“Poor thing…you should go up there too, Force.” The pink alicorn staring up at the ceiling suggests to her knight.

Force looks a bit pensive as she considers flying up to the roof. “I don’t know, the two of them seem so much closer since they went to the thestral colony. I feel like I would just be intruding.”

“You should go, Knight. Your worries are unfounded, I assure you that your presence would be welcomed.” Nightmare surprisingly chooses to encourage the pegasus. “Looks like I’ll need to postpone the magic lesson I had prepared for him for after court.”

After another second of thought the knight speeds out of the dining hall and starts making her way towards the roof. “I’m surprised it took this long for the cracks to start showing. In the end he truly is just as emotional as a typical stallion.” Cadence makes a borderline offensive comment after Force has left the room, and Nightmare sends a glare her way. “What? Am I wrong?”

“Yes. Ever since the colosseum incident I have lived vicariously through his eyes and ears. Listened to his surface level thoughts when he forgets that he’s sharing a telepathic link. It’s a miracle the bladesinger is even sane, I doubt you would have been able to endure his path, Princess.”

Cadence tries to defend herself but Celestia is the first to speak up. “What in particular makes you believe that?”

“We can start with the most glaring issue, the one that’s caused…” Nightmare glances up towards the ceiling. “That incident. I’m sure you’ve already imagined how you would react if you were suddenly snatched from this realm and wound up in a strange land, the only pony around. Never being able to see or talk to any of your loved ones ever again, that alone would cripple anypony for weeks, perhaps months.”

Both alicorns nod, wondering where she’s going to go with this. “But, I doubt you've imagined that happening twice. He has the memories of two different lives, but as a human he was unaware of his life as an elf. If he didn’t remember his other life until he came here then he’s experiencing the loss of both lives at the same time.” Cadence's expression collapses into a frown while Celestia’s eyes open a bit wider in shock.

“As a knight he shouldn’t be nearly this affected by what he experienced at the colosseum, though. I can understand the guilt over Queen Aurora, but as a bladesinger and a knight, violence should not have impacted him as strongly as this has. I briefly saw his face when he cut down the changelings on the surface and he had none of the signs we typically see in traumatized ponies.” Celestia doubles down on her side of the argument, mainly due to how she treated him before and during the summit. She assumed she was dealing with an experienced killer this whole time.

“His first bladesong outside of a training enviornment was against myself in the old castle, Celestia. He merely fenced and sparred with the blade while studying his world's magic. Those changelings were the first sapient beings he's killed, hell that was essentially his first battle. It’s compounded by the fact that all the creatures in Equestria are so different from what he knows that he only registered that he'd murdered somepony when he saw one of Aurora's children wailing and asking for her mother. Not to mention that this entire time he’s been pulled in 3 different directions. He has to make the impossible choice of picking which life gets to return to normalcy between his two homelands. Add onto that Luna and the pink ones' Knight are not so subtly trying to anchor him to Equestria.”

Glancing at the ceiling one last time, Nightmare sighs and finishes her rant. “Well after tonight that particular burden might be lifted off of his shoulders. Surely he realizes that he’s stuck here indefinitely.” Suddenly one last realization hits her and she adds one last remake. “Oh and don’t forget his race is only considered adults at 100 years old and he’s 108. Compared to a mortals lifespan he’s essentially the same age as your precious student. Would you have expected her to slaughter a field of changelings, lead a rescue operation, watch the children of the Queen she failed to save be executed systemically, and walk away with no trauma?”

“I have to go…” Cadence stands up looking a bit pale as she walks out of the dining hall.

As the only two left, Nightmare shifts her gaze over to Celestia as the solar alicorn starts to voice her realization. “I’ve judged him too harshly. Should he even be serving as my sister's knight?”

“I assume that’s rhetorical as I know you don’t value my opinion, but yes he should. In spite of everything I just said he’s likely the strongest mortal in your army. Not to mention that this would be the worst timing to strip him of that title.”

“Strength is not important if it means he has to live the rest of his life here mentally scarred. Especially considering we’ll likely be entering conflict with the dragons in a few months, it’s only going to get harder for him. I agree that now is not a good time, but I still wish to talk to Luna about it.” Celestia stands up from the table and looks at Nightmares pegasus form. “I have much to think about and need to retire for the evening. I’m going to teleport you to Luna’s bedroom as that seems to be where they are now.”

“So the stallion she fancied shows up and Tia is completely unaware as she starts to devour a chocolate cake as if she was a beast that hadn’t eaten in months. Oh Harmony above I wish you could’ve seen her face then. Chocolate splattered all around her muzzle and she was so embarrassed that if it was your first time seeing her you’d have thought her coat is normally red instead of white! The stallion was of course mortified since he was a noble, and Tia was so embarrassed that she didn’t leave her room for at least a week.” Nightmare teleports into the room and gets to hear the back half of a story about Celestia from long long ago.

Force is on the verge of tears from how hard she’s laughing while laying down to the right of Ignis, resting her head in his lap. Luna can barely speak coherently enough to finish the story as she loafs on the mattress to his left. Ignis himself is just sitting on the bed upright, leaning his back against the headboard. Nightmare just stares at the elf with pity as he only lets out a brief chuckle in response to the story from Luna. His gaze is pointed down at the bed but his eyes look like he’s staring into the void.

“So I guess he hasn’t improved since you took him from the roof?” Nightmare asks Luna as her laughter dies down a bit.

“Nay. I tried to have him rest but he’s resisting. The most we can get out of him are one word replies. I don’t think his psyche is shattered, though. I believe he’s just emotionally drained and mentally exhausted. Once he eventually does rest he should be more responsive. I’m so lost Nightmare…were we too hasty in placing all these burdens on his shoulders? I always forget he’s barely an adult.” Nightmare is a bit surprised to hear that from Luna since the lunar alicorn wasn't there to here the rant she gave to Cadence and Celestia.

When Luna finishes her sentence the elf startles Luna and Force as he suddenly sits up straight and stares at Luna. “Are you going to fire me? I mentioned that this is exactly what I was afraid of when you asked to accompany me to therapy. I truste-”

“You are my Knight Eternal, Ignis. That will never change. I’m just regretful that you had to go to the Summit and go through all of that as your first experience. Who knows though, I might not even be here if we hadn’t brought you along.” Luna uses her forehoof to tilt the elf’s gaze so she can look into his eyes. “I just wish things didn’t turn out this way. I know you’re strong though, I know you’ll be okay.”

Ignis tilts his head and rubs his cheek against the foreleg that was holding his chin. “If you say so.”

As soon as he finishes that sentence rest finally claims him and he passes out.

Ignis 1st Person POV

I’m not sure what exactly I thought I would see when I woke up, but this is definitely a little different than what I imagined. There are 3 ponies using me as a pillow. Luna is in her typical position where her body is nestled under my left arm with a forehoof on my chest and her head resting on the muscle connecting my chest to my shoulder. Force is laying on her back with her forelegs tucked in, with my right arm stuck under her neck and the back of her head resting on my right pectoral. Nightmare is also on my right side but she seems to have fallen asleep in the standard loaf position with her chin resting on my stomach.

“Glad your eyes have a bit more life in them this morning.” Glancing to my left I look at Luna as she quietly makes her comment and her eyes flutter open. “You still look quite tired though.”

“How did I get here? The last thing I remember is you showing up after…” Everything comes crashing down again as I remember what happened.

“Your fellow knight showed up so I decided to teleport us back to my room. Do you think you’re still feeling up to attending the Gala tonight? We can always just go train, or maybe go hunting in the Everfree again?”

“As tempting as that sounds, I think we should still go.” Maybe I should just treat this Get Home quest like a toxic attention seeking crush, and just pretend it doesn’t exist. It continues to give me no solid evidence towards any outcome and dangles the carrot in front of me like said attention seeker. I was supposed to finally confess to Luna tonight, but I really didn’t want to do that unless I was sure I’m staying here. It was naive of me to think I’d have made up my mind by tonight, though. I need to think.

It was basically impossible to ever actually consider and think about my options because I knew if I started down that path it’d end up like last night. Now though, it should be more feasible. I use telekinesis to keep Force and Nightmare in place as I move my body out from under their heads, so that they hopefully stay asleep.

Stealth.

15 + 5 = 20.

It works and I’m able to pull an Indiana Jones and slide a real pillow under them. Once that’s finished I get out of bed while Luna gives me a worried look and starts to also get out of bed. “I need some time alone for a while. What time do you want to meet up for the Gala tonight?”

Her worried look shifts into concern so I decide to add on to my previous statement. “I’ll be okay this time, I swear. I just need to think about a few things.”

“Are you actually considering just giving up on your homeland?” My face must’ve shown how offended I felt, thinking she was judging me, because she immediately followed up with, “I’m just surprised is all. I’m not sure how any of us would feel if you were only staying here because of us…”

“It's not like that, you shouldn't feel guilty if I choose to stay here. It’s in my best interest to think of my mental health at this point. Sending is a very powerful spell that only has a miniscule chance of failing as long as the target exists. Statistically speaking it’s extremely unlikely that it failed for technical reasons for all…what was it 8 attempts? So, assuming the spell successfully casted that means it couldn’t find the target. I used it on multiple different people in both of my homelands, and got no response every time. Considering all of that, at this point I think it’s time for me to wake up to reality.”

Luna just stares at me with her brows furrowed for several seconds. “I’ll contact you when it’s time. We’ll meet up here. Don’t hesitate to use the Sending stone if you need me.”

Reaching into my pocket I flash the stone for her to see. “You got it.”

I start to wander the hallways aimlessly while I think. I mean logically speaking I basically just laid out all the reasons why I should just move on, but this isn’t entirely a logical decision. I’ve already known that since the first time I casted Sending in the Everfree, but even so…it’s just an impossible decision. It’s like asking me if I’d rather lose both my arms or both of my legs. Well not exactly like that, that’s actually an easy decision with telekinesis. Same principle though.

Let’s lay out all the comparisons for the different worlds, maybe that’ll show me something to sway me. I’ve been here for nearly 2 months and my life feels much more fulfilling than it ever did on Earth. I’m happier here than I was on Earth. Earth has my parents and my friends, and that’s the real doozy between the choices.

Assuming time moves the same between the worlds they’ve probably already mourned for me and moved on right? In the Feywild I was in a coma for the last 20 years, and for all I know that empty husk is still there. Even if it’s not they don’t have IV’s and feeding tubes in the Forgotten Realms so my health had likely deteriorated severely, I wouldn’t be surprised if father and Tala had already come to terms and accepted my death long ago.

Why are you only considering how they are doing without you? That’s fine and all but quit pretending to be a selfless saint. How will YOU feel effectively losing them forever?

We really need to talk about expectations of privacy. Can you not listen to my inner thoughts all the time?

That’s a bit difficult when you’re essentially talking in my ear. I can only hear what you’re letting me hear. Don’t get me wrong I could probe deeper and listen in, but I stopped doing that once we came to an agreement.

Well how the fuck do I stop broadcasting this shit to you?

It’s all based on intent, just think to yourself instead of just putting it out there all willy nilly.

Did you just say willy nilly? I feel like you’ve adopted a lot of my vocabulary.

It’s only natural, I spent weeks in your subconscious while I’ve only been around my fellow ponies for a few days. I do make an effort to speak formally when I’m speaking out loud though. Don’t forget I wasn’t my own creature until recently.

Okay but why haven’t you told me until now?

Because it was my main source of entertainment and I’d have been sitting in deafening silence without it.

That’s fair. Shit if you listened in that often you probably know more about me than anyone else on this planet.

You’re not entirely wrong. I think Luna actually has me beat by a slim margin. She can tell what you’re thinking sometimes and I know if I wasn’t able to hear it I’d have no clue what you were thinking.

Ha. Guess that makes sense, we do spend a lot of time around each other. Especially the last couple of weeks. Anyways, enough distractions I’m gunna tune you out now.

She does bring up a valid point though. All the late night discord talks with my bros, the weekly check ins with my mom…hell One Piece is still going, at one point the thought of being around for the ending of One Piece was one of the few things keeping me going. As stupid as that sounds. Can I really just throw all of that away and give up?

I pull up the quest interface and just stare at the quest still marked as “In Progress.” Why can’t you just make the decision for me? I guess from one point of view it has made the decision for me. The decision to keep pushing forward and find a way. It really does just feel hopeless at this point, though. Banishing myself sent me to an empty void space which is what it does if the target is from the plane of existence it was banished from. Just that alone basically confirms I’m stuck here, no?

Maybe this body is from here? I mentioned that the empty husk of Ignis might still exist in the Feywild and if that’s the case then this body is from this plane of existence. That pretty much leaves me with only Plane Shift and there’s no way I can get a metal rod attuned to either of my homelands.

Pausing my thoughts I look out the window of the hallway I’m in and notice how high up in the sky the sun is. It has to be afternoon at this point, how did time go by so fast?

Okay considering everything I just went over…I have to give up.

Just give up, I’m going to stay here.

I just have to give up, easy right?

Then why can’t I do it?

3rd Person POV

Canterlot Castle, Royal Dining Hall

“He’s really still going to attend? Better than me, I’m not attending and I don’t even have an excuse.” Cadence comments while everyone is eating their lunch.

“You really should reconsider, niece.” Celestia replies in an almost sing-song voice like she knows something no one else does.

“Why? I’ve been once and that was enough for the rest of my life. It’s an insufferable event.”

“I’m inclined to agree, Tia. I’m only attending because Ignis is. If he weren’t around I’d probably sit this one out as well, regardless of how much you insist it’ll help with my “public image.”” Luna throws out some support for Cadence’s decision.

“I would normally agree, but what you’re all failing to consider is that Twilight and her friends will be there. Those six might be the Elements of Harmony but I swear they’re all a borderline menace to society. That’s not even considering the fact that Nightmare Moon over there will also be in attendance. She might be an average sized adorable pegasus, but she’s still easily recognizable. The Gala this year will surely be an eventful one, so I ask you again to perhaps reconsider. It’d be a crime to make Shining attend all by himself, afterall.” The solar alicorn seems dead set on having Cadence attend this year.

“That does sound tempting,” Cadence pauses while she hums in consideration. “But I don’t even have a dress and it’s way too short notice to get one made now.”

“Oh please, I’m not even dressing up for the thing. You know how much I detest formal wear. If you really want to wear something just wear your dress from your recent knighting ceremony.”

“That would kill me socially, auntie. I cannot wear that same dress again so soon!”

At that comment Force can’t help but to roll her eyes. She’s barely listening while mostly thinking of the elf and remembering last night. Even she pays full attention when suddenly Nightmare herself gives an attempt to convince Cadence. “Princess of Love, I recommend you attend. Even if we ignore all the reasons the big one listed,” Nightmare sends a side eye and a smirk towards Celestia, getting her back for the adorable comment. “I promise you that you don’t want to miss something that’s probably going to happen tonight.”

“You better watch yourself, I’ve sent ponies to the dungeon for less, Nightmare. I give her a compliment and she calls me fat, ridiculous.” Celestia takes another bite of salad and continues. “Joking aside, could you be a bit more clear about that? When you say something like that it sounds ominous. No offense.”

Nightmare just gives her a deadpan stare. “None taken. I don’t want to ruin the surprise, but I can be a bit more specific I suppose.” She looks directly at Cadence and points a hoof at her. “It’s something you specifically don’t want to miss.”

Celestia seems to understand as her expression shifts into a small smile, but Luna is still confused at what she means. Cadence on the other hand ever so subtly shifts her gaze to Luna then back to Nightmare before raising her eyebrows questioningly. Nightmare gives her a barely noticeable nod and Cadence squee’s. She dials back her excitement before speaking to not give anything away. “Fine, I guess I’ll go. You don’t have to go though Force, Shining can act as my date and my guard. With how much you seem to dislike fashion and formal events I doubt you want to go.”

“No, I was already attending. I have a little something planned for the night.” The pegasus continues to eat as her Princess stares at her silently asking her to expand on that thought.

“Interesting. Well this was a fun lunch. Force, you’re dismissed for the day, I’m going to go find Shining and let him know about my change of plans.” Cadence promptly stands up and exits the room.

Once she’s gone Luna looks at Force suspiciously. “What exactly do you have planned? As per our discussion right before your date we agreed I would be the lead mare, so if it’s related to him I feel like I should be included on this plan.”

“It’s nothing that grandiose. On our date Ignis lied and said he was planning to keep us at a forelegs length out of consideration for our feelings and how we would feel if he ended up returning to his home. He clearly is scared to do anything because he thinks he won’t be able to leave if he does. I called him out on it and tried to convince him that he shouldn’t live his life like that and I thought I got through to him, but after hearing that the two of you still weren’t in a trial herd or even courting I realized my advice didn’t stick. Originally I was planning to just straight up argue with him again.”

She lets out a sigh and continues. “Until last night happened. At this point I think he needs to realize that he isn’t going anywhere. I don’t want to keep waiting for him and I hate seeing him tear himself up like that over something that clearly isn’t possible. So I was just going to…give him a little extra push towards making that realization.”

“You are planning to give him an ultimatum? An ultimatum about the exact decision that mentally shattered him less than 24 hours ago? Force…excuse my language but that is bucking stupid. You absolutely cannot do that!” Luna starts to raise her voice a bit and Celestia and Force both widen their eyes in surprise.

“I agree with the Knight. An ultimatum might sound harsh, but I think deep down he knows he’s stuck here. It’s healthier for him to realize that sooner rather than later.” Nightmare chimes in with her insider knowledge, the eavesdropper.

“I know that! Where do you think he’s been for the last 6 hours?! He has been mentally preparing himself all day to accept that he will never see any of his loved ones or friends ever again. I refuse to pressure him into that decision and make him think that he will lose us if he doesn’t give up on his home.” Luna doesn’t raise her voice any further but her anger is still quite present.

“I agree with my sister. An ultimatum is not the correct choice here. I do think you’re moving in the right direction though. You can help him realize his situation and request a relationship without making it seem like something he has to do right now or lose you forever.” Celestia gives her opinion calmly while wiping the corner of her mouth with a tablecloth.

“I apologize for speaking candidly, but how in the world would I do that? Do I just go up to him and say, “Hey Ignis I was just wondering if you could just stay in Equestria and start a herd with me? No pressure though!”?” Force clearly growing impatient with the pushback she’s receiving.

“Basically, yes. You could probably word it a little less awkwardly, but that’s the gist of it. I think you should just continue as things are and let him come to the decision on his own, but I understand if the constant uncertainty of your relationship with him is wearing down your patience. I think the three of you should come up with something together. If you all put your minds together I’m sure you can come up with a good plan.” Celly stands up and starts to also exit the dining hall.

“Pretty sure if we put our minds together it’ll just be 3 brain cells fighting for 4th place. Also, why are you including me in this? I have no romantic interest in the bladesinger.” Nightmare gets slightly defensive while Luna and Force look at her confused because of the saying she picked up from the elf.

Celestia doesn’t respond and just leaves the room. Luna looks at the other two and gives a suggestion. “I say we take a break and reconvene in an hour in the sitting room down the hall from my bed chambers.”

Force nods and leaves but now it’s Nightmares turn to look confused. “How exactly am I supposed to take a break if I have to be escorted by you until the bladesinger retrieves me?”

“You’ve been well behaved all week and I don’t see the harm in at least letting you roam the castle. I do ask that you go find Ignis and check in on him though. I need to go find Cadence.” With that Luna leaves Nightmare alone in the dining hall as she just slowly blinks with a surprised look on her face.

“Tonight is going to be a shit show isn’t it?” Moonie quietly mutters aloud to herself.

Author's Note

Luna is best pony. Her approach to the situation they argued about at the end is by far the least toxic approach, but it also kinda is too passive for this situation. Hopefully they find a happy medium.

Their planning and the 2nd half of Ignis' inner conflict is going to be off-screened though. Next chapter we're going straight into the Gala. Probably only 3 or 4 chapters left now for season 1.

Thanks for reading!