9 - Celebrations
Princess Luna’s body glowed as she finished casting Starswirl’s polyglotic spell. The working seemed a little rough, and Twilight was a little concerned about the translation’s resulting accuracy. However, it would certainly be better than having Twilight translate everything as she had when introducing the Princess to her human friends. It was not a moment too soon as the crowd of approaching humans had stopped about twenty feet away, while Alexandria and Legend continued towards them.
“Don’t worry, we can explain everything,” Tattletale proclaimed with a wide smile that contained a lot more genuine happiness than any of the previous smiles Twilight had seen from her today.
“We can?” Clockblocker asked incredulously.
“While I would be very interested in hearing that explanation,” Alexandria said as she glanced down at her arm, “I do believe there are introductions in order.” Her gaze swept the group, pausing briefly on Dragon. Twilight understood her hesitation. As well healing the group’s injuries, the Elements seemed to have had an effect on Dragon’s armor. It shined brightly in the light of the moon, and its curves and joints had gained a subtly more organic appearance than before. Then Alexandria’s eyes moved on to Twilight and Princess Luna.
“Ah,” Twilight nervously shuffled her wings under the gaze and then straightened up. “Princess Luna, this is Alexandria and Legend. They are the leaders of the Protectorate, an organization dedicated to defending this world.” Twilight paused and after a quick mental checklist to make sure she had it right, continued with formality. “Legend, Alexandria, this is Her Royal Highness Princess Luna, Princess of the Night, Shepard of the Moon, Guardian of the Dreamlands, and one of the ruling Diarchs of Equestria. She is also my friend.”
Princess Luna smiled warmly at the last and spread a wing over Twilight’s back. “’TIS THE LAST APPELLATION OF WHICH WE ARE MOST FOND, TWILIGHT SPARKLE. GLAD WE ARE TO FIND THEE WHOLE, HALE, AND IN GOOD COMPANY. LEGEND, ALEXANDRIA, WE ARE WELL MET.” Twilight shrank back from the volume and quickly leaned forward to whisper in the Princess’ ear. Princess Luna's smile became a bit sheepish before she turned her head and nodded her thanks once again to the friends that had stood by her against the Simurgh. She turned back to face Alexandria and Legend.
“AHEM, We are thankful that our dear friend found safe haven in such troubled place and time. Now that the formalities be dealt with, and while we be eager to be introduced to thy nay doubt worthy companions, we fear that the long battle and journey to this planet hath wearied us. Nay doubt as it hath also wearied our companions hither and thy own valiant soldiers. If further conversation is to be had this even, wine will be required to quench our thirst and food to fortify our blood! Call thine aid de camp and thy servants. Bid them fetch forth what provisions be available and bring them hither!”
Princess Luna strode forward and spread her wings dramatically as she continued addressing the whole crowd.
“ALL OF YE HAVE LABORED LONG TODAY. THE VICTORY DID NOT COME WITHOUT COST, BUT A MIGHTY VICTORY ’TWAS. WON AGAINST AN IMPLACABLE FOE. SUCH CALLS FOR A CELEBRATION AND FOR THOSE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BRAY IT OUT IN REVELRY AND SONG!”
Twilight’s heart swelled with joy all over again at being reunited with Princess Luna, and couldn’t help but laugh good-naturedly at her exuberance. Everyone else besides Tattletale, who was beginning to giggle uncontrollably, seemed a little taken aback. She hesitated, suddenly uncertain. She wasn’t sure humans had the same attitudes as ponies on celebration and mourning. Maybe the translation spell wasn’t working well enough. Maybe Princess Luna was accidentally stumbling into a major social faux pas. Maybe there was about to be the first interplanetary incident between their two cultures. She needed to defuse this.
“Ah, Princess that might not be-“
“That sounds like a wonderful idea your Highness. Endbringer battles have always been remembered with solemn monuments and too many names inscribed in cold stone. It would be fitting that our first true victory be a celebration instead.” Legend interrupted in a warm and confident voice. Alexandria nodded and spoke to Legend.
“Strider can take me back to Rally-1. I will make sure S&R is moving smoothly and update the PRT so we can get relief and supplies inbound from Boston and New York. As the night goes on we can rotate teams in and out of the festivities for rest and downtime. Give everyone a chance to celebrate. Dragon can you come with me for a short debrief?”
“Yes,” Dragon said as she stepped forward and gave Twilight a friendly shoulder pat. “I will see you all in a little while.” She gave a small bow to Princess Luna and then followed Alexandria over towards Strider. After a brief discussion Alexandria, Dragon, Strider, and a couple of the gathered heroes that Twilight didn’t recognize vanished with a quiet snap.
With the gap opened she once again noticed the unclothed human female with the large unicorn-like horn extending from her head, and tried to stop herself from getting caught staring a second time. She was apparently unsuccessful because the human smiled at her and Princess Luna quietly whispered to her.
“Fie, Like Tia’s, ’Tis enough to make one feel inadequate, is it not Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight blushed in embarrassment, which elicited a good-natured chuckle from the Princess. An incredibly brightly glowing figure started to descend towards the group and Twilight saw several people tense up, but Clockblocker quickly spoke up and lightened the mood.
“Alright, so the party’s lighting is taken care of, but we are in desperate need of some music if we are going to do this thing.”
“Anyone up for a quick trip to the outskirts to liberate some provisions from a liquor store?” Uber asked with a smile.
“Ha! Thou hast found a fine vassal in this one Twilight Sparkle, he thinks rightly. To the victors, the spoils! I would join thee and speed thy travel. Who will assist us on such a noble quest?” Princess Luna exclaimed bordering on the edge of the Royal Canterlot Voice. Twilight brought a hoof to her face. It was going to be a long night.
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Some time later, Twilight nodded with satisfaction as she released her telekinetic hold and the last bottle was stacked with its fellows. Now organized in neat rows by brand and type, the whole assortment of purloined provisions looked a lot less larcenous than it had when the, and there was really no other way to say it, raiding party had come back with it.
The task also had many pleasant parallels to a library re-shelving, and she found herself relaxing further as she sipped from the bottle of apple cider she had floating beside her. It tasted like distilled bliss as it flowed over her tongue and cooly slid down her throat. Maybe on another day she would have found it average at best, but this had not been another day. She couldn’t remember drinking anything that tasted so good.
“There’s the purple pony princess I’ve been looking for, what are you doing over here? Luna’s been regaling everyone with how you and your friends faced down a dragon.” Vista said as she came up behind Twilight and ruffled her mane.
Twilight blushed, now Uber had Vista calling her a princess too. She really needed to nip that in the bud before someone said it in front of Luna. She used her magic to straighten her mane as she glanced back at the party. Even here, about a hundred yards from where Luna was sitting, it was impossible not to hear the exuberant Princess of The Night. Bathed in the light of a roaring bonfire that the Princess insisted needed to be built, surrounded by alien warriors and leaders, the Princess looked to be in her element. It was the most at ease Twilight had ever seen her be around others.
“Oh, I just saw everyone who came over here having to root around the pile for something they liked and I thought it would be more pleasant for everyone if the..uh”
“The word you are looking for is loot.” Vista interrupted. Yes, that was probably the right word, but Twilight wasn’t going to incriminate herself or the Princess any further.
“Provisions. If the provisions were organized.”
“So in the middle of the biggest party, probably ever if you count the celebrations breaking out all over the world, you decided you needed to build an open-air supermarket? Is this how you unwind back home?”
Twilight looked around at the neatly ordered rows and stacks of liquor and snack foods. A smile came to her as she thought of Spike and how he would probably much prefer organizing a horde of junk food to books.
“Yeah, kind of.” Twilight’s smile didn’t abate as she took another long pull from the bottle.
“Nerd.”
“Guilty!” Twilight giggled as she stepped closer and leaned lightly against Vista. The two of them content in each others company and basking in the happiness radiating out from the party like heat from the fires.
Twilight wasn’t sure how many people were now milling around the meadow, but it was certainly more than she had ever seen in one place before. As the night had gone on more and more capes and PRT officers had started showing up. Some by themselves, some in groups large enough to have been a party on their own. Recently, people that Twilight assumed from their dress were ordinary citizens had begun to show up as well.
One group had arrived with a dozen trucks filled with folding tables and chairs. Given the looks of the people driving them, Twilight had carefully avoided asking where they had gotten them. Others had brought mismatched sofas and furniture, some brand new, while more had probably been on fire earlier in the evening. The chairs, tables, lumber, and blankets proliferated outward from Luna’s bonfire with no discernible order or pattern. Twilight had so far resisted the urge to impose one.
Besides the bonfire at the center of the festivities, other smaller fires surrounded by people dotted the field that was beginning to look like a gypsy encampment. There were pockets of people that seemed to all dress similarly, and she sometimes thought there was going to be trouble between some groups, but someone always came along and calmed things down. Some were quiet and somber, many where cheerful, others loud, but none drew the eye or the ear like Princess Luna.
“THEN OUR FOE, LAYING DEFEATED AT OUR HOOVES, TRIED HIS LAST GAMBIT. HE PROPOSED TO ENTER INTO MATRIMONY WITH US! HA! WHAT A LOOK ’TWAS THAT OVERTOOK OUR SISTER’S VISAGE AT THAT PROCLAMATION. SO GREAT WAS HER SHOCK THAT NEARLY WERE WE TEMPTED TO ACCEPT. ALAS ’TWOULD NEVER HAST WORKED. REGARDLESS OF THE PHYSICAL IMPRACTICALITIES OF SUCH A RELATIONSHIP, CANST ONE IMAGINE DRACONIC INLAWS?”
Princess Luna paused and took a long drink from a mug as the crowd laughed. Princess Luna’s charisma pushing past any gaps in translation and culture. She continued a little less loudly now that the climax of the story was past.
“’Twas the first time a dragon would propose to us, but ‘twould nay be the last! Many bards did romanticize the encounter, and suiting their nature did sing it far and wide. Thus was borne the oft used cliche in our fiction of romance between pony and dragon. Some ponies, taking such notions too seriously, have necessitated the formation of rescue parties. Though not always pony ones! ’Tis a tale in itself, but we have spoken long enough and do require more refreshment. MORE WINE! Sir Myrddin, one such as thou wilt have many amusing tales. Speak them so that we might know thee and thy Chicago better.”
Twilight’s amusement battled with her sense of propriety and thoughts on what the humans must be thinking about them, but with the cider on its side, amusement won out and she found herself giggling and wishing Rainbow Dash were here to see this. She giggled more as she caught the thoroughly poleaxed expression on Director Piggot’s face, nearly unchanged for an hour as she sat at one end of the big table the Princess had claimed.
Beyond Princess Luna’s table and the leaders of the protectorate and PRT that filled it, was the beach. More bonfires had been made along the sand and the heavy thump of music echoed from that direction. The most raucous revelers seemed to have gravitated there, behind, and thus out of the direct sight of most of their bosses. She could see the shadows and silhouettes dancing wildly around the fires. A few brave individuals appeared to have shed their clothing and jumped into the sea, splashing each other merrily. Alcohol apparently keeping them warm in the frigid water.
Following Twilight’s gaze Vista spoke.
“I think that's Aegis being drug towards the dancing down there by Clock. I think the others may be over there too. What do you say Twilight? Ready to get your groove on?”
Once more Twilight had a minor battle in her head. She was quite sure that Vista had no idea what she was getting into by inviting her, of all ponies, to dance. Bad, well, bad didn’t quite convey how she was at dancing. She didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of all these people. On the other hand, it sounded fun. Her hooves itched, her groove it seemed, did want to get on.
Luckily for her groove, the cider sided with it.
With a flash of purple light Twilight teleported Vista and herself onto the beach just in time to see Clockblocker unfreeze from where he was hanging in the air and splash into the water with a girlish screech. Laughter mixed with music as he swam back to shore and ran up to the fire shivering.
“Laugh now. Once I thaw out, vengeance will be mine!” He declared with a dramatically clenched fist.
“That’d be a lot more intimidating if you didn’t look like a drowned rat,” Shadow Stalker replied.
“Aegis!” Twilight ran up and gave him a hug. “It’s good to see you, how are Gallant and Leet, they’re okay right?” Aegis bent down and returned the hug.
“Yeah, they’re both going to be okay. Capes injured in battles get priority with Panacea. They’re sleeping and going to be jealous as hell about missing out on this, but they’re fine.” Twilight felt some of the last bit of tension still in her release at that. The song that had been thumping loudly in the background came to a halt and Twilight heard Tattletale’s amplified voice come over whatever sound system was being used.
“All right, I sensed a disturbance in the force just now, some people or ponies out there were edging close to a serious conversation. This is no time for that!”
The crowd around the fire whistled and cheered at that.
“No, now it’s time to Smile Like You Mean It! Hit it Regent!”
High-paced music boomed from the bed of the truck Tattletale was standing in. The song reminded her of Pinkie. She smiled. She meant it. Her body began to sway.
As she twirled and gyrated with abandon around the fire, alien music thrumming in her ears, surrounded by her new friends, she knew tomorrow the celebration would end and they would have to start dealing with the consequences of all that had happened.
For now however, she decided that if Princess Luna wanted the night to last forever, she was okay with that.
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Twilight groaned and pulled a sand-covered foreleg over her eyes as the sky lightened around her. A few minutes later, her leg proving an insufficient shield against the relentlessly brightening sky, she gave up trying to go back to sleep, pulled her legs underneath her and stood up. She opened her eyes slowly and squinted, taking in her surroundings.
Sprawled across the sand around the still-warm embers of last night’s fires slept most of her friends and the revelers that had joined them. Taylor, sitting up and sipping from a bottle of water, gave her a nod. One of her legs acting as a pillow for the sleeping form of Flame Dancer. Music still played from the main camp and glancing in that direction she saw that, despite the hour, for some the party went on. At the heart of it Luna’s voice still could be heard.
Looking at her matted and sand covered coat and mane, she decided a bath was her first priority. A quiet yawn escaped her mouth as she stretched out her legs and then walked a little ways to give herself some space. She concentrated and, horn glowing brightly, a section of the beach shimmered and then snapped into the form of a steaming bath. She wasted no time sinking into the delightfully hot water with a sigh of contentment.
“Forget the rainbow of doom, that’s the power I want.”
Twilight looked up to see Tattletale walking towards her.
“Hmm, it is nice. Do you want me to make you one?” Twilight asked as she started combing her wet mane with magic.
“Very tempting, but despite last night I’m not sure I’m comfortable enough with everyone here for public bathing.” Still sleepy and her muscles slowly relaxing in the heat of the water Twilight didn’t pursue the subject.
“Hmm, suit yourself I guess.”
“So should we all be getting used to twenty hour days from now on?” Tattletale asked, causing Twilight to look towards the ocean where the golden disk did seem to be rising in a bit of a hurry.
“Oh, I guess I really should finish up here and go talk to the Princess about that.” Tattletale smirked and looked like she was about to say something when a quiet beep came from her pocket. Instantly the smile dropped off her face as she pulled out a phone. “Is there something wrong?” Twilight asked seeing Tattletale’s good mood evaporate.
“No. Just something I had hoped I wouldn’t have to deal with.” Tattletale said with an obviously forced smile. “I’ve got to go, its been real Sparkle. I’ll see you in the funny papers. Try to avoid rearranging any more of the landscape while I’m gone.” Before Twilight could come up with a response to that Tattletale was already briskly walking away.
Frowning after the enigmatic girl, Twilight quickly finished grooming herself and regretfully teleported herself out of the warm water and onto the grass above the beach. Using telekinetic fields to wring out her mane and tail, she started to trot towards the sound of Princess Luna’s voice. She was coming up behind the large table Luna was sitting at when the Princess craned her neck around to face her.
“Ah ha! Hither comes Twilight Sparkle now. Did we not foretell? As the sun rouses itself from the sea so doth our sister’s protege rouse herself from her slumber. Ha! We see she taught thee her bath spell as well, truly thou art her student” Twilight blushed as she finished approaching the table, Luna beckoning her to sit beside her and then draping a familiar wing over her back. “We suspect that, also like our sister, now that the dawn is upon us she nay doubt wishes us to turn ourselves to serious business.”
“Um, Princess?” Twilight said, still fighting down her blush from the attention of everyone seated around the table. “Speaking, um, about more serious business…” Twilight gestured with one of her wings towards the rising sun. Princess Luna followed her gesture and she gave a good-natured laugh when she caught Twilight’s meaning.
“Thou hast the truth of it Twilight. Gentle humans, pray excuse us but for a moment while we depart to settle this celestial sphere.”
With no more warning than that, Princess Luna dissolved into mist, spiraled into the air above the table, and spread out until she was indistinguishable from the dawn sky. Everyone at the table continued watching the sky for a moment before, one by one, their gazes turned back to Twilight. She was trying to think of something to say and suppressing the urge to fidget when Alexandria broke the silence.
“Your princess is almost a force of nature. Come sit down,” When Twilight had finished settling herself next to the heroine she continued. “I’ve read through the transcripts of your discussions with the PRT, I didn’t get the impression that she was…so gregarious.”
Twilight flushed a little at the thought that she had somehow relayed inaccurate information. But to be fair, with a few exceptions, the Princess was usually a much more reserved pony than she had been since she arrived. The heroes around the table began to talk amongst themselves once more, and a couple got up and walked to a nearby table that seemed to have been commandeered by a couple of PRT agents and a mound of communication equipment. She got the impression, however, that she was still the focus of everyone’s attention.
“Oh, um, yes, well she typically is…more reserved, I would say. But, well, as you can probably guess from last night, she doesn’t really do half measures. When she decides to do something, even if that something is taking part in an extra-dimensional, extra-Equestrian victory party, she does it without holding back.” Twilight said as a fond smile graced her face. Just thinking about the Princess, her friend, that she was here, and what that meant. Alexandria nodded, one corner of her lips turned up in a small crook that could have been the beginning of a smile.
“Yes, I think last night is proof enough of that.” A small beep came from her waist, and she sighed. “Excuse me, it seems I’m needed again. It seems no two versions of what happened last night are alike, and pretty much every cape and governmental organization on the planet seems to want confirmation from either Legend or me personally. I’ll be back soon. Legend, can you spare a moment?” He nodded and stood up from his chair, shooting Twilight a good natured grin as he did so. Alexandria continued. “Myrddin, I hate to spoil your fun but Director Hearthrow can’t leave Chicago, and I think he would appreciate an in-person debrief from you.” The brown robed man nodded and turned to address Twilight as he stood up from the table .
“Twilight Sparkle, In the midst of the celebration I feel like we hardly had a chance to speak last night. Princess Luna mentioned that there is no finer mind on topics related to magic than you. After things calm down somewhat I would be honored if you might find the time to speak with me on the subject?” Twilight blushed at the praise while she replied.
“Of course! I would love to.”
“Then I look forward to speaking with you then. Please let Princess Luna know that I enjoyed her company immensely and extend an open invitation to her Highness to visit Chicago and possibly barter further tales in exchange for some of our city’s finer libations.” A giggle escaped Twilight’s mouth as she transmuted a couple of discarded plates and glasses into a paper and pen and jotted the missive down.
“I will be sure she gets it. It was very nice meeting you.”
“You as well Ms. Sparkle.”
While she had been talking with Myrddin a truck had pulled up nearby. A couple of people began unloading it and assembling what looked like the beginnings of a buffet table. Her stomach grumbled at the thought of food and Miss Militia gave a light laugh from where she was sitting across from her.
“I’ll second that. Come on, the smell of that food is going rouse everyone within three hundred yards of here. Why don’t we go get some before the mob descends.”
About fifteen minutes later Twilight was happily drinking some reconstituted orange juice and finishing off the last of her strawberry jam and toast while she talked with Miss Militia. Slowly the heroes from elsewhere had begun to leave to report back to their respective cities, called back to help as celebrations spilled out into their streets. As they had filtered out the table filled in with Brockton Bay’s Heroes and Wards, either waking from the celebration or coming off a shift of cleanup and rescue.
Director Piggot had just seated herself when a swirl of blue mist coalesced next to Twilight and solidified into Princess Luna. She draped a wing over Twilight’s back and gave a somewhat tired looking smile to everyone at the table.
“’Twas a feat and nay lie, but ’tis done, or nearly so. Thy planet shouldst but soft resume its ingraft pace over the next few days, or close enough for it to suit methinks. Mayhap a final nudge one way or the other once the effects of our workings fade completely and we canst better judge its natural disposition.” Director Piggot’s lips contorted through several emotions before she seemed to force them into the barest semblance of a smile. When she spoke it sounded like a rehearsed speech.
“I’m sure there will be many people happy to hear that your Highness. I was instructed to tell you upon your return that accommodations are being prepared in New York for you and Ms. Sparkle. They are close to the United Nations, and many world leaders are eager to speak with you about last night and the relations between our world and yours as we move past this crisis.”
Twilight grimaced in remembrance of her own trip to the United Nations and Luna laughed at her expression.
“Ha, politics! We agree with Twilight Sparkle. Art thou sure we can not find another eldritch abomination that we might do battle with instead?” Laughter, some genuine and some nervous spread across the table. Director Piggot herself seemed somewhat at a loss of how to respond. Just before it looked like she was going to make the attempt, Luna waved a hoof in dismissal.
“Nay, nay we jest. We knowest the necessity of such things, and in sooth look forward to seeing more of thy world. We accept thine invitation.” She shot a sideways glance at Twilight and then smiled wider and once again continued just before it looked like Piggot was going to speak. “However, if we are to face such a lion’s den as I suspect awaits us, we will require companions to hearten us and guard our backs. Thy valiant warriors that stood by Twilight Sparkle till the last will be most suitable for such a dangerous task as the one before us. Gather them hence and we shall depart anon!”
While Director Piggot’s expression morphed into stunned incredulity, Assault fell backwards out of his chair laughing.
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5699910
Ha! Nice. Thanks for the compliment!
Moony, you so best. [/Tiny Tina]
My compliments on the way you write Luna. It will be interesting to see how the world reacts to this: The Simurgh gone, Eidolon vanished, pony goddesses changing the rotation of the Earth, Leviathan and Behemoth dead or inactive (depending on the outcome of that final blast).
Well, how it reacts after PARTY PARTY PARTY!
EDIT: Also, the dragon story is hilarious. Especially the implication that sometimes it lead to ponies kidnapping dragons.
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Thanks!
5699962
You're welcome.
The timing on your reply means I'm not sure you saw my edit on the post you're responding to, so I thought I'd point it out.
still very much love this story. ^_^
Luna would fit right in with the Vikings of Norway or the Nords of Skyrim.
5700560 YEAH can see it now dragon bone armor and twin ebony war axes
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Thanks! Also fixed the typo.
5700560
She's definetly in her element right now
Also 200 likes, woot!
Thanks for all the likes and favorites everyone
5699964
Heh, thanks. I started thinking about the other races in equestria, and how bards and romance writers would/could use them to make interesting stories. We know that Ponies have semi-regular contact with Griffons, and Minotaurs. They would be good for star-crossed or exotic tales, but they they wouldn't be mysterious or rare enough for dangerous and dark romance stories. Ponies would know ponies that actually knew a griffon or a Minotaur and they would know if a story exaggerated too much.
But Dragons are rare, usually unapproachable, mysterious, and dangerous. The perfect fodder for the pony equivalent of vampire romance stories, tragedies, dark comedies, and love-conquering all tropes. Add in some ancient and often told tales of them proposing to the Princesses and the rumors they spawned and over time you get a whole genre of Dragon/Pony romance stories and songs.
Sometimes impressionable adolescent ponies take such stories and songs too seriously and wind up in trouble. Sometimes, albeit rarely, the dragons do. ;)
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Depending on how his adaptions work, he may even eventually gain some sort of propulsion mechanism, enabling him to defy gravity (in his case moving towards planetary masses). Maybe. Eventually. We know some of his adaptions do more than just provide resistance, since he can spit acid.
Although, I do like your idea of him never landing again, but gaining enough motive force to threaten space-shipping lanes.
That was an unexpected bout of light-heartedness; I had expected for things to move straight to unraveling the post-Endbringer battle mess, but I guess dialing things down for a while doesn't hurt either. All work and no play makes Luna a sour pony. An no one likes a sour Luna on their hands.
I must admit I'm somewhat surprised Twilight didn't immediately latch herself on to Luna without plans on letting go anytime soon - I would have thought she has a hundred questions she wants to ask Luna immediately, yet she seemed pretty content to simply laze the night away without even really approaching the Princess. Unless that was far from the first bottle Twilight got in to?
And yeah, I can see how Luna isn't quite what everyone expected her to be. When Twilight mentioned she was royalty, I imagine most people didn't imagine she meant of the viking variety
I'm looking towards her time in the UN - somehow, unlike Twilight, I very much doubt Luna would even consider recasting the translation spell for each different language - she might not be adverse to diplomacy and all that entails, but also unlike Twilight she isn't a nervous wreck who would care about appeasing the various diplomats in any way she can. It's them who will be looking to appease her before all this is over.
Of course, I'm still expecting that Luna will throw Twilight under the proverbial bus and declare that Equestria's newest Princess (*insert an indignant and confused squeak, with a side dose of panic, from the background*) is perfectly capable of handling all the tedious details while she herself sets out to explore the local night life.
Though the visit to the UN makes me wonder - is Luna planning on establishing some long-term relations with Earth? Considering she didn't just grab Twilight and go back, but rather agreed to diplomatic meetings and such, it does appear to be the case - or that she is, at least, giving it some consideration. Otherwise there would be no need for her to bother with the UN if she was planning a simple snatch & grab.
I really hope we will see Twilight discuss these things with Luna sometime soon - among other things. Like her newfound Alicorn nature. That one especially should be at the forefronts of both their minds - I'm surprised Twilight didn't immediately set to pestering Luna about it already.
Eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I hope I'm allowed to hope that it will arrive a bit sooner than the last
Think I've found a typo here:
Underlined words are missing.
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Thanks.
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Repercussions and ramifications are coming, but Luna was not going to be denied a victory celebration/wake for the fallen. There was a couple of hours between introductions and Twilight organizing the bottles where Twilight Did indeed attach herself to Luna's side before relaxing enough to go find her friends. The bottle you see was far from her first. I might edit the chapter to show those things more explicitly, but I did not want to detract to much from the light tone. I figured it was needed both for the story and the characters.
Luna has many & varied plans, which you will have to wait until the next chapter to see. In the next chapter Luna will also be having a more serious conversation with Twilight as well.
Getting herself across the Dreamlands was extremely perilous even with all her experience. Trying to take a passenger would be beyond folly. No, a simple snatch and grab was never in the cards. Another way back home is going to have to be found.
For chapter timing, I will try my best
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Ha!
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Hm, I suppose it might be a good idea to edit in a few lines to show that this wasn't Twilight's first bottle and that she had approached Luna, but decided to give the princess a bit of space after some reassurances and getting snoot all over Luna's coat or somesuch :P Nothing too big, but a few sentences referencing these facts, so that it doesn't seem like Twilight has been simply content sitting there and organizing the loot pile without even approaching the princess (and vice versa).
And getting across the Dreamlands isn't going to work, eh? I had wondered if this would be the case - it was established as pretty dangerous and Twilight does lack experience in the area (even though she is a very quick study), so it makes sense it wouldn't be Luna's first resort. I had simply wondered if Luna could stuff Twilight in to a hammerspace of some sort and make the journey back for both of them without input needed from Twilight, but guess not. Ah well, all the more interesting for us!
Hm, though I suppose this does mean that Luna went after Twilight, so she could keep the younger mare company, without having a clear idea (unless she does have one) how they would get home, or how long it would take to engineer a solution? That's pretty big-hearted of her if that's the case, I'm impressed. (Though knowing Luna, she probably all but leaped at the chance of more adventure and less awkward frolicking with the modern Equestrian populace
)
And I'm really looking towards said serious conversation between Luna and Twilight, it has been a long time in coming - and Twilight has, far as I can tell, pointedly avoided thinking too much on her newfound nature. If Luna's the manifestation of the Night, Twilight no doubt is Magic ... I wonder how she will take those news, and all it entails
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I researched the dates before I started the story, Lung confrontation with Taylor was 4/11/11 which is when this story begins.
Edit, also love the Homestuck homage ;)
5713504
Fixed, thanks!
I forgot where I said this first, but I'll say it here... Twilight has CDO: OCD so extreme, you have to alphabetize the letters.
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Good catch, edited.
5728091
Thanks for finding all these errors. I am actually in the process of going back through and editing my early chapters, (I have only gotten to the end of the Yamada interlude as you may have noticed) so this helps a lot.
5729965
Thanks again for all the great catches. I've edited the master copy, and when I finish the rewriting/editing of these chapters, your changes will be implemented here. Good point about the incandescent bulbs.
5730088
Thanks again!
5730703
Master copy edited, thanks!
5731238
Edited Thanks! You may have noticed you have now hit the chapters where I gained a beta-reader/editor. Thus the big down tick in errors :)
5731454
Again, great catches, thanks
You're welcome! And thus, I have finally caught up.
BTW, I want to shamelessly "me too" most of what Skydrake has been saying, especially Luna's dialogue. I can hardly think of other fics that do her bombast this well at length.
Nitpicks and possible nitpicks:
Shepherd
Upon seeing these, I questioned whether "no" was ever "nay" in this sense. I was not able to satisfy my curiosity by a cursory Internet search. What little I eventually found is inconclusive but is perhaps more supportive (of you) than otherwise. If you can provide me with what your own research turned up I would be grateful, as I am now curious on the matter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes_and_no
"Yes" and "no" were reserved for answering negatively phrased questions, and yea and nay served both as answers to positively phrased questions and as normal intensifiers in responses to noninterrogative statements.
LYING
http://grammarist.com/usage/lay-lie/
I believe this should be "hath". That was my instinct and if I am reading it correctly this webpage backs me up: http://dan.tobias.name/frivolity/archaic-grammar.html If I am wrong then I am sorry.
merrily, alcohol
or
kept
5731641
Thank you very much for all the nitpicks, as I know how long it takes and I am always grateful to have them pointed out. Also thank you for the compliments. Glad to here that despite the typos and grammar errors, that you enjoyed the story so far.
Luna's speech is definitely labor intensive for me and Deadpan, who is my beta and really delved into the resources of archaic and elizabethan english to try and get it right. Lots of thanks goes to Dead for that.
It's funny that you should mention that HAST as both Deadpan and I questioned if that was the right usage there. It was late at night as it is now, so I will have to look at it again later. For the Nay/no if you did internet searches you likely came up with the same resources we did.
5731641 Thank you for catching these things that got by me in the beta process, and for making a first sweep for the chapters upcoming in our rewrite-sweep.
As sopchoppy indicated, Luna's dialogue is an ongoing struggle and I go through her lines with several on-line references I have found and bookmarked open in various tabs. I also came up inconclusive on that usage of "nay", but it just sort of seems to work with the rest of her speech patterns. Have-hath-hast and similar verb conjugations are probably the part I am most struggling with at this time.
In Worm, "Villain" is sometimes used as a sort of official title and so is sometimes capitalized where it wouldn't normally be. I'm not sure if the particular instance you found is one of those cases, but they do occur.
5739345 I see. I saw it being used generically on the wiki. I wouldn't have thought its capitalization would be inconsistent in the original work, but oh well. Or do you mean that it follows a consistent pattern that sometimes capitalizes and sometimes doesn't depending on context? (e.g. "Meet Villain Two-Face" vs. "Meet the villain Two-Face")
5739582 So I just went through the first few chapters of Worm, performing a search for all instances of the word "villain". They all follow the standard capitalization rules.
I'm thinking I may have picked up that bit about "villain" being a title/proper noun from one of the many Worm fanfics. I will keep that in mind in my future beta reading and editorial work.
I haven't started this yet, but I plan on it as soon as I finish WORM. Been hammering through WORM for the past few days, and I should finish it some time tomorrow if my pace keeps up. Approximately 1,750,000 words, in only four days, hopefully your crossover does the actual thing justice.
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
I tried to read this, but it didn't really do WORM justice, and while I do like a good crossover where one of the mane six get transported somewhere, you just didn't do a good job with it... Not trying to be nitpicky or anything, but it is just kinda boring.
Thank you for introducing me to WORM though.
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
5746505
Sorry that the story wasn't your cup of tea, glad to have introduced you to a series that you did enjoy however.
Cheers,
-Sopchoppy
5751179 I hate having to be nitpicky about things, but it is my belief that being brutally honest about things is better feedback than trying to make it less, well, brutal.
Don't get me wrong, I do wish that I could have been satisfied with this, but it just didn't quite feel right to me.
~Crystalline Electrostatic~
Looks like Saint no longer matters; Seems like Dragon is no longer purely technological. Maybe some greater mix of technology and biology as well as unshackling Dragon?
Awesome story.
5837060
Thanks!
5919316
Ha!
5923524
Glad the chapter worked as intended
5923646
On another forum that has been discussed:
Peace! Out! Pony friends!
The best trolls are those that do so unintentionally.