//------------------------------// // 12 - Madness // Story: Evergreen Falls // by Meep the Changeling //------------------------------// Night Sky - 15th of Thanksgiving, 4 EoH The Deep Woods - Hackamore Valley Night lay on his cot, staring up at the roof of his tent, alone save the distant howls of unknown beasts. He checked his watch. Just after two in the morning. He’d been laying for five hours and couldn’t sleep a wink. Third night like this… Maybe I should see a doctor. I might have caught something. There has to be diseases that keep you up till exhaustion takes you, he thought as a frigid breeze made its way through the thin camping tent and he shivered in his sleeping bag. The salesman definitely lied about how long this stuff could be used for, Night lamented silently. He stared quietly at the tent’s roof, thinking about his progress so far. He’d dug out a main entry hall, an air lock, and a bathroom. That was it. Thirty seven days of backbreaking work for one hallway and two small rooms. The local changelings had helped a great deal. They’d shown him how to make his own timber bracing for the dig. How to grade the tunnels to prevent issues with groundwater. Occasionally one named Facet would come by and help him dig, though he was mute. Night rolled onto his side and stared at the empty spot on his twin sized cot. Septic tank and leach field should be done tomorrow. I got the well finished. Another week and the bathroom can work. Maybe then Lemon will come back. Night’s stomach growled angrily. He let out a long sigh and rolled over onto his other side, doing his best to ignore how upset his stomach was on the twelfth day in a row of canned food. Night had planned on going into town and taking the whole family to dinner at whatever restaurant in town was nice, only to have heard Princess Luna of all ponies had come to visit. Naturally, he’d been staying in camp till she left. Every town in Equestria would receive the occasional visit from one of the Princesses. It wasn’t entirely out of the ordinary for one of the Sisters to just pop in for a few days to “win hearts and minds”. But Night would rather not be seen by any of them. Then again, Night mused to himself. Trixie said she was here to give out office supplies and help out with a spell here and there. That’s more than Celestia ever did. She just rides into town on her train or chariot and struts about. So at least it’s somepony who understands what help is. At any rate she can’t be here for more than a couple weeks. The Diarchs have their schedules. I could probably go to town tomorrow. She’s gotta have moved on to whatever other small town is on her list by now. Night pulled his sleeping bag tighter around himself, certain that when he woke he could brew a crummy cup of coffee, wash up in the lake a little, and have enough energy to take the family to lunch. June mentioned over the radio she started dating somepony. It will be nice to meet them. “Hail, the camp!” A mare’s voice cried out, startling whatever creatures were howling. Night’s ears jolted upright in alarm. He jumped out of bed, scrambling to get his manipulator gauntlets on while frantically searching for the spear he’d made incase of bears (Lemon had taken the bear gun when she’d left). “Who's there?!” Night demanded, his eyes darting around on reflex while he sought to use his thestral abilities to pinpoint the sound. Come on sonar, don’t fail me now… His ears caught the echoes from a massive hulking figure, easily twice the size of a pony. An alicorn. Night winced and sucked in a deep breath. Luna… “Luna of Seven Falls, now Evergreen Falls,” Luna called out, her voice level and even. Night paused, frowning slightly. Why is she not using her title? What is she doing introducing herself like a peasant to their Lord? Luna stopped at the edge of the clearing, maintaining a respectful distance from camp. Night’s ears twitched as she stopped, his echolocation showing him exactly where she stood. Night cleared his throat. “I want nothing to do with the Crown. Please, leave me be. You’ll get your taxes and I have my permits.” “I come as a mare, not a monarch,” Luna reapplied swiftly. “These were my lands when I was a foal, and would be still had I not entrusted them to Lord Deepwoods. Speaking of whom, he and I have business.” “Conduct it elsewhere,” Night said as firmly as he dared to somepony who nearly killed Celestia once upon a time. “As you wish. Where shall we go?” Luna asked with such simplicity that even while tired, Night instantly understood the problem. “My new property comes with that title, doesn't it?” He said more than asked, groaning. “Indeed it does,” Luna agreed, nodding calmly. “I looked into you, as any landlord would look into a property manager. Please, do not misunderstand me. I am not angry. I am not vengeful. I hold no regrets towards your ownership of the title and lands. I do, however, know you wish to be as far from Equestrian Politics as possible. That is a goal I understand on a deeply intimate level. Hence, we need to talk.” Night took a deep breath and set the spear down. It wouldn’t help him anyways. He walked out of the tent so Luna could see him, but didn’t approach further. “If I may be frank, you are one of the reasons I chose to move out here,” Night said, his eyes narrowing. “I assure you, if I were the Nightmare, you and I wouldn’t be speaking,” Luna said with a chuckle. “Believe what you will about my sister’s foolish security policies, but the Elements of Harmony do work.” Night’s frown deepened. “I suppose she would have killed or mind controlled me…” Luna snorted and rolled her eyes. “Not remotely. You’d be beneath her notice. Though I am no longer her, I know how she thought… For she was all that was dark within me.” Luna paused for a moment then looked Night in the eye. “You and I have more in common than you may realize.” Night snorted dismissively. “Sure.” “Would you like to know why I became the Nightmare? The real story. Not the white lie Celestia tells the masses?” Night raised an eyebrow. “I would. I would like even more to do so in a truth telling field.” Luna nodded once. “I understand. Name a pony you trust who can cast the spell. I shall fetch them immediately.” Night thought, placing a hoof on his chin for several long moments. “I don’t trust any pony for something like this. But I do trust things. Get one of the truth amulets from the Canterlot Police department. I helped design the runework. I’ll know if it’s real, and I know they work.” Luna dipped her head respectfully. “Of course. I will return swiftly,” she said as she took a step to the left into a shadow and vanished instantly. Night jumped, sputtering in shock. By the Gods! She can Shadow Step at will. If she had meant me harm she could have emerged from under my bed, or even within my sleeping bag. Instead, she hailed my camp. Respected the boundaries… Maybe she really is nothing like her sister? Luna returned a moment later, emerging from the same shadow as if stepping through a doorway. Her lit horn levitated a small copper and brass amulet on a silver chain along with her. She floated the amulet towards Night and gestured to it with a hoof. “I trust this is genuine? If not I will return for another.” Night plucked the amulet from the air and examined the runes on the outside, then popped the amulet open to activate it by pressing on the quartz crystal contained within it. A small sphere of pale gold light washed out from the amulet, covering a distance of a half dozen meters. Night nodded in satisfaction then sat down in his damp cloth camp chair next to the cold fire pit, and pointed to a log on the opposite side. “Have a seat and tell me.” Luna complied, taking a seat. Her weight made the log creak slightly as it bent. Luna squirmed for a moment, her brow furrowing as she stared across the unlit campfire into the air over Night’s head. “How about I lay on the grass instead? I dislike being… I would rather it be that we were not taller than other pony tribes.” Night nodded permission and Luna slid off the log to lay on the grass, putting her on eye level with the stallion. “A thousand years ago for you, my sister, and everypony save myself… and five years for me, Celestia and I came to an irreconcilable disagreement,” Luna began. Night snorted. “Obviously. Nopony comes to physical blows with anyone without—” Luna gave Night a look every stallion knew. The look a mare uses when that stallion is saying some complete nonsense they know to be false, and also interrupting. Night’s reflexes as a husband kicked in and he buttoned his lip. “Suffice to say,” Luna continued, “Celestia’s policy of offering second chances, reformations, banishment, and imprisonment goes back to those days. In truth, I have no issue with those concepts. For most. For a few, death is necessary. Some are too dangerous or mad to be allowed the chance to regress. Others have committed acts so heinous they have forfeited their right to life.” Night nodded in agreement. “That’s certainly true.” “One day, Celestia, without consulting me, made it illegal for Equestria to have absolutely any intelligent creature executed. I objected, she did not listen. I presented every philosophical, legal, moral, ethical, and practical argument I could think of. She would not listen. Celestia is, on some subjects, a damn fool!” Luna spat, her eyes narrowing with anger from the not-too-distant-to-her disagreement. Night relaxed slightly in his seat. She understands the problem! I— Of course she would. Unless… “I concluded Celestia would not listen to me, nor reason. In such circumstances, unreasonable measures are to be used. I retreated to my library in the Everfree Forest, and there I conjured a demon,” Luna admitted, giving Night a regretful look. “You… you what!?” Night yelped, his tail raising in alarm. Luna held up a hoof. “I will obviously never do so again. I took every precaution, and the summoning, binding, and trapping were without flaw. Yet I did not know that when one wishes upon such a creature, your wording must be perfectly precise and impossible to misconstrue. I wished for Celestia to face a foe she would need to kill. It granted the wish by making me that foe through possessing me.” Night’s tail lowered as his rational mind remembered that Luna spoke from inside a zone of truth. “So… The Nightmare Moon was an accident?” Luna nodded once. “One most dire. One which failed. I do not know how Celestia managed to wield all six elements against me. She refuses to tell me, on the grounds that wresting control of them from me broke them for a thousand years. If true, reasonable. If not, I am quite… disgruntled. That is beside my point, however. Had Celestia not gained access to the full set, I would have killed her had she not killed me.” Night mmmed. “In other words, you found her madness something terrible enough to make a stand against.” “Indeed I do,” Luna said, leaning into the present tense term as hard as she could. “Few ponies know of this, but Celestia intends to pass her Crown to Twilight soon. She believes I will retire with—” Night jumped up from his chair. “WHAT?!” Luna rolled her eyes. “Yes, mad isn’t it? Twilight is barely older than your daughter. Fortunately, Raven is willing to remain Regent during the transition period and longer if permitted. Nor do I intend to step down. Celestia may have had her fill, but I wore the crown for but fifty years.” Luna looked Night in the eyes as he sat back down. “Know that I will be changing much of my sister’s policies. Her ‘Security Theater’ will be dismantled in its entirety. I will make this nation as safe as I am able. I will find every evil she sealed and destroy it. I will set our armies upon these things, leading them from the front. That which cannot be destroyed by my hoof, well, I will task scholars with finding a way.” Night let out a long breath and slumped in his chair. “I— I didn’t think you’d be like this.” Luna chuckled. “Few ponies do… The see me as some sort of—” “Miniature Celestia,” Night grunted. Luna nodded sharply, her ears laying flat. “Precisely.” Night closed his eyes for a moment. Okay. Princess Luna is sane. She wants to talk, let’s talk. “What did you come here to talk to me about? Do you want to take back the title but let me keep the land?” Night asked. Luna’s ears perked. “That would certainly solve the problem at hoof.” Night shook his head slowly. “This is clearly not a politically important title, or land, if it could sit here, absent from politics for a thousand years. It’s an empty title, right?” “For now,” Luna agreed, nodding. “Such things can change quite suddenly. Again, I have no problems with you keeping your title. Should you give it up, I will give you the land. Save for Evergreen Falls, my old hunting lodge, and the grave of my first husband.” Night winced at the mention of the grave. “Where’s that? You can have it. Like, no matter what. I’m not going to stop anypony from paying their respects to family.” Luna’s face softened. “Thank you, Lord Deep Woods. I appreciate the token… Especially as the problem we face is my sister’s doing, she’s put some of this land to her own use.” Night groaned and held his face in his hooves. “The observatory is doing work for the Crown, isn’t it? It’s a research station for the Royal College… I knew it! No other institute could afford—” “No…” Luna said quietly. “The town is used by a Crown Company for the study of magical oddities. Nothing dangerous. Still, it is a Crown Company of Celestia’s. On our land.” Night’s eyes narrowed. Did Trixie lie to me? I trusted her! “How classified is it? Would any random townspony know of what they do?” “No,” Luna answered, the zone of truth confirming her answer by not brightening. “Everything is classified. So much so that I wasn’t informed of their projects until I reminded the Administration in person that I, as a diarch, have Top Level clearance for everything.” Night nodded, mming softly. Then Trixie and I remain friends. Good. “How do the changelings factor into all this? They have a hive here.” “The previous Lord Deep Woods granted the land beneath what is now Evergreen Falls to the Citrine Hive as a reservation. That land is theirs, and neither you nor I could take it back if we pleased. They hold sovereignty of everything above the ruins of the old palace to the surface.. But not the surface itself.” Luna huffed and shook her head before continuing. “There is some confusion with the surface. Agricultural rights, but no other rights, were also given. Your precursor was not clear on what kind of agriculture. Naturally changelings—” “Can’t eat oats,” Night said, nodding in agreement. “Obviously that would have to have been permission for them to… Keep ponies, I suppose?” He frowned in thought. “Was slavery legal back then?” “Yes,” Luna confirmed with a laugh. “But only as a punishment, and even then only for a set number of years. The Hive Treaty specifies reservations may provide housing for Equestrian citizens for the purposes of having access to food.” Night’s frown deepened, he scratched the back of his head in fatigued thought. “Then… What’s the issue? Other than a Crown Company existing. The changelings have permission to be there, and make a town. How is that a problem? You’re implying it’s a problem, right?” “Well, technically speaking, the town should be underground. If one were to adhere to the exact words of ancient laws made before we fully tolerated other peoples,” Luna said bitterly. “I… Despised that part of our culture. I am glad it is dead.” Night shrugged. “I can just decree things about my land. So, easy fix, right?” Luna nodded wordlessly. Then, on brief consideration, clarified. “You can. I cannot. You hold the rights to manage this land in my name. Under the old laws, which apply to us on this matter, I do not. Not unless I take them back.” “Then,” Night cleared his throat. “I hereby give permission for the Citrine Hive to use the land above their hive to house ponies in a manner ponies prefer to be housed. Done. Problem solved. Now about this Crown Company…” Night’s eyes narrowed. “I hate that. It sounds like you hate that as well.” Luna smiled wickedly. “Oh… You can not fathom the amount of hatred I have for what my sister has done to my home,” Luna agreed, laughing bitterly. “Though I am pleased it serves as a home to ponies who couldn’t live a normal life elsewhere, and though I agree with what this… CARE does, and I believe so would you… I want this out of her hooves. I want that town’s projects and work to continue, indeed, I believe it would be for the betterment of all ponykind… If Celestia is no longer in charge. Under her eye this place has become a mire of corruption.” Night leaned back in his chair, nearly tipping it over. Luna grabbed the chair with her magic, stabilizing it and pulling him back to the ground. Night nodded to Luna in thanks. “Tell me about this… CARE. What is it exactly?” Luna nodded and began to explain. She left nothing out, nor bent the truth in any way. She explained the organization existed to study oddities, that they worked with dire threats in other sites, but here they placed only that which could be secured simply by putting it in a box, and only those who posed no intentional threats to anypony but needed to be located somewhere safe. For their own sakes. She explained the many works and breakthroughs CARE had made. Every medical problem solved. Every engineering hurdle overcome. Every modern convenience which had come from CARE. She went into the basic details of the kind of people living there. Refugees from dead worlds. Ponies with peculiar curses. Individuals with special needs. Even the Citrine Hive itself, whose members were all trapped as Proto-Queens, meaning they had to stay away from other hives lest insect instincts and pheromones cause conflict. All of which the amulet responded to as being entirely true. “— To summarize,” Luna said to begin wrapping up her lecture. “This is a refuge for those who do not fit into the world my Sister created. It is a place where scholars, mages, and scientists can shed light on the unknown for the good of all. A diminutive twin to the Trottingham Mage’s Library. It is most noble and necessary. I would see it continue.” Night nodded as Luna finished. “You’re here because you are worried I could have found this out on my own, and that as the Lord, I could have that shut down.” Luna nodded once. “Yes.” Night rolled his lips. “My title is a stewardship. Under you. Right?” Luna nodded again, taking a moment to seemingly think about what to say. “That is correct. I could deland you with a word and have my soldiers force you to leave. I could. I do not wish to without due cause. I understand your desire for self sovereignty and safety. It is one I share. One I would pursue myself if there was another better suited for repairing the harm my Sister has done.” Luna took a quick breath and looked Night in the eye. “I have a solution to propose. One to settle this matter easily, conveniently, and which allows all parties to get what they desire. Will thou hear me out?” Night bit his lip. She does seem to want to actually help, unlike Celestia… Why not? He nodded for Luna to continue. “Celestia left me the vast majority of my lands,” Luna said with a dismissive snort. “She… failed to make any actual use of most of them. Irrational grief, in my opinion. I can transfer your Lordship to another remote plot, granting you full control over the plot, barring of course breaking national laws. You could do as you pleased. I will even have a secure bunker built there for you and pay for your moving expenses. All you have to do in return is return this land to me, so I may manage this enterprise my sister began and ensure it can do the good it was meant to.” Night snorted and rolled his eyes. “I can do that here, and just kick CARE out. They’d find some other place to do this. Why should I move?” Luna smiled faintly and played her trump card. “Because this land is not as safe as it seems. You moved to avoid Celestia’s nonsense and settled directly on the last bastion of the First Kingdom.” Night winced immediately. “I— But— There’s no sign of—” Luna held up her hoof. “I could show you if you like. We’re above the arena now. Half a kilometer of digging would take us there. There is an access to the market district on the edge of the palace in the quarry. We could venture through the passage and you could see—” Night groaned as the zone of truth failed to brighten at any lies. “I… I see. Do you know what’s buried down there? There’s the myth you and your sister are the last of the ancient alicorns. Is that true?” Luna nodded once. “It is true. Though we never saw the city full of life. I know some of what lies below, but not all. There are some dangers I know of. There are some boons as well. Once I will not be opposed, I plan on securing the ruins due to this. Celestia believes obscurity to be the best shield on this matter. But not I.” “Could you stop any threat coming from below?” Night asked adamantly. “I could stop all of the ones that I know of,” Luna answered. “I do not know if I would stand triumphant against the unknown. Any who say they would is a liar.” Night paused for a moment to focus his tired mind. She’s telling the truth. Which gives me one real option… “Where would you have me move? I studied the maps. There isn’t any more remote place in Equestria,” Night stated flatly. “Correct, however, there are places closer to civilization which are at less strategic risk,” Luna said as she removed a map from seemingly the aether and pointed to a small forest northeast of Baltamare. “Do you like redwoods? I own this forest. Or would you prefer land on the edge of the badlands? In a hospitable valley of wheat along the Saddle River. Both are an hour’s walk from a settlement capable of providing you with essential supplies and services.” Night’s ears perked. I like the idea of the badlands, it’s close to Zebrica. I could flee over the border if needed, and the river could be used for hydropower. However… I won't abandon these poor souls to their fates. Trixie and Facet deserve better, and despite June probably working for CARE she’s starting her own life and is entitled to the fruits of her labor. Even if I would disagree with who she chooses to work for. She’ll come around after a few years of dealing with them. Then she’ll see. She always needed first hoof experience after all. Night cleared his throat. “I will accept the deal and take the plot in the Badlands,” Night declared. “On two conditions.” Luna frowned slightly, her left ear perking. “I am prepared to bargain, though I am offering you a great deal. Including having your fortress constructed by my soldiers to military specifications. That is costly, and I am giving up a most literal potential gold mine by granting you this land.” Night filed away the gold deposit in the back of his brain for later. “Yes, but I hold the winning hand here,” he reminded. “One sentence and I can make that entire organization have to leave.” Luna nodded once, her eyes narrowing slightly. “True… Though do remember I am here to resolve the matter peacefully, without creating animosity.” “Which I appreciate,” Night agreed. “I want my family and I to be put up in a nice hotel until the bunker is finished and we can move in. I don’t care where it is as long as it’s not here.” Luna blinked and fluttered her wings. “I— What? Of course I will, you didn’t have to ask for that.” “Then I only need one thing, and it’s not for me,” Night continued. “It’s for everypony in town.” Luna raised an eyebrow. “I’m already getting them all office supplies and beer.” “I want you to hire an independent company, someone who can’t be ordered to say everything’s fine, someone who won’t go ‘Oh no, we’ll lose funding if we reveal XYZ!’, and who has no reason to do anything but tell the truth, to independently investigate the First Kingdom ruins, clearing them of any dangers, as soon as possible. In fact, I demand this! Or we have no deal and I’ll kick CARE out on my own,” Night declared, standing up and planting his hooves firmly into the ground for emphasis. Luna sighed, looked up for a moment, thinking quite hard. “Night, I do not know of any civil enterprise suitable. I am still a mare out of time in many ways.” Night snorted dismissively. “Figures your sister wouldn’t get you caught up on that kind of thing.” “Doesn't it?” Luna asked flatly. “Besides… I feel as if you have someone in mind. Do you?” “I do.” “Then whom?” Night sat back down. “SkyTech Industries. A Zebrican company, so they owe no fealty to Equestria. However, their CEO saved the world when Celestia almost collapsed another dimension into ours. So he can be trusted, and he’s worked with First Kingdom arcana and technology before.” Luna’s eyes lit up. “Sir Trigger? I did not know he owned a company. I’ve met him, naturally. I was there when he stabilized the portal. While not First Race in origin, Starswirl created that particular gateway, he based the design on my people’s technology. I agree he has the necessary knowledge to handle the common elements he would encounter below.” “Then we have a deal?” Night asked, holding out his hoof to shake. Luna nodded and lit her horn to swear a magical binding oath, then pointed below them. “I swear upon the graves of my people, who rest beneath this earth, on the bones of my first loves, whose ashes were scattered within these woods, and by all those who call this sacred place home. I shall transfer thy title to the land we discussed, construct a home to your specifications, house you till it is finished, and bring those we discussed in to ensure the town is safe from the ghosts of the past..” Night felt a chill go down his spine as he felt the magic resolve. “You… you didn’t need to go that far.” “I disagree,” Luna said with a flick of her mane. “I desire you trust me without the amulet. As I said, we have plenty in common. I would see us be friends.” Friends? No, I don’t think so. But I can work with her. Night thought to himself. “I’ll take your boon, so long as I get the final say in all designs.” Luna laughed. “Of course you will,” she said as she stood to leave. “Have any architect draft plans and mail them to me. We will handle changes to the design as they happen. I must go, I have other appointments…” Luna frowned for a moment and looked at Night once more. “I do not think you will say yes, but I sense you are plagued with restlessness. I can cure you and ensure you rest well this night. Would you allow me?” Night blinked once, and answered without thought. “Please!” Luna smiled, glad she would be allowed to help the distressed stallion. Her horn shimmered as she cast a quick spell, and Night felt the restlessness begin to slip away.  “Fair well, Lord Deepwoods.” Luna said as she began to step through a shadow to leave. “Good night, Luna of Seven Falls.”  ⁜ ⁜ ⁜ Raven Inkwell - 15th of Thanksgiving, 4 EoH Mayoral Estate - Evergreen Falls Raven almost didn’t react as Luna emerged from the shadows of her rented room’s wardrobe. She’d grown so used to Luna coming and going in this manner over the last few weeks that she was beginning to wonder if she was at risk of being abducted or killed by shadow creatures due to mistaking one’s emergence for Luna popping over for something trivial. Raven sat up in bed as Luna fully emerged from the shadow. “What is it?” “I talked to Night Sky,” Luna answered. “I… Well, I have either solved the land dispute, or caused a major problem and settled the dispute. I am not certain which.” Raven whimpered and looked down at her bed. “Can it wait for morning?” Luna shook her head and smiled apologetically. “You’re already dreaming. I didn’t wish to wake you. I’ll leave you lucid once I depart as an apology for, well, what I need of you.” Raven facehooved. “What did you tell him?” “The truth,” Luna answered with a mischievous smile. “All of it?” “All he asked for, presented in the way most likely to resonate with him,” Luna clarified, flicking her tail. “And I told him at a time my investigations and manipulations revealed would make him the most receptive. A little fatigue can move mountains. Though he did have more fight in him than anticipated.” “And?” “And…” Luna sighed. “He will allow CARE to continue its operations here, and even leave for another remote plot of land. In exchange for me transferring his title, building a bunker for him, and… If we hire SkyTech Industries to inspect the ruins below town.” Raven took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. That’s dangerous. They’re a foreign company, and even if their CEO saved the world once, and could probably handle what’s down there just fine, there’s no easy way to prevent them from stealing secrets Celestia wishes to remain in our hooves. Can you please negotiate with him on this more?” “We shall not,” Luna said adamantly. “I gave him my word. What's more, he promised no trouble from him should we do so, and fully understands what he could do to CARE if he wished. What's more, I swore a magical oath to him so he would know I won’t cheat him out of what was promised. Again, to prevent him from attacking us out of paranoia.” Raven groaned loudly and rubbed her eyes half in exhaustion and half out of frustration. “Do you even know how to hire them for this? And what it will cost?” “It will cost us less than losing this site and its long term benefits,” Luna countered with a sly flick of her tail. “Point…” “As for how to accomplish this… No. I do not have the knowledge needed to do so. I am afraid the work falls to you, Raven.” Raven plopped back down onto her bed and moaned. “Celestia is going to be livid!” “I’m stopping by her dreams next…” Luna sighed. “Please get the work done. As per the bargain struck, this is my land once more. I am in charge… As soon as I sign a piece of paper, at least. This is ultimately my land and so it is my right. I chose this path, for it is the least disruptive to the people living here. My people. Do you understand?” “I understand,” Raven said. “Sooo, I’m lucid dreaming. Will you be mad if I make a you to punch?” Luna laughed and shook her head. “Not at all. Dreams are dreams and we all may do as we please in them without consequence. That said, I understand this is what the foals call a ‘dick move’. You can punch me properly, if you like. Though it wouldn’t hurt me. Oh! I could help you work out for several years then let you strike me for this. It might hurt a little then.” “That’s why I want a dream version of you… We’re still friends. I’m just— You understand.” “I understand completely,” Luna said honestly as she stepped back into a shadow and out of Raven’s dreams. Raven thought for a moment. You know… She’s right. If using civilian contractors to clear a dangerous ruin will get him off our plots, that’s… That’s fine. We can get them all clearance. Also those civilian contractors would be paid less… This could save us some money. Raven stared at her ceiling for a few moments. There was a lot of work to do on a short time scale, but in truth, it wouldn’t change much in the end. You know, there’s no need to take out anger when I could do anything else. Raven opened her eyes, and manifested her husband in her dreams, as well as a nice restaurant.