99 - A Thrilling Rescue
Samantha's device began to chirp in a new way and a smile overtook her face. "We're close!"
"Who goes there?" A lunar guard stepped from the darkness ahead. "Neither of you are permitted here."
The solar guard recoiled for the briefest moment. He didn't deal with lunar guards very often. "I'm a guard too." Surely that was obvious. He wore the golden armor of Celestia. It was hard to miss. "I have--"
"You are not permitted here." The lunar guard tapped his spear on the ground. "Princess Luna's orders."
Samantha advanced, blind to any threat the spear presented. "My test subject is here. Excuse me." She moved to just walk past him.
The lunar guard did not approve. He thrust his spear as she walked and she crashed to the ground as her legs collided with the weapon. "This is your last warning. Further attempts to pass this point will be taken as an assault."
The solar guard hurried forward and helped Samantha up. "We should go."
"But my patient!"
"She'll still be there." He glanced at the angry lunar guard. "We will be reporting this."
"As you wish." The lunar guard took a stiff and unmoving posture.
As the solar guard escorted Samantha away, she would not go quietly. "If he hurts a hair on my precious subject... Have you seen her? She's a magnificent specimen, far better than that brute that stood in our way..."
Elsewhere, Celestia knocked softly on the Watches' door. "Silver, are you in? I wanted to apologize, if you thought my invitation went against our agreement." She knocked once more, and the door opened a crack. She looked left and right, but there were few in the hallway, and most had the sense to not stare at her. Quietly, she brushed the door aside and went inside.
What she found stole her breath from her.
Down below, Night nuzzled slowly at Silver's muzzle and neck. "Please wake up..."
"Mmm..."
The noise made Night's heart begin to pound. "Yes, Silver, yes, come back to me. I know it hurts, but you're a brave pony, aren't you?"
His eyes opened in the dark and he lifted his neck, but he still couldn't see anything. "Am I blind or is it dark?"
Night drew his head back down. "Shhh. I'm here... It's dark, how do you feel, and keep it down."
Silver gave a weak nod in her grasp. "Not one of my better executed plans..."
Night wrinkled her nose. "I didn't do much better. They didn't kick me, at least."
"Oh thank god for that." Silver gave her chest a little nuzzle. "Are you alright?"
"Am I alright?" She flashed a little smile. "Stupid stallion, you're the hurt one."
"Where are we?"
Night put her head on Silver's. "Jails, lunar side. They're almost never used these days." A soft snort escaped her. "We're special."
Silver gave a little smile in the dark. "Yay," he weakly said. "Don't suppose you have my slime by any chance?"
She didn't. All she had was herself. Her gentle embrace would have to do.
Celestia emerged from their room with a delicate frown, and a book tucked under a wing. With a casual flick of magic, she closed the door behind herself. She strode with purpose through the halls.
Raven appeared at her side, her secretary. "Did you need me, Your Majesty?"
Celestia raised a brow. Raven had a sense for these things, and could appear anywhere at a moment's notice. She was one of her best secretaries in many years. "Raven, it's good to see you. Is there legal precedent for gross abuse of power by an alicorn on a non-alicorn?"
Raven raised a brow. "That's a serious subject." She leaned in closer as they walked, barely whispering, "Is it the new princess? Fast, or maybe Twilight?"
Celestia froze up a moment. "No... Neither of those." She regarded Raven a moment. "I want to be fair."
Raven was caught up short. Her eyes widened. "You? Impossible!" The mere idea that Celestia would abuse her powers just didn't fit in her world view.
Celestia raised a hoof. "Not me, but somepony close to me. Please answer the question, Raven."
Raven shook her head quickly. "The last time a princess abused their powers they were... banished to the moon."
Celestia drew a sharp little breath. She wouldn't do that. She couldn't... Not again... "Find an alternative."
Raven bowed and galloped off in a hurry, leaving a mildly shaken Celestia behind.
She leaned against a wall a moment, regaining her breath. "Sister... What have you done?"
In her dark room, Luna arranged candles precisely around herself in specific points of an intricate magical circle she had prepared. "You want my love... You shall have it, and leave me be." She stomped a hoof on the ground as she stormed to fetch a book. "My mistake was doing it too quickly before. This time I'll do it right. You can take my love and go away, forever." Luna scowled even as she trembled. "Leave me alone... and miserable..."
Samantha stomped through the hallways, furious and confused. "Why would they keep me away from her..."
"Hmm? I don't think I've seen a pony with a look quite like that before." Nefertari emerged from a side hallway. "And that spark... There's something in you, mare. Something that I like..."
Samantha looked Nefertari over quickly, then brightened mercurialy. "Are you an anubite? Oh you simply must let me examine you! I've never seen one in person." She rushed up to Nefertari, giggling a little along the way. "The advancements we could make!"
Nefertari raised a finger. "Let us begin with you, my little pony. What caused such a fury in you?"
Samantha flipped back to fury like a lightswitch. "They stole my prize subject! They took her away and they won't let me go to her! She's pregnant, Celestia blast it. She needs constant supervision and care and monitoring. This is completely unacceptable!"
"And who, or what, is this subject? Some kind of rare animal perhaps?" Nefer raised a brow at the manic doctor. "You aren't going to accept this slight, are you?"
Samantha froze in place, then shook her head quickly. "No! No I won't! I'm going to right back down there and give a piece of my mind to that guard!"
Nefertari smiled. The fire of the mare amused her, to say nothing of its fickle nature. "I will do you a favor."
"Oh, you will?!" Samantha clopped her hooves. "You'll let me examine you then?"
"Maybe later." Nefertari reached for Samantha, cupping her snout. "Show me where to go, and I will give your enemy a piece of your mind for you, and ensure your subject is safe and secure."
"You'd do that?" Samantha sat on her haunches and smiled up at Nefertari. "You're already breaking everything I've ever heard about anubites. I have to write this down." A paper appeared with a quill and began writing furiously. "I accept your offer. Make sure he understands how much he's impeding the cause of science."
She showed Nefertari to the stairs that led to the dungeons, then trotted off, mumbling excitedly about the book she would write. Nefer shook her head at Samantha's backside. "Fascinating mare..." A broad smile spread over her snout. "Now let's scare some sense into someone, hmm..."
Elsewhere, a lunar guard scowled into the darkness. "I see you. You are not permitted here."
"Pity I don't obey the words of any save Celestia." Nefertari exposed her sharp claws. "She said I had free reign of the castle."
The guard raised his spear towards the interloper. "Regardless, you are not permitted here. Turn away or face--" His words cut off. She wasn't there. She was beside him, and her claws were at his throat.
"Oh, do go on," she invited with an almost sultry purr, her tail swaying slowly. "Everyone deserves some final words."
"You... You wouldn't..." The lunar guard swallowed heavily, her claws dragging against his throat in the motion. "I'm doing my job, ma'am. This is murder."
She gave a soft tsk and released him. "You are correct, of course. I'll be going now."
He slid to the ground, terrified and shaken beyond standing. He offered no further resistance to her as she moved past him with deliberate slowness, as if taunting him to try and stop her.
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Looks like things are about to come to a head. I do hope these speeding trains don't all collide.
What game is Luna playing at here? Surely she's not intent on sending Silver into another dream? A magical construct? Dammit David, you're one chapter a day rule is killing me. Chaotic Neutrals aren't exactly known for our patience.
6995331
Dream world retconn in 3...2...1...
You are now on Dream Level 2/6.
Wow, I didn't realize how much I missed reading Nefertari in action again until I saw how she 'dealt' with the Lunar Guard though I wonder if that counts as assault or self-defense since the guard did threaten a diplomat at spearpoint.
6995352 She's quite the character, yes. I love characters with character! Nefertari's is strong and really shows. I hope others see that as well?
Self defense or assault, she's still a diplomat of another country. Worst they can do is ship her home, which would have her greeted as a hero and blow any chance of peace. She made a calculated risk. Celestia isn't likely to do more than chastise her, provided nopony is actually hurt.
Doesn't stop her from making wicked threats.
Ohhh, I didn't know Nefertari was around. She's pretty high up on the 'do not trifle with' list
No jesus Luna just go to them and be loved for fuck sake
Luna needs therapy. She needs a lot of therapy and she needs it fast. It's worse than the Tantabus incident, and now focused on somepony else on top of the self loathing.
No typos for a hungry lunar pony to nibble upon.
*****
An excellent chapter. The tension is building, and I suspect you are hopping around in time to keep us in further suspense.
In my minds eye I see Samantha carrying her Pony-Kind tracker (or PK-meter) as she creeps through the darker corridors of Canterlot Castle.
You know discord did borrow his slime..... OOOOOHHH the chaos you can cause with that. Can see it now. Following another reader damn the once a day updates.... Keep up the good work.
6995331
Redoing Cecelia, I bet.
6995357
If she were really intent on murdering the hell out of that guard for doing his job, though, then she wouldn't be a very good person... and still getting away with it. It's her judgement that makes her good, not her ability to murder or to get away with it.
However, I've been quiet since the umbrum resolution, but I'm glad that uh... there's intense drama. It's good, and I like it.
6995442 Celine I imagine you mean? Welcome back! We missed you. Was it getting too quiet? Also, you inspired me to swap up the tags on the story.
6995454
Yeah! Celine! That pony that Luna created on a whim and then destroyed unexpectedly. Man that sounds super awful when you put it like that.
Eh. The period between Sombra leaving and "Luna's gone nuts" was just... not as interesting to me. I can't say if there was anything definitely bad about it. The story needs that breathing space but...
6995454 fanastic story but you'er not doing a very good job at seperating the diffrent caracters, you should have a line to seperate it so we dont get confused
Congrats BTW, you made the Featured list again.
Oh dear. Luna is winding up for her big appearence at the Apollo, where Celestia is hoping she would be happy with just the Odeon.
Meanwhile, Silver is totally in the dark about whats going on, or the steadily approaching Naga wife?
Luna, you should stop before doing more things you will regret later...
We wonder if Nefertari will bring out Silver's war form again? That would be interesting...
Also, Sam has been sighted! What will Nefertari do on that front?
Keep going! ;)
somepony best hurry and stop Luna she is about to mess up big time.
Nefertari it is up to you. can you free Silver Watch in time to stop Luna?
or will Celestia be the one to stop her?
Re-reading and thinking over the last few chapters has my brain churning as I try to sort facts as revealed separate from feelings, desires, and speculation.
Provided that Luna is stopped before she does anything permanent, it may be that the only mature outcome is for both parties, i.e. Silver & Night Watch, and Luna, to part ways and simply try to deal with the situation unresolved. Would I personally be satisfied with that? Of course not. But this looks more and more that a perfect solution from within is simply not possible and a solution imposed from without would be resisted as unsatisfactory. It's a sad realization that not all conflicts can be resolved with the magic of friendship.
The current hope that keeps my spirits aloft is that there are outside factors at play here that may break the stalemate and open new, please forgive me, paths other than the bleak future I see coming.
Separate from all that - Celestia's search for precedent is admirable, but even if it comes up dry, she and Luna seem to rule by fiat as needed so she can mete out any remedy she feels is appropriate and set the precedent herself. Though I do understand her desire to be impartial when dealing with a situation that affects those so close to her.
6995704 Naga wife?
6995898 The best legal defense is to not need one at all.
6995958
I apologise. Getting my storylines confused again.
6995760 I fear the war form was a figment of the dreamworld, it might be interesting to see it resurfacing also that of the royal sisters that might show they are or are not originally human. Now that I've said that David will write the opposite of what I think, AGAIN, oh and David my hero for today is Nefer again. YAY!
Heavy shit storm, inbound!
Seriously, Parallel universe Celestia and Luna... damn. I feel that there's gonna be an intervention similar to the one with the other Celestia. Except Luna is less subtle and her's will most likely be a lot more violent.
Just hope that Silver and Night make it through...
Love is crazy.
mercurially
free rein
It's like we're back in the dream world again; all these extremely single-minded decisions flying around, sometimes directly in the face of pertinent evidence.