Metempsychosis

by BlackRoseRaven

That Which Was Desired

Chapter Eleven: That Which Was Desired
~BlackRoseRaven

As they had both half-hoped, half-feared, City Hall was still standing… and furthermore, the ancient, massive stone building looked as if it had actually been further fortified by the enormous sheets of ice that surrounded much of it, even if the statue of Goddess Sol that had once stood on a platform between the set of steps leading up to the doors had been long shattered into pieces. Only a rear leg and the other hoof remained, along with a few random bits of stone, like it had been blown up by some tremendous, focused explosion.

Three Ice Elementals stood silently around the base of the huge stone building, one of them sitting calmly on the steps with its back to a frost-covered stone wall, the other two simply slouching and watching with strange curiosity as Luna and Scrivener hesitantly walked past, making their way apprehensively up the stone steps. The sitting Ice Elemental reached up slowly as they passed, but its movements were slow and less than hostile… even though the scrape of its fingers alone against Scrivener’s armor was enough to send a chill through him, leaving a faint sheen of frost over the black metal as the Elementals turned to watch them calmly.

The enormous double doors were blocked by a thick mound of snow, the ancient wood petrified from the extreme cold and warped shut… but Luna and Scrivener only traded a look, then the winged unicorn grinned and cracked her neck, saying mildly: “’Tis not as good as a living object perhaps, but all the same…”

Luna flicked her horn as it gave a sharp pulse, and a burst of blue flames wreathed upwards from the ground in front of her, reducing the bank of snow to steam and mist before they burst out of existence, and then she and Scrivener both lowered themselves before they leapt forwards, slamming their shoulders into either warped, frozen barrier and sending cracks ripping through the heavy wood as the doors were knocked ajar, a puff of snow bursting into the room beyond.

Scrivener Blooms and Luna both wheezed in relief… and then there was a loud crackling from behind them, and they both slowly glanced over their shoulders to stare at the sight of an Ice Elemental now standing at the top of the stairs. Its body radiated cold, mist spilling off and frost crystals glimmering around the creature as it gave a low growl in its throat… and Scrivener and Luna traded awkward looks as the other two Elementals slowly lumbered up the steps behind it, the air growing colder and distinctly more hostile.

“They apparently didn’t like what we just did.” Scrivener muttered, and the two ponies turned around, backing slowly up… before both of them winced when the center Elemental leaned forwards with a roar that made the air around them shake, several icicles falling from the ceiling above to shatter like glass missiles as both winged unicorn and earth pony leapt backwards through the doorway, Luna cursing and snapping her horn hard upwards to smash the ruined entranceway with telekinesis, half-shattering the wooden doors even as they slammed shut.

Blue mist and white smoke burst out of the holes and cracks in the doorway, hissing upwards and outwards as ice rapidly began to spread along the structure. As the ice grew, snow spilled inwards through other cracks, and Scrivener and Luna traded surprised looks as they both realized that the Elementals weren’t trying to force their way in… they were instead freezing the doors of the building shut, leaving the two ponies trapped inside as Luna winced and gritted her teeth, pawing at the ground with a hoof as she said disgustedly: “I know not whether to be glad or furious. We shall have to find another way out after this, Scrivener Blooms… wretched Elementals!”

“Can you get rid of my wings? They’re starting to hurt a little. Plus I don’t want to permanently be stuck with them.” Scrivener said mildly, and Luna gave him a horrible look before the male rolled his eyes and sighed, adding tiredly: “Yes, yes, of course. Damn you silly Elementals. I’m going to write angry poetry about this later. Boo. Happy?”

He rose a hoof and shook it grouchily at the frozen barrier, and Luna gave a sour grumble before she muttered: “’Tis a little better, I suppose, but thou still frustrates me endlessly and I shall pummel thee for it later if I do not get the chance to pummel the Elementals.” Luna turned towards him… and then she quieted, instead turning slowly to face the inside of City Hall, and Scrivener softened as he turned himself. “To stand here…”

She fell silent, and Scrivy only nodded slowly, looking over the rotting carpet, the dusty surfaces, the snow that speckled the area here and there and fell in through cracks in the ceiling high above. The enormous staircase at the back of the spacious lobby was half-collapsed, supported more by pillars of frost now than its own stones, and Scrivener and Luna both lowered their heads as the male heard his own voice shouting with raw anger: I’ll kill you, Bramblethorn, I’ll kill you!

“And that was even before I had the corruption in my head.” Scrivy murmured, and Luna laughed a little despite herself at the irony in the male’s words, the thoughts that she could sense swirling through his mind. “I guess… I always have had some part of me that just…”

“Aye, Scrivy, perhaps thou did. But… thou art also connected to me, in body, mind, and soul…” Luna bowed her head forwards with a faint smile, gazing towards him as she said quietly: “Besides, poet. ‘Twas nice to see thee so passionate instead of just sitting back and letting thyself be booted around.”

Scrivener Blooms laughed a bit despite himself at this, looking with a faint smile towards Luna before he nodded slowly, then leaned towards her and gave her a quiet kiss on the cheek, and she looked at him tenderly before winking as her horn glowed, the male wincing and then cursing as the wings on his back burst apart into smoke and ashes, before his modular armor clicked and shifted, plates locking firmly over the now-empty slots in the body armor. “Now, beetle. First of all, let us secure this area, and locate what supplies there are to be found here before we figure out where it shall be best to settle ourselves. We must rest and strategize, after all… especially now that the Elementals have become hostile.”

“Probably because you used that fire spell.” Scrivener remarked, and Luna gave him a flat, moody look even as she grumpily agreed with him in a grunt. The earth pony only smiled amusedly, however, winking at her before he turned and headed towards the stairs, saying easily over his shoulder: “I’ll take the second floor, you can check around down here. Try not to kill anything while I’m gone, okay?”

“Silence, Scrivener Blooms, ‘lest I toss thee outside to be pummeled by the Elementals.” Luna retorted, and Scrivener cleared his throat awkwardly as he hurried towards the stairs and up them, absently rolling his sore shoulders. He paused halfway up to glance back towards Luna, but she was already on her way across the room, and the earth pony smiled a little at her back before he turned and strode the rest of the way up to the second floor.

He glanced to the side at a door that listed on broken hinges, and he quietly approached this to gently push it open… and grimace at the ugly interior. The bright colors had long since faded, but the clash of once-neon yellow and orange and other awkward hues was no less painful as he gazed back and forth, then grimaced as a crying unicorn Pale looked up from where it was sitting back at the desk.

The ghost of Caprice stared at him with a remarkable amount of terror as she shrank backwards and passed through the broken chair, her translucent head sticking through the back almost like some comical mounted trophy as Scrivener sighed softly at the sight of her, then he said quietly: “Caprice, this was not… I mean… Luna and I aren’t here to hurt you, whatever happened in the past. You’re a cringing coward but… we… you weren’t the worst pony here. You were just another annoying politician and not much better or worse than we dealt with in other places at the end of the day, even if you were married for some godforsaken reason to Bramblethorn.”

The Pale of Caprice leaned nervously forwards at this, flickering a bit, and Scrivener rubbed slowly at his face before he said finally: “Look. I’m going to turn and leave now, okay? It’s your choice what you want to do, stay in here or run away or… anything else, we’re not going to hurt you. And when you hear the call… we won’t deny you crossing the Bifrost. I know that doesn’t make sense to you now, but it will in the future; just… when you get to the other side, try not to be such a wimp, okay?”

Caprice winced at him, and Scrivener wondered if she was trying to grimace before he only sighed and left, grumbling a bit to himself as he yanked the door mostly closed behind him. Then he glanced down the long second floor walkway towards another door, feeling moody and irritable as he walked slowly forwards.

He glanced absently to the side, looking at the faded and tattered paintings and tapestries on the walls, the broken doorways that he didn’t bother to check yet, the snow and frost that dotted the brick here and there… and then, as he faced forwards, something glinted in the corner of his eye as he passed it. He returned his eyes to the wall, and then blinked in surprise as he found himself facing an enormous, cracked mirror, staggering backwards and bumping against the heavy stone railing as he stared at the sight of himself.

Reflected in the mirror, he saw his twisted, darker self: half-Wyrm, half-pony, staring back at him as Scrivener walked slowly towards the cracked reflector and studied himself silently. He looked at the detail of every scale as he rose what was a hoof to him but reflected as a claw in the mirror, stroking it slowly over his cheek, chestnut eyes gazing into mismatched brown and unholy, glowing blue… and then he gritted his teeth, closing his eyes tightly before opening them… and cursing under his breath as the sight of his reflection didn’t change.

Then, as he watched, the Wyrm half of his form began to spread, scales spreading over the rest of his features and frame, highlighting the scarring around one eye and making it glisten ivory as hooves cracked apart and became gnarled talons, as piston-like bone spikes shoved up from his shoulders and a second wing sprouted and flapped… and Scrivener stared, his reflection still moving in time with him even as it transformed. He stared into the eyes of the Tyrant Wyrm the mirror reflected him as… then he slowly, hesitantly reached a hoof up, touching it silently to the surface.

Hoof pressed against reflected claw, and Scrivener sighed quietly, studying the shape as he tilted his head back and forth. The Tyrant Wyrm possessed no mane and no ears, but large, gnarled horns… and Scrivy looked over it thoughtfully before he muttered: “You know, I don’t look half-bad for a world destroying parasite, really. Scars look better on scales than they do on my coat… still kind of ugly though. But claws… claws are cool. Hooves are a pain in the flank…”

He paused, then thoughtfully leaned back before grunting as he stood carefully on his hind hooves: unlike him, his reflection bore no armor, and Scrivener looked curiously over his grayer underbelly as he balanced on his back legs, front limbs stretched out to either side. “I wonder if there’s a giant eyeball in there. Do they have entire worlds inside their shells? Are we not all just worlds, though, each and every one of us a universe of incoherent thoughts?”

The earth pony grimaced after a moment, muttering: “Actually, no, Discombobulation is a better thief than me. Guess that means he’s probably a better writer, too.” Scrivy paused, then he threw a few easy punches with his front hooves at the mirror, watching as his reflection mimicked the motion, and then the earth pony swayed his tail back and forth and smiled amusedly as the Wyrm’s tail twisted in the same movements. “Tyrant Wyrms are supposed to be big, though. I look more like the puppy-sized version. I’m a Tyrant Puppy. Or a Tyrant punt-dog depending on your view of purse-sized animals.”

Scrivener Blooms leaned backwards slightly, then carefully attempted to stand on one hoof, holding his front legs out wide as his reflection did the same, grinning a bit despite himself as he rocked back and forth. “Not so bad, really. Hey, I wonder if I can make my individual claws flex or if-”

“Will you stop that?” Valthrudnir appeared in a flash in the mirror, the draconic Jötnar snarling and smashing Scrivener’s Wyrm reflection savagely out of the way with a sweep of one huge arm, and Scrivy shouted a flurry of surprised curses as he toppled backwards and rolled into the railing with a loud thud, wincing as his head smacked against the stone column and he stared dumbly at the mirror. “Idiotic little miscreant, are you too stupid to appreciate what you’re becoming?”

Scrivener grimaced a bit as Valthrudnir snarled in the cracked mirror, enormous and imposing, taking up all dozen or so feet of the mirror’s height and most of its width, and then the earth pony grumbled to himself as he slowly climbed to his hooves, saying distastefully: “Look. We’re in Hell. We’re in North Neigh, which honestly? It’s probably worse than Hell for me. I’m a monster, we’ve gone over this a thousand times, and you’re in my head, whatever the hell you are, and I keep having psycho visions and I’m very tired and sore and nothing is working the way it’s supposed to. If after all this time, you think that making my reflection look like what we all already know I’m turning into on the inside is the worst you can come up with, then I seriously have to begin questioning just how smart you ever were, and how lucky you must have been that you managed to cause all the chaos you did.”

Valthrudnir snarled at this, looking infuriated as he pointed at him through the glass, saying darkly: “You listen to me, cheating mortal. I am in control here. I am going to win this game and-”

“Oh, so ‘tis as I feared.” Scrivy glanced over the railing, and Valthrudnir snorted in the mirror, crossing his arms and looking disgusted as the winged unicorn gracefully flew upwards and sailed over the edge of the walkway, dropping to land easily on it as she glared at the tall, cracked reflective glass. “I cannot see thee with mine own eyes, Valthrudnir, but I can hear thy loud, rude voice in my mind, and through my husband’s senses I detect thy trickery. And yes, my beloved beetle may be an idiot at times, but his magnificent idiocy is very much part of the reason why I love him and am so proud of him, especially since the magnificent idiot so spectacularly outwitted the great and wicked genius of a mighty Jötnar like thyself.”

The draconic entity narrowed his eyes dangerously at this, leaning forwards as he said coldly: “You talk a big game, Brynhild, for such a filthy little animal. For all your cherishing of him, Valkyrie, you’re also the one who made it so easy to corrupt him… who skewered his values and twisted his morals and taught him indulgence in depravity… and killed the little conscience the filthy sewer rat had.”

“Hi. I’m right here.” Scrivener said dryly, holding up a hoof, and Valthrudnir’s eye visibly twitched as Luna shot an exasperated look at the earth pony, but she was grinning slightly all the same, recognizing the surly, frustrated look all too well. It was the look the earth pony always got when he had finally been pushed too far, to the point where the self-destructive and stubborn parts of his personality commingled together and he started pushing back. “Also, I was plenty indulgent before Luna came along. I almost ruined myself drinking, for one thing. For another, I know that a lot of stuff Luna does, she does because she can see inside of me and knows it’s something I’ll enjoy. Even if she is such a dirty, dirty girl.”

He gave her a pointed look, and Luna glared at him even as she snorted in entertainment, saying seriously in response: “Scrivener Blooms, be not so naughty, ‘lest I bend thee over my knee and spank thee, heinous little creature.”

“Is that a promise?” Scrivener replied glibly, and Luna threw her head back and laughed as Valthrudnir’s jaw dropped… and then the dragon let out a snarling roar, leaning forwards as his eyes blazed with fury and frustration, his face alone filling up the entire mirror as both of the ponies winced away from the reflective surface.

“Cease this immediately and show me some respect, pathetic mortal animals! I am Jötnar, you are under my control, and I am the one who destroyed this world!” Valthrudnir shouted furiously, his voice echoing violently through Luna and Scrivy’s mind and making them both wince and snarl. “You are nothing more than puppets dancing on my strings, alive because I have chosen to bide my time, because I want to watch you struggle and suffer and dance, because-”

“Because you’re the one who’s trapped in my mind!” Scrivener shouted back, storming towards the mirror as his eyes blazed, and Luna stepped up beside him, her mane sparking, her own eyes glowing as she and the earth pony both glared at the surprised draconic entity as its face drew slightly away from the strange window of the mirror. “You’re the one who’s all talk, who plays with illusions, who keeps dragging me into these long-winded verbal battles that are never anything more than a thin veil for you declaring ‘look at me, guys, I’m the best, guys!’ Well enough, Valthrudnir! Go back to your tumor in my mind, get the hell out of here until you have something useful to say, and then we’ll talk!”

And with that, Scrivener leapt up and shoved his front hooves against either side of the mirror, then slammed his forehead into the glass hard enough to send a spiderweb of cracks through the reflective surface, the illusion of the draconic Jötnar fizzling out completely with a look of dumb surprise before Scrivener fell backwards on his haunches, wincing a bit and with several large shards of broken mirror clinging to his scalp as Luna winced, faint scratches forming over her own head.

But the earth pony only sulked as he sat back on his haunches, a single bead of blood rolling down his forehead and along his muzzle as he muttered: “Well. I feel distinctly stupid now but at least he went away. I’m starting to understand why Pinkamena is always biting things.”

“Scrivener Blooms, thou loud, boisterous, foolish wretch.” Luna smiled at him faintly, and then she strode quietly over to him and leaned down to brush the broken pieces of mirror from the earth pony’s forehead, before she kissed his cuts softly. The faint droplets of blood smeared against her lower lip like lipstick as her horn glowed quietly, and then the earth pony laughed despite himself as he closed his eyes, feeling the wounds healing closed as Luna’s magic washed over him before she drew back and gazed silently down into his eyes. “What am I to do with thee, foolish beetle? Worse yet, if thou continues to act like this, thou may no longer have need of me to pummel things. Thou art starting to actually act a little like the hero I have always felt thou could be.”

This made Scrivener blush a bit and mumbled, shifting before he smiled awkwardly up at her, and Luna grinned slightly as she looked down at him, saying thoughtfully: “Or perhaps thou art still the same silly mare I married all those years ago.”

“I guess I am. I’m so lucky you’re a lesbian.” Scrivener replied dryly, looking up at her mildly, and Luna rolled her eyes in amusement at this before she headbutted him lightly, making him wince as their scratched foreheads firmly bumped together. “Ouch. But okay, I’m happy you’re bisexual. Better?”

“Thou art one to talk, poet.” Luna retorted, and Scrivy glowered at her before he headbutted her firmly, and she winced and leaned back a bit before they both smiled at one another, eyes locking, trading images and memories and thoughts before she jerked her head towards the railing and said softly: “Come, let us return down to the lobby. I discovered an old storage closet, where various robes and coats were kept. They shall make sufficient bedding.”

Scrivener laughed quietly and glanced past her hesitantly, then he met her eyes, saying softly: “I’ll join you in a minute then, Luna. Let me take a quick look around here… the Pale of Caprice is lingering in her office, and I was just… I mean…”

Luna softened a bit, studying the earth pony… and then she nodded slowly, leaning forwards and kissing his cheek gently. “Fair enough then, my sweet daydreamer. But if thou needs my help… do not hesitate to ask. Even if it is just for support. Thou does not have to face anything alone… I am always there for thee, Scrivy.”

“I know, Luna. And I appreciate it.” He paused, looking down for a moment, before he looked back up and added quietly: “I love you.”

Luna blushed a bit, but then she smiled softly, leaning forwards and murmuring softly: “I love thee too. But every time thou says such a thing so suddenly I always fear thou art plunging into some self-destructive spiral of rage and vexation. Especially when I feel thy mood… darkening. I worry for thee, fragile poet. Thy shell is tough, beetle, but thy insides are soft as a mare’s fine skin.”

“And you’re such a good example of that.” Scrivener replied with a slight smile as he turned away, and Luna opened her mouth, then huffed at his back as he strode down the walkway towards a broken doorway, adding easily over his shoulder: “Don’t worry, Luna. I’ll break down and cry later. How does that sound?”

“Just do not do it in the middle of battle, ‘twill be awkward to explain to the Elementals.” Luna replied quickly, and Scrivener grumbled as the winged unicorn snorted in entertainment before she turned and leapt over the railing, spreading her proud wings and gliding easily down towards the ground as she added softly to herself: “I only wish thou did not feel such unnecessary shame, beloved husband.”

Scrivener halted at the broken door at the end of the hall, sighing a bit as he dropped his head forwards and clunked his forehead quietly against it, half-hearing Luna’s words and catching her thoughts… and then he smiled a little, straightening and saying softly: “You hear that, Scrivener Blooms? Making your wife and best friend worry about you. Why do you have to be such a damn jerk sometimes?”

He laughed a little, then reached up and shoved the door open… and stared in surprise as beyond, he found that the ceiling had collapsed over a desk and several shattered shelves. Snow was scattered here and there, but the hole in the roof had been patched by ice and frost that had spread over it in sheets almost a full foot thick, several large icicles and thick roots of frost spread down the walls and offering both support and a death trap should the former decide to fall.

But most notable of all was the Haunt that stood, rasping silently in the corner of the room, the unicorn slowly turning its staring, blackened features towards him. It was ghastly, coat stretched and blackened with both rot and frostbite as it gazed at him for a few moments from its sunken sockets… and then Scrivener winced as a sharp pain went through his eyes before he found himself staring at a red unicorn mare, who leaned towards him and whispered: “Please help me… I’m so cold, and my hoof is stuck…”

Scrivener looked pityingly at the Haunt for a few moments as reality flickered in his vision and it became only the dead shape again… and his eyes traveled slowly downwards, to not a lodged hoof… but a missing leg. He looked at this silently, then finally gazed up and met its eyes as the unicorn mare flickered in his vision again, saying softly: “Close your eyes for me.”

The Haunt looked at him worriedly, but then she did so apprehensively… and Scrivener walked slowly forwards, gently reaching his hoof up to its shoulder, carefully pushing against the dead thing’s side to test the strength of its body before he wrapped a foreleg around it, supporting it against him as he instructed quietly: “Now carefully, we’re going to walk forwards a few paces, okay? Keep your eyes closed.”

“Are you sure? Am I free? Why can’t I look?” The mare flickered in his vision, and then it was only a rasping, dead corpse again, and Scrivener closed his own eyes tightly as he carefully supported the corpse, walking a few slow paces with it before the creature’s haunches buckled and it fell to a sitting position… but when he opened his eyes, he saw the shape of the red mare gazing up at him with relief, the unicorn smiling as tears rolled down her cheeks and she whispered: “You’re not… not nearly as bad as the other unicorns said… I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for what the unicorns did. I’m so sorry for everything I did. I’m so… so sorry…”

“It’s okay.” Scrivener smiled faintly at her, gently settling her down… and the mare gazed up at him before the illusion flickered again, becoming the shape of the blackened Haunt once more, but Scrivener reached forwards all the same, touching its frostbitten cheek as he said quietly: “Now rest here. Lay your head down and sleep.”

The Haunt rasped something to him wordlessly… and then slowly, it lowered its head and fell still and silent, its body giving a single pulse before it lost the sense of awful, clinging sadness and vitality that had clung to it. Scrivener looked down at it silently, glad that it had been set free… and then he closed his eyes, turning around and sighing softly as he let himself through the door and muttered: “Guess all unicorns… weren’t so bad, anyway…”

He checked several other doors on the second floor, and found only a heavy cloak in remarkably good condition in one room, resting over a trunk. Otherwise, there was nothing of interest… marks where something had been burned, a few scars of battle, a few frozen and dead unicorn bodies that thankfully didn’t move. He also thought he caught a glimpse of a Pale, but wandering ghosts were far from uncommon in this world… and for all he knew, it could be Caprice, spying furtively on them and trying to decide whether or not he was a sorcerer still.

He snorted in amusement at this thought as he headed down the steps to find Luna laying on several coats and cloaks she had gathered in front of a burning pile of debris, sapphire flames dancing greedily over the shattered remnants of desk and chairs and yet consuming very little of the wood as she glanced over her shoulder and smiled a bit. “Thou art either too kind or trying thy hardest to irritate me, Scrivener Blooms.”

“Can’t it be both?” Scrivy smiled back, tossing her the heavy black cloak, and Luna caught it before curiously inspecting the coat of arms on the back, of two unicorns standing on either side of three tall golden horns. “Unicorn monarchy symbol. Traditional, they call it, dates back some seventeen hundred years or so.”

Luna nodded thoughtfully, then she shrugged a bit before carefully slipping the cloak on, saying quietly: “Well, ‘tis not like I shall need this for very long, anyway. What about thou, Scrivener Blooms? Surely thou cannot seriously be fine in this accursed weather.”

“I dunno. It just doesn’t bother me, Luna… the cold, that is.” Scrivener shrugged a bit, leaning over and resting against her, and Luna pressed her side back against the male’s as she turned her face to bury it quietly into his mane, eyes closed. “Everything else about North Neigh bothers me but… the cold never does. It’s like the darkness… the cold embraces me.”

“Oh, compare not my pleasant and beautiful night that we both so miss to this damnable cold. Maybe thou art meant to go to Helheim.” Luna said moodily, and Scrivener laughed despite himself as he gave her an amused look. “Silence, wretched creature.”

Scrivener nudged her gently, and she grumbled and nudged him firmly back with her shoulder, grumbling: “Thou should pummel me for this idea. Wretched, damnable, silly idea that it is. I would rather be back in stuffy Canterlot, locked away in my room under motherly Celestia than here, now that we have arrived… and ‘twill be a long few hours while we heal and regenerate, Scrivener Blooms. A long few hours I wish we could pass in… greater delights, but… this place makes me uncomfortable.”

She quieted, then leaned away with a soft sigh, the two studying one another for a few moments before she lowered her head and murmured: “I keep remembering… what happened here. How much we suffered… how much we lost. And that this terrible place… this is what thou gave up thy mind for, Scrivy.” She laughed faintly, glancing towards him, looking over him slowly as she whispered: “It humbles me that thou can be so generous of heart.”

The male only smiled faintly, however, lowering his head and murmured quietly: “Not really, Luna… I mean, how often have we both regretted what we did here? But while I know that given the chance, you’d do it all over again, you’d save these ponies… I… I don’t know if I would, if I could, knowing what… what it would cost. What it would just lead to…

“Every day, I wonder. If we had known what we were up against, and that the Tyrant Wyrm itself was only another distraction… would I have preferred to let it feed off of and destroy the city, innocents and all amidst the guilty unicorns? Would we have ignored the problem it posed, gone straight to the Black Baroque if we had known that was where all this evil was coming from, and… could we have made everything different, at the cost of…” Scrivener closed his eyes and laughed a bit, dropping his head forwards as he muttered: “I’m sorry, Luna. I’m not making sense, I know. I’m just… look at what I’ve become. Forget what I’m becoming, what I’ve already become is…”

He quieted, glancing away, and Luna hugged him tightly around the neck, pushing herself closer to him and murmuring: “And look at whom and what I am, Scrivener Blooms. Nightmare Moon, and yet still thou wert my friend from the very beginning, and worked to understand me… to care for me, and help me, and teach me. And I have learned much from being with thee, and nothing more important than that it is we who shape ourselves and our destinies… and that even the greatest of darkness can be used for good. But we have a promise, do we not, Scrivy? Come. Out of these dreary thoughts, on to better things, ‘lest I pummel thee.”

“I just hate feeling like I’m your greatest vulnerability… like I could become a threat to you. Like I might hurt you.” Scrivener paused meditatively, then he smiled a bit at her, bowing his head towards the winged unicorn and adding with soft entertainment: “Although there is something darkly and delightfully romantic about the whole thing too, isn’t there? Me and you, the Tyrant Pony and the Valkyrie. Our kid is going to be so messed up.”

“Thou art not a Tyrant Pony, thou art a Jerk Pony.” Luna retorted grouchily, and then she headbutted him and mumbled: “Besides, what is most awkward of all is that I almost enjoy said analogy. We would rule the battlefield with greater ease than perhaps even Celestia ever did… but ‘twould likely be awkward in bed, though.”

“I love how that’s where your mind goes to, Luna. The battlefield and the bedroom… although to you, they’re both battlegrounds, aren’t they?” Scrivener asked mildly, glancing up towards the blue flame… and then he winced when Luna firmly bopped him with her horn, giving him a sour look. “Well, you said it, not me. I’m merely remarking on it.”

“Oh, shut up, poet.” Luna grumbled, and then she buried her face against the side of his neck with a sigh, saying sullenly: “We are strange, strange creatures, Scrivener Blooms. We have made each other better and worse over the years, just as Helheim has made us better and worse. I dislike this.”

“I know Luna. I know.” Scrivener wrapped a foreleg around her, and the two pressed close in front of the sapphire fire, curling their bodies tighter together. It was a long time before the two could relax, however… but eventually, they both began to settle and relax even in the shells of their armor, nuzzling each other softly and trading gentle affections as they clung to each other for comfort more than heat.

Luna slowly closed her eyes as Scrivener sat up a bit, gazing at her quietly as the winged unicorn yawned a little before smiling up at him as she settled over the cloaks, and then she murmured softly: “Only an hour, daydreamer, then waken me and I shall return the favor and watch over thee as thou sleeps. A little sleep may do a world of good for us both.”

Scrivener nodded, rubbing a hoof gently along her back as he replied quietly: “Of course, Luna. Get some sleep now, and I’ll wake you when it’s time to switch.”

The winged unicorn nodded, then she leaned up towards him and glared at him insistently, and Scrivener rolled his eyes in entertainment before he leaned down and turned his head to the side, allowing her to kiss his cheek before she flopped back on the cloaks and mumbled: “Wretched beetle. Wretched world. I shall pummel Odin for seeding Midgard like this in the first place. God of Wisdom my flank…”

Scrivener only gazed at her with entertainment as he reached up to adjust his glasses, and Luna huffed a bit as she curled up beneath the thick cloak over her body amidst the musty but comfortable cloth she had found… but the feeling of the black pearl against her chest and the knowledge her husband was watching out for her helped her steadily relax, falling steadily into sleep.

Luna’s eyes opened in a dream world, gazing back and forth with a soft smile as she stood up and studied her surroundings. The floor was marble, the walls were obsidian, and beautiful tapestries and paintings hung over them; it was a magnificent entrance hall, with an enormous staircase at the back of the room leading up to an enormous open archway. Luna was drawn towards this, the oak steps murmuring beneath her hooves as she climbed the stairs and passed through the arch onto a wide balcony, and she climbed to her hind hooves to lean with a look of awe over the white marble railing, gazing down at a magnificent, wild valley lit by the moon and stars high above.

Enormous trees and strange fauna and flora played all throughout the sprawled vale, and she could hear the songs of night-birds mixing with the chuckling of a flowing, tranquil river. But it was not merely the beauty that compelled her… it was the strange knowledge that all this was hers, and yet was not: it was her kingdom, but it was wild, it was free, it did not require her to rule over it as Celestia had always ruled over Equestria… and she closed her eyes, tilting her head upwards and basking beneath the light of the moon as she whispered: “Wonderful.”

“And it is all yours.” Nightmare Moon’s voice spoke kindly, and Luna turned around with surprise to gaze at the enormous obsidian equine was she strode out of the archway, smiling tenderly. Her eyes gleamed, and the wreath of black roses around her neck swayed slowly as she leaned down and said quietly: “This can and will be the fruit of our achievements together, my dear child Luna. Especially working alongside beloved Scrivener Blooms… that is what will make it all worthwhile, isn’t it? Now look into the forest.”

Luna frowned a bit, but then she slowly turned around when Nightmare Moon gave her a softly-imploring gaze, and the winged unicorn leaned up and over the railing to gaze once more through the forest veil… before her eyes widened as she caught sight of something enormous slithering amongst the trees, and a flash of strange, eldritch light. It rumbled… and yet it sent a thrill through her, before she gritted her teeth as Nightmare Moon stepped up beside her and whispered in her ear: “It excites me too. But remember… that he must choose for himself. Yes, we have both tampered with Scrivener Blooms over the years, let us both admit our faults in this… I have allowed myself too often to be blinded by my desire to make him strong, by forgetting that… my ideals, my thoughts of love, are tainted by my own darkness, and perhaps my own ego.

“But do not forget that I love him too. That he is most precious to me…” Nightmare Moon smiled as Luna gazed at her, the tall, black equine saying in a voice that was tender, that was somehow soothing: “He is more important to me than you, perhaps, Luna. And this comforts you and scares you, but not for the reasons many would expect… but he is more important to you than you are to yourself as well, isn’t he? He makes you forget the instinct of self-preservation… but as you are both so tightly bound and bonded, perhaps he also inclines you to always remember your priorities… perhaps striving so hard to make him happy and please him and save him is merely selfishness. Did you not once believe it would be better to die than to serve as a thrall to evil?”

“Aye, I did, but Scrivener Blooms will conquer the corruption. Will conquer Valthrudnir, too…” Luna hesitated, looking silently up at Nightmare Moon as she whispered: “And I believe he will conquer us as well, and these terrible things we do to him, have pushed upon him. I do not know… why I do, Nightmare Moon. And I know ‘tis not just thou, ‘tis me. I wish to see him strong, I wish to see him happy, and I influence him and do… wicked things to him without meaning to. Encourage him in things I know, I know I should help mend instead of further test and pressure… what do I do, Nightmare Moon? What is it inside me that compels me towards… towards evil…”

“Shh, little one, it is alright.” Nightmare Moon stepped forwards, gently embracing Luna and pulling her closer, and the smaller winged unicorn went willingly, resting her head against the enormous ebony equine’s chest, smelling the perfume of the black roses as she closed her eyes tightly and shivered a bit against this being of darkness manifested inside her. “You are a Valkyrie. You are a warrior, with a warrior’s instincts… but more than that, we have always been different, have we not? We are willing to do what is necessary, and to fight darkness with darkness, and to do anything to ensure the protection of our loved ones. We do not bend to the laws of others, but rather follow our own code… especially true now that we have lived here in Helheim for so long.

“It is in your nature, Luna, to… change… what you contact.” Nightmare Moon continued delicately, and the sapphire winged unicorn winced and looked up apprehensively at this as Nightmare Moon gazed back down with a sympathetic smile. “And Scrivener Blooms has much that has left him… easier to compel into our dark world. The corruption of the Tyrant Wyrm only added to this… and is it so wrong we want to make him powerful? That we want him to be able to stride onto the battlefield with the same great strength as us? That we want him to be the most miraculous of treasures, the treasure that protects itself?”

She smiled encouragingly, then gazed outwards again towards the vale, saying softly: “I believe, beloved Luna… that Scrivener Blooms will maintain himself no matter what occurs. But to be honest? I also do not have the same… cares and worries that you do. Because I always remember that no matter what occurs… what path we choose… we always walk the path together. Scrivener Blooms will never leave and betray us, and we shall never leave and betray him.” Nightmare Moon closed her eyes, smiling as she tilted her head back with an expression that was almost blissful. “Even if he did somehow transform into a terrible Tyrant Wyrm, we know he would not hurt us. And we would still stand beside him even if he had their awful hungers as well as their awful powers…”

“And that is what scares me, creature.” Luna murmured, bowing her head forwards as she laughed weakly. “I do not believe that… Scrivener Blooms will magically transform into a giant, death-breathing lizard. That would be a vast and stupid overestimation of the echo of Valthrudnir’s powers… I fear rather that he will be twisted inside, but I do not… I do not wish to imagine what that would do to him.

“But I know that whether or not I dove first into the shadows, or Scrivener Blooms strode fearlessly into the darkness himself… I would follow him, and he would follow me with no hesitation, no fear, only love. Terrible, dark love…” Luna laughed faintly, shaking her head slowly as she whispered: “We would save the world to make each other happy… and yet, we would destroy it, too, and gladly, if only to make the other smile. Is this truly love, Nightmare Moon? Is love truly such a dangerous, evil, and powerful thing? For even had I not this connection in soul to Scrivener Blooms… I still think that… that without him, I would wither and die. Just as he thinks so often that without me, he would lose all purpose… love is a killer, Nightmare Moon. Love is dangerous. Love is darker than thou and I put together. Love is a worse manipulator than Valthrudnir.”

The darkness-touched equine only laughed quietly, however, looking down at her and saying tenderly: “Which is why it is perfect for us, and for you, and for our beloved treasure. We are not good ponies, after all… perhaps, we are no longer even ponies, whatever our shapes may belie.”

“Say it not!” Luna snapped, looking up at her with teeth grit, but Nightmare Moon only slid her hooves soothingly along Luna’s shoulders, gazing down at her kindly, and the winged unicorn gave a shiver as she dropped her head forwards against the broad chest of the creature and whispered: “Say it not. I fear every day what we are, Nightmare Moon… thou does not need to further remind me of the fact that I am a monster.”

The larger winged unicorn only gave a tender smile, leaning down and whispering softly in her ear: “What would you rather be, precious Luna? A monster… or unable to protect and save these loved ones, these treasures? The abyss holds many secrets, if only you are willing to plumb its depths… a monster’s eyes may be the windows to a soul more real and alive than that of many so-called heroes. I do not fear being a monster… and I do not think Scrivener Blooms does, either.”

Luna fidgeted apprehensively, and Nightmare Moon finally drew back, gazing out towards the forest as there was a flash of blue light from the vale, as something rumbled through the trees as she said thoughtfully: “Still, there are many considerations to take into account yet, and much to be done before we allow other petty concerns to overwhelm our mind and spirit. Darling Luna, do not despair… only do what must be done. Embrace who you are… do not push Scrivener Blooms, but aid his own decision with empathy and compassion, things that I am not as familiar with as you are. Let us all work together, in our loving companionship… I am sure the future holds many wonders, no matter what path we take.”

Then Nightmare Moon turned, striding back through the archway, leaving Luna sitting alone on the balcony as she breathed slowly in and out, trembling a bit before she clenched her eyes shut and murmured: “I do not understand what thou means to achieve, Nightmare Moon… but at the same time, I know that I must take thy advice. I only hope that thou speaks the truth of the future… that… things will work out.”

She sighed a little, then shook her head and turned around, moodily throwing her front limbs over the railing and dropping her chin over them as she grumbled: “’Tis all nonsense. I wish that I could pummel it all into place… and here I am, dreaming of my husband becoming a world-eater. ‘Tis worse than when he dreams of me permitting him to take care of me, although at least this is far more possible.” She paused reflectively, adding musingly: “And at least Scrivener’s goals are noble: he would never steal from me the thrill of the battle, and never fight for me did I not make it clear I wished him to… but sometimes, only sometimes, ‘tis nice to know that should I somehow ever have all four of my legs cut off and my wings removed, then I could take a day off now and then to permit Scrivener Blooms to do more than the housework and cookery.”

She smiled despite herself at this, then leaned out as there was another ripple through the forest, hoping to catch a clearer glimpse of the shape… but then the vale fell still and silent, and she sighed a little, saying grouchily: “There is something so very, very wrong with me. No wonder Celestia always mothered me, I am damaged and unwell. I am almost a poet. Not quite, but almost.”

She leaned forwards a bit further, musing to herself as she looked back and forth over the beautiful night forest… and then Luna reared back in surprise as the head of an enormous, black-scaled, ivory-scarred Tyrant Wyrm rose slowly up in front of her, unnatural blue light shining from its eyes as it released a plume of foggy blue breath that hissed softly through the air: it smelled of spices and cooked meat, impossible to identify as the winged unicorn stared, drawing her eyes along features she recognized in spite of how changed they were, how enormous it was, as the creature’s head leaned forwards before it grinned widely, ivory teeth glinting as it spoke in a soft rumble: “Dreams are powerful, aren’t they? You can have anything you want in a dream world. Sometimes… I wish we could sleep forever, together…”

“Scrivy.” Luna smiled faintly, stepping forwards and reaching up to touch the end of his enormous muzzle, and the creature’s gaze was soft and tender as it gazed down at her, an expression she had never expected to see on the face of any Tyrant Wyrm… an expression that made her smile wider, almost brought tears to her eyes as she saw in it her husband, her beloved… as it reminded her that no matter what the shape, it was not a monster: he was not a monster, and to her, he never would be. “Did thou fall asleep, great foolish lout?”

Scrivener Blooms only laughed quietly, however, and he drew back slightly for a moment before he rose up on his hind legs, enormous, gnarled claws grasping either side of the castle as his head leaned down over her, and Luna gazed up at him with exhilaration and a wide grin, licking her lips and both loving and hating the thrill the sight gave her. “No, but you told me to wake you up after an hour. Well, it’s been two hours, and I decided the easiest way to get your attention would be to slip into your mind. But with you thinking of me in this shape, and me… admittedly poking a lot through thoughts I shouldn’t… this form seemed most natural to appear to you in.” He paused meditatively, eyes giving a faint flash. “Funny, this form being the most natural. Yet… all the same… it helps somehow.”

“Thou let me sleep for an extra hour? Foul beetle.” Luna grumbled, and then she flicked her horn towards him, sending a small blue flare shooting upwards to strike Scrivener’s breast, the fireball bursting over his scales and making him wince back slightly… but then only grin down at her, and she snorted in amusement at this. “Do not make me crack thee open to discover if thou really are the same as the other Wyrms, with a blackened and ashen world inside thee and a great and grinning eye.”

“Eyes can’t really grin, they don’t have teeth.” Scrivener retorted, and he leaned down with a flash of his enormous ivory fangs. “I have teeth.”

“I have teeth as well, Scrivener Blooms. The difference is that mine are like this in reality, so thou should shut thy foolish gaping mouth.” Luna grinned back widely, her own jaws like a trap filled with deadly, polished blades, and Scrivy laughed before the winged unicorn shook her head and said amusedly: “Retreat from my dreamworld, beetle. I shall be out shortly, and then thou can parade around however thy pleases in thine own mind.”

Scrivener smiled… and then he leaned suddenly, impulsively down, kissing the side of her face quietly, and Luna turned almost beet-red at the contact before the Tyrant Wyrm-shaped poet winked and burst apart into blue smog. The winged unicorn grumbled in frustration under her breath as she closed her eyes tightly, willing herself towards wakefulness as she muttered: “Idiot stupid damnable beloved Scrivener Blooms…”

Slowly, Luna felt herself dropping downwards, breathing a little harder as her eyes flickered… and then finally opened, and she yawned quietly as she stretched her limbs out, once more feeling soft cloaks beneath her body before she sat up with surprise as she realized that not only had her helm had been removed, there was a pillow under her head and a blanket thrown over her body. She looked up with surprise at Scrivy, who was sitting nearby, calmly writing… and he gave her a soft smile, shrugging a bit and saying quietly: “It just took a few minutes of digging around. You know, you spent another half an hour flailing your way to wakefulness.”

“Shut up, Scrivy, ‘tis… tiresome.” Luna mumbled, and she absently rolled her head on her shoulders before finally climbing to her hooves and shaking herself out briskly, ephemeral mane and tail sizzling softly around her before she smiled over at him quietly. “Thou… has my thanks, though. And… Scrivener Blooms, listen-”

“No.” Scrivener smiled over at her, and Luna looked surprised before the male quietly put his quill and inkwell aside, then glanced over the sheet of parchment before he said softly: “We have a job to do that takes precedence over everything else right now. We have ponies to try and save, and I’ve… written my thoughts down, and don’t think I need to mope about it anymore, now that all my worries are trapped in paper. So I’m going to have a nap now, and when you wake me up, we’ll go out there, kick some flank, and then figure a way out to march those Pales all the way back home. Sound good?”

Luna looked at him for a few moments… then she stepped forwards and embraced him fiercely, and Scrivener leaned back in surprise before she kissed his cheek and murmured in his ear: “It sounds as if thou has finally decided to join the living instead of the moping dead, Scrivener Blooms. I’m proud of thee.”

Scrivener laughed a little at this, reaching up and rubbing his front hooves along her sides as they leaned together… and then they pulled apart and smiled, studying one another before trading a short, soft kiss, and Luna gazed warmly after him as the male approached the cloaks and dropped over them. He pulled Sleipnir’s helm off his head, putting it aside and tossing his glasses off, and the winged unicorn drew her eyes over his scarred features as he pulled the blanket up over his body and lowered himself to the pillow, yawning and saying quietly: “Don’t let me sleep for too long. I’m not a magical unicorn like you and my body’s already pretty well-rested.”

“Unlike thou, I am not kind enough to modify my schedules for thee in any event. Rest for an hour, Scrivy, and then I shall awaken thee and we shall be on our way.” Luna replied gently, and the earth pony smiled to her before he closed his eyes with a nod, and the winged unicorn gazed over him lovingly before she turned her head to curiously glance at the parchment, her horn glowing blue as she lifted it and smiled at Scrivener’s messy writing.

Her eyes drew over the words: it was more like prose than poetry, but most of all it was a recording of the male’s thoughts. They rambled, jumbled together, almost incoherent… and yet to Luna it all made perfect sense, knowing the male as she did, and she gazed over at him softly before putting the parchment down and quietly leaning over the earth pony, leaning down to kiss his temple… and the male smiled a bit, murmuring: “I’m not even asleep yet, mother Luna.”

“Quiet, beetle, and accept the little gifts in life with grace.” Luna replied tenderly, and she reached a hoof up to stroke along his back quietly before she gazed towards the sapphire flames, laughing softly and adding in a murmur: “Beloved Scrivener Blooms, my poet, my beetle, my daydreamer. Forget not that the quill is mightier than the blade. A sword may take a life, but a poem may take a nation.”

“Only if you’re good at it, and I’m not.” Scrivener replied, eyes still closed as he dozed, and Luna sighed and rolled her eyes before she firmly smacked him, making him wince and start. “Should I just not sleep, then?”

“Nay, go on, rest now.” Luna replied with a roll of her eyes, looking down at him with entertainment as she slowly shook her head. “We have time yet… even if the world is close to collapse, we still have much time left.”

Scrivener smiled a bit at this thought, nodding slowly… and Luna sat over him protectively, watching as the male settled down into sleep, gazing over him with affection and love as the blue flames of the bonfire crackled quietly and cast warmth through the hollow room of the broken town that was trapped in Helheim’s eternal frost.

Comments

[Bloody_Tofu]

Ohh. This chapter... the imagery and discussion just work. How something so romantic can flourish in that tainted world...