“Your move,” Card said, moving his knight to c5.
“Are you sure?” Solaris asked.
“Yeah.”
Solaris shrugged and took his newly unguarded rook.
“Damnit,” Card said. “I didn’t see that.”
“You seem distracted.”
Card looked up from the board to raise an eyebrow at his father.
“More distracted than usual,” Solaris said as he rolled his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t wanna go back to work,” Card said.
Solaris harumphed. “That’s not it, what else?”
Card sighed. “I have to tell them soon, don’t I?”
“I’m afraid so. Don’t worry though, the rest will be there too.”
“?” Card grunted.
“I took the liberty of inviting them to stay at the manor for a few days before and after New Years. Thought you might enjoy seeing them again.”
“What!? That’s only a week away, and you’re only telling me this now! Do you know how long it’ll take to prepare everything?” Card yelled.
“It’ll take you an hour,” Solaris condescended at his son, “don’t exaggerate. All you have to do is lock about twenty rooms in place and seal up the rest. Now make your move.”
Card did so, glare/pouting at his dad. “What day are they coming?”
“The 28th. Speaking of, how are you feeling?” Solaris asked.
“Better. You were right, the Elements definitely help.”
“Good to hear. You know, I could always have them moved back if you want,” Solaris said, his voice tinged with concern.
“No, no. I can handle it on my own. But… Being that close. Seeing it, it’s just so… Tempting.”
“You’ve gone to look at it?” Solaris said sharply.
“Don’t worry, I only do it when it’s calm, I’m not an idiot.”
“I know, I know.”
“Good evening!” Bolero said as he yanked open one of the observatory doors. He saw Card and Solaris at their chess table in the center of the massive circular room. “I do hope we are not interrupting anything.”
“Hello Bolero. Don’t worry, we were just about done.” Solaris, still looking at the pegasus, moved his bishop. “Checkmate.”
Card sighed. “Hello uncle,” he said, “and you too Blueblood.”
Blueblood and Shining Armor had come up to the observatory with Bolero, under the pretense of going out for a smoke.
“Blueblood,” Solaris said by way of greeting, “and you too… Bluenette Blueblood.” He said to Shining Armor.
“What!?” Shining and Blueblood yelled.
“Oh good, so it’s not just me,” Card said.
Shining Armor was very cross. How dare someone compare him to the princely fop! Then he remember who it was who did that.
“My King,” he said as he kneeled.
“Oh get up, do you see a crown?” Solaris said as he pointed at his bare head.
Shining Armor got up.
“...,” he said.
Bolero reached into his cloak and pulled out a carton of cigars. He offered one to each of them.
Solaris and Blueblood accepted, Card and Shining did not.
There was a brief silence as the three lit up.
“So, when are you planning to propose?” Card asked Shining Armor.
Shining Armor made a noise that sounded like a bird flew into his throat.
“What?!” he said.
“When are you planning to propose to my cousin.” Card elaborated, “I know you’ve been planning it.”
“Wha- How-”
“Oh, magnifico!” Bolero said. “This is wonderous!”
“I- Uh- Ah-” Shining Armor stared at Card, “How?” he finally managed to spit out.
“You kept on looking at Serenade’s wedding ring, and glancing at where you would put Enza’s engagement ring. You’ve been trying to stay on Bolero’s good side, and have been looking at him every time you do something for Enza, like you’re trying to impress him,” Card said. “There were a bunch of smaller things too, but I don’t have time to go into them.”
“Oh. Well…” Shining Armor looked embarrassed, “I guess now’s as good a time as any. Sir,” he said as he turned to face Bolero, “Would you give me permission to wed your daughter?”
“What, a captain of the royal guard and direct blood relative to one of the Elements of Harmony?” Bolero said. “Of course you can! It is a most wondrous union!”
“Really!” Shining Armor said with a massive grin on his face, “Oh thank you, sir!
Blueblood scoffed, “I don’t see why you’ve waited so long, just ask her already. Get it over with.”
“Oh like you’re one to talk,” Card said. “How are things with the good Lady Sinduro?”
Blueblood stuck his nose up in the air, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Card just chuckled.
A little bit later, the mares came into the observatory.
“Where’s the ceiling?” Applejack asked.
“Whenever we want to use the observatory, we put it away,” Celestia explained. “Now then, we are all here brother. Why did you wish us all to come?”
Solaris got up from his seat and went over to Luna. He kissed his sister on the cheek and then gestured to the sky.
“There are now no longer any living creatures on that moon, and frankly, I don’t like the idea of my baby sister having a permanent reminder of her mistake. So, me and Wild figured out the perfect birthday present for her.” Solaris pointed a hoof straight at the moon.
Suddenly, a speck of purple appeared on the moon’s surface. It got bigger and bigger, engulfing more and more of the moon until it consumed all of it.
Twilight and her friends were so enthralled by the show that they didn’t notice the faint glow emitting from the Elements of Harmony.
Once all of the moon was overtaken, something strange happened. It started getting smaller. It shrank and shrank until it disappeared.
All of the ponies were shocked, but none more so than Luna herself. She reached out across the whole night sky with her magic, searching, searching, but she couldn’t find even the smallest pebble. Tears filled her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said as buried her head in her brother’s chest. “Thank you.”
The reactions of the other ponies ranged from shocked to impressed to even slightly sad. But only one was annoyed.
“Are you insane?” Celestia said to her brother, more exasperated than anything else, “How do you plan on dealing with all of the panic this will cause?”
“Not my problem!” Solaris said.
“What! No, no, I am not handling all of this on my own!”
“Do you want to give the job back?” Solaris asked.
Celestia sigh/growled. “You are infuriating, you know that?”
“Yes. Don’t worry, I’ll replace it tomorrow.” Solaris turned his gaze down Luna, who was still hugging him. “I think it was worth it.”
Celestia looked at the smile on her sister’s face, the part of it not obscured by Solaris’s body at least, and agreed.
Twilight was staring at the sky. I wonder how the King did that? A nudge from Trixie roused her from her thoughts.
“Isn’t that sweet?” Trixie said, pointing to the King and Princesses
“Yeah. What do you think Card?” Twilight asked.
When a reply didn’t come, the mares looked around the room.
“Where’d he go?” Trixie asked.
“I don’t know.”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Trixie assured her. “Now come on, we need to leave. We’ve gotta get up early tomorrow.”
“Yeah you’re right. Still, I wonder what he’s doing.”
-----In the Statue Garden-----
Card made his way through the field, his eyes shut tight and his ears plugged up. Naturally, this led to him crashing into almost every single statue in the garden. Some more than once. His brow dripped with sweat, his breath was haggard, and his face was expressionless. Slowly but surely he made his way to a dark purple orb.
The orb grew slowly, destroying all the matter that it engulfed. Card walked straight towards it.
As he drew near, the orb pulsed, shifting slightly in his direction. He grimaced. His breathing became more staggered, almost turning into moans. Then suddenly, the orb started to shrink, retreating from the matter around it, including the ground.
Card walked closer and closer to it and it became smaller and smaller, until it became a dark pink pebble with small streaks of yellow and white. It fell from the air.
Card rushed over to retrieve it and promptly fell into the perfectly spherical crater the orb had formed as it destroyed the ground.
Card swore and got up, removing the blindfold from his eyes and the plugs from his ears. He tossed them into his jacket. He got to the pebble and reached out his hoof. He hesitated briefly and then quickly picked it up. He held it in front of his face, waiting for something.
Nothing happened.
Card heaved a loud sigh of relief and smiled. He tossed the pebble into his jacket and then sat down to relax a little bit.
“All good?” Solaris asked as he soundlessly teleported next to Card.
“Yeah. All good,” Card said as he lay back and looked at the starry sky. “I’m room 213.”
“Wha-?” Solaris asked as he looked over to see Card fast asleep. He smiled and teleported his son into his hotel room. He then teleported off to go tell Celestia about the hole in the statue garden.