Penn and Stone: Dynamic Duo

by Pennington Inkwell

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Princess Luna couldn't sleep easy, but this entire disaster had thrown her nocturnal schedule off-track. Any moment of sleep was welcome, restful or not. It was a moment she wasn't worrying. In fact, it was a chance to do a little dreaming of her own. A little-known perk of being the Mistress of the Dream Realm was that she was exquisite at the art of lucid dreaming.

At the moment, she was currently reclined in the Cat's Eye Nebula, letting the celestial body wonder wash over her like a hot bath, tinting her fur a multitude of colors. She let out a long sigh, thinking about her actions of the past few hours leading up to her retiring to bed. She was certain she had done the right thing, but it may have been too little, too late.

"Luna?"

Luna started suddenly from her galaxy-sized bath, sending several constellations flying out of position. She twisted around as quickly as she could, finding herself staring at Pennington, who had balanced himself precariously on a still-turning spiral galaxy. Her breath caught in her throat, and she quietly wished away the manifestation of her guilt.

"This is my time to relax... gather my faculties so I can make the right choices..." she muttered, trying to settle back into her bath.

"You've done a fine job so far." Pennington sarcastically replied, distinctly not-wished-away.

Luna's eyes widened and she turned back to the intruder.

"Pennington? Is that really you?"

Pennington nodded. "Yup. Guess a field trip to limbo for a few hours and nearly getting my body snatched by an ancient spirit were enough for your 'lucid dreaming' lessons to finally sink in."

Luna felt her heart leap as she sprung up, crossing the distance between her and her student in a single leap. Upon coming close enough to hug him, however, Luna simply passed through him as if he were a ghost. She felt disappointment overtake her as she remembered that this was not a typical shared dream. This was Pennington coming to her, not the other way around. He had no power in the dream realm... which brought to mind another question as Luna floated freely through space.

"How are you doing this? I urged you to learn lucid dreaming to ease our communication, but it should still only function via my impetus!"

Pennington sighed, rubbing at his temple as he stared wistfully into space, even while Luna floated freely behind him. "Somewhere up here, Quill spent a few years in a monastery learning about..." His eyes screwed shut for a moment, as if he were struggling to remember something he had experienced himself. "'Astral projection,' I think it was called? I couldn't do much if I tried, but I can remember just enough of it to be here."

Luna covered her mouth with a hoof to hide her gasp.

"Then, you are-"

"I am ME, Luna! No thanks to you..." He muttered, turning to face her with an angry scowl.

"Pennington, I made a mistake, but I-" Pennington raised a hoof, cutting her off. Luna obliged, though it seemed odd to her. Pennington had always treated her with reverence, hung on every word she said since he had become her protege. Interrupting her was something new, a confidence he'd never shown.

"For once, Luna, I'm more in the loop than you are. I know what you did and why you did it. That doesn't mean I'm going to forgive you, but I am aware."

Luna thought hard about how to reply. "Then you know I regret my actions to the bottom of my heart, and wish to apologize, whether it be a fruitless effort or not."

Pennington continued glaring at her, though Luna didn't flinch away from it. She had felt far more hateful glares on her back before, and likely would again. After staring at one another for several seconds, Pennington finally relented, sighing and turning away. His dream-self distorted and grew translucent, a sign his focus had wavered.

"Ugh... you're not even the one I'm the MOST mad at. This is a waste of time."

Luna blinked, surprised at the off-hoof comment, but he had moved on before she had a chance to ask whom he could possibly have more reason to hate than herself.

"Look, I'm here to warn you." Pennington narrowed his eyes as his body solidified again. "First of all, Chrysalis escaped. I- Lily and I- managed to trap her under a pile of snow and send her into hibernation. If you can, send her a dream. Let her imagine she killed me then and there."

Luna tilted her head, ready to ask why she would do such a thing. Before she could speak, however, Pennington raised a hoof again to cut her off.

"Please, just let me talk, I don't have much time. Chrysalis will follow me to the ends of the earth like a rabid animal, including attacking Equestria and the NLR over and over. If she believes me dead, she and her hive will see reason and fall back to recuperate their losses. Equestria will have a long period of safety from them, possibly years."

Luna nodded, making a mental note of the task. Penetrating the Queen's mind wouldn't be easy, but it was possible, especially if Pennington was telling the truth and she was in deep hibernation. Her guard would be lowered.

"Secondly, and trust me, it pains me IMMENSELY to say it, Quill said... Celestia was right."

"WHAT?" Luna jolted upright, shocked at Pennington's words.

"The guardians ARE being hunted. Whatever it is, it was what crashed the H.M.S. Surprise. It wants me dead. Most likely, it's going to come for the others."

Luna pondered the information carefully.

"Then we must find the other three. The Weaver, the Smith and the Blossom-"

"NO!"

Luna hesitated, taken aback by the rage in his voice.

"They are safe exactly as they are. You and your sister will not THINK about hunting them down like you did to me!" He stamped his hoof, sending a ripple through the galaxy he was standing on.

Luna paused. "You are certain of this?"

Pennington's brow furrowed with worry, and that was all the confirmation Luna needed that he wasn't.

"That's the second reason I'm leaving Equestria."

"You're WHAT?"

Pennington stood up straighter, his expression turning steely with determination.

"I'm leaving Equestria. I won't tell you where I'm going or how long I'll be gone, if I'll come back at all. Quill stayed ahead of this thing hunting him for decades by keeping on the move and crossing borders constantly. I'll run interference, keep it occupied."

"You can't! Equestria needs you! You're the guardian, the Scribe!" Luna cried, shaking her head. "You cannot leave us unprotected!"

Luna watched in horror as Pennington's projected self metamorphosed before her eyes, his mane changing from a burnt umber to a blazing orange, and his blue fur seemed to light itself on fire as it transformed into a blinding shade of red. He stepped down off the galaxy, walking through the empty void to stand almost muzzle-to-muzzle with her. Luna was no longer looking at her adoring student. She was staring directly into the wrathful gaze of the Scribe of Legends, like a tapestry illustration brought to life.

Is this... the face of Phoenix Quill?

"YOU have given up all rights to tell me what I can and CANNOT do, Luna Noctis Selena Faust!" he snarled.

Silence fell between the two of them. Ordinarily, Luna wouldn't allow any pony to address her in such a cavalier manner, especially invoking her full name like that, but this felt deserved. Like any deep-space eruption, Pennington eventually burned himself out and returned to his usual colors, panting for breath. For the first time, Luna considered the staggering distance between them. The idea of projecting his consciousness so far and so clearly for this long... He understated how much of Quill's training he knows.

"Celestia asked that if you will not return of your own desires, I tell the New Lunar Republic to look for you. At this point, if I refused, I would not be surprised if she were to go behind my back and send the orders, herself."

Pennington stepped back and away from her, looking displeased, if not surprised.

"Then I'll-"

"Which is why today I sent letters to all high-ranking agents telling them to destroy all records of you in their files. It will slow their progress considerably to be forced to work by word of mouth and your civilian life alone."

It was Pennington's turn to be surprised, this time. His eyes widened and he tilted his head to the side in a suspicious glare.

"Why?"

"Because I have been forced to learn the same lesson twice. As Nightmare Moon, I betrayed my sister and Equestria. Now, in fear, I have betrayed you as myself, which has somehow felt equally insidious. I will do anything to make it right. I AM your friend, Pennington..." Luna paused slightly. This was the place most ponies would be caught up in their emotions and begin crying. The two of them had always been too professional for that kind of thing, though. Both of them refused to let their composure break in front of the other. Still, every word was packed with all of the potent feelings she could muster.

"And I am sorry."

This time, when silence fell, it seemed to be Pennington who didn't know what to say. The two stood in silence for a moment before Pennington let out a long, long breath. It echoed through the heavenly starscape they both were floating through together. Luna vainly let herself hope it was a sigh of defeat, a sigh of resignation.

"I know you could track my letters magically. I might write during periods when I'm on the move." Pennington muttered. "I want to forgive you, Luna... but I can't right now. What you did still hurts more than the pain of holding a grudge. This is going to take time."

Luna nodded solemnly. "I understand. Perhaps better than any other pony."

Pennington nodded in return.

"Oh, and Luna? One last thing before I go: don't trust the NLR."

"What?" Luna's eyes widened in surprise. As far as "things she didn't expect to ever hear Pennington say" were ranked, that was one of the highest.

"Full Sails knew everything. The guardians, the reason I was being led south, all the most sensitive information in the NLR. Even Twilight and Lily were intercepted and led into a trap set for me."

"Twilight Sparkle?" Luna was taken aback slightly. "As far as we knew, she was still in Canterlot!"

Pennington scowled, a sign that Luna was clearly mistaken.

"Her letters to Celestia were being blocked, and it's clear the message she left with the night guards was never delivered. The OLR is THERE, Luna! Right beside you! All of the way to the top. Choose who you trust very carefully."

Luna resisted the urge to growl at the mention of the terrorist group that committed atrocities in her name.

"Thank you, Pennington. I will remember that..."

Pennington nodded before giving Luna a sad look.

"Goodbye, Luna."

Luna didn't want to say goodbye. Not now.

"Please don't..." she whispered. Somehow, rather than when he was angry with her, rather than all of the screaming and shouting and wrath, it was those soft-spoken words that were making a heavy lump form in her throat.

"I... I'll miss your letters."

This managed to get a chuckle out of Pennington, though a melancholy one.

"That's the best review I've ever-"

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"Luna? Luna!"

Luna's eyes snapped open, instantly awake. Above her, she could see the figure of her elder sister standing over her.

"Luna, it's your turn to-"

"No... NO!" she cried, shutting her eyes tight and pulling her covers over her head. "A little longer, please! I need to go back!"

"Luna, are you alright?" Celestia peeled back the covers slightly with her magic, exposing Luna's teary eyes to her bedroom's dim light.

Luna knew that going back to sleep wouldn't change anything. The dream was over. Pennington was gone. She frowned and threw off the covers, making certain they landed on top of her sister. It took only a small wisp of thought to don her regalia with her magic, and she had slipped out the door before Celestia could even uncover her head. As she passed by, she cast a wary glance at the guards standing outside her doors, seeing them with new eyes.

I have to know whom I can trust... she thought, trying to distract herself from the longing building up in her chest. She focused and trotted away towards the main hall. There was at least one trustworthy pony she needed to talk to as soon as possible.

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"Spike, we need to get out of here!" Twilight hissed. "We can't let Pennington go challenge Scorch on his own!"

Spike shrugged. "He REALLY didn't seem like he wanted to be anywhere near you, Twilight. Maybe you should give him some space?"

Twilight staggered slightly, incredulous at her number one assistant's response. "Space? SPACE? He's going to go fight a giant dragon wielding an insanely powerful magical artifact on his own, and you're saying I should give him SPACE?"

The two of them paused for a moment, checking to see if Twilight's outburst had been noticed. If the dragons leading them down the hall had been eavesdropping on them, they made no indication of it. Twilight leaned in closer to Spike, hissing directly into his ear.

"Lily's probably already gone after him, too! She disappeared while I was arguing with Sunstone!"

Spike waved her away, giving her an angry look. "You're the one who betrayed him, Twilight! If I were him, I'd rather fight a dragon than deal with you right now, too!"

"I didn't-" Twilight opened her mouth to argue again, but found herself short of words. She sighed, admitting defeat. "That's all the more reason I want to help him! I have to make this right!"

Spike looked at her in a way that always made Twilight frustrated: he was being cynical of her. It was a look usually reserved for one of her overreactive "freak-outs." BUT THIS WAS NOT FREAKING OUT!

After a few seconds, he let out a tired sigh and shook his head.

"Well, don't say I didn't warn you, Twilight..."

Twilight grinned, glad to have him back on her side. Now for the foremost problem: the fact that they were being escorted to a dragon that would carry them back to the Equestrian border. She considered simply ASKING to leave on her own, but there was no way that would work. These dragons had been hanging on every word the "scribe" had told them with a religious fervor.

"Okay, Spike..." she whispered. "I'm going to cast a teleportation spell that will bring us to the roof. We can get our bearings up there. Then, we can use the water from the spring for a scrying spell that'll let me see where Pennington went- where are you going?"

Twilight watched, horrified, as Spike casually strolled up to one of the younger dragons escorting them, giving their tail a sharp tug. The other dragon, a green-scaled fellow with a wide head, turned to acknowledge him with a grunt. Spike leaned in, giving a smug grin.

"Hey, between you and me, you know, dragon-to-dragon, my pony friend over here gets REALLY airsick. Like, she blows chunks EVERYWHERE! You mind if we just walk home, instead? We know the way."

The older dragon blinked, slowly and out of sync, before giving a gruff shrug.

"Don't matter to us, long as you're gone. Ground exit's this way." He changed directions, leading them down a side passage. The other two walking with him went to follow, but he waved them off. The others seemed to have an equal investment in the situation, immediately sighing with relief and parting from the group.

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks out of shock. That had WORKED? After a moment, she picked up her pace to catch up to Spike, who was flashing her his biggest, most satisfied smirk.

"Okay, I admit it... I'm impressed!" she whispered. "Moonstone was wrong! Who says you wouldn't be helpful out here?"

It was a matter of minutes before they had emerged from the eyrie, back under clear and open sky. Their guide gestured around them, as if unsure whether or not they would recognize the outdoors.

"Welp... here we are. Pony land is THAT way..." he pointed out into a direction Twilight noted as being north with a seventeen-degree variation to the west. "And Uncle Scorch's lair is THAT way." He sighed and pointed in an almost opposite direction, south-by-southwest.

"Wait, why would you tell us that?" Twilight asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Because you two need to learn to talk more quietly. And because I don't care what you do. Bye." With that, he gave one more shrug, then walked calmly back into the tunnel.

"Well... that was easier than I thought."

"Hey, I'm not complaining!" Spike chuckled as he ran up and jumped onto Twilight's back. "It's about time something was easy for us!"

Twilight couldn't disagree with that.

"Well then... Are you SURE you don't want to take my advice to give him a little space?" Spike asked. "It'll probably all be over by the time we get there, anyway!"

Twilight narrowed her eyes and began trotting in the direction of Scorch's lair.

Comments

[Love able chaos]

9561807
Cool also loving the story.

[Love able chaos]

9562144
I'll try not to.