//------------------------------// // Post Common Era Chapter Three/Pre-War of Stars Chapter Three: Home Street // Story: The Lunar Knight's Willow Leaf // by Moonlit Novel //------------------------------// Author's Notes: Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit Post Common Era Chapter Three/Pre-War of Stars Chapter Three: Home Street “What I mean is that thieves all have their price, is mine to marry you?” asked a cautious Willow Leaf and Masao clenched his teeth. “If all you want is to be left alone you can walk out that door, we will never bother you again, we won’t even charge you for the theft, you can go on your way, but remember our door will always be open to you, and so is the offer to be a part of your life, but the four of us not charging you with a crime is a one time deal, if you get in anymore trouble, you are on your own, we can’t be bailing you out every time” said Celestia and Masao gave a grateful nod which Celesta gave one in return. At that Willow Leaf stood up and headed for the door. “Thank you for not putting me in prison, but I have a hard time believing that I am some reincarnated mare. I’m leaving” said Willow Leaf as she trotted out of the room where she was stopped a little ways down the hall by two ponies in uniform, dark blue uniforms with the emblem of the Equestrian Strategic Information Service on their lapels. “Celestia may have washed her hooves but we haven’t” said Masao as he and Luna strode up to the mare, “If you ever need anything, just let us know, we have been trying to find you forever, and I don’t relish the prospect of losing you again. ESIS will see you home safely, if you’ll let them.” Luna nodded, Masao had long since taken command of ESIS in hopes of finding the mare in front of him a long time ago, but as fate would have it he as the one to find her as she stole from the crown. “Thanks but no thanks, I rather not have a stalker, even one who could get away with it” said Willow Leaf and she trotted down the hallway before disappearing around the corner. “I know that it is her, so why is she doing this?” “Sir, what are your orders? Do you want us to follow her?” and Masao shook his head even as Luna nodded surprising the blue mare. “But Masao, love, what—” “I have a feeling that she’ll be OK, no use in earning her ire by having ESIS tail her now, besides, if she does need anything, she knows where to find us” - - - Willow Leaf walked down the path to the castle gates when a bat pony mare in full uniform lighted on the ground in front of her. “So you’re the mare that has the Grand Elder in a mess, pathetic. just some earth pony, and worse a thief” said the mare scoffing at the thought that the Grand Elder’s soulmated mare would be reincarnated into something that was the lowest of the low, and not even one of the noble earth ponies, that she would have been able to swallow, even if it would sicken her, but a lowly thief. “Glad to see someone keeping that racism alive, way to go” deadpanned the earth pony mare before she sidestepped the bat pony whose red eyes flashed dangerously as she lunged out to attack Willow Leaf who dodged deftly out of the way, her forelegs up in the air, unfazed by the sudden change in her momentum she brought her forelegs down hard intending on ending the fight right there, she missed as the bat pony pulled back and was now on her hind legs like Willow Leaf had been but a moment before. Willow Leaf, allowing the momentum she had built to bring her own hind legs into the air twisted around gracefully and bucked the bat pony mare in the face knocking her out. “Seriously can’t even take on a lowly mud pony?” she taunted the unconscious mare before continuing down the path… - - - Rushing down an alleyway, Willow Leaf stopped only when a group of foals called her name, stopping to to wave at them one of the foals walked up to her, it was a young filly and asked if she any food for them this time, foals they didn’t judge, they knew what she was doing was wrong, but it fed them so was it really wrong? Willow gave a sad smile and moved to shake her head when she thought about Masao’s offer… - - - “If you ever need anything, just let us know…” - - - Should she really use his feelings for this Sharp Sword to feed the foals? Was it a noble gesture? Sure, was it right? … She couldn’t answer that but… “Miss Willow Leaf?” asked the filly and that is what helped her make up her mind. This prince wanted her? Well he could, so long as the foals were taken care of. Turning on her hoof, Willow Leaf almost didn’t stop when she heard the filly cry, having been caught up in her thoughts, but hearing the filling cry her name, asking if she did something wrong she whipped around and wrapped the foal up in a hug to comfort her… - - - “... I’m telling you! Prince-Consort Masao said I could—” argued Willow Leaf to the guard at the palace gates and the guard refused to budge. “I’ve heard that before, you will have to wait until—” “What is going on here?” asked a bat pony stallion as he strode up to the gate, had she not been so set on seeing Masao and Princess Luna she would have notice how the guard seemed to tremble a little. “Who are you?” asked Willow Leaf and the bat pony chuckled. “I am Keeper Two, ESIS, is there something wrong?” asked the bat pony and Willow Leaf huffed at the stallion. “I would say, I had an audience with the night couple earlier, and I remembered something I needed to tell him. I know you respect them, so tell him, ‘Willow Leaf says yes’ He should know what that means” “I will pass along the message, was there anything else?” asked the bat pony stallion, unbeknownst to the mare, Masao was already on his way to the palace gate, having heard her comment over the comm systems. “I’ll wait for him right here” “Now see here—!” “That is fine, he’ll be here shortly” said the stallion and the guardspony looked worried, if she had been telling the truth then… “You said yes” said Masao as he walked up and Willow Leaf frowned at the human. “It will cost you, there are some foals that need help, if you help them, I’ll marry you” Masao chuckled and for a moment Willow Leaf bristled, how dare he! she was— “I’ll help, because you asked, not to marry you. I’ll do one better, you, guard, go with Willow Leaf, and Shadow Step, you three are to invite the foals to stay here if they have no parents, and even if they do, you are to offer the parents a place to stay as well” said Masao surprising the mare before she scowled at him. “Are they going to be glorified hostages? No one does something like this without expecting something in return” Masao frowned at her, how he wished he had found her when she was younger, if only to have protected her from having to learn through the streets. “I expect nothing, you said yes, and even if that was only to get my attention, I would still help you, and these foals, whether Celestia likes it or not, no system is perfect, and there are those that get lost in the cracks.” “I don’t want your pretty lies, the fact you are going to help them is enough for me” and with that Willow Leaf left closely followed by Shadow Step, AKA Keeper Two, and the guardspony. “I wasn’t lying, I would never lie to you, I never could…”