> The Gift of a Brooch > by Truerandom > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter one > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a typical summer evening, surprisingly warm and golden from the heat of the day, by the time Twilight made it to the boarding gate, trotting along the sandy cobblestones. As she neared the security checkpoint she observed the mass of ponies sprawled around the gates, disorganized in little groups, foals running through the crowd disturbing the adults, some of whom were talking animatedly, tourists, in foreign languages ; sometimes so loud she wondered if they were arguing or just excited about something. Others clung to their baggages, remaining silent and bored, fawning the heat of the day with papers. Every minutes or so, some would glance to the sky. As Twilight took her place in the line, if there was ever one, she squashed down a growing feeling of annoyance with a sigh. A gentle breeze ruffled her shawl, her mane dancing in the wind, catching the halo of the gas lights. She re-arranged the cloth with a hoof and turned her own gaze to the heavens. Not a cloud stained the sky, which took a deep blue color as it birthed the stars and chased the malevolent sun away from its domain, giving meaning to its beauty and the pony made tales of celestial beasts. This, to Twilight's inquisitive mind, was a scene of both longing and tranquility. She admired the night for its mystery and beauty but she was also a student of the day. Thus, she traveled to the city of Behjaiah on orders from her teacher, Princess Celestia, to lend her knowledge on magical derivative particles to the Arabian university of magic, for one of the last strings of diplomatic shows Equestria put on in courting the Arabian crown. Now the deed was done and she looked forward to the journey back to her homeland, to her family and to her comfortable tower above the archives of the castle. Her travel had been pleasant enough, but she hardly had the time to appreciate the charms of the city, as she had been completely caught up in her work. Even now, she could only admire the towers of the temples – Arabians venerated a multitude of Ancestors, from afar. They glistened in the last rays of the sun, piercing through the city like pillars of white. At their feet, the city lived. The buildings were not tall but strong and cozy, the richest houses built with large stones of granite and marble, decorated with Arabic geometric patterns, their gardens full with fig trees and exotic plants. Away from the temples, the houses of the poorest citizens were small and built with a mix of sand, mud and hay, with slim windows to hide from the heat, and terraces. They seemed to all be part of one block, so close their were to each others, providing little passages to the populace, always cool and protected from the sun by their shadows. To her right, she could see the souk, the marketplace, the heart of Behjaiah. Everything happened here. Riches could be made if you possessed the right skills to bargain and enough good senses to not end up at the end of a dagger. There was nothing you couldn't find here: silk, fruits, spices, tobacco, weapons, entertainments of all sorts...and, to Twilight's dismay, magical artifacts. She felt slightly disappointed to not have been able to explore the whole city, she only had the time to peruse a jewelry for a gift to her mother, and had found a simple but elegant silver pin, chiseled with three aquamarines. Twilight moved her eyes away from the city, resolving to only look toward the future for now, toward the sea. A dark body in the night, calm and quiet, it offered a great contrast to the metropolis. The sea wind drew a cool shiver on her exposed back. Lazy birds floated over her, stuck between two tones of blue, the rhythmic sound of the waves crashing below her almost relaxing. She closed her eyes patiently. While not being particularly affected by the charms of the sea-side lifestyle, Twilight did held some respect for the sea, mixed with fear. It was a secret place, threatening to hid ponies under tonnes of salty water, until even the light could not reach them anymore. To be lost into the sea meant death, a drawn out, long and suffocating agony, and sometimes, when the light was low above the water, she wondered if the faces she thought she saw in the foam of the waves were the shadows of lost souls, desperately trying to reach the shores. But the sea was not the element she was going to travel on for this journey, and she craned her neck earnestly, her eyes still shut but her ears listening for the tail tale sound of airships coming to the harbor. Suddenly, there was a move in the crowd, as a wave of ponies cheered at something over the horizon. Twilight reeled, planting her hooves on the ground while the group of agitators passed, grumbling under her breath. She was now stuck between a family of griffins and a pair of camels, unable to move and not quite as excited as her fellow citizens by the event of an airship coming to board. She was not used to crowd, really, so she tried to not panic too much, fighting to control her breathing. Strong scents of perfumes mixed with the subtler aroma of salt from the sea assaulted her delicate nostrils, while the constant brouhaha of the crowd was slowly hammering into her head, turning her brain into a headache. As exotic and intellectually nourishing this trip was, she somehow always ended up in situations she partly regretted along the way. Right now she regretted rejecting the proposition from her princess for a royal lodge, and a private boarding pass on the airship. She had wanted to experience the trip the full way, and she shied away from the guilty feeling of wasting the royal funds on her person. Her colleague from the university, Sunset Shimmer, would have been perfect for the job, if only she hadn't mysteriously disappeared a month ago, leaving only a note to her assistant... A loud noise interrupted her reverie. Several meters under them, seagulls squawked over the sea as a gigantic shadow engulfed them into the darkness. Here was the EES, for Equestrian Empire Steamer, Golden Hind. The best of the luxury steamers that crossed the skies from Equestria to the distant shores of Neighpon and Saddle Arabia. A giant in its design, but a subtle treasure in its engineering, it truly was a marvel to watch. Its sleek white belly hosted the best cabins, restaurants and commodities over the sea. Its powerful steam engines and towering chimneys assured the best comfort during the journey, while short but large wings on its side maintained stability during storms and maneuvering. Almost no other airships was as enduring as the Golden Hind, it was build for greatness, it was a beast of magic and steam, and it wasn't defenseless. From stem to stern, carefully hidden, were magic generators for the shields and strange windowless portholes for what, Twilight assumed, were the cannons of the airship. As a commercial airship, the Golden Hind had opted for a less aggressive design than its military brethren, but despite this choice the airship crew was doubled with a contingent of professional soldiers wise from countless air battles. Battles were not an everyday occurrence, but the EES Golden Hind was more than just a commercial airship, it was also a show of power and technology from Equestria to the other nations. Air travel was relatively new and Equestria dominated the market. As the Golden Hind docked, the crowd started to move, agitated by the arrival of the ship. There wouldn't be anypony boarding for some hours still, since it needed time to re-supply, but the prospect of traveling on the giant was electrifying for the mob. Being a member of the trusted crew was at some point every foal's dream. Gasping at the gargantuan proportions of the airship, Twilight suddenly understood the folly of the crowd and felt her heart soar for an instant, proud of the accomplishment of her country. She was Equestrian at heart, born and raised in its capital, Canterlot, and graduated from the best School of Magic in the country, right under the private tutelage of the princess. She watched with interest as her fellow travelers pushed away from the boarding gate to the landing platform, opting to wait for the bigger crowd to pass. That, and it wouldn't hurt to check her report of her trip one last time. “Only the best for the princess.” ***************** The captain of the Golden Hind stood still on the wooden deck, unaffected by the gust of cold wind battering his aging body. He observed the night sky in silence, waiting for something, his figure outlined by the meager moonlight. This was a night of secret, the moon only a slim crescent on the horizon, the stars seemingly disappearing under the swell of the wet wind. He was waiting for a secret in fact, somepony of high importance who will be traveling along with his crew and the passengers back to Equestria, incognito. He pursed his lips, it wouldn't be long now before his secret passenger arrived, but he had been alerted of her tendency to make ponies wait, and make a spectacle of her arrival. He was to wait for her and assist her in her return to Equestia. At last a shadow flickered over the moon, growing in its light, the silhouette of a pony flying over the sea. He waited a bit longer before hearing the sound of beating wings and in one motion the pony landed silently on the deck before him. “Welcome aboard the Golden Hind, your majesty.” The captain bowed before his princess, waiting for her to speak. “Thank you captain, please rise. I understand you are urged by your obligations on this airship, so I will be quick.” The princess spoke eloquently, taking the lead of the conversation with ease. At her call the captain rose, taking the time to observe for the first time the Princess of the night from close. Before him she stood, a head taller, as blue as her night, her mane a turbulent beauty of sparkling stars, her stare piercing and determined. She was beautiful in a wild sense, and intimidating. He tried to hide his unease. “My presence on this airship must remain a secret, as I am to travel undercover for undisclosed reasons. I take it you have been warned of my exigencies, as I requested a cabin to be arranged in the common quarters.” She asked with gravity. “Yes your majesty, everything is ready for you and the staff members have been properly briefed.” The captain answered, then cautiously added, “I must ask though, if you would like for a pair of our guards to be added to your security details, as you will be in direct contact with the common ponies. They can be very discreet, if the need ever arise...” The princess seemed disturbed by his proposition, she ruffled her wings in a rare moment of confusion, before answering in a softer voice. “That will not be necessary, good captain, as my, hum, meddling with the common ponies is part of my mission, and a wish of mine.” She appeared more sincere for a moment, before the mantle of royalty made it back onto her demeanor. “If this is all, I wish you a goodnight captain. I must regain my quarters to rest before the evening activities.” The princess turned to the airship, ready to depart. “Will you need us to clear the path of any prying eyes, your majesty?” The captain asked over the wind, relieved that the interview with one of the two rulers of his nation was nearing its end. “Oh, there is no need for that!” The princess rebutted, smiling deviously. Her horn lit with magic, a ball of light erupted and covered her entire body before disappearing in a flash. At her place, stood a pegasus with a pale blue mane and the unmistakable mischievous eyes of the Princess of the Night. ***************** The Golden Hind main chimney started burning in the distance, white plumes of smoke rising over the airship. Taking it as her cue, Twilight arranged her bag one last time and trotted in the direction of the main railing. Most of the travelers were already on board, only a dozen or so were still waiting, and she hastened to the platform as the night was now colder and the wind wet from the sea. She passed through the security checkpoint easily, thanks to her diplomatic immunity and boarded the airship, her pass pressed against her chest as she navigated the numerous staircases until she arrived to the third level. Like she had been instructed by the officers, she sat down and waited for a steward to show her to her cabin, resting against the polished railing of the deck. Underneath her the yellow lights of Behjaiah sparkled, the sounds of the city now muted and far away. Twilight lay her head on the railing, listening to the noise of the Golden Hind's metal carcass creaking and bending against the wind. She felt at peace here, under the night sky, above the world. She had always been a recluse, finding it hard to approach other ponies. While her job as Princess Celestia's only student, and occasional professor at the Canterlot University warranted that she met and talked to a good amount of her fellow peers, she never took those relationships over the polite and professional. Maybe it was in part her own fault, but Twilight had never found somepony with who things just...clicked. She cherished her friendship with the Princess and her assistant Spike, she loved her family with all her heart, but sometimes she longed for something else. A childish wish, a vague idea of companionship to fend the loneliness of her position, Twilight's heart desired something she didn't fully understand. Gazing at the stars, lounging over the railing, she didn't catch the steward's polite call. “Ma'am? Miss? Miss Twilight?” The stallion tried, startling Twilight. She stumbled, embarrassed, hastily putting her bag back on her shoulder. “Oh, sorry, I was lost in my thoughts. Yes?” She tried to smile her awkwardness away, silently cursing her mind's tendency to wander. “If you'll follow me to your cabin, Ma'am, please.” The steward announced, unfazed by her behavior and taking her bag from her. He turned right away, not missing a bit, his shinny blue and gold uniform clinking with each steps. Twilight let out a sigh, and followed the steward along the polished wooden corridors of the ship. She was reminded once again how much care went into the fabrication of the EES Golden Hind. The beige sleek walls, soft lighting and golden decorations clashed astonishingly well with the dark blue sky, which was always visible through the numerous portholes lining the walls. Paintings displayed various landscapes and scenes, sticking out of the walls like little splashes of colors. There was not a shadow of electric, gas or magic conduits on sight, while the occasional steam pipes were artfully blending in the decor with copper flaking and brown-metallic undertones. The wood of the parquet was a polished chestnut oak, strong and so well tended to she could see her reflection, her hooves softly clip-clapping along the corridor, while the magic lamps flooded the airship with clear yellowish light. Not a detail was unwanted and the whole picture gave the vibes of sophistication, luxury and modernity. To Twilight's delight, they passed a hallway where a dozen of clocks were hung on the walls, each displaying a different timezone, complete with little copper plates exhibiting the names of the cities they corresponded to. Now that everypony was on board, the airship vibrated with excitement, guards and stewards trotting everywhere, passengers walking around, laughing, chatting and waiting for the festivities of the evening to start. The rumble of the engines was a backdrop noise covered by the sounds of the musicians trying their instruments as they passed the main ballroom, and Twilight could smell the aroma of this evening dinner coming from the kitchens. That reminded her that she hadn't eaten during the day, and she pressed along, suddenly famished. They walked to the cabins floor, the fourth, and arrived before a wooden door with the number “412” painted in gold. Twilight was given her key and showed her to her accommodations. Her cabin was not the most expensive available on the airship, but she liked her comfort and so she chose a modest two rooms apartment, with a bedroom and a bathroom with view on the sky. “Here we are Miss, room 412. We are happy you choose the EES Golden Hind for your trip and would like to remind you that the reception hall will host a dancing soirée tonight, at 9PM sharp!” The steward announced, his voice flat from the routine. As he put down her bag, he seemed to see her for the first time, staring at her as she made to open the door, and made a show of leaning against the wall. Twilight didn't have to guess what was coming next. “I suppose a charming mare like you wouldn't mind a bit of fun to diversify her evening”, he hinted, hunching over her and aggressively smiling. Twilight cringed. “No, thank you good sir, but i am eager to rest. The day was long and difficult for me.” She snatched her bag and opened the door with her magic, closing it loudly in hurry. She heard the distinct muttering of the stallion before he departed and rolled her eyes. She never appreciated those kind of intents, her mind was that of an academic. As the evening progressed, Twilight stored her affairs in her cabin, freshened herself up and made a point of choosing her best attire for the evening. As she had been expected to mainly advise at the Arabian university, she only had a couple of blazers and shirts with matching bow ties, as every respectful professor would wear in the context of teaching. “Those would have to do ”, she thought as she put on a light brown blazer with her white shirt and black bow tie. “I am not a good dancer anyway.” She looked at her reflection in the mirror of the bathroom, brushing her hairs to perfection, just like she liked them. She was partly excited for tonight, partly fretful, as she dreaded social events back in Canterlot, however this was a special occasion and she liked to think she would actually enjoy herself tonight. She twisted in front of the mirror, making sure everything was perfect, and went to turn the lights out when a thought stuck her. She might have something nice to put on tonight. She came back to the bedroom and rummaged through her bag, getting a hold on the silver pin she had bought back in Behjaiah. Content with herself, Twilight put the pin on her blazer and exited her cabin. The hallway was dark and empty as she stepped out through the door, but she could hear the music coming from the ballroom and the sound of laughters and ponies enjoying themselves. This gave Twilight a bit of courage as she made her way downstairs and to the party, her imagination going wild with fantasies as she neared the event. Those were put to a stop as she met the first party goers and entered the room. The reception hall had been magnificent in the twilight, but now that it wasn't empty anymore- actually it was almost filled to the brim and Twilight had to fight to pass through the doors, it was purely grandiose. Three enormous chandeliers lighted the room, while drapes of silken textiles hung on the walls, the symbol of Equestria and various other nations sewed upon them. The floor was a mix of lavish marbles and wood, and the ponies danced around as the musicians played with gusto to a catchy tune. A buffet had been set up against the right side of the room to make place for the dance floor, leaving a bit of space for the waiter and waitresses who trotted on quick hooves, taking plates from and to the kitchens in a never ending dance. On the far left side, was the smoking area, where gentle colts and gentle mares could relax on comfortable sofas and relish a drink or a cigar. The balcony on the left side was open, the cold wind now refreshing to the party goers, the curtains bellowing in the night and the sound of chatters coming into the ballroom. Everypony was smiling and enjoying the party, there was so much energy, so much animation and noise around her, that Twilight felt like she could just observe her fellow passengers for the whole night and still feel like she had exhausted herself. This was truly a different kind of event than those she had experienced in Canterlot. Twilight made her way to the buffet with in mind the idea of filling her stomach with hay sandwiches. ***************** Luna awoke to the sound of somepony pounding on her door. She trashed around, still a prisoner of her nightmares, before regaining her wits with practiced ease as she heard the voice announce: “Ma'am, I've come to hoof over the course you ordered. Japalony avocados, a bag of chips and a tomato juice.” She sighed and opened the door to her cabin, asking for the price of a supplement for the chips, and taking the trail with her right wing as the bat pony answered with the correct password. She lifted the lid of her “course” and retrieved a scroll from underneath. Her little spies were working hard to cover her shameful secret and help her in her mission, never to be recognized as the heroes they were by the general public. She took her time, opening the piece of paper and reading it several times, committing it to memory, before it burst into flames. “The ticket is at the flower stud.” For anypony but her, those simple words would mean nothing, but for Luna it represented months of searching the high and low for a very specific, and rare, item. It had cost her everything, as Luna had employed her whole energy and her every means to the mission, and a part of her conscience as she had to do it unbeknown to her sister. Celestia didn't need to know of her secret nor of what transpired there. Luna hadn't been back for long, only a couple of years, and if Celestia heard of her plan it would be the end of her, she was sure of it. Blinking back to reality, Luna checked the time. She was late, she knew it, and so she hastily selected a dress and prepared herself for the events of the night. ***************** Twilight leaned against the wall. It was now way into the night and the party had somehow slowed down. Ponies were huddled in little groups, conversing, networking, and suddenly exploding with laughter as the alcohol muddled their minds. She couldn't blame them, she had taken some flutes of champagne herself. Twilight could see some Equestrians, but also ponies from other countries, the slender Arabians easily recognized among them. There even was a couple of zebras, camels and griffins. Everypony was surprisingly well dressed and she had felt quite out of place at the beginning, however her attire screamed her profession at everypony who had wanted to strike a conversation with her, and so she had had the opportunity to mostly talk about subjects she had already mastered. It had been easy to stir the discussion away from things she wasn't comfortable with. She watched a couple of young ponies slip out onto the balcony, surely to start another kind of event, and, reminded of her own loneliness, was ready to call it a night. Some events are easily forgotten into the recess of our memory, while others, those abrupt affairs, are remembered for our whole life. For Twilight it would have been easy to say that she would have forgotten the evening as soon as her hooves touched Equestrian soil, however the night went in a entirely different direction as soon as she saw her. She was the most gracious being Twilight had even seen. She moved silently and with ease around the groups of ponies, never faltering, her dress bellowing after her, walking as if she wasn't part of this reality. It was as if she was trying very hard to not touch anything, as if each steps she took had been thought over in her mind. Such a peculiar attitude contrasted greatly with the energy of the other passengers, and Twilight thought of a shark in a pond of fish. Yes, whoever she was, she was dangerous but as a pony came too close to her, she pressed her wings against her barrel, her stance defensive, and Twilight's heart faltered. She understood the feeling quite well. While she wandered that way, Twilight couldn't help but gawk. Her coat was well brushed and a pale blue, her mane carelessly pinned in a side-bun, strands of hairs escaping, giving her a wild look. Her eyes were piercing and focused, hiding a cleverness and ability for quick thinking, whereas the blue of her iris was vibrant, standing out like two precious stones against her pale face. In retrospect, she looked as fragile as she exhaled danger. Twilight stared for a while, guessing her cutie mark under the dress – a moon crescent, following her as she made her way in the ballroom. Twilight quietly forgot her evening plans, she was beyond enchanted. Nothing existed but this stranger in her mind, if she still had one, and her heart started to speed up as the mysterious beauty neared her spot. She was looking around, searching for something, “for somepony” Twilight understood with a troubled sigh. She recognized the feelings of attraction, she felt disappointed and a bit of an idiot. How could she even think she could gather the attention of such an interesting character? She felt sick in her stomach as the pegasus turned the other way, still looking for her elusive somepony. Twilight was ready to bolt out of the ballroom, and simultaneously pray to every gods for an opportunity to just talk to the mare, but instead stood rooted in her spot as conflicting thoughts paralyzed her mind. The mare walked around the room, still looking for something, but it was evident that she would not find her target this evening. She was too late to the party. After one last glance, she went to the mostly empty balcony and sat there, looking troubled. “Now is your chance idiot!” her heart whispered, and Twilight found herself suddenly very shy. She had never felt that before, not from this side of the problem, and the pulse of her heart throbbed in a foreign way in her chest. She obviously wasn't herself, how could she survive such an encounter? Also, really, she was falling for a mare? Wishing for her courage to come back, Twilight took three flutes of champagne from a nearby waiter, drained one, and made her way to the balcony with the two others in her magic. She walked slowly, her magic trembling, her eyes focused on the lone pegasus as if she was ready to explode. Twilight had half the mind to forget about this incident but for the sad frown of disappointment her mysterious stranger entertained. She realized this was what she had been watching all along, what have been really important, those eyes, those lips, and that cute muzzle. If she could make that mare laugh tonight she would consider the work of her life done. Twilight approached the mare, breaking out in sweat in spite of the cold air, and cleared her throat. “Excuse me, Ma'am, but you look like you could use a, huh, a pick-me-up.” she said, pointing to the flute of champagne now floating over to the railing. “So far so good.” The mare turned to her, startled, and said eloquently: “A what?” Twilight cringed internally, looking for a way out of the situation, panic evident on her face as her brain mocked her. “See, she does not want to be disturbed, now she going to be mad at you and you'll have to hide in your cabin for the rest of the trip!” She shouldn't have tried. The mare searched her face, trying to put a name on this newcomer, obviously confused. “Hum, I saw you searching for somepony in the ballroom, I wasn't staring I swear, but huh, yeah, would you like some champagne?” Twilight tried again, her voice cracking at the end. She waited, holding her breath as the mare stared at her, then answered. “With pleasure.” The strange mare smiled finely, her cheeks rosy, and all of a sudden she wasn't that strange anymore, simply lovely. Her voice was shy as she inclined her head. “I am sorry, I wasn't expecting somepony right now. Thank you, that is very considerate, Miss...?” She waited for Twilight to answer, hiding her little smile behind the glass of champagne she graciously took from the railing. “Twilight Sparkle, sorry for creeping up on you.” She smiled, relieved the crisis was adverted. “You seem upset, is there something bothering you?” Twilight pushed her luck, feeling intrusive. Maybe she was being rude, but her concern was steaming from sincerity. She waited as the mare seemed to hesitate, before she let out a sigh. From the cold, her breath condensed into fog and disappeared in the wind. She seemed unfazed by the temperature, in her sparkling black cocktail dress. “You can call me Woona. I am indeed in a...situation. It is nothing to worry about though.” Woona answered slowly. It was evident she didn't want to talk about her troubles, not to a stranger at least. Her eyes lingered on Twilight, going through a dance of emotions, uncertain, before she turned her sight away from her companion to the night sky. “This is my favorite time of the night, just before midnight. Look how the stars shines! ” Twilight couldn't help but smirk, her heart soaring with happiness as Woona expressed interest in the night sky. She didn't need to look up, she already knew the constellations by heart, and she found she didn't want to. She observed her profile in the light on the ballroom, her eyes sparkling, her mouth turned in a small contented smile. “Yes, this time of the year we can see the manticore constellation pretty well.” Twilight stated, before adding, “This isn't a night sky we can see easily back in Equestria.” “Are you some kind of astronomer?” Woona jested, her eyes resting on her attire. “Cute bow tie.” Twilight blushed heavily, turning away from the mare. She was too easy to fluster! “Hum, not quite, I am just an academician, but I do have an interest in astronomy. Ever since I was a filly in fact. It is just so...alien! We know nothing about how the stars are formed, we can only watch!” She explained, growing red with excitement. “Believe me, it is nice to not know everything sometimes.” Woona shuffled closer to Twilight, her glass forgotten. She seemed to relax, pleased to just watch. There was a silent pact between them, as she looked to the sky and Twilight looked to her. Whoever Woona was, she had it, Twilight mulled. Soon the clock of the ballroom struck midnight and somepony cheered. The noise broke the moment and Woona turned to the ballroom. A dozen of drunk ponies where still partying, playing beer-pong and other silly games. “Wanna play?” Twilight proposed, half-joking. “Yes!” Woona shouted, surprising Twilight. “I mean, yes I would love to. I confess I've never played those games before.” She added, quelling her enthusiasm. She looked at her over her bangs, as if she was sharing a secret. “Well then, let's go!” Twilight volunteered herself as Woona's guide for the rest of the night, showing her around the different games of dexterity and activities put together by the passengers. She was happy to discover Woona's quickness in picking up the rules, and was even more charmed by her spirit of competition, watching her shout and smile with glee at every wins. On the balcony she had met a reserved and somewhat shy mare, but know she understood Woona was way more than she appeared. Her joy was naive but endearing and contagious, lifting the spirits of ponies around her. Twilight couldn't understand how anypony could try to harm such wonderful mare. She sat down, content to just watch ponies enjoying themselves, having had her share of games. “She is just so precious, I need to know more about her.” She thought, sighing. She had made it past the point of no return somewhere during the night, apparently. Woona cheered as she thrown an apple at a bucket, and made bull eyes. She turned around, searching for Twilight before trotting toward her, beaming. “That was fun! Thank you for showing me, now let's dance!” She asked and without waiting she put her shoulder against Twilight's chest and started to push her in the direction of the dance floor, leading her backward. “What? Dance, now? I don't know how!” Exclaimed a terrified Twilight, tripping on her hooves. Thankfully the place was almost empty, with only two couples drunkenly stepping on each others and a lone griffon playing the violin as the musicians were departing for the night. “Just follow my lead! I won't go hard on you.” Woona tried to appease her. And then Twilight felt her lips nibbling on her ear and her resolve faltered. The close contact was electrifying, her fur brushing against her, so she tried very hard to maintain her focus on following Woona's steps, blushing and muttering. “What did I put myself into?” Sensing her discomfort, Woona murmured in her ear. “You're doing well for somepony who do not dance.” Her body was pressed against her, hot and soft, leading the dance. She could feel her partner's heart beat and wished she could calm down her own erratic heart. Twilight gulped, looking at their hooves. They were not even in sync with the music, but it didn't matter. “Hum, thanks. This is nice.” “Yes, this is perfect.” Woona echoed. She rested her head on Twilight's shoulder, her eyes half-lidded as she enjoyed their little game. They waltzed like this for a while, close to each others and blind to the world. They had both agreed to something this night, to let the magic run its course and pretend they wouldn't be complete strangers the day after, but Twilight would be damned if she let her go that easily. After sometime, Woona spoke. “I wanted to thank you for tonight, I do not always have the time to just let things go...” She whispered, her voice low and humming against her neck, drawing a shiver from her partner. Twilight felt like going mad. She inhaled Woona's wonderful fragrance, a mix of crisp winter pines and potent magic. The moment was broken as her mind came to an halt. “Wait, magic?” Twilight faltered in her step. “Sorry.” She grunted, her brain going overdrive as she tried to understand what she thought she had perceived. Twilight was one of those rare ponies gifted enough with magic to recognize the subtle scent of a powerful enchantment. It was her special talent, the focus of her studies and a force she manipulated everyday to various degrees of rigor. She knew that what she had grasped was not an average spell that anypony could cast, let alone a pegasus. Even stranger, Woona was not wearing any object that could have been the source of this enchantment, no necklace, bracelet or gemstones... Twilight was startled out of her mind as the clock shimmed two in the morning. She felt Woona draw away, looking at the time. “I should go, I have a lot to do tomorrow. Twilight Sparkle, it have been a pleasure meeting you.” Woona said, suddenly austere. “Wait!” Twilight cried, her mind hadn't caught up yet, everything was too abrupt. “I must go now.” The mare didn't even glance at her as she made to the back door of the ballroom, in a hurry. Twilight recovered her wits and followed her as an idea stuck her. “Just let me give you that!” She jumped in front of Woona, partially in desperation. In her magic she held the aquamarine brooch she had bought the week before. Without a word, and before the mare could react, she made to pin it to the dress. As her magic brushed against Woona, Twilight felt her heart miss a beat. She was right, she could sense the spell with her magic, and it was unmistakably Woona's. “ Have a goodnight, Miss.” She added, staring right into her companion's eyes. Woona was once again confused, but not entirely crossed. She looked at Twilight with bewilderment before speaking. “Thank you, it is beautiful...” She seemed to hesitate, before she took a step closer to Twilight and laid a kiss on her cheek. Then she disappeared in a flurry, leaving her alone with her schemes. Twilight made the slow trip back to her cabin by hooves, the fast and straps of the party had left her mentally exhausted. She felt more than confused, she didn't know what to feel. Her heart was dead set on her infatuation with the evasive mare, she couldn't deny it now, not what after she'd done tonight, but her brain was wary. She wasn't afraid of a bit of mystery - she craved it in fact, her mind analyzing the affair, hooked on the feeling of mastering a good puzzle. Yet, the case of the strong magic she felt on Woona wasn't the only thing Twilight had understood that night, and the other revelation froze her heart in a cold warning. As she opened the door to her cabin, Twilight made a bee line to her bag, from which she took out her passport. On the cover was the sigil of Equestria, a sun and a moon. Equestria had always been a diarchy, however for the past thousand years it had been ruled by princess Celestia, alone. The throne room had two seats of power, the duality of the day and the night was reflected everywhere in equestrian culture and every foal learned at a young age that Equestria had in fact two princesses. Nonetheless, nopony knew anything about the Night Princess. She had supposedly disappeared a long time ago, only to come back a couple of years from now. Invisible in the eyes of the public, she hid in Canterlot Castle, her presence only known by the agency of her Night guards and staff, and the occasional rumors surrounding her. Some said she wasn't entirely of sound mind and that Celestia was forced to restrain her to the right wing of the castle, so she wouldn't hurt anypony. Others said that she simply didn't exist and was part of a conspiracy to hide the less than moral dictatorship tendencies of the Sun Princess. For her part, Twilight had learned from her own mentor that her sister was in fact prone to a sickness that prevented her to attend to her functions, and that everything in her power was done to cure her. Twilight looked at her reflection in the window, the night now pitch black. She stood there, thinking in silence. The implication of what she had discovered chilled her, she felt she had opened a door to a world of secrets, that she had been given a foretaste of something that could potentially be her demise. It was clear in her mind that if this Woona was truly hiding her identity, and that she was in fact the Night Princess, she wasn't on this airship for the parties. She was looking for something, and she seemed very much healthy. Now, if this was the case, then it means Princess Celestia had lied to her. “To protect me, surely!” Twilight thought, her loyalties running deep in her heart. If the princess thought Twilight could help in this matter, then she would have requested her help. But still, the seeds of doubt were planted, and she found herself hurting at the idea that her mentor, her friend and almost a mother to her would not trust Twilight with such a heavy secret. However Celestia wasn't here now and Twilight still had to decide what to do with her falsely indisposed sister. It was true that Twilight was not the most socially adept of ponies, she could probably name less than five ponies that she called friends, and she did have a reputation of being too frank and boorish with her colleagues at the university, but she was still a smart mare. She recognized in her mind that pretending to buy into Woona's cover was probably the safest course of action right now, at least to give her some time to find some clues about her purpose on this ship. “Something is going on here, but I should not meddle with whatever it is right away...let's keep the charade running.” Thus she reached her conclusion. She could forget this night, go back to her routine and her habits...but Twilight knew she would always feel like she had missed something important. It would torment her for the rest of her life if she remained inactive. Her choice made, she undressed and slipped under the covers of her bed, vowing to get to the bottom of this affair. > Chapter two > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna pressed her body against the wall of the quarter deck, trying to preserve the warmth her thick pegasus coat gave. Over her, multicolored flags flapped in the wind, occasionally breaking the silence. Everypony except the night crew was sleeping. There had been a time for celebration, for life to print itself on the hours of the day, and like a memory its ghost floated into the wind of the night. She sighed, and took some comfort in what remained of those happy memories. But now gone were the music, laughters and lights of the evening: the ship was deserted, painted in a intimidating duality of black and white by the light of the moon, unnerving to all but Luna. This was her domain. She was alone on the deck and that was just what she needed to clear her head. Like an anchor to reality, she could feel the airship tremble against the force of the wind, its body of steel pushed at great speed by its engines, cutting through the night like an arrow. It was now two in the morning and the air was beyond just cold. The Golden Hind had left the warm currents of Saddle Arabia and dived into the icy belly of the Great Sea, at the center of which violent, frigid winds rising from the south formed an eternal storm. It was partially at fault as to why air travel had been so difficult to develop, and sailing boats always came back either victorious or did not come back at all. No ponies could cross the Great Sea without a good crew of pegasus fliers or magic, but now that new ways had been invented the cultural and commercial possibilities were numerous and exhaling. Still, the Golden Hind, in all of its steam powered glory, would be taking a bell shaped course around the storms. Luna's eyes studied the horizon. Over her head, the sky was clear and her moon had risen since the evening at the party, but at the horizon she could see lightnings cutting though the darkness, illuminating dark and dangerous masses of clouds huddled together above the sea. Nature hated emptiness so the perpetual depression over the Great Sea always produced the most instable, humid bodies of air, nourished by the warm waters of the continent. That was the scientific explanation, but she knew better as to what resided at the eye of the storms. It had been such a long time, and while distance could heal wounds Luna still refused to call it who. Despite her warm coat, she shuddered in the wind. Her body might not appreciate the silence that her mind craved, yet she did feel at peace here. She needed some calm to reflect on the events of the night and plan her next move. Luna hadn't thought about making her big move against her target so early in the trip, as the crossing of the sea took four days and one night, but she had wanted to confirm the piece of intel her bat ponies had gave her back in her cabin. Her failure that night meant nothing in the big scheme of things, however for Luna it had been upsetting. “Not everything was a failure though”, she mused, and despite her tired mind her heart was giddy with excitement and her cheeks flushed red. It had been a while since she amused herself so much, so caught up she was in her problems, and it felt good to just let her guard down for once. With her identity hidden by the glamor she had felt safe to do what she wanted, her confidence boosted by the anonymity of the disguise and by the general feeling of casualness from the party goers. Then she had understood that somehow, the matter of stealing the artifact would be far more bothersome than she anticipated, for her target seemed like the type to play games with those below her, throwing her political status around. Her absence at the party had been, for all to see, a political message. Equestria's best was not exceptional for her country, nothing worth to celebrate. After the realization that nothing to further her goal would be accomplished that night, disappointed that she couldn't find what she had hunted for so long, she had been ready to leave. Except that at the last minute, she had been approached by somepony. Twilight Sparkle seemed like a good mare, and she had been incredibly cute with her bow tie and her fumbling words. Luna was used to attract the attention of ponies, she was a beautiful mare and a princess after all, but it had been so long since she had a genuine and friendly chat with somepony, to the exception of her sister. Relieved of the royal persona, she had thought that, just for this night, she could pretend she was somepony else and forgot about her problems. But now, all alone with her thoughts, Luna could only feel so much. In a way, she hated herself for playing with Twilight's feeling like that even if it was just for some harmless fun, but she knew she couldn't give chase to whatever had transpired. Her situation was too complicated, too dangerous for somepony so removed from the evils of life, and while ponies were soundly sleeping in their bed Luna was fighting for her survival. Alone. It had been six years since she came back, but the fight had started a thousand year before. She was tired, her powers were declining more and more every year and the sickness that lived off her mind was now a constant presence. It had a mind of its own, the poison that pulsed in her veins. It did not speak nor appeared to her, unlike an hallucination, but its actions were as frightening. Since it did not have the means to overpower her yet it stayed there, at the edge of her mind and like all those years before it worked to change her. Pieces by pieces, like somepony reconstructing a toy, it corrupted her memories, tainted her mind with absurd notions, and dragged her to her own folly. When the fever run high Luna was not sure who was who anymore. She could not deny she was afraid, for she had already fallen to it once and the consequences had been traumatic. She had lost herself that night, engulfed in the alien feeling of the monster taking her place, her body, her face. It was true she had regretted it and it had been painful, but it had been the climax of a long battle and she had expected the pain, in her own twisted reasoning. And thus what had Luna so scared of the Nightmare was not the monster itself, but the circumstances of its creation: the sickness that was slowly killing her was a magical construct of her doing. She was responsible for all the destruction and pain she had brought to her loved ones by succumbing to the Nightmare, she was the monster, she should have... “Stop!” Luna screwed her eyes shut, she did not want to cry. She would not give it the satisfaction. She stayed there, rigid as a statue, trying to reign on her terrified heart. She was breathing too fast, she hadn't even be aware of her panic! Taking big gasps of air, her face crunched in concentration, she managed to calm herself down. She counted the minutes in her head as her breathing slowed. It wasn't the first time she was the subject of similar attacks and it would not be the last. Those usually took place during the night, when her connection to her domain – the night, was the most powerful, not unlike now. Only the fact that her power also picked during that time gave her the edge over the Nightmare. Recently the frequency of those attacks had doubled, giving her great concerns. She blamed it on her mental state: the constant watch against the Nightmare was taxing, and doing that in the back of her sister while searching for a cure had depleted her forces. Those past years, while Luna had searched for a miracle and found nothing, she had let herself be consumed by her stress and her despair, willing her mind to only think about her fight and to never falter, lest she lose her sanity along the way. She knew only that she could not give up. She craved for a release from this hell every night, but her superior mind would not let her concede to her own defeat. Luna was a fighter, it was in her quick temper, her will to master everything that made her existence bearable, and she was determined to win this war against herself. And so she had, for the last year, hunted any knowledge of an old artifact she thought could help her in her quest for betterment. The artifact was dark magic, dangerous and unstable, but Luna was desperate. With that in mind when she had arrived on the EES Golden Hind she had been miles away from any kind of distractions the ship offered, and it would have never come to her to drink champagne, play games and dance. The sound of a patrolling guard tore Luna out of her contemplation. She lit her horn and blended in the shadows under the stairs, not wanting to be seen. “Who's here?” The guard shouted, taking a suspicious stance at the flash of light, pulling his sword as he eyed the deserted deck. Luna held her breath as the guard craned his neck, inspecting every nook and cranny, grumbling. Only the wind howled in response. Nothing was here, he was alone, cold and sleepy. “Surely a reflection of the moon or something.” He concluded, and let out a yawn. Patrol could be so boring. As the guard departed, Luna shook her disguise away. She could use some sleep too, even with the nightmares. Tomorrow she would study the plans of the airship and come up with a way to locate the artifact in a more precise manner. ***************** Twilight took a bite of her buttered toast, hiding behind the newspaper of the day she held in her magic. As her eyes roamed over the paper, she took a sip of her coffee. The rousing from her bed had been difficult as she had had an excellent sleep for once, but the sunny morning and the hurly-burly of the waiters dressing up tables on the deck, in the manner of a café, had drawn her attention. She couldn't say no to a breakfast outside, not with this weather. She sighed pleasantly as she felt the sun warming her back and the sea air chasing the last traces of sleep from her mind. There was an interesting coverage of a debate about the introduction of basic courses in zebrican shaman magic to the main curriculum of the Canterlot School of Magic, the public equivalent of princess Celestia's School for gifted Unicorns. It made sense, as most of the future diplomats, unicorns or otherwise, took extra classes there, and this could be a chance to broaden their sensitivities to non-ponies magic. However some professors from the older generation, usually those whose parents had participated in the old war against the zebras, did not like this new perspective on “alternate” magic. She sighed, recognizing some of the names cited at the end of the articles. “There will always be a spirit of adversity in the old and nobles ponies of Hight Canterlot it seems, just not for the right reasons.” Twilight put the newspaper down, suddenly frustrated by the vapid turn the debate took as the words of national purity and equestrian uniqueness were mentioned. She wasn't an example of friendship, she knew, but her heart couldn't go with the more chauvinist ideals of her colleagues. She was not a fighter and in her mind co-operation would always result in better resolutions. With nothing to occupy her mind, Twilight took a glance around her. She had arrived to the tables early, and they were now almost all occupied. Families, friends and couples conversed, argued, and ate in the sunny morning, a light breeze ruffling the tablecloths and napkins. There was a joy and energy buzzing around, everypony was relaxed and cheerful. Twilight was again surprised by the organization required to feed so much ponies, and the number of waiters going around tables, refilling glasses and hushing the foals out of the path. There was a stand next to the doors for ponies wanting to buy newspapers and cigarettes, and a line was already forming. She thought she saw one of the stallion she had talked to yesterday, with his wife, waiting for his turn and then a flash a blue in the crowd. Twilight's heart leaped at the familiar color, alas it was not the mare her mind desired. Ah yesterday, it had been such a day! It had almost sounded like a dream to her as she woke up earlier this morning, but she had made such an incredible encounter. She smiled as she recalled her bravado, and the fun she had. She could not yet believe she had been in her right mind when she had approached the mare, Woona, as Twilight had always been kind of a nervous pony. It must have been the alcohol because she wasn't sure she could pull this off again, not with somepony like that mare. Her smile faltered. Inevitably, she also recalled the conclusion to her reasoning of the night before. A chill run down her back and she nervously peered around, but Woona was not here. How was she going to approach her now? A direct confrontation was not favored and she still had a bit of pride in her not to go running around the airship in the hope of finding the mare. She wasn't even sure Woona wanted to see her, or talk to her... Twilight's brow furrowed. “I need information. It's time to pay a visit to this ship library.” Without looking back, she trotted away from the tables and took the direction of the information desk. ***************** The library was almost deserted as Twilight barged in, her outburst attracting the annoyed glare of the only pony in the whole room, the librarian. She smiled anxiously, offering a muttered apology. The room was small, with only a dozen of shelves tucked away in a corner and a large space reserved for an exposition of airships models. The floor was of a muted blue carpet, and even with a partial glass ceiling the sun could not quite reach the room. Cushions were discarded here and there, and in the far right corner there was a foal-area, cushioned with bright pink foam, but even then the library smelled of dust and it was apparent it was not attracting the interest of many ponies. Twilight hurried to the shelves, relieved to see nopony around. She liked to be alone when she researched something. Walking through the shelves, she eyed the little stickers disclosing which area was reserved for which subject, but of course the library of the Golden Hind would be mainly furnished with books belonging to the matching subjects of navigation and airship construction. She rolled her eyes and silently reminded herself to have hope. Finally, her optimism was rewarded as she neared the block reserved for Equestrian History and Geography. She didn't know what exactly she was looking for, only that her knowledge of the splitting of the Diarchy, an event old of one thousand year, was not as ample as she liked to think. To her merit history was not her passion nor the subject of her studies, yet she did pass her classes with high grades back at the School for gifted Unicorns, mainly to please the princess. With such an important figure as a mentor it had seemed ungrateful to dedicate time to the study of one of her only faux pas recorded in equestrian history, as the issue was still tender in the mind of the princess. This was in fact why the subject was so well regulated and it was difficult to find books that expressed an opinion diverging from the official view of the solar court. Unfortunately, Twilight's main source of information was at the time the Canterlot Archives, which did fall under the scrutiny of the court, except maybe for the restricted section she never had access to. Hence why, by rummaging through the airship's library, she thought she could bypass the censorship around the Diarchy, since airship libraries were some times furnished with books from the different countries they sailed to, bought or donated. With this reasoning in mind, Twilight stopped in front of the Past-Unification History section, pleased to see the library was not as bare as she imagined, and started her hunt for the perfect book. It took her half an hour, but she did find a couple of books on the subject, one being a dusty tome, first of a string of essays written by an historian from the Deer Confederation. “Exactly what I am looking for!” She smiled with glee, jumping around in an impromptu victory dance. The clock in the library indicated ten in the morning, and she was sure she could find some information on what she was looking for before lunch. Still smiling, Twilight made her way to the nearest cushion and collapsed there, her mind already absorbed by the book. She somewhat had acquired the reputation of a bookworm at the university, which was saying a lot as it was a place dedicated to learning, and Twilight possessed terrifying reading skills which she put to good use as the read though the old volume, looking for key words. The writing style was a bit weird and there was no apparent time line to follow though the essay, it was only a collection of events arranged around a main theme. This complicated her research and Twilight did not see the passing of time. She was already two hours past the lunching time before she found a paragraph that picked her interest: “On the hidden war that took place between the Growing of Leaves and the Eve of the Sun, four moon circles passed and the armies of Celestia the Sun and her sister Luna of the Moon brought killing and skirmishes in the forests around the Everfree castle. The castle was not the center of the assault but it remained in the sun's dominion for the duration of the war, except for the battle in which the possession of the kingdom and the celestial beings were fought, which took place in the last day and for the time of the Eve of the Sun. The Lunars and their Princess surprisingly remained in the castle before that day, in spite of the distrust of the populace. Events goes as following, from mouth to mouth accounts collected at the time by my ancestors peers Whitewood the Wise and his assistant Bush Ankles, from soldiers of the solar forces. I cannot recommend how light those tales must be taken, coming from the solar guard, as they were partly formed with members of the Fanatics, an extremist religious cell birthed from the ashes of the Sun Cultists. Evidently, their loyalty to Celestia the sun muddled their tongues. Luna attacked Celestia her sister in a fit of rage, while in the throne room. She is referred as the Demoness from now on by the soldiers, as they believed she transformed in a black daemon and laughed at her sister with a mouth full of fangs. The thought that Luna of the Moon was a daemon from birth is not to be given too much resources, records does indicate she was born a pony. There are some tales of the Demoness performing various profanations by rousing the dead and eating ponies alive, but evidences from the study of the Everfree Castle's magic imprint after the war show that her ire was only directed at her sister. For the duration of the day, there was no day and only the moon remained in the sky. Luna of the Moon attacked her sister alone and was quickly defeated by an unknown force, and disappeared. The sun and the moon fell in the power of Celestia of the Sun, who founded a new capital and abandoned the Everfree Castle the month after the Eve of the Sun. From her mouth, her sister was not killed, merely send to the moon, but for what purpose, we do not know.” Twilight lowered the book. Nothing, in all that she had read and listened to in her whole life mentioned that there had been a secret war, that Princess Luna had attacked her sister, that she was a demon and that the reason why she had disappeared for so long was that she was send to the moon. It was delusional, it was prosperous! The account was obviously biased, fonded on myths and legends. What was she thinking by picking up such an old book so randomly? She let the book fall on the floor as she grew red in the face, understandably angry at what she had read. Her mentor, Princess Celestia, would not have acted that way, encouraging a war with her sister and then imprisoning her for a thousand year, and Princess Luna did not transform into a demon...she certainly did not dance with such creature yesterday. “I would have known, but then maybe I am wrong in my assumption that Luna is hiding her identity.” She thought, her brows wrinkled, her eyes fixed on her hooves as her brain fumed.“Maybe I am the crazy one!” She took the old volume back to its rightful place on the shelf and grabbed without a thought the next one. Just to have something to hold in her magic, a habit she picked up as a young unicorn with a tendency to let her magic wander under the effect of her anger. Pacing around in the aisle, her head down, she felt more angry at herself than at the book, but still too caught up in her feelings to notice the new pony that was making her way to the same shelf. “Eh you, could you tell me where to find Recorded History of Malicious Entities by Cure Feather? I was directed to this...library.” A bored voice sounded right next to her. Twilight jumped. The voice came from an Arabian mare, taller than her and slender like her peers, with a sandy coat and a blue opal mane of curly hairs expertly groomed in a semi-chignon, her eyes telling of a great arrogance. The bracelets and necklaces she wore proved she was of noble origins, but still Twilight was angry and she didn't care. “Do I look like a librarian to you?” She barked, annoyed at the impolite mare. She wasn't taking any of this today. To her credit, the mare didn't flinch, only throwing her head into the air in a similar fashion to the Canterlot nobles that roamed the castle. “I wouldn't know how to describe you my dear.” She said flatly in passing, making a show of looking at the shelves behind Twilight before coming back around. “Whatever, I'll just have a copy delivered to my room by flight.” She smirked and it was evident that whatever she had came here to find wasn't on her mind anymore. But rather than just leaving her alone, the mare came back toward her trying to intimidate her. “Nice meeting you rhamja.” The mare sneered, as she brushed close to Twilight, pushing her against the shelves. Twilight gritted her teeth, and let the childish insult slide, staring at the insolent mare as she disappeared around a shelf. She was used to being bullied ever since kindergarten and so she had developed a sixth sense when it came to judge difficult ponies. She was sure whoever that one was, she wasn't easy to handle. “Well...” She sighed and fell on her haunches, her spirit dulled. First there was this nonsense about her teacher, and the thought that she might be wrong about Woona, and now this. She was starting to feel insecure about her research and the reasons behind them... She took a look at the book she had taken from the shelf earlier, a smile made its way on her face. In her magic floated the only copy of Recorded History of Malicious Entities of the entire airship. “Maybe this day is not as bad as I thought.” Twilight realized, she might actually keep it now. A new spring in her step, she took the book to the librarian's desk, wrote her address in the Borrowed Books Register and went to find something to eat. ***************** Luna bit her lip, hard at work over the many maps of the EES Golden Hind her bat ponies had acquired for her. She stood hunched over the little desk in her cabin, the table disappearing under the papers, dust particles dancing in the lone beam of sunlight pouring from the porthole. She had been at it for an hour now, since painfully waking to the light of her sister's sun. It had been so long since Luna had maintained a correct sleep schedule it was a miracle she could still function, and it was all thanks to that new dark beverage her secretary back at the castle had introduced to her. She had had a pitcher of it brought to her this morning, and it was now almost empty. “Dammit!” She swore, rubbing her eyes with a hoof. She had never been good with two dimensions maps, or planning for that matter. She was a mare of action, preferring to get her bearings on the field, so she had always let her sister tend the scheming and organizing. And it did not help that her thoughts kept wandering back to the party. Twilight Sparkle had been an interesting mare, but she had her priorities. She needed to concentrate on her mission and get out of here with the artifact as soon as possible, so why did she kept coming back to her? She could still feel Twilight's scent on her, or the way her warm body had fitted so well against her as they danced through the night...she could not help herself, it just made her happy. “Do not get too eager, you still have a job to do!” She groaned, and willed herself to look at the maps again. The one she had before her eyes was a blueprint of the diplomat quarters. It dated from way before the construction of the airship, so she was unsure if it still matched with the current layout, but it was the best she had. The security was tight around the building of airships as they represented a valuable asset in military tactics, so she hadn't been able to put her hoof on more recent maps. She leaned over the blueprints, committed to memorizing every inch of the plan. Her target would be living in one of the extravagant suites which divided the right part of the floor, built around a hall, with little spaces between each chambers for room service. This was what interested her the most, along with the position of the windows. Unfortunately, the diplomat floor was just over the main line of shield generators of the airship, which meant that some of the enchantments from the generators would overlap with those put over the windows, complicating the act of dispelling them quickly and without alerting the soldiers. This was of course a wanted outcome from the airship designers, as the most important passengers, crew members or merchandises were always placed in a fortified floor between the shield generators, where they would be the last to fall in case of an attack. If the attack came from outside. That left her with either a direct approach, through the front doors, or through the stairs reserved to the staff. Luna was an expert in stealth, this mission wouldn't be a problem to her as she had already accomplished far more dangerous tasks, but she needed to be cautious: the current owner of the artifact was an important guest of Equestria, a member of royalty and a diplomat traveling from her home to complete a peace treaty between the two countries. If only just a whisper of a rumor liking Luna and the future heist together surfaced, there could be dire consequences. For now, her vague status of ruler of Equestria was still being contested by the surrounding countries and she had had to face diplomats dismissing her authority as a farce. As if being an alicorn with the control over the moon and the stars was not enough for them, she thought bitterly, a spike of anger piercing her mood. Beside, the floor was heavily guarded and she was sure such rare artifact would not be left without protection. It would be staying in a special chest to hid it from prying eyes and to protect the world against it, as this might as well be the most evil piece of dark magic currently in circulation. Her eyes stung from the lack of sleep, her back had started to hurt and so Luna decided she needed some air. She tried to arrange the maps on the desk before giving up with a sigh and moving to stand in the middle of the room, her horn sparkling as she put on her disguise. The alicorn disappeared in a flash, taking the form of her pegasus counterpart, and looked at her reflection in the mirror of the bathroom, hastily brushing through her mane. She wanted to be presentable for even in a disguise she was still Luna. Satisfied, she was out of her cabin quickly enough and walked briskly to her destination: she learned yesterday from over-hearing an enthusiastic passerby that the library presented an exposition of the models from the construction planning of the airship. Those might not be as accurate as the maps but they would be easier on her eyes. The indications were clear, so she easily located the library on the fifth floor, the most direct path to the building being through the shopping mall, a broad hallway of shops and restaurants organized there for the pleasures of the passengers. It was not a hard place to find, and Luna progressively slowed down as she approached the hallway, taken aback by what she saw. The mall was vast and loud, crowded with ponies and a multitude of little shops with overly bright lights, flashing in all colors to capture your attention, begging for your time. The shops were positively crammed with ponies, inspecting clothes, products, arguing with the vendors, cheering loudly, while sale ponies shouted over the mess slogans about perfumes and soaps, tax-free zones, discounts of fifty percent for the third article purchased, and the whole world seemed to blend into a mess, disappearing in a mass of colors and shapes. Overwhelmed, Luna froze, transfixed by the display of extravagance and suddenly wary of crossing the mall. She was not familiar with such places, being mostly confined to the castle, and everything seemed over-saturated, everywhere her eyes turned there was distraction, noises, lights, scents... Luna could not remember in her memories of thousands of years, not in her whole experience as a head of state and war-wagging alicorn a more confusing place that this. The world had changed, or she was not the same pony, she could not tell. For a lone minute, Luna felt almost displaced from her reality. Everything numbed around her, losing its appeal as she remained there, inert in a crowd of moving beings, and her heart clenched in her chest as she observed the cacophony around her, lost in the frightening prospect that she was not a part of that world anymore, too old and forgotten in the clutches of time. She was so focused on her goal, she never took the time to see the world around her, so sure that she would be welcomed there. For who did she fight like that, if not for her only family, her sister? But even Celestia was not as close as she used to be, there was always the strain of the past between them, an putrid wound that poisoned their relation. She could not find solace in her sister, even better, she was a dead weight to her. Luna was the pony keeping her sister from her happiness, surely she would have to let her go too... Some pony bumped against her and this jolted Luna out of her confusion. She tensed, her reason coming back to her with force. “What was that?” She exclaimed, her heart wildly beating and suddenly very angry at herself. She understood now: had let her guard down! Now full of resentment for her weakness, she berated herself with shame. “I cannot not think like that, I am my own and the Nightmare will not have it!” She had business to do, and so she hurried herself away from the madness, moving with a renewed purpose through the crowd of ponies clustered around the shops. It didn't take her long to find the doors of the library, as it was hidden away in the corner of a deserted hall, the comforting noise of the airship's engines now clear again in the blissful silence. She stopped before the doors, taking a minute to calm herself and clear her mind. “I must not get lost this way again, time is precious if I want to get the artifact before the airship enter equestrian space.” She resolved, fixing her hooves with a hard stare. Confident in her abilities again, Luna opened the doors with great care, intending on staying hidden from whoever was inside. She checked the room but she could not see anypony at the exposition and so she trotted there, staying close to the wall. There, in the middle of the room was a long table with a dozen of wooden models of airships, with descriptions. Some were cut to show the inside of the airship, others were only part of various mechanics, all properly explained on little cards in an effort to promote this new technology to the public. From the left to the right, there was a general sense of a time line, the first models being smaller and older than the last. Luna eyed one of the last model, a complete vertical cut of the Golden Hind, albeit a bit crude. She could see the diplomat quarters and the stairs and room reserved for the staff underneath, with what could only be described as narrow tunnels connecting the stairs to the kitchens, laundry room, infirmary and others parts of the airship. In the room, the wealthy occupants could call for any services with the flick of a magically enhanced bell at any time. Impersonating a servant could be one way to get in, but she would have to somewhat gain access to the staff room from which every tunnels came from, and not get recognized. She made no assumption when thinking the task arduous, as the Golden Hind was a long distance airship - not coming back on land for sometimes a whole month, so the staff was hand picked and the position was usually for life. You started working there, you gained a home and a family, and with such spirit of cohesion between the crew members she would be hard pressed to make a good impersonation. The idea was romantic and appealing to her desire for action, thrills and danger but in her weakening condition infiltrating the servants in the middle of a trip was not worth the effort. Considering her options, she turned her thoughts to the front doors of the diplomat quarters. As she recalled the blueprints in her mind she was pleased to see that not so much had changed. On the right side of the floor there were the heavy double doors and after that an antechamber acting as a control room, and the only way forward to the main hall of the diplomat quarters. Clearly the quarters would be guarded by the airship's own soldiers and the outside of the room by the personal guards of her target. There would be anti-teleportation wards, and maybe even anti-flying wards and alarms. She reasoned that if she waited late in the night, some hours after the second night guards took their places but before the freshened day guards took over, a direct approach could work. She had done that before, she had been there countless of times: in an age long gone she had struck at the heart of their enemies while her sister busied herself with their armies. In her situation the best would be to stay concealed, she concluded, her thoughts turning cynical. In fact, the worst scenario in her mind would be to be forced into a fight. She was not that mare anymore, she remembered with a pang of sadness, she was only a shadow of her former glory and she worried that in the heat of a fight she would lose her mind to the Nightmare and commit the unthinkable. Perhaps the Luna from a thousand year ago could have talked herself into killing innocent guards, feeding her mind with ideals of peace and justice, but after all that she had been through she now felt repulsed by the idea of killing. None of this mattered anymore, only that she would have to find a way to probe the quarters for its defenses herself since her bat ponies were technically not allowed on the airship. Luna hummed a song, completely absorbed in her task as she calculated the time she would need to cross the different rooms of the floor. Her back was to the doors of the library and so she didn't notice the new pony coming into the room before she heard her conversation with the librarian, yet her heart jumped as she recognized the voice. Slowly, she turned her head, glancing at the stranger who was unpleasantly barking at the poor librarian. It could not have been a coincidence that her target chose now of all time to show herself. Keeping her cool, she fluttered closer, busying herself with a pamphlet on the equestrian air force. Pretending to read the pamphlet, Luna eyed the mare. She was the diplomat of the Saddle Arabian Kingdom, the last one in a line of increasingly important ponies who worked on the peace treaty between the two nations. The kingdoms were not at war, nor enemies, but no peace had been officially forged between the rulers and with the growing importance of trade in the state of international affairs, there was a future possibility of conflict over resources like minerals, oil and water. Thus Celestia had been courting the Arabians for quite sometimes now, starting an exchange of artists, personalities and diplomats to which the Arabians participated. Creating the illusion of common values and goals was as important as drafting the treaty itself, and now all that hard work was finally paying off. The mare, named Noura bint Sahira Al-Khahilt, was the third daughter of a sisterhood of four of the Khahilt family. A mare in her late twenty, she was a narcissist with a tendency to throw her weight around, but she was intelligent and good at charming those who catered to her cause. She accorded a lot of importance to her work, and thus must have been elated to be chosen to represent her family in the matter of the treaty. While on a trip to a distant city in the northern desert of Saddle Arabia, two month ago, she had somehow bought or stole an artifact of legends, and was sighted with the item a short while before boarding the airship. Luna was sure she had somehow took it on board, through a special package meant to cheat the security, since no object with such amount of concentrated dark magic would have been accepted on the airship. Why would she need to take the artifact with her, the alicorn could only wonder. Right now, she was busy scaring the librarian for her own amusement. The poor stallion was sweating, frozen in fear as the Arabian mare ranted about his “incompetence” and “joke of a library”, and Luna felt the need to intervene, but the stallion managed to vaguely indicate which part of the library contained whatever the mare was here for, and then promptly disappeared under his desk. Her curiosity picked, Luna tried to apply a quick hiding spell to herself, grimacing in pain as her magic refused to cooperate. She should have rested yesterday, as every time she grew tired and weak she lost control her magic. She had been reckless, but she did not regret that evening at the party. “I have no time to lose!” she grunted in her head and forced what little magic she could find into the spell, not missing a beat as she shimmered out of view and run to the next shelves. Peering between the books, Luna was surprised as she saw no other than Twilight Sparkle sitting there, clutching the book she was reading as if it was the most precious thing in the universe. Her pain forgotten, she felt a wave of happiness and relief at the view of the unicorn. She seemed much more real in the light of the day, settled against a cushion, her brow furrowed. She wasn't wearing any clothes this time and Luna couldn't help herself but admire her figure, tracing those shapely curves and her cute muzzle all wrinkled up as she made a face of discontent. Her heart thundered as she pondered what had her so preoccupied. If she could, she would make those worries disappear, Luna thought, happy to be able to see her again, albeit a bit self-conscious of her position as she was now spying on the studious mare. She promised herself she wouldn't have any flight of fancy, but it didn't hurt to just look. Twilight put the book she was reading down, and Luna watched as her face made all kind of expressions, so absorbed she was by some inner conflict. It was a bit silly, watching her pace around, but for Luna it was endearing. A smile crept on her face. This surely was a fun mare to be around. She heard her target come into the aisle before she saw her, and her mission came back to the front of her mind. With displeasure, she forced herself out of her bizarre trance, watching with a growing annoyance as the Arabian noble made her way to Twilight. If that mare made any kind of move against her, Luna would be sure to teach the noble a lesson. She prowled around, her body tense as the mare addressed Twilight in her annoying aloof voice, apparently searching for a specific book and looking for some pony to find it in her stead, but felt a strange sense of pride as her friend confronted her aggressor. She would have jumped into action to defend Twilight if the mare hadn't already have a temper of her own. However, the title of the book, Recorded History of Malicious Entities, made her flinch. Was her target not aware of what she had into her hooves? Or was she trying to find information on how to use the artifact for her own purpose? Luna could only watch, and be surprised by the unexpected turn the situation took. Twilight Sparkle held her ground, and the Arabian could only flee as she recognized her caprice would not be tolerated. Luna watched in silence as the lavender mare suddenly brought a book from behind her, and understood that it was actually the one the mare was looking for. Soon after, she left the library, leaving Luna alone with her mind ablaze. “The danger is more present than I thought if that mare is willing to use the artifact.” She thought. Luna now had a mission to stop her from whatever she had planned, as she was sure it had to do with the peace treaty last round of negotiations. They would take place at the castle, as soon as the Golden Hind docked, and she had a hunch it would not be beneficial to Equestria. But Luna doubted she could do that on her own, not with the Nightmare poisoning her mind and eating her magic away. She needed the help of an agent who could work from the inside, and every bit of information that could give her an advantage. “I need that book, and I need to talk to Twilight Sparkle.” She decided, dropping her spell and trotting to the librarian's desk. With only a passing glance at the register, the learned what she needed and went to prepare herself. Twilight Sparkle, fourth floor, cabin 412.