The first back online was Twilight, her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright with her new circlet askew on her head, next was Fluttershy, starting awake out of whatever dream she was having. “Is everyone alive?” sounded off Twilight as she slowly tried to rise. “Mmmhm..five more minutes...” grumbled Rainbow Dash, Applejack kicked her up the backside “Get’ up ya’ lazy sack a shit” and rolled over to push off the floor. Rarity yawned and stretched while Pinkie jumped up rubbing her eyes.
“Looks like we’re all still here Twilight, another glorious day in Equis!” Beamed Pinkie, the half asleep Rainbow hid behind her arms attempting to fend off Pinkie's positivity “You’re at an 8 Pinks, I need you at a 4 if I’m gonna cope". A soft sob escaped from the figure on the floor drawing their attention. Fluttershy rushed forward pulling out her supplies “Oh goodness, does anyone have a spare something to cover her with, she must be freezing”
“I gots mah’ rain cape, here ya are” Applejack proffered the rough wool blanket that Fluttershy threw over her.
Rarity started digging around in her gear “Let me see what I can whip up darling, can’t have her wandering about in her birthday suit”
“Leave me be!” Came a plaintive voice as bright as the nightingale song “I’ve failed everyone, let me end it here!”
“Hey!” Barked Rainbow Dash “Enough of that weak shit, you only truly fail if you stop trying”.
“Rainbow is right, um, if a little rude. I for one bear you no ill will.” Soothed Fluttershy as she stroked her head.
The Moon Princess looked up at the collection of faces, silver running free “But the things I have done! How will I ever make up for them!?”
“Bah’ puttin’ yer’ boots on one foot at a tahm” Nodded Applejack
Rarity dabbed at the silver tears with a hankee “Precisely, just make yourself available and chip in where you can, grand gestures are for romance novels”
“There is so much we can learn from you, so much that has been forgotten…” Twilight began her eyes alight with the possibilities
“...and so many neto torpedo parties, shindigs, festivals and carnivals we can start throwing again!” cut in Pinkie
“...Plus…” Twilight dragged Pinke back to a more comfortable distance “...There is someone who has been looking forward to seeing you.”
“Indeed there is” everyone turned as the majestic frame of Princess Celestia strode into the hall, as she entered the sun rocketed up over the horizon making her walnut skin radiate a transcendent golden light, her pure samite robes reflected the light out illuminating the darkened hall like a flood light.
Princess Luna cowered behind the others shaking in terror, seeing her discomfort Twilight approached her mentor giving a deep bow, before giving the princess a kick in the shin, it had no real effect but to raise the Princesses eyebrow "Twilight Sparkle, I've never known you to lash out physically at anyone, should I be worried or proud?"
"'Stop reading those dusty old books' you big jerk, sending me off blind into hell" Twilight failed to look angry, Celestia shrugged "Was I wrong? Besides if you've spoken to the elements you probably know I used to be a lot worse" the two shared a laugh and embraced "I am very proud of you my faithful student, I knew you could do what I could not and find your true strength as well"
Twilight broke the hug "You were right, friends served me far better than any book, I forgive you."
Celestia smiled a sad smile "Now if someone could do the same"
Fluttershy helped Luna to her feet who stood head bowed, Celestia approached and gently cupped her face before tilting it up to meet her gaze. Gold tears ran from Celestia's eyes "I am so sorry, I was such a bitch but I didn't mean to push you away…"
"Sister no…"
"...I was so up my own ass I thought I knew everything and the nobility just kept feeding my ego…."
"...it wasn't…"
"...I was slacking off and I knew it, I didn't want to deal with you being a bring down so I just ignored how they treated you. I threw them out Luna, the day I banished you I tossed every last one of the todying shits out on the street. I had been running too long and you paid the price".
Luna grasped her sister's hand "It was me Celestia, I wanted more and I was so jealous of you, you were always the first to do anything and I was just tagging along, I wanted to prove that I could be the one. After the wars I also ran away, I hid in our childhood, pretending that none of it had happened and the world left me behind as I mouldered in the past, brooding on the debt I felt it owed me."
Celestia dragged her into a hug and they cried into each other's shoulders, after a while Celestia spoke "We had been fighting wars for two epochs without rest, so when the peace came, all the damage and unresolved trauma boiled over. Something had to give and if it wasn't you it would have been me. It took me years to come to terms with it and heal but I promise I'll be with you every step of the way, together as it should have been."
Applejack took off her Stetson and approached "If ah' may ma'am, when mah' ma' 'n pa' died I was so damned angry I would go lookin' for fights in bars just to let it out. None of the shrinks could do nothin' with me till I met Dr Care, if'n yer' lookin' for that kinda thing." Pinkie slid in and hugged Applejack "Yeah, Lt. C is the best for dealing with extreme cases" Applejack gave her a look "I didn't know he served? How'd you know that?" Pinkie wiggled her eyebrows.
The conversation was derailed by a crow of victory followed by Rarity doing an unflattering impression of Sweetie Belle "'Buut wawity, y u needs bolt of fabwick on a battul feewd', hah, one point to me, I am so going to rub this is when…" she looked at the scene of sisterly reunion "...I mean, if your majesties will indulge me, I whipped up a quick slip on to preserve your dignity while we get you to my shop and fix up something proper" Luna took the dress and pulled it over her head, it was simple white cotton and only went to just above her knee but it was enough, "I don't know how I can thank all of you for your over abundance of generosity and kindness" muttered the moon shepard.
"My thanks as well…" cut in Celestia "...but for now we should return to Canterlot…."
"No sister…" Luna firmly stated "...I must return to Ponyville and soothe some of the hurts I have caused or I will never sleep again."
Celestia looked troubled "They will be less than pleased to see you, they might even lynch you"
The moon shepard nodded "As is their right and I will bear the indignity with the grace I should have had a thousand years ago"
Celestia furrowed her brow, but nodded and allowed her to proceed.
Luna marched ahead, "Onwards to destiny then" and led out of the ruins.
***
Everfree forest looked only marginally better in the daylight, at least the worst monsters were asleep as they strolled along in little groups chatting.
..."So, are we like superheroes now?" Rainbow Dash wondered aloud, Celestia walking hand in hand with her sister shrugged "I suppose, I wanted six muscle bound paladins that could crush Drakîn skulls with their bare hands but I got a librarian, a pet sitter, a racer, a beast tamer, a fashionista and a compare so go figure” The sun goddess pondered for a second “However, it is not as if you don't have the horrifying ability to overturn fate and the backing of the elements of harmony as well, you’ve certainly proven your combat prowess too. So feel free to call yourself a Superhero for what it’s worth Rainbow Dash"
Rainbow scratched her chin "Huh Neat. Say, can you do that super stone melting beam o' light stuff too?"
Celestia's face lit with sadistic joy as she smiled down wickedly "Oh you better believe it, mine is more...toasty though. Look up the battle of the wounded wing eight hundred years back, I lost my temper and turned a whole griffon City into molten slag."
Rainbow grinned back "Bitchin'"...
..."I am worried about Sweetie, if this is going to be a thing I don't know if her prosthesis can take this sort of repeat punishment" Rarity sighed repainting her nails.
Twilight fiddled with her robe and bit her lip before pulling out a notebook "Well I have been working on an alloy that makes Adamant more malleable but retains all the strength and lightness, I've been calling it Adamantine. Also I developed a prototype of a new high energy micro motor and storage crystals…"
Rarity raised an eyebrow "This all sounds bankruptingly expensive Twilight"
the magus rolled her eyes giving a giggle like it was the most obvious thing in the world "Rarity, Adamant is the only material that can harm deities but only comes in small impossible to work fragments, a single bullet of the alloy alone would be worth a king's ransom, but if we can build a functional super strength adamantine limb the military will be throwing money at us!"...
..."So you're saying there are vast temples to the night now?" A puzzled Luna enquired
"Kinda, their called nightclubs and they are huge and decorated in glowy lights, people go to them so they can dance to music, par-tay and have a good time, maybe even have a little sexy time afterwards" Pinkie mimed out a little boogie dance as they walked
Luna nodded decisively "Sound like a bacchanalia to the moon to me, I must patronise them and give my blessing"
Pinkie stopped and started shaking "Going clubbing with the goddess of all night ragers, thank you magic doodad!" She hurried to catch up, kissing the element of laughter around her neck...
..."I mean, it was not the best experience and I may even have some, uh, bad dreams about it; but being tested to your limit and overcoming it, I never knew I had it in me" Fluttershy chattered in awe of herself.
Applejack shifted her axe on her back "Yeah, ahm' gonna hug AB real hard when we get back, but knowin' ah' can't be broken so simple like has given me a peace of mahnd' and made me appreciate jus' how fortunate we are to have the things we do, cos' there are people livin' that not dreamin' it."
Fluttershy wiggled with excitement "Oh, I feel so empowered right now I'm going to do something wild, like have a glass of wine before bed!"
Angel bunny facepalmed on her shoulder and Applejack barked out a laugh "never change Fluttershy''....
***
Ponyville was like a kicked anthill, barricades had been erected between buildings on the outskirts and mercenaries patrolled the ramparts armed with bolt action and Winchester rifles, even a few civilians with muzzle loaders. People were coming and going from town hall running messages and errands two and frow, the party stood on a hill at the tree line in awe at how quickly the town had mobilised. Luna took a deep breath drawing herself up and marched out of the shadow of the trees towards the main road leading into the town, Celestia hurried after her with the rest of the gang in tow.
“It's Princess Celestia and the others! Wait, who is that!?”
Luna stopped short of the wall “I am Luna Victrix Ferarum, I have come to surrender myself!” Her voice clear and soulful like a wolf howl on the wind. Celestia came up beside her bright and cheerful “Do not fear, the long darkness has passed, my sister seeks an audience to hear grievances and make good as much as she can!”
“Isn’t Luna dead?”
Pinkie chimed in “Weeel, sort of, you know how it is with deities, but let us in so we only have to explain this once!”
Two guys argued back and forth before shrugged at each other then started shouting orders for beams to be moved so an entrance was created, in a short while there was gap that the party could squeeze through into the central promenade. As they walked a large throng slowly gathered coming out of their houses with mercenaries peeling away from their posts to see what was happening. The party gathered on the stage from yesterday's public meeting; Luna, Celestia, Twilight and Pinkie at the front and Fluttershy hiding at the very back.
Luna strode to the podium “Citizens, I come head bowed in shame at the grievous hurts I inflicted on this town, I ask any injured by my madness step forward and claim recompense as is your right”
“Ye’ don’t look lahk the woman who attacked us?”
Luna looked perplexed as she attempted to formulate an explanation, but suddenly found Pinkie hanging off her shoulder “Sooo, it turns out that the two princesses were suffering with PTSD a thousand years ago, I know right, spread awareness to people. But mental health services sucked at the time so they weren't getting any help, so this untreated condition gave Princess Luna a dissociative episode, which turns out for Godesses is really bad because as well as being nuts you turn into an armoured obsidian death machine, buut we blasted her with Quaalude lasers and snapped her out of it and she’s here on the first step of her recovery to clean up her mess!” Pinke gave a big smile and thumbs up to the crowd before sliding back into line.
“So you're saying; you went nuts and wrecked our town and are now here on an apology tour?”
Luna refocused looking straight at the queerant “In a word, yes. My malady does not excuse the wounds I inflicted, as a goddess I must accept the consequences that come with the responsibility.”
Granny Smith muscled through, the crowd parting in reverence “Ah know where ya’ can start, follow me”, before hobbling off through the parting crowd, Luna leapt down softly and followed slowly behind in a procession.
She wound her way through town uphill to the furthest edge from the Everfree where the graveyard sat; enclosed by severe spikes of iron that broke only for a wide arch stood the rows of simple stones bearing the names of the dead. The apple matriarch stopped at the gate and turned to face Luna “Ya’ want to face tha’ consequences of yer’ actions Dream Weaver: There they are” she intoned, extending a gnarled hand. In the centre was a pair of fresh graves, a young girl new to her teen years knelt head bowed between them while Applebloom stood guard nearby, noticing the approaching throng she saluted to Granny Smith.
Luna bowed low “Thank you Goody Smith, Celstia, your dagger of Adamant, I know you carry it”
Celestia blanched “Sister you can’t…
“It is her right!” Bellowed Luna that caused the crowd to jump back, Luna’s burning glare dared her sister to disagree, with great sorrow Celestia drew a jagged point of dull grey metal with leather wrapped around one end and handed it to the Moon Shepard. Luna turned and walked into the graveyard, Applebloom raised her crossbow but a gesture from Granny lowered it again, none of the crowd dare approach.
Scootaloo was lost in grief, she was trying to picture her future but with her parents gone she had no anchor, a musical voice as mournful as the howling wind reached her ears “What is thy name child?”
“Scootaloo”
“Who art thou grieving?”
“My mum and dad, they were killed by those dog things.”
“No, I killed them..” Scooterloo jumped up spinning on the stranger; she was impossibly tall, as tall as Celestia but slender as a withy wand, her soft expressive eyes were heavy with sadness and shame. Her hair drifted around her like a mantle of darkness but was alight with stars, nebulae, comets and quasars, she was pale as a moonstone but robust and wiry as a gymnast.
Her slender flawless hands clutched at her heart. “...In my madness, jealousy and arrogance I summoned the beasts that slew your parents and I come to offer my life in exchange.” Luna extended her hand holding the Adamant dagger.
Scootaloo snatched up the weapon, eyes burning with hatred and raised it over her head, then stopped with a pant, her resolve wavering and features softening, everything her parents told her whirled before her. Luna kneeled with her head bowed to the earth, Scootaloo had a clear shot of her neck, she shifted her grip on the handle and her face hardened again, she felt around trying to get it comfortable in her hand but it felt wrong and alien. The voices from the past reassured and soothed her, tears brimmed in her eyes as her arm flopped down, she screamed and hurled the shard as far away from her as possible “No more! No more killing! No more death!” She kneeled down in front of the goddess, wrending at her magenta hair. Luna sank lower prostrating herself on the floor before the young woman.
“Get up...” Growled Scootaloo “...you're a goddess right? You don’t get to cop out like that, you’ve got to look in the mirror and live with what you’ve done every day just like I have to, but then go out and be perfect for everyone. The pain in your eyes is all the revenge I need and you can spend the rest of your life trying to make up for it.”
Luna rose to a stand wiping the silver from her eyes, she reached into her hair producing a small star that hardened to a silver brooch “You have much wisdom and mercy, more so than I. By the old laws I am honour bound to see you are provided for, take this symbol Scootaloo child of the night, I will see you have home and provision as you require and grant you any boon you may desire of me.” She dropped the token into Scootaloo's hand and turned, leaving her to her grief. After collecting the Adamant spike she returned to the gate handing it back to Celestia.
“Nicely done yer’ majesty” remarked Granny Smith, The Luna Princess gave a respectful nod to the elder and turned to face the crowd once again “Are there anymore claimants?” A moment of silence passed before a boss eyed woman strode out with a thatch of blond hair “Yes, I think I speak for everyone when I say that you terrified the life out of my children and completely ruined the summer sun celebration and I am utterly appalled by your behaviour!” Luna winced at the maternal tongue lashing and the crowd beetled their brows and gave shouts of agreement and hollered criticism, but eventually people settled down and the woman continued “That said, I am happy to hear you are more in your right mind and on the road to recovery. I hope I speak for a good number of us when I say I look forward to you retaking your place when you are fully healed and will sleep easier knowing that nights are guarded once again. Also, if we have missed one celebration, a celebration of your return is a good substitute, but you're paying for it” there was more mumbling of a lighter tone, because any excuse for a party is a good excuse especially if it is free. Luna bowed to the spokesperson "Your terms are most fair, the drinks as they used to say are on me".
Something tickled at the back of Twilights mind, an ancient hymn and quiet suddenly she burst out into song:
Raise our hearts and raise our voices, let the people know all of the choices.
Celestia lept in her voice joyfully soaring as memories rushed back.
Raise our hearts and raise our voices, let the people know all of the choices.
There is a woman who weaves the night sky;
See her spin, see her fingers fly.
She is the needle and we are the thread.
She is weaver and we are the web.
She changes everything she touches,
Everything she touches changes.
She changes everything she touches,
Everything she touches changes.
She has been with us beginning to end,
She is our mother, our lover, our friend.
We are the children of love and light,
We’ll guide the world through its perilous night.
The crowd erupted picking up the chorus and began leading the openly weeping Moon Goddess towards the town.
Meanwhile a gaggle of minor nobility marched up headed by the Mayor. She ran a hand through her grey locks with a put upon ragged expression, coming to a stop beside Celestia and Twilight and extending a hand "Hail Sol Invictus…" she intoned with shredded patience "...look, I'm sorry to butt in majesty but they wouldn't leave me alone."
Celestia gave a predatory smile "Ah yes, the audience, stick around Mayor you'll enjoy this".
The woman from earlier that Twilight could only think of as Blancmange flounced forward and started to harang in her needling tone "Your majesty we demand you take…."
Celestia raised a hand that sucked the air out of her lungs shocking her into silence "You demand? Hold that thought. Twilight please submit your findings" Lord Rich and Silver who were at the far back trying to keep an eye on them deliberately took a step away from the rest of the group sensing danger and wanting to make it abundantly clear they were not affiliated.
Twilight whipped out her notebook. “If it pleases your majesty, I was dispatched to investigate reports of banditry to shipments leaving Ponyville as one of my duties in this region. My findings were that for all intents and purposes that Ponyville is a closed financial system, with trade only with the capital....”
Ritch and Silver shared a look, they knew where this was going and took another step away.
“...I have here the trade records for the past year, there has been no fluctuation of price worth mentioning and the income of the farmers has remained static.”
Blancmange broke in “Your majesty please, what has this got to do with these bandits?” Ritch and Silver winced and facepalmed, hearing the slap she turned her pig face about “What?”
Celestia, examining her fingernails with exaggerate calm, instructed “Please Twilight, continue”
The magus took up the thread again “Yes Majesty, As I was saying there has been no increase in wages or increase in value of the goods, however all assembled here, save Lord Silver and Lord Rich, have been incrementally increasing the rental rates for the farmsteads over the past year. My projection is that the situation would be completely untenable within six to eight months.”
“Untenable!?”
“Yes Moneybags…” Celestia glared up at them from under her brow, Blancmange could almost feel her wig curling “....Untenable. Tell me, where was this money supposed to come from?
“What money?” Blancmange was blank faced, but the rodents behind her could feel the ship sinking and we're casting about for an exit.
The air around Celestia seemed to waver “The extra rent money?”
“From the peas...farmers of course!” chuckled Blancmange, there was no way out so the rodents huddled behind her hoping her mass would shield them from whatever was coming.
Celestia, the grass around her feet browning pressed “Yes and where are they getting it?”
“Well, they should reduce their unnecessary spending…” nodded Blancmange.
“Why!?” barked Celestia, sending out a wave of heat.
Too late she realised her peril “I don’t…”
Celestia stalked forward and they all bent away from her “Why would they live in abject poverty on your land when they could go anywhere else for better wages?”
“Well...There's always more workers willing to work for, erm…” Blancmange slowly deflated and shrivelled like a sad balloon.
Celestia grinned like a shark smelling blood “Are there? Twilight?”
“I spoke with the leader of the Bandits, by performing this off the books redistribution of funds they were able to keep about thirty percent of the homesteads operational. With numerous alternatives available at lower rates Ponyville operates on brand trust and ease of sourcing, a third of productive units shutting down would have created shortages that would have destroyed the towns reputation and made it easier to go further afield for goods...” Twilight snapped the book shut “..In short the real problem here is horrendous miss management of Royal Assets”
Blancmange attempted to rally, squealing like a stuck pig “I protest this insult!”
Celestia's voice hit them like a swinging furnace door scalding those who were to close “Protest all you like! You're grossly incompetent and have no grasp of economics! Equis is a metroracy and you have no merit so I strip you of your lands and titles, get out of my sight!"
The moral broke and they ran crying, wailing and threatening back to their estates, Celestia snorted with licks of fire coming from her nostrils. She turned "Lord Silver, Lord Rich as the only two with brains; congratulations your now Earls, the mayor will run the paperwork when she has time and you'll get half the land each, don't fail me."
Earl Silver, a portly man with grey mutton chops rolled his eyes "Good riddance to bloody amateurs, don't worry highness I want there to actually be something to pass on my granddaughter, hail Sol Invictus"
Earl Ritch nodded "thanks for the opportunity majesty, I won't let you down, hail Sol Invictus"
They extended their hands and took the customary three steps back before turning and going off to celebrate patting each other on the back.
The mayor sighed happily "That was so worth it."
"You look shattered Mayor, take the night off, I command it" smiled Celestia
"Thank you highness, over to you again Excellency" Twilight and the Mayor exchange playful salutes and the Mayor dragged herself home to bed.
Hearing the Mayor was officially out of action Rarity assumed direct control of the situation; the barricades vanished, silver moon symbols were added next to the suns and blue was hastily added to the decor. Rainbow gathered up the fastest in Ponyville and charged to the four winds heralding Luna’s return. Pinkie rallied the musicians to hammer out sheet music for millenia old songs, luckily most of the tunes they already knew as they had been repurposed as folk ballads. Fluttershy went home to disembark her animal friends and take a long hot victory bath while Applejack relieved the Militairs and Mercenaries after receiving a field promotion from Celestia to town sheriff and after deputising Big Mac went to bed to saw wood.
Meanwhile Twilght ducked into the hospital, Spike was in a bed with his arm in a sling dozing. As she sat on the bed he came round “Hey T. Sparks, the suns still up so I take it we won”,
Twilight gently hugged him “Only because of you, you were right about almost everything.”
Spike patted her with his good hand “But enough about how amazing I am, Did you make some friends?”
“Yeah Spike, I think I did and...well I haven’t brought it up with Celestia or anything but, do you think this town needs a Librarian and her staff?”
Spike chuckled to himself “Maybe the small town life would be a welcome change, at least I wouldn’t be the oddest thing these people have seen”
She let Spike go “Thank you, Also we managed to save Princess Luna from herself and there is a big party tonight if you're interested?”
Spike smiled dopily “Twilight, the anaesthetist had never even heard of a Drakîn before and just guessed, I’m so high right now I’m not sure if this conversation is happening or a dream. I think I need to sleep it off”.
Twilight rolled her eyes and stood up “You have fun, I’ll swing by to grab you tomorrow then”.
By dusk there was a massive party in full swing replete with singing, dancing, boozing and gorgeing. Luna after much self abasement and protest had been forced into a flowing midnight blue silk gown; around the cuffs of the bell sleeves were silver moon devices leading up to a corseted top that displayed her slender curvy frame and a asymmetrical hemmed skirt to take advantage of what Rarity called “not legs for days, legs for all eternity’ ending in heeled blue velvet shoes. The sisters stood at the entrance of town saying goodbye’s.
“Will you not stay sister?” Luna squeezed Celestia's hands.
Celestia smiled softly “Oh no, the night is yours and I am exhausted. I go to dream dreams that I have not had in an age and I will see you at breakfast to hear the many tales of your adventures. Have her home by dawn Pinkie!
Pinkie ripped off a smart salute “Yes sir, mama sir!”
The Sun Goddess turned to Twilight “My faithful student please attend the Royal court tomorrow noon and bring your new friends. Rarity I'm trusting you to make them presentable, I have a surprise in mind”.
Twilight bowed laughing “Yes your majesty, I will be there.”
Celstia stood back from the group. “I’ll see you all tomorrow then, goodnight all” and vanished in a brilliant flare of light.
She changes everything she touches, everything she touches changes.
Cadence had spent the night in a bunker while the city was on high alert from a possible unknown threat, cuddling her personal bodyguard and hysterical with a worry that had only slightly abated when the sun rose over the horizon. However a burbling visit from a rainbow haired woman that floated above the courtyard spinning an impossible yarn about demons, shadows and mad goddesses finally released the tension. After declaring that ‘Luna was back baby’ the messenger shot off over the horizon, people were incredulous until the heir apparent Princess Cadance did a little dance, snogged her bodyguard and called for booze signifying that good news was incoming and everyone could go about their day again.
The only further disturbance was a flash of light in Celestia’s bedroom and the scream of “Yes! Yes! Gods damn it YEEEEEESSSS!”, followed by Cadence staggering two bottles in hand passed the guards up to greet her returning aunt, then after some laughing and cheering she staggered back out and off to bed.
She changes everything she touches, everything she touches changes.
The bouncer stood outside the Hot to Trot night club of Canterlot, a shadow was cast over him and he spoke automatically “Name?”, the well known voice of Pinkie Pie spoke up “Oh she doesn’t need to be on any list”.
The bouncer rolled his eyes “Look I’m sorry Pinks but if she isn’t on….” He stopped as he looked up, and up, and up to the pale Madonna face wreathed in a halo of stars, “Who is…”
“I am Luna, Goddess of the Night. I have heard this a temple where those that worship the night hours gather and I come to grace it with my presence”
The bouncer worked his jaw “I..I…”
Pinky slung an arm around him “Yooooou, need to go tell Vinyl that the most important party person is here”
The bouncer scurried off through the door as Luna strode in followed by Twilight and Rarity.
Pinky turned to the queue “Well don’t just stand there gawking, come one!”
Vinyl felt the change in the atmosphere the second she entered, at the back of the gyrating and sweating crowd she stood head and shoulders above the rest, a face of worry broke into a radiant smile like a child discovering candy for the first time, behind her a surge of people started pouring into the club. Speaking of worry Strong Arm was throwing people out of the way and shoved his mouth to her ear “Fucking Pinkie is here and she says she has brought the fucking goddess of the night with her!”, Vinyl popped up her shades and leaned forward, by the look of her it was true, the only person with a mop like that was Celestia, trust Pinkamena to pull this. Vinyl finished her drink and stood up approaching the mixing deck, she tapped Neon on the shoulder “Dude, I’m gonna need to cut in, shits about to get mythic. I can feel it”, Neon had spotted who had walked in and said “I’ll stay and help, this could get crazy”.
The song came to an end and Vinyl grabbed up the mike “Hey yo! Everyone having a good time!” The crowd roared in the affirmative, “Cool because I’ve just been told we have an extra special VIP in the house tonight and I think she has a few words for ya!”
The crowd turned around to giant among them “It has been too long my children! Over a thousand years, but it makes my heart sing that there are still those that celebrate the night and keep the faith, so I return to you now and give my gift as I did long ago!” She threw her arms wide and a rain of stars shot out passing through the club.
Vinyl felt like she had been granted the immaculate high, her brain fizzled with ideas, sounds and wild concepts. As if possessed she stared at the record turning on the deck, for years she had played one record, fading into another when it ended. What if she played two or three records together, or loop a section? What if she manipulated the record manually to intentionally scuff and warp the sound. Holding up the record as if she had seen it for the first time she thought, can I make new music out of old music?
“Fucking ‘ave it!” screamed the DJ and slammed down the record, the speaker pumped out a sound that skipped and jumped about but somehow was constrained to a rhythm, another familiar song kicked in, looping round a hook they knew well that seemed to take on new life layered over each other. Neon had unplugged a deck and blasted the jack with pure manna creating this electrical buzzsaw that dipped and bowed around the duelling melodies that grew and gathered as the two frantically started adding more and more records into the mix. The whole place exploded, this strange recycled music had a powerful energy that made them want to dance and whatever the night goddess had done filled them with energy.
At the middle of the packed mob Pinkie was laughing like a lunatic as she jumped up and down, Rarity and Luna where waving and swaying in this mirrored seductive dance, a space had formed around Twilight who was contorting and jerking like some sort of automaton and seemed almost inhuman in her movements.
She changes everything she touches, everything she touches changes.
...Sky Line sat bolt upright from his dream, he leapt out of bed and went sprinting to his workshop. The resulting hammering and sawing woke his wife Red Line, who stuck her head around the door. “Honey what in tartaras are you doing at 3AM?”
Sky spun round putting down his hammer “I’m such an idiot, I had a dream about a sparrow...no It was like a dart made of paper...I mean, just look!” gesticulating at a chalk drawing on a blackboard. She peered at what appeared to be some sort of flying machine drawn from three angles surrounded by spidering maths.
“Honey...yawn...isn’t a flying machine without a gas bag to hold it up dangerous?”
“No it's safer because there is no explosive gas, look at the birds we just have to use thermals like they do!”...
...Juniper Rose rolled over in bed and stared at her writing table, with a groan she dragged herself over to the typewriter and skimmed the three uninspiring pages she had forced out about a teenage vampire romance. She chucked them over her shoulder and stuck in a new piece of paper ‘Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much…’
...Spitball sat looking at his painting of flowers at 4 am. He was desperate to come up with something for the exhibit submission but this was just awful, bland and uninspired. As he stared his eyelids sank, then closed. There was a flash of color through his mind and he got up with a roar and started hurled his paints at the canvas “Bloody, Fucking, Shitty sodding bollocks!”. He stood heaving looking at the explosions of colour. “Actually...that's a lot better....
She changes everything she touches, everything she touches changes.
***
A late breakfast in the Royal suite was a semi lively affair; Celestia, Applejack and Fluttershy had gone to bed sensibly at a reasonable hour and the latter two had got up nice and early to catch the first train. They sat happily chit chatting over some toast. Next down the Table was Princess Cadence who had gone to bed silly but at a reasonable hour and feeling a little worse for wear was powering through her hangover with some orange juice. Next was Rainbow who had gone to bed sensible at an unreasonable hour having done what she described as a victory lap around Equis. Then we had Twilight and Rarity who had gone to bed silly at an unreasonable hour; Twilight looked like tepid death and was chugging coffee and water while Rarity looked amazing as always despite wearing sunglasses inside and sipping on some very potent tea. Lastly there was Luna and Pinkie with their inhuman constitutions that were still rolling from the night before.
“Ugh…” groused Twilight “...I think someone slipped me a mickey.”
Celestia chuckled “Well you didn’t think those woodcuts of ecstatic, naked revellers were just the wild imagination of randy scholars my student? Luna has that effect on people”
“Here! Here!” Chuckle Luna
“Damn, as impressive as my flight was, soundly like I missed a hell of a party.” yawned Dash
Rarity spoke with a cracked voice like a sack of gravel “Its like graduation all over again”
“Oh dear, take this peppermint and myrrh pastille, it will soothe your throat” Fluttershy fussed.
Rarity slipped it in “Thanks dear”
The door burst open and Spike strolled in with one arm in a sling and a book under the other, he walked up next to Twilight and cheerfully bellowed “Good morning boss!”, Twilight whimpered and tried to hide under her arms much to the amusement of every one there, Spike rolled onwards “As you are feeling a little under the weather I went ahead and prepare your folio!”
Cadence chimend in “Spike, be nice to your sister, you're never too old for a spanking” she wiggled her eyebrows.
Spike went beet red and mumbled out “Yes ma'am”.
Celestia spoke up “Speaking of getting ready, you should all scrub up and look presentable, We will be honouring you later and the press will probably want to take some pictures, there are some bathrooms on the third floor for those that need to freshen up”
“Hopefully Shining will have finished dry heaving by then and can be there to witness it, trying to keep up with a Goddess was a bad move” Cadence grinned mischievously to herself.
Twilight pulled her head off the table “Shinings here? Oh no, he’s gonna think I’m a reprobate. Spike, fetch 101 first aid spells, I swear there was something for hangovers there”
Spike rolled his eyes heading back out “Jawohl imperious leader!”
***
Despite her sister's protests and appeals to decorum and propriety, Princess Luna had dragged what the clerk had told her was called a ‘beanbag’ into the throne room and stuck it at the foot of the Dias. She happened to like it as it was black, had stars on and was comfortable, also to Celestia’s chagrin at this moment only had the one party dress to wear in her size so used a cantrip to freshen it up before sitting down to hold court.
Celestia finally gave up and just accepted that a thousand years hadn’t made her sister any less of a contrarian but secretly placed an order for a throne for her in a suitably gothic styling she knew she wouldn’t be able to resist before ascending the golden throne dressed in her royal raiments.
The Journalist came in to snap some pictures of the new Princess and ask questions, like why are you sitting on a bean bag, to which Luna declared that she wasn’t one to stand on ceremony, people could go to Celestia for that. She gave an edited version of events, assuring them that Rainbow Dash would be happy to give a full rendition of the tale with all the sound effects, and stated that she was on a long road to recovery so did not intend to start throwing political weight around beyond the housekeepers for a while, so everyone could relax and if anything would be indulging her patronage of the arts or other non critical areas of control. She finished by saying that if anyone was struggling and needed someone to confide in, her door was open as soon as she had one and she would take supplicants at any time between sunset and dawn.
The journalist were shooed to one side and the doors thrown open, Celestia had expected Rarity to force them into ball gowns, but aside from magically regrowing her trademark hair she seemed to have little to do with their outfits; they were decked out in their combat gear just as they had been when she found them, just with less holes and burn marks. Twilight strode in and performed both the solar and lunar salutes which raised Luna's eyebrows "Hail Celestia Solar Invictus, Hail Luna Victrix Ferarum. We guessed at what your summoned us for and felt this would be the appropriate statement"
Celestia drew out a long box with a mischievous grin "You guessed right." She threw the locks open with a click and brandished a battered, dented and notched Zweihänder, it was rusted and impossibly ancient. Luna twisted round and gasped "Mother's sword!?" immediately leaping to her feet and up the stairs of the dais "where did you find it? How has it survived since the dawn of time?" Celestia giggled and tried to slap fight away her sister's grasping hands "Lu-na! This is a serious moment, you can cuddle mum's sword later. To business you take the three on the left and we'll swap after each one." Luna poked her tongue out and went to stand at the end of the left row.
Celestia took her place on the right and the six women kneeled. "Arise, Sir Fluttershy, Paragon of Kindness!", Celestia dubbed her and threw the sword over their heads to Luna who caught it without missing a beat and swung it round into a dub "Arise Sir Rainbow Dash, Paragon of Loyalty", the sword sailed back to Celestia who pirouetted to absorb the momentum "Arise Sir Pinkamena Pie, Paragon of Laughter", the sword went end over end into Luna's waiting hand "Arise Sir Jacqueline Apple, Paragon of Honesty", the blade made the short hop back to Celestia "Arise Sir Twilight Sparkle, Paragon of Magic!", The blade was handed to Luna who paused to give special significance to the one it meant the most to "Arise Sir Rarity Belle, Paragon of Generosity".
Celestia ascended the throne and Luna slumped into her beanbag holding the sword, The Sun Queen's voice rang out "I bestow on you the rank of Knight of the first order of Harmony, with the right to commence a leeve at any time. That means you can come and see us directly at any point Rainbow, put your arm down. Rise and serve with honour!"
A small cheer from Cadence and a happy groan from Shining Armor erupted as camera bulbs flashed.
The End