//------------------------------// // Seasonal Changes // Story: Spiders and Magic: What If Luna Revealed Her Feelings Before Twilight Sparkle? // by Maximus_Reborn //------------------------------// Chapter Eight “Seasonal Changes” Nearly three months had passed since that fateful night. Although Princess Luna was not one to put her business out in the open, news quickly spread of her relationship with the young up-and-coming knight, Peter Parker. She had the paparazzi to blame for such, taking photos of the pair while they reveled in each other’s company outside of the castle. Not that the alicorn minded completely, having accepted that not everything was sacred anymore in the eyes of the media. Luna blankly stared at nothing in particular. She could not simply intimidate them away, per her sister’s advice. It was their job to invade personal space. Peter agreed with such, having come from a world with similar practices. Granted, he was a prime example of media victimization, and his statements did little to nothing to diminish Luna’s disdain for the paparazzi. She had to protect her dignity, and simply blowing them up would be a considerable setback, desirable as the idea was. To simply avoid prying eyes, Luna remained in the castle for her more intimate moments with her stallion. Peter seemed perfectly content with the idea, believing that personal affairs shouldn’t be out in the open. All things considered, he was vilified by the media, and his paranoia was perfectly understandable. For the sake of expanding sales, the media would create pretentious drama to captivate their audience. Even after countless eons, that much remained true for equine nature from Luna’s perspective. The mare freed herself from her self-induced trance, gazing softly at the clear blue skies perched above her head as she sat in the tranquil settings of the castle’s courtyard.  Her relationship with Peter had only grown, and Luna found herself enamored with the stallion even more now than she did at the start. They had learned a considerable amount of information about each other, whether it’d be a personal fear or something inconsequential as quirks. Apparently, Peter once had a crush on a school cheerleader during his early years in high school, and Luna was ticklish, much to her chagrin. The last snow of winter had melted, thanks in part to nature’s intervention and the inhabitants’ roles in their Winter Wrap-Up session. Spring exploded across the land, passing through the veins under the earth and leaving blossoming life in its wake. The empty sky, bright and blue with the sun's undivided attention, allowed a glorious warmth to descend with the afternoon. The occasional gentle breeze was heavy with the sweet scent of pollen. Luna gazed around in wonder as she settled amongst the short grass near the fountain, putting down the basket full of the fruit she and Peter had spent the morning picking. That had become a daily activity the couple did together, usually after a long night shift. They always had breakfast together before parting to either rest or gather their space until the night called for their duties once more. To say they spent time together was an understatement, and they understood not to overbear with one another. Even after eons, the courtyard remained a truly beautiful location. Celestia had always ensured it was tended to by the best gardeners, and each gave their best efforts to maintain the area’s condition. Many rows of bushes and flowers, rich with their first harvest of spring, decorated both sides of the marble fountain at the center of the courtyard. The sounds of birds and other animals carried lazily across the air, adding a sense of serenity to the mare’s spirit as she watched her surroundings with a warm gaze. However, a loud clanging sound echoed through her ears. Luna glanced to the side, quickly locating the source as a bright yellow shield bounced off the walls. The defensive weapon ricocheted about, going from the fountain, floor, and wall before returning to the wielder. Peter held out a hoof, catching the shield, and he flipped over the fountain, landing perfectly on the railing. His entire costume had been modified. All signs of crimson and white were gone, replaced with shades of blue, and it matched the fur tone of his chosen princess, a homage of sorts. The bright shield he carried perfectly contrasted the tone, as if night and day were welded into one. Meanwhile, a pair of guards nearby watched the stallion and princess from the edge of the courtyard before reverting their attention back to the castle. One huffed under his breath. “I still can’t believe that pony has been Spider-Mane this whole time!” “I’m not surprised. The mane and tail color kind of gave it away,” the other retorted plainly, shrugging. “It’s no big deal. We know that Peter Parker is a good kid, and the princesses trusted him enough to reveal his identity to the world a couple of weeks back, too. I’m just glad he turned his name to Spider-Knight. Something about Spider-Mane was just… silly.” The first guard paused, as if contemplating his response. “I can see your point. I personally still think she’s out of his league, but I’ve lost enough bets to become a believer.” His ears perked at a realization before he arched a brow at his cohort. “Any idea why he changed his costume and started carrying a shield around? I actually liked the red and blue, as tacky as it was. It had a vintage feel to it.” The second knight raised a hoof objectively. “Word through the grapevine is that he changed his costume’s colors to pay homage to Princess Luna, while the shield’s design pays tribute to Princess Celestia. Since he’s working at night, the color change helps him blend in, too. Plus, there’s another something about him wanting to move on from the past and whatnot.” The pair blinked as the shield bounced across the walls, ricocheting from the rooftop before guiding its way back to its wielder. “Now, as for the shield itself… I have no idea what that's all about.” Slow to respond, the first guard straightened his posture. “I’ll say it for you. That shield doesn’t make a lick of sense. It doesn’t obey the laws of physics at all.” The second guard glanced to his cohort with a smirk. “You’re just still upset about the time you got whacked by it on accident. You nearly got a concussion from it… on a glancing blow, no less. I’d say it’s pretty effective, if you ask me.” “I’m not sure about that. I just--” the first guard paused once the shield soared past their position, slicing a tree clean through before it ricocheted back to its wielder. The armored pony cleared his throat as a bead of sweat fell from his forehead. “Then again, I think it suits Parker rather well.” Back within the courtyard, Luna shifted her body until a hoof could hang over the refreshing water from the fountain. She lifted a knife and a small piece of wood from a nearby basket. Inhaling deeply before sighing, the mare turned the wood over in her magic for a few moments, admiring how the partly carved contours and natural grooves shimmered silver with the sunlight. Soon, it would be a replicate of Philomena, her sister’s pet phoenix. Ever since Peter had spotted Philomena several weeks ago after a night shift, the stallion had become fascinated by the bird and the legend surrounding it. He claimed to know a woman that referred to herself as ‘Phoenix’, but it felt different to actually bear witness to an actual living embodiment of the creature. They were fairly rare and nearly impossible to domesticate. Philomena was a testament to this statement, considering it took Celestia some time to tame the bird. However, according to Equestrian folklore, seeing one brought the witness a week of good luck, but catching and befriending one would bring the owner a lifetime of happiness. Luna hoped that by making a charm of one, some of that luck would be transferred to the owner of the wooden replica. She had only started carving four days ago, but progress had been good, considering the mare only worked on the project in spurts during the early hours of each day. At the rate of her work, Luna guessed that it would only take a few more days until it was complete. She had only hoped her stallion wouldn’t pry the information from her regarding the surprise. Eventually, Peter tossed the shield once more, causing the item to reflect from the walls’ surfaces, but the defensive weapon veered off course on its way back to the stallion. Luckily, it crashed into the fountain, creating a large splash from the water. Luna never freed her gaze from her wood carving, generating a small bubble shield around her position. The water harmlessly deflected from the mare’s barrier, leaving her form dry and unhindered. Chuckling sheepishly, Peter walked over to the fountain and retrieved his shield. “Sorry, Luna. I’ve still got some kinks to work out.” He slid the shield’s strap around a hoof. “Toss. Throw. It’s all in the mind.” Luna looked up with a smile. “The fact that you manage to manipulate the shield’s trajectory to such ludicrous levels speaks on your ingenuity.” Peter’s eyes widened at the statement before he brushed a hoof over the sun insignia at the center of his shield. “Ah, that’s nothing. It’s a combination of the metal and anti-magical properties that allows the shield to absorb and deflect practically all kinetic energy. That’s why the thing can ricochet off multiple targets with only minor loss of velocity.” The stallion pointed a free hoof at his own horn as it glowed momentarily. “Plus, I imprinted my own magic into the shield, and it recognizes my signature. That allows it to come back after I throw it, sort of like a boomerang on steroids.” “In any case, it is most certainly impressive,” Luna murmured, furrowing her brow. The stallion laughed happily and flicked a few beads of water at the mare. “We have the day and night off. Are you sure that you don't want to head down to the lake for a swim?” “Tempting, but no. I really want to finish this today if I could help it,” Luna gently whispered, inclining her head towards the wood hovering in her magical hold. “I shall never complete this if you keep distracting me with such pleasant sounding offers.” Peter grinned and placed a hoof onto the mare’s shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with a little procrastination. You've always got tomorrow or the day after that. When you’re a princess, there's no deadline with these sorts of things.” A light laugh escaped from the mare’s mouth. “Is that why you’re always late for whatever you’re meant to do?” “I’m not late for everything,” the stallion pointed out, gazing across at the princess. “I’m just slower than most.” The pair sat in a comfortable silence while Peter watched Luna guide her knife gently yet firmly across the wood with an unmatched eloquence. The stallion soon furrowed his brow. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. You’re probably the only royal figure that I know that carves wood in her spare time. Where’d you pick up the hobby?” Luna paused momentarily, glancing at the stallion from the corner of her eye. “I’ve lived for countless eons. I have many talents learned in my spare time. As I’ve learned, one must improvise when the time is given.” The mare tilted her head to the side, glancing at the wood from multiple angles. “I suppose I picked up on the hobby during my many hours alone. It helps ease my mind.” Managing a smile, she grinned. “Fortunately, I have you for that now.” “Glad I can be a distraction,” Peter chuckled, prompting the princess to return her full attention to the wood carving. The stallion soon removed his mask and costume, freeing his mane from his fur. Like the sun that shimmered silver on the wood, the droplets of water glistened beautifully on his toned body. While Peter was considerably shorter than the average stallion, he made up for it with a very athletic physique. Luna learned of that quite intimately over their months together, and her mind tended to drift, yielding to more animalistic instincts. It was a trait unbefitting a princess to sound even remotely vulgar, but the mare didn’t mind as much, considering Peter never judged her. After the stallion placed his costume and shield to the side, he retook his seat beside the princess. However, Peter arched a brow upon noticing Luna watch him diligently. “Hmm? What’s up?” Luna met his gaze and smiled demurely. “Nothing; I was admiring how attractive your body is.” Peter blushed visibly, stammering. “Hey! You can't go saying stuff like that without warning. You'll embarrass me.” Luna laughed triumphantly. “It was a compliment. Please take it as such. You say the most embarrassing things, and I implore you for it.” Chuckling, Peter was silent for a moment before smiling. “Fair enough. I'll have to return the compliment at some point.” The stallion leaned across the fountain, kissing the mare briefly yet affectionately. Once they parted, Peter hummed. “As a matter of fact, when we get back to the lake, we can do that thing again–” Luna’s hoof struck the stallion’s side, causing his words to fall into his throat with a sharp ‘ow’. Feeling her face glow, the princess feverishly cut away at the wood. “Hold your tongue around the guards. They listen.” In the end, Peter always won when it came to making the other embarrassed. That was not a contest Luna would triumph in, and she knew it. The stallion laughed at her flushed expression and looked down at the wood. “Okay. I get that you’re into wood carving, but you still haven’t told me what that’s going to be.” Luna looked across and flicked him gently on the muzzle with a hoof. “Be patient, beloved. You will find out when it's finished. I intended to give this charm to you once it was completed, and I will not spoil anything until then.” Peter smiled at the rebuke. “All right, all right. You win. I guess I can wait.” Letting out a low yawn, he stretched out across the fountain’s railing before lying down and resting the side of his head on Luna's flank. “I’m pooped. I guess I overtrained myself again. Don’t mind me. I’ll just rest here for a bit.” “Very well. Although I question why you insist on using me as a pillow,” she added with a laugh, arching a brow at the stallion. Peter stuck his tongue out at her before rolling onto his side. “Your butt’s soft and warm.” Luna rolled her eyes. “Such a crude response.” The stallion nudged closer to the mare, closing his eyes while smiling warmly. “That, and the night is the warmest part of the day for me. I prefer to keep my head as close to the moon as possible. It’s as close as I can get to heaven.” Luna felt her face burn. “Now you’re embarrassing me.” It was such a gentle and beautiful smile, that Luna felt an incredible yearning to embrace the stallion tightly and not let him go. Such words were trivial and empty from others, but whenever Peter spoke, there was almost a sense of earnesty. She put aside the knife for a moment so she could stroke his unkempt mane with a hoof. The action was brief, but its meaning was clear. Words weren’t always needed as Luna had come to learn, and sometimes their actions spoke louder. Peter lay silently for a moment, looking up at the sky. “Back on Earth, I never had a chance to just sit back and relax. We've done absolutely nothing today, but it feels like we've done everything. It just… feels right.” Luna resumed her carving, nodding. “I concur. The nature of spring and Equestria’s time of peace has allowed us to spend so much time together in such a manner.” Peter closed his eyes. “Yeah,” he whispered sleepily. “Wasting time is much better when you're doing it with someone, especially with a girl you love.” Luna smiled contently at his words before plucking a stray shaving of wood from his mane. “Days spent with you are never wasted, Peter.” The young couple continued to sit in silence, but little did they know, they earned the gaze of a light amber mare in the vicinity. She brushed a vivid crimson and brilliant yellow strand from her face with a hoof. The mare’s moderate cyan eyes shone as an opportune smirk formed on her face before she trotted out of view. Meanwhile, Discord sat in the reaches of the astral plain with a furrowed brow as he watched Peter and Luna. “I must say that this is quite surprising. Becoming a knight, revealing your identity to the world, and winning over the ice queen’s heart? Those are truly some commendable feats, Peter Parker.” The draconequus straightened his posture, pulling at the hairs of his goatee with his talon. “Sadly though, the world is so boring right now! It's too heavenly! I need some excitement! I need--!” His eyes widened at a realization. An ill wind brushed across his fur, prompting the draconequus to glance to the side. Waving his paw, Discord faded from sight in a burst of light before materializing into existence along the outskirts of Ponyville. He arched a brow at the source, narrowing his gaze on Twilight Sparkle’s home. Discord folded his paw and talon before sitting in midair on nothing in particular. “Ah, that’s right. Young Twilight Sparkle has been a shell of herself since Peter Parker left Ponyville. That certainly is chaotic in its own right, but why is there such a malevolent air about the place suddenly?” Discord whispered, fading into the tree. However, his crimson gaze widened upon spotting a jewel encased behind a glass dome at the center of the room. A metallic alicorn design rested above a ruby diamond, forming an emblem of sorts. Discord blinked at the sight. “Oh my goodness. Now, how on earth did Twilight Sparkle come into possession of that?” Examining the amulet closely, the draconequus smiled before shrugging. “Well, no matter. At least things are finally about to get more exciting around here.” To be continued...