Homeland Security

by Verathuum

Chapter 9

The night soon came and everyone went off to their respective rooms and to bed; save for Luna who stood awake to keep the night, and Jolterix who for some reason refused to become diurnal for Equestria. After raising the moon, she went to make sure everyone was sleeping as she normally did; however now she kept her guard up because of Discord’s presence. Passing his room, she saw he was sleeping like any normal person and decided she would check again in an hour: she didn’t trust him.

Meanwhile, Jolterix was sitting at his table in his room. He wasn’t tired as he always found hours in the day to sleep and he was naturally nocturnal as all Florians were. He removed his disc from his back which dissolved his combat skin, leaving him in a shirt and shorts. A holographic display popped up on his disc and began going through his music selection. He finally found a song and he placed the disc over the table where it hung freely in the air despite it being attached to nothing. The music began playing and Jolterix removed his combat disc from his belt and placed it on his back. His combat skin and helmet arose just like they normally did: his combat disc and leisure discs functioned nearly identically except that he couldn't access music, movies, or anything other than weapons from his combat disc. Jolterix soon found himself bobbing his head up and down with the tempo. The bass and synth orchestra was something that relaxed him and he soon lost focus from his work. He stood up and began walking around the room closing the curtains so no one could see in, trying to time his actions to the guitar’s riff and drum beats. He kept up a decent pace with short strides for his legs' lengths, all the while bobbing his head up and down.

The main riff began with the synth, guitar, and bass and Jolterix began doing what some might consider dancing: flailing his arms and legs around carelessly. He soon lost himself in the music and lost care for the world around him, however every so often he glanced up to make sure the door was locked. He wasn’t worried about the windows as the curtains were closed and no one could see in.

Suddenly, the door opened and Princess Luna stood staring at him, and he stopped immediately in whatever position she caught him in. The music still played in the background, but Luna stared at him with a straight face. He returned the glance from behind his mask: presumably a straight face as well. The two stared at each other for a few seconds and the main riff began again.

Luna stopped standing and began to shake her fists from side to side next to her shoulders. She put on a goofy smile and began her “dancing” as well. She approached Jolterix and let the doors close by themselves behind her.
Seeing this, Jolterix restarted his limb-flailing and joined Luna. Together, the two “danced” in the middle of the room. Luna let out a “Yay!” but it was barely audible above the music. As if her daft dancing wasn’t enough, she was still in her military uniform which made her look even more fatuous. Her obsidian and diamond crown stayed on her head despite her movements, and never had she looked so un-princess like.

Jolterix looked similar to Luna, but the fact he was completely covered by black armor and a helmet helped to soften his daft looks. The fact he was completely covered did not stop him from blushing, however; neither did the fact Luna was dancing with him just as poorly as he was. The song finally finished and they hugged tightly.

“We’re so weird,” Luna said happily.

“We are,” Jolterix laughed as he removed his helmet.

“Anyway, I’m here because I might have found a way to teach each other our own magic,” Luna said as she produced a thick book from seemingly nowhere. “It wasn’t easy to get, but it seems the library had something that survived a thousand or so years and it has a page on Florians,” she opened the book to the relevant page, “I know it’s not much, but it has a couple paragraphs that talk about sharing magic.”

“Well go on,” Jolterix urged her, “read it.”

“Patients,” she scolded him. She cleared her throat, “Magic of those from the Empire hight Auflorsung atte opposite world’s side, even upon journey here, certes is not like our own. It is of an internal kynde, only of affect to themselves.” She looked up to make sure Jolterix understood Middle Equestrian.

“Magic from the Empire called Auflorsung at the other side of the planet, even if a Florian came here, is certainly not like yours. Florian magic is of an internal nature, and only affects Florians, not Equestrians as well,” he said when he saw Luna wanted to know if he understood. “The last time I was here, that’s what I spoke,” he said.

“Very well,” she said and continued reading: “Al be that it seems constant, one Florian als one Aliman: both of internal magic and external magic anon will ay work.”

“Although it seems constant, if one Florian and an Aliman-whatever that is-both do their separate magic at the same time, it will always work,” Jolterix translated to prove he still understood.

“I’m an Aliman,” Luna said, “A human who has all the traits of the citizens.”

“So according to that book, if you and I worked our magic together at the same time, we could learn each other’s powers and use them?” Jolterix clarified.

“That’s right,” she smiled.

“And how do we go about doing that?”

“The book doesn’t clarify: I guess we just keep trying stuff till it works,” Luna said, “You’ve got a big brain, I’m sure we can figure something out.”

He gave her an odd look, “We may as well,” he said. “Since that book calls my magic ‘internal’ and yours ‘external,’ why don’t we do this,” he stood behind Luna and placed his hands in her palms and brought their hands together, “See, now my hands are ‘internal,’ and yours are ‘external.’”

“Now we both use our magic at the same time?” Luna clarified for herself.

“Exactly,” Jolterix said. He shut his eyes and when he opened them again, Luna’s movements were slowed dramatically. He had to wait about thirty seconds to him before Luna’s magic sparked up. As it did, time went back to normal, but quickly slowed to how it was: interference from Luna’s magic. It was likely he was giving Luna interference as well, but it was too slow to tell; possibly too quickly for her to tell either. Suddenly, the blue energy cupped around his hands and Luna’s movements sped up to match his own. He broke away from her and the blue mist followed his hands while some stayed with Luna.

“It works!” Luna exclaimed. There was a noticeable difference between the time when her mouth moved and when Jolterix heard her voice, although it was very slight.

“It does,” he said. Suddenly, there was a sound like rushing wind and time went back to normal. The blue mist faded from his hands. “But it didn’t work long,” he added.

“We can keep practicing,” she said, “But first I want to know: why does that book call Auflorsung an Empire?”

“You didn’t know it was?” Jolterix asked her, “Actually that makes sense.”

Luna raised an eyebrow at him.

Author's Note:

For best results, try to read the dancing scene at about 200 words per minute

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