It didn’t take long for Luna and the Warden to catch up to the pair of foals, despite them being in an all out gallop for a minute.
At one point, after rounding a corner, Casemate turned his head to check behind them. Sure enough, Sweeper was not giving chase.
“Alright…” He said, breathing heavily and putting out a hoof in front of Edelweiss as the pair slowed. “I think we’re good.”
Edelweiss nodded and stopped for a moment, catching her breath.
They were now on a cobble street lit by gas lamps, flanked on either side by brick buildings reaching up a few stories. Various storefronts were closed up for the night at ground level, and several windows higher up were illuminated, showing where ponies were settling down for the night. The stars were beginning to twinkle and shimmer in the late dusk light, and the sky was a deep purple hue, darkening by the minute.
After a minute of recovery, Casemate gently tapped Edelweiss’ back. “Come on.” He beckoned, gesturing down the street.
Edelweiss nodded, and the pair began to walk along, side by side.
Luna saw blood from Casemate’s mutilated ear dripping off of his head and onto the stones below their hooves, leaving a small trail of small, red dots. A gust of wind arose along the concourse, and Casemate audibly winced as the air stimulated his wound, inhaling sharply through his teeth.
Edelweiss noticed, and she looked up at him, her eyes revealing sympathy and regret.
“Casey?” She asked meekly. “How badly does it hurt?”
Casemate turned his head to look at her.
“It’s alright, I’ll live… Probably.” He groaned, resisting the urge to caress the stinging wound.
Edelweiss didn’t seem to take much comfort in that answer.
“I’m so sorry, Casey… It wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t allowed myself to get caught by him…” She said sorrowfully, her ears drooping.
Casemate looked out ahead, as if thinking of what to say.
“Don’t feel guilty. It was my choice, and it helped show me what my purpose is.” He replied, looking back at his flank, viewing his cutie mark, still looking thoughtful. “I get it now... I knew what a Warden shouldn’t be, but I didn’t quite understand what one should be. I mean, my father’s characteristics since the loss of my mother was anger and brutality…”
He glanced back up to Edelweiss, who had her ears turned towards him as he continued.
“But when you mentioned the fact that Wardens were possibly meant to be protectors first and warriors second, it made me think. Then Sweeper showed up, he stabbed my ear, and threw you off the roof…” He sighed, pausing for a moment. “I think my priorities began to shift at that moment. I began to care less about taking Sweeper down, and more about protecting you.”
Edelweiss’ eyes began to shimmer a bit in wonder.
“Yeah… You did begin to be less focused on him and more on keeping me safe…” She murmured. “I guess when he almost stabbed me, it finally clicked?”
“I don’t know what it was, honestly. It was weird, like for a few moments, I was so angry at him but I no longer wanted to take him down. Rather, I just wanted you to be safe…” Casemate explained, shaking his head. “Then I just began to act on my own, fighting Sweeper not for the sake of getting rid of him, but solely for protecting you, no matter what sacrifice I had to make.”
The colt looked at his cutie mark again, as did Edelweiss.
“That’s what a Warden is meant to do. He isn’t meant to kill enemies for the sake of killing them, he is meant to fight for the sake of those who need a protector, and if needed, sacrifice himself!”
Casemate fell silent for a moment, adding.
“I’m meant to be a hero, not just a warrior… You were right.”
Edelweiss’ ears drooped in awe as this realization sank in, and a slight smile began to appear on her face.
“I guess so.” She said quietly, her smile fading as she looked downwards. “But I still feel bad making you lose your ear…”
“But you saved me.” He objected, looking at her with a subtle but happy expression. “You kept him from stabbing my eye out, if not worse. Honestly…” He stopped, chuckling once. “I’d rather lose an ear than an eye… Or you.”
Edelweiss’ eyes widened, averting her gaze in a momentary onset of bashfulness.
“B-but… You had to hurt yourself to save me, and you even allowed yourself to get caught by getting me out of the way first! Am- Am I really worthy of what you did?”
It seemed to Luna that Edelweiss, despite her resilience, did have struggles with self-esteem.
Thankfully, Casemate did not hesitate to answer.
“Yes.” He replied earnestly. “You’re my first true friend, you helped me get my mark, and you saved me. Saving you was more than worth it, Edelweiss.”
The filly looked at him with an expression of wonder, the lamplight flickering in her blue eyes. She stopped in her tracks, and for the first time, Luna saw adoration in her gaze. Casemate stopped as well, looking at her questioningly, as if wondering why she had stopped.
It wasn’t immediately obvious, but there was a slight blush on Edelweiss’ face as a genuine smile played across her lips. She glanced to the side shyly for a moment.
“I-it was?” She asked softly, shuffling one of her hooves. “Well… I guess you deserve this, at the very least.”
She took a few steps closer to Casemate, getting close. He looked at her curiously, but held his ground, letting her get close. His remaining ear tilted slightly to the side, and his green eyes shimmered in the low light.
Edelweiss paused for a moment, as if building some courage. Then, without much warning, she leaned in towards his face, and planted a quick kiss onto his cheek, before stepping back.
Her face was a shade of light pink, and she smiled bashfully as she looked towards the ground.
“There. Thank you, Casey…” She murmured, looking at him.
Casemate didn’t move a muscle immediately following the kiss. He stood there for a moment or two, his eyes wide as he struggled to process the moment, his expression blank. Then, he blinked a few times, inhaled deeply, and a slight smile began to appear as he relaxed, accepting the gesture.
Luna put a hoof to her mouth, smiling upon witnessing this special moment. For a few precious seconds, any memory of her doings as Nightmare Moon faded away, replaced by an unstoppable sense of joy and warmth. She felt like her heart was about to explode from the adorable actions of the grateful filly and the stunning growth of character from Casemate.
Luna could feel a similar set of emotions from the Warden as well. A sense of warmth, joy, fondness, and love radiating from his very soul. She turned to look at him standing next to her, and she saw a slight smile on his face as well.
She felt shocked. This was the first time that she had seen him smile!
Just like anypony else, he was capable of feeling warmth, love, and happiness. Of course, Luna knew this, but it was relieving to see proof that he wasn’t completely consumed by hate and anger towards her.
“Are you going to say anything, Casey?” The filly asked with a quiet giggle, breaking the silence and drawing Luna’s attention back to the dream.
Casemate nodded. “U-uh… Yeah. Yeah, thank you, that was… Nice.” He replied, stumbling over his words a little in a rare display of nervousness. But, he still smiled all the same. “You’re welcome, Edelweiss.”
Edelweiss nodded too, smiling sheepishly. “Should we keep walking?”
Casemate nodded, sighing deeply and happily. “Yep.”
The two foals resumed their walk down the street, moving past the series of flickering lamps, passing from illuminated areas to the darkened stretches in between, followed by Luna and the Warden.
After a minute or two of this, Edelweiss looked at their surroundings with a curious expression, then up at Casemate.
“Uh, Casey? Where are we even going? The place I’m staying at is that way…” She said with uncertainty, pointing in the opposite direction of their travel.
A determined glint shone in Casemate’s eye.
“You’re coming home with me. You aren’t living out there on the street any more after tonight.”
“What?!” Edelweiss asked, halting for a moment. “Why?”
Casemate stopped, turning to face her.
“Because you helped me so much!” He responded. “You helped me find my purpose, and you are my friend. Now that I know about your past, I want to help you find a family who will love you in return!”
“B-b-but… I can’t!” Edelweiss stuttered. “I’m a street pony! Your aunt and uncle are wealthy, and- They won’t take a filly like me in as a daughter!”
“They will.” Casemate responded. “Once they hear your story, they will.”
Edelweiss began to appear slightly ashamed.
“But- I don’t deserve-”
“Hup!” Casemate interrupted, placing a hoof to her mouth, silencing her. “You saved me from Sweeper, you will be safer with my aunt and uncle than out on the street, you helped me find my true purpose, and it is the least I can do for my friend!” He retorted strongly, before sighing and backing up a step.
“You’re special, Edelweiss.” He said quietly, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You’ve done so much for me, and you didn’t deserve anything bad that has happened to you. You’re my friend, so let me be a good friend in return, okay?”
Edelweiss’ eyes widened as she realized what Casemate was willing to do for her. Her ears lowered, her eyes began to water, and casting aside any restraint, she smiled sweetly and wrapped her forelegs around his neck.
“Thank you…” She murmured quietly, her voice trembling slightly. “Thank you, Casey…”
Casemate smiled in response, and for a minute, the two foals held each other closely while Edelweiss sniffed and tried to steady her emotions.
Luna knew that it must have felt like a massive weight had been removed from her shoulders. To be presented with a safe home, the means by which to not go hungry, thirsty, or cold again, and a new family that would take her as one of their own had to have been overwhelming.
The filly breathed deeply a few times, gathering herself before sighing and letting go. Casemate let go as well, stepping back and gesturing in the direction they were headed.
“Come on, Edel.”
The filly nodded in agreement, and together, the two foals walked off down the street, keeping a little closer than they were before…
Finally, the sequence drew to a close, and the environment around Luna and the Warden faded away.
Both remained silent, processing what they had seen in this longer sequence. Luna in particular, was deep in her mind, reflecting on all of it, from the two foals opening up, to the fight, and the pair growing closer than ever before. There was so much to unpack, it was almost impossible for Luna to figure out where to even start.
This whole sequence was a roller coaster of emotions, for sure. From the heartbreaking reality of Edelweiss’ past, the terror of the fight, the sheer excitement of Sweeper’s defeat and the discovery of Casemate’s cutie mark, she felt as if she had just bore witness to one of the most enrapturing tales she had ever seen.
A sigh from the Warden drew her gaze, finally pulling her out of the introspective daze. He was standing a short distance away, looking out in the direction that his younger self and Edelweiss had gone.
There was still a sense of warmth within him, but it was now tainted. Luna’s heart sank, feeling the emotions of sadness and longing returning to the Warden’s heart.
He missed her.
He remained there like that for a moment, closing his eyes, trying to hide the emotions roiling underneath. But a stoic facade couldn’t hide them from Luna.
The princess of the night sighed quietly, feeling her guilt return after riding the high of seeing Casemate and Edelweiss grow closer. At that moment, she just wanted to see if there was anything she could do to provide comfort.
“Casemate… Do you wish to talk about it before we move on?” She asked with a genuine look.
The Warden opened his eyes, and turned towards her. As he did so, yet again, Luna felt a slow, burning anger reignite within him, mingling with the grief and sorrow. Her ears drooped, and she unconsciously shrunk away a bit, remembering that he hadn’t dropped his anger against her.
But when he spoke, his tone wasn’t angry. He kept a composed manner about him, his tone of voice sounding as if he were teaching her something.
“This was probably the single most impactful day of my life.” He said calmly and simply. “You saw the ways it affected me, yes?”
“Y-yes…” Luna replied quietly. “You really opened yourself up for the first time, and developed a deeper bond with your soulmate, in addition to discovering your true purpose and discovering what it is to be a true Warden…”
The Warden nodded, affirming her observation.
“From that day forth, Edelweiss became the single most important and influential pony in my life.” He said in a matter of fact manner. “On this day alone, she helped me open up and gave me an opportunity to show genuine love and care to a friend who needed me. She correctly advised me on what my true purpose was, and it was because of my discovery that I cared more about protecting others than defeating my enemies at any cost that I got my Cutie mark.”
He paused and looked at the mark on his flank, as did Luna.
“She was the catalyst that enabled me to find it, after you enabled me to run away from my father to search for it. She saved my life, and I saved her. All told, despite the cost…”
He fell silent and ran a hoof along the remnants of his right ear.
“It was worth it… Even if our time together was-”
His voice trailed off, and despite his best efforts to remain stoic, his eyes began to show the turmoil within his soul as a new wave of sadness and anger arose within him.
Luna felt the weight of Nightmare Moon’s misdeeds press painfully on her soul. Edelweiss did so much for him… She enabled him to find his purpose and she would become his true love, as their first kiss earlier indicated.
And Luna would enable Nightmare Moon to destroy that beautiful bond…
“Luna, you know we have done far too much to him and his lovely little special somepony…” Said a malicious voice within her mind. “You are irredeemable…”
Nightmare Moon’s words sank like a dagger into Luna’s soul, and she took a deep, trembling breath as she struggled to keep herself together. She wiped moisture away from her eyes, and for a few seconds, she couldn’t bring herself to even look directly at Casemate.
But as she thought, she realized that Nightmare Moon’s remark was oddly strategic.
Luna’s heart hardened slightly in anger as she realized that her darker self was now resorting to more cowardly tactics to try and dissuade her from her true purpose here: To gain the Warden’s forgiveness.
She shook her head, determination filling her once again. She couldn’t let Nightmare Moon crush her hopes.
Not before finding out what the Warden’s decision would be, anyway…
With an immense mental effort, she shoved her guilt and shame to the back of her mind, and began to think of a way to proceed onwards.
She wasn’t going to get anywhere wallowing in her sorrow.
One question soon arose for the Warden, and after thinking of a way to present it, she spoke.
“Did your relatives take her in?” She asked softly, recalling how Casemate was determined to find Edelweiss a loving family.
The Warden’s anger faded slightly, and a little bit of warmth returned to his soul, to Luna’s relief.
“They did.” He answered, his expression no longer hardened as he looked out ahead. “It took a lot of explaining, but after the panic of seeing my mutilated ear died off, aunt Parapet and her husband did take her in as one of their own.”
This was an answer that Luna needed to hear. Relief and happiness warmed her heart once again, allowing her to no longer feel her sadness, for a time.
“That is most heartwarming to hear.” She murmured softly, her ears and overall mood lifting. “She needed it, and you provided it for her…”
The princess went silent for a second or two, thinking.
“You are aware that you were just as much of a light in her life as she was in yours, yes?” She asked.
Luna felt the Warden’s soul warm up as he heard her words.
“Sometimes I wonder if she did more for me than I did for her…” He said quietly. “But we made each other happy, and I guess that was sufficient.”
He blinked, looking up at Luna again.
“But none of what you just saw would have happened if you hadn’t shown compassion to me and her.”
Luna’s ears twitched as she heard those words. His remark awakened a mixture of thoughts and emotions as she was reminded that this was true.
He wouldn’t have found his true calling, his love, or happiness if she hadn’t visited his dream, guiding him when he needed it most. The same could be said about Edelweiss, too.
More importantly, this admission meant that the Warden understood that she was not evil like Nightmare Moon, but caring and empathetic.
But did that also mean that he thought the same way about her now? After what she had allowed Nightmare Moon to do?
A sense of uncertainty set in. While the Warden admitted to knowing Luna was good and benevolent back then, that didn’t necessarily mean that he did so now.
As if to cement this fact, she felt the Warden’s happiness fade as resentment and sadness resumed their dominance over his feelings. It was safe to presume that he didn’t hold her in such high esteem any more, and she felt her heart grow heavy as this fact arose…
“Next one.” The Warden said, breaking the heavy silence.
Luna didn’t say anything. She nodded once, set her horn aglow, and began to manipulate the dream once more.
As she did so, she could not help but wonder what lay in store for Casemate and Edelweiss. But no matter what it was, despite her uncertainty and worry, she needed to see this through, no matter what the Warden thought of her…