//------------------------------//
// Optimism And Pessimism 
// Story: Synthesis of the Atheist 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Forty Five: Optimism And Pessimism
~BlackRoseRaven

Twilight Sparkle was calmly reading over a baby book in the living room, sitting comfortably back on some pillows as she turned the pages slowly. She had already read this book years ago, when Luna had been pregnant, but she wanted to refresh herself on everything now that she would be going through it herself. Abaddon was curled up on the futon beside her, snoozing and catlike, enjoying the occasional stroke of a hoof over his back from the Lich
Scrivener Blooms had tidied up the living room, and taken off his bandages: his damaged hoof had finished healing and changing, and now, like his other front hoof, it had become a flexible claw. But Twilight felt what was clearly thankfulness for them from the stallion as she glanced up with amusement, watching as Scrivener grasped Scarlet's old dresser and carefully hauled it backwards. “You know, Scrivy, I'll never understand how you can be upset about getting published, but happy about your hooves turning into claws because it lets you move stuff around the house.”
“You know what, Twilight? I... shut up. I'll think of a good insult once I move this... Luna, come on, give me a hoof here! This thing weighs a ton!” Scrivener complained, leaning over the dresser, and then he stared at the sight of Luna wrestling with the thick, floppy mattress over Scarlet's old bed, trying unsuccessfully to yank it free from whatever it was stuck on with both her hooves and telekinesis. “Actually uh. Just... keep doing what-”
“Shut up, Scrivy!” Luna grumbled, and then she glared furiously around the room, asking incredulously: “How in damnation did Scarlet pack all these furnishings into this tiny little room? I do not remember laboring like this to fit all this in!”
Scrivener only mumbled, then finally managed to tilt the dresser on an angle that let him drag it out into the hallway with a wheeze of relief, relaxing slightly after a moment as he muttered: “Honestly, Luna, I don't know. I just know that Scarlet is much meaner than we gave her credit for. No wonder she said it was okay for us to start moving her stuff out this morning...”
“Aye, well, unless she has Big Mac and several other hulking stallions to aid her, I do not believe she will ever manage to get this all to her townhouse... where is she even going to store it?” Luna complained, huffing after a moment. “She does not have room at the townhouse for this!”
“Uh, guys? Don't you remember?” Twilight looked up in surprise from the baby book again, and Scrivener looked back at her lamely as Luna half-flopped over the dresser to look out at the Lich. “They're buying a bigger house. Apple Bloom got a raise recently, and they've already put a down-payment on the new place. Antares is... out there right now. With Scarlet. Looking at it.”
“What?” Luna and Scrivener traded stupid looks, and Twilight laughed and shook her head before Luna groaned and dropped her face against the dresser. “Some parents we are, Scrivy. But... admittedly, much of my focus is stolen by poor Antares...”
 Scrivener nodded slowly as Twilight softened, glancing up, and the charcoal stallion hesitated before he asked quietly: “Did he still seem... depressed to you? Or anxious...”
“Both, but a lot more anxious. I think... it's just going to take time.” Twilight said softly, and Luna grunted and nodded in agreement, then firmly shoved the large oak dresser into Scrivener, making him wheeze before he grumbled, and Twilight rolled her eyes as she put the book aside and stood up, Abaddon only glancing up for a moment before returning to snoozing. “Here, let me-”
“No, no, no, thou must sit and be still!” Luna declared, flailing her way out of the bedroom and running over to bull into Twilight just as she began to step forwards, and the Lich winced as she was pushed back onto the cushions. “We shall treat thee as a queen and keep thee safe and thou shan't have to lift a hoof until the babe is born. Besides, 'tis not just because we are worried for thee, 'tis because I have this creeping sensation all along my spine that Celestia is lurking somewhere, waiting for us to fail thee so she can pummel both myself and Scrivener Blooms.”
Scrivy shrugged meditatively in agreement, then he turned and began to drag the dresser carefully backwards, and Twilight only sighed and smiled a little. “Come on, Luna. You know Celestia's not like that... and... honestly, I don't want to strain my powers or anything, but I do want to help. You should remember what it was like for you not being allowed to do anything while you were in the last stages of pregnancy...”
“Aye, I do, 'tis part of why I am so eager to inflict it upon thee.” Luna remarked mildly, and Twilight gave her a flat look before the sapphire mare softened, then sighed and nodded with a grumble, muttering: “But oh, very well. If thou insists then... then I suppose we can permit thee to exercise thyself a little. Just... just remember, my sweet mare. Any strain upon thy body is dangerous.”
Twilight smiled softly, looking up and seeing the compassion, the concern, the pure love in Luna's eyes, and then she nodded and leaned up, gently kissing the mare's lips. Luna blinked in surprise, but then Twilight leaned back and murmured: “Don't worry, I know my limits well. The only thing that has me concerned right now, anyway, is what could happen to my body in the later stages of pregnancy. I don't know what it's going to be like when I start... getting bigger.”
“Fat, thou means. Oh, how I look forwards to that. How I will relish it.” Luna said with a grin, and Twilight laughed despite herself, shaking her head slowly before the sapphire mare added in a more soothing voice: “But fear not, Twilight. Celestia will be looking into everything she can, thou knows well how much she adores thee. And all of us... we shall all do everything in our power to keep thee strong and well and happy. Thou deserves nothing but the very best we can give, and 'tis precisely what we intend to lavish upon thee.”
“You're worried. I can tell you're worried.” Twilight said softly, and Luna sighed a little before nodding almost embarrassedly, but the violet winged unicorn only shifted and blushed a little as she murmured: “It's funny. I... I still wouldn't blame you if you were less worried and more... you know.”
“I would blame myself. 'Twould not at all be right.” Luna replied quietly, and then she cleared her throat and shook her head quickly, starry mane sizzling out before she smiled and winked. “Besides. 'Twill be wonderful to see thee suffering through pregnancy. And then my daughter or Apple Bloom, whomever they decide shall be the mother... although it sounds like at this point, 'tis like that Scarlet is the mare and Apple Bloom is the stallion, yes?”
Luna paused thoughtfully, then opened her mouth, but Twilight glared at her and cut her off before she could say anything, and the mare huffed and muttered: “Oh, thou art no fun. But very well, come and help me pack up Scarlet's room, and move things out. Let us see if we can finish before she returns.”
Twilight nodded, and then both mares looked up and felt a faint twinge as Scrivener gave a curse of frustration, and then Luna slowly leaned to the side to see that the stallion had slipped while trying to wrestle the dresser through the front door and it had fallen on top of him, the winged unicorn clearing her throat before saying helpfully: “That is not how thou moves furniture, Scrivy. Thou must lift with thy back.”
“Thanks, Luna.” Scrivener muttered, and then he sighed tiredly as Twilight shook her head in entertainment. “Can't you two just... magically make everything tiny for long enough for us to move this stuff out?”
Twilight looked thoughtful, but Luna only huffed and strode quickly towards Scarlet Sage's room, retorting: “Just for that, Scrivy, I shall make thee move all the heavy furnishings thyself! Lazy, foolish poet, this is good exercise and good work!”
“Says the mare who usually spends all day lounging on the pillows, guzzling coffee, when she isn't beating me up.” Scrivener muttered, and then he winced at a mental whipcrack in his mind before sighing and beginning to wiggle himself out from beneath the dresser.
He had only just managed to get the dresser out onto the cleared-off front deck, where they already had several boxes of Scarlet Sage's other belongings, before the stallion looked up in surprise to see a lanky earth pony in a suit approaching with a wheeze but a wide grin. For a few moments, Scrivener only stared, and then he asked incredulously: “Barry? What the hell are you doing out here?”
“C-Champ! Great... to see you so early in the... morning!” Barry wheezed loudly as he came to a halt in front of the patio, gasping for breath, and Scrivener walked slowly over towards him, looking nonplussed. A moment later, Twilight emerged from the house, carrying several boxes with telekinesis she neatly stacked to the side, and the agent grinned widely as he waved a hoof slowly at her. “Hey, hello there! Great... great to see you!”
“Uh... hi, Barry.” Twilight said slowly, and then she stepped up beside Scrivener, who only shrugged, as confused as she was. “What brings you out here?”
“Good news, g-great news, as a matter of fact!” Barry laughed brightly, looking up and shaking himself out as he finally managed to catch his breath, before grinning widely as he reached back and dug hurriedly in his satchel, then pulled out a check. “Ta-da! Look at this, big guy, your first and far from last check from the generous Mr. Underbrush!”
Scrivener cocked his head curiously at this as he leaned forwards, reaching out to take the slip of paper with one claw, but Barry didn't even seem to notice the fact that his top writer now had digits instead of hooves as the agent bounced excitedly on the spot, grinning widely. “And that's just the start! Doctrine wants you to meet with him, Underbrush apparently pushed  ol' Tops into throwing together some fundraiser they want you, yes you, as a guest of honor at, and I'm already getting asked about when you'll be putting out your next book! And champ, champ, you got a whole load of fan mail sitting and waiting for you in Ponyville, too... the way I hear it, your post office box is completely overloaded! This is great! This is fantastic!”
“This is probably because of Underbrush. The guy knows his stuff inside and out.” Scrivener muttered, feeling almost... ashamed of himself. He was no true great writer, after all. He didn't deserve this many accolades, as he shifted a little before Twilight gently touched his shoulder. He nodded to her after a moment, and then he smiled and held up the check, and she took it with telekinesis before turning and heading inside. “Thanks, Barry. But you didn't have to come out all the way here to give me my check and all this, I was gonna come by... well... sometime this week...”
“Nonsense, champ! You're my number-one client, after all. You and me, we're gonna take the world, right?” Barry said enthusiastically, and when Scrivener only looked at him mildly, the lanky earth pony shuffled a little before saying awkwardly: “And well, you know, uh... I wanted to make sure you were okay and all that. Can't have my writer breaking his hooves, can I?”
“Oh, they're both broken, see?” Scrivener held up his front claws and stretched them wide, and Barry staggered backwards and stared in horror, as Luna's laughter echoed out of the house. Then there was a loud thump, and Scrivener winced a bit as he looked over his shoulder at the frustrated curse that followed. “Somehow I'm going to get the blame for that.”
The stallion paused, then he glanced down and snapped his hooves back shut, locking them tightly together into hooves. He studied how natural they both looked, the thin lines between separate digits only visible if you looked hard enough in the right places, and then he shook his head as he sat back and Barry wheezed loudly, staring over the stallion. “Don't... don't scare me like that! I thought for a moment you were... I... champ, are you okay?”
“Just a... well, an accident, I guess.” Scrivener said quietly, glancing absently down at one hoof. “But they're okay, don't worry. I'm okay. I'd say better than okay but... some bad things happened to my son, as well as the good things that are... going on right now.”
Barry cocked his head with interest, and then he leaned forwards, asking almost too eagerly: “Any chance you might be able to get another book out of these experiences? Or you could pen a tell-all, or hey, just sounds like great fodder for an interview, and you know I've got a few people already asking to line up interviews with you...”
“I wonder how many of them work for companies Underbrush owns.” Scrivener muttered, and Barry opened his mouth with a huff, but then closed it quickly when Scrivener looked as at him mildly. Then the agent cringed back a little as Scrivener leaned forwards, saying mildly: “Come on, spit it out, Barry. If you've got something to say I want to hear it. Don't bottle it up.”
“Well... I... hey, just because, okay, Underbrush is able to pull a lot of strings and maybe influence more than a little how people are gonna see you... that doesn't mean you don't deserve it, champ.” Barry halted, then he looked up and suddenly continued in a ramble: “I mean, hell, look at me. Seriously, do you think I ever actually read? Oh, sure, I got those giant books in my office, but all they are is shelf-filler. I read maybe... two chapters of every manuscript that comes across my desk, enough to know if I can sell it or not. I'm a literary agent, but I ain't a literary pony. I'm a business pony, and I've been in the biz long enough now to get an idea of what sells and what doesn't.”
He halted, then cleared his throat and looked up honestly. “Your book was long and crazy and had a whole lot of big words in it. I could have torn it apart if I wanted to, and I still could. But I got a feeling that ponies would read you all the same. And I was right about that, and I bet you it ain't all about Underbrush, okay? That's all I'm saying.”  
Scrivener smiled a little after a moment, then he gestured to the lanky agent and turned, saying softly: “Come inside, I'll put on coffee.”
Barry brightened at this, then scrambled forwards and promptly tripped over the riser leading up  to the patio, falling on his face with a loud smack. The charcoal earth pony sighed and dropped his head, then looked mildly over his shoulder, but Barry only scrambled quickly to his hooves and mumbled: “Damn... not... uh... wind. Sorry, champ, the... sun in my eyes.”
“The sun's behind you, Barry.” Scrivener said patiently, and then he strode inside, and the agent cleared his throat and looked awkwardly over his shoulder before hurrying forwards over the patio and into the house.
He paused to peer into Scarlet Sage's room, where Luna was grumbling and yanking bolts out of the bedframe before she tossed an acidic look at the agent, then suddenly reared her head up, and then the sapphire mare declared loudly: “I have made Twilight pregnant. Do not listen to Scrivener Blooms, it was not him. I did it, with my mighty stallion's rod. Actually, 'tis more of a spear. Or a battering ram. 'Tis a battering ram!”
Twilight Sparkle turned beet-red and froze in the middle of sorting through books, and Scrivener Blooms sighed from the kitchen as Barry stared into the room, before Luna grinned widely and leaned forwards. “Wouldst thou like to see it?”
“No thank you!” Barry squeaked, and he jumped past the doorway, then paused and leaned back, adding awkwardly: “Congratulations uh, Miss Twilight, on your mommyhood. And... you on your daddyhood, Lady Luna.”
“Thankee.” Luna said primly, giving Barry an agreeable smile, and then she huffed when Twilight glared over her shoulder at her. “Oh shush, thou enjoyed it.”
Barry hurried to the kitchen, where Scrivener was already doling cream and sugar into four mugs, and then the charcoal stallion answered without needing to be asked: “Yes, Luna's just trying to get a reaction out of you. Yes, Twilight's actually pregnant. Yes, I'm the father. And no, Barry, I am not going to write a book about this. At least not right now.”
“Uh... great, champ. Still, you know the question's going to come up in interviews. And if Ersatz Major hears about it...” Barry shivered a little, then hesitated and asked finally: “What do you plan to do about her anyway, champ? I mean... she's really your cousin, yeah?”
“Yeah. And I don't even know what she's doing lately... has she written any more articles about me?” Scrivener asked almost curiously, and Barry winced, which the stallion took as a yes. He cocked his head curiously at this, however, asking finally: “I thought a magazine like Rogues And Studs would move on to demolishing a new target pretty quickly...”
“Well, yes, normally they do. But Ersatz is doing a full 'investigation' on you, and it's turning into one big ongoing article. Apparently ponies love seeing you get slammed, though, so Rogues And Studs is just letting her continue to have her way... uh, sorry, champ.” Barry added lamely, but the stallion only shook his head with a small smile, before the agent hesitated and continued, nervously tapping his front hooves together as he looked almost warily at Scrivener's: “But Ersatz has more influence than I thought, and she's been sending articles and letters and interviews out to other places, too. The really scary part is that she's almost trying to wrestle Underbrush... you know, she's sending letters and petitions out to lots of smaller bookstores and even a few chains that Underbrush doesn't have control over, and tellin' 'em not to stock your book. I heard she even was trying to get it banned under the uh... uh... uh...”
Scrivener let Barry try and think for a while, and then he suggested gently: “The Miller test?” When Barry looked dumbfounded, he rolled his eyes and smiled slightly. “How are you a literary agent when you know nothing about anything, Barry? Books have to go through an obscenity test, usually called the Miller test after Sir Miller, who introduced it a few hundred years ago... although a lot of us writers call him Censor Miller. Look, it won't go anywhere. The only grounds she could base off actually banning my books is the idea that what I've written here isn't true history, and that I'm trying to corrupt Equestrian thought and principles.”
“I told you, I'm a business pony, not a reader! I wheel and deal all day, I leave thinking and all that stuff to geniuses like you, champ.” Barry half-retorted, half-whined, and Scrivener nodded as he picked up the carafe and began to pour coffee into the mugs.
The agent was silent for a few moments as Scrivener filled each of the cups, then slipped the still half-full coffeepot back into place before the lanky stallion said finally: “Look, even without knowing about that... Censor Miller thing... I knew it must be a long shot. But Ersatz, she doesn't exactly strike me as the kind of lady who goes after long shots, you know what I mean? So do you think that maybe... and I'm just saying maybe... she's just putting this forward to stir the pot? I hate to say it boss, but I'm sure that included in that fan mail of yours is some hate mail, too.”
“Yes, because I've never gotten hate mail before. I'm sure the words will just leap out at my eyes and cut me full of emotional holes. That's how I got all these scars, you know, words hurt me and I had no choice but to cut myself while crying in the shower.” Scrivener said mildly as he passed a mug of coffee to Barry, and the lanky stallion huffed at him. “You know, before I was blacklisted, I actually was on par for receiving the most hate mail and complaints of all the authors in the publishing house. Of course, I would have been higher, but some ponies recognized me on the street.”
“Well, good, I'm glad you're happy about that.” Barry sighed tiredly as Scrivener nodded, then the charcoal stallion whistled sharply: a moment later, there was a clanging before Luna came scurrying around the corner with a cheerful look on her face, and the lanky agent said dumbly: “My niece's dog does the same thing.”
Luna stopped and scowled over at Barry, who winced and shrank a bit before Luna strode up to him, then bopped him firmly with her horn. He yelped and whined in his throat, and Luna huffed before she picked up both mugs remaining on the counter with telekinesis. “Twilight and I are going to finish sorting Scarlet's books, Scrivy. Stop being lazy and come and help us once thou art done entertaining thy little friend.”
“Yes mother.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna blew a raspberry at him before she headed back to Scarlet's room, and the charcoal stallion smiled a little before he glanced over at Barry, who was grumbling and rubbing slowly at his head. “That means she likes you, you know.”
“Great. I'm thrilled, really.” Barry mumbled, and then the lanky stallion sighed tiredly and dropped his head forwards before looking up and asking hesitantly: “Not that... I mean, professionally-interested or... speaking, or... you know. Uh. Is your kid okay then? Antares, yeah?”
Scrivener quieted a little, looking away, and then he shook his head slowly and sipped at his coffee. There was silence between the two for a few moments before the charcoal stallion said softly: “He is and he isn't. He's hurting a lot right now, Barry... Antares lost his wings.”
“Oh hell. I'm sorry to hear that.” Barry winced a bit, shifting uneasily as he rubbed at the back of his head with one hoof, clutching his coffee against his breast with the other as he hesitated again, then asked finally: “Is there... I mean, he's no little kid or anything and I know you got like... demons and a whole horde of supporters, but... can I do anything?”
The charcoal stallion looked with surprise at Barry, and then he smiled a little before beginning to shake his head... before frowning thoughtfully, rubbing at the underside of his muzzle. “Maybe not directly for Antares, but... what kind of connections do you have to the newspapers in Canterlot?”
“Uh... someone I went to school with helps run the uh... Canterlot Tribune, I think. Medium-size paper, pretty good distribution across Equestria.” the agent replied thoughtfully after a moment, cocking his head curiously. “Why's that? You looking for a little revenge on Ersatz? Because I don't think they're gonna want to pick a fight with Rogues And Studs.”
“No, but Antares' marefriend, Meadowlark, writes for the paper here. If I get you a few of her articles, can you send them over to your friend, see if they can find a place for her to fit in, just for an article or two?” Scrivener asked curiously, and when Barry cocked his head curiously, the charcoal stallion shrugged a little and said finally: “It would mean a lot to Antares, I think. He's happy when people around him are happy, and I know Meadowlark would really appreciate it.”
Barry shifted a bit back and forth, and then he nodded after a moment before asking uneasily: “This isn't like... you aren't trying to kick your son out of your house or something, right? I don't wanna be involved in no family disputes, champ, from what I know you're a great pony but when families start fighting all the worst comes out and-”
“No, no, you idiot. But there's going to be a new baby in the house sooner or later, and I know that Antares... it might be hard on him. If he and Meadowlark can get a better job, she might relax a little more, maybe even afford a better place than where she lives now. And Spike already said he'd be happy to have Antares work with him over the next while as an assistant.” Scrivener stopped and smiled a little as he closed his eyes, feeling the tickle of Twilight's emotions as she overheard this, saw her smile in his mind. “That's kind of a... spiral thing there.”
“I have no clue what you mean, but I think I get the drift. You want the kids to have options, yeah?” Barry hesitated, and then he rubbed at his face slowly and sighed before nodding grudgingly. “Well, okay. Guess I got myself into this one anyway, so sure, what the hay. Mail the articles to my office in Canterlot, and I'll forward them over to my friend at the Tribune.”
Scrivener smiled and nodded, saying softly: “Thanks Barry. I really appreciate it. Why don't you hang around? Luna and I are cleaning out my daughter's old room today... she's moving into a new house with her partner, so she's going to take it all over there.”
“This still sounds like one of those family fight things.” Barry said pessimistically, and Scrivener rolled his eyes before drinking down the rest of his coffee in a few gulps, as the agent studied him before asking awkwardly: “So uh... should I take that as my cue to leave?”
“Take it however you want, Barry. Scarlet and Antares will probably be back in a little while, and Luna and Twilight and I won't be much longer in cleaning out her room.” Scrivener replied after a moment, and Barry nodded a few times before he smiled lamely as the charcoal stallion turned and strode out of the kitchen, adding over his shoulder: “Just don't screw with Luna's art supplies. There's some books in the office upstairs if you want something to read.”
“Thanks champ!” Barry called, still looking oddly embarrassed, and Scrivener smiled to himself and shook his head slowly as he strode into Scarlet's room, before giving an amused look at Luna as she glared at him, while Twilight was looking with much more gentility at the charcoal stallion.
“Idiot Scrivener Blooms.” Luna muttered, and then she hesitated before nodding and mumbling: “But 'twas a very nice idea about Meadowlark, that I must admit. Damnation, Scrivy. Since when did thou begin to get good ideas? 'Tis extremely frustrating.”
The stallion only shrugged, and then Twilight gestured over at a large wardrobe, saying softly: “Here, help me move this. Luna doesn't want me just lifting with telekinesis, and I think it's going to be too awkward to get out the door by magic alone, anyway.”
“Oh, great. Okay, let's tip it over and I'll carry it on my back or something.” Scrivener said after a moment, and Twilight smiled as Scrivener turned around... before Luna firmly flicked her horn, knocking the wardrobe spilling over to smack firmly down onto Scrivener's back and drive him to the ground with a wheeze, his eyes bulging in pain as Twilight winced and twitched.
Luna flinched as well, but grinned widely after a moment as Scrivener groaned from the ground despite the ache in her own back, the mare shaking herself briskly out before she went back to packing a box full of trinkets, muttering: “'Tis what thou deserves, Scrivy. Thou wert lazy. The lazy and the slothful must be punished, that is all there is to it.”
Scrivener only muttered from the ground moodily, and then he sighed and carefully forced his hooves under him, gritting his teeth and straightening as Twilight gave Luna a dry look, but the sapphire mare only sniffed and stood up tall, lifting two boxes with telekinesis as she declared: “See, I am not lazy at all. I am doing all my work, and doing it well. Do not force me to strike thee with my battering ram, Scrivener Blooms. Do not make me... invade thy... thy... uh... castle keep.”
She grinned widely, and Scrivener sighed as Twilight only rolled her eyes and gave Luna a pointed look, and then she huffed and strode out of the room, grumbling: “Well 'tis not my fault that I cannot think of any proper metaphor. Unlike thee, I rarely spent nights lonely in the past. Whatever I fantasized about, 'twas quickly made into reality, so I had no need for... silly innuendo.”
The sapphire winged unicorn continued to grumble to herself as she made her way out to the patio, and the charcoal stallion rolled his eyes as Twilight carefully grasped the back end of the wardrobe with telekinesis, hefting it carefully as she asked finally: “Why do we love her again?”
“Because we've seen that while this is how she treats the ponies she loves, it's much better than what she does to the ponies she hates.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight nodded moodily in agreement before the stallion carefully strode forwards, adding finally: “And I can take the weight of this thing, you don't have to worry about lifting it too much, Twilight...”
“It's okay, Scrivy, it's not a strain or anything. Besides, I'm just keeping the doors held closed.” Twilight reassured with a smile, shaking her head a little before she added quietly: “And... Scrivener. Thank you for... for everything. You and Luna both, but... I know this must be a little awkward for you, too. I mean, neither of us could know...”
Scrivener smiled faintly as he strode through the doorway, careful to navigate the enormous furnishing through as he said softly: “The measure of a stallion shows in how he takes care of the mare he loves. Mares, I guess, in my case, since... we're all weird and all. But if I didn't... make sure I was there for you in every way, I wouldn't be a stallion. I'd just be some... sleaze, glorifying in what I have instead of cherishing it. Just like Luna knows that if she didn't... celebrate this with you, you wouldn't really be an equal. We'd be abusing your kindness and your love, and neither of us wants to do that.”
“Still, I appreciate it. I really do. You could have... you and Luna easily could have just... told me 'no,' after all. And with how you have a little power over me as my anchors, even made me...” Twilight shifted a little, but Scrivener only smiled faintly, shaking his head slowly.
“Neither of us could ever do that to you.” the stallion said quietly, and Twilight blushed as they carefully made their way out into the hallway, then headed for the door.
Luna was there, waiting for them, gazing softly at Scrivener: their eyes met, and emotions traded back and forth between them before they smiled warmly to one another as the sapphire mare flicked her horn gently, pulling the door a little wider as she murmured: “Conspirators. Constantly talking behind mine back. I should punish thee both heartily.”
“Are you going to ram down our gates?” Scrivener asked dryly, and Luna stared at him before the sapphire mare began to giggle loudly, and Scrivener sighed as Twilight cleared her throat loudly behind him. “No. I... I don't know what I'm encouraging her. I think I'm a masochist.”
”Aye, but we all already knew that. 'Tis part of why thou art my beloved wife.” Luna replied cheerfully, nodding firmly once as Scrivener and Twilight carefully made their way out to an empty spot on the deck to set down the furnishing. Then she paused and softened as she gazed back and forth, at the boxes and furniture and piles of blankets sitting on the dresser, as she said in a softer voice: “Are we good parents, does thou think? Did we do good with Scarlet Sage?”
“Yeah, I think so.” Scrivener said quietly after a moment, nodding hesitantly as Twilight Sparkle smiled faintly at the two. “I don't like seeing this any more than you do, Luna, but... she hasn't lived here for years now. She barely uses her room here and... well, she said herself she'd like to move her things out when we talked to her about it. Even if we were both dumb enough to miss the part about her getting her own freaking house.”
“Aye, that goes to show what geniuses we are, does it not, Scrivy?” Luna asked moodily, and Scrivener grunted and nodded in agreement after a moment before they looked at each other, then both sighed and smiled, making the same bobbing gesture with their heads. As they mirrored each other in expression and action, their eyes locked and they shared a flurry of emotions, and Twilight closed her eyes as she felt this. It was like a wind blowing by, carrying words she could still faintly here, warmth that breathed over her face... it was the strangest of comforts to know that if she wanted to, she could just step forwards, and be in the center of the full force of that gust of thought and emotion.
Then all three shook themselves out at almost the same time, before heading quietly back inside. There wasn't much left now: some odds and ends to pack into boxes, a small set of shelves to pull apart and move out, a few pictures to take off the walls and pack up.
Luna and Scrivener decided to finish up packing, while Twilight headed out into the living room after a little bit of urging from the two an reassurance she had helped more than enough. It only took Scrivener and Luna some ten minutes to finish packing up, while Twilight chatted a little with Barry, who seemed bent on trying to make a good impression. Or rather, a better one than he had in the past.
Once everything had been packed up, Scrivener and Luna simply sat for a little while outside. They looked over all these things that belonged to their daughter, and thought about all the time they'd spent with Scarlet Sage. How she was no longer 'adopted' but 'theirs,' how much they loved her. How much they missed her. And how they wished they'd spent more time together.
And they both knew that Antares might want to move out as well, and all they could do was let him go, no matter how badly they wanted to keep their family close. Both of them... and Luna and Scrivener traded quiet looks before the mare smiled faintly and murmured: “Be not silly, Scrivener Blooms. I understood from the moment she revealed herself why thou wert able to swallow down Ersatz's bile. 'Tis just... easier sometimes... to play the role of fool. Thou knows this well.”
“Aye.” Scrivener replied softly, and Luna gently punched him in the shoulder, making him smile a little back before he shook his head slowly, and they both gazed down for a moment. Luna rubbed her hoof against the deck, and Scrivener turned his eyes to a portrait sitting aside on the dresser, saying softly: “But we're lucky, aren't we? It's not goodbye, after all... she's in Ponyville. Starting her own family. We can be proud, and maybe one day soon, we'll be grandparents.”
“Grandparents. That is a terrifying thought.” Luna closed her eyes, and then she grunted and nodded moodily once. “I do not desire to be called a 'grandmother' Scrivy. It sounds old. I do not desire to sound old.”
“You know, one day, like, a bajillion years from now, you and I could still be living out somewhere quiet and secluded, and our great-great-great-great-great-etcetera grandkids might come and visit us, and they could very well look older than we do. And probably act more mature, too.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna shivered at this thought, then punched Scrivener firmly in the shoulder, making him wince. “Hey!”
“Do not say things like that. 'Tis terrifying.” She paused, then looked musingly at Scrivener Blooms. “Of course, I also have come to realize that thou and I could fill a country with our progeny over time, could we not? Especially if Twilight is capable of giving birth too. One day she will bear my children, Scrivener, just wait and see.”
Scrivener sighed tiredly, rolling his eyes as the mare grinned over at him, before Luna added mildly: “Perhaps I should perform my most potent magic for Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage, what does thou think? I shall give to one of them a-”
“Stop. Just. Stop.” Scrivener said flatly, and Luna huffed loudly at him before the stallion shook his head and added quietly: “Besides, I kind of think they want to do this on their own, you know? The way Scarlet talked about it before...”
“Aye. Aye, I am not entirely stupid, Scrivy.” Luna said mildly, poking at the stallion a few times with one hoof, and he huffed and poked back at her grumpily before the two slapped at each other like foals, and then Luna leaned quickly forwards and bopped him firmly with her horn. “Bugger thee.”
“Bugger you.” Scrivener grumbled, and then there was silence for a moment before the stallion glanced up curiously as a faint sound caught his ears, tingled his senses. Luna smiled slightly at this, turning her own eyes upwards with a pleased look: Scrivener's senses were a little sharper these days. “They were fast.”
“Aye, or we were slow in hauling this nonsense from Scarlet Sage's room.” Luna remarked, and Scrivener shrugged agreeably before the two ponies smiled at the group that strode out of the Everfree Forest and towards them, the mare calling warmly: “And how are thee, my family?”
Scarlet Sage and Antares both smiled up at their mother, as Apple Bloom simply chuckled: she was dressed in her work coveralls, a headband keeping her mane out of her face and a rifle of some kind holstered over her back next to a large, square saddlebag. Luna turned her eyes to this with interest, even as Scarlet Sage said softly: “The place looks great... but you know, I thought you and Dad didn't even realize we were leaving at first...”
“Oh, we are distracted but not that distracted, fear not!” Luna said huffily, even as her nose twitched, and Scrivener smiled amusedly before he winced when Luna punched him again in the shoulder, then added hurriedly: “And Apple Bloom, 'tis not that I do not understand the desire to bring a weapon everywhere with me, but is a rifle so necessary to tote through Ponyville?”
“Well, Luna, I had to carry it out here to you. This is your gun, after all.” Apple Bloom replied with a grin, and Luna brightened childishly as Scrivener winced and Antares stared, but Scarlet Sage only sighed, earning a huff from her partner. “Oh come on now, she ain't gonna shoot anyone here. Well, maybe your Dad, but he's a big tough stallion, ain't he?”
“Yeah. Great.” Scrivener muttered, as Apple Bloom slipped the holster off before tossing it towards Luna, and the mare caught this with telekinesis, grinning slowly as she pulled the weapon free and gazed over it with delight, as Scrivener winced a little. “Oh this is right out of my nightmares.”
The short, rectangular barrel was jet black and heavily fortified, with a gleaming, double-edged bayonet adding a good six inches or so extending out beneath the armored barrel, securely rigged into place. As Luna studied it, she saw there was some kind of large cylinder she was able to pop out of the back just in front of the large mahogany grip with an elongated lever-style hoof-trigger: it swung out of place on a thin metallic arm, and Luna grinned at the sight of the four bullets inside, as Apple Bloom explained: “Cowlick helped me with this design. See, you pull the trigger, a round fires off, and the cylinder revolves so a new one takes its place. Gives you four shots before you gotta reload instead of one. And you can see that overall, Sting Mk. II has a much smoother, more solid design... I got a bunch of rounds for you here, too. I think you'll have lots of fun with her.”
“Her? No, no, this is most definitely a 'him.'” Luna said easily, spinning the strangely-designed carbine before she grinned widely as she snapped the cylinder back into place, aiming it towards the sky. “Aye, that is a nice weight, too... I like this, Apple Bloom. I like this weapon very much.”
“I aim to please.” Apple Bloom replied with a wink, and Luna spun Sting Mk. II once more before sliding it back into its holster with a warm smile over at the mare, as Scrivener sighed but gave his own wry expression of entertainment. “And you'll be even happier to know that Cowlick's just about done finishing up the first wave of the Iron Horses, too.”
Luna grinned widely at this, eyes gleaming as she stomped her hooves excitedly, and Scrivener groaned. “Oh, what a wonderful age to be alive, Scrivy! All these mechanical marvels coming to life, the meeting of many worlds into one...”
“We ain't in any big machine-age yet, Luna. But we're moving towards that... remember, we're just lucky we got a Cowlick and so much Clockwork tech to help give us an idea of what can do what.” Apple Bloom replied with a slight smile. “I might hate to say it, but nasty as those Clockwork bastards are, they still have given us a lot of ideas, and a lot of things to work with. And Cowlick's confident that one day soon, we'll be able to make our own crazy machines, capable of doin' things even unicorn magic can't.”
“Oh, fie on that. Magic is irreplaceable.” Luna replied with a huff, shaking a hoof before she turned around and gestured quickly to them. “But come, come, my family! Scrivener's annoying agent, Barry, is also here. Let us poke at him.”
Scrivener only sighed and shook his head, then he smiled over at his children and Apple Bloom, before shrugging and turning around. Scarlet Sage lingered for a moment, looking softly over her things, and then she shook her head and patted Antares on the back before leading the others forwards, as Apple Bloom said softly: “I guess you never really realize just how much you have until it ends up all laid out in front of you, huh?”
Scarlet Sage only smiled a little as she headed down the corridor, pausing once to look into the now-empty room that had once been hers before she turned her eyes forwards. But when she entered the living room, Scrivener and Luna were there, smiling at her, and Twilight Sparkle looked up softly from the book she was going over. Her family was there, like it had always been and would always be for her... and she was more happy to see them than she could say, and reminded again of how much she belonged here. Of how welcome they had always made her feel, and that they had bonds between them that would never be broken.
Then Barry awkwardly looked up from across the room where he was sitting next to curled-up Abaddon, waving a little and saying lamely: “Uh, hi there, champ's family. Nice to see you all here... uh... so I hear you're moving into a new place, Scarlet Sage, with your... girlfriend.”
“Wife.” Apple Bloom corrected, shrugging off her satchel, and Barry grinned awkwardly as Scrivener sighed and Scarlet Sage smiled despite herself at Apple Bloom's glower, even if something already told the Pegasus this was probably going to shortly lead into a very awkward conversation. Apple Bloom seemed to sense this, and seemed to be happy to fan the flames as she added almost casually: “But yeah, we are. We're planning on having a foal, see, so we want a bigger place.”
Barry's mouth worked for a moment, and then he simply nodded lamely a few times as Scarlet Sage smiled despite herself over at Apple Bloom, and Luna grinned widely over at the engineer with approval. Scrivener, meanwhile, only wondered whether or not Apple Bloom had maybe spent too much time around Cowlick and Luna, as Antares hurriedly rose a hoof and said quickly: “So uh, the new place looks great!”
“Perfect for a kid.” Apple Bloom emphasized, before she added cheerfully: “Twilight, you'll have to come see it yourself, let your foal run around with ours and all that.”
Scrivener glowered over at Apple Bloom as Twilight blushed a bit, and Barry smiled lamely before the agent asked in a slight panic: “So uh, hey, champ, so uh... just... how did your family come together again?”

Scrivener glared at Barry as they walked along the path towards Ponyville, while Luna hopped happily along behind them. The agent, meanwhile, was only keeping his head low, trying to look anywhere but at Scrivener before he finally asked in almost a whine: “How was I supposed to know that was a bad topic?”
“Oh, I don't know, the giant book I wrote on it?” Scrivener asked flatly, and Barry looked awkwardly away before the stallion sighed and looked sourly over his shoulder at Luna, as she simply grinned widely. “I don't see why you're so happy.”
“Well, what is not to be happy about, Scrivy? 'Twas such a fun conversation that followed, of foals and family and all manner of madness.” Luna said with clear relish, then she added kindly: “I must admit, though, Barry, if thou did not amuse me so much I would punch thee through a wall for some of the things thou said.”
“Well, come on! You tell me this big fantastic story about... monsters and Frost Giants and gods and... well... I still don't know the whole everything behind everything.” Barry said finally, and then he shook his head and added awkwardly: “But uh... you know, thanks, you guys, all the same, for letting me hang out like one of the crew and uh... you know, coming into town with me. You didn't have to do that, I appreciate it.”
“Well, 'tis easier this way. Scrivener Blooms can deposit his check, and I am eager to see this 'fan mail' thou has claimed awaits us at the post office.” Luna replied with a nod, before licking her lips slowly. “And of course, there is the ultimate prize that awaits me at Cowlick's engineering facility. Can thou not believe the leaps and bounds we have made over the years, Scrivener? Is it not fantastic?”
“Well, Cowlick's been working like crazy, and she's got Greece and all those Nibelung with her, and Ross certainly knows his stuff too, so... yeah.” Scrivener replied after a moment, and then there was silence before the stallion shook his head and continued thoughtfully, as he looked up towards the end of the forest path: “Be weird to see this stuff spreading all over Equestria, though. I mean... I wouldn't want Equestria to turn into Clockwork World, you know? I like having access to it, but... I wouldn't want to see it everywhere. We get along fine as it is.”
Luna grunted in agreement with this as they strode out of the forest together, and then Barry glanced towards them, asking curiously: “What's so bad about technology? I mean, hey, okay. Some of that stuff, like that big gun you got there, Lady Luna, is pretty scary. But lots of it's great! I wouldn't know how to feed myself without my coffeemaker or my microwave, and Manehattan has all those electric lights on the streets makin' it safe to go walking out at night, and with a flick of a button you can light up a whole dark room and stuff. And let's not forget the movie theater, champ, where one day you know you're gonna see your books up on the silver screen!”
“Aye, because there is so much to fear in darkness.” Luna said flatly, and Barry cleared his throat lamely before the mare paused, then smiled amusedly as she added: “And please, Barry, hast thou not already seen how badly Scrivener handles just being published? I dread to think of his reaction to his work suddenly being available as a movie.”
Scrivener grimaced at this, shaking his head and muttering: “Doubt that's ever going to happen, anyway. I Am, You Are wouldn't translate very well to the screen. You'd either have three hours of dialogue or three hours of ponies beating the crap out of each other.”
“Now come on, champ, try and be a little positive here!” Barry said mildly, looking pointedly over at Scrivener, and the stallion sighed tiredly and rolled his eyes before the lanky earth pony added brightly: “And hey, remember, we got a meeting with Doctrine, and the fundraiser with Topsy, and Underbrush, well, he's rich and famous and scary. I bet if you asked-”
“I'm not going to ask.” Scrivener interrupted flatly, and Barry dropped his head with a mumble as Luna huffed a little.
The group continued on into Ponyville in quiet, Luna and Scrivener both tossing greetings to the Nibelung guards and Barry only sulking a little. Then, suddenly, the agent looked up and asked: “What are you going to do with your money, champ?”
“I dunno.” Scrivener shrugged a bit, glancing at the satchel bag with his check and a few other odds and ends in it. “I think I'll donate about half of it to charity or something. With my luck I'll probably pick one of those charities that's actually just a front for pony trafficking or something but I can try to do good, right?”
“What? Charity?” Barry stared in disbelief, and Scrivener looked mildly back at the lanky stallion before the agent cleared his throat and said finally: “Champ, you realize... you realize how much money you made with that one check alone, right? The little dot is way off to the right on there, not the left.”
Scrivener only continued to look dryly over at Barry as he replied easily: “And do you know how much money Luna and I have? Or how we live? We have that little garden in the back, we power everything through Luna's magic, there's a living forest around us, and whenever we actually have to come into town for groceries we basically just run up a tab, then eventually pay it off with whatever treasures Luna and I steal from the last person she beats up or charge it straight to the Barony. I don't have a lot of need for money.”
Barry looked almost gloomy at this as they came to a stop, then he glanced over his shoulder and almost flinched at the sight of a homeless mare who was half-hidden in an alley, covered in filth and wearing only rags as she quietly ate a half-rotten apple, a coffee can beside her with a few loose bits in it. The agent shivered and hurried onwards, but Scrivener and Luna traded a soft look before the stallion reached back and dug in his satchel, replying quietly to Barry: “I think we should help others when we can. At least, every now and then, when we have the means to.”
He pulled out a few bits to toss into the coffeepot, and the mare glanced up at him with a creaky smile beneath the hood half-covering her face. Scrivener smiled back at her, even as he felt a strange twinge, and then he shook his head and turned to continue forwards, as Barry mumbled: “Hey, I earned my money. And no pony is gonna convince me that I don't deserve my luxury apartment.”
Luna scowled at this, but Scrivener only smiled wryly, asking drolly: “Barry, how much of your 'earnings' come from my ideas, and the work of others? Before you go saying stuff like that, remember how many people contribute to a single thing coming together. Besides, I'm not saying you should go sell all your stuff and give all your money away. I'm just saying that every now and then, if you have a little extra... put it towards something that helps people. Can't go wrong with good karma, after all.”
The sapphire mare grunted in agreement with a firm nod, and Barry huffed a bit and said grumpily: “You're trying to make me feel bad, right? Well it ain't gonna work. This is my money, champ, and you know what I'm gonna do with my slice of the pie? I'm gonna buy myself... uh... well, something great, just you wait and see!”
“I don't even understand how you managed to become a literary agent most days, Barry, or how the hell you're so successful at it. You seem to piss off everyone you meet.” Scrivener said mildly, and Barry looked offended at this... but after a moment, he instead seemed thoughtful, then sighed and shrugged moodily. “Figured.”
“I guess we all just got our talents, champ. That's all there is to it.” Barry said finally, and then he looked up brightly as they headed towards the post office, adding positively: “Now hey, hey, I definitely want to see this! Let's see you stay so negative after the heaps of fanmail you have!”
“I'm terrified out of my mind right now, actually.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna glanced curiously at the stallion, then grinned widely as she realized it was actually true: Scrivener was shifting uneasily, eying the post office warily, and already dreading what was to come before he glanced down and muttered: “At least I have claws now. I can claw the face off anything that attacks me.”
“Okay, that kind of thing? Do not say that kind of thing during interviews, and do not go showing off your crazy claws or anything.” Barry said with a wince, and the agent added hurriedly: “But you know, it is something that we could maybe discuss bringing up later on, putting you in a sympathetic light and all-”
“Yes, I'm sure lots of ponies will sympathize with the fact I'm turning into a monster. I have sharp teeth, claws, I eat meat and I bleed corruption. Oh, sure, I can now prove everything I wrote about is true, but I think that just might make people hate me more. Or think that maybe I was lying about everything except the part where I said I'm a monster, not a pony.” Scrivener replied dryly, and then he glanced over his shoulder curiously, just in time to catch a figure stumbling into a side alley. “Are we...”
Luna only gave him a small smile, sending a gentle answer to him that it was just the homeless mare, and the stallion nodded slowly after a moment even as Barry only shot a quick look back. But the agent was clearly not concerned about anyone possibly following them, saying instead in an eager voice: “I think we can work with that, though. Yeah, you know, the whole: 'I look like a monster but I'm not' angle, once we have enough time to... you know. Figure things out. For now, I think you should just keep things quiet but champ, let me do my thing-”
“No. I hate it when you 'do your thing.' I feel like such a damn hypocrite.” Scrivener interrupted, and Luna grunted in agreement as Barry sighed and looked pleading. “Anyway, I do agree that we should... try and just keep it quiet for now, yes. I don't want to explain having claws and back-spikes to ponies quite yet. Although thankfully I at least haven't had too many issues with the latter.”
Then the stallion glanced up as they approached the front of the post office, pushing his way inside... then squawking when Luna simply charged forwards, knocking him flat and trampling over him as she hurried to the counter as Barry winced and looked awkwardly down at the charcoal stallion from the doorway. “Guardians of envelopes! I demand my husband's packages!”
She paused... giggled stupidly to herself... and then the unfortunate clerk asked lamely: “Ma'am, do... do you have your package slips?”
“He has not slipped me his package recently, nay.” Luna said seriously in return, and Scrivener groaned from the ground before he picked himself up and strode pointedly past Luna towards the rows of post office boxes on the wall, muttering under his breath as the mare simply continued to stare at Luna, and the winged unicorn huffed after a moment. “'Twas a sex joke!”
The mail clerk managed a weak smile, and Luna studied the earth pony mare moodily before frowning at her glasses, the way her mane was done up in a bun so tight it almost screamed, the cultured jewelry. “Perhaps thou does not understand what I mean by that, however.”
“Okay, here we go.” Scrivener said loudly as he slammed the door of his cubbyhole, and he headed over to the mare with not only a slew of letters, but several slips he put down on the counter, the clerk looking relieved to have an excuse to head off into the back with these. As she did so, the stallion turned a pointed look to Luna, but she only yanked one of the letters quickly away from the bundle Scrivener had awkwardly cradled up in one foreleg, the stallion giving her a flat look. “I hate you sometimes, you know that, right?”
“Aye.” Luna replied absently as she shredded the envelope, then beamed brightly as she pulled the letter free from the remains. “Oh, how adorable, it looks like a card! Aye, it is a congratulatory card... how quaint. Look, Scrivy, it reads, uh...”
She bit her lip and frowned, and Scrivener smiled a little despite himself as the mare read slowly: “'The Lost Five congratulate you on your success, and would like to extend an open invitation to join them should you ever be in the Canterlot area, during the first or third week of any month. Please find us at the Prancing Pony Inn, and guests are more than welcome to attend. Yours in arms, the Lost Five.' What in the name of Asgard are the Lost Five, Scrivy? They sound like a band of warriors! Are we being invited to the table of warriors?”
“Hey, the Five? See? See? See?” Barry said excitedly, and then he grinned brightly as Scrivener only rolled his eyes in amusement, but smiled all the same at the agent's almost child-like enthusiasm. “No, no, the Lost Five was originally made up of Canterlot's five top writers, including the Court Poet who replaced Scrivener Blooms. They run a 'members only' kind of writer's group, and meet the first and third Wednesday of every month. Very posh. Very debonair. Very good news.”
“I hate writers' groups. I hate closed writers' groups more.” Scrivener remarked, and Barry looked at him with a whine as Luna laughed and shook her head, before the charcoal stallion rolled his eyes and frowned curiously over at Barry, who was fidgeting even more than usual. “Wait a minute... you didn't try to get in to the Lost Five before, did you? I mean, I know you tried to be a writer yourself, Barry, but...”
Thankfully for Barry, there was no need for him to answer as a clerk and the familiar gray Pegasus mailmare both came out of the back, carrying packages of all shape and size, and Scrivener stared blankly at this as Luna lit up like a foal on Hearth's Warming Eve, bouncing giddily as the clerk mumbled: “Sir, you're going to have to sign for all of these, and a few of the larger letters.”
“You must've made a lot of people smile with your book.” added the gray mailmare, her yellow eyes crossing for a moment as she looked down with a wheeze, before she glanced up with a smile and blinked several times. “But I think I can understand why some people might like it.”
Scrivener smiled awkwardly after a moment in return, feeling oddly touched, while Luna looked jubilant and Barry rubbed his hooves together eagerly. Maybe life wasn't so bad after all.