//------------------------------// // Improvising // Story: The Abduction of Luna // by 97xxfastbike //------------------------------// The sharp sound of chains moving across rough granite woke Tiara up. A horrible thought seized her. She imagined the shackles sliding across the floor, coming for her with a mind of their own. Seeking to ensnare her just like she had done to Princess Luna! With a scream, she lept to her hooves, rearing and kicking out in a blind panic. “Silver? Silver, what’s wrong? There’s nopony attacking you.” That voice. She knew that voice. And it was not a threat. She dropped down and spun in a circle, checking all around her for an attacker. Princess Luna’s chains clattered again as she shifted her position, revealing the source of the sound that woke her. That mystery now solved, she allowed herself to relax. Millstone approached her cautiously. “Here. I made dinner.” Tentatively, he held out a steaming bowl. In the low light of the cave she could just make out the oatmeal and lumps of chopped apples. “Thank you.” She said, noticing that as she took the bowl, her hoof trembled. Millstone advanced and whispered softly in her ear. “Did you have a nightmare?” Tiara shook her head. He then gestured with his head toward the Princess, pointing at her with his poll. Tiara shook her head again. No, she did not think Luna had anything to do with her terror-stricken awakening. Millstone nodded. “Princess Luna woke up not too long ago.” He said in their typical conversational cave whisper. “How did you sleep?” “Fine.” She answered, as she laid back down, smelling the freshly ground cinnamon that spiced their meal. “Are you hungry?” In response, her stomach rumbled. Millstone suppressed a chuckle and held out his bowl. “Well then, cheers!” Tiara smiled and clinked his bowl with her own. “Cheers.” Dinner passed in relative silence. Tiara and Millstone both not finding much to say in the presence of their captive. But the clinking of chains spoke loudly and often of Princess Luna’s discomfort. Upon finishing her meal, she handed the empty bowl to Millstone and looked over to where Luna was. She was currently standing, rocking her head up and back as far as she could move. Then she would lower her head to the limit of her restraint and stretch her neck out. Seemingly at random through these maneuvers, she would stamp one of her hooves. A rather pathetic stamp, as her chains prevented any real movement. Just watching her made Tiara’s joints and muscles beg for a good rejuvenating run. She couldn’t imagine what the Princess felt like, having been unable to perform a simple stretch for over a full day now. Heart pangs of regret and sympathy welled up in her chest as she observed the ritual. It was becoming more difficult for her to remember her own grievances in the stark face of this present suffering. She knew she wouldn’t release her, but she had a means to relieve her pain. Having made her decision, she stood and cleared her throat. “M, go outside and clean up. I have to tend to the Princesses’ needs.” Millstone looked from her to Luna and back. Concern etched his face. “Okay, I’ll be quick.” “M, do not re-enter this chamber unless I specifically ask for you.” Tiara said sternly. “I will respect Luna’s need for privacy as much as I can.” Tiara could feel both Luna and Millstone’s attention fixed on her. “Have I made myself clear?” “Yes, Silver.” Millstone answered, apprehension clearly taking hold of him. Tiara stepped forward and hugged him. “I’ll be fine,” she whispered softly in his ear so as not to be heard by Luna, “but we need some uninterrupted mare time. So don’t come charging in unless you hear me call for you or for help. Okay?” She released him and stepped back. Millstone’s head darted all over, his claustrophobia was taking hold. “I understand.” He stooped to gather their empty bowls and quickly departed. “What needs have I that require your attention?” Princess Luna inquired, clearly just as puzzled by Tiara’s request as Millstone. Tiara walked up to face Luna directly. “Are you in pain, Princess?” Luna’s head and ears swiveled all around as though searching for a hidden pony. Then back to Tiara, then around the cave again. Finally, she sighed and dropped her head. “Yes.” Tiara marveled at her reticence to reveal this simple and obvious fact. “Okay, I’m here to relieve your discomfort as much as I can.” She assured her. “You need your dressings changed. Are your burns the source of your pain?” “No – I mean yes – I mean…” Luna grit her teeth in frustration. “Yes, my burns hurt, but also my back aches, my sides pang, and every joint throbs, and nothing I can do relieves them!” Tiara nodded, “I understand, Princess. Shall we change your dressings first?” “Do you have laudanum?” Luna inquired hopefully. “Yes.” Tiara answered. Luna nodded. “Then let’s start there.” Tiara replaced the bottle of laudanum on the shelf with the nearly exhausted jar of ointment and small roll of gauze. She should have told Thunder to bring back more when he came back tomorrow morning, but she hadn’t thought about it. She sighed. There was no reason to blame herself, but she was the one who had to think about these things. It was her responsibility. Fortunately, Luna’s burns showed no signs of infection. With any luck, they could go for the next two days without being changed. Tiara turned and faced her heavily medicated sovereign, who was rolling her head back and forth on the stone floor, like it was the most pleasant thing in the world. “Are you content, Princess?” Luna raised her head. “Our burns – My burns are feeling much better, Silver Chalice. We – I thank thee for thy ministrations.” Tiara smiled at Luna’s return to old speech patterns. It was – oddly comforting – to see this powerful pony struggle with something as simple as contemporary speech. Nopony was perfect, nor omnipotent. Not even alicorn princesses. “Good, I’m glad to hear it.” Tiara walked over and placed a pillow under her head. “Now, I will tend to your other body pains.” Luna laid her head on the pillow. “Pray tell, Silver Chalice. What is thy plan?” Tiara sat on her haunch by Luna’s forelegs and began stroking them between her fetlocks. “I’m going to try to massage your aches. It won’t replace a good stretch and a brisk walk, but it will help.” Despite receiving what is normally considered a pleasant diversion, Luna seemed unsettled. “We are not sure we approve of this.” She said as Tiara started to massage her other foreleg. “We are not used to being touched in this manner.” Tiara chuckled. “You need to get out more.” “We do not see the humor, and we believe there is insult in your insinuation.” Luna sounded more confused than truly angry. Tiara exhaled forcefully, and shook her head in disbelief. There was no rhyme nor reason with what Luna would find objectionable. “Princess, you had better just lie back and relax. Try to enjoy this. Because, I insist on performing this exercise.” “Pray tell –“ “Because your restraints restrict your mobility and activity to the level of an invalid,” Tiara interrupted, somewhat impatient with the resistance Luna was offering, “Without this, you can develop a lethal deep vein thrombosis, or soft tissue pressure ulcers, or a number of other ailments. So lie still and try to relax.” Luna remained silent until Tiara stood up and took her position at her hind legs. “Silver Chalice, for whom did you perform this service? A family member?” Tiara made no acknowledgement of her question. “I’m tired of hearing you say that Princess Celestia doesn’t want you back.” She said, abruptly changing the subject. “I know that is a lie.” “Then why is thy ransom demand ignored?” Luna spat. “Is there any other reason besides her secret desire that I come to harm?” Tiara had to admit, the silence and inactivity from the Palace was perplexing, but there had to be a reason. “Most probably, Princess Celestia is trying to lull us into a false sense of security, or trying to get us to reveal ourselves when we become desperate.” “Thou do tell thyself tales!” Luna scoffed, “Truly thee has great capacity for deceiving thy- Ah… Ah…Ah…” Luna gasped as Tiara began rubbing the muscles of Luna’s thigh. “Is it worse on the inside or outside of your thigh?” Tiara inquired. “Ow! The ow! Ow! Outside!” Luna huffed. Tiara concentrated on the spot as directed by Luna. Higher. Harder. Faster. Higher. She followed all Luna’s directions until she was kneading Luna’s gluteus and hip flexors like a baker working a lump of stiff dough. “Ahhhhh!” Luna finally sighed with relief. “Until that moment, I was certain that thou had once been chief torturer.” Tiara let out a tired laugh in response and wiped the sweat from her brow. “I think I need a break, Princess. And you should drink some water and try to relieve yourself.” Tiara stood and stretched as Luna struggled to her hooves. Her pang of guilt returned, despite the service she had just performed. Luna was going to need more massaging. Although, all she need and wanted, was to stretch her limbs and joints just like Tiara had so easily done. But allowing her that freedom was impossible. “Princess Celestia will ransom you, Luna, I know that she loves you.” Luna unceremoniously plopped down on the seat of the chamber pot. “My sister will do no such thing.” Luna declared with conviction. “She will justify her refusal to correspond with thee by claiming that the Palace has a policy against negotiating with terrorists, abductors, outlaws, and other miscreants.” “She will. I know she will!” Tiara reaffirmed. “She will do anything for you! She will even violate laws and state policy!” Luna laughed. “Did she do everything for me when I was banished? Thou fool! Open thy eyes and see the truth. My sister has abandoned me!” “No.” Tiara shook her head. “I don’t believe you. I know she loves you.” “How?” Luna shot back. “And why do you believe this?” “Because, I saw it, Princess.” Tiara spoke with conviction. Luna must have heard it too, for she was not quick to answer. Emboldened, Tiara pressed on. “I saw it in the softness of her eyes whenever she looked at you, I heard it in the tone of her voice whenever she said your name, and I noticed the way her body would lean toward you whenever you were near. It was like she was a flower, and you were her sun.” Luna bowed her head and convulsed. It seemed that Luna was silently laughing at her. Tiara couldn’t really blame her. Even she had to admit that she had gotten a bit quixotic in her description of Celestia’s devotion. “Oh, how I wish for that to be true!” Luna squeaked out suddenly, her voice fragile, thready, and threatening to crack. She writhed in her bonds, struggling in vain to shield her face, but prevented at every turn by those heartless chains. Tiara stood there, watching in shocked silence as Luna’s façade of stoicism crumbled to reveal the lost filly who was desperately looking for somepony to love her. “Leave me, Silver Chalice, I implore you.” Luna begged as the tears pushed out from under her blinders to roll down her cheeks. Heartsick, Tiara bowed, turned and left. The realization stuck her when she emerged from the cave that she had exited after showing proper Palace decorum. Tiara sighed. Some habits are hard to break, and yet, she had no regret for having done it. “Are you finished, Silver?” Millstone asked after he trotted up to her. “No.” Tiara answered. “We just needed a break.” And I needed some time to think. Brass struggled up the stairs with his load of bulky art items to the rented room he shared with Thunder. When he reached the door, he took stock of everything he had carried and glanced down the hall one more time to be sure he hadn't dropped anything. Satisfied that he hadn't left anything behind, he opened the door to find Thunder waiting just behind it. Without a sound he took the easel and stowed it against the far wall. He must have been waiting there for him to arrive, thought Brass, as he hadn't heard any hoof-steps, or any noise at all. This level of vigilance from Thunder was unusual, and that realization made him glance about furtively. “It’s for my portrait stand.” He answered the question his teammate hadn't asked. Thunder merely nodded once and sat on the futon, watching Brass as he removed his saddlebags and sorted through his new art supplies. “I’m going to do portraits outside the front of the Palace.” Then in much lower voice, “this way I can keep an eye on Palace activity without raising suspicions.” Thunder nodded. “Good idea.” Brass let his gaze sweep the room. “Have you noticed anything?” He whispered. Thunder shook his head. “No.” “Then why were you waiting for me right by the door?” “Because I heard you coming up the steps.” Thunder answered simply. Brass examined him to see if he was being serious. “Why in Equestria are you being so…” Brass let his voice trail off as he slowly shook his head, dumbfounded at Thunder’s muted demeanor. The normally animated gray pegasus didn't comment, sigh, or even roll his eyes at the unfinished question, but instead, he seemed content to sit and wait for him to sort out his thoughts. With a final head shake, Brass abandoned his first question and dove for one that seemed more appropriate. “What’s bothering you?” One side of Thunder’s mouth twitched in response. “You’re not obsessing over what happened this morning, are you?” “No.” Thunder sighed. “Are you stressing about this job of ours possibly being a bust again?” Thunder rolled his eyes. “Not exactly.” “Then what?” Brass waved a hoof for him to continue, but in response he stared at the floor. Brass’s cheeks creased with an impish grin before he spoke his next thought. “We’re going to be sleeping together tonight, so you may as well start confiding in me.” That bit of innuendo finally produced the sort of reaction from Thunder that Brass was used to. Thunder launched off the futon, hovering so high that his wingtips brushed ceiling with every upstroke. “Ugh! Dude, we are not having pillow talk!” Thunder shook as a shiver ran through him. “Of course we’re not,” Brass laughed, “but, I really am concerned with how you are acting right now. You are far too quiet to be your regular self. So, I’ll ask again. What’s bothering you?” Thunder sighed and lowered himself back down to the couch. “I talked with Luna last night.” Brass felt ice run down his spine as he recalled the subject of his own late night conversation with Luna. “About what?” He asked, as nonchalant as possible. Thunder looked around him as though he had to be sure nopony else was listening. “I asked her about my rejected appeal.” Brass’s eyes and mouth opened wide. “You fool!” He hissed, “You told her who you are!” “I know!” Thunder spat back, “But I had to know if she was the elitist snob that I thought she was.” Brass walked over to the bed and sat on the corner to be closer to Thunder. This conversation required discretion, and walls have ears in cheap apartments like this. “Well, is she?” “No.” The simple answer carried the strong flavor of surprise and wonder. “It turns out that she remembered my case. She remembered the names of the two lieutenants, their basic charges, and my counter-charge. And what’s worse, she did order an inquiry, and they found more evidence that supported the prosecution’s story, and nothing to support me.” Thunder lifted his hooves up before his face to stare at them. “She did everything I could have asked her to do. In the end, she agreed with the ruling without bothering to talk to me, because, why waste her time when I was so obviously guilty?” “Wow.” Brass wished he could have thought of something more to say to express his empathy. But, even if he could have, he doubted any words could truly carry the weight of his feelings. “So, what happened next?” “I was given my stripes, a dishonorable discharge, and I was escorted out.” The flat way he spoke told of the massive amount of pain he was trying to suppress. Brass hated to ask another question on this topic, but he needed clarification. “Don’t you mean they took your stripes? Removed your rank insignia before you left?” “They stripped my uniforms of my rank, yeah. That happened in front of the formation, right before I was given ten lashes, or as we say, ten stripes.” Thunder’s voice trembled and his face burned. “Yes, it was as humiliating as it sounds.” Brass winced at the thought. “So, that was your motivation. You thought Princess Luna rubber-stamped your conviction and you suffered all this because of her indifference.” “Yeah,” Thunder looked up and leaned forward. “But, now I know that none of that is true. Princess Luna did all she could be expected to do. Don’cha see? I shouldn’t be doing this anymore. I - I don’t have any reason!” “I see.” Brass met his intense expression and nodded. “So what are you thinking?” Thunder’s chest rose and fell with his heavy breaths but his eyes didn’t move. “I’m wondering if any of us really do have a case against the Princess.” Brass remained still and unblinking. “I showed you the newspaper that told my story. I told you why I can’t produce my acceptance letter and personal invitation. My cause is real.” Brass very nearly growled. Thunder broke eye-contact. “I believe you.” He scratched behind his ear. “And I believe everypony else too.” Brass exhaled through pursed lips, relieved that the tension in the room had dropped. “So what now?” “Well, I – “Thunder flapped his wings and rubbed his hooves together in contemplation. “I was thinking about leaving this team. Right now.” He looked up at Brass to see him still staring at him. “I mean, that’s the right thing to do. I don’t have any cause to continue, and I wouldn’t get any share of the ransom. So we would be cool, right?” “We can’t do this without you. We need you and your courier-pony cover to keep us in communication. We have to assume that some surveillance is being done. If you leave, I become far too exposed every time I travel back to the cave.” Brass shook his head. “If you leave, I’ll have to quit as well, and then the whole operation is a bust.” Thunder chewed on his lower lip. “Do you still think this is going to work? I mean, do you really think that we stand a chance of getting anything?” Brass looked up and away. “I admit it is looking doubtful, but nothing ever goes as planned.” He said, forcing positive energy he didn’t feel. He met Thunder’s eyes again. “I tell you what. Let’s give Silver three more days to make some progress. If nothing changes, or if we don’t like the direction things are heading, then we will force another resolution to this.” He held out a hoof. “Agreed?” Thunder completed the hoof clop. “Agreed.”