Chapter 04
The low dripping of water reached his ears as he held a burning torch in his hoof he was starting to get use to the lack of fingers. The area was Dark and no guards since there were no prisoners His current Companion Derpy the grey mare was almost pressing up against him.
“Are you sure this is safe Doctor?” she asked,
“Paradox, I am be a Doctor, but” he sighed, “Just call me paradox,” he replied being called a Doctor didn’t feel right anymore.
“Um, okay Paradox,” she replied, “I really don’t like this place,” she admitted looking at him. Paradox didn’t respond as he kept moving forward showing the light in the different cells to find nothing in them.
“Funny it seems to like you,” he said smiling a bit at her. He glance dup at the ceiling again as he reached the end of the prison nothing. “This doesn’t bode well for the missing ponies,” he said as he approached the wall his hoof echoing as he tapped it.
“Now then, let’s head back,” he said as his hoof slide down only for one of the stone rocks in the wall to push in. The wall clicked in and slide to the side. “Fantastic,” he said with a sigh as he walked in to see a few ponies laying on the ground. He moved over nudging one with his hoof the body stirred but the victim didn’t wake up.
“Looks like every pony is okay,” Derpy commented as Paradox nodded absently.
“That’s a good start, just once I would love it everyone lived,” he said softly closing his eyes. His eyes shot back open pushing his concerns to the back of his head. “Well then this means whatever this nightmare moon is its scary but not without compassion of some kind. Or a predator storing up food, I think I prefer the first,” Paradox said with a light smile as Derpy nodded her head in agreement. “Well I am a pony so best to act like one,” He said as leaned down and pushed his way under a prone body allowing it to hang over his back. He started heading out it would be best to tell the guards as well as the princess about this as soon as possible.
Suddenly the corridor started to brighten a bit, as he looked back to see a familiar form of stars and smoke. “Run!” Shouted Derpy as she grabbed the pony on his back as the two quickly started running down the hall with the formless creature racing after them.
“Can’t I have an adventure that doesn’t involve running!” he shouted as he legs tore back to the main stairs. The pair quickly scaled the stairs dragging the third body along for the ride as they spun a corner and down back to the library. The two slammed the door shut as Paradox moved to the side moving a low book shelf in front of the door.
“Doesn’t the door open into the hall way?” asked Derpy as Paradox paused at the realization. He glared at Derpy,
“But of course,” he said to himself as the door threw open into the hall way as Luna floated over the book case looking at it then back to the pair with a raised eyebrow.
“Was there an invasion of some kind that missed or are you two playing a game I am un familiar with?” Luna asked.
“We were getting chased around by a giant black cloud called nightmare moon!” said Derpy before Paradox could say anything. Luna narrowed her eyes as she looked at Paradox.
“It didn’t look anything like a night mare it was more like a giant ball of magic that just disperses after short periods of time. What it is and what it does is a mystery but the good news is it hasn’t killed any pony yet,” Paradox replied as he directed the attention to a mare in a long French maid dress who was still out on the floor.
“Feather star,” Luna realized as she hurried over to the prone body. “This is very concerning we need to get her to the hospital wing as quickly as possible,” The room suddenly flashed as they each found themselves in a large room filled with sheeted beds and curtness. She gently set the body onto the bed as the filly blinked up at Luna.
“Princess?” she asked, “Thank you,” she said before drifting off to sleep.
“Are there more?” Luna asked urgently as Paradox nodded,
“A few people you will probably know a few of them as well,” Paradox replied the gears in his head working with the implications everything seemed to be connecting to Luna but how he wasn’t sure his knowledge of magic was still in the infant stages and the Princess seemed to be a whole another ball game compared to other ponies.
“Yeah Derpy if you would take the Princess to them I got something I need to look into,” Paradox replied as Derpy nodded flying off the ground as Luna raced after her.
“I think it’s a safe bet that Celestia knew what was going on in some way and wanted Luna to stay out of it Distracted. But thanks to his desire for adventure Luna was now completely involved. And getting her out will cause some problems.” He mused to himself. “It could be subconscious, wouldn’t be the first time someone’s mind had acted independently and magic could be connected to that mind of minds and could be working against Luna in some way,” He pondered. His eyes widened, “That’s it Nightmare moon is either some way she can play hero or acting out against the people she things fear and hate her.” His mind came to this quick conclusion. “So my best bet of solving this is doing nothing, maybe taking her out being her friend maybe getting her to admit those fears.” His mind was moving over the possibilities with well over a thousand years of experience to work with.
Luna appeared in a sudden flash with Derpy and the other missing ponies as she levitated them all back onto beds as a pony with a red cross for a cutie mark raced into the room with a man in a white lab coat. “Now we hunt down this nightmare,” Luna said as she marched to the door. When suddenly the room was filled with a large groaning noise as Derpy and Luna looked around the room for the source.
“Sorry about that it seems I am little hungry,” said Paradox, it seems his stomach was running on empty he had completely forgotten.
“No sense chasing after monster on an empty stomach lets go raid the kitchen,” Paradox said almost bolting out the door. The two that remained quickly tried to catch up with him.
“Dimond Edge?” Paradox replied, as he found the man down in the kitchen as the chiefs ran around him. The instant Luna walked in everyone had dropped their cards and started to act busy.
“Well I maybe one of the party planner and in charge of the royal guards more ball ready uniforms. I still need to eat,” He got up with levitating a bowl of pasta as he grabbed some measuring strips. “Now then I have a newly appointed lady who needs and amazing dress not to mention my own suit to get to. Maybe something with stripes. He said to himself as he moved around Luna so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t even see Luna.
“Well that doesn’t happen too often,” Luna said blinking not sure if she was insulted or amused at the stallion who was so wrapped up in his own cloths to miss someone as tall as her.
“Hey, chief some grub, food anything to fill an empty stomach.” Paradox said only to be ignored. His eyes narrowed in frustration.
“ATTENTION!” shouted Luna as everyone stopped running. “I would like a full course meal for my two associates,” The moment the last word escaped her lips the three found themselves in a massive dining room with more food than anyone had the right to try and eat.
“um wow you do know how to get results,” Depry commented as Luna dug into her food. Paradox did so as well as he quickly grabbed onto a Banana and tried to get it open. He stuck out his tongue as the seconds started to turn into minutes.
“Oh come on,” he said tossing the banana away as he crossed his hooves in frustration that he couldn’t open one of his favorite fruits. Luna laughed at his expense, She levitated the opened Banana back up to him as he grabbed it taking a bite.
“Luna, you have been in charge with your sister for about a year now right, so how is it you have such a large amount of findings in magic?” Paradox asked,
“Before we dealt with Discord, we didn’t live here in Equestria, so had nothing but time on my hooves. So I studied magic.”
“So did you live on another planet or something?” Paradox asked as he finished his Banana.
“No, another planet how silly, no it was more like another plan of existence. We came cause my sister; she did the same at first but her attention soon drifted to here, and to the rule of Discord. Despite her power of the Sun she is a woman who loves harmony a balance of Chaos and Order. So discord was a challenge. I reminded her we didn’t have the power to deal with him,” Luna explained.
“But being you sister she dashed of anyway and you fallowed,” Paradox said as Derpy happily munched on a muffin. Luna smiled a bit,
“The frustration she had when our combined strength couldn’t take him down. She vowed to take him down and ended up finding the Element of Harmony. And before you ask we have no idea we they came from,” She said knowing Paradox would ask about them next. “We ended up trapping him in stone. But were that stone is anyone’s guess,”
“I guess, even in prison he stays true to his nature huh?” Paradox replied as he glanced over at Derpy, “Hey can I have one of those?” he asked.
“No,” she said as she grabbed as many as she could pulling them all in. She looked rather cute huddled behind all the food pouting like a child as her checked puffed out either from food or trying to look intimidating he couldn’t tell.
“Haha,” Paradox and Luna laughed at the expression on the pegasus pony.
“So will you be going to the Gala?” asked Luna as she looked at Paradox, he titled his head a bit confused.
“Gala?” Paradox replied,
“Oh right new, um the Gala is a ball a celebration of the end of Discords rule. I was wondering if you would be my escort,” Luna asked her blush growing on her face.
“It would be my honor,” He replied with a smile.
“Dandy then talk to Diamond Edge he can get you something to wear you leather coat looks nice but this a coat and tie affair. At least until Celestia goes to sleep.” She added under her breath.
“I have been hanging out with him far to much, if this keeps up people are going to call me gay,” Paradox said shaking his head but an amused smile betrayed his words.
“Gay, you mean happy right?” Luna asked a little confused,
“Sorry, slang from my old home,” Paradox replied quickly, “But since it’s for you I guess I should go find him,” He said with a sigh he liked his leather coat. “Will you be coming as well Derpy?” Paradox asked.
“Go the first Gala ever I would love to,” she said standing up as a few of the muffins fell onto the ground. “Oops,” she said looking a little depressed at the waste of the food. “Do you think I should get my hair done up, oh I am going to need a dress as well. We will I get a dress on such short notice!” she said in panic.
“I know just the cult,” Luna said with a slight smile. The two vanished from the dinner table as the servants scattered about to clear up the food a few even eating a bit since they didn’t touch nearly half of the food they put out.
“Not now, I am in the Zone,” said Diamond edge as he bit his lip looking at the fabric before him. Paradox cleared his throat. “Please wait one second I have a lot to do and very little time,”
“I believe the Princess will see you now,” Paradox said as the colt’s arm’s feel to the ground before slowly turning around.
“The Princess!” shouted Edge as he spun around to see Luna rubbing her hoof uncomfortably at the attention. He quickly grabbed his measuring tap quickly rushing around her. “With your stature, I can do so much, will do so much. I am probably drooling right now I am so sorry but oh my,” he said pausing for a second. He quickly took a deep breath to regain his composure. “Do you have anything in mind I am thinking Rocolt (roman).”
“Um whatever you feel would be good for us,” Luna replied just above a whisper. It seemed as though the edge had cut down the royal voice.
“Something simple to of set to of set how amazing you look,” he said, “If I was an alicorn,” he said quietly. “Anyway, silver or gold, Silver would go amazing with you star studded mane and nartaul color, But gold is simply high class and often goes with the rocolt just a bit better. And I am going to need a bigger model,” He said glancing over his shoulder at the cloth substitutes. “This will be a master piece,” he said shaking his hoof in front of his face. “I will need to draw this um and the lady will be pushed to the back burner I am doing a dress for royalty,” he squeed as his horn glowed and started to put together a princess sized model based on his measurements. “Now then Princess if you will give me some time I will make you into a goddess,” he said urging her to leave him to his work.
“Another request, our two friends here will be my escort they will need to look their best as well.” She said shifting his attention to Paradox and Derpy.
“I see then I have so much to work with and to do. Hold still both of you,” he ordered as he quickly started taking measurements. He looked at Derpy right in the eye “You are going to be tricky I am thinking purple,” he said.
“I like that idea, don’t go overboard with it,” Depry said a little concerned.
“Nonsense, if you want any attention from any pony while standing next to princess Luna you will need something big and puffy,” he said as he looked at Paradox. “Black, suit sliver pinstripes, and Red Bow tie. Maybe a little silver on the pocket.” He said quickly after looking at him.
“I am good with that Bowties are cool,” he said with a slight smile when they were both pushed out of the room.
“Now then we should get back to this Nightmare moon problem,” Said Luna as she quickly took the lead down the hall way.
“Good idea, let’s go talk to some ponies outside the castle,” Paradox said as Derpy looked a bit confused.
“But Doctor we,” she started,
“It’s Paradox, besides we have no more leads so we head back to square one maybe Princess Luna can find something we overlooked.” He said eyeing her carefully. Derpy seemed to think for a second before agreeing with him.