Shield and Shadow Part 1: Rise and Fall

by LucidReverie

Chapter 26: Making choices

Fire.

Spring Mist walked through a hallway in the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, heading the direction of Princess Luna’s tower. Torches lined the walls, lit by magical flames that generated neither heat nor smoke, necessary in the close-quarters of the hallways.

Oh no, Mist thought to himself as he walked, I forgot to ask Princess Celestia –just Celestia, must remember that – about that nonsense with the ‘light bridge’-thing. Oh well, another time. He continued walking through the hallway, thankful that Celestia had provided him with directions instead of using some absurd method of travel.

He wound his way through the halls and eventually came upon a door, flanked by two Night Guards. Pegasi. Mostly. They had terrifying bat-like wings and wore spiked and unfriendly-looking armor. At least the unicorn guards didn’t change much. Mist couldn’t figure out why the Night Guards had to look so different from the Day Guards. They were already imposing and intimidating enough without the bat features and spikey protrusions.

“Fine evening, gentlestallions. I am here to see Princess Luna.” Mist said with an unusual confidence.

The guard on the right looked him up and down, “Name?”

“Spring Mist.”

“Yes, you are expected. Enter.” He pushed open the door.

Mist balked a bit before entering through the doorway. “Thank you, sers.” I’m expected? She can’t know I’m coming. She must have told the guards who I was.

Mist walked along another short passage and took a wide spiral of stairs up. Yet another door stood in his way. Seeing no guards, Mist knocked.

“Enter,” came a soft voice from within.

Mist steeled himself. Calm, Mist. Calm. Normal. Just two ponies meeting each other for a normal, studious evening. He opened the door and entered the room.

It was Luna’s study, the same he had been in the night before. It had been completely cleaned, and there was no evidence of Luna’s outburst. The large cushion sat off to one side, and Mist looked to the rough center of the room, where it had happened. He could recall it vividly. The silence. The suddenness. The feeling. Warm, soft, sincere. No, Mist. No. Normal. Nothing happened. Normal. Forget it. No matter how hard he fought internally, he could not shake the memory.

Luna was nowhere in sight, so Mist moved silently through the room for a moment. He saw a flight of stairs leading up to what he assumed were her quarters. She’s probably there. Mist called out, “Luna? Are you here?”

“Mist? Is that you?” came her soft voice from above.

“Aye, it is. Are you indisposed? Should I come back later?”

“No, no. Come upstairs. Door on the left.”

Mist hesitated. Being in her private study was one thing. Being in her quarters was something entirely different. Nonetheless, he walked up the stairs and saw that in a short passageway, three doors stood. He knocked on the left door.

It opened, and Luna’s face came into Mist’s view. A bright smile erupted. “Come in, come in. Please.”

Mist was a little surprised to see the almost manic look on Luna’s face, but entered relatively undaunted. The room was not her quarters, a fact that made Mist instantly and infinitely more comfortable. It was actually a familiar sight. It was exactly like Caramel Tart’s Void. A dark space dotted with little pinpricks of light; a very realistic and near-tangible map of the stars. Luna stood off to one side and allowed Mist to enter the room.

“You seem to recognize the room,” Luna said from behind Mist as she closed the door, “I assume you are thinking of the enchanted room in the astronomy tower.”

“Yes. Caramel Tart controls and manipulates the enchantment. She said she may teach me one day. Are they the same spell?” Mist responded.

“Ah. Yes and no. Similar, but this one can do many things the other cannot.”

“Like what?”

Luna laughed, “Perhaps I shall show you. Later, though.”

“Very well.” Mist nodded. “How are you, then?”

“Well. Very well, thank you. And you?”

“Well for the most part. Still settling into my new occupation. It will be interesting once I actually start working.”

“But this is your work, Spring Mist. Catering to the whims of other ponies.”

Mist turned his head, “I thought I was a scholar and a liaison. Shouldn’t I… study and liaise?”

“But of course. That is exactly what you are doing. You are liaising with me, and soon we shall begin studying.”

“I can’t argue with that, I suppose.”

“Good. Now tell me about this constellation.” Her horn flashed and a formation of stars shone brightly.

“The Fish. Identified by Aponius around five hundred years ago. Consists of Ictha I through V from the left, and Vinne on the top,” Mist said with little thought.

Luna looked impressed for a moment, but moved on, “Who famously supported claims of astrology and horoscopic prediction, though later is thought to have denounced them?”

“That would be… Regiominotaurus. I remember because he was unique in that he was one of the few Minotaur astronomers in history.”

“Impressive. He is quite obscure. Who provided the theory that the sun did not move, but the earth did?”

“Easy. Coponycus. Anything more challenging?”

Luna smirked. “Oh, you want a challenge? Be warned, there is little mercy for those who fail.”

“I think I’ll survive. Win, even,” Mist retorted.

The stream of questioning continued for a good period of time, and Mist held his own for the most part, but soon Princess Luna was delving into subject matter that even Caramel Tart would struggle on. It eventually reached a point where Mist knew that Luna was just teasing him, and he responded as such.

“Fine! I give up! You win! But I hope you know that nopony knows most of that information. We don’t all have the privilege of living forever and having an abnormally good memory.”

“Indeed. However, you performed very well. I should say that it was you who won. Fairly, in any case. I do have an advantage over you.”

“That you do,” Mist said with a fake huff, turning away from Luna.

“Aww, does the poor pony feel defeated?” Luna teased, “I already said you won. And I think you deserve a prize.”

Mist cocked his head, “What’s that?” He turned back to face Luna again and was met very abruptly with a blur of blue and a familiar sensation. So much for ‘normal’. At least she isn’t crying. The kiss lingered for a few seconds before Luna pulled away with a blush. Mist stood in a near-catatonic state, frozen by the sudden action. The worry growing on Luna’s face pulled him back into the realm of the living and conscious.

“Umm…” Mist struggled out.

“Now come, I wish to show you something,” Luna said simply, moving ‘further’ into the void.

Mist, move. “Uh, Luna… care to explain?”

“No. Come along.”

“I think it deserves at least a little explanation.”

“Does an immortal Alicorn Princess not reserve the right to do as she wishes?”

“I really couldn’t say. There aren’t very many of you. Nonetheless…”

“I felt like doing it. That should suffice.”

Mist stood still for a moment. Argue it, Mist. Go. Talk. Now. “I- I should think not.”

“You dare question us?” Luna asked threateningly - whether or not was sincere, Mist could not tell.

Mist quickly changed his tune, “Never mind. That is sufficient.”

“Good. Now come.”

“As you wish…”

Mist followed Luna as she walked deeper into the enchantment. She stopped and took a deep breath. “You are about to see something that only my sister and a select few other ponies have ever seen.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, the birth of a star.”

Mist gaped slightly. “The birth of a star?”

“Yes. The birth. Of a star. Or a birth. One of the ways it can happen.”

“Really? I’m not sure what to think about that…”

“I should hope it’s positive. Come now, you’ll enjoy it. Pick a color.”

“A color?”

“Yes, a color. Do I have to explain everything or will you trust me?”

“I–” –don’t trust you right now. “–will trust you… um… blue.”

“Blue it is. Now watch.” His horn glowed as Mist looked on.

Small particles of… something… emerged from the dark, illuminated by the surrounding stars. They formed streams, all heading to an epicenter, just in front of Luna. They gathered in a ring at first, then the largest moved toward the center, and soon a ball was forming. Particles stopped streaming in and the ring began to shrink. Only the smallest motes remained, and they dispersed as if carried by wind, leaving a small ball behind to rotate slowly. Mist looked on in wonder as the ball became consumed in flame, self-contained, and radiated light outward. The flame was white at first, but soon turned a soft blue. It looked like a small version of the sun he had seen in Caramel Tart’s Void. Luna’s face was scrunched in concentration, and the glow around her horn dimmed and finally faded as her features softened.

She opened her eyes and looked on her work. The small sun floated before her. She smiled and turned to Mist, who was gaping at the sight. Eyes wide and jaw near the floor. “Only one thing remaining.”

“What?” Mist whispered, unable to speak any louder, for fear that his voice would shatter whatever spell was active.

“Take the star.”

“Take?”

“Like you would pick up a scroll.”

Mist reached out with his magic, grasping the star, feeling its warmth and light.

“Good, now focus on it, feel it,” Luna instructed.

“Okay...” Mist said, uncertain. He focused on the star, feeling the warmth spread throughout him. Luna’s horn glowed too, performing some unknown spell. Mist felt a slight tugging sensation, like a feeling of a thorn being removed, but it soon passed.

“It is finished,” Luna whispered.

Mist cocked his head at the star, which glowed brighter than it had before. Its color was also slightly off, slightly green-tinted, but still decidedly blue.

“So this is a new star?” Mist inquired.

“Indeed it is.”

“And can I then go outside and see it right now?”

Luna shook her head. “No, not until I put it in the sky.”

“And when will that happen?”

“Maybe never. It depends on the reason. What is important is that it is here. As long as it is here, it is as a part of the night as any other.”

“And what was it that I just did?”

“Oh, I bound the star to you.”

“You what?” asked Mist, shocked.

“I bound the star to you. It is yours now. And it will be bound to your essence forever. It will help me remember you, after… after your time,” Luna said with a hint of sadness.

“After my time? Luna, that won’t be for a great number of years. And nothing you should worry about,” Mist offered.

“Regardless, the time will come and I should like to remember you after it has.”

A silence fell over the pair, and they stood in the great expanse of the enchanted space around them, the soft twinkling star between them.

Choices, Mist, choices.

Comments

[Syzygy]

Well Luna seems to be getting closer to Mist so hooray to that!

[LucidReverie]

866582 hehe, glad you like.

[Cador_2004]

Very Clever. "The Stars will aid in her escape." I wonder who the other 3 will be.

[Material Defender]

[LucidReverie]

882200 indeed. yessir! will do!