//------------------------------//
// Probing For Answers 
// Story: Decretum 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Fifty Six: Probing For Answers
~BlackRoseRaven

When Luna and Scrivener awoke, it was with countless new stories in their heads, Scrivener cursing under his breath before he coughed corruption out over the rock they were still laying on top of. Luna looked at him with concern, but even as Scrivy continued to cough hard, he held up a hoof and signaled that he was okay.
Luna continued to look at him with worry all the same, and then Scrivener straightened, made a horrible sound, and then sneezed loudly and blew corruption out his nostrils before groaning loudly in disgust and shuddering. And Luna wheezed in relief even as she leaned slowly back, muttering: “Well, at least thou art not hurt this time, although... 'tis still more than a little disgusting, I must admit.”
“Thank you, Luna, you're a real ray of sunshine.” Scrivener muttered, and Luna glared at him before the male snorted several times, then sneezed again, getting more of the dark goo out of his nostrils. “Oh Horses of Heaven, why is it in my nose!”
“Shall I pick it with my horn?” Luna asked dryly, and Scrivener gave her a moody look before the winged unicorn looked up at the still-dark sky, muttering: “It looks as if 'tis very early morning... perhaps... five, I would guess.”
Scrivener grunted, pushing slowly at the smooth stone beneath them before he sighed as he shook himself out and gazed back and forth moodily, rubbing at his face and wiping a bit more corruption off it. “Those stories...”
“A short and bitter dream, that awoke a thousand others... I would almost call them memories.” Luna murmured, and she shivered a bit before glancing towards where Gymbr had been... and smiled wryly, unsurprised to see a plush doll there instead of a winged, chimerical unicorn. “It seems our friend stayed true to his bargain, though...”
“I think it's more of an 'it' but... well, no. 'He' works fine, really, your stallion-ness would outweigh my mare-ness.” Scrivener grumbled in response, and Luna glared at him before the charcoal earth pony stepped forwards and reached down, picking up the toy and shaking it firmly once before he sighed a bit. “But I guess... at least it... talked to us.”
“Aye, but clearly for its own ends.” Luna muttered, except she tossed an apprehensive, thoughtful glance up at the doll as she spoke before sighing and shaking her head quickly, mumbling: “Life is far too complicated, Scrivener Blooms. I demand that thou makes it simpler for me.”
Scrivener smiled a little at this, holding the doll above his head as he said quietly: “If we really did make Gymbr somehow... if it is, for lack of a better word, a Tulpa, a thought-form, an 'imaginary friend' come to life and possesses at least a fragment of the power we all imagined it did... well, maybe right here we have the ultimate weapon against Clockwork World.”
Luna frowned at this, and Scrivener glanced over at her, sharing emotions and images with her at the same time as he said softly: “Gymbr is imagination and the primal and chaotic and... alive. Clockwork World is machines, and logic, where everything has structure and ultimate order. Two different brands of extremes and insanity. That, and well...”
Scrivener glanced over his shoulder to where the dead body had been, and Luna grunted before she said moodily: “That reminds me, Scrivener Blooms. There is a corpse in Ponyville of a Clockwork Pony that we should likely see to before an alarm is raised.”
The male sighed after a moment at this thought, but then he grunted and nodded, looking moodily down at Gymbr and shaking the doll once. “Whatever you are, Gymbr... please try to behave now, okay?”
Gymbr only looked up at them silently with his button eyes, and Scrivener shivered a little despite himself before he automatically placed the doll onto his back. It sat there quietly, not disturbed in the slightest even as a gentle wind blew by, and Luna glowered moodily at the toy as her ephemeral mane sparked with electricity and swirled behind her before she grumbled: “Very well. Let us make haste through the forest then... still, how did the damned doll manifest and begin poisoning our thoughts before Discombobulation passed on that abominable story?”
Scrivener only dropped his head forwards quietly, and Luna softened as she glanced at him, but didn't press the subject, the charcoal stallion clearly not wanting to think about it. As they strode along, the earth pony spat out a bit more corruption, but felt another wave of gladness at the fact that this time, at least, there had been no accompanying despair or pain he was aware of, before he looked up as Luna asked quietly: “Art thou sure thou art alright? I mean... Scrivy, I do feel that thou... art not in pain, and our link is clear as the night sky, but... still.” She smiled a bit. “Thou does have a habit of trying to keep secrets.”
“Oh, I do not. Not from you, anyway.” Scrivener smiled back after a moment, shaking his head before he hesitated and added finally: “But... I agree it's weird, but maybe it's also because of how... I dunno, I've been working with Pinkamena to control it, or because the attack came on while I was asleep or... well, who knows. I'm just glad that... I'm only dealing with grossness. Not... everything else that often accompanies that.”
Luna nodded after a moment, gazing at the charcoal stallion silently for a few moments before she looked ahead, leading the way down a narrow trail through the dark forest. They were quiet as they made their way towards Ponyville, and they made the village just before sunrise, finding the Nibelung guards in the process of unlocking and opening the gates.
They greeted Luna and Scrivener cheerfully, then tossing a few curious looks at the doll, and the two smiled back before making their way quickly into the village. Most ponies were still asleep... but when they reached the front of the engineering labs, they found they had arrived a little late.
Thankfully, it was Cowlick and Ross who had discovered the corpse, and although Ross was panicking a little, Cowlick was carefully soothing him and guiding him around the body towards the doors. She glanced over her shoulder when Scrivener and Luna arrived, giving them a pointed look, and they both stayed back a little as the two vanished into the building... then Cowlick emerged a few moments later with a sigh, slamming the door behind her and glaring at them as she said dryly: “Okay, Luna, you leave poop in a flaming bag when you want to pull a prank on someone. Not a fresh corpse, that's just goddamn creepy.”
“This was not me! I did not even kill the damned thing!” Luna retorted in an outraged voice, glowering at Cowlick, but the engineer only looked sourly back. Then the sapphire mare grumbled a bit before she added moodily: “And thou art surprisingly unfettered, by the way.”
“I've seen too many dead bodies recently.” Cowlick muttered, and then she added tiredly: “Also, it's six thirty in the morning, I haven't had my coffee, and I haven't had a good lay in about a week or so. You want me to go on?”
“A week? Absurd!” Luna huffed at this, then she looked moodily down at the corpse before her horn glowed, hefting it with telekinesis and a grimace of distaste. “So what shall we do with this wretched thing? We found the corpse in the Everfree Forest, by Hu and Ỏðr.”
“So you... what, dropped it here, then had to go looking for Scrivener's dolly he's carrying around on his... wait, no, that's that freaky-ass evil possessed toy of your kid's, ain't it?” Cowlick leaned back with a wince and a grimace, shaking her head violently. “Keep that thing away from me. Discombobulation's story was bad enough, turning me into a damn prostitute. And by the way, you two: if you ever mess with my poor Ross's head, I will drop-kick both you douchebags through a goddamn wall, you hear me?”
Scrivener grunted as Luna snorted in amusement, but then shook her head, replying dryly: “We shall explain when thou brings us inside, Cowlick. As I said, we did not kill the creature, and nor did we drop it here. And thou made a very pretty Moon Blessed; I am rather tempted to turn thou into one now if only so thou would not be so damned vulgar. That is my job and thou art not nearly as eloquent as I am.”
“Oh, bite me, it's early.” Cowlick grumbled, rolling her eyes before she sighed and turned around, shoving the door open and nodding after a moment. “Alright, come on, both of you. I just wanted to wait for Ross to get a good distance away, give him a head start to my office. Otherwise the poor bastard will be having night terrors over this nonsense. Can't stand the sight of blood, bodies, or... well, surprisingly, he ain't so bothered by either of you.”
Luna looked grumpily at the engineer, who cleared her throat as she led the way across the empty lobby and held another door open for them. “But hey, uh. Greece is usually still here, idiot sleeps here half the time in his stupid little cot, and I'm sure by now he has morning joe on. So you know. Let's go get that.”
“Coffee.” Scrivener supplied, and Luna brightened and nodded a few times, making the floating corpse shudder a bit in midair. The stallion winced as Cowlick grimaced, looking over her shoulder at the dead body, and then she shuddered in distaste... not at the fact it was a dead, ripped-open body, but at something else about it...
Scrivener frowned a bit as he looked ahead, but Cowlick only shook her head until she finally led them into a workshop. A pair of Nibelung in gray coveralls stared as the three ponies walked in with the floating corpse, and then Cowlick snapped: “And what the hell are you two doing with your thumbs up your asses? This place is a damn mess!”
Scrivener looked blankly around: apart from a few out of place boxes and some scraps of wire and metal on the floor, it seemed otherwise like it was in good shape, particularly compared to Cowlick's own personal shop. But the two dwarves hurriedly ran in different directions, one grabbing up a broom and the other heading quickly over to a pegboard of tools to begin rearranging them, and Cowlick grunted as she gestured absently to a large, metal worktable.
Luna tossed the dead body down on this, and Cowlick muttered irritably to herself as she grumbled: “Idiots. Think they can slack off just 'cause it's the morning. Morning's always when I feel all bitchy and PMS-like, though. God, dammit, is it hot in here?”
Scrivener slowly swallowed, then he turned and hurried for the door as Cowlick fanned herself and glared angrily back and forth, calling over his shoulder: “I'll go get coffee!”
“There's a flask of whiskey in my desk, put a shot of that in mine!' Cowlick shouted after him, and then she huffed before turning to Luna, who was trying hard to repress her giggles before the engineer grumbled irritably: “Oh shut the hell up. I don't get enough of any of the three S's: sex, sleep, or sustenance. It's also been a while since I took a good-”
“Cowlick, I will pummel thee, I swear that I will pummel thee if thou finishes that sentence.” Luna threatened, and Cowlick grumbled but nodded, rubbing tiredly at her eyes before the winged unicorn added in a lower voice: “And what is it about that body that bothered thee?”
Cowlick hesitated at this... and then she sighed, turning back towards it and moodily looking it over: the helm that half-masked its features made it hard to say, but the body shape, the coloration... “Don't think you know her, but this is a drinking buddy of mine, Berry Punch... or rather, a version of her. Cheerilee's... sister? Cousin? I dunno. They're related and Berry Punch grumbles about her a lot. She's the fun sister, like you're Celestia's fun sister, you dig?”
“I dig.” Luna replied seriously, nodding before she frowned a bit at the corpse, then added slowly: “Yes. Twilight has mentioned her before, but I do not believe I've made her acquaintance. She mentioned that she is a heavier drinker...”
“What's your poison?” Cowlick grinned ironically, pointing at the smears of green blood. “Now I ain't no forensics expert, but I do know how chemicals work and a little about anatomy. See how her coat here is irritated and has a nasty rash? Well, you inject a spider with its own poison, and it's probably gonna keel over and die. This thing had poison running through its veins, but just like a spider's fangs, those veins were designed to handle that toxin. The rest of her body, however, doesn't look like it responded to it too well. Whatever the hell it is, it seems a little acidic... not enough to melt through stuff, but more than enough to cause that irritation.”
“Cowlick, thou has a wonderful, terrible brain.” Luna said almost admiringly, and Cowlick laughed and nodded before the winged unicorn shook her head slowly.
“Nah, I can't say it's all that impressive... I studied chemicals as well as engineering so I didn't have science lab nerds looking down their noses at me when the butch mechanic came over to ask for some fancy oil to make the gears spin nicer.” She paused, then added moodily: “Also really cuts down on the sex jokes when you go in and ask for polyalpha-olefin instead of lube for your crankshaft. I like a good joke probably more than the next chick but seriously, smart people ain't always creative, especially when it comes to jokes about sex.”
Luna grunted, then Cowlick became more serious as she looked over the corpse, muttering: “But damn. These metal plates are fused to her body, I can tell that without even needing to poke... yet something tore through her like a frigging battering ram. She wasn't just disemboweled... her insides were disintegrated.”
“Gymbr.” Luna muttered, and then she grimaced and nodded when Cowlick gave her an incredulous look. “Aye. Do not gossip about it but... aye, Cowlick. Gymbr itself told us, as a matter of fact... and 'twas no doll when we spoke to it.”
“Okay. Freaking out a little now.” Cowlick stepped back from the table, shaking her head quickly before she reached up and touched this, then she sighed and looked over her shoulder, ordering the Nibelung that was sweeping up: “I need you to get one of the lab techs to scrape up this poison and give me a chemical analysis.”
The dwarf nodded quickly at this, finishing sweeping the debris it had gathered up into a pile before putting the broom aside and hurrying out, and Cowlick looked moodily over at Luna before gesturing for her to follow as they headed towards the door. “Come on, we'll go to my office. Do your psychic thing and let Scrivener know to meet us there.”
“I wonder if thy bossiness reflects how other ponies feel about mine own self.” Luna grumbled irritably, but Cowlick only grinned at this.
“Hey, out there, that's your kingdom. But in here? This place is my stomping grounds, and whatever I say goes.” Cowlick responded firmly, and she winced a little when Luna swung her horn at her, ducking back even as she added grumpily: “Hey, I'm allowed a little attitude! Seriously, this is my place. You can tell me off when we're back in your place.”
“The whole world is my place.” Luna grumbled, poking at her with her horn, and Cowlick winced again before the winged unicorn sighed and said grouchily: “But I suppose as chefs have their kitchen, thou may have thy... whatever this place is. 'Hell' does not seem entirely inaccurate.”
Cowlick grumbled under her breath, then Luna closed her eyes, concentrating and sending a message to Scrivener Blooms. A moment later, she received an acknowledgment from the earth pony... accompanied by the bittersweet smell of coffee, the winged unicorn smiling slightly as Cowlick looked at her moodily. “I hate it when you smile for no reason like that. I think of you and Scrivener, and your stupid link, and how crazy and perverted you both are, and bad thoughts come to mind.”
“Scrivener, see? Others think thou art a pervert as well!” Luna called loudly through the halls, and she was rewarded with a flurry of embarrassed and irritated emotions from the stallion. “Thou hast my thanks, Cowlick. It seems thou does serve a purpose after all, apart from keeping stallions away.”
“Oh, ha ha.” Cowlick rolled her eyes, then kicked open a door to a stairwell, heading into this and retorting: “The way I hear it, you have to use ugly old Scrivener as bait to lure in some ponies with lowered standards.”
Luna grumbled under her breath, glowering over at Cowlick before the engineer asked curiously: “And hey, I got a question for you about Scarlet Sage.”
“Cowlick. I swear to all Asgard...” Luna began slowly, but when Cowlick gave her a grumpy look, Luna sighed tiredly before nodding moodily. “Very well, go ahead and ask away.”
“You guys... saved her, but didn't really adopt her until like after a year or so, yeah? How the hell did that work? I mean... what... drew her in so close to you and stuff? Fluttershy and Twilight and a lot of the village all helped to take care of her at one point, yeah?”
“That is true, aye.” Luna said with a curious frown, then she shook her head quickly and softened as they entered into the upstairs hall, murmuring: “I cannot tell thee because I do not know. Perhaps it is because... Scrivy and I saved her from that Phooka, and she was aware enough to know it. She adores Fluttershy even now, and has no problem seeing Twilight as a guardian and mentor... but...
“I do not know; was it because when we could, we spent our free time playing with her in the fields? Was it because of the flowers we picked together, as we talked about her life? Because Scrivener always listened to her and read to her, or because I taught her to fly?” Luna looked down musingly. “Something simply... clicked. And one day, as we sat with her... she was our daughter, we were her parents, and it was as if it had always been.”
She paused, then nodded and smiled over at Cowlick. “Aye. But I think another part of it was... allowing Scarlet Sage to see us in her own time as her parents. We never sought and do not even now seek to replace her old parents... whom we still know so little about. Scarlet Sage is... very quiet on that topic, but I think it is out of... a sense of unnecessary guilt, for not knowing as much about her mother and father as she believes she should.”
Cowlick nodded thoughtfully, and then she glanced up at the roof before Luna smiled and asked gently: “So where does thou plan to adopt the child from?”
“Screw you.” Cowlick blushed a bit, glancing away with a grumble before she sighed and added moodily: “I don't wanna talk about it.”
Luna only continued to look at her insistently, and then Cowlick sighed, stopping in front of an intersection and turning to bang her head against the wall before she said grumpily: “Idiot I know in Manehattan got herself knocked up. She's a workaholic who 'doesn't have any time for a foal' right now, as she says. Was gonna abort him, but I told her I'd go up there and shove my hoof up her ass if she decided to get rid of the foal just because 'I don't have time for it.' You believe that? I ain't against abortion. I am against being a goddamn selfish idiot.
“Anyway. Next genius move? She wanted to sell it off to some folks she met at work.” Cowlick paused, looking moodily up. “She's a chemist in a weapons plant. One of those brilliant, snarky, I-know-everything types. IQ of about two hundred, but can't make toast without explicit instructions, you know? To her, everything's about success. God, I hope her uterus breaks after she gives birth to this kid.
“So yeah. I told her I'd take the kid.” Cowlick sighed, rubbing at her head slowly. “I told her I'd tell the Baroness if she tried to sell the kid off, too, which spooked her enough into cooperating with me. I got... two, three months to figure out how to be a mother before the kid is born.”
Luna stared in surprise at Cowlick, and Cowlick glared at her before she snapped: “What, am I not allowed to care for a damn foal? You think I'm like Pinkamena, just want to make sandwiches with 'em?”
“Perhaps this is why thou art a little... stressed?” Luna asked pointedly, and Cowlick looked dumbly at Luna for a moment, then she sighed and nodded, letting her head clunk against the wall quietly. “What about Ross?”
“Huh? Oh. Ross knows, yeah. It's gonna be hard, he's gonna have to adjust and stuff, but... I got some equipment and stuff to help out. Foal dolls and stuff...” Cowlick quieted, turning her head away as she murmured: “There ain't nothing wrong with Ross, though, you know. He's a better damn stallion than a lot of guys out there. Best I've ever had in my life. Just a little addled, but... he's sweet. He ain't mental.”
“I know.” Luna smiled after a moment, stepping forwards and reaching up to touch Cowlick's shoulder gently. “But even for Scrivener and I, 'twas... difficult. And thou will be raising this child just like I raised mine own son... well, no, thou gets to skip the messy and unpleasant process of giving birth. I envy that.”
“Yeah, well, what if I don't connect with the kid or something? Or... I dunno. Oh what have I gotten myself into...” Cowlick groaned, hammering her head against the wall. “I gotta talk to Dash and AJ about this and... I guess I'm glad you know. I want him and Avalon and Antares to all hang out, although it seems stupid to be making plans right now...”
Luna only smiled, then Cowlick finally shoved away from the wall and strode onwards, moodily dropping her head forwards. “I swear I'm gonna kill Narcissa, though... well what the hell did she think was going to happen, sleeping with that stallion? She'd sprout flowers?”
Luna laughed despite herself, shaking her head as the mares continued onwards before the earth pony turned and shoved an oak door open, storming into her office. It was a cluttered, narrow room filled with ugly metal shelves stuffed with papers and tools and a single large, pockmarked desk. Ross was sitting and smiling on a stool in front of this, and Greece stood at the other side, yawning loudly as Scrivener pointed to the paper cups of coffee on the table, saying mildly: “The black with whiskey is yours.”
“Good.” Cowlick hopped over her desk to land in her ripped leather chair, almost knocking the coffee cups over before she swept the nearest up and guzzled down the contents, then crushed the cup and tossed it in the general direction of an overflowing wastebasket. “Ross, you done those calculations yet?”
“Oh, so you told them about your new kid.” Greece said positively, and Cowlick yelled at him angrily, making Ross quail a little as the dwarf winced and held up his hands. “I thought it was okay to talk about!”
“I... sorry, Ross, didn't mean to shout.” Cowlick calmed herself with a mumble, and then she took a slow breath before looking up and pointing a hoof grumpily across at Greece. “And it's okay to talk about in late afternoon and evening, after I'm awake. Got it?”
“You're gonna be a good mother, Cowlick, you take great care of people.” Ross said helpfully, and Cowlick looked at him or a few moments before she simply nodded and smiled a little, and then the unicorn brightened as he picked up the clipboard in front of him and spun it around so she could see the numbers he had jotted all over the paper. “And I figured it out! It's all right here, X is eight!”
Cowlick looked surprised at this, leaning back before she frowned over at Greece, and the dwarf only shrugged. “I didn't believe him at first either, but then I took a look at it, and it seems pretty solid to me.”
Luna and Scrivener both looked blankly at the others, and Cowlick glanced at them before she grunted and waved a hoof at Greece. As Luna picked up the last cup of coffee and sipped at it, Greece explained: “Ross has been doing some chaos theory mathematics... very advanced stuff that I can't say I understand whatsoever. He's been trying to figure out... something about the charge required for the liquid metal?”
Ross nodded rapidly, smiling happily around at them. “Just like Dad said, just like Dad taught me, whether it's theory or real life you can talk about anything in numbers. I took all the data and put it together and mixed it all up, and this is what I got!”
“After the attack on Canterlot, I realized that unfortunately, our water defense systems ain't gonna do a lot against a giant horde of those nasty things. But I'm also hoping for something else... that all these Clockworks run off a similar electrical charge.” Cowlick explained, leaning back in her chair with a grunt. “Now this stuff is way, way advanced, a lot of it is just theory, and the stuff I can't hammer home with science I keep throwing at Greece to do his... artifact-magic-crap with. Ross here, though, is a wonderful help. He's been doing some crazy calculations with all the data I gave him to give me stuff relating to charges, electrical intervals, a whole bunch of nonsense I could never do myself. Not without a team of science geeks behind me, anyway.”
Cowlick paused, then shook her head and smiled over at them. “But that ain't important right now. Gonna be months before I can properly start testing my theories and stuff. You guys, however, owe me a story about what the hell is going on.”
“Gymbr already told me.” Ross looked up suddenly, glancing nervously at the pony doll on Scrivener's back before he shook his head quickly, then turned his eyes to Cowlick and continued quietly: “The Clockwork People don't turn as well as they want to. Some of their gears are broken, they must be... because they're not moving in the right order, nope, not at all. Even the scary ones, the dangerous ones... the ones that aren't really ponies at all.”
“The Hexad?” Scrivener asked quietly, frowning over at Ross, and Ross nodded rapidly before the charcoal stallion asked gently: “How do you know that?”
“I saw it. Didn't everyone see it?” Ross looked up, seeming genuinely surprised. “That pony you brought in that was... that was... that was deep-deep-deep sleeping, that wasn't one of the dangerous ones. But that other one, the smiling one, the one who Pinkamena was scared of because it looked just like her... she wasn't a pony at all. She maybe was once. But she wasn't anymore. She was something else entirely.”
Scrivener frowned at this, looking apprehensively over at Luna, who grimaced a bit before the winged unicorn muttered: “Their bodies.”
“Yeah. Visionary... and this one... they both didn't disintegrate, like the other Clockwork Ponies have.” the charcoal stallion murmured, frowning as he looked down... and then he grimaced a bit as Cowlick looked nervously from one to the other. “It feels like it has something to do with why Valthrudnir wanted Kvasir's blood, too. Just a feeling, just an instinct, but...”
“Aye. Thou art learning to trust in thine gut, not thy addled brain.” Luna smiled a bit over at him, then she looked at Cowlick and said quietly: “Please analyze the corpse as soon as possible, see what thou can draw from it. Scrivener Blooms and I should... return home for now, and rest.”
She paused, then sipped at her cooling coffee and grimaced before putting it down on the desk, adding: “My thanks for the coffee and the conversation. I would thank thee for taking thy time to look at the Clockwork Pony too, but...”
“Yeah. Kind of important to all of us that we get that done. Luna's right, Greece, let's not waste time chitchatting and get down to business... Ross, I'll have another problem for you in a few minutes, too.” Cowlick shook her head a bit, then she rose a hoof to Luna and Scrivener as they headed for the door. “You two watch yourselves now. And watch out for that thing, too.”
“Don't worry Cowlick, Gymbr is sleeping now. It's going to be asleep for a long time, I think, maybe all the way until tomorrow.” Ross replied warmly, and Luna smiled a little over her shoulder, hoping that Ross was right... and knowing that to the unicorn, 'tomorrow' could mean literally tomorrow, or anywhere up to years away. “Bye, Luna! Bye Scrivener! Night-night Gymbr!”
“Goodbye Ross, Cowlick.” Scrivener replied softly, raising a hoof to them with a small smile before the two slipped out the door of the office... and as it closed slowly, they both lowered their heads in silence, walking down the facility's halls and wondering quietly when this puzzle was all going to finally start making sense... and afraid of just what truths the answers would hold.

Scrivener and Luna returned home to find Antares and Twilight both worried and waiting for them, but just Scrivener passing Gymbr down to Antares seemed to be enough to answer their most-pressing questions.
While Scrivener made breakfast for Antares, letting the colt help out, Luna explained to Twilight quietly what had happened, and of Gymbr's fate. Luna felt very little pity for the monster, and when she saw Twilight's sympathetic look, she couldn't help but ask moodily: “Does thou not understand that some creatures simply do not deserve mercy? Have thrown away all their chances, all their freedom, all their morality, and most often for stupid reasons?”
“I do, Luna, I... I do.” Twilight hesitated, and then she sighed and shook her head slowly, murmuring: “It's more that... I don't understand how the monster could be so... powerful, could achieve so much, and yet be so... so foolish.”
“It is almost always foolishness, my friend, that destroys us in the end. Foolishness of two particular kinds, at that: arrogance, and its cousin, egoism. When we become centered on ourselves, on believing that we are always strong and always right...” Luna shook her head slowly, then she smiled faintly and glanced towards Scrivener Blooms and Antares. “That is why I am so glad I have a family. Thou all are what keep me from raising my head too high... for pride snaps necks as surely as it holds heads up.”
Twilight nodded a bit, an then Luna grinned a little, winking at her. “Although 'tis no folly to be a little prideful and a little arrogant. Why, look at Scrivener Blooms! He is the opposite, after all... dejected and miserable all the time, and no one likes him. They like me far better.”
Scrivener sighed in the kitchen as Antares giggled at his mother's loud voice, and then the charcoal stallion said dryly to his son: “Don't listen to your mother too much now, Antares, we've talked about this. Balance in all things: maintaining a pleasant medium is something to be far more proud of than running to one extreme or another.”
“Oh, what does thou know, thou art boring. Be not boring, Scrivener Blooms.” Luna scoffed, and then she turned to Twilight and nudged her firmly. “And thou should be more like me and less like Scrivy as well.”
“I want to be more like you both. Scrivener does have one or two good qualities, after all.” Twilight paused, then looked thoughtfully over at the stallion. “Well. I can only think of one. But I'm sure there's another if I think hard enough.”
Scrivener sighed a bit, and then Luna clapped her hooves suddenly before declaring cheerfully: “Oh! Cowlick is adopting a foal!”
Twilight stared in surprise at this, and then Luna grinned widely, reaching up and rubbing slowly at the underside of her muzzle. “And now we simply need Pinkamena to bear a child for my brother... 'twill likely end up being some rampaging monstrosity but all the same, Antares could at least then use his cousin as a pet. The true difficulty would be in keeping Sleipnir from smothering it to death with hugs and Pinkamena from eating the poor foal...”
Luna looked thoughtfully over at Twilight, studying her before a slow smile spread across her face, and Twilight winced as she said flatly: “Whatever idea you just had, forget it. Because whenever you get that look on your face, I always end up being talked into something I seriously regret later on.”
Antares wandered in from the kitchen with a plate of french toast covered in syrup before Luna could reply, and the sapphire mare grumbled and fell quiet. The foal looked between them curiously, then he reached down and picked up the slice of toast, biting into it and chewing thoughtfully before he asked finally: “Why are some foals adopted? Can't Ross put a baby in Cowlick's belly?”
Luna coughed violently a few times at this, but when she tried to turn away, Twilight looked over at her with amusement and said: “Oh no, he clearly asked you, miss biological mother. Besides, it could be a way worse question.”
“Harpy.” Luna muttered, and then she sighed before smiling a little down at Antares, hesitating for a few moments. Then, without turning around, Scrivener picked up the lie jar off the counter and shook it briskly, making the candies and coins inside rattle before Luna sighed and said carefully, looking down at Antares softly: “Because sometimes bad things happen to a foal's parents, and because sometimes a father... for whatever reason... cannot... do what is necessary to... put a foal in a mare's... belly.”
She cleared her throat a bit, and Antares looked up at her quietly for a few moments before he asked finally: “Am I adopted?”
Luna smiled amusedly at this, dropping down and bumping their noses together lightly before she kissed it gently. “No, thou art not, Antares, and even if thou wert I would love thou all the same.”
Antares nodded a few times, hesitating... and then Luna nodded, glancing at Twilight as the violet mare realized why Luna had been hesitant: something that they had never told Antares both because of how young he was and because... it was easy even for her to forget that... “But thy sister, Scarlet Sage, is adopted. I don't believe we've ever spoken of this, have we?”
The colt shook his head a few times, then he picked up his french toast and bit into it again, chewing and listening attentively. For a moment, Luna hesitated... but then Scrivener strode into the room, smiling as he offered a plate to them, and Twilight's horn glowed as she lifted it away from him with telekinesis: it was loaded with both french toast as well as bacon, and Luna sighed in relief and pleasure as she quickly picked up some of the latter, chewing it quickly up as Scrivener took over calmly: “It's hard for Scarlet Sage to talk about, like it's hard for me to talk about my parents, and because we don't see her as our adopted daughter, just as... our daughter... we never told you. That, and you're young.”
Scrivener smiled and reached out, ruffling his mane as Antares looked a little grumpy, but the stallion only laughed and shook his head. “I didn't mean it like that! I mean... Antares, you're growing up so fast. It's... it's hard for Luna and I to keep track of, and to know how much we should be sharing with you and what you need to know and... what you deserve to know.”
Antares flapped his leathery wings once before furling them, looking placated and more curious now before he asked hesitantly: “What... what happened?”
“We found Scarlet Sage outside of Ponyville, being led off by... a monster.” Scrivener said carefully: there was no point in making Antares distrust the Phooka of this world, after all, although he wondered whether or not he had to put a coin in the lie jar now for dodging the truth. “Her parents had been... had died, from what looked like... an attack. Scarlet actually grew up for a while in Ponyville, with Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy and a few other villagers... we didn't want to send her to the Canterlot Orphanage or anything.”
He stopped, then shook his head a bit and continued quietly: “But we adopted her, kind of, on that big trip we've told you bits and pieces about and I know you've heard some of the adults mention now and then. And when everything... came back together after Ragnarok, she was there with us, and... she was our daughter. And that's that.”
Scrivener smiled a little after a moment, and Antares Mīrus nodded before he smiled and nodded back, repeating: “That's that.”
Then he picked up his french toast and chewed it thoughtfully, and Luna and Twilight shared their own meal in silence. Scrivener sat back, gazing around at his family, thinking of the girls asleep upstairs in the guest room – for privacy more than anything else – and then he closed his eyes, thinking of how fortunate he was, after everything he had been through, even with the corruption that boiled and bubbled in his mind.
Then he looked down as Antares cleared his throat, the foal looking up at him hesitantly before he said finally: “I know... Mom says she doesn't really remember any parents...”
“Odin is kind of my parent, I suppose. Filthy old bad-touch lecher parent.” Luna grumbled under her breath, and Scrivener sighed before Antares gave her a frown, and she winced visibly at this as Twilight snorted in amusement. “Oh for the love of the Horses of Heaven, thou gave me that look enough when thou wert but a babe! I warn thee, Antares Mīrus, I am thy mother and Scrivy and Twilight will believe my word over thine if they happen to discover the office upstairs was destroyed and I blame thou for it!”
“Well. No. We won't now.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna huffed at him as Antares giggled a little and Twilight rolled her eyes in amusement. “Nice try though, Luna. A very reasoned and adult response.”
Luna swung her horn at him with a huff, and Scrivener flinched away before she grumbled: “Thou art supposed to always side with me, not with our child, Scrivener Blooms. 'Tis unfair that everyone in the household is against me. Thou and Twilight Sparkle and Antares, bah, I am only trying to be helpful.”
“You're never trying to be helpful. You're just trying to cause trouble.” Scrivener replied dryly, and  Luna huffed at him again but this time only glowered as Scrivener returned his gaze to Antares, saying softly: “Go ahead.”
The colt nodded and hesitated a bit, and then he asked finally: “What about your Mom and Dad, Dad? You were... you were born, right?”
“I was born, yes.” Scrivener couldn't help but smile a bit at this despite the memories that came back, and he traded a look with Luna and Twilight before he said quietly: “A baby... can be born to almost anyone, Antares. Whether they love each other or not, whether they want the baby or not. And because of that, sometimes... ponies who aren't very good people... end up as parents to a foal.”
He quieted, looking down and shaking his head slowly before he continued softly: “I don't think my mother was... all bad. Just... not ready for a foal, in a relationship with a pony who was... very selfish, and believed very strongly in unicorn superiority. We haven't really talked to you about that but... some ponies think that just because they're a unicorn, or a Pegasus, or an earth pony, it makes them better or more-entitled than everyone else. My father was a pure-blooded unicorn... all the family are unicorns. Just like I'm really a unicorn, but I was born without a horn and... that caused a lot of problems where I'm from.”
Antares nodded slowly, then he looked up at his horn before spreading his leathery wings, flapping them once... and then he shivered a bit, asking finally: “What... what am I?”
“You're our son.” Scrivener answered with a small smile, shaking his head slowly and reaching out to pet his son quietly on the head. “You... are whatever you want to be. Unicorn, Pegasus, earth pony... we're all just ponies. Some look different from others but that doesn't matter, any more than your emblem determines what you're going to do for the rest of your life... we all have natural talents we should be proud of, but that doesn't mean it's the only thing we can ever do, ever be good at.”
The colt nodded, smiling up at his father, and Scrivener smiled back before Antares hesitated and shifted a little. Then he fell quiet as he ate the rest of his breakfast, and Scrivener fetched the foal a sippy cup of orange juice to wash the food down with.
Luna smiled and tossed her child one of the last strips of bacon, even though Twilight gave her a worried look... but the sapphire winged unicorn only shook her head a bit as her eyes flicked to the side. The violet mare watched as Antares chewed up the bacon with ease, his sharp teeth glinting... teeth made for ripping and tearing, not grinding.
Then Antares looked down and blushed a bit as he seemed to pick up on Twilight's gaze, saying quietly after a moment as he looked down at a hoof: “I know I'm different... I mean, it's not hard to see, especially not since Meadowlark's mommy is a doctor and Meadow always tries to get me to smile at people to show off my teeth. And I know that babies are made up of both moms and dads and other things that get all mixed together in a mare's belly, but... I don't know then why my wings are so...”
He stretched them slowly out, gazing at his leathery wings worriedly, and Luna sighed softly as she traded a look with Scrivener. Then Antares nervously looked up at his mother and added quietly: “And I know you're my mommy but... do I have another mommy? A shadow-mommy?”
“Antares Mīrus... oh, how I wish we could hide things from thee.” Luna smiled faintly despite herself, shaking her head slowly as she studied him for a long few moments, and then she sighed quietly and nodded, closing her eyes. “Very well. Twilight, will thou please go and check on Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom? I would appreciate it.”
Twilight smiled a little and nodded, then closed her eyes when Luna leaned over and kissed her cheek quietly. Antares gazed at them curiously, then he watched as Twilight strode past to head to the back door as Scrivener and Luna sat themselves in front of their foal, letting him form thoughts and questions before he finally asked: “Twilight isn't really my second mommy, is she?”
“Yes and no.” Luna smiled after a moment, reaching up and stroking quietly under Antares' chin. “I and thy father care for Twilight very dearly. Does thou see her like a mother, as a mentor and someone thou can trust, and a friend?”
Antares nodded without hesitation, smiling up at her, and then Luna shrugged and said softly: “Then there thou has it. That is the best way for thou to think of Twilight, until thou art a little older and can better understand... the complexities of life. Besides, thou has already asked a difficult question and I can only handle answering one at a time.”
The foal blushed a bit and nodded again, and Scrivener and Luna traded a look before the sapphire mare sighed and shifted a bit, saying quietly: “Thou knows of Nightmare Moon, and has seen glimpses of her... although much less frequently as thou hast grown older, I am glad to say. But perhaps it is now time for him to meet her... although really, she... she is simply me. We are one in the same, but... different. Oh, 'tis so hard to explain, much less make it make sense to my poor sweet child...”
Luna clenched her eyes shut, turning her head away with a grumble, and then she sighed when Scrivener reached up and squeezed her shoulder gently as Antares said quietly: “It's okay, Mom. I'm not scared of you... honest, I'm not.”
“I... I am not afraid of thou being afraid of me, Antares.” Luna murmured, bowing her head silently forwards and closing her eyes. “I am far more afraid of thou... being disappointed in me. Thou holds myself and thy father up as shining stars but I fear we are... flawed.”
Antares only smiled a little, however, gazing silently up at his mother, and that was enough to make Luna sigh quietly as she nodded apprehensively. For a few moments, there was silence... and then Luna finally said in a slow, careful voice: “Thou has... these differences about thee, Antares, because they are passed on from thy other mother. Thy second mother, so to speak... Nightmare Moon. Because... thou wert touched by her powers.”
There was silence for a few moments, and then Antares nodded a little, looking silently over his shoulder at his wings, then slowly rubbing his tongue along his teeth before he bowed his head forwards, as Luna said softly: “Nightmare Moon... does... desire to meet thee, child, but I admittedly am... am not entirely fond of this idea. Thou hast... spent some time with her before, aye, but she was not... it was not...”
Luna glanced awkwardly away, blushing a little, and Antares nodded a bit, gazing up at his mother quietly before he said softly: “I trust you, Mom. I know you'd never hurt me. And I know you'd never let... anyone or anything hurt me, either.”
Luna laughed quietly at this, returning her eyes tenderly to her child before she nodded a little, and then she said softly: “Aye, Antares. I shall always, always do my best to protect thee from harm... but 'tis a sad truth that I shall tell thee now, despite being so young, Antares... one, that all ponies must learn eventually, but unfortunately... thou must learn quickly thyself. And it is that even those who care about thee, truly, from the bottom of thy heart, may hurt thee, whether they mean to or not.”
Antares nodded quietly, gazing up at his mother as Luna looked back down at him. For a few long moments, the quiet spiraled out... and then finally, Antares asked: “When... when can I meet her?”
Luna looked down at her son... then she sighed quietly before nodding almost grudgingly, murmuring: “Well, I cannot blame thee for being curious. Then... give me a moment, Antares, and I shall speak to Nightmare Moon.”
Her son nodded back, gazing up at her with those innocent, trusting eyes, and Luna studied him for a moment before finally closing her lids and taking a slow breath. For a few moments, there was only the sensation of Antares' gaze on her... but slowly, that was replaced by a more-hostile, more-excited feeling, as Nightmare Moon whispered in her mind eagerly: He comes to us. I knew that he would... now let me see my son, little Luna Brynhild.
Luna felt Nightmare Moon pushing towards the surface, struggling for control, saw blades and glinting teeth and supernatural flames, but she concentrated and kept the presence back as she thought clearly: Thou shall behave thyself: speak to him, and speak kindly, and do not antagonize, manipulate or upset him, or there shall be hell to pay.
Nightmare Moon only laughed quietly at this, before she whispered soothingly back: Oh Luna, you should know me better than that... harm my own progeny? Never. Not when he is growing up exactly how I desire...
Luna shivered at this, and then Nightmare Moon added kindly: And fear not. I shall not inspire fear in him... I shall not even show my true face. I shall instead don old memories, and my old, familiar shape...
With that, Luna felt her head forcibly tilting upwards as her horn glowed before the same light spread over her body, Antares staring in amazement as the aura shrouded Luna, then visibly grew and changed. Then, slowly, it faded... and Scrivener grimaced a little as Antares stared at the sight of black-coated, burning-eyed Nightmare Moon as her eyes slowly opened and she smiled calmly, gazing down and saying softly :”Hello, my son... so at last, we have the pleasure of our first true meeting...”
Antares slipped back a little, knocking his sippy cup over as he did his best to repress his trembles, but Nightmare Moon only smiled calmly and continued in her flowing, charismatic tones: “Oh, do not fear me, child, you are my son. I would never harm you...”
“This isn't make-believe, is it?” Antares whispered, looking up as Scrivener carefully slipped over to his son, and the colt half-curled against him as he stared over Nightmare Moon, from her prideful posture to her sharp and animal eyes. “You're... you're...”
“I am Nightmare Moon.” the dark-coated winged unicorn leaned forwards, saying kindly: “And I have a question for you, Antares Mīrus. It is a very simple question, do not worry... but do you like to fly?”
Antares looked hesitant, and then he nodded slowly before Nightmare Moon gave a self-satisfied smile, looking over at Scrivener Blooms. “See? I did it for the foal's benefit. I gave him a gift. I am so fond of giving gifts... as a matter of fact, I have another if you would like, Antares. Another little gift I would like to share with you, from loving mother to adored son...”
Scrivener grimaced at this as Luna growled in Nightmare Moon's mind, where she was doing her best not to leap forwards to try and strangle and pummel the dark passion-made creature back into submission... but then Antares asked hesitantly, with a child's tact and a child's  instincts: “What... what kind of gift?”
Nightmare Moon smiled at this, leaning down and saying gently: “Power.”
For a moment, there was silence, as Luna growled and Scrivener glared at the dark entity... but Antares only smiled after a moment, asking curiously: “Why would I want that?”
This response seemed to dumbfound Nightmare Moon, as she stared down at the innocent foal... and then a faint frown crested her features as Scrivener smiled despite himself at his son, feeling a swell of pride and faith in the colt. The child who was still too young, too innocent, to feel the longings and desires that so many adults did... to be worried and concerned over things like strength and possession and rank and status. He was smart, and strong, and developing fast, but he was still a young, happy child, for all of that: he was still able to accept things simply as a matter of course, without question or judgment. That magic state, that Scrivener wanted to nurture, not stomp out; that if ponies were able to keep just a little more of as they grew into adults, maybe society wouldn't be as screwed-up as it often was.
But the most wonderful thing about it, particularly at this moment in time, was the way that Nightmare Moon was still trying to scramble for an answer, tilting her head back and forth slowly as she struggled to think of something to say before Antares bowed his head forwards and said quietly: “Mom and Dad already take care of me and give me everything I need. And when I grow up, I'm gonna be real strong, just like they are... but my parents taught me we need to earn everything. That some stuff you gotta grow up into, like clothes and armor and... and getting to use Mom's special paint tools or read the big books in Dad's office. I don't really need power right now... I don't have anything I could do with it.”
“What about... about using it for good, to protect your friends, your family? Don't you want to protect and give back to your parents?” Nightmare Moon asked quickly, but she still sounded a little flustered, making her less alluring and more pleading.
And Antares only smiled again in response anyway, shaking his head as he giggled a little. “That'd be silly... they're grown-ups, and I'm just a little colt right now. When I'm a grown-up, then I'll protect people... but Mom and Dad always say it's their job to protect me, and protect everypony else, too. You should give them the power. They need it more. They deserve it more, too, for all the good they do. I just play make-believe and do my best to learn from Twilight and... try and be good.”
“And you do an excellent job, Antares. An admirable job.” Scrivener said firmly, rubbing a hoof slowly along his son's back before he looked up at Nightmare Moon, saying softly: “So I think that makes it pretty clear. Your generosity is appreciated, but... you can keep your gifts for now. You've already given us plenty.”
Nightmare Moon gave Scrivener a meditative look, and then she nodded slowly after a moment before her eyes drew back to Antares, saying softly to the foal: “Very well. I understand you are a child, Antares... but if you will allow me to give you some advice, remember to always plan for the future.”
Antares nodded quietly, looking apprehensive, but not afraid, as he gazed nervously at Nightmare Moon... and then, finally, the colt asked: “Why do you have all those scars?”
Nightmare Moon frowned at this, looking down at herself as Scrivener looked over the black-coated equine in surprise: none of her wounds or scars or torture-marks were visible, and she turned honestly-interested eyes back to Antares after a moment before she leaned down and asked: “What do you mean, child? What do you see?”
“You're hurt. Here.” Antares said softly, reaching up and touching his own breast, and Nightmare Moon leaned back, looking stung... and strangely, a little afraid. “I'm sorry.”
“There is no need to apologize.” Nightmare Moon said after a moment, and then she stood slowly and stepped forwards, leaning down until her face was only inches away from Antares. But there was no hostility, no malevolence, as she studied him intently and closely, and he looked fearlessly up, his anxieties seeming to fade before Nightmare Moon murmured softly: “Yes. I see now. I understand and I apologize for my earlier misconduct.”
Gently, Nightmare Moon lowered her horn to touch the tip of hers to Antares, and he blushed and twitched at the small spark before the dark-coated equine slid backwards and smiled calmly, raising her head slowly and proudly. “Yes. Do not hesitate to ask for me if you desire my advice... do not be afraid to reach out to me in your waking or your sleeping hours. I shall always be there for you, Antares Mīrus... you are a different brand of darkness than I am. But I am glad for it. It will give our connection all the more meaning.”
She fell silent, and then smiled again as her eyes roved to Scrivener. “May I have a few hours of wakefulness, Scrivener, to enjoy with my beloved master and husband? You trusted Gymbr enough to speak freely with it and let it share a dream... trust in me, as well, won't you? You know that my devotion is absolute.”
Antares looked confused, as if he was picking up a bit of the story beneath the words, and Scrivener nodded hesitantly before he looked quietly down at his son, saying softly: “Nightmare Moon and I are going to take a walk for a little while, okay? I'm... going to go get Twilight, let her know what's going on.”
He tossed a hesitant look at Nightmare Moon, but he felt a mental rumble from Luna telling him to go ahead, that she would let him know if the dark entity tried to do anything foolish. But Nightmare Moon had turned fascinated eyes back to Antares, and although the foal looked like he was having difficulty understanding what was going on, he didn't seem afraid as he nodded quietly to his father.
Scrivener headed to the back door and pushed it open to find Twilight sitting outside on the back deck with a book in front of her... and he looked at her for a few moments, then said in a half-amused, half-exasperated voice. “Really?”
“I like it.” Twilight smiled a bit, closing the book and looking down at the cover: it was titled: 'Unicorn Horns,' written in swirling font, and there was a simple image of two crossed horns embossed below the words. “You could have come up with a better title, though.”
“I could have. I could do a lot of things better but... I choose not to. Sometimes, flaws are important.” Scrivener said softly, striding forwards to reach out and touch the book cover, and Twilight gazed at him softly before he shook his head and smiled. “Twenty-six poems, and thirty pages of prose. I'm sure some people would love it but a lot more would hate it. But the bad opinions wouldn't matter, and in this case, neither would the good ones... all that matters with this kind of stuff is that it has the right impact on... the one person it's written for.”
“And it did.” Twilight closed her eyes, bowing her head forwards as she hugged the book silently against her chest with her forelegs. Then she finally smiled a little, opening her soulful violet irises to look out at him and study him quietly. “And yet you get mad at me for reading it every now and then.”
“Nothing about our relationship makes sense, Twilight, that's probably the only reason it's still going.” Scrivener said mildly, and the violet mare laughed and shook her head before she put the book aside, and the charcoal stallion glanced towards the stairs leading to the second floor as he asked curiously: “How's the girls?”
“Scrivener.” Twilight gave him an amused look, and the charcoal stallion grumbled under his breath and looked at her pointedly in return, and Twilight Sparkle finally rolled her eyes. “One day you'll learn to just come out and say things. But well... Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage are still asleep. I think they just had a long night.”
Scrivener cleared his throat, and Twilight shook her head violently, saying hurriedly: “I mean, I think they were up all night with each other... no, wait, I mean... Scrivener!”
The charcoal stallion cleared his throat loudly again, trying to hide his grin as he looked away before Twilight glared at him, and then he said with relish: “Oh Twilight. This is why I always enjoy having you around. You have such a... a way with words.”
Twilight only grumbled under her breath, and then Scrivener glanced up at the second floor, saying softly: “Still, though, thinking of my little girl... moving into her own place, with the pony she loves and formed both literal and metaphorical bonds with... I bet they probably were up until morning talking. And see, Twilight? I added one word at the end and it went from dirty to heartwarming.”
Twilight rolled her eyes and reached out to shove him lightly, and Scrivener smiled as he staggered backwards before he added quietly: “Nightmare Moon and I are going to go for a walk. She wants some... time out, as she likes to phrase. I'd like you to stay here with Antares... just because I don't want Antares exposed too much to her right away. He's already pretty confused about the whole thing, after all... his mother has two sides to her, two... more-than-personalities, and of course there's the whole Twilight Mommy thing that no other families in Ponyville have – or advertise, at least – and... a lot for him to learn about even though he's just a kid.”
Scrivener hesitated, then looked down... but as he began to turn, Twilight leaned forwards and said softly: “You know that I was... always worried about how... my presence would impact Antares. And you know I researched it a lot, but more than that, I did what you and Luna do. I felt things out, I judged for myself and... decided to trust in both my instincts and yours and that Antares, well... it wouldn't hurt him.”
Twilight slipped out of her seat, and Scrivener gazed back over his shoulder at her before the violet mare closed her eyes and hugged him around the neck tightly, making him smile as he reached a hoof up to quietly stroke along a foreleg. “We all preach acceptance and tolerance... but only when it fits within our standard of vision, our social norms, otherwise our society wants it rooted out and destroyed and hammered and forced to conform. But we're not part of that society anymore and I wouldn't trade this for the world. Besides...” She smiled and drew back, gazing at him affectionately. “Me and Luna pretty clearly boss you around, so I don't think he's going to go out to try and assemble some harem of mares, after all.”
“Maybe he'll be smart and know better than to marry a mare at all.” Scrivener said mildly, and then he winced when Twilight smacked him even as she laughed. “What? Hey, Luna's the one I'm married to, anyway, you're the... well. You're you.”
Scrivy smiled amusedly over at her, and Twilight nodded at this, softening. “Yeah. I'm me. Glad to be here with you and Luna, always.”
She began to step forwards, then paused and turned, her horn glowing as she lifted her book from the table with a smile. Scrivener shook his head with a chuckle as he walked into the house, striding through the kitchen and followed shortly after by Twilight as he gazed into the den room.
Nightmare Moon, however, was simply watching as Antares colored in a book, looking oddly intent before her piercing gaze roved to Scrivener, and she smiled as Twilight stepped up beside him, saying softly: “Luna and I agree on few things these days... but it is very nice to see you together. That makes us happy... but of course, for selfish reasons, little as Luna admits it. After all, we do not like the idea of having to choose between you... this way, we get what we desire without ever having to choose.”
Antares looked up from his coloring, but Nightmare Moon only smiled to the foal, saying kindly: “Do not fear, Antares Mīrus. It's nothing you have to concern yourself with. Scrivener Blooms... shall we go?”
“Alright.” Scrivener said softly, and he glanced over his shoulder at Twilight, who nodded hesitantly to him before the stallion smiled over at Antares supportively, saying gently: “Be good for Twilight, kiddo.”
Antares nodded quietly back, and then Scrivener's eyes roved quietly after Nightmare Moon as she turned and headed for the door, the stallion following after the dark-coated equine and silently hoping that she would stay true to her word: one short visit for another period of peace without needing to worry about her plays for power on top of everything else.