//------------------------------//
// What It Means To Be Family 
// Story: Decretum 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Twenty Six: What It Means To Be Family
~BlackRoseRaven

A week after the mass attack, Celestia had almost fully recovered. One of her wings still ached and she still bore a few bruises, but that was all, and it was easy enough for the winged unicorn to ignore. It helped that she had so much to focus on: not just the duties of the barony and Equestria, but also research work for Odin on the gnarled and alien Ambrosia tree in Luna and Scrivener's backyard, as well as putting together an analysis of Clockwork World with Scrivener Blooms. The last was something she took a strange, almost shameful enjoyment in, although Scrivy and Luna both understood the fascination far too well: it was a remarkable and, in a way, a beautiful challenge.
Scrivener had trouble dredging up Visionary's memories at first, until eventually Celestia had suggested hypnosis, of all things. Scrivener had acted cynical and sarcastic, and Luna had promptly tattled that hypnosis scared him, which meant he'd spent a good hour or so being soothed and goaded until he finally grudgingly agreed to allow someone to hypnotize him. All eyes had turned to Discombobulation, who had been calmly playing with Antares in the corner, and the Draconequus had grumbled a bit, then said sourly: “I don't like putting ponies in trances. That was Discord's thing, not mine.”
With some prodding, eventually Discombobulation had grouchily agreed to hypnotize Scrivener, who was staring awkwardly around as Luna had soothed him gently, nervous herself but oddly less worried about the process than Scrivener was. Because of their soul link, they would both have to be hypnotized at once... otherwise, their linked minds tended to override the trance state through instinct and natural defense.
A problem arose that they hadn't suspected, however, after Discombobulation put them both into a trance and handed the controls moodily over to Celestia, the Draconequus storming away and rubbing sulkily at his eyes. While Scrivener grew very quiet and answered questions calmly, now able to better dredge up details and memories even as shivers gave away pain and fear here and there, Luna had simply sat silently with her head bowed and eyes closed before she had smiled slowly, her features changing subtly, and her eyes the glowing eldritch of Nightmare Moon as reptilian pupils stared slowly around at them all.
Antares had whimpered a little, but Nightmare Moon hadn't even spoken, only surveyed them like a hungry predator. With Luna in the trance, she was able to rise to the surface... although Nightmare Moon herself was under the same hypnosis, vulnerable to suggestion, but Discombobulation refused to tempt fate by poking at all at the manifestation of passion.
Once Celestia had gotten everything she needed from Scrivener – a surprising amount of detailed information culled from the often-painful memories of Visionary – Discombobulation had gladly and eagerly returned them to normal. But then the true difficulties had started when Nightmare Moon had refused to give up control back to Luna.
Now here they were: days after the hypnosis experiment, and Nightmare Moon sat in all her glory, black-coat gleaming, a smile on her vainly-beautiful features as she sat in front of the fireplace in their cottage. Scarlet Sage was in town, Discombobulation was hiding somewhere, and Scrivener was reading softly to Antares. The babe clung tight to Gymbr, using the doll like a shield between himself and Nightmare Moon, who he kept tossing worried looks at... but Nightmare Moon only smiled in return, her eyes gleaming before she said softly: “I am the boy's true mother, you know.”
Scrivener stuttered in his reading, but forced himself to continue to the end of the page as Antares whimpered and fidgeted a bit. Nightmare Moon studied them, listened to Scrivener's voice, and then she slowly turned around: enormous, imposing, the black pearl glinting as it swayed slowly on her necklace. Almost-cruel entertainment gleamed in her eyes, easily able to maintain this shape and form, and Scrivener couldn't feel, couldn't sense Luna at all as Nightmare Moon leaned in and whispered into his ear: “I am your true soulmate, Scrivener Blooms.”
She licked slowly around the rim of his ear, and Scrivener shivered as he stopped reading before looking down at Antares, who curled himself into a small ball back against his father, whimpering a little. Nightmare Moon only looked lovingly down at the foal, however, before she grimaced a little as Gymbr's button eyes seemed to gleam. A moment later, she snorted and turned away suddenly, saying softly: “Isn't it time for our growing colt's nap? Perhaps that is why he is so cranky.”
“Perhaps.” Scrivener muttered, and then he rubbed a hoof soothingly along the foal's back, asking quietly: “Would you like to go down for a little sleep, Antares? A quiet nap with Gymbr?”
Antares whimpered but nodded a little, and Scrivener nodded slowly back before he stood up and carefully slipped to the side. Antares scampered to his hooves, hurrying down the hall as Scrivener strode behind him, keeping himself between complacently-smiling Nightmare Moon and the foal as the starry-maned winged unicorn said in a voice made all the more dangerous by how tender it was: “Mommy loves you.”
Antares scrambled into his room, and Scrivener softened as he reached down, gently picking up the foal and sighing a little as he checked his diaper, then carefully put him into his crib. Immediately, the toddler burrowed into his blankets, shivering a little, and Scrivener sighed as he reached down to pick up Gymbr, holding the doll up and saying quietly: “I don't know who or what you are, but... keep taking care of him. Luna and I... both appreciate it.”
And as Scrivener carefully put the toy into Antares' crib, he thought he felt... sadness. Pain, emanating from the toy, as he studied it with a frown... before shaking his head and sighing as he realized he could just be sensing his son's emotions as well. He looked quietly down at the colt, then closed his eyes and bowed his head forwards, saying softly: “I'm sorry.”
“I miss Mommy.” Antares whispered from beneath the blankets, and Scrivener's heart thudded in his chest, something catching in his throat as he looked silently down at his son. His first real sentence, and because of Nightmare Moon's tampering...
The stallion gritted his teeth before he swallowed slowly, then reached down and squeezed his son's shoulder before turning and heading out of the room. He silently closed the door completely, then took a long breath before turning down the corridor and striding towards Nightmare Moon... then shoving past her and heading through the kitchen for the back door as he said sharply: “Outside. Now.”
“Oh my.” Nightmare Moon licked her sharp teeth, her eyes gleaming brightly at this as she followed him almost eagerly. She grinned widely at the stallion's back, studying him as she paced expectantly behind him, looking strangely excited as he sat in front of the pond facing the Ambrosia tree as he tried to rein in his emotions. “Yes, husband? Beloved husband?”
Scrivener slowly took a breath, then looked over his shoulder at her, saying quietly: “I want Luna back, and I want her back now.”
“Oh, how I wish I could accommodate that, my sweet... but Luna isn't here right now, simply-put.” Nightmare Moon replied kindly, leaning towards him as her eyes all-but-glowed, the expression on her face half-compassionate, half-coy. “It seems she's gotten lost... lost in the deep place, where I was locked away by her vicious betrayal after Twilight and her friends used the Elements of Harmony on me. It took me several years to claw my way out of that abyss... how long do you think it will take Luna to escape from that cage?”
“I said, bring her back, now!” Scrivener snapped, rounding on the enormous, dark-coated winged unicorn as he leaned towards her, glaring furiously... and although fear twisted through his chest, it wasn't fear for himself, or of this thing in front of him. It was fear for Luna: Luna, who he'd barely heard the mental shouts of over these last three days, who he had caught only wispy traces of here and there, who whether he was in sleep, or darkness, or meditation, he hadn't been able to track down and find... and instead, he felt his link connecting more and more into the darkness of Nightmare Moon. He felt her trying to abuse their link, feeding her emotions and thoughts into him, trying to influence him, as he leaned forwards and shouted: “Bring her back, dammit! I am not afraid of-”
“Not afraid of me? No. You have no reason to be, you never, ever, ever have to be afraid of me, Scrivener Blooms. I love you. I adore you. I would die for you... I would kill for you.” Nightmare Moon replied affectionately, as if unfettered by his anger... and if anything, she seemed to be feeding off his emotions, seemed to be growing more and more excited as she paced back and forth in front of him slowly. “You suspect I seek to control you, but I do not. I desire your control over me. I desire to be yours. I desire to be chosen by you, and to earn my love. Equality? There is no such thing as equality in any relationship, that is an unforgivable lie. Those who cannot accept that one must rule, and one must bow their head, are weak and pathetic. Are doomed to live out failure after failure...”
“Luna and I are equals.” Scrivener said quietly and firmly, narrowing his eyes at Nightmare Moon, but she only licked her lips in response and laughed. “Although I am with you on one thing. You and I are not equals. You're... scum. You're a thief. You're a liar.”
“Yes, I am. I am. Tell me what else I am.” Nightmare Moon whispered, flushing slightly as she stepped suddenly forwards, and Scrivener cursed under his breath as she tried to kiss him, shoving her backwards as her eyes glowed and she grinned wider, her teeth glinting like blades. “You revile me. You hate me. But beneath that boils both lust and love. You're aroused right now and you don't want to be: you enjoy the power you have over me. Oh, but we can psychoanalyze each other all day, but the foreplay is only so fun for so long... so allow me to escalate the situation.”
Nightmare Moon shook herself out, then straightened and looked down at Scrivener Blooms arrogantly, her eyes glowing with her dark love. “I am everything you want. Passion, power, a guardian, a lover, a mother. And all under your control, and even more, glad to be: glad to let myself be a victim of your torture engines, your own machinations and dark designs... why? It seems to make no sense, that I, powerful enough that if I desired, I could break even Celestia... no, not kill. I would never kill my sister.” She smiled coldly, licking her lips slowly. “I am not that kind.”
Scrivener shivered, staring silently up at this dark engine of malice and emotion before Nightmare Moon continued softly: “But oh, we remember well... what it was like to be out of control. To give in to every urge, to try and force the ponies – stupidly – to adore us. To fight Celestia and lose, not because we were weaker than her, because we were... immeasurably idiotic. Because insanity and hunger made us... broken, gave us flaws that the enemy was easily able to take advantage of.
“But you... control us. When we look at you, even in the deepest haze, our spirit lifts.” Nightmare Moon smiled lovingly at him, slowly pacing to the side of the stallion, slinking in closer as she whispered: “Special, beloved Scrivener Blooms. Your flaws and our flaws... together, we perfect each other. You give us focus, and reason, and love. Do not lie, you love me. You love both me and Luna, you love us, not just one or the other.
“Bowing to you makes us safe. Letting you hurt us gives us pleasure. Empowering you makes us strong.” Nightmare Moon leaned in, and Scrivener closed his eyes with a shudder when she nipped the side of his neck, then licked slowly up to his ear, whispering into it: “Tell me to be your wife, and I will be your wife, faithful and humble. Ask me to be your sister, and I shall be your sister, gentle and compassionate. Whisper to me to be your mother, and I shall be your mother, the cradle of love and comfort. Order me to be your slave, and I shall perform your every task without hesitation. But in truth... I desire most to be your victim...”
“You're just trying to make me as warped and corrupted as you are, and it won't work.” Scrivener whispered, clenching his eyes shut for a moment as he shivered, and Nightmare Moon gave a sultry smile as she leaned slowly back and shrugged calmly in response when he glared at her. “Then I order you to let Luna go.”
“You have to mean it, Scrivener Blooms. You have to truly desire her free... and first, you have to truly want me as your slave.” Nightmare Moon reached up, kindly stroking beneath his muzzle as she asked lovingly: “Right now you desire a friend and a mother, isn't that right? Would you like me to cradle you close, and whisper a lullaby to you? Would you like me to kiss you goodnight, and snuggle you to sleep? Would you like to tell me all the secrets you keep from little Luna Lightblade?”
“I have no secrets from her.” Scrivener said quietly, his eyes narrowing. “You''re the one that I keep secrets from.”
Nightmare Moon only laughed at this, saying affectionately: “Getting closer, but no. No. You cannot hurt me, Scrivener Blooms... not with such weak poison. Try hitting me. Or better yet, reach inside yourself... stretch down into the rivers of blood and corruption inside you, and dredge up the toys you so desire to use upon my head, my heart, my soul...”
Scrivener began to breathe harder, trembling furiously as he whispered: “Give Luna back. Bring her back, right now. Get away, Nightmare Moon, you... you aren't welcome here...”
But the black-coated equine only licked her lips, grinning wider as she shot eagerly back: “Closer. Better, but not good enough, no. Try harder. You can do it, Scrivener Blooms, you can hurt me if you dig inside yourself. Do you feel my heartbeat, my pulse, my excitement? I feel yours. And I feel that darkness in your mind, writhing; corruption? I think not. I think it was purification. I think you're more handsome now than you've ever been... come, stretch just a little further...”
“S-Shut up!” Scrivener shouted, grabbing at his head with a snarl, shivering as he felt something twist savagely inside of him before he looked up, tears in his eyes as he snapped: “Luna Brynhild! I love you, come on, force your way to the surface, push out of that cage, this monster has been here for three days and I can't take any more!”
“Yes you can. You've liked my company, beneath everything. I offer gifts, and strength. You find me erotic, and alluring, and you love the way I treat you...” Nightmare Moon leaned forwards, her eyes glowing as she said softly: “A little further. A little deeper. Or are you nothing but the weak, pathetic slave hoof your father always said you were?”
Scrivener's eyes widened, and then he snarled in fury and lashed a hoof out, smacking her across the face before he could stop himself, Nightmare Moon flinching... then grinning wide as her eyes glowed, her mane writhing behind her with her excitement as a bit of drool fell from her jaws, whispering: “Yes. You don't need much of a push, do you?”
Scrivener breathed hard, staring at her as Nightmare Moon's grin toned down to a calm smile, and then she sat back and closed her eyes as she said kindly: “I will not allow Luna the pleasure of feeling anything you do to me, Scrivener. Not with her locked up deep and safe and tight. Hit me again. Make me your servant. Make me yours. Then, I shall free her. I feel you there, tottering on the edge of the abyss, scared and afraid... but come, it's only a single step, and then you can fall forever into my darkness... into my love. Into a place, where I will serve you loyally forever... where I will be anything you desire. Because that is how much I love you. Because that is all that love is; making yourself useful to one-another, a story of a master or mistress and their servant. You are perfect, Scrivener Blooms, with all your pent-up fury, the perfect sociopathic sadomasochist beneath your cynicism and false smiles.”
“You're the one giving orders here, Nightmare Moon.” Scrivener muttered, and he dropped his hoof, trembling in fury before he said quietly: “I'm sorry.”
“Don't be.” Nightmare Moon half-lidded her eyes, leaning forwards, studying him before she smiled softly, whispering: “No, not broken, are you? At least not in the way anyone would think. You're accepting it, aren't you? Accepting your place, accepting who I am, accepting what I must be to you... and that I am more important than Luna. And do not lie, sly Scrivener. You must believe it. You must make me feel it this time... no cunning games. Make me special, and I'll let Luna free. To wallow in despair as she understands that I am more to you than she will ever be. More trusted, more respected, more loved.”
“You're insane.” Scrivener said disgustedly, closing his eyes and lowering his head forwards. “More respected... so I guess Bramblethorn must have thought I was king of the world with all the 'respect' he paid me, huh?”
“That is different.” Nightmare Moon said coldly, and Scrivener frowned in surprise as he looked up at her sudden change in demeanor. “Do not compare yourself to that pathetic bully, and do not compare these situations. Why do I say respect? Because you will be able to do things with me and to me you could never do with Luna. It is not detriment or derision: it is acknowledgment that I am stronger than Luna. Tougher than Luna. Better than Luna. And the perfect fit to who you truly are.”
“You just want me to be as ugly as you are. As tortured and twisted as you are.” Scrivener said quietly, looking up at her, and Nightmare Moon simply shrugged and smiled lovingly before he closed his eyes and asked softly: “Tell me, Nightmare Moon: what are you going to do when Luna comes back and I lock you away forever?”
“You won't. I have confidence that you won't... because you need me, and because without me, Luna is incomplete. Because no matter what, at your core, I know that I am your entire universe.” Nightmare Moon said softly, smiling kindly as she leaned forwards, her eyes flashing. “I expect to be punished. I look forwards to it, even. But that, too, only shows the depth of our connection: how deeply I know you. How deeply I can affect you. And how much you long to make me... better.”
Scrivener was silent, and then he looked slowly up towards the Ambrosia tree, silently surveying the hanging fruit before he said softly: “I have no desire to physically hurt you. That damage will translate to Luna.”
“I am not going to be foolish enough to allow you to bind me down in your torture machines and leave me waiting and wanting, Scrivener Blooms. This pain will be my gift to Luna.” Nightmare Moon said lovingly, and the stallion gritted his teeth before Nightmare Moon simply smiled kindly, half-lidding her eyes. “Go ahead, Scrivener Blooms. You have your hooves. You need nothing more.”
Scrivener closed his eyes tightly... and five minutes later, he slumped back into the house, heading silently to their bedroom and flopping down as he trembled a little, eyes tightly closed as he buried his face into the pillows. And then he sighed raggedly as Nightmare Moon slipped slowly in through the doorway behind him, saying lovingly: “It doesn't make you weak. I am impressed with how hard you fight, Scrivener... but it is all pointless.”
The stallion mumbled and rolled over in bed... then he shivered when Nightmare Moon slipped onto the mattress beside him, pulling him back against her and stroking tenderly through his mane as she said lovingly: “I am here. You can tell me anything, Scrivener Blooms. Just as you can do anything you desire to me... just as I will do anything you ask.”
“Then why won't you bring back Luna? I need... Luna.” Scrivener said quietly, bowing his head forwards, and Nightmare Moon shook her head slowly before she nuzzled him comfortingly, and he grimaced, looking silently towards the wall as he muttered: “I don't even know what you are anymore.”
“I am us.” Nightmare Moon answered simply, and then she smiled kindly before kissing the back of his neck, holding him closer back against her body. And what bothered Scrivener most of all was the fact that even if it made his skin crawl, he didn't want to pull away. She did... have an allure, and Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards, curling tighter around him as she whispered: “You do see...”
“I... I do.” Scrivener said quietly, silently reaching up to take one of her hooves as he sighed softly, looking silently ahead as Nightmare Moon seemed almost surprised. “How could I not? It's all true, isn't it? Everything you said... well, not that stuff about relationships, but... the stuff about me. You and Luna, you're both... sides of one thing. Of my soulmate. Of Brynhild. I... I don't know...”
He looked down quietly, and then closed his eyes when he felt the winged unicorn squeeze him tightly for a moment before he murmured: “I think sometimes I understand you more than I do Luna, Nightmare Moon. Because we're both monsters. But all the same, it's... Luna who... this family needs, especially right now. You're strong. And you've helped us immensely in the past. And you're a mentor... but this isn't your world. This isn't your Equestria, and this isn't... where you belong right now.”
Nightmare Moon turned her head away, her eyes closing as she clung tightly to Scrivener, and the stallion only gazed silently ahead, saying softly: “But I've always been curious. Why have you never simply... left Luna's mind and body, and moved into me? I know you could if you wanted to, because of our linked souls, because we're... all one mixed-together mess. Yet it's always Luna you've been inside. It's always Luna who you take over, and control, and manipulate, just to get to me half the time... when you could just stride on in if you wanted to. Why?”
“Because I desire to physically exist... and I desire to physically exist with you.” Nightmare Moon replied quietly, and then she bowed her head forwards, murmuring: “I am a consciousness formed of passion, who wasted the thousand years she had a physical body locked away on the moon, insane and exiled.”
Scrivener smiled wryly at this, looking down moodily for a few moments before saying quietly: “Funny. Never really thought about it before, but Luna's only been Luna for... four, five hundred years. You were Nightmare Moon for a thousand, even if you spent all that time locked away in the big white space above.”
“You're saying I am selfish.” Nightmare Moon said softly, and Scrivener simply nodded. The dark entity plainly didn't like this, sitting back slowly before she sighed softly and lowered her head, murmuring: “Perhaps I am, but does that matter? Besides, Scrivener Blooms... it changes nothing. I will not relent from my original deal.”
Scrivener rolled over, meeting her eyes quietly, and they studied one another before Scrivener said softly: “I don't want to physically harm your body. I'll go down to... to the nightmare world first. And you come... to me. Is that a fair enough negotiation?”
“You are calm, quiet, gentle... I believe you're telling the truth. That you're ready.” Nightmare Moon smiled strangely at him, a profound tenderness filling her eyes before she nodded slowly, watching as Scrivener shivered once before bowing his head forwards, and she whispered softly: “I love you.”
Scrivener didn't reply, as he let himself descend into darkness, slowly falling into sleep as he thought of Luna and Nightmare Moon and himself... and what felt like only moments later, he opened his eyes and looked silently around a room of stone, vines twisting like living worms along the walls and ceiling, terrible, grim metal shapes all around him that he did his best to ignore as he headed towards the fountain at the back of the room: a fountain, spilling an endless waterfall of black corruption into a pool of red blood beneath it from the roaring jaws of a Tyrant Wyrm.
Scrivener bowed his head forwards, his features half-Wyrm, half-earth pony. His single claw clutched slowly against the stone side of the fountain as he breathed slowly in and out, and then he looked calmly, coldly up and muttered: “I hope I make you regret this with all your heart.”
“Then you'll have to try hard.” Nightmare Moon replied kindly, unsurprised that he had sensed her as she strode slowly between metal gurneys and torture racks, licking her sharp teeth slowly: the only difference between her in reality and her in here was the collar of silver roses around her neck, as she shivered in what seemed like eagerness even as Scrivener slowly reached forwards with hoof and claw, letting corruption from the fountain spill over them both before he splashed it back over his features, scrubbing at them calmly and slowly even as he shuddered, letting the dark poison twist its way into his system, corrupt his thoughts and mind as Nightmare Moon asked lovingly: “When do we begin?”
“When I say we do.” Scrivener answered in a soft but commanding voice, closing his eyes and breathing slowly in and out as the eye on the Wyrm side of his face glowed with unholy sapphire light... and then he grinned callously as he turned around, digging his claw against the blood-splattered sawdust coating the floor as he said calmly: “And now we begin.”

Scrivener silently strode out of the bedroom, shivering a little: inside, Nightmare Moon was gone, and Luna had returned, but she was unconscious and he felt numb. Nightmare Moon had laughed and laughed and laughed... and he felt... disgusting. Awful.
He stumbled his way to the bathroom, then rested over the sink, breathing hard before looking up into the mirror. His reflection stared back, pale and trembling... and the features not of an earth pony, but a Tyrant Wyrm.
Scrivener slowly reached up, rubbing along his features, shivering even as something twisted in his stomach. He recognized it was a hallucination, even without feeling out his face and knowing that he had the same ugly earth pony features as ever... but all the same, it refused to fade as he tilted his head back and forth. And this time, it was no trick of Valthrudnir... it was him. The mirror was reflecting... him.
He silently reached his hoof up, unsurprised that it was a claw in the mirror before he touched it hesitantly... and the surface of the glass seemed almost to ripple for a moment before he was simply looking at himself, nothing more than an ugly charcoal earth pony. Then he grimaced in disgust as he realized he had a bloody nose, reaching up and rubbing at it slowly as he muttered: “Goddammit.”
He touched gingerly along his muzzle, then shook his head out briefly: there was no serious damage, so he figured it was probably from stress and exertion. His head was still ringing a bit, and he had just been... no, I'm not going to think about that.
Scrivener shivered a little, then he rubbed slowly at his face before his eyes roved through the plain, mostly-empty bathroom. White walls, ugly, tile under hoof, a tiny little shower stall since Luna preferred to bathe in the natural springs nearby or the hot tub at the side of the house... and he shook his head slowly before sighing a little as he strode over to the shower, muttering: “It'll do.”
He turned the hot water as high as he dared, and stood beneath the flow with his front hooves against the side of the wall, eyes closed and head bowed forwards. Water sprayed over him, his wet mane falling over his eyes, his mind empty except for the pulse of what sounded almost like a heartbeat. He could even visualize the single line in his mind, rolling smoothly along before spiking up at the pulse, leaving a slanted N-shape in green neon before it rolled onwards...
And slowly, thoughts rose in his mind, beneath the running line... worries for Luna, still unconscious, still possibly trapped inside herself... thoughts about Nightmare Moon... fears for Antares, Equestria... so much...
The line in his mind was becoming more jagged, and Scrivener cursed under his breath before he punched the wall of the stall and shoved himself away, turning the shower off as he forced all his thoughts away. He dried himself quickly off, but still felt dirty as he headed down the hall to Antares' room... then frowned as he found the door open, silently pushing on it to peer into the room beyond.
Antares was shivering a little in bed, whimpering weakly, and Scrivener quietly strode inside before reaching into the cradle and squeezing his son's shoulder gently. For a moment, Antares only whimpered louder... but then, slowly, the baby began to calm as Scrivener soothingly rubbed his back, whispering softly: “Dad's here. Daddy's here.”
The child quieted bit-by-bit, and Scrivener studied the crib before grimacing a little: Gymbr was gone again. He turned, quietly heading back out into the hall and looking back and forth as he carefully made his way down into the den room, but there was nothing here either. For a few moments, he frowned a little, then headed into the kitchen.
The doll wasn't there, either: nor was he in the backyard, the front yard, or any room in the house. He searched high and low, but Gymbr had simply vanished... and Scrivener grimaced and shook his head moodily, muttering: “Stupid toy. The one time I ask you to help out, and what happens? You vanish. Great. Dependable, really.”
He sighed a little, shaking his head grumpily as he strode back towards the den... and then he looked over his shoulder in surprise as Luna's voice came tiredly: “'Tis better than thou, foul Scrivener Blooms.”
Scrivener smiled hesitantly, and Luna half-dragged herself towards him, pale and exhausted; all the same, he felt their link twisting firmly, locking back into place as the interference vanished the moment their eyes met and gazes locked together, trading a flurry of images, thoughts and emotions before the two ponies strode towards one another and shared a fierce, tight embrace, eyes closing as they curled against each other and Luna murmured: “Stupid, stupid idiot Scrivener Blooms. Stupid idiot.”
“I know. I know.” Scrivener said softly, squeezing the winged unicorn silently, and Luna mumbled a little as she buried her face against his neck, breathing slowly as their thoughts twisted slowly together, bodies pressing close as they held one-another tightly, the faintest of trembles running through them both. “Come on, warrior princess. I'll put on coffee and you can... tell me about what happened.”
Luna sighed a little, nodding slowly against him as she muttered: “I shall never permit myself to be hypnotized again. Ridiculous nonsense. Stupid Nightmare Moon. Stupid... subconscious. Stupid... everything is stupid.”
“Everything is stupid. And since... you know, you'll find out one way or the other and you're in one of your 'everything sucks no matter what' moods anyway... Gymbr seems to be gone.” Scrivener said finally, and Luna groaned and rolled her eyes, but seemed thankful to have something to distract her for the moment from Nightmare Moon and the ordeal she had gone through herself of being locked away inside her own subconscious. “Yes, I checked everywhere for it. Including outside.”
“I hope it buggers Celestia.” Luna grumbled, and Scrivener sighed a little at this response, giving her a half-amused look as they turned and headed into the den, and Luna flopped down onto the bedding with a grumble before she glanced up hesitantly as the stallion began to head towards the kitchen. “Coffee can wait, Scrivy, I... come here. Rest with me.”
Scrivener began to turn towards her, and then he looked up at a loud thump from down the hall, smiling a little as Luna mumbled and buried her face against the pillows. “Oh... fine. Go and fetch Antares. Then we shall all cuddle up together, he always desires to snuggle after his little naps anyway. And perhaps I shall feed him.”
“Luna, he's weaning off you. Keep your milk to yourself.” Scrivener said mildly as he headed down the hall, and the winged unicorn grumbled under her breath as the male shook his head and smiled despite himself as he knocked once on Antares' door before stepping into the baby's room.
Antares looked up at him, then jumped, leaning back with a whimper, and Scrivener blinked and halted, looking awkwardly at the baby before Antares frowned at him for a moment, then visibly relaxed, saying quietly: “Daddy.”
“Daddy.” Scrivener said softly, feeling a faint burst of shame all the same as he reached up and touched his own face for a moment. Antares looked at him quietly from his crib, and Scrivener looked back before he smiled faintly, saying quietly: “Mommy's back.”
“Mommy?” Antares brightened a little at this, and then he burbled quietly, and Scrivener strode forwards to the edge of the crib before leaning against it, looking down into his son's eyes quietly. Antares gazed back up for a few moments, then he approached the side of the cradle and stretched his front hooves up, and Scrivener gently picked him up, taking him first to the changing table as always.
Antares was still studying him oddly, and Scrivener sighed a little, thinking of the mirror and wondering if that was what his son was seeing right now. Then Antares reached up and grasped his nose when Scrivy leaned forwards, and he paused in the middle of slipping the fresh diaper into place, looking curiously at his son as the foal smiled and said quietly: “No hurt.”
“No hurt.” Scrivener smiled faintly back, then he silently finished the diaper change before quietly tickling the inside of the toddler's wings, and Antares giggled and flailed a little, flapping his wings a few times before the earth pony scooped his son up and gently put him down. “Go see Mommy.”
“Mommy!” Antares said firmly, and he scampered quickly out into the hallway, running hurriedly down it as Scrivener began to follow... then winced a bit as there was a loud knock at the door, looking at it apprehensively before it was booted firmly open, and the male stared in dumb surprise at the sight of Pinkamena, the half-demon grinning widely before she winced when Antares shouted cheerfully from down the hall: “Pink-me-nah!”
“Damnation!” Luna shouted angrily, but even as Scrivener sighed and dropped his head forwards, Twilight looked relieved and Pinkamena seemed to smile for a moment. “Get thee gone, half-demon, unless thou hast brought me a cake!”
Pinkamena only snorted at this, stepping forwards and then pausing as she reached up and firmly patted Scrivener only the shoulder before shoving him aside into the wall, the earth pony wincing as the half-demon strode past... then grimaced in distaste at the sight of Antares sitting at the end of the hallway and smiling happily up at her. “The hell do you want, tumor?”
“Pink-me-nah, smile.” Antares declared, and then he smiled brightly up at her with all of his sharp teeth, and Pinkamena sighed before flashing a wide grin in return, which made Antares giggle before he turned and scrambled over to his mother, leaping onto the bedding and jumping onto her, making her wheeze loudly and flail wildly for a moment.
Scrivener winced a little himself as he began to turn, then he halted as Twilight caught his eye, smiling across at him and flicking her horn to open the satchel bag at her side before the earth pony stared dumbly as Gymbr floated quietly up out of this, the toy looking as pristine as it always did. “I found this in my library. Not entirely sure how he ended up in there, but... I figured you'd want him back. Also, I'm not into creepy dolls.”
“Smarty Pants.” Scrivener muttered, and Twilight glowered at him as Scrivener moodily took the toy, shaking it lightly before he said finally: “You know, though, it kind of makes me wonder. Do you think that ugly little toy of yours was alive, too?”
“Well, Big Mac's never had any problems with it.” Twilight replied mildly, and then she paused for a moment before adding awkwardly: “Not that, you know. I ever wanted it back or anything...”
“No, no, no. Of course not. Toys, right? Just toys.” Scrivener nodded a few times in agreement, the two ponies looking awkwardly at one another for a few moments before Scrivener turned and tossed the doll down into the den... and Pinkamena grimaced, leaping away from this and making Scrivener and Twilight both stare even as Antares babbled delightedly at the sight of his doll, half-falling off Luna to scramble over to it.
“Don't even start. Just. Keep that thing away from me, it's weird. Weirder than sissy's stuffed toys with the creepy staring eyes.” Pinkamena grimaced and shook her head moodily, turning quickly away and heading through the kitchen as she called irritably: “I'm harvesting some of that Ambrosia.”
Scrivener winced as Luna mumbled moodily from the bedding, and then Twilight said hurriedly, following the stallion down the hall: “It's for Celestia and Odin. Pinkamena heard I was coming out here and thought she'd come along too, and Celestia and Odin asked me to bring back as much as possible so...”
“I hope that Odin is not returning to using that elixir.” Luna paused reflectively, rolling onto her back as Scrivener headed into the kitchen to put on coffee before he looked apprehensively at the back door. “Then again, that makes no sense, does it? Odin has plenty of his own Ambrosia if he so desired it...”
“They said there was something different about this fruit.” Twilight hesitated as she looked over Luna, and then she leaned forwards, asking softly: “Are... are you okay, Luna? When did Nightmare Moon finally... pass control back over to you?”
“It was... wrestled back from her by Scrivener Blooms not an hour ago.” Luna said quietly, rolling onto her stomach as Antares quieted, looking over at his mother worriedly for a moment before the winged unicorn smiled a little. “Now calm thyself, Antares Mīrus, look not so scared. Mommy is here, Daddy is fine... and speaking of which, beloved Dad, would thou please go and check upon Pinkamena and ensure she is not glutting herself with the Ambrosia?”
Scrivener grunted after a moment, nodding as Twilight winced and shook her head quickly. “No, no, I already went over it with her, we're just here to collect samples of the fruit and bring it back to Ponyville... besides, it's fruit. Pinkamena... isn't exactly fond of fruit.”
The earth pony nodded thoughtfully in agreement with this even as he headed for the back door, pushing it open... and then glowering at the sight of the half-demon. She had already collected a large supply of the blue fruits and piled them in front of her, but she currently also had a half-eaten piece of Ambrosia in either hoof, azure juices dribbling along her hooves and running down her chin before she glared across at Scrivener, snapping: “What? I was curious! Also, hi, half-demon here. Got urges. Can't always control myself. Shame, shame.”
Scrivener glowered at her as she stuffed an entire piece of Ambrosia into her mouth, chewing slowly before the male said dryly: “You do understand what that stuff is, right? The fruit of the gods. Immortality, empowerment, all that comes from drinking a refined elixir of the nectar. Even eating the raw fruit like you are, that's got quite a kick to it.”
“I'm not seeing the part where this stuff is bad, then. Also am not yet understanding why the hell I'm the only one here eating it, or why this tree is just sitting here over this pond, where any dumbass could walk along and start stuffing their face.” Pinkamena said pointedly, looking moodily up at the tree before she pounded a hoof against it, and another piece of Ambrosia fell off a branch, the half-demon grinning as she caught this and her eyes all-but glowed. “Well, if it's offering me a refill, be rude to say no, yeah?”
Scrivener let her toss the second half-eaten fruit into her jaws and chew it greedily up before she began to raise the uneaten one, and he said mildly: “But eating too much of the raw fruit will kill a normal mortal.”
This made the half-demon halt, moodily looking over at the earth pony before her red-rimmed eyes narrowed dangerously at him, and when he only grinned in return, she scowled and muttered: “Well, who the hell cares? How does that even work?”
Scrivener rolled his eyes, walking over to the half-demon and gently removing the fruit from her hoof as she sat grumpily back on her haunches, and he sat beside her, tossing the fruit into the pile she had already made as he said quietly: “Strength beyond strength. Did you know our mind limits our body, and what we can do? Because if it didn't, we'd hurt ourselves. Sure, perform amazing feats of power, but... also rip apart tendons, ligaments, stuff like that. Pain, impairment, etcetera... all those things exist for a reason. Too much of any good thing will kill you. Just like how one bad thing can cancel out another bad thing, or neutralize itself... even though we're all taught completely different, of course.”
Pinkamena grumbled under her breath, then she muttered: “Well, I'm a half-demon, so who cares? I can probably eat a whole bunch of this stuff and be fine. As it is, I can already feel it taking effect... like adrenaline. Like...” She hugged herself and grimaced a little, giving a strange, twisted grin of mixed pain and pleasure. “Like when I first formed... all that energy running through me, dragging me out, twisting my parts and pieces together from the primordial ooze... free, freed through the shattered mirror...”
Scrivener only nodded slowly, looking quietly towards the Ambrosia as Pinkamena began to breathe a little harder, her features half-hidden by the curtain of mane spilling over her face as she whispered quietly: “Why don't you take a bite, Scrivener? No, don't get me wrong... I'm not encouraging you. I'm just asking... why do you resist so much? Why the hell are you so strong and I'm so goddamn weak...”
“You're not weak. We're different... and yet we have kind of the same goal, don't we?” Scrivener looked over at her and shook his head with a faint laugh. “Protect the people we care about even when we skirt morality to do so. Even when we have to become monsters...”
“We were both already monsters, Scrivener. We were born monsters.” Pinkamena muttered, shivering a bit as she hugged herself and leaned against him, her teeth gritting as her form seemed to ripple almost unnaturally for a moment, but Scrivener didn't shrink away as the half-demon leaned over against him with a curse of pain. “Okay. Maybe eating the magic fruit was a bad goddamn idea.”
“I hear you're supposed to at least peel them. I'm betting you didn't do that, too.” Scrivener said dryly, and then he winced as Pinkamena threw a hoof around his shoulders and squeezed him hard enough to make his collarbone groan, the male wincing a little before she simply dropped her head against his neck, and he sighed and muttered: “Why does everypony do that? I swear to god even Rainbow Dash did that once before. I think he was drunk but all the same, my neck seems to be a sanctuary for everypony in Equestria.”
“Shut the hell up.” Pinkamena grumbled, gritting her teeth before she cursed and swung her other hoof out, punching Scrivener firmly in the chest and making him wince in pain before she hit him again. “Goddammit! Hurts!”
“So what the hell are you hitting me for? This is your own damn fault!” Scrivener retorted in a strangled voice, and then Pinkamena cursed and punched him again as she buried her face deeper against the nape of his neck, her other foreleg remaining tightly wrapped around him and making his shoulder ache as he wrapped his own foreleg around her, half to try and steady her and half to brace himself better when she punched him again. “Hit... hit the ground!”
“Half-demon.” Pinkamena grunted as if in explanation, and then she ground her face against his neck, shivering once as Scrivener winced at the flare of heat that passed through the gray-pink pony's frame before she calmed slowly, cursing quietly under her breath, her coat so hot it was almost scalding Scrivener just from contact with her as she muttered: “Okay. This is why sissy tells me not to eat stuff I find laying around.”
Scrivener grumbled at this, and then Pinkamena punched him in the chest again, making him wince a little before she straightened and muttered what sounded almost like a 'thank you,' and then she shoved him firmly over onto his side, leaning back and breathing hard as she sat back. “Goddamn. Odin used to drink that stuff regularly?”
“Distilled into elixir, again. Not raw. You don't shove raw coffee beans down your face, do you?” Scrivener asked grouchily as he crawled up to his hooves, and Pinkamena only growled at him in return before the half-demon picked up one of the fruits and looked moodily over it.
Then she returned her eyes to Scrivener, saying quietly: “You never answered my question. Why haven't you and Luna... hell, full-out Nightmare Moon, even... chowed down on this stuff? Or made that elixir? And don't lie to me, either. Don't tell me honor, and don't give me crap about how it just ain't right to do.”
Scrivener was silent for a few moments, and then he smiled slightly, tilting his head towards her and saying quietly: “Apart from the fact it can kill people and its effects vary wildly... and apart from the fact it was magically planted here by a living doll that scares the crap out of even you and might have something to do with the Norns themselves... Luna and I don't need the handicap of some magic apples to make ourselves better than we already are.”
“So it really does boil down to honor, to... some weird, sick sense of right and wrong and morality.” Pinkamena snorted at this, shaking her head slowly as she looked down at the fruit in her hoof... and Scrivener sighed when the half-demon bit into it, then used her sharp teeth to peel the papery skin from the blue fruit before biting into the flesh of the Ambrosia, chewing it slowly and slurping back the juices as she grinned widely. “What can I say, Scrivener? I'm all-in.”
“Please make that one your last for now, I don't want to clean up your corpse.” The earth pony halted, then stepped forwards and added quietly: “And Ambrosia exacerbates and magnifies. What are you trying to do, Pinkamena? Become a full-out demon? And why?”
Pinkamena looked away, going silent before she looked down at the Ambrosia in her hoof... then she tossed it into her mouth and chewed it up before spitting out the stem and what looked like a soft, spongy core. Then her eyes roved up and asked quietly: “If you could become a Tyrant Wyrm, Scrivener, a full-out Tyrant Wyrm, without risking losing yourself... wouldn't you?”
Scrivener was silent, looking slowly down, and then Pinkamena strode calmly over to him through the pile of fruit before she hugged him tightly around the neck, and he hugged her back. He closed his eyes as the half-demon snarled in pain, grinding her burning-hot frame against his body, clutching into him hard enough to bend bones and leave bruises as she shuddered through another flash of heat and below-the-surface transformation before the half-demon finally sat back with a wheeze, half-pushing him away and muttering as she dropped her head: “Look at me. Incomplete. A broken puppet. A model that was never put together right. Look at me, Scrivener Blooms. Sure, I can out-fight and out-kill any pony, but those things from Clockwork World aren't ponies. And I will do anything... anything... to protect sissy. To protect... my friends.”
She looked up at him, silent, vulnerable for a moment, her red rimmed eyes gleaming as her lower lip trembled a little. “Why should I try to be anything except what I am, Scrivener? Why the hell do you try so hard still? Might as well drop all the way back to Helheim... still, make it all the sweeter when I do save their sorry asses...”
“Come on, you're starting to act like a filly.” Scrivener said softly, and Pinkamena gave him a sour look as he walked over and helped her up to her hooves, then she scowled when he reached up and touched her forehead. “You're burning up. Come on, let's get you inside. Looks like now I've got two mental cases to tend to.”
“Screw you. I'm...” Pinkamena stumbled stupidly, and then she shook her head as she went cross-eyed for a moment before groaning and leaning forwards as Scrivener only looked at her quietly. “Oh hell.”
“I like how you're good at everything except taking care of yourself.” Scrivener said softly, and Pinkamena gave a dry laugh at this before the stallion stepped backwards to support her, the half-demon looking ill as they strode back towards the house. She shoved him away when they reached the patio, and Scrivener smiled as he allowed her to stumble in first, raising her head back and striding through the kitchen before glaring over at Luna and Twilight where they were resting on the bedding.
She opened her mouth, and then Antares scrambled towards her from across the room, skidding to a halt and pointing as he said worriedly: “Pink-me-nah hurt!”
“Shut up, tumor!” Pinkamena shouted, glaring down at him, but even though the sound made Antares flinch, he looked up at her resolutely, not afraid in the slightest of her before he pointed at her, and she rose a hoof threateningly.
“Pink-me-nah hurt.” Antares declared again, and Pinkamena gritted her teeth, then sighed and dropped her hoof as Twilight stepped forwards, frowning and looking worriedly over at her before the violet mare could only stare when Antares bustled past her and grabbed Pinkamena's leg, Luna staring incredulously as well and the half-demon looking dumbly down at the foal as she allowed him to guide her forwards, the baby burbling as he pulled her over to the bedding and then said firmly: “Pink-me-nah nap!”
“Your tumor is as nosy and stupid as you are.” Pinkamena said sourly as Scrivener sighed and came around the corner... before staring as Antares growled and leaned forwards to bite firmly into Pinkamena's flank, the half-demon leaping forwards onto the bedding and falling in a sprawl beside Luna as she grabbed at her rear, howling: “He bit me in the ass! The tumor bit me in the goddamn ass!”
“Pink-me-nah, nap!” Antares ordered, pointing at her seriously, and Pinkamena gaped at him stupidly as Luna began to giggle madly behind her hooves and Scrivener stared, feeling amazed as Antares nodded firmly once as he looked at the half-demon and his mother, then turned and strode off down the hallway towards his room.
“What the freaking flopping Helheim was that?” Pinkamena asked incredulously, staring back and forth with a look of horror.
“Pinkamena, just... nap.” Twilight said finally, doing her best to repress a grin as she stepped forwards and explained awkwardly: “You really do look like you could use the rest and... Antares always has been able to just... know things.”
Scrivener nodded in agreement after a moment, laughing before he turned and said finally: “Even if you don't sleep, just lay there and get some rest. I see coffee's on so I'll make a snack... Twilight, do you mind checking on Antares?”
“Not at all. So long as he isn't getting as bad as you two with this whole 'giving orders' thing.” Twilight smiled despite herself, and the violet mare looked for a moment towards Luna and Pinkamena before she softened and said quietly: “And Pinkamena... you... nevermind.”
She shook her head and blushed a bit, turning down the hallway, and she felt the half-demon's eyes watching her curiously. Twilight kept herself from looking back, though, smiling a little and trusting Luna and Scrivener to better scold and reassure the half-demon than she could at the moment as she headed towards Antares' bedroom.
She found the foal inside, cheerfully pawing through one of his shelves filled with toys before he smiled over his shoulder at Twilight, waving at her and saying warmly: “Why-light. Play?”
“Sure.” Twilight said softly, and she smiled a little as she walked over to rub Antares' back gently before gazing down at the toys he had scattered as his wings gave a flutter and the child giggled. “You're growing up fast, you know that?”
“Goin' up.” Antares nodded seriously in return, and then he smiled a little over his shoulder, and Twilight smiled softly again in return, feeling a beat of longing and love in her heart as the foal gazed up at her affectionately, then reached out and touched her gently. “Why-light mommy.”
“Am I?” Twilight asked softly, and Antares only beamed and nodded at her a few times, Twilight blushing a bit as she glanced down and said awkwardly: “But you know that... well, I'm more like Aunt Celestia...”
“No, Why-light mommy.” Antares said firmly, looking at her pointedly, and when Twilight winced a little, he frowned a little, then turned and hugged her quietly. “No sad.”
“I... I'm not...” Twilight blushed deeper, and Antares looked up at her for a moment before he suddenly smiled and grabbed her, pulling on her leg before turning and running out of the room, and Twilight sighed a little, following and mumbling: “I really wish I had a manual to tell me what to do here with all of this. Or at least some helpful psychology and parenting books...”
“Sister!” Antares said firmly, pointing at Scarlet Sage's door, and Twilight looked up with surprise at the foal before he bounced happily into the den room, heading over to Scrivener and giving him a tight hug, the stallion laughing and reaching up to stroke tenderly along his son's mane. “Daddy! Scrivy daddy!”
Scrivener looked down with surprise, and then Antares ran across the room... tripped halfway and skidded a foot or so with a giggle... and then scrambled back to his hooves and over to his mother, hugging her next and saying firmly: “Mommy. Luna mommy!” A pause, and then he turned towards moody-looking Pinkamena, hugging her leg. “Pink-me-nah! Sister!”
“I... I ain't your...” Pinkamena blushed a little all the same, then she glared at Luna when the winged unicorn smiled over at her and reached up to touch her shoulder. “Screw you.”
Then Antares ran quickly over to Twilight, plowing into her leg and hugging her fiercely, and Twilight gazed down at him softly as he declared: “Why-light mommy!” Then he paused and stepped backwards, before smiling happily and pointing at the pictures on the wall, saying quickly and happily: “Disco-Bob brother, Tia aunt, Old-win uncle, Sleipnir uncle... family... we family!”
Twilight looked down at the colt as he smiled up at her, and then he looked with bright eyes over at his mother and father as Scrivener asked quietly: “Twilight, did you... tell him how to do all this?”
“No, he just... I was arguing with him about being Why-light mommy and then...” Twilight laughed a little, and then she reached up and slowly rubbed at her face, whispering: “And then I guess he decided to show me himself.”
“Antares Mīrus...” Luna smiled warmly, and then she turned around and opened her forelegs, and Antares happily scurried over to her to be picked up in a tight embrace, hugged close as Luna squeezed him fiercely against her body before she gazed down into his eyes tenderly. “Handsome, wonderful child, so talented, speaking so true! Aye, we are family... and if that is who thou sees us as, that is who we are, yes?”
“Sure, why not? I already have one drooling retard to look after, what's another one. At least this one talks a little clearer.” Pinkamena muttered, brushing her mane back and glancing moodily away, but she was still blushing a little, the faintest of smiles on her face even as she added flatly: “Whatever. Ain't... no big deal, either way.”
Twilight only laughed at this, however, walking quietly over to sit in front of the bedding as Scrivener strode over as well, earth pony and violet mare leaning against each other as they smiled down at happy Antares, curled up in his mother's limbs, safe and protected as Pinkamena grinned a little over at him and Luna gazed down with warmth and affection and approval. Family, together in comfort and peace... watched over by a winged unicorn doll laying discarded in the middle of the room, as its button eyes seemed to gleam silently with regret and longing.