//------------------------------//
// Part 14: Wanna bet? 
// Story: True Harmony 
// by Saturni_Rose 
//------------------------------//

Brightwick sat before the fence, hooves hanging on its loose links. Her dark red umber eyes watched the clouds floating by over the town, lavender twilight of dawn fading fast. She and her friends would have to turn about soon and head into the school house. But now? Now something far more important was at hoof. 
“Nuh uh.” she told Silver Spoon. 
“Yeah so.” asserted the gray filly, tossing a silvery braid back over her shoulder. “The Rose Shadow beat the snot out of Luna. She was totally on the ropes, everypony knows it.” 
“I mean,” chuckled her lilac friend, “sure, Luna beat Nightmare Moon. But that’s only because she had her friends, the Elements with her. Maybe she’s outta practice or something.” 
Brightwick looked over at them instead of the dreamy clouds above. “It happened on my block, okay, not yours. I saw it.” 
“Psh.” said Silver. 
“Yeah right.” added Diamond. Even as she argued she brushed out her bouncy mane of lavender streaked with alabaster. 
“Honest!” she insisted to them. “Luna came out of the sky while I was cleaning off the makeup from my costume. She threw Rose Shadow to the ground, then she dodged a bunch of hammer blows, all whoosh and bam, and she kicked her back like ten feet; there was all this dust kicked up.” 
The persnickety fillies traded an unconvinced look. They nodded, and Silver told her: “Yeah, sorry, widdle Wick, we don’t buy it.” 
“The story I heard was Rose Shadow knocked her down with a flip kick, tossed her into the air with a golf swing, then flew after her with a headbutt right to her nose. Bam! Probably knocked out some permanent teeth.” 
“No way!” Brightwick gaped at her, lip curling in sneering offense. “Luna is the one that knocked her into the air. She set the monster on fire and they shot through the sky like a comet. Rose Shadow is probably already long gone.” 
“Is that what what they’re callin’ her?” asked a newcomer. Looking over, Applebloom and her two friends came through the gates and quickly made way for other foals coming through. While they went off to be in their desks nice and early, they had more meaningful matters to discuss. 
“Morning ‘Bloom.” said Wick, offering her hoof. 
“Mornin’ Wick.” Applebloom bumped it. She made way for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to follow suit, turning on Diamond and Silver. “What’s this about Rose Shadow who’s it now?” 
Diamond shrugged. “That’s what we started calling her—the new baddie who beat up princess Luna.” 
“She’s not a princess anymore.” chimed in Sweetie pointedly. 
“That’s stupid.” balked Silver. “Who would ever want to give up being royalty?” 
Diamond lowered her head and spoke more conspiratorially. “Rumor has it she actually hasn’t, and she wants Ponyville to be the capital of a new kingdom she’ll oversee.” 
Scootaloo scoffed, incredulous at the very notion. “No way she’d rebel against her sister again. She’d get creamed. Again.” Her friends shot her different looks, ranging from confounded to downright frustrated. Shrugging, she added: “What? I mean, probably, right?” 
“Anyhow,” said Bloom with a roll of her eyes, “the monster’s name is Nightmare Pinkie. At least, that’s what my sister and her friends are callin’ her. And they’re the Elements of Harmony.” 
Silver tilted her head to the side. “‘Nightmare Pinkie?’ That’s one word off of Nightmare Moon, how unoriginal can you get?” 
“Wait,” said Diamond, hoof to her chin as she realized why the name sounded familiar, “Pinkie? No way, you don’t mean that spastic lady who works at the bakery on Fourth street.”
“Ugh.” Sweetie narrowed her gaze at her. “Please don’t call her that.” 
Diamond covered her mouth. “Okay, sorry, sorry. But that’s not the same lady.” They nodded. “Is it really?” Her eyes widened when they nodded more aggressively. “No way!” 
“It is her though!” Applebloom threw her hooves up with an annoyed little shout. “And my sister’s the Element of Honesty, so no way she’d’ve lied about that to me.” 
“Whoa.” Diamond blinked, as though her entire world was suddenly put into new perspective. “Wicked. What happened to her—she didn’t get turned into an alicorn did she?” 
Bloom’s pride faltered. “Well, Applejack was shoin’ me outta the room at that point, so I’m less sure. I think she’s like, been changed? By Nightmare Moon?” 
“Oh,” mused Wick, “name makes more sense now.” 
Diamond started to say she thought Nightmare Moon had already been defeated, but Silver jumped at a sudden thought she had. “Hold on! Weren’t Luna and the baker lady dating? I could have sworn I heard that somewhere.” 
A more intrigued smile stretched across Diamond’s little face. “Ho ho, juicy. What do you think their spat was over?” 
“Maybe Pinkie’s parents didn’t approve of their love.” said Silver playfully, pretending to faint. 
Diamond caught her and giggled. “Or the queen!” Resting her friend across her shoulder, she added: “I bet she was all like: ‘Sister, dear, you simply really rather do not understand the purity of our love.’” 
Sweetie Belle covered her giggling mouth. Looking at her friends’ disapproval, she shrugged and said: “What? I could totally see it.” 
Shooting up in her hooves, Silver went: “Ooh! Do you think the queen morphed her, hoping Luna wouldn’t still love her if she was a monster?” 
“And then Pinkie lashed out when she tried to anyway.” Diamond’s laugh subsided with a sigh. “How romantic.” 
“Ah, that’s so sweet!” cried Sweetie Belle, squishing her cheeks in with her hooves. 
Bloom, Wick, and Scootaloo all shared a grossed out look, tongues sticking out in gagging motions. Applebloom began to weigh on how none of that could be the case, and they were being ridiculous. But then the bell rang. “Oh. Guess we’d better get to homeroom.” 
Scootaloo pulled Brightwick onto her hooves and they all started ambling towards the building. She asked aloud: “What do you think Luna is up to right now? Prepping for their next fight, I bet.” 
Brightwick stole one last look back at the clouds bleeding pinks and purples in the sunrise. “Whatever it is, I bet it’s totally awesome.” 





Luna searched pocket after pocket of her jean jacket. A single bead of sweat formed on her brow as she smiled nervously. “It’s got to be…” She practically gave up, taking the jacket off to empty out the pockets one after the other. The ticket taker had a patient look about him. He’d clearly been down this road before. “Just a moment.” 
The train car gently rumbled along. She felt herself swaying ever so slightly as the ticket failed to appear. Still trying in vain, she peered ahead to the seats where her friends were. They needed some space apart from her. Luna found she couldn’t blame them, so had said nothing in protest. Fluttershy began to crane her head to see what the matter was. 
Suddenly, Marble leaned across her lap. “Sir, with all due respect, she’s the Element of Magic, and the queen’s sister besides. We’re on our way to Canterlot on very important business, couldn’t we—”
“No.” insisted Luna, quieting her with a raised hoof. “No special treatment.” 
“Bu—”
Luna pressed her hoof to Marble’s sputtering mouth. “I said no. I’m the one who lost my ticket.” She stood, musing internally about how it actually was her fault for a change. “Let me handle the consequence.” 
Marble watched her put her jacket back on and ask the attendant to kindly give her a little space. “Just what are you doing?” 
“And here’s a tip for your troubles, my good man.” Luna dropped a coin into the pocket of his vest. It clinked against his pocketwatch. Turning back, she told Marble: “Getting off the train. I trust you’ll escort the other Elements once you reach Canterlot?” 
Marble glanced further up the cart. “Sure—b-but the next stop isn’t for fifteen minutes.” 
Luna didn’t need to wait for the next stop. She didn’t need any of this, really. Her horn flared, and she disappeared in a gout of azure energies. Marble glade blinked at the space she’d just been standing in, mouth slightly agape. She looked to the ticketmaster, and he looked at her. He shrugged. Then he beckoned with one hoof, presenting the ticket stamp with the other. She sighed and reached into her breast pocket. 
Pulling it, a second one fluttered out. She watched it scatter across the floor. Once her own ticket had been taken for stamping, she drove the freed hoof against her forehead with a resounding thunk. 





Luna, meanwhile, appeared above Canterlot castle. This was becoming an annoying habit. What she hadn’t counted on was the train’s momentum propelling her forward out of the teleport so strongly. She hurtled forward, wings desperately trying to slow herself down. 
Clunk! 
Winded, Luna began peeling herself off one of the bulbous domes of gold that topped the towers and turrets. She wasn’t quite sure what hurt more, her chest from the impact, or her pride from the rookie mistake. It was all she could do to hope the day would go smoother from there. 
Why shouldn’t it? After all, all they had to do was give the royal council a firsthand of how they’d dealt with Nightmare Moon, become bound to the Elements of Harmony, and explain their current work in progress plan for dealing with Nightmare Pinkie. How could that possibly go poorly? 
Luna limped out of the sky for the castle grounds. Looking about, she tried to remember her way. She hadn’t been traipsed along through here since the Gala. And even before that, this old castle had not been her home in a long time. 
None bothered her as she made her way through the long corridors. The looks she got were a mix of recognition and possibly the realization that that meeting was today. She was about halfway to the secluded room Celestia reserved for just such convenings of only the most important of figureheads when a voice called out to her. 
“Oh, Luna, it’s so very good to see you again.” 
The voice was cheery, but only very slightly familiar to her. Turning about, she saw princess Cadance. Her coat was primrose pink, and her gorgeously coiffed mane swirled in streaks of violet, magenta, and sunrise yellow. Eyes of deep royal purple sparkled at the sight of Luna, as though the two were long lost friends meeting again for the first time in years. She had a lithe, but full figure, prancing prettily over, pink-to-purple ombre wings flitting with glee. 
Luna held back her grimace. The lovely sight of her reminded her of how her powder blue locks were frayed and overdue for a cut, her jaws scabbed, her eyes weary, and wings woefully unpreened. “Oh,” she stammered as politely as she could manage, ignoring the ruffled feather that just fell out, “hello, princess. Y-you as well.” 
Upon reaching her, Cadance wrapped Luna up in an all too familiar hug for someone she’d spoken with all of two times. “You’re early. The meeting doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes.” 
“I’m rather not used to train rides.” lied Luna through her teeth, how they shined with the most insincere smile she could muster. “So I decided to simply come on over, heheh. I-I figured it would give me some time to catch up with you and the other princesses.” She nodded up and down at her. “You’re looking well, by the way. What have you been up to?” 
Cadance’s own smile sparkled with all the sincerity and warmth Luna’s lacked. “Lots of exciting research far to the north. I think we might be close to rediscovering the lost Crystal Kingdom.” 
Luna blinked as the memories started coming in. A corrupted unicorn noble, dark magic, and snow—so much snow and ice. She gulped, remembering how many flight scouts were lost to the hills of permafrost, their wings having given out, it was so cold. It had been one of Equestria’s greatest military embarrassments. The generals at the time thought they could brute force the self ordained King Sombra into surrendering crown and control through superior numbers. What a frightful, devastating disgrace. 
“Wow.” she coughed. “That’s… great?” 
“Mmhmm!” Cadance nodded for her to join her down the corridor. “I’m sure Twily is early. Come along, we can all catch up.” 
Luna watched her practically skip away, assured she’d be close behind. She couldn’t help wondering if she’d ever come across as so inappropriately chipper. Despite instincts screaming at her otherwise, she followed along. 
In a few minutes, they arrived upon thickset double doors, safeguarded by a pair of the most heavily armored, most elite trained of Equestrian knights. Cadance approached them with a breezy air, as though she lacked any troubles in her life. They nodded to her, their bascinet visors clinking and clicking against their thick gorgets. Her horn emitted a unique unlocking magic, and the doors pushed in on their own. 
At one side of the table, Twilight and Sunset were going back over their notes on dream magic. The doors drew them up from their thoughts, though. Twilight was all smiles and waves, happy to see her. Sunset’s smile was surprisingly warm too. 
What really drew Luna’s attention was the far end, where a chair rose above the others. Celestia was already in it. She’d been intently, glumly listening to the already present princesses. But the sight of Luna’s early arrival made her perk up, blase expression now having a new, exciting target. 
Luna felt the doors shut behind her. Their weight sent a small gust up, gently rustling her tail and mane. Somehow, she already felt like not waiting for her friends was a mistake. She watched Cadance head over to Twilight and Sunset and hug the two of them very firmly. One princess began telling the other two of her treks through the icy north. But ahead of her, Celestia gestured for the empty seat closest to hers. 
“I’m glad you decided to come early.” said Celestia, monotonic. “I had something I wanted to discuss just with you.” 
Luna hesitated, standing in place. She eyed the little standing plates around the oval shaped table. Each one had a cutie mark emblazoned on it, one for each member of sitting royalty. And the one next to Celestia was clearly intended for Cadance. She eyed up at her, then over at the princess. 
Cadance noticed her nervous stare. She stood from her story exchange and waved it off. “Oh, sorry, go right ahead and move that to the next chair over. I’ll let you sit next to your big sis, and we can still be neighbors.” 
“Okay.” said Luna quietly. “Thank you.” She finally started making her way around the war table. Her eyes glanced at the map of Equestria and its closest neighboring countries. They were all on excellent terms, as she understood it. Far and away from the constant border wars of her youth. Arriving upon the intended chair, Luna picked up the golden plate depicting princess Cadance’s cutie mark, and set it gingerly down one space over. The chair scraped noisily as she dragged it free. She removed her jacket, placing it over the back. Then, at last, she lowered herself into the chair. 
“So.” said Celestia, looming over her. “How are you holding up?” 
“I’m a little scratched up,” droned Luna, showing off her bruised and scabbed jaw, “but otherwise, I’m fine.” 
Celestia looked down at her, eyes contorted with concern. There wasn’t a snowball’s chance on a summer’s day she believed she was fine. And the longer this dragged on, likely, the less fine she’d be. As soft and gentle in tone as she could manage, she said: “I’m very sorry you had fight her, sister. I can only imagine how difficult that was for you.” 
Luna’s wings fidgeted. She broke eye contact with her queen, sitting suddenly all the way up there, looking down upon her from the heavens. What could she say to that? Certainly not the truth; that it had been a thrill and she’d somewhat enjoyed it. That would make her seem sick. So instead of the truth, Luna told her sister: “Yes, sister. That was hard to do.” Then, after a moment’s contemplation: “We’ve had to do hard things before. But I’m rather out of practice. And this was… personal, after all.” 
“Oh.” exclaimed Cadance, hoof covering her mouth. “I heard about this. I’m so sorry, you poor dear. And it being your girlfriend too.” 
Luna looked down at her twiddling hooves. “We’re um. Not an item at the moment, actually. It’s. Well.” 
“What?” interrupted Cadance, shocked. “Oh, but you two were such a cute couple. That really is such a shame.” 
“She, erm, rather, went behind my back on something very personal and important to me, so…” Luna’s eyes grew bleary. She didn’t come here for a series of unpleasant reminders. 
“If you two ever want to try again, feel free to come and talk to me. I’m excellent at helping couples work through their transgressions.” Cadance flashed her a pleasant, heartfelt smile. 
Luna wondered how she’d react if she blurted out to her then and there that she’d wanted to kiss Pinkie back after they were done thrashing one another. Her stomach tightened. She didn’t really mean that, did she? Moon and stars above. she thought. Maybe I am sick.
“I’ll be honest,” intoned Sunset with a shrug, “I didn’t really see it. No offense, Luna.” 
“Don’t insult her taste, Sunset.” Twilight lightly bopped her on the shoulder. 
“Hey now, that’s not what I meant. I was wondering about how they got along so well.” Sunset rubbed her shoulder. 
“Oh Sunset,” cooed Cadance, leaning over her, “you’d be surprised at how different folks can be in demeanor and still have great romantic chemistry.” When her eyes quickly darted over to Twilight before winking at Sunset, the orange alicorn’s cheeks went autumn red. 
“Okay, can we move on from this topic?” She looked the other way and crossed her hooves. 
“Agreed.” said their queen, somewhat exasperated. Turning back to Luna, she said: “I need to ask you something sister. You’re not going to appreciate it, but it needs to be asked.” Shaking her head, she added: “And I already know your friends will appreciate it even less than you’re about to. So why don’t we get this over with before they arrive?” 
Luna’s brows curled further in with each additional word. She loathed the sound of this. But Celestia sounded as steady as a stone wall foundation. “I suppose… Just what exactly did you have in mind, dear sister?” 
Celestia took a breath and let it go. “You’re already upset, I see. Please do not take this the wrong way, sister.” 
“Tell me then, that I may figure how to take it myself.” Luna’s nostrils flared. She wasn’t sure when her wings had raised out behind her. 
“Alright.” she said flatly, ignoring the uneasy looks from the princesses who all but faded away from their world. “I am, by no means, intending to doubt the capability of your friends. I’m sure the lot of you have an excellent plan for capturing Pinkie, and then stripping your Nightmare off her.” 
“But?” coldly interjected Luna, blatantly cutting her off. 
The queen kept her tone level. “I simply need to know what, if anything, you intend to do should this not work.” 
“How do you mean?” Luna wasn’t sure why she bothered asking. She had a pretty good idea where this was going. And the little tug at the corner of her sister’s displeased face showed she knew she was already well aware. 
“I’m asking you. What if she can’t be saved? What will you, specifically, do then?”
Luna crossed her hooves. “Asinine. Because obviously she can be saved. I was.” 
“Yes, by all six elements, which you currently don’t have access to.” She pointed down at her. It was an accusation coming down from on high. “I’ll ask you again. What will you do, should such a tragedy come to pass, sister?” 
Luna snorted, looking back up into those holy lavender eyes. “What do you want me to say, my queen? What words are you looking for, your grace?” 
“I know you care for her, Luna. Really I do.” Celestia shook her head slowly, very slowly. “But I need to know that—as an absolute last resort, mind you—that you are willing to do what it takes to protect Equestria from a supernatural threat. Even if that means a permanent but necessary defeat scenario.” 
“Have you no compassion?” Luna pushed up, slamming her hooves onto the table, chair tumbling over behind her. Her wings were flared out at her sides, her eyes wild and furious, and her breathing had instantly become indignant panting. 
Celestia looked down at the heaving, angry blue figure beneath her. Her mouth remained straight as she considered her for a prolonged moment. It took every tightening muscle in her body to not intone the offense she felt. “Luna.” she said at last, stone-faced. “When I thought I’d lost you for good, I wept for two days. You even saw yourself how inconsolable I was.” 
Luna held her tongue. It was true, of course. But she didn’t want to say as much. 
“Then, when I thought I’d driven you away, I wept for a third.” She leaned forth in her tall chair. “And you accuse me of lacking compassion?” 
Luna’s wings fidgeted and she folded them back at her side. She couldn’t help but steal a glance at the princesses; their concerned stares pierced her harder than any shower of arrows or javelins. A trembling hoof rose to stifle a cough as she cleared her throat. Her magic brought her chair back under her to sink back into. “I apologize, I-I… it was an overreaction on my part, I’m… I haven’t been sleeping terribly well lately, it’s—I’m rather tired, is all.” 
Their looks grew more anxious, uncertain what to say or do next. Luna shifted uncomfortably, wondering what the problem was now. A drip made her ear flickered. Peering down, she saw a droplet of water on the table. Another fell down beside it. Reaching up, she realized tears were streaming down her battered face. 
“Ah,” she said in a flat, but shaking voice, “I see.” It was odd. She didn’t feel all that sad; not really. But apparently, her body disagreed. She bowed her head. “Please do excuse me. I’m being overly emotional because of how tired I am.” 
“No need to apologize.” assured her sister, grimacing. “I tried to broach the subject as gently as I could, but it is… quite heavy.” 
Luna made zero effort to wipe her cheeks clear. She saw no point; or perhaps she didn’t care. “Well, I guess you have your answer. I clearly can’t bring myself to do that.”  
Celestia hopped down. She floated like a feather, landing gently beside her. Reaching out, she pat her hoof. “Nor will we make you. None of us want this, least of all myself. I found Pinkie Pie to be a delight.” She glanced away. “That Gala business notwithstanding.” 
Luna sat stock still. She didn’t bother looking at her—at any of them. So her sister kept talking. 
“But you have to understand. If it comes down to her safety versus that of your people—”
“Don’t you mean your people?” asked Luna, blithe in her demeanor, and still not making eye contact. 
Celestia winced. “They might not be your subjects anymore. But they are very much your people. Look at how Ponyville took you in and made you a pillar of their community. Think of all the connections you’ve made there. So many of them are now actively less safe as long as long as she stays possessed. It’s not fair to all of them to put her wellbeing above theirs.” 
“You’re right.” said Luna dryly. “You always are.” 
Celestia’s hooves went around her. She wanted to start crying too, recalling a time when they were but fillies, and Luna had been scared of something she’d seen in the Everfree. She’d cradled her little sister that afternoon, promising to protect her always. Her heart ached—how she wished so much she’d done a better job of that. Yet her eyes stayed dry. “I won’t make you do it, Luna. In the event that shall come to pass, I’ll shoulder the burden for you. I… I’ll protect you. Just like I promised.” 
Shuddering, Luna buried her mouth into the crook of hugging hooves, where the others wouldn’t be able to read her lips. She growled out a whisper: “If you ordain to harm so much as a single hair on her head, I promise you I shall make you regret it. For as long as we both shall live.” Her hooves clung to her tighter and tighter. “I told you, I’m going to fix this. I’m going to save her.” 
Celestia pat her back firmly. “Then let us pray that you do. For all our sakes.” Before her senses could advise against it, she kissed her little sister’s forehead and gently. She began to sniffle. “I love you, Luna. You’re my little sister, and I should have done more for you, and I’m so sorry. But you’ll always be one of the most important people in my life.” 
Luna’s brows eased. Her ears folded back. Another round of tears came bubbling up. She wished this was all over already. A hiccup escaped her. Maybe a little longer wouldn’t hurt… 





At lunchtime, Wick was biting down on a tomato sandwich. She ran the back of her hoof across her chin. It was a lovely fall day outside, so she and her friends were eating on a picnic cloth they set out in the playground area. New clouds were pacing along high above, blotting out the sun. Rain was scheduled later on, but for now, the beams dappled the rolling hills with little lights. The grass sparkled like the night sky. 
She chewed thoughtfully and gulped before leaning over. “You really think Celestia would beat Luna in a fight?” 
Scootaloo pursed her lips, picking at the salad she’d been packed this morning. She jabbed her fork into a cherry tomato and pointed it. “I mean, yeah? Probably pretty easily.” 
“I dunno about ‘easily,’ Scoots.” Piece said, Applebloom tossed another couple baby carrots into her mouth and crunched them noisily. 
“It probably would be a little easy, to be fair.” Diamond sat nearby, picking at a caprese salad, a disc of chewed bread in her hoof. None of them knew what caprese meant or why she’d invited herself along. They didn’t like her very much, and thought the feeling mutual. Perhaps some things were more important than petty school rivalries. She tore off a chunk of mozzarella and placed it gingerly on the corner of her bread before having a bite. “Surely the queen practiced a little while her sister was on the moon.” 
“I don’t get why they have to fight.” complained Sweetie Belle, peering woefully down into her little box of hay fries. “They’re sisters. They should make up and go back to loving each other.” 
“It’s, like, what did miss Cheerilee call it?” Silver tapped her chin. “A hyper-thetical? It’s made up, Sweetie, it’s just fun to think about.” 
“She beat her before, and that was apparently pretty easy.” said Scootaloo with a shrug, getting right back on topic. 
“But with the Elements.” chided Wick, accidentally sputtering a few errant bits of tomato. She made to wipe her mouth again. 
“Yeah,” agreed Applebloom, “Elements that belong to Luna and her friends now.” 
Diamond ripped a piece of bread and gave it to Silver at her request. “We’re not talking about the Elements or all of them ganging up on Celestia. Clearly they’d win that one. But if it was just Luna and Celestia, the queen would win, hooves down.” 
“‘Hooves down?’ As if.” Wick shook her head. 
“She barely stood a chance against Shadow… Rose Pinkie or… whatever we’re calling her.” Silver groaned about having to keep track of the growing list of names. 
Sweetie Bell dipped some fries in a homemade sauce she’d brought. Pointing them, a few drops got on the picnic cloth. “Ooh, what if she was holding back because she didn’t want to hurt her girlfriend?” 
“Don’tcha mean ex?” Applebloom arched her eyebrow at her. 
Sweetie’s smile was coy. It was also marked by sauce at one corner of her mouth. “Oh, you’ll see. They’re totally gonna make up and kiss; I have a fifth sense about these things.” 
“Sixth sense.” corrected Scootaloo. 
“Wait, wouldn’t it be seventh sense for a unicorn?” asked Diamond. 
“Yeah,” chimed in Silver, confused, “I thought feeling magic around them was one of their senses.” 
Sweetie Belle felt their expectant stares around her. Mouth full, she shrugged and hummed: “I ‘unno.” 
“Anyway,” said Wick, rolling her eyes, “we’ve actually met her. Luna’s tougher than you think.” 
“Yeah.” said Applebloom suddenly more excited. “She got into a scrap with that head guard guy that one time. The whole dang sky was full of magic shots. I bet if she hadn’t calmed down and stopped the fight, she totally woulda whooped him good.” 
“The whole sky?” asked Silver. She was incredulous this happened how she described it, but clearly, frighteningly intrigued that it may have. 
“Hold on.” said Diamond, raising her hoof. “Head guard guy? White coat, blue mane, rugged jawline?” 
“I mean he wasn’t that handsome.” Applebloom rolled her eyes. “But yeah, sounds about right, I figure.” 
Diamond narrowed her eyes. “Luna fought the Shining Armor to a standstill?” When they nodded at her, her eyes widened back out. “She must be stronger than I realized. Maybe she would stand a chance against Celestia.” 
“A small one.” allowed Scootaloo. “Maybe.” 
Silver scooted over a little closer to Sweetie. “What about Pink Shadow Rose? Do you think Luna could bring herself to defeat her?” 
Sweetie Belle smirked, suddenly much more interested in the conversation. “Not a chance, no way. Her feelings for her are too strong.” 
Silver excitedly tapped her hooves where she sat. “Eehee, so romantic.” 
“They’ll probably duel again and hesitate on their most powerful attacks when they get a look into each other’s sparkling eyes.” Sweetie paid no mind as the others watched them press their hooves together and giggle with glee, shaking their heads. 
“Well, whatever happens…” Brightwick looked skyward again. “I trust Luna will make the right call.”