The rumble of the Chevelle disturbed the peaceful evening as it glided down the single lane road. Alec had turned left instead of right when he'd left his house. Luna was asking questions but Alec assured her it was something important. When she persisted Alec tuned her out and the radio in. Billy talent's "Fallen leaves" filled the interior with an ambience that forced Luna to staring at the blur of pines out the passenger window. The sun was just beginning to set, turning everything a pale orange. Luna wasn't very comfortable either. The hoddie she was wearing was, of course, not designed with her proportions in mind. But she wore it after Alec had told her that she could not be seen. And after learning about WWII, she decided she'd rather be safe than sorry. Alec had taken no chances as well. His Chevelle had a louvre protecting the back window and the right side seat was more than enough to discourage peering eyes. For the sides, Alec had taken the inside door panels off and replaced the clear windows with ones that were tinted a dark oxford blue. At day, it would be very difficult for anyone to see inside without pressing their nose against it.
The last person who did that wound up with a broken jaw and a busted nose.
Alec was returning from an automotive part's store and had walked up to find a thief trying to pick the lock with a clothes hanger. Needless to say, one of Alec's purchases that day happened to be a tire iron. In a panic, the carjacker had tackled him and, in self defence, Alec christened the tool with human blood.
Napa wouldn't let him return it after that.
For the front, he had placed an old tackle box on the passengers console. it was just high enough to obscure a majority or Luna's figure while allowing her a fairly decent view. At night the inside of the car would be pitch black to someone approach ing from the front as well. Anything else was covered by the grey sweater that made Alec's "Daaaaaaaaawwwwww" levels quadruple.
"Is all of this really necessary?" Luna groaned fidgeting in the hoodie.
"Quite" Alec responded with a grin.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, you look cute that's all" He replied innocently.
Luna blushed and resumed looking out the window. There was nothing but trees and trees not unlike the ones she had landed among last night.
"Not another road for miles" she noted.
There had also been no other motorist's since they had left. Luna could not help but wonder where their destination could be.
Alec suddenly slowed and turned off into what used to be a gas station. The pumps and convienence store had been demolished and all that remained were the raised concrete bases of the pumps and the various piles of debris left in the far corners of the lot.
The Chevelle stopped in with a squeak from the brakes and as Alec got out, Luna followed. Her magic could still manipulate small objects and fortunately, the Chevelles door handle's posed no difficulty. They walked to the pump bases and sat. Luna looked behind her and stared at the protruding wires and rebar that had been carelessly cut high from their point of emergence, leaving sharp hazards for anyone who were to trip and fall there of all places.
"That's where the pumps were"
"Pardon?"
"The pumps. That's what pumped the gas from the underground tanks to the car's"
"You mean this was a refuelling station?" Luna asked looking more carefully at the surroundings.
Piles of concrete and steel posts laid in varying piles laid around the edges of what used to be the small parking lot. Beyond them lay only the same dense forest that had embedded itself in Lunas memory from staring at it on their way there.
"They really could've done a better job at cleaning up" Luna said shaking her head.
"Maybe, but that's not why we're here" Alec said turning to her.
"Then why are we?" she replied.
Alec took a deep breath.
"In the event that something happens to me, i need you to, no matter where you are, come here"
Luna looked around at the growing shadows of the gas station.
"Here" she said surprisedly pointing a hoof at the cracked concrete.
"Remember my friend I told you about?" Alec said.
She nodded.
"I have it arranged for him to come here after you arrive. He'll keep you safe if things go south" Truthfully Raymond was yet to even be notified of Luna's existence. But Alec would have to wait. A text or a picture message could be seen by the wrong person and that's no small problem.
Luna suddenly felt concerned. She did not want anything to happen to Alec much less something happen to him because of her.
"Why are you saying this?" she asked.
"The world i live in is filled with bad people. They would do a lot of bad things to you if they ever got ahold of you. It may be in the middle of nowhere but that's only because i know that no one ever comes out here"
Luna believed him. Partly because he was the only person she had met so far on that planet. But partly because of something else.
Luna didn't know how to describe it then. It was the feeling of not wanting to leave his side. The feeling of not wanting to see anything bad happen to him. The feeling of being near somepony who mad you laugh or cry even after a bad argument.
Luna had only felt this close to someone before. Her sister.
Celestia.
Luna suddenly felt longing for her voice. She longed for he wings to wrap around her much like they did when she was a filly afraid of a thunderstorm. To hear her say:
"Everything will be alright, I promise"
Luna whirled around, almost swiping Alec with her tail.
"TIA?" She called into the woods.
No answer. Luna turned to see Alec standing and looking into the woods as well.
"What is it?" he asked with tension in his voice.
Luna gave Alec a puzzled look.
"Did you not hear that Alec?"
"Um... no?"
"But how? I heard it clear as day and there's no other way I co- "
Luna stopped as she remembered something that dashed her hopes. It was no secret that alicorns were capable of telepathy. But Luna's confusion quickly returned. How could she hear her sister if she was at least a few universes away?
Luna sat in thought as Alec continued scanning the woods. He walked off and returned a few minutes later to find that the princess had not moved.
"I looked but there's nothing there" He said shrugging.
Luna got up and started toward's the Chevelle. Alec caught up to her by the the door.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Luna opened the door and got in. She then rolled the window down and rested her chin on the sill.
"Let's go home first. I don't want anypony to hear what i need to say"
"But we-"
Luna gave Alec a pleading look through the rolled down window. He rolled his eyes and fished the keys from his jeans.
"Ok, but promise you tell me everything O.K?"
"Of course" Luna said smiling.
Alec got in and started the car. Seconds later it was off in the opposite direction, leaving the gas station in the rearview mirror, which hopefully, Luna would not have to return to again.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
Shining armour pulled the sheets over his little sisters sleeping form. They had both been up the entire previous night. Celestia was still in her study. Not a word had been spoken of her doings but Shining imagined it could only be important.
He pecked Twilight on the forehead. She responded with a mumble that sounded like "Nighty - night Shiny" before rolling over.
She may be older. But she would always be his "L.S.B.F.F"
Shining made his way back over to the portal. He sat and yawned while trying to put the pieces together.
"Portals, secret books, symbols and a mysterious poem? This isn't going to be easy figuring out" he thought to himself.
Before he could think further. The door to Luna's room opened to reveal Celestia and and two of Shining armours guards flanking her.
"Princess!!!" he said excitedly as he went to meet her.
"Has anything occurred in my absence?" she began hoping that something did.
Shining shook his head.
"No, same as it's been all day. Twilight almost fell over so i put her in Luna's bed... if that's ok"
The princess smiled. "Of course. She has been up for many hours.... as have you captain"
Shining yawned again.
"Im alright. Somepony needs to keep watch for That maniac after all"
"I think i can handle it from here, Shining" the princess said assuringly. "Go and rest. I'm sure Cadance misses you quite much"
Shining couldn't argue. He slowly trotted off to his and Cadance's room.
Celestia approached the bed where her pupil lay. She nuzzled her as a thought came into her head.
"You're lucky to have such a caring brother, do you know that?"
Twilight snored in response.
The princess chuckled quietly. She then turned and went out onto the balcony overlooking Canterlot. Many ponies had already went to bed, the candles in the windows slowly extinguishing across the city.
Celestia looked up at the moon. Tonight was the second time she had had to raise it since her sisters return. Inside the princess wanted to not have to.
"You always made better, sister" she whispered.
She then went back inside and laid at the end of Luna's bed. She rested her head in her hooves and watched the portal, the last bit of hope for her only sibling's return, spin on through the night.
//////////////////////////////////////////
Luna began to yawn more frequently as they got closer to home. Alec couldn't help but enjoy seeing the sleepy alicorn nod off only to be jolted awake by a bump in the road. When they pulled into the drive the garage door was already open, waiting for the Chevelle to occupy it's interior for another night. The engine's rumble got louder for a few seconds once inside, but Alec was quick to silence it as soon as the rear bumper was clear of the doors path. They sat in the dark for a few minutes, reflecting on how important of a day they'd had, at least until Alec looked over to see that Luna had fallen asleep. He laughed quietly as he got out, went over and proceeded to lift the dead tired princess out and cradle her in his arms. He immedieatly noticed how heavy she was. Alec guessed she must have weighed at least 100 pounds. Carefully, with Luna's gently exhaling in his face, he made his way up the dark stairs, being careful not to step on any creaky boards. Once they arrived at the guest room, Alec gently laid her on her side. He then noticed that she was grinning in her sleep.
"Sweet dreams your majesty" he whispered as he tiptoed out and closed the door.
Alec looked back down the hall leading towards the stairs. A digital clock on the stove could be seen from the kitchen.
"12:22, might as well clock out myself"
He went into the bedroom, stripped down and donned a pair of red plaid pajama bottoms, leaving his still dirty yesterday's wear to bathe in the moon light that was now streaming through the window.
Alec then got into bed and closed his eyes.
"I'll get her back to you Celestia, I promise.
The dream that came would make his promise all the more important.