• Published 9th Apr 2013
  • 1,909 Views, 122 Comments

Fine Steps - TwilightSnarkle



A collection of stories about the creatures who live in, work in, or visit the little town of Pasofino.

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In which light is cast upon darkness

A yellow unicorn sat in his shop, sketching out a chaotic pattern of circles and lines and squiggles that, somehow, resolved themselves into a music box. He gave the sketch one last look, poured sand over the wet ink, and then set to re-cutting his quill.

He looked up as the creak of a floorboard announced a visitor. The lack of chimes told him precisely who it was.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Luna,” Worker declared, sweeping out of his office and bowing with a flourish. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“I thought I should check on my Royal Engineer,” she replied, looming over the smaller pony. Her face was blank, but a strange light shone in her eye. “It’s been ages since he’s sent a report.”

Worker blinked, then glanced over at a drawer stuffed with tightly-rolled scrolls. “Ah. Well.” His mane suddenly seemed too tight. “You see, I get so busy, and I forget to...”

Luna’s lip trembled, and she fell into laughter. “Oh, Worker! Your expression.” She giggled like a schoolfilly. “Priceless!”

Worker’s panicked desperation faded into uncomfortable self-awareness. “Well. Right! Of course,” he harrumphed. “I knew you were...” He laughed, shaking his head in resignation. “Yes, you win. Very good.” He turned towards the cabinets. “Now, shall I collect the scrolls for you before I faint?”

Still chuckling, she shook her head. “No, no. This is purely a social call, old friend. I just wanted to see how you were doing.” She glanced at the crowded room, and its organized chaos of boxes, bins, and barrels. “You seem busy, at the least.”

“Very busy,” Worker agreed. He paused to clean his glasses, then balanced them back on his nose. “All news is good news, it seems, when you’re in business.” He shrugged. “Free advertising. Anyway, we’ve cleared the debris of the old shop, and are well into rebuilding it. It should be complete within the month, just in time for Nightmare Night.”

Luna nodded, smiling at her subject. “I don’t suppose you can spare the time for a walk?”

“Of course, Luna,” he agreed, then turned towards the office. “Let me just douse the lights. I’ll meet you outside?”

Moments later, Worker stepped outside and joined the princess who waited in the early evening. “Where to?” he asked.

“The gallery is having a showing of a few of their best pieces,” she replied. “I hear they have a few of Smudge’s works, newly-acquired from a private collection in Hoofington. I’d love to see them again.”

“Your wish is my command, your highness.” He bowed low, and walked alongside her through the quiet streets of the mercantile district.

They passed shops of all sizes and shapes, with every manner of goods on display. A few heartier souls still had their lamps on, and welcomed customers in after nightfall, but they were the exception. Luna smiled at each one they passed. Worker stopped at a small cart and bought them each a hot mug of cider.

“Worker,” she asked, sipping carefully, “how old was Sonic, when you left Mobius?”

“That’s an odd question, Luna, but...” He examined the ripples in his mug. “I’d have to say he was in his late teens. Maybe his early twenties.” He turned his attention to the princess. “Why do you ask?”

“It just occurred to me,” she replied. “Anniversaries. Nightmare Night is one of mine, after all.” She looked up towards the hillside where Worker lived. “Speaking of anniversaries, how long have you and Skyshine been married, now?”

“Just past eleven years.” He drained the mug, and returned it to the vendor’s cart.

Luna nodded. “About Nightmare Night,” she continued, and turned back towards the roadway. “You’re aware of the tradition?”

“Of course,” he laughed. “I have a filly, after all. She loves the costumes, and the chance to stay up late. Not that she ever makes it to midnight.”

Luna slowed her pace to match Worker’s, and smiled at the occasional passer-by. Looking ahead, she nonetheless addressed her companion. “Do you know the story?”

“I...” Worker paused. That question could have many answers. “I have my suspicions.”

Luna nodded. “I thought as much.”

The wild-maned unicorn realized he had stopped walking, and quickened his pace to catch up. As he rejoined her, he asked, “Is that the real reason for your visit, Luna?”

Luna smiled down at him. Worker thought he caught a flash of concern in her eye, but if it was there it vanished quickly. “I won’t mislead you, Worker. It did influence my decision to visit now, but not for the reason you might think.”

“Now you’re being mysterious.” He did his best to fill the word with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Luna’s laughter was muffled behind a raised foreleg, her eyes crinkling at her companion. “Why, Worker. Haven’t you learned that much about me, yet?”

“I’m not surprised, your highness,” he replied primly, barely hiding a grin. He strolled ahead, and then spoke over his shoulder. “I’m merely pointing it out.”

“Mm. If I am being mysterious, it is with good reason. As it so happens, I do have some questions for you, but they can wait. First, I’d like to see the gallery, and then perhaps we can visit with the family.”

“They’d be delighted, I’m sure.”

* * *

“She’s—it’s exceptional,” Worker critiqued. “I can almost see her breathe on the page. It is paper, isn’t it? Wrapping paper?”

Luna murmured agreement, smiling with familiarity at the lime-green pegasus that soared within her frame.

Worker studied the picture a moment longer, then turned his attention to the study of Luna. After a moment, her expression registered. “You knew her,” he said.

A small blue colt paused at the pair, and mumbled his apologies. “Beg pardon, your highness, Mr. Worker, but we’re closing up for the night.”

The princess smiled at him, and Worker nodded cordially. The new pony turned about and walked away very quickly, a polite smile frozen beneath eyes spinning in panic.

Luna turned to leave, and gestured to Worker with a wing. He fell alongside and did his best to keep pace. As they passed through the exit, she answered Worker’s question.

“Yes, I did know her. Her name was Cayenne. She was the mother of a very spirited filly by the name of Spice Drop. Spice reminded me in some ways of your daughter, but by the time I met her she had already gained her cutie mark. I understand Snowdrop is eager for her own.”

“Of course. She’s memorized the Crusader Handbook, and wants to join the local chapter. I’ve convinced her that her studies are more important for now, but that wasn’t too difficult.” Worker smiled up at his royal companion. “She seems to hold her teacher in rather high regard.”

Luna glanced at him and beamed. He continued his questions.

“What of the other mare?”

“I never met her, but I understand her name was Copper Key. It does make me wonder.” She paused and glanced back towards the gallery. “Those works were family heirlooms. I don’t know how they ended up in a private collection, but I can only hope they arrived there legitimately.” She shook her head and then turned back towards the path.

“You said Hoofington, earlier this evening.” Worker realized she was heading towards the park at the outskirts of town, and kept pace alongside. “Were they residents?”

“Cayenne was, yes. Copper Key, I understand, was from Ponyville, as was the artist.”

“Amazing.”

“Hmm?”

Worker paused, and his eyes were pulled towards the heavens. He watched the myriad stars shimmer before remembering her prompt. “Ah. I mean, your memory of it all. I have a head for figures and schematics, but I wager you could recall every pony you’ve ever met.”

She stepped to his side, and lifted her gaze as well. Her voice dropped into a near-murmur as she replied. “I can, after a fashion. Small things fade over time, of course, but if I learn a pony’s name, it stays with me.”

“That must be difficult,” he reflected, gazing at the cratered face of the moon as it soared overhead.

Luna frowned, and stared down at her old friend. “What do you mean?”

He looked down at his hooves, and then into the treeline, while he explained. “Knowing, closely, all those who have ventured on. How do you manage?” He returned her gaze briefly, but could not continue to stare into those too-knowing eyes. Thankfully, she turned away and continued her stroll.

“With effort,” Luna replied. “After a few centuries, it became easier.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think.”

“It’s quite all right.” Luna wore a smile, now, but it fought to remain in place. “Though I am constantly reminded of the brevity of my subjects’ lives, I also marvel at how much you can accomplish in your spans.”

“Sincerely, Luna,” Worker said, turning so he could look at her properly. “I apologize for putting a damper on the evening.”

The princess shook her head. “It’s a small thing. Perhaps a somber mood is better for what I wanted to discuss with you. We should visit with your wife. She is involved as well, or will be. Will you travel with me to your home?”

“I must say,” Worker murmured, stepping closer, “I much preferred the playful mystery to this one.”

Luna spared him an unreadable glance, and then the world shimmered.

* * *

Snowdrop crept down the hall, carefully setting one hoof down before lifting another. From the voices she had heard, she knew the family had company, but now she could hear no pony sounds at all—not even snoring. If her mommy and daddy had a guest, why weren’t they talking? Grownups loved to talk, even when it wasn’t raining outside.

She reached the edge of the hallway and leaned forward, craning her neck to peek around the corner, and nearly squeaked in surprise.

In the living room, around the low table before the fire, sat her mommy and daddy and Princess Luna! They were all surrounded by a glowing blue bubble. Is that why she couldn’t hear them? She dropped down to her belly and scooted forward by inches until she could spy more comfortably.

She looked from pony to pony. Her parents had their backs to her, but Luna was facing in her direction and—

The bubble vanished. “Snowdrop,” Luna stated, her voice flat. “Come here.”

She was nearly halfway down the hall before she realized she had been called. “Ponyfeathers,” she whispered, exhausting her entire store of epithets before turning about to plod back towards the greatroom.

“I heard that, Snowdrop.” Princess Luna did not sound happy.

The little filly rounded the corner, chewing on her lip and staring at the floor. She waited there, next to the fireplace, while her parents and the princess regarded her.

“Snowdrop,” Luna began, “your parents and I are having a very private discussion, and you should be in bed. How can I trust you’ll listen to my lessons if you can’t listen to your parents?”

“I’m sorry, princess,” Snowdrop replied, kicking at the floor. “I just thought I heard voices, and then it was so quiet, and I got s’picious, and...”

“I understand. Come here, please.”

Snowdrop sniffled but obeyed, her eyes welling with tears. “I just...”

“Shh.” Luna folded a wing around her, and nuzzled her cheek. “It’s quite alright. I’m not angry at you, just a little disappointed. We can talk about that at our next lesson, alright?”

Snowdrop nodded mutely, her cheeks damp.

“Now go on to bed. Give your folks a hug before you go, hm?”

“Yes’m.” Staring at the floor, Snowdrop turned about to trudge to her father’s seat and nosed him in the side. He tousled her mane, fighting a grin, and whispered that he loved her. Skyshine, in turn, frowned at her but gave her a hug nonetheless, and patted her side as she passed out of the room.

* * *

All three adults listened for the quiet click of the filly's door, then the bubble sprang back into existence.

“Really now, Worker,” Skyshine grumbled, “was it that funny?”

Worker fought back tears, hiding a frozen grin behind his hoof, and nodding furiously.

Luna rolled her eyes, shook out her mane, and tried to bring the conversation back around to the subject at hand. “Thank you for letting me handle that one, Skyshine. She needs to understand the importance of the rules, and that was a prime opportunity.”

“Of course,” Skyshine replied with a curt nod. “You were saying something about Nightmare Night?”

“Yes, thank you,” Luna agreed. “If Worker can control himself?”

Worker had managed to choke down the smile. He nodded in reply. “I’m listening. You have my utmost attention.”

“Very well,” she continued. “As Worker has no doubt told you, the stories of Nightmare Night are not entirely accurate. While it is true that I was rescued from Nightmare, we were not separate beings at the time.”

Any hint of humor faded from Worker’s face, and his mouth was drawn in a flat line. Skyshine looked nervous, but said nothing.

“Ages ago, my sister and I defeated Nightmare, although we did not know it at the time. It had taken the two of us, working together, to banish it from the realm. Over the centuries, it found a way to return, and influenced one of my sister’s pupils.”

Luna gestured at the table. Suddenly, wisps of glowing light danced across it, taking the form of ponies. Two tall winged creatures approached a smaller shape. It shimmered, and something peeled off and faded away.

“When we recognized it, it fled, but not before the damage was done. Celestia and I were forced to imprison the student, and his counterstroke led to suffering for a great many ponies. Soon, it returned, but it had learned the value of deception.”

The shapes shimmered again. Now, a single alicorn walked alone, and a small cloud hovered behind. It grew larger and larger as her tale unfolded.

“It recognized that I was unhappy with certain truths about our subjects. It wheedled and whined, hinted and suggested, pretending to be my own voice. I was a prime target for it. I was stronger then than I am now, in fact, and less wise to the nature of evil.”

The cloud slowly filtered into the alicorn. It darkened, but its eyes still glowed.

“Over time, it consumed me. It trapped me within myself, and assumed my form. My sister was forced to...” The princess shuddered, pausing to take a breath. The wispy alicorn winked out.

Skyshine reached out and placed a hoof atop hers. “Thank you,” Luna whispered. She closed her eyes for the briefest of moments. Visibly steeled, she continued.

“By the time Celestia recognized I was no longer in control of my faculties, Nightmare was too strong to expel. So we were imprisoned—cast into the sky, and locked away in the moon. For a thousand years, the Nightmare waited, and when it grew bored it would torment me, robbing me of my strength and, I feared, my sanity."

A shimmer reappeared. A desolate sphere moved over the table, approached by four brilliant sparks.

“Over the years, Nightmare reached across the cosmos, and found allies in the stars. A few agreed to help set it free, in exchange for prominence in the sky. A thousand years later, it did so, and thus began the legends of the Elements of Harmony.” She smiled, and looked out the window.

“Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle,” she listed, each name filled with warmth. Unobserved by its creator, the blue-white shimmer took on shapes that Worker could only guess were cutie marks. “I knew them all, and trusted them implicitly.”

“Wait,” said Worker, his brow furrowed. “Twilight Sparkle? As in, Princess Twilight Sparkle?”

Luna turned back to the table, and the blue glow winked out once more. “Yes, Worker. The same pony—but that is a story for another time.”

“I understand,” he said. “You were saying something about the Elements?”

“Indeed, yes. They rescued me.” Luna smiled, then—a genuine expression of joy. The rest of the room seemed dimmer in comparison. “By embodying the Elements of Harmony, those six mares freed me from Nightmare’s influence, and cast it out. We thought it gone, but had we considered its past, well...”

“You would have realized it was trying to influence me,” Worker concluded.

His wife’s head whipped around. Wide-eyed, she stared in terror at her husband. It was Luna’s turn to place a hoof upon hers.

“Skyshine,” Luna soothed. “Influence is one thing. Possession is quite another. Worker has only been touched briefly by Nightmare, and it has fled once already upon seeing my sister and I.”

Skyshine hazarded a guess. “Is that...” She found she couldn’t complete the thought.

“Yes. That is who shouted at you, all those months ago. And, I imagine, what you saw was the product of a series of reasonable suggestions.”

Worker nodded, frowning at his hooves. “They were.”

“I know,” the princess replied softly.

“How...” Skyshine started, then tried again. “How do we defend against it?”

“Vigilance,” Luna replied. “From what I know of Nightmare, it chooses a suitable target and tries repeatedly before either being defeated or... well, winning.”

“But—”

“I do not intend to let it win,” Luna interrupted, her voice developing an edge of steel. “I have personal business with it now. Since it’s shown its interest, it may have done itself more harm than good.”

“What do you mean?” Skyshine asked.

“With my skills,” she replied, and looked over to the pensive unicorn. “And Worker’s intellect... we may be able to undo its influence for good.”

Worker nodded slowly, turning the idea over in his mind. Luna smiled, baring teeth in a manner almost feral.

“What do you say, Worker?” Luna extended a hoof. “Do we have an accord?”

“Yes, your highness.” He clasped her hoof in his own. “We do. For as long as it takes. That is, if my wife agrees.” He turned his gaze to Skyshine.

“I’d be lying if I said I had no reservations,” she began, looking down at the table. “But I trust you both.” She smiled weakly at each pony in turn. “Just... remember why you’re doing this. I’ll do what I can.”

“Then, my friends,” Luna declared, “we have a lot of work to do.”

The night wore on, but only Snowdrop got any sleep.