//------------------------------//
// Waxing Gibbous 
// Story: Moonrise 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
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Moonrise: The Gibbous Waxes, A Journey Begins
~BlackRoseRaven

Luna impatiently pawed a hoof against the grassy hilltop beneath the cloudy, starlit night sky, the field she stood in lit by several enormous bonfires resting in gigantic braziers. Red and orange flames crackled gleefully over the pyramidal stacks of timbers that filled them, and smoke floated lazily up towards the dark night sky as Celestia stood with her head lowered in deep thought.
Finally, the Princess of the Night threw her head back, rolling her eyes and saying flatly: “Sister, ‘tis not a riddle, nor ‘tis a contest. ‘Tis a simple question. If thou art so certain that the forces I may encounter in the Everfree Forest and the fallen castle will be of minimal threat and consequence, why does thou insist upon having me practice arts of magic both old and new?”
“Because it’s better to be prepared, little sister. I may not ever expect to have to use the old magic again myself, and yet I stay in practice all the same.” Celestia replied quietly, and Luna sighed a little, recognizing this was another excuse but knowing she wouldn’t get anything further out of Celestia.
It was several weeks after her visit from her Ponyville friends, and only a week or so had passed since she and Celestia had sat down, had another argument, and then made up. They were on awkward footing now, but at least they were on a level playing field… and Celestia had finally agreed to share a little more of exactly what it was she was sending Luna after, and had permitted her twice in the last week alone to raise and lower the moon herself in the name of practice her magic and control.
Celestia was back in doting, overprotective mother-sister mode, but it was a little better than Celestia Queen of Everything mode, and little as she liked to admit it, Luna did enjoy getting a hug now and then from her sister. Then again, after spending a thousand years exiled inside a cold, desolate rock, it was perhaps understandable that a little physical contact could go a long way.
What Luna was truly glad for, however, was that she was still being given this task… and now, more and more, she was looking forwards to it. It would be an easy journey that she planned to purposefully draw out, and Celestia seemed to know this and respect Luna’s wishes in this regard at least. She was confident that the bulk of the so-called ‘adventure’ would be nothing more than a peaceful walk, and that there were few things in the Everfree Forest that could pose any kind of threat to her.
Just in case, Scrivener was spending much of his time researching in the Royal Library what monster species still existed and had proliferated through the wild, dark seat of nature… but unless they ran into a fully-grown dragon or a pack of basilisks, Luna was fairly certain that she wouldn’t have any problems dealing with whatever got in their way. Few of the semi-intelligent beasts that roamed the world would expect even a unicorn to be able to still put up a fight, after all, instead of using silly magic tricks.
But what did have her a little concerned, still, was the castle itself. Not because of what Celestia had said, but precisely the opposite: she was very careful to avoid the subject, saying as little as possible when it was brought up… which usually meant nothing at all. It made Luna wonder more and more what Celestia sensed in those degraded ruins, and why she was being sent there… it left her with a thousand unanswered questions, and she knew she would never get all the answers she sought.
On the bright side, she did know the way to the vaults… and Celestia had explained some of what she wanted. For one, her ancient battle armor, which made Luna nervous: Celestia had only ever worn her full armor in times of serious crisis after all, but she could understand why she would want it retrieved. Made of enchanted gold and layered with all manner of protective spell, it made the already-formidable winged unicorn into a walking, one-equine army… but of course that had just led Luna to asking sourly why Celestia had never bothered to retrieve it before now, but her answer had been honest: she had thought the vaults were the safest place for it, and that there was never any reason to move these treasures out of their decaying home. It had been protected from bandits and vandals by the vastness of the Everfree Forest, and Celestia had never expected darker, slyer forces to try and slip their way into the ruins that had once been the throne of harmony.
But perhaps it was removing the Elements of Harmony, or perhaps it was because they had been disturbed by mortal ponies and the hooves of the sisters of Moon and Sun…  but no longer was it as secure a sanctuary as it had once been, and Celestia feared leaving the treasures there, should they become inaccessible if something worse than Discord reared its ugly head. It was like she was expecting something terrible… but Luna shook her head and fought off these feelings, grimacing a bit at Celestia’s continued quiet thought.
Other objects were listed as well, but Luna couldn’t see how they were nearly as important: the bark of the World Tree, Yggdrasil, and Sleipnir’s shield and hoof-boots, and a few other odds and ends. She felt discontent all the same, however, wishing she knew what this was all for… but that only earned her a silence that was tinged with clear disapproval whenever she tried to ask.
Finally, Luna turned and approached Celestia, swallowing her frustrations as she looked up at her, and the tall, ivory-coated female gazed quietly back, her amethyst eyes glowing in the fire-lit night beneath her shimmering and flowing rainbow mane as Luna asked quietly: “Big sister… what is it? As thy friend, as thy sibling, I ask thee this… not as Princess to Princess, but as little sister to older. For thou art my sister… and frustrated and angry and all these other emotions that thou does often bring about in me… still, I care for thee as sister first, and thou hast been… quiet and distant now, for many days.”
“I… I know, Luna. I’m sorry. I’ve been short-tempered and silent on a subject that I know concerns you more than it does me, now that I’ve assigned you this difficult task.” Celestia said quietly, nodding slowly to her as she met Luna’s deep eyes. “Have I ever told you that I admire your wisdom, my little sister?”
“Nay, usually thee tells me what an idiot I’m being.” Luna replied quietly, but she smiled a little, and Celestia laughed quietly and shook her head slowly. Still, she hesitated a moment longer, looking almost broodingly away, and Luna frowned a bit and stepped closer, asking quietly: “What is it, Celestia?”
Celestia looked quietly down at Luna, then she smiled a little as she leaned down and rested her head beside her sister’s, closing her eyes as Luna looked up in surprise before the taller, ivory equine murmured: “Believe it or not Luna, I get lonely and jealous and angry too. I sometimes still wish that I could save the day or enjoy the freedom of the open path, but I have had to pass the torch… and to me, the castle and Canterlot can be as much a prison as it is to you. But you have Scrivener Blooms… I have had to send Twilight Sparkle, my student, my friend, the pony I could almost call ‘daughter,’ away from me because there is so much she will become. So much she has the potential to be… and I cannot base the decisions I make upon my own selfish desires and feelings.
“Equestria loves me, but few of them actually know anything about me, and in public I must maintain my pleasant façade. You, Luna, have always been who you are… I know that even when you went to Ponyville, you walked among our subjects, our ponies, as a fellow pony, not as a Princess. Well, I know that at first you tried to maintain tradition…” Celestia smiled a little, and Luna sighed as she shoved herself away, but she smiled back nonetheless, meeting her sister’s eyes warmly.
“Yes, it was disastrous, this has been pointed out to me more often than I like over this last month.” Luna said mildly, and then she shook her head slowly and gazed up at Celestia, becoming more serious as she murmured: “Please, sister, trust in me. I am… working hard to prove I am not Nightmare Moon, despite the… regressions of passion I have now and again. Allow me at least to be there for thee, to offer thee comfort and support. It would do us both good, I think.”
“And I agree, and I do, Luna… I truly do. It may not seem like it, with how much I keep from you… but I trust you more than I do the rest of the Royal Court of Canterlot, Luna.” She stopped, looking into her sibling’s eyes quietly. “I did not lie when I said how much I care about you or spoke of the faith I have in you, sister. After this journey… I think you’ll understand more of why I chose to treat things the way I have. Why I want you to make your own way, why I have been so protective of you.”
Celestia stopped, then she silently brought a hoof up to rest on Luna’s shoulder, smiling faintly. “And even though it’s a dangerous promise to make and the most difficult one to keep, I promise you that after you do this for me, everything will be okay.”
“Thou speaks with such confidence, Celestia… how, though, how art thou so sure? How is it you seem to know what cannot be known? No prophecy has ever been entirely accurate, no divination has ever revealed the truth of the future…” Luna said slowly, looking worriedly up at the ivory equine, but Celestia only closed her eyes with that same strange smile, shaking her head slowly. “Sister…”
Celestia leaned down, kissing Luna’s forehead softly, and the dark sapphire female stilled, calmed by the simple caress more than she wanted to admit as the Princess of the Sun said quietly: “We all need to have faith in something, we all need to have something to look forwards to and hope for. And I believe firmly that this will be the first step of ensuring Equestria will be able to continue to live in peace and harmony, and that all the people of this country will recognize you and your contribution towards it, my beautiful little sister.”
Luna smiled a bit, gazing up at the larger equine silently and nodding slowly, and then she lowered her head and said quietly: “Mine hope, then, sister, is that thou art correct… and I shall do all in my power to ensure that thy vision of a peaceful, protected Equestria comes to light. Again, though… it seems strange that if this is so important, thou art sending only myself and Scrivener Blooms… that thou hath waited so long…”
“Yes, but I’m not omniscient, Luna… and there was much to do in Equestria these last thousand years. So many people to meet, so many meetings to attend… friend made, only to pass away before my eyes, blessed and cursed with the eternal splendor of the day and night as we both are, my sister…” Celestia murmured quietly, shaking her head and looking rueful for a moment, and Luna softened before Celestia gazed back up and smiled a bit. “But I cannot complain. Not when I have a student like Twilight Sparkle, who puts so much into her studies, and now my sister returned and by my side. We will outlive all our friends, Luna, but it does not mean that we need to shun them and turn them away. The years we’ll spend with them will be only a blink compared to the vastness of our lives… but that does not take away from how important they can be, the memories they will give us, the joy they will bring.”
Luna smiled a little in return, and yet she felt a strange chill run down her spine all the same as Celestia’s glowing gemstone lavender eyes met her own for a few long, silent moments… and then the taller female shook her head, straightening and saying kindly: “Please now, sister, our preparations are almost complete and thus you should get back to practicing. I wish to ensure that your grasp of magic is as strong and precise as it can be. You’ll be protecting both yourself and Scrivener Blooms on this mission, after all.”
“Scrivy is more capable than he lets on, sister. I believe he will be fine… and, protected as he shall be by the suit of armor I have taken great delight in forcing him to wear, it shall be of less consequence should he end up endangered by something.” Luna replied with a slight smile, and Celestia shook her head after a moment, looking softly entertained despite herself. “Furthermore, he will have Samael with him. The creature is small, but fierce and smart and loyal, and it is these qualities that are oft far more important than size and brute strength.”
“I see you remember the ways of old well, Luna… but I suppose for you they’re closer in time than they are for me. I do not know why it continues to surprise me.” Celestia said softly, looking down at the female kindly. “Perhaps it is because we really are like night and day now, Luna… me, just the kind of person we always hated, an administrator sitting back in her throne and ordering everyone else around, you, the warrior unicorn, the pony of the people. I think sometimes that despite the fact you come from the far past… it’s only made you closer to our subjects than I ever was.”
Luna smiled a little, shaking her head quietly at this as she murmured: “Now thy seeks to flatter me, Celestia. Thou still art loved by our subjects, more than I ever was… thou still art adored by the ponies of this day-kissed kingdom. Come, though, we can speak more of such things after training… I know thou art eager to have me learn and more and more I feel myself becoming anxious to see if I have stayed in practice myself.”
Celestia nodded after a moment, gazing at her younger sister softly for a moment as she stepped forwards and lowered her head, horn glowing with sun-like luminescence as she concentrated… and for that night and many of the following, Luna and Celestia practiced, the older sibling summoning up targets of all shape and size and using her own magic to dispel and cancel out Luna’s more powerful spells before they could cause too much noticeable damage.
And after each training session, they would find a quiet place to sit and talk for a little while, sometimes about magic, sometimes about the upcoming journey, sometimes simply about old times and each other. For the first time since her return, Luna was starting to feel like Celestia was really beginning to open up to her… was really treating her more and more as her sister instead of just as a relic of the past she was responsible for.
Before bed, however, she always made sure to at least see Scrivy for a little while: it felt important to talk to him about the events that had transpired over the course of each day, and she enjoyed getting his view on things, basked in his encouragement, and liked to laugh at how frustrated he was getting in learning to wear the armor that had been prepared for him.
It was modified Pegasus armor, ornate golden plates covering his frame, but instead of the emblem of the sun, Luna had requested silver plates be layered on over the shoulders, back, chest, and the helm be made of the same substance, and all inset with the symbol of the moon. It was heavier gear, but Scrivy bore it up well, even though he was grouchy about it. As she had learned, though, his irritability was just a nervous mask… just like she acted brash and confident in the face of danger not only, but instead especially when she was scared.
The bright side was that all the same, Scrivener was learning to bear the weight of the equipment without much complaining, even if ponies tended to stare at him now as he clomped around in it… but strangely, Luna had a feeling that Celestia was now quietly-disapproving of her friendship with the court poet. It was like she felt displaced, or like she had competition. Strange, considering the fact that Celestia had been the one to assign Scrivener in the first place, because both Princesses knew that being in each other’s presence twenty-four-seven simply wasn’t going to work out.
Scrivy, too, had hesitantly reflected on how odd it was: after he had finished researching the Everfree Forest, Celestia had suddenly assigned him to helping categorize and organize her papers, including all the letters Twilight Sparkle had written her, various journal entries, letters from other dignitaries, and all manner of other papers. It was an exhaustive work, but the male had muttered it at least kept him busy, even if the goal seemed to be to keep him too busy to spend time with Luna.
Furthermore, the Centurions and servants that were wandering around the dim sections of Canterlot that Luna roamed had been given odd orders: for one thing, Celestia had apparently assigned Luna a ‘bedtime’ of sorts… or rather, a time when Scrivener Blooms was to leave Luna’s quarters and report to his own room. When Luna had asked about this ,Celestia had simply shrugged and said in a half-condescending, half-kind voice: “Luna, you need your rest… you’re a little old for slumber parties with your friends.”
So while Luna was glad to be spending time with her sister, to feel the comfort of having her older sibling looking out for her and showing her care and compassion… on the other hand, she felt a little… patronized and claustrophobic. It left her with conflicting feelings, but also all the more excited about leaving Canterlot to enjoy the freedom of the open road, to wend her way to the Everfree Forest, to experience a taste of that old life anew; no servants trying to fetch things for her to steal away her excuses to leave her room, no Royal Guards trying to protect her from every little thing, no Celestia constantly spying on her… just her and her friend, walking side-by-side, on an easy journey that she felt would end all too soon after it began.
Of course, as she had learned more than a thousand years ago, things rarely went as planned… but all the same, she couldn’t imagine this being difficult. Equestria was no longer a land of chaos, demons were only the stuff of legend now and the vicious wyrm-dragons had died out and left for easier hunting grounds… and Luna felt more confident than she’d ever been. It brought a smile to her face that wasn’t grim, it made her features relax instead of tense… and now, finally, here she stood, on the threshold of adventure.
There would be no grand sendoff: part of why Celestia was sending Luna and Scrivener alone was for secrecy’s sake, and otherwise only Twilight Sparkle really knew anything about what was going on. If there was an emergency, they could contact her in Ponyville to ask for help, since it was nearest the Everfree Forest, but Luna didn’t foresee that being necessary. What she did foresee was stopping in for a surprise visit after finishing her appointed task, but she didn’t feel it was necessary to bother telling Celestia that.
Luna’s eyes gleamed beneath the stars and the moon above: it was past midnight now, and most ponies were in bed or asleep, Canterlot quiet in the distance, the only light a faint glow in the windows of the high castle that stood apart from the massive, looming cliffs. Around the winged unicorn flowed a deep sapphire traveling cloak, the hood brushed back but her starry mane tucked quietly away beneath this, her tail streaming out behind her, speckled with glinting motes as it seemed to reflect the night sky above.
Beside her, Scrivener grumpily sat back on his haunches, the golden plates covering his form gleaming, Luna’s emblems seeming to twinkle quietly with their own strange aura. Upon one of his shoulders sat Sammy, the skeletal pseudodragon looking inquisitive, and heavy saddle bags rested to either side of him, made of fine black leather, secured by heavy belts across his armored body. The tops of both were belted tightly closed, and they were a little heavier than they looked… but Celestia had enchanted both of them herself to alter their dimensions, allowing each bag to carry more than twenty times its size and weigh only a fraction of the total mass.
Celestia stood before them, gazing quietly from one to the other before she bowed her head, her eyes closing as she said softly: “Scrivener Blooms, and Princess Luna. I wish you both well on this journey, and give this quest the full blessing of Equestria and the sun. May the Horses of Heaven guide your path and I know, little sister, that you will succeed. When you return, I promise you, everyone will know how important this role you have played was in ensuring Equestria’s protection. Never again will you have cause to feel jealous or envious of me, Luna. Nor you inferior, Scrivener Blooms.”
The two glanced at each other, smiling awkwardly… and then Celestia slowly looked from one to the other before she nodded and said quietly: “Very well. Go now, my friends. In your hooves I entrust this mission. I know neither of you will falter.”
“My thanks to thee, sister. We shall stay in contact and move with all due speed.” Luna replied softly, and Celestia nodded and then straightened, looking at them with a strange mix of pride and sorrow, compassion, confidence and… something else, something unexpected.
For a moment, Luna studied her sister… and then she flicked her head forwards, and her hood was cast up over her face, hiding her features in shadow and leaving her eyes like sparkling gemstones in the darkness, Scrivener glancing towards her as she said quietly: “Come, Scrivy. The night passes quickly, and we must make the Everfree Forest before dawn’s light kisses the sky.”
Scrivener nodded, mumbling an awkward ‘thank you’ to Celestia before he turned around, armor clanking quietly over his body as he fell into pace beside Luna as she strode down the slope of the grassy knoll, not looking back until there was a flash of golden light that lit up the sky behind them… and in that blink, Celestia had vanished. For a few long moments, the dark-coated pony gazed silently at the space where her sister had been, feeling a worm of discomfort through her body… and then Scrivy nudged her gently, saying mildly: “I thought we were going.”
“Oh, silence, Scrivener Blooms. All thou hast done this entire week is whine and complain like a child about thy armor and the long walk ahead, and now of all times thy choose to become excited for the journey?” Luna asked flatly, favoring him with a flat look beneath her hood.
“Well, what better time is there, Luna? Under the fresh night air, alone with you, walking side-by-side…” Scrivy smiled a little as he glanced up, then he laughed a bit as Sammy chirped on his shoulder and pawed at the back of his head. “Yes, yes, okay, not entirely alone. We have little Samael for company too… he’ll protect us from the terrors of the night, right?”
“What art thou talking about, oh foolish Scrivy? I am the terror that lurks in the night.” Luna grinned slightly under her hood, a flash of her white teeth showing through the darkness, and it made Scrivener smile despite himself as they strode quietly onwards together through a short field, heading towards the dusty, beaten road that would take them towards the Everfree Forest. “But his company is most welcome all the same. The intelligent little beast can keep watch for us during daylight, while we rest and restore our strength.”
“Funny, traveling by night, Luna… and here I was thinking that you might actually want to try wandering around in daylight.” Scrivy said mildly, and Luna snorted at this sentiment with a roll of her eyes. “After all, I hear nasty things come out at night.”
“And again, Scrivener, I am the worst of the creatures that lurk in the darkness.” Luna said comfortably, glancing up towards the stars before she smiled slightly. “Don’t tell me thou art suddenly afraid of the dark now?”
“Oh, you wish.” the male grumbled, rolling his eyes, and then he snorted and checked her lightly, knocking her stumbling to the side with a surprised grunt as her cloak wafted around her and almost tripped her up. “Besides, I got you protecting poor little defenseless me, right?”
Luna smiled slightly at this as she regained her balance, stepping quickly back up to his side… and then firmly checking him back, knocking the male equine sprawling with a yelp of surprise as Sammy squeaked, the skeleton sent flying to crash headlong into the tall grasses as Luna stopped to look comfortably down at the dumbstruck male. “Assuming I don’t decide to gobble thee up, of course.”
Scrivy snorted in amusement on the ground, and Luna only rolled her eyes as the male picked himself back up with a grunt, shaking his head and rolling his shoulders as Sammy skittered out of the patch of weeds he had fallen into and leapt up to climb quickly back on top of his master, glaring with his blue-fire eyes over at grinning Luna. “I have a lot of remarks I could say in response to that, but I don’t wish to harm the dignity of your Princess’s ears.”
“While we are out here upon this trek, I am not the Princess of the Night. I am only Luna.” the female said softly after a moment, and her grin toned down to a soft but happy smile as she looked ahead down the dirt road, saying quietly: “I am only Luna, thy friend… and thou art my equal, and my partner.”
Scrivener looked at her, absurdly touched by the sentiment… and then Luna blushed a bit and turned quickly, muttering: “Hurry on, Scrivy, I have not the time to comfort a crying pony.”
“Well, glad you’re still such a ray of sunshine.” the male retorted, and Luna shot him a particularly-sour look at this metaphor, which only made him grin slightly in return.
They kept a pace that was speedy but comfortable, walking side-by-side down the well-worn road, fearless beneath the moonlight as stars twinkled overhead. Sometimes they were quiet, and Scrivy found himself looking all too often at Luna as she gazed happily around, relishing the sights, the sounds, the smells after so long quarantined in Canterlot.
And sometimes they spoke, and Luna would ramble about old journeys, old adventures, about how she had walked down these very same roads a thousand years ago and so much and yet nothing at all had changed. She knew legends older than the land itself, she knew the hidden stories of the trees and grasses and flowers, and yet always she would confess she only knew a sliver of what Celestia did: Celestia had been the mind of the group, the expert in all things, fearless, brave and bold, all her natural talents amplified further by her unmatched magic.
Sometimes, too, Scrivener would start talking, not knowing why or even what he was going to say until it was said, and Luna would listen as intently to him as he did her, even though his stories were far from being as fascinating as her grand adventures and the tales she knew from history’s deepest depths. He told her about life in North Neigh, about his journey to Canterlot with nothing but a saddlebag, about meeting Twilight Sparkle for the first time. The last she took particular interest in, fascinated by how the two had met in the library, both of them trying to grab the same book… and from that first moment there had been static, the two arguing so loudly they had both eventually been thrown out of the library.
“I guess when you think about it, though… we would go out of our own way just to get into each other’s way, you know?” Scrivy paused, grimacing a bit as he tilted his head to the side. “I phrased that badly, but you get what I mean. Maybe back then we were both trying to be friends in our awkward, socially-inept way, but… Twilight had herself convinced she was far too busy to do anything but study and work on magic and I was admittedly a little prejudicial against unicorns… especially stuck-up, OCD, magic-abusing unicorns who happened to be fortunate enough to be the apprentice to the Princess.”
Luna smiled slightly at this, tilting her head towards him as she added dryly: “Thou art obviously made of the most generous of moral fiber, Scrivener Blooms. Curious, though: were thou not made court poet not long after thy entrance into Canterlot?”
Scrivy grunted at this, tilting his head back and forth. “I barely remember, Luna, to be entirely honest. Yes, I flaunted my position, and yes, I was kind of a jerk. And I’m probably only worse now, being your assistant and all. But at the same time it wasn’t very important to me, it was just something I could use to shut up all the nobles who spent most of the time treating me like trash and walking all over me. It was a way that I could… prove I was worth something after being raised to… to believe I was worthless.”
Scrivener blushed a bit, glancing away for a moment as Luna’s eyes softened, and then he smiled as he looked over at her, saying quietly: “It’s not nearly as important as the present. Being your friend, being by your side. I take more pride in that than I ever have in anything else.”
Luna laughed quietly, gazing awkwardly away now with a faint blush… and then she frowned a bit, coming to a halt, and Scrivener stopped as well, looking at her curiously before Sammy hissed quietly on his back as there was a loud crackle. Immediately, Scrivener glanced up as well, looking back and forth… and then Luna muttered: “Hooligans. Not even worth the term ruffians. Calm thyself, little Samael, ‘tis only a bump in the road.” A pause, and then she shouted: “Show thyself, coward!”
There were a few laughs from the copse of trees near the road… and a moment later, several grinning ponies slowly walked out from beneath the shadows of the tall elms and oaks, the rough-looking male in the lead leaning forwards and saying mockingly: “Isn’t it a little past your bedtime, babe? And what’s this, your bodyguard and his pet lizard?”
Sammy hissed again, baring his teeth, and Scrivener grimaced a bit, stepping forwards… before Luna reached out and touched his shoulder with a hoof, her eyes cold and serious as she surveyed the three. The leader pony wore a bandana around his head and had a large hoop through one ear, with a metal chain hanging around his throat like a necklace… and the other two were smaller than him, both looking more apprehensive than anything else. Not even real bandits, probably only a punk and his cronies looking to put a little scare into passersby and maybe steal a trinket or two… and Luna grinned slowly, her teeth and eyes shining out beneath her hood as she said easily: “Please, Scrivener. No need to be eager… ‘tis but a fool who hast not yet learned his place and two cohorts likely dumber than he. Tell me, what does thy seek?”
“Oh, you’re all proper, huh, lady? Well, missy, I seek thee monies, you understandeth me?” The pony stepped towards them threateningly, and his cronies nervously followed as he glared at her. “We’re a long way from anywhere, so pay the toll and we won’t have to hurt you.”
Luna only shook her head slowly, and then she flicked her hood back, revealing her features, her obsidian tiara glinting, her horn glowing a faint blue as her mane spilled backwards and twisted as if blown by a strong wind, swirling up from beneath her cloak as she asked almost teasingly: “Silly child, does thou not know that to threaten a stranger is to tempt Fate?””
“Oh wait you’re-” the pony began, leaning backwards in fear, and then Luna grinned as she slammed her hooves down against the ground in a sudden, hard gesture as her horn shone with blue light, and the earth beneath the would-be-thug’s feet erupted upwards, launching him into the air with a squeal of terror before he crashed down in the boughs of one of the craggy oaks. Immediately, his cronies turned and bolted, but Luna only laughed as she leaned forwards, the radiance around her horn glowing brighter before a blast of white lightning erupted from it, arcing through the air and snapping into the hindquarters of one of the fleeing ponies before bouncing off and striking the second, and they both shrieked as they were comically sent flying forwards to crash and skid face-first over the ground. A moment later, both scrambled for their hooves and broke off in either direction, one with his tail visibly charred and smoking, the other with a large swatch of black over his haunch like the ugliest cutie mark in existence.
Luna shook her head, allowing the two to flee as the thug that had attempted to assail them fell out of the tree, and Luna strode imperiously forwards, her eyes glowing white as she shouted in a voice loud enough to rattle the branches: “Does thou dare to attack the Princess of the Night? Does thou challenge me to duel, am I to understand thee wishes to battle the fearsome Nightmare Moon?”
“Oh no, no, no, no!” babbled the pony, climbing hastily to his feet as his knees knocked together, shaking his head violently… and then his eyes widened in horror as lightning crackled through the air and Luna leaned forwards, her jaw filled with sharp fangs, her eyes soulless, emotionless ivory pits as vast and pitiless as the stars.
“Then run away, because I have not yet eaten… and more and more thou looks to me like a delicious snack!” Luna let her jaws fall open as a fierce, shrieking wind blew past, her mane bursting upwards in a sinister swathe of blue starlit flames… and the pony screamed before he spun around and shot away as if the hounds of Hell were on nipping at his heels, and Luna threw her head back and laughed again as the glow faded from her eyes and her teeth returned to normal, a pleased expression on her face as her mane slowly settled around her.
Then she turned around and sat back, clapping her front hooves together as she said cheerfully: “’Twas even more fun than during Nightmare Night! ‘Tis a delight to put such fools back in their place… and I did not even have to try!”
She smiled cheerfully, and then Scrivener rose a hoof and half-questioned, half-stated: “The fun has been doubled?”
Luna’s expression turned sulky as she glared at him for a moment, and then she said flatly: “For the last time, Scrivy, I come from a time when catapults were only used to knock down walls and sack cities, not to hurl pumpkins against targets with the most delicious of splatters. I am unused to this concept of fun that does not result in maiming, destruction, or raucous delights of the sort thou wouldst not believe.”
“I. That’s a disturbing image.” Scrivener said finally, and Luna looked somewhat pleased with herself before the male smiled a little. “Thank you for dealing with them, Luna. It saves me the embarrassment of getting beaten up, even if I’m slightly cowed by how strong you are.”
“Thou art not a cow, thou art a pony.” Luna said pompously, and Scrivy sighed and dropped his head forwards, muttering under his breath as Sammy chirped agreeably from where he was still perched on the male’s back. “Now come, Scrivener. We have lost time. Let us make haste back onto the trail, and continue forth with renewed purpose.”
The pony nodded, following Luna as she flicked her hood back up, her mane twisting itself strangely to slide slowly back beneath the cloak as she strode forwards, the winged unicorn smiling to herself and visibly elated. They fell into easy step with one another, quiet and comfortable, and yet Scrivener could feel the female’s elation and excitement clearly as they moved down the road together, and he couldn’t help but smile a little at her, glad she seemed to feel such purpose now, so different from the worried Luna she had often been while inside Canterlot.
He felt safe in her presence, and he would rather be with no one else. She was powerful, alluring, and a bit of an oddball, but her eccentricity, her passion, was what he liked most about her. She was unpredictable and brave… and even though sometimes she referred to herself as a ‘relic’ of a ‘lost age,’ sometimes Scrivy wished that he had been there with her, to see her in her element… often he thought the very best thing about this world he lived in… was her.
He shook his head after a moment, and Luna smiled a little as she glanced over at him, calming slightly as they continued on in silence… until finally, she asked almost hesitantly: “Did I scare thee, Scrivener Blooms?”
“Yes, obviously I’m shuddering in fear in my little metal booties.” Scrivy said dryly, pausing long enough to hold one hoof up, and Luna rolled her eyes even as she relaxed, relief glinting in her cyan irises. Then he fell into step with her, and he smiled a little, glancing embarrassedly over at her. “It’s… quite the opposite, really. You’re amazing, Luna. If anything I feel embarrassed about how… amazing I think you are and… stuff.”
He cleared his throat, looking up… but Luna only gave him a soft look before she turned her eyes ahead, saying quietly: “We’ll see just which one of us is truly amazing by the end of this journey, Scrivy. Thy unwavering loyalty truly does me more honor than I deserve.”
The equine only smiled back at the winged unicorn, however… and they continued on in silence down the road as Sammy curled up comfortably on Scrivener’s back. Every now and then, one of the ponies would glance over a shoulder to gaze back at Canterlot, still faintly visible in the distance, illuminated by the light of the moon and stars… and yet they were miles and miles away now, even at the easy pace they were keeping.
Then Luna gestured to a side path that cut through a field littered with wildflowers, saying quietly: “This way, to the edge of the Everfree Forest. ‘Tis but a short journey, but I wish to sojourn in its outskirts for a short time. There is no rush, after all, and I would prefer to make camp at the forest’s edge and add another night to our travels than to venture into the forest, and be forced to spend the day sleeping in the ruins if there truly is something wicked laying wait in its depths.”
“I’m in no rush either, Luna. All the same, don’t hold back on my account… if you want to press forwards, I’ll follow.” Scrivener replied with a smile, and Luna nodded to him as they continued onwards. She was able to easily wend her way through the faint trail that became weaker still as it led towards the forest’s outskirts, but by now the looming trees were clearly visible, shrouded with a deeper darkness than the night, a wild place full of wild things, a pocket of Equestria as yet untouched by law and order.
Luna paused in front of a thin veil of scraggy trees on the forest’s edge, rubbing her hoof against the ground as she gazed down thoughtfully: the ground here was pebbly, with little sand, a broken tree laying dead upon its side to one edge of the field and the rest of the ground scarred as if by fire. It was a small, natural clearing, the high grasses they had just pushed through likely enough to shield them from sight from the road, the wall of trees thick enough to make it difficult for any aggressive entity to sneak up on them but thin enough there was precious little space to hide.
The female nodded thoughtfully to herself after a moment, and then she looked over her shoulder and said quietly: “We camp here. ‘Tis a good spot, not the most comfortable, perchance, but that is why we have brought the comforts of supplies with us.”
Scrivy grunted, and he leaned back, reaching for the saddlebags… but Luna only winked at him as she tilted her head towards him, both bags glowing eerily as the belts holding them in place on his body undid themselves and they lifted off, dropping heavily to the ground at the edge of the field. The male gave her a flat look, but she only shrugged with a slight smile. “’Tis easier for me than it is for thee, that’s all. Dig out the rations and our sleep-bedding, I shall take a short look around the area to ensure our safety.”
The male grumbled a bit, but nodded as he pulled one of the bags open, leaning his head hesitantly into it and wincing as he seemed to push down into a weightless, directionless dark void before he sat back, then shook his head quickly and muttered: “Empty. The supplies must be in the other bag. Does that ever freak me out, though.”
With a little digging and flailing, the earth pony managed to pull two large bedrolls out of the backpack, as well as a barrel-like container that held hay and apples. Scrivy opened this and began to turn away to find bowls for them, but then Luna came back and simply shoved her head down into the container, taking a large bite of hay and chewing thoughtfully as the male favored her with a dry look. “What? ‘Tis food.”
“For one thing, you shouldn’t talk with your mouth full. For another… oh, nevermind, just stop hogging it all.” Scrivener grumbled, leaning forwards to reach in and pull an apple out of the barrel, and he took a large bite out of this, chewing thoughtfully as Luna gave him an amused look.
They sat in comfortable quiet as they ate together, the meal simple and far from the extravagance often prepared for them at the castle… and yet all the same, it was one of the best that Scrivy could remember having. His body ached a bit from the armor he was still wearing, and yet it was a good kind of ache… he felt alive, invigorated, and like he was ready to continue the march all the way to the ends of Equestria if it was called for.
Then Luna smiled as she walked over to his side, her horn glowing quietly, and the helm was lifted from the male’s head, Scrivy looking up in surprise as she said gently: “Come now, off with thy armor, Scrivener Blooms. We shall rest anon, and thy pet shall be enough to keep watch… I do not fear bandits, nor do I fear beasts, but ‘tis better to be safer than sorrowful.”
As she spoke, she leaned forwards, helping remove the plates from Scrivy’s frame… and he blushed a bit at the fact she used her hooves, not simply magic. He fidgeted and pawed at himself, popping open other clasps that helped hold the gear on, pieces of armor peeling off his frame as he muttered: “Feels strange to be covered from head-to-hoof in soldier’s gear when I write with the pen, not fight with the blade.”
“Oh, enough. Thou art a greater hero with thy honor than with the ruthless blade.” Luna chastised, and then she nudged him firmly with her shoulder as they sat side-by-side, the male’s armor discarded, Luna’s cloak tossed aside… and then she smiled a little when he reached up and quietly touched her sparkling peytral plate, the crescent moon inscribed over it seeming to glint at the brush of his hoof.
“Don’t you ever take that or your tiara off?” he asked curiously, and Luna shrugged a bit before the male shook his head, leaning up and gently grasping the black half-crown… and he pulled it carefully free from her mane, which for a moment, seemed to tangle itself against it… and then the ephemeral, starlit curtain swayed itself backwards as he turned and put it down, and Luna looked at him with a faint flush on her features.
But he only gazed back at her with a smile… and then Luna lowered her head, closing her eyes, and her horn glowed faintly as the clasps holding the black plate across her chest quietly clicked before it pulled it free, floating silently through the night air to join the armors aside as she reached up and gently brushed the faintly-visible indentation over her body where the plate had once rested for so long, murmuring: “I feel naked, Scrivener Blooms. Laugh not at me, I know we do not normally wear clothing of much sort, but… thy knows what I speak of.”
“I do.” Scrivy only smiled wider, however, studying her and saying quietly: “You still look like a Princess of the Night with or without those things on, though.”
Luna laughed at this, shaking her head slowly as she gazed quietly at her discarded black tiara, where it lay beside Scrivy’s helm… and she smiled a bit as Sammy skittered over this, pawing at the dark, strange-textured metal of her tiara before pouncing on her peytral, and she murmured: “Yon pet is much like a puppy. But come, early to bed, early to rise.” She paused, glancing over her shoulder at the two long bedrolls that were spaced a few feet apart, and then she gave a slight smile and her horn gave a faint shimmer, and the two sleeping mats slid smoothly together, the sheets overtop them both fluttering quietly. “Now is no time for modesty, Scrivener Blooms. Besides, I would rather have thee beside me and know that thou art safe than awaken in the morn to find thee dragged off into the Everfree Forest by some hobgoblin or hungry manticore.”
“Thanks, Luna, your compassion is truly only outmatched by your rapier-like wit.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna shook her head with a laugh before she walked over to the bedroll and simply lay down upon it as Scrivener slipped onto his own and tossed the sheets over his body, fidgeting beneath them. He glanced at her curiously, but she only looked back with a tilt of her head before he asked finally: “Aren’t you going to get under the sheets? I mean… aren’t you cold?”
“The sun burns hot, Scrivy, and ‘twill kiss the earth at daybreak soon. Besides.” Luna stopped, then rolled over to hide her soft smile, looking quietly up at the stars overhead and seeing in the glorious constellations two ponies that walked side-by-side, hooves marching in rhythm, bound by fellowship, friendship, and more…
“I have all I need to stay warm. Sleep well, Scrivener Blooms.”