Synthesis of the Atheist

by BlackRoseRaven


Cutting Strings

Chapter Sixty Three: Cutting Strings
~BlackRoseRaven

Scrivener Blooms and Luna Brynhild were striding slowly through the darkness together: around them, a forest that resembled the Everfree glowed and swayed with unnatural life, as alien stars shone down through the canopy above their heads. There was a faint, strange aura around everything that told the two this wasn't real... then again, they had figured that out after one look at each other, and seeing Scrivener in his mostly-Wyrm shape, and Luna... well...
She was harder to describe. She wasn't scaled, but she her coat had a strange texture to it, almost like rubber. Her mane was darker, like more of the night had been sucked into the ephemeral locks that only half-hid a set of small, goat-like horns, and her hooves were cloven and... sharp-looking, somehow. Like she was wearing bladed shoes that had the faintest, dangerous curl to them. Not to mention the fact her crystalline horn seemed to be darker, yet shone with a core of malicious radiance.
The two traded another look as they strode onwards down the deep path, ignoring the faint blue mist that twined every so often around their ankles, or the eyes that looked at them from the darkness between the trees. They could feel Twilight's presence just up ahead, calling them quietly onwards to where she was: neither of them could be sure if it was the real Twilight, though, or another figment of this strange, terrible, dark and... beautiful... dreamscape they were in.
The path ended at a gorgeous, natural archway formed by curled trees, their branches twined together like lovers, fruits hanging like bells along them. The two looked up at this for a moment, then studied the brambles and black roses growing all along the trees before Scrivener asked softly: “I've always wondered. Do you think my obsession with these flowers is symbolic, or just a lot of selfishness because I have one tattooed on either hip?”
“Probably a little of both, to speak true.” Luna remarked after a moment, and Scrivener smiled slightly at this before both ponies strode forwards through the arch, onto a narrow stone pathway that led towards a dark little village in the distance.
They strode along the broken rock of the path, and were unsurprised to find Twilight Sparkle sitting at the outskirts. She smiled over her shoulder at them with the faintest blush in her stitched cheeks: her stitching was more prominent in this dream, made of some kind of thicker almost-cabling instead of string. There was something else, too, different about her, but neither of the ponies could put their hoof – or claw, maybe I should say – on it...
“What do you think this is? Where are we?” Twilight asked softly, gesturing towards the black village: it was clearly Ponyville, but also clearly not. There was no safety wall, and only a few tall watchtowers around the edges of the city... but it was both majestic and terrible in its design, with tall buildings of polished dark ironwood and metal, everything with sharp edges, and where there were curves they always curved into nothingness or the abyss of the night sky above.
It was madness, given shape and form and texture, and reason to exist. It was darkness, made beautiful and yet all the same warning clearly of what kinds of things lurked within these hallowed streets... yes, hallowed, for all the... the evil it reeked of. Because even if evil it was, the town sat here, calm and placid and minding its own business... and Scrivener and Luna traded looks before the sapphire mare said quietly: “Perhaps. Perhaps not. Look at Scrivener... why then, is he not a full Tyrant Wyrm? Why am I... I look more like a baby imp than a mighty demon. And thou... well... thy earrings glint in thy ears, thy collar is tight around thy neck, and yet thou art missing something, even if something else feels... added to thee. But neither Scrivener nor I can tell what.”
Twilight Sparkle glanced down hesitantly, then she touched her breast gently before closing her eyes and drawing her hoof down, and the thick stitching covering that Y-shaped, permanent wound in her breast twisted itself loose and let the wound open just enough to see-
“Kundalini.” Scrivener whispered; the Core of the Tyrant Wyrm. A single great, terrible, staring eye, and then he looked sharply up at her, but the flush that suffused Twilight's cheeks and the way the wound hurriedly closed itself told him that this was the real Twilight, not some figment of a dream. “But... does that mean...”
“No, no, god no. No. I don't... I don't know what this is doing inside me. But I don't feel like one of... them. Horses of Heaven I don't ever want to become one of them.” Twilight shivered, and then she blushed again when Scrivener shifted awkwardly, the mare shaking her head hurriedly. “No, it's... I'm sorry, I didn't mean you. You... you're not like them, Scrivener. Even if you are, at the same time you... you aren't. You think, you feel, you exist to protect. Not destroy. You make me feel... safe.”
She lowered her head embarrassedly, but Scrivener smiled a little as he glanced up at her, and Luna nodded firmly as well, murmuring: “Aye. 'Tis a good way to put it. Scrivy, do not be an idiot. Twilight Sparkle, also do not be an idiot, that is better left to myself and Scrivener Blooms. Perhaps 'tis just... this world's way of showing we are all connected. Or it is whatever is helping pave this dreamscape playing a sick and twisted game with us... is that it, Nightmare Moon and Valthrudnir?”
But strangely, there was silence in return, and Luna looked awkwardly at the night sky for a few moments before she mumbled: “Well, at least 'tis a dream and I do not feel like a total idiot for yelling at enemies that perhaps are not watching us after all. Or maybe 'tis just a trick to make me look like a fool. Aye, that is likely it.”
Scrivener and Twilight both looked at Luna, and there was a long silence for a few moments before Luna stomped a hoof and grumbled: “Wonderful. Thou both probably have eyes in thy chests, yet I am the freak and fool here because I happened to scream at the sky on the off-chance the very real parasites inside our linked souls were watching.”
“The nightmare's not fluctuating with your emotions, though. So maybe they are here and forming this around us, but just not paying attention to us.” Scrivener said softly, glancing back and forth, and Luna frowned a little over at the stallion, who smiled awkwardly back and bowed his head a little. “Yeah. I'm worried. I don't mind being a monster but... I don't like seeing you two pulled into any of these sick games. You're a Valkyrie, Luna, a hero... and... Twilight, Lich or not... you're something even purer and better than us both. Even when you make the wrong decisions, after all... you still do it for the right reasons. Me and Luna? We tend to do the right thing as a byproduct, not... not as much by choice as we might both like.”
Twilight blushed a little at this and dropped her head forwards, smiling faintly, and there was silence before Luna shook her head out and asked quietly: “Did thou see anything when thou wert dropped here, Twilight Sparkle? Or did thou simply awaken as we did, already on the move towards this place, as if... drawn to it?”
“Yeah. I think we ended up in different locations because... all three of us are connected, but you share one soul. My soul technically stands apart from yours, even if all our life essence and vitality and everything else is mixed together.” the Lich replied, shaking her head a little. “But I feel like... I feel like... something's inside there. Calling to us all.”
“Aye. I feel it too.” Luna murmured, and then she lowered her head, muttering as her cyan-green eyes glimmered: “Well... I have never been one for resisting temptation. Let us push inwards and see whatever 'tis this nightmare's illustrator desires us to see.”
Twilight nodded hesitantly in response to this plan, and the three faced forwards for a few moments, only gazing into this dark, alien town before the three forced themselves to push onwards. The moment they crossed over the border, they all looked back and forth uneasily, like they expected something to spring out and attack them... but instead, there was only quiet. Not silence, no; they could hear something rustling, and whispers on the air, and perhaps the song of some night-bird not all that far away...
It wasn't as hostile as any of them expected. And as they strode deeper, the air didn't become more menacing, but instead the world around them felt more welcoming, and they heard murmurs like old, lost friends were greeting them and welcoming them home. Eyes gazed out of windows and from alleyways, and the shapes and profiles of strange, dark ponies and other creatures made themselves known here and there, shifting and visible, but never clear.
They made their way to the center of town, and found there was no longer any city hall here: the building had been torn down and replaced by some kind of shrine. It sat on a circular, stone foundation and was guarded by statues of demons, the black tile roof formed into a tall funnel over which grew ivy and vines and all manner of strange flora.
Inside, clear and visible between the tall pillars that held up the rooftop, was a statue of Nightmare Moon in all her glory, posed pridefully in the center of a pool of black water. Luna, Scrivener, and Twilight all gazed in at this from the temple's open exterior, none of them quite wanting to dare striding into this both sacred and unholy place.
A cold wind whispered by, and seemed to carry laughter on it before the feeling of the world around them changed. All three ponies turned slowly around to see that a dusting of frost had salted the earth of the square, and ice was beginning to spread over several of the buildings... likely all due to the presence of the Jötnar now calmly resting one hand against a lamppost, a smile on his face as cold as the frost spreading along the black iron.
He was playing with what looked like a set of small rectangular chips carved from bones: Luna recognized them as runes. She glared at him as he made them dance along his knuckles, twisting and twirling with each other through his dexterous fingers as he asked in a soft, mellifluous voice: “Have you ever stopped to question the workings of Fate? Have you ever thought about the way that, no matter how much you fight it, all of existence seems to continue to move in one decided direction, against which you are helpless to resist being pulled? Do you know why this is?”
“Because thou art some grand masterful manipulator, aye, we are all utterly helpless against thy designs. Oh alas, look at us, quaking in fear of thy absolute absoluteness.” Luna said disgustedly, flailing her hooves a little, and Valthrudnir rolled his eyes in distaste as he clenched his runes in his hand, standing straight as Scrivener and Twilight both only frowned at the dragon.
Valthrudnir looked moodily down at his hand, and then he suddenly gave a smile again, but his eyes were dark and dangerous as he slowly opened his fist. And instead of runes, a tall, bottle-shaped doll was revealed, painted to look as if it was wearing what looked almost like a black burka, with vulture-skinned hands resting by its waist.
The three ponies snarled after a moment as they recognized who the doll was supposed to be, and Valthrudnir lowered his hand away, leaving the porcelain doll sitting in air. He smiled coldly as he reached up and grasped the head of the Urd-shaped toy, and all three were surprised when he pulled the upper half of the body away to reveal a smaller doll hidden inside, which hopped out onto thin air beside Urd of its own volition. It was painted in a dress, with a mask over its 'face:' Verdandi.
Valthrudnir placed the Urd toy back together, speaking calmly as his fingers settled over Verdandi: “What fools they were, the Norns. Calling themselves 'Fate,' declaring that everything they decided was meant to be...”
He pulled upwards, revealing a third, smaller still doll inside of Verdandi, which hopped out into thin air: Skuld. She was painted in exquisite detail, from the hood that hid most of her features apart from her sneering rosy lips, to the cloak and raiment she bedecked herself in: had bedecked herself in... Luna had annihilated her in combat. “As if things were so simple. As if all the universe could be controlled by three self-righteous sisters who fought to control every aspect all by themselves.
“Do not misunderstand me: I admired their desire for order, and sympathized with their want to do everything themselves... but that is not how you win the game.” Valthrudnir set Verdandi's top half back onto the doll, then he easily waved his hand behind them, and the three toys hopped through the air in the direction he gestured, following his movements. “Order is about things working together, in perfect conjunction with each other. A pocketwatch is not a masterwork because of its shining golden body, but the hundreds of tiny parts that all work together inside of it. I do not see myself as the Norns, trying to give directions to a million different players on a thousand different stages performing hundreds upon hundreds of varied plays: I am the clockmaker, and the universe is my pocketwatch.”
Scrivener shivered at this, then he said quietly: “You're a puppeteer. Trying to make us all toys in your mechanized show. But that didn't work with Decretum, did it? Even when you succeed in your ideas they never turn out like you want them to.”
Valthrudnir only smiled contemptibly at this, saying softly: “Yes, but I've had time to think about where I went wrong with those projects... and of course, let's not forget that I have been forced to learn I am not above being tampered with. It was a foolish miscalculation on my part: I myself was immune to the powers of the Norns, but not Decretum and my projects. But you've dealt with those self-righteous postulants for me.”
Valthrudnir clenched his hand into a fist, and all three porcelain dolls fell to the ground, shattering into dust. The Jötnar smiled calmly, his amber eyes glinting darkly. “And yet all the same, you fools still seem to believe yourselves tied to a 'destiny' that they ordained for you. But I do not believe the Fates were as cunning or as powerful as they liked to seem. No, I think they were like... like stupid monkeys that have learned to use tools by imitating their betters. All they did was read into the complex and beautiful interplay of molecules and atoms, interpret the chemical responses of you little plebeians, who are such slaves to your biochemistry and psychology.”
“I do not even know what thou art talking about. I have free will, Valthrudnir: and if I was truly a slave to my breeding and bloodlust, then I assure thee I would have smashed through thy barrier long ago and damned the risks in killing thee.” Luna growled in response, leaning forwards and narrowing her eyes. “Thou art nothing but swine and filth. Thou art nothing but a craven coward, a pathetic parasite apparently willing to crawl into his own 'failed creation' in order to attempt to save is wretched excuse for existence.”
The dragon narrowed his eyes dangerously, and then he gestured coldly around at the dark village, asking disgustedly: “And what about you, Valkyrie? Look at this world we stand in: you lay the blame at my doorstep, but like any other member of the ignorant and spineless masses, you are inconsistent in the application of guilt and blame. You would hold the creation of this dark world around us against me, but this is not my doing: this is yours. Do you truly hold me completely accountable for what all three of you are on the road to becoming? Oh yes, Nihete I have urged along because it suits my aims and ends, but if he truly desired to be or saw himself as something else, then why would he continue to evolve and transform in that same direction after your self-proclaimed 'defeat' of me?”
Valthrudnir shook his head slowly, then he gestured irritably at the piles of porcelain dust on the ground, and a moment later not dolls, but images of the Norns themselves were standing in front of them: three tall females, all their faces hidden, Urd with her cloth-wrapped head bowed, Verdandi glaring out from behind her ominous, bolted-on mask, Skuld grinning callously as she slowly ground the sword in one hand against a rune-covered staff in the other. “The Norns attempted to rewrite your story, into that... disgusting pile of sloppy, plot-hole filled drivel you entitled Because Love Conquers All. They told you that was what you would one day become, and even though they are gone and dead, you unsophisticated proletariats are now self-fulfilling their prophecy of lies.
“You look at me, and think I am worthy of contempt because... I strive to create a universe devoid of debasement and the purposelessness in which every day, you wretched little mortals squander yourselves away with? I am designer, a creator, an... an artist! What are you then, who spend your lives striving only for ineptitude, to waste your existences away in some childish idea of 'comfort,' pissing away what you could accomplish because apparently free will means the will to spend your days lazing and humping each other instead of working for the betterment of yourselves and the evolution of the muddy cesspit you call society!”
Valthrudnir stepped forwards and swung his arm out, shattering the images of all three Norns as he snarled at the trio of ponies, who only stared in disbelief up at the Jötnar. For a few moments, there was an awkward silence, and then Luna said finally: “I must argue that sometimes humping is a good thing, Valthrudnir. For without it, there would be no foals.”
The dragon slowly closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands, grinding his teeth together loudly as reality visibly twisted around him with his frustration. Scrivener and Twilight both stared disbelievingly at Luna as she cleared her throat awkwardly, rearing back slightly as she all the same couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen if and when the Jötnar finally snapped from all the pent-up stress and frustration.
Silence spiraled out, and then the ivory-scaled dragon finally dropped his arms and stared up at the alien sky above listlessly, looking oddly... defeated. It was a strange expression on the giant's face, as he muttered: “Why do I even bother attempting to explain myself to you three? Why do I even bother attempting to stop you from reaching the self-destructive end of your story, which I am somehow sure will result in a calamity far worse than anything I have created, because at least my destruction has always been merited by the ends which I wish to achieve.”
Luna snorted at this, then she shifted uneasily as she muttered: “I do not know if that is a compliment or an insult. 'Tis nice that thou recognizes nothing in the universe can quite bring down wrath like I am capable of.”
Valthrudnir looked distastefully across at Luna, while Scrivener only dropped his head with a grimace. Another literary metaphor... more than that, were Valthrudnir's behaviors becoming more exaggerated? Were there more hints of his own likeness in the Jötnar?
Twilight seemed to recognize it too as she looked uneasily at Scrivener, and then Valthrudnir shook his head slowly before the dragon gestured around at the dark town they stood in, asking: “How can you see this as an end to be proud of, Valkyrie? Look around at where we are. Look at its populace... creatures lurking in the shadows, demons, entities that feed on emotion and strive only for power. That do not work together unless there is application of force, like a broken engine that requires a manual crank, and even then still does not perpetuate.”
Luna shrugged after a moment, then she looked up and whistled quietly, and dark-coated ponies emerged from the homes and buildings: the Pegasi possessed leathery wings, and the unicorns cloven hooves and tufted tails, and the earth ponies rubbery coats and sharpened teeth. Skeletons and animated dead strode beside them, as did demons and Nightmares and Phooka and countless other beings that were all at peace with one-another, in spite of their primal natures.
“Aye, I see, but does thou, Valthrudnir? They have all learned to work together, better by far than thy machines... for they are alive, but thou forgets that chaos is not a killer. Order kills. Order will do what it must to keep its machinations running smoothly, but when they run no more, then it would prefer to leave them dead and silent instead of letting them adapt.” Luna replied quietly, gesturing around at the creatures of darkness. “But chaos survives, and nature grows and evolves. And in the struggle in the wild, rabbit and wolf may live together side-by-side so long as the predator is well-fed.”
Valthrudnir snorted at this, replying distastefully: “Creatures of base instinct still sometimes kill for pleasure. Creatures of so-called 'intelligence' kill for pleasure more often.”
“Aye, that is something thou would know well.” Luna replied ironically, and when Valthrudnir glared at her, she only shook her head slowly. “They will learn from their leaders, if strong. They will learn from rewards and punishments, if doled out fairly and consistently. But I do not expect thou to understand. Thou art a tyrant, a monarch who believes all must bow to his designs, upon which he, so-called 'clockmaker' rules over alone. Is it lonely atop thy mountain, Valthrudnir? Is that why thou insists upon engaging us in these debates?”
The dragon snorted in disgust, then replied contemptibly: “At least I am not an idealist and a communist like you are, Valkyrie. Or at least, that seems to be the idea you would sell to your so-called people. You clearly desire to hoard power yourself.”
“I do.” Luna said quietly, and Valthrudnir seemed surprised by this admission before the winged unicorn stepped forwards and looked coldly up at the Jötnar. “Why would we deny it? Thou hast seen us. Peeked at our minds and morals. Twilight Sparkle knows. And both Scrivener and I accepted it long ago, we both have a thirst for power and control. But the difference between us and thou, Valthrudnir? We admit our failings and do our best to limit ourselves. Thou art nothing but a spoilt child who insists he can handle more and more responsibility in spite of how he has already left the house in disarray.”
The dragon looked less than pleased at this, his fingers clenching into fists before he rose one hand in front of himself and snapped his fingers, and all around them, the populace of the town turned to ashes and dust that blew quickly away in a scathing wind. Beneath their hooves, the world groaned as if in pain, before buildings twisted and warped as spikes of ice ripped out of walls and rooftops, jutting towards the sky as black mire began to flood out from windows and wounds in the structures all around them.
The three ponies stepped backwards, staring in shock, as metal pipes and girders ripped out of the ground, and buildings snapped apart, vomiting out black sludge as their skeletal frameworks trembled before rapidly reconstructing themselves into sinister towers and monoliths. Ice and mire spread, forming awful structures of their own, taking on their own alien life as the three were forced to retreat back into the temple.
And Valthrudnir only glared at them, his amber eyes challenging them to react as the world shuddered beneath their hooves, before the temple suddenly lurched violently upwards, the solid stone foundation shoved into the sky as a massive tree sprouted from the ground beneath it. Enormous vines wrapped up around the pillars and fenced in the walls as Valthrudnir reared back in surprise from the geysers of corruption that burst up around the immense black ash growing up from the crater left behind, and alien warmth and life ripped through the mire as it was taken over by some primal, dark force, melting the ice as hungry vines and plants ripped up through the black ooze.
Valthrudnir grimaced in disgust as vines snapped up out of the dark sludge and wrapped around one of his arms, tearing his suit and cutting against his scales before he ripped the limb backwards with a snarl and tore free of the vines. A squealing rose up from the plants as they bled thick black sap, and he shook the severed tendrils hurriedly off while snapping the fingers of his free hand, the ground beneath and around him bursting into flames. They licked harmlessly against his legs and tail, but incinerated the plants and mire around him, before he looked coldly up as quiet laughter filled the air.
Slowly, a massive shape rose over the temple, covering it in shadow as two immense, cloven hooves reached up to gently grasp the sides of it. Scarred features leaned over a building that was tiny compared to this fearsome entity, and sharp teeth bared in a grin as a mane of burning flames twisted back and forth, filling the world with ill blue light. “Now this is no way to treat our friends, is it, Lord Valthrudnir?”
Nightmare Moon loomed over them all: monstrous, gigantic, terrible. Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight all turned disbelieving eyes towards the massive form of the creature, and Valthrudnir brushed slowly at himself, then looked with distaste at his torn clothing, before the colossus chastised gently: “Nor is this your playground, but mine, meant to show you and sweet Luna... what we could all achieve together. A mix of harmony and chaos, of good and evil, all things in balance. Please do not play with what is not yours, Lord Valthrudnir, and leave me to my designs... you wouldn't want to make me upset, would you?”
There was silence for a few moments, and then Valthrudnir snorted in disgust before he simply vanished from existence. Nightmare Moon laughed quietly at this, the sound echoing through the entire dark world, before she leaned carefully down and gazed into what was only a tiny cage compared to her, in which Scrivener and Luna and Twilight were no larger than grasshoppers. “Hello, my children. Do not fear... we shall never let him harm you...”
“Thou... thou art...” Luna shivered after a moment, staring up at the creature, at all the implications that had just been drawn before the sapphire mare whispered: “But how? By what madness... by what forbidden art hast thou become so powerful? How can thou threaten and do harm unto the Jötnar when we cannot?”
Nightmare Moon smiled calmly at this , replying kindly: “Do not strain yourself, my darling Luna. Only know that you are safe, and he plays a most important role... we will let no harm come to you, though. Let us continue to strive to work together... but also know that even if I am powerful, I cannot risk removing Valthrudnir from your minds, even if the request came from my King of the Night. Just because I can harm him, does not mean I can do so with impunity: there will still be consequences to Scrivener Blooms if I do so. But I am also sure that the knowledge he is no longer beyond our touch will help him with his decisions to cooperate with us in the future.”
There was silence for a few moments, and then Nightmare Moon laughed quietly before she drew slowly backwards, her body becoming translucent darkness that was filled with terrible, cold constellations of stars and swirling, hostile galaxies, her eyes becoming green, twin suns as she said lovingly down to them: “Do not fear. We shall always protect you. Do what is right for all of you... our Mistresses and King of the Night. And soon... you will never have to fear any enemy, ever again...”
The unearthly entity slowly faded from sight,and Luna, Scrivener and Twilight traded uneasy looks before the Lich swallowed thickly as her eyes turned silently towards the grinning statue at the center of the temple. She could feel the same fear in Scrivener and Luna as she felt... but also that hideous, warped sense of love, that twisted eagerness... and in herself, much as she tried to deny it... worship, and adoration. For Nightmare Moon, for Luna Brynhild, for Scrivener Blooms.
Twilight clenched her eyes shut and swallowed thickly, hugging herself and shivering as the stitching over her body pulsed before she whispered something her mind begged for, but her heart, oh, her heart didn't want at all: “Let's get out of here.”
Luna and Scrivener looked silently over at the Lich, then nodded slowly and strode towards her, only hugging Twilight tightly. Slowly, surreality melted away around them into a black void... but Twilight could still feel Nightmare Moon there, watching and waiting, and whispering her dangerous promises to them all.

It was a long, slow waking up: by the time Scrivener Blooms managed to sit up in bed, his body was aching and he was already wondering whether or not the day was going to be worth pushing through. He grumbled a little to himself, slowly rubbing at one of his forelegs before he sighed a little as Twilight shifted in bed and pushed her face into Luna's breast.
The sapphire mare herself had her eyes open, looking softly up at the stallion, and Scrivener gazed back for a few moments before he leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, just beneath her horn. She smiled faintly at him, then nodded a little before murmuring: “Tea today, I think, Scrivy. 'Tis not usually my preference but... I do not think the sun is even close to rising yet, is it?”
Scrivener wasn't sure he even wanted to know what time it was exactly, but he knew Luna was right about that, at least. There wasn't a hint of light in the room apart from the soft glow emitted by Luna's mane, and the faint, comforting aura that came from her soulstone horn. The stallion paused before he gently stroked a hoof over this, and Luna shuddered and arched her back a little before mumbling: “Damn thou, Scrivy. 'Tis not the time for that.”
The stallion smiled despite himself, then he shook his head and turned, hauling himself to his hooves and yawning a little as he mumbled: “Makes me really wonder what you'd be like as a stallion, Luna, if your other horn would end up being that sensitive.”
“'Twould be much larger than a horn, Scrivy, and 'twould be much less twitchy than thine own.” Luna grumbled in response to this, but the stallion only smiled amusedly as he strode towards the door, letting himself quietly out of the bedroom as Luna flopped back down and closed her eyes, curling the Lich closer up against her body as she mumbled: “Horn. Pah. I shall show thee a sensitive horn.”
The stallion, meanwhile, meandered his way through the living room and into the kitchen. All was quiet, but then again, Antares had gone to stay at Meadowlark's for the night, and Innocence had been completely tuckered out by her long day. And after bringing Cheshire back to CIMH, he and Luna had been a little tired themselves... although cheerful.
Innocence had enjoyed a great party, at least. Lots of family, even if she didn't have lots of friends. Well, Scrivener liked to think some were both, and Cheshire was definitely a friend to their baby girl, which was a huge relief for him.
Scrivener smiled as he heard a chirping, and then Abaddon leapt up onto his back and scurried up to his shoulder to nibble at his mane as the stallion went about the process of digging out some peppermint tea from their cluttered shelves. “Hey, kid. How are you holding up?”
Abaddon chirped at him again, then crawled up onto his head and sat primly atop his skull, and Scrivener smiled despite himself as he continued to ruffle through things. “I figured as much. You're an independent little guy, aren't you? But I'm glad for that. Much as I want to carry you around with me everywhere, me and Luna kind of go into a lot of rough places, and I'm not sure you can even send letters or anything. I guess Twilight could teach you that trick... maybe. I dunno. You have blue breath.”
The pseudodragon nodded, then belched out a toxic cloud of blue mist that floated in the air for a moment before dissolving, and Scrivener shook his head as he finally managed to find the box of teabags. “Still, though. Maybe I'm just being overprotective. You're also made of mire... furthermore, the only successful thing I've made, too.”
The cheerful little reptile chirped proudly at this, and Scrivener Blooms snorted in amusement. “Yep, of course. It's all you, Abby. You definitely made yourself all by yourself.”
Abaddon huffed a little and lightly scratched at his scalp, making the pony wince and shake his head out. “Okay okay. Jerk.”
It only took a few minutes for the kettle to boil, and Scrivener snatched it quickly off the stove just before it could begin to whistle, not wanting to wake Innocence up. When she slept through the night it was a rare blessing, after all, and she always woke up a lot happier when she was well-rested. His daughter was proving a little tougher than Antares had been: she was crankier, more independent, more moody and more adventurous. Antares had always been curious and good-natured and quiet: Innocence was loud and brazen and... Lunaish.
He loved her though, with all his heart. And he, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle all felt like parents to her, and accepted each other's role as a parent and guardian to the little girl. Although Luna had insisted that Scrivener come up with better terms for them than Daddy, Mommy One and Mommy Two, with Mommy Two being the non-biological mother.
Scrivener had suggested Biological Mother and Not Biological Mother and promptly gotten bopped. So he had been forced to turn his attention to the relationship books that Twilight kept, and dig up any other literature he could find regarding the subject of more-unusual relationships. Unusual at least for Equestria, and the country they lived in.
It was funny: he was a romantic at heart, even if he was a very dark romantic, but he utterly loathed relationship texts and 'how to' articles and books about that kind of thing. Sure, he believed that you could learn a few things from others... but application and theory were two different stories, especially since ponies were all so different themselves, and every relationship was different. As he had learned from experience, two perfectly nice, friendly ponies could get in a relationship and it would turn into a complete and utter catastrophe. While two ponies who did nothing but slap at each other all day and act like children could get in a relationship and it just worked somehow, for no reason other than that... it just did.
Sure, there was a certain... logic to it all, when you broke things down. He knew there were plenty of psychological reasons and emotional aspects, but what he thought everything came down to was just personal preferences, and most important of all, trust. Friendship was important too, but maybe that was just him: not everypony got that he'd rather call Luna and Twilight his best friends than his wives. Although of course, it was very rare he referred to Twilight as a 'wife,' they all got a little weirded-out by that. That didn't take away from her importance, though: she was confidant, adviser, friend, secret-keeper, partner, mother to both his children.
Luna loathed terms like 'queen mother,' 'primary' and 'secondary,' and pretty much everything else Scrivener dug up. They were a triad, and equal: she just wanted words so they could know better when Innocence was calling for Twilight or Luna, but she was extremely intent on not ever labeling Twilight with something that made her sound like she was less to them. Yes, Twilight listened to them: often, she was submissive, while Luna was clearly the one in control. But at the same time, when Twilight spoke up, they listened. They didn't ignore her opinion, they never overrode her, and usually she was the only pony apart from Celestia who could ever chastise them and actually make them feel bad about whatever they'd screwed up.
So, finally, that left Scrivener with the duty to make up his own glossary. He wasn't allowed to use words that were 'belittling,' or made Luna feel 'old' or 'witchy.' Scrivener had thought on this for weeks, looking through all his books for ideas and wishing grumpily he could just magically write down a word and make all the possible synonyms appear. He had no doubt that he and probably every other writer with access to it would use it constantly when trying to dig up fancy words.
He had finally come up with a few dozen possibilities, and Luna rejected them one after the other, complaining that none of them sounded natural, or they were too different from each other, or Innocence wouldn't be able to say it. Finally, Scrivener had grumbled that they should just call her móðer like in the old language and Twilight 'mother,' and that would be enough and Luna had looked at him thoughtfully before agreeing with a firm nod.
Of course, Innocence couldn't say the word very well, so what she often ended up with was 'mutter,' 'mutta,' sometimes just 'mutt,' and Twilight was 'mama' or 'mommy' any of those variations. Which pleased Luna less, but she found it adorable coming from Innocence, so she decided it had all worked out. Although it certainly hadn't stopped her from bopping Scrivener Blooms again anyway.
It also often sounded the same to anyone who wasn't listening closely, since Innocence was still running a lot of her words together. But Luna and Twilight could both clearly understand the babe, and it made it a world easier for them now that they could know who was being called when, even if previously they had never had much trouble telling who Innocence wanted just by instinct.
The stallion finished spreading jam over several muffin halves resting on a tray next to the steeping cups of tea, and then he leaned up before pausing and instead raising a front hoof. It clicked apart into a claw, and Scrivener smiled slightly as he took the tray and carried it easily like this, striding slowly back towards the bedroom as Abaddon hopped off his head to scurry back and forth through the corridor and twine around his hooves.
It got a little more complicated at the door, but thankfully Luna opened it for him with telekinesis from where she and Twilight were now sitting up in bed together, propped against the pillows and smiling softly at the stallion. The tray floated out of his grip, and Scrivener nodded gratefully as he shook his claw out before it snapped back together into a hoof, saying quietly: “Still feels weird to hold things. I wonder if I'm ever really going to get used to having these.”
“I think we can get used to anything.” Twilight said softly as she gently set the tray down beside Luna, and the glow faded from around it and her horn before she smiled up at him. “You were thinking about our relationship again.”
“Scrivener is always thinking of it. He should be very honored by what we have together.” Luna said firmly, nodding and smiling slightly as she winked across at him. “He gets to play servant and stud to two pretty mares.”
The stallion rolled his eyes in amusement as he strode forwards and flopped down into bed, and then he smiled slightly as Twilight half-curled herself against him, closing his eyes and murmuring: “Nah. The best part is this, right here, Luna. Quiet, at peace with you and everyone else, knowing our kid's safe and going to grow up and be... good, and strong, and hopefully more like Twilight than you.”
The sapphire mare snorted in amusement, but only gently bopped the stallion's forehead with a hoof as the Lich nodded a little against his chest. Then Luna picked up a muffin half, gazing at the faint light streaming in through the left-open door before Abaddon poked his head in. “Oh, shoo. We cannot do terrible, debauched things to one-another with thou watching.”
Abaddon huffed at this, and Twilight snorted in amusement, mumbling: “I think you're the only one up for that right now, Luna. Besides, there's tea and muffins. You can't talk dirty when there's tea and muffins around, that's a rule.”
“Twilight Sparkle, sometimes I fear for the effect that Scrivener Blooms has had on thee.” Luna said wryly, and Scrivener only shrugged a little before he opened his mouth as Luna leaned over, and the mare dropped the muffin half into his jaws, smiling amusedly down at him. “Then again, he makes a very obedient little pet, I must admit, and 'tis very cute.”
Scrivener shrugged as he chewed up the muffin half, and the three rested together in comfort, eating the muffins, drinking their tea, curling up together and just talking about things. Normal things, like the weather and their thoughts on things happening around Ponyville and what they planned to do today, and of course Innocence, their gorgeous little filly.
Eventually Twilight insisted that they get up, since they had likely only slept for a few hours and they could put the rest of the time before Innocence woke up towards neatening up and getting things done around the house. Luna groaned loudly at this, but after a little coaxing she grumbled that she would help out a little, starting with the bedroom.
Luna was a very slow starter when it came to cleaning, but that was a good thing, really: Scrivener and Twilight, meanwhile, coordinated themselves very well together. While Twilight cleaned the kitchen, Scrivener neatened out the den room.
Then they moved upstairs: they tackled the office together, smiling and chatting amiably as they did so, occasionally nudging and teasing each other while Luna finally dragged herself out of bed downstairs, grumbling huffily about the two having such a good time before she bit her lip and closed her eyes to see through Scrivener's. She concentrated until she heard a loud thump from across the house, then grinned, feeling pleased with herself as Scrivener and Twilight both grumbled and went about righting the shelf Luna had managed to yank over with telekinesis.
Even with the added cleanup, they still finished the office and moved on to the rest of the upstairs area before Luna had finished up the bedroom. And the sapphire mare groaned as they both mentally ordered her to clean the bathroom, grumbling to herself the entire time.
When she finished, Twilight and Scrivener were still finishing up the rooms upstairs, so Luna moved into the laundry room and looked curiously at the washing machine for a long few moments. About five minutes later, Scrivener and Twilight both slowly looked up at a horrible thumping and squalling coming from downstairs, and the two winced and rushed down to find Luna panicking as she danced around the washer as it vomited soap suds and water in every direction, vibrating violently into the walls and yanking on the piping it was connected to.
Twilight and Scrivener both tackled the machine, but the stallion yelped and was promptly electrocuted by the malfunctioning washer and thrown backwards. Twilight winced at this, ignoring the pulse of electricity that shocked over her own body, then looked wildly back and forth as she leapt away from the sparking appliance before almost jumping on Luna when her horn began to glow, clearly meaning to just blow the machine up. Then the violet mare snapped her horn towards the fuse box on the wall, snapping the switches off with a wild swing of telekinesis and knocking several fuses free.
Luna had apparently decided to kickstart the washing machine by electrifying it... after overloading it with suds and clothing and setting it to do industrial-level cleaning. Twilight and Scrivener both stared over the devastation wrought by the smoldering machine that was bleeding water like blood, a fractured pipe behind it dribbling more of the substance over the floor, and Luna blushed and took the excuse that Innocence was crying to scurry off and tend to the filly. Scrivener mumbled under his breath, but he and Twilight only traded looks and sighs after a moment.
This happened more often than Scrivener liked to think about. So while Twilight winced and dragged the mostly-destroyed clothing, towels, and sheets out of the dead washing machine, the stallion went about the process of blocking off the pipes for now and repairing what had shaken loose and broken over the wall.
Well, it at least gave them something to do today, and it was probably sixish in the morning now. Luna was embarrassed, but neither Twilight nor Scrivener could stay all that mad at her when she was taking care of Innocence. They were used to little accidents like this, anyway: Luna might be able to do everything else, but she had never quite adjusted to using household appliances, and tended to forget they didn't work the same way that ones powered by magic did.
A few things were salvageable: most of the towels, some of the clothing. The rest of it had to be thrown out, though, and Twilight figured they might as well pick some of that up in Ponyville today while they got Cowlick or one of her smarter workers to come out here and repair the washing machine. Assuming it could be repaired. They also needed some new fuses, since the ones Twilight had knocked loose had gotten soaked and damaged.
Luna remained humble for about an hour. Then she insisted on being 'helpful,' which Twilight and Scrivener always dreaded: this was another way she was just like Sleipnir, who also often wanted to make up for any little errors of judgment he made and usually just made things worse. Of course, Pinkamena tended to just punch Sleipnir, but tempting as it was sometimes, neither Twilight nor Scrivy really wanted to punch Luna.
So finally, they hesitantly agreed to let Luna finish cleaning up the mess while Scrivener took care of Innocence, playing with her and making her a bit of breakfast. Twilight, meanwhile, went back upstairs to finish straightening up the guest room.
Luna did a good job of mopping up, at least, but then Scrivener caught her grumpily poking at the washing machine with her horn, and simply glared at her from the doorway until she slowly turned a bright shade of red, then cleared her throat and said awkwardly: “I was merely... ensuring that... 'twas not going to burst back into life. That is all.”
Scrivener grumbled and returned to Innocence, who was growling and flailing wildly in all directions in her baby seat, which she hated because it had straps to hold her in place. Then she yelled loudly when Scrivener leaned down and gave her a pointed look, before finally grumbling and settling a little, giving him a surly glower.
The stallion only smiled at this despite his best efforts not to. She was so damn strong-willed... it was both admirable, and incredibly frustrating at times. He reached out and gently stroked back her mane, and Innocence only huffed at him loudly before trying to nip his hoof, but Scrivener winced and hurriedly drew it away, catching her gently by the nose.
Innocence continued to be cranky, and it was always a little hard to calm her down. She wasn't like most babies, with a security object or two that she would happily cling to and use to soothe herself, like the Gymbr doll had been for Antares. Nor did she put up with pacifiers or soothers: she would always spit them out, and the only pleasure she took from them seemed to be seeing how far she could spit it or if she could manage to hit someone.
A little later in the morning, once Twilight was done upstairs and Luna was starting to put the incident past her, the three decided to head into Ponyville together. Innocence grumbled for a little of the journey, but eventually fell asleep in her carrier, snoring loudly away as Twilight awkwardly tried to adjust the filly's head into a better position every now and then, but Innocence always fidgeted right back into her painful-looking dead slump.
They made good time, and wandered for a little while before Twilight led them to a little store owned by an old couple, where they picked up new sheets and blankets and towels to replace the old. Innocence woke up around this point, and grumbled at the couple cooing over her before they made their way out, and the filly studied Ponyville thoughtfully before huffing and holding her little claws up: “Play, Mutter, play!”
Luna cocked her head curiously towards Twilight Sparkle, and the Lich bit her lip, then began to open her mouth to bring up her schedules and how the later it got, the busier Cowlick would probably be, and all these other points, but then Innocence asked again, almost desperately: “Play?”
So instead, they ended up at a little park, where Luna sat astride one of the brightly-painted plastic dragons that sat on an enormous spring, rocking back and forth with an amused look on her features as Innocence giggled in her lap. Scrivener and Twilight both watched with warm smiles on their faces, the stallion shaking his head slowly before he glanced in surprise as a red-tinged tear slid down Twilight's cheek. “You okay?”
“I... yeah, yeah. It's... it's nothing. I'm just... I'm just really happy. I'm really happy that...” Twilight reached up, rubbing compulsively at one of her cheeks, and then she suddenly turned and almost flung herself into Scrivener Blooms, the stallion blinking even as he caught her as she hugged him tightly, fiercely around the neck. “Thank you. Both of you.”
“Mama!” Innocence called loudly, and then she flailed a little before scrambling out of Luna's lap and leaping to the ground, running across the grass to barrel into Twilight, and the Lich laughed as she swept up her daughter in a fierce, tight embrace, closing her eyes. And her joy only increased when Luna leapt in as well, the three embracing, keeping Innocence safe and protected and encircled within as the filly laughed and smiled happily.
Innocence went back to playing after that: she played with some of the other parent's foals, and Scrivener kept an eye on her to make sure she didn't get too bossy and behaved well, while Twilight Sparkle kept an eye on Luna to stop her from freaking out any of the other parents too much. Innocence was fairly good with the other kids, at least: Scrivener only had to gently scold her once when she tried to steal a chubby little colt's shovel and bucket. Well, perhaps 'mug' was a better word for what she had been attempting to do.
After a little grumbling, she went back to watch and then politely ask for the shovel in half-baby talk, and the colt looked at the filly before handing it almost grudgingly over. But then Innocence went about helping him with the tremendous hole the colt was digging, and they began to work together a little better, which Scrivener thought was an enormous relief with the father of the young boy lurking uneasily nearby.
Scrivener looked over at him: fairly young, stressed-looking, big dopey glasses and a tie, of all things. Expensive watch, though, and his cutie mark looked like some kind of mathematical symbol, so Scrivener figured he was probably an accountant or banker or something. Except...
Before he even realized it, Scrivener Blooms was letting his eyes refocus, seeing 'behind the masks,' as he phrased it: for a moment, he glimpsed the emotions running through the stallion as he saw strange auras and surreal imagery, and he winced a little before reaching up and rubbing at his eyes, the vision fading as quickly as it had come. He had gotten much better control over that nasty little habit of his these days, but sometimes it still came and went... usually it was only ghosts and their kin that set off his eyes these days.
He cleared his throat after a moment, then smiled a little when he saw the younger stallion was looking at him awkwardly before Scrivener said finally: “My daughter doesn't usually get along with other foals so well. It's nice to see.”
“Yeah. Uh. Yeah.” the other pony said awkwardly, looking down at his chubby son, and then both fathers looked lamely away at almost the same time as the conversation fell flat, while Innocence cheerfully babbled away to the chubby colt, who just nodded seriously now and then.
Luna rolled her eyes at this, and Twilight sighed a little, then winced when the sapphire mare strode quickly over to Scrivener. She half-shoved him out of the way, then thrusted her hoof towards the stallion, saying imperiously: “I am Luna Brynhild, and this is Scrivener Blooms. Who art thou and what is the name of thy child?”
The stallion simply stared at her... but the method did prove effective, and Luna looked proud of herself at having made a new friend for Innocence. Of course, she also had wasted no time in pointing out that Clinker was a rather rotund little baby boy, but his father, Bean Counter, had seemed far too used to this comment to do anything but sigh and plead that it was just baby fat.
Innocence looked pleased to have a little friend herself: they had already arranged a short playdate, since Bean had been mumbling about needing to find a babysitter tomorrow, and Luna had pounced on the chance, saying they could meet at the library and watch out for Clinker there for a few hours, and he and Innocence could get to know each other better. Twilight had come over to point out Luna didn't own the library, Celestia did, but Luna had just grumbled that she owned Celestia so it didn't matter anyway, and Scrivener couldn't really think of a way to refute this logic without getting hit. So he hadn't said anything, and been bopped anyway after a moment.
They headed to the engineering building first, though, since it was closer: Cowlick was busy, but promised to send someone out their way as soon as possible. Then she had asked curiously if they had seen Celestia around, and when Luna had said they were just going to the library now, the engineer nodded firmly before saying mildly: “Wait here a minute, I'm gonna come with you. I got something that I gotta show off.”
“'Tis not another giant gun, is it? I swear, Cowlick, if thou gives Celestia a giant gun I will be filled with anger.” Luna said dryly, and Cowlick snorted in amusement and grinned widely at this.
“Hell no. At least, not right now. After how badly Sleipnir and Pinkamena creamed those two yesterday at their little race, the last thing I want to give Celestia is a gun. I'll be back in a minute.” And with that, Cowlick turned and strode through the doors as Luna nodded agreeably.
The engineer returned with something large and apparently heavy in a case strapped to her back, wheezing around the unlit cigarette in her muzzle as she muttered: “Okay, let's get going here. I ain't no freak like you, Luna, able to carry large, heavy things for long periods of time.”
“Oh, no, I never do such. That is what Scrivener is for.” Luna remarked cheerfully, and Scrivener sighed even as he nodded in agreement, and Twilight laughed. “What is it then, pray tell? Thou just said 'twas not a weapon.”
“It ain't. Dammit, mare, just wait five minutes, I can't goddamn talk with this goddamn thing on my back.” Cowlick muttered as she followed them out the door, and then she winced when Innocence mimicked the one repeated word she had spoken, and Twilight glowered at the engineer. “Oops.”
They made their way across Ponyville a little quieter, even as Luna poked curiously at the hard case protecting whatever was rattling around inside the box, until they reached the door to the library. Luna simply booted this open, and Celestia didn't even look up from the forms she was going over, only greeting absently: “Hello, Luna.”
Discombobulation favored the sapphire mare with a dry look, seated primly on the table beside Celestia and absently brushing her mane: something else Celestia was mostly ignoring, before her amethyst eyes flicked curiously up as Cowlick staggered into the room. “This is a surprise, though. Kilby Kwolek, what are you doing here?”
“God-” Cowlick caught herself as Twilight and Scrivener both glared at her, the engineer clearing her throat before she said in a milder voice: “Cowlick. My name's just Cowlick. But here, I got this for you. Well, half for you, half for Bob, there, since he's such a pain in the ass.”
Discombobulation tilted his head curiously at this, spinning on his butt over the table and hopping to the floor on the other side. Then he winced when Cowlick simply flung the box off with a loud grunt, sending it crashing and half-rolling before the clasps popped loose, and the object inside spilled loose of the cloth it had been wrapped in.
The chaos entity's eyes widened as his jaw fell open, and then he slowly reached down and rubbed a hoof over it as Celestia smiled warmly, leaning forwards and whispering: “You rebuilt it.”
“Hell no, do I look like a repeat performer to you? This one's brand new, and better than the last one, if I do say so myself.” Cowlick said comfortably, rubbing a hoof against her vest and straightening with a wide grin, and Luna, Scrivener and Twilight all stared with amazement at the new prosthetic arm. “By the way, do you guys have any idea how hard it is to keep a damn secret around here? Ross and I had to make this whole thing ourselves. Now try it on, I wanna make sure it fits.”
Discombobulation mouthed wordlessly... and then the prosthetic glowed with golden light before floating up and gently but firmly setting itself into place, a large cusp locking over his shoulder as the harness that extended from it quickly tied itself around the Draconequus' body. Layered plates of metal flexed almost like real flesh and muscle, and slowly, the complex metal claw raised itself up, fingers twitching and working slowly at first... then they moved in sudden quick rhythm, before the Draconequus snapped his arm out to the side, then thrust it high into the air, striking a pose with it.
Cowlick only grinned widely as Celestia looked over the Draconequus with delight, and Discombobulation slowly lowered his hand back in front of himself to whisper: “It's just like my old arm. Maybe even better.”
“Told you. Sleeker design, see? Fits your body a little better than that older one did.” Cowlick reached up and tapped against his metal wrist. “That's because I had better materials to work with... great and tough as that giant metal golem's arm was, it still was old, and worn-down, and you went and proved you could overload that damn crystal inside it if you wanted to. So this thing I enhanced using that bit of soulstone I requisitioned as a kind of circuit breaker. Seems like as a nice side effect it lets your chaos energies mix a little smoother through those crystal cores that make your arm work.
“I made it more solid, too. Last design was all fierce and intimidating as hell, sure, but the claw was clankier and the damn plates tended to get bent and dented, but I shouldn't have to remind you of that.” Cowlick continued, reaching up to tap the smoother metal claw. “This is a lot more stable and compressed. It'll be better both for combat and gripping into soft fleshy bits, if you know what I mean.”
Cowlick winked up at Discombobulation, who glowered before he reached his metal hand down and squeezed her nose firmly, the mare yelping and cursing as she staggered backwards before the Draconequus rose his steel arm and said thoughtfully: “Huh. Well. I like it even more already. What do you know, it turns out that Angela Spica here made something better-developed than her character.”
“You can eat my as... uh... asparagus.” Cowlick finished awkwardly, when Twilight gave her a pointed look. “Uh. Yeah. But I'm glad to hear you like it, then, even if I didn't get a proper thank you yet. You stupid jerk.”
“Jerk Bob.” Innocence added, and then she reached her little claws towards the metallic arm, looking fascinated by the way it glinted and moved, burbling excitedly.
Discombobulation huffed a little at this, then reached a single finger down to gently push it against the filly's nose, saying mildly: “I am not a jerk, and I'll prove it right now.”
He paused, cleared his throat and turned towards Cowlick... then suddenly swept her up in a bone-crushing hug, babbling: “Thank you thank you thank you thank you!”
Cowlick gasped for breath, cigarette flying into the air and falling straight back down her throat before she coughed a few times, eyes bulging, and Twilight winced as Luna only laughed and Celestia smiled warmly, nodding in agreement. “This is wonderful, Cowlick, and... and I can't thank you enough for it as well, or for all the good you've done for Ponyville. You've really-”
And then Cowlick turned her head and spat out the soaked cigarette before shoving firmly at Discombobulation, freeing herself from his limbs with a loud wheeze to land on her rump and flop backwards with a groan. “Oh you son of a bitch. Go back to not being thankful. Don't ever thank me again, any of you, I hate you all.”
Luna only laughed as Scrivener smiled and shook his head, and Discombobulation cleared his throat awkwardly before bowing forwards and daintily offering his metallic hand. Cowlick glared up at him, but after a moment she finally rolled her eyes and reached up to take it, letting him help her back to her hooves with a gentle tug.
Then the Draconequus looked down at his metallic arm again before he blushed slightly when Celestia hugged him firmly from the side and rested her head against him, gazing into his eyes warmly. And after a moment, his metallic arm slowly settled over her shoulders and his strangely-warm steel hand squeezed her quietly, the two smiling softly and seeing only each other in that moment. It made Cowlick grin as she brushed absently her denim vest, and all the effort she had put into the mechanical marvel she'd never use herself worthwhile.