//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16 - Burdens 
// Story: For the New Lunar Republic 
// by Moxypony 
//------------------------------//

	Cities were no problem, Moxi had lived in Manehattan for most of her life, but Sugarcube Acres was something else entirely. From time to time she could recognize the remnants of what were once simple village structures, but the far newer structures of white marble, tinged with a faint pink glow, dominated the landscape. The angular sterile design of Manehattan could have done nothing to prepare her for the curves and slopes she found as she attempted to traverse the temple city. The layout was all that it sacrificed in sterility, however, as unlike the streets and alleys of Manehattan, the temple-city’s walls remained unmarred by taggers and vandals, remaining in the same pristine condition as when they’d first been laid. 
The curving streets were lined with foreign-looking trees and gas lanterns which would no doubt keep the city illuminated in a few hours when the sun had set and Luna regained her dominance over the skies. Every now and then, Moxi found herself before larger than life statues on decorative plinths, golden plaques at their base marking them as recognition for wise ponies of ages past and more recent members of the Order who had done some great service or another for Equestria.
As Moxi walked along the smooth stone walkways, she passed a number of ponies clothed in fine robes of the same white and gold coloring as the Priestess Dewdrop’s had been. She considered stopping them to ask after the emissary, but decided against it, there was nothing to be gained from that, and who knew how long Dreamcatcher would be occupied at Sweet Apple Acres. She oriented herself and took the street nearest which would take her to the south side of the city. 

Moxi hadn’t been traveling for long at all when she was reassured that she’d taken the right direction. Upon reaching a high wall of the same immaculate marble as the rest of the city, she found new decorations upon the walls and buildings there. Most every structure in this part of the city hung a flag of the New Lunar Republic. As she entered the district, a number of wary looking ponies eyed her suspiciously, though none stopped her to talk. 
Moxi reached the center of the district and found a circular courtyard with a glorious fountain at its center, featuring a perfect statue of Princess Luna, staring boldly into the distance. A priestess approached from Moxi’s right as she stared up into the statue’s eyes, the priestess tossed a few shining bits into the fountain and bowed her head, her eyes closed, muttering under her breath. “Excuse me,” Moxi piped up, drawing the eye of the priestess, “what are you doing?”
“A prayer, child,” the priestess replied, turning heavy eyes back to the statue, “that the night might bring peace one more.”
“You pray while we do all the work,” came a gruff voice from behind them. The priestess quickly stifled a scowl as she turned to face the pony approaching them from behind. The priestess stared at the newcomer, an orange pegasus with scars down the left side of his face, and gave him a quick bow. “As you say, brother,” she said, her voice neutral, and with that, she walked away. Moxi noted that her movements seemed rather stiff. 
“Don’t mind her,” said the pegasus, turning to smile at Moxi, “the locals tend to be a bit uptight, but they’re generally good ponies. I just wish they’d see that all their prayers are going to be for nothing if Celestia regains full control of Equestria.” He looked closer at her face and Moxi saw his mouth drop open in utter shock, “Moxi!?”
Taken aback, Moxi looked him over, she didn’t recognize him as any member of the 32nd she’d worked with. It was only after a few awkward moments Moxi realized where exactly it was that she knew him from. “Wildfire!” she exclaimed, embracing her old friend, “I haven’t seen you since Chillwind and I left town. That was over ten years ago!” Simply speaking Chillwind’s name immediately brought tears to Moxi’s eyes, and she was glad that with her head over his shoulder, Wildfire could not see her crying. 
Wildfire squeezed her back. “It’s so good to see you,” he said, “I had heard old Chillwind joined up with the SpecOps Devision a while back, I didn’t know you’d signed up along with her.” He stepped back and looked around, “Is she here with you? I’d love a chance to catch up with both of you. You two left town so quick, we never even had a chance to say goodbye!”
When Wildfire turned back to meet Moxi’s eyes, his exuberant expression fell at the sight of her tearful expression. “Chillwind…” she spoke through oncoming sobs, “s-she… I couldn’t…”
Wildfire’s eyes widened and he immediately moved to embrace her, squeezing her tight and whispering softly in her ear, “Oh, Moxi… I’m so sorry… Is there anything I can do for you?”
Moxi sobbed openly into his shoulder for a moment before stammering back, “w-well there is one thing…”

****************************************************************************************************


“We’re all glad to see you again, sugarcube,” said Applejack, placing a glass of cider down in front of Dreamcatcher, “but we’ve been hearing some mighty disturbing news since you and Rainbow ran off to join the war…”
Dreamcatcher took a sip of his cider before speaking. Applejack’s office was well lit, even in the dwindling twilight sun, she sat opposite him across a sturdy table of polished apple tree wood. Big Macintosh and Applebloom stood beside the door, Dreamcatcher felt it strange how much more threatened he felt here, surrounded by his old friends, than he had in Doolit’s den, maybe it was just because Big Macintosh could crush him without even noticing.
“Well if there’s anything I can do to lay your fears to rest, AJ,” he said, smiling up at her from across the table, “I’d be more than happy to do so.” 
“The best thing you could do is to leave.” Applejack spoke so bluntly that Dreamcatcher heard Applebloom splutter behind them, “Ah’m sorry to have to be so rude, Catch, it’s just that we’ve managed to maintain peace ‘round these parts for a while, and we can’t have you bringing down Celestia’s wrath.”
“You’ve managed to survive this long while harboring NLR soldiers in the city,” he remarked, hiding his surprise at her sudden brashness, “what makes you think that I’d be a threat to your peace?”
“Because we all know you’re not an average soldier, Dreamcatcher,” came a voice from behind them, Dreamcatcher turned to see the same priestess who had come as an emissary to the NLR in an attempt to broker peace on a global scale. In deference to her position, Dreamcatcher stood and bowed to the high priestess, all three of the Apple family ponies did the same. 
“High priestess,” Dreamcatcher spoke, his face to the ground, “it’s an honor.”
The pink pony smiled at them all and spoke in a soft voice, “Please, I don’t need any such treatment from any of you, you are all my friends, and to you I will always just be Pinkie Pie. Now please, stand up and let us speak.” Pinkie Pie approached the seat beside Dreamcatcher’s, but Applejack immediately stood to offer the priestess pony her own chair. Pinkie began to object, but after seeing the determination on Applejack’s face, she chose to expedite things by simply accepting.
“Now,” she said, settling herself into AJ’s chair while its former occupant took up the seat beside Dreamcatcher, “We have been able to maintain peace here because we have made it clear we will not allow our position to be used as a staging ground for any attacks. Celestia has deemed it more prudent to allow our Order to exist for the time being than to enrage the general populace by initiating martial law on a religious order. However, from the reports we have gathered, you have not been applying to the rules, Catcher, and nor has the one who’s been hunting you, a certain noble by the name of Radiant Sol?”
“You seem well informed,” Dreamcatcher frowned, the sudden memory of leaving the noble in the burning lab renewed in his memory… had they passed the unconscious figure on their way out?  “I’d have expected nothing less from the head of Sugarcube Acres,” he added, quickly hiding his discomfort, “yes, the noble has been hunting us for some time, but it’s nothing Moxi and I can’t handle.”
“The filly from the 32nd base camp?” Pinkie said, a smile touching her eyes, “I’m glad to hear she is still well, I worried for the poor dear.”
“As well you should have,” Dreamcatcher shook his head, “the first leg of her journey has met an end, and it certainly wasn’t the one she was hoping for, but I have faith she’ll pull through, she’s a tough one, even if she herself doesn’t realize it.”
“We’re gettin’ off topic here,” Applejack interrupted, “point is, you’re clearly a high priority target o’ Celestia’s. Our peace here ain’t exactly set in stone, we can’t run the risk o’ you bringing down the Empire’s wrath on us.”
“We don’t plan to stay here long,” Dreamcatcher said, looking between AJ and Pinkie, “but Moxi and I got separated from the main force, we need to find out where they are so we can report back in. The only way we thought to do that was to rendezvous with some other members of the NLR.”
“And your first thought,” Applejack growled, “was to jeopardize the only peaceful area in Equestria?” 
“My first thought,” Catcher shot back, “was that the movement of the Republic’s soldiers is kept secret except in times of direct combat, which is harder to predict than Sugarcube Acres.”
“Please,” Pinkie Pie raised a hoof to calm the arguing ponies, “there is enough conflict outside without bringing more conflict within. Dreamcatcher did what he thought was right, I’m sure. Just as I am sure he will respect our wishes and be on his way as soon as he is able.” She turned to face him directly, her smile miles away from her eyes, “Right, Catcher?”
“Of course,” he replied after a short pause, turning back to AJ, “We will speak with the local members of the NLR. With any luck, they’ll put us in contact with Luna and we’ll be out of here in the morning.”
Applejack nodded her consent and Pinkie Pie clapped her hooves together, “Excellent! Now, I’m sure your partner is waiting for you, you’d best go find her. There are lodgings for members of the NLR in the southern region of the city, I’m sure your comrades will be able to lead you to them.”
Dreamcatcher nodded and stood to make his exit, as he pushed open the door he heard Applejack speak from behind him, “Hey, Dreamcatcher…” he turned to face her, her expression was somber as she eyed him back, “it’s good to see you  again… Ah’m sorry it couldn’t have been under better circumstances.”
“Yeah,” Dreamcatcher muttered in reply, pushing his way out the door and back onto the farm grounds, “we all are...”


Dreamcatcher eyed the temple city with mild interest, he’d been aware of its construction, but hadn’t been back in so long that it literally looked nothing like it had when he’d last seen it. He found the NLR quarter without much trouble and began searching around immediately for Moxi. When he arrived at the central courtyard, he truly found a reason to marvel at the new city in the statue of Luna. 
“I’m amazed Celestia hasn’t rolled in here to dismantle this,” Dreamcatcher said, hearing somepony approaching him from behind.
“The Solar Empire soldiers have tried to tear it down a few times,” came a soft female voice, he turned to face a yellow unicorn, her uniform marked her as a member of the Equestrian Peace Corps, “same with the Republic soldiers and the statue of Celestia in the Solar Empire’s quarter. Even in these peaceful lands, the anger and hatred cannot be forgotten.”
Dreamcatcher frowned thoughtfully. “Have you seen a white pegasus,” he asked of the unicorn, “with glasses and a scarf around here?”
“I have, yes,” she replied, and she tilted her head to a brightly lit building, “I believe she’s in there, socializing with the rest of the soldiers.” 
“Thank you,” Dreamcatcher said and he walked to the building she’d indicated, he looked up to the sign above the door which read The Barley and Bridle. A tavern name if he’d ever seen one, he braced himself and entered the room filled with heat and the stink of alcohol. 
A group of ponies stood in the corner, drunkenly singing songs which praised the New Lunar Republic and demonized the Holy Solar Empire. He scanned the bar, there was a wet bar against one wall, and opposite that a set of raised platforms in a U-shape upon which a number of exotic dancers plied their trade, garnering tossed bits from the gathered soldiers at the foot of the platform. It was here that Dreamcatcher found Moxi. She sat on a stool, gazing up at one of the dancers, her glasses were fogged and sat skewed on her face, and she swayed slightly on the spot. Dreamcatcher looked down at the table on which her hoof was resting and saw a glass half filled with brown liquid.
He silently swore and approached her. “Moxi,” he said, grabbing her roughly by the shoulder, “what are you doing!?”
“Hey,” said an orange colored pegasus beside her, standing and staring Catcher down, “leave her alone!”
“Are you the one who brought her here?” Dreamcatcher reeled on the pegasus.
“So what if I am?” he shot back, “You got any idea what this poor girl’s been through!? She wanted to forget her troubles for a bit, so that’s what she’s gonna do!”
Dreamcatcher took a swing at the orange pegasus, only to find his hoof blocked by Moxi’s. “Let ‘im be, Catch,” she slurred, “he’sh jusht tryin’ to help me out…”
“Moxi!” Catcher cried, “You can’t be serious! You finally got over this! You can’t just let yourself slip back into the temptation again!”
“Why not?” she shot back, her eyes focusing, locking in on his with an expression of pain-fuelled rage, “What the FUCK have I got left to lose, Catch!?” 
“Moxi, this isn’t you talking,” Catcher pleaded, “this is the drink, now please, come with me, we’ll get you some water and some sleep.” 
“Fuck off, Dreamcatcher,” she growled, turning back to her drink, “Wildfire’s right, you’ve got no idea what I’ve been through.” 
A red haze overtook Dreamcatcher’s vision, and before he knew what was happening, he raised a hoof and swung down at Moxi’s cheek, the nimble pegasus dropped backward off of her stool, rolling back onto her hooves as Dreamcatcher’s struck the heavy wooden bartop. “You don’t think she meant anything to me!?” he shouted, ducking a kick from Moxi before returning a couple of his own, “I may not have been in love with her, but she was still my partner! I still loved her like a sister! Don’t you dare try to claim that she meant nothing to me!”
“Big pony,” Moxi taunted, dodging his kicks and sweeping his legs out from under him in the same move, “you think you know loss!? Just because you lost a sister!? I just lost my whole WORLD! I have nothing left to lose now!” She pounced on top of  Dreamcatcher, but the Earth Pony managed to wedge his back legs between them and in a rolling maneuver he pushed her off of his body just as she landed. 
Dreamcatcher got to his hooves and turned to face Moxi, who quickly regained her footing and stood at a fighting stance, “You still have your life, Moxi. And you still have Luna and the NLR… and you still have me.” He sneered at her and turned to walk out of the bar, “but I guess we’re just not important enough for you.”
As Dreamcatcher left the bar, Moxi stood panting, her head pounding with fury, but after a few moments, the adrenaline began to abate, she stared around the bar, most ponies were staring wide-eyed at her, a couple in the back were exchanging money, and all the dancers on the platforms looked terrified, and with a heavy sigh Moxi placed a few bits on the table before exiting the bar herself.


Dreamcatcher lay atop his bedsheets, unable to sleep. The local inn had given him one of the rooms the NLR had on permanent reserve, it was warm and comfortable, but he still couldn’t find peace. “Damnit, Moxi,” he swore to himself, “what’re you doing to yourself?”
As if in answer to his question, the door to his room opened, and Moxi stepped in. Catcher tensed himself, preparing for if the pegasus was looking to continue their fight. She stood beside the bed, swaying slightly before lowering her head and pressing her forehead gently against his. “I’m sorry, Catch,” she said, her voice shaky, Dreamcatcher felt a couple of tears land on his face. 
In response, he scooted over on the bed, leaving room for Moxi to join him. She accepted his offer, lying down beside him atop the soft, warm bed, and within moments she was fast asleep. Dreamcatcher once more eyed the satchel in the corner of his room which held his dream catcher, but shook his head dismissively. “Not everything needs to be solved by magic,” he muttered, running a hoof over Moxi’s soft, violet mane, “sometimes, it just takes a good friend.”