• Published 15th Jul 2019
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The Centurion Project - TheEighthDayofNight



Elias "Rubrum Aquilae" Bright, the former leader of the Legio I Americana, on the run from his past, finds himself thrown into the conflicts of Equestria.

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The Hearth's Warming Interlude

Journal Entry: 920

Short entry today, it’s that time of year. The wind is howling, I have no food, and I’m alone. Typical Christmas, I guess. I just… I just wish somebody was left. Somebody to talk to, or just sit near. I’d give the clothes off my back for somebody to share a meal with. I’d even settle for talking while just they ate.

I hate winter, hate Christmas. It took my family away, and I’ll see it erased from the history books for its crime.

Elias stared at his ceiling with dead eyes. His room was dark, empty, and cold. His mood matched that feeling with frightening intensity. It had been a long couple of weeks, and today was only going to make that worse. To prevent the lonely desperation from setting in, Elias shoved off his covers and rolled to his feet, shuffling toward the bathroom for a shower. He stopped momentarily to check his watch. Four thirty in the afternoon, lovely. He had managed to wake up just when the holiday was starting. He had tried exhausting himself as much as possible the previous day, but with his… fight with Book Binder, it hadn’t exactly gone as planned, and he had simply stumbled into bed to avoid thinking.

The thought of the shouting match between himself and the unicorn brought out a new wave of melancholy as he trudged into the shower. It would be better to just let the hot water wash away his feelings for a while. As he stood under the shower head, Elias thought about how he was going to occupy his time. Technically speaking, he wasn’t supposed to be in the castle. All of the staff, including all three guard groups got Hearth’s Warming Eve, and Hearth’s Warming day off. Elias had checked, and even Anyon had found somebody to go home with for Hearth’s Warming; a purple pegasus named Split Tip that he had eventually “caught”. It was some sort of strange gryphon mating habit, but the pair seemed happy enough together, so Elias made no attempts to butt into their celebration. Since he had nowhere else to go however, he was stuck.

Elias opened his eyes to let the scalding water attack them. The sharp pain was more than enough to distract his mind again as it tried to wander back to the argument and subsequent fallout. He already hated this time of year, and now he had one more bad memory to throw on the stack. He needed to find a distraction, something to numb the ache. As Elias rubbed at his eyes, he remembered a certain pack of cigarettes and a half-full flask that was secured safely in his ruck sack. It wasn’t anything miraculous, but it would work well as a numbing agent if he could find a suitable distraction.

Elias left the shower, still occasionally rubbing at his now sore eyes as he dried off. He didn’t bother turning on the light to his room, content to fumble around in the dark so that he didn’t have to see the abandoned personal effects of his two absent roommates. He had a detailed idea where everything was anyway, so with only two stubbed toes, Elias dressed himself, in both his regular tunic, as well as his guard armor. He rifled through his ruck for his “illegal narcotics”. Book Binder had tried to find them, but she had ultimately failed, mostly through a secret deal with Night Flash to keep them on the move. Hugs were evidently an effective currency for the pegasus, and though it had pained Elias to sell himself for so cheap, he found that it now payed off in spades. Besides, with what had happened, it wasn’t likely that Flash would even come to claim his…

Elias stood up quickly as he ripped the well-abused pack of cigarettes from his ruck. His left hand latched onto the flask, and Elias quickly tucked them both into his belt. On a whim, Elias drew forth one of the cigarettes, tucking it behind his ear as he checked his lighter. It still had a bit of fuel in it, but that was probably going to change this evening. Another piece of his past turned to trash. Elias wondered briefly if he would keep it and attempt to refill it once the lighter died, then decided it didn’t matter. It would happen in the future, no point in fretting about it now.

Elias weaved around his bed, scooping up his scutum and a single pilum as he plopped his helmet loosely on his head. If he was going to be largely alone for the day, he saw no reason not to carry out his usual duties. He could stop by the cafeteria, breaking in if necessary, to get some food. He might be rusty, but he still had his lock picking set. It would be a time-consuming distraction if nothing else. After that, he could make up his own guard schedule, wandering about as he did his job with the same blank focus he always did. It had surprised Elias to find that he could stand for hours at a time without thinking of a single thing. It was a marvelous way to relax, if only he didn’t have to stand at attention for the entire time, constantly dealing with the stares and glares of any ponies that looked his way. While his friends seemed quick to forgive and forget, some people still treated him like a ticking time bomb. He had reassured as many as possible that it would only happen if they decided to come after him or his friends, but after a while, Elias quit. Better for them to be nervous around him, just so long as they were scared of him. Fear was just as good a deterrent as respect.

Elias found the cafeteria unlocked, and so he pillaged it softly, stealing a cloth sack to fill with bread and a few cans of bean stew. It had been a long time since he had to eat soup out of the cold can, but maybe it would bring him so familiarity and comfort. At least he wouldn’t be upholding the Christmas tradition of starving. Unfortunately, the guard kitchen was absent of booze, so he couldn’t swipe any extra to “warm” his night up.

With a small bag of loot over his shoulder, Elias locked up the cafeteria before wandering back to his room to grab the shoddily made cloak the castle tailor had sewn him. Evidently, she was a friend of White Shine, and she hadn’t appreciated Elias’ attack on the pony. The cloak was made of a single, thin layer of wool that barely went down to his waist. It did nothing to ward away the cold for his bare legs, and if the wind was blowing, did nothing to keep him warm at all. Elias hadn’t complained however; he had no alternatives, no knowledge about Canterlot to find an appropriate clothes maker. On top of that, Elias had no money, or at least none that he knew how to get access to. With the princesses providing for all of his needs, he never found a reason to figure out how to collect his paycheck, so Elias found himself without. Until winter had begun to set in, it hadn’t mattered, but with the tailor actively sabotaging his clothing requests, Elias found himself suffering in silence as he shivered during the guard shifts that took place outside.

Elias briefly considered heading to the castle entrance for a while. The cold would definitely act as a distraction, and he would get an opportunity to smoke. Elias checked his watch, felt the thin cloak on his back, then shook his head and snorted. Only half an hour had passed, and he would need the cigarettes to get through what was going to be a very long night. Elias sighed and wandered past the empty infirmary. Scalpel was visiting a brother in some city by the coast, Manehattan if Elias remembered correctly.

Elias briefly poked his head outside to look at the prospect of throwing pilla, but the training grounds sat dark, the magical lanterns that kept them lit at night out. A light dusting of snow covered the grounds, and a gust of wind sent Elias back into the relative warmth of the castle. He frowned as he shook off a shiver, rubbing at his arms as he continued to stalk through the castle. It was usually a quiet place, even with the bustling staff cleaning everything, but now it was downright silent. It made an already chilly building seem cold, and Elias found that he couldn’t ward away the chill that had managed to creep into his very bones. He blew into his hands as he rubbed them together, wondering if he should just give up and try to black out in his room. The idea of sitting in the dark didn’t exactly excite him however, so Elias pushed on to a different section of the castle.

He wandered back by the infirmary, checking again that nobody was inside. Then he continued to one of his normal guard positions. Tying his bag of food around his waist, Elias withdrew his pilum from its sheathe and leaned against the wall with a sigh, trying to find the blankness that came with hours of guarding.

*****

Luna sighed happily as she smacked her lips. She followed it with a wide yawn, her mood cheerful as rolled over on her plush bed. It had been a labor of love from her sister the year prior, also known as the last year the pair would exchange Hearth’s Warming gifts. Though she absolutely adored the gift, especially given the softness of the feather mattress, she had been horrified to learn that Celestia had been plucking her own feathers over the past thousand years to make the bed a reality. Sure, it would never lose its fluff, nor its softness, but the fact that her sister was plucking feathers was insane, and Luna had forced her to promise to never do such a thing again. It also didn’t help that all Luna got her in return was a never-ending slice of her favorite cake; a pegasi made cloud cake. Though ‘Tia had put on a brave face and had given Luna one of her trademarked bone crushing hugs, Luna couldn’t help but feel like her gift didn’t carry the same level of thoughtfulness.

Luna giggled softly as she remembered finding Celestia the next morning, kicking softly from beneath a pile of pillows, the uneaten cake on top. The alicorn had groaned something about eating too much cake, and then Luna had been kind enough to clean her up and tuck her into bed for Hearth’s Warming. When she awoke, the pair had simply sat around talking and enjoying each other’s company by a fire, a mountain of pillows and blankets around them. It had been a marvelous day, one that Luna would treasure for years to come.

Luna rolled over, checking the clock that sat silently beside her bed. Six thirty-five in the evening, excellent. As was her new tradition, Luna had officially slept in, and as she sat up to stretch, she was glad for the few minutes of extra rest. Today was going to be a wonderful day. Celestia would awaken from her nap in twenty minutes, and Twilight and her friends would be over in two hours. Though she had a lot of work to do, Luna was looking forward to all of it. It was rare that she was not hounded by servants and nobility to look prim and proper. Though she was used to the royal treatment, Luna was also used to being able to do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted to do it. If she wanted to spend an evening throwing flour about the royal kitchen, then by the moon she would do so, who cared what the nobility thought?

Unfortunately, Celestia informed her upon her return that such actions were generally frowned upon, so the only opportunity she found to truly let her hair down was Hearth’s Warming, when the castle was empty of everyone but her close friends, and sister.

After her return, Luna had been nervous about Hearth’s Warming. Many of the old traditions had been abandoned, such as the ceremonial gladiator tournaments to dispose of excess grievances, or the ceremonial wendigo burning; to well, burn another filthy wendigo. With her sisters help however, she had been introduced to the softer traditions, and this year would be her first attempt at what ‘Tia called a “Hearth’s Warming Celebration”. The tradition had originally been just between Celestia and Twilight, but after her return, they had taken a small break for Luna’s sake. But this year would be different! This year, she and ‘Tia were supposed to be making an assortment of baked goods for the party, which would happen as the moon finished rising. Then the Elements would arrive, and they would have a fun filled evening of sweets, hot chocolate, a raging fire, and fine company. They would talk and tell stories late into the night, then they were supposed to pass out in a large pile until the next morning.

Luna was particularly excited about the last aspect of the party. Herds, even platonic ones had become frowned upon in recent years, and Luna couldn’t fathom the reasoning behind it. The shortage of stallions was as common as ever, and the practice was actually conducive to greater harmony amongst her subjects, along with some other notable, but arguably fun, festivities. While she had no interest in romantic herds, Luna’s platonic herd used to be legendary for the massive hundred pony piles they would form to sleep, and she could hardly wait for the evening to begin. Perhaps if she could get some popular ponies involved in a small-scale herd, she could bring the practice back to life. She had, after all, already drafted a bill that would grant a tax cut to any pony that would wish to snuggle with their princess. If only the small-minded nobility didn’t get in her way when she tried to pass it. In time they would see the true glory of snuggles!

Luna giggled softly to herself. It would be a joyous evening, and her extra sleep would help her last. She needed the extra half hour to make the moon rising special after all, and what better way to replenish her energy reserves?

Luna lazily rolled from bed, slipping her hooves into her fuzzy bunny slippers that one of her guards had gifted to her. The poor thestral had been the first to approach her upon her return to join her newly reformed Lunar Guard, and she had accepted immediately, offering him a high position if he was willing to work hard for it. What had surprised her was when the young stallion had declined, favoring a simple guard position instead. He simply wished to serve her, and as a gift for giving him an average guard position, he had sent her a pair of bright pink slippers that he claimed were almost as good as real fur. As Luna dug out her centuries old manticore fur robe, she found that she agreed with the pony, they were almost as good. Nothing could beat the real thing though. The genuine fur was so soft, and so fluffy, enchanted with an eternity spell to make sure it never faded. It would be impossible to find one now; the intentional sale of furs had been outlawed prior to her return as well.

Luna looked at herself in the mirror, her mane, usually flowing and smooth, looked ruffled, with some of the stars in it clumping together. She lacked her usual crown, as well as her usual regalia. The only thing around her neck was her pendant, something that Celestia had practically cried over when she saw Luna wearing it. They had a personal party that evening, and Luna could practically feel any disagreements the pair had resolve themselves as they hugged and chatted in earnest for the first real time since her return.

Luna left the happy memory alone as she returned to her reflection. Overall, she looked positively undignified, disheveled, and sloppy, everything a princess should not be. Luna giggled and clapped her hooves together in excitement. Perfect! The castle would be empty of guards and servants, a tradition that had sad origins, but now was now a happy occasion. Before her return, and before Celestia had started taking on magical students, she had emptied the castle to reflect and be isolated for a day or two, letting her ponies have their happy Hearth’s Warmings while she sat and watched the moon alone. Now they would fill the empty halls with their laughter, and their silly games. No longer would anypony in all of Equestria have a sour Hearth’s Warming.

Luna trotted over to her bedroom door, more than ready to begin sipping at a steaming cup of coffee. She threw the door open with ease and spun her way into the hallway, her smile wide. She almost felt like she would burst into joyous song, until she saw a blue armored human standing by her doorway, watching her with a bored stare. Luna paused in her motions, staring at Elias dumbly. Her habitual instincts took over, and she gave him a slight nod as she straightened to her normal posture.

“Good evening Guardsman Bright.”

He returned the nod, and Luna noticed a small white object tucked underneath his helmet.

“Evening Princess.”

The two stared silently at each other. Though he clearly noticed her attire, Luna suspected that he was remaining quiet on it for his own personal sake. She sniffed, sticking her nose in the air.

“You do not have to remain silent on my account Guardsman, feel free to comment on my dress as much as you like, you cannot offend me.”

Elias raised an eyebrow, his eyes searching over her quickly before meeting her eyes again.

“What’s there to comment Princess? You look like you just woke up, it’s Hearth’s Warming eve, and you’re a princess. You can wear whatever you like in your house as far as I see it.”

Luna felt herself blush in embarrassment.

‘Or maybe he was remaining silent out of kindness,’ Luna thought to herself.

She didn’t know why she jumped to the irrationally negative thought of Elias’ character. He had proven that he was a kind individual more than once, though he had an odd way of demonstrating that kindness. Luna ran her slippered hoof over the carpet for a moment before she met his eyes again.

“Why are you here Guardsman?” Luna asked, “You have this evening, as well as the next off.”

Elias nodded.

“That I do, but I have nothing better to do, and sitting in an empty room alone didn’t have a lot of appeal, so I decided to just do my regular job to occupy the time.”

Luna frowned.

“I would have imagined Book Binder and Night Flash would invite you to stay with them for Hearth’s Warming. They seemed most excited to be with you.”

Elias scratched his nose.

“They offered, but I turned them down. I didn’t want to be a burden on their holiday, so I told them I would be fine here. It’s not a big deal.”

Luna’s frown deepened when she saw the lie in his eyes. Even he did not believe the words coming from his mouth.

“That is not the truth Guardsman, at least not the whole truth. Where is the rest?”

Elias’ eyes met hers for a brief moment, and Luna saw sadness in those brilliant blue eyes. He sighed and looked at his feet.

“We fought about it a few days ago. It started over some little nothing. It should have stayed nothing, but it didn’t.”

“What was it about?” Luna asked.

Elias snorted, waving his hand around them.

“About staying with them for Hearth’s Warming. I told Book Binder I didn’t want to be a burden, and that I was concerned about what her family would think about me. She responded by telling me I wasn’t a burden, and that her parents would like me just fine.”

He snorted again.

“I think that turning my argument on its head just pissed me off, because I did the same thing right back. I told her that her parents would likely hate me, said I would ruin the holiday for everyone. After that, she accused me of acting like a child, and it got worse from there. I don’t know when we started yelling, but we just kept going and going. She said some stuff, I said nastier stuff back, and we just…”

Elias fell silent, scratching at his nose with his thumb. He looked at Luna again, then sighed.

“Let’s just say we didn’t leave on good terms. I figured out pretty quick that I was in the wrong, so I tried to catch up to her and apologize, but then I was late for my shift, and Nightshade got on my case.” His eyes burned with regret. “And then she was gone. She and Night Flash slipped away, taking a few extra days of leave. I haven’t talked to either since. I’m not even sure if they would want to talk to me if we had the chance.”

Luna was frozen with horror. She had no idea what to say. This wasn’t supposed to be happening, and it especially wasn’t supposed to be happening now. It was Hearth’s Warming! Elias’ nostrils flared and he straightened slightly, looking at Luna with eyes filled with simmering anger. She had no doubt that said anger was directed inwardly.

“It doesn’t matter,” Elias said. “I’ll figure this out in time. Worst comes to worst…” He paused, shaking his head as he slumped again. “Then it comes to it. I’m not going to hold those two back because of something stupid like my feelings.”

He snorted in disgust, then cleared his throat.

“Either way, I’ll be out of your hair Princess. I was just standing guard here till you got up, so now I’m thinking I’ll take a walk outside. Maybe I can go park myself outside the front gates for a while, watch the snow fall.”

He pulled a flask from his belt, unscrewing the top quickly as he took a fast swig. Elias shuddered briefly as he stared at the flask.

“Damn, that got stronger with the trip. Good stuff.”

He glanced up, meeting Luna’s eyes. As if he had just realized the pony was there, he grunted sheepishly, then offered the flask to her.

“Want some Princess? That’s authentic American whiskey right there.”

Luna took the offered flask, glancing at it cautiously before she shrugged and took a sip. The liquid inside tasted something akin to changeling blood, and it burned the entire length of her throat as she struggled not to throw it up. The look of disgust was clear on her face, because Elias chuckled.

“Burns right? Found that in some rich guy’s place three years ago. A solid 180 proof if I remember correctly. Anything stronger and it’s like drinking rubbing alcohol.”

Luna looked at the flask with distaste as she floated it back to Elias’ waiting hand.

“That is most foul Guardsman. I cannot imagine it is good for you.”

Elias shrugged as he screwed the top back on. He slipped it into his belt.

“Maybe not, but it does its job. Makes you feel a bit warmer and a lot happier. It’s all it needs to be.”

Luna scoffed.

“Clearly you have not drunken some of the spirits my ponies have created in Equestria’s long history. The apple cider is something that ponies would kill for if they were just a tad more violent. There is never enough, even for a princess.”

Elias shrugged again.

“Then I’ll save everyone the trouble. Besides, it’s not like I can buy anything alcoholic, not for a few years at least. That drinking age of yours is a bit too high for my taste.”

Luna looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“That is right, you are not of age. I could have you imprisoned for having that foul substance.”

Elias smiled.

“I’ll tell the guard on duty. I wouldn’t hold your breath though; he’s got a real soft spot for cigarettes.”

He tapped the small white object behind his ear. Luna leaned in slightly to look at it properly, and confirmed that yes, it was indeed a smoking device. Another thing that had been banned in her long absence. Not that she had ever been a particular fan of that nasty habit anyway. Elias sighed, and his smile fell as Luna continued to glare at his vices.

“Princess, just… It will all be gone by the end of today. I’ve been saving everything I had left for a special occasion, and tonight is going to be that occasion. I’ll have nothing left by the sunrise.”

He let out a single, wet cough. Elias scowled as he cleared his throat. Luna took a step back; the man looked like a lama that wanted to spit. He didn’t however, and much to Luna’s disgust, he swallowed whatever was clogging his throat. His eyes flicked to Luna, then back to the ground.

“Sorry Princess, I’m taking up your day for nothing. I’m going to move on if you don’t mind.”

Luna nodded silently, and the human pushed off the wall. Trudging his way down the hallway. He gave her a small wave as he turned the corner, and then he was gone, leaving Luna alone and dazed. What should she do? A glance into her room showed that only a few minutes had passed, cutting into her solitary coffee time, but should she pursue the human? Was it better to let him brood?

Another glance at the clock made her calculate how much time remained until the Elements would arrive. If he was truly going to the front gate, then he would likely get drafted into helping them inside. She could fulfill her Hearth’s Warming plans until then, and after that she could invite him inside to warm himself by the fire. At the very least he would be fed and warm, and that would be enough, even if he did not join in on the Hearth’s warming pile. Luna snorted softly and smiled as she closed her bedroom door. Or maybe she would force him to act as the base for the pile, then they could smother him with love and attention. That would force the human to be happy.

Luna smiled as she imagined it, the plan solidifying as she trotted to the kitchens. Her good mood returned in full. She would show him, and then she would drag his soon-to-be parents back as well so that they could join in, smothering the human with love. It would be a good Hearth’s Warming for all, just as it should be.

*****

Elias blew air into his hands as he tried to keep his body tight. It should have had the effect of keeping him warmer, but with the wind howling as it was, it didn’t really help. The sun had set over an hour ago, and Elias had stopped checking the time when he found that it was almost as frozen as he was. The snow was falling swiftly, already climbing above his toes. He had smoked through one cigarette, and he was fast working on the second. The snow covered streets still had the occasional pony running by, usually with a gift or two suspended in an aura, or tucked carefully on their back as they sprinted to and fro.

Elias did his best to find something to watch, but as the wind grew worse, he found himself pacing before the gate more often than not. He was lucky that part of his ancestry was Norse, because otherwise his exposed legs might have just frozen off. He eyed the barrel that would provide him with warmth, if he could figure out how to get the damned thing started. It had to be a magic thing, because his lighter did nothing to the fuel that sat in the brazier. The accumulated sticks and logs sat, unwilling, or unable to light, and so unable to give off light and warmth.

He only minded half of that. While he really wanted to go inside to get warm, he knew Luna was up and trying to act normal, and he didn’t want to interrupt. He had put no thought into what the princesses might be doing for Hearth’s Warming, and while he had no interest in the holiday, nor its human surrogate, it didn’t mean he had to ruin it for others, especially not the pair of ponies that had helped him out in some rough spots. If nothing else, he could fall back on his wasteland code to guide him, and it said that favors should always be repaid. That meant they had scratched his back; he could keep out of their way and be bitter elsewhere. Even if elsewhere was a freezing hellscape with white evil raining from the sky and down his shirt.

Elias resisted the urge to rip the cloak off his body to shake the snow loose again. He knew it would only make the issue worse, but the urge was still there, and his hands twitched more than once to rip off the worthless piece of cloth. A gust of wind wiped away this idea as he shivered, slipping his shield over his back with the pilum returned to its sheathe. Elias ducked back into one of the guard boxes, taking temporary shelter from the wind as he held his cigarette to take a swig from his flask. It was nearly empty, he had practically drained it on his walk to the gate, and now he was going for the finish. If for nothing else, he wanted a mild buzz to wait out the rest of the evening.

Only a group of fast approaching voices stopped him from downing the rest of the flask in one go. Elias let a swallow’s worth fall back in as he wiped his face, placing his cigarette between his lips once more as he peaked out of the guard box. Squinting into the snow, Elias found a group of well-lit ponies trotting happily toward the castle. Further squinting also noted a small creature carrying a stack of luggage as tall as Elias was, so the human sighed; screwing his flask tight as he tucked it in his belt and walked forward.

“Anything I can help you ladies with?” Elias said, his voice loud enough to cut through the whistling of the wind.

All six stopped suddenly, with their seventh running into somebody’s rump, sending the luggage to the ground, including a few bags that slid to Elias’ feet. He moved forward, scooping up a couple of bags as the lizard-boy got to his feet. Once he realized that it wasn’t a pony helping him, the lizard-boy stared at him in shock as well. One of the ponies he recognized however, so Elias squinted at her and gave her a small wave as he bent over to grab another bag.

“Evening Twilight,” he said gruffly, struggling slightly as he lifted a bag that felt like it was holding an entire couch in it.

The purple unicorn in question started from her stunned state and smiled widely.

“Hey Elias, you’re looking better.”

The human grunted as he slung a bag over his shoulder.

“Just what I get for eating three meals a day. Back for more about Earth?”

Twilight’s eyes lit up for a moment, and she almost nodded, then she drooped slightly.

“No, we’re here for Princess Celestia’s Hearth’s Warming party.” She blinked for a moment as Elias snagged another bag from the snow. “Wait, why do I sound so sad about that? I’m here for Princess Celestia’s Hearth’s Warming party!” she said cheerfully. “Though I’m kind of surprised that you’re here Elias, I thought the princesses gave the guard off for Hearth’s Warming.”

Elias nodded as he swiped the last bag from the ground. With Twilight talking to him, the rest of the ponies seemed to lose their nervousness, though one of them was staring at him like he just ate their dog, while two of them, an orange one and a blue one, looked like they wanted to pick a fight. One was staring at him in a strange manner that he didn’t recognize, which caused the lizard-boy to eye him with jealousy. Finally, a vaguely familiar looking pink one looked like she was going to jump him. With all of their luggage in hand however, Elias doubted that that was going to happen. Elias nodded toward the gatehouse and they began walking inside, with the chatter resuming quietly behind him as Elias talked with Twilight.

“They did, but I don’t have anything better to do, so I’m out working. Might as well.”

Twilight frowned.

“You haven’t made any friends to celebrate Hearth’s Warming with?”

Elias shifted the weight in his hands so that he could toss the cigarette that had reached the filter. He made sure to flick the ember-ridden thing into a snowbank. He sniffed and rubbed at his nose before he shifted the luggage back.

“From what I read, Hearth’s Warming is about family, and I didn’t want to impose on anyone, so I stayed here. If had known about the party and all that, I’d have probably left to find a bench to sleep on or something. It would be cold, but hey, I’d live.”

‘Probably’, he kept to himself.

Twilight’s frown remained unwavering.

“I mean, technically you’re right, but Hearth’s Warming can be more than just about family. After all, I brought all of my friends with me to celebrate!”

Elias eyed the group and snorted.

“Maybe, but tell me, are they just your “friends” or are they more than that? Can you honestly tell me that you don’t care for them just a little bit more than as friends?”

Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but then she stopped. Her frown returned as she remained in thought all of the way up to the castle doors. Elias easily shoved them open with his shoulders, holding the door so that everyone could get inside. The entryway was lit, but unoccupied. Elias had no doubt that the ponies knew where they needed to be, so he set down the luggage to the side of the door, leaving it ajar so that he could exit into the snow once more. Twilight was still frowning in thought. She sighed loudly.

“Wow, I can’t believe one little sentence stumped me so well. I tried to compare my relationships with Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, all of my friends, and Spike, and I think I have an answer.”

She looked at Elias, who was relishing the interior heat for the moment.

“I guess you’re absolutely right Elias, I do value my friends more than just being friendly. I’m sorry that you haven’t found anypony like that.”

Elias shrugged as he tried to keep his internal pain from his face.

“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine alone. It’s two days, I think I can make do.”

The white unicorn with the purple mane who was giving him a strange look suddenly got far too close.

“Nonesense darling,” she said with a strange accent. “I am more than sure that the princesses wouldn’t mind if we brought such a strong, capable stallion such as yourself to our little party.”

The unicorn winked at him, and it briefly occurred to Elias what was happening.

“I know I certainly wouldn’t mind being good friends with one as… muscular as yourself.” Her eyes drifted up and down his body as she spoke, and if Elias was a more thoughtful man, he might have cared.

Elias snorted and took a step away from the pony.

“Now I’m no expert on pony culture, but I think it’s more than a little weird for somebody to be hitting on a nineteen-year-old, so I’m just going to go back outside,” he said, pointing a thumb at the still open door, leaking heat and light into the cold night.

The white unicorn blanched visibly, and her mouth flapped as she tried to stammer a response. The orange and blue ponies both snickered however, and the lizard, which Elias imagined was the one named Spike, looked relieved. What that said about his age, Elias didn’t know, and he didn’t particularly care. The encountered was already beginning to wear thin, and he was warm enough to survive outside for a little bit longer. Seeing the awkward lull in the conversation as an opportunity, Elias made his way toward the doors, slipping outside just as a tall white form appeared at the top of the staircase. He slipped the door quietly as he heard a chorus of greetings and laughter as the princesses entered the foyer. He made sure the door jamb closed silently before he began trudging back to his guard box. The wind seemed to roar in his ears as he walked, and Elias felt a particularly nasty chill race up his spine as he tugged the cloak tighter around his chest.

*****

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight called out as she raced to embrace her mentor.

Luna frowned as she watched the doors slip closed. Elias had outmaneuvered her without even trying. He had acted on her prediction to help the Elements inside, but as she and her sister entered the front hall, he had subtly disappeared, sliding out the open door to the frigid outside. Luna was fairly sure that Celestia hadn’t even noticed the human, and she thought it unlikely that any of the Elements would discuss him for long once the party truly got under way. The opportunity to drag him inside for warmth and cuddles had came and went, and Luna had no idea how to act upon her instinct to help him now.

“Luna? Are you alright?” Celestia asked, her voice worried.

Luna shook herself from her stupor and looked around to find everyone staring at her. She smiled weakly.

“Yes ‘Tia, I am quite alright. Just… thinking.”

Celestia tutted and dragged Luna into a warm embrace.

“Now Luna, you know better than to be thinking about your duties at a time like this. It’s Hearth’s Warming after all!”

Luna tried to pull away from her older sister, but quickly found herself being hugged by Twilight and her friends as well. She blushed slightly, then accepted her fate as she rubbed against her sister’s chest fluff. Though she felt much more relaxed, a small thought wriggled at the back of her mind that Elias should be experiencing this, that he should be sharing in the wonderous companionship she was enjoying. If she wanted to solve the problem however, she needed to make sure nobody was worried about her.

Luna pulled away from the hug with a smile. She waved her horn and all of the luggage stacked in the entryway disappeared, teleported to their respective suites.

“Come!” she proclaimed trotting toward the prepared party room, “There is much celebrating that needs doing! We have made many baked goods!”

Everyone gave a cheer and they all began to chatter as they walked toward the party. Luna cast one last glance at the sealed doors, her mind working on a method to get Elias into position for maximum love and friendship.

*****

“Come on you fucking thing,” Elias hissed, “you worked twice tonight, and you can work one more time. It will be the last one, I swear, then you can be as broken as you like.”

The lighter remained dead in his numb fingers, oblivious to Elias’ bargaining. It had steadily gotten colder since he went outside. The wind seemed to howl in his ears, and Elias regretted not being more prepared. He had no hat to cover his head, no pants or stockings to cover his legs, and the cloak seemed thinner and thinner with each gust of wind. Elias growled as the flint tore away a piece of thumb flesh as he tried to light it. Anger rose hot in his mind, and Elias slammed the worthless lighter into the equally worthless brazier. The unlit cigarette quickly followed, all unlit, all worthless.

Elias wiped away some ice that had crusted to his beard. Months of not shaving had netted him a fully-grown face of hair, not that it kept him any warmer. Elias briefly considered going inside to brood in his room, but after checking his watch to find that it was only just past ten, he decided he could wait out the cold for a little while longer. Elias searched the dark streets before him for something to hate, but quickly found nothing. The street seemed calm, almost peaceful. There were no more last-minute shoppers, no ponies at all really. Even in the land of magic and rainbows, Elias had expected at least one lonely soul to be wandering like himself, but there were none. Each door in sight was closed, and in each window a single candle sat, giving the only light on the pitch back night.

Elias let out a pained gasp as everything seemed to slow. The wind died down, going from a raging howl to a nonexistent whisper. The snow still fell, but instead of the tiny flakes that found their way into his eyes, large, graceful flakes descended from the sky. They floated softly through the air, and Elias poked his head out of the guard box to get a better look. In a childlike sense of wonder, Elias looked up to the sky, seeing something he had only ever read about. He couldn’t remember ever willingly going outside in the snow, and he certainly never remembered it looking like this.

Like a million stars the snow fell, glinting softly off of the candles in every window. It shouldn’t have been enough light, but for once, Elias could see in the dark. Everything seemed crystal clear. Like it was by design. Elias stuck out his tongue, catching a flake or two. His breath produced a cloud in the dark air, and Elias chuckled softly as he watched it dissipate. The cold seemed distant now. Everything felt rather distant.

A strange feeling twinged in Elias’ chest; an extremely unfamiliar one. Elias let out a cough, trying to dislodge whatever was stuck in his throat, but when it didn’t fade away, he attributed it to something else. Elias then tried pacing, thinking perhaps it was a result of the cold air that seemed to burn his nose with every breath. That didn’t help either, if anything, the feeling grew stronger, creating an unknown urge.

Elias leaned against the castle wall, blowing clouds of fog into the air, and he watched with fascination as they faded away. He wondered briefly what that felt like. To simply dissipate, to fade into nothing. Elias smiled at the thought, then frowned. His mind was quiet, yet it felt at conflict with itself, as if two powers were warring for control. Elias ignored it as another symptom of exposure. The thought to go back inside popped up once more, quickly countered by the wish to not disturb the Hearth’s Warming party that was likely shining brightly through one of the castle windows.

Elias wandered over to the brazier, blowing into his hands to get them to uncurl enough to grab his lighter and cigarette. This time, the lighter came on with the second flick, and Elias was able to light the cigarette with ease. He tucked the lighter back into his belt as he took a long pull on the cigarette, staring blankly into the dark. The quiet was deafening, though Elias felt that it didn’t have to be. Sure, the calm darkness was beautiful, but there were other things that could be beautiful. Song for one.

Elias blinked as a warm rush of pleasant memories filtered across his mind. Each one involved a song of some kind, children’s songs to teach the abc’s, drinking songs to celebrate great victories, shoddily written bardic songs from a married couple who wanted to start up a circus; a hell of a feat for the post apocalypse, but more to them. One song seemed to stand out though, a Christmas song. Normally Elias would drive such a disgusting thing as far from his mind as possible. This had always been a dark time of year, whether it was called Christmas, or Hearth’s Warming, Elias should hate it, but the song that was slowly worming forward in his thoughts was one of a better time, when he still had everything he wanted in life. Peace, a family, friends, his innocence. A time when blood didn’t have to be shed, when he could smile and laugh without having to worry about the ever-present enemy that threatened to take everything away. It was a time when he was young, when his sisters were young, when his dad wasn’t bitter at his lot in life, and when his mother smiled day after day, always happy, always a shining spot in his life.

Elias felt his chest tighten as he realized that he wouldn’t find that sensation again. He had destroyed the opportunity. He had hurt Book Binder irreparably. Had said words, that when spoken, could never be taken back and could only fester as regret, weighing down an already leaden heart. Elias felt his legs weaken and he slumped against the wall. The half-smoked cigarette dangled perilously from his lips, and only a last second burst of energy caught it before it could fall to the snow. Then Elias decided to let it fall anyway. He didn’t want it, didn’t want anything except to sleep. He was done, he had no reason to push on, no motivation to continue fighting for his own existence. After all, it was because of Night Flash and Book Binder that he had friends at all, and with them gone, the rest of his friends would likely follow. He was alone again, and the feeling cut him to the core. Desperation and a sense of loss crept over him, and Elias wanted to do nothing more than collapse, to let the snow claim him. It would make the night completely silent.

Heh, silent night. Elias smirked as the old song rose in his mind. The feeling in his chest returned with renewed vigor, shoving away the thoughts of desperation. Elias straightened from his slump, brushing the ice from his beard as he leaned against the castle wall, blowing a cloud into the night sky. How did that song go again? He could vaguely remember the tune, but the words were all but lost to time. Elias was fairly sure he could remember the first line though.

“Si - lent night,” Elias said more than sang.

He snorted at the sound of his voice. To say it sounded rough was an understatement, but the feeling in his chest seemed to want him to continue, so continue he did. The lyrics for the second line popped into his head as if somebody was feeding him the words.

“Ho – ly night,” Elias sang.

Elias spat out a fat glob of phlegm as he tried to clear his throat. It was getting there, and Elias swore he could hear bells. Maybe that was just the ringing in his ears. He paused, looking around to see if anyone was watching him make a fool of himself, but upon finding nobody, Elias shrugged and began to pace as the song rose in his mind, and he continued to sing, his voice growing stronger with every word.

*****

Luna smiled widely as Applejack and Rainbow Dash raced to chug their mugs of cider. She and Pinkie Pie had a running pool of who would be victorious, and while the party pony had put her bits on the blue pegasus, Luna was more than confident that the pony with apple in her name could down the apple cider the fastest. She grinned with savage delight as Applejack slammed down another mug, scooping up the next one in the same movement as she began to pump it back.

“Come on Dashie!” Pinkie cheered. “Gummy needs a new pair of slippers!”

Rainbow Dash redoubled her efforts, slamming down her own mug as she began chugging rapidly at the second. Luna watched in horror as she caught up to Applejack with ease, the two resuming their neck and neck race. Luna growled at the farm pony.

“Do think fair Applejack, a happy princess could do much to help a simple farmer expand her crop. There are many ancient spells meant to increase crop yields, and these methods have been lost to the ages. They could be granted however, to a certain pony who won their princess a large sum of bits.”

Applejack increased her efforts as well, taking the lead once more as she moved onto the next mug. Luna eyed them carefully; three left. If she could motivate the farm pony a little more, the victory, and the bits would be hers. The money was of import to her. That, and Luna just really wanted to win. She had been eyeing a certain set of stockings during her nightly wanderings, and she wanted to buy them strictly off the books. She did not need Celestia teasing her for her comfortable, but quite provocative, purchase. The stockings were the most lovely shade of red though, and the lace at the top, the way they would hug her thighs…

Luna tried to erase the blush that had crept to her face as she focused on motivating her drinking champion. She opened her mouth to give the farmer more incentive; then, as if appearing from nowhere, Luna felt a familiar twinge in her chest. The game was suddenly forgotten, and her head swiveled toward the window as her ears strained to find a trace of the song being sung. Luna sprang to her feet, distracting Applejack as Rainbow Dash secured the victory. She and Pinkie cheered loudly, and Luna teleported the bag of bits to their side of the table without a second thought or moment of protest as she began trotting toward the window, searching in the snow for a sign of the source of the song. It was low in intensity, but it still felt powerful, as if it was struggling against another force. The song was beginning to swell, and Luna had an idea of who was the source of the conflict.

She stared out the window intently as she searched, looking for a sign of light that would lead her to the human. Celestia was quickly at her side, followed by most of Twilight’s friends.

“Is something wrong Luna?” Celestia asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Luna frowned deeply as a nasty gust of wind brushed against the glass. She looked to the assembled ponies.

“Elias, the guard that assisted you inside, did he give any indication of where he was going?”

Twilight shook her head.

“Not really, he just said he was going back outside and then left.”

Celestia looked between the two.

“Elias is here? Why? He should have had Hearth’s Warming off with the rest of our guards.”

Luna nodded.

“He decided to conduct his normal duties. The ponies I would have thought would take him home evidently fought with him over the very subject. He believes that he has permanently alienated them, and is therefore alone tonight. It would seem it is causing a measure of conflict within the man, and he has managed to tap into the ambiance of song. I merely wish to ensure that he is not meeting his death as we speak.”

“It is mighty chilly out there,” Applejack said. “And he looked a bit worse for wear, if ya don’t mind me sayin’. He didn’t have no meat on his bones, and if ah saw right, he didn’t have no fur neither.”

Luna nodded as she let the sensation in her chest guide her vision. Clearly, she was the only one connected to the human’s song, so she should be able to target his position by testing where the magic was the strongest. Only when she faced the gatehouse did it reach its peak. If she had less control, she might have begun singing right there; but the unfamiliarity of the song lyrics, so organized and impersonal, at least for her, let Luna remain in control enough to speak her next words as she prepared a minor teleportation spell.

“I shall not be long, and I will not require assistance. Please, return to your merriment, I shall send for help if I need it.”

And then she disappeared, reappearing just outside the window. She narrowed her eyes to keep the snow out as she flapped violently to stay in the air. When the ice drove her to ground, Luna scanned the air, looking for the tell-tale signs of a hostile power. The average snowfall, no matter how cold, could not drive an alicorn from flight. It took her a few moments, but she found the red eyes just as the wendigo let a howl split the peaceful sky. Nobody could likely hear it besides herself and its potential food source. Luna sent a praise of thanks to the Keepers for forcing song magic into Elias as she began to fight her way through the growing snow drifts. She needed to be quick, if she didn’t reach the human before the song ended, the wendigo would sweep away what little harmony had found its way into his heart, and the beast would likely kill him.

To make the magic in the air more powerful, Luna let her voice join in.

“Sleep in heav – en – ly peace, Sleep in heav – en – ly peace.”

The solo became a duet, and the air seemed to still as she pushed forward. Luna ignored the pained howls of the wendigo as she ran. She needed to reach him. She held her head high, let her strong vocal cords sing high into the night, her tones perfect as she moved.

*****

Elias was surprised when the bells changed to become a second voice. Maybe it was the cold seeping into his bones, but Elias felt mesmerized by the sound. It sounded familiar, and so wonderfully beautiful. It carried a haunting tone to it, and each note was sung in a perfect key to harmonize with his singing. Whoever she was, Elias felt that he really wanted to meet her face to face. By comparison, his voice sound rough, tripping and stumbling over the tones as he tried his best to keep the lyrics in his head. The song was human damnit, why did it feel like his mind was freezing every other line? It didn’t really matter now; he didn’t really know the entire song, and the lyrics in his head seemed to repeat the first verse anyway, so he started from the beginning.

“Si - lent night.”

Elias felt a long shiver play down his body. The air in his lungs seemed to freeze as he struggled to continue. Was it getting colder? Elias didn’t know, and he felt content to try and sit down to huddle for warmth. The thought of going inside never even crossed his mind as he began to freeze.

“H-h-holy…”

Elias felt his teeth chatter, biting away the second half of the lyric. The music seemed to hang by a thread in the air, and the cold crept in. Elias closed his eyes and tried to breathe warmth into his hands. It was so cold, and Elias swore he could hear wolves howling. The ice crept up his legs as the snow piled on his quivering shoulders. For a brief moment, Elias felt like he was at death’s door, and he welcomed the sensation. That is, until she arrived.

He felt her first, her very presence stopping the snow fall, bringing with it warmth, and a feeling of security. Elias looked at her from beneath his frozen-on helmet, shivering violently as he struggled to keep breathing. Luna smiled sadly at him as that angelic voice came from her mouth.

“All is calm,” she sang sweetly, “All is bright.”

The chill seemed to ease, and Elias found warm air in his lungs once more. Though he still shivered, he was able to continue as the lyrics rose again in his mind.

“R-round yon vir – gin, mother and child.”

Luna’s smile widened as she continued.

“Ho – ly In – fant so ten – der and mild.”

The wind howled in his ears, and Elias curled tighter into his ball. The song hung in the air again, and Elias felt cold touch at his heart. A gasp of pain escaped his chest as the muscle began to palpitate. Only a soft touch on his shoulder brought Elias back from the brink. The Elias felt that it was supposed to be his turn, Luna sang the next lyric for him.

“Sleep in heav – en – ly peace!” she sang brightly, her hoof extended toward him.

“S-sleep in heav – en – ly peace,” Elias finished softly, his voice just above a whisper.

The air seemed to return to normal as he finished, and the howling behind the wind died. Elias took a chilling breath and promptly passed out against the alicorn to his left.

*****

Luna let out a long sigh as she watched the human fall into unconsciousness. The wendigo had let out a spine shattering howl as it lost its meal, but it vanished upon the completion of the song. As a result, Elias was still alive, but only barely. His armor and clothing were coated in a thin layer of ice, as was his red facial hair. She would check him further once inside, but Luna suspected that the damage was severe. She ran quickly after placing the human on her back, keeping him tucked safely beneath her wings.

She hit the castle doors at a dead run, slamming them closed with a thought as she ran toward the nearest in-use fireplace. Another set of doors barred her path, and these she slammed through as well. She eyed the fireplace in the party room briefly, then continued her run, opting to take Elias somewhere more private. If he woke up, he would cause issues if he continued the inane thought of “being a burden”. It would be better to nip the issue in the bud so that she could care for him swiftly and efficiently.

Her run was not fast enough however, and Luna quickly found herself being hounded as her sister and the Elements began to pelt her with questions. Unfortunately, her sister decided to take direct action, and block her from the door that would lead to her bedroom.

“My word, Luna, where was he to end up in such a state?” Celestia asked, her voice cutting through the myriad of inane questions.

“Outside, by the gate,” Luna responded shortly, dipping around her sister. “A wendigo was attempting to make a feast of the man’s internal strife. We should have continued the ancient hunt for the ugly beasts. The blood of its kin on the castle steps would have kept it away.”

Celestia waved for the Elements to remain in place as she caught up with Luna, falling in beside her as they ran toward her room.

“What is the source of such strife? You said he had conflict with his friends, but that shouldn’t have been on a level to attract a wendigo, especially not to the heart of Canterlot.”

Luna threw open her door, casting a small fireball into her fireplace as she levitated a whirlwind of pillows and blankets onto the floor before it. She stripped away Elias’ armor and weaponry as she laid the human down gently, tucking a thick blanket made of gryphon feathers over his body. Luna frowned when the human didn’t move at all, his face an abnormal pale, even for him.

“I know not sister, but I shall find out when he awakens. As it stands, he will likely be uncomfortable with the attentions of too many ponies. I have no wish to draw more wendigos here, so I, and I alone will nurse him to health.”

Celestia gave her a light nuzzle, which Luna gratefully returned.

“Are you sure?” Celestia asked. “Perhaps he just needs more friends to brighten his spirits. He knows Twilight well enough.”

Luna shook her head and sighed.

“Nay, he does not. I have gained much insight into how he thinks by observing him these past months, and if I know the Guardsman well enough, he will try to push even me away. In all likelihood he will make some false claim about he was “fine” and how it was only a minor chill that could have stolen the life from his body.”

Celestia smiled and rolled her eyes.

“Sounds like somepony I know. Far too stubborn for her own good, likes doing things her way, sound familiar?”

Luna snorted dismissively and waved her hoof.

“Do not make light of me at this time sister. You may poke your fun when I do not have to focus so on the Guardsman’s health.”

Her tone softened as she looked at Celestia.

“But could you please bring some food, and check if we need company occasionally? I do not wish for this night to be ruined by events out of our control.”

Celestia nodded.

“Of course, Luna, I will check every hour, and I will tell Twilight and the girls that everything is fine, Elias merely fell asleep and grew ill. It will set them at ease if nothing else.”

Luna nodded.

“Thank you, sister, now if you will excuse me, I shall check on his condition.”

Celestia gave her one last squeeze before she left the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Luna sighed as she lifted the blanket away, scooting Elias a bit closer to the fire so that he would warm faster while she checked on him. Luna frowned at his soaking wet clothing, and with a wave of her horn, she burned all of it away. All of it. Luna flushed furiously as she checked his genitals for frostbite, and when she found none, Luna quickly covered them with a pillow. She took a few deep breaths to avoid collapsing from embarrassment, then she continued her check-up.

His toes were largely black with frostbite, but a powerful healing spell brought them back to life. Luna was even pleased to see a few of the digits wiggle lightly as she checked them with her hooves, ensuring that the magic had done its job. Next came the hands, which were in a similar state. Luna repeated her procedure, healing, then checking the fingers to make sure they were fully healed. Luna then moved her inspection upward. Elias’ face, while incredibly pale, was surprisingly free of frostbite, and she attributed it to the harmony magic that had found its way inside, and then out again through his song.

Luna briefly pondered that song as she checked the rest of his body for frostbite. It clearly had significant meaning to Elias, as she had never heard anything of its likeness in all of her years. It had also been unlike a usual harmonious song. They were usually very specific in intent, directed directly at whatever strife was hidden deep in the singer’s heart, yet Elias’ had seemed to come from his head. It was almost as if it had been written beforehand, and then he had remembered it, causing a reaction with Equestria’s ambient magic when he began to sing. She couldn’t dismiss the idea as strange, as standard ambient magics had no effect on the human. Perhaps she had found an avenue to connect the human to the lifeblood of her ponies, but she could only test that theory with time.

Elias groaned lightly as he stirred, his blue eyes gazing at her hazily.

“P-… Princess? What…?”

Luna resisted the urge to swipe him in the back of the head.

“You fell unconscious while outside. I brought you to my bedroom to warm you up, you nearly froze to death.”

Just as she predicted, Elias rolled over and tried to push himself up.

“Y-you d-didn’t need to do that,” Elias said through his shivers. “I-it wasn’t e-even that cold out.”

Luna watched calmly as he got to his feet, and as he began looking toward the door, Luna immediately lifted him into the air. He grunted heavily as she laid him back down on the rug in front of the fire. She then grabbed another thick, black blanket from her bed and draped it over the human. Finally, she resettled his temporary pillow bed, fluffing them out as she laid him down.

Elias remained silent, and Luna was forced to suppress a giggle as he pulled the blanket tighter around his body. Normally he seemed so collected, even when in great pain, yet now the human looked positively adorable as he shivered. He inched himself toward the fire, holding his pale hands toward the flame. Luna watched with fascination as they slowly uncurled as he warmed the digits up. Even with the added heat and blankets, the human was still shivering too much, so Luna did the only thing she could think of to warm his body up faster.

Luna moved silently, sitting behind the human, her fur only inches from his covered back. She remained unnoticed as the human focused on the fire. With a small push of magic, coupled with her large wings, she dragged Elias to her chest, making sure that every part of his freezing body was covered with her warm, fuzzy one. For a brief moment, he didn’t protest, simply sighing as her plush chest fluff pressed against his back. The moment ended as he warmed up however, and Elias tried to squirm away.

“Princess… I don’t… think this is necessary,” he said between chatters. “I-I’ll be fine in a minute.”

Luna tightened her wings around his body, pinning the man’s arms to his chest.

“Elias, this is absolutely necessary. You could have died in that cold, and if I hadn’t come to rescue you, you may well have. What would Book Binder and Night Flash think if you perished in the cold on Hearth’s Warming Eve?”

Elias stopped moving, and for a second, Luna thought he had simply accepted his fate to be snuggled to warmth and happiness. Then she heard a small sob. Elias pressed against her, burying his face in her chest fur as he cried. Her instincts took over, and Luna wrapped her hooves around the man. She stroked his hair like she had seen Book Binder do, and she rocked him back and forth, trying to comfort him. She had meant it as a light, playful statement, and had expected the usual bitter, almost angry reply, not this.

Luna was at a loss of what to say, of how to comfort him. The brief idea to joke about catching him singing popped into her mind, but she shoved it away. It would only make the situation worse. This was clearly a moment of weakness for the man, and mocking him in a way that would further damage his pride would drive him away from her, not closer. Thinking of nothing better, Luna just silently rocked the man back and forth, levitating a few more blankets and pillows around him for comfort. She constructed a fortress of soft things that she hoped would bring the man comfort.

It took some time, but eventually, his tears slowed, and Elias once again attempted to pull away. Luna didn’t let him free, instead opening her wings so that she could lay her head on top of his in an attempt to calm him down. As she continued to softly rock the human, Luna couldn’t help but smell his hair. While nowhere near as sweet smelling as a pony, it had its own positive qualities. Perhaps she had a bias from her personal experiences with Elias, but it was almost as if she could smell his strength, as well as the intense pain he kept below the surface. It had the bite of salt, while the sadness of his tears seemed a bit sweeter. She could even detect a bit of iron, no doubt from some long-healed injury. Luna found that she really enjoyed the smell, but wished it stemmed from happiness, rather than internal pain.

Luna cleared her throat softly, not letting Elias wriggle free as she spoke.

“Elias, while I respect your right to privacy, I think you would feel better if you spoke of what is truly troubling you. This is not the result of a simple argument, and I do not wish to see you hurting so on Hearth’s Warming Eve.”

She was rather surprised when he answered immediately. She had expected to have to pry something from him.

“I have this… horrible feeling inside Princess,” Elias said numbly, staring blankly at the fire. “You said I could have died, but the more I think about it, the more I’m thinking that I was trying to. I tried to kill myself by exposure tonight.”

The words made Luna stiffen as a chill ran down her spine. It was a nasty admission, and Luna felt her eyes drift to the window where the wind began to howl loudly. She pulled the human a little tighter against her chest as the air seemed to grow colder.

“Why Elias?” Luna asked as she stoked the fire, driving the orange flames higher. “I had thought things were getting better for you. Until tonight you have seemed almost happy, especially when you were with Night Flash and Book Binder. What could you have done to bring you so low?”

Elias sniffled, and he again tried to scoot away. Luna swatted the back of his head and dragged him close again.

“Cease your senseless struggles and answer the question Guardsman,” Luna said irritably.

She felt the human shiver, and Luna winced internally as she rubbed his back softly, switching tactics.

“Please Elias, more than you know has happened this night, and you cannot bottle these emotions away. They are eating at you, even I can see that. Speak, it will help.”

Elias sniffled again.

“It’s all been a lie Princess. I’ve been putting on a brave face for the sake of everyone around me, but things haven’t been getting better, they’ve been getting worse.”

A trace of a whimper crept into his voice.

“I love Book Binder and Night Flash to death, but maybe that’s the problem. I feel like I haven’t been in control, and my night terrors have been getting steadily worse. I used to have one a night, but for the past three weeks I’ve been getting three or four every single time I go to sleep. It doesn’t matter how tired I get, or who’s beside me, it doesn’t help.”

He clenched his fists as he extended an arm at the fire.

“And I know why; it’s because I know what’s going to happen, and I’d rather die than see it again.”

Luna stroked his hair.

“What is going to happen Elias? What could possibly drive you to these lengths to escape it?”

Elias remained silent, shaking his head as he stared at the fire with dead eyes. Luna sighed, and shifted her questioning.

“Is it still the same reoccurring night terror?”

“No,” he whispered softly in reply.

He sounded like he was on the verge of crying again. Luna rubbed his back as she laid longways beside him, covering his torso with her wing as she laid her head on his neck.

“Tell me. What new threat haunts your dreams?”

She felt Elias curl in on himself, but he still answered, his voice choked with pain.

“It’s the same setting, the same motions, but all of the faces… they changed. I don’t see my old friends anymore, don’t hear their screams.”

“Then who?” Luna asked simply.

Elias whimpered softly.

“Night Flash, Book Binder, Scarlet, Scalpel, Chaser, Nightshade.”

He paused, as if holding something back. Luna gently prodded him, whispering in his ear.

“Go on Elias, who else?”

He refused to look at her.

“You,” he said softly.

Luna was surprised when he began to cry again. Once more, she had no words, had not thought they were even close. It was by his own declaration that they were not friends, and Luna looked back through her recent memory to find a moment where Elias could have begun caring about her. She found little of note; a small chase over medicine, his assistance in scouting her castle, a scolding or two over his injuries, a note about his nudity. Luna smiled lightly at the memory of that day. It had been a series of highs and lows, but she found it a good memory nonetheless.

Perhaps it was then? Or perhaps it was the professional relationship they had established, a rock of calmness in his life. She was never threatened, rarely involved with him really, but she was always there, ready to step in if she needed to push the human back on track. Night after night when he stood guard; by her bedroom, by her throne, and even by her side. Was that it? He valued her for being a constant in his life?

Elias shook himself from his crying, and a bitter anger slipped into his tone as he spoke.

“You, you and everyone else I know dead in some violent, bloody manner. Dead in a ditch with who left to watch it all?

His fist hit his chest with an angry thump.

“Me. Only me. The lone survivor once more. Then I die as well, a hole in my heart as I collapse in a puddle of my own pain and blood.”

He sniffed as Luna stroked his hair once more.

“I just wanted to go quietly. No screams of pain, no blood, no watching everyone I love and care about die. I just… I wanted a quiet death, and tonight, I almost found one.”

Luna let out a deep sigh as she stared down at the human. Though he wouldn’t look up, she could still see a burning anger in his eyes.

“Do you still want that death Elias? Tonight?”

Elias shook his head.

“No,” he replied, “because you made me think about how everyone else would feel. I was being a selfish coward tonight, trying to die in a cowardly manner. What could of man would I have died as if you hadn’t come out to save me?”

He shifted so that he could look up at Luna. Luna loved the blues of his eyes, so brilliant and shining. She did not love the agony she saw in them, and she silently made a vow to erase as much of that pain as possible.

“Can you imagine how Book Binder would feel if she stumbled on my frozen corpse? The grief might kill her.”

Elias whimpered softly.

“She loves me that much, and I can’t even go to her for help, for anything. Too much of a coward to let her be my mother, too much of a coward to go with her for Hearth’s Warming. She’s so much stronger than I am. Everyone is. I’m a pathetic coward.”

Luna felt a flash of anger at his self-deprecation.

“Elias Bright listen well to my words,” she said, her voice commanding his attention. “You are not weak; you are not a coward. This wallowing will not stand, I will not allow it. This talk shall end here, and if I must, I shall make it an order.” Her voice softened as she tried to make him relax against her once more. “You are strong Elias, stronger than you, or anypony else knows. You are strong because you are so very young, and you have been alone for far too much of your life. It is only now that you are finding happiness in a stable, peaceful environment that you have become afraid.”

Luna stroked his back, and she felt his muscles untense as her hoof ran across his bare flesh.

“You have spent so much of your life in loss Elias, I do not need an accounting of your past to see that much. Now that you have built yourself up again, you fear losing it all again. I understand Elias, I truly do, but your fears are unjustified. Equestria is a land of peace, and pushing away your friends is not needed anymore. Maybe in the past, but here, now, you need these relationships Elias, they help keep you strong.”

Luna laid her chin on his shoulder.

“I cannot make these feelings go away Elias, only you can do that, but please, if you ever have thoughts of this nature again, come to me. It does not matter the time of day, nor what I am doing, I will make the time for you.”

“Okay,” Elias said softly.

He sat in contemplative silence for a moment, staring at the fire. Luna stroked and petted him, seeking to make him as relaxed and calm as possible. As they sat in silence, Luna falsely believed he had drifted to sleep, but his voice was clear as he asked;

“Princess, do you believe in an afterlife?”

A poignant question to ask, but an easy one for her to answer.

“Of course I do Elias. All ponies, all creatures do. Do you not?”

Elias shrugged.

“I don’t know. Humans have nothing but stories to go on. No magic, no evidence to the existence of anything beyond what we can see and touch. The sun and moon move on their own. Nature is wild and requires a fist to be tamed. Humans are warriors, and the environment was just another enemy for us to conquer. When we succeeded, we turned on each other. A million cultures all with different views of what happens after death. Reincarnation, heaven, hell, a different word in every language for each.”

He snorted softly.

“I know about so many different afterlives. I’m not sure if any of them are real, and part of me doesn’t want any of them to be.”

Luna shifted slightly so that Elias’ legs were intertwined with hers. If the human noticed, he did not shift to avoid her. Luna felt a small smile creep across her face as her fur brushed against his lightly haired legs. He couldn’t escape with pinned legs, and if she could keep him talking, perhaps she could convince him to join in a larger snuggle pile.

“Would you like to hear of our afterlife? Perhaps it would help set your mind at ease.”

Elias shrugged again, remaining vocally silent. Luna took it as a yes.

“For all the sentient creatures of Equus, death is merely a journey. One gives up their mortal body and travels to the court of the Keepers of Harmony. Here, their soul is judged according to the virtues of the Keepers, and they are given one of three paths. For those who lived their lives by virtue, they go to the Verdant Fields. Here, they are happy for all eternity, reunited with old friends and family, while also free to make an infinite number of new friends. The sun always shines, and the night sky is always beautiful.”

“So it’s heaven,” Elias said, nodding. “And this is real? You have proof?”

Luna smiled and nodded.

“Indeed, I do. I have personally visited with the Keepers, as all true alicorns have. Our immortality was granted to us by the Council, as were all of our powers and duties.”

Luna stared into the fireplace as she remembered the ages old memory.

“My sister and I went together, becoming alicorns so that we could watch and grow our kingdom into a place of joyous harmony across the millennia. As was our duty, just as important as raising the celestial bodies. I am a princess for a reason you know.”

Elias snorted, and Luna moved on.

“The second path is the middle ground, for those who may have lived a dishonorable life, but not necessarily an evil one. These souls can attempt to gain entry to the Verdant Fields via trial, or they can plead with the Keepers for a second chance. They are allowed to reincarnate, memoryless, and they try their life again.”

Luna checked to ensure Elias was still listening, and found him watching her intently. She continued.

“Most succeed on this second chance, and they gain immediate entrance to the Verdant Fields upon their second death. It is just short of a compulsion to do good, and so they go through life living in harmony, and are justly rewarded.”

Elias nodded in silence.

“And what about the evil people? What about the ones who are beyond redemption?”

Luna could already see what he was trying to get at. She sighed and shook her head.

“Elias, you aren-“

“That’s not for you to decide,” he snapped. “What happens?”

Luna looked at the human sadly, but continued.

“For those beyond redemption, their souls are imprisoned within Tartarus, spending an eternity alone in a cage. They are routinely visited and punished by the Keepers for their evil acts.”

Elias nodded.

“That’s me then. If I go anywhere when I die, I’m going to Tartarus.”

Luna elected to ignore his self-loathing.

“What do you mean by “if”, Elias? Upon your death, you shall be judged, as all are. Such is life on Equus. It is a fact of living.”

“I don’t think so,” Elias replied. “Because if I remember correctly, a magical signature was a “fact of life” in your world too, and yet who’s lacking one?” He snorted dismissively. “I’m thinking it has less to do with magic, and more to do with the fact that your signatures are evidence for a soul. I have no signature, so it stands to reason that I also have no measurable soul. When I die, there will be nothing but a body lying in the dirt.”

He whimpered.

“And that terrifies me more than any punishment in hell.”

“Then why Elias?” Luna asked. “If you hold a fear of death, then why did you try to end your life prematurely?”

“Before? I don’t know, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Now? Book Binder and Night Flash don’t need to be thinking about me for eternity. I want them to forget me, and then they can find their happiness together.” He shook his head as anger began pouring from him. “How selfish have I been? Making friends, playing at being somebody’s son. I’m no better than a rapid dog, and if life wasn’t so cruel, I would have been put down a long time ago.”

He shivered, and Luna felt cold seep back into the air. She resisted the urge to growl as she sent a mental threat at the wendigos creeping about outside.

‘You shall not get this one beast,’ she challenged. ‘He is mine, and I will make him better.’

The human continued.

“By living, I’m only causing people pain, even if they don’t know it’s happening.”

Luna nuzzled his back. Maybe she could physically push love into his heart. Even if not, she at least enjoyed the sensation.

“Elias, please do not lose hope,” she said as she shifted, wrapping her tail around their intertwined legs. “You have an entire life ahead of you, and I know as a certainty that the Keepers will judge the entirety of your life. Soul or no, you are alive, and I have no doubts they will find you wherever you go after you die. One horrible act in the beginning can be erased with years of shared love and kindness.”

She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

“You have made such progress in improving yourself. No more are you the distant, quick to anger man that I found in the woods. You may not have noticed, but you have much greater restraint now, and much greater compassion. I shudder to think of what you will be like in twenty years.” She chuckled, prodding his ribs as she tried to force him to smile. “Maybe if you continue at the pace you are at, I can give my crown to you and retire. All hail Princess Bright, the first Human-Equestrian Princess.”

Elias snorted weakly, and Luna’s smiled widened as she saw him smirk.

“Do you think I’ll have to get the wings and the horn too?”

Luna nodded.

“Oh, I am more than sure you will have the entire package. You’ll be a fuzzy little pony princess, benevolent and kind to all of your soft, fuzzy subjects.”

Elias’ smirk turned into a grin.

“I think I’ll reinstate prima nocta. Maybe public executions too. No more petty thievery in this kingdom.”

Luna groaned loudly, and slapped the back of his head.

“You are insufferable. ‘Tia would have to put you on the moon for a thousand-year stint.”

She nuzzled the area she struck, relishing in a fresh whiff of his hair.

“But please do not throw your life away Elias, not based on fear. You have a soul; I can feel it. The Keepers will find you worthy if you keep pushing forward. You are close to finding true happiness, I know it. Just wait and see, enjoy your time with Book Binder and Night Flash. They love you so much.”

She felt a brief pang in her heart as she held the human close. Elias stared at the fire in silence once more, and Luna took the time to do a bit of friendly grooming. She conjured a magical brush and began to run it through his damp hair, straightening it out as she undid his hair tie. She wondered what he would look like clean shaven with short hair. It would probably make the human look roguish, and quite dashing. The longer she pictured the human with minute physical changes, the more she flushed, so Luna decided to clear her mind and focus on brushing his hair.

It blindsided her when he asked;

“Princess, are we friends?”

Luna had to try hard not to rip the brush from his head mid stroke. She took a deep breath, wondering briefly why he was full of deep questions today, and then she formulated her answer.

“Well,” she started carefully, “I would have to say no. You made yourself very clear when we shared a cell. Your words were “We are not friends, and we never will be.” Despite the ridiculous notions behind the statement, I have respected that wish and remained away, at least as best I could.”

Elias seemed to sink into the floor, and he tried to move away. A wing prevented that, ensuring that he stayed pressed against her chest fluff.

“Has that wish changed?” she asked with a knowing smile.

He would not have brought up the issue if he did not wish it to change. Friendship would be an important step, and Luna would be remiss if she didn’t take the opportunity to move him closer to her side.

“Yes,” he replied softly, curling in on himself, as if to hide from his admission.

Luna just smiled and felt her heart warm. Butterflies flew about in her stomach, but she attributed that to her light dinner. She nuzzled his neck softly.

“Then I would say that we are friends Elias. I think you are a wonderful, brave man, and I would be glad to have you closer in my life.” She watched him smile as she used a feather to tickle under his chin. “Besides,” she added playfully, “I could use a new human pillow. Book Binder may have ulterior motives for adopting you. You are very warm, and I must say, I am jealous that she gets you to bed with every day.”

Luna blushed heavily as she realized what she had just said. Elias didn’t seem to notice as he chuckled at her continued tickling. That only served to make her blush worse. Luna found that she liked hearing him laugh. She could listen to him laugh forever, but Luna let the feather fall away. She didn’t want to push the man too far.

“Can I ask a favor of you Princess?” Elias asked.

Luna resumed petting his hair.

“If we are friends, then it is Luna while in private. And of course, you can Elias. I wish to see you happy, and I will do anything to make it happen.”

Elias sighed.

“Please don’t tell Flash or Binder about what happened tonight.”

Luna frowned.

“Elias, it would be better to-“

“Please Luna, you can’t tell them,” he pleaded. “It would break Book Binder’s heart, and I wouldn’t be able to bear that.”

He tried to rise, but with his legs tangled with hers, as well as the hooves around his chest, and the wing draped over his body, the human couldn’t move much. This form of imprisonment seemed to make him squirm more as he tried to escape to plead his case. Unwilling to let the human free of her cuddles, Luna coaxed him down, rubbing his back and neck as she made him relax back into her grasp.

“Alright Elias,” Luna said softly, “I shall keep your secret, but only on the condition that you stay here tonight. I will not condemn a friend to spend Hearth’s Warming Eve alone. ‘Tia shall understand, I shall even have her bring us some food so that you may restore your strength.”

Elias nodded, and Luna almost cooed as he adjusted himself against her fur. She felt a hand grasp at her chest tuft, and the human’s face pressed against her neck.

“Okay, thank you Luna.”

Luna smiled and laid her head across his back.

“You are most welcome Elias. Now rest, I shall be here to ward away your nightmares.”

She lit her horn and cast a minor sleep spell on him, continuing to pet him as he drifted away into slumber. She then cast a minor warming spell, followed by an aura to ward away dreams of any kind. She didn’t know how well it would work, but she had to try something.

Once he began to snore, Luna rose, using a large pillow to temporarily take her place. She was pleased to note a look of discomfort from her disappearance, and Luna set to work quickly; to comfort the sleeping Elias of course. It certainly wasn’t because she enjoyed having the human pressed against her side.

Levitating several objects from around her room, Luna worked fast. She penned two letters, one to Celestia with the reason for her continued, and now permanent absence, as well as a petition for food to be brought to her room. Luna briefly considered asking her to bring a few ponies to snuggle with Elias, then a pang of jealousy touched her chest, and she left it out. She would hold Elias alone tonight.

As she sent the letter away, Luna wrote up the second one, with her destination already in mind; Book Binder. Luna kept her word to keep Elias’ suicide attempt a secret, but she heavily emphasized that the human missed both of the ponies. She asked Book Binder to be at the castle early to spend Hearth’s Warming day with Elias. After giving them his location, she sent the letter away.

Satisfied that the holiday would be saved for everyone, she levitated Elias into the air. She adjusted the pillows and blankets to make an appropriate bed for the both of them, adding a few of her personal affects in the mix to make it more comfortable, then Luna settled on her cozy throne, laying Elias down beside her. She gently removed the pillow from his grasp, then dragged the human to her side with a wing. The human sighed happily and buried his face in her chest fluff, causing Luna to giggle. She knew he wouldn’t be like this when he woke up, and it would likely be a very long time before she found herself close to the human at all. So she relished every bit of the contact, nuzzling his head as she drew in his scent.

A thin book levitated over from her nightstand. It was a childhood book of hers, a book that was only read during Hearth’s Warming. It would be a perfect read while she waited for her food. Luna smiled widely as Elias hugged her tightly, and she nuzzled his sleeping face before cracking open the cover as she began reading aloud softly.

“Twas Hearth’s Warming Eve, and all through the house, not a thing was stirring, not even a mouse…”

*****

Book Binder stared longingly out the window, the candle beside her face the only source of light in the room. She had abandoned her attempts to get in the holiday spirit hours ago; she just couldn’t put any heart in it. She had done her best, singing carols with her parents, cuddling up next to Night Flash as they talked and shared cookies, but it wasn’t complete. She missed her baby boy, even if he had said…

Book Binder shook her head as the words rose in her ears. She refused to believe them. They had just gotten so angry with each other, and he had said it to hurt her, nothing more. It was just an argument, it had to be. He was her son damnit, and even if she had to convince him, she would. She would do anything to have him with her.

She heard the door open and close softly as Night Flash crept into their shared room. Though his parents had offered space, they had decided to take up a temporary residence with her parents until they could buy their dream house. They had it picked out and everything, a lovely two-story townhouse that was painted a soft blue, near the edge of the city. The current occupant, a librarian Book Binder had studied with before she joined the guard, intended to move to Fillydelphia to work at a college there. She just needed to finish her tenure in Canterlot, but by summer, the house would be available, and thanks to some well-placed tea sessions, she had rekindled their friendship, as well as secured their bid on the house.

Night Flash rubbed her shoulders with his hooves, rubbing softly against her neck as he sighed and joined her.

“You miss him too?”

Book Binder sniffled.

“Of course I do Flash. I hate what happened between us, and I hate the fact that he isn’t here right now. I don’t know why he had to be so stubborn. It’s Hearth’s Warming! So what if it might have been awkward with my parents? Who bucking cares?” she cried.

Book Binder wiped her eyes as tears threatened to cloud her vision. She huffed as her chin hit the windowsill.

“I just want him here Flashy. It isn’t Hearth’s Warming if he isn’t here.”

Night Flash sighed and embraced her with his wings, laying his chin on her shoulder.

“I know Bindey, but we knew this might happen. It hurts, but maybe… Maybe we should just enjoy the time we spent together.”

Book Binder whimpered and closed her eyes. She didn’t want to enjoy the time they spent together, she wanted to spend more time together. She just wished there was some way to bring them back together, and soon. As if answering her prayers, she faintly heard a light pop, and Book Binder opened her eyes to see a rolled-up letter suspended in the air, the royal seal clear in the candlelight. Then the letter dropped. Right onto the candle’s flame.

Book Binder let out a cry of alarm as she snatched the paper up in her magic, trying to blow the flame out. Flash darted from the room, returning almost as quickly as he left. He had a cup of water in his hooves, and Book Binder quickly dipped the flaming corner of the scroll into the water, smothering the flame. She let out a sigh of relief, then cast a quick drying and preservation spell to mend the damage. It was ultimately minor, and once her spells had settled, Book Binder levitated the wrapped scroll before her eyes curiously.

“Why would Princess Luna send us a letter?” Night Flash asked as he sat beside her. “Do you think it’s some sort of emergency?”

Book Binder frowned and shrugged.

“I don’t think so, but there’s no way of knowing without opening it.”

She removed the seal, quickly unrolling the letter. Her eyes widened as she read it.

Dear Book Binder and Night Flash,

I hope this message finds you well. I hate to interrupt your Hearth’s Warming celebrations, but a matter has come up that I believe requires your concern. Elias has fallen ill due to some ill-conceived notions that he does not wish shared. I have made a promise not to speak of them, and would ask that you ask him yourselves. For the night, he shall remain in my care, but he misses you greatly, and I believe that it would be of great help to stay with him come morning. He has kept the details of your argument vague, but he believes he has driven you away permanently.

If you do still care for him, please arrive at the castle gates by 6 A.M. I shall be waiting to bring you to his current resting place. He needs the love and affection of his parents. If you do not wish to see him… so be it. I shall do my best to comfort him.

I shall eagerly await your presence.

Sincerely,

Princess Luna

Book Binder gasped softly. He missed them. He probably regretted every word between them, and he wanted them back. Her human was alone on Hearth’s Warming Eve. That wouldn’t do, that wouldn’t do at all.

Book Binder shoved the letter into Night Flash’s hooves as she began to dart around the room, throwing a small suitcase onto the bed as she threw in everything she would need to make his night special. Though she didn’t remember buying the tomato soup, she threw it in the case anyway. Elias was sick! He needed as much soup, love, and cuddles as she could bring. The presents she had feared would sit unused went in after the soup. Book Binder giggled at the thought of her baby boy unwrapping his gifts. She knew that he had some sort of holiday that was similar to Hearth’s Warming, and though he hated the ‘Christmas’, she would make sure that he adored Hearth’s Warming. Argument or not, she would make sure everything was perfect before the new year.

“Bindey,” Flash said, looking up from the letter.

Book Binder didn’t notice, tossing her pair of snowshoes near the door. A pair of her fluffiest socks went into the suitcase. If she was going to snuggle up with Flash and Elias, she would do it at her warmest. She made sure to snag a pair for Night Flash as well, double the socks, double the snuggles. As she began to ransack the room for spare blankets to swaddle Elias in, Night Flash waved the letter in her face as he called her name again.

“Bindey, this is all unneces-“

Book Binder levitated him out of her way as she snatched up her favorite Hearth’s Warming story books. She hadn’t read them in years on account of growing too old for them, but now that she had Elias…

Night Flash sighed, then jumped into the suitcase before she could put the books inside. He then put the letter right in front of her face as he did his best shout-whisper.

“Bindey!”

Book Binder stopped, her eyes flitting around frantically as she looked for more things to shove in her suitcase.

“What? Elias needs us Flash, we have to get to the castle with everything we can to comfort him!”

Night Flash snorted.

“Bindey, while I absolutely love how much you care about Red, and I really want to join you in getting ready to see him, we can’t go to the castle until morning. Princess Luna’s going to be with him all night.”

Book Binder frowned.

“And where did you get that idea? Just because she said to meet her in the morning, it doesn’t mean she’s going to stay with him all night.”

Night Flash smiled at her, and Book Binder couldn’t help but return that smile. He hopped off of the suitcase and pointed at the letter.

“Probably where she said that “for the night, he will remain in my care”,” Night Flash said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. “We’ll see Red in the morning, and then we’ll make everything right, as a family. You know he didn’t mean what he said. Everypony just got angry is all. Let’s celebrate for the rest of tonight with your parents, then we can get up bright and early to see Red, alright?”

Book Binder sighed, and reading over the letter again, she agreed. She smiled at Night Flash and pulled him into a hug.

“Thank you Flash, you know just how to calm me down.” She sighed sadly, looking to the cracked door. “I’ve really mucked up Hearth’s Warming for everypony, haven’t I?”

Night Flash set the letter in the suitcase and wrapped a wing around Book Binder.

“Not at all honey, you just got everypony worried is all. But now, everything is going to work out. I think your parents are still up, and we haven’t eaten all of the cookies yet.”

Book Binder gave a fake gasp.

“Are there any gingerbread cookies left?”

Night Flash clicked his tongue.

“I don’t know… your dad seemed to be eyeing them before I came to check on you. We’d better race down there to make sure.”

Book Binder flicked him on the nose with her tail.

“Well then come on slow poke, I want to save some for Elias. That boy is far too skinny for my liking.”

Night Flash giggled as he swung open the door.

“Now you sound like my mom. Always complaining that I’m not big enough to keep myself warm.”

Book Binder bumped him playfully.

“It’s not my fault I got two skinny boys.” She stuck her tongue out. “Besides, Elias doesn’t have any fur! I have to fatten him up if he’s going to stay warm when we can’t cuddle him.”

Night Flash stopped mid-step, sharply intaking air. Book Binder rolled her eyes, then lightly poked his side with her hoof.

“That’s right Flashy, our darling Red is going to be all cold without anypony to cuddle with. We’ll have to fix that tomorrow, won’t we?”

He looked at her with wide eyes.

“Did you pack the extra fuzzy socks?”

Book Binder nodded with a smug grin.

“That I did.”

He twitched slightly, then darted past her.

“Come on Bindey! The faster we eat the faster we sleep! The faster we sleep, the faster morning comes! The faster morning comes-“

“The faster we see Elias,” Book Binder finished excitedly as she trotted after her coltfriend.

She couldn’t wait.

*****

Elias stalked toward his room, his feet stomping loudly as he tried to lengthen his stride to outpace the fuming unicorn that wouldn’t let him be.

“Come on Elias, it’s just two days! It’s really not that big of a deal, and I know for a fact that my parents will love you!”

Elias shook his head as he sighed loudly at the same argument she had been hashing out for the past half hour. He responded in kind.

“The answer is still, and will remain no Book Binder. This is something way outside of my comfort zone. I mean, meeting your family? Your real family? That’s a big no for me. Too much…”

He threw his hand up as he waved away the rest of the statement. Book Binder huffed.

“You’re my “real family” too Elias, or at least you will be soon.”

“That remains to be seen,” Elias replied snappily as he turned the corner.

Book Binder rolled her eyes as she followed him.

“Fine, be like that. Act like a child for all I care. You are still my ‘potential’ son, free to make whatever choices you want.” She smiled. “For example, you could choose to make your potential mother happy, and come to Hearth’s Warming with us!”

“No!” Elias responded sharply. He sighed at the harsh tone of his voice, and he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, we’ve been taking things a step at a time, and I’ve been adjusting with it. The slow pace is what helps me keep going, but now you’re asking me to take a big leap forward, a leap that I’m just not ready to do. This time of year already brings out my worst; I don’t need more stress on top of that.” He snorted. “Your parents would probably hate me on a good day, this time of year? They won’t want to look at me.”

Elias spotted his bedroom door, and increased his pace. Maybe if he could just get his equipment, he could go on shift early to be away from her. He didn’t bother turning on the light as he shoved the door open. Elias quickly busied himself with nothing tasks, anything to try and avoid continuing the conversation. The unicorn remained determined however, standing in the doorway as she groaned loudly.

“Elias, you’re being paranoid! They won’t hate you!”

Elias waved a finger as he grabbed a used tunic, tossing it toward the bathroom hamper.

“Ah, but see that’s just it! Paranoia is my thing; it’s part of the whole rules system for a reason. If you can’t handle the thing that kept me alive all these years…”

“But this isn’t your Earth anymore!” Book Binder protested. “You don’t need your paranoia; we’ve been over this a dozen times!”

Elias straightened, sighed, then glared at her.

“Book Binder, I’m done talking about this. I’m not going to your parent’s house for Hearth’s Warming, end of story. No more.”

He tried to let his anger fizzle out, or at the very least simmer down, but the unicorn had other ideas. Elias felt his eye twitch as Book Binder decided to press more of his buttons.

“Why?” she snapped. “Why aren’t you coming with me for Hearth’s Warming? I want the reason.”

Elias threw his hands in the air. He had a dozen reasons. She was becoming too overbearing, too protective. Sometimes she treated him like a literal child, despite the fact that he was a grown adult who could make his own grown adult decisions. The mare insisted on trying to baby him, to the point that he had to escape just so he could breathe. She needed him to do things, rather than just asking if he would do them. What he wanted was never even considered. He couldn’t articulate the feelings in words, however.

“Why the fuck does it matter why?” Elias yelled at her. “I said no, so that’s the end of it! You act like not seeing each other for two whole days will be the end of the world!”

She stomped a hoof down.

“And you act like meeting my parents is going to kill you! It won’t be that bad!” she shouted back.

“I don’t care how bad you think it will or won’t be, I already said I’m not going with you!”

“If you loved me you would be!” Book Binder yelled.

“Then maybe I don’t love you!” Elia roared in return.

As soon as the words left his mouth Elias wished he could take them back. Book Binder physically recoiled as if she had been struck, taking a step back into the hallway. Even with the shadows on her face, Elias could see the glistening of tears. The air was silent, stagnant, thick enough to cut. Elias reached out a hand, his voice soft.

“Binder, wait…”

She dashed away silently. Elias bolted to the door, hanging out of it just in time to catch the back end of a teleportation spell. As he watched the magic fade into the air, Elias felt his chest tighten.

“Nonononono,” Elias whispered to himself.

He walked into the hallway, checking to the right and left.

“Book Binder!” he called. “Please come back! Book Binder!”

Elias found it hard to breathe. She was gone. He had driven her away. Cold rage, directed only inwardly, boiled up in his chest. Elias growled as he punched the door frame as hard as he could, relishing the pain in his fist. He checked briefly to ensure that he hadn’t broken anything, then Elias walked back into his room, running a hand through his tied back hair as he thought long and hard about what he should do.

How could he say something so unbelievably stupid? What could he do to make up for it? Could he make up for it? Elias held a hand over his mouth as a bout of nauseated grief passed over his stomach. He choked back the urge to cry, keeping his face dry as he used his self-directed anger to bottle his emotions up tight. They would only get in the way of his focus.

Elias checked his watch; three minutes till his shift started. He needed to move fast. She and Night Flash had taken the day off, as well as the next one. Then it was Hearth’s Warming Eve. If he could find her before he had to go on duty… He’d just need to beg his life out.

Elias grabbed his shield and helmet, slamming his door closed as he left his room at a jog. He swept hallway after hallway for that wonderful green unicorn. Only when he neared the guard room did he spot her, weeping into Night Flash’ shoulder. The pegasus was doing his best to comfort her, but it was clear to anyone with eyes that she was a mess now. Elias felt a pang in his heart as he stared dumbly at the damage he had caused.

Elias mentally slapped himself, and started forward. He needed to talk to her now, apologize, and then beg for forgiveness. Anything to make her feel better, to get her back. Night Flash didn’t look away from Book Binder as he began to guide her away, his wing laid out over her back. They were moving too fast; they were going to get around the corner. Elias began to pick up his pace, only to be stopped by a certain thestral as he neared the guard room.

“Ah, hello Bright, right on time,” Nightshade said with a smile.

Her eyes seemed happy, and she seemed devoid of her usual irritation with him. Great.

“Get on in here so that we can get the daily briefing done. No pony wants to be sitting around right before Hearth’s Warming.”

Elias smiled at her weakly. They were getting away.

“Just… can I have a minute Captain?” Elias asked. “I really need to talk with someone. It will just take a second.”

Nightshade snorted, removing her watch from beneath her armor. After checking it, she shook her head and pushed him toward the door.

“Should have thought of that before arriving exactly on time. You want to talk with somepony? Be early. Now let’s go before you’re late and I have to write you up, again.”

Elias latched onto the doorframe with his fingers as he tried to push himself backward. The thestral wouldn’t be ignored however, and she growled at him.

“Get in the bucking room Bright. You might be the hot thing with that exercise win, but it doesn’t earn you the right to disobey an order, or be late!”

Elias felt a smile crack on his face. A commotion would draw their attention if he couldn’t do it directly. Elias felt himself be shoved forward, so he clawed his way back into the hallway to get a view of the pair of ponies. If he could get Nightshade to yell at him loud enough…

They were already gone. The hallway was empty. Book Binder was gone. The chance to apologize was lost. As Nightshade reared back to give him a nasty shove, Elias let go of the doorframe. He conceded and shuffled into the guard room. Nightshade opened her mouth to yell at him, then stopped as she looked upon the human’s defeated face. In less than a second he had gone from energetic to be elsewhere, to sullen. She frowned, taking a peek at the hallway, then looked back to Elias.

“Take a seat Guardsman. We have work to do.”

Elias nodded, and he felt reality slip away as depression surrounded him in a black cloud.

**Hearth’s Warming Day **

Elias groaned loudly as he stirred from the nightmare. At least he didn’t wake up shrieking this time. He cracked his eyes open as he looked around the room. He quickly noticed that it wasn’t his own, and that he wasn’t alone. What he thought had been a blanket was actually a blue pony. Elias grunted and tried to brush Night Flash’s wing off, but he found that the pony was heavier than normal. He was also behind Elias, rather than the usual; on top of Elias’ chest. Elias tried to scoot away from the pony’s chest, but a long blue hoof dragged him back, and he felt somebody’s hot breath on his neck. The strength behind the limb was decidedly not Night Flash, as the pegasus usually just moaned and complained whenever Elias shifted away from him. No, this was somebody much stronger, and the more Elias’ eyes adjusted to the dim room, the more he suspected that he was sleeping with somebody he should definitely not be sleeping with.

Luna snorted in his ear, her starry mane falling over his nose as she rolled on top of him. Elias flushed red as he re-learned very quickly that he was stark naked. He could feel her fur on every part of his body, and it was more than enough to cause him to try and make a real escape attempt. The sleeping alicorn above him had other ideas however, and unfortunately for Elias, she had the upper hand. She had his legs pinned between hers, and he didn’t want to tug on the tail that was wrapped around his waist. That left his upper half, which the princess was clinging to as she laid her muzzle on his chest. Elias thought quickly, maybe if he could free his torso, he could wiggle his legs away from the alicorn’s grasp. The tail… he’d just have to figure that one out when it came to it.

Elias looked around, quickly spotting a large pillow within arm’s reach. He wiggled out his left arm, while simultaneously scratching under Luna’s chin with his right. The alicorn cooed and relaxed enough for Elias to stretch out, grab the pillow, then slide it between them. Like a fish to a worm, Luna latched onto the pillow. Though her hooves were still gripping tightly around his back, Elias now had more wriggle room, so he did his best to free his legs while he wiggled out of the alicorn’s grip.

Elias tried to tickle Luna’s nose with his fingers. If he could get her to scratch at her nose, then maybe he could escape the one hoof. Elias let out a silent cheer as his plan began to bear fruit. A hoof rose and brushed his fingers away, and Elias began to wriggle, only for her wings to wrap around his body, followed by both hooves as she drove him against her chest fur. He felt her giggle softly.

“You will have to do better than that to escape my snuggles human. In my time, cuddle piles could last days at a time. My record was two weeks with a single cuddle buddy. With the heat your body produces, I believe we can make it an easy three.”

Elias cursed his treacherous body as it yawned. Her fur was incredibly fuzzy and warm, like a living bed, except it didn’t suffer from being too soft. Luna didn’t help him resist as she smiled and hugged him tight.

“That’s right Elias, submit to my superior snuggling techniques. Your guests should arrive shortly. As I promised them, I shall keep you company. Now sleep, you need your rest.”

Elias opened his mouth to protest, but another yawn escaped. Luna giggled.

“Yes Elias, sleep once more. I shall keep you warm far into the morning. I would hate for you not to be well rested.”

Elias managed to resist the urge to close his eyes, and he glared up at Luna, who smiled warmly back.

“What guests?” he asked, suppressing a third yawn.

Luna’s smile took on an air of mischievousness.

“A pair of ponies that you miss very much. I shall say no more, I do not wish to ruin the surprise.”

Elias had an idea anyway, and while a large part of his mind was nervous to see the two, he also welcomed the opportunity to apologize. Even if they wanted nothing to do with him after, he wanted them to know he was sorry.

With the pair both awake, Luna stoked the fire, bringing it up to a warm crackle as she levitated an assortment of dishes over to their “bedside”. No longer afflicted by his brush with an icy death, Elias tried to calmly extricate himself from Luna, but the alicorn kept snatching him back, pinning him effectively to her chest. With physical escape out of the question, Elias turned to the diplomatic solution of making her feel as awkward as he did about the situation.

“Princess…”

“Luna.”

“Luna,” Elias agreed, “don’t you think all of this is rather… intimate?”

Luna frowned as she sniffed at a cold kettle of coffee. She cast a warming spell, and poured out two cups of steaming black liquid. She sat up, dragging Elias along with her. She levitated their bed of pillows into a fort of sorts, keeping as much heat trapped around them as possible. Luna made sure to drape a blanket over Elias’ head, and she found herself pleased with the result of her brief inspiration. The human looked positively adorable with the blanket pulled over his head, like an angry kitten who was trying to be tough, but was failing miserably.

“Not at all Elias, before my banishment it was quite common for friends to warm by the fire in such a manner as this. Is it different for humans?”

She levitated the cup of coffee into Elias’ hands. He accepted it with a mumbled thank you, but didn’t drink. Maybe he didn’t like coffee? No, he was getting comfortable, leaning against her chest. Luna smiled and let her wings “casually” wrap tighter around his body as they stared at the fire together.

“I really don’t know,” Elias replied. “To say my experience growing up was normal would be a flat out lie, but in the few romance novels I tried reading, this kind of thing was very common.”

“Oh?” Luna asked. “I never figured you for the romantic type Elias.”

The human snorted, and Luna was pleased when he sipped at his coffee, not noticing when his nose curled in disgust.

“You’d be right. The key words were “tried reading”. I didn’t make it far, and usually, romance novels ended up as firewood. That, or toilet paper when I couldn’t find anymore.”

Luna scoffed at the idea of using books in such a manner.

“I would caution you not to repeat that near my sister’s protégé. Twilight would likely hunt you down for disrespecting books of any nature in such a manner.”

Elias shrugged.

“It was a different place, a different world. If it’s between me getting an infection from feces, or a crappy romance dime-novel, I think I know which one I would choose.”

Luna felt her detection spell ding, and she conjured a quick double at the front gates to escort Book Binder and Night Flash into the castle. She smiled mischievously. If she could keep Elias talking for a few more minutes…

“You must realize Elias; this is a different world. We share many things, but perhaps you need more exposure to the world of ponies. A more informal education if you will. Books can only teach you so much.”

Elias snorted dismissively.

“And what would I be “educated” on?”

Luna rested her chin on top of his head.

“Primarily the differences between romantic intimacy, and platonic intimacy. Ponies give out a myriad of signals that I am afraid will go right over your head if you are not paying attention. A strapping young stallion like yourself will likely begin courting soon, and I would not wish to see you hurting ponies, or worse, returning signals without knowing about it.”

“Aren’t I a child by your standards?” Elias asked, glancing back at her. “I should have years before I worry about that kind of thing.”

Luna snorted and shook her head.

“You are no more a child than I am an old mare. Our biological clocks tick at a different rate than that of the average pony, and so our standards for mating also differ. You are a fully mature adult, just as I am still a radiant, young alicorn.”

“Or you’re an old lady, you’re just really good at disguising it,” he said with a smirk.

Luna swatted his head.

“Rule number one Elias, you do not mock a lady’s age!”

When he just continued to laugh, she raised her hoof to swat him again. He threw up his hands in mock surrender.

“Alright alright, you’re not old!”

The hoof lowered. Luna huffed and dragged him close so that she could bury her muzzle in his hair. He seemed to tense as she took a long whiff of his scent. Luna sighed and rubbed her cheek against his head.

“Fear not Elias, an exchange of scents is common amongst friends as well. Though it became less common with the advent of perfumes, ponies can tell much about a another through scent alone.”

It was a small lie, but not one he would ever likely find out about. Smelling was considered an intimate act within friend and familial groups, and an exchange of scents was considered positively romantic when done between two nonfamilial ponies. Elias relaxed, but not fully, as if he doubted her words. Luna sighed.

“Tell me Elias, what would you consider romantically intimate?”

Elias chuckled weakly.

“Sitting in the arms, or in this case hooves, of another, while naked, in front of a fire, covered in blankets comes to mind. Primarily the naked part. Why do you ponies seem to always to take my clothes?”

He was trying to pass it as a joke, but Luna could tell that it was a real concern, and a bit of an embarrassment for the human. She considered the evidence before her, and realized that save for the one notable occasion, Elias was always covered in some fashion. The removal of clothes was likely for only one of two reasons; the act of cleaning and changing of said clothes, or as he said, romantic intimacy. Luna felt the realization dawn on her as she realized what this might look like from his perspective.

“Elias, am I making you uncomfortable by sitting with you like this?” she asked, moving away slightly.

She missed the contact of her fur on his back, but she would never get closer if she pushed him away by making him uncomfortable. He seemed to miss the contact as well however, as he leaned back into her.

“Yes and no,” he replied. “The human in me says this is… weird especially since I don’t have any clothes on, but you said it was normal for pony friends, right?”

His words seemed to desperately seek affirmation. Luna nuzzled the top of his head.

“Of course it is normal Elias. Ponies are largely nude, and snuggling with a friend is a very common occurrence. If it would make you feel better, I can retrieve some garments for you.”

She looked away in embarrassment.

“I unfortunately do not have your clothing from last night, as I burned them away in my haste to get your warm and dry. I shall have the tailor make you more.”

“That was my favorite pair of sandals,” Elias grumbled.

He shifted slightly in Luna’s chest fur, and the action almost felt like he was trying to nuzzle her. Had she been alone, she would have cheered. So many factors she had never considered when trying to make him well. Human physical intimacy was different than a pony’s, but if she could make him treat physical intimacy like a pony would, it might just make him more comfortable and nonviolent. He still wasn’t fully relaxed, however.

“So all of this is just,” he paused, “between friends?”

Luna smiled and nodded.

“Absolutely Elias, romantic intimacy is similar, but you will be able to tell the difference very clearly. This however,” she said, gesturing with her hoof, “is just between a pair of good friends.”

The human sighed and leaned against her fully. Luna snorted as she rubbed her cheek against his head.

“Either way, you should not feel a need to hide yourself behind clothes Elias. Your body, while different, is quite… impressive,” Luna finished with a smile and a blush. She switched tracks quickly, not wishing to make things awkward. “You certainly seemed comfortable charging across a battlefield while nude.”

She felt him blush, and heat rose to his face.

“That was different,” he mumbled. “It was supposed to be a distraction.”

Luna grinned.

“Then you should be very proud, because you certainly distracted me,” she teased.

Elias groaned loudly and tried to wiggle away in embarrassment, but Luna laughed and wrapped him tightly in her hooves, pressing his face into her fur as she heard a knock at the door. She opened it quickly with her magic, exposing Book Binder and Night Flash. The pair looked at her with some confusion, though Luna noticed Book Binder’s eyes light up at the sight of Elias, wrapped firmly in her hooves. The human however, shivered at the sight of the ponies, and any trace of humor vanished as he tried to instinctively shy away. Book Binder drooped, and Luna felt the room balance on a knife blade. She growled, and quickly grabbed everything she would need with her magic. Nobody would escape her grasp today without being made happy.

First, she conjured a pair of underwear for Elias. The human would only grow more and more shy with continued nudity, so she crafted a pair of undergarments similar to those she had destroyed. These she subtly teleported onto his body as she levitated him away from her, and into the air. Next, Luna teleported Book Binder, and Night Flash’s suitcase onto her bed, along with all of their winter gear. They didn’t seem to notice as they too were levitated into the air. Finally, Luna adjusted herself, finding every piece of soft material in her room and the next, creating a fort of pillows decorated with a bed of thick blankets. She smiled as she shook the rust off of her cuddle pile skills. She and Celestia had always used to make such bastions of softness in the old days, and the one she assembled was worthy of her name.

She then dragged the two ponies on top of the human, settling them all down atop the blankets. Luna then calmly placed herself above all of them, using her wings to force them together. She smiled when Night Flash caught on first, adding his wings to the effort as he shoved Elias and Book Binder at each other. The two seemed to hesitate for a moment, each shifting nervously as they avoided looking at the other. Upon meeting each other’s eyes however, they both latched onto each other, with Elias burying his face firmly in Book Binder’s chest fluff as they pulled each other close. The unicorn rocked him back and forth as she brushed his hair with a hoof, tears streaming down her face.

“B-Binder I-…” Elias tried to say.

Book Binder shushed him as she nuzzled his cheek.

“Hush Elias, I already know. You don’t have to say anything. Momma already knows.”

“No,” Elias said, pulling away from her hooves. “I have to say this, I have to tell you how sorry I am. I have to beg for forgiveness, because it doesn’t matter how angry I got, I never should have said that. Anything else, but never that.”

Book Binder tried to grab the human, but he managed to elude her grasp. Luna saw tears in her eyes as he continued shying away. Book Binder whimpered, and stomped a hoof.

“Please Elias, I don’t care. I just want our little family to be together again. We can start over from step one, I don’t care! I just want to have my baby back.”

“Why?” Elias replied softly, “Why do you want me back? I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve anyone.”

Luna scooted the human into range of Book Binder’s hooves, and the unicorn acted quickly, pulling him close as she wrapped herself around his chest, nuzzling his chin with increased vigor.

“It isn’t about deserve baby,” Book Binder said softly. “It’s about my love for you. You don’t have to say anything Elias, I know you’re sorry, and I know you didn’t mean it. We just got angry with each other is all. I know you didn’t mean it.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Elias said. “If it meant nothing, or if it meant something, I’m sorry. I am so sorry Book Binder; I just hope you can forgive me.”

“Done,” Book Binder said softly, clicking her tongue.

Elias opened his mouth to protest the immediate acceptance, but Book Binder gently pressed it shut as she continued.

“I forgive you Elias, completely and utterly, because that’s what a good mother does,” she said with a smile. “We had a nasty argument, and now we can both admit we were wrong and move on.”

She sighed as she leaned against him.

“I shouldn’t have pushed you like that Elias, and I am sorry. I don’t know why it seemed so important at the time, but afterwards, I realized that I’d much rather just have you. The angry, paranoid, uniquely handsome you.”

She rubbed her cheek against his neck.

“My baby boy.”

Elias sat in silence for a moment, his eyes lost in a daze as he held the affectionate unicorn. Then he leaned down and did his best attempt at imitating her nuzzle as he rubbed their cheeks together.

“Thanks Book Binder,” he said softly.

Book Binder couldn’t have looked happier as she began aggressively nuzzling Elias’ head, rocking back and forth. She began to hum as they rocked, and Night Flash smiled brightly up at Luna.

‘Thank you,’ he mouthed silently.

Luna nodded and gave him a smile.

The four of them remained still and quiet for a long time. Night Flash just seemed to soak in the warmth and happiness, his smile wide as he preened, occasionally stopping to give Book Binder a nuzzle. Said unicorn silently fretted over Elias, brushing his hair, massaging his back; anything that involved physical contact, she did, relishing the presence of the human. Elias remained largely silent, enjoying the attention for a while, then tolerating it for the largest time. He didn’t want to push Book Binder away, but when the unicorn stuck out her tongue to run it through his hair, he decided he’d had enough. Elias pulled her into a quick hug, then motioned for Luna to uncurl her wings so that he could stand. The alicorn cocked her head in reply.

“You wish to leave already?” she asked playfully. “I don’t think a few hours is a good enough apology Elias. What will your mother think?”

He scowled at her.

“I think she’ll understand that I’m a living being who needs to take a piss.”

Luna giggled as Book Binder swatted the back of his head.

“Elias! Language!” she scolded. “You can’t just say any word willy nilly in front of the princess!”

Elias gave her a deadpan look.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say “willy nilly” to me, and get up now. I really do need to use the bathroom.”

His eyes flicked downward.

“And put on clothes. You ponies have fur, while I’ve got squat. I need something to stay warm in this freezing castle.”

Book Binder clapped her hooves together, then shoved the human free of Luna’s wings.

“Well go on then! Night Flash and I will get your presents ready!”

“Presents?” Elias asked in confusion.

Book Binder shoved him harder, shooing him toward Luna’s bathroom. Elias looked to the alicorn as he stood up, and she gave him a nod of permission. He threw suspicious glances over his shoulder as he shut the door behind him. As soon as the door jamb slipped closed, Book Binder leapt to her feet, dipping around Luna as she ran for the bed. Luna watched in amusement as Night Flash was quickly dragged over as Book Binder threw open her suitcase. She grabbed a set of black socks, shoving them toward Night Flash.

“Put them on Flash! Elias is cold, and we need to keep him warm!”

She gushed as she removed a brilliant green and red set for herself, sliding them on with her magic as she grabbed a pair of presents with her hooves. Book Binder dragged them in front of the fireplace, then blinked as she realized that Luna was still there. The unicorn grinned sheepishly.

“I hope you don’t mind if we have a bit of Hearth’s Warming here Princess.”

Luna returned her smile.

“Only if you don’t mind if I help to keep my guards warm. I would be a poor princess if I let a certain human freeze to death.”

Book Binder’s grin took on a mischievous look, and she winked as she pranced back to Night Flash, who was struggling to get his socks on his hind legs. She waited until Book Binder began to help the ashamed pegasus with his socks before she rose. Luna made her way over to her extensively curated collection of clothing, accumulated meticulously before and after her banishment, with some notable additions made by her sister during the interim. A special place was preserved for a certain pair of stockings that had eluded her once more, but she ignored this hole in her dresser, instead picking out a wonderfully soft pair that she had been given only a month after her return. It was a gift from a clan of thestrals that had passed the socks down through the centuries, adding another layer of rare silk that could only be made on the winter solstice. The result was a pair of purple socks that shimmered as they climbed up her legs, while also feeling as soft as the most shampooed fur in existence. They were her third favorite pair, and her favorite non-romantic pair.

Luna slid them on quickly, watching with amusement as Book Binder lifted Night Flash into the air, scowling as she investigated his bare leg. Evidently it was causing the pegasus some issue to get the final sock on, and the unicorn was determined to find out why. Luna perked up her ears to find the sound of her toilet operating, as well as a few choice curses from Elias. He would be out soon. Luna took over Book Binder’s levitation spell, pulling Night Flash close so that she could focus on teleporting the final sock on. Adding and removing clothing with Elias was easy, as much of his body hair was coarse and easy to avoid when shifting the clothing through space. A pony, however, was covered in millions of sensitive hairs that could cause great pain, comfort, or pleasure when used in certain manners. She wished to avoid two of those, and the only way to do that was to teleport the sock on the right way. A flash of light later, Luna levitated the fully socked pegasus back to Book Binder, who pounced on her mate, nuzzling his head as she playfully mocked him for needing a princess’s help to dress.

Then Elias exited the bathroom, his brow furrowed as he looked back at the toilet.

“I am ninety percent sure that your toilet is possessed, because that is not how it’s supposed to flush.” He turned and looked to the ponies, his face shifting to one of shock; red faced shock.

Elias cleared his throat and looked away.

“Alright, I need an explanation immediately before me and the window become very good friends. This,” he said, waving at Luna, “has to have implications that I am missing, because it doesn’t look normal.”

Luna smiled.

“Oh? And what does it look like Elias?” she said teasingly. “Choose your words carefully as you address your princess.”

Elias flushed redder, and he pointedly refused to meet anyone’s eyes.

“Somebody has three seconds to explain before I leave. I am not clothed, nor sane enough to be dealing with more weird BS in one day. Not without a shirt or something.”

Luna rolled her eyes at the dramatic man.

“Elias, socks are worn by ponies as an extra layer of warmth. While there are socks that could be considered romantically intimate, nopony here is wearing such a set.” She smiled coyly at the human. “But perhaps I should put on my favorite pair if that would help you distinguish the difference.”

Luna chuckled as Elias flushed the deepest red she had ever seen. The human was positively crimson in the face. He shook his head as he refused to meet her eyes.

“That’s it, I’m getting clothes. I have to deal with today with something else on, and at this point, I’ll take anything.”

“Great!” Book Binder chirped cheerfully.

Elias quickly found himself suspended in a green aura as she levitated him back to the pile of pillows. Night Flash quickly joined him, perching himself on Elias’ shoulders. The human grimaced as Night Flash kneaded his shoulders, but that shifted to a smile when the pegasus settled, sighing happily as he laid his chin on Elias’ head. Elias reached up and gave him a scratch behind the ears as Book Binder levitated the packages over. Elias looked at the wrapped gifts with some trepidation as Book Binder plopped down in front of him, passing around a plate of cookies that Luna had left lying around. Elias took one, nibbling on in it as he kept his hands well away from the presents. Luna settled onto the pillows, but remained slightly distant from the trio, not wishing to interrupt their family moment.

“So what’s this about?” he asked nervously.

Book Binder giggled as she settled before Elias.

“It’s presents silly! Night Flash and I got you a couple of things we are sure you’ll love!”

Elias’ eyes flicked to the brightly colored packages, but didn’t reach out as his eyes flicked back up to Book Binder.

“But I didn’t get you anything,” he said.

Book Binder waved his excuse away.

“That’s the point of Hearth’s Warming silly. Mom’s get their children gifts, and special someponies exchange gifts, it’s just how it works!”

Elias eyed the presents again, twitching nervously as he stared at them. He sighed when he saw Book Binder begin to droop.

“I’m sorry Book Binder it’s just… I don’t think I’ve told anyone this, but humans had a holiday similar to Hearth’s Warming, in spirit at least.”

He shook his head, and a momentary glint spread across his eyes as he stared at the presents.

“I’ll spare the details, but it hasn’t ever been a happy memory. I’m just… nervous I guess.”

He scratched his head, unblinking as he stared at his gifts.

“It’s the same with everything else, I just can’t get over the fact that things are different here.” He snorted. “You’d figure it would be easy, what with the magic, and the multitude of new species, but no. Especially not with this.”

Night Flash and Book Binder exchanged a knowing look, which Luna caught, but Elias didn’t. He seemed fixated on the wrapped boxes before him. Night Flash climbed down from Elias’ shoulders, motioning for Luna to lean against the human. When the night princess only gave him a confused look, he reached out and dragged her against Elias’ back. Almost instinctively, Elias leaned back into her chest fur, his eyes never wavering from the presents. Smiling widely, Night Flash then settled at Elias’ side, laying his head in the human’s lap. He guided Elias’ still hand to his ears, and the fingers moved quickly, massaging the pegasus’ ears as Night Flash groaned happily.

“We’ve got you Red,” Night Flash said quietly, his leg kicking. “Whatever happened in the past, we’ve got you in the now. Let’s just have fun together, you’ll, ooh that’s the spot, love your presents.”

Elias snorted and shook his head as his gaze finally broke from the presents seated before him. He glanced at all three ponies, and though he looked slightly embarrassed when he looked at Luna, he didn’t move away from her. Luna smiled and waited cheerfully as Book Binder nudged the first present, a small box wrapped in a dull green foil, forward. Elias picked it up gently, as if afraid he would break it, then he looked to Book Binder.

“Are you sure I don’t need to do anything for you? It doesn’t have to be big, but doing nothing feels… not right.”

Book Binder huffed, and crossed her hooves.

“Fine, then how about this, you’re gift to me for Hearth’s Warming is that I get to baby you, no restrictions, for the rest of the day. We can start back on the progression tomorrow. How does that sound?”

Elias nodded slowly.

“Alright, that sounds fine.”

Book Binder froze, staring at him in open-mouthed shock.

“Really?” she asked breathlessly. “Do you mean that?”

Elias ran his thumb across the package in his hand, then nodded.

“I don’t see why not.”

Book Binder’s eyes widened, and then she pounced on Elias, rubbing herself up and down his body.

“My baby boy!” she cried. “Thank you so much! Oh, today is going to be perfect!”

Elias spat, but didn’t protest as her tail flicked him in the mouth as she spun around, settling next to Night Flash’s head. Book Binder sighed happily, then tapped his leg.

“Open it baby! It’s special, and you’ll love it!”

Elias smirked, then looked to Night Flash.

“What about you Flash, you want anything for Hearth’s Warming?”

The pegasus looked at Elias and shrugged, reaching out for a sugar cookie to nibble on. His eyes flickered toward the present.

“Go ahead and open it Elias, I’ll come up with something later.” He rubbed Book Binder’s side with his wing. “Right now, I have everything I could ever want.”

Elias snorted and shook his head.

“You’re such a sap Flash.”

His face twitched and a small smile appeared. Elias ruffled Night Flash’s mane.

“Thanks for staying by me.”

Night Flash nodded wordlessly, matching Elias’ smile as he shooed him toward the present. Elias gave it one last look of trepidation, then took a deep breath as he let his fingers tear into the paper. Elias briefly considered unwrapping it carefully, and got as far as lifting the paper from a whole side, but then a piece of childlike glee came from nowhere in his mind, and his fingers tore the paper asunder. Book Binder giggled softly as she watched him tear the paper away from the book. Elias flipped it over, then turned it over as he righted the cover. His smile widened as Book Binder motioned for him to show everyone. A round of oos and awes came forth as Elias faced the cover toward himself again.

“I didn’t think this was supposed to be out until after new year’s?” Elias said, looking toward Book Binder.

The unicorn smiled and nodded.

“Well, I may or may not know a mare or two who may or may not have gotten an early version of the book. I might have had to edit a few college applications, but I think getting Daring Doo and the Forbidden City of Clouds for my darling little colt was well worth it.”

Elias bit his tongue to prevent himself from looking at her with a deadpan stare. Instead, he did something that he knew she would absolutely love, and something that he found that he would enjoy himself.

“Would you mind reading it to me today?” he asked, his voice soft in embarrassment.

Book Binder beamed at the request. Elias found the book levitated from his hands, replaced by a another present, this one larger, but softer than the last.

“Of course Elias, maybe tonight after dinner we can snuggle up together.”

Luna ruffled her feathers, rubbing her fur against Elias’ back. The human didn’t react much. A brief twitch passed over his face. He shuffled slightly, but he still didn’t pull away from Luna.

“That would be nice,” he said softly.

Book Binder, perhaps noticing the hidden, but growing look of uncomfortableness on his face, nodded silently and pressed on the package in his hands, silently encouraging Elias to continue. He took another deep breath, then pressed onward. A brief, ugly memory rose in his eyes, but a quick look to Night Flash, then Book Binder, as well as the feeling of Luna’s fur against his back calmed him instantly, and Elias tore at the paper around what he knew was a set of clothes.

Elias blinked in minor confusion at the bright blue tunic in his hands. It was beautifully made, and the fabric was incredibly soft in his fingers as he rubbed at one of the brilliant yellow lightning bolts that ran down the side between his thumb and forefinger. Night Flash gasped softly.

“Wow Bindey, that is so cool!”

Book Binder smiled.

“I know! I can’t wait for Elias to try it on, can you just imagine him in Wonderbolts colors?”

Night Flash nodded and looked at Elias expectantly. The human smiled weakly, looking between them as his confusion deepened.

“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, because this does look really nice, but… Wonderbolts?”

Book Binder giggled and she looked to Night Flash, who was staring at Elias in horror. His mouth flapped as he tried to say something, but the only thing that came forth was a squeak. Book Binder rubbed his back and looked to Elias.

“Oh, you’ve done it now, Night Flash is the second biggest Wonderbolt’s fan in northern Equestria, and I can’t tell if he’s going to jump you or scold you for not knowing about them.”

“Second?” Elias asked. “Doesn’t the phrase usually go “the biggest fan”?”

Book Binder shrugged.

“It should, but some mare in Ponyville claimed the actual title, so Flash is second. It’s not a big deal, not compared to not knowing who the Wonderbolts are.”

Elias shrugged.

“What is it, a magic show?”

Night Flash sucked in what sounded like a painful amount of air. Book Binder giggled and kissed his cheek.

“Go get him honey.”

Night Flash immediately got to his hooves, then pounced on Elias. Luna carefully took a step back the second the pegasus hit Elias’ chest, letting them fall onto the blankets as Night Flash yelled in Elias’ face.

“THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT A MAGIC SHOW!” Night Flash shouted right in Elias’ ear. “The Wonderbolts are the single greatest flight team in all of Equestria and I will not let this… this ignorance of their greatness continue!” the pegasus declared.

He growled at Elias, pressing his muzzle against the human’s nose.

“I am invoking my right as best friend, and potential future father, and you and I and Book Binder are going to the next available Wonderbolts show that so that we may properly educate you on your heritage, am I clear?”

“My heritage?” Elias gulped.

Book Binder smiled and shook her head.

“Oh, my sweet boy, you do not learn.”

The human looked at her, then at Night Flash in shock. He had never seen Night Flash get so… assertive. It was almost scary. Book Binder evidently didn’t share his opinion, because she rose, then purred as she nuzzled Night Flash’s back.

“Mmmm, I like this Night Flash,” she said softly. “It’s very fitting, especially for our little uneducated degenerate of a son.”

She looked at Elias with a playful gleam in her eyes.

“Flashy, I don’t think you’ve convinced him yet. He hasn’t agreed to your terms.”

Night Flash growled again, and his eyes seemed to bore into Elias’ soul. Instead of a yell, his voice was low, as if the anger was genuine.

“Elias, I swear to you, you will be snuggled until we physically turn you into a pony, if you do not come to a Wonderbolts show, so that you may learn of your pegasus ancestry. Am. I. Clear?”

Elias cringed slightly.

“Fine! Fine, I’m sorry I didn’t know, and I’ll come to a show with you! It’s just that you never talk about them! Nobody here does!”

He looked back to Luna for help, but the blue alicorn shook her head.

“Do not look to me Elias, I am a Wonderbolts fan, as is my sister. It is one of our favorite bonding activities that we can get away with doing in public.” She sighed and looked into the air. “I wish that I could fly in the sky as they do, the speed, the grace, the daring. Tis truly a sight.”

Elias looked back to Night Flash, who was frowning, his eyes staring at Elias’ chest. The pegasus sat for a minute in silence, then grunted.

“I guess we haven’t.”

His serious demeanor disappeared, and for a second Elias thought the pony would cry. Night Flash sniffled slightly, wiping his eye.

“It’s my fault that you don’t know about the Wonderbolts. I’m sorry Red, I-…”

Elias wrapped one arm around the pony’s barrel, pulling him into a hug, while the other scratched Night Flash’s ears. Elias tapped the pegasus’ nose lightly.

“None of that,” Elias said. “If I’m not allowed to be depressed on Hearth’s Warming, neither are you, okay?”

Night Flash smiled and nodded.

“Thanks Red.”

The pegasus fell silent for a moment, then noticed the bright blue he was sitting on. Night Flash wiggled free of Elias’ grip, then pushed the tunic toward the human.

“Well put it on!” he said excitedly. “I promise, it might take a while, but once you see a Wonderbolts show, you’ll be hooked for life!”

“I don’t doubt it,” Elias replied.

He unbundled the tunic, then slipped it quickly over his head. It flowed over his shoulders without resistance, a perfect fit as it sat weightlessly on his body. The tunic was clearly something that he would not be wearing on duty. Book Binder oo’ed softly and Night Flash beamed. To maintain some level of his regular demeanor, Elias snorted and rolled his eyes at the two, but he gave them both a hug.

“Thank you, both of you.” Elias smiled, and he tried to hide it as he wiped a tear from his eye, but Book Binder caught it anyway, and nuzzled his cheek.

“Of course baby boy. It may not have turned out like we expected, but I think we can all safely say that this was a very good Hearth’s Warming.”

They all mumbled agreements and Elias leaned back into Luna, surprised that he could still mostly feel her fur on his now covered back. The alicorn didn’t seem to mind either, as she leaned into Elias just enough for him to realize that she was doing it. Elias blushed and didn’t look up, knowing that she was watching his face closely. Luna laid her head on top of his, humming quietly as the trio stared into the fire, simply enjoying each other’s company.

The rest of the day passed as a warm, happy blur for Elias. They sat and occasionally spoke with each other, but mostly they remained silent, staring into the fire as they relaxed fully. More than once they fell into a pile and slept for an hour or two, only to be shaken awake by somebody needing to use the bathroom, or more often, somebody wanting food.

It was well into the afternoon before they left Luna’s room, with the alicorn going to celebrate with her sister, while Elias, Book Binder, and Night Flash all went back to their shared room. Once there, Book Binder had lit the fireplace while Elias and Night Flash pushed the beds together, forming one massive bed that Book Binder stacked high with pilfered pillows and blankets. They made their own fortress of softness, then Night Flash cuddled up underneath Elias’ arm and fell asleep while the human and Book Binder read his new book together.

The unicorn lasted for hours as she read, but eventually she tired as well, and she curled up on Elias’ chest, nuzzling his hairy chin as she fell asleep quietly. With the ponies asleep, Elias was left alone with his thoughts and the crackle of the fire. The voices in his head were silent, either traumatized into submission by his near-death experience, or celebrating silently at the return of his parents. Subconsciously, Elias scratched the ears of both ponies, making them smile as they slept. Elias stared at the ceiling, vaguely hearing a howling as he remained still. The air held a brief chill, but Elias found that the two ponies curled around his body were more than enough to ward the cold away. Finding no turbulence, and more than satisfied with how Hearth’s Warming turned out, Elias closed his eyes, finding slumber as he hugged the ponies he would do anything for tightly to his chest.

Author's Note:

And so ends Act 1! Everyone is in their starting positions and the plot is rearing and ready to run! I hope you enjoyed this (rather lengthy) interlude, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter, The Royal Canterlot Wedding! Time for things to start getting ugly.


EDIT 2022: Here is the Interlude part 1 & Interlude part 2 chapter in the official Centurion Project reading, featuring Centurion Project art! Thank you very much to Fireheart for bringing the world of TCP to life like this!

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