“This thing is just damn useful...” I note to myself pushing the globe again. I've seen a couple of them before... mostly in wizard towers I've snuck into but I rarely if ever had the time to examine one closely. There's a niggling in the back of my mind. I try to crush it down as I have my emotions. I feel like such a fool for having let them control me.
“It's also proportionate. Most globe makers exaggerate their own country in some strange gloating gesture.” Luna tells me and I look up with a raised eyebrow.
“Doesn't putting intentional inaccuracies destroy the point of a map?” I ask wryly looking down at the apparently rare, accurate map. “Honestly cartographers can be murdered for being unintentionally inaccurate and there are some who do so deliberately?”
“Yes, unfortunately.” Luna says. “Also capital punishment is not acceptable under Equestrian law. So don't go looking to flog cartographers.” she says with a slightly joking tone. I sniff at this.
“I may have thought the law was harsh but it was there to make sure ships with dozens of men or precious medicines would not run into reefs or sandbars. It was also there so that people could travel in greater safety.” I mutter just loud enough for her to hear. “I mean imagine if you didn't know you were entering an area with a lot of wendigo or manticore? If the map can't tell you where the problem is then the map is just as much of a problem.” I continue and the niggling grows more insistent. I look to my right and it seems to asking me to come.
“Those can be a problem.” Luna says comfortably before following my gaze. “Is there something wrong with this library?” she asks and I scrunch my eyes a little in concentration.
“I think I sense some bones nearby...” I say walking away from the globe. The room is almost claustrophobic with the hundreds shelves for what must be nearly a million books. I walk a few rows across and see a pagasus skeleton on a stand in the distance. “Hmm...” I mutter to myself and walk over before examining it closely.
“It's an anatomical skeleton. Occasionally ponies will donate their bodies to medical science in the case of their deaths.” Luna tells me and I frown a little. There's a slightly hot sensation from the bones... hot and caustic.
“I'm somewhat familiar with that kind of practice however... the sheer burning rage on the bones tells me foul play was involved.” I mutter and I feel Luna's magic start to wrap around me. I ignore it and lean in closer. “There's a bit of a nick where the head meets the neck. She was murdered...” I mutter to myself before Luna yanks me away.
“I think that's quite enough anatomy for one day.” she says quickly and I pull myself towards the skeleton.
“Come on! Let me try! The bones may be cold and clean, but the anger within burns hot! Do you really want a murderer to go free?” I exclaim and she doesn't answer as she pulls me away from the skeleton.
“If it was a murder. Which is unlikely, then the skeleton has been here for so long that the killer is likely dead of old age.” Luna tells me as I fight against her to get back to the bones.
“She was in her twenties... would grind her teeth as a nervous habit... a mother as well!” I declare as I manage to get close to the skeleton for a moment before Luna completely pulls me away.
“Wait... did you just say she was a mother?” Luna asks and I nod. “Exactly how did you figure that out?” she asks me and I grin.
“The hips, the bones right there are mildly overdeveloped compared to a being that has not given birth. Much like a muscle a bone is rebuilt into a denser form when damaged and a build up there means that there was a great deal of physical strain. In other words a child.” I explain and Luna's staring at me. “What?”
“How... how often have you examined dead bodies in that kind of detail?” Luna asks me looking perturbed.
“All the time. It helps me understand my own powers better. You know, figuring out how skin and bone is put together lets me get around its weaknesses. A few times I would dissect the bodies of my enemies and when going into high detail I noticed that kind of difference. At least I did when I got curious and began backtracking the person's life.” I tell her and she nods before giving me a stern look.
“How often did you... defend yourself from a parent?” she asks me and I sigh.
“Too often. I stopped backtracking pretty quickly... it really makes you feel like a monster to go to your enemy's funeral.” I remark before glancing back at the skeleton. “So are you going to tell anyone or...?” I ask and Luna just blinks and shifts her gaze back and forth from the skeleton to me.
“I'll be making an enquiry as to where the skeleton came from, and you will be staying away from it.” Luna remarks crisply.
“Come on. Really? Something I'm good with and you won't let me near it?” I ask and she huffs.
“Why don't we get you settled and centred before putting you back into your morbid stomping grounds?” she asks and I shake my head. “Too bad.”she says and I sigh as she takes me back to the table we were working at. Suddenly my many potential hiding places and escape routes are much less interesting.
How did she die? A knife wound is often enough but there are many who are simply too stubborn to fall. The nick on the spinal cord would be game if it was a double edged knife like a dagger. If it was single edged though... then the attack was survivable as the blade would be glancing at the bone and missing major arteries. At least at the angle the nick was at it would...
“Damnit now I really want to examine the body...”I say to myself and Luna gives me a stern look. "The more I think about it the more I realize that due to the angle of the nick...” I begin and Luna holds up a hoof and I fall silent. “Is this going to be a test of will between us?”
“Perhaps... shall we continue our lessons? You have an excellent grasp of Equestrian borders and cities as well as Zebrican Territories. Should we take a break?” She asks and before I can answer my stomach growls. She smiles.
“I guess my decision has been made for me.” I remark dryly before huffing. I really hate how no matter how much bitterness or anger I pour into my voice I still sound completely harmless. If not outright adorable. Which is probably why Luna is putting up with me. The library door opens and a servant enters. He's a well spoken looking pegasus in a suit.
“Princess... I hate to be the one to tell you but Ambassador Tailwind has taken ill and is no longer able to conduct business in the Griffon Empire. Lord Frozen demands that a higher official be sent who does not insult his court with weakness.” he explains quickly and clearly. Luna sighs deeply.
“So either myself or my sister.” Luna remarks sounding cross.
“Unfortunately. There's also a bit of civil unrest in the Crystal Kingdom. So Princess Cadance and Captain Shining Armour were forced to leave.” he explains further and there is a massive sigh from Luna.
So her options are to bring me to a place that I guess has no respect for any sign of weakness. I've run into warrior cultures before... and the Iron Clan is probably still hunting for my head... no wait it's the Thunder Soul clan still hunting for me... the Iron Clan does have my head... an old one but the point still stands. I wonder what they're doing with it? Hmm... maybe I can have fun with these griffons...
“So you think these griffons will want to hear about how...” I start before I get a hoof in my mouth.
“No, they will think I am not taking them seriously and that will be a grave insult to their kind.” Luna tells me and I huff a little. It's reasonable which is what bothers me. I can't argue it without sounding like a petulant child... wait... should I? Probably not.
But what if I did? So would I get what I want by acting like a brat? Would it hurt my long term goals? Gah! I'm better at acting on instinct and toying with an enemy.
“This is going to take a little planning. We're coming close to Hearth's Warming Eve so Celestia will be busy. I'll have to go myself... and I need to find someone to take care of you...” she mentions before waving the servant off.
I wait for the pegasus to leave before speaking up. “You do realize I can take care of myself?” I ask Luna as dryly as I can... I sound like a petulant child. “When could I not?”
“Well there was being found in the snow and exposed to the elements. Your panic attack when you forced out a huge amount of magic and it back-lashed on you placing you into a short coma. You also came face to face with a murderer with your power still limited severely and that was after you got into a wrestling match with a windigo! Then after all of that excitement you physically disconnected from your body and left it behind. Some count that as dying! After that you travelled to a realm that you do not belong in and it started to tear you apart. Then you confronted a high power spiritual being that could rip you apart and after that stunt you laid yourself bare to emotional devastation!” Luna lists off her tone... I can't identify her tone as she continues.
“Well yes. That's life. That's normal... granted I had a slow month but that's because I crossed a continent and hid in mountain with huge amounts of lead in it that was in the middle of the largest desert in the world.” I tell her. “A murderer face to face with me? I get that looking in the mirror. Wrestling with an evil spirit? A little odd, but mostly because they tend to avoid me.” I tell Luna and I can't read her expression. I'm just not used to people to catch the smaller things anymore. That and she is a species I'm not familiar with yet.
“Poor child.” she says simply and kisses me just below the horn. I'm confused. She pulls back and quirks up an eyebrow.
“I missed something just now didn't I?” I ask and she giggles softly.
“Your body suits you in more ways than one.” Luna says gently and an aura of magic springs up around me and I'm lifted onto her back.
“What!? What in the hells is that supposed to mean?” I demand insulted.
“You'll figure it out in time.” she tells me and I grunt in annoyance. Does she always have to be this cryptic? Wait.. always...
“Oh no... I'm acclimatizing!” I half shout. “That's when they get you! When you feel safe!” I shout jumping off her back. I don't even make it to the floor.
“Oh for goodness sake. Is this ever going to stop?” Luna asks sounding exasperated.
“I see that my charm is in full effect if you're sick of me already.” I note dryly and Luna sighs.
“How long do you intend to be so pessimistic?” Luna asks and my jaw drops.
“It's been how many days since I entered this world?” I ask her completely incredulous. People don't change overnight without something completely soul shatteringly devastating.
“It's the fourth. Although if we're counting time conscious it's...” Luna answers before trailing off.
“My second day.” I tell her trying to toy with my wings to face Luna in midair. She may be holding me up but I can still manoeuvre a little. “Despite how small and pathetic I may look. Despite how pwecious my voice may sound. I am still a hardened and brutal killer. I...” I try to explain to Luna getting something across as her facial expression changes to what looks like sorrow.
She pulls me into a hug. “You are better than you think you are.” she tells me and an eyebrow quirks up.
“I don't see it, but I know I can't win if I make you force the issue.” I tell her and she puts me down in front of her.
“You really don't trust me do you?” she asks.
“Have I any reason to? You invaded my mind, stripped me of personal freedom and have slapped a name on me. The fact that this is all supposed to be a gesture of kindness is why I'm not trying to kill you.” I tell her as seriously as I can. She just sighs.
“And what has my comforting and teaching you accomplished then?” She asks and I twitch.
“You confuse me.” I tell her simply and she smiles. “Even moreso now.”
She then nuzzles me. “I will earn your trust.” she tells me in a steady tone and I pull back a little. This woman... mare is going out of her way to confuse me now. How in the hell does she earn my trust? I trust nothing anymore. I've been betrayed and back-stabbed so many times that I know for a fact trust is simply useless.
“Are you kidding me? Trust is a fool's ideal.” I tell Luna bitterly. I probably sound like a child on the edge of a fit but I'm too angry to care. “The dead will haunt and hunt you. The earth itself will shatter and collapse both above and beneath you. Peoples and nations turn traitor and abuse their power. The sky splits and slams you with lightning as the winds tear up boulders and trees to crush you with. Nothing can be trusted.” I vent my mind going back thirty years. Oh that was a very, very bad month.
“Memories of the Druid Circle?” Luna asks and I nod. Right... she'd been through my memories and as a Goddess it's likely she can remember even better than myself now. “Did they ever say why they were after you?”
“No but I can guess. Disrupting the natural order of things, being a vile perversion of nature, cruel embodiment of death, enemy of mother nature and so on and so forth. Typical druid stuff, it usually goes hand in hand with tending fruit gardens and bestiality.” I explain sourly and Luna actually chuckles at this. “I was being serious.”
“I have no doubt about that... you do have amusing insights though... why would you expect bestiality?” Luna asks with a slight smile.
“Sphinxes, Centaur, Satyrs, Harpies, Merfolk, Naga... we could fill a novel with the results of druids dallying.” I tell her and she chuckles again. “Then the unnatural abominations have the gall to call me one... I'm not the randy bastard trying to create new hybrids! It's their bloody formshifting parents who can't keep their hands to their own species!” She's nearly rolling at this point. “It's not that funny, it's irritating.”
“It most certainly is.” Luna says quieting down and giving me a slight smile. Wait, most certainly is what? Annoying? Funny? Which!? Luna titters and gives me a kiss below the horn... I think she just played a joke on me. I'm not sure. “I'm sorry it's just that it would be wise that the griffons never hear of this rant.”
“True... the bastard lovechild of a hairball and a buzzard would take offence easily...” I remark slyly imagining the way some uptight pomp would react to that. “I take it there are few to no hippogriphs in Equestria then?”
“They are the very, very rare result of a dalliance between a pony and a griffon.” Luna tells me and I wince hard. That was a mental image I never needed.
“Oh, that's a wretched mental image.” I grunt out with my eyes crossing. Wait... Luna's laughing.
“You know you're quite right. You're charm is in full effect.” Luna tells me. ... What?
“Exactly how am I charming?” I ask her as she begins walking and I keep up with little trouble.
“You're honest and have no fear speaking your mind. I'm often surrounded by servants and nobles that kiss up in an attempt to please me. You don't even try. It's refreshing.” Luna tells me and I pause before catching up again. She's walking towards a part of the palace I haven't been to yet.
“Well isn't lying to a Physically Present Goddess more idiotic than being honestly unpleasant?” I respond and she chuckles.
“So you don't fear that being unpleasant will get you hurt?” Luna asks and I pause for a moment. Was that a threat? She stops a few paces later and turns to me. “Well?”
“There's always the underlying problem that I could invoke your wrath yes, but if I let fear control me than nothing get's accomplished.” I say. After all my necromancy scared me at first. Fighting scared me at first. Hell as a child I'm sure I was afraid of the dark...
“How interesting.” Luna remarks and I swear I can hear something shooting over my head.
“Alright what did I miss this time?” I ask nearing the end of my patience.
“You'll figure it out soon enough.” Luna tells me and I twitch.
“FOR PITIES SAKE TELL ME AND STOP BEING SO DAMN CRYPTIC!!” I scream out as my patience snaps. Then my mouth snaps shut and I back off. Oh shit. I just screamed at a goddess. A goddess that has admitted to becoming a 'brutal monster'.
She stands up straight and slowly turns all the way around. I take a step back and am ready to run for what little good it will do as she slowly advances. I take another step back as she lowers her head to my level and meets me eye to eye. Then I jump as she speaks. It takes me a moment to realize that all she said was no.
She pulls back smiling as my heart hammers. “Didn't I say before that I will keep you safe?” she asks and I nod. “Hurting you would be against that wouldn't it?” she asks and I nod before I can process her words. She did say that didn't she? “You've been lied too far too many times haven't you?” she asks and she gets another nod. “Good thing I like a challenge.”
“How stubborn can you get?” I ask in shock.
“My persistence has already payed off you know.” Luna tells me simply and my mind races.
“What? How exactly has it been payed off?” I demand annoyed at the implication that I've given ground.
“It was this morning. Before breakfast remember, you agreed to something?” Luna states and I feel a sharp sting of pain as my partially reformed eyes bulge. “Are you alright?”
“Well my... almost eyes just hurt in ways I haven't felt in a very long time.” I say rubbing at them through the headband, lids and patches. “I did agree to be your child... even if I wasn't in my right mind I did agree... charming...” I note wryly trying to think. Then I smile broadly with all my teeth showing as a thought comes to mind.
“How old would you say I physically am?” I ask with nothing but innocence in my voice. Luna looks suddenly very worried, and justly so.
“Roughly five perhaps six years of age. Why?” Luna asks cautiously. She has excellent instincts.
“Well... I did agree to be your son... you a goddess of the night, the moon and dreams... You have also admitted to having once descended into a... brutal monster was it?” I ask and she takes a step back. She's putting it together.
“Yes...” she says a little nervously.
“Well... I don't have much experience with them but aren't small children supposed to be... wilful, odd, easily obsessed and completely out of control?” I ask her and she's now sitting and tapping her forehooves together nervously.
“Well... I was hoping you'd be so kind as to not go there...” Luna admits and I snort. “Are you going to make this difficult?”
“Are you?” I ask back and she looks a little affronted.
“What do you mean by that?” She asks quickly.
“I will concede that I agreed to be your child. But I never said I would behave... meaning I can vent all of my frustrations without breaking the spirit or the letter of our agreement Mother.” I tell her feeling absolutely diabolical.
She then grabs me and marches off without a word. “Wait, what are you doing!?” I ask shocked at this and she snorts.
“Well a child promising to be a brat is sent to their room to think.” Luna tells me and I freeze for a moment before chuckling.
“Well played... fine then. That's the game.” I say pleasantly, now that I have a general idea how things are going to work around here I can safely act and figure out my problems by myself.
“What's the game?” Luna asks suspiciously.
“You'll figure it out.” I say cheerfully happy to turn that annoying phrase back on her.
“Hmm... well played, but not very childlike.” she says with a mischievous look in her eye. I sigh to myself at this.
“Oh fine then, but just this way this once.” I say before sticking my tongue out at her and blowing hard. The sound is vulgar and she starts to giggle. “Nyeh! You can't lock me up forever!” I proclaim acting the whole five years I appear to be. Luna bursts out laughing and hugs me close.
“Oh that's just so adorable!” she squeals in joy. ... has she been repressing maternal instincts or something?
“Exactly how long have you wanted a child?” I ask trying to push away and Luna freezes... I just hit a sore spot. Oh the next few minutes are not going to be pleasant. “Never-mind, forget I asked.”
“I... I have been unfair to you haven't I?” Luna asks and I'm taken aback. This is a very rapid change of pace. “Yet...” she continues and she holds me up in front of her and examines me closely. I have no idea what she's looking at. My soul? My aura? My mind maybe? Or just my physical form... “You're already healing.” she says simply and my jaw drops. Healing? Of course I'm healing! I'm growing my eyes back, my knife wounds are bandaged, I have food in my stomach and I'm warm!
“Well yes... doctors are apparently rather good at helping that along.” I say confused as to where she's going and she laughs.
“I missed something again haven't I?” I ask and she nods and I get yet another kiss right under the horn. “Alright what exactly does kissing there symbolize?” I demand and she laughs again.
“It's just a little kiss on the forehead. Nothing to be excited about. Just a small display of affection.” she says and I shrug with a sigh. It makes sense. “That and you're oh so adorable, putting up the tough soldier act when you look like that. So cute.” Luna squeals out and I crane my neck backwards to try and get some distance. Is this a female thing? I've seen some do this with a favourite pet or an especially precocious child now and again.
“So it's all just appearance to you then?” I ask and am pleasantly surprised to find that I actually sound bitter. Good.
“It's also posture and tone. Granted you have a hard time managing any tone outside of adorable, but still... you do try.” She reassures me and I sigh at that. It certainly wasn't the reassurance I was looking for. We pass by her room and turn down another hallway.
“Uhm Princess?” A unicorn guard asks nervously.
“I know of the diplomatic situation. I will be arranging for some of the staff to keep a close eye on Prince Charon while I'm away.” she says quickly.
“About that. Princess Celestia has volunteered to leave instead so that you and Prince Charon will not have to be separated due to griffon... attitudes.” he says and Luna pauses. Now she's smiling widely as a chill runs down my spine. Oh wait... a maid just opened a window. That would do it wouldn't it?
“Well then, it looks like we have to get you something formal looking.” Luna says to my and I turn to her in confusion. “If I'm going to be managing the daily courts with Celestia gone and keeping an eye on you then you must look the part.” she says and I already don't like where this is going.
“So black robe with hood and skulls?” I say hopefully and she shakes her head. “Going in the buff?” another shake of the head. “Invisibility cloak?” another shake. “Stained black armour with skeletal trimmings?” Shake.
“I was thinking more... circlet with pendant and cloak.” she says and I think. Maybe that's not too bad... there must be a catch.