//------------------------------// // 36: Closing Ceremony // Story: New Moon // by AzuraKeres //------------------------------// The sun had reached its midpoint within the sky. Remus found solace when it began its descent, for it when darkness would reign upon the lands; where none but the moonlight were creatures’ saving light. Remus perched atop the Manehattan stadium. Looking down before the bleachers, the ponies looked like clustered ants within his sight. A fitting title for them, he thought. After their transgression toward his kind, nothing would stir his heart more. “Patience,” Remus whispered to himself. “The crusade will come in time. I must be patient.” Remus has endured months of rattling from his inaction. Days and nights invested in the Canterlot castle, studying its corridors and rooms to unlock secrets Princess Celestia has hidden from all. His hunger for vengeance growled louder whenever he passed the gaudy window telling of Nightmare Moon’s defeat. The gall of Princess Celestial to flaunt his Lord’s loss enraged him, his need to act became more and more difficult to abstain. But he must endure, should he not want history to repeat itself. His efforts will show fruition in the coming days. And once he has done so, nothing will ever again rival against his Lord. Remus takes a deep breath. Before he could pore about his plans, he needed the assurance of the foals’ security. Though it troubles him to admit it, his faith in Loving Bud has grown over the course of these months. Her sheer dedication and defiance for the sake of his lord were something he could not deter respect for. The remnant stone had chosen a suitable host to care for his lord. If the stone made the misfortune to latch onto any of those selfish mares from Canterlot, he would have no choice but to intervene. And he knew that could ruin everything he strove to pave for his lord. However, Remus had wondered something about the remnant stone’s decision. A question that waned over the thestral’s mind since the beginning of his phantom partnership with Loving Bud. Why did the remnant stone choose a pony and not a thestral? Things would have gone simpler had one of his sisters of the Raven’s nest bore them. He could have returned to his jungle among his brethren and mentor them of his kind and of Artemis’s lost memories. Their birth among ponies only brought complications that compelled Remus to remain in these pony lands longer than he would like. Nebula’s birth sparked controversy among ponies of Remus’s kind. He could not risk exposure to even a single pony. If only he could speak with the stone, he would beseech for reasons for their decision. The thestral kind can emit soundwaves that can only be received by the kind. The remnant stone is no different. However, now that a pony has become a host of the remnant, there is now the possibility that she can hear his kind. A possibility he does not wish to gamble against. “Enough,” he told himself. He can not waste time bickering over setbacks. He came here today for only a single purpose. His eyes scoured among the nest of ponies. He recalled conversations from Bud that she would take part in an event to celebrate an ending semester. A trivial thing to his kind. Once young thestrals have completed their training, they will immediately be stationed where they will best contribute to the tribe. He found Bud and foals atop a blanket with patterns of the crescent moon. A suitable gift for the lord of the moon. The shadow leaned its head upon the mare, sound asleep. The mare held his lord in his hooves, showering him with kisses he hungered for more. Remus’s eyes gaped upon inspection of his lord. “Lord Artemis,” he blurted. “What is that whorish attire you have on!?” His fangs rattled with fury. How they display his lord in something so unbecoming of a ruler. He is a being meant for greatness, not to be propped like a doll to sate their fantasies. His heart panged with a desire to dive into the field to remove that deplorable thing from his lord. But his mind held him steady. He knew he could not do that. For his plans to go well, his identity must remain in the shadows. However, his presence can never go unnoticed by his lord. Artemis found him with his azure eyes. They glimmered with a juvenile curiosity. Remus grinned, impressed by his lord’s perception. Whenever Remus lurked close within the shadows, the colt would inevitably find him. His eyes fixed upon his hiding place, confusing the caretaker and shadow. Remus had wondered how his lord was capable of such a feat? He was no longer a vessel of the remnant stone and neither does he possess all of his alicorn blood. Perhaps just enough to see through the darkness. Perhaps to be expected of one who is the ruler of the night itself. He just hoped that once his lord took his rightful place on the throne, he would cease to humor this mare’s awful taste in clothing. After a groan, Remus discarded his black cloak. He tied it up on a railing to prevent the winds from embezzling him. He took a deep breath, a flicker of light radiated upon his fur before immediately becoming transparent. His existence melded with the world around him, his identity no longer his own. Remus spread his bat wings and descended to the stadium field. Without a glance from a single pony, he settled behind Loving Bud, the caretaker of the moon. He could end this mare so easily if he desired. A choice he had considered when he first discovered her at the hospital. Unfortunately, Celestia had already intervened. Loving Bud pulled Artemis over her shoulder and again the colt gazed at Remus with his azure eyes. They gaped in awe and wonder of his intangible presence. “Papa,” he murmured before dispensing a wide yawn. Not again with this, Remus grumbled in his thoughts. Bud perked her ear. “Hm?” She faced her backside but only saw a crowd of ponies nested in their blankets. Remus took a step back, precautious of curious hooves. However, before the mare could ponder further, the applause of ponies rang the field. Remus traced their attention upon a stage on the field. Summer Lazuli had revealed herself with a proud smile. “I haven’t had fun like this in a while,” she said. The vanguard, Remus recognized as Lazuli. Since Remus had resigned himself to the arrangement for the foals, he has kept a close eye on all creatures that walk among the pair. Remus had observed Lazuli’s skill during her night shifts. She is swift and efficient in disarming her foes, an adequate shield for his lord. However, nothing compared to the elder one. Her jolly eccentricity cannot hide the bloodlust from him. Remus found her aura ghastly, impeding him from ever nearing her range. A relief that she was not a focus of his supervision. “I got to hoof it to you ponies,” Lazuli continued. “When Principal Daffy picked off ponies for this event, I thought he was crazy. But you know what, seeing all of you so passionate on the field gave me the fulfillment I never thought of. So yeah, I’m glad I did this.” The ponies gave her an ovation. The incessant sound of clapping hooves unnerved his ears; he pondered how the shadow can sleep so soundly within this commotion. Lazuli flapped her hooves to calm the crowd. “Thanks, guys, but I know what you’re all really waiting for. So, let’s reel in the results. Bring up the reps!” At her word, four ponies stepped upon the stage. Remus recognized all but one from Bud’s interactions. Bright Mac, the stallion Loving Bud appeared to be sexually attracted to despite him partnering with her soul sister. Carrot Cake, the gaunt stallion that was wed months ago with the caretaker’s other soul sister. Duchess Beryl, a generous mare that does not realize the full extent her peers in Canterlot have manipulated her. Remus noted the feigned smile on Bright Mac. With his sensitive ears, he honed on the burly stallion’s voice. “I don’t think I’m gonna like how this plays out,” Bright whispered to Bow Hothoof. “We should be happy for Carrot’s victory,” Bow said, yet the quiver in his voice did not elude from Remus. “Sure, his wins came out of silly mistakes, but a win is a win, right?” “Welp, there’s no out of this now. This ain’t gonna be something I could share Little Mac though. Celestia helps me if he ever does.” After the four representatives took their place behind Lazuli, she continued her speech. “So, as part of our competition, a winner must be selected. Lucky for you guys, I already know who it is.” “Well, here it comes,” Remus heard Bright despite his disinterest. “Are you ready?” “I just want to say it’s been an honor competing with you,” Bow said. “Don’t say it like that,” Bright argued. “You make it sound like we’re about to die.” What is with those two? The sappy conversation between the burly stallions baffled the thestral. “And the winner of the first-ever School Olympics of Manehattan is…” Lazuli’s voice had garnered the attention of his lord. His azure eyes shimmered with anticipation. “Every pony!” “…What?” Remus heard the stallion reps speak simultaneously. “That’s right, all of you were awesome in your own ways today. You’re all winners in my book.” “Wait, wait, wait,” Remus heard Carrot say, stepping before Lazuli. “A competition is supposed to involve a single team or pony as a winner. C’mon, it’s clear that my team won.” Remus stifled his snarl for the lanky stallion. His lord applauded with his sweet voice. He swore at that moment to smite the stallion if he resulted in a blemish on his lord’s smile. “I never said there was going to be one winner,” Lazuli said, pushing Carrot aside from his snout. “I planned this whole thing to build new bonds among ponies. And by the looks of it, the School Olympics did just that.” “What?” Carrot’s mouth hung open. “Then what’s even the–” Carrot felt a pat from Bright and Bow. “C’mon Carrot,” Bright said, his smile now genuine. “You had fun, didn’t ya? I’d say that should matter most.” “That’s not what you were saying earlier,” Carrot argued, his eyes twitched with annoyance. “Oh, don’t be like that,” Bow chuckled. “We just went a bit overboard, that’s all. It happens when you’re having fun.” Tens of conversation circulated the field. They riddled with confusion, of indifference, of disappointment. All made themselves liable to Remus’s wrath if they intervened in Artemis’s delight. “As winners of the School Olympics,” Lazuli’s voice grabbed their attention again. “A special banquet has been prepared for all of you inside the stadium. You can all thank Principal Daffy for the expenses.” The ponies awarded Lazuli with applause. As they should, Remus thought. He will allow no ploys to his lord’s amusement. “This has been most enjoyable,” Remus heard Beryl, clapping her hooves. “You simply must invite me to the next event you plan to host.” Lazuli rubbed the back of her head. “Wow, thanks. Kind of sounds like a lot coming from you.” “Oh please.” Beryl whimsically flapped her hoof. “I am just a good friend of Loving Bud. And now yours.” Remus then found Lazuli to be looking at the Bud and the foals. The caretaker kept her eyes upon the foals, never looking up to the stage. Remus was perplexed. What has deterred the mare from meeting her gaze with her friend? No, stop, Remus caught himself. He cannot bother with empathizing with his enemies. What he has with these ponies is an unsaid truce that will one day meet its expiration. He took a silent bow to his lord before ascending back to the top of the stadium. He united his cloak from a railing and hid his cerulean body in its black linen. “There is no time for distractions,” Remus told himself. “Not for what I have planned in the coming night.”