//------------------------------// // PreCommon Era Chapter Five/PreLunar Rebellion: Chapter Five: First Mission, Celestia’s Sabotage // Story: Rise of The Lunar Knight // by Moonlit Novel //------------------------------// PreCommon Era Chapter Five/PreLunar Rebellion: Chapter Five: First Mission, Celestia’s Sabotage “Greetings princess” said Masao his eyes vacant of emotion, the look on Celestia’s face was surprise as she saw the damage her sister’s apathy had caused was so… “I am so sorry, I should have spoken to my sister” she said as her looks softened. “T’is not thou who owes him an apology, princess, thy sister does” said Evening Star who now stood beside Masao, leaning up against him trying to support him. Her face was set in a scowl. “Evening, please… Don’t be angry at her” said Masao and the mare sighed. “Fine. How art thou Princess?” she asked and Celestia gave a weak smile. “I art well, how art thou?” she replied uncertainly. “I’m sorry princess, but I don’t think I can stay here any longer. I failed…” Celestia looked at him sadly. “No, no thou hasn’t, if anything, I hath failed thou. I should have told my sister to stop treating thou like this, I hath seen that thou were not corrupted by the darkness, that thou hath claimed as thy own” she said with a small sad smile. “I shalt talk to her, please grant me a few days I beg thee” Masao looked at her, his once vacant look now had a glimmer of hope in it. - - - Celestia was as good as her word as she hounded her sister for two days not letting up until she finally cornered her. “What is it sister? Can’t thou see that I am busy?” said the lunar princess and Celestia frowned at her sister, the look gave Luna some pause. “Did I do something to displease thou? If so I apologize” “T’is not me, to whom you must apologize, Did thou not go to see Masao in these last few months?” snapped Celestia and the younger of the two alicorn scowled at her. “Nay, and I doubt I will see him again, he got what he wanted, a chance at eternal life, why should I bother with a knave who only thinks of himself! He even had the audacity to say he wanted it so he could always be there for me, and when I needed him he remained locked up in his room, with that servant filly! He didn’t leave that room until I forced him to leave it, if only so he did not become a danger to himself and to our ponies” snarled Luna and Celestia’s expression changed from one of anger to one of sadness and pity which hurt Luna all the more. “Thou truly thinks he was ignoring thou sister? He was in there trying to better himself trying to make thou proud of him. Evening Star was there because they hold a very strong friendship with each other.” Said Celestia and the Lunar princess mumbled something under breath. “What?” “I doubt very much that being friendly with one another involves sharing a bed and each other’s bodies” Celestia went wide-eyed for a moment before she started to giggle, as she was struggling from keeping it from growing into a full blow laughter. “Thou art jealous of Evening Star? I art sure that if thee asked that they would—” “I art not jealous!” came Luna’s biting reply but Celestia just grinned at her sister, her forehoof covering her mouth. “If anything I was hurt that he chose that mare over me” she said in a calmer voice. ‘In other words thou art jealous’ thought Celestia but kept the thought to herself. “So thou art going to blame him? Thou did not give him a chance, all thou did was effectively disappear on him for several days, and he was in barely any shape to get from the sparring grounds to his room, let alone start searching the castle for one lone mare. Little surprise that instead he turned to Evening Star who already was a good friend of his to help him get better and stronger, which makes it no surprise that they would get even closer.” Pointed out Celestia which caused Luna to flinch, a look of shame on her face as she look down at her hooves… - - - Later that day Luna went to visit Masao and Evening Star, whom had long since moved in with the human, her things now in the dresser with Masao’s, and nervously knocked on the door with her hoof and for what seemed like hours to Luna, but was in reality only a few seconds, there was no response, but soon the door opened to reveal a very upset Evening Star. “So thou finally hath come to thy senses?” challenged the smaller mare, and Luna swallowed before speaking up. “C-Canst I see Masao, I needest to speak with him, I need to apologize.” She stumbled over her words and Evening studied her carefully, before she nodded. “I shall permit it, but, should thou upset him any further, than thou shalt not be known as my princess, but as my enemy” said the mare which if Luna was in a better frame of mind, she would have scoffed at the comment, knowing that the mare could truly do nothing to her. However, as it was Luna merely nodded. “Evening, who’s at the door?” called a hollow voice, one that Luna recognized as Masao’s. “Greetings… Masao…” said the lunar princess and there was a sound of sheets rustling and then the sounds of someone nearly falling to the ground with some vulgarities being exclaimed before Masao appeared in front of her. “Hello, princess, to what do I owe this pleasure?” he said in a voice that gave neither confidence nor any insight to what he was thinking. Luna bit her lip as she stood in front of him, and started to run her forehoof up and down her foreleg, and otherwise looked nervous to be standing in the spotlight as it were. “I… I shouldn't have come, I’m sorry, I thought I could do this but I—” she started but Masao smiled at her softly. “Do you want to join us for dinner? It seems a waste for you to have come all this way for nothing” said Masao and tears welled up in Luna’s eyes at the kindness Masao was showing her, even after how she treated him. “I would love to” said Luna a smile spreading on her lips. Evening Star on the other hand narrowed her eyes but in the end shrugged. “I’ll set her a place at the table, I am sorry princess, but we don’t have fine china” Evening said with a little bit of a condescending voice and Masao looked at her about to chastise her for the comment when Luna spoke up. “That’s fine, I don’t need fine china to eat my food” she said mischievousness in her voice. - - - That night was a new beginning for the trio, and while Evening Star and Masao never forgot what Luna put them through, they did forgive her and their relationship grew close once more. Soon they started sharing their meals with the princesses once again, but then came the moment that Luna was hoping would not come up, the reason as to why she needed to talk to him… “Greeting, Ser Masao, I am glad you are here” said Luna from her throne a sad look on her face. “Ser Masao?” asked the human surprise evident on his face, soon he heard the sound of metal clad hooves clopping on the ground. “This creature is the knight thou talked about? It does not even look strong enough to handle their spells” said the unknown pony, but Masao did not turn, yes his hand was on the handle of the sword at his waist but thanks to the training Luna and wrung him through, he did not move from his spot. “Yes, he is, but I would appreciate it if thou didst not talk about him as if he weret not here” said Luna harshly and the pony was quiet for a moment. “Hey, creature, doest thou speak Equine? Or art thou—” the pony didn’t finish as in the next moment, when Luna gave the barest of perceivable nods Masao whirled around and his blade was against the pony’s throat. “It seems as though I have the upper had does it not?” he asked the pony, and now that he took a good look at the equine, it was male, with A white coat, and bluish mane and tail. That was all Masao could perceive as the armor on the stallion was covering up any other telling features, but the blade did nick at the skin of the stallion who barely kept the look of indifference on his face. “It seems as if thou art aggressive, not something I would expect from a knight of Equestria” he said and Masao scoffed as he pulled his blade away and sheathed it. “Good then, that I am not a knight of Equestria” said Masao and Luna looked at him worried, when he continued she went wide-eyed with a blush growing on her face, “I am Princess Luna’s knight, no one else’s” he said and the stallion nickered as he glared at Masao. “Thou thinks that makes thee excused from proper manners?” said the soldier Masao frowned, part of him was begging to continue in this match of wills but he knew he was here for a reason. “Why am I here, Milady?” he asked and Luna smiled at him, impressed at his self-control. “Ser Masao, you are here because I must ask of thou to lay your life on the line for Equestria, there have been reports of ponies randomly attacking, kidnapping, and killing others. I for one want this to end now, my sister is content to let things stand for the moment, but…” said Luna and Masao frowned he had a feeling this was going to end badly, maybe not in the immediate however… - - - “Come on creature, keep up” said the soldier and Masao grumbled as he and Evening were saying good bye at the castle gate. “I don’t have time for thee and thy pet to—” started the soldier went there was a rough clearing of a throat as the captain of the guard trotted up to him frowning. “I don’t care who thou art, or what thee believe, but if Masao comes back here and tells me anything that implicates thou of wrongdoing there will be nowhere for thou to hide, he is here under the princesses’ protection, and I will be damned before he or his is threatened” said the guard angrily, her glare boring a hole into the soldier whom turned to regard her. “I have no time for some freak telling me who I can or can not deal with and in what way I can deal with them, especially not some creature that is lucky enough to know speech when it is not intelligent enough to—urk!” the next thing the soldier knew he was on the ground the captain’s front hoof pressing against his neck. “Masao has earned my respect, and the respect of everypony here, he is also in a relationship with the bat pony that he is saying good bye to.” The mare pressed harder against the soldier’s neck, “He has proven himself an exceptional swordspony, and I—” she stopped when she felt Masao’s hand against her back. “He isn’t worth it, captain, I will be alright, you know as well as anypony it is very hard to get the drop on me” said Masao with a small smile on his face. The guardspony gritted her teeth but nodded, removing her hoof from the stallion’s neck. “Thou wouldst do better to not make me an—” he stopped as he noticed a shadow standing over him. “Make thou what?” asked Celestia her features stern before she turned to Masao, “Ser Masao, what art thou doing this fine day?” Masao gave a small bow. “Good morning, Celestia, I am heading to Trottingham to help them with a problem they are having” said Masao which made Celestia frown at him. “Masao, please tell me that thou art not serious, I told Luna that we could take care of it in due time, there is no need—” “I believe I can handle it, and if it is truly nothing as you say than me going will cause no harm. Either to myself or the inhabitants of Trottingham.” He said and the soldier started to grumble. “I art not finished with thou. Thee insulted somepony under my charge, and I shalt not suffer such a slight to pass, thou shalt remain here—” Celestia started but Masao spoke up interrupting her. “How pray tell am I supposed to get to Trottingham if my guide is indisposed?” asked the human which made a small smile to appear on Celestia’s face. “I suppose then, that thou will not be going” she said which made Masao frown…