Chapter Seven: Explanations
~BlackRoseRaven
Pollen rambled almost the entire way back to the cabin, until Luna turned around and shouted at him in her thundering, echoing voice to silence himself, and the skeleton had wilted almost into the ground before Scrivener had given Luna a flat look, but she had only mumbled defensively to herself, then stormed across the lawn to the front door, saying finally with a glower over her shoulder: “Thou art… free to explore around the area, and may set up camp wherever thou likes. I shall send our other dead pet out to meet and become acquainted with thee, Pollen.”
“Thank you?” Pollen looked nervously up at this, and then he winced a little as he glanced awkwardly back and forth before turning his eyes to Scrivener. “Can… can I come inside at some point?”
Scrivener shrugged a bit, glancing towards Luna, but the winged unicorn only grumbled and stormed through the door before the equine said quietly: “Luna has a big heart, she does. She just also hates it when we have enemies who… aren’t really enemies. It might not seem like it, but neither of us enjoy even squashing skeletons when… they’re victims too, in a way. She just needs to warm up to you a bit, alright?”
Pollen gave him an awkward look, cocking his head even as he shrank back a bit… and Scrivener smiled embarrassedly before he began to turn, and the skeleton scrambled a little after him, asking nervously: “How… how long will that take?”
“Shorter than you think.” Scrivener smiled a bit, and then he turned and headed for the open door before wincing a bit as the Pale of Pinkamena ran through him, before she skidded to a halt and spun around, staring at Scrivy. Scrivener looked back at her awkward in his half-pony, half-Wyrm form, and then Pinkamena leaned forwards, grinning widely before she stepped towards him, her translucent form passing through his thick body and making him wince before his eyes widened as she teasingly pretended to kiss his lips.
“Pinkamena!” Luna shouted furiously from the den, and Scrivy looked dumbly down the hall before a blast of lightning slammed into him, knocking him rolling stupidly backwards off the patio as Pollen scrambled out of the way of Scrivy’s fall. Then Luna winced and cursed even as reflected pain twisted through her frame, her horn glowing as she charged down the corridor, but Pinkamena only grinned mockingly at her before she winked and vanished, the winged unicorn looking embarrassedly at Scrivy as he wheezed and slowly began to pick himself up. “In all honesty, Scrivener Blooms, I meant to blast the cretin, not… thee. Thou art just… larger and… happened to be in the way. ‘Tis thine own fault. Be not so large and in the way next time.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.” Scrivy mumbled, and then he grimaced and cracked his back as he slowly stood up with a groan, muttering: “Glad to know my sex appeal is so high with the undead, though.”
Pollen began to awkwardly raise a hoof, and Luna glared horribly at the Velite, who quickly shrank down with a wince and made a sound like he was clearing the throat he didn’t have, mumbling: “Never mind.”
“I do not blame even other males for being attracted so to my husband, but all the same, Pollen, he is mine.” Luna said imperiously, and Scrivener only sighed and hung his head, Luna giving him an awkward grin. “Oh, worry not, I shall not blast or smite anything further, agreed?”
Scrivener only grumbled, and then Pollen looked up and said embarrassedly: “Actually I’m a mare. I know it’s kind of hard to tell but-”
“Nay, all Velites are referred to as male, even thou none of thee have any… parts.” Luna replied huffily as she gestured with her hooves, sitting back and tilting her head upwards slightly as Scrivener and Pollen both stared at her. “I shall therefore still call thee a ‘he.’ Unless thou prefers ‘it.’”
“I. I want you to know that if I could cry, I would probably be crying right now.” Pollen mumbled sulkily, dropping his head forwards before he sighed and flinched a bit when Luna glared at him. “Fine, fine! You’re right, anyway, I don’t have any… parts. Male it is.”
“Good. Now excuse myself and my daydreamer, we must speak on things. If thou can make nice with Pinkamena, thou can come inside later and we shall… figure out lodgings for thee, Pollen.” Luna said moodily, and Scrivener smiled a bit as Pollen looked up hopefully; the half-pony, half-Wyrm was aware that a lot of this was because Luna was now trying to get him in a better mood, but he did appreciate her attempting to be a little nicer and more forwards all the same.
The Velite seemed to smile at them as Scrivener gazed at it… then he winced a bit as his eyes focused, and for a moment, he was gazing at not a Velite, but a mare with an almost bright-green coat and hazel eyes. A moment later, however, Pollen was once more a Velite… a ‘male’ Velite instead of a mare, as Luna had put it. “Thanks, I’ll… you won’t regret it, okay? I’m… thank you, I really just… just want to survive this somehow.”
Luna mumbled a bit, and then she turned around as Scrivener nodded to the skeleton awkwardly before he followed the winged unicorn inside, quietly closing the door behind him before he followed her to the den. They sat quietly, gazing at one-another for a few moments, their eyes locking together… and in silence, they traded emotions, thoughts, felt their hearts beating as one before a tear slipped down Luna’s cheek as she whispered: “No.”
Scrivener closed his eyes, and Luna stepped forwards and hugged him fiercely, burying her face against the side of his neck as she murmured: “Stop it, daydreamer. Thou art not a monster… and no matter what is in thy mind… no… no matter what happens, I will not abandon thee. I will not leave thee, never, ever…”
She squeezed him firmly, and Scrivener wrapped his own forelegs around her, silently reaching up to grasp into her ephemeral locks with her clawed hand as he held her tightly against his larger frame. She pressed closer, and her mane sizzled softly as she gritted her teeth. “Valthrudnir was no match for us, beloved… even now, even if… some echo, some repetition, some ghostly dissonance from that accursed monster is inside thee… I will not… I will not abandon thee. We will find a way to destroy him… and no, I… I am wary of telling Odin of this. He may wish to separate us and destroy thee… I… I will not risk losing thee.”
“Maybe…” Scrivener hesitated, then he winced when Luna leaned back and glared at him before shoving him down onto his back, leaping forwards and pinning him against the bedding as the male swallowed and winced up at her. She glared down at him, and although her mane crackled with electricity and her body radiated anger for a moment, when their eyes met, the emotions they traded were despair, fear, concern, and love… and terrible, awful regret, before the male reached up and whispered: “This isn’t your fault. How can you blame yourself, Luna?”
“Because I gave the monster the way in… because I am always the one who… who nurtured that shadow inside of thee…” Luna clenched her eyes shut… and then she shivered before sighing and slowly laying herself down on top of him, resting herself over the male’s form as he quietly wrapped his front limbs around her. She leaned down, pushing her forehead to his as he pressed back, trembles running through her frame as Scrivy breathed slowly in and out, before the winged unicorn laughed weakly and murmured: “The corruption has grown stronger inside of thee because of my meddling, Scrivener Blooms. How can we share the greatest of all connections and at the same time… serve as such poison to each other…”
“Like how I poison your honor, your thoughts, make you… give up so much?” Scrivy smiled faintly as he reached his claw up, stroking along her face slowly… and Luna laughed quietly and shook her head slowly, smiling despite herself in return.
“Nay, monster, I shan’t fall for thy deceit this time, thy treacherous words will not trick me into pummeling thee.” Luna murmured softly, and she straightened a bit as she looked down at him, studying him quietly as he looked back at her… before she smiled faintly, closing her eyes and bowing her head forwards, and Scrivener closed his own before grimacing a bit as a surge of energy passed through his body.
He shrank down as he felt the claw locking together, morphing back into a hoof, as his scales receded and his features once more returned to that of an earth pony… and then he grimaced and blinked a few times before reaching up and rubbing at his face, now once more in his normal form. Luna’s eyes opened after a moment, and the two looked at each other quietly before the male said softly: “I lost my glasses at some point… and you know, strangely… I feel a little hollow now. I learned that looking like that, doesn’t make me a monster… but now, even looking normal again, I still have a terrible… thing inside of me.”
Luna, however, only closed her eyes and laid down beside the earth pony, then wrapped her forelimbs around him and pulled his head against her chest, and he curled up against her willingly, thoughts and memories and emotions rushing back and forth as he clung against her and clenched his eyes shut, a shiver rolling down his spine as she kissed his forehead and murmured: “We shall take another day to rest, Scrivener Blooms… we shall take time to figure this out, and then… make another long trip. Our journeys, our little quests, sometimes clear our heads after all…”
Scrivy laughed despite himself at this, shaking his head slowly and muttering: “Is that a good or bad thing, Luna? That we often feel most comfortable, that things and problems most often happen to slide away whenever we’re out… wandering this dead and gone world, finding Pales and herding them onto the Bifrost, and doing battle with whatever monstrous entities dare to challenge us on our path?”
Luna smiled at this, looking softly down at the male as she squeezed him gently before nuzzling affectionately through his mane as she said softly: “I think it is good, husband. Because we are doing something… because of what we are working towards; a world where our friends can and will be reborn, a place where there will again be a peaceful and warm Equestria, even if it will not be without danger and strangeness.”
Scrivy nodded slowly, resting against her for a few more minutes… before Luna looked curiously up as the male wiggled free and stood up with a shake of his head, the winged unicorn climbing to her own hooves as the earth pony said softly: “Alright. I feel better, Luna… thank you for… for always knowing just what to do, and what to say. I’ll fix us a snack, and maybe we can invite Pollen in… are you really going to call her a ‘him,’ by the way?”
“I meant what I said, Scrivener Blooms, Velites are all male, whether they were mares or fillies or colts or stallions in life.” Luna retorted, and Scrivy rolled his eyes with a bit of a smile before grunting when she stepped forwards and headbutted him gently. “Be not so difficult, creature. And speaking of creatures…”
Scrivener turned around as Luna stepped past him, and the two approached the countertop, where Discombobulation was laying in his vial, looking bored and grouchy. The bottle was now only a quarter of the way full, and the Draconequus splashed moodily at the liquid before he glared up at them as they both peered down at the male, Luna remarking: “Well, he seems cranky, at least. ‘Tis a sign of heightened energies, is it not?”
Discombobulation looked at them moodily, and then he stood up and traced a shape on the glass with a finger, a rough image of stick-figure ponies copulating that made Luna snort laughter… before the Draconequus sighed and dragged a large red X through it, and Scrivener and Luna glanced at each other before the winged unicorn giggled harder as the male blushed a bit. “Oh, you mean… before… when…”
Discombobulation huffed silently inside the vial as he erased the image moodily, and Luna grinned and shook her head before saying cheerfully: “’Tis our home, Discombobulation, thou art currently merely a paperweight. Besides, long have we abandoned the pretense of modesty in this destroyed world, especially with Pinkamena floating in and out of reality as she pleases. And besides, thou did not have to watch our celebrations.”
The Draconequus glared at them, then he slowly rose his hand, gesturing at himself with his thumb, before pointing his index finger towards Luna. Then the chimerical creature firmly clenched his hand into a fist, fingers shuddering a bit as his knuckles whitened slightly as he continued to glare at her before wincing when Luna leaned down and bumped the vial with her nose, saying dryly: “Do not make threats thou cannot live up to, Bob, or I shall fill this bottle with Manticore urine.”
“You’re kind of a bully.” Scrivener remarked dryly, and Luna huffed and glared at him before shoving him firmly, and the male snorted in entertainment as he staggered and Discombobulation grumbled, crossing his arms sulkily inside the vial. “You have my apologies, Bob, I guess we forgot you’re stuck sitting out here on the counter. We’ll try and keep our bedroom antics in the bedroom from now on.”
The Draconequus grumbled but looked a little mollified, beginning to turn away… and then his head suddenly spun almost completely around to stare towards the door, Scrivener frowning a bit at this before both he and Luna glanced up as there was a loud double-knock. Immediately, the winged unicorn glared down the corridor as Scrivener winced a bit, and there was an awkward silence for a few moments before another knock slowly sounded, and Luna ground her teeth together before she stormed down the hallway and flicked her horn, the door flying open to reveal Odin standing awkwardly on the patio before he winced at the sight of the winged unicorn stomping furiously towards him. “By the Vale of Valhalla, how does thou always time thy visits to occur at the moments of utmost, absolute frustration?”
“I was here earlier as well, Brynhild…” Odin began… and then he winced and staggered backwards when Luna lashed her horn at him childishly, the falcon-headed not-god cursing under his breath as he almost fell over. “Ymir’s beard, are you crazed, woman?”
“Yes!” Luna shouted angrily, and she reared back, pawing her hooves at the air as she glared at him and breathed hard in and out as Scrivener awkwardly strode up behind her as she sat down on the patio on her haunches, glowering at the not-god as he winced and Pollen stared stupidly from the side of the yard, the Pale of Pinkamena having a laughing fit as she rolled back and forth on the ground beside the skeleton. “Art thou here to tell us to hurry up with a process that cannot be hurried? To try and molest me again perhaps? To just spread thy old-man-misery unto others?”
Odin groaned and grabbed at his face tiredly, and Luna grumbled irritably even as Scrivy gently wrapped a foreleg around her and gave her a squeeze, sitting beside her. For a few moments, she continued to glower at Odin, and then she sulkily turned and buried her face against her husband’s mane, Scrivener smiling awkwardly as the once-god surveyed them tiredly before he shook his head moodily.
He let the silence spiral out, however, and Luna calmed little-by-little as she rested with her face buried against Scrivy’s neck… and finally, Odin sighed as he straightened and finally said: “I don’t enjoy making trips like this, Brynhild. Traveling from one world to another is extremely tiring for me and my old bones… I am not the god I once was. But it was only moments after I returned to Valhalla that my few friends who have been so inclined to aid me – aid us, I should say, since this concerns you as well – came to me and told me of a problem.”
Luna grumbled a bit, but looked up at Odin moodily, apparently willing to listen, and Odin looked relieved at the reaction before he explained quietly: “This world… this layer of reality… is not going to last much longer. Connected to nothing but a layer of Helheim, and constantly poisoned by corruption storms and the reality-warping influence of the Black Wolves of Hell, with so much of the land warped and distorted and destroyed… sooner or later, this layer is simply going to… dissolve. I need to ask you to begin final preparations to leave, Brynhild. Take everything that’s important that you’ve left here, and bring it to your home in the Looking Glass World, along with any other materials and belongings that will be necessary for you. You’ve spent eight… no, in a week or so, it will be nine years here. Nine years is long enough. You have saved all the souls you can.”
Luna frowned at this as Scrivener looked up quietly, the two hesitating as Odin looked down at them silently… and then the winged unicorn slowly shook her head, saying softly: “No, Odin. Aye, Scrivy and I shall find a wagon, load up the few items with meaning we have left here, and bring them across the Bifrost… but then we shall return here. We shall not abandon this world until we have saved every last soul we can. Thou shalt not amputate this planet and all those wretched souls until the last possible moment… I will not permit the soul of anypony that I can save to be destroyed forever because of an act of cowardice under the guise of ‘safety.’”
“Brynhild, woman, are you insane? Do you want to be trapped in limbo or purgatory for eternity, when these layers of the ninety-nine worlds fall into darkness?” Odin asked incredulously, leaning forwards and gesturing violently outwards, but Luna only glared up at him stoically. “You have saved tens of thousands of lives, does your ego-”
“’Tis not about my ego, ‘tis about doing the right thing. Those lives are but a drop in the bucket compared to the lives we are responsible for and the lives we failed, Odin.” Luna retorted sharply, and the not-god winced back a bit and rubbed slowly at the scarred side of his face. “Not Scrivener Blooms nor I will abandon this place. We shall continue to work to save all the Pales we can, until reality begins to crack around us and we are forced to move on to complete the second half of our mission.”
Odin closed his eyes, rubbing slowly at his face… and then he finally nodded slowly, muttering under his breath: “Fine. Fine, very well. Arguing with you, I should know by now, is pointless… but Brynhild, you cannot force every Pale to follow you across the Bifrost. Nothing is guaranteed when working with the intangible, as I have well-learned myself… and you have searched south, east, and west far and wide for many years, marching and collecting all you could.”
“Then we shall march north. We shall march all the way to the Black Baroque, Odin… I know that it emits an energy, a putrid essence, that the Pales mistake for an escape from this world, when it is merely the door to a worse prison beyond… I know that even now, many are lured there. And I do not fear the fact that it has become a tomb of demons and that Fenrir lurks through his ancient hunting ground of the terrible mountains…” Luna looked up grimly, evenly facing Odin as he frowned down at her worriedly. “We shall save the few souls that deserve to be saved even in those barren wastes, where ponies were so cold in body and heart. We shall save the victims lured to the Black Baroque and the Gates of Helheim, if we can. And then, as we watch for signs of the world beginning to shatter apart, we shall sweep wide and far through Equestria, gathering the last of the stragglers we can.”
“It’s a foolish idea, Brynhild… you would risk battling Fenrir and the forces of Helheim, and the chance of finding only souls that are already beginning to corrupt into demons themselves… or that perhaps were never worth saving in the first place.” Odin grimaced a bit and shook his head slowly, then he studied the two silently as Scrivener only closed his eyes and Luna gazed defiantly at the not-god. “But… I know I can’t stop you. Perhaps part of me even admires you and chastises me for still being such a surly old coward.”
He stopped, then glanced towards the Velite and the Pale of Pinkamena, the latter grinning, the former simply sitting and awkwardly staring. “I notice that you’ve added a new companion to your… little band. I do not think there is room in the next world for Velites.”
“Yes, yes, Odin, but if the creature is kind enough I shall simply grind it to dust and exorcise the soul trapped in those bones, and her Pale may come with us to the next world as well.” Luna said irritably, and Pollen glanced up, looking surprised before Luna grumbled and said flatly: “His, I mean. All Velites are male.”
Odin looked at her for a moment, then decided it was better to disregard this as he reached into his jacket and produced his flask, slowly unscrewing the top as he said quietly: “I have one last bit of business with you, though, Brynhild, before I can leave. Something that worries me… something concerning yourself and your husband.”
The not-god looked at them calmly as he sipped from his flask, and Luna gritted her teeth as she glared up at him challengingly, Scrivener wincing a bit before Odin said softly: “While I was heading towards the ruined village to the north, after getting no answer at the door here… I felt a very distinct ripple in reality. I must have just missed you after you had destroyed that Velite encampment and… taken a prisoner of war or freed an ally, whatever occurred with that Velite there. But you and Scrivener Blooms used the Black Verses again, didn’t you?”
Scrivener glanced awkwardly away as Luna looked up and replied quietly: “We did, Odin. ‘Twas necessary to destroy the monstrosity we faced, we had not the time nor energy to do it any other way.”
The not-god shook his head slowly in response to this, squatting down and looking at them imploringly as he said quietly: “Brynhild, forget the past. Forget… everything about me, and about yourself, just for a moment, just for this moment, and listen to me: the very best outcome of using the Black Verses is that you’ll shorten the spans of both your lives, or you will die. Valthrudnir wrote and designed them for his pets alone to be able to harness, creatures of destruction, violence, hatred, and corruption… and the worst possible outcome is that by using them, by continuing to open that… that box of evil… you will not shorten your lives, or die, you will become the very thing you have fought so hard to stop.”
Scrivy and Luna shared apprehensive looks… and then Odin sighed quietly, straightening and sipping at his flask again before he quietly screwed the lid back on and tucked it back beneath his jacket. “I know you don’t count me as a friend, much less a mentor, and I understand that. You were a Valkyrie, and I was Warrior King of the Aesir… but those days are past, and I was the author of my own ruin and the reason that now, you face me in the body of a pony and I face you in the disguise of a gaunt old falcon-man. But on this, please listen to me… I do not wish to see you die, Brynhild. I wish even less to see you make prideful mistakes as I did, and end up living out your own terrible tragedy.”
“The difference, Odin, is that whilst thou loathed and was never loyal to thine wife, I love Scrivener Blooms more than any words can express… and everything we face, everything we do, we do together.” Luna replied quietly, looking up at the not-god seriously and coldly, and then she closed her eyes as her mane sizzled and swayed behind her for a moment before her features smoothed slowly out as she softened visibly when her cyan eyes opened. “It is difficult for me to bow my head or acknowledge anyone, especially thee. It is difficult, but I do wish for thee to know I… appreciate thy concern, and I understand well of what thou speaks.
“But… Scrivener Blooms and I have been facing our worst fears together, in this accursed world. We have stood beneath a storm of corruption, and found purity in the most unexpected of places… we have washed away sin and evil with darkness, becoming like polished, black stone in heart and soul, if only for a fleeting moment of peace. We have faced down and slain many monsters… and we have even helped other beasts back up to their feet.” Luna smiled faintly despite herself, glancing towards where Pinkamena and the Velite both stood, before the winged unicorn nodded slowly and returned her gaze to Odin. “No matter what happens and what we face, once-god… we face it together. We face it without fear. And the Black Verses… I believe ourselves invincible to even their power. Because yes, they are destruction, and evil, and raw power… but we do not try to control it, we only channel it, and as with all things, we do it together…”
“You’re being romantic, Brynhild.” Odin said quietly, but it was difficult to tell if he spoke admiringly or in chastisement, as he shook his head slowly and rubbed at his face with a quiet sigh. “What do you think, Scrivener Blooms?”
Scrivy winced a bit at being addressed by the being, and on such a sensitive subject… but he squeezed Luna quietly when she looked at him with concern, giving her a reassuring glance before he looked up and met the falcon’s single eye, saying slowly: “I… I often am afraid of the Black Verses. Of myself… of what could happen. But I know that no matter what… Luna and I… nothing can stop us together. The same blood flows in our veins, our souls are mixed as one, in our bodies beat the same heart. Once upon a time, I was just a slave-hoof poet muddling his way through an unfulfilling life doing as little as possible. Now… I don’t know what I am. But I know I’m proud to be beside Luna. I’m proud of the things we’ve done and we continue to do. And I have hope for the future… and as long as I have her, those hopes, and these dreams… I know that not even Valthrudnir can corrupt me.”
Odin frowned a bit at this, and Scrivener grimaced at his choice of words… but then the not-god only nodded slowly and sighed quietly. “Alright. If you both are so firm in this belief, I won’t speak any further on it.” He stopped, then surveyed the two with a slight frown, rubbing at the underside of his beak slowly. “Is there… anything I should know, though, Brynhild, Scrivener Blooms?”
Scrivy grimaced a bit as he felt a stir of worry from Luna, even as she looked up and wrinkled her muzzle awkwardly as she lied: “No, not at all, Odin.”
Odin looked at her dourly as her nose twitched, a clear tell Luna was lying… but all the same, he only shook his head and dropped the subject, rubbing at his side and saying moodily: “Fine. I’ll be in Looking Glass World, waiting for you, if you do happen to need to speak to me… try and get there in the next few days. The deterioration of this layer of reality is growing worse with every passing week, and it could be within months that the collapse begins.”
“Terrifying.” Luna said flatly, and Odin sighed at her tone before the winged unicorn nodded with a grunt and grumbled a bit, looking up at him. “I suppose some measure of thanks are in order for telling us what will come to pass, then, old lecher. But be on thy way, then. Scrivy and I shall rest for a short period, then find a scrap wagon and begin the overdue process of pulling down what remains to be moved. But there are days yet before the Bifrost regenerates enough to be used again, even if only by us. Scrivener Blooms and I shall use that time to sweep to the north, and then make our way back here… I believe that we can cross such a great distance in a matter of less than a week.”
“I already gave you my suggestions, Brynhild, I know by now whatever plans we lay out, the moment I’m gone, you’ll bastardize them all into some grand scheme much to your own preference and leave me waiting for hours, days, or perhaps even longer.” Odin replied tiredly, gesturing grouchily at the sky, and Luna shrugged agreeably at this. “Very well, here is my new suggestion. You do as you please, and when you arrive in Looking Glass World, contact me through Celestia’s scrying mirror, a cast of the runes, or one of a thousand other possible ways. Is this acceptable?”
“Well, now thou art taking all the fun out of it.” Luna said grouchily, and Odin threw his arms in the air as he turned around and stormed away, the winged unicorn calling after him cheerfully: “I shall send a Nibelung to thee, how about this? Nibelung may go to Valhalla if pummeled to death, correct?”
Odin only ignored her as he muttered to himself and continued over the bridge, however, Luna and Scrivener both watching as the not-god made his way to wherever he had hidden the means by which he passed back and forth between Valhalla. That he had never shared with them, grouchily guarding the secret… and Luna grimaced at the falcon being’s back, muttering under her breath to Scrivener Blooms: “One day I shall discover where he has hidden the portal to paradise, Scrivy, or at least the means the old doddering relic passes back and forth between realms. ‘Tis a pity… he may not be any god any longer, but the lecher is as sly as he ever wert, and makes following him nearly impossible.”
She grumbled under her breath, then shook her head and glanced towards the Velite and the Pale, asking mildly: “Well, art thou two going to come inside or stay out and play like the mongrels thou often both remind me of?”
“I would definitely like to come inside, because I have absolutely no idea what’s going on.” Pollen replied quickly, and Pinkamena rolled her eyes before easily striding ahead of the skeleton, as the Velite nervously looked up. “I… I mean… you called that guy Odin. You said something about souls and Pales and… look at you, you’re not a monster-looking-thing anymore and… I mean...”
“Oh quiet, addled creature. Let us retire inside and then thou can make a nuisance of thyself with thy questions.” Luna said tiredly, rubbing at her face with a flat look at the skeleton, and Pollen grinned lamely in response before the winged unicorn turned around, Scrivener following her down the corridor as she murmured under her breath: “And on a serious note, Scrivy… there is no need to tell Odin of what has transpired, our worries or fears. It is better that he does not know, for I will not have him trying to ‘fix’ you himself, like as not by risking separating us… perhaps even imprisoning or outright attempting to kill thee.”
“You don’t really…” Scrivy frowned a bit, words falling away as Luna glanced at him apprehensively, and Scrivener closed his eyes, nodding slowly as emotions and thoughts twisted quietly between them. “Right. He might seem like a harmless old… well, whatever he is… but he’s also an ex-god… ex-warrior-god-king, at that.”
“Best not to take chances, Scrivy. I believe he has changed, perhaps, but… I do not wish to test how far his mercy and understanding now extend. Besides, ‘tis more fun not telling Odin everything.” Luna smiled a bit despite herself, glancing towards Scrivy as the male laughed a little and gave her a look that was half-entertained, half-exasperated. “I am trying to be positive, Scrivener Blooms, test me not.”
Luna flopped down on the bedding in the den, and Scrivener sat beside her as he glanced down the hall, watching as Pinkamena floated moodily over to inspect Discombobulation’s bottle. Pollen, finally, stared back and forth in awe, as if he had never seen the inside of a house before… and then he smiled embarrassedly as he dropped on his haunches at the end of the corridor, staring into the den room and murmuring: “I never thought… I’d see an actual home like this again. The Nibelung live in ruins and ugly tents, never fix anything up and just move on when something gets too damaged or broken… and Velites they… we… never sleep, never eat, never have homes. Just sheds to put our things in, and when we need to stop, we just… lay down on the ground…”
Pollen halted, looking down embarrassedly as Luna softened a bit, before the winged unicorn said quietly, as she tilted her head towards the fireplace and blue flames burst into being over the logs: “Come, creature. Be not afraid, rest thyself on one of the cushions and curl up closer to the fire. Warm thy bones.”
The Velite seemed to smile at them thankfully as it gazed at the two, then nodded and walked carefully past the large bedding to a rumpled cushion, pulling it closer and hesitantly sitting down on it… before sighing softly as it settled slowly onto its stomach, gazing towards the sapphire fire as it murmured: “Thank you, Princess Luna. You’re kinder and more generous than I ever expected.”
“Nay, I am neither of those things, and nor am I any princess.” Luna replied quietly, gazing towards the flames with a bit of a smile. “When I went into exile, that title was forgone forever… and even when I returned to mine sister’s side, I was made Champion. And to be honest? I was far more comfortable in that role, fighting on the battlefield rather than trying to serve as figurehead of a nation.”
She quieted, then studied the skeleton for a few moments as Pollen looked awkwardly back at her, before she asked curiously: “For how long did thou survive past Ragnarok, creature?”
The Velite laughed a bit at this, looking down and murmuring softly: “A few weeks, maybe a few months… it’s hard to say. When the Velites… when they make you into one of them, they try to erase your memories, make you forget who you were, who you are, remake you as one of them… but they’re sloppy about it. I think… a lot of the ponies… the Velites… I was working beside let themselves forget, because it’s easier just to give in, but… I never could forget. I couldn’t forget my family, or Equestria… I couldn’t forget who I was. It was like a cult, but what’s a cult without a goddess, without a figurehead, without a strong leader? There were just those fanatics… the original Velites, who dug up the bodies of dead unicorns so they could channel that unholy magic…”
The skeleton shivered a bit, then shook his head before he added awkwardly: “Also, am I really going to be referred to as a male for the rest of my… my… I guess it’s not a life.”
“Velites are male.” Luna said staunchly, and Scrivener sighed a bit before wincing when she smacked him firmly. “Silence, creature. ‘Tis true and thou knows it as well as I do. But worry not, Pollen… after we mash thee to pieces and turn thee from Velite to Pale, thou shall once more be a mare.”
Luna grinned as she ground her front hooves together, the Velite wincing a bit as she said nervously: “Not that… I doubt you or anything, but… I don’t exactly want to be mashed and don’t know if you’re… well… uh…”
“Sane, or telling the truth?” Luna leaned forwards curiously, and Pollen mumbled a bit to himself before the winged unicorn laughed and threw her head back. “Worry not. Besides, look at Pinkamena, she is but a Pale and…”
Luna’s words fell short as she glanced over her shoulder and saw the half-demon once more chewing at the top of Bob’s bottle, the Draconequus flailing his arms inside it as her ghostly hooves squeezed either side of the vial, and Luna sighed and snapped irritably: “Foul creature, thou already has tested the limits of my temper horribly today!”
Pinkamena grumbled silently as she floated away from the vial, holding up her front hooves irritably… and then she simply flickered out of sight, and Luna muttered under her breath as she turned her attention back to Pollen. “Very well, ignore Pinkamena, she is a foul example. When thou crosses the Bifrost with us, however, I think thou will better understand… and depending upon how trustworthy I determine thee to be, I may ask that thou remains in thy Velite body whilst thou stays in Looking Glass World, until final preparations are complete for the hopeful-rebirth of all that has been lost. We require a babysitter for our favorite pet, after all, and Pinkamena obviously would not be an entirely-intelligent choice upon our part.”
The Velite looked confused at this… and then Luna smiled slightly, tilting her horn forwards as it glowed blue, and the vial lifted off the countertop to float quietly towards the skeleton, Bob looking surly as he crossed his arms and glowered out at the Velite. “This is Discombobulation. He is in a weakened state right now, which is why he is kept secure in the bottle. Bob, do be so kind as to greet our guest.”
The Draconequus blew a silent raspberry at the skeleton as its jaw fell open in a gape, and then he winced when Luna rattled the bottle firmly before sighing dramatically and sketching an ironic curtsy. Scrivener snorted in amusement as the winged unicorn gazed into the bottle sourly, and then she flicked her eyes to the side, and the vial floated back over to rest on the countertop as she said distastefully: “Irksome beast. And thou should close thy mouth, Pollen, ‘lest thou wishes for me to remove thy lower jaw in its entirety.”
The Velite flinched as it quickly snapped its mouth back shut, and then the skeleton said awkwardly: “You know, I… I think I’m just getting more and more confused here about what’s going on. I was just an earth pony who liked to work in the gardens, that’s all… all these terms are going way over my head and I really don’t know what to believe. So maybe… if it’s not too much trouble, you could… start at the beginning.”
“The beginning was a very long time ago.” Luna said softly, glancing towards Scrivener Blooms… and the earth pony smiled a bit despite himself as he shrugged a little, the two trading thoughts and emotions before she said kindly: “Then go ahead, daydreamer. I enjoy thy voice and thy storytelling. I enjoy more when thou talks of me so highly.”
Scrivener laughed quietly despite himself, before he smiled when Luna leaned over and rested herself against him, closing her eyes… and the male gazed at Pollen, feeling a faint pain spark through his mind, seeing her for a moment as she had once been: short chestnut mane and long, streaming chestnut tail intertwined with flowers, green, almost-glowing body, and big hazel eyes curious… and then a moment later, she was a Velite skeleton again. “Alright, but on one condition. Let’s call her ‘her,’ alright Luna? No ‘all cats are female, all dogs are male’ thing going on.”
“’Tis true, and to get new puppies and kittens thou must use magic to make it rain cats and dogs. And then catch them so they do not splatter against the ground.” Luna retorted childishly, snuggling herself closer against Scrivener Blooms, and then she sighed and grumbled under her breath. “Very well. From this moment forth, I decree that there shall be one female Velite, and her name is Pollen.”
“Thank you.” Pollen said awkwardly, smiling back and forth from Luna to Scrivy… and Scrivy only shrugged a bit as Luna grumbled under her breath, half-shoving the male over so she could almost crawl on top of him and flop down. “I… I mean, if it’s too much trouble…”
“No, it’s alright, Luna’s just…” Scrivener glared over his shoulder at the female as she hugged him like a stuffed animal, but she pointedly ignored him with a grumble, making him roll his eyes before he returned his gaze to Pollen. “Luna just doesn’t understand certain social norms, so to speak. But the story begins a long time ago… back in Canterlot in fact, with the Princess of the Night and her humble assistant Scrivener Blooms…”
Scrivener told the story; he spoke from the very start, telling about how he and Luna had grown closer over a journey from Canterlot to the castle ruins in the depths of the Everfree Forest, to retrieve objects from the vault for Celestia. He talked of how they had returned, the battle that had erupted between a Celestia gone insane with power and the need to instill order and Luna, desperate to stop her sister from destroying the very country she had created. He spoke of how they had chosen to take the blame for Celestia’s actions, and how they had fled into exile, building this very cottage they now rested in.
He told her about how the Velites had come back to Equestria, and other forms of darkness with it, and about how they had rescued a filly who would become their adopted daughter. He told her about a unicorn who had never learned humility, who was not as great and powerful as she liked to believe but who had proven to be among the bravest of ponies, and who they had lost to the treachery of Veliuona… and who, at the last moment, had destroyed both herself and the dark goddess possessing her in a magnificent grand finale.
He spoke of Ignominious and the attack on Ponyville, and how the demon had possessed him during the battle, before Scrivener Blooms had guided Luna’s horn into piercing his heart. And he and Luna had gazed at each other silently for a moment, taking one another’s hoof as he said softly: “But Luna wouldn’t let me go that easy. She mixed our souls together to save my life… that was what that Velite kept yelling about. Not just a pact, though… we’re soul-bound. We’re soulmates.”
They smiled at each other as Pollen gazed on, enthralled… and then Scrivener continued with the story, becoming more solemn as he told of the ill-fated Starlit Knights: of how they had left Ponyville behind after dealing with a terrible, monstrous Pegasus that had been as wicked as many of the evils they had faced on the road, and of how in Canterlot, they had not only met Discombobulation through a communication ritual gone wrong, but Luna had also been confronted with the first of many memories. He described how as they had marched northwards, more and more memories had awakened… and to make matters worse, they had been chased the whole time by Ignominious, back from Helheim. His first attack against them had actually resulted in the creation of Pinkamena… but his final attack against them had stolen away the life of the pony Pinkamena had been shaped from, before the demon had finally been completely and utterly destroyed.
And North Neigh, the town they had journeyed to, had been Scrivener’s hometown. Where he had been called slave-hoof, seen as less than worthless in the eyes of the traditionalist unicorn elite. They had fought to save them… and it was in that ignoble village that everything had been taken away, as friends were killed, as the filly they had adored as daughter was kidnapped and they were faced with the menace of a Tyrant Wyrm that had been hidden away in the depths of the dark tunnels beneath Equestria. Scrivener had been courageous, reckless, and stupid enough to decipher its words as it had spoken, using both his natural grasp for language as well as his link with Luna to access her memories, her knowledge of the creatures and their terrible ways… and in retaliation, the Tyrant Wyrm had shoved every ounce of its terrible knowledge into the mind of Scrivener Blooms.
It had nearly killed him… but Celestia had saved them, helping them bring the terrible monstrosity crashing down amidst its own pawns and eradicating the parasite from the face of the planet. And Celestia had walked beside them, not as a leader, but as an equal, in that final march to the Black Baroque… where their friends had died one after the other until they stood before the Gates of Hell, and watched as their daughter was sacrificed so the Gates could be torn open… and the four Black Wolves of Hell awakened.
All the same, they had almost stopped Ragnarok… they had almost triumphed, when Luna had brought on the eclipse, and the Black Wolves had been frozen in their tracks, reduced to whimpering mutts… but then Valthrudnir had appeared. He had walked in as calmly and casually as if this had all been planned from the start; but then again, it had been. The Jötnar had orchestrated the events from the beginning, planning and adjusting for every last detail… and he had captured Luna and Scrivy with ease before setting the Black Wolves and Helheim itself loose on the world, bringing death to an entire planet as if their world was nothing more than a hive of harmless but disgusting bugs.
Scrivener explained quietly how Valthrudnir had challenged Scrivener to a duel of sorts: a battle in a destroyed layer of reality called Alfheim, where they had sat and played a sick, twisted game of cards. They had used the cards to illustrate stories to one-another… and despite Valthrudnir’s meddling and cheating, his arrogance had led to his own downfall, when Scrivener had twisted his own ‘perfect tragedy’ against him. Still, Valthrudnir had been determined to destroy the earth pony for what he had done… but Luna, freed from her imprisonment, had used the fatal moment of the Jötnar’s distraction to kill him and put an end to his scheming.
It had all been over, and they had been left with only one-another… but then they had been joined by Odin. He had explained the last of what needed to be explained, and offered them an escape… and a blank world, and a way to perhaps save everything that had been lost. Their prize for conquering Valthrudnir, after all, had been his powers sealed in three miracles, three cards… with the powers of the Jötnar in hand and Odin’s guidance, they had a chance to replenish and restore all that was lost.
Scrivy fell quiet, finally, then he sipped at a glass of cola Luna had brought for him, the winged unicorn laying beside him and massaging gently along his back as he smiled awkwardly over at Pollen. “And… that’s the story. Ever since then, Luna and I have been working as… soul-gatherers, bringing Pales across the Bifrost to the Looking Glass World, we call it. We don’t know how well this is all going to work, at the end of the day… we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. All we know is that… we’re both determined to do everything we can to save what’s broken. What in a way, we feel… responsible for.”
“That’s an amazing story.” Pollen said quietly, looking from one to the other, and then the skeleton laughed faintly, Scrivener gazing at her, no longer flinching when he saw the mare’s shape overlaying undead frame. She studied them, and they gazed back at her… and then the skeleton only bowed her head silently forwards, the glow in her eyes faint but admiring as Luna and Scrivener both relaxed slowly in the presence of their strange new companion.