//------------------------------//
// The Family That Plays Together... 
// Story: Glory Be 
// by BlackRoseRaven 
//------------------------------//

Chapter Three: The Family That Plays Together...
~BlackRoseRaven

What Innocence had been taught to believe was that when you were training with someone, you didn't try to injure them, you didn't try to kill them... but you did give it every fiber of your being. And while killing or maiming them was absolutely unacceptable, if someone wasn't at least getting a few cuts and bruises, there was something wrong. When you pulled your punches, you dishonored both yourself and your opponent.
She knew her mother sometimes held back in her magic studies, and Scrivener hesitated at first... but then some instinct inside of him always took over, and he would gear up from treating her with kit gloves and training wheels to being just as tough as her Móðer was. And Innocence respected that, liked that... needed that. She needed to know her parents' real strength, what they were capable of, how strong they were, so she knew how hard to push herself in training... so she had a goal not to simply reach, but to one day surpass.
Because she was also well aware that they would always have the edge of experience on her. And with how hard Luna Brynhild pushed them all, they would likely always be stronger than her, too. The prideful, strangely-needy part of her hated this and wanted to prove it was untrue; the part of Innocence that would always be the child of her parents desperately wanted it to never be proven wrong, because she wanted her parents to always remain her teachers, her heroes... and maybe be able to kick her ass a little if she ever needed it.
Right now, she was caught between those two worlds: the desire and need to do better, to be better than everyone around her, and the fascination and adoration she had for her mother, father, and Móðer.
Innocence grinned, both in excitement and in awe of her father's strength as she leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding a wave of black, dark corruption that ripped along the ground where she had been standing only a moment before. It hardened as it passed, and instead of crashing it down, it became a massive wall of black gemstone that cut off her easiest escape.
Most of the enormous square of dead land they had chosen as a training ground had been transformed into a boggy, black rectangle of mire that felt... warm, and exciting beneath Innocence's claws. But the strength it was feeding her was nothing compared to the strength that her father was able to draw from it, as Scrivener shoved a claw of his own into the muck before he gritted his teeth as he snapped it upwards.
It left a crescent-shaped trail of mire that hardened almost immediately, becoming a moon-shaped blade. Then he gestured sharply towards where his daughter was standing, battered and bruised but grinning so widely, with such near-joy, even as the blade of mire was launched upwards on a dark appendage of mire before the gangly black tentacle twisted around and slung the blade straight at her.
And without moving, Innocence snapped her head forwards and blew the blade apart with a bolt of magic energy. She felt so alive. She felt so good. She felt such love for her family, that shone so bright at times like this, honored by the battle and the connection, feeling such dedication and... pleasure and... remembering when she had earned her cutie mark.
Innocence leapt up, and Scrivener winced: he was hitting her hard, and Innocence was again showing just how much she was like Luna with the fact she was clearly enjoying it, if anything. And he also reflected again on how Antares had seemed so talented, so skilled, even when he was young, he had never been quite as much a prodigy as Sin. Not in the sense of skill, of course: even after how long they had spent coaching her, training her, shaping her, she still wasn't a clean or precise fighter. Rather, what was prodigal – and frightening – about her was her raw destructive potential.
Sin leaned forwards, her eyes and horn both lighting up with the same dark, powerful aura as the raw waves of magic shredded what was left of her polymorphic disguise, her fangs baring and her sharp teeth glinting like knives as she shouted: no words, just an exclamation of instinct.
Scrivener winced and shoved his unfolded claws down into the mire in front of himself, and the mire rippled before exploding upwards: not in an attack, but instead forming a domed wall in front of himself. And he felt Luna hurriedly feeding more strength, more energy into him as well, the walls crystallizing into black gemstone before there was a tremendous, singular bang.
The wall was shattered, chunks of debris and splatters of mire flying in every direction as Scrivener was sent skidding backwards with a wince, and Innocence flopped out of the air a moment later in a smoldering mess, her mane charred, her eyes wide and stunned and stupefied as she landed on her back and twitched a little. Twilight was already hurrying in from the sidelines towards her daughter, while Luna only rolled her eyes with an amused smile before she strode towards the stallion, looking over at him with entertainment.
The stallion coughed a few times, then he dug his claws moodily against the dark ooze before shaking his white mane out, looking dryly over at Luna as he said dryly: “You and Twilight told me that she'd stopped flaring up.”
“'Tis not her fault, she is suffering that awkward time where her body is going from child to adult.” the sapphire mare replied placidly, shrugging before she glanced towards the destroyed defensive barrier, which had been crumbled almost completely by the raw blast of unfocused power: Scrivener was a little scared of what it was going to be like when Innocence learned to actually focus all that strength in her body.
Twilight, meanwhile, was hurriedly brushing her daughter off, half-lecturing her, half-worrying over her as Innocence sat uneasily up, still a little too drained and blank to understand what the hell was going on. Scrivener and Luna both looked towards this, and both shared the same smile for a moment even as their eyes drew towards one-another's, and they felt that same twist inside of themselves, that same set of thoughts ran through their minds.
They weren't stupid: they knew that Innocence wasn't just a mix of their best qualities. She had all the things that made them strong, but also all the things that made them weak: lust for power, a lack of self control, and... anger. No, worse than anger: bitterness. The way she would snap at people who made her unhappy was nothing compared to the way she would cling to a slight, fuming over it, working herself up more and more as she clutched it with all the vengeful avarice of a dragon holding an empty chest to remind herself of the theft she had suffered.
But she was their daughter, their wonderful little girl... and she was no Midnight Hour, no matter how often their minds insisted on trying to compare her to their prodigal child from Because Love Conquers All. She knew about honor, and that everything had limits, felt remorse. She was no spoiled brat: sure, they treated her wonderfully. They also made sure she was punished when she did something wrong and she had to earn anything she truly wanted.
Part of the real reason why they wanted her to get this new training was not only to just get a fuller understanding of her heritage and the lifestyle, but also to try and help reinforce those lessons of honor, and maybe get Innocence a few more friends, and a few other things to fight for apart from herself and her... desire for power.
Then both Scrivener and Luna started forwards, pushing any other worries aside or now as the sapphire mare called cheerfully, only forcing a little bit of the pleasure of seeing her daughter excel: “Most excellent, my daughter! Thou art truly the better in the fight, but that is not much considering 'tis Scrivy thou wert paired against.”
“I was not, Mutt, Daddy could have easily beaten me, I think.” Innocence mumbled embarrassedly, but Scrivener only smiled awkwardly and shrugged a little. Innocence might not believe it herself, but she really was able to put up a hell of a fight.
Luna shrugged amiably as well, and Twilight Sparkle gently brushed at her daughter again, making the young mare grumble a little before the Lich said softly: “You did really well. But again, Innocence, you really need to work on control...”
“I... I am! I have lots of control!” Innocence argued, shaking her head quickly, and then she shook herself quickly out and sat up straighter as the bruises and scratches over her body slowly but visibly healed; Scrivener couldn't help but glance down, studying the dark mire around his daughter, and the way it was... rippling. How through the dark ooze, he could feel his daughter's pulse, her biorhythms, her heat and the energy that rippled through her body...
He cleared his throat after a moment, blushing slightly when he realized his family was looking at him and he had just been staring vapidly at the muck, and then he looked up and asked finally: “Twilight, can you maybe take Innocence aside and help her heal up? I'm going to clean up here.”
“Well, perhaps we should have a short spar, Scrivy. It has been a while, and I should ensure thou art fit to help train and judge our daughter if thou art to help at all instead of simply sitting upon thy large rump.” Luna said thoughtfully, and the stallion groaned loudly before scowling at her, but the mare only grinned in response. “A challenge! I accept!”
“What, what the hell are you-” Scrivener started, and then he yelped when Luna tackled him backwards into the mire, sending him skidding along his back before he attempted to roll backwards, but Luna kicked both lower hooves into his stomach and launched herself off him as she flapped her wings hard at the same time.
He wheezed and half-curled up with a wince on his back, and the sapphire mare landed on her hooves with a wide grin after a moment, eyes glinting challengingly. She felt the same pain reflected into her, but to Luna that only made the spar even better, even more intense: the fact they could feel each other's pain wasn't a handicap but a blessing, because it made victory all the sweeter and the training all the more worthwhile.
Scrivener grumbled as he slowly picked himself up, while Twilight sighed and gestured moodily over to the side, Innocence brightening and clapping a few times before she followed quickly. Luna stomped her hooves eagerly, raising her head proudly as if Innocence was clearly clapping for her, and then she scowled when Twilight said tiredly: “Please don't hurt each other too badly. I've made it almost two years with this body.”
“Thou art right, that is extremely unnatural. We shall smash each other to bits and save thee from the oppression of thy current body. 'Tis getting fat anyway.” Luna said cheerfully, and Scrivener cleared his throat and winced a bit at the smoldering look Twilight shot the sapphire mare, who shrank away a little and looked over at her awkwardly. “'Tis. 'Tis the excitement of the battle to come, that is all. I... I apologize. Thou art not fat. Thou art... coated with love-flesh.”
Twilight slowly lowered her head, looking pained, and Innocence giggled loudly behind her claws before Scrivener Blooms sighed and swept up a claw's worth of mire. He lobbed this moodily at Luna, and the sapphire mare looked back towards him dumbly to take the ball of mud to the face, splattering over her features.
She blinked dumbly through the mask of mud, then leaned forwards and bared her teeth... and Scrivener leaned forwards, narrowing his eyes as he concentrated. The sapphire mare winced in surprise, then squawked loudly, grabbing wildly at her face as the muck hardened into a mask, solidifying over her eyes as Scrivener said mildly: “Hey Luna, you got something on your face. Let me help you with that.”
Scrivener slammed his claws down into the ground, and there was a tremendous bang as the mire beneath Luna exploded, sending her flying into the air with a yelp, the mare flailing wildly before her wings flapped firmly and launched her higher, the mare shaking her head briskly before she concentrated with a growl as her soulstone horn began to glow. “Scrivener damned Blooms.”
She focused on the link between them, and a moment later, she was seeing through the eyes of Scrivener Blooms instead of her own. She narrowed her eyes behind the mask of solidified mire, the mare gritting her teeth before she launched herself forwards, and the stallion winced as he kept his gaze on her... which worked well for the sapphire mare, letting her lock on to precisely where she was heading.
Then the stallion slammed a claw down into the ground, and a massive blade of black crystal shot up out of the darkened earth, Luna cursing and hurriedly veering to the side. Her hooves skidded through the mire as she dropped for a moment, then she twisted herself back up into the air, snapping her glowing horn down to send a blast of lightning in the direction of the stallion.
Scrivener cursed as he swung a claw up, wincing as the electricity struck this and streamed around it, sparks flying as the stallion bared his teeth. His limb trembled as energy surged over his foreleg, and he cursed in the effort of holding it back before he leaned forwards and swung his claw hard to the side, deflecting the attack away from his body.
The stallion gritted his teeth, then he slammed his claws together before drawing them quickly apart: it caused a sharp burst of pain in his forelimbs as long, thin lines of black tore through his palms, forming into floating black slivers before the stallion snapped his claw in the direction of the sapphire mare, and the splinters shot themselves at her in a burst.
Luna reacted on instinct, thanks to being able to see what the stallion was doing, and she snapped her horn down, creating a barrier of energy that intercepted the needles of black crystal. And Scrivener's eyes were back on her: combined with being able to feel him through the link, she was able to spin towards him and snap her horn to the side, firing a blue fireball at him.
Scrivener Blooms winced and slapped his claw to the side, knocking the sapphire fireball to the side before he shoved a claw down into the mire and swept savagely upwards, sending a much-larger spike of mire exploding upwards from the ground and launching towards the mare like a missile. But Luna flapped her wings hard and dove forwards, slashing her crystalline horn into this as it glowed brightly, blowing it apart into chunks of mire.
She launched herself forwards, and the stallion had a moment to look up dumbly before the winged unicorn slammed into him and drove him down onto his back. She slammed her head forwards with her moment, and there was a loud crack as the mask of mire shattered loudly against the stallion's skull, knocking him sprawling senselessly as Luna staggered dumbly backwards even as she gave a dumb donkey laugh.
Then she cleared her throat as Innocence cheered for her and Twilight rubbed slowly at her skull, but smiled despite herself as the sapphire mare stepped on top of the stallion and pinned him down in the mire. He glowered up at her, and she looked imperiously back down at him before declaring: “I am the victor, Scrivener Blooms, and thou art the loser. And fat. So there.”
“Great Luna. Simply marvelous, really. You're truly showing just what kind of decorum the winner should have over the loser in battle.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna nodded in agreement, making the stallion grumble and roll his eyes before he finally muttered, shifting a little in the murk of the mire: “Well, at least I'm a little less beaten up than usual.”
“Aye, because thou cheated, damn cheater.” She huffed down at the stallion, then shook her head quickly before leaning down and saying pointedly: “Thou art not allowed to sling mud. Thou art no politician, and nor art thou a dung beetle. Just a beetle. A fat beetle. But that means that thou art fat, not that thou throws fat.”
Innocence was just giggling away, and Twilight sighed as she shook her head slowly, but Scrivener only shrugged before he said finally: “I could be a squid. They have no spines and shoot ink and can squeeze through little holes.”
The sapphire winged unicorn nodded thoughtfully, and then she and Scrivener looked at each other for a few moments before the mare stepped back and seized him, dragging him up to his claws. The stallion winced a bit, then dropped his head with a grimace when Luna bopped him firmly with her horn, then said firmly: “Now, destroy the mire.”
“Oh, no, no, no! I want to try!” Innocence said hurriedly, and all eyes looked up as the young mare smiled brightly and strode forwards, gazing between her parents. “Can I?”
“I... well, okay. I guess it won't hurt.” Scrivener said finally, nodding after a moment, and Twilight shifted uncomfortably before she sighed and nodded herself. Luna only shrugged a little herself, then she turned a supportive smile towards her daughter.
“Aye, 'tis a good idea and good practice for control. I must admit that 'tis a nice change to see thee attempting to learn this side of strength as well.” Luna said finally, and Innocence looked up curiously. “Well, thou knows, thou usually... leans much more towards blowing things up much more... directly. Not that I do not understand, of course. I prefer to blow things up myself.”
“It's kind of blowing something up.” Innocence said positively after a moment, and Luna looked thoughtfully at the young mare before the odd unicorn nodded a few times, brightening a little. “It honestly kind of is. I mean. I'm like, blowing up the entire sections of land if I can do it right and stuff. That's pretty destructive, right?”
“Aye, perhaps I am thinking of this wrong.” Luna said meditatively, nodding a few times as Twilight sighed and shook her head slowly, while Scrivener Blooms only did his best to repress a smile despite himself. “Very well then, raze these tracts of mire. Twilight, let us step aside.”
Luna paused, then turned her attention to Scrivener for long enough to firmly bop him again with her soulstone horn before she turned and pranced away. The Lich sighed and followed, leaving Scrivener and Innocence alone along the dark sprawl of land, and the stallion smiled a little over at his daughter as he said quietly: “You did hold up pretty well, Sin. You sure you can do this, though?”
“I want to try.” Innocence said stubbornly, and Scrivener sighed before he nodded a little. They looked at each other for  few moments, then the stallion half-bowed and gestured to her with one of his claws, making Innocence brighten and set herself.
The unicorn breathed slowly in and out as she rose her head, her hon beginning to glow, and Scrivener smiled a little even as he felt... it was hard to describe. This just struck him as difficult to watch for some reason: not just because of how fast the years seemed to have passed, not because this was another step towards Innocence fully achieving independence and adulthood, but because... watching her trying to work with the corruption, the mire...
He had felt something a little strange from her, and he was feeling it again through the dark soil as Innocence focused her powers down into the black earth. The way it was resonating with her was different, just as the way she was reacting to it was... well, different. It was hard to describe properly.
For some reason, it brought up a weird memory of years ago, of carnage and mire, of monsters known as Tyrant Wyrms. He remembered his own unorthodox duel against one of the monsters, as they had used not brute force, but the Black Verses to fight, both trying to exert control over a battlefield made of poison until Scrivener had lost control and resorted to using something... he'd rather not think about, considering the consequences.
The stallion looked down at a claw and flexed it slowly, wondering why that memory was coming to mind as Innocence pushed against the mire, then cursed as she only manged to cancel out a little bit around herself... which quickly filled back in with poison, anyway. Scrivener looked up with a bit of a smile, watching how hard Innocence was trying and working before he felt that strange tug again, like... no, it was a stupid feeling. Innocence wasn't trying to take anything away from him.
He let her continue to try for a few minutes, until the young mare finally groaned and slumped, muscles trembling a little from her efforts and breathing hard. She looked winded, so Scrivener leaned over and said gently: “Alright, kiddo, here. Let me try, alright?”
Innocence grumbled a little, but then she nodded with a sigh, and Scrivener smiled despite himself before he turned his eyes over the mire. His claws flexed against it, but by now he was fully healed, his strength returned, and if anything, this dark poison was only feeding him more strength. But it obeyed him: he was the master of this corruption, and if he said it was time for it to vanish...
Then he winced as a rock bounced off his shoulder, before slowly turning a scowl towards Luna. She was just at the very edge of the maximum distance they could maintain, and when he glared at her, she complained: “Well, how else was I to get thy attention?”
“Oh, I don't know, it's not like I can hear your thoughts at all.” Scrivener said dryly, and Luna responded to this by glaring at him and sending him several awful mental images, making him wince and shake his head hurriedly. “Yes, like... stop it! Why would you even think about things like that?”
“To torture thee. I keep a mental file on hoof of all the things thou hates, to ensure thou knows the whip awaits thee should thou screw up somehow.” Luna said huffily, and the stallion gave her a moody look before she added: “Also, thou promised a show of strength.”
“I. I really don't want to. We get stared at, Luna. I don't like being stared at.” Scrivener said delicately, and then he paused and added moodily: “There's also the 'people flee in fear' thing, too. Which is hilarious right up until someone stabs me with a pitchfork and we get an angry mob chasing after us or something.”
Luna huffed at this, then said sourly: “That has happened all of one time, Scrivy. And furthermore, 'tis not dark of night and we shall be riding upon thy back. Besides, when have I last asked anything of thee?”
“You mean excluding the sparring session we just had and... pretty much my entire life?” Scrivener asked blandly, and Luna simply glared at the stallion until he winced and grabbed at his temples, Innocence grinning between her parents and Twilight Sparkle absently poking at some stitching that had come loose on her side as she ignored the banter between the two.
Or she was trying to, rather: what she was really doing was her best to resist adding her own wheedling alongside Luna's. Awkward as it was to admit, Twilight Sparkle... liked the fact she and Scrivener and Luna were all so strange these days. She hadn't just gotten used to the darkness, she had begun to embrace it, and enjoy the shows of power, the eccentricities, the differences that came with it.
Finally, the stallion sighed before he slapped a claw against the mire, then muttered: “Alright, alright. Watch out then, Sin. I don't want to catch you up in this.”
Innocence bounded over to join her maternal parents, and Scrivener looked meditatively in their direction. Luna grinned at him, and Twilight looked up with a shrug and a blush, and he felt her mind for a moment, saw the gentle request hidden in her thoughts. And the stallion sighed a little before he grudgingly nodded and muttered: “Wonderful. I guess I should be glad that my greatest function as a terrible, world-destroying monster is still always going to be 'thing for Luna to ride.'”
“Well, thou art very fun to ride. 'Tis why I must ride thee every single day. I must ride thee fiercely.” Luna said seriously, and Scrivener slowly dropped his head forwards as Innocence made a face at the sapphire mare, but Luna only looked innocently back. “What? I have said nothing ill.”
Scrivener shoved his claws down into the mire with a grumble, and the dark bog rippled before it began to swirl slowly around the stallion. Waves of black goo splashed upwards, splattering against him as the murk started to draw quickly inwards, twisting upwards and around the stallion as he closed his eyes and thought clearly to Luna: You're making it very tempting to squish you.
“Squish me? Thou wishes. Thou art the one always beneath me, after all.” Luna replied with a wide grin, knowing Scrivener would hear her words even over the rumble of the mire rapidly gathering around him. Innocence was only staring in awe, however, and Twilight Sparkle was smiling despite herself as she watched as the corruption coalesced into a sphere around the stallion.
Scrivener could feel it pressing it from all sides, surrounding him, pushing against him, and claustrophobia fought a strange, comforting sensation as the dark ooze around him rumbled. He could feel heat and raw energy being fed into him from the near-solid corruption, and he gritted his teeth as he arched his back and let the power simply take him over.
As energy raced through him, he felt the changes: his body grew, scales spread, his mane and tail disintegrated. He felt his body reshaping itself as it pulled in the poison around him, felt himself changing and evolving inside this egg made of corruption. And outside, Luna shivered eagerly as Twilight felt her own throat go dry and her own eyes lock on the trembling sphere of poison.
The enormous orb of corruption crystallized for a moment... then finally, it cracked apart and shattered into pieces, leaving behind not a stallion, but a creature known as a Tyrant Wyrm. His taut hide of scales were ebony over most of his body, but eggshell white along the underside of his powerful form; three pairs of conical pistons of bone pumped along either side of his spine as a draconian head rose proudly, horns gleaming and mouth opening to release a sapphire rasp of poisonous smog.
Scrivener Blooms cracked his neck loudly before he shook himself out, digging his large claws against the ground as the mire around him tuned gray, drained of its energy. He smiled slightly to himself, then rumbled once in his throat as he approached the three mares, looking down on the ponies that were less than half his size.
Luna reached up the moment he drew close enough, smiling warmly as her hoof touched the collar still locked around Scrivener's neck: it was locked tightly into place still, unbroken and undamaged. Since Luna had always been fond of polymorphing Scrivener even before he had learned to transform himself, she had ensured it carried an enchantment to change along with him... and not for the first time, the winged unicorn felt more glad than she knew was healthy that they had managed to maintain the stallion's ability to shapeshift.
She looked up at him: a Tyrant Wyrm, a world-destroyer... although Scrivener was much smaller than the usual Tyrant Wyrm, and so much was different... like those chestnut irises that still gazed at her tenderly, that quirk of a smile on his face. Then the now-large, now-reptile shook his head and glanced over his shoulder, saying finally: “Alright. Come on. I hate encouraging this, though.”
“Well, thy choice is to encourage me or to be beaten, Scrivy.” Luna said pointedly, and the Wyrm stallion sighed and dropped his head as Innocence smiled up at her father and Twilight shook he head with a soft laugh.
Innocence's eyes trailed from Scrivener Blooms, then down to her own claw as she reached it up and flexed it slowly. For a moment, there was that mix of emotions again: love and adoration, desire to be better and stronger. She was a mix of these three ponies, she was learning to do everything that they could... and she was even more a Tyrant Wyrm than her father. One day, maybe she'd be able to...
But before she could really finish the thought, she was interrupted by Luna saying: “Now, family, there should be enough room for us all to ride. Even if Scrivy is short.”
“You're short.” Scrivener reached up and caught Luna by the face in one claw when she began to open her mouth, and then he firmly shoved her down, pinning her by the head as he looked down at her with entertainment. “I warned you, didn't I?”
Luna flailed uselessly beneath his claw, her rump sticking up in the air and wings flapping stupidly at her sides, and Innocence gazed with entertainment at her parents even as she bounced over to Scrivener's side, then hopped up and clawed her way onto back, making him wince a little as her sharp little digits dug against his scales. Twilight followed her daughter, while Luna only grumbled moodily before her crystalline horn glowed and unleashed a short blast of electricity, making the stallion squawk and stagger.
She popped up to her hooves, and the two glared at each other before Luna leapt up and seized into his face, the Wyrm wincing and shaking his head back and forth even as the winged unicorn scrambled hurriedly up his features like a ladder. Then she skidded down the back of his neck on her butt to all-but-fling herself into Twilight Sparkle and her daughter, knocking them both sprawling along the back of the Tyrant Wyrm as Scrivener rolled his eyes and slumped a little, mumbling: “I think I understand how the riding horses of Valhalla must feel.”
“Nay, I always treated Hex much better than I treat thee. And besides, the riding horses are much more valuable.” Luna replied cheerfully as she spun around and reached down to grasp the back of Scrivener's collar, while Twilight picked herself up and glared at the sapphire mare's back, and Innocence only smiled as she rolled around to comfortably lay across her father's lower spine. “Now come, Scrivy. But be aware thou must not go too fast, we are all trying to find room upon thy stickish tiny little frame.”
Scrivener Blooms grumbled as he started forwards, heading in the direction of Ponyville. He glanced moodily back and forth as he lumbered through the field, moving slowly, but still covering ground quickly with his long strides.
His mood lightened as he moved, and he hated to admit how much he... kind of enjoyed this, in spite of everything. Yes, he was essentially using powers meant originally to augment his destructive potential to serve as a pack animal, but... he was helping his family, and he was able to use powers originally meant to destroy to help. To do good things.
It was stupid how happy that made him, but... it did. It was probably also stupid how good it felt just to have moments like these, walking under the sun with his family, the violent stuff all done with and now everything just feeling so much more... pleasant and quiet and serene. Gods, how good peace still felt, after so many years spent... fighting, and warring, and pretending they were heroes and good ponies when really, they were anything but.
Luna huffed and whacked the back of his neck gently, and then she said flatly: “Oh, shut up. We are better than heroes. Heroes are stupid and silly and only do good and are. Boring and stuffy. I am none of these things.”
“Yeah, well. We're also not exactly fantastic role models here, either.” Scrivener remarked mildly as he made his way across the fields. But he could feel Twilight's quiet smile, her silent disagreement, and even after all these years it still gave him a feeling like butterflies in his stomach.
He glanced over his shoulder at her and gave a small smile, and the Lich looked back at him softly before Luna slowly rose her head between the two, her starry locks spreading out into a curtain to completely block them from each other. The stallion looked at her flatly as Twilight glowered at the sapphire mare's back, and then Luna said pointedly: “I am the center of our universe. 'Tis very rude that Twilight complains about my tenderness in front of Scarlet Sage but then goes and attempts to engage in such with Scrivener Blooms whilst Innocence is right here herself. I would say riding upon her father but I'm somehow sure that 'twould be taken entirely the wrong way.”
Innocence made a loud whining noise in her throat as Twilight smacked Luna's back and Scrivener only rolled his eyes, saying dryly: “You know, just because our daughter is old enough to understand that you're a very creepy, disturbed mare doesn't mean you have to be a creepy disturbed mare around her.”
“Thou art a creepy disturbed mare, shut up Scrivy.” Luna huffed, and then she flopped forwards and half-hugged his neck, mashing her face against his scales and mumbling: “Damnable Scrivener Blooms. Damn thou.”
“Damn me.” Scrivener agreed, smiling despite himself after a moment, and then he shook his head before turning his attention back forwards as he lingered a little, slowing his pace to make sure that the Nibelung didn't mistake him for a Marsh Drake or something else hostile that they should raise the village's defenses against.
At least it was broad daylight and he was carrying three ponies on his back... even if one of those ponies was Luna Brynhild, who had a rather bad habit of causing all the mayhem and mischief she could manage. He cleared his throat as he approached, then called awkwardly to the staring guards: “Uh. Hi there.”
The Wyrm stallion strode calmly through the gates, then he glanced over his shoulder as they entered the town, asking in an awkward mumble: “So uh. Do you guys want to get off me now so I can change back into a pony?”
“I am thinking no. After all, Innocence and Twilight both agree with me that this is a most welcome way to travel, aye?” Luna sat up slightly to wink over her shoulder at the other mares, and Twilight gave the starry-maned winged unicorn an amused look as Innocence nodded firmly several times, a warm expression on her features.
Features that she hadn't bothered to polymorph and hide... and Luna noted this clearly in her mind, sharing the thought with Scrivener Blooms and making him sigh inwardly as he smiled a little. But suffering all the embarrassment in the world was barely any cost at all if it helped his daughter be a little more comfortable with herself; if it even helped distract her enough that she forgot for a little while to worry about her shape and just... enjoyed life a little.
He turned his attention back forwards, striding through the dusty streets of Ponyville as Luna gazed imperiously back and forth, nodding now and then to ponies and other people that stared up at them with amazement and often awe. Twilight only shook her head at the behavior of the mare, while Innocence giggled happily and gazed ardently at her mother.
Then Luna gave a cheerful shout, and the stallion halted and looked curiously to the side as Innocence blushed slightly in both embarrassment but also honest happiness at the sight of her friend Clinker approaching, the chubby, young earth pony stallion cocking his head with his usual bland expression on his features behind his taped glasses. “Hullo.”
“Hello!” Luna waved at the young, chestnut stallion, as he blinked slowly and continued to look up at them with that slightly-awkward, almost-vapid expression he usually wore. His short, dirty dark blue mane wafted a little in the breeze, the only part of him that seemed to really be moving. Scrivener sometimes found himself wondering if anything could really bother or excite the hefty pony: he was fairly certain that if Luna ran into him on her motorcycle, he wouldn't so much as twitch but her monstrosity of a machine would end up trashed.
“How are you doing, Clink?” Innocence asked as she leaned down off her father, and Clinker turned his large, solemn eyes to her before he gave a small smile. Innocence smiled warmly back at this, then she leaned forwards, patting her father's side excitedly. “You see my Dad? This is my Daddy, you see him?”
Clinker nodded slowly, and there was an awkward silence before the young stallion asked in his slow, calm tones: “Are you going to come to my birthday tomorrow?”
“Yep!” Innocence beamed brightly, nodding firmly as she gazed happily down at the earth pony, and then she wiggled quickly off her father's back and flung herself to the ground, wincing as she landed in an awkward stumble before shaking herself out as she straightened and turned affectionate eyes towards her friend. “I got you the best gift ever, too. Mutt helped me pick it out!”
Clinker blinked slowly, and then he simply nodded before slowly trundling around in a circle. Scrivener's eyes roved to the emblem of some mathematical formula on the stallion's flank of '-λN.' The  Wyrm stallion had no idea what it meant, but he bet it had something to do with Clinker's... slowness.
The young earth pony seemed to simply wander off, and Sin waved happily after him as she called brightly: “I'll see you tomorrow, Clink!”
Luna smiled wryly as Twilight gazed kindly down at Innocence, while Scrivener only looked meditatively after the chubby young male and wondered how he and his very active, energetic daughter could get along so well. Or at least Scrivener thought they got along well: Clinker was kind of inscrutable, after all.
Then Innocence trotted quickly up to her father's side and smiled up at him brightly, and the stallion turned his eyes down to her with entertainment before the mare said positively: “I really like Clinker, but don't worry Daddy. He's not my coltfriend or anything. I don't know if I even really want a coltfriend right now or anything.”
Scrivener smiled slightly, unable to help that... odd relief he felt. Luna, meanwhile, snorted in amusement before the mare said cheerfully: “Well, thou does not need a coltfriend to scratch the itches that thou might have now and then, daughter.”
“Luna.” Twilight said flatly, even if Innocence only giggled and blushed, looking warmly over at her Móðer. Scrivener, meanwhile, sighed and rolled his eyes, but didn't bother to say anything as he started forwards and Innocence bounced happily along behind him.
They headed back towards Celestia's familiar home, but just as they were crossing the open square in front of the enormous tree that housed the library, a loud, cheerful voice roared to them: “My siblings! 'Tis wonderful to see thee in such good health, and with my gorgeous niece!”
“Uncle Sleipnir!” Innocence brightened immediately, bouncing around Scrivener as the Wyrm stallion smiled despite himself. Luna, meanwhile, grinned widely as she flung herself off her husband's back to land in front of an enormous chestnut earth pony with a mane and tail of thick, healthy green vines.
His hazel eyes twinkled with happiness as he looked down at the sapphire mare, and she lunged up to share a fierce embrace with the earth pony for a moment before drawing back and slapping his broad chest, making strong muscles flex and the tattooing of vines intertwined around runes and celestial symbols ripple. “And how art thou, my handsome brother?”
“He's good. Too good.” said a sour voice, and Scrivener and Luna both smiled as they turned their eyes towards the mare that stepped up beside Sleipnir. She was a dull, pink-gray, her eyes rimmed with red and irises supernatural blue. Her mane was straight, falling in a waterfall that partly obscured her features, and she had her own tattooing of vines over the left side of her breast that twined and twisted around the profile of a black ash tree... the same tree symbol that was on the stallion's flank.
“Pinkamena.” Scrivener greeted, and the mare responded to this  by gesturing at him rudely, making him snort in entertainment. “That's why you're my favorite demon.”
“And you still make a craptastic Tyrant Wyrm, Scrivy.” retorted Pinkamena, before she glanced mildly over her shoulder and called loudly: “Hey, kids, come on!”
“We're right here, Mommy, don't worry!” said a cheery voice, and Twilight smiled as she slipped off Scrivener's back as Antares approached with his cousin, the daughter of Sleipnir and Pinkamena: Aphrodisia Celeste Pie, a demon who had started to truly grow into her powers, and was steadily working towards finding her station in life... and still best friends with her glossy-black unicorn cousin even after all these years.
Aphrodisia smiled warmly as she and Antares drew close: her eyes were a bright and cheerful green, her mane a raven black and knotted to one side, her coat the same faint pink as her mother's. She was beautiful and a little taller than Pinkamena, but slender, seeming to float along on her cloven hooves as her strange cutie mark – an emerald serpent, coiled in a spiral on her flank – seemed to twist and move of its own accord.
A more recent addition also shone along Aphrodisia's spine: bright red runes, spelling out the word 'Elska' in a blessing over her back, all of them shaped distinctly like hearts, stars and other symbols. But more than just a blessing, it was the name she had chosen for her soulbound weapon, a scythe she had retrieved from a reaper much more than a decade ago now.
Apps strode up to Luna and leaned forwards, kissing her cheek and trading a hug with her, then repeating the affection with Twilight Sparkle before finally hopping up and hugging Scrivener's large head so she could kiss the crown of his skull with a happy smile. The Tyrant Wyrm smiled amusedly in return as the young-looking mare slipped backwards, as Sleipnir boasted proudly: “My beloved little girl has been making leaps and bounds in her training! Aye, as a father I must fear for her, but I am also so very proud of her, for being so strong and able, and her dedication to friend and kin!”
Luna smiled warmly over at Aphrodisia, who only blushed and bowed her head, but looked with delight at her parents all the same: Sleipnir, beaming with fatherly pride, and Pinkamena, who looked at her daughter with tenderness visible in eyes that were usually as opaque as frosted glass. And Antares smiled warmly as he nudged the cousin he often referred to as 'little sister,' saying softly: “I sure as hell know I'm glad we're on the same side myself. She's starting to make me look bad.”
“Worse, you mean. You do a great job of making yourself look pretty bad, kid.” Pinkamena said mildly, and Antares gave the demon a flat look, but she only shrugged amiably as Aphrodisia giggled quietly and Innocence laughed and nodded firmly in agreement.
“Oh, do not be so mean, my phoenix!” Sleipnir chastised cheerfully, nudging the demon firmly, and Pinkamena only grunted and shoved back at him. “For one, Antares is growing into becoming a strong and capable warrior, and he has handled the arduous task of liaison with far greater grace and candor than I ever did when 'twas my responsibility.”
“Perhaps thou should say irresponsibility.” Luna quipped, but Sleipnir only nodded agreeably before Luna asked cheerfully: “Tell me, brother, for 'tis a point of contention betwixt myself and mine husband: does Scrivener not look like a riding horse as a Tyrant Wyrm?”
Scrivener glowered at Luna, but Sleipnir only looked thoughtfully at Scrivener before he suddenly bounded forwards, the Wyrm wincing as the enormous stallion spun himself around the male's neck before dropping firmly into a sitting position on Scrivener's back, making his eyes bulge and his back arch painfully.
Sleipnir settled himself thoughtfully, then he nodded firmly once and patted the back of Scrivener's neck a few times, making him wince. “Well, little sister, he certainly feels much like a riding horse, that is for certain!”
“There's a few ways to test that theory.” Pinkamena said mildly, pushing Twilight out of the way  before she hopped up behind her husband, Scrivener groaning, then yelping when Pinkamena drove the heels of her hooves into his sides. He automatically staggered forwards, and Luna laughed even as she twitched a bit from the faint feeling of pain in her own body.
Meanwhile, Innocence had turned fascinated eyes to Aphrodisia, bouncing over in front of her and questioning quickly: “So is it true you know all kinds of demon magic now? That you're an assassin? That you met Hel herself?”
Aphrodisia blushed and shifted slightly, smiling a little awkwardly: while normally she was bright and childish, she always strove to be a little more... careful around Innocence. The demon understood all too well what it was like to long to be stronger, but her experiences had taught her what it was like to give in to the animal side for too long, and how high a cost could come with the pursuit of power. In spite of how young she might look, she was only six years younger than Antares... and over the last five years, she had seen quite a lot of literal Hell. “Well...
“For one thing, I'm not an assassin. I'm an Inquisitor in training, sort of. Sort of. It's kind of a thing from Hel. A gift-thing.” Apps clumsily explained, and when Antares snorted in amusement, she huffed and punched him in the shoulder, making the stallion wince even as he continued to grin. “You shut up! At least I'm not a messenger boy!”
“I'm way more of a delivery boy than a messenger boy, I'll have you know.” Antares said in an offended voice, and then he stepped forwards and wrapped a foreleg around Apps' shoulders, pulling her in against his side and winking at Innocence. “Think of it this way. I'm the boring liaison with boring Heaven, but Apps is more like the ambassador between Midgard and Hel herself. Who gets to kill stuff that gets in her way.”
Aphrodisia laughed, but she happily dropped her face against the side of the stallion's neck for a moment, visibly relaxing, taking comfort in the closeness. Innocence nodded in understanding, then she returned her eyes to Aphrodisia, asking curiously: “So what kind of magic have you learned? Can you show it to me? Or maybe tell me more about your scythe?”
“I'm really bad at explaining things.” Aphrodisia said with a fidget, looking lame, but Innocence only nodded after a moment, in spite of looking more than a bit disappointed. But the young mare's attention was shortly drawn by the sight of Scrivener wincing and leaping through the open square, startling a few people and getting both yells and laughs as Pinkamena and Sleipnir rode him like a bucking bronco. Luna was dancing along beside them, and Twilight was only sitting with her face in a hoof, looking a bit embarrassed by the whole scene.
Innocence was drawn away, while Apps and Antares only watched with entertainment, before the demon drew her eyes towards the glossy-black unicorn and softened, saying quietly: “So I'm here for... I think a few days, until I have to resume training at the Archives. Mommy will be coming down with me this time, so... I want to try and spend my time up here with our old friends. You know, if you can stay and all, I know you're a lot busier than me-”
“I am not. And I can always skip out a little bit.” Antares said softly, smiling slightly over at the demon, who gave him an entertained look. “Yeah, I'm supposed to go back up tonight but... I think technically 'tonight' lasts until tomorrow morning if you don't sleep, and the portal's in Subterra. We'll just make a little side-trip through Canterlot this evening and grab Avalon.”
Aphrodisia only looked at Antares with amusement, and the stallion shrugged, saying mildly: “Hey, I didn't say we were going to give her a choice in the matter. I just said we're going to grab her and drag her off, like old times.”
The demon sighed and smiled, then said wryly: “It's funny, you know? In the old days, you would have been the one impossible to drag away from his job. Now, you want to find a way to abduct the Captain of the Thunderbolt Division from her post in Canterlot for drinks.”
“It's not my fault I turned into Mom and everyone else got boring.” Antares said mildly, and when Aphrodisia glared at him, he smiled amusedly and rolled his eyes, nudging her companionably with his shoulder. “Okay, okay. Everyone apart from you, Pinkslap.”
“Thanks, big brother.” Aphrodisia hugged the stallion tightly around the neck with a warm smile, and the stallion only shrugged a bit as he reached up and rubbed gently along the runes over her back, and she closed her eyes and arched her back slowly as they lit up with a distinct neon glow at the stallion's touch.
Then she sighed and relaxed, blinking a few times and looking relaxed before she looked up warmly as Scrivener finally stumbled over his own claws and flopped painfully to the ground with a grunt, skidding a few feet on his chest before his face dropped into the ground with a loud thump. Sleipnir only laughed and hopped off the Tyrant Wyrm, while Pinkamena grumbled and stood up, then stomped viciously up and down on the shapeshifted stallion's back, making him gargle and twitch a few times before she hopped off.
He glowered over at her, but she only blew her mane back and then reached out to smack his face lightly, making him wince away. But then the mare smiled briefly, shaking her head as she walked away. “I guess you're not a complete failure, Scrivy. Just mostly one.”
“Thanks. That does great for my self-esteem.” Scrivener muttered, and then flinched as Luna hopped over his neck, mumbling: “Please don't step on me.”
“Oh shut up. I am perfectly in control.” Luna argued, and then she decided to prove this by hopping back and forth over the Tyrant Wyrm's long neck as she made her way up towards his head. Then, on her last jump, she hopped forwards and landed on top of Scrivener's skull, making him wince in pain before she sat down primly on his crown as she declared: “See? I am the controller. I am the rider, and thou art the ridden.”
“Yep.” Scrivener muttered, and then he rose his head and flicked it hard upwards, launching Luna flipping into the air with a yelp before she spun around and caught herself with a flap of her wings, glowering down at him.
Scrivener looked moodily back, and then he huffed out a short burst of blue mist before closing his eyes. He felt a wave of heat pass through his body as his scales lost their distinction, melding together and becoming waxy before they simply started to melt; and after only ten seconds or so, the once-solid Wyrm was now just a mass of dark sludge rapidly losing all color, as a form pushed up out of its melting back before a stallion surfaced out of the center of the muck with a gasp.
Scrivener Blooms arched his back with a wince as thick, scruffy white locks finished growing out of his scalp, his entire body prickling with pain and heat as the shed body of the Tyrant Wyrm simply dissolved into ashes and black mud. Turning back into a pony was a less-than-pleasant process, since he wasn't able to compress his entire body back into his normal shape: instead, he simply shed the extra weight, so to speak.
But it hurt like hell, and he felt... raw for a while, like he'd been skinned and reformed. Which he guessed that he technically had. Luna had a horrible metaphor that it was kind of like he gave birth to himself every time he shifted back from Wyrm form, but... Scrivener really preferred not to think about that at all. He felt nauseated and weakened enough by the transformation, after all.
The stallion waded out of the murk as Luna swayed a little in the air, dropping her head with a faint grimace as Scrivener's pain and fatigue resounded through her, and then the sapphire mare dropped and landed unsteadily on her hooves, breathing softly once before looking up with a small smile. There was an awkward moment of silence, and then Sleipnir broke this by asking curiously: “So art thou actually a snake, Scrivener Blooms? Or a lizard? Or... do dragons molt? I do not know if dragons molt. I have never seen handsome Spike molt, but I suppose that sweet Rarity would know the better. But if he did, they could make their own-”
“I have a feeling no one wants to hear the end of that sentence.” Pinkamena interrupted, and Sleipnir huffed a bit before the dull-gray mare rolled her eyes and glanced over at Innocence. “Hey, by the way. Sissy wants to know what kind of cake your pal Clinker wants. Although I think Pinkie Pie just wants to be involved so she can go and brag about how much everypony loves her or some other lie like that.”
“'Tis so refreshing to know the Pink Twins are still getting along so divinely.” Luna said wryly, and Pinkamena rolled her eyes before the starry-maned mare added mildly: “And I do not believe Clinker should have a cake. He is...”
Innocence glowered at her mother, and Luna huffed a bit before the young unicorn turned her eyes back towards Pinkamena and said in plain defiance of Luna: “The chocolatiest chocolate fudge-filled chocolate cake she can make!”
“Kid, I really hate you. That's going to be a pain in the flank to make.” the demon groaned, rolling her eyes before she moodily looked over at Aphrodisia. But when the young demon only gave her mother a pleading look, Pinkamena slumped a bit and muttered: “Goddammit. Sure. Fine. I guess you're going to have to help me, Slippers.”
Sleipnir's eyes widened slowly and delightedly at this prospect, while Luna only narrowed her eyes pointedly at Sin, but Innocence glared fearlessly back. Then the two blew raspberries loudly at each other at the same time, and Twilight sighed as Antares smiled despite herself and Aphrodisia gazed at her cousin with entertainment.
“You guys are all morons. Come on, Slippers, let's go and see if you can not screw up one simple little task.” Pinkamena said moodily, and the stallion nodded cheerfully in agreement before turning to trot happily after the demon, looking much like an oversized dog at his mistress' heel.
Antares and Apps traded looks, and then the glossy-black unicorn turned towards Twilight and strode over to her, almost picking her up with a tight hug and startling the Lich into a laugh before he set her down and smiled warmly. “I'll send you a letter. You too, Mutt.”
“That is Sin's name for me, not thine! Name thief!” Luna called, and Antares grinned before he leapt away from Twilight, pouncing towards his mother, but she swiftly stepped forwards and swung her crystalline horn fiercely upwards as he snapped his own horn down, the two spires meeting with a crackle of energy before they were both repelled with a thunderous bang.
They staggered, glared at each other... then stepped forwards and firmly banged their horns together thrice before bowing at the same time. Then they straightened and shared a fierce hug, Luna murmuring to her son as she squeezed him close: “Idiot. Take care of thyself. Thou hast our love.”
“I love you too, Móðer. All of you. Watch out for each other, huh?” Antares replied softly as he pulled back, and their eyes met before the stallion winked over at his father, then gazed towards his little sister. “Sin, try and behave yourself while I'm gone, huh?”
“I'll try, Antares. I'll miss you.” Innocence smiled up after her brother, and the stallion nodded firmly as Aphrodisia quickly exchanged her own goodbyes with her family. Then, as the two left, the young mare hesitated before looking back at he parents, biting her lip as she gazed at the ponies that remained... that would always remain.
Twilight Sparkle, Scrivener Blooms... and Luna Brynhild. Innocence's attention drew to the last, and she leaned forwards, asking impulsively: “One day, can I be like Aphrodisia or Antares? I mean, I know I'm already getting all this Valkyrie training, and I'm really grateful for it, but... they're already working for Heaven and Hell. One day, will I be able to...”
“One day. But to be honest, I hope 'tis a day far away. I am selfish that way, my dearest daughter.” Luna said softly, and Innocence smiled warmly and blushed slightly. But it was a happy look on her face, and Scrivener and Twilight traded soft looks: they both knew that if they'd given the same response to Innocence, her reception would have still been warm, but not quite so... touched.
Then Innocence turned around and hurried towards the library, and the three traded looks, thoughts, and emotions; enough passed through their minds in those few moments that Scrivener and Twilight were both left to shift embarrassedly, and Luna grinned widely at them as she shook her head slowly. “Oh, thou idiots.”
She stopped, took a moment to choose her words a little more carefully than she usually did, and then she smiled and drew her eyes over them, saying quietly: “I am Móðer to Sin, and she thinks of me as a close and dearest friend, aye. But she adores and respects both of thee: thou art her father, a father she is proud of and looks up to, and Twilight Sparkle, for all thy worries and bitterness, I am all too sure she respects thy authority more than she does my own, just as she should.”
“It's just hard not to be a little envious of how good you are with her sometimes, Luna. How much she listens to you, how much she tells you.” Twilight said softly, but Luna only shook her head and chuckled quietly at this.
“Nay. She may seem to speak more to me, Twilight Sparkle, but Innocence is cunning as Celestia. And she is very well aware that whatever she may tell one of us, she tells all of us.” Luna replied easily, and Twilight leaned back in surprise, then looked thoughtful at this response, lowering her head a little as Scrivener gazed at Luna warmly. But before he could say anything, the mare grinned widely and shrugged, turning around and adding cheerfully: “But maybe thou art correct and Innocence simply knows who is the best mare to speak to on matters of fun. Thou art both boring, after all.”
Scrivener rolled his eyes in amusement as Twilight gave the sapphire mare a dry look, but it was chiefly warmth that they both felt as they followed the starry-maned winged unicorn into the library. Innocence looked up as they entered, and then she levitated the book beside her before hurrying forwards... and past Luna to Twilight Sparkle, skidding to a halt in front of the Lich as she looked up at her brightly and asked: “Do you think you could help me with some of this stuff, Momma? I really could use your help with it.”
Twilight smiled and nodded firmly as Luna and Scrivener both looked tenderly towards the violet mare: a mare who sometimes still undervalued herself and worried too much about how others might see her, but who all the same was the most important, the most integral part of the life of these two ponies... and almost as important to the friends and family she had that filled this beautiful little village of Ponyville.