//------------------------------// // Chapter 32 // Story: Celestia Goes West // by DungeonMiner //------------------------------// Luna smiled to herself as she set up the library. Yes, her guests wouldn’t arrive for another few hours, but Luna, being a retired mare, had little else to do besides preparing for their eventual arrival. “Sky above, we need a hobby,” she thought. “Or at least one that doesn’t count on five other ponies showing up to actually enjoy it.” She rubbed her chin at the thought. So far, she did a reasonably decent job connecting with the ponies of her group socially, at least, by her reckoning. She might work to deepen her friendships now that she had them. That was the one social aspect that she had taken time to learn. Perhaps she could ask Caramel to go get coffee with her. Obviously, it would have to be her treat, but she could afford a few cups of coffee, and Caramel would probably appreciate a free meal. Thinking about it, she might even be able to get him in contact with someone back in Canterlot to get him a better job. That might work out well for him. Luna should definitely try that. She smiled at the thought before she took a moment to wander over to the kitchen. Now that she thought about it, they all might enjoy a free meal. She wasn’t sure who started this “no such thing as a free lunch” saying, but they obviously didn’t have friends to make them food. Using her magic, she transformed the kitchen into a whirlwind of ingredients, preparing some of her old favorites. While the world spun around her, Luna continued to think. Perhaps there was another activity they could do together? Celestia informed her not long after she returned that the position of Court Jester no longer existed, but there were shows and plays to be watched. Maybe the nocturnal alicorn could track one down and have her little group of friends go to one. She hoped that lowborn ponies could attend, but then again, Celestia had assured her that those lines had blurred far more in later years. It took her a few more minutes before the food just needed to be put over a grill to cook it, but as she did, she smiled to herself. Yes, she had an excellent plan coming together. ---☼--- “You stand in front of a grid of nine squares, three wide and three long. Sitting in the grid are four tiles that slide with no resistance. On each tile is an alchemical symbol, which Brightflame and Shadesong both recognize as the four classical elements, because of their various proficiencies,” Rolling said. As she finished her narrative, she passed a cardboard square onto the other side of her gamemaster’s screen. “And there are no other clues as to the right order?” Platinum asked. “No,” Rolling said with a delighted smile. “But there is a chopping block and a suspiciously clean cleaver within leg’s reach.” “Well, that’s a great sign,” Ivory muttered. Luna mused as she looked at the cardboard cut-out. “Well, we have four corners, four cardinal directions, and four elements.” The others nodded. Luna had a suspicion, but she decided that she’d wait for a little bit. She’d provide an answer later, but Luna also doubted that Dreadmane would have any clue, despite her average intelligence. “Well, there is a desert east of here,” Sundance began, “maybe we should put the fire to the east to represent that?” “Ooh, then we can put the water to the south as the ocean.” Rolling nodded as they slid the pieces into their spots before she looked at it. “Honestly, that was a very good answer. It wasn’t the right one, but it was great. You guys get a reroll.” “Hm,” Ivory muttered. “So, obviously they should cancel each other out, right?” Luna smiled but decided that she’d give them a moment to think before offering any suggestions. “I shall return with more snacks.” “More?” Platinum asked. “You already gave us a full-on meal and you’re going to feed us more?” Luna smiled. “Am I not the host? Is it not mine own responsibility to care for my guests?” Platinum raised his hoofs in surrender. “Look, I won’t argue with you, I’m just saying.” “Indeed thou art, though what thou art trying to say, I’m not sure,” Luna replied. “Do you need any help with that?” Caramel asked. Luna thought for a second. It would be an excellent opportunity to get him alone long enough to ask him if he would enjoy going out for something to eat. “I can probably get it, but I will not say no if thou art offering thine aid.” He nodded and followed after her. They made their way over to the kitchen in an eerie silence that Luna thought was strange for him but led him into the kitchen. The alicorn popped open the oven as she walked in the door and pulled a sheet of cookies out. She set the baking tray down before she cast another spell, and the cookies cooled to the perfect heat range for break-apart bites that trailed melted chocolate without burning anything. Another ring of magic and a set of plates ripped flipped and barrel-rolled out of the cabinets and slipped underneath the falling cookies as Luna teleported the baking trays into the sink. “Here, take one of these plates.” “Ah, sure,” Caramel said. He took the plate of cookies, but Luna could see that he was nervous. “Can, can I ask you a question?” Luna nodded, but as she stared into Caramel’s eyes, she saw it coming. The lunar alicorn had lived for thousands of years. Throughout her reign, Luna had stared into the eyes of beggars, kings, traitors, and heroes. She’d heard a thousand speeches and seen a thousand emotions. Luna would admit that she wasn’t the best at reading those, not like Celestia could, but she still recognized what she saw. Shame. Shame burned in Caramel’s eyes as he looked up at her. “I was just wondering…” he began. He licked his lips before looking away, and Luna hoped that whatever he was about to do, he’d stop now. “I was wondering, I haven’t seen Celestia at all. Does she still live here, or did something happen?” Luna blinked. He...he was betraying her. The thought hurt. Caramel, the first friend she had made in years, was betraying her. She wasn’t sure to who, but she could only guess that it was to one of the hundreds of newspapers that wanted to know what she and her sister were up to. Yet somehow, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that he stood there, looked her in the eyes, and tried to betray her like this. How could Caramel do this to her? She’d done everything she could to help. She would have offered him a place to stay if he asked, but he didn’t want her help. He didn’t like it for some reason and now turned on her for a quick bit. “I was just wondering,” Caramel offered weakly. “Since I haven’t seen her at all, and I...I hope she’s okay.” The shame grew stronger in his eyes, and Luna realized that she must have failed to hide the hurt on her face. Caramel had realized that she knew what he was doing. She opened her mouth to speak to him, and her lip quivered. The anger that wanted to pour and tear into him was held in place by the hurt and the understanding that he was probably desperate. “She…” Luna began, tears welling in her eyes, “Celestia is taking some time to herself is all.” Caramel nodded and looked down at the plate of cookies he carried in his own magic. “I see.” Luna nodded before picking up a tray and moving past him. Caramel stood still for a moment before following. The only sound either of them heard was the sharp tap of hooves on the tile floor as they made their way back to the library. The silence from before had been tainted now, and each step agonized the alicorn. She sniffed once or twice as she moved, trying to force herself into composure, but the anger and hurt that roiled in her made break. Had she been the sister everyone loved, she could have held it. Celestia could hide anything under her mask. Instead, by the time she made it to the library, a child could have read her face. “I’m sorry, everypony,” her wavering voice said as she set the plate of cookies on the table, “but I’m not feeling well right now, and I’m going to retire for the evening. Feel free to keep playing, but—” a sob escaped her lips, “—but I’m done for the night.” The others blinked as they stared at her, but Luna couldn’t stare back at them anymore. Luna turned and left, moving down the hall. “Luna?” Rolling called after her. Luna walked faster. “Luna?” Platinum asked. She moved faster still, breaking into a run. Luna just managed to cross into her room before closing the door behind her and locking it in place with a spell. That was all she could do before she fell onto her bed and wept. Someone knocked on the door and called to her, but Luna ignored them. Right now, she just wanted to be alone. After all, she had a lot of practice being alone. ---☼--- Caramel felt like scum. He stood just outside the door of the now-empty library, the game forgotten, still holding the plate of fresh cookies. The others were down the hall, standing outside the door they saw Luna disappear through, and he stood there, like a moron. “I told you this wasn’t worth it.” How was he supposed to know it’d all come down so quickly? Originally, Caramel planned on having some time to work and plot, maybe lessen the blow. Instead, she knew. How did she know? “She’s been alive for thousands of years, idiot!” his mind accused. “Of course she could figure out what was going to happen.” Caramel wandered back into the library and sat down, setting the plate down by the one Luna left behind. They smelled delicious, and it made him sick. He sat there at the table for a long moment, staring into the center of the table as though it hid an answer somewhere before his eyes unfocused and peered into nothingness. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this. “And how was it supposed to happen?” his mind asked sarcastically. “Did you think you’d be able to sneak away into the night? Did you think you’d be able to blame the ponies outside for this? What were you thinking?” Caramel didn’t answer. He sat there for a long time before finally, the others started coming back. Platinum was the loudest of them. “Caramel, what did you do?” Caramel looked up. Platinum’s face, twisted by rage, stared down at him from where he hovered. “What did you do to her?” He opened his mouth but closed it again. There was no way he could explain this. “What did you do, Caramel?” Platinum asked, slamming both hooves onto the table as he stared his friend in the face. Caramel didn’t meet his gaze. “What did you do?” Platinum asked again, bringing his voice down to a furious hiss. “I made a tough decision,” Caramel said before regretting that. “A tough decision?” Platinum roared. “You made a tough decision and somehow leaving Luna in tears was the right answer?” “Platinum,” Rolling called. “Somehow, breaking the mare was the best option you had? What’s wrong with you?” “Platinum,” Rolling said, firmer this time. The pegasus glanced over at her. “You don’t know what he’s talking about. I do. I’ll handle it from here.” “But—” “I signed up to be your collective therapist when I sat behind the screen,” she said. “Half the time I mean that as a joke. This time, I’m going to have a serious conversation with him, and I’ll try to talk with Luna too and see if I can fix this. Alright?” Platinum stared at her for a moment before nodding. “Alright.” “Good, then for now,” Rolling said before pausing to sigh. “For now go ahead and pack up, I don’t think we’re going to game anymore tonight.” The others nodded before they tried to collect their things. Sundance grabbed a cookie as he went, and just watching him nibble at it made Caramel’s heart sink deeper into his stomach. The others trickled out, leaving Rolling and Caramel alone in the room before she turned. “A tough decision?” she asked. There wasn’t any accusation to her tone, just a need for an explanation. “I...I needed some money.” It sounded so crass now that he said it. “Money?” Rolling asked. “The Sentinel offered me more than ten thousand bits if I got a story about Celestia or Luna, so...so I asked her where her sister was.” “And that sent her into tears?” Caramel sat quietly for a moment. “I think she figured it out,” the stallion said. “I think, I don’t know, maybe she read it on my face or something. She...I betrayed her trust, and...and I messed up.” Rolling sighed. “You didn’t make this easy on me.” “What was I supposed to do?” he asked, his own anger building up in his voice. “I need money, and they were offering enough that I could get back on my own hooves. What’s wrong with that?” Rolling shook her head. “I just didn’t want to be kicked out of my own home!” Rolling began packing up her own stuff. “There’s nothing wrong with what I did!” he said. Rolling glanced up at him and stared him directly in the eye. “You did nothing wrong?” she asked. “Then why are you acting like this?” Caramel winced but said nothing. Rolling continued to pack up her stuff before she sighed. “I’ll talk with Luna first, and see what I can do. You, though, need to figure out a way to make it up to her.” Caramel still didn’t say anything. As Rolling carried her stuff out of the room, Caramel stood there alone with only a couple plates of cookies and Luna’s prop greatsword in the room. As he stood there, he could swear that he heard Luna’s sobs echo down the halls. He sighed. “I messed up.”