A Dragon God had declared blood vengeance, a shadowy puppet master was pulling strings, and here Spike was helping to arrange faux backdrops for a play. The plywood mountains were about his size and reminded him of his nightmare where he towered over Ponyville. Luna had taught him so many sacrifices had gone into maintaining Equestria. Nightshade had willingly leapt off the edge when it came to sacrificing herself. When it came to it, would he also sacrifice himself? Could he bear to be a mindless monster? Part of him realized if or when it happened he wouldn’t have the sense of self-awareness to know. When he was a child he’d succumbed before and it took his love for Rarity to bring him back. It wouldn’t be so easy now, barriers weakened as they were crossed, like Luna’s alternate self bleeding through.
“Spike, I need that prop over there.”
Twilight’s voice brought Spike back. “Um yeah.”
“You’re distracted,” said Twilight, setting down her scroll check list. She looked at Spike with worry plastered over her face. “Please, you’re my number one assistant please tell me what’s wrong. Maybe I could assist you.”
“Why aren’t we out there doing something? I mean, we’re hosting a play while war is looming.”
“This play represents the harmony of three races that built the Equestria of today. Now more than ever, I think we need to band together.”
Spike spouted. “But it’s a li-” He held his mouth closed. Luna had told him the hidden history, there were good reasons that it wasn’t public. “-lot of work.” He tried to gracefully turn his sentence around.
Twilight sighed. “It’s a lie.”
Spike blinked. “You knew?”
Twilight nodded, she spoke sadly. “Peace between ponies back then was an alien concept. The wars waged between the three tribes were the bloodiest battles Equestria had ever seen. There are no grave markers because there were too many bodies. The three tribes of ponies only banded together to fight a common enemy when survival gave them no option.”
Spike shivered. “I supposed being the bookworm you are, you would know.”
Twilight rolled her eyes back as she recalled her readings to memory. “Even before my Princess inauguration and being let access to the real national archives, there were hints in the literature. The Pegasi were called Weather Warlords, a lot of Earth pony contraptions were built from siege weapons, and the repertoire of Unicorn magic has a great many killing curses.”
“I guess it’s rather apparent if you read between the lines like you do.” Spike smiled.
“To think today, Pegasi and Unicorns are allowed to love each other.” Twilight’s eyes trailed off to Rainbow Dash who wore Commander Hurricane’s armor and was instructing some extra actors in the play. Twilight was dreamily staring off.
Spike wave a claw over Twilight’s eyes. “Don’t you mean Pegasi and Alicorns?” He smirked.
Twilight blushed then lowered her eyelids. She teasingly rubbed a hoof over Spike’s chest scales. “How about you, Casanova? You’re dating Luna and Rarity.”
Spike coughed. “It doesn’t answer my question.”
Twilight flew up and gave Spike’s shoulders a soft pat. “Spike, part of growing up is realizing sometimes things aren’t so simple. Lies can serve true good.”
Spike sat down on the stage. “Ummm maybe you could tell Applejack that.”
“Well, remember when I told you on Hearths Warming Eve that if you were good for the year a red pony would come down the chimney to give you a present?”
“Yeah, I waited all night.”
Twilight giggled. “You almost, but you fell asleep.”
Spike smiled. “Yeah when I woke up there was a present in my lap.”
“The story may have been a lie but the present was real and so was the good you did.”
He gave Twilight an affectionate punch. “You’re becoming a real politician, Twi. But I got one on you, I realized the pony in the chimney was a lie a long time ago. I played along for the last several years just to get another free present.”
“Oh you rascal!”
“I supposed the truth was that you loved me that’s why you kept up the lie. It was still disappointing to learn that wasn’t a magic gift giving pony from the chimney. What’s meant to fool foals, won’t work on adults. I think it’s harmful too to conceal the truth.”
Twilight sighed. “Some ponies are better off not knowing.”
“Oh contraire, my dear.” Rarity appeared from her hiding position from the curtains behind them.
Spike spat. “Rarity, you heard all that?!”
“Yes, darling and I agree with you. The Alicorn leadership’s position on the truth is hardly becoming of royalty.”
Twilight countered with a smile. “Okay then, Rarity. We’ll tell everypony the truth if you agree to never use make up again or product on your mane.”
Rarity held her face and her hair protectively. She pouted and returned. “Well, darling all the mascara only enhances the truth of my beauty.”
Twilight nodded. “Yes and the play here does the same for the sake harmony.” She picked up her check list scroll. “I must get back to work… and please don’t tell anypony about what you heard.”
Rarity and Spike found themselves in familiar roles as he fed a line of string while she busily sewed together the stage costumes. Rarity knew he had done much the same when he was her ‘little’ assistant, now this time each of his claws could hold an individual spindle of thread. Rarity was aware there was nice nostalgia but at the same time the paradigm had shifted. Spike eyes no longer lingered on her as they did. Rarity’s insecurities surfaced for a second; maybe she was getting old? She relaxed when he caught him stealing a glance.
Rarity sewed away on several patches of cloth. “Oh Spikey, would you be a dear and fetch me the red roll.”
Spike needed only switch a claw. “Here you are, my lady.”
Rarity gave an appreciative nod and continued sewing. “So those truths were burdening you all this time?”
“I learned a lot from Luna,” said Spike, “We don’t always agree though but I understand her perspective. She just seems overly pessimistic, at the same time I realize its necessity.”
Rarity pulled up a bolt of decorative purple cloth with designs already tailored. She angrily shoved pins to secure the fabric for her sewing. She remembered Suri Polomare, with disdain. “On my first Manehattan debut of my fashion line some fraudulent uncouth mare, who I thought was my friend, stole my designs,” She calmed down as she fell into the pattern of stitching. “However, another mare, Coco Pommel, saved me. I say my feelings are rather mixed on ponies. I’m more careful now for it.”
“Yet you put yourself in dangerous situations.”
Rarity huffed. “Well Spikey, my caution goes out the window when loved ones are concerned.”
“I’m a loved one?”
“Darling, no doubt! How could you ask that?”
Spike sighed. “Rarity, I want you to know. I can’t give you children.”
Rarity was glad Twilight then had loaned her a library’s collection of books concerning dragons. There was one text that was rather esoteric but she hung hope upon it. “Darling, we could have children. They’d be chimeras called ‘Qilin’. I read a Neighponese book about them.” She smiled at her own snappy comeback.
Spike’s eyes were wide. “But still…”
“I’m a unicorn, we have magical properties. Granted though still we’d have to try very hard, but that’s the fun part isn’t it?” Rarity giggled internally, at her flirtatious words and her effect on Spike. A dragon was wilder than anything she’d ever consider, yet alone try, but she found a thrill.
Spike was blushing hard but he shook his head of lewd thoughts. He then used a claw to put down his deployed wings.
“Darling, you’re turning the most delightful shade of red.” Rarity teased.
Spike swallowed then spoke. “I’m immortal, you’re not. I want you to reconsider.”
Rarity’s teasing tone and smile were dropped like the sheets of fabric that fell to the ground. Luna’s mocking word ‘frailty’ sprung to her mind. Rarity hid her face behind her hooves to stop her tears. “It’s Luna, isn’t it? She’s got me beat… You want to tell me you’ve chosen her.”
Spike pried her hooves away and gently. “No it’s not that. I want you to know what you’re in for. As even a kid, I knew what I was… as I grew up I only became more aware.”
“Still you pursued me as that sunk in… remember when you substituted for the element of loyalty?”
Spike chuckled. “Yeah, I did that for the battle with Discord, god of chaos. I wasn’t a good Rainbow Dash though.”
Rarity hugged him. “Oh Spike, I imagine if you wore that necklace now, it’d work.”
He looked away and placed his claws shamefully over his muzzle. “Rarity, how can you attribute me with loyalty if… well… I can’t even decide.”
Rarity sighed. “After how horrid I acted, you still were willing to give me a chance. What sort of mare would I be if I just left our story like that? Hmmm?”
Spike chuckled. “I don’t think I could ever get used to you chasing me.”
“Could you get used to this?” Rarity stood tall as she could with her hind legs and met his lips.
Rarity was smooth; Spike realized the difference as they softly kissed. Luna would almost mash their muzzles together. Of course Rarity could engage in excess but this he knew to be her natural rhythm. Rarity had an elegance, he suspected came from experience. Her ease calmed him, like fables where beauties would soothe souls of the beasts.
“Sir Spike?”
He broke away from the kiss as a shiver shot down his spine. Spike though turned to seek Luna looking less angry than he thought. Instead, she was glaring at Rarity.
Luna shook her head disapprovingly. “Love, tis truly a battlefield. We see that lady Rarity has taken a base. We shant be taken unawares.”
Rarity gave a false grin. “Well Darling, you know the expression all is fair in love and war?”
Luna returned a piercing stare. “Hast thee been to war? Seen the pale pony of death?”
“I have faced Discord, Chrysalis, Sombra, and even,” Rarity puffed herself up and matched Luna’s gaze. “Nightmare Moon.”
Luna laughed with spite. “The last one is a battle we are quite familiar with. We save the world every night… we show restraint.”
“I do beg your pardon, what are you doing here?” Rarity asked.
“Tis our royal prerogative to oversee events to bolster the morale of our nation. We have also changed the seating arrangements.”
“Seating?” asked Spike.
Luna nodded. “Instead of the social elite of Canterlot filling the upper rafters, we have purchased all tickets for our elite soldiers. Such troops will most likely be seeing war soon. Thy performance will be a welcome distraction and serve to lessen their tension.”
The enmity between Luna and Rarity was put aside with the mention of war, both mares relaxed from their stiff and defensive postures.
“I approve, that is a marvelous idea,” said Rarity. “The poor dears, are they the same that fought Aldred?”
Spike cringed; Aldred had taken out whole watch towers with a single breath of flames. Even in the tiny fires of lamps that lit parts of the stage, Spike was reminded of that battle.
“Nay…” Luna looked off, solemnly. “The majority of those troops have incurred great trauma of the mind… we walk within their dreams… and only see nightmares. We have suspended their dreams for a while to save them from such.”
He himself had nightmares about a ‘field of fire’, Spike imagined many ponies sharing that terrible vision.
Luna turned away. “We must tend to matters of state. We had come only to inspect the preparations.”
To Rarity chagrin and Luna’s grin, Luna jumped back and pecked Spike’s check with a light kiss. “I shall see thee later, Sir Spike.” She left with a saucy saunter and flick of her tail on Spike’s nose.
Curiously Spike arched his head when he heard Luna faintly left whispering with her steps. “One, two, one, two— ahh!” then she tripped.
“Luna?!” Spike ran to help her up. He feared another lapse in Luna’s control. He exhaled when he saw Luna smiling softly held in his claws.
“I had seen a model of fashion, perform such a move. Fleur De Lis was kind enough to instruct me. I thought it be easy, twas foolish to try it without much practice.”
Rarity hid a laugh behind her hooves. “They’re called fashion models, they do practice.”
Luna giggled. “Indeed, we shant mock their peacock struts ever again.”
In Luna’s shadow and wake, a familiar bat pony strolled in.
“Nightshade,” said Spike and Rarity acknowledging.
“Dear, you left before we had finished an early conversation. Are you alright?” Rarity asked.
Nightshade nodded. “All is well. The issue has been resolved.” She turned to Spike. “Could you show me the theater exits? I have to run security detail again.”
“Yeah sure, I can do that.” Spike turned to Rarity. “Do you need any more help?”
Rarity pulled up her work. It was a four part patch work of ancient Equestrian flag. “I’m nearly done, darling. You can help Nightshade.”
Spike walked with Nightshade through the wooden back stage of the theater. He showed her the windows and various locations that could be points of entry. Throughout it, Nightshade was silent.
Spike announced pointing to a window. “That’s the last exit,” He added. “with wings only though.”
“I see.”
Now done Spike thought about the bat pony. “Nightshade, so did you think about what I said?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Ummm, are you feeling alright?”
“Never better.”
Spike stopped and placed his claws on her shoulders. “Hey, come on talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“Isn’t it strange, how history has become this?”
Spike placed his claws on his hips. “What is ‘this’?”
Nightshade groaned and grunted. “This stupid play, this charade and parade! I actually met Commander Hurricane, the Weather Warlord caused a drought just to spite his neighbors. ‘Chancellor’ Puddinghead was a despotic dictator who caused famine by over planting sugar cane just to feed his gluttony for sweets. Princess Platinum was the spawn of King Sombra.”
“I forget that at times you’re about as old as Luna…” said Spike, shocked.
Nightshade glowered. “Old?”
Spike raised his claws defensively. “I meant experienced.”
“Yeah,” said Nightshade.
Spike poked her armor chest plate with a claw. “So how would your historically accurate play go?”
“Huh?”
Spike sighed. “How would you depict events?”
Nightshade rubbed a hoof on her chin. “It would be a military exercise to test the preparedness of our soldiers. Three armies would do pitch battle. They would reprise their respective roles in battle. Unicorn mages, Earth Pony siege weapons, and Pegasi air strikes—”
Nightshade became lost in the minutia of military maneuvers and Spike found himself lost as well.
“— of course the fights would be choreographed but still intense enough to be exhaustive. The lines of battle would be several ponies deep—”
He raised a claw to interrupt her. “How would all that fit in a stage?”
Nightshade’s ears perked up as she was drawn back to reality.
Spike shrugged and replied. “I’ve talked about it with my friends; they taught me maybe the message is more important than that. I think it serves a good. This is meant to distract us from war rather than remind us of it. Everypony is stressed as is. It’s for morale.”
Nigthshade’s ears perked up as his words sunk in. “Spike, thanks… I’m not too keen on those things.”
He sighed. “You’re aware that’s better than most ponies.”
“I can see why Luna loves you… I can talk to you.”
Spike smirked. “I used to be the ear Rarity cried to when her latest fling turned out to be a spoiled rich jerk. I sorta was the one ponies came to complain to since I wasn’t taken seriously.”
“Maybe it’s because they didn’t know how to appreciate value?”
Spike smiled. “Well to be honest, back then I was just a joke. I had the talk but I didn’t have the walk. I wanted to be worthy of Rarity and I set out to change myself. I wandered the world a bit, matured a lot, and then, I came back things were a lot smaller.”
Nightshade shook her head. “Things weren’t smaller, you just grew.”
He stretched his draconic wings. “Sometimes I wish I stopped halfway, that would have saved a lot of trouble. Luna’s going to fill the theater with soldiers… how do they feel about that? Won’t they be fighting dragons?”
“Well they know you’re on our side. You beat Aldred back.”
“I didn’t beat him back… Aldred saw our reinforcements on horizon.”
“Whatever, I’ll beat any bastard that complains.” Nightshade drew her lance and grinned flashing her fangs.
Spike laughed. “You’re out of control.”
The chuckling soon died down.
“Spike… remember me in the good times.” Nightshade deployed her wings.
“Wait, are you going somewhere?” Spike stretched out his claws but Nightshade had already departed through the open window, leaving a gust of wind in her wake. Her silhouette disappeared into the moon’s light.
“We worry about Nightshade too.”
Luna’s voice startled Spike, like Nightshade she had a silent way of moving about or maybe he was just too distracted.
“Luna, how about you? You collapsed from exhaustion not a day ago. You’re taking things easy, right?”
“Sir Spike, easy will never be…”
“How about easier?” Spike raised a brow. “Where’s fun Luna? I like her.”
Luna’s face became stern. “Methinks thou art entirely too forward.”
Spike frowned. “Sorry—”
Luna draped a hoof over Spike shoulders and declared. “Let us away, for merry making and mirth!”
The chill of the night air raced by his face and blew through his body. Spike wasn’t cold however with Luna besides him. The jostling of the gothic chariot and the tight turns pressed them together. The wheel clacked against the Canterlot cobble stone streets as they careened at break neck speed.
“Sir Spike, hold the reigns tightly now!” Luna barked.
Spike snapped back to attention and saw the wall ahead. He violently gripped the reigns pulling them back. The guards attached to the chariots whinnied as they skidded to an abrupt halt with one hitting a wall. The guards spat out, shook off their bridles, and neighed in disdain.
“Princess forgive us,” one of them panted. ”we would permit you to use us but he’s going to kill us!”
Luna turned to the guards. “My guards, we thank thee for thy service. For thine troubles thy pay shall be tripled! Consider thyselves on paid leave for a week.”
The guards nodded.
“Sorry Luna, I only steered a carriage before and it was for the Grand Galloping Gala…”
“Chariot racing, twas a common sport in our time, yet even then hoof races were more the fashion.”
“Common, but not popular, though, huh?”
“Indeed, finding ponies to agree to be hitched was most difficult. Often I would order my guards or hapless commoners that inspired my ire.”
Spike laughed. “You’re terrible.”
“The greatest fun is had at others’ expense, is it not?”
“Again, you’re terrible.”
“Come now, bring forth the ammunition.”
Spike went back to the chariot and took a bag from the storage compartment. Flicking off the burlap sack he produced two carton of eggs. “The weapons are ready.”
“Most egg-cellent.”
“Chicken puns?” Spike rolled his eyes and rolled with it. “I guess we ‘lay’ siege?”
Luna nodded.
Spike could help sniggering as they crawled through the bushes.
He cuffed his claws hiding his laughter. “You know we could walk through the front gate?”
Luna smiled. “Nay Sir Spike, the element of surprise is integral. Now let us don darkly apparel.”
He and Luna had put on black apparel reminiscent of Neighponese ninjas. He had worn the same when he and Twilight had raided the Canterlot Archives on an earlier adventure. The old suit would have been too tiny. He was surprised Luna had already prepared a set that fit him.
Popping out of the bushes they saw the three story manor estate.
Spike took out the egg cartons. “Which window?”
She levitated several eggs and juggled them with her magic. “Our intelligence operatives hath revealed unto us, our target is the third window from the right of the topmost floor.”
“Right,” Spike took a couple eggs into his claws. “ready.”
“Let fly the opening volley!”
The barrage of eggs smacked against the window splashing the glass with white and yellow yolk. Luna raised a hoof to stop Spike after their first eggs had hit.
From the mansion they heard an arrogant and snooty voice. “Whatever is that horrible ruckus?!” A window opened and Prince Blueblood poked his head out.
“Fire forth at will! Down with nepotism!” Luna threw the first egg splattering yolk over Blueblood muzzle’s.
“This is for being a jerk!” Spike’s egg hit Blueblood’s coat.
Blueblood shrieked. “My impeccable mane! My fabulous fur!”
Luna fired the last eggs with one landing in Blueblood’s mouth. “Repent for thy arrogance!”
Retreating from their assault, Blueblood coughed. “Guards! Guards! I am under attack!!”
Securely away, Spike and Luna, in between their laughter and run, barely caught their breaths. Spike pulled Luna into a closed off alleyway was a patrol passed them. Entering the alleyway they were pressed up against one another.
Spike nearly fell down laughing. “You hit him square in the mouth! That was awesome!”
Luna playfully nuzzled up to him. “That shall show Blueblood for proposing tax money to make a monument to himself!”
“I gotta tell Rainbow and Pinkie about this, I bet they’d roll over with laughter.”
Luna shook her head. “Let us keep our escapades between us.”
“Luna, you’re welcome to be closer friends with us. There’s plenty more fun. You haven’t lived until experience a party thrown by Pinkie Pie.”
“I should like to…”
Spike gave her a light friendly punch. “What’s stopping you?”
“Thou art enough,” Luna continued, “it is also that I find public outings draining.”
“So does Fluttershy but she still tries. Luna, I bet they’d love you if you got out more.”
“I rather have respect than friendship.” Her smile faded away. She paused for a moment, then sighed. “A ruler must not be so close to thy subjects for one day should the nation’s needs require, I must command them to die.”
“You shouldn’t worry about making attachments just to lose them… losing them later doesn’t make them any less meaningful in the now.”
“Sir Spike, will the rages of ages leave thee as optimistic? We wonder…”
Spike coughed as the wind and the air changed. Luna had a way of killing the mood. Having heard Nightshade’s perspective though made Spike think of Luna’s. What had Luna seen in her experiences? How did she feel about the coming play? Her flashes of hot and cold: Luna was warped. How deep were the cracks on the surfaces of the moon?
“Luna, you’re not a slave to the greater good… You can’t save everyone. And you can’t save anyone if you can’t save yourself. You can live your life, for your sanity at least.”
Luna clasped her her chest feeling the beat of her heart as she took in Spike’s words. She chuckled. “What sage hast thee stolen thy wisdom from? How now dost thou say such words?”
Spike blushed. “I grew up with a lot of personality disorders. My main six friends for all their virtues had their faults. You’re like Applejack in your steadfast will and you share Twi’s obsessive nature.”
Luna raised a brow looking at Spike with an easy smile. “Most interesting.”
He threw up his claws, admittedly. “Don’t get me wrong, I got my share disorders. I’m indecisive, somewhat lazy if not driven, and I can get rather full of myself.”
Luna laughed as she leaned against Spike. “Thou art perfectly imperfect.”
“Same for you.”
Luna reared up and placed her hooves upon Spike’s shoulders. “Sir Spike, shall I tell thee a secret?”
Spike hugged her back. “Sure thing.”
“Thou are mine exception, upon the scales thou shall tip the balance in my heart.”
He shivered: her hot breath against his ear somehow had a cold foreboding aspect to it. “Luna, I am honored… but what does that mean?”
She hugged him harder. “Permit me a selfish thought. To Tartarus with all others, thou art mine.”
“Luna, that’s a lot of pressure,” said Spike, wheezing slightly. He pulled her back from choking his neck. “What about your duty as a Princess of Equestria? What about the ponies under you care?”
Luna let go as she sadly looked off. “Sir Spike, wouldst thou always remind of mine duty?”
Spike waved his claws in refusal. “Luna, you can’t make sacrifices on my account. Don’t abandon your duty for me.”
She countered. “Sir Spike, dost thou play with mine feelings? Thou ask me to let go then tells me to hold on?”
He rubbed his back frills. “Maybe we could find a balance?”
“All things in moderation? Tis a conceit, in truth a balance with one extreme sets the middle towards it.”
“Extreme?”
Luna licked her lips. “Indeed, extreme is how I feel about thee.” Jumping him, she tackled Spike to the ground.
Spike felt suffocated suddenly and it wasn’t just Luna’s legs wrapped around his neck. Luna had a manipulative bent. She was powerful, passionate, and pinning him down in a dirty alleyway. She was making his decision for him. Spike pushed Luna off.
“I’m not ready!”
Luna looked at him with wide eyes. “Why deny me? Thy heart hast already chosen. I know for certain mine has…”
Spike breathed heavily. “Luna, you’re too forward!”
She giggled as she pounced again. “Thou plays the chaste hero, how could I not be tempted to tempt thee?”
Spike rolled Luna off and growled. “Seriously, stop.”
Luna straightened herself. Her smile disappeared once more. “…Thou art serious.”
“Yeah, I’m still not sure. I need a little time.”
Luna crossed her legs and huffed in frustration. “Fine, have thy dalliance with lady Rarity! Her rose will wilt, then thou shall be mine!”
“I’m no pony’s property! It isn’t going down like that. Long ago I resolved if I should love I would love no other.”
“Thou art still possessed by naïve notions. It is time thee face the cruelty of reality. Thy fair Rarity is cursed with mortality. In but a blink she shall succumb to time’s tyranny then shall thee live forever alone mourning the loss of an insignificant insect?!”
Spike clenched his claws. He huffed smoke from his nostrils. “You look down at Rarity, but I look up at her, even when I became taller than her. Rarity’s brave and caring; she’s not the ant you think she is. You’ve become entirely corrupt if you think average ponies are but bugs. I want my love to have meaning. Living alone is better than being dead inside!”
Luna recoiled as if struck.
Spike himself gritted his teeth angrily at her and himself. He swiveled away and ran into the night.
Lonely Luna stood in the alleyway still stunned. The cloud then broke and the moon cast it’s spotlight beam upon her. She raised a hoof to shield her eyes from the glare. Beautiful from afar, the moon was a desolate landscape devoid of life. From that perch it overlooked a world vibrant and filled with life. Luna wondered whether it hated her with jealous envy and cursed her to share its loneliness in the pitch black sky.
She knew her prayers were worthless but she cuffed her hooves together. “Mother moon, lend me thy guidance.”
Canterlot was an urban city and not even crickets responded to her plea. Luna laughed as the moon offered nothing but forever silence in the stillness of the night, left then were her own thoughts.
Luna beat her hooves against the cobblestones, she cracked them in her throes. When exhausted at last she calmed herself. She closed her wet eyes trying to draw an old image of comfort. Her thinking back her own cruel words lashed her like a whip. “Oh how I have erred… did I not once love a mortal, too? Oh Sanguine Soul, fading fast from mine memory is even thy face. Not even your recollection sates me. To live is to suffer, I have suffered so long; loneliness is my only constant companion.”
Luna opened her eyes again at her realization. “Oh no,” Luna sobbed. “Sir Spike, I have pushed thee away from me… why the harder I hold, the more escapes mine grasp?! Why must everyone I love leave? Oh my lost love… Oh cursed moon, grant me death so I might join thee!” She pounded her hooves again and then buried her face in her mane.
In the breaks of her ethereal mane, she noticed pools of dark energy had form physically in her psychological depression. She lifted her head in alarm as she saw them rapidly expand creating cracks of black in the world fabric. Even the streetlights began to flicker and fail in the encroaching darkness. Luna fearfully saw that both ends of the alley were closed. She screamed as the moon itself began to fail. Luna flailed impotently as a creeping shadow from within herself swirled and swallowed her whole.
It was driving him insane. Spike thoughts of Luna only infuriated him. Every conversation they had replayed in his mind. Luna’s layers stripped off, she was everything that drove him mad at and for her. He could cry for her in one instance yet condemn her coldness in the next. There was no simplicity anywhere. Even in Rarity there were so many shades. Speaking of shades, Nightshade had him confused as well. The mixture of emotions as he felt about the mares made him feel sick. His night flight was disturbed when he heard a commotion below.
Fancy Pants was midst battle with his significant other, Le Fleur. Their combat was in the street and words were echoing through the city.
Fancy Pants attempted to cool the conversation by dropping a pet name. “Ma cherrie!”
Le Fleur was not deterred. “Don’t ma ‘cherrie me’! Fancy Pants, you told me you were taking things easy! Here I find you’re running security!”
“I have my duty. I’m a knight.”
“You’re my husband, too! We agreed you would retire. I don’t want to be a widow!” Le Fleur beat her hooves against Fancy Pants’ chest plate armor.
“I’ll try… but I can never promise. Le Fleur, I love you but I love Equestria too.”
Le Fleur backed off and shook her head. “You foolish foal, you’re an old knight playing a young pony’s game. What happens if your old war wound kicks in mid battle?”
Fancy Pant touched his left hind leg. “It’s gotten better.”
“Not good enough!”
He growled. “It’s good enough to serve! I do declare I’m better than a two dozens of the average guard!”
Le Fleur sparked her horn. “If you’re so confident, then let us duel! It shall be again the battlefields of Prance, single combat. Mage to mage, if I win you quit.”
Fancy Pants coughed. “Now let’s not be so rash!”
Le Fleur took a hoof and slapped Fancy Pants against his face. “Why did the gods make love a fool?!” She turned and sashayed away.
Fancy Pants raised a hoof and ran it across his cheek. He grimaced as he could feel a sting still.
Spike’s image of Fancy Pants as a perfect knight was somewhat dented, however he was more glad to know that even the gentlecolt had his share of problems. He descended down from his flight hoping to speak with a sympathetic soul. The flutter of his leathery draconic wings alerted Fancy Pants to his presence.
Fancy Pants grinned sheepishly. “Spike, lad… you didn’t hear that did you now?”
Spike nodded. “Don’t worry I got problems too. Luna and I argued again… this time I didn’t go back.”
Fancy Pants found a stoop and sat down. Spike joined the old knight.
“Well we may argue but Le Fleur and I always end up back together at the end of the day. It’s better to argue through your problems then just letting them be. She’s worried about me being in the guard.
“Fancy Pants, your commitment to duty kinda reminds me of Luna.”
“Our beloved Princess, the mistress of state craft, eh?” Fancy Pants chuckled. “She’s a machine, that one. Even we in the service take vacations; she doesn’t.”
“How about you? Le Fleur says you’ve got an injury.”
Fancy Pants snorted. “Old sport, you see I’m not as spry as I once was—” Fancy Pants smiled and added. “—but this old war saber isn’t rusted yet.”
Spike scratched his chin in bemusement. Fancy Pants himself was a stubborn one, like Luna. Despite his fame in the social scene Fancy Pant himself was mysterious like the moon Princess. “Fancy Pants, what did Le Fleur mean about dueling?”
Fancy Pants tugged his collar. “Well, my wife and I met in battle. We fought in the prime of military careers. Prance and the whole continent was set aflame by Naponean’s wars. I never defeated Le Fleur, we were always ever in a stalemate, two opposing forces. I am glad though… she disabused me of my more idiotic romantic ideas.”
Spike chuckled. “Luna’s been that way for me too. It actually got me angry. She reminded me of Rarity’s mortality as a negative.”
Fancy Pant’s voice had a dangerous edge. “Mortality? Most assuredly like taxes, we all die. I don’t think even the goddess are immune… why else then do we have security and an army?”
Spike shuddered. “I suppose.”
“Most books written against immortality are penned by mortals, so I’m less inclined to believe that. However, living so long I imagine could be a detriment too. Both are a curse and a blessing.” Fancy Pants gave a wry smile. “Concerning immortality… there’s ways to attain it. I’d ask Nightshade about it.”
Spike sputtered. “R-Ra-Rarity as a vampire?!”
Fancy Pants laughed. “Yeah, but from what I hear tell it changes you. Most of them serve as the guard. I’ve seen the elite bat ponies, thrice in battle. No fear, no sense of self preservation, they were death seekers. I’m not sure then if immortality is so pleasant, if they’re looking for a way out. Me, I’ve entertained it as a flight of fancy in my thoughts, but honestly I’m happy growing old with Le Fleur and watching our foals play.”
“The endless worry about living and the mortal worry about dying.”
An infinity of Rarity, Spike’s head swirled with such thoughts. Rarity was a prim and proper mare, he wonder whether she could bear to taste or regularly drink blood or ‘red wine’ as the bat ponies called it. Hearing Fancy Pant’s observations though tugged his heart again towards Luna. She predated the vampire versions of bat ponies. The play they were about to perform were actual events in her lived history. How lonely must Luna be? How about Rarity who knew her mortality?
Spike sat propping and resting his head on his claws. “Don’t you wish things were simpler?”
“Longing again for the black and white, right? Fair maidens and moustache twirling villains?”
Spike spat. “Hey, moustaches aren’t evil!”
Fancy Pants pointed to his own moustache. “Exactly right, lad. There’s nothing so simple.”
“Do you use the facial hair spell?” Spike asked whimsically. “I’m feeling up for a moustache.”
Fancy Pant shook his head. “Hey now, lad! This 100 percent genuine!”
“Sure,” Spike smirked and coked a brow.
“Challenging a knight’s moustache is an invitation to duel!”
“I’m immune to magic!” Spike stuck out his tongue.
“You’re mostly immune!”
Fancy Pant’s stern face broke and they both shared a riotous bout of laughter.
From the second floor of the building stoop, they sat on, a window opened. An aristocratic pony peered out and rasped. “Ponies are sleeping! You uncouth ingrates!” She glared angrily at them and began shouting a string of obscenities. Intermixed in the slurs were ‘beast’, ‘female canines’, and assorted ‘colorful’ words.
“I say the ruckus you’re causing is greater than ours ever was.” Fancy Pants sparked his horn and from the mare’s face sprouted the tails of a long flowing moustache.
They ran when a flung potted plant crashed apart near their feet.
Spike ran alongside Fancy Pants. “You’re as bad as Luna.”
Fancy Pants saluted with a hoof. “I’m off to see Le Fleur, good night.”
Spike saluted back. “Good night to you too. Yeah I think I’ll stop by and see Luna.”
“Good luck, lad!” Fancy Pants shouted as he disappeared around a corner.
As he took to flight, Spike felt the saber, gifted to him by Luna, rattling. The Crimson Crescent again seemed to forewarn him to danger. He quickened the beat of his wings as new urgency was instilled his search. If his memory did not fail him he remembered there had been a clear moon in the sky before, however, now only stars provided weak illumination. He hoped a passing cloud was the cause of the enhanced darkness, he knew it wasn’t. Where was Luna?
He had not expected to find Luna where he left her, however Spike flew to alleyway anyway. He found then there a shadowy sphere had engulfed the entire passage. The swirling vortex was reminiscent of when Luna had invoked darker magic. Standing outside of it he could feel the residuals and fear. Feelings of alienation, loneliness, and despair only grew as he stepped closer to it, the shadow shell of Luna’s psyche.
Luna stood again at another corpse strewn battlefield: a frozen over hell with the banners of three armies jutting from the layers of ice. She was in her cold silvery armor that robbed her of further warmth. Where metal touched her fur she felt the daggers pierce her. She nonchalantly sighed at the vision and the sensations. Had her heart grown so icy such horrors could not shock her? Had she become her sister? Luna then smacked her face for feeling, any feeling. She was the custodian of dreams; she was in a dream right now. Yet, she could not wake from this one.
“Luna?”
She swiveled a saw Spike. Luna gasped. “How hast thee entered mine dreams? Art thou an illusion?”
Spike replied. “Luna, I found you like this. There was a ball of dark energy. Where are we?”
“Sir Spike, we are in mine memories…” said Luna, her voice halting.
Spike looked horrified at the sight. “Luna, what happened here?”
“One of many battles of which I survived. I do not recall this specific one… perhaps I am indeed a corrupt monster as thou hath said.”
He ushered her, not wanting to spend a moment more in the cold hell. “Hey, it’s okay. Let’s get out of here.”
Luna shook her head slowly. “I did not initiate this dream of mine volition...”
The layers of ice cracked around them. Springing from the permafrost came hooves then attached were tattered remains of ponies. War wounds were visible upon their bodies, some with blades and spears still stuck within them. They held limply their weapons and dragged them along as if they were prison weights.
“Windigos!” Luna cried.
“Vengeful spirits?” asked Spike.
“The dreams of the dead… hath invaded. How the barrier hast thinned.” Luna looked pale as she swallowed her breath.
“Luna, what do we do?!”
The corpses had surrounded them. The legions of dead were countless. They had seen undead that made mindless moans or groans, however, the legions arrayed were so silent it disquieted their psyches. Spike and Luna pushed up against each other as more assembled in half broken formations that resembled their damaged bodies. Ripped bolts of cloth rose towards the forever foggy sky as some flew flags of old orders.
The first of them stepped forward.
A unicorn with a sword implanted in his skull spoke with a voice distorted and warped by pain, rage, and ghostly reverberation. “You ordered us into an ambush to spare your main force!”
A pegasus with a lance speared through his side cried. “Witch, you lied! You told us, the enemy was few!”
An earth pony with a giant ballista bolt stuck within him shouted. “You used us to bait the enemy into range of the artillery!”
The angry howls of the dead were innumerable. Together they formed a horrific chorus, a hurricane of howls. Their icy breath and accusations alone swept through them stealing warmth and biting at the exposed flesh.
Spike saw that their angry screams and lifeless eyes were not directed at him. Their singular target was Luna.
Luna had curled up and was shivering. She lay on the ground, her hooves and wings covering her face. “It is all true. I am sorry. I am sorry. I beg for thine forgiveness!”
“Luna, get up! We’ve got to run!” Spike cried, trying to pull Luna with him.
The corpses chanted. “There is no running. We shall have a vengeance. We shall eat of her flesh and consume her as she did us.”
“I won’t let you have her!” Spike fired a jet of his flames. His magical fire incinerated a line of a dozen. However, the horde quickly filled the space with more lining up behind.
Luna cradled herself. “I am sorry. I am sorry. I am guilty!”
One of the corpses shrieked at Spike. “Move aside, our grievance is not with you. demon. The one you protect is the cause of our condition!”
“I’m making it my fight!” said Spike. He however grew uncertain as even more cadavers climbed out from the ice.
“So be it! We will devour you as well!”
A swirling set of twin crescent swords spun through the ether carving a swath through the corpses. The horde of angry dead rasped as they retreated from the stranger. From the parting crowd Spike saw a figure of a soldier unlike the rest. It was a dead unicorn knight stuck with so many lances and various weapons he reminded Spike of one of Rarity’s pin cushions. The pony’s fur was completely crimson, his natural fur color blended with blood that soaked and dripped from him. Streaking from the knight’s very eyes were tears of scarlet. Spike was surprised then that Luna stood up to acknowledge the knight.
Luna’s eyes were wet with tears. Her voice shaking she reached out. “S-San-Sanguine Soul, is that thou?”
“Luna, it has been an eternity.” said Sanguine Soul. “It seems again you are need of your knight.”
Lune wept. “Thou hast suffered so much for me! Thou suffers still! …Mine Captain—” She choked back tears to speak. “—mine love, I would not begrudge thee if it were thou that takes mine life.”
Sanguine Soul shook his head. “I can’t hate you. The torments of Tartarus are nothing; your memory makes me mightier than they who have lost their cause to blind hate.” He glared at the angry dead.
“Oh, mine love!” Luna rushed to hug the gory knight.
Sanguine Soul took a hoof to stop her from impaling herself on the weapons that impaled him. “Watch the points.” He smiled.
Spike was a spectator, he was then surprised when Sanguine Soul looked at him.
“I see Luna has found new love…” Sanguine Soul’s words were a mixture of jealousy and oddly enough happiness. “I am glad…she has found happiness again. Don’t make my mistake. Don’t let her fall again. Catch her before she does.”
Spike nodded numbly. The red dead knight’s vision was still sinking in.
The dead dreams screamed for attention. The horde edged upon them. Sanguine Soul laughed as he used his magic and levitated his sabers. He twirled the blades with such skill that they became blurs. The horde back off for a moment more.
Luna stood beside him. “Let us fight them together, mine love!”
Sanguine Soul’s face twisted up in pain, he spent a moment in contemplation before his reply. “Nay Luna, this is my battle till the end of time. You mustn’t linger here; the dreams of the dead are forever, in their very presence one’s soul is sapped.”
Luna cried. “What of thee?! I shall never leave thee again!”
“I’m already dead, you must move on. I love you too much to be jealous, so find your happiness as I found mine once in your embrace.”
“San…”
“Hah, don’t worry about me! Even when dead, I live for battle—” He pulled some swords that were stuck in his body. “—and look! I have plenty weapons for these fools!”
“When thou lived… there were words I wished to impart… A piece of my heart shall forever remain yours,” said Luna, smiling.
“I know… now go… before I chew on you.” Sanguine Soul nuzzled her playfully.
Luna surprised the dead knight by grabbing his face and kissing him.
He smiled and quickly pushed her away. “Please! You cannot tempt me. I confess… in the thousand years contempt eventually consumed me but then you freely offered to stay with me in this hell…. turning it into my heaven. In that moment my hate had evaporated.”
Luna her face twisted in pain eventually nodded. “Fare thee well, my love.”
Through a shrinking window, Spike and Luna saw Sanguine Soul give combat to the countless corpses that attacked him. Before he fell to the brute onslaught of their numbers, translucent white wings materialized on his back and he was whisked away in a shaft of light.
Consciousness hit them like the cobblestones that they were lying upon. Spike was dizzy from the similar sensation when one pulled out from a vertical sky dive. The horrific visions of the nightmare were gone and he and Luna were left in the quiet alleyway. Where Sanguine Soul stood Spike saw the sword Luna had gifted him. The Crimson Crescent was planted firmly in the ground. The aura surrounding the weapon had somehow changed. It was less heavy yet still strongly present.
“He transcended.” said Luna, tears dripping from her eyes.
For longest the time they stood in the wake of feeling. When Luna recovered enough she spoke. “Sir Spike, I have forgiveness to ask of thee… I let my passions move me to do something most rash.”
Spike sensed the awkwardness in Luna’s words. Her discomfort was reflecting on him.
Luna swallowed and continued. “I attacked thee…”
She had gone beyond playful advances and jumped him. What would the implications be if the situation reversed? Spike thought that if a male had done what Luna did, there would be court trial and down the gavel would swing. The nature of the law was unequal in the respect Luna was female, let alone her position as nobility. In that light, Luna’s passion was frightfully out of control. Luna was truly from another time.
His pause to think, had caused Luna to sweat. She intoned sorrowfully. “Also twas most cruel for me to insult thy Rarity. I was angry so I drew whatever ammunition I could find. In truth, I have a deep respect for mortals especially in how so they sacrifice so much. I understand if thee want no longer to be with me...”
On the scales of judgment, Spike added Luna’s immortality, her desperate loneliness, and her intentions. He let out a deep sigh and resolved to forgive her. He couldn’t ignore his role in her actions either. If his heart could decide in finality, he could define their relationship as either friend or lover. His frustration was hers.
“I’m sorry too, for arguing. I understand at times, it’s just I still don’t like it… I’ll come around eventually.”
“Nay, thou must not. We require thee to remind me when I depart from mine path. Tell to me hard truths, and spare not one detail of thy insightful and sensitive self. Long ago I loved and was loved unconditionally… twas a disaster brought on by our love.”
Spike nodded. “I always sensed you had another significant someone in your life… so he was Sanguine Soul huh? You’ve never talked about him though.”
“Indeed, twas ages ago a soldier of mine fell in love with me. I feared he loved me too greatly to say when I walking towards the abyss. At the same I never chastised his blind devotion for I drew strength from it.”
He lowered his head shamefully, remembering Sanguine Soul fighting for Luna the tortures of Tartarus. “I don’t know if I’m worthy.”
“Sir Spike, thou came for me. Were it not for thee, I would have been lost.” Luna pointed the saber planted on the ground.
Spike pulled the blade out. As his claws gripped it he felt the presence of the dead red knight. The curved blade seemed to be smiling and offering its blessing. He returned the Crimson Crescent to it sheath. He turned toward Luna and saw the crescent moon of her genuine smile. It was thin and fragile like he had never seen it before. In that moment he pulled her close providing his warmth with the truth beyond definitions that he cared for this mare whatever else was concerned.