//------------------------------// // Chapter XVII: Discussions // Story: Nocturnal Mayhem // by Silvak //------------------------------// "Hey, you said that the room was secured, so I thought it would have been fine to test it out. Besides, at least I didn't point it at you, and I wasn't expecting them to have the punch of a small cannon." "There were practice dummies and targets for to practice on, not the ceiling!" Luna reprimanded. "Hey, do you think we could a party cannon version for me?" Party asked, causing both Luna and me to jerk our heads towards her. "No!" we both shot back, before blinking at one another. "Bummer, but hey, you're acting like mother and daughter now!" Party announced. After the little incident with my new firearms, Luna deemed that I shouldn't be experimenting with my weaponry until a suitable place was secured for the testing grounds. With this change in plans, Luna decided to bring me over to the library for some studying and her grilling me on the nature of my position. Joke's on her, I'm far less informed about this position than my fellow lords. I mean, I didn't even know I could cheat death under the right conditions. As we entered the library, the librarian bowing to Luna as we passed by her, I looked at Party as I asked, "Shouldn't you be heading home now? The night isn't going to last forever, you know." Waving a hoof off, Party answered, "I'll be fine, besides, I'm so excited to hear some of the things you can do!" Rolling my eyes, I countered, "Don't expect too much, it's not like I'm some being that can play with the stars," only for Luna to pause as she looked at me with a raised eyebrow before continuing on her way. "What?" "...Nothing," Luna replied as she walked over to our little study area. As I hopped onto my seat, Luna asked, "So, since you're affiliated with these... 'Dimensional Lords', would they be taking any actions against Equus?" Before I could even open my mouth, Party chipped in, "Oh, they gave control of Equus over to Neby!" leaving me with my mouth hanging wide open, which was soon mirrored by Luna, with Party joining in with a giggle. Compusing herself, Luna said, "Please tell me she's joking," as she looked at me, only to take on a deadpanned expression when I gave her an awkward smile in response. Gritting her teeth, Luna continued, "What right do they have in giving you our world?" "Well, it's not exactly giving me the world, it's more of giving me dominion over the world," I said as I kept up my forced smile. "And how is that any better?" "Well, it just means that no beings or forces of interdimensional capabilities would be trying to take over, while technically giving me free reign to do whatever I want to the world as long as I don't disrupt temporal or spatial stability. Which, I don't have any plans for global domination, so it's more of just a kind of protection for everypony!" I explained, keeping my smile as I hope it helped placate Luna. Which also made me wonder what made me become so soft, probably due to being in a filly's body. Curse the effects of the biological body. "Very well then, but it may be best if we keep that little tidbit to ourselves. Now, back to the subject on hoof, your nature as a Dimensional Lord. You explained about your duties as one of them, but there is still much more to explain," Luna stated as she lit her horn up, summoning a scroll and quill. Nodding, I replied, "Alright, I'll tell you what I can, but there are some things that we're can't simply divulge. It's a bit of a policy for our little group. So no asking for how the upper echelon is organized or formed, and of course I can't talk about the capabilities my peers possess." "Understandable, but do any of you possess any ulterior motives beyond what you have told us?" Luna asked as Party hovered about, though she looked to be lying down as well, perplexing me on how she does that so casually. "Eh, technically we all do. Even with cosmic duties, we end up with plenty of time to burn, so we each fulfill our own ambitions during our off time," I answered with a shrug. "So it is ultimately dependant on our personal desires. Some of us can be benevolent, desiring to uplift other worlds to prosperity, while some may just like to see their own territory suffer underneath their rule to fulfill their sick desires, and you got some like me that are just drifting around aimlessly, doing things on a whim." Frowning, Luna responded, "I see, I was hoping for that even with the conquest of worlds, that your organization is filled with kind-hearted individuals, but to hear that is truly disappointing." "What can I say? We're not persay evil overall, and the first keeps us all in che—" "The first? What do you mean by that?" Luna asked, pressing her head forward a bit in curiosity. "Darn, shouldn't have let that slip, but I will say that there is a ranking system and that the first is the one that keeps our group focus on our primary purpose," I said while waving a hoof around. "He... she... whatever, is the only being that keeps us Dimensional Lords from devolving into power hungry warlords. That's all I will say now, and please keep this information to yourselves." "Why? Will you get into super trouble if more ponies find out?" Party asked as she hovered to my side. "Possibly... I'm not certain, but if too many ponies do find out, I'm pretty certain that we would purge that number to keep our secrets secret," I answered, causing the two to go wide-eyed and gulped at that. "I'll Pinkie Promise that I won't tell anypony anything you say about the Dimensional Lords without your permission," Party declared. As she was going through the motions, I saw that Luna was in doubt, based on her expression as she looked at the floor. "Is something the matter, mother?" I asked, bringing her attention to me as she bit her lip. "There is, while you displayed some of your abilities, I'm still highly doubtful of your claims. While amazing as they can be, the claims to rule over empires made up of worlds is hard to believe," Luna revealed, causing me to nod in return. "I figured that doubt would come into play without solid, hard proof, so let me try something then," I stated as I lifted a hoof before pushing forward with it. "Wait, what are you do—" Luna asked before the space in front of my hoof cracked like some kind of mirror. "What..." "The most basic display of a Dimensional Lord's power, the shattering of a dimension's natural barriers," I said as I pulled my hoof back, causing the cracks to disappear. "While we may have abilities that others could find a way to imitate, so far nopony has been able to pull off something like that. It also helps that it tends to have an effect on ponies' own mind to see existence being cracked," I continued as I looked at the shocked Luna and Party, the latter having dropped down to the floor at the sight. "Sorry for the that, but sometimes ponies need something rather shocking before they can start believing." "I... understand," Luna responded, causing me to narrow my eyes a bit as that hinted to her possibly taking drastic actions when she was Nightmare Moon, or maybe even before that. "Couldn't you... like take us to another world instead of something like that?" Party asked, her mane drooping a bit after seeing my little show. "That is something that other beings are capable of, to the point that some dimensions draw upon that with ease. Furthermore, travel between dimensions could have side effects on us," I answered, causing Party to tilt her head. "Side effects?" Nodding, I explain, "Yes, for instance, one world could have a subtle bacteria in the air that may be transmitted to this world by you two if I'm too careless, which could lead to a plague wiping out all life. Another possibility is that our bodies changed to be more similar to the native life of that world." "Oh? You mean we could become another species, like fish?" Party asked, her mane returning to normal as her eyes sparkled with childish curiosity, while Luna displayed an interest on where this was going. "Not exactly, it's more normally just restructuring our bodies into a more suitable structure, so you'll be ponies in some form regardless," I replied, causing Party's ears to droop. "Aw... I wanted to see what it was like to be an eagle, or a hawk, or maybe even a helicopter!" Party said, causing me to blink at her. "Why in the world would you change into a helicopter of all things?" I asked out of sheer confusion. "Cause it would be fun?" Party answered, causing me to groan at her. However, before either one of us could say a thing, Luna looked at Party, saying, "Party, there is something of grave importance that I need to ask Nebula, alone." Blinking at first, Party gave a salute before flying out of the library, while Luna's horn lit up, surrounding us in a blue barrier of sorts. "This is to keep others from overhearing," Luna explained since she saw me looking at the barrier with suspicion. When I returned my attention to her, Luna continued, "I wanted privacy due to the nature of what I'm going to ask you. What was this cosmic horror that you claimed to have defeated, and what means you have taken to vanquish it." Frowning, I took a deep breath before asking, "Are you sure you want to know?" Getting a nod, I sighed before saying, "Very well, the cosmic horror I 'vanquished' are a viral species called the Venanites. They're an interdimensional species that has been a plague on all reality, but due to their ability to infect others with a virus that painfully turns other into new Venanites, as well as possessing individuals of great power, it kept all other factions at bay, beyond fending them off from worlds that the Venanites tried to invade. Even the Dimensional Lords and Magisters of Time feared their power since they couldn't risk an upfront confrontation with them. It wasn't until I showed up, with an immunity to their virus that the tide was turned against them, yet it took me two hundred years to put an end to them, which still gave them plenty of time to wiping out other species and worlds." A grim look on Luna's face, I could see that she had the hide to withstand the sheer idea of the horror of a species like the Venanites, as she pressed on with her questioning. "And how did you stopped them?" Sighing, I said, "By wiping them out. In other words, I committed genocide against them." After staring at me for a moment, Luna narrowed her eyes as she asked, "Did you take any pleasure from that?" Giving Luna an annoyed look, I answered, "Do I look like a monster? There just wasn't any options. The Venanites were formed of two groups, the feral monstrous portion that was what most ponies see them as, and the rarer intelligent portion that were few in number, but possessed power enough to give even the lesser agents that we may employ pause. Not only that, but that portion views all other life as mere vermin, and saw that being turned into feral beasts was some kind of uplifting. Even when facing the end, they still believe in their superiority, so I was left with no choice. Wipe them out, or risk them bringing other races to extinction if they escape whatever imprisonment that could be given to them." Staring at Luna, who stared in return, we were left in silence before her horn flashed, as she teleported to my side, causing me to jump a bit before the engulfed me in a hug. Before I could question her actions, she said, "I'm sorry for accusing you of that and bring up those unpleasant memories, my daughter, but I had to be certain of your nature. It is a shame that such a thing had to come to pass, but it will have no negative bearing on how I see you, you are still the daughter that I have adopted, and I will raise you like any other child." Frowning to myself, I asked, "Really? But how do you know I wasn't lying?" Petting my mane, Luna answered, "Cause I once wielded the Element of Honesty, and I could see the truth in your words. You may have done a horrible thing, but you did what was necessary, and I can't fault you in the end of it. Instead... I feel sorrow at the thought that you have to go through something like that, no matter your age or experience." Blinking in surprise at her answer, I let out a sigh as I nuzzled her chest while returning her hug. Truth be told, I was fearful for being called a monster and being chased out of this world, but hearing that somepony is still willing to accept me regardless of my actions have put my heart at ease. It seemed like this world is something that I might find some kind of belonging to, maybe perhaps enough to make me desire some kind of peace with Chrono... after messing with him for a few decades. I might not be a monster, but I'm not above messing with others for my amusement.