Loona watched as Luna threw her hooves out in an angry gesture. "I am not asking you to wear tin cans!" The Princess stomped a hoof down at that thought. "You are thinking of the knights of old." She waved a guard inside the room and circled around them. "Look, it barely covers them, and only in places." She poked at the visible parts of the pony. "It is as much for display as anything else."

The guard fidgeted nervously. "Please don't poke that hard, Your Majesty," he mumbled. "Tickles something awful, see."

Loona watched with interest. "Yeah, that's a tin can to me." She reached out and knocked her knuckles against the chest plate. "That's gonna make a lot of noise in any kind of fight, plus she's right, that tickles." She pat the pony on the side of their snout. "Get out of here."

The guard saluted sharply and fled before the two could do more to her.

Luna turned to Loona. "Very well, then what do you suggest your uniform be, so others will know for whom you work for?"

"Maybe something with a little light armor. Something I can still move in, that'll turn asides blows instead of taking the whole impact myself." Loona gestured at her body. "I'm pretty fucking strong but I'd prefer not to walk around with bruises all over my ass."

"Crudely put." Luna put a hoof to her chin. "Alright then. A gambeson, in soft purples. That will be a signal and some protection, my canine guard."

Loona leaned in and nuzzled at Luna. "Thanks for not fighting me on this. And for not letting your sister murder my ass."

Luna laughed into the nuzzle. "It was the least I could do. I can't attempt to court with you should my sister succeed in murdering the creature that I am considering."

Loona huffed at that. "I told you, I'm still kinda figuring it out too."

Luna's lips pursed in a smile. "Then I shall let you do so in peace." She circled Loona. "You seemed comfortable using me as a pillow. Was that merely for the sake of sleep or comfort?"

Loona felt her cheeks darkening some at that question. "Both? Honestly, it was mostly because you were right there, and I got lonely, even if I had someone to sleep beside."

Luna hesitated at that. "That is a feeling we know well. It has been a little less sharp, of late. I won't bore you with my life's specifics, but know that I understand what it is to be alone."

Loona raised an eyebrow at that. "I think I get the gist, Luna, but still. It sounds like there's more to it than that."

Luna flapped her wings once, for emphasis. "I just said I wouldn't bore you."

Loona raised Luna's snout to face her. "I'm not bored. You're talking about your feelings, which means you're comfortable enough around me to do so." She smiled softly. "I'm happy I get to hear any part of it."

Luna let out a low huff. "If you insist." She flicked her tail, a display of stars. "I once was buried in feelings that nopony at all cared for the wonderful nights I crafted for them, that I was the useless sister to my sister's brilliance." She took a slow and heavy breath. "My sister could be rather... dismissive of my efforts. That hurt more than I can say."

Loona nodded slowly. "Yeah, I know what it feels like when you don't feel like your work matters." She rolled her eyes. "Or for your work to just be whatever someone else decides. So, what'd you do?"

Luna leaned into Loona. "It got so bad I started convincing myself that I was hated, that I should drag everypony down with me, even if it hurt them, even if it hurt me. I made quite the mess, and I paid a price for it. Still, my sister never stopped loving me, and she gave me a gift, a true gift. She showed me the art of dream diving, and with it, I connected with the ponies of the kingdom. Aside that, the nights are far more populated these days. I need not spend them alone anymore."

Loona draped her arm about Luna's withers. "I'm glad you aren't alone anymore, but you seem eager for company anyway."

Luna huffed at that. "I was doing fine, and then you came along and tempted me with something more. Company is fine, but courtship? I didn't expect that." She threw off Loona's arm just to turn and face her. "Now, about your father."

As if on cue, an equine whinny of distress sounded from where the guards were standing watch. Blitzo's voice carried well enough to reach them. "Let me see her! I know she's there, you lying pieces of—"

Luna pointed at the door. "What do I do with him?"

Loona buried her face in both hands. "Time to talk. Your sister's not very good at keeping guests still, clearly."

Blitzo stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at the two guards stationed at the door. His tail was lashing back and forth as he glared. He spun around when he heard the door open, and his eyes went wide. "There you are!" He charged right past them to grab Loona by the shoulder. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Loona rolled her eyes and brushed his hand off with hers. "Relax, dad, nothing happened." She gestured down at herself, to prove she was still dressed. "We were just talking."

"Talking? You don't talk with—" He cut himself off, smiled awkwardly at Luna, then pulled Loona a few steps back. "We have to actually finish the mission, damn it all. Now is the worst possible time to be getting laid."

Loona swatted Blitzo's hands off herself again. "Dad, I got a new job, and we're not killing her."

He blinked at that. "A new job?" A momentary pause. "How much does it pay?"

Luna stepped forward, cutting into the conversation. "I do not know if Loona has told you about my sister, but she has seen fit to give her a position as a guard."

Blitzo raised a brow at Luna. "Has she now? Well, la-dee-da! I'm rotting in a jail cell while you're becoming a pillar of the pony community!" He leaned in to whisper harshly to Loona, "Not even slightly fair! Hook your dad up! I want to be a pony guard. I'll rough up whoever looks at 'em funny."

Luna cleared her throat meaningfully, making sure he knew she could hear that. "The job comes with a uniform, so you won't be wearing that. Also, I am not certain what to do with you. You could be sent home."

Blitzo wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Home? What's waiting for me there?" His tail drooped to the ground.

Loona rolled her eyes at his theatrics. "You're being weird, as usual. Fuck, if you want to be Celestia's guard, just ask her. They seem pretty alright with just being asked upfront. Watch. Luna?"

Luna cocked an eyebrow at her companion. "What?"

Loona pointed a hand at Blitzo. "Can we keep him?"

Blitzo sputtered at that. "Hey! I am not some random thing to be kept!"

Luna put a hoof to her chin in thought. "He looks like quite the high-upkeep creature. Are you certain you are responsible enough to have him?"

"Me? Not at all, no. I just want him to stay so he doesn't do something else stupid."

Blitzo's cheeks darkened with rage at that comment. "Hey, I'm your fucking boss!"

Loona prodded him dead center of his chest. "In theory, you're my fucking dad, but I don't see you doing that all that well. You want to hang around and be with ponies, lean into this. Otherwise, why are you wasting both of our times?"

Blitzo bit his lip on a retort. "Okay, fine. I get the point." He threw his hands up. "I'll just go and ask this sister of yours if I can join her little guard detail."

Luna nodded at the two. "Since it was asked, her guards are compensated well for their time, effort, and risk. I am told the pay increases with hazard pay."

Blitzo nodded slowly. "Well, okay then. That's good to know." He looked to his daughter with a grin. "You're gonna get paid, baby girl!" He clapped her over the shoulder. "Maybe hanging around won't be so bad if we get to go home with some bling to show for it."

Loona rolled her eyes at her father's lack of tact. "Still, it might not be too terrible having you around." She looked him over. "You don't need to be in prison for the next couple days."

"Gee, thanks." He flipped her the bird even as he turned for the exit. "Now, time to go talk with the sunny pony. She seems like an agreeable sort. I'll have my spot of honor settled in no time."

Loona watched her father trot off and disappear over the horizon of the palace steps. "I really hope that was the right thing to do."

Luna reached her wing out and wrapped it around Loona. "Let him figure his own place out. My sister knows how to deal with troubling creatures of many varieties. Me, I have just one I intend on." She drew Loona closer. "I shared my past, is it not your turn?"

"Me? Ugh, there's barely anything to talk about. I'm just a hellhound." Loona brushed off that touch, but Luna kept her close with a wing. "Alright, you can't hug worth a shit. Let me do it." She drew the princess against herself, cradling her head against her chest. "Look, I was on the mean streets. We hellhounds don't rate all that high down there. A little orphan, I was waiting out the clock to just be an adult."

Luna nodded along, listening intently. She rubbed her face against that chest, nuzzling in closer. "I see, I see." She let out a breath of contentment. "And then your father came and saved you, yes?"

"Put that in the biggest quotes you got." She made air quotes to be sure of it. "He got me just before I would have graduated out, at seventeen. It was literally just a month before I'd go 18 and just walk out on my own. Still, he was so proud of his 'rescue' that I didn't want to tell him it wasn't really needed." She sighed. "Still, things were okay. I was getting used to being the I.M.P secretary, and then we started getting more jobs, and I had something to do, at least." She narrowed her eyes at the thought. "At least the coworkers seem like nice enough little imps. Hope they're okay, jerks."

Luna laughed. "I see." She closed her eyes. "You were a loner, and you wanted only to live your life undisturbed." She nodded to herself. "Makes sense. I understand that urge, and how difficult it can be when disturbed."

Loona sighed softly. "Yeah, well, I guess I could have it worse." She ruffled a hand through Luna's mane. "Still, you don't have to go out of your way to keep me around." She froze as Luna smooched her on the cheek, bringing heat to her cheeks. "Well, shit. That isn't a bad start."

Luna nuzzled her gently. "This has been a delightful visit. I look forward to the next."

"Huh? It's over?" Loona looked around with some confusion.

"I have royal duties, my dear hellhound. Our dates cannot persist through the entire evening." Luna made a gentle banishing motion with her hooves. "Return tomorrow evening. For now, the evening is yours to do with as you wish."

Loona hesitated as she left. "Thanks, for not being put off by anything I said. Honestly thought that would be a deal-breaker for you."

Luna huffed at that. "I've seen and heard stranger. Don't think of me as some delicate princess that will wilt the moment you look at her oddly."

Loona shrugged. "I don't see any other princesses around here, so that's the only thing I got to judge by, but okay. I'll be back tonight." She waved gently as she left. She nodded at the guards on the way past. "Hey, co-workers." She fired a finger gun at either.

One inclined their head. "Where is your uniform?"

Loona laughed as she stepped into the elevator. "First day. They're ordering one that fits me." The doors slid shut, ending that conversation.

She made her way back to the room she had woken in and flopped back onto the mattress. "Fuck it, this is fine. I'll just sleep here." But she wasn't quite tired yet. She reached for the phone and drew it to her ear. Almost instantly, someone picked up.

"Front desk," sang out a familiar female voice.

"Hey, you again." Loona sat up with a little smile. "Is food service still included? I could use some."

"Of course, dearie!" Twinkleshine laughed softly at the question. "I'll send some right over. The usual, or would you like a menu?"

Loona's ears flicked in surprise. "Yeah, I'd like to have something different than just whatever you guys think looks good."

"I'll send up some snacks and a menu then. Call back when you know what you want for dinner." The call ended with a click.

Loona let out a soft sigh of contentment as she fell backwards onto the mattress. "Twinkleshine isn't so bad." She lifted her head up and looked down at herself. "Well, since I have time." She hopped to her feet and made her way towards the bathroom and the shower therein. She emerged, cleaner, just in time for a soft knocking at the door.

She opened the room door to see a familiar pink-maned unicorn standing there, a cart before her. The unicorn smiled brightly. "Loona! Glad to see you are feeling better." She moved to wheel the cart in, but Loona reached down and lifted the tray. As promised, there were pretzels, chips, and something that reminded her of quesadillas. "Oh dear! I could have managed that myself."

"Thanks." Loona set the tray down and started eating her fill while Twinkleshine wheeled away the empty cart. "Hey, you're a pony of the night."

Twinkleshine paused and glanced over her shoulder. "We aim to please! Oh, the menu is next to you, if you want a proper order later. Just give us a—" The doors of the elevator had closed, cutting off her words.

Loona glanced down at the menu, taking in all the various entries listed there. Many of the names seemed fanciful to her; she didn't know what they meant. Still, they were next to images, so at least she had that. She munched on some pretzels as she placed her finger down on an option at random. "Eh, that works." She reached for the phone and dialed again.

"Front desk. How may I help you?"

Loona laughed at the sound of the voice. "You got down that fast? They don't pay you enough, Twinkle. Anyway, I'll take a number 15?" She glanced at the menu, noting that this was a pasta meal.

"Sure thing! I'll call the kitchen to put it through for you. It should be done in fifteen minutes."

"Nice, nice." She hung up the phone and stretched for the sky. "These ponies are fast when they want to be, and slow when they don't."

Still, that left her with the rest of the evening to herself. "Alright then, what's a hound to do with some time off?" She looked down at herself and realized she was still wearing just her shirt and leggings. "This only matters if I plan to go out. Do I?" She mused over her options. "Could do some dancing? Yeah, that'd be cool." She leaped to her feet and stretched for the ceiling. "That leaves me with about twelve minutes. What else can a hound do in so little time?"

She spied a television and the remote that belonged to it. She threw away those minutes browsing what Equestria had on. She jumped when knocking sounded, her meal arriving. A white pony handed over the tray, along with a soda. Loona took it all and shut herself back into the room. "Pony food tastes better." She shrugged and settled down to finish eating.

The television was still playing, some dramatic slop with ponies showing off all kinds of emotions about overly dramatic situations they found themselves in. Like a soap opera, with ponies.

"Ah, what are you doing?" Loona glanced down at the meal she was eating with a shrug. "I'm busy! I'm having dinner and watching shitty television. What else do you want from me?" She looked around, but there was no one there to hear her words. "Loona, you're talking to yourself. Cut that shit out." She finished her food in a hurry and hopped to her feet. "Let's go dancing. That'll keep my brain from getting bored."

She picked up the phone again and dialed.

"Front desk," Twinkleshine chirped, as if she hadn't been answering it every time.

"Headed out to dance."

"Have fun!" Twinkle sang into the phone. "We'll tidy up your room while you're gone."

Author's Note

Blitzo heard there's money to be had here, among the ponies. Maybe this place isn't entirely awful.

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