//------------------------------// // Knowing the differences // Story: How many lovers have you made today? // by Sarcastic Brony //------------------------------// Anon is lost in his thoughts as he walks toward the dining hall with Blossom in tow. Neither of them have uttered a single word since they left the gardens. It’s not like there’s anything to say. For the most part, Anon has been dwelling on what Twilight has asked of him. He can’t wrap his head around that mare one bit, not that he cares to try. Even he can’t deny being curious as to why she wants his help, though. A small snort escapes him. He can’t allow his curiosity to put him in harm's way. One lapse in judgment could wind up putting him into a situation he’ll regret. Anon sets his jaw. This strange turn of events has his mind racing. Why does she want him to help her so badly? Why does he care about what would happen to others if he were to ignore her? “You know, I’m here for you if you want to chat,” Blossom finally speaks up. He considers her offer. Ever since he and Blossom had opened up to each other about their respective situations, he’d had a very easy time speaking his mind with her; sometimes even more so than with the sisters. “Why am I considering Twilight’s offer? Why not just cut her loose completely and ignore her?” Blossom chuckles upon hearing that. She and Anon have been getting to know each other a lot more lately and Blossom freely admits that she enjoys his company. Through their time shared together, Blossom found familiarity with Anon. In many ways he reminds her of Sweeps, and it’s heartwarming to hear him ask things that he would’ve asked. “Anon. You trust me, right?” Blossom asks. “Yeah,” Anon says with no hesitation. “We can be honest with one another?” “Of course.” Anon raises an eyebrow, not knowing where Blossom is going with this. “Anon, I think you hate seeing good ponies get hurt. I believe it’s in your nature to protect others, even if you’re hurt in the process.” Anon takes a moment to let that sink in. Him, a protector? She must be kidding. “Come on, Blossom.” Anon shakes his head some. “Me, a protector?” “Let me ask you something,” Blossom says. “Why is it a far fetched idea that you protect others?” Anon thought it was apparent, but as he looks over at Blossom, he can tell from her face and the tone that she’s serious. “Really? I hurt everyone I know, Blossom: Bonbon, Lyra...” Anon grits his teeth. “Even Luna. Just being her friend is enough to make her do stupid things.” Blossom recalls their conversation about how Luna spoke with Spike about what Twilight did in Ponyville and that in turn had forced Anon’s hand in making sure Celestia didn’t find out about what she did. “She did it―” “For my sake,” Anon interrupts. Sighing, he comes to a stop. “That’s why I hate it so much.” The two of them fall into silence as they stand in the hallway. Neither of them are sure what to say. Blossom wants to tell Anon all about Luna’s feelings for him and why she went so far and yet she can’t betray the princess’ trust. Even if Anon knew, Blossom has a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t make him feel at all better. “Anon, do you know how I choose who gets accepted into the knights?” The perplexity on Anon’s face is as good an answer as any. “I choose them based on pain.” “Pain?” Anon repeats. “Pain,” Blossom confirms. “Pain is something we all understand, Anon.” Sauntering over to a nearby window, the Captain wistfully observes the castle grounds. “Every creature has felt it at some point in their life, and I pick the recruits who have endured the greatest amount without breaking. I think you can hazard a guess as to why.” Anon maintains his silence, opting to join Blossom in staring out over Canterlot. “Pain is what allows living beings to empathize with those in need of help; because there was a moment in that being’s life where they cried out for help, and no one answered their plea. These are the ones who are ready to drop everything and come running to help their fellows whenever they call.” Anon wishes to scoff but remains silent. Where were these creatures when he needed help? He was alone for so long and it was only Celestia that really did any saving back then. Still, hearing how adamant and straightforward Blossom is being is enough to keep him listening. “You have that same mentality, Anon; it’s just buried beneath all of your fear. You hate to see good creatures coming to harm, so you weigh any and all options available to reach the best outcome. It’s why you pushed your business partners away to save their relationship. It’s why you helped Spike and why you’re considering helping Twilight now, despite everything she put you through. Because deep down, by helping her, you’re helping Celestia and that means more to you than your own wellbeing.” Grimacing, Anon returns to peering out the window. It’s like Blossom knows just the right words to get under his skin. “You’re wrong,” Anon mumbles. Blossom continues down toward the dining hall. “We all hate ourselves, Anon; it’s why we have friends at our side to remind us of the good we have inside of us.” Anon takes a slow breath in as he lets that sink in for a moment. He hates her sometimes. “You’re not cool just because you say something meaningful and walk away!” Anon shouts. Blossom turns back at him with a smirk on her face. “Whatever you say, Stud.” The three Royal Princesses made their way to the dining hall. The three of them have discussed a lot, and Celestia has tried her best to commit everything to memory. What her niece brought to the table has indeed proven insightful, and now both sisters feel as if they have a hoof to lead with. Though Celestia is still flustered by some of the suggestions, such as being more flirtatious with Anon when they are alone, complimenting how he looks, or describing traits that she likes about him. Celestia blushes just thinking about some of them. She has no idea how this will turn out, but it’s worth a try. There were also a few other suggestions made: being more playful with him, nuzzling him more often, bumping him slightly as they walk, things of that nature. Cadance suggested going slow with Anon after hearing a bit more about him. She worried that being too forward would scare him away. So no seduction tactics just yet; those would come later, if all else failed. Cadance did praise her aunts for getting Anon to be more comfortable around them in the nude, even if she didn’t fully understand his aversion to the entire thing. All she saw it as was a small step in bringing her aunts closer to Anon. That’s another thing; it was recommended that Luna hang back during this process and prepare herself to successfully form a herd with Anon later. Again, his skittish nature would only harm any chances for a relationship if he felt pressured into one. Luna was willing to accept this, as it was part of the original plan. With the details set, the three of them were much more confident. They still feel butterflies, but at least they no longer feel as ignorant as they were before. “So, we’ve gone over a lot. I’ll give you two some time to digest all this information. If you need to ask me anything, don’t hesitate to find me. For now, Shining and I are on our way to take Twilight out for breakfast,” Cadance says with a smile. That’s news to Celestia. “Oh? It’s nice knowing that my student isn’t cooped up in the castle. Is this a regular thing?” Celestia asks. “Not really. It wasn’t an easy sell, but she eventually accepted our offer. I want to help Twilight get out into public a bit more. Maybe it will help with her social problems.” “That is a nice thought, Cadance. Just try not to push her too far, will you?” “I know Auntie, it won’t be a problem. I’ll see you two later.” Celestia waves a farewell as Cadence walks down another hallway. Luna, for the most part, has kept to herself, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Celestia. “Luna, is something bothering you?” “Just taking a moment to think over what we’ve discussed.” Luna huffs. “I’ll be honest, I am worried that Anon may not be interested in us.” Yes, this is a doubt Celestia is all too familiar with. It has been bothering her for a while now. Sure they’re friends, but Anon still has a long way to go before he breaks from his shell. The simple act of being naked around another was abhorrent to him when he first arrived, so what of dating another species? Celestia knows little about Anon’s world and how human society views these things. Not only that, but Celestia is still anxious Anon may accept her advances not out of love, but obligation. “I have concerns as well, Lulu.” Celestia rests her wing on her sister’s back. “But we are in this together, right?” Luna stands tall with newfound determination. “Of course, Tia. Together...” That gets a smile from Celestia. “Let’s not keep Anon waiting, then. I’m sure he’s already at the dining hall as we speak.” “Checkmate,” Blossom says with a cocky grin. Anon is glaring at the board with an unwavering gaze. No matter how long he sits there thinking over what happened, he can’t figure out how it could’ve ended this way. Unable to comprehend where he went wrong, he flips the board. He has no idea how she managed to do that, for the tenth time. Blossom is like the pony version of Bobby Fischer! “You cheated!” he exclaims. “I don’t know how, but I know you did!” “Stop being a foal. No need to throw a hissy fit just because you lost.” Blossom’s grin remains as she spares the human a sly glance, brushing a stray pawn from her lap. “I guess you’re not as bright as you pretend to be. Maybe Go Fish is your type of game?” Anon is shaking in pure rage as he gives her the dirtiest scowl he can muster. This does nothing more than make Blossom giggle. Anon takes a second to calm down a bit, and once he does, he notices the room is still terribly empty. “The sisters are taking their sweet time,” Anon mutters. “You worried?” “No, just wondering if I have time to take a bath before they get here.” Blossom looks at Anon with a raised brow and smirk. “Hmm? Want me to join you?” That makes Anon scoff. “Why even ask? You’d just watch me like a creeper anyway.” Blossom shrugs. “I will admit I find your anatomy to be rather interesting.” That remark is enough to get a blush from Anon. “Don’t get any funny ideas.” Hearing that only makes Blossom smirk. “Funny ideas? From the blush on your face, it seems to be quite the contrary. Are you thinking naughty thoughts about me, Nonny?” she teases. “Just... Can we change the subject?” Blossom rolls her eyes. “You’re too easy to tease, Anon.” The both of them go silent for a moment before Blossom asks, “So how long do humans last in bed, anyways?” Just before Anon can lose it, the door to the dining hall opens. Celestia stands there as she scans over the place. Anon is there at the table with a red face, Luna’s captain sitting across from him. A chessboard lays on the floor with all the pieces scattered about as well. What is going on here? “Are we interrupting something?” Celestia asks. Anon realizes that he left a bit of a mess after his last match with Blossom. “Things got a bit heated.” Anon is about to get out of his seat but finds that Luna had already picked everything up in her magic and set it back on the table. “I assume Blossom beat you?” she deduces, approaching the table with a grin. “Yeah, pretty much.” Anon replies, pretending the loss didn’t bother him. Luna giggles at that. “I’m not surprised. I’ve played against her more than a few times in the past.” “Did you ever win?” Luna shakes her head with a small smile. “Not once. She’s very good at it. Ironic, considering I was the one who introduced the game to her.” Blossom gives a short bow. “Thank you for the compliment, Princess.” She gets out of her seat and takes a small step away from the table. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to head back to work. I wouldn’t wish to disturb your meal.” Celestia can only look between Luna’s captain and Anon. She’s surprised by how quickly Anon has taken to trusting this pony, but she’s happy that Anon is comfortable. Any friend of his is undoubtedly a pony worth getting to know. “You don’t have to go,” Celestia speaks up. “It is no bother to me.” Luna examines her sister before her attention falls to her captain. She has a hunch her sister has taken an interest in Blossom. It’s not surprising, seeing as Anon and her have grown somewhat close since they’ve met. This brings solace to Luna, knowing that her most trusted captain is not only protecting Anon but perhaps even coming out of her own shell. For a while now Blossom has mostly been stuck in the barracks doing work, a side that Luna never knew personally because Blossom was once very social when her partner was alive. Luna shakes those dark thoughts away. She’s glad it’s worked out so well, and that she doesn’t have to have to worry about Anon when she’s not around. “You know I don’t mind the company, Captain,” Luna encourages as she faces Blossom. “...I guess I have the free time,” Blossom concedes, taking her seat. With that out of the way, both sisters take their seats beside Anon, one at each side. However, Blossom takes notice of the fact that Celestia is sitting uncomfortably close to Anon. In fact, she’s all but leaning against him. This is something that Anon is keenly aware of. Celestia is pressing against him so much that he’s now pushed against Luna. “I-Is everything alright?” Anon stammers. Celestia, for the most part, is enacting the first phase of Cadance’s plan, doing small things to get Anon comfortable with her being close. She has to start somewhere and this felt like a good time as any. “I just feel a bit cold is all,” Celestia lies. Weird, but indeed not the strangest thing Anon has experienced. It honestly feels pretty hot in here but then again that’s probably due to the fact that he’s currently sandwiched between both sisters. He doesn’t understand how pony biology works but wouldn’t he get cold before Celestia did? What does he know. Alicorn physiology is complicated and there’s no point in him trying to make sense of it if that’s the case. He’s not entirely uncomfortable, so he’s willing to let whatever this is happen without complaint. “Get comfortable, I guess.” Thanks to her sister’s initiative, Anon is firmly pressed against Luna. The night princess receives a knowing smirk from her captain which causes her eyes to widen as her heart starts to race. It’s hard for Luna to control herself with Anon as close as he is. Adding to that the fact that her sister is finally taking steps in the courting process, some excitement swells within her as well. Celestia is faring no better right now: her face is so red that her blush is even starting to creep down her neck a bit. Luckily Anon is facing the table, otherwise, with her earlier account of being cold, he’d likely worry she was running a high fever. It’s nice having him near. She imagines a day where she can hold him this close all the time. “Um,” Celestia clears her throat, “Let’s enjoy our meal.” Celestia casts a spell to call a waiter to take their orders. Despite how unusual this situation is, it’s nothing too out of the ordinary for Anon, so he’s okay with it. Twilight is waiting at the front gate for Cadance and Shining to arrive. While she should be looking forward to the meal she is about to have, her thoughts always circle back around to what happened with Anon. He actually considered her proposal! She never thought in a thousand years he’d be willing to hear her out, let alone seriously consider what she asked of him. Twilight still isn’t clear on what drives Anon but it has to be something invaluable. She hopes to find something like that and perhaps it awaits her at the end of this quest for redemption. “Twilight!” calls the easily recognizable voice of her former foalsitter, breaking her from her reverie. Cadance and Shining, upon exiting the castle, are quickly trotting over to her. She lifts a hoof and gives them a small wave. “Hey there,” she says meekly. “You all set?” Cadance asks. It’s not like Twilight could plan for something like this. Other than taking a bit more time this morning to groom herself, she didn’t do much else than talk to Spike for a bit. The two of them have been slowly coming to terms with what happened. It indeed was tough to get him to listen at first but he’s thankfully calmed down a bit since then. He does tend to head out on his own a lot more, probably to think about things. “Y-Yeah,” Twilight hesitantly replies, “Where are we headed?” Cadance could see Twilight’s apprehension. Though it disconcerts her, she will admit Twilight looks better than she did all those weeks ago. Cadance can thank Anon for that it seems. “Just a small restaurant around the corner. Have you eaten yet?” Twilight shakes her head. “No. I was preoccupied with something else this morning.” “Then this all works out. Shining and I are starving!” Twilight hesitantly looks over to her brother. Shining, for the most part, appears indifferent, having not uttered a single word. It’s been a while since Twilight has spoken to Shining: the last she can remember was when he tried to take the ring off her horn all those months ago. The pained look on his face when she refused to let him take it off is burned into her memory. After that day, they haven’t seen each other much. He was there when Twilight went to her parents for dinner and he did try his hardest to talk to her but Twilight knew how much it strained him. At the time she didn’t understand why Shining was acting the way he was, merely thinking his actions were because he hated her. She knows better now. Shining believes that he’s failed. Not only in his job but also protecting his family. She can see, even now, how much pain he’s in due to how he holds back from saying anything, in fear that he could break whatever little progress Twilight has made. Twilight is also at a loss for words. This is another reason why she must undergo this task, to hopefully find the right approach to help mend their strained relationship. To tell him that she’s sorry, that she loves him and that he’ll always be her BBBFF. Right now though, it doesn’t seem as if those words have much meaning to her. He has a tremendous burden to carry and it’ll take time for her to help him. She has so many ponies that she’s wronged and the thought crosses her mind that this outing is just a waste of time. This is something she must come to terms with, the idea of taking things slowly and allowing others to take control, as opposed to her never-ending self-absorption. “No time like the present,” Twilight says. Cadance nods. “You’re right. We’ll have more than enough time to chat when we’re seated.” Twilight lets Cadance and Shining take the lead as she follows behind them. An odd question hits her from nowhere: Why are Cadance and Shining together so much? Twilight decides not to dwell on that realization for too long. It’s none of her business. Anon rests his back against the closed door to his room. It’s been some time since he’s come in here, mostly because he practically lives in Celestia’s place now but that’s not the reason why he’s returned. He needed a moment away from Celestia. She’s acting really strange and Anon can’t wrap his head around why. Usually she only acts this touchy-feely when she’s worried about him. However, the intensity certainly has been dialed up a notch. Not too much but enough for Anon to take notice. What could be bothering her so much? Anon thinks over the week they’ve been having. Other than all the festival stuff, there hasn’t been much worth noting, so the only conclusion is that this has something to do with Twilight. Could she still be worried about his reasons for helping her? Anon tried his best to spin Celestia a believable tale on why he helped Twilight, but perhaps she doesn’t believe him. It’s not like the story was false. He may have mostly omitted Luna’s involvement but other than that it was all true. She was in his thoughts at the time but she wasn’t the main reason he helped Twilight. So could she still be thinking about it? It wouldn’t surprise him. For the past few weeks they’ve been busy with the festival and she’s probably been holding off her concerns so she could focus on the task. Should he talk with her again? Lay everything out on the table for her? He rubs his temples in frustration. Why is this so complicated? He just wants things to start calming down, not relive what’s already passed. Then again, what if her strange mood is because she’s happy? Anon takes a moment to mull that over. It’s certainly possible. She talks to Twilight more, doesn’t have to worry about him as much and in turn is spending more time enjoying the small things in life. Weird as that may be, this is Celestia he’s thinking about. Other than that issue, he’s not too sure what else it could be that’s driving her behavior. “Are you ready?” Celestia calls from outside the door. “Almost!” He’ll just have to let things play out for now. Celestia suggested they spent time together at the park. He’s okay with that but it’s just going to be the two of them alone. Luna is staying for morning court and Blossom left to do some paperwork. Anon wanted to do something with both sisters but that’ll have to wait for another time. Maybe he’ll do something with Luna later? He shakes those thoughts away to focus. He’s going to the park; it’s a nice and simple idea. However, he does fret about running into Bonbon or Lyra. Canterlot is a prominent place, but his shop is close to the park. Chances are low they’ll be there, seeing as these are working hours, but that’s never inconvenienced fate. Damn... This is wasting time. He needs to relax after everything that’s happened. Then again, it’s hard to break a habit. As focused as she outwardly appears, Luna has a lot on her mind right now as she walks down the hall toward her room. She’s thinking about what her sister and Anon are up to right now. The two of them, alone in the park, snuggled up close. Different scenarios rapidly flash before her eyes―purely fantasy―but a fantasy she hopes she shall be able to indulge in someday soon. When that time comes, she too will be ready to confess how she feels to Anon. She can only hope he will come to make her the happiest mare in the world; the thought alone is enough to make her heart skip a beat. “It’s too early for this,” an irritated voice whispers. Luna blinks. In her excitement she all but forgot the mare locked inside of her mind. Talk about a quick way to sour the mood. “What is it, Nightmare Moon? Does the very thought of love sicken you?” Luna gives a scoff. “It would not surprise me; I could imagine anything unrelated to misery or violence is anathema to the likes of you and your perverse depravities.” “I find it quite humorous, in an ironic sense of course, that a parody of a mare tainted as yourself believes you deserve to be rewarded after all you’ve done.” Luna stops in her tracks as she leers off into nothingness. “What is that supposed to mean, demon?” Luna snarls. A small chuckle echoes in her head. “Anon is rather upset with you, Luna. He may not have said it aloud, but you saw how disgusted he was with your transgressions against the young drake.” The Night Princess’ throat suddenly becomes dry. Try as she might, she could not deny Nightmare Moon spoke the truth: Anon did appear somewhat displeased with her actions... Even if he forgave her in the end. “He knows what I did was for him,” Luna tries to assure herself. “That’s why he despises it. That’s why he despises you.” The voice flows from one ear to another, and for a moment Luna could swear the demon was standing right beside her in the hall, leering over her. “You say that you did it for his sake, but was that your true intention, or merely what you wanted him to believe? Impetuous as you are, I doubt even you know the answer to that. You’re poison, Luna; a lecherous snake in the grass...” Luna squeezes her eyes shut, her ears pressed against her head. “Shut up...” “‘All for his sake’,” mocks The Mare in the Moon, “You may delude yourself into believing you’re a virtuous mare, Princess, but I see through your hypocrisy, your deceit! Love is not fit for a liar, little Lulu.” “I said silence!” Luna shouts, furiously stomping her hoof to the ground. The strike is loud enough to reverberate from the halls. In the hollow corridors, devoid of life, Luna is met only with derisive laughter, haunting her to her core. “Princess?” Luna snaps back to reality and notices that Spike is standing at the end of the hall. Luna releases a shaky breath as the chuckling of Nightmare rings in her ears. “A-Are you alright?” Spike asks as he nervously comes closer. “My apologies, young Spike. I was… preoccupied.” Luna sneers a bit at nothing. “As though my thoughts have a mind of their own.” Luna looks back down at Spike as he nods his head slightly. “Yeah... I feel that way too. It’s, um, it’s the reason why I’ve been searching for you.” This is surprising for Luna to hear. “You’ve been seeking my audience?” “I wanted to talk to you about some things.” Spike twiddles his claws a bit. “If that’s alright with you, Princess?” Luna can see the apprehension in Spike’s frame as he stands before her. The fact that he treats her no differently than before shows how pure of heart he is. Recalling the biting condemnations of the Nightmare, guilt surges within the Princess. The least she can do is console him. “I’m always willing to converse, young Spike. I’m heading to my room for a moment; then I must start morning court. Will you accompany me?” Spike’s melancholy mood lifts slightly. “I don’t mind that at all.” “Very well. Follow me.” As Luna leads Spike down the hall, she can still hear the distant laughter of Nightmare Moon in her mind. That mare shall have her laughs for now, but she will be proven the fool in the end. As much as Luna would like to take steps in preparation to confess to Anon, there’s also the question as to why Nightmare Moon came to his aid during his night terrors. For now, Luna will focus on Spike; then she’ll personally deal with the Corruption.