555 - Points of Interview
“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.”
Striding into the private study that she and her sister had always used when Line Byline had come to speak with them, Luna grimaced as Nosey Newsy – having bowed as soon as the doors had opened – lifted her head in response to her apology. The mare looked even worse than she’d been told. Rope marks could still be seen around her legs. Bandages covered her neck and middle. One eye was blackened, almost swollen shut.
But it was the look on Nosey’s face that worried Luna the most. She’d met the reporter before, during their ill-fated trip to Vanhoover, and while Nosey had clearly been awed to meet with a princess in person, she’d nevertheless evinced a playfulness that had hinted at a deep passion for what she did, agreeing to answer questions only if she could ask some of her own. Given how she’d been tortured by that “belier devil” that Mihr had warned them about prior to then, Nosey’s attitude had been a sign of remarkable resilience.
That resilience was nowhere to be seen now. Beyond the bruises and the bandages, the look on Nosey’s face was a mask of detachment, her emotions held so fiercely in check that she was inadvertently telegraphing that fact to everyone who so much as glanced at her. The sight almost made Luna wince; it wasn’t something somepony did unless they were either in a great deal of inner turmoil or were in the presence of a person they had strong negative feelings toward. Neither boded well for this meeting.
“It was no inconvenience, Your Highness,” answered Nosey robotically, telekinetically bringing her quill and notepad to the ready. “Shall we begin?”
Despite how Nosey was radiating professionalism, the abrupt question still caught Luna off-guard, having assumed that the reporter would want to talk about Line and Silhouette before starting. But maybe she’s saving that for after we’re done, she decided uneasily. “Of course.” Glancing at the pair of guards that had entered with her and moved to flank the door, Luna nodded toward them. “Go wait at the other end of the hall, if you please.”
The armored stallions glanced at each other, but to Luna’s surprise didn’t move, instead shifting uncomfortably in place. “Princess,” began the one of her left, “forgive us, but if it’s alright with you, we’d prefer to remain here.”
Luna’s eyebrows rose, looking at the two in mild disbelief. The Royal Guard wasn’t exactly a bastion of military might, but its ponies were obedient to a fault where she and her sister were concerned. For two of its members to openly defy her like this, and in front of a reporter no less…
Pushing down the fear that she was no longer seen as a legitimate princess because of what Lex Legis’s curse had done to her, Luna drew herself up to her full height, trying not to think about how that was several inches shorter than it should have been. “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded. “I gave you an order!”
It was with some satisfaction that she saw both guards flinch. “Princess, we mean no disrespect,” pleaded the one on her right. “It’s just…” Glancing at Nosey, a scowl crossed his features as his eyes returned to Luna. “That mare is a known associate of Lex Legis, the pony who murdered Commander Silhouette and, well…” He gestured toward her, clearly not sure how to refer to her condition.
“She’s a security risk, Your Highness,” concluded the other guard. “For your own safety, please allow us to stay in the room with you.”
That she’d been so wrong about their motivations was a source of comfort to Luna, and she hated that it was, feeling guilty over the relief that ran through her even as she saw Nosey’s jaw clench out of her peripheral vision. Fortunately, she had two convenient targets to take her negativity out on right in front of her. “Are you implying,” she murmured, her voice thick with displeasure, “that you think me so weak that one injured mare could be a threat to me?”
Both guards turned pale. “N-no, Your Highness!” gulped the one on her right. “That wasn’t what we meant at all!”
“Then what did you mean?” snapped Luna, her voice rising as she glowered at the pair, watching them squirm. “That you think your judgment regarding my safety is superior to my own?”
“Of course not, but-”
“Then go!” snapped Luna. “And do not return until I call for you!”
To her considerable irritation, both hesitated for a second before complying, mumbling apologies as they turned and left the room, shutting the door behind them.
Taking a moment to calm herself, Luna turned back toward Nosey. “I’m very sorry for that-”
“Why did they refer to Silhouette as being a commander?” demanded Nosey.
Once again, Luna found herself off-balance. Not just because she didn’t understand the question, but because now Nosey apparently did want to talk about what had happened, at least obliquely. As much as the younger mare was clearly trying to keep everything together, Luna knew it was another sign as to how much she had to be reeling after what she’d been through. “I’m sorry? I don’t understand…”
“Those guards referred to Silhouette as being a commander,” explained Nosey, frowning. “So did the one who tried to interview me this afternoon. But you stripped him of his rank after he tried to attack Lex. I know because I was there when you did; you even took away his armor. So why don’t they seem to know that?”
“Ah, of course.” Fighting down the urge to grimace, Luna took a moment to seat herself, gesturing to a chair across from her. “Please, make yourself comfortable. Before I answer, would you care for something to eat? My sister would always bring cake whenever we met Line here-”
“I’m fine, thank you,” interrupted Nosey, her voice still flat and cold.
It’s not just shock from what happened, Luna decided. She’s upset at me personally. That wasn’t unexpected; Silhouette had been one of her guards, as well as her most devoted worshiper, both of which made him her responsibility. And while Luna knew that he’d been…upset, after having been resurrected – the report she’d gotten about his assaulting Shining Armor, to say nothing of how he’d apparently destroyed his meager possessions in a fit of rage, had been worrying in the extreme – the hasty briefing she’d gotten after waking up barely an hour ago was something she was still struggling to process.
Sighing, Luna decided that there was no point putting her answer off any longer. “Silhouette is still referred to as a commander because my directive that he be stripped of his rank was never processed,” she admitted. “Although I’d intended for him to head up a religious order dedicated to me, one separate from the Royal Guard, discharging him from his position was still an indignity. Since he died defending me a short time later, it seemed…petty, I suppose is the word, to make it official.”
“And that was true even after he was resurrected?” pressed Nosey, flipping through her notepad. “Despite his assaulting Prince Shining Armor in public?”
“Yes.” Unable to help the look of regret that crossed her face then, Luna looked down. “He had just been brought back to life after a violent death, not to mention that as soon as he was resurrected he witnessed me having a…a breakdown, after confirming that the curse Lex Legis placed on me would not be easily removed. I had hoped that he was simply suffering from some sort of temporary hysteria, and that he would come to his senses after a little while.”
Nosey’s face at that moment could have been carved from stone. “He hasn’t.”
This time Luna did wince. “I know. I was late just now because I was being informed as to what he’d done, and I want to apologize to you for what you went through.” Lowering her head, Luna made no effort to hide the remorse she felt at that moment. “You and Line were hurt because I abandoned my responsibility to Silhouette. I was so completely concerned with my own situation that I couldn’t bring myself to deal with anything else. I know that isn’t an excuse for my failure, but I hope it at least explains it.”
For a moment Nosey didn’t respond, and Luna knew she was trying to find a way to process something that personal without letting her mask crack. “Line and his family are the ones you should apologize to,” she said at last. “What they went through…what they’re still going through, is worse than what happened to me.”
I’m not so sure about that, countered Luna silently. But she knew better than to say that out loud. “I’m going to see Line at the hospital after we’re done here,” she admitted, lifting her head. “I’m just glad Soft Mane was able to heal him. Tell me, is he faring well under her ministrations?”
Nosey shifted in her seat, suddenly unable to meet Luna’s eyes. “I haven’t seen him yet. I just heard that she was able to bring him back from the brink of…that she was able to fix his injuries, and that the doctors want her to stay close by just to be safe while they keep him overnight for observation.”
“I see.” Looking over Nosey’s injuries in silence, Luna paused as an idea came to her. “Would you like to come see him with me, after we’re done here?”
Despite Nosey’s best efforts, a glimpse of her real feelings slipped through her mask then, and although it was brief, Luna recognized the mixture of guilt and fear that flashed across the other mare’s face. “I shouldn’t,” answered Nosey after a brief moment. “If I go there, Line will insist that Soft Mane use her magic to heal me, and I don’t want her to waste any just in case he has any sort of relapse later.”
It was a plausible excuse, but in conjunction with what she’d just seen Luna knew that it was just that: an excuse. “Nosey…” How would Celestia do this? “What happened to Line wasn’t your f-”
“We should get started.” Nosey’s voice was slightly louder than necessary as she flipped through her notes, swallowing deeply as she turned her notepad over. “When he came to my apartment, Line said you wanted to announce to the public that you were no longer going to present yourself as a goddess?”
For a moment Luna considered pushing the issue. But this wasn’t a dream, where even in her weakened state she could manipulate her surroundings in order to better help ponies confront their fears and doubts. Here in the real world, all she had were her words and her own presence, and the latter had been sullied thanks to Lex Legis, leaving Luna with little confidence that she could talk someone through their problems the way her sister could.
“That’s correct,” she answered at last. “I’ve already spoken with my worshipers – my other worshipers, I mean – and informed them of my decision, as well as my…condition. Now it’s time to let the rest of Equestria know.”
“You should have your picture taken as well,” noted Nosey, not looking up as she began scribbling notes. “For the article, I mean.”
“I’ve already scheduled a photographer for later this evening,” replied Luna. “Nosey…did Line get a chance to tell you why I wanted you to come here?”
Her brow creasing slightly, Nosey looked up. “I just said: for your announcement about not being a goddess.”
Luna shook her head. “No, I mean, why I wanted you, Nosey Newsy, to be the one conducting this interview?”
For a moment Nosey didn’t say anything, even though Luna could see on her face that she knew where this was going. “…no.”
“It was my hope,” explained Luna slowly, “that you’d be willing to expound on what you told Line last night about your time in Vanhoover-”
“Because you’re hoping I’ll give you something you can use against Lex.” Behind her glasses, Nosey’s eyes narrowed.
Fortunately, Luna had seen this particular development coming far in advance. “Because I’m hoping that you can set the record straight about him. Line is a fine journalist, but he can be a bit…overzealous, where my sister and I are concerned.” A faint smile crossed her face about that. “We actually got into a fight about that last night, when he came to tell me what you’d told him. I’ll need to apologize for that when I see him later, as well as what happened with Silhouette.”
The admission seemed to take the edge off of Nosey’s tension. “I already gave Line everything I jotted down while I in Tall Tale and Vanhoover. I’m not sure what else you want me to say.”
“Whatever you feel like saying.” Managing a smile, Luna sat up. “When we last spoke, you suggested that we answer each other’s questions in equal measure, trading answers on a one-for-one basis. How about we do that again now? I’ll tell you whatever you want to know, if you’ll do the same for me.”
Nosey blinked once, and then looked down, her eyes taking in the carpet as Luna watched her consider her offer. That the reporter would accept was a near-certainty; an interview with a princess, especially one where nothing was off-topic, was simply too juicy an offer to pass up, especially with how ambitious Line had described Nosey as being. And even if she didn’t have turn over any useful information about Lex, then this would hopefully help Nosey feel better. In Luna’s experience, ponies who performed activities relating to their cutie mark tended to-
“No.”
Luna blinked. “I’m sorry?”
“No,” repeated Nosey. “I’m not going to tell you anything about Lex, or Vanhoover, or any of it.”
For a moment Luna just sat there, stunned. “But the interview-”
Nosey tore a few pages off of her notepad, levitating them over to Luna. “You said that you’re going to see Line after this, right? These are the notes I’ve taken during our conversation just now. I’m sure that he can finish the interview with these. Please excuse me.”
Distractedly taking the pages, Luna tried to figure out what she’d done wrong as Nosey stood up and began walking toward the door. “Wait. Nosey, wait.” Jumping to her hooves, Luna moved to cut her off. “I’m not asking you to betray whatever confidence Lex may have entrusted you with. I just-”
“Your Highness, I’m tired,” blurted Nosey, her veneer of indifference faltering for the second time, this time showing a deep exhaustion that matched her words. “It took me several days to get back home, and in the twenty-four hours since I’ve arrived I’ve fought with my editor, had my home broken into, been assaulted and interrogated, worried myself sick over Line, had the Royal Guard all but accuse me of being a criminal, and now you’re asking me to…”
Biting her lip, she cut herself off, shaking her head. “With all due respect, Princess Luna, I’m done. I’m going to go to my parents’ house and get some sleep, and then I’ll make a statement to the guards so that they’ll leave me alone, but after that…” She let out a slow breath. “After that, I don’t want to think about Lex, or Vanhoover, or goddesses, or any of it, for a very long time. I just…I want to rest.”
That was enough to bring Luna up short. She’d just finished talking about how she’d been too wrapped up in herself to see what was going on with Silhouette, and now she was making the same mistake with Nosey, even if she was being gentler about it. “You’re right. I should have been more sensitive to what you’ve been through. Forgive me.”
Stepping aside, she watched as Nosey opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. “Is there anything you’d like me to tell Line when I see him later?”
That got Nosey to pause, spending a few seconds in thought before glancing over her shoulder. “Tell him that I’m sorry about what happened. And also…”
Turning around, she started walking again.
“Tell him that I’m on vacation until further notice.”
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Nosey is now wearing a mask to keep together the fragments that composes her soul, would she actually accept Lex to curse her to remove her memories of the devil if that meant for her to finally be free of that ordeal?
Honestly, I don't blame poor Nosey for her decision at the end and while a vacation is well deserved at this point, I do wonder if she'll be able to relax. I mean, she went through a rather severe amount of trauma in Vanhoover as well as Canterlot, in her own home no less. The fact that she wants to go to her parents' home is rather telling of how vulnerable she feels. She's probably going to be unable to sleep properly for a while and having Luna try and help...isn't going to help.
Still, her words ought to at the very least push Luna towards finalizing Silhouette's expulsion from the guard...as well as ordering them to leave Nosey alone since I doubt the guards will do so even after taking her statement. I mean, a series of recent incidents in Vanhoover and Canterlot had occurred under their watch so their recent behavior is probably them trying to compensate for their failures so they'll likely do something idiotic like staking out Nosey's place as well as her parents' home.(Easily imagining some guards sitting on nearby benches with newspapers in their hooves or telekinesis with some wearing poor disguises or just their armor if they're that incompetent)
Sillouette has done somuch damage to the image of th guard and princesses, he should be put in stasis at least until such time as there is time available to process him appropiatly?
10623772
nosey is just a ticking and it is a matter of time before the boom.
10624058
And in my own twisted want and need to see it, I can't wait for it to go boom...
10623958
Oh no, he's an 'honored member of the guard.' He can't POSSIBLY be as dangerous as the stupid CIVILLIANS claim. It must be a misunderstanding.
10623772 I wonder if that would go against the nature of her cutie mark, since reporters don't typically want to forget things. On the other hoof, she's been through ordeal after ordeal, so it's not like it's out of the question; after all, she didn't want to interview Luna here. Presuming Lex could do that, though, I wonder if he would...and what it'd do to him emotionally to do so.
10625696
I'm speaking from dnd here but you can with a sufficiently powerful spell. Other than that he would probably be contrary to it citing that doing so would be far unethical and wrong against a pony will, for if anyone could just change a mind when would it stop? How could anyone be sure that what they thought or are is them, or something that another force wanted them to be?
10623797 I got a chuckle out of the idea of some guards wearing their armor and everything, but thinking they're disguised because they put on fake mustaches and glasses. That'd be them to a T.
All joking aside, it's becoming tragic just how much Nosey has gone through. She clearly doesn't feel safe in her apartment anymore (though I suspect some of her staying at her parents' house is because they insisted), and with everything going on at Canterlot Chronicle (with Line, Luna's interview, etc.) work is clearly not the refuge she was hoping it would be. WIth any luck, her vacation will help her get her life back on track, but for the moment she really just needs to rest and recover.
The sad thing is that this is what happens when somepony gets caught up in the life of someone with more power, ambition, and energy than they have. Their own life tends to get swept up in that other pony's, becoming part of their story rather than being the star of their own (no meta-pun intended). In some cases, that means gaining new magic or spirit animals or just becoming a "badass normal" type (a la Garden Gate). But in others it means having yourself be collateral damage when greater powers clash. All the more so when even the sympathetic character(s) make mistakes with how they relate to you; in hindsight, Lex and Sonata becoming romantically involved with Nosey was a bad idea. It might have helped her a little bit at the time, but now it just seems like one more thing she's carrying around.
10623958 If the ponies had any sort of stasis-containment, I think we'd see them using it a lot more. As it is, they don't seem to have much of a middle ground between "gentle talking-to" and "into Tartarus you go" (or some equivalent, such as "a thousand years in the moon").
10625702 Well, that's where we come into some gray areas, because there are explicit healing spells that are strongly implied to be able to remove mental/emotional trauma, specifically heal and greater restoration. Now, those don't explicitly say they wipe away trauma, but that's because "trauma" isn't really defined as a game term. Instead, heal says it removes ability damage (including to mental ability scores), feeblemind and insanity (the spells, but those are still some fairly considerable mental-impairment effects) and confusion. Greater restoration flat-out says it cures "all forms of insanity, confusion, and similar mental effects" along with ability damage and ability drain. So the implication seems to be that one or the other of those spells (probably the latter) will be able to cure any sort of mental problems.
Now, you could suggest that there are still ethical issues there, but the game rules are explicit that these are healing effects, rather than any sort of selective mental manipulation. So there's room for suggesting that if Lex examined the underlying structures of those spells to his satisfaction, he'd be okay with using them...but that's not the same as cursing someone to forget something upsetting.
10624871 The institutional resistance to treating Silhouette as a bad guy is rather strong, isn't it? Then again, this is the guy who openly defied Lex and died heroically defending his princess, right before Lex cursed her to un-become an alicorn. So I suppose it makes sense why the Royal Guard wouldn't want to see him as a villain.