Moon Dancing on Water
Ch. 5: Babel
-----------------------------
It had been 4 months since everything had started, as Luna stood on the deck looking out over the water as the bay of the Aquilonian capital of Cape Cod came into view. Aligorna walked up besides her, smiling at the sight. He stretched his neck out, working out a kink.
"Looks like things are almost over now. You look like you aren't really ready for that."
Luna shook her head and looked at him with a bittersweet expression. "Honestly, I'm not. Everypony has been so kind to me. No one has judged me, looked at me like I'm not to be trusted, or spoken of me in hushed tones. I've nothing to atone for amongst you, and I can simply be. I have been in need of that for some time now, Aligorna. I've been in need of a chance to relax and just be myself, no past to burden me and no responsibilities to distract my attention. And as for you...for such a rocky start to this relationship, you've treated me like nopony else ever could."
"We have a relationship now, huh?"
Luna rolled her eyes. "If Celestia will listen to me for once, then it's possible. Even if not, you've proven to be a friend like no other. Only Princess Twilight has just accepted me, flaws and all, anywhere near the level you have. And that's because Princess Twilight hero worships my sister, and by extension anypony attached to her."
Aligorna smiled, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "So Strife was right then with this plan?"
Luna shook her head. "Not at all, especially since I think he planted those dreams, because I don't remember walking through them. But sometimes good results happen when we make the most out of bad situations. He was not in the right, but I know your heart, and I know it's pure, so I've long since forgiven you for going along with it."
Aligorna let out a long sigh. The relationship with Luna and Strife had never once improved the entire journey, and that upset him. But Luna seemed contented, and that's what mattered to him.
It wasn't long until the ship pulled into port and docked, and they unboarded. As they did, a crowd gathered around and started to cheer and sing. Luna blushed at the praise, and Aligorna and Strife both bowed, which caused the crowd to bow as well.
Aligorna turned to the Doctor and Ditzy, smiling as he said to them, and the rest of the crew, "I would like to thank you all for your loyal service. This journey has ended, and your services are now discharged. You will receive your payment in two days' time. Now go home, or to our newest honorary citizens, feel free to explore."
He could tell the Doctor had not slept well again, and he gave a quick look of concern. For three weeks now, the Doctor had been having to drink himself to sleep. He was having nightmares, terrible ones. In them, he kept seeing Ditzy being attacked by swarms of Daleks, and he always came up just short of being able to save her. Aligorna still was not sure exactly what a Dalek was, even after both had tried to describe it to him, but he could tell that if they got under the Doctor's skin this much that they were bad news.
The crowd turned their attentions to the Doctor and Ditzy as several people offered to show them around town and take them to the finest pubs, which gave Aligorna, Strife, and Luna enough time to sneak off to where the royal carriages were stationed, and be whisked away to the royal castle.
-------------------------------
Once at the castle, Luna was shown to her quarters and Strife and Aligorna headed to the strategy room to discuss their next step. Strife had his arms crossed over his chest as he said, "My lord, I don't think Celestia is just going to take this lightly. She seems to have a history of ignoring Luna and her distress, so I assume she'll make the same mistake again. I think we need to be ready for combat."
Aligorna shook his head vigorously. "NO! I still think diplomacy is the best option. We need to at least try to talk to her before being hasty. This has been and never will be about a fight, or a conquest, but about myself having a chance with Luna. That's it. IF Celestia wants to be combative about it, then we'll give her her fight, but otherwise let's not provoke her. I really do think Luna and I can talk some sense into her."
Strife huffed, seemingly unconvinced. "Okay, what about the rest of her entourage. I mean, the rumors say Cadence beat Sombra mostly on her own, and the same thing with the Changeling queen. The Spirit of Love seemingly enjoys a good fight. Princess Twilight is sure to have brought her friends, which we know is trouble. And Discord...Discord is a wild card."
Aligorna looked thoughtful for a second, but dismissed it. "Where Celestia goes, they're sure to follow her lead. If we keep her calm, we keep them calm."
Strife looked cross for a brief second, and Aligorna took note of it. Strife took a deep, calming breath though, and then said sweetly, "Alright, let's try it your way. But I do want a chance to talk to Discord alone, if possible."
Aligorna nodded. "Done and done."
--------------------------------
The following evening, Celestia's crew arrived in port. Shining stayed on board as the rest of them disembarked. He was keeping the rest of the fleet just outside of port, not wanting to make things too alarming.
There was no crowd around, but they were greeted by some of Aligorna's court. Some of his guard had been sent to escort him to his castle when they arrived.
Celestia bowed, followed by the others. The Captain bowed in return and then said to Celestia, "Princess. My Lord is awaiting you at the castle. He and Luna wish to speak to you."
Celestia tried to withhold her sarcasm as she said, "I am sure that they are. I assume you are here to lead us?"
The Captain nodded, motioning them to the carriages. "I am, and you don't have to fear me. I have no skin in this game. I am just here to follow orders, and those orders are to take you to the castle so that negotiations can begin. If it makes you feel safer, I know it is a cold night. We have hot cocoa ready for you. Or if you prefer, we have the finest mead in all the known world available as well. As a dignitary, you and your entourage are entitled to all the luxuries we can afford you."
Celestia seemed to relax slightly, hand lowered her head. "That is a generous offer, but I just want to see my sister as soon as possible."
The Captain nodded as he lead the group to the carriages. "Understandable. It's been a long journey without her. She is most eager to see you again as well."
Pinkie Pie hopped ahead, her eyes darting around as she said, as though no one else was there, "I hear hot cocoa! Where!?"
The Captain dead stopped, then started laughing hysterically at her. "WHA...WOH...MY GODS WAS THAT RANDOM! I like you, kid! The cocoa is waiting in the carriages. Just pick one and go sit."
Pinkie beamed brightly, her pearly white teeth gleaming like day glo, overjoyed to see the Captain laugh. "AHA! I knew you all weren't scary meanie pirate pants! You just need a little fun." She then bounded off to one of the carriages, and then squealed with joy at what the others presumed was her finding the cocoa.
It was then that Applejack noticed that the group seemed a little light. Her eyes darted around before she shouted out, "WHAT IN TARNATION?! Where the heck did that big galoot go?"
Everyone stopped dead, looking around. That's when they noticed Discord was nowhere to be seen. Celestia stamped the ground in rage, which made Twilight and Cadence start like they had been shocked with a cattle prod. The air seemed to bristle around her and for a second the low lying sun seemed to shine much brighter. "I'm going to buck that fool in the face if he ruins this!"
The Captain tried to look stoic, but everyone could see he too was shocked at the normally composed Celestia's outburst. "I know that Lord Strife had said he wanted to meet his brother again away from the negotiations, but I expected him to meet us at the castle. You don't think Discord went to.."
A collective gasp traveled through the group. They all looked at each other, then noticed that a certain butter colored Pegasus was missing as well.
Rainbow Dash held her hoof to her mouth, clearly concerned now. "Oh Fluttershy, you didn't go after him, did you?"
Twilight started trotting in place, her nerves starting to fray. Twilight had OCD tendencies, and when things were beyond her control, she always became on edge. "Princess Celestia, this is bad. This is really bad. We can't go through with this if we don't have both of them with us."
Celestia nodded at her former student, while Cadence tried to ease her back down. She turned to the Captain and sternly said, "Go to the castle and tell Aligorna what is happening. We have to try to find them. I know you aren't going to believe me or want to say this, but tell him also that I think Strife has duped us all."
The Captain nodded, getting into one of the carriages. Before he took off, Celestia asked, "Where else could Strife be if not the castle?"
The Captain said, "There's a cave on the north end of town that he claims was his home before he appeared to us. It's one of his holy sites. I would go there."
Celestia turned to the others as the carriage sped away. "We need to hurry, before one of them gets hurt! I should have known that someone was leading us into a trap!"
-----------------------
Meanwhile, outside the cave, Discord was impatiently pacing back and forth, his yellow eyes flashing with little storm clouds. "STRIFE! BROTHER OF MINE! I think it's time you and I had a talk!"
No answer.
Discord was growing more and more displeased. Above him, lightning crackled across the sky.
Still no sign of Strife.
Discord looked out across the surroundings. The cave was still close to the sea, and there were battlements nearby. But there didn't appear to be any movement in them.
That's when he heard a soft voice trying to scream loudly at him. "Discord! Where did you run off to?"
His heart leapt into his throat, making it feel constricted. "Fluttershy? Go back! I have to settle this alone."
As his special somepony finally came into view, his eyes widened with horror. From those seemingly abandoned battlements, the sound of cannon fire could be heard, and in a brief second, Fluttershy was blasted out of the sky, landing with a hard thud and not moving...