//------------------------------//
// 5 
// Story: An ANGERY Journey to become King (Title WIP) 
// by Nightmare723764 
//------------------------------//




<<<Princess Luna Noctis>>>




“Tia… have you been drinking??” Luna was clearly surprised by how… disheveled her sister looked.

While Celestia wasn’t drunk or anything Luna could clearly smell that Celestia had been sampling the various wines kept in storage. But Luna couldn’t understand why as Celestia had been the driest of dry mares where the consumption of spirits were concerned, Celestia maintaining the opinion the drowning oneself in boozes was the sign of a weak mind and will.

“Clearly something must’ve shaken her if she turned to drink.” Luna thought as she waited for Celestia’s answer.

Celestia summoned a wet cloth and wiped her face down, more to give her a few moments to gather her thoughts then anything. Luna, well aware of her sister's tactics allowed it, expecting Celestia to reveal something deeply troubling. Perhaps Discord’s prison is weakening? Or the Gates of Tartarus are opening slowly?

… The Black Goat with a Thousand Young deciding to get revenge for her worshippers? Doubtful but odder things have happened.

“Shifting Space, that’s your new son’s name by the way, and Screwball made fast friends.” Celestia said bluntly.

Luna looked dumbfounded at why exactly this troubled Celestia so much. After all, didn't she claim that Friendship is Magic?

“Screwball is Discord’s daughter-” Luna’s look of realization drew a sardonic smile from Celestia, “-Who happens to be older than me. So technically I guess she could be consider a foalcon.” And she tried to inject some humor into the situation.

“What is a Foalcon exactly sister?” Except the fact that Luna spent a thousand years on the moon slipped her mind, “And… should we do something? While Screwball never shared in her father’s… disruptive behaviours she’s still very much a chaotic creature.”

“Err, I’ll explain it later.” Celestia said, “And… we can’t do anything. Shifting and Screwball seem to be getting along despite some initial awkwardness on Shifting's part.”

“Well of course he’d be awkward!” Luna said dryly, “Honestly that filly makes Laughter look slothful. And I want that explanation Tia.” She added with narrow eyes.

Celestia knowing she couldn’t put off this explanation tried to think of a way to phrase “Sexual feelings and/or attraction to foals” without Luna doing something… drastic.


>>>Two Days Later<<<


Luna rarely felt at peace since she came home from the moon.

This new age was simply too strange for her to feel fully comfortable with. The convenience that ponies now enjoyed, while Luna found herself enjoyed them as well, often made her feel awkward. She remembered when every day was, while not a hardship or trial, was difficult. When the cults were still running wild and could be found in the most unlikely places.

(Like that time she discovered a cult in the basement of a poor unicorn mare. Her son had somehow expanded a simple root cellar into a vast temple to some blighted Eldritch abomination.)

And currently she was on her way to give Shifting his first magical lesson! 

Though she was worried, he seemed to struggle with recent history as well as culture, which Luna understood completely seeing as she was struggling herself. Thankfully Screwball seemed to be willing to help the poor colt out, the filly (“*snort Filly… ha!”) seemingly alternating between best friend and tutor. 

Though outside of those moments Shifting was proving to be a firebrand when he was riled. How did that guard put it?

Ah yes… as mean as a timberwolf and twice as ornery.

Thankfully he hasn’t lashed out physically when he’s riled but Luna and quite possibly the entire castle and maybe even a little bit of the city have learned just how… colorful his vocabulary is. And vile.

And the one time Luna washed his mouth out with soap it just made him rant more. And she swore he peeled paint off a wall!

Eventually Luna was able to convince him to not be so vulgar, in the public for the most part. And definitely not when interacting with the nobles… no matter how much Luna wanted to watch their expressions when a colt started swearing at them like a seasoned sailor.

Stopping outside his door Luna pressed her ear against the door and listened with a bemused smile.

“Shifty, it's too big! It won’t fit!”

“Sure it will! Just stay right there…”

There was a grunt and a squeal of surprise, and Luna’s smile faded as a blush started to grow.

“I-I think you broke something!”

“Just… give me a few minutes. I’ll make this work!”

Stepping back Luna tried to gather her wits, surely she had just misheard things! Screwball and her little Shifty weren't engaged in intimacy and she definitely didn’t hear that her colt was too big or anything of that sort! And she definitely ignored Nightmare cackling in the back of her mind, or the strange surge of motherly pride.

Shaking her head again she took a calming breath and knocked on the door, originally she was simply going to walk in but didn’t want to walk into any… compromising situations.

“Shifty? Are you ready for your lessons?” She called through the door.

“Uh… sure! Just… give me a minute!” Shifty called back making Luna’s blush return with a vengeance.

There was another squeal and Luna heard two ponies fall over. And well… that just sent Nightmare on a right ripper. Harassing Luna with all sorts of explicit and lurid ideas about the monsterhood Shifty was packing and how he might be virile as a dozen stallions and she just got more depraved and lewd.

And it was only because Luna had been dealing with Nightmare for most of her life and her own impressive self-control did she not physically react like a mare that got a little hot under the coat.

Eventually a slightly disheveled Shifty opened the door, his mane somehow looking more wild then it normally does, leaning in Luna saw Screwball laying on her back sprawled out with what looked like a disassembled table.

“Oh… that’s what was going on.” Luna did not show any relief on her face, “You ready for some lessons Shifty?”

“Or maybe the Little Abomination used her magic to get rid of all the evidence~” Nightmare lewdly suggested, playing Discord’s Advocate.

“Um, sure Lu.” Luna wanted to frown but knew Shifty would call her mother in his own time, “But I was under the impression I needed a horn to use magic.”

“While having a horn makes using magic easier it’s hardly a requirement.” Luna tried not to give Screwball a pointed look, “In fact I’m surprised Screwball hasn’t mentioned that…”

“I’ve been helping him learn how to navigate the nobility.” She answered off-hoofedly, “Who to talk too, who to avoid, who to deal with, who to not deal with. I even showed him a few tricks to deal with poison but his constitution is stupidly robust. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could down shots of Manticore venom fresh from the source.”

And now Luna was looking at Screwball while Shifting was looking sheepish.

“And… How exactly did you discover this?” Luna asked, her eye twitching faintly but she knew Screwball and Shifting clearly saw it.

“... So what sort of lessons?” Shifty said, obviously trying to change the subject.

Luna stared at a twitching Shifty for a few moments before allowing his crude attempt to shift the focus, but she would get her answers one way or another!

“First thing I believe I’ll be covering Affinities and what they mean exactly.” Luna said, “You’d be surprised how many ponies initially believe that if they have an affinity for something they’ll become Grand Sorcerers in a month's time if not less. And I’m sure Tia would have even more stories, seeing as she is a patron of the Arcanium Academy.”

Shifty nodded, “Okay. Do you wanna have the lesson here or in the library or something?”

“Hmm, I think in my chambers.” Luna said, “Don’t want anypony to think things…” She added trailing off as her mind gave her a few ideas.

“Okay.” Shifty said with a shrug, “I guess we can try putting this together again later Screwball. What’re you going to do?”

The daughter of Discord tilted her head in thought, “Mmm, I was thinking about taking a bite out of a gingerbread house in a small town a couple miles away.” She said whimsically before she skipped her way out.

“... Such a peculiar filly…”





After a few moments Shifty and Luna were safely tucked away in her chambers, Shifty was looking around taking everything in and generally seemed to like the decor much to Luna’s pleasure.

“So where do we start?” Shifty asked curiously as he went over to a cushion and took a seat.

“Well, tell me how much you know about Affinities.” Luna said sitting beside him, “I know you’ve been reading like a mad bookworm for a while now.”

“Not as much as you’d think.” Shifty said rubbing his head, “Most about culture and history. But I got a little bit. Affinities are like… different schools of magic. But Affinities only manifest in pe- er ponies with a strong talent towards a specific type of magic. From what I’ve read I’m something of an anomaly in that multiple Affinities rarely ever manifest.”

Luna nodded her head, while barebones Shifty pretty much hit the nail on the head with his description. A lot of ponies, or at least they did a thousand years ago, put too much stock in Affinities. They’d believe a unicorn with an Affinity for Arcane would become the second coming of Starswirl, and he could’ve… if he actually studied and put in the work instead of thinking his Affinity would do all the work for him!

“A bit basic but you’re correct.” Luna said, “Do you have any questions about any specific affinity?”

“Mmm… how about War?” Shifty asked, “It’s my primary one right? And I like to know how War results in my mane looking like a bonfire and smelling like explosions.”

Luna just looked at him oddly, mostly due to his ending comment about smelling like explosions. Giving it some thought she guessed it’d make sense, given how vicious open battle can get.

“Well first of all War isn’t just a field of magic. In fact it’s a catch all term more than a specific type or branch of magic.” Luna explained, “Ponies with War affinities, and they have been no matter how rare they are, tend to find themselves naturals in combat and can employ tactics and strategies naturally. And while I can’t say in this day and age in the old days ponies that joined the Guard eventually developed a minor War affinity.”

Shifty looked fascinated and Luna wondered if this was how Celestia felt with all her personal students over the centuries? Nightmare had snorted and retired into her subconscious.

“Okay. I think I understand. War is less a magic and more of a collection of magics and skills connected to combat right?” Luna nodded as he was right more or less, “But then what are Planes exactly?”

“Ah, well Planes only manifest when somepony has a particularly strong affinity as well as enough power to support one.” Shifty looked confused and Luna continued, “Think of them as… separate realms that exist in the Aether. No one Plane is like the other however, they’re shaped by their Hosts and just how strong their Affinity is. And I have to say you’re possibly the only colt I’ve ever met or heard of to have so many strong Affinities. You’re going to be something amazing one day.”

Shifty squirmed and Luna just gave him a hug and nuzzle.

“But, why does my Plane look so desolate? Is it because of War?” Shifty asked.

“Partially.” Luna asked, “Another is that how you think of War. I imagine when you think of War you imagine ancient battlefields filled with the skeletal remains of long dead warriors? Well that’s what your Plane will look like. With time you’ll eventually be able to alter it as you wish.”

“Okay. But… what about my mane?” Shifty asked.

“Oh. Well… a combination of your primary affinity and overflowing magical energy.” Luna answered, “It also responds to your emotions. And given that War is what it is it responds easiest to anger but that doesn’t mean it won’t respond to others.”

“Huh, okay what about…”

And the lesson stretched on for a couple of hours. And Luna never felt so content.