//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 // Story: The Eyes Are Blind // by Fe94Knight //------------------------------// Chapter twenty one A ruffle in the sack. Tossing about in bed. The widest grin on one ponies face. These things follow the princess of the night as she dives in to the late morning while remaining in bed, after getting back home to the castle very late in the morning. Though in reality Luna knows not where she is, only that the she’s enjoying it in her own mind. The feeling of being tucked in to your own bed brings warmth, and comfort to the lunar mare as she snuggles deep in to the sheets, and openly embraces the counter effect of the cool pillows she has on her cheek. Sadly though, like all good things, they must come to an end. There are many ways to wake up a sleeping mare, and usually the choice is decided by who you are in relation to them. A fellow friend, may nudge them gently. A sibling, would probably leave them there to sleep the day away. A lover, would use the simple act of a kiss on the lips to stir them in to wakefulness. A particular teenage niece, who loves her aunt very much, has a special way of doing things. A rather large pillow to the face. “Aunt Luna! Wake up,” Rosebud throttles her delicate features with the feathery weapon, getting the desired response in the form of a now coughing mare who tumbles up, and out of bed kissing the floor boards. “Ugh…” Luna parts lips with her floor to try, and raise herself up to her flank, “Good morning to you as well… Rose.” The gritting of teeth from the lunar mare is lost on the very young princess, who can only bounce up, and down like she has learned from her auntie Pinkie Pie out of joy, “You too auntie!” “Well it seems we didn’t have to come get you at all,” Twilight’s voice fills the room while she, and Celestia come in. “Good morning sister,” Tia chimes in, fully ignoring the death glare that Luna is giving her own daughter, “It seems Rosebud has already taken the time to come and get you ready to start the day.” “Start the day with a sore muzzle?” Luna rubs the end of her snout with a gentle hoof. Getting a pillow to the face, and falling flat on said face, can force even the most weary pony back in to full consciousness. Making the mare instantly aware of her surroundings. Snapping her head about Luna instantly recognizes her room from the decor, and attire that she sees. Though how did she get here? “Umm?” The nervous lip biting on her younger sister’s face urges the solar princess to step forward, and help her up all the way to four feet, “What’s the matter Luna? Twilight told me what had happened while she was with Midnight. Is everything alright?” “Oh… we had our little chat out in the forest last night about that matter, it won’t be happening again,” Luna answers simply, trying to avoid having to explain why some of the forest is now bare black, and scorched beyond recognition, “He just needed a little-” “Nourishment?” Tia winks at her while picking up her sister’s sentence. Leaving Twilight, and Rose to remain oblivious to the needs of the colt still. “Precisely…” the mare starts to giggle, “well after a small fight with a Manticore he got what he needed, we both did actually,” The all too telling glare that her older sis gives her, lets Luna know that she is in for a long story to tell later on to keep Tia in the loop. Opting now to try, and change the subject at hoof for the moment, she draws a complete blank, “Though after our fill. I can’t recall a single-” “You passed out after your meal with Midnight,” Rosebud interjects in to the conversation, causing all ears and eyes to turn towards the young mare who clearly knows more than it seems, “What? I couldn’t sleep last night, so as I was walking around the halls, I found him,” Rose shrugs it off, “Midnight introduced himself when he came in with a sack over his back, and you also hunched over top of him passed out. He said that you had had too much to eat, and passed out from a food-coma, and he was looking for your room to tuck you in to bed.” “Oh did he now…” Twilight passes a wary eye over to the lunar princess, who eagerly tries to hide her facial expression of sheer embarrassment under the crimson coat. Silently wishing she was still in bed so she could hide under the covers. “Yea!” the daughter shouts out with joy, “He’s super polite, kind, and gentle. Oh, oh! And so sweet! Plus his eyes are wicked cool!” Rose starts to bounce up and down around her aunt, who remains the center of attention for the moment. While at the same time, Rose wonders to herself if there’s a spell that can change her eyes, “I lead him up to your room so he could lay you down after I pulled back the covers. It was adorable when he tucked you in, like you used to do to me,” The wide beaming face of a young mare, over shadows the completely lost expression on Luna’s own. An already eerie sweat, begins to trickle down the base of Luna’s neck as she can feel the piercing gaze of her own sister from just where the conversation (or at least the night before) could have ended up. “And then what happened?” Lulu moves along the story to try, and prevent Tia from getting in on the conversation to see if she really doesn’t remember anything, or just has selective amnesia. “Well after he tucked you in. We both walked out while Midnight still had that sack on his back. He and I chatted for a bit while he explained why he was here in the castle, and what you were doing with him,” she tries to recall the conversation, “Though for some reason he asked where the nearest kitchen was before parting ways, and at an hour like that…” Rose wonders the odd predicament in her mind for a moment. Before her ears instantly perk up, as the soft eyes click on exactly why the night princess is slightly squirmy over this matter, “Wait, are you and him-” “NO!” Luna bellows out in the Royal Canterlot Voice. Hushing herself back up with a hoof over her muzzle a second later, ‘Dang it… I thought I got control of that habit years ago at Nightmare night.’ “Awe…” Rose sighs playfully at her, “Do you want to talk about it auntie?” “That’s…” She exclaims, not quite sure how to follow up the offer of being helped by her own niece in the romance department. Until Luna reasons that it’s better to chat with her niece, than the prying ears of Rose’s mother, “…maybe later. For now though let’s just leave it at that. I find myself pondering many uncouth thoughts lately…” Luna winks at Rose. A silent promise to meet later to talk about colts that only the pair could share, “…However, where is Midnight anyway? He went through quite an ordeal last night. Is he okay?” “Actually he’s in the same place you would normally find me,” Twilight answers back as they can all guess where that would be, “Sense I have been up at least, after getting my morning coffee. When I went in the library, I saw him peeling through several books on his own.” “Did he say what for?” “All Midnight mentioned was that he had a brain storm earlier.” Without a second thought, Luna starts to march towards the door, and onwards to see the colt. That is until the soothing voice of her sister beckons her to turn around, “Luna… perhaps you should get something to eat first before seeing him.” “Breakfast can wait, dear sister.” “Oh I don’t know,” Celestia mulls over in her own mind. A golden aura forming around her horn as she pulls a covered tray out from off a table in the room, which has been overlooked by the night mare entirely, “I think Midnight made this especially for you.” The original thought to question the statement falls apart in the sibling’s mind, as she sees from under the lid that there is a few drops of red liquid making its way out. Already dried up from time, but still looking as ever glassy from when it was first shed. It becomes all too obvious to her of what kind of meal it is. Nodding only now to the elder in the room, Luna takes the tray in her own magical grasp, and rests it back down on the table to take a seat. “Thank you, Tia,” Luna grins wildly at the meal she can already smell from its proximity. “Likewise,” Her counterpart answers back. Ushering the others out of the room so the only other pony she knows to feed on such things, can do so in privacy. As they depart, Luna lifts the top off of the tray. Instantly having her tongue seemingly roll out of her mouth at the sight to behold. Cut up portions of ribs, nicely seasoned, and charred. Full legs of the deer that she remembers Midnight killing, grilled to a rare color. Even on top of that some of the choice organ meats have been left to simmer with one another as the flavors blend together. Liver, heart, kidney, spleen, and even parts of brain. Each of their juices flowing in to the next, and placed well done in to the better part of the rib cage that remains like a savage serving dish. All of it, from the ribs, to the kidney, dripping with the red life liquid that Luna finds herself now lapping her lips for more and more. “Well I’ll be…” she gasps, rolling her tongue back in to place to marvel at the meal, “Midnight… there’s breakfast in bed, and then there’s this, and by the smell of things,” She takes one last mighty whiff before digging in, “you sure can cook too.” _____________________ Another book is placed on top of already a growing stack next to the odd colt, as Midnight sits off in a distant corner in one of the many libraries that Canterlot castle is graced with. With the guards of the castle already knowing of his presence, it’s rather easy for Midnight to move about. Though the glares of intrigue, and only what he can assume a small level of disgust that he gets from many ponies that make up the staff around here ,still lets him know that although the royalty has allowed him to stay. He may not be wanted all that much by others. For now though, the colt has more pressing matters as a single word is in the front of his mind. ‘Flankton…’ His mind reads over, and over to itself. Thankful that another isn’t there to listen, ‘I know you are here somewhere.’ The dropping of a feather duster to the ground, and the slight yelp that follows, lets Midnight know that he isn’t alone anymore at the moment. Snapping his head around, the pair of golden orbs lock with a rather disturbed maid that stumbled in to this part of the library at the wrong time in her book. “Oh… ahh terribly sorry to disturb you sir,” The mare starts to wipe down some of the shelves with her own hoof. Trying not to look in to the slit eyes staring at her, while her actual duster lays in his path. If it weren’t for the pair of shadowy fangs he wore, Midnight’s smile might have eased her own mind without a word. Though thanks to the gesture, she only freezes where she stands. “No miss…” instantly recognizing the look in her eyes as fear. He pauses for a second, and remains in his seat. Picking up the duster with a green aura around it, and levitates it over to the mare, “…I should be the one that is sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you ma’am, it just is a habit I have, as you might be able to tell.” “Umm… it’s… okay?” The statement comes out more as a question as she tries to figure out how he is doing what her eyes can’t lie to her about. Though after the colt drops the duster in her hooves, she remains there out of curiosity now. The polite, and generally soothing voice calming her a bit, “How did you…?” “Just my own special talent…” Midnight chuckles a bit to lighten the mood. Showing only his cutie mark from his seat, “The names Midnight. I’m fairly new here, as you can see… what’s yours if I may ask?” Now fumbling from his manner. The mare puts the duster away, and extends a hoof to him as she draws in closer, “Silly me… I’m Dusty… you can imagine how I got my name,” They both share a little laugh with one another for a moment. Soon being graced now by a third party. “Well thanks to Dusty’s yelp, I didn’t have to look far to find you,” Luna prances in to the back corner with them, “It seems you are making friends just all around, aren’t you?” “Yea…” Midnight kicks at the dirt under his chair, with a slight blush on his face, “You could call it that. I take it you had your breakfast?” The evidence of what remains, still paints part of her mouth in a slight reddish tint from it running out during her feast. Hastily wiping it away now with a hoof, the lunar mare gets to the same position with facial color as the colt is, “Oh yes, yes I did.” The obvious facial exchanges between the two ponies makes it all too clear to the maid of what is going on in their minds at the moment. Even if the two involved haven’t realized it yet fully, to her, Dusty has seen the same thing on more than one occasion in the castle, “Well it seems that you two have some catching up to do…” She takes her leave, “Have a good day your majesty, and you as well Mr. Midnight, it was a pleasure to meet you,” The calm mare leaves them be in the library to chat. Both now biting their lips, and avoiding eye contact with one another for the moment at how that must have looked. ‘Well that was painfully obvious,’ Midnight talks to himself before scooting a chair over so his companion can take a seat as well. “I trust you enjoyed all of your meal then?” “Why yes, and if I must say. It was rather… divine,” Luna laps her lips once more. Nearly reliving the meal all over again in her mind, “Where did you learn to cook like that anyway? Most colts I know could set a bowl of cereal on fire.” “How many other colts do you actually know then?” His raised brow reminds her of her own social life. “Hmm… well Twilight’s husband for one. Flash can cook a mean meal after all. My brother in law counts, though unless you like things spicy you’re out of luck. Then Shining Armor is best when it comes to stews,” She mulls over the thought of any others she has seen in the past. “Apart from them. Random social experiences over the millennia… more of a gender role I guess I throw it up to.” “I can accept that answer,” Midnight cracks open another book, and spreads it between them to either side of the desk, “Having been alive for centuries, you have time to experiment when it comes to such things, and when you eat a lot of meat you have to keep the flavors interesting. Otherwise it’s just another cut.” “The organ meat though?” Small droplets of drool pepper the page below her as Luna wipes herself once again just from the thought, “Sorry… I just haven’t had a nicely cooked kidney in a while. Let alone the heart.” He shrugs his shoulders a bit at the simple act, “It’s an art lost on many races. Only ones I’ve seen practicing it is the gryphons, and for the most part they still stay clear of many organs.” “And they haven’t a clue what they’re missing,” The smitten kitten of a princess giggles to herself like a filly, “I always loved liver.” “I’m more of a spleen kind of colt,” Midnight laps his tongue. “What do you have against my liver?” She teases him a bit with a little push in the shoulder. “Eh to irony…” Midnight beams wide at her, “Though a grilled heart never hurt anyone,” They both begin to laugh a bit with one another now. Trying to keep it down for the sakes of those that might be with in ear shot. After all, they are in a library. “Is it bad that we are laughing about what cuts of meat we prefer?” she poses the question. “Well we’re both omnivores so let’s call it an inside joke,” he answers before bringing his hoof back down on a page, and the subject back to attention of the princess. Midnight flips through a few more pages to get to one he had marked. While he gives reason to even be in the library at this time, and why he has books lined all around him, “After putting you to bed last night. During my own sleep my mind was left to wander, and I started to relive some of my past memories in my dreams.” “Really?” She gasps, “But I thought you couldn’t remember?” “Up to a certain point at least… though with Shard being silenced more often than not finally from something calling me out of the darkness,” Midnight recalls the few times he’s met his nightmare face to face in his mind. Only to be pulled out by the princess herself from her soothing and caring words, “my subconscious has been able to enter a little further back and instead of a haze of memories, one name managed to pop up,” His hoof stops on a single page. An open map of Equestria is left in their view, though this one with far less towns, and settlements here and there. Clearly an early version, of what they know now as the colt points to one settlement, “Flankton… it’s the name of an old town many years ago. From what I recall I spent many years there. I know not what years, however from what I saw through my eyes… I was a young one.” “Hmm…” Luna looks over the map. Having seen the change in times of the land she loves over the years. She flips through a few pages now to a more modern map, “I think I know where you’re going with this… and… there,” She stops herself on one town. “Coltsdale…” He reads aloud, “Built and renamed over the years, the modern Flankton. If the town has any records left over …” “…Then you may be able to cross reference…” “…And probably get an idea of…” They start to lean in closer to one another. “…Where you started out from!” Luna yells out as it all clicks to her mind even more so now as they both embrace one another in joy. A single library mare leans around the corner, and puts a hoof to the end of her muzzle, “Shh.” ‘Sorry,’ the princess mouths to her before composing herself from the hug. Now just grinning at him like a little filly once more, “But still, even if they have records. Do you really think you’d be in there? Or even if any pony there would remember you after all this time?” All the colt does is stand up, and extend a hoof to help pull Luna out of her own chair, “Look at me…” He presents his frame with all its odds, and ends, “Do I look like I am one to be easily forgotten?” “Meh… point made Midnight,” She levitates the book up next to her while they both start to trot out towards the exit of the library, “Well I better let my sister know that we’ll be on a little trip for the next few days.” “Do you think she’ll mind? After all you do have your own duties here,” He raises the question. “I raise, and lower the moon. That I can do anywhere. The castle can watch itself without me at night, seeing as my guards still are around here,” Luna ponders another thought for a moment before going back to the subject, “Kind of surprised you haven’t seen any actually… On top of this, before Discord was reformed. Celestia and I didn’t really have that much free time. However, ever sense then, and getting the aid from having Twilight rise up to be a princess as well. We all have more leisure time than we know what to do with,” The mare brushes off the question as she magics the door open for her, and her companion, “Besides… we’re only going out on a little road trip in to the country…” Luna responds to him while the door close behind them, and they go to fill in the others.