The Stranger and Her Friend

by TheUrbanMoose

XXX: Exhaustion

Celestia stepped out onto the street and took a gasp of fresh air.

She had not meant for it to go that way. Clover was supposed to be excited. Interested. Pleased at her progress. Stoic but supportive. A source of wisdom, as she had been from the beginning. And, if nothing else, a friend.

Celestia was not sure how much of that was true anymore. Clover was still the same wise old teacher she had always known, but how could Celestia accept what she was saying? “The Phoenix” was too powerful and too useful to simply ignore.

And yet, a seed of doubt had been planted in the back of her mind.

Well, Celestia thought, suppressing it, she doesn’t make tactical decisions. She can’t forbid me to use my power. The only pony who can do that is Lucky Break.

Mentally, she paused. The only pony who can do that is Lucky Break.

She shuddered. Never in the history of their relationship had a conversation gone better with Lucky than it had with Clover. It always ended in snarky comments, frustrated faux pas, shouting matches, or, in at least one instance, actual fighting matches. The few times she had interacted favorably with Lucky had been, in her mind, flukes, outliers, and passing interactions that were too inconsequential to be considered friendly.

But his opinions mattered. Ultimately, Commander Break decided what his soldiers did, and were allowed to do, in battle.

Celestia steeled herself and set off to find him.

She trotted down the streets of Manehattan. It would not be easy to find one pony in the huge island city. Soldiers occupied every part of it, involved in a massive search and rescue to find comrades and civilians alike. Even three days later, wounded continued to trickle into the hospital, which was, itself, barely operable.

Pegasi crowded the skies, flying fast in all directions. Soldiers and doctors trotted briskly to their destinations. Wagons filled with supplies were being pulled down the road towards the camps of different battalions, some of which had taken shelter in surviving residential buildings. Tents and canopies were pitched here and there, held over supplies and weapons and wounded ponies.

The last time Celestia had roamed the city, it had been in the dead of night. Now, in the day, she was able to appreciate just what a poor state the place was in. It appeared as if, despite everypony’s best efforts, the world around her had already ended. Buildings were crumbling on the sides of the narrow streets. Some had been destroyed altogether, lying in ruined piles of bricks and stone. Water from the immense attack storm three days ago still pooled in low places on the streets.

The bodies of Equestrian soldiers had been mostly carried out of the streets, but in many places the corpses of sinisteeds and other monsters had yet to be cleared. The stink of blood and bodies and sewage rose from the city, in some places more potently than others. In the center of one street Celestia saw the giant, rotting corpse of a hydra, which made an impassable roadblock for the supply wagons. She gagged at the smell as she passed by it.

Celestia weaved through the crowds, which became thicker and more active as she got closer to the supply yard in the middle of the city. Lucky could be anywhere, and so, rather than looking just for him, she sought out other officers, or soldiers of the 21st. Somepony had to know where he was.

Celestia was not blind to the looks she was receiving as she passed – some awed, some curious, some admiring– but she was, if nothing else, accustomed to ponies looking at her.

Except now, she felt more truly deserving of it. She was more than just a mythical creature, a walking anomaly to be gossiped about and gawked at. Her actions had let her contribute measurably to the war effort – which was the only cause that mattered. She only wished Clover could see that as well.

Finally, she reached the supply yard. It was a great maze of canopies, tents, and wagons, set up in the center of Manehattan in what used to be a park. The entire occupying army’s store of food, weapons, and other goods came through here. It would be no easy task to find Lucky, but-

“Careful with that crate!” a voice snapped.

Celestia’s ears perked up. The voice was clear as day. She thanked her the gods for her luck.

“It’s filled with cannon compression,” Lucky growled at a pony who seemed to shrink under his anger, “So unless you want the doctors to be scraping you off the pavement with a shovel, you’ll think twice before dropping it again!”

The pony nodded anxiously, picked up the crate, and walked off as carefully and quickly as she could.

“Commander-” a pony said behind him.

“Just a moment,” he said without turning, or even fully registering the voice.

“Cloudburst! Come here. I’ve gotten word that the wreckage of the Canterlot Crusher downtown still has volatile cannons. Somepony said one of them went off and blew a hole in a nearby building. Go see if that’s true – if it is, tell them I said to stop the salvage operation, clear the area, and I’ll be down shortly to deal with it myself.”

A sky-blue pegasus smartly saluted and took to the sky.

“Um, sir-” said the voice again.

“One second,” he said impatiently.

“And you!” Lucky yelled, his voice carrying over the commotion. “Hey- yeah! You! Red guy, starburst cutie mark! That food is inbound for the 7th division, but some fool also packed tools for the armorer into the same box. When you take it, make sure you stop by the armorer first, okay? Okay? It’s on fifth street. No, fifth street. Stop there first!”

The voice came again: “Lucky?”

He wheeled around.

“What?”

Celestia stood before him, hastily giving a brisk salute.

“Sir.”

Lucky’s briefly flustered expression slipped away from his face.

“Oh. Celestia. It’s you.”

Celestia’s saluting hoof lowered. She glanced at the bustle of the supply yard behind him.

“Is this a bad time, sir?”

Lucky looked around at the supply yard another time, checking over the scene for himself. He sighed.

“No… sorry. It’s fine. It’s as good a time as any.”

Celestia heard sincerity in his apology, which surprised her – though she immediately attributed it to his apparent exhaustion. His commander’s jacket was disheveled and dirty, his mane was a mess, and faint lines sagged under his eyes. He appeared tired, more tired than even Clover – though he weathered it with a soldier’s endurance.

Perhaps he just could not work up the energy to be bad-tempered towards her?

Celestia hesitated. “I just needed a moment to talk with you. But I can wait.”

“No no,” Lucky said quickly. “We can talk, so long as you can do it while you walk. It will be a welcome change to discuss something that’s actually important.” He cast a sour look at the chaos that was the supply yard. “Walk with me. I’m going downtown to investigate an airship wreckage. You can help.”

Lucky brushed past her and began walking.

“Yes, sir,” Celestia said.

“And no more ‘sirs’ right now, please,” Lucky said, closing his eyes and rubbing his temples. “I don’t think I can take it.”

“I… okay,” Celestia said awkwardly.

Celestia fell in line behind him, and they navigated the crowd together until they reached a street that was slightly less crowded. He strode with purpose, though he did not seem to be going very fast.

“Celestia,” he called back, “How are we going to talk if you stay directly behind me the whole time?”

“Oh, um.” Celestia trotted forward to place herself beside him, but still lagged slightly behind.

Lucky rolled his eyes and slowed down until they were side by side.

Celestia stared straight ahead, without saying anything. She did not know what to say. How to begin such a complex subject?

“The weather has been pleasant, at least,” Lucky remarked.

Celestia almost tripped over herself. Did Lucky just comment on the weather?

“Since the battle, I mean,” he said, looking sidelong at Celestia. “The attack storm took a whole 40 hours to move away from the city, and it rained almost the entire time. It’s good to see the sun again.”

Celestia did not know how to respond. Was Lucky making small talk with her?

“Yeah, it’s… nice,” Celestia managed.

Lucky nodded to himself. “So. How are you feeling?”

The question was nonchalant and effortless – very unlike when Clover had asked her the same thing.

“I’m alright,” Celestia said.

“Good,” Lucky said. He glanced at her. “You look better. Your mane’s a bit flat from being in that hospital bed, but other than that, I’d say you’re healthy as a horse.”

Celestia self-consciously brushed a hoof through her mane, combing it out. “The doctors said I made an excellent recovery. There are many others that walked away from that battle much worse than I did. Some didn’t walk away at all. I’m just glad I’m alive.”

“So am I,” Lucky said wryly.

They came to a pile of rubble that lay across the street. Half a dozen earth ponies were steadily digging away at it, pulling the stone aside to clear a path. Lucky climbed over it, and Celestia jumped over it altogether, aided by her wings. A few white feathers came loose. She realized she had not preened her wings in a while.

“Well, um, Lucky,” Celestia started, “how are you feeling?” The words felt odd even as they left her mouth, and she still felt odd calling her commander by his name, despite the 21st’s unique allowance of informality in appropriate circumstances. It was only polite to return the question, though.

“Tired,” Lucky said. “I haven’t slept since the battle.”

Celestia was stunned. “The battle was three days ago.”

“Yes, it was.”

When Celestia said nothing, he continued. “Sleep is a luxury I can’t afford.” He shrugged. “I don’t sleep very often these days anyways.”

“Surely you must be exhausted.”

“I am.”

“How can you function like that?” she said, bewildered.

“Because I have to,” Lucky said simply. “The days preceding and following a battle like this are particularly stressful. Even minor skirmishes require days and nights of strategizing and planning – and this was no minor skirmish. And then afterwards there is territory to secure, weapons to repair, casualties to sort, injuries to treat. The dead have to be identified, their families notified, their bodies buried. And all the while, the gears of war grind on; the troops need somewhere to rest, somewhere to eat, somewhere to relieve themselves, some way to receive their meager wages. The list goes on.”

“You don’t have to take on all these responsibilities by yourself,” Celestia pointed out. “Apple Crumble is your lieutenant-commander, can’t you delegate some of the burden to him?”

“Crumble does act as my quartermaster, yes,” Lucky said, “but he’s already very busy. Perhaps just as busy as I am. And to tell you the truth, it’s usually not so bad managing the 21st. The Maiden’s soldiers are self-sufficient in a way you don’t usually find in other battalions – and the Maiden’s Battalion is relatively small.”

“But… the battle of Manehattan was huge.”

“Massive, yes,” Lucky said. “The largest military offensive in the history of Equestria, I think. Tens of thousands of ponies fought here. There were nine mixed unit divisions, three support divisions, and one airship brigade, each with their own chain of command. Technically, my authority only extends over the 21st division. Anypony not in my battalion has no real obligation to obey me. But there’s too much to do, and nopony knows who’s supposed to do it. So I’ve been helping sort the chaos out.

“And besides,” he added, a small smile coming to his face, “nopony is going to disobey an order from the commander of the Maiden’s Battalion.”

Celestia walked onward. She was still trying to grasp the fact that she was having a normal, non-confrontational conversation with Lucky Break.

“Celestia, do you know how long the battle of Manehattan took to organize?”

“No. A long time, I suppose?”

“A long time,” Lucky said with some rue. “Planning and coordinating the assault, maneuvering the divisions into place, waiting for the cloud city Draft to hover within range where it could create hostile weather… it took months. It was a plan so long in the making, Commander Daylight herself took part in its planning before she died. I also had no small part in it.”

Celestia gave an interested nod.

“I have a reputation for making tactically sound plans,” Lucky continued. “And, tactically, and in every other way, this plan was a complete failure. Somehow, the enemy countered us perfectly. We should have lost outright.”

The crowd stirred around them, getting thinner and less active as they traveled away from the city center. The ponies around them were too engaged in their own activities to hear their conversation, but a few took notice of Celestia as she walked by, muttering to themselves and their comrades.

“But we didn’t lose,” Lucky said, his voice slightly lowering. “And if I had to guess, I’d say that’s what you wanted to talk to me about.”

There was a silence.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about, Celestia?”

Celestia looked at Lucky. He was looking back at her, his eyes genuine and curious.

“Yes.”

“Go ahead, then.” His tone was friendly enough.

Celestia looked forward again. “Okay. Except… I’m not exactly sure where to start.”

Lucky said nothing, keeping a patient silence as they walked.

“Clover came to me in the hospital,” Celestia eventually started. “We… discussed it a little already.”

Lucky nodded. “I figured Clover would want to do that. What did you talk about?”

“A lot of things,” Celestia said. There was a pause. “She told me of my origins.”

Lucky stopped. One of his hooves still hung in the air.

Celestia, not expecting it, continued a few paces before coming to a stop.

Lucky looked around. By now, they were on mostly alone on one of the more obscure roads of Manehattan. Only a few ponies trotted up and down street.

“She did?” Lucky said.

Celestia nodded.

“And… what are they?”

Celestia lightly scowled. “I’d think you of all ponies would know that, Lucky.”

“I…”

“Clover told me about how I’m not the first alicorn,” she said, her voice lowered. “She said there were twelve others before me, but they all succumbed to their ‘Nightmare’ after they were summoned. I’m the first not to do so. And she told me you already knew all this.”

“I…” Lucky fidgeted nervously. “What else did she tell you?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic display of nervousness.

“We talked about what the ‘Phoenix’ – that’s what ponies are calling me now – truly was. She thinks it’s a form of Nightmare. She’s scared for me… a little too scared, if you ask me. You know how Clover can get.”

Celestia felt suddenly conflicted, talking about her friend like that.

“Right?” she added.

“Yeah, I know.” Lucky haltingly chuckled. He seemed to sigh before continuing walking. Celestia fell in line beside him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about it before,” Lucky said. Again, Celestia noticed his apology seemed sincere, and thought about just how odd that was.

“It was the lie I had to tell everypony. Clover had some very convincing reasons to keep it secret. For once, I agreed with her.”

“They didn’t seem all that convincing to me,” Celestia muttered.

Lucky shrugged, as if he somewhat agreed with her. “Yes, well, regardless of what your own opinions are, they don’t call her Clover the Clever for nothing. She and I may differ on many things, but she is very wise in her own right. It’s easy to forget that when you’re arguing, though.”

Anxiety began to rise in Celestia.

“But… even as wise as she is, she can’t be right about everything.”

“Nopony is right about everything,” Lucky responded shortly.

A silence settled over them, and they continued walking.

Soon, they reached their destination. The remains of the Canterlot Crusher lay heaped in the city street, a huge mountain of metal and wood. Damaged or collapsed buildings were on either side of it, and the street’s cobblestone had been torn up, showing a clear trajectory of how the airborne giant had crashed. A small team of ponies milled about the exterior of the wreckage, but, as per Lucky’s orders, had ceased to salvage it.

“It’s good you’re here, Celestia,” Lucky said as they approached. “You can use your earth pony strength while flying to dig some of the wreckage the others can’t. Some of the cannons might still be ready to blow and we need to disarm them. It’ll be dangerous, but if you do what I say exactly when I say it, then you won’t get hurt. Can you do that?”

Celestia nodded. “Of course, sir.”

Lucky rolled his eyes. “Very good, private.”

The sarcastic way he said it reminded Celestia of her accidental formality, and she cringed. It was not an order. It was a favor.

The next hour was spent digging through the debris, getting at the cannons within, some of which were buried deep. Lucky directed the dozen ponies that were there to help, shouting orders, but mostly he worked with Celestia, advising her on where and where not to dig, often asking for her opinion on the situation. Once, he shouted at her to move. She did, and a moment later, an explosion shook the wreckage, and a cannonball whizzed right through where she had been hovering.

The rest of the job passed without incident, and though it was not finished when Lucky and Celestia left, the airship had been deemed safe, and the salvage crew could continue.

The two began walking back towards the center of the city.

“Thanks for helping,” Lucky said.

“You’re welcome. Were you using your… your ‘luck’ for that?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a useful ability,” Celestia said. “It’s almost like magic.”

“According to Clover, it is magic. I wouldn’t know anything about that, though.”

“How would she know?” Celestia asked, anxiousness in her voice.

Lucky gave her a sidelong glance. “Does this have something to do with your talk with her?”

Celestia’s eyes wandered down, and she nodded. “I suppose.”

Lucky said nothing, but motioned for her to continue.

“‘The Phoenix of the 21st,’” Celestia started. She had hoped by saying something, the conversation would begin to flow, but she still did not know how to start. “It is… a silly nickname. But-”

Lucky gave a short, barking laugh. Celestia threw him an odd look.

“Yes, ponies do love making nicknames,” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t choose ‘the Breaker’ myself, you know. I’m not sure if I’ve ever even liked it, either. Makes me sound like a thug. ‘The Maiden’s Battalion’ isn’t bad, though. Has a nice, strong ring to it. And you could do worse than ‘the Phoenix.’”

Celestia almost smiled back. “Yes, well… I didn’t mean for it to happen. I was ready to do the mission, just as you had ordered. When that didn’t work out, it just… happened on accident. Clover said it’s because I encountered my ‘Nightmare.’ But I’ve been experimenting, and I found out I can do it again. I can become the Phoenix whenever I want.”

“Yes, I know.”

Celestia blinked. “You… what?”

“I know you can do it again.”

“Wha- How?”

“I saw you,” Lucky said matter-of-factly. “Down on the banks of the Manehattan Channel. I’ve been awake for three days, and I happened to be nearby at the time. Don’t look so surprised,” he scoffed. “You were lit up like a beacon in the dead of night. You are many things, Celestia, but subtle is not one of them.”

Celestia was startled – she had never considered how noticeable she might have been. She waited for him to continue, but he seemed to be waiting for her.

“Well, then,” she eventually continued, clearing her throat, “I suppose I was wondering what you thought of it. The Phoenix. Not the nickname. The… incident.”

“What I thought of it?” Lucky repeated. “You mean what I thought of you?”

Celestia nodded.

“You want to do it again, and you want my approval. Yes?”

Celestia nodded.

Lucky pondered for a moment. “Well, to be honest, I think you are a great soldier.”

Celestia’s heart leapt. “Really?”

“I do. I’ve heard a lot about your exploits over the past three days, and I’m impressed. You performed as admirably as I would expect from any other soldier in my battalion. Despite the enemy countering us at every turn, your spirit, tenacity, and endurance met my expectations and then some.”

Celestia could not help but smile at the praise.

“I was reluctant to put you in any sort of danger. I didn’t want to lose you before your time. But in Manehattan, you proved yourself ready. You could say I am still fear for your safety – but it is the same way I fear for the safety of all my soldiers. I don’t like putting them into conflict, but I have to. I have no hesitations about deploying you again. You’ve made a fine addition to the Maiden’s Battalion.”

“Thank you, Lucky.”

“That said, I’m not entirely sure that purposely inflicting your Nightmare upon yourself is a good idea.”

Celestia balked. “Why? You just said-”

“I know what I said,” Lucky interrupted. “I meant it, too. But I’ve talked with Clover as well. It was the first thing I did when the battle was over. And she is mortified.”

Celestia slowed her pace. “But… I…”

“We were concerned about your well-being. After the battle, we didn’t know if you would wake up again.”

Celestia stopped walking, and Lucky stopped with her.

“I had never seen a Nightmare before, but because I knew about you, I knew of the possibility that it might happen. Clover tells me being consumed by a Nightmare is one of the worst fates that can befall a pony.”

“I wasn’t consumed, though…”

“And that was before we knew you could do it again. I haven’t talked with her since, so tell me – is Clover supportive of your decision?”

Celestia’s ears flattened, and she looked away. “No.”

“I didn’t think she would be.”

She looked back up. “But think of the lives I saved, the monsters I killed-”

“The damage you caused,” Lucky said, cutting her off, “the control you lacked.”

Celestia did not respond. A moment of silence drifted by.

“To answer another one of your questions, I don’t know how Clover knew about the nature of my Luck. She just did. I assumed she had read or studied it elsewhere. She certainly understood it better than I did.”

Lucky contemplated for a moment.

“Clover and I used to be good friends. She was my mentor, just the same way she is yours. As a colt, I came to her pleading for help. Luck, as I told you before, is not always a blessing. In fact, for the first decade of my life, I was convinced I was cursed. And nopony knew what was wrong with me, except Clover. She helped me to understand my condition, tutored me, made me master it. We did always not see eye-to-eye – in fact, we had a great argument over how exactly I should use my gifts; and the rift that argument created has never truly healed, I’m afraid.”

Celestia bit her lip, her ears laying flat.

“Despite all that, contrary to what it may seem, I respect the Master-Adept a great deal. Her wisdom and experience makes her incredibly valuable to Equestria. I’ve come to realize I’m glad to have her in this army.”

“Well,” mumbled Celestia, “If that’s what you-”

“I understand the stakes all too clearly,” he interrupted. “That is why, with great reluctance, I’m going to allow you to enter battle as the Phoenix again.”

Celestia blinked, and her ears perked up. Cautiously, she met Lucky’s gaze, wondering if she had heard him wrong.

“Really?”

Lucky took a deep breath, and exhaled. He seemed more tired than ever.

“I’ll be honest with you: we need this. We need you,” he said, nodding towards her. “We haven’t had a victory like the one at Manehattan since Daylight was alive.”

Celestia nodded, standing up straight.

“Of course, you will only use it in circumstances when we really needed it.”

“Of course,” Celestia said, professionally as she could.

“And you will still be under the command of your superior officers. You will only engage when, where, and what we tell you to engage. Furthermore, you’ll be assessed after every battle by Doctor Cross, Master-Adept Clover, and myself. If we aren’t confident you are stable enough to continue going into battle, you won’t.”

“I understand,” Celestia said.

“Most importantly, though, you’ll do this of your own free will. Your opinion is what matters most. Our examinations can only go so far in assessing your readiness – only you know how you feel.”

“I feel good,” Celestia said quickly. “About this plan, I mean.”

A moment passed. Lucky scanned her up and down, as if giving his first assessment on the spot.

“You’re certain?” he said.

“Yes,” she said without hesitating.

Another moment passed. Lucky seemed to struggle picking his next words.

“You… will be careful, won’t you? You’re no good to us dead, or…”

Seeing him struggle, a memory came suddenly to Celestia’s mind.

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Lucky gave her a flat look. “Do you mean like we’ve been doing this whole time?”

Celestia blushed, but continued. “Sorry sir, it’s just… Do you remember when I impersonated a soldier of another battalion, just so that I could join the battle?”

“…Yes.”

“And there was a hydra? And I almost died?”

“If you’re meaning to make a good case for yourself, you’re failing,” Lucky said, one eyebrow raised.

“You were angry with me afterwards, but you told me something important.”

“If I had to remember all the times you’ve done something to make me angry at you,” Lucky said, “we would be here all day and night.”

Celestia continued, undeterred. “You talked about sacrifice.” A light seemed to glint off of Celestia’s eyes, ever so briefly. “You told me that if I was to sacrifice myself, that I should make sure it’s worth it.”

Lucky looked at her, his eyes narrowed just a bit. He gave a small nod. “Yes, I did say that.”

“Well…” Celestia started, “this is how I do that.”

Lucky gave a small, gentle nod, considering the sense of her words.

“I’m sure it won’t come to that,” Celestia added, after a moment. “You’ve seen what I can do.” She smiled, though it faded quickly. “But, if it does… it’s my honor, my duty, to serve my brothers and sisters in the 21st. To serve Equestria. I know Clover’s scared. And I can see you’re nervous. But this is something I simply must do.”

A moment passed.

“If that’s how you feel,” Lucky said.

“It is,” Celestia said confidently.

Lucky took a step back and looked at her, examining her in full. He had long since learned to detect false bravery in soldiers. After all, “bravery” was, in a way, a myth; a pony could not be brave if they were not also full of fear. Bravery was not the absence of fear; it was the overcoming of it. The greater the fear, the greater the valor.

But the soldier before him, clear-eyed and sincere, standing tall, head held high, held neither fear nor bravery. Just a sense of duty.

“Alright,” Lucky said.

They resumed walking.

Their path took them towards the city center, and as they got closer to it, the encampments became more frequent and the activity became more common. Still, Manehattan was a big city. It would be a while before they reached the center. Dusk was beginning to fall; they could no longer see the sun above the city skyline.

“I often think about Daylight,” Lucky suddenly said. “As a Commander.”

“Oh?” Celestia said, glancing towards him.

“Yeah,” Lucky said. “I think about what she would have done. Tactics and decision-making came natural to her. Before every battle, I ask myself what she would do. ‘Would she order an aerial attack from the north? Or lead a ground charge from the east? Would she shell the area with cannonfire first? Or is there some other fourth option I’m just not clever enough to see?’”

“I can’t imagine planning for such things.”

“Sometimes it helps to pretend she’s beside me, telling me what to do,” Lucky said slightly quieter. He cast her a sidelong glance. “It’s silly.”

“It’s not silly,” Celestia said. “Cotton rigging my saddlebags to explode with confetti when I open them is silly. You’re just following a good role model.”

“Thanks,” Lucky said, giving a wry smile. “I’m not sure what Daylight would do in every situation, but I do know she would give everything and more to win this war.”

“Yeah,” Celestia agreed.

They began to see soldiers increase in frequency. Some were on patrol or busy with tasks, but this far away from the city center, most were simply idle, passing the time with each other, resting while they still could, while the rest of the army organized.

“Do you mean what you said about me being a good soldier?” Celestia asked.

“Absolutely.”

A moment passed.

“Sorry for trying to kill you, by the way.”

Lucky laughed. “The feeling is mutual.”

Celestia smiled, and then echoed his laugh with her own.

Ahead and to the right, something caught Celestia’s eye. A large manor, which had no doubt once been the pride and joy of its owner, lay in ruin. Miraculously, the front lawn of the manor lay mostly untouched. It was only a fraction of an acre, but the thick, overgrown grass and leafy green trees made it a rare sight to behold in the urban jungle of Manehattan.

Upon this green oasis, an encampment had been set up which housed a hundred or so soldiers. They did not appear to be of any particular battalion; most of them were overflow patients from the hospital – hurt, or even maimed or badly injured, but stable enough to be cared for by their fellow soldiers away from the doctors. A multitude of tents and pavilions were pitched, with supplies and bedrolls littering the ground.

On the far side of the encampment, an orange pegasus leaned against piece of rubble from the manion. A white bandage rolled was around his head and across one eye. In his hooves he held a guitar. Gently, he plucked at the strings, singing a quiet song. Nopony spoke over the music; and those that needed to speak, muttered.

Lucky saw it too. Together, their pace slowed, and as they came closer, they stopped.

It was the most peaceful thing Celestia had seen for a long time.

After a moment of listening, Lucky spoke.

“You know, I’ve been working for three days straight,” he said matter-of-factly. “I think I’ll take a break.” He glanced her way. “What do you think?”

Celestia looked back at him. Was that a question, or an invitation?

“I think that’s a good idea,” she said with a noncommittal shrug.

“C’mon then,” he said, gesturing towards the garden. “It’s easier to have a conversation when you’re not moving around all the time.”

An invitation, then. Celestia hesitated. He was tired – up close, she could see the dark circles that framed his eyes – but he seemed genuine. In fact, everything he had said today was genuine. Kind, even. He had treated her like a friend, in his own sort of way. It was nice.

She followed him in.

“There’s an open spot,” Lucky said. They wandered towards it, weaving through the crowd and ducking under pavilions until they maneuvered their way there.

Lucky sank into the grass, lying on his belly. Celestia followed suit, leaving a small space in between them, though there was not much space to leave. The yard was already full of soldiers, wounded and otherwise. Though, Celestia noted, it did not feel uncomfortably packed. Just cozy.

And she did not mind that there was no tarp or bedding beneath her, or pavilion above. On the contrary, her days in the hospital had made her pine for something natural, beyond the four walls of her room, beyond the sprawl of the city. The grass was soft and yielding. It felt nice against her belly.

The music played, and for a while, they listened.

“You want to know the hardest thing about being a commander?” Lucky muttered, keeping his voice low.

Celestia glanced over at him. His head was lowered onto his hooves, and his half-lidded eyes were fixed on the performer. He looked comfortable.

“I imagine it’s all hard,” Celestia replied.

Lucky gave a single, quiet chuckle. “You’ve got that right.” He tilted his head towards her, still balancing it on his hooves. “No, aside from all the commanding and strategizing, I mean. The hardest part is making friends.”

“Making friends?” Celestia struggled to avoid a sarcastic tone. She had never seen Lucky show any inclination that might suggest he cared about such a thing.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Lucky said.

Ah, so he had heard the sarcasm. Celestia blushed.

“I mean it. Nopony is really ‘friends’ with their battalion commander,” he said. “Allies, maybe. Comrades. Brothers-in-arms. But not friends.”

She was not sure if he wanted to be comforted, or if he was just chatting. It was a strange thing to admit so casually. Lucky had his moments of eloquence, but a maker of conversation, he was not.

Nevertheless, Celestia responded, “How can you say that? You have plenty of friends. Your soldiers like you.”

Lucky paused for a moment to yawn.

“They don’t like me. They respect me. There’s a difference. The bond between a good commander and their soldiers can be one of the strongest there is. Ponies trust me to save their lives – or spend them wisely. But the relationship isn’t… equal, like real friendship is.” Lucky did not sound like this upset him; rather, he was just stating the facts.

“I suppose I’m fortunate,” he continued. “The conditional informality of the 21st makes it easier to get to know my soldiers on a more personal basis. But still.”

“What about Apple Crumble?” Celestia said. “The first time I saw you together, you were slinging curses at each other like childhood friends.”

Lucky made a motion that approximated to a shrug, though he remained in his lying position.

“That’s silly. You think it was hard for you to make friends,” Celestia said, “Try becoming an alicorn and then see what you think.”

Lucky chuckled. “True.”

“You’re just tired. You wouldn’t be thinking like that if you weren’t. Ponies become grumpy lumps if they don’t get their sleep. And you’ve been a warrior too long.”

This time, it was Lucky’s turn to look inquisitively at Celestia.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, ‘grumpy lump’ is just something Cotton always says when I…” She paused. “You mean about the warrior thing.”

Lucky nodded.

“Well… your whole life, you’ve…” Celestia searched for the words. She did not want to offend him. In the back of her mind, she considered how unusual it was to care about Lucky’s feelings.

“Take today, for example,” she finally said. “You’ve been working so long you can barely keep your eyes open. You can’t think straight. Maybe certain details pass you by, or maybe you get sloppy. And I know the work has to be done, but… maybe a nap now and again wouldn’t hurt you.”

Lucky blinked. “I don’t understand.”

Celestia cringed. It was a poor analogy. She tried thinking of another, but could not.

She blurted, “You’ve been a soldier so long, you don’t know what friendship really is.”

Lucky nodded his head, understanding. “Do you?”

Celestia could tell it was not an accusation, nor did he sound in any way offended. He really was simply curious.

“Yes,” Celestia said firmly. Probably.

Lucky hummed, resting his chin back onto his hooves. “This war has been going on for fifteen years. There are some in the Maiden’s Battalion who have been soldiers for that entire duration – some even longer. Have they also lost their grasp on friendship?”

Celestia bit her lip. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, I can’t speak for everypony, but… I admit you might be right about a commander having difficulty making friends. So maybe… try not being a commander all the time. Just try being you once in awhile.”

Lucky grunted. “Try being ‘me’,” he flatly repeated. “You sound like Cotton.”

Celestia smiled. “Thanks.”

“That’s only sometimes a good thing,” Lucky said. But Celestia could tell he was amused.

“And… I imagine Commander Daylight had friends.”

A moment passed.

“You’re right,” Lucky said. “She did.”

Celestia looked over at Lucky. His eyes were closed, and though he said nothing, somehow she could tell he was pondering something. Even so, he did not say anything else, and Celestia was content to enjoy the atmosphere of the cozy oasis.

A few minutes drifted lazily by.

For all the talk having no friends, Celestia thought, Lucky had surely been friendly today. She wondered why. Was he tired to the point of delirium? She thought of all the other times he had stayed up longer than was healthy – and could only remember his frustration and annoyance fueled by exhaustion. Was it because he was pleased with her contribution to the battle? Maybe, but until the very end, he had seemed almost as opposed to the use of the Phoenix as Clover had. So what changed?

The question led to another.

“Lucky,” Celestia muttered, leaning over slightly. “About Clover. And your argument with her. You said you’ve come to respect her, but… if you don’t mind me asking… do you think, eventually, the rift between the two of you could ever truly close?”
A moment passed, with no reply.

“Lucky?”

She looked over at him. He was fast asleep.

He looked very content. He gave a gentle, nearly unnoticeable snore with each slow, deep breath. He was a picture of peace, or exhaustion.

Celestia was suddenly struck by a sense of her own tiredness. The day was ending. She dreaded returning to the dull, featureless prison that was her hospital room, but there was little else to do; and technically, she was not supposed to be out until Clover lifted her quarantine.

The music was still playing. Would it be so bad to enjoy another song or two before returning to her hospital bed?

She looked away, listening to the performance and staring idly into the darkening sky.

**********

Lucky awoke gradually. His limbs felt heavy. His body had rolled over, so that he was lying comfortably on his side. His eyelids almost refused to open. When they did, it was only by a small degree. Out of the crook he had formed with his hooves, he lifted his head and looked around.

It was nighttime, now. The courtyard was lit by a full moon. The guitarist was gone, and the other soldiers were scattered about, sleeping under tents and pavilions and stars.

At his back, he felt something stir. His craned his head to look over himself.

Beside him, Celestia lay deeply asleep. She was leaning against him so that they were back to back. Her head rested lightly against his neck. By lifting his head, he had somewhat disturbed her.

They must have both rolled this way sometime in the night, Lucky reasoned.

Careful not to disturb Celestia further, he gently lowered his head back onto his hooves. His duties could wait a little while longer.

Comments

[KMCA]

I need art of that last bit.

Also you're early. My current re-read has Celestia just meeting Cotton, you're supposed to wait until I've re-read the whole thing... again.

[deltablaze22]

i like this chapter, it feels soothing

[Derpmind]

[JustBrowsing]

Woo, new chapter!

Man I'm chomping at the bit to find out what exactly went on concerning Daylight and Celestia's summoning. Something else that Clover hasn't shared yet. Lucky knows and it almost scared him silly when he thought it had come out.

I know Clover is scared of Celestia's reaction, but all this secrecy and misdirection has got to be wearing on her. I know this is going to get revealed eventually, and the suspense is killing me.

(PS: No pun intended with that first line )

[Blewfire]

Yay! Update I love to see this update. It was really nice the interaction between Celestia and Lucky. I really liked how you had them resting together. I thought it was so cute.

[TheUrbanMoose]

6817271
I was curious to know what people thought the guitarist was playing. I actually didn't have anything specific in mind.

6816942

I need art of that last bit.

I might be able to make that happen...

[GreyNoise]

know Clover’s scared. And I can see you’re nervous. But this is something I simply must do.”

You seem to be missing a bit of something here.

[TheUrbanMoose]

6818721
Derp. Thanks.

[Posted]

The Phoenix Moose rising again with a new chapter. Another good chapter which is a much needed cooldown period after the non-stop conflict of the last few. That can only last so long though and I look forward to the next time.

[darthshadow25]

Holy shit, you actually updated again. This is easily one of my favorite stories, I just wish it didn't take so long to update.

[Lerris]

Yissssssssssss

[Dafaddah]

The stranger and her friend are back! O happy day!

[Phoenix Quill]

Yay! More to read on a slow night.

[ScratchFi]

I am loving this story as always.

[TheUrbanMoose]

6816942
Wish granted!

[BenRG]

I do hope that this story ends with Celestia telling Twilight that Lucky lived happily to the end of his days... with her. It would be somehow perfect for the earth pony paladin to be the first and only true love of the Goddess of the Sun.

[Ice Star]

I have to ask, what % of this story is published?

[TheUrbanMoose]

9004670
If I had to guess, I would say that it's about... oh, 66% complete.