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// Misery Loves Company 
// Story: Starlit Knights 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
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Chapter Eighteen: Misery Loves Company
~BlackRoseRaven

That night, Luna rose the moon and banished the dark clouds that lingered in the wild skies with both magic and help of the Pegasi. Their encampment was protected by simple barricades, several large bonfires, and patrols that would trade shifts during the night… but Luna wanted to take every precaution possible to keep her soldiers safe over the course of the long first night of their journey.
The caravan had pulled off the main road and into an empty stretch of weed-riddled field: Luna had carefully scouted out the spot with the vanguard, checking first for Bitterweaver nests and the presence of other vermin, but they were on a fairly-desolate stretch of land. There were craggy copses of trees here and there from which they gathered plenty of wood, and a few ugly ferns and plenty of weeds… but little else for a few miles ahead. In the far distance, there was a flickering of lights that could be a small city… but it could easily be a thousand other things, a mirage as possible as anything else.
They had made good time despite everything, and Luna had also sent Twilight’s parents back to Canterlot with an escort of five Pegasus Guard after treating them with some of Zecora’s elixir: the small group of soldiers would attempt to catch up to the caravan sometime tomorrow, and the winged unicorn was pleased with their loyalty and their dedication. She was now officially glad to have their support on the journey, and was glad to watch them working on equal ground with both Starlit Knights and minotaurs.
The wagons were set up in a rough semicircle, forming a protective wall that guarded them from the road, the main encampment set up around this… but Luna had pitched her own tent some forty feet from where the soldiers were grouped, claiming it was because she was being targeted by Ignominious and would prefer his assassins coming straight to her. In reality, it was because she wanted privacy… and because despite everything, despite their loyalty and friendship… it still felt like there was a distinct division in the camp, as many of the Starlit Knights clustered together in the large green troop tents to sleep.
Ponies of the day… and here and she and Scrivener Blooms rested quietly in front of a blue, flickering fire, creatures of the night. The eldritch flames burned low, needing little substance… but Luna threw another log into the fire anyway, shaking her head and murmuring: “It has been a long day, has it not?”
“Yeah.” Scrivy said softly, then he glanced quietly over his shoulder towards their tent, at the unused sleeping mats and sheets, before he returned his eyes to Luna… and she smiled a little at him before climbing to her hooves, walking over, and dropping herself beside him, the two curling their bodies close as Luna closed her eyes as the male wrapped his foreleg around her. “Luna…”
“Say it not, Scrivy, ‘tis not important now. What is important is that we have made it through, we are together. And we shall always be together… as equals.” She emphasized the last word, opening her cyan eyes to gaze towards him quietly, and Scrivy smiled a little before she kissed the side of his neck, then buried her face against his mane. “Thou art always there for me. Even as these other ponies sleep and expect me to protect them with all the powers of the night, thou still art there for me.”
“Mind if I join you two, or am I interrupting?” asked a dry voice, and Luna and Scrivy both glanced up with surprise as Pinkamena all-but-materialized out of the shadows, sniffing disdainfully and flopping herself down beside the fire, jerking her head moodily back at the brighter-lit main camp. “Sparkles and her pals are all having a nice time over there, talking and laughing. They were nice to me for all of thirty seconds, then they were ignoring me and all clustering around sissy. Real nice to fit in, ain’t it? Real freaking wonderful.”
“You’re as bitter as me.” Scrivy said mildly, and when the female grunted and shrugged, he leaned backwards towards a discarded satchel bag, pulling an apple out of it and tossing it to her, and Pinkamena caught it in her jaws and then chomped down, juice and chunks of apple exploding in all directions as the male winced. “And impatient as Luna.”
Pinkamena chewed loudly, then swallowed thickly before spitting out the stem and a few pieces of apple core, saying distastefully: “We need better food. I hate candy and sweets and vegetables. I want some meat, is that really too much to ask? And a little respect would be nice, but good luck getting that from anypony around here.”
She stopped, looking moodily into the blue fire before her eyes flicked to the side as Sammy scuttled out of the darkness and looked at her curiously, and then she sighed and rolled onto her side, reaching a hoof out to grab the skeletal beast and yank him close, Scrivy grimacing a bit as his pet squawked… but Pinkamena only began to toy her hooves along his ribs, muttering: “You both know what’ll happen after this is all over, right? The freaks like us are going to relegated back into their dungeons… they’ll probably lock me up in the asylum, and maybe you two will join me there if you’re lucky. We’ll have mashed potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and fifteen minutes of time a day in the yard between being locked up in our cells, muzzled and collared.
“Or, hell, maybe Princess Sunshine will just throw you in the dungeon or execute you. She’s Queen now, after all, and she can do anything she wants… look how quick ponies are to listen to her, they still believe all the happy stories about her, no matter who or what tells ‘em different. What’s to stop her from doing whatever the hell she wants?” Pinkamena glanced up moodily, then she shook her head slowly as she sighed and tickled her hoof down Sammy’s spine, feeling out the vertebrae. “I’m jealous of this little thing here. I could smash him to bits, and he could probably piece himself back together, just like the Velites. I wish someone would smash me to bits, so I could try and put myself back together, and maybe do it right this time…”
She fell silent for a few moments as the two ponies studied her, then she sat up suddenly and swatted the pseudodragon, making him squeak before he scurried over to Scrivy, jumping up on top of him and glaring distrustfully past his head. “So what did you two see when Ignominious scared you both? It wasn’t Nightmare Moon, and it wasn’t Celestia… things you should be scared of. But hell, when I think of what scares me most…”
Pinkamena fell silent, then she looked over at the two flatly, waiting impatiently for them to respond as Scrivy and Luna shared a look… and then Luna said softly, slowly: “If thou must know… it was Scrivener Blooms rejecting me. Just as Scrivy saw… what he coined his ‘inner weakness.’”
“Yeah, he’s a real goddamn terrifying pony for a s-” Pinkamena caught herself at the last moment as Luna’s eyes began to narrow, and the dull pink pony held up her hooves, closing her eyes and looking almost serene for a moment, her coat shimmering like dried blood in the light of the unnatural flames. “I didn’t say it. Still, goes to show emotions… make no goddamn sense. I hate you two as much as I like you two, for being able to make each other happy. The only thing that makes me happy is wrath and destruction.”
She stopped, then dropped back down on her side with a grumble, muttering: “Stupid goddamn parents. I don’t get how sissy can still care about them. They threw us out… they never loved us. They called us sick, they were the sick ones…”
She continued in this vein for a little while, then fell quiet before looking up at the night sky… then she made a face over her shoulder at the sound of approaching hooves, saying distastefully: “Oh look, it’s little miss popular. What, have your friends gone to bed so now you need to get your fix here?”
“It’s good to see you too, Pinkamena.” Twilight Sparkle said softly, and she stepped forwards and gently touched her shoulder, adding awkwardly: “Pinkie Pie… wanted you to stop in and say goodnight to her at some point. She’s sharing a tent with Rarity so… please be nice.”
“God I hate her sometimes. Fine, better go tuck sissy in or she’ll have stupid nightmares.” Pinkamena grumbled a bit as she stood up, then she frowned at the look Twilight gave her, asking rudely: “Is there something more wrong with my face than there is with yours, X?”
Twilight grimaced at this, self-consciously reaching up to touch at the thin scars over her features… but then she only smiled a little and said quietly: “You make it sound like you were twins, not the same pony… and like you’ve been doing this for years.”
Pinkamena snorted at this, turning and striding into the darkness… and then she halted, her eyes seeming to glow quietly as she looked over her shoulder, blue motes in the shadows beyond the campfire as she said quietly: “Maybe I have been. Mom and Pop lied about watching out for us, angels don’t look down at us from Heaven with anything but scorn, and ‘friends’ only watch out for you as long as you got something you can offer them in return… so someone had to do it. Simple as that.”
Then she turned and strode off into the shadows, and Twilight gazed after her quietly for a moment before she shook her head slowly, then smiled a little over at Luna and Scrivener Blooms as they both looked up at her with small smiles of their own, the violet pony quietly making her way around the fire to lay down next to Luna as she dropped her head against her shoulder and murmured: “Thank you for helping me today. For… making sure my parents would get back home safe, and for… I don’t know, for everything. It means a lot to me… that you’re always there. That you’re both… always there.” 
She quieted, then smiled a little when Luna kissed her forehead gently and said kindly: “Relax now, Twilight Sparkle, and ‘twas the least we could do… I am only sorry that the ambush was so… rough upon us both. Ignominious was better prepared than I anticipated, and not even I expected him to stoop so low as to kidnap thy parents to use as bargaining tools… we are only fortunate that Pinkamena was able to disrupt him and free us from the illusions.”
“They were horrible.” Twilight murmured, shuddering a little as she glanced away… and then she shook her head slowly and rested a little closer against Luna, saying quietly: “The visions I had… I guess that part of me will always… be a little afraid of Celestia. Of what Celestia can do…”
“Thou art not the only one who fears such, Twilight… I believe even Celestia is wary of that proud part of herself.” Luna smiled despite herself, nodding slowly before she looked down and said quietly: “Perhaps ‘tis why in part she was not as… disturbed, by the thought of dredging through past memories as I was. But fear not, either way… those days are Celestia’s past, and the illusions are faded and gone. Ignominious will not attempt the same wicked spell upon us again and we shall be better prepared for him, the next time he moves against us.”
Twilight nodded slowly, looking down with a grimace as she murmured: “He must really hate you, Luna… to have crawled up out of Helheim, and… how do we fight him? He seems to be invulnerable… no matter what we do to him, he keeps… coming back.”
Luna laughed a little at this, saying softly: “Then we shall only continue to fight him until he must stop. Nothing is invulnerable, Twilight… but pray tell, what truly weighs upon thy mind at this juncture? If thou does not mind me saying so, thou has a look upon thy face that is… awkward and eager all at once.”
Twilight blushed a bit at this, shrugging a little and glancing down for a moment, then she looked up with a smile and said finally: “I just feel… a little strange, a little silly. It’s hard to describe…” She looked down thoughtfully, nodding to herself as Scrivy and Luna both studied her curiously. “I spent my whole life thinking with my head. Studying books… living in theory. You helped me… live in real life, even when real life was scary, and I’m so thankful for that now, for these experiences you’ve given me. I lived by the rules of others, and now I feel… free, and like… I’m really doing something to help.”
She glanced down quietly and laughed a little as the Element of Magic gave a quiet thrum, Luna looking at this curiously as the purple gemstone glowed before settling… and then Twilight smiled embarrassedly as she snuggled herself a bit closer before murmuring: “No regrets about what wasn’t done, right? Better to live and share with others, whatever may come… no matter what happens.”
She closed her eyes, and Luna smiled softly, nodding slowly, comfortable between the two ponies she cherished as she curled back against Scrivener Blooms and let one of her forelegs and wings drape gently over Twilight, and there was no more need for words in the comfortable silence that followed.

Scrivy yawned as he emerged from the tent to find Luna humming cheerfully to herself: it was still dark morning, the moon hovering moodily above the horizon and sunrise no longer a distant dream, and the male couldn’t help but smile as he watched the winged unicorn set a scorched kettle on some metal netting she had strung across the top of the blue flames, saying quietly: “You actually look comfortable out here. In the kitchen I’m always reminding you not to do this or that.”
“Shut up, Scrivy.” Luna replied, but it was affectionate as she arranged a few mugs on a nearby rock, bags of tea already resting in each. “Is Twilight still asleep?” 
“Yeah, but everything probably caught up to her.” Scrivener replied softly, glancing back towards their tent with an awkward smile before he strode over to Luna and kissed her cheek gently, and she laughed quietly before giving him a warm look. “You’re a very evil little winged unicorn, you know that?”
“Oh, quiet. Enjoyments must be taken where they can in this life.” Luna snorted in amusement all the same, however, glancing towards the campsite meditatively. “Speaking of which, I am tempted to go and rouse the soldiers with the traditional Canterlot voice, or perhaps by permitting Nightmare Moon to have a little fun and freedom. What does thou think?”
“I think you’re evil and insane. But I like that. Still, let them sleep until the sun rises, Luna, they did well yesterday and if we keep up a good pace today, by tonight we may reach Charger’s Crossing.” Scrivener paused meditatively, absently adjusting his glasses and rolling his bare shoulders. “You know, as long as nothing goes sour… we have two cities to pass through on the way, don’t we?”
“Thou should know better than I, the last time I strode upon this path was many years ago… and the settlements I knew have fallen into demolished ruins hidden from the eyes of most, while new villages and cities have sprung up in locales more fitting for a race of peace-dwelling ponies.” Luna shook her head with a small smile all the same, saying quietly: “In any event, thou knows well what lays ahead… thou art just doing that annoying thing where thou seeks yet again my reassurance that everything will be okay. And Scrivy… everything will be. Thou has my promise on that.”
She looked at him softly, reaching up to quietly stroke his face, and Scrivy gave an awkward smile to her before he nodded slowly. Then Luna smiled back, adding easily: “And besides. If we are met with trouble at the end of this path, then we shall simply burn it all down. A simple answer for a simple problem. There is poetry in it, is there not?”
“There’s poetry in everything, Luna, but that doesn’t mean you should write poems about it.” Scrivener replied mildly, shaking his head but smiling wider all the same. “And most people want to read about the normal, not about… well… the kinds of things you enjoy.”
“Bah, nonsense. While I may not be boldly praising the open-mindedness of ponies, there’s always another who will share thine own view and pleasures, no matter how strange and alien they may seem… and forget not the example of sleeping beauty in the tent, who goes to show that under the right circumstances and duress even a rather… stuffy pony can be encouraged into deeper waters.” Luna replied with a wink, and Scrivy snorted in amusement. “Oh, shush. Wretched complainer and tester of patience.”
“Arrogant, greedy Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener Blooms replied with a slight smile as they leaned towards one another, and they shared a short, gentle kiss for a moment before pulling apart, gazing affectionately into one another’s eyes.
Then they both glanced up at the sound of a throat clearing to see Discombobulation standing on the other side of the fire, looking at them moodily with his hands behind his back. “Tell me, when is a door not a door?”
The two simply looked at the Draconequus, and then he leaned forwards and pointed at the tent, saying in a surly voice: “When it’s the flap to your tent, which leads into a wretched hive of scum and villainy.” 
“Wait, wait, wait, I know I know that line.” Scrivy said flatly, holding up a hoof, and Discombobulation huffed at this and crossed his arms.
“You are a liar, Luna. I made it up. Just now.” he retorted, glancing away, but Scrivener only snorted at this and rolled his eyes. 
“No you didn’t, you just took a bad riddle and mashed it into some other pop culture reference. But Luna and I are innocent, for a change.” Scrivy replied mildly… and then Twilight walked out of the tent, looking blearily up at the Draconequus and frowning a bit at him as Discombobulation leaned slowly down, long neck craning until his nose almost touched Scrivy’s as the male cleared his throat. “On a different subject, you seem unnecessarily protective of Twilight Sparkle, but I should let you know that Luna’s already taken that job.”
“Yes, but this is very entertaining, all the same.” Luna said positively, and she glanced towards the kettle, her horn glowing as she lifted it free from the fire and poured hot water into the mugs before setting the kettle aside on one of the rocks around the fire pit. “Will thou join us for tea, Bob?”
Discombobulation looked at Luna distrustfully as Scrivy shot her a glower, but then he shrugged and nodded after a moment, saying meditatively. “Very well.” With that, the creature sat back on thin air next to the fire and held up a hand, and a mug of some steaming substance appeared in his grip as he added distastefully: “I suppose it’s true what they say. A stallion can be happy with any mare, as long as he does not love her. Bigamy is having one wife too many… monogamy is the same.”
Luna and Twilight both glared at him, even as Discombobulation sipped at his mug, which rattled strangely… and as he lowered it, a few tiny, metallic-looking T’s dripped down the side, semisolid and watery. For a moment, Scrivy looked at this… and then he replied dryly: “Do you really think it is weakness that yields to temptation? I tell you that there are terrible temptations which it requires strength and courage to yield to.”
Discombobulation cleared his throat violently at this, looking awkwardly away, and Scrivener leaned back, giving him a superior look as he said triumphantly: “Ex-Court Poet, Bob. I’m not letting you slip a literary reference or two past me again.”
“I’m so proud you’re so proud of yourself.” Discombobulation sipped from his mug of T’s again, looking distastefully down at him before he winced when Twilight walked over and glared up at him. “Oh, now what? You wanted me to protect you, is that not correct? I’ve watched plenty of sitcoms. This is protectiveness: interfering with other pony’s personal affairs, telling them you know what’s better than they do often while having bias against any and all such situations. I also have several lectures prepared on drugs, alcohol use, and religion. Would you like to hear them? I’m sure it will help pass the time as the world turns.”
“Then where were you when my parents were in danger? I needed your help, Discombobulation… why didn’t you come and actually help us?” Twilight snapped, glaring up at him challengingly, but the Draconequus only looked patiently back down at her. “Well?”
“If you had actually needed me, I would have been there, and had I not shown up when needed you and your parents and your friends would be dead: need is necessity, need is not want. You wanted me there, you wanted me to help you, and fight beside you, and while I have to listen to an order you never ordered me, only longed for my aid.” Discombobulation sipped at his mug again, looking down at her with strange kindness even as Twilight glared at him. “We often want what we don’t need, Twilight Sparkle. If I start giving you what you want on a regular basis, then one day I might not be able to give you what you need, and then we’ll all end up somewhere awful, like a dungeon or Helheim or Loki forbid, in that tent together.”
Discombobulation shuddered at this, hugging himself for a moment, and Twilight frowned a bit at the Draconequus before she leaned forwards and asked quietly: “Why didn’t you help, though, all the same? It wasn’t like I wanted help with something small… they could have killed us. If one thing had gone wrong…”
“And my presence could have worsened things as well.” Discombobulation shrugged, saying meditatively: “The path not taken may look so much more appealing, Twilight Sparkle, but how do you know what it holds if you didn’t walk down it? Rain, rain, go away, come again another day… what if the rain hadn’t come today? Maybe children would come out to play. In the dry heat, beneath the sun, they’ll laugh and have all kinds of fun, until one of them goes and drops his ball, he chases it into the road without thinking at all.” A pause, a sharp, sour smile as he snapped his fingers. “Pop goes the weasel.”
Twilight winced, and then she looked moodily up at him when he reached out and patted her gently on the head.  “Turn that frown upside down, Twilight Sparkle. Your face may freeze that way, and you’re already cold enough as it is.”
Twilight grumbled under her breath, then she sighed and took the mug of tea that Luna offered her, catching it with her own telekinesis as it floated towards her before she looked up at Discombobulation and said dryly: “Then let’s set some ground rules. One is if we’re attacked by something… try and help, okay? Two, please stay out of my… personal life.”
“How does one possess a personal life, anyway? How is life a personal thing to a personal person? We share it with everything we meet every day.” Discombobulation said meditatively, swirling his cup of T’s. “Personally, I can wish for a personal life of my own, but personally only applies to me personally… and the moment I express it, doesn’t that affect your person as well? My words, traveling into your mind, meant as a personal opinion or not are no longer personal, but shared. Sharing is caring, and knowing is half the battle, but when do both of those things become too much, too far?”
The ponies looked at him for a few moments, and then Luna sipped slowly at her own tea before saying mildly: “Come, Scrivener Blooms, let us lower the moon. Bob is begging for a beating and my hooves itch to give it to him, but I know my strength is better saved for other matters.”
Scrivener nodded, taking a sip of his own mug before he put this aside as he turned to follow Luna, before both ponies glared over their shoulders as Discombobulation called mildly: “Worry not, Scrivener Blooms and Luna. Twilight insists that if you’re ambushed, I should hurriedly get in the way and make a nuisance of myself.”
Then they both winced as Twilight glared at him and the mug in the Draconequus’s hand exploded, splattering him with semi-liquid T’s that dripped slowly down his body and face as a surly look spread over his features, glowering moodily down at her. Luna, however, grinned as she turned around, muttering in a strangely-pleased voice: “I think that yet Twilight may learn to do as I do, and simply pummel that which annoys her into cooperation.”
“Because I really need two ponies all too eager to beat me into listening to them around.” Scrivy remarked dryly, and Luna nodded thoughtfully as the pair quietly made their way a short distance away from the encampment. They sat together, the burning blue fire a hundred feet behind them, tundra and a few ratty trees the only things around them as they both looked up at the moon with matching smiles, their breathing falling in time, their eyes closing, their bodies tensing, then relaxing as they arched their backs…
And as the moon lowered, both of them released sighs in time as strange memories whispered through their minds, of vast fields and valleys, of a proud people that strode through these and coursers that charged forwards, of weapons clashing and earth rumbling… and then their eyes snapped open in time as the sun rose to their backs, and in the golden light, they saw a magnificent hall that laid out before them, glinting gold and beautiful…
Then the memories were gone, as soon as they had come, and Scrivy winced as he looked over at Luna… but she only smiled faintly and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “The strangest things trigger these lapses, my husband… I wonder if it is the same for Celestia… I wonder what it means, and most of all, I fear they are an omen, a warning, for what lays ahead. Ignominious, at least, did not seem aware of this… I know not what to call it, Scrivy. Is it a failing that I do not remember my past as… this ‘Brynhild?’ Or is it perhaps a secret blessing…”
She shook her head slowly, looking down thoughtfully before gazing up and saying quietly: “Either way, though, it is of no matter. We must awaken the troops who have not yet been roused, and prepare to move out to make the most of today. I believe I will rearrange the vanguard once more as well… I would like to have Pinkamena up front with us, where she will cause the least amount of trouble and be at her most useful. She is an excellent ally to have, after all, even if she is not eager to count herself as ‘friend’ to us in the same breath.”
“I don’t know about that, Luna. I think she hates herself a lot more than she hates us, however she acts.” Scrivy said softly, and Luna gave him a thoughtful look at this before nodding slowly as their eyes met, sharing thoughts and emotions back and forth before he smiled at her slightly. “But that’s all to be figured out later, right? Come on, we better make sure Twilight hasn’t murdered Discombobulation yet… besides, it seems like you’re eager to ask him a question or two yourself.”
“Aye, I am, I only know not how to address the creature.” Luna nodded as they both turned to head back towards the campsite… and then both of them winced when Discombobulation’s head leaned down out of thin air, neck sticking out of a glowing rip in reality. “Creature!”
“Scrivener Blooms!” Discombobulation retorted, and then he winced when Luna leaned forwards and glared at him, her horn giving a sharp pulse before his head was knocked in reverse through the portal… and in the distance, the tall frame of the Draconequus toppled backwards as his head whiplashed violently, almost falling on top of Twilight.
Luna grumbled under her breath as she and Scrivy quickly headed back to the campsite, arriving to find the chimerical being once more standing and brushing dust off himself as he said disdainfully: “It seems you have little problem addressing me in all sorts of ways, Scrivener Blooms, and even less problem hitting me, dispelling me, attempting to maim me, and otherwise being a monstrous little monster. Twilight Sparkle has lectured me for what feels like years in the space of time you have been gone, however, and I would gladly accept a wicked beating if it would mean an end to her prattling, which may yet turn me to stone even more solidly than the Elements of Harmony did Discord.”
Twilight grimaced a little at this as Luna sighed a little, the sapphire winged unicorn looking meditatively up at the creature before she asked quietly: “Tell me, then, Bob of Ginnungagap, as I have come to understand thou art particularly sensitive to the forces that wish to destroy us. Do enemies lay ahead on the path?”
“There is always an enemy in the future, Scrivener Blooms, far and near and in between those great leaps of distance and judgment and time and effort.” Discombobulation paused, then he sighed when Twilight gave him a look, reaching up to rub slowly at his temples as if he had a headache. “How poor are they who have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees? Very well, then listen close, clucking ponies: the presence of Helheim and wicked thoughts scream to make themselves known… outward they thrive on chaos, but to say all chaos is the same is to say that all ice cream is simply frozen dairy product. Passion and desire and evil have their own laws, credos, and especial order… fire may burn, but watch it warily, and tell me if there is not something sentient and animal about the way it burns, the way it licks along the wall, the way it crawls and spreads and plods onwards like a virus, and the way it may show the strangest of mercies to the strangest of objects, destroying an entire home… yet leaving a book untouched here, a doll kissed only by smoke there.
“No, for now, I hear no endless scheming on the road ahead of devils, I hear no growls of demons, and smell no ice-roasted meat.” Discombobulation paused meditatively, and then he frowned a bit as he looked moodily to the side, adding grumpily: “Well, I see one wicked little demon sprite, but I suppose the creature is on our side, isn’t it?”
“Kiss my flank.” Pinkamena said grumpily as she approached, rolling her head on her shoulders with a glower at Discombobulation, and the two glared at each other for a few moments edgily before the Draconequus stuck his tongue out childishly and blew a loud raspberry at her, and Pinkamena hissed in return like a cat through her sharp teeth, mane half-falling over her blue eyes as they glowed like gemstones.
Twilight winced a little, but Luna only snorted in amusement, saying dryly: “How wonderful. Discombobulation, thou has my thanks at least, and a request: please alert us should thou detect an ambush from afar… specifically, one led by the creature Ignominious. It would be beneficial for us all, as thou hast seen.”
“Yes, do tell us, then go run away and hide, like you keep running away and hiding every time things get even the littlest bit scary for the big bad Draconequus.” Pinkamena said mockingly, and Discombobulation glared at her as she glowered challengingly back. “Discord at least stuck around even when the going got tough.”
“You’re comparing apples and oranges, Pinkamena. Or maybe I should say liver and onions, since that’s what you smell like.” Discombobulation retorted, leaning down and poking her nose firmly with his eagle talon, and Pinkamena winced, her mane and tail fizzing violently out for a moment as electricity burst across her body. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I meant to keep our relationship static… but it seems our arguments just end up charged. Funny how when you put opposing forces together you sometimes get a bolt out of the blue, even if it seems like they should be on the same wavelength.”
Discombobulation straightened, crossing his arms and looking down at her with his derisive calm… and Pinkamena growled as her mane and tail fell back straight, her red-rimmed eyes glowing for a moment as she shook with frustration before suddenly leaning forwards and biting savagely into the Draconequus’s leg with a clearly-audible chomp. Even Luna winced at the sound and sight of it, and Discombobulation’s head slowly leaned down, for a few moments only inspecting the sharp-toothed earth pony biting deep into his giraffe leg, and then what had just happened seemed to register with the chaotic creature, and he reared suddenly, violently back, howling in horror as he flailed his arms wildly at his sides, kicking his giraffe leg wildly to try and shake her loose. “Oh for the love of all pandemonium, get it off me! Get it off, get it off, get it off!”
Pinkamena dragged her hooves against the ground with a growl as Discombobulation tried to stagger away, flailing as Twilight shouted at the dull pink pony, Scrivener stared incredulously, and Luna looked torn between laughter and horror… and then the Draconequus snapped his fingers wildly, and he vanished from the spot in a puff of smoke, Pinkamena’s jaws clacking shut on thin air as she winced before she glared back and forth before huffing even as Twilight shouted in a strangled voice: “You can’t just… bite people you don’t like!”
“Why not?” Pinkamena asked moodily, looking up and licking her lips slowly and loudly, and even Luna winced at the sound of her slurping before she grinned widely, teeth now tinged slightly scarlet. “It got him to go away.” 
Twilight shuddered and winced, opening her mouth… but Luna quickly stepped forwards, saying clearly: “Pinkamena, thou must work upon thy social skills. Twilight Sparkle, thou knows well admonishing the creature will do nothing but encourage her to greater depravity. Now, there is much to do… Twilight Sparkle, please awaken those who have not yet been awakened, have them prepare for the march ahead. Pinkamena, thou will be part of the vanguard… I wish for thee to fetch Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Aleksandr as well.”
Pinkamena sniffed disdainfully, but she nodded after a moment and asked distastefully: “And equipment? Or should I keep walking around naked as the day I was born? Pinkie Pie’s the one with the gear and the Element of Laughter… the only element I understand is the element of slaughter.”
“Cowlick and Rarity both have keys to the storage wagons, thou hast my permission to prepare thyself accordingly. Once both I and Scrivener Blooms have finally had our tea and taken down this campsite, we shall come by to check how preparations were going. I wish to be ready within the hour, however.” Luna became more serious as she looked from one to the other, but she couldn’t hide her slight smile when Pinkamena and Twilight nodded back, unknowingly mirroring each other. “Good. Then be on thy way, my friends.”
Pinkamena grumbled a little as Twilight smiled, and the two turned to go about their tasks as Luna picked up her mug of tea, sipping at it slowly and gazing after them towards the main campsite as she murmured thoughtfully: “Scrivener Blooms, let us take a moment to write to Celestia. She did not request it, but… all the same, I wish to keep in contact with sister. Hopefully it will encourage her to do the same and to continue being honest and open with us.”
“Good idea, Luna. A little manipulative when you put it like that, but good all the same.” Scrivener replied amiably, and Luna gave him a grin and a shrug as the male turned towards the satchel bag to fetch his writing supplies, asking curiously: “Going to dictate or just throw thoughts at me?”
“The latter is so much more effective. Thou writes with flourish, I dictate only with imperial pride.” Luna said mildly, then she sipped slowly at her tea again as Scrivy nodded and smiled to her, already feeling the sway of her thoughts, images more than words telling him just what she wanted him to write.
He composed the letter quickly, then clicked his tongue and whistled, and Sammy scuttled out of where he’d been hiding in the tent with a grumpy chirp before the male waggled the rolled up letter back and forth, and the skeletal beast had grumbled at him, but leapt up and caught the parchment in his jaws all the same when Scrivy tossed it lightly, glaring at him through blue flame eyes before incinerating the letter in a swathe of sapphire fire.
But he’d settled down shortly after, curling up on a warm rock in front of the eldritch fire, Luna and Scrivy taking a few more moments to rest as they had both petted the little creature before heading back to their tent. Luna dressed them quickly in armor with a flick of her horn, then left Scrivy to take down their tent and pack it up with the rest of their gear, and the winged unicorn had made her way to the main campsite, looking meditatively through preparations for the day ahead.
Ponies were loitering a little, but that was to be expected: the Starlit Knights were serious, but they didn’t have the same rigorous training, didn’t understand that as it was they were leaving quite late for a hard day’s march… and the only reason Luna didn’t feel like scolding or scaring them into better order was because she had already figured on this and prepared accordingly. And it wasn’t like all the knights were lazing around… Rainbow Dash looked bleary, but he was dressed in his armor, doing slow but steady pushups as Applejack and Big Mac talked nearby with Fluttershy as they helped pack up tents and equipment.
She paused only to ensure that Pinkamena had delivered the message about the vanguard, and Applejack had nodded with an awkward smile as Rainbow had grumbled about how confusing it was to have the Pink Twins around. Luna had looked at him curiously, and Rainbow had shrugged, saying finally: “Don’t look at me, go ask Pinkie Pie. She’s the one who started it.”
Out of morbid curiosity more than anything else – and despite knowing she should probably spend her time checking on the rest of the Starlit Knights instead of indulging this – Luna made her way around the encampment until she came across Pinkamena and Pinkie Pie standing with Aleksandr as the minotaur surveyed them both moodily.
“Is confusing. Djavol travels with us.” Aleksandr said mildly, motioning towards Pinkamena… and Luna couldn’t help but smile amusedly as she looked at the dull-gray earth pony, clad in tough, black leather armor fortified with silver plates over her shoulders and back, her hair kept out of her red-rimmed blue eyes by a simple leather headband as she grinned mirthlessly up at the minotaur. “Is not bad. But is not good, either.”
“Good, because I don’t aim to be good. And will you calm the hell down?” Pinkamena snapped suddenly at Pinkie Pie, glaring at her, and Pinkie halted in mid-bounce, almost freezing in midair as she dropped back to her hooves and pouted at Pinkamena as she leaned slightly away. “That’s better. Get your damn hyperactivity back under control or I’ll beat you until you do.”
“No you won’t, you know you need me!” Pinkie said brightly, leaning forwards and pressing her head against Pinkamena’s, and the dull-gray pony gritted her sharp teeth and grumbled under her breath. “So what do you think, Luna? I think we’re twins!”
“I think thou art both insane.” Luna said mildly after a moment, but Pinkie only smiled brightly and Pinkamena sighed and shrugged moodily. Then the winged unicorn drew her eyes slowly along Pinkamena’s form, eyeing the three short, hooked daggers belted to one side of her flank and the gleaming, wide-bladed axe on the other before she added mildly: “And it looks as if thou hast decided to be a one-pony army, Pinkamena.”
“I am a one-pony army, Nightmare Moon.” Pinkamena retorted grumpily, and then she grimaced and firmly checked Pinkie Pie when she began to bounce a little on the spot again, knocking the vest-armored pony sprawling… but she only giggled, and the Element of Laughter gleamed on her neck before she blushed and gazed brightly up at Aleksandr when the minotaur offered her a hand, daintily putting her hoof in it and allowing him to haul her back to a standing position. “Suck-up.”
Luna shook her head slowly, then instead turned her focus to the minotaur, asking calmly: “Art thou brethren prepared? I saw that thy kin had set up their own small camp apart from our own.”
“Minotaurs have always lived rough, lived by tradition. And is safer: four-hoof camp is large and noisy. Needs watching, like herd of fluffy-grazers.” The minotaur paused thoughtfully as he straightened, looking slowly over Luna. “Is not my place to say, but is this good, Yaga Baba? Four-hoofs prepare slow, is loss of daylight. One hour of difference make all difference in world.”
“Worry not, Aleksandr… we seek only to reach Charger’s Crossing today, a great and enormous bridge that stretches for miles across Northedge Strait… ‘tis the greatest bridge in Equestria, and once we cross it, we officially begin the march into rocky north.” Luna paused, then added quietly: “But ‘twould be folly to attempt to rush across the great bridge today or tonight. ‘Tis miles long, and The Stampede or other honorless monsters of the ether would be able to attack at night with great ease. But ‘tis the only way across for many miles, and we have no boat and no time to waste.”
The minotaur nodded and bowed his head politely, and Luna nodded back before she said kindly: “Assemble at the vanguard, I shall perform one last check around the camp and perhaps inspire the recklessly-slothful into better spirits with my horn.”
“See you soon, Nightmare Moon.” Pinkamena said mildly, as Pinkie waved a hoof quickly beside her, and Luna gave the two a look that was both exasperated and amused before she headed back towards the main camp.
Thankfully, preparations were almost complete: Twilight was rushing around and ensuring to every little detail, ensuring they stayed on schedule. For once it pleased Luna to see the violet pony taking her job even a little too seriously… just as she was glad as the ponies began to automatically fall into line as the first of the wagons pulled onto the road, taking a bit of initiative as Luna strode quickly through the caravan, nodding and encouraging ponies here and there before she reached the vanguard.
“No speech?” Scrivy asked with a slight smile, and Luna gave him a grin as she fell into pace beside him at the head of the line, Pinkamena, Rainbow Dash and Aleksandr on one side, Twilight Sparkle and Applejack on the other. “I’m almost disappointed.”
“Silence, knave. Not every day requires a grandiose speech… some days, ‘tis better only to do, not to talk. But then again, thy favorite sport seems to be complaining, so perhaps I shouldn’t try and make thee understand this.” Luna retorted, nudging him firmly with her side… and then she leaned across and kissed his cheek gently, the male blinking in surprise as she murmured into his ear: “I love thee, Scrivener Blooms.”
“I… love you too, Luna. Please tell me you’re not saying this because of some feeling of horrible impending doom, though, that was sudden even for you.” Scrivy winced a little… but Luna only threw her head back and laughed, shaking it with a wide grin and a warm look in her eyes.
She didn’t bother to reply, sharing thoughts and images with him, feelings and flashes of impulse as cyan eyes locked with chestnut irises… and after a moment, Scrivy smiled back at her, saying quietly: “Alright, alright. Silly, cynical me. No wonder you hit me so often.”
“Exactly what I’ve been saying all this time.” Luna replied comfortably, and then she stepped closer, pressing their armored sides together for a moment and closing her eyes as she bowed her head forwards, starry locks spilling out from beneath her helm and flickering softly beneath the sunlight above as she murmured: “’Tis no proper time and place to express one’s feelings. Feelings come and feelings go: passion has no logic and no leash can hold it for long, no chains bind her down. Thou knows it well thyself, Scrivener Blooms.”
“Because you’re pretty much living passion, Luna.” Scrivy replied with a slight smile to her, and then he laughed as Sammy scampered up his back and onto his head with a loud chirp, looking down at them moodily. “Come on, we’re going to make everyone hate us if you keep this up. Besides, I thought you were going to be professional.”
Luna snorted at this sentiment with a roll of her eyes, saying amusedly: “Oh, aye, that describes me well. But very well, let us enjoy the scenery and march hard. Already the caravan falls behind us… vanguard, keep thine eyes open, and we shall rejoin with the supply wagons behind us before we reach the city of Pegasus Point.”
Rainbow Dash snorted at this, idly hopping into the air and saying amusedly: “Once the Wonderbolts and me did a show there… hey, AJ, I think you were at that one, right? Earth ponies and unicorns live in the village below, but most of it is cloud structure above… ain’t what I’d call a bad place… not if you’re passing through it, that is.”
Idle conversation continued as they strode down the wide dirt road, past fields, through short stretches of forest, and every now and then a cottage or farmhouse here or there. There were few other ponies on this stretch of highway, however, and all of them were plainly headed towards Canterlot, often in shabbily guarded convoys of their own.
Some of these travelers stared at Luna with reverence, others with fear… and some seemed too preoccupied to care about the other ponies, whoever they were, heading in the opposite direction. Once, they even passed a large black, ominous carriage that reminded Luna all too deeply of Sol Seraph, the winged unicorn glowering at the black-uniformed Pegasi and unicorns that stood around this at the side of the road… but although they were obviously from Helios Mutual Holdings, the half-dozen or so security soldiers quickly busied themselves around their ebony wagon, obviously more than a little scared of what the winged unicorn might do if aggravated.
The vanguard came to a halt some two hours later when Pegasus Point finally came within sight, taking a short rest on the shoulder of the road to let the supply caravan catch up. Pinkamena polished her knives, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Aleksandr talked, and Scrivy and Luna sat with Twilight Sparkle, the violet winged unicorn rubbing at her face with one hoof before she asked quietly: “Is it good or bad that we haven’t seen much traffic?”
“Good, for the most part…” Luna said thoughtfully in response, looking towards the small city in the distance: squat buildings below, and clouds that had been formed into homes and structures above, the winged unicorn smiling despite herself after a moment. “Pegasus Point. It seems such towns have not changed much since the old days… Pegasus above, earth ponies below. But perhaps ‘tis only my husband’s bitterness, and the awareness that the further north we go, the colder ponies become in body and heart.”
Twilight grimaced a bit at this thought, nodding slowly as Scrivener gazed moodily up the road. Eventually, the caravan arrived, slowing automatically as Luna stepped out onto the road with the others, the army of ponies that followed them all gazing towards her for leadership, for inspiration, as she announced calmly: “We are now upon the approach to the first town we shall pass. We shall march in formation, we shall keep our ranks close, we shall move forwards and remember the reason for which we march… to reach North Neigh, to stand against darkness. Not for adulation or praise: not to prove anypony wrong or right.”
She smiled after a moment, then turned and began to lead onwards, Scrivener Blooms at her side as they strode ahead, feeling her anxieties and worries… but both were unsurprised at the lukewarm reception they received as they strode down the streets, ponies leaning out of windows and looking down from clouds, and a few clustered groups here and there standing on sidewalks dusted with frost, looking strangely wary.
They were a scared village, earth ponies in ramshackle homes – many of which bore scrapes and signs of battle –with only the barest of makeshift defenses. Above, the Pegasi had settled comfortably into cloud homes, watching from the safety of their fluffy balconies, protected by both numbers and the fact that many of their foes preferred to lay waste over the ground and had no real means of attacking those perched in the air. And in their cruel safety, the Pegasi had become complacent, only looking moodily down at the passing Starlit Knights… while the earth ponies seemed to blame them bitterly, held the fact they marched further north against them instead of understanding what they were doing was to try and stop what could be an even greater threat than Nibelung raiders and dark forms of life.
And these ponies had only heard of what had happened at Canterlot… they hadn’t seen it, and nor were they likely inclined to believe what a momentous occasion Celestia’s speech had been. Luna seemed to expect this, keeping stoic even after someone threw a rotten fruit at them from the safety of a dark alley, the projectile splattering against a carriage as someone else yelled in a hoarse voice: “Go on, go help the unicorns in the north! They’re better than us, right?”
It hurt, but they marched on anyway… and at the end of the town, found three Pegasus waiting for them with several large crates of old food, a worker with a clipboard looking distasteful as he said: “This is all we could scrounge up on orders from Princess Celestia… or Queen Celestia, ain’t it? Funny, she gets to be Queen and now Nightmare Moon is walking around big as day, called a hero. Some hero.”
The Pegasus spat at their hooves as Luna gritted her teeth, but then she nodded and said quietly: “Thou hast my thanks for these supplies. They will benefit us all.”
“No, they’ll benefit you. They would help a whole lot more here… rubbish earth ponies ain’t doing their jobs, keep making excuses about the farms being ‘overrun.’ But as if that matters to you lot.” The Pegasus looked at them with anger and disgust… but they were thin veils that did little to hide the terror in his eyes of the changes throughout Equestria, and the pains of hunger and despair that had settled over this city like toxic mist. “Now, if I can go, your highness, I have to help bury the dead.”
With that, the Pegasus leapt upwards and flew into the air, the others following as Luna closed her eyes and lowered her head forwards, then said quietly: “Take two crates, leave the last. We are well-stocked in any event.”
Twilight only nodded silently, and Luna could feel the ripples of discontent through the ranks of the Starlit Knights now as they paused only long enough to load the food up before making their way onwards. There were a few more ponies waiting on the road to watch them pass with suspicious and cold eyes. The most they did was mutter to themselves, but it was still enough to add an almost tangible weight over the march of the Starlit Knights, and Luna didn’t bother to separate the vanguard from the main caravan for most of the rest of the march, striding in slow, moody silence.
Finally, this was broken as Twilight Sparkle looked up and asked quietly: “Why? Luna, Scrivy… why would they treat us like that? Why do they still…”
“Hate us? Because all who dine upon misery wish to force others to join them in their feast.” Luna muttered, shaking her head slowly and looking down as she said softly: “’Tis no great surprise, Twilight Sparkle… the most effective torturers are always the tortured themselves, after all. And not every pony, or every village will believe that I am not Nightmare Moon… even after my return, how long did I spend in Canterlot, being loathed by them? And Canterlot only changed its opinion of us not simply because of Celestia’s orders… but because they saw us bow to her, and they saw her entitle us a servant to the land. Pinkamena, thou understands this, does thou not? Evil in obvious power will be loathed; but evil forces used for such an absurd concept as the ‘greater good’ will be embraced, or at least pointedly ignored.”
“She’s got a point.” Pinkamena said distastefully, shaking her head slowly and snorting in amusement from beside Aleksandr. “Besides, we ponies are a lot more nasty a breed than most would think at first. Ain’t that right, bitok?”
“Djavol speaks true in a sense, but is true of all ‘societies.’ Cities are nothing but stone and wood jungle, full of poison and parasite instead of hungry beast.” Aleksandr shrugged a bit, saying quietly: “This was worst part of working for volk. She made us live in four-hoof barracks, in four-hoof city. There was no honor, no way to tell friend from enemy… one moment four-hoof may help, next moment, is telling volk our secrets, and volk would cut horns from ten heads. Decimation: she believed ten should suffer for single crime; those who resist, she kill like nothing more than insect. Is good she is dead.”
The others lowered their heads in silent agreement, continuing forwards as Luna looked up quietly, mind lingering for a moment on thoughts of the predatory Pegasus, remembering the terrible philosophies of the hunt-obsessed pony… and then she closed her eyes, leaning her head forwards and wondering for the first time whether or not Sol Seraph’s death proved she was wrong… or if it would now serve as a grisly omen that the creature had been right after all.