Chapter Nineteen: Restless Nights
Princess Celestia sat upon her Sunlit Throne, the windows of the audience chamber attempting to flood the room with darkness as the standing torches throughout the room battled the tide with light.
How… How could this have happened… the defeated princess thought to herself as she wallowed in self-loathing. I planned every single detail. Ace shouldn’t have been able to use any magic, contained by the anti-magic as he was by Discord…
She pressed a hoof to her forehead to staunch the pain that was flowing through her mind, both from the loss of her magic in the shockwave of whatever spell Ace had used to escape, as well as from the numerous times she had reviewed the events and her plans.
That cell was specifically warded with level 15 spells that I specifically designed to keep Ace locked in the dungeon… I cast the spell with the aid of sister Luna’s magic as well as my own. There’s no conceivable way he could have been strong enough to withstand the anti-magic stone, let alone break out of the cell! He would have needed help, but none of the reports show anypony going to the dungeons, save for the two guards on duty, before that… that… whatever it was that he did!
Princess Celestia thrust a hoof against the nearby stone wall, a few small cracks spreading at the impact. The guards gathered around the room jumped and looked over to make sure no harm was befalling the princess. Shortly after, one of the massive double doors opened as a messenger entered. “The report from Princess Luna’s Shadow Sentinels, your highness.” Celestia swiftly claimed the scroll in her golden glow before slamming the door shut in the pony’s face.
‘Time: 9:41 PM. Subject: Escaped Prisoner.
At approximately 9:34, a large magical sphere pulsed throughout the castle. The source of the event has been traced to an unregistered Unicorn prisoner housed within an enchanted cell of the dungeons.
During the event, all sound was rendered mute within its confines, and all magic in the area of effect was drained. This includes any enchantments, artifacts, and all of the magic within the bodies of all afflicted Unicorns. A number of other strange side effects were expressed by a number of non-Unicorn individuals. Pending medical testing.
After the event, the Canterlot Vault has been broken into and the only things that have been proven missing thus far has been the Elements of Harmony, though all artifacts appear to have been affected in some way by the initial event. Pending study and testing.
The unregistered prisoner who appears to be the cause of the event bested a suntouched guard and taken claim of his weapon. The guard was found decapitated, his weapon in the hooves of the prisoner. Once the jailer was killed, the prisoner proceeded to the exit, where he was spotted by a Unicorn bystander. The Unicorn was sliced from the lungs to the plot by the jailer’s sword.
Once the prisoner ascended the steps, he passed a number of servants and visitors. According to eye-witness reports of the servants, one of the visitors saw the blood on the prisoner, and offered to escort him to the medical ward for treatment. Only when the visitor approached the pony did the prisoner attack.
When the prisoner then entered the main hall, two Shadow Sentinels encountered him. The prisoner laid a hoof to his weapon, but did not draw it as the Sentinels did the same. After a moment, her highness Princess Luna, High Captain of the Sentinels ordered the pair to stand down and let the prisoner to pass.
The Sentinels opened the door and allowed the pony to pass, closing the doors behind him. Princess Luna informed the guards that they would not have been able to challenge the prisoner were there another ten of the warriors. The prisoner then teleported out of the castle. Whereabouts unknown, pending search.’
Princess Celestia wadded the report in her magic and set it on fire, learning from the parchment only that it was Luna who allowed Ace to leave through the front door, but she did not fault her sister, knowing that nopony in the castle would be able to stop Ace once he had a weapon.
It’s all too well orchestrated… First, all the Unicorns in the castle lose their magic, then the Vault and the elements are compromised, then Ace somehow claims a weapon from an armed guard who had shown signs of struggle – a Pegasus, no less! Celestia scattered the ashes as she narrowed her eyes in frustration.
Ace is a master of single combat, so it is likely that he easily overpowered the Pegasus and took his weapon, but not so swiftly… The whole thing happened in only SEVEN MINUTES! With no magic, and a level 15 spell blocking his exit, how! How did he do it! It. Is. IMPOSSIBLE! My plans were PERFECT!
“DISCORD! Discord, answer me this instant!” Celestia shouted, each of the guards turning to look at the princess before quickly averting their eyes once more. Where is he? Why does he not answer my summons? Was he working for Ace the whole time? Celestia pressed her hooves against the sides of her skull, at first to stem the pain gathering in her skull, but later to scratch her mane vigorously in frustration. This CAN’T be happening!
Princess Luna appeared in a dark blue flash of light as she teleported to her bedchambers. She took a moment to admire the tapestry that hung above her large circular bed. The tapestry depicted the scenes that followed the fateful Summer Sun Celebration that marked her return. She had requested the tapestry be made as soon as she had recovered, though it had only been completed a week prior.
Some ponies believe that our return was a disaster, she thought to herself as she admired the work, 'and while Nightmare Moon was truly unpleasant that night, we only wish for ponies to admire our night as they do Celestia’s day.
Princess Luna sighed as she removed her peytral plate preparing for her rest, when there was a knock at the door. Replacing the ornamental armor, she called, “You may enter.”
The door opened just enough for a visibly worried Unicorn to poke his head through. “I come b-bearing the r-report for t-today’s event, y-your majesty.” Princess Luna nodded with a smile as she took the parchment in her magic.
“You have my thanks. You may retire for the night, if you wish.” The Unicorn nodded hesitantly before closing the door as quick as he could without making a sound. Why do even mine own servants fear us so? she thought to herself before shaking her head as she unfurled the note.
Giving it only a cursory glance, she ignited the parchment in a blue flame and disposed of the ashes in a nearby urn, having already learned all she needed from the event by speaking with Ace.
Princess Luna removed her peytral plate and laid it across the armor stand, and with a final sigh, retired to bed for the evening. Ace was always the only pony who truly admired my night…
Moonlit Embrace awoke with a start and examined her surroundings. She was in the middle of the camp they had set up the night before. Beside her to one side was her sister, Sol Light, still asleep in her sleeping bag. To the other side was an empty sleeping bag that belonged to their latest companion.
Out of habit, Moonlit Embrace examined her packs as well as her sister’s to be certain that their acquaintance hadn’t made off with their things in the night. Once she was certain that nothing was missing, she started to look around to be sure no other mischievous plots were underway.
On a nearby rock that overlooked the plains, the strange ally sat, looking up at the dark night sky. Curious as to what he could be looking at, Moonlit Embrace snuck up behind him and stopped just short of the large boulder before spying on the pony.
A number of silent moments passed before the pony spoke out loud, as though he knew he was being watched. “’Tis truly beautiful, is it not?” Moonlit Embrace continued to watch silently, unsure of who the stallion spoke to. He turned and gazed into her eyes, his one swirled, red eye looking no less fierce in the darkness of the night. “The moon, a solemn entity unlike any other, filling the night sky with only the twinkling lights we call stars for company.”
Moonlit Embrace strode alongside Ace as he returned his view to the sky above. “How doth thou always know thine surroundings without the use of thine eyes nor thine magic? Is it some sort of Al Bhed technique?” she asked as she sat.
Ace shook his head with a laugh. “’Tis no technique the Al Bhed would ever employ, I assure you, nor have I ever stated that I need not use mine magic to do so.” Ace’s gaze still admired the moon, his expression appearing subtly sadder. “Do you think the moon is alone? Or perhaps those twinkling lights are also moons, just further away or smaller. How is a pony to know something that a pony cannot know?”
Moonlit Embrace gazed upon the moon as well, nearly full this night as it waned, granting its light softly upon the plains. “The moon is not alone, I think. The moon has the sun to keep it company, and they circle the globe like a pair of foals who run about in the town. Infrequently, the two even embrace in what we call the eclipse.”
Ace’s expression turned lightly to envy as he thought about what she had said. “Then truly the moon is more blessed than even I. The moon has its many twinkling lights, as well as the sun to call its own family.” Ace shook his head with a soft smile as he thought of the eclipse. “A loving embrace so bright that nopony alive could cast their gaze upon it without feeling pain or being blinded by the sight. How truly fortunate the moon must be.”
Twilight was awake, but she kept her eyes closed, wanting to sleep just a little longer in the warm, comfortable bed. She startled to pull the covers over her head, and she realized that she was sleeping at an odd angle. In an attempt to straighten herself, she bumped her head against… something. Still wanting to just remain in the bed for a few minutes longer, she laid her head back down as she nestled back under the covers.
As she started to become more aware, she realized that her pillow was moving, calmly rising and falling. She opened her eyes to look at what she had bumped into, and bolted upright with a bright flush over her face and ears when she realized it was a dark grey hoof.
She pivoted her head around to see Ace sleeping beside her as he rolled off of his back, now facing her, though his eyes were still closed. Now fully awake, she slowly descended the bed, not wanting to awaken him. She carefully opened the door, snuck around to the other side, her eyes never leaving his sleeping gaze.
Once the door was silently closed, she leaned back against it as she started to straighten her tail and mane with her magic as she sighed a deep breath of relief. “Good morning, Twilight. Did you sleep well?” Twilight’s face flushed again as her eyes bolted open at the male voice.
Placing a hoof over her chest as the blush faded, she realized it was only Night Light, sitting in the living room as he read the newspaper and sipped his coffee. “Good morning! Yes, it was quite… nice. To be back in my old room, I mean!”
Night Light raised an eyebrow in question at the odd behavior as he took a sip of the warm beverage. “What happened to your friend? I haven’t seen him since last night.” Twilight’s flush returned as she started to think of a way to avoid the question.
“He’s, um… around. Say, is there more coffee left? I think I’d like to have a cup. I’m going to go make a cup of coffee.” Twilight hastily retreated to the kitchen through the dining room, while trying not to look like she was hastily retreating. With a sigh of relief, she started to make her coffee the way Ace had done before.
Ace awoke, no longer feeling sore as he stretched and pulled his glasses off of the table. Ace looked around the room as he focused on his magical senses to reveal his location before he remembered he was in Twilight’s home in Canterlot. Ace straightened the bed, as well as himself, with his magic before he opened the door to the living room. “Ah, you’re Twilight’s friend if I remember correctly. Good morning.”
Ace nodded as he smiled. “You’re Night Light, Twilight’s father if I recall. I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.” Ace tucked into his deep bow, resting his right hoof over his chest as he did so. “Please, call me Ace. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The stallion nodded as he sat in his chair near the coffee table. “That’s right. I’d introduce you to Twilight’s mother, but she’s still asleep upstairs I’m afraid.” Night Light looked at Ace’s left hoof with an odd look that made Ace do the same, raising the hoof to examine it. “Looks like Twilight did a pretty good job sewing you up. How’s it feel?”
It wasn’t until then that he saw the black, square cloth that was used to repair the hole in the cover over his left hoof. He tapped the hoof to the floor a few times to be certain the stitching was secure before he smiled to the stallion with a nod. “Feels no different than before, truly. She has done a fine job; I hadn’t even noticed it until now, honestly.”
It was then that Twilight came into the room, her eyes closed as she basked in the scent of the aromatic beverage she had prepared for herself. “Well, good morning, Twilight. Did you sleep well?” Twilight froze in her steps as she realized that Ace had awoken not long after she had.
“I-I slept well. I t-trust you did as well?” she managed with a smile, hoping that her father hadn’t realized they had slept in the same room last night while she fought the color that was trying to form in her cheeks. Ace just nodded before he noticed the coffee, and with a look of excited surprise, started his way towards the kitchen happily to make his own.
Night Light calmly sipped his coffee as he eyed hers. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drinking coffee, Twilight,” he said as he eyed the unusually prepared drink. Twilight just managed to nod before taking a small drink of it.
“Ace was right when he said that everypony just need to find the kind of coffee they like.” She licked some of the whipped cream from her lips as she spoke. “Coincidentally, Ace taught me how to make this one. It’s really good.”
Night Light nodded with a smirk. “He seems really nice. He’s very polite, he knows the princesses, and according to you, he’s very skilled in magic,” they both paused to sip at their coffee. “You two must be very close, having slept in the same room and all.”
Twilight nearly choked on her coffee as she started coughing and spluttering. Ace came from the kitchen, his hoofmade coffee in his magic as he patted her on the back. “Easy Twilight, I know it’s good, but you need to be more careful.”
Twilight fixed him with a look that gave voice to her displeasure at his untimely appearance as he backed away with his hooves up in surrender, not sure of what he did wrong. “So what did you two do last night after Velvet and I went to bed?”
Twilight was still recovering her breath, so Ace spoke for her, much to her dismay. “We sat on the roof and watched the stars as I told Twilight a story or two. After that, we went to bed ourselves.” Twilight batted him on the shoulder. Again, Ace looked at her with a gaze that showed he had no clue why she was being so violent today.
There was a sound of hoofsteps upstairs as somepony asked, “Is everypony okay down there? Is somepony sick?”
Night Light looked up the stairs as he called back, “No, nopony is sick dear, you can come down. Twilight just drank her coffee a tad too quickly, it seems.”
Twilight Velvet started down the steps, her mane and tail already straightened. Ace offered her his coffee when she had reached the bottom of the steps, not yet having taken a drink from it just yet. She accepted it with a nod and a word of thanks before Ace smiled and returned to the kitchen to prepare another cup.
Twilight Velvet took a drink of the custom beverage, her expression lighting up almost instantly at the sweet taste. “He really is very nice, dear. To top it all off, this coffee is phenomenal! Did he make it himself?”
Twilight nodded as she took a sip of her own. “He showed me how to make it some time ago, and it’s been the only coffee I’ve ever liked. Even Spike prefers it over black.”
Twilight Velvet took a slightly larger sip as she nodded. “As well he should. I cannot think of anypony who would be displeased with this drink.” Night Light shrugged as he drank from his own cream-and-sugar coffee with a smile.
“So when are you and Ace getting married?” Twilight Velvet and Twilight Sparkled both looked at the smirking stallion, though Twilight Sparkle’s face was much pinker and her mouth agape.
As per his usual perfect timing, Ace came into the room as he carried his coffee in his magic. “Well, personally I’d rather it be in the fall, during the night of the harvest moon.” Ace took a quiet sip of his coffee as he watched Twilight looking between her smiling father, shocked mother, and smirking mentor. “What do you think, Twilight?”
Twilight’s face and ears were now fully flushed, while Ace’s was lightly tinged as well. It took Twilight several seconds before she fully registered what just happened. “I- uh, I mean… It’s not that I- that is, I…” Ace started laughing as he turned to her parents.
“She really is the cutest little mare when she’s unsure of what to do,” he said, looking directly at Night Light. “Has she always been like that?” Night Light laughed heartily as Twilight Velvet sighed in relief while Twilight Sparkle body checked his side with her flank.
Ace nearly coated himself in his coffee at the sudden, forceful contact. Once he recovered he smiled at Twilight, which didn’t help her blushing expression at all. “So how did you meet Twilight, Ace?” Twilight Velvet asked.
Ace nodded with a smile as he prepared to reply, but Twilight took his coffee in her own magic, and spoke as he reached out for it with his hooves before fixing her with another ‘why’ glare.
“Ace was doing some experiments in his spell shop-“ Ace rose a hoof as he interjected.
“In my workshop. The workshop is under my shop, not in it.”
Twilight rolled her eyes as she rephrased her statement. “UNDER his spell shop, in his WORKSHOP,” she said, staring at Ace as he shrunk away from her glare, “when he made a miscalculation, and then needed my help. He came to Ponyville to see me, having heard from Celestia that I was a capable student.”
Ace shook his head, “Actually, it wasn’t from Celestia, it was hearsay from somepony else.” Twilight fixed Ace with another glare. “I think I’ll just not talk for the rest of the day…”
Twilight downed the last of her coffee before she floated her cup into the sink two rooms away. “Well, it was nice seeing you again mom and dad, but Ace and I need to go and see what Princess Luna wanted to talk about last night.” Twilight hugged her parents as Ace finished his coffee and repeated the action.
“Oh, well it’s a shame you two need to leave so soon. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ace, we hope to see you again real soon,” Twilight Velvet said when she had recovered from Twilight’s hug.
“Yes, don’t feel the need to act like a stranger; Twilight’s friends are always welcome around here,” Night Light said as he patted Ace on the back. “Feel free to drop in sometime, but try to land on something a bit sturdier next time.” Ace smiled as Night Light laughed.
Twilight opened the door and motioned impatiently for Ace to leave. Proceeding through the door, Ace waved farewell to Twilight’s parents. Once they were finally outside of the house, Twilight glared at Ace as though he had just stepped on her tail.
Ace just shrugged and took a couple of steps away to be sure he was out of her reach. “What were you thinking just walking out of my room like nothing happened?” Ace looked as though he were pondering the question, but offered no reply. “You could have totally given the wrong message to my parents!”
Ace continued looking as though he were thinking about the question, but only shrugged and shook his head without a reply. “Why are you giving me the silent treatment? Do you really think that’ll help?”
Ace shrunk back, pantomiming his words: He pointed to himself, then moved his mouth with his hoof mimicking him like a sock puppet. Then, he pointed to her and shook his hoof with an angry look on his face. He then pointed to himself again, and shrunk away once more. Twilight placed her face in her hoof as she shook her head, “You can speak, I’m not mad at you for talking.”
With a sigh of relief, Ace acted as though he were wiping sweat from his brow. “I don’t see why it matters. Why is it odd that we came out of the same room in the morning? I don’t understand.”
Twilight’s face flushed, her cheeks burning from needing to explain something of the sort to him. “Because what would happen if my parents thought we were sleeping together in their house? Don’t you think that would give them the wrong message?” Twilight looked at Ace expectantly, but Ace just shook his head, still not comprehending what she was talking about.
“Twilight, you’re a big mare now. Your parents can’t tell you who you can and can’t spend time with.” Ace shrugged, again shaking his head, not seeing the point she was making. “Besides, we sleep in the same room back home, too. Spike doesn’t think it’s unusual, so why would your parents?”
Twilight face-hoofed once again, as she tried the more direct approach. “Remember when my dad asked when we were getting married?” Ace smiled as he nodded, likely remembering the joke he had pulled. “Well, he probably meant it on a more serious note than you thought, because he thought we did more than just sleep in the same bed.”
It took Ace a moment, but as Twilight watched him, she saw him go from thinking about the implied meaning, then realization, and then she finally saw that he had qualms over the misunderstanding… Then he started to turn around and head back towards her house. “Wait, where are you going?”
Ace stopped, turning to look at her with an expression showing that he thought it should be obvious. “I need to go and clear up the misunderstanding. It’s not right to lie to ponies, even if it was only an implied lie.” He was preparing to run down the street, but Twilight picked him up in her magic before he covered much distance.
Ace spun lightly in her magic as his weight shifted. Realizing she wasn’t going to put him down until she said what she had wanted, Ace appeared as though he were sitting in a comfy chair with his legs crossed. “Ace, just let it go. It’s not a lie, and nopony is calling you a liar. Besides, you’d make more trouble for all of us if you went back in there now.”
Ace truly looked like he was about to just teleport back to the house. “But Twilight, I don’t think you realize how much it grates on my nerves having lied to somepony.” Ace looked at the house as he floated above the ground. “It’ll only take a second, then we can leave, okay?”
Twilight shook and hung her head with a sigh. “What, exactly, do you intend to say to him? Are you just going to jump in there, say ‘Oh, sorry for the misunderstanding, but I’m not bucking your daughter,’ and then jump back out?”
Ace looked as though he had been caught in another lie. “Why? Would that be bad?” Twilight stared at him in disbelief for a moment before face-hoofing again.
“Yes, Ace, very bad. You really haven’t spoken to very many ponies in the last thousand years, have you?” Ace fell out of her magic, landing roughly on his stomach, but was unphased as he started to think about the ponies he had spoken to over the past millennium. Twilight just shook her head again. “That was a rhetorical question, Ace, you’re not supposed to answer it.” Ace lowered his head with a timid smile up at Twilight before getting back on his hooves.
“I’ll just, uh, tell him next time I see him,” Ace said, still appearing to be uncomfortable with the idea, but trusting Twilight’s better judgment. “Onto another, equally pressing matter: when would you like to meet with Princess Luna?”
Twilight nodded, preferring the newer topic over the old. “Anytime, I suppose. Where are we going to meet her, exactly? Oh, but before we go, could you give me the train tickets? If we get separated again, I want to at least have one option open to me, since I left my bags at home.”
Ace nodded at the idea, and his horn lit up as he teleported the coin pouch to them. This time, however, it was around Twilight’s forearm instead. Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but realized Ace’s horn was still glowing and hesitated. “As for meeting Luna, I can take care of that,” he said as they were enveloped in the black light of his teleportation spell.