashed into her face, knocking her head back and then sending her stumbling as the butt of the pole smashed in a vicious series of thrusts into her body, denting and cracking her armor, keeping her off balance as Luna drew on Scrivener's pain and pleasure and her own strength, letting the darkness fill her up, letting Nightmare Moon come forwards her eyes began to glow and her mane sparked with electricity. Then she slapped the bottom of the pole up under Skuld's chin, knocking her gaze skywards again as she flipped the spear into the air at the same moment before flicking her horn down, ripping the polearm through Skuld's broken armor and tearing completely through her to slam into the ground behind the Norn, leaving her pinned like a bug.

Skuld shrieked in agony, and Urd and Verdandi both shouted and snarled, raising their hands, and Luna growled as the spear was ripped back out of Skuld and the wound healed. All the same, the Norn was stunned as she dropped forwards on her knees, clutching at her chest, and the winged unicorn's horn glowed as she leapt forwards, smashing her hooves back and forth across Skuld's face before she headbutted her and knocked her crashing onto her back.

Verdandi thrusted her hands towards the sky with a yell, and lightning blasted down, slamming into Luna and knocking her skidding backwards as Urd visibly concentrated, raising her hands and trying to focus through the echoing Verses to summon up the power for some other spell. But Luna only gritted her teeth, her body aglow with power before she shot forwards and smashed into Skuld again, heedless of the pain or the fact her body was smoldering from the blast she had just taken as her mane and tail blew backwards, whipping back and forth as a cyclone of sapphire lightning and energy began to visibly spin into existence around the two.

Skuld cursed as she tried to force herself up, trying wildly to ward off the blows that Luna threw down towards her with her hooves and the slashes of her glowing horn, the Norn stunned and stupefied even as she clawed weakly back at Luna. She looked back and forth, but all around them was a curtain of crackling blue lightning that was spiraling wildly upwards... before Luna grinned and suddenly slammed her head forwards, knocking the Norn flat before she stabbed downwards, ripping her horn through Skuld's chest as the Norn screamed and grabbed uselessly at Luna's face, ripping bloody gashes that Luna didn't even feel as she snarled: “Thou desires to see a monster? I shall show thee a monster!”

She lashed her horn upwards, and Skuld shrieked as she was thrown backwards into the spinning wall of lightning, the Norn beginning to fall through it... and then Luna reared with a roar, drawing on every ounce of strength she had and pouring it into the spell, and Skuld was lifted into the air in a tornado of azure lightning and crackling navy flames, her body limp and helpless as she flailed and screamed. And still, it wasn't enough, as Luna grinned viciously, her eyes glowing even as blood leaked from them before she leapt backwards, tearing free of the storm's eye as the Norns stared and Scrivener laughed wildly, staring up with awe and glory at the magnificence of the magic as Luna shot upwards, then spun around and tore into the cyclone... crashing out the other side a moment later as the spinning storm of fire and lightning burst apart with a crackle, diving straight towards the ground with Skuld helplessly impaled on her horn.

Luna smashed down into the stone platform with a tremendous bang, sending cracks spiraling through the flat rock as magical recoil and pure force knocked her flying backwards, crashing and skidding on her back as she vomited blood and rolled almost to Scrivener's hooves. Scrivener howled in agony as well, the Verses finally coming to a halt as he dropped forwards, puking blood and bile as he rasped for breath, shivering violently but still filled with pleasure more than pain.

Skuld had been crushed down into the stone floor, the Norn gasping uselessly at the sky, burned beyond recognition as her body jittered from the lightning still ripping back and forth across her. She was warped and broken as Urd and Verdandi stared helplessly, and then they both hugged themselves around the stomach even as Skuld laughed weakly... and somehow slowly, slowly began to force herself to sit up.

Scrivener and Luna stared in horror as the Watcher of the Future sat... then painfully forced her feet under her, and pushed herself up to a standing position. Her cape fell away and her peeled armor revealed blood-stained and charred flesh, her features half-unveiled but so badly wounded they were unrecognizable. Yet she was clearly grinning, before she moaned as she shivered violently, and the ponies stared as, with a crackle, her legs slowly began to turn to stone, spreading slowly but surely upwards.

“Foolish... Brynhild... you can't defeat Fate...” Skuld rasped, even as her petrification spread to her waist... even as, behind her, Urd and Verdandi also began to turn slowly to stone.

Verdandi snarled, then hissed when cracks spread through her mask, reaching up and grasping it with a trembling hand as she leaned forwards and whispered: “It's too late. Our plans were long ago set in motion... you can take away our physical existence, but all you have proven is... is...”

“All things bow to Fate...” Urd murmured as she rose a hand, and a black, ancient staff appeared in it, carved with beautiful runes. She threw this forwards, and it clattered to the battlefield before slowly rolling towards Luna and Scrivener as they stared down at it with disbelief, watching as the last runes slowly carved themselves up along the very top of the staff... before the black wood cracked and the runes over its length released an eerie pulse of light. “This played out exactly as it was meant to.”

“And all you've done is secured your place in the complex story we have written... the fate you cannot change...” Skuld threw her head back and laughed, even as the petrification spread through her limbs and began to crawl up over her face. “Just like we always said, you'll die, Brynhild... you'll die, at Valthrudnir's claws!”

Luna snarled furiously as Skuld grinned and her eyes gave one last flash before turning to stone, as Urd bowed her head and Verdandi half-turned away... and moments later, Past and Present too became rock instead of flesh. For a moment, Luna trembled at the sight of the petrified Norns... and then she leaned forwards and snarled, snapping her horn down despite the pain it sent through her overcharged, over-strained system, and the statue of Skuld was blown into pieces by a raw lash of telekinetic force.

The stone remains of Urd and Verdandi exploded and crumbled away to nothing moments later, and Luna flopped forwards, breathing hard as she shivered once on the ground. Scrivener flinched, his sight going blurry before he trembled, then fell forwards into the sludge and blood and goo, but he didn't have the strength to pick himself up as Luna whispered weakly: “Scrivener... I... I do not know what to say. I do not know what to believe... we have killed Fate itself but... but look...”

Slowly, Scrivener opened his eyes, mind a blur of emotions and static and pain as Luna pointed at the broken staff... and Scrivener knew what it was. Knew what it said, even without being able to make out the cracked runes, much less read them. It was the staff that represented the life and story of the Norns themselves... a story that apparently ended with their death at the hooves of Luna. And it sent chills down Scrivener's spine to wonder if not even the Fates could escape their own destiny...

He couldn't finish the thought. He couldn't even think anymore, as he lay in the puddle of blood and mire... and slowly, his eyes slipped closed as Luna trembled and dropped herself flat, both ponies breathing hard as darkness and pain laid claim to them and dragged them both down into unconsciousness.

Luna opened her eyes slowly, blinking a bit before she simply stared in disbelief. The bed beneath her was comfortable and enormous, the room wide and spacious, everything looked... blurry, but also pretty, and she was fairly certain that the blurriness was due to blows to the head and possibly madness. Or maybe she was dreaming.

Slowly, she tried to sit up... and groaned in agony at the shocks of pain that tore through her system before flopping back down with a loud wheeze. The pain told her she likely wasn't dreaming, and when she carefully brushed some of her blankets back and looked down, the bandages confirmed it.

She poked moodily at these, then looked back and forth before closing her eyes... but her sense of Scrivener was... muffled. It wasn't entirely lost, but it wasn't entirely there, either, and she shivered a little. It meant he was unconscious, but not dreaming... or something was blocking their link.

Slowly, Luna wiggled herself carefully to the side, breathing hard and trembling a little. But finding out what the hell was going on was far more important than the pain: last she remembered, she and Scrivener...

A wild image ripped through her mind and made her flinch: them grinning, snarling like animals, blood everywhere in a barren world as they ripped through their enemies in a whirlwind, and she trembled for a moment before shoving the thoughts away. That wasn't what had happened at all... and she closed her eyes, making herself take a slow breath as she whispered: “I do not desire that. I... I desire... oh, I do not know...”

She shook her head, forcing the darkness away. Faint strings of dreams and nightmares she had experienced while unconscious were coming back to her now, but she tried not to think about them. Pushing herself out of bed and onto her hooves helped: the pain blocked out pretty much everything else and snapped her mind awake, brushing away the last bit of dazed tiredness that had been hovering over her.

She started carefully forwards, stumbling a little and shivering weakly as she made her way to the ajar door. She used her horn to push it the rest of the way open, then stumbled out into the hall behind, rasping quietly as she started down the corridor towards the spacious den.

Luna leaned carefully out into this, and frowned a bit as she saw the furnishings were all neat and tidy, everything was organized, a fire was quietly crackling away... and she mumbled a little to herself before closing her eyes. She couldn't sense Scrivener's thoughts... but she could still sense him, and she frowned as she realized he wasn't in the apartments. He was somewhere else across Canterlot, so Luna took a slow breath, straightened up... then groaned in pain and slumped down, going bowlegged and shivering, the sound of the bandages rubbing together sounding almost like laughter in her ears as she mumbled: “Oh, damn everything to Helheim.”

Luna slowly began to drag herself towards the door... and then she winced and looked up sharply at a yell of surprise before moaning and falling on her side, which made her all-but-howl in agony. And in the doorway leading into the kitchen, Twilight Sparkle winced and dropped her plate of crackers, hurrying over to Luna and leaning over her worriedly. “Luna! Oh no, you're not supposed to be out of bed!”

“So I have come to understand.” Luna mumbled weakly, and when Twilight leaned down to try and pull her to her hooves, she shoved weakly at her with another moan of pain. “No, no! For Mimir's sake, just let me lay here for a moment...”

“Luna...” Twilight trembled, looking down at her worriedly... then she closed her eyes tightly and reached down, half-dragging the sapphire mare up to her hooves even as Luna moaned and wheezed in agony, the violet mare whispering harshly: “C-Come on... you and Scrivener... you can have a little p-p-pain...”

Luna closed her eyes, swallowing thickly and breathing hard, a faint sheen of sweat rolling down her body as she finally managed to get her hooves under her, and she leaned heavily against Twilight as the violet mare half-carried her back to her room. The pain was awful... but worse than the physical pain were the tears rolling down Twilight's cheeks, as Luna whispered: “I... I am sorry...”

“You don't... I...” Twilight only shook her head and fell silent as they made their way back down the corridor, and Luna didn't fight or complain as the violet mare helped her into bed and tucked her in. Then she quickly turned and left, and Luna was left looking miserably at the open door, terrified of what Twilight's tears meant, knowing it was more than just because she and Scrivener had somehow gotten back here, so badly injured.

Twilight returned a few minutes later, and she pulled herself up into the large bed to silently curl up beside Luna and bury her face against her chest. It scared the sapphire mare, but she didn't say anything as she reached up and hugged the violet mare close. Twilight trembled a bit, then finally, she looked up and asked weakly: “How much do you remember?”

“Just... defeating the Norns, and then... fainting away. I know not how I came back to Canterlot... nor why we are here instead of in Ponyville. Nor do I know where Scrivy is... I sense he may not be far but... he is not... responsive.” Luna hesitated, then looked down and silently stroked through Twilight's mane, asking finally: “Is... is he alright?”

The violet mare swallowed and closed her eyes, then she shivered a bit before sitting up as she gathered her thoughts. “I... after a day had passed, and no one had sent word or anything from Asgard... Odin and Celestia both got really scared. Enough that Odin contacted some allies up in Valhalla... they sent out a team of warriors and... found you and Scrivener. All the magic had faded from the valley, so they were able to move in easily and get out quickly, but... you... you and Scrivener were both in bad shape. You've... you've been unconscious for a long time.

“Odin had you both transported down here as soon as possible. Scrivener is in the lower levels...” Twilight swallowed thickly, and Luna frowned worriedly at this before the violet mare whispered: “How could you both... what did you do? Celestia said you... you cut your life expectancy in half. You were both so badly injured...”

Luna laughed faintly at this, looking away before she whispered: “We... we simply did what had to be done...”

“No, no, no you didn't... you resorted to the Black Verses, didn't you?” Twilight shivered, looking into Luna's dark cyan eyes, and the sapphire mare sighed softly but nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact. Twilight trembled, and then she reached forwards, cupping her face silently in her hooves as she asked weakly: “Do you and Scrivener really want to die that badly? Are you going to... really... leave me... alone, leave Antares alone?”

Luna closed her eyes and flushed, looking away before she closed her eyes and murmured: “It was the only thing Scrivener could do to interrupt the Norns... they were too distant for him to close in on and... they... yes, yes, Twilight, yes, we were foolish. We... we gave in to the temptation to use them, and more, we both, and both of us, not simply Scrivener, were... consumed by their power. The... I cannot explain the strength I felt. The sick joy. The power...”

She shivered and tried to roll away, but Twilight held her down on her back, and Luna grimaced a bit before the violet mare asked quietly: “But was it worth it?”

“Twilight...” Luna sighed softly, looking silently up at her before she lowered her head and whispered: “Twilight, thou cannot understand. Thou art too pure to understand. 'Tis like... an addiction. 'Tis poison, both Scrivener and I know it is poison, and yet oh, how it fulfills us to delve into it... even though the moment it ends, all that pain slams into us, and Scrivener's corruption was only exacerbated by it... but the Norns would have killed us otherwise. Aye, we are responsible for what we have done to ourselves but... if the choice is between shortening of life and death, I... we...”

Twilight looked down at Luna silently, then she closed her eyes before reaching down and silently stroking under Luna's chin, reaching up to touch the collar around her own neck as she said quietly: “I'm not too pure or too naïve to understand these things Luna. Maybe I once was, but not anymore. But you can't... you can't give in. You can't die. Not even if it's what you and Scrivener want.”

Luna mumbled and lowered her gaze awkwardly, and Twilight Sparkle sighed softly, clenching her eyes shut for a moment before she finally leaned down and kissed Luna for a soft moment. It surprised the sapphire mare, her eyes fluttering open before Twilight quickly drew back, lowering her head as she whispered, even as a tear slowly slid down her cheek: “I won't let you kill yourselves. Not after everything we've been through together. Not when I deserve a say too.”

The sapphire mare closed her eyes, then she sighed softly and nodded finally, murmuring softly: “I am sorry, Twilight. Thou... thou art right. And thou does... thou art equal to myself and Scrivener and I have much respect and adoration for thee, as does Scrivy.”

Twilight nodded a few times, looking down before she sighed softly, and Luna hesitated before asking finally: “Scrivener...”

“Your wounds are... severe, but you started healing much better yesterday. Scrivener, though... corruption burned all his veins and... he was just... a mess.” Twilight shook her head slowly, shivering a bit. “They have him... hooked up to all these... medical things, and demons are helping look after him, keeping him sedated. He's being treated with Ambrosia extract and elixirs mixed up by Zecora and Celestia but... it's just... not helping much.”

Luna nodded slowly, and Twilight hesitated before continuing quietly: “Celestia... was very upset. Odin was stunned that the Norns were dead, but Celestia is... furious. Not just with you and Scrivener, though, with... I don't know. Odin? Herself? Maybe everyone... all I know for sure is that she's going to lecture you a lot when she and Odin get back from Ponyville.”

“What are Celestia and Odin doing in Ponyville?” Luna glanced up and gave a faint smile. “Am I not the center of their universe?”

“Luna...” Twilight sighed softly, but then she shook her head slowly and said in a quieter voice: “She just... I don't think she could stand playing politics right now. So she told the Royal Council she was taking a leave of absence for a little while. She only left yesterday, and she wants you both transferred to Ponyville as soon as possible, but right now the only place Scrivener can get proper treatment is here. Because of... Subterra.”

“Aye, I see now. The underground dwellers feast on Scrivener's emotions and pain... numbing some of the pains from the corruption, helping keep him in that... sedated state.” Luna said softly, looking up at the ceiling before she glanced down when Twilight quietly laid down beside her, and she wrapped a foreleg around the violet mare, closing her eyes and burying her face against her mane as Twilight curled herself closer. “But... how long has it been, Twilight? Thou said it was a long time...”

“A little over a week.” There was silence for a few moments as Luna processed this, and then the sapphire mare closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards before Twilight asked softly, glancing up at her: “Are you mad at Celestia?”

“Nay, just terrified that she is going to pummel me.” Luna mumbled, and then she shook her head quickly and said quietly, as Twilight smiled a little: “Not at all, with honesty... 'tis good that Celestia is... away. Able to think, able to regain her thoughts by herself, able to... relax some. This is not her fault: she should not suffer for what has happened to myself and Scrivener Blooms, any more than thou should. Thou should both be... be happy. And I appreciate thy concern but... thou should not... hurt so dearly for us, Twilight.”

“I care for you both. Very, very deeply... of course I'm going to hurt when you've both gone and... and been stupid.” Twilight replied quietly, shaking her head slowly and laughing faintly as she looked up at Luna with a faint smile. “Even Odin is worried and a little upset, but... I think he made the right decision in going with Celestia. They... they support each other really well.”

“'Tis gross, but they do, aye.” Luna agreed softly, glancing quietly over at Twilight. For a few moments there was silence again, and then the winged unicorn finally sighed and asked in a murmur: “And what of my children?”

“They're scared. Scarlet Sage came to visit once with Apple Bloom... and Antares is just... worried. Having Celestia around will help but... all the same. He loves his parents.” Twilight smiled faintly, nestling herself closer as Luna closed her eyes and felt a deep pang of self-loathing and shame. “So you and Scrivener need to get better... if only for his sake.”

“I... we shall then. We shall.” Luna murmured, and they descended into quiet again. Other questions rose in Luna's mind, but she all the same didn't have the strength to ask them as she laid quietly with Twilight curled silently up against her.

Twilight eventually fell asleep, and as Luna looked down at her, she wondered silently just how much the violet mare had gone through this last while, how much she had suffered... and felt so fortunate that she had Twilight Sparkle in her life. Twilight and Scrivener both; what greed, but what fortune, too, and she silently kissed the violet mare's forehead, just beneath her horn, before she whispered: “I shall always protect thee. Always, Twilight Sparkle, do not ever fear. Do not ever worry... thou shall always have a place with myself, and Scrivener Blooms...”

She closed her eyes as she pulled Twilight a little closer, her own breathing slowly evening out, sleep pulling her back down into darkness... and Luna sighed in relief as she found herself standing in a dark forest beneath the night sky, hopping a bit on the spot and smiling down at her body. No bandages, no pain, and even though she still couldn't sense Scrivener, the knowledge that he was safe and being taken care of was enough to help her relax.

She looked back and forth curiously, then glanced up as a shape strode slowly towards her... before her eyes widened and she stumbled backwards as Nightmare Moon stepped out of the shadows of the forest. But her wings had become leathery, her tail long, spiked, and whip-like, and her mane burned with blue flames instead of starry light as she grinned widely across at Luna.

The red-stained collar of roses around her neck dripped with fresh 'polish,' and spikes, knives, and other implements gleamed over her back as her demonic wings spread wide, then furled at her sides, small claws twitching with strange eagerness on the ends of these long appendages. Her cloven hooves strode calmly over the ground, which rotted beneath her with her passage as she leaned forwards, exhaling blue mist before whispering: “We are nearing perfection, Luna...”

“Nightmare Moon... there is no such thing as perfection.” Luna replied sharply, and she shivered after a moment before looking slowly over the monstrosity that Nightmare Moon had become, shivering as she realized the creature was even larger as well... that her eyes were glowing with ivory, unholy light out of features crisscrossed with scarring worn like honor, as she said weakly: “What... what hast happened to thou?”

“Necessary evolution.” Nightmare Moon replied with a soft smile, straightening and shaking her head briskly... and as her fiery sapphire mane swirled around her, Luna realized there were large, straight horns hidden amidst the flames along with a ridge of spikes that likely went all the way from forehead to spine. “Isn't it only proper that as the world worsens, as your nightmares worsen... I should grow stronger as well? Yes, the corruption... the corruption in Scrivener Blooms, I have been delving deep in it, experiencing it... and we shall grow powerful for him. I do not wish for either of you to think of me as the Nightmare Moon from that foolish story... weak, afraid, unable to pursue its course. A victim of cowardice.”

Luna swallowed thickly, staring disbelievingly over Nightmare Moon before the enormous monster leaned slowly down, locking gazes with Luna as she said softly: “But you must evolve too, little Luna... for do not fear, I have not forgotten that I am to bow to you, as well as Scrivener...” Nightmare Moon smiled slightly, accenting this with a slow drop of her head. “But what use are you to him if he must step in and save you every time something goes wrong? If he must sacrifice his life to protect yours...”

The sapphire mare snarled up at Nightmare Moon, but then the dark creature only laughed and stood back tall, smiling warmly through her scarred and marred features. “But does it really matter? You deny me, sweet little Luna, but I see the true you. And your pretty mask of false honor and nobility was torn back in our battle with the Norns... your true face was revealed, as was Scrivener's. Primal monsters... murderers. Killing Skuld was not enough... you desired her slaughter.”

“I desired to ensure she would not get up again, with or without the aid of her siblings.” Luna responded in a growl, gritting her teeth for a moment before she shook her head quickly and looked moodily up at the dark creature. “Thou art disturbing and difficult to look at, but I do not sense... hostility, precisely, from thee. What is it, Nightmare Moon? What does thou desire?”

“Love, power, freedom... many things.” Nightmare Moon replied courteously, and then she stepped forwards and smiled, reaching a hoof up to stroke slowly under Luna's chin and guide her into looking upwards. “Things that I can and will earn one day. Which I plan to begin earning right now, by teaching you the things you've always wanted to know, by sharing more of my strength with you... you have fed me for so long, with so much blood and passion and darkness... let me share with you in return. And not merely a short burst of power, to be used in battle... let me help you learn... that pain is pleasure.”

Luna shivered a bit, starting to pull away before Nightmare Moon let her eyes drift up towards the moon in the night sky, saying softly: “It's something you already know, Luna, but... not something you ever mastered, is it? But let me in. Let me in a little deeper, sweet Luna. Let me spread a little further through you... and I'll share what I have to teach, and help you reach your fullest potential. To let you... share a little more, with Scrivener Blooms...”

There was silence for a few long moments... and then Luna finally looked up at her and whispered: “I am not a monster.”

But Nightmare Moon only smiled gently in return, replying in a quiet, gentle voice: “And I have never said you are, little Luna. Tell me, am I?”

Luna laughed shortly as she looked over the creature of darkness in front of her... and then she shivered, half-yanking herself away before Nightmare Moon smiled knowingly when Luna halted, took a slow breath... and then finally looked over her shoulder, asking finally: “Will it... help Scrivener Blooms?”

“Yes. And as I teach you, so may you teach him. We share all things... and Scrivener already has an affinity for pain, does he not?” Nightmare Moon closed her eyes with a soft, tender smile... a smile so faithful, so loving, it sent chills down Luna's spine but also gave her a sense of strange and deep reassurance. “He will survive. The others may not have faith in him, but I do... and so should you. You shall see... yes, he will first weaken, he will suffer... but then there will be... a miracle.”

“A miracle...” Luna snorted after a moment, trying to deny the hope it gave her, the gladness she felt, as she asked sharply: “Art thou a fortune teller now, Nightmare Moon? A prophetess? Because as it is, we already have one problematic seer to deal with and do not require another.”

Nightmare Moon only laughed softly, however, smiling across at Luna before she said affectionately: “You are learning to trust me again, even though you hide it. You know I have never led you wrong... you know that even when I have overstepped my bounds, it has always been with purpose. It's always struck me as funny, though... I merely speak your deepest hopes and desires and beliefs, and yet you struggle to refute them, you become... terrified of them, what they are, what they mean. You shouldn't, sweet Luna... because I swear to you...”

Nightmare Moon slowly strode forwards, her eyes half-lidding as the glow increased, her fiery mane burning higher as her wings shuddered at her side. “Everything you desire... it will all be ours. Every dream we have shared together... shall all come true. Now come with me, little Luna. Let me make you strong.”

Luna hesitated for only a moment in this dark world inside her mind... and then, finally, she sighed quietly and turned to follow the enormous, black-coated creature, striding in the dark mire left in her wake and yet all the same finding herself eager to learn just what this devil might have to teach.

Peacemaker, Bring Them Peace

Chapter Sixty Six: Peacemaker, Bring Them Peace
~BlackRoseRaven

Celestia looked tiredly across the library as Discord and Discombobulation began to slap at each other like foals again, the two Draconequus cursing at one other until Discord managed to grab Discombobulation's wooden prosthetic and yank hard on it.

Thanks to the harness straps, it didn't come off, but it it did twist awkwardly, and Discombobulation glared as Discord blew a loud raspberry at him, before they both winced when Celestia said dryly: “It is well-within my power to turn you both to stone for a period of time, and I will be more than glad to do it unless you behave.”

“Spoilsport.” Discord muttered, and then he sniffed and reached up to rub moodily at his muzzle, complaining: “Besides, the puppy started it!”

“Stop calling me that, I am no more a puppy now than you are a big dog.” Discombobulation retorted, and Discord glared at him before Bob rose his hand as a rolled up newspaper appeared in it before he slapped the whole-but-powerless Draconequus across the face, Discord stumbling backwards even as Discombobulation calmly glanced over at the ivory winged unicorn. “But I do apologize, Celestia. Discord is simply a makebate.”

“Don't call me synonyms or compare me to words used for touching yourself.” Discord retorted, and when Celestia narrowed her eyes at him, he cleared his throat and leaned awkwardly away. The two Draconequus traded looks after a moment, and then Discombobulation carefully slipped the newspaper under one arm, crossed his upper limbs, and then firmly nodded before he vanished from sight with a loud popping sound.

Discord hurriedly covered his eyes with both lion paw and eagle talon, and Celestia looked at him for a few moments before she simply shook her head and returned her eyes to the papers in front of her. She absently began to sort through them, and Discord slowly spread his digits to peer through his hands at her, watching as she began to jot figures down in a notebook before he dropped his upper limbs and asked moodily: “Why exactly am I here again?”

“To assist Freya, I believe, although I see you haven't been doing much of that, chaos entity.” Odin said dryly, and Discord winced and flailed a bit at the air as the once-god stepped calmly out of the corridor with a cup of tea held in one hand, leaning on the walking stick in his other. He looked moodily over at Discord, then the falcon-headed being slowly made his way over to the table where Celestia was sitting, and he gently put the cup down in front of her as he added quietly: “Although you do seem like you could do with a distraction, Freya.”

“I'm fine, Odin... but thank you.” Celestia replied softly, glancing up at the once-god and giving a small smile before she sighed a little, turning her eyes back to the papers spread out in front of her and shaking her head slowly. “I just... need to find something to keep my mind occupied for the moment. Otherwise...”

“I understand.” Odin carefully pulled a seat back and sat down with a grunt, putting his walking stick aside before he glanced up at Discord as the Draconequus grumbled and skulked his way across the room. “Why don't you go out?”

“Oh yes, and risk running into a demon, smelly and angry Nibelung, or one of the countless insufferable ponies out there who seem to think they can make best friends forever with me? Not likely.” Discord replied grumpily, and Celestia sighed tiredly, looking at him meditatively. “Don't get me wrong, I'm glad not to be imprisoned or petrified or dead, but I can't quite say this is all that great a life, either. I mean, so far the most fun I've had was throwing water balloons at a few ponies. And then I had to run away. Running away is much more tiring than I remember it being.”

The Draconequus paused, then he grumbled and turned to peer suspiciously out the window, adding moodily: “It's so nice here. I hate it. And I can't even give up and kill myself because puppy's around and that would just look bad if I turned myself to stone without at least giving him a wedgie or something.”

Celestia shook her head slowly, and Discord broke off into muttering to himself as Odin turned his eyes to the ivory mare, saying quietly: “If you wish to return to Canterlot...”

“No, no... no.” Celestia shook her head quickly, pushing through the papers on her desk so she could look quietly down at the letter she'd received only a few hours earlier, in the late afternoon: from Twilight Sparkle, saying that Luna had finally woken up. It was good news... and it meant that Scrivener was likely recovering, too, and would likely be awake sooner rather than later. And once they were both awake, Celestia planned to have them transferred here, to Ponyville. “I want to see them but I'm... I'm afraid I'll walk in and begin lecturing them with how frustrated and worried I've been. That's the last thing either of them need right now.”

“I don't know about that. Brynhild always seems to find your lectures somehow reassuring.” Odin said softly, and Celestia smiled after a moment, nodding slowly before she glanced down as the falcon-headed entity rose a hand and squeezed her shoulder slowly. “It's alright, Freya. We'll make sure to both reward them a little and punish them a little, but all for the same reason: to help them. To let them know they are not alone.”

Celestia sighed quietly, nodding slowly before Discord mumbled something, and Celestia frowned a bit as she looked up before the Draconequus glowered over his shoulder at them, asking wryly: “So after they've almost died, you're going to say nice things to them and also that you're oh so very upset with them, huh? And ponies in your world really thought that I was the one responsible for making everyone miserable? You must all be dumber than I thought.”

Celestia glared at the Draconequus as Odin looked up sourly, and Discord winced before he hurriedly scrambled over to the door, saying awkwardly: “Actually, it's a very nice night, so an evening walk might just be in order. If puppy shows up tell him I said bark-bark-meow.”

With that, Discord yanked the door open and ran out into the night, and Celestia sighed before she flicked her horn to close the door as Odin shook his head slowly and wondered moodily whether or not his old habit of killing first, asking questions later had been entirely wrong after all.

The moon shimmered in the sky, half-veiled by a few thick wisps of cloud rolling slowly through the dark night air high above. Stars glimmered quietly, and the night was still and quiet, not even the Phooka stirring. It was well past midnight, but long before morning: the perfect, darkest hour.

Lamps shimmered in the streets of Ponyville, but they cast little light, and every home was dim, every business dark except for the rare lamp's glow here and there: shining from a window in Sugar Cube Corners, glimmering quietly from behind the closed curtains of the library, shimmering out between the shuttered engineering lab windows. Almost everyone was asleep: ponies and Nibelung both tucked into beds and cots and corners and homes and everywhere else they could find a little bit of shuteye.

A few guards were on patrol, but more than one of them felt the soporific effects of the shrouding, dark embrace of the night. And more, some of them felt relaxed: Luna and Scrivener weren't in town, after all, but Celestia and Odin were both here.

But at the edge of the Everfree Forest, there was a small group that was very much awake. A group of strange-shaped creatures were gathered around what looked like a Pegasus, who was smiling softly to herself as she sat on her haunches, gazing almost lovingly out at the little village. Black, tight-fitting armor covered most of her body, made of fiberglass and a thick, cloth-like material insulated with heavy mesh, but all four of her lower legs were shielded by what looked like gorgeously-decorated manacles set just above sharpened black hooves. Her wings were free of the armor, furled tightly at her sides: their golden feathers revealed the beautiful color of her coat.

Her sea-green eyes all but glowed, a single long pink bang spilling down one side of her face and flowing over her shoulders in a smooth waterfall. She was pretty, almost delicate looking as she smiled with what seemed like tender and honest affection, murmuring in a soft, gentle voice: “It's so pretty. They must be very strong to have killed Beauty, though... so we mustn't be unprepared. My friends... you all know your duties, don't you? I'm very certain that you do, but it would be unprofessional for me to check.”

The group of silent, metallic beings nodded, and the Pegasus smiled lovingly before she closed her eyes and rose a front hoof, bowing her head as she said softly: “Cacophony, Resonance, Symphony, move in directly. Cherub and Decay, sweep in from the flank. I'll give you all enough time to get started, then come in myself to help clean up.”

There were brisk nods from the five creatures and rumbles of both agreement and excitement, and then the the Pegasus looked calmly up and said lovingly: “I'm very glad, my friends. I'm glad the Clockwork King told me to bring all of you with me, to show Clockwork World's true might. Now go: spread serenity and rest to every single villager in that town. Free them all of life's despair. Lay them all down to sleep.”

The five gleaming ponies nodded and saluted sharply, then turned and bolted into the field, two almost vanishing as three charged straight for the gate, and the Pegasus smiled as she slowly rose her head, closing her eyes and exhaling loudly as she rolled her shoulders and then calmly began to walk forwards, gazing up at the stars above and murmuring: “It's such a pretty night... can you hear me, Angel? Mommy hopes that you can... I'm so delighted to be doing the honored work of the Clockwork King in this world...”

She sighed in relaxation... then glanced ahead with a smile as a massive explosion went up, an alarm beginning to blare throughout Ponyville as screams and yells rose through the night before she laughed quietly and shook her head slowly. “I suppose I should slow my pace a little, shouldn't I, Angel? Otherwise I'm going to get there before they even have a chance to get started...”

She smiled, gazing up and closing her eyes as she sighed again, the sound of the howls and alarms like music to her ears... and all throughout Ponyville, guards, soldiers, and Starlit Knights were scrambling to their hooves, Celestia's blood running cold in her veins as Discord looked wildly back and forth, then grabbed his head and winced, shouting: “It wasn't me! Oh Loki, I don't like when there's madness like this and it's not me causing it!”

Odin hurried out of the corridor, the falcon-headed entity grimacing as he looked at Celestia, and she nodded curtly to him before hurrying past the once-god as he strode quickly towards the library window. Before he could reach it, however, Discombobulation appeared with a stagger and a curse, his prosthetic arm missing. He winced as he grabbed automatically at his shoulder, then he looked back and forth before his eyes locked on Odin, saying sharply: “Clockwork World. Clockwork Ponies. And the water defense system only succeeded in making them wet and angry. I would now direly love to flee since I feel I've done my good deed for the day, but unfortunately I feel a very deep connection to this town and am afraid it looks as though you're going to need all hands, hooves, and everything else you can find on deck. Assuming, of course, this ship doesn't sink before the crew wakes up.”

Odin nodded quickly, and the falcon-headed entity closed his eyes before he said curtly: “Our first order of business is to gather our forces together and prepare to engage. If we panic and allow the enemy to control the battlefield, we will lose. Send up a signal, something that will guide them to gathering here!”

Discombobulation nodded back, then the Draconequus hurried out the library door, gritting his teeth before he snapped his fingers as an idea struck, and a massive, neon green arrow appeared high in the air, pointing straight down at the square. It was an obvious sign that would likely attract Clockwork World as well... but with any luck, there would be more friends than foes gathered within the next few minutes, and they would be ready to counterattack.

As the one-armed Draconequus turned and hurried back inside – and past a scared Discord who was half-hiding behind the door – Celestia came quickly back down the hall, already dressed in her full golden plate and with Tyrfing all but glowing on her back, the ivory equine asking Odin sharply: “Orders?”

Odin looked surprised, but he spoke clearly and decisively, as if he had expected the question: “I need you to hold position in the square, Freya, and gather your forces. I will see about calling for help from any allies in the area, and you will marshal and prepare our warriors for engagement. We must gather information as well, however, and this would be best done-”

“With our allies of the night... and lacking them...” Celestia glanced over at Discombobulation, saying quietly but seriously: “I do not desire to ask this of you, friend, but...”

“Oh, don't insult me, Celestia. I may be a coward, but unfortunately I also do have some pride.” Discombobulation smiled wryly after a moment, shaking his head slowly as Discord looked up, perplexed. “It's a very difficult combination to balance. It means that now I must insist you allow me to go ahead and scout out our opposition even though I may also wet myself at some point trying to spy on these monstrosities.”

“Why are you risking your life for them? Why not just steal one of your stupid lines, then run away and simply vanish?” Discord asked incredulously, and the one-armed Draconequus gave him a mild look. “This is not what we learned in Ginnungagap, this is not what-”

“And that is why you fail.” Discombobulation interrupted, reaching up and firmly poking Discord's nose, and the pony-headed Draconequus winced backwards before the one-armed chimerical creature stepped quickly away and then bowed deeply, vanishing in a burst of smoke.

Celestia only let herself regard this for a moment before she and Odin traded a look and a brief nod, and Odin turned to head towards the corridor as Celestia headed quickly outside, grimacing at not just the sound of the alarm, but another explosion that ripped through the air with enough power to drown out the klaxon for a moment. She kept her eyes towards this, judging the distance and the power that must have backed the blast even as her senses tingled, and without looking up she said calmly as two Pegasi landed behind her: “Rainbow Dash, Soarin', I need you both to scout around Ponyville as quickly as possible, then return here with all the information you have gathered. Discombobulation is already taking a closer look but an aerial view may tell us any details he may miss... scan the outer edge of Ponyville as well. I need to know what we're up against.”

“Got it!” Rainbow Dash said immediately, Soarin' still looking surprised before he hurried into the air after the pale-blue stallion, and the two flew high before turning and quickly shooting off in opposite directions. Celestia only spared a single quick glance upwards after the two Pegasi before she shook her head and looked forwards, only her amethyst eyes betraying her relief as other ponies began to hurriedly gather in the main square in varying states of readiness and awareness.

“I do not believe the timing of this attack is a coincidence!” Celestia called clearly over her shoulder as she continued to keep her focus ahead, praying that the soldiers and Nibelung guards already in the battle would be able to hold off the Clockwork Ponies for just a little longer, knowing the key to victory against these powerhouses was in their preparation and strategy. “They must know that Luna and Scrivener are absent... they are trying to destroy Ponyville either because they think it has no protectors or because they simply wish to make us all suffer! My friends, it's time for us to show Clockwork World that each and every one of us are prepared to do whatever it takes to stop them!”

Yells of agreement rose up in response as Celestia surveyed the group behind her: Applejack, Big Mac, Sleipnir, Pinkamena, Spike and Rarity and many others... including not only soldiers and Nibelung, but demons, Nightmares, even Phooka. Celestia smiled grimly at this gathering, then she looked ahead and gritted her teeth as Discombobulation appeared beside her, staggering once and grimacing as he clutched at his shoulder as he snapped: “Misdirection! Three in the front, but two assassins coming in from the side!”

Celestia gritted her teeth: the flanking ambush had to be dealt with quickly, but they couldn't just ignore the enemies making a direct assault against them, either: whether they served as a distraction or not, they were doing much more than simply making noise. “Only two, you said?”

Discombobulation nodded as a moment later, Rainbow Dash and Soarin' touched down, and the pale-blue Pegasus said sharply: “Soldiers in front are being butchered by at least three Clockwork monsters and Soarin' says he saw-”

“Two more flanking in from the side?” Celestia asked sharply, and Rainbow Dash nodded and grimaced before Celestia nodded shortly back, closing her eyes and thinking rapidly.

“This is ridiculous.” commented Discord, and Celestia shot a dark look towards the library when the Draconequus poked his head out with a wince. “Do you guys wanna just go out for ice cream, say, at Canterlot, instead? I think that's a swell idea. Then we can all get ice cream and maybe, oh, I don't know, not die?”

“Hey, you! Toothy!” Cowlick's voice shouted, and Discord looked up with a wince before Cowlick jerked her head at him with a growl. “Baroness, I'm taking your assistant to help me grab up some stuff. I need Soarin' and Ross and Greece to come with me, that cool?”

“Go, and take Rarity as well; Discombobulation, Spike, Applejack, I need all of you to come with me to intercept the assassins. Sleipnir, Pinkamena, take the rest of the group and defend against the main assault!” Celestia ordered quickly, and the group nodded, Sleipnir running forwards with a wry grin and slapping a front hoof against Celestia's as he passed, older sister hesitating for a moment before she turned and ran quickly towards the alley, calling over her shoulder: “We need to move fast!”

The others nodded sharply, Discombobulation and Spike sprinting behind them as Applejack hurried to Celestia's side, the two ponies keeping a short lead as the goldenrod mare asked sharply, loosely-braided mane blowing back in the wind: “Are you sure we can handle this, Princess? If there's two of them-”

“If they're flanking to ambush, it means they're likely lighter-armored and looking to avoid confrontation. Better to keep our group small and hit them hard, and let the others take down the heavy assault monsters: in the worst case scenario we'll hold them off as long as possible so that the others can arrive to finish the task.” Celestia replied calmly, her eyes focused forwards, and Applejack nodded nervously before they ran out onto a wide city street... only to be greeted by a loud thudding sound and an object flying at them at high speeds.

Immediately, Discombobulation was in front of them with a tennis racket, smacking the round object in a high arc: it exploded in midair with a loud bang, releasing a noxious cloud that Celestia winced at the sight of as Applejack flinched, then snarled and shouted at the metallic ponies down the road: “And who the hell do you think you are?”

“Cherub.” answered a green unicorn: her mane had been shaved and shaped into long strings of white and gray, and her eyes glowed with amber malevolence. She was slender and tall, protected only by a thick black bodysuit, at least half a dozen knives sheathed over her back and large, blood-rusted sawblades and razor-discs locked into place over her hips and shoulders, half-shield and all-weapon.

“Decay.” whispered the second figure: an emaciated earth pony, coat devoid of color and mane dead white with a few clinging curls of gray, hanging in tatters around her features, weakly curling here and there. Needles and spikes stood out of her shoulders and along her back, made of both metal and bone, and there was some kind of large, cylindrical weapon strapped to one of her forelegs, with a thick tube feeding back and into her side... then out the other side of her body to curl upwards and into a heavy box on her lower back.

“For the Clockwork King!” they announced together, their voices gaining strength before Decay rose her forelimb, and it released a poisonous flash and a loud bang as it fired off another grenade at them. This time, however, Celestia flicked her horn, hammering the explosive projectile with telekinesis and launching it back between the Clockwork Ponies.

It exploded with a bang and a burst of toxic fog... but a moment later, Cherub came springing out of the poisonous mist, charging forwards as her horn glowed and the knives on her back took on the same silvery luminescence, quickly yanking themselves free of their holsters before they shot like darts towards Celestia, one after the other.

Celestia flicked her horn with a grimace, creating a barrier of magical force that the knives buried into one after the other, her eyes widening in surprise at the cracks that rapidly spread through the shielding before Cherub flicked her own horn downwards, and the sawblades over her shoulders tore free and whickered through the air towards the winged unicorn. Celestia snarled and leapt back, flicking her horn out as the blades shattered through the magical shield, shards of energy and glinting knives flying in all directions before both deadly cutting blades were repelled by blasts of flame that formed quickly into a pair of golden swords.

Cherub narrowed her eyes as both her knives and her still-spinning sawblades shot into the air and drew back, hovering ominously around her... and meanwhile, Applejack was trying to close with Decay, the mare charging forwards with Discombobulation hurrying along behind her as the Clockwork Pony fired grenades at them. Some they dodged, trying to stay well clear of the gusts of poisonous mist that each explosion released, and others Discombobulation slapped away with whatever he could conjure up at the time.

Applejack grinned as they drew in close... then Discombobulation seized her by the back of the neck and hauled her off her hooves, the Draconequus staggering backwards when Decay dropped her raised limb and vomited a thick, awful stream of acid at them. It missed, thankfully splattering only over the street and eating rapidly into the dirt before Applejack shouted: “Gimme a boost!”

Discombobulation grinned wryly at this, and then he tossed the earth pony mare lightly upwards before swinging his arm forwards, and Applejack felt his arm strike against her rear hooves, letting the momentum carry her ahead before she kicked off as hard as she could at the last moment. Discombobulation was almost knocked backwards, and Applejack shot forwards like a rocket to slam into Decay's face with both front hooves, sending the Clockwork Pony staggering.

The goldenrod mare grunted in effort as she shoved down as hard as she could, her rear hooves swinging down to hit the ground almost painfully before she managed to shove Decay's head down... only for the monstrosity to lever its foreleg up and fire a grenade into Applejack's stomach. It exploded in a blast of force and poison smog, knocking the earth pony flying backwards, and she crashed onto her back, gagging and coughing violently as she spasmed, the wind knocked out of her and her eyes already reddening and swelling from the poisons that had washed over her.

As Decay hauled herself back to her hooves, Cherub was baring forwards against Celestia, her six knives lashing wildly around her in a vicious cyclone as Celestia snarled and flicked her horn back and forth, guiding her three gleaming golden swords in quick parries against the flurry of attacks. Still, cuts dotted her face and scarred her armor, and she was only glad that the sawblades were floating at the Clockwork unicorn's side as if forgotten... or more likely, as if the Clockwork Pony could only control so many weapons at once with telekinesis.

And then the six knives suddenly drew back, forming a straight line side-by-side between Celestia and Cherub: a moment later, both sawblades whickered forwards towards Celestia's face, and the ivory winged unicorn cursed as she swung two of her golden swords out into these before spinning the third in a rapid windmill in front of herself as the knives shot at her one after the other, deflecting and knocking away blade after blade even as two managed to ricochet past and cut open both her scalp and her cheek.

Then the six knives launched themselves up into the air all around her, and Celestia's eyes widened before the daggers shot downwards: Celestia managed to deflect the three aimed at her face and neck and breast, but the other three struck her in the flank and along her back, ripping through her golden armor and making her snarl before the knives buried in her began to burrow deeper as the sawblades started to spin in again-

The weapons stuttered in their telekinetic grip as Spike ran in and slammed a broken two-by-four he had found into the back of Cherub's head. The Clockwork Pony was knocked staggering... before she screamed when Celestia flicked her horn forwards, sending her three golden swords burying into the monster's breast before the Baroness flicked her horn savagely downwards, and Tyrfing yanked itself off her back to smash down in a savage rending blow that ripped into Cherub's back and knocked the Clockwork Pony to a flat, broken sprawl.

Celestia spat to the side, then her eyes were drawn sharply upwards at the sound of an explosion and a scream, staring with shock as Applejack was knocked flying from another grenade. Discombobulation winced, then tried to hurry over to her... but Decay quickly shot another grenade into the ground between them, sending up a pall of poison mist before she leaned forwards and vomited another stream of acid towards the Draconequus, and he leapt backwards with a curse as a bit of it splattered over his leg, immediately beginning to steam and eat into his flesh with a terrible reek of rot.

The ivory winged unicorn began to step forwards as Spike turned, the Baroness's weapons drawing back... and on the ground, Cherub's eyes and horn flashed before the Clockwork Pony leapt to her hooves, arching her back and releasing a pulse of telekinetic force that knocked Spike flying and sent Celestia skidding backwards with a hiss of pain as the knives still buried in her tore themselves free. The monstrosity was bleeding heavily, but it didn't even seem to register the massive wound, features still emotionless even as her eyes burned with rage, her sawblades and knives floating eerily through the air around her before she dropped back on her haunches.

Celestia leaned forwards, gritting her own teeth as Tyrfing and her three swords gleamed in the air in front of her, and Spike slowly picked himself up, staring in shock as Cherub flicked her head forwards. Her horn glowed as her string-like mane lengthened and shivered, rising up like snakes before flicking over her shoulder and slamming down into the ground in front of her, each strand thinning slightly as Celestia frowned... and then the Clockwork Pony reached her hooves forwards, closing her eyes as she began to play the strands of her anchored mane like a harp, each string giving a vibrating, melancholic note as the blades protecting her hips tore themselves free and joined the other weapons floating in the air as they pulsed with unnatural light.

The ivory winged unicorn's eyes widened... and then the flurry of blades and daggers shot forwards, slashing and ripping in a violent storm all around her as the Clockwork Pony continued to play her miserable tune. Celestia howled in pain, Tyrfing almost falling from her grip as her three short swords spun around her and parried and blocked as many blows coming in towards her as she could, but the weapons, the sawblades, the enormous razors were moving with awful, unnatural grace, spinning and ripping and tearing against her armor and any exposed flesh they could find.

Spike ran forwards, but without even looking up, the Clockwork Pony altered the melody slightly, hitting a stream of higher notes: the result was the sawblades shooting out of the mess of blades whirring around Celestia to snap towards the dragon, and Spike yelped as he ducked under one that shot at his neck before he flung himself over the second when it tried to cut through one of his legs. He hit the ground on his stomach, then rolled quickly to the side when both blades shot down at his exposed back.

They tore only into the earth before they spun violently, churning up soil as they ripped themselves free and flung themselves towards the dragon again as he shoved himself to his feet, and Spike cursed as one tore past and ripped a shallow wound into his side, the other just nicking his shoulder. Both began to spin around and towards him again, but before they could strike, Celestia roared and snapped her horn upwards, unleashing a shockwave and a blast of golden flames from her body that knocked the weapons harrying her flying away.

Both sawblades stuttered in the air, one dropping dead and the other beginning to fall harmlessly before Spike leapt forwards with a wince, seizing it with a claw and cursing in pain as the sharp, almost-barbed edges cut against his palm. He staggered forwards, then half-spun and threw the blade like a discus just as Cherub began to pick up her melody again, and the Clockwork Pony looked up too late, eyes widening in surprise as the sawblade shot at her.

It tore through the strings of her mane before hitting her in the chest, and she hissed in disbelief: not at the shallow wound in her body, but as her hooves stuttered, suddenly missing more than half of her harp. Then she looked up in shock as Celestia charged forwards, covered in cuts and wounds, and the Clockwork Pony clawed madly at her harp... except her hooves struck only the air as she looked down stupidly before Tyrfing lashed out; the first slice severed the rest of the strings of mane and built up momentum... so the second lash forwards beheaded the Clockwork Pony in one mighty rend.

Cherub was knocked backwards in a dead sprawl, body hitting the ground first... head landing several feet away a few moments later, a stunned, stupid look on her face. Decay looked up at this, her blank eyes filling with emotion for a moment... and Applejack snarled, using the second of distraction to stagger forwards even as she continued to gag and cough, yanking up a fallen dagger from the ground before leaping forwards and stabbing it savagely down and into the tubing feeding out of the Clockwork Pony's body and into its cannon-armed foreleg.

Decay staggered to the side with a howl, swinging its foreleg out and knocking Applejack backwards before it began to stumble back and forth as the tube, blocked by the knife pierced through it, started to bulge obscenely. It clawed at itself, eyes bulging as its rotten jaws opened in a wheezing cry... and then the side of its body exploded in a gush of blood and acid and toxic smoke, the tube ripping free in a sizzle of electricity as it howled in misery.

It slumped, gargling in pain as poison and blood poured out of its wounded side, several broken chunks of metal following as Discombobulation stared in horror and Applejack gagged and coughed, then Decay managed to snarl and began to drag herself forwards a few paces before her head dropped and vomited a stream of both blood and acid, her mouth and features steaming as her body shuddered violently before the Clockwork Pony fell forwards into its own ichors, eyes rolling up in its head as it twitched once in the flickering light of the burning homes.

Applejack continued to wheeze and retch, clutching at her stomach as she convulsed weakly once, and Celestia gritted her teeth as she shook herself out before ordering sharply: “Spike, take Applejack to safety! Discombobulation-”

“In for a penny, in for a pound.” Discombobulation smiled wryly, turning and following as Celestia spun around and ran back towards the central square, the Draconequus breathing hard as he clutched at his own body and muttered: “Although Discord is right, you know. All this running around is hard work.”

Celestia smiled grimly as Tyrfing and her blades shimmered through the air around her, pacing herself to try and conserve her energy and knowing she had to have faith in her compatriots, her friends, her family. Just like she knew to trust in Spike despite his fearful call to her, not looking over her shoulder as she hurried onwards with the chaos entity by her side.

They reached the library square just as Cowlick and Discord did, and the earth pony engineer whistled loudly at them. Her lever-action rifle was over her back and satchels hung from either side of her gemstone-vested body, while Discord was carrying something large and heavy, looking exhausted but terrified out of his mind as Celestia and Discombobulation both halted.

“Discord, hand it over to him! Bob, you figure out it! Celestia, let's not waste our time here!” Cowlick grinned widely, and Celestia nodded curtly once, turning to fall into pace beside the engineer as they headed in the direction of the battle: easy to find not just because of the sounds and roars, but the burning light spilling up from the fires that were spreading from home to home like a beacon of horror in the night.

Discord, meanwhile, staggered towards Discombobulation, and the one-armed Draconequus frowned at the cloth-wrapped bundle before Discord rudely thew the large, heavy object on the ground. It clanked beneath its wrapping, and the pony-headed chaos entity said disgustedly: “Here you go, action figure puppy. Your new accessory just came in.”

“You're so charming, big dog, this was why it was always such a pleasure to mush under your leadership.” Discombobulation retorted sourly as he leaned down, pulling the blanket away... and then his eyes widened in surprise before he whistled slowly. “And usually you have to do an annoying side-quest to find your ultimate weapon. Hello there, Premium Heart.”

Then the Draconequus winced and glanced up as an explosion rocked the air, grimacing as Discord grabbed at his mismatched horns in vexation... and Celestia snarled as she reached the battlefield in time to see what had caused the blast, looking back and forth in horror at the damage that had been done.

Homes had been reduced to rubble, and fifty feet away, the walls, guard tower and gates had all been torn into pieces. Flames licked greedily over houses, but the sheer state of ruin and the ripped-up earth and deep craters that dotted the area was keeping the fires contained for now... but it didn't look like a village. It looked like a battlefield that had seen months of magical warfare between goliaths and monsters.

There were dead bodies strewn through the wreckage: soldier, civilian... child. Celestia snarled as she leaned forwards, her eyes blazing with righteous fury as Cowlick cursed in disbelief, watching in horror as a full-demon Pinkamena charged in... only to be smashed away like a toy by a hard swing of what looked like a massive double-bass modified into some kind of awful weapon.

It was being wielded by a gray Clockwork Pony with dark eyes and metal plating covering her forelegs, thick black tubing sticking out of her shoulders and down her limbs. A white collar and bowtie rested around her neck, and several quivers hung on either side of her body, filled with blades shaped almost like curved French violin bows. But it was her weapon that made her terrifying: the monstrous double bass that was almost the size of her, with an enormous, heavy bridge and steel string, thick iron links of chain extending from the end of the grip and feeding to an axle fused into the pony's back, but the bottom with a pair of wide arms extending from a base that had small, jutting spikes to anchor it in place. The Clockwork Pony slung this around with ease as she reared back, catching it by a large handle hidden on the bottom of the double bass as she dexterously pulled one of the bow-blades free from a quiver and fed it into a slot in the bottom of the weapon.

The arms on either side of the ballista-bass flexed, and the blade shot out of the weapon and slammed into a Nibelung, ripping straight through him to smash into the wall of a burning home beyond and punching a hole through the building. Then the Clockwork Pony glanced calmly up as a shout from Sleipnir echoed through the air, and a large wagon was flung in towards her...

The second Clockwork Pony was beside her almost immediately, the stallion swinging both his front hooves upwards and into the wagon, and it was blown apart in a ripple of force and explosive sound before he dropped forwards and slammed both front hooves into the earth. There was another terrible, massive rumble, and the earth exploded upwards in a line of spikes and shrapnel that tore in a straight line towards Sleipnir, who cursed and leapt out of the way at the last moment as the chestnut Clockwork Pony calmly rose itself up. The dark metal over its lower legs gleamed as its smiled thinly beneath the spiked helm that protected its skull, matching the dark armor that shielded its upper body as visible chestnut hide stretched and billowed over its visible stomach and sides.

Then the third swung a foreleg out, and ivory blades snapped free from around its lower limb, lashing viciously outwards on long, silver strings of steel that unraveled itself violently from a set of spools built into its shoulders. The blades managed to just catch Soarin' as he threw himself backwards in midair, ripping across the front of his body and knocking him from the sky with a yell of shock more than pain before he crashed down in a pile of hay. Then the strings rapidly reeled themselves in, the blades snapping back into place around the Clockwork Pony's limb as the golden pipes and steel tubes sticking out along its back sang and groaned.

He shook his ragged silver mane out, falling into position with the other silent Clockwork Ponies, and Celestia stepped forwards and shouted clearly, gathering the attention of those still on their hooves: “Prepare to charge!”

“Sister, 'twill not work!” Sleipnir replied incredulously, but Celestia ignored him as she dropped forwards, readying herself as her eyes rapidly analyzed the situation. But before Sleipnir could continue, the double-bass-wielding Clockwork Pony reared back slightly and slammed her weapon into the ground, anchoring it on its base as she pulled a bow free and began to drag it viciously back and forth across the strings.

The sound it produced was horrifying, blocking out all possible conversation except for screams of pain and Celestia flinched even as her eyes locked on the weapon and saw a nameplate engraved on the front of it: 'Cacophony.' A fitting name for this monster, as she flicked her horn downwards to launch a fireball at the group... but it was easily intercepted as the second pony stepped forwards and swung a hoof up to release a blast of rumbling sound and force that canceled out her attack, as she noted that it too had a name engraved over its armor: 'Resonance.'

And then the last stepped forwards, swinging a hoof up and outwards as the blades snapped off its limb and shot towards her on the deadly steel string, but Celestia leapt backwards with a wince as she swung her short swords out in a quick, vicious arc that severed the blades from the wire.

The Clockwork Pony reared back in shock as the steel wire hurriedly retracted, half-turning at the same time, and Celestia caught a glimpse of the name embossed over its flank: 'Symphony.' Then she gritted her teeth when Resonance stepped forwards and slammed a hoof into the ground, sending a shockwave ripping through the earth towards her before she leapt smoothly into the air as she shouted: “Now!”

The horrendous wailing of Cacophony's instrument drowned her out, but Sleipnir understood all the same as he ran forwards... and Resonance turned too little, too late before a hoof hooked under him and smashed into the Clockwork Pony's stomach, knocking him flying away with a howl. Cacophony's eyes widened, and she immediately spun, swinging her bass at Sleipnir, but the vine-maned stallion grinned and blocked the swing with both forelegs, cursing in pain and surprise as he was still knocked skidding a few feet to sprawl on his back. “What strength! Oh, the fun we shall have indeed!”

Symphony was snarling, beginning to bring a hoof back as the spools on its shoulders whirred... but before it could, Pinkamena appeared in a burst of dark smoke beside the Clockwork Pony, seizing into one of its legs and yanking it to the side to fling it into the air. Celestia gritted her teeth, preparing a spell.. .but before she could unleash it, Rainbow Dash shot forwards and smashed in a blur of speed into Symphony, forcibly carrying the Clockwork Pony backwards as it howled in surprise before he dove downwards and smashed it into the ground in a vicious tackle-slam.

Cacophony began to swing her bass around to attempt to crush Pinkamena, but Celestia flicked her horn sharply downwards, sending a golden fireball rocketing towards the Clockwork Pony. Immediately, the bass-wielding mare dropped her instrument weapon to hide behind it as Pinkamena lunged away with a snort from the explosion of golden fire that went up, the demon rushing towards Rainbow and Symphony as she shouted over her shoulder: “Don't expect me to thank you, Princess Sunshine!”

Cacophony was rattled by the blast and Sleipnir took the chance to lunge forwards and smash her across the face with a hoof, sending her flying to the side and skidding violently some ten feet away, as Celestia shouted: “Sleipnir and I have this one dealt with!”

Cowlick immediately nodded sharply and ran by, yelling orders to those she recognized as others ran to help Rainbow Dash and Pinkamena. Sleipnir, meanwhile, was charging in towards Cacophony... but the Clockwork Pony leveled her bass up and fired a blade from it, and the vine-mane stallion winced as he was forced to drop low to avoid the attack before Cacophony leapt to her hooves and swung the bass around in a savage overhead crush.

Celestia shot down as she flicked her horn to the side, and Tyrfing whickered through the air to smash into the weaponized instrument, enormous sword grinding against double-bass ballista before Celestia shouted as she dropped to the ground and reared back, putting all the strength she could into a hard telekinetic shove that finally knocked Cacophony backwards.

The Clockwork Pony dropped the bridge of the bass to snag the chain, and she whipped the weapon around her like a flail, driving both Sleipnir and Celestia back before she snapped the instrument backwards. It landed in the ground beside her, anchoring with a loud crunch into the street as Sleipnir ran forwards, then cursed when Cacophony drew one of the bow-blades and snapped it briskly across his face to stumble him before she quickly began to play jagged notes across the instrument.

This close, it was agonizing, driving both Celestia and Sleipnir backwards with yells of shock and pain, the notes ripping through their minds as Tyrfing fell to the ground and blood burst from one of Sleipnir's ears... and then a blast of lightning shot from the sky, hammering into Cacophony and stunning her with a cry of surprise and pain, electricity jolting up and down the strings of her instrument before several of them snapped from being superheated.

She looked up with a snarl as Sleipnir and Celestia looked over their shoulders in surprise at the sight of Odin, the falcon headed once-god leaning calmly on his cane with one hand raised. He looked calm and vital and alive as he lowered his gloved hand, and Cacophony stepped forwards before roaring as she slung the double-bass at him... but Odin easily swung his cane out, smashing the weapon away before it could strike him.

As it flew skywards in a wide arc, Cacophony leapt backwards and yanked hard on the chain, jerking it down to catch it by the handle on the bottom as she slung a blade into place and fired it off at the once-god. And even Celestia couldn't help but stare when Odin's free hand shot up and caught the blade, shaking his head once before electricity sizzled along the thin metal missile, and he flung it hard back at Cacophony.

It slammed into the Clockwork Pony's skull, her head lashing backwards as she dropped her double-bass to the ground, and she fell forwards to lean on this for a moment, staring stupidly at the ground, the blade sticking out between her eyes as she struggled to look up at it for a few seconds. Then, as blood began to flow down her features, her eyes rolled up in her head before Cacophony collapsed forwards in a dead sprawl, instrument weapon tumbling forwards with a clang.

“Go help your friends, Sleipnir.” Odin instructed calmly, and Sleipnir grinned after a moment before he nodded sharply and turned, spinning to charge across the battlefield as the once-god turned his eye to Celestia, smiling a little after a moment as she flicked her horn to lift Tyrfing back into the air. “I still have some life left in these old bones yet, Freya. Come, we need to finish this as quickly as possible.”

It was what the others were trying to do with their own opponents, but the Clockwork Ponies were tough: Pinkamena was snarling, covered in blood and bruises, her eyes glowing and massive teeth glinting as her mane writhed. One ashen wing had been broken, and even in her demonic Devourer shape, she was taking a serious beating.

Rainbow Dash was hovering beside her, breathing hard: he was fast and agile enough to maneuver past most of the monster's attacks, but all he'd managed to do was bend some of the pipes sticking out of Symphony's back out of place and batter the monster into a state of anger. Symphony was still going strong: even with the help of Big Mac and others, the Clockwork Pony just kept lashing the steel wire into them.. and those it managed to tangle up...

Rainbow breathed hard... then he stared in horror as Symphony stepped forwards and swung a hoof out suddenly, the blades snapping off its foreleg and extending as it grinned, the wire shooting straight towards him before Pinkamena leapt forwards and swung one of her wings out. The blades seized around this, and the demon howled in agony before the blades and wire ripped backwards, tearing the appendage completely off as Rainbow looked down at her in shock as the demon staggered to the side, then set herself and snarled, rasping: “Pay. Goddamn. Attention.”

“You... you...” Rainbow stared in shock as Symphony's wires and blades snapped to the side before retracting quickly, sending out a spray of blood and feathers and torn wing pieces as the Clockwork Pony laughed. Then the pale-blue Pegasus snarled and nodded, saying sharply: “You got enough in you for one more attack?”

“Let's get him, colts!” Pinkamena roared in response, and the demon charged forwards, snarling in fury and joined by Big Mac, Apple Bloom, Soarin', and others.

Symphony lashed a front hoof out, steel wire cracking and snapping through the air, driving back some of the attackers... but Big Mac and Pinkamena both ignored the wires lashing against their bodies even as they stumbled, and Soarin' cursed as he leapt upwards, flying just over the attack before Symphony lashed his other foreleg out, blades snapping off it and ripping through the air on their steel strings, and this time Pinkamena and Big Mac were both knocked crashing backwards as Soarin' was forced to hurriedly back off as well, or risk getting tangled in the wire.

Symphony's hooves snapped up again, wires lashing forwards, raising and twisting as if they had a life of their own before it frowned as a whistling built in the air... and it looked up a moment too late before a rainbow blur smashed down into the creature, releasing a shockwave of light and sound as Symphony howled in agony, chunks of piping and steel tube exploding off its back as it was crushed by the tremendous force. Rainbow Dash was knocked crashing backwards himself from the recoil, the Pegasus yelling in both pain and triumph as he clutched at several broken chunks of shrapnel stuck in his body before he hit the ground and bounced backwards several times, rolling to a halt with a curse and a wheeze.

Ponies and Nibelung both stared in shock at the sight, and Pinkamena grinned despite herself... before Symphony screamed in fury, and even the demon staggered backwards in shock as the Clockwork Pony hauled itself back to its hooves despite the clear, ugly break in its back. Somehow, it still managed to support itself as chunks of pipe and steel fell from it before it lashed both hooves forwards, steel wire whickering out towards Rainbow Dash's horrified face-

Steel wire wrapped around a steel limb, and metal blades clanged uselessly off metal as the loose ends of deadly string were caught in a black-gloved hand. All gathered could only stare in shock at the sight of Discombobulation as he leaned forwards with a cold smile, several large leather straps securely holding a large, steep cusp in place over his shoulder, and a new prosthetic arm in place: one made entirely from metal and ending in a bladed, oversized complex claw, the new, polished silver of the limb glinting. Then he quickly spun both his flesh and blood arm and the synthetic one, the metal limb moving as easily as real arm and Symphony looking down in surprise as his front legs were tangled quickly in his own steel wire before the Clockwork Pony could realize what was happening, and then the Draconequus said calmly, a monocle glinting around his eye as he raised his gaze to lock with Symphony's: “I highly recommend pissing yourself... followed by a round of praying to your impotent god.”

Symphony's eyes widened before the Clockwork Pony tried to lurch backwards and pull free... and Discombobulation gritted his teeth as he yanked his hand and claw out to either side, pulling the steel wire taut around Symphony's forelegs before they were both shredded apart. The Clockwork Pony reared with a howl of agony, blood and dark bile spilling from the severed limbs as he staggered away in horror... and then the Clockwork Pony slowly collapsed backwards as steel cabling snapped and fell to the ground, gargling once as he crashed down on his broken back.

Discombobulation straightened, dropping the steel cable and wincing a bit as he looked down at the bleeding cuts torn through the dark material of the glove as he shook his metallic arm absently, and then he glowered at Pinkamena when she chuckled and asked wryly: “Since when did you become a killer?”

“I didn't. It's still alive.” Discombobulation glanced moodily at the Clockwork Pony, and Pinkamena snorted before the Draconequus added meditatively as he flicked his monocle away: “Besides. I have no problem with smashing electronics.”

Then the Draconequus winced and glanced up at the sound of a thunderous explosion, as in the distance, Resonance slammed his hooves into the ground and sent out a shockwave, keeping the ponies fighting him at bay. His armor was mangled and dented, however, and the Clockwork Pony was snarling back and forth before it howled in agony when Cowlick fired a round into its helmeted head that exploded on contact, denting in the steel helm and blinding it as it half-fell forwards and grabbed wildly at it features.

Sleipnir charged immediately, and Resonance looked up with a snarl before rearing back... but before he could smash his hooves into the ground, Sleipnir's own hoof swung up under his chin and knocked him crashing onto his back. The Clockwork Pony winced as its hooves swung down automatically to try and catch itself... and the result was a powerful blast wave that knocked Sleipnir backwards with a grunt of surprise, but also ripped through Resonance's own body, the Clockwork Pony howling in agony and writhing wildly on its back as blood burst up from its jaws.

It hurriedly pushed itself up with a snarl... and then its eyes widened as Scarlet Sage flew forwards and swung both rear hooves down in a savage kick into its features, smashing its head back as it howled in agony and blood burst upwards, splattering over the Pegasus. She grimaced, her eyes beginning to glow with red light even as she dropped down and slammed a hoof into its face... but Resonance retaliated immediately, punching her viciously and knocking her flying with a gargle to crash down on her back.

The Clockwork Pony began to sit back up... and then it frowned and reached slowly up, touching its chest before it gargled, then arched its back and convulsed once as Scarlet Sage looked up, breathing hard as blood dripped from her mouth before she spat to the side and whispered: “I don't like to use my powers to hurt people... but for you, I'll make an exception.”

Resonance snarled at her, then grabbed its chest and twitched violently before it leaned forwards, vomiting blood. It gargled again, falling back on its haunches before it slowly collapsed onto its back as crimson fluid spilled up out of its mouth as the blood vessels inside its throat tore open. Finally, it went limp, gasping weakly as ponies and Nibelung looked down at the monstrosity in shock as Scarlet Sage collapsed and coughed from the exertion of her powers... and then quiet laughter filled the air before a soft voice murmured: “Poor Resonance... well, you tried your hardest, and that's all that matters. Look how many you put to sleep...”

All eyes turned upwards as the ponies gathered, watching as a Pegasus strode calmly through the wreckage with a soft, compassionate smile on her features. And Fluttershy, standing with Nirvana from where she had been helping to pull survivors clear of the battlefield and treat their wounds, couldn't help but whimper in horror: it looked exactly like her... or rather, the her that Sol Seraph had envisioned.

The golden Clockwork Pony smiled over them all, her black armor gleaming, fearless of the gathered ponies, Nibelung, and others. She looked at them with warmth, and compassion in her eyes... horrifying emotions as she fearlessly approached Resonance and looked down at him almost tenderly before saying softly: “Sleep now.”

She rose a hoof, and a blade sprang free from the armlet before she stabbed this down into the Clockwork Pony's throat and tore to the side, and Resonance gargled once before his eyes rolled up into his head as the armored Pegasus smiled lovingly. Fluttershy whimpered and staggered backwards as Nirvana and the Phooka leaned forwards, snarling, and slowly, the Clockwork Pony looked towards them before she murmured softly: “Oh, I see... you still haven't accepted the truth, understood the ways of the world... but I apologize, my friends. I haven't introduced myself.

“I am Prudence, Bringer of Peace. I'm in charge of keeping order in Decretum... and I'm usually only sent in to deal with particularly troublesome worlds. You must all be so very strong or very lucky to have lasted this long... but I can see from how well you handled the Orchestra that it's true strength, and not just fortune's favor.” Prudence bowed her head forwards, with the same calm, gentle, honest smile. “I'm very honored to be here. I'm very glad to be here, friends. So much so, as a matter of fact, that I would like to invite some of you to join us... or to implore you to please, please... let me lay you gently to sleep. There's no need to make any of this harder than it has to be, and you all look so tired, so hurt...”

“I am afraid we will have to deny your generous offer, Prudence.” Odin said calmly as he strode forwards, carrying his walking stick by the neck as the falcon-headed once god grimaced at the Clockwork Pony, who frowned up at him: not with anger, but with what looked like concern. “Perhaps instead, you should take a message back to your Prophet and your Clockwork King for us, and tell them they should be careful what they disturb: some stones are better left unturned.”

Prudence only smiled in return, however, saying gently: “I am not a messenger, I'm afraid. And my duty here is very clear... if you won't do this peacefully, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to use force... but don't worry. I will be as fast, and as gentle, as I possibly can. I'm not here on a mission of destruction: I'm here on a mission of mercy.”

There was a ripple through the crowd at this, and then a shout as a pony ran forwards with a snarl, frayed nerves getting the better of the soldier... and without a twitch, still calmly smiling, Prudence lashed a hoof up and out as a blade sprang from the vambrace locked around her leg, slashing neatly through the pony's throat before her hoof seized him by the mane and crushed him face-first into the ground. She slowly ground her hoof down into this, bone cracking and crunching loudly beneath her step as she said softly: “Don't be afraid, children. There's no need to rush... now, let me give each and every last one of you sleep, and comfort... and peace.”

She launched herself suddenly forwards, spreading her wings and flapping them once to give herself an additional boost as she shot for Odin... but Sleipnir was in front of her in a moment, snarling and swinging out a hoof. Prudence was graceful as well as fast, however, easily twisting to the side before slamming a headbutt into Sleipnir's face and knocking him stumbling. Her hoof whipped up, lightning fast, and it was only instinct that saved the vine-maned pony as he jerked his head to the side, the blade that sprang out from the Clockwork Pony's bracer cutting only a thin gash against the side of his neck before she tore the blade backwards, grinding the knife edge against the wound before she swung both hooves up to box Sleipnir's ears and temples.

He staggered backwards, stunned, and Prudence rose her front hooves as a second blade sprung out of the other bracer before she laid into his face and breast with a series of vicious slashes, cutting back and forth and making him howl and stagger hurriedly backwards before Pinkamena snarled and tried to tackle the Clockwork Pony from the side. Prudence easily leapt into the air, however, neatly rolling her body sideways smoothly overtop the demon before slamming both front hooves down into Pinkamena's spine, burying her blades through the demon's back and making her scream as she was driven to the ground.

Pinkie Pie yelled from where she had been half-hiding with Fluttershy, running in desperately to try and jump on Prudence's back, but without looking around the Clockwork Pony kicked a hoof back, slamming it into Pinkie's stomach before there was a burst of blood and the wicked hiss of a hidden blade plunging up into soft flesh.

Prudence began to pull to the side, meaning to disembowel the bright pink pony... and then Sleipnir's hoof smashed into her face, knocking the Clockwork Pony in an arc through the air. Pinkamena gasped in pain before she collapsed forwards as Pinkie Pie was knocked backwards from the force of the Clockwork Pony being launched, but the blade only twisted slightly as it ripped free, leaving her with a painful but not lethal wound as she whimpered and clutched at her stomach.

Sleipnir roared like a wounded animal as he leapt over his wife and darted past Pinkie Pie, charging straight at Prudence as the Clockwork Pony let herself freefall backwards before flipping at the last moment, landing neatly on her hooves and smiling despite the large bruise already forming under her jaw. Her eyes flicked to the side as she noted Celestia charging in just behind her brother, and when Sleipnir dove at her, Prudence dropped low and swung a hoof up, driving one of her spring-blades into Sleipnir's chest before she leapt upwards and caught the massive earth pony like he was a stuffed toy, half-spinning and slamming him straight down into the ground face-first with a sickening crack.

He gargled and bounced once, collapsing on his back like a bag of bricks as Celestia snarled and drew Tyrfing back... but like liquid, Prudence was already moving, leaping backwards and wrapping her rear legs tightly around Celestia's throat in the instant of vulnerability her sword was drawing back before the Clockwork Pony twisted her entire body hard. The ivory equine was slammed down on her side, her swords falling from the air with her concentration interrupted by the shock of the blow before Prudence half-rolled to raise a hoof and stab it savagely downwards towards Celestia's throat.

Spring-blade was met by a swing of a cane, and Prudence's foreleg was knocked back from the force of it before a moccasin slammed into the Clockwork Pony's face and knocked her away from Celestia and crashing onto her back. Prudence shook herself briskly out, then looked slowly up as Odin stepped forwards in front of Celestia and Sleipnir, cane held at the ready like a sword as he said quietly: “Keep your claws off them, scavenger.”

“I'm only trying to help.” Prudence replied with a smile, and then she flapped her wings, launching herself into the air and shooting straight towards Odin. She speared both short spring-blades forwards, and Odin swept his cane up to parry the double stab easily before he flicked his wrist gracefully and swung the cane down to block a kick from Prudence's rear hooves when blades sprung from the silver manacles around her lower legs.

The Clockwork Pony began to slash in with the front blades, but Odin was faster, stepping into a punch that knocked her backwards and out of the air. Prudence flipped gracefully, landing on her hooves and digging the blades into the ground to halt her from skidding further before she leapt forwards, flapping her wings once to propel herself back up to head level with the once-god, making short, vicious slashes at his blind side, but all the same Odin warded her off, fencing rapidly against her with his cane.

Then Prudence's eyes widened in surprise when Odin suddenly stepped backwards instead of parrying a mauling slash of her blades, and she tipped forwards from the force of the attack before Odin seized her by the head with his free hand and grunted as he slammed her face-first into the street. It knocked the sense from the Clockwork Pony even as she tried to get her hooves beneath her, before Odin's foot hooked just under her throat and booted her lightly into the air in front of him, and his cane whickered out to slam across her face with all the force the once-god could muster, knocking Prudence crashing bonelessly backwards.

She hit the ground and skidded over the street to a halt, Odin breathing hard as he rubbed slowly at his chest before shaking himself briskly out... and then Prudence slowly sat up as the blades retracted automatically into their bracers, smiling despite the large, cane-shaped welt across her features and the blood spilling down from one of her ears and an eye, saying gently: “You've very skilled. I apologize for underestimating you because of your age. Thank you for this challenge you present.”

Odin only grunted, readying himself again before Prudence flapped her wings slowly, lifting herself into the air calmly and rolling her head on her shoulders... and then she darted suddenly, viciously forwards as she flicked her limbs, blades springing from her bracers again as she began to swing one straight at Odin's face, lightning-fast.

The once-god parried the attack... and with terrible, awful grace, Prudence allowed her entire body to twist with the parry, kicking both rear legs up and swinging them in a lashing double-kick across Odin's face, slicing open his features as he stumbled backwards with a wince of shock. And then Prudence flapped her wings, half-flipping her body as she dove downwards and slammed one forehoof against Odin's leg and the other against the once-god's stomach, spring blades ripping into his flesh as the Clockwork Pony anchored herself against his body before kicking both rear hooves up to rip her blades into his throat and face.

Celestia screamed her denial from beside Sleipnir's unconscious form, leaping to her hooves in horror as Odin staggered backwards, but Prudence yanked her front hooves back before pounding a lethal tattoo over the once-god's stomach and lower body, smiling calmly the entire time as her thin, short blades ripped through the once-god's body again, again and again, even as Odin began to fall. And just before he hit the ground, she kicked off him savagely with all four hooves, neatly launching herself into a short flip and landing smoothly as Odin bounced once against the ground before he skidded backwards, choking on his own blood.

Prudence turned with her terrible, gentle smile, surveying the broken body of the once-god before she swung a hoof down... but it was halted by another hoof, Prudence looking up with a frown as Fluttershy trembled and shook her head weakly, staring across at her, holding Prudence's hoof in place as she whispered: “No. Don't.”

“It's okay. I'm bringing peace. Don't you understand? I'm making everything alright...” Prudence replied softly, smiling through the blood dripping off her body, and then she pulled free and easily swung her hoof out. The blade sliced across Fluttershy's cheek, and the Pegasus trembled, but didn't move, only shaking her head, pleading silently with the Clockwork Pony before Prudence said softly: “Very well. Then I'll teach you.”

Prudence swung a hoof in, and Fluttershy staggered backwards, avoiding it as she shot a desperate look over her shoulder at Celestia. And Celestia understood everything in that look, resisting every instinct in her body, everything that screamed at her to charge as Prudence leapt after Fluttershy... and Fluttershy led the Clockwork Pony quickly away from Odin's fallen form.

Celestia ran to Odin, not looking up even as a cry of pain tore through the air when Fluttershy was tackled backwards. The Clockwork Pony loomed over her, smiling, before Prudence leaned suddenly backwards, and a bullet uselessly whizzed past her before she reached down and swept up a large rock, half-turning and flinging it hard towards Cowlick, who had a moment to stare blankly before the lights went out as the large stone struck squarely into her skull.

Big Mac charged in next, but Prudence simply rolled, dragging Fluttershy up to throw her hard into the crimson stallion, and he winced and skidded to a halt as he caught her before Prudence leapt forwards and smashed Fluttershy across the skull, knocking her to the ground before the Clockwork Pony's blades tore back and forth over the stallion's face, Big Mac cursing in pain before Prudence smiled and thrusted viciously upwards, ripping a deep cut up his cheek and through one of his eyes. Big Mac howled in pain, and then Prudence leaned forwards and headbutted him savagely, knocking him crashing limply backwards as she said gently: “It's going to be okay, don't worry.”

She leaned back for a moment... and then cursed when Fluttershy slammed both rear hooves into her stomach, knocking her back a step before the Pegasus scrambled backwards. Prudence looked down at her with disappointment for a moment, and then lunged forwards, stabbing her blade fiercely downwards... only for Nirvana to slip between them, the Phooka hissing in agony as the blades ripped through his smoky form before he howled in misery, but refused to move, as the Clockwork Pony began to rip and slash her blades through his form, sending up bursts of smoke and steam as she said softly: “Don't worry. I plan to save even your kind... in time.”

She slammed both hooves down into Nirvana's spine, knocking the Phooka flat before she stabbed a blade towards the back of his head, but it was deflected when Fluttershy swung a hoof up, hitting her foreleg before the Pegasus leapt forwards, tackling the Clockwork Pony backwards. They rolled once, and then Prudence threw her off before pouncing towards the Pegasus, slamming her back-down to the ground before she swung her hooves down... and they were blocked as tears leaked from Fluttershy's eyes, her teeth grit as she shouted: “Please! Please just stop!”

Prudence only frowned as she laid in with a flurry of blows... but again and again, Fluttershy blocked the attacks, sustaining only shallow wounds over her forelimbs before Prudence knocked the Pegasus' legs wide, then stabbed savagely down into her body just beneath her collarbone. Fluttershy cried out, grabbing the Clockwork Pony's forelimb as the blade twisted slowly, and Prudence leaned down, asking softly: “I don't understand. What is this resistance?”

“I didn't want to hurt you... but you remind me so much of my mother, of everything she tried to make me into... it makes me remember all the things I tried so hard to forget...” Fluttershy whispered... and then she twisted suddenly and savagely, and even as she cried out in agony as it forced the blade buried in her body to twist, Prudence's foreleg loudly snapped at the elbow as the Pegasus cried out through her tears: “But I'll do anything to protect my friends!”

Prudence flinched backwards and yanked hurriedly away before Fluttershy scrambled up to her hooves... only for the Clockwork Pony to leap forwards to renew the attack, slashing viciously at the Pegasus. Fluttershy managed to stagger sideways, but it wasn't enough, as Prudence's blade ripped into the base of her wing... and then tore through it, severing the appendage completely as Fluttershy staggered to the side with a scream of pain.

The Clockwork Pony began to turn, ready to finish the job... and Tyrfing smashed down into her shoulder, ripping deep into her body and knocking her backwards as Celestia leapt forwards and shouted furiously: “Enough!”

Her three short swords ripped upwards in a frenzy, slashing back and forth across Prudence as the Clockwork Pony howled in pain, Tyrfing tearing back to slap the flat of the blade cruelly across her features as the smaller swords twisted around her. Prudence was unable to ward the attacks off or even keep herself moving with her leg broken and one of her wings now hanging uselessly, all her grace and mobility lost as the short blades tore her armor to shreds and heavy Tyrfing smashed back and forth across her body and skull, leaving massive wounds.

Finally, the short swords thrusted forwards, all three piercing deep into Prudence's breast before Tyrfing whirled around into a cruel smash, hitting with the flat instead of the edge to send the Clockwork Pony bonelessly crashing backwards. She hit the earth hard, bouncing once before rolling several times and ending up in a broken sprawl on her front, trembling and bleeding from countless wounds as Celestia breathed hard, tears leaking from her glowing amethyst eyes before she snarled when Prudence laughed weakly.

Slowly, the Clockwork Pony sat up, smiling before she reached up and brushed several broken plates of fiberglass armor off her breast. She shook her head slowly, tears of blood spilling from her eyes before she whispered: “You really are... so strong. So loving... so good to each other. Yes, yes... come, my friends, you have honored me... now, let's all find peace together. Let's all go to Heaven...”

Slowly, Prudence pulled the front of her ripped-apart armor and vest open... and Celestia stared in horror at the naked flesh beneath, interlaced and embedded with terrible tubes, a broken, cracked heartbeat monitor, and gemstones that were sizzling with electricity. Instinct told her what it was, what Prudence was, as the Clockwork Pony smiled benevolently before she reached up and grasped her own blood-smeared features, saying tenderly: “Thank you, for helping me find peace. Now let me do the same for all of you.”

With that, Prudence twisted viciously and snapped her own neck, and the monitor on her chest beeped loudly several times as Celestia stared in horror... before she was shoved out of the way as Odin ran forwards, bleeding from the wounds she hadn't had the time to heal, leaping towards the dying monster and seizing Prudence's corpse before he looked skywards and then simply vanished.

And Celestia cried out in misery and denial as a massive, terrible explosion echoed through the night sky, hammering through the entire world as high above, a massive flare of hellfire and lightning erupted. Fire and embers hailed down from the scorched night air as Celestia screamed again, and all present stared up in horror, in disbelief, in misery, at the sight of the final sacrifice of a soul who had been more noble in his quasi-mortality than he had ever been as a god.

Solemn Lamentation

Chapter Sixty Seven: Solemn Lamentation
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms, in the depths of Canterlot, felt the explosion. Felt the blast, felt the strange sense of relief as

she saw the Jötnar approaching. She didn't know what he wanted... only that she had been so terribly afraid and alone. All her friends were gone, lost... and she had been left here, in this merciless tundra of weeds and ashes and broken nature, beneath the red sky of their poisoned world. She had been left to wander, never finding food, nor rest, nor not even the barest hint of life. Not even insects... just ashes and dead plants.

Fluttershy trembled once as Valthrudnir looked down at her with a calm smile, his hands behind his back as he studied her before he asked kindly: “Have you figured it out yet, little one? It's not really such a riddle, as long as you understand what you're seeing. Do you know what you're seeing?”

Fluttershy only whimpered, and the Jötnar sighed and rolled his eyes before he gestured out at the field, saying softly: “You're seeing utopia.”

“N-No... this... this is just... death...” Fluttershy whispered, trembling and half-hiding herself behind her mane, only daring to speak up because she knew that no matter what she did, no matter what happened... she was going to die anyway. “P-P-Please...”

“Oh really? And I suppose this is more your concept of Heaven, then?” Valthrudnir waved a hand outwards again, and green grasses burst up beneath them as Fluttershy squeaked, then stared in wonderment as the sky above their heads rippled and became blue, as a flock of birds flew into the air, as animals sprang up from the ground as if they had only been waiting for life to return to the planet.

Fluttershy stared back and forth as the animals approached, and she felt joy, true joy, filling up her system at the renewal of life. With it, came hope, as her eyes turned towards the Jötnar... but she couldn't help but shiver at the look on the dragon's face... and the memory of the awful things he had done.

Then he glanced down towards her, and he said softly: “Do you see all this? Oh yes, it's very pretty, but pretty things are always deceptive. And are almost always useless... or worse, simply a trap. Sure, it may look like Heaven... but Fluttershy, look at them. They're suffering.”

Fluttershy frowned, then turned her eyes back to the animals... and she staggered backwards with a gasp. Now, many of them were foaming at the jaws, emaciated, some burned, some injured, some maddened as they snarled and growled at whatever was closest. She shook her head in horror, and then trembled hard before looking up and pleading urgently: “P-Please, let me help them! I... I know how to help them, I know that I can save them!”

“Can you truly, though?” Valthrudnir asked softly, and then he smiled as he pointed to the dog, and it shook itself out, whimpering for a moment before barking loudly and wagging its tail happily as its body thickened up and it lost its disease, Fluttershy looking relieved before the dog turned, cocked its head at the sight of a rabbit... then leapt over and bit down on it, Fluttershy shrieking as the dog rapidly began to rip it apart. “You save one... you have to kill another, don't you?”

“No, stop, stop!” Fluttershy shouted, but it was too late: the rabbit was torn to pieces in moments, and the dog was greedily chewing it up... before it suddenly staggered backwards, hacking and coughing, and the Pegasus moaned in horror before the dog vomited loudly, then whimpered and collapsed on its side as its eyes rolled up in its head.

“And even then... who's to say it won't die anyway? Of disease, of being struck by lightning, of no certain cause whatsoever? And life... is life truly a kindness, better than death?” Valthrudnir smiled, gesturing at the whimpering, dying animals, before he snapped his fingers... and Fluttershy screamed as a blast of lightning hammered down into a deer, setting it aflame for a few moments as it staggered and bleated weakly before collapsing forwards, nothing left but a burnt husk... that all the same moved, and twitched even as smoke poured up from its body. “It's alive, Fluttershy. Will you keep it alive? Will you love it, and care for it like this? For all these dying animals? Because they are all dying, just like you are dying... everything alive, is suffering. And you are only helping hurt them by keeping them alive.”

Fluttershy shook her head, moaning in horror, tears spilling down her cheeks as she staggered back and forth before looking in terror over her shoulder at Valthrudnir, whispering: “N-No, that's not t-true, life isn't just-”

“Really?” Valthrudnir laughed, striding forwards and kicking one of the other animals away before he stomped down on the deer, and it gave a scream that was horribly intelligent, horribly like a sound any person could make as Fluttershy cried out and shook her head in denial, then screamed when Valthrudnir grinned and stomped down...

She broke down into harsh sobs, shaking her head wildly... and then Valthrudnir's voice said soothingly, as he reached down and stroked through her mane as her body trembled wildly and she flinched away from him:”Open your eyes. Look.”

She couldn't deny him. Couldn't shut out his voice, as her eyes slowly, miserably opened... and her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the sight of the deer. Once more, it was whole. It was dead, but it looked peaceful... asleep, instead of suffering. Instead of in torment, as Valthrudnir smiled and leaned down, whispering in her ear: “The dead don't cry. Don't hurt. Don't suffer. Nor do they feel happiness, but what does that matter? They're free. They're at peace. They're asleep, in the warm cradle of the Void. Death is kindness, Fluttershy... aren't you supposed to embody that? Yet all you've been, your whole life, is cruel... for forcing life on those who don't want it. Bring them peace, my sweet Fluttershy... bring them peace.”

With that, Valthrudnir calmly stepped backwards, as Fluttershy shivered and trembled, shaking her head weakly as she clenched her eyes shut... and when she opened them, she was in a small room, with a dying animal in front of her. It was old, fragile, weak: it was drowning on the water in its lungs, every second miserable agony. It was dying, and crawling with infections...

Fluttershy reached forwards, trying to soothe it... and it only cried out in pain. It was all the animals she had ever cared for in one, as tears flowed down her cheeks and she shook her head, trying everything she could to make it happy, to give it one moment of peace, but nothing did. It only grew worse, its agony greater with every passing second... and there was nothing she could do.

She tried to leave, and found there was no way out. No way out, stuck in here with this dying thing, pleading with its eyes for her to... she couldn't. She couldn't, she wouldn't, and yet it begged her to, as it died. As it rotted from the inside out... and finally, finally, after what felt like hours of watching it suffer, of it begging and wheedling, she covered its face with a pillow. It didn't struggle... it didn't fight her. She could feel the room warming up as it shifted once... and then died, quietly, without fuss.

And then there was light, all around her, and joy. There was a feeling inside her, of something opening up, of bringing... peace. Of kindness, before she was standing back in the field with Valthrudnir, and the Jötnar smiled down at her as he said gently: “Death is kindness... and the prudent prepare for and look forwards to it. Understand that all things must die... that it is to be celebrated, not mourned. Come, let me show you more. How many worthless lives would have been so much better off had they never lived at all. How many people, had they died, would have saved so many others from tortures far worse than something as kind and gentle as death.”

Tears leaked down Fluttershy's cheeks as she looked hollowly at the ground, but slowly, she began to believe his words. To understand, as she was guided to helping kill the tortured and dying, who thanked her... until she was eventually bringing peace to even those who had just been born, but served no purpose, would live unfulfilling lives, would threaten peace and harmony. She understood.... that death was love.

Standing on a barren cliff, dressed in her tight-fitting armor, she smiled out over the sight of the endless, deathless machines and the barren, broken land. Land that had been strengthened from death, and was kept going by synthetics who didn't suffer like the living dead. She closed her eyes as she reached up and touched her chest, wings furled at her sides as she said softly: “He was right, and there was no denying his logic. Death brings love, and peace, and harmony between all things. It made sense... so that was what I became. Not a reaper, or a warrior... a peacemaker. With my gift of love and serenity. I sacrificed myself wholly to his cause, because I was ready to endure the pain of living forever, so I could bring gentle oblivion to everyone else. But I always hoped they could hear me, as they went to sleep, and maybe in their deep and dreaming darkness... I always hoped , Angel.”

Prudence smiled lovingly down at a small white rabbit, reaching forwards and stroking it gently. It only stared ahead with its dark glass eyes, the marks of a broken neck visible on its long-ago-stuffed body as she said gently: “I saved him among my first. After all... I loved him. I never wanted little Angel to suffer, and now he really is among the angels... with so many others, in the paradise they deserve...”

Prudence closed her eyes, feeling

heat and light turn to darkness... and then the charcoal stallion's body jerked before he sat suddenly, sharply up with a gasp as pain ripped through his body, hugging himself as he leaned forwards and vomited blood and black mire all over himself.

He shivered violently, and then he felt something, wincing and looking up before cursing in surprise at the sight of the dark-skinned ponies that hurried into the room: pretty mares with vain features, visibly worried as one said quickly: “We must tend to him with haste, sisters...”

They forced him to lay down, and Scrivener didn't fight as he flopped back onto the bed, groaning in pain. He couldn't even make sense of his surroundings... he felt hot, sweaty, and feverish, and there was intravenous needles stuck in him and tubes and the corruption was boiling, bubbling, bursting through his veins and his skull...

But within a few minutes, Scrivener felt himself fading back into darkness... and when he woke up next, his head and body were throbbing, and his mental link with Luna felt riddled with static... but he also felt saner, in a word, and when he slowly let his head roll to the side to see one of the black ponies from before, he only spent a few moments studying the mare, then smiled faintly and whispered: “Nightmare.”

The mare smiled at him, striding forwards, and now Scrivener could see the faint outline of smoke and darkness around it, as it leaned down curiously and asked softly: “What do you see, Scrivener Blooms, if I may be so bold?”

“I see you.” Scrivener murmured after a moment, and then he closed his eyes and reached up to touch his own forehead, wincing at how hot it felt before he asked finally: “How long was I out for? Why do I have a guard?”

“I am more of a concerned friend than a guard.” the Nightmare replied gently, and then it added after a moment quietly: “You have been unconscious for only a few hours, but with the help of the elixirs and the medicines... and the magic we have taken the liberty to use... you have healed much faster than hoped. But a message has come from Ponyville...”

“Clockwork World attacked... and Prudence killed Odin. Possibly more.” Scrivener closed his eyes, feeling a twist of pain inside him before he asked roughly: “Where's Luna? And Celestia?”

“Luna is upstairs... Celestia is in Ponyville still. They are both upset... how did you know what had happened?” the Nightmare asked slowly, and Scrivener grunted before he carefully began to wiggle himself off the bed, and the Nightmare winced at this before saying hesitantly: “Scrivener Blooms, this is not an advisable course of action...”

“That's alright, I rarely take advice.” Scrivener muttered, then he grimaced, grabbing one of the IVs and yanking the needle free from his foreleg with a curse... and he couldn't help but shiver as he bled not red, but black. “I am so messed up, aren't I?”

“Your lifespan was halved again, at the very least. You may not feel the pain, Scrivener Blooms, but your condition is serious.” the Nightmare said nervously, and Scrivener frowned across at the creature, that in his vision was still a black pony, surrounded by a faint, smoky glow. “What is it?”

“I'm... picking up on your emotions better, that's all. Is that because I'm closer to dead or because I'm...” Scrivener shook his head out, then he cursed and continued to tear out the tubes and other things, muttering: “If I'm dying fast now, then there's no point in wasting that time in bed. I need to see Luna. Do you understand?”

The Nightmare hesitated... but then a more familiar voice asked easily: “Don't you have faith in him, little cousin? He's the only person that the mistress listens to. Well, sometimes she does, anyway...”

Scrivener's eyes roved immediately to the Kelpie that wandered in, and he winced at the bright red glow that surrounded her, tinged with paler colors. And in his eyes, some of her features seemed exaggerated... her teeth, her glowing eyes, her seaweed mane... “Oh, but you really should at least consider laying back down...”

“I'm fine, Hevatica.” Scrivener muttered, shaking his head and then closing his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he couldn't help but grimace a little at the sight of the demon, who was now looking at him almost sympathetically. “What are you doing here, anyway?”

“I like to check up on you now and then. That, and your emotions and the corruption they siphon out of you really are both absolutely decadent.” Hevatica replied easily, and Scrivener gave her a moody look before she leaned forwards and asked hesitantly: “Are you alright, Scrivener Blooms? You were in very bad shape.”

“I'm... fine. I think that's probably what has me most worried, though, to be entirely honest...” Scrivener muttered after a moment, grimacing as he lowered his head and looked down at his hooves: it was true, after all. He wasn't hurting that much physically: the soreness, the aches, they were nothing compared to how it had been before... and he sighed before adding suddenly, not knowing entirely why he was being so honest: “I need to be with Luna. I need to help her through this.”

Hevatica nodded after a moment at this, looking at him meditatively before she strode forwards and turned, half-supporting him as he smiled at her gratefully. “Then let us go.”

“Maybe you will grow on me like Atrus did after all.” Scrivener muttered, and Hevatica smiled despite herself as they started forwards, the charcoal stallion lowering his head and closing his eyes, trusting the demon to guide him right. “Thank you.”

Hevatica only replied with a soft look, bowing her head to him respectfully. They spoke little as they made their way up through Canterlot and towards their guest room... and Scrivener was relieved more than anything else when, just as Hevatica was reaching for the handle, the door was flung open to reveal a furious-looking Luna. “Damnation, poet, what art thou-”

“I wanted to be with you. I know what happened.” Scrivener said quietly, and Luna stared at him for a few moments... and then, slowly, her lower lip started to tremble as the anger faded from her features, and Scrivener stepped forwards and hugged her tightly.

She buried her face against the side of his neck, releasing a single, silent gasp, not a sob... and for a few moments, they simply rested together like that, Scrivener breathing slowly as he held her close and feeling her despair, her sorrow, her emotions cascading through him. Link or not, this close to her, feeling her familiar shape against him, knowing her as well as he did... they didn't need that mental link to feel and know one-another's emotions and thoughts, as he squeezed her tighter when she shifted as if about to pull away... only to bury herself closer a moment later with a second quiet sound of pain and sorrow.

Finally, Luna pulled herself away and nodded once, her starry mane flickering as she looked up at the ceiling and whispered: “We must honor his passage, my beloved husband. Aye, Odin has proven himself... good. Honorable. Worthy... like a... like a father.” Luna nodded silently, gazing quietly at the roof and murmuring: “'Tis all silly child's tales but I... I hope he is among the stars... I hope he is at peace. I hope that one day, in some far and distant future...”

She closed her eyes and broke off, sighing softly as she shook her head out slowly, then she finally looked moodily up and past Scrivener Blooms at Hevatica, asking moodily: “And what is it, creature? Art thou waiting to be thanked? Or for some gift? Or does thou just enjoy feeding off my complex sorrows for a being I can no longer bear to hate?”

“None of the above, Mistress Luna. Perhaps instead I can be of service to you and yours, if you will permit my aid?” Hevatica bowed her head deeply, and Luna hesitated before Scrivener glanced over his shoulder... and he sighed after a moment at the sight of her. There was selfishness, desire, ego in her motives, certainly... but there was also... loyalty, sympathy... perhaps even honest compassion.

Scrivener nodded a bit, and Luna grunted before she turned, side-by-side with her husband as they headed into the den room. Twilight was looking miserable on one of the couches, head bowed quietly before she glanced up when Luna gestured to her, saying quietly: “Come here, beautiful mare. Thy sorrows feel heavier than mine.”

“I should have been there, Luna... I... I should have protected them.” Twilight whispered, trembling a bit... and then she closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards, grabbing at her face with her hooves. “Look at us, look at... at this... and now Odin and others are dead, and Fluttershy... god, Fluttershy lost a wing, and unlike Pinkamena, hers won't grow back... Big Mac lost an eye, Pinkie Pie and so many of my other friends are getting treatment and I... and... look at me!”

Twilight looked up, trembling, tears rolling down her cheeks as she gestured violently at herself. “I should have been there, I could have changed things and... and instead... I stayed here. To take care of you both, to... try and...”

“Twilight...” Scrivener said quietly, and Luna gritted her teeth, controlling her own emotions as the two ponies looked across at the violet mare as she trembled... then half-fell out of the couch before racing over to them, leaping between them and burying her face against Scrivener as she began to cry quietly, curling up like a child as Luna sighed softly and silently embraced her from behind, rubbing her back soothingly as Scrivener held her close and reached one hoof up to silently take one of Luna's in his own.

Hevatica at least had the decency to excuse herself... and after a few minutes, Twilight Sparkle calmed down and shivered a little between them, laughing weakly as she turned her head away and whispered: “I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I just... lost control of my emotions and let them get the better of me. I feel so useless to you both, especially right now, and I know... I know that... even if I was there... I might not have been able to help. I might have even ended up making things worse... I just... can't help but wish...”

“I know. I know, 'tis perfectly fine, Twilight, and... and I am sorry that Scrivener and I... kept thee here and worse, that... that we may have provided the opportunity the creature was looking for, by getting ourselves injured. We... are partly at fault, Twilight.” Luna glanced down, shaking her head slowly. “If thou had... well...”

“If I didn't have you both in my life, I'd be in a lot worse shape right now. I just... Fluttershy, and they don't know if Nirvana is going to make it... Prudence's blades were some kind of special metal...” Twilight shivered, closing her eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek. “Oh, Fluttershy...”

Luna and Scrivener both gazed silently at the violet mare, and then they both simply hugged her tightly, and she shivered between them before laughing weakly and murmuring: “I... I should be the one comforting you two, though. Scrivener, even you knew Odin a lot better than I did and... and...”

“No, no... no... Odin... would not want us to mourn, anyway, and... and in a way, this is good. This is right.” Luna whispered, glancing away, and at first Twilight looked up with something like frustration bordering on anger... but when she saw the seriousness on Luna's face, it faded into questioning, and Luna turned her eyes slowly back to the violet mare before she smiled faintly. “Yes, I would prefer him alive, but... Odin did not want to die quietly, in his bed... 'twould have been... seen as a dishonor, a cowardice, a misery. 'Tis better to fall upon one's own blade than it is to die tucked away in bed. There is no greater death than... sacrifice on the battlefield, defending the innocent as he did.”

Twilight looked down, laughing faintly as she closed her eyes, and Luna hesitated before she looked away and murmured: “I would not have wanted him to die any other way, my beloved. It may sound strange and cruel to say, perhaps, but... I would not wish a quiet and lonely death upon Odin. He was better than that. I am not glad that he is dead but... I am glad that he died as he desired, upon his feet, fighting with all his strength... and not as the aggressor, but as the defender. As a true hero, giving his life to... to save countless lives. Lives he once took for granted as only toys and now... now meant enough to him that...”

Luna broke off, closing her eyes tightly, and Scrivener squeezed her hoof firmly as he kept his other foreleg tight around Twilight. And for a few moments, the silence only spiraled out before Luna finally sighed quietly and looked up with a slow shake of her head. “'Tis time to allow all to be forgiven, that is all I know for certain. And we must... find our hooves, and find our way back to Ponyville as soon as possible. I worry for Antares, and for the other innocents caught up in the strife... I worry for our friends and family, too, and those whom suffered such injury and pain in the battle with the Clockwork Ponies.”

“But it was only Prudence's death again that gave me the visions...” Scrivener murmured, and Luna squeezed against his hoof lightly as she looked at him apprehensively, and Twilight glanced up with worry as well. “It's alright. I'm just... trying to figure things out again. Why I'm only seeing visions from the Hexad. Why...”

Scrivener shook his head after a moment, looking down moodily before he mumbled: “It's a good thing, though. I imagine that if the deaths of the other Clockwork Ponies had stirred up this corruption and everything, well, I'd probably be dead already.”

“Please don't talk about you dying, Scrivener. It's... it's less funny when you actually are.” Twilight said quietly, closing her eyes and pressing her face against his chest, and Scrivener smiled faintly down at her before she glanced up and said quietly: “We still need to make that list of things you've always wanted to do in life. I'd... like to take some time to do that today, if you're up for it. And I still want to do it if even if you're not.”

Scrivener shook his head but laughed a little all the same, and then Hevatica returned to the room with a tray loaded with a teapot and several cups, setting this down as she bowed her head and said gently: “I do not know much about mortal cuisine, but demons have our own teas and remedies as well. Tell me, shall I sing for you? I'll keep it gentle and soothing.”

Luna glanced up, hesitated... and then, to the surprise of both Twilight and Scrivener, she said softly: “Aye, I would like that. But sing for Odin, Hevatica... 'twould be even more appreciated.”

Hevatica smiled and nodded, and as the three ponies shifted a bit, the Kelpie sat back and closed her eyes, beginning to sing a soft, sad melody in her beautiful, echoing voice. Not even Luna understood the words... but all of them could feel the emotion, could hear the melancholy harmony that ran through every syllable and sound.

When the song ended, Scrivener glanced down with surprise to see that Twilight had fallen asleep against him, curled up as a single trail of tears ran down one cheek. Luna, meanwhile, was curled overtop the violet mare protectively, head resting high on her upper back and eyes mostly-closed even as they turned slowly up to look at Scrivener, and he gazed quietly back down.

Hevatica studied them with gentility in her eyes, and the the demon bowed her head forwards, saying gently: “If I may offer a little advice, particularly to you, Scrivener Blooms... there is no point any longer in feeling shame, regret, or worry. You should all do anything and everything you want to do... and if you feel you must still consult with friends and family and ask permission for so many things, you may all be surprised to discover how accommodating everyone is willing to be.” She smiled slightly. “I know that I would be.”

“Accommodating or selfish?” Luna asked wryly, but Hevatica only laughed quietly and gave Luna an entertained look.

“In this case, they're both the same.” Hevatica bowed her head forwards, then she turned towards the kitchen again, striding off and calling easily over her shoulder: “I shall find some simple mortal foodstuffs, and we can indulge our gluttony and speak on this further.”

“Bossy demon.” Luna mumbled, but then she sighed and closed her eyes, adding in a quieter voice: “But she is right all the same, Scrivy, is she not?”

Scrivener only shrugged a bit, looking down before he said finally: “I just wish... we weren't in Canterlot right now, Luna. That we were back at home, or in Ponyville. That we could do something to help out the others after... this catastrophe. Or that at the very least, Antares was here with us, so we could reassure him and just... know he's safe. It's not that I don't trust the others, it's just...”

“He is our son.” Luna nodded slowly in agreement, bowing her head forwards a bit before she silently stroked a hoof along Twilight's back, murmuring: “I'm sure our pretty mare feels the same way.”

Scrivener smiled despite himself, closing his eyes as they sat for a few moments in silence... and then Luna frowned a bit as she looked up at what sounded like hoofsteps. And to her shock, a moment later Antares Mīrus skidded around the edge of the couch and leapt up towards them, jarring Twilight awake as she yelped as Scrivener gaped and Antares cried out: “Mom, Dad, Twilight! Are you all okay?”

“A-Antares?” Twilight spluttered out, staring stupidly and reaching up to brush her frazzled mane back, and the foal only looked worriedly back and forth over the three before he finally sat back with what was almost a whimper of concern as his eyes roved to his father. “How... h-how did...”

“Simple.” said a soft voice, and Scrivener flinched as Luna looked up in shock before all three adults sat hurriedly up and stared over the edge of the couch as soft, clicking steps filled the air, and Gymbr strode calmly out of one of the adjoining corridors, his green eyes glinting and a soft smile on the Tulpa's features. Antares shivered a bit and glanced down embarrassedly when Luna looked over her shoulder at him with surprise, but her gaze returned quickly to Gymbr when the Tulpa continued quietly: “We are still gaining strength and power. Such a short jump from Ponyville to Canterlot... it requires little effort on our part. One day perhaps, we'll be as strong as we were meant to be...”

Gymbr lowered its head meditatively, and then its eyes flicked up towards them, striding calmly over the floor as Twilight trembled and shrank back a bit and Luna and Scrivener could only continue to stare in amazement and disbelief. Then the strange, thought-made-real creature smiled before it bowed its head forwards, saying softly: “But we do not desire to interfere or strain ourselves, either, even as we probe for the limits of our ever-growing power. So if you will excuse us, cherished friends...”

With that, Gymbr closed its eyes and flicked its horn firmly upwards, and there was a flash of light before a stuffed doll fell to the ground in the place where the Tulpa had once stood. The ponies stared at this as Antares hesitantly leaned around the couch, and the foal winced a little as Gymbr's voice echoed gently through the air: “If you need us, do not fear to call for our aid. Whether you trust us or not... you know that our alliance is a necessary one.”

Luna shook her head with a grimace as Twilight swallowed slowly, whispering: “So... so it really... was real, and he can... I... I just...”

“Even I'm having trouble processing what's going on so... let's just... sit for a moment.” Scrivener mumbled, and then he sighed quietly and slumped back in the couch even as Luna carefully slipped off the furnishing, trading a tight, quick hug with her son before she strode past to examine the fallen toy. “Luna, please don't harass it too much.”

“Oh shut up, Scrivener Blooms, thou cannot know what I plan to do before I do it with our mental link all riddled with static.” Luna retorted crankily, and then she poked a little at the toy with one hoof, grimacing at it. Despite her tone, Antares smiled faintly at his mother's back, likely seeing beneath her irritability... and relieved to see his parents behaving normally, despite everything that was going on.

Then the colt quietly turned his attention back to his father, studying him silently as Scrivener gazed back at the child, and Antares' smile faded slowly before he asked finally, in a voice that told Scrivener the colt knew the answer, but was trying to deny it with all his heart: “Dad... are... are you okay?”

“I am for now, Antares... but you know that I'm...” Scrivener broke off, then he sighed a little, slipping quietly down off the couch and reaching out to hug his son tightly, and the colt hugged him fiercely back, closing his eyes and trembling a bit. “I'm just glad you're here.”

“And that at least Gymbr still seems intent to both exist and protect thee.” Luna murmured, picking up the doll and looking moodily down into its button eyes, and she finally sighed and turned around, saying quietly: “Well, at least we are all together here, although I fear I shall have to send Hevatica to Ponyville now so that Celestia does not grow further upset with any concern for thee, Antares.”

Antares looked up and nodded, seeming almost embarrassed before Scrivener smiled reassuringly, reaching up to touch his son's shoulder silently. Luna gazed over at them for a moment as Twilight leaned down, stroking quietly through Antares' mane, and then the sapphire mare returned her gaze to Gymbr, wondering quietly just what the strange doll still had to reveal and what answers were yet to come.

After only two days of rest, Scrivener and Luna had both recovered enough to make the journey back to Ponyville. They were met at the gates by Celestia, who had replaced her golden peytral with one of ashwood, a black scarf tied tight around her neck. She greeted them solemnly, and she and Luna bowed their heads silently to each other for a long few moments before she traded tight hugs with each of them, and led them back to the Ponyville library.

They spent an hour in gentle quiet with each other: Celestia was trying her hardest to keep her head high, but it was hard for her. Harder than most could imagine: she had lost a father figure, a friend, a mentor, all at once; someone she had loved, in spite of whatever the past may have held. Someone she had perhaps even carried a torch for, in her heart of hearts.

The funeral service itself was held out in the fields around Ponyville: there was no body, but Odin's cane was placed in a coffin, which was filled with true treasures; not gold and jewels, but memories. Pictures, tokens of affection, prose and well-wishes written on parchment or carved in wood. And the coffin itself rested in a funeral barge: a ship that would never know water, moored upon stones and timber in the green field.

Everyone was here: almost the entire town, and more: Nibelung of every rank, Strange Ones, people who had come from far and wide. Even the spirits of the dead could be seen, flickering here and there amidst the crowd, as Kvasir stood in front of the coffin with his eyes closed and head bowed against the wood, in his unicorn shape but black hands digging thin scratches against the surface as he whispered: “I didn't learn enough.”

“You learned plenty, my friend.” Celestia said quietly, and Kvasir looked silently over his shoulder as she approached in full raiment, her golden armor gleaming and Tyrfing glimmering over her back as if the sword itself was shedding sorrow. “Valhalla is in good hands. I have faith that you will do well.”

“Only if you and Sleipnir continue to help me. Only if...” Kvasir looked silently towards the boat, and then he sighed softly and stepped slowly backwards on his hooves, clenching his hands tightly together in front of himself before he closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards. “I'm sorry. Shall we?”

Celestia nodded slowly, turning around as they were joined by two others: Sleipnir and Luna, both dressed in their own armor, Luna's spear sheathed on her own back and a heavy shield over Sleipnir's. They both turned, and Celestia glanced towards her brother... but the vine-maned stallion only smiled at her, shaking his head and saying softly: “Thou hast a far finer voice for this, Celestia... and I think 'tis... 'tis more fitting for thou to give the eulogy than I.”

Celestia looked silently at her brother... then she turned and traded a quick embrace with him before nodding once as he kissed her forehead, reassuring her with a gentle murmur before they parted, and the ivory winged unicorn stepped forwards, taking a slow breath and bowing her head as she closed her eyes and began calmly: “I speak to you today not as Baroness, or as Celestia, but as Freya. I speak to you of Odin, who found honor and nobility and true strength not in his role as King of the Aesir... but walking here, amongst those he'd created simply to gaze upon as entertainment and toys... but came to care for, each and every one of us. Who he dedicated and devoted his life to defending, to protecting, to teaching. Each and every one of us came to owe him thanks, for everything he did: not in our birth, but in the way he tried not only to amend his mistakes... but improve life for each and every person he came to met.

“And he thought of us all, everyone here, be they Nibelung, Skin Walker, Pony, Demon or God or anything else... he thought of each and every one of us as a person first. Our species, our strengths and weaknesses, they did not matter. In his eyes, we all came to be seen as worthy of respect, and fair treatment.” Celestia continued quietly, bowing her head forwards and closing her eyes. “And for this, I commend him, and hope to learn from his example... for it was only all too recently that I still looked upon some as lesser, and some as greater, merely for what they had been born into. We cannot control what we are born into life as... but we can control what we become, and I am proud to stand with all of you here. To call myself a person, alongside other people... to understand, after all these years lived in darkness, that race and species do not matter. That our actions, and what we do with our lives and the cards we are dealt... that is all that matters.

“Odin... would not want us to mourn. I have cried my tears for his loss, for the fact that... there are conversations I shall never have with him, things I will never get to say...” Celestia closed her eyes, smiling faintly. “I have cried for my selfish reasons, but I will not mourn him. I will celebrate what he has done in life... I will honor him and his wishes, as he deserves. As he has well-earned. And I will pray that he is able to rest in peace now, wherever he has gone.

“Friends, family...” Celestia closed her eyes and bowed her head, then whispered in a voice that carried all the same to every ear and through every mind: “Hear me now. Odin, hear us all, our prayer, our wish, for you to rise, beyond Valhalla, beyond the stars, and to a place where all enemies have been vanquished, there is no more pain, no more despair, no more loss. Where family and friends all await in peace and prosperity, and you may have your well-earned and well-deserved rest. Hear us now, and hear our promise, that one day we will join you there, with our mothers and fathers, our sisters and brothers, our ancestors in a line leading all the way back to the beginning. In this place, of goodwill, where all arguments are forgotten and all strife has ended; await us there, with gladness and warmth in your heart, for the day we shall join you, and the brave will live forever, and true friends shall never be forced to part...”

All heads bowed, all eyes closed, with Celestia's words: they seemed to echo through the meadow, through the hearts and minds of all gathered before Sleipnir pulled his shield off his back, beating a hoof against it in slow, easy rhythm, sending out thunderous rumbles as he threw his head back and began to sing in a rough, deep voice.

Luna joined him after a moment, and then Celestia, even as Kvasir turned and silently touched the ship, the god looking silently down for a moment before he stepped back, leaving a deep, burning print where his hand had been before it burst into flames. And as the fire spread rapidly over the ship, the voices of Odin's children grew louder, singing praises in their ancient language as tears flowed down their faces and they turned to face the pyre, smiling even through their sorrows.

Most of those gathered stayed to watch the pyre burn until the singing drew slowly to a halt, Sleipnir dropping his shield and bowing his head forwards with a tremble even as he continued to smile despite tears falling to the field below. Celestia stared into the flames, and Luna gazed up after the smoke towards the sky, breathing hard as Kvasir simply sat at the edge of the pyre, his back to the burning ship as he stared off into the distance.

Slowly, the gathering began to filter away, until only a few were left to watch as the pyre burned down to ashes and embers. Life went on, after all... and Celestia knew that if they truly wanted Odin to be at peace, they would have to continue not only living their lives... but they would need to stop Clockwork World as well. Then the ivory equine frowned as clapping filled the air before she looked over her shoulder, and all eyes turned to watch as Charon calmly approached, his cowl pushed back enough to reveal his clicking mandibles as he continued to applaud slowly, mockingly.

Celestia gritted her teeth as the creature approached, then shook his head slowly, saying coldly: “All of you, so upset over what could only be the expected outcome of the foolish life Odin led. He died the way he lived, that is all there is to it. Now, it is time for me to take my payment for all the work I have done helping the poor deluded fool, and I think it only right that I take that payment from Valhalla's new 'master.'”

Charon smiled thinly as Celestia, Sleipnir, and Luna all stepped forwards with matching snarls, and the creature spread its arms as he strode fearlessly towards them, saying softly: “Oh please, little ones. You won't risk starting a war, not when the pathetic synthetics already have you crying and beaten. My friends and I did not help Valhalla because we liked Odin, after all. We did it because he knew things, and was still strong... still possessed enough power to be a threat to we who remain after all the wars and disputes and conflicts we have seen.

“So it's very simple. Little Kvasir, false 'god,' I am here to collect payment on behalf of my associates, or we shall abandon Valhalla, and take all our allies with us. And on the way out, we will help ourselves to whatever we fancy. But if you offer us a fair sum or something of interest, our... 'partnership' can continue, and we will continue to aid you. It's a simple deal, is it not? And you, Kvasir, are no match for me, much less my associates. It would not be wise to deny this deal.”

Charon smiled, and then he frowned when Celestia said coldly: “Kvasir is not alone. Valhalla is strong... and he is under our protection.”

“You are just a pathetic pony, no longer a Valkyrie... and even if you do still think yourself some golden-fleeced warrior, I will not be spoken to by a worthless maid-” Charon reached forwards, seizing into Celestia's mane as he spoke... but the moment his claws touched her rainbow locks, there was a flash and the singing of steel before Charon's words cut off into screams of horror, blue and green blood bursting from the stump of his shoulder as his severed arm fell to the ground with a thick splatter.

Tyrfing's blade gleamed, half-buried in the ground as Celestia snarled, shouting as the creature hurriedly staggered away from the three: “Perhaps now you shall learn to keep your treacherous hands to yourself, scum!”

Charon screamed, then snarled as his scorpion's tail snapped up and out from beneath his cloak, stabbing viciously down towards Celestia; it clanged uselessly off Sleipnir's shield as the stallion leapt in front of her, however, the stinger bending as it was repelled before Charon shrieked again in pain as Luna's spear launched forwards and tore almost halfway through the thick end of the tail, sending up another spray of blood as it forcibly yanked the appendage towards them before Celestia flicked her horn upwards, eyes cold and merciless, and Tyrfing snapped free of the ground and lashed upwards, severing the scorpion's tail more than halfway down.

Charon howled in misery and fell to his knees as Luna and Sleipnir anchored themselves to either side of Celestia, the creature grasping weakly at its severed limb as its tail snapped weakly back and forth behind it, spurting blood. It looked up with horror and fear in its eyes as Tyrfing slowly, dangerously lowered to press its heavy blade against the side of Charon's neck, the creature rasping hard as Celestia leaned forwards, saying calmly and clearly: “You will only leave with your life, filth, if you do what I say. You will take a message back to your masters, and tell them that we no longer require their aid. You will make it clear that they should leave quietly and peacefully with all their allies and forces. And you will never, ever set foot here again. Otherwise, your life is forfeit. Do I make myself clear?”

“This... this is foolishness...” Charon whispered, and then his eyes widened when Tyrfing dragged firmly against his neck, cutting through the bunched-up cloth of cowl and cloak and into the flesh beneath. “Y-Yes! Yes, yes!”

“Good.” Celestia leaned calmly back, Tyrfing rising into the air, then slapping hard across Charon's face, knocking the creature sprawling on his back with a hiss of pain before he trembled when the enormous sword slowly aimed itself at his throat, Celestia's eyes burning down into the scorpion's as she said quietly: “Let me make this very clear: if you try and betray us, if any of your allies knocks so much as a stone loose in Valhalla while leaving, I will hunt you and your allies down, and make you suffer a thousand times the pain you have caused us. Am I understood?”

Charon nodded hurriedly, dragging himself quickly backwards and away from the sword before the creature turned and scrambled quickly to his feet, staggering away and tossing terrified looks over his shoulder as he fled. Celestia simply watched calmly... and then she closed her eyes and flicked her horn, Tyrfing spinning once to rid its glowing blade of Charon's puerile blood before the weapon floated back onto her back.

“Well. Now, that's a great way to end a funeral service.” Pinkamena said mildly, and Celestia glanced towards her, a faint smile spreading over the ivory mare's features as the heavily-bandaged demon rested back with a grin, Scrivener Blooms and Twilight both staring with something like amazement as well. “Glad I stuck around some now.”

“Thank you, Pinkamena. I know you mean well.” The ivory mare closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards as Luna rumbled and nodded approvingly, and Sleipnir grunted and stomped a hoof. Then Celestia hesitated before looking over her shoulder... but Kvasir only smiled and shook his head slowly, holding up a hand as he gazed over his shoulder at the smoldering pyre.

“It's what Odin wanted. Valhalla... will endure.” Kvasir said quietly, and he closed his eyes, bowing his head forwards silently. “I promise, that Valhalla will always endure.”

Sympathetic Dialogues

Chapter Sixty Eight: Sympathetic Dialogues
~BlackRoseRaven

Over the days that followed the funeral, Scrivener Blooms and Luna helped Celestia take stock of everything that had happened, while Kvasir, Sleipnir, and Pinkamena traveled to Valhalla to deal with the fallout from Odin's death and the violent dismissal of their allies. And there was much to attend to: helping with the preparations for the services for those who had died in the attack, beginning repairs on the damage that had been done to Ponyville, ensuring the injured were all being treated... and tending to hurt family and friends.

While Pinkamena was in Valhalla, Fluttershy was staying with Pinkie Pie in Sugar Cube Corners. Nirvana was with them as well, and Pinkie Pie was glad for their company and gladder still to help them both as much as possible, even with her own injury still bothering her. Fluttershy was having balance and pain issues, but the latter barely seemed to slow her down, as she spent most of her time with Nirvana: reading to him, helping take care of him, treating his wounds with help from other Phooka. She had lost a wing, but she was putting this aside for now to make sure she didn't lose Nirvana as well... and to her, Nirvana was far more important than her wings.

The problem was that an ethereal creature like Nirvana couldn't simply be bandaged up to halt his bleeding: special plants had to be used to treat his wounds, and they took time to find in the Everfree Forest, even with Scarlet Sage, Apple Bloom, and Zecora all helping. The zebra had been hesitant at first to help the Phooka... but at both the sight of Fluttershy and hearing how Nirvana had protected her, she had put her concerns aside and helped locate the plants necessary to help the Phooka recover.

Applejack was also getting potions from Zecora, to help cleanse her system: with the hospital overcrowded from the injuries that had been sustained, she was instead set up in Sweet Apple Acres, with a wheelchair and an oxygen tank. Rainbow Dash tended to her as much as possible, and so did Big Mac, despite the fact that he had his own wounds to deal with... but he said a lost eye was nothing compared to Applejack's damaged lungs and stomach. Applejack always argued that she would get better, while Big Mac wouldn't... but her big brother always only smiled at her in that silent way of his, and that would be that.

Twilight was trying hard to help out all her friends as well, but also keep an eye on Scrivener: despite the fact he was still weak from what had happened and his lifespan had been shortened much further, he refused to slow down, and so did Luna. But the violet mare was glad for it, in a way, too. It was a good sign.

As spring began to roll towards summer, things began to return to normalcy: Sleipnir and Pinkamena returned from Valhalla with positive news, that Kvasir was being seen and welcomed as a strong leader for his dismissal of Valhalla's unwanted allies. Charon's friends had hurriedly gone on their way and there was no traces of them anywhere; likely due in part to the fact the creature had shown up in such a humiliated and devastated state. Gods or not, they would probably flee back to wherever they had come from with all their forces, or seek some easier target to latch onto like the criminals and parasites they had become.

Nirvana healed well, and Fluttershy was adjusting to life with only one wing slowly but surely. Applejack would likely be on asthma medication for the rest of her life, but she was strong, training herself as hard as ever, out of the wheelchair and off the oxygen tank. Big Mac had a glass eye now, and the wound on his face had faded into a faint line; some days he wore an eyepatch all the same, though, if only so ponies didn't forget that he was blind on one side now.

Scrivener Blooms, Luna, Antares and Twilight returned to Canterlot with Celestia after ensuring the village was safely on its way to being rebuilt, surprisingly because Scrivener had finally said there were only a few weeks left of term and he felt strong enough to finish up his courses, if the university would allow him to... which Celestia had ensured it most certainly would. All the same, he'd been surprised and touched beyond all reason when he'd walked into his Writer's Craft class and gotten both applause and the students had given him a gift: they'd each written a little something about him or for him, and put it all together into a little book.

It was now one of Scrivener's most prized possessions, and something he carried everywhere he could as a kind of good luck charm. He smiled as his thoughts lingered on this, feeling its comforting weight in the satchel hanging at his side. He was heading down the university halls, silver collar gleaming around his neck – Luna now insisted that he wear it at all times – and feeling... good, today. It was a good day.

Almost all of Scrivener's days could now be called 'good' or 'bad,' with little in between: on the good days he felt strong, healthy, brave, and cheerful, and not even the knowledge that Clockwork World was still hunting him and he was in all likelihood going to be dead within three years bothered him. It was like he was wired to be in a good mood: although for Scrivener, that usually meant he was obnoxious and sarcastic instead of depressing and cynical.

On the bad days, he could feel the corruption eating away at his veins, felt weak and vulnerable and fearful, and anxieties he couldn't control mixed with memories of failure, of stupidity, of bad things he simply couldn't suppress. Thankfully, the bad days were rarer... but when they hit, they hit hard, and the worst part was knowing that the poison in his mind was hurting Luna as well... and likely Antares and Twilight, too, since they had to watch him suffer.

Scrivener turned, musing on this as he pushed into the classroom, glancing up curiously at the sight of his students all sitting quietly and staring at something, and he followed their gaze... then stared as well at the sight of Celestia, smiling and standing across the room. Her golden peytral gleamed on her breast and a coronet rested on her head, and Scrivener shook himself out quickly before he asked finally: “What are you doing here?”

“I was curious, brother, that's all.” Celestia replied courteously, smiling and bowing her head, and now the eyes of ponies turned to stare at Scrivener stupidly, as the charcoal pony blushed but smiled awkwardly all the same. “I've heard a lot about your classes, after all... it sounds like this is the only one where your students are really fond of you, though.”

“You're... one to talk.” Scrivener said finally, and Celestia gave him an amused look as his students only continued to stare. Then the charcoal earth pony headed over to his desk, tossing the satchel bag onto this and asking after moment: “This is because of that list Twilight wrote up, isn't it?”

“Honestly, it isn't, although I am aware that you do like to flaunt your authority sometimes. Or as in this case, your connections to certain authority figures.” Celestia strode forwards, smiling at him as she passed before she flicked her horn and closed the door, then she turned back to face Scrivener and sat, gazing at him as he looked at her curiously. “You know that poetry had great value in the old culture. I'd like to listen in for today, if you'll let me. See what you have to teach.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment, glancing up at his amazed class before he returned his eyes to Celestia, saying mildly: “You know, I really hate to point this out, but the class might be a little different from usual with the whole... well, you know.”

Celestia only laughed softly, however, shaking her head replying: “You set the standard, Scrivener Blooms; how you react to... certain different elements in the room will help them to know how to react.” She paused, then glanced up towards the gathered ponies, adding gently: “But please. Treat me as you would any other pony. That's all I am.”

Scrivener smiled as there were a few awkward mumbles, and then a pony rose a hoof. Scrivener glanced up and nodded to the mare, who hesitated before she asked incredulously: “So are you really the Baroness' brother?”

“I like to think so.” Scrivener said after a moment, glancing over at Celestia, and she smiled again. “But as you all know, I'm married to Luna Brynhild. Luna is Celestia's little sister, hard as that might be for some of you to believe.”

“I'm very proud of my family and I care deeply for them... but I still like to try and keep my private life private. It's part of why I live in Ponyville, and not here in Canterlot.” Celestia said softly, looking out towards the students again, who murmured excitedly between themselves. “A long time ago, Scrivener was once the Court Poet of Canterlot. He helped me with writing speeches, personal research, and other things...” Celestia paused, then added meditatively: “Right up until a very silly fight, where I lost my temper and... what is the term you and Luna use, Scrivener?”

“Curb-stomped me.” Scrivener reached up and absently patted at the scarred side of his features, and several of the ponies gaped at him before the charcoal earth pony added mildly: “Also, Pipes, see? Now pay up the twenty bucks you bet me that I'd never tell the truth about what happened to my face. Now you know I was telling the truth the whole time.”

Zampona groaned and dropped her face against her hooves as there were a few chuckles at this, and Scrivener looked over the class with entertainment before tossing a glance towards Celestia. When she only gazed back with her warm amethyst irises, he nodded a little before saying thoughtfully, looking ahead over the group: “Alright. Today I was originally going to bore the hell out of all of you with etymological patterning, but I think instead... we're going to play a game. There's uh... nineteen of you, right? Including Celestia, I mean.”

Scrivener glanced over them, then he nodded thoughtfully. “So Celestia, I'm going to ask you to come up with the start of a story while I...” He paused, then grabbed up a pad of sticky notes and a pen, beginning to quickly jot down words over the small sheets of paper as he instructed: “I'm going to give you each a piece of a story and a number. Celestia will begin the story, and then each person in turn, from two to nineteen, will continue it, focusing on ad-libbing in whatever element they've been assigned. Like, for example: two is 'Protagonist,' so Celestia will start the story, then whoever got note two will tell us all about our hero.”

He paused, glancing up over the class as the students all stared at him, and then Scrivener grinned after a moment, adding: “And try to stay somewhere between the line of 'cliché' and 'douchebaggery,' okay? I want you guys to be creative, but not so creative that we end up with some ridiculous story about... our heroes turning to pure evil and becoming some ultimate monster after a controversial... everything.”

Celestia gave him an amused look, and Scrivener began to turn his eyes back down to the notes before he winced when a green vortex spun open in his desk, and Discombobulation poked his head out. He glared at Scrivener, and Scrivener looked awkwardly back for a few long moments before Discombobulation slowly rose a hand up out of the portal, pointing at his own eyes, then pointing at Scrivener before his head and hand slowly both sank down into the portal, and the charcoal stallion sighed as the vortex shut with a spark of greenish electricity. “Is this going to be guest appearance day or something?”

“It was a very interesting story, Scrivener Blooms. You have to admit that, even if you and Luna pretend to hate it now because the Norns claimed to have written it.” Celestia replied, and Scrivener grunted and shrugged as he went back to quickly jotting down the notes, before the ivory equine asked curiously: “Am I allowed to introduce the characters?”

“You? You can start the story however you want. As little as naming a setting, as grandiose as... describing pretty much everything ever. Your start will be the base, and then the following people are all going to build off that.” Scrivener paused, then he reached out and emptied his satchel, then he swept the eighteen sticky notes into the cloth bag and reached down to quickly stir the papers all around, calling easily: “Everyone, come and pick up a sheet.”

Students began to file down, and Scrivener smiled amusedly as the first in line – Ardent Virtue, he thought it was – leaned forwards as he reached into the satchel, asking awkwardly: “So is that... really, the real Baroness?”

“Really really.” Scrivener replied mildly, and then he held up a hoof when Ardent pulled out a slip with '5 – Setting' written over it. “Wait.”

“What?” Ardent looked confused for a moment, and then Scrivener turned to his desk, rifling through the stuff messily spilled over it before he pulled out his wallet and swept up a hoof-full of bits, and Ardent groaned. “Oh come on!”

“Hey, everypony's done it for me at some point this year. Go get me and Celestia coffee, help yourself to whatever you can buy with the change. Make 'em both double-doubles.” Scrivener instructed, and Ardent grunted and nodded, taking the bits and tossing them into a pouch at his side with the note, before he hurried off as Celestia gave him an amused look. “What? Did you never send your soldiers off to do stuff for you?”

“Some days, it honestly becomes difficult to tell you and Luna apart.” Celestia commented, and Scrivener shot her a sour look in return.

It didn't take long for the class to each get a sheet and plot point to tackle, and Ardent returned with the coffees only a few minutes later as well. Celestia and Scrivener sat side-by-side, Scrivener holding his paper cup in his hooves and smiling as Celestia only studied him curiously with her gaze, and then she finally said softly: “I really am impressed, Scrivener Blooms.”

Scrivener cocked his head as he looked up at her, and Celestia smiled, reaching a hoof up to rest on his shoulder as she said: “You're handling yourself very well, and you're opening up and... I can see that you're having a good effect on these students, too, getting them to think. Teaching them things that I see other ponies have sadly forgotten, if they ever learned at all.”

“I can't take credit for that, Celestia... besides, I'm sure that everything I teach will be forgotten a few weeks after they get out of my class, not that I blame any of them.” Scrivener smiled back over at Celestia, then he added quietly: “And I guess it's because my brain is either... really positive or really negative right now. Or maybe it's just because, since... I know that the end is nigh one way or another, there just isn't a lot of reason to be afraid of... being more open anymore.”

“I'd think for a lot of people it would be the opposite. Fear of showing your true face to avoid driving anyone away, in the precious time before... things happen.” Celestia replied quietly, and Scrivener laughed a bit before he looked up and met her eyes.

“They're not seeing my true face, Celestia.” he said softly, and the two looked at one-another for a few long moments before Scrivener shook his head quickly, then turned his eyes back out to look over the class, calling easily: “Alright! That's long enough for you to think up a few ideas, you're all going to have to work on your hooves, anyway. Celestia, if you would?”

Celestia nodded calmly, then she glanced up and began easily, without any hesitation as the class fell silent: “Once upon a time, there lived two princesses: one moved the sun to bring the day, the other the moon, to bring the night. But one day...” Celestia closed her eyes, smiling a little. “The older sister grew bitter and greedy. The ponies all cherished the beauty of her day, but she thought she knew what was best for all the land. She developed a cunning plan to take full control of her country... to make the ponies see that she knew what was best for all of them ”

Scrivener gestured calmly outwards as silence fell, and a few ponies scrambled at their notes before one of them stammered out quickly: “The... the hero is... uh. The princess?”

“Take your time, Harmony.” Scrivener smiled despite himself, shaking his head out and saying quietly: “Take thirty seconds to a minute to get your thoughts in mind, then just flow with it.”

Harmony nodded hurriedly, blushing a bit as she took a few calming breaths, and there was silence for a few moments before she began slowly: “The hero is the younger princess... she's... uh... brave, and innocent, and-”

“Don't just describe her, continue the story!” Scrivener urged, gesturing at her, and Harmony nodded again, turning a deeper shade of red. “Keep going with it, you're doing good for being the first victim.”

“The... the older princess knew she had to deal with her younger sister, though, because... she was so nice, and good, and would not want to see anypony hurt.” Harmony said carefully, and when Scrivener gave her a wide smile and nodded in approval, she picked up confidence, continuing: “She was named... uh... Dream, and she was as dark as the night sky but her heart was as... white as the moon?”

“Careful about color metaphors, but excellent, now you're really getting it. Next?” Scrivener drew his eyes through the crowd, and another pony rose a hoof before the charcoal stallion smiled and leaned forwards in anticipation.

The story continued, and Scrivener was enthralled with it as Celestia listened intently, smiling warmly. They did well, a few of the students particularly shining, one or two struggling, but Scrivy helped them along if they ever showed signs of really being in trouble. It ended up being an interesting tale the class wove, involving meteors, an epic battle, a wasteland, and thanks to one stallion, amazonian guards in bikinis. But all-in-all it was quite a successful little story-time, and he greatly enjoyed it. Celestia seemed to as well, and by the end, the students were all smiling at each other, and there was a visible... camaraderie, for lack of a better word. More than just respect for each other... appreciation.

The charcoal stallion looked over them thoughtfully... then he finally nodded, saying mildly: “Crazy, a little nutty, I'm sure there are some plot holes – and thanks to Jack every time I say that I'm going to feel dirty now, thank you, Jack, for keeping in mind we're in the presence of a Baroness and contributing such polite and witty humor – and some other problems but... there are with pretty much every story. The point of this story was to get you guys thinking on your hooves and winging it and working with one-another, and you all did that. You did wonderfully.” Scrivener smiled slightly, glancing over at Celestia and asking mildly: “What did you think?”

“I think it's a very good thing Luna isn't here.” Celestia replied mildly, and Scrivener grunted in agreement before she smiled slightly and said softly: “But I think you have much to be proud of in your students, Scrivener Blooms, and they've done very well in listening to you.”

“Good to hear, then. Thank you, Celestia.” Scrivener paused, then looked up at the clock on the wall, adding: “I now have to go and read to some... oh, hell, right. Before I go, everypony remember that next class is your last chance to pass in any overdue assignments, and I'll be collecting your free-writing assignments. If you need to talk to me about it, I'll be in my office most of tomorrow.”

The students nodded, and as Scrivener gathered his things up, Celestia asked gently: “May I accompany you, Scrivener? There's not much to be done around Canterlot today. Twilight can handle the little paperwork that needs to be finished, as well as mailing it out appropriately.”

Scrivener smiled after a moment, saying mildly: “You keep this up, Celestia, and I'm going to end up getting used to having a Baroness accompanying me everywhere.”

“Everywhere?” Celestia asked with a wink, and Scrivener cleared his throat loudly as he blushed a bit and hurriedly grabbed up his satchel, heading quickly to the door as Celestia fell into pace after him with an amused smile. “Luna's right, you know. It really is far too easy to tease you, but also very stress-relieving.”

The charcoal pony grunted, but slowed his steps, and they strode side-by-side with one-another, garnering stares from the ponies they passed before Scrivener asked finally, glancing up at her: “How are you feeling?”

Celestia was quiet for a few moments, and then she replied softly: “Better these days. But if you want me to be entirely honest, Scrivener Blooms... I still feel very worried, and... part of me still hurts, and hurts deeper than I expected it to. And that ache is made worse by the fact that...”

She broke off, looking at him, and Scrivener nodded slowly, asking quietly as he glanced ahead: “Is that why you're here? To examine me?”

“Out of concern, but I'm also here because I want to be here, Scrivener. Because you are family, you are my brother.” Celestia replied with a quiet laugh, shaking her head slowly before she looked up and said finally: “Yes, my mind still... thinks in calculating and wicked ways that may make it seem like I have a hidden agenda, even now... but I promise you, I wouldn't be here if my main concern wasn't... spending time with you.”

Scrivener shook his head a bit, gazing over at her softly. “I'm sorry, Celestia, I didn't mean to be accusing or anything. I'm... I am very glad you're here, don't get me wrong. I just... guess... the attention is weird, that's all. You, me, out here in the open. Particularly since the staff regularly sends me memos telling me not to broadcast my relation to you, nor the fact that you got me this job. Although I'm pretty sure most ponies know I shouldn't really be in a teaching position at a university, because of. You know. My everything.”

Celestia only smiled wryly at this, shaking her head slowly as she responded: “You're difficult, Scrivener. And I think you enjoy being difficult, don't you? Finding flaws and problems with everything and everyone, questioning your own value, continuously meandering through self-loathing, self-destruction, and masochism. You're very frustrating.”

“I know. But so's Luna, isn't she?” Scrivener said mildly, and Celestia nodded thoughtfully. “In some ways we're very different. In others, we're very much the same.”

“We are.” Celestia said gently, and Scrivener looked at her with surprise, then he blushed a bit as he turned his eyes back ahead, the ivory mare smiling slightly before she rose her head and added calmly: “And I know you were imagining me in frivolous clothing earlier, Scrivener.”

“Yes, well, you know me. Frivolous clothing is made so much better by the fact we all normally wear little to no clothing at all.” Scrivener replied dryly, and Celestia gave him a slight smile, making him frown at her.

“Your defense is what leaves you vulnerable, Scrivener. By which I mean I find it funny you're trying to be sarcastic when I've seen how you look at myself and Luna in our armor.” Celestia replied kindly, and Scrivener blushed again as he once more hurriedly looked down the hall, before Celestia added: “And Sleipnir.”

“I. You. Go away.” Scrivener said finally, but Celestia only smiled at him as the charcoal pony sighed tiredly and led the way towards an open pair of double doors, muttering: “Why can't you go back to being all serious and possibly evil?”

But the ivory winged unicorn only looked at him with entertainment as she strode in behind him, replying quietly: “Because that was a mistake, and I've been given the rare chance to learn and change from what I've done, to become the person I once was again... and I plan to make the very most of that chance.” Celestia paused, then smiled slightly, adding pointedly: “And it feels much more rewarding much more often to speak freely and share in the conversation and cheer than it ever did when I used to try and control every little thing. I missed being... free.”

Scrivener nodded thoughtfully, then he glanced up at the lecture hall and the gathered ponies, many of whom were already talking amongst themselves and gesturing at Celestia. Scrivener approached the podium, taking his place at it, and then he looked down and pointedly ignored several hooves that raised high in the air before a voice called: “What's the Baroness doing here?”

“Celestia?” Scrivener glanced over at her, and Celestia simply gave him a look, the earth pony grunting before he sat back and said seriously: “I'm afraid that I'm under criminal review due to the events of the last few months and I'm not at liberty to talk about it. The Baroness herself is overseeing my trial and wanted to see how well – or badly – I handled a class.”

It was, of course, absolute nonsense that made no real sense, but all the same the entire class simply stared before a hoof rose and waved through the air as Bitchy Britches' voice rang out with badly-hidden excitement: “Does that mean you're going to be replaced before the end of the year and we'll get a different exam?”

Scrivener grunted, glancing over at Celestia and asking meditatively: “How much cocaine do I have to snort in front of you before the university declares it a criminal violation?”

“Scrivener, you can snort as much cocaine as you like in front of me. It's more your political ideals that concern us.” Celestia replied eloquently, and Scrivener couldn't help but laugh before he quickly covered his muzzle and cleared his throat, looking back up seriously over the class and enjoying the way confusion and nasty hope melted into uncertainty... and horror, in the smarter ones.

The charcoal stallion turned his eyes to his textbook, and then Britches' voice rang out again, whining: “I have a right to know why the class is being monitored!”

“Worried someone's going to find all the marijuana in your bag left over from happy hour at lunchtime?” Scrivener muttered to himself under his breath, and then he shook his head before looking up and saying mildly: “It's an assessment.”

“True, in a sense. Would you mind if I take some time to go around, speak to some of the students, while you prepare your notes?” Celestia asked, and Scrivener smiled before he shrugged and gestured at her to go ahead.

Scrivener gave Celestia about ten minutes: technically only five minutes of that was actual class time, and he wasn't in any real rush to begin, anyway. They only had one piece of writing to cover today, a short, unfinished prose work by a long-dead author, and putting it off for an extra few minutes was welcome. In that short period of time, many of the students had greeted the Baroness, and a few had likely already said sharp words about him before Celestia had taken a seat near the upper end of the lecture hall, and Scrivener had begun.

He read through the fragmented prose, was pleased when for once he wasn't interrupted every five minutes, and then allowed them to put their ideas and analysis forwards. A few made predictable but still useful points, and the rest of the ponies who spoke up all tried to impress the Baroness with their mental prowess, deep, brooding philosophy, and incredible vocabularies.

When Scrivener was about to dismiss the class early, Celestia calmly rose a hoof, and Scrivener looked up at her curiously before she asked: “And what did you think of that poem, Professor Scrivener Blooms?”

Scrivener thought for a moment, opened his mouth... then closed it and lowered his head. Celestia leaned forwards a bit at this, and then the charcoal pony looked up and smiled, saying quietly: “I think had the author not died a virgin, worshiping and romanticizing sexuality mostly because it was something he never had, he'd understand two things: that sex is sex and that just because you don't understand how something can feel good, doesn't mean it must automatically be bad.”

It was a half-serious, half-joking answer, and Celestia measured him with her gaze before she stood up and began to stride down the stairs, asking curiously: “And what if I said you were bias because of your own particular relationship?”

Scrivener smiled slightly at this, leaning forwards and looking with entertainment over his glasses at her as he replied mildly: “Then maybe I'd say you're bias because of your lack thereof.”

A few murmurs and gasps ran up through the crowd at this, and then Britches called defensively: “You don't have to experience something just to know whether it's morally right or wrong!”

Scrivener shrugged at this, but it was Celestia who responded, saying easily: “That may be true, but experiencing something for ourselves helps us determine not only whether or not it is moral or amoral, and more importantly, whether or not we're reacting to it as such just because we've been taught to react to it in that fashion by the norms and standards created by society. Especially when the action or experience in question is something that does not harm anyone or put anyone at risk... and life is all about experiences, is it not?”

“No wonder you used to be called the Dragon Slayer.” Scrivener said mildly, leaning back as Celestia continued down from the rows of seats to the bottom of the lecture hall, and she smiled slightly across the open floor at him before he cleared his throat and glanced up at the classroom. “Anyway. You're all dismissed, we've covered everything we need to. Tomorrow we'll start review.”

Scrivener turned to begin packing up as ponies hurried down from their seats, some heading to the door, others staying to talk with Celestia. The ivory winged unicorn was cordial and polite with them, but she was also quick to try and push through their conversations as the charcoal stallion took his time gathering his things up: this was his last class for the day, after all, and now he and Celestia could... head back to the castle, he supposed.

Bitchy Britches tried to shove her way into conversation with Celestia... but the rainbow-maned mare pointedly turned away to look at Scrivener, asking kindly: “Shall we go and pick up the others, then head out to dinner?”

“Sounds good to me.” Scrivener smiled and nodded, then he held up a hoof and waved cheerfully to Britches as she gaped after them as the stallion and winged unicorn headed for the door, the charcoal pony asking mildly: “So, how much do they hate me?”

“Only a little more than I expected.” Celestia replied kindly, and Scrivener laughed and shook his head before the ivory mare said gently: “Not to question your decisions, Scrivener Blooms... but perhaps your students would benefit a little more from your teaching if you weren't so... I don't want to say 'hostile...'”

“Jerky? Unpleasant? Vindictive?” Scrivener glanced at her, and Celestia nodded thoughtfully. “Well, you know what I'm like when I get shoved into a place I don't want to be with ponies I don't like. It's not enough that it's a subject that every pony in there should be able to grasp without me holding their hooves each and every step of the way, they... well, I just kind of explained it, kind of.”

Celestia smiled slightly, replying: “We aren't all as well adjusted as you, Scrivener Blooms, nor do all of us deal with stress in the same way... the only reason I'm not lecturing you is because, believe it or not, they actually do learn from you. At least most of them do... there's only a few of them I can say I don't sympathize at least a little for.”

Scrivener grumbled a bit, and then Celestia suggested: “Why don't you try, next class, just... being nicer? Try not to think of how you're being forced to teach this and follow this particular curriculum, don't think about the few students who seem to be there only to grind your nerves... think about the students who are there to learn, focus on them, focus on sharing your knowledge with them.”

The charcoal stallion sighed, then he nodded a little, and Celestia nodded back, pausing for a moment before she said in a quieter voice: “I notice that your mood seems to affect you physically.”

“Horses of Heaven, Celestia, do you have like... a team of not-crazy Cowlicks powering your brain or something?” Scrivener asked finally, and Celestia gave him an amused look before the earth pony shifted a bit, then muttered, as they turned into the main hall and headed for double doors leading out to the street: “I... honestly, I'm fine.”

“My sister once told me what the word 'fine' stands for, which she claims to have learned from Twilight. I'm still not sure if she actually was telling the truth or not.” Celestia remarked, and Scrivener smiled a bit before the ivory mare said softly: “I know you're always going to say you're okay. I know you may always eventually be okay: you're strong, stronger than you act and stronger than you look. That doesn't mean I'm going to just sit back and let you suffer, Scrivener Blooms. Not after Odin. Not after what happened to our friends. Not after how you've already suffered enough... and you are connected to my little sister, after all. If you hurt, she hurts; if you want to couch it in bare, cold facts, I have to take care of you to take care of Luna.”

Scrivener smiled a bit as they headed silently outside... and then he sighed a little as they passed by a crowd of milling students, many of whom stared as the Baroness strode by with the scarred charcoal pony quite a few of them knew was some eccentric temp hire. “Funny, Celestia. That actually makes me feel better.”

Celestia smiled, then she glanced up at the sky before asking: “But I do care about you, too. Which is why I'm curious to know if you're being honest or not on that list you're writing with Twilight Sparkle.”

“Not entirely, to be entirely honest.” Scrivener replied, as they crossed the street and headed towards the park Scrivener liked to cut through, and Celestia gave him a half-interested, half-exasperated look. “Celestia, I can't be... entirely honest. We all desire things we simply can't ask for.”

“Actually, I think we can all ask for anything we desire, as long as we bear in mind that it might not be something easily retrieved or achieved. There's nothing wrong with asking, Scrivener... as long as you aren't expecting the universe to twist itself into knots for you simply because you desire it to.” Celestia countered, and Scrivener grumbled a little before the ivory mare added quietly: “I understand being hesitant and embarrassed, Scrivener. But you don't have to feel shame with us, or worry. I won't judge you... or rather, I won't think badly of you.”

Scrivener slowed to a halt, looking over at her quietly, and Celestia stopped beside him, gazing down at him supportively as she said softly: “I think of myself as a Valkyrie first these days, everything else second. But more than that... I was Freya, renowned for her passions and her... peculiarities. I have no right to judge.”

She quieted, then smiled a bit. “Besides, look at Sleipnir and Luna, Scrivener. I journeyed with them, more often than not sharing a single cramped room with them and others, back and forth across Equestria in the old days. Physical things don't bother me. Not even your... tastes... bother me.”

“They bother me.” Scrivener muttered, a faint flush spreading up over his features before he closed his eyes and shook his head, asking quietly: “At least, weird as things can be sometimes with me and Luna and... Twilight... there's more sense and understanding to it. Why... why do I like... images of hurting people? Why did I survive the original corruption, the Tyrant Wyrm? No, more than that... how could I find... enjoyment, something like wonderment in it?”

“Would you like the rational, scientific and psychological reasons or the emotional, instinctual reasons?” Celestia's amethyst eyes locked with Scrivener's, and she held his gaze as she reached up a hoof, saying quietly: “Dominance, the fact you were raised in an environment where pain was all you knew, your need for power and strength, your ideas and enjoyment of control and rule. And the warrior instincts you've developed, the way your soul has mixed with Luna's, the darkness inside you that you seek to express... to find an outlet for. There's a thousand reasons, Scrivener, and only very few will ever understand 'why.'

“Scrivener, I know that... you keep coming back to this for a reason. Rationalization, maybe, that your impending death is a good thing; hope, perhaps, that if you can find a way to 'cure' yourself or your corruption, these dark urges will go away too. But Scrivener... there is nothing wrong with you.” Celestia reached up, touching under his chin quietly. “You are not the Scrivener who became half of Gymbr. You are not a Tyrant Wyrm, or a monster. And I say this with confidence because you have never acted on your urges. Frustrating as it is that you do all the same try to drag ponies into debate after debate about the nature of good and evil, and where you fall in that category.”

“Well, don't worry about that, Celestia, I've at least figured out where I sit there. I'm pretty damn evil.” Scrivener laughed a bit despite himself, not breaking eye contact as he looked up at the ivory mare before hesitating, and then saying finally: “Thank you for understanding that... I need to talk sometimes. Even if it's about the same goddamn stupid things over and over, I need reassurance... pounded into my head.”

“It's alright, Scrivener Blooms. I can be patient with you... especially since otherwise, you're doing a good job of keeping yourself going.” Celestia paused, then dropped her hoof and smiled down at him slightly, asking quietly: “What do you dream of doing before you die, that you haven't put down on that list? And answer me honestly and don't try and deflect with your nonsense about the difference between dreams and hopes and aspirations.”

“And desires. And wishes.” Scrivener said lamely, and when Celestia gave him a look, he sighed and mumbled, starting to turn away. She reached out and caught him by the shoulder, however, not letting him move on as she tilted her head, and the charcoal pony took a long breath before he admitted moodily: “Sometimes I wish I was evil Scrivener. You know. Claws and all.”

Celestia gave him an entertained look, and Scrivener smiled wryly, glancing up at her as he said finally: “Why is it that you can pretty much read my mind even when I lie, deflect, and try to cheat my way out of answering?”

“Many years of practice with Sleipnir, Luna, and countless politicians.” Celestia replied quietly, and then she shook her head and said softly: “Besides, Scrivener Blooms. You have a habit of mixing truth into your diversions... and with how well I like to think I've come to know you over the years, it becomes easy for me to pick out what you really mean when you speak.”

Scrivener grunted, looking down for a moment before they both started to walk again, and then he said quietly: “Don't get me wrong or anything, I'm glad, honored even, that you know me so well... it's just kind of scary, too. It freaks Luna out too, you know.”

“Luna's just afraid that one day we'll start working together to keep her in line, that's all.” Celestia smiled after a moment at Scrivener Blooms, and then she shook her head and added: “And you still haven't answered the question.”

Scrivener mumbled under his breath, before Celestia asked curiously: “Scrivener, please don't take this the wrong way... but have you ever thought of formalizing your relationship with Twilight? She... she adores you and Luna both, very much, and you've all worked very hard to be... open with things despite how uncomfortable the subject makes yourselves and others at times.”

“Polygamy is illegal in Equestria, isn't it?” Scrivener asked dryly, and Celestia smiled slightly, looking at him with entertainment.

“Polyamory, and specifically group marriage, has some slight protections in place.” Celestia paused, then said softly, glancing up as they stepped out of the park and onto the road heading back towards the castle: “It's an interesting subject, Scrivener. And of course it has a personal fascination for me, too: on the one hoof I can pretend that since I have no special person in my life right now, it means I'm looking over things with a clinical and scientific eye. On the other, I fully understand that love is stupid, confusing, and you simply can't always control where it leads you.”

Scrivener looked down embarrassedly, and Celestia smiled at him after a moment, saying quietly: “Scrivener. I'm not looking to hurt or humiliate you. Just to discuss things, that's all.”

The charcoal stallion grunted, then he cleared his throat and said finally: “Not discussing things seems to work great, though. We talk about it, bring it out into the light, and it's like dragging a hungover Sleipnir out from under the sheets or something.”

Celestia only gave the charcoal pony an amused look, however, replying easily: “I didn't think you were such a coward, Scrivener, afraid of what ponies thought of you.”

Scrivener looked sour at this, glancing up at Celestia with a grumble before she gestured aside to a small, posh coffee shop, and the male sighed before he turned to follow the ivory equine inside. They headed over to sit at a quiet table, and Celestia rose a hoof, signaling to the barista circling through the mostly-empty shop as she said to him softly: “I've always respected your privacy with Luna and Twilight, Scrivener, even though they're both very dear to me... as you are, too. The only reason I'm pushing to talk about this now is because... I don't want to see any regrets in the near future.”

Scrivener frowned at this, and when Celestia looked at him squarely, he glanced awkwardly down and rubbed at his face before muttering finally: “You know, bigamy is an ugly word. The structure of it, I mean, it's hideous. It's like... 'smirk,' that's another word I can't stand. The very design of the word itself is ugly, vindictive, unpleasant. They're words designed for people to dislike. That's why most often, when you use 'smirk' to describe someone's expression, it's paired with villains or a particularly nasty joke. Like the word 'doom.' 'Doom' doesn't mean anything bad by itself, but the word is deep, baritone, triggers an ominous feeling, especially through its constant use by writers to signify some evil end.”

“I'm making you nervous.” Celestia said quietly, and Scrivener only smiled and reached up to adjust his glasses a bit, knowing there was no point in arguing or denying it before the Baroness smiled quickly over to the barista that hurriedly approached. “Coffee, large, two sugar and two cream. I'll have peppermint tea.”

“Of course, Baroness.” The barista nodded with a blush, then turned and headed quickly off as Celestia and Scrivener both watched her leave meditatively.

“There are... some advantages to being in charge.” Celestia returned her eyes to Scrivener as he looked at her quiet entertainment, and then the ivory mare continued softly: “Luna is your soulmate. No pony could deny that... not seeing the lengths you'll go to for each other, the way you'll do anything for one another. The way you are when you're together... but what about Twilight? What exactly is she to you and Luna, Scrivener Blooms?”

“I don't know.” Scrivener hesitated, then held up a hoof, saying finally: “This is going to sound weird, but... the Norns said she was supposed to end up with Luna. That I was an extra piece of the puzzle that... altered the stories somehow, slipped in for... some reason. They were never... clear, though, they were always changing the story when it came to me.”

Scrivener halted, looking down before he continued slowly: “I think that has something to do with all... this. I know it sounds silly, and I'm adding logic and... nonsense to... well, emotions and stuff that are already weird, maybe I'm even... validating the powers of the Norns a bit, or the powers they had, at least... but... I dunno.

“I know, I know, I'm sorry. I'm dodging the question. No one, pony or otherwise, has ever really confronted me on the subject before.” Scrivener grabbed at his face, rubbing at his forehead before he sighed and looked up, saying honestly: “Like Luna, she's a friend first to me. She's so important to me, Celestia, she's... beautiful, charming, funny, smart... she can put up with my bull, and she knows when to reassure me and when to just smack me. She's understanding... I think that anything and everything in the world becomes possible with that.”

Celestia looked thoughtful at this, leaning forwards and saying softly: “But you and Luna are soulmates. Where does that leave Twilight in the relationship?”

“I know. I know it's not entirely fair. And Luna comes first to me, and I know I come first to Luna. At least...” Scrivener shook his head slowly, rubbing at his face and murmuring softly: “That's what we tell Twilight. But honestly? Luna and I would both die to protect Twilight, in a heartbeat. We'd never forgive the other for not saving her, either... because Luna and I do everything together anyway, right? And better us... than her. For a lot of reasons.”

Scrivener smiled despite himself after a moment, glancing up as he said quietly: “We trust, love, and respect her. Always. We're... careful, because both Luna and I know Twilight still is... a little innocent. A little impressionable, and she... she's trying so hard for us, in so many ways. She's wonderful with Antares and teaching him a lot: she comforts Luna in ways that I can't and I can talk to her in ways that it's hard for me to talk to Luna, because... well. Soul-link or not, Luna and I do still get into arguments and our wires do cross now and then.”

Celestia nodded, then she smiled as the barista returned to hurriedly begin putting out a full, fancy tea set in front of the ivory equine, before the barista winced when Celestia asked gently: “My friend's coffee...”

“Right on the way!” the barista dropped the last of the tea set – large containers of sugar and cream – on the table, then turned and bolted for the counter, returning a few moments later with a coffee. Scrivener winced and caught it when it was almost thrown at him, and the barista bounced on her hooves and said brightly: “If you need anything else, just let me know!”

Scrivener smiled awkwardly as Celestia nodded and looked pointedly at the mare when she lingered, and the barista blushed before hurrying off. Then Celestia shook her head a bit, turning her eyes back towards Scrivener and asking quietly: “And how do you think Twilight feels? Being part of the relationship but always a little outside?”

“I know. But I think... Luna and I half-hoped, half-feared, for the day she'd find somepony better than us.” Scrivener began, sniffing at his coffee, and then he frowned in surprise when Celestia only laughed quietly. “What?”

“No matter what my stance, Scrivener, I know that Twilight is in safe hooves with you and Luna. More important than that, I've had enough time to see and value things to know she isn't be used by either of you, that you're very good to her, very careful with her.” Celestia stopped, glancing down and closing her eyes and smiling a little. “And you and Luna... make her happy, most important of all. Happy in a way I can't, and she is absolutely loyal to you both.”

She stopped, then opened her amethyst eyes, meeting Scrivener's as she said softly: “You and Luna need time to think about things, I understand that. And so will Twilight. But do you remember how we were talking about a renewal of vows before? I think... Twilight deserves to hear promises made to her as well, in front of friends and family. Because sometimes, Scrivener, she's a little afraid that you and Luna are ashamed of her.”

“Never.” Scrivener said firmly, sitting up and frowning a bit, and then he stared at Celestia, leaning forwards and asking slowly: “Wait... you've... talked to her about this?”

“I have, more than once. I asked her not to tell either of you because I knew it would likely grate on Luna's nerves.” Celestia smiled after a moment. “Not that I'd blame either of you for being upset. I'm interfering in your personal business again.”

“You're trying to understand things. That's what matters most.” Scrivener replied softly, glancing down and sipping at his coffee... and then he coughed and spat several times to the side, and Celestia leaned back in surprise. “Almond roast, ugh. I'm allergic to almonds.”

“It's not made with real almonds, you know, Scrivener. It's just flavored.” Celestia said pointedly, and Scrivener grunted before the ivory mare shook her head, asking after a moment curiously: “Are you really allergic to almonds? I've seen you eat nuts before.”

“Other nuts don't bother me, just almonds. And onions. You've seen what happens when I eat onions.” Scrivener replied, and Celestia gave him an amused look. “Well, it's not a choking to death allergy, I'm still going to eat onions if it comes with the food.”

“This is one of the reasons why I'm actually glad you have both Twilight and Luna looking after you, Scrivener Blooms. They're very good at taking care of you, which is something you honestly seem to need.” Celestia remarked, and Scrivener laughed and shook his head despite himself before the ivory equine signaled the barista again. “Speaking of which, Scrivener... back on the subject of your to-do list, and your actual dreams and aspirations...”

The charcoal stallion sat back, but smiled despite himself even as they began to talk once more, delving in the deepest, most uncomfortable subjects with confidence, understanding, and compassion, two strange ponies holding equally strange but welcome conversation.

Celebrated Renewal

Chapter Sixty Nine: Celebrated Renewal
~BlackRoseRaven

Time continued to move forwards, as it always did, no matter what joys or sorrows pervaded life: Scrivener marked essays, stories, and compositions, then graded exams. But one of his greatest achievements from his experience teaching, he felt, was when a copy of a poetry magazine was mailed to him from Canterlot with a letter from Zampona, and he found she'd published one of the poems she'd written for his class, and she had dedicated it to him.

It strengthened Scrivener's resolve, proved that sometimes good efforts were indeed rewarded, and it was a moment of warmth in his life. But that joy was nothing compared to when, after a winter that was long, and deep, but filled with happiness, celebration, and where Scrivener got to watch as Antares Mīrus continued to grow and make him proud every day, Pinkamena gave birth to her child.

Aphrodisia Celeste Pie: Sleipnir had named the little filly, looking at her with warmth and love and adoration in his eyes as he'd sprinkled water over her and given her the blessings of Asgard and nature. They had all been there, and it had been an almost solemn ceremony despite the joy of the filly coming into the world... a filly who already looked quite similar to Pinkamena, and already possessed a large, sharp set of teeth.

Aphrodisia, like her mother, was a demon, and if anything proved this it was how fast she grew: in no time at all, she was bounding around on her hooves, looking much like an earth pony except for her fanged grin and her cloven hooves. But Sleipnir adored her, loved her dearly, and was an incredible father... even if, when his daughter wasn't around, he continued to be the same old pretty-chasing stallion he had always been, although Pinkamena seemed relieved, if anything, that her husband still hadn't changed.

For the last stage of her pregnancy and the first few months afterwards, Pinkamena was unable to hide her true shape: she was stuck in full demonic glory. She also suffered much worse pangs of Gluttony, feeding hungrily whenever she had the chance. But as she devoted herself to her child, taking care of Aphrodisia, visibly cherishing the filly that looked up at her with smiles and acted calm and warm and quiet in her presence, her pangs visibly subsided, and eventually Pinkamena was able to once more hide her shape... although Pinkie Pie and others had told her softly that she didn't have to pretend to be anyone but who she was, and for maybe the first time, Pinkamena had started to believe them.

Despite being six years older than her, Avalon and Antares both accepted Aphrodisia readily into the group, and Rustproof was delighted to have a new playmate, even if Aphrodisia could be more than a little rough. But Rustproof was tough, and only smiled, while Avalon admired that there was finally another filly almost as tough as she was around.

They were all different ages, they were all very different ponies, from very different backgrounds: a demon, an adopted earth pony, a Pegasus, a unicorn with leather wings and his mother's enormous legacy. But they were all friends, too, and in a way, family. They had their quarrels and arguments, but they were also all together, and as time continued to roll forwards, even as the adults discussed their plans and the world around them changed, they only grew closer, only locked tighter together, not afraid of what was to come, following in the hoof-steps and the guidance of their parents and idols who maintained honor and friendship and understanding above all else. And none of them knew how lucky they were, even in spite of the pains and suffering and darkness that lingered through their lives, to always be able to rely on one another... and to always have family to fall back on.

Antares Mīrus grinned brightly, stomping a hoof firmly across the orchard field as he readied himself, a few dead leaves swirling past from the barren apple trees. It was late autumn now, just after his eighth birthday, and he had grown into a strong, handsome colt, his body athletic and toned and his eyes bright, curious, and intelligent. His leather, strong wings flapped easily at his sides once before furling tightly as he shook out his rugged, long mane and flicked his tail, the onyx stone hanging around his neck gleaming as brightly as his eyes. “Okay, I'm ready, Aviator!”

“Shut up.” Avalon grumbled, and Antares laughed as Avalon gritted her teeth and set herself: eight months younger, and still less than half his size, she was still tiny. Smaller than even Rustproof was, as a matter of fact, but she was as solid as she'd ever been. Her wings spread: large and sleek and powerful, she was the envy of every Pegasus her age... not just because she was so fast in the air, but because she had inherited all of her mother's leg strength as well, making her a perfect athlete. Although, all the same, she was also as sharp-tempered as she'd ever been and notoriously brash.

But like Antares, she had also gotten her cutie mark: on her haunch, an emblem of an apple that had been sliced in half gleamed. She had earned it during a game of Sky Ball, a heavy-contact Pegasus version of rugby. The ball has passed back and forth while Pegasi tried to knock each other out of the air... and although she was tiny and about half the age of the other players, Avalon was still permitted to play in the youth league and was known as 'Little Terror' by most of the other players.

She had been zipping violently around the other Pegasi when above, the scoreboard hanging from several cloud supports had dropped loose and fallen right in front of the opposing team goal. Immediately, Pegasi had gone into a panic, but Avalon – focused, sharp, and so stubborn and determined that there was nothing that she'd let stop her – had simply shot ahead, gone into a violent spin, and torn straight through the reinforced hardwood, yelling furiously before throwing the ball so hard the goalie had been knocked flying backwards through his own net. And then she had winced and looked down at her flank at a faint flare of pain... and stared in shock at the sight of her cutie mark.

At first they had teased her plenty about how her special talent was smashing through things, but then her father had smiled, rested a hoof on her back, and told her that what made her special and unique was that nothing ever stopped her. Nothing slowed her down, nothing got in her way, and it made him prouder of her than he could ever express, more than anything else in the world ever had.

Avalon shook herself out, then leapt into the air before shooting violently forwards, and Antares gritted his teeth before he flicked his horn towards her as it glowed brightly. A sapphire barrier appeared in front of him, and Avalon rammed into this, gritting her teeth as it cracked with her initial blow before she growled as she continued to try and force forwards, further damaging the barrier as Rustproof and Aphrodisia watched with interest.

Rustproof was five years old, and yet he was almost as large as Antares was. He was also calm, positive, and very gentle: a child who wasn't afraid of strangers, who had a habit of staring and communicating through smiles and facial gestures instead of speaking, and who was probably one day going to be a behemoth-sized pony. He was good at doing little tasks and chores, and rarely complained about anything, and despite being at the age where he was a little clumsy, he was extremely careful and diligent when it came to any job that needed to be done. He was also very clean and organized, despite the fact his mane and tail were almost as wild and unkempt as Pinkie Pie's and Cowlick was already letting him sit in and watch her work on her gadgets and machines in the workshop at home and the engineering lab.

Aphrodisia, on other hoof, looked and all too often acted like a miniature version of her mother, and in spite of the fact she was only two years old, she could easily pass for a foal twice her age. She was already out of diapers, and already could speak fluently as she grinned widely, her teeth glinting brightly as she called mockingly: “You can't do it, metal-head!”

“Shut up, Apple Pie!” Avalon shouted, then she flapped her wings hard as she slammed forwards, tearing through through the barrier as Antares yelped before she smashed into the colt, and they both went rolling backwards as Aphrodisia laughed loudly.

She shook her raven-black mane out with a wide grin: the long hairs fell straight, but were braided into a low knot near the end of the locks to keep them from spilling over her face. Her tail was naturally thick and straight as well, and her black-rimmed emerald eyes glowed with mischief as she looked at the two, teasing: “Avalon and Antares, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!”

Avalon only grumbled, punching Antares once in the breast before she hopped up off him, and the colt grunted in pain before he sat up and smiled amusedly over at the pink, demonic foal. “You really need some new material, Apps.”

“Hey, bite me. I'm two years old and already smarter than all of you.” Aphrodisia bragged, and then she dropped her head against Rustproof and said sweetly: “I can't wait until we're all grown up and we can kill things together.”

“You're silly, Pinkslap.” Rustproof said kindly, and Aphrodisia smiled: for some reason, she was very fond of this odd nickname, even if only a few ponies ever used it for her. With what a pain her full name was to say and all the mischief she liked to get up to, almost everypony had their own pet name for her, ranging from Apps to Devil Pie. “You know too much about growed up stuff.”

“Yeah, well, I'm a demon.” Aphrodisia sniffed loudly, tilting her head upwards proudly, and then she grumbled and stomped her hooves against the ground, adding moodily: “Or at least I will be a big scary demon once I mature or something. I dunno, Mommy hasn't told me how it works and Daddy just says I'm probably still going to be plenty pony. Aunt Brynhild and Aunt Tia weren't able to tell me much else, either.”

She shook her head, and Antares smiled as he walked over to his little cousin, patting her on the shoulder. “Well, don't worry, Apps. You're gonna be the strongest demon ever.”

“Shut up, Nova. Nopony likes you.” Aphrodisia smiled all the same up at her cousin, then she reached up and toyed at his necklace, asking curiously: “So what are we doing out here? Don't we have some big thing to go to?”

“Yeah.” Antares quieted a little, glancing away, and Aphrodisia and the other kids softened as they all looked towards Antares, as he lowered his head a little, saying softly: “Mom and Dad are renewing their vows or something, and they want us all to take part in the ceremony. I think it's more than that, and I just... I just hope that... well...”

“Hey, Mir, it's gonna be okay, okay?” Avalon said firmly, reaching out and nudging Antares, and the colt smiled over at her as Rustproof nodded quickly.

Antares appreciated it: it showed in his smile and the way he glanced up, even as he remained silent as his thoughts strayed to his parents. His mother, Luna, was so strong... and Twilight Sparkle was always there, helping them out... but Scrivener Blooms, his father, had begun to ail. He coughed up black stuff a lot, and over the last year or so, the stallion had lost some of his mass, gotten gaunter, weaker... he had bad days sometimes, and sometimes he just stared off at nothing, or said strange things.

It was hard for the colt: he knew what was happening, and what hurt so much more was that there was so little he could do to help... and his father kept blaming himself, kept getting so angry, so upset with himself, over what his condition meant Antares was seeing and going through. Antares didn't entirely understand it: none of it was Scrivener's fault, after all, but... the colt knew by now that his father had a habit of holding himself accountable for every bad thing that happened.

Then the colt shook his head out and looked up, saying hesitantly: “Yeah, I... I'm sure it's nothing bad. Big sister was really excited, and that usually means something really good is about to happen, and I heard lots of ponies are going to be there. A band is gonna perform, and Dad... Dad looked really good today. He was nervous and anxious and stuff, but he was excited, too. I don't usually see him excited. And Twilight and Aunt Tia were excited.”

“Aunt Tia doesn't get excited.” Aphrodisia scoffed, and Antares gave her an amused look. “What? She doesn't. She's weird.”

“Your whole family is weird.” Avalon said mildly, and Antares nodded agreeably as Aphrodisia growled, then barked several times at the Pegasus. Avalon only rolled her eyes even as Rustproof chuckled, and then she glanced at Antares and asked: “So what does that mean, then? We're going to have to get trussed up in fancy clothes? I hate fancy clothes. So do Mom and Dad.”

Antares only shook his head, then he glanced back and forth hesitantly, and Aphrodisia grinned brightly as her eyes lit up. “Oh cool! You're gonna do it, aren't you?”

“I'm gonna try, Apps. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, they listen to Mom and Dad, not me.” Antares replied embarrassedly, and Aphrodisia nodded excitedly as Avalon frowned, but Rustproof only looked up inquisitively when Antares closed his eyes tightly and concentrated.

His horn began to glow with a dark sapphire light, and then he gritted his teeth and clenched his eyes, leaning forwards and concentrating as a faint pulse rang out through the fields... before a moment later, he wheezed loudly and slumped. Aphrodisia was gazing excitedly back and forth... and then she winced when a loud barking rose up before Kǫttr tore excitedly across the field, the large Hellhound distinct not because of its demonic nature, but because of the pink vest it wore over its body stitched with patterns of flowers and the large, goofy bow on the collar around its neck.

“N-No, Kǫttr, Kǫttr, wait-” Antares began too late, and then the Hellhound tackled him, licking painfully at the colt's face as he laughed and gave strangled yells at the same time, feeling ice crystals forming over his features as he shoved wildly at the excitable Hellhound. “Apps, do something!”

Aphrodisia barked several times at Kǫttr, and the Hellhound immediately skittered off Antares, whining in its throat as it skidded around. Avalon was on the ground, cackling loudly, and Rustproof was smiling cheerfully before he glanced curiously up as there was a faint shimmer in the air before an enormous demon appeared, tilting its horned head as it asked softly: “Did you need something, young Antares?”

“Atrus!” Antares wheezed, and he sat quickly up with a smile as Avalon continued to giggle and Aphrodisia spun around, beginning to bounce gleefully around the Wrath demon and inspecting it with fascination. “Hey, I... we were wondering about... the ceremony today...”

“I do not entirely understand it. Marriage is a concept that is lost on my kind, and love is not something I precisely feel.” Atrus replied gently, and then he lowered his head thoughtfully. “But there is something to be appreciated all the same in it. It seems a source of both weakness and strength, after all.”

“Right.” Antares said slowly, and then he cleared his throat and shook his head, absently reaching out to begin petting Kǫttr, who rumbled quietly and slipped closer to the colt as his bony tail wagged. “So that is today? Mom and Dad didn't tell me much about it.”

“They are preparing the ritual as we speak.” Atrus replied seriously, and when Avalon snorted in amusement and gave the demon a flat look, the enormous creature shrugged calmly. “Hevatica will come and retrieve you when the time is right. The ritual is being held outside of Ponyville, for all to see and attend if they desire.”

Antares smiled and nodded, and then Aphrodisia bounced in front of the Wrath demon, grinning up at him and asking excitedly: “Can you do a trick? Show me your claws! Bite something! How strong are you?”

Atrus only looked down at the foal-demon, and then he shook his head slowly, saying meditatively: “I do not look forwards to when you grow up, little one. Wrath and Lust is a dangerous combination.”

With that, Atrus vanished from sight, and Aphrodisia growled and stomped her cloven hooves before she spun around and whistled loudly, and Kǫttr rose his head quickly, looking at her intently before the demon foal ran forwards and scrambled up onto the Hellhound's back, snapping: “Go find Daddy!”

“Apps, you can't just-” Antares began, but too late, as Kǫttr barked happily and leapt to its manicured claws, bolting across the field. Avalon grinned at this, then she buzzed sharply into the air and took off after the demons, leaving the two colts sitting dumbly by themselves. A moment later, Antares traded a look with Rustproof, and they both took off after them, the unicorn's rapid sprint letting him slowly begin to close in on Kǫttr despite the head start the Hellhound had, as Rustproof trotted along at an easy pace, falling quickly behind but easily following the trail of his friends all the same.

Kǫttr tore towards the road leading from Sweet Apple Acres towards Ponyville, Aphrodisia clinging to his back and grinning as the wind whipped her hair back... before her eyes bulged as she saw two figures in the road directly ahead of them, and Kǫttr yelped before he skidded to a sudden halt, lurching forwards and sending Aphrodisia flying over his head to crash loudly on her back in front of the two. She wheezed in pain, flailing a bit at the air before glaring furiously up at the two who had blocked her path: Hevatica, and a Pegasus filly with a bright red coat and a cutie mark of a quill over a notepad on her flank.

She growled and yelled nonsense words up at them, and Hevatica only looked mildly back down at her before the Kelpie rolled her eyes. Then Aphrodisia stared as the Pegasus filly smiled brightly, looking up from the demon and saying shyly as Antares skidded to a halt beside his cousin: “Hi Antares!”

“M-Meadowlark?” Antares asked stupidly, and the Pegasus filly nodded a few times embarrassedly... before squeaking when Avalon shot down out of the air, beginning to buzz around the red filly and the demon as the Kelpie winced a little. Then Antares stepped forwards with a smile, looking over her slowly as he said softly: “Wow, it's really good to-”

“No it's not.” Avalon interrupted, and then she dropped down and landed primly on Antares' back, the glossy black unicorn sighing and dropping his head forwards as Meadowlark blushed and lowered her head. “My Dad's gonna kick your Dad's butt if he sees him anywhere.”

“My parents... ran away.” Meadowlark said quietly, glancing down with embarrassment, and Avalon started as Meadowlark looked up quietly. “They left me with my aunt in Canterlot and... I don't know where they are anymore. It was only a few days after I got this, see?”

She smiled a little, glancing back at the emblem on her haunch. “See it? It's because I'm really good at finding stuff out... not... not singing, after all.” She blushed, closing her eyes and nodding a little and even as Avalon grumbled, she seemed to soften a little. “I'm sorry for how I treated you guys, I really really am. I was hoping that... that maybe now, we could all be friends again, like old times.”

“Hey, they're my friends, not yours.” Aphrodisia said grumpily, as she bounced up to her hooves, and Meadowlark looked down at her with a tilt of her head. “You smell bad.”

“Now stop that, Aphrodisia.” Hevatica chided, and the demon foal grumbled under her breath before the Kelpie glanced up and smiled as Rustproof cantered slowly forwards and dropped on his haunches beside Kǫttr, cocking his head curiously and unconsciously mimicking the Hellhound beside him. “Hello, sweetie. I know you were very young, but I'm sure you remember Meadowlark.”

“Wow, Rustproof? You've gotten so big already...” Meadowlark smiled brightly, and then she winced when Aphrodisia growled at her and Avalon fixed her with a sour look.

“Fillies, come on.” Antares said tiredly, and then he winced when Avalon stomped against his back before she grumbled and sprawled herself over him, closing her eyes and dropping her head down with a mumble. Antares groaned at this: Avalon's favorite tactic to avoid making a decision was to simply go to sleep. “Apps? Please?”

“I like her.” Rustproof smiled, and Aphrodisia grumbled and looked for a few moments over her shoulder at Kǫttr and the blue-maned colt, and then she groaned and nodded once.

“But I don't have to like you, you hear me?” Aphrodisia leaned up threateningly, and Meadowlark smiled hesitantly as she looked down at the demon foal before Aphrodisia's eyes turned to the Kelpie, complaining: “And when are we going to this dumb thing for Aunt Brynhild and Uncle Scrivy? I'm bored. I wanna see my Mommy and my Daddy, too.”

“Oh, believe me, we all want to see your Daddy.” Hevatica said almost dreamily, and Aphrodisia glared at her before the Kelpie leaned down with a kind smile. “Why don't we all go to where the ceremony is being held, then, shall we?”

Aphrodisia mumbled, but Antares nodded rapidly and Rustproof smiled in his benign, agreeable way, and Hevatica turned to lead them back through the village. Meadowlark embarrassedly fell into pace on one side of Antares, and the colt looked up at her curiously, asking after a few moments: “So what are you doing back in Ponyville if... I mean, is it okay if I ask about...”

“It's okay.” Meadowlark nodded quickly, blushing and glancing down. “I... I know Mom and Dad loved me, but they couldn't... support me anymore, or even themselves. Dad got in so so much trouble for... for what happened, and Mom wasn't allowed to practice doctoring anymore. They told me they didn't want me getting mixed up in everything and making all the mistakes they did, so... they gave me to my Aunt Bluebell.

“But I kept track of Mom and Dad, even after they ran away. It wasn't hard... I have all kinds of notebooks and clippings and articles. They're not... major criminals or anything, but there's a lot of gossip about it, and the other Royal Guards felt real sorry for me so they'd tell me about where they were last seen and stuff. They were all real mad at Mom and Dad for abandoning me but I guess they know, too, that... there just wasn't a lot that they could do, either.”

Antares nodded sympathetically, gazing at Meadowlark quietly and seeing that... she was angry, but she was more sad than angry, and more disappointed than sad... and yet through it all, too, she still loved her parents. “But I guess I... I don't know. All I really have left now is you guys, and I know how bad I hurt everyone and... I wanna start over. Maybe if I start over then... Mom and Dad will come back one day and be able to start over too.”

There was quiet for a little while, as they walked through the busy streets... and then Avalon finally mumbled: “I forgive you.”

Meadowlark looked up in surprise, and Avalon grumbled as she shoved up and buzzed off Antares' back, easily taking back to the air and floating along above them. “Just don't get used to it. And you gotta take care of Rustproof, he's still poo-brain.”

Rustproof only smiled up at Avalon, and Meadowlark shook her head and glanced down awkwardly before Aphrodisia said sulkily: “We were cooler when there was just four of us.”

“You know, it was four of us before you came along.” Avalon said dourly, and Aphrodisia glared up at her furiously. “Hey, just sayin'.”

“Children, please now. Get along.” Hevatica said kindly over her shoulder, shaking her head slowly before the demon smiled as she looked ahead, continuing easily: “Look, Ponyville is the perfect example. Nibelung, ponies, my own kind... all of us welcome here, walking through the light of day, with no need to be afraid. Is it not beautiful? Is it not wonderful?”

“No.” Aphrodisia said sulkily, and Hevatica sighed before the foal continued loudly: “Mommy tells me that ponies used to be afraid of us. I wanna see that.”

“Who is that, anyway?” Meadowlark asked aside to Antares, and the charcoal pony smiled after a moment, leaning down to firmly bump his muzzle against Aphrodisia.

The foal huffed and flailed at him as Kǫttr barked happily behind them, and then Antares returned his eyes to Meadowlark and answered: “That's my cousin! Her name's Aphrodisia Celeste Pie, and her mom is Pinkamena.”

“Whoa, Pinkamena?” Meadowlark stumbled and stared, before she added dumbly: “Wait. She. She can't be, she'd only be...”

“I'm two years old.” Aphrodisia declared proudly, raising her head high. “I'm a demon, so I'm growing up faster than any of you, which means I'm gonna be better than all of you already.”

“Not if you don't learn grammar, Apple Pie.” Avalon said dryly, and Aphrodisia glared angrily up at her.

“Don't call me that!” she snapped, then huffed and grumbled: “You just wish I was an Apple so that you could have Sleipnir as your Daddy. I have the best Daddy in the world.”

“No, I do!” Avalon argued, and Aphrodisia and Avalon glared at each other as Antares sighed and dropped his head, and Hevatica only smiled amusedly over her shoulder. “Rainbow Dash is the fastest, strongest, best Pegasus and father in the world!”

She glared at both Meadowlark and Aphrodisia, and Meadowlark awkwardly dropped her head with a blush as the demon foal huffed and retorted: “So he's fast, that just means he might stand a chance at running away from my Dad, which is all he could ever do because nothing can beat my Dad, so there!”

Hevatica smiled slightly, before Rustproof chipped in: “My daddy's really nice.”

There was an awkward quiet for a moment, and then Meadowlark glanced up and asked finally: “What about your Dad, Antares?”

Antares only looked down, remaining quiet for a moment as Avalon and Aphrodisia both glared at Meadowlark, who quailed back as Hevatica glanced worriedly over her shoulder at Antares... but then the glossy-black unicorn shook his head and smiled after a moment, looking up and saying quietly: “My Dad's strong. And I'm really proud of him.”

“Good.” Hevatica said softly, turning her eyes ahead, and the foals remained quiet as they followed through town, Meadowlark too nervous to say anything further, Avalon looking down softly at the colt, Rustproof and Aphrodisia both too difficult to read.

Outside of town, they met Fluttershy and Nirvana on the road, the blonde-coated Pegasus glancing up with a soft smile. “It's such a nice sight to see all of you gathered together... it... makes me forget about all the not-so-nice things going on. Antares, this must really be exciting for you... your parents have been together for over twenty-three years now, after all.”

Antares looked up in surprise at this, eyes widening before he said in an amazed voice: “That's... more than three times my age!”

“It's a little less, actually.” Fluttershy corrected gently, smiling and nodding slowly. “But it's incredible, isn't it? I think they have special tasks for all of you, though, especially you and your cousin, Aphrodisia... oh, but we've all come such a long way from who we used to be...”

Fluttershy gave Nirvana a soft look, and the Phooka rumbled quietly to her before he leaned over and nuzzled the side of her neck, and the Pegasus smiled and closed her eyes as she bowed her head forwards. Then she shook herself out a bit and gazed radiantly over the foals before her eyes drew up to Hevatica as she asked: “Were you told about the choir?”

“Oh, thank you for reminding me, sweet Fluttershy. Of course, I'd forgotten.” Hevatica smiled to the Pegasus, then she glanced over her shoulder at the foals. “I'm sure you can find your way to the party from here. I need to attend to some business... Scrivener and Mistress Luna have insisted on a simple ceremony, but Lady Celestia has better plans in mind. But don't tell your parents, Antares.”

She winked over her shoulder at the colt, who blushed and nodded a few times before the Kelpie turned to head towards the animal care complex. Nirvana rumbled quietly and bowed his head politely to the foals, and then Fluttershy excused herself with a smile before she and Nirvana followed after the Kelpie.

For a moment, Aphrodisia looked grumpily after them, and then she stomped her hooves and huffed. “We should go after them, right, Kǫttr? I bet they're hiding all sorts of stuff in that big barn!”

Kǫttr barked in agreement, and Avalon snorted before her eyes roved in the direction where the ceremony was undoubtedly going to be held: not only were Pegasi in the sky, clearing away clouds, rows and rows of chairs had been set up, along with an enormous, flower-covered trellis visible from here... although that was partly thanks to the bunches of colored balloons tied along the trellis and to several of the chairs. “Well, you have fun with that, Apple Pie. Me? I think there's a table full of food over there. And Dad always says if you wanna get the good stuff, you have to be the first to attack.”

“Your dad's a hippo.” Aphrodisia said moodily to this, and when Avalon only looked down at the demon foal blankly, the pink filly glared and stomped her cloven hooves. “You know! Like... he... he does the same stuff he tells other people is bad!”

“A... oh, hypocrite.” Antares looked up brightly, and then Aphrodisia turned and punched him in the leg, making him wince in pain and quickly raise his injured foreleg up as he leaned away from her. “Apps!”

The demon foal replied by barking at him and gnashing her teeth violently, and the glossy-black colt winced and leaned away as Meadowlark stared with something like horror at the filly. Rustproof only continued to look at them quizzically as Kǫttr bounced to his claws and woofed excitedly several times, and then Aphrodisia turned and sprinted towards where the ceremony was being set up, and Kǫttr eagerly scampered after her, continuing to bark loudly and cheerfully.

Avalon groaned and shot after the demon after a moment, shouting down at her, and Antares, Rustproof and Meadowlark all watched the three for a few seconds. Other ponies that were just visible in the distance were staring to look up at the commotion, and Antares finally sighed, smiling from the colt on one side to the filly on the other as he said finally: “Come on, then. Let's go check it out, I guess.”

“You sound nervous.” Meadowlark said softly, and Antares shrugged a bit as the three trotted through the field before he smiled over at her, and she tilted her head towards him before asking quietly: “What's wrong with your Dad?”

Antares shifted a bit, a little surprised by the question even as he studied her curiously, and Meadowlark only laughed and shrugged, smiling a little. “I'm good at finding stuff out, like I said, and that means I gotta be... perceptive, that's the right word, right?”

Antares nodded a little, and he hesitated before looking ahead and saying quietly: “Dad's been really sick from... from those evil Clockwork things. We haven't seen a hint of them for the last while, and we're not supposed to talk about it, but... Mom and Aunt Tia were talking just the other day about how... maybe they're trying to wait us out now. They know that Dad's been hurt and... and...”

He swallowed and glanced down, unable to finish, and Meadowlark softened as she lowered her head, murmuring: “I'm sorry, Antares.”

“It's okay.” Antares shook his head hurriedly, then he looked up and smiled a little. “I'm just hoping this is a good sign today... Dad was looking good this morning and... and I hope... I mean, if he's feeling strong and healthy, then maybe there's hope after all, that... well...”

He quieted, and Meadowlark nodded slowly as she looked ahead as well, before Rustproof said softly: “There's always hope.”

“Always.” Antares echoed, and he nodded a little again before glancing up and smiling as they began to draw closer, watching as his uncle Sleipnir laughed and played with Kǫttr and now-giggling, bright-looking Aphrodisia, and Aunt Pinkamena sat back with a smile on her face, Pinkie Pie bouncing excitedly beside her.

Antares was welcomed just as warmly, and soon he and Meadowlark and Rustproof were playing happily along with the others, Pinkie Pie joining in as Pinkamena only sat back and watched with amusement until Sleipnir tackled her. They scuffled for a while, until all gathered looked up as Celestia approached, smiling and shaking her head: she was dressed in her armor, coronet gleaming around her head, making the foals stare before she said kindly: “Antares, Aphrodisia, would you both please come with me? And Avalon, your father is looking for you... Meadowlark, I think it would be a good idea if you go with her as well. Lastly, Sleipnir, please take Rustproof to find Cowlick. She says she needs his help.”

The foals all nodded, Pinkamena glancing down at her daughter and smiling as she reached up to pat the filly's cheek, saying firmly: “Behave, kid. You treat Aunt Brynhild good, and Uncle Scrivener better, got it? And try not to get on Princess Sunshine's nerves too much, she ain't a half bad aunt.”

“Yes, Mommy.” Aphrodisia smiled and nodded firmly to her mother, and then she gazed warmly over at Sleipnir when he approached with a smile and ruffled his daughter's mane firmly. She half-leapt forwards to hug his leg tightly for a moment, then slipped quickly away, bouncing over to Celestia, as Antares gazed out at his family and friends before smiling over his shoulder when the ivory, rainbow-maned winged unicorn began to head calmly towards the row of seats.

The cousins followed after her, demon foal and glossy-black colt both looking up attentively as Celestia explained, while leading them down the red carpet that went between more marked rows than Antares could count: “Your mother and father never had much of a wedding, Antares, and... although we actually missed their last anniversary, we decided it would be... in our best interests to do this now.”

Antares nodded nervously, and Celestia halted in the middle of the long aisle, gazing softly over her shoulder at the two foals as they looked up at her. “Your father is very strong, Antares, please don't take this as if... your father's condition is further worsening. But what's very important is that we make the most of the time we have, and to be honest, we've been talking about this for the last two years. And more than that... there's a very special reason why today was picked. And there's a special reason I need to talk to you for a moment alone.”

The unicorn foal cocked his head curiously as Aphrodisia frowned a little, asking flatly: “And what about me?”

“Don't worry, Aphrodisia, you have another task to prepare for while I talk to Antares.” Celestia replied with a smile, and as they continued onwards, she glanced up and called: “Twilight Sparkle! Aphrodisia is here!”

Twilight glanced up from where he was going over something with Rarity and Spike, and the violet mare hurriedly excused herself before wincing a bit and running over to the end of the aisle, joining them in front of the large trellis and the small stage that had been set up as she asked worriedly: “Are you sure about this, Celestia? I... and Antares, why isn't Antares... oh god, we're running so far behind schedule, Luna and Scrivener will be here any moment and-”

“It's alright, Twilight. Take Aphrodisia, put her in the dress Rarity already prepared-” The demon foal made a disgusted face. “-and calm yourself down. Then tell her what she's giving to Luna.”

Twilight nodded, reaching up and rubbing worriedly at her collar before she smiled nervously down at the demon, breathing a little hard and making Antares wince and stare a little before the violet mare closed her eyes and took a deep breath as Celestia gazed at her imploringly. “I'm sorry, I... I'm calm. But we're giving Luna and Scrivener a surprise wedding, I'm just... I'm scared it'll upset them, not make them smile.”

“What? Really?” Antares brightened, looking up before he shook his head firmly when Twilight looked at him with a grimace. “No, no, no! It'll mean a lot, Twilight, especially... especially with you doing this for them.”

He smiled after a moment, gazing up at her with conviction, and it soothed Twilight visibly before she sighed and nodded, mumbling: “You... you do know your Mom and Dad well and... I guess I'll trust in your instincts, Antares. I just wish we'd had more time to plan...”

“We took almost a year to plan this, Twilight.” Celestia said gently, and then she gestured lightly at Aphrodisia as the demon foal walked forwards with a grumble. “Go ahead, take Aphrodisia to where the dressing rooms are set up, and I'll explain everything to Antares.”

Twilight hesitated, then she nodded and looked up, studying Celestia apprehensively for a moment before she turned, and Aphrodisia followed moodily behind her. Spike smiled and left Rarity's side to head off with the violet mare as well, and Rarity hurried over with a giggle and a bright smile of her own, her horn glowing and already opening a satchel on her side as Celestia smiled slightly.

“Wait. You're...” Antares frowned, looking curiously up at Celestia and studying her sharply as the armored, ivory mare smiled slightly down at him, even as Rarity lifted a simple dress suit for Antares out of the pack at her side and began to quickly measure it by eye against him to check for any last minute adjustments. “Mom and Dad know?”

“Yes and no.” Celestia replied with the same tender, gentle smile, and when Antares frowned uncertainly, she explained: “Today marks an anniversary that Twilight doesn't even remember. Twenty two years ago today was when Twilight Sparkle first became... involved... with your mother and father. This ceremony isn't simply for Luna and Scrivener... it's for her, too.”

“It's very exciting.” Rarity affirmed, smiling brightly before she began to slip clothing onto Antares, and the foal looked back and forth in dumb surprise. “It's made more exciting by the fact that Scrivener and Luna don't know that we've put together such a big celebration for them... so really, yes, there are surprises all around today.”

Antares only continued to look a little confused, and Celestia laughed quietly as she gazed down at him, saying gently as Rarity slipped the suit jacket onto the colt: “Nothing is going to change, Antares, but Luna and Scrivener want to give Twilight something more to... to show the bond they have. To show her they aren't ashamed of her, and to show her that she's accepted and loved here, by many ponies, uncomfortable as the subject is for some. And her friends are here to support that.”

“Besides, twenty-three years, Antares! I can only look forwards to the day when Spike and I are able to celebrate such an impressive number of years together.” Rarity said softly, and she smiled after a moment, a black tie quickly sliding itself around the colt's neck before Rarity flicked her horn and neatly tied it with telekinesis. “This whole idea is very sweet, though, and it will be good for Twilight, I think.”

“Of course, this is all my meddling, as well, as my little sister likes to say.” Celestia said softly, smiling after a moment and shaking her head slowly. “So if anything does go wrong Antares, don't worry. I'll take all the blame for it.”

Antares blushed as he looked awkwardly up at Celestia, and then he looked down before shaking his head slowly and saying softly: “It's silly how ponies judge other ponies all the time. Are... are you sure about this, though? Is that why you're all dressed up? And... Twilight...”

Celestia reached up, stroking a hoof soothingly through Antares' mane as Rarity fastidiously neatened the foal's clothes, before the Baroness smiled a bit as she answered: “Twilight can be a lot like you, and Scrivener, and Luna. She never asks for the things she wants or needs.”

The foal laughed and blushed a little after a moment, fidgeting before he looked up as Celestia leaned down and said softly: “Sometimes it doesn't hurt to give ponies a little push, as long as you're honestly serving their best interests, trying to do what's right for them, and keeping in mind... their values, their beliefs, what they honestly want. Particularly when those ponies have a hard time asking for things for themselves, and following their own desires.”

Antares nodded after a moment, and then Rarity added softly, glancing up with a small smile: “I don't claim to be nearly as wise as Celestia or your parents or many ponies, for that matter, but I have learned that no matter how strange and different love is, love is still love. I don't entirely understand it but I don't question it, both because Twilight has been beside Scrivener and Luna for such a long period of time... but also out of respect for her, and because I am her friend. I care about her well-being... and admittedly, it does much for my own worries and concerns and paranoia to see Scrivener and Luna willing to publicly show their feelings for Twilight like this. Even if it is none of our business, really.” Rarity paused, then smiled slightly and winked. “But we all have our sins, dear, and I do still enjoy the occasional bit of friendly gossip and harmless chatter.”

She paused, then straightened and nodded firmly once, and Antares glanced down at himself with a blush: he was now dressed in a white shirt, tie neatly knotted around his neck and a black dress jacket over this. Silver cufflinks gleamed as brightly as the polished star of his necklace, and Rarity reached a hoof up to neaten the foal's hair a little before she said softly: “I hope you don't mind, Antares, but you look so dashing I may have to pretend you're my foal as well for tonight. I'm not quite sure if dragons and unicorns will mix so nicely, after all.”

“Oh, I'm sure you'll have kids one day. They'll just look like me.” said a kind voice, and Rarity flinched in surprise and glanced up as Celestia sighed, looking over at Discombobulation as the Draconequus smiled wryly and leaned in close. He was dressed in a full, pressed black tuxedo, a bowtie at his neck and a white rose in his lapel as he absently polished the silver claws of his prosthetic limb against his suit jacket. “Don't we all look charming. Dressed to kill. I've never understood that metaphor, Rarity, could you explain it to me? I mean, if I were dressed to kill, I'd be wearing a rubber raincoat or some tattered jeans, wouldn't I? Or perhaps a suit of armor. Celestia is certainly dressed to kill, but I fear that I look more like I'm dressed to take orders from snooty rich people at a snooty rich person restaurant.”

Rarity sighed and looked moodily at the Draconequus as Celestia studied him for a moment, then simply returned her eyes to Antares, saying gently: “During the ceremony, Twilight will be brought up. I'm going to give a short speech, and then I'm going to ask you to pass me the symbol of commitment, called a Promise. Do you understand?”

Antares nodded a few times as Rarity pulled her eyes away from the Draconequus, but just as her horn began to glow, Discombobulation quickly reached into her satchel and yanked a large, square wooden box free, saying mildly: “Sorry, too slow. Here it is.”

He held the oak box calmly out to Antares, who awkwardly reached up to take it as Rarity huffed, and the Draconequus sniffed loudly in response, twiddling his metallic fingers. “You'll pardon me, but I'm vastly enjoying having my arm back. I mean, I know I've had this wonderful little gizmo for quite a while, but I don't think I'm ever going to quite get over just how delightful this is. It moves perfectly, it doesn't fall off when I teleport, and I can wear it with winter or summer colors. By the by, Rarity, what are spring and fall colors and why do all four seasons get their own fashion line? Why don't I have my own fashion line?”

Rarity glared up at him, and Celestia glanced towards the Draconequus before she asked mildly: “Out of curiosity, Discombobulation, do you have any idea what you're supposed to be doing here at this event?”

“I'm the best Draconequus. Which isn't very hard, there's only two of us to choose from and I not only have seniority, Discord is also a jerk.” Bob replied seriously, and when the ponies all only looked at him, he sighed tiredly and slumped, muttering: “I'm an usher. I help idiot ponies find a chair to sit in. Are you happy?”

“Are you?” Celestia asked seriously, and Discombobulation looked stupefied by this response before the ivory mare smiled slightly. “I thought as much. In any case, you already told me who glad you were to be a part of this, as I recall.”

“I... I did not.” Discombobulation looked ruffled, and then he brushed at himself before striding quickly past, grumbling: “Let's just get this foolishness over with. This celebration of deviant lifestyles makes me cringe.”

Celestia smiled as the Draconequus strode away, and then he halted, crossed his arms, and then turned around and asked lamely: “Aren't you going to argue with me? Defend your sister and your so-called brother and the pony you look at almost as daughter? Which makes your mind a very disturbing place, by the way, considering what you're encouraging.”

Celestia only continued to smile at him, however, and the Draconequus slowly puckered his lips and leaned back, looking distinctly unnerved before he huffed and gazed up at the sky, muttering: “But of course I seem insane to you: when everyone else walks on their hands, it's the one person who walks on their feet who seems like a lunatic.”

“Would you like to go out for dinner after this, Discombobulation?” Celestia asked kindly, and the Draconequus stared at her before she winked at him. “I'll make it worth your while, so long as you pick up the tab.”

“Are you the gatekeeper? Because I am not the keymaster.” Discombobulation flinched and stood back on one leg, half-hugging himself before he hopped backwards several times, then spun around and simply bolted.

The ivory equine looked after him with an amused roll of her eyes, and then Antares glanced up and said after a moment: “That was a little mean, Aunt Tia.”

“I apologize, Antares. I simply couldn't resist. But come along, Luna and Scrivener will be here any moment, and we all need to be ready.” Celestia smiled after a moment, saying softly: “On the bright side, at least they won't have to pretend to be surprised.”

Antares nodded and smiled warmly up at his aunt as Rarity turned to hurry off and get into her own dress, and the foal took up position proudly on one side of the stage, sitting with the large box beside him to leave it hidden in plain sight. After another few minutes, a haggard-looking Twilight brought Aphrodisia back with her own large box, the demon foal glowering around, her mane now tightly braided and a pretty little red dress over her body.

Twilight then hurried off to check on everything else, and Aphrodisia glanced back and forth before she quickly scampered across the stage to Celestia, glowering up at her. Celestia frowned a bit, glancing down at the little demon before the foal poked her a few times and asked waspishly: “Why do you get to be in armor instead of a dress?”

“Because I am much larger and scarier than most of the ponies here.” Celestia replied gently, and Aphrodisia looked thoughtful at this response before she grunted and nodded a few times, then leaned slowly over to frown at Antares, her sharp eyes catching on the box beside her cousin. The colt smiled over at her, and then Aphrodisia glared pointedly up at Celestia, who sighed after a moment and said softly: “It's a surprise for Twilight.”

“Oh.” Aphrodisia paused, frowned, then looked moodily up. “Daddy doesn't marry everypony he sleeps with.”

Antares coughed violently at this as Celestia sighed and looked towards the sky before Aphrodisia sniffed and turned to look thoughtfully out over the rows of chairs: guests were already beginning to arrive, and after a moment, Aphrodisia looked up and asked curiously: “Aunt Tia, why are relationships so weird and why do some stallions like other stallions and some like both, and why doesn't everypony have a special pony in their lives?”

“Ask your father. He's much more knowledgeable about stallions who like stallions.” Celestia responded absently, and Aphrodisia grunted and nodded a few times before the ivory equine softened and said quietly: “Honestly, though... I can't answer those questions. I'm not sure any pony can, except by saying... we are who we are, and we love who we love. That's all.”

“That's not really an answer.” Aphrodisia paused, then she shook her head and looked out over the rows of chairs before she smiled a little and leaned against Celestia's leg, surprising the large, ivory equine as she looked down at the demon's almost-tender gaze up at her. “Daddy says people try too hard to be normal. He says if everyone was less normal we could all be a lot happier.”

“Sleipnir has always had odd bits and pieces of wisdom such as that.” Celestia smiled after a moment, nodding slowly. “But your father has always known freedom, and refused to ever accept anything less. That... and he's always been particularly difficult to dislike.”

Aphrodisia smiled and nodded, then gazed ahead and grinned widely at the sight of Luna and Scrivener approaching, both looking shocked and accompanied by a blushing and delighted-looking Scarlet Sage.

Luna and Scrivener were both dressed in full, polished armor further accented by the extra raiment they wore. Luna had on a flowing black cape with dark gemstones shaped like the moon and stars woven into the fabric, while Scrivener had decorative vambraces inscribed with etchings of vines and roses locked in place of his plainer bracers, as well as a black helm with silver wings stretching to either side and a white pearl inset just above the crown.

Then Luna glared up at Celestia, charging down the aisle, and Scrivener winced and hurried after his wife... although it was hard to miss the way Scarlet Sage quickly slipped forwards and half-supported him, or the gauntness in Scrivener's features... or most of all, the way he didn't push Scarlet Sage away, letting her help him along as he coughed once and Luna shouted in an outraged voice: “What is the meaning of this, sister?”

“It's exactly what it looks like.” Celestia replied softly with a smile, and Luna skidded to a halt in front of her, staring up at her with disbelief before the ivory mare shook her head and said kindly: “You and Scrivener deserve a bit of a celebration. And if I may be so bold, Twilight Sparkle does as well, doesn't she?”

“This... this is a dangerous game thou plays!” Luna snapped as she glared up at Celestia, and then she grumbled and hesitated before dropping her head forwards and adding in a mumble: “Although... I... Celestia...”

“Besides, it's nothing formal. It's something for us, and friends, and family.” Celestia soothed, and Luna grumbled as Scrivener slowly approached with Scarlet Sage, the Pegasus smiling and letting her father walk the last bit on his own as their pace slowed, smoothing out the frilled, simple white dress she was wearing. “Scrivener Blooms. How are you feeling today?”

“Anxious.” Scrivener admitted, glancing up and smiling awkwardly, and Celestia nodded, gazing at him softly before the earth pony rubbed slowly at his chest as he gazed over at Luna quietly. “But excited too, huh?”

Luna sighed and mumbled as she dropped her head forwards, mane sparking faintly as it swirled backwards beneath her helm before she finally looked up and grumbled: “I am at least glad thou understood that this occasion called for the better of formal wear, not simply... ridiculous cloth clothing.”

Aphrodisia grumbled loudly, and Luna glanced down at the demon foal before she whined: “Then why do Nova and I have to wear silly clothes?”

“'Tis Celestia's fault, not mine! Thou knows that if I and thy mother had our way, thou could wear upon thy body all the metal and sharp objects thou wanted.” Luna said firmly, and Aphrodisia glared up at Celestia, who sighed and gave Luna a half-pleading look, but the sapphire mare only sniffed and continued disdainfully: “But there is a sad truth to the world, Aphrodisia. 'Tis that celebrations honoring one pony or another are rarely for that pony's benefit, 'tis just so a bunch of people may entertain themselves by staring and gawking at them, and eating up all the free food and gossip with one another like fillies.”

Aphrodisia nodded rapidly as Antares smiled at his parents despite himself, and then he glanced up curiously as Scarlet Sage approached and sat down beside him, asking softly: “How are you doing, little brother?”

“I'm good... surprised, though. Did you know about this?” Antares asked curiously, glancing up, and Scarlet Sage smiled softly and nodded as she gently put down a box that had been tucked beneath one wing. The young foal gazed at her curiously for a few moments, and then he glanced up at his parents as they continued to half-argue with, half-thank Celestia. “They seem... they're doing that thing again.”

“That makes them harder for you to read, I know, but Mom and Dad are like that. Just look at them, though, and you'll see...” Scarlet Sage hesitated, then she reached up and quietly stroked through Antares' mane, gazing down at him softly. “You're okay with this though, right? Not just being a part of this, but everything else with... with our weird little family.”

“I'm lucky.” Antares smiled after a moment, closing his eyes. “How many kids get one mom that loves them, let alone two?”

“You really are a smart, thoughtful little colt.” Scarlet Sage said softly, and then she winked and ruffled up Antares' mane, making him laugh as he shook his head quickly out. “Good. I'm glad you're able to think of it that way. Mom and Dad are weird, but we're all weird. Besides... ten years, Antares. That's how long they've been with Twilight.”

“Twenty-two.” Luna corrected, glancing up, and when Scarlet Sage cocked her head curiously, the sapphire mare softened and smiled a little, saying quietly: “Aye, there was a period where... thou wert all lost to us, including Twilight. But all the same, Twilight was still with us. Every time we visited Looking Glass World... she was there. Her spirit, her Pale, always beside us, urging us on, giving us love and forgiveness. And during those years when all memory had been lost... still, we saw her many times gazing up at the moon and stars, did we not, Scrivener Blooms? I do not believe we... were ever truly gone from her heart, nor was she ever lost from ours. And so it has been twenty-two years that she has been beside us, intimate with us. And that is that.”

Antares smiled, and Celestia gazed quietly down at her little sister before leaning forwards and kissing her forehead gently, and Luna blinked before blushing and looking up in surprise as the ivory winged unicorn smiled warmly and said softly: “Almost everyone's arrived. Let's get ready.”

Scrivener smiled a little and Luna nodded once, a flash of anxiety passing over her features before she took a short breath and sat back, and both she and Scrivener gazed out over the assembling crowd as Celestia smiled softly. Ponies, Nibelung, others were all gathered here to attend and witness the ceremony, and Scrivener looked awkwardly out over the crowd as Luna fidgeted a bit, before smiling in something like relief as she glanced up and Twilight joined her side, murmuring softly to her: “They just want to see.”

“They may be surprised at what they witness, then.” Luna mumbled, glancing aside at Twilight and softening at the sight of her: her onyx studs gleamed in her ears, and a simple, pretty black dress covering her body, Luna smiling slightly as she murmured: “Thou art not wearing thy collar. Good.”

“Just like Celestia asked, for some reason. Why is that good?” Twilight frowned curiously, but Luna only grunted, and the violet mare studied her curiously before her eyes widened. “Scrivener's not wearing his, either, and you... did you take off your black pearl? You never take off your black pearl!”

“Shush, Twilight, the ceremony is beginning.” Luna said hurriedly, and Twilight glared, beginning to open her mouth before a loud hum filled the air, and all eyes were drawn towards the top corner of the field, where a band had set up.

A red pony dressed in a rumpled suit began to calmly play his beaten guitar, and Riffraff smiled warmly, glancing up as Amdusias joined in a moment later, the demon's grumpiness at wearing both a bow-tie and matching cufflinks vanishing the moment he began to play his soulful saxophone. Graceful Melody, dressed in a slim white suit, began to sing slowly and easily... and he was joined a moment later by both Sweetie Belle and Hevatica, the Kelpie strumming a harp at the same time in easy melody with the others.

They carried on the easy, wordless music for a good ten minutes, people gathering and settling as Scrivener and Luna both tried to calm themselves despite the mix of anxiety and excitement pouring through their bodies. Then, as the band fell silent, Celestia looked up and announced in a calm, carrying voice: “Today, we are gathered here to honor the marriage of Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild... who have experienced more than twenty three years together, side-by-side.”

Celestia spoke; told stories about them, told those gathered of everything they had been through, and Scarlet Sage and Twilight Sparkle both spoke up as well, adding their own stories and anecdotes. Luna and Scrivener looked almost embarrassed by all the attention, shifting and blushing, but smiling happily all the same with how much compassion, how much adulation they were being given: by how much people cared, and the applause they received for their admittedly-strange but wonderful marriage and lifestyle.

And finally, Celestia smiled, glancing between Luna and Scrivener as she said gently: “Renewed commitment, and with that, a renewal of vows. Aphrodisia, please pass to Scrivener Blooms his Promise.”

Aphrodisia nodded, and the little foal carefully pushed the wooden box forwards before lifting it quietly to Scrivener Blooms, who looked almost solemn in his excitement and anxiety as he reached down and opened it. He carefully extracted the object within... and Luna smiled radiantly as he pulled out a braided vine with a larger, ornamented silver base in which rested the ancient, engraved black pearl that was as polished and pristine as the day it had first been carved.

He looked across at Luna, holding this quietly as he studied her for a few moments before saying quietly: “Luna Brynhild... I love you. And I renew my promise... to always be there for you. To do everything I can to support you, to always cherish you, to keep you close, and safe, and in comfort. I will always do my best to protect you, and I swear to never betray you, or turn against you. You are my soulmate.”

With that, he leaned forwards, gently slipping the necklace onto the sapphire mare, and she closed her eyes, taking a slow breath as it settled into place. His hooves stroked upwards, helping brush her starry locks back so the vine rested against the back of her neck, and she looked at him softly for a few moments before Celestia said gently: “Scarlet Sage, please pass to Luna her Promise.”

Scarlet Sage smiled as Scrivener stepped back, and the mare strode forwards and held up her box to her mother, who nodded to her with a warm smile before Luna flicked her horn, opening the box with a click before she reached in and gently extracted his beautiful platinum collar. The carved onyx and pearl that formed the crescent moon in the hollow at the front glinted, and Luna studied this for a moment before she looked slowly up and across at her husband, saying softly: “Scrivener Blooms. I shall always be there, to support and protect thee. To fight for thou, and fight beside thou, but never against; thou art my best friend, and my soulmate. And never do I desire it to be different. I love thee.”

With that, Luna carefully reached forwards as Scrivener smiled faintly, closing his eyes as she slipped the collar around his neck before locking it gently into place with a click. Celestia gazed back and forth between the ponies as Twilight trembled, gazing with tenderness and joy and not a hint of envy out over them... before her eyes widened as Celestia said with a smile: “Antares, please bring the last Promise forwards.”

Antares did so, blushing as he held it up... and Luna and Scrivener both reached down, opening the box and pulling out a beautiful black collar, with a white clasp in the shape of a lunar lily. Twilight gazed at this with shock for a moment, and then Luna and Scrivener both turned to face her, smiling into her eyes as Scrivener said softly: “You are part of our family. You provide the balance between myself and Luna... share a world in common with us, and it may be selfish of us... but we always want you here, beside us, between us, and most of all... with us, as an equal. And we promise, that... you will always have a place with us, in our hearts, in our mixed soul. I love you, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Thou art loyal, beautiful, and hast never betrayed us... and Twilight, if thou wishes to fly free, thou may always be given that freedom. But I believe, even if 'tis only because I am greedy, that thou belongs with us. We need thee, as friend and guide, our admired admirer. I love thee, Twilight Sparkle. Please, take this, as our symbol of commitment to thee, as an equal in our triad, as friend, confidante, and beloved.” Luna said softly, and both she and Scrivener lifted the collar gently.

For a moment, Twilight hesitated, trembling as she breathed hard in and out before tears spilled down her cheeks, and she clenched her eyes shut as she whispered: “Luna, Scrivener... I... I... I don't...” She opened her eyes, and smiled at them: it was faint, but it was radiant, and adoring, and she had eyes only for them even as she said: “I don't know what to say, or promise, I... I only know... I love you both, too, and-”

“And that is more than we deserve.” Luna said softly, and then she and Scrivener leaned forwards and slipped the collar around Twilight's neck, and she closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards as it locked gently into place. “Thou earned this long ago, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight blushed and lowered her head, then she stepped forwards, and Scrivener and Luna both caught her in a tight embrace, squeezing her fiercely close against them as Celestia smiled faintly over the three, shaking her head slowly before she looked up and announced calmly: “Then let us all rejoice at what we have seen here today. Let us celebrate this renewed union, and this openness and honesty, and welcome them once more with open arms. However similar or different they are, whatever our personal feelings, let us put everything aside for the recognition, understanding, and appreciation they deserve. Luna and Scrivener, congratulations. Twilight... I am proud of you, for holding your head high.”

Scrivener, Luna and Twilight all looked up as the crowd began to applaud, all three smiling warmly out over over those gathered as they rose their hooves together, Twilight blushing beet-red and Scrivener and Luna only smiling and laughing, but all three forgetting their embarrassment as they gazed out over family, friends, acquaintances and admirers. And beside them, Scarlet Sage and Antares Mīrus smiled warmly up to their parents as Aphrodisia yelled and cheered as well, swallowed up with everyone else in the celebration of a love that was strange but still true.

The Ruthless Path Of Wisdom

Chapter Seventy: The Ruthless Path Of Wisdom
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares laughed and shook his head, grinning brightly around at Avalon, Rustproof, Meadowlark and Aphrodisia as they played cards together. She couldn't keep the rules of the game straight, and Meadowlark kept trying to help her out, which only seemed to frustrate the demon more... but all the same, the cluster of foals was happy and positive.

It was a few weeks after the commitment ceremony, and Antares was spending the night at Sweet Apple Acres: as a matter of fact, all the kids were tonight, having a little camp-out in the big tent they currently occupied. Sleeping bags and pillows were all around them, and Rustproof was comfortably cocooned up in a sheet, looking particularly happy to be included, as Avalon asked: “Hey, Apple Pie, gimme an eight.”

“I don't... what the hell!” Aphrodisia complained, and then she sighed and threw an eight at Avalon, who smiled cheerfully as she paired it with another card and dropped them in front of her. “What the hell!”

“Apps, it you get caught swearing again, we're the ones who get in trouble for it.” Antares said pointedly, then he winced when the demon foal gave a bright grin before taking a long breath, but thankfully Meadowlark hurriedly reached over and seized the demon filly's mouth, holding it closed before she could yell anything.

Then Antares winced as something scratched against the side of the tent, before there was a loud rumble outside... but a moment later, Atrus poked his head through the flap, and Antares wheezed in relief before he smiled brightly. “Hey!”

“Your parents sent me to see you. I do not know why, you are within twenty feet of the house, but I do not question the ponies.” Atrus paused for a moment, and then he simply leaned back before grumbling as Kǫttr barked cheerfully at him outside. A moment later, the Hellhound once more tried to shove his way through the tent flap to join them, but the foals quickly yelled and Aphrodisia barked loudly at the Hellhound, and he whined before retreating before his large claws could rip up the cloth floor of the tent.

They went back to their card game for a few minutes, talking easily amongst themselves before Aphrodisia glanced up as Kǫttr began barking loudly. Then she groaned when the Hellhound loudly took off towards something, and the demon muttered: “Great. After this game, we gotta go find my dog.”

“He'll be fine, it's an apple field.” Avalon said with a grumble, then she leaned to the side and stuck her head out of the flap, peering back and forth... but there wasn't a lot to see. The sun was getting low in the reddening sky, and the house was all lit up, but there was a pleasant smell of something special cooking in the air, too: then again, Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage were visiting, and there was the whole party of foals to take care of, too.

She ducked back into the tent, then huffed and shoved Aphrodisia away from her cards, saying flatly: “Cheater.”

Aphrodisia only barked at her once in response, and the other foals smiled and giggled as they continued to play. A few minutes later, another scratching came from outside the tent, and Antares looked up inquisitively before he heard another rumble. He cocked his head curiously, beginning to lean forwards-

An enormous metal hand tore through the roof of the tent, grabbing at the foals inside, and Meadowlark screamed as Avalon leapt backwards and Rustproof fell over. Antares stared in horror as the fingers began clawing towards him, turning hurriedly away before Aphrodisia leapt up, snarling and biting savagely into the metal hand with her sharp teeth, the hand flexing in surprise before it flicked hard to the side as the monster it belonged to snarled in frustration.

Aphrodisia was thrown easily away, ripping through one wall of the tent as Antares charged forwards to slice through another with his horn, fleeing outside before he winced and spun around, meaning to help the others... but he froze in horror when the monster seemed to look up... except the enormous behemoth had no head.

It straightened, abandoning the tent with a rumbling chuckle, and Antares staggered backwards in terror as it set its focus on him, seeming to glare down at him despite the fact that its wide, thick collar was filled only with gaping emptiness. Its upper body was massive and powerful, made out of heavy silver plates chiseled into the shape of musculature, with broad shoulders and long, thick arms ending in gauntlet-covered hands. But as it strode forwards, Antares saw with horror that its upper body fed into a horse's form: four strong legs that all ended in cloven metallic hooves, its equine lower body made of silver metal that looked almost soft... except where it was overlaid with heavy-duty layers of plate armor.

It was made all the more terrifying by the fact it had a broadsword strapped over its back, and a kite shield locked into place over one arm; and worse, Antares thought he could see other weapons hanging from its sides by loops of metal, as if it was a one-centaur army. And it was already reaching him again, Antares shaking his head in terror, in denial, not knowing what this horrible, goliath thing could want from him-

Avalon smashed across the creature's collar, and it snarled and clawed at her with its free arm, distracted, as the foal shouted as she shot up into the air, fearless despite the fact the centaur was almost ten times the size of her: “Antares, get the hell out of here!”

Antares began to nod, began to turn, but he caught sight of Avalon twisting around in midair in the corner of his eye before she shot down... and crashed only into the monster's shield when it quickly rose it in front of itself, before the centaur roared and swung the kite shield outwards, smashing Avalon limply across the field like a toy.

“Avalon!” Antares sprinted forwards, charging faster than he'd ever moved in his life before he leapt and half-spun as Avalon fell from the air, catching her bludgeoned body and crashing down on his back. He skidded backwards, clutching her against his chest, looking down with horror at her unconscious, broken form before he stared up as the centaur approached-

A much-larger Pegasus smashed into its back in a rainbow blur, and the centaur staggered with a roar before it spun around with surprising speed, rearing back and kicking its front legs out as Rainbow Dash winced and shot backwards, yelling over his shoulder: “Somepony go and get Celestia!”

Soarin' nodded sharply as he began to take to the air, and to the horror of Antares, the Centaur laughed as it snatched a coil of chain hanging at its side, roaring in response: “Herrófriðr does not think so, maggots!”

The monster snapped the chain out like a whip, and it crashed across Soarin's back and knocked him from the air with a gargle of pain before the centaur brought the improvised weapon lashing around, heedless of the foals as it struck out at the charging adults. Meadowlark shrieked as she tackled Rustproof to the ground, just before the chain snapped past and over thankfully-small Aphrodisia and then it crashed against Big Mac... but the crimson stallion only staggered and then jumped forwards, pouncing on top of the chain to drag it to the ground.

Herrófriðr dropped the chain as Rainbow Dash shot forwards again, now with Scarlet Sage following after him, but the centaur was uncannily fast, bringing the shield up to block Rainbow's attack before it used it to bash him backwards. The Pegasus only snarled, however, lurching and knocked off balance, but forcing himself to stay in the air to try and renew the attack... and then the giant's free fist crashed into him and knocked him flying limply into Scarlet Sage, the two falling from the air even as Applejack and Apple Bloom both lunged at the monster's legs.

Herrófriðr stomped his hooves violently up and down as Applejack smashed against one limb, then he roared in frustration when Apple Bloom leapt upwards, kicking off his equine body and slamming her hooves against his metal stomach, sending up a hollow rumble before the centaur reared back, then dropped both hooves forwards. The siblings both avoided the attack, however, before Apple Bloom jumped to the side, landing on Applejack before the goldenrod mare bucked hard on instinct, wincing at her sister's weight but putting all the strength she had into the movement as Apple Bloom threw herself upwards.

And Herrófriðr tomahawked her viciously out of the air, knocking her crashing to the ground as Applejack cried out before a large hoof rose up, then stomped savagely down on the goldenrod mare. It rose and slammed down again, then again, crushing Applejack back into the ground before Big Mac leapt over her, the red stallion snarling in pain as the hoof crashed down on him before he reached up to seize it as Scarlet Sage took back to the air and shot at the centaur's chest.

Herrófriðr suddenly allowed his hoof to slip backwards, then he punted Big Mac up into the air, the stallion grunting in surprise and flailing his hooves almost comically as he was knocked into Scarlet Sage's flight path, the Pegasus just halting herself from crashing into him before the centaur's shield lashed out and smashed them both flying. The centaur snarled at them then glared down furiously at Aphrodisia as she tackled one of his hooves before he simply kicked the demon away, turning quickly around in a circle before its focus locked on Antares.

It rumbled as it strode towards where the unicorn foal was trembling violently and standing over Avalon, his horn glowing feebly. He lashed it upwards, sending a weak jolt of electricity into the monster, and the centaur didn't even flinch as it reached down and snatched the colt up by the scruff, the foal howling in fear and misery, tears of denial falling from his eyes as he was lifted closer to the creature before he screamed when he found himself hovering over the black hole of its neck.

It dropped him easily into the opening, and Antares fell into a hollow cell inside the monstrosity, screaming as the centaur's voice echoed mockingly all around him: “Herrófriðr will be rewarded for this. How nice, Herrófriðr rewarded for playing fun little game with pathetic little ponies!”

The monster turned and laughed before it began to canter quickly away, and Scarlet Sage snarled as she shoved herself to her hooves before looking back and forth, breathing hard. Then her eyes locked on the sight of Soarin' slowly picking himself up, one of his wings broken from the chain colliding with it before she shouted: “Go to Celestia, go, go!”

Soarin' hesitated only a moment before he nodded and turned to run off, and Scarlet Sage trembled as she looked down at Apple Bloom's unconscious body: she could feel her pain, her torment, but also her instinctive acknowledgment, the whisper that it was okay... telling her to go after her brother. And Scarlet Sage breathed hard before she leapt to the air, flying quickly in the direction that the centaur monster had fled.

It was moving fast, whatever else, heading quickly in the direction of the wild plains, and Scarlet Sage cursed under her breath as she dropped lower to follow the trail its metallic, massive hooves had left. How no one had sensed it, how no one had seen it... all she could hope was that she could slow it down long enough for Soarin' to tell Celestia, who could get Sleipnir, Pinkamena, and Luna. Even Dad might be so enraged that he gets a second wind... and Horses of Heaven I don't want to think this way but we'll need every hoof we can find...

She gritted her teeth, then looked forwards as dusk deepened, stars beginning to sparkle in the deep reds, purples, and blacks of the sky above as she passed through a wide gap smashed in the fencing that had bordered Sweet Apple Acres, if only to mark the edge of the property. Apple trees grew wild here and there, and ahead, one had been smashed to pieces by the passage of the goliath, a clear marker... but it was heading out to nowhere, out into nothing but untamed fields, and Scarlet Sage couldn't see a sign of it ahead as she shot over the plains before glancing down.

She gritted her teeth and dropped to a landing in surprise as she realized there was no longer a trail of hoof-prints to follow, and she looked back and forth wildly before a cunning voice said gently: “You aren't going to find him. Herrófriðr has already returned to Decretum with his precious cargo...”

Scarlet Sage looked up, breathing hard, as a shape strode slowly forwards through the growing darkness, smiling calmly. It was a winged unicorn, tall, sleek, strong... and Scarlet Sage paled in horror as she realized it was a perfect copy of Twilight Sparkle, except that her flank was clear and clean, without a cutie mark or emblem of any kind.

Her streaked tail flicked before she laughed, and then she gazed almost affectionately over Scarlet Sage as she stepped slowly forwards, and the Pegasus shivered as she set herself, realizing that this creature was also larger than the Twilight she knew... as large as perhaps Celestia, as she loomed forwards and flapped her wings once: enormous, violet wings with beautiful white pinions. “Shush now. Go to sleep.”

Her violet eyes flashed, and Scarlet Sage felt a hammer smash into her mind, stumbling drunkenly backwards before she cursed weakly, then dug her hooves into the ground... and her own eyes glowed faint crimson, her blood boiling in her own veins as she whispered: “No.”

She shook herself out, adrenaline sparking through her veins as her blood flowed faster, her heart rate speeding up and her breaths coming sharper as the Clockwork Pony frowned, then smiled slowly. “Oh. You're the girl with demon blood. Fascinating... yes, I've been hoping to have a word with you, and what a delight that we'll get to do it alone...”

“Who are you? What are you? Where is Antares and that monster?” Scarlet Sage shouted, even though she had a terrible feeling she already knew the answer.

“I am Wisdom, the Hallowed Sanctifier. I am the chosen one. And unlike my foolish brethren, I have never been defeated, never been bested. I came here on the orders of the Clockwork King himself, to capture the child of Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms... we shall convert him to our ways.” Wisdom grinned callously. “We shall make him see. He will be the perfect addition to our forces. And once Brynhild, Freya, and Thor are exterminated, we shall force open the Bifrost Bridge and annihilate Valhalla and reclaim Kvasir. He has much to answer for to our beloved savior-lord.”

Scarlet Sage snarled at this, setting herself, and Wisdom shook her head and laughed, saying almost pityingly: “You believe yourself a match for me, little girl? I am not simply the master of the Hexad... I am the Hexad. I am the Clockwork King's chosen one. I am the hero who will bring this universe to order. I am Law. And the only reason your world still exists is because I have permitted it to do so... but now, the Clockwork King has told me to end this charade. To either destroy this world... or unite it with ours, to bring our vision, our glory, here. And I tell you all this, little girl, because you will serve as the message I send to your parents, the warning I will give them to surrender, and give in peacefully... to atone for their mistakes, and join us.”

The Pegasus snorted in disgust at this, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards before she whispered: “I won't let you.”

“Then come, little girl. Let's play a game.” replied Wisdom softly, and Scarlet Sage's eyes flashed as she looked sharply up before the Pegasus lunged forwards, and Wisdom smiled, elegantly stepping backwards and easily dodging back and forth, avoiding swipes of Scarlet Sage's hooves before the Clockwork Pony suddenly slashed her horn out and downwards, ripping through Scarlet Sage's features to knock her backwards with a cry of agony.

Her blood splattered out over Wisdom's face, and Scarlet Sage snarled as her eyes glowed red, looking sharply up. For a moment, Wisdom frowned, and then the Clockwork Pony's eyes widened as the blood on her face began to steam violently, eating into her features like acid as she staggered backwards, before a cry of shock and horror came from her jaws as Scarlet Sage's eyes flashed brightly and the boiling blood exploded into red flames.

Wisdom fell forwards, pawing wildly at her face as Scarlet Sage ran quickly in towards the Clockwork Pony... and then leapt backwards with a curse, staggering hurriedly away as Wisdom leapt up to her hooves, horn glowing with black fire as she lashed it back and forth angrily as her features visibly healed. “Arrogant little filly!”

Scarlet Sage dodged the dangerous swings of the Clockwork Pony's horn, evading back and forth before Wisdom reared back, her horn glowing brighter as she prepared some spell... and Scarlet Sage leapt in low, tackling her stomach and knocking Wisdom onto her back before she began to slam her hooves down viciously and violently into the pony's chest, snarling in effort as Wisdom snarled in pain before kicking her off.

Scarlet Sage crashed down, and Wisdom rolled to her hooves before leaping forwards, swinging her horn down to try and stab through the Pegasus' breast, but Scarlet Sage managed to twist her body out of the way. Agony still ripped through her as instead Wisdom pierced into her wing, the Pegasus crying out before she felt Wisdom begin to step back... and instead, Scarlet snarled, her eyes glowing red as blood burst up from her wing, then solidified, becoming like cement.

It was agonizing, especially with Wisdom trying fruitlessly to draw her head back as she cursed in surprise, before Scarlet Sage slammed a blow once, twice, thrice, into Wisdom's mouth and nose. She felt a tooth dislodge and heard the crack of bone, and Wisdom's shriek told her she had achieved what she was going for before she shoved her hoof against Wisdom's face, forcibly pushing on her before Wisdom roared as her horn burst into black flame again, searing apart the cemented blood and letting her leap backwards as Scarlet Sage howled in pain.

Then the Blood Seer quickly brought her hoof to her muzzle, licking the blood off it quickly, snarling as she rolled up to her hooves and her eyes glowed brilliantly as she channeled all the rage and pain in her body towards Wisdom as she felt the alien blood coursing through her system. She began to open her mouth... and then trembled as Wisdom only smiled coldly, the glow dying from around the Clockwork Pony's horn as she relaxed and stepped backwards, a bit of silver-colored blood dripping from her jaws... wait... silver? I... I...

Scarlet Sage frowned... then gagged loudly, staggering backwards as her vision went blurry for a moment. Everything began to slide towards darkness, before her stomach suddenly twisted, and she screamed in agony as pain ripped through her body as Wisdom calmly rolled her head on her shoulders... and her teeth realigned themselves as the blood was absorbed back into her form.

She gazed calmly towards Scarlet Sage as the Blood Seer fell forwards, hugging herself and vomiting silver liquid, screaming in misery the entire time as she stared helplessly up at Wisdom, convulsing and gargling and choking on the stuff that the Clockwork Pony had in place of blood as Wisdom held up a hoof... then it turned silver before splitting apart into thick, ugly tendrils of liquid metal that solidified a moment later into dark claws, the Clockwork Pony saying mockingly: “Can't handle my blood, little girl? Is it because of my power? Because of my knowledge? Or is it because while useless red juice flows through the body of every worthless pony on this planet, I have mercury running through my veins instead?”

Scarlet Sage screamed again even as her vision began to fade, her eyes rolling wildly in her head as silver liquid spilled out of her jaws and she felt her own blood slowly turning to liquid metal in her veins, convulsing wildly before Wisdom smiled coldly as her horn began to glow and she backed slowly away, vanishing into the darkness as she whispered mockingly: “Goodbye, little girl. Don't worry. I'll send the rest of your family to you shortly.”

Luna and Scrivener had been devastated by what had happened, storming around, shouting and yelling, wanting to go to Ponyville, to the hospital, straight to Decretum, even as both Twilight and Celestia tried to calm them down. Celestia was furious as well, but maintaining her composure... if only because they'd just barely gotten Scarlet Sage to the hospital in time, after Celestia had willingly transfused much of her own blood to Scarlet Sage, sharing her essence and vitality with the Blood Seer to keep her alive and drive the toxic blood out of her system. As it was, it was a wonder she had survived at all... thanks likely only to the training she had done over the years, learning to pick up the Blood Seer's treasured immunity to toxins and poisons.

Apple Bloom was with Scarlet Sage now, who was comatose and in intensive care in the Ponyville Hospital. They had no idea what had done this to her, but there had been signs of a battle, and Apple Bloom had whispered she'd heard something about Clockwork World through the link she shared with Scarlet Sage. That, combined with the monster that had attacked and kidnapped Antares, meant that the last member of the Hexad, Wisdom, was likely now on the offensive.

Only one thing stopped Luna and Scrivener from charging furiously out to hunt Wisdom down and force her to take them to Clockwork World, and that was Scrivener Blooms' condition. Over the last week, he had begun to worsen and his health to weaken, and emotional stress only made things worse for him... which meant that after a few minutes of utter rage, Scrivener simply collapsed in a dead faint, and Luna cried out in pain before she slumped weakly to the ground as well.

Celestia – pale from giving up so much blood, but still in far better condition than the rest of her family, even terrified-out-of-her-mind Twilight – had pulled Scrivener to his hooves and carried him quietly to bed. She had carefully slipped him onto his mattress, laid him down, and gazed at him with sympathy and agony in her eyes as he lay on the sheets, breathing shallowly, corruption dripping out of his open jaws and mouth, his eyes closed. His body was gaunt and emaciated, and his coat was patchy and bruised in places from the corruption rotting its way through his system. He was dying... and Celestia looked silently towards a grinning puzzle box head that laid on a shelf nearby, trembling before Twilight's voice said weakly in the doorway: “Don't. Don't.”

“I know. I know I cannot make the decision for them or force them but... this would be a worthy use for the last miracle. I do not understand why even now, sister and Scrivener...” Celestia breathed hard, shaking her head sharply before she looked over her shoulder at Twilight, whispering: “I'm afraid, Twilight. Especially now: there's no point in destroying the Hexad if we are left without a passage into Clockwork World, now that... now that they have taken Antares.”

“And...” Twilight trembled, a tear rolling down her cheek even as she tried to make her voice steady, replying quietly: “And we need to remember to rescue... A-Antares. That means we may need to... use the card to gain access to... C-Clockwork World.”

Celestia could only stare disbelievingly at Twilight, and the violet mare clenched her eyes shut, dropping her head forwards and whispering: “It's what Scrivener and Luna would want. No, Celestia, it's not what I want at all. I love Antares, I do, I would die for him, but... I don't want Scrivener and Luna to die. But if I let Antares die and save them... then I lose them anyway, don't I?” Twilight looked up with a weak laugh, shaking her head slowly. “I'm sorry, Celestia.”

“No, you're... you're right.” Celestia trembled, looking over her shoulder at Scrivener Blooms as he rasped weakly in and out before she closed her eyes, whispering: “I need to return to Ponyville, Twilight. We need to be careful, Clockwork World could attack at any time. I'll send you letters as I find out how Scarlet Sage is doing and... any other information I come across. I need you to talk to Luna about moving to Ponyville, at least for now... if... if Scrivener Blooms can handle that journey.”

Twilight nodded slowly, swallowing thickly as Celestia strode forwards, and the two hesitated before they shared a tight, firm embrace with one another. It lingered for a few long moments, and then Celestia slipped past, shaking her head slowly as she headed for the door.

Twilight Sparkle watched the rainbow-maned mare leave, watched the door swing closed and was left in silence so loud it threatened to deafen her. She gritted her teeth, and the sound of them grinding together was both painful and welcome, like the thunder of her hooves as she turned to stride slowly down the hallway and look miserably in on Luna.

The sapphire mare was awake, but simply laying on the floor, trembling, a tear leaking slowly down her face. Twilight took a hesitant step towards her, and Luna closed her eyes and hid her face, whispering: “ Do not look upon me, Twilight. I have failed to protect my children... I have failed as a mother and a wife. Scrivener Blooms is dying, and there may be nothing we can do...”

“You don't get to just give up, Luna... you don't get to decide that.” Twilight whispered, and Luna slowly uncovered her face, looking up at Twilight as the violet mare leaned forwards and said harshly, even as tears flowed down her cheeks: “You're not a quitter or a coward so stop it! Antares is gone but I believe we can still save him, I believe we can still find a way to fix all of this, and if you can't believe that can you at least believe that we can stop Wisdom? Can you at least find the strength, during this... this little window of time we have, to help us figure out a way to save your son and the world you helped rebuild, that Odin died for, even... even if you and Scrivener are so goddamn determined to die?”

Luna closed her eyes... then she slowly sat up and bowed her head forwards, whispering: “Yes... yes, thou art... thou art right.” Luna trembled and looked down, then she looked up and across at Twilight, saying quietly: “Then I will not leave this cottage. We will not go to Ponyville. Wisdom will surely come to attack us next, that is why she hurt Scarlet Sage... 'twas a message. And Scrivener Blooms and I will kill her. Her death will give Scrivener knowledge... her death must give Scrivener the knowledge we need. And we will... will survive at least long enough to open the way to Clockwork World and whatever awaits us there.”

She closed her eyes as Twilight trembled, then began to open her mouth, but Luna shook her head violently and whispered: “No. No more lectures now, Twilight, I may deserve it, but I cannot bear it. But I do not ask for pity: only comfort... even I need comfort at times...”

Luna trembled a little as she turned towards the fireplace, and Twilight looked at her silently before she stepped forwards and laid quietly beside her, and the sapphire mare buried her face against Twilight's neck, trembling weakly and crying silently. And Twilight did what she could to comfort Luna, holding her close, head bowed and eyes closed.

Scrivener was unconscious all night, and he was only awake briefly the next morning. The stress had worsened his condition, the news of Scarlet in coma and Antares simply gone had stolen much of what remained of his life, as he laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. Luna was little better off: still physically strong, powerful and dangerous as ever, but emotionally a wreck, feeling as weak and easily bested as a scared kitten.

Celestia had recovered and begun working with Sleipnir and Pinkamena to prepare for the worst; the two were furious about Antares missing, trebled by the fact Aphrodisia had been injured, quadrupled by the fact the remains of poor Kǫttr had been found in Sweet Apple Acres with the life crushed out of the Hellhound by the centaur monster. The Starlit Knights, both local and nationwide, were also being prepared, and demons were regularly patrolling through Ponyville. After what had happened, however, even the most frightening demon was a welcome sight around the village, as supernatural patrols and pony and Nibelung soldiers worked side-by-side to keep people safe and secure.

Twilight Sparkle kept busy to keep herself sane, torn between her loyalties to Luna and Scrivener and what had happened to Antares. All she knew was that she was incredibly glad when Celestia had regained her senses and begun attending to all the details: and despite the emotion in her voice and eyes when she spoke of Antares or her family, her mind still processed things sharply and concisely. For once, Twilight was glad for it: it meant that she didn't have to, after all. She could just focus on running back and forth, acting as messenger and filing reports and doing research.

Every hour that passed felt like a day: every day, felt like a year, and nights were even longer, with all who knew what had happened tortured by the fact that with every moment that passed, Antares could be suffering some torture, some torment, some hell in Decretum: that if they were lucky, they would only find him scared and in a cell when they finally broke into Clockwork World... but if they weren't, he might already be part of some terrible machination of Valthrudnir's.

But no one could force themselves to think about this for very long, and there were too many other concerns to take care of: the wounded in the hospital, which included little Avalon; Rainbow Dash kept whispering about how brave she was, even as he cried now and then, saying his daughter was more loyal than he'd ever been. The only positive side was that the foal was recovering well, thanks to how tough her little body was... and Scarlet Sage wasn't getting any better, but she wasn't getting any worse, either.

One day became two... and as Twilight left the library with her head bowed silently, she wondered how long it would be before everyone... simply lost hope. Even if they opened the Bifrost, after all, they had no way of knowing exactly where Clockwork World was. It was either well-hidden amidst the many layers, or somewhere just outside of where they could search with ease, or... who knew what the Jötnar had been capable of?

Twilight walked along, head bowed, eyes downcast, trembling a bit. The season's first snow had blown quietly in earlier, but the cold was welcome. The cold helped her feel numb, although it also made her think of Scrivener... how much he liked the cold. How maybe winter would make him feel better...

She looked up silently, and the wind bit her watery eyes, made her wince a little before she frowned at a foggy storefront, then hesitantly approached, cocking her head curiously. And for a moment, she forgot about everything else – Clockwork World, Scrivener's illness, Wisdom, everything – as she looked through the foggy window, and her eyes settled on a beautiful music box, illustrated with images of the sun and moon and gilt with gold, But on top of it was what caught her attention: the gorgeous statuette of Luna herself, in polished silver.

Twilight hurried into the store, the smell of old wood and dust greeting her, and she called a quick greeting to the surprised owner as he looked dumbly up from the magazine he had been reading, apparently amazed he had a customer. Twilight all but rushed him... and five minutes later, she had the beautiful music box tucked into her satchel as a gift for Luna and Scrivener... although she wasn't sure who would appreciate the archaic thing more. Apparently, some Nibelung had sold it off to the antique collector at some point, a treasure from the old world... probably ancient, and yet when opened, music still played: out of tune, perhaps, but it somehow added to the charm.

Twilight let herself out as evening began to roll in, heading through the field and onto the widened path leading to Luna's cottage: it had been walked so often now, by so many, that it had naturally grown into a dusty path instead of a half-hidden trail through the Everfree Forest. The violet mare closed her eyes as she strode onwards, not focusing on anything, trying to calm herself down for the umpteenth time over the last two days... before a voice said softly: “Silly, and predictable.”

Twilight looked sharply up, stumbling to a halt... and standing only ten feet away was a violet mare that looked like a larger version of herself, her eyes widening before she realized who it was... what it was. She shivered, staring in disbelief before she gritted her teeth, straightening up as Wisdom said tenderly: “Look at me. Once, I was like you... soft, weak. Believed in the things I was told... didn't understand I was always simply being used. Simply a disposable figurehead, not a real leader... a puppet and a toy, not something honestly loved...”

“Give Antares back... you... you coward. You monster...” Twilight whispered, and Wisdom only laughed coldly before the violet mare looked back and forth, then clenched her teeth and flicked her horn upwards, sending up a neon flare of light.

Wisdom's eyes sharpened as she followed this quickly, then the Clockwork Pony snarled and leaned forwards in understanding, saying coldly: “I suppose that I should have expected pathetic little Twilight Sparkle to cry for help from her friends. Now I'll have to make this quick.”

Wisdom lunged forwards, and Twilight flicked her horn, a wall of sapphire energy appearing in the air in front of her... but Wisdom only grinned, flicking her own horn forwards to shatter it into motes of light that she easily leapt through before Twilight gritted her teeth, horn glowing and unleashing a blast of telekinetic force.

But it was useless, Wisdom ignoring the attack completely as she swung a hoof forwards... and in front of Twilight's horrified eyes, it became an enormous, cleaving silver blade that ripped down across her chest, driving her backwards with a shriek before Wisdom's other hoof swung up as it became a deadly and terrible spike, driving this savagely into Twilight's breast and knocking her back another step before Wisdom hammered a headbutt home into Twilight's face. The winged unicorn was knocked sprawling, crying out and wincing away from the expected deathblow... but Wisdom only laughed coldly as she stepped backwards, her hooves returning to normal as she asked mockingly: “What's wrong, Twilight Sparkle? Where's the magic of friendship to save you now?”

Twilight trembled, then she leapt to her hooves and swung her horn outwards, cleaving through Wisdom's face and knocking the Clockwork Pony staggering backwards in a burst of silver blood, the violet mare breathing hard... and staring in horror as Wisdom slowly rose her dripping features with a grin as the wound quickly healed, before her eyes glowed bright violet as her gaze locked with Twilight's, the Clockwork Pony saying coldly: “Suffer.”

Twilight's eyes widened as she felt some tremendous mental force rush into her mind, pervade her thoughts, horrific images and screaming voices tearing through her brain as she shrieked and staggered backwards, shaking her head wildly back and forth. Her body jittered helplessly as light flashed around her horn, eyes beginning to glow as arcs of energy sparked through the air around her... and Wisdom's cruel laughter cut through it all as Twilight forced herself to try and focus through the madness assaulting her senses, through the violence ripping apart her mind, before-

Pain tore through her body in one single, terrible typhoon that knocked away everything else... and then it slowly faded into numbness as Twilight Sparkle breathed weakly, her limbs trembling beneath her as she stared forwards, jaw falling open slackly. A bead of drool fell from her lips, spilling onto Wisdom's bloodstained face... sliding down her cheek like a tear as the monster grinned darkly, horn buried into Twilight's breast and through her heart as the Clockwork Pony said softly: “You see? No one came to save you. No one can save you... and you can't save anyone, not even yourself.”

Wisdom yanked her horn free as she stepped backwards, and Twilight fell on her side, staring weakly outwards as blood spilled from the hole in her chest, spilled from her tattered, feebly convulsing heart. She struggled to breathe, tasting copper and the earth as Wisdom turned and walked away... but over the sound of her hooves, Twilight heard something strange, heard a faint singing, she thought...

Slowly, her eyes roved to the side, and she saw the music box laying in the grasses beside her, open and playing its gentle, soothing melody. Melancholy replaced pain and panic as Twilight listened to it, seconds feeling like separate eternities as she felt her life force steadily leaving her body. Felt everything getting darker, as the music box sang to her...

And as Twilight's eyes began to close, she thought of Scrivener and Luna. Thought of Antares. Thought of Celestia and Scarlet Sage. Thought of all her friends... Fluttershy's smile, Rainbow's eyes, Applejack's laughter, Pinkie Pie's energy, Rarity's warmth... and Pinkamena, and Sleipnir, and Cowlick and Ross and... so many others...

And above it all, Luna and Scrivener. She forced her eyes open, hearing their cries in her mind, hearing their sorrow for her... and even though Wisdom had stolen everything else away, planned to kill them both, they were crying for her. They didn't care about themselves... they cared about her, even though she... she...

Her eyes locked on the music box... and as her last breaths faded, Twilight stared at it, her horn beginning to glow as she whispered words she didn't know how she knew...

Celestia arrived only a few minutes later, in full battle armor and with Tyrfing on her back, but it was too late. She stared with horror and disbelief at Twilight's body, and a tremble of fear and fury rolled through her, before she snarled as her eyes flashed, her mane sparking as it turned to despair and hatred. But she swallowed these emotions back after a moment, clenching her eyes shut, whispering: “Twilight... I can't... I can't bear to lose you, and Scrivener, and Luna all at once like this. But may Odin's ghost help me, for what they have done... if I have to, I'll rip down Clockwork World, brick-by-brick, with my own bare hooves. I'll kill every single monster on that planet... I'll... T-Twilight...”

“Now Celestia... not all is lost...” said a soft voice, and Celestia looked up in sharp surprise as a shape she couldn't believe strode out of the darkness of the forest... and Gymbr smiled at her calmly even as Celestia dropped to a ready position, standing protectively over Twilight's body as tears shone in her eyes. “Cease now. We loved her as deeply as you did... perhaps even more. But sweet, beloved Celestia... look again at Twilight's body. Look again... and see the hope that remains...”

Celestia frowned at this, but she couldn't resist from looking down, over her still-warm corpse, her glazed, half-open eyes, her horn, still faintly... glowing. Her horn is glowing, she... that's not possible, unless...

Slowly, Celestia's eyes roved to the source of the sound she hadn't even registered, with all her focus on Twilight. To the music box, which was faintly glowing as well, every note that came from it beautiful, sharp, powerful... and as Celestia leaned slowly down, Gymbr calmly approached, and the ivory winged unicorn looked weakly up as she whispered: “I can't. You can't expect me to do this. There... there must be another way... and Wisdom, if I... do this... but Wisdom kills Luna and Scrivener, then... I... I don't... she'll...”

Gymbr, however, only smiled soothingly, reaching a hoof forwards and touching Celestia's face as its emerald eyes locked with the mare's amethyst, and it said tenderly: “Have faith, beloved Celestia. We shall give you our aid and show you the way. Let the monster try and claim its prey... it does not understand what it is walking into. What a trap we have set for it.”

Celestia trembled, but knew she had no choice but to trust in the strange, alien Tulpa as it gazed down at her with terrible love and affection... and yet still, she looked ahead, as if trying to see the cottage in the distance. As if trying to watch, as beneath the stars, walking calmly along the frozen path and through the frost, Wisdom approached the cottage of Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms.

It smiled as the door was flung open... then frowned as Luna met its eyes fearlessly with her own, visibly boiling with fury even as she said in a coldly-cordial voice: “Please, guest. Do come inside and make thyself at home.”

“So generous, Brynhild... have you come to your senses? Do you plan to surrender?” Wisdom asked calmly, and Luna didn't answer, only turning around and heading down the hall. The Clockwork Pony's eyes glowed, looking intrigued as it strode inside and kicked the door closed behind itself, before smiling and glancing over its shoulder as its horn glowed, runes etching themselves quickly over the door before violet energy began to spark and dance along the wood.

It strode slowly down the hall to the den room, calmly drawing its gaze over the paintings on the walls, at the sight of Luna sitting with her back to the crackling blue flames... and at Scrivener Blooms, resting back in a chair, breathing heavily. An oxygen tank was beside him, and he was holding the mask up to his mouth, coughing quietly as he breathed slowly into this before Luna said quietly: “Cure Scrivener Blooms, monster, and we shall do whatever thou desires.”

“An interesting proposal. Do you know that I killed Twilight Sparkle?” Wisdom asked conversationally, and Luna snarled, gritting her teeth as Scrivener slowly looked up. “It was simple. Just as it was with your daughter...”

“You poisoned them both. One with blood... the... t-the other, with your mind. You like to play games, don't you?” Scrivener rasped, and then he grinned weakly, Wisdom looking at him with interest. “We have... plenty of eyes and ears in the forest.”

“Interesting.” Wisdom murmured, leaning towards him as her horn glowed, and then she licked her lips slowly. “I should have waited... a week, perhaps eight days. You would have been dead. Rotted, from the inside out... how pathetic.”

Wisdom reached a hoof suddenly upwards as it transformed into a blade, shoving the tip to Scrivener's throat... but he didn't flinch, only grimacing, then coughing once before whispering: “Go ahead. Kill us, or heal me and we join you. We don't care anymore.”

“No. That is not how this works. You do not make the demands and you do not set the rules.” Wisdom said coldly, drawing her limb back as the blade transformed back into a silvery limb, and she snarled as Luna laughed at her, shaking her head in disgust. “What?”

“Thou should take this offer. See, there... there is nothing left for us, with Twilight Sparkle dead. So we are willing to join Decretum, freely, to be with Antares. To be with our son, and to be together... oh, aye, others will have to be convinced but... in time, I am sure they shall.” Luna said softly, shaking her head slowly. “And if thou cannot heal him... well, better we die together. We are... tired of these games. Of these fights. Tired of fighting, and suffering... and of cowardly, unworthy opponents.”

Wisdom shook her head in derision at this, then she said icily: “And I will not accept either, Brynhild. I am the chosen one. I am the Hallowed Sanctifier. I am the one who cleanses the world and chooses the worthy... you do not get to decide that you are worthy to join our cause yourself.”

Luna only rolled her eyes in response, however, and when Wisdom glared at her, she said contemptibly: “I told thee, we do not desire battle... but even in his current condition, I judge thee unworthy for me to dirty my hooves with. Scrivener Blooms himself would be more than a match for thee.”

“Scrivener Blooms? He writhes in agony, choking on corruption and mire!” Wisdom laughed sharply, then she grinned and turned her eyes to him, locking gazes with him as she began coldly: “Watch, I'll-”

Then she cut off, her eyes widening even as they began to glow violet, as Scrivener's own turned solid sapphire as corruption spilled down his face like tears... and a moment later, Wisdom was standing in a world of night, looking sharply back and forth before she slowly closed her eyes and smiled coldly, whispering: “What arrogance...”

When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking across at Scrivener Blooms, and she leaned back, revolted by the sight of him: he was as large as her, in a state twisted jarringly halfway between Tyrant Wyrm and earth pony, one strong claw resting against the solid black earth as he said coldly: “Arrogance? I don't think so. You're the one who likes to play mind games... as I recall from the memories of the Hexad, your favorite way to punish them was to link your mind to theirs. Just like you did to Twilight Sparkle... and after what you did to her I'm going to enjoy this.”

“Tough talk, Scrivener Blooms...” Wisdom snorted in contempt, and the two paced in a slow circle as she smiled coldly before her eyes and horn glowed, and Scrivener grimaced as ripples passed through the mental world around them before the floor became solid cement, and massive pillars and walls of gray stone tore up around them, forming an enormous, spiraled coliseum that they were in the dead center of. “Very well. If this is what you desire... I shall solidify the mental link between us, I shall lock our minds together, and we shall rip into each other until I put you through so much agony that your mind simply overloads, and you die, screaming my name, begging me for a mercy I will not grant you. How does that sound, Scrivener Blooms?”

“Delightful.” Scrivener muttered, and then he ran forwards... only for Wisdom to vanish from sight, laughing mockingly before he cursed under his breath and looked over his shoulder to see her high in the air, grinning viciously down at him as her strong wings flapped and kept her easily aloft high above.

“I have had eons of experience with this! Of ripping minds apart, battling and turning the warped imaginations and memories of mortals, demons, even gods against themselves, of reducing the mightiest heroes to quaking children and crying, screaming dogs begging for death! And I shall do the same to you, Scrivener Blooms... how dare you and pathetic Brynhild think that you can stand up to me! How dare you be so arrogant as to challenge me alone!” Wisdom shouted, and then she flew higher into the air, vanishing into the darkness above as her voice echoed around him: “Good luck, Scrivener Blooms, in finding a quick death!”

Scrivener snarled up after her... and then he cursed in shock as the earth beneath his hooves rumbled before cracking violently apart, grabbing at the ground with his claw as he struggled to stay standing before there was a massive explosion of dust and gravel from behind him, and the half-wyrm, half-pony winced over his shoulder, then stared in horror as an enormous statue of Delight rose up, standing on her hind hooves and made of heavy, solid marble, frozen in the midst of a fit of screaming laughter.

More cracks and rumbles tore through the world, and four more statues rose up around the arena: statues at least twenty feet tall, that made Scrivener seem puny in proportion, all standing on their hind hooves. Valor, with chains of marble hanging from her limbs, slack and solid as the rest of her; Courage, wings spread, manic grin on her face, armor rendered perfectly in stone; Beauty, curled mane and lab coat and pressed together hands as clearly sculpted as her gorgeous features; Prudence, calm and smiling and terrible.

Scrivener cursed under his breath, staring around at these in horror: he was feeling strong, after all, feeling in the best shape of his life in this mental world... but he didn't think he had enough strength to fight all these at once. Thankfully, for the moment, they only stood... before he snarled as Wisdom flew down and landed on Beauty, who stood the furthest distance away, as the Clockwork Pony called mockingly: “Are you prepared to see the true power of Clockwork World and the Hexad, Scrivener Blooms?”

Scrivener began to snarl a response, and then his eyes widened as Beauty's statue rose its head, and energy crackled around it before forming into a massive shield that surrounded both it and Wisdom, the Clockwork Pony grinning as she leaned forwards and shouted: “Tear him apart!”

Scrivener heard the rumble behind him, running forwards on instinct even as he looked back with a wince before Delight's statue vomited a steaming blast of blood and black mire after him in a thick, terrible river, Scrivener shouting in disgust as he drew near the statue of Valor... and massive, marble chains with links almost the size of his body lashed out, the statue guiding the chains as easily as the real Valor had. Scrivener winced as he ducked beneath one lash, then leapt over the second before staggering to the side... only for the statue of Courage to scream silently at him as it arched its back, and blasts of blue lightning hailed down from the sky, driving Scrivener backwards as he howled in pain, several of the blasts smashing into his large body and sending very real pain sizzling through him before agony blasted his system when one of the massive, marble chains of Valor swept into him from behind.

He was knocked flying forwards, half-carried across the arena on the chain before he was thrown free and hurled to the ground, skidding in front of Prudence. Immediately, the statue leaned down, smashing its front hooves into the ground as the spring blades snapped out from her stone bracers like biting cobras, but Scrivener was able to lunge backwards in time and the statue of Prudence didn't seem to be able to move its rear hooves off the thick base it was standing on.

Scrivener winced as he turned towards the statue of Beauty... just in time to watch Valor's chain pass seamlessly through the force-field surrounding the statue and Wisdom before the marble links swung in towards him, and Scrivener winced and ducked low beneath this lash before he charged forwards... and smashed uselessly against the force shield, which immediately gave a repelling shockwave that knocked him crashing backwards. He cursed in pain, his mind going wild as he wished for time to think...

And somehow, that reminded him, that single crazed thought, that this was all in his own head. No... not entirely right, in his head, and in Wisdom's. And as Scrivener rolled to his hooves, he winced at the sight of another of Valor's chains snapping in towards him before it smashed him backwards, and he was thrown towards the statue of Courage, which roared silently and unleashed a shockwave of electricity that sent him crashing bonelessly into the ground.

He hit the concrete and skidded forwards over his face before a chain smashed down into his back, making him howl in agony even as a thousand mad trains of thoughts ran through his mind all at once and he remembered the warning and the whisper that Gymbr had given them, in the brief few minutes before Wisdom had appeared: Do what we have always done best. Absorb the darkness, and reflect it back.

Scrivener howled in agony as the chains descended down again, smashing into him, sending bolts of agony through his system as Delight leaned forwards and vomited acidic blood and mire into the mix, as lightning hailed from the sky and Prudence and Beauty calmly watched. Wisdom laughed, feeling Scrivener's pain, his agony, watching as he was crushed again and again... and while they couldn't die here, the pain was all too real, and the humiliation, and the emotions would eventually build up so high that Scrivener's mind would break down or he would suffer a heart attack in reality...

And then Wisdom smiled coldly as the statues leaned suddenly back, halting in their attack as a weak, broken gasp came up from Scrivener's body, and the Clockwork Pony leapt forwards as Beauty's barrier vanished. She glided easily down to the arena floor, landing in the steaming, boiling muck and blood surrounding Scrivener's beaten, maimed form, and she leaned down as she murmured softly: “Pathetic. Are you going to simply lay here and take the pain, and hope that I will give you an opening, a chance for retaliation? It's already too late for that, Scrivener Blooms, look at you. Beaten, broken... you didn't even try to run away.”

“Why would I run...” Scrivener whispered, his eyes closed as he forced his hooves and claw beneath him, and then the half-wyrm, half-pony carefully pushed his aching, scarred body up to a standing position. He was covered in bruises, dripping acid that was still smoking over his form, bleeding from countless injuries as he turned his head towards her... and then his eyes opened, one chestnut, the other a socket filled with blue, unholy light as Wisdom reared back in shock. “Tyrant Wyrms feed on pain.”

Wisdom snarled, then cursed when Scrivener lunged at her, leaping backwards and immediately shooting into the air: just as Scrivener had hoped, as he leaned backwards and roared to the sky in the horrible, vile language that made the corruption in his mind and veins boil: “Feel now the Void, crawling through your mind, ravaging your thoughts, feasting upon your sanity... feel reality rot around your worthless husk, and tears of blood run endlessly down your face...”

“Useless words! That's all they are, words!” Wisdom shouted furiously, even as she continued to hurriedly fly up to safety in the air, and then her eyes widened in shock as Scrivener grinned and the ground around him rotted rapidly away, dust and steam hissing up from the arena's floor as it decayed from concrete into black mire. The enormous statues groaned as they began to tip in the now-soft, pulsating earth, corruption greedily beginning to spread up over the bases before Wisdom shouted furiously: “Crush him, kill him, destroy-”

“There's something I always wanted to try, you don't mind, right?” Scrivener grinned up at her; then, even as the five statues began to unsteadily move, as energy charged through the air, Scrivener threw his head back and began to sing alien words in a voice he didn't know he had, reverberations blasting through the air as Scrivener channeled the corruption of the Black Verses into the song, amplifying it with the agony that was filling up his mind and body, and the rage and sorrows pervading his very soul.

As he sang, the walls of the arena began to shiver and crack, rot spreading through the stone as massive, enormous black vines that were half-plant, half-flesh tore up from the mire pulsating beneath Scrivener's hooves and claw in time with his terrible dark song, spreading viciously, violently upwards along the enormous marble statues, slapping against the stone and constricting as it crept upwards with enough force to crack the rock. Red blood burst from the wounds in the statues, and moss and ivy rapidly spread towards these, devouring the crimson fluid and working their way into the cracks and wounds.

Delight's statue screamed silently as the vines began to drag it downwards, monstrous plant life spilling up out of her jaws and spreading downwards before the head of the statue simply exploded, and a moment later, it was dragged down in a geyser of dark ooze and a rumble of crumbling stone into the mire. And still, Scrivener sang, his words only growing stronger, fiercer, as the other statues were torn slowly apart.

Prudence toppled next as enormous black roses began to sprout over her statue and the vines tightened around one forelimb, shattering it and sending it falling in pieces to the mire, which greedily swallowed it down... followed by the rest of her collapsing body. More black roses were sprouting over the other statues, clogging up Valor's chains and leaving her unable to swing in to attack Scrivener, as Beauty's force-field sparked out of existence and Courage screamed silently.

And then, overhead, there was a peal of thunder before rain began to fall, every droplet like a dagger against Wisdom as she cried out in pain and horror, her body rapidly losing color and becoming silvery liquid-metal, her wings melting like wax as she began to plummet towards the ground. As she fell, Courage, Beauty, and Valor exploded into fragments, the mire bursting up like a geyser in the places of the statues to greedily claim their remains, and Scrivener looked up with a savage grin before he ran suddenly forwards.

Even as he stopped singing, the melody rang through the air, and the mire swirled and rollicked like an ocean as rain pelted down, thunder rumbled, and black rose petals twisted and blew through the air. Wisdom looked down in horror to see Scrivener charging towards her, her eyes widening before the half-wyrm leapt up and seized her by the throat, dragging her downwards and slamming her into the mire... but instead of crashing on her back into muck, she felt herself shatter through something solid before both she and Scrivener were falling through a black tunnel, broken shards of a massive mirror falling all around them as Scrivener leaned forwards and snarled, his eyes glowing with hellish light: “Let's go through the looking glass, Alice, and see what Hell awaits us on the other side!”

“Get off me!” Wisdom snarled and shoved at him as they fell, trying to flap her wings before she stared in horror as she realized they had melted away, and she gritted her teeth in frustration... but before she could will them back, Scrivener slammed a hoof into her face, then he slashed his claw outwards, ripping through her chest and sending up a blast of silvery essence.

She howled in frustration and growing fear, then focused her magic and snapped her horn towards him, a blast of lightning hammering into the half-wyrm, half-pony and knocking him backwards before he threw himself forwards again, and Wisdom gargled as his claw sealed around her throat. She began to open her mouth to shout something, and then reality around them went dead and dark before flashes of images tore through her mind, of a horrible monster, invulnerable to the pains she could cause, striding slowly towards her, a smile on its face, and she was just a scared little filly-

“I am Wisdom! I am the chosen one!” The Clockwork Pony screamed, and the world came back into being around them before she stared in horror as she looked back and forth around them: a world of flesh and ice and fire, unreal, primordial elements all lodged together before she looked off to the distance, and there was the monster, grinning at her, massive, terrible, eyes glowing, and they were like bugs-

She snarled, one of her hooves transforming into a blade before she shoved it into Scrivener's chest, and the half-wyrm flinched... then snarled and seized it, his teeth twisting into a grin as he snapped her wrist, and she stared in horror as the blade of liquid metal melted away and spilled up through the air as they continued to free-fall, Scrivener leaning in and whispering in her ear: “You're just making this easier for me.”

And then a flash ran through her mind again, and the monster was closer, and she was in bed, crying beneath her covers... and then there were no covers, no bed, no nothing but the blood on the walls and dripping from the ceiling, and she was sitting powerless in the corner, rocking weakly, hugging herself and staring as this monster loomed in over her and looked down at her and pronounced her weak and worthless and pathetic...

They smashed into the ground, and Wisdom tried to throw Scrivener off, screamed as she staggered drunkenly to her hooves, forgetting this was all a mental world as she began to scramble over rock and flesh... and in front of her, Nightmare Moon, the monster, the horrible, masochistic thing appeared, laughing at her as she mocked: “Don't you want to join our games, Wisdom? Is this not fun?”

Wisdom spun around, shrieking... and staggered stupidly as she found herself in a concrete room. Scrivener was standing at the back of this, washing his face slowly off in a fountain... a fountain, decorated by a Tyrant Wyrm, an endless flow of blood and death coming from its jaws, and when he turned to smile at her, it was the calmness of that look, the near-tenderness in it, that shattered her spirit, as Scrivener said quietly: “Let's begin.”

Wisdom tried to turn, and ran straight into Nightmare Moon, and the Clockwork Pony shook her head wildly as she stumbled weakly backwards, whispering and moaning as Nightmare Moon advanced slowly on her, grinning down at her, shivering in excitement. Wisdom backed away, trembling... until she hit a wall of heat, and flesh, and malice, and when she looked slowly over her shoulder, Scrivener Blooms reached up and stroked under her chin gently, saying softly: “I have nothing left to lose. But don't worry: soon, you won't, either.”

The Clockwork Pony breathed hard, staring in horror... and in reality, Wisdom shivered for a moment as Luna looked sharply towards the two. It had been less than a minute, but she could feel Scrivener's excitement, Nightmare Moon's anticipation, the energy of the battle... and then suddenly, Wisdom began to scream.

It went on for several seconds, impossible to know how long that was in the nightmare world... and then Wisdom lurched backwards, shrieking, silver blood leaking from her eyes and mouth as her irises and horn glowed wildly, shaking her head savagely back and forth as if trying to free herself from the grips of some steel-jawed monster before Luna's eyes widened in surprise as the glow around Wisdom's horn built, built, built until it was like a miniature sun...

A humming filled the air, and then Luna flinched away and Scrivener Blooms gasped and started in shock as Wisdom's horn cracked, then exploded in a tremendously-powerful but compressed flare of light and magic that rattled the entire house and stunned both ponies. Wisdom herself staggered backwards, her body losing all color as it became silvery and began to melt, howling and shrieking in agony and horror as sparks shocked up and down her body before she lurched around in a circle, crying out: “No, no, no, no, no!”

Luna cursed in pain, shaking her head out... and then she looked up as Scrivener Blooms shoved himself to his hooves, then gritted his teeth and flexed as his eyes glowed, corruption leaking down his features and from his jaws even as he roared: “We're not done, Wisdom!”

Wisdom screamed, clawing and hammering at the door she had foolishly sealed herself, and then Scrivener charged her and Luna grinned savagely, not questioning where this burst of power was coming from as she shot out into the hallway. Scrivener smashed into Wisdom first, knocking her crashing against the barrier-protected door, making her gargle in agony and leave a large, silver smear behind before Scrivener dropped low as Luna shot forwards, tackling Wisdom and spearing her horn into her back before the sapphire mare roared and released all the pent up rage, telekinetic force, and raw energy she could into one massive blast.

Scrivener and Luna were both knocked rolling down the corridor with curses of pain, electricity sizzling over their bodies from the recoil, but Wisdom was launched through the door as it was reduced to splinters, the Clockwork Pony screaming in terror and agony. Splatters of silver ooze flew in every direction as she crashed to the ground and rolled several times, then hit the grass face-first... but then she transformed, becoming nothing but a silver slime for a moment before reforming in mid-run... except now, Wisdom was lacking a horn.

She bolted forwards, leaving clear hoof-prints behind herself and a trail of silver droplets, staring in horror over her shoulder as she lurched onto the path leading away from the cabin. She ran down it, then swerved suddenly off, cutting through the swathe of woodland and leaving splatters of goo against the bark here and there where she scraped against or bounced off a tree.

After only ten minutes or so, Wisdom staggered out onto a dirt road running alongside a tall set of rocky cliffs, heading desperately towards a mountain pass, looking over her shoulder with terror for pursuers... and thus failing to see ahead, looking up too late when a figure shot out of the treeline at the side of the road before the violet winged unicorn smashed into her with a snarl, eyes glowing faintly as stitching stretched over her chest and body.

Wisdom staggered, and then screamed at the sight of Twilight Sparkle, leaping backwards as she howled: “No, no, no! I killed you! This is still a nightmare, this has to be a nightmare!”

“I won't let you hurt anyone else! No matter what I have to do, I'm going to stop you!” Twilight shouted, leaping forwards and slashing her horn viciously back and forth through Wisdom's face, and the Clockwork Pony staggered backwards, howling as each rip sent up a thick blast of silver liquid, even as the wounds sluggishly tried to regenerate.

Then Wisdom gritted her teeth, bringing both front hooves up as they transformed into blades, slamming them cruelly down into Twilight's body, and the violet mare cursed as she flinched backwards... then snarled, horn glowing before she snapped it forwards and sent a fireball blasting point-blank into Wisdom's face, blowing the monster's features into putty and knocking the Clockwork Pony sprawling backwards. She melted down into a puddle of ooze as Twilight rolled her head slowly and almost-calmly, ignoring the gaping, bloodless wounds in her shoulders as Wisdom reformed, crawling weakly out of her own puddle before a soft voice said behind her: “You speak of us atoning? We do not atone. We punish.”

Wisdom looked slowly over her shoulder, staring with a tremble of horror at Gymbr before the Clockwork Pony kicked both rear hooves viciously backwards; but in a flash, one of Gymbr's claws snapped up, seizing the Clockwork Pony by the ankle and jerking it into the air before slamming it face-first down into the ground like a wet towel.

Wisdom exploded into silver goo, splattering down into a thick puddle before it launched itself upwards out of the silver mass, reforming rapidly and clawing viciously with talons that sprouted from its front hooves at Gymbr's features, but the Tulpa only calmly snapped its horn forwards, a blast of telekinetic force hammering the Clockwork Pony backwards before both the Tulpa and Twilight Sparkle charged, Gymbr's hooves snapping apart into claws and Twilight snarling as they both viciously began to lay into Wisdom, horn and magic ripping holes through the silvery monstrosity as Gymbr's claws tore massive gouges and slashes across its frame.

Wisdom was battered helplessly backwards, more and more of the silver goo that made it up splattering uselessly in all directions before it suddenly leapt backwards: at the same time, it twisted on itself like water to begin sprinting in the other direction, and Twilight and Gymbr both shot after it as it ran down the dirt road: “Help me, Prophet! Help me, help me, save me, p-please!”

In the distance, there was a fierce crackle, and a massive, dark portal slowly began to rumble open, Wisdom's eyes brightening at this... before a massive sword slashed cruelly downwards and sliced Wisdom's hindquarters off as Celestia crashed down beside the Clockwork Pony, and Wisdom screamed as its upper body continued to stagger for a few feet before it dropped forwards, bursting apart into a puddle of silver liquid as the hindquarters of the creature fell over and simply melted away. The metallic slime raced forwards in a stream towards the portal, then sluggishly reformed into a staggering Wisdom who was gaunt and struggling to drag itself onwards... but Twilight, Celestia, and Gymbr were too fast, closing in behind it before it shrieked as Luna and Scrivener charged out of the forest and straight towards the ravaged Clockwork Pony.

Scrivener ran into it first, smashing his shoulder into it before he leapt upwards, slamming a hoof under Wisdom's chin and knocking her rearing back before Luna's horn pierced into its chest, then a telekinetic blast knocked it flying skywards: Celestia leapt up immediately, Tyrfing snapping around her before slashing Wisdom in half again, and as the lower half of the monster dissolved, Gymbr's claws raked across its upper body, ripping its wings off and destroying most of its ravaged frame before Twilight flew up last, swinging her horn forwards and unleashing a blue fireball that slammed into the little that remained of the monstrosity and sent silvery goo bursting in all directions.

All that was left of Wisdom flew forwards, hitting the ground with a splatter and rolling a few times, leaving a stream of metallic ooze behind itself as its melted head gasped and gargled, eyes rolling wildly as it stared at the dark, crackling portal only a few feet away. Drool dripped from its jaws, and it moaned weakly in disbelief and denial, as it gritted its melting teeth together as tiny tendrils weakly attempted to stretch out from the puddle it was slowly melting into, before it whispered weakly: “I-Impossible... I was... c-chosen...”

And then Wisdom sighed weakly before it slumped as the rumbling, dark portal crackled before slowly beginning to spin closed, even as Scrivener Blooms lurched forwards... before his eyes widened in horror as he felt a terrible force rushing towards him. Then pain and darkness washed over him, and he vomited corruption before sprawling backwards...

It was Twilight who caught him, looking down at him as he rested against her dead-and-yet-not body, tears of black poison spilling from his eyes as bloody tears dripped from her own, Luna looking towards them helplessly before Scrivener's eyes rolled up in his head, and he collapsed into darkness and the dream of answers that awaited him within.

Determined Damnation

Chapter Seventy One: Determined Damnation
~BlackRoseRaven

“We can do this! We have to do this!” Twilight Sparkle shouted, looking back and forth between her friends, who all looked back at her uncertainly, fearfully. After all, they had never faced anything like this before: Discord, Chrysalis, they had been powerful, true... but they had not been... like this. Like the monster out there... a real monster, a murdering monster, who was burning, destroying, slaughtering... who had no mercy, who seemed so absolutely unstoppable.

They didn't know where Celestia or Luna were. All they knew that for as far as the eye could see, there was death, there was rot, there was fire and ice. The monster had set the world aflame, was torturing and tormenting ponies, was building up awful structures of steel and stone. And it was like they six had been purposefully overlooked... while the dragon-shaped creature had picked off, one by one, the foals, their friends, their families...

The Elements of Harmony gleamed around their necks, reflecting the tears on many of their faces as they looked at one-another, terrified, not knowing what to do, not know what to believe... but still, they gathered behind Twilight. Her words guided them, gave them strength, and gave them direction, told them the things they already knew to be true but were too afraid to act on...

They found the monster in a field, and the Jötnar smiled as he turned towards them, bowing politely once as if he had been waiting for them the whole time. In the distance, they could see Canterlot, a terrible broken wreck that was being steadily burnt away into nothingness as he gestured the once-beautiful castle, the symbol of unity that had become nothing more than ravaged ruins. “What do you think, ponies? I'm destroying all that isn't necessary, to rebuild it in my image... I'd forgotten what fun it can be to take this time, now and then, to simply enjoy my power and my handiwork...”

“Why are you doing this? Why can't you just leave us alone?” Twilight shouted, and Valthrudnir only threw his head back and laughed.

“As if I should waste my time trying to explain such concepts to such uncultured, plebeian minds as yours... there's not a drop of worthy knowledge and intelligence among your kind, is there?” Valthrudnir flicked his wrist in disgust and dismissal. “You're less than common. You ignorant, unwashed ponies, you are all nothing but festering garbage-slugs upon the reeking decay of a decadent, uninspired dung-heap.” He leaned forwards, grinning mockingly. “That means I don't like you or your world, little ponies, to put it all in small words you can understand.”

Rainbow Dash shouted, but Twilight held up a hoof before she gritted her teeth, then called over her shoulder: “Girls! Use the Elements, focus!”

“Oh yes. Your so called Elements of Harmony. I've been waiting for this.” Valthrudnir crossed his arms, laughing as he shook his head slowly. “Celestia put such stock in you all. Let's see if she was right to... it's too bad her pretty, precious beliefs didn't do anything but make killing her and her lackey easier.”

Twilight looked up with horror, and ponies all trembled before tears began to spill down Twilight's cheeks, and she leaned forwards, shrieking: “I won't let you hurt anyone else!”

“I've heard that many times, little pony.” Valthrudnir reached a hand forwards, then clenched it slowly into a fist, smiling coldly as he said softly: “And not a single person has been able to stop me yet... much less some low-brow filthy animal such as yourself.”

Twilight snarled, her eyes and horn beginning to glow as the Elements of Harmony all began to gleam, and Valthrudnir smiled calmly, giving them the time, letting them build that link, charge up that power as the force of it lifted Twilight into the air. The gemstone in the tiara on her head glowed brighter and brighter as the collars gleamed and sparked... and then Twilight's eyes snapped open, glaring white, staring across at Valthrudnir and filled not just with harmony, but hatred from this... this awful thing as the magic poured out of her and the others, taking on the form of a bright rainbow that tore across their charred reality and slammed down towards Valthrudnir...

And the monster only laughed, shielding his eyes with one arm, the rainbow of magic and power and harmonious energy crashing into this as he said mockingly: “Is this the best you can do? Your weak queen in her ignoble throne proved to be more worthy than this. How foolish, how absolutely... pathetic!”

With that, Valthrudnir swung his arm out, and the rainbow of energy turned to glass in a ripple; glass that promptly shattered and exploded into glimmering dust, knocking the six ponies staggering with screams and sending Twilight crashing to the ground with a gargle, shocks of agony ripping through them as the Jötnar smiled and rose a hand. “A demonstration.”

He snapped his fingers... and Twilight felt the Element of Magic resting on her head tremble violently before the gemstone shattered. And one by one, the others inset into their collars exploded into fragments, ponies screaming and howling as Valthrudnir said softly: “Such low and... childish magic. I have nothing but contempt for you and your kind, requiring glass lenses to look through and harness what you excuse as 'power...'”

Twilight looked up... and then she screamed, not knowing what else to do, what else to say, as she ran forwards, and the others followed her... but they were no match for him. He toyed with them, slapping Rainbow Dash from the air and punting Applejack like a toy, picking up Pinkie Pie and slamming her into Rarity before crushing them both into the ground, stepping on Twilight Sparkle and grinding her into the earth as he drove a fist down into Fluttershy to nearly break her back. He snapped limbs, left bruises and bloody wounds, and mocked them the entire time he beat them all mercilessly, the ponies unable to do anything but suffer at his claws until he was satisfied.

He snapped his fingers... and with just that, they were each sent to their different Hells. Their different prisons... all except Twilight Sparkle, who lay bleeding in front of him, staring weakly up at the Jötnar as he squatted in front of her and said softly: “I'm going to take all your friends away from you now, one-by-one. You see, in almost every world, you and your friends have some kind of role. Are treated as if you are special. No, no, don't attempt to wrap your tiny, philistine mind around the concept I am generously attempting to explain, you cannot understand it with your insignificant mental capacity.

“Pay attention to this instead, which with your hive mentality for your pretty little friends, you should at least be able to understand.” Valthrudnir leaned slowly down, smiling ruthlessly as he held up a single finger and twirled it easily. “I'm going to twist each of your friends around on their heads. I'm going to indulge my curiosities, and include you and your friends in the design for the new world order I am going to bring about here, as part of my testing ground for what should be an extremely interesting little project.”

“N-No...” Twilight rasped, and Valthrudnir laughed before she whispered: “Won't... won't let... you...”

“Oh, really?” Valthrudnir reached down and flicked her nose mockingly, and Twilight moaned in pain and shivered on the field. “This isn't a child's cartoon, little equus ferus caballus. This is real life, where good and evil do not exist as you would like them to, where decisions and errors of judgment have very real consequences that cannot simply be undone just because you want them to. Where no one is incorruptible, and we all have secrets inside ourselves, secrets we are desperate to keep, to lock away, to never think about...”

“S-Stop...” Twilight whispered, trembling, and Valthrudnir smiled coldly down at her as she shivered weakly on the ground. “I believe in them...”

“Good. Go back home, Twilight Sparkle. To your pretty little library. I'll return for you once I finish dealing with your friends...” Valthrudnir stood straight, laughing as he rubbed his hands together easily. “Yes, they will serve me well. Even better once I convince them to see the world my way, and they accept my gifts willingly... it will make them far easier to control.”

Twilight trembled and whimpered, and Valthrudnir smiled coldly down at her... but it was only the beginning. Almost every day, Valthrudnir visited her... mocking her, and extracting information from her, and goading her into conversations. Talking arrogantly about how he was torturing and warping her friends... but never hurting her, constantly telling her it was all for their own good, extolling that the world he was building would be peaceful and flawless.

And within a month, Valthrudnir had done it: one-by-one her friends had fallen... as well as countless other ponies, transformed into awful machinations, all with their own purpose, so many built to destroy. But as Twilight had stared in horror at them from the ruins of the burnt-out library, Valthrudnir had said calmly: “Not destroy, oh no. They are going to be spreading my message... they are going to be aggressively defending our goals. Our goal, after all, is a universe where everything works, where there is law and ultimate order... not all this paltry, worthless chaos.”

“But there will still be parties, and fun...” whispered Delight, looking almost pleadingly at Twilight as she smiled with her too large teeth. “Join us.”

“We can be together. Together forever. Family and friends, all looking out for each other.” Valor said softly, raising her head and gazing out with her sister's eyes from beneath the brim of her hat.

“Yeah, Twilight. No more lies, or goin' behind each other's back. Achieving out dreams. Our real dreams, not... having to listen to what ponies say we can or can't do.” Courage added, voice sharp but eyes begging.

“We can search for knowledge together... we'll have more in common under Valthrudnir than we ever did left to our own devices.” Beauty murmured, looking up with a faint smile.

“Please, Twilight. We need you. And together, we can bring peace to this world... to all the worlds...” Prudence said quietly, bowing her head forwards respectfully.

For a few long moments, there was silence... and then Valthrudnir smiled when Twilight looked up with teary eyes, whispering: “What do you want me to do? I can't... you were right. You won... but... I can't... I can't fight this. I can't just turn my back on all my friends and leave them...”

She shivered, then smiled weakly as tears finally spilled down her face, before Valthrudnir said kindly: “I want you to walk with me, Twilight Sparkle, and I'll take you to a place where you can be made whole... where you can become what you have always been, the tie that binds, the central gear that keeps these five running smoothly...”

Twilight nodded weakly, and her five transformed friends all smiled and parted for her, letting her follow the Jötnar out. And together, with the five following behind them, they walked for hours, as Valthrudnir bragged and monologued and Twilight listened numbly. When it got too hard to listen, she looked over her shoulder at her friends, who all looked up at Valthrudnir with belief and zealotry in their eyes... so bit-by-bit, she forced herself to believe, too.

Twilight wasn't sure when or how they arrived, but eventually they stood in front of an enormous well, filled with silver liquid. And Valthrudnir smiled at her calmly as she looked back at him, before he said softly: “I could just throw you in, but that would defeat the purpose of this exercise. Climb in, and let it swallow you up, and you have my word... when you emerge, it will be into a new world, where you will be content, where you will be strong... where knowledge is power and wisdom is the greatest virtue of all.”

“Wisdom...” Twilight whispered... and when she looked over her shoulder, at her five transformed friends as they smiled and nodded to her, gestured to her eagerly... she slowly walked forwards, up the stone, small steps at the side of the well... and she took a deep breath before plunging in.

There was silence that lasted for a few long minutes, Delight eventually whimpering and tugging at Valthrudnir's pant-leg worriedly, but he only grimaced in disgust and kicked her away. And then a metallic hoof emerged... and a moment later, silvery Wisdom crawled out of the well, dripping with the material that her entire body had become, her eyes glowing and her horn sparking as she whispered: “I feel... strange...”

“Yes, it's bonded well with you...” Valthrudnir grinned slowly as Wisdom staggered over the edge of the well, his eyes glowing as he reached out and touched her horn with a single finger, and Wisdom gasped as a spark shocked through her system before her old colors returned. “Wisdom, my perfect savior, my chosen one. Beneath only the Prophet, beneath the Clockwork King. Come, we shall speak further. Perhaps now that I have elevated your existence to something with meaning, I can elevate your mind to something capable of comprehension, if not true understanding and intelligence.”

And as Valthrudnir turned away, the world turned to darkness as Wisdom lowered her head and whispered: “It was all inevitable. My friends... all turned to darkness. But I'd be lying if I said he lured me in with just that... he lured me in with a promise of power, a promise of knowledge, a promise of... no, not love. He does not love, and I never fooled myself into believing that. But... he replaced Celestia. I need, have always needed... someone to look up to...”

Wisdom silently turned towards Scrivener Blooms... and then she reached up and scrubbed quickly at her features with a hoof, and when she lowered it, her face was somehow... softer. It was not Wisdom... it was Twilight Sparkle, as she smiled and whispered: “Thank you, Scrivener Blooms, whoever... whatever you are. In these brief moments as I fade away, I... I feel relief. I know my friends must have, too. I understand now...”

The Twilight that had become Wisdom closed her eyes and tilted her head upwards... and in a flash, there were five other ponies around her, smiling, happy, free of the evil that had infected them all before Twilight

whispered: “Oh god, Scrivener... Scrivener, no, no, don't die... please don't die... p-please don't die...”

Scrivener frowned slowly at this... and then his eyes blinked once, then twice as he looked up, and grunted, his frame flexing, his eyes glowing for a moment as corruption leaked down his features. Then he smiled weakly after a moment as he gazed up at Twilight Sparkle, reaching a hoof up and silently stroking her face, smearing bloody tears over her cheek as he murmured: “I'm okay.”

“Scrivener!” Luna leapt forwards, and Scrivener groaned when the sapphire mare all but tackled him, burying her face against his neck and trembling as she whispered: “Damn thee, Scrivy, I... I thought...”

“He is fine. We would not simply let him die. We would not let any of you die.” added another voice softly, and Scrivener winced and looked up in shock at this to see Gymbr standing next to Celestia, who was only sitting with her head bowed, trembling a little. “It is good to see you awake, and well.”

“I... what?” Scrivener gently pushed Luna back, shaking his head out before he sat up, then looked over at Twilight with a wince as she smiled faintly and rubbed at her face, the stitching covering her body pulsing slowly. “Twilight...”

“I... it'll just... take some adjustments.” Twilight glanced away for a moment silently, and then she shook her head and returned her eyes to Scrivener, asking finally: “Are you sure you're okay? I... Scrivy, you fainted, and we thought your heart stopped, and... the mire...”

Scrivener frowned a bit as he glanced down... then realized with shock that the ground beneath them in a wide radius had transformed, rotting into dark, bog-like corruption. He hurriedly leapt up to his hooves... and all eyes looked up at him with surprise. All eyes except for Gymbr, that was, the Tulpa only smiling as it said quietly: “Just as we had hoped. But please, excuse us. We desire to see Scarlet Sage... we desire to help her as well. It feels good to help.”

Before anyone could speak, Gymbr simply rolled its head on its shoulders before vanishing from sight, and Celestia trembled a little, staring at the space the creature had been in before for a moment. Then she clenched her eyes shut, dropping her head forwards and whispering as Scrivener, Twilight, and Luna all looked at her: “I am so sorry, my friends. Again, I've failed you all, as... seems to be what I am good at. I failed to protect your children, to protect your friends, I failed to protect... you, Twilight Sparkle. Twice... look... look what I've done to you, out of greed, out of need to have you in my life. And I failed you, too, Scrivener... this could have killed you, torn you apart from the inside out...”

“Stop, Celestia. Stop.” Twilight said quietly, shaking her head and dropping to her hooves as she smiled faintly, and she slowly strode over to the armored, ivory equine, reaching up to touch her armored chest gently, stroking hoof slowly over golden plate as Celestia looked down at her with miserable eyes. “I started this. I tied my spirit to the music box, poured all of my life into it that I could, hoping... hoping for something like this. Because... I can't leave you, and Luna, and Scrivener alone. Especially not... Luna and Scrivener.”

She laughed faintly, glancing over her shoulder at the two as they both smiled a little, and then she drew her eyes slowly back up to Celestia, saying quietly: “You and Gymbr... saved my life. You didn't... turn me into a monster, I don't... feel like a monster.” Twilight looked down quietly, reaching up and touching her chest. “I've died... but I feel more alive now than I ever have before. I just... need... to adjust.”

She reached up, silently stroking over the stitching covering her chest, and Celestia closed her eyes as she turned her head away, asking quietly: “I wonder if any of us can escape the destinies the Norns wrote for us... or if one way or another, we'll all end up... what they decided we should be...”

“Celestia... 'tis not like thee to get this way after a battle. 'Tis not like thee to allow... pain and unnecessary heartache and self-loathing to overwhelm thy common sense.” Luna said quietly, striding slowly forwards before she smiled faintly and looked up, gesturing at herself. “Look upon me, Celestia. Look, I am... my son still, he is missing, my daughter lost in illness, but my husband is not dead and Twilight Sparkle is...” She looked silently to the side, and Twilight blushed and lowered her head a bit. “She is still Twilight Sparkle, and that is enough for me, for now. Please, Celestia... raise thy head. Shove away these unwelcome thoughts... let thy callous, logical mind work around the details and come back to us, big sister.”

Celestia looked silently at Luna for a moment, and then she closed her eyes and nodded slowly, looking nervously back and forth before she blinked and reared back in surprise when Twilight hugged her suddenly and fiercely, burying her face against the larger mare as she whispered: “Thank you. For doing everything you could.”

The ivory mare closed her eyes... but after a moment, returned the embrace as tight as she dared, and Scrivener and Luna both smiled faintly as they stood up and prepared to head back home.

They made their way back to the cottage in silence, and the four decided it was better... simply not to talk for now, to simply try to get a night's rest in. Scrivener and Luna headed to bed, Celestia went upstairs, and Twilight stayed up for a while after gently putting the music box that was her phylactery, that contained her life force, her vital essence, her very soul, on the mantel of the fireplace. It all-but-glowed, and when Twilight started to feel a little scared, a little sad, and her thoughts began to whirl, all she had to do was open it... and the melancholy, beautiful music that streamed up from it settled her.

She stayed up by herself most of the night... then quietly went to check on Scrivener and Luna, spending the longest time just looking at them... gazing over them, quietly and peacefully, watching out for them, until she realized the deep wounds still hadn't closed in her shoulders. So she headed back out to the den room, and did her best to dig up some string and sew the wounds sloppily closed, opening the music box to keep herself as calm as possible during the awkward, uncomfortable process.

She was a Lich, just like she had been in that terrible story. She was dead... and yet not, sustained through magic, and her connections to this world. It was a lot to think about, a lot to take in... but even though it scared her, and she wished she was still alive... she still felt... like herself.

“Stop that, you're doing it all wrong. Didn't you ever learn to knit, Twilight Sparkle?” chided a quiet voice, and Twilight looked over her shoulder in surprise as Discombobulation strode in from the kitchen, reaching down and taking the thick black string and needle away from her. She blushed, then glanced forwards with a faint smile as he began to easily suture the open wound closed, the Draconequus shaking his head moodily as he murmured: “Just look at you, what a dirty, filthy, rotten mess. Well. You're not actually rotting, which I'm very glad for... you teenagers and your need for body modification. Couldn't you have stuck to drugs and tattoos? You're supposed to be the perky cheerleader who hunts zombies, after all, not a zombie yourself.”

“Do you have to joke about everything?” Twilight asked quietly, glancing up, but her tone was more curious than accusatory. Then she cocked her head curiously, when Discombobulation chuckled softly. “What?”

“I only joke about the things I'm okay with. And I'm only okay with this because the only things that changed here, are that now you can take a worse beating than me... which is embarrassing... but you can also be killed by someone smashing that pretty music box of yours.” Discombobulation replied calmly, and then he hesitated before sighing softly, finishing his stitching and neatly tying it off before he put the needle and thread aside, then reached up and grasped her shoulders gently with his hand and metallic claw. “Twilight Sparkle... you have no plans to become Twilight Shadow, do you?”

“I am what I am and that's all I am.” Twilight replied quietly, and Bob smiled slightly as she glanced down and murmured softly: “I think you said that to me once before, and now I finally understand it, Discombobulation. I... I'm going to make the most of this. And I'm not going to waste time crying about it.”

“You died to live, in real life as well as a silly story. You thwarted old Grim and kicked him in the ass on the way out... I like that. But this time... you haven't sacrificed what makes you, you, in order to do it.” Discombobulation closed his eyes, leaning forwards over her and squeezing her shoulders slowly. “But our love it was stronger by far than the love, of those who were older than we – of many far wiser than we – and neither the angels in heaven above, nor the demons down under the sea, can ever dissever my soul from the soul of the beautiful Annabel Lee.”

Discombobulation paused, then he added wryly: “I'm not even going to try and take credit for that. It was written by a poet perhaps even more insane than Scrivener Blooms. I have a feeling they would get along very, very well. As a necrophiliac he'd probably also like you.”

Twilight only laughed a little... but it felt good to laugh, good to relax a bit, and she shook her head before smiling and closing her eyes, letting it fill up her spirit. Her strong, alive spirit, as she sat silently with the Draconequus until the morning, when Scrivener Blooms finally strode calmly out and smiled at her... and Twilight and Discombobulation both stared at the earth pony before he frowned and asked finally: “What?”

“Scrivener... I...” Twilight shook her head in disbelief and amazement, and then Discombobulation popped to his feet, almost knocking the violet mare over before he swept a hand out, a full-length mirror appearing in a puff of smoke.

Scrivener winced automatically away from this... then stared in dumb surprise at the mirror, leaning forwards with a gape of shock as he whispered: “What the hell... I... I got up feeling good this morning, but I figured that was because for once last night there were no visions or nightmares and... I... I...”

He stared at his reflection, tilting his head back and forth before he rose a foreleg and marveled over himself: the weight he'd lost had come back overnight, his coat was healthy and perhaps a shade darker than it had been before, and when he opened his mouth, he saw that his teeth not only sparkled in gums that were healthy instead of jaundiced and rotten, they had become... sharper, thicker, larger.

He reached up, touching his scarred features as he shook his rugged mane out, before he testingly poked along his own body... and he realized with amazement that he wasn't just numb, or feeling good: he was good. He was healthy, he was vital and strong... and Scrivener looked back and forth before he suddenly ran forwards, pushing past Discombobulation as the Draconequus winced before Scrivener hurried through the kitchen and out into the backyard.

Bob shoved the mirror firmly downwards, making it vanish through the floor as reality rippled, and then he turned to chase after Scrivener, and Twilight followed a moment later, still looking stunned. They both passed Celestia, who had been sitting outside on the deck, polishing her armor and Tyrfing in the pre-dawn darkness and was now staring in disbelief as Scrivener ran around to the side of the house, asking incredulously as Twilight passed: “What happened?”

“I don't know.” Twilight only shook her head quickly, and Celestia put her gear aside as she stood quickly up, before Discombobulation, Twilight, and Celestia all stared as Scrivener grunted and dragged a large training dummy carefully out of the side of the house, the violet mare asking dumbly: “What... what the hell are you doing?”

“Testing something.” Scrivener muttered, and the three stared incredulously as, without further ado, Scrivener reared back and began to slam his hooves across the dummy, pushing almost viciously forwards as he visibly put much of his strength into each and every blow.

It was enough that the exertion apparently woke Luna up, who came out to see what was going on with a flushed, excited look on her face before Scrivener finally smashed the training dummy off its base, knocking it rolling as he dropped down and breathed hard. A faint sheen of sweat covered his body, and he looked up with disbelief before he grinned weakly over at the four, as Luna whispered: “Hope beyond hope, answered... what once was poison, now becomes his strength...”

“I feel... I feel strong. I feel like... I don't know. It's so hard to describe... it's like I'm... me.” Scrivener reached up and touched his own chest, frowning as he looked down... then he shook his head quickly and strode forwards, smiling awkwardly as he said mildly: “I mean, I guess there's still the worry that I could spontaneously fall over and die, but-”

Celestia flicked her horn down as the earth pony drew close, drawing a thin cut against Scrivener's shoulder, and the charcoal stallion winced in pain and surprise as black blood oozed out of the wound. Luna glared at her older sibling, but Celestia's eyes locked on this as she reached slowly up, touching the dark ooze before she murmured quietly: “Scrivener, this is not a pony's blood. This is... this is corruption.”

Scrivener glanced at his shoulder, smiling faintly, feeling unsurprised before he closed his eyes and murmured: “Somehow I... figured. But Celestia... I'm still me. You believe that, don't you? I mean... look at me. I'm... I'm still me. I'm healthy and strong and I feel... not happy, not with everything that's going on, but ready. Confident, and... and my mind has settled. All the knowledge of the Hexad is running through me, but it's not jumbled up anymore, it's smooth, and I can see their memories, I can summon up their thoughts, with only a few blank spots here and there...”

The ponies and Draconequus looked down at him quietly, and then Scrivener reached up and rubbed slowly at the corruption as it hardened over Scrivener's shoulder... and Celestia's sharp eyes locked on to this, watching as it filled in the wound... and then hardened, turning into flesh. Into glossy, dark coat, as Scrivener looked slowly down at where the scratch no longer was before Luna said softly: “I have faith in my husband, and in my husband's strength. And Celestia, if he knows now the way to Decretum, if he has absorbed the the corruption and made it his own... must we not take this opportunity?”

“I... I agree that... we do not have the time to linger on this issue. And I have faith in Scrivener too, Luna...” Celestia slowly looked at the earth pony, meeting his eyes before she said quietly: “But neither of these things is cause for excessive haste, or to not analyze or try to understand what has happened.”

“Celestia, I will not leave Antares in the claws of the Clockwork King and his machinations!” Luna shouted suddenly, and Celestia looked surprised at the outburst, as Luna leaned angrily forwards and snapped: “I will not allow thee to analyze us up and down, to waste all this time that Scrivener and I could be spending in preparation for a quick and merciless counterattack on Clockwork World, to save our son! To end this damnable nightmare once and for all!”

“Wait...” Twilight interrupted, looking up with a frown before Celestia could speak, and then she whispered: “Wait. You and Scrivener... what about us?”

“I... Twilight...” Luna softened as Celestia frowned, looking hurt more by this than the previous outburst, and even Discombobulation crossed his arms and looked down at Luna with disapproval. “I am sorry, but... thou cannot come with us. Thy soul is in that music box... oh, I am sure thou could travel to the ends of this planet, and still be fine, but... Twilight, thou cannot cross entire worlds and leave the box here. 'Twill most certainly kill thee, and leave thee torn asunder in... in a way I do not want to imagine. And nor can thou march into a war zone carrying that beautiful box with thee. One attack, one strong spell... one fall... could spell doom for thee. Thou knows that I cannot risk that. Thou... cannot risk that.

“And Celestia, thou art needed here. To lead Equestria, even as just a Baroness whom the other Barons respect enough to trust and side with.” Luna continued quietly, and she smiled faintly as Celestia closed her eyes and bowed her head silently. “I am honored by thy love for me and mine and thy wish to stride into battle with me... but thou and Sleipnir must protect this world. Must stay here... in case we fail, in case there are more of Valthrudnir's machinations afoot, and most of all... to protect Equestria and Valhalla.”

There was silence for a few moments, and Discombobulation shook his head slowly, leaning down and asking quietly: “Are you so determined to die that even granted this second reprieve, you'd prefer to march in alone and outnumbered, instead of with an army?”

“If we bring an army to Decretum, we will lose.” Luna said quietly but firmly, looking up at Celestia, who gazed back down silently. “Thou knows this. A slow-moving army will be annihilated by the superior numbers and forces of Clockwork World, and will be easy to see. Easy to attack. Easy to destroy. But Scrivener and I, moving in alone, will be capable of piercing straight to the heart of Decretum... to find and save Antares, and then, if we can, strike to the Prophet and the Clockwork King.

“And this is part of our atonement. Part of our honor, and righting mistakes.” Luna smiled a little, looking up... then she winced when Celestia slapped her hard across the face, dropping her head forwards as her starry mane sizzled.

“You have nothing to make up for, Luna... and I don't want to hear you or Scrivener saying that again. That is neither reason nor excuse...” Celestia closed her eyes tightly, lowering her head forwards before she whispered: “I don't want to lose you, little sister. You have to promise me you'll come back... and please. Give us... give us today, at least. Let me head to Ponyville, prepare a few quick tests, see what help I can find and what I can figure out. Give us at least a few hours, so I can know this isn't some elaborate trap or Scrivener Blooms isn't getting better simply to get worse.”

“Scrivener and I... we... have business to attend to, anyway. Aye, I suppose that... we can wait until tonight.” Luna whispered, head still bowed and cheeks flushed before she looked up silently. “I am sorry, Celestia.”

“I know you are... and yet you're not. You and Scrivener want to do this alone... feel for some stupid reason that you need to, and I know I can't talk you out of it. I know, even worse, that your reasons are valid... and I know that...” Celestia laughed faintly, looking away. “The more ponies we send, the more ponies will die, and many of our friends are wounded and the rest have foals and... not even the Starlit Knights would last long trying to fight through Decretum. Twilight cannot travel the distance, Pinkamena and Sleipnir will refuse to be separated and yet I cannot send them both with Aphrodisia here, and worse, the fact that Clockwork World has set an obvious lure for us...”

She sighed and closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards... then she simply turned and headed for the house before hesitating and glancing over her shoulder at Discombobulation, saying quietly: “I could use your company.”

“And I could use yours.” Discombobulation glanced over his shoulder at her with a small smile, then he looked down and shook his head slowly, saying softly: “If you continue to live by the sword, Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms... you know that you will die by it.”

The two only nodded silently, and Discombobulation hesitated, then turned and followed after Celestia as Twilight looked silently at Luna and Scrivener. They gazed back, and then Twilight closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards as they were left alone on the patio, before she whispered: “Promise me you'll make it back. Promise me... that tomorrow, the day after, a week, a year, however long it takes... you'll come back to me.”

Scrivener and Luna traded a look, and then they both looked up, gazing silently at the violet mare before Luna murmured softly: “I promise, Twilight Sparkle. We shall return to thee. But thou must promise us that until we do... thou shalt care for Antares Mīrus, should he return before us, as if he wert thy own.”

“He is.” Twilight smiled faintly, and Luna laughed quietly and nodded slowly as Scrivener gazed softly at the violet mare, his eyes drawing over her before she bowed her head forwards. Her mouth went dry as she breathed slowly, shivering a little, but even now, trusting in them: she had childishly asked them something impossible... but they had responded all the same with an honesty she could feel that they would. Not that they would try, not that they would do their best... they would return. And she believed in them, and in that, no matter how suicidal the course of action seemed, no matter what happened in the future.

The trio quietly made their way inside, and Twilight looked up at the music box on the mantel as Luna rested on one side of her and Scrivener the other. For a few moments, there was only silence... and then the violet mare closed her eyes and laughed faintly, whispering: “It's funny. If I hadn't bought that... well... I wouldn't be...” She halted and looked down. “I guess I'm not quite alive anymore, am I?”

“You're you. You're here with us and... that's all that matters right now.” Scrivener said quietly, glancing ahead, and Luna nodded in slow agreement.

Twilight looked back and forth between them, and then a bloody tear spilled slowly down one cheek as she whispered: “I don't ever want to leave you two. I don't want to be without you. I'm just scared that I'm... I'm...”

Scrivener and Luna both gazed at her before Twilight leaned forwards against the charcoal earth pony, and he hugged her silently, pulling her closer as he closed his eyes and murmured quietly: “I'm apparently full of corruption, you're a Lich, Luna's Nightmare Moon... and none of it matters. All that matters is that we have each other, and we're going to use what we've been dealt to... protect our family and friends, to fight for our world, to... to save our son.”

Twilight nodded, then she looked up at Scrivener, then over her shoulder at Luna, and the two curled closer to her, closing their eyes. Urges and needs and desires rollicked through her system, and the Lich trembled a bit before Scrivener kissed her forehead, just beside her horn, as Luna hugged her tightly and murmured softly: “Do not be ashamed, Twilight Sparkle. Thy body and spirit are adjusting, mixing with the wild fury of emotions I cannot begin to imagine... pain and need to help and... desires that as always, strikes often at the worst of times. But we are here for thee, Twilight... we are here...”

And they were. In every way, something she could always take comfort in, that drove away any shame she ever felt, that made her feel... healed, and stronger. That brought faint stirrings of joy to the surface, even amidst the darkness... that made her brave enough to whisper her secrets to them, before they answered her...

Around noon, after sharing time and intimacy, Twilight helped Scrivener and Luna into their armor, fussed over them, and then allowed Luna and Scrivener to fix the stitching on her body that Discombobulation hadn't attended to. A few new rips had opened up over her form from well... both from exertion, and just from her body transforming, adjusting, she thought. She felt like... like she was wearing too-tight clothes, that were threatening to rip with her every movement, and she thought it would be a while before she either got used to that feeling or her spirit and body adjusted to her new form.

She had few questions, and the ones she asked were mostly to get confirmation and reassurance... after Discombobulation had told them Gymbr's dark story, after all, she had taken an interest in necromancy and such powerful, forbidden magic, wanting to know if what the Draconequus had spouted off about Liches and their kindred was true or not. Not that she'd ever expected to use it on herself... but it had been darkly-fascinating. Like Scrivener's poetry... the comparison made her smile.

She was only apart from them only briefly, when Scrivener and Luna asked for a moment of privacy, and Twilight had hesitated, but then nodded slowly. She had left... and Scrivener and Luna had traded looks before the sapphire mare had approached the puzzle box as Scrivener had quickly picked up a sheet of parchment and a quill. Only a few minutes later, they had emerged, both looking like a great weight had been lifted from their shoulders, and Scrivener had smiled as he held up a letter in a sealed envelope, Twilight frowning in surprise before he'd only said softly: “Put it in your music box.”

She had done so, but gotten nothing about what was in it out of them. And as the three had gone outside, Scrivener and Luna in full armor and Luna with her spear holstered safely, Twilight insisting on carrying the other bags of things they had thrown together and trying to badger them further about the letter, the trio had been surprised to find Gymbr sitting in the grasses, a bouquet of flowers in one claw. It rose its head and smiled at them, inhaling the perfume of the roses before it said softly: “Hello, our beloved family. We are glad to see you all, together... we envy it, but respect and adore it as well.”

Scrivener and Luna both looked nervously at the creature as Twilight shifted awkwardly, and then Gymbr smiled softly at the two, saying gently: “We will help you open the way to Decretum, retrieve Antares, and destroy Clockwork World. We are powerful now... and we are eager to take revenge on those who have hurt us so. For what hurts you... hurts us. What hurts Antares... hurts us more.”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, hesitating... but then Twilight leaned forward, gazing between the two and saying quietly: “Please. Don't turn down his help. You already keep insisting on going in as soon as possible and... and not letting us come with you.”

“That... I... very well.” Luna sighed after a moment, and Twilight smiled a little before Luna looked hesitantly forwards and asked slowly: “But monster, creature, Tulpa... whatever thou art... why now does thou reach out to offer such aid? Before, well...”

“Because they have hurt us badly... but all of you have accepted us, even if but for a moment. And that was enough to bring us from thought-form... to reality. To restore our strength almost completely...” Gymbr smiled softly, then tossed the bouquet of roses outwards... and in midair, the flowers transformed into enormous birds of every size and color, bursting upwards into the sky as the three ponies leaned back in shock. “We are no Tulpa, no thought-form, any longer. We are conscious, and have shed our cocoon of a child's toy and shape, have fed off so much thought and energy, have been acknowledged as an entity upon our own... and thus, we have become an entity upon our own.”

Gymbr stood slowly, striding forwards and leaning slowly down, towering, majestic, and terrifying as its mane of black fire swirled slowly without wind, and it smiled calmly over the ponies as they felt the power and the pride it emanated, the sense of overwhelming and inevitable triumph. “With our strength, your plan to attack Decretum is no longer a suicidal and foolish gambit. We shall lay waste to all in our way and save Antares, and free him. Then we shall make our way to the Prophet and the Clockwork King and they shall learn of the grave error they have committed in trifling with us.”

Scrivener and Luna traded another look as Twilight swallowed thickly... and then Gymbr simply turned, smiling to itself as it said softly: “It is wonderful to be alive. To be in reality... to be validated. Yes, we may not deserve this... but we are not so pious or foolish to turn away this gift of a winter's day.”

Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight followed the strange winged unicorn, none of them speaking as they made their way to Ponyville. And as they strode into town, ponies stared at them, bowed their heads, and parted for them, Scrivener and Luna awkwardly bowing their heads as Gymbr smiled at the attention and Twilight self-consciously hid herself between the others.

They reached the library without incident, but inside was a gathering waiting for them... although the group was stunned into silence when Gymbr strode through first, smiling calmly. Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight followed in, Twilight blushing and lowering her face, trying to hide under her short bangs as ponies turned their eyes towards her, before Pinkamena barked: “Hey, look at us!”

“Pinkamena.” Celestia said sharply, and the demon grimaced... but after a few moments, Twilight hesitantly rose her head, stepping forwards as Scrivener and Luna gazed towards her. Eyes roved from Gymbr to Twilight... and then Celestia closed her eyes, saying quietly: “Please, friends, she is the same Twilight Sparkle...”

“Anypony can see that, Celestia.” Pinkamena said irritably, and Sleipnir smiled after a moment as Aphrodisia nodded firmly in agreement, before the demon glared across at Twilight and said sharply, as the violet mare blushed: “Don't you go trying to hide your goddamn face from us, you hear me? That's just stupid.” She paused, then added wryly: “Besides, if you're really dead, now I got someone around I can beat on all day and no one can say a word about it.”

“Thou shall always have me, too.” Sleipnir said softly, reaching up and rubbing his wife's back with a hoof, and Pinkamena smiled a little after a moment before the vine-maned stallion looked forwards and added quietly: “But little sister, and fair brother... I am hurt that thou desires so badly to do this alone...”

“You should let us come with you. At least... those of us who are well enough to fight.” Applejack said quietly, then she reached down and grimaced, rubbing slowly at a broken hind leg in a cast as she muttered: “Then again, maybe that's just me, wishin' I could be out there goin' with you myself...”

“Me too.” Rainbow smiled a little after a moment, looking up and nodding slowly before he hesitantly glanced towards Gymbr, asking finally: “What about...”

“Do not fear us, Rainbow Dash... we do not intend to harm you or anypony here... not even if you desire our gifts.” Gymbr bowed its head slowly, closing its eyes and saying softly: “When last we were so generous... we discovered too late that everything we had done, we had done for ourselves. That is why we have decided to only share knowledge and instruction with friends and family... our strength, we shall save to demonstrate to our foes.”

Rainbow swallowed awkwardly at this, as ponies looked awkwardly back and forth, Spike reaching out to squeeze Rarity's hoof, and Celestia closed her eyes, seeming to think for a few long moments before Meadowlark stepped forwards. Luna looked down in surprise... and then realized that all of Antares' friends were here, even though Avalon was bruised and battered and worst of all, looked honestly scared, and Aphrodisia was wrapped in bandages, even if she was also growling angrily. “Lady Luna... Mister Scrivener... you'll... you'll save Antares, right? He said you were sick, though...”

“We are going to save Antares, we are... and... I'm not. Not anymore, at least.” Scrivener smiled a little, straightening... before he frowned when Pinkamena leaned forwards and narrowed her eyes at him, then the demon suddenly charged, and the earth pony winced in surprise before she slammed into him and bit firmly into the side of his unarmored neck, making him howl in surprise, pain, and vexation as he shoved at her and Luna and Twilight both immediately tried to drag her off. “Goddammit, this isn't the time for this!”

Pinkamena laughed as she allowed herself to be thrown backwards after a moment, rolling easily once before skidding on all fours as Sleipnir winced and Pinkie Pie jumped forwards to grab at the gray-pink mare, even as the demon loudly licked and slurped at her lips. Celestia, however, was almost studying the reaction: both watching as Scrivener's wound filled with mire and healed, and the way Pinkamena shivered before dropping her head forwards as her body rippled once, whispering: “Twilight and Luna both reek of it, just from being in contact with you... but you, Scrivener, oh ho, no wonder you're suddenly back on the tips of your hooves like a damn ballerina, instead of laying in bed like a corpse. Your corruption before was delicious but this stuff? This stuff is exquisite.”

“What does it mean?” Celestia asked sharply, and Pinkamena threw her head back and laughed, and the ivory winged unicorn narrowed her eyes, saying slowly: “Pinkamena, today I am not in the mood for-”

“It means that I want to gobble Scrivener up and hog him all to myself as a private ten-course meal. It means that his blood would probably kill or drive a normal pony insane with a big enough dose of it. It's chock-full of emotions, energy, and insanity, and I'm willing to bet that little Scrivy has more in common with a big bad Tyrant Wyrm than ninety percent of us want to admit.” Pinkamena grinned widely over her shoulder, licking her lips slowly. “But me, Twilight, Luna... and surprisingly, you, Princess Sunshine... all like that, don't we?”

“Quiet now, Pinkamena. This gathering was supposed to be for putting together information, and spending time with friends and family. All you are doing is upsetting the foals and worrying the others.” Gymbr said softly, and Pinkamena grumbled but bowed her head moodily to the creature, falling quiet as she backed up to sit beside Sleipnir.

Then Gymbr calmly looked over the gathering as Scrivener rose his head, rubbing awkwardly at the still-wet, mostly-healed wound on his neck. But it was Luna who spoke, gazing up and saying softly: “My husband and I are prepared to leave shortly for Decretum. To all of thee, we promise to save Antares... and Celestia, we have promised Twilight Sparkle we shall return.” Midnight cyan eyes locked with amethyst irises, sister and sister studying each other before Luna said softly: “Trust in us, big sister. This is the battlefield Scrivener and I know best.”

Celestia nodded slowly, looking down... and then Cowlick glanced up from the group, saying firmly: “You just make sure you get back here in one piece, both of you. And bring some stuff from Clockwork World when you do, I wanna see if I can replicate more of their techno mumbo-jumbo.

Luna smiled after a moment and nodded firmly as Scrivener grunted in agreement, and there was quiet for a little while before Celestia finally stood, saying softly: “Then let us all... spend this time together. Share, wish each other well, and... celebrate.”

“Celebrate. A strange word... but a good one. We approve.” Gymbr murmured softly, and then it nodded slowly, sitting back with a calm smile. “Yes. Celebrate.”

The others agreed, with words, with body language, with their actions, as they took the time to spend with one another, to converse, to help Luna and Scrivener relax and even try and take up odd and strange conversation with Gymbr. The course was plotted, after all, and there was nothing anyone could do to change Luna or Scrivener's mind... so the one thing that this gathering could do was help them relax, remind them of what they were fighting for, and that they had people counting on them not just to fight... but to come back from the battlefield alive.

Sleipnir and Luna sang, and Scrivener and Celestia talked, Celestia relaxing little by little with the others, even though she still seemed... hurt, and a little betrayed. But she knew she had to stay behind, too: and she was proud of them. She didn't have to say it, only the way she looked at them was enough...even as she implored them to be careful, to focus on saving Antares, to not take any stupid risks.

Cowlick and Greece helped them sort their equipment and tossed in a few things they had brought from the labs; Spike and Rarity insisted on giving them a good luck charm they had made, and Scrivener had smiled, honestly touched, as he'd slipped the silver disc embossed with vines, blossoms, and the crescent moon under his armor for safekeeping, while Luna traded tight hugs with the two; Pinkamena and Aphrodisia traded hugs and insults with Luna and Scrivener and made them promise to come back in one piece, and bring Antares safely home.

They talked to others, shared stories, joked with Discombobulation, smiled with Fluttershy and Nirvana, teased Soarin' and Big Mac as the Pegasus awkwardly leaned against the crimson stallion, and reassured Applejack and Rainbow Dash that none of what happened as their fault.

Pinkie Pie helped them as much as she could, but what helped most of all was her optimism and cheer and her almost child-like belief in them. Ross shared this, but also added that he knew Gymbr would help a lot... that Gymbr might be able to save them. A strange phrase, coming from Ross... but then Cowlick called him before he could say anything further on the subject, and the unicorn just smiled and bounced away as others had come forwards to renew conversation, offer advice and help, share tokens of affection and faith with them.

And as evening began to draw on, Scrivener and Luna humbly thanked each and every one of them, personally, as Sleipnir, Pinkamena, Twilight, and Celestia got ready to leave as well. They wanted to at least see them off... but before that, Scrivener and Luna had one final stop to make.

Ponyville was almost silent, but it was far from deserted: rather, ponies were in every window, and gathered quickly on the street to watch as Scrivener and Luna walked with Gymbr trailing behind them, calmly speaking with Discombobulation, as they were escorted onwards by ponies who were all family to soul-bound sapphire mare and charcoal stallion. But Luna and Scrivener were barely aware of the ponies... barely aware of anything except their goal, as they headed towards the Ponyville General Hospital.

The group, including Gymbr, waited in the lobby while Scrivener and Luna made their way to the ICU. There, they found Apple Bloom, holding a silent vigil still over Scarlet Sage... and she smiled faintly up at them as Luna asked quietly: “How is she?”

“Stable, but... still comatose. Gymbr was here before, just looked at her...” Apple Bloom shivered a bit, shaking her head and looking down at Scarlet Sage's silent, barely-moving body, as beside her monitors quietly beeped and clicked. “She's going to be okay. That's... that's what I keep telling myself, anyway.”

Luna nodded slowly, and Scrivener reached a hoof up to quietly touch Scarlet Sage's shoulder, gazing down at her silently before he smiled a little and adjusted the sheets. Apple Bloom looked across at them, hesitated, then she asked finally: “Do you... do you want me to leave?”

“Why? You're family.” Scrivener said softly, glancing up at her and smiling a bit, and Apple Bloom blushed and looked down before Scrivener leaned forwards, kissing Scarlet Sage's forehead and murmuring: “I love you, daughter. We'll be back, okay? We're... we're gonna get Antares.”

Luna nodded firmly, then she silently leaned down and kissed her daughter's still, cool cheek, murmuring: “Fear not, Scarlet Sage. Thou shall always have our love and our faith. Concentrate only upon getting well, and... we shall see thee as soon as we can.”

There was silence for a few moments as they both sat back, looking at her for another moment before they both turned to leave. As they headed out of the ICU, they were both surprised to hear Apple Bloom call their names, and they halted to glance over their shoulders as the mare walked towards them.

She leaned up, hugging Scrivener first, and the male smiled faintly as he returned the embrace before Apple Bloom turned to hug Luna next. She held it for a few moments, then sighed softly and drew back, glancing down and rubbing at the back of her head before saying finally: “You guys take care of yourselves, okay? You don't just mean a lot to Scarlet Sage, you mean a lot to a lot of ponies... including me.”

“Don't worry about us. We always seem to come back, one way or the other.” Scrivener replied softly, and Apple Bloom nodded hesitantly before the charcoal stallion reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently. “I'm glad Scarlet Sage has you. I know you'll take good care of her.”

“Just remember to take care of thyself as well... thou art like a daughter to us, too.” Luna said quietly, and Apple Bloom smiled faintly and nodded a little. “Good luck to thee, Apple Bloom. We shall return as soon as we can.”

Apple Bloom nodded slowly, and then she simply stood and watched as Scrivener and Luna turned to make their way back towards the lobby of the hospital. Neither looked back, not even as they strode through the waiting room and they were rejoined by their family... not even as they strode out of the hospital, onto the road beyond, and calmly made their way away from Ponyville in silence, the only sound the wind whispering through the grasses in the deepening dusk.

They halted after only a few minutes of walking, and Scrivener glanced over at Luna, thoughts and images swirling between them before she closed her eyes and smiled faintly. But before she could speak, Gymbr strode calmly forwards between them, sending chills down the two before it turned slowly around and said softly: “This is where we part ways, cherished friends. Celestia... do not follow us. Do not betray your promise and your honor... do not lose yourself. They have promised to return and will make good on it, we guarantee this.”

Celestia lowered her head a bit as Sleipnir looked at her with surprise, but Pinkamena only grinned sourly, glancing over at the ivory mare and asking coldly: “What, Princess Sunshine? You really thought you could just pretend to help them open the portal and run on through it? What kind of screwed up, stupid, childish plan is that?”

“They're all I have, Pinkamena.” Celestia said simply, looking over at the demon... and when Sleipnir looked at her with a slow frown, stung by this comment, the ivory mare shook her head and murmured: “No, that... that is not what I meant precisely. Sleipnir, you know I love you... that you mean so much to me, truly, my little brother. But Luna... I betrayed worse than I betrayed you. It's a price I still have not fully paid, and my sins still weigh on my shoulders. Letting me plunge in alone to Decretum, or with a monster alongside me to bring down the Clockwork King... that makes more sense, doesn't it? Maybe then I could feel as if... as if I have done something worthy to begin cleaning the blood from my hooves...”

“It doesn't make any sense at all... and it's very respectable on the one hand, but very selfish on the other.” Discombobulation said gently, and then he reached a hand up, squeezing her shoulder slowly as Celestia looked up at him quietly, trembling a bit. “Would it really be honorable to sacrifice yourself so you feel better... and leave your family and an entire nation behind to mourn your death and fall apart without you? Luna and Sleipnir would kill themselves and the whole nation if you left them alone for a week with even something as harmless as some paper and crayons.”

“Do not insult me, Discombobulation, 'twould take far less than a week and I would not even need the paper.” Sleipnir corrected kindly, and Celestia laughed a little despite herself as Twilight looked up with a faint smile. “Now Celestia... little sister has asked us to have faith in her, and... so I shall have faith in her. And she is right... we have an obligation here, as delightful as it would be to charge headlong into Decretum... but we must be prepared for violence against us and to protect this world and Valhalla. Although I think... Luna and Scrivener simply desire to take all the fun for themselves, too.”

Luna smiled a little, and Scrivener shrugged a bit before Twilight looked up and asked quietly: “You'll remember your promise, right?”

They both nodded, and Twilight hesitated only a moment before striding forwards and raising her head, closing her eyes; her lips met Luna's first, the kiss short and sweet... as gentle and tender as it was when she turned her head to kiss Scrivener next, before the violet mare stepped back and looked between them imploringly, saying softly: “Come back. Please come back. I love you both too much to lose you.”

They both nodded, looking softly across at Twilight before Pinkamena added quietly, looking up as her features smoothed out: “Luna, I like you, so don't die... and Scrivener Blooms, I know better than these idiots to not bother with words with a poet, so... look at us.”

Scrivener hesitated for a moment... then he closed his eyes before slowly slowly them as they lit up with faint sapphire luminescence... and his breath caught in his throat. He saw Celestia's burning radiance... Twilight, light that somehow burned dark... Sleipnir's primal confidence and his beacon-like joy... Pinkamena, her true demon's form exposed in his vision, but the radiant, translucent wings that stretched up from her back glowing white. “I ain't gonna let them replace you, no matter how long you're gone. I'll kill anyone they try to make my new cellmate. So get back here before my hooves get too dirty.”

Scrivener nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating... and when he opened them, just like that, the visions were gone. Easier than it had ever been, despite the faint, familiar ache that rumbled through his eyes... before Gymbr said softly from behind them: “We envy you all, your dedication... your love. It was what we desired... it was what we destroyed. Come, Scrivener Blooms, Luna Brynhild... all you must do is focus in your minds, and tell us where you want to go.”

Scrivener and Luna both turned around to face the creature, the images rising up long before the words did as Gymbr's eyes glowed emerald... and both ponies shivered for a moment, feeling it somehow reaching into their minds, drawing out their knowledge, before it smiled calmly as its horn glowed with black light.

And behind it, a terrible, black vortex slowly opened, white lightning shocking violently through the rift as the sound of howls and clanking gears echoed out of the darkness, and Gymbr smiled softly before it turned and strode into the portal... and knowing no other choice, Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild followed the creature into swirling, screaming darkness.

Through The Black Mirror

Chapter Seventy Two: Through The Black Mirror
~BlackRoseRaven

The first thing Luna and Scrivener were aware of was that it was terrifying to stride through this black tunnel of darkness filled with the sounds of relentless machinery, unable to make out anything more than the faint shape of Gymbr ahead of them. The second thing was that it hurt: it froze Luna's blood in her veins, but made the corruption in Scrivener's boil, and filled the mental link between them with wails of static.

After seconds that felt like minutes, they finally staggered out the other side... and behind them, the dark rift crackled with such violence that it knocked Luna and Scrivener stumbling forwards as it snapped closed, Gymbr glancing calmly over its shoulder as it said softly: “We hope that no one tried to follow. It will not have ended nicely for them.”

Luna gritted her teeth with a shiver at this, wishing she'd glanced back before she slowly looked up as her eyes focused... and her mind tried to process the world she was looking at, as she whispered: “By Mimir's head... this... this cannot have once been Equestria...”

“The very air... reeks of corruption...” Scrivener shivered, unable to bring his eyes up, only staring down at the ground... a ground that stank of asphalt, chemicals, and diseased blood, made of blackened, charred stone, dark tar, and what looked like the black mire created by the Tyrant Wyrms.

Noxious smoke rolled by like mist, and slowly, Scrivener forced himself to look up, the same expression of horror spreading over his features as he looked at the endless wasteland in front of him. Jagged red and black mountains bit at the crimson sky in the distance, and instead of trees, there were terrible obelisks of dark stone leaning out of the mire here and there, carved with intricate runes, like collections of signposts directing ghosts to nowhere. There were a few shapes in the distance that could be buildings, others that were possibly monuments... but for the most part, the only distinguishing features among the broken and hollow landscape were the enormous, dull metal pipes, many of these steaming in places where bolts had come loose and dripping with black poison and liquid corruption.

There was only one defined building, which seemed to be where the pipes were heading towards: what had once clearly been Canterlot Castle, but was now some awful, black and steel shape that even from here, they could hear harrowing rumbles emanating from. And then both ponies looked at Gymbr as the creature said softly, without turning to face them: “Look behind yourselves, sweet Scrivener, beloved Luna.”

Slowly, both ponies did so... and then they staggered forwards, spinning around and staring in shock at the gargantuan monolith they stood in the shadow of. It was tilted slightly backwards, likely from years of settling into the mire, and enormous, silent tankers rested to either side of it, as well as unmoving pistons that were steaming faintly on exposed, complex engines. But the body of the object itself was made of massive plates of dull, blurry glass that were covered in thin cracks and larger fractures. The monstrous mirror had to be at least sixty feet tall and perhaps forty wide, and although it emitted no sense of power... gazing into it, at the blurs and swirls, felt like gazing through a dirty window into another world entirely.

Scrivener and Luna stared over this with horror, as Gymbr calmly turned and said softly: “The Black Mirror. Clockwork World's gateway to other worlds... pretty, isn't it? A massive channeling altar, powered by...” Gymbr closed its eyes, tilting its head upwards as its horn gave a faint pulse. “A thousand souls. That is why it can open and close so quickly... was easy to activate, even from across the layers...”

Luna and Scrivener stared in horror, and then both ponies hurried to the side, running around to the back of the mirror... and staring in horror at the sight of the massive, crystalline dome on the other side of the structure. It was what was holding the massive rectangle of glass up, although several of the supports and pipes had rusted away and clogged shut with rust or hardened corruption. But the cracked dome, while dirty, was translucent... more than transparent enough to see the countless bodies crammed into the other side of it, electricity sizzling every now and then through the piled-in corpses.

Scrivener shook his head weakly as Luna breathed hard, then snarled as her horn glowed and she began to step forwards... but the sapphire light stuttered out as Gymbr's own horn took on a dark shimmer and the creature stepped around the mirror, asking curiously: “What are you doing? There is no necessity to free them... in fact, this may be the only easy link between worlds-”

“And I shall not use the defiled dead as stepping stones to get from one world to the next!” Luna retorted furiously, shaking her head with a growl as Scrivener grimaced and nodded in agreement. “We shall simply force another way back with this one destroyed, but those souls deserve rest... and if this is truly the greatest gate between worlds, then let us destroy it and rob Decretum of the ability to strike at Looking Glass World with ease!”

Then Luna stopped and frowned, looking sharply at Gymbr and asking slowly: “Tell me, creature... if thou believes this so important... then why is it undefended?”

But it was Scrivener who answered, looking down and saying quietly: “Well, Luna, think about it... in this world, what's there to defend from? All serve the Clockwork King and his Prophet. Ultimate order... everyone does what they're told.”

Luna grunted and shivered, meeting Scrivener's eyes, trading images and memories back they both looked up in surprise as Gymbr said softly: “Then we shall destroy the Black Mirror, while you both go to our clearest destination. First we shall decipher and understand it, and then we shall wait for you to reach a safe distance. We have no desire to waste energy protecting you both from the explosion that shall result, nor with fighting the army that will undoubtedly arrive to discover what has happened here. Do not fear... your energies resonate with us. It will be easy for us to catch up.”

Luna and Scrivener traded apprehensive looks, before the sapphire mare asked slowly: “And exactly why should we give thou this leap of trust and faith... and moreover, why should I not pummel thee into the ground for thy particularly-irksome choice of words?”

“We apologize. But do not forget that we are powerful; modesty is not our strong point. But we are also honest, as you should have learned by now... we wish to aid you, and if you are afraid we are sending you into a trap or benefit at all from your demise, you are mistaken.” Gymbr leaned slowly down, and both Scrivener and Luna winced a bit as the creature said softly: “We must save Antares Mīrus. That is our desire; to achieve this end, however, we will require your aid. Yes, becoming more than a Tulpa has granted us all the powers our storied memories tell us we should have. But it has also created a vulnerability in us: we are not a thought-from masquerading as the physical, we are the physical, in the physical realm. Which means that other physical forces will hurt us.”

“That's why you wanted to come with us... you want us to watch your back.” Scrivener said slowly, then he frowned and asked after a moment: “Why not just... create an army, though, if you have such godlike power?”

And Gymbr laughed quietly at this, looking to Luna and answering in a voice that took on more of her tones: “And where would be the fun and honor in that?”

Luna smiled wryly, then she nodded hesitantly before sighing softly, glancing at Scrivener Blooms and muttering: “'Tis not as if we have much choice in either event, Scrivy... we must trust in the creature. No matter what it is, what it does, what it desires; it is here, and we must take its word. And it knows this, does it not?”

“We do.” Gymbr agreed kindly, and then it bowed its head to them, adding gently: “We do not care if you refer to us as male or female. Speak freely to us. We will not harm either of you.”

Scrivener only grunted as Luna grimaced a little, then the sapphire mare turned and muttered: “Aye, yes. So used to say the Barons, too. Yet how many dared to then speak freely and wert beheaded within moments?”

“Now, Luna, we are not the Barons. We are you.” Gymbr called calmly at their backs, and Luna shivered a bit as she kept her eyes forwards, even as Scrivener couldn't help but glance awkwardly back. “Do not fear. We shall rejoin you shortly... head onwards, to the only possible destination, and do not turn back.”

“Yes, of course not.” Scrivener muttered, and he and Luna both looked up towards the only shape in the distance: maimed, warped and distorted Canterlot. “Do you get the feeling we were just very subtly given an order?”

“Aye, I do, and what frustrates me further is that I know not what to do about it but to bear it for now.” Luna replied in a mumble, and Scrivener nodded slowly before the two ponies looked back and forth at the dark mire and bleak corruption all around them, both shaking their heads slowly. “By all that is, Scrivener Blooms... Valthrudnir did not just burn this world... he poured evil that I cannot express, cannot describe into its core and roots, transforming it into a... a place worse than Helheim. 'Sinister' does not begin to do justice to it...”

Scrivener grunted and nodded, shivering despite himself as he and Luna strode forwards through the wastes, both looking up at the red sky... and the sapphire mare shivered as she realized that there were no clouds, no stars, no moon, and no sun. Just a ceiling of red and poisonous light that poured down from the sky, stealing all sense of day and night... worse by far than the light of the Evening Isles in the first layer they had placed an anchor, so long ago now...

Luna looked silently down as Scrivener breathed slowly, tasting the corruption in the air, feeling the mire under his hooves... and not wanting to admit that he felt a strange, almost comforting heat whenever they passed over a particularly large patch of dark, deathly bog. Then he glanced up as the winged unicorn whispered suddenly: “Scrivener... what have we both become? For what affects thou affects me, and I know that... did thou not have that immunity to the corruption, we would be poisoned by it by now. And in my mind, Nightmare Moon is excited, speaks of paradise... but oh, I look around myself and I do not see paradise. I see... I see..”

Luna trembled, looking ahead before she snarled and spat to the side, saying fiercely: “Oh, why lie! I do not see paradise, but I do not see Hell... gods damn me, but I see and smell possibilities, Scrivener Blooms, and I loathe myself for it! I feel strong in this world now, even with the corruption all around us, and I wonder... I think of the visions thou gave Wisdom that have crept into my mind, I wonder if we can raise some great and dark nature in place of a great and dark machine and... and...”

Luna breathed hard, then she shook her head out as her starry mane sparked violently, Scrivener looking across at her quietly before he said softly: “I know.”

The winged unicorn looked over at him for a moment, and the earth pony shook his head slowly before he gazed ahead and whispered: “Luna... I feel a call. A beacon... beyond Canterlot. Something is crying out to us... and while I want to rescue Antares, and stop the Clockwork King, I feel like Visionary's powers... they're pointing the way to something we have to find. Something beyond Canterlot...”

He shook his head, then looked down, continuing weakly: “Maybe... maybe it was Visionary's powers, Visionary's intent all along that the corruption would do this. That destroying the Hexad would give me their memories and feed so much poison through me that it would give us this.. this immunity to the corruption in the air. She knew about the corruption already in my mind and spirit and... I...”

Scrivener broke off, sounding weak and tinny in his own ears, but Luna was nodding slowly, looking at him worriedly before she said finally: “'Tis possible, is it not? It must be, Scrivy, it... it must.”

“It must.” Scrivener muttered, looking down and shaking his head before he said quietly: “Otherwise... the Tyrant Wyrm must have had worse effects on me than we ever realized, or maybe... staying in corrupted Equestria for so long...” He stopped, then laughed sourly, looking down and whispering: “Not that corrupted Equestria had anything on this... even when it became insane and was beginning to lose cohesion, it wasn't like this. This is worse than chaos, and reality tearing apart. This... this is Valthrudnir's 'genius.' This is Valthrudnir's plans and heart and soul, all bared and brought to light...”

Luna shivered a little at this thought herself, shaking her head slowly as she and Scrivener continued on in silence, only occasionally looking up and around themselves... but there was nothing to see. No life, few landmarks, and the only sound was the pumping and gushing of sludge through the stacked pipeline some forty feet away, and neither pony dared to approach this.

Then they both glanced sharply up at the sound of a rumbling through the air, looking over their shoulders... and staring in shock at the enormous, black explosion that ripped into the sky, arcs of blue lightning sizzling through the air as blasts rang through the wastes. Both ponies gaped in shock at the sight of the earth visibly rippling and smoke bursting outwards... and then another, second explosion rumbled upwards, a mushroom cloud stretching towards the sky as enormous chunks of rubble flew in all directions, leaving streaks of fire and electricity and smoke behind them.

One meteor fell dangerously close to them, smashing down only some ten feet away, and Scrivener and Luna both winced and backpedaled before the stallion grunted in shock as he hit something. He looked over his shoulder with a wince, and stared in disbelief at the sight of Gymbr, the creature smiling calmly down at him and saying softly: “Do not fear, our friends. We are at a safe distance. The waves and smoke should both settle before they reach us here... and besides, our goal lays in the opposite direction. If we continue towards it, we shall be fine.”

“Aye, then let us do that.” Luna agreed with a wince, watching in horror as the mushroom cloud continued to grow and expanding, lighting streaking violently through it as another ominous rumble tore through the air. “By all that is, monster, what did thou do?”

“Monster... yes, perhaps we still are a monster. But there is little difference between monsters and gods.” Gymbr said thoughtfully, turning and striding calmly forwards, and Scrivener and Luna both shivered as they looked after the creature before they strode quickly forwards, falling into pace behind Gymbr. “But we do not entirely appreciate being referred to as such all the same. It brings back bad memories.”

“Memories... they are not memories!” Luna snapped, before she could stop herself, and Gymbr cocked its head curiously even as it refused to look back, continuing onwards, and Luna ground her teeth together before plunging forwards, even as Scrivener winced and dropped his head a bit. “Thou wert never alive, thou never... we never did the things described in that damned story, Odin was not our enemy and... they are not thy memories!”

“They are the story that forms our past. Whether we lived them or only dreamed them, they are still our memories.” Gymbr replied in an infuriatingly-calm voice, and Luna grumbled under her breath as the creature led them onwards with a slight smile, gazing out towards Canterlot in the distance. “Besides. There is no greater truth than that which is told in dreams.”

“Damnable creature, speak not in riddles, 'tis vexing.” Luna muttered and Scrivener lowered his head moodily, trying not to let himself think too deeply on what the strange being was saying.

But only a few minutes later, their attention was drawn from arguing with Gymbr to looking nervously up at the sky as enormous metal birds flew slowly onwards overhead... but Gymbr only glanced up, saying softly. “Do not fear. They are blind to us: they gaze only at the sky, not the earth below. Foolish.”

“But we need to be careful... if soldiers are sent in to check on what happened back there, the only place they could come from is Canterlot.” Scrivener said slowly, but Gymbr only chuckled quietly. “What? What is it?”

“Do not forget who opposes us. The Prophet that gazes across time and space, into other worlds and realities.” Gymbr answered, tilting its head towards them with a smile, and Luna nodded with a frown of understanding before the creature continued softly: “Strange that she did not see us... stranger still that, as we are not being swarmed in upon by minions and soldiers, she has not taken notice of our presence.”

Gymbr paused, then added meditatively: “Or perhaps she has. But why would the Prophet permit us to stride onwards? Why, in fact, did she not send her soldiers the moment the Black Mirror was activated? To miss such a thing... it would point to blindness, or foolish arrogance... and the Prophet has not struck us as foolish nor as arrogant.”

Scrivener looked down, frowning, as Luna nodded slowly, before Gymbr looked up and said thoughtfully: “Perhaps a cruel trap awaits us. Perhaps we are meant to feel safe. Or perhaps there is a greater scheme at work here... we do not know. We are not sure. All we can do is continue forwards, and find what awaits us... but at least our journey shall not be uncomfortable.”

“Speak for yourself.” Scrivener muttered, and when Gymbr smiled over its shoulder at him, the earth pony shivered a bit and shook his head slowly, saying quietly: “Walking through this world, Gymbr, seeing... feeling almost good... that bothers me more than if every glance at this hellish wasteland made me want to vomit...”

Luna nodded in slow agreement, and Gymbr looked at them with a strange thoughtfulness in its eyes before it gazed forwards again towards Canterlot, saying softly: “Yes. Yes, we have so much we desire to learn from you both...”

“Then perhaps thou can teach me whatever atrocious magic thou used to create that magnificent explosion. 'Twould be nice to have a spell in my arsenal that could make even Celestia wet herself in fear.” Luna said meditatively, and Gymbr chuckled quietly at this before the sapphire mare glanced up at the red sky and shivered. “'Twould be nicer still if thou could do away with that blasphemous crimson sky...”

Gymbr only smiled, looking ahead as its black-fire mane and tail swirled slowly backwards, and Scrivener and Luna both looked silently towards the creature before turning their eyes ahead. They continued through the treacherous black wastes, Gymbr gazing forwards and keeping their pace steady and calm, refusing to hurry... and for how little the two trusted in it in other ways, they had faith in its ability to sense whether they were moving too quickly or too slow. If Gymbr wasn't rushing, it meant Antares must still be okay... and they were both well aware that this creature, anything but stupid, perhaps had other unspoken reasons for keeping them moving at this almost-relaxed march.

Scrivener and Luna couldn't help but stare at some of the things they passed, though... here, a massive, long-abandoned guard tower, leaning heavily and surrounded by broken hulks of strange machinery. There, the pipeline fed into some kind of massive, octagonal tank, that was rumbling ominously and had at least half a dozen other pipes sticking out of it: a hub, fed from a multitude of pipes to pump fuel and poison out in a variety of directions, although Scrivener didn't dare guess where the toxic payload was coming from... or what these countless veins running across the skin of the dead wasteland went.

And as they drew closer to Canterlot and the mountain range, the ground under their hooves became brittle rock, layered here and there with ash. They also began to see signs of other creatures: prints of hooves, trails, pieces of metal, and eventually a cracked asphalt road that they stepped onto and began to follow. Gymbr was as calm as ever about this development, taking it almost carelessly casually... but Luna and Scrivener both began to feel anxious.

They followed the road into the outer steppes of the mountain range, Canterlot far closer now. It loomed ominously against the sky in the distance, visible above even the tallest mountain between them and the structure, and Scrivener shivered a bit as he noted there were massive pipes and ancient, rusting supports jutting from the underside of the castle and all along the cliff beneath the foreboding building. There was something simply... horrifying about it, that dragged in both Luna and Scrivener's attention, neither of them realizing that Gymbr had stopped before its hooves clicked loudly as they snapped apart into claws, and it reached up to seize both Scrivener and Luna by the mane, holding them in place as they both flinched at its grip.

Before even Luna could snap at it, though, the mare's sharp ears picked up the steady thundering of hooves, and she looked slowly up in horror to realize that there was a metal bridge some fifty feet ahead and perhaps only a few yards above their heads, heavy steel pillars feeding down into the rocky earth to support the sagging structure. Many of the additional supports on the bridge had long snapped, and it stretched from the gaping tunnel in the cliff to their left to what looked like a high road cut into the side of the mountain on their right.

Luna realized they had no cover: the road they were following cut through a U-shaped ravine, and the sides of the cliff were steep and had few nooks or crannies to hide in. As she wracked her mind for options, the creatures above began to stride onto the bridge... and Luna's mind went blank as she stared at them with something like numb horror, shaking her head slowly and disbelievingly.

They were shaped like ponies... but that was where the similarities ended. They had naked gray flesh instead of colored coats, sunken black eyes, and no manes or tails that Luna could see. They were hideous, broken, naked things, like unloved, unwelcome newborns that had been thrown out to die, but had been raised as a twisted joke from their earthen cradles to serve a force that knew love and mercy no more than it understood dignity and compassion.

The creatures walked in double-file across the bridge, not looking around, only staring mindlessly ahead, devoid of emotions and curiosity. Large metal bins hung off the sides of several of the creatures, some almost overflowing with chunks of crystal and large pieces of ore, as Scrivener whispered: “Worker Drones. But they're worse than the memories ever said...”

Luna grimaced in disgust and nodded slowly, as Gymbr dropped its claws away from them as they clacked loudly back into hooves. It calmly stood, looking up at the bridge as the double line of Workers filed slowly onwards, none of the automatons noticing nor caring that they were being watched as they strode on over the rusted metal.

The parade of Worker Drones moved past after a few minutes... and Scrivener grimaced in disgust as Gymbr murmured quietly: “What foolishness... in our world, we made our people strong, and gave them freedom. His mechanical toys have neither of those things, nor dignity, emotion, or hope.”

Scrivener and Luna both nodded slowly before Gymbr calmly began to lead them onwards, and both equines fell in step behind him. The mountains grew steadily higher and steeper as the road under their hooves sloped gently upwards through the narrow trench. Gymbr kept his eyes forwards, but Scrivener and Luna couldn't help but look skywards: not only were more Thunderbirds flying by overhead, sometimes low enough that the two could faintly hear the beats of their metallic wings, they were passing beneath more bridges and by rusted, warped hulks of lamp- and signposts.

Finally, as they drew close to their destination and the warped, corrupted Canterlot towered terribly high above on the mountaintop, Gymbr calmly gestured ahead. Slowly, Scrivener forced his eyes down, past the massive pipes that in some cases were thicker than the mightiest tree of the Everfree Forest in Looking Glass World, that rumbled as ominously as a rabid dragon protecting its territory.

There was a massive, broken pipe near the bottom of the cliff, spilling an enormous waterfall of black ooze into a sinkhole that had formed near the base of the mountainside, broken pieces of road and what had likely once been a steel bridge standing up through this mess... but to the side, there was also a wide, metal ramp, half-eaten away by corruption. It led up to a massive, sunken stone archway and a pair of rusted metal doors that had warped slightly open from either so many years of the awful, humid heat radiating up from the rock, or perhaps the corruption's influence. “There. Our destination... our passage into what was once Canterlot.”

Scrivener and Luna nodded slowly, and as they approached the metal doors, Gymbr's horn glowed darkly before it simply flicked its head to the side, and the massive doors screamed in protest as the same aura surrounded them and they were dragged forcibly open. Scrivener and Luna both winced and looked back and forth at the sound, but Gymbr neither slowed nor sped up, continuing at the same calm pace as it said softly: “Have faith, Luna and Scrivener. This world is not like ours. To these creatures, a sound is only a sound... neither warning nor curiosity.”

The two ponies nodded hesitantly as they followed the third creature to the ramp and up into the stone hall beyond. They looked back and forth as Gymbr led the way forwards, at walls shored up by rusted and ancient pillars of both steel and stone, at abandoned mining tools and what looked like a rusted mine cart tipped on its side, a payload of broken, unpolished gemstones spilled from it like dried blood.

Then the trio halted at a loud humming that whizzed through the air before both Scrivener and Luna set themselves as a spark of light shot towards them, but Gymbr only looked coldly, unflinchingly up as the gleam grew quickly closer and larger before it flashed brightly... and a moment later, Valthrudnir was standing in front of them, the Jötnar snarling down at them as he pointed angrily at the trio and shouted: “In-In-Ingrates!”

Scrivener snarled and stepped forwards, feeling the corruption boil in his system at just the sight of the monster as Luna glared furiously, but Gymbr only cocked its head curiously before its eyes narrowed, murmuring: “Amplified illusion.”

“Oh, as if y-you plebeians are so worthy of my at-at-attention t-that I'm g-going to come to you, w-when you fools seem intent to c-come to me.” Valthrudnir's retorted disgustedly, and Scrivener relaxed slightly as he realized that the outline of the Jötnar was fuzzy, and his movements a bit jerky. It really is just some kind of... projected image... “H-How dare you worthless l-little in-insects set foot h-here!”

“We don't have feet, we have hooves.” Scrivener said dryly, holding one of these up and shaking it absently, and the image of Valthrudnir snarled at him before the charcoal stallion leaned forwards, glaring at him. “Besides. You're the one who called us out, Valthrudnir. You're the one who not only messed with our world... you kidnapped our son, you coward.”

“T-there is no cowardice in u-utilizing superior strategy.” Valthrudnir retorted, standing straighter and looking down at the trio with disgust. “And I d-did plan to send y-your son back to you... after I h-h-helped him see the g-glory of my ways, that is. But now you fools are forcing m-my hand, and instead I shall have to e-end the game prematurely!”

“Oh fear not, Valthrudnir, the game shall indeed end shortly... we shall ensure that!” Luna snarled, and the Jötnar smiled icily at her before Luna leaned forwards, eyes blazing with fury as her mane sparked. “We shall rescue my son, and then we shall hunt thee down and rip both thee and thy false Prophet apart!”

Valthrudnir only laughed at this; one short, sharp 'ha!' repeated again and again and again, as stuttering as his voice before there was a flash of light, and a whizzing sound as glowing orb shot rapidly away from them, his voice fading even as he mocked: “Y-You are free to try, B-B-Brynhild! Go a-ahead, 'save' y-your son... h-he c-c-cries for you from his cell up above!”

Scrivener and Luna both snarled furiously, but Gymbr only shook its head, stepping forwards and saying softly: “No, do not fall for the treachery of the Jötnar. He desires to see us in panic... he desires to try and use our emotions against us. If we rush, we shall only play into his games and his claws.”

Scrivener and Luna both grimaced, but nodded hesitantly as they continued slowly forwards, and the creature smiled and nodded calmly back to them as it turned its gaze ahead, saying quietly: “We shall not permit Antares Mīrus to be harmed. He is our savior. He is the guiding light. He is... Polaris.”

Both ponies looked for a moment towards Gymbr as they began to stride forwards down the long, wide tunnel, and then Luna asked hesitantly as she leaned forwards slowly: “Creature... I do not say that I either disagree, nor that I do not understand... but why is it that thou art so... so... so dependent upon my beloved child?”

And Gymbr smiled at this, not looking at either pony as it gazed ahead before saying softly: “Because you are us, and he is everything we were supposed to build, supposed to cherish... and only succeeded in corrupting and destroying. He is Midnight Hour's antithesis. He has brought love and hope into our heart... he makes us think of something other than ourselves.”

Both Scrivener and Luna nodded silently as they made their way through the tunnel, realizing in time that it was an abandoned mine: there was little down here, though, and they were guided onwards by rusted signs and collapsed tunnels, forced to continue down the relatively-straight path formed by the reinforced main tunnel. Every now and then, they came across the rusted, dead body of a fallen Worker Drone... and Scrivener couldn't help but shiver at the sight of these. Flesh that was somehow metallic, rotting slowly and smelling of copper as they decayed for countless years...

They eventually found themselves in an enormous cavern that was filled with piles of ore and gemstones. Tools and mining equipment rested off to one side, and there was some kind of large, square platform at the very back of the cavern, several rusting steel boxes resting on this and the lift surrounded by thin safety rails. Gymbr approached this calmly as Scrivener and Luna both frowned and followed, the sapphire mare glancing up into the dark, open shaft above as she muttered: “'Tis some kind of... elevator, is that the term?”

“But there's no power.” Scrivener said quietly, shaking his head as he approached what looked like a control panel, poking at it with a grimace. “I don't understand any of these symbols or anything, either...”

“Then we shall fly.” Gymbr said calmly over its shoulder, and its horn began to glow... before it smiled and closed its eyes, bowing its head politely when Luna gave it a sharp look. “We apologize. We do not intend to overstep our bounds, do not fear; Scrivener Blooms, shall we transform you?”

“Just... just wings. Go ahead, Luna.” Scrivener grimaced a bit, and Gymbr smiled calmly as Luna's horn glowed sapphire as she turned her eyes on Scrivener, the earth pony closing his eyes as the modular plates on the sides of his armor glowed and clicked out of place, before cursing at the pain that shot through him as wings stretched and expanded out of his sides, hearing a sick splatter and not wanting to guess what it was.

Luna shivered a bit, her eyes locking on the sight of the dark corruption that burst down as a pair of large, leathery, and powerful wings formed, and Scrivener flapped these once with a wheeze, clearing more dark ooze from them as Gymbr said softly: “Fear not. It is just... an adjustment.”

“Oh. Wonderful.” Scrivener muttered, as the glow died around Luna's horn before he winced and cracked his back, flapping his wings again: they didn't feel as stiff as they often did when first formed, but on the other hoof, his back now ached... but that too was fading. Mostly, it was the thought of the corruption that had splattered all over that bothered him... “I... we should get going.”

“Aye. There is no time to dally, no time to worry and think.” Luna agreed quietly after a moment, and Gymbr nodded calmly before the sapphire mare spread her wings, gazing hesitantly over at Scrivener. “Art thou ready? 'Twill be a tough climb.”

“We have an important goal to reach.” Scrivener said quietly, and Luna smiled faintly before she nodded firmly, their eyes locking, images trading back and forth between them: of family, of embracing Antares, of their foal growing up... and they both steeled themselves before leaping upwards, wings flapping hard as they took to the air.

Gymbr followed after them as they spiraled slowly up and up and up through the long stone passage, Luna leading with her teeth grit and eyes glowing with determination. It was almost ten minutes of hard flight, pushing up and up and up, as around them stone first became laced with cables and thrumming pipes, then turned slowly to concrete and metal.

Luna's eyes locked on a glint above, and as they ascended, she realized it was a metal ceiling, with several enormous, visible gears in it, jammed with cobwebs and hanging, weakly-sparking cables. She also realized that one of the walls to the side was not a wall at all, but some kind of sliding door, and the winged unicorn grinned a bit as she guided her flight towards this, noting that it was open just a little...

She brought her horn forwards, slipping it into the gap between the ajar doors, then twisted her head hard to the side with a grunt: with a puff of dust and a scream of rusted metal, the door slid slightly open before Luna brought her front hooves up, seizing the side of the frame and shoving the door hard to the side to open a space wide enough for her to comfortably pass through and drop to the cement beyond. Scrivener and Gymbr followed her in, the charcoal stallion glancing back and forth at the sloping, dusty stone corridor to the large, steel double doors at the end. “Well, 'tis only one way to go, at least.”

Scrivener nodded with a grimace, before both he and Luna frowned when Gymbr cocked its head curiously, staring intently at the doors before saying softly, as it began forwards: “Our host has sent a clown to entertain us. Shall we?”

Luna felt herself tensing up as Scrivener looked sharply ahead, and Gymbr smiled, as calm as ever before it flicked its horn forwards, knocking open the double doors at the end of the corridor as they approached. And Luna and Scrivener both snarled, freezing in their steps for a moment as Gymbr only continued to walk into the enormous hall beyond, as a deep voice shouted eagerly: “Herrófriðr has been waiting for you, ponies!”

The two equines shot forwards, dropping into ready positions on either side of Gymbr as they faced across from the monstrous, headless centaur. It was standing in the middle of what seemed like an enormous warehouse used for shipping and receiving: humongous steel crates and boxes were stacked at the sides of the area and against decaying metal shelves, the ceiling high overhead supported by warped girders and the walls and floor cracked with age. A battlefield that gave all the advantages to the centaur that was almost five times larger than them, in other words: home turf, no place to hide, and wide, long, and tall enough to let it move freely.

And Herrófriðr wasn't alone, either: standing at the ready, swords and shields glowing with malevolent magic, were no less than six Dullahan. Herrófriðr laughed, and had it a head, Scrivener knew the monster would be grinning as it rose its kite shield and reached over its shoulder with its free hand to yank a saw-bladed sword free, letting the tip of the jagged-bladed weapon drop down against the cement. “Filthy little maggots! Do not be afraid, Herrófriðr shall make your death quick!”

“Thou art the monster that stole our son... oh, aye this battle shall be quick, but 'twill be Scrivener Blooms and I that do the slaying!” Luna snapped angrily, snarling across at the centaur as she readied herself. Scrivener rumbled in agreement, and then both ponies glanced at Gymbr as the creature stepped forwards before Luna said sharply: “The monster is our quarry!”

“Do not fear. We shall not interfere... we simply desire to even the odds.” Gymbr replied quietly as its horn began to glow darkly, and then it flicked it upwards, and the six Dullahan gave rasping cries as black fire burst upwards over them, armor quickly beginning to melt away to nothing as they staggered backwards before Gymbr smiled as it leaned forwards, eyes beginning to glow as the aura around its horn flared higher, and black fire turned to solid obsidian crystal around the Dullahan, ensnaring them in gemstone cages.

Then Gymbr threw its head back and laughed as its dark fire mane sizzled upwards, the godlike creature rearing as its horn gave a pulse... and the black prisons and the Dullahan helplessly sealed inside were shattered like glass from the wave of force that rippled through the area, both Luna and Scrivener stumbling and staring at the horrible power of this creature as Herrófriðr staggered backwards with a roar of shock and disbelief, chunks of crystal and metal bouncing off its massive frame. A moment later, Gymbr dropped calmly back to its hooves, and it smiled before glancing up, saying softly: “We sense reinforcements. Please excuse us, Luna and Scrivener. We shall clear the path ahead... join us once you are finished with the clown.”

With that, Gymbr simply vanished from sight, and Luna and Scrivener traded looks as the rubble that was all that remained of the Dullahan settled, and Herrófriðr snarled at them before the creature roared in an enraged voice: “You dare mock Herrófriðr? Herrófriðr shall crush you!”

The centaur smashed the flat of its saw sword against its shield, then it snarled as it charged suddenly, violently forwards, and Luna and Scrivener barely had time to react before they leapt to either side. As the monster lashed its sword out towards Scrivener Blooms, Luna attempted to fly in from the side, flicking her horn to launch her spear free from its sheath as it extended rapidly up to full height before stabbing viciously forwards... and hitting only the monster's shield.

It didn't even turn towards her as it swung its arm out, knocking the spear away and slamming the kite shield into Luna's body to knock her backwards. It half-spun, swinging the massive saw sword out, and Luna barely managed to flap her wings and launch herself skywards before the blade whickered by beneath her. She snarled and retaliated with a lash of her horn, sending a fireball towards the massive centaur, but it easily blocked with the kite shield again, not even jarred by the blast before it snapped its sword upwards in an overpowered rising cut.

Luna winced and shot to the side, and then her eyes widened when Herrófriðr lunged and slammed the sword down in a halving slash, the sapphire mare trying to throw herself out of the way, but then hissing in pain when the edge of the blade caught her, tearing a scar through her armor and hitting with enough force to knock her flying backwards into a pile of crates. She bounced painfully off one, then managed to flip herself to land on her hooves on top of a second large steel container before her eyes widened when Herrófriðr simply barreled forwards with his shield raised in front of himself.

Luna leapt to the side and spread her wings, quickly shooting out of the way and only focusing on getting out of the path of the centaur; behind her, less than a second later, Herrófriðr simply smashed through the crates and charged into the metal shelving beyond, shrapnel and debris flying in all directions from the force of his impact.

It was already turning again, too, intent on pursuing Luna before her eyes snapped down as Scrivener shouted to her and threw her spear high into the air: with only a thought, Luna caught it and stabbed it viciously inwards towards Herrófriðr's collar. It slipped just over the tip of its shield, denting in the thick metal around his nonexistent neck before the centaur swung its sword up, catching the spear's neck between the teeth of his saw-like blade and then twisting hard to fling the polearm away like a toy, shouting angrily: “Stop struggling, harlot!”

Luna snarled and responded to this by flicking her horn down, sending another blue fireball rocketing towards the creature as Scrivener leapt into the air and shot towards Herrófriðr's back. But the monster's reflexes were horrifying: it not only swung its shield upwards to smash into the fireball, blocking the worst of the damage and ignoring the blast, it continued to half-turn and smashed the shield into Scrivener's face, knocking him backwards through the air before it slammed the pommel of its sword down into Scrivener's stomach.

It was like having a tree rammed into his gut, and Scrivener was knocked to the ground as Luna gasped, then shrieked when the centaur stomped a front hoof down on Scrivener once, twice, th-

Before it could slam its hoof down on the battered earth pony a third time, he snarled and swung all four limbs up, catching the bottom of it and gasping in pain as he felt his bones bending as mire and black blood dripped from wounds ripped wider by the exertion, but it was far better than the agony of being crushed once more. He could feel his denting armor tearing back against his own body as he flexed hard, trying to push the hoof up even as it bore savagely down... and then Herrófriðr roared and staggered forwards when Luna snapped her horn down and sent a blast of lightning hammering into its back, shouting furiously: “Keep thy wretched hooves to thyself, monster!”

Luna flicked her horn, her spear shooting up from the ground to float beside her as she dove forwards, but Herrófriðr leapt around in a circle, at the same time swinging its saw-sword viciously outwards in a turning cut: Luna only grinned, however, her eyes flashing as her spear snapped up in front of her, and blade meant to cut through anything slammed into the pole of a weapon designed never to break, Herrófriðr snarling in frustration and disbelief as Luna's horn glowed and her front hooves smashed into the spear's pole on either side of where it met the blade, fighting back against the strength of the goliath as her mane and tail sizzled with electricity. “Impossible! Stupid girl, you alone cannot be a match for Herrófriðr!”

“Nay, 'tis thou who art not the match for me! I am Luna Brynhild, and I am a Valkyrie!” Luna roared in return, and then she snarled as her eyes glowed, shouting: “And I am never alone!”

Scrivener leapt upwards from the ground, flapping his leathery wings hard to propel himself faster and further before he slammed his front hooves into Herrófriðr's underbelly, using them like an axle as he kicked both rear legs viciously upwards as hard as they could. They smashed into the underside of the centaur's equine underbelly with enough force to make the monster rattle, denting in its metallic body as Scrivener defied gravity, snarling as he felt Luna's rage flowing through him, giving him more strength as he began to pummel his front hooves savagely upwards as hard as he could in a vicious tattoo into its unprotected underside.

Herrófriðr roared in rage and fury, twitching and losing focus, letting Luna push forwards before it suddenly leaned forwards and slashed the saw sword out as hard as it could in a burst of raw power. Luna yelled in shock as both she and her spear were launched helplessly across the room, the sword ripping another long scar through her armor. Then the centaur leapt upwards, Scrivener flailing wildly as he began to fall before he stared stupidly a moment before the heavy, massive body of the centaur slammed viciously down on top of him as Herrófriðr landed heavily on its knees.

The stallion howled in pain, crushed back into the floor and feeling his ribs cracking and his armor crunching inwards. A moment later, Herrófriðr leapt back to its hooves, backing up and snarling downwards as it rose its sword high... but then the centaur flinched at the roar that echoed through the hall from Luna before it half-turned, and grunted in shock as Luna dragged a massive freight container into the air with telekinesis, the heavy metal crate spinning violently around her as she rolled her head on her shoulders before snapping her horn forwards as her eyes glowed ivory with rage, sending it flying at the metallic monster.

Herrófriðr snarled, anchoring itself into position as Scrivener hurriedly scrambled to his hooves and stagger-ran out from beneath the centaur. Then the metallic centaur roared, and Scrivener couldn't help but stare as Herrófriðr swung its kite shield out, battering away the enormous container to send it crashing to the ground like a train rumbling off a cliff... before Luna grinned sharply, already snapping her horn forwards to follow up with with a blast of lightning.

Herrófriðr was fast enough to automatically raise its other arm... but all this resulted in was the blast of lightning slamming into his saw-sword, and it was drawn down it like a conductor into the monster's metallic hand, which immediately began to smoke and smolder violently as enormous arcs of electricity tore up and down the centaur's sword. It howled in pain and surprise, staggering back and forth before flinging the weapon hurriedly to the ground.

Herrófriðr roared with fury, reaching back and yanking an enormous war-hammer free from the collection of weapons hanging from its side, and Luna snarled as the centaur charged for her, tensing herself before flapping her wings to narrowly launch over a vicious swing of the hammer. It smashed instead into a steel crate, crumpling the top like paper before Luna dropped low to avoid a wild swipe of its shield, then she winced and quickly flew backwards as Herrófriðr chased after her, smashing the hammer viciously down through the air back and forth, crunching craters into the floor. “Herrófriðr will crush you no matter how you try to run, worthless girl!”

Luna dodged back and forth, as Scrivener gritted his teeth and launched into the air as a wild, insane idea rose in his mind at how invulnerable this thing seemed, and the winged unicorn glanced over at him sharply before she returned her eyes to Herrófriðr, dropping to the ground and gritting her teeth as her horn began to glow brightly. Herrófriðr reared back, bringing its hammer far back before swinging viciously downwards with all its strength... and just before contact, Luna exploded into blue mist, the hammer uselessly passing through this and smashing deep into the ground instead, the centaur overbalancing and half-falling forwards.

Herrófriðr grunted in surprise as the blue mist snapped upwards around the hammer and twisted backwards, reforming rapidly into a wincing Luna as she gasped once and blood dripped from her mouth and nose: the hammer had still hurt like hell ripping through her, whether she'd been incorporeal or not. Then Scrivener Blooms shot over her head, and Herrófriðr wasn't able to react with both its arms out in front of it to hold himself up, as the earth pony shot straight down the dark gullet of the centaur.

It reared back in surprise... and then Luna grinned viciously as a massive bang sounded from inside the monster's hollow body as Scrivener hit something before the earth pony began to ricochet around inside the creature's chest, smashing viciously back and forth as Herrófriðr reared and then began to howl, dropping its war hammer as it staggered and its arms swung wildly through the air.

Luna flicked her horn, her spear flying quickly over to her before she leapt up and began to viciously stab it forwards in a cruel staccato against Herrófriðr's chest, following the trail of dents left by Scrivener's wild smashing. The centaur howled in misery, clawing at the air, unable to counterattack as Luna snapped furiously: “How does it feel to have something other than a helpless foal inside thy stomach, wretched child-thief!”

“Herrófriðr... k-k-kill... you both!” The monster howled, and then Luna snarled as she shot forwards and swung both rear hooves up to crunch in a large portion of the beast's weakened chest before, inside, Scrivener Blooms leapt upwards, kicking off the back plating and flapping his wings firmly as he threw himself as hard as possible in a straight dive-

Scrivener smashed straight through the monster's chest, and Herrófriðr threw its arms wide with a howl of misery, cracks tearing through its body as its chest was torn almost in half from the force of the stallion ripping through him as Luna leapt backwards. Scrivener hit the ground hard and rolled, wincing in pain and bleeding from where the metal edges of the centaur's body had torn against him, but the pain was nothing compared to the battle-rage and the pleasure he took in the monster's pain.

He skidded around with a snarl as Luna dropped to a ready position beside him, as Herrófriðr staggered back and forth, then dropped to its knees with enough force to rattle the entire room, slamming its hands into the ground in front of it as weapons fell free from its sides. It gargled weakly, clawing at the ground as it shivered once, and Scrivener and Luna traded sharp looks and nods before both ponies ran to either side of the beast.

Before it could recover, Scrivener seized one of the weapons that had fallen free from Herrófriðr, wrapping both his forelegs around the enormous hammer before he half-spun and slammed the mallet hard into the side of the creature. It howled in misery, then arched its back in agony as Luna's horn glowed and slammed a war axe hard into its upper back, the winged unicorn shouting: “Abomination, how does thou like the taste of thy own tyranny?”

Herrófriðr howled, barely able to move as Scrivener and Luna swept up fallen weapons, swinging and smashing them viciously into the centaur, battering it as they circled around the metallic monster and crunched limbs, broke armor plating, smashed apart its upper body. It was helpless, unable to turn, unable to move from the pain and the rapidly-accumulating damage before Luna finally snarled, horn glowing as she lifted the monster's still-sparking saw sword with telekinesis as they reached the front of the monster again, and Scrivener ran forwards before throwing himself into the air, flapping his leathery wings hard. He shot upwards and kicked both rear hooves hard into the pommel of the blade as Luna flicked her horn at the same time, sending it firing like a missile straight through Herrófriðr's already dissected chest.

The centaur howled, struck with enough force to knock its upper body arching backwards as metal flew in all directions before it shrieked as its headless torso and limbs simply shattered apart into shrapnel and broken, useless pieces of alloy, leaving only the lower body behind. For a few moments, this shivered weakly, bleeding silvery blood... and then the silver liquid turned to cement, and the steel of its broken body turned to brittle porcelain that cracked, then crumbled away into dust.

Scrivener and Luna both breathed hard, looking forwards over the wreckage of the hall and the ruins of the monster. They both shivered for a moment, then traded a grim look as Luna spat a bit of blood to the side and flicked her horn to lift her telescopic spear to the air, her eyes flashing as she said quietly: “There shall be neither mercy nor quarter given here... there is neither time for it, nor compassion in my heart for these foul scavengers.”

“Then let's keep moving, Luna.” Scrivener said quietly, reaching up and grimacing a bit as he touched his cracked armor, and the winged unicorn nodded as her spear collapsed and slid itself back to its sheath. “We'll join back up with Gymbr, take a moment to do some quick repairs... then push upwards into Canterlot and find our son.”

“And destroy anything that dares get between us and him.” Luna agreed quietly, nodding firmly and looking darkly across the warehouse hall as her eyes glowed with the promise of retribution. And Scrivener smiled grimly after a moment, nodding slowly as he fell into step beside her, two determined, unstoppable warriors of the night ready to do anything it took to rescue their child and stop Clockwork World... anything at all.

Gears Of The Imperium

Chapter Seventy Three: Gears Of The Imperium
~BlackRoseRaven

They found Gymbr waiting for them in what had likely once been a guard checkpoint, and was now simply an empty, ghostly hollow in front of a set of stairs leading up into Canterlot above. There had been no signs of skirmishes in the halls they had passed through, apart from a nick here, a hoof-print there, some fresh debris... Scrivener thought that was probably a good thing, though.

They paused only for a few minutes: enough for Scrivener to dig in one of his satchels, then wince as he found most of the potions they had brought with them had been broken in the fight against Herrófriðr. They drank the little remaining in the broken jars, then cleaned the bag out and checked the equipment satchel on Scrivener's other side.

Most of their equipment, thankfully, wasn't easily breakable. The only thing that had broken was a flashlight that Cowlick had given them, which they simply tossed aside. They redistributed the gear into the second satchel, and Luna took this one, muttering that this way if one of them got squished again it would only ruin half their equipment.

Scrivener also noticed with curiosity that somepony had tossed the stress ball they'd found in Valthrudnir's manse into the bag. He had shrugged, but kept this, tossing it back in his own pack, deciding there was no point in throwing it away... it could be a souvenir, if they made it out of this.

Luna softened, glancing over at him as she felt these thoughts; they were striding now through a long, ghostly corridor that ramped gently upwards, likely on their way out of the subbasements. Scrivener smiled awkwardly over at the winged unicorn when he felt her eyes on him, but before either could speak, Gymbr murmured quietly: “Oh, what despair fills us up; the pain we feel, the world still screams with denial of it...”

Scrivener and Luna both only nodded silently as they rounded a corner, and stepped through a wide archway into an enormous hall that had likely once been beautiful: but the painted glass windows had all shattered, leaving bare the vision of the broken sky and jutting, burnt cliffs. The gold and red carpet on the floor was rotting away from the corruption dripping from broken pipes half-hanging out of the cracked ceiling above, everything had a sense of age, of decrepitude, of death.

Scrivener began to step forwards as his eyes slid over the room... and then pain filled his mind, and he gritted his teeth, stumbling forwards and clenching his eyes shut before he looked up in shock at

the beautiful, smooth white walls, marred with the blood of soldiers. One Pegasus Guard was still in the throes of death, fighting for breath despite the fact he had been thrown through the window... and he wouldn't even be granted the soothing sight of grass and majestic mountains and the sunset. Oh no: the sky was a swirling mass of black and red, lightning thundering through the darkness as the world around Canterlot burned...

And Valthrudnir was standing with his back to these windows and corpses all around his feet, smiling calmly across at the figures of Celestia and Discord with a body hanging limply from one hand. Enemies turned ally by necessity.

“Look at you. Almost as pathetic as this.” Valthrudnir calmly rose the body... and Queen Chrysalis shivered weakly, her horn broken, her body ripped apart, green blood dripping from her beaten frame. “You should choose your allies more wisely... she tried to turn on you, to make a deal with me. Such a quaint notion, as if I really need any help taking over your pathetic little world. I thought I made that clear after I killed your little sister, though, Celestia...”

Valthrudnir grinned, then his eyes flicked back and forth between Celestia and Discord as the winged unicorn stepped forwards, her eyes glowing with determination, anger... and fear. “We'll do anything, everything it takes to stop you... and even if we fail, the Elements of Harmony-”

“Oh, don't make me laugh with your children's fables! You truly have no idea what you're dealing with, do you?” Valthrudnir threw his head back and laughed, then he grinned widely and held Chrysalis up in front of his features, leaning in and asking mockingly: “Not that you were much smarter, but at least even your insectile mind could process that-”

Chrysalis leaned forwards and spat a stream of greenish, acidic bile over Valthrudnir's face, and the Jötnar roared in disgust, wiping at his features as Chrysalis kicked and bit at him. Celestia and Discord both began to move forwards, but then Valthrudnir simply flung the Changeling to the ground before stomping savagely down at her, eyes glowing with rage as a blast of green blood spurted up with the sickening crunch that tore through the air, as Celestia shouted: “No! Monster or not, Chrysalis was-”

“Was nothing but a pathetic parasite, which is exactly the worth that you and the rest of this world carries in my eyes!” Valthrudnir retorted, and then he simply snapped his fingers, and Celestia screamed as flames erupted up over her body, her eyes widening in horror as the dragon snarled: “So I will burn away this disgusting disease to replace it with something far superior.”

Celestia threw her head back, shrieking.. and then Discord snapped his eagle talon, and the flames transformed into red confetti that flew in all directions, Celestia dropping forwards as the Draconequus looked up with a grimace. “Well, congratulations on finding the one thing that would actually make me want to help this annoying, preachy pony princess.”

“Oh, I see. You fools desire to play a game, is that it?” Valthrudnir smiled coldly, and when Celestia gritted her teeth and Discord readied himself, the dragon laughed before raising a hand as his eyes glowed. “Here, Celestia, let's start at something appropriate for your skill level!”

Discord began to jump forwards as Celestia's horn glowed... and then Valthrudnir grinned and clenched his hand shut, and a thick black noose appeared around Discord's neck before yanking him into the air, the Draconequus' eyes bulging in horror as he grabbed wildly at the taut rope hanging in midair, his eyes bulging as Celestia stared in shock that interrupted her magic.

Valthrudnir laughed, then he snapped his fingers, and a chalkboard appeared floating in the air beside Discord, blank spaces quickly drawing themselves in powder white along it as Valthrudnir mocked: “Even little toddlers play this so it shouldn't be too hard for your simple mind to process. Three words, seventeen letters in total. He has about five minutes before he chokes to death as the rope tightens, more or less... and every time you guess incorrectly, the rope will tighten further. Have fun.”

Valthrudnir leaned over the back of the chalkboard as Discord's eyes rolled wildly in his head, kicking madly at the air as shocks of energy traveled over him, Valthrudnir smiling mockingly towards the Draconequus as he said softly: “Don't even bother. Your powers, patchwork doll, are very easy to negate. Struggle all you like, but you'll only die faster.”

Discord rasped for breath, clutching at the rope as Celestia's mind raced before she shouted: “E!”

“Oh yes, the path of the coward, going for the most common first.” Valthrudnir said kindly, even as three E's wrote themselves quickly in over the board. “Pathetic.”

“I!” Celestia gritted her teeth, watching as two I's wrote in, then she rattled quickly off: “S, T, R, A, M!”

Valthrudnir frowned as more letters wrote themselves in, and Celestia grimaced at the board, then looked with fear at Discord as he tried to wheeze something before she said sharply: “D!”

Two D's wrote in... and Celestia shouted: “Equestria is doomed!”

Valthrudnir looked disgusted as the solution wrote itself over the board, and then both chalkboard and noose vanished, Discord falling to all fours to gargle and clutch at himself before he howled in pain when Valthrudnir kicked him hard in the rear, knocking him rolling across the room. The Jötnar turned around as Celestia began to step forwards... but without bothering to look over his shoulder, Valthrudnir snapped his fingers, and a massive hourglass appeared around Discord before the chaos entity could even look up, gasping in silent surprise as sand half-filled his prison, leaving him mostly buried before his eyes widened in horror as more white sand began to spill down from above. “Next game!”

“You monster!” Celestia started towards him again, but Valthrudnir only turned around and simply pointed at her, and a moment later she was staggering backwards, screaming in agony as her skin began to steam and rot, gargling and foaming at the jaws.

Then Valthrudnir simply rose his finger, and the wounds quickly vanished from Celestia's body as she slumped forwards, the Jötnar repeating coldly: “Next game.” A pause, and a dark smile as he said calmly: “You've already lost quite a bit of time, Celestia. Now, I'm going to ask you a riddle...”

“Why don't I... ask you a riddle?” Celestia whispered, looking slowly up as she breathed hard in and out, and Valthrudnir frowned as he cocked his head towards her.

“You may, but I'm not going to let the Draconequus out of his cage if I answer it correctly. If I fail to answer before the sand reaches the top, however... then I may reconsider.” Valthrudnir said mockingly, smiling at the hourglass, watching as it filled slowly with sand, sand that was over halfway to the top of the hourglass already already.

Valthrudnir's eyes lingered on this for a moment, feeling like something was off before Celestia rasped: “What's white and red all over?”

Valthrudnir frowned... and then Celestia leapt to her hooves and flicked her horn hard, and the massive hourglass glowed brightly before it shot through the air, Valthrudnir staring stupidly before it smashed into him. Fragments of wood and glass tore past him as it all but exploded, ripping through his pristine suit as he roared in fury and staggered with a snarl... and then he looked up in shock to see Discord standing beside Celestia, the Draconequus raising both his arms violently as he shouted: “Looks like someone skimped on childproofing!”

The shattered glass and wood shrapnel around Valthrudnir swirled violently, forming a maelstrom around him that tore upwards before gravity reversed around the dragon, sending the Jötnar crashing head first into the ceiling with a shout of frustration... and Celestia stepped forwards, snapping her horn out with a snarl of pain and tears in her eyes, a golden fireball shooting forth to crash into the Jötnar and explode with such savagery that it blew out half the ceiling and an entire section of wall beyond, blinding both Discord and Celestia. The chaos entity stared with shock at the winged unicorn as she slowly hauled herself to her hooves, breathing hard and whispering: “You are.”

Smoke rolled quietly through the room, not a sound in the air... before a hand shot out from the thick, dark pall of smog, seizing into Discord's throat. The Draconequus gagged, clutching at this for a moment as Celestia's eyes widened, before she shrieked in denial when the ivory-scaled hand briskly snapped Discord's neck... and then Valthrudnir, his suit shredded and burnt but his features only singed, emerged from the cloud as he threw Discord's limp corpse away, reaching for Celestia as he shouted angrily: “I'm going to take my time ripping you-”

Celestia lunged forwards, doing the only thing she could: she buried her horn into Valthrudnir's stomach, and the Jötnar howled in agony before he slammed both hands down into her spine. It broke loudly, Celestia falling backwards and spitting blood before the Jötnar snarled in fury as he began to savagely stomp down on her, again, again, again, shouting vulgarities and insults and reprimands through his humiliation and his pain.

And then he staggered backwards, clutching at the wound in his stomach before he slowly wiped up the silvery blood, staring in disbelief at the sight of it before a snarl spread over his features; of fury and hatred and... and was it fear? He had been hurt. She had managed to hurt him, to pierce him, to wound him... he couldn't believe

what he saw, at the visions that raced by in front of him as Luna winced in pain, feeling the rush of emotion, the blur of memory and corruption spilling through her mind before her eyes widened as she whispered: “Scrivy... thou... thy visions...”

“I...” Scrivener trembled, closing his eyes tightly as Gymbr looked towards him curiously and Luna stepped nervously forwards, touching his shoulder and studying him intently. “Nothing... nothing useful to us now, but yeah. I'm as shocked as you are... I saw... I saw what happened here. I saw Valthrudnir... kill...”

He shivered after a moment, then shook his head slowly and looked back and forth through the room. He could still faintly feel the emotions that had raged in this place, could still almost hear the thoughts that had run through the minds of all present. Pain twisted through his ringing skull, bringing him back down to reality, and Scrivener breathed hard before he turned and headed quickly for the nearest set of doors leading out, pushing through them as Luna hurried after him and Gymbr followed calmly.

Once the earth pony was out in the long stone corridor, he felt better, feeling his mind stabilizing, his emotions returning to normal as Luna leaned in beside him, studying him intently. But he knew he wasn't bleeding or leaking corruption, and it didn't feel like the other visions had: no loss of control, no feeling of madness... somehow, he had simply... seen. “This... maybe this was what Visionary meant to give me...”

Luna nodded slowly, nuzzling him silently, and Scrivener shivered a bit before he straightened and looked ahead down the long corridor. But there wasn't much here... and Scrivener shivered as he murmured: “For a world with apparently infinite resources... that attacked Celestia with an army of countless soldiers... there doesn't seem to be a whole lot here. And the state everything is in...”

“Yes.” Gymbr said softly, looking slowly back and forth. “There are few signs of travel here. But as we go deeper, we suspect we will find more. Perhaps the reinforcements we destroyed were all that were deployed here... a foolish tactical error.”

Scrivener grunted as Luna nodded slowly, frowning up at Gymbr and asking slowly: “Just how many did thou kill, creature?”

“Only a hundred or so. Dullahan, and the shapeshifting Drones.” Gymbr replied calmly, and Luna stared at it with disbelief before it smiled calmly. “Fear not. We are certain you shall taste your share as well.”

Luna and Scrivener traded apprehensive looks at this, before continuing onwards... and what made this horrible place so much worse, so much more oppressive, was how familiar the structure was to their own Canterlot. Almost the same maze of halls they were able to follow upwards through the massive castle... all of which were as hollow and empty and broken-down as everywhere else they had seen so far had been.

But then things began to change, as they ascended higher, and heard the sound of enormous gears and pistons chugging and pumping. As they headed up another flight of stairs, Scrivener grimaced at the sight of several large pipes running around the wall: each as thick as his forelimb, dripping black ooze and fuel from where they hadn't been bolted or sealed properly together.

At the top of the stairs, they found a closed, armored set of sliding doors. Scrivener and Luna looked at each other, and then Gymbr calmly stepped forwards, its hooves clicking apart into claws before it wedged these forwards into the narrow gap between the foot-thick metal doors, and then it slowly yanked to either side and pulled the sealed shutters open as Luna and Scrivener both stared in shock at the creature's raw strength.

Some alarm began to blare weakly in the rooms beyond, but Gymbr only smiled and dropped back on its haunches as its claws clicked together to reform into hooves, and Scrivener and Luna traded an awkward look before heading slowly forwards, the winged unicorn muttering: “We do not need thee to do everything for... for... us...”

Luna broke off as she gazed slowly back and forth in horror and disbelief, and Scrivener shivered: they were in the first intersection of what looked like several long halls, and gazing down them, they could see enormous – and often cracked – glass tubes filled with corruption on the walls, thick cabling, and gurneys and what looked almost like steel cocoons. One of these latter was close by, and a glass screen on the side of it had shattered, allowing the goo that had filled it to spill out and harden: all that remained inside was a corpse too rotted and broken to know what it had once been in life.

Scrivener looked down the central hallway... and shivered as he saw a flash of translucent images, watching as Beauty and Wisdom calmly strode together down the corridor beneath the flickering lights shining down from above. Then they vanished, and Scrivener started quickly down the passage where their apparitions had walked, Luna and Gymbr following him on either side as they hurried past blood-stained steel tables, past shelves stocked with jars and chemicals and glowing, eerie violet cores, past sealed tubs of silver liquid...

Luna looked through a broken window as they passed, and shuddered at the sight of enormous golems shaped like 59133 inside in varying states of broken decay, some clogged with rust, others falling apart, all hanging from fraying cables and chains. This was a temple of malevolence and suffering, where magic and science were fused not to help, but to hurt as much as possible.

They reached a six-way intersection, and Luna and Scrivener couldn't help but look up at the massive, black crystal suspended above that still glowed like a beacon. Tubes of corruption fed in and out of it, and Scrivener breathed hard for a moment before Gymbr turned down the hall to their front and left, the winged unicorn striding with a little more visible purpose as it said softly: “He is here.”

Luna and Scrivener traded a look, then hurried after the strange creature, before both ponies cursed and staggered to the side as a large monitor flickered on as they were walking by it, Valthrudnir glaring out of it at them as he snapped: “T-This is a re-restricted area, there is n-n-no admittance of non-medical... oh. It's y-you... still alive?”

The sapphire mare responded by stepping forwards with a snarl and punching the monitor in, and it half-fell off the wall in a hail of sparks as Scrivener frowned at the television, a chill running down his spine. If anything confirmed for him that wasn't really Valthrudnir... what had just happened did. He couldn't form into words exactly why, but... now, now he truly felt confident that whatever the Clockwork King was, it was not the real Valthrudnir.

Luna was looking at him strangely, but before either pony could speak, Gymbr's voice called calmly to them: “Antares Mīrus is here.”

The two ponies traded a sharp look, then they both ran forwards down the corridor to an open door, stumbling inside... and staring in both shock and relief at the sight of their son. Antares was strapped to a table, unconscious and weak, bruised and beaten and hurt... but he was alive. Alive, and okay, despite the fact that around him there were all manner of perilous machines: drills and needles hanging on robotic arms extending from the ceiling, a blood-stained table stacked with surgical equipment, jars of silver and black goo sitting at the ready.

This room was different from the others: it was clean, polished, and the machines looked like they were in good condition... except that a tube on one had burst and spilled corruption into an open control panel of some kind. Its innards were covered in black goo and still steaming faintly, and Scrivener sighed in relief as he looked down at this, whispering with a tremble: “The corruption must have jammed up the whole system... if he hadn't... if...”

Scrivener looked back up... and a flash of pain went through his eyes as he saw and heard

her screaming in agony, but they didn't care: she was strapped down to the table as Beauty and Wisdom calmly worked on her with horrible tools, as the mechanical arms and awful, magic-powered machines hanging from the ceiling almost gracefully worked side-by-side with the Clockwork Ponies. And the worst part was that they had cut out her eyes, yet still she could see them... a feeling that was worse still than the pain she thought would drive her insane long before they were finished, as they tried to make her into something else, as they took pleasure in her agony. To Beauty and Wisdom, life was not sacred: it was the opposite. They were doing all people a favor by making them like they were, transforming them, warping them, mutilating them to fit Valthrudnir's wicked designs for ultimate order. And who cared that it was

Visionary being experimented on... and it made his stomach churn as he staggered backwards, but Luna caught him, held onto him, and Scrivener slowly opened his eyes, staring at Antares laying where Visionary had once laid, before he whispered: “Thank the Horses of Heaven we found him.”

“No. Thank yourselves, and thank us.” Gymbr replied softly, and then it flicked its horn, and the straps restraining Antares snapped loudly before the strange creature leaned gently forwards as its front hooves snapped apart into claws, carefully lifting the colt from the table and turning slowly to Scrivener and Luna, and they both took their son between them with faint smiles at the creature, as it said quietly: “Heaven would have left your child to die, jealous of his radiance.”

“Now what? How do we send our child home?” Luna asked quietly, looking up at Gymbr, and the creature seemed almost surprised before Scrivener allowed Luna to quietly pull Antares into her forelegs: he was a little big to cradle, but she did it all the same, leaning down and silently kissing his forehead as she whispered: “Sweet, precious child... saving thou... that is what matters most to me...”

“I believe that I am strong enough to force open the Bifrost, if we find an open area...” Gymbr replied softly, and Scrivener and Luna both nodded as the earth pony stood and smiled faintly as Luna slipped the comforting, familiar weight of Antares onto his back. “The child is very weak... we should not awaken him until it is necessary. Or that is our opinion.”

“I agree.” Luna nodded slowly, trembling a bit as she breathed hard before looking over at Scrivener as she stood, asking quietly: “Where do we proceed?”

Scrivener began to shake his head as he strode out into the corridor... and then he flinched and stared in shock at the sight of another illusion of Valthrudnir standing nearby, snarling at them and shouting furiously: “W-What is this? The child should have been restructured h-h-hours ago! Enough g-games! W-W-Worthless Prophet, y-y-you have been wrong every s-step of the way!”

Scrivener looked sharply up at this as Luna snarled and Gymbr only looked calmly at the image of Valthrudnir, as it glared over its shoulder at something they couldn't see before the Jötnar looked ahead and pointed at them furiously. “All forces, r-r-raze the Imperial Citadel to the ground! Eastern Division, W-Western Division, d-d-destroy Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild! Shut down all e-escape routes! B-Blockade them in and t-t-tear them apart!”

“Crap.” Scrivener muttered, and then he simply ran forwards, making the illusion of Valthrudnir fizzle wildly as he ran through it, and the Jötnar shouted in apparent frustration at this as Luna and Gymbr quickly followed behind him. Yet still, he felt Luna's mental order in his mind, telling him first to guide them to a place where they could open the Bifrost, and then they could find an escape route... but as they shot through the maze of corridors all filled with terrible equipment and soulless malice, Scrivener's instincts whispered to him that there was perhaps something close by that would provide both.

He veered around in a circle... then winced as a glowing green sphere with a single blue eye shot by above his head, staring up at this in surprise before it zipped to the end of the corridor. It sparked as it floated in front of a pair of large doors leading outside, and a moment later, the image of Valthrudnir appeared in place of the sphere, the illusion of the giant apparently generated by the tiny magical device as Valthrudnir leaned up towards some kind of black dome in the archway and shouted: “L-L-Lockdown!”

There was a crackle, and then a loud beeping as a heavy, rusted shutter began to slowly lower over the door, the illusion of Valthrudnir glared over its shoulder at them as it stepped back to stand in front of one of the barred windows through which red light was shining in, snapping: “S-S-See? There is n-no escape f-”

Luna half-shoved past Scrivener with a snarl, her horn glowing brightly before she snapped it forwards to send a blue fireball flying through the air, and the illusion of Valthrudnir vanished as the tiny sphere hurriedly shot out of the way before the ball of flame smashed into the window and exploded, blowing the rusted bars out and turning the little glass that remained into a twinkling rain. Luna leapt outwards through the hole that was left, and Scrivener followed before Gymbr came last, the three diving past the staircase going along the side of the building as Luna winced and dropped back to hold Antares in place over Scrivener's back, as the male gritted his teeth and concentrated on leading them on a long, curving flight, descending a little as they rounded the massive, concrete and charred steel exterior of Clockwork Canterlot.

He winced as steam vented out of an enormous pipe on the side of the building, complete with a splatter of corruption, and it almost knocked him off balance as he looked down and shivered at the sight of enormous pistons pumping steadily on some kind of massive turbine system force-feeding the corruption upwards. He didn't want to imagine where all these pipes were going, as he looked up at the enormous towers that jutted here and there, the crown-shaped tops making them look like claws reaching desperately for the skies.

And as Scrivener looked at Canterlot, Luna looked away, and grimaced at the sight of Thunderbirds in the distance flying in... and what looked horribly from this far away like one massive flood of silver. An army had been gathered, an army had been waiting, but apparently the Prophet had expected them to go somewhere else, to attack something else... had they missed something? Had they just been lucky? Had the Prophet and the Clockwork King meant to lure them through somewhere other than the Black Mirror, was that why this world seemed so confused, why they had run into so little resistance?

But her thoughts were interrupted as Scrivener shouted and pointed outwards, and she turned to stare in amazement at the sight of a massive bridge. It was made of steel and black metal, and unlike almost everything else they had seen so far, seemed well-maintained, standing on solid pillars that had to be more than a hundred feet tall, towering high overtop most of the mountains... and it stretched from the Clockwork Castle's back to the far northern horizon, where amidst the red glow, Luna thought she could see something, some shape, some landmark, some... light?

But a moment later, her attention snapped back to Scrivener as he shouted something to her and they turned to follow the bridge south instead of north. At first, Luna frowned... and then her eyes widened as she took a second look at the bridge and realized that along it ran an enormous rail system, which meant...

They swerved around another tower... and there, not far away, was a train platform, a massive, armored and terrible black train sitting calmly, as if just waiting to leave. Scrivener grinned widely... then he winced as he realized that the wide, cracked concrete platform already had occupants: at least a dozen shapeshifting Soldier Drones, two clanking Hobby Horses, and what looked like griffins... except they had heavy armor banding bolted into their bodies, and long, hooked metal blades in place of natural claws, beneath what looked like plate-sized bucklers fused directly into their limbs.

Luna snarled at this, then she flicked her horn, and Scrivener had a moment to stare over his shoulder at her as her spear snapped out of its holster before she lashed her horn forwards, sending the weapon firing like a rocket through one of the Hobby Horses. The metallic monster gave a wail as it staggered backwards, enormous gear-wheel clanking before it exploded in a wave of force and anti-magic, and a moment later, the second Hobby Horse went up as well, the double-blast dissolving most of the Soldier Drones and knocking all three griffins flat.

Luna winked as she pulled Antares off Scrivener's back, and the charcoal stallion grimaced before he shot downwards, straightening his body out to dive as fast as possible before he simply tackled one of the griffins when it began to get up, and it was crushed against the platform, skidding forwards on its features as bones and armor plating both snapped loudly. Then Scrivener flew free, bouncing several times with a wheeze of pain.

And a moment later, one of the other griffins shot in, raking its claws against his side with almost supernatural speed and no emotion, no fear, no shock in its eyes, sending Scrivener rolling with a howl of pain towards one of the surviving Drones. He winced as he looked up at it as it began to raise a claw that transformed into an axe, as the griffin rushed forwards... and then Scrivener hurriedly dropped on his back when the Clockwork griffin lunged, slamming his hooves into it as it passed overtop him to throw it into the Drone.

The Drone's axe slammed down, cutting through the griffin's back, as the griffin's hooked blades drove into the Drone's stomach, and Scrivener scrambled to his hooves to hurry away with a wince over his shoulder. And then he could only stare in horror when the griffin tore the Drone carelessly in half, reducing it nothing but a burst of liquid metal as it turned calmly around despite the gaping wound along its spine, and it rushed rapidly forwards again-

A silver claw seized the back of the griffin's neck, lifting it easily into the air as electricity burst over the Clockwork soldier's body, and the griffin spasmed violently before it finally fell limp. Gymbr smiled calmly down at this... then its eyes widened when the third griffin shot in and raked its claws across the creature's face, tearing a shallow wound.

Gymbr retaliated with a hard swing of his free claw, but the griffin brought one of its shielded limbs up and blocked the attack, skidding backwards even as the shield crumpled. It spread its wings, leaping into the air, but was quickly knocked back down when a blast of lightning tore through the sky and hammered into the creature, knocking it flat on its back and leaving it spasming as electricity raced violently over its banded armor, the fight knocked out of it from the concentrated jolt.

Luna sailed quickly down, Antares held tightly in her forelegs and her horn still glowing as she dropped on her haunches, as Scrivener looked awkwardly at Gymbr, but the creature only shook its head, saying quietly as it reached up to touch the strange, silvery wounds in its cheek: “Whatever words we may have had to lecture you with, they clearly have no value now. We... we shall open the Bifrost.”

It halted, looked down at the griffin in one claw, that still was staring mindlessly, sightlessly outwards, and then it grimaced in disgust and threw it down. They were as alive in death as they had been in life... the only difference was that they weren't moving any more, as a flash of pain went through Scrivener's mind before he muttered: “Hoplites. They're... called Hoplites.”

Luna looked over at him nervously, then her eyes roved towards Gymbr, but the creature only shook his head before saying quietly: “Awaken Antares. We only have a short window of time, and he must be prepared to make the run through the Bifrost himself... none of our magic can run the length of the bridge for him. And he must go before the invasion force arrives.”

“Then we better hurry. Thunderbirds will cut off our aerial escape, but they won't attack from above... but more Hoplites could fly in at any moment.” Scrivener said abruptly, and Luna only nodded, not questioning his knowledge as she laid her son down before closing her eyes as her horn began to glow. Scrivener lowered his own head, passing what strength to her he could as he strode over to her and began to rummage through the bag on her side, knowing they had to have at least one potion left somewhere...

A soft blue glow surrounded Antares, and he whimpered weakly, shifting on the earth before both Luna and Scrivener heard the whisper through their minds, felt Nightmare Moon almost leaning out of them over their son: No, your magic will not suffice, not alone... but if you will trust me, just for this moment, sweet Luna...

Luna shivered... but then she allowed Nightmare Moon to guide her hoof up to rest quietly on Antares' forehead, breathing slowly before her eyes widened as she felt a distinct sensation rising through her, as her horn glowed darkly and her mane swayed backwards... and a moment later, there was a sharp sizzle before Antares shouted in terror and sat up as electricity sparked along his body.

He clenched his eyes shut, breathing hard in and out before he looked slowly up at Luna and Scrivener as they leaned worriedly in... and then he trembled violently before throwing himself forwards, and they both hugged him fiercely, clenching their eyes shut and holding their son close. He rasped for breath, and then looked up at them, whispering: “Mom... Dad... I... I knew you'd come, I knew it, I always knew it...”

“Here, drink this, Antares, as much as you can.” Scrivener said quietly, opening the bottle of translucent elixir he'd found in Luna's bag, and Antares nodded mutely as he took it and gratefully drank it down. It would provide him with energy, settle his nerves, give him a boost of strength... hopefully enough that he could make it across the Bifrost.

Then Antares dropped the bottle, and the rest of the precious elixir spilled out over the platform as he stared up at them, a bit of the fluid dribbling down his chin as he stared up at them and whispered: “No... no, no... no! You gotta c-come with me, you c-c-can't-”

“Antares.” Luna said quietly but firmly, and the colt trembled as tears began to leak from his eyes, staring at his parents with disbelief. “We love thee, and... and there is nothing thy father and I desire more than to be with thee, to keep thee safe... but... we cannot turn our back on what is happening here. On this one chance... perhaps this only chance... to set what is wrong, right again. To stop the evil of Clockwork World... I know that thou must know this, and I know that thou must know why. If we turn away... how many others will suffer? How many others will be hurt? How many parents will be separated from their crying children...”

Luna trembled and swallowed thickly, as Scrivener closed his eyes and looked down, whispering: “We love you, kiddo, but... your Mom and I... we need to do this. We need to stop this, stop other people from being hurt... it's our responsibility, because maybe we're the only ones who can.”

“No!” Antares shouted weakly, sitting up, looking desperate... but Scrivener and Luna only both reached forwards at the same time, each grasping a shoulder, and the colt looked up at them brokenly, trembling hard as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Mommy... Daddy... I d-don't want to l-lose you... what about your p-p-promises...”

“We plan to keep them, Antares.” Luna smiled faintly, reaching up and touching under the foal's chin gently, “I know we are asking much of thee... but Gymbr shall open the Bifrost, and thou shall run. Thou shall run as hard and fast as thou can across it, and run to Ponyville, to Twilight Sparkle or Celestia. And we shall return... as soon as we can, Antares.”

“You will see us again. We will be there.” Scrivener said quietly, then he reached up, taking his son's face into his hooves and leaning down to kiss his forehead softly, closing his eyes. “I'm sorry.”

Antares trembled, then stared as Scrivener leaned away and Luna leaned down, nuzzling her son slowly and letting their horns rub together before she leaned back. The colt breathed hard in and out, staring up at them, seeing into them, seeing through them... and then he whimpered and whispered: “Can't I come with you?”

“No, Antares, no. Thou has a great future ahead of thee... to become... anything thou wants to be.” Luna smiled faintly, then she and Scrivener both closed their eyes as there was a loud rumble, and a sense of growing power in the air.

And Antares looked miserably to the side as Gymbr arched its back, eyes closed, wings spread wide and claws raised to the air as an inferno of golden flame ripped from the platform, swirling into the sky and shattering through reality as it formed into the rainbow bridge, the Bifrost. Energy sparked over it as it solidified... and then Luna leaned down, pushing Antares forwards, ordering sharply: “Go!”

“Run!” Scrivener shouted, shoving Antares on towards the bridge, and the foal stumbled before he stumbled to his hooves and broke into a sprint, Scrivener and Luna staring after their child as the colt ran past Gymbr without caring, without acknowledging the creature, tears leaking from his eyes and sobs ripping up from his chest as he charged up the Bifrost and vanished into the tear in reality.

Gymbr rested back almost as if frozen, horn still glowing, as Scrivener and Luna only stared, tears in their eyes as they stared up at the hole in reality, at the portal to back home, at the path to the place where they most desired to be. But they had something to do first... they had something to do, that no one else could, that was up to them. Not because of their strength, but because of their darkness, because between them and Valthrudnir this was personal, and because... they had so much to lose, whether they fought or ran, lived or died.

And then, finally, Gymbr dropped its head forwards, and the Bifrost began to rapidly disintegrate as the hole in reality sealed shut. For a few moments, they only sat on the platform, in this hell of Clockwork... until finally, in a dry voice, Luna ordered: “Onto the train.”

Scrivener nodded silently, heading towards what looked like the door, as Gymbr only sat silently, but neither pony paid it any attention. All their focus, instead, was on the swirl of emotions between themselves, on the pain, on the despair, and on the way Antares had looked so hurt because he had seen into them...

Nightmare Moon twisted through them worriedly, apprehensively, feeling the pain that fed the despair and the anger and the frustrations in them both. Luna only watched numbly as Scrivener managed to force open the sliding door on the side of the train, and then she closed her eyes at the feeling of Nightmare Moon's uncertainties, asking disgustedly: “I suppose thou desires apologies and thanks, is that it? For if Antares had not had thy bastardized Centurion Enchantment upon him, thou would not have been able to connect to his mind and awaken him so easily, is that it?”

No Luna, my sweet, no. You know it is not. Nightmare Moon said softly, and Luna grunted as she followed Scrivener into the train, looking back and forth with a tremble at the long, cold benches that followed along the train walls and the wide, open passageway, as Scrivener headed towards the engine. We do not desire this kind of pain, nor do we enjoy it. Pointless emotional suffering and questioning... think of the future. Of when we shall return to little Antares... you have the tools, the strength, to conquer this.

“I... I do not know. I hope so.” Luna whispered looking miserably at the ceiling of the train, and then she gritted her teeth and strode forwards, following after Scrivener through the open door of the train as she felt a faint pulse of frustration. “What is it, Scrivy?”

But Luna saw the problem the moment she stepped into the train engine: nothing was on, the large monitor screens in either corner were both off, and Scrivener poked uselessly at the levers and controls in front of the tinted windshield as he sat back in one of the two large, leather-bound control chairs, but nothing was working, nothing was activating.

“This is not good...” Scrivener muttered, and now worry was beginning to quickly overwhelm despair, as Luna cursed under her breath before the earth pony grimaced and opened his satchel, yanking through things. “Maybe if you just... I dunno, electrocute it... we... I get the feeling we're just going to go straight to the end of the tracks, who cares if you fry it...”

“Aye, but that has never worked well with most of Cowlick's infernal machines... maybe Gymbr knows more of these things than we do.” Luna replied with a shake of her head, and then she frowned when among the other tools Scrivener tossed out, she caught sight of the stress ball. “What in damnation art thou still doing with that?”

“I dunno, it was in the bag.” Scrivener shrugged and gestured at it with a shake of his head. “Cowlick or Ross or somepony must have put it in...”

Luna grumbled, picking it up with telekinesis and bringing it over to her, and Scrivener winced as she took it between her front hooves and squeezed it firmly, muttering: “Damnable stupid everything is going-”

As she released the pressure on the stress ball, there was a loud click before lights flickered on in the cabin, and both ponies jumped, startled. Luna dropped the stress ball and stomped on it by accident as she stumbled backwards, and there was another click before the lights died out, electricity sparking over the controls as Scrivener leaned backwards with a shout of surprise, before he gaped over his shoulder and spluttered: “The... what did you...”

“I did... I just...” Luna stared down at the stress ball, then she swept it up and squeezed it firmly between her hooves again, and once more the lights flickered on. Scrivener winced back when the controls sparked at him a moment later, but then there was a loud clicking sound, and dials began to light up as both monitors at either top corner above the windshield flared into life, displaying what looked like maps of the rail system.

Scrivener stared back and forth incredulously, and then he looked stupidly over his shoulder at Luna as she marveled at the stress ball, muttering: “It must be some... I know not, and furthermore, care not, all I know is that perhaps we have a way out of this madness after all and I am glad for it!”

Scrivener grunted, and then he winced when Gymbr's voice called calmly from the car behind them: “Then we would suggest that we get under way, Scrivener Blooms. Thunderbirds are circling above, and we believe that much larger and worse things are already tearing their way towards us.”

The stallion grimaced as Luna looked forwards, then she reached out and shoved a lever currently at what looked like a zero all the way up to some number Scrivener couldn't recognize. The machinery gave a scream of protest as steam and sparks began to fly, and the charcoal earth pony gave a yell of horror before he shouted: “Luna, if you break it, we're not going to be able to get out of here in time!”

The train began to vibrate violently as Scrivener looked back and forth, feeling like they were going to shake themselves off the tracks as Luna half-shoved Scrivener aside, yanking down another lever, and the entire train rocked violently as blast of smoke belched up from the wheels and electricity sparked along the tracks. “'Tis like Cowlick's damnable machines!”

“Dammit, Luna!” Scrivener shouted, looking desperately back and forth before he yanked down another lever, and the train bounced violently again as the two ponies yanked and pounded on the controls until Luna reached up and seized a large, important looking lever on the side wall and jerked it all the way back.

The moment she did, the train lurched forwards as the brakes released, almost jarring itself off the tracks before it began to shoot rapidly along, gears and pistons screaming in protest as smoke poured up from the hood and abused machinery along the train wheels, sparks spitting up from the tracks as the enormous train rolled down the rails.

The monolithic, dark-armored train rumbled as it accelerated rapidly to incredible speeds, the flat-faced, demonic engine in front leading several large, rectangular freight cars, and behind that were being pulled more than a dozen massive silver and white tankers. As the sounds of its machinery evened out, so did its movement, the rumbling smoothing into a steady purr as inside, Scrivener sat back with a wheeze of relief, and Luna grinned widely as Gymbr sat calmly on its haunches at the back of the first empty car.

Scrivener and Luna traded awkward looks, then shared a faint smile, reminding each other and themselves of why they were here, what they were doing this for... and that one way or another, they would be fighting to make it back home, as they sped away from Clockwork Canterlot and towards...

They didn't know. But what they did both know was that there was an army behind them, and this train seemed to only have one destination: and since that destination was connected to a Canterlot that even in Decretum had seemed like an important place...

Scrivener lowered his head, wondering if he could summon up any more visions or memories... but before he could, one of the monitors sparked violently before Valthrudnir's snarling face appeared in it, shouting furiously: “Get off the Vena Cava!”

The stallion winced and jumped backwards in surprise, half-falling out of the chair as Luna flinched, then snarled up at the monitor, saying moodily: “Oh, aye, we most certainly shall, just as soon as we reach the next stop. Or perhaps instead we shall ram this train up thy shiny buttocks.”

Scrivener cleared his throat, his leathery wings flapped before he carefully sat up as the Valthrudnir image snarled at them... but thankfully, that seemed to be about the extent of how much the Jötnar could threaten them at the moment, as he snapped: “Idiot p-ponies and idiot soldiers... h-how dare you try and a-attack me, and in my own h-home! Do not think getting to me will be s-so easy, pathetic little B-B-Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms, my armies will cut off your re-retreat and I still have forces laying in w-wait to give you a nice, p-pleasant reception before you arrive at the A-Atrium! And even if you somehow managed to s-survive... there is simply no way you can penetrate my s-sanctuary! Cortex is invulnerable!”

“I have heard that before, Jötnar, and proven it wrong as well.” Luna retorted, her eyes narrowed coldly. “Say whatever thou likes but 'tis actions that count, and 'tis thy very actions now, screaming thy pedantic, paranoid words, that proves to me thou art weak, vulnerable, and helpless to stop us!”

Valthrudnir growled at them furiously in response to this, and then the monitor became static-riddled before returning to a map of the rail system... the Vena Cava, as Valthrudnir had called it. Scrivener grimaced a bit, flapping one of his leathery wings before he absently looked over his shoulder at these, but Luna only shook her head and reached out to touch his shoulder gently, saying softly: “I would prefer thou keeps them, for now. I know they may become uncomfortable and... we will be pressing our luck with the polymorph, but all the same. I suspect foul play.”

“So do I.” Scrivener admitted after a moment, and then he shook his head slowly before slipping out of his seat, glancing over at the equipment bag and reaching towards it... and then he hesitated before turning his eyes to Luna, asking quietly: “Most of the stuff we brought is going to be useless, huh?”

“Well, Scrivy, we did not expect... such a nightmare.” Luna replied finally, and Scrivener nodded slowly before they both traded a look, their eyes locking, minds meeting, and emotions twisting between them.

Then the two smiled to each other before Luna leaned forwards and kissed him quietly, and Scrivener let his eyes slip closed as he returned it slowly, gently, tenderly; in that kiss, he reaffirmed his promises to her, as she did to him... and they reminded each other of what they were fighting for, what they had accomplished, what they sought to save... and most of all, that they had people waiting for them at home. That they weren't alone, and had so much to live for... so much to return to.

The kiss broke, and Scrivener sighed a little as Luna stepped back, the earth pony reaching up and rubbing at his forehead slowly as he muttered: “We're going to be in so much poop when we get back when Antares shows up and... tattles.”

“Oh, do not be so mean to thine own son.” Luna punched him gently in the chest, then she added reflectively: “Besides, just... because we had a bad moment during the stress of saying farewell to our beloved child... it will be outweighed by when we return. When we make good on our promises, Scrivy...”

Scrivener nodded slowly, closing his eyes... but he smiled after a moment, thinking of this. Treasuring the feeling of what it was like to know there was something to return to, something more, something they didn't have to fight for, but rather, were fighting to protect. Then he sighed softly, slipping carefully out of the seat before heading out of the cabin, opening his eyes and looking into the passenger car to see Gymbr, Prudence, and Delight...

Scrivener stumbled stupidly and whacked his head off the frame of the door, Luna wincing as the earth pony fell in a sprawl and gazed up in shock, but it didn't dispel the visions. Gymbr was only looking at him with interest, even as Scrivener stared back and forth, before Prudence said gently in his mind: The vena cava, superior and inferior, are the veins that bring blood up to the heart, since you seemed curious. It leads to the right atrium... just as our Vena Cava leads to the Atrium, the heart of Decretum. I hope you find this as interesting as I do...

Yummy-yummy in my tummy! Delight crowed in his mind, giggling and grinning brightly as she bounced beside Prudence. Blood's good, and hearts are great, but you know what's the best of all? Brains, just like Wisdom always says! But you know what's funny about Decretum? The heart is right next to the brain. But it's a long boring trip to get there... oh, the fun we used to have on the way, though... me and all the others, it was almost like old times, because here, there's no eyes to see you, there's no one to judge you or order you around...

Then, as Delight smiled up at the ceiling, pain ran through Scrivener's eyes and he winced... and when he looked up again, the visions were gone. Slowly, carefully, Scrivener hefted himself up to his hooves, even as whispers of memory passed through his mind... and he closed his eyes, shaking his head briskly, forcing himself to calm down as Luna reached a hoof up and touched his back gently. “Scrivy... art thou alright?”

“I... I'm fine, yeah. But... corruption or not, if these visions keep happening, they're still going to drive me insane.” Scrivener muttered, reaching up with a shiver and rubbing slowly at his face. Then he sighed softly, striding forwards, grimacing at the way he could faintly still hear music in this car, like the past was trying to merge into the present, and he shivered despite himself after a moment as Luna strode after him worriedly. “We probably have a few hours to rest, anyway... I... I mean, I know we should stay on guard but...”

“Please. Allow us... we do not require rest as you do, and this way, you may at least repair your armor and regain some of your lost strength.” Gymbr said calmly, bowing its head politely towards them. Then, before either pony could answer, it only looked up and smiled before vanishing from sight, and both Luna and Scrivener winced a bit.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments, and then the sapphire mare sighed and grumbled under her breath: “I wish that such magic was truly as easy as the foul creature makes it seem. Very well, Scrivener Blooms... take off thy armor and we shall attend to repairing it first, then mine. We may as well take the chance the creature has so generous 'given' us.”

Scrivener smiled despite himself before he nodded slowly, beginning to slip off his gear even as he looked nervously out of one of the narrow windows in the walls of the train car, watching as mountains whipped by as the dark-steel train sprinted violently onwards towards its inescapable destination: the very heart of Clockwork World.

Heart Of The Heartless World

Chapter Seventy Four: Heart Of The Heartless World
~BlackRoseRaven

After almost two hours spent checking over the wounds they still both had, a bit of quiet talk, and repairing the damages that had been done to their armor, Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild slipped back into their gear, and then Scrivener sat back and began to reorganize their equipment bags again while Luna explored the rest of the train.

He paused in the middle of sorting to pick up the good luck charm that Rarity and Spike had given him, and he smiled as he looked over it, studying the silver disc quietly before reaching up and rubbing automatically at his platinum collar. Then he glanced back and forth before slipping the charm back beneath his armor, feeling it against his chest: it was strangely comforting, and he smiled despite himself: he'd never imagined that of all the people in the world, Rarity and Spike would be a pair he'd end up feeling so close to but... there you go. I guess it happens sometimes, huh?

He closed his eyes, thinking of the others he'd had the honor of meeting and spending time with, and quietly reaffirming his promise that one day, he and Luna would see them all again. And they would say all the things they had never said, and he would do all the goddamn things he'd promised to do from that stupid list Twilight had made him write, but welched out of most of.

Scrivener smiled as he rubbed slowly at his face, then hesitated before looking down at his hoof quietly, thinking of the poison flowing in his veins. The corruption, that had gone from killing him to... making him even stronger than he'd ever been. His wounds healed faster, his body felt more powerful, he knew that even if his brain was just as slow as it had always been, his reflexes were better and he wasn't tiring nearly as quickly as he'd used to. And even if the polymorph had hurt more than it had in the past, all the same... he had been able to freely use his wings much quicker than he usually had been able to after such a transformation.

For a moment, the earth pony looked down, rubbing slowly at his face before he closed his eyes and murmured to himself: “And the Black Verses... if this is the Tyrant Wyrm's... mire, corruption, blood... whatever you want to call it inside me... does that mean I can speak them on my own, just like I did when we fought the Norns?”

Scrivener shivered after a moment, thinking of all the implications this could mean... and then he closed his eyes and shook his head quickly, sitting back and muttering: “Get the feeling it would still screw me up though, somehow. Maybe I'll turn into a Tyrant Wyrm one day after all...”

“Oh, shut up, insufferable poet. And if thou does become a Tyrant Wyrm I shall ensure that unlike Evil Luna, I properly leash-train thee.” Luna said mildly as she reentered the car, and Scrivener smiled up at her despite himself before she strode over and nuzzled him gently, then nipped firmly at his features, making him wince as he staggered to his hooves. “There. Better. Up on thy hooves, there is... well... 'tis not a pleasant sight outside.”

Scrivener grimaced, meeting her eyes, and he clearly saw an image he direly didn't want to believe in his mind before he turned towards one of the narrow windows himself, unable to resist from standing up and staring out as Luna muttered: “This world may be in disrepair... but we must definitely not underestimate what resources it has, all the same.”

Scrivener grunted as he shivered, gazing down past the edge of the bridge that was rapidly passing by to the ground far below... perhaps three hundred feet, perhaps more. They were passing over a massive, black marsh, enormous steel pipes running back and forth through this, many slathered with corruption. Here and there were enormous hubs shaped like octagonal barrels, sizzling with electricity and attached to massive, rectangular engines on which huge pistons pumped and enormous gears turned, heedless of the black ooze splattered over them as they siphoned up corruption out of the earth and into the network of pipes.

These pipes went in all directions, but many of them seemed to feed in the same way they were traveling along the Vena Cava: towards the Atrium, towards Decretum's heart. And Scrivener was willing to bet any amount of bits – or anything else for that matter – that beneath this massive bridge itself was another system of pipes, ever pumping more corruption onwards to the same destination as their train had... but Scrivener was damned if he could guess what the hell they were doing with it.

What made the marshland below worse was the fact that it was far from uninhabited: not only were there what looked like deformed barracks buildings here and there, there was the distinct glimmer of what were likely Worker Drones crawling here and there over machinery, setting up new hubs, repairing damages to the pipeline and keeping everything in neat order. And worse by far than those, Scrivener could see a monstrous Tyrant Wyrm almost lounging amidst the muck, grinning cruelly as it relaxed in the hideous mire before its head turned towards him... and he could swear its grin stretched wider, that for a moment, its glowing, unholy eyes stared into his as a voice whispered in his mind: Welcome home, little brother.

Scrivener shivered and stepped hurriedly away from the window, and Luna frowned at him for a moment before the earth pony reached up and touched his own face, muttering: “Just... paranoia.” He took a slow breath, then smiled a little after a moment, tracing his hoof upwards to adjust the glasses on his features slowly, adding quietly: “I don't see why you made me wear these, by the way. They're just going to get broken. And they're just clear lenses, anyway. My eyes are stronger than they've ever been.”

“They're a reminder of who thou art. Of whom I fell in love with... damnable poet.” Luna replied quietly, leaning forwards with a faint smile before she reached up and stroked quietly beneath his chin. “Foolish beetle.”

“Arrogant Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener replied softly, and Luna smiled at him as their eyes locked for a few moments... before they both winced as the train jounced violently, and Scrivener cursed under his breath before he leaned up and looked out the window with a with a wince... that became a grimace as he stared down in shock and saw they were passing over some kind of enormous trench past the marshland, so deep and dark that Scrivener couldn't see the bottom of it, couldn't tell where the massive supports holding up the rail-bridge vanished into. “Oh not good.”

Then the train lurched again, and Scrivener hissed through his teeth in horror at the sight of the bridge swaying violently, staggering back from the window as he squawked: “Oh not good at all!”

“Get thyself together, Scrivener! I shall check what lays ahead, thou shall try and find wretched Gymbr!” Luna snapped, and Scrivener nodded hurriedly. The charcoal stallion turned to head down the car as Luna ran to the cabin, and the sapphire mare winced as she felt and heard the stallion flinch behind her when Gymbr appeared out of thin air in front of him.

She kept her focus forwards, however, leaning up to look out the windshield... and staring in shock to see they were not only nearing their destination, something was terribly wrong with the tracks ahead. The enormous bridge was rocking violently back and forth for some reason that was only growing worse, and Luna cursed under her breath at the sight of this before she looked sharply up, judging the distance to their goal beyond: a massive structure of steel, inset into the side of a a cliff, it looked like, leaning out of monolithic stone and resting in the support of heavy chains, countless pipes feeding into massive hubs set in the cliff face around it and down into the darkness of the trench beneath...

And beyond that, there was something else. Some other structure, half-hidden from sight by what looked like some kind of massive field of electricity. Luna gritted her teeth, beginning to turn away as a plan began to form in her mind... and then the bridge in the rapidly-narrowing distance snapped and toppled into darkness as a massive, horrific shape began to drag itself up onto the wide set of tracks.

She stared in horror at the sight of the monstrous, massive Tyrant Wyrm that had apparently crawled out of the depths of the trench, enormous pistons of steel firing on its back, sending up bursts of steam as massive black tubes standing out of its spine and limbs sizzled with electricity, like it was more machine than monster. It had scarred, mottled golden scales and terrible sapphire eyes, blue mist steaming up from its jaws as it roared furiously at the oncoming train... a train that was shooting forwards at breakneck speeds straight for the massive monstrosity as it hauled itself slowly, carefully up further onto the bridge.

Luna snarled, cursing as she looked back and forth before her eyes locked on the control panel, and she leapt forwards to shove two levers all the way forwards, the engines giving a scream of protest even as the train's acceleration picked even further up, before she shouted over her shoulder: “I have a plan!”

“Oh hell, Luna, I don't like this plan!” Scrivener shouted back with a wince as he looked up in surprise when her thoughts entered his mind. He scrambled backwards as Gymbr looked back and forth between them, then it simply vanished. Luna winced... before there was a loud banging on the roof above, followed by a screech of metal being bent and torn, and the sapphire mare looked up with surprise before shaking her head and turning her eyes to instead to help Scrivener.

The earth pony had already smashed the emergency release button in the narrow, covered 'hall' between passenger and engine car, however, and he had tossed the loose steel paneling that formed a sort of bridge over the coupling hidden below aside. Now the earth pony had his teeth grit, slowly yanking back a lever as his muscles bulged before Luna's horn glowed, and the coupling glowed with the same sapphire aura before a stream of sparks burst up as it came unhooked, the front engine car jerked forwards and the passenger car began to fall backwards, the cloth 'walls' of the short hall between cars ripping loudly as a few loose pieces of flooring flew loose and were sucked out into the jetstream alongside the train.

Scrivener winced, still standing in the passenger car, and when Luna looked at him insistently, he gritted his teeth before spreading his leather wings and leaping outwards, flapping them hard: thankfully he only had to reach the top of the car, and even as the wind threatened to suck him backwards, he reached out and seized the natural handle formed by the underside of the engine roof, wincing as the passenger cars fell further back behind them and the effects of the wind tunnel worsened. “Luna, are you sure about this?”

There was no way she could hear him, but all the same, Luna replied as she flew upwards and into place beside him, gritting her teeth and glaring forwards at the Tyrant Wyrm that was leaning onto the bridge, snarling and waiting for them: “No, I am not, poet!”

Near the front of the engine, Gymbr had its claws buried into the roof, its wings spread and eyes closed as its horn glowed faintly... and then it suddenly snapped its head upwards, eyes giving a flash, and Luna and Scrivener both felt the sizzle that shot through them, both looked up and saw how close they were to the massive, looming monster at the end of the broken bridge, and all three ponies flapped their wings and hauled upwards as Luna and Gymbr's horns both glowed to add telekinetic lift as the train engine crackled with energy.

The train's own momentum added to their efforts as they simply hauled upwards, didn't attempt to slow it down at all, Luna and Scrivener snarling in exertion and Gymbr calm as ever as the massive Tyrant Wyrm began to lean forwards... just as the train engine finally tore free from the tracks, lifting into the air some thirty feet away from the Wyrm, arching into the crimson sky even as it continued to accelerate. And the ponies released it at almost the last moment, all three zipping quickly upwards as Scrivener felt his black blood thinning in his veins, straining to bleed through his flesh at the speed they were moving at... but the pain was well worth it as the train engine smashed directly into the Tyrant Wyrm's face before it could react, knocking it backwards and off-balance as its head snapped to the side in a blast of black mire blood.

A moment later, the rest of the train sailed down the leaning tracks, putting too much weight on the breaking supports and causing the bridge to list and snap even as the row of cars slammed like a battering ram into the Tyrant Wyrm's chest, and the monster was knocked loose to fall into the trench below with a howl of fury, followed down by countless tons of train car and collapsing rail-bridge.

For a few moments, Luna, Scrivener, and Gymbr only glided through the air, watching the monster vanish into the darkness and listening to its fading roar of frustration, Luna and Scrivener breathing hard before Gymbr called quietly to them: “It is time to move, friends.”

Scrivener and Luna both looked towards the creature... and then they both nodded slowly before following as Gymbr's strong wings flapped and propelled the creature onwards, towards the massive, alien facility. The two ponies naturally found themselves falling side-by-side, both looking back and forth nervously, but the strange entity leading them had eyes only for what laid ahead, drawing over the magnificent, massive structure as it said in a soft voice that all the same carried easily through the once-more still air: “It is beautiful... and it is terrible...”

As they began to descend towards the enormous structure, Scrivener realized that the atrium was more than aptly named; the massive building leaning out of the strangely-flat, almost-carved cliff-side was shaped like a gargantuan heart, with its large, domed walls and sections. It was silver and spotless and polished, with the one visible entrance that Gymbr was leading them towards at the broken end of the bridge, and a large, open shutter that looked as if it led into some kind of deep train tunnel.

Scrivener's eyes roved to one of the octagonal hubs, shivering as he looked over the piping and tubing feeding into it, the massive bolts that helped keep it fastened into its recess in the cliffs, the enormous vents that belched steam and smoke. Over the pistons that pumped steadily but slowly, regulating the flow of the poisons... hubs, valves, veins, feeding black blood forever into the heart of Clockwork World.

And as Scrivener looked back towards the Atrium, he felt a twist of fear, almost panic, and his mind locking onto the building. He felt like there was something inside... something he... he almost desired, and it made him tremble. Just as did the knowledge that if they wanted to get through to the Prophet and the Clockwork King... they had to pass through the heart.

His eyes roved up, confirming this automatically: only a hundred feet away, atop the plateau that ended with these dusty cliffs, there were tall, ivory pillars shaped almost like curving white teeth. Electricity and raw sapphire energy sparked between them, forming an almost opaque blue shield around the building beyond... the Cortex, where the Clockwork King and the Prophet both rested. Where they had to go if they wanted to end all this...

The trio touched down on the tracks in front of the train tunnel as Scrivener shivered, reaching up to touch his forehead, and Luna looked at him worriedly. Before she could ask, however, Gymbr looked calmly into the darkness of the tunnel, saying calmly: “Enemy forces are arriving. We shall hold them back... besides, this is not our story; it is yours.”

The creature looked over at them, studying them for a few moments before it pointed towards a heavy hatch door in the wall of the enormous, silver structure. “Go. Scrivener Blooms must find the way. Luna Brynhild must carve the path. Apart you would fail, but together... we will succeed. We shall rejoin you on the approach towards Cortex.”

Scrivener and Luna both hesitated, but not even the sapphire mare had any words to tease or reprimand or even simply speak to the creature, and it smiled at them after a moment, leaning forwards and saying gently: “We wish you luck.”

With that, Gymbr vanished from sight... and Scrivener and Luna both traded a look before the winged unicorn gritted her teeth and glanced towards the hatch door, flicking her horn to spin the valve handle before it snapped open, and she sprinted forwards and inside as Scrivener followed quickly after her.

They entered into polished, sterile halls, and Scrivener and Luna traded a look before the winged unicorn nodded at the silent mental directions the charcoal stallion's instincts gave her, hurrying forwards to an intersection and turning quickly to the right. And immediately, two Hoplites looked up from the door they were standing guard at, both of these griffins equipped not just with their wicked hook-claws, but long, thin spears.

The emotionless soldiers leapt into combat as if they'd been expecting them, and Luna snarled as she flicked her horn forwards to launch her spear from her sheath, the weapon springing to full length and swinging out to parry a stab as one griffin tried to fly in from above, and she used her horn to block a thrust from the second griffin as well. Then, before it could react, her horn glowed and she lashed it forwards, sending a powerful blast of lightning down the spear to electrocute the unfortunate Hoplite, and the griffin on the ground spasmed as it staggered backwards, banded armor popping loudly and smoke pouring up from the creature.

The first Hoplite began to reposition itself in midair, trying to fly forwards to flank Luna... and without hesitation, Scrivener leapt up, using Luna as a step before he slammed both hooves down into the griffin's skull before the charcoal stallion shoved savagely downwards, dragging the griffin through the air and smashing it beak-first into the ground beneath his hooves. There was a sickening crack as the helmet caved in and the neck twisted awkwardly, and Scrivener winced in surprise at his own strength.

Luna glanced at him, and he looked back, then shrugged awkwardly before the winged unicorn smiled faintly and shook her head, muttering as her spear collapsed and slid itself smoothly back into her holster: “'Tis no time to worry. Come, let us hope that we do not have an army to deal with ourselves.”

Scrivener grunted and nodded in agreement, and he let Luna take the lead, pushing through the security door and into another long, winding passage. Scrivener's instincts led them out into a massive generator hall of some kind, and for a moment, the two paused on the wide, steel balcony that looked over a floor below, and the double-row of evenly-spaced, enormous pillars that ran down the center of the massive passage: some were covered by sliding, cylindrical armor, but on others the round shutters had drawn back, uncovering glass tubes filled with corruption and sizzling cables.

They looked important: what clearly added to this sense was the fact that there were Worker Drones all over the floor below, along with six-legged, enormous metallic insects. They seemed almost like steel ants with gemstone eyes, large tubes standing out of their upper backs in pairs. As Scrivener watched, one of these ant-like drones approached one of the open tubes, slipping the needle-like end of a foreleg into the base of the sinister pillar... and a moment later, one of the tubes on its back began to fill with corruption.

Luna made a face of disgust... and then she winced when four Hoplites seemed to come out of nowhere, crashing down on all around them on the wide balcony. Scrivener and Luna both winced, then leapt quickly over the railing when the griffins lunged for them, the two ponies landing heavily on the floor below before they shot forwards as a klaxon blared and a voice announced coldly: “Intruders detected in Hall A1. Deploy and engage.”

“Crap!” Scrivener winced, then he cursed under his breath as his eyes locked on a set of red doors at the far end of the hall: the one bright side was, even as the Hoplites chased him, even as security shutters opened and griffins and Soldier Drones began to pour into the hall, the Worker Drones and the mechanical ants were only continuing about their business, uninterested in the ponies or the security forces pursuing them.

Luna's horn glowed as she locked on the red doors, and she lashed out with telekinesis, smashing a dent in them with a raw, psychic blast before she snarled and flicked her horn backwards, and the heavy, now-warped doors were yanked open as whatever locking system held them closed snapped. A moment later, Scrivener dove through the narrow space and then cursed as he hit stairs beyond, eyes widening in alarm as he tried to stop a little too late before he shouted in pain and frustration as he began to violently roll down them.

The sapphire mare, meanwhile, leapt to the air and spun around, hovering for a moment as she ignored the spastic pains bouncing through her body from Scrivener's fall, and her horn glowed brightly as she flicked it backwards. The doors were yanked shut, before Luna flicked her horn forwards, and ice rapidly spread over the warped metal, thickening and growing quickly into a solid, crystalline barrier.

But at the sound of something banging on the other side, Luna winced, the glow fading from around her horn as she turned around and dove quickly down the stairway, gliding smoothly to the narrow hall at the bottom of the steps. Scrivener was picking himself up with a grimace, looking pained before they both gazed up towards the door at the end of the short, narrow corridor, the only way they had forwards.

The two slowly strode towards this, Scrivener feeling a strange shiver run through him at the sight of it, not knowing why, before they carefully pushed through and stepped out onto a steel, spiraling walkway beyond. For a moment, they could only stare, and then both ponies forced their minds to begin processing the little things first as they looked around the unbelievable, enormous room.

The sloped walkway went around the entire room, wide enough for four ponies to walk comfortably side-by-side, beginning where they stood and ending at the floor maybe fifty feet below. The ceiling was at least sixty, seventy feet above where they stood now, however... and the circular, massive room was perhaps just as wide, with a slightly-domed floor and ceiling that gave the illusion of standing inside an enormous sphere. There were doors, here and there, along the walkway, and at the bottom floor; these were all the little details that the ponies could understand.

The ceiling was covered in massive pipes and black cables that sizzled with electricity, and enormous gears could be heard clanking as upside-down pistons rumbled sluggishly, keeping something above stirring, keeping the blood of this terrible heart pumping. Because this was the heart: the heart inside the heart, made clear by the fact that in the center of the room was a massive, translucent cone feeding down into some kind of enormous metal ring, like a tornado turned to glass.

Inside it was swirling corruption: black, dark corruption, spinning endlessly downwards into a vent, a valve, whatever lay in that tube, glowing darkly with energy. Scrivener stared at this, breathing hard as he felt a strange tremble run through his body before Luna's roved upwards incredulously, past what looked like enormous, hanging mechanical arms extending down from the cable-covered ceiling and towards the wall...

And she saw that the walls above their heads were covered in what looked like... pods. Like enormous metal cocoons with glass fronts, each hooked into a steel cradle, each with a pony inside, floating amidst murky liquid. Luna stared in horror as Scrivener stumbled around, breathing harder as he whispered: “Horses of Heaven...”

Some of the closest were almost-completely formed, completely recognizable, and Scrivener could see that each of the pods was marked as well with a serial number and a letter. The one just above them was marked “V1561122;” its occupant was a perfect match for Valor, her eyes closed, her body almost floating silently in the ooze...

Scrivener stumbled back into the railing, gasping for breath as Luna shook her head, staring wildly back and forth: others were half-formed, but slowly, little-by-little, seemed to be building themselves in the ooze. It filled the sapphire mare with a horror she couldn't quite describe, as Scrivener trembled before he spun around as a whizzing filled the air. A moment later, a green orb floated up in front of them, sparking before it projected an illusion of Valthrudnir's upper body. It floated eerily in the air, large and grinning as he mocked: “What's wrong, little ponies? Are you t-t-terrified, or l-left in awe of the level of my s-superior genius?”

“Monster!” Luna shouted, spinning around and snarling, and Valthrudnir only gave his keening, repetitive laugh in response. “What madness is this? What hast thou done?”

“Simple...” Valthrudnir answered with a cold smile, his eyes flashing. “You see, t-the problem with making a s-superior soldier is the knowledge that in-in-inevitably, it will b-be destroyed. To c-circumvent this p-problem... I began experimenting w-with homunculi. Kvasir was the r-r-result of one such experiment.

“To make a homunculi, I required t-two things. A g-genetic base, and the m-memories and data of the c-creature I wished to design it f-from. The m-materials I chose to make these s-special homunculi from are w-well known to you, S-Scrivener Blooms: what you c-call 'corruption,' and I call the Clay of Prometheus.” Valthrudnir grinned darkly at them, the image stuttering for a moment. “Of course, m-mixing these materials to-together would still not create a-anything more than a golem of f-flesh, with the basic in-instincts of the creature it was m-modeled from. That is why I c-created Kvasir. The perfect homunculus, with the p-perfect blood. Blood... of in-inspiration.”

Scrivener's eyes widened as Luna snarled, leaning forwards and snapping: “Foolish monster! We destroyed the Hexad, and thou no longer-”

“Y-You destroyed the a-active homunculi, t-that is all.” Valthrudnir said dismissively, shaking his head with a cold smile. “The real Hexad... were d-dismissed from d-duty a long time ago. Now they s-serve me in a different c-capacity... as brain-dead bodies s-safely locked away in the d-depths of the Atrium, five corpses f-from which I can constantly harvest b-blood, spiritual e-energy, and the memories that remain in t-t-their hollow minds. I wonder sometimes if they can d-dream, or live these m-memories over and over again... but they can no l-longer see, touch, t-taste, feel, or e-experience. They are... an e-endless, bountiful harvest. And they s-should thank me. Once the homunculi are brought to s-sentience from their mindlessness by Kvasir's blood, it is as if they get to l-live again, is it not? And I don't even f-force them to experience their p-previous deaths!”

Then he paused as the two looked at him with horror, before smiling coldly, leaning forwards a bit and adding reflectively: “A-Although Wisdom... was r-r-real, even if powered and filled with the same corruption as her l-lessers. Her c-c-composition meant I could not r-replicate her as easily as these other p-puppets. Losing her means the Hexad w-will now only be five m-members... at least until I find a suitable r-replacement.”

Valthrudnir threw his head back and laughed, and Scrivener and Luna both snarled furiously at the illusion before both ponies leapt forwards, and the hologram of Valthrudnir leaned back in surprise as the two sailed down to the floor below, crashing into it as they ran towards the central, tornado-shaped structure. The image of Valthrudnir stared after them, then sparked out of existence as the green orb shot forwards to float beside the base of the conical tube, sparking before once more projecting the illusion of the Jötnar. “W-What are you doing?”

“Shutting you down.” Scrivener muttered, and he shivered before reaching a hoof up to touch the glass wall... and he gritted his teeth as he shook his head quickly, whispering: “I can feel it resonating with me for some reason... Luna, I... I think I just need to touch it-”

“D-Don't you dare! Fools, a-all you will succeed in doing is k-killing yourselves from the c-concentration of the corruption!” Valthrudnir snarled, and then he leaned back when Scrivener grinned at him through grit teeth.

“Funny. If that was true, I think you'd be way less worried.” Scrivener retorted, and the Valthrudnir illusion opened its mouth, but then sparked out of existence when Luna's spear swung suddenly, sharply out and scored a hit against the green glass orb hidden in the illusion, knocking it sailing backwards before it hit the ground and shattered loudly, sparing Scrivener the need to argue with the hologram.

Then Luna flicked her horn to the side, and her spear glowed before thrusting forwards, tearing through the foot-thick glass. A moment later, it yanked backwards, both ponies wincing... but instead of being followed by any pressurized spray, there was only a thin spurt of black ooze: the tornado of corruption inside the glass was moving with such speed and strength, was being guided with such force on its course, that the shield of glass around it was less necessary and more a precaution than anything else.

Luna grimaced... but Scrivener reached slowly up, touching the dark ooze, and he shivered at the feeling of warmth in it, and the feeling of energy that surged through him at just the contact. He felt his own corruption reacting, his own blood boiling, as whispers spilled through his mind... and he realized that was why the Clockwork Ponies had given him the visions. Why he had been able to see the memories of the homunculi... why they had rotted away instead of leaving corpses when they died. The corruption, exhaling into the air, was pulled into Scrivener's mind, mixed into him... perhaps... became part of him...

He shivered, and then he pulled his hoof back... and stared as the corruption tried to follow him, sloppy black strings stretching weakly for him. Scrivener breathed hard... and then he looked towards Luna as he stepped backwards, saying quietly: “Get behind me. And keep a barrier spell ready, just... just in case.”

Luna nodded slowly, not arguing as she strode to Scrivener's back, then reached up and touched him reassuringly... and he looked over his shoulder at her for a moment, hesitating, before he swallowed thickly and faced forwards, rearing back and raising both hooves upwards. He grit his teeth, felt his body flex, reached out with his mind as the black blood surged through his veins, sang to the corruption that was roaring through the core of Atrium...

He yanked backwards with his mind, with his instincts, bowing his head forwards as he pulled his hooves towards his chest and felt like he was hauling some immense, physical weight... and then he looked up in shock as the tornado twisted inside the glass cone, smashing like a living thing into the wall of the tube and sending a blast of black ooze squirting out as cracks spread from the thin hole. Then Scrivener's eyes widened as he realized the stream of ooze had become like a rope, clinging to him, connecting him to the tornado both physically and with a deeper, darker link...

He stared in horror, and to him, the roar of the corruption sounded almost like a living, terrible thing before Scrivener gritted his teeth and yelled back, swinging his hooves outwards, yanking on instinct and desperation... and there was a massive, terrible crack before the entire side of the enormous glass tornado-tube shattered, sending an immense tidal wave down as Scrivener staggered backwards, then dropped to all fours and winced away, forming a wall with his body in front of Luna.

The black wave smashed into him, made him wince... and then he stared up in shock as it ripped apart into three rivers that tore to either side past him, and twisted up through the air, leaving him and Luna standing in an impossible space where she was untouched by the concentrated black ooze. Even as it surged over him, Luna could only stare as not a drop reached her, and Scrivener gasped as he felt it burning against him, filling him with energy, with thoughts, with visions and knowledge, speaking to him, unlocking memories before he screamed as his eyes glowed with hellish sapphire

light. It streamed in through the frost-covered windows, as the unicorn lay back, looking exhausted but smiling weakly up at the doctor as he gently lifted her newborn baby.

Beside her was another unicorn: her husband, who was frowning moodily instead of looking happy about what had come to pass. Not that the doctor cared: instead, he calmly surveyed the foal in his limbs – gray, still smeared with a bit of blood, silent and shivering a little – and then he looked up and said calmly: “Congratulations, it's a colt. Give me just a minute to make sure he's okay, and then I'll bring him right back and we'll go over the paperwork.”

“Thank you.” the mare smiled weakly, looking up as she breathed quietly in and out, and the male only grunted and nodded, sitting back as he crossed his forelegs.

The doctor smiled, then placed the foal down in a padded incubator cradle before grasping the sides of this and pushing it easily out into the hall. He strode calmly past several nurses and other doctors, then glanced back and forth before pushing into a private room.

He carefully shut the door behind him before pushing the open-top incubator over to rest beside a second identical one... and then he flinched as a shape stepped forwards from the wall. It stood on its hind hooves and wore a thick, stained coat over its body, one sleeve hanging limp. Its features were bruised, and covered with both raw flesh and dripping mire as faded blue eyes surveyed the baby. After a few moments, it rasped quietly: “Is this the one?”

“Y-Yes. Yes, the only birth this week. Room 403, Tia Belle and Bramblethorn. Male, unicorn, good respiration and I'd estimate weighs in at a little over average, probably-” The doctor's words were cut off as the pony shape reached down and snapped the foal's neck in a single vicious movement.

The doctor's breath caught in his throat, slowly looking up and swallowing thickly as he whispered, rubbing slowly at his throat: “You d-didn't say...”

“It is all part of the process.” the Clockwork Pony replied with distaste, and then it grunted as something clanked loudly inside its chest, its legs whirring weakly when it stepped backwards and reached down to lean on the other incubator. “Get a needle.”

For a moment, the doctor trembled, looking up at the dying Clockwork Pony... and then Beauty leaned forwards and snarled, rasping: “I have nothing left to lose, do you understand me? I am dying, the world I come from was shut down long ago, and my master desires this one final experiment be carried out or... or...”

Beauty began to cough violently, leaning to the side, and the doctor stumbled backwards before he hurriedly turned towards a supply shelf, rushing over to it and digging out a needle. As Beauty slowly recovered, she straightened, breathing hard in and out before pointing with a trembling claw and whispering: “Fill it up from this... inject the blood into the infant's corpse...”

Slowly, the doctor looked into the second incubator, at the covered lump that he had brought in. Tucked under the blankets, it looked harmless, like a sleeping newborn with the rise and fall of the cloth... but when he reached forwards and slowly pulled the blankets back, he revealed an enormous, pulsating black heart.

For a moment, he hesitated... and then Beauty reached out, yanking the needle away and stabbing it fiercely down into the beating, black heart, and it gave an extra pulse of pain before Beauty leaned down and used her teeth to yank up the plunger, filling it with dark, liquid corruption. Then her eyes flicked to the dead newborn, and she leaned forwards, stabbing the needle down into the corpse's neck.

It spasmed when she depressed the plunger with her thumb, before the baby began to tremble violently and seize, eyes suddenly opening as life returned to the dead child and its broken neck visibly snapped back into place. The doctor started to lean forwards, but Beauty threw the now-empty needle aside and shoved him back, saying disgustedly: “The experiment will either succeed or fail. That's all there is to it. Let it happen.”

The doctor trembled, then nodded slowly as the newborn whimpered and gargled, shivering and shaking violently before its eyes slipped back closed... but it settled into unconsciousness, not death, and Beauty smiled after a moment, whispering: “Valthrudnir was right... the process... works b-better when...”

Beauty coughed hard, turning her head away and sending out a splatter of blood from her jaws before she reached up and slowly wiped at her mouth, the doctor trembling as he stared up at her. She ignored him, however, frowning slowly before she turned her eyes forwards, reaching down and probing carefully over the unicorn foal's forehead with a rusted claw before muttering: “He has no horn.”

“What?” the doctor leaned forwards in surprise, touching the newborn's forehead as well, before he flushed and looked slowly up, whispering: “I... I didn't know he was deformed, please...”

“No. If anything, this makes the experiment even more interesting...” Beauty whispered, shaking her head slowly before she reached down and touched the newborn's chest, feeling his heartbeat and closing her eyes: it was steady and strong, as if it had never died. “Yes. Valthrudnir will be pleased to... to h-hear...”

Then Beauty trembled, staggering backwards and grasping at her chest, cursing before she leaned forwards and coughed blood again. Her eyes widened as something inside her snapped loudly, and then she looked up with a snarl, beginning to rasp: “T-T-Tell the Blood Seer the cuckoo is in place! Tell him, Valthrudnir must... he...”

But then Beauty simply fell backwards, whimpering, bloody tears spilling from her eyes before she gargled and convulsed for a few moments, electricity sparking over her body as she began to rot quickly away into nothingness. The doctor shouted in horror at this, and a moment later, there was a hurried knock at the door, a voice calling: “Are you okay in there?”

“I... I'm fine, I'm sorry.” The doctor was still staring weakly, watching Beauty's remains bubbling away to nothing before another knock came at the door, and the doctor hurriedly reached down, covering the now-shriveled heart on the other incubator before he quickly pulled the other with the silent foal on it over to the door, opening it and looking out at a Pegasus nurse. “I... I need to schedule a plastic surgeon. This unicorn foal was born without a horn.”

“Oh no.” the Pegasus reached up, staring at him with shock, and then she nodded hurriedly before racing away down the hall.

With that, the doctor trembled and hurried back to the incubator cart, pushing it quickly to the door and out, closing the door of the room behind him and locking it with trembling hooves. Later, he would return, scrape up everything he could, toss it all into the incinerator downstairs... and then he would simply run.

For now, he returned the cart to the room with the news, and Bramblethorn looked up in horror as Tia Belle trembled and shook her head in disbelief. He began to talk about the plastic surgeon, but Bramblethorn snapped furiously that it would change nothing, and Tia Belle only continued to shake her head mutely.

When they calmed down, more than a day later, they named the newborn: Tia Belle chose Scrivener Blooms, because Bramblethorn would have nothing to do with the baby. And then she lay with him in her forelegs, looking down miserably at her child, staring at the spot on his forehead that would never grow a horn... unaware that in his veins, corruption rushed and pulsed, and was slowly but steadily absorbed into his mind and body and spirit. That her son had been infected with something deep and sinister and evil...

And Scrivener never would have known. The poisons, the corruption, would have stayed dormant in him forever, until the day he died. But his mind had met the Tyrant Wyrm's, and it had awakened the corruption already there when it had lashed out at him with all its power. It was how Scrivener had survived the vicious psychic attack: it was what had started Scrivener's dark evolution. It was what had let Valthrudnir slip traces of himself so easily into his mind, and it was why he had almost become a Tyrant Wyrm.

He was a cuckoo: a taxidermy imitation, made from the real thing. He had been part of Valthrudnir's plans to poison and destroy Equestria... and the only reason Valthrudnir hadn't known about him, hadn't used him, hadn't found and poisoned him further to turn him into whatever monstrosity he had been hoping to build was because the homunculus of Beauty had died then and there. The gears in Valthrudnir's machinery had stripped and failed to work together by sheer dumb luck... and everything made sense. Everything locked into place as Scrivener Blooms stood in his own memories, black tears rolling down his cheeks as he shook his head mutely and stared silently at the sight of Tia Belle, his mother, cradling him as a baby, as through the snow and frost and dusty glass poured the sun's gorgeous

radiance.

And then Scrivener threw his head back and howled his misery, his pain, his despair to the ceiling, and the mire surged violently upwards all around them as Luna staggered back in shock, watching as the black murk spilled backwards and solidified into brittle clay walls before Scrivener collapsed forwards, curled up, and began to cry quietly.

Luna leapt over him and hugged him tightly, covered him with her body as she felt his memories and frazzled emotions sparking into her mind, and she trembled hard as she clung to him, pulled him up against her body and whispered harshly: “Thou art still thou, Scrivener Blooms. This changes nothing... listen to me, I love thee, I still love thee, I shall always and forever love thee, no matter what...”

“I'm... I'm...” Scrivener laughed weakly, jaggedly, trembling as black tears poured down his cheeks and sobs ripped up from his chest between words. “I'm a Clockwork Pony... I'm the very thing we always fought a-against, Luna... I'm...”

“Thou art Scrivener Blooms, my soulmate, and I love thee!” Luna almost shouted, rolling him onto his back and gazing down into his eyes, trembling hard as she pinned him, and their eyes locked, emotions rollicking violently between them, sharing thoughts and memories and emotions back and forth, laughing together, fighting side-by-side, living for each other... dying for one another.

Countless images flashed through Scrivener's mind, of faces, places, friends, and everything they had seen and experienced... before his eyes closed, and his head fell back as he breathed hard, trembling weakly as Luna stayed over him, looking down at him and swallowing thickly. For a few moments, there was only silence, except for the sound of black sludge dripping down from the ceiling and the sparking of electricity across the cabling and tubes above... and then he shivered once before looking slowly up, meeting her eyes as he asked quietly: “Can we choose our own destiny? Can we defy... everything?”

“We can. Together.” Luna replied quietly, then she slowly stood back and stretched a hoof down to him, and Scrivener nodded slowly before he reached up and took it, letting her haul him up to stand as he breathed slowly through his mouth. He closed his eyes, then shook himself out before laughing faintly when Luna reached up and brushed away his black tears, murmuring quietly: “Enough crying and whimpering, poet. Thou can do that after we are done here... for now, we must make haste.”

“Yes. Yes, yes, you're right.” Scrivener shook his head out, then he flapped his wings once before grimacing and touching his chest, feeling a warmth pulse through him. He guessed it was from contact with the corruption... and then he frowned and glanced down before quietly sweeping up his glasses from the floor, studying them for a moment to make sure the lenses weren't cracked before he slipped them on and smiled a bit, and Luna back approvingly, nodding slowly once as she picked up and tucked away her spear.

She felt it too: the strength, the energy flowing through him and thus into her as well by virtue of their linked soul and spirit. Something that neither could complain about, despite its source... and then he shivered once before leaping to the air, and Luna followed after him as he let his instincts guide him, flying up through the shattered core and towards an enormous, open tunnel that was only thinly dripping with the mire now.

They flew steadily upwards, past stained walls and several enormous, shutter-sealed pipes until they came in sight of a vent at the top of the shaft, and Luna automatically took the lead before she flicked her horn out, sending a blue fireball rocketing upwards to smash into this and explode with more than enough force to knock the vent cover rocketing skywards in a hail of shrapnel. A moment later, the two ponies shot out out and into the crimson sky before letting themselves drop as they realized they were standing on the enormous cliff from which Atrium jutted, and that only fifty feet away were the massive pillars that powered the electrical field.

But now, they were were only steaming faintly, and the energy barrier was gone: whatever else, destroying the core had stopped Atrium's heart, had knocked out power to the shields... and hopefully stalled whatever other grisly operations the Clockwork King had here. And Scrivener and Luna traded a grim look before they both ran forwards over the smooth plateau, hurrying past one of the fang-shaped monoliths and running onwards until they both skidded to a halt at the edge of a deep, enormous pit.

It was miles wide and almost perfectly circular, and in the center of it was an immense, solid and spherical structure held in place by massive metal chains and several long support bars that stretched all the way out to the walls of the pit, with a single, gargantuan bridge leading from a tunnel in the cliff all the way to the round, ring-shaped base that cradled the bottom of the sphere. Enormous pipes and angular supports fed up into this ring from below, and Scrivener and Luna both gritted their teeth: this had to be Cortex. This had to be the Clockwork King's sanctuary... and no doubt, he and the Prophet were both waiting somewhere inside the massive steel globe.

Both Scrivener and Luna leapt down, wings spreading and flapping hard as they shot down through the air before they landed about halfway across the enormous bridge, both of the ponies running forwards... before Gymbr appeared in mid-gallop behind them in a spark of energy, Scrivener and Luna looking over their shoulders in surprise as the creature said softly: “Good. You know the truth. You know how the story begins... now, we shall help you bring this story to an end.”

The two nodded quickly, both looking ahead towards the enormous, black metal double doors leading into Cortex... and then they staggered as a terrible roar ripped through the air, and Gymbr looked sharply over its own shoulder, eyes cold as all three ponies skidded to a halt and spun around.

An enormous, golden-scaled claw seized the edge of the immense bridge, and then the Tyrant Wyrm they had forced past earlier snarled furiously as its head rose in the air, bringing the other claw up to seize higher up the wall of the pit as its rear legs scrabbled along the stone. Slowly, it hauled itself up onto the bridge that was barely wide enough to accommodate the goliath, and Gymbr shook its head in contempt before it began to calmly walk towards the hundred foot monstrosity, Luna and Scrivener both staring before the creature said quietly to them: “Keep going. Destroy the Prophet and the Clockwork King. We shall deal with this.”

The Tyrant Wyrm roared, its eyes glowing, the massive pistons on its back pumping as it began to crawl slowly forwards across the bridge, and Scrivener and Luna only stood, both wanting to question, to argue, to understand why this thing was willing to go so far for them before Gymbr smiled and rose its head, saying quietly: “Our answer is simple. Knowing we are past redemption is not an excuse for us to continue being evil. If anything, it is all the more reason to not pile on further sins... because continuing down the path of evil is no longer just foolishness and folly, it is weakness and a failing, as well. We have learned much from you and Antares... and we shall not disappoint our beloved Polaris. We do not expect anyone to forgive us, or to ever be redeemed... but we can aspire to do at least one right thing before we die.

“Now go!” Gymbr shouted over its shoulder, its mane and tail of black fire flaring violently before it turned forwards and launched itself into the air, and Scrivener and Luna both could only stare after the creature, thanking it silently before they both spun and ran for the entrance to the Clockwork King's lair.

The Tyrant Wyrm snarled at this, leaning forwards and roaring furiously, unleashing a blast of raw sound and toxic blue mist that spread rapidly up the bridge... before Gymbr dropped down in the path of the attack and flicked its horn to the side, a blast of raw force ripping through the air to interrupt the soundwave and blow apart the toxic smog. “We are your opponent, parasite... now let us prove that a pathetic monster is no match for the might of a god!”

Gymbr flapped its wings once, then shot forwards, and the Tyrant Wyrm snarled before the pistons on its back sparked violently, steam bursting up from them as it leaned forwards and roared, sending out a concentrated blast of electrified blue mist. Gymbr only swayed to the side, however, avoiding the blast with ease before it spun in and smashed viciously into the monster's forehead with its front hooves, striking just in front of its mighty crown of horns.

The Tyrant Wyrm roared, dropping its head forwards before trying to butt into Gymbr, and the creature flapped its wings hard, throwing itself backwards before its hooves clicked and snapped apart into claws. It dove back down to the creature, seizing one of the Tyrant Wyrm's horns, and then it twisted savagely and yanked upwards, and the monster snarled in fury as its horn snapped off, shaking its head wildly back and forth.

Gymbr threw the horn into the air, catching it with telekinesis and spinning it around before it flicked its own horn forwards, and the massive, broken chunk of Tyrant Wyrm crown was sent plunging down into the creature's own skull, knocking it staggering backwards and slumping slightly... but its eyes only glowed with fury, not pain, before it arched its back and roared, a blast of electricity and anti-magic ripping out of its body in a tremendous shockwave. Gymbr was knocked backwards with a cry of pain in mixed voices, static ripping across the creature's frame before it righted itself and glared, eyes blazing. “What insult!”

It shot forwards, smashing into the Tyrant Wyrm's features, knocking the beast's head back and forth as the alien winged unicorn's body crackled with electricity. The Tyrant Wyrm snarled, biting at its foe and vomiting out blasts of toxic blue mist as it howled loudly enough to vibrate the air around it, but Gymbr was unfettered, pressing its attacks savagely. But every wound it ripped healed in moments, black mire splattering out of the cuts before they closed and dark smears turned back into mottled gold scale.

The Tyrant Wyrm swung a claw up as Gymbr tore down across the creature's features, and the beast managed to snag the strange winged unicorn out of the air, slamming it down into the bridge hard enough to crack the thick, solid stone. Gymbr gritted its teeth, then vanished the moment the Tyrant Wyrm rose its claw, and it stomped only on solid rock before Gymbr reappeared on the monstrosity's back, reaching out to seize one of the pumping pistons, hissing in pain at the immense heat the metal was radiating and as electricity tore over its body.

The Wyrm howled however, arching its back and shaking itself wildly, but too late: a moment later, Gymbr yanked backwards, ripping the piston up out of place and tearing it free... along with several thick roots of flesh and cable, black mire bursting out of the gaping wound. The creature threw the piston away before it leapt backwards and shot into the air when the Tyrant Wyrm twisted around, hissing as pain turned to rage, clawing savagely after Gymbr as the winged unicorn shot upwards, then spun around high in the air, a grin spreading over the creature's features as it shouted: “Come creature! We demand you give us glory!”

With that, Gymbr dove suddenly downwards as the Tyrant Wyrm lunged upwards, smashing into the beast's breast and knocking the gigantic monster backwards into the bridge... which under all the weight and stress, finally shattered, massive chunks of stone and rock and steel hailing down into the pit. The Wyrm howled as it fell, clawing outwards, ripping through Gymbr's wing and flaying it... but as Gymbr fell after the Tyrant Wyrm, it streamlined its body, crashing into the beast's face, to rip, tear and gouge as it grinned, emerald eyes glowing as fiercely as the sapphire glare of the beast as the monsters ripped and clawed and slaughtered each other even as they fell together into oblivion.

The Clockwork King

Chapter Seventy Five: The Clockwork King
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener and Luna felt the world shake when the bridge shattered, heard the roars of the monstrous Tyrant Wyrm as it was driven downwards by Gymbr... and the two traded looks before they hurried forwards through the halls of Cortex. The building was larger than it looked on the outside, as they ran down a long, sterile corridor, ignoring the doors on either side and instead sprinting straight for the archway and stairs at the end. Luna had finally dispelled Scrivener's wings and refitted his armor into place over the slots: neither of them thought they would be doing much flying in the near future, after all.

They charged up the short flight of steps and hit the door at the end to find themselves entering into a neatly-organized workshop. Everything was clean and tidy and in perfect condition, and Scrivener gritted his teeth as he felt

cold metal under his claws, tapping them slowly against the square desk that dominated the room. Valthrudnir shook his head after a moment in disgust, then he looked moodily to the right, at the tanks on the walls filled with boiling, concentrated corruption. A very useful, very powerful tool he had designed, that could spread rapidly through an ecosystem, infecting and transforming as it went. But the problem was it first needed to be spread into an area in large amounts... then it would begin replicating on its own.

He needed to design an efficient delivery system... something that could spread and control the Clay of Prometheus. Something that would also be able to keep itself safe from interlopers... that could create the corruption in its body.

Valthrudnir flipped open a nearby pad of paper, flicking his wrist to create a pencil and moodily beginning to poke at the designs on the top sheet. If he could, he wanted to implement several designs into one... that was perhaps part of what irritated him most about these ponies. They all had 'one' special talent: well, what was the use of that except to make life miserable? He understood specialization, and rank: he planned to design Drones whose specific purpose was simply to do labor, after all, but in no way did that mean one Drone would be built to gather, another to mine, another to build... they would be able to do all manner of menial tasks so beneath him he disliked even thinking about them.

The ultimate carrier for his corruption... they would not just terraform, they would be like... like a vaccine, burning away the pathetic life that infested these pathetic worlds Odin had created. They would spread the Clay, transform the land with their presence, and be able to efficiently exterminate the useless mortals that thrived in their chaotic little dung-heaps...

Valthrudnir shook his head in disgust, then he glanced to his left, at the other wall: schematics, statistics, other things hung on this, showing all the progress he had made with this world. He began to turn, then winced and reached down, touching his stomach, feeling the twinge of pain where Celestia's horn had pierced him. Oh, a pathetic little mortal couldn't kill him, no... but he could still be injured by them. It was part of why he was eager to come up with a new, better design for something to carry the corruption... it was why he was eager to transform every creature in this layer into something he could use to help him devastate and destroy the other layers of reality.

Valthrudnir closed his eyes, rubbing at his stomach, another chill of fear coming through with the feeling of

pain rising in his body... and then as suddenly as it was there, it was gone, and Scrivener's mind sparked before he looked back and forth: at the empty tanks, at the blank wall. He frowned, and Luna looked at him sharply before Scrivener reached up to rub slowly at his head, muttering: “Something... a prelude to something important...”

Luna nodded slowly, and then the two traded a look before hurrying onwards, around the steel table and through the door on the other side of the room... and they both shivered as they emerged into a long, wide hall decorated with statues of Tyrant Wyrms. Scrivener looked back and forth before he glanced up, and his eyes widened at the ghostly shapes of Valor and Courage, the larger mare reaching up and adjusting her cowboy hat as she rumbled in his mind: Always hated this place. It meant a lot of sitting around, a lot of listening close to orders given from people I didn't much care for.

Courage nodded in agreement, then she grinned bitterly and leaned against the door, adding distastefully: I hated that, too. But what I hated even more was when the Clockwork King or the Prophet wanted to talk to us...

Then Scrivener flinched, and when he looked back up, the images of the Clockwork Ponies were gone. He breathed hard for a few moments, then traded a look with Luna before the two ran down the hall... both trying to ignore the way the statues of the Tyrant Wyrms turned to follow them before they shoved through the enormous wooden doors and into a dimly-lit room beyond, most of the light coming from a single hanging bulb.

For a moment, Scrivener saw all of the Hexad, sitting calmly at their seats... and then they were simply gone, and he shook his head with a curse of pain at the vision before looking up and muttering: “I think I'm starting to completely lose it.”

“Carry on, poet. Thou has experienced worse than this.” Luna muttered, and Scrivener nodded as they strode around the table, Scrivener reaching for the door

and throwing them open to storm through into the chamber beyond. Valthrudnir snarled as he looked back and forth over the six gathered Clockwork Ponies sitting at the darkly-lit table, and then he pointed at them and shouted: “Get out! Get out, and go to your posts, and await my orders!”

The Hexad stared at him, and then Valthrudnir stepped forwards and backhanded Wisdom hard, knocking her sprawling out of her seat before all six of them turned and bolted for the door. Wisdom was the last to leave, half-looking back, but Valthrudnir glared and flicked a hand, slamming the door on her face before he roared in frustration and slammed both his fists down against the table, cracking it.

It was all falling apart: it had been a perfect plan, a perfect design, he'd thought... but this layer of reality he'd taken over, this prototype for his perfect world, was not going as according to plan. The moment one gear jammed up due to a malfunction, a glitch, a moment of free thought or a single scheduling error, everything else fell apart as well. And furthermore, there was no aesthetic beauty in this world, due to the pollution and the corruption... everything was sludge and rock and death. It was worse than Helheim, and it humiliated him.

And the Clockwork King... the stuttering, madcap idiot that was supposed to run this place, with the Prophet's help, couldn't keep the machines in line. Had gone from his greatest achievement to his greatest failure. And he was well aware of the irony that the only things in this world that did function properly – the Clockwork Ponies and the Tyrant Wyrms – were the things with some semblance of puppeted will and at least animal intelligence. But all his automatons, his engines, his machines... failures.

Decretum, World of Law and Rule, was a failed experiment. He would be harvesting what he could from it, and then he would be abandoning the project. He would be taking his schematics, blueprints, and the few prototypes and projects that had worked out with him, and five of the Clockwork Homunculi to carry out one final experiment related to his Tyrant Wyrm and Clay of Prometheus projects, which would hopefully allow him to develop a better world one day... better than Decretum proved to be, with more efficient servants and tighter controls and designs.

Until he could figure out the flaw in his plans... or until he found and destroyed the core reality... he would be abandoning this project, and ordering the machines to shut down, and everything else to slumber and await his return. A skeleton crew of Workers would maintain the few necessary machines and that would be that.

Valthrudnir sighed, then slammed a fist against the table before he stood slowly, muttering: “But when I do return here, maybe I'll just destroy everything, anyway. Start fresh. For now... I'll return home, and stay there while I allow my minions and thralls to carry out my experiments and work for me. That... that is the intelligent course of action, yes.”

He reached up, touching the place where he'd been wounded so long ago... where he'd been hurt, by a mortal. Yes, there was no point in putting himself at risk when he could just as easily manipulate others to do his bidding... and there was more amusement in that, anyway. In drawing the game out.

Valthrudnir smiled to himself grimly as he stood and turned back towards the door, one hand still resting on his side as the other reached out to stroke against the wood of the door for a moment

before he pushed it open.

The charcoal stallion winced in surprise and pain at the vision that tore through his mind... but he wasn't even able to comment on it as he and Luna were both blinded by a blast of white light that shone over them through the open doorway. The two cursed, wincing and trying to see through the ivory radiance before both of the ponies carefully strode forwards, and the light slowly faded around them... to leave them standing in a black swamp at the bottom of a long, stony incline. The red sky was above, and framed against it was what looked like either an abandoned observatory or a neglected shrine.

Either they had stepped through some kind of gateway, or they were in the middle of a powerful illusion... and Scrivener shivered as a chuckle rolled through the air before he looked up and snarled as he realized they weren't alone. Two Tyrant Wyrms sat to one side of the ramp, their heads at level to bite at passerby who tried to climb it, while others sat at the base, on the gentle slope, and up near the building in the distance.

Luna dropped into a ready position, but the awful, mottled-gold Wyrms only regarded them, their bone pistons pumping almost lethargically, grins on their faces as their eyes glowed with malicious pleasure and unholy blue light, before the nearest leaned down and blew a puff of blue mist over Scrivener's features. The charcoal stallion winced back a bit, feeling it tingle over his face, but that was all as the monster said teasingly: “Welcome home, little brother.”

Scrivener gritted his teeth, and then Luna stepped forwards, snapping in disgust: “Wretched monsters! Get back to the Void that spawned thee!”

“Hiding behind mommy's skirts.” another mocked, and the other Wyrms laughed before Scrivener stepped forwards, breathing hard and looking fearlessly up into the eyes of the closest even as it leaned down and bared its teeth in a vicious grin. “Oh? Is the newborn trying to be brave?”

“Let us pass.” Scrivener replied quietly but firmly, in the same terrible language that the other Wyrms spoke... but even he was surprised when the Tyrant Wyrm in front of him did exactly that, stepping slowly backwards and bowing its head even as it continued to grin and the others chuckled quietly.

“We never intended to stop you, little brother... our task is to destroy interlopers.” one of the Tyrant Wyrms spoke almost kindly, and Scrivener looked at it for a moment before it smiled coldly across at him. “You are no invader... you and Brynhild are already just like us.”

Scrivener and Luna traded looks, then they both shivered before they both strode onwards, finding themselves surprised when the Wyrms kept their word... and perhaps a little afraid as well, as they headed slowly up the ramp and towards the observatory. But before they could even reach the doors, the illusion melted away around them... although when Scrivener and Luna both turned to look over their shoulders, they saw that the corridor behind them was filled with both mire and statues of grinning Tyrant Wyrms, and they could both faintly hear a voice as it whispered: “We'll be waiting for you, little brother, in the Void...”

The two ponies shivered as they looked forwards again at the heavy steel doors in front of them, and they both steeled themselves as Luna closed her eyes, feeling the black pearl on her breast as Scrivener reached up and adjusted his platinum collar. Reminders almost as strong as the last glance they shared, their eyes locking as they prepared themselves before they both shoved the door open and strode calmly down a short flight of steel stairs and into the room beyond.

Luna realized after a moment, however, that they were in a hall... but in front of them, a massive security door of some alien design stood ominously, sealed tightly closed, with eight large, square buttons over the front of it. Scrivener frowned at this... and then his eyes widened as Delight bounced into his vision, the Clockwork Pony giggling before she reached a hoof up and tapped a quick combination of three buttons out, smiling at him as she said brightly: You get it? Okey-dokey-lokey!

Scrivener shook his head quickly, and then he lunged up to his hooves as Luna stared before the charcoal stallion hammered his hooves against the buttons. They glowed when he mashed them, and when Scrivener hit the third, the door rumbled loudly before slowly sliding up into the ceiling, opening the way down the hall to a second security door as he whispered: “This is why Visionary gave me her power... she... she must have known about this...”

And as he stepped forwards, Luna following quickly behind him, Valor appeared, looking out at them with moodiness as she pressed in a simple code on her own door, which had eight buttons like Delight's. They must have thought I was thick or something. Easy to remember, ain't it?

Scrivener hit the four buttons she pointed out along the top row. And Luna grinned widely, leaning forwards as this door slowly began to slide open, her eyes flashing as she said quickly: “I never want to hear thee complaining about being evil again, Scrivener Blooms, if this is the result of thy powers and that evil!”

The charcoal stallion smiled a little despite himself, pressing onwards: door after door, images of the Hexad appeared, guiding him into unlocking the others until they reached the sixth and final door at the end of the hall... but unlike the five before it, this one had at least thirty two raised symbols over it, and the double doors were recessed back into the wall at the end of the hallway. Scrivener stared for a moment, and then his eyes roved slowly to the side of the hall to see Wisdom standing there, before she said quietly in his mind as her horn glowed: Like this.

Ten of the symbols lit up... and Scrivener nodded slowly before he smiled faintly as the symbols continued to glow weakly in his eyes, even as Wisdom smiled and vanished, before the stallion said quietly: “Need to borrow your powers, Luna. Look straight at the door, okay?”

Luna nodded, and Scrivener leaned forwards a bit, both ponies bowing their heads in synchronization as the sapphire mare's horn began to glow quietly. And a moment later, each symbol Wisdom had marked for him began to glow with a gentle blue aura, Scrivener breathing slowly through his mouth as Luna felt her mind and her husband's locked tight together, felt their souls spiraling in synchronization, felt themselves working flawlessly with each other before Scrivener gave her a gentle mental nudge, and a moment later, Luna's horn flicked forwards as she pushed all ten symbols in at once with a firm telekinetic shove.

The door rumbled as Scrivener and Luna both looked sharply up, the same expression on their faces as they set themselves... and then a moment later, the double doors slid slowly into the wall at either side, revealing the sanctuary beyond... an an unfettered, unafraid voice called softly: “Welcome, Luna Brynhild. Welcome, Scrivener Blooms... it is good to finally see you both in person.”

Slowly, the two ponies strode through the doorway and entered into the room beyond, striding slowly over a ring of latticed steel that went around the outside of the room before they stepped onto the perfect, thirty-foot wide circle of white marble floor in the center of the room.

The ceiling was high above, and gemstones floated quietly through the air, glimmering like beautiful stars as they hovered through intricate patterns. Scrivener couldn't help but gaze up at this as Luna leaned forwards, setting herself as she glared at the sole figure of the Prophet: a female form that rested in a half-sprawl near the back of the room, her head bowed, her features cloaked and hidden from sight. “And where is thy master, foul traitor?”

The Prophet raised her head a little, and then slowly, she stood: Scrivener and Luna both set themselves as the figure rose its arms... and then they grimaced as a rumble rose through the air, the marble platform trembling before it slowly began to rumble downwards, the Prophet saying softly as her thick, plain cloak flowed around her: “We shall go to him. We shall see him.”

Scrivener gritted his teeth, looking back and forth as the platform lowered, but the glowing crystals above flitted down after them, keeping the platform well lit: yet he wished they weren't following, as they passed walls of steel and the rails the platform was moving on sparked and crackled with electricity that sometimes traveled out along the enormous tubes and pipes that ran along the walls.

After almost a minute, the platform slowed in its descent, and halted at the bottom of the shaft. Cables and tubes sparked around them, and the steel here had almost a fleshy texture, with large, electrified nodes and bladed gears rumbling slowly amidst the unnatural surroundings. But Luna and Scrivener were both focused forwards, their eyes locked on the Prophet before she stepped slowly, calmly aside as she gestured at the steel wall behind her, marked with the profile of Valthrudnir.

The wall rumbled, then gears above it spun and electricity sparked over it as the shutter slowly rose into the ceiling.... and Scrivener and Luna stared in horror at the sight of the enormous figure in the hollow chamber beyond, protected by thick wall of glass and a barrier of energy as it leaned forwards and rasped: “H-Hello, my little p-p-ponies!”

Scrivener and Luna both stumbled backwards, staring in horror at the gleaming metal golem, made of plates of heavy duty platinum shaped in perfect resemblance of Valthrudnir. The only additions were the small spikes that stood here and there over its shoulders, elbows, and knees... and of course, the thick cables that were plugged into nodes on either side of its neck forearms, and all along its spine. Black light glowed out of its eyes, and Scrivener shook his head in horror as Luna snarled in disbelief, whispering: “'Tis... 'tis some kind of homunculus itself! A golem gone insane!”

“D-Do not insult me! I am Valthrudnir!” the steel machine proclaimed through its glass prison, raising one metal claw and clenching it into a fist. “I am Valthrudnir's W-Will, given form and l-l-life! And now that he is d-d-dead, I have b-become him! I am more than j-j-just a machine, I am him!

“Yes, the sleep was long and d-dark, but now I l-l-live again, to finish Valthrudnir's work. To finish my work, and attain m-my destiny... a universe of p-p-perfect order!” The Clockwork King continued, clenching its claws into fists as it leaned forwards in the hollow tube, electricity sparking over the cables attached to it. “F-From here, my sanctuary, the S-Seat of the King, I can control and see every last d-d-detail of my kingdom... I can create the p-perfect universe that I desired, finally, now that I have attained m-my own perfection! Now that I l-live!”

Scrivener shook his head weakly, and visions cut through his mind: but they were neither as insane nor strong enough as what he was seeing in front of him, so they didn't block out reality. Yet still, he understood what they were telling him: saw Valthrudnir, arguing with this horrific machine he'd created, about life and death, about philosophies it tried vainly to grasp and apply but couldn't, about simply doing its job. This Clockwork King, who served as the master gear of Decretum, who had developed an ego and a sense of self that mirrored Valthrudnir's own self-righteousness... that was everything Valthrudnir had been: a petty barbarian who dressed himself up in fancy terms he didn't understand, a selfish brat who refused to take orders because he thought he knew better... a greedy and stupid child given more power than it could handle.

Luna snarled in fury, beginning to step forwards... and immediately, the Prophet blocked their path, raising her arms: the bipedal figure was slender but tall, and strangely intimidating as she stood in front of them... but it wasn't that which made Luna halt. It was something else, even as the Clockwork King laughed mockingly in its repetitive, jarring voice. “Y-Yes, I look forwards to w-watching you s-struggle against my Prophet... she is n-not quite as powerful as I a-am, but what could be as powerful as a Jötnar r-r-reborn in an invulnerable shell? D-Do you not understand how f-futile this all is? I am not merely the Clockwork K-King... I am even m-more than s-s-simply Valthrudnir... here, I am Decretum!”

“So if thou art Valthrudnir reborn, then what is thy Prophet? A toaster possessed by Bestla?” Luna snapped in revulsion, shaking her head as her starry locks sparked violently and Nightmare Moon hissed in her mind, the dark entity even more contemptible and horrified than Luna herself was. “Show me thy face, Prophet! Tell me thy name!”

The Prophet lowered her arms, and the Clockwork King gave another laugh before he grinned widely, whispering: “This was a c-c-cunning part of my plan, when I was still in my body... still t-to become the perfect b-being I am now! Ideas... even you p-plebeians are aware that ideas are o-often shared throughout the realms, t-throughout layers, worlds, o-other places far and wide across this v-vast and treacherous universe, yes? That e-everything has a source, a b-base; thoughts are merely electrical signals, a transference of d-data. And all data can be r-r-remotely sent and a-accessed and interpreted...

“In o-one such place, the core reality is v-viewed as nothing more than a c-child's entertainment. W-Watered down here and there, e-envisioned and adapted by o-others... but all the same, they h-have listed out everything n-necessary for me to find it, and d-d-destroy it. It s-shows all the p-ponies who exist in that layer. It i-illustrates clearly e-e-events of note and importance, such as the c-coming of Nightmare Moon and D-Discord. And so I designed m-my Prophet around the c-c-creature who first brought these visions to l-l-life... who saw in her d-d-dreams, the core reality, s-s-so similar to a b-beloved children's p-play...”

The Prophet reached up, pushing her cowl calmly back with hands that ended in ivory talons to reveal a spill of red that fell down her shoulders and along her back, and pristine, alien features. Her eyes opened, glinting like dark crystal, her lips rosy, her skin pale. One side of her face was half-covered by a steel mask... but the other was left bare, and Scrivener and Luna both shivered, studying the creature disbelievingly before she said quietly, bowing her head forwards: “Valthrudnir designed me to find other worlds, and to ensure the denizens of this world... its people... were protected. I am the stuff of dreams and nightmares; creation and obsession. I am the Prophet.”

Luna and Scrivener both snarled as the mechanical Valthrudnir laughed mockingly, and then Scrivener rose his head and stepped forwards suddenly, shouting: “And what makes you think that you're really Valthrudnir?”

“D-Do not be a fool!” The Clockwork King laughed again in his glass hollow, and then he rose his metallic grin, gesturing easily to either side. “L-Look upon me, p-pathetic little pony! I am p-p-perfect, I am-”

“You are nothing!” Scrivener snapped angrily, his voice echoing back and forth through the chambers before he snarled, clenching his eyes shut as he focused, felt the corruption boiling through his body and up into his brain, and Luna stumbled away from him in shock before he rose his eyes as they glowed with sapphire light. “I am Valthrudnir, Clockwork King, and you have failed me every step of the way!”

The Clockwork King looked disbelievingly up inside its glass prison, and the charcoal stallion stormed forwards, snarling as he looked past the Prophet, as he glared at the glowing and yet pathetic silver shape of the Clockwork King, at the lines of black corruption running through it and the semblance of a twisted mind the thing had as he snapped: “Do you know how hard it's been, trapped in this pony's damnable subconscious, pretending each and every step of the way to be a good little insect and carry on with the plans? To get past the Norns, who dared, dared, to try and abuse my Clockwork World, my projects, for their own schemes and half-baked ideas? You fool, you have been used and led along by the pathetic mass of wires you call a brain this entire time! Have you not heard my orders? Are you so thick you cannot figure out the simplest of code or instructions? And Prophet, are you blind or just more stupid than these philistines?”

The stallion gestured with disgust behind himself as the corruption burned in his veins and his eyes continued to glow: the Prophet remained expressionless, but Luna was trembling and gaping as the Clockwork King stepped forwards and pressed his claws with disbelief against the reinforced glass shield, spluttering: “N-N-No, it c-c-can't be... y-you... I am the Clockwork K-King, I am Valthrudnir! W-When he was k-k-killed, his spirit, his d-data transferred to me, me, m-me! That is how I a-a-awakened, c-c-came to be, h-how-”

“It's not data, you oaf! By that dead and broken idiot Ymir, you couldn't understand how to stand on your own two feet if your mechanical body wasn't designed to do it for you!” The charcoal stallion threw his head back in disgust, giving a raw exclamation of contempt before he snarled and stepped forwards, saying coldly: “I jumped into this body. First I tortured him for a while, then allowed him to score a paltry and meaningless victory against me... or so he thought. Instead, I was able to use this time to slide deeper into his spirit, because I had an inkling that one of my other minions had failed to report to me the true nature of this being. And I discovered the truth: Scrivener Blooms is one of us, is part of the Clay of Prometheus project... which means that once enough corruption entered his spirit, he became very easy for me to take over and manipulate. He is gone now, and I am in charge and control, and that means I am back, Clockwork King, even if I am stuck for now in the body of a pony...”

Slowly, the stallion looked over his shoulder at Luna, and then he smiled coldly as she snarled at him... before Scrivener winked at her even as he added darkly: “But this does have one advantage. The Valkyrie will be under my control as well... her existence is bound to this pony's. Isn't that right, dear?”

“Shut up!” was all Luna could think of to reply, breathing hard as her heart thudded in her chest, snarling still at Scrivener... and even if she knew it was Scrivener, she had to work hard to resist the urge to leap across the floor and start pummeling the snot out of him. The damnable poet plays a villain far too well..

“I... I... I... no!” The Clockwork King seemed almost desperate, metallic chest imitating hard breaths as it tried to process what was going on before it pointed at the Prophet and almost screamed: “S-Scan him! D-D-Determine that is the real Valthrudnir, look into his m-mind!”

The Prophet nodded calmly, and Scrivener growled even as he inwardly flinched, feeling mental needles poking into his brain... but after a moment of silence, the Prophet returned her gaze to the Clockwork King and said quietly: “His mind is filled with the Tyrant Wyrm's essence. There are indeed also traces of our master, Valthrudnir.”

The Clockwork King looked horrified, leaning back in his hollow cell with a strangled denial, and then the machine growled as Scrivener glared at him and ordered coldly: “You will shut down, Clockwork King. The master has returned to Decretum, and he is not pleased with what he sees. This project... you... were abandoned for a reason that I think now should be all too clear.”

The metallic golem inside the hollow cage trembled for a moment as the Prophet bowed her head respectfully... and then the Clockwork King snarled and looked up, and electricity jolted along the tubes as the gears on the walls clanked loudly and steam and corruption vented from the pipes, the Prophet grasping at the masked side of her face with a look of surprise as the Clockwork King hissed: “No, I d-do not think so. T-Trapped, h-h-helpless in the body of a pony? I-Insult to me! I am the t-t-true Valthrudnir, you are nothing m-more than a copy, a fake, a fraud! I am Decretum, I am the Clockwork King, I am the one with a-all the p-power... and if you want it, y-you'll have to pry it from my c-corpse! Prophet, I o-o-order you to destroy them!”

The Prophet shivered, visibly trying to resist before the Clockwork King slammed a fist against the glass barrier surrounding him, and the Prophet's body twitched before she looked up and rolled her shoulders, raising her hands to a ready position as she said quietly: “Please forgive me.”

“Well, almost worked.” Scrivener mumbled, deflating visibly before he leapt quickly backwards, shaking his head out as his vision faded... but his eyes still glowed faintly as he readied himself before he winced as Luna snarled at him, saying hurriedly over the Clockwork King's roar of rage: “Hey, if we get out of this, you can beat the crap out of me later.”

“And oh, believe me that I shall, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna growled, snapping her horn forwards to send her spear shooting out of its sheath and expand to its full telescopic height, both ponies dropping into a ready position side-by-side as the Prophet spread her arms out, blue flames bursting to life around one and electricity sizzling over the other limb.

Then her eyes glowed as she looked straight at Luna, and the winged unicorn flinched before her eyes bulged in shock as she found herself standing on an enormous marble cliff beneath a blue sky, and a winged unicorn of ivory with a mane and tail of crimson fire shot towards her, a bloody emblem of an eye carved on its flank and its legs clad in spiked steel bracers.

Scrivener winced, feeling the pressure of the mental attack as Luna simply stood, gargling, when the Prophet ran forwards, and the earth pony cursed as he ran quickly in front of her, leaping up to meet the Prophet's attack. She swept the blue-fire claw up towards him, but Scrivener arched his back and twisted his head out of the way, narrowly avoiding the swipe before he leapt up and kicked both rear hooves into her stomach, knocking her skidding backwards before his eyes widened in shock as a cut drew itself over both his features and Luna's.

In the mental battlefield, Luna cursed, fencing rapidly against the white winged unicorn, snarling in desperation: the cut she'd sustained to her face had been very real, even though all around her reality was flickering violently in and out: but somehow, the Prophet was attacking on two battlefields at once: physical and mental. And if they were wounded in either...

Then Luna cursed as she was shoved hard backwards by the ivory creature's steel hooves before it lunged forwards... and a black horn parried the attack, before Nightmare Moon drove herself between them, grinning savagely as her eyes glowed with ivory light, her mane of blue fire twisting around her. She was larger, her wings flapping powerfully as she bared her fangs, then ordered coldly: “Return to reality, little Luna... we shall keep this creature at bay.”

Luna nodded sharply, clenching her eyes shut and focusing on Scrivener, the illusion around her weakening rapidly as her dark cyan eyes snapped open: she could see Nightmare Moon and the Prophet's winged unicorn engaging in vicious battle, like a faint picture on a film held up in front of reality... she would just have to be careful, and not risk getting caught up in their duel, in case she could still be hurt by the translucent images.

She turned her eyes to the Prophet, watching with a grimace as Scrivener ducked and weaved to avoid wide swings of its claws as best he could before the creature's eyes flashed, and Scrivener stumbled before going stock still. As the illusions around her blinked out, she realized Prophet had thrown Scrivener into the mental war now to give herself an opening she was already taking...

Luna ran forwards, her spear stabbing outwards, and Prophet's claws came uselessly down on the pole of the spear, deflecting the attack before Luna lashed the polearm to the side, smashing Prophet backwards before Luna advanced, the weapon thrusting in a violent flurry down towards the Prophet's features as the sapphire mare shouted: “Cease this cheating, monster!”

In the mental world, Scrivener stared blankly back and forth in a half-wyrm, half-pony state, watching in shock as Nightmare Moon and a winged unicorn battled... before the ivory mare suddenly flicked its fiery red mane to the side, and crimson flames wafted around its body in all directions, driving Nightmare Moon back as she snarled and burns scoured themselves over the dark creature. Scrivener winced and ducked when several waves of fire shot past him, then he ran forwards as the winged unicorn lunged at Nightmare Moon: Luna might not feel Nightmare Moon's pain, but the entity of passion dying, on the other hoof...

He lashed out... and was somehow unsurprised to see it was a claw that smashed into the ivory creature's face, knocking it rearing back before Nightmare Moon speared forwards, ripping her horn through the illusion's breast. The ivory winged unicorn flailed, and then Nightmare Moon laughed as she thrusted upwards with a snarl, her blue-fire mane lashing and burning viciously upwards as she hefted the winged unicorn high into the air upon her horn, calling cruelly: “How I once dreamed of doing this to Celestia, but I suppose you will do!”

In reality, the Prophet staggered backwards suddenly even as she slapped away Luna's spear, wincing as blood spilled down out of the eyesocket in her mask... and Luna took the opportunity to flick her horn, her spear spinning in from the side to smash the pole against the side of the Prophet's head before thrusting the butt of the spear hard into her face, knocking her sprawling backwards before Luna flicked her horn hard, an azure fireball shooting into the Prophet and exploding with enough force to send her skidding across the platform. Luna began to run forwards... and then the Prophet looked up at her sharply, her eyes flashing, and Luna stumbled stupidly as she found herself in the mental world, staring in shock as the ivory winged unicorn ripped herself free of Nightmare Moon's horn with a flap of her wings before slamming both hooves down on top of the dark creature's head, crushing her down into the ground.

Scrivener and Luna stared at each other, realized if they were both stuck in the mental world, they were all but defenseless in reality... and the two did the only thing they could think of, charging at either side of the ivory winged unicorn as it leapt backwards. Without missing a beat, the ivory mare threw her head silently back, releasing a shockwave of red fire that knocked Nightmare Moon flying backwards, but Scrivener only dropped his head forwards and rammed forwards, hissing in pain as he tried to force his Wyrm parts to absorb the worst of the damage, while Luna flicked her horn forwards, creating a sapphire barrier before she flicked her horn hard and shattered into into countless blades of blue light that shot forwards and ripped through the ivory equine.

It staggered to the side and turned its attention towards Luna automatically; the fatal mistake, as Scrivener leapt up and seized the back of its head with his claw, ignoring the flames that burned over his scales, and Luna lunged forwards, flapping her wings hard as she thrusted her horn out... and through the illusion creature's skull.

There was a splatter of blood... and then the illusion shattered around them, Nightmare Moon vanishing from sight as well as Prophet staggered in mid-charge as the magic whiffed out around her limbs, gasping and covering her features.

Scrivener and Luna traded a look, seeing the moment of vulnerability, not knowing how long it would last... and in that second, their minds swirled together before Scrivener gritted his teeth and leapt into the air as Luna seized him with telekinesis before flinging the earth pony as hard as she could, and Scrivener shot across the room like a cannonball, smashing into her with one shoulder and sending her flying backwards into a wall with a cry of pain as pipes exploded and cables snapped.

Scrivener Blooms dropped low to the ground, hearing Luna's hooves behind him before she leapt forwards and landed on him, and the earth pony flung himself forwards as she kicked off him at the same time, launching her like a missile just as the Prophet began to look up; Luna's hooves smashed directly into her features, crushing her head back into the wall and making her whole body jitter before her rear hooves came down and kicked savagely off her body, the sapphire mare flapping her wings once to launch herself safely back beside Scrivener Blooms as the Prophet twitched weakly, electricity sparking around her and corruption leaking from the pipes over her as she slowly slid down to a sitting position, broken and beaten.

The two ponies breathed hard, and the Clockwork King snarled inside his hollow chamber, shouting furiously: “G-G-Get up! Get up!”

The Prophet didn't respond, only dropping her head forwards as she twitched weakly once, and the Clockwork King snarled with rage as Scrivener and Luna both glared across at him. The sapphire mare was breathing hard, and Scrivener was still smoldering, several pieces of his armor melted as mirrored cuts bled slowly on their faces, before Luna asked coldly and mockingly: “What's wrong, monster? Are all thy toys broken?”

The Clockwork King snarled in fury... and then both Luna and Scrivener stared in surprise as it slammed both of its metal fists forwards against its glass enclosure, sending an enormous spiderweb of cracks through it as the energy barrier around it sparked out of existence. “I-I-I-If you want something d-done right...”

It brought its metal fists back, then slammed them viciously into the barrier, shattering the entire front of its glass prison and tube as alarms began to blare, before the Clockwork King's metal grin seemed to stretch wider as it stepped out of the tube, the cables and tubes hooked into the metallic goliath ripping free of its body as it strode out onto the white platform, cracking the stone with every stomp of its heavy, clawed feet. “You have to d-d-do it your-yourself!”

Both Luna and Scrivener dropped into ready positions, glaring forwards at the enormous metal monster before they traded looks and sharp nods, and both ponies rushed forwards... only for the metallic creature to move with terrible speed, seizing them both by the mane and smashing their heads together before crushing them both down into the ground in front of it, giving its sharp, jagged laugh. “S-S-Stupid ponies!”

It released the stunned equines, straightening and slowly raising a clawed foot... and Luna snarled before she lashed her horn upwards, unleashing a telekinetic blast that hammered into the metallic goliath and knocked it sprawling with a loud clank. Then she roared as she snapped her horn upwards, a blast of lightning hammering down into the monster with enough force to crack the stone beneath it, but it only laughed mockingly as it began to sit up, and Luna stared in horror as the Clockwork King snarled: “I-I-Insulation against m-magic was my f-f-first priority!”

As it slowly sat up, Scrivener replied to this by lunging forwards, hooves beginning to smash in a vicious tattoo back and forth against the plating over its upper body, crashing against its breast and stomach, but he barely left scratches, let alone did any serious damage before the machine simply rose an arm and slapped him hard away, giving its insulting, jagged laugh again: “P-P-Please! Pressurized a-a-armor, with a rating of t-t-ten thousand pounds of resistance! W-W-Well beyond the means of any s-s-s-simple pony!”

Scrivener and Luna only snarled, the sapphire mare flicking her horn, and her spear shot in from the side... but the Clockwork King only smiled coldly, one hand reaching up freakishly fast to catch the weapon by the neck in one claw as it snarled: “N-Nice try, but useless!”

Luna roared in rage, then ran forwards and leapt upwards before flapping her wings hard to launch herself almost straight up when the mechanical monster attempted to smash her across the body with her own spear. Then she shot forwards, stabbing her horn downwards and ripping a gash against the steel goliath's face, but the Clockwork King gave an exclamation of rage as its free claw snapped up, seizing Luna around the body as lightning burst down its arm, and she screamed as Scrivener staggered backwards with a howl of pain on the ground, lightning shocking up and down his form as well from the raw voltage being pumped into Luna. “I-I-I-Insects!”

He rose Luna high in the air, then threw her viciously down into Scrivener, knocking them both sprawling over each other as their bodies convulsed weakly, electricity arcing back and forth over them both as they writhed together in agony, Luna coughing blood and Scrivener snarling weakly upwards as they both struggled for breath, for strength. And over them, the Clockwork King towered, snarling in fury as he rose Luna's spear high to impale them both, arching his back-

There was a horrible rending of metal, and the Clockwork King's body twitched once, before his back arched further as he screamed, an ivory claw tearing completely through him and knocking shaped plates flying in all directions. And Scrivener and Luna both stared up in shock, breathing hard at the sight of the Prophet's claw as it dripped with both her blood and the concentrated black corruption and silver liquid that fueled the monstrous machine.

The Clockwork King spasmed, his body twitching and sparking violently as he dropped the spear from his twitching claws, then he screamed in rage and spun around as the Prophet began to draw back, smashing one of his arms viciously across her body and sending her flying backwards to smash into a bladed gear, lightning sparking over the Prophet before she crumpled to the ground. And the Clockwork King grasped at the wound in his side, plates of metal hanging open and leaving a wide tunnel torn in his body, as he rasped in disbelief: “W-W-What is g-g-g-going o-o-o-on? P-P-P-Pro... phet...”

And slowly, Prophet looked up, resting back against the wall in a mask now broken and cracked, bleeding heavily as she replied quietly, her voice level and yet her eyes burning with emotion: “The duty given to me is to protect the people of Clockwork World above all else... the ponies, above all else, and ensure that they continue to function. All you have done is encouraged their destruction... wasted materials, wasted lives, wasted our second chance. So I had to put a plan in motion to lure Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild here... I played the role you wanted, and I was forced to send our people to die, and to torture and hurt other ponies from other worlds. To bring the only two ponies I knew who could stop you here, in this moment, at this time... Luna Brynhild, and Scrivener Blooms, who killed our master, Valthrudnir... and who freed us of his tyranny. Who, as I watched them, helped me understand my dreams... who I have worked to help guide every step of the way, from calling off attacks to interfering with your schemes and cruel tools. My duty is to protect the ponies; I have decided that this means all ponies, of all worlds. And that means you must be destroyed.”

Scrivener and Luna stared in shock as they slowly climbed up to their hooves, barely able to believe what they had heard as the Clockwork King snarled and shook its head, twitching violently... before for the first time, the Prophet smiled, saying quietly: “And now, as I knew would happen... they lured you out of your safe cocoon. You are disconnected from Decretum. Even if Clockwork World is a living body... its heart was broken, and its mind is dead.”

“I am n-n-n-not dead yet!” The Clockwork King roared furiously, stomping forwards and reaching a claw towards the Prophet... and then it screamed and staggered forwards as a blue fireball rocketed into the wound in its back, exploding inside its body and knocking more of its armor plating and frailer inner workings loose, electricity sparking along its form before it staggered around... and now, the machine learned a new emotion as its black eyes settled on snarling Luna and Scrivener; it learned fear. “No! Y-Y-Y-You can't st-stop m-me! I am Valthrudnir! I w-will make this u-u-universe-”

Luna and Scrivener rushed forwards, and the Clockwork King snarled, slamming a fist down that Luna narrowly dodged out of the way of before she speared her horn viciously upwards, ripping through the damaged armor plating and making the goliath scream in rage before it slapped her savagely away... only for Scrivener Blooms to rush upwards, kicking off its lower legs to slam both upper hooves into its chest, using the contact as axle to kick both rear hooves savagely upwards into its stomach.

The Clockwork King was knocked back a step as Scrivener kicked off it, narrowly avoiding being caught in a death-grip as their eyes met for a moment: Scrivener's chestnut, determined irises, and the disbelieving black eyes of a machine. They locked, and Scrivener felt a raw pulse in his mind as he flipped once and landed on his hooves, skidding backwards with a snarl before he charged forwards, smashing bodily into one of its legs. The Clockwork King kicked him fiercely away, but Scrivener grinned even as he crashed down with a wince and skidded along his side as Luna leapt up onto the monster's back.

The goliath howled in frustration, clawing wildly at her as it staggered back and forth, Luna clinging to the sides of its neck with her front hooves and slamming savage kicks into its lower back with her rear legs, widening the break in its lower back before the monster reached up and seized Luna's tail, yanking her free and throwing her savagely at the wall.

Luna twisted her body at the last moment, hooves smashing in several pipes and making her wince as steaming corruption splattered up over her armor before she launched herself hard off the surface, dive-bombing straight into the Clockwork King's face and knocking him crashing onto his back. He bounced once, sending up a burst of white dust from the platform as electricity sparked over the mechanical monster, and then he began to sit up... only to howl as Scrivener Blooms smashed shoulder-first into him, knocking him back on his elbows as the machine's body clanked and spasmed before Scrivener's hooves began to viciously hammer down in a savage series of blows, not caring even as blood splattered up from his forelimbs from the force he was smashing into the dented and damaged metal of the monster, knocking loose pieces of pressurized armor and crunching in less durable steel with his hammer-like blows.

The Clockwork King tried to claw at him, and Scrivener leapt forwards, charging up the goliath's chest and leaping onto the draconic-shaped, metal features of the giant before he kicked savagely off his head with all four hooves, knocking the monster backwards as the earth pony leapt high into the air... then dropped, kicking his rear hooves into the metal throat of the creature and swinging both front hooves down in a savage tomahawk into the goliath's face, feeling one of his hooves cracking but at the same time hearing the satisfying shatter of one of the monster's eyes.

The mechanical golem howled and lashed a claw across Scrivener Blooms with a burst of electricity, knocking the earth pony flying across the room to crash into a wall... and Luna gasped, eyes bulging as she felt a deep wound rip in her own body as Scrivener gargled, hanging for a moment from a broken pipe speared into his back before it snapped loudly free off the wall, and he fell forwards to crash down in a sprawl, corruption bubbling up out of the metal jutting from his back: both his blood, and from what had been in the pipe itself. He could feel the wound trying to close around it, and Scrivener snarled, then coughed as his black blood slowly dripped out of his mouth, finding it hard to breathe...

His mind went hazy, and he clenched his eyes shut as thoughts began to rise up through his head, whispers that were like prayers, beneath or above his usual train of thought as he shoved himself to his hooves. Luna, meanwhile, was already back in the fray, but she heard the same whispers in her mind, even as she dove down and smashed into one of the Clockwork King's legs just as he managed to stand, yanking it out from beneath him and knocking him sprawling onto his face before she roared, lashing out with telekinesis and all the strength she could to throw the goliath across the room and crashing into the wall.

I want to believe that there's a reason we exist; not we as a people... but we here, right here, right now, exist. That people with bad instincts and bad urges have a reason to be.

Electrical cables all but exploded and piping tore loose and crashed down over the giant as he howled in misery, and then the Clockwork King smashed his way up out of the pile of debris, charging forwards towards them before Luna snapped her horn forwards, sending a blue fireball shooting at him. The mechanical giant slapped it out of the way, however, then he snarled and swung a claw out, ripping it across Luna's face and sending her hurtling backwards with a scream of agony.

I want to believe we can decide our own fate. That even if we're born monsters... that even condemned to the night... we can still save the day. We can still find the light.

Scrivener lunged outwards, catching Luna against his body, not caring about the pipe buried in his back as he hissed in pain... before Luna gritted her teeth, grinning over her shoulder at him before her horn glowed and she snapped it outwards. Dark electricity shocked over them both, and then Nightmare Moon roared in their minds as her powers flooded through them, and the pain ceased to matter; pain became pleasure and power, became further fuel for their determination as they both leapt to their hooves and charged towards the disbelieving machine.

Because I want to believe that if order and good can become so twisted, so monstrous, can cost so many lives...

“N-Not possible! Y-Y-You should be d-d-dead! Why won't y-you d-d-die?” the Clockwork King screamed in terror and misery, staggering backwards, and then it snarled and stomped a foot forwards, shattering the stone platform in front of it, but both Scrivener and Luna easily dodged before it backhanded Scrivener: but its body was smoking, electricity and corruption and silver blood vomiting out of the wounds and rips over its ravaged form, and the wear and tear made its blow almost feeble.

Chaos and evil can carve a path to the starry sky above...

“You first!” Scrivener shouted even as he staggered, then he reached up and blocked the Clockwork King's next punch at him with both forelimbs, gritting his teeth as he felt bones bending beneath his vambraces before he windmilled his forelimbs to stomp both hooves savagely down onto the back of its hand, driving the metal fist to the ground and knocking the creature off balance as the steel claw crunched loudly.

The long dark night can serve as balance in life, prelude to the coming dawn...

“We shall never surrender! We shall never stop!” Luna snarled, lunging forwards and ramming her horn through the monster's breast, and the Clockwork King howled miserably before she focused all the magic, rage and power she could forwards, unleashing a raw, terrible blast of blue fire, lightning, and psychokinetic rage that tore apart the front of the Clockwork King, chunks of steel flying in all directions as it was knocked staggering backwards, revealing smoking gears and chunks of broken crystal and shredded tubes of corruption...

That the blameless can be protected by the sinners...

Luna charged forwards again, leaping upwards with her fangs bared and shooting forwards as the Clockwork King only stared at her desperately, watching with horror as the sapphire mare went into a violent corkscrew before her body exploded into blue, swirling mist, lightning shocking through the wild maelstrom before it tore straight through the Clockwork King's shredded waist and metallic spine, sending its upper torso flying skywards in a smoldering wreck and the legs flying uselessly in another direction.

That monsters can protect the innocent...

The broken upper body of the goliath fell, and Scrivener reared back on his hind hooves, slamming a vicious volley of blows upwards with his forelegs into a cruel, rapid tattoo against the steel goliath, smashing in its chest and body with enough force that it kept the mechanical monstrosity suspended in the air above him, even as his own black blood splattered down over his face and body and ran down his cheeks like trails of tears as the Clockwork King howled, before Scrivener stepped backwards, bringing his head back before slamming it forwards with such power into the giant's face that the broken body of the golem was sent crashing backwards.

That even if I am everything I've always been scared of becoming...

The Clockwork King rolled violently several times, then swung its claws down into the ground, dragging itself to a halt, nothing but a dented, smoking hulk of metal as it stared at them with horror, one socket full of black glass shards and bleeding corruption, its features smashed and broken, unable to fight, unable to do anything but stare, and then shriek in denial as Luna and Scrivener charged towards it for one final attack, side-by-side, together.

I can still do the right thing. I don't want to be a hero, or even good... but I want to do the right thing with a monster's powers and a monster's strength...

Luna and Scrivener both lunged, each swinging a hoof forwards, snarling, bloody, bruised and wounded... but never beaten, never broken. In the same instant, their hooves smashed into the Clockwork King's features, crunching in its metallic skull as they both staggered into the blow, and the monster was sent crashing backwards, crashing into the wall and bouncing off it before toppling forwards in a broken pile of useless scrap.

Scrivener fell forwards, gasping hard as Luna trembled on her hooves, dropping her head low as she struggled for breath. Inside them, Nightmare Moon was silent, and Scrivener smiled faintly as he trembled a bit, the pain beginning to come back... but that was okay. He looked slowly, tiredly up at Luna as she looked back at him, and then she trembled and smiled faintly, whispering down to him: “We are, Scrivener. We are.”

Scrivener Blooms closed his eyes slowly... and then they snapped open, and Luna looked up in shock as the Clockwork King's remains sparked violently before he rose his head and rasped in a broken voice: “The K-K-King is D-Dead. Let Decretum follow.”

Then he dropped his head forwards, giving a broken laugh, and an alarm blared loudly before the platform shook and cracked further as a massive blast hammered through somewhere outside. Luna snarled, shaking her head desperately as Scrivener rasped and tried to shove himself to his hooves, but his energy was gone, his strength was diminishing, he had lost so much blood, and Luna felt her own body weakening before she looked up in horror as a massive explosion ripped through the room above the pit, sending enormous chunks of broken steel and concrete tumbling in a lethal avalanche down the shaft...

The avalanche glowed and slowed to a crawl, and Scrivener and Luna both looked in shock to see the Prophet standing on her feet, breathing hard, both hands held up towards the ceiling above as she whispered: “I am sorry. Please. Escape.”

“No. 'Tis not thy fault, and we will not leave thee behind!” Luna replied sharply, and Scrivener nodded weakly as he began to crawl to his hooves. And the Prophet smiled faintly over at them before she shook her head... but before she could reply, before anyone could speak, the platform beneath them shuddered as another massive explosion tore through the structure, and pipes exploded, gears burst off walls, cables lashed up and out... and the floor beneath the ponies and Prophet shattered apart.

Luna and Scrivener yelled in shock as they fell through first: the Prophet was less lucky, staggering and losing her concentration before countless tons of steel and stone crashed down on her and smashed her down through the platform. And down, down, down they fell, two ponies falling into bottomless, dark depths, followed by rock and steel and doom...

And as they fell, they couldn't see anything around them, couldn't know that outside, massive explosions were ripping their way across Decretum, tearing apart the already broken Clockwork World and burning and blasting it to ruin. They didn't see, didn't know... and didn't care, as Scrivener yelled Luna's name and she snarled, flapping her wings hard, all-but-tackling him in the air, and they wrapped their forelimbs around each other, pulling their bodies close.

Luna's mane streamed out as Scrivener clutched her against his body, their minds locking together in the darkness as they fell in one-another's embrace like a shooting star into the deepest depths of the pit. They saw nothing but each other, as their souls and minds locked together tighter than their bodies... until they vanished into the abyss, and only shadows remained in their wake.

Epilogue: A New Generation

Epilogue: A New Generation
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares Mīrus was sitting quietly on the back deck of the cottage, gazing silently up at the moon high above. It was his sixteenth birthday, or rather, it had been... and it had been great. Lots of gifts, lots of laughter... and yet under it all... sadness. Pain. Thoughts of his Mom and Dad... wishing they were here. He was a tall, athletic, handsome young stallion now... his coat glossy black, his mane radiant white, and his horn was tall and sharp and leathery wings strong enough to let him fly fast and hard before they got too sore. He was an excellent fencer and graceful on his hooves... Aunt Tia said he would have made his mother proud, even if he found it difficult to use a lot of magic still.

He reached up, silently fiddling at the onyx star of his necklace before he heard hoof-steps... and he couldn't help but smile faintly as his cousin Aphrodisia strode out onto the balcony and sat down beside him with a soft look to him. Six years younger, and yet she was essentially a fully-grown mare already: her beautiful light pink coat all but shimmered, her sharp teeth glinted, and her straight, raven-black mane fell in a waterfall to one side of her face, through which gorgeous green eyes studied him curiously. “You wanna have a fling? Get your mind off things.”

Antares laughed and shook his head, pushing at her playfully, saying softly: “Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Apps, but... not right now.” He smiled a bit, and then the glanced up at the night sky as she nodded seriously before wrapping a foreleg around him, closing her eyes and dropping her head on his shoulder. She was his cousin, and probably his closest friend. It didn't matter that she was a demon and could be particularly creepy and had no sense of privacy: she was always there for him, and she pestered him but she was always good to him. And thankfully didn't get more weird than awkward questions and her audacious teasing.

They were joined a few moments later by Avalon, who sat down on his other side and grinned at him as she brought a hoof up to smooth her short, unkempt red and gold mane back, and he couldn't help but reach up and ruffle it, making her huff and glare: she was still only about half his size, if that. But she was tough as ever, too... and Antares smiled a bit as he glanced over his shoulder as Meadowlark and Rustproof both approached. One a slender, beautiful young Pegasus, the other a bulky, powerfully-built gentle giant of an earth pony who was almost as tall as Antares but easily twice as wide, even though he was technically the youngest of them physically with how Aphrodisia had aged twice as fast as the rest of them.

He could hear their family and friends inside: from his Mom and guardian, Twilight Sparkle, to Sleipnir and Celestia and so many others. All talking, and so much of it was code for Luna and Scrivener, and for him, he knew. He closed his eyes, reaching up to rub slowly at the gemstone hanging from his necklace again... and then he nodded slowly once before gazing up, eyes that were the same dark blue-green as his mother's locking on the moon high above, as he said quietly: “I believe my Mom and Dad are still alive.”

“You say that every year, Antares.” Aphrodisia said quietly, sitting up a bit and studying him curiously, and then she frowned and cocked her head curiously.

Avalon looked up attentively too, sensing it as well as the others leaned in... and then Antares shook his head and only gazed up at the moon again, saying quietly: “I know. But... now... I'm not going to just say it, and hope that everypony will believe me. Now... I think... I think I'm going to do what I've always talked about. No matter how long it takes or where it takes me or what I have to do... I'm gonna find them.”

“Then you can count me in.” Aphrodisia grinned at this, nodding firmly as she licked her teeth slowly with her forked tongue.

“Adventure, huh? I could do that. Besides, you and Apple Pie go anywhere without me and you end up getting messed up.” Avalon said easily, leaning in with a wink at him, and Antares laughed and shook his head. “Plus I'm way better in the air and faster than any pony you'll ever meet. Navigation and all those horseapples.”

“But more than adventure, you're looking for something... for your parents.” Meadowlark said softly, and she nodded slowly before reaching a hoof forwards and touching Antares' shoulder as he glanced back at her with surprise. “I'll come too, if you're serious about this. It would be an amazing story, anyway... reuniting with your parents across layers.”

“Just don't rush off now. Take it slow. Do it gentle-like, and we'll be there to help you ever step of the way.” Rustproof added softly, the enormous earth pony smiling quietly. “Momma always says I should be more like her. This kinda sounds like her.”

Antares laughed a little and nodded, and then he glanced up at the moon and shook his head, saying quietly: “I appreciate it guys... and... I don't mean tonight, or tomorrow. I don't know when I'll go, and I mean... Rusty, no offense, but you're still a kid, and Meadowlark, I don't know if-”

“Don't turn down your friends' help.” said a soft voice, and Antares turned around with surprise to see Scarlet Sage standing in the doorway, the mare smiling softly at him. She was beautiful, and tall, and strong... and she strode quickly over to the group to lean down and hug him tightly before nuzzling him firmly, and Antares blushed before his big sister sat back and looked into his eyes, adding quietly: “And tell Twilight Sparkle, and Celestia, and Sleipnir. Ask them for help, to train you, and don't go sneaking off. If you want to save Mom and Dad... you gotta do it right. And you gotta do what they didn't, and accept help, and trust in your friends to help you and protect you... as much as I know you have their same urge to do anything and everything to help and protect us all.”

Scarlet Sage reached up, stroking under his chin, and Antares blushed before the Pegasus smiled softly, gazing back and forth as she said quietly: “Now come on. We're cutting up the cake and Sleipnir's making a big mess of it.”

The others nodded, and Scarlet Sage turned, the ponies filtering one-by-one after her until only Antares Mīrus was left standing outside on the deck and gazing up at the moon... and he closed his eyes, thinking of his dreams, feeling the comfort of the night and hearing the whispers on the wind of his parents' voices coming down from the stars above, telling him it would be okay.

He smiled after a moment, then nodded firmly, looking up and saying quietly: “Yeah. I'm gonna find you, Mom and Dad.” He hesitated, gazing at the ivory sphere in the sky before whispering: “Wait for me, huh? I'm gonna save you both... I promise.”

And with that, Antares turned and headed back inside to the comfort of the family and friends, secure in the knowledge that one day he'd once more be able to share his joy and love with Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms; that he would save his mother and father, just like they had always saved him.

Love, friendship, honor:
Three things better than a reason to die;
Three reasons to live.

May 2nd, 2012 – July 7th, 2012

Prologue: Ominous Designs

Prologue: Ominous Designs
~BlackRoseRaven

“Valthrudnir's dead.” The voice spoke quietly, coming from the outline of a figure dressed in armor. It was one of five different shapes sitting around a plain circular table, their eyes studying each other, not speaking as they sat together cloaked beneath the dim, foreboding depths of shadow. There was only one single point of light, coming from a hanging spotlight that shone down onto the center of the dusty table, casting just enough of a glow to illuminate the shapes of the five that sat around it, and the glimpse of faint details here and there.

“Glad you figured that out, Courage. Did you do it all by yourself?” mocked another voice. This profile sat straighter, eyes glowing with unnatural blue luminescence, reflected in the rubber-gloved hand that rested on the tabletop. The fingers tapped a silent tattoo against the surface with distinct, strange clicks as the one called Courage growled.

There was a giggle from another of the creatures, crumbs pattering down from its mouth, a flash of pallid pink visible within the shadows. Cakes, muffins, other goods were piled up in front of it, and a half-eaten piece of pie rested in its hooves as it cajoled in a high-pitched, female voice: “Come on now, guys, there's no need to fight! We're all in this together, after all...”

“Shut the hell up, Delight. And you shut your face too, Beauty.” Courage muttered, then it grimaced when chains rattled and a larger, burlier shape snorted in disgust from beneath a well-worn cowboy hat. “You got something to say too, Valor? Or hell, what about you, Prudence, going to open that ugly mouth of yours?”

“I'm sorry, Courage, did you say something to me?” asked a soft, gentle voice from the dark shape across the table, the figure sitting back with a small white animal resting in its upper limbs, stroking this slowly, tenderly, and the table went dead silent for a few moments. Courage visibly shivered, wings spreading behind the likely-female figure, and the shape known as Prudence leaned forwards with a soft smile, nodding once to itself, the features of a mare with a single large bang falling across her face illuminated for a single moment. “That's what I thought.”

Then she sat back, and the silence continued around the table, the only sound Beauty's fingers continuing to apprehensively tap a quiet tattoo against the furnishing before a door opened near the back of the room. All eyes turned towards this, towards a tall, majestic unicorn profiled by the terrible white light of the room beyond it as it announced in a calm voice: “The Prophet has had a vision. We continue to watch and wait for our time to strike, but it draws closer, and we now know who we are looking for.”

“I hope you're right, Wisdom. Ain't fun sitting here, waiting all the time.” Valor muttered, reaching up and flicking the cowboy hat on its head back: the front leg was powerful, seemingly too large for even the rest of its bulky frame, and heavy chains clanked when it moved. “Makes me... twitchy.”

“Do not doubt in me or the Prophet, or the Clockwork King.” Wisdom said coldly, and there was silence for a moment... before wings fluttered lightly at the sides of the unicorn, then furled tightly back against its body as it settled itself, announcing calmly: “We will watch. We will wait. The time to strike will be soon, do not fear. But for now, we must locate the layer where they are hiding, and if possible, continue to look for the core reality.

“We must not disappoint the Prophet, we must finish what Valthrudnir started. We will find and destroy the two who dared to defy our master... Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms.”

A Reunion, A Beginning

Chapter Three: A Reunion, A Beginning
~BlackRoseRaven

At first, the baby shower was less about Luna, and more of a reunion, as memories came back, ponies discussed dreams they'd all thought were too insane to be memories of real events, and reassured, congratulated, and encouraged Luna and Scrivener both, making them smile warmly and murmur thanks of their own. And there was another bit of good news, too, that slipped out: while Luna was in her last stages of pregnancy, only a few days ago, Applejack had discovered that she was in her first few weeks of being pregnant herself.

This received hearty congratulations from around the table, even from a grudging Pinkamena, as Pinkie Pie bounced and laughed and cheered: the Pink Twins had finally both come out of the kitchen to join the party, and while Pinkamena refused to eat anything, Pinkie was cheerfully gobbling down food here and there along with everypony else: they didn't have enough to split up even the largest helpings of food between the many ponies, but baked goods were supplemented by a loaf of sweetbread, a bushel of apples, and a few other odds and ends, meaning there was enough to go around.

Scrivener couldn't help but notice the way Pinkamena lounged back as Pinkie Pie received all the compliments for the food, and neither Pink Twin bothered correcting anypony, Pinkie only smiling warmly over at her so-called big twin sister every now and then as Pinkamena kept her eyes up towards the sky, looking bored and idly chatting with Discombobulation every now and then as the Draconequus nibbled at cookies and sipped a bottle of cola through a twirly straw. But Pinkamena had never been much of one for wanting gratitude.

But eventually, as always, Luna had to draw all the attention to herself as she rested back in her cushioned chair, demanding that they give up their presents to her now. Scrivener had only sighed and apologized for her, but that had resulted in her flailing at him irritably until Rarity had opened the backpack Spike had carried in for her and produced two gift-wrapped boxes, saying hurriedly: “I only had a few moments to put these together, dear, so I hope they don't come across as too shabby... I was told to make the clothes for a colt, but one is unisex, just in case, since-”

“'Twill be a colt.” Luna said firmly, even as the boxes were guided towards her by telekinesis, and she snatched one out of the air as Scrivener took the other with much more calmness, smiling in thanks over to Rarity as Luna attacked the box. The ivory unicorn winced a little, brushing her corkscrewed violet mane back and leaning back against Spike at the ferocity with which Luna tore apart the neat-and-tidy gift wrap, then she yanked open the box and pulled out a baby blue onesie, marveling over this. “Oh, Rarity! 'Tis wonderful! And look, Scrivener Blooms, a flap for the buttocks!”

Rainbow Dash choked loudly on his cola at this, and Discombobulation cleared his throat as Twilight smiled and rolled her eyes. Scrivener, meanwhile, only stared at Luna for a moment before he finally nodded as she continued to smile over the little blue suit, turning his eyes to the unicorn and saying quietly: “Thank you, Rarity. Our child-”

“Son!” Luna interjected, and Scrivener gave her a flat look before the sapphire winged unicorn smiled warmly down the table. “Our son shall look wonderful in this. Open the other box, Scrivy!”

Scrivener rolled his eyes but smiled all the same as he began to carefully wiggle off the ribbon... and then he winced when Luna grumbled, her horn glowing and yanking the box out of his hooves with telekinesis and over to herself so she could simply tear the wrapping off, Rarity giving a wince again as Scrivy looked embarrassedly up and Luna muttered: “Thou takes forever and a day, and... oh, look! 'Tis as white as Celestia's flank!”

Celestia sighed at this, even as Luna looked cheerfully up over the table, holding up a second onesie that was a bright ivory, and patterned with blue stars. The pregnant mare looked utterly thrilled with it, hugging it back against her belly, and Rarity smiled a little as she sat up a bit and then gazed warmly over at Spike, saying softly: “My handsome dragon helped me with the design... he suggested the constellations and somehow I found them to be very fitting. But I suppose I know why, now.”

Spike smiled a little, an arm wrapped loosely around Rarity's shoulders, the comfortable relationship between the two clear... and as Luna went back to marveling over the onesie, Scrivener glanced up and asked finally: “So Spike, I'm curious. That band you're wearing... that's the one Celestia and Twilight enchanted for you, isn't it?”

“That's right, Scrivy.” Spike smiled awkwardly, blushing a little as he reached up and rubbed at it, and Rarity gave him a soft, compassionate look as the dragon said softly: “As long as I'm wearing this, I don't grow any bigger than I already am. Rarity and I were... worried that I'd grow up too big, too fast... but this way, I can wear this, and well... it's sort of the middle ground.”

“I should be honest though: it was my idea.” Rarity said softly, looking up, and eyes along the table looked at her curiously as the unicorn smiled quietly, glancing up at the dragon and reaching a hoof out. Spike took it without needing to look, his gaze locked with Rarity's as she murmured softly: “Not because I ever want my handsome dragon to leave... but because asking him to have such an enchantment placed on his own self... it wouldn't be fair to him. I... we both know, after all, that dragons live for many years more than your average unicorn...”

“But I'd still give it all up for you, Rarity.” Spike smiled quietly, squeezing her hoof gently, and they looked at one another for a few moments more before the dragon blushed as he glanced up and said softly: “So we're going to wait for a while. And... one day, when we're ready, well. I won't need to wear this anymore.”

Rarity smiled at him brightly even as Pinkamena and Discombobulation both made faces at them, and Luna rubbed a little at her eyes, looking all the more radiant before she hurriedly shook her head, cursed her mood swings, and then put the onesies gently aside as Applejack quickly held up another box, tossing this over to Scrivener and making its contents rattle. “Ain't quite as fancy, but I reckon you'll find a good use for this stuff. Rainbow wanted to keep it, me being pregnant too and all, but I told him not to be so damn selfish. Besides, we'll be having our own baby shower in the future, too.”

“Thanks, Applejack, that's why I love you. You always throw me under the carriage first chance you get.” Rainbow said mildly, slapping at her lightly with a wing, and Applejack grinned and shoved back at the stallion before they smiled and locked hooves, their gazes warm: husband and wife, and they had been for years now... and for all their apparent rivalry at times, the very way they seemed to be in competition was part of what kept their relationship so strong and passionate.

Luna opened the hastily-wrapped box, and then she brightened at what she found inside: a collection of pacifiers, small cushions for the baby, a few bottles and soft toys. She picked one of these last up, turning the soft ball back and forth in her hooves and studying the designs over it with a smile before Applejack said kindly: “It was all kinda rushed with how late we found out about this whole doodad, but we grabbed what we thought you'd need. Hope it ain't too little.”

“Nay, 'tis perfect. Scrivener Blooms and I have been so busy preparing the baby's room that we have not had time to inventory many of the baby's needs... I believe the last time Zecora visited before she left for a short expedition back to her own tribe, she scolded us for neither being finished the baby's room nor having it fully stocked.” Luna replied with a smile, then she stuck the felt ball lightly into her own mouth, chewing at it slowly as the others stared at her before she turned to Scrivener and spat it out onto him.

The earth pony winced and slapped uselessly at the felt ball, and then he glanced across the table as Twilight smiled, carefully raising her own gift-wrapped object. “I think you'll like it.”

“Let me guess, it's a book, right?” Scrivener asked mildly, and Twilight blushed a little, clearing her throat as Luna grabbed the gift and ripped the wrapping off it... before staring at the sight of the large felt book, picking this slowly up and holding it out in front of her as there were laughs along the table before Scrivener Blooms grinned widely, and Twilight blushed deeper. “You are so predictable, you know that?”

“What magic! What strangeness! 'Tis made of... felt? Is this felt? I do not know, but it is soft and fluffy and ridiculous.” Luna said in a marveling voice, twisting the book back and forth and bending the large, soft pages in her hand before she giggled as she dragged a hoof along the front of it. “Fascinating!”

“It's a big soft book, Luna.” Scrivener said flatly, and then he gave her a flat look when she held this up and chewed on it lightly, looking thoughtful. “Luna, don't put things in your mouth. You're not a foal.”

“I am ensuring it is safe for the foal!” Luna argued, throwing the soft book at him, and Scrivener winced a bit as it bounced off his face before looking relieved when it didn't otherwise do any harm, and Luna grumbled a bit at this. “Perhaps it is a silly gift after all. But it will be good for the child, all the same. Twilight, thou hast our thanks.”

Twilight Sparkle looked a little placated at his, nodding a few times and rubbing at her cheeks before Celestia said gently: “My gift, sister, is more for you than it is for the foal.”

Luna smiled as she looked towards Celestia, before the ivory winged unicorn's horn glowed as she rose it, lifting a large, blanket-wrapped object up from beside her, and Luna cocked her head curiously as she took this and frowned at it, feeling the weight of it as Celestia smiled at her encouragingly. For a moment, the sapphire winged unicorn looked almost apprehensive, and then she carefully unwrapped the object, letting the dark, soft blanket fall across her lap before her eyes widened in surprise as she found herself staring at a polished silver mirror edged in ornate black metal, the top of this layered with gemstones shaped into different celestial symbols as she whispered: “Oh, Celestia... this is...”

“It's a way for you to keep an eye on your child at all times, sister.” Celestia smiled softly, leaning towards her as the others looked curiously down the table, and Scrivener tilted his own head before his eyes widened in surprise as he felt Luna's emotions, caught the gist of her thoughts in his mind even before Celestia glanced up at the gathering and explained kindly: “It's a scrying mirror. They were very rare even in old Equestria... and very useful, obviously. I made this by cutting my own scrying mirror in half and altering the enchantments slightly. I think you'll find it very useful, little sister... I just ask you don't abuse it too much.”

Luna was grinning brightly as she gazed down at this reverently, gazing down at the surface of the mirror: it was blurry, like she was staring at her reflection in metal instead of glass, but she knew with the right phrases, the right magic touch, the mirror would become crystal clear, and show not her reflection, but rather a vision of anywhere or anyone she chose... in fact.. “This is a wonderful gift, big sister... and tell me, can it gaze even across the layers?”

“I'm sure you'll find out... and even if it doesn't, find a way to force it to.” Celestia said softly, looking entertained for a moment, warmth in her amethyst eyes as Luna laughed and nodded before the winged unicorn reverently, carefully wrapped the mirror back up in the thick blanket, setting it gently down before she leaned towards Celestia and gestured violently at her.

Celestia sighed but smiled as she slipped out of her seat, striding around Scrivener and sharing a tight embrace with her sibling, ponies smiling towards the two before they parted and Luna gazed radiantly out at the group. Then Discombobulation rose a hand, leaning back in his seat before he pointed around at the table and said mildly: “All of your gifts have just been made worthless. Congratulations, losers. This is why I took the safe route and didn't buy anyone anything.”

“Hear, hear.” Pinkamena agreed, and she bumped a hoof against the Draconequus's fist. Then the half-demon only sniffed when Luna glared down the table at her, waving a hoof moodily. “Screw you. My present is my presence.”

“Hey, that's my line.” Discombobulation said in a hurt voice, and Pinkamena only blew a loud raspberry at him in response before the Draconequus grumbled, then sat back and looked down the table, saying finally: “Very well. Then my gift will be... I know. I'll read a poem at your funeral. Something with imagery. 'Here lies Scrivy. Slightly less attractive now that she's all corpsified...'”

“Wonderful.” Luna said drolly, and then she rolled her eyes with a grumble before looking moodily along the table, waving a hoof through the air. “I demand more presents!”

Scrivener sighed and reached out to gently pat Luna's stomach, but even as the winged unicorn settled, she got her wish: others passed gifts they had brought up to the head of the table, from a set of toys given by Pinkie Pie to more baby clothes from Scarlet Sage. Then Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena traded looks before the brighter-colored twin smiled radiantly and bounced out of her seat, seeming almost to vanish before she came running out of the doorway only a few moments later with something on her back before skidding to a halt and bucking firmly forwards, tossing the object over her head and past Scrivener and Celestia to land loudly in front of Luna.

It was an enormous, multiple-layered chocolate cake, and Luna's eyes slowly widened at the sight of it: a little lopsided or not, it was enormous, decorated with multicolored frosting, and Luna rubbed her front hooves together as Pinkie Pie said cheerfully: “It's the best we could make! I was going to put candles on it but Lemon Drop wouldn't let me.”

“'Cause it's not a birthday cake, idiot.” Pinkamena said irritably, as she picked up a glass of cola and sipped at it, looking moody at the use of her nickname. “Who cuts it?”

“I can do it.” Pinkie Pie said in a positive voice as she brandished a knife that seemed to appear in her hoof out of nowhere, and the ponies at the table winced before the bright pink mare leaned forwards and quickly began to slice into the cake as she glanced towards the stack of paper plates down the other side of the table. “Can somepony pass those over?”

The paper plates glowed as they were lifted gently with telekinesis, Rarity smiling as she guided them over to Pinkie Pie with a tilt of her horn. The bright earth pony gave a smile in return to the unicorn, then quickly began to serve slices of cake out, passing them quickly along the line, seeming to know by some strange sixth sense how large a slice to cut for every pony at the table.

Luna dug greedily in the moment Pinkie put an enormous slice of cake down in front of her, and announced it was delicious through a hail of crumbs. Scrivener, meanwhile, only rolled his eyes with a smile, thanking the bright pink pony and then glancing down at Pinkamena to give her a wink, but the half-demon pointedly turned her eyes back skywards, confirming what he already suspected: she didn't want anypony to know she was good at something other than beating on people.

There wasn't much conversation, but not for lack of wanting to talk: the cake was delicious, and Pinkie beamed around at the others as Pinkamena only sipped at her cola and Bob nibbled at a small slice of the chocolate treat between trading insults and sarcastic remarks with the half-demon.

Dessert was delicious: and when it was done, they fell back into easy conversation as Pinkie and Pinkamena both went about the process of serving out tea and coffee. Scrivener began to get up to help at one point, and the half-demon had smacked him firmly on the head and knocked him back into his seat with a wince, Luna flinching as well but giggling all the same as Scrivener shot her a sour look as the dull, gray-pink earth pony muttered: “Idiots. Let me do my damn job.”

The conversation that followed at the table lasted for hours, as the sun set, and the moon rose above... but with only a flick of her horn, Celestia created a small orb of light that hovered over the table, casting a gentle glow over those gathered. As the hour drew late, however, other guests made themselves known, staying to the shadows and studying the table curiously as ponies fell silent one after the other as they realized they weren't alone.

Luna, however, only smiled a little as she glanced quietly towards the treeline, beckoning quietly with one hoof... and slowly, a dark shape emerged, striding into the light. It was built like a tall pony with a black coat and darker-than-night hooves, mane and tail smoky and ethereal, its eyes red slits and its expression cunningly tender. It smiled over them as it strode up to Luna, bowing its head respectfully to the table, and Luna grimaced as she straightened a bit and said quietly: “Pardon me, my friends. Sometimes Scrivener and I receive visits from our... odder allies at night, especially these days...”

“That's a Nightmare...” Applejack said in a stunned voice, and the creature looked up with a strangely-kind smile before the earth pony's eyes roved to the side... and stared as a second dark and somewhat similar shape emerged from the trees. Unlike the Nightmare, however, its body was less substantial, like it was made up of shadows and smoke caught in some invisible, vaguely-pony-shaped mold, and its eyes burned with eldritch green flames, the creature strangely bestial as it approached Luna's other side. “A Phooka...”

“Aye. But none of them will harm thee. They are silent protectors of the night, helping keep back the incursions that less-pleasant creatures of the darkness would make against Ponyville and other places in this world.” Luna said softly, as Scrivener reached out and gently stroked along the half-animal, half-intelligent Phooka's neck, and it rumbled quietly before turning its eyes down the line. It seemed to relax a bit at the sight of several of the ponies, then it turned and strode quickly past Celestia... and the ponies who had only today been reintroduced to Luna stared as it approached Fluttershy, and the Pegasus smiled warmly at it, leaning over to embrace the creature as it nuzzled against her affectionately. “They are creatures of darkness from our original layer... all of them have sworn loyalty to me. Sworn to protect Equestria.”

The Nightmare nodded, and then it spoke in a soft, scintillating voice: “We serve Mistress Luna willingly despite our bond, though... she showed us mercy, saved our lives, and continues to provide for us even now. Fear not, friend ponies... we have protected you for these two years, and you have not even known we were there. Now you know about us... but that does not mean you'll be any more aware of our presence later than you were before.”

With that, the dark creature smiled, and then it simply vanished from sight before the Phooka leaned back, Fluttershy gazing fearlessly down into its burning green-fire eyes despite the fact that the Phooka's nasty habit of hypnotizing its prey was well-known. Yet the blonde-coated Pegasus only smiled... then the Phooka rumbled quietly once before it silently drew away, and Luna shook her head as she said softly: “My apologies, my friends. The creatures have a habit of theatrics, but they mean no harm.”

“Well, I gotta be honest, Luna, the fact there are apparently Nightmares lookin' out for us kind of freaks me out.” Applejack said finally, and then she hesitated before looking over at Fluttershy, asking softly: “Is this why... you started letting those Phooka stay around your cottage? I mean... knowing that...”

Fluttershy nodded after a moment in return with a small blush, and when all eyes turned to her, she fidgeted on the spot before saying quietly: “Well, they... they always hung around my cottage, but they always scared me a little, too. After the memories came back, though, and Luna explained things to me... and helped me meet one of them... then they became much less scary. I know they're considered a nuisance by some ponies around Ponyville but... I've started to like them. I find their presence comforting, and they don't hurt the few other animals I've been keeping around my home. They're very intelligent, too... I think... I mean, I don't think they're monsters at all.”

Applejack sighed a little, nodding after a moment as she rubbed at her face and said finally: “Well... that is a little reassuring to hear, I guess. I mean, I used to think they were a nuisance too, even... was a little scared of 'em at first, but after I found a certain young filly out in the orchard playing with 'em...”

“Hey, all the apples had been picked and they were just laying there in the shade of the tree! Weren't harmin' nothin' at all.” Apple Bloom said defensively, looking up from the end of the table with a bit of a blush, and Big Mac smiled as Applejack gave her little sister an amused look. “Besides, wasn't like I was playing fetch with a manticore or anything.”

“Yeah, but it was foals they were rumored to lure off and eat, and you were just a foal then, Apple Bloom. Was like playing hoof-ball with a bomb near a bonfire.” Applejack replied dryly, and then she sighed a little and shook her head, muttering: “All the same, though, guess it was a good way to see for my own eyes they weren't nearly as dangerous as some of the other farmers say. Sure, they get into things sometimes, and I'm sure they could be dangerous if they wanted to... but ain't like... old times, is it?”

“Not at all. They aren't being influenced by evil here, driven to doing things more serious than making mischief.” Scrivener said softly, and Luna smiled and nodded in agreement as the charcoal stallion leaned back a bit with a small smile over the others. “Not that we blame any of you for being a little freaked out.”

“It does take some getting used to the idea of it.” Twilight Sparkle said softly, glancing down the table before she smiled a little as the others looked to her, the violet mare leaning forwards and continuing quietly: “But now you know pretty much everything that's been... happening under the scenes of this Equestria, so to speak. And to be honest, I'm... glad that I don't have to keep secrets from any of you anymore. That we have everything out in the open now, because you do all deserve to know. Equestria, even, deserves to be told... and Luna, you deserve to be part of this world you've built, not an exile.”

Twilight gazed softly towards the pregnant winged unicorn, and Luna smiled faintly as she hugged her belly gently back against herself, blushing a little as Scrivener gazed softly across at the violet mare, before Rainbow Dash smiled a little as he looked up, saying quietly: “Damn straight. Without you, Luna, none of us would be here... and even if we were, well, I don't think we'd all be... like this. Things got so messed up so fast, faster than even I can fly... it sounds like you and Scrivy were the only ones able to sort it out at the end of the day.”

The two shuffled a bit, and then Luna looked up and said softly: “I only work to try and... right what is wrong, that is all. To ensure the best possible outcome for... all ponies, that Equestria is safe. I have to. 'Tis my home, and all of thee... are important to me. I won't again bring up my failings, nay, I'll only say that... I have many reasons to want to do the very best job I can in caring for my friends and home.

“But all of thee, each and everypony, has my thanks for coming here today. For renewing our friendships...” Luna smiled slightly. “Even if I must still reveal myself to Ponyville and Cowlick and Ross at some point, but this... aye, this is a good and worthy start. It has been the most joyous of celebrations... but the hour grows late, and I shan't force thee to stay out here for my entertainment, much as I would direly like all thee too. Now thou all know of my presence here, after all... now all of thee can come and visit whenever the mood strikes, and I shall always welcome thee here.”

There were smiles from along the table, and then Celestia rose her head, saying softly: “I'll guide everypony back to Ponyville through the forest. The path sometimes... changes... at night, so it wouldn't hurt to have a little aid.”

“I'll walk with you, Celestia.” Twilight volunteered, and Celestia looked surprised... but then the rainbow-maned winged unicorn smiled softly and nodded, and Twilight nodded slowly back before she glanced towards Luna, adding quietly: “If you don't mind, of course. But with Scarlet here she can help take care of you two.”

“Hey, I can take care of myself. Well. I can take care of Luna, anyway.” Scrivener said finally, and Luna huffed and flailed a little at him before the earth pony smiled a bit, saying quietly as he looked down the table: “Thank you all for coming, and for your gifts and everything else. We'll keep everypony informed as we can about how Luna's doing.”

There were smiles and nods down the table before ponies carefully began to slip up their hooves, and Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie looked at each other, seemed to have a short argument consisting mostly of violent gestures, and then the bright twin sighed and rolled her eyes before nodding once, the half-demon giving a grunt and a firm nod before she began to slowly clean up the table, making it clear she wasn't intent on leaving. The others all came up to trade their goodbyes and well-wishes with Luna, however, giving her smiles and trading hugs with her and Scrivener Blooms.

Celestia was the last in line, firmly embracing both her little sister and the charcoal earth pony before she drew back and said softly: “I'll be back as soon as I can, little sister, brother.”

Scrivener smiled warmly, blushing a little as he always did when Celestia referred to him as a sibling. But the ivory winged unicorn only smiled softly, bowing her head towards them before she turned and headed to the group gathered at the edge of the forest, and Luna waved happily to them as the ponies called last goodbyes and began to filter down the path.

It left Luna sitting alone at the head of the table, as Scarlet Sage and Pinkamena both worked to clean up, and Discombobulation sat near the foot, still nibbling on his small piece of cake. For a moment, Luna almost looked as if she was about to cry, as Scrivener felt her whirling emotions in his body... but then her eyes locked on the fact there was still almost half the enormous cake left over, and she licked her lips slowly before reaching greedily forwards... then huffing when Scrivener quickly pushed the platter down the table, the winged unicorn unable to grab it as her belly pushed against the edge of the furnishing. “No, Luna, you're not allowed to devour the entire cake by yourself.”

“They ate all our food, Scrivener Blooms! I deserve to eat all the cake! I... look at how little cola is left, 'tis only a few bottles!” Luna whined loudly, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before he carefully picked up the cake platter and turned away, heading towards the door of their cottage as Luna huffed grouchily and shook a hoof at his back angrily. “I shall make thee sleep on the couch tonight, Scrivy!”

“We don't have a couch.” Scrivener muttered back around the handle of the tray in his mouth, and Luna looked stumped at this before Scrivener booted the cottage door lightly open and vanished inside. Then Luna grumbled before looking up as Pinkamena shoved the last of the cookies towards her on their tray.

“Here, eat up. Otherwise I'm just going to throw 'em out.” the half-demon said dryly, and Luna mumbled a bit before she picked up a cookie and chewed dejectedly on it. “Oh, don't look so sad, Nightmare Moon. You got a goddamn good haul. I know you're selfish and all but even you should be able to appreciate that.”

“Oh, thou knows well I am not sulking about that.” Luna huffed, then she loudly chewed up the cookie and swallowed it before picking up another and throwing it firmly at Pinkamena, the half-demon wincing as this bounced off her face. “And thou! These are delicious! Why art thou hiding thy talent?”

“It is not my talent.” Pinkamena said icily, picking the cookie up off the table and throwing it back at Luna, but the winged unicorn caught it in her jaws and gobbled it down as the half-demon rolled her eyes. “You're almost as disgusting as these sweet treats.”

Luna huffed, picking up the last cookie, and Pinkamena quickly took the now-empty tray and tossed it on the stack of other dishes she had gathered before hefting these easily and heading towards the house, grumbling a bit as she swayed a little with every careful step of her rear hooves. Scarlet Sage watched for a moment with something like fascination as the half-demon easily walked along, and then Luna flailed a little to draw her daughter's attention before she asked moodily: “Am I selfish?”

“Only a little, Mom. Come on, let's get you inside.” Scarlet Sage said gently, and then she glanced over her shoulder at Discombobulation as Luna mumbled and began to wiggle herself up. “Can you give us a hand?”

“Alright.” Discombobulation said mildly, and then he reached down and yanked his hand off before tossing it to them, and Luna and Scarlet Sage both stared as this landed on the table in front of them... then both ponies winced backwards as it hopped quickly up on its fingers and thumb as if it was alive, scurrying around in a short circle as the Draconequus added calmly: “Careful, though, he's not quite as good a listener as I am.”

With that, the chimerical creature calmly picked his fork back up and returned to slowly scooping up a small bit of cake, and Luna winced as the hand scurried towards the end of the table, then slowly extended a finger towards her stomach before she let out a yell and brought both her front hooves smashing down on it, Discombobulation cursing in frustration and spitting out the cake he had just scooped into his mouth before his hand vanished from the spot, reappearing on the end of his wrist as he shook his limb out violently and snapped: “What in the name of Loki is wrong with you?”

“What is wrong with me? What is wrong with thou?” Luna shouted back, and then she yelled in frustration, seizing the underside of the table before Scarlet Sage could stop her, and she hauled upwards with all her Valkyrie strength, flipping the furnishing and everything still on it as Discombobulation winced and leapt out of his chair as utensils, glasses, a few plates and all variety of other objects came crashing down before the furnishing itself fell with a loud bounce and smash. “Damnation, Discombobulation!”

“Someone got hit in the boingloings!” Discombobulation said hurriedly, pointing past Luna, and when the winged unicorn only continued to glare even as Scarlet Sage glanced awkwardly over her shoulder, the chimerical creature repeated awkwardly as he continued to point: “Hit in the boingloings. Boingloings. Boingloings. Somebody got hit in them. ”

Luna grumbled a bit before her eyes finally flicked to the side when Scrivener stuck his head out of the cottage door with a wince, and the Draconequus quickly snapped his fingers and vanished in a puff of white smoke before Scrivener groaned as he walked forwards, surveying the damage and grabbing at his head with one hoof as Luna blushed deep red before the earth pony stallion muttered: “No. No. It's fine. I'm sure that-”

“Oh come freaking on!” Pinkamena shouted as she emerged outside, glaring over the table before favoring Luna with a horrible look. “Goddammit, Nightmare Moon, can't you go back to killing ponies instead of wrecking up furniture?”

Luna's lower lip trembled a little at this, and the half-demon stared before wincing when Scrivener smacked the back of her head lightly, saying moodily: “Don't worry, it's not that bad. Scarlet Sage, why don't you take your mother inside?”

“Okay. Come on, Mom.” Scarlet said gently, and Luna slowly slipped out of the chair, still looking a little upset even as she struggled to get her emotions back in check. Scrivener gazed at her softly, sending her soothing thoughts as he felt her roiling emotions, and Pinkamena mumbled what almost sounded like an apology as she rubbed the back of her head as the Pegasus guided the winged unicorn past and inside.

Luna flopped down with a mumble on the bedding once inside, resting on her side and grumbling under her breath as she flicked her horn at the fireplace, but once more magic refused to work with her emotions in a roil and her belly now cramping a little in response... so instead she kicked her rear legs a little through the air before sighing as she rubbed at her belly, and Scarlet Sage smiled a little as she sat quietly beside her mother, soothingly rubbing along her stomach and saying softly: “You're beautiful, Mom.”

“Nay, I am fat.” Luna mumbled in response, and Scarlet Sage sighed a little as she stroked soothingly through her mother's starry mane, gazing down at her softly as Luna looked meditatively up at her daughter. “This may one day be thou, Scarlet Sage, I must warn thee. Filled with foal, hopefully by a loving stallion, hopefully when thou most desires a child.”

Scarlet Sage only smiled a little, however, looking down quietly and asking softly: “And what about my Blood Seer powers? Will they... be passed down?”

Luna cocked her head curiously at this question, and then she grunted and nodded after a moment, sitting up a little and saying finally: “Aye, they will, in one form or another... but as I have already discussed with thee, the powers of the Blood Seer are... chaotic, and rare to manifest themselves. The powers may simply be dormant in thy child, and even thy child's children, etcetera, until at some point, they again manifest themselves by pure ill fortune.”

Scarlet Sage nodded after a moment, looking down quietly before she rubbed a hoof slowly against the ground, murmuring softly: “So it's impossible to know... how many possible Blood Seers are out there in the world at any given time, huh?”

“Aye, it is difficult.” Luna smiled faintly, nodding slowly back. “Even though we allowed no cultist of Ekleíp passage into this world with the role they played in ending the last... there could still be dozens of Blood Seers across Equestria, or more. Some perhaps as kind and gentle as thou thyself are... others perhaps as insane and cunning as Wisehorse was.”

Scarlet Sage nodded slowly, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards, and then Luna laughed quietly, reaching a hoof up to touch her daughter's face quietly. “But these are all questions and thoughts for the far future, Scarlet Sage, so do not worry thyself overmuch with them and what it may all mean. Only know that... in spite of all my complaining, my frustrations, and my embarrassments... I am proud to know that I will soon be a mother. And I would not change anything, as I feel my baby becoming more and more ready to enter the world... and I am only so glad, so very honored, that I am to be blessed with two children... a beautiful daughter who will make an exceptional sister and role model, and a soon-to-be son, who will be handsome and I hope wise enough to listen to his big sister more than his silly parents.”

Scarlet Sage blushed deep red at this, looking touched as she smiled warmly, and Luna smiled back before the Pegasus bowed her head forwards and murmured: “My little brother's only lucky he's going to have parents as good as you and Dad, Mom... I'll never forget how you waited more than a year, for me... because I was having those nightmares, all those bad memories, and... you wanted to make sure I was okay before you brought a new child into this family. Because you wanted to make sure I knew that you weren't trying to replace me because we're not blood related, but... I never once thought that, ever. You've always been so good to me... you were always there to protect me, sacrificing so much for me, never failing when I needed you most.”

Luna smiled softly, and Scarlet Sage smiled silently back as they studied each other... and then mother and daughter simply embraced tightly, no more need for words between parent and child.

Only four days later, as Luna sat arguing with Scrivener outside – the male wasn't entirely sure what the subject was or what side of the debate he was even on, but neither of those things had ever stopped him from arguing with Luna in the past – the winged unicorn suddenly went rigid as there was a loud, wet sound, Scrivener feeling a shiver rip through his own body before he stared in shock as Luna grabbed her stomach and declared in a wheeze: “Now I understand why they refer to it as one's water breaking. Scrivener Blooms!”

“Hurrying, hurrying!” Scrivener winced as Luna groaned and grabbed at herself, rocking violently before she began to try and climb up to her hooves, and the male shook his head almost wildly. “No, no, I'll get Twilight and Celestia, don't move!”

Scrivener turned, scrambling for the back door and shoving through it as he bolted into the kitchen, cursing as the cramps and feelings rollicking through Luna's body were reflected in his own. He had a feeling the next few hours were about to be very awkward... and then he flinched when a particularly painful cramp wrenched through his system, skidding against the floor tiles and smacking loudly into the wall as Celestia and Twilight looked up with surprise before Scrivener shoved himself backwards and looked towards them, saying quickly: “The baby! Baby! Luna... baby!”

“Oh! Scrivener Blooms, go and gather up the kits Zecora and I both put together. Twilight Sparkle, get the sterilized sheets out of the linen room. I'll attend to my sister.” Celestia ordered immediately, and Scrivener wheezed as he hurried through the living room, Twilight nodding and wincing as she scrambled after him, and the ivory winged unicorn leaping to her own hooves, both excited and anxious as she ran outside.

She quickly checked over Luna, who had her teeth grit as she clutched her stomach, cursing in frustration and pain, and Celestia winced as she leaned over her before she gently touched her sister's forehead, leaning down and saying quietly: “I'm going to be as gentle as possible moving you, sister. Try not and writhe too much, it will make it more difficult to transport you and you could hurt yourself. Don't start pushing yet... it's not yet time. You need to just ride through this initial stage-”

“I shall reach in there and drag the babe out with my own bare hooves if I must!” Luna shouted furiously, and Celestia winced a bit before the winged unicorn ground her teeth loudly together, arching her back and adding in a howl of frustration: “Why is this not as fun as making babies was?”

Celestia sighed a little, then her horn glowed, the same aura surrounding Luna as she flailed a bit before she curled up and hugged herself with a groan as another contraction ripped through her body, Celestia replying gently: “It's going to be okay, Luna. Just stay calm, and focus on what this will bring: your child, your son.”

“You admitted... it will be a colt!” Luna wheezed through half-grit teeth, and Celestia was tempted to swing her younger sibling into the doorframe as she carefully walked backwards into the cottage. She resisted the urge, however, instead tossing a quick glance over the dividing counter and nodding firmly once as she saw that Twilight had cleaned away the blankets and pillows from the bedding and laid down clean sheets and clean, matching blue cushions.

Scrivener had also already laid out the medical kit, a bag filled with potions generously provided for them by Zecora, and a set of stirrups to keep Luna's legs elevated and apart during the birthing process. Twilight looked anxious, and Scrivener was sweating as badly as Luna, bouncing worriedly from hoof-to-hoof before Celestia said quickly, glancing towards the two ponies: “Twilight, write a letter to Scarlet Sage, letting her know what's going on... I believe she's at Sweet Apple Acres preparing for the Nightmare Night festivities right now. Scrivener, I need-”

“I need him here.” Luna whispered after a moment, twitching as she hugged herself... and even as Scrivener twitched as well, he hurried forwards beside her, looking down at her with concern before she held a hoof up as she gritted her teeth, and as Scrivener took it in both of his own front hooves, Celestia visibly softened at the sight. “Feels like... an angry Hellhound is trying to chew his way out of my womb!”

“Alright, sister, as long as you avoid more metaphors like that I'll let Scrivener stay beside you. Twilight is enough to help me with the tasks we'll need to stay on top of.” Celestia said softly, and Luna nodded with a wheeze as Scrivener smiled warmly over at the ivory equine, who only gave a small smile of her own in return before she became serious again.

A little less than an hour later, the front door was thrown open and Scarlet Sage came rushing in, only to skid to a halt in front of a curtain that had been tacked quickly up. She opened her mouth to call out worriedly at the sound of Luna groaning, but then Twilight poked her head through the curtain, looking relieved as she nodded once before her horn glowed, and Scarlet Sage winced as a bright aura surrounded her for a moment, making her body sizzle before the violet mare said quickly: “Sorry, need to keep the room as clean as possible. Come on through, you should be fine now.”

The Pegasus nodded anxiously as she slipped into the den, glancing towards her mother and father and smiling in relief... then wincing a bit as Luna threw her head back with a volley of curses as Celestia winced, then gave her own relieved look at Scarlet Sage. “Good, Luna's been asking for you... see, Luna? Your daughter's here.”

“Well, good, have her jump on my stomach and force my son out!” Luna wheezed, and Scarlet Sage winced as the sapphire winged unicorn kicked a bit in the stirrups, leaning back with a long groan of frustration and pain. “How much longer, Celestia? An hour, two? The pain worsens every moment!”

Celestia only smiled awkwardly in response, and Luna gave her older sister a horrible look... and ten hours later, around one in the morning, the winged unicorn's labor finally moved into the process of actually giving birth. Surprisingly, Pinkamena had showed up, sitting at the edge of the den and giving the occasional encouragement as she watched the process with fascination... and when Twilight had gone into the kitchen to fetch a few bottles of water, she had found Discombobulation lounging apprehensively against the wall, looking moodily towards the sheets blocking the view of the room beyond as he said mildly: “Ponies are absolutely disgusting creatures.”

It was two more long, painful hours... but finally, Celestia sighed in relief as Luna let out one last loud yell, sweat spilling down her face, unshed tears in her eyes as she snarled and arched her back, feeling something finally coming free from her body, her form flexing as she rasped hard for air, one of her front hooves tightly grasping into Scrivener's own... and then both mother and father looked slowly up at the sound of a quiet whimpering that filled the air less than a minute later, and they both gazed silently ahead as Celestia stepped forwards and gently slipped a small, blanket-wrapped bundle into Luna's forelimbs.

For a moment, Luna and Scrivy could only stare down at the shape as it shivered a little, whimpering a bit again, its eyes closed... and then Luna trembled hard as tears spilled down her cheeks, cutting trails through the sweat over her flushed features as Scarlet Sage and Twilight both leaned in close, and Pinkamena took her own step forwards, Celestia smiling radiantly as she whispered: “Congratulations, sister. Just like you said... it's a beautiful baby boy.”

“Yes, I... I knew it would be. 'Twas never a question, I... oh, oh Scrivener, look at him... he's so handsome...” Luna whispered, gazing lovingly down at her son, trembling as she hugged him closer against her body, and she smiled warmly, brightly, happily, as she cradled the colt tightly in her forelimbs, whispering: “Oh, Scrivy...”

“He is, Luna... he really is...” Scrivener whispered, gazing with amazement down at the child... and then he smiled again as the winged unicorn quietly held the bundle towards him, and he took it reverently in his forelimbs, lifting the baby boy gingerly as he gazed affectionately down at him. “Hello, kiddo...”

The stallion laughed after a moment, and then he carefully turned, smiling softly over at Twilight and holding the baby towards her, and Twilight Sparkle blushed deeply, but awkwardly, silently took the newborn, gazing down at him reverently as she whispered: “Oh wow... I... I'm holding him right, right? I mean-”

“Oh shush, Twilight, and just... relax and look upon my son.” Luna murmured softly, and she smiled faintly as she looked towards Celestia, saying quietly: “I can... never thank thou enough for all the help thou hast given me, big sister. Especially in this regard... in helping bring my baby boy into the world. I... Celestia, thou means the world to me, and-”

“And you mean the world to me, too, sister. I wouldn't turn down any mother-to-be in need... but least of all would I turn down my beautiful little sister Luna.” Celestia said softly, leaning forwards and gazing lovingly over her sibling and Scrivener as they both looked at her warmly. “Besides, you've done me an honor in letting me act as midwife for you-”

“Nay, Twilight Sparkle is the midwife.” Luna smiled despite herself, and Celestia laughed quietly after a moment, shaking her head slowly as Scarlet Sage giggled and Twilight looked up with a small smile before glancing towards Pinkamena questioningly, but the half-demon winced as she stayed awkwardly back before Luna's eyes roved over to her, saying softly: “Oh come now, Pinkamena. Gather up thy courage... Twilight, pass the baby to Scarlet Sage while the half-demon prepares herself to hold a baby instead of attempt to eat it.”

Pinkamena mumbled under her breath as Twilight quietly passed the newborn first to Celestia, who let the child linger in her forelimbs for a moment as she gazed down at it affectionately before she turned and passed it to Scarlet Sage. The Pegasus took him reverently, looking down at her little brother with an awed expression, studying him silently before she looked up at her mother with warm eyes, whispering: “He looks just like Dad...”

“Aye, he does. And already I love him as dearly as I love thy father.” Luna murmured softly, squeezing Scrivener's hoof gently as she looked affectionately up at Scrivy, and the stallion smiled warmly as he returned the squeeze, both parents looking warmly towards their daughter before Scarlet Sage gingerly passed the newborn back to Luna, who hugged the small, bundled-up shape tight against her body before she gazed kindly over at Pinkamena. “Now, get over here, half-demon. Come and hold my baby.”

“I... fine. By the way, Bob is hiding in the other room. Make him hold it too.” Pinkamena muttered, pointing irritably at the curtain, and there was a hiss like a cat from behind the cloth before the dull-pink pony grumbled: “Hey, I ain't going down alone.”

“Oh, shut up, Pinkamena, it will not kill thee to be gentle.” Luna grumbled, as Pinkamena hesitantly made her way past Twilight, and Scrivener leaned down, gently taking the child from Luna to pass carefully to Pinkamena, and the half-demon hesitated for a few long moments before sighing and taking it, looking moodily down even as she carefully, gently cradled it in her forelimbs.

She was silent for a few long seconds... then she hurriedly shook her head and mumbled finally, as she studied the baby's quiet features: “He's... okay-looking, I guess. Does have Scrivy's dumb face. Probably gonna have his coat color, too. Anyway, I'm really just here because I want to eat your placenta.”

Twilight and Scarlet Sage both looked a little horrified at this, and Celestia sighed a bit at this before she glanced over her shoulder when Discombobulation poked his head carefully around the kitchen curtain, asking mildly: “Have things become awkward enough yet that I can make my presence.. oh god, somebody cover Scrivener Blooms!”

The Draconequus half-fell backwards, yanking the curtain with him as he crashed to the ground loudly, and Luna flushed a bit, kicking her legs weakly in the stirrups. Celestia winced, glancing immediately towards the baby, but Pinkamena was hugging it close and glaring at the Ginnungagap entity... before she cleared her throat as she realized Celestia was staring at her, hurriedly passing the child back to Scrivener and wiping moodily at herself as she muttered: “Nice kid, but he doesn't look like he'd make for the best meal.”

Scrivener sighed a little, then he looked down at his son and smiled a bit when he saw the child hadn't been upset at all by the loud noise from Bob, as Discombobulation carefully sat up, keeping the curtains over his head. Then Luna winced a bit, and Scrivener grimaced at the shivers that passed through his own body even as he carefully passed his son back to the winged unicorn, who settled despite the pain wracking her body as Celestia's eyes roved to Luna and she said softly: “That's normal, don't worry. The aftershocks will fade in time as you go through the last stage of the birthing process.”

“Oh, damned, interminable thing.” Luna muttered moodily, and then she winced and twitched a bit before she returned her eyes to the baby in her forelegs, and she softened, whispering: “But... nay. It is all alright, with my child in my arms. The child I have longed for, for so long...”

“What are we naming him?” Scrivener asked softly, tilting his head as the others all looked up with interest, even sheet-covered Discombobulation. For a moment, Luna was silent... and then she smiled softly as she turned her cyan irises upwards, meeting Scrivener's chestnut gaze, and for a moment the two studied each other before emotions, images, and memories swirled slowly between them.

And bit-by-bit, the countless conversations they'd had on this subject pieced themselves together in their minds into one enormous dialogue: within moments, the conversation was shortened as all the names they'd wanted to avoid or simply made fun of fell away, and then they were joined by the names they had thought possible but weren't particularly thrilled with... and it left them with a list of only a dozen or so names that they both felt were strong possibilities. And of these, only three they both truly adored... and of those three, just one made the perfect fit for this handsome son who looked so much like his father.

“Antares. Antares Mīrus, is the name of our child.” Luna said softly, looking down at the foal and gently brushing the blankets back... revealing the tip of the unicorn's horn that was already beginning to push up from his head, the winged unicorn smiling radiantly down at her newborn. “And I have faith that one day, he shall grow into a fine, fine stallion, and prove himself a better, more-worthy pony than either of his parents have ever been.”

Scrivener nodded in agreement, leaning down and kissing Luna's temple quietly, and the ponies gathered forwards as Discombobulation finally pulled the sheets off his body, straightening and wincing as he kept his gaze firmly upwards as he said mildly: “Then let me be the first to say I hope he ends up being just a tad more boring than his parents are, and doesn't live too exciting a life.”

“Oh, do not be so cruel, Discombobulation!” Luna laughed warmly all the same this, grinning slightly as she looked with entertainment towards the Draconequus. “I said that I am sure my child will be a better pony than his parents... and that means I am sure that no matter what roads his life takes him on, he shall make all the very best of them. But I do hope his life is an exciting one, and not a boring one... even though must agree there would be very little point in proving himself wise and kind in times of peace and placidity, aye?”

Discombobulation only smiled wryly, however, tossing the sheets over his head before he said calmly: “Well, if you'll excuse me, I've been disgusted enough for one night by the workings of a pony's body. Goodnight, Scrivener Blooms, Luna Brynhild... and Antares Mīrus.”

And with that, Discombobulation turned around and strode towards the kitchen... then smacked loudly into the wall next to the archway, falling loudly on his rear as Pinkamena threw her head back and laughed, Luna and Scrivener joining in a moment later before the Draconequus awkwardly stood up, feeling his way quickly into the kitchen beyond before he simply vanished from beneath the sheet, letting it fall and puddle to the floor as Twilight smiled despite herself.

And safe against his mother's body, Antares Mīrus fidgeted and yawned, then smiled as his eyes flickered open for a bare moment, looking up at his joyful parents with cyan eyes just like his mother's, before they slid closed as the baby settled down into quiet, comfortable sleep.

Little Luna And Nice Celestia

Chapter Eighteen: Little Luna And Nice Celestia
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms was sitting quietly in the royal library, a book open in front of him. Unicorns passed by every now and then, tossing him odd looks: here he was, after all, an earth pony who was clearly no noble, covered in bandages and bruises and scars, sitting and paging absently through an enormous encyclopedia outlining the works of different authors who had been known around Canterlot. In other words, he was looking for himself.

But the Court Poet of Canterlot was not Scrivener Blooms, but instead a unicorn named Tennyson. From the court records, there had never been any pony named Scrivener Blooms at Canterlot over the countless years it had stood, as a matter of fact... and Scrivener grumbled a little before he sighed and pushed the encyclopedia aside.

Luna – his Luna, rather, not Princess Luna – was allowing herself to be questioned by the Princesses of Canterlot. Scrivener himself had spoken to Shining Armor and a nervous Twilight Sparkle. They had been questioned separately not out of fear, though, but because there had simply been so much to cover... and Princess Celestia had also wanted a demonstration of Luna and Scrivener's soul-link, fascinated by the magic and the lengths that the two had gone to in order to bind themselves and their fates together.

Scrivener Blooms was fairly certain that now Luna was just harassing the Princesses, since Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle hadn't kept him for questioning all that long. The charcoal stallion had gone up to the quarters they had been given to take his armor off and check on Pinkamena and Scarlet Sage, and the half-demon had been grouchy, but Scarlet fascinated, murmuring that it reminded her so much of when they had been traveling with the Starlit Knights... and Scrivener had smiled faintly, nodded, and then found himself wandering the halls of Canterlot until he came here.

The earth pony sighed as he walked through the library, then pushed open a pair of glass double doors to stride out onto a balcony, gazing up at the evening sky. It had taken them until early afternoon to reach Canterlot at the slow walking pace that had been set after Twilight and her friends had returned for the trip, and Pinkamena had retrieved their wagon from the Everfree Forest... and then another hour or so had been lost while they had been inspected and their wounds treated. Another hour lost to a tour of a castle they already knew from their own, now-destroyed home layer of reality... and finally, the rest of the day lost to questioning.

He walked past empty reading tables with their chairs resting overturned on top of them, and leaned on the railing moodily as he gazed out into the mountains around Canterlot. A faint breeze whispered by, feeling good against his sore body, and he glanced moodily down at a hoof before smiling a little and glancing over his shoulder as the glass doors were pushed open, catching sight of a starry mane and cyan eyes that looked at him curiously. “Hey, warrior princess.”

“Excuse me?” Luna asked with a frown, and Scrivener looked at her blankly before he winced and grabbed at his face, blushing deep red. Princess Luna blushed as well, shuffling a hoof against the ground, and then she smiled awkwardly before striding apprehensively up beside him. “I apologize, I forgot that... you must be used to a different Luna.”

Scrivener nodded, looking embarrassed as he glanced out into the night sky, hearing his wife's laughter in his mind and mentally cursing her. “Sorry, no, it's my fault. I'm distracted... I should have recognized from my link with Luna... I mean, with Brynhild... that you were... you, not... you.”

He cleared his throat a little, looking awkwardly up into the darkness, and Princess Luna studied him curiously before she asked quietly: “Do I make you nervous?”

“Well... not exactly.” Scrivener smiled a little over at her, studying her silently, seeing all the subtle differences between her and his soulmate. “It's just... a little strange, that's all. I can imagine you get what I'm talking about.”

“I do, yes. And I have to admit it's strange for me, too.” Princess Luna replied quietly, measuring him in return with her own gaze. She hesitated a little, then shook her head, looking up and asking softly: “Scarlet Sage is not our daughter by blood, is she? I mean... not yours and... Luna Brynhild's.”

“Brynhild and I...” Scrivener hesitated for a moment, looking out into the darkness and asking a silent question into his mixed soul... and a moment later, he felt his wife's quiet approval, and he nodded slowly. “We couldn't have a child for a long time. Brynhild... didn't have the ability to have a baby. It was taken from her, before she was even really born, I suppose you could say.”

“That is awful.” Princess Luna frowned a little, looking apprehensively over at Scrivener Blooms. “But all the same... I believe that Brynhild mentioned a son. Is he adopted as well?”

“No.” Scrivener smiled over at this layer's Luna, shaking his head and saying softly: “We got that missing piece of Luna... I mean, Brynhild... back. We had to wait... twelve more long, long years, but we finally... we finally had our own son. Not that I love Scarlet Sage any less, of course... she's a wonderful daughter. I couldn't ask for better kids than I've got... as it is, I don't deserve the kids I got. Brynhild... is a wonderful mother.”

He gazed over at her, and Princess Luna laughed quietly and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “That's a funny thought. Me, as a mother... it's even harder to get my head around than the idea there are so many layers of reality, that... we all exist in different shapes and forms throughout them...”

Luna closed her eyes, smiling faintly, before she whispered: “This Brynhild... she is much, much stronger than me. Controlling Nightmare Moon instead of simply blocking her out, showing such magic as neither Celestia nor myself have ever seen... even openly flirting with me.” Princess Luna smiled wryly despite herself, glancing moodily over at Scrivener Blooms. “And yet you are both married, but for some reason I fear what calling her bluff would do.”

“You have an interesting accent.” Scrivener Blooms said abruptly, and Luna cocked her head curiously towards him, the male clearing his throat before he glanced out into the night sky. “Sorry, it's... a thing. I have a fascination for words and... everything related to language. You also don't talk the same way Luna does... it sounds like you were taking articulation lessons from somepony, but not Celestia.”

Luna looked at him curiously, and Scrivener smiled a little, rubbing absently at his face. “Sorry. I... I'm not good at being very social. And it's just...”

He glanced towards her, and Princess Luna slid a little closer to him curiously, the earth pony smiling a little more as they studied each other before she asked quietly: “What were you looking for in the library?”

“Vanity search. Rumors of my own existence.” Scrivener admitted, and Princess Luna laughed quietly, but looked interested as the stallion gazed across at her and continued softly: “I checked directories, appendices, and the old texts. Future to past, but... no sign of me ever getting to Canterlot, ever getting published anywhere. I might not exist in this world... we were already warned by Odin, after all, that certain things that exist in one world might not exist in the other. Like Shining Armor and Cadence... they never existed in the world where I come from. Or maybe... I just never made it out of... where I come from.”

Princess Luna nodded slowly, and then she gazed up a bit at the moon in the sky, the two studying this curiously before she asked curiously: “Where did you come from, then, Scrivener Blooms?”

“North Neigh. Far north, traditionalist unicorn territory.” Scrivener Blooms replied quietly, and he laughed a little as he looked out into the dark night sky, murmuring: “The world where I come from, Princess Luna, there's... a lot of issues between ponies of different races in certain places. Unicorn, Pegasi, and earth pony don't always get along... the earth ponies are on the bottom rung, the unicorns the highest. And there were never any winged unicorns in our Equestria apart from... Luna and Celestia, at least as far as we all know. But our Celestia, our Luna, are reincarnated Valkyries, as farfetched as that seems... it sounds stupid just saying it out loud. A lot of it sounds stupid out loud...”

Princess Luna only continued to look at him curiously, however, and Scrivener hesitated for only a few moments before saying softly: “I was born to two unicorns. Very proud unicorns. Pure-blood unicorns... but as you can clearly see, I don't have a horn. I and everypony else calls me an earth pony, I consider myself an earth pony, but really I'm a hornless unicorn. I even have the base in my skull, there just... was never any horn up there.”

Scrivener reached up, knocking gently on his forehead, and then he shook his head with a small smile as he glanced back out into the night. “They treated me as a slave. They kept me... in a kennel, in the back alley, outside in the cold. I had no rights, no... anything. They never tried to teach me to read or write, and I wasn't even allowed to do my schoolwork. I taught myself how to read, to write, and it was my one escape... and one day, a noble passing through saw my workbook when it fell out of my apron. He read one of my poems, and asked me to write one for his wife. I did, and he paid me for it... even more, he pulled me out of there, helped me find a place in Trotronto, gave me a new start on a new life.”

The Princess of the Night studied him curiously and then Scrivener laughed a little, glancing away with a blush. “Sorry. It's because you look like L- er, Brynhild, I guess. It makes me... start talking, and I'm too dumb to stop myself until too late, Princess.”

“No, it is fine.” Luna said softly, and she smiled a little. “And just Luna is fine. But you have risen quite far through your life, haven't you? I... I can see more clearly why Brynhild would have been interested in you, if our lives have been even vaguely similar... and as she knows of Nightmare Moon, I know they have been.”

“But you're not as creepy or evil as her, right?” Scrivener asked mildly, and Princess Luna laughed and shook her head slowly, smiling despite herself before the charcoal stallion paused and glanced over his shoulder as a roll went through his mind. “Oh look, speak of the... devil really is all too fitting a word for you.”

“Shut up, beetle.” Luna Brynhild said kindly as she pushed through the glass doors, followed by Princess Celestia. The siblings smiled at each other as the still-armored mare approached her husband, and they traded a tight, fierce embrace for a moment, pressing close before the ponies from a different layer sat back and gazed across at the siblings, the rulers, of this Equestria, before Luna Brynhild grinned widely and leaned forwards. “And now, Celestia, I believe thou wert curious to hear about thy evil twin.”

Scrivener groaned and rolled his eyes as Celestia only cocked her head curiously. “Am I really that bad in your reality, Brynhild?”

“Worse!” Luna declared seriously, nodding a few times even as her nose twitched violently, and she sat back on her haunches, beginning to gesture fiercely as she said rapidly: “In the reality I come from, after a thousand years of imprisonment upon the moon I returned to find Equestria in a state of near destruction! 'Twas horrible, my friends: the evil Celestia the Radiant had enslaved all of the nation to her will, ticking away to her finely-tuned schemes like a nothing more than infernal mechanical puppets, dancing away to her every whim! Oh, aye, there was a mighty and costly war, in which we became terribly embattled, ravaging the world with fire and wind and ice: why, the gods themselves trembled at our clash, but 'twas endless, for her skill in magic kept me afar, but my talents in the melee meant that every time I slipped close, upon her I rained down a thousand terrible blows from which the cowardly tyrant quailed in fear!

“Oh, but all the same, she would elude and escape, and we danced this dance for what felt like a hundred years before the gods themselves intervened and helped me strike her down. She fell from the skies like a burning meteor, my friends, but like a wounded dragons she continued to writhe and attempt to continue the battle, lashing around and seeking to crush the world itself in her coils. Why, if she could not have the world, she was determined that it would not be shared by ponykind, either! But Scrivener Blooms and I stopped her with the help of our many friends and allies, and nay, we did not kill her, for I am merciful: instead, we sealed her in a meteoric prison and launched her into the sky, sending her shooting into the endless reaches of space until the day she returns to our world, and we shall be forced to battle her and halt Ragnarok again that the fearsome Celestia the Radiant, who sees peace only in destruction, evermore seeks!”

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were both staring as Luna threw her forelegs out, breathing hard in and out and grinning widely... and then Scrivener sighed and looked up, saying dryly: “Celestia is a Baroness in our world who babysits Luna every now and then to stop her from stealing candy from foals or starting fights in bars.”

“Traitor!” Luna Brynhild shoved Scrivener firmly over, but Celestia looked relieved even as Princess Luna smiled a little, and the armored mare grumbled under her breath before she sighed and said moodily, glancing over at the siblings: “Very well. I may have ever-so-slightly exaggerated my sister's... flaws. But I warn thee, she is still no pony to be trifled with. Thou does not seem quite as... quite as scary as she does, though. For even in spite of my beloved big sister trying to develop a sense of humor she still has the most awful tendency to think like a machine. Endlessly put-put-puttering along and ruining all mine fun.”

Luna Brynhild quieted as Scrivener climbed back to his hooves, and then she suddenly tilted her head, asking inquisitively: “And there was never... a brother to thee, was there? There was only ever... thou and thou?”

“Yes, that's right. Sisters.” Celestia said softly, glancing down at Princess Luna with a small smile, and the sapphire, gentle-faced winged unicorn laughed as she smiled up at her older sibling. “Why? Did you have a brother?”

“Yes, I did. I did.” Luna Brynhild said softly, gazing quietly between the Princesses before she smiled and shook her head, saying quietly: “Then no matter how much the better thy lives are here, no matter how much more peaceful and plentiful things are... no matter how much I have suffered, through Ragnarok and worse and more... I can say thou art the ones who have missed out on much. My brother, his name was Sleipnir... he was older than I, and younger than Celestia. He was only an earth pony, but the strongest, bravest warrior thou could ever have met... he helped Celestia to be.. looser, and kinder. He helped me to be brave, and strong.”

Luna Brynhild smiled softly back and forth between the sisters, who gazed back at her quietly, before the armored mare closed her eyes and bowed her head forwards as she laughed softly. “And always did he laugh. No matter what, he knew how to see the bright side of anything... he knew how to smile even in the face of the worst sorrows, the greatest angers, the darkest of fears. And... he was wonderful with foals.”

She smiled radiantly at this, looking up and nodding firmly, as if declaring the greatest honor she could, and the Princesses both nodded back before Luna said kindly: “So therefore I must pity thee both, to have never known him. And even now, from the Vale of Valhalla, he watches over us all. Why, I have even been so fortunate to have my brother visit us upon the world! Insane as that must sound to thee...” Luna Brynhild paused, then grinned widely. “On that note, does there exist any great gate to evil in this world? I do so wish to find something to keep myself entertained whilst I am here.”

“Luna, don't be a pain.” Scrivener said dryly, but the armored mare only laughed and shook her head before the male smiled a little over at the Princesses, saying quietly: “But on a more-serious note... Luna and I will need to find a secure place to plant the anchor. And if you wouldn't mind... perhaps we could place it here. Either in Canterlot, or in the tunnels beneath the castle... if it's not asking too much, of course.”

“It would be our honor, Scrivener Blooms.” Princess Celestia replied kindly, bowing her head politely forwards. “But I do still have questions and a few concerns, as well, if you don't mind. About those shapeshifters we saw, among other things...”

“Well, we shall try and answer as best we can, Nice Celestia.” Luna Brynhild replied kindly, then she looked thoughtfully back and forth. “Thou and Little Luna are so much more polite than I am used to. 'Tis a nice change of pace, to be honest, even if thou aren't... as strong as I would have suspected. But I suppose that makes sense: my husband and I hail from a much darker clime, have trained and fought long and hard... this world still seems... peaceful. Thou may have thy Changelings and other foul entities here and there, but thy cities do not require walls, dragons do not threaten villages, and thou art both... civilized.”

The armored mare smiled slightly at this, winking across at Princess Luna, who shifted awkwardly as Princess Celestia laughed a little and replied quietly: “You both seem very civilized to me as well, even if I still don't understand how attacking us was your idea of making a good first impression. Those shapeshifters, though... will they be drawn towards the anchor?”

“Not as long as it is not tampered with... and as thou saw, simple liquid destroys them.” Luna Brynhild paused, then grimaced a little as she and Scrivener Blooms exchanged a look. “I am more unsure about how effective liquid will be upon the head of the screaming monstrosity, admittedly... we have never seen a creature like that before, even in our previous dealings with the others. It means that perhaps they hunt us more openly... or perhaps 'twas simply misfortune. I do not doubt, after all, that there are worse machinations out there...”

For a moment, she thought silently of the three Tyrant Wyrm beasts they had encountered in the forest... and then the armored mare shook her head slowly and smiled as Scrivener Blooms reassured the Princesses gently: “As Luna... I mean, as Brynhild was discussing before, it was likely the magic pulse that drew them in. Your attack being countered by our blast wave... we kind of sent out an enormous magical pulse.”

The Princesses nodded, and then Luna Brynhild smiled before she leaned forwards and said courteously: “The hour grows late, and we have spoken much at length today. Perhaps we should sojourn for now: I may also selfishly wish to wander Canterlot, this Canterlot where... thou seems accepted, Princess Luna. It fascinates me so...”

The armored mare closed her eyes with a small smile for a moment, then shook her head as the siblings traded a look before Celestia nodded slowly, saying quietly: “Of course, Luna Brynhild. My little sister and I should return to our royal duties in any event, and I appreciate how forthcoming you've been through everything. If you need anything...”

“Oh, fear not. I shall ask.” Luna Brynhild grinned slightly, then she nodded courteously to the two before turning and flicking her horn, opening the glass doors as Scrivener bowed his head politely to the Princesses before turning and following his wife back into the library.

They were silent as they made their way through Canterlot, retracing routes that felt all-too-familiar, even though they had never been in this castle before. But it was like a coming home, a return to a place they had both thought could no longer ever be, as they made their way slowly onwards and upwards.

Luna smiled a little over at Scrivener Blooms as they began to ascend the steps to the tower that housed their guest quarters, the winged unicorn saying softly: “Look at us, Scrivener Blooms. In Canterlot, and a Canterlot run by ponies who truly are proving to be kind and compassionate beyond measure and expectation. And I must admit, beloved, it makes me suspicious that they are all conspirators preparing to betray us or they are all simply soft in the head. I also have an odd desire to attack Canterlot and see just what the gathered forces of Equestria can do. Out of friendship, as I am sure thou understands.”

“You are so... you.” Scrivener said finally, as they reached the door to their quarters and pushed it open... and the two looked in with surprise to see Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie talking with Scarlet Sage as Pinkamena stayed moodily back in a darker corner, slowly sharpening her axe.

The three ponies of this layer looked across at the two as they entered, and Scarlet Sage smiled warmly, gazing at her parents as she said quickly: “Twilight and her friends decided they wanted to get to know us a little better, so they stopped in just a little while ago. I was just telling them about our home, Mom... and a little about our friends there.”

“Did thou make Twilight Sparkle jealous yet?” Luna asked with slight grin, and Scarlet Sage only gave her mother a dry look in return before the winged unicorn huffed and nodded, turning her eyes back to the trio. “Well, I hope thou at least told Rainbow Dash she is a handsome stallion in our world.”

“That's crazy. You're crazy.” Rainbow retorted immediately, then she winced a little when Twilight glared up at her pointedly, and Scrivener was reminded all too clearly of home as he smiled and walked across the room to sit down by Scarlet Sage at the small table across from the bed. Twilight was sitting on the foot of the mattress, Rainbow was hovering, and Pinkie was bouncing a little, continually tossing curious and half-excited glances at Pinkamena as the half-demon did her best to ignore everypony present. “Okay, okay, sorry. I guess my mouth gets away from me a little now and then.”

“No, Luna is crazy, you're right.” Scrivener said mildly, and then Luna huffed before she strode over and bopped him firmly with her horn, making him wince and rub at his head a bit. “You're a jerk, too.”

Luna replied by bopping him again, and then Twilight held up a hoof, saying embarrassedly: “Listen, I... I want to apologize for starting this whole ruckus. I was scared, but it's no excuse: if I had waited just a little longer or asked a few more questions, we could have avoided that confrontation in Ponyville and maybe those... monsters... showing up, too.”

“I've never seen anything like those before.” Rainbow muttered, and she dropped to her hooves, shaking her head with a grimace before her eyes flicked nervously towards Pinkamena. “To be honest, I've never imagined anything like... a lot of you.”

“Yeah, lucky me, only retards seem able to imagine me up.” Pinkamena muttered, and then the gathered ponies winced when she purposefully scraped her whetstone against the flat of the black blade, scarring the metal and sending up a hail of sparks in a shriek of rock-on-steel.

Pinkie Pie, however, gave a smile after a moment, leaning towards her and replying in a bright voice: “But you're my twin! Well, kinda-sorta. We're inter-dimensional sisters, right?”

“No.” Pinkamena said sourly, and then the half-demon tossed the axe to the floor with a clatter that made most of the ponies wince, shaking her head grumpily. “This layer sucks, Nightmare Moon. It's all full of nice ponies and happiness.”

Pinkie Pie only smiled, however, bouncing fearlessly over to Pinkamena and making the dull-gray pony wince back a little before the brighter earth pony exclaimed: “Well, come on, I'll show you just how much fun Canterlot can be! Let's go and look around, I'm sure we can put a big smile on your face, and I bet your smile is really-”

Pinkamena grinned widely as her red-rimmed eyes flashed with baleful blue light, enormous, shark-like teeth glinting as Pinkie stared for a moment before wincing and reaching awkwardly up. “Uh, no, more like... like this.”

She poked and rubbed at Pinkamena's face, trying to make her tone the expression down, but the half-demon only flailed at her moodily before sighing and grumbling: “Fine, will you leave me alone if I take you for walkies so you don't piddle on the carpet?”

“Yep!” Pinkie said brightly, either oblivious to the insult or simply brushing it easily aside, and this only made Pinkamena glower deeper before the half-demon sighed and looked grumpily over at Luna and Scrivener, nodding sulkily to them. Before she could say anything, however, Pinkie Pie bounced behind her and bulled her cheerfully towards the door, exclaiming brightly: “Come on, come on, out we go!”

“Uh. Are you sure that's...” Rainbow Dash winced as the two ponies vanished through the doorway, holding up a hoof before she finished lamely: “A good idea? Oh hell. Uh, no offense to you guys, but... maybe I should go and keep an eye on your friend there. She seems kind of... what's the word I'm looking for... terrifying?”

“Oh, Pinkamena is gentle as a lamb to those who do not antagonize her.” Luna scoffed, then she paused meditatively, saying thoughtfully: “Well, a flesh-eating lamb that grows steel wire instead of wool but... all the same.”

Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle traded a nervous look, but before either of them could say anything, Luna asked curiously: “So tell me about Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle. For in our world, Twilight Sparkle does not have a brother... either that, or she has jealously guarded his existence from me.” She grumbled a little and crossed her arms, saying moodily: “'Tis unfair. I never hid Sleipnir from her.”

“Luna, don't be creepy.” Scrivener said gently, and Luna huffed and shoved at him as Scarlet Sage only smiled and gazed with interest across at the violet unicorn.

Twilight hesitated as she gathered her thoughts, and then she looked up and said softly: “Well... Shining Armor is married to Princess Cadence, who used to foal-sit me. Cadence is a wonderful pony, and I plan to visit her while I'm here... visit with her and my brother, really.

“Like you know, Shining Armor is a Captain of the Guard. He's very strong, and very skilled in magic...” Twilight hesitated, smiling a little. “Well, more defensive magic than offensive, I'm starting to understand. The way you brought lightning out of thin air... it was amazing, Princess Luna.”

“I am not Princess Luna, I am Luna Brynhild.” Luna shook her head with a quiet laugh, then grinned over at Twilight, saying thoughtfully: “But I haven't told thou much of my world, have I, so of course thou does not completely comprehend. Once... many years ago, what feels like... many more than actually 'twas, as well... aye, I was the Princess of the Night. I stood beside my sister, Princess Celestia... but then I was sent upon a quest with who was then only the surly Court Poet of Canterlot, and my personal aide.”

Luna smiled over at Scrivener Blooms, who gave a quiet laugh and nod in agreement before the winged unicorn continued: “When we returned to my sister, Celestia... there was a... conflict.” Luna's smile grew a little fainter, her eyes clouding over. “She had fused the Elements of Harmony and the materials we had retrieved for her into a single mighty crown. She was plagued by visions, and went mad with power trying to stop them from becoming reality... trying to save the world, when they were but... illusions and nightmares.”

Twilight and Rainbow both looked raptly on, as Luna continued softly: “I fought and defeated my sister. I struck her down from the skies in the form of Nightmare Moon... and took the blame for what had transpired to save my sister from the anger of Equestria. Scrivener Blooms, clinging like a barnacle, followed me into exile into the Everfree Forest.”

Scrivener and Luna traded another smile, and Luna reached up, stroking quietly over his face as she said softly: “Silly beetle. Incorrigible creature...”

Then she turned her eyes back to Twilight and Rainbow Dash, as the violet unicorn asked quietly: “And is that why you linked your souls together, like you explained? Because of those events?”

“Nay, Twilight, although thou art not far off. In my world, there was a powerful necromancer who called herself a goddess, known as Veliuona. She attacked the wedding of our friends...” A smile quirked at her face. “Of Rainbow Dash and Applejack.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, time out. You guys are making that up, right?” Rainbow asked flatly, and when Luna only grinned widely, the Pegasus wheezed a little and grabbed at her face, looking frustrated. “Oh what the hell!”

“Oh, shush, apparently in this world I am a primping princess. Besides, would Applejack not be a fitting partner for thee? Thou both share much in common... but enough of a rivalry to keep the blood running hot.” Luna grinned widely over at Scrivener, saying kindly: “Take heed to my words, friends. A relationship is never without conflict... and I myself would not desire it any other way.”

Scrivener shook his head, smiling amusedly over at his wife as Rainbow grumbled and rubbed at his head grouchily, and then Twilight prompted gently, likely not wanting the conversation to get derailed: “You were talking about this... goddess. How was she defeated? The Elements of Harmony sound like... they were destroyed.”

“In my world... the Elements of Harmony only did one thing of value. Even imprisoning Discord...” Luna closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. “'Twas cruel. 'Twas not right. But... Veliuona took over the body of a... a dear friend. She brought vile forces of darkness against us, her Velites... and a cowardly demon I had once known as friend in life, named Ignominious. Between Celestia, myself, and others... we fought back their forces, and my friend... sacrificed herself to destroy Veliuona. I wonder if she exists in this world...”

Luna smiled a little, shaking her head slowly, then she looked up and continued quietly: “In desperation, Ignominious possessed Scrivener Blooms. And my stupid, foolish beetle would not let us wear down the demon, would not let us figure another way to drive the creature out...” Luna looked at him silently, reaching a hoof over to squeeze Scrivener's quietly. “And instead, he made me drive my horn into his heart.”

There was silence for a moment, then Luna said quietly: “The Twilight Sparkle of our world drove Ignominious back down to Helheim. I, meanwhile, did the only thing I could, and tied my soul with Scrivener's to save his life. Or to die with him... at that point, all I knew was that... being with him, 'twas all that mattered. Whether it was to live or die together... I desired to do it with him.”

The two were silent, Twilight looking quietly across at them as Rainbow shifted a bit on her hooves, then the Pegasus asked abruptly: “So what, you went back to exile? Even though... you fought those things, did... all that?”

“Well, all the ponies thanked Celestia, as they always have in my world.” Luna replied calmly, flicking a hoof almost dismissively, and Twilight and Rainbow traded a surprised look. “Celestia has... always received the adulation in my world, for anything we did. 'Twas part of why I became Nightmare Moon...”

She quieted, then shook her head and said softly: “In our Equestria, darkness rose, though. And oh, the source of the shadows... was... there is no word fitting to describe him. My husband and I were summoned by Celestia, to begin a long journey... we encountered many terrible enemies, some of whom haunt our thoughts to this very day. A beast known as Sol Seraph, whom in our world was the mother of poor Fluttershy... Ignominous, who haunted us, and is responsible for both Pinkamena and... for suffering and pain I cannot describe. A foolish Blood Seer who wished to do good, and an awful thing known as a Tyrant Wyrm. And at the end of the journey, the Black Wolves of Hell and the mastermind behind it all, a Jötnar who was known as Valthrudnir.”

Luna grimaced and shook her head slowly, murmuring softly: “Our home world was destroyed. Left desolate and barren by the Black Wolves... by Valthrudnir's treachery and dark designs. Scrivener Blooms conquered him, though... and it was fitting.” Luna smiled grimly over at Scrivener, who smiled faintly in return. “The monstrous Jötnar thought himself capable of telling a darker story than my handsome beetle... and his arrogance was his undoing.”

“He did, though. I just used his own story against him at the end.” Scrivener said softly, and then the earth pony smiled faintly and shook his head, looking across at Twilight and Rainbow as they both stared incredulously. “Yeah, I know your next questions. 'Then how are you here? What about Equestria?'

“Luna and I were given the opportunity to bring souls to a world that was a blank canvas. Where ponies had long faded out of existence... and once there, we restored these spirits, these Pales, to life. That's a very big oversimplification but sometimes simple is best.” Scrivener smiled after a moment, rubbing a little at the scarred side of his face. “After their souls were brought back, they were gently guided by our new allies, the Nibelung and Strange Ones, into believing that they had all been the victims of... a freak accident of nature, pretty much. Something about plants and spores and pollen, I believe it was...”

Scrivener shook his head, laughing quietly before he continued softly: “Celestia was named a Baroness. One of... twelve or thirteen. I can never keep track of numbers. Anyway, they each rule their own territory in Equestria, but they work together to form a Royal Council that oversees the nation, taking turns between acting as the Chancellor to ensure that no one decides to try and push their own agendas too much. Luna and I... well. We still live in the woods.”

“Don't you ever miss being a Princess?” Twilight asked curiously, but Rainbow Dash only grinned a little, nudging her lightly. “What?”

“I dunno, like. Look at them. It's like Daring Do.” Rainbow replied enthusiastically, and Scrivener snorted in amusement as Luna laughed and nodded, looking pleased with this comparison. “What, you got her books in your world?”

“I'm familiar with the stories, anyway... we don't have a lot of books in our repaired Equestria.” Scrivener paused and looked over at Twilight with amusement. “I think I harassed our world's Twilight Sparkle about reading 'silly adventure stories' instead of studying whenever I managed to catch her with one. Back in the Royal Court days... we kind of hated each other.”

Twilight cocked her head curiously, and Scarlet Sage laughed and smiled, looking over at her father softly. “You always say that, Dad, but I'm never sure how true it really is. After all, it sounds like you also both went pretty far out of your way just to see each other.”

“Oh yes, all our secret rendezvous, and sitting in the library for hours on end just so we could catch the other there, start an argument, and then get thrown out.” Scrivener said with relish, and Twilight Sparkle laughed as Luna and Rainbow both grinned. “Well, our world's Twilight... never did have a big brother, no Shining Armor. So... I guess it makes sense her social skills were even more stunted than I'm guessing yours were.”

Twilight Sparkle looked a little stung at this, but Rainbow laughed, the Pegasus grinning as she flicked her wings and hovered easily in the air. “He's got you there, Twilight. I still remember when you first came to Ponyville... and you know, how you tried to tromp off into the Everfree Forest all alone.”

“To take on Nightmare Moon, aye?” Luna asked inquisitively, and when Twilight looked surprised and nodded, Luna smiled softly and nodded slowly back. “Events do reflect, just as Odin said. But enough, enough history! I wish to know more about thee, and more about this world, and do tell me if there is anything I may pummel whilst I am here... and oh, what about this Chrysalis? May I pummel her?”

“Chrysalis and her Changelings?” Rainbow snorted in amusement at this, shaking her head as she grinned wider. “Now you're talking my language. Yeah, see... they've got this nasty hive, deep in the marshes. She sends out her Changelings every now and then to try and screw with us, and lure in 'food...' they string ponies up and basically... drain all the emotions out of them.”

Her grin toned down slightly, shaking her head slowly as she muttered: “But going in there, smashing things up? That's what I'd love to do myself, but... she's real powerful, too. Stronger even than Celestia...”

“At the wedding, she was able to defeat Celestia herself.” Twilight said softly, nodding slowly, and Luna cocked her head as the violet mare smiled a little. “It's still stuck in my mind to this day. They were dueling, everypony thought that Celestia was winning... and then Chrysalis overpowered Celestia and blasted her with her evil magic. Celestia sent us to get the Elements of Harmony but... we couldn't reach them before her Changelings were able to capture us. There were just... too many of them.”

“Perhaps Nice Celestia is as evil and cunning as our world's Celestia after all, Scrivy.” Luna said thoughtfully, and Scrivener gave Luna an amused look despite himself as Twilight only frowned, before the winged unicorn flailed her hooves and then dropped against the charcoal stallion, declaring loudly: “Oh no, Scrivy, I am horribly defeated! Quick, go and fetch the weapon that turns my enemies into pretty stone statues I may set out in the garden for the birds to poop upon!”

“You'll have to excuse Luna. Traveling between layers makes her more childish than usual, and admittedly our world's Celestia has a... nastier history than yours.” Scrivener said delicately, as Twilight and Rainbow both looked grumpily at the now-giggling winged unicorn, as Scarlet Sage sighed and shook her head with a small smile despite herself. “And Luna, no, we are not going to interfere with things.”

“Yes we are.” Luna said staunchly, and Scrivener sighed before the winged unicorn grinned and leapt to her hooves, declaring cheerfully: “I have had a long day to rest and converse. Scrivener, don thy armor. We are going to pay Chrysalis a visit.”

Twilight and Rainbow Dash stared as Scarlet Sage winged, the Pegasus saying hurriedly: “Wait, Mom, Dad, I... I really don't think this is such a good idea, especially after-”

“Oh, stop acting like thy father, Scarlet Sage.” Luna said huffily, and then she grinned widely over at the two ponies of this layer. “Look at them! They require our aid! I shan't let this evil go unpunished. Just thou wait, I shall return before sunrise... thou need merely point me in the direction of these marshes.”

Twilight winced at this, but Rainbow Dash rose a hoof eagerly, grinning widely. “Hell, I'll take you there myself! And I won't even complain if you guys decided to turn tail and run, Chrysalis has nastier things caged up there than just Changelings, you know.”

“Ooh, dragons? Does she have dragons? I do so love to fight dragons.” Luna said cheerfully, and whatever argument Twilight was about to make fell flat as she only gaped and stared, a hoof raised as she sat dumbly back and Rainbow Dash simply laughed. Then Scrivener winced when Luna flicked her horn firmly, the stallion's armor glowing brightly from where it was piled on the ground before it flew over in a flurry of metal and mesh that rapidly began to encircle Scrivener, the earth pony rearing back as the heavy gear snapped and assembled itself rapidly into place over his form. “Come, come, come, then let us hurry on!”

“Wait, but the Princess said that we should leave Chrysalis alone, wait for a-” But then Luna was already charging towards the door, Scrivener staggering behind her as armor continued to clamp itself over his frame, and Rainbow Dash whooped as she shot after them, leaving Twilight and Scarlet Sage staring incredulously after the trio.

Twilight Sparkle was up until morning, worrying, when Rainbow Dash burst into their room, looking amazed and thrilled and stupefied all at once. She hurriedly woke everypony up, her mane frazzled and her eyes wide, excitement visibly pulsing through her body as she exclaimed: “They did it! They really, really did it!”

And, to the amazement of Twilight, her friends, and most of Canterlot – including both stunned Princesses – Scrivener and Luna had indeed done what they had promised. Rainbow Dash had shown them the hive, already impressed simply by the fact Luna could easily magic wings onto Scrivener and the earth pony was able to fly with them through the air as well as any Pegasus... but then she had simply been stunned, the trip going from what she expected to be a quick look-see like a watered-down Daring Do adventure, to a battle like she had never imagined as Luna and Scrivy had simply traded a look, then shot straight down for the enormous, pulsating hive of honeycombed black and green wax, wood, and muck.

And now, here the two stood, Luna Brynhild looking absurdly pleased with herself and one hoof resting on top of a drooling, broken Chrysalis who looked as if she had been stampeded by a herd of angry dragons. Scrivener and Luna were both covered in cuts, abrasions, and burns of their own, but even as Luna rubbed absently at a large acid scour on her cheek, she said cheerfully: “'Twas a little less difficult than I expected. To be fair, the creatures did not expect our attack. To be fairer, I think they expected even less for me to set the hive aflame whilst we were still inside it.”

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna only stared down with amazement at Chrysalis, as the Changeling Queen twitched weakly, obviously not aware of where she was. The Princesses traded looks, and then Celestia finally turned her eyes forwards, asking finally: “How?”

And Luna grinned widely as she recounted the story: smashing through the upper wall of the hive, roaring furiously, the Changelings shocked that their hive had been attacked. The winged unicorn had driven immediately for the heart of the hive, the two plowing through all resistance in their way and simply blowing up walls and barriers when they couldn't push further forwards. From the reckless, overzealous abuse of magic, the paper and wax walls had begun to burn with a myriad of flames: animal wildfire, spirit-consuming blue flames, and awful, poisonous green fires from the chemicals and poisonous blood that pumped through the walls of the awful monster nest.

They had found Chrysalis in her throne room at the heart of the hive: she had sent hypnotized ponies at them, Changeling bodyguards mixed into their ranks. Out of every nook and crevice, thralls, drones, warriors and enormous, personal bodyguards of Chrysalis had begun to swarm in, but the two had expected this as Chrysalis tried to stay back out of the fray, shouting orders... that was, until Luna had set the floor aflame.

As blue and green flames danced around them, Changelings had scattered, thralls had been driven back, the enemy had turned its attention to trying to save their burning home and pull Chrysalis to safety... but the distraction and confusion had been more than enough to let Luna get in close. And close combat was where she excelled, as she had quickly demonstrated by ripping her way through Chrysalis's warriors, before engaging the Queen herself near the end of her long escape tunnel.

Chrysalis fed off their emotions even as they fought her, off their boundless love for one-another: but Scrivener and Luna had more than just 'love' fueling them. They had everything from raw stubbornness to hardened discipline, and even though Chrysalis had been able to strain and hold off Luna's vicious magical onslaught, she had little defense against the pummeling she received after failing to realize the two were simply trying to get in close.

They had eventually blown the Queen out of her own hive, tied her up, and dragged her off as the Changelings had buzzed wildly around, calling weakly for their leader, torn between pursuing her and trying to salvage what remained of their broken home. And now, here they were, triumphant in return as Luna Brynhild looked up at the Princesses and finished calmly: “Now either release the broken creature or imprison her in some fitting place for her kind. Either way, I shan't complain... as it is, I must admit I feel a little bad now that all is said and done. I had the element of surprise, and superior numbers mattered little inside the hive: they could not surround me in the narrow tunnels properly, and even less so once the place began to burn. Aye, I was a Valkyrie. Stepping upon bugs.”

She stomped firmly on Chrysalis to accent this, and the Changeling Queen wheezed loudly, her eyes bulging open and a bit of sense returning to them as she looked brokenly up, then gritted her teeth at the sight of Celestia and Luna, whispering: “Are you happy now, Princess Celestia? You burned my babies... you ruined my home. All we did, we did to feed...”

“Oh cease thy whimpering and pleading, thou art annoying and as vicious as any bug.” Luna Brynhild scolded, stomping a hoof against her again, and Chrysalis wheezed before looking over her shoulder at the armored mare... then slowly, creakily turning her eyes to Princess Luna as she saw the resemblance, paling and mouth working wordlessly. “Oh aye, worry not. I am merely a visitor from a much-nastier world. Fear not, though, Chrysalis, I shall bear some new scars and new memories from my attack upon thy home... I particularly enjoyed the giant beetle-like monstrosities thou had at thy beck and call. 'Tis too bad their underbellies were so soft. My own beetle may be smaller, but he is hardy his whole body 'round.”

“Thank you, Luna.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he looked calmly up at the Princesses, bowing his head politely to them. “To make up for what we did yesterday, fighting your forces and all. Luna and I don't like to leave a nation in trouble, even less any version of Equestria... and both of us feel very strongly that love... love is not something that should be tampered with. We're also very good at charging into the face of certain death like idiots and yet still finding a way to pull through.”

Celestia smiled a little at this as she and Princess Luna traded another look, and then the ivory equine looked down and said quietly: “Queen Chrysalis. You have attacked Canterlot on more than one occasion, and caused chaos and mischief throughout Equestria. Your actions cannot and will not go unpunished... but laying here before me as you are, miserable, beaten... I can't help but feel sorry for you. Guards, please escort her to the dungeon and place her in a cell. Make sure the guards on duty know that she is a Changeling, and that she may attempt to confuse those around her.

“I already know your Changelings will undoubtedly attempt to attack and free you, Chrysalis. But we know how to defend ourselves against them, how to sense them now. This time, we won't let you get away.” Celestia said quietly, straightening and looking down at her... yet not without sympathy in her eyes. “Take her away.”

Chrysalis only mumbled, not fighting as a platoon of soldiers picked up the tied-up Changeling Queen to drag her away, and the Princesses both gazed quietly towards Luna Brynhild as she grinned cheerfully, before the younger, gentler-looking Luna of this layer of reality asked quietly: “How did I... did you... become so strong? Strong enough to not only hold us off in what was almost play, but strong enough to destroy the Changelings and their hive...”

“As I have said, we come from... a more violent layer. To thee, I am sure, Chrysalis is a force to be feared, and had I underestimated her or the strength or numbers of her home, I am sure that Scrivener and I would have become a fine breakfast for her and her minions.” Luna replied quietly, toning down a little as she smiled a bit. “But I have fought demons. I have fought self-proclaimed goddesses. I have even embattled a Jötnar and his fearsome pets. 'Tis all simply... perspective, my friends. Besides... one day, perhaps, I will find a layer where even I may seem as tame as a kitten compared to those who reside within... although I sincerely hope that I never do, of course. I do not like being tame nor weak.”

Scrivener smiled a little over at his soulmate, and there was silence for a few moments before Celestia shook her head slowly, saying softly: “I do not believe you could ever be weak, Luna Brynhild. And again... it looks as if we owe you our thanks.”

“Then thou may thank me by aiding me in placing the anchor today beneath Canterlot. Preferably in a pool of water, whether natural or not, to aid in keeping it out of lurking claws.” Luna Brynhild replied firmly, and the Princesses smiled and nodded, the air visibly lightening as ponies continued to stare in amazement at this newcomer to their world, marveling over the feats of power this warrior from another layer and her poet husband had already accomplished.

Phase II, Night: Ashes, Metal, And Corruption

Phase II, Night: Ashes, Metal, And Corruption
~BlackRoseRaven

The Chimera, by Anonymous

Once upon a time, there were two ponies who loved each other very much, and they wanted to be heroes together. They did everything they could to become strong, and fought countless battles against countless monsters. They stopped bad people and helped establish a mighty kingdom.

But along the way they got confused. They made mistakes, and they began to see anyone who disagreed with them as an enemy. They began to think they knew better than everyone else what was good for them. They started to think that because they were so strong, they should be treated as 'special...' and slowly, these heroes became the very monsters they had fought against. Not all at once, oh no... but before long, they were doing awful things, for awful reasons, and they didn't even understand that they had turned into the very evils they had fought against.

They still loved each other very much... but it was like their love for each other was only making things worse, because they started doing more and more to try and make each other happy. They started to see only themselves and the other people they cared about, and forgot about all the rest of the world. This was very bad, because it was a world they were supposed to help and take care of... and instead, they were simply letting it die. Letting bad things happen and take over, when they could have been doing so much good, all so they could give each other gifts. Gifts that often came at the expense of others.

They had friends, friends who they always took care of... but also did bad things to. Made them think in different ways. Made them do bad things, until finally, they were in the same dark place as the heroes had fallen.

Eventually, the country they were supposed to take care of rose up against the two lovers who wanted to be heroes. But the lovers were no longer restrained by honor, or law, had little compassion for anything outside themselves. They did bad things to the entire country. They did worse things to those people they had once known who tried to stand up against them. But the people they hurt worst, were the ones who hurt the friends and family of the lovers. Who did the same thing to them they were doing to countless people, for all the same bad reasons.

After the country fell quiet again, and the lovers took complete control, there was a time of scared peace. And a prince was born, who started life as everything they had hoped to achieve themselves. Who was a good prince, and who made the lovers try and live up to what they had once been. But soon, he started to take after his parents. His parents, who had become so selfish and greedy. And he became selfish and greedy too, and when his parents punished him for it, he drew them into a great battle.

The battle was so fierce that the whole country burned. Countless suffered; countless died, including the lovers and their child. And only one thing remained, one lonely, sad creature. He was made up of everything the heroes had been... not what the heroes had wanted to be, but what they had truly been. He was hunger, and greed, and sorrow, and pain. And he could never be anything else, except that: the sum of all the evil that those failed heroes had become.

And the story ends with the chimera walking off alone, to hurt and hunt: not because it desires to, but because it is the only thing it knows how to do, until someone finally heals the aching, broken heart of the monster made from love's heroic failure.

Whispers Of Untold Stories

Chapter Fifty Five: Whispers Of Untold Stories
~BlackRoseRaven

Twilight Sparkle smiled warmly down at Antares, nodding firmly before she praised in an honestly-impressed voice: “You're doing amazingly, Antares. At this rate, you're going to quickly be smarter than both your mother and your father.”

“Yeah, that's real impressive.” Scrivener said mildly from where he was laying on his back with Luna pinning him, the sapphire mare glowering down at him before she flicked her head firmly to the side to send the black pearl at the end of her necklace swinging painfully into the stallion's face, making him wince. “Dammit!”

Antares blushed a little, gazing past where he was working with Twilight on the floor before he smiled and sat up happily. More than a month had passed, and it was deep summer now: Avalon's second birthday had come and gone, and Scarlet Sage's birthday had quietly passed too. Just like Scrivener, Scarlet Sage wasn't very big on celebrating her birthday... but this year, Luna had forced her to have a small party all the same, saying seriously that it was more for Antares' sake than her own... but it had shortly become apparent that what Luna had really been interested in was the cake, which she had greedily gobbled most of by herself.

But it had been good for them all, and good for the family... a family that was now closer and more united than ever. And Twilight smiled warmly as she leaned down and kissed Antares' forehead gently, and he blushed and smiled and flailed a little, embarrassed and happy at the same time as Twilight closed the spelling book in front of him and said softly: “You're doing a great job. Your parents and I will meet you outside in just a minute, okay?”

“Okay.” Antares hesitated, then he blushed again before stepping forwards and hugging the violet mare tightly, and she returned the embrace firmly for a moment before the foal spun around and ran through the kitchen.

Then Twilight climbed to her hooves and walked over to poke Luna and Scrivener apart as the back door closed. She opened her mouth, but then only looked up curiously when the front door opened and Discombobulation let himself in. He paused in the corridor, peering at them distrustfully as Luna and Twilight both looked at him and Scrivener glanced moodily over his glasses up from where he was still laying on his back, his collar glinting around his neck... and finally, the Draconequus said mildly: “You're a weird family.”

“Yeah, but we're a family, all the same.” Twilight said softly, smiling over at Discombobulation as Scrivener smiled despite himself, climbing up to his hooves. The three ponies looked curiously over at the chimerical creature as he gazed back, rubbing awkwardly at his wooden, prosthetic arm, and then Twilight frowned a little, asking quietly: “What is it?”

“Nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing.” Bob cleared his throat, shaking his head hurriedly before he looked lamely up at the ceiling, then finally sighed and slumped a little, holding up a single finger as he dropped his head forwards. “I have a slight problem.”

“You are a slight problem.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he leaned away when Twilight glared at him, even as the Draconequus shrugged agreeably after a moment. “What? He agreed. But... usually you just run off and hide when you go a little too far with your pranks. Like when you set Pinkamena's head on fire.”

The Draconequus glowered at Scrivener at this, crossing one arm across his chest... then rolling his eyes as his wooden arm moved creakily upwards before he seized it and yanked it quickly into position. “For one thing, I thought all demons were supposed to be fireproof. That's not my fault. She misrepresented herself and thus what I did is a non-actionable. Secondly, I do not run and hide from everything. Sometimes I just run; other times I just hide. I resent the fact that you think I'm so cowardly I always do both.”

Scrivener sighed at this as Twilight looked at him flatly, and then Discombobulation grumpily rubbed at his wooden arm before he said finally: “Discord sent me a letter. I do not know what to do.”

The ponies frowned at this, and then Discombobulation sighed and snapped his fingers, a letter appearing out of thin air. It glowed immediately as Twilight caught it with telekinesis, bringing the crumpled, damaged piece of paper over to her to read out loud to Luna and Scrivener. “'Dear Impossible To Spell Name, I politely demand that you get your friends to get me out of prison in Asgard. I am tired of being poked with large sharp objects. If you do, you have my word that I won't cause any more harm to you or yours. Scout's honor. Sincerely, Your Boss.' That's... that's nice.”

“He always did fancy himself an excellent writer.” Discombobulation said ironically, and then he sighed as Scrivener nodded thoughtfully. “I dislike the fact that I feel sympathy for him, of all things. This is like... well... many hero movies, where the hero makes the near-fatal mistake of showing mercy to the villain, who then dies, but dies in a way that's completely not the hero's fault, thus making them look like a shining star of good instead of lucky, naïve, and stupid. I mean, honestly. If Hero A helps Villain B back up to Ledge C, if Villain B killed them, everyone would go 'Hero A, you suck.' Instead, when Bullet D hits Villain B fired by Otherwise Useless Minor Character E, they all go 'oh Hero A! You so good!'”

Discombobulation fluttered his eyelashes and knitted his hands together, almost pulling his prosthetic arm off when he held his hands up by his face, and then he sighed and dropped his limbs... or at least his real arm, as the prosthetic slowly, slowly settled back into place at his side. “But I won't lie. I pity him, more than anything else. I understand now what it's like to be trapped in a place, at the complete mercy of others...”

Discombobulation looked meditatively down, rubbing slowly at the underside of his chin, and then Luna and Scrivener traded a look, eyes locking, sharing thoughts and emotions back and forth in a swirl before Twilight said quietly: “I think we all have to think about it. Discord... this... in a way, it's a personal issue for all of us.”

“Most of us. I can't say that I ever really ran into Discord one way or the other.” Scrivener said mildly, glancing up with a bit of a smile. “He didn't exactly cause much havoc at Canterlot, after all. My job during that time was pretty much to keep Luna in her room, because she was shouting about pummeling him. I...” He stopped, then looked over at her and laughed, smiling warmly. “Back then, I didn't believe she could actually do it.”

“Well, I cannot entirely blame thee. I was... almost frail in those days, was I not?” Luna smiled after a moment at him, nodding slowly as she added softly: “And I was trying to follow my big sister once more, do as she did instead of being myself. 'Twas a silly thing to do, really... but... what else did I know? 'Twas a strange world to me, and Canterlot had become a strange place, and society made no sense. Still does not. But come, Antares is waiting. He will be glad to see thee, Bob of Ginnungagap.”

“Society still doesn't make any sense.” Discombobulation muttered, and Scrivener nodded thoughtfully as he turned to follow Luna and Twilight, the Draconequus loitering along after them as he said mildly: “It's because of hipsters and writers and prostitutes.”

“Writers are often hipsters who are like prostitutes.” Scrivener paused for effect, then said seriously over his shoulder to the Draconequus. “They suck.”

At this, Discombobulation rose his hands and calmly, slowly clapped. Luna rolled her eyes in amusement despite herself, and Twilight smiled over her shoulder, saying mildly: “We all know you don't really feel that way, Scrivy. If you did, you wouldn't still be writing almost every day.”

“Well, when I don't write, I shrivel up and die. There's a lot of things I do every day that I don't like doing, Twilight, but that doesn't mean I can just stop doing them.” Scrivener replied reasonably, and then he smiled and nudged her firmly as he passed, adding easily: “Thought you had finally learned that.”

Twilight laughed and shook her head, smiling as she sat back on the deck and leaned over the railing to watch as Luna and Scrivener strode out to meet Antares in the field as the foal ran happily over to them, and then Discombobulation smiled as he stepped down and held out his hand, Antares hopping up and flapping his wings firmly to carry himself high enough to slap a hoof against this as he beamed brightly up at the Draconequus.

Antares Mīrus: the foal was like a son to her. The pride and love and affection she felt for him couldn't be rightly described any other way, and she was glad to nurture that feeling. As a matter of fact, that was what she had described Antares as to her parents, all those weeks ago now when she had met them in the Vale of Valhalla, with Scrivener Blooms and Luna, and unlike when they had all first met one-another in Canterlot, this time there had been no Celestia to carefully help avoid the more-sensitive topics.

But it had been okay, at the end of the day. Awkward and uncomfortable, yes, but... ultimately, it had been okay, because Twilight had been able to see her parents, to spend time with them, and to stand up and honestly tell them that she was doing okay in the world, that she was moving forwards with her life... that she was taking a strange path, certainly, but she had found the path she wanted to take, the life she wanted to live, and what made her happy. She had found something worth dedicating herself to, and through it, gained friends, love, strength, and what she thought of as her son.

Not that it was entirely good, of course. Scrivener had tried to hide in his armor for much of the talk and there had been a few names called, a few implications towed, a few... less-than-pleasant words spoken. But ultimately, when Luna and Scrivener had hurriedly been hustled out so that Twilight could talk to her parents privately, understanding a little too late she probably should have spoken to them alone first, things had calmed down. They wanted the best for their daughter, and they wanted her happy, and they wanted her to live a good life, which implied a normal life... except Twilight knew that any chance of living a normal life had vanished a long time ago for her.

But Twilight was glad that... hard as it had been, she had done it. They had only had a little time together, and she was well-aware that they weren't comfortable with it, and didn't blame them, but... she knew what she wanted. She knew where she belonged. She knew how she felt, and why she chose to be here. The reasons were right out there in front of her, as she watched Luna laugh and leap high over Antares, only for Scrivener to tackle her out of the air and the foal to jump on top of the pile, Discombobulation grinning in entertainment before Luna shook both the males off and then bounced to her hooves, calling warmly: “Twilight, come now! Join us, thou art part of this family too, I order thee to take part in the family activity.”

“I am, yeah.” Twilight smiled, then she stepped around the railing and ran forwards, and Luna looked surprised before the violet mare tackled her backwards, and Luna laughed as she fell on her back before tossing Twilight off, only for Scrivener to lunge at the sapphire winged unicorn... but Luna grinned widely, leaping up and neatly rolling her body through the air to evade him with ease, and instead he plowed into Twilight, who couldn't help but laugh warmly even as she was knocked back a step before firmly shoving him back.

They wrested like puppies for a while, until Luna was finally tackled down and squished beneath Scrivener, Twilight, and Antares, and then they finally broke apart, Luna sitting up and wheezing even as her son giggled and clung tightly to her face, nuzzling into her starry locks as she smiled amusedly before reaching up and pulling the large colt off, grinning at him with entertainment. “Child, thou shalt soon be too large to do such things as that! Oh, look at thee, handsome Antares! Thou art a blessing to us.”

“Nah...” Antares shifted shyly, smiling up at his mother as she set him down, and he gazed radiantly between the adults. “Are Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom gonna be here tonight? I was really hoping we could... you know, read stories again. I really liked that.”

Scrivener smiled amusedly at this, reaching out and rubbing a hoof through the colt's mane as he said softly: “Careful there, kiddo. At this rate, you're gonna end up with a cutie mark of a book or something, and everypony's going to think you're a writer like I am. Try and take after your mother.”

“Well, I think he is taking after me, Scrivy, I also adore a good story, as thou knows.” Luna winked across at him, nudging him firmly with her shoulder. “'Tis in all likelihood the only reason I married thee. Well, that and thou makes a very good housewife. I am no good at the housewifery and neither is Twilight. And Bob is not much of a butler.”

“I have often been called a butt, though.” Discombobulation said seriously, nodding after a moment, and Antares and Luna both giggled a little as Scrivy smiled wryly and Twilight gave him an entertained look. The Draconequus peered back and forth at the attention, then he clapped his flesh-and-blood hand against his wooden one firmly. “And now that I have everyone's attention, it's time for something completely different. Let's go raid an office building from a flying pirate ship.”

“Why must we raid an office building and why must it be a flying pirate ship? Let's raid a train heading to Canterlot, or one of Cowlick's transports, 'twill be quite fun.” Luna nodded eagerly a few times, and Discombobulation looked thoughtfully down at her as Scrivener sighed before reaching a hoof up and shoving her lightly.

She huffed at him grumpily in response, and then Scrivener turned his eyes to the Draconequus, saying dryly: “Please don't encourage her. She's really bad enough as it is. Besides...” Scrivener turned his eyes to Antares with a smile, saying softly: “Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage are going to be here tonight, yeah, and they said they have something to talk over with us, too. I'm not sure what about, but... I think that afterwards, we'll probably all want to settle down a little with story-time.”

Antares smiled up at this, and then he said softly: “I'm gonna miss Scarlet Sage when she moves out, but I'm gonna do my best to be real happy for her, too. Because she really really loves Apple Bloom, and they both really really like it in Ponyville.”

Scrivener and Luna both looked curiously at Antares as Twilight smiled a little despite herself, even as she asked gently: “What makes you think they're going to do that?”

“Just a feeling.” Antares smiled up at them, nodding thoughtfully, and then he bounced a bit on the spot, asking curiously: “Can I have chocolate?”

“No.” Scrivener laughed even as he answered, then shoved Luna before she could say anything before Luna growled and tackled him onto his back, the two rolling like children for a few moments before the sapphire mare managed to pin him back, then she glared at him as Scrivener sighed and said dryly as Antares looked up brightly: “Make that 'yes.'”

Antares cheered and scurried up across the deck towards the house, and Scrivener sighed even as he smiled, looking with amusement up at Luna as she grinned down at him. “You know, Luna, I love you and all, but we really need to find a better way to settle our disagreements over raising Antares. Also, you need to stop stuffing chocolate and candy down his face.”

Luna only rolled her eyes, then she softened as she looked up at the house, saying finally: “We live in a world with an uncertain future, my beloved Scrivener Blooms. Why should I deny my child a little bit of candy, a little bit of harmless pleasure today, when for all we know tomorrow there could be another attack from Clockwork World, or a full-out war between our worlds... during which Antares shall have to be kept safe, kept hidden, and be trained... and... and worst of all, prepared for things no innocent little foal should have to be prepared for.”

She quieted, and Discombobulation gazed down at them before he said gently: “With great power comes great responsibility. And only fools think that any kind of strength comes without cost. Your son was born into this... yes, it is unfair, Luna and Scrivener Blooms, but let me ask you this: do you trust him? Do you have faith in him?”

“Aye, we both do, and I would rather help prepare our son for that which lays ahead and see him ready to take on the role he will one day play, that we are grooming him for, than select another's child and force them to make these choices...” Luna smiled a little, looking up at Discombobulation. “But I shan't take his childhood away from him, either. He trains with us willingly and enthusiastically each and every day, and I know when he plays, he imagines himself upon wild adventures and running alongside us. He is talented and strong... I shall let him find the path himself, even if... I am already trying to light the way for him.”

Scrivener nodded slowly in agreement, looking up at the sky overhead as he rested back in the grasses, and then he sighed a little after a moment as he reached up and rubbed along Luna's side, letting his eyes rove up to her as he said softly: “But hopefully it won't be for a long time, right?”

Luna nodded firmly, saying softly: “Aye. Years, decades, I hope... I wish to see my colt grow up into a fine, strong stallion. I wish to fight as long as possible, but... this is all in case of the worst-case scenario, that is all.” Luna shook her head and gazed softly back and forth between Discombobulation and Twilight Sparkle. “We have no plans to give in easily to death, after all, we simply... it would be foolish to not prepare for things.”

Twilight nodded quietly as Discombobulation looked down, then he shook his head moodily and said grumpily: “Well, this has all gotten morbid quickly. I think I'm going to go poke Gymbr and get another story or two out of that wicked little toy. Not that his stories are much better, mind you... I don't believe he met a pleasant end.”

“Those who live by the sword, die by it.” Scrivener looked meditatively at Luna, who grumbled a bit as she looked at him moodily. “Is that a good or bad thing for us?”

“Good, for I refuse to die of old age. 'Twould not be fitting for a Valkyrie.” Luna paused thoughtfully, rubbing at her face slowly. “But it would be even better I did not have to die at all. I do not desire to go to Helheim... and... nor do I have any wish to go to Asgard and Valhalla, be it the Vale or the mighty home of heroes... I... do not belong there any longer.”

She quieted, looking down before she smiled a little, reaching out and stroking a hoof slowly under Scrivener's muzzle. “When Scrivy and I die... we shall find our own piece of paradise. We shall do so, together... and do not worry, Twilight Sparkle.” Luna closed her eyes with a smile. “I shan't force thee to choose between us, and thy friends and family whom all wait for thou in the Vale.”

“Well... either way, it's not going to be for a long time.” Twilight said empathetically, and then she reached out and nudged Luna firmly. “Come on, you two, you're sucking all the energy out of the air. Let's go inside and make sure Antares hasn't eaten himself to death.”

“Oh, I said only a little chocolate.” Luna said huffily, and then she paused and frowned, grumbling as she stood up. “But then again, the child is gluttonous as Pinkie Pie at times, and if he has touched those caramel bars I shall restrict him to a diet of vegetables for a week.”

“Oh no, you're going to feed him the food that regular ponies eat. How horrible.” Discombobulation feigned a shocked look, and Luna glared at him before she climbed to her hooves and Scrivener did his best to hide his own amusement as he got up himself.

But all the same, serious thoughts were now twisting their way through the male's mind: not depressive, not upset, but calm and heavy all the same. There was a lot going on right now, after all, and the fact so much of it was speculation made it worse instead of better: the only thing they knew for certain was that Clockwork World was dangerous, and it was led by either a crazed, somehow-revived Valthrudnir or some impersonator who had somehow assumed the role of the Clockwork King.

Scrivener looked down thoughtfully as he followed Luna inside, responding automatically to conversation, a little distant and thinking slow, serious thoughts, letting his mind work carefully through everything that had gone on even as Twilight went back to teaching Antares for a little while, and Luna curled up with her sketchpad in front of the fireplace while Discombobulation snuck off somewhere.

Cowlick and Greece had gone over the schematics, for example, and from them put together a small, simple model with a few moving parts to give them an idea of what they were looking at. Scrivener had stared at this for a long time, at the terrible, octagonal cylinder with a large valve handle on the top, sitting in a wide metal base it could sink down into. What he had assumed was a metal coffin... what Greece thought was more like a cocoon, and Cowlick muttered looked like some kind of protective shell, half-agreeing with the dwarf Artificer and half-concerned it was more some kind of safety cell than a stasis chamber.

Scrivener had been careful not to think too heavily about it, though: these days, he had to be even more careful to not stress himself out too much, or first would come the visions, and then he would begin bleeding corruption. After he'd had another attack – which, as always, came with a wave of depression, self-loathing, and wild visions – Celestia had taken some of the corruption he'd bled, studied it, and said quietly that his body was producing a substance very, very similar to the mire that the Tyrant Wyrms created.

Zecora had thankfully provided them with a large supply of a potion that made him a little fuzzy for a few hours after he took it, sometimes made him a little nauseated, but kept his anxieties low and let him stay in control. He hated drinking it, but it was a necessary evil: a glass a day to keep the corruption at bay.

But Scrivener and Luna had also taken to spending more time with Pinkamena and Sleipnir: sometimes, while Luna spent time with her brother, Pinkamena and Scrivener would head off, talk about things in their half-guarded way, and help each other push forwards. Scrivener admired Pinkamena for the way she had become a demon not just for power, but in order to use that power to protect what mattered most to her; Pinkamena admired Scrivener because no matter what, no matter how close the stallion drew to the breaking point, he always seemed to pick himself back up. They both saw each others' true faces, and the darkness that lurked inside them, and they were determined to help each other, even at the cost of putting up with one another's defensive comments, insults, and occasional growling and biting.

Scrivener and Luna had also been forced to accept help from Nightmare Moon, although the earth pony shivered a bit when he thought of this: any hopes he might have once had that the corruption had solely affected him were by now long gone, as Nightmare Moon continued to transform inside of Luna, continued to... to mutate, he thought, was the best word for it. She was not only Luna's passion now... it was like she was greedily siphoning up Scrivener's darkness and corruption, and she had become this unspeakable thing... but as Luna had admitted one night, in the safety and comfort of the darkness, part of the reason it scared her was because it enthralled her. Because Nightmare Moon was inside her, inside them... and would give them a vicious, cruel edge against even Clockwork World if her full power was ever acknowledged and given vent.

The earth pony leaned back against Luna as he gazed softly towards Antares, letting his thoughts turn to his son as he felt the winged unicorn's soothing emotions flood gently into his mind, guiding him away from unpleasant thoughts. But then again, the thoughts about Antares Mīrus could be just as heavy, even as he smiled a bit: over the last month, because of the threat of not only Clockwork World, but how serious the corruption poisoning in Scrivener was... they had upped the foal's training, worked to spend more time with him... and written both a will and a small statement of wishes for what they wanted to happen if... something happened.

Antares was strong already, and he trained hard, and he was... pure. He was good: not perfect, but they didn't want perfect, anyway. The foal was growing quickly, and by the time he was an adult, he would probably be as large as Scrivener, but he maintained an athleticism about him that spoke much more to Luna than it did him. And Antares had a fine mind, and as long as they took care to nurture him as they trained him, he would make a strong, compassionate leader, who would show empathy and mercy as well as strength and virtue. Who would be honorable, more honorable than Luna or Scrivener could manage to be.

Luna was already training him to be a leader: she had no visions of her son ruling Equestria, and didn't imagine that he'd ever desire to be either King or Baron, either, but she wanted to help form him into a strong leader figure. Into someone other ponies could gather around. And she knew, in a way, it was not only unfair, it was almost cruel: she was trying to make him into the kind of pony she herself disliked being, she was already trying to help push him into taking on a position where one day, he would be responsible for others, and would have all the burdens that went with it... and moreover, she was trying to shape him into a pony who would never be without empathy, who would always feel for those around him, who would treat all as equals. A pony who would feel for his soldiers, and thus take great joy in their victories... great despair in their defeat... and great pain in their inevitable loss.

But then again, that didn't necessarily mean Luna was trying to turn him into a military leader. Her truest vision was of an Antares who would follow in his parents' hoofprints: an Antares who would wander Equestria, helping set wrongs right like in the old legends, who would always be there to defend his home, friends, and family from invasion and destruction.

At least, that was their hope. And Scrivener smiled a bit as he looked silently at Antares for a few more moments, studying the unicorn foal... his growing horn, his strong, leathery wings, his sharp teeth revealed by his child-like, bright smile. He knew, just by looking at him, there was so much in the future for their foal... he only hoped that he and Luna would be able to guide the colt down the right path.

That night, Scrivener and Luna laid together on the bedding, curled up together, both smiling and admittedly, a little sad for all their warmth. Unsurprisingly, after all, Antares had been right, as his feelings often were: Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom had announced that they wanted to moved in together, into their own place in Ponyville. It was hard for Scrivener and Luna to accept, but... their child was growing up. Had grown up: she and Apple Bloom felt they were ready for this and... Scrivener had to agree that they probably were, even though it was hard to watch Scarlet Sage leave.

They had spent a long time talking to the young mares, and Twilight had added her own gentle thoughts as well, but all supportive. It wasn't like they had any right to question or judge, after all, and nor was it like Scarlet and Apple Bloom were rushing into this: they were sharing their plans for the future, and asking for help and advice, and being up front and honest about everything. It wasn't like they were eloping or running off into the night or ungrateful, but... they wanted to pursue their own lives, and Luna and Scrivener both understood that feeling very, very well.

So they would help as much as they could, as much as Scarlet Sage would allow: the Pegasus already had a job offer at a clinic, where she could train as a nurse and put her powers to use helping ponies. Apple Bloom, meanwhile, was making a good amount of money apprenticing under Cowlick, who often gave her bonuses for helping with side-projects.

They had already told Applejack and Big Mac, too, and while they were sad that Apple Bloom was leaving the farm, they understood. She would still help out as she could, she would still be more than glad to do repair work for them for free and help with the irrigation systems and everything else, but Sweet Apple Acres just wasn't where she belonged anymore. She was the first Apple in a long time to not be a farmer, but... Applejack accepted that. And she and Big Mac promised to help out as much as they could.

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were apparently jealous, but both of them were still trying to find their course in life and weren't yet in the best of shape to try moving out: as they had learned, just earning their cutie marks didn't suddenly make everything fall into place. Sweetie had her job at Scratch's nightclub, at least, and Scootaloo now had both Soarin' as well as Rainbow Dash to look up to... and the former Wonderbolt was glad to train and tutor her whenever Dash was too busy looking after Avalon and working with his daughter.

One idea Apple Bloom had was that they could find a townhouse or something to rent: they could offer up the free room to Sweetie and Scoot, although Scrivener had smiled amusedly over at Twilight at this and noted that actually living with your friends was often far harder than just spending all your time with them. And Twilight had laughed and nodded, agreeing: it had taken them all a while to get used to each others' eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, after all.

Luna smiled at this as she pushed her face deeper against Scrivener's neck in front of the flickering fireplace, murmuring softly: “Yet I think they would make it work somehow... so long as Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage remain aware not to constantly flaunt their relationship about their home with their friends about. 'Tis very rude and annoying when any couple does that, whether they are young or old.”

“You're really one to talk, Luna.” Scrivener snorted in amusement, but when she gave him a pointed look, he smiled after a moment and said softly: “Yeah, I know. You're physical but not... constantly cuddling up or calling me pet names. Just beating on me and biting me and hitting me. And loudly talking about all your adventurousness.”

“Oh, shush, beetle. I am far better at that these days.” Luna huffed a bit, then she nuzzled against him before adding softly: “Still. Poor Antares was trying so hard to be supportive but... he was very upset. Yet... they did offer to let him sleep over now and then, and I know that helped, because I know they also meant it. He is like a brother to both of them.”

She quieted, smiling a little as she glanced down and murmured: “I am so proud of them. I am so proud of all our friends, and I am so proud of our Twilight, too... where is she, anyway? Still upstairs?”

“Yeah, in the office. Writing something...” Scrivener shook his head with a bit of a smile. “Think it's either a letter to Celestia or a journal entry.”

“Poor Celestia. I feel for her these days, Scrivy, I shall have thee know.” Luna said softly, nodding moodily as she looked up towards the ceiling. “Stuck in Canterlot so often with the Royal Council, only rarely getting to escape to her comfortable home in Ponyville, and... lonely even there so often. 'Tis stupid, Scrivy, but... at least Sleipnir and Pinkamena and others are her friends now. 'Tis sad though, that she seems to be eternally... without a pony to call her own.”

Scrivener nodded slowly, looking over at Luna as she looked back at him, softening. “It makes me understand how fortunate I am to have thee, and how fortunate thou art to have me. Soulmates, true soulmates... and we have Twilight Sparkle, too, as part of our odd little family.”

“The Norns said you were supposed to be with Twilight, not me.” Scrivener said meditatively, looking down as he rubbed at the underside of his muzzle, and Luna grunted, studying him curiously. “I wonder if that was true sometimes, and I wonder if that's why... but no, what I'm getting at is... I dunno, even.”

“I know.” Luna said seriously, leaning slowly in. “Thou wants to sleep with Celestia, is that it? Thou wants to make little monstrous babies with her. Thou art sick.”

Scrivener groaned and rolled onto his side, then huffed and shoved Luna off when she tried to pounce on him, making her laugh. “Some husbands would be offended at their wife offering him to other ponies, you know. Especially other male ponies.”

Luna only licked her lips slowly, half-lidding her eyes at him. “What can I say, Scrivener Blooms? 'Tis a fun image to think of handsome males indulging one-another. Why, stallions talk all the time of mares kissing other mares, why can't I dream of the same?”

“Because no, not all stallions talk about that – particularly once they realize that if those pretty mares like other pretty mares, they're probably not going to sleep with mister stallion – and this isn't high school.” Scrivener paused meditatively, looking down moodily. “Well. I think that's what they talk about in high school. I heard they're very dirty places.”

“We should go to one! Young, impressionable minds to play with!” Luna said cheerfully, and Scrivener sighed and reached up to push a hoof against her face, making her grumble. “Thou art no fun whatsoever.”

Scrivener only grunted, and then he glanced up at the sound of quiet hoof-steps, turning over his shoulder to ask curiously: “Antares, is that...”

And then Scrivener simply stared in disbelief, and Luna frowned at the expression on his face and the sudden blankness of his thoughts before she looked over her shoulder herself... and both she and Scrivener stared at the sight of Gymbr: and it was no doll, but a full-fledged winged unicorn, taller than either of them, striding slowly through the living room until it reached the wall opposite the corridor, and then it simply blinked out of existence.

Luna hauled herself hurriedly to her hooves, gaping in disbelief still as Scrivener shook his head, then looked up at her and asked weakly: “That. That really just happened, didn't it?”

“Outside.” Luna said sharply, and Scrivener nodded as he leapt up to his hooves, the two running through the kitchen and shoving through the back door. Their eyes locked on the impossible sight again, the black-fire mane strangely clear even in the darkness of the late night as it swayed slowly before vanishing into the forest, and Scrivener and Luna shot after it, running across the back yard and hurrying into the half-hidden path through the woods.

The phantasm was ahead, always ahead: whenever they drew close, it faded out of sight and reappeared a seemingly set distance away. Scrivener could feel the corruption in his head boiling, and Luna was snarling as Nightmare Moon writhed inside of her, the two shooting side-by-side through the silent Everfree Forest in pursuit of the creature.

It led them to the heart of the forest, to Hu and Ỏðr: the enormous ash trees were rumbling and twisting slowly, moving visibly of their own free will as Scrivener and Luna looked back and forth for Gymbr beneath the glow of the moon above. Then Luna's eyes snapped to the side, gazing past the pond and at the rock above... and she snarled as her eyes lit not on Gymbr, but instead on some other figure, laying there, prone and...

Her snarl faded slowly as she stared at it, and Scrivener looked slowly up before he shivered at the glint of metal and the stench of decay already rising from the creature. Slowly, they both circled around the pond and up to the rocks, then they gazed down at the pony, carefully turning it over... and Scrivener shuddered weakly. A dull violet body, protected by plates of metal that had been gouged and ripped and torn. Neon green blood covered the monster, and Scrivener grimaced as muttered: “Looks like poison.”

“Let us not test that theory.” Luna murmured, probing the dead body of the Clockwork Pony carefully. She looked nervously at Scrivener, but when he only shrugged, she returned her eyes to the corpse: it was definitely dead, and definitely not getting up, as she checked its pulse and then poked along it a few times to check its wounds and ensure it wasn't playing possum. “Wait, here...”

She carefully grasped one of its forelegs, revealing a two-pronged, needle-like weapon extending out of its wrist. It was broken, but dripped that same green fluid... and Scrivener shivered after a moment before a voice said softly from behind them: “It attempted to poison our forest. We have been watching it for a long time now... there are others, too. Other puppets of Decretum, some hibernating, some awake and simply biding their time...”

Scrivener and Luna both slowly looked over their shoulder... and they saw Gymbr, sitting calmly a few feet away from them, the androgynous creature's features beautiful and vain and somehow sad... but all the same, it made them shiver to look upon. Its eyes shone with pride and mercilessness, without a hint of empathy or compassion: only dominance, and self-loathing... a dangerous combination.

“What art thou?” Luna whispered, as they both faced the being, and Gymbr studied them before it smiled almost tenderly, making both the sapphire mare and Scrivener Blooms shiver. “Foulest of monsters, thou... why does thou look upon us with such affection? Thou destroyed-”

“You do not know what we destroyed, oh no. But you will. We shall tell you the story... because we desire to save ourselves.” Gymbr closed its eyes, lowering its head as it whispered: “We are made of memories. We are made of desire. We are a living story... a story, believed in so deeply, that it came to life. The culmination of countless years of emotions and desires and darkness, manifested. We are your reflection, Luna Brynhild and Scrivener Blooms: we are your shadow. We are... Gymbr.”

It looked across at them, and Luna and Scrivener both shivered, neither speaking, feeling trapped between the Clockwork corpse and the impossible thing in front of them before Gymbr smiled faintly at them. “Do not fear us. We are you. To destroy you would be to destroy ourselves... to harm you, would only harm ourselves. You are the dreamers who made us real. You, and Celestia, and Twilight, and countless others gave us life and reality. We are simply your... imaginary friend. We are Antares' imaginary friend. He was the catalyst.”

Luna shook her head weakly at this, and then Gymbr leaned forwards, saying softly: “Do you know all the stories about children, who make up friends who become almost real, invisible forces and shades that can even reach out to protect them? How the child, usually gifted, is often blamed for this? But just as often, the child only helps shape it... and the parents, their devout and loving wish to protect this child... is what helps give that entity strength. You and so many others made a wish to all the forces of the universe a long time ago: to protect Antares, but not only that, sweet Luna and Scrivener, you both desired to protect the child with darkness.

“So here we are. We have answered your call, and gladly; we desire nothing if not to protect Antares... the child we should have had.” Gymbr looked down meditatively, murmuring: “It is too late to redeem ourselves, but we do not desire redemption any longer. We can never earn it: even before we destroyed our precious, beloved family, we lost that ability, and our feeble attempts to make up for the evils we have wrought did nothing but worsen things.”

“You talk like you're real. Like you came from another layer of reality.” Scrivener said quietly, and Gymbr smiled at him gently.

“We are real.” Gymbr stood slowly up, and then it stepped forwards and reached a silver hoof up, the earth pony staring in shock as a series of strange clicks rose up before this split apart into a segmented claw that gently stroked along Scrivener's face, feeling warm and metallic and electric. “We have had so much thought and belief poured into us that from a fragment of an imaginary world, we have finally become... self-sustaining. Real. Alive. Yet still, we are made of your memories... our memories... and our dark story, our black past.”

Gymbr lowered its claw, then it smiled calmly, closing its eyes as this clicked loudly again before sealing back together into a hoof, and it bowed its head courteously as it said gently: “And now, we would like to tell you our story. Here, in the darkness of our forest... but allow us to get rid of that unwelcome sight for you.”

With that, Gymbr's horn glowed darkly, and Scrivener and Luna both staggered and looked over their shoulders in surprise as the corpse of the Clockwork Pony took on the same glow, then simply flickered out of reality. Scrivener almost fell off the smooth stone stage at this, but Gymbr reached a silvery hoof out, lightning fast, and caught him by the shoulder, saying softly in its echoing, mixed tones: “Be careful now. And do not fear, Luna, we merely sent the corpse to Ponyville. It will be discovered outside the warehouse at some point...”

“Thou art going to cause a panic.” Luna gritted her teeth, then she slapped Gymbr's hoof firmly away from Scrivener's shoulder after he managed to sit back on the smooth stone, both feeling trapped despite the fact that if they really wanted to escape, it was an easy jump off the tall rock over the narrow pond below. “And why should we deign to listen to thy pathetic, self-adulating, egotistical stories?”

“Because we do not have much to tell... but there is much you may learn from us. And we promise that after our story is told... we will once more recede, and act as if we are nothing but a doll... and because we know that you are curious, and want to be told.” Gymbr smiled kindly, closing its eyes. “Especially Scrivener.”

Scrivener glared at this, but didn't have a proper response as Luna snorted in derision, shaking her head violently before Gymbr's emerald eyes calmly opened, and it added softly: “And you have seen that if we desire, we can still exert great influence over this world... we do not have to be friends, but we do not have to be enemies, either. And all we desire from you is for you to allow us to continue to remain with Antares, protecting him in his waking and dreaming hours. We have escaped the nightmares to stand in the real world... and what we desire after our countless years of life and experience is to simply... rest. A particular luxury not afforded many creatures as ourselves.”

The two were silent, and then Gymbr smiled calmly, bowing its head towards them as it said softly: “We know what your answer will be, must be, already. But we will wait for you to announce your decision.”

“Why... why is it that you haven't fought with us, then? I mean... fought beside us, against Clockwork World, helped us find the answers we need, if you're so powerful?” Scrivener asked finally, and Gymbr bowed his head respectfully at this question.

“Because this is not our story. This story belongs to you and Luna Brynhild... and we are not without flaw. You call us Tulpa, which is close enough to what we are... but we came into this world, a toy, inspired by a wish, brought to you by the hand of destiny... true destiny, not the self-righteous Fates.” Gymbr said softly, head still bowed, eyes still closed. “We may exert ourselves to greater and greater degrees as we grow stronger, but... we must then revert. We have flaws and vulnerabilities, that can be used against us as we are now... that can be used to destroy our doll-body, and if that is destroyed, then we will cease to exist. Even ideas and stories can be killed by a sharp enough mind.”

“Or a bad writer.” Scrivener muttered, and Gymbr laughed quietly: a melodic, strange sound that sent chills down the earth pony's spine. He and Luna traded another apprehensive look... and then, finally, Scrivener sighed quietly, looking up and saying finally: “If we let you tell us this story... you'll go away?”

“We will become dormant, and we shall sleep until we are needed again. Or until we are invited back into your world... but we are aware that we are not part of your family, nor will we ever be. Still, one day we desire to walk at Antares' side... even if only as the devil that rests upon one shoulder to balance out the angel on the other.” Gymbr replied softly.

“Eloquent. You have such a strange way of speaking. Alien, exotic, accented overtones, and yet... under it all, I hear an animal growling. Covering up your true primal nature with fancy talk... a very old, overused trick.” Scrivener murmured, looking down with a grimace, but Gymbr only continued to look at them with its calm smile before the charcoal stallion traded another look with Luna, who sighed quietly and nodded hesitantly. “We... don't have a choice.”

“There is always a choice. Fear not... we will keep the story short.” Gymbr replied softly as it looked up, emerald eyes glowing, and Scrivener and Luna both couldn't resist gazing into the poisonous irises of the creature as it whispered softly: “Sleep.”

And with that single word, both Luna and Scrivener slowly laid down, eyes growing heavy, bodies losing all strength as Gymbr smiled compassionately, tenderly, and almost jealously over them, as it leaned forwards and began to whisper its stories into their vulnerable, linked mind.

Celestia was snarling in pain, hugging herself around the body and breathing hard as the bone pistons extending from her back sparked violently, her amber eyes glowing and golden-fire mane writhing as she whispered: “It hurts...”

Gymbr sighed quietly, hurrying across the Garden towards the fallen ivory equine, its front hooves snapping apart into claws before it quickly grasped into the underside of Celestia's jaw and yanked her head up, their gazes locking as the androgynous creature's eyes glowed bright green. Celestia gasped as the pain worsened, flexing hard, shivering as her body rippled... but then it rapidly faded away, numbness and faint pleasure pulsing through her system instead as she slowly settled and the glow faded from Gymbr's eyes.

Carefully, Celestia pushed herself up to her hooves, then she shook her head weakly and dropped it forwards, trembling a bit as she whispered: “I am so sorry.”

“No, no. Do not apologize.” Gymbr replied sharply, shaking its head before it closed its eyes. “We are sorry. Celestia, we are sorry... we pushed you into the transformation. We can admit to our faults and mistakes...”

Celestia only smiled faintly, and then she turned her eyes away silently. More than a hundred years had passed since she had undergone her transformation into a full-fledged Tyrant Wyrm... but over the last decade, Celestia's body had begun to simply... give out.

Gymbr wasn't sure what it had done wrong: the transformation should have been perfect. Twilight Shadow, even now, was working frantically to try and find the solution, along with the Princesses, and they were searching every resource they had at their disposal. The black-fire maned winged unicorn sighed as it began to pace anxiously, cursing under its breath to itself as Celestia only stood, then bowed her head and said quietly: “I... I cannot serve you as First Concubine if I require you to soothe my pain every few hours, but... perhaps I can still be of some use to you, my beloved Overlord.”

Gymbr frowned at this, looking up, and then it swallowed and shook its head when Celestia smiled across at the creature even as bloody tears fell from her eyes. “Kill me. Consume me, before my body and spirit break down any further. Make all my power yours.”

“Celestia, no.” Gymbr shook its head quickly, cursing and looking away despite the shudder of desire, of temptation, that ran through it. “We love you, we admire and respect you... we will not...”

“If you love me, then you'll do this for me. My one wish, my last wish.” Celestia bowed her head forwards, closing her eyes. “I love you.”

Gymbr stared silently, breathing hard, and when Celestia rose her head and smiled, it could only tremble, then nod slowly as it whispered: “You will always be in our heart, big sister.”

Five minutes later, Gymbr was striding silently out of the Garden and through the halls of its enormous, powerful castle. It was breathing hard, but no tears came: Gymbr didn't seem to be capable of crying. Yet on the inside, both sides of it were wailing, howling with misery... both Scrivener and Luna were in despair and rage inside of the creature, and Gymbr was filled with horror at what it had done... and yet it hadn't stopped. It had given its lethal kiss to Celestia, and it had drank down her life force and soul like fine wine...

Twilight Shadow was already waiting for Gymbr in the throne room when it arrived, and the Lich was crying silently, staring weakly across at Gymbr. Gymbr only gazed weakly back, and then it lowered its head and whispered: “We will use the Bifrost tomorrow to cross to an unexplored layer of reality. One day, though, Twilight Shadow... we will become so powerful that we will be able to bring back all those lost to us...”

“I'll be there with you, every step. Always.” Twilight Shadow whispered, looking up with a tremble... and the fanaticism, the love, the zealotry in her eyes was almost enough to make Gymbr shiver.

A message was sent out from Enstasis across their dark kingdom of Equestria, which mourned for the death of Celestia. And Enstasis was a mix of both revelry and misery as Tender Trust was appointed the new First Concubine, as Celestia was mourned and fondly remembered, and they prepared to deal with their sorrows the way Gymbr dealt with pain best: by renewing its quest to seek out power, by exploring to new worlds, by taking its pain out on others.

True to its word, the Bifrost was forced open, and Gymbr, Twilight Shadow, and the Princesses invaded another realm. A week later, they returned with a terrified, different Celestia as a prisoner of war, along with several other scared and badly-injured ponies. These were experimented on to different points... and Gymbr smiled as, after a month of this, it sat in its throne with a broken Celestia draped in gemstones and jewelry beside her, and a control collar around her neck. Not their Celestia, by any means, and not a replacement... merely a buffer, a toy, to soften the loss.

But it didn't last: Sleipnir came down from Valhalla to lecture his strange, evil sibling and again try to make Gymbr see reason. They argued for hours, shouting at one another furiously, as Sleipnir tried to make Gymbr understand what it was doing was wrong. And finally, a fight had broken out: and while Sleipnir wasn't as strong as he had once been, had grown rusty, he still had his natural warrior's instincts... backed by the rage and despair and disbelief at everything that had happened, lending him further strength.

And in fury and misery, Gymbr struck back as fiercely as it could, until Sleipnir lay bleeding in the Garden. Bleeding, broken... dying, Gymbr realized too late. But Sleipnir had only grinned weakly, closing his eyes as Gymbr rushed too late to its brother's side, and Sleipnir rasped quietly: “Look at what thou hast become... oh, little sister, if thou can still hear me... show some scrap of conscience... do one thing right with thy life. Stop this...”

He coughed weakly, clutching at his separated ribs, the bones torn through his inner organs from a too-hard blow from Gymbr as the creature stood over its sibling with horror. “And... and Scrivener Blooms... thou art better than this, too. Both thee and my little sister are so much better than this... please show that. Please show the world... p-please...”

And Sleipnir had died, there, in the Garden, of an argument that had gotten out of control. Gymbr had howled in misery, not just made a single child by the death of its brother and sister... made an orphan, too, with the loss of the older siblings who had raised Luna and taken care of her until she had become Gymbr...

Again, there was mourning and misery, but this time Gymbr spent it instead locked away in its room. It contemplated what it could do, if there was any possible way at all it could right all of these wrongs... if it could right even a single wrong it had done.

The only true comfort was Twilight Shadow: she was blindly dedicated, but still herself, even after all these years. She still scolded Gymbr, and spoke up against it when it did something stupid, and put forwards her on thoughts and ideas. And as Gymbr stared around Enstasis weakly, it realized how much it had damaged. How much it had done.

The Moon Blessed were nothing more than puppets, and the concubines and concubinus were the same. After Sleipnir's death, the little life and fight that had been left in Pinkamena had vanished, and now the demon simply sat in the kitchens and ate as Pinkie Pie made her endless batches of cupcakes and donuts and muffins and cookies. The Princesses, too... Apple Bloom sometimes showed fear, but Scarlet Sage was so... abused, it realized, that she had gone from beloved daughter to little more than... than toy.

Gymbr desired... to restart. And understood that perhaps there was even a way it could... but again, greed took over. Greed, avarice, and lust for pleasure and power... and even though Twilight Shadow spoke up worriedly against the sudden, insane plan, she vowed quietly that if it was what Gymbr desired... she would aid.

And a week later, Gymbr called its toys to its room, one-by-one, and consumed them one after the other. Few resisted: some, like Pinkamena, had even seemed happy to finally be given a chance to pass on, and the demon herself had grinned widely, whispering weakly: “It's about time. Me and sissy... had enough of this mess anyway.”

Others had given in happily, revealing even worse states of broken being than defeat and despair: Apple Bloom had almost tried to struggle, but had been soothed by Scarlet Sage, who had gazed at Gymbr with adoration as she whispered: “Part of you two forever, with Apple Bloom forever... will I see Celestia? Will I see Mom and Dad?”

Gymbr had only smiled weakly, unable to lie and unable to tell the truth, as Twilight Shadow had turned her eyes away... but both had known that it didn't matter anyway. Yes or no, Scarlet Sage would have done anything Gymbr asked... and Apple Bloom would have done anything to follow Scarlet Sage.

Once that was done, Gymbr had rested, flooded with power, possessing new strengths and new abilities, filled with new memories. And then it had turned its eyes to the Lich as Twilight Shadow had stepped forwards, but Gymbr had only closed its eyes, shaking its head silently and murmuring: “No. We desire... a companion. You are our companion. You are the one we choose to be with.”

“Then I'm beside you, until the very end.” Twilight Shadow replied firmly, nodding once, and Gymbr had smiled at this with a slow nod of agreement and approval. They had rested until morning, when Enstasis became quietest... and then, working alongside Twilight Shadow, Gymbr had used its unfathomable, terrible powers to bring the mighty, thought-indestructible castle crashing down to the ground, drawing energy out of the ever-swirling maelstrom above to raze what had once been its decadent palace of dreams and nightmares.

And with that, Gymbr and Twilight Shadow had simply left, abandoning their Equestria... but the world they crossed to on random across the Bifrost had long been destroyed. The two wandered for weeks across a desert of destruction and debris, searching for any signs of life... but they found nothing. And there was, in turn, nothing here for Gymbr to sate its hungers: hungers that had grown, that it had forgotten to take into account. Hungers that had worsened with all the powerful spirits and souls it had consumed in its childish attempt to 'set things right,' that it only now realized was just greed and stupidity, as it longed to see friends and family again... friends and family it hadn't freed, but had simply... destroyed.

They stopped for camp one night... and Gymbr gazed to Twilight Shadow, who smiled back at him before nodding and slipping back beneath the starlight. Their bodies moved together, dark creatures seeking the comfort of each other in the depths of the night, the one pleasure they could share in this empty world they had fled into. And when Gymbr kissed her, it tasted all the magic, all the energy, that made up Twilight Shadow's spirit. All the power in that soul, all the emotion, and the hungers leapt up...

When Gymbr pulled its mouth away, it was too late. The Lich lay beneath him, a look of faint hurt and betrayal on her face, but love gleaming in her dead eyes as a last bit of energy steamed up from her jaws. Gymbr had feasted upon her spirit... and since Gymbr was what the Lich connected to, what had kept Twilight Shadow in eternal undeath, pulling in the rest of her life force and soul had been a task completed in only a matter of moments.

So now, Gymbr sat alone, in a desert. It could open the Bifrost... but it had nowhere to go. No other world would ever accept its presence, and the world that Fate had dumped it in was nothing but empty sand, blown by a wind that reeked of decay. And it was what it deserved, as it sat alone, a god with all the powers of the universe inside its mixed consciousness, but who could do nothing for all its abilities except run away and destroy everything it cared for.

So finally, Gymbr silently laid down by the corpse of Twilight, hugged it back against its chest, and closed its eyes. And by morning, the decaying wind had blown a blanket of sand over both their bodies, burying corpse and self-annihilated god in the endless desert to sleep forever... and inside its mixed consciousness, Scrivener and Luna both wished in silent darkness they had never allowed Gymbr to be born.

Growing Up Is Hard To Do

Chapter Fifty Eight: Growing Up Is Hard To Do
~BlackRoseRaven

Antares Mīrus was running along the path towards Ponyville, groaning and shaking his head violently as the pack on his back rattled: he was going to be late. The very first day he'd been allowed to run this path alone... and here he was, already screwing it up, already going to be late to meet his family at the library.

He breathed hard as he shot down the dirt path, his strong body flexing: he was a good six inches or so taller than the average height for ponies his age, and his limbs and body were toned and athletic. His mane and tail glowed with a faint almost-phosphorescence before his cyan-green eyes widened as he caught sight of a manticore ahead, the lion-headed beast snoozing lazily in the path as its scorpion tail twitched... and if he'd learned one thing, it was that manticores did not take kindly to being woken up.

He gritted his teeth, then he leapt upwards and spread his leathery wings: they were wide, strong and powerful, perfect for short, quick flights... although if he stayed up in the air for too long, he very quickly began to get aches that would last for up to days. But they were more than strong enough to handle a short, brisk launch up into the air, giving the manticore a wide berth before he easily dropped back towards the ground, half-twisting in midair to kick off a bent tree and propel himself smoothly back to the path and into a straight sprint.

It was late autumn, after his sixth birthday, after Nightmare Night, and Antares breathed easily as he propelled himself as quickly as most adult ponies could run full out. After his third birthday, his mother had taken to training him more and more, preparing him for everything that laid ahead... and while Antares still wasn't very good at magic despite the tall, proud black horn standing up from his head, Luna constantly crowed over how talented he was in the field of acrobatics, and had been focusing her training more and more on evolving and enhancing these skills in her son.

For Antares, the last few years had been a mix of long periods of peace, and long periods where so much had happened, so fast. He could only recall bits and pieces of it, however: he was still a young child, after all, for how smart and strong and big he was getting. But some things he thought he'd never really forget...

Scarlet Sage had moved out about three years ago, and moved into a small townhouse with Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo had moved in with them for a little while, but it had quickly gotten a little awkward and uncomfortable, and the two friends had moved out to live with other friends. It was simply hard for the two mares to live with two other young mares who were in a relationship, who were on the fast-track to growing up, and who had a whole lot of eccentricities that were mostly hidden when their friends weren't present twenty-four-seven.

Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, was working at a local medical clinic, and known as something of a 'miracle healer' for those who were in truly awful conditions. With her powers, Scarlet Sage was able to heal moderate and severe injuries, break up blood clots, and even cure certain diseases... but it required concentration, and Scarlet Sage didn't like to use her powers unless absolutely necessary. But she was putting her abilities to use for the betterment of ponies, and even Celestia had told her quietly that accepting and controlling her powers was a far better choice than trying to hide from them.

Apple Bloom was now a junior engineer working on her own in Cowlick's lab: Cowlick actually had refused to let the earth pony mare take a job elsewhere in the facility, making it very clear she wanted to keep the mare beside her, wanted to keep training her personally, and she trusted few other ponies in the building more than she did Apple Bloom. She wasn't as experienced, but she had passion, she had creativity, and best of all she could put up with Cowlick's mood swings and wasn't afraid to return fire when the situation called for it.

Cowlick herself was now raising a happy little colt she had named Rustproof. He was a bright young earth pony, with an indigo-blue body and a bright orange, shoulder-length mane that tended to spill and corkscrew in all directions, just like his tail. Ironically, Cowlick herself had taken longer to adjust than Ross: after a week, Ross had been able to hop out of bed to tend to Rustproof regularly and happily, but Cowlick had never really adjusted to having her sleep interrupted almost every night.

He was growing fast: he would likely be quite a good sized stallion when he was an adult, and Ross was incredibly gentle and patient with the colt. When Rustproof cried, Ross was always there immediately to try and make things better, although some days he'd panic a little... but at the same time, having the colt around was good for Ross, helped him with his own problems. He was caring for a life, he was experiencing a wider array of emotions than he'd ever known, and he was learning to push his own anxieties aside for this little pony who Ross treated like his own from the first day Cowlick brought him home from Manehattan.

Cowlick did everything she could for her little Rusty, even if she could seem a bit overbearing and overprotective at times, and her natural loudness wasn't always a help. She honestly loved the foal though, anypony could see that. She had her faults, but no one could say she wasn't trying her damnedest, and that she wasn't a far better parent than Narcissa ever would have been, considering she was apparently already back in her labs and hadn't sent her two year old biological child so much as a card for his birthday. Cowlick had taken the child, signed some papers, paid some money... and that had been that.

Rustproof, despite being years younger than Antares and his friends, Avalon and Meadowlark, still often ended up being watched by them or fumbling along, trying to play their games. It could be a little awkward, but Rusty was capable of listening and following simple instructions, and he simply liked to sit and marvel over the big kids and everything they did. Antares didn't mind his company, and Avalon acted like she did but had more than once stood up for him, and Meadowlark only complained when she was in a bad mood and because she was the oldest foal there by a year and a half.

Avalon had barely grown more than a few inches over the last few years, but she was not a five year old to be laughed at. She played aggressive sports with fillies who were years her senior and perhaps triple her weight. But Avalon was as solid now as she had been as a baby, and now she had learned to channel all the fury and energy her tiny golden yellow body could muster up into sports, competitions, and games. She was like a miniature, unstoppable guided missile when she took to the air, and Rainbow Dash was convinced that his daughter was going to end up being even faster than any speed he'd ever reached.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack were still running the farm with Big Mac, and Soarin' had taken up a permanent residence there as well, helping out regularly. The only time he took off was to go and visit Spitfire in Canterlot... Spitfire, who unfortunately had never really recovered from the savage beating she had taken from Courage. Her balance was off, and her short-term memory had been damaged, and while she still loved to fly, she always had to do it with someone watching out for her these days, to make sure she didn't fall... to make sure she could find her way back home.

It was another reason why they were determined to stop Clockwork World: although these last few years had been peaceful apart from a few skirmishes with Drones and a few other monsters from Clockwork World, Celestia was preaching not just vigilance but preparation. And after the attack on Canterlot, the Barons and Baronesses had been all too willing to listen to her, again pushing her to take the throne... but again, Celestia had politely declined, saying quietly that it would remove her from where she needed to be.

Even made up of the different baronies and ruled by the Royal Council, however, Equestria was still united, and ready to stand as one against Decretum. And the Starlit Knights had been reborn and reformed at the request of not only Celestia, but almost every soldier who had taken part in that doomed mission to North Neigh so many years ago now. This time, however, their task was the defense of Equestria against outside incursions, and it wouldn't simply be a regiment of troops from Canterlot and Ponyville... they would be comprised of the best ponies that could be gathered from across Equestria, to form entire armies that would be ready to fight back should Decretum make its move.

But Ponyville would be the hub, where their efforts would be concentrated: none of them had forgotten, after all, that not only were Luna and Scrivener in Ponyville... it was where Celestia spent most of her time, where Odin visited, where all their friends and family were. It was the place Valthrudnir would hate most and had already attacked more than once. Where Courage's invasion likely would have taken place, if Kvasir and everyone else had been there instead of at the jubilee in Canterlot.

Thankfully, it was a double-edged sword: although Clockwork World's attacks would likely continue to focus on Ponyville, the ponies they would seek to hurt would also be the ones most ready to defend themselves. And these ponies were still strong, still in their prime, even if so many years had gone by now...

Antares could sometimes hardly believe it: after all, even his Dad was more than forty years old, even if he looked... well, it was hard to judge Scrivener's age by looks, with all his scars and how weathered he was. But his Mom, on the other hand, had cheerfully bragged that she was fifteen hundred years old, even if she acted more like a hyperactive fifteen year old than anything else... and Antares had been awestruck when Celestia and Sleipnir had both confirmed it was true, and that they were even older.

Then Luna had smugly pointed out they had both technically died, and that made her the oldest sibling now, but that had led to Sleipnir wondering awkwardly if he was dead or alive, then pausing and turning to drag Pinkamena off so he could 'find out.' Luna had grumbled, then she and Celestia had left with the colt.

Antares smiled to himself at these memories, then sighed in relief as he bolted out of the Everfree Forest and towards Ponyville, which was bustling with cheery activity. The town itself had grown a little more, and Antares smiled as he passed the animal shelter run by Fluttershy and Nirvana that now had quite a few ponies on staff, the colt leaping into the air to wave as he saw the blonde Pegasus herself standing in front of a group of Phooka.

She waved back at him, and Antares dropped back to his hooves, wishing he had more time to go and spend with her: she was a pony that, despite the difference in their ages, he could honestly call a friend. She understood things that a lot of other adults didn't and she was always gentle and kind, and he adored the way she worked with animals. And both his mother and his father had a world of respect for her, and said she was stronger than most ponies would ever know, no matter how meek she seemed.

Antares ran between the gates, tossing a hurried 'hello!' to the Nibelung guards as they stared at the surprisingly-fast colt, but Antares knew he was still running late. Even as he forced himself to charge forwards as fast as his hooves could carry him, he knew there was no way he could make it in time... and then his eyes widened in horror as a white unicorn in large, black-rimmed sunglasses with violet lenses strode into his path, her mane a mix of blues and stylish and loose.

Antares skidded to a halt only a few feet away from the famous Vinyl Scratch in a puff of dust, who was DJ and owner of a now very-successful nightclub in Ponyville, and who performed for parties at Canterlot and in places as far away as Manehattan. Antares stared at her as her head slowly turned towards him, then she flicked her muzzle down, red eyes glaring overtop her sunglasses as she opened her mouth and one of her Nibelung bodyguards stepped forwards... but then she held up a hoof quickly, grinning slightly as she eyed him with interest. “Hey, wait! I know you, kid, you're the Baroness's nephew! The one she's real sweet on, isn't that right? Well, what a coincidence, you bumping into me when I was just talking about how I have a big show in Canterlot coming up soon. Be a huge boost for my business if I could get a little endorsement from the Baroness herself...”

“I... I really gotta go...” Antares said awkwardly, trying to hurry around Scratch, but the unicorn clicked her tongue and there was immediately a large Nibelung standing in Antares' path, glowering down at him with his arms crossed.

Antares stared up at the dwarf, and Scratch cleared her throat pointedly, getting the dwarf's attention before he dropped to a more relaxed posture... but his eyes still dared Antares to try and slip past, as Scratch said quickly: “You know, I heard it's your birthday coming up soon, isn't that right? I don't usually do private parties or kid's parties, but hey, I could make an exception for royalty, you know.”

She winked at him pointedly, and Antares fidgeted before answering honestly: “But I'm not royalty. My aunt's the Baroness but my mom's just my mom and my dad's my dad. I'm just a kid. And my birthday was last week.”

Vinyl Scratch looked less-pleased now, and she rolled her eyes before pushing her glasses back up, asking seriously: “But the Baroness is real fond of you, yeah? And the Baroness sure as heck loves her sister, everypony knows that. I bet she'd do anything for her... or for you. So maybe you should think about that, and think about how sweet it would be to have a top-notch, soon-to-be-world-famous entertainer perform at a party for you.”

Antares hesitated, and then he slowly looked over Vinyl Scratch as he took a slow breath, his eyes locking on her cutie mark of a music note before he asked quietly on instinct: “Why did you get into music?”

Vinyl Scratch frowned at him, then she said slowly: “Who's... never been into music, kid? I grew up with it in my veins.”

“I didn't mean that. I mean, your cutie mark. You didn't just get it from listening to music or playing music, did you?” Antares let his instincts guide him, not even completely knowing what he was trying to do as he leaned up curiously.

The unicorn mare laughed awkwardly, tossing her mane and saying hurriedly: “I... I'm real good at music theory, that's how I got it. See, you don't just drop the record and then start scratching away at it, you gotta understand the music, you gotta-”

“You were a musician. You got it because you played an instrument, you... played it differently than any other pony did before...” Antares bit his tongue in concentration, looking curiously up at Scratch as the ivory unicorn seemed to pale. “But you reinvented yourself, because you really are talented at music theory and you really do know-”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” Scratch almost shouted, and then she turned and hurried away, the Nibelung bodyguards looking stupefied before they ran quickly after her, and Antares sighed in relief before he stared up at the sky, then yelped and bolted forwards down the street, almost whimpering to himself. Oh no, no, no, now I'm really late!

The foal reached the library some fifteen minutes after he was supposed to be there, and he grinned weakly as he skidded to a halt in front of a fuming Luna. Scrivener was sitting awkwardly beside the sapphire mare, and no pony else was in sight as the winged unicorn glowered down at him before Antares said hurriedly: “I can explain!”

“Thou art late! And Scarlet Sage has already come and gone, I told thee to come early or at least to be on time because she would only have ten minutes, it has been at least, fifteen... sixteen!” Luna said in a frustrated voice, and Antares shrank back, looking embarrassed. “Thy sister left the clinic to come see thee, used up her lunch break, for Odin's ugly sake was thoughtful enough to pick thou up a sandwich on the way here, and waited for thee for ten minutes! I knew it, I knew it, Antares, I knew that we should have brought thee here with us!”

“Mom, mom wait, I can explain!” Antares said quickly, shaking his head violently. “I swear it's not like... yesterday or... or the day before or well...”

“Or the day before that, or that, or that?” Luna asked pessimistically, and Antares blushed deep red, nodding lamely even as he shrank back, and Scrivener sighed, not knowing whose side he was on: Antares, as of late, had been having a problem with several things. He was still wonderfully well-behaved, always did his best, and was talented and strong and smart... but he had also started to be a little careless, accident prone not just because of bad luck, but because of a lack of focus, and had picked up his father's bad habit of waffling back and forth on decisions and his mother's bad habit of taking jokes too far.

In the last week alone, Antares had accidentally broken three cups, ruined an oil painting Luna had done – thankfully only a landscape – left a slice of chocolate cake on the floor during a visit to Sugar Cube Corners and allowed now fully-grown Kǫttr to gobble it up and have a hyperactive fit that had wrecked half the store, dropped one of Twilight's books in the bathtub, and completely reorganized the office in an attempt to be helpful that had made both Scrivener and Twilight curl up in a corner, mumbling in horror about all the time and effort it was going to sort everything back out by genre and chronological order.

Antares looked nervously up at his mother as Luna glowered down at him, but finally, she sighed and looked at him moodily, saying grumpily: “Very well, Antares, I shall give thee...” She looked moodily up at the sky. “Five minutes to explain thyself. If thou does not provide me with a sufficient reason within that time why thou art late, then I shall be forced to punish thee. And rest assured, Antares, 'twill not be pleasant.”

The colt winced, then he took a moment to gather his thoughts as Luna looked down at him grouchily before he looked up, again trusting in his instincts as he said finally: “I was... probably going to still be late. But I would have been here a lot sooner if I hadn't been stopped by Vinyl Scratch.”

Luna looked moody at this, and then Antares continued quietly: “I really wanted to see Scarlet Sage, I did. I don't know... why I didn't come in sooner, I don't know why I kept telling myself five-more-minutes, five-more-minutes, and I'm sorry for that, I am. If I'd left maybe even a minute earlier, I probably wouldn't have run into Vinyl Scratch. I probably wouldn't have been stopped by all her questions trying to get me to talk to Celestia for her or... whatever she wanted. And most importantly of all, I wouldn't have missed Scarlet Sage, and disappointed you both. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. And I'm gonna promise that... I'm gonna remember this time, to try and not let this happen again. I feel really bad about all of this, and I see how upset you are with me, and... I know why you are and that I deserve it.”

Antares bowed his head forwards, and Luna sighed tiredly, looking moodily down at her son before she asked finally: “Is this true?'

The colt nodded quickly, looking up and saying quietly: “Fluttershy saw me coming into town, too.”

Luna looked moodily down at her son, and then she finally closed her eyes and nodded, saying in a dry voice: “Very well. Alright, Antares Mīrus, I... I am not the one to ask for forgiveness from, but thy sister is. If thou hurries... and by that I truly mean hurry, thou may be able to catch her at the clinic while she is still on break, and apologize to her.” She paused meditatively. “And I am going to eat thy sandwich. Thou can have some simpler fare for lunch when thou returns.”

“Okay, I'll hurry.” Antares nodded quickly with a relieved smile, and then he turned to bolt across town. Scrivener began to step forwards... but Luna reached a hoof up, grasping his shoulder and halting him with a quick shake of her head.

“Our son made a mistake. Even though it is a great journey for a colt... we must allow him to fix it. That, and Ponyville is a safe place, even these days, and we can always send our invisible eyes after him.” Luna smiled after a moment, glancing towards Scrivy as the earth pony sighed quietly and nodded with a grumble. “Come, Scrivener. Inside. Thou shall feel better, and we can use Celestia's scrying mirror to keep an eye upon our child. I think 'twill be good for all concerned.”

Scrivener grunted after a moment, turning to follow the winged unicorn into the library and tossing one last, nervous look after Antares... but the foal himself ran onwards without looking back, focused on finding his older sister and on apologizing for what he'd done wrong. What he knew and understood he'd done wrong... and he only hoped that he was able to explain himself to her. More important than that, he hoped he'd be able to earn her forgiveness, one way or the other, and get her to understand that he was honestly sorry.

The colt hurried through the town, anxiously darting around ponies here and there and tossing awkward smiles at the few that called out to him, but not slowing down, focused on not letting Scarlet Sage down this time... on getting to his big sister, telling her sorry, asking for her forgiveness and getting her to understand. Somehow, that last felt so important: getting her to understand. And he was aware, even then, she might still be angry, she might still be upset... and she had every right to, too, he knew. He wasn't about to stop because of that, though... he was going to reach out to her, and try his hardest. He was going to handle himself with what his Mom and Dad always called 'honor.'

Rushing as fast as he could and ignoring the stitch that eventually formed in his side, Antares managed to catch up to Scarlet Sage just outside the medical clinic, half-yelling and half-wheezing her name as he ran towards her. The Pegasus looked surprised as she glanced over her shoulder, eyes widening in disbelief before she hurriedly turned around, the nurses' hat she wore for work almost falling off her head. “Antares?”

“I... caught... you...” Antares wheezed, and then he fell forwards before shaking his head out, the foal scrambling back up to his hooves and smiling up at her, breathing hard as he began in a rush: “I'm sorry, I really, really am, and I wanted to catch you and say sorry and thank you and I really didn't mean-”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, Antares, it's okay.” Scarlet Sage said quickly, and then she glanced over her shoulder towards the clinic doors before gently motioning the foal to the side, and the two ponies stepped away from the front of the building, ponies passing curiously by but thankfully giving them privacy, at least for the moment.

“Look, Antares, thank you for coming by, but... it's okay. I know you're just a kid and... things... slip sometimes, we all go through that.” Scarlet Sage said gently, looking down at him softly as Antares gazed back up at her worriedly. “When... when I was about your age, I went through that. The timing was... kind of awful, though, admittedly, because that was also when... I lost my blood parents.

“You're a smart little colt, Antares, and you're a good little brother. I'm glad we're family, I honestly am.” Scarlet Sage smiled after a moment, then she sighed a little and said softly: “But do you understand that... everything around you, everything you're experiencing right now, is worth... so much? Do you understand that your inaction... I mean, the stuff you don't do... has just as much of an effect on the world as the things that you do do?”

Antares nodded quietly and bowed his head, feeling a twist of shame run through his body as he said softly: “I do. Or at least... I do now. I felt awful about missing you this morning, and all I could think of was saying sorry to you. Letting you know how I feel and... and that I really am sorry. I want you to understand that... you know, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings, and I'm not trying to mess up so much lately, it just... it just keeps happening. And I miss you a lot, too, big sister.”

Scarlet smiled faintly at this, and then Antares looked up, studying her, understanding her so he could better help her understand him, as he said slowly: “I know that I made a mistake, so I'm not even going to ask for forgiveness. But I do want you to know at least, that I am very sorry. That I'll try my hardest to never let it happen again. And that I really do love you and you mean a lot to me. I hope this doesn't sound mean but... I'm glad... Mom and Dad adopted you, because you mean a lot to me and I don't think things would be the same any other way. And I'm glad that you and Apple Bloom are still in Ponyville and are both so good to me, that means a whole world to me too.”

Scarlet Sage smiled softly, and then she nodded slowly before Antares finally looked up and met her eyes, saying honestly: “I'm sorry. And whether you forgive me or not, I promise I'll try harder in the future. And I won't let you down if I can ever help it, Scarlet, not ever.”

“I know you won't. Thank you, Antares.” Scarlet Sage stepped forwards and swept him up in a tight hug, and Antares hugged his big sister firmly back, nestling his head against her breast before he twitched a bit as he felt a tremble run through him, but he pushed it away for the moment as unimportant before Scarlet Sage stepped back and gazed down at her little brother with a smile. “And I do forgive you... now go on, Antares. Go back to Mom and Dad... and I know Mom can be... you know, but...”

“I know.” Antares smiled after a moment up at his older sibling, and then he nodded quickly before turning quickly and hurrying off, calling over his shoulder: “Thanks, big sis!”

“I... wait, Antares!” Scarlet began, but Antares was already rushing off... and for a few moments, the Pegasus only stared at the small, retreating form of the foal before she finally gave a quiet laugh and shook her head in slow amazement, murmuring: “Well, I guess you'll notice soon enough, anyway.”

Antares hurried back through town, going at an easier pace this time but still not dawdling, desperate to show that he was going to work harder in the future. He reached the library after only ten minutes, then he bit his tongue as his horn glowed, pushing the door open with a grimace of concentration before he hurried through and kicked it closed behind him.

He smiled awkwardly at the gathered group: his parents,Twilight – who he often lumped in as a third parent, however weird he was by now aware that was – and Celestia all smiling at him. For a moment, it almost made Antares nervous as he looked back and forth... and then Luna stepped forwards and gestured to him gently, and Antares blushed before trotting over to her and smiling when his mother leaned down and embraced him tightly. “Thou did well, my son. And almost as important than that...”

She drew back, looking down at him softly and stroking under his chin before she reached back and patted his side, and Antares cocked his head curiously, then gazed over his shoulder... and stared in shock at the sight of his hip. There was something there... and Antares almost spun in a circle to see what it was, beginning to babble as excitement rose up in his body: “Wow! Is it really, is it really, I mean, Mom, is it really... did I really get my cutie mark? What is it, what does it look like, is it-”

“Slow down, Antares!” Luna laughed and shook her head, smiling warmly down at her son as Scrivener strode forwards with a smile, and Celestia and Twilight both slipped away from the table as well to gaze warmly down at the foal, Twilight carrying a small mirror in a telekinetic grip. The violet mare guided this down as Antares blushed and stood in the spot, gazing into the mirror raptly as he took it in his own telekinetic grip to guide it to see the cutie mark clearly... and he smiled happily at the strange emblem, as Luna murmured: “'Tis fitting. 'Tis perfect for thee.”

“Wow...” Antares whispered: his cutie mark was a constellation of nine brightly gleaming points of stars, with thin white lights between them illustrating what looked like a blossomed rose. Luna grinned over at Scrivener, who shrugged embarrassedly and glanced back at the emblem on his own flank, before he returned his eyes to his son when Antares said worriedly: “Wait, what does it mean? The only things I've done today were... I mean, running, and... being kind of... you know... it doesn't... it doesn't mean I'm bad, does it?”

“I want thou to think of what thou hast done today... apart from thy bit of trouble, I mean.” Luna replied kindly, and Antares nodded quickly, frowning as he looked down thoughtfully. Luna bounced a bit from hoof-to-hoof, and Scrivener gave her an amused look... but then again, he could feel her excitement as well, wanted to tell the answer himself... and he thought even Celestia looked like she was barely holding back from simply telling Antares what had triggered it.

The silence seemed to last forever, and Luna was grinding her teeth, hopping impatiently on her hooves before Antares finally looked up, understanding dawning on him as he said slowly: “I apologized but... more than that, I... I did that thing where I... understood her, like I did to get away from Vinyl Scratch. I looked at her and I looked into her and saw she wanted me to be honest and so I was... I... oh no, you don't think I lied to her, do you? I didn't mean to, I really just wanted-”

“No, no, no. No, Antares, cease, 'tis alright!” Luna soothed gently, and she smiled and leaned forwards, shaking her head and gazing down at him compassionately. “Fear not, child. Thy talent is not for lies... thy talent is for seeing the true faces of others, for... understanding, as thou said. Aye, 'tis truly an admirable, enviable talent and skill that thou possesses, my son... and I am so truly, honestly proud of thee. More proud than I can begin to express.”

Antares blushed and bowed his head forwards, and Scrivener added softly: “It's an incredible skill, Antares. Something to nurture and cherish... it's like you inherited something bad... but... made it into something good. Something truly special.”

The foal brightened at this, raising his head proudly... and then Scrivener laughed quietly and shook his head slowly, gazing warmly down at his son. “It's a powerful skill. More powerful than a lot of people would give you credit for, I think, but that's to their loss. Don't be insulted when ponies or people underestimate you... take it as a compliment, and remember that your real friends are always going to know your true value, are always going to trust in your abilities and stand by you. What everyone else thinks doesn't matter... and either way, I don't think you're ever going to have a problem making friends, or being liked by people.” He paused, then traded an amused smile with Luna. “Not like us, huh?”

“Shut up, Scrivener Blooms, plenty of ponies like me! I am very popular.” Luna retorted cheerfully, nodding a few times before she returned her eyes to Antares, gazing at him affectionately. “Handsome, beloved child... I am glad that thou hast earned thy cutie mark. And I am truly glad that... I can feel confident in thou using thy abilities for the betterment of others, not just the benefit of thine own self. All ponies have a talent: what shows the true mark of a pony is how they use that talent.”

Antares smiled brightly up at them, and then Luna and Celestia traded warm looks before the ivory equine asked curiously: “What are you thinking, Antares?”

At this, the foal hesitated, glancing back into the mirror, and then he quietly passed it with telekinesis back to Twilight, who took it and set it gently aside on the table as she turned her curious gaze to the child. For a few moments, he hesitated, shifting back and forth... and then he finally looked up and smiled after another second of thought, gazing into Celestia's curious and warm amethyst irises. “I'm glad that I have so many ponies to help me out. To help keep me on the right path, because... I know I've always been able to just... say the right things, and sometimes I worry... I take advantage of that. But with you, and Twilight, and Mom and Dad around... I feel safer. I feel less like I'm going to do something bad.”

He nodded firmly, and Luna smiled warmly, nodding in agreement before she winked and grinned widely. “But now, handsome child, 'tis time for thy flying lesson with Rainbow Dash, Soarin' and Avalon. And better yet, 'tis time to show off thy cutie mark!”

A few hours later, Antares was smiling despite himself, trying his best to cover his mouth with his hooves as Avalon grumbled grouchily away, buzzing angrily around the clubhouse they often all hung out in. It was old – or at least held the illusion of being quite old, since Luna had once told Antares the Nibelung had actually rebuilt Equestria about a decade back – and it sat in a large, ancient apple tree in one of the far orchards of Sweet Apple Acres, and Avalon had long ago dubbed it their official base of operations for her, Antares, and Meadowlark when she could stand to be around her.

Rustproof was up here too, but he was only sitting complacently on a large cushion in the corner, pacifier in his mouth and his eyes bright, diaper on his rear as Meadowlark kept herself entertained by braiding his mane. “It just ain't fair! Meadowlark, why ain't you pissed?”

“Avalon, you're going to get in trouble again using all those bad words.” Meadowlark huffed, covering Rustproof's ears as the toddler simply peered back and forth around the interior of the clubhouse. He wasn't up here as often as the other kids... mostly because Meadowlark had to carry him up into the treehouse, since Rustproof couldn't quite climb the ladder, and Meadowlark was both a little lazy and a little clumsy when it came to flying. “And so what? It's just a cutie mark, I don't see what's such a big deal about getting one.”

Avalon stared at her incredulously, jaw working slowly before she ground her teeth loudly together, then shouted: “It's like the most important thing ever to a pony!”

“Dad says that cutie marks aren't that important.” Antares began, and then he winced when Avalon buzzed down to him and glared into his eyes, making him flinch away awkwardly. “Well, that's what he says!”

“Your dad's crazy, though. Your mom is even worse. Ugh, you get everything!” Avalon groaned and flew up to the ceiling, banging her head into it with a sigh. “Your aunt is the Baroness and you got Twilight Sparkle for a nanny, teaching you like... spells and magic, you got wings and a horn and you're... you're a jerk, Antares.”

Antares only smiled up at Avalon, however, then he winced when Meadowlark singsonged teasingly: “Avalon is jealous, 'cause she's just a Pegasus, working forever on her family farm.”

“Shut up, Meadowlark. And you're just a Pegasus too!” Avalon groaned, dropping from the ceiling to land with a loud bang on the floor, and Rustproof giggled and clapped happily before Avalon glowered moodily at the two year old: she was actually only little larger than he was, with her so small and him so big for his age. “You're stupid.”

“No, you're stupid!” Meadowlark retorted, and then she added cheerfully: “And I'm happy just being a Pegasus, too. I'm happy as long as I can sing.”

Rustproof burbled to add something to the conversation, and then he flopped back against Meadowlark as Avalon looked moodily over at them. Then the five year old sighed and glared at Antares. “I'm getting my cutie mark next.”

“Ava, you know it was a fluke!” Antares said desperately, and then he added: “And you don't even know what-”

“Hey, I know what I'm great at, my talent is flying, and faster than fast!” Avalon stomped her hooves aggressively, glaring at him, and Antares winced back a bit. “So I'm going to just keep flying faster and faster until I get my cutie mark. Simple.”

With that, Avalon leapt back into the air, hovering easily and crossing her forelegs as she glowered, and Antares looked at her for a few awkward moments before Meadowlark said cheerfully: “I think I'm going to try and get my cutie mark before you then, Avalon.”

“My Dad got his cutie mark first in his class! Antares doesn't count, his mom's always had her cutie mark and his dad...” Avalon paused and frowned, looking curiously over at the colt. “When did your dad get his cutie mark?”

The unicorn shrugged as he flapped his leathery wings awkwardly once, and then he shook his head and said finally: “I dunno. Dad says he got it because somepony who really helped him noticed his talent for writing but... he never really talks about that, or the past or anything.”

“Yeah, same here.” Avalon frowned, hovering moodily before she asked finally: “Do you think like. When ponies become parents, we're supposed to forget about our own parents?”

Meadowlark only snorted at this, however, and then she sang cheerfully: “You just don't know anything about your own parents!”

Both of the older foals glared at her, and Rustproof only burbled again, looking back and forth before Meadowlark winked over at the foals. “But I do! And I'll tell you both, but you gotta both earn it, first.”

Now Avalon and Antares looked distrustful, trading a look: more than once they had done something for Meadowlark, and instead of anything useful, they just got wild gossip and made-up stories, like when she told them Ross and Cowlick were breaking up or the Friendship Express had been attacked by Diamond Dog thugs or there was a giant monster in the Everfree Forest. Or how she'd once said that Twilight was Antares' real mother because Scrivener had cheated on Luna with her, but then Antares was born, and that was why the were all stuck together now.

It wasn't that Meadowlark meant to be mean: it was more that she didn't like to do things herself and her mother allowed her to spend most of her free time watching soap operas and reading melodramatic romantic literature. She also didn't quite understand that the other foals didn't find her nearly as entertaining as she found herself and her own stories.

She saw their look and huffed a bit, looking almost hurt as she rose a hoof and declared: “Honest this time, really! And all I want are... some of your mom's apple tarts, Avalon, and uh... oh, candy! Antares, your mom has like all the candy in Ponyville!”

The foal traded looks, and then Meadowlark leaned forwards, fluttering her eyes as Rustproof burbled and bounced, and she added in a whine: “And don't I deserve something for looking after Rusty all the time too? You two never do it!”

“You're the oldest, you're the one who wanted to be responsible... and besides, it's not like we really have to worry about him.” Avalon demonstrated by picking up a plastic block and throwing it at Rustproof, and it bounced off the baby's head even as Meadowlark winced, but the toddler only looked inquisitively at the sunshine-colored Pegasus. “He's all poo-brain.”

“He's not poo-brain, don't be mean.” Antares said defensively, and Avalon gave him an amused look. “Well, it's true. Besides, you're the same way.”

“You hit me with a block and I'll hit you back.” threatened Avalon, and then she shook her head, buzzing back into the air and zooming moodily around Antares' head, a golden-yellow bullet that was half the size of the unicorn colt. “But he like. Almost never talks, just stares at everything, it's creepy.”

“He plays with us plenty!” Antares argued, and then he looked up as Meadowlark cleared her throat loudly and squeezed Rustproof's sides, making him giggle a little.

“You guys can argue about that while you get me that stuff. And then I'll tell you all the stuff you're supposed to know about your own parents but don't.” Meadowlark smiled over at them supremely as she sat back, and Rustproof burbled a little in her grip. “Got it?”

Avalon and Antares traded looks, and then they both sighed and nodded, Avalon turning to buzz through a window and Antares following after, leaping out and spreading his own wings, figuring that finding some candy wouldn't be too hard.

It ended up being far more difficult than planned: for one thing, his wings started to ache long before he reached Ponyville from Sweet Apple Acres, and he became very conscious of the fact that if anypony he knew caught him sneaking away from the farm he'd be in trouble. Thus, the foal lost his nerve long before he got to town, and ended up turning around and running quickly back... before his eyes settled instead on Fluttershy's cottage, and he trotted quickly over to this, raising a hoof to knock.

Then he remembered that he had seen her that morning, so instead he'd leapt up, fluttering up in front of the window and peering inside through the glass. He leaned forwards against the door... then blinked when it swung open, staring into the cottage with surprise: Fluttershy must have been in a rush and forgotten to lock it. Antares dropped back to the ground, then wandered inside, looking back and forth as he called hesitantly: “Hello? It's me, Antares... is anypony here?”

There was no answer, and Antares shrugged a bit as he wandered deeper into the house, stepping into the den... and staring at the large bowl of candy sitting on the coffee table. For a few moments, he only looked at it... then he hurried over and grabbed up a few pieces before stopping and looking down nervously, wondering aloud: “Isn't this... s-stealing? Isn't this wrong?”

But he was curious... and he realized he was also hungry, as he looked down into the candy bowl. But Fluttershy was also his friend... and Antares sighed before he grumbled and dropped the candies back in the bowl, mumbling to himself before he looked down with a wince to see a mint stuck to his hoof.

He sighed, then rolled his eyes and licked it off, chewing it moodily with his sharp, strong teeth before he turned around and hurried back to the doorway. He began to let himself out, and then a rumble came from behind him, and the foal halted before he looked slowly over his shoulder... but he only sighed in relief at the sight of a Phooka he recognized as Nirvana. “Hi Nirvana! The door was unlocked... is Fluttershy still gone?”

Nirvana nodded, then studied Antares, who blushed a bit before the foal said awkwardly: “Sorry, I helped myself to a mint. I... I didn't mean to steal anything, though, or...”

Nirvana only rumbled and rolled his eldritch fire eyes, and then he turned and vanished into the den. Antares stood awkwardly for a moment... but then he smiled when Nirvana returned with the candy bowl, offering it to the foal, and he gladly grabbed a few pieces, saying quietly: “Thank you so much. Meadowlark wanted some too, and... well...”

The Phooka only grunted, then it looked up and locked its eyes with Antares, and the foal felt a distinct rumble run through his mind like the trampling of countless tiny hooves before the Phooka's voice said softly inside Antares' head: Honor is a concept forgotten by you ponies. But I suppose... some of you seem to be remembering.

“What do you know about honor, Nirvana?” Antares asked curiously, leaning forwards, and the Phooka looked at him meditatively for a moment before it sighed and put the bowl down, leaning forwards before its eyes locked with the colt's again, and this time flashed brightly.

Antares reared back in surprise as images spilled through his mind, of enormous forests, packs of playing and laughing Phooka, of a world on fire... of ponies, worshiping Phooka, and then becoming equals and friends with Phooka... and then murdering them with chains and wire and flame and magic. Of enormous temples, of stone statues of Phooka carrying foals proudly and that told stories of both honorable tests and friendly mischief, of desecrated statues that depicted the Phooka as beasts, because they were creatures of nature that lived happily in the wilds, because they scavenged off what nature had already claimed instead of pointlessly adding to slaughter and death...

Antares closed his eyes, breathing hard, startled but... understanding, before Nirvana said in a rough, quiet voice: “When they first found us, we were as gods to them. When we asked them to stand beside us, we were friends. When they began to build their sand castle societies, we became monsters they could rally against.”

The colt was quiet, looking up at Nirvana, and the Phooka studied him for a few moments before he said softly: “But perhaps there is hope to be friends again. There are good ponies here. Your mother knows honor: she bound us to her, but released the binding on my kind long ago. We live beside and aid you ponies because we want to. That is all.”

Antares smiled a little more at this, and then he asked finally: “What... I mean... you and Fluttershy...”

Nirvana rumbled at him moodily, seeming to tense up a bit, and Antares hesitated as he studied the Phooka before he instead asked curiously: “Why do all the Phooka look up to Fluttershy so much?”

The Phooka relaxed again after a moment, and then he shook his head, replying in his almost-growling but soft voice: “She teaches us. She cares for us. She is pony, but she smells of nature. She... understands, but is wiser than us, and... leads us. We look at her as what you would call... 'leader,' or 'alpha.' Her strength is more valuable than tooth and claw.”

The colt smiled a little at this, nodding again thoughtfully before he looked up, but Nirvana only rumbled and turned, heading back inside. So the foal only cleared his throat, then finally nodded awkwardly, swept up the candy, and hurried outside to leap into the air and fly quickly back to Sweet Apple Acres, wincing a bit as pain radiated through his back, but pushing himself a little to get a good distance through the field before dropping down and hurrying forwards with the load of candy.

When he finally returned to the treehouse, he found Avalon was already there, and Meadowlark was happily gobbling down apple tarts, spilling crumbs all over Rustproof as the toddler ignored them to happily play with the old pony toy Meadowlark had given him. Avalon was hovering with her forelegs crossed, looking grouchy before Meadowlark trilled cheerily when Antares tossed her the candies, and she sang warmly: “Excellent! Storytime, everypony!”

Avalon still looked less than thrilled, and Antares made a face, wondering if he'd made a mistake or not before Meadowlark grinned over at Avalon, saying cheerfully: “I heard from a reliable source that Rainbow Dash was once a mare, and that's why he doesn't have a lot of friends outside Ponyville, because one day she woke up and poof, she was a big stallion instead of a little mare.”

“What? That's impossible!” Avalon glared down at Meadowlark, who only giggled and looked up with a wink at the tiny Pegasus even as she shot down and buzzed around her angrily, looking like a living fireball with her almost-glowing coat and streaked red and yellow mane. “You take that back!”

“Can't take back the truth!” Meadowlark replied in a singsong, and then she leaned back, half-using Rustproof as a shield when Avalon swung at her threateningly. “Careful now, don't wanna hurt the baby, or Cowlick and Applejack will be all over you... and your other mom, Rainbow, too!”

“Stop it!” Avalon shouted, and Rustproof whimpered as he looked up, but Avalon only snorted and then shot backwards, muttering: “You're a liar. Big fat liar. That's not true.”

“Oh yeah? And Scrivener's dad was born as a slave in the far north.” Meadowlark added seriously, and Antares looked up sharply, staring in disbelief. “His parents were unicorns and they made him clean up around their... I guess they must have had a giant home, but they kept him in the dungeon. And one day he was finally rescued by another unicorn because he wrote all these stories and letters and stuff and kept sending them out, hoping someone would find him, and eventually they did and that was how he got out.”

Antares looked disbelieving, and then Avalon scoffed and shook her head, saying sharply: “Don't believe her, she's just... making up stories again! Come on, let's get out of here.”

“No I'm not, I'm really not this time, I know because my mom talked with the other doctors in town about it!” Meadowlark proclaimed, and Avalon halted in the window, glaring over her shoulder but looking almost scared now before Meadowlark declared: “And that means that maybe one day, Avalon, you're going to turn into a boy too!”

Avalon shouted something angrily at Meadowlark, then turned and bolted out the window, Antares wincing and hurrying after her as Meadowlark whined: “Hey, don't leave me here with Rusty, guys! I just told you what I heard!”

Antares glided smoothly to the field, but Avalon was already buzzing rapidly in the direction of the house, a streak of golden light through the air. Antares began to run forwards, even though he knew there was no way he could hope to catch up... but he knew he could at least follow her until she tired out, and hope that was sooner instead of later.

Instead, as he drew close to the house, he heard the sound of shattering glass and he winced, bolting forwards as a yell went up from the house. And less than a minute later, a rainbow-colored blur shot through the sky as Applejack ran out onto the porch, Antares calling worriedly as he approached: “What happened?”

“Avalon ran through a window, god, the speed she must've been going at... I... what happened, Antares, why was she so upset?” Applejack asked sharply, and the colt winced before he looked quickly over her as the goldenrod mare hurried close, saying quickly: “Antares, listen, I ain't gonna be mad at you but I need to know, that's my little girl, and your friend!”

Antares swallowed thickly, looking over her worriedly... and then he said finally, instinctively: “She was told that Rainbow Dash was... was a...”

“Oh hell.” Applejack groaned, throwing her head back before she clenched her eyes shut and nodded, then she bowed down and said quickly: “Come on, we're gonna go to the clinic and hope to Heaven we get there quick. Been a long time since I done a race but I think I still remember how it goes.”

The colt didn't argue, hopping up onto Applejack's back before she pawed a hoof at the grass, then shot forwards into a sprint, the colt almost knocked flying from the sudden speed they took off at as he clung down to her and stared in amazement. Applejack, meanwhile, muttered: “Swear to Helheim I'll divorce Rainbow if he lets this get to him too much... but I'm more worried about who... no, it was Meadowlark, wasn't it? No, don't even bother, already know the answer. Of course it was that damn little brat Meadowlark.”

Antares winced and shrank a bit, and Applejack gritted her teeth before she said finally: “I'm sorry, Antares, I'm just... mad as hell now. Not at you, certainly not at Ava, maybe not even that much at Meadowlark, but at Ameliorate and Engelhart. And that stuff about Rainbow... it's... it's true and it's not. I believe that he was always a he, but he just got stuck in the wrong damn body when he was born, you understand?”

Antares nodded a few times, half-understanding but knowing for now it was better to just agree with the adult as the world zipped by, Antares starting to feel a little awed at how fast Applejack could move when she wanted to: suddenly, he understood why even when on the ground, Avalon could dart around at a surprisingly-quick speed. “That stuff, though, ain't just... sensitive... it was something Rainbow wanted to tell Avalon himself one day when she was ready. Avalon's excitable, like you know, and Avalon thinks the world, the absolute world of her father. Hearing that stuff is gonna throw anypony for a loop. Feeling like you been lied to... that'll throw anypony for a loop, too.”

Antares silently nodded, pressing down against Applejack as she shot past the surprised Nibelung guards and into town, and she ducked and weaved back and forth easily around ponies and other figures, darting hurriedly through the town towards the clinic where Scarlet Sage worked. But no sooner had they arrived than Rainbow Dash charged out, looking furious as he leapt into the air and shot to the sky in a rainbow blur, and Applejack groaned as she skidded around in a half-circle with a groan. “Oh dammit!”

“Got it!” shouted a familiar voice, and Applejack looked up in relief and surprise as Scrivener and Luna ran out of the clinic, the charcoal earth pony charging through the street as Luna took to the skies and flew quickly after Rainbow Dash. Scrivener wasn't as fast or as agile as Applejack... but on the other hoof, he was also much larger, and Antares couldn't help but gape when Scrivener simply dropped his shoulder when he realized he couldn't dodge around a pile of hay bales in his way, smashing through them to the shock of the ponies around him and calling an awkward apology as he shot onwards.

Applejack sighed and shook her head, turning to hurry into the clinic with Antares still on her back as she muttered: “At least I can trust those two to make sure that Rainbow Dash doesn't do anything too stupid... and more importantly, to let him be just stupid enough.”

Rainbow had a good head start: that, combined with how fast he was, meant that Scrivener and Luna didn't catch up to the Pegasus until he had smashed into the door of Engelhart's house, which still bore several badly-repaired scars from the damages Luna had done to it during one of her own rages at Meadowlark's parents.

The Pegasus almost succeeded in kicking the reinforced door off its hinges before he dropped back and landed, preparing to charge... but Engelhart threw the door open before staring incredulously, and Rainbow leaned forwards and shouted angrily: “What the hell did you and your stupid wife tell your damn daughter about me? She upset Avalon!”

“Meadowlark is a little angel and we didn't tell her anything that isn't in the public record!” retorted Engelhart immediately, glaring at Rainbow Dash before he snapped: “How dare you try and break into my house-”

“How dare I? How dare you tell your damn daughter about what I went through... except no, you didn't, you said I just 'magically poofed' into a guy like I was... diseased or something!” Rainbow replied angrily, stepping forwards and snarling, and Engelhart growled as he leaned forwards, the two Pegasus stallions glaring at each other, wings shivering and bodies flexing. “Your daughter is a little loudmouth, but worse, you two keep telling her everyone's business; you like her running around, upsetting ponies?”

“You got no right to come here and criticize my family!” Engelhart defended angrily, and then he leaned forwards and shoved Rainbow hard, snapping: “Get out of here, or I'll show you what a real stallion can do!”

“Real stallion? I am a real stallion! I'm more a stallion than you'll ever be!” Rainbow snarled, and Engelhart glared at him furiously.

Then Engelhart leaned forwards and replied rudely: “You raise your kid your way, I'll raise my kid my way. Meadowlark's growing up like a normal little girl. You're the one with the kid who already seems to be taking after her 'daddy,' transvestite!”

“I'm not a transvestite, you goddamn idiot.” Rainbow leaned forwards... and then he gritted his teeth and looked over his shoulder when Luna dropped to the ground behind him and looked at him imploringly, and the pale-blue Pegasus shook himself out violently before he glared at Engelhart. “Stay away from me.”

Engelhart snorted, then, as Rainbow began to turn away, he said nastily: “Gladly, I think I'd rather hang out with real parents instead of you and all your freakish friends. What, there's you and Applejack, the one who's sleeping with the Phooka, the polygamist, the dragon-layer, and-”

Rainbow spun around, then tackled Engelhart backwards, and Scrivener winced as he started forwards to stop the scuffle... but Luna held up a hoof, glowering moodily at the fighting Pegasi as Luna said distastefully: “No, they have both done plenty to merit this chance.”

Engelhart managed to roll backwards and get Rainbow in a headlock as he sat behind him, almost hugging the pale-blue stallion's head against his body, and Rainbow gargled before he braced his rear hooves against the ground and shoved backwards. It knocked them both flat and tore Rainbow free, and he hurriedly rolled back to his hooves as Engelhart climbed to his own and lunged forwards: instead of hitting Rainbow, however, he only tackled thin air as the pale-blue Pegasus gracefully vaulted skywards before spinning around and crashing down on Engelhart's back, shoving him down by the back of the skull to smash his face into the dirt road. Rainbow leapt smoothly backwards as Engelhart wheezed in stupefied agony, laying with his lower legs bowed and trembling and buttocks awkwardly raised high in the air, his face half-buried into the street, and then Rainbow stepped forwards seizing him firmly by either flank before slamming the knee of his rear leg savagely up between Engelhart's legs, and the Pegasus Guard gave a weak, girlish squeak, dropping on his side and clutching at himself as he shivered violently before Rainbow asked disgustedly: “Who's the mare now, huh?”

Engelhart whimpered, tears in his eyes as he shivered on his side, and then Rainbow rose a hoof... but then only slowly lowered it and shook his head, muttering: “You're not worth it.”

With that, he turned and moodily walked over to Luna and Scrivener, nodding to them once before Luna smiled and reached out to touch his shoulder, saying quietly: “How does thou feel now?”

“Better. A little better. But... still. Doesn't... help as much as I'd hoped it would.” Rainbow paused, then looked grumpily over his shoulder at where Engelhart was still writhing on the ground in misery, holding himself and shivering weakly. “Maybe I should go hit him some more.”

“Come on. Let's go see to your daughter. What happened to her?” Scrivener asked quietly, and Rainbow sighed and shrugged as he hopped into the air, flapping his wings slowly to propel himself languidly along between Luna and Scrivener as he bowed his head forwards quietly.

“Meadowlark told her about... me.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Avalon... was upset. Poor kid had... I don't even know what she must have thought. That we were lying to her all these years? That I wasn't really her dad? Or maybe just anger and her hyperactivity mixed together and... you know. Anyway, she saw me in the house and just... shot at me, smashed right through a closed window... but you know, glass doesn't break as easy as it does in the movies and she's... she's so little...”

He looked down silently, shaking his head slowly. “Cut herself all to hell, her wings were flayed, just... I... I feel so goddamn awful. I should have told her the truth earlier.”

“She's five years old. Five years old and prone to fits of hyperactivity and aggression.” Scrivener said softly, as Luna nodded reassuringly at the Pegasus. “You're an enviable father. We talked about this before, a long time ago... sometimes stuff just happens out of your control, and you just gotta deal with it.”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Rainbow Dash sighed and looked down quietly, and then he closed his eyes, murmuring as he almost floated gloomily along: “I just know that... for the next while, I'm going to be there beside Avalon no matter what else happens. I love her so damn much. She's... my whole world.”

Scrivener smiled faintly at this as Luna nodded slowly in agreement and understanding, trading a silent look with her husband as the three parents continued onwards, heading back to check on Rainbow Dash's daughter... his miracle, and his reason to keep living no matter what else happened on the long road ahead.

The Last Letter Kept In Twilight's Heart

The Last Letter Kept In Twilight's Heart
~BlackRoseRaven

To our son, Antares...

If you're reading this, then the first thing Luna and I want to say is that we're sorry. We're sorry that we broke our promise... to you, to all our family and friends. That we weren't able to come back, and that we won't be there with you, to see you grow up, to watch as you turn from a colt into the stallion that I always wanted to be; as you become the pony your mother and I are confident that you will, a proud and strong pony who won't make the same mistakes we did.

We both want you to know that we love you... and that those simple, silly words cannot express the depth of emotion we feel for you. To what lengths we would go to keep you safe... to keep you from harm. Yet we failed at that; you were taken away from us, and now, if you're reading this... then we've been taken away from you. But what matters most is that you're safe, and you have to keep yourself safe, and be strong for us. A piece of us will always be there with you, Antares... I want you to believe that you'll never be completely alone, that you'll never be without our support, even now. We'll always be there, in your memories, your mind, your heart; in every surface of this house your mother and I built together and we've left to you; in the living forest that accepted and protected us.

It's important to both Luna and I that you don't grow up too fast, though, and you don't let the pain make you bitter, or resentful of others. But both of us believe that you'll make it through this, and it will only teach you greater empathy and understanding for others... a quality in you your mother and I admire. You're honorable, and we are proud to be your parents. You were more than Luna and I deserved: you made us both better people.

When you feel strong enough to, Antares, please find and speak with Celestia. She has our last will and testament, among other personal files in a sealed file in the library storage. We've left almost everything to you and Scarlet Sage, and we entrust your care to Twilight Sparkle. She will continue to be your guardian, your mother, as she's always done so well at... and please. Tell her that we love her. Tell Scarlet Sage we love her. Tell Celestia and Sleipnir they were in our thoughts and hearts. And tell Pinkamena that I'm sorry.

Lastly, because we want to see you safe and prepared for the future, Antares, you can see that we've left you something special, as well. Something Luna and I have kept for many years, safe and hidden, never daring to use it even at the worst of times. Something we entrust to you, to help keep you safe, and ensure that no matter what happens, you will be able to survive and stay strong. But please, Antares: be careful with this. This isn't simply a playing card: this is a miracle, filled with the powers of a Jötnar. This card can grant you one wish, and both Luna and I know what you're thinking, but we implore you... don't try and wish us back. What you may receive... it may not be us. Magic is tricky, but wishes and miracles require even more thought, deliberation, and concentration, because magic this powerful is both mischievous and almost alive in its own right. It's not that we don't want to come back from wherever we've gone... it's that we don't want to see you hurt further. It's that we don't want to see you making a mistake out of heartbreak.

Antares Mīrus... Luna and I love you. Your mother and father love you, our son: we always have, and we want you to know that even now, we still do. If you're reading this, we must have been gone for quite some time, or you've felt... something, somehow, with your... so-sharp instincts. We're sorry, and we can't apologize enough for leaving you... but in time, you'll understand why. Because of honor, because of responsibility, and most of all because we love you and need to protect you, no matter what the cost. We were honored... honored... to have you as our son. We'll never forget you. And you have our word that if there's some way for Luna and I to come home, to see you again, even for a moment... Luna and I will fight with every ounce of strength we have to make it there.

Remember that you're never alone... that even if we're gone, you have a wonderful family there, to help you every step of the way. Neither Luna nor I are saying you have no right to be sad: we only want you to remember that you don't have to go through this loss alone. That you have good ponies, good people, you can turn to for guidance, and help, and love.

Please, though... no matter what happens, carry on. Be strong for us, and grow into the strong stallion we know you can become. Use the strengths you've been blessed with, Antares, for the good of others. But most of all, do what's right, and take care of your friends and your family. Treat the innocent well, and stand up to what you know is wrong, no matter what form it comes in. And continue to be the wonderful person you've always been, Antares. Be that radiant light in the deepest darkness, be yourself, and find happiness.

We love you, more than we can ever say. You brought joy into our lives... you are a wonderful person, and Luna and I both send all our love, from wherever we are now. Know that we'll always remember you, always be thinking of you. And if it's any solace... even if you're only a young colt, son, Luna and I see more of a hero in you than ever existed in either of us.

Thank you, Antares Mīrus, for saving us.

With love and admiration,
Scrivener Blooms & Luna Brynhild